AWENDO DISTRICT

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga Wednesday declared that the Yes campaign will triumph at the referendum despite the No camp’s propaganda.

The two principals said that Kenyans want a new law and accused opponents of resorting to lies and propaganda after failing to win voters to their side.

They promised to step up campaigns for the Green camp, expected to start officially when civic education lapses this weekend.

Said President Kibaki: “It will pass and we shall have change because that is what Kenyans want. Those opposing it are only seeking to be heard yet they have been with us all along. We will go everywhere in the country.”

They were speaking in Rongo during the burial of Cabinet minister Dalmas Otieno’s mother, Mrs Gaudencia Opiyo Anyango.

The President said that contrary to the lies being peddled by No proponents on the article on land, saying that parcels that are owned legally will not be confiscated.

“Those using the issue of land as the basis of their opposition to the proposed constitution do not have the interests of the country at heart.

The new constitution contains the best land policy the country has ever had,” he said.

“We have heard from the representatives of Western Province, we are now in Nyanza. We will take the crusade for the draft everywhere and we are confident it will sail through,” he said.

President Kibaki was alluding to an earlier statement by Planning minister Wycliffe Oparanya who said Western Province residents backed the Yes camp.

Mr Odinga accused those opposing the proposed constitution of perpetuating the status quo.

Mr Oparanya argued that rejecting the document would be a waste of public funds.

Internal Security minister George Saitoti appealed to the leadership of the Catholic Church to soften their stand on the proposed law, saying that the country would be squandering the best chance to get a new law.

“There have been attempts in the past...Let’s seize this opportunity to have a new constitution,” said Prof Saitoti.

Public Health minister Beth Mugo and Mrs Ida Odinga asked women to support the new law because it will enshrine affirmative action.

Said Mrs Mugo: “Let’s pass this law because it will give us what we have been fighting for. It will give us affirmative action at all levels of representation”.

Mrs Odinga said the clause that requires 30 per cent representation from women would remove the roadblocks that had been standing on the way of women in the quest of leadership positions.

Lands minister James Orengo accused those opposing the draft of spreading lies. “When you want to lie, lie intelligently. All the things they fighting are not written anywhere,” he said.

Aside from the constitution debate, the President also carved out Awendo District from Rongo, after an earlier appeal by the PM, and promised that more administrative units would still be created to bring services closer to the people.