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BBI taskforce will not visit all 47 counties, says Raila

Monday, February 17th, 2020 00:00 | By
ODM leader Raila Odinga pays last respects to former Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Henry Michael Ochieng in Ugenya constituency. Photo/PD/ERIC JUMA

Henry Andanje and Eric Juma @PeopleDailyKe

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has disclosed that the task force on Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) will not visit all the 47 counties to collect views from Kenyans.

He at the same time dismissed persons calling for the document to be given to wananchi for scrutiny and ownership saying they were time-barred.  He added that his verdict on the BBI document is final for it carries aspirations of most Kenyans.

Raila, who is also the African Union’s High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa,  said they are  now waiting  for theBBI Secretariat to clear the validation processes so that one million signatures could  be collected and a referendum bill formulated for Kenyans to vote on.

“We are time barred . We want the BBI Secretariat to embark on aggressive campaigns countrywide, to collect a million signatures that will be presented to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for validation in preparation for a referendum,” he said.

“The hour of change has come and those who think otherwise should not confuse the electorate but should wait and meet us head-on in the  referendum,” Raila told mourners in Ugenya constituency, Siaya county, on Saturday.

Raila, who was responding to area MP David Ochieng’’s call for Wanjiku to have the final say on the report, said it’s the politicians who have a duty to educate the people in every region on recommendations of the Senator Yusuf Haji-led BBI task force. 

The Orange party leader said politicians would move in every region to meet people in order to pass resolutions  on  the BBI report, adding that consultations should be ready by March in readiness for  implementation by the government.

He, however, added that members of the public will come up with the final resolution about the BBI report and not politicians or Parliament because they know problems facing them.

“It is the wearer of the shoes who knows where it pinches,” said Raila adding that members of the public who will come up with the final resolution on BBI report and not politicians.

Speaking during the burial of former Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Henry Michael Ochieng in Ugenya constituency, Raila said  the country is yearning for economic reforms and development and allowing public to express views will take a lot of  time.

Addressing other mourners  at  Murende village in Busia county on Friday, Raila said consultations will be taken to the government for administrative action, adding that the country’s constitution and any other law should be changed by Parliament.

He has attended the burial of former businessman the late John Okinda, who was also a friend to his late father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. 

He further pointed out that a bill will be drafted to enable Kenyans to collect one million signatures to be taken to IEBC for a referendum to be held.

The former Prime Minister called on Busia residents to support BBI report because it is  the only solution that will resolve Kenya’s problems,including inclusivity.

He said Kenyans are suffering because of corruption noting that they are unable to buy any food and yet few people are having millions of carrying some in sacks.

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