NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 9 – Leaders drawn from the pastoralist communities, who were initially opposed to the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report, have now changed tune and vowed to support it after meeting former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The leaders under the umbrella of the Pastoralist Parliament Group (PPG) led by Mandera Governor Ali Roba, unanimously resolved to support the report on Monday.
They said Raila had assured them that their cincerns would be accommodated before the final report is subjected to a national referendum next year.
The change of heart by the leaders in the frontier counties is a major boost to the BBI report that is championed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his handshake partner Raila Odinga.
“The issues that they have raised including revenue sharing, equalization fund, livestock marketing authority among others will be taken on board once the technical team irons out them,” Odinga said.
Governor Roba, 100 MPs and governors from the region had dismissed the report over claims that their presentations to the BBI Taskforce were not factored in.
Garissa Township MP and former National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale who is also the patron of PPG has been leading a campaign opposing the report.
Duale, a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto said “we will be lying to Kenyans and our parties if we say that the pastoralists’ family is happy with the BBI report as it is”.
The leaders had last week issued their ’11 irreducible minimums’ which they wanted addressed in the BBI report.
“This document is meant to deal with critical issues affecting our country. It has taken two years on this journey and it is my believe that it will ultimately unlock the potential of our country across board,” he said.
Governor has expressed confidence that the issues they raised will be addressed.
“The issues that we felt like needed to be highlighted have been addressed and we want to take the opportunity to tell our communities that we are on course and you are fully represented wherever you are,” he said.
Senate Majority Leader Samuel Poghisio and his deputy Fatuma Dullo vowed to popularize the document.
“We are united and there are no two groups of the pastoralist communities and the entire region now supports BBI,” Poghisio said.
Dullo said “We support the BBI 100 percent and we are happy that our peoples’ concerns have been addressed.”
Eldas MP Aden Keynan exuded confidence that Raila will honor.
“We confirm our support for BBI and I have no doubt in my mind that the pastoralist communities will not be left out of the national conversation,” he said.
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