Central Kenya leaders have asked residents to rally behind the BBI so they can claim their space in the national political agenda.
Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia, Kieni MP Kanini Kega and Jeremiah Kioni of Ndaragwa all said the region should not be a bystander and must go for its stake in the next government.
The leaders spoke at separate events in Nyeri on Friday.
Kimemia said Central region must go for its share of the expanded executive should the BBI recommend it. The BBI is expected to recommend the creation of more positions in the executive to promote inclusivity.
“If there is an expanded executive, the Central region with over 14 million voters must claim its space in that political and social-economic agenda,” Kimemia said.
According to the IEBC figures for the 2017 General Election, Central region had 2,912,659 voters. A total of 19,743,716 Kenyans were registered voters across the country.
Kimemia spoke during the inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation of the Nairobi–Nanyuki railway line in Kiganjo. Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga and Laikipia's Nderitu Muriithi were present.
The BBI, Kimemia said, was coming to ensure that the cycle of violence that often follows each election is eradicated. There are often skirmishes with people killed and property destroyed due to contested elections.
Kimemia said BBI with cure that scourge.
The governor termed killing, maiming and displacing of people because of politics as backwardness, saying Kenyans now need to engage in politics of progress so that the country can join other civilizations and develop.
Kioni said Kenyans had agreed to pass the Constitution in 2010 but pledged to revisit it and amend sections that had some issues.
“We agreed that this Constitution should be passed but within some 10 years, we should come together as Kenyans and amend sections that may need to be reviewed so that it can serve the people better,” the Ndaragwa MP said.
He said the idea of amending the Constitution did not start with the Building Bridges Initiative but back in 2010.
“The President is only being honest to the promises we made among ourselves and to Kenyans. This Constitution requires moderation as some sections are no longer useful,” Kioni said.
The MP who is also the chairman of the Constitution Implementation Oversight Committee in the National Assembly said the committee had prepared some proposals but opted to give room to the BBI because it has a bigger approach.
Kieni MP Kanini Kega said politicians from Mt Kenya region who have been opposed to the BBI and President Uhuru Kenyatta’s development agenda and war on corruption are people who know they will not recapture their seats in 2022.
As such, they want to sabotage the President’s work, Kega said.
He said even former president Mwai Kibaki did a lot in terms of development when the country was politically calm.
“There are elected leaders from Mt Kenya who know that they will not be reelected in 2022 and that is why they are sabotaging the President’s work,” he said.
He said Kenyatta was determined to perform in the remaining two years the same way Kibaki performed in his last year at the helm.
Both Kega and Kioni spoke during the inspection tour of the ongoing modernisation of the New KCC Kiganjo Factory in Nyeri. The tour was led by Agriculture CS Peter Munya on Friday.
Edited by P.O
