Uhuru: Building Bridges Initiative Stirs Spirit of Handshake

Uhuru, who was accompanied by Deputy, William Ruto, Raila on Wednesday presented new equipment and projects at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital. According to Governor James Ongwae, he said Uhuru’s visit was his first visit since Uhuru was reelected. The president stated his commitment fighting graft and urged Kenyans to support him. He said he will not relent in the war against graft and praised the Judiciary for supporting it, adding billions of shillings meant for development has been lost through graft.

The President, commissioned a 250 male ward bed capacity, CT scan, incinerator, Doctors Plaza and a morgue at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital and a cancer center worth Sh2.5 B. Uhuru on Wednesday supported the ongoing debate on constitutional reforms and proposed the formation of an all-inclusive government in future to prevent possible bloodshed.

Addressing Gusii leaders at Kisii Boys High School, the President said his Handshake with Raila is meant to unite Kenyans, adding that he is determined to leave a legacy of a united and peaceful country. “I will work with Raila to ensure that I leave behind a legacy of a peaceful and united country. We must all be inclusive, ” said the President as he lauded him for putting the interests of the country as a priority by embracing the Handshake. Stating that a national referendum is foreseeable because it is what will guarantee inclusivity in government, Uhuru urged Kenyans to support the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) that is apparently collecting views from Kenyans.

Building Bridges is a national initiative working to identify and promote practice and policy that will create strong and closely coordinated partnerships and collaborations between families, youth, community and residentially based treatment and service providers, advocates and policy makers to ensure that comprehensive mental health services and supports are available to improve the lives of young people and their families.

Uhuru said he will ensure to look into the structure of the government so that it can ensure no Kenyan feels left out. He said he has good plans for the country, but people must have inclusivity because that is what will take the country to the next level of development.

It was because of the need for inclusivity, the President said , that he teamed up with his former  political arch-rival Raila Odinga, after a prolonged electioneering period that threatened to tear the country apart. “Through BBI we want to talk to all Kenyans on the issues they would like addressed,” the President asserted.

The President said never again should Kenyans fight and shed blood due to politics, stressing that the building Bridges initiative will end politics of hatred, tribalism and unite Kenyans. The Building Bridges Initiative Taskforce which was gazetted in May 018 was given a year to file proposals on tackling national challenges to build lasting unity.

Uhuru and Raila formed the 14-member team after they agreed to work on uniting the nation after a divisive election in 2017 that saw the opposition leader inaugurate himself as the People’s President. The taskforce has been traversing the country seeking submissions on how to end perpetual violence and divisions during elections.