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The Thirdway Alliance Kenya Party leader has termed the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) task force unconstitutional and called for its disbandment.

Ekuru Aukot, the drafter and driver of the Punguza Mizigo Bill aimed at reducing public wage bill, sensationally claimed the initiative has an inflated budget, which is a waste of taxpayers money.

“BBI is not anchored in the law, it is unconstitutional, lacks direction and a total waste of our time and resources which has been quoted to be in excess of Sh10 billion,” he said.

Speaking during the PunchLine K24 TV programme, Aukot said on December 13, last year, he presented a case in High Court for disbandment of the BBI.

Defending his bill, which seems to rub the political bigwigs the wrong way, Aukot said it was not a political competition accused his critics of using the judicial system to frustrate the bill.

On July 31, the High Court in Nairobi temporarily stopped the 47 county assemblies from debating and approving the Punguza Mizigo bill.

Justice James Makau further barred the Thirdway Alliance from presenting the bill to the Speaker of the National Assembly pending the hearing and determination of the case.

Aukot wondered why the case he filed seeking to have BBI disbanded before the same judge had not been heard.

“Until now, they have refused to hear even an application for conservatory order,” he claimed.

Aukot revealed that lawyers are collecting evidence against the judge adding that he will write to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) over Justice Makau’s conduct.

Oppose initiative

He accused former Prime Minister Raila Odinga of being behind the court cases going by his recent sentiments over the Punguza Mizigo bill.

“They think that the direction for this country must always come from them. All of us went to school, all of us are independent thinkers and they do not own us. They do not have monopoly of ideas,” he said.

Raila said the final say on any amendment to the Constitution is through BBI.

The Punguza Mizigo initiative is being pushed by a non-parliamentary party named The Thirdway Alliance, and, as such, is being treated with disdain by leading political figures and parties.

Other than Raila, others opposed the initiative are Kalonzo Musyoka of Wiper Democratic Movement Party, Leader of Majority in the National Assembly Aden Duale and Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula.

They all cite different reasons for opposing their drive, but there is a commonality of purpose and motivation.