News Analysis By Bob Ndira-Uradi in Homa-Bay Town
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The campaign for the various elective positions within the County governance and parliamentary seats has began in earnest in the Homa-Bay County.
The political temperature has been raised following the recent emergence of a group, which has self-styled itself as the “dot.com” whose campaign is said to have hit the ground with the thud like thunderbolt.
The “dot.com” group’s aims and objectives is to sideline all the seasoned and established politicians in the region and replace them with youthful aspirants in all elective positions fro the Senate, Parliament to the County representatives.
The ODM headquarters has yet to come out clean to clarify whether this so called “dot.com” group has its blessing or it just a simple project of an individual.
Silent but highly intriguing scheming by various camps within the ODM and scrambling for close to 700,000 votes has kicked off in high note with claims that some aspirants are being funded by outsiders perceived to be political enemies of the party and its leadership.
The “dot.com” group which is coalescing around the Mbita MP Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ who recently won the ODM Homa-Bay County chairmanship during the much flawed party grass root elections only by consensus and not by popular votes is blamed for the unfolding dirty political maneuvers aimed at sidelining certain targeted individuals
The group is said to be comprising of the ODM renegade youths, hirelings, discredited power brokers political turn-coats and mercenaries for hire who can jump onto any bandwagon to campaign for the purpose of attracting cheap cash handouts from candidates. But people with no following or any grass root supports inside the villages and locations where they lived..
Kajwang’, who is also with the Immigration and Registration of Persons, is reported to be fronting for one young woman, who recently graduated fresh from university, for the position of women Senate representative, a move that is vehemently opposed by the majority of the electorate in all the six parliamentary constituencies.
The group is said to be loaded with unlimited funds, which the pundits and observers believes, are not sourced from the ODM party headquarters. But allegedly from unknown and highly intriguing sources of supply which is said to be rather remained mysterious.
The region is currently represented in Parliament by six MPs, representing Gwassi, Mbita, Ndhiwa, Rangwe, Karachuonyo and Kasipul-Kabondo.but the region has received two additional parliament seats as per the recommendation if the Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission {IEBC}.The new extra seat will be in Kasipul-Kabondo and Homa-Bay town.
The woman whose election campaign has sent shockwaves to many season politicians in the region is known by name as Mrs Gladys Wanga . She hails from Kochia West and reportedly working with an NGO in Nairobi. The electorate however, are questioning her background what she has been doing for the people of the region in relations to development to justify he claims to leadership position. In the absence of such explanation, Mrs Wanga will have an uphill task explaining her track record in the region.
However, those have had the opportunity of meeting her consider her as one of the many green horns as far as Homa-Bay politics are concerned. She will need a lot of coaching before her candidature is taken serious by the electorate.
Moreover she is originally from Seme Location in Kisumu West district, but only recently got married to a man who is a resident of Kochia West in the old Rangwe constituency. Her candidature is also suspected to have something to do with alleged plot to derail the Eng.Okundi’s bid for the Homa-Bay County governorship. Both Okundi and Wanga hail from Kochia West within the old Rangwe.
Okundi, however, has the most illustrious track record in term of development activities in the entire Rangwe constituency following his five years representation in Parliament between 2002 and 2007. In addition to this, the former Rangwe MP has what it takes to be considered as credible wealth of experience in public administration and management, having served as the Deputy Managing Director of the former vast Kenya Posts and telecommunications, the managing Director of the Kenya Ports Authority, and in the same position at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation and finally at the helm of the Kenya Bureau of the Standards..
The most intriguing aspect of her candidature is unconfirmed rumors making the round that she is enjoying the patronage and backing of the Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Otieno Kajwang’, Kasipul-Kabondo MP Joseph Ouma Maguwanga, the ODM Regional Coordinator in Nyanza Mrs Monica Amolo from Ndhiwa, and one individual personality who is a former political ally of the immediate former Rangwe MP Eng Philip Okoth Okundi, Mr Agutu Jakorayo and one women leader in Kabondo Mrs Benta Dwassi.
Wanga ‘s candidature came in the wake of the popular views held by many residents that the position women Senate representative Senate should filled by the highly respected the retired top educationist Mrs Roselyn Onyuka from Kasipul-Kabondo, who is also the former Nyanza PDE and later the Director o Secondary Education in the Ministry of Education.
Mrs Onyuka has the highest profile and proved leadership quality. She has served briefly after her retirement as the TSC member and only retired last year.
Both Mrs Onyuka and Otieno Kajwang’ were born in Mbita constituency .She is the daughter of the late Senior Chief Damianius Ajwang’ of Gembe location. Her home is just four kilometers across the River Lambwe from to that of Waondo home of Kajwang’ and the rumor making the round, however, have it that the two had some old grudges as result of some old family feuds therefore the Minister will be much happier if the Senate Women seat goes to someone else.
The popular views are that owing to the fact that she hails next to Kajwang’ home turf it would not look fair to other communities when they will be asked to cast their votes for a man and a woman aspirants from one place.
Mrs Onyuka who served in the region heading several girls secondary school before she was promoted to be the Nyanza PDE the position which she served diligently for well over ten years is known as an “achiever” with colorful track record of development and efficient service t the Wananchi.
photos of Mrs Roselyn Onyuka from Kasipuo-Kabonjdo and the fomer PDE Nyanza who is contesting the elective position of the Homa-Bay County Women representative to Parlament. She declared here candidaure last Saurday hile addressing thioands of morners in Rusinga Island during the buriak of his brother in-law the lte Apollo Okeyo Omuga the former Suba Cultural and Developmenjt Council of Elders.
Another credible contender for the same seat is Ms Millie Odhiambo, the nominated MP who had earlier shown interest in Mbita parliamentary seat, but who is reported to have changed her mind following pressure from her cousin Phares Ogweno Ratego who is vying for Mbita parliamentary seat and who is said to have mounted one the most effective campaign ever seen in the area.
The “dot.com” group is said to be comprises of ODM renegade youths, hirelings, political turn-coats discredited power-brokers and mercenaries like political operatives well known for their lust for money in the region, and who could jump onto the bandwagon of any group with the loaded kitty. But whose impact in term of popularity and influence among the electorate is said to be reading zero.
The group recently hit the ground and traversed the full length and width of the region reaching far flung places like Mfangano and Rusinga islands while distributing calendars with the portrait of Mrs Wanga. The calendars were also distributed in Rangwe,Karachuonyo and Kasipul-Kabondo.
Insiders have informed this writer that the “dot.com” aim and objective is to scuttle the candidature o Eng. Philip Okoth Okundi who is currently on the lead in his bid to become the first governor of Homa-Bay County. The group has been telling the electorate that older people should go home and leave the political field for the dot.com generation of youths. Their other intention is to lock-out Mrs Onyuka and Ms Milie Odhiambo from the race or women Senate representative.
In his bid to clinch the Sate seat for Homa-Hay, Otieno Kajwang’ will have to square it with the abrasive Ndhiwa MP Joshua Orwa Ojode who has also declared that he would be vying for the same seat. Ojode and Kajwang’; are sworn political enemies. Both men have served for more than three terms in the August House with Kajwang” have been elected in 1992 while Ojode was elected a year later following the defection of the former Ndhiwa MP Tom Odongo Obondo who won the seat a Ford Kenya party ticket, but within two months defected back to KANU.
Traveling in a bran new prod car Mrs Wanga recently traversed the full length and width of the Homa-Bay County while distributing new calendars with her portrait to the voters in most parts of the Homa-Bay County. The distribution of the calendars covered areas like Mfangano, Rusinga, Gwassi, Lambwe, Homa-Bay, Kasipul-Kabondo and other paces. The objectives of this solo trip covering the whole of the County was partly meant for introduction and popularization purposes.
The reports emerging from the various constituencies says the moved backfired, and many voters still held the views that two prominent women leaders Mrs Roselyn Onyuka and Ms Millie Odhiambo, the nominated MP, are far much better placed to clinch the women Senate representative should any of them decide to join the race for the women Senate seat.
Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Mbita Town
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TWO prominent members of the Orange Democratic Movement ODM} from Southern Nyanza region are facing lean times and embroiled in a very tricky boiling issue which could easily lead to their being locked out of parliament comes the next general election.
Unless the Mbita MP Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ and his counterpart Gwassi MP John Mbadi reversed their decision and abandon their vehement opposition to the boiling issue connected to the renaming of their two constituencies as Suba North for Mbita and Suba South for Gwassi they can as well count themselves out of the August Hose come the next general elections.
Kajwang is the current Minister for Immigration and Registration of Persons in the grand coalition government, one of the mot important slots allocated to the ODM in the government.
He has represented Mbita a rural parliamentary electoral area ever since 1997, first on an NDP and successfully defended his seat later on LDP and finally on ODM tickets. He is considered as one of the closest political allies and confidants of the Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga.
John Mbadi a first timer whose sterling performance and outspokenness has made his presence in the August House felt beyond the Nyanza boundaries.
Mbadi who is an accountant by profession is sharp and eloquent debater who contributes a lot during debates on local, national and intentional issues, though at times he is time being blamed for acting like common “heckler” in the House when it comes to contentious issues related to the defense of his party boss Raila Odinga.
Discontent is high up in the Suba region following the reports that the two legislators are vehemently opposed to the idea of renaming the two districts as demanded by the electorate who are arguably predominantly people of Suba origins.
A testimony to the myriads of problems facing the two MP was witnessed last Saturday during the burial of the late Mzee Apollo Okeyo Omuga, who until his death late last month was the founding chairman of Suba Cultural and Development Council of Elders. He was laid to rest in a tearful sending off at his Kakrigu village home in Rusinga East, Mbita district within Homa-Bay County.
The burial ceremony was witnessed by thousands of mourners who included Minister Otieno Kajwang’ a good number of people known to be aspiring candidate for the various positions in Senate, Parliament and County governance in the region.
This did not work well, however, because the aspiring candidates who had travelled from far places hoping to be given an opportunity to address the gathering were never accorded that chance at all.
Apart from Minister Kajwang’ who should have been the host of other politicians other include Hilary Ochieng’ Alila an aspirant for the Homa-Bay Senate seat, Mrs Roselyn Onyuka who is vying for the Homa-Bay County women representative, Mrs Gladys Wanga who is also contesting the same women representative seat, Dr. Mark Matunga, a leading contender for the powerful position of Homa-Bay County governor, former Mbita MP George Osingo Migure ,Achilla Gogo who is vying for the position of the deputy County governor and Ex-Senior Chief Omolo Anditi of Rusinga Island who is the vice chairman o the Luo Council of Elders, clergymen, businessmen, farmers, teachers and professionals from the Suba region.
Judging from the hostility displayed by the mourners coupled by hostile remarks and speeches against the two MPs fro the Suba region one could simple make an intelligent guesswork that the issue is really boiling up, putting the political career of the two MPs at a great risk.
Narrating the background of Suba community in a prepared speech Mr Ocholla Gaa, a member of the Suba Cultural and Development Council of Elders who is also retired secondary school teacher formerly of Homa-bay High School referred the late Okeyo Omuga as “The Omwami of Suba”
He said the late Okeyo Omuga was officially installed as the Omwami of Suba in Mfangano Island on August 12, 2011. The installation ceremony was conducted by the Revered Omugambi of Suba Peter Clever Otieno Nyakiamo.
Ocholla Gaa who is the father of Mr Karoli Omondi, the Chief of Staff at the Office f the Prime Minister told the mourners that the journey that culminated in this realization had been long, bumpy and intermittent since the nascent of “Pinje Abich in 1948,
“Pinje Abich” then comprised Gwassi, Kaksingiri, Mfangano, Rusinga, and Gembe {Kasigunga} locations. Former chiefs Gideon Okore,of Gwssi,Kamaria Odundo of Kaksingiri,Simeon Wasonga of Mfangano, Shemekia Wakiaga of Rusinga and Damianius Ajwang’ of Gembe had worked tirelessly as custodian of culture and social organization to mobilize the Abasuba people to realize their identity through sports and building of schools for social transformation and economic empowerment of the people.
The five locations chiefs, he said in an electrifying speech, cooperated with the Abasuba leaders who were, Vincent Oloo Odienge, as the president and Samuel Okello Onyango as the secretary-general and Vincent Odede as the treasurer.
Simultaneously almost during the same period of time, the urbanized and people from Suba region who were then working in Nairobi and other towns formed what was to become the most powerful organization in later years, The Lowland Association whose founder was the late Tom Mboya who served for close to two decades as the Association’s Secretary-General.
The Lowland Association was late r to become an instrumental tool in which the youthful Suba boys and girls with lust for higher education were identified and sent abroad for further studies, some of them travelling to the US n the Great Airlift of 1959 and 1961 through scholarships secured through the effort of the late Mboya and his American friends.
“The spirit of Subaism then and now wanted recognition and respect of the Abasba identity and political space for full realization of the Abasuba socio-cultural and economic development as a distinctive community among the forty three {43} ethnic communities that make the nation of Kenya. The quest to achieve recognition and respect has many obstacles and challenges that many have taken for granted as non issues requiring rectification,” said Ocholla Gaa.
He told the seemingly puzzled and attentive mourners that the geographical contiguity with the Luo community and their earlier access to Christianity and the benefits accruing fro Christian mission education gave the Luo community a false perception that they should dictate terms, socio-politically and chart political path for the Abasuba as subordinates, adding that such innuendos led them {Luos} to derogatively call the Abasuba just simple as Luo-Abasuba.”
He went on,”Our constitution promulgated on August 27th 2010, chapter Three, part two 27 {4 and 5} of equality and freedom from discrimination, states clearly that what Abasuba people stands for is perfectly legitimate. This fact is not negotiable.”
Ocholla-Gaa praised the late Okeyo Omuga saying he had brought to full realization of Suba people and their national identity in Kenya. Abasuba people he added, have a history of their own. They have their culture, social and a political organization prior to colonial invasion and disorientation of the local communities of Kenya.
He said the Abauba people occupy a geographical space on earth. But through their altruism, the Abasuba have allowed a motley non Abasuba community to come and settle in Subaland. So far, he said, the Abasuba have no problems with any immigrant Luo sub-clans into Subaland a ha been attested by peaceful and harmonious coexistence prevailing in the region now.
The ex-teachers revealed that it was Mnister Peter Clever Otieo Nyakiambo who persuaded the retired President Daniel Arap Moi to create Suba district for the Abasuba people in 1995.The mettle of molding Subaism in the 21st Century was then left to Omwami Okeyo Omuga to carry forward without fear or favor. Any geographical entity has two points of the compass. Suba district, therefore he sad, has no exception. It must have North and South, adding, ”What logic is there for any sensible person to deny this reality? Ocholla Gaa asked amid deafening and prolonged applaud by the mourners.
Ocholla Gaa told his audience, “We know that great men and women whose ideas and leadership have shaped the destiny of the people in the world never escaped boos and heckle. In our time Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Nelson Mandela were all heckled and ridiculed before incarceration, but the ideals they cherished and stood for have borne fruit to send the boos and heckles to the graves of shame.”
“We the Suba Cultural Development Council of Elders wishes to reaffirm here for all to hear that we stand for the ideals Omami Oeyo Omuga {the deceased} cherished and stood for. We shall not waver. We stand not be intimidated. The spirit of Subaism shall live in the comity of other communities of Kenya.”
Ocholla Gaa told the mourners that the Suba Cultural Development Council of Elders now under the leadership of Omwami Retired Senior Chief Thomas Okang’a Asango of Gwassi will work with other like minded Concil of Elders countrywide and would “wish them to joinus in unquestioned support for Hon Rala Amolo Odinga’s presidential bid to arrive safely to State Hose in December 2012.”
He issued a stern warning to sons and daughters of Suba, especially those eying county seats in Homa-Bay County to know that their vehicle to secure these elective positions is Subaism. ”Our message is clear.”
The lengthy of the speech delivered by Ochoola Gaa should serve as deterrent warning to the politicians who have been reported a having rubbished the aspiration of this minority community whose stance could wreck havoc with the ODM.
In Suba region mainly in two districts of Gwasi an Mbita the registered voters could be in the region of between 75,000 and 80,000, but the community is well spread in all other Counties. For example it occupied the largest portion in Migori district and its members are scattered in all the districts of Rachuony North,Rachuonyo South, Rongo, Awendo, Uriri, Nyatike, Ndhiwa, Rangwe and other places. A combined voting strength of the Suba people could be moderately be estimated at between 250,000 and 300,00o strong In the entire Southern Nyanza region.
In the relevant Minister Otieno Kajwang’ was quoted by the STANDARD as having told the funeral gathering in Rusinga Island that the me of his constituency will never be changed under all the circumstances come what may. But the newspaper story has some kind of discrepancies. Kajwang’ might have spoken to the STANDARD reporter elsewhere but not in the funeral home were he had no chance of even greeting the crowd.
He came I with a lorry load of ODM youths an close to 25 policemen in full, uniform and his arrival caused commotion in an already tension charged funeral gathering. But the Minister who came happily flushing his fly which had his mood changed abruptly after realizing that the place was hostile to hi anti-Suba stance, and sat pensively at the dais hardly exchanging conversations with anybody.
The Minister never uttered even one single word at the funeral except he bitterly complained at the inflammatory speeches made by the University Students from Suba region who had spoke early and scathingly criticized his leadership.
Kajwng’ might not feel the weight of the Suba people’s opposition to his political leadership because he ha switched from defending his parliamentary seat and he is now eying for the Senate seat. In the contest for the Senate, the Minister will go out flat in canvassing for votes in all the eight constituencies and could even win the seat with the vote from other region outside Suba.
But the position of his friend and colleague John Mbadi {Gwassi} would remain threatened a he is said to be content in defending his seat.
My 10th great grandfather Ragem appeared to me. He asked me to remove the cobwebs from the eyes of one Raila Amolo Odinga and make him see things the unusual way.
My 10th great grandfather Ragem says thus: Raila Odinga, do not run for nominations for ODM. Yes, you heard me right. Let Mudavadi become the ODM presidential candidate.
Here is why. If you allow competition, it is their intention that ODM gets sandbagged with nomination disagreements, defections and even court cases. If you insist on nomination, ODM will not present a presidential candidate in time to the IEBC. Verily I say unto you, if ODM insists on nominations it has been afore planned that ODM will fail to reach consensus, and will be time barred for the upcoming elections. Yes, their intent is to make you and ODM the Marabou Stalk. Yes they are the Hyenas waiting to laugh the loudest sir. Cant you see? ODM is infiltrated by those determined to block you from the presidency. All the polls that have come up so far indicate you are the front runner. This is not a lie. Many a politician are fixated on beating you. Many are coalescing to form alliances to amass the strength to overcome your time tested resilience. You say that competition in ODM is healthy democracy. That is a lie baba: “democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others”
On your part, here is what you must do. Run for the presidency as an independent. ODM and friendly parties must realize that, as things stand, it will be almost an impossibility to win with a 50 plus one vote. It is almost a certainty that there will be a run-off between the top two. Since all the others are intent on blocking you or the ODM candidate, and are forming alliances yet planing on running separately so the best performer is guaranteed support, so should be your strategy with Mudavadi. Either of you must be prepared to support the best performer but after the first round of the general election.
As for what people will think of you if it bothers your conscience, My10th great grandfather says thus: The child thinks the doctor is evil when the latter injects him with Quinine to cure the Malaria.
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I am Joram, You Are Not.
Yes, Joram Kaulikazi Ragem, wuod Ndinya, wuod Onam, wuod Amolo, wuod Owuoth, wuod Oganyo, wuod Mumbe, wuod Odongo, wuod Olwande, wuod Adhaya, wuod Ojuodhi, wuod Ragem (You may be my relative, but it matters less now. This is New Kenya!)
SIGOWET / SOIN is one of the two parliamentary constituencies, which were among hew 80 new constituencies recently created by the Independent Electoral Boundary Commission {IEBC} has now attracted a good number of political heavyweights in the region.
Among the political elites routing to go for the seat is the former Marketing and Communications Director for the Chemelil Sugar Company Limited Justice Kemei, the man who is credited for having given the Belgut MP Charles Keter a run for his money during the 2007 ODM preliminaries.
Keter, however, narrowly escaped defeat owing to much flawed ODM nomination system which favored massive rigging and manipulations of the voters. Many constituents, however, believes and maintained that Kemei had carried the day during the ODM preliminaries, but was rigged out through the dirty political machinations.
A trained journalist by profession with a master’s degree in mass communications his first employment was with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting where he served as a reporter with the Kenya News Agency {KNA} before moving to the National Cereal and Produce Board and served for several years and the board’s public relations manager. He then moved to Chemelil Sugar Company where he rose from communications manager to become the firm’s Marketing and Communications director before retiring in 2007 to venture into parliamentary politics and contested the Belgut seat.
After the 2007 general election Kemei ventured into private business in partnership with others in the coastal city of Mombasa. Kemei comes into the race as an experienced person with the politics of Belgut in particular and that of Kericho County in general.
Also rearing to go for the seat I another former top manager with the Chemelil Sugar Company Limited Eng. Richard Koech a man credited for having wealth of experience in sugar technology and engineering dating back to 20 years.
Koech served as the agriculture manager in charge of the field operations and services. After leaving the Chemeli, Eng Koech embarked in the consultancy work which took him all places including East and Southern Africa offering consultancy services in the fields of agricultural development and food security program in East and Southern Africa including Environmental Impact Assessment {E.i.A} and Strategic Environmental Assessment {SEA} in sugar industry.
Eng Koech has also been offering consultancy service on feasibility involved in establishing sugar cane out grower scheme, rehabilitation and maintenance of rural infrastructure, roads, forestry, irrigation, water and sanitation, renewable energy, social community infrastructure among others.
Speaking to this writer at his palatial Sigowet home, Eng. Koech promised to engage all the stakeholders in the development of Sigowet / Soin constituency which has the potential of developing faster if all the resources devolved and those generated from within are put into proper use.
He said the area is rich in sugar cane, tea, coffee, water, livestock, human and resources. The constituency, said Eng Koech has the potential for wildlife sanctuary and an area has already been identified at Chebulu in Kaplelartet Ward.
Also said to be in the race is Joel Kemei formerly a trained secondary school before changing career to Human Resources Management. He is currently working with the Ken-Gen as its Human Resources Manager.
Kemei had been showing interests during the past election, but has never contested. It is, however, not clear whether this time around he will come out full blast a bid to capture he seat.
The new seat has also attracted Wilson Soi, formerly a senior manager with the James Finlays Tea an Flowers Company in Kericho for over 30 years. Soi was educated at Nakuru High School, but through private studies is said to have continued pursuing his education and finally obtained a Phd doctorate degree.
Another personality who has been expected to be one of the contestants of Sigowet / Soin is Ken Mutai a Kericho business magnate who is running chain of businesses in Kericho, Nairobi and Mombasa.
Mutai who is credited for having been the power behind the successes of the incumbent Belgut MP Charles Keter in the past elections, but this time around the two cousins have been divided and relocated into two different constituencies with Keter remaining on the side of the old Belgut while mutai whoe home is in Sigowet is of the other side..
All those who have already declared their interests in the new seat are all fro Sigowet Division, but so far nobody has come forward to claim the seat from the Soin side. But the electorate says there are still more time, may be one or two contestants will emerge from the area.
Sigowet / Soin constituency is bordering Nyakach in the west, Nyando in the northwest, Ainamoi in the north east, Belgut in the South east and part of Mugirango / Borabu across the Sondu / Miriu River.
The constituency has the best an arable land which is producing a lot of tea, coffee, sugar cane, maize, bananas, vegetables and top graded dairy animals. Its major trading center is Sondu Market, which a border town is serving several administrative districts of Nyamira, Rachuonyo South, Nyakach, Kericho West and Nyando.
Sondu Trading center is potentially and strategically placed to grow much faster and become one of the best trading towns in Western Kenya. The faster growth an successes of Sondu Market and its transformation from a small cattle trading market to a vibrant border town will depend entirely on the quality of leadership which will emerge in the region during the next polls, especially MP and County Representatives from Sigowet / Soin, Nyakach, North Mugirago Borabu, Rachuoyo South and Nyando.
As far as politics are concerned, the aspirants have kept mum. No one has dared to mention as to which party he would be seeking the support. This is because of the strong presence of both William Ruto’s URP and Raila Odinga’s ODM parties in the region and the new entrants are still weighing their options.
Santorum told a Tea Party rally on Saturday 25th 2012 that President Obama is a “snob” because he wants “everybody in America to go to college”. Santorum’s Attack on College Education values is a sign he is not a serious Presidential candidate ready to serve American people with those of Global Village in a diversity. Calling President Obama a “snob” is in itself an insult lacking respect to the Office of Presidency. Secondly it shows that the Republican candidate has social class problems who would easily fall for attitudinal social superior class and discriminate against those unfortunate victims seen as socially inferior and therefore do not deserve to have a college degree or certification. Is this fair??
President Obama is definitely not a “snob”. President Obama loves, welcomes and cares for all people equally irrespective of Nationality, Religious, Culture or Social class. He respects Human Rights, dignity and virtues. President Obama never at anytime believed that some people are inherently inferior which is the direct meaning of being “snob”. He stands for fairness and demonstrates good faith honoring peoples Trust and differences of opinions and freedom. Despite bottle-neck obstructions with uncooperative stances under difficult stiff situations stage-managed by Special Interest with some Republicans, President Obama Graciously continued to invite Republicans to work with him to deliver effective services to Americans and to Foreign Policies. Without malice, President Obama delivered his campaign promises to the America people. President Obama consults widely to ascertain he is doing the right thing.
Santorum’s attack is an attack on democracy and the institutionalization for America’s Dream for progressive development. An educated community strives to stay ahead in innovative challenges for competitive progressive agenda in the Global Emerging Markets. The power and strength of a Nations lies on its educated community. Talents and skills vary. Good leadership management offers a fair opportunity that benefits all and equally provides a balanced cushion to steady the economy through trading regulations; without which unscrupulous business behaviors would evade paying taxes that are fundamentally important lubricants Revenues for stabilizing the economy’s sustenance.
This statement from Santorum is DUMMY…..makes no sense……It means, incase Santorum becomes President, going to school to get an education will be a preserve for a selective few politically correct people……This statement makes the candidate look and sound ridiculous. It shows in his leadership, he will discriminate against those aiming to improve their lives through accessing education or, he will become a President of less educated community who cannot compete in the world challenges in Technology, Mathematics or in Sciences to achieve the best in producing Progressive Development prospects for growth…….or, according to him, only 1% of the rich should be offered education and the rest of the population should be abandoned or neglected. This will be a serious violation, abuse and crime against humanity.
For Immigrants, it means Immigration policy in America will be at risk of being devalued from providing or delivering quality services to American immigrants.
This will, as a matter of fact, be pushing America backwards, stuck in the mad with economic crisis and collapse……where President Obama laboriously worked painstakingly hard to get country off from staying stuck in the mud. It was not easy but he did it.
I believe no presidential candidate of the Republicans or any other Party would wants to be a President leader of DUMMIES……Santorum is definitely a letdown to Republican Party and the whole community of America’s Pride and Dream opportunities..…….
No one want to go back to the old dark days of discriminatory leadership. America is a Nation of opportunities enjoyed by immigrants from all Nationals of the World and it should strive to stay at the top in the Global Region by improving Unity of Purpose and steadily promoting value for education in diversity…….
I can’t imagine Santorum said this in his right mind…….It is unacceptable…..Freedom fighters and public leaders with all Americans of goodwill will not accept this statement or take it lightly.
On behalf of the voiceless immigrant people with those community of African Descent, we demand an appology.
I believe, Santorum need to offer an appology to all Americans and Immigrants alike.
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
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Santorum: Obama “A Snob” For Wanting Everyone To Go To College
Uploaded by tpmtv on Feb 25, 2012
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Rick Santorum Calls President Obama “A Snob” For Wanting All Americans To Go To College
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCi_RfH_Adc
Uploaded by Toxichominid on Feb 26, 2012
Posted at 08:31 PM ET, 02/25/2012
Santorum: Obama is ‘a snob’ because he wants ‘everybody in America to go to college’
By Felicia Sonmez
Speaking to a tea party group in Michigan on Saturday, former senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) accused President Obama of being a “snob” because he wants “everybody in America to go to college.”
The statement is a curious one considering that Santorum — who holds a B.A., M.B.A. and J.D. — holds more advanced degrees than Obama, who has a B.A. and a J.D.
And Talking Points Memo reported Saturday that in 2006, Santorum’s campaign Web site stated his commitment to making “higher education more accessible and affordable.”
“Not all folks are gifted in the same way,” Santorum told a crowd of more than 1,000 activists at the Americans for Prosperity forum in Troy, Mich. “Some people have incredible gifts with their hands. Some people have incredible gifts and … want to work out there making things. President Obama once said he wants everybody in America to go to college. What a snob.”
As the crowd applauded, Santorum continued.
“There are good decent men and women who go out and work hard every day and put their skills to test that aren’t taught by some liberal college professor trying to indoctrinate them,” he said. “Oh, I understand why he wants you to go to college. He wants to remake you in his image. I want to create jobs so people can remake their children into their image, not his.”
Santorum graduated from Penn State with a B.A. in 1980, then earned an M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh in 1981. In 1986, he earned a J.D. from Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law.
Obama attended Occidental College, then transferred to Columbia University, where he earned a B.A. in 1983. He later graduated from Harvard Law School with a J.D. in 1991.
The statement from Santorum comes as the candidate is targeting working-class voters in his bid to blunt former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney’s (R) momentum in Tuesday’s key primary states of Arizona and Michigan.
Santorum frequently blasts “elites” on the trail, and has brought his campaign not to meetings of business executives, as Romney has done, but to small, working-class towns, such as the former steel-mill town of Steubenville, Ohio, where he campaigned late last week.
Both the messenger and his message appear to be resonating with working-class voters, a bloc of the electorate to which Romney has struggled to appeal, with limited success.
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Karibu Jukwaa la www.mwanabidii.com
Pata nafasi mpya za Kazi www.kazibongo.blogspot.com
Event results of political baggage’s share interests from debts incurred over illegal and unconstitutional projects that benefited Special Interest from loans taken on behalf of public and deficits created but did not serve public interest purpose…..who will pay the repercussion price of those failed or stalled projects etc.,……”ofcourse not the Public Taxpayer”…….If Public did not consent or participated from the initial feasibility planning in shared interest as stakeholders, the Players must prepare to bear the brunt…..Wata beba mizigo yao wenyewe….na wata jikaranga na mafuta yao wenyewe…..!!
This we will challenge and fight it out to the bitter end to make sure authorities responsible pay from their personal and the cartel connected accounts…….!!!!!!
Fair Legal justification from Supreme Court of Law must step in to uphold, protect, secure and restore public Trust and Confidence in jurisdictional valuables of PUBLIC RIGHTS obligated in Ways and Means for Dignity, Virtue and Value……..
Special investigation must be instituted immediately by Willy Mutunga……..
One point is fundamentally very clear…….Administrative governance through Red-Tape of Provincial Administration to Control Devolution of Counties establishment is illegal and unconstitutional…….whichever way Kibaki puts it, it is not Public Mandate Kibaki and Raila swore to respect, value and uphold…….Kibaki is seriously committing Economic THEFT and THUGGERY to collonize the People of Kenya illegally and uncontitutionally……..Kibaki has no jurisdictional rights to deny Kenyans Devolution of Counties free from control of Central Administrative Provincial Administration of DCs DOs contrary to the spirit of National Reform Agenda Accord Agreement for the New Constitution………..This is totally unacceptable and is a serious intentional Human Rights Violation and Abuse of consequential Economic Crime……..
Political baggages and sharing of the same amounts to a conspiracy of intent to Abuse, Violate and jointly colluding to committing Crime against Human Rights in shared Ways and Means……..liable to Legal Justification……..We Now Demand from Willy Mutunga’s urgent action…….
Cheers everybody……!!!
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
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Political baggage returns to haunt presidential aspirants
Published on 25/02/2012
By KEN-ARTHUR WEKESA
Political baggage on the backs of presidential hopefuls may change their dreams into nightmares.
The quest by Raila Odinga, Uhuru Kenyatta, Musalia Mudavadi, George Saitoti, William Ruto, Kalonzo Musyoka and Martha Karua may face turbulence over their previous political engagements.
As Prime Minister, Raila stands blamed for selectively fighting corruption, and this notion could weigh heavily on him.
“He will have a difficult time in explaining to the electorate why he defended his allies like Charity Ngilu and Mudavadi when they were mentioned in the water scandal and the cemetery scam,” says Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale.
Although the PM sought to clear his name in the Kazi kwa Vijana scandal, this is another baggage Raila has to grapple with.
Political disloyalty
Nominated MP Musikari Kombo observes Raila’s trait of disloyalty to political partners could also be his undoing.
“When Kijana Wamalwa democratically took over Ford- Kenya after the death of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Raila fought him viciously and withdrew his support,” he says.
Joseph Magut, a political scientist, says Railaphobia, especially among the Kikuyu, will definitely isolate him from the vote-rich Central regions, who feel a Raila regime will pursue vengeance against them.
On Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Magut says the fact that the Gatundu South MP was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, means he may not be alive to the real issues facing wananchi and thus, may not even be entrusted to articulate or address them.
“His presidency will undeniably side with the elite and rubber stamp the status quo,” he says.
Larry Gumbe says Uhuru is seen as a continuation of an old order under his father whose presidency was laced with tribalism, land grabbing, and squatter problems.
Rogue regime
“Kenyans see Uhuru as a perpetuation of a rogue Kenyatta regime that created the Kiambu Mafia who isolated everyone and swore not to let the presidency cross River Chania,” Prof Gumbe says.
He says Uhuru’s alleged link to post-election violence that led to the killing of more than 1,200 people and his subsequent indictment by the International Criminal Court is a notable baggage. Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, according to analysts, is seen as an aspirant yet to extricate himself from the shadow of the Kanu era.
“He is not seen outside the sleuth of Moi who mentored own man,” says Gumbe.
Magut says Mudavadi is a soft and malleable character that explains why former President Moi picked him to be Vice-President when the Kanu boat was capsizing in 2002.
Musalia was dragged in the Sh68 billion shillings Goldernberg scandal in mid 1990s after taking over as Finance Minister. But has since been cleared of any wrongdoing in the scam.
He was also mentioned in the Sh283 million cemetery scandals that saw his Local Government PS Sammy Kirui fired. The DPM has since cleared his name.
In the recent times, Mudavadi’s bold and abrasive campaigns for the ODM presidential ticket has vindicated him from being the chocolate soldier, cute in uniform and boots and comfortable with playing second fiddle.
Court cases
Ikolomani MP Boni Khalwale says William Ruto is a classic example of a Moi ideological orphan. The Eldoret North MP was cleared by the courts in a case involving irregular allocation of Kenya Pipeline land worth Sh96 million. But the employment of a critical witness in the affair in the ministry he controlled has raised questions about the case.
Ruto has also been sued for allegedly grabbing land in Eldoret Municipality.
The case is expected to be resolved outside court, was reported early this month.
Although Ruto fought viciously to have his name cleared over the maize scandal, the Ikolomani legislator says Ruto still has an uphill task in persuading the electorate to endorse his bid.
“Whereas the courts cleared him, it is the court of public opinion that counts at the ballot,” he says.
The Eldoret North MP is seen as part of the architects of the YK’ 92 design that fought tooth and nail to retain the Kanu regime in power.
Besides, Ruto has been indicted by the ICC for crimes against humanity, mass murder, forcible transfer of population, and persecution.
Mwalimu Mati of Mars Group says the pending ICC proceedings against Uhuru and Ruto paints them as epitomes of violence.
Coming at a time Steadman released survey findings that 28 per cent of Kenyans fear violence will erupt if the two contest, Mati says such is the baggage the two will have to deal with.
“Besides the two, most aspirants have controversial records that spring from benefiting through graft to transparency and accountability issues,” he says.
Analysts also say Kalonzo has to burn the midnight oil if he has to log off the watermelon tag.
Playing to gallary
According to Khalwale, Kalonzo is an indecisive and inconsistent politician, known for playing to the gallery. He cites his conduct at the constitutional referendum where he was torn between a rock and a hard place.
“He wanted to please the Church and at the same time the President,” Khalwale adds.
Kalonzo critics also accuse him of casting the image of an Ukambani VP, not a national one, concentrating his energies in wedging political wars against Water Minister Charity Ngilu. Magut and Gumbe say Kalonzo is considered an opportunist, who has perfected the art of latching onto ready-made deals. This perception led G7 bigwigs into thinking twice about their association with him.
“He is seen as the proverbial hyena waiting for some hand to fall so as to grab and bite to his fill,” Magutt says.
Gumbe says: “Kalonzo’s politics is like that of Abunuasi, who runs with the hare and hunts with the hound.”
Though she has since reinvented herself politically after falling out with the Kibaki regime, Gichugu MP Martha Karua may be haunted by the ghosts of her past.
“As Justice Minister, she was on the wrong side in the 2005 referendum and took a hard line position on the controversial 2007 presidential election,” Gumbe says, adding this is a baggage Karua will not shed off easily.
Internal Security Minister George Saitoti’s bid may also be derailed by the adverse implication of his mention in the Goldernberg scam. He is seen as a continuation of Nyayoism.
Raphael Tuju of the Party of Action is seen as a paper tiger whose bid is slammed as a strategy to check Raila.
Kenya: Ethics And Anti Corruption Bill Published
By Oliver Mwenda, 15 July 2011
You will soon be required to account for your lifestyle and that of your family if recommendations contained in the Ethics and Anti corruption bill are passed into law.
This means state officers will be compelled to disclose to the Ethics and anti corruption commission how they afford their lifestyle taking into account their salary which may not be able to sustain it.
The commission shall also be involved in the vetting of all prospective state officers.
The bill has been forwarded to the attorney general by the CIC.
Mutula on Integrity and Ethics Bill
A new legislation that will make it harder for public officials and other leaders from the president to the members of parliament to flout the constitution as far as leadership and integrity is concerned, is expected to change the face of leadership in the country. The leadership and integrity bill which is still being prepared will punish corruption propagated by public servants with clearly spelt out penalties and make it harder for leaders to engage in such vices as nepotism while in office. Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo is however worried that the bill may be mutilated when it comes up for debate in parliament. Abdi Osman with that report
Mutula on Integrity and Ethics Bill
Uploaded by kenyacitizentv on Feb 8, 2012
A new legislation that will make it harder for public officials and other leaders from the President to the Members of Parliament to flout the constitution as far as leadership and integrity is concerned, is expected to change the face of leadership in the country. The Leadership and Integrity Bill which is still being prepared will punish corruption propagated by public servants with clearly spelt out penalties and make it harder for leaders to engage in such vices as nepotism while in office. Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo is however worried that the bill may be mutilated when it comes up for debate in parliament. Abdi Osman with that report.
Mutula: Change Act to give anti-graft body teeth
File | Nation Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo
By ALPHONCE SHIUNDU ashiundu@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Monday, February 13 2012 at 17:21
Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo has lined up amendments to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Act to ensure that the body gets the powers to prosecute the corrupt.
Speaking to the Nation on Monday shortly after meeting the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee at Nairobi’s Continental House, the Minister said the Act as had been passed by MPs was unconstitutional.
“The Constitution requires that the body should have the power to enforce and ensure compliance with the chapter on Leadership and Integrity. How then, can you enforce anything without the powers to issue sanctions and to punish? This commission must be given teeth to bite,” said the Justice Minister.
The powers to prosecute will be in addition to the investigatory powers that the EACC was accorded in the Act hurriedly passed by Parliament in August last year.
The Minister has also proposed an amendment obligating public officers to work with the commission and furnish it with periodic reports on integrity within their dockets.
“Ethics is not about law, morality or faith. It is a powerful tool of management,” said Mr Kilonzo.
Mr Kilonzo also proposes a maximum of Sh500,000 fine or a maximum two-year jail sentence for any public officer who fails to “co-operate with the commission”.
The Minister also proposes that the commission be given powers to come up with disciplinary procedures.
“The Bill that I took to Parliament was mutilated beyond belief. There were deletions and mutilations. As soon as MPs finish legislating on the seven Bills, I will go back to the House with the amendments and seek to give the EACC some teeth,” said the Justice Minister.
“The nominees to this commission were rejected because of lack of passion and drive; yet the law itself has no passion; no drive!” he said about the controversy surrounding the choice of Mr Mumo Matemu, Ms Irene Keino and Prof Jane Onsongo as commissioners to the EACC.
The trio were rejected by the House Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs for lack of passion, drive and interest necessary to fight corruption in the country.
However, the House overturned the committee’s verdict. Their approval is pending before the House, with the Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka expected to table a fresh motion seeking MPs’ approval of the team.
When Parliament was debating the Bill, the MPs took their eyes off the intention of the Bill and were busy settling scores with the then director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, Prof Patrick Lumumba, who had indicted many of them in the theft of public money.
The MPs thus made the law to ensure that the commission did not have any power to issue sanctions against them.
In a country in which impunity and corruption reside in the hands and hearts of the high and mighty, the reasons for having a team with no powers to issue sanctions was the safest bet for the lawmakers.
“The way they approved the law, made nonsense of the constitutional importance of such an organ,” said Mr Kilonzo.
That August, he had unsuccessfully lobbied his colleagues against using their legislative superiority to make laws that were not only unconstitutional but also meaningless, but his calls were not heeded.
Exercising Power Under Constitution
Tuesday, 17 January 2012 00:16 BY PROF YASH PAL GHAI
Recently the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa gave a decision in a case on the appointment of the DPP—remarkably similar to the Kenya case challenging the Tobiko appointment. We can learn much from the explanations and decision of the South African case. The qualifications for appointment, as in Kenya, emphasise integrity, experience and conscientiousness.
The appointment is solely by the President who must properly scrutinize the record of the candidates. President Zuma’s appointment of Simelane as the DPP was challenged by a major political party, the Democratic Party. Among the allegations made by the petitioner included “misleading and untruthful evidence” given to an official enquiry by Simelane, other instances when he lied, his conduct in a commission of enquiry, which was “intent on advertising itself, with no harm it might do to its suspects”, and the frequent questioning by the auditor-general of the accounts of his previous departments.
The petitioner argued that whether a candidate is a ‘fit and proper’ person of integrity etc has to be assessed objectively, taking into account that he or she must discharge professional duties without fear or favour. The President’s power, however classified, must be exercised lawfully. The president had made little effort to scrutinize Simelane’s record—read his cv and talked to the minister of justice (Simelane’s friend), and otherwise relied on his own knowledge of the candidate. The president’s appointment was described as “unlawful, irrational, arbitrary, biased, based on an ulterior motive and inconsistent with the Constitution”.
The court began its judgment with an examination, at some length, of the founding principles of the constitution which included democracy, rule of law, accountability, responsiveness and openness. Of the President (with powers similar to Kenya’s) the court said that “Ultimately the President, as the supreme upholder and protector of the Constitution, is its servant. Like all other organs of the state, the President is obliged to obey each and every one of its commands”—and dismissed the argument that as the elected representative of the law, he was above the law. It said that to ensure a functional democratic and accountable government, all state officials are required to exercise their powers in accordance with the constitution—shifting the government from “a culture of authority” to a “culture of justification”. It concluded that all institutions of state have to be independent and to serve the people without fear, favour or prejudice.
It then turned to the functions and powers of the DPP: to prosecute or to not, and to withdraw criminal charges, instigate or direct investigations (“awesome”, “central to the preservation of the rule of law”) which had to be “exercised with the utmost integrity”. Thus the staff engaged on prosecution must themselves be people “of integrity who will act without fear, favour or prejudice”. It then examined the rule and practice of the independence of prosecution authorities in a number of states—and its centrality to fair process and the rule of law. It emphasized the importance of the method of the appointment of the DPP—such as to gain the “confidence of the public and the respect of the judiciary and the legal profession”.
This independence is not undermined, rather it is strengthened, if the appointing procedure is itself subject to judicial scrutiny. The court quoted an eminent South African judge who spoke in terms that apply equally to Kenya, “ We moved from a past characterized by much that was arbitrary and unequal in the operation of the law to a present and a future in a Constitutional State where State action must be such that it is capable of being analysed and justified rationally. The idea of the constitutional state presupposes a system whose operation can be rationally tested against or in terms of the law. Arbitrariness, by its very nature, is dissonant with those core concepts of our new constitutional order”.
The court said that the requirement to act rationally, fairly and in accordance with the constitution and the law entails that the legislature and the executive “are constrained by the principle that they may exercise no power and perform no function beyond that conferred on them by law”. The court held that the President’s cannot bring his subjective assessment to the task of appointment, but must be objective. The expression is not “in view of the President” but the requirement is imperative. Anyway it is hard to see how one can assess integrity other than objectively. In conclusion the court said that the qualifications for the office are “jurisdictional facts the objective existence of which are a prelude to the appointment of the DPP”.
These considerations must also apply in Kenya, to the panel which nominated a short list, to the Principals who chose and forwarded the candidate to the National Assembly, and the National Assembly which approved the candidate. If at any stage the process was contaminated by irrelevant considerations like horse trading, protecting powerful interests from the rigours of investigations or prosecutorial process, or favouritism ensuing from tribal or other affiliations, the process is faulty and the appointment is invalid (as was declared by the South African court). These principles of course apply not only to appointments of state officers, but the exercise of a whole gamut of state powers. The challenge to us is how to translate these concepts and rules into practice.
Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town
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The election battle for the powerful position of Nairobi County governor could split members of the Luo community and have a negative impact on the ODM strength and influence inside Luo-Nyanza
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It could rekindle the old memories of old years of political rivalries between the Luos of Southern Nyanza and their cousins from what used to be Central Nyanza, but now the Counties of Kisumu and Siaya.
This political scenario is likely to come about following the deadly rumors making the round within the greater Southern Nyanza that a section of ODM leaders are not comfortable with the candidature of the Mumias Sugar Company’s Managing Director Dr Evans Kidero.who is an election hopeful for the position of the Nairobi City governor.
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Dr Kidero who hails from Rangwe constituency within Homa-Bay County is vying for the lucrative elective position of the Nairobi County governor as a staunch member of the Orange Democratic movement [ODM}.He has made it clear that he would be contesting the election on an ODM ticket.
However, the rumors making the round says a section of ODM leadership is considering the possibility and options of fronting and another aspirant for the same position. And the name of a prominent banker is being mentioned as the first choice of the anti-Kidero group.
The banker is a Kikuyu by tribe and his alleged backers are mainly Luo MPs from Kisumu and Siaya Counties. The theories being advanced to the voters within Nairobi City is that by sponsoring the candidature of a prominent Kikuyu aspirant for the governorship position would attract more votes from the populous Kikuyu community for the Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s bid for State House
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But those well versed with the Kikuyu pattern of voting have dismissed this theory as a simple pipedream, arguing that Raila Odinga who is a national leader with a very attractive track record of being a genuine reformist and true nationalist is capable of garnering the votes from Kenyans from all communities living in Nairobi on his own credibility and track record and personal influence without anyone being made a sacrificing lamp on his behalf.
The local pundits are also in serious dispute with another theory being advanced by anti-Kidero group that it would not augur well having two Luos occupying two key most powerful seats of power within Nairobi with one in State House and another at the County governor.
Observers were quick in arguing that the founding father of the nation the late President Jomo Kenyatta was once occupied the State House while his daughter Ms Margaret Kenyatta was occupying he City Hall as the Mayor of Nairobi and it worked well. And therefore there is nothing sinister for Raila Odinga to be in the State House while Dr. Kidero would be managing the County. It makes no difference nor is it a big deal.
The alleged anti-Kidero campaign by a section of ODM leaders is likely to touch on the already healed old wound of the 1957 and 1960. In the first instance, the late Tom Mboya who was a man from South Nyanza stood against the first African barrister at law and a London trained lawyer the late C.M.G.Argwings Kodhek in the election battle for the Nairobi Area seat{as the east lands African locates were called those days}in the colonial Legislative Council. All the people from Central Nyanza including the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga put their weight behind Argwings-Kodhek and ganged up against Mboya. However the latter won the election, but mainly with the help and backing of the African workers from all the Kenyan tribes with the assistance of Luos from Southern Nyanza.
Again in the mini-elections of 1961 Mboya was once again pitted in one of the toughest election battles against Dr. Munyua Waiyaki and for the second time the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga travelled all the way from Nyanza to Nairobi and threw his weight behind Dr.Waiyaki against Mboya and even went as far as addressing a series of chaotic and violence marred campaign rallies in favour of his chosen candidate and for the second time Mboya won the election with an overwhelming majority of votes, but this particular election left a big scar and rift between the Luos of Central and their cousins from of Southern Nyanza.
But with the emergence of the younger generation of Luo politicians led by the Prime Minister Raila Odinga all the sectional rivalries that existed during the era of Odinga / Mboya are long gone and the community is now solidly united behind Raila Odinga under the umbrella of the ODM as the party of choice, while Raila remained undisputed leader and the symbol of unity in Luo-Nyanza.
It is therefore wrong for a group of MPs from certain parts of Luo-Nyanza to come out in the open in opposing the candidature of Dr. Kidero in the contest for Nairobi governor, which is open for all and sundry by advancing outmoded theories and strategies, which could turn out to be harmful to the community gains including unity of purpose already achieved under the able Raila Odinga.
Dr. Kidero candidature for the City’s governor therefore carries no harm to Raila’s presidential ambition nor harmful to the ODM’s chances of winning the impending general elections and forming the next government. Those Luo leaders advancing such backward theories for the purpose of scuttling Dr Kidero’s ambition of becoming the first governor of the Nairobi must be told in a clear an uncertain terms that they got it wrong and s such the must deist from bad habit and theories of taking the community back to the stone age.
Dr. Kidero is an urbanized man. He was born and bred in the City and has invested heavily in the place therefore making him the most eligible person for the contest of the County governor. His loyalty to the party is beyond questionable and he is not to have been generous contributor to the ODM kitty. This gives him an overriding right to contest the election in any elective positions either in Nairobi and elsewhere in this country without hindrance from any quarters.
Already the alleged plot to derail Dr.Kidero’s candidature is showing the have sign of splitting the ODM followers in Sothern Nyanza down the middle, and the situation could only be saved by a tentative comprehensive press statement from the party headquarters exonerating its leadership fro rumors and speculations that they were all out to scuttle Dr.Kidero’s bid for the City governor position.
However, in the absence of a comprehensive statement clarifying the party’s position, the ODM stand to loose considerable support in the of votes rich Southern Nyanza region.
The Mumias Sugar Company boss is the household darling of the people in this region where he has been contributing immensely and generously towards nearly all the important socio-economic projects and therefore enjoyed mass support in the region which is rural home backyard.
His campaign for the various elective positions within the County governance and parliamentary seats has began in earnest in the Homa-Bay County.
The political temperature has been raised following the recent emergence of a group, which has self-styled itself as the “dot.com” whose campaign is said to have hit the ground with the thud like thunderbolt.
The “dot.com” group’s aims and objectives is to sideline all the seasoned and established politicians in the region and replace them with youthful aspirants in all elective positions fro the Senate, Parliament to the County representatives.
The ODM headquarters has yet to come out clean to clarify whether this so called “dot.com” group has its blessing or it just a simple project of an individual.
Silent but highly intriguing scheming by various camps within the ODM and scrambling for close to 700,000 votes has kicked off in high note with claims that some aspirants are being funded by outsiders perceived to be political enemies of the party and its leadership.
The “dot.com” group which is coalescing around the Mbita MP Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ who recently won the ODM Homa-Bay County chairmanship during the much flawed party grass root elections only by consensus and not by popular votes is blamed for the unfolding dirty political maneuvers aimed at sidelining certain targeted individuals
The group is said to be comprising of the ODM renegade youths, hirelings, discredited power brokers political turn-coats and mercenaries for hire who can jump onto any bandwagon to campaign for the purpose of attracting cheap cash handouts from candidates. But people with no following or any grass root supports inside the villages and locations where they lived..
Kajwang’ who is also the Immigration and Registration o Persons is reported to be fronting for one young woman who recently graduated fresh from university for the position of women Senate representative , a move that is vehemently opposed by the majority of the electorate in all the six parliamentary constituencies
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The group is said to be loaded with unlimited funds, which the pundits and observers believes, are not sourced from the ODM party headquarters. But allegedly from unknown and highly intriguing sources of supply which is said to be rather remained mysterious.
The region is currently represented in Parliament by six MPs, representing Gwassi, Mbita, Ndhiwa, Rangwe, Karachuonyo and Kasipul-Kabondo.but the region has received two additional parliament seats as per the recommendation if the Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission {IEBC}.The new extra seat will be in Kasipul-Kabondo and Homa-Bay town.
The woman whose election campaign has sent shockwaves to many season politicians in the region is known by name as Mrs Gladys Wanga . She hails from Kochia West and reportedly working with an NGO in Nairobi. The electorate however, are questioning her background what she has been doing for the people of the region in relations to development to justify he claims to leadership position. In the absence of such explanation, Mrs Wanga will have an uphill task explaining her track record in the region.
However, those have had the opportunity of meeting her consider her as one of the many green horns as far as Homa-Bay politics are concerned. She will need a lot of coaching before her candidature is taken serious by the electorate.
Moreover she is originally from Seme Location in Kisumu West district, but only recently got married to a man who is a resident of Kochia West in the old Rangwe constituency. Her candidature is also suspected to have something to do with alleged plot to derail the Eng.Okundi’s bid for the Homa-Bay County governorship. Both Okundi and Wanga hail from Kochia West within the old Rangwe.
Okundi, however, has the most illustrious track record in term of development activities in the entire Rangwe constituency following his five years representation in Parliament between 2002 and 2007. In addition to this, the former Rangwe MP has what it takes to be considered as credible wealth of experience in public administration and management, having served as the Deputy Managing Director of the former vast Kenya Posts and telecommunications, the managing Director of the Kenya Ports Authority, and in the same position at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation and finally at the helm of the Kenya Bureau of the Standards..
The most intriguing aspect of her candidature is unconfirmed rumors making the round that she is enjoying the patronage and backing of the Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Otieno Kajwang’, Kasipul-Kabondo MP Joseph Ouma Maguwanga, the ODM Regional Coordinator in Nyanza Mrs Monica Amolo from Ndhiwa, and one individual personality who is a former political ally of the immediate former Rangwe MP Eng Philip Okoth Okundi, Mr Agutu Jakorayo and one women leader in Kabondo Mrs Benta Dwassi.
Wanga ‘s candidature came in the wake of the popular views held by many residents that the position women Senate representative Senate should filled by the highly respected the retired top educationist Mrs Roselyn Onyuka from Kasipul-Kabondo, who is also the former Nyanza PDE and later the Director o Secondary Education in the Ministry of Education.
Mrs Onyuka has the highest profile and proved leadership quality. She has served briefly after her retirement as the TSC member and only retired last year.
Both Mrs Onyuka and Otieno Kajwang’ were born in Mbita constituency .She is the daughter of the late Senior Chief Damianius Ajwang’ of Gembe location. Her home is just four kilometers across the River Lambwe from to that of Waondo home of Kajwang’ and the rumor making the round, however, have it that the two had some old grudges as result of some old family feuds therefore the Minister will be much happier if the Senate Women seat goes to someone else.
The popular views are that owing to the fact that she hails next to Kajwang’ home turf it would not look fair to other communities when they will be asked to cast their votes for a man and a woman aspirants from one place.
Mrs Onyuka who served in the region heading several girls secondary school before she was promoted to be the Nyanza PDE the position which she served diligently for well over ten years is known as an “achiever” with colorful track record of development and efficient service t the Wananchi.
Another credible contender for the same seat is Ms Millie Odhiambo, the nominated MP who had earlier shown interest in Mbita parliamentary seat, but who is reported to have changed her mind following pressure from her cousin Phares Ogweno Ratego who is vying for Mbita parliamentary seat and who is said to have mounted one the most effective campaign ever seen in the area.
The “dot.com” group is said to be comprised of ODM renegade youths, hirelings, political turn-coats discredited power-brokers and mercenaries like political operatives well known for their lust for money in the region, and who could jump onto the bandwagon of any group with the loaded kitty. But whose impact in term of popularity and influence among the electorate is said to be reading zero.
The group recently hit the ground and traversed the full length and width of the region reaching far flung places like Mfangano and Rusinga islands while distributing calendars with the portrait of Mrs Wanga. The calendars were also distributed in Rangwe,Karachuonyo and Kasipul-Kabondo.
Insiders have informed this writer that the “dot.com” aim and objective is to scuttle the candidature o Eng. Philip Okoth Okundi who is currently on the lead in his bid to become the first governor of Homa-Bay County. The group has been telling the electorate that older people should go home and leave the political field for the dot.com generation of youths. Their other intention is to lock-out Mrs Onyuka and Ms Milie Odhiambo from the race or women Senate representative.
In his bid to clinch the Sate seat for Homa-Hay, Otieno Kajwang’ will have to square it with the abrasive Ndhiwa MP Joshua Orwa Ojode who has also declared that he would be vying for the same seat. Ojode and Kajwang’; are sworn political enemies. Both men have served for more than three terms in the August House with Kajwang” have been elected in 1992 while Ojode was elected a year later following the defection of the former Ndhiwa MP Tom Odongo Obondo who won the seat a Ford Kenya party ticket, but within two months defected back to KANU.
Traveling in a brand new product car Mrs Wanga recently traversed the full length and width of the Homa-Bay County while distributing new calendars with her portrait to the voters in most parts of the Homa-Bay County. The distribution of the calendars covered areas like Mfangano, Rusinga, Gwassi, Lambwe, Homa-Bay, Kasipul-Kabondo and other paces. The objectives of this solo trip covering the whole of the County was partly meant for introduction and popularization purposes.
The reports emerging from the various constituencies says the moved backfired, and many voters still held the views that two prominent women leaders Mrs Roselyn Onyuka an Ms Millie Odhiambo the nominated MP are far much better placed to clinch the women Senate representative should any of them decide to join the race for the women Senate seat.
The idea is simple: Ethical businesses and a moral market are tools to enhance the common good defined as expanded human rights and individual liberties.
. . .
Last night’s Candidate’s Forum, hosted and sponsored by the Wilmington News Journal at the Murphy Theatre, violated that trust.
. . .
There are more contested races in the both Democratic and Republican primaries:
. . .
—
Caring citizens communicating American values are the solution to expanding liberty and justice for all,
Through proxy and on ground, I have conducted a scientific poll on Raila vs Mudavadi ODM primaries. The results are interesting. I have used the old provincial delineation, and constituencies. The percentages are not likely to are not likely to change significantly with the new Counties. What you need to remember is that these are percentages. So here we go:
If the ODM presidential nominations are to held today Feb/20/2012 by delegates:
RAILA: = Total 52.87% – (NYZ 91%, COST 82%, RV 33%, WEST 24%, EAST 41%, NE 74%, NRB 57%, CNT 21% )
MUDAVADI: = Total 47.13% – (NYZ 9%, COST 18%, RV 67%, WEST 76%, EAST 59%, NE 26%, NRB 43%, CNT 79% )
The margin of error is +/- 1%
Polling Sample: 2047 respondents.
—
I am Joram Ragem,
You are Not.
joragem@gmail.com
wuod Ndinya, wuod Onam, wuod Amolo, wuod Owuoth, wuod Oganyo, wuod Mumbe, wuod Odongo, wuod Olwande, wuod Adhaya, wuod Ojuodhi, wuod Ragem (You may be my relative, but it matters less now. This is New Kenya!)
An online report posted by Uganda correspondent
Forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo
Dr Besigye: Slipped through the police net
Interesting details emerging from the hotly contested Jinja East bi-election that took place last week, Thursday, 9 February, indicate that Forum for Democratic Change [FDC] party president Dr Kizza Besigye has once again successfully outwitted a joint police and army security blockade that had been set up to stop him.
According to a source who was at the scene, the security blockade had been set up to stop Besigye and other top opposition leaders from entering Jinja Town Hall where the votes were being counted. Uganda Correspondent understands that initially, Besigye tried to approach Jinja Town Hall in his vehicle but he was rudely stopped in his tracks by mean looking security operatives who ordered him to drive off.
A few minutes of heated exchanges followed. The FDC leader finally obliged and asked his driver to turn around. His vehicle then sped off and disappeared into the misty distance of the streets of Jinja town which had been virtually saturated by the heavy clouds of teargas that had been fired by police to disperse rival supporters of the two main contenders, FDC’s Paul Mwiru, and NRM’s Nathan Nabeta.
After about twenty minutes or so, the security officers who had blocked Besigye from accessing Jinja Town Hall were shocked to the bone to hear that the FDC leader had somehow made it into the Town Hall and was now busy trying to make sure that his candidate’s votes were not stolen.
Besigye himself was tight lipped when contacted by this reporter to shed light on how he outwitted the heavy security blockade. “Hahahaha.” the FDC leader laughed out loud before steering the phone conversation swiftly away from what he called “the small matter” of how he beat the security blockade to enter Jinja Town Hall.
“That is not a matter for public consumption. All I can tell you is that you have to be creative when you are dealing with a rogue regime.” Besigye said. He then added that, “…The point is not really about how I made into the hall. It is about the oppressive environment imposed by this regime in which we operate. Transparency is a fundamental requirement for any election to be deemed free and fair. And this is precisely what we have been demanding for years.” the FDC leader said.
Several unsubstantiated theories have since emerged about how Besigye beat the security roadblock in dramatic fashion. Mr. David Waiswa, a 39 year old resident Walukuba West who says he was seated in a shop at the Town Hall end of Iganga Road as the drama unfolded, said he is convinced that Besigye came back on foot and walked straight past the security officers who had by now dropped their guard after seeing Besigye’s car drive off.
In truth, we never know how Besigye actually beat the tight security blockade. But it is not the first time that the FDC leader has pulled off such a mystifying antic. Soon after the 2001 elections, Besigye beat the heavy military ring-fence deployed at his house in Luzira and eventually escaped out of the country unnoticed. He ended up in South Africa where he lived until his return in 2005.
The Jinja East bi-election result
FDC’s Paul Mwiru emerged victorious after beating his close opponent NRM opponent Nathan Nabeta Igeme by 1,701 votes. Mwiru garnered a total of 7,758 votes and Nabeta came a close second with 6,057 votes. Consequently, Mwiru was declared winner in front of Electoral Commission [EC] Chairman Eng. Badru Kiggundu.
The Jinja East parliament seat fell vacant after FDC’s Paul Mwiru successfully challenged Nabeta’s election in the High Court, which then ordered a bi-election.
The recent utterances by a section of ODM Luo MPs do not add any value to Rail Odinga’s presidential ambition, and the time is ripe for the Prime Minister to tell his closest allies and advisers to check their tanks.
In this context, I have in my mind the speeches which were delivered by a section of Luo MPs during the recent tour of Kisumu by President Mwai Kibaki. And also the uncoordinated uncalled for attempt to coerce the ODM deputy leader Musalia Mudavadi during the Jaramogi Oginga Odinya memorial service at Kang’o Kajaramogi’s home in Nyamira, Bondo..
Several MPs cabinet Ministers included told President Kibaki in full view of a huge crowd to return his hand to Raila by declaring “Raila Tosha” in anointing the Prime Minister as his successor to the presidency. This, according to MPs was to be in return gesture to what Raila did in 2002 when he declared “Kibaki Tosha” at the Uhuru Park. It however worked upside down
Surely, Kibaki did not publicly asked for Raila favor in 2002, but the Prime Minister voluntarily did so in his own personal political interest. Nobody had coerced him to say so. In any case, the outgoing President cannot anoint the next President to succeed him. The responsibility of electing is based on the electorate.
If my memories serves me well, I can remember vividly well that the same cartel of Luo MPs and members of the amorphous Luo Council of Elders had invited the retire President Daniel Arap Moi at a leaders meeting. The meeting was held at the SonySugar complex in Awendo and the main agenda was to ask the Head of State to anoint Raila Odinga who by the was a member of cabinet in the short-lived KANU-LDP merger as the Minster for Energy. It didn’t work well in their favor of Raila sycophants, and the following week Mr Moi in a public rally in Mt Elgon district declared that Mr Uhuru Muigai as his favorite choice to be his successor.
Once it didn’t work in their favor, can’t these gentlemen of Parliament from Luo-Nyanza change the tact, which has only ashamed the community and find others suitable avenue of making political maneuvers. The request to Kibaki to anoint Raila as his success did not augur well and it sounded like a pure case of political naivety on the part of the so-called learned friends of “Agwambo”.
The other shameful act and blunder made by the Luo MP was during the memorial service for the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. The ceremony was held at Kang’o Kajaramogi’s home in Nyamira, Central Sakwa Bondo.Judging from the utterance of some of the MP who seemed to have been irked by the action of the Deputy Prime Minister Wycliff Musalia Mudavadi in declaring his interest and presidential ambition by challenging Raila Odinga on ODM’s presidential nomination. Raila himself has repeatedly made it categorically clear that any adult and sane member of his party has the right to stand and contest the election in any elective position. And this is what Mr Mudavadi has just been doing that. However, he was confronted with uncalled for and unwarranted attack by a section of Luo MPs who dressed him down in turns. One of the MPs Jakoyo Midiwo of Gem emotionally charged at the DPM and pointed an accusing finger alleging that the Vihiga MP was acting at the behest of external forces. Midiwo in his scathing criticism only
Midiwo it fell short of telling the ODM deputy leader that he was a “traitor and a PNU mole in ODM.”
Midiwo is a first cousin of Raila Odinga and his actions and utterances could be construed and mistaken as representing the inner side o the family view towards Mudavadi, which might not be the case. It is also not in line and accordance to the Luo culture guidance on how to treat a guest of Mudavandi’s status on a visit to the family from distant land. These reckless utterances has since sparked off protests from the Luhyia ODM leaders, followers and supporters who felt the MP had an ulterior motive of insubordination of the DPM. Whatever motives such utterances serves; it is my view that such issues should have been tackled during the ODM Parliamentary Group’s meeting. And that is the way any political party of highly disciplined men and women should be operating and functioning. Judging from what is now in public domain is that these degrading loose talks have achieved nothing tangible but has boomeranged.
Surely, that was a solemn gathering to remember Jaramogi one of the heroes of the struggle for the independence of this country, and in my view not the best forum the Luo MPs to hurled their vitriol’s at Mudavadi, who came in as an important guest of the Odinga family and joined them in remembering and prayers for the soul of their loved father.
It is also my view that some of the people surrounding the Prime Minister are only interested in retaining their parliamentary seats at the next general election, but contributing negatively towards the PM’s presidential bid.
Moreover Rala Odinga is a popular leader on his own rights. He is known by millions of Kenyans as forthright and genuine reformer. His track record ever since his active participation in the second liberation f the country is undisputed fact, which are well documented and well known to every sane Kenyans. It therefore does not require an MP or a bunch of MPs to polarize and polluting the air with mediocrity utterances.
Kenya’s politics is ethnically oriented therefore when members of one community recklessly embarrassed and harassed a leader from a neighboring community, the relations between the two communities cannot be said to be “business as usual” therefore if such degrading utterances like the one directed towards Mudavadi in Bondo were meant to appease and attract the attention of the PM then it did not work well and as such made no added value.
The Kisumu residents expected the local MPs to pressurize President Kibaki to consider the possibility of resuscitating the closed industries such as the multibillion Kisumu Cotton Mills Ltd, the Kenya Breweries Plant which has been shut down and left to rot in Kisumu town and to an extent the revival of the close Miwani Sugar Mills whose 10,000 hectares nucleus farm has since became the milking cow of the corrupt politicians in the region and top officials. The closure of the three manufacturing industries in Kisumu has since spilled out of work over 10,000 workers who were declared redundant. But the MPs got their priorities wrong.
Fishing and fish trade is another thriving business in the region, but of late there I a sharp decline in the volume of catches as the reports by experts indicate that the fish population in the Lake Victoria is on the downward trends. These are some of the pertinent issues, which the Luo MPs should have discussed with the head of State while he was visiting the region and explore how to improve and rehabilitate the fishing industry.
The sugar industry is another mainstay of the region’s economy, but of late several sugar mills, which are in the region are reportedly unable to reach their production capacity due to acute shortage of raw materials or engaged in cut-throat scrambling or the few mature cane that is available due to lack of a clear-cut policy governing the industry.
The region boost six sugar mills with four are located within Kisumu County, while two are in the greater Southern Nyanza. One of the sugar mills, Miwani Sugar Mills went burst about 12 years ago, and efforts by interested parties ,its owners the government and stakeholders effort to have it rehabilitated has run into a lot of difficulties, while its 10,000 acres nucleus estate has been subjected of lengthy legal tussle.
When you preach Democracy, it’s only right that you live by it. Looking at the goings-on in ODM, I am seeing a situation where Raila Odinga is going to be seen as a half-hearted democrat.
Facing the challenge from Mudavadi for the ODM ticket, Raila (and his fanatical backers) see this “democratic right” as external influence. Well, it could be, but isn’t it Mudavadi’s (or anyone else in ODM) democratic right to seek the ODM presidential ticket?
Raila believes in devolution? I doub’t it. I think maybe because of my simple mind. If he did, I’d have thought he’d agree to have the process conducted at the County level as opposed to the one of having delegates assemble in Nairobi. It’s cheaper to have the elections held at the County level, no?
Last evening, I heard him say that “ODM nomination rules will not be changed”. I did not know those rules are written on stone. However, I think I can see where he’s looking.
Let’s just say democracy, too, has it’s limits. Nothing is absolute.
The recent utterances by a section of ODM Luo MPs do not add any value to Rail Odinga’s presidential ambition, and the time is ripe for the Prime Minister to tell his closest allies and advisers to check their tanks.
In this context, I have in my mind the speeches which were delivered by a section of Luo MPs during the recent tour of Kisumu by President Mwai Kibaki. And also the uncoordinated uncalled for attempt to coerce the ODM deputy leader Musalia Mudavadi during the Jaramogi Oginga Odinya memorial service at Kang’o Kajaramogi’s home in Nyamira, Bondo..
Several MPs, cabinet Ministers included, told President Kibaki in full view of a huge crowd to return his hand to Raila by declaring “Raila Tosha” in anointing the Prime Minister as his successor to the presidency. This, according to MPs was to be in return gesture to what Raila did in 2002 when he declared “Kibaki Tosha” at the Uhuru Park. It however worked upside down
Surely, Kibaki did not publicly ask for Raila’s favor in 2002, but the Prime Minister voluntarily did so in his own personal political interest. Nobody had coerced him to say so. In any case, the outgoing President cannot anoint the next President to succeed him. The responsibility of electing is based on the electorate.
If my memories serves me well, I can remember vividly well that the same cartel of Luo MPs and members of the amorphous Luo Council of Elders had invited the retire President Daniel Arap Moi at a leaders meeting. The meeting was held at the SonySugar complex in Awendo and the main agenda was to ask the Head of State to anoint Raila Odinga who by the was a member of cabinet in the short-lived KANU-LDP merger as the Minster for Energy. It didn’t work well in their favor of Raila sycophants, and the following week Mr Moi in a public rally in Mt Elgon district declared that Mr Uhuru Muigai as his favorite choice to be his successor.
Once it didn’t work in their favor, can’t these gentlemen of Parliament from Luo-Nyanza change the tact, which has only ashamed the community and find others suitable avenue of making political maneuvers. The request to Kibaki to anoint Raila as his success did not augur well and it sounded like a pure case of political naivety on the part of the so-called learned friends of “Agwambo”.
The other shameful act and blunder made by the Luo MP was during the memorial service for the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. The ceremony was held at Kang’o Kajaramogi’s home in Nyamira, Central Sakwa Bondo.Judging from the utterance of some of the MP who seemed to have been irked by the action of the Deputy Prime Minister Wycliff Musalia Mudavadi in declaring his interest and presidential ambition by challenging Raila Odinga on ODM’s presidential nomination. Raila himself has repeatedly made it categorically clear that any adult and sane member of his party has the right to stand and contest the election in any elective position. And this is what Mr Mudavadi has just been doing that. However, he was confronted with uncalled for and unwarranted attack by a section of Luo MPs who dressed him down in turns. One of the MPs Jakoyo Midiwo of Gem emotionally charged at the DPM and pointed an accusing finger alleging that the Vihiga MP was acting at the behest of external forces. Midiwo in his scathing criticism only
Midiwo I fell short of telling the ODM deputy leader that he was a “traitor and a PNU mole in ODM.”
Midiwo is a first cousin of Raila Odinga and his actions and utterances could be construed and mistaken as representing the inner side of the family view towards Mudavadi, which might not be the case. It is also not in line and accordance to the Luo culture guidance on how to treat a guest of Mudavandi’s status on a visit to the family from distant land. These reckless utterances has since sparked off protests from the Luhyia ODM leaders, followers and supporters who felt the MP had an ulterior motive of insubordination of the DPM. Whatever motives such utterances serves; it is my view that such issues should have been tackled during the ODM Parliamentary Group’s meeting. And that is the way any political party of highly disciplined men and women should be operating and functioning. Judging from what is now in public domain is that these degrading loose talks have achieved nothing tangible but has boomeranged.
Surely, that was a solemn gathering to remember Jaramogi one of the heroes of the struggle for the independence of this country, and in my view not the best forum the Luo MPs to hurled their vitriol’s at Mudavadi, who came in as an important guest of the Odinga family and joined them in remembering and prayers for the soul of their loved father.
It is also my view that some of the people surrounding the Prime Minister are only interested in retaining their parliamentary seats at the next general election, but contributing negatively towards the PM’s presidential bid.
Moreover Rala Odinga is a popular leader on his own rights. He is known by millions of Kenyans as forthright and genuine reformer. His track record ever since his active participation in the second liberation f the country is undisputed fact, which are well documented and well known to every sane Kenyans. It therefore does not require an MP or a bunch of MPs to polarize and polluting the air with mediocrity utterances.
Kenya’s politics is ethnically oriented therefore when members of one community recklessly embarrassed and harassed a leader from a neighboring community, the relations between the two communities cannot be said to be “business as usual” therefore if such degrading utterances like the one directed towards Mudavadi in Bondo were meant to appease and attract the attention of the PM then it did not work well and as such made no added value.
The Kisumu residents expected the local MPs to pressurize President Kibaki to consider the possibility of resuscitating the closed industries such as the multi-billion shillings Kisumu Cotton Mills Ltd, the Kenya Breweries Plant which has been shut down and left to rot in Kisumu town and to an extent the revival of the close Miwani Sugar Mills whose 10,000 hectares nucleus farm has since became the milking cow of the corrupt politicians in the region and top officials. The closure of the three manufacturing industries in Kisumu has since spilled out of work over 10,000 workers who were declared redundant. But the MP’s priority for the region appeared to have been on the wrong footing. Instead of representing the thousands of jobs residents they directed their appeals to the President to help Raila in his presidential bid, and yet the PM is a working man contrary to thousand of youth in the streets.
Surely was the requests placed before the Kenyan head of state were genuinely in the interests of the down trodden Wananchi? Only time will tell.
Investigative Report By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisum City
IMMEDIATELY soon after the promulgation of Kenya’s new constitution last August by President Mwi Kibaki, many prospective aspirants jumped overboard and quickly pronounced their intention to contest the election in various constituencies inside Luo-Nyanza.
The would be candidates contesting several election positions such as parliamentary and senate seats, country governors and county civic representatives made extensive tour of the country side, especially in the areas targeted for the big contest come the general elections schedule for later this year.
These prospective aspirants invaded the region organizing for Harambee fund drives in aid of the various economic and social projects in many parts of the region. Some of them initiated the establishment of football clubs to popularize and promote their personal image, others made it sure thy contributed lavishly towards the funeral expenses to the families of the bereaved.
Many potential aspirants rushed with books donation to schools or with other learning aids and gears to popularize themselves among the communities.
The worse of it all was the invasion of funeral homes in the company of heavily drugged and intoxicated youths menacingly behaving in readiness for physical combat and fight against those perceived to be the potential opponents of their man.
These aspirants and their drunken youths made funeral places no go area. Money appeared not to be in short supply. The aspirants purchased uniforms for their favorite sports teams and organizations, bought sport gears such as balls and trophies for the competing teams. Other spent fortune paying the popular “Ohangla musicians” other spent lavishly on local orchestra jazz bands which composed hurriedly composed and recorded cheap songs in their praise.
However, a thorough survey carried out by this writer in many constituencies revealed that most of these would be heavily moneyed aspirants have already beaten quick retreat and disappeared in the thin air not to be heard or seen anywhere within the localities.
Their sudden disappearance could be attributed to varied factors, but the major one being that these prospective aspirants had panicked in fear of facing mass disqualification at the time of the nomination which will be conducted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, which has set up tough electoral conditions such as the requirement that each candidate for either parliament, senate or governorship must be a degree holder from recognized University or from any other institutions of higher learning.
MANY aspirants according to our investigations are armed with fake degrees and certificates obtained through dubious contacts or bought cheaply from back street vendors in India and other Western countries, where such document are said to be selling cheaply.
These tough conditions have since kept many aspirants out of circulations. Some have even severed their phone links with their supporters back home and retreated to the safety of Nairobi City.
In most cases the aspirants mobile phones have remained permanently switched off, and this to a certain extent is a blessing in disguise to the bereaved families whose homes have at one time or the other were turned into political platform.
Other reason could be attributed to the recent outbreak of a serious fighting in a funeral home at Kachien Village near Oyugis during which the vehicle which belonging to the chairman of the ODM election Board eng. Phillip Okoth Okundi was stoned and extensively damaged when the attackers mistook the vehicle to be that of the area MP Joseph Oyugi Mgwanga. In the same incident the Immigration and Registrations of persons Minister Otieno Kajwng’took to his heels amid hail of stones and escaped to Oyugis town for his personal safety.
Scores of youths were injured in the melee while some of the sustained serious bodily harm and were admitted to the hospital or treatment.
Several well known professional mourners who have been shuttling the full length and width of the greater Southern Nyanza region, while addressing mourners on behalf of their masters received the beatings, one of them the most notorious one was seen walking out of the fateful funeral home minus his shoes.
Other factors which have contributed immensely to the sudden disappearances of the aspirants from the scene could be due to finances. Those were reported to have been engaged themselves in premature election campaigns and were reported to be spending extravagantly may have already burnt their fingers and had their coffers depleted of funds. A case in point is that of one of the aspirants in the greater Southern Nyanza who was spending close to between Kshs 200,000 and 300,000 a week is now said to be in full flights from the troops of auctioneer in Nairobi and has gone underground.
According to impeccable sources, most of the aspirants who came to the scene too early are sad to be people engaged in dubious businesses such as drug dealers and peddlers, brokerage dealers with connection to high places, which facilitated them to acting as pseudo importers of popular items such as bitumen, oil, and other imported materials used in road construction and building industry in which they are said to be minting millions, which they are said to be sharing the loot with authorizing authorities, in most cases government ministries and parastatals as ell as quasi-governments, a clear indication that corruption in high paces still in existence in full swing with impunity.
There is a clear indication that the battle for most of the elective seats such as parliament, senate and governor in Luo-Nyanza will be a tall order in which Tom Dick and Harry will fall by the wayside. The sweet-talking politicians either men or women with half-baked education will find themselves in a more awkward conditions in some could even could prosecutions after uttering false documents before the IEBC.
Of late there appeared to have been many people inside Luo-Nyanza claiming to be the holders of fake Phd doctorate degrees whose sources are said to be dubious. And only the time will tell.
It is time I ask you to look at things the unusual way. We are in the new constitution era, but most importantly we are in the post ICC defining moment. This is a different Kenya. We all knew it will be different. But I guess, we never imagined how different. Remember, whoever loses this presidential elections is out of the next government absolutely.
There are two scenarios which are both not good for ODM.
The first scenario is a ‘wag the dog’ technique that ODM might have used. Though with bad notoriety, the Ekaterina 4 have been stealing the thunder from ODM and in particular Raila. They have seen their poll numbers begin to steady and rise albeit falsely and Raila’s drop gradually. To stop this trend, it is possible that ODM has ochestrated this ‘Mudavadi vs Raila’ competition to steal the headlines. This strategy could work, but it is like playing with fire. Whereas it will attract Raila opponents to pour money on Mudavadi, like the biblical Adam, Mudavadi could fall prey, it could make Mudavadi believe he is stronger than Raila. in real time, this might have already already happened. The split is already there because were are seeing it and talking about it. Mother always said not to play with fire.
The second scenario is even worse. Remember what Mutahi Ngunyi said? “A wounded Uhuru or Ruto are dangerous politicians.” Well, it is obvious that there is overt motive in the two seeing ODM or Raila prevented from even running for presidency. In real time, with real money, this is their work.
Here is the good news. Agwambo wuod Alego, owad gi Akinyi will prevail. Here is how:
My prediction is that ODM will not have elections at all. There will be infiltration by the URP rebels who will troop back in pretex of supporting Mudavadi but their real intention is to destroy ODM. They will rightly be denied the opportunity to vote, but they will go to court and the court will issue an injunction barring ODM from holding nominations. So ODM will be caught in the mess of waiting for decision by judges, like it is already happening with election date, and whether Uhuru and Ruto should be on the ballot. This is their scheme. This I predict will happen.
So my 10th great grandfather Ragem, and not I says thus, Raila as the favorite presidential candidate must be prepared to run as an independent, notwithstanding being branded a party breaker or hopper.
—-
I am Joram Ragem
You are not.
Yes, Joram Kaulikazi Ragem, wuod Ndinya, wuod Onam, wuod Amolo, wuod Owuoth, wuod Oganyo, wuod Mumbe, wuod Odongo, wuod Olwande, wuod Adhaya, wuod Ojuodhi, wuod Ragem (You may be my relative, but it matters less now. This is New Kenya!)
From: ouko joachim omolo
Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News
BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012
There are several reasons why President Kibaki was misled by his PNU loyalists to create a panel of legal experts to tackle the ruling by the International Criminal Court (ICC) instead of forwarding the matter to Cabinet sub-committee on the National Accord, which is tasked with the job.
One reason being that the seven-member sub-committee is chaired by Prof George Saitoti and Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang’ula who have already declared their interest to vie for presidency. Kibaki could also not trust Justice Minister, who has already spoken his mind that Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto cannot vie for presidency because their cases have been confirmed by the ICC.
Other members in the committee Kibaki cannot trust include Mr James Orengo, Mr Otieno Kajwang’ and Mr Amason Jeffa Kingi who definitely cannot support Uhuru’s bid for presidency or Ruto because Raila Odinga is also on the race.
He is now left with a ten member-team appointed by Attorney General Githu Muigai he can trust. They include Mr Geoffrey Nice, a Queen’s Counsel of London, Mr Rodney Dixon a Barrister of London, and Senior Counsel Fred Ojiambo, Joe Okwach, Waweru Gatonye, International law experts Godfrey Musila, Betty Murungi, Lucy Kambuni, Grace Wakio and Henry Mutai.
The team will decide the fate of Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura after their appeal on the ruling by the International Criminal Court confirming charges against them.
The second reason is based on the revelation by The Hague judges that President Kibaki had a meeting with Mungiki members at State House alongside Francis Muthaura and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, whose charges were also confirmed with Mungiki. The judges used the two meetings to anchor the charges against Uhuru and Muthaura.
The references to the meetings, which may cast aspersions on the President’s impartiality when it comes to making hard decisions on Uhuru and Muthaura, were also made by the report on post-election violence compiled by a judicial commission presided over by Justice Phillip Waki.
Although the meeting of November 26, 2007 according to Kibaki was a meeting with youths who were supporting his campaigns, even if Uhuru did not attend as the President claim, the fact that Mr Muthaura attended the meeting is enough reason to assert that allegations are so serious and it will always remain to haunt Kibaki and State House for good.
Kibaki while admitting that the meeting indeed did take place except Uhuru was not present, the big question is why could Muthaura be involved in a campaign meeting for Kibaki? And whose major policy issue affecting his youth campaigners that Muthaura had to attend?-Mr Muthaura is not allowed to participate in any political affairs because he is a civil servant.
So there is absolutely no way the allegations can be inimitable to Kibaki and contrary to everything he stands for. The bottom line here is not whether Kibaki is opposed to Mungiki as he claims- the issue at hand here is that Kibaki cannot escape this trap. Kibaki has no other alternative but to suspend Uhuru and Muthaura pending the outcome of the court.
This is in accordance to the promise Kibaki and Raila made to Kenyans in writing on December 16, 2008, that any public officer who is charged for offences related to the post election violence of 2007-8 which resulted in the killing of over 1,133 Kenyans and the forcible displacement of over 500,000 Kenyans would be immediately suspended from public office.
His move to defend Uhuru and Muthaura and refuse to suspend them from the public office then it would politically imply that if Uhuru becomes the president then Kibaki would be safe from the fact that when the State House will be preparing to start local trials for minor offenders in post-election violence, estimated at 5,000, with the Attorney General already asking the Chief Justice to set up a special court for international crimes committed in Kenya, the charges will easily be dismissed.
The Agreement signed by the two Principals of the Government of Kenya, President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga explicitly stated in Article 4 that: “The Parties shall ensure that any person holding public office or any public servant charged with a criminal offence related to 2008 post-election violence shall be suspended from duty until the matter is fully adjudicated upon. The parties shall ensure that any person convicted of a post-election violence offence is barred from holding any public office or contesting any electoral position.”
Mr Muthaura was alleged to have used his influence in government to direct Maj General (Rtd) Ali, then the police commissioner, to pave way for Mungiki youths to carry out attacks in Naivasha and Nakuru. He was also accused of obtaining police uniforms and military trucks to ferry the youths to Naivasha and Nakuru. Muthaura is the President’s permanent secretary and confidant.
Uhuru Kenyatta faces charges of developing a plan to take revenge for Kikuyus and keep Kibaki in power. He was allegedly the focal point between the government and the Kikuyu Mungiki sect, which was sent to the Rift Valley, set up road blocks and went house-to-house killing some 150 suspected of ODM supporters.
Majority of Kenyans are opposed to the ICC case referred to Kenya because this could be manipulated by those with vested interest, and the judiciary could not be relied on to deliver justice, especially in an electoral dispute. Mostly powerful individuals would use it to avoid accountability just as it used to be part and parcel of the colonial state, which used violence to ensure control of power.
After independence, President Jomo Kenyatta used it to maintain power, with the use of violence mainly concentrated in the hands of the State, rather than outside of it. Opposition parties were subjected to political harassment and those individuals who refused to support the status quo experienced various types of repression and even detention without trial.
This was and still impunity of high class where the president uses his power to refuse to punish those who disobey the law. When people break the law and not punished they tend to repeat their crimes because they believe they will never be punished-when many people from the habit of breaking the law and nothing is done to hold the accountable, this encourages the culture of impunity. This is not we want in Kenya.
The new constitution cannot work yet because there is no political will for institutional reform-that is why the judiciary and police and government departments do not function properly, resulting in poor service, and wastage of public funds, human rights violations, corruption, among other vices.
That is also why the National Accord has failed to work. In its four agenda, the accord requires that there should be immediate action to stop violence and restore fundamental rights and liberties. Immediate measures to address the humanitarian crisis and promote reconciliation and healing, how to overcome the political crisis and long term issues and solutions.
The National Accord noted that the post-election violence was not just about the dispute, results of the elections, but deeper underlying the root causes which were seen to be unemployment, poverty, unequal distribution of resources, perception of historical injustices and exclusion.
Agenda four was meant to outline solutions to these root causes-these solutions include undertaking constitutional, legal and institutional reform, tackling poverty and inequity, as well as combating regional development imbalances, tackling unemployment, particularly among the youth, consolidating national cohesion and unity, undertaking land reforms, addressing transparency, accountability and impunity.
According to political experts these have failed to work because there is no transitional justice in Kenya as yet. This is because government which was responsible for human rights violations has not changed. It has not recognized the fact that all Kenyans are equal and entitled to certain rights and freedoms. It is the government where people are not made to meet the consequences of failure to obey established rules or laws.
Yet still, some communities in Kenya feel that land distribution and settlement policies have unfairly affected their ancestral land-some feel that a new redistribution policy was necessary at independence to take care of those who lost their land during colonial rule.
It is also why the government is reluctant to deal with historical injustices in terms of unfair distribution of national resources and opportunities and see allocation as having favoured some regions.
In some parts of the country there are some who feel they have been habitually discriminated against to the point of being treated like second class citizens with fewer rights than other Kenyans accepting this as normal.
It further explains why crimes against humanity are serious and systematic coordinated offences which continue to cause harm and loss of human dignity, cause humiliation or shame to one or more human beings.
This is the summery of the accord timeline:
28 February 2008- The National Accord and Reconciliation Act is signed establishing a coalition government with Kibaki as president and Odinga as prime minister. It also established the Commission of Inquiry into Post-Election Violence (CIPEV).
15 October 2008- CIPEV submits its report and recommendations to the government of Kenya; recommendations include the establishment of a special tribunal of national and international judges to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of the post-election violence. The report also states that if the tribunal is not set up within six months, information collected by the commission will be passed to the ICC, including a sealed envelope of names of those suspected to be most responsible for the violence.
16 December 2008- An agreement for the implementation of the CIPEV recommendations is signed by the president and prime minister.
27 January 2009-The CIPEV report is adopted by the National assembly (parliament).
12 February 2009- The Kenyan parliament votes against the establishment of the proposed tribunal to address the post-election violence.
3 July 2009- Three cabinet ministers sign an agreement with the ICC committing Kenya to establish a credible and independent tribunal to try perpetrators of post- election violence by August. The Kenyan delegation agrees to provide the prosecutor a report on the status of investigations and prosecutions arising out of the post-election violence, as well as information on victim/witness protection mechanisms, by the end of September 2009.
It also agrees to provide the prosecutor with information on modalities for conducting national investigations and prosecutions of those responsible for the 2007 violence through a special tribunal or other judicial mechanism adopted by the parliament with clear benchmarks over the next twelve months; in the alternative, if there is no parliamentary agreement, and in accordance with the commitment to end impunity of those most responsible for the most serious crimes, the government is to refer the situation to the prosecutor in accordance with Article 14 of the Rome Statute.
9 July 2009- The prosecutor is sent six boxes containing documents and supporting materials compiled by the Waki Commission during its investigations. The document includes a sealed envelope that contains a list of suspects identified by the Commission as those most responsible for the violence.
30 July 2009- A bill to use the ordinary criminal courts and enhance the mandate of the
Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission to investigate and prosecute post-election violence, introduced by the justice minister, is rejected by the cabinet. A third attempt also fails when a private member’s bill, again to establish a local judicial mechanism, is unable to proceed because of a persistent lack of a quorum in parliament. The rejection by parliament of the bills to establish a special tribunal are accompanied by the slogan “don’t bevague, go to The Hague”.
9 November 2009- Parliament starts debating another constitutional amendment to form a special Kenyan tribunal. That debate has never concluded.
26 November 2009- ICC Prosecutor Moreno-Ocampo files a request seeking authorisation from Pre- Trial Chamber II to open an investigation in relation to the crimes allegedly committed during the 2007-2008 post-election violence in Kenya.
31 March 2010- The three-member Pre-Trial Chamber II issues a majority decision that there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation into the situation in Kenya in relation to crimes against humanity within the jurisdiction of the Court committed between 1 June 2005 and 26 November 2009.
15 December 2010- The ICC Prosecutor requests the issuance of “summonses to appear” for six individuals alleged to be responsible for the commission of crimes against humanity in the Kenya investigation: William Samoei Ruto, Henry Kiprono Kosgey and Joshua Arap Sang (case one) and Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohamed Hussein Ali (case two).
8 March 2011- Pre-Trial Chamber II issues the “summonses to appear” for the six individuals, as it finds reasonable grounds to believe that they committed the crimes alleged by the Prosecutor.
31 March 2011-The Kibaki government files an application challenging the ICC’s jurisdiction over the cases.
7 April 2011- The first three suspects (Ruto, Kosgey and Sang) make their initial appearance before the Court in The Hague.
8 April 2011- The second group of three suspects (Muthaura, Kenyatta and Ali) make their initial appearance.
1 September 2011-The hearing to confirm or reject the charges begins for the first three suspects (Ruto, Kosgey and Sang).
21 September 2011-The hearing to confirm or reject the charges begins for the second three suspects (Muthaura, Kenyatta and Ali).
23 January 2012- Charges against Henry Kosgei and Ali are dropped-shortly thereafter Kibaki directs AG to create a committee of experts to look into the decision of the ICC and advice his government accordingly.
People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
P O Box 14877
Nairobi
00800, Westlands
Kenya
Tel +254-7350-14559/+254-722-623-578
E-mail- ppa@africaonline.co.ke
omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Website: www.peopleforpeaceafrica.org
Recently, I read a piece in one of Kenya’s daily papers under a banner heading, “What Africa thinks of Kenyans.” The article sampled a host of opinions on what Africans think of Kenyans from Rwanda, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Southern Sudan, Zambia, Uganda and Tanzania.
Views sampled were as flattering as they were revealing. In the eyes of Rwandese, Kenyans are cute and politically aggressive. To the Botswanese, Kenyans are friendly, peaceful and have an unrivalled penchant for ‘nyama choma’.
Ndugu zetu wa Tanzania believe that we are conmen, daring and rude while Ugandans accuse us of being ‘business hungry’. It’s not in my making to support or condemn those views; I am a typical Kenyan, read on and find out how I carry myself on as a truer Kenyan.
I’m a Kenyan man; political bickering is what defines me best. Over glasses of alcohol in bars and other drinking dens, I assume the role of a speaker to coordinate debates on topics such as ‘The G7 political alliance is sending shivers along ODM ranks’.
I shall ensure that debates go on with zeal, authority and finality that can make Kenya a better country only if it can be replicated at other levels of nation building. As a rule, the debates always produce winners and losers.
Having lost hands down in a ‘verbal diarrhea’, I shall enlist the services of my beefy body to physically ‘teach’ my antagonist (s) a lesson. I will cause a brawl and ‘bottles shall fly’ as ‘innocent’ drinkers and drunkards leave the bar faster than they came with broken skulls, swollen faces and broken limbs.
I am a Kenyan councilor. We are meeting over a ‘small business’ of electing a city mayor. I am from Otonglo Development Money (ODM) party and other civic leaders have handpicked ‘their own’ – from their Ponyoka Na Ushindi (PNU) party. I am not amused. To express the displeasure, I take a starring role in ‘making chairs fly’ to my opponents’ direction. When they decline to bulge, I ‘flex muscles’ by throwing stones at them.
I am a Kenyan; I have peculiar calling habits and out of my strangeness, I do not own a phone but a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card. I am in a strange place full of strangers. I remember that I have to call my wife back at home. I proceed to the nearest stranger and quip, “I urgently need to call somebody but I don’t own a phone, could you please help me with yours?”
“But how do you know I have one myself,” he asks. ‘You look like you have one,” I fire back. He agrees to assist me on condition that I purchase mine soon. I take the phone; replace his SIM card with mine, call my wife and keep my card away without even saying thanks. I have no intention of buying a phone soon since ‘I must not own a phone to make calls’. With or without a phone, life continues in its true Kenyan fashion.
I’m a Kenyan; a political bootlicker, tail wager, sympathizer, crony and tribesman of a well known cabinet minister. There’s a vacancy at one of the parastatals that fall ‘in his ministry’. I do not come close to meeting the qualifications. In simple terms, I’m the owner of ‘a very short C.V’ but given that I have an ability to ‘mobilize’ voters, only a phone call stands between me and the position.
I am a Kenyan cabinet minister. The ministry I head has been rocked by a Nation shaking scandal. All evidence point to the fact I have to take political responsibility, ‘step down or aside’ and pave way for investigations. But what do I do? I call a press conference and swear by my tribal chief’s name that not even death can ‘make me step aside’.
“My community is being targeted. Money has been ‘poured’ to finish me and my community politically,” I swear with clenched fists at everybody and nobody in particular. Three hours down the line, I call another press conference to announce ‘my stepping down’. What happens next is that ‘political analysts’ have a word to say. “The minister’s decision was long overdue,” they chorus.
I am a Kenyan lady dating a Kenyan guy who is not so keen on settling down in marriage. I am on the wrong side of thirty; I have to ensure that I settle down soonest lest I ‘lose market’. So what do I do? I call to inform him that I shall visit during the weekend.
At the back of my mind, I know that I’m not going to visit but to stay. Come the weekend, I take my ‘self contained’ hand bag and head to his place. After three days, he seeks to know when I will be leaving but I flatly tell him that I have no intentions of leaving and that I actually ‘came to stay’.
“In fact, I’m heavy with your child,” I say. It dawns upon him that we have actually been eating the ‘forbidden fruit’ without protection. He grudgingly accepts to put up with me, but in real sense, he wasn’t ready for it. As expected, the ‘come we stay’ does not go beyond six months and the hassle for a ‘Mr Right’ continues.
I am a Kenyan; the owner of very lazy bones. I ‘fear’ work, sleep poor but expect to wake up damn rich. That’s why I shall deliberately skip a political rally where ‘sitting allowance’ is being given and attend a church crusade where people ‘speak, breath and smell miracles’ in God’s name.
I expect the pastor to perform miracles so that I become rich overnight. But as you all know, the era of miracles is long gone, it becomes even tricky by ‘demanding’ a miracle or two from the pastor when I know that he can’t produce it.
But do I know? I am just a mere Kenyan. Please pardon me for that.
ICC Hague rulling is make or brake, save or throw Kenya into a pit-bull quagmire of Civil destruction and collapse targeted by unscrupulous Corporate Special Interest.
Majority 99% of Kenyans want a fresh start from master-minders of corruption, impunity and graft…..without which Kenya, Africa and the world will never be the same again.
Quote …..”December 30, 2007, is a date which will live in infamy, as former American President Franklin D Roosevelt would put it. On this day, the results of the ill-fated presidential election pushed the nation to the fringes of hell. In the ensuing mayhem, 1,300 lives were lost, thousands of people displaced and maimed, and property worth billions of shillings destroyed. The rest is history. On Monday, the fate of top suspects of post-election violence will be determined. To confirm or not to confirm the full trial of Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto, Henry Kosgey, Hussein Ali, Francis Muthaura and Joshua arap Sang will depend on evidence adduced by International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo. ……. The victims of post-election violence deserve justice just like the prime suspects. It is the prospects of bungled prosecution that diminishes hopes that justice and the truth on post-election violence shall finally prevail.
If the ICC Hague ruling will be in favor of the Ocampo six, then majority’s lamentation is that this will have benefited the Special Interest who have deeply rooted interest in the illegally and unconstitutionally hijacking and owning Kenya’s Wealth and Resources selfishly and greedily, but which will have a catastrophic result thus eventually spilling over to affect people of the whole Global Region of the world, whose lives face serious economic survival collapse because of the same Special Interest jointly shared illegally and unconstitutional transfers of Global TaxPayers money through Ponzi Scheme and Hedge Funding under dubious “Free Trading Enterprising”……to benefit the unscrupulous Corporate network cartels.
People of the world must join together to stop these unscrupulous marauding Corporate Special Interests who formed Global cartel network by using Chinese and Indian Mission Agents to destroy lives for selfish and greedy gains.
The Special Interests are behind Kenyans losing out against the Ocampo six, and this is unacceptable…….Where is the Human Rights….???
The International Criminal Court says the “deportation or forcible transfer of population” is a crime against humanity. The ICC has indicated a verdict on whether its prosecutors have provided adequate evidence to link the suspects to the crimes, including forceful population displacements, murder and rape, is due anytime before January 23.
Wisdom is calling, shall we let the whole 99% perish under scum of the greed of 1% Corporate Selfish Self-Interest who illegally and unconstitutionally decide to block all avenue to allow fair balance for economic development progress for common mutual gain in a shared interest for good for human survival (United in Love under Peace) or shall Justice prevail to protect lives of disadvantaged from perishing in the hands of the unjust, or will Justice side with the corrupt, the wealthy and powerful and let them loose to destroy the world…..???
The National Reform Accord Agenda which carried the majority Kenyan voices, moved all our hopes to the International Legal Justice where we all expect fair an peaceful resolution, a beginning that which will provide hope for way-forward for Kenya including Greater Global Region of the world to move successfully with Economic Development in the right direction, and it is the reason we hope for the best outcome from ICC Hague on Monday……..
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
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Kenya: Uhuru Team Believes ICC Will Dismiss Charges
Nzau Musau
18 January 2012
JUST days before the ICC delivers its ruling on the charges facing the Ocampo Six, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and his legal team are convinced that the judges will exonerate him.
Uhuru’s confidence has been boosted by a legal opinion drafted by his lawyers based on their evaluation of a decision made by the ICC when it refused to confirm the case against Rwandan rebel leader Callixte Mbarushimana. The Rwandese had been accused of five counts of crime against humanity and eight counts of war crimes but the judges expressed disappointment with chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo’s weak legal reasoning.
Yesterday, an upbeat Uhuru said he will continue with his campaigns for the presidency independently of the ruling on the confirmation of charges due to be delivered next Monday. Speaking to journalists in Nairobi after he opened the public budget hearings, the Finance Minister seemed upbeat about his chances of acquittal. “My campaign is not built around the ICC,” Uhuru said in response to a question that his popularity could wane if he was acquitted by the ICC.
Uhuru is facing charges of crimes against humanity relating to post-election violence in Nakuru and Naivasha in January and February 2008. He is jointly charged with Public service chief Francis Muthaura and former police boss Gen Hussein Ali. Uhuru said he would be focusing on issues that unite the country in his campaign.
Nation
Post-election violence (file photo).
According to the opinion prepared by his lawyers, a copy of which was obtained by the Star, it analyses the “relevance and impact” of the Mbarushimana case against Uhuru’s case and says the standards set by the judges are too high to be met by the kind of evidence adduced against Uhuru by Ocampo. “This decision generally strengthens our submission by providing legal reasoning and standards that the prosecutor did not and will never attain in his quest for pressing charges against UK (Uhuru Kenyatta),” the opinion states. “This leaves us with more confidence ahead of the forthcoming decision in our case,” the opinion concludes.
Uhuru’s lawyers believe it is almost certain that the prosecutor will not be able to convince the judges of the existence of an organised policy by Uhuru and his co-suspects to commit crimes against humanity. Uhuru’s lawyers say that Ocampo’s witnesses failed to corroborate the existence of such a policy in the Mbarushimana case. “The lesson from this decision is that the threshold for proving the existence of an organizational policy is set much higher and the prosecutor is precluded from relying on hearsay, inconsistent and uncorroborated witness statements or circumstantial evidence as substantial grounds to believe that a policy exists,” the lawyers say in their opinion.
In the Rwandese case, the judges concluded that organizational policy could not be inferred but must be proved in a concrete sense and beyond mere records such as Mbarushimana’s rebel group stating they will target civilians. The lawyers point out that Ocampo used terms such as “include but not limited to” in his document which the judges condemned as “untenable and meaningless.” They say the judges were very clear that the material facts must be stated “to the greatest degree of specificity possible” and devoid of any suggestions of future additions and vagueness.
“This standard was completely failed in the Kenya situation. For example, a mere failure to distinguish Nairobi Safari Club and where it is located, from Nairobi Members Club. The confusion over location, time and events that UK attended etc. Similarly, another example of lack of material facts underlying the allegations are that UK participated in fundraising for Mungiki as the meetings cited were in fact meant for support to victims,” Uhuru’s lawyers argue.
And based on the Mbarushimana ruling, the lawyers assured Uhuru that the reports of Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, National Security and Intelligence Service and the testimony of the two witnesses called by Ocampo would not significantly affect the court’s decision. The judges in the Mbarushimana case ruled that information from reports, though admissible, had low probative value and was only helpful when corroborated by actual investigations conducted by the prosecution. They held similar views about hearsay evidence.
The Mbarushimana judges admonished Ocampo for not equally investigating both incriminating and exonerating evidence. The judges also chided the investigators for asking the witnesses leading questions. “This is an important part of the defence submission in the UK et al case. Now that the submission by our team on this element is strongly supported by the PTC (pre-trial chamber) interpretation of Article 54 (1) (a) of the statute and therefore binding, we shall make it a ground for appeal in case the PTC finds this in our favor,” the opinion reads. The opinion expressed happiness that one of the three Mbarushimana judges, Cuno Tarfusser, will also be sitting in judgment on the Uhuru case.
Earlier this month, the defence team representing Eldoret North MP William Ruto and radio journalist Joshua arap Sang said they were confident that the charges against their clients would be dismissed. Lawyers Katwa Kigen and Kimutai Bosek cited the Mbarushimana case decision as a reason why the judges will find their clients had no case to answer.
Raila, Uhuru differ over IDPs resettlement
Published on 12/03/2011
By Peter Mutai
Prime Minister Raila Odinga has blamed the Ministry of Finance for delay in releasing money for resettlement of the internally displaced.
He said the Ministry of Finance, which is headed by political rival Uhuru Kenyatta, had prioritised the resettlement of IDPs from one community, leaving out other landless Kenyans.
“I wonder why Mau settlers have been left out of the resettlement programme yet IDPs and other landless people from one community are being resettled,” said the PM.
The PM said if he had enough money for resettlement of landless people he would do it across the board to avoid discrimination.
But when he was sought for comment, Uhuru instead blamed the Prime Minister for evicting people from Mau Forest water tower, and the Ministry of Lands for not resettling all IDPs.
Shifting blame
“The PM should not forget he opposed the resettlement of the Mau people. It was President Kibaki who eventually acceded to their resettlement,” said Uhuru.
He said it is the Ministry of Lands headed by James Orengo that is responsible for the resettlement and asked the PM to let the Ministry of Finance do its business.
He said Raila should ask Orengo why his ministry was sitting on billions of shillings for resettling IDPs.
He, however, clarified that Sh1 billion had been budgeted for in the supplementary budget for the resettlement of Mau IDPs, which Parliament is yet to approve.
But Raila, who was speaking at Kapkatet in Kericho, said the evictees have continued to suffer in makeshift camps due to failure by the Treasury to release money meant for their resettlement as the Government promised.
He absolved Orengo from the blame that he was withholding money for the purchase of land to resettle the evictees.
“I want to set the record straight that money meant for the resettlement of Mau evictees is being held at the Treasury and those pointing accusing fingers at Orengo or the Ministry of Lands were looking for a scapegoat,’ he said.
Roads Minister Franklin Bett set the ball rolling when he hit at some politicians who he did not name for using the Mau issue to fight Raila.
“If the money has not been released from the Treasury we want to know why the money is being withheld and by whom and for what motive,” he added.
The minister said he would write to the Treasury formally to complain and to know if the money had been released.
Raila said the eviction of families from their farms in Mau Forest two years ago was a set up by his political enemies.
He claimed on Saturday in Kericho County that the plot was hatched to lock him out of the 2012 presidential race. Speaking during a funds drive in Kapkatet Trading Centre in Buret District, Raila wondered why some of his political rivals were criss-crossing the country misleading Kenyans that Raila spearheaded the eviction.
Playing politics with Mau
He said it was unfortunate that a clique of politicians was peddling falsehoods about him and yet the same leaders endorsed the eviction of the Mau families in the Cabinet. The same ministers also voted to ratify the decision in Parliament, citing reclamation of the water tower as a national priority.
Raila was the chief guest during the funds drive in aid of businessmen based at Kapkatet trading centre, who lost property worth millions of shillings during a fire.
The fire gutted down their business premises and residential houses three weeks ago. The funds drive raised Sh1.6million.
The PM was accompanied by Bett, Assistant Ministers Beatrice Kones (Home Affairs) and Magerer Langat (Energy), Sotik MP, Joyce Laboso, and Kipsigis Council of Elders chairman, Josiah Sang.
Others were former Sotik MP, Anthony Kimetto, Western Rift Regional Commissioner Bernard Leparmarai, chairman of Poverty Eradication Commission General (rtd) John Koech, and several councillors from Bomet and Kericho counties led by Litein Town Council chairman, Julius Tonui among others.
Raila arrived in a helicopter at Tengecha Boys High School at 10am, and toured the school to assess the damage caused by another fire incident two weeks.
The fire destroyed 11 classrooms and other school property worth Sh5 million.
The PM donated 565 corrugated iron sheets worth more than Sh1.5 millions for the reconstruction of the school.
Reference is made from Kadibo Division on the electoral and boundaries review of Nyando Constituency and its states as follows:
Following a meeting of all leaders of Kadibo Division held on the 17/01/2012 the following were resolved.
1. Kadibo Division be separated from Nyando Constituency and be made part of Kisumu East Constituency because that is where Kadibo’s historical background lies. The reasons for this resolution kadibo is currently part of Kisumu East District Administratively, separation of Kadibo Division from Nyando Division was not peaceful. People found and many died and we would not like a repeat of the same. The people of nyando Dision have a historical hatred for people of Kadibo and the two cannot live together peacefully. Kadibo current population stand at 114,100 and projected to be 120,800 people by 2015. The historical events that culminated into separation of West Kano from East are still fresh in memory.
From the time of independence the administration of Nyando (East Kano) and West Kano ( formerly Winam Constituency) was never one after the colonial government at Lancaster house had recognized the same, then commissioned the boundary and created Winam and nNando constituency separately.Scrapping or deletion of Winam Constituency in 1987 and amalgamating it to Nyando was done in bad taste for Kadibo residents. The reason for our quitness was because we are abiding society and now that the twenty and above yrs have elapsed and constituency review had come, we asked the government of Kenya through the IIEC to help us out of the problem we had suffered due to political expediency of that time. It should be noted that the people Kadibo in 1998 requested for return of Winam Constituency since it was lost. However, when report came out from IEBC that Kadibo was not removed from Nyando , it did not augur well with the residents of kadibo.
Now we are requesting the IEBC sitting on 23/1/2012 to have kadibo amalgated to kisumu East constituency while waiting for future creation of Kadibo Constancy in another 10 yrs to come by moving two wards can be removed from kisumu East Constancy to kisumu Central and 2 wards from Muhoroni Constituency to even it out. Therefore the entire Kadibo are against to be part of Nyando Constituency and they categorically assert that if they are forced to be part of Nyando Constancy, then they will would not better be registered as voters for the next general election and any member of the community who advocates for them to remain in Nyando Constituency should forget their support,or appeal to any party which may come for their rescue would be assured of their votes come next general election since they have been left orphan including one of their own and the ODM party in which they voted for 2007.
Writer Otieno Wagah.
KADIBO VOICES
NB. All residents of Kadibo you’re requested wherever you’re voice your opinion, come to Kisumu on 23/1/2012 so that your voices can be heard, by doing so we will live behind a legacy for our children!
