Report of the Steering Committee on the Implementation of the Building Bridges to a United Kenya Taskforce Report

Report of the Steering Committee on the Implementation of the Building Bridges to a United Kenya Taskforce Report

Building Bridges to a United Kenya: from a nation of blood ties to a nation of ideals

October, 2020

His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta, C.G.H., State House, Nairobi.

16 October, 2020

Your Excellency,

You appointed this Steering Committee by Gazette Notice No. 264, published on 10th January, 2020. It was our privilege, as per the mandate, to conduct validation of the Task force Report on Building Bridges to a United Kenya through consultations with citizens, civil society, the faith-based organizations, cultural leaders, the private sector and experts; and propose administrative, policy, statutory or constitutional changes that are necessary for the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Task force Report, taking into account any relevant contributions made during the validation period.

We conducted comprehensive validation of the Task force Report using the following approaches: reviewing the contents of the Taskforce Report; holding a total of 93 stakeholder validation meetings at the K.I.C.C., Laico Regency Hotel and at our offices in Nairobi. These meetings were attended by representatives from civil society, faith-based organisations, women's groups, youth groups, persons with disability (PWD) groups, cultural leaders and government institutions; participated in regional delegates' meetings where we received written validation submissions from the leaders at the end of each of the meetings; participated in regional public meetings where we received written submissions from Kenyans through their leaders.

Your Excellency, the committee also hosted governors from the Rift Valley region in Nairobi on 20th March, 2020 where they presented memoranda from their counties following postponement of a regional meeting due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The committee also processed a total of 124 hand-delivered memoranda and 223 emailed memoranda, invited external experts and drafters to provide technical information, and also undertook desktop review of relevant documents and international good practices to inform and enrich the report.

The result is the following policy, administrative, statutory and constitutional instruments that address the national challenges outlined in the Joint Communiqué of 'Building Bridges to a New Kenyan Nation'.

We now have the honour to submit our report, and to express our gratitude for the privilege to be of service to the Nation and to express our highest esteem to your Excellency.

Senator Mohamed Yusuf Haji (Chairperson & Member), Prof. Adams Oloo (Vice-Chairperson & Member), Senator Amos Wako (Member), Mrs. Agnes Kavindu Muthama (Member), Dr. Florence Omosa (Member), Prof. Saeed Mwaguni (Member), Mr. James Matundura (Member), Major John Seii (Member), Bishop Lawi Imathiu (Member), Hon. Maison Leshoomo (Member), Prof. Morompi ole Ronkei (Member), Bishop Peter Njenga (Member), Hon. Rose Museo (Member), Archbishop Zacchaeus Okoth (Member), and Amb. Martin Kimani and Mr. Paul Mwangi, Joint Secretaries.

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The report's own structure, from its table of contents:

Acknowledgements, a List of Abbreviations and Acronyms, Notable Issues, an Executive Summary, and "Reading the Report," followed by four sections and a conclusion:

1. Introduction
2. Methodology
3. Validation
4. Implementation Mechanisms

Conclusion, followed by nine annexes: implementation instruments for recommended public policy measures; the full text of the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020; administrative measures; a summary of the legislative bills; the Gazette Notice appointing the Steering Committee; the Gazette Notice appointing the original Building Bridges to Unity Advisory Taskforce; the original Joint Communiqué; a list of staff, programme officers, experts, and drafters; and a list of the institutions and individuals who participated in the validation process.