• Leaders have made it a political missile to fight against their political foes.
• It has created us-versus-them factions among the political class and the effect is rapidly trickling down to Wanjiku.
It is indisputable that the handshake that birthed BBI brought tranquillity by quenching the heated animosity the country plunged into during and after the 2017 General Election.
The BBI process started well but as things stand, the process has lost direction and may end up polarising the country further. Instead of giving the Yusuf Haji-led technical team time to execute its mandate, the political class has hijacked the process.
The BBI ship left the station heading the right direction but it derailed and is bound to crash. It was meant to cool down political temperatures and create peace, but politicians have made it a political missile to fight against their political foes.
The nine-point agenda of the BBI meant to address the issues bedevilling the country have been forgotten. The issue of inclusivity that was among the major reasons for the initiative has been neglected.
The ongoing regional rallies have turned BBI into a political contest between politicians allied to the former PM Raila Odinga and those allied to DP William Ruto. The sentiments made by some politicians in these rallies are sparking heated exchanges between opposing sides, hence heightening political temperatures. The rallies have reduced the BBI process into a big referendum rally.
The rallies are usurping the work of the task force and are being used to pass coded political insults to other leaders hence dividing their supporters. BBI has been made a preserve of the political class when it should be a discourse for all Kenyans.
The unity of the country is pegged on the actions and speeches of political leaders. BBI was meant to unite politicians first, then the effect was to trickle down. However, it has created us-versus-them factions among the political class and the effect is rapidly trickling down to Wanjiku.
Politicians should pause and go back to the drawing board and look at the intention of the report then devote their ambitions from the process. The minimum Kenyans want is a peaceful country where anyone can live and work anywhere, anytime.
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