Kenyans must guard second liberation's gains, says Raila

Written By:PMPS,    Posted: Fri, Aug 19, 2011

PM Odinga cautioned that the non reformist forces were still active in the country and could deny Kenyans the freedoms being experienced Prime Minister Raila Odinga has called on Kenyans to jealously guard the gains realized in the struggle for the second liberation of the country saying there was real danger of regressing into the dark past. Noting that the second liberation was between reformists and those who wanted to retain the colonial power structures, Raila cautioned that the non reformist forces were still active in the country and could deny Kenyans the freedoms being experienced if not checked. The PM was speaking Thursday at the Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi when he hosted a dinner for the heroes of the second liberation struggle. He said it was unfortunate that in pursuit of their selfish aims the non reformists perpetuated tribalism, nepotism, corruption and impunity to enrich themselves and their cronies at the expense of the common man. He said, "The second liberation was therefore a just struggle for the expansion of freedoms we are enjoying in the country and for which we must jealously guard." Raila recalled that reformists went through many tribulations including political assassinations, detentions and imprisonment to achieve the expanded democratic space being enjoyed in the country adding it would be disastrous to regress to the dark past. "We need to answer the question that what was the cause of all these tribulations and realize that it was so that Kenyans can have a better place to live in," he said. The Premier recalled the enthusiasm and the unity that greeted the formation of original Forum for Restoration of Democracy (FORD) that brought together people from different tribes noting that the unity demonstrated that the second liberation struggle was not about the fight between tribes but a class struggle. He observed that the original FORD disintegrated upon an onslaught by those who were averse to change adding there was real danger of history repeating itself if Kenyans were duped to follow them. The Premier therefore urged Kenyans to ignore those still bent on perpetuating the class differences saying this were the same people playing the tribal card to retain the status quo. Raila pointed out that the promulgation of the new constitution on August 27th. last was the centerpiece of the achievements of the second liberation struggle saying it must be implemented to the letter so that the aims and objectives of the struggle can be realized. Noting that prosperity will not fall like manna from heaven, Raila called on Kenyans to mobilize all the resources that the country has including human resource so as to achieve the dreams of the founding fathers of the nation, a dream that envisages Kenya as a prosperous country with equal opportunities for all. Other speakers were Bishop David Gitari, Dr. Richard Leakey , Kivutha Kibwana , Macharia Gaitho, Koigi Wamwere and Mashengu wa Mwachofi.