Women elders allied to the Kikuyu Council of Elders have declared their backing for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report and a referendum implementation of the same.
Speaking in Kenol Town in Murang'a county, the women opposed a parliamentary implementation, arguing that a group of elected leaders cannot make decisions for all Kenyans.
According to the chair lady of the women wing of the council Margaret Muthoni, the document should, therefore, be given to the people to ensure that it touches on what affects them.
“As women elders we want the report to be deliberated by all Kenyans but not few elected leaders. The views which resulted in the document coming from wananchi and let the report be taken back to the people for the final decision,” she said on Wednesday.
The women also castigated politicians politicizing the BBI debate, noting that its the very same group that has been fighting the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga, the BBI founders.
They said that this points at leaders not in support of peace in the country, as they noted that the handshake and the BBI have brought calm and oneness in Kenya.
"It’s unfortunate to see leaders campaigning against BBI and the same leaders have been all along criticising handshake! These leaders may not understand the need for peace in the country but as women, we suffer a lot when the country is experiencing conflict,” said Sarah Wanjiku, an official.
Their view marries with that of Uhuru and Raila, who have since succeeded in their push to have Kenyans own the report rather than having it taken through the parliament.
They have since prolonged the term of the BBI taskforce so that it can spearhead the report's public participation early next year.