and Correspondent

Cabinet Minister Shariff Nassir is the "voice of the Kitchen Cabinet", and his prediction of political violence should be seen in this light, Ntonyiri MP Maoka Maore declared yesterday.

The MP said in a statement that Mr Nassir's remarks to the effect that bloodshed would follow should the Ufungamano constitutional reform team visit the Coast, were "deliberate propaganda spread by Kanu since December 1999''.

The Democratic Party MP said Kanu had sought to blackmail and intimidate dissenting voices by implying the Kikuyu community were against the Parliamentary reforms team, adding: "Anti-Kikuyu sentiment is now saturating the political atmosphere and the next phase will be to ignite politically-motivated chaos to derail a peaceful transition in 2002."

Speaking on the same issue, Rangwe MP Shem Ochuodho said the Law Society of Kenya should institute private prosecution against Mr Nassir for inciting Kenyans to violence.

Dr Ochuodho said in the past, the Attorney-General has been quick to prefer incitement charges on members of the opposition.

"Here in Kenya, different laws apply to different category of people in Kenya. It is unfortunate that the Attorney General is encouraging this by applying the law selectively to suit his masters,'' he said.

Dr Ochuodho dismissed Kanu for offering an olive branch to religious groups to nominate their representative to the constitution review commission.

He termed the offer as part of a window dressing exercise.

Dr Ochuodho accused the President of wanting to control the process and called on Kenyans to resist it.

He also took issue with Kerio South MP Nicholas Biwott for calling on Parliament to select the fifteen commissioners.