Cotu boss wants Moi, Ruto debate on new law

Central Organisation of Trade Unions secretary general Francis Atwoli has challenged former President Moi and Higher Education minister William Ruto to a public debate on the proposed constitution.

Mr Atwoli said the two leaders have been engaging in a deliberate campaign to derail the attainment of a new constitutional order by misinterpreting the facts in their campaign rallies.

“I want the two to come and face off with me and it will not be a propaganda war, we will go through it word by word so that they enlighten me on the defects they are going around the country preaching”, said Mr Atwoli during a rally organised to drum up support for the new constitution in Busia, western Kenya Saturday.

Mr Ruto and Mr Moi are the most visible prominent politicians within the group that is opposed to the proposed constitution.

They are joined by the Church to fight the new law on grounds that its provisions on land, devolution, kadhi courts and abortion are faulty.

The Cotu boss said the former President had a golden chance to redeem his image as a leader by paving the way for a new constitution but had instead came out of retirement to try and interfere with President Kibaki’s term.

Determine pay

He also accused parliamentarians of trying to push for the increase of their pay before the referendum, arguing that they knew that the new law provides for a remuneration commission that will determine public officer's pay.

“The MPs are not being honest they want to blackmail us. The President should go ahead and order them to go home to campaign for the referendum," said Mr Atwoli.

Mr Atwoli said that the pay hike puts the Kenyan MPs above their counterparts in stronger economies yet their performance is below par.

"The Kenyan MPs even have the guts to compare themselves with me and other chief executive officers of big companies yet they can not point out their input into the economy", he said

He said that it was dishonest for MPs, who debated the document in Parliament and did not raise a finger, to trash it.

“The NO camp is nothing about the constitution, they are a group of politicians trying to carve a niche for themselves ahead of 2012. Unfortunately, Kenyans know that much and their manoeuvres will end on the voting day with a humiliating defeat."