President
Uhuru Kenyatta who is in New York where he attended a UN General Assembly
meeting has challenged those calling for the constitutional amendment to tell
Kenyans what they want changed. The Head of State maintains that Kenya’s
constitution is one of the most progressive in the world which needs to be
implemented fully.
The President said those calling for a review of the Constitution should spare Kenyans the unnecessary costs and disruption of development.“Leave our Constitution alone because it is the most progressive and let us implement it to benefit Kenyans,” the President said. He spoke when he met Kenyans in the US who had invited him and the First Lady Margaret to a reception at the Lowell Memorial Hall.
The
President said Kenyans struggled for a new Constitution since 1992 and want to
see it implemented fully. “We will overcome any challenges in the Constitution
as we continue with its implementation and strengthen our institutions,” said
the President.
He
said Governors should explain to Kenyans why they need more money when they
have been unable to utilise what was allocated to their administrations during
the last financial year.
“Do
you want more money so that you distribute it to your friends and cronies
instead of building the right institutions and honestly serving the public?.
Let us be serious,” the President said.
President
Kenyatta said the public should ask those asking for a referendum why they want
to change a Constitution, which is better in comparison to those of the
strongest nations in the world and whose implementation started less than two
years ago.
“You
don’t change what has not been implemented just the same way you don’t start
building a good house and destroy it when it is midway to build a new one,” he
said.
President
Kenyatta also took a swipe at Governors who are demanding for more financial
allocations to counties.
He
said the Governors were wasting time and resources agitating for more money
when they have not even put in place the necessary structures in Counties for
which they have been funded.
“First
put the right structures in place, help to build the economy and provide
Kenyans the services you are required to,” said President Kenyatta to a
rapturous applause.
“The
political class owes Kenyans an apology because it has not done what it is
supposed to do,” he said.
He
called on Kenyans to use their diversity as strength instead of using it
negatively against each other.
He
also told Kenyans to cherish the human capital of their country and asked those
in the Diaspora to use their skills to support business back at home.
The
President said instead of waiting for economic salvation through recently
discovered petroleum resources, Kenya will continue harnessing its human resource
capital, which has seen it compete effectively with other nations.
The
Mayor of Lowell Rodney Elliot, who attended and addressed the meeting,
presented a symbolic key to the city to President Kenyatta.
“We
have many Kenyans who have made Lowell their home. We welcome you, we cherish
you and we are happy to have you as part of the community here,” he said.
Mayor
Elliot thanked the President for visiting Lowell and informed him that the
large population of Kenyans in the town was making positive contributions.
The
Mayor also congratulated First Lady Margaret Kenyatta for her efforts to
improve maternal and child health as well as conservation of elephants.
The
First Lady’s efforts to improve maternal and child health was also celebrated
by other speakers pledging to continue supporting her ‘Beyond Zero’ campaign.
Ms
Cathy Wachira, who was one of the speakers, invited the First Lady to
participate in the Boston Marathon next year.
The
First Lady thanked Kenyans in Lowell and other cities of Massachusetts including
Boston for supporting her campaign and also requested them to provide more
support for efforts to conserve elephants, which she is also championing.
The
meeting was also addressed by Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Ambassador
Amina Mohamed.
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