Mt Kenya legislators vow to reject parliamentary system under BBI

Mt Kenya MPs have indicated that they will oppose the parliamentary system of governance should the BBI report propose so.

The more than 30 legislators who addressed a press conference in Parliament buildings on Thursday, said they will reject a proposal to either elect a Prime Minister or President in Parliament.

“Our people are underrepresented. What we want is one man one vote, ” Ndaragua MP Jeremiah Kioni said.

They said that inclusivity in the government will play a big role but it should be able to address leadership, representation, resource, allocation and the structure of the government.

The legislators who included senators and MPs said they will hold a meeting after Building Bridges Initiative has released its findings where they will give their take.

The BBI taskforce said on Wednesday that they exhausted their findings and will hand over the report to President Uhuru Kenyatta at the earliest possible opportunity.

The taskforce held its last formal sitting on Wednesday, at the Task-force secretariat where they finalised the report and communicated to the President’s office.

“The joint Secretaries have officially communicated to the office of the President that the Building Bridges Initiative report is ready for handing over to the President,” part of joint taskforce statement signed by BBI joint secretaries Paul Mwangi and Martin Kimani read.

The BBI has proposed the introduction of a parliamentary system of government with a powerful Prime Minister and two deputies, radically overhauling the current system of governance.

The BBI team is against the winner-takes-all presidential system, largely blamed for political tensions and post-election violence.