Participants at the launch of Kenya's draft constitution on 17 November 2009. (Photo Courtesy Pheobe Okall/Nation)

Nairobi — Parliament has urged Justice minister Mutula Kilonzo to move with speed and table the necessary amendments to safeguard the national referendum process that will allow Kenyans to vote on the proposed new Constitution.

Sports and Youth Affairs Assistant minister Kabando wa Kabando said the country was moving on a very tight schedule and the Ministry should hurry and introduce the necessary amendments for a referendum law to prevent anti-constitutional elements from moving to court to block the exercise.

"There are rumours that there is a group that plans to move to court to block the referendum because we don't have a referendum law, so the minister should move fast and introduce the various amendments needed," he said.

MPs also raised concern over availability of funds for use on civic education programmes , the referendum exercise and other Agenda 4 programmes as they debated the Appropriations Bill Tuesday.

Mr Danson Mungatana (Garsen, Narc-Kenya) said Parliament expected huge funds to be allocated towards expenditure of actual civic education programmes and the national referendum exercise.

"This is because all Kenyans want to see this Constitution succeed and we want to see these things in black and white where the funds have been provided for," the MP said.

Mr Kabando wondered whether the funds allocated to the Ministry of Justice towards the constitutional review process was adequate for the national referendum exercise and voter registration in 208 constituencies.

"We don't have registered voters and if the referendum is to be real we need more allocation to carry out the exercise," he said.

The MP urged politicians to desist from politicising the exercise and give the draft constitution a chance to sail through saying it was time got a new Constitution.

"Please give us a break from continuously commenting on the draft which you haven't even read through," he cautioned.

The MP said some people had already decided to sabotage the exercise. "Some of us want a new Constitution, there can never be a perfect Constitution and we should stop these emotions when debating on the draft," he appealed.

Mr Kabando said all Kenyans stand to gain if a compromised Constitution is reached.