GITARI SAYS YES

Retired Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Archbishop David Gitari has reiterated his call to Kenyans to vote yes for the draft constitution.

Gitari said even though the draft had some contentious issues it was better compared to the current one.

Speaking during a cocktail for Kangaru School in Embu town, the cleric urged Kenyans to study the draft and make informed choices as well as registering as voters so as to participate in the referendum.

"The draft constitution is democratic and guarantees justice, end of corruption and impunity therefore we cannot be neutral on this matter," he said.

Gitari has found himself at loggerheads with other church leaders who are opposed to the draft law and have vowed to mobilize Kenyans to reject it.

The church is opposed to the abortion and Kadhi's courts clauses in the draft constitution and talks between church leaders and the government to find a consensus on the issues failed earlier this week.

NCCK Secretary General Peter Karanja has dismissed Gitari's stand saying it was a personal opinion as he does not speak for the church.

Gitari says if it is not possible to set aside more days for the debate on reaching a consensus on the contentious issues then the only option was to vote yes for the draft.

"In Christian ethics when you are presented with two evils, you choose the lesser of the two and in this case the lesser of the two constitutions is yes," he said.

The retired archbishop said there is no perfect constitution, therefore Kenyans must accept the draft which is far much better compared to the current one.

Kangaru School cocktail aimed at bringing together the school's alumni and review progress made since the inception of the school in the 1930s.

Meanwhile the Orange Women Democrats League has embarked on a door to door campaign to urge Kenyans to vote for the draft constitution at the referendum.

Orange Democratic Party (ODM) national deputy secretary Lydia Kimani said a sub committee would be set up to spearhead the yes campaign at the No strongholds ahead of the referendum.

Speaking after a workshop with women leaders from 36 constituencies in Eastern Province, Kimani said the women have endorsed the draft since it had many good things for Kenyans compared to the current one.

The women, she said had resolved to ask the ODM national office and the government to set aside funds for civic education, media advertisements and door to door campaigns to give impetus to the yes campaign.