• ODM leader Raila Odinga said the report is people owned and will not be taken to parliament but rather Kenyans will decide what t do do with the report.
• Earlier on a group of over 20 MPs lead by Gladys Wanga, Maina Kamanda, Joshua Kuttuny and Wambugu Ngunjiri supported the idea of referendum saying it is people centred and must be owned by the people to the end.
Image: FILE
Gatundu South MP Mosers Kuria has hit back at ODM for vouching for a referendum under the BBI.
Kuria on Thursday said both the National Assembly and the Senate will not burden Kenyans with a 'useless' referendum that will cost the taxpayer over Sh30 billion.
This comes after Opposition leader Raila Odinga said the his brigade will not allow conversation on the BBI that does not lead to a referendum.
He said the only way the BBI proposals will be defended is through a referendum.
Raila was speaking during the official unveiling of the new ODM party headquarters in Lavington.
"This report is people owned and will not be taken to Parliament. Kenyans will decide what t do do with the report," Raila said.
His sentiments were echoed by governors Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya who said if the BBI is left as a reserve of Parliament it will not yield the expected results.
The duo said Parliament is likely to be bought by cartels whose intention is to cripple the proposals.
Earlier on, a group of over 20 MPs lead by Gladys Wanga, Maina Kamanda, Joshua Kuttuny and Wambugu Ngunjiri supported the idea of a referendum, saying it is people centred and must be owned by the people to the end.
While officially launching the report at Bomas of Kenya, President Uhuru Kenyatta said politicans should look at the report and for whatever they do not agree on, they must take it to the people to decide.
But Kuria said, "For avoidance of doubt, the National Assembly and the Senate will not burden Kenyans with a useless referendum that will cost Sh30 billion. We are busy with the Big 4 agenda".
To him, Sh4 billion should be used to mop up excess milk in the market to move the price paid to farmers from Sh17 to Sh40 per litre.
He said Sh7 billion should be channeled to increase the coffee cherry advance kitty, Sh4 billion to pay sugar farmers, Sh4 billion to set up potato processing factory, Sh4 billion to buy off rice from farmers in Mwea and Ahero and Sh4 billion to support miraa farmers.
"Sh1 billion should pay the Chinese loans to reduce the Sh1 trillion budget deficit, Sh2 billion to expand buying capacity of the Kenya Meat Commission and Sh2 billion used to set up guaranteed minimum return for tea," he said.
Majority leader Aden Duale said in his view, the recommendations by the BBI are indeed great and if implemented it will among other things enhance efficiency in the manner in which the Executive and Legislature execute their roles.
Duale said the BBI will ensure that more women are represented in elective posts, counties have adequate funding to perform their functions and root out corruption in the public service
He said the recommendations contained in the report however call for both administrative and legislative solutions for it to be implemented.
"In fact, I would say at least 80% of the recommendations of the report require legislative interventions for it to be implemented," he said.
Duale said the report must therefore find its way in Parliament for debate and referral to the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee which is mandated to oversee matters relating to review and implementation of the Constitution.
He said the Committee will then be expected in an objective manner to isolate the aspects of BBI Report that will require the amendment of the Constitution for them to be implemented and also map out the recommendations that will require amendment of Acts of Parliament.
"Unfortunately, even before Kenyans have fully internalised the report, debate is already picking on whether to have the recommendations of the Report implemented through a Referendum or through Parliamentary Initiative in terms of Article 256 of the Constitution which confers upon Parliament the role of amending the Constitution through passage of Bills that do not touch on matters under Article 255 of the Constitution,"he said.
Duale wondered whether those calling for a Referendum are aware that there exists no Referendum law to govern the process.
This he said is similar to calling people to eat, when you have no firewood or food to cook.
"Are those calling for a Referendum aware of the cost of conducting a Referendum amidst the tough economic times facing this country? Would you rather spend and waste billions of shillings on matters that do not require referendum instead of using the same billions to provide services to Kenyans," he posed.
Duale added, ".....Are those calling for a Referendum aware of the polarization Referendum campaigns are likely to cause? Are those calling for a Referendum aware of the effect such campaigns are likely to do to our economy through disruptions of businesses? Are those calling for a Referendum aware of heightened political pressure that is likely to arise from such campaigns".
He said amidst all the calls for a Referendum which in his view are just distractions tactics, Kenyans must be cautious not to allow the BBI Report to be just another Report that shall gather dust somewhere in a locker.
"We have been there before! The Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission Report gathered dust and continue to gather more dust somewhere in a locker. The Kriegler Report gathered dust. There are many more gathering dust," he said.
He added, "The BBI Report should not suffer the same fate. We should not take that route. It’s one of a kind Report which if implemented can certainly bring a smile in the face of Kenyans".