Feb, 16th 2021 – The Busia, West Pokot and Trans Nzoia County Assemblies have today passed the Building Bridges Initiative Bill(BBI). They become the fourth, fifth and sixth counties after Siaya, Kisumu and Homa Bay county assemblies ratified the bill.
The county Assembly Speaker Bernard Wamalwa says the locals participated in the public participation forums and aired their views before the draft bill was passed by the assembly.
18 more assemblies must pass the Bill for it to go to Parliament, and then to referendum. Twenty-four out of 47 counties are required to pass the Bill.
Meanwhile, Vihiga MCAs have denied allegations that MCAs from the Western Region, demanded facilitation money apart from car grants, so as to pass the BBI bill.
They have now vowed to pass the bill as soon as it is tabled in the county assembly, with or without car grants.
So far, 4 counties have approved the BBI amendment bill, that is Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay and Busia, with Baringo County having rejected it.
Siaya County was the first to pass the BBI bill, with members of the county assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) leading residents in public hearings.