ODM party leader Oburu Oginga has defended the progress made under the 10-Point Agenda, saying the framework was designed to strengthen the broad-based government rather than create it.
Speaking during the presentation of the implementation report at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi on Tuesday, Oginga said the agenda will continue beyond its anniversary and up to 2027 as it focuses on improving the livelihoods of Kenyans.
Addressing a joint parliamentary session, he said the broad-based government arrangement predates the signing of the 10-Point Agenda and should not be interpreted as being dependent on it.
“I want to inform the country that broad-based government started long before the 10-Point agenda,” he said. “Therefore, it cannot depend on the 10-Point agenda. The 10-Point agenda was meant to strengthen the broad-based arrangement.”
He explained that March 7, which had been widely referenced in relation to the agenda, was not the end of the framework but rather an anniversary marking when the agreement was signed.
“The seventh of March was not the end of the broad-based arrangement. The broad-based arrangement goes up to 2027,” Oginga said. “The seventh of March was marking the beginning or the date when this 10-Point agenda was signed. It was an anniversary and also to give us the interim report of the progress of implementation.”
According to the ODM leader, the initiatives outlined in the agenda are long-term and will continue to guide governance reforms and social programs beyond the current reporting period.
“As you can see, the 10-Point agenda which we have been taken through is something which cannot end. It is something which will continue from today. It will continue into 2027 and it will go on because it concerns the daily livelihoods of Kenyans,” he said.
Oginga also addressed concerns about police conduct during public demonstrations, emphasizing the need for professionalism within the security sector while respecting constitutional rights.
“If our Constitution allows demonstrations, let them be allowed to demonstrate, but demonstrate according to the law,” he said. “We must be a law-abiding society, and those who violate the law or the Constitution should be punished.”
He added that the government intends to compensate victims of past protests, while acknowledging that financial compensation cannot fully replace lives lost.
“We are going to compensate those who lost their lives. Compensation of life is not something which you can do. You cannot replace a life,” he added. “It is just to give some solace to the people who lost their loved ones and for those who were injured in those demonstrations.”
Oginga further praised infrastructure development initiatives under the agenda, describing them as key drivers of economic transformation.
“Infrastructure is the game changer for the whole world,” he said, adding that expanding transport networks and opening up marginalized regions such as northern Kenya could unlock economic opportunities through agriculture, livestock and mineral resources.