Kenya split down the middle and was almost becoming ungovernable were it not for the ‘handshake’, President Uhuru Kenyatta reiterated on Wednesday.
Uhuru opened up on his ‘Handshake’ pact with ODM leader Raila Odinga during the launch of the collection of at least one million signatures to back the amendment to the Constitution through the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) process.
The President revealed how the country almost came to its knees after the divisive and chaotic 2017 presidential elections that pitted him against Raila.
“I’m telling you this honestly as your President who consumes first-hand information only available to the head of state,” Uhuru said of the NIS security briefs on the prevailing situation then.
“If there had been no handshake, this country would have been brought to its knees by very dangerous forces—the reckless aggressiveness of some and the triumphant chest-thumping and stone-walling by others.
“The handshake stabilised the country and has afforded us the opportunity to identify the practical reforms that would strengthen our unity, inclusivity, equity and good governance,” the President said.
The event was given a wide berth by Deputy President William Ruto and his allies in the Tangatanga outfit. They have been critical of the push to amend the Constitution.
Instead, the DP, in a not-so-surprising turn of events, took to Twitter to call for consensus-building on the proposed changes to avoid a divisive and contested referendum.
“Even with the signature launch, there is still a real chance at a consensus for a non-divisive referendum that will give Kenyans the opportunity to express themselves without an us-vs-them, win-vs-lose contest,” he said.
Ruto sarcastically added, “Unity is the strength needed to fight Covid-19 and organise the economy.”
The DP’s name was conspicuously missing in the programme for the day that listed the two ‘Handshake’ partners as the only speakers at KICC, Nairobi.
Uhuru and Raila, the main protagonists in the 2017 elections, surprised the nation when they shook hands on the steps of Harambee House, Nairobi, on March 9, 2018.
The Handshake led to the birth of the BBI that is meant to address the nine thematic areas, which the two leaders identified to be ailing the country.
In a candid and passionate speech, Uhuru made a case for the initiative as having given impetus to the amendment to the Constitution, saying the envisioned changes will cure the main problems bedevilling the country, including chaos that haunt it after every election.
“BBI is a bridge to piece and property that every Kenyan today, and in the generations to come needs desperately,” he said.
Uhuru said the county was left in tatters after the 2017 elections that he described as emotive, divisive and one that undermined the peace and unity.
“We are forgetting very fast. Because of the peace that we have had for these two years, people are seeing that is normal. But it is not normal,” he emphasised.
“Truth be told, in our country, we were divided right down the middle. There are some areas some people could not cross because you belong to this party and he belongs to the other.”
The head of state regretted this has been the case after every election in the last 20 years where the Kenyans have come out of elections divided rather than united.
The feeling of exclusion by a section of Kenyans, while others feel “they are owners of the government” after every election, has bred disharmony and violence in the country since the 1990s.
“That is why we saw it fit towards the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018, after seeing what was happening in various parts of the country—Kenyans fighting among themselves,” he said.
“We decided, together with Raila, that we need, as leaders, not to sit back and watch as Kenyans shed blood because of us and because of politics.”
The President pleaded with Kenyans to endorse the envisioned constitutional changes, saying the drive should not divide Kenyans as it is meant for the country’s prosperity.
Appreciating the sharp reactions the BBI report has generated, he said not all views would be captured in the amendments, saying they were starting with pressing and critical matters.
“We are just starting with the issues that are critical. Dealing with the issues that make us consistently fight. Issues of inclusion and inclusivity, dealing with issues of ensuring equitable distribution of resources.
“[We are] dealing with issues that ensure money reaches the lowest level possible; dealing with the issues of corruption and governance. These are the things that make people fight. Let’s sort them out,” he said.
Raila, who spoke moments before the President took to the podium, dismissed as ‘prophets of doom’ those criticising the BBI document, now a Bill, saying there was nothing sinister in it.
The former Prime Minister rubbished assertions by some quarters that the amendments will create an imperial presidency, erode independence of the Judiciary and compromise the independence of the IEBC.
“There have been prophets of doom, that this review is creating an imperial presidency, recreating it… read through those lines and tell us where we are creating an imperial presidency,” he said.
He said the BBI and the proposed changes will deliver Kenya and Kenyans to the promised land where they shall enjoy peace, inclusivity and harmony.
“We have gone through the wilderness of anger and marginalisation. We can see the Promised Land ahead. But the Promised Land will never come for us,” he said.
About 30 governors and scores of MPs, led by the speakers Kenneth Lusaka (Senate) and Justin Muturi (National Assembly), attended the event.
Unlike the norm where the two principals would have been first to sign the document, Emily Wanjiku, a vegetable vendor from Korogocho slum, was the first to append her signature.
She was followed by Joseph Kambai from the North Rift, Lantano Nambara from Maasailand and Edward Wekesa from Western.
Also on board to sign were party leaders Isaac Rutto (CCM), Wafula Wamunyinyi (Ford Kenya), Alfred Mutua (Maendeleo Chapa Chap), Gideon Moi (Kanu), Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya), Farah Maalim (on behalf of Wiper boss Kalonzo Musyoka) and Musalia Mudavadi (ANC).
Governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa), Charity Ngilu (Kitui) and Kakamega’s Wycliffe Oparanya (on behalf of the Council of Governors) signed the document before Raila and Uhuru followed suit.
BBI referendum secretariat co-chairman Junet Mohamed said the collection exercise will take exactly one week. Thereafter, the secretariat will verify the signatures before they are sent to the IEBC and later the bill sent to the county assemblies for consideration.