Protests as ‘Yes’ team runs out of money

The ‘Yes’ campaign machinery is tottering on the brink of chaos thanks to a cash crunch.

With just four weeks to the referendum, the Greens secretariat is a picture of anxiety as workers, who have not been paid for two months, face off with supporters from the grassroots demanding campaigns cash.

“It is true that we are in dire financial constraints and I have spoken to my staff, telling them that there is light at the end of the tunnel,” said secretariat joint leader Peter Kagwanja.

He claimed the declaration by Prime Minister Raila Odinga that the push for a new constitution was a government project had scared off potential donors.

“The debate on whether we are a government project or not has really hurt us. It has scared financiers among the donor community who do not want to be seen to be taking sides,” he said by phone.

Though President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga are determined to marshal MPs and resources to give Kenyans a new constitution, Dr Kagwanja said, it was becoming increasingly difficult for the secretariat to operate.

He said the Justice ministry, under which the reform agenda falls had declined to function as the channel for State funding for the secretariat.

A source at the secretariat, who declined to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media, claimed the government had set aside Sh994 million for the campaigns which had yet to be given to the secretariat.

But Dr Kagwanja said the amount was a much smaller amount.

The Nation learnt that secretariat staff had not been paid for two months.

Led by Prof Kagwanja and Ms Janet Ongera, the secretariat has 18 directors, with PNU and ODM having nine each.

Sixteen specialist desks deal with gender, youth, the disabled and pastoralists, among others. Each desk is staffed by two people, one from each party. The operations staff has 14 members, 10 media officers and six security people.

All materials used for ‘Yes’ campaigns such as caps, scarves, T-shirts, flyers and khangas were taken on credit and the campaign debt is approaching Sh100 million, the Nation was told.

Dr Kagwanja said his secretariat has no access to public funds because it is not a government department.

“The little that has come through the secretariat was used to finance rallies at Uhuru Park, Embakasi, Machakos, Nakuru and Mombasa,” he said.

Sources said the campaign is directing a lot of its resources, including the Sh6 million from a fund-raiser, to MPs to campaign for the proposed constitution in their constituencies.

The sources said that during last week’s meeting attended by President Kibaki and Mr Odinga, MPs asked for Sh5 million each for campaigns in their constituencies. The 160 MPs were told they would be given Sh500,000 for a start.

On Friday, each was paid Sh250,000 with a promise that the balance will be paid before Parliament goes on recess.

Nominated MP Musa Sirma said he got the money, but complained that it was just a drop in the ocean, which could not move the campaigns to the next stage.

“What can that amount do? It is unimaginable for such a massive campaign to depend on small amounts of money. There are a lot of lies going on and I think there must be sabotage. It appears nobody is ready to finance the campaigns,” he said.

He argued that MPs cannot campaign without money.

“People out there know that there is money and they will not listen to you if you cannot deliver,” he said.

On Tuesday, Dr Kagwanja said the secretariat had become the victim of mobs, which invaded it to demand funds.

He gave the case of Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu who went to the secretariat with supporters to demand money a Kayole rally.

On Monday, the youths went to the secretariat and laid siege, taking the directors hostage. Officials said they would be paid on Thursday.

On Tuesday, PNU officials from Rift Valley accused the ODM side of sidelining them in the campaigns.

Former Naivasha MP Francis Wanyange claimed sitting MPs from ODM only wanted their party members to campaign. He accused Prof Kagwanja of failing to manage the PNU side, and told him to liaise with the PNU headquarters for the work to move.

Party officials from the regions, he said, did not know how the cash was being distributed, and that the breakdown at the secretariat would stall the ‘Yes’ campaigns in Rift Valley.

Alleging sabotage, Mr Wanyange said some party officials had been camping at the secretariat for a month. Sotik PNU chairman Tephen Kibet made similar accusation against some secretariat staff.