Editor's Review

  • Kiunjuri has been a critic of President Uhuru Kenyatta after being fired from the cabinet. 
  • He joins DP Ruto among leaders who have announced support for the initiative. 

Former Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri has announced his support for President Uhuru Kenyatta through the BBI process. 

His U-turn comes barely a year after Kiunjuri was sacked from the cabinet by President Uhuru. 

The Tea Service Party (TSP) leader, who was a longtime critic of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), disclosed that he had a change of heart because the document factored in the majority's needs. 

Speaking on Sunday, Kiunjuri stated that the BBI would cater to the issues of many Kenyans. 

"We are looking at this draft bill, study it, engage our people, and we shall give our verdict. We are very clear on all those issues that are contentious.

"If those issues have been addressed, we shall sit down as leaders... We already agreed that the MPs who are coming should not be flower girls. They should come with money for their constituencies," he stated.

The former CS noted that Laikipia County would get an extra Parliamentary seat and more money for development.

Kiunjuri's stand comes after Deputy President William Ruto, in a surprise move, decided to throw his weight behind the BBI project. 

The DP had argued that he had a constitutional duty to support the Head of State, with the goal being to get a consensus for Kenyans to have real choices to decide on.

"I have a constitutional duty to assist my boss, the President. We have made improvements to the BBI report after the Bomas event. "We need to avoid yes/no, all/nothing division. We avoided lose-lose we can overcome win-lose to achieve win-win," Ruto said.