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Raila has been implicated in very many scandals. The Kisumu Molasses Plant is the biggest of all Railas scandals. We if my
memory is right, the corruption in the Molasses Plant project led to the death of Kenyas dearest politician Robert Ouko.
Around 1996, Raila went around Luo Nyanza collecting money to revive the molasses project. A total of Ksh. 58 million was
collected locally and Ksh. 20 million collected from Kenyans living abroad. At one time Orengo mounted pressure on Raila to
explain where the money went but Raila did not come up with any good explanation except saying that the money was safe in
a bank account.
nationaudio.com
From 1996 to present Narcs Raila Odinga has never explained how the money was spent. Many people speculate the Raila spent
that money to expand the East Africa Spectre a manufacturing company owned by the Odinga family.
nationaudio.com
RAILA BLAMES KIBAKI FOR THE FAILURE OF THE MOLASSES PLANT
In an interview with the Nation Raila said:
Nation: Last week the leadership of the Democratic Party revisited the issue of the Kisumu Molasses Plant and accused
you of collecting money from the public ostensibly to revive the project, but which did not happen. The DP said you should
be held to account. What do you say?
Raila: First, I think the record needs to be put straight. I was never a member of the Kisumu Development Trust.
I am not one of their trustees. However, I was and still am supporting the revival of the Kisumu Molasses Plant. Other facts
ought to be made clear here. This project was conceived, initiated and began at the time when most of those in the leadership
of the DP today were in government. As a matter of fact, the Minister of Finance at that time was the DP leader (Mwai Kibaki).
It is him who owes us a lot of explanation over what happened to the billions of shillings that were sunk into the project.
We are trying to clean up the mess created by these individuals now in the Opposition.
nationaudio.com
Dr Ochuodhos view on Raila and the Molasses Plant
Addressing a news conference at Parliament Buildings, Dr Ochuodho said the two parties entered the "cooperation'' with
the understanding that five projects will be undertaken in Nyanza, none of which had been done. Among them were the revival
of the cotton and sugar industries, the Kisumu molasses plant and the tarmacking of the Homa Bay/Kendu Bay road.
"There is very little to celebrate about in that appointment''.
He said there was conflict of interest in Raila's appointment as energy minister since his firm, the East African Spectre
dealt basically with energy.
Dr Ochuodho said he had been surprised by his party leader's acceptance of the ministerial post, "because I expected that
he would only go for the top seat, the presidency.'' He challenged the NDP leader to "clarify" to Kenyans whether he was still
running for the presidency.''
nationaudio.com
Orengos View On Raila
nationaudio.com
Ugenya MP James Orengo yesterday dismissed the revival of the Kisumu molasses plant as a big dream that will never come true.
Speaking in Kilgoris after attending a court session, Orengo dismissed plans to revive the plant as a move meant to politically
dupe the people of Nyanza Province.
He claimed that he had already visited the plant to assess it and found it dilapidated.
The legislator said even the late Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Robert Ouko, tried in vain to revive the plant in the early
80s.
allfrica.com
Job Ominos Views on the Plant Funds
Mr Omino threatened to raise the issue on the floor of the House when Parliament resumes.
The Rangwe MP challenged Mr Odinga to explain the state of properties owned by the defunct Luo Thrift Company and the funds
raised by local people to revive the Kisumu molasses plant.
Mr Odinga was also asked to tell Luos "what became of the Sh100 million paid out to a company to remove the water hyacinth
from Lake Victoria." He was addressing a news conference at Parliament Buildings.
nationaudio.com
An Ordinary Mwananchi From Oyugis Had This To Say
nationaudio.com
There are so many unanswered questions, Raila
During the struggle to reintroduce multi-party democracy in Kenya, Raila Odinga flooded the media houses with calls on
Kenyans to shun the draconian one-party state and agitate for pluralism.
Unlike Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Onyango Okello and Adhu Awiti, who went into political exile in America, Canada, and the Netherlands,
respectively, Raila chose to fight for change from home. His fight for this noble cause, together with Masinde Muliro, Oginga
Odinga, Paul Kibugi Muite, among others, bore fruit. It saw to the repeal of section 2(a) of the Constitution, allowing multi-partyism.
They were later to be joined in their struggle by Mwai Kibaki, Kenneth Matiba and Oloo Aringo to criticise the very regime
under which these three gentlemen had so obediently and loyally served.
But, looking at Mr Odinga today, sitting in the Cabinet of the very Government he had so vehemently opposed, one question
lingers in the minds of most Kenyans: Why the sudden about-turn?
But even as he sits in his spacious office in the powerful Ministry of Energy, critics still question what became of the money
collected to buy shares to revive the stalled Kisumu molasses plant.
The sugar factories in his political backyard are in an economic quagmire. A national fish-processing factory is yet to be
put up in Nyanza. The problem of the water hyacinth is yet to be completely solved. The Kisumu airport is yet to be upgraded
to an international status.
A teaching and referral hospital is yet to be established in Nyanza Province. Need I say more?
JARED V. OLUOCH,
0yugis.
RAILAS MISSION
These two missions will push us to ensure Raila Odinga gets the secretary-general's post. But our biggest mission is to bring
the Luo back to Kanu and into the government. If we are able to get the people into the government, we will have achieved
a lot," the assistant minister told the Sunday Nation.Sunday Nation Sunday, March 17, 2002
RAILA ON DEMOCRACY
Hon. Karauris Opinion on acclamation
"No voting takes place in Kasarani. If secret ballot was allowed, may be the result would be different. But in Kasarani, 6,000
delegates vote by a show of hands. Anything can be endorsed because they choose the speakers. If they know you will oppose
the desired line, they will not extend the microphone to you. If they do and you begin to raise a dissenting voice, they will
take away the microphone or switch it off," he says. Sunday Nation Sunday, March 17, 2002
Raila Opinion on acclamation
He (Raila) described yesterdays elections as "free and fair" saying the will of the people had prevailed. Daily Nation March 19, 2002
Raila said unlike the Opposition which appears confused on how to select their candidate, Kanu has its nomination machinery
in place. The merger was the hard part. Nominating a candidate should not pose any problem as we have the machinery in place,
said Raila. EA STANDARD
Raila said, only Kenyans have the full mandate to decide and pick their next leader. The next President, Raila said, should
be someone who understands politics and has a definite agenda for all Kenyans. East African Standard August 10, 2002
Kanu secretary-general Joseph Kamotho, who faces a stiff challenge from National Development Party leader Raila Odinga, has
been emphatic that the secret ballot should be used in today's elections. DN March 18, 2002
Raila Odinga, Secretary General of Kenya African National Union (Kanu), said that his Rainbow Alliance faction is planning
to boycott the upcoming nominations, in protest to Moi's alleged interference in the choice of candidates SABCNEWS
The National Development Party (NDP) Presidential candidate, Mr Raila Odinga yesterday admitted that he erred by hand-picking
parliamentary candidates in parts of Luo Nyanza. He said the issue had led to wrangles and sharp divisions
among the NDP supporters, threatening to make the party lose footholds in some of its strongholds. Raila was addressing a
rally in Migori town. http://www.elections.co.ke/issue35.htm#Raila%20Says%20he%20Erred
NARCS VIEWS ON RAILA
Narc views Raila as a tribal leader. This is what they have to say about Raila:"Finally in January 1997, with his sights on
the upcoming General Elections, Raila left FORD-Kenya to join the little known National Development Party(NDP),....and led
a massive walkout of MPs from FORD-Kenya, mostly from his Luo-Nyanza Province, into his new party."National Rainbow Coalition Website
Raila is misguided . . . look at his history and it will attest to it. Let him keep his attention to Kanu. His views are totally
irrelevant. We did not comment on their decibel democracy at Kasarani, Wamalwa retorted. EA STANDARD
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Kibaki I singled out cabinet ministers Uhuru Kenyatta (Local authorities), Joseph
Kamotho (Environment) and Raila Odinga (Energy) for their direct contribution to the suffering of Kenyans, mainly the poor.
Democratic Party of Kenya - umoja na haki - toka gizani
BEFORE
"We are prepared to die, we are prepared to give our lives today. We will show that Moi is not Kenya. He cannot treat Kenyans
like sheep and goats," opposition leader Raila Odinga told reporters. CNN NEWS May 31, 1997
Raila Odinga, leader of the National Development Party, criticized the presidents attempt to curb radio broadcasts, calling
the move "an affront on fundamental freedoms." THE FAITH TODAY
AFTER
It was Raila who received the President to shouts of 'Nyayo' and 'Tinga Tinga' (Odinga's National Democratic Party slogan)
and not the Minister for Home Affairs, the KANU ultra-loyalist Shariff Nassir. Later during the funeral of 22 schoolgirls
who died in a tragic dormitory fire, Raila was again at Moi's side. NewAfrican JUNE 1998
He (Raila) defended Kanu's past record, saying the injustices it had committed against Kenyans were not comparable to what
whites did to South Africans during apartheid. Daily Nation Sunday, July 30, 2000
RAILA AND THE PRESS
"As a result of opportunism, opposition unity fell.. the opposition was divided and
it made it easy for KANU (the ruling Kenya African National Union) to rig the elections," said Mr Odinga when addressing the
members of the Kenyan community in Botswana. The Botswana Gazette of 22 July 1998
One of Mr Odinga's biggest weaknesses is that he hardly ever preaches peace. He seems to believe that he is always right and
others have nothing to offer. ..He quit FORD Kenya and his parliamentary seat on sensing that he was going to lose his place
in the party hierarchy in the coming party elections Daily Nation Friday 10 January, 1997
RAILAS VIEWS ON CHANGE
"Change will not come by removing (President) Moi from power and replacing him with Mr Nyachae, Mr Kibaki or Raila," said
Mr Odinga. BBC
RAILA AND FREEDOM
The Catholic Church asked Raila Odinga, a powerful opposition leader now allied with the government, to take responsibility
for the acts. The Church's most powerful organs in the country, the Justice and Peace Commission and the Kenya Episcopal Conference,
said that although they expected Odinga to deny a connection, they would want him to own up to it. "We will expect that the
leader will say that he was not responsible for the violence and should not be held responsible as he as always done," said
Fathers Michael Ruwa and Anthony Njui of the Justice and Peace Commission. Catholic World News
The practice of MPs who have openly declared their support for others but continue to retain their parliamentary seats and
draw salaries must end, Raila said D NATION March 20, 2002
POLITICAL ADVICE TO RAILA
"Whereas I am congratulating them, I would like to caution Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga that as they relish their successes,
they should not ignore history. They should study carefully, political history of Charles Njonjo, G.G Karuiki, Joseph Kamotho
and Prof George Saitoti,'' he (Muite) said. Daily Nation, March 20, 2002
Democracy should be a process in which the people, rather than an autocratic cartel, present and review options, and then
agree to follow a certain policy. Mr. John Kamau Daily Nation March 20, 2002
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