AMANI COALITION ELEMENTAITA RETREAT COMMUNIQUÉ ON THE STATE OF THE NATION, SATURDAY MARCH 15, 2014 The Amani coalition has held a two day retreat to bond as Amani family, reflect on the performance of Amani elected leaders in and out of parliament, chart the way forward for the coalition and reflect on matters of national concern. Reflection It is now one year since Jubilee coalition took power. The Jubilee manifesto had targets and promised the Kenyan people efficient service delivery, zero tolerance to corruption, affordable educations, commitment to devolution, implementation of the constitution and good standards of living. The Amani coalition opted to cooperate with the government on the basis of these promises and with the belief that equity will be observed in the distribution of national resources and opportunities. Today, we the Amani coalition members have decided to take stock of the government performance and re-evaluate our continued cooperation. As a political entity that stands for the rights of the Kenyan people we are concerned that Kenyans expectations have been thwarted and the government has reneged on its promise. Concerns Many issues beg for answers and the government, instead of developing stringent policies to address myriad problems inflicting our people they are incessantly lapsing into stop-gap measures. The level of corruption is on the increase, the number of children being locked out of school at primary level is worrying, the escalating cost of living is unbearable, and there is lack of foresight in the management of the national wage bill, politics of exclusion, regionalism and marginalization has characterized resource allocation and led to unmanaged state of insecurity, while orchestrated scheme to paralyses, water-down and political intent to kill devolution is now self evident On the basis of our promise to the Kenyan people during the last campaigns, and drawing from our manifesto, we want to promise Kenyan people that we will be steadfast in fighting for the rights of the Kenyan people and put Jubilee government in check. Our stand Our option to float with the fashion should not be misconstrued to imply lack of principles and commitment in safeguarding the interest of Kenyan people. We will not sit back and watch as Kenyans are dragged back in the dark ages of the past where corruption, nepotism, regionalism, incompetence and lack of prioritization were the order of the day. To this end, Amani Coalition has resolved; • To strengthen itself through its partner parties with a view to merge. • To operate independently as an alternative voice for Kenyans. • To create a committee to make strategic recommendations on strengthening the Coalition and to review its cooperation agreements with Jubilee Coalition. • To reflect on matters of national concern. Signed:..................................... Signed............................................. NFK Secretary General UDF Secretary General BACKGROUD TO STATEMENT Amani coalition met for two days to review the status of the Amani coalition and government performance since the elections and the way forward. To his end, Amani resolved; • To strengthen itself through its partner parties with a view to merge. • To operate independently as an alternative voice for Kenyans. • To create a committee to make strategic recommendations on strengthening the Coalition and to review its cooperation agreements with Jubilee Coalition. • To reflect on matters of national concern Corruption Amani Coalition ran on the ticket of zero tolerance to corruption. Our cooperation with Jubilee has been based on this principle. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that Jubilee is reluctant, and indeed pampering corrupt practises as evidenced in the runaway Laptop and Railway projects. Amani’s option to cooperate with Jubilee should not be misconstrued to imply lack of principles and commitment in safeguarding the interest of the Kenyan people. Amani will not condone, be party to, tolerate or allow itself to be an accomplice by default to corruption. If the government was serious against corruption, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and all involved in the procurement of the project would by now have been relieved of their duties and made to account for embarrassing the nation Public debt, high Wage bill and high cost of living Amani coalition appreciates the symbolic offer on salary cuts by the Executive. However, this will not translate to a solution to the spiralling cost of living, high taxation, rampant wastage of public resources and uncontrolled public wage bill. This is as a result of inappropriate economic policies that the Jubilee government is pursuing. The solution lies in prudent management of public debt. The solution to managing the ballooned wage bill is not in imprudent salary cuts. The government has reserve silver ware which it can liquidate without punitive measures of taxing overburdened Kenyans. Under a clear privatisation policy, the government should dispose part of its colossal shareholding in blue-chip companies to reduce borrowing and seal the deficit. The government owns 35% shares of Safaricom worth 170 billion. It has 18% shares in KCB worth 24 billion. It holds even more in other companies like Kenya Airways. Indeed the proceeds from these assets should be channelled to offset expensive public debt, high wage bill and restructure the bloated civil service without further borrowing or taxing mwananchi. Devolution We in Amani appreciate that devolution is the centre piece of our constitutional democracy and development. We do believe that there are sufficient checks and balances in the management of resources at the county levels. Unfolding events in the last one year attest to a deliberate politically orchestrated scheme to annihilate the gains of devolution. The incessant schemes to frustrate concentration on development agenda in counties are a clear testimony that there are many enemies of devolution. We in Amani coalition stand firm that devolution should be allowed to take root to benefit the people. Politics of exclusion During campaigns Amani coalition promised Kenyans an all inclusive government, equitable distribution of resources and opportunities. It is on this basis that Amani Coalition opted to cooperate with Jubilee government. One year after election it is evident that Jubilee government has backtracked on this principle, and opted for the politics of exclusion. Our hope that we would nurture an all inclusive, equitable and just government has been betrayed. Kenya belongs to all Kenyans. We note that the country is now no more cohesive, coherent and secure. Consequently insecurity threatens the daily lives of the people.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 12:04:39 +0000
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