ODM leader Raila Odinga launched a blistering attack on Jubilee, describing the ruling coalition as a threat to democracy and the rule of law.
He addressed thousands of party supporters at Mombasa’s Mama Ngina Drive Gardens where he declared that his party was ready for elections and is capable of defeating the incumbent administration.
The ODM described Jubilee as a dishonest regime that had looted public money and frustrated efforts to transfer authority to counties.
About 15 governors and dozens of MPs from ODM attended yesterday’s function that marked 10 years of ODM’s founding.
ODM deputy party leaders Hassan Ali Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya said Raila should be the opposition flagbearer in next year’s election.
READ MORE
Raila Odinga's policies are aimed at addressing Africa's pressing challenges
Odinga's AUC bid: What's the big deal?
Tea earns Sh1.2 billion at Mombasa auction
Besides providing comic relief, hilarious memes have a dark side
“Our flag bearer in next year’s election is Raila Amolo Odinga,” said Joho who told the former prime minister “we are ready to campaign for you.” Mr Oparanya accused Jubilee of turning its four year rule into “an auction of leaders” and said Raila ought to be Kenya’s president because he stood for democracy and respected the rule of law.
“We request you to allow Raila Amolo Odinga to be president. We in Kakamega have resolved that he should be our flagbearer,” he said.
The governor said Jubilee should not treat the disbursement of state resources to counties as a favour to be dished out to favorite politicians and friends. Kilifi governor Amason Kingi claimed that Jubilee had encouraged land grabs.
Mr Kingi claimed that Deputy President has repeatedly asked Coast residents to forget historical injustices so that past crimes like land grabbing remain unpunished. He said Coast residents cannot forget the past because it is past policies that are responsible their misery.
Raila’s speech was interrupted for 20 minutes due to a power outage and when he resumed he launched attacks on Jubilee and dismissing yesterday’s merger of pro-government political parties as “the same monkeys jumping from one forest to another.”
He claimed that Jubilee had hijacked projects launched under the 2008-2013 Grand Coalition government, then altered them to extract bribes from them.
Raila also said Jubilee has not fulfilled its pledges and has also failed to combat graft adding that to date the ruling coalition has not accounted for the billions raised under the Eurobond.
The former Prime Minister said “we in ODM and CORD are not afraid of Jubilee not matter how money parties they unite with” adding that the ruling coalition has demonstrated scant respect for the rule of law and implementation of the 2010 Constitution, especially regarding devolution and human rights.
He said that under Jubilee corruption and extrajudicial killings have thrived because Jubilee was led by what he described as reactionary forces. “We are still fighting for devolution and they are fighting against it,” added Raila who said Jubilee leaders were now projecting themselves as champions of land reform at the Coast when “they are the forces behind land injustices.”
Raila declared that ODM was “now calling Kenyans to action for the final liberation of Kenya” and described the Orange as the “only buffer against a return to tyranny in Kenya and the East African region.”
The former Prime Minister said CORD would defeat Jubilee in a free and fair poll.
“Do not be cheated that an incumbent cannot be defeated,” he said that “the opposition is not afraid of the ruling coalition.
Raila said ODM and its allies in CORD are working together to ensure they defeat Jubilee next year.
The former Prime Minister said those who are defecting from CORD will lose in the end and announced that CORD is still trying to woo support from other parties.
At least ten governors, 400 Members of County Assembly and 100 Members of Parliament attended an earlier ceremony at the at the Whitesands hotel in Mombasa to celebrate the party’s 10 anniversary. The ODM leader claimed that Jubilee was using the Treasury funds to buy some opposition leaders.
Raila claimed that transferring key port operations to Naivasha at the completion of the first phase of the Standard Gauge Railway would devastate the coastal economies by exporting jobs into the hinterland. He said the cost of Standard Gauge Railway was being inflated to enrich Jubilee barons
Joho claimed that Jubilee has waged an economic war against people of the Coast and some involved wrecking cargo stations and contributing to job losses.
