Referendum: The crucial, final hours

National leaders used the big rallies in Nairobi on Sunday not only to win a few more Kenyans to their side but also to urge them to turn out to vote on Wednesday.

At Uhuru Park, where a light celebratory mood pervaded the ‘Yes’ rally, President Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka took advantage of the occasion to make a strong pitch for support of the proposed law, saying it would mark the birth of “the second republic”.

At Dagoretti Corner playground, the ‘No’ team also used the final hours of the campaign to take on the government for allegedly denying them venues to hold their rally as they made their final submission.

The team, led by Higher Education minister William Ruto and several church leaders, also accused the ‘Yes’ team of using State resources to frustrate their campaigns.

Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, who lost her Starehe parliamentary seat in a petition last week, also received a boost when the MPs in the ‘No’ team pledged to support her in the by-election later in the year.

At Uhuru Park, Mr Kibaki said: “The enthusiasm Kenyans have shown across the country has convinced us they will pass the proposed constitution. On August 5, Kenyans will celebrate a new constitution.”

“Nobody will block our efforts to deliver the new constitution,” he told the rally attended by more than 20 Cabinet ministers and dozens of MPs.

Mr Odinga, who returned to the referendum campaign on Friday, said a new constitution would mark the end of a long and painful journey. “During the journey, some people were killed, maimed and others orphaned. Let us complete the journey, raise Kenya’s flag on the mountain and ensure a rebirth of the second republic.”

Mr Odinga said the new constitution would open up more opportunities for women, youth, farmers, pastoralists and other marginalised groups. Speakers said the new constitution would end impunity, tame a powerful presidency, ensure equitable distribution of resources and address past injustices.

The PM deployed football imagery to underline his confidence that the Green team would score the critical goal and deliver victory at the referendum.

I will deliver critical pass

“President Kibaki is like (Andres) Iniesta and I would be (Cesc) Fabregas. I will deliver the critical pass to him and I am sure he will score.”

The Arsenal fan was making reference to Spanish players who combined in the final against the Netherlands to win the Fifa World Cup in South Africa last month. He paid glowing tribute to President Kibaki and the ‘Yes’ team for spearheading the campaign for the adoption of the proposed constitution when he was indisposed.

“Mimi nilikuwa nalala nikiwa mgonjwa nikiona hawa wenzangu wakiendesha campaign na hiyo ikafanya mimi kupona haraka zaidi (I was lying in bed sick while watching my colleagues run the campaign and this helped me heal much faster),” the PM noted.

Cabinet ministers from Rift Valley such as Henry Kosgey, Sally Kosgei and Franklin Bett asked the Kalenjin community to join other Kenyans in passing the new constitution. ‘No’ is strong in the Rift Valley. “We should be on the right side of history,” said Mr Kosgey.

The ‘Yes’ team also used the rally to announce that it was winding up its secretariat after three months in operation. The co-director of the secretariat, Prof Peter Kagwanja, said only a skeleton team would be retained for the two remaining days before Kenyans vote.

At the Dagoretti Corner playground, the ‘No’ team recounted what they said were their tribulations at the hands of the government, which they claimed had sensed defeat.

“When we started, we were few but God has built a strong army of supporters who will shoot down the rotten constitution on Wednesday,” said Mr Ruto. He said they had been locked out of venues such as Kisii stadium, Uhuru Park and Kamukunji grounds in Nairobi.

Mr Ruto said the ‘Reds’ only secured the venue for Sunday’s rally after Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere intervened.

Reported by Emeka-Mayaka Gekara, Peter Leftie and Walter Menya