Kenya Referendum
‘No’ has it sealed in North Rift
Posted Thursday, July 29 2010 at 21:17
The support of the ‘Yes’ team by ministers Henry Kosgey, Sally Kosgei and Franklin Bett has put their future political lives in limbo.
Considering what happened in the 2005 referendum, those who supported the document then like former Agriculture minister Kipruto Kirwa ended up losing their seats in the 2007 General Election.
While recognising that their constituents were against them for supporting the document, Dr Kosgei of Aldai constituency, at a ‘Yes’ rally on Sunday in Nandi Hills, urged them to stand with other Kenyans and support the draft saying they should not thrive on lies.
“My development record speaks for itself and you should not be deceived by leaders who are visionless. I am confident that I will come back in the next elections,” she said.
Though Mr Kosgey (Tinderet) did not talk on the issue, the Industrialisation minister, who was popular in the run up of the 2007 General Election for being on the opposing side during the 2005 referendum, faced hostility and poor turn out in Marakwet District after the crowd walked out on him for urging them to support the document.
Mr Kosgey said: “Let us not isolate ourselves as Kalenjins when majority of Kenyans are headed for a new constitution. The draft is not harmful at all as you may have been cheated by the opponents,” Mr Kosgey said before he was forced to cut short the rally.
Mr Kosgey, who was accompanied by his Roads counterpart Franklin Bett of (Bureti), did not visit Iten as planned after receiving reports that they would be booed by the crowd.
But a political analyst from Rift Valley Kipkorir Birgen said Mr Kosgey had been tested before by political heavy weights and not lost his seat.” He has a good political record in Tindiret, which cannot be matched by any of the Rift Valley MPs campaigning for the ‘No’ team and cannot be easily defeated,” he said.
Mr Birgen said that for Dr Kosgei, she had international and local connections and her constituency had experienced rapid development, which could easily enable her to make a come-back in 2012. Her connections might make her win back her seat in 2012, he said.
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Submitted by glosdataPosted July 31, 2010 05:02 AM
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Submitted by chipukizi
ehhh you forget one little proviso my dear good man...come 2012 ministers will not be MPs guess who fought for what?
Posted July 30, 2010 05:27 PM -
Submitted by odhiodongo
When Jacob Zuma remained firmly in the ANC despite a significant number of his community following Inkatha Freedom Party of Buthelezi, it looked as if the Zulus in ANC had no political future. Lesson: YES MPs in Rift Valley especially where NO is strong should not worry as long as majority of Kenyans vote for YES. In a YES win, these MPs will have been victorious even if they lose their seats. After all, any MP can lose seat in other parts of the country. The joy of passing this new law will surpass other "little" enjoyments!
Posted July 30, 2010 10:35 AM -
Submitted by werssylwer
These YES MPs should stop tribalising this document. Who told them its only in kalenjin land that you find NO proponents? NO is everywhere and in every tribe just like YES.
Posted July 30, 2010 12:54 AM
RSS
t is absurd that newspapers have started promoting the same self-serving Mps. Progressive youth are very angry and are not going to be lumped into dead-end tribal ghettos in order to return looters back to parliament in 2012. The gameplan by career politicians to use 2010 referendum the way they used 2005 referendum to create euphoria for their automatic re-election has fallen flat. New progressive parties like Madaraka People's Movement are already offering youth fresh hope, inspiration, insight and vision they have never had before. 2012 is going to be a watershed year in Kenya's history.