verbatim report of constituency public hearings ... - ConstitutionNet

109The vulnerable groups: Make provisions for the disadvantaged persons in transport, roads and stairs.Land and property: A Kenyan may own property or land in any part of the country. No individual should own land more thanfifty acres. Land should be guaranteed to all Kenyans. There should be established an anti-corruption unit. Also, theConstitution should free the media. The President should be elected directly by the people with more than fifty per cent of theregistered voters. Thank you.Com. Keriako Tobiko: Thank you so much. John Muriuki Wahome. Esther Nyaguthii. Festus Kiiru, Peter Mwangi, EustaceMaina.Eustace Maina: Thank you Mr. Chairman. I am Eustace Maina, civic education provider. Our new Constitution must have aPreamble. This Preamble should state that the Constitution is made by the people. The people of Kenya are sovereign. No lawor authority including even the Constitution, is above the people. Kenyans are committed to democratic values ofConstitutionalism, equality and role of law. Kenyans are committed to the future of Kenya as united and indivisible countrycomposing of people of diversity culture whose rights are inviolable. The Preamble should also state our common history as apeople who were colonialised for many years and who joined hands to struggle for their freedom. That is hard earned freedomthat we are out to safeguard with our new Constitution.National Philosophy and guiding principles: Children, young people, the elderly and other vulnerable groups should beprotected. Traditional customs may guide life in the society provided they do not have any sector of the society. Of particularimportance would be the formation of village council of elders.On the point of structure and the system of government: Kenya should adopt a Parliamentary system of government in which aPrime Minister is appointed from the majority party in Parliament. The Prime Minister should be in charge of the daily running ofthe government affairs. He should be directly accountable to Parliament. Kenya should have a ceremonial President who shouldbe above party politics. He should be elected by all Kenyans with a majority vote. While it is important to retain CentralGovernment, local Government should be given leeway to implement development projects in their regions. From a percentageof taxes collected in the region.Com. Keriako Tobiko: Now, please try and wind up.Eustace Maina: Yes, I am summarizing. On Local Government. Local authority are the most basic level of government whichmakes them closer to the people. With this in mind, Mayors should be elected directly by the people. Like the Presidential andParliamentary positions, local authority seats should also have moral and ethical qualifications. This Constitution should