Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Press Statement from ODM leaders on UHURU and RUTO rallies in KISII




PRESS RELEASE

08/01/2013

The complete absence of a Jubilee agenda for Kisii was on full display during the rallies Hon Uhuru and Hon Ruto addressed yesterday. The two moved from issue to issue, trying to highlight something from their long records in government that Kenyans can identify with. There was nothing that resonated. The Kisii have firmly indicated that they are in the CORD camp, because they know it alone will help them address the challenges they face.

Yesterday, the two Jubilee leaders were forced to talk about the Constitution, knowing the determination across the Kisii region to rapidly implement the charter. The two leaders were in a spot because the audiences knew they had opposed its passage. So Hon Uhuru – with the architect of the anti-Constitution forces Hon William Ruto standing beside him - resorted to saying that it was Kenyans who brought the constitution and Kenyans will implement it!

He was trying to pretend that he was a supporter of the Constitution, and downplaying the political will and effort needed to implement it. In the process, he was trying to deny the sacrifices and struggles that were been made by so many Kenyans to have a new Constitution, including of course the long, central role the Prime Minister played in making the Constitution a reality.

If implementation was so simple as Hon Uhuru alleged, why have we been facing such obstacles on police reforms, devolution, integrity and other vital aspects?

The least Kenyans expect from the Jubilee leaders running for high offices is an honest admission that they were wrong in opposing the constitution, but now that they know that Kenyans see it as the basis for tackling all their problems, a Jubilee government will implement it. But of course these two leaders cannot say that, because they have benefited immensely from the current system, and if they came to power, they would fight to keep that system of centralised authority in place. The days when the powerful could co-opt a few leaders and get the backing of their communities in Kisii and elsewhere are long gone.

The Kisii people, just like other long-marginalised Kenyans, have given the Prime Minister their support because he has demonstrated his commitment to uplift the region's economy through better roads and other infrastructure and by treating the community with respect and giving it its commensurate share of the national cake.

It is not just in Kisii that Jubilee leaders will confront such questions about the Constitution, and about their long records in government for which they have so little to show.

They will meet this challenge wherever they go. Pious slogans such as we heard yesterday from those who are propping up the current system will not fly.

The Kisii Jubilee Alliance Senator Candidate the Hon. Prof. Sam Ongeri while on the Kisii tour with Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta and Hon William Ruto invoked hate speech and scare tactics by asking Kisii to vote with ‘Rift Valley” in Jubilee Alliance so that the Kisii’s owning property in the Rift Valley don’t loose their properties. As peace loving citizens we find this completely despicable and unacceptable. Kisii’s are Kenyans and are guaranteed under the Kenya Constitution to Live and Own property anywhere in any part of Kenya; and should not therefore be held hostage to vote on account on their validly owned property.

This statement is signed and endorsed by ALL ODM Kisii County sitting MPs and Aspirants for Senator, Governor, County Women Representative, Member of Parliament and County Ward Representatives

SIGNED

ST. VINCENT CENTER.

KISII

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