Saturday, June 19, 2010

'YES' IN NAKURU

Kenyans should choose the path to prosperity, unity and stability by voting for the new constitution, President Mwai Kibaki has said.

Addressing a mammoth Yes rally attended by over 55 legislators at Afraha Stadium, Nakuru town, President Kibaki said that the forthcoming referendum on August 4th would accord Kenyans an opportunity to independently decide the path the country should follow.

Noting that the proposed constitution would give the citizens a lifetime opportunity to participate in the landmark process, the President said that Kenyans should focus on building a model nation regionally and internationally.

The Head of State urged Kenyans to desist from petty differences that heighten ethnic tensions thus undermining national development and creation of sufficient opportunities for wananchi particularly the youth.

Challenges

Noting that God had blessed the country with natural beauty, the Head of State advised all communities to purposefully pursue peaceful co-existence and good neighbourliness.

He told Kenyans to practice Christian values and reminded them that they would still continue to live together even after the constitution making process is concluded.

President Kibaki said that the country had managed to overcome many challenges through God's mercies and appealed to wananchi to purpose to forge unity for nation.

On his part Prime Minister Raila Odinga said that truth shall illuminate any darkness created by the opponents of the proposed constitution through misinformation.

The Prime Minister likened the challengers of the new constitution to people who disturbed Moses when he was delivering the children of Israel from oppression in Egypt when they reached the wilderness.

The Rt Hon Odinga said that the proposed constitution was a law made by Kenyans and reflected their wishes in the management of public affairs.

He noted that Kenyans had comprehensively participated in the constitution making process since its initials stages and allayed any fears with regard to contents of the document.

Unity

Addressing the well attended rally, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka urged the local media to make their contribution towards national unity and disregard divisive issues that have perpetually undermined national development.

Hon. Kalonzo thanked President Kibaki for being a tolerant and accommodative leader whose contribution to national unity and peaceful co-existence was evident and acted as a source of inspiration to budding leaders.

The Vice-President stated that the unity illustrated by the three national leaders and supported by other leaders drawn from all parts of the country was a panacea to an assured win during the impending referendum and will mark the rebirth of a new Kenya.

Hon. Musyoka said that the unity of purpose demonstrated by the leaders proved their commitment to never again allow the country to be suffocated by leadership wrangles that have on occasions caused bloodshed.

The leaders, drawn from various parts of the country, warned Kenyans that the current constitution could be misused by a selfish leader to oppress his political rivals and stated that the impending referendum shall be conducted on the basis of either enacting the new constitution or retaining the old one.

Time was ripe

Speakers thanked President Kibaki for adhering to constitutionalism since assuming the leadership of the nation but warned that if retained, the current constitution could be used by selfish leaders to curtail the fundamental rights of wananchi.

They acknowledged that President Kibaki had demonstrated trustworthy leadership which Kenyans could depend on, adding that such management of the public affairs should allay fears among Kenyans over the proposed constitution.

The political leaders, led by cabinet ministers, also warned Kenyans against falling prey to the manipulations of untrustworthy leaders who were deliberately misinterpreting the contents of the proposed constitution for selfish interests.

Every leader stressed that Kenyans should stand firmly against intimidation to pass the new constitution which had envisioned homegrown solutions to the country's challenges, adding that time was ripe to usher in a new and prosperous nation.

They affirmed that highly qualified Kenyans had handled the proposed constitution hence it is rated among the best internationally and had been spearheaded by some of the best legal minds in the country.

"Kenyans must believe in themselves, that they are among the best in the world and that they can produce the best constitution in the world," said Deputy Speaker Farah Mohammed.

During the occasion, the leaders also urged residents of Rift Valley to drop the impression that they have always been the opponents of change since the clamour for multiparty democracy in early 1990s, adding that it is under the current constitution that many ills were perpetrated including looting of public resources leading to massive poverty in the country.

The democratic leadership by President Kibaki had made Kenyans to forget the dangers of the current constitution affirmed the leaders, adding that several citizens had suffered immensely and others had their future destroyed in the past.

Over 20 cabinet ministers and other leaders drawn from all parts of the country attended the mammoth public rally.

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