Raila: BBI only solution to Kenya’s problems

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga yesterday maintained that the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) was the panacea to the problems bedeviling the country.

Raila, while addressing this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations at the Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Kisumu, said the myriad problems the country faces today will be a thing of the past once Kenyans pass the BBI report. 

“We have so many problems in this country and the only way it shall be solved is through the BBI report and unity between me and his Excellency the President,” Raila said.

Raila, who spoke after Deputy President William Ruto warned that disunity amongst political leaders will derail the development agenda in the country.

Ruto has been a fierce critic of the BBI process, saying it was derailing the Jubilee government’s development agenda, in particular the Big Four projects.

But speaking yesterday, Raila warned that President Uhuru is unlikely to deliver the government’s development agenda if leaders remain divided.

“We want a country that is united just like our forefathers were when they were fighting colonialism.

Those were difficult times when nothing could have been achieved without unity,” Raila said.

“Your Excellency, right now we have so many problems like corona, poverty and lack of education. The same problems that our forefathers were fighting are here with us again and we can only succeed if we are one,” said the ODM leader.

He recalled how the colonial government tortured and maimed leaders who were against their ideals.

“In this region, Mageta Island in Bondo was like the Roben Island where you were detained and threatened to be thrown inside the lake if you disagreed with the colonialists,” he said, referring to the South African prison where apartheid hero Nelson Mandela was detained.

After the celebrations, Raila’s convoy passed through Kondele area, the boiling pot of Kisumu politics and without addressing the huge crowd, only waved a placard reading, “ Reggae is back,” signaling that the BBI campaign was on track.