President Uhuru, Raila to receive BBI report next week

Building Bridges Initiative chairman Yusuf Haji with his vice Adams Oloo during a press conference at Intercontinental Hotel in Nairobi on November 22. The BBI task force will present its report to President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday next week. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

The Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) task force has urged Kenyans to ignore reports circulating on social media and other places claiming to be from it and instead wait for November 26 when the report will be made public.

The task force cautioned the media and members of the public against false reports circulating on social media claiming to be from the team.

The misrepresentations, according to the task force, are meant to sow discord and division among Kenyans at a time when there is a strong national consensus on the need of cohesion, honesty and ambition to change the country for the better.

“We urge the media and members of the public to get in touch with us to confirm the veracity of reports, letters and press releases claiming to be from BBI taskforce.”

In a statement to the media, the task force said it completed its task on October 23 and communicated the same to the Office of the President which in turn gave them an appointment slated for Tuesday.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga are expected to jointly receive BBI task force report on Tuesday, November 26 at State House.

“It is now our privilege to inform the public that an appointment to hand the report to his Excellency the President has been arranged for November 26,” the task force said in the statement.

The task force hailed Kenyans for responding positively to their call of participation, a move that saw them capture views from at least 700 citizens from various backgrounds.

“Kenyan people responded to our call of participation and we were able to capture views from at least 7000 citizens from all ethnic groups, gender, culture, religious practices,” read the statement.

The team said it visited all the 47 counties and held forums where they collected and collated views from more than 400 present and past leaders, prominent local voices and the youth.

Push and pull

BBI was the highlight of the 2018 handshake between Uhuru and Raila in the heat of the disputed 2017 General Election that was already degenerating into violence.

Since its inception, the two leaders have publicly stated, in numerous occasions, that the main import of the exercise is to “unify” the country and not about the 2022 elections.

However, politicians allied to Deputy President William Ruto have opposed BBI, terming it a scheme to block the DP Ruto from ascending to power.

They have vowed to oppose a proposed referendum under BBI saying it will be used to create positions for a few individuals.