There comes a time in the life of a nation...

There comes a time in the life of a nation when citizens clearly feel betrayed, abused and abandoned by their government. 

That usually marks the birth of a Mafia State, when the watchdog turns against the flock. When a regime turns itself into a mafia state, the people have a right and a duty to stand up and protect their livelihoods.

Kenya has arrived at that stage. There is clear evidence that we are dealing with a mafia regime in which individuals are pursuing personal interests in the name and at the expense of the nation.

The mafia is in all levels and branches of government. They have captured the State and declared war on the people by ruining long standing sources of livelihood across the country.

The end game is to turn Kenyans into beggars who rely on the generosity of the thieves who will come to our aid through harambees and other acts of alleged philanthropy.

Those thieves masquerading as philanthropists feed on our ruined economy. Their money are proceeds of sugar imported into the country by friends, business associates and relatives in government who rely on the State for cover up and protection.

That is the story of sugar. That same sugar, imported by government officials is, financing Al Shabaab who recently killed hundreds of university students in Garissa, most of whom were from western Kenya.

The economic sabotage and economic crimes are going nationwide. In the North Rift, farmers are stuck with maize because their own leaders in government have turned against them and have flooded the market with imported maize. The same leaders supplied their own people with poisonous fertilizers.

In the South Rift, tea prices are at a record low. The tea bonus is no longer coming.

Across the Rift Valley, the dairy industry is being killed by one single company that is pursuing monopolistic tendencies in the country and the region. It has already paralyzed the New KCC.

In western Kenya, they have attacked sugarcane in a double pronged strategy. First, they will kill the factories. Next they will buy the factories.
Fishing was the first to be attacked in Nyanza when President Yoweri Museveni annexed Migingo island. Under the Grand Coalition government, this matter was prioritized. Surveys were initiated to establish boundaries. Ever since Jubilee came to power, President Uhuru and his deputy have made many visits to Uganda and other countries. Museveni has made many visits here.

But nobody talks about Migingo. Jubilee has spent all its diplomatic energy on getting Uhuru and Ruto out of ICC. Migingo is a huge source of fish.
Since Museveni annexed it, Uganda’s fish exports that had been declining since 2005, have started increasing. Uganda Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries, recently released statistics indicating their fish export rising from 2012.

According to statistics from Uganda Fish Processors and Exporters Association, Uganda exported 16,697 tonnes of fish in 2010. The exports rose to 18,255 tonnes of fish in 2013. While fisher folks in Kenya are hanging their nets, their counterparts are smiling, with fish from our waters because our government has turned against us.

In the Coast, Jubilee recently, attacked mnazi, the generations old drink of the coastal communities.

They labelled it an illicit brew and began to arrest its brewers and users.

We have asked very valid questions about the sugar deal. We have asked president Uhuru to explain to Kenyans what, in his view, the impact of the unchecked and unlimited sugar imports from Uganda will be on the already ailing Kenyan sugar industry.
We have asked the president to explain to us how this deal helps the sugarcane farmers.

We have asked Uhuru to tell us the safeguards he has put in place to stop sugar from the rest of world coming into Kenya via Uganda (including by Kenyan sugar barons who can use Uganda as a base).
We have asked why the National Government ignored the county governments of sugarcane growing areas knowing well that Agriculture is a devolved function.

We have asked the president to explain how this deal will help our industries prepare for the end of COMESA sugar protection period.
The response has been an arrogant and contemptuous silence from the President. Yesterday, the High Priest of Corruption was lecturing our farmers on the questions to ask without a single answer from the government.  

This is despite the fact that the Constitution at Article 35 (3) says; “The State shall publish and publicize any important information affecting the nation.”

And when we ask these questions, we are contemptuously referred to as Lords of Poverty who deserve to be dominated and ruled.

Under these circumstances, we have no option but to resort to other constitutional measures to protect the livelihoods of our people.
We will begin with basics. As we prepare to move to the ground this Friday, we call on our people to rethink their relationship with the companies in whose name our sugar sector is being killed. Boycott the milk that is being exported to Uganda. Let Ugandans buy it.

An argument is beginning to be pushed that Kenyan sugar is too expensive. Yes Kenyan sugar is expensive. But it feeds Kenyan farmers and it educates the children of sugarcane farmers. Yes Ugandan sugar is cheap. But it only feeds Uganda farmers and their children.

No nation ever developed by abandoning its products. 

The US imposes quotas on Toyota to protect its auto industry. Buy Mumias Sugar, Sony Sugar, Nzoia Sugar, Chemelil and Muhoroni sugar and build our country.

We are aware crooks have been packaging Sugar from Kismayu and elsewhere in Mumias bags. We renew our call to all patriotic Kenyans at the port of Mombasa and other entry points, especially Bulahao in Mandera, Liboi in Lagdera and Galmagala in Fafi to be vigilant and report all cases of large quantities of sugar coming into the country. This is just but the beginning. We will review our strategies as the situation unfolds.

Thank you.

Orange Democratic Movement.

Fb