As the deadline for the review of electoral boundaries looms with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) still in limbo, Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu has ignited a fierce debate with a controversial "I told you so." His claim? The maligned Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) was the only silver bullet for the crisis we now face.

Senator Nyutu argues that the rejection of BBI was a self-inflicted wound for the populous Mt. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-25)Kenya region. The initiative had proposed the creation of 70 new constituencies, a move that would have addressed the chronic under-representation of heavily populated areas. Without it, the "one man, one vote, one shilling" dream is dead in the water.

The Delimitation Quagmire

"We threw away the baby with the bathwater," Nyutu lamented. The constitution requires a boundary review every 8 to 12 years. With the last review in 2012, the window is closing. However, the IEBC is currently inquorate, lacking commissioners to lead the process. This legal vacuum threatens to spark a constitutional crisis ahead of the 2027 elections.

Nyutu warns that without the protections BBI offered, some protected constituencies in the region might be scrapped for failing to meet the population quota. "We are staring at a loss of representation because of politics of deceit," he added.

• The Numbers: BBI proposed capping the size of constituencies to ensure equitable resource distribution. Under the current law, populous constituencies like Ruiru get the same CDF allocation as sparsely populated ones.
• The Politics: The Senator’s remarks are a subtle dig at the current administration’s failure to prioritize the region’s interests, signaling growing discontent in the Mountain.
• The Solution: Nyutu is calling for a bipartisan approach to reconstitute the IEBC immediately, but insists that the legislative framework BBI provided is still missing.

A Ghost from the Past

Resurrecting the BBI debate is politically risky, but Nyutu believes it is necessary. The boundary review is not just about lines on a map; it is about billions of shillings in Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocations.

As the clock ticks, the spectre of the BBI returns to haunt those who celebrated its downfall. History, it seems, has a cruel sense of irony.