RED TEAMS

The No campaign has set up a joint coordinating team as leading evangelists opposed to the proposed constitution were to hold a rally in Nairobi’s Uhuru Park Sunday afternoon.

The coordinators will oversee the activities of three teams allied to the clergy, politicians led by Higher Education minister William Ruto and those allied to former President Daniel arap Moi.

Sources at the No secretariat in Nairobi’s Upper Hill said the joint team will plan the activities to be undertaken by each of the three teams.
Political wing

Details on the team’s membership were scanty, but the head of the Red Card secretariat, Dr Tom Namwamba, is representing the political wing while Rev Jephthah Kithaka represents the clergy.

Lawyer Mwaure Waihiga has been the link between the churches and the political wing of the No campaign.

Former Nyeri Town MP Wanyiri Kihoro has been given the task of coordinating the team’s activities in Nairobi and central Kenya.

The churches are opposed to the proposed constitution because the claim it would permit abortion and includes the kadhis’ courts while Mr Moi and some MPs led by Mr Ruto have rejected the document because of the chapter on land.

Sunday’s rally was to feature prominent televangelists including Wilfred Lai of the Jesus Celebration Centre, Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru of Jesus is Alive Ministries, Pius Muiru of Maximum Miracle Centre and James Ng’ang’a of Neno Evangelism.

Dr Namwamba said the political wing based at the Red Card Centre has worked out a timetable of events to start this week and countrywide rallies.

“We are still working on structures to make the coordination between the three teams seamless,” he said.

The Red Card group is also considering including Muslims opposed to the proposed constitution.

“We want to work as one team so that we consolidate all our gains as the No team,” Dr Namwamba said.

Five reasons

The secretariat has started releasing materials for their campaign including the “Vote No” red card, which gives five reasons why Kenyans should reject the proposed constitution. Others are a detailed analysis of the 12 issues in the proposed constitution they consider contentious.

They include the executive, economic and social rights, representation, equitable sharing of national revenue, devolution, the youth and amendment by popular initiative.

But even as the team focuses on their strategy, some of the members are being accused of engaging in hate speech and harassing and intimidating journalists

Last week, the Commission on National Cohesion and Integration said it had summoned some 20 Kenyans for engaging in hate speech.
The team did not reveal the names of those summoned.

The No team has also been accused of peddling propaganda and lies in its rallies.

But Dr Namwamba dismissed the accusations, saying some of the issues raised would be addressed fully by his team when it finally “settles down to serious business”.