'No' makes its final 'free' Kenya message

By Patrick Beja and Joseph Masha

The 'No' team signed off on their campaigns against the Proposed Constitution with a rally at the historic Frere Town in Mombasa, calling it a symbolic message that they want a 'free' Kenya. The town was originally a settlement for freed slaves in the early 19th century, named after Sir Bartle Frere, who played a key role in ending the slave trade. Higher Education minister William Ruto told supporters that the country should not be dragged backwards into the dark ages where the new Constitution will cause Kenya to adopt international conventions.

"We want Kenyans to live under a Constitution that will make them free unlike the proposed draft which will force Kenyans to adopt international conventions," said Ruto, the de facto leader of the ‘No’ camp.

The minister asked Kenyans to vote against adopting what he claimed was an oppressive and discriminative law as the ‘No’ team wound-up its programme with a high speed run along Kenya’s coastline, hopping into various stops in Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa districts.

They were upbeat in proclaiming a ‘No’ win when the referendum results are announced at the Bomas of Kenya tallying centre in Nairobi 48 hours after tomorrow’s vote.

"We have finished our long campaign here because yours is a historic location, and we do not want to entrench international conventions that would enslave Kenyans just to please some foreign masters," said Ruto.

Elsewhere, there was tension in Baringo Central, when the ‘Yes’ team ran into a hostile crowd at Kabarnet High School.

Police fired tear-gas at the crowd that shouted ‘No! No! No!’ at Cabinet Minister James Orengo, Assistant Ministers Magerer Langat and Sotik MP Joyce Laboso who had arrived at the school ground to address a rally.

The three, who were accompanied by nominated MP Musa Sirma, continued with their rally after police intervention, as the crowd standing outside the fence continued booing them.

The crowd waved ‘No’ red cards and shouted menacingly forcing Kabarnet Deputy OCPD Samuel Muthamia to intervene.

At the Coast, the ‘No’ campaigners asked Kenyans to overwhelmingly vote "No" and shame those keen to impose foreign and immoral practices on their motherland.

And they touched on the most sensitive issue of land, they pleaded to coastal voters to reject the proposed laws.

"Most coastal people are living as squatters on their own land, and since they have no ownership documents like title deeds, letters of offer or land survey papers, then their land will be considered as a State property if the draft is passed into a law," claimed Ruto.

He fired the warning shot at Bamba in Ganze, Kilifi where he landed yesterday afternoon with Special Programmes Minister Naomi Shaban, Assistant Minister Wilfred Machage and lawyer William Kenga.

The Minister then moved to Kombani in Matuga and surrounding areas, before he returned to Kisauni in Mombasa town, where local "Yes" rivals Najib Balala and Hassan Joho had also spent the day sizing each other’s influence.

Both leaders marshaled supporters earlier in the day in separate rallies at Mama Ngina and Makadara grounds, preceded by road shows.

They also addressed rallies in Kaloleni and Bahari, before moving to another well attended meeting at Changamwe in the evening.

Land question

In Matuga, the ‘No’ team addressed a crowd composed of a large number of squatters at Komabani Scheme, with whom Ruto’s message on land appeared to have resonated well.

The crowd braved a heavy downpour, waving red cards distributed to them by the ‘Reds’ for about 15 ministers when Ruto was addressing them.

In his whirlwind campaign of Coast province, Ruto cautioned residents over possible re-distribution of land to the landless once the draft Constitution is approved in the Wednesday referendum.

Ruto, who flew over the skies of the province as he wound up campaigning, took issue with Section 68 1 (c) of the chapter on land, which he argued would allow Parliament to legislate on redistribution of land owned by individuals to the landless.

Addressing a rally at Kombani in Matuga, Ruto asked whether Kenyans would trust MPs to enact a law that would free some land from wealthy individuals for the landless poor.

"The MPs are among those wealthy people owning large chunks of land. Do you think they will enact law to give up an inch of their land?" he posed. Ruto was cheered when he claimed MPs would jealously protect their property, and would not enact laws to favour the poor.

The minister urged Coast residents to reject the Proposed Constitution at the referendum so as to create an opportunity to correct mistakes in the document.

Ruto and Dr Shaban argued that Coast province hosts thousands of squatters, and would be most affected when the draft is endorsed, as it would be difficult to get land for squatters.

Shaban who is the Taveta MP, cautioned Kenyans that the National Land Commission may repossess all trust land and place it under the State, adding that Coast province would suffer more since many landowners do not have title deeds citing Section 62 1(d) of the chapter on Land.

"This is my greatest fear for my Coast people who own land without title deeds. Reject the draft to allow room for correction," Shaban said.

She also said Counties were not the kind of majimbo (federalism) Coast people had been yearning for since independence.

"Many youths in Coast province are jobless, and I do not think the Counties will have capacity to create job opportunities. They will only worsen the situation," she said.