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The Bomas Declarations
Saturday the 20
th
day of September 2008
Vijanaa Tujipange
Rebuilding our Nation... Reconciling Our Communities
We, the National Youth Convention
, being the 1,300 young women and men of theKenyan nation who convened at the extraordinary session of the National YouthConvention (NYC IV) at the Bomas of Kenya, in Nairobi, between the 18
th
and the 20
th
 day of September 2008:
 Recognize
the heroes and heroines of Kenya’s struggles for independence; for democratic struggles since 1963, and all those who lost their lives in the struggle againstinjustice resulting from the fraudulent General Elections in December 2007
Reject
the political, economic, social and cultural system under an undemocraticState that has been in force in Kenya since independence which has led tomassive inequality, inter-ethnic and community conflicts and poverty in Kenya.
Demand
for a transformation of the system to ensure that the rights of everyKenyan are guaranteed and protected; a break with the past; and a new way todo things in this country.
Further Declare as Follows:-The 1
st
Declaration: We have established the National Youth Convention as theForum and Movement of the Patriotic Youth of Kenya; with the objective of transforming Kenya into a democratic, just and prosperous Nation
1.1 The Movement shall be a democratic and progressive youth-ledtransformation Movement in Kenya and shall work with women, persons with disabilities,trade unions, democratically minded professionals, special interest groups, progressivereligious leaders and pro-change political leaders.1.2 The Movement shall work locally and internationally with organizationsand forums that promote the emancipation of the youth and the Kenyan Nation.
The 2
nd
Declaration: We demand a new, democratic Constitution by thePeople for a peaceful and prosperous Kenya; and declare we shall work to ensurethat the Young People of Kenya fully participate in an all inclusive, participatoryand democratic constitution-making process for Kenya
2.1 We demand the establishment of a Representative Organ for theconstitutional review process and the inclusion of all interest groups of Kenyans in the
 
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process of reviewing the constitution. This Organ shall have the responsibility of negotiating and drafting a new Constitution for Kenya with the facilitation of a Committeeof Experts.2.2 We demand that immediate setting out of the constitutional principles tobenchmark the new Constitution of Kenya.2.3 We demand that the new Constitution of Kenya be ratified at a nationalReferendum with each clause achieving a Yes vote.2.4 We demand the inclusion of the representatives of the Young People of Kenya in all organs and forums of the constitutional review process so that the newConstitution will be youth friendly and pro-People.
The 3
rd
Declaration: We demand the reconfiguration of the National Accord of February 28
th
2008 and the National Budget and all economic advisory organs toensure that they are Youth centered and pro-People; and call for assistance for the People of Kenya. We declare that even though the National Accord andReconciliation Agreements helped to halt violence and the breakdown of law andorder in Kenya, the implementation framework of the National Accord has becomeanti-People, anti-Youth and unaccountable.
3.1 We call for the radical overhaul of the national budgeting principles sothat at least 60% of the budget is allocated to development projects which are directlybeneficial to the people of Kenya and no more than 40% of the budget shall be allocatedto the recurrent expenditure of the Government of Kenya.3.2 We call for immediate and comprehensive debt relief for Kenya and inparticular call for the immediate cancellation of identifiably corrupt debts recorded in theNational External Public Debt Register such as those related to the Ken Ren Fertilizer Factory and the security related debts now known as Anglo Leasing. To facilitateimmediate and comprehensive debt relief for Kenya, we call upon the internationalcommunity to provide to the people of Kenya, and the Government of Kenya, technicaland legal assistance to clean the National External Public Debt Register to relieveKenyans of the burden of continuing to pay corrupt debts which should be declaredodious. We demand that the National External Public Debt Register should be madepublic and deposited in Parliament annually.3.3 We demand that National Social and Economic Council comprise at least40% Youth. A national youth Convention to select the competent representatives of theyouth to the National Social and Economic Council should be facilitated by theGovernment of Kenya.
The 4
th
Declaration: We declare that the Government of Kenya formed after theNational Accord of February 28
th
2008 has become anti-people, corrupt andwasteful; and therefore declare that the Young People of Kenya shall work with allother democratic forces to ensure that Kenya has a clean, lean, prudent, just,accountable and responsive Government.
 
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 4.1 We affirm, here and now as the youth of Kenya that we shall not deal withthe Grand coalition government on a business-as-usual mode;4.2 We demand the end to the killings of young Kenyans by the state and itsofficers, agents and agencies4.3 We demand for the immediate return to Kenya, and protection of Kenyanlaw, for all Kenyans who have been illegally subjected to extra-judicial rendition to placesoutside Kenya, and particularly to Ethiopia, Somalia and Guantanamo Bay. We affirmthat all Kenyans who have transgressed the laws of Kenya should be in the first instancetried in Kenya under Kenyan law.4.4 We demand the immediate restoration, and respect for, the civil andpolitical rights of all Kenyans as intended by the National Accord agreements. Wedemand that the Government of Kenya immediately stop breaking meetings and forumsconvened by Kenyans, especially young people to organize and demand for a decentlivelihood and access to basic needs and amenities.4.5 We demand for the immediate action by the Government of Kenya toreduce food, fuel and electricity prices to reprieve millions of Kenyans, mainly the YoungPeople of Kenya, from the economic hardship and suffering they have been undergoing.4.6 We demand for the opening up of the “Vision 2030” policy of theGovernment of Kenya and its reinterpretation in an open and participatory process tomeet the realities of young people and to create a new vision for development of theKenyan Nation.4.7 We demand and end to impunity and want all public officials found guiltyof misuse of public offices and corruption to be barred from holding any public office inthe Republic of Kenya, to face the law and to be subjected to measures of restitution.4.8 We demand for the immediate and meticulous implementation of theNational Policy on Disability and for budgetary allocation of public funds, focused onsupporting and empowering Kenyans with disabilities.4.9 We demand that all men and women above the age of 55 years beimmediately retired from employment in the civil service and the management andboards of parastatals, state corporations and regulatory bodies. We declare our commitment to the payment of just pensions for retired public officers.4.10 We demand for the immediate taking of steps towards reduction of therecurrent expenditure of Government of Kenya with a corresponding increase of thedevelopment allocations in the National Budget and for the development andimplementation of a comprehensive Government of Kenya Policy to effect this changeafter consultation with youth. Reduction of recurrent expenditure should begin withcutting wasteful expenditures by Government in the National Budget including spendingby the Central Government of Kenya on Rents, Hospitality, Fuel, Utilities, Domestic and
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