Mudavadi, Kalonzo call for sobriety on debate
Mutuku Mwangangi and Douglas Dindi
Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Wiper Party counterpart Kalonzo Musyoka have broken their silence over the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) debate.
The duo has called for an all-inclusive debate on the report and the proposed referendum.
Addressing a congregation at St Peter's ACK, Maraba Church in Kakamega Town during a Sunday service yesterday, Mudavadi warned that his party would oppose changes to the Constitution if concerns of Kenyans are not addressed.
Mudavadi said the current clamour for amendments to the Constitution were suspect and unlikely to capture the aspirations of the citizens and country.
“Why is it that the clamour for constitutional changes begins during a transition election cycle. We saw this in 1969, 1978, 1992, 1997, 2005, 2010 and now,” he said.
He said at a time the country is faced with myriad challenges, including a collapsed economy, a bulging public debt and unemployment, it will be unwise to prioritise law change.
Mudavadi, who was flanked by Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, MPs Ayub Savula (Lugari), Alfred Agoi (Sabatia), Titus Khamala (Lurambi) and Vihiga Woman MP Beatrice Adagala said they would reject a referendum intended to massage political egos of certain individuals.
Speaks separately
Speaking separately in Machakos County, Kalonzo also called for an all-inclusive debate on the BBI and subsequent referendum, warning that it should not be reduced to a political duel between Deputy President William Ruto and ODM party leader Raila Odinga, who are seen as top contenders in the 2022 presidential election.
Kalonzo said that there was need for sobriety during the debate on the BBI report so that the views of every Kenyan are captured.
“We believe in an all-inclusive country where no one feels left behind. That is why we need sobriety in debating issues raised by Kenyans.
For this reason, we will traverse the entire country to popularise the initiative and engage robustly with wananchi,” said Kalonzo.
Kalonzo has thrown his weight behind the BBI report, saying it seeks to seal loopholes for merchants of violence who ‘thrive in politics of bitterness and threats’.
