2007 Elections
Raila - I Represent Change
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 22 January 2008 18:46
He said he expected the party to win all the parliamentary seats in Nyanza. "Kenyans have demonstrated they are for change and I am sure of clinching the presidency because that is what I stand for. What I am not sure of is the winning margin," Raila said.
Quoting a Kiswahili saying Baada ya dhiki ni faraja (After agony, good tidings follow), Raila said Kenyans had suffered enough under President Kibaki's regime, but there were good things in the offing.
He said Kenyans had been heavily burdened with diseases, tribalism, poverty, crime, discrimination and other problems under the present regime. "We want to relieve Kenyans of these burdens. We will bring radical changes in the style of managing the country's resources," he said.
He was addressing mourners at the funeral of South Mugirango ODM candidate, Mr Omingo Magara's father. Sospeter Magara Okwena, 89, died last week. The ODM flag-bearer said the women and youth enterprise funds that were recently introduced by the President were amorphous schemes meant to hoodwink the electorate to re-elect him. He described the schemes as voter bribery.
"This is corruption of the highest order, buying the youth and women through bogus funding schemes. Proper programmes to make youth and women self reliant will start after January 1," he said.
He wondered why PNU was peddling cheap propaganda about his religious background yet he had reaffirmed that he was a Christian.
"They are telling lies and stealing tax payers' money against biblical teachings. Are they true Christians?" he posed.
Invoking the biblical teaching of 'Love your neighbour as you love yourself', he said he had embraced the Muslim community in the spirit of brotherhood.
"I'm a Christian and love Muslims as my brothers even though Kibaki and his team are peddling lies about our relationship. They want people to believe that we have struck a deal with Muslims to introduce Sharia law," he said.
He questioned where President Kibaki would 'fish the clean men' to form his Cabinet when he was surrounded by men riddled with financial scandals. Raila said Kibaki had all the time to appoint women with clean records and international recognition like Prof Wangari Maathai, Prof Julia Ojiambo and Prof Christine Mango to the Cabinet, but gave them a raw deal because of tribal considerations.
"We want to bury tribal politics and give every community equal chance to have a stab at the presidency. It should not be a reserve of certain families," Raila said.
Peaceful campaigns
He appealed to the Gusii community to vote for him to consolidate the Nyanza vote. Speaking in Migori town, Raila said those who felt short-changed in the party nominations and defected to ODM-friendly parties should campaign peacefully.
He pledged to work with the elected MPs and called on voters to back his presidential bid by turning out in large numbers to votes.
Raila was accompanied by party chairman, Mr Henry Kosgei, secretary general, Prof Anyang' Nyongo, Pentagon member, Mr Najib Balala and former PS, Mr James Ongwae
