Orange Democratic Movement party leader Raila Odinga has praised the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Building Bridges Initiative, saying it upholds the Kenyan people’s sovereignty.
Raila said in a statement on Thursday that the judgment reaffirms that state entities must always defer to the desire of the people and never usurp their sovereignty.
“I wish to applaud the verdict particularly in the background of questions surrounding amendments to the constitution,” Raila stated.
The ODM leader, on the other hand, noted that the top court supported the initiative’s entirety save for the section in which the state was faulted for participating in a citizen-centered process.
“I note that the BBI process has been upheld. What has been faulted is the role that the State is said to have played at the commencement of the popular initiative.” He said.
Except for Justices Njoki Ndung’u and Isaac Lenaola, all of the Supreme Court’s seven judges concluded that the president cannot begin a popular initiative.
The court confirmed that President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila initiated the constitutional amendment process, not the people.
According to the ODM leader, there is still room for a constitutional amendment process to be implemented on the basis of the court’s affirmed provisions, which include the formation of 70 new seats.
“We shall deliberate on the way forward and decide on a future course of action that protects the interests of all those who voted to see the amendments come to light,” he said.
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