Raila Likens Ruto's Proposed Constitutional Changes To BBI

Azimio la Umoja coalition leader, Raila Odinga, has accused President William Ruto of doublespeak, linking his proposed amendments to the Constitution to the aspects that were in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

In a statement dated Sunday, December 11, the former Prime Minister believed that the Head of State was calling for the introduction of the same changes that were in the BBI bill, which he had opposed during his campaign trail ahead of the August 9 elections and which was thrown away by all three of Kenya's top courts.

Raila now wants President Ruto to follow the very steps that the Supreme Court directed on any constitutional amendments before he can accept the Office of the Opposition the President proposed in a memorandum to the National Assembly and Senate Speakers.

Here is Raila's full statement below:

The memorandum of His Excellency Hon. William Ruto to the speakers of both the National Assembly and the Senate proposing several amendments of the Constitution of Kenya is puzzling to many Kenyans and myself as it undoubtedly seeks to re-introduce the same matters that had for many months been suggested by the Building Bridges Initiative.

For a similar period, the same had been vehemently opposed by Mr Ruto when he went around the country campaigning in the years 2018-2021.

I find it puzzling because the memorandum presents these proposals without any recognition that the BBI reports, which are official government documents, contain all these proposals coupled with the rationale why these suggestions had been found to be necessary by the people of Kenya who participated in the process.

Instead, Mr Ruto has appropriated the views of these people and speaks of the proposals as his own.

But further than that, he falls foul of the same demands he made in making these proposals and used to lead the challenge against BBI.

These demands, all stated personally by himself, are:

"That a president cannot initiate constitutional amendments.That all proposals for amendments to the Constitution must start with the people.That the process of amendment must be people driven.That the amendments must chiefly centre on the interests of the common mwananchi."

Had Ruto been honest about the BBI proposals, everything he has suggested in his memorandum would be law today.

I will not be hypocritical about his memorandum as far as the content of the proposals is concerned because these are in truth BBI proposals.

However, they cannot be presented as he has done nor can they be processed through the procedure that he is prescribing.

He must comply with the same imperatives that he demanded of the BBI process.

On return from the US, we will continue consultations with the leadership of Azimio, the legal team and the people of Kenya to agree on how to deal with this about-turn by Mr Ruto, on top of the resolutions passed at our December 7, Kamukunji forum.

Raila Odinga on board a plane. /FILE