Kiraitu on draft

Kiraitu Murungi has appealed to his colleagues in government to strike a deal over the stalemate on the proposed harmonized draft constitution.

He said a section of politicians, some within the coalition, were standing in the way of realisation of a new law through vested interests. Speaking at Nkubu Stadium in his South Imenti constituency, the minister who is also the PNU Secretary General said if politicians took hard-line stands over the document, it would divide the country further.

He appealed to political leaders from both PNU and ODM to agree on some contentious issues in the draft so as not to polarise the atmosphere as it happened in 2005 during the referendum on the defeated Wako draft.

“Remember I was in charge of constitution making when there were two political blocks, the orange and banana. This time round, we do not want similar confrontations and campaigns,” Mr Murungi pleaded.

He expressed optimism that the ongoing deliberations between the two main political parties in the coalition government would bear fruits, and appealed to Kenyans to pray for the process to succeed.

Mr Murungi however maintained PNU’s stand that a popularly elected leader be the chief executive of the country.

“I caution the Committee of Experts to be careful, not to plunge this country into a political turmoil and confusion. The one who seeks votes directly from the electorate and succeeds, must be answerable to the people as their CEO,” he said.
Mr Murungi said it did not matter whether the person was the Prime Minister or the President.

“I will prepare my memorandum and present it to the CoE on behalf of my people, in which I will insist that the country’s President or Prime Minister must be the people’s choice,” he said.

Mr Murungi likened current draft situation as “allowing someone to assume power through the backdoor”.