CONTROVERSY REPORT

Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere on Tuesday assured Kenyans that investigations into the insertion of words in the proposed constitution are underway at the state law office.

The police commissioner who was speaking during a requiem mass for the former CID director Samuel Karanja Gatiba said those found responsible will be prosecuted regardless of their status in the society.

The late Gatiba died last week as he was being rushed to a Thika hospital after his health deteriorated.

Claims of attempted alterations to the proposed constitution arose last week with opponents of the draft accusing the government of tampering with the wordings of a section of the bill of rights by inserting words that were not in the draft agreed upon.

The NO camp said the existance of two drafts in circulation would confuse Kenyans as to what draft they would be voting for during the referenduum and called for the postponement of the process.

Attorney General Amos Wako however blamed the government printer for the error though he admitted he had been approached by the NSIS to have the words National Security inserted into clause 24 sub-section 1d of the proposed constitution.

The clause in question would then have read in part " The need to ensure that the enjoyment of rights and fundamental freedoms by any individual does no prejudice national security, the rights and fundamental rights of others".

A report on investigations into who was responsible for the insertion is expected to be handed over to the police commissioner on Wednesday.

This is after several members of staff at the government printer and the Attorney General's office were questioned in relation to the incident.

Garsen Mp Danson Mungatana on Tuesday urged the police to ensure that senior officials who would be implicated in the alteration are prosecuted.