Kenya's Building Bridges Initiative report.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on November 27 launched the report of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), a task force established after the March 2018 ‘handshake’ between Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga, which finally ended the political crisis following disputed elections in 2017. While the report’s recommendations fall short of the radical reforms many had expected (or hoped for), they may lead to important changes in some areas. They will also further shape shifting alliances and debates ahead of the 2022 elections.
The report avoids issues deemed central to earlier electoral violence, which suggests it may not ensure future elections are less divisive.
A new slate of electoral commissioners and hiring changes for electoral staff could dilute institutional memory and politicise recruitment.
Recommendations for increased funding allocations to county- and ward-level development could prove more positive.
A recommendation to eliminate ‘sitting allowances’ for paid public servants could help ease the bloated public sector wage bill.
