Uhuru opens projects amid push for BBI

The BBI Bill took centre stage in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tour of Nairobi’s Eastlands yesterday where he launched projects linked to his Big Four Agenda legacy.

In his tour of low-income estates of Kayole and Dandora, the President steered clear of the combative political stance witnessed last week, when he toured Eastlands to launch water and health projects.

Last week, he fired shots at his political opponents, including his deputy William Ruto, whom he told to quit government if he was unhappy. Yesterday, a more conciliatory Head of State said development was at the heart of his government’s agenda and he would spend his last days in office to deliver on the promises made.

He commissioned Soweto Hospital and a borehole just right next to it in Kayole. The new facility will now offer maternity and in-patient services to residents, who have to go to Mama Lucy Hospital about 7km away.

“Nairobi residents are suffering, expectant mothers walk at night stranded because there are no hospitals, but now, we will construct such facilities in every ward in Nairobi,” the President said.

Mr Kenyatta praised the completion of the borehole saying it would lock out water cartels.

Water cartels

“We know that one of Nairobi’s biggest challenges is water, and we have now come with these borehole projects so that those cartels selling water will disappear. All the water coming from government boreholes will be free. You shall no longer pay even a single cent,” he said.

The President also launched the Ushirika Hospital in Dandora much to the delight of residents and supporters who had followed him on motorbikes all the way from Kayole.

Last week, the President commissioned health centres in Uthiru, Dagoretti and Kiamaiko.

With 17 months to the next elections, the President now seems to be in a race to bolster his legacy and attain the Big Four agenda which he promised when he took over office eight years ago.

But with the BBI referendum bid well on course, Mr Kenyatta used this occasions to woo his supporters to back the BBI. Just moments after the opening of the Soweto Hospital he pledged to build more roads in Kayole.

“We have agreed with the General (NMS director-general Mohamed Badi) that we shall immediately commence the construction of these roads,” he said.

Divisive politics

The President then called on Kenyans to unite and cautioned that divisive politics, which some leaders are using, could resort to violence and bloodshed.

“I usually tell people that there are two ways to lead. One is by using force and the other by love and God’s grace,” he said.

The President then referred to the March 9, 2018 handshake that he had with ODM leader Raila Odinga that birthed the BBI, which is now, according to the two leaders, a panacea to the country’s problems.

“Let us not fight because of leadership, who knows what will happen next? You could be planning for very big things yet God has other plans. Let us work together. So when we say BBI, we do not say it for anything else, but for the sake of Kenyans,” before adding

“Now Babu Owino (Embakasi East MP) is here, had it not been for the handshake, this young man would still be throwing stones at me, now he is relaxed and happy here. And that is what we are saying, let us walk together, thank you for now, and we will be back,” he said.

[email protected]