At the signing this morning of the largest coalition agreement in our history, Kenyans saw what they had so eagerly been waiting for – the composition of the new government that will usher in the change that our people have yearned, fought and sacrificed so much for over the decades.
Vice president Kalonzo Musyoka, Hon Moses Wetangula, Hon Charity Ngilu and I – with so many other leaders who appeared at the formation of CORD – have today made a pledge of total commitment to fight for a new future for our beloved country.
It has been absolutely heart-warming to see the outpouring of support for the new national democratic front which will unite all Kenyans who want a better future for all our people and not just a few. CORD is now poised to deliver a resounding victory on the 4th of March.
We thought we had achieved the goal of an inclusive government that would finally bring justice, peace and prosperity in 2002, and then again in 2007, only to see our hopes crushed by divisive politics which benefitted a minority. But that dream is now finally within our grasp, and no one can stop us.
The team that assembled at KICC today with little advance notice is just one segment of an evolving and very broad coalition of Kenyans from every class and nook and cranny of this great nation. In the days to come, numerous other leaders, professionals and activists will come out and support this ticket. All of them realize that this election is by far the most important of our history. If the people do not win it, a future of even greater impunity stares us in the face.
Our new alliance is a highly symbolic one. It brings together parties – ODM, ODM Kenya (now Wiper), Ford and NARC – which emerged in the ferment for change and justice. Their coming together is proof that we have learned to overcome barriers that have been used to divide us by those running the corrupt and unjust systems that have held sway for decades in our country.
Today marked the beginning of a wave that will sweep away the power and influence of all entrenched elites.
Kenyans have already lived through a coalition government for the last five years. While it kept the peace and also delivered the new Constitution that is the guarantee of a better future for us all, it did not meet the aspirations of the vast majority of Kenyans who wanted a complete break from the past.
But after the disastrous election and the bloodshed that engulfed us for the first time in our history, we had no choice but to accept a forced marriage to save our country.
The Grand Coalition was a forced marriage – and a marriage without shared values. The two sides had campaigned on completely divergent platforms. One stood proudly for change and the other no less proudly for the status quo. But in this forced marriage, ODM managed to get the minimum it had fought for – the Constitution, Devolution and the entrenchment of Integrity as the essential pre-requisite for leadership.
To safeguard these gains and rapidly transform our country, we have created the only kind of coalition that can work – a coalition of the willing!
We are headed for a massive victory in March. Let no one fool Kenyans that such and such region is committed to the other side. Kenyans are too savvy now to be herded like sheep to alliances that serve nothing but their leaders’ interests. The people know what they want. They will not succumb to bribery or intimidation. A few leaders can be bought but not an entire community or country.
We are now launching a unified, pro-people’s campaign of a kind never before seen in our history. We will fight together for the vote of every single Kenyan in every county, constituency and ward.
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