Referendum rivals play dirty politics

Surprises are in a steady flow as the Green and Red protagonists in the race for a new constitutional dispensation step up their campaigns in the hunt for votes.

Seen as continuous tactical manoeuvres to deliver a mortal blow to their opponents’ cause, both sides are pulling out tricks from their hats, as the rallies gather steam.

On Saturday, it was clear that the campaign meetings were turning into verbal attacks, with MPs in the ‘Yes’ team claiming their ‘No’ colleagues were using the Proposed Constitution for political gimmickry and cheap popularity.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga (centre), Deputy PM Musalia Mudavadi (left) and other leaders march to Muliro Gardens, Kakamega, for the ‘Yes’ campaign rally, on Saturday. Photo: Benjamin Sakwa/Standard


On the other hand, the ‘No’ side — whose several high profile members were recently arraigned in court over claims of propagating hate speech — have not been left behind.

What carried the day on Saturday was a ‘roadside declaration’ by Lands Minister James Orengo that he was revoking the title for 5,000 acres of land allegedly owned by Lugari MP and ‘No’ proponent Cyrus Jirongo.

The land, said Orengo, would immediately revert to the Government.

It followed a beaten path — Prime Minister Raila Odinga has in the past publicly declared the ‘No’ proponents were running scared of the Proposed Constitution because they had grabbed huge tracts of public land.

Speaking at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega on Saturday, the ‘Yes’ team lead by Raila, singled out Higher Education Minister William Ruto and Jirongo for vicious attack, accusing them of dishonesty.

But the ‘No’ side quickly dismissed the allegations and asked Kenyans to stop listening to what they called diversionary tactics of their opponents.

"We will continue pointing out dangerous and inappropriate clauses in the Proposed Constitution to Kenyans, as they (the ‘Yes’ group) continue peddling lies and engaging in sideshows," said Jirongo.

The Lands Minister said the ‘Jirongo land’ was in Nairobi’s Embakasi area.

"The title deed he is holding is just a mere piece of paper because the public land he grabbed has been reverted to the Government," said Orengo.

Demands accountability

But Jirongo said he could have gone to court had any of his properties been interfered with as alleged by the minister and demanded for accountability by the ‘Yes’ side.

"Let us have the names of all those who illegally acquired public land on the ‘Yes’ side published side-by-side with those of the ‘No’ side for Kenyans to know who the land grabbers are," said Jirongo.

The Lugari MP challenged Orengo to explain where he got the money to construct a mansion he is allegedly building in Ugenya.

The constitutional review has been full of surprises from the time the Parliamentary Select Committee met in Naivasha when ODM agreed to support a presidential system when many Kenyans expected the party to oppose the proposal.

Further surprises followed at the Kabete retreat, where central Kenya MPs abandoned their Rift Valley counterparts in pushing for a three-tier devolved system after holding night meetings with religious leaders from the region.

Campaigns have moved a notch higher as Church leaders will on Sunday take their ‘No’ campaigns to the Rift Valley capital of Nakuru.

Former President Moi and Higher Education Minister William Ruto will share the platform during the Afraha Stadium meeting, to campaign against the draft.

The prayer meeting has been organised by Church leaders, and is expected to bring together religious leaders and politicians opposed to the Proposed Constitution.

It comes barely a week after President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga addressed a ‘Yes’ rally at the same venue.

The meeting was initially scheduled to be held last Sunday, but was postponed following the Uhuru Park grenade attack, which left six people dead and more than 75 injured, on June 13.

And on Monday, President Kibaki and Raila are expected to co-chair a historic joint PNU and ODM parliamentary group meeting at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, to further push for the adoption of the Proposed Constitution at the August 4 referendum.

A day after accusing the ‘No’ proponents of misinterpreting the proposed law, the ‘Yes’ team on Saturday alleged that those campaigning against the proposed laws are spreading tribalism.

Speaking at Kakamega’s Muliro Gardens during the ‘Yes’ second rally in Western, Raila said members of the ‘No’ team were "confused and have lost their minds".

"When you tell the Bukusu community that they will leave Bungoma, and Luhya that they will leave Trans Nzoia with a new constitution, where do you expect them to go?" posed Raila. He said the Proposed Constitution would end tribalism that had thrived since independence.

"We will recognise each other under one nation and not through tribe, clan and community," he said.

Speakers at the rally said ‘No’ proponents did not want a new constitution, as they were seeking to protect wealth they acquired through corrupt ways.

ODM Whip Jakoyo Midiwo told Orengo not to sleep on the job and instead act on land grabbers, arguing they were the ones against the proposed law.

Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale said that with the passing of the new laws, those who acquired land illegally would be pursued by the Government. Other MPs followed a similar cue, hitting at Ruto for "using the law review to gauge his popularity ahead of the 2012 General Election".

"Ruto is the Minister for Higher Education but he is showing Kenyans how he is unable to understand the Proposed Constitution," said Shinyalu MP, Justus Kizito.

Interestingly, Ruto while addressing a rally in Kibwezi accused the ‘Yes’ team of exactly the same thing — of tying the law review to the Kibaki Succession.

"Agitation for the new law should not be tied to the 2012 elections or attempts to build careers of individuals," said Ruto.

MPs Ababu Namwamba (Budalang’i) and Chris Obure (Bobasi) alleged Ruto was in the ‘No’ camp because Raila is supporting the Proposed Constitution.

"If Raila says ‘No’ today, Ruto will be in the ‘Yes’ team tomorrow," said Obure.

The Reds made inroads into Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, and Water Minister Charity Ngilu’s Ukambani backyard to swing the vote.

In Western, the ‘Yes’ team — that had been missing in action for sometime — finally pitched tent in the area for two days concentrating in Bungoma and Kakamega towns.

Electoral officials

Campaigns went a notch higher, as the Interim Independent Electoral Commission announced all prisons would be gazetted as polling stations tomorrow.

All officers in-charge of the prisons would also be registered as electoral officials to comply with the court ruling that gave inmates the right to participate in the referendum.

"We will present ourselves at the prisons to register those who will have the necessary documentation in the 21 days provided for by the court," said commission chairman Ahmed Isaack Hassan.

On his part, Ruto traversed the Lower Ukambani region of Kambu, Makindu, Emali, Sultan Hamud, Mtito Andei, Kibwezi and Machinery towns along the busy Mombasa–Nairobi highway.

The Eldoret North MP was accompanied by, among others, Information Minister Samuel Poghisio and suspended Assistant Minister Wilfred Machage.