Save Kenya by voting out Jubilee come 2017, urges Raila Odinga

CORD leader Raila Odinga arrives at the Nyamira Primary School in Nyamira County to address a youth congress, yesterday. Raila has asked Kenyans to vote out the Jubilee government, saying its continued stay in power would be disastrous. (PHOTO: OMINGO SAMMY/ STANDARD)

CORD leader Raila Odinga has asked Kenyans to vote out the Jubilee government, saying its continued stay in power would be disastrous.

Addressing a youth congress in Nyamira County, Raila said a government that condones corruption and brutalises its people using the police had no moral authority to rule and must be sent home.

“I am appealing to you, especially the youth, to help us remove this government from power. They must go home as early as 8am on August 9, 2017 because they are destroying our country. Kenya has been called ‘system ya  majambazi’ (a system of crooks). This is what it is. It is a corrupt system managed by corrupt individuals,” he said.

The Opposition chief urged Kenyans not to give Jubilee another term. “Another five years of looting will not help create jobs and will kill devolution. Another five years of arrogance will cause more pain to our people. Another five years of brutality will decimate our people and auction our country. Another five years of Jubilee will finish Kenya,” he said.

The CORD principal said Kenya was facing the worst economic challenges since independence that have rendered millions of youth hopeless.

“We promise to bring this country back to its feet again. The difference between Jubilee and CORD is like day and night. CORD has not failed you, Jubilee has,” he said amid cheers from thousands of youth who jammed the Nyamira Primary School grounds for the congress.

Raila was accompanied by Nyamira Governor John Nyangarama, ODM Treasurer Timothy Bosire, local MP James Gesame, Woman Representative Alice Chae and Kabondo Kasipul legislator Sylvans Osele.  “When I move around Kenya, I see faces of sadness and frustrations.You must sacrifice to bring change to this country. You must decide which direction Kenya moves to,” he said.

He said it was wrong for the government to criticise him for allegedly not fighting corruption in CORD controlled county governments.

“I am not in government. I don’t have the tools to fight graft, yet Jubilee still blames me for not helping fight corruption,” he said.

He also accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of refusing to implement the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) report to help heal the country of historical wounds.

“He is part of the problem and cannot therefore be part of the solution,” he said.

The wounds opened by injustices, brutalities and assassinations, he said, will never be healed unless the report is implemented.

Raila also accused the government of condoning police brutality and demanded the immediate arrest of officers who tortured villagers in Mumias following the alleged theft of fire arms from a police post.

Brutal force

“Today, I declare here that there are no police reforms in Kenya. Our police still have a colonial mentality of using brutal force while arresting harmless suspects. In neighbouring Tanzania, police execute arrests with dignity. In Kenya, a suspected is arrested like a dog,” said the Opposition chief.

He said CORD will not relent in its campaign for free and fair elections and warned that electoral reforms must be  implemented fully. “We are demanding that the electoral register be fully digitised to help stop rigging. There will be no more dead voters resurrecting to cast votes,” he said.

Raila promised that ODM primaries will be free and fair.

“Those claiming they already have the nomination certificates under their pillows are lying. Just ignore them because we have put down mechanisms to ensure a well managed democratic process,” he said.

Nyagarama assuring Raila of the county’s support in the 2017 elections.

“Nyamira is a CORD zone. We look forward to the change of leadership in this country,” said the governor.