The Kenyan landscape will never be the same again. For the first time, Kenyans will break from the colonially imposed constitution and vote for a document in which they are chief architects, and allows them to make amendments. The fact that both the proponents and opponents of the Proposed Constitution approve that a greater percentage of the document is good, is a testimony that it is a people driven document.

The anticipated new constitutional dispensation offers Kenyans a great opportunity to participate in the governance issues of this country. Kenyans should however guard against the trap of believing that elective politics is an end in itself. Individual productivity; exposure to broad knowledge; developing and safeguarding national core interests are necessary ingredients to development.

According to a popular Swahili saying: 'Kuzaa si kazi. Kazi ni kulea' (loosely translated: Giving birth is not as hard as raising a child.) The outcome of the referendum will be but the beginning of a long journey to nurture the new-born Kenya. This journey calls for hard work and dedication. The green and red colours in the Kenyan flag are a pointer that the YES (green) and NO (red) teams are all Kenyans and need each other to lead this country to greater heights. The founding father of the nation, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta in his Independence Day Speech in 1963 said:

“If we achieve unity, the whole world will respect us. We shall be the foundation and shield of mother Africa…All things must be done together. You and I must work together to develop our country.”

The African Executive urges all Kenyans to vote as well as exercise sobriety and peace at this historic moment.