Siaya becomes first Assembly to approve BBI Bill

The battle to make constitutional amendments through a referendum has started taking shape with Siaya County Assembly in ODM leader Raila Odinga's backyard becoming the first to approve the Building Bridges Initiative (Constitutional Amendments) Bill 2020.

Siaya MCAs unanimously voted for the proposed amendments endorsing the Bill in a sitting held on Wednesday morning.

Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga and his Deputy James Okumbe were present in the County Assembly during the plenary session that lasted almost two hours.

This sets the stage for the rest of the Luo Nyanza counties, where the Bill has been prioritised on the agenda of the county assemblies.

Kisumu County is expected to follow suit soon when the Bill comes up for debate next week.

It was tabled before the County Assembly on Tuesday after which it was committed to the Justice and Legal Affairs committee.

The committee is expected to subject the Bill for public participation.

In Siaya, the BBI Bill was passed unanimously with members of the county assembly insisting that they were not influenced in any way to take the position.

Mr Francis Otiato, the MCA for East Yimbo and chairman of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, tabled the report on the BBI Bill after public participation was conducted in all the six sub-counties.

Moving debate on the Bill, Mr Otiato said there were live interviews where the Speaker took the public through the document between January 28 and February 1.

"Having looked at the document and talked to the people on the ground, there is a general feeling that the BBI is beneficial," said Mr Otiato.

He added that members of the public were happy with the clause, which will ratify the regional blocs and the proposed increase of funds to counties.

"Let us not be persuaded by our individual interests and look at the document critically because it is good for our people," he stated.

The report was seconded by Usonga Ward Representative Mr Sylvester Madiallo, who dismissed reports that the expanded executive will bloat the wage bill.

Mr Madiallo said many of the positions are shared and are simply added responsibilities.

His Alego Central counterpart Mr Leonard Oriaro maintained that nobody had influenced their decision to pass the Bill and that they only passed what their constituents had approved.

He added that the BBI will ensure there is peace in the country.

Nominated MCA Truphosa Osewe Odinga, in her contribution, asked her counterparts not to peg passing of the Bill to car grants.

"We should not be selfish and use car grants as terms for the passage of this important Bill. Life is all about sacrifices," said Mrs Osewe.

Immediately after the Bill was passed, Speaker George Okode convened a press conference together with the Governor and later proceeded to sign the certificate of approval of the Amendment Bill 2020.

Governor Rasanga lauded the Assembly's move to expedite the process of endorsing the Bill.

"The move captures the spirit of the people of Siaya and shows that they support the initiative. We would want other counties to emulate us and approve the Bill," said Mr Rasanga.

The Speaker will now forward the certificate, the approved committee report and the Bill itself to the National Assembly and the Senate on Thursday.