Kenya's opposition National Supper Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate Raila Odinga (L) sings national anthem during a special National Delegates Conference at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, May 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Allan Mutiso)
by Bedah Mengo
NAIROBI, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's main opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) on Tuesday evening promised to create more jobs, unite the country, bring down the cost of living and withdraw the country's soldiers from Somalia if it wins the August 8 polls.
The NASA leaders, while unveiling their seven-pillar manifesto in Nairobi, said they would create more jobs by financing the youth.
NASA flagbearer Raila Odinga noted that many Kenyans are suffering right now as they can not afford food, and if NASA wins elections, his government would work hard to empower farmers so that they can produce more.
"About 70 percent of the population of this country is below 30 years. The youth should be a blessing to any country, not a curse. Our government would remove bureaucracy to enable the youth to access funds so that they can start enterprises to create jobs," Odinga said.
The coalition promised to bring down the cost of living in 100 days to enable Kenyans to feed their families.
He said his coalition would fight the three enemies of Kenya that are ignorance, disease and poverty, which continue to afflict the country over 50 years since independence.
"It is unacceptable that our people still live in poverty many years since we became a republic because the government is not working for the citizens," he noted.
The former prime minister also promised to extend the standard gauge railway to Rwanda as envisioned in Vision 2030 so that movement from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania remains seamless.
NASA co-principal Moses Wetangula noted that Kenya continued to be attacked by Somali militant group the Al-Shabaab as it has failed to secure its borders.
"For the last six years, our soldiers have been in Somalia helping to stabilize the country but now we must have an exit plan. We will have a phased out withdrawal of Kenya Defence Forces from Somalia so that our soldiers can return home and protect the country from within," said Wetangula, also Kenya's former foreign minister.
Odinga's running mate and Kenya's former vice-president Kalonzo Musyoka said Kenya's tourism is currently on its knees due to terrorism, which has been perpetuated by the war in Somalia.
"As NASA, we would encourage domestic tourism to ensure Kenyans support their own country to boost tourism. We would also market Kenya abroad so that we do not only receive group tourists but individual tourists should also visit the country," he said.
NASA co-principal Musalia Mudavadi said that in their government, education would be free from nursery school to the secondary level.
"We want to assure the public that starting September, parents would not pay any money to school their children," he said.
NASA co-principal Isaac Ruto promised the coalition would devolve 45 percent of national resources to devolve units to be able to empower counties and create vibrant urban areas in the rural areas to stem rural urban migration.
