Post by worker on Oct 6, 2006 1:53:08 GMT 3
Urgent political task for Kenyan workers
The workers should organize politically & lead all exploited and justice-loving Kenyans if they want to ensure they are not once again cheated by corrupt and dishonest bwanyenye at the helm of the political parties like ODM-K, FORD-K, KANU and others, like they were cheated in 2002 by the politicians who are now busy re-packaging themselves as NARC-K, ODM-K, "New KANU" etc.
Workers who are still members of the above parties should wage internal struggles to purge those parties of corrupt and dishonest individuals and their cartels in the coming elections, and replace them with candidates who are truly committed to the fundamental and democratic demands of ALL Kenyans. Demands such as:
• The immediate review of the present low salaries and slave wages with a view to raising the minimum wages to a level based on the cost of living index;
• The provision of public health facilities in all working and residential places;
• The immediate conversion of casual labour in private companies to permanent and pensionable employment;
• The immediate restoration of the right of workers to take all forms of industrial action including go-slows, pickets, strikes, protests and demonstrations they may choose as part of their bargaining power for the proper remuneration of their labour;
• The immediate stop of the use of police force to force workers to submit to oppressive demands of their employers; in particular, the immediate stop of police violence against striking workers;
• The immediate settlement of all the landless squatters and displaced people in the rural areas;
• The immediate end of the present brutal practice of the government evicting squatters without allocating them with alternative land for settlement;
• Provision of adequate farming and grazing lands for the needy peasants and pastoralists;
• The immediate take-over by the state of all the idle and neglected land and placing it at the service of needy poor;
• The right of millions of unemployed Kenyans to employment;
• An end to discrimination, marginalization and harassment against any Kenyan, individually or as communities; in particular, demand the repeal of discriminatory laws and practices such as those in place against Kenyan Muslims under the pretext of fighting terrorism.
• Equal and fair treatment of women, who form at least half of Kenya's population; in particular in representation in all national institutions as well as the repeal of all discriminatory laws and traditions.
Workers who are not members of those parties, should form or join parties formed by fellow workers or other patriotic, democratic and progressive Kenyans. Nobody needs political power more than the oppressed, exploited and impoverished hardworking Kenyans. United, they are more powerful than their oppressors, who spend billions to exploit this power in "mass action" whenever they face any obstacles to achieving their selfish ambitions for wealth and power and in every election!
Whichever party they belong to, the working people of Kenya should wage a relentless struggle to rid Kenya of these corrupt, dishonest and exploitative politicians.
(From a worker activist in the Rift Valley)
The workers should organize politically & lead all exploited and justice-loving Kenyans if they want to ensure they are not once again cheated by corrupt and dishonest bwanyenye at the helm of the political parties like ODM-K, FORD-K, KANU and others, like they were cheated in 2002 by the politicians who are now busy re-packaging themselves as NARC-K, ODM-K, "New KANU" etc.
Workers who are still members of the above parties should wage internal struggles to purge those parties of corrupt and dishonest individuals and their cartels in the coming elections, and replace them with candidates who are truly committed to the fundamental and democratic demands of ALL Kenyans. Demands such as:
• The immediate review of the present low salaries and slave wages with a view to raising the minimum wages to a level based on the cost of living index;
• The provision of public health facilities in all working and residential places;
• The immediate conversion of casual labour in private companies to permanent and pensionable employment;
• The immediate restoration of the right of workers to take all forms of industrial action including go-slows, pickets, strikes, protests and demonstrations they may choose as part of their bargaining power for the proper remuneration of their labour;
• The immediate stop of the use of police force to force workers to submit to oppressive demands of their employers; in particular, the immediate stop of police violence against striking workers;
• The immediate settlement of all the landless squatters and displaced people in the rural areas;
• The immediate end of the present brutal practice of the government evicting squatters without allocating them with alternative land for settlement;
• Provision of adequate farming and grazing lands for the needy peasants and pastoralists;
• The immediate take-over by the state of all the idle and neglected land and placing it at the service of needy poor;
• The right of millions of unemployed Kenyans to employment;
• An end to discrimination, marginalization and harassment against any Kenyan, individually or as communities; in particular, demand the repeal of discriminatory laws and practices such as those in place against Kenyan Muslims under the pretext of fighting terrorism.
• Equal and fair treatment of women, who form at least half of Kenya's population; in particular in representation in all national institutions as well as the repeal of all discriminatory laws and traditions.
Workers who are not members of those parties, should form or join parties formed by fellow workers or other patriotic, democratic and progressive Kenyans. Nobody needs political power more than the oppressed, exploited and impoverished hardworking Kenyans. United, they are more powerful than their oppressors, who spend billions to exploit this power in "mass action" whenever they face any obstacles to achieving their selfish ambitions for wealth and power and in every election!
Whichever party they belong to, the working people of Kenya should wage a relentless struggle to rid Kenya of these corrupt, dishonest and exploitative politicians.
(From a worker activist in the Rift Valley)