Crowd’s bouquets and barbs for leaders

A huge but rowdy crowd on Thursday joined President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga in ushering in the new constitution.

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The enthusiastic group sung songs in praise of the two principals and other leaders who played a key role in campaigning to usher in the new constitution, but jeered those who opposed the document.

Cooperative Development assistant minister Linah Jebii Kilimo, who had attended the celebrations at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, left after sensing the mood of the crowd. Mrs Kilimo was in ‘No’ camp during the campaigns.

Tune repeated

The crowd rekindled scenes of President Kibaki’s inauguration at Uhuru Park in 2002 by singing “Yote yawezekana bila Moi (All is possible without the former President.” The tune was repeated for Higher Education minister William Ruto and Bishop Margaret Wanjiru who recently lost her Starehe parliamentary seat.

The group also demanded the sacking of Mr Ruto, who was the de facto leader of the team that was opposed to the new constitution. Anglican Church Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, who was among those who prayed at the function, attracted chants of Wasaliti (traitors) when he appeared with other clerics for the event.

Although the Anglican Church was opposed to the proposed constitution, the archbishop urged the faithful to vote as per their conscience. Blowing vuvuzelas, the crowd expressed confidence with MPs who were present, but said they should not increase their salaries should pay tax like other Kenyans.

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka whose Lower Eastern gave the ‘No’ team substantial votes also got a fair share of blame from the crowd. President Kibaki received accolades as kiboko yao (whip), Cotu secretary-general Francis Atwoli and National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende were described as “our people” and Mr Odinga as (Spain footballer) Ces Fabregas and Baba.

Part of the crowd went round the city singing songs praising President Kibaki and Mr Odinga while hitting at the ‘No’ leaders. Various dignitaries were also at KICC giving State House protocol personnel a hard time before the principals’ addresses.

Some guests rejected calls to create room for Cabinet ministers who flanked the principals as they all wanted to be part of the event described as historic. Mr Ruto, Special Programmes minister Naomi Shaban and Information and Communications minister Samuel Poghisio, who led the ‘No’ team were notable absentees.

Congratulatory messages for the passage of constitution dotted advertisement screens at KICC. Some read: “Congratulations Kenyans for passing new constitution; One People One Nation One Kenya; Kenya Our Beloved Country; New Constitution, New beginning; and Congratulations to His Excellency the President for leading the nation to a new constitutional dispensation.”

Frequent shouting

President Kibaki was however unhappy with the frequent shouting even as they were addressed by Mr Musyoka and Mr Odinga and pleaded with them to be calm down when he stood to speak.

“Please let’s agree to be quiet for a short while, and then you can make noise anywhere as you want,” he said and ignored shouts that he declares a holiday to celebrate the new constitution.