‘I applaud the Supreme Court verdict’: Raila Odinga speaks out after BBI ruling

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga has broken his silence following the Supreme Court ruling that declared the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) bill as unconstitutional.

Odinga, who spearheaded the bill alongside President Uhuru Kenyatta, in a surprise move, applauded the verdict by the seven-judge bench.

According to the former premier, the ruling upheld the sovereignty of the country’s populace, further saying that State organs must always be subject to accountability by the nation's citizens.

“I wish to applaud the verdict of the Supreme Court today as a much desired reiteration of the sovereignty of the people of Kenya particularly in the backdrop of questions surrounding amendments to the Constitution,” said Odinga in a statement to newsrooms.

“The verdict is empathetic that every State organ must always subject itself to the people of Kenya and must never usurp their sovereignty by substituting their will with that of State officers and State organs.”

Odinga commended Chief Justice Martha Koome for her remarks on the roles of the Judiciary vis-à-vis those of the Executive and the Legislature.

He stated that the three arms of government should be subjected to checks and balances for the sake of enhancing governance for constitutional order to be achieved.

“I am particularly pleased by the introspection that the Chief Justice has started regarding the role of the Judiciary in the constitutional order and its relationship with other arms of Government,” said Odinga.

“It is time the country has a conversation regarding the separation of powers between the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary and the roles of Checks and Balances of each arm of Government so as to enhance governance in our constitutional order, without jeopardizing the obligation of each arm to deliver to the people of the Republic of Kenya.”

The ODM boss further added that the proponents of the bill will now retreat to deliberate on the way forward and come up with a new direction.

“I note that the BBI process has been upheld. I also note that the contents of the bill itself was upheld save for the provisions of the 2nd Schedule. What has been faulted is the role that the State is said to have played at the commencement of the popular initiative,” he said.

“We shall deliberate on the way forward and decide on a future course of action that protects the interests of all those who voted to see the amendments come to light.”