• There's support for a referendum even in DP Ruto's political bastions.
• 69 per cent of Kenyans do not know contents of BBI report.
Political leaders opposed to implementing the Building Bridges Initiative through a referendum will have to think twice.
A new poll suggests that 60 per cent, a significant majority of Kenyans — including those in Deputy President William Ruto’s strongholds — want the BBI report subjected to a public vote.
The poll by research firm Tifa shows that most Kenyans do not want Parliament to decide what and how to implement the BBI report — they want to decide for themselves.
Only 14 per cent of respondents said the BBI task force report should be taken to Parliament as the route for implementation.
However, 25 per cent of Kenyans said they don't know.
“All respondents regardless of whether they have read the BBI report were probed on their opinion of the direction the country should take in deciding whether or not to adopt its proposals,” Tifa said in its latest report.
The poll of 765 respondents was conducted from December 17 to 22 by telephone.
It had a +/- 3 margin of error.
Ruto and his allies had initially opposed calls for a referendum to implement the BBI report, terming a vote too costly, disruptive and divisive.
However, Ruto and his team have dropped the hardline stance with the DP saying he is open to any implementation mode.
Opposition chief Raila Odinga and the Kieleweke wing of Jubilee have been the biggest proponents of a referendum.
According to the new poll, the highest support for a referendum as the best way to implement BBI is from the Coast and Nairobi, followed by Nyanza and Rift Valley.
Coast and Nairobi had the highest support for the plebiscite at 70 per cent each.
Referendum support in Nyanza stood at 66 per cent followed by Rift Valley at 65 per cent.
In Central, the support was 6 per cent, Western 54 per cent and Eastern 53 per cent.
Northeastern had the lowest support for the referendum push at 23 per cent — and 74 per cent of those surveyed said they don't know the best way to decide on implementation.
The poll shows, however, that 69 per cent do not know the contents of the BBI report.
According to the poll, more women are ignorant about the contents of the task force report than men.
Eighty-three of women and 53 per cent of men said they have not read the report.
“Those aged 18-24 years are less knowledgeable about the report as compared to those aged 25+ years. Likewise, Kenyans living in Nairobi and Nyanza are more knowledgeable of the report as compared to other regions,” the report states.
The 14-member BBI task force led by Garissa Senator Yusuf Haji had pledged that the report will be translated into Kiswahili to ensure more Kenyans can read it and form their own opinions.