Grassroots calling for Resource Persons

From Bunge La Mwananchi

Dear Kenyans and friends of Kenya,

We are looking for patriotic Kenyans who are thoroughly informed on how to link community localised issues to the national policies; are dynamic on national agendas, and are available to volunteer their time to serve as Resource Persons during the upcoming Kibera Wananchi Congress, (herein referred to as the congress). The congress will bring together 1,600 grassroots leaders (drawn all wards in Langata constituency, the 13 villages that form Kibera slums, the diverse ethnic groups, the churches and mosques, active CBOs and NGOs, soccer groups, women and youth groups etc) is scheduled to take place at St. Jude’s Catholic Church near Katwekera area on 23rd and 24th November 2009. The congress dialogues are designed to allow the participants to articulate their understanding on the topic of discussion and their suggestion for wayforward. The moderator/Resource person helps focus the participants and concretize resolutions. We are looking for Resource Person to facilitate tent/group discussions on the following thematic areas:

1. Education and Training

2. National agendas, Governance challenges and Citizens responsibility

3. Impoverishment, Food Security and Opportunity for Wealth creation

4. Land problem, housing and slum upgrading

5. Politics, Conflicts and Peace Building

6. Health, Sanitation and

7. Insecurity and Community Policing

8. Alcoholism and Substance Abuse

9. Sports, Sports opportunities and Sports Infrastructure

10. Gender based challenges

The congress is aimed at empowering and strengthening the capacities of Kibera Citizens in rights awareness, policy analysis, advocacy and networking through a 2-day dialogue activity. At the end of the congress, the grassroots leaders shall outline and adopt resolutions from their dialogues. The resolutions shall be compiled into Kibera People’s Manifesto for change. Similar people’s congress are scheduled to be held in identified constituencies in Central, Coast, Nyanza, Rift Valley and Western regions and then culminate with a National People’s Congress.

If you are available to serve as Resource Person on the said dates, please contact us before 19th November 2009 on this email: grnyongesa@yahoo.com or tel: 0720 451 235.

Why Kibaki and Raila are top candidates for The Hague

By George Nyongesa

Bunge La Mwananchi

It is foregone that ICC prosecutor Mr. Ocampo shall on 3rd of November be a guest of the people of Kenya. The ICC prosecutor will be in the country to shop around for the fastest ship or airplane services that will shortly route the masterminds of the 2007 post election murders, rape and plunders to The Hague. Mr. Ocampo's excursion seems a basket of mixed reactions for 2012 presidential hopefuls as for all Kenyans.

For Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, Ocampo's mission to Kenya is a living nightmare they wish was just a bad dream. The duo is already sleep deprived and experiencing serious weightloss. For Mr. Kalonzo Musyoka alias 'miracle-man' this a divine tsunami that will drown competitors especially if Raila Odinga is part of Waki envelop. Is it any wonder that Kalonzo is on new found mission to unite Kenyans? Ask yourself where he has been over the last 2 years. For Raila Odinga, Ocampo's visit heralds good tidings for fixing the Ruto problem in the Orange Democratic Movement. On the other hand, Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki are also suffering a migraine from a likelihood of second miscarriage of project Uhuru.

However, Ocampo's mission considered in the right way is not a mission to fix political antagonism. It is a journey of hope for Kenyans who have for so long suffered grand impunity from their political leaders. It is the rays of dawn after a midnight of disrespect of human rights and rule of law by the powerful.

In all these it should slip our mind that it would be great injustice and an even greater debacle of democracy if the two principals are not indicted to The Hague. The violence that ensued after the bungled 2007 elections was composed of wars fought by persons who were doing it for their preferred leader between the two principals. If anything, none of the two principals is on record as coming out in condemnation of the violence. In fact, one of them issued a call for mass action to protest the stolen election, while his antagonist employed state resources of terror to quell the resulting protests. Whichever side of the divide you may have viewed it from, what ensued was nevertheless murder, rape and wanton destruction of public and private property.

If The Hague process is truly about addressing the impunity that has dogged Kenya for a long time, it must remain clear that there are very few top politicians that can claim to be clean of the impunity. The two principals cannot be absolved while their soldiers bear the brunt of the prosecution. No matter that there were people who executed the orders on their behalf, those people acted on the instructions of or misguided ambitions of their principals. Therefore, if the generals are to be indicted, it is only befitting if not imperative that the principals should lead the pack as they did during PEV. Otherwise, the Hague process would be a cosmetic approach to addressing the roots of impunity. Why should ICC come for William Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta and leave Kibaki and Raila? If Uhuru and Ruto are guilt of crimes against humanity for post election violence, Kibaki and Raila are more guilt on the same account. Why should Kibaki and Raila get a soft landing? Who doesn’t know the two were protecting the interests of their masters? Didn’t Waki tell us that some part of violence was planned in the house on the hill?

Further, there is every logical reason that the events that led the run up to, those that characterised the elections and thereafter, are ample basis to indict the two principals. One for having failed as the president of the country, and the other for having failed as a leader of his followers. This leadership vacuum necessarily triggered the senseless killings and plunder by leaving Kenyans confused and with undirected negative energies as the two principals faced off. We cannot pussyfoot around arresting and bundling the principals in MV Hague for fear that their arrest might re-ignite post election violence. We must have the two most powerful men taken to The Hague to reassure the ordinary Kenyans that after all the rich and powerful can also face justice. We must have these two arrested to warn anyone else nursing motives of deploying tools of violence in order to acquire power. Anything short of making Kibaki and Raila to account for their commissions and omissions; for their action and inactions shall be a mockery of justice.

Mwananchi: Why Kenya should have Fresh Elections

By George Nyongesa

Bunge la Mwananchi

NB. There will be a public debate on this topic on Friday 27th March at the Professional Centre (next to Parliament Building) from 1:30pm to 5pm

The most potent question in public debate right now is whether or not to send “moribund President and ineffective Prime Minister” et al packing through fresh elections. The coalition government stands accused of failed leadership - their accuser, the discontented 70% of Kenyans per recent opinion polls and now the clerics. The prayers before the public court are that an urgent decision be reached on whether or not fresh elections should be held right away.

However, this may not be your classic open and shut case since it is clear that the fears put forward in argument are passionately considered legitimate by each side. While this is normal in any trial, each side is dangerously subjective and there is not likely to be a compromise found soon without the introduction of an objectivity criterion.

Indeed, whether we should go to elections now or not, is not a decision that can be arrived at based on subjective passions and neither can it be discussed in a vacuum. It must be considered and understood in the context of the prevailing socio-political environment of our country, because in essence this is the common ground and arena that the two sides operate within and in which they will continue to once a decision is adopted. While each side is rearing and quick to disprove the other’s argument, or will at least try to, the reality of Kenya’s socio-political context is open for all to see it is therefore only this context that can objectively temper our considerations of the merits and demerits of the necessity and timing of the elections. If we find that the returns on the merits of the aye-sayers far outweigh the demerits of the nay-sayers, then it should help even those sitting on the fence to make an informed decision in joining the crusade.

The facts - Kenya’s socio-political context

Kenya is a country that professes to be a democratic state. In this regard, Kenya has historically held general elections every 5 years, according its citizens an avenue through which to participate in the matter of their own governance. The most recent general election was held in 2007 where a record number of Kenyans showed up to entrust their rights to people whom they thought would represent their best interests. However, from the contested presidential results to the prevailing selfish enrichment frenzy exhibited by those occupying office in the August House, Treasury building and State House, it is obvious that Kenyans were grossly fooled in campaign promises and pledges.

Let us train our focus on the coalition government. When contested presidential election results triggered post election violence, deeper underlying issues were exposed and it was clear that if we were to make any progress towards righting the wrongs, we had to take a number of extraordinary decisions. One of such decisions was, in contradiction of our democratic ideals, to accept the formation of a coalition government. The truce government was formed as a result of a failed democratic process and for those that supported its formation the hope was that it was a necessary evil to get us into the work of reforming the State. This hope was reinforced by the subsequent Kriegler and Waki reports and their recommendations. However, 365 days plus later, what has become clear is that the coalition government is not excited at the idea of reforming the state. The coalition partners are just happy to occupy the power seats in contempt of where the seats draw their legitimacy – the Kenyan people.

Unlike other or previous governments in the history of Kenya, over and above the manifestos, campaign promises and pledges of the competing leaders who came together in the coalition, there was an extraordinary mandate of the government. That special mandate was aptly spelt out in the National Accord document that gave birth to the coalition government. The job description of the top leadership of that government was laid out in agenda items 1 – 4. The agendas were: cessation of hostility and restoration of rights and freedoms; solving the humanitarian issues and compensation and resettlement of IDPs; political leadership (euphemistically referred to as power sharing) and the citizenry pertinent issues (the land question, high unemployment among young people, historical injustices, and inequitable distribution of resources - which was erroneously referred to as long term issues).

In all these agenda items, the one that the coalition leaders could claim to have given dedicated attention (only because it serves their interests) is the power sharing agenda. But the agenda items that involve the larger public good such as resettlement of IDPs, looking into citizenry pertinent issues such as historical injustices, land problems, a new constitution amongst others, their dedication has paled in comparison to their enthusiasm in power sharing matters. When the government was formed, people had high hopes that after all it was bringing together a combination of three topmost presidential contenders’ campaign pledges, promises and manifestos. We had hoped that we would have benefited from the tension over what policy should be implemented from amongst these options. However, the tension is only who’s eating what, where and when amongst coalition government leaders. The casualty? The common citizen – the voter.

The priority role of any democratic government is the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms and assurance of security for its citizens both internally and externally. If we consider Kenya in the last one year, can we strictly say that the coalition government has performed well in this mandate? Our President is on record saying that 10 million Kenyans will die from starvation in the next one year. While he acknowledged the risks faced by Kenyans and put out a begging bowl to foreign nations to help feed Kenyans at a cost of approximately KSh 37billion, in the very same financial year the coalition leadership had presided over the loss of KSh 200billion through corruption and mismanagement of national resources.

Who needs government if it cannot at a minimum assure us the right to life in our pursuit of happiness? What the coalition government has excelled in is sharing in the plundering of our public coffers, sharing of our cereal reserves, fuel and other treasures that we are yet to discover, while the threat of starvation has cornered the citizens into eating wild berries, rats and other unmentionables that past freedom fighters would be shocked to know we partake instead of the fruits of the independence they fought for.

The hunger crisis has been blamed on post election violence – but then, who caused post election violence? It has been blamed on drought – but in a modern world where economic scientists have proved that drought has a limited connection with starvation isn’t this an issue of poor government planning? They also blamed it on global financial crisis – but while that problem is global, isn’t it the responsibility of individual governments to craft safety-net mechanisms to protect citizenry from the harsh elements of the crisis? If one looks around the world, leaders are working around the clock designing policies, whether independently or in concert with other nations, to ensure their citizens are cushioned. They are even going further to reassure citizenry so that they keep their trust in the government’s capability to protect them. How much can we say any of this is happening in Kenya? Have you heard coalition partners engage in fiery debate on how to protect Kenyans from the effects of the global economic meltdown? Honestly, in your estimation do you think the current leadership can match the herculean problems Kenya faces with the magnitude of creativity, innovativeness and entrepreneurship that it demands? Or do we have a leadership that hopes against hope that one day they will wake up and the problem will go away?

Economic crisis and social unrest are twins!

The section of the citizenry that is hard hit by the consequences of failed leadership and economic crisis are those lower on the socio-economic chain – those in the villages and in the slums, the plantation and industrial workers – and its foolhardy for the political class to imagine that this lot will suffer peacefully and not pay a not-so-courtesy call to our capital city in this regard. It is inevitable that they will crawl out of the hovels they have long been relegated to and pour into the city streets where they will vent and dramatize their frustration and anger. I doubt that they will suffer in peace in their rat holes while the dogs and cats in leafy surbubs are pampered with meat, milk and biscuits; a meal more expensive than a packet 2kg maize flour that local people can no longer afford.

Arguments for and against elections now

The post election violence seems to have been the first sign to the political class, the rich and middle class that something was terribly wrong. It shook them because they too were affected as the depth of their fellow countrymen’s sufferings were brought right to their doorsteps either live or through news-outlets and they caught a glimpse of what it means for people to be dissatisfied, frustrated and therefore ungovernable. It is no wonder that our legislators’ argument put forward against holding elections now is that they are not ready for a post election violence re-enactment. However, considering the current state of the nation post the National Accord the reality is that whether we like it or not, the re-enactment will occur and it is just a matter of when. And this time round it will not be about tribes but about class struggle. It shall be neighbourhood wars of the “havenots” against the “haves”, the poor verses the rich and the governors and governed. This war is so imminent that if nothing is urgently done to postpone, address or avert it soonest, it could erupt before we finish the argument over whether to have elections now or in 2012.

There are those who argue that we do not have the institutions and reforms that will ensure “free and fair elections” whose process and results are acceptable to both the winner and the loser. I pose the following questions to them: who is supposed to create those institutions? Surely, it is not Mwananchi who is suffering from the consequences of the poor leadership. When the parliament dissolved the electoral body, left a vacuum and went on recess without a back-up plan – what were they thinking? Whose responsibility is it to reform the police force? Believe me if the President and the Prime Minister wanted to reform the Kenya police they would do it overnight. But they won’t because the current police force serves well their interest of detaining us every passing day longer in a colonial state. Whose responsibility is it to reform the judiciary? Certainly not the poor Kenyans who are victims of the abortion of justice.

I posit here that historically no State ever willingly reformed itself. It is the citizenry yearning for better social organization that must force the state to reform. World over, the state’s core always dedicate themselves to maintaining the status quo. They do it lawfully or unlawfully. My misgivings about President Mwai Kibaki or Prime Minister Raila Odinga et al’s ability to lead is born of the reality that it is the coalition partners who benefit from the lack of reforms. Further still, for Kenyans to require them to carry out reform such as to replace the current constitution is to ask them to go against their oath of office. Do we expect them to jeopardise their hefty perks, disrupt mortgage repayment plans and compromise the booty from their looting spree? Shall we peacefully become captive to their con-politics and remain paralysed in failed leadership? Why should the governors use abdication of their responsibilities to argue against the governed demand for fresh elections? No, we must find some nerve to stand up and threaten that it is not going to be business as usual. An election is the language that parliamentarians listen to and therefore we must use that to extricate ourselves from the present captivity. We should not allow the political class, especially our legislators, to use the consequence of their abdication of responsibility to dissuade us from seeking fresh leadership.

There is no doubt that hostility towards the coalition government is not confined to church leadership, but they echo a majority of Kenyans who are alarmed at the paralysis and inertia of the two principals as their troops engage in a scavenger spree looting public resources as the coalition partners walk on egg shells between themselves in self-protectionism. Formation of a coalition government orphaned and left Kenyans without a watchdog to guard their interests and so coalition partners have imperiously agreed to eat in turns. It is obvious that the current leadership is not commensurate to the gigantic task at hand and therefore it is time to get one that is fit for this job. Why should we allow an illegitimate government continue to preside over serious socio-economic and political ills with impunity? The state of our nation has all the ingredients for civil strife and something must give in order to avert the impending calamitous situation.

Closing argument

There is every argument in favour of the case that our country needs a fresh leadership that is clean, lean, accountable and responsive. There is no doubt that is what will move us from the current state of the nation where 10 million are hungry, insecure and victims of human rights violation. That is what shall redeem us from the jungle of scandals of grand corruption, maize and fuel cartels, and political uncertainty. The choice that we have is enduring the prevailing conditions or seeking their alternatives – reforms or no reforms; staying as we are or progressing. Like other human beings, we too would like to see a better life. We would like to see another Kenya born in our lifetime.

Therefore, if the call for fresh elections is what ensures or reassures our belief that another Kenya is possible, why should we stay a day longer on death row? Our responsibility as the governed is to collectively describe our desire, ambitions or the ultimate goal of what we want and for the governors to worry about how to deliver it to us. In the present case, based on the outlined serious shortcomings of the coalition leadership and our desire for alternative leadership, we the people of Kenya, must demand for fresh elections and let our society coordinators put in place the right infrastructure for us to have free and fair elections. Our governors draw hefty perks to ensure that the process and outcomes of our social organization is not disrupted even from post-election violence, so let them worry about that and not make it our problem.

Verdict

Dear Kenyan, the verdict lies squarely with you. Make an informed decision but make it soon – for justice delayed is justice denied. Your choice for elections now or 2012 is a choice on how long you shall stay in the politics of empty rhetoric. It is the choice on whether to remain a victim of sickening buck passing between the principals or have a responsible leadership. It is the choice of whether to tolerate unexplained assassin bullets and continued lives of fear to deter any talk against impunity. It is a choice over whether we want to be in a free state or police state. It is a choice over whether we want to stay in con-politics. It is a choice to move from the guesswork leadership of the current leadership. It is your answer to the cries of IDPs, the poor, the hungry and the silenced voices of the struggle for your emancipation.

How do I become a member of Bunge la Mwananchi?

Bunge la Mwananchi is a people’s movement organizing Kenyans to resist oppression; to fight social injustices; and to demand accountable leadership at all levels. We believe that another Kenya is possible - a Kenya where justice and development for all is a reality! Our activities: We organize platforms where Kenyans can freely dialogue each other on pertinent issues affecting them. Countrywide platforms are created around targeted community issues. This way of community organizing is the fastest growing movement in Kenya as traditional meeting places: at the market, street talks, under a tree, on the roadside or even neighbourhood chatspace are rebranding into Bunge la Mwananchi. Any Kenyan who dreams of "another Kenya"; who subscribes to the struggle against issues of oppression, social injustice and imperious leadership; who is dissatisfied with the status quo; who believes in the power of organized citizens and who is interested in an alternative and easily accessible platform through which to engage the public, is an eligible and automatic member. Kenya needs transformation! That transformation will not come from State House or from Parliament but from the villages, from the slums, from factories, from plantations, from markets, from households, from within you - places where Kenyans who are tired of bad leadership hide. We have across the country, platforms organised by Bunge la Mwananchi: Mombasa, Voi, Machakos, Makueni, Nairobi, Naivasha, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nakuru, Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia and coming soon to a place near you as we are also networking online Kenyans at home and abroad to join in the movement. We aspire to mobilize millions of Kenyans to transform Kenya through issue-based politics. We are building a strong movement that will transform Kenya’s politics one Kenyan at a time. Here’s how to start and build a Bunge la Mwananchi platform in your community or area: a) Believe and become the CHANGE you want to see. b) Talk about the CHANGE you believe in to your relatives, friends, neighbours, workmates, acquaintances etc c) Invite your contacts to an informal discussion, dialogue or debate about local and national issues at your home or neutral place in your community or area. d) Try and make sure from the dialogue and debates that there is adopted some form of action plan on local or national issues discussed e.g. visiting the nearest Police station to discuss with OCS about insecurity in your area, petitioning your landlord about water scarcity or estate hygiene standards, petitioning the city council to attend to estate roads that fall in their jurisdiction etc. e) Continue the informal forums in your area: daily, weekly or bi-weekly and also actively engage members of your platform in activities that advance the agenda of social change, link the local struggle to national and international level. f) Invite resource people, or encourage people you know with particular expertise to attend and address community forums on issues that fall within their field of expertise. g) Seek to network with other Bunge la Mwananchi platforms. h) You can start your own neighbourhood platform around your local issues simply by rallying your neighbours on common issues and interests. Become a Bunge la Mwananchi member today! For and on behalf of Bunge la Mwananchi George Nyongesa

Update on public interest case: Hon. Muite and Mr. Nowrojee asks for more time!

On behalf of petitioners and for the cause, George Nyongesa Bunge la Mwananchi Dear Kenyans and friends of Kenya, Yesterday (Thursday, 12th March, 2009) the landmark case instituted by 17 concerned Kenyans against the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) once again came up for hearing before Justice Nyamu. In this case, Kenyans are in court seeking orders that the PSC be declared unconstitutional along with the law that created it and further that the High Court order the recovery of all the money and other resources the PSC has squandered on Parliamentarians since 2003. As a brief background: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 - 17 Kenyans filed High Court Petition No. 769 of 2008, at the Nairobi Law Courts, requesting that the PSC be scrapped for violating the Constitution of the Republic of Kenya, and for flouting the republican ethics that prohibit public officials from using their offices for unjust enrichment and other forms of personal gain. Wednesday, 21st January, 2009 - when the case came before Justice Nyamu, it could not proceed because the PSC alleged they had not been properly served, since the court papers were delivered to their legal office instead of their clerk. Friday, 30th January, 2009 - although the Attorney General (through whose office all bills are transformed into law and therefore had much to do with the passing of the contentious law) was ready to proceed, the PSC requested for leave of the court to instruct lawyers to appear in court on their behalf. Thursday 12th February, 2009 - the PSC was represented by lawyers Mr. Pheroze Nowrojee and Hon. Paul Muite, the Attorney General represented by Advocate Mr. Omondi and Kenyans by lawyer Mr. Kibe Mungai. At the PSC’s advocates’ request, Justice Nyamu granted orders allowing the PSC 21 days within which to respond to the chamber summons in this matter filed by Kenyans at the High Court. Lawyer Kibe further requested and was granted 7 days leave after receipt of the PSC’s response to the chamber summons, within which to reply. Consequently, the next mention of the case was scheduled for Thursday, 12th March, 2009. Update: When Justice Nyamu sat to listen to submissions on the chamber summons yesterday, PSC’s advocates told the court that they had underestimated the time required to prepare, file and serve their preliminary objection. They informed the judge that the petition filed by Kenyans against the PSC raises grand fundamental constitutional issues that they must respond to with utmost care. They also indicated that as part of their defence they plan to question the jurisdiction of the High Court to hear the petition. Justice Nyamu gave his ruling as follows: 1. The PSC, through its advocates ( Hon Muite and Mr. Pheroze Nowrojee), should file and serve both their preliminary objections and replying affidavit on Kenyans’ lawyer within 21 days. 2. Kenyans, through their lawyer Mr. Kibe Mungai, would then have 7 days within which to respond. 3. PSC’s advocates would thereafter have 7 days within which to respond to issues raised in Kenyans’ response. 4. At the end of the 35 days so allocated, Justice Nyamu will transmit the file to Chief Justice Evans Gicheru to appoint a 3 judge bench to hear both the chamber summons and the main petition. Way forward and support required: 1. Since, we- Kenyans, disagree with the move to have Parliamentarians review their own remuneration through the Parliamentary Tribunal that was set up for that purpose, we shall be amending the court documents to seek court orders that in public interest, that review tribunal be disbanded. 2. Fellow Kenyans can support us by adding your signatures to the growing list in which we aim to collect 5 million signatures to bolster our petition. Your signature counts since it will help us build a strong and stable case for Kenyans’ public interest as we make our voices heard and resist political impunity. The petition is available at www.kejude.org 3. You can also support us by building up and adding to public debate over the case and what it aims to achieve. Talk about it everywhere and anywhere that you can. Why cant we just write so many letters to the editor about this matter? Email, SMS, call, write in the newspaper, stand at the street corner and discuss this, engage your workmates, chat about it, post it on your friends’ walls in facebook... be part of the grapevine and own this initiative – it’s yours. 4. We are working on a Solidarity Fund in order to raise the resources we require in sustaining this petition. Feel free to contact us (c/o secretariat at Centre for Law and Research International (CLARION), Tel: 3871614, Telefax: 3871857, Mobile tel: 0733-542335, 0722-610567 Email: info (at) clarionkenya (dot) org Website: www.clarionkenya.org to obtain more information and to contribute to this fund. Your support through your generous donations will be most appreciated. 5. When the Chief Justice sets a date for the hearing of the chamber summons and main petition, you are each welcome to join us at court so that this is not a case of just a few individuals but all Kenyans. We are all being robbed and we must therefore all make ourselves heard in putting it to an end. For more information about this case visit www.kejude.org

Hospitalized - Narrative from a Kenyan seeking change

Read Fwamba FC Fwamba's first hand account about the day after being arrested and beaten for demonstrating on behalf of ten million starving Kenyans. (Click on image below)

Mwananchi to Poll Violence Planners: To The Hague! No Mercy!

From Bunge La Mwananchi

The special tribunal as recommended by Waki commission was to serve the crucial function of being a land mark on the journey to ending Kenya’s cycle of impunity, addressing the cycles of human rights violation and purging the abuse of power and misuse of public office in Kenya.

The Thursday, 29th January 2009, failure by parliament to pass the necessary law to set up the special tribunal within the Waki prescribed timeline is for Kenyans a blessing in disguise. By that act, we are now enroute to The Hague, which is a welcome relief for millions of ordinary Kenyans who have suffered impunity in all its forms in this country.

A country where:

-the Electoral Commission of Kenya officials instead of being tried for mismanaging the general election are fleecing public coffers for over Ksh. 500 million in severance pay.

-where political leaders engage in imperious activities such as corruption and continue to enjoy public office privilege.

-a legislator censored by the Parliament and heavily implicated for public office impropriety by a Commission of Inquiry set up by the Government, can be reinstated by the top Executive to enjoy Cabinet privileges.

All these happenings confirm that our top leadership is either clueless, not alive to what is happening or they are apologists for the impunities. For the many Kenyans who have suffered evils at the torture chambers, police brutality, extra judicial killings, human rights abuse and other grand corruption related pains in the form of misdirected public funds and resources, the Special Tribunal is a reassuring step towards breaking from such a bleak past.

Ordinary Kenyans do not have confidence in the local judicial system where justice is sold to the highest bidder and even one of our top leaders is on record proclaiming lack of confidence in the judicial system and its courts.

In a country with a history of horse trading for political expediency, majority of Kenyans are cautious to avoid letting off post election violence criminals through political-horse-trading. Therefore, with the Waki Commission report deadline having been exceeded, any further time granted to set up the tribunal would be at the mercy of the Panel of Eminent Persons. Kenyans exhort the Panel of Eminent Persons chaired by Dr. Koffi Annan not to extend such mercy or fear to punish this Government since they had plenty of time and could even afford to break early for Christmas.

We, Kenyans, support The Hague option because having an independent unbiased third party such as the ICC in charge will ensure that the process for justice is free from political interference. Further, this will save the nation from soap-opera-like intrigues and the twists and turns that is customary with Kenyan public business as political elite battle to stay in power. Even as the parliament rushed in an attempt to pass the law to set up the Special Tribunal, there are crucial questions that either alarmed or concerned Kenyans:

Considering everything in perspective, who is genuinely interested in the Special Tribunal? The answer is the ordinary Kenyans - the ones who have suffered too long from impunity, abuse of power, misuse of office and aborted justice or the slow motion of the wheels of justice.
Second, if the latest political events are anything to go by, where the two principals have become staunch advocates of and for each other and characters held in public contempt are elevated in public to senior cabinet positions, do you think the two former protagonists and their allies are interested in the tribunal?
How do we deal with already noticeable gaping loopholes that threaten the independence and effectiveness of the proposed Special Tribunal? For example, who will fund the tribunal? Is it the Government or the Consolidate Fund? How do we expect any implicated parliamentarian to sign the pay package for his executioners? Who will the Special Tribunal Chairman and the committee report to? If the previous escapades of commissions of inquiry are an example, Kenyans are likely to see the findings of this special tribunal in 2030 or so.
The other questions that we must ask ourselves, is who is the complainant? Ordinary Kenyans, without a doubt. Who is the defendant? Again, unquestionably, our political leaders. Considering that our lawmakers are themselves often eating the crumbs that fall off the Mastersʼ table, are the politicians likely to pass stringent laws to punish themselves or their benefactors? Shouldn’t we expect that our legislators are going pass laws even at night in order to free their partners in crime?

Further, the elephant question is will President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga face the Special Tribunal? Suppose they do and they are implicated such that they cannot exonerate themselves, what will happen? Will they still hold their public office? In proper hindsight, there is an undeniable role that the now President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga played in the post election violence, at least by their differences being the trigger that sparked it all off. For justice to be done and be seen to have been done it is important that the two principals must also face the Special Tribunal. In the event that they are implicated beyond reasonable doubt, can the President and Prime Minister be suspended? Further still, since the Cabinet is filled up with characters whose hands have been in the cookie jar, who will step in?
What are the possibilities that the two principals and their cohorts will use the national security intelligence to help water down evidence adduced against them?

We, Kenyans, are cognizant that the Waki commission has reinvigorated an apathetic citizenry by availing them the tangible opportunity to deal with the powerful persons behind the high loss of lives and widespread destruction of millions worth of property and sources of livelihood that devastated our lives in early 2008. We desire to start new chapter of Kenyan stability, a chapter to begin believing again in the vision and ideals of our nation and for this justice is crucial. It is only at The Hague where we will believe that justice shall be done and be seen to be done.
Further, we Kenyans, are alive to the truth that the coalition between the former protagonists can only be the product of their having hatched up some form of settlement over their differences, thereby forging a very strong, self-preserving and protective bond, and are concerned that the mad dash to adopt the law in parliament to set up the Special Tribunal is nothing more than a public relation exercise to sanitize post election violence planners before the public eye.

Lastly, in these difficult times, we the grass root leaders, call upon our Brothers and Sisters-Kenyans in the diaspora to join us in vigilance and militancy in demanding justice, as we do not expect any benevolence from our political class. The Special Tribunal is about ending impunity in all its forms and we must therefore drown out the assertion of sovereignty conveniently adopted by the cornered political class and invite the international community especially the AU and the UN to help us get justice. Yes, we Kenyans - we who truly want justice for those who burnt in the Eldoret Church and those were killed in Naivasha - we plead with the international community to help us in our vigilance to ensure justice.

Open letter to Members of Parliament

28th DECEMBER 2008
ATTN: MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
FORMER HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS
C/O PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
NAIROBI

This is letter from Mwananchi addressed to you Honourable Members of Parliament through the people’s platform Bunge la Mwananchi:

• Hon. Anyang’ Nyong’o, African Research and Resource Forum (ARRF);
• Hon. James Orengo, Law Society of Kenya (LSK)/former member, NCEC;
• Hon. Martha Karua, Law Society of Kenya (LSK);
• Hon. Cecily Mbarire, former Co-ordinator, Youth Agenda (YAA);
• Hon. Kabando wa Kabando, former student leader;
• Hon. Sheikh Dor, Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI);
• Hon. Millie Odhiambo, The Child Rights Advisory Centre (CRADLE);
• Hon. Gitobu Imanyara, Law Society of Kenya (LSK);
• Hon. Sophia Abdi, WOMANKIND;
• Hon. Rachel Shebesh;
• Hon. Ababu Namwamba, Chambers of Justice (COJ), Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Cancel Debt for the Child Campaign;
• Hon. Bonny Khalwale, NCEC, male rep. Western Province in NCA;
• Hon. Kilemi Mwiria, former Deputy Secretary General, UASU;
• Hon. Mutava Musyimi, former Secretary General, National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK);
• Hon. Linah Jebii Kilimo, Education Centre for Women in Democracy (ECWD), Co-ordinator, Stop FGM Campaign, Rift Valley;
• Hon. Danson Mungatana, Law Society of Kenya (LSK)/former member, Amnesty International (AI); and
• Hon. Peter Munya, Law Society of Kenya (LSK), former Kenya Law Students’ Society Chair.

Honourable citizens, Bunge la Mwananchi remembers with nostalgia that the very ideals that we fight for today such as human rights, equality, democracy, freedom, democratic constitution, political accountability and transparency, sustainable development and people sensitive leadership, were ideals that you once believed in, spoke eloquently about and worked hard to achieve before you entered the August house. Indeed, in fighting for these ideals, you even experienced the heavy hand of the government’s oppressive machinery as you voiced your concern for the rights of all Kenyans particularly the rights of children, youth, women and other marginalized, vulnerable and poverty stricken groups, advocated for the development of marginalized areas such as Northern and Coastal areas of Kenya and preached the right to food; right to better housing; right to work; right to education and right to health care.

Because we are convinced that you still believe in these ideals and we have faith that each of you is still part of the struggle to make the abovementioned ideals a reality, through this letter Mwananchi calls upon you to demonstrate your undying commitment to those ideals, by paying tax on your allowances.

We know that you are each aware that if the 17 of you, listed above, joined the Mwananchi movement to pressure Members of Parliament to pay taxes on their allowances; you are more than able to convince 222 legislators to pay up their taxes. Honourable Member of Parliament, do you know that from this patriotic act, our exchequer would raise over K.Shs. 3 billion in the 10th Parliament which can form “sufficient aid” towards resettlement of IDPs, resettlement of persons from the Mau Forest, providing food to starving thousands in Eastern, North Eastern and Coast provinces where there is a looming famine, subsidising agriculture to develop food security, investment in development projects, improving infrastructure, providing free secondary education and reducing youth unemployment?

Indeed, as Members of Parliament you are no longer activists but policy makers which means that you now have the AUTHORITY, the POWER, the TOOLS OF STATE and the RESOURCES needed to practice that which you held dear as activists. Today, you have been presented with a messiahnic opportunity to address the very issues that you identified as pertinent during your activist past. Unfortunately, we have seen so little by way of action from you in your new status as lawmakers. In the Kenyan public mind, paying taxes on your allowances would be a great first step towards persuading us of your commitment to our priority development issues as summarised above and towards the shared dream of 40 million Kenyans – that another Kenya is possible!

Kenyan taxpayers and voters represented through Bunge la Mwananchi would like to know when you are writing your cheque to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) remitting your taxes on your respective allowances so that we can accompany you in solidarity as you join the roll of honour of the Kenyan taxpayers army.

Bunge la Mwananchi is a people’s movement mobilizing and organizing 40 million Kenyans to resist oppression, fight for social justice and demand for responsive and accountable leadership at all levels in Kenya; and also a member of the Kenya National Civil Society Congress (NCSC).
We anticipate your quick response and appropriate action!

Yours in the struggle for a Just and Equitable Society,
Bunge la Mwananchi

Cc HEAD OF STATE, PRESIDENT MWAI KIBAKI
PRIME MINISTER, RIGHT HON. RAILA ODINGA
ODM, NARC-K, PNU and ODM-K Head Quarters

Can we? No, we can’t!

Press statement - Can we? No, we can’t!
Bunge La Mwananchi

We have convened as Bunge la Mwananchi leaders to reflect on the past one year of creating awareness on governance issues and generating effective demand for responsive, responsible and accountable leadership in Kenya at all levels. We have been doing this through various activities as part of a nationwide campaign encouraging Kenyans to hold to account all those who have committed improprieties especially in public office.

The campaign, which climaxed on Jamhuri day celebration at Nyayo Stadium, had actually started in March 2008. The campaign was initially mobilized around "unga for 30/-“ as a clarion call and later revised to include "ushuru".


Our earlier activities with the public included holding public forums where Kenyans would come and share their views on governance openly and suggest ways forward. However, the government through the police brutality, arrests, threats and intimidation made it difficult for us to enjoy our freedoms as protected under chapter 5 of the constitution of Kenya.

Noticing that the government's (in)security machinery often violently disrupts lawful and peaceful public meetings and street processions before the message is delivered, in the run up to Jamhuri day we decided to be creative in our communication tactics and instead deliver our message at State organized functions.

Therefore, armed with our mouths on the 12th December, 2008 we made for Nyayo Stadium to dramatize our disappointment with a grand coalition leadership that was presiding over unchecked price increase for basic commodities especially unga, bus-fare increase as result of high fuel prices, reluctance of the political class to implement the Waki report, the criminal behaviour of members of parliament refusing to pay tax and the latest addition of gagging the media.

Through the heroic actions of the thousand Bunge la Mwananchi members who thronged the Nyayo Stadium on Jamhuri day, and especially, through Fredrick Odhiambo, we terminated President Kibaki's speech although an attempt to hand the Head of State a petition letter failed.

We recognize that the issues we risked our lives to bring to the nation’s attention have not dissipated and are therefore make the following demands:

Food: while we campaigned for unga for 30/- the government intervention gave us unga for 52/- and 72/-. Why the difference in prices? When will that unga get to shops in the countryside? Basic commodity price is still high, many families still cannot access food, and majority of Kenya are on skip-a-meal program or in the danger of starvation. This is shameful. Our message to the government and all political leaders is that they do not have business being in power if they cannot ensure food security for all Kenyans. Plans must be made to zero rate tax on all basic commodities. If the government, especially President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila, do not check the price of basic commodities quickly, “the terminator” of the Jamhuri speech will pale in comparison as we shall invoke other unconventional methods of communication and dramatization of unga issues.


Fuel: on fuel pump price reduction – an estimated 15million urban poor use kerosene for cooking; and according to KRA an estimated 5million Kenyans have cars. Why then is the price of Kerosene higher than that of petrol?

MPs taxation debate – taxes fund national projects such as roads, schools and hospitals among others. We earn less than 10,000/- per month and we are sufficiently philanthropic to participate in nation building. Does the MPs refusal to pay tax mean they are sufficiently against national building? Why should we pay tax to feed fat people while Kenyans starve? We are now asking the current MPs who worked in the NGOs and Civil Society and who spoke eloquently as human rights defenders: “When are you writing your tax check so that we come and escort you to KRA?”



On the Media bill: the media serves the whole society and not just politicians. The media has done well in it is work of telling stories of our struggles, especially in helping us demand to know who and why the Members of Parliament don’t want to pay tax. Our message is that the media serves 40million Kenyans not only 222 members of parliament. In a democracy like Kenya, we the 40million must have the day; we demand that MPs stay away from our media of communication. We are challenging President Kibaki to use wisdom not to sign that bill into law. If he does the mistake he shall have invited the wrath of 40 million Kenyans into a protest.

Today’s Bunge la Mwananchi leaders consultative meeting at Shauri Moyo YMCA, has drawn representation from Bunge la Mwananchi’s network across Nairobi (especially its informal settlements), Kisumu, Siaya, Eldoret, Nakuru, Naivasha and Mombasa. We have adopted this meeting as a forum to reflect, deliberate, vocalise and dramatise issues and protests against apparent injustices as set out earlier, all of which are close to the hearts of the many Kenyans that are represented by this cross section.

We invite all the 40 million members of Bunge la Mwananchi to remain firm in the demand for responsive and accountable leadership and where there are improprieties they must hold those involved to account.

NOTE: Sukuma Kenya advocates for NON VIOLENT CHANGE

Updates on a government scared of tshirts...

Via Bunge La Mwananchi:

Police bar civil society and media from visiting Frederick Odhiambo:

By way of update - when a number of Bunge la Mwananchi members, accompanied by the press, attempted to visit Frederick Odhiambo earlier this morning at the Nairobi Women's Hospital, we were barred from seeing him by the police who are guarding him. As I write, we have still not been able to see Odhiambo. This is an apt example of the rampant government heavy handedness that Kenyans have had enough of.

The policemen guarding him have informed us that they are under strict instructions not to allow anyone, especially the press, to visit him. We have further been told that we must have permission from "the police officer", although they will not clearly say who this police officer is.

We are still making attempts to get in and see him and once we are successful, I will update you on how he is faring.

Thank you all for your continued support as Kenyans continue to join in solidarity in fighting against high food and basic commodity prices, high fuel prices, the MPs resistance to pay tax and the general culture of impunity of the political elite, including attempting to muzzle the freedom of information through the Media Bill.

Latest update: Mwalimu and Mrs Mati released from Langata police station:

Thanks to people power, Mwalimu Mati and his wife have just been released from the Langata police station. They have been released pending investigations since the police did not have adequate evidence to charge them with incitement. Thank you for everyone who lobbied for and kept vigil until their release.

In the meantime, we have still not been able to visit Frederick Odhiambo who is under tight secuity at the Nairobi Women's Hospital where he was admitted yesterday following police brutality inflicted upon him at the time of his arrest. I urge you to continue lobbying with Bunge la Mwananchi for access to and subsequently the immediate release of Mr Odhiambo from police custody.

Kenyans have been empowered to recognise their rights and freedoms of conscience, thought and information. We shall not be cowered by police heavy handedness and brutality and will not let up until we have the Kenya that Kenyans want. Let us remain bold to condemn any segregation of Kenyans by the political elite. Let us remain resolute to fight impunity. Let us keep up the people power that we have had all along and must exercise for ours and our children's welfare.

In solidarity,

Bunge la Mwananchi

Arrested for wearing a tshirt!

I PLEDGE TO WEAR THIS TSHIRT EVERY DAY UNTIL THE MPS ADMIT THEY HAVE RAPED OUR COUNTRY - SUKUMA KENYA

Breaking news from Bunge La Mwananchi: Caroline Mutoko, Mwalimu Mati, 60 others arrested at Nyayo Stadium

Caroline Mutoko of Kiss FM and Mwalimu Mati of Mars Group Kenya have this morning been arrested at the Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi. The two have been taken to the Langata police station. 60 other Kenyans are also being bundled into waiting police vehicles and it appears that it is planned to distribute those arrested in various police stations across the city. The 62 are part of a larger group of Kenyans that had gone to attend the national event at the Nyayo National Stadium as we mark Jamhuri Day today and use the forum to address our leaders, making the Kenyan citizen’s grievances heard. They were all wearing black T Shirts with the message “No Tax for MPs, No Tax for Us” which is part of the campaign being run in conjunction with Kenyans who care and university students to protest against MPs refusal to pay tax. Picture taken by Mentalacrobatics. More pics available HERE The black T Shirt campaign forms part of a larger campaign where Kenyans have over the past few days held demonstrations, rallies, boycotts as they are protesting against the ongoing food crisis, the escalating prices of basic commodities, the high price of fuel and the MPs culture of impunity. The urgent help required is: legal representation, cash bail for each person arrested, tracing and visiting all the arrested at the various police stations where they have been taken, lobbying for their immediate release, and any other help you are able to render. Let us all join together to keep up the pressure against the culture of impunity in Kenya and protect our hard earned rights that were so valiantly fought for by our independence heroes. Together in solidarity, Bunge la Mwananchi

Guidelines for Citizens' Direct Action on 1Oth, 11th and 12th December 2008!

A message from Bunge la Mwananchi;

Dear Kenyans and friends of Kenya,

Our struggle for people sensitive, responsible and accountable leadership is firmly on! Kenyans are fired up to use their creativity to dramatize and communicate their dissatisfaction to their leaders. December 10th, 11th and 12th remain our days for civil direct action, the days for display of people power!

The guidelines of expected action is as follows:

On 10^th December 2008 at 9.30am, we assembly at Bunge HQ, Jeevanjee Garden Park where we shall short speeches and then start a procession through city centre to Muthurwa market and then head to Huruma sports ground.

At Huruma sports ground we shall have public meeting where grassroot Kenyans shall outline their priority human right issues as part of celebration World Human Rights Day. The meeting shall also serve as mobilization for the next two days’ activity. Similar mobilization activities will take place in other place across the country through our partner and network organization.

On 11^th December 2008, to express their anger and discontentment, Kenyans will refrain themselves from using public or private vehicles; and where they have to go to work they shall walk as a sign of solidarity with civil direct action. We beseech employers to show solidarity by allowing Kenyans to stay off work.

On the 12th December 2008, our major direct action day, we must all jam various Jamhuri celebration venues armed with our "mouth" to communicate eloquently our frustrations. Our clarion call to all our issues of discontentment will remain "unga!" "Unga" (maize flour) is the symbol of our people power just like "bread" was a symbol of French revolution. During the celebration speeches at district, provincial and national level, to everything the speakers shall say, we shall respond with "unga!".

The power to create another Kenya is in your hand do not sit back!

For information or help please reach myself on 0720 451 235 or Birundu on 0713972941

George Nyongesa

Bunge la Mwananchi

www.bulamwa.co.ke

Massboycott:10th - 12th December 2008!

Dear Comrades,

The grand coalition leadership is in self destructive mode. They are presiding over all the conditions that caused the French revolution: detached and insensitive leadership; majority malnutrition and starvation; high national debt; inequitable taxation; consumerism among the ruling elite and high unemployment among other citizens. The symbol of the French revolution was "bread" (so close to our "unga") and the uprising swelled over time.

As early as April 2008 Bunge la Mwananchi started the campaign to urge the government to check the increase in essential food items such as unga. As in the unprecedented French revolution before them where there was a notable mass uprising reaction that featured women marching on Versailles, Kibera women also recently defiantly sung: "tunataka bei ya unga iteremke" as Raila's mercedez motorcade passed by.

Fellow Kenyans, we have an opportunity to be make history. WE WANT CHANGE BUT THROUGH NON-VIOLENCE:

1. Start mobilizing your friends and networks today;
2. On 10th ( World Human Rights Day) meet and organize yourselves as part of the Direct Action squad;
3. Write a letter to the editor expressing your opinion on current issues;
4. Send a text message to your member of parliament ( access phone numbers at www.bulamwa.co.ke) demanding to know when s/he is paying tax
5. On 11th let us walk to work to dramatize our demand that unga, petrol and kerosene should be reduced to 30/-, 65/- and 40/- respectively, send a text message to your member of parliament to express your dissatisfaction with the current status, avoid any fuel product; and
6. on 12th December (Jamhuri Day) join other Kenyans at the venues scheduled for public celebration especially Nyayo Stadium and use your mouth to petition your leaders to reduce further the prices of unga, kerosene and petrol.

Kenya National Civil Society Congress through Bunge la Mwananchi and Name and Shame Corrupt Networks (NASCON) have put in place safetynets such as lawyers, etc just in case.

This is your practical chance to be part of activities towards change as we mobilize and organize ourselves into direct and peaceful action to demand responsive leadership.

You can also download pamphlets for distribution the Partnership for Change campaign site by clicking HERE!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!

No taxes for MPs; No taxes for us!

A message from Bunge La Mwananchi

Congratulations to you Hon. Johnstone Muthama for answering the call of joining the taxpayers army; you are now a member of the Club of Citizens with honor!

We pay taxes to raise money for the government to build schools, roads and hospitals and for indirect functions like justice and redistribution of wealth from the richer to the poorer, thereby checking inequalities in the economy. This is a patriotic act all of us, including our Members of Parliament should be proud of. Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA)'s motto is, "kulipa ushuru ni kujitegemea" (to pay taxes builds self reliance).

Could it be that our lawmakers are against building of roads, schools and hospitals; against the Constituency Development Fund, and rural electrification, against redistribution of wealth; against a just society; and worst of all, against our country's independence?

How else do we explain a Member of Parliament with total income of KES 1,000,000 plus expecting an ordinary worker who earns a paltry KES 15,000 to foot the bills of constructing roads on which they drive their fuel guzzlers? How do we explain these totally different income brackets benefiting from the same services that the lower bracket solely pays for?

While we do not yet have a fresh list of Members of Parliament who are on camera against paying taxes on their salaries and allowances, as of the month of June/July 2008 the following are the names of legislators who ferociously fought against paying taxes: Peter Keneth - Gatanga, MP; George Nyamweya - Nominated MP; Boni Khalwale - Ikolomani, MP; Danson Mungatana - Garsen, MP; Soita Shitanda - Malava, MP; Ali Hassan Joho - Hamisi, MP; Charles Keter - Belgut, MP; David Koech-; Fred Kapondi - Mt. Elgon, MP; Charles Kilonzo - Yatta, MP; Sammy Mwaita - Baringo Central, MP; Ephraim Maina - Mathira, MP.

To my fellow countrymen and women, we must keep up the pressure; resist representation without taxation. Our clarion call for this war is: "No taxes for MPs; No taxes for us!"

George Nyongesa
Bunge la Mwananchi

(Bunge la Mwananchi is a countrywide grass root social movement and a member of Kenya National Civil Society Congres)

KENYATTA DAY – what’s there to celebrate?

By George Nyongesa
Bunge la Mwananchi

Fact: The Government of Kenya (GoK) will on Kenyatta Day spend on Airforce jets and State festivities over K.Shs. 300 million raised from high taxes on fuel, electricity and water; whereas thousands of Kenyans are cold in the IDP camps and millions more cannot afford even one meal a day.

Fact: The Government of Kenya (GoK) will on Kenyatta Day spend on Airforce jets and State festivities over K.Shs. 300 million raised from high taxes on fuel, electricity and water; whereas thousands of Kenyans are cold in the IDP camps and millions more cannot afford even one meal a day.

Fact: The Grand Coalition’s fat cabinet of 42, squanders K.Shs. 46.2 million per month while 5 Kenyans die per day in Turkana district, thousands eat wild berries and rats and millions of poor families are on a permanent skip-a-meal-a-day program.

Fact: Kenyans, as you sit, squirm and sweat in the hot sun (at Uhuru Park or wherever they decide to take you), or are drenched in the pouring rain, listening to their sanctimonious and lip-service speeches about "hard times", “the struggle”, and fictitious achievement or politically correct mention of it is “the time for change”; your Members of Parliament (MP), sitting in the covered dais away from the harsh elements and enjoying "the Coke side of life" will have every reason to celebrate Kenyatta Day:

1. the GoK gives your MP a tax free salary of K.Shs. 1.1 million for working 12 days a month plus lots of allowance such airtime, mileage, hardship etc;

2. your MP can from his one month salary buy Unga daily at K.Shs. 85 for 35 years whereas you can’t afford 1 packet of Unga from your wages and you don’t even know where tomorrow’s packet will come from;

3. the GoK gives your MP K.Shs. 15 million as housing scheme allowance whereas thousands of Kenyans are squatters and homeless on the streets of cities;

4. besides giving your MP a Mercedes Benz or a Prado as official car, the GoK gives your MP K.Shs. 3.3 million to buy a family car that is fuelled by your taxes, whereas, you – the taxpayer, walks to work because you cannot afford hiked Matatu fares;

5. your MP receives a life insurance cover of K.Shs. 10 million while 90% of Kenyans cannot access health care.

My fellow Kenyan:

- Are you struggling because of the high cost of basic commodities such as Unga?

- Are you struggling because you were displaced in post-election violence?

- Are you struggling because of the high cost of fuel?

- Are you struggling because of the lack of a job?

- Are you struggling because the minimum wage policy has kept your wage so low?

- Are you struggling because of poverty?

- Are you struggling because you are landless, a squatter and homeless?

If the GoK, the MPs and political class does not CARE about YOU why should you join them in Kenyatta Day celebrations?

Personally, I am not participating in the Kenyatta day celebration unless the Government of Kenya at minimum and immediately agrees to the following demands:

1. Reduce 2kg packet of Unga to K.Shs. 30/=

2. Reduce Petrol prices to K.Shs. 65/= per litre.

3. Reduce Electricity tariffs to K.Shs. 3/= per KW/h.

4. Reduce Kerosene prices to K.Shs. 35/= per litre.

5. Reduce Bread price to K.Shs. 20/= per 500mg.

6. Reduce 2kg packet of Sugar to K.Shs. 40/=

I invite you to make this statement with me!

Bunge la Mwananchi

Defending the right to food for all Kenyans!

Press statement from Bunge La Mwananchi:

We are defending the right to food for all Kenyans!

We are hungry and angry Kenyans who have chosen to stand up and demand that the government ensures the right to food for all Kenyans. We are tired of eating "airburgers"; we are tired of watching our children go to bed hungry and we can no longer keep to the-skip-a-meal program.

This government and our society cannot claim to uphold any human rights if it does not as a minimum respect the right to food from which life is assured consequently other human rights emanate.

In a country where the President, the Prime Minister and the Vice President will spend over K.Shs.2.4 billion on their households, public relations service, lavish state functions, political party retreats, and run unnecessary paid up advertisements in the media, it is unacceptable that the government cannot substantively subsidize basic commodities consumed by the Mwananchi such as unga, kerosene, milk, bread and rice.

In a country where the government can give Ksh. 9.6 million per annum, money for nothing as an allowance for political wives' luxuries, it is scandalous that our people, hidden by the inaccessibility of slums are starving because they cannot afford food.

In country where the rich in our society can afford meat, milk, chicken and biscuits for their dogs and cats, it is despicable that our children are malnourished from starvation, must eat rats and wild berries to survive and even miss school because of hunger.

It is for this reason that on May 31st, 2008 hundreds of Kenyans especially urban poor, thronged into our Capita City streets to dramatize their struggles over the unchecked food prices increase and hard economic times. The young people came out to put faces to statistics of unemployment and youth poverty. Reacting, the government through its oppression machinery, the police, disrupted, teargassed and beat up women and children taking part in the peaceful procession. Gacheke, Ojiayo, Odipo, Gitau, Helen and Odhiambo were arrested and charged with illegal assembly notwithstanding that the organizers of the procession had met legal requirements as set out in our constitution. The police went further to occupy all our meeting space and have continued to harass, arbitrarily arrest and threaten our members across the country.

Since then we have been involved in a protracted court process that has disrupted our families, is stressing our small finances: transport fare for repeated court appearances and has also destabilized our focus in searching for livelihoods.

We believe that God in His unfailing wisdom put enough food in this country for all our needs and not for some people's greed. We believe that if the rich decided to grow rich slower all of us can have some jobs. We believe that if our government and society was people-sensitive no one could hold two, three or four jobs while we have none at all. We believe that all human beings are born equal but it is socio-economic structures created by some selfish individuals that shackle us in hunger, unemployment, poverty and poor living conditions. The pangs of hunger, our thirsty for clean water, the cold nights on sidewalks, the pinch of poverty, the stench of poor living conditions cannot wait for the year 2030 which is visionless ab initio!

We therefore demand urgent government intervention starting with making food affordable to all Kenyans in the next 30 days failure to which, Kenyans will not allow them to carryout business as usual. We demand that all Kenyans who care to be concerned must join us to correct the evils in our society.

Prepared by,
Bunge la Mwananchi