MP withdraws Bill seeking to halt referendum

Latest 'Yes’ convert Jamleck Kamau on Monday moved to withdraw a Bill which he had sponsored with an intention of seeking Parliament’s support to postpone the national Constitutional referendum from the August 4 date.

The Kigumo MP who joined the 'Greens’ on Sunday said the Constitution of Kenya Amendment Bill (2010) which was scheduled for the First Reading Tuesday afternoon had been overtaken by events.

“It is too little too late, it has been overtaken by events,” the MP said and wittingly noted; “the mover is not willing to proceed.”

Tuesday’s Order Paper as it appeared on Parliament’s website Monday showed that the Bill which was listed as the first item for the day’s programme of the House.

The MP who had joined the 'No’ camp only two weeks ago after the House Business Committee failed to prioritize his Bill, on Monday wrote to the Speaker of the National Assembly Kenneth Marende Monday morning withdrawing it, two days after he joined the pro-Constitution team.

Speaking to Daily Nation on telephone, Mr Kamau said he had a chat with both President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga and was convinced they genuinely meant well for Kenya in their quest to push through the proposed Constitution.

“They were very specific and said they were willing to engage in amendments immediately after the referendum,” he said.

“Both are old enough to be my parents and so there is absolutely no reason to doubt their word,” he said.

The task before him now, he said, is to convince and win churches to follow suit.

“It is for the sake of the nation and a united country if they can listen to us and come join the fold,” he said.

Trust, he said, is key in the process. “The word is trust, trust and trust,” he stated, “as long as there is trust, everything will move on just fine,” he stated.

Mr Kamau was welcomed to the 'Green’ campaign by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Uhuru Kenyatta during a well attended 'Yes’ rally in the MP’s Kigumo constituency on Sunday.

Also in the campaign team was Environment minister John Michuki who also recently converted to the 'Yes’ team.

Mr Michuki who also had initially expressed reservations about the proposed Constitution joined the team last week during a rally by President Kibaki.