Ruto at Ngilu's

Higher Education minister William Ruto visited Water and Irrigation minister Charity Ngilu’s backyard to drum support for the rejection of the Proposed Constitution.

On Saturday, Mr Ruto wondered why the Government was pushing the proposed law down the throats of Kenyans instead of allowing them to decide on their own.

He urged Kenyans to reject the new law, saying it was not ideal. He said he was optimistic the ‘No’ team will carry the day in the August 4, referendum.

Ruto told Kenyans they had two options – to vote ‘Yes’ and wait for four years before any amendments or vote ‘No’ and get a new constitution by December.

The Eldoret North MP repeated that it will be difficult to carry out any amendments after the document is passed in its present form.

The minister was addressing a ‘No’ rally at the Kitui Municipal Stadium where he led the clergy and MPs in rejecting the document.

Information and Communication Minister Samuel Phogisio, MPs Kiema Kilonzo, Joshua Kuttuny, Boniface Kaino, Mithika Linturi and Benjamin Langat were present.

Ruto said Kenyans were free to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to the draft.

"We all want a new constitution but the contentious issues must be addressed first".

He accused the Government of using public funds to campaign for the passing of the proposed law in the name of a Government project.

"We in the ‘No’ camp are opposed to the use of public resources by our opponents to drum up support for the new law," he said.

Mr Kiema told Kitui Central residents to stand up and say no to manipulations. He criticised a senior politician from the area for hiring goons to disrupt the meeting. Police in riot gear were called in to eject a group of people who turned up at the venue of the meeting wearing green clothes and ribbons.

Mr Phogisio dismissed assertion by Prime Minister Raila Odinga that the proposed law was a Government project.

"The only reason those in Government are calling it a Government project is to justify an audit of the funds to be spent in campaigning for it," he said.

He called for the stopping of the review process until all the identified glaring mistakes and contentious issues in the draft are addressed.