Anxiety across political divide ahead of BBI report release

Anxiety has gripped the political class ahead of the Building Bridges Initiative report to be released next month.

The report will be handed to President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga.

Thereafter, the members of the public will be given an opportunity to review the final report before a bill is crafted for Parliament.

BBI joint secretary Paul Mwangi told the Star on the phone that the team was on track to deliver the report before the October 24 gazetted deadline.

“Any report out there is fake. We are working on the report and we will deliver it to President Uhuru Kenyatta and his brother Raila Odinga within the stipulated time,” Mwangi said on Saturday.

“I will not reveal anything on its content or what might surprise Kenyans but wait for the details in the final document.”

The BBI task force was constituted by Uhuru and Raila on March 9, 2018 following a handshake to cease political hostilities among the two leaders.

“We have all seen what his excellency is doing to build and unite this nation. It would be good if we united and walk with the people. That is what the BBI is doing,” former Jubilee Party Vice Chairman David Murathe said.

Murathe criticised Deputy President William Ruto and his allies who he claims wanted to dictate to the BBI outcome.

“There are those people who are criticising the report in public and it's not yet out. They are using their public statements to push for an agenda where they want to dictate what should be written or omitted in the report,” he told the Star.

“They should present their views to the BBI as Kenyans and stop using blackmail to push for their selfish agenda.”

Murathe said the BBI report will be made public for public scrutiny and allow Kenyans to continue owning the process.

“Kenya will still be directly be involved. The report will undergo public participation so that Kenyans can fine-tune it in to a perfect excellent bill. They might amend or add a few things here and there,” he said.

He termed the rivalry between BBI and Punguza Mizigo as 'imaginary'.

"As a leader who loves my country, I am hoping to see devolution strengthened, unity enhanced and terms of integrity in chapter six strengthened."

This comes after it emerged that DP Ruto is getting constant briefs on the progress and what direction final report of the Building Bridges Initiative task force is taking.

Multiple sources believe the DP was accessing the briefs given to Uhuru who was initially thought to have been kept in the dark in how the team was constituted.

It is also reported that there are several Ruto loyalists in the task force that are briefing him daily on what Raila’s wing is pushing for.

Joint secretaries Kimani and Mwangi are responsible for briefing the President the former Prime Minister on every step of the report writing exercise which is going on at the unknown place.

The team that is headed by Garissa Senator Yusuf Haji is currently compiling the final report that is to be handed over to Uhuru and Raila.

Besides Haji, the other members of the task force are political scientist Adams Oloo, Busia Senator Amos Wako, Agnes Kavindu, Saeed Mwanguni, Florence Omose, Morompi ole Ronk, Peter Njenga and John Seii.

Also in the team are James Matundura, Lawi Imathiu, Samburu Woman Representative Maison Leshomo, Rose Museu and Zacchaeus Okoth.

The task force was required to develop policy, administrative reform proposals, and implementation modalities for each identified challenge area.

Ethnic antagonism, lack of a national ethos, inclusivity, devolution, divisive elections, security, corruption, shared prosperity and responsibility were some of the broad issues identified.

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