Clerics want immediate changes on draft law

Religious leaders want flaws in the Proposed Constitution addressed immediately after referendum should the YES side carry the day.

Speaking under the banner of Ufungamano Joint Forum of Religious Organisations (UJFRO), the leaders, led by Catholic’s Cardinal John Njue, said the referendum campaign has divided Kenyans and whatever the outcome on August 4, there shall be wounds to heal.

The religious leaders said flaws identified in the proposed new constitution must immediately be addressed after August 4 should the YES side win.

"It is obvious that the two documents (current and proposed constitution) have flaws which have already been identified. The reality is that some serious work must be done immediately in order to sort out the flaws in the Proposed Constitution," said Charles Wambugu, UJFRO Secretary.

Cardinal Njue co-chairs the Ufungamano initiative with Rashmin Chitnis, a leader of the Hindu Council of Kenya with Muslims also represented.

"It is therefore important that Kenyans of good will must focus on the work which will need to be done. In this work, Ufungamano would like to be counted," partly read the joint statement signed by Njue, Chitnis and Wambugu on behalf of the UJFRO.

The leaders called for tolerance of divergent opinions as the campaign enters homestretch and urged Government to beef up security ahead of August 4, referendum.

Njue, a ‘No’ proponent, has been at the forefront urging Christians to reject the proposed law as it allegedly gives room for abortion. Muslims are largely supporting the proposed law with Christians divided between the ‘YES’ and ‘NO’ sides.

"There is no hiding the fact that the campaign for and against the proposed constitution has yet again divided the country into ‘YES’ and ‘NO’ blocks. Both sides have reasons which rationalise their positions," said Chitnis.

Reading the statement, Chitnis said whatever side wins, leaders will be faced with challenge of addressing the concerns raised in the current or proposed constitutions.

"The challenge now is not in you voting ‘YES’ or ‘NO’…there should be no jubilation on whether YES or NO carries the day…if the proposed draft carries the day, it will be an instrument of governance for all of us. If it is rejected, we shall stay with the current constitution because there is no constitutional vacuum at the moment," read the joint statement in part.

"We urge all Kenyans to shun violence and to resist any manipulation, to refuse to be bribed, to guard against and cheating or vote stealing and to come out and vote on August 4," he said.