Research firm TIFA has released an opinion poll which shows majority of Kenyans would vote for the Constitutional Amendment Bill popularly known as Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

The findings are based on the most recent poll TIFA conducted, even as the trends have changed over time with the shifting political landscape in the country.

According to the results of the poll conducted in December 2020, 29 per cent of those sampled answered in the affirmative when they were asked if they would vote for the BBI.

However, if the BBI was to be put to a vote, only 19 per cent of Kenyans would support the document, 31 per cent would reject it, while 18 per cent  would abstain from the ballot.

25 per cent of the Kenyan population are yet to decide how they will vote while 7 per cent  do not hold any opinion when it comes to the BBI, according to the poll.

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According to the findings of the research, the reason more than a quarter of Kenyans would vote for the BBI is the pledge to increase county revenue, creation of 70 new constituencies and establishment of Ward Development Funds.

About 10 per cent of those who would vote against the BBI in a referendum do not welcome the idea of increased budgetary allocation to the devolved units.

Similarly, 8 per cent of the naysayers oppose the government’s use of public funds to promote BBI while another 8 per cent reject the creation of the posts of Prime Ministers and their two deputies.

At the political party level, 59 per cent of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party supporters will vote for the BBI while 13 per cent will vote against it.

Jubilee Party, on the other hand, will have only a quarter of its supporters voting in support of the bill, while 31 per cent would vote a resounding NO.

The UDA party linked to Deputy President (DP) William Ruto leads in the number of supporters who will vote against the BBI with 12 per cent set to vote for BBI while 19 per cent would abstain.

The TIFA report revealed that 25 per cent of Kenyans think the BBI is an attempt by the Kenyan citizens and the leaders to solve the nation’s problem while 43 per cent believe it is merely a political attempt at influencing the outcome of the 2022 presidential election.

15 per cent of the population polled believe it is the citizens’ effort to make the model a more effective constitution that addressed their own issues.

Half of those polled believe Raila Odinga is using BBI to cast a wider net to support his 2022 presidential bid while 13 per cent believe he is concerned about the restoration of national unity with 3 others believing he is intent on amending issues in the 2010 constitution.

29 per cent of Kenyans polled said President Uhuru Kenyatta is supporting BBI to have a say in who becomes the next president, with 14 per cent saying he is promoting national unity while 4 per cent believe he is only building his legacy.