ODM Leader Raila Odinga has opened up on the ruling by the Court of Appeal regarding the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
In a statement on Friday, August 20, 2021, Raila appreciated the court's ruling, stating that it forms part of the continuing conversation on the future of the country and the significance of the 2010 Constitution to the political culture in Kenya now and in the near future.
Odinga, a key proponent of the BBI bill, noted that it is time to move on, after six of the seven Court of Appeal judges ruled to uphold the decision by the High Court declaring the Constitution Amendment Bill 2020 null and void.
"It is likely that today's Court of Appeal ruling is not the end of the conversation and the parties involved will each make their own decisions on how to proceed from the decision that has been delivered today," he said.
He however, noted that they as proponents of the initiative will engage only to the extent that circumstances will allow.
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"This is not an indication of our regard to this noble initiative. Far from that, we feel that we must now see the forest for the trees, and pursue the bigger goal of setting the rest of the issues facing this country right. The Building Bridges Initiative was never a destination, but a journey in an ever evolving way of life," Odinga stated.
"Without doubt, we shall deal with all the issues in the months and years that will unfold onwards," he added.
The Court of Appeal highlighted an upheld several rulings by the High Court, that faulted the legality of the BBI process.
One of the aspects of the judgement, was that the initiative originated from President Uhuru Kenyatta and the former premier, which disqualified it as a popular initiative.
The seven-judge bench also ruled that the proponents of the initiative failed to engage and ensure proper public participation in the process by ensuring Kenyans are well aware of the initiative before passing it through parliament.
