Apologise for derailing Big 4 agenda, DP tells BBI advocates

Deputy President William Ruto during the funeral service of the Late Nominated senator Victor Prengei at Marioshoni Grounds in Molo, in Nakuru on August 28, 2021.[Kipsang Joseph, Standard

Deputy President William Ruto has challenged proponents of the failed Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) to apologise to Kenyans. 

Dr Ruto claimed BBI sabotaged the government's Big Four agenda that was meant to transform various sectors of the economy. 

"Those who pushed BBI to us, we demand apology. They sabotaged the Big Four agenda like food strategy," said Ruto.

He said such leaders had nothing to offer Kenyans and were only pushing for constitutional changes to ascend to power. "There was no way BBI was going to pass. This was fraud meant to destroy our Constitution, and impose on us an imperial president. That is the least thing the people of Kenya want, people want servant leadership," he said 

The DP noted that the proposal to create a Judiciary Ombudsman would have compromised the independence of the Judiciary. "BBI must fail forever. I still find some people want to challenge us further on the BBI, if they want to us to add 35 per cent of our resources to counties then that is possible through bringing a Bill in Parliament," the DP added 

He said: "IEBC has the mandate of adding more constituencies. Let them stop the deceit... There are no more fools in Kenya."

Ruto urged the Kamba community to craft a blueprint that would form part of his national economic agenda. "Let us have a working formula without tribal inclinations. We will meet all professionals from the region and have blueprint since we want to create inclusive government," he said.

Ruto spoke at his Karen residence yesterday when he met over 500 clerics drawn from Makueni and parts of Kajiado. The clergy pledged to support the DP and called for truce with President Uhuru Kenyatta.