DIIFICULT LOT

President Kibaki on Saturday described Kenyans as difficult people who will oppose any issues they consider not suitable to them. Kenyans, he said, had talked about constitution making for a long time yet they did little to ensure the process succeeded.

“Kenyans are a difficult lot. They oppose anything that does not suit their interests. People have talked about the constitution for a long time,” the President said while addressing a crowd that welcomed him in Chuka Town on his tour of Meru region.

However, he was optimistic that this time round the wananchi (citizens) would agree to pass the draft constitution by voting in its favour in the referendum. The President is expected to unveil several development projects in his tour. He landed at Chogoria High School grounds at 10am and was met by area leaders, among them Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi.

Chuka Town, where the President made the first stopover is in Nithi constituency, whose results in the last elections were controversial. He was said to have won nearly all the votes in the area. After addressing the residents, the President went by road to Chogoria Town, where he inaugurated the construction of the Meru-Chogoria-Githongo road.

The tarmacking of the road is financed by the Europan Union and Germany’s KfW at a cost of Sh6.7 billion. Later, he addressed a political rally at Chogoria Girls High School, where he called on young leaders to work as a team to build the country. He asked them to avoid negative competition, saying it did not help improve the welfare of the people.

While the President steered clear of the constitutional debate at the rally, Vice- President Kalonzo Musyoka called on politicians to desist from hurling insults at church leaders for the stand they have taken on the draft law. He warned that the culture of hate speech was again rearing its head, which was not good for the country.

Mr Musyoka said the referendum should not be seen as the fight between political parties, adding that it was possible to pass it without insulting each other. “Kenyans have waited for a constitution for many years but they should not take the referendum as a fight between political parties. Let’s avoid hate speech,” he said, adding that he was for ‘Yes’ campaign.

Illicit brews

Area MP Mbiuki Kareke said the residents would vote for the draft in the referendum as they had waited for a long time for a new constitution. The new set of laws, he said, advocated a one man, one vote principle, which the people in the area were clamouring for.

Later, President Kibaki officially opened a new building for the South Imenti Tea Sacco in Nkubu Town and addressed a big crowd at the bus stage. He urged the elders to guide the youth for them to stop consuming illicit brews.