Shelve BBI, Kang’ata tells Uhuru

Senate Majority Chief Whip Irungu Kang’ata wants President Kenyatta’s government to shelve the ongoing constitutional review for now to focus on current economic challenges.

The embattled senator has once again criticised the government’s move to popularise the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) over other pressing issues facing the country.

Speaking in Murang’a yesterday during a church service, Mr Kang’ata said the Mt Kenya region was interested in coffee and tea talk, and not the BBI debate.

The Murang’a senator said that after listening to the Mt Kenya region, the political base of Mr Kenyatta, BBI campaigns should be shelved and in its agricultural issues facing tea and coffee farmers addressed.

“I’ve been listening to the people who want coffee and tea issues to be addressed first,” Mr Kang’ata said amid applause from the congregation.

“People want to have money in their pockets,” said the senator, adding that BBI will not see the light of the day unless all politicians in the country come on board.

“Unless we see major political party leaders like Moses Wetang’ula, Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka, Dr William Ruto, Raila Odinga and the President in the forefront in drumming up support for the BBI then it will not sail through,” he added.

Speaking at AIPCA Kangaara church in Gitugi, in Mathioya on Sunday, the senator defended his move to write an open letter to the President, saying, he only performed his duties of being a prefect and telling the truth to the President, cautioning that the move should not be misconstrued to mean disrespect to Head of State.

“I respect the President, but my duties as the Senate Chief Whip should be telling him the truth and what the people want. I will continue telling the truth without fear or favour,” he said.

Quoting John 8:32 that says “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” Mr Kang’ata said there are plans to remove him from the position.

“They want to fire me because I told the President the truth of the matter, but even if they do so, I will remain thankful for the chance I was given, but I will not recant the letter.”

However, Mathioya MP Peter Kimari, who attended the church service, said the BBI secretariat is in the process of printing one million BBI copies so that locals can read the proposals for themselves.

He called on the electorate to support the report, saying, Mathioya as a constituency risks being scrapped off if BBI flops

“If the BBI sails through, our constituency will be saved from being scrapped. It is one of the protected constituencies that risks being scrapped off,” he added.

Mr Kimari also defended the Handshake deal between President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga, saying, the DP is to blame for the President’s actions.

“Some people argue that Dr Ruto has been excluded in BBI, but I wish to state he is the one who ran away by failing to obey his boss,” he said.

“If the first wife runs away for her reasons, there is nothing you can do as you cannot force her to be with you,” he remarked

Mr Kimari further urged locals to continue supporting the President, saying, his government has effected major development in the county. He cited multi-billion road and water projects that are currently on-going.

He called upon leaders to keep off politics until next year, saying, God will anoint the best President when the time comes.