President Mwai Kibaki has said that the government has no intention of forcibly taking over peoples' land as alleged by a section of the opposition.
He stated that the government had a duty to protect people and their property and would not contradict itself by repossessing private land.
Speaking at Afraha stadium, Nakuru where he addressed one of the largest gatherings to be witnessed in the town in the recent past, President Kibaki dismissed talk that the government would take over peoples' land as naïve.
Said the President, "We do not have such an intention, indeed the government is encouraging Kenyans to develop their pieces of land as one way of ensuring the growth of wealth in the country."
The Head of State particular asked residents of the Rift Valley Province to ignore prophets of doom roaming the Province peddling lies that wananchi would be evicted from their land saying no one should feel threatened by such talk.
"Indeed we have mounted a national exercise to issue title deeds to land owners in the whole country, and anyone without the document is advised to go for it from the nearest government office," he said.
President Kibaki who was accompanied by First Lady Lucy Kibaki said it was unfortunate that some politicians had resorted to unorthodox means of soliciting for votes including peddling lies saying the credibility of those aspiring to leadership positions in the country must be beyond reproach.
In this connection, President Kibaki asked the electorate not to gamble with their lives by electing people with dubious distinction, noting that some of those seeking elective positions had failed to deliver in the past when they were in government.
He said it was in realization of the need to provide good leadership that eight likeminded political parties recently coalesced under the Party of National Unity (PNU) to give Kenyans a continuity of the development that has been evident in the country in the last five years.
Said he, "Through PNU, we have formed a strong and visionary party and those who subscribe to it should rest assured of a win."
The rally was also addressed by the Vice President Moody Awori and chairpersons of alliance of parties under the PNU including Chirau Mwakwere, Musikari Kombo, Uhuru Kenyatta, Raphael Tuju and Kalembe Ndile.
Mr. Awori said the youth who form a majority of Kenyans were the greatest beneficiaries of President Kibaki's leadership from free primary education and the youth development fund among others.
Addressing the rally, Mr. Mwakwere, shirikisho party leader said his party had joined the alliance of parties under PNU out of the realization that it was the only vehicle with policies to devolve resources to the grassroots level.
Mr. Kombo said Ford Kenya would support the re-election of President Kibaki because he had shown that he is a visionary leader whose development track record was impeccable.
On his part,Kanu chairman Uhuru Kenyatta said Kanu had joined the winning team because they would like to be in the next government. He also lauded the government for bringing peace, security and stability to the country.
While Narc Kenya's chairman Raphael Tuju said the country had enjoyed increased democracy and freedoms under President Kibaki's stewardship.
President Kibaki also spoke about the general development of the Rift Valley Province saying that in the nearly five years that his government has been in office, farming and other economic activities in the area had recorded unparallel growth.
He noted that harvests had improved and prices of farm produce more than doubled with farmers enjoying good profits from their activities. He pointed out that maize farmers had consistently been paid shs. 1,300 per bag of 90 kilogrammes over that period and things were looking bright.
On livestock, President Kibaki noted that since the revival of the Kenya meat commission and the Kenya cooperative creameries beef and dairy farmers had a ready market for their products at competitive rates.
He said the government would improve on the infrastructure in the province including improvement of the road network to ensure the farmers accessed markets easily.
The President also touched on the youth and the women enterprise funds saying the government would increase the money allocated to each of the funds in the next financial year to spread the benefits to a majority of youth and women.
Also present were Cabinet Ministers Prof. George Saitoti, Martha Karua, Peter Ndwiga, Suleiman Shakombo and John Munyes and several local leaders.
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Sources: State House, & PPS
Nairobi
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