'No' Has It Sealed

Nairobi — The support of the 'Yes' team by ministers Henry Kosgey, Sally Kosgei and Franklin Bett has put their future political lives in limbo.

Considering what happened in the 2005 referendum, those who supported the document then like former Agriculture minister Kipruto Kirwa ended up losing their seats in the 2007 General Election.

While recognising that their constituents were against them for supporting the document, Dr Kosgei of Aldai constituency, at a 'Yes' rally on Sunday in Nandi Hills, urged them to stand with other Kenyans and support the draft saying they should not thrive on lies.

"My development record speaks for itself and you should not be deceived by leaders who are visionless. I am confident that I will come back in the next elections," she said.

Though Mr Kosgey (Tinderet) did not talk on the issue, the Industrialisation minister, who was popular in the run up of the 2007 General Election for being on the opposing side during the 2005 referendum, faced hostility and poor turn out in Marakwet District after the crowd walked out on him for urging them to support the document.

Mr Kosgey said: "Let us not isolate ourselves as Kalenjins when majority of Kenyans are headed for a new constitution. The draft is not harmful at all as you may have been cheated by the opponents," Mr Kosgey said before he was forced to cut short the rally.

Mr Kosgey, who was accompanied by his Roads counterpart Franklin Bett of (Bureti), did not visit Iten as planned after receiving reports that they would be booed by the crowd.

But a political analyst from Rift Valley Kipkorir Birgen said Mr Kosgey had been tested before by political heavy weights and not lost his seat." He has a good political record in Tindiret, which cannot be matched by any of the Rift Valley MPs campaigning for the 'No' team and cannot be easily defeated," he said.

Mr Birgen said that for Dr Kosgei, she had international and local connections and her constituency had experienced rapid development, which could easily enable her to make a come-back in 2012. Her connections might make her win back her seat in 2012, he said.