Deputy President William Ruto is currently hosting Tangatanga legislators for a meeting where he is expected to give direction to his supporters on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) drive.
Legislators started trooping into the DP’s Karen home in Nairobi as early as 7am for the meeting, which those who spoke to the Nation described as “crucial.”
A legislator who spoke to the Nation on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals for issuing premature briefs, said: “From this meeting, Kenyans will be able to know the direction we shall be taking on the Building Bridges Initiative.”
Dr Ruto, who has been pushing for consensus to avoid a divisive referendum, has been making indications that he will throw his weight behind the drive.
“New article 11A in the BBI constitution Bill introduced after Bomas will anchor the ordinary people's hustler economics of wheelbarrow, boda×2, mama mboga, pastoralists/butchers and guaranteed minimum returns on coffee, tea, korosho, sukari, maize. Bottom up, not trickledown economics,” Dr Ruto tweeted on November 27.
And on Tuesday, the DP said that whereas he was not opposed to the amendment of the Constitution, all views must be brought on board.
The DP, who was speaking in Nakuru, alleged a plot by some proponents of the BBI process to divide Kenyans along political inclinations.
“There are people in politics and BBI who want to divide people. They want a contest of one group vs the other. Of what benefit do you gain by searching for enemies? Enmity for what?” he asked, adding that it is still possible to have consensus and have Kenyans walk together without factions.
Dr Ruto has been under pressure to make his stand on the initiative driven by his boss President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Mr Odinga has indicated that the DP cannot be trusted following statements that have been attributed to him on the initiative in the past.
The Musalia Mudavadi-led Amani National Congress (ANC) has also come out guns blazing against the DP, telling him to declare his stand on the drive.
At a ceremony presided over by Mr Mudavadi at the party’s headquarters in Nairobi on Monday, the ANC leaders told Dr Ruto to stop confusing Kenyans by blowing hot and cold on the BBI implementation roadmap.
ANC Deputy Party Leader Ayub Savula and Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala took on the Deputy President over his uncertain position on the BBI process.
“Ruto should declare his stand on this process. He should tell Kenyans whether he is for or against it because we know he did not even attend the State House meeting between the President and party leaders where the consensus to allow amendments to the BBI Bill was brokered,” Mr Savula said.
“As we form a team for the BBI, we need to know whether he (Ruto) is in our team or he is our opponent so that we know how to deal with him,” said Mr Malala.
