Mt. Kenya Region Leaders Convene to Draft Their Final Amendments of the BBI
The BBI convention in preparation for the Central Region Bloc (CEREB) Rally in Meru hit its climax as Mt. Kenya leaders and citizens deliberated on their proposed final draft of amendments to the report at KEMU. H.E Kiraitu Murungi, Governor Meru County asked the secretariat that had been tasked with collection and assembling of the recommendations of CEREB to include the day’s proposals in the draft before presenting it to Yusuf Hajji at Kinoru during the major rally. He asked for a summarized draft to be made and presented to the people. The unanimous efforts of upholding peace with equality and fairness was top on the agenda.
“We need BBI to protect our agriculture. Otherwise without this peace and assurance it brings, we will be helping fighting over presidencial elections when none of our tribesmen is a presidential candidate. We have fought meaningless fights but now we want to leave the scene. At some point we will all go home but we need to know how we are leaving our children and grandchildren” said Governor Kiraitu during the rally.
The Meru governor proposed unsaturation of the presidency power by dividing it proportionally to a vice president, prime minister and two deputy prime ministers to avoid the ethnic fights of what tribe the president came from coupled up with an expanded cabinet to allow representation of every county.He also proposed an increment of county allocation by the national government from the current 15% to 45% to allow more developments at the smallest unit of government.
“Kenya is more important than us so we have put aside our pride and come together in peace. This country was cut out for us in Berlin and we all found ourselves here. Therefore we need to live together in peace. We need all Kenyans to give their input and even if one doesn’t agree with the other, they should give their own opinion so that we can come to a peaceful consensus, ” added Former Prime minister Raila Odinga who was also present at the pre-rally.
All Mt Kenya leaders spoke in one voice proclaiming one man, one vote, one shilling in the quest for equitable share of government revenue based on population as opposed to landmass. Mt Kenya region being highly agricultural oriented, a proposition of minimum returns for their farm produce was proposed .
Ann Waiguru, the Governor of Laikipia County stood strongly for the opposite gender rule in governance stating it ensured diversification of ideas for effective and reliable solution across all gender affairs. This rule states that every principal political leader ought to have the opposite gender as their deputy. She was strongly backed up by Priscilla Nyokabi, the national chair-lady for women groups, arguing that women like men were at the forefront in the fight for independence and therefore deserved equal opportunities in governance.
The GEMA championed for inclusivity, assured guarantee returns for their agricultural produce, fair, equitable and timely distribution of the National allocation, speedy conviction of corruption cases and inclusivity with fair representation in governance.
With governors, their deputies, MPs and MCAs from across the GEMA counties well represented, the final draft was ready for presentation to facilitate the amendment of the Building Bridges Initiative report later at Kinoru stadium in Meru during the main rally.
