NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 27 – Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party Chairman John Mbadi has refuted claims by Majority Leader, Aden Duale that they have hijacked functions of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) taskforce led by Senator Yusuf Haji.
The ODM party Chairman said the countrywide rallies are complementary to the work done by the BBI committee.
“This is the only team gazetted in law to take the BBI recommendations, how do you ask me to take my views to a political rally? Aden Duale posed as he defended his decision to skip recent popularisation rallies of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI),” he said.
Nonetheless, Mbadi said that the ongoing BBI rallies are complementary to work done by committee.
“The attendance is voluntary and those unwilling to attend should freely use other platforms,” he said while presenting the party’s submission for the first time to the Haji-led team.
“We wish to state that as a party we are bold enough to develop and run our political agenda publicly without running behind the BBI process, ODM party has been in politics for long and we have been holding huge rallies and we will continue to do so,” he said.
In its submissions, the party said that the Ministry of Devolution should be abolished and the coordination and cooperation of both levels of government be handled through the Intergovernmental Relations Council.
The ODM party seconded BBI’s proposal to create regional governments. However, the Mbadi-led team want the enactment of legislation which will see the establishment of regional economic blocks (REBs).
While the party want Members of the County Assemblies (MCAs) granted similar powers and privileges to those enjoyed by Members of Parliament, the group the county assemblies granted financial independence to effectively oversight respective executives.
Equitable share of county government should be at least 35 per cent of the annual budget. Under the current dispensation, county governments receive at least 15 per cent of the last audited national revenue
In their report, the Raila Odinga-led party want county police to be created to address local security concerns and answerable to the County Policing Authority chaired by county governors.
