MPs allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga have announced plans to begin the collection of BBI signatures to kick-start the process Constitutional change.
The MPs mainly from Nairobi on Sunday said they will start collecting the one million signatures from Monday.
The lawmakers led by nominated MP Maina Kamanda ruled out any window to amend the BBI report and called on Kenyans to be ready for a referendum.
“From Monday we shall start collecting signatures for BBI. I am sure in Nairobi alone we can collect up to one million signature required,” Kamanda said.
Image: COURTESY
He also called on Kenyans to ignore leaders doing round giving misleading information on the contents of BBI.
He was accompanied by MPs Timothy Wanyonyi (Westlands), Anthony Oluoch (Mathare), Waihenya Ndirangu (Roysambu), George Aladwa (Makadara) and Yusuf Hassan (Kamakunji).
Others were Millie Odhiambo (Suba North), Babu Owino (Embakasi East), Esther Passaris (Nairobi MP), TJ Kajwang (Ruaraka), Julius Mawathe (Embakasi South), Charles Kanyi (Starehe) and Bernard Okoth (Kibra).
They spoke during a church service at Friends Church Quakers Kabete.
Last week, a lobby group from Western Kenyan urged Uhuru and Raila Odinga not to entertain those calling for a review of the BBI report and instead lead the country to a referendum.
Magharibi Youth Alliance bringing together youthful legislators and various leaders claimed that the push to subject the recommendations to another round of review is only meant to derail the process.
The leaders led by MPs Caleb Amisi (Saboti), Godfrey Osotsi (nominated) and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said the window to give views is long gone and it is now time to move to the next step.
“Policy issues should be taken to the cabinet, legislative ones to Parliament while those touching on the Constitution should be taken to the people through a referendum,” Osotsi said.
“The window to give views is closed. The Constitutional amendment Bill is sealed, we are not going to open discussion on an issue that has taken two years.”
The leaders were apparently responding to calls by Deputy President William Ruto to have sections of the document relooked with the aim of increasing its acceptability.
Ruto last week expressed his reservations about the BBI report in its current form, calling for a review to reflect the needs of all Kenyans.