There will be a referendum! Atwoli dares DP Ruto to walk out of Government

Central Organizing of Trade Unions (COTU-K) Secretary general Francis Atwoli. [File, Standard]

The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has dared Deputy President William Ruto to walk out of Government if he does not support the proposed constitutional amendments through a referendum.

Speaking exclusively to KTN News, on Monday 24th December 2018, Atwoli said majority of Kenyan leaders including President Uhuru Kenyatta are pushing for a more inclusive government that requires constitutional amendments that can be approved through a referendum.

 “If you don’t want it and as a deputy President, what you can do is what Jaramogi Oginga Odinga did in 1966, you just walk out of government,” said Atwoli, referring to Deputy President William Ruto.

Atwoli has advised Ruto to form his own team to oppose the proposed referendum and Kenyans will decide whether to pass it or not.

According to Atwoli, a referendum will yield a more inclusive government that can bring all Kenyans on board to ensure nobody dies, gets hurt or loses property because of elections. “For us to have peaceful elections we must revisit our constitution particularly in the area of governance, so that this issue of whoever wins takes it all is rejected by Kenyans,” said Atwoli.

He said President Kenyatta is still young and can still participate actively in the leadership of the country after serving his two terms; if a referendum is held to create new positions that can allow him (Kenyatta) serve Kenyans in a different capacity.

“I have travelled to many parts of the country and majority of Kenyans say they want a referendum and Kenyans are going to 2022 elections under new arrangements, under new clauses on governance in the constitutions and nobody will oppose it,” he continued, “If the deputy President is dissatisfied with these proposed amendments to the new constitution as a gentlemen, he can simply walk away.”

President Kenyatta appeared to endorse the push for a referendum during his recent tour in the Nyanza region.

Kenyatta said a “winner-takes-all" system of government must be abolished if Kenya is to avoid election-related violence, emphasizing on the need to change the constitution to ensure election losers get something.

The President said it was necessary to have a government structure that accommodates even election losers to avoid bitterness among Kenyans that has triggered post-poll violence.

Deputy President William Ruto has told off supporters of the referendum, saying there is no need to change the Kenyan constitution only to create more leadership positions for the benefit of a few individuals.

Speaking during the homecoming party for Sirisia MP John Waluke on Sunday, 23^rd December 2018, Ruto said some of the proposals in the referendum include merging some constituencies, reducing the number of counties and creating positions for a few politicians.

The Deputy President laughed off plans of referendum, saying that leaders organizing for it are only day dreaming.

ODM leader Raila Odinga has been insisting that the push for a referendum vote is unstoppable while asking politicians opposed to the constitutional amendments to allow Kenyans determine their destiny.

According to Raila, nobody can stop an idea whose time has come and the time for amending Kenya’s new constitution has come. The ODM leader has been supporting the referendum push while emphasizing that even the best constitutions around the world are reviewed after some time.

Nominated Senator Isaac Mwaura has also given reasons why he supports a referendum. The nominated Senator has said constitutional changes are needed to create positions of Prime Minister and two deputies, reduce the number of counties to 15 or 16 as per Bomas draft, constitutional formula of capping state borrowing, strengthening of the Senate as the upper house, among many more reasons.

Supporters of referendum talk of radical amendments, including creating Prime Minister’s position, other executive positions and a Parliamentary system of government.