Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo

By sanctioning for the registration of Posetu as the second new umbrella of trade unions this country to rival the central Organizations of trade unions[ COTU{k},The Jubilee government has erroneously shoot itself in the leg.

COTU[K} under its ablest leadership of Francis Atwoli has served the Kenyan workers diligently TO Cot ever since its inception in the middle of 1960s and after its transformation from the all powerful Kenya Federation of Labuor {KFL} to Cotu {K}, COTU{K} was established by an act of parliament, which had mandate it as the sole representatives of the Kenyan workers.

All the previous holders of its coveted position of secretary General were the most illustrious sons of Kenya. They included the late Clement Kalani Lubembe, Peter Kibisu, James Karebe and J.D.Akumu.

These were the giants who had contributed immensely towards the liberation of Kenyans from the colonial yokes.

Moreover, the Cabinet Secretary for KLabor Kazungu Kambi appeared to unfit and totally a politically mediocre and not fit to the task and heavy responsibility bestowed on him.

In this context, I maintain by allowing for the registration of Posetu to destabilize the workers organization, the jubilee government due to lack of foresight has unknowingly destabilizing itself and hence risking rejection by Kenyans.

Judging from his utterances and actions, it appears as if the Labour’s CS is not fully conversant with his role in the government, hence the uncalled for conflict of interests between the ministry and the COTU [K}’

Kazungu Kambi is openly displaying his political mediocrity and the sooner President Kenyatta shown him the exit door the better. The CS is totally ignorant of the task before him. He is more of a liability than being an asset to the government.

From the look of things, Kenyans have resolved to work closely with the jubilee government under the leadership President Uhuru Kenyatta and his equally ablest Deputy President William Ruto. This is the main reason why Kenyans from all walks of life irrespective of their political party of affiliation supports fully the government effort to stamp out terrorists groups, which has become the real menace to the peace loving Kenyans.

However, the time is ripe for President Kenyatta to crack the whip and remove the rotten eggs from his cabinet in order to restore the confidence of Kenyans and the investors alike.

There are two rotten eggs in the jubilee cabinet who should be kicked out for the sake of good governance.. These are in the names of Kazungu Kambi and Charity Kaluki Ngilu.

Why should the two be indispensable whereas their performance appear not to be up to the standard/?

The messes seen in the ministry of Lands, particularly in its district offices countrywide, which operates on photo copies without not even one single official stationery forcing the staff to install photocopying machines of their own. These offices lacked the official land transaction form or any official documents. He staff uses their own photocopying machines to produce filthy forms and document, which they are charging exorbitantly therefore fleecing the poor taxpayers, and yet the ministry has its annual allocations in the budge to cater to stationeries?

Distraught and frustrated staffers ever asking for bribe money for typing any simple document without which a member of the public may spent the whole days waiting for a simple document to be typed out and signed by the designated official. In fact the ministry of Lands offices looked like the government ministries in Ugandan government during the reign of Idi Amin in the early 1970s

Why should Kenya, a country which has trained and turned out thousands of highly educated men and women since it attained its political independence in 1963 continued to be served by inefficient and incompetent people like Kambi and Ngilu.Is it for political expediency/’ It is is indeed for regional balancing purposes, can’t President Kenyatta find suitable persons from the regions where Kambi and Ngilu hails from and appoint such persons to the cabinet.?

Many Kenya are now left wondering as to what has happened to the law of the cabinet reshuffle?

The on-going controversy whether it is COTU {K} or Posetu which workers organization should host the Labour Day celebrations is another source of shame on Kenya.

COTU[K} is a workers organizations which is recognized all over the world. It is affiliated to major world workers organizations, which have funded socio-economic projects such as the construction of the magnificent building Solidari Building now standing on the Digo road in Nairobi,and the multi-billion shilling Tom Mboya Labuor College in Kisumu. Thousands of Kenyan workers have benefited from these institutions

ENDS

MAJOR POLITICAL FALLOUT IN LUO-MYYANZA OVER OTIENO KAJWANG’S LEADERSHIP IS INEVITABLE.

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo.

What was originally thought to be a simple matter and an internal political wrangling within the ODM appeared to have taken a new dimension which could consign the party to its political dustbins and doldrums unless a quick solution.

It all started last when the officials from seven sub-branches from seven parliamentary constituencies that forms Homa-Bay County converged at theHoma-Bay Farmers Training School and unanimously voted out the branch supremo Senator Gerald Otieno Kajwang’

Sen. Kajwang’ was kicked out together with his acting vice chairperson Mrs Monica Amolo. And a new branch executive commitee was formed headed by the former Homa-Bay MP Martin Otieno Ogindo with a Kasipul politician Charles Ong’ondio Were as his deputy.

Homa-Bay County has eight sub-branches representing eight parliamentary constituencies of Mbita, Suba, Ndhiwa, Karachuonyo, Rangwe, Homa-Bay Town, Kasipul and Kabondo-Kasipul. Only Ndhiwa sub-branch was notably absent at the meeting.

The original agenda of the meeting was meant to welcome back to the party those members who had crossed over to other parties and contested the March 4, 2013 elections using those parties nomination certificates. Members had taken the nomination certificates from parties which preconceived to be friendly to CORD Coalition. The exodus was caused by the much flawed ODM Primary nomination system which was so chaotic.

However, the mood at the meeting abruptly changed and the name of Senator Otieno Kajwang’ featured prominently when some delegates accused the former Immigration and Registration of Persons minister in the Kibaki-Raila coalition government.

The songs of “Kajwang’ Must Go” rent the air with some of the delegates accusing the Senator of bad-mouthing other elected leaders. The other key position in the branch which was left untouched is that of the branch general secretary the position which is held by the Karachuonyo MP Eng. James K Rege.

Racting to the move the ODM acting leader Prof. Anyang Nyong’o was quick in dismissing the ousting of Kajwang’ as illegal and not in line with the ODM constitution. Nyong’o said that the headquarters will under no circumstances ratify the removal of the Senator from the County branch leadership. countered Prof Nyong’o’s remarks by issuing a threat that if Otieno Kajwang’is indispensable then they would walk out of ODM en mess, and leave the party to its owners who included Otieno Kajwang’.

Signs of Otieno Kajwang’ surfaced last weekend when hundreds of mourners at Konyango Jieri village near Kendu-Bay violently heckled and booed his deputy Mrs Monica Amolo forcing her to cut short her speech. He had made a veiled criticism of the Nairobi governor dr. Evans Odhimbo Kidero who waves is sweppng the luo-Nyanza region like tsunami. Mrs Amolo had cautioned the Luos against readily accepting the money whose sources is not known to them.”If one of your children brought home a huge sums of money please do not just accept it blindly without quarrying about its original source. It could turn out to be stolen money.” She thundered amid massive murmuring of disapproval.

The charged crowd jumped to their feet and began heckling, booing and making wild-cat calls.

The incident occurred during the well attended burial of Mrs Pamela Atieno Ezra Odondi Opar the managing director of the Big Five chain of hotels in Kendu-Bay town. She was buried at her family home at Konyango Jieri village about one kilometer from the town. The burial ceremony was attended by Homa-Bay County governor Cyprian Otieno Awiti in the company of dozens of his County executive members, the Area MP James K. Rege, the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders Mzee Meshack Riaga Ogalo and many ODM local and regional luminaries.

Those in attendance felt that Mrs Amolo was directing her veil criticism to the Nairobi governor Dr Evans Kidero who of late has been criss-crossing the the entire Luo-Nyanza conducting high profile and successful fundraising for the various socio-economic development projects.

The huge crowd appeared to have been worked up when Mrs Amolo told the mourners that she was representing Senator Otieno Kajwang’ who was unable to attend the function himself. Earlier on during the week, Senator Kajwang’ had faced a near violent street demonstration by ODM youth at Rodi- Kopany town about 10 kilometers south east of homay-Bay town. The youth danced and blocked the junction of the road which is linking Ndhiwa, Rongo, Rangwe and Homay town forcing motorists to stop for close to two hours and sung anti-Kajwang’ songs using unprintable words.

Kajwang’ is a confidant of the Luo political kingpin Raila Amolo Odinga kicked off his anti-Kidero crusade last December during the end of the year get together party at the Opoda Bar Opuka rural home of Raila Odinga in Bondo when he said that people of Nyanza must question the source of the colossal amount of money the Nairobi governor was dishing out extravagantly at his Harambee fund raising meetings in Luo-Nyanza. Raila did not respond to Kajwang’s remarks, but the chairman of the Luo Council of elders {splinter Group Mzee Eli Otondi caution the people to be wary of those who might be using huge sums of ill-gotten money to divide the Luos.

So far Dr. Kidero and Raila have shared three plate forms on two occasions. and the two appeared to be getting well with no signs of suspicion on their faces. The first such meeting was the Harambee held in Kisumu City’s Kaloleni Ward and the second such meeting came last month during the fundraising in aids of the Jua Kali artisans in which close to Kshs 16 million was realized last month.

Anti Kajwang’ sentiments is so rampant in many parts of Luo-Nyanza, and if Raila Odinga cannot intervene in time and bring back sanity in the Orange party, it now threatens to split the community into two major political camps hostile to each other. The majority of Luos from the greater Southern Nyanza could easily jump the ship and join Dalmas Otieno in his still yet to be named new political party.

Raila must also instill some amount of discipline in his party by cautioning those members with loose tanks.

ENDS

Political feature analysis By Leo Odera Omolo

POLITICAL power brokerage has always been the major cause of discomfort among members of the larger Kalenjin community ever since early 1960s

The practice got heightened during the early part of the reign of the retired president Daniel Arap Moi in early 1980s and immediately after the latter’ accession to power and in 1978 following the death of the founding president Jomo Kenyatta on August 22, 1978.

These political brokers become part of life particularly among the residents of the South and North Rift especially among the Kipsigis and Nandi sub – tribes.

It becomes the source of discontent and instability among the members of the most populous Kipsigis sub-tribe .This is the most populous sub-tribe of the larger Kalenjin ethnic groups.

There was one time when emerged one by name of Isaak Kipkorir Salat a former junior clerk with one of the multinational tea companies operating in Kericho and Bomet Districts .

At first he become the brief case carrier of Moi when the latter was serving in the post – independence cabinet as the vice President and minister for Home affairs another person to emerge as the political power broker during Moi’s time was the former Belgut MP Ayub Chepkwony who happens to be related to Moi by marriage – After Chepkwony then emerged another political broker in the region in the name of Prof. Jonathan Ngulalu Arap Ng’eno while during the same period of time in the North Rift emerge one Mark Kiotarbei Arap Too in Uasin Gishu and Nan district In the same region also emerged the former soldier Ezekiel Bargetuny as another powerful political broker also in Nandi and Uasin Gishu regions

Anyone who rubbed shoulder the wrong way with these gentlemen was in for big trouble .The four had entrenched themselves in the Moi KANU regime and were the one calling shots in almost every political issue affecting the Kipsigis and the Nandi communities

One memorable act committed by Salat was when the Moi regime had envisaged a multimillion shilling plan to have the LondieniKikellion, Muhoroni and Kisumu road termacked . The road if constructed could have cut down the Kisumu-Nairobi by distant nearly close to 40 kilometers short.

The project was designed to branch off at Londiani junction on the main Nakuru- Kericho road at Londiani and traverse through this agricultural region through Kipkelion Railway station, Chulwa , Kenya all, Fort –Tennan , Koru Muhoroni and to link up with Kericho – Kisumu road at Awasi.

Acting at the behest of Kericho town wealthy Indian traders Salat publicly advised President Moi in a public address that the road was not viable and would be a waste of money because the road project would only benefit the Luos of Nyanza who were in opposition to the KANU government.

The project was abandoned and never saw the light of the day.Salat won Bomet parliamentary seat in the 1974 general elections and was appointed by Moi to be an Assistant Minister in the office of the President.

In the 1979 Moi called for snap elections .This time around salat and Prof Ngeno had decided that early , Kipsigis nationalist Dr Taaitta Araap Toweett who had featured prominently during the struggle for independence must vacatehis Buret parliamentary seat and go home. Dr. Arap Toweett who was then the Minister for Education, and perhaps the best Education Minister Kenya has ever had must go Toweet twas then the KANU MP for Ruret.

Moi went to Kapkatet an area which is the heart-beat of the Kipsigis politics and to surprise and shock of the mammoth crowd made an announcement that it was time for Taweett to rest or to vacate the Buret Seat and pave the way for a new blood .Moi told Dr. Tawett in his face to have a rest Inspire of the loud murmuring of disapproval by the huge crowd in attendance at the rally.Moi went and stood his ground. Toweett who looked shocked and disappointed reluctantly accepted the verdict and went home and quietly went home a disappointed man.

Prof Ngeno who was by then working for the Nakuru Millers a company asociated with Moi got the KANU ticket and was elected the new Buret MP and consequently appointed the new Education Minster in place of Dr. Towett though he performed dismally and was later relegated to the Housing Ministry

However, Prof Ngeno did not last longer in the seat. In the response to the protest of the elected as the treatment meted out on Toweet Moi later half heatedly made him a nominated MP. It is indeed imperative to remember that Moi and Toweett were age-mates, and there was no way theother became tired while the latter was still going strong snd serving as the head of state. Therefore Moi’s reasoning for the removal of Toweett from his job was irrelevant in this case.

Ngeno was himself in 1983 kicked out of the Parliament and in his place came the farmer Kapsabet Resident Magistrate. Timothy Arap Mibe an ex school teacher t Getarwet primary School who was later trained as a lawyer at the Dar Es Salaam University. At the time around Salat was gradually phased out and then emerged Ayut Chepkurony the Belgut MP who was made an Assistant Minister for Housing. Chepkwony was related to Moi by marriage .He was the husband of the younger sister to Mrs Lena Moi

Meanwhile Mibei who served in the cabinet briefly as the Minister for Works was hounded out of the Buret seat paving the way for for the return of Prof Ngeno in who later represented the constituency until in 1992 when he was he was beaten hands down by the former Tengecha High school’s principal Paul Arap Sang (Chamian Buch)

It was during the late 1997 when Donald Kepkamoe Arap Kones emerged as the most powerful politician and a power broker in Kipsigis and after winning the Bomet parliamentary seat and Kones was appointed by Moi as the minister of state in the office of the president.

Kones emergence saw Ayub hepkw being phased out. Kones and Moi parted the compnay and this gave the way for the return of Ngeno his cousins. Both Kones and Prof Ngeno were member of the Kapecherek sub-clan meaning the people with mixed of Kalenjin – Kisi blood.

As for now a Kericho Senatr Charles KETER who is a political associate DP William Ruto HAS Emerged as NEW power broker in Kipsigis land to the chagrins of the elected leaders of Kericho and Bomet Counties.Keter’ is allegedly openly displaying his dislike and hatred of the two governors, namely isaak Ruto of Bomet and Prof. Paul Chepkwony.

Like the late Kones who with others who were reported to have financed and fed the now infamous Kalenjin Warriors of the 1992-1997 launched simultaneous armed attack against the Luos, Kisiis and Luhyias because these communities were in opposition to the Nyayo KANU regime of Moi. Keter recently faced scathing criticism from the Nyakah MP Aduma Owuor who linked him to the recent out break of tribal skirmishes between theLuos and the Kipsigis along the Kericho-Nyakach borders. Which left six uos dead and close to 50 houses set ablaze destroying property worth millions of shillings.

THe Kericho Senator, however, has yet to come out with the convincing reasons of innocence to the problem,and has only rudely challenged the Nyach MP to make his allegations in report to the police.

POLITICAL RIPPLES IN THE REGION

Other known power broker had a group her during Moi’s 24 years president included Mark Mark Kiptarbei Arap Too Ezekiel Bargetuny also in Nandi and Hosea Kiplagat in Baringo,Nicholas Kiprono Kipyator Biwott who was acting as the principal political strategist of all the time during Mois 24 years presidency and was credited of all and was credited to have been the highly educated power broker in rule the North Rift where other were semi literate outfit.

ENDs