We will only support referendum driven BBI – Raila says after long silence

Today, I met with the leadership of the Orange Democratic Movement to review critical developments in the country.

We had a specific focus on the ongoing vaccination campaign and containment measures against COVID-19, the state of the economy and its impact on Kenyans and political developments in the country.

In the meeting were Senate Minority Whip Hon James Orenge, ODM chairman Hon John Mbadi, National Assembly Minority Whip Hon Junet Mohammed, Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, Treasurer Hon Timothy Bosire and Hon Gladys Wanga who is a member of the top leadership of ODM.

The meeting reaffirmed ODM’s commitment to the spirit of the Handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta that has created an environment of peace and stability required to address the pressing issues facing the country.

We tasked the party and our supporters to continue showing this commitment to the handshake and its wider national goals in word and deed, in the interest of the nation.

We also reaffirmed ODM’s unwavering commitment to the Building Bridges Initiative and the constitution of Kenya Amendment Bill that is a product of the BBI process.

In the spirit of the Handshake and the wider goals of the BBI Amendment Bill, we agreed on the need for Parliament to fast track the process and release the document to the public to enable the people of Kenya to have a final say on the envisaged changes to the constitution via a referendum.

We agreed that the BBI must be subjected to a referendum because it entails a fundamental reorganization of the architecture of the Executive and Kenyans need to have a say in the reorganization. The party therefore fully supports a referendum on the document.

In the meantime, as we go through these fundamental processes, we appeal to our people to continue adhering to the health protocols meant to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the country. We also appeal to our people to go for vaccination.

We committed to engage the government with a view to coming up with ways and means to cushion the people from the ravages of the economy especially during these times of lockdown.