ODM Insists Kenya Needs to Formulate Roadmap for Withdrawal From Somalia

A day after President Uhuru Kenyatta delivered his State of the Nation address, we in the Orange Democratic Movement asked the government to, among other things, present the country with a road map for the withdrawal of our troops from Somalia.

Today, in the aftermath of the second terror attack since the government launched what we advised was an ill conceived and poorly executed plan to rid the country of militants, we are forced to demand once again that the government presents us with a roadmap for withdrawal of our troops from Somalia.

We are forced to ask again; When are our troops getting out of Somalia What is the game plan for our exit?  Where is the roadmap for a secure Kenya and a stable Somalia?

It is our position as a party that as a country, Kenya has done its bit in Somalia and we have suffered enough for it. We are asking; why are we unable to rally development partners to stabilize Somalia with development support? That was always part of the plan as our troops moved into Somalia.

Today, we seem to be staying in Somalia without realizing the full costs and we are now paying for it. Families have lost bread winners and loved ones and KDF is not coming to their aid. In the middle of all this, the jubilee regime is tight lipped as the crisis gets from bad to worse.

What is it that the top brass in the military and government are getting out of Operation Linda Nchi? How can we justifiably talk of Linda Nchi when we are under attack day in day out because of our very presence in Somalia?

As a party, we believe Somalia has always been at peace with Kenya. We therefore demand that Kenyans be told why what was a friendly intervention led us into conflict.

While we recognize the courage and professionalism of our military that have made Somalia a much better place today, we also know that Somalia still has persistent insurgency to deal with and it continues to be a magnet for international terrorists.

But we feel it is time for the Government to present to us a clear plan for ending our presence in Somalia. We want a clear plan for transferring responsibility for Somalia's security to the Somalis. We are asking for the plan for expediting the training of the Somali forces to take charge of their country and for accelerating Somalia’s economic development, particularly through infrastructure that gives Somalis a stake in achieving a better future. 

That was always the plan when our sons and daughters moved into this territory where even the devil feared to tread.

We are concerned at the casual treatment that these attacks have been receiving from the government. We recall that when terrorists hit Likoni on March 23rd, the president proceeded with his trip to Tanzania the next day, March 24th.

When Eastleigh was attacked on March 31st, the president proceeded with his trip to Belgium and April the next day, April 1.

The latest attack in Mombasa comes only a day before the Presidents trip to Abuja, which we believe will proceed as if nothing has happened.

The people of Kenya are increasingly feeling that they are on their own on security at a time other indicators like cost of living are equally bleak. We, as a party, demand convincing action and answers.

Hon. Prof P. Anyang Nyongo

Ag. Party Leader,

ODM.

ODM Condemns Plans to Remit Anglo-Leasing Payments

ODM SEES LINK BETWEEN RETURN OF ANGLO LEASING COMPANIES, POACHING AND FRESH ATTEMPTS AT GRABBING OF KARURA FOREST:

The National Assembly will betray the people of Kenya if it colludes with the cartels of corruption in and outside the government to pay the fictitious outfit called Anglo Leasing Kshs 125 billion for no services rendered nor goods delivered to the nation.

Both the NARC and the Grand Coalition Governments refused to pay these fictitious debts. Why now?

The Attorney General Prof. Githu Muigai should realize that a transaction which is wrong, defective and fraudulent ab initio cannot be sanitized by exploiting the fine prints of legal procedure.

As a party, we appeal to members of the National Assembly to stand on the right side of history and refuse to be used to sanitize dirty deals and prepare them for illegal and fraudulent payment.

We also appeal to the people of Kenya to look back, ask themselves why certain things happen only under certain regimes, and collectively reject attempts to pay billions to firms that do not exist and for services never rendered. We must stand up against attempts to plunder and loot our country in our name, for the benefit of individuals.

Anglo-Leasing is back after ten years in which it was rejected by Narc and the Grand Coalition governments.

The last time poaching was witnessed on a grand scale in Kenya was in the mid-1970s. Poaching of our wildlife heritage is back in a big way, under Jubilee.

There is a fresh attempt to grab Karura Forest after Kenyans, led by the late Prof. Wangari Maathai, successfully fought off such attempts in the 1980s and 1990s.

Kenyans will hold the AG personally responsible if this grand corruption of paying for Anglo Leasing is fully consummated to the detriment of current and future generations. 

In any case the individuals who fraudulently committed the government to these fake transactions should be held personally responsible for any money that these Lords of corruption are laying claim to in the international arena.

We appeal to the people of Kenya to get ready to stand up against attempts to take the country to the past. We did not get where we are by accident or State benevolence. We fought to get where we are, we must fight to get where we set out to be.

Prof. P. Anyang' Nyong'o
Ag. Party Leader
ODM
Nairobi 26 April, 2014

ODM Statement on State of and Response to Insecurity

PRESS STATMENT

STATE OF AND RESPONSE TO INSECURITY

That we are in the middle of insecurity nightmare is no longer in doubt and not really new. Security has systematically degenerated in the last one year, from sporadic explosions in border towns of northern Kenya, to banditry, cattle rustling and gangs across different parts of the country,which have passed without much action from the government.

Kenyans will remember the wave of attacks that gripped parts of Western Kenya around this time last year, beginning in Bungoma, spreading to Busia, Mt Elgon and parts of Kakamega with no explanations to date.

The murders in Nyanza that claimed the parents of a Member of Parliament remain unexplained. The mayhem has spread to Nairobi, where previously safe neighborhoods like Karen have lately witnessed unprecedented crime wave. Those in lesser affluent estates long accepted it as their fate to be insecure. Shoot outs in the streets of Nairobi have become normal again.

Nairobi, Mombasa, Wajir, Garissa, Marsabit have lived with explosives and grenades going off everywhere for much of the past year without convincing explanations and without anyone being held to account.

The climax for all these was the attack on Westgate that left upto 70 people dead, hundreds injured and losses running into billions. No explanation has been offered to date. But we all remember that President Uhuru Kenyatta promised in broad daylight and in public that he would institute an inquiry into the attack. There was even an explosion at the airport which the authorities said, and want us to believe, was a falling light bulb. That is how ridiculous it has been in the last one year.

 The government has a duty, responsibility and right to protect the lives and property of citizens. In fact this is the only reason people agree to form governments. We however do not believe that reactive swoops and return to slumber thereafter as we have witnessed in the last one year, including what is going on today, presents some kind of well thought out and well designed response to the security challenges we face. There is an element of insecurity we are focusing on today called Al Shabaab which we believe ought to be handled better, though it ought not be treated as the only threat.

In recent days, hundreds of mostly young people have been arrested and detained in Nairobi, Mombasa and other parts of the country. Hundreds have been deported to Somalia for being illegally in Kenya. Tens have been shot dead across the country in the name of fighting terrorism and crime. Police continue to harass young jobless men in the name of maintaining law and order, in most cases demanding for cash to release the innocent young Kenyans.

Given the situation above, as a party, we are making the following demands:

1: The mere presence of hundreds of illegal immigrants within our borders, who entered without our notice, is in itself a manifestation of serious lapses in our security, intelligence and immigration system. We need a thorough audit of our security, intelligence and immigration agencies. Heads need and must to roll in the intelligence, police and immigration departments as part of a major effort to secure our country. It will not work that the very people who allowed the immigrants in, most times after collecting bribes from them, are then made to conduct swoops and deport the same after a crime has been committed. We need to get to the bottom of the corruption cartels in immigration, intelligence and police who are making our country insecure by allowing people illegally into our country in return for money.

2: We must get to the bottom of the biggest security lapse in our country in twenty years and that is the attack on Westgate Mall. All Kenyans remember that President Uhuru Kenyatta promised an inquiry. We welcomed this because understanding how Westgate happened is critical to unraveling how terror groups operate and the loopholes in our security, intelligence and social systems that they exploit and which need to be sealed. Close to a year later, there is no inquiry and there are no signs there shall ever be one. The expectation seems to be that Kenyans will just accept and move on.  We are asking, what does President Uhuru know about Westgate? Why does the president fear investigating this incident? We are demanding that investigations, preferably by a select committee of both Houses of Parliament be carried out without further delay.

 3: Talking about terrorism, we ask the government to take time and understand Al Shabaab in its many dimensions to be able to fight it effectively. Al Shabaabism has become a movement with at least three dimensions all of which cannot be dealt with by swoops, friskings and deportations as it is happening today.  There are Jihadist Al Shabaab that believe in converting everyone to Islam as the only way to save the world and to defeat the West.  There is the economic Al Shabaab, those who join this movement because of temporary hope it offers through handouts and forms of employment particularly to the desperate youth. There is the pure criminal and opportunistic Al Shabaab. These are people joining this movement to extort money and create opportunities for themselves by exploiting the failures of the state. These people are not necessarily religious, young or poor. They simply want to make hay while the sun shines. We need to address the political economy of Al Shabaabism. We have heard the president asking Kenyans to join him and help fight terrorism. The nation cannot help the president fight terrorism unless he joins us in analyzing and seeks our understanding Al Shabaabism. We will be firing in the dark if we think the war can be won through shoot to kill orders and chaotic round ups we are witnessing today.

4: The National Government must rethink its desire to monopolize security. This country is crying for an approach to security that does not have to rely on the gun or the police. The constitution has very clear provisions that would secure Kenya all the way to the villages if implemented honestly. If Village Councils were allowed to operate as envisaged, nobody would enter our country without being noticed. We would not need another layer called Nyumba Kumi either. Village councils were supposed to close the gap between the masses and the government. They must be put in place immediately and given the tools to operate effectively.

5: Police reform must proceed with a clear understanding of the needs of society. Promotions and deployments need to based on merit. There should be clear standards on who can enter the force with what level of education and what academic qualification assures one of what rank. The civilian wing of the force needs to be strengthened, not undermined.

 6: The issue of illegal immigrants in Kenya needs to be addressed urgently and independently of the insecurity we are witnessing. It has nothing to do with refugees. Kenya has had refugees for a very long time. We had long perfected a system of documenting refugees. It is therefore wrong to lump refugees with illegal immigrants. A purposeful implementation of devolution is critical in this regard. Village councils will know who the citizens are if they are allowed to operate and if they are sensitized to their security role.

 7: We reject attempts to reinvent the old colonial structures including the provincial administration using insecurity as an excuse. We went for devolution because the old structure failed. We appeal to the government to strengthen devolved units and cede some security roles so that we have a system, accountable to the people, and that runs all the way to the ground.

 8: We wish to express strong displeasure at the swoops going on today, which resemble Operation Anvil of the Mau Mau era or the Wagalla operation of the 1980s. Operation Anvil can easily lead to ethnic profiling. We do not think indiscriminate picking of Somalis is the answer. Al Shabaab is no longer a Somali issue. We wish to remind the government that in countries where the war on crime and terror has taken ethnic, racial or religious dimension, the conflicts has ended up being more complex and more protracted. We fear Kenya is taking that unfortunate route. We want to believe that in a country that upholds the rule of law and basic freedoms, if you’ve done nothing wrong, you deserve nothing but respect and courtesy from the authorities. We haven't seen that in the crackdown that looks modeled along operation Anvil of the Mau Mau era. Inspector Genera of Police, NIS director and CID director owe our country a better job or they should pack and leave.

 9: Given the Somalia aspect to our security problems, we are asking the government give us the time table of withdrawing from Somalia. We are not saying we should declare victory and leave. We are not saying we sneak out. We want to see a plan for a systematic handing over of Somalia to its citizens. We reject this chest thumping by the government about how we are in Somalia to stay. Kenya and AMISON must have a partnership for reconstruction of Somali state.

10: We want the government to share with Kenyans its plans for engaging the youth in meaningful activities for earning a living so that they do not have to turn to criminal networks like Al Shabaab to earn a living. Throwing money at the problem, like the creation of Uwezo Fund on top of the existing youth fund is not making any difference.

Thank you and God Bless Kenya.

Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o

Ag. Party Leader

10^th April 2014.

Prof Nyongo Sharply Criticizes President Uhuru's Three Week Absence

I am surprised that the President can choose to leave the country for 3 weeks at a time when Kenya is facing the most grievous security threats almost everywhere. Given the limited powers that the Deputy President can exercise constitutionally, I find the absence of the President reckless, adventurous and most uncalled for.

At a time like this, we need a National United Front of all parties, beliefs and persuasions, well structured at the National level, to deal with the insecurity crisis. The President has chosen to absent himself from the nation at a time when a hands on approach is most needed.

Rather than talk about the impending shake up of the security system, Kenyans want to see the result of action and not the intention of promises.

I must say however that the President seems to be immobilized by the feeling of entitlement that the security bosses have to their positions hence no doubt for their political debt the President owes them.

Prof. Anyang Nyong'o.
Ag. Party Leader.
ODM
1/4/2014

KENYANS DESERVE BETTER: Response by the ODM to the State of the Nation Address by the President of Kenya March 28, 2014

KENYANS DESERVE BETTER:
 
RESPONSE BY THE ORANGE DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT TO THE STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA; MARCH 28, 2014:

President Uhuru Kenyatta makes his State of the Nation address at the National Assembly's Chamber in Parliament Buildings, Nairobi.

Fellow Kenyans, yesterday, you heard from the President on the state of our nation.

We urge you to spend a few minutes with us as we give our side of the story.
We are ODM. But it really should not matter because today, we are all hurting. One year after elections, millions of Kenyans are watching and asking; does this government want to stand on our side or in our way.
Ours is therefore a national call to action on behalf of all the struggling Kenyans. Our main point this morning is; Kenyans deserve far much better than this.

UNITY OF THE NATION:

We are too divided to build a nation ready to confront its challenges.

Jubilee has run the country as a collection of tribes, allies and enemies.
Every appointment to a public position has been handed down as a gift to supporters, along tribal and party lines. This skewed balance of power poses grave danger to our progress and it must not tilt any further in favour of one or two communities. It must be reversed.

ECONOMY AND COST OF LIVING:

Our economy requires urgent, immediate and sustained rethink.
The absurd policy of tax and spend has traumatised Kenyans.

Families can't pay rent, can't afford food, can't pay school fees and cannot afford bus fare.

In response, we are seeing and hearing the same-old ideology that we've heard before — over and over again: Salary cuts, retrenchment of workers, cleaning up the payroll of ghost workers and how there will be just a little more pain before it gets better. Kenyans are going through tremendous pain. It must not get worse.

We urge the government to focus on eliminating corruption, inefficiency and wastage. Savings from these areas would be sufficient to finance recovery and growth.
We advise that the government to put singular focus on food as the biggest driver of cost of living, particularly for the poor.

Let’s focus on pro-poor agricultural investment as this will result in jobs, containing poverty and reduction in cost of living. Let's pay particular attention to job creation, expansion of economic opportunities particularly for farmers, informal sector, and economically disadvantaged communities.

The time has come for the government to treat unemployment as a crisis.

We need a clear road map towards putting millions of Kenyans to work and encouraging companies to hire and not fire people. We have seen no such steps in the last one year.
Jubilee must use its numerical strength in the Houses of Parliament to come up with administrative, regulatory and legislative measures to help small firms start and expand.

The cost of bank loans remains unbelievably high despite so much rhetoric about it. But if we are to create job creators and not job seekers, the cost of loans have to fall. Jubilee must use its numbers to champion these positive measures.

The government must embrace and engage small contractors and change the way it does business with them. Startups cannot afford to chase payments for months. A simpler engagement would help turn many enterprising young Kenyans into job creators, not job seekers. Small businesses must be treated as the engine of growth, and essential to economic recovery.

CRIME: 

The greatest responsibility of any government is to protect its people and their property. Yet the last one year has brought us a lot of pain and loses. Lives and property have been lost; thousands have been wounded, businesses have underperformed or closed as a result of spiraling crime.
 
This comes after Kenyans worked so hard in the last ten years to create a largely secure nation. By the time Jubilee took over, we had a largely secure nation in which operating a 24 hour economy looked increasingly realistic, not rhetoric.

Today, criminals hunt us in the streets, from our houses, in churches, in mosques, in matatus and in schools.
 
We are approaching the first anniversary of the attack on the Westgate Mall. Our hopes and prayers remain with the families that fell victim to this attack. We stand with families who have lost loved ones to criminals across our country. Their pain and horror remain with us.
 
But as we moan, we are not convinced that the gaps in our security exposed by those attacks have been closed. The Government is saying the right words about the threat we face. But it has failed to take action commensurate with the threat.

When terrorists issue threats and act on them while the government issues threats and fail to track those it is threatening, we know we are on our own as citizens.
Goods and weapons still enter our borders unnoticed. Fire fighters are still pleading for the tools they need to prevent or respond to an attack.

Poachers have invaded our world famous wildlife heritage with abandon.

Police are still waiting for comprehensive insurance cover even as we ask them to stand in the line of fire on our behalf.
 
The Government has inexplicably refused to form an inquiry into how the attackers in Westgate got here, even after the president promised this. Yesterday, the National Assembly rejected the report by the National Assembly Security Committee on the attack.

We are therefore calling for the constitution of a Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate the Westgate attack.

We are also calling for a Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate the rising problem of poaching. We suspect there is more to it than meets the eye. In any case, poaching is part and parcel of our growing security, economic and corruption problems.

When a bomb that failed to detonate near the British Airways check-in counter at JKIA late last year, the government shrugged it off as an exploding light-bulb.
 
After the latest attack in Likoni, the Inspector General of Police considered it beneath him to offer an explanation to Kenyans. He let his juniors deal with it. The President and his deputy did not see this as a matter worth their urgent attention. They addressed it in passing on their way to Tanzania.

These are signs that the government is off track and does not care.

Any discussion of our national security must include recognition and respect for our men and women in uniform.

Whether they are fighting in Somalia or walking our increasingly dangerous streets and borders, we salute them.
 
These officers and troops have the gratitude of every Kenya for their courage and the sacrifice they are willing to make on our behalf.
 
But we decry the lack of modern equipment, the absence of opportunities for best training that our officers deserve and their dismal working conditions.
 
Above all, we ask the government to address the issues of deployments and promotions in the police force, especially now that we are under attack and we are counting on these men and women to be motivated enough to protect us.
 
Promotions and deployment in the police force is still dogged by tribalism, nepotism and cronyism, not merit.
 
We must also talk about our military whose prowess we are all too proud of.
Because of the courage of our military, Somalia is a much better place today. We know that Somalia still has persistent insurgency to deal with. It continues to be a magnet for international terrorists.
 
But we feel it is time for the Government to present to us a clear plan for ending our presence in Somalia. We are not suggesting that we simply declare the job done and pull out. We are not suggesting we sneak out through the back door.

We want a clear plan for transferring responsibility for Somalia's security to the Somalis. We believe training the Somali forces to take charge must be expedited. We must accelerate Somalia’s economic development, particularly through infrastructure that gives Somalis a stake in achieving a better future.

We must also intensify regional and international diplomacy that will deny fuel to the anti-western sentiments that power insurgency in Somalia.
 
We want the government to table before Kenyans a comprehensive plan to protect the nation from terrorism. We have only heard promises and more threats.
 
We want to see the government's plan to build a military, a police force and an intelligence gathering system that will be second to none. Kenyans are dying because we lack ability to collect timely and reliable intelligence to keep us safe at home.

EDUCATION:
Even as the government proceeds with the ill-conceived laptops project, we are yet to address the issue of cost of education.

It is now more than ten years since fees were abolished in public schools. But we know fees exist and are keeping many children out of school. Parents buy uniforms, text books, desks, school buses, pay motivation fees, and much more. We feel the government must climb the education tree from the bottom. Is education free or not? If it is, why are these many levies being imposed and when will they stop?
 
We continue to caution the government against the extravagant laptops project. It is not realistic. It is not sustainable and it is not a priority. We support IT in learning and we laud the government for championing it. But we advocate for computer labs in all schools instead of laptops for every child at this stage.

The cost and built in room for corruption in the acquisition of laptops aside, a bigger question is whether the laptops will actually improve learning. Will reading skills improve because the children have laptops instead of text books? Will children perform better in math and science? Will parents afford the cost of repairs and maintenance? Who will replace crashed or lost and stolen laptops?

CORRUPTION:
 
We are concerned about the corruption roulette in government, which Jubilee calls war on corruption. The government admits that thieves have invaded no higher place than the Office of the President.

But to date, there have been no sackings, no prosecutions, no naming of names. We have been treated to the drama of members of government publicly campaigning for a chance to fix contracts for grand infrastructure projects in return for bribes.
 
As we pay lip service and issue warnings at rallies and church functions, corruption is eating into government coffers, paying ghost workers and paying for services not rendered or way above market rates.
 
Yet today, the battle on wages is rated much more urgent by the Jubilee government than the war against corruption. The Jubilee government has now resolved to pay the so-called Anglo-Leasing debts, an outright conduit for corrupt deals. Warnings have run their course. We need action.

RULE OF LAW:
 
We must protect the Constitution and its promises. We must safeguard the rule of law, the media and civil liberties. All these are threatened today. Judges have been called names. Laws have been signed to curb the free media. There have been attempts to limit foreign funding for NGOs.

Jubilee government has failed to discontinue extrajudicial killings thus undermining the right to life. As we speak, there is an arbitrary shoot-to-kill order against terrorists as well as other criminals. The country has seen an alarming rise in religious intolerance and religious bigotry which the government has not in any way attempted to manage.

OUR PLEDGE:
 
One year of Jubilee Government has landed us in very uncertain times. How long they times last depends on the government. We want to assure Kenyans that when we believe the Government is on the right track, we will not allow partisan interests stand in the way of what's good for the country. We will be first in line to work with the Government. As at now, we repeat; a Government can do better. Kenyans deserve better.
 
We are losing patience with politics of tribalism, nepotism, favoritism, cronyism and rule by fiat. We are tired of incompetence and dishonesty in government.

HON PROF. ANYANG NYONGO
Ag. PARTY LEADER
ODM.
MARCH 28, 2014.

Unveiling of the ODM Candidate for Mathare Parliamentary Seat

Following a series of consultative meetings by members of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in Nairobi County, both elected representatives and branch officials regarding the forthcoming Mathare Parliamentary by-election, an all-inclusive meeting was held today at a Nairobi Hotel and was graced by the Acting Party Leader Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o and the joint Secretaries to the Transitional Interim Executive Committee (TIEC) Hon. Ababu Namwamba and Sen. Dr. Agnes Zani.

During the meeting which also included the Governor of the City County of Nairobi Dr. Evans Kidero, ODM Members of the National Assembly from Nairobi and Members of the County Assembly of Nairobi, it was unanimously resolved that Mr. Steven Kariuki popularly known as K-1 be presented as the sole candidate for the party in the upcoming by-election in Mathare Constituency.

This was as a result of separate caucuses by party members of the National Assembly, Members of the County Assembly, Branch and Sub-Branches officials in the last one week which settled on Mr. Kariuki as the party’s flag-bearer.

Consequently, we have received assurances from the CORD coalition partners that they will not be fielding candidates for the seat. The meeting also agreed that the Nairobi Governor Dr. Kidero will be chairman of the 12 member campaign steering committee which was set up today.

We call upon all ODM and CORD supporters in Nairobi to join us in the campaigns to drum the support for Mr. Steven Kariuki once the seat is declared vacant by the Speaker of the National Assembly and the date for the by-election set by the IEBC.

Signed

27th March 2014

Ag. Party Leader – Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o

Joint Secretaries – TIEC – Hon. Ababu Namwamba & Sen. Dr. Agnes Zani

Video: Hon Raila Odinga to be in USA until end of May 2014

ODM's Position on the Wage Bill

 The populist move by the President and the Deputy President to cut their salaries by 20 per cent and that of Cabinet and Principal Secretaries by 10 per cent is not convincing.
 
These cuts will not in the least affect the standards of living of these people. The president pays no bills, buys no air time or fuel nor does he have to pay rent or bus fare. The same is true with the Deputy President.
 
The allowances and other perks the Cabinet Secretaries get will more than compensate for the salary cuts they have taken. Ordinary civil servants are not therefore in the same league.
 
What Kenya needs is a national incomes policy and not a populist cut of salaries. The government needs to lead a national discussion of TAXATION in relation to WAGES at all levels. In the meantime, we recommend the government takes the following steps:
Accept Devolution and stop duplication.

The entire structure of Provincial Administration that was to be phased out with the coming of the constitution of 2010 has been renamed and retained in the form of regional commissioners, county commissioners, district commissioners and a chain of administrators running past the chefs.

This system is running parallel to the constitutionally sanctioned system of county governments headed by the governor. The source of the money remains constant; the Kenyan tax payer. The Jubilee government could save Kenyans the pain of higher taxes, higher cost of living and anxiety over job cuts by simply accepting the reality of devolution and fitting the provincial administration into devolved units instead of running a parallel system then asking where all the money is going.
Cut down on corruption:

It is clear that the big time corruption cartels whose hold onto Kenya we cut short in 2002 are back, trying to make up for lost time. Corruption is eating into government coffers, paying ghost workers and paying for services not rendered or way above market rates. It is ironical that the battle on wages is now rated much more urgent by the Jubilee government than the war against corruption. The Jubilee government has now resolved to pay the so-called Anglo-Leasing debts, an outright conduit for corrupt deals.
Cut luxury expenditure:

Jubilee should enforce Treasury's ban on five-star venues for government meetings, which it defied only last week. The government should ban foreign locations for conferences, exhibitions and keep the size of delegations and entourage locally and abroad at an absolute minimum. But this is easier said than done.
Put Kenyans back to work:

There is need for a clear road map on what needs to be done to put millions of Kenyans to work and encourage companies to hire and not fire people. The government needs to come up with a plan to reward firms that hire more Kenyans and those that increase workers’ pay.
Support Small enterprises:

Jubilee must use its numerical strength in the National Assembly to come up with administrative, regulatory and legislative measures to help small firms start and expand. The cost of bank loans remains unbelievably high after so much rhetoric about it. The subject of interest rates is touchy because a number of senior government officials also have interests in the banking industry.
 
But if we are to create job creators and not job seekers, the cost of loans have to fall. The government must embrace and engage small contractors and change the way it does business with small firms. Startups cannot wait for months and years chasing their payment vouchers. A simpler engagement would help turn Kenyans into job creators, not job seekers. Small businesses are the engine of that job growth, and essential to the continued economic recovery.
Embrace, don’t fight security sector reforms:

This may seem to have nothing to do with wage bill, but the reason the economy is stagnating is uncertainty about security. Reforming our security sector radically and equipping it with skills, knowledge and tools fit for new challenges will go a long way in giving confidence to investors and helping the economy grow.
PROF. PETER ANYANG’ NYONG’O
AG. PARTY LEADER
ODM
March 10, 2014.

Composition and Terms of Reference for the ODM Transitional Committee

The National Governing Council (NGC) of the Orange Democratic Movement held on Monday, 3rd of March, 2014, resolved to set up an interim transitional committee to manage the affairs of the party.
 

Pursuant to that resolution, and after consultations, it has been agreed that members shall include:
 

1. Hon Ali Hassan Joho / Hon Thomas Mwadeghu (alternate
2. Hon Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya / Hon Paul Otuoma (alternate)
3. Sen Otieno Kajwang
4. Hon Josephat Nanok
5. Hon Ababu Namwamba
6. Hon Agnes Zani
7. Hon Abdikadir Aden
8. Hon Timothy Bosire
9. Hon Adan Keynan
10. Hon Rosa Buyu
 

It has been agreed that H.E Hon Hassan Joho and H.E Hon Wycliffe Oparanya will jointly chair the committee while Hon Ababu Namwamba and Hon Dr Agnes Zani will be joint secretaries. The team shall be reporting to the Party Leader.
 

The Terms of Reference of this group is clearly spelt out below.

We have set up the team to investigate the disturbances that led to the disruption of the ODM elections in Kasarani on 28th February 2014. They include:
 

Mr Jotham Nyukuri - Chairperson
Hon Harold Kipchumba;
Mr Isaiah Mandala
Mr Jotham Arwa
Mr Mtalaki Mwashimba

 

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR ODM TRANSITIONAL INTERIM EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 

1. Confirm membership of the Transitional Interim Executive Committee (TIEC)

2. Establish the mandate and enumerate the functions of the TIEC and the structures for the implementation of the said mandate and functions. The tenure of TIEC.

3. Establish the framework and mechanisms for enabling the TIEC to run the Party.

4. Receive and consider the report of the task force established to inquire into and to make recommendations on the circumstances surrounding and leading to the stalemate experienced during the National Delegates Convention held on the 28th February 2014.

5. Arising from the Report of the Task Force recommend appropriate measures for adoption and implementation which are and not limited to the following.

a) When do the campaigns begin and end and is it legitimate to campaign on the floor of the convention when the election exercise begins.
b) Preparation, confirmation and certification of registers.
c) Form of ballot papers
d) Systems, procedures and methods for voting and counting of votes and the final announcement of the results.
e) Security at the Convention during the voting exercise. Should it be outsourced?

6. The date and venue of the NDC for purposes of conducting fresh elections for the national office bearers and consideration of the following matters.
 

a) Debts and obligations arising from the NDC held on the 28th February 2014
b) Budget for the next elections and how to raise needed funds.
c) Preparatory work and planning to enable NEC, once in place, to organize for the next elections.

7. Membership recruitment and the expansion of the numerical strength of party supporters. Mobilization countrywide. To be discussed as a task to be undertaken by NEC.

8. Party activities and programmes for ODM as the main opposition party in the country developing policies and drawing strategic plans during the tenure of the TIEC.

9. The status and strengthening of CORD with an eye on 2017

10. The status of ODM and CORD in Parliament, county assemblies and the performance of CORD Governors in running county governments.

SIGNED
RT HON RAILA ODINGA
PARTY LEADER

ODM Forms Interim Transitiomal Committee

Today, consultations between members of Sen. Agnes Zani and Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba teams chaired by Party Leader Mr. Raila Odinga were held and resolved that a six member interim transitional team be formed to take charge of the party for three months. The resolve was later adopted by the ODM National Governing Council (NGC) converging at Orange House, Nairobi. 

The two teams were directed by the NGC to file the names of their nominees to the interim team before the close of business today.

And as directed by the NGC, the teams presented their nominees as follows;

Team Namwamba;
1. Mr. Ababu Namwamba
2. Mr. Hassan Ali  Joho
3. Mr. Adan Keynan

Team Zani;
Mr. Wycliffe Oparanya
Mr. Otieno Kajwang 
Mr. Abdikadir Aden

The team also nominated Mr. Paul Otuoma as the alternate to Mr. Oparanya in the Interim Transitional Team. 

The nominees are expected to begin negotiations on who to take up what position in the Interim Transitional Team. 

However, the Sen. Zani team has proposed that Sen. Elizabeth Ongoro who is not allied to any of the two sides take up the position of Secretary General on interim basis.

Both teams have also nominated the following to the Task Force to investigate incidences that occurred during and before the aborted party polls at Kasarani last Friday;

Team Zani;
Mr. Junet Muhammed
Mrs. Florence Mutua

Lawyer Antony Oluoch will provide legal advice to team Zani.

Team Namwamba; 
Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Joseph Nkaissery
Maj. (Rtd) John Waluke. 

Regards.

Philip Etale
Communications Director - ODM
3/3/14

--
Orange Democratic Movement,
Orange House Kilimani,
Box 2478-00202
Nairobi 

Speech by Rt. Hon Raila Odinga During Launch of A'rise Youth Empowerment Programme

Remarks by the Rt Hon Raila A Odinga EGH at the launch of the
CORD ACTION PLAN FOR YOUTH
Kisumu, February 24, 2014

THANK YOU for inviting me to share my thoughts with you on the situation of young people in our country today, and what we in CORD and ODM are doing about it.

I know very well how hard young people are struggling to get out of poverty.

About 800,000 youths leave school each year and begin looking for jobs. I know how much each and every one of them would like to be economically independent, would like to find a decent job or start a business, and would like to be able to provide an economically secure future for a family of their own. 

But today TWO MILLION young Kenyans, whether educated or not, are without work or an income. And the current government is doing nothing about it. Its election pledge to create a million jobs a year has vanished without trace. Have any jobs at all been created in the past 12 months? We have not heard of them.

I was well aware of the problems of joblessness and poverty when I joined government in 2008, and that was the reason one of my first tasks was to initiate the Kazi Kwa Vijana programme. Then, in June 2011, I introduced subsidised unga for the less economically able.

At a time when a 2kg bag of Hostess unga was selling for 156 shillings, and Jogoo at about 130 shillings, I prevailed on the government to subsidise unga for the poor, something that had never been done before inKenya – and under the project a 2kg bag retailed at the greatly reduced price of 52 shillings.

The next step would have been to introduce vouchers and special shops where the less economically able could buy basic commodities at cheaper prices.

Kazi Kwa Vijana, known as KKV, addressed the fact that the poor and the unemployed, whether educated or not, ALL have families to take care of.Phase one, with its labour-intensive jobs, was rolled out to target those with less education – while I continued to plan phase two, targeting those with formal educational qualifications.

I took these steps because I believe a government exists to care for the nation’s people.

Unfortunately, our Kenya government includes too many people who care only for themselves. The subsidised unga and KKV programmes ran into problems due to lack of public accountability by the corrupt. They took advantage to amass money for themselves. 

At the same time, those controlling the Treasury saw an opportunity to create negative propaganda against ODM, fearing that our programmes,designed to assist the poor, would make ODM popular. Those who controlled the Treasury found ways to kill these programmes.

It seems that there are always people in government who think the poor are there simply to be exploited. We see this today in the prices of unga, milk, sugar, paraffin, electricity, books and mobile phones, which have all risen steeply under the current regime. Nobody in government has the least idea how to stop this, or how to cushion the poor. Nor do they care.

Of course, it doesn’t happen only in Kenya. In the US, for example, similarly selfish people have been grimly fighting President Obama’s plan to introduce health insurance for the poor. Greed and self-interest are what drives such people. 

So what are we doing as Opposition? We have a plan but, before I lay itout, let me pose the Six-Billion-Shilling Question. 

During the election campaigns last year, both CORD and Jubilee promised that, if they won the election in the first round, they would give out to the youth the six billion shillings that had been set aside for a potential second-round run-off.

Today, a year later, Jubilee is not talking about this money. Instead, it is talking of a Bill to give contracts to the youth. It is talking of the Uwezo Fund etc. What happened to the six billion Kenya shillings?

In the Acts of the Apostles, we hear how the Apostles came across a poor, crippled beggar, and Peter told him: “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk.” CORD did not form the government. In ODM, we don’t have political power or much money. But we will give you ideas and expertise. That is what we can share with you. That, and concrete, supportive plans to help you progress.

We promised to help young people acquire business skills, to give them seed money to start businesses and to help them attain loans. We shall beembarking on these programmes immediately after our party elections.

We shall organise seminars and youth camps, and bring successful businessmen and women and professional economists to speak on how to start businesses, about which ideas work and which don’t, about how to write business plans, how to raise start-up capital, and how to do book-keeping and manage accounts.

We are establishing teams to lobby banks to set up loans for youth-led Small and Medium Enterprises – boda boda operators, scratchcard vendors, fishmongers, second-hand-clothes dealers and so on. They should all be able to access bank loans on easy terms. We are taking this up immediately after our party elections. 

We are setting up teams to help our young people in schools and colleges make good career choices. At present, there are leaders in this country who cannot tell you what their profession is or where they ever worked. In CORD and ODM, we don’t have that problem.

We are a party of serious professionals and, as well as party members, we shall be bringing in other professionals to talk to our young boys and girls about their plans for the future.

Expect to see me in your schools talking to your children and your brothers and sisters about what it takes to be an engineer. I am not just a politician. I am an engineer. Expect Mutula Kilonzo Junior, his sister Kethi Kilonzo, Otieno Kajwang and Ababu Namwamba in your schools and youth camps during the holidays to talk to your children about what it takes to be a lawyer.

I will bring Dr Agnes Zani over to speak to young people about what it takes for a woman to get a PhD, to be a sociologist and a lecturer. As a sociologist, Dr Zani is an expert on social and family issues, including crime and drug abuse. She will be coming over to discuss family issues with you.

Everyone wants to bring up good, successful families, but sometimes families fail and fall into hardship. This often sees youngsters missing school or getting pregnant, drifting into crime, going to jail and eventually creating further generations of homeless street families.

That is not the way forward for our nation, and we shall talk openly to young people about these issues. Our party and our coalition want to maintain a special relationship with young people. It will be fun, and I invite you to look forward to it. Just last week, I read the story …… and yes! As any responsible leader should, I DO read the newspapers, so that I am well-acquainted with what people are going through. How can any leader worth his salt say that newspapers – the public record of the hopes and challenges of our nation – are only fit for wrapping meat? 

Anyway, I read the story of a young boy, Martin Obila, who walked from Rarieda to Kakamega High School where he had been admitted. He could not raise the fees, so he went physically to explain himself and secure his place.

I want to salute that young boy for his courage and determination. I want to thank Kakamega High School principal Mr Oliver Minishi for admitting the boy, and I am asking education officials in Siaya County and the MP for Rarieda to take up the boy’s case, if they haven’t already, and pay his fees.

After we defeated Kanu in 2002, we fought hard for the Constituency Development Fund, and for free primary and secondary education. Now, why is any child undergoing what Obila has? And I know Obila is only representative of thousands of others with little hope. We want to change that.

I know some of you are feeling the fire I felt at your age. You are dying to move into politics, to take over, and to push this country forward. We shall support youth in that, too. We shall be creating camps to teach the youth the organisational skills they need in politics. I shall be there personally to take them through some lessons.
 
So my word to everyone is, don’t give up. Life is not for quitters. CORD and ODM are not for quitters. CORD and ODM are made up of tough men and women who have made it against great odds.

Indeed, this whole COUNTRY has made it to where it is against great odds. And after all that hard work, do we want to see the old Kanu culture – handouts, delegations to State House and people’s homes, begging the government for jobs – to make a comeback?

It is already happening and, if we are not very careful, we shall soon be back to square one. 

We can’t allow that to happen. And there is an alternative. Stick with us, stay engaged and we shall change this country together.  
God bless you all.
 
Raila A Odinga EGH
Leader
ODM; CORD Coalition

Statement of the ODM National Governing Council Meeting of 20th February 2014

The National Governing Council (NGC) meeting today 20th Feb 2014, at Orange House, Kilimani held fruitful deliberations on the upcoming National Delegates Convention and agreed as follows:

• Accept the proposed amendments to the party constitution as proposed by the Legal Committee as presented today with specific reference to the National party officials with the exception of Regional representatives. 
•  The elections for the new positions will be handled by the National Governing Council with the mandate of the National Delegates Convention taking into account gender, regional and diversity issues in line with the national Constitution, the Political Parties Act and the party constitution.
• In the meantime National Executive Committee will continue to look at other issues and proposed amendments raised by the National Governing Council (NGC) with regards to other amendments to the constitution aimed at strengthening the party.
• Likewise the National Governing Council re affirms counties as branches, constituencies as sub branches, wards as units and villages as sub units.

Signed

Sen. Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o
Secretary General

PUBLISHED: The Complete List of ODM National Office Aspirants in the Forthcoming National Delegates Conference

LIST OF ASPIRANTS FOR VARIOUS POSTS IN THE NDC PER REGIONS...

NAME OF ASPIRANT ID. NO. GENDER COUNTY POLITICAL PARTY STATUS

COAST REGION
Hon Hassan Ali Joho 11457905 M MOMBASA
Dr Agnes Zani 8621150 F KWALE
Suleiman Dori Ramadhan 21232437 M KWALE
Nicholas Stephen Zani 11460809 M KWALE
Hon. Justine Kazungu Baya 11374009 M KILIFI
Hon Zuleikha Juma Hassan 27553751 F MOMBASA

NAIROBI REGION
Rt Hon. Raila Odinga M NAIROBI
Hon Simba Arati 22487019 M NAIROBI
Hon Elizabeth Ongoro Amolo Masha A1236577 F NAIROBI
Hon George Aladwa Omwera 9136489 M NAIROBI
Hon Reuben Ndolo 8992486 M NAIROBI
Hon Irshad Sumra 5478318 M NAIROBI
Steven Kariuki 21792255 M NAIROBI
Anthony Tom Oluoch 10312743 M NAIROBI
George Nyongesa 20252486/B070866 F NAIROBI
Hon Ken Okoth M NAIROBI
Marggy Sewe 10972683 F NAIROBI
Hon Timothy Wanyonyi Wetangula 7963450 M NAIROBI
Fatuma Haji Somo 4435106 F NAIROBI
Nickson Ochieng Kakiri 20024138 M NAIROBI 452554

SOUTH NYANZA REGION
Hon Otieno Kajwang 4826720 M HOMA BAY
Hon John Mbadi 113994135 M HOMA BAY
Prof. L. Otweyo M. Gumbe 4830675 M HOMA BAY
Boaz N.A.O Waruku 12458205 M HOMA BAY
Rahab Robi 13605198 F MIGORI
Hon Junet S. Nuh Mohamed 20094498 M MIGORI
Hon Edick Omondi Anyanga 7952050 M MIGORI
Hon. Deniitah Ghatti 13606791 F MIGORI

CENTRAL NYANZA REGION
Hon Eng. Nicolas Gumbo 4413967 M SIAYA
Hon James Opiyo Waandayi 11196023 M SIAYA
Julius Okinda 2810050 M SIAYA
Rozaah Akinyi Buyu 3082529 F KISUMU
Dr Noah Akala 24215821 M KISUMU
Hon Dr. James Nyikal 5857594 M KISUMU


KISII NYANZA REGION
Hon Manson O. Nyamweya 1450015 M KISII
Hon Chris Bichage M KISII
Hon Simon Nyaundi Ogari 4827236 M KISII
Hon Timothy Bosire 1634249 M NYAMIRA

CENTRAL REGION
Isaac Musau Mwilu 6067526 M KIAMBU
Hasia Abubakar Ireri 12972919 M KIRINYAGA
Michael Rubia 3333253 M MURANGA
Anne Mwikali Makobo 20168301 F KIAMBU
Peter Maina kariuki 21434547 M KIAMBU
Gitonga Wathanga 5551093 M NYERI
Susan Waceke Marigi 24131831 F NYERI ODM13624
Hon. Isaac Maigua Mwaura 22484569 M KIAMBU
Samuel Kihara Ndimba 5207021 M KIAMBU


NORTH EASTERN REGION
Hon Josphat Nanok Koli M TURKANA
Hon Adan Keynan 5072946 M WAJIR
Hon Abdikadir Omar Aden 13116397 M GARISSA
Hon. Diriye Mohammed Abdullahi A2111920 M Wajir
Ibrahim Mohamed Omar 55442 M Wajir
Zainab Mohamed Idifle 974220 F GARISSA

UPPER EASTERN
Hon Lawrence Mpuri Aburi M MERU
Steve Ringera 9179785 M MERU
Wamuuru Moses 10728827 M EMBU
Edin Wario Dida 12754864 F MARSABIT
Hon. Charfano Guyo Mokku 399502 M ISIOLO
Lucy Mworia 574673 F ISIOLO
Galma Ismail 13867751 M ISIOLO

LOWER EASTERN REGION
Seth Kakusye 5174259 M MAKUENI
Pius Kithome 3500586 M MAKUENI


SOUTH RIFT REGION
Stellah Chepkurui Koech 22250644 M KERICHO
Paul Partoire Kaika 4719379 M KAJIADO
Peter Ntoyian Ole Musei 14473698 M KAJIADO
Samson M. Ang'ienda 7228262 M KAJIADO
Christine Masiyoi Lemein 101520 F NAROK
Ronald Kipngetich Arap Ngeny 1738554 M BOMET
Bob Micheni Njagi 22094643 M KAJIADO

CENTRAL RIFT
Alice Chepkirui Kering 5991697 F NAKURU
Harold Kimunge Kipchumba 9172313 M BARINGO


NORTH RIFT REGION
David Songok Langat 4726123 M UASIN GISHU
Simon C. Lillan 10949681 M UASIN GISHU
Kipkorir Arap Menjo 3247895 M UASIN GISHU
Ogla Chepkemoi Karani 7372276 F E. MARAKWET
Hon Tabitha Seii 1883725 F E. MARAKWET
Hon. Josphat Nanok 10245497 M TURKANA

LOWER WESTERN REGION
Hon Wycliffe Oparanya 4827856 M KAKAMEGA
Rachael Ameso Amolo 7868363 F KAKAMEGA
Doricas Luvalitsa Kedogo 4914520 F VIHIGA
Kennedy Away 22121400 M KAKAMEGA
Cleophas Malala 24551557 M KAKAMEGA

UPPER WESTERN REGION
Hon. Paul Nyongesa Otuoma 7129467 M BUSIA
Ababu Namwamba 11597378 M BUSIA
Florence Mutua 10089907 F BUSIA
Hon John Waluke 829017 M BUNGOMA
Kikete Mung'chu Siambi 87659 M BUNGOMA
Hildabeda Lukulu Siang'a 5790911 F BUNGOMA
Cyrus Litswa 25356302 M BUNGOMA

Press Statement by the ODM National Election Board on Forthcoming Party Elections

NATIONAL ELECTIONS BOARD
PRESS STATEMENT

The Orange Democratic Movement – ODM National Elections Board wishes to announce to the participating candidates in the upcoming elections on 28th February 2014 – March 1st 2014 as follows:

We wish to confirm to the various applicants, delegates and the ODM fraternity that the elections shall proceed as scheduled on the 28 February – March 1st 2014.

We assure all stakeholders that there are no preferred candidates and the only candidates we have are in the list released today by this Election Board.

A final list shall be released upon confirmation that’s the candidates have complied with the terms and conditions as set out in our election and nomination rules.

So far 93 application forms were picked, 89 were returned by the deadline of 31st January 2014 and only four were not returned. The 93 applications were received from all regions of this country.

The complete delegates register shall be released to the delegates in due course.

As a board we wish to reaffirm that we are professional, impartial and dedicated to ensure that we have a free and fair election.

The board is also satisfied by the preparations so far done by the National Secretariat of the party and the NDC planning committee.


HON. JUDITH PARENO,
Chairperson, ODM National Elections Board

Prof Anyang' Nyong'o Bows out of race to defend his ODM Secretary General Seat.

BUILDING THE ODM INTO THE FUTURE

"I have done the state some service,
And they know No more of that." Othello
From William Shakespeare, OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE, Act V, Scene II, (line 340-42).

"Like Othello the Moor, I would like to say that I have done our party ODM some service, and our members know it; no more of that. The time has come to appreciate the achievements we have had since 2005 and the commitment of the party leadership to the noble goal of delivering a new constitution to Kenyans as a landmark of the Second Liberation.

ODM has indeed been the party of reform led by Raila Amolo Odinga as the indefatigable crusader for change over the past three decades. I am happy to have worked with him together with the national party leaders, and to have connected with grassroots leaders and the masses all over our Republic. Kenyans still look up to the ODM to keep the fire of change burning, and never to give in to the charlatans of reaction and the defenders of the status quo in our pursuit to live in a national democratic and prosperous society. Our agenda remains uncompleted.

The building of a national democratic and developmental state in Kenya will have to go beyond the democratic gains in the current constitution. It is urgent and necessary to dismantle the vestiges of presidential authoritarian rule in our society while also eliminating ethnic hegemonic politics in our political culture. Above all, however, ODM must be committed to the sincere construction of the politics of inclusion in our economy, our representative bodies as well as in all government institutions. Success in these endeavours will energise all Kenyans to contribute their best in national development.

On two occasions we have won elections and were robbed of our victory due to the greed and gross misuse of state power by the incumbents and vested interests in the authoritarian regimes we have always sought to liberate Kenyans from. With that in mind, it needs to be made crystal clear to all Kenyans that the struggle is still on, and that visionary leadership, and not simply leaders with a sense of entitlement, will be able to provide the political roadmap into our democratic future.

In or outside the formal structures of the party leadership I will always contribute to the democratic struggle and the Third Liberation. In that regard I see myself spending more time on policy issues for our party and CORD, and deepening collaboration between CORD and civil society on ideas, policies and programmes for inclusive politics and national development under a devolved system of government.

Let me therefore conclude that I have served two terms as ODM Secretary General. At the coming Annual Delegates Congress I will not offer my candidature for election. I urge those aspiring for this post to be civil in their campaigns, conscious of the party constitution and its policies, and always ready to prioritise strengthening of the party above individual ambition"

P. Anyang' Nyong'o
Secretary General, ODM.
NAIROBI, 15th January, 2014.

Official Clarification to Aspirants on the ODM National Elections

FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS DESK
 
The Orange Democratic Movement  wishes to inform all the Members and supporters countrywide that the National Delegates Convention ( NDC ) will be held on the 28th Feb and 1st March 2014.

The National Elections Board of the party will conduct the exercise as provided for in the Party Constitution and the Elections and Nominations Rules.
 
The NEB has set a fee of Ksh. 10, 000 for anyone aspiring to vie for any of the 27 seats in the National Office.

All applicants for the positions in the National Office 'must be' Life Members of the ODM. This is about loyalty and commitment to the party's policies and ideologies.
 
Any information contrary to this should be treated as rumours or innuendos aimed at misleading the party membership.
 
ODM urges its members and supporters with questions or seeking clarification regarding the upcoming event to advance the same through the right channels and organs of the party and not other forums.
 
ODM which is a National Movement; believes in democracy and will forever uphold all the basic tenets of the same.
 
ODM has no intentions whatsoever to lock out anyone from vying for any of the seats in the national office. It is not even thinking of favouring any of the aspirants as all members of the party are treated equally.
 
P. Etale.
Director of Communications - ODM.
09 January 2014

Statement of the Resolutions of ODM-NEC on Party National Elections

The National Executive Committee (NEC) members meeting today (Tuesday 7th Jan 2014) at Orange House under the chairmanship of the party leader the Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga made the following resolution;

The National Delegates Convention (NDC) which is the party's top decision making organ shall be held on the 28th of February and the 1st of March 2014.

During the two day event, delegates will be deliberate on various matters of importance to the party and thereafter take part in the most important exercise which is to elect the party's new National Office bearers.

The positions to be contested at the NDC as per the party's new constitution are as follows;
 

1. The Party Leader
2. The Deputy Party Leader
3. The National Chairperson
4. The Deputy Chairperson
5. The Secretary General
6. The Deputy Secretary General
7. The National Treasurer
8. The Deputy National Treasurer - Finance
9. The National Organizing Secretary
10. The Deputy Organizing Secretary
11. Secretary for Public Policy and Economic Affairs
12. Secretary for Legal and Constitutional Affairs
13. Secretary for Publicity and Information
14. Secretary for International Affairs
15. Secretary for Women Affairs (OWDL)
16. Secretary for Youth Affairs (OYDL)
17. Secretary for Special Interest Groups
18. Secretary for Environment
19. Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs
20. Secretary for Devolved Government
21. Secretary for Science and Technology
22. Secretary for Labour and Human Resource Development
23. Secretary for Special Programmes, Security and Social Welfare
24. Secretary for Humanitarian and Disaster Management Affairs
25. Secretary for Disability Affairs
26. Secretary for Political Affairs

The convention shall be held at the Kasarani Sports Gymnasium in Nairobi.
 
Party members wishing to contest the aforementioned positions should apply to the National Elections Board upon notice indicating the positions they intend to run for in the elections. We urge all those aspiring candidates for these party positions to desist from divisive politics and to campaign among party members in accordance with the party election rules and regulations. Engagement in untoward behavior such as bribery, ethnic incitement, hate speech and thuggery will lead to automatic disqualification.

On regional affairs, the ODM NEC calls for the immediate cessation of hostilities in South Sudan and the realization of a political settlement to ensure peace, democracy and national development. We are particularly concerned with the suffering of the people of South Sudan, especially women and children. People cannot access food and medicine as a result of the controlled use of airspace in some parts of the country.

ODM calls for complete neutrality of neighboring countries, and appeals to the mediators in the conflict to facilitate the release of all the detainees so that they can participate in the process of resolving the conflict and creating a democratic political order. We urge the government South Sudan to allow freedom of the press and access to information during this period of conflict.

We urge the government of Kenya to be on the lead in the road to the stabilization of South Sudan owing to the socio-economic ties the two nations enjoy.

The NEC wishes our party leader the Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga a Happy Birthday today.

Thank you and God Bless you all.

Prof. Anyang' Nyong'o
Secretary General. 
Orange House, Tuesday 7th Jan 2014

Raila Odinga: My Encounters with Madiba

BY RAILA ODINGA

When Nelson Mandela visited Kenya upon his release from detention, I was in detention myself so I only heard of his visit.

But I was later to meet Mandela on several different occasions. Each meeting left very lasting impressions.

We first met at the Mandela Lounge at the Michelangelo Towers in Sandton City on the outskirts of Johannesburg.

It was at this meeting that he told me that he had wanted to meet Jaramogi Oginga Odinga during his first visit to Kenya but he did not because the State did not make arrangements for it.

He told me he had met Jaramogi way back in 1963 when the OAU was being launched in Addis.

ANC was one of the liberation movements that had been invited to Addis, together with KANU and movements from all nations that were struggling for independence including all Portuguese colonies.

Mandela recalled that it was himself and Jaramogi who were chosen to speak on behalf of liberation movements and a strong bond developed between the two of them.

He remembered vividly and emotionally the events of that day in Addis during our first meeting. I was amazed at the clarity of his thoughts about an event that took place so many years ago, despite many years of being cut off the rest of the world by detention.

At that meeting he talked to me about my on detention and I told him he had been my inspiration. I told him I kept saying if Mandela could do 27, why could I not do more. He took it very humbly and lightly. I was there with my wife Ida and he was with Graca.

Next we met at his home in Johannesburg with our families. I was with mine and he was with his and grand children. We spent a long time and I was amazed how easy he was with small children, familiar with the habits of each and knowing them by name.

At that meeting, he talked much about the importance of family particularly at times of great struggle.

Our other meeting was at his other home in Cape Town. This time his memory was fading and had a problem hearing. He had to be told things and he would then respond.

Our meeting was at his residence in Johannesburg. This time too he was not so much himself.

The remarkable thing was that even when he was ailing, his spirit was still very strong and he was very composed. His legs were weak he needed quite a bit of support.

But he retained a unique capacity to grasp and interpret international issues. You would mention an issue taking place on the international stage and he would quickly give an interpretation of what it meant and where it was leading.

Looking at his advanced age and the times in which he grew up, one would think Mandela was part of the old stock of politicians but he was well above them and completely different.

He strongly believed in term limits. He was very unhappy that leaders were reversing constitutions to extend their stay in power. He felt two terms were more than enough for leaders to do whatever they want to do for their people.

At one stage, I was with him as debate was raging in two African countries where the sitting presidents wanted to extend term limits. He was very unhappy about it.

Mandela was quite passionate about the issue of HIV/AIDS. He wanted open discussions about Aids. He was very unhappy with leaders who tried to sweep it under the carpet.

In all my encounters with Mandela, it was impossible not to notice the kind of support Graca was giving him.

I don’t think Madiba would have made it this far without the support the lady gave him. It was amazing and this recognition is missing in the condolences.

Graca insisted on making Madiba look stately even with failing health and advancing age.

I recall Graca did not attend the signing of our Peace Accord because Madiba’s health had deteriorated and he needed her support.

Around Madiba, Graca exuded a sense of responsibility that is unmatched.

(Odinga is CORD Leader and a former Prime Minister of Kenya)