Prime Minister Raila Odinga has invited the reform activists to a dinner party at the Intercontinental Hotel August 18, 2011 to take stock of the gains made since the Constitution was passed in August last year.
By PETER LEFTIE
Posted Wednesday, August 17 2011 at 10:42
Posted Wednesday, August 17 2011 at 10:42
Politicians, civil society activists and religious leaders who fought for reforms in the country meet Thursday to celebrate one year since the Constitution came into force.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga has invited the reform activists to a dinner party at the Intercontinental Hotel to take stock of the gains made since the Constitution was passed in August last year.
Among those expected are the “seven bearded sisters” – a group of seven MPs who stood up against the excesses of the Kenyatta and Moi regimes in the late 70s and early 80s, the so called Young Turks, a group of young politicians, lawyers and civil society activists who led calls for the introduction of multiparty politics in the late eighties and nineties.
Also invited are religious leaders who too played a key role in pushing for the rule of law and return to multiparty democracy.
Some of the “Seven bearded sisters” expected at the dinner include Lands ,inister James Orengo, former assistant minister Koigi Wamwere and former MPs Mwashengu wa Mwachofi, Chelagat Mutai and Abuya Abuya.
The multi party crusaders expected to attend the dinner include Prof Kivutha Kibwana, cabinet ministers Anyang’ Nyong’o, Kiraitu Murungi, Otieno Kajwang, MPs Gitobu Imanyara, Martha Karua, Musikari Kombo, deputy speaker Farah Maalim, former MPs Paul Muite, Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, Njeru Kathangu, Mwandawiro Mghanga, Henry Obwocha, Dr Adhu Awiti and Wanyiri Kihoro.
Others expected include veteran politicians such as Martin Shikuku and Charles Rubia, lawyers Gibson Kamau Kuria, Mohammed Ibrahim, Rumba Kinuthia, Prof Yash Pal Ghai and political detainees such as Ngotho Kariuki and Wafula Buke.
Religious leaders who used the pulpit to push for the rule of law and democracy in the 80s and 90s including retired Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) head David Gitari and Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) cleric Timothy Njoya will also grace the occasion.
“The purpose of the dinner is to re-group and celebrate one year since Kenyans voted for the new constitution. They will also reflect on the challenges facing the implementation process and the role they can play to ensure that it is fully implemented,” said the PM’s spokesman, Dennis Onyango.
“We have invited all those who played a role in reforming this country, those who sowed the seeds for the re-introduction of multi party democracy and entrenchment of the rule of law, transparency and accountability, it does not matter which political persuasion one belongs to. We have invited all of them,” he added.
Mr Wamwere is expected to deliver a presentation on the challenges facing the implementation process and the need to safeguard the process from being hijacked by non reformists while Prof Kibwana will speak on the role the reformists of yester-years can play in implementing the new constitution.
The dinner comes at a time when the constitution implementation process is facing myriad challenges including the delay in passing crucial bills that are supposed to be in place by August 27.
The dinner was initially planned for August 4 to mark exactly one year since Kenyans voted for the enactment f the new constitution but the date was changed because the PM’s diary was congested, Mr Onyango said.
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