Kibaki and Raila will go ‘village to village’

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Tuesday promised a village-to-village campaign to drum up support for the proposed constitution.

The two Grand Coalition Government leaders brought together representatives from more than 23 parliamentary political parties to work jointly for the ‘Yes’ vote ahead of the referendum.

The meeting at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, however, resolved to use persuasion rather than confrontation, to try to win over politicians and church leaders opposed to the new constitution.

As the political party leaders were meeting, the Committee of Experts (CoE), which prepared the constitution, was launching the civic education programme at a different site at the same complex.

Later in the day, 25 Catholic bishops announced that they would hold a national prayer day in all dioceses for the defeat of the proposed constitution.

Though they will not hold ‘No’ campaign rallies, the bishops said the Catholic church had enough structures which would be activated for the campaign.

The KICC meeting held under the aegis of the Political Parties Consultative Forum censured leaders misrepresenting the proposed constitution.

Mr Odinga will lead the first rally to popularise the ‘Yes’ vote this Saturday at Uhuru Park, the politicians resolved.

Churches’ ‘No’ campaign held its first rally at the same venue last Saturday.

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The meeting attracted a number of leaders of major political parties including Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka (ODM-Kenya), Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta (Kanu), Prof George Saitoti (PNU), Mr Henry Kosgey (ODM), Mr Musikari Kombo (Ford Kenya), Mr Soita Shitanda (New Ford Kenya) and former Cabinet minister Joseph Munyao (DP).

“Leaders will encourage wananchi across the country to read the published proposed constitution and explain the Katiba to wananchi, village to village,” said the resolutions read by Mr Odinga.

The two principals had invited the leaders of all parliamentary parties to the meeting to lay strategise for the ‘Yes’ campaign.

However, two of the parties represented in Parliament were absent — Narc Kenya led by Gichugu MP Martha Karua and Kaddu led by Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo.

Ms Karua has, however, been in the ‘Yes’ campaign while the latter is in the group against the new constitution led by Higher Education minister William Ruto.

Contacted, Mr Jirongo said he had not been invited to the meeting and only learnt of it in the media.

“I would have attended and given them a piece of my mind if I had been invited,” he stated.

Also absent from the meeting were Mr Ruto and Cabinet colleagues Naomi Shaban of Kanu and Samuel Poghisio of ODM Kenya, who are in the ‘No’ camp.

The doctrine of collective responsibility ordinarily binds ministers to supporting Cabinet resolutions, but Tuesday’s meeting appeared to go easy on this.

“The meeting appreciated the right of others to hold divergent views on the constitution,” read the statement. “The ‘Yes’ side will continue to persuade all those saying ‘No’ on the post-referendum activities because the unity of the country must remain paramount”.

Sources at the meeting said Mr Musyoka asked those present to reach out to critics of the proposed law. He also asked them to campaign with decorum in order to reduce political tension.

Kanu secretary-general Nick Salat appeared briefly at the meeting.

Mr Salat and Kanu vice-chairman Gideon Moi are opposed to the proposed constitution.

Several speakers expressed concern that the ‘No’ vote was being sponsored by foreign NGOs pursuing sectarian interests at the expense of the national good.

“The forum cautioned against meddling by external forces who may not fully understand the realities and desires of the Kenyan society,” the statement read.

Of particular concern were the activities of an American Christian group that has publicly pledged to spend millions of dollars through a local affiliate and evangelical church leaders to fight the ‘Yes’ vote.