Governor Muthomi Njuki, Kindiki split over BBI
What you need to know:
- Mr Njuki vowed to make sure that the county will fully endorse BBI.
County Commissioner Beverly Opwora and assembly Speaker David Mbaya have urged residents to endorse the document.
Battle lines have been drawn between a team of politicians supporting Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) and another one opposing the report in Tharaka Nithi County.
BBI has split into two the county that is known for voting as a block, with Governor Muthomi Njuki leading a team supporting the constitutional reforms while Senator Kithure Kindiki is on the opposing side.
Governor Njuki is enjoying the support of the county assembly and a section of 2017 election losers. On the other hand, Prof Kindiki has teamed up with Woman Rep Beatrice Nkatha and MPs for the three constituencies in campaigning against the BBI.
Also critical in the constitutional reforms campaigns is Prof Isiah Kindiki, a brother to Senator Kindiki, who is a member of the BBI technical team and a close ally of ODM chief Raila Odinga.
Speaking during the launch of collection of signatures in the region yesterday, Mr Njuki vowed to make sure that the county will fully endorse BBI.
“Our county is expected to deliver 76,000 signatures, but my target is more than that,” said the governor.
He asked residents to come out in large numbers and participate in the constitutional reforms, “which guarantees them better lives”.
The governor asked his 2022 gubernatorial contenders to keep off politics in the BBI process and support it without looking at who is leading the initiative.
But Senator Kindiki has maintained that there are no gaps in the 2010 Constitution and that the only problem is leaders who are not ready to implement it fully. “Inclusivity will be achieved through full and honest implementation of laws and policies that are already in the Constitution, not vandalising it by introducing 640 Members of the National Assembly and the Senate and a Prime Minister,” said Prof Kindiki.
County Commissioner Beverly Opwora and assembly Speaker David Mbaya have urged residents to endorse the document.
Mr Mbaya also asked MCAs to approve the report once it’s brought in the plenary, noting that the document has a lot of good proposals, especially the ward fund and the proposed increased county allocations.
The Speaker also asked ward reps to subject the reform proposals to their voters in order to seek views.
Governor Njuki and Senator Kindiki are also expected to battle it out for gubernatorial seat in 2022.
