Eight Contentious BBI Issues AG Has Appealed at Apex Court

Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki.
Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki.
File

Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki has moved to the Supreme Court to challenge the verdict of the Court of Appeal on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

Through a notice of appeal submitted on Friday, September 3, the AG seeks to have the apex court address eight issues that made the Court of Appeal to overturn President Uhuru Kenyatta's bid to amend the Constitution.

On top of the list of the contentious issues, Kariuki is aggrieved with the court's declaration that the Basic Structure doctrine is applicable in Kenya and that the doctrine limits the power of the constitutional amendments set out in Articles 255 to 257.

He is also fighting court's finding, which declared that Basic Structure of the Constitution of Kenya can only be altered through the primary constituent power, which must include four sequential processes.

President Uhuru and ODM Leader Raila Odinga
President Kenyatta with ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Citizen Digital

The Attorney General is also dissatisfied with the Court of Appeal decision that the President can be sued during his tenure of office in respect of anything done or not done contrary to the Constitution.

Moreover, the AG is against the decision by the appellate court, which declared that the President does not have authority to initiate changes to the Constitution and that the constitutional amendment can only be initiated through a Parliamentary means under article 256 or through a popular initiative under Article 257 of the Constitution.

AG is further challenging the declaration that the BBI process contravened the Constitution - in particular, Article 10.

Additionally, Kariuki is fighting a finding that the second schedule of the Constitution of Kenya Ammendment Bill, 2020, was unconstitutional is so far it purported to predetermine the allocation of the proposed 70 new constituencies.

He also faults and is attempting to overturn the court's decision to direct the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission on its functions of constituency delimitation.

The final contentious issues presented by the AG is his dissatisfaction with the appellate court's ruling that the constitutional amendment process was unconstitutional and usurpation of the People's exercise of sovereign power.

The eight form the basis of the next legal duel in efforts to save BBI despite two defeats both in the High Court and  Court of Appeal.

The Supreme Court of Kenya
The Supreme Court of Kenya.
Kenyans.co.ke
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