Nakuru business community leads BBI campaign

Nakuru business community march along the streets of Nakuru town on November 4, 2020, in an attempt to popularise the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Nakuru business community yesterday marched on the streets of Nakuru town to drum up support for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report.

Dominated by stakeholders in the public transport sector, the town was dotted with white T-shirts branded BBI and vehicles mounted with public address systems.

Led by Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria, the caravan marched to the Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya’s office, where participants expressed their support for proposed constitutional amendments.

“Nakuru stands to benefit from extra-parliamentary seats. That will translate into additional Constituency Development Fund, which shall boost our quest for development,” said Mr Gikaria.

The second-term MP called on residents of the cosmopolitan town to embrace the document, noting that Nakuru’s young population would benefit if BBI is implemented.

“We have a population of over 2 million people, the majority of whom are the youth. The BBI seeks to make investment easier for the young generation who drive our economy,” he said.

Mr Natembeya commended the matatu and boda boda operators for the peaceful procession, which had raised concerns among a section of the residents who thought chaos would erupt.

He urged Kenyans to remain united regardless of their political differences.

Central Rift Matatu Owners Association chair Stephen Muli said they were ready to help leaders in the collection of the required signatures to pass the BBI report for a referendum.

“We shall use our resources to move across the town and urge people to back the BBI process. We believe in the report and its proposals. We shall facilitate the collection of signatures in favour of the BBI report,” said Mr Muli.