The Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) has so far proved to be a useless document as depicted by the recent events. The initiative has been divisive more than uniting as the name suggests. The political class has hijacked it and is using it as a tool for campaigns for 2022 and beyond.
The most annoying thing is the fact tax payer’s money is being used to fund the meetings while Kenyans are suffering due to hard economic times. Billions are being scattered all over for people to move around all the corners of this nation to tell us nothing in particular and nonsense in general.
The initial aim of the meetings was to educate Kenyans on what exactly is BBI and how it is going to help them. They also said they will use the gatherings to collect public opinions on what needs to be addressed. Things have changed and it’s just pure politics! How fast?
The regrouping of the politicians into their parent political parties of Jubilee, ODM, ANC, FORD K and Wiper literally changes the original agenda of the whole thing. If BBI is one and Kenya is one then why can’t the parties operate as one? This has in turn aligned Kenyans along their usual tribal lines as always.
The first group supporting BBI is doing so without a reason-just because their party says it’s good. The other group is against it for reasons best known to themselves but mainly because their party presumes it as not good enough.
These decisions could better have been informed by thorough reading and understanding of the document but alas, we are Kenyans and reading is not our portion.
Preaching water and drinking wine
Recently, Narok Senator Ledama Olekina used one of the BBI forums to propagate hate speech against non-Maa living in the region. He said that courtesy of BBI and continues to do so even after being arrested and later released. Moses Kuria, on the other hand, has been insulting other leaders left, right and center in the name of being against BBI.
Today, Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen walked out of the Kinoru Stadium in Meru over what he termed as being discriminated against. This was after he and his fellow colleague in crime, Moses Kuria, were denied seats at the event.
They were followed out by a section of their supporters, something that didn’t please some people at the event. They called it utter disrespect. Murkomen later went to his social media platforms to try and put matters clearly. He said he was out to attend on some urgent parental duties.
Well, only he knows if it’s true. All in all, this is not the real BBI that we all expected. It is now crystal clear that it is something else. Something that we shall figure out soon.
Right now the country faces a myriad of problems that need urgent and consistent attention from our leaders. We have locusts to deal with. There is Corona Virus that is even scary to imagine.
BBI should prioritize fighting corruption
I can’t forget to mention the Kenyan disease-corruption. All these can only be dealt with when our leaders put their differences aside for the common good of their electorates.
Raila Odinga and William Ruto alone will not bring solutions to these problems. After all, they have been there for years as well as the problems. If indeed BBI is for Kenyans, let them address these issues with the seriousness it deserves.
The forums should capture the small issues that matter to Kenyans. Education, health, businesses, transport, justice, etc. should be given utmost priority over a powerful Prime Minister and his deputies, parliamentary system and all the good for nothing BBI rhetoric which failure to, BBI continues to be good for nothing initiative.
