Nairobi — The constitutional review is today facing the crunch as delegates gather for a pivotal vote at the Bomas of Kenya on the compromise hammered out by the Bishop Sulumeti committee.

The weekend was marked by intense lobbying as key leaders from all sides of the political spectrum sent out emissaries to regional blocs of delegates at various Nairobi hotels.

Some delegates claimed that senior politicians were offering them cash if they voted for the Sulumeti report.

"We have vowed to remain true to Wanjiku and represent her to the bitter end. If it means the conference will be disbanded because of this, so be it," said a delegate from Coast province who pleaded for anonymity. Bomas III is expected to close by Friday to pave the way for the reopening of Parliament on March 23.

On Friday, a consensus building committee chaired by Catholic Bishop Philip Sulumeti presented the delegates with a way out of the impasse over the contentious proposals on the office of Executive Prime Minister.

It suggested that the President retain executive power as both Head of State and Government.

The Prime Minister will be appointed by the President from the party or grouping of parties enjoying a majority in Parliament. He or she will be Leader of Government business in Parliament.

The committee recommended that the levels of Government in a devolved system be set at three, instead of four as outlined in the draft constitution.

The compromise position was officially supported by all the main political parties, including the feuding National Alliance Party of Kenya (NAK) and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) wings of Narc, Ford Kenya, as well as the Official Opposition, Kanu.

But there were fears that some key leaders might go behind the agreement to mobilise delegates against the proposal.

Meeting separately in Nairobi on Friday at the Meridian Court Hotel and Stanley Hotel, respectively, delegates from Rift Valley and Nyanza provinces vowed to vote out the recommendations of the Sulumeti report.

But North Eastern Province delegates meeting yesterday at the Impala Hotel resolved to support the report.

Their press conference was attended by three assistant ministers - Mr Njeru Githae (Justice and Constitutional Affairs) Mr Petkay Miriti (Trade and Industry) and Mr Joshua Toro (Roads and Housing).

A meeting organised by Central Kenya delegates, to which delegates from Coast Province and Eastern Province were invited, was scheduled to be held at the Silver Springs Hotel last night.

Former ruling party Kanu was also having its own meeting at SixEighty Hotel.

On a tour of Western Kenya, Regional Development Minister Musikari Kombo, who is also the chairman of Ford Kenya, declared his party's support for the Sulumeti report.

But a member of the Liberal Democratic Party wing of the ruling coalition, assistant minister for Lands Orwa Ojode, vowed that the party would work to block the proposals.

An influential Kanu MP William Ruto, also said the former ruling party did not support the report.

In Kaloleni, assistant Minister Kivutha Kibwana appealed to Mr Raila Odinga, the Minister for Roads, Public Works and Housing, to rally Bomas delegates behind the Sulumeti recommendation.

Mr Odinga is seen as one of the key LDP leaders lobbying for the post of executive Prime Minister.

Saying that the minister exercised great influence on a large number of delegates who voted according to his instructions, Prof Kibwana asked Mr Odinga to tell his supporters to vote for the compromise position.

However, Wundanyi MP Mwandawiro Mganga, who was present at the same meeting, sharply disagreed. He insisted that no compromise had been reached at Bomas, and warned that the sharp differences that remain, particularly over devolution, would be demonstrated today.

"Nothing has happened yet. Just wait to see what becomes of the issue on Monday," he warned, predicting that the Sulumeti recommendation would be rejected by the conference.

Mr Mwandawiro said Kenyans were opposed to the concentration of power under the hands of an individual and would like such powers distributed. He accused some unnamed forces of trying to hijack the constitutional making process from Kenyans.

Yesterday, some of the Bomas delegates speaking at Nairobi's SixEighty hotel said they had been assured that the conference would be extended if they were agreeable.

But if they dug in and refused to accept the report, the conference would be disbanded and they would be sent home immediately.

However, the delegates said they would not agree to be bribed, and would go ahead to vote out the Sulumeti report.

At the Impala Hotel yesterday, former Mandera Central MP Adan Noor led the North Eastern Province delegates in favour of a retaining the executive presidency with a non-executive prime minister.

"We cannot keep quiet as the delegates seek to create two centres of power which will destroy the country," he said in a statement by the leaders.

He added: "We cannot continue talking about negotiating peace in Somalia when we are locally creating a similar situation."

Mr Mohammed Saleh, a coordinator of the North Kenya Caucus, claimed that the current tug of war among the delegates implied a crisis in Narc.

"There is some kind of a coup in Narc. It is time for the government to take action (and restore order at the talks).

Mr Githae asked all delegates to vote for the consensus report and have a constitution in place before June.

"I am happy the North Eastern team has set the pace for other delegates. Let all other delegates support the consensus report so we have a constitution by June or even next week," he said.

He said all the main political leaders including Mr Odinga, Mr Kombo, Mrs Charity Ngilu and the leader of the Opposition Uhuru Kenyatta had been instrumental in striking the consensus deal.

The Central Organisation of Trade Unions also pledged to support for the Sulumeti report. Addressing a press conference at Solidarity House, in Nairobi, Secretary-General Francis Atwoli said Cotu has always been for an executive presidency, where a popularly elected President has the powers to hire and fire public servants, including the Cabinet.

"We cannot allow a situation where there are two centres of power as it would be a recipe for anarchy," Mr Atwoli said.

He, however, threatened to mobilise delegates against the report unless the needs of workers were taken care of in the final draft.

At the SixEighty Hotel yesterday, several delegates form various parts of the country claimed they had been offered an extra two-week allowance - a total of Sh49,000 each - if they voted for the Sulumeti report.

Delegates are paid a weekly allowance of Sh 24,500, in addition free accommodation, meals and transport.

"As far as we know, we have until March 31 so if we are offered money for the two weeks, we shall take it!" some of the delegates, who did not want to be identified, told the Nation.

Reported by Muriithi Muriuki, Claire Gatheru, Samuel Siringi, William Orende, Ngumbao Kithi and George Munene