Eastern Province, new hunting zone

Given its projection by opinion polls as the base of the highest number of undecided voters, Eastern Province is attracting ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ leaders like nectar does to bees.

For the third time in a little over a month, President Kibaki was in the province, which is a two million vote basket, yesterday. President Kibaki led a ‘Yes’ rally in Machakos on June 18, and was in Meru on July 11.

Today former President Moi, who is opposed to the Proposed Constitution, will be in the province for the third time this month. He was in Machakos on July 4, and Igembe South on July 15. He will be campaigning in Wote, in the heartland of Ukambani today.

But the premium politicians are placing in the Eastern vote comes out clearly in the intensity with which Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Higher Education Minister William Ruto have traversed the region in the last five weeks. Kalonzo is pitching for a ‘Yes’ vote, and given this is his political base, he shoulders the burden of delivering it to ‘Yes’ side, which also has in its ranks President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Ruto, who is in ‘No’, has had multiple rallies in the province six separate days from June 28.

Kalonzo, who was with the President in Embu yesterday, has literally camped in Ukambani. In the last three days he has traversed the region almost daily.

From July 3, the VP has had seven long campaign circuits, with 13 rallies in Ukambani alone – all of them taking a day each, and spread over many towns and divisions.

Yesterday, President Kibaki addressed three rallies in the province, seen, as a response to an aggressive campaign by the ‘Reds’ believed to be out to harvest from what they see as the highest concentration of undecided voters. Ruto has campaigned in the region ten times since the referendum campaigns started. In the past week alone, he has been to Meru four times, and similar number of times in Ukambani.

Respected sons

To stem the tide against and indifference to the Proposed Constitution in the province, Kalonzo is said to be carrying one message to his community: The draft law is friendly to them, and some of its most respected sons played a big role in taking it to the point where it is.

"The Proposed Constitution was designed for Kambas and they must embrace it. It is a constitutional moment for Kenya and a special one for the Kamba. No more marginalisation of our people," the VP told residents of Ukambani in his whistle-stop rallies.

He added: "The chairman of Committee of Experts is Nzamba Kitonga, Justice Minister is Mutula Kilonzo, President Kibaki’s advisor on Constitutional Affairs is Kivutha Kibwana, and myself as the principal assistant to the President are supporting the draft. How can the Akamba community suffer when they are the creators and midwives of the new laws?" Kalonzo kept asking at his rallies. After the President’s rally, Kalonzo went to Mwingi North’s Katse market for yet another rally in his political base.

Kibaki, who also accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, and several ‘Yes’ MPs, addressed rallies in Kiritiri in Mbeere District, and another in Mwea.

"Let us not discard this good constitution because of a few issues, which can be addressed later," he told residents of Embu East.

Taking on the province’s hottest contention, which is delineation of proposed counties, the President argued the devolved units would be increased once the Proposed Constitution was passed.

Kalonzo said: "Kenya’s constitutional moment is here. We should embrace the wind of change. The Proposed Constitution is good because it will transform the way we govern ourselves. It will herald a new Kenya where corruption will have no place."

The latest opinion poll, conducted by the Ministry of Internal Security and Provincial Administration, puts support for the draft at 65 per cent, while 31 per cent are opposed to it. But the findings of the polls released by Internal Security PS Francis Kimemia also show the on-going campaigns in the province could continue affecting voters and the percentages could change before August 4 referendum.

The PS, who spoke in Milangine in Ol Kalou constituency, said the research showed Eastern Province as an area where people have "believed in propaganda peddled by both sides".

Last week, Synovate Research polls singled out Mbeere, Embu, Baringo, and Transmara districts as having the highest numbers of undecided voters in that order.

Synovate Research managing director George Waititu described the regions as a "hunting ground" for ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ camps in final lap.

The region recorded the second highest backing for the ‘No’ camp, with nearly a third of potential voters (29.7 per cent), indicating they would reject the draft.

Another opinion poll conducted by Infotrak showed support for the draft was lowest in Eastern Province at 28 per cent. Six Kamba MPs and two from Meru constituencies are on Ruto’s side. Kilome MP John Harun Mwau held a surprise rally on Monday in his constituency, where he lobbied for rejection of the draft.

Last week, Tigani East MP Peter Munya joined the ‘Yes’ camp at an Uhuru rally. Other Cabinet members campaigning for ‘Yes’ in the province are Mutula Kilonzo, Charity Ngilu, Kiraitu Murungi, Joseph Nyaga, and Mohammed Kuti.