Delay to enact referendum law led to killer blow for BBI

Majority Leader Amos Kimunya (centre) flanked by Minority Whip Hon Junet Mohammed (from left) Majority Whip Emmanuel Wangwe and Eldas MP Adan Keynan address the media after the Parliament passed the BBI Bill at the Parliament buildings, Nairobi. May 7, 2021. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The absence of a law to guide the referendum process was among the many issues that sank the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2020 on Thursday.

In their ruling, the five High Court judges found that the Bill birthed by the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) was launched when there was no legislation governing the process leading to and the conduct of a referendum.