Dozens of activists gathered in Nairobi Thursday said the clamour for constitutional changes by the ruling class could be detrimental if Kenyans allow leaders’ interests to prevail.
Without a clear strategy in Kenya to end impunity that is in our systems we will remain silent and our world will remain as it is or we will take forever to have something new and a new Kenya .#KenyaTuitakayo
Tusipo anza sai…our kids don’t have a future pic.twitter.com/rr9IupFVk3— kaviti_stellah?? (@stellah_kaviti) October 11, 2018
While launching a campaign dubbed ‘Kenya Tuitakayo’ (The Kenya we want), the activists called upon Kenyans to rise and fight against impunity as well as claim political and economic freedom.
“The talk on the change of the constitution is one that may take us back from where we came from,” said Njeri Kabeberi, Greenpeace Africa executive director on Thursday during the launch of ‘Kenya Tuitakayo’ movement in Nairobi.
George Kegoro, the executive director of Kenya Human Rights Commission said if there must a change of the Constitution, it must be consultative.
In proclaiming this charter, we the people of Kenya pledge to invest all our energy to ensure that our country, our government and all its institutions and our elected and appointed officials work for the people in accordance with our constitution#KenyaTuitakayo pic.twitter.com/a18n34Zwo5
— Maskani Ya Taifa?? (@Maskani254) October 11, 2018
“We do not oppose a referendum, we support a consultative and involved process of identifying the problems that we face as well as the solutions.
“A referendum is a tool, it is not a solution. Solutions cannot be found unless the problems are identified and agreed on,” he said.
In his remarks, Inuka Kenya CEO John Githongo said the Constitution is, “is a tool Kenyans use to control the elite.”
Mr Githongo said “the struggle against impunity” is the most urgent for Kenyans.
“We have two types of impunity that are worrying, economic impunity and political impunity. There is mismanagement of national resources as politicians seek to advance themselves politically,” he said.
The ‘Kenya Tuitakayo’ movement aims at provoking Kenyans to take back leadership and resources, according to its founders.
“There are no messiahs in Kenya, we are our own messiahs,” said Mr Kegoro.
Some of the agendas which the movements aim revolve around national resources, inclusivity and youth.