By Kipchumba Some

The Inter-Parties Parliamentary Group (IPPG) agreement gave birth to the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission Act of 1998, which allowed the formation of a commission to collect views on constitutional changes Kenyans desired.

The agreement made it possible for the President to appoint ministers from the opposition.

In 1999, Raila was elected the first chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on constitution review.

The opposition accused the Government of taking a lion’s share in the PSC and influencing the appointment of commissioners to CKRC. In protest, then leader of official opposition Mwai Kibaki, the late Michael Wamalwa, James Orengo among others opted for a parallel process known as Ufungamano Initiative. It took the intervention of Prof Ghai to unite them in 2000.

The commission produced a draft document in 2002. However, Moi and Kanu members rejected it. Moi then dissolved Parliament and ordered CKRC disbanded.

The Narc government, however, salvaged the process. While campaigning, Kibaki promised to give Kenyans a new law within 100 days.

Delegates met at Bomas of Kenya to discuss Ghai’s document, but the conference ended acrimoniously.

Efforts to broker a truce led to the Naivasha accord but one group disowned the resultant document. The State then, through the Attorney General, published its draft and called a referendum on it in 2005.