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Kibaki calls
for peaceful campaigns
Story by BERNARD NAMUNANE and LUCAS BARASA
Publication Date: 10/21/2005
President Kibaki
acknowledges cheers from the crowd as he arrives at the
venue accompanied by the Chief of General Staff, Gen
Jeremiah Kianga.
Photo by Joseph Mathenge |
President Kibaki yesterday
sent a passionate appeal to Kenyans for them to maintain
peace during the referendum campaigns and to turn out in
large numbers to vote.
And he was quick to defend
his own controversial decision to hand out title deeds to
members of the Ogiek community.
"I urge leaders not to
politicise land matters and instead support the
Government's efforts in helping the landless to acquire
land; it is the right of Kenyans to own land," he
said.
His presentation of the
title deeds which came in the face of a court order
blocking the move was criticised by members of the
No-vote campaign team as an attempt to get the community
to vote in favour of the proposed Constitution.
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But he said the Government was
determined to settle the landless and had already given homes
64,600 families in 76 schemes covering 230,000 hectares at the
Coast.
The Head of State told a large crowd at the Kenyatta Day
celebrations at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi, the fate of the
new Constitution was now in their hands and he urged them not
to be misled by leaders from either side.
To ensure everyone could play their
part in this "historical milestone" the President
declared November 21 a national holiday.
"It is not for me to stand up
and elaborate what you will do on that day," he said.
"My only point is let us have peace and encourage peace."
Administration Police
officer Asnath Mumbu salutes as she marches past the
Presidential dais during the celebrations at Nyayo National
Stadium, Nairobi, yesterday.
Photo by Joseph Mathenge . |
Mr Kibaki continued:
"We have the duty to build the nation, live together
and let not anyone assume that after the vote you will not
live together. Make your neighbour a good neighbour."
The president peppered his
half-hour speech with frequent appeals for peace and for
people not to allow divergent opinions about the
Constitution divide them.
In a key passage, he said:
"As a social contract governing our social, economic
and political intercourse, the Constitution should
strengthen our bonds as one people and should never be the
basis for social divisions and polarisation of the nation."
To ensure people were well
informed about the proposed Constitution, the Government
had made copies of it available to all so everyone could
read it and come to a decision.
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The intention, the President said,
was to enable the public to counter-check distortions, misleading
information and falsehoods being spread by politicians on both
sides as they campaigned for or against the Draft.
"We have left the decision to
you. We have produced in written form the kind of Constitution you
wanted to have. The decision lies with you. Study it, consider
your own country and make a decision knowing very well it will
have a lasting impact on the nation," he continued.
The fete was the last celebration
of the national event as Kenyatta Day. From next year its name
will be changed to Heroes Day.
And yesterday's ceremonies were
attended by the widows of two Kenyan heroes freedom fighter
Dedan Kimathi and JM Kariuki Mrs Mukami Kimathi and Mrs Terry
Kariuki.
With the President were
Vice-President Moody Awori, Cabinet ministers, MPs, envoys,
National Assembly Speaker Francis ole Kaparo, Chief Justice Evan
Gicheru, the Chief of General Staff, General Jeremiah Kianga, Mama
Ngina Kenyatta and Official Opposition leader Uhuru Kenyatta.
There was a moment of confusion
among the crowd when key leaders of the No-vote referendum
campaign Cabinet ministers Raila Odinga, Najib Balala and
Anyang Nyong'o walked into the stadium sporting orange sashes.
At first the crowd thought they
were making a political statement, reinforcing their campaign
against the new Constitution, which has already seen them wearing
orange shirts, caps and tee-shirts.
Murmurings grew
Students from public and
private universities sing during yesterday's Kenyatta Day
celebrations at the Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi.
Photo by Joseph Mathenge |
And the murmurings grew as
Cabinet ministers Musikari Kombo, Martha Karua, Mukhisa
Kituyi and Amos Kimunya all firmly in the Yes-vote
camp also strode onto the dais wearing similar orange
sashes.
However, all became clear
when it was realised the sashes were those given to past
and current Cabinet ministers so each could pin on the
medal of Elder of the Golden Heart given automatically for
serving in the Cabinet. The majority of the Ministers
present wore the sashes, and those who did not pinned
their medals of honour and distinguished service on their
coat lapels.
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Taking to the podium at 1pm after
the Armed Forces, choirs and Vitimbi comedians, President
Kibaki, who backs the Yes group, immediately urged leaders to stop
dividing people in their campaigns.
Some of them, he said, were
misleading the public on the contents of the new Constitution in
their bid to satisfy their personal ambitions.
"I call upon leaders not to
divide Kenyans but instead to provide objective and truthful
leadership. I challenge leaders to observe honesty and integrity
during the on-going campaigns," he said.
He urged them to embrace compromise
and consensus and to accommodate diverse interests as freedom
fighters had done during the Lancaster House conference which gave
the country the basis of the current Constitution.
"We should emulate the
patriotic and selfless spirit that guided our national heroes in
working out the independence Constitution 42 years ago at
Lancaster House," he said.
The President's call comes in the
wake of heightened campaigns by both the Banana Yes-vote and
Orange No-vote groups.
Violence, name calling and
accusations of distortion and falsehoods have dominated the
campaigns so far.
President Kibaki, in a move that
dimmed the hopes of the Middle Ground MPs and Protestant churches
who want the referendum postponed, said delivering a new
Constitution was a priority of his Government.
"Come out and express your
democratic right so as to pull ourselves out of the past, in the
spirit of reconciliation and move forward to build a new
Kenya," he said.
Then, extolling what he said were
positive aspects of the Draft, Mr Kibaki said it would end
discrimination against women in leadership and employment, give
young people chance to realise their potential and ensure slum
dwellers lived decently.
Government's achievements
The President went on to give a
rundown of his Government's achievements and commended people for
the "impressive" economic growth recorded in the year.
He said he was optimistic the economy would grow by five per cent
this year.
The Government had earmarked 35
road projects worth Sh23 billion in the last financial year, and
since the National Rainbow Coalition had taken power, 1,233
kilometres of road had been repaired.
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