Kibaki and Raila take ‘Yes" to Coast

By Patrick Beja and Willis Oketch

The Big Three landed at the coastal town of Mombasa in a show of might to drum up support for the Proposed Constitution.

It was a rare historic meeting that brought together President Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka at the Tononoka Grounds.

During the 2007 presidential race campaigns, the top three contenders toured and campaigned in the region separately. But on Saturday they addressed a mammoth rally at the historic Tononoka Grounds. And buoyed by opinion polls posted a day earlier projecting the ‘Greens’ in the lead, the trio vowed to deliver the long overdue constitution.

A section of the crowd at the ‘Yes’ rally at Tononoka Grounds in Mombasa on Saturday.Photo: Maarufu Mohamed/Standard

The Vice-President captured the tempo of the campaign by declaring the ‘Yes’ campaign a "green revolution" that would bring positive change to the country.

The three leaders received an arousing welcome from the crowd, which comprised many Muslims backing the inclusion of Kadhi Courts in the Proposed Constitution.

Kibaki, Raila, and Kalonzo arrived in a convoy of vehicles but shot past the venue, walking back in style adorning green shirts and caps.

Accompanied by local leaders, they were cheered as they covered about 200m on foot before making their triumphant entry into Tononoka Grounds.

It appeared the ‘Yes’ team had sealed the cracks, which had threatened to split the camp when the three leaders addressed the first rally at Nairobi’s Uhuru Park. No booing or heckling of leaders was witnessed and Kalonzo equally had a smooth sail as he was cheered, as he spoke.

President Kibaki said the referendum campaign would be a walkover for the Greens, saying they had won a huge following across the country after Kenyans read the Proposed Constitution.

Kenyans want change

"We are already through because many Kenyans want the change they have yearned for, for many years," President Kibaki said.

President Kibaki called on Kenyans to forgive those opposing the Proposed Constitution and continue talking to them on the advantages of voting for a new constitution.

"We should continue talking to those opposing the draft because at the end of the day they will remain our brothers and sisters," President Kibaki said.

The crowd at the Tononoka Grounds was ecstatic, with the high turnout that included 10 Cabinet ministers and more than 50 MPs from across the country.

Raila said the Kadhi Courts were part of the historic bargain between the British colonialists and the Sultan of Zanzibar that convinced the Arab rulers in the Coastal Strip to hand over the area to the Kenya Government.

"I am a Christian and I have not been harmed by Kadhi Courts," declared Raila.

"I am asking leaders to forge religious tolerance to ensure the country remains united as it goes to the referendum," added Kalonzo.

The choice of Mombasa – the first joint rally by the Big Three outside Nairobi – is not accidental. The Proposed Constitution is at the heart of coast residents for three principle reasons.

It lies on the ten-mile strip where founding President Kenyatta, the Sultan of Zanzibar, and the colonial government signed an agreement to allow Kadhi Courts to operate. It is also the province with the highest population of Muslims.

Further, few places in Kenya are likely to reap more radical and far-reaching benefits from the Proposed Constitution than the Coast. If it passes, the draft has provisions (Chapter 5) for creation of the National Land Commission, vested with powers to review all historical land claims and recommend actions for redress. Millions of coastal people are squatters on their ancestral lands, after colonial government granted title deeds to Arab, over a century ago.

Arrived on foot

And their attendance at Saturday’s rally was telling. Residents started arriving from 7am, and enjoyed the cloudy weather before the meeting ended with a light drizzle.

Most of the people arrived on foot and continued thronging the venue even as the rally ended shortly before 5pm.

To emphasise on the crucial Muslim vote during the referendum, the first speakers lined were Coast supreme Council of Kenya Muslims officials Sheikh Muhdhar Khitamy and the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya national organising secretary Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa who commended the two principals for defending Kadhi Courts.

One of the secretariat co-chairmen Kiraitu Murungi said their independent survey had showed that 75 per cent of Kenyans would vote for the document.

"Our survey shows that 75 per cent of Kenyans will vote ‘Yes’ to the Proposed Constitution," Mr Murungi said.

Raila took the occasion to announce that the ‘Yes’ team would conduct a major funds drive to ensure adequate cash to finance its referendum campaigns.

Do not insult us

Raila advised the ‘No’ team not to insult those supporting the draft.

Raila and Internal Security Minister George Saitoti clarified the Provincial Administration would not be scrapped.

Instead, they said the provincial administrators would be deployed in counties and the central government.

"The Provincial Administration comprises civil servants who are employed on permanent and pensionable terms and should not panic about the fate of their jobs," Raila said.

The Cabinet ministers who attended the rally included, Saitoti, Fred Gumo, Joseph Nyagah, Nyong’o, Murungi, Franklin Bett, and Amason Kingi.

Cabinet minister, Najib Balala did not attend but sent his apologies through the Kisauni MP, Hassan Joho. Balala is on an official trip to Argentina.