Kenya Patriotic Movement supports mass action call by Cord

Formed as a movement to fuse the synergy of Kenyans at home and in the diaspora, Kenya Patriotic Movement ‘KEPAM, ’works directly with Kenyan citizens from all walks of life to bring about positive trans formation.

Our cardinal responsibility is the pursuit of good governance, Social Justice, fair electoral practices, equity and equality in the country.

The movement joins Kenyans to condemn the Jubilee government and its MPs in the national assembly for hurriedly passing the Election Amendment Laws. This is because, the original law was brought into force through bi-partisan efforts between the ruling coalition- Jubilee and the opposition- Coalition for Reform and Democracy ‘CORD.’

In the bi-partisan bill, it was agreed that electronic voting and transmission of results was the right way to ensure a fair electoral process and that manual, voting mechanism was a no-go-zone.

As a natural principle, any change to a negotiated document shall be undertaken the same way it was agreed upon. Any attempts to deviate from this clear path, will result in mistrust and betrayal.

It’s also against the spirit of fair democratic practices between two parties.

“We are prepared to mobilize all Kenyans at home and in the Diaspora for peaceful demonstrations throughout the Country to express outrage over the passage of the new law, “Said Mr. Frank Ogwoka, KEPAM diaspora liaison officer. “We are in solidarity with the Church, the political opposition and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) in their readiness to fight for free and fair election.”

It is now clear that this is the only language President Uhuru Kenyatta’s leadership will understand.

Is it not absurd for President Uhuru, his deputy and majority leader Aden Duale to mutilate a law which was born through negotiation? Furthermore, four Kenyans died during the street demonstrations against IEBC commissioners.

If these leaders thrive in heightened political temperatures in the country as we stride towards an election year, we are cooked as a nation. It also shows that Jubilee has not learnt from experience, especially the 2007/2008 post-election fiasco.

Kenyans will not sit and watch when their democratic rights are being trampled upon by a rogue
regime through unorthodox means for purposes of self-preservation.

“The action by the President to summon all jubilee MPs to Statehouse after the first amendment to election law failed in parliament was suspect. “It also speaks volumes about the desperation in the ruling coalition to manoeuvre and rig the next general election.” Said Mr. Samson Omechi, who is also KEPAM’s the national coordinator.

The President’s ambivalence in addressing urgent matters facing the country, especially the current strike by medical professionals which has paralyzed operations in medical facilities, portrays him as indecisive and unable to confront challenges as the country’s Chief Executive Officer.

In other words, he is showing the country that the preservation of his job was his only priority. It is imperative to note that even the church has condemned the sinister motives by the Jubilee MPs who hastily passed the contested electoral amendments.

As a movement comprising Kenyan voters at home and in the diaspora, we join the political Opposition, the Church, the Civil Society and LSK, to urge the President not to assent to the amendments.

“We call upon members of our movement and supporters from all the 47 Counties to carry white handkerchiefs and green twigs as a sign of peace and join the Coalition for Reform and Democracy (Cord), and other stakeholders for peaceful demonstrations commencing on 4th January 4th 2017.

Clearly, this is the only language scandalous regimes world over can understand. It’s tragic that the Jubilee regime wants to use unorthodox means to rule the country eternally.

The Duale’s of this world should wake up to the seemingly unsettling reality that a credible election is not a favour. It the democratic right of all Kenyans.

Signed by,
Joseph Lister Nyaringo, President
Albert Musasia, Secretary General
Samson Omechi, Coordinator
Emmy Isalamba, Mudachi, Gender affairs