BBI will spur Coast region's economic growth - Raila

ODM Leader Raila Odinga has urged the Coastal region to support the amendment of the 2010 Constitution, pointing out that it will help spur the region's economic growth.

Raila, who is in a five-day blitz campaign for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) at the Coast, said once the constitution is amended, locals will benefit from natural resources in the area.

He said the current Constitution, which was promulgated in 2010, was not clear on how counties should benefit from natural resources found within their borders.

“For a very long time, the region has been sidelined because the current Constitution is not clear on how counties should benefit from natural resources," he said.

Speaking to residents of Mwatate, Taita Taveta County on Tuesday, Raila laughed off at those opposing the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020, saying that the BBI reggae is unstoppable.

“The naysayers should just join the winning team because nobody can stop this process,” he said.

The ODM party leader blamed Deputy President William Ruto for misleading Kenyans through his hustlers versus dynasties narratives.

Raila said, through BBI, the Equalization Fund for the marginalized counties will be extended from the current 20 years to 30 years as part of a wide plan to develop infrastructure in the counties.

“This is a draft plan for the government to invest in areas that have been marginalized for years. Supporting BBI is supporting development," the ODM boss said.

Raila was accompanied by MPs Jones Mlolwa (Voi), Andrew Mwadime (Mwatate) and their Suna East counterpart Junet Mohammed.

He pointed out that the government will not only invest in high yielding areas with a high rate of return but also in marginalized areas which are mostly arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL).

In the coastal region, Raila said Taita Taveta County will highly benefit from revenue from natural resources that includes a wide range of precious stones and the expansive Tsavo National Park.

Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja vowed to fully rally the county to support the upcoming referendum.

Samboja said amending the Constitution will save Taita Taveta County from losing two of its constituencies that have not attained the required population quota.

"We are not ready to lose any of our constituency and therefore we should fully support this process," the Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani chairman said.

He said county leaders shall push the Kenya Wildlife Service to compensate hundreds of residents who have been affected by the rampant human-wildlife conflict in the area.