Statement by Rt. Hon Raila Odinga on the Signing of the MoU between ODM and UDA
From x/TheODMParty
Today, we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Orange Democratic Movement and the United Democratic Alliance. The cardinal goal of the MoU is to help ease the prevailing tensions in the country, reconcile the population, alleviate their suffering and move the country forward by addressing the critical social, political and economic issues our people are grappling with. As leaders of the largest political parties in the country, we arrived at the understanding that in a time of significant challenges to our nation, it is not enough to merely grandstand or stand aside and criticize, easy as those may be. They say any madman can kick down a barn, but it takes a good carpenter to build one. We have agreed to help build a barn for our country rather than merely kick down what we have.
We agreed to use our parties as a broad platform, bringing together various voices, opinions, and concerns to address the critical challenges facing the country through a formation that is truly national and inclusive in outlook. A core problem we agreed to prioritize is youth unemployment and the resulting hopelessness that has made them easy fodder in political contests in which there is nothing tangible for them.
In this MoU, we agree to embark on steps to realign the country’s economic, social and political priorities to address the youth agenda that has progressively fallen behind in the last 62 years of our independence. Through this MoU, we commit to upholding the Constitution, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. Importantly, we pledge to tackle unemployment, cost of living, crippling poverty, inequality, and failure of institutions that have been eroded by inefficiency and corruption over the decades, making them unable to deliver to Kenyans. We seek a more equitable country in which all peoples of all backgrounds are included in the enjoyment of socio-economic benefits and are equal members of one indivisible nation. All Kenyans must feel that they belong here by right and have the right to access, without any form of discrimination, whatever Kenya has to offer.
We commit to protect and strengthen devolution as a machinery for ensuring a more inclusive development across the country. In this regard, we will be tabling a proposal that the unbundling of functions that has been recently concluded, counties should get not less than Ksh450 billion in the 2025/26 year. We will also seek the faithful flow of funds to political parties being vehicles for the channeling of hopes and aspirations of the people.
We will use this platform to revisit the constitutional provisions on leadership and integrity, corruption in public life, fundamental freedoms like free speech, protests and assembly and preservation of the rule of law. We recognize that many of the issues this country is struggling with are as old as the country itself. It will take mutual trust between leaders and the creation of a conducive environment for them to be tackled with honesty and objectivity in a broadly constituted formation.
As leaders and our parties, we commit to hold regular consultations on pressing issues, exchange expertise and information on best practices in the governance of the Republic of Kenya and facilitate and participate in public activities of interest to the people of Kenya that relate to their problems. We make it clear that the memorandum we have signed today does not define the formation of a political coalition between ODM and UDA. However, its successful implementation could inform the basis of steps towards the establishment of a broadly constituted and progressive formation for a stable country in future.
We urge all Kenyans who are interested in having a stable, inclusive and prosperous country, devoid of grandstanding and alienation of whole communities and regions, to rally behind this formation in the interest of the nation.
Thank you.
