Even as the country remains on the crossroads concerning a pending referendum, the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) task force which is mandated with recommending the fundamental reorganisation of the country’s governance structure through a referendum vote has revealed what will inform the team’s decision on the referendum.
While making announcements on Monday, the team led by its chairman Yusuf Haji, who is Garissa Senator, said that contrary to misleading media reports, the team was going to make its decisions based on the opinions of Kenyans and not politicians as insinuated by many.
The team which started its countrywide tour in 2018 meeting the people and hearing their views concerning a pending referendum, said views from 39 counties out of the 47 had already been recorded.
Haji said the remaining 8 counties will be have been covered in the next three weeks and by October, the public will get to hear from them concerning their findings.
The team comprising of 14 different personalities from across the country has been going round counties gathering views on policy and administrative reform proposals and is expected to hand over a comprehensive report to President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga by October 23.
The report which is yet to be handed over by the team is said to have excited some of the State’s operatives allied to the handshake who have overwhelmingly welcomed the idea of a referendum which not only promises to alter the country’s political architecture but may also have William Ruto’s popularity tested ahead of the 2022 General Election.
According to many of them, Ruto is expected to oppose the move to create the position of the Prime Minister which according to analysts, might reduce the powers of the President who will only serve as a ceremonial figure.
Despite the referendum excitements, researchers have revealed that other than altering the system of governance, a majority of submissions raised concerns on the rising cost of living and how it should be controlled.
Many of the citizens were also concerned about the rising public wage bill, and how the country will be in a position to pay all its leaders with concerns that there is already overrepresentation in the country.
Ruto and his team have already indicated that they will oppose a referendum that will expand the executive instead of reducing the burden on common mwananchi through reduction of elective posts in government.