Some of Ruto’s allies have now come out to support BBI; Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata, Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua, Bumula MP Mwambu Mabonga, Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali and Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa are now supporting the initiative.
The MPs’ change of heart is informed by good proposals in the document which they now want pushed through parliament as fast as possible.
Some of BBI proposals the MPs want implemented include a provision guaranteeing that at least 35% of the national budget revenue goes to the counties each year.
Irungu Kang’ata has since called on President Uhuru Kemyatta to quickly instruct National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya and his Senate counterpart Samuel Poghisio to push BBI proposals beneficial to Kenyans, arguing that Kenyans should not lose such benefits.
“I urge the President to simply call the Majority Leader and urge him to push through the Bill in the National Assembly. Article 203(2) of the Constitution sets out divisions of revenue between county and national governments. It sets the floor but not the ceiling. The President, therefore, needs to just urge his National Treasury Cabinet Secretary to double the allocation,” the Murang’a Senator said.
Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua said parliament should pass a bill that seeks to create 70 extra constituencies as proposed in BBI in a bid to stop the scrapping of 26 constituencies that do not met population criteria.
Bumula MP Mwambu Mabonga also stressed that time was ripe for the parliamentary process to push through BBI proposals.
“Why spend billions to increase county allocations which can be done from the floor of the House? These are things that can be done through Parliament,” said Mabonga posed.
Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali also stressed that lawmakers should be allowed to pass BBI proposals through Parliament.
Washiali supports BBI proposal that ministers should be picked from among MPs, contrary to Ruto who is strongly opposed to this idea.
“Parliamentarians, people who have gone out to look for votes have a different way of looking at Kenyans than people who have been appointed by an individual. Ministers then would be more interactive than the current Cabinet secretaries and they are ‘Yes’ men. When we have them from Parliament, they are able to challenge the President on certain issues,” Washiali said.
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa noted Ruto’s camp has never been against the BBI, saying that 80% of the proposals were good but the method that was used to get them is what they were against.
“We do not have any problem with proposals which will be beneficial to Kenyans. Let them isolate such clauses in the BBI and bring them to Parliament and we will support them,” Didmus Barasa said.
These pro-BBI lawmakers from Ruto’s camp have vowed to support the proposals should they be tabled in parliament. They argue BBI proposals can be passed through the House with no need for a referendum.
Garissa Town MP Aden Duale however strongly opposed the idea of reintroducing BBI in parliament.
“Let it be on record that not even a totally new Bill to amend the Constitution under Article 256 of the Constitution akin to the BBI Bill can give life to the BBI. If there are such attempts and machinations in Parliament, it is pure hogwash,” said Duale.
Adding that
“To restate the obvious, since the crafters of such attempts might need to hear it again to believe and wake up, the High Court and the Court of Appeal exhaustively and with finality made a determination on the unconstitutionality of the BBI Bill… That a day has 24 hours is as true as that BBI is dead.”
Related: ‘Let’s Meet At The Ballot’ Raila Openly Tells BBI Critics
