Raila starts off Okoa Kenya rallies

Cord leaders Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka during the Okoa Kenya rally at Kariobangi Grounds in Nairobi, on May 9, 2015. Mr Odinga on May 14, 2015 held talks with Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto at a Nairobi hotel in an attempt to merge Okoa Kenya Campaign and Pesa Mashinani initiatives.PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE |

What you need to know:

  • They said their drive for a referendum was on course and called for support from their followers.
  • Cord recently launched a campaign to change the Constitution with sweeteners targeting ward representatives, judges, MPs and governors.
  • The Bill seeks to have the minimum allocation to counties increased from the current 15 per cent of the government’s last audited revenue accounts to 45 per cent.
  • Senator Moses Wetangula, who is also among the coalition’s top leaders, was absent but sent apologies.
  • Others at the rally included senators Johnstone Muthama, Hassan Omar, Elizabeth Ongoro, Boni Khalwale and James Orengo.

Cord leaders Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka on Saturday started their Okoa Kenya amend-the-Constitution campaign in Nairobi and said success would mean more resources to the grassroots.

They said their drive for a referendum was on course and called for support from their followers.

Addressing a public rally at Kariobangi North, in Nairobi, the leaders also signalled they had begun campaigns for the 2017 General Election with speakers declaring Mr Odinga the coalition’s preferred presidential flag bearer.

Mr Odinga said the referendum seeks to increase allocation of funds to counties and accused the Jubilee government of failing to allocate enough money to the devolved units.

“The success of counties and the pace of devolution has slowed down because the government has refused to allocate enough funds,” he said.

“They (Jubilee government) refused to accept our calls for dialogue, now we have decided to approach the voters who will decide the way forward,” said the Cord principal.

Cord recently launched a campaign to change the Constitution with sweeteners targeting ward representatives, judges, MPs and governors.

The Opposition has started a series of rallies to be held in the next one month to shore up support for the Okoa Kenya (Save Kenya) Bill.

The Bill seeks to have the minimum allocation to counties increased from the current 15 per cent of the government’s last audited revenue accounts to 45 per cent. This would be popular with governors whose referendum push on the matter is pending.

It also proposes that five per cent of the amount allocated to counties go directly to a ward development fund. Cord also proposes that counties be involved in some aspects of security management, another popular campaign by governors.

Mr Odinga told the rally the government had failed to guarantee security to all Kenyans as terrorists and bandits continued to wreak havoc with abandon. Mr Odinga added Cord was not at any crossroads as to who would be the coalition’s 2017 presidential candidate between him, Mr Odinga and Mr Wetangula.

ACCUSED THE STATE

Mr Kalonzo accused the government of interfering with land matters and lacking commitment in the fight against corruption.

The Wiper party leader also said the Okoa Kenya Bill would ensure counties benefited from their natural resources. Mr Kalonzo further noted there was rampant corruption and land grabbing that had increased under the watch of the Jubilee government.

Senator Moses Wetangula, who is also among the coalition’s top leaders, was absent but sent apologies.

Others at the rally included senators Johnstone Muthama, Hassan Omar, Elizabeth Ongoro, Boni Khalwale and James Orengo.