Uhuru, Raila to attend MPs Naivasha BBI retreat

By , K24 Digital
On Mon, 2 Nov, 2020 11:26 | 2 mins read
Uhuru and Raila
President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) and ODM leader Raila Odinga at the unveiling of the BBI report at the Bomas of Kenya on Wednesday, November 27, 2019. PHOTO/Courtesy
President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) and ODM leader Raila Odinga at the unveiling of the BBI report at the Bomas of Kenya on Wednesday, November 27, 2019. PHOTO | COURTESY

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga are expected to grace MPs retreat on Monday where the lawmakers are laying the ground for the proposed Building Bridges Initiative referendum.

More than 100 MPs and senators converged in Naivasha on Sunday for a two-day retreat to discuss and make their recommendations on the BBI report. 

A week after the recommendations of the report were released, the pro-government parliamentarians are at the Great Rift Valley Lodge to make their recommendations on the document with those allied to Deputy President conspicuously missing. 

Speaking on arrival, the Leader of the Majority in Parliament Amos Kimunya said that the meeting was meant to discuss the document and forge the way forward. 

He said that experts would take the legislators through the contentious issues with a view to resolving them before the referendum. 

“This is a consultative meeting meant to fine-tune the recommendations of the BBI taskforce and all parties have been involved,” he said. 

The Kipipiri MP denied claims that only MPs and senators who support BBI final report were invited to the meeting. 

Cherangani MP Joshua Kutuny ruled out amending the document saying that Kenyans had over two years to present their views with the majority of those raising issues now failing to give their input. 

He said that the window of opportunity to air or add input had been overtaken by time adding that the only way forward was fine-tuning the current document. 

However, Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang said that some sections of the report needed to be amended before the country went for a referendum and cited the relationship between National Assembly and the Senate which he said was not well defined in the BBI report and needed to be addressed. 

He called for the involvement of all leaders regardless of political affiliation adding that before the country goes for a referendum the document would have to pass through Parliament. 

“If we can agree to reason together we shall come up with an uncontested document which will unite the country and make it easy during the referendum,” he said. 

Ugunja MP James Opiyo Wandai said the document was very crucial for the future of the country and adding that there was need to involve all stakeholders.