This archive report was first published on 27 November 2019.
On Wednesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga launched the highly anticipated Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report.
During the launch, the two leaders emphasized the need for unity and warned against the dangers of divisive politics, which they said tears the country apart and affects the economy.
“Being ambitious is good, it is healthy but don’t let your ambitions overshadow our ability to fix those things that will help you achieve your ambitions,” President Kenyatta said.
He also stressed the importance of equal distribution of resources, stating that every citizen deserves a share of the national cake.
President Kenyatta criticized unfair competition by those who seek to serve their own interests at the expense of others, saying, “Hii ni nchi yetu sisi sote na hatufai kushindana kuona nani ni tajiri kushinda mwingine. Tuache mambo ya maendeleo kule mashinani. Tutunge sheria ambayo itatusaidia kitaifa,”
He continued, “We cannot build Kenya with one day. Let us focus on what will put us together. We have 42 different cultures that we should be proud about. Let us embrace our culture and tradition.”
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga also spoke at the launch, recalling how 10 years ago, a similar meeting at Bomas did not yield fruit despite delegates spending days on similar issues.
He also cited the 2017 elections, when the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission was to announce results but he and his team objected.
“You went to Kasarani, we went to Bomas. Our people wanted us to burn your portraits and start collecting taxes. I realised that was taking us to Somalia. It took us 19 hours. Wasn’t easy. We had called each other all sorts of names,” Odinga said.
He emphasized that the BBI report is not about him, but about the future of Kenya, saying, “Usiangalie hii ripoti ati ooh Raila atakuwa nini. Hii sio mabadiliko ya Raila. Kenya itakuwa hata baada ya miaka mingi.”
He also echoed President Kenyatta’s sentiments on political leaders with conflict of interest, saying, “Watumishi wa umma wasifanye biashara. Toka kwa serikali ukafanye biashara.”
According to Odinga, countries such as Tanzania are not bogged down by tribalism as citizens accept each other irrespective of affiliations.
He also stated that there will be a team of experts who will look at recommendations of Kenyans, saying, “Usiwachie wabunge. Wacha wakenya waipitishe.”
