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War of words
on Draft hots up at twin rallies
Story by NATION Team
Publication Date: 10/8/2005
The war of words over the proposed
Constitution intensified yesterday as the Yes and No-vote teams
went head to head with parallel rallies held only a few kilometres
apart.
Twenty-one MPs from the Yes team,
who included the Vice President and six ministers went to Gusii
stadium while 23 MPs from the No group who included five ministers
addressed a rally at Sameta.
At the No rally, Roads minister
Raila Odinga said the Orange movement was unstoppable and meant
only to remove "political turncoats" from the country's
leadership.
Cabinet minister Raila
Odinga addresses a No campaign rally at Sameta in Gucha
District.
Photo by Jacob Owiti. |
"We have
moved a long way in fighting for democracy in this country
and we cannot allow one or two bad elements to derail our
dream," he said.
And Opposition leader Uhuru
Kenyatta asked old guards in the current Government to step
aside and give youth a chance to rule.
"We have experimented
with old guards in Government for a long time but results
have always been negative. We would therefore humbly request
them to step aside and let us show them the way," he
said. |
At the Yes rally VP Moody Awori
sent a passionate appeal to Kenyans to turn up in large numbers
and vote for the proposed Constitution, because by doing so they
would be charting the destiny of the country and exercising their
nationalistic rights.
He said the Draft law prepared by
Attorney General Amos Wako was suitable to the majority of Kenyans
because it had addressed the needs of all, including women, youths
and disabled people.
There was a scramble for copies of
the Wako Draft and a number of people were slightly injured in a
stampede in the stadium when they were handed out shortly after
the VP finished his speech.
Earlier Energy minister Mr Simeon
Nyachae, a leading member of the Yes team, appeared to be facing
difficulties on his home turf when he repeatedly asked police to
remove a group of youths shouting slogans against the proposed
Constitution
Mr Nyachae clashed with Kisii
police chief Peter Maloba over the presence of the pro-Orange
youths who had gathered at the entrance to Kisii Town. Some of the
Orange supporters who were waiting for No-team leaders refused to
leave.
In spite of assurances by the
police chief that the situation was under control, Mr Nyachae
threatened to call Internal Security minister John Michuki if the
police did not clear the Orange supporters, who Mr Nyachae feared
could embarrass the Yes team.
Before even leaving Suneka airstrip
after flying in from Nairobi, Mr Nyachae was heard complaining
that the Orange team had hired youths to disrupt their meeting,
but that police were reluctant to take action.
Students from Egerton University
had earlier patrolled Kisii Town in a college bus, chanting
anti-Nyachae and anti -Banana team slogans, undeterred by police.
There were more difficulties for
the Banana group at Ogembo, where their campaigners who tried to
enter the Orange venue at Sameta play ground in a Government
registered truck were stoned and repulsed by an angry crowd.
The Orange team drove to Sameta in
a snaking convoy that stretched around half a kilometre,
addressing rallies at every stop on a 70-kilometre loop from the
Kisii turn-off to Migori-Kenyenya-Ogembo.
They included Mr Odinga and his
Cabinet colleagues Kalonzo Musyoka (Environment), Anyang Nyong'o (Planning),
Ochillo Ayacko (Sports) and Najib Balala (Heritage), as well as
the leader of the Official Opposition, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, Kanu
secretary general William Ruto and former Vice-President Musalia
Mudavadi.
The Banana Yes-vote group which
converged at Gusii stadium only 20 km from Sameta, was led by the
Vice-President Moody Awori and included Mr Nyachae and other
ministers David Mwiraria (Finance), Kiraitu Murungi (Justice),
Njenga Karume (Special Programmes), John Koech (Regional
Co-operation), and Martha Karua (Water).
And for the first time the Banana
team did not use government vehicles and aircraft following
mounting criticism that they were using public resources amounting
to abuse of office, illegal under the Public Officer Ethics Act.
They landed at Suneka airstrip in a
private chartered aircraft, 12km from Kisii Town and travelled in
a convoy of private cars to the stadium.
The Banana team which has the
support of President Kibaki, and by extension the Government, has
been criticised for eight decisions made within a period of three
weeks, which the Orange team claims amount to an attempt to bribe
voters to back the proposed Constitution in the referendum on
November 21.
These were Thursday's announcement
of a pay increase to councillors; a pledge to write letters to
chiefs guaranteeing them jobs; resettling 10,000 people evicted
from the Mau Forest; rescinding a decision to evict 3,000
squatters from Kipkurere Forest; handing land title deeds to the
Ogiek community; degazetting Amboseli national park and handing it
over to the local council; using Government vehicles for partisan
political events; and reversing the law that banned splitting
plots of less than two-and-half acres.
The heavy presence of security at
both rallies and on the routes used by the teams yesterday showed
the importance of the rallies.
Nyanza police chief Joseph ole Tito
was in command, patrolling both districts and coordinating the
movement of his officers.
He told the Nation he had to
move more police from neighbouring districts to beef up security.
The police designated the routes to
be used by each team to ensure they did not clash.
The Orange campaigners who
travelled from Kisumu were diverted to turn to the right just
before entering Kisii Town to avoid the possibility of running
into Banana supporters.
A contingent of riot police were
positioned in major trading centres while others escorted the team
along the route.
It was the same from Suneka from
where the Banana team moved to Gusii stadium.
At Suneka trading centre on their
way to the stadium, the Banana convoy was confronted by a group of
people carrying oranges and chanting the No slogans.
Police had mounted the highest
security presence ever seen in Kisii Town as there was tension
following rumours that supporters of the two sides could clash.
Regular and riot police positioned
themselves in strategic places while others patrolled the town
just in case there was any trouble.
While Vice-President Moody
Awori leads the Yes team in neighbouring Kisii. |
At one point,
groups of Orange and Banana supporters met at the entrance
to the stadium but there was no confrontation as both went
their separate ways.
In the Orange camp, on the
route to Sameta, Mr Musyoka defended his Cabinet colleague
Charity Ngilu during a stop at Kenyenya market, who has
apparently lost her enthusiasm for the Banana campaign.
He praised Mrs Ngilu as a
visionary leader and said she could not allow herself to be
misused by people fronting for selfish interests. |
"My sister Ngilu has the
vision and has read the signs of times. The Orange movement is
unstopabble and she felt she had not to be left behind in pursuit
of a good Constitution," he said.
The minister said the Kamba
community was united in opposition to the proposed new
Constitution and accused assistant Finance minister Mutua Katuku
and MP Kalembe Ndile of losing their political track.
"We in Ukambani have a common
stand over the new Constitution issue in as much there are a few
elements trying to make unnecessary noise. But we appreciate that
every market place has a mad man", said Mr Musyoka.
He was reacting to Mrs Ngilu's
decision to skip a Banana campaign meeting held in Mwingi Town on
Thursday.
Mr Musyoka however warned against
rigging the referendum, saying it would be a recipe for bigger
trouble.
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