WETANGULA JOINS THE RUTO GROUP

The contest between supporters and opponents of the proposed constitution on Monday played out during a meeting between MPs and election officials.

A section of Cabinet ministers and MPs opposed to the document pushed for a multiple referendum question, sources at the County Hall meeting of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on the constitution review and the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) said.

But this was thwarted by those supporting the document.

Those for the multiple question argued that the referendum question should be framed in such a way that Kenyans would have the option of voting for the proposed constitution as published or for one without some clauses deemed as contentious.

The clauses deemed to be contentious would be isolated so that those opposed to them can vote for a document without them.

“We had a robust debate on how the question should be framed. There were those who wanted us to have a multiple referendum question and those who felt that this could be against the law,” PSC chairman Abdikadir Mohammed told the Nation.

Those backing the multiple question included Cabinet ministers Moses Wetang’ula and William Ruto and Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto.

Their proposal was, however, met with stiff resistance from the majority of those present, who argued that such a move would be against Section 37 of the Constitution, which envisages one question.

Amendment

“Section 37 of the Constitution says there has to be an approval of ‘Yes’ or a disapproval of ‘No’. When you go the multiple question way, you are envisaging an amendment of the Constitution, not a replacement of the existing constitution with the proposed one,” said a minister opposed to the proposal.

Mr Abdikadir stated: “The articles talk about one question, not two questions. Those pushing for the multiple question argued that the definition of the article could be stretched to include multiple-questions.”

The meeting eventually resolved to go by a referendum question that requires that one votes either ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.