• DP Ruto says the process to amend the Constitution should be all-inclusive and involve all Kenyans in a national dialogue.
• He said Kenyans should speak to each other on the matter without creating divisive camps.
Deputy President William Ruto on Tuesday tore into ODM leader Raila Odinga and accused him of using the referendum debate to divide Kenyans
He urged Kenyans to ignore leaders who want to take advantage of calls for a referendum to amend the Constitution as a route to create division, hatred and confusion in the country.
Addressing wananchi outside Kapsabet Referral Hospital after launching a CT Scan, Ruto said Jubilee would not allow some i so as to achieve their selfish ends.
“Some leaders should stop blackmail and threats. We will not give you the opportunity to divide the country,” he said. He added, “When BBI puts across their proposals, we will engage in a sober debate. We will not accept the spirit of tsunami that divides this country again,” Ruto saod.
Opposition chief Raila Odinga on Sunday warned that Ruto and his Tangatanga group will be swept into political oblivion.
On Saturday, President Uhuru officially threw his weight behind the forthcoming law changes as the Building Bridges Initiative finalises its report.
“If there is anything wrong with the Constitution, or any other law, we need to sit down and see how best we can rectify it,” President Kenyatta said on Saturday during the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the CITAM Church.
On Tuesday Ruto said matters pertaining to the Constitution were weighty and required the input of all Kenyans.
“We want to ensure that as a nation, whatever is going to be proposed, in any format, does not create losers or winners," Ruto said.
For months, some of Ruto’s close associates have advised him against opposing a powerful pro-referendum movement too close to the 2022 General Elections.
A post-referendum backlash would trigger major political realignments, they argued, which would likely to pose a major hurdle to Ruto's presidential bid should he lose the contest.
The country’s political VIPs have all closed ranks and are supporting constitutional changes to enhance, among other things, inclusivity.
BACKLASH
A post-referendum backlash would trigger major political realignments, they argued, which would likely to pose a major hurdle to Ruto's presidential bid should he lose the contest.
The country’s political VIPs have all closed ranks and are supporting constitutional changes to enhance, among other things, inclusivity.
Political leaders including Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Moses Wetang'ula (Ford Kenya) and Gideon Moi (Kanu) all have said they will support the public vote.
Ruto — who has often described the expansion of the executive as a trick to create jobs for election losers — was present as Kenyatta spoke.
The DP and his allies have often laughed off the BBI team created by the March 9 handshake between Raila and Uhuru.
In 2005, the Orange side led by Raila used the 2005 plebiscite as a springboard to unseat then-President Mwai Kibaki.
The Orange symbol used during the plebiscite was turned into a political vehicle —the Orange Democratic Movement — with nearly all 'no' luminaries being part of the anti-Kibaki crusade.
Kibaki survived by a whisker but the country was plunged into chaos that resulted in a power-sharing deal brokered by international mediators.
The President’s Saturday comments were triggered by CITAM’s Presiding Bishop David Oginde, who urged him to find alternative ways of dealing with ethnicity, corruption and other evils, without necessarily changing the Constitution.
But Uhuru said there was nothing wrong in doing away with bad laws while upholding good ones
“You can’t just sit on your laurels and hope that manna will fall from heaven,” the President said. “If there are thorns in our Constitution or even our laws, let’s remove them because not all leaders will do as they say.”
“Our only safeguard is a Constitution that stands and protects all 45 million Kenyans. The only act of ingenuity that remains is for us to sit down and look at the laws and rectify them.”
The President’s stand despite pressure from the church was the clearest signal that a plebiscite is in the offing.
Yesterday, Ruto took a swipe at Raila for claiming those opposed to the plebiscite will be swept away by a tsunami.
“There will be no tsunami, those threatening others of dire consequences will be shocked because Kenyans know what is good for them and this time around it will be a win-win situation,” Ruto said.
He hit out at Raila, describing him as a prophet of doom.
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“Jubilee rejects the tsunami bravado hubris and threats by those pushing for the divisive winners vs losers debate on BBI. We will encourage sober, inclusive and objective citizen conversation on all proposals to ensure the views of all Kenyans count to create a win-win outcome,” he later tweeted.
Ruto said core business of BBI is to ensure there will never be chaos in Kenya after every general election as witnessed in the past.
“The spirit of BBI is not meant to threaten anyone but rest assured that this time around it will be a total victory for each one, but not to whip others as has been predicted by my friend [Raila],” Ruto added.
Speaking in Kibera on Saturday, Raila said Ruto and his Tangatanga brigade will be swept away by the political storm and dumped into the sea.
“I have looked at the sky and seen clouds. It is a sign that the rains will soon start pounding. There are winds, strong winds moving from East to West and North to South. It will carry all the rubbish of Tangatanga to the sea,”Raila stated.