This archive report was first published on 3 December 2019.
As the season of goodwill approaches, it's time to be charitable and acknowledge that the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report was underwhelming.
Released last week, the report was a defining moment in Kenyan politics, or so it seemed. However, upon closer inspection, it appears to be nothing more than a damp squib.
The BBI task force, appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr. Odinga, was tasked with designing solutions to Kenya's existential problems. With a direct mandate from the Head of State and Government, they were expected to offer real and concrete solutions to address the country's issues.
However, the report failed to deliver on this promise. Instead of brave thinking and radical solutions, it proposed band-aid solutions that only served to uphold the status quo.
The real issues facing Kenya, such as ethnic clashes, civil disturbance, class warfare, and revolt of the have-nots, were left unaddressed. The report's failure to tackle these issues has left the country vulnerable to revolution, implosion, or both.
It's time for Kenya to move beyond the familiar contest for power and wealth. We need a new Kenya, one where every citizen enjoys equal access to basic needs, has equal opportunity to grow and thrive, and feels Kenyan irrespective of tribe, clan, or distance from the centre.
