This archive report was first published on 11 January 2020.
On January 10, 2020, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale expressed skepticism about the feasibility of a Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) referendum in June, as proposed by ODM party leader Raila Odinga.
Speaking in Garissa town, Duale emphasized that several procedures must be followed before a referendum can take place, including collecting signatures, drafting a bill, and obtaining approval from 47 counties.
During a BBI meeting in Kisii County on January 10, 2020, Raila urged the nation to prepare for a referendum by June 2020.
‘I want to tell Raila for free that the referendum he is talking about in June is impossible. Don’t cheat yourself. The timeline given for you to collect signatures you need is two to three months. Unless you want to hoodwink us and collect signatures from Huduma Number which we won’t agree,’ Duale said.
He further stated that introducing the bill takes another month, while taking it to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) takes three months, and subsequently to the 47 county assemblies, which requires the support of at least 24 counties, will take another three months.
‘Then you must have budgetary provision and bring it to both houses of the National Assembly,’ Duale added.
