‘Okoa Kenya’ drive to be launched on Thursday

Cord will on Thursday launch its ‘Okoa Kenya’ referendum campaign.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga and his co-principals, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka and Mr Moses Wetang’ula, will launch the ‘Okoa Kenya’ Bill at Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi.

Cord’s committee of experts chaired by Mr Paul Mwangi and which has prepared the Bill, yesterday said leaders from both sides of the political divide had been invited “since our mission is to unite Kenyans and get rid of offensive clauses in the Constitution”.

The Bill has faced resistance from the Jubilee Coalition.

“The committee will launch the Bill tomorrow and that is where we will give the details,” Mr Mwangi said by telephone.

Cord has twice postponed the launch. The first was in February, when the government switched off the main TV channels to compel them to migrate from analogue to digital broadcasting.

It also postponed the ceremony two weeks ago in honour of 148 people killed by Al-Shabaab terrorists at Garissa University College.

Mr Mwangi said they had sent out letters to many leaders, including President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Cord wants a plebiscite on five issues, which it argues, have not been tackled by the Constitution.

The lawyer said the Bill would tackle devolution, land reforms, inclusiveness and national unity, electoral reforms and strengthening of government institutions.

“‘Okoa Kenya’ is concerned with the fact that since the promulgation of the Constitution, Parliament has passed laws and taken actions that have undermined the same Constitution,” he said.

Mr Mwangi said they were still verifying names and signatures before handing them over to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

Once the signatures and the referendum question (Bill) are submitted to the electoral commission which will be required to forward it to county assemblies after verifying that at least one million signatures have been collected in support of the vote.