MINISTER FAULTS DRAFT

Roads assistant minister Wilfred Machage is urging minority communities in the country to vote against the proposed constitution saying the introduction of devolved governments would distance the government services from them.

Machage said the introduction of counties is bound to see smaller communities left out or assimilated into larger ones hence leading to further marginalization.

The assistant minister was speaking during a ceremony where he was crowned an elder of the Kuria Community in Kehancha.

Elsewhere, muslim leaders in Upper Eastern region have expressed fury over Monday's court ruling over the inclusion of Kadhi courts in the current Constitution.

The region's National Muslim Leaders Forum coordinator Sheikh Hussein Guleid said the decision by the three bench judges was suspect.

Sheikh wondered why the court decided to invalidate the institution which has served the Muslim community in the country since independence without infringing on other people's religions.

He said given that the case was filed in 2004, the ruling should have come before the 2005 referendum.

The cleric called on the Muslims and the rest of Kenyans to ignore the ruling saying it came too late and would not affect the ongoing constitutional making process.

Meanwhile, Narc Kenya party on Wednesday launched a civic education session with people living with disability.

Speaking at the party headquarters, Narc Kenya chair Martha Karua encouraged the disabled to read the proposed draft keenly saying that it had their best interests at heart.

Elsewhere, the Kenya Human Rights Commission will be monitoring the upcoming referendum to avert any electoral malpractices and to build voters confidence in the 2012 elections.

In addition, the Center for Multi-Party Democracy-CMD under the umbrella of 'YES' multi-sectoral committee has strongly condemned the court ruling.

The organization has termed the move as politically motivated to curtail the constitution making process and called on Kenyans to ignore the development

Meanwhile, the Kenya National Association of Parents -KNAP- has declared its support for the proposed new constitution saying all its proposals were included in the document.

Secretary General Musau Ndunda says the proposed constitution compels the government to fund basic education from nursery to secondary school.

Speaking at Mambrui Primary school in Magarini, Ndunda said the entrenchment of the Teachers Service Commission TSC would liberate the teachers' employer from the hands of the ministry of education.

Under the proposed draft, TSC will receive funds direct from the Exchequer.