INTRODUCTION

In our view, Independence means self-determination and self-government. To be independent, a Government must have the autonomy of making decisions capable of advancing the welfare of all it's citizens. A country is independent if the Government has the ultimate power of controlling the country's resources and has the political and economic scope of utilising these resources without foreign interference. We take the position that Kenya is not yet an independent country and that Kenyans are currently bound by the chains of neo-colonialism and imperialist domination.

As a result of insatiable greed for free raw materials and captive markets for cheap British products after the industrial revolution, Kenya was colonised by the British who used the Bible and the pretext of "civilising the natives" to enslave Wanachi, grab vast pieces of fertile land, exploit cheap labour and to plunder the country's vast economic and natural resources. These savage acts culminated in the colonization of our country by Britain. A colonial bureaucratic structure mainly comprising of chiefs and tribal head-men was quickly erected by the white colonialists to help consolidate their control over the lives of the colonised Wananchi.

The anti-colonialist armed struggle which broke out during the colonial revolution in Kenya in the early 1950's, and which was waged by the Land and Freedom Army (Mau Mau) under the astute command of Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi had, as it's principle task, the defeat of colonialism, the seizure of all land from the British land grabbers, the permanent seizure of political freedom and the establishment of economic independence. This was Mau Mau's revolutionary "Programme of action", a Programme which was also aimed at empowering Kenyans and putting the destiny of Kenya back on the hands of Wananchi. Unfortunately, this noble task of liberating the Nation from the fangs of thirsty British blood suckers ("white settlers") was never accomplished.

The colonial revolution was derailed because it was betrayed by home-guards, opportunists and reactionaries within and without the Mau Mau liberation movement. These dastards collaborated with the national enemy - the Colonial administration - to "negotiate" Kenya's independence, thereby laying the roots of neo-colonialism and imperialist domination under which more than 30 million Kenyans have and continue to suffer without recourse. We agree with every Kenyan who believes that it is "Not Yet Uhuru" (Not yet independence). We believe that all Kenyans who love their country have a duty to answer the historic call for the accomplishment of the “unfinished revolution” in our beloved Kenya.

In keeping with our rich heritage of resistance and struggle, and in the undying spirit of Mau Mau freedom fighters, Kenyans at home and abroad have continued to wage a protracted war against the diverse forces of imperialism in our country. These forces of plunder have, over the past 39 years, kept millions of Kenyans under mental and economic slavery, political and cultural dominance.

Underground liberation movements like Mwakenya, "clandestine" political parties, fighting organisations and other political groupings at home and in exile have formed an integral part of Kenya's history of resistance and struggle against both the Kenyatta and Moi dictatorships. These two dictatorships have represented and safeguarded imperialist interests in Kenya since the advent of "flag independence" in 1963.

The Kenya Socialist Democratic Alliance (KSDA) represents an Alliance of democratic forces whose main objective is the democratic overthrow of capitalism in Kenya and it's democratic replacement with a democratic socialist political system of Government. The Alliance seeks to popularise and establish an alternative socialist political thinking among the exploited, impoverished and poor majority of the Kenyan population whom alone, holds the means and the power to bring about revolutionary change necessary for Kenya's disentanglement from the political, social and economic quagmire in which the country is currently enmeshed.

Although an extremely rich country, Kenya's 39 years of experiment with capitalist ideas reads like a catalogue of huge political and economic catastrophes. Economic decline, run-away inflation, permanent unemployment, disintegration of the education system, breakdown of infrastructure, total collapse of the health care system, massive class differentiation, piling of foreign debts, abject poverty among the masses, high-level corruption by wealth grabbers, infectious land- grabbing by corrupt politicians and mafia-like political conspiracies by the wealthy capitalist ruling class are just but a few headlines in the "catalogue of political catastrophes" recorded during the Moi/KANU right-wing authoritarian dictatorship. We believe that a permanent solution to the crisis facing our country is deeply embedded in the superior ideas of Democratic socialism. Our task is to raise a strong socialist awareness/consciousness among Kenyan workers, peasants, students and the exploited majority in our country.

In the last decade, the collapse of Stalinist bureaucracies in the former Soviet Union and other Eastern block countries has probably been one of the most significant events in the International socialist movement. Events in the former Soviet Union not only undermined the ideas of socialism in the eyes of the International working class but also weakened the forces of socialism considerably. On the Kenyan front, many comrades in Kenya and abroad underwent through varying degrees of “ideological re-thinking”, a process which has since created significant changes and set backs in the course of the anti-imperialist struggle in our country.

The consequence of this change has, for example, seen some comrades betray the struggle by joining the Moi/KANU dictatorship while others are either collaborating with representatives of the national bourgeois in Kenya or have joined the bankrupted bourgeois opposition parties. A good number of resourceful comrades have also collapsed into passivity or isolated themselves by remaining politically unorganised. In the cause of time, KSDA will clarify the dynamic and complex character which the struggle against imperialism/neo- colonialism has assumed with the passage of time both at home and Internationally. Without such a clarification, it will be difficult to clear the confusion which has been brought about by the wreckage of the above mentioned historical developments.

We would like to encourage our readers to view this Programme as the general basis of our ideological thinking and political alternative. A good part of the Programme has already been published elsewhere in  documents which have, in the past, been circulated by Kenyan socialists who share in the revolutionary ideals of KSDA. We will also appreciate a critical reading of the Programme and welcome proposals and new ideas on how the document can be sharpened for maximum political impact and results. Our country must be free!

1.CAPITALIST PLUNDER, CLASS STRUGGLE AND A SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE IN KENYA
Following the collapse of Stalinism in the former Soviet Union and the toppling of Stalinist bureaucracies in Eastern Europe in the early 90s, the new decade was greeted by a barrage of capitalist media propaganda declaring "socialism is dead- capitalism is triumphant". A new "World order" was pronounced. In recent times, mass unemployment and sky-rocketing prices have accompanied the re- introduction of capitalism in the states of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The economies of most of the Western world are in a crisis while in the so called "Third world", the horrors of wars, poverty, starvation and deprivation have confined millions into lives of misery and untold human suffering. Millions of workers and youth internationally are questioning the "triumph" of a system which is daily destroying their lives by depriving them of jobs and destroying their families.

CAPITALIST PLUNDER
In Kenya, the Euphoria which greeted the repeal of section 2A of the KANU constitution has evaporated. The fragmented bourgeois opposition parties have failed to put forward a political alternative to capitalism in Kenya. As the country lurches from one crisis to another, Imperialism continues to play a dominant role in the exploitation of the 30 million plus Kenyans and the plunder of the country's natural and economic resources. The greed for profit by multi-national companies has sustained the production of sub-standard goods in the country and devastation of the environment. The rich owners of production and distribution facilities are responsible to nobody but themselves.

Since the advent of political pluralism in Kenya in the early 90s, three multi party elections have taken place while 45 political parties have also emerged. Illusions that had been created in the minds of Kenyans during the “second liberation” that political pluralism is the solution to the crisis in Kenya have all evaporated in the face of an ever rising unemployment, spiralling poverty, total collapse of health and education system, disintegration of infrastructure, rising domestic debt  and a host of breakdowns necessitated by the rotten capitalist system. Despite the presence of 45 political parties and the entry of bourgousie opposition in the country’s politics more than a decade ago, there is still no solution to tribalism while no party is putting forward a viable alternative to capitalism which, from our position, is the real problem.

With a Parliamentary majority gained through rigging of the first multi-party elections in 1992, the KANU Dictatorship continued to pass laws for the purpose of protecting the corrupt property owners as a group. Decisions were made, not to improve the lives of the suffering majority in Kenya but to consolidate the wealth of the minority who own the means of production in the country. The gap between the rich and the poor therefore continued to widen.

CLASS STRUGGLE
The irreconcilable antagonism of class interests in Kenya manifests itself in a class struggle between those who possess but do not produce and those who produce but do not possess. It is the labour of the Kenyan workers that creates the profits which makes the capitalist rich.. The Kenya Socialist Democratic Alliance holds that as long as the exploiters continue to live on the sweat of the exploited, there will never be freedom, democracy and justice in Kenya. The different interests between the exploited and exploiting classes will continue to sustain the class struggle because this arrangement is inherent in any class system. KSDA takes the position that the antagonism of class interests in Kenya can only be abolished by the emancipation of the working class; by the conversion into the common property of society of the means of production and distribution and their democratic control by workers. As long as the ownership of the means of production and distribution rests with the minority capitalist class, the antagonism of interests between the rich and the poor, "the haves" and the "have nots" in Kenya will continue to exist. This antagonism forms the basis of future political and social explosions in Kenya.

A SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE
The capitalist class in Kenya will not give up its privileged position voluntarily and will continue to use all state apparatus at its disposal for the administration of the Kenyan society as it exists today and in the interest of the ruling class. The working class in Kenya, through an alliance with peasants, students and the vast army of unemployed must therefore organise consciously and politically for the conquest of the powers of Government. This will enable the huge oppressive machinery of the Capitalist state to be converted from an instrument of oppression into an agent of emancipation and the overthrow of capitalist class rule. Subsequently, this will open the way for the replacement of the capitalist class system of Government by a system of common ownership of the production, distribution and exchange facilities.

2. THE STATE
*Abolition of the Provincial administration and its replacement with democratically elected worker's committees to manage the provinces.
*Disbandment and retraining of the current police force. Community control over police through democratically elected local authority police committees. These committees to have control over distribution of weapons strictly based on proven need.
*Establishment of a police complaints procedure as an immediate step towards checking the excesses of indisciplined police officers.
*Dismantling of the Capitalist secret police and other political police used by the State to torture and murder innocent Kenyan citizens.
*The armed forces to have both Trade union and voting rights.
*For a Socialist Republic of Kenya as part of a world socialist federation.

3.THE ECONOMY
*Abolition of the "Market economy" in favour of a Planned integrated Socialist economy.
*Nationalisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange. These are to be owned by the State and workers organisations formed around co-operative institutions.
*Nationalisation of the banks, insurance companies, major factories and industries, all natural resources and communication establishments.
*Termination of all exploitative economic activities of foreign nationals whose interests are in direct contradiction with the concept of national economic independence and progress.
*Confiscation by the State of all wealth stolen from Kenyans and the institution of an extensive anti-corruption crusade on a national scale.
*Institution of an intense campaign against unemployment.
*Abolition of IMF and World Bank imposed programmes.
*The building of an independent national economy on the basis of modern and scientific methods of production.
*Taxation according to income and heavy punishment against economic crimes.

4.LAND
*Nationalisation of all land in Kenya. This will help in maximum utilization of fertile land for agricultural production through mechanization and other scientific methods.
*All land grabbed by greedy politicians to be reclaimed by the state without compensation.
*Total ban on eviction of Kenyans from occupied land wherever they may have settled, resettlement of all landless Kenyans and extensive land re-distribution to their tillers.
*Encouragement of collective peasant land holdings around co-operative structures for effective mechanisation and diversification of agriculture.
*Reclamation of land in arid and semi-arid areas through a net-work of irrigation projects and irrigation schemes. Control of soil erosion through modern scientific methods.
*Maximum utilization of all idle and fertile land for agricultural production and in the spirit of food sufficiency for the mass of the population.

5.EDUCATION
*Free education to all pupils and students and the granting of tax-free allowances to students of universities and other institutions of higher learning.
*Abolition of all private educational institutions. These are to be taken over by the state to be restructured to meet the educational needs of all Kenyans.
*Establishment of high standards of scientific research in institutions of higher learning, introduction of advanced science and technology and encouragement of creative co-operation among Kenyan scientists and technicians.
*All children of pre-school age to be maintained in nursery schools at state expense.
*Construction of universities and polytechnics in all districts and massive increase in Government spending on public education.
*Compulsory education for all Kenyans up to form four level.
*Abolition of the 8-4-4 system of education and it's replacement with the 7-4-2 system before entry to university.
*School curriculum to be worked out by democratically elected committees of students, teachers and the wider community.
*Teaching of politics, Kenya's true history and ideological education in schools to new generation of Kenyans. This will make them steadfast revolutionaries who will fight for society and the working people.
*Corporal punishment in schools to be banned by law.
*Swahili to be the official medium of instruction in institutions of learning

6.HEALTH CARE
*Nationalisation of all private hospitals, dental and private clinics. This will put to a permanent end the exploitation of Kenyans by greedy medical practitioners.
*Free medical care for all Kenyans including optical care.
*Increased Government spending on health expenditure geared towards improving and expanding public hospitals and making them more effective.
*Emphasis to be made on preventative health care. The state to increase resources for medical research.
*Compuslory sex, drug and AIDS education programmes in schools and the broader Kenyan community.
*Nationalisation of the pharmaceutical industry so that research can be co- ordinated and geared towards health needs and not profits.

7.PUBLIC TRANSPORT
*Nationalisation of all public transport to be put under democratic workers control and management. This will end exploitation of commuters, the tendency of putting profits before human lives and control road accidents.
*Electrification of Kenya Railways and construction of new Railway networks throughout Kenya.
*Nationalisation of private driving schools, building of modern highways and up- grading of road safety standards.
*Massive expansion and modernisation of Kenyan harbours to conform with international safety standards.
*Creating of competent car inspection centres with accountable Boards of management under democratic workers control.

8.HOUSING
*Abolition of land-lordism in housing.
*Launching of a nation-wide housing scheme to combat housing shortage and inhygienic living conditions.
*Construction of modern houses complete with recreational facilities but devoid of "servant quarters" which are a symbol of man to man exploitation.

9.ENERGY
*Electrification of the whole country, construction of new hydro-electric power stations, development of solar energy and Geothermal power stations.
*Research and development of energy sources. Research and technical development and production will be aimed at basing energy systems, (as far as possible) on lasting, renewable and native energy sources, on efficient resource utilization and on environment-friendly energy technology.
*Polution of soil, air and water from energy systems must minimised.

10.CULTURE
*Total opposition to cultural imperialism in Kenya in favour of a national revolutionary culture geared towards improving the creative ability of Kenyan workers, peasants, students and other oppressed mass of the population.
*Indigenous languages to be developed and protected from extinction. Development of Swahili as the official national language. The art of translation of languages in Kenya to be perfected for purposes of cross-cultural communication.
*Provision of adequate and modern cultural facilities in various institutions around Kenya and encouragement of creative Kenyans to produce revolutionary literature and art of high ideological and artistic value.
*Total war against illiteracy and technical ignorance through compulsory education and adult literacy programmes, campaign against mysticism, superstition and other forms of cultural backwardness.
*Eradictaion of tribalism through; conscious and systematic attack on "ethnic politics" with "class politics"; fierce ideological battle against imperialist tactic of divide and conquer; criminalisation of ethnic-based appointment of public officials and intensification of cross-ethnic and inter-cultural mass education.
*Popularisation of physical culture and sport among Kenyans through building of sports complexes and cultural centres in urban and rural areas in Kenya.
*Strengthening creative co-operation among Kenyan scientists, technicians and producers; improving and expanding existing scientific and technological research institutions as a means of promoting a culture of innovation and discovery among Kenyan scientists.
*Reclamation of archaeological, historical and cultural artefacts stolen from Kenya by Imperialist powers.
*Promotion of indigenous film and theatre industry in Kenya.

11.HUMAN RIGHTS
*Democratic rights and liberties of all citizens to be guaranteed by the state. Citizens to be guaranteed freedom of speech, conscience, assembly, association, opinion, demonstration, religious beliefs, press among others.
*The state to guarantee conditions for the free activity of democratic political parties and social organisations.
*Abolition of torture of suspects in police custody, murder of prisoners in Kenya's prisons, unlawful arrests and detentions in Kenya.
*Kenyans to have the right to free medical care, free education and the right to engage in scientific, literary and artistic pursuits.
*Kenyans to have the right to work, relaxation and privacy.

12.DEFENCE.
*Abolition of the standing army to be replaced by an Armed People's Defence Force.
*Compulsory military service of all able-bodied Kenyans at the age of 18.
*A self-reliant defence system based on the concept of arming the entire people, fortifying the country and training the army into a cadre army.
*Scrapping of all foreign military bases in Kenya and abolition of all military treaties and pacts which are incompatible with the idea of national sovereignty.
*Establishment of a national military academy for the purpose of equipping the army and the people politically and ideologically.

13.WOMEN
*An end to the oppression and discrimination of women in the labour market, politics, economics, social and cultural life.
*All existing laws, regulations, tribal customs and practices which are oppressive and discriminatory against women in Kenya to be abolished.
*Child marriage and betrothal of girls under the age of 18 to be prohibited by law. Exploitation of women through prostitution to be prohibited through legislation.
*Women to be entitled to vote in all elections on equal terms with men. They shall participate in the formulation of Government policy and in organisations and associations concerned with public and political life in Kenya.
*Programmes for girls and women who have left school prematurely to be developed by KSDA to reduce female school drop-out rates. Women to have access to educational information, including information and advice on family planning as a way of ensuring good health and the well-being of families.
*Women to have the right to employment, job security and all benefits and conditions of service.
*The health and safety of women in working conditions to be protected by law. Dismissal of women from work on the basis of pregnancy, maternity leave or marital status to be prohibited.
*KSDA to develop a net-work of child health care facilities to enable parents to combine family obligations with work responsibilities and participation in public life.
*Women to be incorporated in development planning at all levels. They will have equal treatment in inheritance schemes. They will be encouraged to participate in the political process in Kenya and to influence political decisions likely to affect the family and the overall economic, political and cultural well-being of all women in Kenya.

14.WORKERS
*Abolition of man to man exploitation. All workers to be employed by the state. Workers to have just and safe conditions of work.
*Workers to have the freedom of association in national and international organisations for the protection of their national and economic interests.
*All workers to be entitled to fair remuneration sufficient for a decent standard of living for themselves and their families.
*Workers to have the right to collectively bargain for their terms of work. They will have access to vocational training for the advancement of themselves in their specific occupations suited to their personal aptitudes and interests.
*Workers to be entitled to the highest standards of living and health attainable. Their dependants to be entitled to social security. *KSDA to formulate policies with regard to wages and earnings, hours of work and other conditions of work to ensure a just share of the fruits of progress to all and a minimum living wage to all workers.
*There will be co-ordination of management and labour under democratic workers control in the continuous improvement of productive efficiency and the collaboration among workers in the preparation and application of social and economic measures.
*Workers to have a comprehensive medical care, adequate protection for their work and health in their occupations, provision of adequate nutrition, housing and facilities for recreation and culture.
*Journeys of workers from and to their places of work to be made at the expense of the administration.
*Workers to have the right to go on strike and the right to organise independently.
*All workers to be entitled to sickness benefits, invalidity benefits, old age benefits, employment injury benefit, unemployment and family benefit. The right to these benefits shall be inviolable and shall be protected by law.

15.TRADE UNIONS
*Workers to have the right to form or join trade unions of their choice.
*Trade unions to have the right to form national federations and the right to join international trade union organisations.
*Trade unions to have the right to institute national industrial strike actions as a means of maintaining maximum possible strength of the unions in defence of jobs, living standards, services and opposition to privatisations.
*Trade unions to be free from state control. Opposition to secrete negotiations between Union representatives and Employers. Environmental health and safety of workers to be regularly monitored by Unions.
*Trade union leaders to be regularly and democratically elected by workers, be subject to immediate recall and paid no more than the average wage of a skilled worker.

16.CHILDREN
*All children will be entitled to free education, free medical care and the right to receive and disseminate information.
*Education of children to be directed towards the development of the child's personality, talents, mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential.
*Children shall have the right to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child.
*Mentally or physically disabled children will be entitled to a decent life, in conditions which ensure dignity, promote self reliance and facilitate the child's active participation in the community.
*Children separated from their parents will have personal relations and direct contacts with both parents on a regular basis.
*All children will have the right to identity. Adopted children will be entitled to know the circumstances regarding their adoption while all street children will be rehabilitated and prepared for productive life in society.
*Sexual harassment of children will be banned by law.
*No child will be sent to prison. Child offenders will be admitted to children's rehabilitation centres.
*The state shall have the right to take care of children who have suffered mistreatment from their parents.
*Child labour shall be banned by law. All children will be taught about their rights and freedoms in schools.
*Children will have a complaints ombudsman where they can report mistreatment or harassment.

17.THE YOUTH
*To have access to technical and university education and access to employment, all in accordance with individual ability and diligence.
*To have the right to vocational guidance aimed at helping the youth choose occupations suited to their personal aptitudes and interests.
*To have the right to get organised in a union at school, college or at work and the right to participate in politics.
*To have the right to vote at elections and to stand for elections at the age of 18.
*To have the right to freely participate at all levels of decision-making in elective institutions, administrative and other bodies responsible for policies and programmes which concern the youth in Kenya.

18.DISABLED
*Disabled persons shall be treated equally and with dignity as other Kenyans.
*Disabled persons will be entitled to proper medical care, physical therapy, education in special institutions and rehabilitation.
*Disabled persons will be guaranteed economic security and the right to work in suitable occupations and to their fullest potential.
*Families of disabled persons to have voluntary and free special training to help them cope or solve problems of coexistence.
*The state shall encourage the establishment of social groups in which disabled persons can be helped to enjoy a fuller and satisfying life.
*Disabled persons to have the possibility to participate in community life. They will be protected from abuse and other ill or degrading treatment.
*Efforts will be made by KSDA to rehabilitate disabled persons in Kenya and to help them develop their potential to the maximum possible levels.

19. NATIONAL HEROES
*Adequate compensation to surviving Mau Mau freedom fighters and families of heroes who lost their lives during and after the colonial revolution.
*Building of monuments in honour of fallen heroes who waged a protracted armed struggle against British colonialists.
*Exhumation of the remains of Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi from Kamiti maximum security prison for a respectable State burial and the declaration of 8th February (Kimathi's date of execution) a public holiday in Kenya.

20.THE MEDIA
*KSDA to abolish the current dictatorship of the capitalist media in Kenya.
*Newspaper printing facilities, radio and Television will be nationalised and put under democratic workers control.
*The Kenyan media to be run by democratically accountable boards of representatives from workers unions and the Government.
*Access to media facilities to be given to political parties in proportion to their support at elections.
*The freedom of press in Kenya to be guaranteed in the constitution.

21.THE ENVIRONMENT
*An end to the destruction of the Kenyan and world environment by big business.
*Immediate implementation of steps to halt and reverse global worming. This must include total ban on the ozone-depleting Chloroflourocarbons (CFC's.)
*For safe and humane food production under workers and consumer's control.
*The improvement of all aspects of environmental and industrial hygiene.
*For recycling of waste and an end to the dumping of toxic and dangerous waste on land or sea.
*An end to acquisition of short term profits at the expense of the environment.

22.INTERNATIONAL
*To support the revolutionary struggles of workers, peasants and all the oppressed in Africa, Asia, Latin America and other parts of the world.
*To support the International working class movement and the unification of the African continent around the idea of a United Socialist African Federation.
*To work in solidarity with revolutionary socialist movements, workers organisations and political parties across the world which recognise and appreciate the necessity of all forms of struggle (including armed struggle) against imperialism and neo- colonialism in both the advanced capitalist countries and the ex-colonial world respectively.