Sunday, February 3, 2013

Details of CORD'S AGREEMENT WITH THE KALENJINS


Mixed Reactions Greet Cord’s RV Agreement
Cord's Raila Odinga and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka in a past rally
There were mixed reactions over the deal that Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) signed with the Kalenjin community, which would see powerful positions set aside for the community in addition to implementation of an ambitious agriculture master plan.
Roads Minister Franklin Bett welcomed the signing of the deal between Kenya Farmers Association chairman Kipkorir arap Menjo and Cord leaders led by Prime Minister Raila Odinga at the Serena Hotel last week.
The deal, which was witnessed by Friends of Raila (Fora) national chairman Micah Kigen, binds a Raila government to prioritising key interests and grievances of the Rift Valley people and, according to Bett, they stand to benefit a great deal from the pact.
He said Cord leaders, Raila, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Trade minister Moses Wetangula, have demonstrated they have the interests of people of Rift Valley at heart by coming out with a road map on how to assist them. Wetangula was represented at the ceremony by Labour minister John Munyes.
According to the deal, Rift Val
ley will get the powerful position of Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet and two cabinet slots, preferably those for Agriculture and Security Secretaries.
On the agriculture master plans, which was fronted by Menjo, Cord committed itself to give subsidies to farmers, initiate value addition to agricultural produce e.g. cereals, horticulture, trees, fish and livestock products (milk, beef and hides) and ensure strategic marketing of these products for improved (maximum) profits, direct to farmers.
It will also prioritise the structured return of the Kenya Co-operative Creameries (KCC) to dairy farmers, the conclusive payment to thousands of area dairy farmers hundreds of millions owed in arrears accruing from the time KCC was put under receivership (in the first 100 days in power) plus the immediate setting up of a major fertiliser factory in Uasin Gishu County.
“The CORD principals widened the Agriculture sector operation to cover the entire country with a pact to ensure that at least 10 (Internationally recommended minimum) of the national budget will be invested in the sector to operationalise irrigation agriculture and institute support services and industries to complete the sustainable national food security design and produce more for export.
That is a major improvement from the acutely deficient current 4.5 percent of the budget which the Jubilee side are determined to retain,” said a statement issued by Kigen.
Agriculture is the mainstay of the Rift Valley economy and Raila’s sweetheart deal is aimed at ensuring he maintains support among the now 2.9 million voters.
According to Kigen, the cabinet positions given to the region are meant to compensate for the loss of the running mate slot, which went to Kalonzo, instead of Bett or Industrialisation minister Henry Kosgey, adding it was a better deal that the one Ruto got in Jubilee where he was offered half of cabinet slots with no indication on balance of power.
Also not left behind is the lucrative sports sector, with Cord pledging direct government funding and investment in athletics promotion from the grassroots level to mainstream the welfare of athletics stars and trainers to protect them from exploitation and neglect.
“The Raila Government will help in diversifying the sector to include other disciplines like football, tennis, rugby, motor sports, cycling, etc and their promotion to international standards to rescue area residents from over dependence on athletics alone. Also government will build and maintain modern sports facilities and training institutions,” said Kigen.
In welcoming the deal, Bett said Raila is the first presidential candidate to put pen to paper on what he has in store for the region.
“There’s no other presidential candidate that has put in writing what he/she intends to do for the people of Rift Valley other Raila. This is a MoU signed between the residents of people of Rift valley and Cord leaders. It is a document that we will use to advance our agenda and it is not casts in stones,” said the minister.
Bett urged the people of Rift Valley especially the Kalenjins to ignore propaganda and falsehoods being peddled by detractors and rally their support behind Raila.
“This document is binding and it will be implemented after we win the presidential race. Our region will be transformed and lives of our people who are relying mainly on Agriculture,willbeimproved,”added Bett.
The minister took issue with Jubilee coalition for boasting it enjoys a huge backing the region yet the Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto have not shown any commitment on key positions the community will get or the development agenda for the region.
“It is hypocrisy for leaders to attack others yet they have not told us how the Rift Valley people will benefit from their coalitions. They embrace empty rhetoric at the expense of development. Cord is ahead in everything and therefore it will form the nextgovernment,”hesaid.
However, those opposed to the deal termed it as a desperate move to woo back the people of Rift Valley who have since abandoned him and were rooting for Uhuru. Immediate Belgut MP Charles Keter said Raila after losing ground in the Kalenjin land was trying to give freebies or hoodwink voters to back his bid and termed the move as an exercise in futility.
“Raila was in the government for the last five years and did not do a single tangible thing for the Kalenjins who voted for him overwhelmingly in 2007. There is nothing he will do for the community; he is only after the votes,” he said.
“We believe in honesty. He (Raila) has been in power for a long time but what has he done for the Kalenjin community?” posed Keter.
“Why signed the deal at the eleventh hour? We are telling our people to forget it because it is just paper work to hoodwink them. We are appealing to the people of Rift Valley to remain steadfast in the Jubilee coalition which is set to win with a land- slide,” added the former MP.

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