A retreat that was planned by members of the Constitutional Implementation and Oversight Committee (CIOC) in Mombasa has flopped, after it was declared unconstitutional.
The Ndaragua MP Jeremiah Kioni-led committee had planned a 4-day retreat to discuss the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report, which was launched last Wednesday.
However, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi on Thursday declined to release funds for the same, arguing that the report is yet to be sent to the house by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
He said that as of now, that the report remains an outsider to the parliament and any committee that wants to discuss it will be doing it outside the functions of the parliament.
“Like I said before, the BBI report has not found legs to reach Parliament. Any committee of the House that may be desirous of discussing it will be doing it outside the functions of Parliament,” said Muturi.
The ruling comes amid concerns that the committee, under Kioni who has been seen close to Ruto lately, seeks to hijack the BBI and prevent the possible referendum.
Muturi, who has personally taken a stand in support of the referendum, said that until the report finds its way to the house, the most the committee members can do is read it.
“For the time being, you are at liberty to read the document but until such time as the report will be formally submitted to Parliament, it is not part of us,” he added.