Deputy President William Ruto seems to have resigned to fate hinting that he will not lead a ‘No’ campaign in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) Constitutional Amendment Bill 2020.
Dr Ruto, who has been leading a strong opposition to the BBI Bill and looming referendum, has instead called for Kenyans to be allowed to decide the fate of the BBI independently.
Speaking in Nandi County on Friday, the DP accused the President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga camp of releasing State machinery against those opposing the BBI referendum and wooing wide support across the country by splashing goodies.
Dr Ruto, who has been silent since suffering a humiliating defeat after 42 County Assemblies passed the BBI Bill this week with only two rejecting it despite his vow to ensure it is defeated.
He similarly bashed the 7 political leaders led by ODM leader Raila Odinga that met President Kenyatta at State House on Thursday to celebrate their BBI win in the county assemblies.
Read More
He said he would accept the will of the people on the BBI Referendum with the proponents announcing that they would commence campaigns to popularize the document next week.
“Kuna wengine wanatarajia ati mimi nitaongoza mrengo huu au mrengo ule, mimi ni mtu ambaye anaaminia demokrasia…ile itaamuliwa na wakenya niko tayari kutumia…kama ni katiba ya sasa au katiba itakayokuja, niko tayari kuhakikisha ya kwamba the will of the people of Kenya must be respected,” said the DP.
Dr Ruto admitted how the State machinery and political capital was used to outwit him with those pushing for the adoption of the document daring him to a duel ahead of the 2022 polls.
“They must accept that finally, that document must unify the country and that everybody must accept the outcome of this decision by the people of Kenya,” he added.
He still maintained that the BBI Bill proposals could not resolve challenges facing the country.
“The contract we are writing in BBI is about sharing of power and resources, but the most important contract that we need to write as the people of Kenya is the one on how to create jobs, opportunities and wealth because the challenge in Kenya is not so much about sharing, but about the few opportunities and jobs,” Dr Ruto noted.
Kenyatta on Thursday paraded opposition leaders who helped him lobby MCAs to pass the Bill, with analysts predicting it could the beginning of a grand coalition for the 2022 General Election.
Those at the State House meeting were Raila Odinga (ODM), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Gideon Moi (KANU), Moses Wetangula (Ford Kenya) and Charity Ngilu (Narc).