Kagwe: BBI success shows Central Kenya is behind Uhuru

Mutahi Kagwe, the Health Cabinet Secretary, has weighed in on the ongoing politics surrounding constitutional amendments via the BBI Bill.

CS Kagwe told Inooro FM on Wednesday that the Bill’s passage through both Houses of Parliament was a clear indication of Kenyans’ trust in the president.

“We were told that no one – not even a cat – would vote for the BILL when it came, so we went to Sagana and talked to the president and we exchanged views,” he explained. “They said the MCAs had been bribed to pass it, so we said, let’s wait for the National Assembly and the Senate and now you see what happened,” he added.

According to Kagwe, despite the Central region’s rampant political posturing and alleged factions, the block speaks with one voice when it matters.

In a veiled attack on the DP Ruto camp, the CS said the anti-BBI camp had grown overconfident after handing out money in churches.

“Did you say the BBI would fail because you were in a church where you gave Ksh. 2 billion?” CS Kagwe said “I have a lot of political experience and I will tell you this, Mt Kenya region speaks as one voice when it comes to push,”

According to the CS, despite retreating to the Masai Mara to plot ways to defeat the Bill, the DP-Ruto led camp failed to do so. .

“They even went to the Maasai Mara to plot how the BBI would fail, but when it came time to vote, we looked for NO votes and couldn’t find any,” he added.

The Health Ministry chief also defended President Kenyatta against claims that he has neglected the region in terms of development.

“Everywhere you go in Kenya, there are projects going on, health, roads, you name it,” he said. “Development is not overnight, it is gradual, look where you were 10 years ago, things change over time,” he added.

The BBI Bill sailed though the Senate on Tuesday, a week after the National Assembly gave it a raucous nod.

On Tuesday afternoon, 51 senators voted for the bill, while 12 senators voted against it.

The Senate speaker is expected to transmit the Senators verdict to President Uhuru Kenyatta, for onward transmission to the electoral body-IEBC.

Meanwhile, the decision on whether Kenya will hold a referendum as per the propositions by the BBI proponents now lies in the hands of five judges: Justice Chacha Mwita, Joel Ngugi, George Odunga, Jarius Ngaah and Janet Mulwa.

Petitioners who include economist David Ndii, Kenya National Union of Nurses, Thirdway Alliance, 254Hope, Justus Juma and Moraa Omoke had questioned the BBI process to amend the Constitution terming it a dangerous move.