Kibaki: Kenyans ready for change

President Kibaki Saturday expressed optimism that Kenyans would pass the proposed constitution in the August 4 referendum, saying they were in agreement with most of its provisions.

The President said that having read the mood of the nation, he was confident that Kenyans were ready for the changes contained in the document.

Commenting briefly on the constitutional debate in his speech during the golden jubilee celebrations at the St Paul’s High School, Kevote in Embu, President Kibaki echoed the positions of Cabinet ministers, including Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, who spoke in support of the proposed constitution.

“There is no need for disagreements on the way we want to go. We are all in agreement on most issues,” he said.

However, the President dwelt mostly on education issues spelling out the government’s commitment to deal with the shortage of teachers in schools.

He said the government would, through the district education boards and boards of governors, hire teachers annually to address the deficit.

Shortage of teachers

The country currently has a shortage of 43,000 in primary schools and 23,000 in secondary schools.

Embu Catholic Bishop Paul Kariuki, who represented John Cardinal Njue at the function, stayed away from the constitutional debate and instead spelt out the church’s commitment in supporting education.

But leaders from the area sought to assure President Kibaki of their support for the proposed constitution.

Mr Musyoka called for calm during the campaigns, saying the constitutional debate should be handled in a manner that ensures Kenyans remained united before and after the referendum.

“Let’s tolerate each other’s opinion and ensure that we do not divide the country before and after the referendum. We should pass the constitution and move the country to the next level,” said the VP.

He also criticised politicians in the ‘No’ camp who said recently in Makueni that he was in their camp.

He tickled the crowd when he said he had restrained himself from calling the leaders prophets of doom because he could be accused of hate speech and instead said the leaders were engaging in “terminological inexactitude”.

The leaders, who included area MP Cecily Mbarire, wooed Kenyans to support the draft by enumerating a number of benefits the people would enjoy if the new law was passed.

Potential benefits

They cited youth and women’s empowerment, equitable distribution of resources and the inclusion of the Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) in the proposed constitution among other potential benefits.

Others at the meeting were Tourism minister Najib Balala, Education minister Sam Ongeri (Education), Esther Murugi (Gender and Children’s Affairs), Beth Mugo (Public Health), Kiraitu Murungi (Energy) and George Saitoti (Internal Security).

Prof Saitoti warned that there could be a repeat of bloodshed in future elections if the draft constitution failed to pass at the referendum.

“We have searched for a new constitution for the past 20 years but some people are now opposing it. If it does not pass there could be a repeat of the bloodshed witnessed in 2008,” he said.

Mr Murungi sought to assure the President the region would vote for the proposed constitution at the referendum.

Prof Ongeri said teachers had assured him they were happy with the recognition of TSC in the proposed constitution.