Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga on Saturday hit out at ODM leader Raila Odinga saying the former Prime Minister is against a non-contested referendum because he is intent on dividing the nation into winners and losers.
Through a tweet, Omanga said it is possible to have a non-contested referendum, urging Kenyans to resist Odinga’s call.
“A non-contested referendum is possible. So when someone claims it is impossible it speaks volumes about his intentions and urge to divide the nation into winners and losers.
“This is what we must deny him,” she wrote.
Speaking on Friday while receiving 5.2 million signatures in support of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) document, Raila said voters should be allowed to decide at the ballot.
“I am not aware of a referendum that has no opposing sides. There is nothing like a non-contested referendum. Referendum by its nature must have those opposing it and those supporting it,” he said.
Raila said voters should be allowed to make independent decisions without political intimidation and threats.
He told those opposed to the proposals to do so without trying to blackmail those in support.
“Let the ballot decide; if you have the numbers, we shall accept defeat and you should also be ready to accept if we defeat you,” Raila said.
Ruto has insisted that there is still room for consensus on some of the contested clauses even after signature collection had been launched, saying the process should not be reduced to a Yes and No contest.
On Wednesday, Ruto called for a multi-choice referendum that he wants to be conducted alongside the 2022 General Election.
He said that a multiple question referendum would allow voters to participate in the process without necessarily backing or rejecting the entire document.
Jubilee Party Vice-Chairman David Murathe, however, strongly disagreed with Ruto’s proposal for a multi-choice question referendum.
Speaking during an interview on KTN Prime, Murathe said the DP’s idea suggests Kenyans are not intelligent enough to decipher the constitutional amendments proposed by the BBI report.
“In politics, you can never have a referendum or a contest which is a consensus contest. It has to be the majority have their way and the minority have their say.
“In this case, people have read and this document is in the public domain…people are intelligent enough to go for it or to go against it,” he said.
