• The Building Bridges Initiative concludes visits to counties on Saturday with Tana River
• The team has assured that recommendations to Uhuru and Raila will reflect the views of the people
Image: Jack Owuor
The team tasked with finding solutions to hostilities among Kenyans has headed down the home straight.
As it prepares to conclude its work, the handshake team, officially known as the Building Bridges Initiative, sought to assure that its recommendations to President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga will reflect the views of Kenyans.
Kenyans will be keen to see the recommendations, keeping in mind that Deputy President William Ruto has vowed to vehemently oppose any suggestions for an expanded executive.
MPs allied to Ruto have also strongly opposed the process, claiming the outcome of the work is already predetermined and is just aimed at creating seats for certain individuals.
The BBI is mandated to make proposals on policy, legislative and constitutional changes as well as on institutional review necessary to address the challenges facing Kenyans.
The taskforce was formed on March 9 last year after Uhuru and Raila shook hands with a view of ending hostility among Kenyans. The nine issues include ethnicism, lack of national ethos, inclusivity, devolution, divisive elections, security, corruption, shared prosperity and responsibilities and rights.
Raila has urged Kenyans to await the recommendations and ignore a similar move by Thirdway Alliance party to amend the Constitution. The Ekuru Aukot-led outfit has sponsored the Punguza Mizigo Bill. A court on Wednesday stopped its debate until a petition filed against it is concluded.
Yesterday, BBI vice-chairperson Adams Oloo maintained the recommendations will be based on information gathered from the 47 counties.
"Advise and recommendations will be based on what has been presented before us. There won't recommend any issue that will not have been before us," he said.
Oloo said the exercise has been participatory and has captured the wishes of Kenyans in general.
"We have our Hansard recordings for anybody who might want to cross-check what we will have recommended," he stated.
He spoke in Nairobi during a public participation meeting for city residents, who will also be giving their views today.
Oloo noted that the team will next week ask those who still have suggestions to visit them and make their presentations.
"This will include the executive arm of the government and we shall capture it as well in our recommendations. We will not prioritise anything and will just ensure the views of all people are reflected," he said.
Next week, the team will collect views of the Senate and the National Assembly and then retreat to write the report. "I am very sure we will beat out October deadline," Oloo said.
After concluding with Nairobi, the team will sum up its work in Tana River tomorrow.
Oloo yesterday said they invited Jubilee Party but they declined and suggested that party members and leaders present views on their own.
"Jubilee left its elected members to give their own views but not as a party. We have been able to get the views of Jubilee governors, MPs and other leaders during our visits to the regions," he said.
Jubilee is the only major party that has not presented its views to the team.
Jubilee MPs have remained divided and have been unable to present a common position. Some say they will fight the recommendations by the team should it propose the expansion of the executive.
Former Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura, in his presentation, said the candidate with the highest number of votes should be sworn in as President, who will immediately appoint the second candidate as Prime Minister.
Muthaura, who is considered as an insider in Uhuru’s administration, said the objective would be to ensure the leadership of the national government is all-inclusive and guarantee national cohesion and unity.
(Edited by F'Orieny)