DP Ruto heaps praise on President Uhuru for initiating Handshake, spearheading BBI

Deputy President William Ruto during a past event.

Deputy President William Ruto was full of praise to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta for their handshake that birthed the Building Bridges Initiative.

However, on his part during the launch of the BBI report today at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi, he cautioned against reducing the BBI report to sharing positions and powers among the political class.

DP Ruto urged that the proposals should not only bridge the divide on political class but connect the bourgeoisie and the ruling class.

“We must be careful that this process is not hijacked by the political class and be made a subject of sharing position or power alone,” he said.

The BBI report proposed the establishment of a premiership office in which the President will appoint the Prime Minister who will have a cabinet.

Ministers under the PM shall be collectively responsible in the National Assembly for the execution of the affairs of the Government.

DP Ruto was keen to note, “the process must not address the divide between the politicians only, it must also address the huge divide between the haves and the have nots, employed and unemployed”.

A section of politicians has hinted that there will be no referendum implying the report will be debated in the National Assembly and the Senate.

DP Ruto, however, has urged members of the assemblies to approve the proposals after a vigorous public participation exercise.

“We must make sure that this document speaks to the majority of Kenyans, their fears, challenges and look for their solutions,” he said.

The second in command further heaped praises on the recommendations made by the report to build non-ethnic institutions expected to accommodate all members from the political divides.

“But to build these institutions, we must submit ourselves to the rule of law irrespective of who we are and the power we wield,” said Ruto.

On elections, the DP said that there will no longer be losers but only winners since according to the report, everyone will have a role to play in the government.

“We will have a robust maybe constitutional opposition that will make sure that the government will be held to account,” he said.

Before signing off, DP Ruto reminded the President of the Big Four Agenda saying that it will help solve some of the challenges raised by the BBI report.