Oppose the BBI with honesty and good faith

As Kenyans prepare for a referendum, a host of political leaders and civil society outfits have already declared their intention to oppose the Building Bridges Initiative proposals.

But even as alignments to push for the rejection of constitutional reforms take shape, Kenyans must be wary of leaders who are taking them for fools. They must resist entities out to exploit their gullibility for selfish political gain.

This can, however, only be successfully done if citizens are conscious of various happenings in the country’s political scene. This will help them to confidently challenge individuals hell-bent on misleading them.

Picture this. During the launch of the BBI report at the Bomas of Kenya earlier this week, speaker after speaker, drawn from all spheres of life, spoke highly of the report and its authors.

They repeatedly thanked the BBI steering committee for taking their views into consideration and including them in the report. Those who had reservations with some issues acknowledged that there was room for improvement.

That was until Deputy President William Ruto took the podium. Ruto callously poked holes in the report while dragging his campaign narratives into the event. The reasons for his mean attitude was obvious to anyone who has been following the BBI process.

Immediately after the BBI taskforce was established in 2018, it hit the ground running, carrying out a comprehensive national public participation exercise that upheld the rights of citizens to participate in governance.

The taskforce made countrywide tours, collecting views from Kenyans through town hall forums and even mail-in. Many citizens made their submissions as individuals, corporations and special interest groups.

After presenting what it had gathered on the ground in the launch dubbed Bomas I last year, the steering committee then embarked on a validation process. It held numerous institutional stakeholders’ consultative forums where virtually every institution was invited to make submissions.

From political parties to county assemblies, governors, women, youth, religious organizations, trade and workers’ unions, the private sector, pastoralists, people living with disability, small and medium enterprises as well as the jua kali and informal sector in general, no one was left out.

The multi-sectoral forum, which includes groups of organisations representing the religious, civil society, professionals, media, women, youth and other groups, deeply discussed issues ailing the country and presented its recommendations in 2018. Government ministries, departments and commissions presented their views this year.

But while all this was happening, a section of the political class gave the process a wide berth, opting to instead frustrate the process by tirelessly attacking its architects, President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga.

They did not bother to make submissions even when the BBI team pitched tent at KICC in Nairobi - a stone throw away from their parliamentary offices - seeking to listen to the views of every single Kenyan.

Kenyans should take cue from the event at Bomas. The next time leaders come to preach to you about what is not in the BBI report, simply ask them where they were when others were making their submissions.

As for the civil society outfits that have opposed the Handshake and BBI process all along, it is an open secret that they are out to please and milk their foreign masters. Do not entertain their shenanigans.

-Mr Kwinga is a political scientist. [email protected]