ACK rejects 'No' campaign rallies

The Anglican Church will keep away from the planned public rallies organised by Christian clerics to campaign against the draft constitution.

ACK Archbishop Eliud Wabukala on Sunday said the launch of the ‘No’ campaign at Uhuru Park next weekend was likely to open doors for an emotional rather than a “sober” approach to the referendum debate.

He spoke as Cabinet ministers and MPs in the Yes and No camps campaigned vigorously in various regions at the weekend.

Political movements

“Let us not replicate the 2005 referendum scenario. We started as a referendum, it then evolved into political movements that carried all your problems to the ballot box in 2007, and we almost lost the country,” the head of the Anglican church in Kenya said in his sermon at the All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi.

Last week, the ACK House of Bishops held a day-long meeting in Nairobi and resolved to reject the draft. In doing so, they joined the Catholic Church, the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) and the evangelical churches in opposing the proposed constitution.

The Archbishop took time to explain to the faithful that it was a “difficult time” to make decisions and asked them to “use the next one month to read the document and pray.” He, however, said it would be wrong for the clergy to be silent, given the clauses in the draft that he said were contrary to Christian teachings.

Cause problems

“As prophets, we only point out that if you eat this fruit, it will cause problems,” he said. At the Holy Family Basilica, Father Simon Peter Kamomoe said he was not surprised that talks between Church leaders and the Government had collapsed. “We cannot expect our politicians to think along the same lines with Christians because we serve different masters,” the Catholic priest said.

Retired cleric Timothy Njoya asked the Pope to weigh into the constitution debate and ask the Catholic church in Kenya not to oppose the proposed law. “I appeal to the Vatican not to abandon the Catholic Church and let it be influenced by American fundamentalists,” he said against the backdrop of reports that the American Centre of Law and Justice was funding the anti-abortion crusade in a section of the “No” camp.

In Kipkelion, Cabinet ministers James Orengo, Franklin Bett and Paul Otuoma and assistant minister Langat Magerer dismissed those calling for rejection of the draft. Speaking during a ceremony to mark Mr Magerer’s appointment as assistant Energy minister in the Energy ministry, the four leaders urged Kenyans to read the proposed law to avoid being misled by those opposed to it.

Despite occasional interruption from wananchi (citizens) who were shouting “No”, the politicians defended the draft. “Some of the contents in the draft constitution have been misinterpreted to deny Kenyans a new law, yet if they are contentious, the clauses can be amended after the draft is passed in the referendum,” Mr Orengo said, and accused some politicians, among them Higher Education minister William Ruto, of taking advantage of the volatility of the land issue to push voters to reject the proposed law.

In Embu, Imenti central MP Gitobu Imanyara absolved President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga from criticism that they had already taken sides. “The two principals have just fulfilled their mandate to Kenyans by leading the way forward for a new constitution,” he said.

Persuaded

In Kakamega MPs Cyrus Jirongo and Isaac Ruto said churches and those opposed to the draft would not be persuaded to back the document unless changes were made to address the contentious issues.

The MPs said Kenyans needed a constitution that would promote the co-existence of the different ethnic communities and protect their interest. Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa told Kenyans to register as voters in large numbers to take part in the referendum.

Reported by Alphonce Shiundu, John Ngirachu, George Sayagie, Noah Cheploen and Benson Amadala