Senate minority leader James Orengo has told Kenyans to be ready for national referendum on the proposed constitutional changes.
Speaking at Gulf Academy grounds in Siaya during the funeral ceremony of the late Joshua Owiti Osuri Saturday, Orengo exuded confidence that an upcoming appeal against the recent High Court ruling against the Building Bridges initiative will be successful.
The senator said that the top legal minds within the Pro- BBI team have a strong case that will see the appeal court overturn the earlier ruling by the five high court judges who cited the BBI process as unconstitutional.
Orengo however told Kenyans not to surrender the country’s leadership to unscrupulous individuals who will bring dishonour to the institution of the presidency once the new constitution was in place.
“After we are through with judicial process, we will go back to the race of ensuring that the constitutional changes that have been proposed by the people are passed,” said the senate minority leader, adding that “at the end of it all and in the new leadership dispensation of Kenya in 2022, I pray that Kenyans will not elect a dishonest president,” he said.
He told Kenyans not to lose focus on the quest for constitutional changes, adding that the new document had more benefits to the country.
Addressing the same occasion, ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna said the party will not abdicate its responsibility of fighting for democracy and the rights of Kenyans.
Sifuna, who accused a section of senior government officials of using the police to frustrate ODM leaders during the just concluded Bonchari by elections, said such officials must step aside from their public offices and join politics.
He called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to purge enemies of handshake from his government for simply taking advantage of every other available opportunity to derail the country’s development agenda.
The late Joshua Owiti Osuri was the pioneer South East Alego member of county assembly.
The burial was also addressed by former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo, immediate former police spokesman, Charles Owino and businessman, William Oduol.
By Philip Onyango
