‘BBI report a mockery to people with disabilities,’ says Senator Isaac Mwaura

Nominated Senator Isaac Mwaura has blasted the newly-unveiled Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report saying it sidelines people with disabilities and those in special interest groups.

Mwaura, speaking on Citizen TV’s Day Break show on Tuesday morning, termed the report a mockery to people with disabilities saying it washes away all the gains made since the 2010 constitution was adapted.

According to the legislator, people with disabilities are presently holding conversations and will seek for their voices to be heard by engaging BBI proponents, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga, failure to which they will reject the report.

“This document has taken away all of our gains as people with disabilities…people with disabilities have lost in BBI. All of the gains that we made in the 2010 constitution, as currently practiced, have been lost,” he said.

“We need to make sure that these groups are permanently represented in these Houses, it should not be seen as if they’re add-ons. We need youth, people with disabilities and women in the Senate. For Isaac Mwaura to happen it was through affirmative action, we need more Isaac Mwauras of this world.”

Mwaura also contested the BBI recommendation to have the 47 Women Representative positions as well as the 12 Nominated MPs seats abolished saying the move would be ill-advised and will lock out a lot of women leaders, youth, and people with disabilities.

“The women we have today came through the Woman Rep (position), that’s why we have Gladys Boss Shollei, Gladys Wanga, even people like Millie Odhiambo were nominated. President Uhuru Kenyatta himself first came in as nominated. We need these positions…but to remove the positions, and then you dump women in the Senate, and then you say people with disabilities don’t deserve representation, and then you make a mockery of it at Bomas – because that was a joke and a mockery of people with disabilities – that is not acceptable,” said the Senator.

“This was a rushed document, I think there are some people who don’t have the real interests of the people at heart. Let us sit down and have a conversation, we’re willing to talk, we don’t want to reject this document but if we’re not listened to, for sure we will be in the ‘No’ campaign because we cannot allow our gains to be lost.”

He added: “We are going to present our own memoranda because we’re very angry at this BBI thing, and I hope others can do so. Adams Oloo and team have done their bit, let’s have another team of 5 or 7 to now look at the draft.”

Isaac Mwaura, Nominated Senator: Electoral colleges should be created in parties so that people in parties elect their own Parliament representation. BBI is a mockery to PWD’s & special interest groups #DayBreak pic.twitter.com/AwAMh5Qawz

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) October 27, 2020

Isaac Mwaura, Nominated Senator: The independence of the Judiciary is highly compromised. Right now, Fred Matiang’i is the Prime Minister of this country. PWD’s will present a memorandum #DayBreak pic.twitter.com/a2uDKmTTjq

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) October 27, 2020