- State House noncommittal on whether the President is scheduled to receive the much anticipated document, expected to call for referendum.
- DP allies reaffirm they will not accept any BBI recommendation for a referendum to amend the Constitution and expand government
State House was on Monday noncommittal on whether the much-anticipated BBI report will be received this week, as ODM leader Raila Odinga strongly hinted.
Raila indicated over the weekend that it's a matter of days before he and President Uhuru Kenyatta receive the final report. It is expected to recommend many constitutional amendments to drastically alter the governance structure.
The key issue appears to be creation of a post for prime minister and two deputies - especially how powerful the PM will be.
"The second report is ready and within a few days we will make it public," Raila said on Sunday.
On Monday, however, State House spokesperson Kanze Dena was noncommittal on whether President Kenyatta would receive the document soon.
“We will communicate,” was all Dena told the Star when asked about the report.
However, Raila ally Junet Mohamed said on Monday the document is ready and will soon be made public for Kenyans to study.
“I am sure the document is ready and we will definitely take it to Kenyans in the form of a referendum,” Junet told a news conference at Parliament Buildings.
As Kenyans await the release of the BBI report, Deputy President William Ruto allies reaffirmed their opposition to amending the Constitution.
Led by Jubilee deputy secretary Caleb Kositany, the legislators said Kenyans have pressing issues of jobs and the economy that need to be addressed urgently — not amendments to the 2010 Constitution.
“We don’t need any constitutional amendment. What we need is a change in the country’s conversation,” Kositany said.
He repeated that holding a referendum would be expensive for economically struggling Kenyans, and it may not yield anything.
"Our problem is not the Constitution. Our problem is the people who are leading this country,” he said.
Meru Senator Mithika Linturi said the BBI process is a creation of two individuals - the President and Raila - and not a people-driven procedure.
“BBI is just an agreement between two individuals who sat at Harambee House and decided to take us through this music by coming up with reports that have kept us busy for a long time,” he said.
Ruto, speaking in Kenol in Murang’a on Sunday, said the conversation Kenyans should be having is about creating jobs - not creating costly offices for the elite.
Nominated Senator Isaac Mwaura said the debate on amending the Constitution is turning out to be a personal contest between leaders — Uhuru and Raila vs Ruto.
He said the political discussion is changing and people are now more concerned with improving their livelihoods.
“People want to be helped to make their lives better. Kenyans want nothing other than that,” he said.
ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna, however, asked Ruto allies to first see the contents of the BBI report before declaring a stand.
“You remember they had a problem with the first report but when it was released, they said they were okay with it. This hypocrisy is quite visible,” he said.
He regretted that some leaders have taken hardline positions even before the report is made public. “It does not have to be a contest," he said.
(Edited by V. Graham)