Bunge la Mwananchi

Report from Unga Revolution committee visit in, Taita Taveta County on the right to food and Access to National resources on 14/06/2011

        Members of the Unga revolution committee in Nairobi received invitation of solidarity  from Taita taveta community leaders to visit there area on the violations of their  rights to food by increasing number of elephants from Kenya wildlife service  that stray from the Tsavo   National park  during every  planting and harvesting seasons and destroying acres of mature crops from the peasants farmers who depend on this farming for their livelihood, this  destruction of their livelihood by elephants from KWS  has made them to depend on the unaffordable maize flour that is costing Ksh 160 per  2kg ,in the local shops  and government relief food that is used by the local political class  to manipulate the resident of the Taita  Taveta county during election  . The systematic destruction of the maize crops during this season has exposed the said peasants farmers in Taveta  to food insecurity  and hunger  this year which is gross violation of the   their constitutional right to food that in anchored in the constitution  in article 43, on the right to food and protection of livelihood  which is part of the Unga revolution countrywide  campaign, for the government to implement the its obligation as spelt out in the constitution.

  Taita Taveta county is embodiment of neo- colonial poverty, that is obscured by large scale sisal estate plantation and animal  Ranch that cover an   area of  4,073km  and the Tsavo National park   which occupies the largest area 10,539 km from 16,975km , with remaining small part being habited by the Taita –Taveta county population people of  300,000 people in the four constituency  named  Taveta , Wundayi , Mwatate , and Voi., which make  Taita –Taveta  whole as County.

The history of this exploitation dates to the first and second world war when the British settler soldier were settled in Taita Taveta, then followed by Kenyatta regime , that extended   undemocratic controll and exploitation  of the land in Taita Taveta and the National Resources , The former MP of the area  Basil  Criticos  and the Kenyatta family  own the  70 percent  of the Land in Taveta , which  was  intialialy owned by Colonial settler Col  Grogon as retirement package from the British Colonial government in 1930 , But in 1959 the Land was acquired by  Basils Criticos  father who turned it to sisal estate.  When in1971 Kenyatta acquired 24000 of acres adjacent to Basil Criticos  estate  using the British  government Funds, where the Kenyatta family today owns the mines in Taita Taveta, with the local ruling  political class.  

    The economic  disempowerment  and marginalization of the people of the Taita- Taveta and systematic destruction of their livelihood by Kenya wildlife’s services elephants every year,which undermine their right to food and threat by Coalition government to settle large number of  the 2007 post election  violence    internally displaced people (IDP) in the area,   has promoted the  community  leaders of Taita –Taveta council of elders ( Waghosi wa Isanga ),  and the  local councilors   to seek  solidarity  with the unga revolution movement  in demanding the government and the Magemement of the Kenya Widlifes services to account on the gross violation of human rights to  the people of Taita- Taveta, especially the right to food and access to national resources as in the constitution.

   The resident of Mwaktau Location, Mwatate Constituency took to the street early June to demand accountability from the Kenya wildilfes service management and number of the villagers were injured by the Kenya police at  Voi- Taveta road,  in violations of  their constitutional   rights  to assemble, picket  and petition authorities , this happened   on 3^rd  June  2011 while conducting a non-violent  protest action of the sit-in at Voi –Taveta road to pressure the government and the KWs to take action on  the systematic destruction of their livelihoods.

Mr Alfan Mborioa community leader and  Waghosi  wa Isaga council of elders   who hosted the Unga revolution committee from Nairobi, in assessing the impact and damage caused by the  elephants informed the team the school  attendance in Mwakitau  and Mwashuma  areas  classes were affected because of the fear of the pupils being attached by the said elephants while going to the schools in  the morning and the evening  while going back home. Which also is compounded by hunger.

Action that was to be taken by the Unga Revolution committee in Nairobi and  Taita Taveta Community leaders  local CouncillorsWaghosi Wa  Isanga elders  and the peasants farmers in the area.

1. Documentation of the destruction of the crops and affected people and the  number of plots  in  all areas within Taita taveta  county , that border the Tsavo national park.
2. Community participatory in social audit on the Kenya wildlife service in the Taita –Taveta County, Tsavo National park on the violation of right to food and access to national resources by the people of Taita Taveta.
3. Instituting a classic legal action case against the Kenya government and Kenya wildlife service on the violations of right to food and destruction of property in the area.
4. That the government should not settle 2007 post election victims (IDP) in the area because it amount to gross human rights violations  and historicsal injustice to  the people of Taita- Taveta who were originally displaced and rendered  landless  in the Taita-Taveta area by Britist  colonial govermemt and subsequent government of Kenyatta Moi  and Kibaki regime.

 Unga Revolution team with residents and teachers  of Mwakitau Secondary school in Taita Taveta.

5. Petition the government and Kenya Wildlife service under the Article 37 of the constitution to compensate and pay damages on the said victims of right to food, and respect the constitutional right to food as anchored in the constitution of Kenya.
6. Participation of the affected people in the decision making processes, in order to identify the real needs of the right to food are responded to effectively and all victims of the right to food affected are compensated.
7. The residents affected were to make a delegation to Kenya wildlife service headquarters to petition the KWS director Dr. Julias Kipngetich on the said human rights violations.
8. The team were to  advance the Saba saba(7/7/2011) commemoration in the respect to right to food by petitioning  authorities in picketing , organizing  sit in  and rallies  in the governments offices to demand accountability  and respect of our  rights as stipulated in the new constitution.

Reports By Unga Revolution Committee.

1. Francis Sakwa, Unga Revolution Mathare Committee
2. James Kamau (Jemu ) Unga Revolution Mukuru Committee
3. Vincent Madegwa Kidaha  Unga Revolution Kibera Committee
4. Cidi Otieno  - Convener Unga Revolution
5. Gacheke Gachihi  Convener Bunge La Mwananchi social movement

Blog.  Ungarevolution.blogspot.com

Email, ungarevolution@gmail.com

Twitter. ungarevolution

Cellphone. +254721609699

Gacheke Gachihi: Homage to the late Comrade Jacob Odipo, a grassroo...

Gacheke Gachihi: Homage to the late Comrade Jacob Odipo, a grassroo...: "Homage to the late Comrade Jacob Odipo, a grassroots community organizer and memberBunge La Mwananchi movement . On Saturday 13 th /11/2..."

Unga Revolution National Anthem and Wimbo wa Mapambano Every day at 1pm Harambee Avenue,

REPORT FOR PARALLEL LABOUR DAY BY UNGA REVOLUTION HELD ON 1ST MAY 2011AT KAMUKUNJI GARDENS

Introduction

As a response to the ever rising prices of basic commodities Bunge la Mwananchi in conjunction with Poverty Transition Initiative and other Community and Faith Based organization formed the Unga Revolution whose main aim is to push the government to enforce Article 43 which guarantees social security to all Kenyans who cannot afford the high prices of the commodities.

It must be noted that the Unga Revolution Steering Committee which had been meeting prior to the day resolved that the struggle to have all Kenyans access basic needs should not be anchored on funding from the well endowed Civil Society Organization and instead relied on contribution from steering committee members.

As a mobilization strategy the steering committee members combed Kamukunji, distributed leaflets and mobilized members of the public to attend. The Unga Revolution Steering committee thanks all those who attended the parallel celebrations in Kamukunji and eventually marched with us to Uhuru Park without pay where we managed to highlight the issue of rising commodity prices and brought it back to the national agenda.

We also thank members of the public who sided with us as we entered Uhuru Park preventing the police and security guards who wanted to arrest us. THANKS A LOT.

   

Kamukunji

Members of the Unga Revolution Steering Committee met at Jeevanjee Park Gardens and marched peacefully to Kamukunji grounds where they were received by locals who were waiting for them.

At Kamukunji the following were agreed upon:

1. That the Unga Revolution’s main objective does not start and end with the calls to have the prices go down per se but to force the government to honor Article 43 by ensuring social security to the poor Kenyans through subsidies.
2. That the government should increase the acreage under farming to ensure food security
3. That the government should desist from investing on misplaced priorities like shuttle diplomacy and instead invest on the welfare of Kenyans
4. That just like government offices never misses tea and snacks due to treasuries allocation the same should happen to all households in Kenya. IF THE GOVERNMENT ENSURES THAT TEA NEVER MISSES IN GOVERNMENT OFFICES, IT SHOULD ENSURE THAT ALL KENYANS HOUSEHOD HAVE FOODON THE TABLE.
5. That Education, employment, security, housing, clean water and food are rights enshrined in the Article 43 of the Kenyan Constitution and are even supported by Articles 3, 25 and 26 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights hence the government has no option but to take responsibility of social, political and economic of the downtrodden.
6. That Labor Day is not about the employed alone but also about those who have accumulated Labor through training but which has not been harnessed by the state hence it is not their failure but state’s. The government should then take responsibility of their welfare.
7. That claims by the government that the consumers shall bear the cost of any salary increment is not only misplaced but an act of conman ship, oppression and modern day slavery. The Unga Revolution CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT TO BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH SUBSIDIES
8. That a small section of well paid Civil Society Organizations who met the Energy Minister and claimed that Kenyans are now comfortable due to KShs. 7 decrement of prices are sellouts and reminiscent to the home guards during the colonial days.
9. That the decision of the Government to put only 2000 people on welfare is drop in the ocean and all Kenyans who can’t afford the high cost of life should be included in the program.
10. That the whole team is to march peacefully to the main Labor Day celebrations at Uhuru Park in order to highlight the plight of the majority of Kenyans who are starving.
11. That Basic need is a human right and the Unga Revolution shall push the KNCHR to state what they are doing to have the rights met by the state.

The whole team then marched from Kamukunji to Uhuru Park receiving heroic reception whenever they passed on their way to Uhuru Park

Uhuru Park

We reached Uhuru Park shortly before 1300 hours where the public who attended joined us in calling on the government to ensure the price of Unga and other basic commodities go down. The public who were present prevented the police from arresting us and we managed to bring the issue back to the national agenda.

Way Forward

As a way forward the Unga Revolution resolved the following:

1. THAT UNGA PROTESTS SHALL CONTINUE UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS TO SUBSIDIZE THE DOWNTRODDEN
2. THAT WE SHALL VISIT ALL THE CONSTITUENCIES OF NAIROBI STARING WITH MABATINI SLUMS IN MATHARE THIS WEEKEND. THESE VISITS ARE AIMED AT EDUCATING KENYANS ON THEIR RIGHTS AS ENSHRINED IN ARTICLE 43.
3. THAT A PROGRAM SHALL BE RELEASED SOON WHICH SHALL CULMINATE INTO A MASSIVE TWO DAYS PROTEST ON 31^ST MAY AND 1^ST JUNE 2011

UNGA REVOLUTION STEERING COMMITTEE

Mwai Kibaki's and World Bank's history of Corrupt relationship.

Leaked memo deepens Kenya crisis

Posted by africanpress on January 11, 2008

By William Wallis and Michael Holman in London and Krishna Guha in Washington

http://africanpress.wordpress.com/2008/01/11/leaked-memo-deepens-kenya-crisis/

A confidential memo from the World Bank's Kenya office that supports President

Mwai Kibaki's claim of victory in the country's disputed elections plunged the

Washington-based lender into controversy on Wednesday.

The leaked January 1 briefing note, originating from Colin Bruce, the World Bank's

country director in Nairobi, lays out the case for accepting Mr Kibaki's victory on the

basis of "oral briefings and documents from senior [United Nations Development

Programme] officials" who "monitored the overall electoral process".

The memo claims that "the considered view of the UN is that the Electoral

Commission of Kenya announcement of a Kibaki win is correct".

However, Michele Montas, a spokeswoman for the UN secretary-general, denied that

the UN had adopted that position. UNDP officials said they had neither monitored the

elections nor provided any assessment suggesting a Kibaki victory.

Given the widespread irregularities reported in last month's elections, the leaked

briefing note is likely to trigger accusations that the institution, which lends heavily to

Kenya, has lost its political objectivity.

European Union election observers, whom Mr Bruce criticised, on Wednesday stood

by their conclusion that the election was impossible to call.

Mr Bruce's memo has created discomfort among some senior World Bank staff who

fear the bank's analysis of the Kenyan crisis has been influenced by too close a

relationship with Mr Kibaki. Mr Bruce, from Guyana, lives in a house owned by the

Kibaki family. The bank said the tenancy was inherited from its previous country

representative and was chosen on security grounds.

The World Bank has been criticised for maintaining its large development programme

in Kenya in spite of evidence of high-level corruption in Mr Kibaki's government.

The bank says its projects are vital for the country's poor.

Mr Bruce told the Financial Times the bank had no position on the result of the

elections and he "was simply reporting the information that was available to me to

headquarters".

World Bank officials in Washington backed Mr Bruce and released a series of other

communications from him, stating these showed his balanced approach to the

elections. None of the other briefing notes regarding the Kenyan crisis revisits the

question of whether Mr Kibaki won the election.

Marwan Muasher, head of external relations at the bank, said: "The bank does not

take political positions. Neither Colin Bruce nor the bank has a position on Kibaki or

[opposition leader Raila] Odinga."

Separately, Kenya's opposition ODM on Wednesday called for the withdrawal of Mr

Bruce.

Additional reporting by Barney Jopson in Nairobi and Harvey Morris at the UN

Lifted and published by Korir, API/APN africanpress@chello.no source.the

financialtimes

BUNGE LA MWANANCHI Kariokoo Dar es salaam