Sunday, January 20, 2013

Cord pledges free varsity learning



Prime Minister Raila Odinga addresses residents during a CORD rally at Tala in Machakos on Sunday, January 20, 2013. PHOTO/REBECCA NDUKU
By BOB ODALO bodalo@ke.nationmedia.com  ( email the author)

Posted  Friday, May 28  9999 at  23:30
In Summary
  • Alliance to provide education at no fee from nursery if it wins March polls
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Cord will provide free education from nursery school to university if it forms the next government, according to its leaders.
Cord presidential aspirant Raila Odinga, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Cabinet minister Moses Wetang’ula said in Machakos town on Sunday that free education was one of the main items that the coalition would embark on once it took over leadership.
“The current administration has tried to make education affordable, but we will go further than this by ensuring that it will be free up to university,” Mr Wetang’ula who first brought up the issue, said.
Mr Odinga told a rally at Kenyatta stadium that his administration would also introduce a social safety programme from June which will ensure that people aged 65 years and above get monthly allowances from the State.
Water issue
He also listed roads in the region which his administration would repair as a priority.
“I, Kalonzo and Wetang’ula have been in government for long and we know where the loopholes are. We will seal them all and make sure that money goes where it is supposed to go.”
The PM attributed underdevelopment in Ukambani to neglect by past regimes.
For the first time Mr Odinga, Mr Kalonzo and Mr Wetang’ula hit out at Water minister Charity Ngilu for claiming credit for water projects in the region.
The Independent Party (Tip) leader Kalembe Ndile was the first to bring up the Ngilu issue when he accused the minister of being obsessed with attacking Mr Kalonzo.
Mr Odinga said it was him who gave Mrs Ngilu her Cabinet portfolio to fulfil a promise he made to the region during the 2007 campaigns.
“So she should stop going round cheating people that she was the brain behind the projects; she should give credit where its due,” the PM said.
The leaders pledged to take the battle with Mrs Ngilu to her doorstep by holding a rally in Kitui on Monday.
“Kitui has lacked proper leadership. These are leaders who are propagating hatred. We will weed them out and I believe our people running for senator and governor in Kitui will sort this out,” the VP said.
In an apparent swipe at Jubilee leader Uhuru Kenyatta , Mr Odinga assured the electorate that the agreement and the bond they formed during negotiations were guided by true principles.
“Unlike guys who allowed the devil to mediate in their dealing with UDF presidential aspirant Musalia Mudavadi; ours was guided by God and true principles that cannot be bent,” he said.
Mr Odinga said some Jubilee leaders could not pass the integrity test.
“How can you say kusema na kutenda (promise and take action) and then you go to your neighbour and snatch his property?” he asked amid laughter.

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