President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday received the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) taskforce report. The report recommends the return of a Prime Minister’s slot, reports indicate. The report also has several changes. Here are 9 of the major highlights of the BBI report.
1. The team recommends that the President will be elected by the people of Kenya. For one to be declared a president, he or she must garner at least 50 percent plus one vote in the general election. The President will also be expected to get at least 25% of total votes cast in at least 24 counties in the nation.
2. The report notes that the Executive will comprise of the President, a Deputy President, Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers for different dockets.
3. The first runners up in a Presidential election will automatically assume the position of the opposition leader in the government. The leader of the opposition will be tasked with keeping the government in check.
4. The report highlights that the President will form a mixed cabinet. The President will appoint the cabinet in consultation with Prime Minister. The cabinet will be drawn from technocratic as well as parliament.
4. The Prime Minister will serve as chair of Cabinet Sub-committees as well as the leader of government business in Parliament.
6. The report advocates for the scrapping of the post of the Chief Administrative Secretary slots.
7. The BBI report also recommends the creation of an inclusive system of government.
8. The President will be given the mandate to serve as the Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces, Head of State and Government.
9. The Deputy President will be the running mate of the President and the principal assistant in government.
The report is set to be made public on Wednesday. ODM leader Raila Amolo Odinga is among the leaders who have hailed the team following the release of the report. It has recommended that the constituency number should be retained at 290.
"I commend @TheRealBBI team for the diligent work they have undertaken for the past year having visited all 47 counties. I urge you all to read and familiarize yourselves with the report once it's publicly available starting tomorrow," he tweeted.