Speaking at St. James and All Martyrs Cathedral, Murang’a town on Saturday, August 21, Nyoro – a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto – said all the public money invested in the BBI process must be refunded to the taxpayer.
The outspoken lawmaker accused the BBI promoters of misappropriating public resources on a process that was declared unconstitutional and illegal.
Nyoro argued that the government bankrolled the entire process with millions of taxpayers’ money neglecting other functions such as development projects and fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.
“All the taxpayers money spent on BBI must be refunded. They re-directed vaccines’ money, Kemsa funds, money that was supposed to buy masks for students and that which was meant for roads in the Mt Kenya region to the BBI process which was illegal,” noted Nyoro.
“What they did amounts to misappropriation of public funds and they must be held to account.”
Referencing the seven-judge bench of the Court of Appeal judgment delivered on Friday, Nyoro stated that since it was established the BBI initiative was not a popular initiative and people driven, the proponents must be compelled to refund the moneys spent.
“It is good they return public funds since the court ruled that BBI was a personal process and one cannot use public funds to advance their personal initiatives.”
The legislator further claimed that the majority of Kenyans were intimidated to support the constitutional amendment process against their will.
“The majority of Kenyans were intimidated to support BBI. Now the leaders who supported the amendments should toe the line and respect the rule of law,” he added.
Nyoro joins Lawyer Morara Omoke, who in June filed a cross-appeal in the BBI case, seeking to have President Uhuru Kenyatta compelled to refund public cash spent in the process.
Omoke argued that High Court judges erred by declining an application that sought to have the President return public funds used in the constitutional change process.
“The learned judges erred in law by declining to order the Auditor General to establish the amount of public funds utilised in the promotion of the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020,” Omoke submitted at the Court of Appeal.
“The judges erred in law by declining to take judicial notice of the huge amount of public funds, including a Ksh4 billion car grant to MCAs.”
Nyoro’s sentiments on BBI come just hours after Deputy President William Ruto issued an official address to the nation on Saturday, August 21, lauding the Judiciary for withstanding immense pressure from other arms of government during the BBI push.
“It (August 20, 2021, BBI appeal judgment) marks the second time our courts have pronounced themselves on this matter. On both occasions, our courts were bold, clear, and unmistakable,†said the Deputy President.
He described the judgment as a win for both the constitution and the people.
“No one has lost and no one has won. It is a win-win for both the people and the Constitution. The people have won, the Constitution has won and the rule of law has prevailed. I laud the courage of the judges who have bravely defended the Constitution. God bless them. This is, therefore, a moment of reflection and appreciation. We celebrate our institutions which have come of age; foremost, the Judiciary. We rejoice in the timeless spirit of freedom that remains alive in our land,†concluded the DP.
Source: KENYAGIST.COM