500 000 000 to fund ‘Yes’ campaigns.

Higher Education Minister William Ruto led a group of MPs in campaigning against the Proposed Constitution in Meru, where they alleged the Government had illegally channelled more than Sh500 million to fund ‘Yes’ campaigns.

The claims came as the ‘No’ proponents campaigned in Maua, where they urged the local residents to reject the Proposed Constitution.

The leaders alleged Treasury had released the amount to fund ‘Yes’ campaigns without the approval of Parliament. Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi and Kiema Kilonzo blew the whistle and challenged the Government to deny the claims.

Other MPs present included Isaac Ruto, Charles Keter and Benjamin Lagat. Linturi and Kilonzo said the money had been released and part of it already used to set up the ‘Yes’ secretariat, which was launched by Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Monday.

The group was warmly received at Maua town, the backyard of Linturi, who is against the Proposed Constitution over its devolution clause.

Stood ground

During a recent tour of Meru by President Kibaki, Linturi stood his ground telling the Head of State that his constituents would reject the document, as it would scrap Nyambene County Council.

Mr Ruto, the de facto leader of the ‘No’ camp, said their campaign was gaining momentum going by the large turnout at the Maua rally.

Unlike in 2005 where the ‘No’ camp was repulsed in Maua and other parts of Meru, yesterday’s rally was largely successful with hundreds of locals thronging the grounds. The group said there was no contention that Kenyans wanted a new law, but argued that they wanted a faultless one.

They dismissed claims that the Proposed Constitution can be amended later, saying the earliest it can be altered is after five years.

"If the ‘Yes’ group is saying it is a good constitution why were there over 300 proposed amendments tabled in Parliament?" posed Ruto.

Ruto claimed some‘Yes’ leaders were pretending to be proponents of the Proposed Constitution, yet their interests are in 2012 elections.

"You saw what happened at Uhuru Park where some leaders were shouted down. This is manifest that some of these leaders were not there for a new constitution, but for their own political reasons," he said.