45 000 000 TO ATTEND YES RALLY

Civic leaders from across the country hit the road to Nairobi for today’s ‘Yes’ grassroots strategy meeting to be opened by President Kibaki.

Apart from the agenda of the day, there was another incentive for the 4,500 civic leaders to start early — allowances to be collected at taxpayer’s expense.

Like in 2005 referendum when the Proposed Constitution was made a Government project, today’s meeting at Kenyatta International Conference Centre also comes with goodies. The meeting called for by the President and Prime Minister Raila Odinga during publication of the Proposed Constitution this week starts at 10 am.

They are expected to pocket Sh45 million alone by way allowances, if as is the case for those from Nakuru County and Municipal Councils, each would get Sh10,000 for the two days they will be in Nairobi. It was not clear if accommodation, food and transport would be catered for separately.

Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, under whom the 175 local authorities fall is, however, said to have ordered the councils and municipalities to facilitate their own travel to the city. Sources revealed State House would to chip in as the State seeks to spread its fishing net to every village and hamlet across the country.

Financial health

The actual figures were not available and the rates varied from region to region. One fact, however, stood out, most of the local authorities are cash-strapped and this additional expense will aggravate their financial health. "We travelled individually and were allowed the liberty of choosing where to lodge instead of being lumped together," revealed Eldoret Mayor William Rono.

He said the civic leaders were given enough money to cater for their two-day stay and were therefore not complaining. The civic leaders are expected to help swell the numbers in tomorrow’s ‘Yes’ rally called by Kibaki and Raila to set off the ‘Yes’ campaign.

Civic leaders from far-flung districts like Mandera, Moyale, Lamu and Lodwar hit the road early. The ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ divide appeared to take a backseat as the cash beckoned.

However, it may not be that easy for the ‘Yes’ bigwigs —councilors from the North Rift declared ahead of the meeting they would not be swayed from ‘No’. Thirteen County Chairmen led by Mr Paul Kiprop (Wareng), Mr Simon Chepseba (Iten Tambach), Mr Ezekiel Ruto (Nandi) and Mr William Chesing’any (Marakwet) were of this view.

Most councillors from Nyanza who left for Nairobi in hired vans expressed optimism they would boost the ‘Yes’ side. ‘’We are using State resources because we are on Government duty to support the draft constitution," said Kisumu Works Yard Councillor Odhiambo Oyola.


Jobs secure

Mombasa Town Clerk, Tubman Otieno said the 43 councillors would be transported by bus paid for by the municipality. "We have no money to transport them to Nairobi using planes, so we shall move them to Nairobi on hired bus," added Otieno.

He described the meeting as critical because President Kibaki demanded all councillors be present.

In Mariakani, seven councillors are expected to travel use a private van while the chairman will use his official car.

The two principals alongside their aides are expected to take the councilors through the Proposed Constitution, particularly on provisions on Devolved Governments, to assure them their jobs were secure with its passage.

But Kiprop was adamant their group would not soften their opposition to the Proposed Constitution even after the meeting. "We have already made a stand for a ‘No’ vote in the referendum because it is not good for councilors,’’ he said.

Kiprop disclosed they were due yesterday to meet Higher Education Minister William Ruto — who alongside two fellow ministers has defied the Cabinet’s collective resolve to support ‘Yes’ — perhaps to assure him they won’t be compromised.

Tomorrow’s rally is, however, outside the official campaign period but the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ teams have disguised their campaigns as platforms to ‘educate’ the public on the Proposed Constitution.

At last week’s launch of the Published Proposed Constitution attended by the President and Prime Minister, Attorney General Amos Wako urged that rallies be put in abeyance until the close of the 30-day civic education, which was unveiled on Tuesday by the Committee of Experts.

On Tuesday Kibaki and Raila in their capacity as Party of National Unity and Orange Democratic Movement leaders brought together 23 political party leaders, most of them PNU partners in the Grand Coalition Government.

The ‘Yes’ strategy appeared to be marshalling of all the political units under the Grand Coalition right up to the locational or civic wards, across the country.

Ruto (William) is leading the ‘No’ campaign with the support of his Cabinet colleagues Naomi Shaban (Special programmes) and Samuel Poghisio (Information).

Councillor Ruto claimed Raila had looked down upon them but now wanted them on his side in his hour of need. "The Prime Minister has failed to honour civic leaders. Why does he want their support now? Councillor Ruto asked. He added: "Raila recently announced salary increments for civil servants. Parliamentarians have also increased theirs but councillors have been ignored for long."

Mr Chepseba recalled that President Kibaki called a similar meeting for civic leaders ahead of the 2005 national referendum where councilors were only awarded a Sh5,000 salary increase. "We voted against the document at the referendum and will also do the same again," said Chepseba.

Mr Kiprop claimed the number of civic leaders would be reduced if the Proposed Constitution were passed in the referendum.

From Kwale, 47 councillors arrived in Nairobi yesterday morning on a bus hired by Kwale County Council while in Kilifi, the 41 councillors had been paid travel allowances by their council, and were expected to travel individually. Lamu County Council Chairman Mr Hassan Albeity said the 25 councillors had also collected their travel cash and were on the way to Nairobi.