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National Super Alliance term drive a ‘game changer’

Thursday, November 28th, 2019 00:00 |
Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka addresses delegates at the official launch of the Building Bridges Initiative report at Bomas of Kenya, yesterday. Photo/PD/SAMUEL KARIUKI

Three National Super Alliance  (NASA) leaders yesterday praised the Building Bridges Initiative, describing it as a game changer that will usher in a more cohesive country away from divisive politics.

One after the other when they took to the podium at the Bomas of Kenya, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetangula and Musalia Mudavadi (ANC) promised to support the initiative and get the country united.

 Mudavadi, who was the first to speak, asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to address the prevailing difficult economic situation before delving into the reform programme envisaged in the BBI.

In a calm but composed demeanour, the ANC leader received wide applause when he said most Kenyans were too poor and merely surviving “by the Grace of God” to understand what BBI entails.

 “The economy is ailing. Kenya is one of the few countries that you can call a public rally at Uhuru Park on a weekday and it will be full of unemployed people,” he said. 

Mudavadi said the only way to make the report reasonable to most Kenyans was by first fixing the economy which appears to be deteriorating each passing day.

Immediately after his speech, Kenyans on social media could not hide their excitement with Mudavadi’s speech, showering him with praises for touching on what every they wanted addressed directly in front of the President.

Fixing economy

“At Bomas, Musalia Mudavadi wins the hearts of depressed Kenyans, the truth is that our ears are shut when you present your presidential ambition,” Kenyan Malema tweeted

“Musalia takes the order of the day. Keep it simple, short and powerful. You could literally feel the intelligence between the lines,” tweeted Bosibori.

Over the last few months thousands of families across the country have been staring at tough economic times following a wave of employee lay-offs cutting across the board.

Close to 3,000 Kenyans have lost their jobs in recent months, with more companies issuing redundancy notices.

The ANC leader urged every Kenyan to interrogate the 156-page document in a sober manner, saying the ensuing debate must be inclusive. 

“Let us be sober in this discussion. Let us interrogate the document. Let us read it by ourselves. The debate must be all inclusive and let us be persuaded by the logic of the other idea and that is the only way we are going to build a better Kenya,” he said. 

Wiper leader Kalonzo said BBI will ensure Kenya becomes united so that certain areas “are not viewed as bedrooms of certain people”.

He said: “From today there will be no one’s bedroom so that everyone can campaign everywhere.”

Bedroom politics

The “bedroom politics” debate came up during the recent Kibra by-election when opposition leader Raila Odinga referred to the constituency as his “bedroom”, which meant other political leaders should keep off.

Kalonzo said the BBI report provided a platform for every leader to seek forgiveness since the 2017 polls saw a section reject the outcomes leading to hatred.

Ford Kenya leader Wetangula described the launch of the report as a new dawn for a country that has been torn apart by divisive politics.

Improve political hygiene

 “We all stand as Kenyans to herald a new dawn. A new dawn likely to improve our political hygiene,” he said.

Raila claimed he had left the Nasa trio behind during the March 9, 2018 Handshake because they all had 2022 political ambitions.

 “ We all stand as Kenyans to herald a new dawn. A new dawn likely to improve our political hygiene,” said Wetang’ula.

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