27 October 2007
interview
Nairobi — ODM Presidential Candidate Kalonzo Musyoka
QUESTION: Politicians have the tendency of making promises to the electorate, which they do not fulfill once elected; how can Kenyans trust the promises you are making now?
Suleiman Nyongesa,
Moi University.
ANSWER: Before I make any public pronouncement or pledge I give a careful thought to it and its implications. The pledges I have made so far are plausible and I intend to fulfill all of them.
For example, ODM Kenya has pledged free secondary education for students from poor families currently receiving bursaries. What we intend to do is completely lift the fee burden in either tuition or boarding costs, from needy families. I wish to assure Kenyans that my word is my bond; I will never come back to Kenyans to retract any statement I have made.
How will the majimbo system you are advocating help to develop marginalised regions such as North-Eastern?
Hassan Abdalla,
Garissa.
ODM-K stands for majimbo or devolved government. This means empowering regions to govern themselves. However, our party lays greater emphasis on economic federalism, in which we will deploy central government resources to each region to create wealth for the residents.
North-Eastern has great potential to raise premium beef cattle for local consumption and export. We will develop the necessary infrastructure, including roads, telecommunication, power and construction of mobile abattoirs and sink boreholes to spur economic development.
My party intends to also market North -Eastern to international investors, especially film-makers, so that we may make the area's beautiful topography Kenya's Las Vegas.
In your majimbo system, how will you ensure regions that contribute more to the national cake get matching shares as returns? And can you assure Kenyans that you will not engage in the horse-wait-for-the-donkey developmental ideology in the distribution of resources?
Kibutu Kiiru,
Lokichoggio.
At the moment the system you refer to prevails. For example, Coast province contributes more than Sh56 billion, and Central gives the exchequer Sh1 billion. In the allocation of the water development vote, Central was given the highest vote.
Reinvesting in the regions will spur development and create wealth. The current disbursement has failed, and we need to shift our strategic gear and see how a new strategy will help our people.
How will your government address the issue of research, and what is your view of the genetically modified foods?
Cosmas Muia,
Yikivala.
Research is a critical factor of development, and in ODM-K's vision of turning Kenya into an industrialised modern economy, we intend to invest in research to boost agriculture, manufacturing, appropriate technology transfer in ICT and biomedical research as well as the building and construction subsector.
We will encourage and facilitate industrial attachment for students taking professional courses to reduce the gap between theory and practice. My government will create a fund for research to be channelled through the universities and research institutes.
Food security is critical to the country's development. GM food crops and plants are the future of science and research. But at the moment research into their safety for human consumption and their effect on the environment are not yet completed. We need acceptable universal standards before we can allow GMOs into the country.
The Kibaki administration introduced free primary education and as a result, Kenyans are now heavily taxed and prices of goods have skyrocketed; won't your free secondary education worsen the situation?
Wekesa Nyongesa,
Eldoret.
There is always room for improvement. We have not fully exploited our economic potential. Let us look at the positives of these programmes; today the poor can access learning facilities. At the same time, I propose to broaden the tax base while relieving people earning Sh30,000 a month.
According to weekly opinion polls, it seems you can be the deciding factor if you stepped down and supported either President Kibaki or Mr Raila Odinga. Your comment.
David Abugah,
University of Arusha.
I am driven by the vision I have for Kenyans. I am driven by millions of Kenyans who yearn for leadership based on integrity and paradigm shift in leadership. A leadership that will fight poverty, a leadership that will confront corruption, fight tribalism, arrest extremism and generally provide an environment that will allow Kenyans to enjoy their full potential.
Under my administration, we will tap that power and we will put in place sensible public policies, policies in the public interest, not the special interests, to achieve our goals of energy independence, universal healthcare, the best education system in the world, and peace in the country.
In a recent radio interview, you said you were reluctant to name your running mate because you expected Mr Uhuru Kenyatta to bring Kanu into ODM Kenya so you that could give him that position; does that mean you did not have confidence in Dr Julia Ojiambo?
Wilson Mwamodo,
Mombasa.
Mr Kenyatta was not meant to be the Dr Ojiambo's replacement. The party delayed the announcement of the running mate because we wanted to announce it together with the party's overall leadership team, including the summit and the director of the presidential campaign.
Some of your critics say you are negotiating with PNU via Kanu through your secretary-general, Mr Mutula Kilonzo; is this true?
Wanjiku Karago,
Nairobi.
I wish to assure that ODM Kenya intends to fight and win this year's elections. The recent visit by Hon Mutula Kilonzo to Kabarak was personal as retired President Moi's lawyer, and it was not a party mission. People spreading this rumour are enemies of our party who are sensing defeat.
What are your strongest points in the race for State House?
Ng'ang'a Gatibui,
Kibichoi.
While I might not be the best judge for my strengths, I count on my experience in government and governance. My background connects me to the struggles and aspirations of most Kenyans.
The international networks I have built will come in handy in positioning our country as a regional hub on trade and commerce. I am accessible, I believe in a leadership based on my integrity, family values, the rule of law and demystifying the presidency.
What development legacy did you leave during your stints as a minister in the Moi and Kibaki governments?
Kibutu Kiiru,
Lokichoggio.
I raised Kenya's profile in the international arena during my tenure as Foreign minister, lobbied for the retention of the Unep headquarters in Nairobi when it was under the threat of being moved out of Africa.
Instead, Gigiri was upgraded to become the only UN headquarters in the developing world.
I set the foundation for the implementation of free primary education by putting it in the Narc manifesto in 2002. I played a significant role in the quest for peace in Sudan, Somalia and Burundi.
For any country to develop socially, economically and politically, the people have to be guaranteed of their security and that of their property; how do you intend to tackle the issue?
S. Wekesa,
Read comments. Write your own.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
The Majimbo System as i understand it, does not devide people, as many think of it, it is a form of government whereby each and every region can develope from its resources unlike the central government whereby the regions have to wait the share from the central government, in most cases decided by the cabinet whereby it depends if the decision has been passed by the president of the republic. Let us educate our people the right meaning of majimbo(federal government) countries like Germany has prospered in it because each and every region has not been left behind as… [Read Full Text]