PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE YES – YES REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN

This is to inform you all that the umbrella body of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Kenya, the National Civil Society Congress (NCSC), will launch the “Yes – Yes Referendum on the Constitution” Campaign at a Press Conference at Serena Hotel, on Sunday 20th September 2009, from 10.30am to 11.30am. The Congress believes that the Yes – Yes Referendum position, first proposed in 2008 and shared with various stakeholder groups including the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitution Review, and the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs and Administration of Justice, is the only way Kenyans can avoid a repeat of the 2005 referendum deadlock. This position is further grounded in disagreements between the main political formations – the Party of National Unity (PNU) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) – over which system of government to adopt, with each party pushing for what is assumed to be in its advantage. What might serve Kenyans best seems to be of no consequence. The continued wrangles between some of the members of the Committee of Experts on Constitution Review (CoE) also make this the only viable option. The Congress will also speak on various issues facing the nation (discussed during the Congress retreat) including the following: · The controversy over the conservation of the Mau Forest Complex · Parliament’s rejection of the re-appointment of Justice Aaron Ringera as Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) as illegal · Contestation over the formation and composition of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) Yours Sincerely Morris Odhiambo President, NCSC (0722-303349)