US Congressman to probe on ‘No’ camp funding

A visiting US Congressman says he will seek investigation of Republican and rightwing Christians funding the ‘No’ camp.

Rhode Island’s Patrick Kennedy argues Kenya’s fundamentalist Christians have successfully harnessed the US rightwing to their agenda through a campaign of misinformation and half-truths.

"The moral outrage of the Church should be on infant mortality occurring from preventable causes and poverty," Kennedy said.

The nephew of slain US President JF Kennedy says he will write to the Congress Oversight Committee next week seeking a full disclosure of groups funding opponents of Kenya’s Proposed Constitution and amount of money donated.

"We will write to the Committee on Oversight to ask for a hearing on all money donated to the ‘No’ campaign," he said and added that about $250,000 has been disbursed to the ‘No’ coffers.

He added: "We will seek a subpoena to bring in folks involved. We need to know who they are."

And Minnesota’s Keith Ellison, also visiting Kenya, says he will support such hearings. Elison is the first Muslim to be elected to Congress.

Kennedy’s disclosure in Nairobi on Friday comes amid reports that Republican opponents of President Barack Obama intend to introduce a Motion in the House of Representatives, to censure the US President for allegedly supporting the proposed charter, which fundamentalist Christians allege supports abortion.

The congressman added that Republicans hope to use the divisive issue of abortion "to make the President look bad."

"Abortion is extremely polarising in America and opponents of President Obama are using it to attack the President," Ellison said on Friday.

They said if Kenyan Christian clergy are pro-life, they ought to support the proposed laws because the biggest threat to life is lack of clean water and other basic amenities.