The One Kenya Alliance (OKA) says the country can achieve the gains entrenched in the Building Bridges Initiative despite the Court of Appeal judgment that declared it unconstitutional and illegal.
OKA principals, including Kalonzo Musyoka of Wiper Democratic Movement, Musalia Mudavadi of the Amani National Congress, Senator Gideon Moi of KANU and Moses Wetangula of Ford Kenya, expressed optimism on Saturday, August 21, stating that Kenya still had the opportunity to realise the BBI dream through other processes.
In a statement to newsrooms, the OKA leaders said the judgment as delivered by a seven-judge bench was not the end of the road, but rather an opportunity for Kenya and Kenyans to explore other avenues and conquer new frontiers in the quest for a united country.
“We still have an opportunity to hold a broad-based, honest and people-driven dialogue on expediting progressive proposals requiring legislative and policy interventions," read the OKA statement in part.
The OKA team said the country should now focus on initiatives that will help grow the economy and spur equitable growth, exemplifying the need to strengthen devolution through increased revenue allocations and reduction of levies on services rendered by the county governments.
The co-principals, who have been supporters of President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's push to amend the Constitution of Kenya 2010, noted their satisfaction with the judgment rendered by the Appellate Court, urging the other leaders to follow suit and focus on addressing the most pressing issues affecting Kenyans.
“As an alliance that cherishes the rule of law, we accept and respect the verdict of the Court of Appeal,” said the OKA four.
They, however, remained non-committal on whether they would abandon their presidential ambitions and support Odinga, who is seemingly President Kenyatta's favourite candidate in his succession race.
The four had earlier in the week remained coy on the future of their coalition and the push to revive the National Super Alliance (NASA), saying they would only make a decision on the way forward once the decision on the future of BBI was made by the Court of Appeal.
The OKA four supported the BBI Bill, which sought to create more positions in the executive arm of the government with the hope that they would all be part of the bloated leadership.
The Bill sought to establish the Office of the Prime Minister, two deputies and the Office of the Leader of the Opposition. The proponents of the Bill argued that the expanded Executive would ensure all communities in the country are represented.
In the Saturday statement, OKA implied that it would forge ahead with its plans to front a presidential candidate as agreed during a retreat in Naivasha less than a week ago.
“As we had unequivocally declared in Naivasha, One Kenya is solidly on course to be the alliance of choice for Kenyans, irrespective of the court case outcome,” they noted.
It is now a wait-and-see situation as political parties and leaders rush to form coalitions and seek partnerships, all with the sole aim of capturing power in the 2022 polls.
