• The former PM exuded the confidence that the country still has a chance to hold a referendum to implement the BBI recommendations.
• Raila, saying he will not speak of his 2022 plans until after the BBI, added that should he choose to vie, he “will be looking for votes, not endorsements."
ODM leader Raila Odinga has dismissed assertions that he is waiting for President Uhuru Kenyatta’s endorsement in the upcoming 2022 general elections.
The former prime minister said he has at no time in his political life depended on endorsements to vie for any given seat.
"I am not looking for an endorsement from anyone. I don't depend on endorsements in my life. My whole political career has been about service to the people not endorsements,” he said in an interview with Radio Citizen on Thursday.
Raila, saying he will not speak of his 2022 plans until after the BBI, added that should he choose to vie, he “will be looking for votes, not endorsements."
"I will be looking for votes from President Uhuru and others if I decide to vie for the Presidency. I will not be looking for endorsements."
The former PM exuded the confidence that the country still has a chance to hold a referendum to implement the BBI recommendations.
He said the timing of the plebiscite should not be a worry since the activity does not require the kind of resources for conducting a general election.
“There is still time for a referendum. We have a year to elections. It can be done even if it gets to December…nothing stops us from doing so,” the ODM leader said.
I am not looking for an endorsement from anyone. I don't depend on endorsements in my life. My whole political career has been about service to the people not endorsements.ODM leader Raila Odinga
Raila said he was confident the courts will deliver justice and allow Kenyans to have a say in the proposed constitutional changes.
“If justice is served, reggae will come back. I am ready for the outcome of the courts. If the courts decide against us, we will accept the verdict much as we wouldn’t agree with it,” he said.
The BBI is seeking to introduce an expanded executive to include a prime minister and two deputies as well as increase the share of revenue to counties to 35 per cent.
Raila said most of the proposals in the BBI document require a vote of the people to either approve or reject the same.
He described the petitions lodged against the BBI as unnecessary adding that those against the process have a chance to campaign and convince their supporters to vote No.
“Why would some people waste our time in courts yet they can go to wananchi and seek their view through the referendum?” the ODM leader asked in an interview with Radio Citizen.
“Citizens have the right to say Yes or No. Why panic? Maybe they will reject or accept the recommendations. Our team has been clear that we will accept the outcome,” he said.
He said the proposals in the BBI are not from the blues, adding that the same had been floated in the Bomas Draft before being changed by a few MPs in Naivasha.
Raila dismissed assertions that the BBI would increase the burden of running government reiterating that the reverse is true.
“The Constitution that we have today was done by a few MPs at Naivasha. To say that people are increasing seats to burden Kenyans is a wrong analogy,” he said.
The former premier also dismissed assertions that the BBI would cause an extension of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s term.
Raila implored Kenyans to shun the negative politics around the BBI proposals explaining that the BBI aims at reducing the burden of running the government.
“The Prime Minister will earn a salary as MPs. Some ministers will be from Parliament and will not stage an additional burden. At the moment, we have MPs and CS being paid separately which is costlier for Kenyans.”
He said that with increased allocation to counties, services will improve at the grassroots for the benefit of the youth, mama mboga and elderly persons.
“Right now, the money being disbursed now largely goes to paying salaries. The increased allocation will improve standards of living,” he said.