ODINGA TO LEAD SATURDAY RALL

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga will lead a grassroots campaign across the country to drum up support for the proposed constitution.

The two principals Tuesday mobilised politicians drawn from over 23 political parties in laying strategies to popularise the document among Kenyans and vowed to mount a massive campaigns to ensure it is passed during the referendum.

The meeting, held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), however, resolved to change tactics and try to win over politicians and church leaders opposed to the draft constitution instead of attacking them in public.

Mr Odinga will lead the first rally to popularise the Yes vote on Saturday at Uhuru Park, the politicians resolved.

“Leaders will encourage wananchi (citizens) across the country to read the published proposed constitution and explain the Katiba (constitution) to wananchi (citizens) village to village,” said Mr Odinga while reading the meeting’s resolutions.

The two principals had invited the leaders of all parliamentary political parties to the meeting to lay strategies of campaigning for the proposed constitution. However, two of the parties represented in Parliament were absent – Narc Kenya led by Gichugu MP Martha Karua and Kaddu led by Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo.

Conspicuously absent

Also conspicuously absent from the meeting were Cabinet ministers William Ruto, Dr Naomi Shaaban and Samuel Poghisio who have all vowed to reject the document at the referendum despite a recent cabinet resolution that all ministers will vote Yes.

The doctrine of collective responsibility binds ministers to supporting cabinet resolutions but the meeting appeared to go easy on this by calling for respect of divergent views.

“The meeting appreciated the right of others to hold divergent views on the constitution,” read the statement.

“The Yes side will continue to persuade all those saying No on the post-referendum activities because the unity of the country must remain paramount.”

All the parties in the meeting were asked to nominate a member each to a joint secretariat to be formed to coordinate the Yes campaign. The secretariat will also undertake a civic education campaign parallel to the one that was launched Tuesday by the Committee of Experts (CoE).

Mr Odinga, however, explained that the civic education to be coordinated by the secretariat will only compliment the one being undertaken by the CoE, which is the only organ empowered under the Constitution of Kenya Review Act to undertake civic education ahead of the referendum.

The meeting was attended by several leaders of political parties in the country including Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka (ODM-K), George Saitoti (PNU), Mr Kenyatta (Kanu), Henry Kosgey (ODM), Musikari Kombo (Ford Kenya), Soita Shitanda (New Ford Kenya) and Joseph Munyao (DP).