Moses Kuria threatens to join BBI referendum no faction
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria has threatened to join the no campaign against the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report.
According to the outspoken MP, a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto, the report does not capture issues affecting the common Kenyan and is instead seeking to overburden tax payers by increasing the number of parliamentarians.
Despite the amendments made in the document seeking to change the country's governance structure, the legislator also noted that most views of ordinary Kenyans were not incorporated into the report whose signature collection was launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his handshake partner Raila Odinga on Wednesday.
In that light, Kuria threatened to join the Catholic church faction that recently dismissed the document for failing to heed to their key proposals
The catholic bishops earlier rejected the plan to give more powers to the president, saying it will not cure the winner-takes-it-all problem and called for further dialogue to achieve inclusivity.
Kuria said he will listen to the voice of the church to inform him on which side to support and urged all churches to speak out.
He called on the government to avoid dictating to Kenyans on which route to take and instead allow the BBI document to follow a democratic process.
"The president should call the team spearheading the BBI process and make the necessary amendments that will see Kenyans relieved the huge burden of having more parliamentarians. Should they fail to make the changes, I will join the Catholic church whose stand you all know," he said.
He however lauded the BBI steering committee for the progressive adjustments made to the document among them denying the President powers to micromanage operations of the judiciary by appointing chair office of ombudsman in judiciary
Kuria made the remarks at Gathage village in his constituency during the burial ceremony of two brothers even as BBI signature collection drive continued on top gear.
The BBI Referendum is expected to be held in June 2021.
