This is what the BBI report is and what it is not

Judging by the early debate on the recently released Building Bridges Initiative report, it appears to be fast becoming all things to all people.

Some are busy arguing what it is, and others are arguing what it isn’t. However, pitifully few are engaging with this document on its own merits.

The first thing that needs to be clearly understood is that it is not the Bible, it is not the infallible word and its proposals are not written in stone. They are recommendations, taken from thousands of ordinary Kenyans who have made important and innovative recommendations to the BBI taskforce which navigated the nation over the previous 18 months.

It was never meant to deal with every single minor issue, it was meant to deal with nine very specific points that many saw as the foundation for greater national cohesion, progress and development.

The issues it sought to address are; ethnic antagonism, lack of a national ethos, inclusivity, devolution, divisive elections, security, corruption, shared prosperity and responsibility.

Its 156 pages are an impressive testament to the Kenyan people’s ability to understand the root causes about how to rid our society of issues like instability, division and poverty.

Those who attack the report are essentially attacking the Kenyan people, because it is a people driven process. Every recommendation and proposal in the report had in its genesis the words and thoughts of the people.

We can and should debate the issues, but we must be respectful to the idea, the process and the report.

Nevertheless, even now when some rush to try and enshrine parts of the report in law or use it to throw accusations at political opponents, there is little understanding of what President Uhuru Kenyatta specifically stated at the report’s official release at the Bomas of Kenya, that this is still an ongoing process.

It is important that the people of Kenya, at all levels, read the document in full.

Then it is possible to send edits, criticisms and comments.

Every voice will be heard, and the ideas of an average citizen will still remain as important as a governor or Cabinet secretary.

Those who are claiming the BBI report for themselves have completely misunderstood the initiative and misappropriated the process.

What needs to happen is to follow President Kenyatta’s advice and that everybody should take a deep breath and read the document. They should compare the current system with the reforms that are recommended and decide whether these are improvements for their families, communities, counties, and most importantly, the nation as a whole.

This final point is vital.

One of the most important elements in this process, apart from it being people driven, is that it is an attempt to equalise our society. The BBI was about levelling the playing field and not privileging one community, county or region above another.

The well-known saying "a rising tide lifts all boats" is usually meant to concern the economy with the idea that improvements in the general economy will benefit all participants in that economy.

The same idiom can be used with the BBI report. It might not meet every single one of our day to day expectations and will not magically pull someone out of poverty, provide them with their own housing or give them the job of their dreams.

However, a nation that fixes many of its challenges on the macro level will ensure that the average citizen will only gain, prosper and succeed.

Ensuring greater prosperity, security, inclusivity and fighting corruption which plagues all of us, will be for the good of all. It will allow us as a nation to remove the roadblocks that have afflicted our progress for too long.

This is what the BBI set out to do and the report is a testament to those who initiated it.

So let’s put our politics, affiliations and preconceptions to one side for now and try and read the report with a neutral set of eyes. Let us not allow ourselves to be swayed by those who use this impressive and exhaustive report as a talking point.

It is not a talking point and it is not the Bible.

It is a people driven exercise that seeks to deal with the central issues affecting our nation and looking for sensible, effective and stable recommendations and proposals to improve Kenya.

That is all, but it is certainly enough.