We’re ready to lead NO campaign against BBI – Moses Kuria
Tanga Tanga allied MPs are ready to join the No campaign against the Building Bridges Initiative if the proposals they have tabled for amendments are not addressed, Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria has said.
Kuria made the remarks days after the MPs allied to Deputy President William Ruto met at his Karen residence in Nairobi where they declared their support for the BBI referendum but made new proposals that place them on a collision course with President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga.
The outspoken MP insisted that further changes to the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2020 among them bringing back 47 Woman Representatives in the National Assembly where resources are allocated and cabinet ministers appointed must be met.
Further to their demands, Kuria maintained that reducing the bloated parliament which he said will be a burden to the taxpayer at a time when Kenya is grappling with an economic crisis precipitated by Covic-19 must be amended for Kenya to move forward without divisions.
“We cannot continue to fire people from the government and on the other hand increase the nomination of parliamentarians. It’s immoral, unacceptable and for that reason alone, I will vote no and I will mobilize people to vote in a similar way. Kenyans are ready and the no campaign will be as easy as riding a bicycle down a mountain,” he said.
He said that Kenyans are ready to back their bid to nullify the whole document if their pursuit to iron out the contentious issues will be unsuccessful.
Speaking in Thika East after the burial for Mary Njeri, the mother in law to Kiambu town MP Jude Njomo, Kuria who was flanked by MP Patrick Wainaina said that they will be running a no campaign against the document if all avenues for a consensus flops to be on the right side of history.
On his side, Wainaina who is an independent parliamentarian said it is not only untenable to maintain the increased number of parliamentarians but the country cannot also afford to have a market-like August house.
If all goes to worse and the document sees light of the day in its current structure, Wainaina said he would start a campaign to have MPs salaries slashed by half to avoid overloading Kenyans with additional taxes.
“I am ready to have a pay cut by half and this is the call I will be making if the proposed bloated parliament materializes. After all, we are the highest paid in the world,” he said.
He called on Jubilee leaders to sit down and work for a non-divisive document that would steer the country forward.
Speaking after the same function, Kiambu governor James Nyoro’s political advisor David Kariuki said that MPs allied to the second in command were misleading Kenyans and rallied Kenyans not to follow them.
Kariuki said the MPs had failed in their duties to informing Kenyans the truth and helping them to legislate policies that improve on governance.
The controversial man said the problem with the country is not additional positions in parliament but perennial corruption that has continued to drag Kenya’s development.
“They want a wholesome government due to their selfishness. They have rejected sharing of power in the upcoming governments because they want to take over everything. We must reject their bid,” he said.
He called on Mt Kenya region residents to support the BBI in its entirety as it would increase its revenue allocations that would amount to more developments.
