The Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) secretariat has poked holes into Senate Majority Chief Whip Irungu Kang’ata’s letter to President Uhuru Kenyatta on the popularity of the initiative in Central Kenya.

The secretariat questioned the Murang’a Senator’s rationale for commissioning an opinion poll on the drive, which is still at the initial stages of implementation.

BBI co-chairman Junet Mohamed asked when Mr Kang’ata became a pollster to deduce that BBI was unpopular in Mount Kenya region.

“I don’t come from that area (Mount Kenya) so I cannot confirm what (Mr) Kang’ata is saying but this is the gospel according to Kang’ata,” he said.

“He may have his own opinion but I don’t know when Kang’ata became a pollster in this country.”

He went on: “The last time I checked, he was Majority Whip in the Senate but today we are seeing (Mr) Kang’ata who is a pollster and who can go and commission an opinion poll within the Christmas period.”

“As far as we are concerned as BBI secretariat, our process is ongoing, currently with the verification of signatures.”

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati launched the BBI signatures verification exercise at the Bomas of Kenya on Thursday last week and the process is expected to take about 40 days.

Next cause of action

On Monday, Mr Mohamed said that after the process, “we shall share with Kenyans the next cause of action.”

“We are still going through the process as required by law but (Mr) Kang’ata is entitled to his opinion and, once in a while, to become a pollster,” Mr Mohamed said.

Nyeri Town MP Mr Ngunjiri Wambugu said Mr Kang’ata was not sincere in his letter “by sharing it with the media and the public” instead of reaching out to President Uhuru Kenyatta with his concerns.

“That Majority Whip Senator Kang’ata can write a letter to our party leader and President criticising a decision the President has made and then not only leak it to the press and share it online, but also seek media interviews to discuss it, shows how wrong we got it on this one while making leadership changes in Parliament as a party. This we will fix very soon,” Mr Wambugu said.

He went on: “However, what (Mr) Kang’ata has also done in his misguided attempts to ‘clean himself’ is to admit that BBI already has 20 per cent support -- or even the 10 per cent some Tangatanga clowns are claiming in Mt Kenya region at a time when we have not distributed amendment copies there effectively, have not done proper civic education and without a joint Mt Kenya team selling BBI properly.”

“When we fix these issues - and I am sure we will do this shortly - we are guaranteed to easily hit the 50 per cent or 60 per cent mark within a month.”

Deputy President William Ruto’s allies, however, appeared to celebrate Mr Kang’ata’s views.

Rebel with a cause

Former Mukurweini MP Kabando Wa Kabando likened Mr Kang’ata’s letter to the work of a “rebel with a cause.”

“Open letters are the norm for opposition or 'rebels with cause'. In the 1990s, Jaramogi penned inspiring notes. (Mr) Kang'ata is only curtain-raising ... decamping ... alighting 'steam engine' BBI train not moving. No longer at ease ... things fell apart ... there is no centre to hold. Who is next?” he asked.

“This is most welcome, I just hope Hon Kang’ata is not in trouble. My question is what’s the reaction of the deep state boys and girls?” asked Jubilee Deputy Secretary-General Caleb Kositany, DP Ruto’s de facto spokesperson.

In his letter dated December 30, 2020, and addressed to President Kenyatta through Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju, the communication reveals the BBI challenges in Mount Kenya region.

“BBI is unpopular in Mt Kenya. For every 10 persons I surveyed, six oppose it, two support it and the other two are indifferent … if we do not take urgent measures, I will pin myself permanently in the pillar of the shame of the spectacular defeat,” reads the letter.

It is also copied to majority leaders in the Senate and National Assembly.

Mr Kang’ata cites three reasons that are making BBI unpopular — it is being framed as a Jubilee factional agenda spearheaded only by the Kieleweke side; the notion that BBI will expand Parliament and claims that government supporting legislators in the region have been edged out of BBI programmes in favour of their local political competitors.

The letter also says politicians in the region who are against the BBI are employing common people language in their campaigns while the government’s narrative is being sold by civil servants with limited political skills. The situation is being worsened by the hard economic times facing residents.

“I will cite the example of Kangema MP, Hon Muturi Kigano, who has been steadfastly supporting government since 2017. He chairs the strategic committee of Justice and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly. Notwithstanding this, his political rival is spearheading BBI in Kangema to Kigano’s exclusion. This grievance is silently brewing among MPs in the National Assembly. A number of them are ‘komerera’ (political double agents) who are bidding their time before they bolt out.”

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