BBI referendum drive will backfire, DP Ruto's allies say

Deputy President William Ruto Wednesday led his troops in pouring cold water on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) referendum Bill.

His allies said the proposed referendum to change the Constitution will flop nationally because it is unpopular.

They accused the Kieweleke faction of misleading President Uhuru Kenyatta that the BBI will sail through.

MPs John Muchiri (Manyatta), Eric Muchangi (Runjenjes), Geoffrey King'ang'i (Mbeere South), Moses Kuria (Gatundu South) and Cecily Mbarire (nominated) dismissed the BBI as fake.

Embu Senator Njeru Ndwiga and Deputy Governor David Kariuki shared the same sentiments.

Speaking at Kairuri Catholic Church in Embu County during the funeral service of the late Jonnes Wakinyua Njuki, the sister of the retired Cardinal John Njue, the leaders told the government to divert the Sh14 billion set aside for the referendum to fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, reviving the economy, and paying workers’ salaries.

They said it will be a waste of resources to hold a referendum “that has already been rejected by Kenyans”.

Dr Ruto said he chose to help the President in initiating development projects and left the BBI politics to Kieweleke group.

Referendum will fail

"This time round I am busy assisting the Head of State develop the nation because development is a priority. BBI issues can be addressed later," he said.

His troops claimed that the signatures which were appended on the referendum Bill forms were fake.

"In my constituency, residents totally refused to sign the forms, but I was later surprised to hear that they signed them. The signatures were forged and that is why we can't vote for the document," Mr Muchiri said.

He called on MCAs nationally to throw the document out of the window when it tabled in assemblies for discussion.

"We are asking the MCAs not to let us down. They should not endorse the document meant to oppress Kenyans,” Mr Muchiri stated.

The leaders asked Kenyans not to let few self-centred politicians allied to Kieweleke decide their destiny.

The DP’s allies wondered who would back such a referendum when the health sector is in crisis and the economy at its lowest ebb.

"Even the Senate Chief Majority Whip Kang'ata has admitted that the referendum will fail in Mt Kenya region. The President should be told the truth that this referendum will not go anywhere," added Mr King'ang'i.

Ms Mbarire said a majority of Kenyans do not know what the BBI entails.

"Kenyans were not given booklets on BBI to read and they are not ready to participate in the process," she said, adding that the law change drive was not a priority.

"Problems facing Kenyans are many. Kenyans don't think about the referendum. Children are going to schools without masks, and schools may turn out to be death chambers. We should be told about financing education and resuscitating the economy, which are priorities," added Ms Mbarire.

Implement the document

Mr Kuria accused the BBI protagonists of hurrying to implement the document without the amendments being pushed by Kenyans.

“We told Kieweleke that they are rushing too much but they ignored us. Now they have embarrassed the President after things backfired on them," Mr Kuria said. 

Mr Ndwiga said Kenyans could not vote for a document they had not seen.

Mr Kariuki told the DP that the region was solidly behind him and would back his 2022 presidential bid.

Dr Ruto noted that 16 million Kenyans are jobless, saying their plight should be addressed first.

"These Kenyans need food. They must be assisted to survive and this is one of the priorities we are talking about. BBI should be discussed later because it has issues that Kenyans feel should be addressed," he said.

On development, Dr Ruto said the State has completed Manyatta Technical Vocational Training Institute and will soon get a Sh50 million learning equipment.