CORD digs in, wants TJRC report implemented

By Steve Mkawale, Kipchumba Kemei and Charles Ngeno

Sunday, June 29th 2014 

Cord leader Raila Odnga address a gathering at Ntulele Primary School in Narok County where he called on President Uhur to allow dialogue before sabasaba [PHOTO: BONIFACE THUKU/STANDARD]

NAROK COUNTY: The push by CORD for national dialogue intensified at the weekend, with the Opposition demanding the release and implementation of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) report.

Led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, CORD leaders said the report would address historical injustices and end land conflicts.

Raila said the ghost of the injustices meted on Kenyan communities before and after independence should be exorcised through the proposed national dialogue and the full implementation of the findings of the TJRC.

“These are some of the issues that we want the President to address through the national dialogue because they are the main causes of disharmony and never-ending conflicts that have resulted in loss of lives,” said Raila.

Raila, who addressed a rally at Ntulele Trading Center, Narok County, further challenged President Uhuru Kenyatta to implement national security sector reforms that he and former President Mwai Kibaki initiated. “The police force is rotten to the core and Ole Lenku (Interior Cabinet Secretary) cannot by himself tackle it,” said Raila.

NATIONAL SECURITY

The former PM insisted that his rallies and push for dialogue can’t be in any way a threat to national security.

Raila said the country cannot wait for another five years as people continue to die as a result of insecurity and bad governance.

He vowed to mobilise Kenyans to travel to Nairobi on July 7 (Saba Saba Day) for mass protest should the Jubilee administration fail to heed their dialogue call.

“We cannot wait for another five years, watching as people die of insecurity. It is time for Kenyans to take charge as the current leadership under President Kenyatta has failed,” he said.

Raila reiterated that the issue they were raising would not be addressed through constitutional institutions.

The rally in Narok went on uninterrupted despite earlier threats by local leaders to block it. Conspicuously absent was former Heritage minister William ole Ntimama.

In what Raila dubbed as “the Ntulele declaration”, CORD called for individuals inside and outside the Government to unconditionally return all the land they illegally acquired from the Maasai community.

Justifying their push for dialogue, Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula said Kenyans only delegated their sovereignty to elected leaders but have the right to take it back if the leaders fail to use it properly.

“Corruption and tribalism have risen to unprecedented levels,” said Wetangula.

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and his Homa Bay counterpart Otieno Kajwang accused the Jubilee administration of relying on bogus intelligence that had claimed their rallies in Rift Valley would be marred with chaos.

“There is a propaganda geared towards portraying the region as hostile towards CORD but we know this is an attempt to deny us a chance to meet with the people of Rift Valley,” said Khalwale, who told President Kenyatta to be aware of his real enemies who are misleading him. Kajwang said: “Those trying to portray that there will be tension in our rallies have lost the point. Kenyans continue to suffer and they demand that they be liberated.”

Siaya Senator James Orenga called for unconditional release of Lamu Governor Issa Timamy who has been arrested in connection with the Mpeketoni attacks in which more than 65 people were killed. “The governor has no capacity to sustain or even organize such an attack. The government is not dealing with the problem but is only trying to divert attention from the real issues,” said Orengo.