Ruto, Mudavadi, Wetang’ula allies excluded in BBI experts’ team – Weekly Citizen

Allies of Deputy President William Ruto, Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula have been excluded in the 30-member technical team that will transverse the country to collect, compile and analyse Kenyans’ feedback on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report.

According to sources, the Deputy President had nominated former Kakamega Senator Bonnie Khalwale and former ICT Cabinet Secretary David Chirchir to join the new taskforce. On his part, Mudavadi had proposed lawyer Dan Ameyo to be part of the team to drive the second phase of BBI.

Wetang’ula’s Ford Kenya had nominated Patrick Wangamati, a former nominated MP and current chair of Luhya Council of Elders.

But all the names forwarded by Ruto, Mudavadi and Wetang’ula were missing when President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga named the new team called the Committee of Experts (CoE) which will present its fine-tuned report to the Garissa senator Yusuf Haji-led BBI taskforce.

Mudavadi

The President has already extended the life of the Haji team to stem heightening disquiet and jostling by various political groups and organisations who were angling for inclusion in a new team to midwife the task force report.

Uhuru announced the extension after meeting at State House in Nairobi with members of BBI technical team together with Raila.

Those picked include ODM Executive director Oduor Ong’wen, Raila’s close political ally, Prof Larry Gumbe, a Nairobi-based consultant Awour Achoka, Constitutional expert Kenneth Rotich, Technical University don Dr Patrick Kiliku and Political Scientist Cess Mutua.

They will be assisted by three senior lawyers Prof Ben Sihanya, the Dean school of law at Kabarak University, Dr Catherine Mumma of the University of Nairobi and Tom Macharia, a lead counsel in the taskforce.

Among the activities expected to be undertaken by the CoE will be holding town hall meetings across the country, analysing and compiling views on the BBI report before it hands over its findings to the Haji team.

The extension of the mandate of the Haji–led group came three weeks after the team unveiled its report at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi.

According to a State House communication, the extension could see an expanded mandate of the team, creating technical committees to turn the report’s recommendations into the legal policy and administrative measures required for implementation