Category Archives: Political Party

Kenya: odm grassroots election in Luo-Nynza faces a big dilemma as the forces opposed to the MPs are said to be ready to teach the legislators a big lesson.

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ODM LEADERS IN RONGO AND AWENDO DISTRICTS HAVE AGREED TO CONDUCT ELECTION FOR ONLY ONE PARTY BRANCH FOR THE TIME BEING.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Town.

DESPITE the recent sub-division of Rongo district into two, namely the creation of the new Awendo district and a parliamentary constituency in the area, ODM leaders in both districts have resolved to conduct the party grass root election for only one branch.

This they said, is a temporary measure pending the official the gazette announcement of the proposed new parliamentary constituencies as per the recommendation of the disbanded Interim Boundary Commission led by Anrew Ligale.

Speaking over phone, Mr Jared Otieno Kopiyo, one of the potential aspirants for the newly created Awendo parliamentary seat said, “it will be a power-sharing between the party leaders in both Rongo and Awendo districts”.

It has been resolved that Awendo the chairmanship position will be retained by the Awendo group while the vice chairman will come from Rongo. The same will be with the branch secretary and other office will be shared equally

Meanwhile ODM grassroots election which has repeatedly been postponed ever since January this year is said to have sparked jittery between the current party MPS from Luo-Nyanza and the losers of the 2007 general election.

Fear persist that the elections now scheduled for June 6th would be a repeat of the previous elections which had produced two sets of branches in almost every constituency. Attempt by the party headquarters at the Orange House in Nairobi made futile attempt to resolve these disputes in vain leaving several branches to operate in parallel to each other. In some places the party big-wig had brokered such branches for power-sharing system, which also did not work.

All these were the result of the confrontations between the sitting MPs and their opponents t the constituency levels.

Differences still persist between the so-called pro-Raila and “unwanted leaders” as the party leadership is known to be operating under such classifications. People who are purported to be close to Raila’s elder brother Dr.Oburu Oginga, the MP for Bondo and Finance Assistant Minister are the one being blamed for engineering divisive politics thereby causing discontent in the party in this region which is considered to be the ODM stronghold.

Politics of undercutting is the order of the day within the ODM rank and file and the source of discontent. Dr Oburu Oginga and his youngest sister Ruth Adhiambo who is also reported to be eyeing the Kisumu Town West parliamentary seat in the 2012 are said to have the ears of the Prime Minister. The two are said to have the poorest public relations. Other personalities said to be fuelling jittery in the party are businessmen, building contractors-turned political sycophants seeking favor of securing government contracts and businesses.

A number of the present MPs from Luo-Nyanza are said to be uncomfortable with the characters who claims to be close to the ODM are coalescing around the defeated former MPs who lost their seats in 2007.

The electorates wants these categories of leaders to be locked out of the party positions in Nyanza as their presence would only serve in furthering the differences and split among the party leaders in the region.

Other have been heard saying that even the much highlighted differences between the Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the Kalenjin MPs led by the suspended Higher Education Minister William Ruto could have been easily be resolve internally without much fuss had it not been the kind of loose talking in the lips of some Luo power brokers.

And now that the new constitution has the provision for independent candidates, many current Luo MPs who are said to be tired of politics sycophancy and hero-worshipping are reported to be considering other option, which might result in some of them defending their seats as independent candidates come the year 2012.

What is causing jittery in the Raila led party is the highest number of votes garnered in the last week civic election in Gem by a candidate who contested on the civic by-election on the ticket of Biwott led National Vision Party of Kenya. The Vision sponsored candidate received 746 votes against the winner the ODM candidate who received 1,500 votes, and political pundits consider this to be closest contest

In another civic by-election held early this year in Rusinga Ward in Mbita district, the ODM candidate managed to squeeze a narrow win with slim majority victory of votes almost succumbing to defeat by National Vision Part man. The slim victory by the ODM has forced the loser Mr Okuku Miregi to move to court complaining that he was robbed of the victory and rigged out. Such scenario only pointing out that the ODM superiority is rapidly declining in the region where the party had received votes on man-to-man in 2007.

Insiders blame the rapidly changing trend of politics in the region on the ODM usually flawed nominations. The party, they say has refused to change with time and is still pursuing outmoded dictatorial policy of the Moi KANU REGIME OF THE PAST.

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Kenya: Defeat of the ODM in Ikolomani was a case of betrayal by party MPs in the region

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News Analysis By Leo Odera omolo

A NUMBER of articles have appeared in the local dailies, some of them placing he blame at the doorstep of the Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi or his party leader for failure to capture the Ikolomani seat in Kakamega County during the just concluded by election.

The by-election results cannt be used to paint the Prime Minister Raila Odinga as having lost the clout in Western.After all it was just an attempt by Raila’s party to wrestle this particular seat fro the New Ford Kenya party,which had won it in 2007. But if the party had accepted Dr Khalwale in its rank and gave him the nod to contest the by-election on an ODM ticket, he could have won the election by much larger if not overwhelming majority.

All the analysis given by experts and opinion leaders are far from the true picture of what happened during the bruising campaign in Ikolomani and therefore devoid of facts.

It is true that the ODM won 19 parliamentary seats in the entire Western Province during the 2007 general elections leaving only 5 seats to be shared by other parties, Ford-Kenya and New Ford-Kenya and PNU among others included, which was won by Dr. Bonny Khalwale on the New Ford-Kenya ticket. And as such it was apparent that the incumbent had a upper hand from the onset of the campaign.

The other factor which contributed to the ODM defeat is the party’s much flawed nomination system and the seemingly endless internal wrangling. This same problem has led to losses after losses in other recent by-elections starting with South Mugirango,Makadara, Matungu and in other places.

In lkolomani, the ODM leadership had failed to put their act together. Close to 60 ODM civic leaders in many parts of the region ganged up openly campaigned for Dr Khalwale, and so were some of the party MPs from the region. Those who turned up and joined Mudavadi in the campaign did so half-heartedly.

Another factor which contributed immensely to Khalwale success is the fact that his campaign team was well drilled and highly liquid in terms of cash money in the by-election which was shrouded rampant bribery of voters and intimidation and at time violence. In same polling stations, voters were bribed with cash money within the eyesight of the security personnel who did not act, though such action amounted to committing an election offence.

Rumors were ripe to the effect that most ODM MPs, even those from a far field like Nyanza, Rift Valley and other regions gave their morale and material support tot the “Bull Fighter of Ikolomani” whose vital and regular contributions in the House during crucial issues of national importance debates has won him a place in the heart of many Kenyans.

It is not uncommon to hear dark corner gossips in the public domain and mostly in the public joints in town, people discussing in low tones, classifying Khalwale as one among the MPs who have excelled and became formidable debaters in the August House. Others being mentioned in this category included Martha Karua, Dancan Mungatana,Ababu Namwamba,Millie Odhiambo,Kilonzo,Gitobu Imanyara among others. Their contribution to the debates covering national issues is far much beyond party allegiance. It was therefore for the ODM to manage and to dislodge Khalwale, they needed to put their act together, which they didn’t.

It is also imperatively important to mention it here that, the fight was not between Raila Odinga and Bonny Khalwale, but a healthy competition between ODM and New Ford Kenya parties. It is therefore wrong for anyone to invoke the name of the Prime Minister insinuating that the outcome of the Ikolomani by-election is pointer abut the shape of things expected to come in Western Province come the year 2012.

A seemingly divided house of ODM had no chance of winning the Ikolomani set due to the fact that most of the party members from the region like Nambale’s Chris Okemo, Mumias Ben Washiali, Khwisero’s Evans Akula,while Matungu’s Were made a cosmetic appearance only during the visit to the constituency by the prime Minister Raila Odinga, but was later spotted sipping drinks in one of the posh hotels in Kisumu at the eight of the campaign.

At the same time rumors hit Ikolomani like Tsunami that several cabinet minster from the region, though members of the ODM were secretly backed Khalwale.

Other reasons, which gave Khalwale the ammunition with which he fought off the resurgence of ODM was untimely and poorly planned visit by Raila Odinga and his act of commissioning the Sigagala-Butere-Sidindi Road,which is currently under the construction.. The Prime Minister claims that it was himself who initiated the construction of these particular several years ago while he was serving in the docket of the Ministry of Work was successfully countered and watered down by Khalwale who told his people that the road network was his pat project.

The commissioning of this particular road and that particular time during the height f the electioneering campaign for the by-election was ill-timed. It convinced the electorate to believe that the Prime Minister was using government resources in campaigning for his party’s candidate, the idea which did augur well.

The Ikolomani by-election, however, is good an eye opener for the ODM a party which must put its house in order. It must end petty political squabbles within its rank and file.

Th ODM must change its nomination system and move out from that of handpicked. The party must give the room for the local leaders and party member the right to choose the right candidate via ballot boxes, and not direct nomination or pointing out the names of “wanted people”

This unpopular system has seen ODM suffering humiliating defeats in Kitutu Chache {2007

Where the party big-wigs had backed the former PS Ongware in place of Richard Onyonka who had won comfortably I the preliminary nominations. ODM did the same in Nyaribari Chache where Dr. Monda had won in the preliminary nomination and gave the clearance certificate to Chris Bichage. Both Onyonka and Dr Munda sought for other party tickets with which the two used to eventually trouncing the party’s favorite candidates during the election proper, though after winning the election on their own, they both agreed to work with the ODM team in parliament..

Despite Raila and Mudavadi having made a frantic effort to see their man win the by-election, the candidate himself was working in parallel to the team headed by the Minister for Local Government who is the de facto flag bearer of the party in Western Province given his party seniority.

For the ODM to maintain its dominance and superiority in Western Province the party must clean up all the cobwebs within its house, and stop internal wrangling, otherwise the party is likely to have a lean time in the region and could be booted out in the year 2012.

ODM defeat in the Ikolomani by-election is a clear case of betrayal from within its rank and file.

The court’s nullification of Khalwale’s victory in 2007 with a narrow margin of only 200 votes is now something of the past. The “Bull Fighter of Ikolomani, this time around performed perfectly well by polling a clear majority of 2,500 votes, which now put the question of who is the most popular leader in that constituency to a rest.

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Kenya: Prison authorities urged to issued ex-convicts with certificates of good conduct once they are released at the completion of their convictions

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town.

Prison authorities have been requested to issue the ex-convicts,especially those whose characters have gone through total reformation with certificate of good conduct to enable them secure jobs and get rehabilitated fully back to the society.

The Prison authorities has also been asked to issue the ex-convicts who have trained in the prison industry and qualified as apprentices and artisans with certificate of proficiency.

This will help the ex-convicts in access to job markets once they are freed.

These appeals were made by a Homa-Bay politician Hilary Ocheng Alila when he addressed and hundreds of inmate and prison officials during the open-day prison visits at the weekend.

Alila who is the ODM youth regional coordinator in Nyanza and also an aspirant for the Hoa-Bay County Senate seat was accompanied by religious leaders pastors and civic leaders.

He said people should not view prison in the context of as place where punishment is mated out to the inmates, but an important institution where bad elements within the society can have have their characters changed and fully rehabilitated for the better.

Alila told the Wananchi in the rural areas to accept the former inmates once they are released and accord them all sorts of generosities so that they could be fully rehabilitated and actively participate in the real task of nation building.

Alila appeals to residents of Homa-Bay County and those lving in other parts of Luo-Nyanza town out in their number and register as voters when the execise is open. His way, he added, they will be able to vote for the party supremo Raila Amnolo Odinga to realize his presidential ambition during the impending general elections next year.

He reminded the residents of Nyanza to turn out in their thousands and elect new party officials during the ODM grass toot election exercise slated for May 27.

He issued a stern warning to unnamed characters said to be collaborating with the party enemies from other region who are allegedly sending agents into Luo-Nyanza with their pocket lined up for the purpose of sabotaging the party. The party would soon go public and name the political turn coats said to be in the pockets of leaders of other parties to sabotage the operation of the ODM in Nyanza.

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Kenya: Ruto-Kenyatta axis infiltration in Luo-Nyanza is steadily on the increase as their agents are said to have dishing out million of shillings in hand out cash for potential catches

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By Our Reporter.

The Luo-Nyanza an area considered to be the stronghold of the Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} is currently experiencing massive covert operations by agents and operatives of the G7 outfits.

Million of shillings is said to have been poured in the region to the express purpose of undercutting the political clout and influence of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the Luo political kingpin ahead of the 2012 general election next year.

These intrigues of the rapidly changing pattern of politics in Luo-Nyanza is likly to have adverse effect on the popularity of the ODM and its absolute control of voting system in the region.

In the seemingly unlikely events, the area could see many independent candidates spinning up during the forthcoming general election.And even the sitting MPs seeking re-election as independent candidate cannot be ruled out.

Several aspirants vying for parliamentary seats in various constituencies and for Senate seats and County governors are said to be the conduits. They are said to have already established contacts with Raila’s political enemies in the Rift Valley and in the Mt Kenya region, particularly the PNU alliance under the amorphous G7.

Already One unnamed aspirant for the Kisumu County Senate seat is reported to be so liquid and dishing thousands of shillings to the youth and other targeted ODM local leaders. The man is said to have held a series of nightly meeting in various parts of the region with youths and political operatives previously associated with the ODM in attendance.

The G7 is loosely associated with the Eldoret North and suspended High Education Minister William Ruto and the Finance Minister Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta. Other active members included the former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara, the Minister for Tourism Najib Balala,Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa,the Vice President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka and other luminaries from the North Eastern Province and other regions.

Going by what happened during the much touted prayers at the Uhuru Park, which was held on the day the Ocampo Six jetted home from The Hague in the Netherlands, the G7 has already got a foothold in Nyanza and recruited in its rank and file two prominent Luo politicians. One of them is the former Foreign Affairs Minister Raphael Tuju, the immediate Rarieda MP who a couple of weeks ago hosted Uhuru Kenyatta at a meeting with Nairobi based Luo professional caucus and businessmen caucus in a Nairobi hotel.

The other notable associate of the G7 group is a prominent Nairobi lawyer Onyango Oloo who has recently launched his own political party called The Democracy and Freedom Party {DFP}, which is also said to be making major inroad inside Luo Nyanza

Ruto’s point-man in Luo-Nyanza is Joseph Ay.

Onyango Oloo whose party is said to have succeeded in a limited scale in mobilizing former Kisumu youth associated with the deadly Kondele Bagdad Boys has of late become a thorny in the flesh of the ODM.

Ayugi {Mbuta} the youthful political operative who had accompanied the Eldoret North MP to The Hague in Netherlands, where he was held briefly by the Dutch policemen for carrying placards outside the ICC court. Mbuta and lawyer Onyango Oloo had briefly addressed the congregations at the Uhuru Park prayers as the representatives of Nyanza region.

Tuju’s stand, however, remained unclear because he is still serving the government at a senior position of Presidential Adviser on media and Cohesion. But the former Minister Tuju is credible and could give the ODM a run for its money if he wished to join the Ruto-Kenyatta alliance.

Reports reaching us, says Ruto had secured a large following inside Luo-Nyanza while serving as the Minister for Agriculture, especially with those whose activities are related to sugar milling and sugar-cane growing areas. He said to have secured lucrative contracts and jobs for a number of Luo personalities in the sugar industry. The exercise is said to have given the ODM rebel MP political mileage in some parts of greater Southern Nyanza and Kisumu regions.

Men who are alleged to be acting as protégé of Ruto are said to be high liquid and are said t be dishing out cash wherever they go in the form of handouts to the youths and ODM selected individual party leaders and members.

Also targeted are popular Ohangla musicians across the region. We have received unconfirmed these musicians are being hired to compose popular songs in praise of Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta G7 alliance ahead of their impending tour of Nyanza.

Other unconfirmed sources say that disgusted Luo MPs who do not agree with the ODM leadership are reportedly secretly consulting with the G7 leaders. Some of them are said to be drifting towards the Ruto-Kenyatta alliance, but for fears of possible reprisals from the party stalwarts.

Insiders say it is only a matter of time before these political man oeuvres exploded in open fuelling confrontation in Nyanza an area which is usually politically volatile and at times prone to political violence.

Other allegation making the round is that a number of political luminaries in Luo-Nyanza are presently sneaking out and trooping to Eldoret for secret meetings with or Ruto or his agents.

There is also the case of Luo MP who were perceived to have been black-listed be unwanted by ODM leadership prior to the 2007 general election, but who eventually soldiered on and won their seats owing to the good will of the electorate are also reported to be uncomfortable with the party sparking off the rumors of the impending massive political realignment, which could see some of the sitting MPs fro the region changing sides ahead of the next year’s general election.

However, the ODM thank-tank group members are said to be very concern at the attitudes of some aspirants allegedly receiving the campaign money from other competitive parties.

The electorate wants the aspirants acting as the moles of other parties within the ODM to come out clear and declare their sources of money. The electorate wants such political turn-coats be banned from contesting the elections while using the ODM name, slogan and manifestos.

Rising opposition to the ODM in Nyanza came as come about as the result of the alleged distribution of top government prime jobs since the formation of grand coalition of PNU/ODM government, which has seen the Prime Minister Raila Odinga influenced the employment of kith and kin in total disregard to the larger areas of the Luo-Nyanza.

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Kenya: Constitutionalism, not tribalism should be our guide

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By Tom Alila

The people of Kenya have followed the recent engagement between Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and an amorphous group that calls itself the Luo Nyanza professional and business caucus with much interest. Whereas inter-communal engagements are to be encouraged and should be the norm, this particular engagement in my view marks a new low point in the political development of this nation.

First of all it was a tacit admission on the part of the finance minister that there has been a deliberate effort to discriminate, stigmatize and exclude certain regions and communities in this country from enjoying the fruits of development. This was the “siasa mbaya maisha mbaya” developmental model bequeathed to the nation by the Kenyatta and Moi regimes. The finance minister, who is the crown prince of the old order, appears hell-bent on sustaining this anachronism. A cursory glance at the profile of staff and holders of plum positions in some of the key institutions under his docket, say KRA, Treasury and Central Bank will reveal he presides over the worst cases of tribal hegemony in public institutions in the whole country.

Indeed it is precisely in response to the exclusive, whimsical, personalized and tribalised abuse of political power by the executive to reward and punish communities, groups and regions that Kenyans decided to vote for a new constitutional order that would bury the ghost of “siasa mbaya maisha mbaya” once and for all. The new constitution lays out the principles and institutions that will guide the hitherto manipulated allocation of resources and economic investments. The thinking behind this was that no group or region would ever again be held hostage to the whims of individuals in seeking their rightful share of national resources and the needed investments in economic and physical infrastructure.

Secondly, engaging with anything with the prefix Luo, including political charlatans, would appear to be a belated attempt at fashioning some “nationalist” credentials for the finance minister. Kenyans view this feeble effort against a backdrop of his intolerant and chauvinistic rhetoric, as we have interacted with in the last few months. But such is the incredulity and poverty of thought in some of our leaders that they would want us believe they have undergone some metamorphosis overnight and embraced those who were the objects of their passionate hate only the other day. This is not say that it is an impossibility for a change of heart to take place. Did not Saul, that famous persecutor of Christians, become the famous Paul who is credited with the highest number of chapters in the bible? Such a change would be most welcome, but more objective indicators would be needed to demonstrate this. A good point to start would be to de-tribalise the financial sector, not for the sake of Luos only, but for the sake of all Kenyans.

Kenyans remember that here is a man who inherited a powerful and national KANU political benemoth, with more than 130 MPs from all provinces in 2002, bequeathed him by president Moi. He had squandered this massive political capital in a record five years. By the time he re-joined parliament in 2003, he had just over 60 MPs, losing more than half the MPs he inherited. By January 2008, he had only 10 MPs, and he had betrayed his partisan inclinations when he abandoned a national KANU party, and rode the dysfunctional GEMA tiger otherwise known as PNU. In the process he gained global infamy as the only official leader of the opposition not to contest national leadership against an incumbent. Lately, we understand that women are excluded ab initio from his politburo of GEMA “elders”, yet again betraying a deeply chauvinistic bent to his persona. The politics and development of exclusion seem therefore to come so naturally to him. Impatient with functional political institutions and the rule of law and constitutionalism, he continues to toy with some loose amalgam of political opportunists named G7 (7 provinces except Nyanza), whose sole raison d’etre is apparently to leave out the so called Luo-Nyanza from the national political and developmental calculus.

Most of the country’s business is done with our regional neighbours, and Kisumu has long merited to be developed into a regional transport and industrial/business hub, given its strategic location. This has not been prioritized. Instead what we have witnessed is the frenzied development of a 10-lane Nairobi-Thika superhighway that is not even the country’s economic artery…this distinction belongs to the Mombasa-Kisumu-Busia/Malaba highway. Similarly, the world’s second largest lake has no hotel comparable to hotels in the Ugandan and Tanzanian side of the lake. Instead, what would be considered as ponds by comparison, such as lakes Naivasha, Elementaita and Nakuru, host a plethora of world-class tourist hotels. The sugar/cotton sectors that do well in Nyanza/western provinces and irrigation schemes in this part of Kenya do not enjoy the clout and policy/financial support that is accorded say dairy, tea, maize, and coffee.

It may yet be asked therefore: What inclusive agenda for Kenyans has Uhuru ever pushed? It should be re-stated for the benefit of Uhuru and his ilk, that Nyanza (whether Luo or Kisii/Kuria), Central, Rift valley, North-eastern, Western, coast, eastern and Nairobi all deserve resources from the government. There is no need to resort to developmental blackmail and the principle of luo-exceptionalism.

The writer is KANU Chairman Ndhiwa

Kenya: Kalonzo must weigh his public pronouncements and utterances in public rallies

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THE KAMBA POLITICS EVER SINCE PRE-INDEPENDENCE DAYS IS THAT OF BETRAYAL, OPPORTUNISM AND CONFUSION.

Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The modern political history in this country is painting the Kamba community negatively as a people whose politics has always been shrouded in numerous allegations of betrayal dishonest and opportunism.

Had the Vice President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka stood firm and steadfast in ODM and worked side by side, the party could have won the 2007 general elections with an overwhelming majority of seats in the National Assembly and in all the elective bodies such as municipalities and counties.

It was Kalonzo Musyoka’s that saw him ditching ODM that led to confusion and suspicion leading to the hotly disputed presidential polls result. Although the election was much thawed, but with Kalonzoi Musyoka working side by side with Raila Odinga things could have been different.

This kind of ego-centric and self-serving interest has denied, is what has denied this proud community the chance to produce a politician with the national outlook who could capture the hearts of Kenyan electorate across the country.

To examine the Kamba community recent past political history dating back to 1960s,especially at the time of the country’s attained hr political independence in 1963,the Kambas were politically divided into small patches, one that is behind Paul Joseph Ngei, the other one supporting the founding father of the nation Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, another group particularly those from Machakos region were firm in the pockets of the late Tom Mboya while those in Kitui were firm in the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga camp of radicals or loosely the so called leftists pursuing scientific socialism based on borrowed foreign political ideologies..

The attitudes of the Kamba politicians of the old days, were just similar in comparison to the self-centered policies currently being pursued by the Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka.

In 1960, Paul Joseph Ngei {Kin-Kuu} wearing a black hut with inscription PG meaning prison graduate too the Kenyan nation with storm, He immediately earned the nick name Bwana Mashamba owing to his hard-line stance by demanding that all the white settlers in this country should immediately vacate their farms , pack and go even before independence.

Ngei had just been released from the colonial jail and detention camps in the remote Northern Kenya, therefore his claims to be a prison graduate was somehow justified. He became classified by the colonial administration as extremely radical politician, and was grouped and categorized with Jaramogi Oginga Odinga by the colonial intelligence unit of the Kenya police.

At the time KANU was led by another ex-detainee, but a teacher by profession but a moderate politician James Samuel Gichuru a Kikuyu from Kiambu, while Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was the party’s vice president and Tom Mboya also a Luo, but urbanized Nairobian was the party Secretary General and William Mbolu Malu a Kamba from Machakos was the KANU national Treasurer.

Kenyatta was release one year later in 1961.Ngei and Kenyatta together with Bildad Kaggia, Richard Achieng’Oneko, Kungu Karumba and Fred Kubai were the Famous Kapenguria Six accused of managing Mau Mau and were all sentenced to seven year hard labor. After the completion of their jail term which started in 1953, each was banished to a detention camp also in the northern region of Kenya as part of corporal punishment.

There were two major competing political parties, namely Kenya African Union {KANU} and the Kenya African Democratic Union {KADU}, which claims to have amalgamated minority communities. Kadu also had its affiliates like Mombasa African Democratic Union, Maasai United front and Kalenjin Political Alliance, while KANU had its smaller party affiliated to it such as Nairobi People Convention Party {NPCP}, Central Nyanza District Association {ADA},Nairobi African District Congress and South Nyanza District Political Association {SINDAPA}

The Mt Kenya region residents were not allowed under the emergency to form a party. The region groups the Kikuyu, Embu and Meru referred to as {KEM}.Political activities in this Mau Mau infested region was not allowed until late in 1960 when a countrywide African political party in the name of KANU was formed and registered.

Upon his release from detention camp, Ngei immediately identified himself with KANU and toured many parts of Kenya addressing mammoth of crowds, at time even shedding tear about the African land which had been forcefully grabbed by whites.

The late Kenyatta also came out of detention camp in Maralal, Samburu district and immediately identified himself with KANU, but emphasized the need for the two parties to form a united front so that they could expedite the achievement of Uhuru.

This was at the time when Kenya leaders were preparing themselves to travel to the second and final Lancaster house Round Table Constitution Conference in London, UK. Kenyatta had secured a seat in the colonial Legislative Council when the late Kariuki Njiri who a year earlier had won the Fort Hall {Murang’s} seat in the mini-general election of1961 voluntarily resigned paving the way for Kenyatta entry into the H8use. Ngei did not get a chance or anyone to vacate his or her set for him to enter Parliament and was very apprehensive about this.

Non-Legco members were not eligible to attend the London Constitutional Conference even as in observer status, but Ngei insisted that he must attend as pat of KANU delegation to the talks.

A wing of KANU led by Gichuru and Mboya was not comfortable with Ngei, though he forced his way to London. Upon his return, Ngei developed hostility incessantly attacking KANU leaders, Kenyatta included. And in the same year Kenyatta called for a delegate conference. The meeting was held at Kaloleni Hall, Nairobi and attended by close to 2400 representatives from district branches throughout Kenya.

On the first day, Ngei who by that time had teamed u Jaramogi Oginga Odinga launched scathing attack on Gichuru Mboya axis dismissing them as imperialist’s agents, and demanded that those who had not graduated from prison should be kicked out of KANU leadership so that those who had suffered imprisonment in the cause of liberation war should replace them.

ON kamba support of Ngei by the name Victor Kasimbih from Kitui insulted Kenyatta and dismissed him as too old to lead. Kasimbihi who seemed to be partly mentally deranged was thrown out of the halls window by muscled KANU youths with Kenyatta reaching his bakora {walking stick} and saying “Mwacheni akione cha mtema kuni.Thge matter, however, calmed down with Kenyatta defending Mboya to the hilt and no top KANU official lost his or her job demoted or dismissed.

This did not please Ngei who had declared himself he was going toi be the KANU SECRETARY-General. Therefore Ngei walked out of KANU and Kenyatta readily approved. He formed his own African People Party {APP} which was soon to become the third largest political party in the country.

Ngei claimed there was a “ Sungura Mjanja” loosely translated as the rascal hare!!. Mboya hit back the hardest by referring Ngei’s APP as Akamba Pickpockets Party . Kenyatta disowned Ngei wondering why he was jailed in Kapenguria whereas his role was theft of motor vehicles spare parts in Grogan Road in Nairobi {now Kirinyaga}. The exchange of insults by boh side went for the duration of the 1963 general election. App won only nine seats, two senate for kitui and Machakos and seven members in the National Assembly.

APP failed to attract the following from other communities outside Ukambani with exception of the late Elijah Omolo Agar a radical politician who had also come out of detention camp and temporarily disagree with Mboya and Oodinga. Agar served as the APP National Organizing Secretary, but on sensing that APP had no feature ditched it and return to KANU shortly before the 1963 general election and won became the first Karachuonyo MP, a seat which he won as an independent KANU candidate.

Kenyatta deliberately appointed Ngei’s arch-rival in Kamba political derby Eliud Ngala Mwenda to the post independence cabinet as the Minister for Labour, and Ngei after sensing that he was in the cold trooped back to KANU together with his seven MPs and two Senators and were welcomed by Kenyatta who immediately appointed him the chairman of the defunct Western Kenya Marketing Board based in Kisum

The hitherto vibrant Western Kenya Produce and marketing Board was immediately hit with the claims of massive financial scandals and theft of maize, which sent its general manager, J.P.Oyende, to prison and Ngei narrowly escaped Punishment by whisker in what many observers saw as due to Kenyatta’s personal intervention to save the skin of his fellow former prison colleagues at Lodwar..

Ngei was later welcomed back to the cabinet and serve as Ministries for Co-operative Development and Housing.

I have just summarized all these to justify my claims at the opening of this article that Kamba politics is always shrouded in betrayal opportunism and confusion. Ngei’s story is not far from what Kalono Musyoka has been conducting himself in Kenya politics.

Reading fro the borderline point of view the conduct of the Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, how he jumped the ship at the eleventh hours when the ODM, was heading for a landslide election victory, how he readily joined Kibaki during the dispute of the tallying of presidential votes in 2007, and how he has been involved in diplomatic shuttle in futile attempt to have the Ocampo Six cases at the ICC deferred by the UN for one year, one would rightly say the Kambas are still far away from producing a national leader with nationalistic command to the hearts of all Kenyans people.

What wikileaks had written about Kalonzo are not far from being the truth and nothing. Our Vice President seemed not to like the politics of consistency. Of late he has become the architect of sycophantic outbursts each time he opened his mouth. He therefore need to weigh his remarks in public rallies and newspaper statements

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Kenya: National Land Audit

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from odhiambo okecth

Friends,

We must do a quick National Land Audit and determine who has been settled where since Independence.

We must then ask for fairness in the process of resettlement.

It is not in anyone interests that Kenyans are being declared IDPs yet we have vast pieces of lands held in private hands, land that was never acquired legally in the first place.

It is in our interest as Kenyans to address this problem once and for all. The “Government’ seems to be hell bent on repeating history. When we fight as Kenyans, a few people in the “Government’ benefit the more. They are hence keen not in settling the question of IDPs.

I bet we are smarter now and we can live to the dictates of the New Constitution in as far as the Land Question is concerned.

This is a time bomb that will destroy Kenya if not well handled, or if handled the way it is being handled now; where “Government’ id hawking some Kenyans as IDPs.

Oto

USA: The “Why” of Birtherism

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from Taras W.

“President Obama … grew up abroad, to be sure, but he spent most of his educational career right here in the United States, indoctrinated in the traditions of the progressives and the Frankfurt School [of Marxism]. Ironically enough, the biggest problem for America arises if President Obama was born here – because if he was, the problem of un-Americanism is now internal rather than external. Perhaps that is why so many Americans wonder about the birth certificate – they hope against hope that President Obama is a symptom of a foreign ill rather than a domestic one. … We have an ideological problem in our midst, and no amount of digging in Kenya and Indonesia is going to solve a problem that now starts right here.”

http://frontpagemag.com/2011/04/22/about-the-birth-certificate/

from Chuck Lipsig

Interesting article — and I think ideology does give Obama a certain … I don’t want to call it either un-American or anti-American, because those have more specific meanings, then the raw words … so say, non-Americanism, in that he does not buy into certain aspects of the American mythology (and, note, I do not use mythology to imply falseness here) that previous Presidents (even Clinton) have, as much as his relatively rags to riches story would be an example of one of the stories of said American mythology.

There is also another, less savory, reason that birtherism survives and that’s the same reason why many opposed to Bush insisted that he did not truly win the Presidency in 2000 and, therefore, was not truly the President. That is, the office carries a certain amount of respect. For many people, even if one is seriously opposed to the President’s politics, one respects the office. But if Obama is not truly the President, then one does not have to give respect for the office to the man in the office. Similarly, many Democrats were more willing to criticize Bush, while out of the country not (just) because of the philosophies discussed in the article, but, because, if he were not truly the President, then he was not due the respect of office.

Mind you, this likely will, if it hasn’t already, have the effect of eroding respect for the office itself. The practice of not respecting the office holder for reasons that are considered legitimate may seep into being disrespect for the office, itself, regardless of one’s belief in the legitimacy of the office-holder … I leave it as an exercise for the individual, of whether that’s necessarily a bad thing.

—
Chuck Lipsig — Gainesville, FL — chuck.lipsig@gmail.com

“When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” — C.S. Lewis

from MARTIN WOOSTER

Chuck, I think you’re right that “birtherism” is a way of showing that Obama’s election is somehow illegitimate and therefore he has no right to be President. It’s the hardline right equivalent of the hanging chad.

I believe that Obama would be perfectly comfortable being a European social democrat. Or a Canadian Liberal. That doesn’t mean he’s a socialist because we don’t have socialists in America (*koff* *koff* *koff*). But if Barack Obama Sr. had moved to Britain instead of the U.S. I could see Obama as housing or community development minister in a Labour cabinet.

Martin Morse Wooster.

KENYA: RAILA IS STILL COMMANDING A SIZABLE NUMBER OF VOTES OUT OF THE MUCH HIGHLIGHTED 1.8 MILLION KALENJIN VOTES IN THE RIFT VALLEY.

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

The premature assumption, that the political influence of the Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga has waned in most parts of the vast Rift Valley Province, particularly in those area inhabited by members of the larger Kalenjin ethnic groups, is just a myth.

The ODM is still the party of choice, and Raila is still commanding a very substantial number of votes among the Kalenjins and non-Kalenjin registered voters as per 2007 registration in the region.

Moreover, the Kalenjins are not the only inhabitants of the Rift Valley Province. If the number of people registered as voters in this region could be forensically audited, on constituency by constituency, the result would show that the number of the genuinely registered Kalenjin voters did not exceed 1.5 million voters in the whole of the Province.

There is no assurance that these people would all vote for Ruto-Kenyatta amorphous alliance in whichever party the duo chose to run on its ticket at the election time.

Rift Valley has thousands of residents who are not members of the Kalenjin ethnic group, but whose voting strength is well spread from Aldai and Tinderet in the Nandi County, Eldoret North in the Uasin Gishu County, Trans-Nzoia, Kericho County, Samburu, Turkana and Pokot regions, Samburu, Laikipia, Nakuru and Naivasha and Narok and Kajiado Counties.

The Maasai and Kikuyu factors in some parts of the Rift Valley Province must be taken into account by whoever is a amateurish political analyst. If William Ruto and his handlers are banking of harvesting the all of the 1.8 Kalenjin votes as per the 2007 registration, this could be a piped dream.

It is obvious that there will be a substantial increases in the percentage of voters when the new generation Kenyan youth got their new national identity cards and duly registered as voters, but such expected increase could push the voting strength on upward trend in the Kalenjin inhabited region to close to 2 million mark.

In order to come out with an accurate figure about the latest standing of voters registration, the expert analysts should visit registered voters roll in most parts of the Rift Valley Province, which if there is anything like iota of the truth to go by is tilted in favor of Raila Odinga.

Following the newly found political alliance of Kenyatta, Ruto and Kalonzo Musyoka, newspapers in this country have been carrying out reports by biased political analysts based on ethnicity overtones that Raila chose to have another shot at the presidency in 2012, he will go into the race minus the many Kalenjin votes in the Rift Valley.

The truth of the matter is that not all the 1.8 million registered voters in the predominantly Kalenjin inhabited regions are actually members of the Kalenjin ethnic groups. Half a dozen of rural constituencies in the lower part of the Rift Valley could be termed as cosmopolitan constituencies.

The Kalenjin people who are arguably the indignant people of the Rift Valley are scattered from the Mt. Elgon, to Laikipia, Nakuru, Naivasha, Molo, Kuresoi, Rongai, Subukia, Trans-Nzoia,Trans-Mara and in other regions are sparsely populated. A moderate estimate would give the pure Kalenjin voting strength to 1.5 M and not 1.8 M as claimed in recent analysis by people with vested tribal interests.

One single and moist populous Kalenjin sub-tribe, which is a member of the larger Kalenjin ethnic groups, is the Kipsigis. This particular community occupied the rural reserve land in two Counties of Kericho and Bomet. Its members are also well spread on he Diasporas regions like Trans-Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Laikipia, Nandi, Trans-Mara, Molo, Nakuru with strong concentration in Molo and Mau Narok areas. The community also wielded a lot of influence in politics of Rongai and Subukia constituencies in Nakuru County as well as in Kuresoi in Molo region and also in Diasporas area of the neighboring Kilgoris and Narok North and Narok West. But is combined voting strength in the Rift Valley Province as whole could be moderately estimated to be around 800,000 or slightly more.

The Kipsigis is followed in population strength by their Nandi cousins, a community whose strength is spread to the neighboring Uasin Gushu County and Cherangany in Trans-Nzoia. However, the combined voting strength of the Nandis could not exceed the 500,000m marks The County of Nandi has two parliamentary constituencies whose inhabitants could be said to be a mixture f multi-ethnics. These are Aldai which has a large numbers of Luhyas inhabitants and Tinderet which has the largest number of immigrant workers in th tea plantations and factories from the neighboring communities of Luos, Kisiis and Luhyas{mainly the Maragolis and Tirikis}.

A combined voting strength of the sparsely populated like Sabaot,Turkana,Rendiles,El-molo,Samburu, Pokot, Marakwet,Tugen and Keiyo does not exceed 300,000 though these small and nomad communities had more constituencies, a factor which could as well be attributed to the influence of the retired President Daniel Arap Moi during his twenty four years reign of power. The number of registered voters in some constituencies does not exceed 30,000 or far much below that figure, but they were favored with more constituencies in the same fashion as they were favored with good road network, communications and electricity supplies as well as good infrastructure in general.

Those prophets of dooms, who have been dismissing Raila as a finished man in the Rift Valley, appear to be deliberately ignoring the Moi factor and the resurging of KANU influence in some pats of the predominantly Kalenjin inhabited regions. The retired President is still a power to reckon with in the region. Those ignoring his influence must do so at their own peril because he is still calling shots among the diverse communities in the region.

In the 2007 general elections, the Kipsigis was one single community in the South Rift, which voted to Raila and ODM on man to man and woman to woman basis. The Kipsigis gave Mr Odinga close or over 600,000 voters and voted in eight ODM MPs in Chepalungu, Bomet, Sotik, Konoin, Buret, Belgut, Ainamoi and Kipkellion parliamentary electoral constituencies. Members of this community living in Diasporas in Kuresoi also vote for an extra MP for ODM bringing the figure to nine.

Raila and his ODM party had the unswerving support services of the late Donald Kipkalia Kones now deceased following an aircraft accident, and the former Deputy Chief of the General Staff {CGS}of the combined Kenya armed forces Lt.Gen. {rtd} John Arap Koech . The two highly respected personalities in Kipsigis land launched vigorous campaign that propelled Raila to the top when it came to the polling day.

The only grave mistake Raila did at the material time was that he over-trusted his deputy ODM party leader the Eldoret North William Ruto who had a burning presidential ambition, and therefore was not playing in the same league with “Agwambo”.

Ruto while working in collaboration with the Belgut MP Charles Keter had secretly hatched secret plan to ensure that no Raila loyalist has won any elective post in the region. All those who were perceived to be staunch supporters of Raila were either fought in a tooth and nail battle or were deliberately rigged out. Kones, Lorna Laboso, Franklin Bettnrowl survive the onslaught and squeezed narrow victories in their respective constitencies.

One aspirant Justice Kemei a former Marketing and Corporate director at the Muhoroni based Chemelil Sugar Company had beaten Keter who is a Ruto’s spanner boy hands down during the party’s prel8minaries, but was eventually denied clearance at the Orange House on the alleged Ruto’s instruction. Lt. Gen. Koech was rigged out at Ainamoi and young school headmaster in the name of the late David Too was cleared for having won. In the consequent by-election which took place after Too was murdered by a police traffic officer in Eldoret town, K0oexch was rigged out for the second time. He vehemently protested against the outcome and wanted the preliminary re-run again, but despite of his plea for irregularities his appeal did not materialized, and the late David Too’s younger brother who was still very fresh from the

Another important factor in the Rift Valley is the Maasai. This particular community occupied the two Counties of Narok and Kajiado and has the most important votes. Most of the Maasai reserve land has in the recent past been invaded by new immigrant from other neighboring communities, but with more than half a dozen parliamentary constituencies, the Maasai stand to be the deciding factor in the Rift Valley.

The Maasai are said not to be dancing the tone of Kenyatta and Ruto or to that of Kalonzo Musyoka, and consider they not to be members of the extended Kalenjin ethnic groups. The Maasai are well spread in Laikipia, Nanyuki and in Samburu.

The Maasais voting strength in the Rift Valley is close to slightly over 400,000

University of Nairobi School of Accountancy Benjamin Too was erroneously declared the winner to the chagrins of the voters in Ainamoi. All these happened despite Raila having been forewarned of Ruto’s secret scheme to derail him. The warning and advice were ignored.

Another blunder made by Raila was that soon after the peace negotiation conducted by the former UN Chief Executive Dr. Kofi Annan, which resulted in the formation of the grand coalition government of PNU/ODM, he was et up by his political enemies to handle the most volatile issue of evicting the illegal squatters in the Mau Forest, one of the biggest water tower in the region.

Raila political enemies within the coalition government knew pretty well that Raila was on a collision with the Kalenjins, the community which had voted for him on 100 per cent in 2007, and had hatched a scheme to undercut him and delink him to that very community. Despite of the pleas and advice from certain quarters that such a move would only depict him as an enemy of the Kalenjin people, Raila hastily rushed into the issue and publicly vowed that he was ready to accept any political responsibility and its eventual consequences, the costs and price.

In this context, Raila wanted to succeed in evicting the so called illegal squatters from the Mau Forest, a crucial move where the previous presidents like Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki, had filed, though he had no executive power to do so.

He was too much in hurry to print his authority on volatile issues., But he should weighed his options while knowing it pretty well that the scheme to assigned him on this particular responsibility was ploy hatched elsewhere by his perceived political enemies and was going to mirror negatively on his political future with possible adverse repercussions.

As a “Agwambo” brushed his shoulders with the Kalenjin legislators who came up fire spitting in defense of their community. At the same time emerged reports that some of the legislators led by his deputy William Ruto were frequenting Harambee House for secret meetings with the Head of State over the same issue, which is the most intriguing aspect of it, and a clear indication that the move had only half-hearted government backing.

Raila should have smelt a rat of the political scenarios that followed the hullabaloo about Mau Forest eviction of the so called illegal squatters, majority of them who were said to have been allocated their and by the retired President Daniel Arap Moi and had secured their land registration certificates and title deeds.

This was a gross miscalculation by Raila because he played in the hands of his political enemies, who knew the repercussions of such action, taking into account that the land is the most valued asset by the Kalenjin people just next to their sacred herds of cattle. His detractors had succeeded in delinking him to the community that made him become the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya. However, all is not lost and a close check by this writer, has unearthed the truth is that the majority of the ordinary Kalenjin people, apart from the political hirelings and so-called power brokers are still having faith and confidence on the Prime Minister and would vote for him in the 2012 and his party despite of the intensive heat turned on him by the Kenyatta,Ruto Kalonzo Musyoka axis.

Raila need only to move with speed and smash the allegations heaped on him that he is a difficult person to work with as well orchestrated by William Ruto and his troop soldiers in the Rift Valley. He needs to refute in the strongest term that he is a lone ranger who listens to nobody’s advice.

He is equally admired by the Kalenjin for having displayed the politics of maturity and statesmanship by ignoring the insults hurled at him by the Kenyatta Ruto and their supporters at the various public rallies, which members of the public believe to be false propaganda.

Ruto, who is trying to take over the mantle of Kalenjin leadership still fall short behind Daniel Arap Moi. He is betrayed by his family tree lineage. He is said to have been a member of the Kipsigis community from Belgut region and that his family had moved to Nandi, but could not establish his true sub-clan back in Kipsigis. The same is happening with his Nandi linkage. He could not identify the real sub-clan, which he belonged to, and many people were now casting doubt about his real identity and family background.

The common talk of building up another leader to lead the Kalenjin to political glory in the near future is the offing, and the man whose name is frequently being mentioned is the former Agriculture Minister Kipruto Arap Kirwa. Other names being flkated included that of Franklin Bett the Minister for Roads, the nominated MP Musa Sirma, former power-man and a long serving cabinet Minister in the Moi regime Nicholas Kiprono Arap Biwott.

Ends

Kenya: Raila is still on the lead of presidential aspirants in Kenya says the latest opinion poll

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Wtites Leo Odera Omolo

Prime Minister Raila Odinga remains the most preferred presidential candidate if elections were held today.

Latest opinion poll released by Synovate showed Raila leads the pack with 38 per cent while Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta trails the PM at 18 per cent followed by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka at 13 per cent and suspended Agriculture Minister William Ruto at eight per cent.

Gichugu MP Martha Karua was rated at six per cent followed by Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa and Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi who polled three and one per cent respectively.
Synovate lead researcher Tom Wolf after releasing the opinion poll results Friday.

House Speaker Kenneth Marende and Assistant Minister Peter Kenneth polled one per cent each in the presidential ratings.

Synovate lead researcher Tom Wolf told The Standard On Saturday that if Uhuru, Ruto and Kalonzo decided to field one of their own as a presidential candidate, the race will be intense.

“Their combined force if they agree to back one of their own will make the race very interesting as it will pit their choice against Raila,” said Wolf.

He however said the outcome of The Hague process will affect the presidential race.

WARRING ODM FACTIONS

In the Synovate poll released in February, Raila led the list of Presidential hopefuls at 34 per cent from 47 per cent in October last year meaning he had gained four points in yesterday’s poll. Uhuru, who polled 16 per cent in February gained two points.

Kalonzo who was ranked at eight per cent in February gained five points in Friday’s poll.

Forty one per cent of those interviewed said they felt close to ODM as a party followed by 21 per cent who rooted for PNU with ODM-Kenya garnering a seven per cent approval.

On party unity, 67 per cent of the respondents said ODM was the least united political party followed by PNU at 10 per cent and Ford-Kenya at four per cent. The poll showed 48 per cent of those interviewed said dissenting MPs in ODM should resign their seats, join another party and go for by-elections as a means of resolving the division in ODM.

Also, 36 per cent said the dissenting MPs should be expelled from the party while five per cent said the warring factions should reconcile.

Among those interviewed, 83 per cent said they identified with the Raila-led ODM while 15 per cent rooted for the Ruto-led team.

Regarding the investigation and possible prosecution of those responsible for the post-election violence, 82 per cent of the pollsters said they supported Raila’s stance on The Hague process with 63 per cent of those polled supporting Ruto’s stance on a local tribunal.

On the killing of dangerous criminals by police, 67 per cent of those interviewed in North Eastern supported the move with Coast Province giving the least approval of the killings at three per cent.

On the rating of institutions and personalities, the media topped with high approval rating of 88 per cent followed by House Speaker Kenneth Marende, the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission, the Kofi Annan team that brokered the Government Coalition deal in 2008 at 83, 82 and 79 per cent respectively.

Ends

KENYA: RACE FOR KISUMU COUNTY GOVERNOR GETS HOTTER

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BY JEFF OTIENO

Daggers are already drawn for the Kisumu County Governor seat following the declaration of Mumias sugar sales Executive Simon Hongo.

Hongo aged 40, is a native from Kogony clan and enjoys fanatical youthful following courtesy of his rapport and sound financial muscle.

For the last couple of years he embarked on a vigorous fundraising campaign trying to build schools, Churches and has extended his Olive branch to over 50 bright but destitute students in Kisumu and its environs.

Observers argue that the bespectacled sales executive will be a force to reckon with in the race considering that he is closely associated and a brainchild of the revered Mumias sugar chief Executive Dr.Evans Kidero.

The duo according to observers have literally turned Mumias Sugar Company into unrivalled profit making outfit, thanks to their managerial approach which is an ingredient required in a county like Kisumu.

He will however have to contend with the resilience of 47 years old insurance consultant Simon Ogendo. Ogendo has a masters Degree from one of the prestigious universities in London (City University), he is a fellow of chartered insurance institute London, a chartered insurer with entrenched business links in London.

Ogendo hails from Kasagam clan and is the son of one of the most respected Kisumu Mayor the late Ogendo Ponge. It’s from this political background which has really catapulted his stature a head of the duel.

Wealthy 42 years old Mombasa based business magnet Polycap Ocholla Kamili is also in the ring to be watched.The oil magnet cum property tycoon is said to have also put strong structures in the ground and according to his admirers,its only a question of time to prove that.

Ocholla hails from Nyakach constituency but has settled in Koru-Muhoroni constituency.He has got business outlets in all the three constituencies out of the six which makes up the Kisumu county.Kisumu county has got six constituencies namely Kisumu Rural,Kisumu East Kisumu West Nyando Nyakach and Muhoroni.

Other hopefuls are former Managing Director of Portland Cement John Otieno Nyambok who is a sojourner in Kano but with original roots in Ugenya Kager clan Siaya County.

Before his unceremonious exit in Portland Cement, Nyambok worked briefly with Smithklime Beecham Pwani oil and as a receiver Manager of Muhoroni Sugar Company.During his tenure at Portland Cement, most of his cronies whom he tried to empower were from his place of origin of Ugenya Kager , a move which has impacted negatively on his bid according to political pundits.

To crown the list is Jack Ranguma who also hails from Kano clan and a former commissioner with Kenya Revenue Authority (K.R.A)

Ranguma is a down to earth man but pundits opine that he should move a notch higher by shelving his tower kind of attitude if he’s to triumph.

END

Kenya: Kenyatta / Ruto political marriage of convenience is bound to fail even long before the next general elections

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Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

INTER-tribal political deals, peace and reconciliations built for political motives for the purpose of helping those individuals nursing presidential ambition, and for undercutting their perceived political enemies, will not last, but are bound to fail.

It is an alliance based on malicious intention to undercut Raila Odinga, the Prime Minister, the man who is truly the darling of every Kenyans with exception of those who have succeeded in enriching themselves from ill-gotten wealth after vandalizing the country’s resources with impunity in the past.

The modern political history of Kenya explains it explicitly clear that any inter-tribal political alliance formed between the Kikuyu politicians and leaders from other communities will always collapse before achieving its objectives and goals. Therefore the much highlighted political alliance between the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and the MP for Eldoret North William Samoei Arap Ruto is just a temporary political marriage of convenience.

People should be bothered by such amorphous alliances, because it is just born out of panicking about the impending trials by the ICC at The Hague.

Dishonesty and non-commitment to any inter-tribal political alliances between the leaders from the Mount Kenya region and politicians from non-Kikuyu community could be well chronicled back from the days of the State of Emergency following its declaration by the then colonial governor Sir Evelyn Baring on the night of October 20th,1952.

The Kikuyu leaders hatched heinous schemes of killing individual personalities, particularly non-Kikuyus they then perceived to be the collaborator of the colonialists. This was the time when the likes of the late Tom Mbotela, the late Ambrose Ofafa were shot and killed by Mau Mau agents in Nairobi.

In 1958 the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was then the Colonial Legislative Member for Central Nyanza and chairman of the African Elected Members Organization {AEMO}. He was believed to have been nursing presidential ambition himself. But had realized that his way up to the ladder, was being blocked by the presence of the much enlightened and urbanized Tom Mboya and Ronald Gideon Ngala. He shocked everyone by declaring that Jomo Kenyatta was the leader of this country.

Jaramogi did so in the same fashion as the Environmental Minister, John Michuki, who recently went public declaring that Uhuru Kenyatta, according to his opinion, would be the leader of the Kikuyu people {Not Kenya}.

Jaramoigi in a later statement referred Kenyatta as the second God of all Kenyan people, a statement that embarrassed and irked religious leaders in this country.

Those who knew Jaramogi well could still testify that Oginga Odinga was not genuine in his pronouncements, but all were due to guarded jealousy that Tom Mboya was increasingly becoming more popular and recognized both locally and internationally as the most suitable and preferable leader of Kenya at the material time. Jaramog’s objective was to undercut Mboya’s rising political star at the time.

The political difference at the time between Jaramogi and Mboya was based on the following factors. Mboya was more urbanized and had the upper hand in communication skills, whereas Jaramogi represented Central Nyanza, a rural constituency whose constituents were mainly Luos, and was not exposed to national and international political intricacies.

Mboya had won the Nairobi area seat reserved for an African on Kikuyu majority votes, a fete which he repeated in 1961 when Jaramogi ganged behind Dr. Munyua Wayaki and made the frantic effort to unseat him.

Following his outburst about the then still incarcerated Kenyatta, Jaramogi become an instant hero, and the darling of the Kikuyu people. to the chagrins of some Kikuyu up-coming leaders like the late Dr. Julius Gikonyo Kiano and others who had distanced themselves to his pronouncements.

Jaramogi’s outbursts temporarily endeared him to a close nit friendship with Kenyatta immediately when the latter came out of detention camp in the northern Kenya in 1961and this temporary friendship of convenience lasted between 1961 and 1964. The two leaders became so close that they even went into joint ventures in several businesses enterprises, both in Nairobi and Mombasa, before independence in 1963.

Kenyatta had taken over the mantle of KANU leadership as its President, a position which was previously been held by the late James Samuel Gichuru. Jaramogi remained the Vice President of KANU since the party’s inception at Kiambu in June 1960 and Kenyatta appointed him the Minister for home Affairs for only one year.

But it was not long before the matter took a dramatic change in December 1964 when Kenya attained her republican status and the Queen of England ceased to be the head of state replaced by President Jomo Kenyatta. Jaramogi was shocking and surprisingly relegated to the empty cell of Vice President and Minister without Portfolio.

Mboya, who had served in a powerful ministerial slot of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, was equally relegated to the hitherto unheard of Ministry of Planning and Development where he had to start from scratch. A cabal of close Kiambu advisers, from what was known as “Gatundu Parliament” acting on the advice of the former Director o the Security Intelligence, James Kanyotu, from Ndia, had launched a well orchestrated and elaborate plan to sideline both Odinga and Mboya. Their close friends among the Kikuyus who were in the cabinet were summarily summoned to Gatundu, home of Kenyatta, and reprimanded with a stern warning to keep away from the two who became virtually isolated, though they were still serving in the cabinet secret meetings, were switched from State House to Gatundu where important government decision were made.

Rumors and insinuations of all kinds rent the air, about the threat of the Kenyatta government being toppled, by either Jaramogi using the Communist forces from abroad or Mboya using American and British forces. And suspicion became the order the day forcing Jaramogi’s premature resignation after Kenyatta had used Mboya, a fellow Luo, to kick out of both government and KANU party, his hitherto friend Jaramogi and his supporters following the infamous Limuru Conference.

Immediately after this the political scenario in Kenya had changed drastically with the cabal of Kenyatta’s advisers now trained their guns and focus on Mboya’s elimination, which they did on July 5,1969.

At this point in time Daniel Ara Moi had become the closest political associate of Kenyatta. The alliance thrived and was aimed primarily and strategically to have no dissenting views from the Kalenjin leaders about Kenyatta scheme to settle thousands of his Kukuyu tribesmen to the former White Highland farms previously owned by the white settlers who had left the country for fear of chaos at the independence.

The only Kalenjin leader who voiced concern about unfolding event was the late Tinderet MP, Marie John Seroney, who reportedly and bravely launched what was known as Hand Hills Declaration, was immediately consigned to the detention camp. His supporter, the Eldoret North MP Saina, was arraigned in court and earned long term prison sentence on framed up and flimsy criminal charges.

But when it come to the turn of Moi to succeed Kenyatta, the same cabal of Kiambu politicians led by Kihika Kimani, Njoroge Mungai, james Gichuru,Julius Gikonyo Kiano, Mbiyu Koinange with the help of the colorless Kamba politician, Paul Joseph Ngei, ganged up and came up with chorus call for constitutional change which was meant to bar Moi from succeeding the ageing Kenyatta.

It was the then powerful Attorney General Charles Mugane Njonjo who saved Moi’s neck. Njonjo came out with a stern warning that the group action bordered on treason offence of plotting against the President, and the issue was abruptly abandoned. Its proponents beat the hasty retreat. This timely action by Njonjo paved the way for Daniel Moi’s accession to power following the death of Kenyatta on August 22,1978.

But Njonjo’s closeness to Moi did not last long. The same cabal of Kenyatta’s advisers, after realizing that Njonjo’s rising political star was growing much faster, moved at top speed and secretly advised Moi against Njonjo, under the pretext that the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs was involved in the conspiracy to have his government overthrown with the assistance of foreign mercenaries from South Africa and other Western countries.

The serious allegation led to Moi and Njonjo parting company. These people had not forgiven Njonjo for having stood firm against their heinous and futile plan, to block Moi from succeeding Kenyatta, and made it sure that they crate friction between Njonjo and his boss Moi.

Again the MOU reached between President Kibaki and Raila Odinga in 2002, under the auspices of Narc-Kenya, after Raila had vigorously campaigned for Kibaki to be elected the President despite of his ill-health following a fatal road accident, did not materialize for long forcing Raila out of the government following the first referendum victory over Kibaki in November 2005.

It would therefore be a miracle if the alliance between Ruto and Kenyatta will survive and sustain the heat of advices from the same Kikuyu cabals of advisers, particularly if Kenyatta wins and becames the president. Ruto could easily find himself in Kamiti Maximum Security prison for his alleged parts in mass eviction of Kiukuyu from their acquired farms in Molo, Elburgon, Uasin Gishu, Kuresoi, Londiani, Burn Forest, Likia, Subukia, Rongai and other places in the Central and South, North and South of the Rift Valley.

The history as told in the foregoing has told us that any MOU between the leaders fro Mt. Kenya region with those from other parts of Kenya is unworkable due to self-seated egoists. But if it could materialize and work if Ruto become the President, and not under Uhuru Kenyatta’s presidency. This is a hard fact which any level minded Kenyan must know.

It is indeed very interesting that anyone who wants to gain political fame in our Kenya today must open his ambition by invoking the Name of Raila Odinga, not as a hero, but as a villain. The Prime Minister has become the punching bag for amateurish political novices who at times openly display their political naivety by making irresponsible public pronouncements.

It is question of wait and see, if a party that is formed in the premises of numerous criminal cases, will stand the test of the day, and propel its leaders to the presidency!! In my view this is a big joke and my fellow Kenyans, I am sure, have been following the events very keenly. And I am sure they will make intelligent guesswork and arrive at a decision that would bring to an end all the hullaballoo and politics of deceits.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

USA: Surprises Awaits A Government Shut-Down….

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Folks,

Government shutdown is just about to take effect at midnight. The battle has turned from policy issue to social concerns held firmly by the Republicans and Tea Partiers, which has taken a centre stage celebrated by the leader John A. Boehner, making the matter seem more complex. This excitement might be short-lived when reality begin to dawn.

As Quoted by Harry Reid, the Democratic Senate majority leader, said Thursday, that, “The only things — I repeat, the only things — holding up an agreement are two of their so-called social issues: women’s health and clean air.”

Speaker John A. Boehner begged to differ, saying that Democrats and Republicans were far apart in every way. After a meeting on Thursday at the White House, Mr. Boehner said, “When I see what the White House has to offer today, it’s really just more of the same.” In other words he stopped leading from the center to finalize a deal, but engages in tearing the budget deal far apart from concluding it.

Unforeseen Danger Looming

This Debate is headed to the direction of Government Shutting Down and it has generated steam from DC Residence who are giving warnings that in the event of the shut down, the government Trash collection will not work and DC Residence will post Boehner’s Street Address where all DC Residence will deliver their trash at Boehner’s door.

You can imagine that happening because of poor leadership Boehner and Tea Partiers will have resolved to. Shutting the Government simply from non-policy legislative write up issues, a conspiracy which will eventually be overturned over to personality issues, a blame game on the President that he failed to offer leadership in passing the Budget will hold no water.

There is no strong Country in the world without a Government Regulatory and monitoring system put in place to safeguard its citizen. This is where the security and interests of citizen are protected from business community rip-offs. Business lack of discipline and carelessness were the primary reason of Economic Crisis and Collapse and they were not able to steady the Country except the strong and timely Leadership in the Government saved the situation. It was the Government that bailed them out from Public Taxpayers money.

Many people are already asking why the budget was not passed last year. People forget there were more important matters that needed more special attention to save the country from Economic Collapse. These were grave concerns which required President Obama and Financial team to give undivided attention. This is because it blanketed unemployment situation which had to be matched-up concurrently in order to be stabilized and balance to steady the economy. This the President did gracefully to the satisfaction of American people, amidst firestorm critics engulfing Obama along with sharp piercing arrows aimed at him to break him up.

President Obama is as human as all of us, he is not some sort of robot, even what we know of machines, they patch-up and give way if overloaded with too much non-emergency factors as it were at that time or with too much frequencies…..In other-words, every human being and electronics or machines works just fine in perfect condition, with minimum loads. Considering also that he also needed time to study specific areas of Social funding which require clear ways for Government substantives regulatory methods to avoid unnecessary duplication to target groups. He definitely could not do all these in a hurry in a muddle, if America has to remain Economically Stable and with service deliveries.

Social programs are fundamentally wider in scope as they are the backbone life-line of any healthy society. If not tackled with carefully Plan of Action, with clear focus Forward Agenda, existence and stability of middle-class remain gloomy wish such, unionists, Non-Governmental groups, Civil Society and generally the welfare of the community’s society remain in a messed up confused cluster which in many instances fail to deliver as per the program funding requests.

With a well structured plan incorporated in the Budget, it is possible to have a fulfilling budget needs fairly, effectively and sustainably.

This is where John Boehner and Paul Ryan could have put in their efforts more in their social write-up for the policy legislation than direct this most powerful Nation into a Death Threat of a Conspiracy to a Looming Government Shut-down. These are irresponsible high-stake consequences of stage-managing a “Budget Defeat” to gain political mileage for purposes of a Government Shut-down. This is why they were elected to bring these matters for discussion on the floor for debate so they are made a policy legislation by the year 2011 budget. The suspension of the budget is just rightly placed for 2011 budget after debate. But how do you shut the Government with non-legislative issues or concern or write ups……and issues of abortion, technically, should not be factors to close the Government now … these are not logical Legislative matters precisely to cause a Government shut down……

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

Kenya: Prof Nyong’o facing lean times and his political career is under serious threat

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The outspoken and highly polished Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} is facing political dilemma with uncertain future.

Prof. Nyong’o, who is the Minister for Medical Services and the ODM MP for Kisumu Rural, is believed to be the closest political associate of the Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga and the party’s principal spokesman is facing stiffest opposition in both his party’s position and in any future elective post.

Rumors and speculations making the rounds in Kisumu City and its environs have it that the Kisumu Rural MP is currently contemplating the idea of switching from his current parliamentary seat so that he could run for the Kisumu County Senate seat during the impending general elections.

Local political pundits, however, are quick to say that the move would be a big blow if not political suicide for the Professor of economics and political science. They are predicting that such a move would bring an abrupt and premature end to his political career.

He will definitely be no match to the likes of the flamboyant and populist Eng.Maxwll Otieno Odongo who is outgoing and interacts freely with the electorates.

This is so considering the names and characters of individual personalities within Kisumu County who have already expressed their intention to contest the same seat. “Unless Raila Odinga comes to his rescue Prof. Nyong’o would not make to the Senate in a fair and transparently conducted elections,” remarked one observer in Kisumu who requested his anonymity.

Leading the pack of the half a dozen or so aspirants for the Kisumu County Senate seat is the wealthy industrialist and hotelier Eng.Maxwell Otieno Odongo who is a Nairobi based businessman, but hails from Ahero in Nyando district. Also in the race for the same seat is the Nairobi based quantity surveyor James Ocholla Ogoda, who hails from Nyakach, but now a resident of Muhoroni settlement scheme in Muhoroni district. Ogoda is the former chairman of Gor Mahia Football Club.

Both Eng. Otieno Odongo and Ocholla Ogoda had started their campaign for the senate seat in earnest immediately the new constitution was promulgated by President Mwai KIbaki, but the campaign has since slowed down

The latest entry is the man who in 1992 beat the former Kisumu MP, the late Job Henry Onyango Omino, hands down during the Ford-Kenya preliminaries. But he was denied his victory by the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, who headed the party at the time, in favor of Omino Prof.Jimmy Ageng’o. He hails from Kolwa in KisumuTown East constituency, but originally from Kisumo Korando in Kisumu Town West constituency.

Prof Ageng’o boastingly said that he was the old man in the trade, and would teach his rivals a good lesson that they will live to regret.

After loosing the 1992 election, Ageng’o went back to the US for further studies, and thereafter has been associated with various teaching jobs at the various universities in Africa. Until very recently he was teaching at the University of Mozambique in Maputo. But he has returned home joined Moi University at its constituent college at Kabianga in Kericho County.

Jimmy Ageng’o, together with James Orengo, Paul Muite, Raila Odinga Michael Kijana Wamalwa and Gitobu imanyara, were the group of youthful politicians who in 1990s coined the word “Young Turks” and launched it as a pressure group, which gave sleepless nights to the retired President Daniel Arap Moi and his monolithic KANU one party system.

Ageng’o said in Kisumu this week that he could still marshal the support from the residents in the same fashion as he did in 1992. This is because the then Kisumu Town has now been splinted into three different parliamentary constituencies like Kisumu Town East, Kisumu City Central and Kisumu Town West.

Prof. Nyong’o is also being challenged in his position as the ODM Secretary-General by an equally experienced and credible personality by the name of Prof.Larry Gumbe, who a week ago was endorsed by public acclamation to contest the position by a huge crowd of enthusiastic crowd of ODM members at a public rally held at the Kendu-Bay Show ground in North Rachuonyo district, Homa-Bay County.

Gumbe, who is the chairman of the Multiparty Democracy Movement, an NGO, is not a newcomer to the ODM politics. He had previously held the same position in both the NDP and LDP before the two parties were transformed to the Orange party.

In the position of the Kisumu County governor, Jack Ranguma, a former senior KRA top official, appeared to be a one man lonely contestant. No candidate of substantial stature has so far come out to declare interest in this important seat. May be they are still buying time to avoid being pestered by the electorates, and yet there is still plenty of time.

Prof.Nyongo’, whose Kisumu Rural constituency was recommended as one of those areas to be splinted, under the auspices of the defunct Interim Independent Boundary Commission headed by the former Vihiga MP Andrew Ligale with some parts to be rejoined with the Kisumu Town West, is said to be facing lean times.

His political future is said to be too bleak, and even within the realigned constituency, which will only cater for members of his Seme community, he is not a popular MP. He is being accused of dismal performance as an MP at the constituency level, being mean and inaccessible to the electorate.

Pundits maintain that even if he chooses to defend his parliamentary seat, he won’t make again to the August House. He is said to have lost touch with the electorate, and his political lifeline and chances for survival for the future now lays in the hand of the party supreme Raila Odinga

The man whose star is flying high for the Kisumu Senate position is Eng. Otieno Odongo He belonged to the largest Jo-Kano sub-clan whose political influence has spread widely into the three administrative districts of Nyando, Muhoroni and Kisumu Town East

The engineer-cum-lawyer is credited for having established many businesses and industries in the region in which close to 200 people got employed. His businesses span from posho mills in both Ahero and Muhoroni, to large scale sugar cane farming in Kibos, an engineering firm which is carrying out consultant work in Kenya and other countries in Africa and beyond. He is also running the Homa-Bay Tourist Hotel, which he bought from the Kenya Tourist Development Authority and another medium size hotel, which is located at the posh Milimani estate in Kisumu City and a rice mill in Ahero plus many others. On top of all these, he is the Managing Director of his business flagship Otieno Odongo and Partners Engineering Consultancy Company with its headquarters in Nairobi.

Ends

Kenya: Who Caused Kenya’s 2007 Post Election Violence & Why?

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from Judy Miriga

Folks,

First and foremost, the subject question is now in the hands of the ICC Hague to comb and give a ruling where Kenya does not qualify to do.

But the fact remain that we all know the truth as the acts were done in broad day light all we are asking is that, let Justice be done. Those found guilty will definitely face the Law.

Those who Joe Kihara is trying to implicate, he is doing it at a wrong forum, I believe it would be just right for him to apply for visa to the Netherlands at ICC Hague and put up his challenging case there……

However, I am still in charge as a voice of reason, Diaspora Spokesperson, standing tall for the voiceless. From the onset, before and after, I led the voice of reason of the Diaspora to dialogue, debate, rally and demonstrated commitment. On the second of January 2008, I swiftly planned and organized where we formed a crowd of more than 300 Kenyans and Friends of Kenyans’ demonstrators who turned up in a cold chilly winter, before US State Department during Bush Administration, demanding for an immediate intervention on “Election Thieving” and to halt Election Violence.

Former President Bush took immediate initiative in response, where he send US State Secretary Condoleeza Rice to Kenya to mediate on the same. From that point on, I echoed that, ICC Hague is the answer ! …….I have not rested since then, but kept pressure and fire on all Leaders of the World including the UN Security Council and the ICC Hague to make good on the call of Post Election Violence and crime that have been committed in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa, so to mark a symbol of change in leadership in Kenya and Africa and to guard over corruption and impunity, a monster pushing Africa into poverty death-bed and as well that African Leaders begin to play by the rule and respect the voice of reason and People’s mandate where they are required to honorably oblige and relinquish power safely and peacefully or face the law.

This we hope, will serve as a sign of responsible democracy taking root for just rule and good governance and we hope for an improved governance where Development Millennium Agenda is able to take root to benefit the people of Africa fairly from grassroot, who are the majority poor, without marginalization, discrimination or intimidation.

This behavior of Hard-Core Corrupt Leadership in Kenya and Africa has turned to be too cancerous and a dangerous monster quite unbearable. It is about time Africa see light and appreciate Blessings of God with a breathing space.

Therefore, Joe Kihara has no right to smear and create character assassination of Responsible Leaders of the West. It is a scheme they author and are nurturing thinking it will help them escape justice. They have lived in a world of wishful thinking for too long and escaped reason, but banked on indoctrinating fear factor on people they rule by iron fist for too long, imagining everyday is Sunday……Lucky go happy…..

They should know, it is time Mugumo tree can be cut by a razorblade……as the struggle continues……

Blame Game will die on thin air……….and because we want Peace, Reconciliation and Reconstruction to benefit common purpose and interests, we are looking forward to earn freedom to be enjoyed by all in a conducive environment on a fair level playing field.

ICC Hague is the way to go Joe…….No short-cut…….I am not going anywhere until this matter is fairly concluded in the best way Kenyans and Africans will appreciate Justice has finally dawned in Kenya and Africa …..

Cheers !

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

– – – – – – – – – – –

— Paul Nyandoto wrote:

From: Paul Nyandoto

OHO!, OHO! WAUUUU! what a story?.

An old parable goes like this: If somebody kills your child and you do not report to the police but you go home call your friends, make a meeting talk and come to agreement to take revenge and go a head and kill other people related to the man who is accused of killing your child. What do you call that?. Do you call that Obama, Sarkosy, Hillary Clinton, only supports ODM but not PNU or what?. I think it is high time we learn to know that killing people is not a game. Calling mass action is not the same as raping, burning people, fighting for land Kenyatta stole from the rift valley etc. or police use live bullets shoot to kill etc. How is mass action explaining Mungiki killings or secret state house meetings to kill luos in Naivasha?.

What this writer have forget is this: The killings were done when somebody had already sworn himself at night, so Kenya had a government to protect people, but completely failed. Instead made meetings to kill more.

Paul Nyandoto

– – – – – – – – – – –

Joe Kihara Munugu wrote:
Who Caused Kenya’s 2007 Post Election Violence & Why?
By Paul N. Njoroge : Nairobi, Kenya : March 30, 2011

What’s been happening lately in Libya has been an eye-opener about the real nature of the leaders in America and in the West. I now have no doubt they are a thoroughly bad lot, spiritually and morally petty, arrogant and full of contempt for people with less power than they. Of course, things are very worrying for all of us who live in the so-called Third World.

I’m certain the Second Scramble for African territory is on, and the operating ideology the ideology of the Sarkozies, Obamas and Hillary Clintons is: Might is Right!

They’ll insist on imposing puppet-leaders on our (Third World) countries.

I have begun to understand what’s been going on. For example the way these Western countries were committed to regime change in Kenya during the 2007 elections in spite of the fact that the incumbent president Mwai Kibaki is a man in real liberal mold, and had shown commitment in respecting human and democratic rights. Western powers were fed up with Kibaki simply because he was not at their beck and call, and he’d dared to do business with China.

Kibaki had also dared to pursue the attainment of national economic self-sufficiency. Somebody told me, “The white man [western powers] is not prepared to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with the African.” How true!

In contrast, Raila Odinga was ready to court the West in order to ascend to power, while treating his own Kenyan heritage with contempt. Raila’s 2007 elections campaign was premised on the proposition that nothing positive had ever been achieved during the whole period since Kenya became independent. Raila’s campaign was undemocratic and fascistic. It mobilized wholesale ethnic hatred against the Agikuyu. ODM’s 2007 election slogan was ‘Forty-One against One’, meaning all the forty-one Kenyan tribes against the enemy Kikuyus.

Nobody from the so-called democratic West ever pointed to Raila that democratic electoral campaigns are never conducted in such hateful manner against a whole innocent ethnic group.

Not Bush, not Condoleza Rice, not Barrack Obama raised a finger or warned Raila against such call and drumbeat for an all out violence on a whole Kenyan people, Kikuyus, based purely on their ethnicity. They failed to warn Raila that his conduct was grievous crime against humanity.

Following investigations by an independent commission, South African judge Johann Kriegler wrote a report on the conduct of the 2007 elections in Kenya. Kriegler acknowledged that the ODM campaign relied heavily on the demonization of the Kikuyu.
Judge Kriegler noted that a prominent feature of the ODM campaigns (before people voted) was the claim that only rigging could prevent ODM from taking power at the elections. The commission did not find evidence of rigging at the KICC, as alleged by ODM.

Now, I have no doubt in my mind that America and the Western countries are grooming Raila Odinga to seize power come 2012. The International Criminal Court (ICC) process has been politicized to achieve that end. In all seriousness, how could one charge William Ruto and Henry Kosgey, two members of the ODM Pentagon and not charge the other members of the ODM high command, including their captain Raila Odinga who ordered all ODM members to mass action? Who can’t see Obama’s hand in this political scheming?

But is it going to work? I’ll bet Raila Odinga will be called into the trials as a witness. Even Obama will not stop this. At the ICC trials it will be demonstrated that the violence that followed the 2007 elections had been planned in advance. It’ll be clearly established that it was, in fact, part and parcel of the campaign of ethnic hate against the Kikuyu carried out systematically by ODM. It will be established that the violence was the natural outcome of that ODM campaign.

It’ll also be demonstrated that the worst didn’t take place. Why? Because the violence was planned to take place in the context of the then anticipated electoral victory by ODM. Victory was perceived in the minds of the entire ODM high command as certain, long before the voters went to the polls.

The 2007 post election violence had been planned to right the “historical wrongs” in Kenya once and for all – by expelling millions of Kikuyus and other non-Kalenjin people from the Rift Valley.

It was planned to have been carried out under an ODM-controlled state security machinery, which was expected to be in place immediately after the 2007 elections. This project was designed by the whole ODM high command.

It would have been carried out while the so-called International Community averted its eyes. But God prevented it: the reins of state power did not slip from the hands of ODM’s enemies – and the country, inspite of the horrific and massive sufferings, was saved! So, who’s bluffing who by the current exhibition of self-righteous bravado in the current chorus about taking the Ocampo Six to The Hague? If I was any member of the ODM High Command, I’d be more afraid than Uhuru Kenyatta, Francis Muthaura, or Police Commissioner Maj. Gen. Mohamed Hussein Ali.

For the truth will surely come out as an answer to the ultimate question: Who was the prime, the first, cause of the violence? The world may watch in fascination after the ODM High Command are summoned as witnesses. That will enable this question to be answered. The answer to the question “Who responded to the originally organized violence” will, most likely, take a back seat.

Kenya’s endless extrajudicial killings, atrocities, decried by the Diaspora.

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By Shem Kosse

A Kenyan escapee based in Canada, who is a renowned scholar cum human rights activist, has taken a swipe at the Kenyan government over the intermittent extrajudicial killings, atrocities, among other injustices, being visited on the innocent citizenry.

Speaking to this journalist, professor Cornel Omondi, who fled to Canada for fear of his life after providing earth-shaking information to the United Nations special Rappoteur Prof Philip Alston that saw them being, allegedly,the targets, of Kenyan police harassments and killings, said that he is amazed on the government’ laxity to curb the vice which continues to traumatize humanity.

Prof Alston’s move to investigate crimes against humanity in Kenya was prompted by the concern of the international community and a ten days investigation was carried out by the UN to ascertain the truth.

The university don, chronicled aftermath events of the Kenya’s 2007 botched elections that sparked the nationwide unrest and what took place on 21st February 2009 during the visit of Alston and his team to the lakeside city of kisumu which culminated to his escape.

Prior to his escape to Canada, Wasonga, who owns a MBA degree with emphasis in business from Lincoln University in the United States, was corporate training manager and training workshop (continuing education) facilitator with Learnex and Longsight Management Services, respectively, in Nairobi.

As a patriotic Kenyan, human rights activist, and someone against all forms of injustice and crimes against humanity, his problem with the government began way back after the Kenyan post-election upheavals of December 2007 -early 2008, which claimed many innocent lives.

The cause for these post-election skirmishes was over the disputed elections results in which ODM party alleged that elections were rigged in favour of their main rival party called PNU (Party of National Unity). PNU is the party headed by the president of Kenya, Hon. Mwai Kibaki. The declaration by the electoral commission of Kenya that PNU party had won the election, ignited violence.

“The violence found me at my home village, Kisian near Kisumu city; everyone had to vote where you had acquired your voting card and I remember on January 02, 2008 while demonstrations were still on but had declined a bit, especially around Kisumu, as I was driving my car towards the city at around 9:00 a.m. I met police patrolling at a small trading center, Bandani, near Kisumu airport on my way to the city of Kisumu. They flagged me down and ordered to get out of the car.” recalls the don.

The menacing police officers searched the car and released him to proceed on with the journey. And after covering approximately half a kilometre stretch, met another group of marauding policemen who pointed guns at him to stop.

“I obeyed and they told me to step out of the car, meanwhile talking and saying I was one of those sponsoring the violence ….. within seconds a police van came and I was bundled like a bag of beans into it. They took me to Kisumu police station, leaving my car behind.”, he says.

“I went through rigorous interview process with accusations that I am one of those sponsoring violence. I asked why do they accuse me, and they said that because the nature of my car suggests that I have lots of money and those with money are the ones sponsoring the riots and are also refusing to accept election results.I was detained for about five hours and later released. I then asked if I could be dropped back where I left my car, but I was told that there was no car, so I had to go by foot because there were still no public transports due to the fear of continuing violence.” he adds.

Continuing,: “Shockingly, when I returned to that place, I found that my car had been burnt to ashes, and onlookers told me that the police were responsible in setting my car in flames. A brand new Isuzu 4×4 double cabin that I had just acquired just vanished like that. I then returned to the police station in Kisumu, again by foot, to report the matter. It seemed like it was a crime to accuse police. They harassed me saying that, with numerous riots going on, how can I accuse the police for that act, but I told them that the nearby residents witnessed the act.”

The policemen never took a statement and told him that they will communicate to him when they are done with “investigations”. And he has since taken up the matter with the Commissioner of the police, a detrimental move that he largely attributes to his status of: narrow escape from Kenya, to Canada.

While the violence was still raging and claiming many innocent lives, a team led by Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General, intervened. They came and held a series of meetings that ultimately culminated into amicable resolution between the two rival’s parties, ODM and PNU.

It resulted into the coalition government, which is a power sharing agreement. In this power sharing deal the two parties are expected to consult one another over key issues and or decisions. Unfortunately, this is not often the case.

Because the president hails from the PNU party, and the Prime Minister is from the ODM party, the President often makes certain decisions without consulting the Prime Minister. A group of faction from the ODM have always felt betrayed and therefore not pleased with the PNU behaviour in the coalition government.

And in the recent past, the incumbent president, unilaterally, appointed a team of Anti-Corruption Commission and judicial officials without consulting his key principal partner, the premier. This was immediately disputed by the legislature and other relevant authorities and consequently the appointments were revoked, by the president.

And due to humiliation caused to the president, he has secretly deployed the police namely, the “police death squads” to secretly hunt for those in the ODM party, alleged Wasonga who is also a staunchest supporter of ODM party.

On March 5, 2009 two prominent human right activists, namely Kamau Kingara and Paul Oulu, were brutally murdered around Nairobi. The duo was working for a famous organization called Oscar foundation. This organization provides free legal aid services to the financially crippled. The act was well planned and executed by the state agents, he further alleged.

This, he said, led to the commissioning of Prof. Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, arbitrary or summary executions, to visit Kenya to investigate the grave allegations. He came to Kenya and conducted investigations from February 16 to February 25, 2009.

He held several interviews, with Wasonga being one of the participants in one of the interviews, held at the Imperial Hotel, kisumu.Noteworthy, a one a Mr. Edy Ochan’g, who was among the interviewees at the meeting with Professor Alston has since fled to the USA in fear for his life and claimed refugee assistance in the USA. Ochang is currently working for Christian Democratic Movement of Kenya (CDMK), Humanitarian and Crisis Division’ International office, Canada.

Back to the fateful and brutal murder of the two civil society activits, namely Kamau and Paul, after the news of their death, demonstration by public and college students ensued. The demonstration was actually against the president because the nature of their deaths was quickly linked to the police death squad. Contradictory statements were made from some governments officials over the death of the pair. The official president’s spokesperson and the Prime Minister had different views over the death of the two.

“Unfortunately, being a lecturer (professor) and supporter of Oscar foundation a day after the demonstration I was approached by a car after I had just alighted at the bus stage from a public transport at Dagoreti Corner where I lived, walking towards my house, a white sedan car with three people in it appeared pointed a gun at me and ordered me to get into the car, i seated between two guys as one drove the car”

“I was driven towards a nearby small town called Karen, with a gun pointed in my stomach to stay silent. We passed Karen and headed towards another town called Ngong Hills. I knew that this was the end of me because this is a well known area for executions. I was ransacked and serverely tortured saying that they were aware that I was one of the ODM supporters who is constantly criticising the government, especially the president” he says of the Kenyan police unprofessional way of extracting information, physically.

Many prominent people and politicians have been murdered at this place. The late fiery politician Hon. J. M. Kariuki, being one of the victims.

As a concerned citizen and human rights activist, Wasonga, alongside other civil society bodies, have been exerting pressure, especially through the foreign embassies, on the government to prosecute the perpetrators of the post-election chaos in the ICC and resettle those who were internally displaced during the post polls violence.

The academician whose family too has been forced to flee to Swaziland for their safety due to alleged continual harassments by the state-driven security operatives, appears undeterred on his pursuit to exert pressure on the Kenyan government: “the Kenya government must walk the talks on reforms to the letter as envisaged in the Koffi Annan’ Agendas for the reforms or else brace fully for the wind of change which is akin to the one currently sweeping across Islamic Arabic world” he hinted, sounding perturbed by continued extrajudicial killings and atrocities reportedly hitting the cross section of the media and internet, globally.

KENYA: THE WORSE NEPOTISM IS REPORTED IN THE EMPLOYMENT OF STAFF AND WORKERS IN AWENDO TOWN COUNCIL.

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By Our Staff Reporter

DISCONTENT has gripped the small farming town of Awendo in Migori County with claims that the elected and appointed ODM Councillors have employed close to twenty workers from their own families and relatives.

Awendo district, like neighboring Rongo and Migori, are stroghold of the Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} but reports emerging from there are pointing out the worse type of neptism in terms of employment of its staff and workers.

The civic leaders, according to unimpeachable reports, have employed only their kith and kin in the services of the Council, some of whom are said to be semi-illiterate, but have been engaged at lucrative and influential positions, prompting a flurry of protests from the residents.

It is pointed out that one ODM party appointee, Councilor Better Ogutu Onyango, has employed her own jobless husband in the service of the Council. Another appointee, Councilor Odera Awene, who is the OIDM chairman in the area and has employed his two married daughters, now working as market clerks.

Leading the pack in practicing the worse nepotism is the Council Chairman Johnson Omolo Owiro, who has secured the employment of close to eight workers from his own family of Joka-Owiro in the Council. He is followed by Coun Obuya Gogo of Sakwa West Ward who has secured the employment of five of his relatives and friends.

Awendo, a small farming town within Awendo district in the Migori County, has very limited sources of revenue and depends entirely on the nearby SONYSUGAR Company with close to 2400 workers and few dukawallahs operative wholesale and retails shops as well as kiosk and bars operators. Its own revenue base alone cannot support large number of employees in terms of salary bills.

The residents have appealed to the Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno to intervene and ensure that employment of Council workers is distributed to the residents from within the town’s environs evenly, fairly and devoid of nepotism. Otieno is the Minister for Public Service in the grand coalition government.

The same appeal went to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Government, Hon Wycliff Musalia Mudavadi, who has been requested to send a team of investigators from the Ministry Headquarters.

Farmers and traders alike as well as the local residents are up in arms questioning the rationale exclusively employing only people connected with the blood to the elected and appointed Councilors. They are demanding that the issue must be addressed urgently and the number of relatives of the civic leaders’ current on the employment of the Council be radically scaled down.

A source in the Council confirmed the allegations, and wondered why this should happen during this period of transparency and accountability. “It is a big shame because the country is currently going through radical reform in line with the new constitutional dispensation,” said one local trader who requested for his anonymity.

The residents of Awendo and its environs are also demanding the replacement of ODM appointed Councilors who have shamelessly employed their kith and kin be revoked and the party be requested to submit other names for nominations.

This is a very pathetic and shameless act, which should be rectified with immediate effect and let the employment in the Awendo Town Council be free, open, and competitive. The council should not be used as a family entity, because it is a public utility., which is being maintained by the taxpayers money.

Ends.

KENYA: THE POSTPONEMENT OF ODM GRASS ROOT ELECTIONS ARE CAUSING RIPPLES AND DISCONTENT IN ITS BRANCHES IN LUO-NYANZA AS NYONGO’ IS TARGETED FOR REMOVAL.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

Signs of serious disagreement among the Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} among its national leadership and the local branches in most parts of Luo-Nyanza has emerged giving a hint that the party is crumbling.

The party members appeared to have been disappointed by the frequent postponement of the party grass root election, which were originally planned for February this year and were later postponed to April and now pushed forward to June.

A public rally called by a splinter group in Karachuonyo branch headed by Jack Nduri a former STANDARD journalist demanded in one of the several resolutions that the election should go on next month {April 2011} has planned and they should not be postponed again.

The meeting also endorsed the candidature of Prof.. Larry Gumbe for the position of the party’s Secretary-General in replacement of the current holder of the same position Prof.Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o.

Present at the rally were was the immediate former Karachuonyo MP Dr. Paul Adhu Awiti, who is currently the political adviser to the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Prof. Larry Gumbe who is aspiring for the position of the ODM Secretary General and the chairman of the Center for the Multiparty Democracy CMD}, Ogola Kagoro {Rangwe} Sammy Aroro {Gusii} Donny Opar a perennial election loser in Karachuonyo parliaentary seat

Others included Donny Opar an aspirant for Karachuonyo parliamentary seat, a former Ndhiwa Ward Councilor Akech Chieng’, and other local leaders.

The meeting endorsed another resolution which demanded that there should be a separation between the local branch affairs and the office of the sitting MP.

The meeting endorsed Pro. Larry Gumbe for the party’s Secretary-General in replacement of the incumbent Prof.Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o whose performance came under severest criticism at the rally.

The meeting, according to Jack Nduri blamed the Karachuonyo MP Eng. James Rege for meddling into the party branch affairs.

Earlier before the meeting took place, the MP had made an appeal, via a local FM Radio station, distancing himself from the meeting arguing that the organizers were not the de facto branch official, but a member of the splinter group purported to be running parallel branch to the one whose official were duly elected in the last meeting.

Tension was high, but close to 18 policemen maintained a close watch around the venue, which was at the Show Ground, Kendu-Bay. The presence of the security personnel defused the hitherto highly charged tension.

Nduri claimed that the MP who was invited to attend the meeting skipped it and stayed away, and so were other branch officials including the chairman Ezra Odondi Opar.

A spokesman of the truly elected branch official termed the meeting as illegal as it was convened by unelected branch officials and accused the party headquarters of playing double standard political games.

The party headquarters called a meeting of the two groups sometime last year in Nairobi for the harmonization and the smooth running of the branch. It was agreed at the meeting that the two splinter groups should go for power sharing until the next election.

The Opar’s group had accepted the arrangement as per the advice by the party head office at Orange House, but Jack Nduri group developed cold feet and refused to honor the new arrangement as directed by the party head office.

The observers and local pundits were of the opinion that the presence at the rally of Dr. Adhu Awiti who is the political adviser to the Prime Minister in Nairobi significantly pointed out the direction likely to have been taken by the party leadership in regard to the continued wrangling among the branch officials.

Some of the speakers at the rally blamed top officials at the party headquarters of double speak, and for sponsoring and imposing non-elected officials on the branch.

Several branches in Nyanza like the those in Nyakach, Rongo and other places are facing similar situation like the prevailing in Karachuonyo.In the case of Karachuonyo the party members have pointed their finger at the former area MP Dr. Awiti for being the source of disunity in the branch.

Dr Awiti, they said had lost the 2007 election to the incumbent MPO Eng Rege and had accepted the defeat, and as such should retire honorably and stop meddling in the party affairs. He should be content with his present job of advising the Prime Minister Raila Odinga on political matters and stop meddling in Karachuonyo party matters.

Also in attendance at the Kendu-Bay rally were a number of political hirelings commonly known as “Politicians for Hire”from Kasipul- Kabondo, Rangwe and Ndhiwa who masqueraded as the ODM interim officials of the Homa-Bay County branch, which is still yet to be established.

Reached for comment, MP Rege scoffed at the accusation saying the can only work with the truly elected party branch officials and not members of a splinter group because as the area MP he is responsible for promoting peace and unity of all the constituents.

He blamed those sponsoring the splinter and parallel branch officials as the ones responsible for disunity and called on the population to ignore such impostors and self-styled leaders. “Anyone interested in holding the position at the branch office should come forward and contest the election in the open air when the elections are held in June.

Ends

Kenya: ODM leaders in Western Kenya told to stop wrangling abut Counties’ headquarters

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} leaders in Western Kenya regions have been urged to stop petty agitation regarding the site and locations of the new counties and to devote their valuable time in campaigning for the party leader Raila Amolo Odinga’s presidential ambition.

These sentiments were expressed early this week by the ODM Youth Coordinator Hilary Ochieng’ Alila to reach the consensus that Counties headquarters should remain where the offices of the existing county Councils are located.

Alila gave the example of the Gusii County, which he said should remain in Kisii Town, the same with Kericho and Bomet Counties, which should remain in the present premises of the County Councils for the Kipsigis region.

In Luo Nyanza, Alila said,”There are four Counties, namely Siaya, Kisumu, Homa-Bay and Migori. The offices of these institutions should remain where the Counties Council offices are presently located. Therefore there is no point for the party leaders to squander much time over new sites and location where the new headquarters should be.

The status quo of these institutions should remain unchanged, for example, the Siaya County should remain in Siaya town, Kisumu the same, Homa-Bay the same and Migori in Migori town.”

The same should apply to new Counties in Western Province and some parts of the North Rift.”These petty argument could divert the attention of party members and leaders from the heavy task which lies ahead, and that is to campaign and ensure that the party leader Raila Odinga win the next presidential election with an overwhelming majority of votes.

In an exclusive interview with this writer, Alila told the ODM members, who will be taking part in the next months party grass root election, to do so with open eyes to guard against possible infiltration by moles and agent provocateurs from the competing political parties.”Party members should ensure they vote only to the genuine and dedicated party leaders.”

He urged the party leadership to extend their hands of support, particularly the MPs from the region, which have turned hostile, but were previously safe in the hands of ODM. Politics change itself is like a clock, but we must give our support to those who have remained steadfast and whose loyalty to the party leader Raila Odinga is unanimous and not questionable. One of these MPs are the likes of Franklin Bett {Buret}, Dr Joyce Laboso {Sotik}, Magerer Lang’at {Kipkellion}, Musa Sirma {Nominated} and others where disgruntled MPs and dissidents have been poisoning the air with empty political slogans.

When told that the former ODM national treasurer and former South Mugirango MP, Omingo Magara, was last weekend seen in Kisumu as one of the party rebels who accompanied the suspended Higher Education Minister, William Ruto, in a triumphed entry into Kisumu City, Alila scoffed it off dismissing the former legislator as a dissatisfied man and a political chameleon.”Magara departure from ODM is a good rident.It has since strengthened the party which is now stronger than ever before in the Gusii region.

Speaking about the Nandi region, Alila said that KANU regime had milked the area down to its knees by killing the price of agricultural products, KCC and other financial outlets for the people of the area. But an ODM government would resuscitate the economies of those regions,

It will work for a better deal for the sugar cane growers in Luo-Nyanza, tea and coffee growers in Gusii and some parts of the South and North Rift regions. Milk producers would be given priority. The same will apply to the maize producers and other cash crops.

Alila predicted an overwhelming victory for ODM in 2012, and appealed to its leaders at all levels to redouble their efforts to propel the party to victory next year. They, the leaders should be humble to all Kenyans including those with diverse ideas and those pursuing different political ideologies, all the time taking into account that “We are all Kenyans and must remain united in order to over come myriads of problems facing our beloved country.

Alila appealed to the rebel party MPs fro the Rift Valley Province to rescind their decision to ditch the party for the sake of their own self and their communities. The MPs, he said should not stoop low and allow them to be used like foreign mercenaries, but to think ahead about their communities and put in place the strategies of eradicating the abject poverty among Kenyans.

The youthful populist politician whose candidature for the Homa-Bay County has been greeted with great enthusiasms hail from Ndhiwa district appealed to Kenyan leaders to tackle all the merging political issues with sobriety, and to stop polarizing the air with venomous utterances, which could provoke tribal hatred.

Ends

Kenya: Some Food of Thought worth Reckoning.

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Folks,

Change Need Clear-unpolluted Forward Move, the reason for clearance and background check that expect efficient service delivery which can be realized from a Population market in the public domain where there are qualified personalities ranging in thousands and millions of able characters. These qualified personalities could fill up the gaps of such dysfunctional people who have failed the people of Kenya and Africa, so that the bus is able
to move forward without a hitch.

The successes for Progress & Prosperity does not need sycophancy but a Team of independent thinkers who will employ talents, skills and professionalism in a transparent and accountable manner that which will offer opportunities for focus, balance, success, growth and expansion which is presently lacking and which has brought the country to a screeching halt through corruption, graft and impunity.

Any leader worth his salt must heed the loud cry from public for change, as change is now more fundamentally important and urgent. It cannot be delayed or suspended…otherwise there is a possibility of facing looming surprises that could turn very destructive and expensive even more catastrophic because of ….. “Oula yawa dhi kode”…….Oliver Piki piki inateremka…….”The drunkerdness of fun-galore”………

Good results depends on the urgency to invite Fresh New Ideas in order to adjust to the pressure for realistic sustainable Change in good timing…..

Cheers !

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

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=FYI=
From: mohamed warsama

Raila Odinga never learned from the disastrous Ford movement’s split in the 1992. Every Tom, Dick and Harry of dubious background hopped on board the band wagon, to the extent that alarmed advisers warned that Ford was like an overloaded matatu that was in serious danger of overturning. And overturn it did.

Raila hasn’t benefited from that lesson in his single-minded quest to occupy State House.

Take a look at his post-Kanu defection record when he helped set up Narc and five years later set up ODM.

People were all gushing with enthusiasm over ODM in the belief that it will bring real change to the country once in power. I was a neutral but critical observer. I would always remark to the believers of this line of thinking: “Hold on a second. You really think ODM will bring real changes, when Raila has admitted all Kanu’s dirt into its rank and file? Give me one corrupt Kanu politico who found the doors of ODM shut in his face because he was too corrupt ?”

The answer is none. Instead, Raila was like: “pakia twendeni Canaan.” But the ODM bus stalled on the route to Canaan because of the likes of Ruto (shady land deals) and Kosgey (All Africa Games scam and old cars imports racket etc). Corrupt politicians rode their way to power on the ODM bus.

All along the route to Canaan, they heckled the driver, preventing him from driving on cleaner routes, insisting on dirt tracks.

Today, they are at the core of what ails the ODM. All because Raila had let them in in the first place, eschewing political morality for the sake of expediency and opportunistic politics.

With ODM, the much-hyped vehicle for change, careening wildly due to the rebels it is still carrying in its bus, incapable of fulfilling our national aspirations, I propose all first-line leaders in all the parties (except Karua) should retire and let the second-line leaders take over including Orengo. I believe between them, Karua and Orengo have what it takes to lead this nation to Canaan.

Mohamed Warsama