Kenya National Assembly Overwhelmingly Passes BBI Bill

The National Assembly on Thursday overwhelmingly passed the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2020, popularly known as the BBI Bill.

Out of the 320 MPs who participated in the voting during the Second Reading, 235 endorsed the Bill while 83 voted against it, with two others abstaining.

224 members voted in the support of the Bill, 63 against, while two abstained during voting in the Third Reading, which occurred shortly before midnight.

A majority of MPs who voted to shoot down the Bill are allied to Deputy President William Ruto while those who endorsed are associates of President Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga.

The Senate is expected to vote on the Bill next week, paving the way for a national referendum later this year. 

In a joint statement on Wednesday, Kenyatta and Odinga urged MPs to drop their reservations and pass the Bill.

 “We are making a joint appeal to members of the National Assembly and the Senate to join the 3,188,001 Kenyans who supported the Bill, and the 44 County Assemblies who approved it, in upholding what represents the hopes and aspirations of all those who participated in the various public forums seeking long term solutions to this country’s problems,” read the statement.

“We are asking them to stand up with their countrymen in charting a non-partisan and selfless way forward for all of us. This is not the time for political adversity nor for personal aggrandizement. This is the time to listen to the people and to remember that it is their sovereignty we exercise as their servants.”