Homa Bay MCAs endorse BBI Bill

There was an awkward moment at the Homa Bay county assembly during debate on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) Constitutional (Amendment) Bill 2020 on Thursday as some members appeared to believe that the car grants they have received from the State were contained in the Bill currently being considered by county assemblies.

Homa Bay County Assembly has become the third legislative House to pass the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) Constitutional (Amendment) Bill 2020 on Thursday after Siaya and Kisumu.

Car grants

It became evident that not all members understood the issue of car grants which MCAs had sought from the State as a precondition to pass the Bill. Some members tried in vain to convince the House that the BBI Bill contains car grants.

Contributing to debate on the Bill, Homa Bay Central MCA Julius Nyambok had said the Bill provided for car grants for MCAs, to which members responded with cheers and foot thumping.

Assembly Speaker Elizabeth Ayoo had to step in to correct the position, saying car grants are not contained in the Bill but was a proposal from MCAs to the State to facilitate their movement in wards.

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has approved the Sh4.5 billion car grants for MCAs and their Speakers, paving the way for its implementation. The car grant was a demand by MCAs as a condition for passing the BBI Bill.

Last week, President Uhuru Kenyatta yielded to pressure from MCAs from the Mt Kenya region for car grants and delivered a Sh2 million car grant for each. The offer was seconded by ODM leader Raila Odinga this week when he said MCAs had a right to enjoy the privilege.

Homa Bay county assembly members unanimously passed the Bill on Thursday afternoon after it was brought to the floor of the House by assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee Chairman Agimba Ayieta who was seconded by Nominated MCA Kevien Onyango. This came just days after Kisumu and Siaya county assemblies endorsed the Bill.

The Homa Bay county assembly sitting, which coincided with the official reopening of the House after a recess, was presided over by assembly Speaker Elizabeth Ayoo who described the session as historic.

Most members braced the morning rain and cold and arrived at the House very early in readiness for the debate.

The session came just days after Mr Odinga convened a consultative meeting for Luo Nyanza ODM elected leaders and other stakeholders in efforts to consolidate the region’s support for the BBI initiative. Others who attended the Monday meeting included religious leaders and the Luo Council of Elders.

From the onset, assembly members were determined to approve the Bill, with most ward representatives focusing their debate on the gains they will get if the proposals made are endorsed -- mainly financial gains such as ward development funds and financial independence of MCAs.

Mr Ayieta began by giving a brief history of the BBI initiative stemming from the March 2018 handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr Odinag, to the collection of BBI signatures at the end of last year.

He spoke of reforms in the electoral system which he said would end the cycle of violence that has always slowed down the economic growth of the country each electioneering period.

Mr Ayieta also cited the fight against corruption which he described as a headache to government authorities.

The assembly Legal Affairs Committee chairman reported to members that his committee held a successful public participation session according to the law on Wednesday where county residents got a chance to interact with the document.

"I beg the House to adopt the Bill. County residents are already familiar with what is contained in the document," he said.

All members who stood up to debate the Bill hailed the handshake and asked residents to vote in favour of constitutional amendments if a referendum is called.

Nominated MCA Lorna Owino said BBI will give women an opportunity to vie for elective political seats as opposed to relying on being nominated.

"BBI puts a lot of stress on women's empowerment. BBI will encourage women to contest political seats equally as men," she said.

The Speaker also had some difficulties trying to limit the time taken by each MCA as all of the 60 members wanted to speak and contribute to the debate.

Mr Odinga on Monday met leaders from Kisumu, Migori, Siaya and Homa Bay counties in efforts to have the region back the BBI initiative. Speakers from the counties vowed at the meeting at Ciala Resort to ensure the BBI Bill is passed this week.

MCAs in Homa Bay, however, said they have not been coerced or bribed to pass the Bill.

"Some people may say the car grant is meant to push us to pass the Bill. It is our right to have car grants just like members of the National Assembly because we do the same work," Gwassi North MCA Evans Marieba said.

After approval, Ms Ayoo signed a certificate of approval which will be forwarded to the Speakers of the National Assembly and the Senate.