Amos Kareithi
13 November 2005
Nairobi — Two weeks to the referendum, daggers are drawn in President Kibaki's Nyeri backyard, and the Banana camp is yet to hold any significant campaigns.
Some MPs and civic leaders are wondering about the fate of the Sh200, 000 set aside for each constituency by the Banana secretariat for mobilisation.
Residents have been treated to acrimonious exchanges among leaders with rallies being called off. In some instances, political rivals have planned parallel meetings, only to call them off.
A week ago, after sensing the hostility among elected leaders, President Kibaki sent the First Lady Lucy Kibaki to the troubled area.
In campaigns that took her to all divisions in the district, except Tetu, the First Lady asked locals to support the Banana camp as leaders fell over each other to be counted as supporting her.
It was not lost on Nyeri residents that the First Lady arrived in a military jet, sometimes used by the President.
Doubling as a compassionate mother and a 'Yes' campaigner, Lucy visited children's homes and maternity wards in hospitals where she donated equipment and money.
She also hit out at opponents of the Banana camp when she stopped to greet people in Nyeri, Karatina, Othaya, Mukurweini and Kieni.
But as Lucy was visiting health institutions, Narc activist, Mary Wambui, was receiving Kanu leaders supporting the proposed constitution.
It was not lost on observers that the two women had their functions on the same day, October 31, at the same time, but different venues.
Before the two women electrified the area with their campaigns, Nyeri had been abnormally quite.
Long before the Banana camp side set up a secretariat in Nairobi to co-ordinate national campaigns, bad blood had emerged between Transport minister Dr Chris Murungaru and three area MPs.
The enmity arose after Murungaru appeared to support some district's DP officials, who are former MPs.
Murungaru, who is viewed as the senior-most local politician after President Kibaki, began planning meetings with logistical help from former MPs Matu Wamae (Mathira) Muhika Mutahi, (Mukurweini) and Gikonyo Muya (Tetu).
The former MPs who still call the shots in DP were given the mandate to determine who would attend key political meetings in the district. MPs Nderitu Gachagua (Mathira), Mutahi Kagwe (Mukurweini) and Tetus Prof Wangari Maathai were enraged. The MPs distanced themselves from the minister's meetings. Murungaru had insisted that he has President Kibaki's authority to unite the district.
The MPs accused Murungaru of plotting their downfall by working with the people they defeated in 2002.
When Murungaru called a meeting at Outspan Hotel two months ago to plan how to mobilise the district's 360,000 voters to support the Banana camp, only one MP attended. Nyeri Town MP PG Mureithi on sensing the rift between his colleagues offered to arbitrate, saying they were letting the President and their electorate down.
Former Nyeri Town MP, Wanyiri Kihoro, has distanced himself from Banana campaigns, saying he would not follow any camp blindly.
Murungaru has on three occasions attempted to organise rallies in each of the district's constituencies, including Othaya, but has met with strong resistance.
The other leaders feel he has no mandate to organise the rallies, as he is not a member of the national secretariat in charge of national campaigns.
On October 19, Gachagua organised a civic education session in his constituency and invited Water minister Martha Karua who said Murungaru had no basis organising 'Yes' rallies.
Political differences and voter apathy could diminish the numerical strength of the 'Yes' side, saying it is imperative that all leaders convince locals to vote.
Kagwe is unhappy with his rivals' attempts to hold rallies in his constituency without his involvement. It is against this background that some rallies were cancelled. Each MP is organising meetings without involving others.
Last weekend a Tetu 2007 aspirant, DK Munene, organised a caravan to signify the start of 'Yes' campaigns in Tetu.
But the banners were found in Wamagana, which is outside Tetu.
Prof Maathai who has declined to take sides was boxed into a corner, as some leaders demanded that she supports the Banana side.
At one point, some leaders tried to force Maathai to eat a banana to symbolise her acceptance of the draft but she declined.
She has declared that she is ready to lose her seat rather than take sides in the debate, which is divisive.
She says the referendum is not a do or die matter and Kenyans need not behave like suicide.
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