The Bomas Declarations

Saturday the 20th 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 the
Kenyan nation who convened at the extraordinary session of the National Youth
Convention (NYC IV) at the Bomas of Kenya, in Nairobi, between the 18th and the 20th
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 against
injustice resulting from the fraudulent General Elections in December 2007

Reject the political, economic, social and cultural system under an undemocratic
State that has been in force in Kenya since independence which has led to
massive inequality, inter-ethnic and community conflicts and poverty in Kenya.

Demand for a transformation of the system to ensure that the rights of every
Kenyan are guaranteed and protected; a break with the past; and a new way to
do things in this country.

Further Declare as Follows:-

The 1st Declaration: We have established the National Youth Convention as the
Forum 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-led

transformation Movement in Kenya and shall work with women, persons with disabilities,
trade unions, democratically minded professionals, special interest groups, progressive
religious leaders and pro-change political leaders.

1.2 The Movement shall work locally and internationally with organizations
and forums that promote the emancipation of the youth and the Kenyan Nation.

The 2nd Declaration: We demand a new, democratic Constitution by the

People for a peaceful and prosperous Kenya; and declare we shall work to ensure
that the Young People of Kenya fully participate in an all inclusive, participatory
and democratic constitution-making process for Kenya

2.1 We demand the establishment of a Representative Organ for the

constitutional 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 Committee
of Experts.

2.2 We demand that immediate setting out of the constitutional principles to

benchmark the new Constitution of Kenya.

2.3 We demand that the new Constitution of Kenya be ratified at a national

Referendum 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 new
Constitution will be youth friendly and pro-People.

The 3rd Declaration: We demand the reconfiguration of the National Accord of

February 28th 2008 and the National Budget and all economic advisory organs to
ensure 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 and
Reconciliation Agreements helped to halt violence and the breakdown of law and
order in Kenya, the implementation framework of the National Accord has become
anti-People, anti-Youth and unaccountable.

3.1 We call for the radical overhaul of the national budgeting principles so
that at least 60% of the budget is allocated to development projects which are directly
beneficial to the people of Kenya and no more than 40% of the budget shall be allocated
to the recurrent expenditure of the Government of Kenya.

3.2 We call for immediate and comprehensive debt relief for Kenya and in
particular call for the immediate cancellation of identifiably corrupt debts recorded in the
National 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 facilitate
immediate and comprehensive debt relief for Kenya, we call upon the international
community to provide to the people of Kenya, and the Government of Kenya, technical
and legal assistance to clean the National External Public Debt Register to relieve
Kenyans of the burden of continuing to pay corrupt debts which should be declared
odious. We demand that the National External Public Debt Register should be made
public and deposited in Parliament annually.

3.3 We demand that National Social and Economic Council comprise at least
40% Youth. A national youth Convention to select the competent representatives of the
youth to the National Social and Economic Council should be facilitated by the
Government of Kenya.

The 4th Declaration: We declare that the Government of Kenya formed after the
National Accord of February 28th 2008 has become anti-people, corrupt and
wasteful; and therefore declare that the Young People of Kenya shall work with all
other 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 with
the 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 its
officers, agents and agencies

4.3 We demand for the immediate return to Kenya, and protection of Kenyan
law, for all Kenyans who have been illegally subjected to extra-judicial rendition to places
outside Kenya, and particularly to Ethiopia, Somalia and Guantanamo Bay. We affirm
that all Kenyans who have transgressed the laws of Kenya should be in the first instance
tried in Kenya under Kenyan law.

4.4 We demand the immediate restoration, and respect for, the civil and
political rights of all Kenyans as intended by the National Accord agreements. We
demand that the Government of Kenya immediately stop breaking meetings and forums
convened by Kenyans, especially young people to organize and demand for a decent
livelihood and access to basic needs and amenities.

4.5 We demand for the immediate action by the Government of Kenya to

reduce food, fuel and electricity prices to reprieve millions of Kenyans, mainly the Young
People 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 the
Government of Kenya and its reinterpretation in an open and participatory process to
meet the realities of young people and to create a new vision for development of the
Kenyan Nation.

4.7 We demand and end to impunity and want all public officials found guilty
of misuse of public offices and corruption to be barred from holding any public office in
the 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 the

National Policy on Disability and for budgetary allocation of public funds, focused on
supporting and empowering Kenyans with disabilities.

4.9 We demand that all men and women above the age of 55 years be
immediately retired from employment in the civil service and the management and
boards 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 the
recurrent expenditure of Government of Kenya with a corresponding increase of the
development allocations in the National Budget and for the development and
implementation of a comprehensive Government of Kenya Policy to effect this change
after consultation with youth. Reduction of recurrent expenditure should begin with
cutting wasteful expenditures by Government in the National Budget including spending
by the Central Government of Kenya on Rents, Hospitality, Fuel, Utilities, Domestic and

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Foreign Travel, Vehicle Purchases, Allowances paid as part of salaries, Printing and
Advertising, tax exemptions for public officers, and unjustifiably massive expenditure on
secret security related procurement.

The 5th Declaration: We call for Radical Reform of National Youth Policy Making
and Implementation for the benefit of the Young People of Kenya

5.1 We call for the immediate formulation of a Government of Kenya blue

print on job creation for the millions of unemployed Kenyan youths. We demand that this
blue print be developed through a consultative Government-Youth-Stakeholder process.

5.2 We call for the Government of Kenya to convene a joint working session
with representatives of young people to review the draft Youth Policy and ensure that the
same is presented to Parliament for adoption and enactment.

5.3 We call for the radical overhaul of the Youth Development Fund from a
tokenism and propaganda fund into a kitty for transformation and improvement of the
status of youth. The Government of Kenya and Parliament should increase the Youth
Development Fund from a mere Ksh 2 billion per annum to 10% per annum of the
national Budget.

5.4 We demand for the anchoring of the Ministry of Youth in the Constitution
and that all its officials, from the ministers to the youth officers in the lowest level be
young people

5.5 We call for a policy by the Government of Kenya to give the youth first
priority in the allocation of unused lands, government offices, stadiums, show grounds,
houses and halls for the undertaking of youth enterprise, economic development and
eking of livelihoods.

5.6 We demand public assets-accountability and therefore call for the immediate
publication of all government assets registers for scrutiny by Kenyans and call upon the
youth to assess the appropriateness of the use of the same assets towards
development.

The 6th Declaration: We urge the International Development Community to

support the People of Kenya and to stand with the Youth of Kenya.

6.1 We call for youth focused development assistance, grants and loans, to
the Government of Kenya and benchmarking of assistance agreements with the
Government of Kenya against the socio-economic conditions of the Young People of
Kenya who ultimately are the ones who will have to repay Kenya’s debts and who have
the largest stake in the future of Kenya and its development.

The 7th Declaration: We declare that the Education System in Kenya does not
develop the best potential of the Young People of Kenya.

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 7.1 The Youth of Kenya declare the current content, management and
system of education in Kenya to be unsuitable for the development of the potential of
students and pupils, and call for the overhaul of the education system.

7.2 We call for a progressive and relevant content of education and a new
paradigm of education system management to bring to the core a significant role of
stakeholders in management of schools.

7.3 We commission the Young People of Kenya to offer leadership and

participate in the reform of the education policies of the Government of Kenya, and go
forth and take over the management of schools and other higher institutions of learning.

The 8th Declaration: We demand a new Truth Justice and Reconciliation process
that is inclusive and participatory and focused on justice for the victims of
historical injustices perpetrated by the State, State Agents and Agencies, and
during civil disturbances.

8.1 We demand a new Truth Justice and Reconciliation Bill as the Government of
Kenya sponsored Bill of 2008 is unacceptable and establishes a framework which shall
not address the fundamental goals of truth, justice and the punishment of impunity.

8.2 We call for a democratic and effective truth, justice and reconciliation
framework that will give justice to the victims, bring the perpetrators to account and end
impunity as a basis for reconciliation of communities and transformation of Kenya’s
governance system and structures

The 9th Declaration: We demand Land, Agrarian and Resource Allocation Reforms
and Governance Reforms

9.1 We recognize that conflict and the violence among and between our
communities are caused by a non-responsive and undemocratic state. We call for
radical land reforms, equitable distribution of resources including employment
opportunities and economic empowerment of communities especially the youth.

The 10th Declaration: We declare our commitment to the resolution of recurrent

conflicts in Kenya and the end of internal displacement of Kenyan citizens.

10.1 The National Youth Convention is committed to the resolution of the

recurrent conflicts that have plagued the Nation leading to the phenomenon of internal
displacement and declares its support and that of all Kenyan youths in assisting the
reconciliation, resettlement and conflict prevention efforts.

10.2 The Youth of Kenya call for the careful and detailed implementation of the
Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region and of the
Protocols thereof, as they offer an opportunity to entrench multi-culturalism and to
reduce endemic conflicts and persistent insecurity caused or aggravated by, inter alia,
economic stagnation and poverty aggravation, mistrust and suspicion between Kenyan
peoples, massive violations of human rights and other policies of exclusion and

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marginalization, gender inequality, use of violence for conquering and conserving power,
impunity of crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, illicit trafficking of
small arms and light weapons, proliferation of armed groups, organized crime and illegal
exploitation of natural resources.
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The 11th Declaration: We undertake to act as Youth Ambassadors in our
individual and collective personalities for the purpose of Reconciling our
Communities and Rebuilding our Nation.

11.1 We declare that as the youth of Kenya we shall henceforth begin the work
of reconciling our communities and constituencies.

11.2 We shall play the role of dialogue and peace ambassadors.

11.3 We shall work to mobilize our communities to achieve conflict prevention

and peace building.

The 12th Declaration: We call for affirmative action to address historically

disadvantaged parts of Kenya

12.1 The National Youth Convention calls for the constitutional anchorage of
affirmative action for Northern Kenya.

12.2 We call for a national development policy framework that will focus on
national capacity building of infrastructure and human potential, greater resource
allocation for institutional building, and the immediate repeal of all discriminative
constitutional, legal and administrative systems.

The 13th Declaration: We condemn Hate Mongers and Ethnic Chauvinists and
shall take Action against them as Enemies of Kenya’s National Cohesion and
Peaceful Co-Existence amongst Kenyans

13.1 We declare all hate mongers, ethnic chauvinists, including those who
discriminate against other Kenyans on the basis of ethnicity, religion or other social
bases, enemies of Kenya’s national cohesion and peaceful co-existence amongst
Kenyans.

13.2 We shall as the Young People of Kenya and the National Youth
Convention monitor and bring to justice, any and all propagators of tribalism, hate
speech and all forms of violence.

13.3 We shall as the Young People of Kenya and the National Youth
Convention not tolerate, and firmly stand against derogatory references to any Kenyan
or Kenyans and the use of stereotypes and hate speech wherever we encounter them

The 14th Declaration: We commit ourselves to providing Leadership and to take

certain Actions to ensure the Implementation of these Declarations of the
Extraordinary Session of the 4th National Youth Convention

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 14.1 National Youth Convention mandates youth representatives to table these
declarations at local, national and international forums AND in particular to the
government of Kenya.

14.2 The National Youth Convention elects therefore two representatives from
the 8 provinces – a young Woman and a Young Man in each – who together with the
NYCIV Preparatory Committee shall constitute the NYC 4 Working Group.

14.3 The NYCIV Working Group shall be responsible for the implementation of
ALL the Declarations and Resolutions reached by the Youth of Kenya at the
Extraordinary Session of the 4th National Youth Convention (NYCIV).

15. Resolutions Stood Down for Appropriate Amendments

15.1 Resolution on overhauling the HIV-AIDS control and management system

and strategy [stayed to be amended appropriately]

15.2 Resolution on the unconditional release of all youths arrested during

demonstrations against the controversial 2007 presidential results [stayed to be
amended appropriately]