This archive report was first published on 19 December 2019.
December 19, 2019
State House, Nairobi - The Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report is currently being translated into various local languages to enable all Kenyans to read the document. A team of translators is working on the document with copies expected to be released before the end of January.
According to Sauti Mashinani Organization, the civic group spearheading the exercise, the translation seeks to produce over 10 million copies of the report in local languages including Kiswahili and other dialects to be distributed all over the country.
After the translation, the civic group will embark on a sensitization campaign where the documents will be distributed to Kenyans at constituency and ward levels during public participation fora. The group has launched a civic education manual indicating a plan of intense campaigns in constituencies and wards where the public will discuss the content of the report in local languages.
Ms Cecilia Ndung'u, a civic educator with the organization, said that the move is aimed at reclaiming the document for ordinary Kenyans, who have been hijacked by politicians. “We shall start with civic education fora at counties, specifically constituency and ward levels. We shall not coerce the public into taking sides but rather provide with platform to discuss constitutional amendments they need,” she said.
Ms Ndung'u noted that the document has received a wide acceptance but its publicity is being led by politicians. “The document has received a wide acceptance but the problem is that its publicity is being led by politicians. We are giving Kenyans an opportunity to read and interpret the document on their own,” she said.
