Kigumo Legislator (MP), Wangari Mwaniki, is supporting declaration by the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) Secretariat to appeal the court’s ruling that declared amendment of the constitution through BBI process null and void.
Speaking in Muthithi area in her Constituency, Saturday, Wangari said a legal team from the government side should thoroughly scrutinise the ruling by the Five-Judge Bench and appeal before the Court of Appeal.
She said the BBI process was backed by many Kenyans wondering how such an initiative which is meant to correct some anomalies in the country can just be abandoned.
BBI, Wangari observed, was to correct historical injustices which remain a big challenge in uniting the country, saying the move to amend the Constitution was not a sole idea by the president but by the majority of Kenyans.
She said as much as Kenyans respect the Court, the best move is to appeal the ruling as the government seeks other avenues in amending the Constitution, urging Kenyans not to allow to be divided by the ruling that was delivered, Thursday, by the High Court.
“Having a peaceful and united country is paramount. We have witnessed chaos that rocks our country, especially during national elections. BBI was meant to correct this and the process was going on well until it was termed unlawful by the Court,” stated the Legislator.
On Thursday, a bench of five judges ruled that the President contravened the Constitution, while initiating and promoting a constitutional change process.
The judges also ruled that the Steering Committee on the Implementation of the Building Bridges Initiative taskforce to a united Kenya Report is an unlawful entity that has no legal capacity to initiate any action towards promoting constitutional changes.
They further ruled that the entire BBI process culminating to the launch of the Constitution Amendment Bill, 2020 was done unconstitutionally and in usurpation of the people’s exercise of sovereign power.
“The ruling was not fair to the Country. The judges let Kenyans down and there is a need for an Appeal. President is a Kenyan, he was elected by Kenyans and represents the citizenry,” Wangari further averred.
“In 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta came together with the Opposition Chief, Raila Odinga, to unite the country through the BBI process,” she said, and wondered how a process that is aimed at fostering peace and unity has now been declared unlawful.
The BBI Secretariat’s Joint Secretaries, Junet Mohamed and Dennis Waweru, Friday, declared that they will have their legal team to scrutinise the ruling before moving to the Court of Appeal.
The two faulted the judges for making personalised attacks against the President, saying the ruling was designed to thrust the country into a constitutional crisis.
Wangari observed that the BBI is also catering for agriculture in a major way and requires the Cabinet Secretary to table an Annual Reports in parliament of the sectors.
The MP urged Kenyans not to allow political leaders to block a process that guarantees a better future and promises to manage conflicts that have devastated the economy during elections.
“All Kenyans need to love their country and devote their energies to have a united nation. It is the same Country for which our heroes laid their lives and we should take care to leave it in good hands as a united one,” Wangari said, adding that Kenyans want politics of development and not antagonism.
By Bernard Munyao
