The forthcoming general election could produce the shocking and surprise results for some of the parliamentary hopefuls in some of the electoral constituencies.
There Are clear indications on the ground that the four MPs who inckluded Dalmas Otieno [Rongo}{ John Pesa{Migori} Edick Omondi Anyanga {Nyatike} and Cyprian Ojwang’Omolo would be much comfortable in the defence for their seats due to varied reasons.
The Migori County has received two extra additional parliamentary seats, which were created by the IEBC and endorsed by an act of Parliament. The new electoral areas included Awendo which was curved out of the old Rongo and Migori West which was curved out of the old Migori constituency.
The two Migori constituencies will now share the voters in the vote rich Migori town in two halves.
The new parliamentary boundary alignment has placed the incumbent John Pesa virtually in Migori East.
Pesa will now face it off with the frmer Migori MP Charles Oyugi Owino {Jalikowa}, a Nairobi businessman Peter Jobando, One Ogutu and other. appeared to be comfortable in his effort to retain the seat. He has a very attractive track record of fair and equitable disbursement of the CDF and other government revolving fund meant for the development of Migori constituency and is expected to sail through with a lot of easiness.
In the neighboring URIRI Constituency, the incumbent MP is the colorless Cyprian Ojwang’ Omolo the man who never made his maiden speech in the 10th parliament, perhaps due to humble primary school academic background.
Ojwang’ Omolo, however, might escape the wrath of the voters and return to parliament due to lack of any credible and effective opponent at the constituency level.
He is facing no serious challengers among the from half dozen of aspirants vying for the seat.
His strongest challenger is Eng Kobado a former Principal, of the Railways Training School who hails from Kanyamkago Central and is considered as an indigent. Another rival who is posing threat to Cyprian Omolo is Dr.Ongwara, who reuns a medic training school in Kisumu. Dr Ongwara, however, is considered as an outsider.He is an immigrant from Karachuonyo, only recently settled in the area ,and lacked the clans’ backing in Uiriri. He is also being accused of associating himself with political goons. He is always in the company of drunken political hecklers.
Another aspirant vying for Uriri seat is a Nairobi based accountant by profession John Boby Awiti-Otange. But the candidate seemed to be much of urbanized character, though highly intelligent and enlightened, his candidature has yet to pick up and attract large following.
Another Mombasa based business tycoon Paul Odhiambo is also in the race, but he is being accused of feeding rowdy youths with Chang’aa. He too has yet to make any impact in the constituency. He has yet to make an impact and developed sufficient following, though he is relying on his d
All the indications are that Cyprian Ojwang’ Omolo could easily retain his seat due to lack of any credible and strong challenge.dominant Kawere sub-clan of the Jo-Kanyamkago group.
IN the neighboring Awendo constituency which is also new and was curved out of the old Rongo, six aspirants will battle it out. They included the former senior KRA official Jude Ayieko, Seth Okoth, Fred Kopiyo the former Principal og \gasmba High School, Eric Oyoo an executive with an NGO in Mombasa, John Walter Sirawa, the manager of Gillies Security Company, Dr Abwao, and Joseph Owuor, the current Personal Assistant to |Dalmas Otieno, the Minister for Public Service and others.
Awendo constituency politics are based on Sugar Cane and tobacco farming. The agriculturally rich area has the potential of becoming the hubs of food production in the region.However, farmers tend to lay great emphasize in cane farming for quick return of money
In Rongo it is yet to be made clear whether the incumbent Dalmas Otieno is gong to defend his seat or not, but there are a large number of aspirants vying for the same seat. They included Eng.Phillip Odero Makabong’o, Mr Abuor Ojwando and others.
Reports emerging from Nyatike constituency says the incumbednt Edick Omodi Anyanga, could easily retain his seat wing to his attractive track of development and lack of the resourceful opponent.
Kisumu CITY, which in the year 1969 set the political history by voting in the first woman who was popularly elected MP, is set to repeat the same history by voting a woman to Parliament under the new constitutional dispensation.
In 1965 the lake side town picked Mrs Grace Aketch Onyango as the first woman Mayor in Kenya. The City repeated the same achievement by voting overwhelmingly in favor of Mrs Grace Aketch Onyango as the first woman MP in the 1969 general election on a KANU ticket. Mrs Onyango thereafter represented Kisumu for the next 22 years.
From the face of things Mrs Rosa Buyu, a Nairobi-based business woman who has a family root in Bondo like the previous MP Grace Onyango, is set to become the next MP for Kisumu Town West under the newly realigned parliamentary constituency which was curved out of the Kisumu Toiwn West, now Kisumu Central.
The incumbent MP is John Olago Aluoch, a prominent Kisumu lawyer. In 2007 Mrs Buyu is believed to have beaten Olago Aluoch hands down during the ODM nomination, but her she was robbed of election victory through rigging by some ODM operatives who wanted to sideline her because of her family relations with the Prime Minister Raila Odinga. However, Odinga remained non-committed and neutral through out the hotly contest ODM election battle between Buyu and Aluoch.
Rosa Buyu is the daughter of Kisumu business magnate the late Mzee Parick Onyango Ochang, the former proprietor of the Nyataya Bus Company. Her father for many years was the confidant of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
The new regional Kisumu west constituency now comprises exclusively rural locations which were previously included in the Kisumu Rural constituency and part of Kisumu town and its environs like Nyahera, Ojola, Chula-Yimbo and Karateng’ and Kiboswa.
The majority of the residents of these rural Locations are the indigenous people jo-Kisumo.Although Mrs Buyu has a family root in Bondo, she is married to a Mr Randiak of Kadawa Kisumo near Holo market. Her mother in-law Mrs Dorothy Randiek is the former trusted sister of the late Roberet John Ouko, the slain former Kenya’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and international Cooperation who died in February 1990.
The residents of these rural locations are the indigenous jo-Kisumu, while the outgoing MP Olago Aluoch is a member of the Jo-Kanyakwar an immigrant clan whose roots could be traced in Alego Siaya.
An eloquent speaker in both English and Dho-Luo vernacular, Mrs Buyu is a graduate of Nairobi University is so popular with rural folks and women as well as youth. She is a resourceful and generous lady who is reported to have been assisting many families in distress and need of school fees and other problems.
The beautiful Rosa Buy is a wit and unbeatable in a political platform. She has displayed her ability to mobilize the crowds during her recent appearances in a number of funeral homes within the Jo-Kisumo sub-clans.
Olago Aluoch, however, is credited for having been the most effective defender of Raila Odinga both inside and outside parliament, but he should have been advised to defend his own parliamentary seat in Kisumu Central, an area comprising mainly residents of the peri-urban areas of \nalenda,|Pand-pieri, kibuye, Obunga, Kondele and the Central Business district [CBD} instead of going for the Kisumu West seat.
Olago Aluoch tenure is shrouded with multiple accusation of poor disbursement of CDF and other government revolving money, the worse being the school bursary fund, where mothers of the poor students seeking bursary for their children have allegedly being asked for sexual favors before their children could be issued with the bursary fund, money which is always ranges between 3,000 and 4,000 not exceeding Kshs 5,000 , Whereas in the neighboring Kisumu Town East constituency the incumbent MP Shakeel Ahmed Shabir is credited for being so generous in giving out busary money for the needy students ranging from Kshs 10,000 and above.
Olago Aluoch is facing other allegations of having sidelined the indignant Jo-Kisumo people and having engaged outsiders to man the CDF and constituency offices, most of the managers are people from Siaya, South Nyanza, Migori and Rachuonyo with none from among the jo-Kisumu.
These outsiders are being accused of having vandalized the revolving funds and converted the money for personal use in total disregards to the plight of the electorate.
These are some of the major issues which are likely to dominate the campaign in Kisumu Town West. Mrs Buyu is said to have used her own resources helping the students from poor families. She is also unlike Olago Aluoch is accessible both in Kisumu and in Nairobi.
In just about 2 months, Kenya will hold elections to elect her 4th president.
In the last elections, there was bloodshed, death was galore, and property destruction was rampant because of actions of your children, the citizen and the politiciians.
This time the stakes are higher. Very high oh God.
If Uhuru Kenyatta & William Ruto lose, they will not only have to deal with being out of the center of Kenya’s politics for the next five years, but they will also be going to The Hague, at The ICC, in the Netherlands dear God. Give them Your Courage to face this truth with Your Humilty and with Your Grace to accept defeat without bitterness and irrational dispalcement of anger. Oh God, upon defeat at the ballot, prevail upon their supporters and fundamentalists to put Kenya first, and their personal, tribal, or regional interest last.
If Raila Odinga & Kalonzo Musyoka lose, they will not only deal with the loss of an election but the reality of not being at the center of power, and perhaps out of Kenya’s politics for ever. Let us hear them clearly tell their supporters that they will accept the outcome of the results as announced by the IE&BC and not “If the elections are free and fair.” Give them your Grace and Humilty to accept to become mere citizen in this your land we call Kenya. Oh God, upon defeat at the ballot, prevail upon their supporters and fundamentalists to put Kenya first, and their personal, tribal, or regional interest last.
Oh God, give both camps, and all tribes, and all regions your Wisdom to recognize the majic of diversifying and investing their political interest in the whole country, by allowing their kin, or tribesmen and women to join diffent parties, so we do not get a government of two or 6 tribes against others.
As for all the other candidates Oh God, Bless them to hold their own, or better still use then uniquely to help decide this election peacefully. In particular Oh God, Bless Martha Karua, Ole Kiyapi, Musalia Mudavadi, Eugene Wamalwa, Peter Kenneth, and Raphael Tuju who may all be in the ballot.
Bless all politicians all Oh God, but annoint only one to be our forth president in a clear and decissive way, for we dont want a close election.
Lastly, Bless this prayer Oh God, to be shared, to reach and touch the hearts of all stake holders, particularly the fundamentalists in either camps, or those without afficialtion.
———- Forwarded message
From: salome oyugi
Date: Thu, Dec 20, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Subject: VOTER EDUCATION LITERATURE
Attention:Mr Boniface Mutua
Good-Morning Mr. Mutua..
As previously discussed please find the above herewith.You will find useful information on the framework for elections and key questions that would normally arise from Voters.
I look forward to a meeting with you whereof we may be able to discuss future engagements towards the election day.
Confusion together with booing, jeering marred the launching of ODM secretary general and Medical Services Prof. Anyang Nyongo’s bid for Kisumu County Senatorship.
Coupled with that five Members of Parliament drawn from the entire Kisumu County which he purports to want to represent skipped the event that was staged at the Kisumu Kenyatta Sports Ground and attended by outsiders namely Ministers James Orengo and Paul Otuoma.
The MPs who included Ochieng Diama (Nyakach), Fred Outa (Nyando), Olago Aluoch (Kisumu Town West) and Prof. Ayiecho Olweny (Muhoron) all failed to attend without any apology.
Only Shakeel Shabir (Kisumu Town East) showed up briefly and left before the function kicked off, Nyongo was also not in sight to see him off.
The absence of the MPs even though they were all invited left many supporters of the medical minister wondering whether they approve of his candidature.
During his speech Prof. Nyongo failed to show cause why his colleagues had given his launch a wide berth.
Some of the aspiring candidates for the same post include Eng. Ocholla Ogoda and Eng. Otieno Odongo.
AN ODM MP IN MIGORI COUNTY IS FACING A TRICKY LEGAL COURT CASE WHICH COULD LOCK HIM OUT OF THE PARLIAMETARY CONTEST.
Writes Bob Ndira-Uradi in Migori Town
An outgoing ODM MP in Migori County is likely to face a tricky civil court case, which could easily lock him out of the parliamentary contest under the Chapter Six of the new constitution unless the matter is resolved in time before the official IEBC nominations.
Cyprian Ojwang’ Omolo, the Uriri MP owed a butchery operator at a local Rapogi Market a colossal amount of money to the tune of Kshs 220,000 for the meat which he and his supporters are reported to have consumed during and thereafter the 2007 general elections.
Omolo owed a businessman Mr Benard Otieno Jobando the sums of Kshs 220,000 which owed the trader at a local Market, which is located near near the MP’s rural home in North Kanyamkago Uriri district, within Migori County.
In a terse demanding note,a Migori –based lawyer S.Odingo has written to the MP giving him an ultimatum to clear the outstanding debt of Kshs 220,000 plus the legal cost of Ksh 20,000 and an interests accrued of Kshs.11,000.
According to the letter written on December 11, 2012 and posted by hand delivery to the MP’s home, the lawyer wrote.”With due respect, we do refer to the above matter and to our letter dated the 17th September 2010 and reference SOO/MIG/DN/BOJ/2010, the content which are well within your knowledge.’
‘You will appreciate that your letter has gone unanswered for years, neither have there been any communications from your side to our client.’
NOTE THAT we are on the verge of instituting same in court of law for determination bearing in mind that the said claimed amount had definitely risen because the interests and costs have accrued.
In light of the above, kindly make the payment of the said amount of Khs 220,000/- plus costs of Kshs 20,000/- and interest of Kshs 11,000/- to our client through this office for onward transmission to him within 7 days from the date thereof.” Says the lawyer’s letter in part.
The Uriri MP could not be reached in time for his comment over the matter.But the complainant Mr Benard Oteno Jobando, who runs a butchery at the local Rapogi Trading Center has confirmed that his effort to approach the MP to offset the debt, which has been outstanding for close to five year have httherock. At first he said the MP had threatened him with a counter legal suit if he persisted with claims when he first raised the matter with his lawyer.
The MP then gave him kshs 10.000 and told him to be patient and that he would settle the bill in due course.
Ends
Here are two copies. One is from a cheque issued by the Uriri Mp in September 2010 in respect for payment for Kshs 220,000 to a butchery oowner which bounced and for which has never paid to cover the debt. Second is a terse letter from the businessman’s lawyer giving the MP an ultimatum to pay the debt within 7 days or face court action.
The moment we have all been waiting for is finally here !
Voter registration in Rwanda will kick off tomorrow the 14th December 2012 at the Kenya High Commission Chancery, Kacyiru, from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm. This exercise will close on the 23rd December 2012.
Please bring your Kenyan ID card and Passport. Kindly circulate this message widely.
The Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ is among the seasoned Luo politicians in Nyanza who are said to be in great panick following the recent entry into the Homa-Bay County Senate seat contest by the youthful and populist challenger Hilary Ochieng’ Alila.
Kajwang’ who is the outgoing MP for Mbita and a closer confidant of the ODM leader Raila Odingahas shifted his political camp from Mbita to Homa-Bay Town and declared that he would not defend his parliamentary seat next March. Instead he is contesting the Homa-Bay County Senate seat.
Fears and discontent persist in many constituencies that many aspirants for the various elective seats within the County governance, parliament, senate, governorship and county ward representatives could be locked out of the race during the ODM nominations exercises, which are known not to be free and fair.
Such fears still persist despite the repeated assurances given by the party leader Raila Odinga that ODM nominations will be free and fair.Many aspirants are suspicious that the nomination certificates will be issued through the back door, and that certain individuals earmarked as favored candidate could get their clearance certificates from the back door.
He recent power-sharing arrangement between the Luos and Kuria communities in Migori County has fueled such fear because the majority of the would be candidates have made it clear that they have never heard of the negotiated democracy, and have urged the ODN leadership to allowed those who have spent enormous resources in the campaign to go into the ballot boxes with their opponents instead of what they termed as ”primitive and unworkable negotiated democxracy”.
It appears as if the contest for the highly valued Homa-Bay Senate seat would be a two horse-race between Kajwang’ and the youthful Alila.
JKajwang’s fears aroused from the trip made by the Prime Minister Raila Odinga to Ndhiwa constituency during the recently conclude by-election to fill the vacant Ndhiwa seat left by the death of the former incumbent the late Joshua Orwa Ojode.
During the tour, the Prime Minister flew in one chopper with Alila and later traversed the full length width of the expansive Ndhiwa constituency, an act which sparked a lot of rumors and speculation the local immediately went into high notch of rumor that Alila is the favorite aspirant for the Homa–Bay Senate seat.
It got worse for Kajwang’ when Alila appeared at the controversial ODM Mashinani rally held in Homa-Bay town.He was mobbed by the enthusiastic crowd and given an arousing ovation and praise. The meeting was convened by Kajwang’ in his capacity as the chairman of the ODM Homa-Bay County branch.Other MPs who attended the rally included Eng James Rege {Karachuonyoi} Joseph Oyugi Magwanbga {Kasipul-Kabondo} and Martin OItieno Ogindo {Rangwe} The nominated M P Millie Odhiambo attended the meeting briefly, but only after the fracas in which scores of people sustain knives wounds and other bodily injuries.
From the looks of things Otieno Kajwang’ appeared to have been scared by the standing ovation that greeted the arrival of his challenger Hilary Alila whom also addressed the rally and urged the voters to go for the energetic and youthful aspirants.
The Homa-ay is covering the widest area which included seven parliamentary constituencies, which included Mbita, Gwassi, Ndhiwa, Rangwe Karachuonyo, Homa-Bay Town, Kasipul and Kabondo Kasipul.
After the Ndhiwa tour by Raila Odinga in the company of Alila the rumor-mongers went into full gear spreading that Alila is the most favorite candidate by “Jakom’, But so far Kajwang’ has had no chance of clearing the waves of this miking it appear credible of rumors and speculation leaving the room for the voters to make their own intelligence guesswork.
However, a good number of ODM leaders who attended the rowdy Mashinani rally in Homa-Bay town last month which ended in scor of people being injured with knives stabs and other missiles, have pointed an accusing fingers at the police force in the region accusing the security personel of laxityand complacency.
So far no arrest has been made despite the fact that many people recorded statement with the police, and even those who had sustained serious bodily harm have given their version of statement to the police. Other sources have it that the Homa-Bay police have sent signal to the police in Rachuonyo South district asking them to arrest and escort the suspect back to Homa-Bay to face criminal charges, but to no avail.
We have been reliably informed from our High Commission that, registration of Voters for the 2013 General Election will be contacted at the Kenya High Commission Chancery in kacyiru, Kigali from tomorrow the 13th Dec to 23rd Dec 2012.
Expect further communication on the specific requirements and timings before end of day today.
Friends,
In our continuing mobilization process for the Massive Clean-up and Voter Registration Campaign in Kenya and Nairobi in particular, we are requesting His Excellency the President to announce Friday the 14th December 2012 as a Public Holiday to enable as many Kenyans Register as Voters.
We have had several engagements with many people across Kenya and it seems like time has been of real essence in this process.
We are happy that as many as 9.0 Million Kenyans have registered as Voters as by this evening across the Country and that is encouraging. We are also very happy that the Media have been on top of this and the FM Stations are doing some great work. Let us not leave this to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission alone. Let us make it our responsibility as Kenyans.
We will be on Radio Ramogi tomorrow the 12th December 2012 at 8.00am with my Colleague Migosi Otieno Sungu, and we will be inviting Kenyans to come out en mass and make Friday the 14th our D-Day as a People. Then on Thursday the 13th December 2012, I will be on the Citizen Power Breakfast Show at 8.00am where together with Ms Bilhah Kiptugen- the Nairobi IEBC Coordinator, we will be rallying Kenyans for Friday the 14th December 2012. This is our D-Day, and together as a people, we can hit the 18 Million mark and even beyond.
To crown this all, on Thursday the 13th December 2012 at 10am, the Chairman of IEBC Mr. Isaac Hassan, in the company of the CEO IEBC Major James Oswago, the Town Clerk City Council of Nairobi, the PC Nairobi, the CEO Africa Youth Trust Mr. Nahum Okwiya and the Commissioners of IEBC, will give a Media Briefing at the IEBC Headquarters announcing Friday as our D-Day for Voter Registration. We want to invite each one of us to play our part and invite our Friends to Register.
On Friday the 14th December 2012, Courtesy of Safe and Friendly Cities for All, the UN Habitat, the Unicef, the UN Women, the IEBC, the Provincial Administration, the Africa Youth Trust and The Clean Kenya Campaign, we will host a Massive Clean-up and Voter Registration Campaign in Nairobi and we are inviting as many people as possible to join with us in this goodwill gesture at our Focal Points in Nairobi; Mathare, Eastleigh, Kibera and Mukuru. All the 74 Wards of Nairobi are invited and all leaders are invited to marshal their followers and Friends.
The Main Programme at Mukuru will be Flagged off by the Town Clerk City Council of Nairobi Mr. Tom Patrick Odongo in the presence of the IEBC Chair Mr Isaac Hassan and his entourage.
Lastly, if Nairobi gets it right, the whole Country will get it right. These are the latest figures for Nairobi and Kajiado and we must all re-double our efforts Countrymen and women;
I am happy that Embakasi Central where I live is leading in Nairobi. We will bring you this matrix daily and we want to see who comes out tops.
Let us shame the devil of apathy for we are Kenyans.
Let us all work for a Clean Kenya and a Clean Africa as a Transformative Deliverable as we turn 50 in Kenya.
Odhiambo T Oketch,
Executive Director, The Clean Kenya Campaign- TCKCTel; 0724 365 557 Email; komarockswatch@yahoo.com
Blogspot; http://kcdnkomarockswatch. blogspot.com
Website; www.kcdnkenya.org
Facebook;University Students for a Clean KenyaFacebook; Odhiambo T Oketch
Facebook; Monthly Nationwide Clean up Campaign
Mailing Group; friendsofkcdn@ yahoogroups.com The Clean Kenya Campaign is an Initiative of The KCDN Kenya
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We want to invite all the Residents of Nairobi and Kenyans at large who are of voting age to join with us in a Massive Clean-up Exercise in Nairobi on the 14th December 2012 across all Nairobi and also Register as Voters. Let us make it our Personal Responsibility to mobilize our Friends, Relatives and even our Neighbours to come out and Register as Voters.
This Exercise is being supported by the Africa Youth Trust and her partners; UNICEF, UN Women and UN Habitat and will be enjoined with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission for Voter Registration. We have been in discussions with the IEBC at the highest levels and we are happy that the IEBC Nairobi Team and the National Office have come out strongly to join with us in this Massive Exercise.
As at the 8th December 2012, only 8.6 Million Kenyans of voting age had Registered as Voters across the Country against a target figure of 18 Million. Nairobi had Registered only 990,127 Voters and this is wanting.
Kenyans joining in the Clean up Campaign in Nairobi in June 2012
We are happy that the City Council of Nairobi and the Provincial Administration in Nairobi will be joining with us in mobilizing for as many Residents in Nairobi to come out and Register as Voters on the 14th December 2012 as we also Clean our Neighbourhoods.
We will have four Focal Points namely;
Eastleigh,
Mathare,
Kibera and
Mukuru, with Mukuru being our Launching Pad for the day.
We are working with the IEBC Nairobi Coordinator and other Partners in planing for this and we will announce our Guest Lists tomorrow afternoon. But we have a team from the Africa Youth Trust, the Unicef, The UN Women, The UN Habitat, the Provincial Administration, the City Council of Nairobi, the IEBC and many more joining with us for this Massive Clean-up Exercise cum Voter Registration Campaign.
We are also happy that many Media Houses will help out with mobilization for this Exercise and as we write this, we have an invitation to talk about this at Citizen, Radio Umoja, and as usual, Kiss FM will be on top of issues.
We are reaching out to all the Media Houses and on Thursday the 13th December, 2012, there will be a Media Briefing in Partnership with the IEBC, the CCN, the Provincial Administration and the Africa Youth Trust to call Kenyans out.
We can achieve the target of 18 Million Voters as set out by the IEBC, so, let us all come out across Kenya on the 14th December 2012 and hit this target.
Let us shame the devil of apathy for we are Kenyans.
Let us all work for a Clean Kenya and a Clean Africa as a Transformative Deliverable as we turn 50 in Kenya.
Odhiambo T Oketch,
Executive Director,
The Clean Kenya Campaign- TCKC
Tel; 0724 365 557
Email; komarockswatch@yahoo.com
Blogspot; http://kcdnkomarockswatch. blogspot.com
Website; www.kcdnkenya.org
Facebook;University Students for a Clean Kenya
Facebook; Odhiambo T Oketch
Facebook; Monthly Nationwide Clean up Campaign
Mailing Group; friendsofkcdn@ yahoogroups.com
The Clean Kenya Campaign is an Initiative of The KCDN Kenya
From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2012
To be honest with my fellow Kenyans, I like the politics of Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua. She is determined to go it alone to realise her presidential ambition when other presidential aspirants go it tribal, not learning from political violence which soon took on an ethnic dimension after Kenya’s disputed 2007 elections.
The concern here of course, is no longer the stranglehold of autocrats, but the hijacking of the democratic process by tribal politics despite the fact that Kenya’s 2007-08 post-election violence revealed the extent to which tribal forces could quickly bring a country to the brink of civil war.
As some commentators have argued, the challenge to democracy in Kenya is not the prevalence of ethnic diversity, but the use of identity politics to promote narrow tribal interests. It suggests that every ethnic community should have its own territory, which reinforces ethnic competition.
Kenyan leaders often exploit tribal loyalty to advance personal gain, parochial interests, patronage, and cronyism despite the fact that tribes are not built on democratic ideas but thrive on zero-sum competition.
As a result, they are not only inimical to democratic advancement, but have also played a major role in tribal conflict across Kenya. Against the background that leaders of the different opposition parties are primarily focused on pursuing their tribal interests rather than uniting around a common political programme.
Kenyans have also been made to believe that president can only be elected when tribes unite together. They do not even know the manifesto of political parties they are voting for. This is because the opposition parties were unable to find common ground through coherent party manifestos.
The manifestos are generally issued late because much of the effort goes into building tribal alliances, even though the new constitution of Kenya seeks to address the issue of ethnicity by ensuring that a president needs broad geographical support to be elected, where a winner must receive more than half of all the votes cast in the election and least 25 percent of the votes cast in each of more than half of the country’s counties.
But tribal leaders are clever and calculating.
Party manifestos are fundamentally documents in which parties outline their principles and goals in a manner that goes beyond popular rhetoric. They arise from careful discussion, compromise, and efforts to express the core values and commitments of the party.
That is why building clear party platforms requires effective intellectual input, usually provided through think-tanks and other research institutions. Most Kenyan political parties lack such support and are generally manifestos cobbled together with little consultation.
They are not built on ideologies on a philosophy or set of principles that underlies a political programme. Most political parties in Kenya do not consist of the shared beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions that cause a certain group of people to join together and develop and advocate specific political programmes.
They are not built on such ideologies. That is why they do not aim at the good of the community which should be more important than the interests of individuals. As a result they are not founded on a belief in progress and tolerance of difference, a belief that that society should be unified and stable.
Political party should be a vehicle for citizens sharing a common political agenda in which the members, not the leaders, are the foundation and the reason for the party’s existence and not a “talking shop.” Its mission should be action-oriented: to develop policies, sell them to the electorate, and win power in elections.
Political party that members can demand more accountability from their leaders and even become party leaders themselves- make a contribution to the overall development of responsible citizenship.
Political party which is interested in the welfare of the nation, not the welfare of its own members or supporters only-based on this ideology then it becomes only a political faction whose aim is to advance the restricted interests of its members whether or not such interests promote the common good.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole
Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002
Cyprian Otieno Awiti who is the leading contender for the elective position of Homa-Bay County governor last week made a surprise visit to the region to resume his campaign for the lucrative and powe4rful position of the County governor.
Awiti a former Marie Stoppie Country director has kept a low profile for close to three months sparking off speculation that he had withdrawn his candidature.
But last weekend the candidate hit the ground with thud like a thunderstorm and traversed the full length and width of Homa-Bay County while meeting the people, addressing roads side rallies.
Awiti told the voters at the numerous roadside addresses that he had taken a two months sabbatical leave and gave a break to the campaign trail n order to re-organize his campaign team and at the same time new contacts with his supporters in all the seven parliamentary constituencies.
He began his tour with a tour of Rusinga Island in the Suba region where he had attended the colorful opening ceremony of the multi-million shillings ultra-modern SDA Church at Gunda Kaswanga.
He later toured Ndhiwa, Rangwe, Homa-Bay Town, Karachunyo, Kasipul and wound the tour with the visit to the newly created parliamentary constituency of Kabondo-Kasipul while addressing small meetings here and there as well as ins0ecting the numerous socio-economic projects which he had been supporting
The populist Awiti warned his rival for the seat to get prepared well for a bruising election campaign battle, which he termed “will be the mother of all campaign s ever seen in the region.”
He told his rivals to strictly adhere to the ODM doctrine of non-violence campaign. At the same time he urged the voters to register as voters in their thousands so that they could vote for the party leader Raila Odinga to realize his State House ambition. But also to remember to vote for him to enable capture the County’s governorship.
Before he started his extensive tour of the region rumor had gone ahead that he was heavily armed with millions of campaign money, thus attracting hundred of people who scrambled to have a glimpse of him wherever he stopped to greet the electorate.
In his native Karachuonyo Awiti visited all the major sub-clans and villages to consult with the elders, women and youths leaders. Some of his meeting with the villagers went up to late in the evening only coming to an end at around 9 P.M. In some places he was forced the car headlights after dark, but he continued talking to the voters.
Awiti is credited and well documented for having spent millions of shillings in donations to various projects across Homa-Bay County. He is on record of being one person who has conducted more Harambee across the County than any other leaders in the expansive region.
He is facing two challengers, one of his rivals for the same seat them being the immediate former MP for Rangwe Eng.Philip Okundi, and a Maseno University professor of mathematics Prof.Akeyo Omolo.
Okundi is, however, disadvantaged by his advanced age as well as recent removal from the powerful ODM Board of elections where he performed dismally causing the ODM to lose out to other parties in series of parliamentary and civic by-elections due to much flawed and poorly organized nominations exercises.
Five years to be in power is more than enough for any responsible person to do and perform the work of Reform provision without complaining of any reason for inaction and there is no excuse to state there were no enough time to complete work assigned. If one fails to do what was obligated, then that is a sign of incompetency…….or reason to avoid to engage public mandate.
For the most part, however, Kenyan Politicians behaved like their last day in Public Office will never come to an end. They stayed at the extreme-right with business as usual as they continue to engage in corruption, impunity and graft as they struggled to build camps with inflamatory rhetorics like they dont care.
Internally displaced are left in such pathetic situation as time prolonged, organized terrorists with pockets of armed conflict continued without any serious measures taken or results fairly reported to public. Difficult humanitarian situations were unfolding right before our eyes, including health situation deteriorating with poverty aggrivating and politicians never cared like they are not earning salaries for public mandate. People are left hopelessly to wonder how the state of insecurity turned from bad to worse and these are some of the reasons why Kenyans must take stoke of Reform Mandate and consider if the people Coalition Government was able perform, if not what was the next course of action that should follow.
We understand that Voter registration kicked off since October, and because of threats and insecurities from Al-shabaab with other assumed organized terrorists there have been low low turnout, delays and malfunctioning of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits. Now there are still problems with Diaspora voters locked out.
Kenyas coalition government served its term but failed to deliver and complete the peoples comprehensive new Constitutional mandate as accorded in the Reform provision. It is time to vacate Office at a time the Election when it is time for the next election and IEBC is busy doing shoddy voter registrations that are with mishaps and leaving out the very stimulating Diaspora network that participated and intervened to save Kenya when Kenya was burning during 2007/8 election gone bad; and when Kenya was bleeding from the worse stolen election.
At this juncture, Kenyans themselves must show conviction and committment to uphold the Law and put leaders in checks under scrutiny and review and make them honor their sworn responsibilities and be answerable for their actions with inactions.
Kenyans need to know The opportunities and challenges, gains and loses that were made during the Coalition tenure and the reason why they think they should be re-elected, the leaders should talk about issues that affect daily lives of Mwanainchi and be able to face the electorates why things did not follow the right course as agreed at the Reform Accord?
They must explain why Diaspora should loose voting rights and why they should not be taken to task and be charged for doing shoddy jobs after being paid hefty salaries from public kitty for doing nothing…….They must explain to people why they did not complete what they were sent to do by public mandate at the Referendum…….e.g.
Kenyans want to know who was responsible for killing 40 policemen and leaving their bodies to rot. Why there was a serious conflict with innocent killings starting from Tana River down to Lake Victoria in Nyanza – during their span of leadership. Kenyans want to know why the Al-Shabaab have not been driven out of Kenya; but are busy terrorizing people in Eastleigh with other parts of Kenya. We want to know why those who were issued with illegal Voter IDs have not been cleared. There are speculations that votes are going to be rigged by those assigned with fake Voter IDs from Somali and from Uganda and Rwanda. Diaspora are not satisfied why their rights to vote is blocked. Reasons given are not satisfying as this will be an infringment of Rights to Vote.
These fears must be addressed before the next election is declared free and fair. The population result have not been published…..people want to know how people will go for election with such anomalies. The votes that will be casted must tally balance with total voters registration in each region. Diaspora voter registration must also be made known.
While they are explaining themselves, the Chief Justice is mandated to set up a team to overseer the completion of the remaining core Constitutionalities including rectifying the Diaspora issues so that Kenyan are able to go for a free and fair electioneering…… This Team are better known as “The Transitional Caretaker Comeettee”….without which Kenya is bound to hit a snag and loose out to the Rich and Wealthy Unscrupulous and crooked Politicians who are simply selfish and greedy who are taking public wealth and and resources as their personal property to do as they wish with it…….
It is never too late to take stock people……….!!!
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
– – – – – – – – – – –
How can we trust these Registrations with the already misharps and insecurities
taking turn in the Country. Accepting to register some Diaspora and discriminating
on others………This is definately a wrong start……….
WESTERN
Bungoma+Busia=308,112 31% registered
Kakamega+Vihiga=357,755 35% registered
TOTAL 665867
CENTRAL and MT. KENYA
Meru+Tharaka Nithi+Embu=355,005 34% registered
Murang’a+Kiambu=523,993 44% registered
Nyandarua+Nyeri+Kirinyaga=369,373 44% registered
TOTAL: 1,248,571
NORTH EASTERN
Garissa=54,838 19% registered
Wajir+Mandera=114,262 15% registered
TOTAL: 169,100
Published on Dec 2, 2012 by Kenya360TV
After months of excitement and anticipation amongst Kenyans living abroad at the prospects of finally being able to vote come march 4th, the road to the voting booth came to an abrupt end following the governments decision to rule out the Diaspora vote.
The decision was communicated to parliament in a ministerial statement read out by the Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa who stated that the governments decision was precipitated by the IEBC’s limitation both in terms of time and resources.
But even before the dust had settled on the announcement, the IEBC Chairman Issack Hassan cast some ray of hope on the issue, when he came out to insist that the final decision was an IEBC prerogative and that the Diaspora had not been locked out yet contrary to the ministers statements.
It was however a short-lived window of hope for the majority of the diaspora when the IEBC ruled that only Kenyans living in the East African region namely Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan would be facilitated to vote.
DIASPORA VOTE – THE QUAGMIRE CONTINUES
Published on Nov 24, 2012 by Kenya360TV
As the rest of the country registers to vote in the March 4th polls, the IEBC continues to kick the Diaspora Vote ball around with not even an effort to start the registration of eligible voters abroad.
In an interview with Jeff Koinange on Capital Talk -K24, the chairman of the IEBC Issack Hassan shrugged off the ‘notion’ that there are more than 3 million kenyans abroad and nonchalantly discounted the Diasporas efforts to force the IEBC to hear them quipping that “they wanted us to expand the voting locations and the high court dismissed the case stating that the IEBC has got the right to determine when and how they are going to conduct their business”.
Despite having personally visited the US on five different occasions (among other countries) purportedly to seek the diasporas input and to map out the voting logistics, Chairman Hassan seemed to blame the uncertainties on the Kenyan diaspora vote on the alleged non-availability of records on Kenyans living abroad.
Though the question was not asked, Mr. Hassan missed out on the opportunity to explain the delay in the diaspora voter registration. So far, no official communication has been forthcoming on the delivery of the BVR kits to the 47 missions, the status of the registration or how long the registration period will be (assuming that registration shall commence) since the ongoing registration in Kenya is set to end on December 19th.
Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
Video courtesy of CAPITAL TALK – K24
we know Kenyans including the embassy don’t keep data. , we have interacted and we have registered in their websites as they have requested us to do , but we stall take the blame. this is Kenya for us. we are insignificant and we do not matter?
pichavision 1 week ago
DIASPORA VOTE – A HUMBLE APPEAL TO THE IEBC
Published on Nov 29, 2012 by Kenya360TV
The push by Kenyans living abroad to be allowed the enjoyment of such basic constitutional rights as the right to vote is one that started way before the 2010 promulgation of the new constitution.
Many individuals put in a lot of time and energy and indeed resources, to make sure that there was enough lobbying for the realization of this all important right as well as the right to dual citizenship that finally became a reality in 2010.
Fast forward post 2010 and the IEBC taking over as the new electoral body within the new dispensation. And indeed, there has been a whole lot of excitement mounting within the Diaspora and a renewed vigor towards the Diaspora’s participation in the Kenyan social, economic and political space.
The IEBC through engagement with various stakeholders and visits with Kenyans living abroad soon embarked on various efforts to lay out a framework for enabling the Kenyans living abroad to partake of that right to vote in the general election 2013.
Indeed many have appreciated the efforts of the IEBC as well as been cognizant of the fact that this is the first time the IEBC is handling an election of this magnitude let alone oversee the first ever Diaspora vote. Off course like in any society, the conversation has not been short of criticism either at the pace it which the IEBC was pursuing the process, or even on the decisions that have come along the way.
But all things considered, the myriad of electoral issues that were going on in Kenya over the last one year, it is understandable why the Diaspora issues might not have been at the front of the IEBC’s playbook.
But that said, and many months down the road since the announcement that the Diaspora was going to be able to vote, the abrupt decision by the government that effectively strips the Diaspora of the opportunity to vote without even the courtesy of allowing the constitutionally mandated body to independently arrive at that decision is indeed absurd.
Indeed a decision that threatens to reverse the gains of our motherland on its democratic walk amongst other progressive nations. This is my humble appeal to the IEBC to be resolute in ensuring that their mandate as provided for by the law of the land is not hijacked by a few in society.
It is an appeal to voices of reason within the IEBC to stay the course and to pursue the Diaspora vote, according to their own playbook and not buckle under executive influence.
And finally, it is an appeal to the Kenyans living abroad to lobby on for their rights, to keep engaged and the conversation going, but to do so with humility and the realization that KENYA comes before self.
This is my humble appeal.
GOD BLESS KENYA
Respectfully,
Ron Imanene
— On Tue, 12/4/12, Cosmos Omondi wrote:
From: Cosmos Omondi
Subject: Are we likely to have the march 4th elections postpones?
To: progressive-kenyans@googlegroups.com
Date: Tuesday, December 4, 2012, 9:05 AM
Nziu,
Hiyo ni NDOTO YA MRIJA
On Tue, Dec 4, 2012 at 3:53 PM, MBEMBA NZIU wrote:
The circus continues, God help Kenya.
Mbemba.
Kenya
Last Updated:
15 mins ago
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Diaspora wants court to suspend elections
Updated 15 mins ago
By Isaiah Lucheli
Kenyans living abroad want the March 4 elections suspended until they are registered as voters.
In a petition filed under certificate of urgency they are also seeking the court to bar Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) from publishing or gazetting voters’ registers until the suit is heard and determined.
They have moved to court over the failure by IEBC to register them as voters for the coming general election as only voters living within East African countries would be allowed to take part in the election.
Jeffer Isaak Kanu through lawyer John Khaminwa submit in the petition that all the people living in the diaspora had a right to participate in the affair of the country and particularly the right to be registered as voters and participate in the elections.
Kanu noted that the promulgation of the new constitution saw the enactment of Article 38 which elevates and jealously guards the right of every citizen to enjoy political rights enumerated thereon including the right to be registered as a voter and to vote in a free, fair and transparent election.
“While enacting the constitution the aspirations of the people were clear that [persons living in the Diaspora have the right to participate in the legitimate political process manifested through free, fair and regular elections,” submitted Kanu.
Kanu has sued Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, IEBC, Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIOC) and the Attorney General (AG).
The petitioner is seeking the court to declare that the action and inaction of the IEBC which purported to exclude persons from the Diaspora from exercising the right to vote as enshrined in the constitution was a breach of his political rights thus unconstitutional null and void.
He further wants the court to declare the move by the IEBC to allow a select few to be registered as voters while purporting to exclude persons living in the Diaspora from participating in the March 4 this year general election as discriminatory.
They want the court to hold the IEBC in breach of the aspirations of the people of Kenya, as their sovereign power was reserved under Article 1 of the constitution and the national values and principles of governance set out under Article 10 of the constitution.
Kanu wants the court to declare the decision by the cabinet to exclude persons from Diaspora from exercising the right to vote in the forthcoming general election as flimsy and violates constitutional provisions.
“A declaration to issue directing IEBC to exercise its statutory and constitutional duty and to forth with undertake voter registration of persons in the diaspora with immediate effect so as to allow them participate in the coming general election,” Kanu prayed to the court.
High court Judge David Majanja directed the petitioner to serve and the case be heard on December 11, this year.
[ . . . ]
Kenya: Tana Delta violence – is there worse to come? – By Nuur Mohamud Sheekh and Jason Mosley
November 6, 2012
In Kenya, ahead of the 2013 elections, attention is turning
Despite heavy deployment of security personel in Tana River many lives have been lost in clashes.
to sources of tension that could fuel the kind of poll-related violence seen at the end of 2007 and in the first few weeks of 2008. In recent weeks, unrest in Coast province, centred on the separatist Mombassa Republican Council (MRC), has garnered most attention – most lately the beating and arrest of MRC leader Omar Hamisi Mwamnwadzi on October 15, along with some of his supporters. Also, the donor community and Kenya’s political elite are highly pre-occupied with the fate of four Kenyans facing charges related to 2008 election violence at the International Criminal Court (ICC), including two presidential hopefuls (Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and former Higher Education Minister William Ruto).
However, these spectacles have overshadowed what may be an episode with even more significant implications: the death in late August and early September of some 116 in clashes in the Tana Delta between ethnic Orma and Pokomo militia. Although part of Coast Province, the rural and impoverished Tana Delta is not really a central part of Coastal politics. Nonetheless, the drivers of the violence a few weeks ago are related to factors not unique to the Tana Delta. In fact, the Tana Delta violence highlights precisely the type of political and social fault lines that may be at risk of erupting in the run up to, and aftermath of, the elections in a number of areas.
Long-standing competition and conflict over access to pasture and water resources were important factors, but did not alone provide the trigger for violence. A range of political and economic factors have fed into the local dynamics in Tana Delta. These include longer-term trends related to alienation of local people from land due to large-scale government and private sector purchases, and shorter-term impacts related to the process of delineating electoral constituency boundaries and county districts in line with Kenya’s new constitution. The ready availability of small arms has also seen such conflicts intensify in recent decades. Lack of livelihood opportunities for the youth is also a major factor.
As such, the recent clashes are emblematic of wider trends. Although the Tana Delta (along with the rest of Coast Province) has tended to be politically marginalised, tensions in other areas – such as Mt Elgon and parts of the Rift Valley including Eldoret, Nakaru and Naivasha, and counties in northern Kenya – could also be exacerbated by the same political factors. Some of these areas were flash-points in the post-poll violence of late 2007 and early 2008, with major national and regional ramifications.
Tana aftermath
The violence in Tana also led to the forced migration of an estimated 12,000 people. An assistant minister, Dhadho Godhana, was arrested and lost his cabinet portfolio; local area MPs traded accusations with the powerful Defence Minister, Yusuf Haji, over who was to blame.
Media reporting and advocacy by civil society and human rights organisations finally prompted the government into action when the issue was debated in parliament on September 12. The government began deployment of some 2,000 members of the paramilitary General Services Unit (GSU) the following day. It also set up a commission of inquiry into the matter.
Despite the deployment of security personnel, violence continued and lives (including nine GSU personnel) and livelihoods were lost. Government forces have also been accused of serious human rights violations of by local residents, who claim excessive force is being used in a bid to disarm them.
Drivers of Tana’s violence
Understanding the drivers of violence in the Tana Delta helps to illustrate its relevance to other parts of Kenya (see also Parselelo Kantai, ‘Tana Delta Burning’, in The Africa Report, No 45, November 2012, pp 37-39).
The question of land
Going back to the 1970s, government schemes and private enterprises (including by foreign companies) have dispossessed the inhabitants of Tana from land in their area. Large-scale government and foreign farming schemes have taken up tens of thousands of hectares previously used for pasture and subsistence farming, and providing a major contributing factor to conflict between farmers and pastoralists over access.
For example, the Bura Irrigation Scheme was set up in 1978, and allocated 25,000 hectares. In addition to this, the Tana River Development Authority has planted sugar, rice and maize on another 80,000 hectares. The government has also planned to allocate land in the Tana to foreign investors, for example to grow Jatropha for biofuel feedstock (involving a Canadian firm, Bedford Biofuels). In late 2008, talks between Kenya and Qatar about a 40,000 hectares land lease in the Tana Delta triggered a public backlash and were subsequently shelved.
Playing bad politics
A key aspect of the conflict is about land ownership, as opposed to use, with the Orma and Pokomo fighting over land rights. Recent boundary changes effected by the Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) resulted in some villages, sub-locations and locations being shifted to different electoral constituencies. Media reports quoted local residents who blamed politicians seeking office for the intensified fighting between the Pokomo and the Orma.
Other reports also suggest that politicians eyeing gubernatorial, senate and parliamentary seats have been mobilising their supporters ahead of the coming voter registration. There is also talk of politicians forging alliances for the senate and gubernatorial seats ahead of the general election, raising fears in some communities of being disenfranchised. The constitution has re-instated the senate, and created a new tier of elected government at the county level – fostering intensified competition for the resources those offices represent. The delineation of electoral boundaries is hotly contested: the process is still not finished, only a few months before the polls.
These local dynamics are also feeding into political tussles on the national stage:
Local MP Godhana has accused Haji of being behind the violence, and suggested that he has encouraged the immigration of Somalis and al-Shabaab sympathisers. Other local MPs have also accused the minister of interfering with the Tana River boundaries so as to benefit the Somali inhabited parts that lie outside the Delta.
There are also longer-standing rumours that the Orma have links to the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), an ethnic-based insurgency mainly operating in southern Ethiopia, but also in and out of northern Kenya. The Orma and Oromo share common ancestry, and rumours that the OLF has supported the Orma have fuelled fears of the intensification of the conflict.
Regardless of the truth of these rumours, the fact that they tap into wider fears about inter-communal competition and conflict is a worrying sign this close to an election.
Wider resonances
Inter-communal killings and forced displacement have recently affected not only Tana but also northern districts of Isiolo, Garissa, Mandera, Moyale and Wajir. The ease with which communities in these areas acquire fire-arms, organise themselves and plan attacks should concern security agents but also development planners.
Widespread economic frustration, chronic impunity and intense competition between politicians for political-economic resources remain pervasive hallmarks of the Kenyan political economy, even after the promulgation of what is considered a progressive constitution in 2011.
These dynamics are also at play well beyond northern Kenya. For example, Mount Elgon has long history of violence associated with the drawing and redrawing of boundaries.
Eldoret and other towns in the Rift Valley – such as Nakuru and Naivasha – have long been cosmopolitan and multi-ethnic, but with more ethnically uniform surrounding rural areas. In early 2008, this led to violence against non-Kikuyus in Nakuru and Naivasha; and against Kikuyus in places like Turbo and Burnt Forest in the area surrounding Eldoret.
There have been occasional incidents of violence along what was the pre-2010 constitution boundary between Nyanza and Rift Valley Province. This is an echo of violence in the area during the 1990s when ethnic Luo residents in Nandi (on the Rift Valley side of the border) were the very first targets of attacks from late 1991 onwards (for more on such dynamics, see Daniel Branch, Kenya: Between Hope and Despair, 1963-2011)
Way forward
Understanding that the same drivers – namely pre-electoral political competition, and manoeuvring to benefit from the re-drawing of electoral constituency boundaries – are at play across the country should concentrate the minds of Kenya’s leadership and partners. These factors could feed into the existing tensions in flashpoint areas affected by electoral violence in 2008 and in previous polls – a long-standing pattern going back at least to the re-introduction of multiparty politics in the early 1990s.
In the near-term, attention to these factors should be raised. A focus on the MRC and Kenya’s intervention in Somalia risks overlooking a wider, and potentially more disruptive, pattern.
In the medium to long term, Kenya’s partners could help to support efforts to address the longer-term, underlying grievances beneath the violence in areas such as the Tana Delta. The current commission of inquiry into the most recent violence could provide the first step in a sustained and rigorous effort. It will be essential that the commission be given the space to operate freely, and that its findings are taken seriously.
The violence in the Tana Delta will also prove a key test for the judiciary, which is on the front lines in the battle against impunity in Kenya’s politics. As such, the commission for inquiry could have important resonances with the handling of the ICC cases. Beyond the question of impunity and accountability, there is also the matter of restitution for lives, livelihoods and properties lost.
Nuur Mohamud Sheekh is a Board Member, Internal Displacement Policy and Advocacy Centre, Kenya.
Jason Mosley is Research Associate, African Studies Centre, University of Oxford.
The move made last weekend, by the ODM leader Raila Odinga, to award the Senate seat to the Kuria tribe, as one way of teasing the minority Kuria community to vote for him in his presidential bid, has elicited lot of controversies in the region.
The decision which was reached after a closed door meeting held at the Migori town between the Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Kuria and some Luo leaders appeared to have offended many people in the region, especially the aspirants who have been campaigning for the various elective positions within the County governance.
Many have hinted that they would either decamp from the ODM o contest the elections as independent candidates. It has been termed as undemocratic, unconstitutional and dictatorial while other described the move as “primitive”.
At the same time other local leaders were heard hinting that thy might move to court to block the Senate candidature of the Assistant minister Dr Walter Machage who was awarded the Senate position, arguing that the Kura MP is the chairman of the DP and has yet to reigned from that party and PNU a party which has gone into a merger with TNA-URP alliance.
They said it is in vagrant violation of the clause in new constitution requirement which stipulates that for one to be allowed to contest the election on a political party one must have been a member of that party for the last six months.
The leaders in both Luo and Kuria have rejected the power-sharing arrangement with those on the Kuria side arguing that Dr Machage is not enjoying the supported by the entire Kuria community. He has no capacity to convince all the voters in Kuria to vote for Raila’ presidential bid as he is treated with contempt by the Kura as an opportunist in pursuit of his persona and selfish interest.
The power sharing decision came late after when the chairman of ODM in Migori County branch John Mgaiwa had already declared his intention to contest the Senate seat. Magaiwa campaign for the same seat had already hit the ground.
All the indications are that there could be mass defections from ODM in Migori County by the aspirants who have been campaigning o the various seats to other parties.
Among the leading personalities in Migori who have already been on the ground campaigning for the Senate seat included former Mathare MP Gilbert Ochieng’ Mbeo, former Homa-By MP Phares Oluoch Kanindo, former Gender Secretary Prof Colete Suda who told Raila to his ace that the awarding of some seats to people who did not campaign for them is undemocratic.
Local leaders blamed the Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno who is also the Minister for Public Services for having meddled in the matter in collaboration with the few Luo MPs from the region. They alleged that the Minister who is known to be always erratic politically had called a secret meting with some Kuria leaders and a few MPs from the region in Nairobi in secrecy without consulting the local party leaders and arrived at the unpopular decision.
In the hotly contested arrangement brokered by Raila, the Kuria will provide the deputy governor an women representative while the Luos will provide the governor and the Kuria would clinch the Senate seat.
From all the indications, the power-sharing arrangement might not see the light of the day judging from the objections raised by the Luos.some of those opposed to the idea accused Raila Odinga of having dictatorial tendency of planting unpopular leadership on the people.This, they said has forced many potential leaders out of the ODM who decamped to other parties.
The tendency of planting rejects to the electorate is what had killed the former powerful Pentagon outfit and sent its members fleeing from the ODM to other political parties, therefore the PM must change his tactics if at all he want to win the presidency. He should let the people who are interested in contesting the elections in various seats to compete with each other in a democratic manner, but not on a power-sharing arrangement which is autocratic and dictatorial.
Prof Suda told Raila that she had never known a democratic system in which the elective position is dished out. ”It is undemocratic and unconstitutional and does not take into consideration the interest of women.’
Moreover the Kuria MP who is facing the stiffest opposition at home has all these years is known to have been vilifying the ODM as a party and Raila Odinga its leaders, so his latest about turn and change of heat might not find soft landing within the ODM local party hierarchy.
You cannot fill the gap for “Free Business Enterprising on Free Trade” like personal private business partnership without incorporating Public Mandate…….Museveni and Kagame’s plan will fail in East Africa and the same will fail to bring True Democracy unless the People agree to the Plan…….In Which case, Kibaki’s underground plan with the so called Chinese will not succeed……..The Soviet Block plan to hijack Africa in the Scramble to Africa will surely fail very miserably……
It is about time Kibaki Cooperate with Kofi Annan with Mkapa and he will stay safe…….Kibaki and Uhuru will not escape the Land Law with the Financial Budget Policy enactment……The police and Devolution is a must………
Check it out………!!!!
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
– – – – – – – – – – –
Kenya’s Score Card
Published on Oct 11, 2012 by K24TV
Annan, Mkapa to give their assesment
The scheduled meeting between president Mwai Kibaki, former UN secretary general Koffi Annan and former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa is in doubt, as president Mwai Kibaki is said to have been chairing a cabinet meeting in the morning. The intended plan was to meet with the two principles on the first day of their meeting, with prime minister Raila Odinga already having met the pair. It is however not clear if their meeting with president Kibaki will take place. The duo who are on their last day of their four day visit to Kenya, will hold a press briefing where they will inform on their assessment so far on the country’s progress of implementing agenda four.
Annan worried at high rate of ethnic violence in Kenya
Published on Oct 11, 2012 by capitalfmkenya
No description available.
Annan:Kenya should demonstrate how a constitution can impact a nation positively
Published on Dec 3, 2012 by NTVKenya
http://www.ntv.co.ke
Koffi Annan, the chair of the Panel of Eminent Persons says Kenya has a chance to demonstrate how a constitution can impact a nation, particularly during the upcoming election. Annan, accompanied by former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, spoke at the Supreme Court, where they met the Chief Justice, Dr. Willy Mutunga. The two are visiting the country to monitor the electoral process.
Thank you Annan. Some ignorant kenyans wants to test the reaction of the international community if they chose thugs as president. Mine is a little prayer for them. The world has changed. Take them to the Hague now please..
Odorono blu 1 hour ago
Kenyans are being led by hand to the polls by foreigners just in case they trip over and knock out their front two teeth. lol
magellanmax 4 hours ago
ANNAN, MKAPA SATISFIED
Published on Oct 12, 2012 by gbskenyatv
The chair to the panel of eminent African personalities Kofi Annan HAS indicate that even if they are leaving the country confident that the next elections will be peaceful since Kenyans have learnt a lessons from the outcome of the disputed 2007 elections, politicians have to exercise a lot of caution with their utterances as the country approaches the forthcoming elections. Annan also indicated that it will be up to the courts to decide on the fate of two presidential candidates facing charges on crimes against humanity at the ICC but stated that a presidency by any of them could have serious implications on foreign relations.
Talk to Jazeera – Kofi Annan
Uploaded by AlJazeeraEnglish on Mar 11, 2010
The former secretary-general of the United Nations in conversation with Teymoor Nabili about China-African relations, Middle East peace, eradication of poverty and the future of Kenya.
Globalization’s Glass House Must Remain Open
Uploaded by YaleUniversity on Jun 8, 2009
Kofi Annan, then Secretary-General of the United Nations, speaks at Yale about creating an inclusive globalization.
Kofi Annan: Developing countries are paying for a crisis the
Uploaded by theindependent on Mar 13, 2009
In an interview with France 24 from Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania where African politicians are attempting to draft a common position on the global economic downturn in anticipation of the G20 meeting next month, Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan describes the international community’s frustration at the ramifications of the current financial crisis on the developing world.
Kofi Annan on the need for an “African Green Revolution”
Uploaded by salzburgseminar on Jun 24, 2008
Kofi Annan gives an exclusive interview to Salzburg Global Seminar Senior Vice President, Edward Mortimer. Kofi Annan has called for a “uniquely African Green Revolution” founded on “bold pro-poor policies” to address the food crisis facing Africa and the world. In this interview Mr. Annan answers specific questions about the current crisis.
Kofi Annan Speaks at Rome Conference on MDGs…Check from 15:40
Uploaded by mcampaign on Jun 28, 2007
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Former Secretary General of the UN, Kofi Annan, speaks at the “Running out of Time” conference for local authorities in Rome, discussing the Millennium Development Goals.
Annan, Mkapa visit to support voter education
Updated Monday, December 03 2012 at 00:00 GMT+3
By Roselyne Obala
NAIROBI; KENYA: Former United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan arrived in the country on Sunday to support electoral preparedness by encouraging nationwide voter registration and education.
Dr Annan together and former Tanzanian president, Benjamin Mkapa, both members of Eminent African personalities will also make a follow up on issues raised in their last visit. The two will be in the country for four days amidst heightened political activities.
However, Annan’s last visit in October sparked off an outcry from a section of leaders allied to presidential aspirants, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William whom he cautioned Kenyans against electing.
Annan’s message noted that electing people facing charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) would have implications on Kenya’s foreign relations.
Annan returns to Kenya just weeks after his last visit, when he failed to meet President Kibaki.
Annan’s statement did not seem to go down well with the leaders.
According to a Media statement, the two were expected to arrive yesterday and leave on Tuesday.
The objective of their visit is to follow up on issues raised during their October visit, particularly on voter education and registration.
The two are scheduled to meet with Government, independent and constitutional commissions and other stakeholder groups, including the business leaders, civil society, religious leaders, and the media.
Trouble simmering in Tana over ‘annexed land’
The village of Tarasaa in the Tana Delta, where a row is simmering over the allocation of tens of hectares to Canadian firm Bedford Biofuels. Photo/LABAN WALLOGA NATION MEDIA GROUP
By SARA-CHRISTINE GEMSON sgemson@ke.nationmedia.com and SARA MOJTEHEDZADEH smojtehedzadeh@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Monday, December 3 2012 at 02:00
In Summary
As the dust settles on one of the Tana Delta’s worst chapters, a new storm is gathering over what local residents call alienation of their resources.
A Canadian firm is particularly on the spot over a huge piece of land it says it is using as a nursery for a massive jatropha project, but the local leadership says those tens of hectares, and many more on the radar of the Canadians, had better be under their ploughs and hoes
The shifting scenery of the Tana Delta is the first hint of the region’s fragility: green plains punctuated with silvery cashew nut trees melt into areas where only the scrappiest of shrubs emerge from the arid ground.
This area was in the news recently for the wrong reasons after the Orma and the Pokomo reached for each other’s throats over land and other resources, but it is still attracting the attention of investors.
One of those investors is Bedford Biofuels, a Canadian firm which is quickly discovering that the challenges of investing in the volatile delta can be daunting.
The Canadian firm is seeking to produce biofuel by setting up a large-scale plantation of the jatropha plant in the region, explaining that the delta is an ideal place to demonstrate the viability of the plant for biofuel production.
However, it is struggling to overcome a series of roadblocks to its project, including local opposition, environmental concerns, government regulations, and regional instability.
“You wouldn’t believe what we’re up against. The challenges are next to impossible to overcome. It’s one thing after another,” Mr David McClure, CEO of Bedford Biofuels, explained in a phone interview from Canada.
When Bedford arrived in the region in 2008, it firmly believed that it could contribute to the economic development of the region and, in 2009, following public information campaigns and community meetings, signed 45-year leases with six group ranches for 120,000 hectares of land, with plans to plant jatropha on half of the leased property.
But progress has been slow: The biofuel company obtained a licence from the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) in 2010 which restricted it to an initial 10,000-hectare pilot project to evaluate the social and environmental impact of the plantation.
So far, Bedford Biofuels has planted just 19 hectares — a nursery of eight varieties of jatropha — to test which variety might be best suited to the region.
The initiative has also been hampered by regional instability, which came to a head in September when more than 100 people were killed in violent clashes between Pokomo farmers and Orma pastoralists in the delta.
Mr Joel Ruhu, Bedford’s vice-president for human resources, admits that the violence has been a major concern for the company.
“If there are conflicts in the area of operation, you can’t do anything. You literally can’t do anything. So instability causes a lot of delay in us moving forward with the project,” he told DN2 during an interview in Malindi recently.
And, while the clashes were not on land leased by Bedford Biofuels, activists are still worried that the project could upset the region’s delicate environmental and social balance
For centuries, Tana’s occupants have kept the place in harmony with nature.
“When waters ebb, farmers plant rice. The Pokomo have planted rice for centuries. During the floods, pastoralists drive out herds… that’s the traditional way of using the land, keeps the ecosystem functioning,” explains Ms Serah Munguti, communications and advocacy manager at Nature Kenya.
But environmentalists like Ms Munguti say the arrival of foreign companies like Bedford Biofuels, who come to the delta armed with ambitious plans for large-scale, intensive farming, might disrupt the system.
That, according to Ms Munguti, promises to heighten tribal tensions.
“The conflict comes because everybody wants the water. The Tana Delta as it is today is a recipe for disaster,” argues Munguti. “There is already conflict over limited resources. Then you look at all the projects that have been proposed and you can imagine what we are setting ourselves up for.”
Tana residents say Bedford’s presence has not yet been a catalyst for conflict — but its arrival has raised questions about land ownership for the first time between neighbours, fostering a sense of anxiety and insecurity.
Local farmer John Kazungu Katana, who settled in the area over 30 years ago, says leaders from the neighbouring Pokomo village have told him he may have to move off their land.
“They have been giving some stress on the land, that people must move, that they gave the land to other people, so they gave us a few challenges that made us worried,” he explains.
Others are concerned about the impact Bedford’s plantation might have on their livelihoods and surroundings.
“We don’t know the effects of the jatropha project, but we have heard that it makes the land become dry and ineffective for pastoralism,” worries Mr Shukri, a Wardei and local teacher. “It is going to even affect the wild animals that we have in that area, and those animals are very important.”
As for those who agreed to the project following Bedford’s public information meetings, the senior chief of Ngao location, Mr Abraham Masouse, believes the company took advantage of their desperation.
“They are just using our poverty for their own gain,” he says. “If someone is suffering, will they turn down your proposal to get them milk and honey? They will accept it, and that’s what they did.”
But Bedford Biofuels insists that it legitimately gained the approval of local communities by meeting with the boards of the ranches as well as local residents to explain the project.
Mr Ruhu believes that those who are concerned about being displaced are ill-informed; most of the land is uninhabited and only two ranches have squatters, he claims.
“We went through 18 months and didn’t displace one person. We’re the champion of the people… the last thing we want to do is displace people,” adds CEO McClure
The Nema licence also imposes strict guidelines on the project, including the creation of wildlife corridors through which the pastoralists will be allowed to travel with their herds.
But Mr Richard Ndegwa, a principal agricultural officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, is not surprised to hear that there is public opposition despite the need for development in the area.
“When you get land from a local authority, inhabitants ask why are we giving land to a foreign company and yet we have people in the same region who are considered to be landless. It is very, very sensitive. Even if the company and local authorities discuss with local people, if they aren’t in agreement, local investment by a foreign company may not come off,” explains Mr Ndegwa
Bedford also insists its activities will not jeopardise Tana’s sensitive eco-system or inflame competition over resources.
“The recent clashes were not because of limited resources — water and pasture. Everybody is talking about water and pasture. But that is not true. The clashes were politically instigated,” asserts Mr Ruhu.
But the assistant director of agriculture, Mr Clement Muyesu, says the company can be certain of the impact the project might have, given its size.
“Ten thousand hectares is a lot of area by any standards,” remarks Mr Muyesu. “It’s a massive area, especially for a new corporation. It will raise a lot of eyebrows. In terms of expectations, you cannot just say you are just trying with 10,000 hectares… it’s just too much.”
The local community has high expectations, as set by Bedford’s initial promises.
As well as paying rent to ranchers and creating over 3,000 jobs once the project is fully operational, the company also pledges to invest in local infrastructure.
“We have a budget of $3.6 million (about Sh3 billion) for every 10,000 hectares to cater for the needs that the people themselves will come up with, be it a school, a health centre, or water. The projects will be started when the project takes off,” claims Mr Ruhu.
But whether those promises will be realised depends on the success of the project, which is far from assured.
While Nema gave Bedford a licence to proceed, and says that it is “satisfied with the activities of Bedford” and does not have any concerns about its initiative, the Ministry of Energy claims that it has not approved such a large-scale jatropha project.
Ms Faith Odongo, head of the biofuels section at the ministry, says the few jatropha projects undertaken in Kenya have demonstrated that the plant “is not a good candidate for biofuel production in Kenya”.
As a result of a feasibility study by Africa Harvest commissioned by the Ministry of Energy, which found that it would take a company at least 15 years to break even with a jatropha biofuel project, Ms Odongo says the Ministry of Energy has not encouraged any large-scale investment in the sector.
“It does not make sense to recommend such an investment to anybody,” she says.
Others claim that the science behind jatropha’s success is shaky.
Bedford’s website praises the jatropha plant as “a robust and relatively drought-resistant, sustainable biofuel feedstock” whose cultivation “can help build economies of underdeveloped countries”.
The plant has also been hailed in some research as a miracle crop that can even survive on barren land.
But Ms Munguti is sceptical. “They said jatropha would grow in deserts, then they found it can’t. It needs more soil fertility and more water than maize,” she claims.
dn2@ke.nationmedia.com
Collins Areba•2 days ago
Jatropha is always a wrong crop, tana delta is a fertile, irrigable region suitable for growing food crops, they claim that jatropha can grow in arid and marginalized areas (yes it will grow but good luck flowering), If the government and bedford are indeed genuine about developing arid land kenya for biofuel production, let them try it in the northern frontiers…
Pitchaya’s History Blog
March 7, 2011
History IA Analysis: What were the causes for and effects of the failure of the Madagascar Plan?
The Madagascar Plan was a Nazi project involving the deportation of 4 million Jews to Madagascar. While it had been proposed in 1938 (Benz, 66), the planning did not start until shortly after the German defeat of France in June 1940. Madagascar had been owned by the French and as a result of the Battle of France, was to be ceded to German control (Benz, 69). In a speech in February by Alfred Rosenberg, chief ideologue of the Nazi Party, it was a means of “solving the Jewish question by establishing a Jewish reserve on Madagascar” (Benz, 67). The Madagascar Plan was never completed and the file on the project was closed in February 1942 (Benz, 72.)
The Battle of Britain was a direct cause for the failure of the plan. The defeat of France in mid-1940 left “Britain alone and apparently helpless” (Shirer, 758). The earlier German victories in Europe led the Nazis to believe that “the British would see reason and be forced to the peace table” (Tucker, 1132); that Hitler was beginning to “believe in his own myth” (Evans). On November 15 1939, (Tucker, 1132) Raeder told the Naval War Staff to study “the possibility of invading England, a possibility arising if certain conditions [were] fulfilled by the further course of the war” (Shirer, 758). Operation Sea Lion was a planned amphibious invasion of Britain, with which Hitler hoped to “secure space on ships […] for the purpose of solving the Jewish problem” (Benz, 72). After a successful invasion, Germany could then use Britain’s large navy in transporting the Jews to Madagascar. However, air superiority over Britain was a necessary condition for this invasion, and Germany’s defeat in The Battle of Britain resulted in the failure of Operation Sea Lion. The Nazis’ objective in the Battle of Britain’s was to “[drive] the British Air Force from the skies and [achieve] the one condition on which the launching of the invasion depended” (Shirer, 774). After several consecutive weeks of bombing London, German bombing squadrons were intercepted by the British Air Force on September 15, suffering insurmountable losses. The failure to gain air superiority meant that German military forces were unable to cross the English Channel and initiate Operation Sea Lion. Hitler now had no means of executing the Plan.
The Madagascar Plan had been formulated based upon Hitler’s “myth” (Evans) – his overconfidence about the outcomes of the war. It was only pursued “for some weeks in earnest” (Benz, 68), immediately after France’s defeat. As a result of the unsatisfactory outcome of the Battle of Britain, carrying out the Madagascar Plan was implausible. Operation Sea Lion was postponed indefinitely on the 27th of September, 1940. There is no archival evidence of alternative routes, sea lanes or other methods planned by the Germans of transporting Jews to Madagascar.
The Madagascar Plan was never believed to have been concrete and there is no archival evidence on whether the Germans would have executed it had Operation Sea Lion not failed. Hitler was constantly moving the Plan’s deadline – in 1940, he had Jews sent to camps in France, saying they would soon be deported to Madagascar. In mid-1941, he had pushed the execution of the Plan after “the completion of the Eastern Campaign”(Friedlander, 203), showing he was not serious about following through.
The failure of the Madagascar Plan was inconsequential. Benz separates the solutions to the Nazis’ “Jewish Question” into two parts. The initial solution was largely about emigration, whereas the final solution was extermination. While the Plan’s failure could be twisted to represent the failure of the initial solution, it was most likely propaganda, intended to mask the cruelty of Nazism and the campaign against the Jews. Furthermore, Benz also states that “The Madagascar plan was in no way a philanthropic project” (Benz, 67) – there had already been “fantasies of extermination “(Benz, 68) within the initial solutions of deportation. The Nazis believed that places like Madagascar, Guyana and Alaska were territories “of an insular nature” (Benz, 71), and would eventually “decimate” (Benz, 68) the Jewish numbers. Although there were two parts to the solution, both contained underlying motives of extermination. Therefore, the failure of the plan would have little or no effect on the mass extermination of the Jews after 1941.
The failure of the Madagascar Plan did not contribute to the final solution. There are quotations supporting the claim that the Nazis had not intended to execute the Plan regardless of the turnout of Operation Sea Lion. If they had not been serious in the beginning, its failure could not have contributed to the decision to carry out the killings. The Wannsee Conference was held in January 1942, to “co-ordinate the administrative details”(Evans) of setting up extermination camps around Europe. They had “the principle or even the sole purpose of killing Europe’s Jews” (Evans). Existing camps were equipped with “additional extermination facilities” (Tucker, 1678). However, plans of extermination had already been in place since 1939. Friedlander believes that Hitler was “using “Madagascar” as a standard of the end goal of his policy: The expulsion of the Jews from Europe” (Friedlander, 203). This is part of an ongoing debate between intentionalist and functionalist historians and forms part of the larger question: whether Hitler had planned the Holocaust or not. Intentionalist historians argue that Hitler already planned for mass extermination of the Jews, and that the Holocaust was not a consequence but an idea (Layton, 91). The failure of the plan did not contribute to the final solution. Rather than leading to the mass exterminations, it was a façade.
Section E – Conclusion
The failure of the Madagascar Plan was due to the failure of The Battle of Britain, which made the plan logistically unfeasible. Without a large navy at his disposal, Hitler could not carry it out. However, it was also speculative and even had Operation Sea Lion succeeded, there is no evidence stating the Plan would have been executed. Therefore, its failure was inconsequential and played no role in the Holocaust.
The Heroic Victory of President Barack Obama as he returns to the White House to serve America and the World for a second term and to complete the unfinished business.
The World can learn that it’s not the color of the skin, but the content of the character and the some should re-plicate elsewhere in the world.
I can’t say how much happy I am as a Kenyan born and as an American, that it took Virginians time to find the fraud that involved dead people at the voting booths that have made Republican Party to turn Virginia to Red State for decades, but now we are here with them no more red State.
The Virginia GOP leaders temper tone on abortion reached a fresh stinging defeat for the presidency and for the U.S. Senate seat. Now that we are facing elections for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general in 2013, Virginia’s leading Republicans appear to be changing to be more pragmatic, and less confrontational on abortion and reproductive rights.
One indication of a shift in strategy was on display at a recent gathering of Republican Women in Charlottesville, where Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling told his party that now they need to respect the abortion rights – favoring Republicans in its ranks and get smarter about pursuing its anti-abortion agenda.
In the past three years, I have been for Women fighting for their rights here in Virginia, Men shouldn’t get involved in the affairs regarding women’s bodies at all in their agendas. I always say let women decide as individuals, even pastors should know this as they offer prayers over such issues because these are issues of privacy.
I would like my opponents to clear up and come clean and tell the women – including the opponents’ wives and daughters what they have been advocating for decades.
The sitting Attorney General Mr. Ken Cuccinelli is going to run for the Governorship come next year, and the sitting Lt.Gov. Bill Bolling – Republican may run on an Independent ticket. I’m ready to face them on their abortion project.
The strange turn around for Bolling is that he will not be on the ballot on a Republican ticket but as an Independent. There seems to be a lot of worries within the GOP party based on statements that have been made – Bolling said that Virginia Republican need to respect members’ views and Cuccinelli said that Republican Party should not be exclusionary.
I will stand firm in support of women’s issues by letting women make decision that are touching on their bodies as I have always done before.
We as Democrats will choose the best to take on the sitting Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli who may be chosen as the best Republican Party candidate – but we must have Virginia back to blue. Doing this needs sacrifices to accept and recommend one contestant from our Democrat party.
Republicans and the T-party in Virginia have realized that Virginians know their voting secretes and tactics for getting in to the mansion house and to other offices. The people will decide this time.
We as Democrats are not thirsty of Power but to deliver for all. We are going to look for each and every avenue that will direct us to decide the one to run for the office because we can’t loose this chance. We will make sure that no more Republican will head Virginia, and if we can do so, we shall win this Governorship.
I became interested when Barack Obama came from Illinois to Virginia to help us campaign together for Tim Caine for the Virginia Governorship. When Tim become the Virginia Governor, I said, well, why not I next time. I came up with my own strategy for running next year for the office. President Obama was a Senator at the time.
While we were campaigning with the then Senator Obama for Tim Kaine, he introduce me to the Virginians as a Kenyan born American who bears a name that might be difficult to pronounce. It is just like mine was difficult to say and his name is called Thomas Nyambok. The people and the University students become wild saying they are happy to have me here with them and to campaign for their next Governor.
After campaign, the then Senator Obama went back to Illinois and within a few months, he declared to run for USA Presidency, it was not a surprise to me because I felt it. I new there was something coming up – remember the speech he delivered at Tampa.
My Interest and my campaign to become the Governor for Virginia started before President Obama became the USA President.
I thank the people of Virginia because they did a lot to have reverted from Red to Blue State; I did a lot too for having found the chit tings of dead voting people that Republicans have been using in decades to have them in the offices the DMV, Social Security, Board of elections, and death certificates offices. We will soon let Virginians know more when I become the next Governor for Virginia next year.
A SECTION of Clergy from Nyanza region has refuted claims that they have endorsed a Parliamentary aspirant eyeing the newly created Kisumu Central Constituency seat.
Led by the chairman of the Nyanza Council of Church leaders Bishop Dr. Washington Ngede, the bishops said they only conducted prayers during a breakfast meeting held in Kisumu early this week for Ken Nyagudi who has declared his interest in Kisumu Central.
They said their work is not to endorse any politician for any elective post but to pray for all of them whenever they seek divine intervention from the clergy.
They were reacting to media reports that appeared in a section of the local dailies that they met Ken Nyagudi, an aspiring MP for Kisumu Central Constituency early this week where they endorsed his candidature for the seat.
A section of aspirants for the same seat has taken issues with the Bishops and have since condemned the alleged endorsement of Nyagudi.
But the bishops maintained that they have conducted similar prayers for various politicians who are garnering for different seats within and outside Kisumu County but have never endorsed anyone at any time.
The Chairman who was accompanied by his Vice Chair Bishop Julius Otieno said they are expected to be neutral and will not support any politicians for any seat only to offer prayers for them whenever need arise.
“We have prayed for various politicians who have sought for divine intervention and never at any point have we endorsed any of them aspiring for political seat as this is not our duty as the clergy,” they said.
The clergy at the same time appealed to the government to recognize the various contributions the religious bodies have made towards the progress in peace-building initiatives, adding that it should strengthen the strategic partnerships with religious bodies.
WITH only 100 days to go before the next general elections are held on March 4, 2013 ignals of discontent and violent political wrangling seemed to be emerging from most parts of Luo-Nyanza,the worse being within the two counties of Kisumu and Homa-Bay.
In Nyando district within Kisumu County, the police were reported to be actively investigating the cause of death of a man whose body was fished out of the thicket after he was allegedly assaulted by the youth supporting the rival political camp after he was alleged to have tried to disrupt a campaign rally in the area by heckling the speakers, which sparked off the fist fighting.
The deceased whose name was given as Omuoyo from Kanyilum sub-clan within Wawidhi B area of South East Kano is said to have bee involved in fracas with supporters of the area MP Fred Outa. The youths are said to have set themselves upon the deceased with crude weapons.
The area MP Fred Outa is among the leaders aid to have spent several hours recording statements with the police with the police following the incident.
In the neighboring Nyakach also within Kisumu County, scores of people sustained minor bodily injuries following the outbreak of fighting at the ODM Mashinani campaign rally held at Pap-Onditi Center in lower Nyakach.
The trouble was sparked off following the late arrival at the meeting venue by on of the aspirant for Nyakach parliamentary seat Aduma-Owuor a former senior legal 0fficer of the City Council of Nairobi.
This was accompanied by dozens of drunken youth. However, Aduma Owuor was ushered in and given a seat at the dais as one of the aspirants. But his youth were not lucky to be accorded similar treatment by the conveners of the rally. The youth tried to force their way into the venue thereby st8iring up the commotion as the made an attempt to disrupt the sitting arrangement which had been made earlier.
This what sparked off the commotion and protest by the ODM youth manning the meeting, and controlling the crowd. At this juncture the fighting broke out wit plastic chairs flying out in all direction. The combatants also used other missiles and objects sending the participants scampering or their dear lives. One civic leader Omdi Ouko was beaten up to the ground.
Peace was temporarily restored, but no sooner did another aspirant for the Nyakach parliamentary aspirant Eng.Evans Kodera arrived in the company of shouting youths. They two were roughed by the ODM youths, most of them beaten to the ground.
Several candidate aspiring for the various elective positions with the County governance attended the meeting among them Aloys Ager who is contesting the Sigoti County Ward, Grace A. Akumu {parliament}, Ms Ruth Adhiambo Odinga {governor}, Dr Barrack Abonyo from the US {governor} Ojwang’K’Ombudo{governor].
Meanwhile several politicians in Homa-Bay have bitterly complained about the slow path it taking the police Rachuonyo South district to apprehend the suspects criminal who are supposed to be facing serious criminal charges of causing grievous harm related to violent assault incident which occurred in the lakeside town awe ago following the violent disruption of ODM Mashinani held there two weeks ago.
The police in Oyugis have yet to apprehend any of the suspects despite of a requesting letters from their Homa-Bay counter parts who have recorded statements from the complainants and potential prosecution witnesses in the serious criminal cases pending there.
The two suspects who are believed to have used the sharpened knives in stabbing several people during the fracas Homa-Bay are said to be still roaming freely in Oyugis town and its environs.
