The Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) Steering Committee convened for its first meeting on Monday to outline a roadmap on the implementation of its constitutional review plan amid countrywide rallies by politicians.
President Uhuru Kenyatta extended the term of the 14-member taskforce which handed over its first report on proposed connotational amendments in November 2019, on 13 January.
Speaking to Capital FM News, taskforce joint secretary Paul Mwangi said the committee will update the public through a statement on what will be discussed.
During Monday’s meeting the committee members were expected to either re-confirm Garissa Senator Yusuf Haji and Professor Adams Oloo as chairperson and deputy chairperson respectively or install new members at the helm the task force which will review the second round of talks on a possible referendum.
The committee is expected to submit its comprehensive advice to President Kenyatta by 30 June.
The Steering Committee shall also solicit, receive and consider written memoranda or information from the public and may carry out or cause to be carried out such assessments, studies or research as may inform its mandate, terms of reference published in the Kenya Gazette indicated.
So far, BBI three regional forums championed by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga have taken place.
During the coast regional consultative forum on 24 January, a 15-point consensus document identified historical land injustices as a main issue of concern residents in the region wanted addressed.
The first forum took place in Kisii County followed by Kakamega for Nyanza and Western regions respectively.
The event in Mombasa was dubbed the most robust so far with a section of Jubilee Party leaders who had expressed fears saying the forums had been hijacked to champion Odinga’s political agenda attending the forum.
BBI, a joint initiative of President Kenyatta and Odinga following a March 2018, post-election peace deal has been dominating news coverage with proponents, including Odinga’s ODM party, pushing for a referendum to change the constitution by June 2020.
