Boost for BBI after Nairobi MCAs vow to pass plebiscite law
Efforts by President Kenyatta to have the Building Bridges (BBI) sail through were yesterday boosted after Nairobi County Assembly leadership resolved to pass the referendum Bill.
The Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), led by Majority Leader Paul Kados said the assembly will whip its members to pass the bill regardless of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s promise that the government will give car grants to (MCA) at the weekend.
“ Once we resume the BBI Bill is expected to top agenda of the House,” he said.
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During the meeting with the President at Sagana State Lodge on Friday last week, 10 Mt Kenya county assemblies vowed to approve the Bill within 30 days.
MCAs have for long recommended for an improvement of their car grants to at least Sh2 million for each one of them, an amount that pushes them closer to MPs who get at least Sh3 million.
Referendum Bill
The law requires that the referendum Bill be passed by at least 24 county assemblies before it proceeds to Parliament.
On her part, Majority whip Waithera Chege said approval of the Bill was the only way to ensure increase in allocation of funds to counties from 15 per cent to the 35 per cent.
“The additional resources will ensure service delivery is not constrained due to limited resources,” she said.
Kados added that the report means well for the youth as it proposes a seven-year tax break for youth-owned businesses in addition to proposing for the establishment of business incubation centres to provide business advisory services, which includes access to capital and government contracts.
The assembly reconvenes on February 9, 2021, after more than two months in recess and the debate of the bill will be part of the first items for consideration by the House.
The IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati submitted to the 47 counties the BBI draft Bill for approval.
It will require two thirds or 24 counties to approve the Bill before Kenyans can take a vote to approve or reject it in a referendum.
Chebukati said the commission, through an interim verification of data captured as of January 19, 2021, has confirmed that the initiative has been supported by 1,140,845 registered voters.
