A secret meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta's team and Deputy President William Ruto's camp took place on Sunday, December 6, Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kanga'ta disclosed.
The Murang'a Senator, a close ally of President Kenyatta, added that ODM leader Raila Odinga was privy to the meeting which centred around finding a concession for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
"I informed Odinga through Minority Leader James Orengo and they are fine with the talks," Kang'ata stated.
In the meeting, Ruto's camp reportedly promised to collect more signatures for the BBI if their proposals are accommodated in the report.
They demanded a multiple-choice referendum, the number of MPs proposed to be reduced to around 500 and want 47 women representatives to sit in the National Assembly and 47 in the Senate.
Ruto's team further pushed for changes on laws governing the Equalisation Fund, seeking to have counties given the power to control the resources. Currently, the national government manages the funds which are used to provide basic services including water, roads, health facilities and electricity to marginalised areas.
"We have no issue with this proposal, as long as the one-man, one-shilling principle stands," Kang'ata stated.
Kenyatta's team will make a decision on whether to accommodate DP Ruto's demands on Friday, December 11 after consulting Odinga and his allies.
The demands came at a time when the former Prime Minister Odinga announced the end of signature collection and proposals to the BBI. Over five million signatures were forwarded to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for verification.
On Monday, December 7, Odinga described the demands as unrealistic, alleging that Ruto was only out to frustrate a process that had already picked pace.
“He should just come out and say he is opposing the document,” Raila stated.
Ruto has been categorical that he would not oppose the project despite being under pressure to do so. He, however, declined to state whether his decision to counter the document has severed his relationship with Kenyatta.
