• IEBC on Tuesday sent the Bill to all the 47 county assemblies after it cleared 1, 140, 845 signatures.
• The remaining signatures shall be verified and the final report shared with the public.
Image: FILE
President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga are set for a gruelling battle with Deputy President William Ruto after IEBC cleared the Building Bridges Initiative Bill.
The IEBC on Tuesday sent the Bill to all the 47 county assemblies after it cleared 1,140,845 signatures of registered voters in support of the drive.
The figure surpassed the one million constitutional threshold required to send the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020 to the county assemblies for consideration.
“This is therefore to notify you that the initiative has met the requisite threshold as provided in Article 257 (4) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010,” IBEC chairman Wafula Chebukati said in a letter to the speakers of all the 47 county assemblies.
The BBI secretariat co-chaired by Suna East MP Junet Mohammed and former Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru had submitted 4.4 million signatures to the commission for verification last December.
However, the commission said it digitised 1,715,386 signatures out of which 1,140,845 were verified.
The remaining signatures shall be verified and the final report shared with the public, Chebukati said.
With the notice of approval, Chebukati has set the stage for an epic battle pitting the handshake partners – Uhuru and Raila against the DP in the regional assemblies.
Image: DOUGLAS OKIDDY
The assemblies will be the new battlegrounds as the antagonists will seek to outdo each other and sway the MCAs to vote in their favour.
Article 257 (6) requires the assemblies to consider – debate and vote to approve or reject – the Bill and submit their decision to the speakers of the bicameral Parliament within three months of receipt of notice by the commission.
According to a roadmap issued by the BBI secretariat last year, the country should go to the referendum by June if all goes as per the plan.
Uhuru and Raila are marketing the drive as a lifetime opportunity to fix problems that have bedevilled the country, including election violence.
However, Ruto and his allies have discredited it as one meant to create positions for a few ‘dynasties’ at the expense of the ‘hustlers’ – ordinary wananchi.
The BBI introduces the positions of a Prime Minister and two deputies as well as that of Official Opposition Leader in Parliament.
It also increases allocation to counties from the current 15 per cent to 35 per cent, creates a ward development fund and establishes a Judiciary ombudsman.
While the BBI proponents say the positions will end the winner-takes-all elections and eradicate post –election chaos, opponents argue the seat will not benefit mwananchi who is struggling to put food on the table.
The DP has launched massive campaigns against the drive and intensified meetings with MCAs from various assemblies to persuade them to reject the document.
Last week, he met MCAs from Kajiado and Mandera as well as senators and members of the National Assembly at his Karen residence.
His handlers disclosed that more meetings are lined up this week with MCAs from Murang'a, Nyeri and Kirinyaga expected to visit him.
Raila, who has emerged as the face of BBI referendum push, has been traversing the country, especially the capital, Nairobi, marketing the document as one that will resolve many of Kenyans' problems.