National Security minister Chris Murungaru said the Government was ready for any political showdown, amid plans by the Liberal Democratic Party to hold a major rally in Nairobi to protest at delays in implementing the new Constitution.
Dr Murungaru said: "We cannot stand and allow a few individuals disrupt the operations of the Government over a faulty Constitution".
He went on: "We have said enough is enough: we are ready for any political showdown."
And then he added: "We have realised we have a leopard amongst us – and we shall treat the leopard the way a leopard should be treated."
Dr Murungaru said that if the Draft were implemented, it would drastically affect the already declining Kenyan economy.
The Kieni MP, who is a leading light of the National Alliance (Party) of Kenya (NAK), pointed out: "Kenyans will have to dig deeper into their pockets to fund the devolved structure of government."
He dismissed those calling on President Kibaki to deliver the Constitution by June 30, saying they were undermining him since it was not for the President to give Kenyans a Constitution but Parliament.
The Government was tired of being criticised over the Draft which, he said, was bad for Kenyans.
He was speaking during a Sunday service at Kihuhiro Catholic church in his Kieni constituency.
The LDP has since announced it will hold a public rally on July 3 at Uhuru Park, Nairobi, to chart the way forward for the Constitution and to discuss the review stalemate.
One of the Cabinet ministers allied to the LDP, Mr Raila Odinga, who has been identified with protests over the delay in implementing the Bomas Draft Constitution, yesterday vowed for the second time in as many days that he would neither be intimidated nor moved by threats of sacking.
The Roads minister said again that he would go comfortably to his home if he were relieved of his post.
"I have a home to go to and if sacked I will just go home as usual; I’m not afraid of the sack," he said in Mombasa. "Only those without homes would fear the sack.''
He was reacting to weekend calls from some of his Cabinet colleagues and MPs allied to the National Alliance (Party) of Kenya (NAK) for President Kibaki to fire him for his stand on the Constitution review.
"Mr Odinga said such threats did not bother him at all. The crisis on the review had been made worse by people who had dragged the issues to the courts," he commented.
The minister was speaking at Changamwe National Housing Estate, when he inaugurated building an additional 88 homes at a cost of Sh125 million.
Stepping into the continued sniping between ministers in both NAK and the LDP, Regional development minister Musikari Kombo who chairs Ford Kenya, said President Kibaki should ask those dissatisfied with their positions in the Narc coalition to leave now.
Kenya was at a crossroads, he said, with mistrust prevailing in the Cabinet over both the review and the contentious Memorandum of Understanding between the parties in Narc.
"The President should ask why we have internal wrangling in the Cabinet. He should then ask individuals who want out to leave or stay on. The truth is that nobody will be ready to leave," Mr Kombo said.
He said the MoU that requires to be addressed was the one between the electorate and Narc.
"The Government ought to get down to business and deliver services it promised, hence the need to rid itself of internal wrangles."
Mr Kombo was adressing Ford Kenya leaders from Teso who visited him at his Webuye home on Sunday. The 40-strong delegation was led by chairman Lawi Tebakol and those present included former Kanu trouble shooter Mr Mark Too, the late Masinde Muliro's widow, Marcia, and her son Mr Kalori Muliro.
Mr Kombo spoke out as Kwanza MP Noah Wekesa said he did not support anybody for the Presidency in 2007 because President Kibaki was still in office.
Speaking on the telephone, the MP distanced himself from calls by some MPs that Mr Kombo should go for the Presidency in the next General Election. He said the Government was strong and will not collapse.
Dr Wekesa, who said he was part of the team that mooted the coalition together with Mr Kombo and the late Michael Wamalwa and that while serving the Kanu government he was always loyal to President Moi, while after moving to Narc he supported President Kibaki and Mr Wamalwa.