NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 29 – The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has now told retired President Daniel Moi to respect the Presidency.
The Chairman of the NCIC Mzalendo Kibunjia said the recent spat between President Mwai Kibaki and Mr Moi undermined the cohesion, integration and re-conciliation efforts they are aiming to achieve.
"It is very important that when we create institutions whether it is constituency or presidency we must give them the respect there due. It is very important that as an ordinary citizen whether you are a retired president or individual that you respect those institutions," he said.
Mr Kibunjia said at a media briefing on Thursday that the two leaders should refrain from statements that would bring tension in the ongoing referendum campaigns.
There has been concern that the row could raise tensions between the supporters of the two leaders.
He said: "We are concerned when we have two senior citizens of this country talking against each other. These people have great following in the country and it could jeopardise the peace process. So we urge caution that they refrain from statements that are likely to exacerbate tension that already exist due to this proposed Constitution."
The former President on Wednesday hit back at his successor President Kibaki over the ongoing referendum campaigns telling the President that he has no moral authority to criticise the No campaign against the proposed Constitution since he failed to deliver a new law within 100 days of coming into power in 2002.
The elder statesman was responding to President Kibaki\’s criticism on Tuesday where he accused Mr Moi of frustrating the enactment of a new Constitution yet he failed to deliver one during his 24-year reign.
Livestock Assistant minister Aden Duale has also joined the debate and asked the National Cohesion and Integration Commission to step in and stop the war of words between the two leaders.
He wondered why the retired Head of State found it difficult to accord the same respect he received during his reign.
"The reform agenda that we are going through is within the mandate of President Kibaki, and retired President Moi like any other citizen has all the right to freely associate, to free comment but Moi must respect the Presidency under President Kibaki. That is the bottom line," he said.
On Tuesday, President Kibaki while at a campaign rally for the proposed Constitution in Embu advised the retired President to cool his heels and allow the passage of the proposed Constitution.
A day later the retired President hit back at his successor accusing him of failing to fulfill his pre-election promise of delivering a constitution in 100 days.
President Kibaki who made a veiled onslaught on the former President accused him of misleading the public about the contents of the proposed Constitution yet he did not give Kenyans a new Constitution during his 24-year reign.
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