Category Archives: Political Party

Kenya: The interim boundaries and electoral commission is to face tough question over the disappearance of the 50 year old Winam parliamentary constituency in Kisumu

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The Interim Electoral and Boundaries Commission will face the toughest questions when it visited Kisumu to collect the public views of the realignment of new County Wards and Parliamentary constituencies.

Top on the agenda among the dozens of issues to be resolved is the question of the administrative and political representation at both parliamentary level of the residents of Kadibo Division, which for many years was part of the larger West Kano Location.

Administratively, the entire Kadibo Division is currently being falling under Kisumu district, while in political representation, the area I included in Nyando constituency causing a lot of inconveniences to he residents.

The political history of this region is the most intriguing. A whole Winam parliamentary constituency, which has been in existence ever since independence in 1963 was scrapped under a very suspicious and controversial circumstances in the 1980s under the Boundaries Review Commission headed by the former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs James Paul Nyamweya who was also first MP for Nyaribari constituency in Kisii.

The residents had staked their hopes that the Ligale led Boundary Commission which had created close to 80 new additional parliamentary constituencies would have taken a keen look into the issue and the historical background the matter, and perhaps revived or restored the lost Winam constituency, which had disappeared in controversial circumstance during he representation of the late Dr Robert John Ouko and the former Kisumu Rural MP Wilson Ndolo-Ayah, but the Ligale Commission failed to readjust and restore the lost Winam Constituency to the chagrins of the residents.

In1962, shortly before Kenya attained its political independence, the Colonial Office in London had appointed the high profile Boundaries Commission, which was headed by one Prof.Mackenzie. This was the Commission which created most of the current parliamentary electoral constituencies in Kenya. It crated Winam Constituency in Kisumu district. The constituency then covered the entire Kolwa Locations, Miwani and Kibos sugar cane farming Locations, Kajulu Location and a number of Peri-Urban areas of Kisumu Municipality such as Dunga, Pand-Pieri, Nyamasaria, and Manyatta.

In the first general elections, which ushered the independence and which a held in June 1963, the first Winam Constituency was the late Mr Otieno Oyoo {Rayier} who had a seat on a KANU ticket and became the first MP for the area. However, Otieno Oyoo perished in a grisly road accident which occurred when his car rolled several times while he was driving home from Kisumu Town in the late evening hours. The mishap occurred between Nyamasaria and his rural home in Kobura village near Rabuor on the main Kisumu-Ahero-Kericho highway shortly and within only two months after taking his parliamentary oath.

In the consequent by-election that followed, the former Market Mater at the Kisumu Jubilee Market

L.W.Oselu-Nyalick, a resident of Kolwa, was voted in on a KANU ticket as Oyoo replacement. Nyalick successfully defended his seat in 1969, but was later dethroned by the former General Secretary of the Kenya Civil Servant Union, Geoffrey Onyulo, from Kajulu in 1974. Nyalich bounced back and recaptured the seat in 1979. He had also served as an Assistant Minister for Local Government and at one time acted as the Mayor of Mombasa Municipality when its Council was dissolved by the government an replaced by a Commission.

The three decades old parliamentary constituency was suddenly and mysteriously scrapped when the boundaries of Kisumu Mincipality were expanded to ten miles radius during the reign of he late Robert John Ouko as the MP for Kisumu Town sparking off a series of protests by other MPs like Ojwang’ K’Ombudo {Nyakach} Peter Anyumba {Nyando} and Onyango Ayoki {Kisumu Rurak}. The three MPs were rounded up and briefly locked in at the various police stations. The three MPs were later released from the police custody without any criminal charges being preferred against them an that how the Winam Parliamentary constituency evaporated and disappeared from the Kenya map and political landscape and history without trace.

Ouko who was then a senior member of the cabinet in the Moi’s authoritatarian KANU regime was hell-bent to ensure that the resident of Kolwa location, who were his uncles were included in Kisumu Town Constituency by hook and crock for the purpose of securing the safety of his uncles votes. To perpetuate of his continued influence in the local political derby Ouko was the one who I blamed for having killed the Winam Constituency.

It has now placed the residents of Nyando and Kisumu Toown East constituencies in a political dilemma where the residents of the populous Kadibo Division are politically in Nyando but administratively being administered by Kisumu district.

According to the US based Orieno Wagah who is an aspirant for Nyando parliamentary contest the impending general election, the residents are experiencing a lot of difficulties, especially the youths looking for the new generation national identity cards and those who seeking government employment. They are being made to shuttle around between Awasi the Nyando district headquarters and Kisumu D.C’s offices without successes.

The situation was even made worse during the reign of Peter Otieno Raburu as the Nyanza P.C. Raburu himself is a resident of Kadibo Division but for unknown reasons he had engineered the transfer of the entire Kadibo Division from Nyando to Kisumu district and separated its residents politically from their kith and kin in Nyando district. This new arrangement has had serious political and administrative repercussions to the residents, especially in connections to the disbursement of the government devolving funds such as CDF, Road Maintenance and Bursary Funds.

Otieno Wagah has called upon the government to urgently move with speed to harmonize the burning issue and ensure that the current IEBC restore and revive the Winam constituency ad that the resident of Kadibo rejoin their fellow Kano people in Nyando both administratively and politically .And so did Ouko himself followed the suit!!

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KENYA: THE WEEK THAT WILL SEE RUTO AND UHURU CHARGED OR CASE DISMISSED

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From: ouko joachim omolo
Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ

NAIROBI-KENYA
MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2012
ICC-TAKE 1

Last week the talks in Kenya were about Eldoret North MP, Mr William Ruto launching a new party that he believes will take him to State House and Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta with PNU-Alliance, a bus he believes will also taking him to State House.

This week however, the talks are on The Hague, whether the charges against the duo would be dropped come January 23. The school of thought is that should the charges be dropped it would mean that the history of impunity that stretches back to the colonial days will continue.

That is why Kenyans opted for the International Criminal Court (ICC) because Kenya does not have leadership that can deal with them fairly and justly. For example, those who perpetrated ethnic clashes in 1991, 1992 and 1997 have never been punished, including those responsible for extrajudicial killings of hundreds of youths, or those associated with the infamous “Goldenberg” and “Anglo-leasing” corruption scandals.

The ICC will determined whether post election violence was planned as contained in the evidence tendered by the Commission of Inquiry into the Post Election Violence (CIPEV) chaired by Justice Philip Waki.

The evidence is also contained in the Kenya National Commission on the Human Right (KNCHR). According to the report former Agriculture Minister William Ruto held a meeting in August 2007 with other senior Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaders in Kipkelion near Kericho to out mass evictions of non-Kalenjins from their homes in the Rift Valley, particularly the Kikuyu and Abagusii.

Uhuru Kenyatta with other Party of National Unity (PNU) on diverse dates during January, February and March 2008 attended meetings to plan for retaliatory violence. The report states that local politicians received support from Kikuyu elite from outside Naivasha to mobilize local jobless youth who were bolstered by Mungiki followers from Nairobi and Central Province.

The KNCHR’s list of ‘alleged perpetrators’ includes six cabinet ministers: Uhuru Kenyatta from President Mwai Kibaki’s PNU, Sally Kosgei, Henry Kosgey, William Ruto, Najib Balala and the late Kipkalya Kones from Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s ODM.

It also included allegations against a bishop and several preachers, Christian and Muslim, some of whom include Rev. Kosgey, a preacher who sometimes preaches on Kass FM, Mr Benjamin Murei, a Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church elder. He offered prayers and read a verse from the Bible to the youth attackers in support of the violence and Pastor Isaya Nyongesa in Likuyani for saying that Kikuyus must go back to ‘their’ Central Province.

MP William Ole Ntimama, for warning non-Maasais that they would be evicted from Enoosupukia, according to the 1990s Akiwumi Commission’s investigation into tribal clashes which also accused government administrators of being untruthful and attempting cover-ups. The report argues that the police and security agencies adopted a shoot-to-kill policy, mainly in Kisumu and parts of Nairobi.

According to the report, the late Lorna Laboso M.P, Sotik Constituency would be tried for planning and incitement to violence. She was accused that on the third week of January 2008 that she attended a purported peace meeting at Manaret Society, where she incited local community against the Kisiis.

Franklin Bett, M.P for Bureti Constituency is accused that during a public meeting in Kiptororo in Kuresoi in December 2007, he reportedly urged the Kalenjins to fight the Kikuyus until they leave Molo area.

He is also accused that together with the late Kipkalia Kones and the late Kimutai Too they financed the Kalenjin youths who attacked the Kikuyus and Kisiis in Kericho. He gave them transport, fuel and food and held meetings at Kericho Tea Hotel and other places.

Again, together with the late Kipkalia Kones and the late David Too, they organized and facilitated the youths to be transported from Trasmara and Bomet by Lorries through Silibwet to go and chase Kikuyus from Kuresoi.

It is reported that on the 23rd November 2009 he went to Stagemart in Kericho and addressed a crowd asking residents to remove all the stains/spots (madoadoa) from the region.

In January 2008 while addressing youths Too is reported to have told the youths :”When we tell you to block, make sure you block the road, and when we tell you to remove, make sure you remove them.”

Other inciters include Boaz Kaino MP Marakwet West constituency and Fred Kapondi MP, Mt. Elgon constituency. Kapondi said that Luhyas should be expelled from Trans Nzoia.

Omondi Anyanga MP for Nyatike constituency for participating and funding of violence, hiring of Lorries to loot cereals depot, funding the violence, John Pesa MP, Migori constituency-he is reported to have said at a campaign rally that ‘visitors’ had taken away the businesses of local people). He named the said ‘visitors’ as ‘Oriah’ (understood to mean Somalis, Kikuyus and Kisiis).

Ramadhan Kajembe MP, Changamwe Constituency for hosting a number of people at his home on the day violence erupted. He “commanded” the youth that was looting in Changamwe area.

Chris Okemo, MP, Nambale Constituency- he told the public that he does not want the Kikuyu votes and also intimated that it is the Kikuyu who are barring them from developing themselves. Elizabeth Ongoro MP for Kasarani-supplied money for petrol used to burn down houses and property in Kijiji cha Chewa.

Maj..G en Hussein Ali Police Commissioner-Some police officers under his command as the Commissioner of Police were involved in use of excessive force leading to deaths and injury, some officers were partisans, and others neglected their duties.

Peter Kavila, Wainaina and Njoki and Peter Matu, PPO, Western Province, OCS Malava and two other Officers respectively for excessive use of force shooting and killing peaceful demonstrators, Mr Ngugi, OCS Langas Police Station and officers under his command, Mr Alfred Chepkwony Assistant chief, Chemamul Sub-location in Tinderet, Nandi South for participating in the violence-he was among the attackers on the morning of 31st December 2007.

Mr William Sang, the Chief of Chepkoilel Location near Eldoret for participating and organising the violence-He was seen directing the attackers on 31st of January 2008 at Kimumu. OCS Endebess Police Station for leading a group of police officers and Kikuyu attackers to Turbo area in Endebess on 6th January 2008 at around 11.00 am, shooting and injuring people in the area.

Dr. Jacob Bitok A lecturer at Moi University for organising, planning, funding and participation in the violence- He ferried Marakwet warriors to attack and drive Kikuyu out of Rock Centre in Eldoret and in Kipkaren areas. He was the custodian of the funds collected to finance the violence within Mosop area.

Thomas Cheruiyot Sirikwa Agricultural/ Veterinary Officer in Sirikwa- He threatened the headmaster of Sirikwa Primary School (a kikuyu) and asked him to leave arguing that the school deserved a Kalenjin headmaster. This was during a public meeting convened by the Kamara District Officer held on 27/11/07.

Cheruiyot further reportedly incited the Kalenjin parents to withdraw their children from Sirikwa Primary and Secondary Schools. As a result the Secondary school was reportedly closed down.

Sammy Ng’etich Acting chief for Chemaner Location- he told the Kisiis and the Kikuyus that they must vacate the area whether they like it or not. Sometimes in September 2007, he reportedly held a meeting which was attended exclusively by Kalenjins and the night after the meetings, a group of youths attacked Kamwaura shopping center whereby two people were killed and several houses burnt.

Inooro FM Radio station which broadcasts in the Kikuyu language for incitement via calling programmes, aired highly emotional and distraught victims of the violence- Kameme FM Radio station, broadcasting in the Kikuyu language for perpetration of hate speech, engaging in ethnic propaganda campaign against ODM and the Kalenjins.

Kass FM Radio station broadcasting mainly in Kalenjin languate for incitement and hate speech in its programmes -KASS FM broadcast hate speech and materials meant to incite communities against each others.

Radio Injili station for incitement and hate speech in its programmes- The station broadcast on several occasions material that amounted to incitement. Coro FM Radio station which broadcasts in the Kikuyu language for incitement through its programmes.

Councillor Ochola-Utalii Ward in Kasarani Consitutency and lives in Kijiji cha Chewa, for financing local youth to purchase petrol between 29th December 2007 and the first week of Jan 2008 to make petrol bombs and paying arsonists Ksh 400/day. He also provided food, shelter weapons and transport to attackers.

General (Retired) Koech who contested for the Ainamoi Parliamentary seat in 2007 General Election organised the Kalenjin attackers in South Rift. David Njuguna alias “Zebra”, Councilor for Londiani town ward organized retaliatory attacks against the Kipsigis. He organized youths of the Kikuyu Community to burn down the shops and businesses of the Kipsigis community.

Martin Odhiambo Insurance Broker, Kericho Town, alleged to have financed the violence and supplied youths with petrol to burn homes of members of the non Kalenjin communities, Nyabuti Moseti Businessman provided Matatu to ferry the chinkororo attackers to “defend” Kisiis.

Jack Sokouhuru, a businessman and owns butchery was one of the attackers who were involved in the burning of kipsigis shops, Zebra (alias David Githunguri or Njoroge), Councilor Chepkongoni Ward participated in torching of houses belonging to the Kipsigis Community on 20th of January 2008.

Other inciters include Faruk Kibet, Enoch Sugut, Mr Thomas Koech and Solomon Tilawen, former nominated councilor for Wareng County Council in Eldoret, ODM youth leader and headmaster of Kaptebee Secondary school, CDF Treasurer Eldoret North Constituency, and another ODM activist in Turbo, respectively.

Continues tomorrow—–

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

KENYA: THE NEWLY FORMED UNITED REPUBLICAN PARTY IS A REPLICA OF THE DREADED KY92 OUTFIT AND FACES AN UPHILL TASK IN ITS EFFORT TO WIN THE HEARTS OF KENYANS.

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News Analysis by Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

The newly launched United Republican Party is nothing new, but a replica of the dreaded infamous KANU Y92 outfit which the retired President Daniel Arap Moi used to perpetuate falsified election victory during the first multi-party elections I 1992.

It has regrouped all the top of leadership of the defunct KANU Y92 which was
famed for having inflicted injuries to many Kenyans in its effort to restore the presidency of the retired President Daniel Arap Moi by way of hook and crocks means, which included the alleged dishing out of millions of fake currency notes to the voters and event torturing the perceived opponents of KANU regime either real or imagined.

The URP does not reflect to be a party with the national outlook, but a regional and tribal outfit whose leadership is perhaps armed with fictitious imagination that it could use the three million votes in the votes rich Rift Valley Province for power bargain after losing out to other parties during the impending general elections. And of course its failure could be inevitably projected in advance.

The URP has brought on board a highly respected individual personality, like the former Speaker of the National Assembly, Francis Ole Kaparo. It dumped the retired former KNUT National chairman and perennial parliamentary election loser in Buret constituency, Joseph Arap Chirchir, who it has used to destabilize the UDM in a vain attempt to gain a foothold in the party through the backdoor.

The URP might have succeeded temporarily in using and dumping Chirchir, but its entry as an acceptance in the vote’s rich Kipsigis region in the South Rift would be an uphill task, which would require a lot of political magnanimity and acumen.

Asked if the UDM would accept Chirchir back in its hierarchy, a top official of the party told this writer at the weekend that it is up to Chirchir to decide as to which party he would wish to join. He should either to remain an ordinary UDM member and forfeit his claims to the party leadership or move out and stay put in the URP. The choice is for him to decide.

Speaking to this writer by phone the UDM leader Lt. Gen {rtd} John Arap Koech dismissed as mischievous those claiming that without the support of the Eldoret North MP William Ruto the party is doomed to fail and would soon be on the verge of total collapse.

Koech reiterated that UDM, which is allied to the ODM, is here to stay and would soon launch its own programme of membership recruitment countrywide. The party has one MP in the tenth parliament in the name of Prof Hellen Simbili and elected civic leaders in several Urban, County and Town Councils throughout the country. It has been performing extremely well at the recent parliamentary by-elections until an attempt to grab its leadership was made by a group of disgruntled ODM rebel MPs. They had grand design to make the UDM their soft landing political party after breaking ranks with the ODM.

“This move by the MPs landed the otherwise vibrant UDM party into a series of legal tussles through courts and tribunals thereby temporarily interrupting and interfering with the party’s programmes and schedules. The intruders have finally seen the lights on the other side of the tunnel and moved to their newly found party and the UDM wished them well.” Said Koech.

A good number of political personalities among the Kipsigis elites insist that the Kalenjin MPs who are allied to William Ruto are thriving in politics of riding on the back of other people and as such are not leaders worth trusting. They are thriving on persistently calling the name of the Prime Minister Rala Odinga whenever they opened their venomous mouths and wherever they go. They lacked visionary kind of politics an the policy to sell to the voters apart from bashing the PM.in the hope of cutting Raila to size, and yet by doing so they are unknowingly making the PM a hero in this country.

Uncoordinated and recklessly designed attacks and unfair criticism of Mr Odinga, which some of the politicians are in the habit of using in this country to popularize themselves, is actually working in favor of the ODM leader, and those doubting this political scenario should wait and see the outcome of the next general election. This is because many Kenyans believe that Raila Odinga is the genuine and true reformist.

Agwambo is also being credited for having fought a long battle and won by making the Kenya citizens to realize the new and modernized Republican Constitution, whereas those who have since ganged up with the aims and objectives of thwarting his presidential bid have done nothing Kenyans.

So many political parties have sprung up in the recent years and months with short sighted leaders who thrives on gaining political mileage by way of incessant attacks on Raila Odinga for the cheap aims of whipping out tribal support, but according to a civic leader in Kericho County all the uncalled and unwarranted attacks by Raila’s critics appeared to have boomerang and worked in the opposite direction in his favor instead.

Councilor Nicholas Tum of Kericho Municipality says Raila is the darling of thousand of Kipsigis people who for many years were marginalized by their cousins from the North Rift who took the lion’s share during the long reign of the retired President Daniel Arap Moi. “The people of this region want to be right inside the next government and not in the periphery and the only short route to that dream is through Raila’s ODM party, and strictly not via any amorphous and unrealistic political alliances,” said Coun Tum.

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Kenya: Raila Leads In Latest Opinion Polls

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PM Raila Odinga is the man to beat in the forthcoming General Election. This is according to the latest Insight Strategy Solutions Research opinion poll that shows the PM leading at 34.7% followed closely by Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta at 30.7%.
The third most popular candidate is Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka who got 8.2% and the fourth candidate is Eldoret North MP William Ruto who stands at 5.7%. Gichugu MP Martha Karua popularity according to the opinion poll stands at 3.7% while Internal Security Minister Prof George Saitoti got 2.6%. Another contender Peter Kenneth has 1.6% while the combination of the rest of the candidates who have announced their intention to vie for the seat will get a total of 2.7%. Another important factor in the opinion poll is that a bigger number of Kenyans are still undecided on who they will vote for. The figure of the undecided according to the opinion poll stands at 8.8%. According to the Insight Strategy Solutions Chief Executive Idy Pembere, the PM appears to be losing ground while Uhuru Kenyatta is gaining ground. Some of the reasons for Odinga to be losing ground according to the poll was the controversial Miguna Miguna sacking saga and the just concluded ODM elections that were chaotic. Pembere on the other hand said Kenyatta is gaining ground owing to sympathy due to the ICC case facing him.

Latest Opinion Polls Raila Leads the Presidential Aspirants
The latest opinion poll on presidential politics in Kenya was carried out in January 2012 by Opinion Polls and strategic solutions company known as Insight strategic solutions. The polls released on 11th January 2012 captured information about the popularity of presidential aspirants such as Raila Odinga, Uhuru Kenyatta, Kalonzo Musyoka, William Ruto among others.

The most notable was that Raila Odinga, the Prime minister has the highest popularity, followed closely by uhuru Kenyatta.

Raila Odinga was ahead by 34.7%, Uhuru kenyatta got 30.1%, Kalonzo Musyoka got 8.2% while William Ruto got 5%

ODM as a political party is the most popular at 37% PNU following at 35% whereas Kanu has 10.2% Wiper Democratic Movement led bu Kalonzo had a popularity of 6%. UDM was only popular with 1% of the respondents.

http://www.citizennews.co.ke/news/2012/local/item/345-raila-leads-in-latest-opinion-polls

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Kenya: Banning of political speeches at funeral gathering in Luo-Nyanza is most welcome by residents

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The stern security measure of banning political speeches in funeral gatherings inside Luo-Nynza is most welcomed as a security precaution by the government to pre-empting in possible disaster in waiting.

Issue the ban, the Internal Security Assistant Minister Joshua Orwa Ojode warned that leaders who take politics to funeral places now risk being arrested on the sport.

The chairman of the Luo Council of Elders Ker Meshack Riaga Ogalo is among the community leaders who readily welcomed the government decision citing insecurity, especially during this year of the impending general elections. It is also in line with the Luo culture and traditional norm that the departed souls are given peaceful and solemn sending off.

The Assistant Minister was reaction came about following last Sunday incident in Oyugis in Rachuonyo South district where Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang, Kasipul-Kabondo MPOyugi Maguwanga, the chairman of the ODM election board Eng.Phillip Okoth Okundi’, civic and ODM party leaders, Senate, Parliamentary and County Governorship aspirants were forced to scamper for their dear lives when they were caught in chaos and fighting melee that had erupted at a funeral.

The ugly incident which saw scores of youth sustaining serious injuries occurred during the burial of the immediate former Mayor of Oyugis Town, the late Coun Ogweno Ong’ondo.

The chaos erupted following the heated argument and disagreement over protocol between the area MP and ODM party boss prompting the youths allied to both side of the local political divide to swung into action during chairs and stones flew over the main dais causing bodily injuries to many mourners.

The residents and observers alike blamed the incident on the abrasive MP and also cited the arrival of many professional mourners who are to be roaming all over the villages appearing in almost every one single funeral after being hired to deliver slanderous speeches against the targeted victims, mainly aspirants for the various elective positions under the new constitutional dispensations. Others comes in their hundreds and thousands hoping to get handout cash from potential aspirants and for the purpose of feasting on free food provided to guests by the bereaved families.

“Let politicians be warned that we will arrest them and disrupt their speeches at funerals. Let them hold political rallies instead of using funerals to preach politics,” said the Minister, adding that Churches have been asked to take a leading role to ensure that politicians hijack funerals.”

The Anglican Church of Kenya Maseno West Bishop Joseph Wasonga welcomed the move, saying it was wise to respect the dead n the bereaved families.”We as a diocese had long banned politics at funerals, and we are happy that the government has followed the suit,” the Bishop said.

A near bloody confrontation occurred last Saturday following disagreement between the Luo Nomiya Church clergymen who had turned to perform the Christian burial rituals of the ODM politician Zachariah Omolo at Kokuro village, Sakwa Central, Awendo district within Migori County where one the local leaders who Is a suspect in another recent incident in Rongo where hired youths had been sent to disrupt a gathering of another group leading to the hacking to death more than five youths, is said to have issued instruction for the youths to be beat up the priest for refusing to allow political speeches.

But the churchmen stood their ground leading to a temporary disruption of the burial ceremony, which only resume several hours after the politician and their gangs of youth have cleared the funeral homestead.

The funeral gatherings are said to be attracting those aspiring for the various elective positions from far flung parts of the region, and professional mourners and hirelings.

One notorious professional mourner is said to have been seen making political speeches in funerals in far places like Mfangano, and Rusinga Islands and traversing the entire Homa-Bay region covering all the funeral homes in Karachuoyo Kasipul -Kabondo, Gwassi, Ndhiwa,Rangwe and Homa-Bay. The man is said to be an ex-civic leader who is politically bankrupt and could not even win a primary school committee in his own home turf. But he has been suffocating funeral goers everywhere with his political rhetorics.

Many residents of the region have welcomed the government statement on funerals in Nyanza which are becoming dangerous with high security risk. When fighting broke out, the sufferers are aged men and omen as ell as children and those who had lost their loved ones.

Across section of Luo leaders said the banning was the most appropriate action taken by the government imed at safeguarding the Wananchi who attend the funerals of their departed relatives. But who are of late been polarized by professional mourner and power brokers.

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Kenya: Ker Riaga Ogalo appealed to Luo leaders to humble themselves and avoid using goons at funeral gatherings

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Writes Ndira-Uradi

The Chairman of the Luo Council of Elders “Ker” Meschak Riaga Ogalo has expressed fear about the escalating act of violence inside Luo-Nyanza and appealed to politician and their supporters to restrain their followers from actions that cause insecurity in the area.

KER RIAGA OGALO PHOTO

He was reacting to an incident which took place Sunday in hi own backyard of Oyugis where mourners including a cabinet Minister were forced to scamper for their safety as fiercest fighting between the two different political camps raged.

The incident left score of youth seriously injured, while highly respected dignitaries were forced to flee the homestead of the former chairman of Oyugis Town Council, the late Coun. Ogweno Ong’ondo. The incident occurred at Kaditong’e in Kachien Location, Kasipul-Kabondo with the County of Homa-Bay.

Ker Ogalo said the burial of a departed soul, according to Luo traditional, culture and norm, is a, exclusive solemn ceremony for close members of the deceased families, and does not require the importation of a large number of political goons and hirelings from other arts of the region.

Ker Riaga blamed the alarming increases in the spate of violence at funeral places .These incidences have resulted in serious injuries being sustained by innocent mourners, particularly aged men and women as well as children. The practice must come to and end immediately.

Mzee Riaga blamed the escalating violence in funeral homes in Luo-Nyanza on the recent emergence of political brokers and hirelings who are reportedly hired and imported to funeral homes by politicians who hires them to distort the characters of their perceived political enemies.

‘”At times these hirelings are openly engaged in speeches which amounted to characters assassination. They are not genuine funeral goers, but hired specifically to speak on behalf of their invisible masters to distort the characters of their perceive opponents either real or imagined, “said Ker Riaga.

The hireling have been seen addressing each and very funeral gathering, one or two being so famous of roaming the entire Homa-Bay County and demanding to be allowed to address the mourners, and in the exercises engaged in attacking the characters of personalities and aspirants for the various elective positions within the County governance, parliament and senate.

Luo culture and customarily law requires anyone who is over 40 of age to strictly attend the funeral of either a close relative or personal acquaintance. The guest mourner is only allowed to address other mourners if he or she is personally acquitted to the deceased or had blood relations, but no Tom Dick and Hurry. And even in such a situation the permission of the family must be obtained before the visitor is allowed to address the mourner. But of lately these political hirelings on hire have been heard speaking in almost every funeral even of those persons who are aliens to them.

It is a very unfortunate state of affairs that these hirelings do invite themselves to funeral homes for the purpose of attracting handouts from politicians and food from the deceased families thereby over-burdening them.

Ker Riaga appealed to politicians in Luo-Nyanza to stop the use of funeral gathering as political platform and to humble themselves to one another, particularly during this yea of general election so that they could maintain their unanswered unity and vote as a bloc. In this way the community could succeed in realizing their political ambition in voting in the next president of their own choice.

“Hiring goons to hurl insults at opponents could cause breaches of peace, hindering the best component of peaceful development”, said Ker Riaga who revealed that he missed the last Sunday incident, which took place only six kilometer away from his rural home by a whisker because he had traveled to Ndhiwa at the invitation of the Assistant Minister for the Internal Security Joshua Orwa Ojode who ha organized a New Year party his Unga home near Ndhiwa Town.

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Kenya: Government is urged to control funeral gatherings inside Luoi-Nyanza as they are increasingly becoming dangerous for the public safety

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Reports Ndira Uradi In Awendo Town

The campaign for different elective positions inside Luo-Nyanza has taken dangerous dimension, which is causing serious breakdown to the safety of innocent people, especially funeral goers.

Taking into account the fresh incident which occurred in Rongo district in which six people were hacked to death after factional confrontation between the different groups of the ODM, fears now persist of possible recurrence of similar incident, particularly when funeral homes are turned into political venues of confrontations.

An incident occurred last Saturday in Kokuro village in Central Sakwa, Awendo district,m which is still part of the Rongo constituency. It was during the buria of the late Zacharia Omolo, the ODM sub-branch chairman for Central Sakwa location.

Two parliamentary aspirants were in attendance. They were the two time former MP for the larger Homa-Bay Phares Ouoch Kanindo and the as[prant for Awendo parliamentary sea Fred Otieno Kopiyo, who is the Principal of Gamba Secondary School.

Also in attendance were a nominated Councilor in Awendo Ton Council Odera Awene, Coun Gordon Achilla from Kamagambo South Ward and and Councilor David Ndira of Awendo Town Council. The chairman of Awendo Town Council Coun Johnson Omolo Owiro was also in attendance.

The deceased was a member of the Luo Nomiya Church which had sent it priest to conduct the Christian burial ceremony.and after the church had completed its preaching it became the turn of the politicians and members of the provincial Administration to make their speeches when the church all of sudden moved in and decided to conduct a parallel ceremony/With two speakers talking loudly within the funeral home, the entire funeral goers became confused.

The church insisted that politicians were wasting their time and they wanted to complete the solemn burial ceremony. The politicians on the other side decided that each prominent politician inn attendance must be given a chance to address the mourners. As the situation threatened to get out of hands, someone in the crowd shouted calling for the intervention of the ODM youths who in turn swiftly swung into action ready to beat up the church men. The mourners got scampered and run into different directions fearing the confrontation could led to physical combat. Women and children run helter salter and within minutes the unreal home was deserted.

The trouble had started when a civic leader from Nyatike whose name was only given as Coun.Nyakwaka from Nyandiwa told the mourners to support Phares Oluo Kanindo in his bid to get elected to the Senate. Coun. Nyakwaka is a member of PNU. It could be remembered that in 2008 all the elected civic leaders in Nyatike were members of the PNU after confusion within ODM secretariat and the party failed to present its candidates. It took close to six months before the PNU councilors could be sworn into office. They had fled across the borer and went into self-impose exile in the neighboring Tanzania fearing for their lives.

During the same election Phares Oluoch Kanindo had contested the election of Ford People Party’s ticket after losing out in ODM. Ford People is an affiliates of the PNU, and this provoked shout s of PNU.. PNU..PNU.. Among the mourners making the situation much more aggravated to an extent of degenerating to physical combat.

It has been noted that some aspirants for the various positions of governance in the Counties, parliament and senate have of ately made it a point of attending each and every funeral in the villages for the purpose of selling their policies to the electorate, even in the homesteads where they are not known. They do attend funerals of people they don’t know, but only wanted to be heard by the voters and this is another source of uneasiness and physical confrontation, especially when the bereaved families resisted this kind of move.

Musicians in Luo-Nyanza are also not left behind. They are mining thousands of shillings from parliamentary .governors and Senate aspirants by way of composing hastily composed songs of praise aimed at promoting the image of their preferred candidate. The worse are those involving in Ohangla instruments musics and that playing in some live bands at the various public joins. Funeral homes are no loner the preserve of the bereaved families owing to invasion by the various interested groups.

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KENYA: PRESSURE IS MOUNTING ON WILLIAM RUTO TO ABANDON BOTH G7 AND UDM AND REJOIN ODM OR HAVE HIS PARTY MERGED TO RAILA’S PARTY UNDER ANY KIND OF POLITICAL ALLIANCE.

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News Analysis By Kipsiele Arap Sugurut in Kericho Town.

Rumors and speculations making the round in this tea rich region says the pressure is mounting on the Eldoret North MP William Ruto and Kalenjin MPs allied to him to either abandon his UDM and the G7 alliance and rejoin the Orange Democratic Movement {ODM}.

The majority of the inhabitants of the two votes rich Counties of Kericho and Bomet are members of the most populous Kipsigis sub-tribe of the larger Kalenjin ethnic groups believes and maintains that their community interests would be best served by an DM government.

This particular community has been close to the government for the best of the 48 years ever since Kenya attained its political independence in 1963. At the independence, the community had rallied behind the defunct KADU party which was beaten hand down at the 1963 elections by the former ruling KANU party. But immediately soon after independence, KADU voluntarily dissolved itself and its leaders rejoined KANU and thereafter this community has all along been close to the government.

As far as the current politics of the South Rift region is concern it is pointing to the direction of the community which is heading to the cold due to inconsistencies of its leaders, especially the MPs representing the various constituencies located with the two counties.

This community, however, believes that by rejoining and strengthening of the ODM is the only sensible way which could assure the community of a place in the next government.

“We have been in the cold long enough and we now want to be part of the next government”, said a Kericho businessman Joseph Rono, adding “we do not see any possibility of the G7 or any other amorphous alliances beating the ODM at the next polls,”.

The evidence of the latest move and pressure on Ruto to soft his stance towards the Prime Minister could be mirrored on his reconciliatory public pronouncement, his last week surprise visit to Kisumu City,an area which is the bedrock of the ODM.

Ruto had told thousands of audience both at Nyahera, Kajulu and Kondele suburb that his political differences with the Prime Minister Raila Odinga were persona and as such should not be construed by anyone to fuel animosity between the Kalenjins and the Luos and that the two neighboring communities should continue living and working together harmoniously.. These remarks were well taken by local political pundits and observers as meaning that Ruto is ready and willing to reconsider his working relations with Raila Odinga afresh.

Pundits believe that Ruto seemed to have seen the light on the other side of the tunnel and is just about to make an abrupt about-turn towards the ODM. His name is still registered at the offices of the registrar of political parties as the deputy leader of the ODM.

The majority of Kipsigis people want Ruto back in ODM early enough for the preparation for the impending general election. Alternatively, they say, he should form an alliance with ODM instead of PNU and its allies. “Forming some alliances with politicians from the Mt Kenya region would not augur well for us, because of the expansionist attitudes of the people of that region”, said one civic leader there.

The civic leaders in Kericho have cited the recent move by some of the majority shareholders in the KETAPA to have the tea packing factory move from Kericho to Nairobi, an action which could have had adverse effect on the local community because hundreds of workers at the plant, which is located a few kilometer east of Kericho Town where many works from their rural home in the Kipsigis reserve land as an attempt to marginalize the community economically.

The former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta is among the majority shareholders in the plant, which was established in Keicho in the 1950 by the Brooke family that owns Brooke Bond Tea Company, which later sold it to the public in the 1970’s.

Originally KETEPA was the central tea packing plant handling made teas from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania until it was sold out to a private enterprise owned by shareholders in early 1970s. An attempt to dismantle the plant and move it to Nairobi was blocked by the Kipsigis people who insisted that they would be an alternative plant of the same nature to handle the tea from their region and would not allow their t to be transported all the way from Kericho to Nairobi for the purpose of packaging.

Other factors is that the Kipsigis people get along well with their neighbors, the Luos whose easy going lifestyle make them much more friendly. The Luos are known not to be interested in land grabbing or expansionists making them easy to handle. This particular community has never fought any land related tribal skirmishes and many Luo men and women works for the relatively wealthiest Kipsigis farmers an traders and are the one helping the Kipsigis to maintain their tea bushes scattered I the rural areas of Kericho and Bomet Counties,

A number of secret and behind the scene meeting have been held at the various parts of the South Rift region where issues such as long term political implications in connection with the community move to ditch the ODM were reportedly deliberated upon. At one such meetings and in the presence of Ruto, those in attendance had queried the rationale of ditching the ODM for UDM or other parties with speakers after speaker arguing that such a move would only weaken the community political bargaining power when it come the formation of the next government after the impending general elections.

Furthermore the Kipsigis believes that political hostilities between Raila and Ruto could hurt intra-tribal trades and cross border trades between the Kalenjins and the Luos which is booming all the year round. It has been reported that taking all these into considerations, even the most hardliner ant-ODM MPs in Kipsigis land such as the Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto have toned down their vehement opposition to Raila and have been heard

But when Ruto and his parliamentary colleagues from the region comes hard on Raila Odinga, the Luo workers seemed to be nursing a feeling on insecurity and shy away from the manual jobs in the tea farm, something which hurts the local farmers economically.

The two communities have lived harmoniously fro the immemorial and sharing cross border trades at Sondu, Muhoroni, Fort-Tennan, Soliat ,Koru and Kapsorok border markets and towns.

Moreover, the Luos are the mainstay of labor force in all the large scale tea plantations and factories owned by foreign multinational tea companies in Kericho and Bomet Counties.

The Kipsigis people are said to have refused to buy the Ruto contention that it was the Prime Minister Raila Odinga who instigated his prosecution at the International Criminal Court of Justice at the Hague.

One civic leader came strong in defense of the Prime Minister by dismissing the claims as far fetched propaganda aimed at slandering the good name of Raila Odinga. The civic leader Councilor Nicholas Tum of the Keicho Municipality reminded the Kipsigis that it was Raila Odinga who made the frantic effort to have those suspect in the cases of post elections violence be tried locally at home. An attempt which was vehemently scuttled by Ruto and his group in preference to the ICC arguing that by trying such cases locally the victim would not be treated to a fair trial. The group even went as far a staging the spirited opposition to the motion sponsored in Parliament by the government to that effect, which the Ruto’s group voted against.

“Raila is not Luis Moreno Ocampo nor has got anything to do with ICC therefore anyone linking him to the ICC cases is underestimating the intelligence of the Kenyan people,”said Coun. Tum.

He further disclosed that the community has already prepared the most credible parliamentary aspirants ready to take on the pro-Ruto MPs across the two counties and in all other elective positions in the entire South Rift regions, and most of them he added, have started feeling insecure not sure whether they will retain their seats or not.

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Kenya: We needed Kibaki & Raila to Reform Kenya! NOT TRUE…..VICE VERSA IS TRUE

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from Elijah Kombo

This is a terrible lie! Its a lie to say that its Raila and Kibaki who steered Kenya towards the reform path. I will reserve my remarks on Raila since his record speaks clear. He has been an oppositionist all through and for the last few years in power – he has demonstrated gross inefficiency and lack of self-confidence. He has been tagging people along his reform path. But however, he has played a significant role in the reform process…destroyed the Moi rulership and one party rule etc

However, Kibai has done nothing significant. Let me twist this a little bit in another way. The Mount Kenya Mafia withheld capital and swindled funds out of the country, stacked them in foreign accounts. They made Moi rulership hell of time. The economy was on its knee. From central ban to commercial banks, insurance companies to biug corporation – they ensured that state coffers were empty and the semi-literate President self declared Professor couldnt contain the inflation. The crunch began in Kenya long ago before the global one started! It was all the rich, famous and elite class mostly fdrom Mt Kenya that controlled Kenya’s economy for ages. Moi had only to obey and repay them back – Uhuru Project!

When the Uhuru Project failed, the Mt Kenya mafia was divided – whether to support Mwai ibaki or vote Raila. The first round was without hitch since the wealth and status quo will still remain within the boundaries of the Mt Kenya and its invasion of other territorries. The second round was with a terrible hitch and glitch. Elections were stolen while we watched on out sets that Raila won the elections. Mt Kenya mafia stole the elections to maintain the status quo.

Now here is a good story. The funds that were stacked in foreign accounts were now brought back to Kenya to paint the Kibaki Administration as efficient and pro-development. Economic intelligent reports indicate that some of these funds invested in China, Turkey, Sudan and UAE is what has made significant but little progress on the economy.,Basically, part of the money that is being used now are proceeds/profits ffrom the funds that have stayed in foreign accounts.

On the other angle, if Raila was to win Presidency – the mafia would have also withheld funds for his administration to fail and fall with economic shudder. Kenyans should praise Kibaki for he has made the rich class to invest and thus recoupo the funds they stole and stashed in foreign accounts for some progress, however little. Raila Odinga is having hell of time trying to convince the mafia that he can protect their status quo if he becomes the next President. He will have to have a balance and ensure he keeps the mafia’s top strategists to ensure that the next administration doesnt touch, reveal and dispose their ill got wealth at the dispense of 40 million plus Kenyans.

Its therefore not judicious to conclude that Kenyans needed Kibaki and Raila to reform KENYA. But Kenyans needed these two men to keep the status quo as we slowly progress to full political and economical freedom.

Kombo Elijah

– – – – – – – – – – –

— On Thu, 12/15/11, Evans MACHERA wrote:
Subject: We needed Kibaki & Raila to Reform Kenya!

The current constitution was passed by Kenyans after the PM and the President joined hands to reform the country.This is after false engagements on the issue of reforms that saw the bungled elections of 2007.

Suppose Raila went to petition the courts for irregularities of 2007 presidential results,could we have had;-

1.The current constitution at hand!
2.The changes towards reform such as in the judiciary and police among other institutions.
3.The current recruitment processes that even parliament can say NO to nominees ( case of graft tzars).

Now,where are the presidential candidates who will exhibit political will for real implementation of the constitution after application for the administration of the country!

In spite of being prisoners of “their men”,we needed Kibaki and Raila to trigger the real reforms that kenya has been yearning for.

One is hyper (Raila),while the other has a gentlemanly mien ( Kibaki).

One is none assuming(Raila),the other can assume to the extent of ignoring (Kibaki).

Both can decide to agree and join. hands from where we are able to move.

Without the two,the reform agenda could have been a pipe dream.Fate had it that in 2007,we were to encounter a process that engages kenya to a real change.

Evans MACHERA.

KENYA: RONG RESIDENTS CALLS FOR KIBAKI AND RAILA TO SUSPEND MINISTER DALMAS OTIENO TO FACILITATE THOROUGH INVESTIGATIONS OVER POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN HIS CONSTITUENCY

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Reports Ndira-Uradi In Rongo Town.

Residents of Rongo district have sent a passionate appeal to the two principals in the coalition government urging the to effect the immediate suspension of the Minister for Public Service Dalmas Otieno in order to facilitate thorough investigations over last weekend politically related violence deaths of five people.

The residents said they were unhappy with the directions the ongoing investigations over latest political violence was taking The incident resulted in the death of five hired goons at Kitere Village in Kamagambo South location, Rongo within Migori County.

So far the Minister has yet to issue any comment either absolving himself from the heinous crime committed by political goons, suspected to have been hired by closely connected to him, nor has he come out and condemned he acts of political thuggery within his backyard.

Investigators have been busy picking he wrong people, particularly those perceived to be his potential opponents and parliamentary aspirants for 2012 and taking them into custody. Whereas the culprits, suspected to have hired half a dozen of vehicles which ferried the goons to the venue of the meeting organized by the Minister’s opponent, are walking scot-free.

“This is not the first time goons, suspected to be operating at the instruction of politicians allied to he Minister, unleashed violence to innocent people within Rongo town and its environs. In the last incident the goons had beaten delegates who had gathered in the town to deliberate on ODM elections matters and violently dispersed them.

Some of the delegates ended up being hospitalized, but the attackers, who appeared to be immune and enjoying patronage of someone higher, left the scene of crime unmolested. The police and the Administration police were seen protecting them. Some of the delegates were fished out of Matatus and beaten up senselessly.

Last Sunday, however, those who masterminded a plan and hatched the plot to unleash violence on peaceful people in the name of politics got it wrong in that they dispatched the hired goons to go and attack, beat up and maim innocent people in the remote village of Kitere. The goons and their master would have foreseen the danger of attacking people in their rural homes, and the possibility of the villagers turning heir weapons on them.

“Moreover the raider were hired from distant places like Ndhiwa,Rangwe and Oyugis who had no idea about the land train around the place wee they were assigned to carry out their heinous actions of disrupting an dispersing the so-called unlawful ODM meeting. And even if the meeting organized by a faction opposed to their man was not lawfully convened [MW1] , it could have been wise for the goons and their masters to seek for the police assistance and help. However the same action could have amounted gross violation of the freedom of speech and that of association which are all well entrenched in the new constitutional dispensation.”

Meanwhile the newly elected ODM Migori County branch John M Magaiwa has called for peace and tolerance among the political leaders in the region.” leaders should respect each other and adopt the spirit of tolerating one another irrespective of their diverse opinions. He said the death of the five youths has robbed the ODM of the five votes it needs so dearly.

Magaiwa added that Rongo incident had painted Migori County in wrong footing. We must strive to correct the bad impression created by the last week murder if the youths in Rongo,” he said adding that the cold blooded killings were the act of big shame. Which all the sane leaders in the must be condemned unreservedly and which must not be allowed to reoccur again.

Across sections of Rongo residents interviewed agreed in principles that the area MP Dalmas Otieno and his overzealous supporters should be held responsible for the death of the hired political goons.

They want members of both Provincial Administration and police authorities’ in Rongo behave professionally when discharging their duties and they should not allow themselves to be compromised.

Speculations and rumor making the round within Rongo say some the victims had mobile phones containing vital information and SMS messages and MPESA money transfers sent to them by some known characters.

The residents are up demanding that the police should surrender all the mobile phone handset, found on the bodies of the dead goons, be handed over to the experts for thorough examination and analysis which could reveal the names and numbers of those who had sent them the money and for what purpose.

The Miiste Otieno could not be reached for his immediate comment about the last weekend’s violent orgies, and that the mounting pressure that he should steps aside to enable proper investigations to be carried out within view to establish the truth abut who was responsible for the violence at Kitere which left five people dead scores hospitalized after the brutal machetes and panga attacks

During the constitutional campaign for the constitutional referendum one man, an aide to the Uriri MP Cyprian Ojwang’Omolo, was stoned to death. The group of hired goons were sent to disrupt with intention to dispersing a meeting organized at Sibuoche about 15 kilometers away from Rapogi Trading Center. There, Another similar meeting was going on with several MPs in attendance. There were protests that the rally had been called by the faction of leaders opposed to the area MP. The incident was in similar fashion in the Kitere blood bath incident. The attackers had purchased new pangas and hoes handles, rungus and sticks.

Instead of the police pursuing the attackers, who were outnumbered and overwhelmed by the villagers who sent them to their heels,and detaining the vehicle they had hired for the job, the police tuned on the conveners of the meeting whom they arrested.

The on-going investigations about Kitere’s mayhem ae being conducted in biased and unprofessional manner that it only targeted the victims instead of the aggressors and planners of the bloody incidents. They want those found to be responsible for financing it to be disqualified from contesting any elective point in the 2012 general election on the party’s ticket.

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Kibet : Ruto is fighting for ODM (UDM)

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from Lee Makwiny

Kuria Mwangi, I am heading into hiding. I want to ask Omwenga and Maurice to follow me into hiding. Can you ask Kibet and the renowned lawyer to read this and comment:

************************************

Eldoret North MP William Ruto has come out fighting following a move by two Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) members to expel him from the party.

Mr Ruto and four other MPs have filed a preliminary objection to a petition by Mpuru Aburi and Kepher Odongo seeking orders to expel them from the party over their public declaration that they had quit ODM and joined another party.

Mr Ruto, MPs Charles Keter (Belgut), Isaac Ruto (Chepalungu), Joshua Kutuny (Cherangany) and Aden Duale (Dujis) submitted that the petition is premature since what they are asking for can only be determined after the next General Election.

Through lawyer Kioko Kilukumi, the legislators said that the provisions of Article 103 of the Constitution are suspended until the final announcement of all the results of the first Parliament to be held under the Constitution.

Article 103(e) states that a person ceases to be an MP if he resigns from the party which elected him to Parliament or is deemed to have resigned from that party.

The petitioners argue that the five legislators are in Parliament in contravention of Article 103 of the Constitution and Section 17(4) of the Political Parties Act.

The two submitted the five MPs have through public declarations and activities indicated that they quit ODM and have joined the United Democratic Movement.

They added that according to the Political Parties Act, a person who, while a member of a political party forms another, joins in the formation or as a member of another, publicly advocates for the formation of another political party loses membership in their original party.

Mr Ruto is an ODM deputy leader while Mr Duale is one of the party’s vice-chairpersons.

In their objection to the application, the MPs contend that the first election under the Constitution has not been held hence the claims by Mr Aburi and Mr Odongo are moot and that the petition should be dismissed.

“All the substantive reliefs sought by the petitioners are not available by operation of the Constitution since they will only come into effect after the elections,” said Kilukumi.

Mr Kilukumi added that the Political Parties Act relied upon by the petitioners was repealed with effect from November 1 and therefore cannot be the bedrock of the petition.

He submitted that the repealed section enacted in pursuant to Article 103 of the Constitution came long after the petition was filed in July hence cannot apply in the current case.

Justice Mumbi Ngugi will rule on the preliminary objection on March 20, 2012.

Source: http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/Ruto++four+MPs+fight+ODM+expulsion+/-/1064/1289206/-/8rspjp/-/index.html

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Kenya: Ruto dream to fit into Moi’s shoes is being scuttled by the residents of the South Rift

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

IF the Eldoret North MP William Samoei Ruto’s pipe dream of stepping into the shoes of the retire President Daniel Arap Moi by anointing himself as the newly crowned political kingpin of the three million plus Kalenjin community is anything to go by the idea has tumbled down and has become cropper.

Ruto and his UDM party is facing myriads of problems and some of the serious hurdles to clear before he realizes his pipe dreams.

The MP and those allied to him are facing total rejection in some regions of the expansive rift Vally Province where the Kalenjins community forms 75 per cent of the total population, particularly the vote rich Kipsigis region in the South Rift.

This Kipsigis is a sub-tribe of the larger Kalenjn ethnic groups. It is the most populous single community which boost close to 1.5 million registered voters in the region and forms 55 per cent of the close to eleven sub-tribes of the entire Kalenjin groups. This when it is put into comparison with the votes from the other sub-tribes, particularly the Nandis which is rivaling the Kipsigis, and William Ruto’s own sub-tribe that can only manage to produce slightly over 600,00 votes In Nandi North,Nandi South, Uasin Gishu and Trans-Nzoia.

In the 2007 general elections, the Kipsigis votes clocked one million marks. The community voted for nine members of parliament in eight rural constituencies within the two counties of Kericho and Bomet.

It captured one extra parliamentary seat in diaspora, namely in Kuresoi, in Molo district which was won by the former powerful Internal Security and Provincial Administration Permanent Secretary Zakayo K.Cheruiyot.

The Kipisigis voters almost extended their gains into the nearby Trans-Mara district in Maasailand where the incumbent MP Brigadier {rtd} Gideon Konchellah nearly succumbed to a defeat by a Kipsigis aspirant.

The community members form close to 45 per cent of the voters in this particular constituency due to massive settlement by Kalenjin ever since 1961 and whose numbers are almost equaling that of the indignant Maasais.

Economically the Kipsigis people blessed and endowed with fertile and arable land with the sufficient annual rainfall are the richest compare to members of the other Kalenjin sub-tribes. The average earning of each family in Kipsigisl and has improved tremendously in the recent years and remained the highest due to money accrued from the sales of green tea leaves.

The leading money minting cash cops is grown in abundance by small-scale farmers in the regions which boost close to twelve green tea manufacturing plants owned by the Kenya Tea Development Authority {KTDA} Kapkatet, Mogogosyek,Chemamul.Litein,Tegat, Kapkoros.Toror,Girgaga,Kobel,Kapset Borok and Chelel There are two more, but privately owned tea factories on at Kab9anga.

There are four privately owned tea factories which include Kaisugu Tea Company, which is owned by the family of the retire President Daniel Arap Moi and Mau Forest Tea factory which is owned by Kasang’wan conglomerate company owned Kipsigis farmers and traders.

The community Iist also involved in massive milk production, producing a lot of English potatoes for sales in the nearby towns of Kisumu, Kisii, Migori, HomBay, Siaya,Mbota, Usenge, Keroka, Oyugis, Kendu-Bay, Ahero, Nakuru and Naivasha minting millions of shillings and other places and many other cash crops.

This community has a strong voting strength in other constituencies such as Rongai,Tinderet, Aldai,Narok North and Narok West as well as Nakuru Town and Naivasha constituencies. All its votes went into the basket of the Raila Odinga led Orange Democratic Movement {ODM}.

However, immediately and soon after disagreeing with Odinga over the Prime Minster’ handling of the Mau Forest eviction saga and the unrealistic claims that the Prime Minister was responsible for his impending criminal charges before the International Criminal Curt of Justice{ICC} at the Hague, William Ruto had launched full scale war of attrition against the ODM leader in a wrong footing assumption that these allegations would win the hearts of the Kalenjin people who had voted for the ODM party on a man t man in 2007 so that the community could ditch the ODM.

His plans and schemes worked well, but only temporarily. However, the political tides changed its course in the region immediately Ruto and his allies launched the plot of pushing out the former UDM chairman, the highly respected Kipsigis man for deputy SGS Let. Gen.{rtd} John Arap Koech

He made a gross miscalculation of trying to push Koech out of the UDM so that he could preserve the party and use it as a ladder for his future soft landing when his seemingly irreconcilable disagreement intensified. He had used the retired and perennial parliamentary election loser in Buret constituency and former National chairman of the Kenya National Union of Teachers {KNUT} Joseph Arap Chirchir and made hi the new chairman of UDM.

Ruto father mad another political blunder when he tried to short-change Chirchir by trying to bungling him out of the held of the UDM leadership in preference to the former National Assembly House Speaker Francis Ole Kaparo whom he thought could be more useful and help make a major inroad into the Maasai community in which he had been kept at bay by the ODM leaders headed by the Minister for ulture and National Heritage William Ole Ntimama +

Ruto single handed brought on board Ole Kaparo a respected Maasai leader after realizing that he could not penetrate the Maasailand due to the presence of the ageing William Ole Ntimama the MP for the Narok North constituency, who is the de-facto leader of the Maasai who had chosen to stuck with the ODM.

The Kipsigis people read malice in Ruto’s move and took a firm stand in rejecting his political machinations. Moreover, they are arguing that Ruto has never been mandated by the party NEC to make any changes in policy including the appointments at the UDM secretariat as he is considered as a friend of the party only and not its leader.

Another blow which has struck the Eldoret North MP below the belt is his recent unlawful move in cancelling the UDM elections held in Kericho Bomet in the presence of the de facto leader Joseph Chirchr after his supporters led by he MP were locked out of the election venue which were held at the posh Tea Hotel and conducted by the party’s deputy National Organising and Publicity Secretary Justice Kemei in the presence of the National Chairman Joseph Chirchir.

The National chairman of the UDM Chichir has since defiantly ordered for the reinstatement of those elected in Kericho County despite the cancellation of the elections by Ruto.

This move has put the Eldoret North MP in an awkward position in the party, a position which could only be resolved by grass root and national elections. Chirchir is working in cohort with the party’s Secretary General Martin Ole Kamwaro himself a Maasai.

The Kipsigis politician maintains that Ruto has no respect for their own elected leaders. He recently made a blunder when he told a public rally in he region that the Kipkellion MP who is the Energy Assistant Minister was never elected to parliament in a democratic manner and that the MP was the product of the massive rigging of the 2007 general elections.

These utterances have caused high degree of annoyance among the level mined Kipsigis leaders.They has vowed to ditch UDM and return to ODM en mess.

Ends

Kenya: Rongo Residents call for a full scale inquiry into political killing of six people last Saturday

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Rongo Town.

RESIDENTS of Rongo and Awendo districts have called upon the government as a matter of uttermost urgency to institute a commission of inquiry to publicly inquire and establish the root cause of the last Saturday mayhem in the area which claimed the lives of several people and left more injured.

They appealed to the government to ensure that police officers serving in the region were neutral and not politically biased hen it one to handling volatile situation like the one which occurred at Kitere in North Kanyajuok sub-Location,Kamagambo South, Rongo district in Migori County.

They blamed the police for having helped the owners of the motor vehicles used by the attackers pull them out of the scene of the crime, before proper investigations were launched to established who had hired the vehicles which ferried the raiders to the scene of the crime.

The purpose of pulling the disabled vehicle out of the scene of the crime with the help and assistance of the police, they claimed was meant to conceal the crime.

Late in the afternoon of last Saturday a group of ODM leaders an members had converged into Kitere Center, a small shopping center located close to the Moi University Rongo Campus to deliberate and strategize how they would approach the campaigns for the area’s ODM sub-branch election scheduled for next month, and also to open and paint the party office with its colors.

The ODM elections which were held in the same sub-location two weeks ago were among those nullified by the party’s headquarter and a fresh repeat of the elections called for January 10, 2012.

As the group sat down in serious discussions and having refreshments of soft drinks, six vehicles comprising of two Nissan Matatus, two salon cars and two pick-up vans full of occupants pulled up at the venue of the meeting. At first the conveners of the meeting thought they were ODM members who had come to join them in the meeting.

But this was not the case. All of a sudden, the passengers merged out of these vehicles brandishing pangas, rungus, sticks and other crud weapon and ordered those conducting the meting to disperse at once or l they be dispersed forcefully. And the hell broke out as those in the meeting resisted and refused to obey the dispersing order arguing that the men were not policemen and as such were not mandate to disperse anybody.

Those at the meeting grabbed soda bottles and used them to defend themselves. They hit the attackers with the bottles. Some of the attackers hit the ground dropping their machetes {pangas} which their opponents picked up and used in hacking some of the to death. Three of the attackers were killed on the spot.

Outnumbers as the villagers joined in the fray some of the attackers took their heels and fled into the nearby sugar plantations, but were hotly pursued resulting in father deaths and injuries.

The people at the meeting raised the alarm and the villagers came to their rescue armed with all sorts of crude weapons and the mayhem broke loose. Sensing the dangers the attackers fled in all directions by foot leaving their vehicles behind. Chairs tables and public address system were destroyed.

It has been established that some of the youths ferried in the vehicles were hired from outside Rongo district. One of the victims who died in the blood birth was an ODM youth called Onjiko Asianje came all along from Gem Asumbi in Rangwe constituency a distance of about 20 kilometers away from the scene of the crime.

Tension remain high in the area with increased police presence patrolling areas around Kitere and its environs and also along the Rongo-Awendo Migori Highway even by Monday afternoon. Score of ODM leaders and supporters in Kitere area who became the instant suspects were rounded up and taken into police custody for questioning.

One of the leading contenders for the Rongo Parliamentary seat in the 2012 general elections Joseph Ong’ondo Ng’ani called upon the government and local politicians. He also accused the police in the area as being biased and siding with unnamed politician who is suspected to be responsible for the numerous acts of violence.

Ng’ani said the police should preformed their duties without bias or siding with one side of the warring groups as it has been established in the case of the last Saturday incident whereby the police arrested only local leaders they found at the scene, but did not bothered to investigate and trace the root cause of the violence.

Rongo is an area which is prone to political violence. In 2007 several people lost their lives during the hotly contested election campaign which pitted the immediate former MP for the area George Ochillo Ayacko and the incumbent Dalmas Otieno who is the Minister for Public Service.

The residents have appealed to the ODM leader the Prime Minister Raila Odinga to take a tough stance and ensure that any politician whether a cabinet Minister or not who is guilty of fuelling political violence be expelled and barred from contesting any public elective office during the forthcoming general elections.

The latest massacre of six people in Rongo with close to ten other sustaining serious wounds came about as the result of the much flawed ODM grass root elections in the area, which was evidently manipulated by the sitting MPs. Several people who are perceived to be eyeing for various elective positions in the impending general elections were deliberately locked out of the ODM elections. Others were branded traitors or being moles of PNU and G& alliance without an iota proof laid bearer against them.

Other stakeholders have appealed to the area MP Dalmas Otieno to come out clean and exonerate himself from the chaos being witnessed in Rongo. A couple of months ago ODM officials who had converged at a venue in Rongo town were violently dispersed by youths suspected to be the supports of Dalmas Otieno. One of them was beaten savagely and had to be hospitalized in a Kisii hospital for a couple of days. The beating took place in Rongo town in full view of the forces of law reinforcement, but the policemen did not take any actions.

The two Rongo political giants and arch-rivals Dalmas Otieno and his nemeses George Ochillo-Ayacko could not be reached for their immediate comments.

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KENYA: FOUR PEOPLE CONFIRMED DEAD IN POLITICALLY INSTIGATED VIOLENCE IN RONGO FOLLOWING THE ODM DISPUTED ELECTIONS

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Reports Ndira-Uradi In Awendo Town.

FOUR people were hacked to death while scores of others were seriously injured at Kitere in Kamagambo South Location, Rongo district within Migori County following the recently flawed much ODM grass root elections.

Scores of people who sustained serious injuries were hospitalized; while others believed to have suffered serious bodily wounds inflicted by machetes {pangas} escaped and run into the nearby sugar cane plantations.

Several suspects who are believe to have masterminded the bloody confrontation between the two groups were taken into police custody for questioning while tension remain high in the area next to Moi University College, Kitere Campus.

The incident took place in late Saturday afternoon. The combatants groups are believed to belong into two rival political camps vehemently opposed to each other, one such groups are reported to be rotating around the Minister for Public Services Dalmas Otieno who is the area MP, while the other group comprises the potential parliamentary aspirants for the 2012 elections in both Rongo and Awendo constituencies.

During the recently concluded but much flawed ODM grass root election the two groups opposed to each other had emerged and held two parallel elections in Kitre sub-branch of the ODM party. And the Saturday’s bloody confrontation between the officials of the two parallel sub-branches came about when one group had grouped at Kitere ready to open a new sub-branch office.

Unconfirmed reports say the attackers who suffered heavy causalities were suspected to be the supporters of the Minister Otieno’s camp. They went to the site in futile attempt to disrupt and disperse those who had planned to open the sub-branch ODM office in Kitere.

The police had difficult time to control and restore law and orders. By the time of writing this report, the bodies of the victims were still lying at the scene uncollected.

Several politically related deaths were also reported in Rongo during the 2007 general elections.

So far the ODM elections board chairman Eng Phillip Okundi had nullified the elections in this particular sub-branch and ordered for a repeat of the exercise. It was haphazardly conducted producing two sets of parallel sub-branches, and the party supporters placed the blame on the supporters of Dalmas Otieno and the gross interference into the party matters by members of the Provincial Administration in the area.

A week earlier before the party grass root elections in Rongo and Awendo district the Minister had convene an urgent meting held in Rongo Town where the mode of the impending elections were discussed in detailed accounts.

Selectively invited delegates from the ten administrative locations in both Rongo and Awendo district numbering about 400 people mainly known supporters of Dalmas Otieno were in attendance and it was later rumored that strategic plans on how to lock out those suspected to be allied to the new parliamentary aspirants were allege deliberated on.

The ODM sub-branch election had been scheduled for Kitere, and close to 300 delegates had already gathered at the venue ready for the elections when the Location chief and an assistant chief appeared at Kitere and made an announcement that the election venue had been changed abruptly and was switched to a new venue at Rakwaro Center about seven kilometers away.

This abrupt change of venue made it impossible for the delegates to walk and rush to the new venue due to lack of quick means of transport. Those who had their own vehicle rushed to Rakwaro while the rest made it to the new venue by foot, and the time they reached the new polls center, the elections had been long held and completed by Dalmas Otieno’s. Other delegates reused to travel to the new venue and organized for a parallel election at the old venue,.

The situation was even worse at Kuja where the district branch elections were held the following day when several delegates were locked out and sent packing.

The party members and leader who felt short changed at Kuja and locked out of Migori Teachers Training College for the County branch elections then moved to court and obtained an injunctions order, but the election officials refused to accept the court papers and defiantly went on with the election at the County branch which was conducted on consensus basis not by secret balloting a stipulated by the ODM constitution.

All these political manipulations are what breed the last Saturday death orgies at Kitere when those who felt wronged through political machinations resorted to to act of bloody violence, which claimed the lives of innocent people at Kitere, The death toll figure is expected to be on the higher sides when those who run into sugar plantations with serious bodily wounds an those hospitalized are accounted for.

The violence prone Rongo politics is gravitating between the Minister Otieno on one side and his perennial arrival the former cabinet Minister George Ochillo Ayacko on the other side.

Ends

Kenya: Raila’s sister is being accused of practising nepotism by importing her kins from Bondo and supporting them to grab ODM branch leadership to the chagrins of the indigent Kisumu people

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By Ndira Uradi in Kisumu City

INDIGENOUS residents of Kisumu County have voiced concern at the just concluded ODM grass root and County branch elections accusing the younger sister of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga of practicing nepotism by importing her relative from their Bondo background to come and grab various elective positions within the County to the chagrins of the indigenous.

Ruth Adhiambo Odinga, who is the marketing director of the Odinga’s family business flagship, the Spectra International, which is managing the Otonglo market based Kisumu Molasses plant is said to have taken an active part in the elections in the Kisumu Town West constituency sub-branch and in the Kisumu County ODM branch elections which took part at the Tom Mboya Labour College, specifically to ensure that only her relatives were elected in the positions of influence.

It is being claimed that she made it sure that only people whose homes are located within the Odinga family Bondo home turf were elected into two key important positions in Kisumu ODM County branch.

Dave Okwatch a native of the Odinga’s Sakwa Bondo home backyard was propelled by Adhiambo to win the Kisumu County branch of the ODM, while Mrs Rosa Buyu also an indignant of Bondo was imposed n women to become the chairperson of ODM branch in Kisumu County.

The Odingas, it is further alleged that Odinga family has always made it sure that Okwatch is always planted to the ODM nominated Councilor in the Kisumu Municipality despite the fact that he had no grass root support from the indignant in the region apart from doing errand job for the family.

Kisumu Count comprises of six parliamentary constituencies, namely Nyakach, Muhoroni, Nyando, Kisumu Town East, Kisumu Town West and Kisumu Rural. And during the election, delegates from those districts and constituencies were coerced an forced to vote for the two were correct ones wanted at the helm of the County branch.

Aspirants from the above mention rural constituencies with the blessing from their localities were locked out of the race

The matter has since elicited bitter complaints and allegation that the Odingas were out t marginalized the Luos by denying them their democratic birth rights.

Hat has aggravated the situation is the reports making the round that Raila’s sister Ruth Adhiambo Odinga is eying the lucrative position of governor for Kisumu County while Rosa Buru a woman born in Sakwa Bondo, but married to a husband a man of Kisumo Location is said to be eying the Kisumu Town West parliamentary seat, which she contested in 2007,but lost narrowly t to the incumbent Jon Olago Aluoch who beat her hand down during the ODM preliminaries, but she crossed over and into Narc of Charity Ngilu whose ticket she used in contesting the election proper against the ODM official candidate.

She has since been recycled in the government appointed Commissions after the other starting the defunct Andrew Legale led the Interim Electoral Boundaries .Commission

The locals are up in arms and now seeing the hands of the Odinga dynasty in full practice at the ODM leadership at all levels. People are wondering how Raila could win the hearts of the electorate in this region, where he has enjoyed massive supports of the voter with such complaints going unaddressed.

Ruth Adhiambo’s concerted effort to ensure the victory of Dave Okwatch and Rosa Buyu has given credence to unconfirmed allegation that she spent most of her time anointing her favorite candidates with those with potentiality of leadership being locked out.

Those who were vehemently oppose to the idea of electing an expatriate to be elected the party official in Kisumu were simply branded “traitors” an outmoded and stale word which was coined by the pro-Odingas during the old KANU-KPU rivalries of the 1960s..

Despite of the manipulations and nepotism, the locals have vowed that the seat for Kisumu County governor must be won by an indignant person with the family root in one of the six constituencies and not an imported person from Bondo even if this would mean mass walkout of Raila’s ODM party.

Meanwhile the race for Kisumu governor position party is slowly picking up and it favor the Mumias Sugar Company Marketing and Sales Director Peter Hongo who has also declared his interest in the powerful regional position.

His other credible challengers include an Insurance guru in Kisumu Simon Ogendo, former executive with the KRA Jack Ranguma, a Nairobi businessman Tom Otieno Alila, another Nairobi business executive with the Microsoft International Luis Otieno Ogingo, all of them indigenous people of Kisumu County.

To crown up the Odinga’s dynasty the other rumors making the round is that Raila’s elder brother the Bond MP who the Finance Assistant Minister Dr.Oburu Odinga is to abandon his Bondo parliamentary setf0r the Siaya Senate seat, while Mrs Ida Raila Odinga will go for the left vacant Bondo parliamentary seat. And furthermore Raila’s son Fidel Odinga is to intending to contest and inherit his father’s Lang’ata constituency seat in Nairobi.

Political pundits Kisumu City and observers alike were quick in pointing that if the proposed arrangements were to be implemented it would portray members of the Odinga’s as a family which is exhibiting excessive arrogance which could work against and stir up rebellion and sectional backlash.

Other rumors making the round in the lakeside City s that the Odingas were not comfortable with another Luo man winning the Nairobi City governor position in the forthcoming general elections. Political hirelings closely associated with the family have been heard saying that a Luo cannot be a governor in Nairobi while Raila Odinga is the President of the republic of Kenya, and those not supportive and ascribing to this school of thought have chipped in their opinion citing the reign of the founding President Jomo Kenyatta when his daughter Miss Margaret Kenyatta was the Mayor of Nairobi while her father was the Head of State and the President therefore whoever insisting that a person from Lu-Nyanza cannot be elected to become the City governor is merely advancing selfish argument.

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Kenya: ODM faces rebellion and fallouts in Nyanza following much flaweed kangaroo style grass root elections

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News Analysis By Ndira Uradi In Kisumu City

The Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} faces rebellion and most massive walkout ever witnessed since its inception following the just concluded, but poorly and much flawed grass root elections.

It turned out to be selection rather than election and the exercises which were marred by violence and manipulation of the highest order.

What emerged in what should have been free and fair election meant to solidify the party’s position so that it could face the impending general election now only months as a united team was haphazardly conducted.

These elections were full of intrigues, shameless rigging and manipulation of the highest degree. And the culprits were heavily moneyed former and sitting MPs from the region.

They were hell-bent to ensure that only their political surrogates and hirelings secured positions in the branches and in the Counties through hook and crooks, even those were locked out at the sub-locations levels.

It was only a handful of MPs who did not actively participated in the exercise. They included Dr. Oburu Oginga {Bondo} Joshua Orwa Ojode {Ndhiwa}.Prof Patrick Ayiecho Olueny {Muhoroni} Of course they could have participated in the exercise through their proxies, but credits should be given for those who deserves it.

The exercise, however, left the ODM in worse position than cementing its unity of purpose with which the party would use as the ladder in facing its combined forces of rival parties in the next year’s presidential, parliamentary, senate and civic elections.

It is now the turn of the party leader Raila Odinga to move much faster and cool down the high political temperatures the much flawed elections which were conducted in hasty and without proper planning and arrangements.

There were evident of lack of preparedness, inadequate election materials and logistics. And also lack of proper training for the coordinators, supervisors and returning officers as well as clerks. But the worse of it was lack disciplined on the part of party youths, who appeared to be only aligned to individuals rather than to the party and its manifesto, rules and laid down system.

The party youth became the real menace that they snatched election material and took to their heels whenever they sensed their favored man was losing the election, in some places they beat up election officials senselessly and snatched the election materials and shamelessly fled with them.

The ODM elections, according opinion sharper’s in Luo-Nyanza could adversely affect the voting pattern In the region where h Luo political kingpin Raila Odinga has always enjoyed nearly man-to-man support in the past elections. Many issues have since emerged which could pose serious to Mr Odinga’s popularity in the greater Southern Nyanza after the rumor went around that the Odinga were not comfortable with the candidature of the Mumias CEO Dr Evans Kidero who has declared his interest to contest the lucrative position of Nairobi County governor.

Dr Kidero is a highly valued individual personality from the greater Southern Nyanza region due to his credentials as far as developments of public institutions in the region are concerned. He has selflessly contributed immensely toward the support of socio-economic of the people in Southern Nyanza. Unless corrected this kind of rumor could work against Raila’s presidential ambition.

The rent ODM elections have also rekindled other issues such as the recent attempt to kick out the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders an action which is suspected to have been instigated by some of the disgruntled MPs who felt “Ker” Meshack Riaga Ogalo had grown horns. He was however reinstated to his position by a High Court Judge, but is position is not recognized by Raila and his troop solders in the names of the current crops of MPs fro the region.

Ker Riaga Ogalo, however is enjoying considerable support and sympathy of many people in the region. So far Raila ha never uttered anything in regards to Dr.Kidero’s candidature, but judging the utterances of those close to him and reaction of the ODM headquarters’ insistence that there must be a repeat of elections in the entire Nairobi County is pointing an innuendo that the party leadership may be not happy that Dr.Kidero and his allies had swept the board clean winning all key posts during the grass root election exercise in Nairobi City.

Another issue which is likely to tear ODM apart in Luo-Nyanza is the common branding of those who are viewed as potential opponents the sitting MP in the year 2012 election as “Agents of either Ruto or PNU moles” In fact some people were even block and denied accesses to the election venues in many parts of Luo Nyanza after being tagged as despite having won the elections in their localities.

The hostility being exercise in and out of Parliament by the so-called Raila inner cabinet against the abrasive Ndhiwa MP Joshua Orwa Ojode are some of the issues which are likely to cause sectarian backlash. The MPs who included John Olago Aluoch {Kisumu Town West} Nominated MP Millie Odhiambo, Gwassi MP John Mbadi,Rarieda MP Eng Nicholas Gumbo, Nyando MP Fred Outa always jumps up on their feet asking nasty supplementary and sycophantic question whenever Ojode who is an Assistant Minister for Internal Security is answering MPs question during question times is a clear indications how divided is the ODM house, a weak point which the party’s rivals could easily use to dismantle the much touted and invisible unity of the Luos.

Raila’s so called the correct lieutenants have been herd accusing Ojode of being not working for the ODM but for other parties, forgetting the fact that the outspoken Ndhiwa MP for many years was the uncompressed defender of Raila in all important local and national issues. But the Assistant decided to steer clear of Raila’s inner camp after he was humiliated by Raila’s elder brother Dr Oburu Oginga who sprung up and from the blue moon sprung up unleashed scathing criticism of Ojode without the slightest provocation. The attack shocked the huge crowd of mourner in West Karachuonyo and has since remained the endless talk of the region.

Rebuking, bashing and scolding publicly a man of Ojode’s caliber has never been accepted lightly by the residents of Southern Nyanza who have also been quietly voicing concern about the way an the manner in which senior government appointments in the coalition government which came Raila’s way and which were dished out only to his relatives and family friends leaving the vote rich Southern Nyanza region with nothing are some the obstacles, which” Agwambo” must labor so hard to clear in the minds of the residents o Southern Nyanza.

Other issue which the ODM’s bigwigs have failed to observe is the question of political patronage, similar to those exhibited by KANU during heyday in power. The idea of electing people into party offices by acclamation or by consensus is primitive and mockery to democracy instead of secret ballots. If secret ballots system was used in the just conclude party grass root elections, nobody cold be in a position to entertain complaints because such complaint would be invalid. But in both Migori and Homa-bay Counties the election were carried out by consensus way which is undemocratic. The same happed in some parts of Nairobi, Nakuru an elsewhere.

Nyakach is on of the constituencies within Kisumu County where the moneyed former MPs did everything to scuttle the ODM elections. They were Ojwang’K’ombudo the former Minister for Water Development, his successor in 2002 general election Peter Odoyo who also had served an Assistant minister for Foreign Affairs and a reported confidant of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the incumbent MP Polyins Ochieng’ Daima.

The trio and a former Gor Mahia F.C. Secretary Eng Evans Kodera frustrated the genuine winners of party grassroots at sub location levels when they tried to shortchange the winners an replaces them with their cronies during the Kisumu County branch elections and even at the district level which a held at Ahero Multipurpose Center.

ODM leaders ought to have been aware that other rival parties were closely watching and waiting eagerly to reap fro the fallout. I am told that a good number of those who lost the party elections unfairly or through manipulations by MPs have already started shopping alternatives parties whose tickets they will use to propel them to Parliament com, the year 2012.

The last week elections have degenerate a lot of “fitinas” in Luo-Nyanza than in any other parts o Kenya. This is because the party leader Raila Odinga hails from the region.

The urge for the resident of Southern Nyanza region to form a party of their own, which could be affiliated to other parties outside the ODM has been gaining the momentous with disgruntled politicians from the region being on the war-path ready to fight Raila and his bands loyalists .In an unlikely event of this political scenario happens, Raila would therefore look like someone who is stabbed at the back in hi home backyard.

Again the pr-Raila Luo MPs have been heard shouting about at the funeral gathering about the insignificance Rafael Tuju’s stab at the presidency. But they must be underrating Tuju t their own peril, because the former Rarieda MP is evidently gaining grounds and as such could pose serious threat to Raila’s presidential ambition by slashing considerable size of votes in Lu-Nyanza The likely chances of having another Luo presidential aspirant from the Southern Nyanza also cannot be ruled out.

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Kenya: Secrets behind Kamanda, Waititu bitter wars in Nairobi politics

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bly: Joseph Mwangi

Political supremacy wars between current and former MPs allied to President Mwai Kibaki’s PNU in Nairobi has turned nasty ahead of the 2012 general elections.
According to sources well versed with PNU Nairobi politics, two camps have since emerged and the borne of contention is over control of the party programmes in the city and the party’s candidate for governor and senator in the forthcoming elections.

The behind-the-scene political war has now divided the party into two camps with even a third camp expected to emerge. One camp is led by former Starehe MP Maina Kamanda and the other one by Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu.
Nairobi. Former Starehe MP Betty Tett is also in the Kamanda camp.

Kamanda and former Makadara MP Dick Wathika are said to have been edged out by Public Health minister Beth Mugo and Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu. Inside sources divulged that Mugo and Waititu have been in different for a referring to Kamanda and Waititu as losers and spent political forces who have outlived their usefulness for PNU and by extension Nairobi politics.

The matter is now even threatening to spill over to State House. Sources say Kamanda who is president Kibaki’s trusted lieutenant has now vowed to take the war to Kibaki’s door-step at State House.

To further show how nasty the war is, even Deputy Prime minister Uhuru Kenyatta has also been dragged into the matter. Analysts say should the war continue, it will jeopardize Uhuru’s chances of controlling Nairobi politics as a presidential candidate.

Uhuru to begin with is a cousin to Mugo who is fighting Kamanda who is Kibaki’s trusted lieutenant. Although Uhuru has not publicly spoken on the matter, sources within PNU’s corridor of power has it that Uhuru and his allies from Mount Kenya region have vowed to distanced themselves from Waititu. Last week, there were reports that Waititu has been spotted at a meeting with Uhuru’s opponents and word spread like bushfire that he has decamped from Uhuru to a rival presidential candidate.

Kamanda on the other hand has no soft landing spot for Uhuru considering that he has been secretly supporting Mugo in their fight over control of Nairobi politics. During the Starehe by-election, Waititu and Mugo never stepped their foot in the constituency to campaign for Kamanda who eventually lost to Bishop Margaret Wanjiru.

In Makadara, the two also abandoned Wathika and just watched from a distance as he was being trounced by Mike Sonko of Narc-Kenya. Interestingly, Sonko who is allied to PNU and has soft spot for both Uhuru and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka has steered off the controversy. He is in the middle ground and has never linked himself to any of the warring camps. Sonko has never publicly declared his support for either Uhuru or Kalonzo but has been working closely with the two under the G7 alliance. At one time when he hosted both leaders for a fund raiser, he categorically stated that whoever is nominated as the G7 or PNU flag bearer will be assured of his support.

Back to the bitter wars, it has been blame games, mudslinging and revenge between the two camps. It was the Kamanda, Wathika axis who first played games of revenge during the Nairobi mayoral elections. The two who still wield a lot of power at City Hall successfully campaigned for ODM’s George Aladwa to beat PNU’s James Gakuya who had the support and blessings of Mugo and Waititu.

Sonko on the other hand though is not allied to any of the camps also campaigned and lobbied for Aladwa’s election. The two are known political buddies and Sonko according to sources was just reciprocating on the support Aladwa gave him during the Makadara by-elections. Aladwa also campaigned for Sonko despite that his party ODM had sponsored former MP Reuben Ndolo. Even attempts by Prime minister Raila Odinga to reconcile Aladwa and Ndolo fell on deaf ears as Aladwa went ahead to lobby his supporters to vote for Sonko.

This was the first mayoral elections in the city where ODM had won convincingly despite having the numerical strength before. Also, it was a first, as ten PNU councilors voted for the ODM candidate. Previously, PNU has been poaching from ODM.

Waititu on his part, blamed the PNU loss of the mayoral seat squarely on Kamanda and was quoted saying “This war is bigger than what is being seen, its about 2012,” But in a quick rejoinder, Kamanda harshly reacted saying “Beth and Waititu are sidelining some leaders who still have influence in city politics, we only have ourselves to blame”.

But another school of thought has it that the in-fighting has something to do with the senator and governorship positions in 2012. In the Kamanda camp, they have settled on him as the best candidate for Nairobi senate seat while the Waititu camp has settled on Mugo. Mugo is a close ally of Uhuru while Kamanda according to our sources is now a close ally of Prof. George Saitoti.

Also in the race is Sonko who has also declared his interest in the seat. Although Sonko is Narc-k Kenya and is allied to PNU, it is still not clear if the three will agree to nominate one of them to face ODM’s candidates.

Analysts say should the three go for a joint nomination; Sonko is likely to pull surprises going by the past voting patterns in Nairobi politics. Both Kamanda and Mugo will split the Kikuyu votes while Sonko will take the Kamba votes as a block. Unlike Mugo and Kamanda, Sonko’s political influence cuts across party and tribal boarders. He enjoys overwhelming support among the youth and women across the political divide and his lobbying skills coupled by financial muscle can easily see him floor seasoned politicians like Kamanda and Mugo.

This was the case with Makadara by-elections in which despite PNU’s financial muscle and lobbying, Sonko still managed to beat both the PNU and ODM candidates despite the fact that this was his first time in elective politics.

In ODM, Westlands MP Fred Gump is also set to battle it out with Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro who has also declared interest for the seat.

Kenya: Ojode tells the Luo to discard the politics of hero worshipping and patronage and elect only leaders who are focused to eradicate poverty

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In MigoriTown.

POLITICS of hero worshipping and patronage at the elections time are some of the major obstacles retarding development and progress inside Luo-Nyanza.

This was sated at the weekend by the abrasive Ndhiwa MP Joshua Orwa Ojode who pointed out that the political patronage is denying the community the right to elect mature and credible leaders to the various elective positions.

He was speaking during a funds drive at Kadika in Wasweta East, Migori district where he helped raise over Kshs 2 million. The money would go towards the construction of Kadika SDA church.

Ojode who is also an Assistant Minister for the Internal Security echoed the feeling being nursed by many people that the region will continue to be lagging behind in competitive development unless the leaders rose above “political party worship”.

The MP said only people who were able to change the livelihood of the electorates should be elected to the position of MPs, Senate and local authority representatives in the next year’s polls.

He went on,” Many unfit people had been elected to the various offices in the past for merely being in the ‘correct party’ though most of the later turn to be the biggest liability than asset to the party and the electorate.”

The weekend utterances by the independent minded has since provoked sharp reaction from various quarters with most people agreeing with his sentiments terming them positive views, while ODM supporters and local leader who have been mooting for “Uniform Voting” in the region have described them as “Divisive”

The hard working Ndhiwa MP of late has been viewed as silent critic of the Luo political kingpin, Raila Amolo Odinga. This is so because for close to four years now Ojode has been conspicuously absent from the many functions presided over by the ODM leader.

The Assistant Minister recently told this writer during an exclusive interview that he is against Raila Odinga.” I am not war with ‘Agwambo’ except some idle talkers and busy bodies feel I am a threat to be I the local Luo succession politics.”

“These people view me as a potential successor to Raila in Nyanza politics due to my attractive of development in my home turf of Ndhiwa and also my contributions in the region’s development activities plus my young age.

The Assistant Minister scathingly criticized the management f the Awendo-based Sony Sugar Company”for seeking the service of the police to protect itself from competition with other millers over cane supplied.”This particular fir has been in business for close to 30 year and should now embrace in the industry.

“Sony Sugar should stop blaming others and complaining that the operation the new rival, the Sukari Industries limited, which is located in Ndhiwa district for cane ‘poaching’ by the new factory. Moreover another sugar mills has already commence its production I the neighboring Trans – Mara district- also a short distant from Awendo-based millers bringing the number of sugar mills in the region to three.

The Assistant Minister said he will not accept SONYSUGAR to misuse officers from his Ministry to fight unnecessary wars and this trend must stop.

“Under the liberalized sugar industry, farmers were now free to take their cane to a better paying factory and should never be held hostage in this age of liberalized market.”he added,

Ojode reaffirmed his support for the new factory saying that “because of this competition the sugar can farmers in the region can now reap the full benefits of their sweat.”

The Ndhiwa based Sukari Industries Limited a private owned enterprise is paying out Kshs 5,097/- per ton of delivered sugar, whereas only Sugar based at Awendo is now paying Kshs 4,500 the prices which was increased only last week from the previous Kshs 3,5oo per ton. But it is deducting further some of money t for transport and harvesting expenses, whereas the Ndhiwa based does everything including transport and harvesting costs without levy anything o a farmer. The increase I the price set by Sukari Industries Limited is 46 per cent, and many farmers are happy with them and wanted t switch their allegiance to the new firm.

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Kenya: Mutindwa market traders want alternative land

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By Joseph Mwangi

Following a report in parliament by Roads Minister Franklin Bett that a consultant is due to conclude his work on March, 2012 to undertake expansion of Outer Ring road, traders operating at Mutindwa market are now appealing to the Local Government Minister to allocate them alternative land to put up their businesses.

Bett was replying to a question by Makadara MP Mike Sonko who wanted to know if the minister was aware of the frequent traffic snarl-ups on Outer Ring Road, especially at the Donholm and Kariobangi roundabouts, and what immediate and longterm measures will the Government take to remedy the problem.

In his reply, the minister categorically stated that Mutindwa market traders will be given notice to vacate to pave way for the expansion of the road. It is this answer which provoked Sonko who stood on a point of order and asked “Could he give a further undertaking that when the construction works on the Outer Ring Road begin, we will not experience another Syokimau demolition and that the Government will issue notices and compensate all property owners whose properties will be affected by the extension of this road, including the Mutindwa Market?”

On his part, Bett replied “Mr. Speaker, Sir, I will not give an undertaking not to demolish structures on the road reserves. If structures are on the road, bona fide road reserves, they will have to be removed. My Ministry will, however, endeavour to give notice to the illegal occupants of the road reserves”. Sonko is now demanding that apart from giving notice, the traders should be reallocated to an alternative land.

The traders are now demanding that their MP should pile pressure on the Local government Minister Musalia Mudavadi to ensure the Mutindwa traders are allocated alternative land before they are given notice to demolish the structures.

Sources say, Sonko has agreed to take up the matter with the Government to ensure the families who were earning their living from the market continue with their daily activities uninterrupted. Sonko is known to be defending the rights of his constituents as had been previously seen

In a related development, last week’s ODM polls for Makadara constituency was a do or die battle for former MP Reuben Ndolo whose camp lost to Nairobi Mayor George Aladwa. The elections saw officials allied to Aladwa sweep clean all the seats at the sub-location and location levels as Ndolo and his team sent packing.

Aladwa was elected Nairobi ODM branch chairman but unconfirmed reports said the party’s elections board had called for a repeat poll after Ndolo and Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru claimed that Aladwa was favoured by the returning officer a claim that Aladwa and his supporters have vehemently denied.

In a quick rejoinder, Aladwa has categorically said that he is ready for a repeat poll and has warned the two politicians to prepare themselves for a devastating defeat.

Some of Aladwa’s supporters were overheard bragging that those are signs of things to come in 2012 elections. Aladwa has been under pressure to contest the Makadara seat in 2012.

Sources now say Ndolo is blaming his political opponents from PNU for lobbying their supporters who are not ODM members to vote against him. He is in particularly pointing accusing finger at Makadara MP Mike Sonko whom he acussed was spotted late in the night holding secret meetings with his supporters where he allegedly distributed huge sums of money to his supporters to vote for Aladwa. According to sources, Sonko was reciprocating on the support Aladwa gave him during the Makadara Constituency by-election when he campaigned for Sonko against Ndolo.

Sonko had earlier reciprocated this when he also lobbied Nairobi councillors allied to PNU to vote for Aladwa during the mayoral elections in which Aladwa was overwhelmingly elected. Ndolo, according to sources is said to be giving up on Makadara politics and is said to have confided in his close allies that he could switch his political base from Makadara to the new Nairobi West constituency or Kibera Constituency.

It will however be interesting to see how Sonko and Aladwa will face off in 2012 elections for the Makadara seat considering that the two are political buddies. But going by Sonko’s development record in Makadara, it will be a near impossible task to unseat Sonko who has made inroads even in what for many years have been perceived as Ndolo and ODM strongholds.

Although pressure is mounting on him to go for the Senate seat, in that event, Aladwa will definitely win the Makadara seat but with Sonko in the race, he better relocate his political base to another constituency. However, Sonko has kept his supporters in the dark as to whether he will defend his Makadara seat or upgrade his political interest in 2012.

KENYA: THE IRON LADY LOCKED OUT OF THE ODM GRASSROOT ELECTIONS THE BIG NAMES AND SEASONED POLITICIANS IN KISUMU FROM THE SUB LOCATIONS TO THE COUNTY LEVEL

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The just concluded Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} grass rots election in Kisumu County produced shocking and surprising results in some places while it also created happiness in other places.

From Nyakach constituency, also within the Kisumu County one iron lady did the impossible. She sent several big names within the region’s political circles tumbling to the ground locking the men from the sub-locations, locations, and district to the finish at the County level.

Grace Adhiambo Akumu had joined the election race as an underdog. There were big names who include former Minister, the sitting MP and former Chairman of Gor Mahia Football Club in the race.

She is the wife of a veteran trade unionist and former CXOTU {K} Secretary General J.D.Akumu, who was a two time MP for Nyakach. She managed to lock out of the party election the former MP for Nyakach and one time an Assistant Minister Peter Odoyo, the sitting MP Polyins Ochieng’ Daima and Eng. Evans Kodera who hails with her from the same Koguta sub-location in Nyakach.

MRS Akumu who has already declared her interest in vying for the Nyakach parliamentary seat in the forthcoming genera election won the position of the Women Orange Democratic at the Kisumu County ODM branch in the violence marred elections held at the Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu which saw some of the ugliest incidents.

During the violence orgies, the Nyakach MP Ochieng Daima was assaulted and punched by a civic leader from Nyakach and scores of people were injured in a knife attacks & fist attacks. Mrs Rosa Buyu from Kisumu West constituency won the chairperson of the ODM Women Democrat wing.

In Homa-Bay County, the branch chair was clinched by the Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Otieno Kajwang’ in a controversial election carried out by consensus after delegates had sharply disagreed with the mode of the election. The Rangwe MP Martin Otieno Ogindo who had earlier been rescued from the attacks by rowdy youths forcing his personal bodyguard to fire in the air was named the vice chairman; while Karachuonyo MP Eng James K Rege was named the branch Secretary and the position of the branch treasurer went to Mrs Monica Amolo from Ndhiwa.

Mrs Benedater Yambo aka Nyaseme from Gwassi became the County Women representative while Mrs Patricia Ouma from Kasipul-Kabondo and another person Mourice Aguko Mayora Jamumbo was named the Assistant branch secretary.

The outspoken Gwassi MP John Mbadi was locked out of the race all along from the sub-locations level as was his Kasipul-Kabondo counter part Jseph Oyugi Magwanga.

Looking jovial, Mrs Akumu thanked the ODM members in Nyakach and also within Kisumu County and promised to deliver. She said she was grateful for that she had had come all along from the sub-location to the County level an indication that party members both men and women have confidence in her.

photo of Mrs Akumu

She said that while campaigning in her rural Nyakach, she had come to realize that most women folks do not understand what the meaning of the new constitution commonly dubbed “Women Katiba” due to the extensive inclusion of the gender issues therein the new document.

Mrs Akumu made a pledge that she would be consulting with the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and some NGOs with the view to seeking funds for the translation of the new Constitution into various vernacular languages so that ordinary men and women could under stand what it says.

Akumu said she will thrive to work hard toward the empowerment of women economically and look for market outlets for the primary farm products.

Ends

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KENYA: THE IRON LADY LOCKED OUT OF THE ODM GRASSROOT ELECTIONS THE BIG NAMES AND SEASONED POLITICIANS IN KISUMU FROM THE SUB LOCATIONS TO THE COUNTY LEVEL