Wednesday, June 30, 2021 – Exiled Tanzanian Opposition leader, Tundu Lissu, has urged Kenyans to reject the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), which is being peddled by President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga, saying it is a dangerous document.
Speaking in Nairobi during the launch of his book, Tundu Lissu warned that the BBI seeks to give more power to the Executive, which is not a good thing.
He envisioned a situation where the president is very powerful, hence reducing the power of the other arms of government (Judiciary and Parliament).
“The most noticeable aspect of BBI (Bill) is the idea of creation of the Prime Minister; the Prime Minister who is envisaged in the BBI is absolutely no different from the Tanzanian Prime Minister, he has no substantial power over anything, he’s a presidential appointee like any other district commissioner, he serves in the pleasure of the president.”
“I’m very skeptical about BBI, and the reason for me is that the key constitutional problem that I see in Kenya, and that has bedeviled Kenya since 1964 is the presidency.”
“In my reading, what BBI bill does is to augment rather than whittle away the presidential powers,” Tundu Lissu said in an interview with journalists.
Tundu Lissu’s concern is similar to those echoed by Deputy President William Ruto, who has opposed BBI from day one.
Since its inception, Ruto has been of the idea that BBI is only meant to give more power to some leaders, and has nothing good for the common person.
He has faulted President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga for advocating for the amendment of the 2010 constitution.
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