Atwoli attacks BBI report, says it’s a route to anarchy

The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli (pictured) has faulted the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report saying the initiative’s taskforce drifted away from the purpose for which it was designed.

Atwoli warned that while the main purpose of the initiative formed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga was to unite Kenyans, the BBI report if implemented in its current form, would throw the country into anarchy.

“The report did not address the issue of exclusivity in governance which is the main reason why Kenyans fight every electioneering period,” he stated.

Addressing the media during a meeting of the top leadership of COTU in Kisumu today, the trade unionist insisted the report should be re-looked in order to address the cause of division in the country.

He faulted the report for not capturing the position of a powerful prime minister and a parliamentary system of governance which he said was the only way to achieve inclusion.

In addition, he stated that all presidential candidates should be nominated to Parliament “so that they can have somewhere to hang”.

Atwoli maintained there was nothing new in the BBI report other than the reintroduction of a weak Prime Minister.

“The issues they have recommended in the report are all in the current constitution. They have only changed the position of the leader of the majority to a prime minister,” he said.

He also took issue with politicians who are against new positions being created in the Constitution over claims it will overburden Kenyans, posing, “If positions are not shared among different leaders in the country, how will it be felt by ordinary Kenyans?”

“We must have a President with two deputies, a powerful prime minister and two deputies, chief secretaries for this country to be united,” he said.

The COTU boss attempted to push this narrative on Wednesday during the official unveiling of the report to the public at Bomas of Kenya but received mixed feelings from the delegates.

He was disappointed that the issues they presented to the task force as workers union were not factored in the report, reading a fear factor among members of the task force.

“We know our enemy which is governance – this is what they should address. As workers union, we told the task force that we wanted a powerful prime minister and a parliamentary system. Why are they sugar coating? Who do they fear?” he posed.

He also warned against having a Prime Minister appointed by the president saying it will cause chaos.

“If we remain with a powerful president and a presidential system of governance, the country will see fire,” he cautioned.