ODM gives strongest hint yet to abandon referendum course

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya wants the BBI referendum pushed to next year so that available resources can be used to deal with Covid-19.

He said the third wave of Covid-19 poses a serious danger to Kenyans and all the resources and energy should be directed to containing the virus.

Oparanya said on Tuesday the economic crisis that the country is facing is a clear indication that holding a referendum this year will be a tall order.

“If there is no money at the National Treasury, there is no need of pushing to have the referendum this year. We should plan to hold the referendum next year when our economy has stabilised and Covid-19 contained,” he said.

Oparanya said funds that are being set aside to finance referendum should be disbursed to counties for Covid-19 preparedness and provision of medical care to those who contract the virus.

Apart from resources, Oparanya said the Covid-19 containment measures put in place by President Uhuru Kenyatta will hinder referendum campaigns.

“It is a requirement that public awareness be done and politicians will be conducting the exercise through public meetings…this cannot work in the state the country is in now,” he said.

ODM party leader boss Raila Odinga has been pushing for the referendum. Oparanya is the deputy party leader of ODM.

Governor Oparanya was speaking in his office when he hosted  Finance and Planning Chief Administrative Secretary Eric Wafukho.

Wafukho was in the county to supervise the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination.

Oparanya asked the President to negotiate with international financial lenders to defer their debts to Kenya for two years so the country to meet its domestic financial obligations.

“If the international organisations that Kenya owes money allow the state to defer repayment of loans, we would be saving between Sh800 billion to Sh1 trillion per year which is enough to help us recover from the economic crisis.”