Raila says parties in BBI suit to forge own paths, welcomes appeal court decision » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 20 – Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga has said parties will “make own decisions” going forward after a majority decision by a seven-judge bench to uphold a Constitutional Court declaration which nullified the Building Bridges Initiatives (BBI) constitution amendment process.

Odinga who was following the day-long proceedings in Kisumu termed the ruling as remarkable as it forms part of the continuing conversation on the future of Kenya.

The ODM leader who together with President Uhuru Kenyatta are the main stakeholder of the initiative acknowledged that it was time to move on.

“It is likely that this is not the end of the conversation and the parties involved will each make their own decisions on how to proceed from the decision that has been delivered today. That is welcome, as the issues involved need to be deliberated upon to the fullest extent,” he said.

The former Prime Minister assured his supporters that appeals ruling is not an end to the review quest.

“We feel that we must now pursue the bigger goal of setting the rest of the issues facing this country right. The BBI was never a destination but a journey in an ever evolving way of life,” Odinga noted.

“Without a doubt, we shall deal with all the issues in the months and years that will unfold onwards,” the ODM leader concluded.

In a majority verdict, the Appeal Court led by Justice Daniel Musinga upheld that basic structure doctrine is applicable in Kenya as it censured promoters of the BBI amendment for attempting to use the popular initiative route which is a reserve of the members of the public and not state officers.