CORD Presidential Launch : Raila Odinga's Full Speech at Uhuru Park

In cased you missed the Rt Hon Raila Odinga's manifesto launch at Uhuru Park yesterday, you can view it here. He explains the details of the Coalition for reforms and Democracy agenda for Kenya...

 

 

CORD Launches Harmonised Manifesto

The Coalition for Reform and Democract will formally launch its manifesto at the KICC scheduled for 11:00am.
There is a 10 point itemised issue focus provided below.

1. DECENT JOBS WILL BE CREATED

2. FOOD SECURITY WILL BE ASSURED

3. THE SECURITY OF ALL KENYANS WILL BE GUARANTEED

4. THE PEOPLE WILL GOVERN THEMSELVES JUSTLY

5. POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND BASIC NEEDS WILL BE ADDRESSED

6. THERE WILL BE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND SOCIAL PROTECTION

7. THERE WILL BE FAIR LAND REFORMS AND IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE

8. EVERY CHILD WILL BE ENTITLED TO A QUALITY EDUCATION

9. A UNIVERSAL HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED

10.KENYA WILL REMAIN ONE INDIVISIBLE NATION

CORD Principals in Major Eldoret Campaign Blitz

Saturday 26/1/2013
UASIN GISHU

PM Raila Odinga's Team
(10:00)
- Kesses
- Ziwa
- Eldoret

VP Kalonzo Musyoka's Team
(09:30)
- Turbo
- Matunda
- Jua Kali
- Eldoret

Minister Moses Wetangula's Team
(09:30)
- Ainabkoi
- Tembelio
- Moiben
- Eldoret

The three will then address a major public rally at 64 Stadium Eldoret.

CORD Coalition Officially Launches Raila Odinga Presidential Bid and Harmonised Manifesto

The Raila Odinga Presidential Campaign Secretariat wishes to announce that the eagerly-awaited official launch of Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s presidential candidature under the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD)ticket will be held on Wednesday, 30th January, 2013, at the Uhuru Park, Nairobi.

On the same day, prior to the launch, Mr Odinga accompanied by his running mate, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, and CORD principal, Minister Moses Wetangula and other coalition luminaries; is scheduled to hand in his nomination papers to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) at Anniversary Towers.

Monday, 28th January, 2013, will be another big day for CORD, when the coalition launches its harmonized manifesto. The ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) from 11.00am.

You are kindly invited to cover these landmark events.

DATED AT NAIROBI THIS FRIDAY THE 25TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2013.

ELIUD OWALO
CHIEF CAMPAIGN MANAGER AND HEAD OF THE RAILA ODINGA PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN SECRETARIAT
TEL: 020 2712496/97/98
CELL: 0711 649 066/0733 766 204
EMAIL:eliudowalo@gmail.com

CORD Princials Due for North Rift and Nyanza Campaigns

The Raila Odinga Presidential Campaign Secretariat and the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), have scheduled various activities this week in Nyanza and North Rift provinces to popularize the Prime Minister’s Presidential bid.
Hon. Raila Odinga, the coalition’s presidential flag-bearer, will this Saturday, 26th January, 2013, lead his co-CORD principals, Vice President Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka and Minister Hon. Moses Watengula, for an intensive one-day campaign in the North Rift region to solidify his position as the Presidential race front-runner.
The three are scheduled to address separate mini-rallies in various parts of the region, before converging for a major rally in Eldoret at the 64 Stadium. The rally will be preceded by a lunch meeting with stakeholders from the region, in the town.
In the meantime, the Vice President, Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka, will visit Nyanza Province on Friday, 25th January, 2013, where he is scheduled to traverse Nyamira Country to popularize the Raila-Kalonzo CORD Coalition presidential ticket. He is scheduled to make a number of stops to address the people during the tour.

Raila Odinga for President Campaign Secretariat

CORD Presidential Candidate PM Raila Odinga Departs for WEF Meeting

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 23 – Prime Minister Raila Odinga has left the country to attend the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

The PM is also scheduled to meet business and political leaders during his visit.

Odinga will be back on Friday and plans to travel to the north rift where he will address a public rally in Eldoret town on Saturday.

Odinga will join some 45 world leaders and around 2,500 lobbyists, journalists, captains of industry and economists in the picture-postcard Swiss ski resort for the five-day annual WEF meeting.

The 2012 meeting was dominated by the euro crisis and fears Greece could be forced out of the eurozone, but this year’s gathering is marked by a feeling of cautious optimism the worst may be over.

Opening the meeting, WEF founder and host Klaus Schwab, 74, called on delegates to turn the corner on the eurozone debt woes that have tipped the region into a recession.

“My hope is that you come out of the meeting with a vision which goes beyond just crisis management as we have seen, a vision that is much more dynamic, not just crisis fighting,” Schwab said in his opening speech.

In a major survey released by financial services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers Tuesday on the eve of the meeting’s official opening, chief executives said they were marginally more optimistic on the global economy.

Only 28 percent of CEOs said they expected the world economy to decline further in 2013, against 48 percent last year, while 52 percent expected it to remain stable.

But only 36 percent said they were “very confident” in their companies’ growth prospects in the next 12 months, down from 40 percent last year and 48 percent in 2011.

Among the leaders set to address the forum are German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and Britain’s David Cameron.

Other top speakers centre-stage in the eurozone crisis are European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, who will speak on “challenges for the years to come”, and the head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde.

However, every year events conspire to hijack the agenda and this year is no different, with the conflict in Mali and the crisis in Syria poised to exercise the minds of the global elite.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II was due to make a special address and the premiers of Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Tunisia and the Palestinian Territories were scheduled to attend, as well as Israeli President Shimon Peres.

There is also a heavy African presence, with the leaders of South Africa and Nigeria attending a session on “de-risking” the continent on Wednesday.

Beside the leaders, more than 900 top business executives will attend, with this year’s forum co-chaired by the CEOs of Coca-Cola, Embraer, UBS, Dow Chemical and the head of anti-graft watchdog Transparency International.

Organisers have chosen the theme “resilient dynamism”, reflecting the need for an improvement in the structure of the global economy to resist sudden emergencies like the eurozone debt crisis. Despite the presence of so many world leaders, no formal decisions are taken at Davos, although corporate deals are often sewn up on the sidelines and presidents and prime ministers huddle in small gatherings to thrash out pressing issues.

But it is not all top-level politics and head-spinning economics. Delegates are invited to early morning meditation sessions and there are lighter topics from the world of art, music and culture.

Among the 260 sessions spread over dozens of venues are also presentations on religion, science, media and health, including a dinner exploring possible cures for cancer and a session on “the past and future of the universe” by the head of top particle physics laboratory CERN.

 

The invitation-only meeting is also known for its informal luncheons and lavish cocktail parties, often hosted by corporate sponsors and with exclusive guest lists, where political and business leaders can rub shoulders and mingle.

Adding some Hollywood sparkle to the meeting before it officially got under way was actress Charlize Theron, who called on world leaders to do more to combat HIV/AIDS.

And pressure group Oxfam appealed for greater income equality, saying that the incomes of the top 100 billionaires last year alone would be enough to end world poverty four times over. 

(PMPS & Agence France Presse contributed to this report)

Invitation to #CORD Youth Dinner at The Carnivore

The Coalition for Reforms & Democracy cordially invites you for the YOUTH DINNER NITE on 30th January 2013 at CARNIVORE GARDENS from 7.00 pm.... Get your ticket in advance....Come enjoy the music & the surprise guest.... 

PM, VP Campaign Tour 19 to 22 January 2013

Saturday 19/1/2013 - KERICHO COUNTY

Leaders meeting, Kericho
Major Rally, Kericho

Sunday- 20/1/2013 - MACHAKOS COUNTY

PM's mini rally- Tala
VP's  mini rally, Wamunyu
Wetangula mini rally, Matuu
Major Rally, Machakos Town 

Monday 21/1/2013 - KITUI COUNTY


PM's Mini Rally, Mutomo
VP's Mini Rally, Nzombe
Wetangula Mini Rally, Kabati
Major Rally, Kitui Town


Tuesday 22/1/2013 - MAKUENI COUNTY

PM's Mini Rally, Kambuu
VP's Mini Rally, Kibwezi
Wetangula Mini Rally , Emali
Major Rally, Wote

Statement by the Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, Prime Minister, on Hon. Fred Gumo's Retirement from Politics

Fred Gumo could have easily sailed through to win any seat in Nairobi he wanted. Instead, in another expression of his far-sighted commitment to ODM and Kenya, he has chosen to devote his wisdom and energy to ensuring that our coalition wins this election and forms a government that will change people’s lives.

I want to pay great tribute to Hon. Fred Gumo for this selfless decision, and for the dedicated service he has rendered to our country during his long political career. He is leaving politics at the very peak of his career, having accomplished all he wanted to. This is the kind of legacy all Kenyans should seek to leave behind them.

Hon. Gumo was a master politician who was always in touch with the grassroots. That is how he managed to build his career in Nairobi, where he served all Kenyans irrespective of their ethnic background. That is how Fred Gumo will always be remembered.
 
Kaa Ngumu Fred!
 
I also want to pay tribute to Franklin Bett, the Minister for Roads, who has taken a break from elective politics to dedicate his energies at the national level to ensure that ODM wins the elections. A sincere and consistent man of great principle who always put the nation first, Bett left the Moi administration and joined the Narc struggle to put in place an accountable and dynamic government which would improve people’s lives. After Narc’s break-up, he knew ODM was where leaders who pushed the nation first belonged.

ODM and I will miss the active day to day engagement of both these ministers. But we have in the two the core of a new group of wise and independent elders who will guide the CORD government to deliver much better lives for Kenyans in every part of the Republic.

Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga
Prime Minister
16 January 2013

CORD Plans to Wrap-Up Elections in First Round - Odinga

MOYALE 15th Jan 2013 : Prime Minister Raila Odinga today said the Cord coalition will win the March 4 election overwhelmingly and in the first round.

“In 2002, I told you Mwai Kibaki would win the elections and he did. In 2005, I told you here in Moyale the Orange team would win against Banana and it happened. Even in 2007, we won, but you know what happened. In 2013, CORD will win overwhelmingly and don’t wait for the second round because it will not be there. We are going to win in the first round so wake up early and vote on March 4 because it will be over on that very day,” the PM said.

Odinga said CORD victory in the March 4 elections would mark a new era for northern Kenya, which has been stuck in neglect for half a century. "Fifty years after independence, Moyale is almost exactly what it was in 1963. Northern Kenya needs change and the chance is coming on March 4," the PM said.

Addressing a rally in Moyale town at the start of his two day tour of Marsabit County, the PM said only CORD has the people with the will to implement the constitution. He said his opponents comprise people who spread lies against the constitution and should they win, they will not implement it. The PM said those who opposed the constitution on grounds that it would put Islam above other faiths have taken prominent slots in Jubilee.

PM seated with Party Chairman Mr. Henry Kosgey and local leaders during the rally in Moyale of Marsabit County.

PM promised to build arbaitors and factories to process leather and beef for local and foreign markets. Mr Odinga said that for the first time since independence, northern Kenya is seeing investment in roads saying it was a product of his tenure as minister for roads. He said his government would invest in improving the livestock sector and make it productive and rewarding to herders.

The PM called for tolerance among all communities of the region to ensure security and rapid progress.

Mr.Odinga who also addressed a rally at Marsabit grounds was accompanied by ODM Chairman Henry Kosgey among other party MPs. 

PMPS

Kenya's Liberation Veterans Endorse PM Raila Odinga for President 2013

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE “LIBERATION VETERANS FOR RAILA” (“WAZALENDO NA RAILA”)

We have called you here today to state our reasons for supporting the presidential candidacy of a comrade in the struggle, Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga. They are reasons we have formulated after careful evaluation of the candidate, which has involved scrutinizing all his weaknesses (as well elaborated by his worthy opponents) and weighing them against his strengths (that we probably know better).

This lobby, that is made up of persons who participated in the struggle for the freedom we enjoy in Kenya today or the relatives of such persons, has listed down the reasons for supporting the candidate as follows: 

1. In and out of power, the PM has consistently proved the person best able to articulate the aspirations and defend the rights of Wanjiku, the ordinary Kenyan who has persistently been oppressed, suppressed and persecuted by a government system first created upon arrival of the colonialist in Kenya at close of the 19th Century. Out of power, the PM spent nine of the best years of his youth languishing in political imprisonment for refusing to support the oppression of Kenyans and demanding a guarantee for the rights of all to live in the dignity and prosperity we all deserve as citizens of a free nation. 
2. In power, the PM has demonstrated true statesmanship in difficult circumstances and, for instance, proved many wrong who predicted a collapse of the Grand Coalition Government. He provided the tolerance and level-headedness required for the Coalition to survive. At the same time, he stood firm when he was called upon to protect the rights of Kenyans. This is exemplified by his steering of the struggle for the new constitution. The latest action in this line is his refusal to support the Retirement Benefits Bill and to stop thieves using parliament to raid public coffers dead on their tracks.
3. The PM has assisted in the rehabilitation of neglected freedom fighters and their families by his regular visits, support and giving them a ready audience. This has resulted in the government building decent homes, providing employment, paying medical and funeral bills and other forms of support. The families of freedom fighters with us here can give live testimonies of support by the PM. The forms and instances of support are too many to list in this press statement. The PM was instrumental in the legitimization of Mau Mau that had remained a banned and criminal organization since the colonial days.
4. The PM has effectively demonstrated his capacity to work with people across the ethnic, regional, religious and even ideological divide for the nation’s good. He, like Jaramogi Oginga Odinga his father, has shown he is ready to sacrifice his political ambitions for the common good by helping leaders from other ethnicities and regions rise to power. For the sake of Kenyan youth who may not know this historical fact, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga refused to take power at independence and demanded first the release of Jomo Kenyatta from colonial political imprisonment. He then proceeded to successfully support Kenyatta for the presidency. Likewise, the PM proposed and successfully supported Mwai Kibaki for the presidential bid in the then popular National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) in 2002. His ability to work across the ideological divide brought him to work with other Kenyan leaders (including Daniel arap Moi, which ended with the implosion within KANU when Moi chose Uhuru Kenyatta as his preferred successor for president in 2002). The older ones among us remember that it was also Jaramogi who called Mr. Mwai Kibaki from his teaching job at Makerere University in Uganda to come and be the Executive Officer of KANU and the rest is history. 
5. We have listened to the demands of the PM’s worthy opponents for him to retire with President Kibaki because he is allegedly too old, has been in power long enough with little to show for it. We concede that the PM is certainly not a youth. He aged in Kenyan jails, paying for his democratic agitation for our freedom. He aged in the opposition trenches, fighting tyranny. He aged fighting for the constitution that ushered in a new era of democratic freedoms for us and posterity. He aged in government working with President Kibaki and other leaders to build the highways, airports, sea ports, railway stations, schools, hospitals and power stations, fighting Al Shabab and ensuring all the other developments that are set to make Kenya a middle income nation by 2030. He aged in government acquiring skills he needs to navigate the rough waters of Kenyan politics and governance. And yet, at 68, he is not as old as our founding president, the late Jomo Kenyatta who rose to power at well over70 years of age or Mwai Kibaki who became president a 71. He is not yet as old as Nelson Mandela who became president of South Africa at 76 years. We discourage the attempts to link leaders’ ages with leadership ability. Dictator Idi Amin grabbed power in Uganda at only 46 years of age. Samuel Doe did the same in Liberia at 29 years and Adolf Hitler was only 44 years when he rose to power in Germany. These youthful leaders were a disaster not only to their own people but to all humanity in the crimes they committed. Perhaps the best illustration of the meaninglessness of a leader’s age is a comparison of the performance of President Daniel arap Moi and that of his contemporary and age mate, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad of Malaysia. President Moi of Kenya was 53 when he took over in 1978 and ran his country down to its knees in the 24 years he ruled. Prime Minister Mahathir of Malaysia was 56 when he took over in 1981 and made his country a newly industrialized nation in the 22 years he ruled.

Dated at Nairobi this 15th January 2013
Liberation Veterans for Raila (Wazalendo na Raila)

Statement by H.E. Kalonzo Musyoka on Tana Delta Violence

These are some very dark and deeply sad days for Kenya. As a country, a government and as a people, we are failing. I deeply regret the senseless killing of innocent ‘wananchi’. These were grandmothers, mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. They were old. They were young. They were people. They were our fellow citizens. This loss of life is deeply saddening. It is unnecessary. It is inexcusable, and I condemn it in the strongest terms possible.

To all the families who have lost loved ones, know that I am grieving with you. All Kenyans of conscience are grieving with you. We feel your hurt. We empathize with your pain. We have heard your cries of anguish. And we cannot answer them simply with a request for more time. We might not have all the answers immediately at our fingertips. We might not presently posess the entire, complete and perfect solution to the strife that continues to rock the Tana Delta. But we must try. We must do all that we can. And we cannot, we shall not, and we will not relent until the calm of peace and the rule of law is restored. We know that the only solution that can last is when we as a people arrive at a place where we choose to pursue a peaceful co-existence based on mutual respect, and vow never again to such violence and strife. As Kenyans, this is what we all must ultimately work towards.

To the affected individuals, families and communities in the Tana Delta: As you weep, please accept our deepest and most heartfelt condolences. Kenya stands in solidarity with you. I commit to pray for you, work for you and fight for you until peace, justice and the rule of law are restored. We must protect the innocent. We must prosecute the perpetrators and executors of these heinous acts. Whoever they are, wherever they may be.

For all the families that have been torn apart, and for each of the survivors, we know that life will never be the same. While the wounds that you have suffered within your hearts and minds may never fully heal, know that Kenya still needs you. You know firsthand why we must find a better way. Let us continue to pray and work for a Kenya where we can dwell in peace and liberty. It would be a meaningful way to honor the lives of those that we lost. In the meantime, I pray that you will hold onto God's unchanging hand, and that He will grant you the peace that passes all understanding. 

H.E. Kalonzo Musyoka
Vice President

CORD Elections Board Confirms Readiness for Party Primaries

The National Elections Board of the Orange Democratic Movement – ODM wishes to inform all the aspirants who have applied to vie for various elective seats on the ODM party ticket that plans for the primaries scheduled for Thursday 17th January 2013 are complete.
To ensure smooth running of the nominations exercise, and considering that most of our competitors are holding their primaries on the same date, the Board has come up with following programme that will give guidance from now and the date of the nominations:

1.  Saturday 12th January 2013: The Board shall publish in the Print Media the list of all the polling stations countrywide to be used during the exercise.
2. Saturday 12 & Sunday 13th: Aspirants to inspect the list of aspirants at Orange House and at County Offices across the country.
3. Sunday 13th& Monday 14th: Training of the invited election officials shall be held at Orange House in Nairobi.
4. Tuesday 15th January: Constituencies Returning Officers shall meet all the aspirants in their respective areas of jurisdiction to consult on the clerks to be used during the exercise.
5. Wednesday 16th Jan: The Returning Officers shall train the Presiding Officers in the Constituencies

The Board wishes to assure all the aspirants that it intends to conduct the nominations exercise in a transparent, fair and open manner to the satisfaction of all the players.
At the same time, the National Elections Board wishes to condemn in the strongest terms possible the merciless killings of innocent citizens in the Tana Delta. The ODM is concerned at the manner in which these killings and destruction of property are happening in the full glare of the government. We call upon the necessary security apparatus to act with speed restore peace in Tana River and other areas affected by skirmishes across the country.
The Board also rallies behind the ODM Party Leader and CORD Presidential Candidate, the Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga’s rejection of the hefty send-off perks for Members of Parliament and his wise counsel to H.E. President Mwai Kibaki to reject the bill passed by Parliament on Wednesday night.
The hefty perks that MPs awarded themselves are in total contravention and defiance of the Constitution which provides for clear mechanisms which can be used in remunerating public officers, Members of Parliament included. We urged the President to reject this in the interest of the Kenyan people.
Signed 11/01/2013
Hon. Franklin Bett, EGH, MP, Hon. Judy Pareno, MP, EALA
Chairman – NEB Secretary – NEB.

Statement by Rt.Hon. Raila Odinga on MPs Hefty Send-Off Package

I have studied the Presidential Retirement Benefits (Amendment) Bill and the Retirement Benefits (Deputy President and Designated State Officers) Bill that were passed by Parliament a few days ago, and I completely object to them.

The passage of these Bills amounts to treachery by Parliament. It is an attempt by MPs to blackmail, arm twist and even bribe the Executive in order to have their way.

These Bills will overshadow the significant achievements that the Tenth Parliament and the Grand Coalition Government have been credited with.

The recommendations of the two Bills are unacceptable, unjustifiable and border on criminality.

In a nation struggling with hunger, insecurity, unemployment, wanting health services, rising cost of education and numerous other shortcomings, I find no words to explain and justify the proposed packages to our suffering citizens.

I am consulting with H.E the President on this matter to ensure that we do the right thing for the people of Kenya.

This runaway greed and callousness must be condemned and rejected by all Kenyans. I condemn and reject this package. We neither need it, nor can we afford it.

Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Raila A. Odinga, EGH, MP
PRIME MINISTER
FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 2013

CORD Principals Due for Inaugural Western, North Rift Tour

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) has lined up a number of activities that run from today, Thursday, January 10, 2013 through Sunday, January 13, 2013, in Central, Western and North Rift provinces, aimed at boosting Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s presidential bid. 

On Friday, January 11, 2013, Rt. Hon. Odinga will lead co-CORD principals, Vice President Hon Kalonzo Musyoka and Hon Moses Wetangula, on a visit to Kakamega, to be climaxed by a major rally at the Muliro Gardens.

The Principals will then proceed to Kitale on Saturday, January 12, 2013, for a major rally at the Kenyatta Stadium, besides a number of other scheduled activities.

The three CORD leaders will wind-up their tour of the two regions with a visit to Bungoma on Sunday, January 13, 2012, where apart from other scheduled activities in the area, will address a major rally at the Posta Grounds.

Their visit will be preceded by a CORD Caravan set to traverse the areas to popularize the PM’s presidential bid and the alliance. 

Official Release by the Raila for President Secretariat

Full Statement by Federal Party's Cyrus Jirongo Upon Joining CORD Coalition

The 2013 Elections present this country with a unique election in which we seek to define the direction should and must take.

For the Federal Party of Kenya our issues have always been the Restoration of Fairness, Creation of Opportunity, Enhancement of Devolution and the rebuilding of our security machinery so that all Kenyans are safe.

Today FEDERAL PARTY takes the courageous step of taking this agenda to another level. Today’s step is based on the principle that issues are more serious than the messengers.

On a personal level, I also take the unusual step of carrying my commitment to the Restoration of Fairness campaign to the same level. That the issue of “restoration of fairness” is far, far, far more important than the messenger who carries it.

I would like to announce today, that I Cyrus Jirongo, will not be seeking the Presidency in the 2013 General Elections. Secondly, FEDERAL PARTY will also not be fielding a presidential candidate in this year’s general elections.

The reasons for this position are clear cut and straight forward;
Our analysis of the current elections show that it will counter- productive to split voices that chase a similar goal: Restoration of Fairness. CORD and FPK share the same ideals.

Secondly, we Kenyans must choose for President between TWO strong men who both love their country, but who have very different views on how we can create a Kenya for all Kenyans.

The truth be told. The Jubilee Alliance favours concentrated wealth and power leaving common people to fend for themselves.

On the other hand, CORD carries the most pro-equity agenda among the 3 top alliances. CORD’s Presidential candidate The Rt Hon Raila Odinga recognizes that Kenya is made up of different communities and is prepared to negotiate between diverse interest groups.

At the beginning of my speech, I mentioned that “the principle is more important than the messenger”. I have also said “opposition for opposition’s sake is not the way forward”. To create a Kenya where everyone has an equal stake, and fair treatment, we must consolidate and vote for Restoration of Fairplay, and we must choose a President who will show the way.

In conclusion, after meetings within the Federal Party, and after detailed discussions with members of the CORD Alliance, the Federal Party’s organs have resolved the following:

• That the Federal Party joins the CORD Alliance
• The Federal Party will fully support the candidature of Rt Hon Raila Amolo Odinga and H.E Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka for the positions of President & Deputy President of Kenya.
• That I, Cyrus Jirongo will contest the post of Senator for Kakamega County under the ticket of the Federal Party
• That the Federal Party will field its own parliamentary and county candidates who shall fully support the candidature of Odinga/Musyoka CORD ticket. 

Hon Cyrus Jirongo
Party Leader, Federal Party of Kenya

Random Introduction #TeamCORD 2013 Aspirants - A Photo Essay

 

 

Raila Odinga Presidential Campaign Secretariat Restructured

The Raila Odinga Presidential Campaign Secretariat has been restructured to incorporate interests of partners in the CORD Coalition, enhance synergy and deliver victory for Kenya.

Mr. Andrew Mwavwa, who has been Head of Strategy in the Kalonzo Musyoka for President Secretariat, now becomes the Deputy Head of the Raila Odinga Presidential Campaign Secretariat while Mr. Ken Wanyama, who has been a member of the Moses Wetangula Presidential Campaign Secretariat becomes the Director in Charge of Strategic Alliances and Partnerships in the Raila Odinga Presidential Campaign Secretariat

Mr Eliud Owalo retains the position of Chief Campaign Manager and Head of the restructured Raila Odinga Presidential Campaign Secretariat. Others are Mr. Ngunjiri Wambugu (Director, Political Affairs), Dr. Lang’at Kipkurui Lang’at (Director, Field Operations), Mr. Oduor Ong’wen (Director of Strategy, Policy and Research), Ms Rosemary Kariuki (Political Mobilisation), Mr. Wafula Buke (Field Manager), Dr Josephine Wandago (Women Affairs) and Mr. David Osiany (Youth Affairs).

These changes, which have been sanctioned by the three CORD principals and the CORD Executive Board, take effect immediately.

DATED AT NAIROBI THIS MONDAY THE 7TH DAY OF JANUARY 2013

ELIUD OWALO
CHIEF CAMPAIGN MANAGER AND HEAD OF THE RAILA ODINGA PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN SECRETARIAT

CORD Statement on Nominations for the 2013 General Elections

Franklin Bett (left) CORD co-chairmen Dalmas Otieno (centre) and David Musila (right) confer during a news conference January 5, 2013 at Serena Hotel, Nairobi. Cord parties will hold joint nominations.

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), having exhaustively consulted widely among its member parties and its various coalition management organs, wishes to inform our supporters and those who have expressed interest in offering themselves for nomination for the positions of Governor, Senator, Woman Member of the National Assembly, Ordinary Member  of the National Assembly and Member of the County Assembly in their respective member parties as follows:
 

1. That nominations to all the named positions will be held on Thursday, 17th January 2013.
2. That the nominations shall be conducted jointly by FORD Kenya, ODM, Wiper Democratic Movement -­‐ Kenya and all other partner parties that have signed the Coalition Agreement. 
3. That the nominations shall be conducted by universal suffrage through secret ballot.
4. That for avoidance of doubt, the names of all candidates for each position shall appear in one common ballot paper clearly indicating the name and symbol of sponsoring partner party. 
5. That polling stations for the purposes of these nominations, which shall open at 8.00 hrs and close at 17.00 hrs, shall be published by the CORD Elections Board not later than seven (7) days before the nominations. 
6. That to qualify to participate in nominations, electors names must appear in the IEBC Voters’ Register and proof of identification shall be either a National Identity Card or Kenyan Passport. No other identification document will be accepted. 
7. That at the close of voting, votes shall be counted and results announced at the polling stations which shall later be tallied at Constituency and County Tallying Centres. 
8. That the County and Constituency Returning Officers, Presiding Officers and clerks for the exercise shall be identified,appointed and supervised by the CORD Elections Board and NOT by aspirants or any other entity. 
9. That each successful candidate in the nominations shall be issued with a certificate of nomination by his or her sponsoring partner party. 
10. That the CORD Election Board has been mandated to expressly disqualify any candidate who engages in, sponsors or in any way abets violence prior to, during or after the nomination exercise.
11. That the following have been appointed members of the CORD Elections board:

• Hon. Franklin Bett Chair
• Sammy M. Mbova, CBS Vice Chair
• Ezekiel Wafula Secretary Other members include:
• Everett Wasike
• Hon. Judy Pareno
• Roy M. Mutisya
• Mary Muhuhu

The CORD Elections Board shall issue more details regrading this exercise in due course.

Dated in Nairobi this 5th January 2013
 
Signed: Hon. David Musila 
Hon. Dalmas Otieno

CORD Presidential Candidate Raila Odinga Pays Tribute to Speaker and MPs in Terminal Speech to Tenth Parliament

STATEMENT OF RT. HON RAILA ODINGA PRIME MINISTER DURING PMQ TIME ON ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE GRAND COALITION GOVERNMENT/TENTH PARLIAMENT

The Prime Minister (Mr. Raila): Mr. Speaker, Sir, let me begin by wishing all hon. Members a very happy and prosperous year, 2013.

On January15, 2008, we gathered here to elect the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker and to swear in our then new Members of Parliament.

Many Kenyan watchers predicted that there would be serious legislative problems for the Government if what transpired in this House on that day, and the fighting that was going on across the country were anything to go by. Some predicted the prospect of a deadlock in Parliament and difficulties in passing essential Bills.

Since that time, a lot of water has passed under the bridge. A lot of positive things have gone on in the country and in this House these last five years. Today, I want to take a moment to pay tribute to the Tenth Parliament, the Government and the PRIME MINISTER’S TIME ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE GRAND COALITION GOVERNMENT/TENTH PARLIAMENT

The Prime Minister (Mr. Raila): Mr. Speaker, Sir, let me begin by wishing all hon. Members a very happy and prosperous year, 2013.

On January15, 2008, we gathered here to elect the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker and to swear in our then new Members of Parliament.

Many Kenyan watchers predicted that there would be serious legislative problems for the Government if what transpired in this House on that day, and the fighting that was going on across the country were anything to go by. Some predicted the prospect of a deadlock in Parliament and difficulties in passing essential Bills.

Since that time, a lot of water has passed under the bridge. A lot of positive things have gone on in the country and in this House these last five years. Today, I want to take a moment to pay tribute to the Tenth Parliament, the Government and the people of Kenya for the undying spirit and the resilience that has made us recover our breath and come this far. If this were a gathering of men and women of religion, we would all proclaim Ebenezer. I think that as a nation that believes in God, we can all say Ebenezer today. This far the Lord has brought us.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, let me continue by expressing sincere gratitude to all Members of this house and colleagues whom I have come to know as friends.

It has been quite an honor to interact, to serve and to exchange views with you, sometimes bitterly, but all, I believe, in our joint quest to make Kenya a better nation and to represent the feelings of our constituents.

There is reason for the Members of the Tenth Parliament to go out holding their heads high. Out of the bitter divides of the 2008, the Grand Coalition Government, the critical input of the Tenth Parliament has presided over:-

(i) the Promulgation and implementation of a new Constitution;

(ii) the Restoration of peace, including resettlement of most of the Internally Displaced Persons;

(iii) restoration of economic growth; and,

(iv) institutional working Government that, more than any other Government in recent times has achieved what many thought would be impossible even the best of times. 

Working closely with the Executive, the Tenth Parliament has overseen:-

(1) The biggest ever investment in the infrastructure development, with growth in roads, mobile telephony, energy and ICT standing out.

(2) Investment in food security through irrigated agriculture in ones neglected places like Turkana.

(3) Expansion of energy sources by investing in clean energy like geothermal, wind, solar and clean coal.

(4) Poverty reduction measures targeting vulnerable groups, including cash transfers to the poor and elderly currently piloting in various parts of the country.

(5) Expansion of free education to secondary schools and extending its benefits by providing sanitary towels to girls.

(6) Liberation of Somalia from Al Shabaab as part of our obligation to ourselves and to the global community to name but just a few.

The evolution of projects like the LAPSET, the Konza City and, above all, the promulgation of the new Constitution have been so grand that they could only have come from the era of big dreams that the Tenth Parliament and the Grand Coalition Government have come to represent. 

It is my hope that when the history of this country is written years later, with the benefit of hindsight, soberness and wisdom that comes with time, it will be more kind and gentle on the Grand Coalition and the Tenth Parliament than day to day reviews have been.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, each of us is hitting the campaign trail soon, except for a tiny minority that has opted out of elective politics. I want to wish each of you well as you seek to recapture your current seats or new ones. I hope you too will wish me success and victory.

(Applause)

I am sure that the violence of 2007/2008 is still fresh in the minds of each of us. I want to appeal to everyone that as we hit the campaign trail, let us not underestimate the impact we could make by getting involved in matters of peace, stability and national security.

As we campaign, let us not forget to remind Kenyans of the tasks ahead for the next Government. These include:-

 

(i) A faithful and full implementation of the Constitution.

(ii) Pursuit and implementation of Vision 2030 goals.

(iii) Attaining the 10 per cent plus growth as part of the Medium Term Plan goals of Vision 2030.

(iv) Security within our borders

(v) Deepening infrastructure development and in particular full implementation of LAPSET projects.

(vi) The creation of an ICT hub of the region; especially the development of Konza Techno City.

(vii) Reducing the cost of energy particularly through investment in green energysources.

(viii) Full integration of the EAC.

(ix) Ensuring a Peaceful Somalia and South Sudan.

(x) Ensuring food security for the country.

We are leaving this House at a moment in our history when Kenya faces daunting challenges. Some of our problems seem greater than our Government’s ability to solve them.

Poverty, massive youth unemployment, insecurity and tribalism stand out among the challenges. But I remain deeply optimistic about our country’s future. It is my view that all those challenges are surmountable. I am optimistic largely because of what I have experienced and witnessed in the last five years. I am especially encouraged by what we have been able to achieve after beginning so low five years ago.

With hindsight and experience under the Grand Coalition Government, I can state without fear that the greatest obstacle that stands between us and the brighter Kenyan future that we all want is right here among us. It is the polarization of our politics along tribal and party lines. This is what is preventing us from making the principled compromises this country desires and deserves.

In a democracy, moving forward depends on making compromises. We need a bipartisan understanding in our politics if we are to unleash all the potential of the Kenyan people. And so, I want to respectfully appeal to you, my colleagues, as you go out there to embark on campaigns. I know how hard each of us is going to work to get elected to the various seats that we are seeking. It is so engrossing that we may be tempted to forget that it is not about us; it is about Kenya.

As we campaign out there and as we return to this House next year, for those who will be successful, let us be prepared to reach across the party, tribal and regional divide.

Let us be prepared that for the sake of Kenya, when we gather in this House this year, each of us will reach across the aisle and party divide. Let us strive to and find partners from the opposite party. Let us put the interests of the country and constituents ahead of the dictates of party ideology.

I was not here a few days ago when His Excellency the President addressed this House for the last time. I want to join Members in thanking President Kibaki for his service to our nation. I also want to record my full appreciation for his co-operation within the Grand Coalition Government which has made it possible for us to reach this far. It has not always been easy. There has been all the time partisan pressure on both sides of the divide, that is, on President Kibaki and also on myself. However, through the spirit of compromise and tolerance, we have been able to make this Government move this far. I, therefore, want to wish him well as he prepares to retire and hope that the remaining days, until he hands over to whoever is going to be elected, are going to be smooth so that we do not experience what we saw in 2008. I thank you very much, hon. Members of Parliament.

Mr. Speaker: Right Honourable Prime Minister, so that you also know and it goes on record, on the same day that His Excellency the President addressed this House, the Kenya National Assembly hosted a dinner for him at the Inter-Continental Hotel to which all Members of Parliament were invited. His Excellency the President put it on record that he appreciated your support to him to manage the Coalition Government. So, please, note that he really acknowledged your efforts in the Coalition Government.

Hon. Members, following earnest requests by most of you, we will treat this Statement by the Prime Minister slightly differently. Those of you who may have clarifications will seek them, but we want to accord as many of you as we can some two minutes or so given the uniqueness of the title to the Prime Minister’s Statement this afternoon which is: Tribute to the Tenth Parliament.

So, you might as well want to acknowledge and appreciate yourselves. But those

of you who have had questions for the Prime Minister will be at liberty also to raise those

issues. So, we will do that for 30 minutes and the Prime Minister will have three minutes

to respond. Then we will close the matter. We want to begin with the Member for Gichugu.

Ms. Karua: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I want to join the Prime Minister in

paying tribute to ourselves as the Tenth Parliament. However, unlike him, I will say that,

yes, we did well in bringing forth legislation that helped this country stand up after the ashes that followed the disputed elections. We did well in passing the Constitution. We did well in passing the laws pursuant to the Constitution. But we know that we failed when passing some of those laws because of self-interest. We even deviated from the spirit of the Constitution. We need to acknowledge that on record.

I want to agree that the Grand Coalition Government has done very well in infrastructure, but they have done dismally in the fight against corruption and impunity.

However good the programmes and policies are of any government, without fighting corruption and impunity, the benefits can never reach the people and many of those programmes can never be implemented.

It is on record that up to now, we do not have a functional anti-corruption body because of the manipulations in the manner of appointments. We have not fulfilled the one-third gender rule. That, again, I will say it is Parliament because the President and the Prime Minister in this dispensation are Members of this Parliament. To me, that is a great shame.

I would say thank you to Kenyans and the people of Gichugu for allowing me to serve them for 20 years. Thank you to them because without them, I would not have been given the other responsibilities. I now seek from Kenyans the mandate to steer Kenya after President Kibaki; to fight corruption and impunity; to build and do better than the Grand Coalition Government that has ended up being the Grand Corruption Government.

I would say that where the Grand Coalition Government has reached, they are not capable of going beyond that in the fight against corruption and impunity. As I wish us well, I am unable to wish my fellow and worthy competitors luck because that luck should be to me solely, so that I take over from President Kibaki.

I want to thank the Prime Minister for initiating this appreciation and to appreciate Mr. Speaker. It is not that we may have agreed--- I may have agreed with the Speaker 100 per cent that he has done very well in a very difficult time. The President and the Prime Minister have steered a very difficult marriage which we expected to break any time. So, congratulations for steering a difficult marriage, but I now ask Kenyans to turn a new leaf in electing none other than myself to steer the country. I thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

(Applause)

Mr. Imanyara: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I, too, join the Prime Minister in expressing appreciation to the Tenth Parliament. When I say the Tenth Parliament, I start with you, Mr. Speaker and your leadership of this House. That is because you have been a worthy captain of the House. As the Prime Minister speaks to us as the Tenth Parliament, I recall, indeed, that the last time a Prime Minister stood before this House, he proceeded to become the President of the Republic of Kenya.

(Applause)

I am one of those who wish him well. I will support him to become the President of the Republic of Kenya, but I will be doing so with a word of caution that he be informed by events of the last five years.

The fight for the new Constitution has been a long struggle and we appreciate where we have come. However, the bigger challenge is in implementing that Constitution.

The challenges that we face are from the same sources that fought so hard to prevent passage of that Constitution.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, you will recall that we went late into the night in this House and, sometimes, forced to vote with our feet in order to save that Constitution. I see the

challenge ahead is from the same forces that will work day and night to prevent the realization of the full fruits of Independence under a new Constitution. So, Prime Minister, drawing from the parallels, be careful. I ask you to leave the Office of the Prime Minister as your predecessor did. The office is going to be abolished under the new Constitution. We are seeking a new dispensation under your leadership. My optimism for the future is informed by---

Mr. Speaker: Your time is up!

Mr. Imanyara: Please allow me 20 seconds.

Mr. Speaker: You want 20 seconds? Okay, that is granted.

Mr. Imanyara: Mr. Speaker, Sir, my optimism is informed by what I saw at Uhuru Park when the Vice-President and the Prime Minister launched a coalition that is

guaranteed to bring real change in this country and I wish them well.

The Minister for Forestry and Wildlife (Dr. Wekesa): Mr. Speaker, Sir, just like the Prime Minister, I was not able to be in the House when the President gave his Speech but I want to join him in congratulating the President for that wonderful speech and also for a good job that the President of this country has done in consultation and cooperation

with the Prime Minister. I remember the day that Kofi Annan came to this country to sort out our problems. I was one of the speakers in that meeting who said that we needed a grand coalition. I did that against opposition from many people in that

Chamber. I believed in a coalition at that time and I do believe in it even now and even in future. The days of one party system are much behind us. I do not think we will see Kenya come out with one party that produces a chief executive of this country.

Therefore, I am here to state very clearly that I appreciate the speech by the Prime

Minister. The Prime Minister and the President have been good examples of what a

coalition should be. If you remember, coalitions have been in Italy, India and so on. This coalition has stood the test of time in its five years. I do congratulate the Prime Minister and the President for steering us up to this time.

I know the Prime Minister, I know him very well. I remember when our President was in hospital and we were campaigning, then I joined the Prime Minister and we toured

this country. He campaigned for President Mwai Kibaki as if the post was going to be his and he is the one who said “Kibaki Tosha”. It looks to me now that some people have forgotten but I have not. Here, we have the next President.

Mr. Speaker: Order, hon. Member for Kwanza. Your time has been up a minute ago.

The Minister for Forestry and Wildlife (Dr. Wekesa): Please, allow me 20 seconds.

Mr. Speaker: Okay, 20 seconds, please conclude.

The Minister for Forestry and Wildlife (Dr. Wekesa): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I have always said that I know who the next president is going to be. I have told Kenyans and I never vote for losers. Raila Amollo Odinga is your next President.

Mr. Koech: Mr. Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity to sincerely thank the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister for giving us that Statement on tributes to the Tenth Parliament. Many a times when you listen to what goes on outside there you wonder whether anybody really recognizes and appreciates what this honourable House has done. Sometimes I even think that the Executive does not consider and look at how much this Parliament has done. This year alone, if my recollection is correct, we have been able to pass over 100 Bills as compared to only 17 Bills in---

Mr. Speaker: Hon. Member for Mosop, was it last year or this year?

Mr. Koech: Last year, Mr. Speaker, Sir. That is 2012. I did not say “happy new year” and that is why.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, when you hear this Parliament being bashed left right and

centre, you wonder whether the other quarter of this Government is actually seeing. The latest is when we passed the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment) Bill that was

generated and originated from the Government for purposes of ensuring the passage of critical Bills before the end of this Parliament but the Executive has not even issued a

single statement to say how important it is.

Again last year, His Excellency the President, I believe in concurrence with the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, honored many Kenyans. But looking at them, I was surprised that in this House, they recognized Ministers only apart from only one passenger, Mr. Yusuf Chanzu. I want to thank the Executive for recognizing him but looking back again, you will discover that he was once an Assistant Minister in this Government.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like the Prime Minister to tell us---

Mr. Speaker: I am afraid your time is up. We must now get back to the rules. If we keep on spilling over, we may not have as many Members but you may get 20 seconds.

Mr. Koech: Mr. Speaker, Sir, how does the Prime Minister intend to honour Members of this honourable House beyond the accolades on the Floor of the House?

Mr. C. Kilonzo: Mr. Speaker, Sir, I wish to thank the Prime Minister for allowing us to blow our own trumpets. There is no better opportunity than now. This Parliament has played a crucial role in fighting corruption despite the lack of cooperation from the Government. This is a Parliament which saw Ministers step aside from their offices because of the work done by this House. The Tenth Parliament is where the role of Committee has really improved and the general public has come to appreciate what the Committee of Parliament can do and what Parliament can actually do to serve their interests.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, although we started on a very shaky ground, I wish to thank my own party leader, the Prime Minister and the President for having kept this Government

moving. I do remember one time when I visited the Prime Minister’s office - I have to

mention this case because he might not be aware of a Kenyan lecturer who was stuck in a university in South Africa with a bill of Kshs18 million – after the Government’s

intervention, that lecturer was flown all the way from South African to Nairobi Hospital.

He has now recovered and has gone ahead to apply for a job in the National Land Commission. That shows that my party is where to go.

To conclude, there have been failures by all of us especially when it comes to addressing salaries of civil servants. These include the policemen, the nurses and the lecturers. I wish we could have done slightly better. It is my prayer that when we take over this Government that the first agenda---

Mr. Speaker: Your time is up!

The Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Onyancha): Mr. Speaker, Sir, first of all, I would like to state that at a personal level, it has been wonderful having been a first time Member of Parliament and having worked very closely with the Prime Minister and the Vice-President who were in the House and, indeed, with the Speaker himself. It has been a learning experience. The truth is that the Tenth Parliament has done wonderfully well. We tried to learn as fast as we could. I think we went through the learning processes very quickly and I think we did our job quite well.

For me, it was a very fortunate experience and the fact that the Prime Minister

participated in having me being appointed an Assistant Minister where I participated fully in making sure that I did well during the transitional period for South Sudanese

Government. I am also very proud to be associated with the Prime Minister and the President who made sure that Somalia finally becomes a stable and solidified African

country that hopefully will have success in future.

Lastly, I would like to say that it is important for this House to be cautious and clear that the public out there expects more. I believe we can do better with our Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) money and make sure that the implementation of the Constitution is successful. We should also work and make sure that corruption in this country is reduced to the minimal. At the same time, I wanted to say that I thank all

Members of this House for having made some of us really enjoy working here.

Finally, I hope that we have a very peaceful and successful election and I hope we will behave as gentlemen and ladies to get the best person to become the President of Kenya, and I hope it will be the Prime Minister, Raila Amollo Odinga.

Mr. Ochieng: Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to join my colleagues in congratulating the Prime Minister for the splendid speech that he gave especially in paying tribute to this House and to my fellow colleagues who have done very well since we came here in 2008.

At times, it was very hard just as it has been said by my colleagues that we felt that the

Government was going to collapse but, finally, we are here. I want to actually just repeat what my colleague, hon. Koech, has said that hon. Members deserve to be given medals just like their colleagues in the Cabinet because we have done very well. That is the only way we will also be appreciated by the Government. I want to believe that as we approach elections, we do so with sober and peaceful minds and because Kenya is one nation, I hope that this time round the elections will be very peaceful and let us have the Prime Minister being the president of this country. Thank you very much.

Mr. M’Mithiaru: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving me the opportunity to congratulate the Prime Minister for the Statement and the tributes he has made to the

Tenth Parliament and also as we carried our business in the Tenth Parliament, we noted

the role you had played. In fact, you have been a cross cutting thread to ensure that the coalition was properly knit and everything went on quite well.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, we really knew this was a very loose coalition but the Prime Minister and the President brought us home because they actually went beyond their expectations. We have had instances where they talked about half a loaf of bread and consultations not being there but with all that, the Government remained one and we have actually seen the success that has been made through the developmental programmes that have been put in place.

Mine now is to wish all of us well as we go to the next elections and also to ensure that in the event of any other coalitions, we now have some experience and let us

ensure that we put Kenya first. Thank you so much.

Mr. Mbau: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, Sir for giving me a chance to also thank the Prime Minister for initiating debate in paying tribute to ourselves as hon. Members of this Tenth Parliament simply because even though hon. Members of this House have been applauded by the President himself for having done and achieved a record passage of Bills, the public sometimes chooses not to appreciate what Members of

Parliament do.

The other day, we passed the Omnibus Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment) Bill and even though the Bill had meant a lot for what work is set for this House, some segments of the public chose not to see that one simple amendment which was aimed to ensure that instead of us not being Members of Parliament by January, they chose to see that hon. Members only wanted to hold onto to their party membership or rather to have more time to remain hon. Members instead of seeing that committees have a lot of unfinished business, which if that law was not amended, we would collapse and become irrelevant or redundant and not be able to transact business anymore. I think it is high time that we also told the public that there is a lot more that we do as committees beyond what they think.

Mr. Duale: Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to thank you for the role that you have

played in making sure that Parliament finishes its mandate and for the Prime Minister, I want to say categorically that that I am a very good student of his politically. We were

together in 2007. We might not be together in 2013 but having said that, I want to thank him for chairing and bringing together the coalition that had ups and downs. I want to thank the Prime Minister for playing his role for the period that he was the Prime Minister of Kenya. I wish him luck.

I want to tell him that if he wins in the elections, we will work with him and if we win the elections, we want him and his colleagues in the Coalition for Restoration of Democracy (CORD) and the Vice-President, who is my neighbor, to also work with the Jubilee Coalition. This is a Jubilee Coalition and this is a jubilee year and we expect to

win the elections. We are telling everybody to make the political competition a peaceful one and a transition that will make Kenya a better place to live. Mr. Prime Minister, we wish you well and a long life.

The Minister for Public Works (Mr. Obure): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. First, I want to associate myself with the sentiments expressed here in congratulating the Prime

Minister for a good statement. This Parliament has been very successful led by you – a

very impartial, fair and very firm Speaker. You will be remembered for the landmark

rulings you made while presiding over the affairs of this House. This House will be

remembered for its role in passing a new Constitution. It will be remembered for the large number of pieces of legislation which were passed and the large number of Motions which were passed in this Parliament.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, we know that the Constitution has its own challenges of implementing it but I am appealing to hon. Members to play their role to ensure that the Constitution which Kenyans fought for so hard is realized and actualized. If you go around the country today in various constituencies, you will see projects initiated by hon.

Members of this House. In fact, projects related to health, schools, water and all the rest have been done under the supervision of these hon. Members of Parliament and they have demonstrated that the little resources that have been made available through the devolved arrangement can actually work. So, I want to congratulate the various hon. Members for supervising the use of the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) effectively for the benefit of the people.

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the Coalition Government. This Coalition Government will be remembered for the massive infrastructure projects

initiated.

The Assistant Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology (Mr. Kamama): Mr. Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this chance to thank the Prime Minister for the good expose on what this House has achieved since its inception or since this Parliament began. I also want to thank him for being the sober politician that he has been since he became the Prime Minister of this Republic. Of course, he is going to be the last Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya because our Constitution does not recognize this position again. I want to thank you for your landmark ruling, namely, the Solomonic wisdom that you have given in this House on several matters, Bills and contentious issues. You have been one of our best Speakers if not the best Speaker. I want to shower accolades to all the Members of Parliament for doing very well on the ground in their constituencies and in this House. Our Members have burnt the midnight oil to ensure that several Bills are legislated and enacted in this House. I want to thank the Members for also playing a great role in the promulgation of the new Constitution. I also want to thank our friends in the Jubilee Coalition for preparing themselves to take over the next Government and give Kenyans the best leadership that they have never seen in this country.

Mr. Ngugi: Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to join my colleagues in thanking the Prime Minister for paying tribute to the Members. I wish to pay tribute to the Members. I also

want to pay tribute to all Kenyans who elected the Members of the Tenth Parliament.

They did a wonderful job. This has been a House that will be remembered for a long time to come.

On 20th December, 2012, the President paid tribute, particularly to two Committees of this House, namely, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Public Investments Committee (PIC), for the very diligent work they had have done in keeping the Government on its toes. I want to say, on behalf of the PAC, which I am a Member, that no Minister should take personal grudge on the Members of the PAC or the PIC for having done their work. We did our work to serve Kenyans and even if we were to be elected again, we would do the same work.

I want to end by thanking the Prime Minister. He has been a good example. He has worked very closely with the President. He has been a good example to all of us who are first timers. To you, Mr. Speaker, you have steered this House very well and we wish you the best for the future. For those of us who are going to be governors will emulate what you, the Prime Minister and the President have done.

The Minister of State for Public Service (Mr. Otieno): Mr. Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity. I just want to make one statement. As a Minister, during the last session, responsible for monitoring and evaluating performance, totally, it was an excellent score for the National Assembly in this Session. Without belabouring the point, you gave benchmark rulings in the Assembly. The Assembly, as a whole, has had record performance in legislation. Initially, when we had the leadership of this Government, namely, the President, the Prime Minister and the Vice-President, it appeared as if it was not workable, but they have demonstrated to Kenyans that all is possible if the leaders are willing to do so.

Finally, I wish to commend the performance of the lady Members of the Tenth

Parliament. I regret that we did not legislate on the gender rule and we may have fewer female Members or less active, but from the record of the Tenth Parliament, it is highly commendable that Ms. Karua did an excellent job. Hon. Shebesh did a perfect job. Hon. Laboso is an excellent Chair at the same time. Hon. Kamar has great happiness in performance. My brother here tells me if I made a mistake of mentioning names, hon. Odhiambo-Mabona should be mentioned ten times and hon. Kilimo should be mentioned six times. It was a great pleasure working with them.

Mr. Speaker: Your time is up, hon. Otieno. I have just three minutes and I have two persons that have been persistent and they are almost neighbors. So, I want them to share those three minutes; one and a half minute each, hon. Munya and then we will finish with your neighbor, who I will identify in a moment.

The Assistant Minister for East African Community (Mr. Munya): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I take this opportunity to congratulate the Prime Minister for work well done when steering this Government together with the President. But may I also give a word of caution to the two grand coalitions that are poised on trying to take over the Government in the coming elections. When they take over, they should follow the practice of the two Coalition partners, not to exclude Kenyans who are not in the coalitions. If they practice politics of exclusion, they are not likely to go very far in running the Government because the Constitution is very clear on how resources should be shared in the country. Every Kenyan is entitled to a share of the national cake. When you do coalitions that divide the country and share the national cake amongst the coalition partners, you give the impression that you intend to exclude those who are not members or supporters of those collations. It does not augur well for the welfare and the development of the country.

Therefore, when you take over the Government, make sure that you take care of all the Kenyans, whether they are members of your coalitions or not. Otherwise, you will find a very rough time in attempting to run the Government or that mandate that you will be given.

The Minister for Energy (Mr. Murungi): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I also want to join my colleagues in thanking the Prime Minister for leading us in paying tribute to the Tenth Parliament. We have been in this Parliament for some time now, but I think this is the most vibrant Parliament that we have been in. I am one of those who did not vote for you when you were being elected Speaker, but I want to assure you that if we were to vote again tomorrow, count on my vote. I am going to vote for you!

The Grand Coalition has done extremely well given the difficult circumstances we were in. It has brought peace and security. It has laid down firm foundations for prosperity for this country. The Prime Minister is a great nationalist. He has great ideas for this country. We have been opposing him and we are also going to oppose him again, but I must say that I have enjoyed working in the Grand Coalition Government. It is not a bad idea. We could not have enacted the new Constitution without this Grand Coalition Government. I want to encourage the Prime Minister to start some discussions with his Deputy, Mr. Kenyatta, so that we can have another grand coalition between CORD and the Jubilee Alliance, so that we can lead this country in peace and prosperity for another five years until 2017. If we do not do that, this country will be split and taken to the political struggles that were there between Jomo Kenyatta and the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga in the 1960s. We are likely to split the country.

Mr. Speaker: Hon. Murungi, your time is up. Hon. Prime Minister, you may now want to respond.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Raila): Mr. Speaker, Sir, let me thank all the Members

who have contributed to this discussion. There is not much for me to respond to because no specific issues were raised. The Members basically also took the opportunity to thank themselves.

However, one or two issues stand out here. Hon. Karua was particularly concerned about corruption. The Member has been a Member of the Front Bench for a long time. In the last Parliament, she was on the Front Bench for five years and even in this Parliament, she was very much part of it and she knows the issues about corruption. I believe very strongly that we, as a country, must address the issue of corruption more effectively. It is a pity that the compromises you have in a coalition also make it difficult to deal with the issue of corruption because sometimes culprits take solace and refuge in the divisions that come with the coalition. If they are being targeted, they go and say: “Oh, I am being targeted because I belong to this side of the coalition”.

In my view, that has made the fight against corruption much more difficult in this coalition era. The Members know that names were brought to this House for approval as members of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

It is a pity that so far, we have not been able to set up an effective anti-corruption commission. The reasons are well known to the Members of the House. Equally, I strongly regret the fact that we have not passed legislation to effect the one-third gender rule, which is in the Constitution. It is a pity. However, there is a way out because the courts have ruled that this must be rectified by the year 2015. I hope that in the course of the life of the next Parliament, we are going to come up with legislation which will enable us to satisfy the provisions of the gender rule. We can use the results of these coming elections and the votes which would be obtained by the various political parties as the basis for allocating seats on the gender basis within that period. In other words, it does not have to last beyond the life of the next Parliament. I am determined to ensure that, that happens.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I need to congratulate you, specifically, for the role you have played as captain of this House. You have steered the debates and discussions in this House in a very civilized manner. You have managed to depolarize politics within this House. Sometimes you have been called upon to resolve differences within the Executive itself. Issues which, even as you said, were not within your own purview or responsibility, have come before you and you have helped us in making the Grand Coalition Government function smoothly. For example, when we disagreed on the issue of the appointments of the Chief Justice, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Attorney-General and the Controller of Budget, you assisted us despite the fact that there were very strong and passionate feelings among other Members.

All that I was doing was just to ensure that no Presidency is created which will enable the Executive to abuse the provisions of the Constitution. With that intervention, we now have a Chief Justice who everybody agrees is equal to the enormous task of judicial reforms.

Finally, at times, it has not been very easy to handle this position as a Prime Minister. I have now the honor to be the last Prime Minister because this position is going to be extinct in the new constitutional dispensation. It is not an easy position particularly when you are the Prime Minister in a Grand Coalition Government, when you share power with the President on a 50-50 basis.

Sometimes partisan issues come into play which undermine the effectiveness of the position of a Prime Minister. But we have managed to tolerate and move forward. The President has sometimes come under a lot of partisan pressure. I know when the President is acting as himself and when he is acting under partisan pressure. I have equally also come under a lot of partisan pressure.

Sometimes you are being told that: “Oh, you are being subservient to your coalition partner. They are getting the better of you and you are not being treated as an equal partner”. But we have looked at the bigger good of the country and tried to resist the pressures which would have resulted in the collapse of the Coalition Government.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, we are happy that we have reached this far. We have been two

equal partners in the Grand Coalition Government. One coalition partner is now retiring and I know that hon. Members will agree with me that the other coalition partner, who has the experience, should continue so that there is continuity in the Government.