Nyanza tops in BBI signatures collection as over 4M Kenyans sign it
By Dickson Odhiambo
December 3, 2020
Nyanza tops in BBI signatures collection as over 4M Kenyans sign it
NYANZA region has emerged the top in the just concluded exercise for collecting signatures from Kenyans in support of the Building Bridges Initiative.
The results are out and the region has topped the country in the national BBI signature collection.
Addressing the press in Kisumu today to announce the result of the exercise Nationally, Kisumu Governor Prof Peter Anyang Nyong’o said out of the 4,628, 174 signatures collected across the country at the close of the exercise yesterday, Nyanza has bagged 780, 427 signatures.
Nyong’o says the region has been followed closely by Eastern with 761,776 signatures then Rift Valley with 667,731 and Central with 643,880.
Nyong’o says the Coast has 608,578 signatures while Western and Nairobi have 525,323 and 461,934 signatures respectively.
The North eastern has 135,091 Kenyans appending their signatures to endorse the report.
Nyong’o says in Nyanza, Kisumu County top the list with 177,832 signatories. Homa Bay is second with 174,603 signatures, followed by Siaya 156,323, Kisii 116,112, Migori 94,872 and Nyamira 60,379.
“These figures are sending a strong message that Nyanza is more than ready for the referendum. This is the epicenter of reggae and no one can stop it now.
We wish to sincerely thank our people who voted and the coordinators led by Bob Patrick Madanje and Jakoyo Midiwo who burnt the midnight oil while working on the logistics,” Nyong’o says.
Governor Nyong’o has thanked the Nyanza Regional Commissioner Magu Mutindika and the County Commissioners for ensuring the success of the exercise in Nyanza region.
Nyong’o says Kenyans have sent a clear message to those opposing the BBI document that they have lost it, adding that the faster they joined the ship, the better for them.
“I have said it before but let me just reiterate to those cherry-picking issues with the referendum that the BBI document is not bad or inadequate as they are purporting. It will not create an imperial Presidency. It will not over-stretch the wage Bill for the executive,” says Governor Nyong’o, adding that it will instead improve performance by the government through a direct accountability.
Nyong’o says having a President who is the Head of the State and a Prime Minister who is the Leader of Business in parliament is an idea whose time has come, adding that this is what is happening in many other countries.
“In fact, those claiming that many Kenyans had not read and understood the BBI document are misleading the country. This is because the Bill was well published.
For those who signed the on-line version, the issues contained in the Bill were well explained. For example, what the BBI says about Corruption, the Economy, on the the youth, the Elderly, Women among others,” Nyong’o further says.
The Kisumu Governor says the Bill is very specific on all the articles, many of which are related to the constitution, adding that one such example is Article 18A on the responsibility of a Citizen which resoles with 14 other articles in the constitution.
“We advise the critics of BBI that they should not be carried away by small issues that can only take us back to the old days of political chaos. Our resolve today is that we must not relent in the pursuit to change the constitution. We have just finished the first part of the journey,” Nyong’o concludes.
Governor Nyong’o has been accompanied by his Siaya Counterpart Cornel Rasanga Amoth, his Deputy Dr. Mathews Ochieng Owili and the two Coordinators for BBI signatures collection in Nyanza among other guests during the Press briefing.
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