Wetangula sets off to statehouse amid resistance
Kakamega County. Despite the chaos and opposition that Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetangula went through in the run to his historic launch of his bid to vie for the presidency in next year’s general elections, the Bungoma senator defied all odds and unveiled to Kenyans what his government will do for them if they give him mandate.
He started with the health sector which he said that has failed since independence a half a century ago noting that the situation of Kenyans has worsened.
“At independence we grappled with challenges of disease, poverty and ignorance but half a century later the twin cancers of corruption and tribalism have conspired to make the situation of Kenyans even worse,” said Wetangula.
He said that more Kenyans are dying of largely preventable diseases and a majority of Kenyans are poorer today than they were ten years ago and the gap between the poor and the rich and the poor is at the highest and the only glue holding us together as a nation is our resilient spirit to be Kenyans.
“My government will not be a government of a man-eat-man society in the words of the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere but rather my government will be governments build on the respect of rule of law and where all Kenyans men and women, young and old from every region of this nation will have an equal chance of not only making a decent living for themselves but also thriving on it,” added Wetangula.
He said that his leadership shall dwell in unity peace and liberty and he stands before Kenyans as an agent of change.
You can also read, Wetangula starts journey to state house.
“I stand here before you fellow Kenyans as an agent of change that will make sense of the Kenyans, rule the creed and spirit of our national anthem, justice shall be our shield and defender and under my leadership we will all dwell in unity, peace and liberty,” the senator said.
What is in Wetangula’s 12-point government
National security
- My government will boost the country’s national security to ensure safety and lives and investments of all Kenyans.
- We will deploy technology and intelligence to prevent crime and mitigate its effects when it happens.
- We will also move to secure our borders and seek the collaboration of international partners in fighting the growing threat of global terrorism and its impact on our lives and economy.
Poverty and cost of living
- As a government we will move to reactivate industry and through businesses especially bearing in mind that the youths a majority who remain unemployed despite attaining minimum qualifications.
- My government will also develop an expanded social welfare programs and safety nets targeted at Kenyans especially the elderly, widowed, orphans and the disabled.
Infrastructure
- I will work to open and interconnect all counties to a proper road network and link business hubs in counties with modern road systems to ease movement of people and goods to markets.
- We will also be investing more in diversifying electricity generation to ensure that it is not only affordable but also reliable throughout.
Health care
- As a government we will ensure that no Kenyan dies from largely preventable diseases through working with counties to ensure functional health facilities are available to all Kenyans wherever they are and improving on disease surveillance and emergency response .
- We will ensure that every county has a specialized and an ultra modern hospital for treatment of complicated health diseases and high class maternal care shall be top priority in our government.
Unemployment
- The country’s unemployment rate has reached crisis level in just ten years shooting from 12 per cent in 2006 to 40 per cent today and unless this is addressed urgently our youths remain easy prey for groups such as criminal gangs and other extremist groups.
- My government will provide tax breaks for employers willing to take University graduates as interns for periods of between six and twelve months.
- We will also work with training institutions to include a component of entrepreneurship in all our teaching colleges.
- We will also invite the participation of the private sector in the incubation and assessment of this particular training to ensure it’s a practical and relevant to the market as possible.
Agriculture and food security
- My government will transform the agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors to ensure adequate food for everyone and streamline access to agricultural markets to guarantee farmers livestock keepers and fish for a decent income to generate wealth.
- Devolution
Under my leadership we will work to develop and entrench devolution. Devolution is the dream of every Kenyan under the new constitution and that is the only way we take services to our people. - I will pay particular attention to efficient use of public resources and fighting corruption at all levels including counties and which is now threatening the very existence of these units of governance.
Extractive industry
- Under my leadership we will streamline the management of the mining and all the industries with the establishment of a sovereign wealth fund through which we will manage large inflows, invest in infrastructure, rehabilitate environment and save for generations to come.
Land use
- I will spearhead reforms that will prioritize public interest in the management and use of government land most of which ends up undocumented and often misused and drabbed by government officers.
- I will also pay attention to community land which forms two thirds of the country’s land and yet today remains without title deeds. This tells us that fifty years after independence communities living on such lands have not been able to maximize the benefits of their land, this I will address.
Regional integration
- I will work to strengthen ties for the regional countries as part of the joint effort to boost cross-border security, create markets for goods and services and jobs for our youths. The East African community will be at the center of our integration process.
Environment
- My government will work to restore the country’s forest cover and ensure sustainable use of natural resources in a manner that benefits even future generations.
- Wetangula wound up his speech after the twelve-point address to the crowd saying that they are just among the many other issues that his government will seek to address.
- “Fellow Kenyans, these and other priority issues that we have not talked about will form the center piece and core of what I stand for and what I dream for this country,” he said amid cheers from the crowd.
Wetangula’s next tussle now shall be how to consolidate votes and support from across the country and also ensure that his Luhya community in his backyard is rallied behind him as he prepares to face fellow co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka of Wiper Democratic Movement and Raila Odinga of ODM as each of them seeks to be the flag-bearer of the country’s main opposition coalition CORD.
