Embakasi East MP Babu Owino trolled Deputy President William Ruto and former governor, Mike Sonko, while celebrating BBI's victory in Nairobi County.
Babu joined other pro-Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) leaders in praising Nairobi MCAs who passed the bill on Thursday, February 18. Owino said that the county was now free from bondage and dramas witnessed under Sonko's regime.
"We thank Speaker Benson Mutura and other county leaders for the sacrifice and work they are doing for the county. You have given us what we deserve.
"You have delivered us from the shackles of oppression, harassment and vipindiree (dramas). Today, I want to tell those opposing BBI that they can be thieves and continue stealing. You can steal money and property but you can't steal the people's ideologies. Continue campaigning in Sugoi," Babu said in a thinly veiled attack on Ruto and his allies.
The ODM MP added that he was a victim of post-election anxiety and violence. He said that he understood the importance of BBI in fostering peace having been arrested severally, detained and even defended his seat in court.
Makadara MP, George Aladwa, and his Kibra counterpart Imran Okoth urged politicians to shift focus on campaigning for the referendum as the county had already approved the bill.
Nairobi Senator Sakaja warned county leaders against opposing the bill while nominated MP Maina Kamanda said that ODM leader Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta would unite the country.
All the 114 MCAs in Nairobi, unanimously voted for the BBI bill, joining 10 other counties in passing the proposed referendum. These include Homa Bay, Kisii, Vihiga, West Pokot, Kisumu, Siaya, Laikipia, Kajiado, Busia and Trans Nzoia. Laikipia was the first county in Mt Kenya to approve the bill.
Baringo MCAs rejected the bill with the county being the only one that has so far to have floored it.
Kenyatta and Odinga only need 13 more counties to reach the threshold required, 24, to push the bill to Parliament for debate prior to a referendum greenlight.
DP Ruto declined to announce whether he would support the bill or not. However, he has raised various concerns against it, claiming that it was derailing development agendas.
“We must have a conversation as a nation about our health, economic, education, COVID-19 and its effect on the economy of the country, we must get our priorities right.
"Once the referendum is over, we shall re-embark on building the nation and achieving our goals," Ruto lamented.
