the orange newsletter volume 2 number 5 31 january 2013

7/29/2019 The Orange Newsletter Volume 2 Number 5 31 January 2013

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NEWSLETTER OF THE ORANGE DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT

Volume 2 Number 5 Thursday 31 January 2013

CORD Supporters brave heavy downpour to receive Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga at Uhuru Park after being cleared by IEBC to Contest

the 4 March 2013 General Elections

Towards VictoryOrange Correspondent

The CORD presidential candidate, Raila

Amolo Odinga handed in his nominationpapers to the IEBC yesterday. Afterhanding in his papers, Raila, who was

accompanied by his running mate, VicePresident Kalonzo Musyoka, headed for arally at Uhuru Park, where supporters

literally braved heavy downpour to create asoaked mosaic of colour, stretching to the

four ends of the park. In their thousands

they stood in the rain, until it was, like therally they longed for, over.

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy(CORD) is committed to the realisation of aKenyan society founded on popular

democracy and social justice, where allcitizens enjoy equal political, economic and

socio-cultural rights and live in harmony

and unity. All scientific opinion pollsindicate the Raila is headed for victory atthe 4 March elections.

Raila Amollo Odinga, also popularlyknown to his as Agwambo, is our Party

Leader and Prime Minister. Raila has beena Member of Parliament for Langata since


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1992. He served as Minister of Energy

from 2001 to 2002 and as Minister ofRoads, Public Works, and Housing from2003 to 2005. He was the main oppositioncandidate in the 2007 presidential election.

Following a violent post-electoral crisis,Raila took office as Prime Minister in April2008, serving as supervisor of a national

unity coalition government.

On September 1, 2007, Raila Odinga was

elected as the presidential candidate of the

ODM. He garnered significant support inthe 2007 General Election, with majority ofthe votes in Rift Valley, Western, his nativeNyanza, Coast, Nairobi (Capital) and North

Eastern provinces. Kibaki led in his nativeCentral province and beat Raila in Easternprovince. Out of the 2007, ODM got 101

out of 210 seats in the parliament, making

the ODM the single largest party inparliament.

On December 30, 2007, the chairman of the

Kenyan election commission fraudulentlydeclared Raila's opponent, incumbentpresident Kibaki, the winner of thepresidential election by a margin of about

230,000 votes. Most opinion polls hadprojected that Odinga would defeatpresident Kibaki.

CORDs Presidential Candidate Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga gets clearance from the IEBC to contest the 4 March 2013 General Elections

CORD Manifesto 2013: Unleashing Kenyas Potential

Larry Gumbe

Tuko Tayari

In a democracy, moving forward dependson making compromises. We need a

bipartisan understanding in our politics ifwe are to unleash all the potential of theKenyan people. I know how hard each of

us is going to work to get elected to thevarious seats that we are seeking. It is so

engrossing that we may be tempted toforget that it is not about us; it is about

Kenya.

The CORD Vision

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy

(CORD) is committed to the realisation of aKenyan society founded on popular

democracy and social justice, where allcitizens enjoy equal political, economic andsocio-cultural rights and live in harmony

and unity.

CORDs 10-Point Programme

1. Jobs2. Food Security


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3. Security4. People-led Government5. Poverty & Cost of Living6. Social Equality7. Infrastructure & Land8. Quality Education9. Health Care10. One Indivisible Nation1. JobsThe only route to a prosperous nation isthrough an environment that enables everywilling and industrious Kenyan to become

a producer of goods or services. To achievethis, CORD will remove barriers toeconomic productivity and prosperity. This

will in addition help to instil investor anddevelopment-partner confidence.

The CORD government will lay the

foundation for Kenya to move within twodecades from being a poor and dependentnation to being a productive and self-sustaining economy, paving the way to jobs

and dignified lives for all.

CORD will:

Take at least one major industry toeach county and establish a 24-houreconomy in major urban centres.

Restructure the Youth EmpowermentFund to give young people

entrepreneurial skills and providethem with start-up grants, and also togive loans at reduced rates forbusiness expansion.

Open branches of Kenya IndustrialEstates all over the country to supportand develop new business concerns.

Set up well-equipped centres in eachconstituency to offer training inmodern entrepreneurial and

technological skills.

Give incentives to banks and otherinstitutions so that they financeindustries that create jobs.

Enhance the use of ICT for increasedproductivity and efficiency and tomake Kenya into an informationsociety.

Promote local and foreign investmentthrough tax and other incentives.

Invest at least 2.5 per cent of annualGDP in research and development.

Fast-track Special Economic Zones inmajor urban centres

2. Food SecurityCrop production is mainly rain-fed, withonly two per cent of crop-land underirrigation, making the sub-sectorsusceptible to inclement weather and

variable yields from year to year. The

livestock sub-sector contributes about 10

per cent of GDP and accounts for morethan 30 per cent of the farm-gate value ofagricultural commodities. The fisheriessub-sector contributes about 0.5 per cent of

GDP and supports 80,000 Kenyans directly

The CORD government will transform the

agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors

to ensure adequate food for everyone. Thiswill also assure farmers, livestock-keepers

and fisher-folk of decent incomes. It willenhance equity and provide productiveemployment while the country

industrialises, develops the service sectorand diversifies job opportunities.

CORD will:

Subsidise farm inputs to ensureincreased yield.

Invest in rural infrastructure tofacilitate access to markets.

Reintroduce free extension services indifferent branches of the sector.

Strengthen co-operatives and integraterural production with the rest of the

economy via infrastructuredevelopment and better markets.

Introduce crop and livestock insuranceschemes.

Promote value-addition in agriculturethrough the use of taxation and othermeasures.

Devolve decision-making to countygovernments on funding, research,agro-processing and value addition.

Promote greater agricultural researchand develop crop varieties that canwithstand climate change.

Promote inland fishing areas,particularly around lakes Victoria,

Turkana and Naivasha, throughinvestment in hygienic landing bays,

modern storage and processingfacilities, and efficient transport andcommunications infrastructure.

Invest in innovative irrigatedagriculture for improved yields.

Encourage investment in post-harvestprocessing and preservation andstorage technologies, to maximise

returns to rural producers and ensure astable food supply and affordability toconsumers.

Reintroduce mini-weather stations inschools to assist in local monitoring ofweather trends and patterns

3. National SecurityInsecurity prevents people from freelyundertaking nation-building activities. Italso discourages foreign and local

investors. Parliament has enacted relevant

statutes and several pertinent bills are

pending. The CORD government willensure optimal functioning of organisationsconcerned with national defence, internalhuman security and state security, as well

as regional and institutional peace-keepingand security operations.

The CORD government will be very tough

on crime and terrorism and even tougher ontheir causes. Many crimes are related to

poverty. Some people turn to petty crime tosurvive. Poor policing does not help. Landissues make the problem worse. Cattle-

rustling, muggings and extortion bycriminal gangs are all common. Our newConstitution provides a framework for

major security-sector reforms

Improve and extend the national securitystructure to ensure security for all, and with

a human rights face.

CORD will:

Develop a strategy to strengthenresponse to terrorism and militiagroups, as well as to new challenges

such as cyber security.

Expand the use of CCTV. Fast-track police reforms and give

officers the necessary training andequipment to provide security, giving

parliament and the courts an oversightrole to ensure police powers are notabused.

Strengthen community policing forsafety, security and sustainable

development locally. Improve border policing by deploying

defence personnel.

Create a Directorate of CriminalInvestigation as a semi-autonomous

agency delinked from national policecommand

4. People-led GovernmentCORD sees governance as the exercise of

authority by individuals and institutions forthe common good of society. Governanceis the will of the people delegated toindividuals and institutions that exercise

authority in the context of the socialcontract between the people and those inauthority.

CORD believes that good governance andgender equality are critical to achievingpeaceful co-existence and sustainabledevelopment.

CORD will:

Protect, implement and defend theConstitution in spirit and letter.


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Ensure all Kenyans have a role incrafting laws, budgets and policies.

Reform the public service to rewardability and to make the serviceprofessional and efficient.

Promote full participation of bothwomen and men in all areas ofnational and county life.

Ensure county governments practisegood governance, transparency andaccountability.

Set up checks and balances in countygovernments to prevent corruption.

Set up public education programmesto teach corruption-prevention.

Fast-track reform of the criminaljustice system to deal quickly withcorruption cases.

Reform the police force to ensure thepolice do not delay or tamper withinvestigations

5. Poverty and Cost of LivingCORD will accelerate growth through

agriculture, manufacturing, the wholesaleand retail trades, tourism, energy notablyelectricity, construction, transport, storageand communication, finance, real estate,

business services and general governmentservices. Accelerated growth will lead towealth creation and more jobs.

The CORD government will activate theKomesha Umaskini initiative to increaseinvestment for greater productivity andmore job opportunities. Higher incomes

and the equitable distribution of benefits,

where necessary, and through expandedsocial-welfare programmes, will result.Benefits will include free secondary

education, quality health care for all, andmodest cash allowances for the poorest andolder members of society.

CORD will:

Increase savings and investment ratesby rejuvenating the co-operativemovement and expanding access tocredit through a strong micro-financesector.

Ensure the national productivitypolicy is effective.

Promote investment over consumptionwith measures favouring acombination of high-profit taxes and

low interest rates

Keep the cost of living as low aspossible by ensuring annual inflation

is below five per cent.

Control exchange rates to ensure that

imported consumer goods, energy

(especially petroleum products) andmanufacturing inputs do not lead tohigh prices.

Periodically review the minimumwage to ensure low-wage earners arecushioned against inflation.

6. Social EquityCORDs agenda for taking Kenya forward

includes ensuring equal access andopportunities to all citizens in theirdifferent counties, through positiveremedial action, social assistance and the

implementation of equalisationinterventions

The CORD government will developpolicies to reduce poverty levels from the

current 46 per cent to less than nine percent in 2030. An early key measure will besocial protection to cushion the very poor,as well as those with disabilities and others

unable to work or living in marginalisedareas, so that they are able to lead decentlives.

CORD will:

Introduce a pension scheme for thoseaged 65 and over.

Extend to all major urban centres cashtransfers for the urban poor.

Extend cash transfers for orphans andvulnerable children.

Design a scheme of targeted relief topoor rural households.

Design tax policies for redistributionof income and wealth, by focusing on

counties with limited capacity.

Protect individuals and householdsfrom the impact of adverse shocks to

their consumption so that they do notget trapped in poverty.

Cushion workers and their dependantsfrom the consequences of income-threatening risks such as sickness,poor health, injury at work andretirement.

Ensure that counties meet theirconstitutional obligations on the

provision of basic services, includingaffordable health care, education, foodand shelter.

Establish a national health insurancescheme that covers everyone, and towhich those who can afford it mustcontribute. For those unable to

contribute, establish a health-carepackage that includes maternal careand treatment for such pandemics asHIV-Aids.

7. Infrastructure and LandCORD will attract increased private-sectorinvestment in infrastructure developmentand management. There are currently a

number of private-sector involvements,particularly in the energy, water andrailway sub-sectors. More private sector

investments are being explored. The CORD

government will also promote transparencyin the management of and public access to

land information. CORD commits itself tosecuring the land and resource rights of therural poor, as a necessary condition for

economic growth.

The CORD government will ensure that

Kenya has the world-class infrastructureand services necessary to achieve Vision2030. Through rehabilitation,modernisation and new building, it

envisages an effective, efficient andinterconnected infrastructure. CORD alsorecognises that land is the foundation of ournational economic development and defines

our history, as well as the cultural, social,economic and political relations within oursociety.

CORD will:

Invest at least 10 per cent of GDP ininfrastructure development over thenext five years.

Expand the road network to cover allparts of the country and get Kenyansgenuinely connected.

Empower county governments toimprove, develop and upgrade localroads to improve local economies.

Extend road infrastructure tomarginalised regions and improveaccess for the development of alleconomic sectors and regions.

Introduce a modern integrated railinfrastructure that connects Kenyans.

Constructing new rail lines along theLapsset Corridor and the NorthernCorridor is a special pledge for

Kenyas 50th Independenceanniversary.

Develop light railway transportnetworks for Nairobi, Mombasa,

Nakuru and Kisumu.

Increase access countrywide to a morereliable electricity supply, anddecrease energy costs throughexpanded private sector participation.

Revitalise inland waterways and theport infrastructure in the lake region,linking Kisumu with other regionalinland ports, such as Bukoba, Jinja,

Mwanza and Port Bell.


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Establish an inland waterwaystransport infrastructure around LakeTurkana, to improve mobility around

the lake and provide a link withneighbouring Ethiopia.

Address historical injustices on land,including, but not limited to, squatterproblems, displacement of indigenouscommunities and involuntaryresettlement of populations.

Establish and enforce sustainableland-use standards and benchmarks

8. Quality EducationThe number of pupils attending school

since 2003 had increased by 22.3 per centby 2010. Enrolment in early childhooddevelopment education increased from 1.6million to 1.8 million between 2007 and

2010, in primary schools from 8.2 millionto 9.38 million, and in secondary schoolsfrom 1.1 million to 1.7 million.

CORD recognises the fundamental role

education plays in the nationsdevelopment and makes the bold pledge ofoffering universally accessible qualityeducation to all Kenyans at all levels.

CORD will:

Comply with the Constitution, whichentitles every child to basic, free andcompulsory education.

Through public-private partnerships,transform public education facilities atall levels to offer quality free

education. Review the employment terms of

teachers and lecturers to ensure longservice and harmony.

Recruit more teachers to correct thehigh pupil/teacher ratios in someareas.

Review curriculum delivery to hard-to- reach children.

Continuously assess learningoutcomes to correct poor performance,especially at lower levels.

Link education with the requirementsof industry, to ensure youths attain

skills that are required in society.

In partnership with major global ITfirms, launch e-learning and ICTeducation programmes to counteract a

shortage of printed learning materials.Establish computer laboratories andinternet services in all public schoolsto enable access to e-libraries and e-

laboratories.

Give more attention to gender issues,special needs, geographical location,family backgrounds, and the socio-economic and regional disparities thatimpact negatively on access to quality

learning and perseverance ineducation.

Reduce regional variations in female-to- male literacy ratios.

9. Health CareThe Constitution of Kenya guarantees allKenyans the right to health, while Vision

2030 recognises the health sector as criticalto the countrys development. Vision 2030outlines several priorities, including theestablishment of robust healthinfrastructure networks, improvements inhealth-care service delivery, the promotion

of private-sector partnerships and theprovision of universal health-care services.

CORD deplores the significant inequalities

in access to health care almost 50 yearsafter Independence, meaning Kenya has ahigh disease burden, especially frompreventable diseases. Institutional

weaknesses, lack of adequate personnel and

supplies, dilapidated facilities,mismanagement and corruption are some ofthe major health-care challenges the CORD

government intends to confront head-on

CORD will:

Establish a national health insurancescheme so that everyone has a right tohealth, as guaranteed by the

Constitution.

Extend health education andconcentrate on preventive health care.

Renovate health facilities so citizensare able to access high-quality

services.

Train more doctors, nurses and otherhealth personnel and improve theirterms and conditions of service

Work with county governments andthe private sector to Bring health careto the people right across the country.

Invest in specialised services, such astreatment for cancer, and ensure suchservices are available at differentlevels.

Provide quality maternal health care to

needy women and those in remote andmarginalised regions, at subsidised

rates.

10. One Indivisible NationKenyans stood as one people as they foughtfor the independence of this great nation.

We so valued that unity that we made it akey feature of our National Anthem, calling

for a nation that dwells in unity, peace andliberty. The CORD government iscommitted to a unified nation with

opportunities for all.

CORD rejoices in the mosaic of cultural,ethnic, religious, racial and geo-ecological

differences that characterise Kenya. At thesame time, the CORD government will besteadfast in the promotion of national unity.CORD will build one nation.

CORD will:

End artificial ethnic and factionaldivision of the nation, whilerespecting ethnic, religious,

cultural and racial differences.

Streamline and harmoniseinstitutions charged with ensuring

national cohesion and unity.

Ensure equal access and equalopportunities to all citizens in

their different counties, throughpositive action to rectifyimbalances and through socialassistance.


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The CORD Presidential Candidate Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga During CORD Manifesto launch at KICC, Nairobi

The Orange is a Newsletter of the Orange Democratic Movement

Readers are invited to submit their articles for publication at the address given below:

Prof. Larry Gumbe

Email:[email protected] SMS: 0713 764809

-The Orange Democratic Movement

Orange HouseMenelik Road, Kilimani Area

P.O. Box 2478, 00202Nairobi.

Email:[email protected] out our website atwww.odm.co.ke

Opinions of contributors are not necessarily those of the ODM.
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the orange newsletter volume 2 number 5 31 january 2013

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