Speech by Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga of Kenya
5 min readThis is not about us; it is about future generations
No apologies to make: The test for our clamour for change is not the timing but rather the necessity.
Of course county governments are not perfect. But then, no one is.
By RAILA ODINGA
Our constitution opens with five powerful words: “We, the People of Kenya…”
But I get the feeling not all of us appreciate the importance of these words.
These words identify who is responsible for promulgating and upholding the foundations of the Constitution.
Our intent in giving ourselves the constitution is laid out in the remainder of the preamble thus:
Acknowledging the supremacy of the Almighty God: Honouring those who heroically struggled to bring freedom and justice to our land: Recognising the aspirations of all Kenyans for a government based on the essential values of human rights, equality, freedom, democracy, social justice and the rule of law: Exercising our sovereign and inalienable right to determine the form of governance of our country and having participated fully in the making of this Constitution… Adopt, enact and give this Constitution to ourselves and to our future generations.
In the past few months, we have gone around the country; we shall continue to go around the country, for the very reason we’ve gathered for here today: to push to change our Constitution in our capacity as the people of Kenya.
The Constitution allows for a referendum to amend it. The Constitution provides for a parliamentary route or a popular initiative. We, the people, have chosen the route of the popular initiative.
In providing for amendments, the Constitution does not label any such effort as an attempt to overthrow or to slow down the government or take over power through the back door.
We commit no crime; this is not a contest between Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga. It is not a test of might between Cord and Jubilee. Nor is it an attempt to revive or end political careers.
We are not in this because we love our government less. We are in this because we love Kenya more.
Do not be afraid, do not feel guilty, and do not be apologetic over this journey. We, the people, are acting in the best interest of our country.
We expect the government to facilitate, not frustrate our efforts. Many battles have been fought from this venue. At this very venue, Dr Crispin Odhiambo Mbai put the case like nobody ever did on why we need to devolve power and resources.
They vilified him. They trailed him. Eventually, they killed him. But devolution came to be.
And Kenya is a much better place today because of devolution. In Kenya, you know you are into something big and something good when the establishment fights you viciously.
We are out to strengthen devolution because we have seen what it can do what ails it. We have seen what county governments have done with so little money in such a short time.
I will give a few random examples. In Marsabit, the national government drilled only about 20 bore holes in the last 50 years.
The county government has drilled 20 bore holes in one year. Livestock is the mainstay of Marsabit but for 50 years the region never built a slaughter house.
Today, after one year of devolution, Marsabit is set to perform a ground breaking ceremony for a modern slaughter house.
In Siaya, there were only 3 tractors when the county government took over. The county government has bought 7 tractors and hired 30 others.
Siaya used to harvest 3,300 bags of maize. Within a year, the county government has put 5,000 hectares under mechanisation. This year they expect 880,000 bags.
Kisii Hospital has never had a dialysis unit since it was built in 1917. One year after devolution, a dialysis unit is being set up.
The mortuary capacity that never exceeded 20 is now expanding to accommodate 100.
Mombasa County mobilised 27 cars within months of taking office for police to ensure security. At no one time in 50 years did the county manage that number of vehicles.
The county is also set to unveil the first water desalination plant by 2016. In Wajir, they have built the first tarmac road — 25 kilometres — the first one since independence.
END DELIBERATE CONFUSION
Of course these county governments are not perfect. But then, no one is.
For months, we have been asking the national government to account for the Sh15 billion that was stolen from OP. No one is talking.
When counties are strong, we have an economy firing from all cylinders. That means jobs and opportunities for youth and good living for all.
That is why we are demanding that 45 per cent of national revenue goes to the counties to enable them carry out functions that are commensurate with this allocation.
We want an end to the deliberate confusion around the Provincial Administration.
We want state departments and parastatals whose functions were fully or partially devolved to release to the counties all the funds they are holding in Nairobi.
Today, the national government is holding up to Sh120 billion for functions already devolved. Continuous withholding of these funds is a major source of several crises in counties.
We recognise that the country’s foreign policy is the role of the national government. However, counties are now major centres of investment, trade and other critical sectors of economy.
We feel their voices should be heard in determining the core foreign policy direction of the country.
Is it too early for a referendum to amend the constitution? No. The test is not the timing but the necessity.
In the USA, the Constitution came into operation on 4th March 1789 and the First Amendment was sent to the States for ratification on September 25, 1789, barely six months later. And in its seventeen years of existence, the South African Constitution has been amended seventeen times.
They will tell you Americans did not go to the referendum. That is true, but that was because the government opted for dialogue.
We, the People, must now roll our sleeves from here and reach every corner of our country, for the sake of our children and grandchildren.
Mr Odinga is Cord leader. This is an excerpt from a speech he read at the Okoa Kenya General Assembly at the Bomas of Kenya.
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