Deputy President William Ruto has continued his attacks on the proponents of Building Bridges Initiative following the annulment of the initiative by the Court of Appeal on Friday.
He accused President Uhuru Kenyatta and Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga of using powers and authority for selfish gains.
“We cannot use the power we have, the authority we have, the positions we have for selfish reasons to benefit those of us who already have positions to the disadvantage of the millions of Kenyans who are desperate, who do not have jobs and businesses,” Ruto said.
BBI proponets were accused of using huge national resources to advance their political interests.
Ruto allies who accompanied him at a service at Anglican Church of Kenya St Luke Wanguru, in Mwea, Kirinyaga County called on the President to abandon the BBI and focus on development to cement his legacy.
They alleged there was a plot by Jubilee and ODM parties to revive the BBI through Parliament at the expense of Kenyans who are dying of Covid-19.
“The BBI is dead and buried and the President should not even think about it,” Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro said.
The MPs recalled how they were intimidated and harassed for preaching against BBI.
“We were arrested and subjected to all manner of mistreatment but we refused to buy fear. Finally the court came to our rescue and therefore President Kenyatta should let the BBI matter rest and address the Corona issue,” said Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua.
Ruto said the Judiciary’s ruling halting BBI had given the country a golden chance to re-evaluate Kenya’s development priorities.
He said the mass vaccination of Kenyans and the re-engineering of the National Health Insurance Fund ought to be the country’s top priorities amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Deputy President urged MPs to set aside their political differences and enact the NHIF Act to enable the country achieve Universal Health Care.
“We cannot move forward as a country at this point in time without a solid plan on how every Kenyan will be vaccinated,” he said.
MPs Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Naomi Waqo (nominated), Alice Wahome (Kandara), Sylvanus Osoro (Mugirango South) and Aisha Jumwa (Malindi) and Susan Kihika (Nakuru senator) are among the legislators who accompanied the DP.
Since Friday, when the anti-BBI verdict was delivered, Ruto has been on record lauding the Daniel Musinga-led court for hearing the “people’s voice”, and upholding the constitution he suggested had almost been hijacked by those who are “mighty”.
On the verdict day, an overly excited Ruto took to his social media handles to thank God for the Court of Appeal verdict against the BBI bill, which was in favour of the country’s second in command.
He said the judges’ decision was a win for Kenya and the constitution, which was on the verge of destruction by the politicians.
In its ruling on Friday, the seven-judge bench of the Court of Appeal upheld the decision by the High Court nullifying the BBI process.
The judgment presented found political and legal implications and also exposed Kenyatta and his role in the amendment of the 2010 Constitution.
The Court of Appeal president Daniel Musinga and judge Patrick Kiage, in their lengthy submissions, agreed with the bench that the president’s role is limited to protecting and defending the Constitution.
“Under our constitutional architecture, the president cannot initiate the process of amendment of the constitution as a popular initiative. His intentions were noble but the execution was not in line with the constitution,” Musinga ruled.
