Team seeks to convert Christians

The ‘Yes’ team is now targeting church leaders in a new strategy to win Christian voters ahead of the August 4 referendum.

At the same time, the team is reaching out to several MPs opposed to the proposed constitution with a view to having them ditch the ‘No’ camp and join the ‘Yes’ campaign.

Sources disclosed that Sunday’s defection of Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau from the ‘No’ camp was the culmination of behind-the-scenes negotiations between high-ranking politicians in the ‘Yes’ camp and several MPs in the rival group.

A director of the ‘Yes’ secretariat, Ms Janet Ongera, said that the ‘Yes’ team was in talks with church leaders to have them popularise the proposed constitution among Christians.

The latest opinion poll conducted by Strategic PR firm put the ‘Yes’ team’s popularity at 62 per cent against the ‘No’ camp’s 20 per cent.

“We are talking with top church leaders to woo them to our side, that is why you can see our campaigns have really gained,” Ms Ong’era said.

Under the coordination of a senior official in Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s office, who sought anonymity, and the newly appointed spokesman of the ‘Yes’ secretariat, Mr Moses Kuria, the team has formed a “Church for Yes” campaign, where it will showcase top clerics supporting the proposed constitution.

The camp is said to be lining up prominent church leaders to appear on local television and radio stations to proclaim their support for the new laws.

Among the prominent church leaders who have broken ranks with their colleagues and supported the document are retired Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) head David Gitari, and ACK bishops Beneah Salala and Mwai Abiero.