ODM County Coordinating Committee Chairpersons Resolve to Support BBI
From @TheODMParty
The strength of a political movement lies in the ability of the leadership to exchange ideas with grassroots leaders. Party Leadership led by Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna is currently holding a meeting at Garcia Gardens Nairobi with all the 47 County bosses on various matters of national interest. COVID-19 Protocols applied.
Representing Homabay County at a meeting of the Council of County Chairs of the ODM Party. In attendance were Chairpersons from all 47 Counties, the party’s Secretary-General and Execuitive Director. We resolved to fully support the Building Bridges Initiative process and upcoming constitutional reform process. — Gladys Wanga, Women Representaive, Homa Bay Countty @gladyswanga
Resolutions
- That we as Party County Coordinating Committee Chairpersons unconditionally support the BBI process and the recommendations arising from the process, not just limited to the proposed Constitutional amendments but also the Policy, Administrative and Legislative changes proposed by the process.
- That H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta and our Party Leader H.E. Rt Hon Raila Odinga have our unreserved support to continue steering this laudable initiative of BBI, which is designed, among other things, to review the strengths and weaknesses in our governance and political systems, based on our Constitution 2010. We support the need to revisit our constitution in order to ensure that it works better for us with regard to its provisions for our governance and politics.
- We categorically reject the lies and propaganda that BBI governance and political reforms will expand the national executive. It is clear to us that the recommendation for 50% of the Cabinet to come from Parliament actually reduces the burden of the National Executive on the tax payer and increases accountability of government to citizens through Parliament.
- Informed by the knowledge that a REFERENDUM is one form of decision making in Kenya that involves all willing citizens of majority age, we support the calls by H.E. President Kenyatta and H.E. Raila Odinga for BBI recommendations on Constitutional changes to be ratified as soon as possible through a national referendum.
- That based on our day to day experiences in the 47 counties of Kenya in which we operate, a majority of the people are ready and eager to receive the final BBI recommendations and play their role in the implementation of all BBI reforms. We therefore respectfully urge the two principals to expedite the release of the final BBI report and the public launch of implementation of BBI reforms, so that we may immediately embark on mobilizing our people for the implementation processes.
- Based on our knowledge of the BBI reforms, we have no doubt that the proposed BBI changes in our governance and political system are designed to make our governance more inclusive, accountable and more participatory. We particularly support the proposals to de-congest the Presidency by creating the Office of the Prime Minister and Deputies, whose occupants we know will be drawn from the National Assembly, thus not placing any additional burden on the tax payer. We also particularly support the changes meant to strengthen Devolution by increasing the mandatory percentage of national revenue that will be going to County Governments, and the decision to make the Ward the primary centre of development in the Nation.
- We support our Party’s position on zero tolerance on corruption in public office and the need for evidence-based pursuit of anyone suspected or accused of corruption. We take note of and support our Party Leader’s position on the need for immediate, objective, professional and thorough audit of public funds on which complaints of corruption and theft have been raised by the media and public spirited citizens so that the requisite legal action may be taken as quickly as possible devoid of political posturing that risks muddying the truth.
- We support the reconstitution of our National Elections Board and the Party Disciplinary Committee and congratulate the new membership of both. We have faith in their ability to work for the party with diligence, honesty and integrity in order to get rid of historical weaknesses that have sometimes affected our party negatively.
- Finally, we have embarked on an elaborate program of membership recruitment, as well as rejuvenation and institutional strengthening of our Party in our areas of jurisdiction in readiness for implementation of the BBI reforms, our own party elections and finally the next general elections and formation of the next national and county governments.
Resolved in Nairobi on this 28th Day of August 2020.
