‘Half of Kenyans back law change’ as BBI unveiled

Nearly half of Kenyans support constitutional changes in a new survey that was released on the day when President Uhuru Kenyatta received the much-hyped Building Bridges Initiatives (BBI) report.

An executive summary of the report indicates that report has proposed the creation of the post of prime minister, who will be nominated by the President but will have to be approved by the National Assembly. The role of the prime minister will be to control and supervise the execution of government functions. He will also be leader of government busienss in the National Assembly, chair Cabinet sub-committees and co-ordinate the affairs of government.

Even as the President was receiving the report, research firm Kantar Tuesday said that 46 percent of those interviewed supported proposed changes to the Constitution, which was enacted in August 2010. Another 39 percent opposed the planned review while 15 percent undecided.

Sources said the BBI report, set to be released to the public Wednesday, proposes that public officers be barred from doing business with government and be required to publicly declare their wealth. It also proposes that the media be given greater freedom to expose corruption with the role of the Controller of Budget being strengthened.

It also proposes that counties be allocated between 35 and 50 per cent of the revenues of the last audited accounts. And where the governor is a man, the deputy must be a woman. In the event that a governor fails to replace a deputy, the County Speaker will be given powers to nominate a candidate.

The survey by Kantar found their respondents had a near equal split among those in support and those against the creation of the position of PM.

“Kenyans are fairly evenly split between supporting and not supporting the creation of PM and leader of the opposition roles at 49 percent and 45 percent respectively,” the survey says. Kantar had asked respondents whether they would support the BBI report if it recommends the creation of a position of PM, possibly with two deputies and also to have an official leader of the opposition in Parliament.

The PM’s position was created as part of a peace agreement after the disputed 2007 elections led to deaths and destruction of property. The roles assigned to the position then are similar to those proposed in the BBI report. More details of the report are expected to be made public today.

Barring public servants from doing business with government is seen as a way to firmly deal with corruption. The Ndegwa Commission Report of 1971 allowed public servants to engage in private business as long as they maintained professional and ethical standards.

Kantar research, however, showed that the public had little understanding of BBI or a desire to have specific proposals included in the document that has caused heated debate in political circles. From the survey, less than one-in-five Kenyans could mention BBI without being prompted.

“Further, among those who could name it, less than half expressed preferences for any specific changes in the current Constitution that might be included in the report,” the survey says.

It also shows that 14 percent of those in support of constitutional changes want a reduction in the number of counties or constituencies while nine percent want changes relating to economic improvement. According to the Executive Summary of the BBI report, it will be recommending that both the number of counties as well as constituencies be retained.

And while seven percent of those polled want a change to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, the BBI report is likely to recommend that the commission be overhauled.