SOKONI

Tuesday December 12, 2006
Kalonzo sets off on road to State House
By Ayub Savula Mwingi North MP Mr Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka launched his bid for the Presidency at a colourful event curiously skipped by his rivals for the top seat in ODM-Kenya.
And Kalonzo immediately said he was ready for competitive ODM-Kenya primaries for the Presidency, which he said had ushered into Kenya a new brand of politics similar to that in the West.
Kalonzo became the second ODM-Kenya ticket seeker to launch a serious bid, after his counterpart Mr Raila Odinga earlier announced his bid at several local and foreign fora.
Manifesto drafted by experts
The Mwingi North MP unveiled his vision contained in an 81-page booklet and on his Website, Kalonzoforpresidency.com at the well-attended, planned and managed event at Hotel Intercontinental.
In his personal manifesto, My Vision for a Great People, which has been well drafted by experts, Kalonzo says the fight against corruption, crime and poverty are top of his campaign agenda.
He said every student who qualifies to join a public secondary school would not drop out for lack of school fees or incidentals, if he became President.
"With our development partners and our increased tax revenue base, we will offer free secondary school education to all needy students," Kalonzo said.
"My mission is similar to the 12 points the ODM-Kenya proposed Government wants to implement when we take over power," he said.
Seeking ODM-K nomination
Kalonzo opened his speech by declaring that he had presented himself for nomination to contest for the Presidency as an ODM-Kenya candidate.
Kalonzo delivered his promissory note to fellow Kenyans saying: "I will offer you leadership based on respect, equality, accountability and personal integrity."
He said his vision would propel the country to new heights of prosperity, equality and social justice that "we aspired for at independence".
"We must accept we belong to different tribes, speak different languages, and have different cultures and beliefs. Our country must rise against negative ethnicity and harness our rich diversity into a beautiful mosaic of our cultural and linguistic heritage," Kalonzo said.
Said he: "Our security services have to be modernised. We must equip them to deal with this runaway insecurity."
Inequitable distribution of national resources
Kalonzo added: "I look to a future when all corners of our country shall be secure from all forms of crime. When banditry, rape, ethnic clashes and car-jacking will be a faint memory of our past."
Kalonzo said it was his desire to see genuine constitutional reform in the country.
"I deeply believe in a devolved government and the rule of law as the cornerstones of a strong and progressive nation," he said.
Kalonzo said Kenyans must now urgently address the serious problem of inequitable distribution of national resources and make the country one of equal opportunities.
He said it is his vision that no child, woman or man will suffer the indignity of dying of hunger or a disease that has a cure.
Kalonzo said he would also tackle waste management, intensive reforestation and judicious use of flora and fauna.
Funding for research and development
He said attention should be refocused to the quality of education being offered in primary and middle level colleges, while re-examining the role of universities as centres of research and development.
Kalonzo said: "We shall increase funding for research and development," adding that to make education gains and success complete, "we will have a fresh look on the secondary school education".
Kalonzo challenged Kenyans to rise to the HIV/Aids challenge and fight against the spread of the pandemic and be a moral force of change by upholding family values.
In his vision, Kalonzo addresses Governance, Freedom and Emancipation and Integrity verses corruption.
He speaks about unity and being Kenyan, regional and international cooperation, national institutions, social welfare, health care, food and nutrition, provision of water, education and the human resource.
Kalonzo says that housing would be expanded, the gender question addressed and youth and unemployment tackled by the ODM-Kenya government.