Let people decide the fate of BBI reforms

The media has become loud with voices of division regarding the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) in the past few weeks. As a coalition of Members of Parliament began hosting gatherings to discuss the BBI’s proposals in parallel with unity rallies, the political momentum that President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga started not too long ago is at risk of dissipating. All of us in Kenya have to remember that this initiative has always been one that is about the people. By giving in to divisive rhetoric, we only betray ourselves.

Divisions regarding the BBI, emerged almost immediately after the special presidential Taskforce released its report on 27 November last year. Our political leaders and MPs have effectively split into two groups since.

On the one hand, Uhuru, Raila and a steadily growing group of county as well as local leaders valiantly hold their ground in support of the initiative and its original vision. This vision is about forging lasting unity between our Kenyan tribes. It is about building a governing system that reflects our roots as a people. And it is about guiding our political interactions in the most peaceful of manners.

On the other hand, and also to the detriment of this vision, a smaller but notable ensemble of political officeholders emerged. At first, they altogether opposed having a referendum. They would have preferred if the draft legislation had been amended and simply passed through Parliament. Although they eventually acquiesced to the path of democratic open debate, their separate rallies work to undermine the basis of what should be a nation-wide consensus.

As a people, infighting has been our foremost weakness for multiple generations now. Not only has it prevented us from conducting our elections peacefully, but the violent clashes between factions in our society sent shockwaves through our political system that reverberated for years. This is undoubtedly the reason why successive governments have often found it difficult to engage in high-quality policymaking. As long as security issues remain unresolved, social and economic policies can only come second.

The BBI Taskforce was assigned with evaluating the challenges we face as a nation as well as proposing the practical recommendations necessary for remedying them. Considering the track record of the past two political terms alone, it therefore came as no surprise that the BBI report identified ethnic antagonism and divisive elections as two of the most urgent issues at hand.

Uhuru’s purpose when launching the BBI was to offer a peaceful channel capable of mitigating our burdensome history of suspicion and hostility towards one another. Ever since their historic handshake in March 2018, Raila and Uhuru have not just talked the talk, but also walked the walk. Through leading by example, they offered Kenyan citizens the chance to direct their attention away from politics and instead focus on substantive issues concerning our nation.

Since the very inception of the BBI project, Uhuru has emphasised that this was an initiative for the people and one that can only be realised by the people. This is why the Taskforce spent months touring our 47 counties and listening to the concerns and suggestions of as diverse a pool of citizens as possible.

After a long period of data collection, we have finally arrived at the stage where we can contrast different visions for the future of the country, strike a good balance between them and approve our deal with one voice. Never before in our history have we had an opportunity to participate in such an overwhelmingly grassroots movement of reformation. It goes without saying that this must be seen through. The citizens of our country must have direct say in maintaining this process just as they had a direct say in starting and directing it.

With the Steering Committee busy at work, we will have multiple opportunities to take part in public hearings across the country. Faithful to the original vision of the BBI, the Committee was set up in January to allow the government to gain further approval from the public as to the contents of the reforms. Three meetings have already successfully taken place in Kisii, Kakamega and Mombasa, and additional ones are planned around the country.

If each of us reminds themselves of the inherent dangers in disunity, we will more easily be able to make sensible choices. Giving a chance for a united voice in Kenya to emerge is certainly the most important of these sensible choices.