The SDP Press Statement
September 26, 2007
THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY (SDP) UNVEILS ITS NEW OFFICERS AND ARTICULATES ITS POSITION ON THE FORTHCOMING GENERAL ELECTIONS AND OTHER CONSEQUENTIAL MATTERS:
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) held its historic 4th ordinary Session of the National Leaders Conference on Sunday September 23, 2007 at Kasarani Sports Complex. The National Leaders Conference set the pace and direction that the Party shall now follow over the next twelve months.
The National Leaders conference carried out the following business:
Firstly: the Party National Leaders Conference elected fourteen new officials of the Party, members of the National Executive Council (NEC). These new officials of the Party are the following:
1. Hon. James A.B. Orengo SDP Chairman
2. Hon. Mwandawiro Mghanga Vice Chairman
3. Cyprian Orina Nyamwamu Secretary General
4. Ms. Waithera Chege Deputy Secretary General
5. Pherozee Nowrojee Treasurer
6. Ms. Ann Angela Ochieng’ Deputy Treasurer
7. Ntwata Bhuki National Organizing Secretary
8. Abubakar Ahmed Awadh Deputy National Organizing Secretary
9. Raphael Mulle Musau Secretary for Publicity and Information
10. Onyango Oloo Secretary for Public Policy and Socio-Economic Affairs
11. Engineer Mwongela Malinga Secretary for Foreign and International Affairs
12. John K. Birgen Commissioner of Elections
13. Wamusai Simiyu Deputy Commissioner of Elections
14. Shem Ogolla Executive Officer
The National Leaders conference acknowledged the contributions of Dr. Apollo Njonjo to the Social Democratic Party during his tenure as the Secretary General between 1996 and 2007.
This incoming leadership of the SDP was given a clear mandate to revamp, reposition, build and lead the Party into being the most vibrant, institutionalized and enviable political party in the land and beyond. The new NEC has enthusiastically undertaken to deliver this mandate with dedication and excellence.
Secondly: the Conference amended the SDP constitution to provide for strategic alliances with other political Parties, associations, formations and coalitions. This resolution effectively gave the Party the leeway to form the much needed United Democratic Front required in Kenya to undertake a national democratic transformation. From this year therefore, Kenya shall witness SDP’s leadership in forming strategic alliances with civil society organizations, trade unions, youth movements and women movements aimed at hastening the pace of democratization and liberation of the Kenyan people from decades of sham independence and neo-colonialism.
The National Executive Council takes this opportunity to call on all the numerous SDP members planning to vie in the forthcoming general elections as Parliamentary and civic candidates across the country to immediately contact the party head quarters for information on the SDP strategic plan for the 2007 general elections.
Thirdly: the National Leaders Conference endorsed the candidature of the ODM Presidential candidate, Raila Odinga and resolved to mobilize all the necessary political resources required to ensure that the ODM candidate wins the general election convincingly.
Five Principles informed this decision:
i. SDP stands for social justice, sustainable development and wananchi’s empowerment with rights and opposes all forms of dictatorial fascist rule that denigrates rights rolls back the hard won gains of the Kenyan people.
ii. SDP stands for economic growth with equity that ensures equitable distribution of power and resources for just development to be realized;
iii. SDP stands for the end to corruption and abuse of power and the building of strong democratic institutions that enhance the just rule of law and the enjoyment of human rights;
iv. SDP stands for a new democratic constitutional dispensation negotiated through a democratic, legitimate and enabling process;
v. SDP stands for unity in diversity and the inclusion of all Kenyans in governance and opposes all forms of reactionary governmental formation along the basis of ethnic identity aimed to prop up a minority comprador class of corrupt cliques surrounding the President and his handlers. We rejected this Mafia-like cliques under the Moi era (the Rift Valley Mafia) and Kenyatta era (the Kiambu Mafia) and we now reject them under Kibaki’ administration (the Mount Kenya Mafia).
The current government has sorely failed to meet these standards that were part of the mandate of given to the Kibaki administration in 2002. The Kibaki administration does not have the capacity to deliver and to responds to the aspirations of the majority of Kenyans. The ODM promises to deliver on these key principles that are dear to the SDP and the Party therefore pledges and undertakes to support the ODM presidential candidate based on this understanding.
Fourthly: the party took a position of firm opposition to all forms of electoral violence and called upon all political parties and their leaders in the forthcoming general election be they in government or in the opposition to ensure that an unequivocal climate of peace is maintained. The NEC of the SDP now asks the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and the Electoral Commission of Kenya to put in place early warning mechanisms and effective detection and monitoring systems across the country to ensure that all sponsors and perpetrators of violence are punished appropriately.
Fifthly: the National Leaders conference approved the SDP Charter, the SDP Minimum Programme 2007, the SDP Code of Conduct and the Msimamo wa SDP on various political, economic and social cultural issues of concern to the country. NEC shall publish these documents and launch them at an imposing SDP re-launch planned within the next thirty (30) days.
Lastly: the NEC was mandated by the National Leaders Conference to offer the Party to the people of Kenya and to offer leadership to the struggles of the people including the struggles and endeavours of the workers of Kenya, the peasants, the students and the youth, the women, Kenyan entrepreneurs, marginalized and excluded communities and all the marginalized majority who lack a voice in governance. The National Leaders Conference Particularly called for the formation of a broad based National United Democratic front with all progressive, pro-democracy forces aimed at advancing reforms and democratic transformation in Kenya.
The National Executive Council shall hence forth spearhead an elaborate SDP outreach programme across the country to popularize the Party and the resolutions of the National Leaders conference and ensure that the resolutions of the NEC are implemented faithfully.
SDP – Masaa!!
Masaa- Ya Mageuzi!!
Wakati Umewadia!
Mapambano Yaendelee
Signed:
1. Hon. James A.B. Orengo SDP Chairman
2. Hon. Mwandawiro Mghanga Vice Chairman
3. Cyprian Orina Nyamwamu Secretary General
4. Ms. Waithera Chege Deputy Secretary General
5. Pherozee Nowrojee Treasurer
6. Ms. Ann Angela Ochieng’ Deputy Treasurer
7. Ntwata Bhuki National Organizing Secretary
8. Abubakar Ahmed Awadh Deputy National Organizing Secretary
9. Raphael Mulle Musau Secretary for Publicity and Information
10. Onyango Oloo Secretary for Public Policy and Socio-Economic Affairs
11. Engineer Mwongela Malinga Secretary for Foreign and International Affairs
12. John K. Birgen Commissioner of Elections
13. Wamusai Simiyu Deputy Commissioner of Elections
14. Shem Ogolla Executive Officer
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