I have got different perspectives of the Building Bridges Initiative meetings. First, the BBI rallies, organised by the Raila Odinga faction, are primarily to galvanise Raila’s support bases.
Secondly, the meetings are being used for political profiling. Of course, on record Deputy President William Ruto and his allies have been flip-flopping on the issue of BBI.
While on one hand Ruto and team say they fully support the BBI report, on the other, they argue that the BBI itself is a waste of public funds. So, they are talking from both sides of their mouth. From the look of things, these BBI rallies are meant to galvanise support, which means it is a political battle with 2022 in sight.
If we were really to be open-minded and look at the BBI objectively, then it is clear that there are no sincere consultations that are taking place in these rallies.
Wananchi are not playing any active role or becoming critical players in discussing the BBI report to determine what they want to be done, added or removed. It is politicians who are speaking to the people and telling them what they want and calling others names.
So, realistically speaking, there are no consultations that are happening. If at all that is the case, then we know that it is what is always common in Kenyan politics – political allegiance – just for each person to marshal support and whip up emotions in their support bases so that when the whistle is blown for the 2022 presidential elections, then somebody is sure that their support base intact.
What we saw in Mumias and Bukhungu meetings is a clear manifestation of this. If at all some people are for the BBI and others are against and they are coming from the same region, permission should be granted for those who are for the BBI to hold their rally, then also grant those who are anti-BBI to hold their meetings then let the citizens decide.
A useful national conversation can only happen when there is a spirit of tolerance. That tolerance must begin from the head of state himself.
The governance consultant spoke to the Star
