Sunday, July 11, 2010

Ruto accuses US of imposing proposed law on Kenyans

Higher Education Minister William Ruto has for the second day criticised US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger, telling the US Government to respect Kenyans.

Ruto said recent remarks by US Vice-President Joe Biden who was on an official visit that the American Government will give donor funds on condition Kenyans pass the new constitution, were insulting.

Addressing a ‘No’ rally at Nabongo Grounds, Mumias, Ruto also repeated allegations Ranneberger was funding some MPs to campaign for the draft.

MPs bribed

"Do I need anything to prove my claims? The MPs have themselves been quoted conceding they were indeed given money by the US ambassador. What type of evidence do they need?" asked the Eldoret North MP.

He told the diplomat to keep off the country’s affairs, saying Kenyans are educated enough to read and understand the draft. Ruto, however, did not say which MPs have been bribed to campaign for the draft.

The minister added the US Government was pushing Kenyans to adopt a new constitution because it had clauses that allow a Kenyan president to be tried in another country.

He said the US cannot allow its citizens to be tried in other countries’ courts, while supporting a document that legalises that in Kenya.

"Do they want us to pass this constitution so that they can patronise our future presidents?" asked Ruto.

Cabinet Minister Poghisio said that if the Government wants civil servants to participate in referendum campaigns, then it should allow those who want to campaign against the document to do so as well.

Coerce civil servants

"We want the Government to tell all civil servants to choose which side of the referendum campaigns they want to campaign for. Let it not coerce civil servants to campaign for the document," said Poghisio.

"You have been lumped together into a large county called Kakamega. Ask your MP who’s telling you to vote ‘Yes’ how you are going to be represented, governed and allocated resources," Ruto said.

Ruto and his team latter addressed another rally at Matete market in Cyrus Jirongo’s Lugari constituency.

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