President Uhuru Kenyatta with ODM leader Raila Odinga during the
memorial and thanksgiving service for the late Kenneth Matiba at Ihura
Stadium, Murang'a County, on April 26, 2018. Leaders are asking the
President to provide a reform agenda after putting aside political
differences with Mr Odinga. PHOTO | PSCU
Pressure is mounting on President Uhuru Kenyatta to use his
State of the Nation address on Tuesday to unveil an elaborate reforms
agenda around his handshake deal with opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Leaders
said seven weeks after the two leaders shook hands on the steps of
Harambee House, the effects and the likely direction the deal will take
has become one of wide speculations with no tangible deliverables.
“The
State of the Nation address on Tuesday should dedicate a full page for a
roadmap on the handshake. We ought to have a formula and timeliness
where expected legislation changes to the Constitution through a
referendum or parliamentary initiative should take place,” said Wiper
vice-chairman Mutula Kilonzo Jr.
INITIATIVE
While
he could not confirm whether the Kalonzo Musyoka-led Wiper party will
be involved in the team as has been reported, the Makueni senator said
such an initiative will be welcome.
“The wider the circle, the better. We will, in the end, reduce bottlenecks and drawbacks.”
Mr
Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) chairman John Mbadi said the
team should have been unveiled before the end of April.
“President
Kenyatta and Hon Raila Odinga should move with speed to come up with
the roadmap, and the team for the handshake,” said Mr Mbadi.
“We
have two assignments right now: Fixing the electoral commission, and
looking at the 20 per cent of the Constitution which we said we will
look at, and now is the time. We can decide to use the handshake team to
lead the process.”
REFERENDUM
ODM’s
director of elections Junet Mohamed said while it could not be said for
sure that the team and the structure will be unveiled during the
address, that the team will work on changes to the Constitution was not
in doubt.
“The team has the clear
mandate of looking at ways to make the country cohesive, and if a
constitutional referendum is one of them, so be it,” Mr Mohamed said.
Both
President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga defended the deal during Thursday’s
memorial service for the late multi-party icon Kenneth Matiba, saying
nothing will stop them from ensuring its success.
CLARIFICATION
“I
know some people were not happy with the handshake, some in my camp.
They thrive in commotion. We want people who thrive in peace,” President
Kenyatta said, in the clearest indication yet that he was willing to
shrug off even his friends to ensure the success of the deal. He
explained: “I will continue walking with Raila, those willing to go with
us should join us. They should seek any clarification they want from us
and not plot behind our backs.”
Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi asked Kenyans to be patient with the two leaders to roll out the programme.
However,
he said, when it is set up, its work should encompass the re-looking of
the Constitution and the “fixing” of the Independent Electoral and
Boundaries Commission.
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