Post by Onyango Oloo on Oct 17, 2005 21:17:42 GMT 3
OGIEK OPPOSE KIBAKI’S DIRECTIVE ON TITLE DEEDS
Statement Issued by CHARLES SAINA SENA
CHAIRMAN-OGIEK PEOPLES NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (OPNA)
PO BOX 741 NAROK, TEL: 050 - 23417, 23199
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SOURCE: www.ogiek.org
Date: October 3, 2005
PRESS STATEMENT TO THE MEDIA
OGIEK OPPOSE KIBAKI’S DIRECTIVE ON TITLE DEEDS
The President’s directive that more than 12,000 Ogiek shall be issued with title deed in the Mau is ill timed and a monumental conspiracy to expropriate Ogiek ancestral land in Nakuru and Narok districts to other mainstream societies for political expediency. The Ogiek land struggle is as old as our independence and to date the Ogiek people are not legally among the 42 tribes of Kenya.
In March last year the president directed that the Ogiek be issued with title deeds and went further to form a task force to implement the same. To date the Ogiek people have never seen the report of the task force neither were they allocated any land.
We as members of the Ogiek community are telling the government that your hands are tied for now and that it is immoral, deceptive and fraudulent to use land to hoodwink indigenous peoples to surrender their God given rights to exercises. Their democratic rights to participate effectively in democratic processes such as the impending forthcoming referendum. “This is the wrong time Mr. President to make such announcement. The Ogiek like the rest of Kenyans are fasting until the review process is over, and it is in our culture not to visit our women when they are menstruating, Kenya is menstruating and all the warriors are out to fend for their nation and shall be back after 21st November to embrace their women.”
The Ogiek therefore, shall not accept the government directive, as we cannot be treated like hungry dogs that can be fed with poisoned meat and will still eat only to die. The directive by the government is like meat laced with poison and the Ogiek has already detected the poison and we shall not therefore partake it.
Like the rest of Kenyans the Ogiek will vote NO in the referendum to determine their future without being coerced or given false promises. The Ogiek people want to be part of the larger Kenyan populace that want to see a better Kenya for all and where the rule of law is paramount. Even if they were to accept any title, that will not change their stand on the referendum.
We are thus, challenging the president to:
1. Publish the list of the 12,000 Ogiek and their clans.
2. Indicate clearly which land they are giving out stating geographical locations.
3. Inform the world the criteria used to identify the Ogiek and the land in question.
4. To understand that there are pending court cases over land between the Ogiek and the government.
The right to self-determination is fundamental in achieving social, economic and political rights and that is why the Ogiek reject in toto the Wako draft, due to excess powers of the president, absence of four levels of devolution and the land question.
It is too late Mr. President the plane is airborne.
Sincerely,
CHARLES SAINA SENA
CHAIRMAN-OGIEK PEOPLES NATIONAL ASSEMBLY {OPNA}
Statement Issued by CHARLES SAINA SENA
CHAIRMAN-OGIEK PEOPLES NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (OPNA)
PO BOX 741 NAROK, TEL: 050 - 23417, 23199
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE: www.ogiek.org
Date: October 3, 2005
PRESS STATEMENT TO THE MEDIA
OGIEK OPPOSE KIBAKI’S DIRECTIVE ON TITLE DEEDS
The President’s directive that more than 12,000 Ogiek shall be issued with title deed in the Mau is ill timed and a monumental conspiracy to expropriate Ogiek ancestral land in Nakuru and Narok districts to other mainstream societies for political expediency. The Ogiek land struggle is as old as our independence and to date the Ogiek people are not legally among the 42 tribes of Kenya.
In March last year the president directed that the Ogiek be issued with title deeds and went further to form a task force to implement the same. To date the Ogiek people have never seen the report of the task force neither were they allocated any land.
We as members of the Ogiek community are telling the government that your hands are tied for now and that it is immoral, deceptive and fraudulent to use land to hoodwink indigenous peoples to surrender their God given rights to exercises. Their democratic rights to participate effectively in democratic processes such as the impending forthcoming referendum. “This is the wrong time Mr. President to make such announcement. The Ogiek like the rest of Kenyans are fasting until the review process is over, and it is in our culture not to visit our women when they are menstruating, Kenya is menstruating and all the warriors are out to fend for their nation and shall be back after 21st November to embrace their women.”
The Ogiek therefore, shall not accept the government directive, as we cannot be treated like hungry dogs that can be fed with poisoned meat and will still eat only to die. The directive by the government is like meat laced with poison and the Ogiek has already detected the poison and we shall not therefore partake it.
Like the rest of Kenyans the Ogiek will vote NO in the referendum to determine their future without being coerced or given false promises. The Ogiek people want to be part of the larger Kenyan populace that want to see a better Kenya for all and where the rule of law is paramount. Even if they were to accept any title, that will not change their stand on the referendum.
We are thus, challenging the president to:
1. Publish the list of the 12,000 Ogiek and their clans.
2. Indicate clearly which land they are giving out stating geographical locations.
3. Inform the world the criteria used to identify the Ogiek and the land in question.
4. To understand that there are pending court cases over land between the Ogiek and the government.
The right to self-determination is fundamental in achieving social, economic and political rights and that is why the Ogiek reject in toto the Wako draft, due to excess powers of the president, absence of four levels of devolution and the land question.
It is too late Mr. President the plane is airborne.
Sincerely,
CHARLES SAINA SENA
CHAIRMAN-OGIEK PEOPLES NATIONAL ASSEMBLY {OPNA}
