Mining Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has claimed that the push for a referendum by Cord leaders is a ploy to derail the Jubilee administration.
Mr Balala said opposition leaders Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula are pressing for a referendum to force President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government to put on hold important businesses and concentrate on preparing for a plebiscite.
He noted that the current constitution is the best for the country and urged the opposition to join hands with the government in ensuring its proper implementation to ensure that devolution works.
“Kenyans went to elections in 2013 and the opposition should spare them going through referendum campaigns which have enormous economic consequences” said Mr Balala.
He was speaking at the Coast General Hospital where he condoled with the family of the deceased Kaya elder Pekeshe Ndeje, who died at 91 after a long battle with diabetes.
Mr Balala said it was time Kenyans forged unity and peace to foster development.
“The government business must go on and the opposition should ensure that we are delivering quality services to Kenyans instead of plotting over a referendum to settle political scores with the government,” he said.
The cabinet secretary said the push for referendum should be rejected by Kenyans since it will be an expensive and divisive affair.
Mr Balala at the same time welcomed President Kenyatta’s revocation of title deeds of 500,000 acres that were issued in dubious circumstances in the restive Lamu County.
He said the revocation of the title deeds should be extended to other coastal counties such as Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale that experienced similar land grabs since independence.
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