Kenya Votes 2007 : News and Information on the Kenya Election

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

1.1 The Party

Kenya has since 1992 been developing her democratic values and principles to ensure that her people develop politically, economically, socially, spiritually and in every other human way. The reintroduction of multipartyism brought hope to the Kenyan people and immediately saw the re-emergence of many political parties with different perceptions, views and values on the management of democratic life of the society. The Democratic Party of Kenya (DP) is one of the parties, which was formed immediately and has been going strong ever since. The DP’s Motto is Unity and Justice. It is a National Party with members from all the eight Provinces of Kenya. It is founded on the democratic principles of Unity, Justice, Liberty, Equality, Transparency and Accountability. DP was formed to give the people of Kenya opportunity to express themselves on issues affecting them and their society. DP will ensure that Kenya is a Country where the people, both men and women, live in peace, harmony and tranquillity irrespective of their political inclination, ethnic origin, economic, social status or religious affiliations.

DP is of the opinion that the overall aim of politics should be to bring socio- economic development to the people to ensure that it changes the material well being of Kenyans. Accordingly, politics should be driven by policies which raise the standards of living of the people. This is manifest in better living and working conditions, reasonable income, more jobs, rising standards of education, better health and nutrition levels, and greater life expectancy. More fundamentally, the objective should be to expand the range of economic and social choices available to Kenyans by freeing them from servitude and dependence on other people and the nation-state.

An important guiding spirit of DP has been the promotion and enhancement of a prosperous working nation. The spirit is to target the reduction and eventual elimination of poverty, care for the sick and the eradication of illiteracy among our people. The DP will work tirelessly to make Kenya a nation where there is freedom of ideas and expression, where Parliament works, where judiciary is independent from the executive under the principles of checks and balances and separation of powers, where a strong local Government exists to serve the people, where hospitals have adequate drugs and adequate personnel, where schools, and other educational institutions are properly managed, where roads, railway and other infrastructures are in good condition and where peace and stability is guaranteed.

DP cherishes a Government by the people that trusts the people and a Government that responds positively and speedily to the people’s needs. DP leadership shall be blended with a mixture of the young, the old, men and women, physically challenged, Muslims, Hindus, and Christians to participate in politics and enjoy the resources this Country is endowed by the Creator.

The Democratic Party’s political governance shall focus on the dignity of the workers of Kenya and their rights; the poor of Kenya and their rights; the farmers of Kenya and their rights and the unemployed Kenyans and their rights. DP will focus on the self-empowerment of women, the youth, Children under Difficult Circumstances, and especially street children and families, HIV/AIDS affected persons and the physically and mentally challenged citizens. DP will accelerate and sustain economic growth with an African face by harnessing, to the maximum, the enormous human resources embodied in our people and our land.

The Party will preserve the rights and freedoms of all Kenyans as guaranteed in the constitution; it will defend the sovereignty of Kenya; and we will uphold the democratic principles of socio-economic justice and the sanctity of human rights. Our politics shall be inclusive, participatory, consultative, honest, progressive, open and accommodating.

DP is committed to guarantee freedom of expression, movement and association as well as the right to live anywhere within the Republic and to own property in any part of Kenya as enshrined in our Constitution. Indeed, it will protect every Kenyan’s life and all foreign Nationals living within the borders of this great Republic. DP is a people’s Party. The membership of the DP recognized for its endurance, is conscious and committed to the Party’s ideals and values which they have tenaciously, avidly and energetically upheld for transforming our and for the generation to come so that it may systematically exploit the Country’s resources. DP is the Party of today and tomorrow. Its emblem the Lantern, Taa, will shine over our land forever.

1.2 Vision

The Vision of the DP is to create, nurture and sustain a just Kenya with plenty for all.

1.3 Mission

The mission of the Democratic Party of Kenya is to: provide a democratic, popular Government that is participatory and consultative; that is based on principles of Unity, Justice, Liberty, Equality, Transparency and Accountability. DP will create an enabling environment for more production and greater National productivity and therefore a richer nation and people.

1.4 Core Values and Beliefs

The Party will work towards a society built on true and full democracy; that respects and promotes human dignity; observes fundamental human rights and provides maximum protection for the environment. More importantly, the Party believes:

That safeguarding human rights is the responsibility of the Government;
That the primary reason for the existence of the State Government and leaders is to serve and service citizens;
That reconciliatory and participatory, honest politics is essential for the healing and sustaining democratization;
That political honesty and forthrightfuness are virtues and primary obligation;
That provision of security of human and property is the prime responsibility of any State Government;
That provision of basic needs for all is a human right;
That freedom of ideas, speech and association are essential components of sustained good governance; and
That justice must be administered efficiently, effectively and without favour.

1.5 The National Values

DP believes that a Country only survives, develops and thrives if it has shared values, attitudes, and beliefs among its people. Kenya’s values over the years have included trustworthiness, transparency, integrity, tolerance and concern for one another; and commitment to hard work and justice for all. The DP Government will uphold these National values.

1.6 Socio-Political and Economic Performance and Prospects

Kenya has undergone tremendous political, social and economic changes since the reintroduction of the multiparty democracy in 1992. In the political arena the Country has witnessed the registration of over 200 political parties as a reflection of improved freedom of speech and expanded democratic space. On the social scene, the situation has improved drastically since the NARC Government came to power under DP’s founding Chairman HE President Mwai Kibaki. There has been an appreciative improvement in health, education, governance, employment, sports, and poverty reduction among others. The Government has put in place measures to reduce crime and combat corruption.

In its 1997 Manifesto, DP had promised that if it would take up power; it would establish a Coalition Government of National Unity. It had also promised the people of Kenya free primary education, a rejuvenated economy, and policies that would improve the performance of agriculture and other sectors. These promises have been addressed by the current Government.

The DP Government shall continue to support His Excellency the President in creating more wealth for this great nation. This is because the President and the people of Kenya have demonstrated that we can revive the economy; raise revenue collections; reduce the unnecessary dependency on external support; stimulate export growth and foreign investments; and that farmers can get better prices for their crops and livestock products and can run their institutions without undue Government interference.

Specifically total Government expenditure on social services has increased drastically from 2002. In 2002/3 the Government spent Ksh. 92 billion as compared to Ksh. 148 billion in 2006/7, the major areas of expenditure being the provision of free primary education and health services. The revenue collections also went up from Ksh. 214 billion in 2002/3 to Ksh. 376 billion in 2006/7.The number of health facilities in the Country expanded from 4499 in 2002 to 5170 in 2006 while the number of trainees in the middle level public Medical Training Colleges increased from 3196 to 5565 in 2002 and 2006 respectively. The number of medical students in the public universities has expanded from 2818 in 2002/3 to 3705 in 2006/7. The enrolment in the primary schools has grown substantially. The adult education has grown dramatically from 31,305 in 2003 to 129,311 in 2006 while the number of Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) Private Candidates grew from 3,768 in 2003 to 11,801 in 2006. The poverty and unemployment levels have been addressed and this is reflected by the reduction of overall poverty levels from 52% in 1997 to 46% in 2006. The food poverty levels dropped from 48.7% in 1997 to 45.8% in 2006.

The strides taken so far by the NARC Government shows that Kenya is headed for a restoration of its former glory. The economic performance since 2002 shows that Kenya can attain the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 and be a Newly Industrialized Country (NIC) by the year 2030. The real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 6.1% in 2006 compared to 0.5% in 2002. The sectors that were prime movers of the growth are: agriculture; transport and communication; manufacturing; wholesale and retail trade. The Government expenditure grew by 16.3% in 2006 as compared to 10.5% in 2002. Tourism income recorded a remarkable growth from Ksh. 21.735 billion in 2005 to Ksh. 56.200 billion in 2006. The overall inflation however grew by 14.5% in 2006 as compared to 2.0% in 2002 mainly due to high prices of oil.

Major developments have been realised in the constituencies. These include: construction of access roads, rural electrification, enhanced facilities for primary education, affordable health and medical services and availability of drugs in hospitals. The communities have also been given voice in the decision making affairs of development. There have been improvements in most of the social benefits among other needs of the communities. There is also order in the transport industry especially the public transport.

1.7 Current Challenges

The major challenges facing Kenya today are negative ethnicity and xenophobia, insecurity, corruption and unemployment, poverty, landlessness, land conflicts and slow judicial system. Insecurity continues to pose challenges in the Country and cases of murders, politically instigated tribal clashes, carjacking, robberies among others, pose major challenges and require to be drastically reduced. The issue of corruption and corrupt people continue to haunt both the private sector and Government departments including the police, judiciary, health institutions, local authorities, Parliament, and provincial administration among others.

Unemployment and poverty remain the greatest concern of our time and all the other challenges are basically as a result of this vice. While the poverty levels have come down to 46% the rate is still high. The income inequalities continue to grow between the rich and the poor. The unemployment levels have not reduced, but continue to grow, and partly contribute to organized crimes and insecurity. The issue of the landless and those displaced as a result of the tribal clashes of 1992, 1997, 2002 and those of the period up to this year continue to be a challenge. The settlements and its relationship with the environment have yet to be addressed. The Judiciary is yet to give justice to cases that have been pending over a decade. The capacity of our judicial system is low in terms of personnel and equipment. The files continue to get lost in court registries, land registries, and in Government offices. The economic crime courts have not achieved their purpose while Constitutional reforms crises are yet to be resolved after the rejection of the Wako Draft. There are some sector reforms that have to be done especially in the agriculture sector e.g. Pyrethrum Act. The privatization program of the parastatals has been slow. The DP Government will tackle the above challenges immediately it assumes office.