BBI team member explains mystery of bungled signatures

A member of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) Steering Committee, Mr James Matundura, has dismissed claims that some signatures on the final draft report that was presented to President Uhuru Kenyatta were forged.

He has particularly defended his signature in the recently released report, saying he personally appended it to the document alongside other officials. 

He denies that his signature may have been forged.

This comes after hawk-eyed Kenyans raised queries after they noticed some signatures in the BBI report appeared strange.

Specifically, Mr Matundura’s signature appears to be very similar to that of Dr Florence Omosa, another committee member, leading to speculation by members of the public.

However, Mr Matundura, who sat in the 14-member committee chaired by Garissa Senator Yusuf Haji, now explains that an error may have occurred.

“I was supposed to append my signature on the dotted line below my name, but I ended up putting it above my name, which borders that of Dr Omosa, causing the confusion,” he claims.

“I, however, asked those involved in preparing the final report to rectify the error, but unfortunately, they forgot,” he adds.

'No one was forced' 

He also adds that no member of the team was coaxed into signing the report as claimed by some committee members, saying it is shocking to see people deny what they helped formulate.

Mr Matundura, who is also the Abagusii Council of Elders chairman, said members worked harmoniously throughout the process and it saddened him that some of them have turned their backs on it now.

Mr Matundura was speaking to the Nation after a media briefing that was called to thank President Uhuru Kenyatta for presiding over Mashujaa Day celebrations at Gusii stadium last month.

This comes after the report’s integrity was questioned when some steering committee members disowned sections of the final draft.

For instance, Major (Rtd) John Seii, a committee member, alleged that articles touching on the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary were doctored. He also claimed that committee members were kept in the dark about the document until four days before its launch.

He is on record saying he believes in the first BBI report released back in November 2019, adding that when they met to append their signatures, experts told them the second report was a replica of the first one, only that it was given a legal touch and were thus asked to sign on the dotted line. 

Why sign?

So why did he sign something he didn’t believe in? 

“I signed it in trust because we had not read it. What would I have done yet we were told that time was running out and we needed to print copies for the launch? It was very awkward for me. Initially, we were supposed to be given time to read it,” said Major Seii, adding that if he had been given time, he would have raised objections about some issues.

(Download a copy of the BBI Report here: BBI REPORT)