Raila Odinga to seek CORD’s Presidential ticket after ODM endorsement (Youtube-Clip)

“ODM leader, Raila Odinga will be seeking Cord’s Presidential ticket for 2017 after the Orange democratic movement endorsed his bid for the top job during this year’s party NDC held in Mombasa today.  Raila Odinga will be battling his co – principals in the Cord Coalition Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula for the chance to seek the vote” (NTV Kenya, 2016)

DP Ruto reveals secret meeting with Uhuru gave birth to Jubilee Party (Youtube-Clip)

Press Statement on the “10 at 10” of ODM/CORD event this Weekend in Mombasa (07.09.2016)

hassan-ali-joho-07092016

Further to an announcement by the ODM Deputy Party Leader, H. E Hassan Ali Joho, regarding our “10 At 10” celebration scheduled for this Saturday, my directorate wishes to alert our members and by extension the nation at large of our arrangements for the extravaganza.

Tomorrow, the Deputy Party Leader will have an event to flag off 47 ODM branded buses from Mombasa to each of the forty seven counties of the republic. These buses will provide transport to party delegates from all over Kenya to participate in our jamboree.

Moreover, out of their deep belief in the cause, several party supporters have donated personal vehicles totaling 823 in number nationally which will converge in Mombasa. These vehicles will be branded to comb the entire country mobilizing and rallying the people around our 2017 agenda.

Upon the arrival of the Party Leader on Friday, there will be a series of roadshows as what is expected to be thousands of delegates from all over Kenya will assemble to welcome him to the county of ODM’s birth.

Later that Friday evening, the Deputy Party Leader shall host a private reception in honor of the Rt. Hon Raila Odinga and Mama Ida where 450 MCAs, 110 MPs, 18 Senators and at least 10 Governors have confirmed attendance over and above the delegates from all over Kenya. A team of expert bakers have been tasked to prepare a giant cake for guests to commemorate the event.

On Saturday, we will hold a grand convention of the party where a ground-shaking political announcement shall be made. In the evening, there shall be a celebratory procession on Mama Ngina drive where international award-winning music artist Diamond will jet in from the US to entertain guests in what is billed to be an evening to remember not just for Mombasa but Kenyans at large. The night will conclude with a dramatic fireworks display that promises to leave Kenyans breathless. All aspirants for all positions including MCAs, MPs, Senators and Governors are invited to attend

CORD coalition welcomes the Electrol Bill awaiting presidential assent (Youtube-Clip)

“The opposition CORD coalition has welcomed the move by members of parliament to pass the elections amendment bill 2016 without any amendments hence barring any politicians from party hopping after party primaries. CORD co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula have put their members on notice to make a decision on whether they will stick to CORD or join other political parties before the party primaries. The bill now awaits the president’s assent” (KTN News, 2016).

Devolution CS Kiunjuri tells Cord leader to accept poll 2017 results (Youtube-Clip)

“Devolution cabinet Secretary and Nominated MP Sarah Lekorere asked Cord Leader Raila Odinga to concede defeat if his party is beaten in the 2017 General elections. Speaking in Laikipia the duo maintained that Odinga had already supported the new law barring MPs or political leaders from party hoping and indeed if he meant it, then he should do the same if defeated during the opposition nominations as well as during the general elections” (Kenya NTV, 2016)

Opinion: Jubilee Government, are they fiscal responsible for their current running debt?

Kenyatta Ruto 09.08.2016

Today is a day where I have questions and they are big because when you crunch the numbers for the last three fiscal years and estimated debt ratio it’s start to be worrying. It isn’t a sweet and tender way of asking. I know, but the numbers and the citizens will have to repay the amounts of borrowed cash at one point. As the Japanese will not deliver second-hand vehicles to the hospitals forever like they did during either this or last week in Kenya; Kenyan Government shouldn’t base their budget on handouts, but on tax-monies. The budget now is worrying as the levels of budget that are borrowed as it is going directly to portfolios that are day-to-day business instead of giant infrastructure development.

Why do I say that? Because each year you can question the ratio between the debt and the development projects; like in 2013/2014 the debt we’re 330bn, but the development 224bn. That is a 100bn used on day-to-day instead of building roads to Ethiopia or planning the Standard Gauge Railway. Take look!

In the 2013/2014:

At the fiscal year ending the 25th July 2014 the budget debt we’re 330,440,692,719.35. That means there 330bn debt, which we’re 25.8% of the National Revenue. National Government budget spent on development we’re 224,355,607,699.00 or 224bn.

In the 2014/2015:

At the fiscal year ending 24th July of 2015 the budget debt we’re 400,249,353,175.10. That means there 400bn debt, which we’re 25.1% of the National Revenue. National Government spent on development we’re 270,320,838,230.00 or 270bn.

In the 2015/2016:

At the fiscal year ending the 22nd July of 2016 the budget debt we’re 683,479,898,203.50. That means there 683bn debt, which we’re 36.9% of the National Revenue. National Government spent on development we’re 333,170,357,469.90 or 333bn.

So as you see, the FY 2013/2014 isn’t the worst. FY 2014/2015 is the start of loose government spending. The Jubilee all of sudden borrow 400bn and spends 270bn. That is 130bn that is used on day-to-day business, with loaned fiscal funds instead of the ordinary tax-base that the government should be fixated on. So with the last year FY 2015/2016 the Jubilee went all out in the stratosphere and borrowed from any bank or institution possible; as the debt we’re 683bn and the development we’re 333bn. That is 350bn that are used to day-to-day business and not development. The question remain why the sudden giant loan ratio towards the last year before election and why the lack of projects to use the newly granted funds.

The fiscal responsibility seems weak and not there when a government can splash this kind of funds and use this amount of debt on day-to-day instead of big projects and infrastructure projects needed. I am sure DP William Ruto has more friends that can be sub-contractors for some Chinese infused borrowed road projects around Kisumu. But, the ability to sustainable development with the steady rise of debt is worrying. That the IMF and World Bank is saying the debt ratio is still feasible should be worrying. As the IMF and World Bank never had control of the worst years before the Greece defaulted and needed saving grace from the world around it. The worst comes to worst when the Kenyan Government starts to default and reach it’s limit they have to have a mercy on the Jubilee and the counterparts who are paying for loose fiscal behaviour. The worst comes to worst with the giant amount of added fiscal funds might give the economy a edged inflation and bank rates that weakens the Kenyan Shilling as the deficit between reality and what is really used.

You can wonder why the Jubilee wants to hedge up so much loans and government debt. When the FY 2013/2014 and FY 2014/2015 we’re the net domestic borrowing around 300bn, but by FY 2015/2016 it become 500bn. That is a jump of 200bn of Domestic Borrowing. That should also be questioned together with the ratio already in the budget. This doesn’t seem like a healthy fiscal policy. The public should question the use of the borrowed domestic and total ratio of debt. The governance levels and accountability of the funds should be asked from Opposition and also the Auditor General. The Inspectorate of Government the IGG or Ombudsman should hassle the hustling Jubilee who has gained these funds and been responsible for the allocated budget and inquired for the option for loans to development and day-to-day use.

What do you think? Peace.   

Wetangula dismisses push for Mudavadi candidacy (Youtube-Clip)

“Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula has distanced himself from reports that negotiations were underway to ensure that the western region come up with one presidential flag bearer. Wetangula says presidential candidates from western Kenya do not need a mediator to unite them, adding that Luhya unity alone will not guarantee a win in the elections. He spoke in Vihiga County when he paid the governor a courtesy call and later joined African Divai Church faithful at their annual conference” (NTV Kenya, 2016)

Wetangula, Mudavadi seeks to solidify support among western Kenya voters (Youtube-Clip)

“Western Kenya has been keen on getting its share of the pie in as far as occupancy at state house is concerned…and keen to fly that flag from the region drawing the interests of Bungoma senator Moses Wetangula and anc Leader Musalia Mudavadi…however reports of cord wooing Mudavadi into the fold appears to have sent Wetangula, himself a co-principal, into panic…while insiders told Citizen Tv the talks are infact near completion, Wetangula would dismiss such reports…instead, urging Mudavadi to back his bid…but leaders from the area hold a different view—calling upon them to join hands and work together instead of against each other” (Kenya Citizen TV, 2016)

Odinga endorses recommendations of Joint Parliamentary Select Committee (Youtube-Clip)

“Cord leader Raila Odinga has welcomed the joint parliamentary select committee’s recommendations, terming them the beginning of a journey to a free and fair poll next year, whose outcome will reflect the wishes of the electorate. Odinga has however proposed that president Uhuru Kenyatta consults with him in the nomination of new IEBC commissioners, just like he was involved in the appointment of the outgoing electoral body bosses, by former president Mwai Kibaki in the grand coalition government” (Kenya Citizen TV, 2016)

Hon. Junet Mohamed statement: “While we see no need to chest-thump as the CORD negotiating team on IEBC reforms, CORD has achieved what we know” (16.08.2016)

Junet Mohamed

While we see no need to chest-thump as the CORD negotiating team on IEBC reforms, CORD has achieved what we know is critical to delivering a free, fair and peaceful polls next year.

One; what Jubilee intransigence throughout this process has revealed to us is that the much hyped ‘numbers’ by Jubilee are nonexistent. The fear to have a credible electoral institution by Jubilee tells it all.

Having said that; our team has achieved one critical objective that we set to achieve which was, foremost, to have the current crop of IEBC commissioners to go.

We’ve also reduced the number from nine to seven and delineated their roles from those of the secretariat.

We’ve set modalities for getting a new set of commissioners in the most rigorous manner possible which, in our human estimation, should guarantee utmost credibility.

There are finer details to this that we’ll share in coming days.

My experience with Kenya’s democracy project so far is that it is work in progress. Today we give this, tomorrow we get that. It is give-and-take. And while often we wished we had all; that isn’t how it works in reality.

Two; the voter register will be forensically audited. While Jubilee and current IEBC didn’t want anything done on the voter register, and we were adamant the register had to be expunged and a new one instituted; the middle ground was to audit it and should there be ‘multitude of ghosts’ in it; that will automatically lead to a new one.

Three; from next year the country will go for electronic voting. This goes to voter identification, registration, ballot casting, votes transmission and and tallying. Should this system collapse, there shall be no reverting to manual: the election shall be repeated.

Four; we have anchored it in law that IEBC must provide, within 48hrs, all documents it used to declare any candidate a winner. Many of you who followed 2013 presidential petition knows why this is significant.

Finally, there are finer details of what our side has achieved which cannot be reduced to A FACEBOOK post – much as I wished I could – but I felt it was important to clarify that CORD has achieved much, much more; though not all.

In the end; the only way to get jubilee out of power is to VOTE them out of power. This is the next stage.