Referendum debate is now an issue of when and not if, this comes at a time when more divisions are being seen in the country.
Two factions have already emerged in the country, one that supports the whole referendum thing and the other that is totally against it.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga and his team plus supporters are for the referendum while DP William Ruto has time and again criticized the referendum push calling it unwarranted and unnecessary.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on the other hand is in an uncomfortable spot as the referendum debate seem to gain momentum by day. His main worry is that the politicking around the exercise might derail his development projects that he hopes to complete before 2022 as his legacy.
The president has tried many strategies to prevent campaigns before his term ends including the appointment of Interior CS Fred Matiang’i as the point man in the development projects.
Such campaigns would possibly drive the country into tense moods that could turn volatile and delay projects.
Especially, the implementation of the Big 4 Agenda would be at risk because the time left before 2022 is even short to achieve them.
In a roadside address to Kitengela residents, Uhuru criticized DP Ruto’s tangatanga team and their involvement in public spats that would divide citizens.
The reality of the referendum, however, gets more serious day by day. More leaders are embracing the call for the exercise that will have Kenyans vote to change sections of the constitution.
A referendum would be expensive business for the country especially if it is hotly contested
On the other hand, the resources required to campaign and convince supporters would mean that government projects would almost certainly halt.
Majority Leader Aden Duale says a referendum is bad for the country as it would make it extremely difficult for the Jubilee administration to deliver election promises.
Well, on the hand the referendum offers Uhuru an opportunity to expand the Kenyatta business expire with little or no public outcry as majority will be focusing on politics thus a good diversion tactic.
