Deputy President William Ruto on Tuesday appeared to have softened his stance on the ongoing Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) debate, surprisingly declaring that he had no opposition to the looming constitution amendment referendum, as President Uhuru Kenyatta, and ODM leader Raila Odinga, push for the implementation of their vision of a united nation.
Speaking to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, the DP expressed his optimism over the fruits of the BBI report, stating that he would welcome any requisite action on the recommendations of the document’s contents, including a referendum.
”We don’t have a problem with the BBI. If there is a need, we can agree on an implementation matrix…If there is a need to change the constitution let us change the constitution. If there is a need for a referendum let us have a referendum,” Ruto told the leader of the Anglican church.
Ruto’s comments came as a surprise to parties both opposed, and in support of the proposed constitutional amendment, having been an ardent critic of the possible activity since the launch of the BBI report in 2019.
According to Ruto and his political friends, going all the way to a referendum would be a mere waste of public resources, since no one has so far expressed opposition to the administrative, social and political changes proposed by the BBI taskforce.
According to team Tangatanga, those pushing for a referendum, therefore, can only have a diabolical agenda, most likely, related to the upcoming 2022 General Election.
The deputy head of state and his camp have, in the recent past, seemed to be undecided on their stand on the BBI, with the team on Tuesday announcing the decision to support the ongoing consultative forums, an undertaking they had earlier vehemently opposed.
Prior to the release of the BBI report, Ruto had also taken a defiant stand on the process but was quick to jump ship shortly after the report was unveiled without propositions threatening his political career.
On Wednesday, the pro-BBI team, represented by Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja, Kieni MP Kanini Kega, Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, and Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Gedi, welcomed Ruto’s camp to Saturday’s BBI forum on Mombasa County, warning that action would be taken upon anyone planning to cause chaos at the meeting.
We welcome Tangatanga team to Mombasa, but Remember “kila boma ina sheria na Desturi. @JunetMohamed @SakajaJohnson @kaninikega1 pic.twitter.com/dt3L7kk9zI
— Hon Fatuma Gedi, CBS (@Hon_FatumaGedi) January 22, 2020
They also indicated that the event would be carried out in line with the organizers’ preferences, and not those of the Tangatanga faction.