Sunday, July 28, 2013

Governors’ US trip not political: Raila

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at a past function. Mr. Odinga Saturday said the United States trip by governors affiliated to the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy was not politically driven, but a learning tour for the new county heads. Photo | FILE
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at a past function. Mr. Odinga Saturday said the United States trip by governors affiliated to the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy was not politically driven, but a learning tour for the new county heads. Photo | FILE 
By JEREMIAH KIPLANG’AT In Nairobi jkiplangat@ke.nationmedia.com and ANTONY KARANJA in DALLAS, Texas
Posted  Saturday, July 27   2013 at  21:01
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga Saturday said the United States trip by governors affiliated to the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy was not politically driven, but a learning tour for the new county heads.
He said the tour was informed by the need to help the new governors learn from their counterparts in the US.
Mr Odinga, who left the country last Thursday evening with the governors, dismissed those questioning the trip as “living in the past”.
The team is attending a two-day Governors Summit dubbed “Strategic Vision for Good Governance” organised by the Network for Development of Youth in partnership with Summers Dodge International Group. The summit began Saturday and ends Sunday.
Mr Odinga briefed the press on his arrival at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport (DFW) in Dallas, Texas, where he said the trip was necessary with the introduction of a devolved system of government and the Cord team wanted to learn from the experiences of those who are already running similar governments.
“People should be told that we now have 47 county governments,” he said. “They do not need any person from another government to run their affairs,” he said.
Later, he told a Kenyan delegation that it was important for Kenyans in the US to invest back in their counties.
“The foreign investors we are looking for every time will only play a minimal role in spurring economic growth of our county economies. Some investors will invest with  a set mind that part of the profits they will make must go back to their mother countries but if a Kenyan invests back home, that is a win-win situation,” Mr Odinga told a team of Kenyans.
Speaking on behalf of the summit organisers, Mr Raphael Atore dispelled fears that his group was pushing a political agenda by inviting only governors from one coalition.
“We have no political agenda. We are not here to campaign for Mr Odinga or any party. We invited Cord governors because they are in the opposition. As opposition-allied leaders, they will carry out investments transparently bearing in mind their roles as the ruling coalition’s watchdogs,” he said.
The Network for Development of Youth said Mr Odinga and the governors will also meet Kenyans living in Texas.
The governors accompanying the Cord leader are Dr Alfred Mutua (Machakos), Mr Salim Mvuria (Kwale), Mr Cornel Rasanga (Siaya), Mr David Nkendienye (Kajiado), Mr Patrick Simiyu Khaemba (Trans Nzoia), Mr Joseph Nanok (Turkana), Mr Amason Kingi (Kilifi), Mr Cyprian Awiti, (Homa Bay) Mr Jack Ranguma (Kisumu),  Mr Sospeter Ojaamong, (Busia) and the Kisii Governor James Ongwae.

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