SPEECH BY H.E. SIMON NABUKWESI, HIGH COMMISSIONER OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA ON THE OCCASION OF CELEBRATING THE 46TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF KENYA
Excellencies, Ambassadors and High Commissioners,
Government Officials
Distinguished Guests
Friends of Kenya
Fellow Kenyans
Ladies and Gentlemen
I welcome you all to our National day Celebration. I appreciate the sacrifice you have made, to brave the chilly evening so that you can join us. This is a strong gesture of friendship and support, which makes us feel wanted and acceptable. As Mother Teresa put it, “The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted”.
Kenya attained its independence on 12th December, 1963. Fellow Kenyans, we stand here now, joined by Friends, supporters and well wishers to pay respect to our independence struggle heroes whose sacrifice gave us liberty, enjoyed by all irrespective of race, religion or ideology.
We stand here to remind ourselves of our shared values and vision of our Founding Fathers of our Nation:
i) To fight illiteracy by providing basic education for all.
ii) To provide basic health care and nutrition to all
iii) To build passion among Kenyans so that all contribute towards the establishment of a society which upholds equality, justice and compassion
What we can say with relative certainty is that the Grand Coalition Government is undertaking significant reforms within the framework of national reconciliation. The Government has made considerable progress which include:
i) Adoption of vision 2030 to transform Kenya into a newly industrialized middle-income economy by 2030.
ii) The launch of the Harmonized Draft Constitution on 17th November 2009 for people to read and give their view in preparation for the National Referendum.
iii) Reforming of the Police Force and the Judiciary to improve security and delivery of Justice.
iv) Devolving public fund allocations for socio-economic development of all regions:- Education, health, infrastructure development, investment to enhance capacities of local authorities, rural electrification, etc. This is for sustainable regional development which has resulted in redistribution of national resources.
v) Strategic plan for conservation of the environment to safeguard the water catchment areas. We host the United Nations Environment Programme Offices and we must lead by example.
vi) We successfully hosted the AGOA (Africa Growth Opportunity Act) Forum in August, the South-South Cooperation last week. We will also be hosting the Confederation of African Athletes competition next year in August.
vii) Kenyans are ready for change and the Government under the leadership of H. E. President Mwai Kibaki and H. E. Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Raila Odinga is determined to deliver on its promises.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to express my appreciation to the Government of Canada for the invaluable support which we have received at the Kenya High Commission. You are giving Kenyans what they need for a collective discovery of a new future by supporting the free Primary Education Pogramme.
The Government of Kenya is grateful to the Federal Government, various Canadian Institutions and organizations and individuals such as CIDA, IDRC, University of Manitoba, Watercan, Manitoba Hydro, St. Boniface Hospital, AY Jackson School, CES Canada, CMETrust, Toronto District School Board, Trinity Western University, University of Fraser Valley, etc. for their individual support. These are captured in our Mission Magazine which is ready for launching tonight. All the support, big and small is inflating the hopes of people of Kenya. This is goodness which is the only investment that never fails.
I take this opportunity to wish each one of you good health, a productive winter, a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.
Finally, I request each one to toast for prosperity and good relationships between Kenya and Canada and all Nations in the World.
God Bless you all.
HE Simon Nabukwesi
Ottawa, Canada
