Wajir, Mandera leaders support Uhuru’s call denouncing constitutional change

President Uhuru Kenyatta has denounced the proposed constitutional change.

GARISSA—Leaders from North Eastern Kenya have expressed their support for President Uhuru Kenyatta after he declared that he doesn’t support constitutional change.

The leaders said the country was just from a long electioneering period since mid last year.

On her Twitter, the Women Representative of Wajir County, Fatuma Gedi welcomed the call, adding it was not necessary to call for constitutional change.

“We support President Uhuru’s move to denounce the unnecessary constitutional change,” she said.

She added that the country, “Will focus on the delivery of the Big Four agenda.”

Majority Leader Aden has similarly welcomed the President’s move, saying Jubilee would now focus on service delivery.

Mandera governor Ali Roba and his senate counterpart, Mohamed Nur said the planned constitutional change would water down the spirit of devolution.

“How will it help us if the resources are taken back to Garissa?” Roba posed.

President Kenyatta says he does not back changes to Constitution.

While meeting the private sector, President emphasised he does not have time to run around the country asking people to support changing the Constitution instead of working to deliver on the promises he made to Kenyans.

“I have no time to run around telling people to change the Constitution. It won’t solve the problems we have. But  engaging with the private sector on manufacturing like we are doing (I) will,” President Kenyatta said.

President Kenyatta was speaking at State House, Nairobi, during a follow-up meeting to last week’s 8th Presidential Round Table Forum that brought together stakeholders from government and the Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA).

On corruption, the Head of State said the vice will be fought ruthlessly but also warned that those who malign other on social media will not be spared.

“We are going to deal ruthlessly with corruption both real and perceived,” President Kenyatta said.

The President urged stakeholders in the manufacturing to join hands in growing the sector from 8 to 15 per cent within four years.

He expressed the need for increased consultation between the government and the private sector in order realise the goal of rejuvenating the manufacturing sector which forms part of his Big for agenda for creating more quality jobs for Kenyans.

“The whole purpose of this meeting is not blame games. The aim is to see how together as a nation and as Government – the executive, the legislature and the judiciary – we can join hands constructively with the private sector to enhance manufacturing and create jobs,” President Kenyatta said.

He emphasized that the main job of the Government is to cultivate an enabling environment so that private sector can create jobs.

“That is why I wanted MPs to listen, and to hear what the concerns of the private sector are. I also want MPs to raise issues of what they feel needs to be done,” President Kenyatta told the meeting that was also attended by Members of Parliament, captains of industry and government officials.

The President said his key focus is to create linkages between big industries and the small industries so as to accelerate the growth of the manufacturing sector.

He called for a concerted effort to make the manufacturing sector competitive, saying Kenya is not an island and has to compete both regionally and at the global arena.