Monthly Archives: February 2008

Land Issue Revisited

5 Replies

Mr. Judas,
Cool down own your anger towards the Kikuyu people.  You make it seem like these guys are nothing more than Highway robberers.  

Anyway, your land policy is whack, and lacks balanced thought.  You cannot re-do history. Yeah, you can say post-independence is to blame.  Let me give you an insider view on the Kikuyu people.  Land is a first child to a Kikuyu person.  Without it, you are not complete. Second, alot of these big chunks of land, are owned by a few elite people of ALL tribes.
In central we have the Njonjos, in Rift Valley, the Moi’s, in Nyanza the Odinga’s etc.  

Therefore, look at landowners as an elite class of all dimensions.  Don’t feel threatened by that.  It is what you call OLD WEALTH, though important, it is not the driving force for the future.  The Kalenjin may seem to get back their land, but they are coming too late in the game.  The second generation of the Kikuyus don’t even care for that much land their
fathers may have.  Why? because they are doctors, lawyers, etc.  

Land is for the wazee’s!!!!!!!, the next big thing in Kenya is IT industry.  In actual fact, the second generation is selling off that land to settle in the city and start a financial consulting firm etc.  
The land issue, though you make it big, is actually losing traction with the new Kikuyu generation.  My father has land that I have never seen, and himself he only saw it once.  This is very common in Kenya.  The best initiative to solving this problem is by the
government buying back most of the land in some of the displaced places and establishing settlement schemes.
Kenyatta was advised by the white colonialists but backed down.  The mess we have in Kenya as far as land is concerned cannot be solved by evicting people by force.  So what even if you evict them, you cannot sell it, all you can do is be a squatter on someone else’s land just like in the slums of Nairobi.  

The real land reform is zoning land according to urban, suburbs and agricultural.  This means that all people in the country, regardless of their location cannot subdivide land carelessly without meeting the zoning requirements.  That means leaving the already
established big chunks of land for large scale farming, and make it unsudividable regardless of who owns it.

We Kenyans in the diaspora need not send messages to bring division.  Just imagine your professor sending a hate message that is biased.  Though it satisfies his ego, it goes beneath his character.  

Mr Judas, I don’t know what you do in your life, but your bias against Kikuyus is more like a laughing joke, because your junk emails are more like George Kanstanza on his first date.  Relax, take a deep breadth, and say “I love you” !!!

Cheers,
Mike  

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Rono

I have followed and carefully read your articles on land issues in Kenya and it has shocked my conscience.  You have confirmed what I have always believed that, the main problem in Kenya is land which has been grabbed by the political families of those mentioned in your article.  No wonder they do not want those displaced to go back to their ancestral lands, for they may lay claim to their stolen land.

ODM and the people of Kenya should ensure that constitutional changes on land as proposed in the Bomas draft become law through an act of parliament.  It is a real shame to see a few priviledged families owning our country with little care for others.

Dickson Aduonga 

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For a more in-depth analysis of Kenya’s land issue, please see: http://www.jaluo.com/wangwach/200802/Job020608.html

Regards,

Jaluo Press

Chief Justice challenges A-G’s office

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I find this very ironic given the fact that this is one of the people who colluded with Kibaki to steal the elections.  He was party to the mayhem that Kenya has seen.  I find it nonsensical that he is jumping the gun while mediation talks are going on while taking no responsibility.  I wonder what agenda he has next.  Whatever it is, it does not sound good. It sounds like revenge and vengeance all tied together with witch-hunting in the making.
   
We better brace ourselves for another eruption if these guys do not tread softly.  Justice has to be applied at all levels and not selectively.
   
I am sick to my stomach just hearing this man’s line of thinking.  I am sure this is the beginning of something wicked and ugly.  He ought to resign.
  
  Keen Nyamwange.
  He ought to be prosecuted as well… 

—————- 

  Chief Justice challenges A-G’s office

  Published on February 15, 2008, 12:00 am

    By Evelyn Kwamboka and Harold Ayodo

  Chief Justice Evan Gicheru has challenged the Attorney-General’s office to fast track prosecution of those who planned and executed post-election violence.

  For full article, see: http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143981896

Leave them cards alone

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Do you like shopping? Which is your favorite store? How would you feel if someone put an injunction against you from visiting the store especially during the time when items are on sale?

But that is exactly what has happened to some people.
Several retail stores have from time to time found themselves barring some customers from going to their stores for a period of time. These are the customers that have not trained themselves to keep their hands to themselves.

It’s rather sad that some customers of all age groups do not know the different between what’s theirs and what’s not. Any time they see anything that they like but do not have money to pay for, they just grab. Many have ended behind bars.

Unfortunately, the same thing applies at many working places. It’s no secret that people steal from their work places thus causing themselves, family members and others untold misery.

If we don’t have money to buy something, let us train ourselves to be content with what we have. To steal from our spouses, friends, work mates, work places, and any other place will only cause us untold misery.

But perhaps the most compelling reason is the commandment, “You shall not steal.” Any thing beyond there is totally unacceptable. Remember it only takes a few minutes to steal, but the consequences are many. As for I, me and myself, we have decided to leave them cards alone. How about you my friend?

Just a thought.

Pr Birai
www.themaranathasdachurch.org

‘HIKA HIKA’ TERRORISTS: THE MOTHER OF THE KILLER MUNGIKI

1 Reply

 Kenyans ought to now understand that ‘fighting’ for our independence was a far more foreign idea from a Nigerian lawyer and the British and which came as  an ‘imperial euphoria for reformed occupation’.
Mau Mau,  as an illegal vigilant group’s intention was to solely acquire and  posess land’ and not to fight for Kenyan’s national independence.

First and standing by at a  carpenter’s bench (Kamau wa Ngengi) Jomo Kenyatta,  as a 14-15 year old young man and wearing a Khaki shirt and a plane in his  hands, was a tribal radical in the making. The thin, lanky young man  had no striking features except his ‘questioning’ eyes. He was born  about the year of the sweet potato (1897) or the year of the jigger  (1898) at Ng’enda ridge, the  year of the jigger Mbari ya Magana (land of Magana), Kenyatta’s  great-grandfather’s namesake.

While  young he encountered Agikuyu ritual and magic. His great-grandfather  was a magician, fortune-teller, healer and practiced witchcraft, though  he was referred as mundu mugo (medicinemen). On several  occasions he could carry the magician-craft for his grandfather apart  from learning the art as part of the Agikuyu culture and traditions.

While at Watson Memorial Church in Thogoto, he did not directly denounce  ‘Satan and all his works’, or renounce strict Agikuyu culture, with  all its tenets.
In 1913, Kenyatta underwent a  traditional circumcision ceremony by the river Nyongara outside Thogoto  with his age-group as Mubengi.
      

Though he was baptized as  Johnstone Kamau, he was (baptized) Kinyata, a Maasai-made ornamental  belt that he worn, after seeking refuge in Narok among his Maasai  relatives to escape press-gang raids imposed by the British on the Agikuyu.
      

On 22nd October 1920, Kenyatta was summoned before the Kirk Session at Thogoto  to be tried by church elders. The charge being that he had been seen  drinking (njohi)  traditional liquor and taking snuff which he pleaded guilty of and later  suspended from Holy Communion.
      

In  the 1920, Agikuyu women had in many cases persuaded their husbands to  take oath and were often very militant. Mary Muthoni’s death  contributed to the involvement of women in the Agikuyu land affair.  They put themselves in danger to steal guns and ammunition and drugs from colonial occupants. There were many instances when they had to  kill the ‘enemy’ to get the precious supplies. They also chose instead to fight alongside the men and many proved themselves the equals of men.
Contrary to previous beliefs,  ‘freedom fighter’ Dedan Waciuri Kimathi, was the chief architect of Mau Mau  oathing that spread to Thompsons Falls and Ol Kalou area. He was the  leader of his oath administration campaign. While at Karunaini School  at 15 years, he had with him qualities and skills of military  organizations. He was circumcised at Ihururu  dispensary (against the Agikuyu custom) at the age of 18 years. He was charged with recruiting vigilant groups of young men (Mungiki) for the armed  struggle.

Come May, 1928 Kikuyu  Central Association (KCA) first published the muigwithania newspaper.  This was after KCA realized that former president Jomo Kenyatta  had a good command of the English language. Previously, Kenyatta had  surprised many, while as a security guard at the municipal council’s  water department he bought the queens language to the ears of the  locals. This is when his political career that lasted for fifty years  was born. Although his first major role was that of an interpreter  before the Hilton Young Commission in Nairobi.

The Muigwithania editor,  Johnstone Kenyatta, was commonly referred to by the locals in Nairobi  as Jonstoni or Joni.
  

But what did Muigwithani  stand for?

The  monthly paper provided readers with a collection of news and articles.  Some about the Kikuyu culture and their ways of life. The paper encouraged the Agikuyu to improve their agricultural methods and to  advance themselves educationally. It was a major voice of the Agikuyu.  Additionally, Jomo Kenyatta used  the paper to emerge as the leader of the Agikuyu.
On the other hand, the KCA was  busy collecting funds to sponsor him for a trip to England.  With a Bible in his hand and soil in the other, he swore before a  gathering at Pumwani that he would not betray his Agikuyu people. He had left for London  mainly to defend the ‘tribal’ land interests. But his host, Ladipo  Solanke, a Nigerian barrister, lawyer and intellectual, was already talking about independence and not the land issue. There was more for him to do than just presenting a ‘land’ petition to the colonial office in London.
On  his return to London from other foreign countries, in 1929, after his  tribal interests were put aside, he wrote an extensive article for the Sunday Worker, the communist party  newspaper in Britain, on 27th October 1929,  entitled “GIVE BACK OUR LAND”.  

Part  of it read; “discontent has always been rife among the natives, and  will be so until they govern themselves-(with their land)”.

When Kenyatta came back to Kenya he had grown from being a Mogikoyo nationalist to a fighter for the ‘tribal’ land of the Kenya territory.
  

   Later, the Daily Worker  published an article by him in January 1930, describing the Thuku Riots  of Nairobi  as a ‘General Strike’. This move displeased the missionaries and the  colonial office. Kenyatta had learnt the art of parrying a useful  weapon in any politician’s arsenal. He had become a ‘real’ politician.  In the same year, 1930, had enjoined themselves in verbal battle with  the Agikuyu. The quarrel was over female circumcision, which the  missionaries sought to abolish. The majority of the Agikuyu fought against this sentence of death on their culture. Kenyatta supported the  majority and ‘female genital manipulation’ (FGM) to the disappointment  of the white men.
  

When he went back to London  in 1932, Kenyatta ran into other political groups like the pacifists, ­though he met Mahatma Gandhi in November of that year, he  continued writing letters to the Manchester Guardian about Kikuyu  land grievances.
While in Moscow, Russia,  at the instigation of George Padmore, he helped Kenyatta receive para-military training and economics at the revolutionary institute.
Later Kenyatta, under the  Stalinist policies in 1933, was forced to leave Russia the same year, he wrote an article in the Labour Monthly, attacking British for  their greed in stealing lands at the Abaluhya in the gold rush of 1931.
  

In Facing Mount Kenya,  in  1938, Kenyatta’s thesis relayed the Agikuyu’s socio-economic systems and their ‘superior’ integrity to anything that the colonial system  could offer.
      

By 1935, Kenyatta had grown a beard and unkempt hair as a gesture of his  support to the monarch and campaigned against the Italian presence in Ethiopia. Meanwhile  in 1938, he wrote, My people of Kikuyu and the Life  of Chief Wang’ombe, a reflective legendary history of ‘his’ people. By 1951,  the radical young men in Kikuyu  land had resolved to settle the score with the British forest through  blood, and Kenyatta bestrode this social force. He became a detainee  and found guilty of managing Mau Mau and  sentenced to seven years of hard labor. Mau Mau at that  time was a very proscribed society.
    

The seven years of loneliness and  deprivation is what brought Jomo Kenyatta maturity including leadership and  politics. As an old ‘Mzee’, he was no longer a tribal radical activist but a shape-up leader with ‘Uhuru na Kenyatta’ as his next agenda to  participate, for the first time in fight for independence.

Dedan Kimathi, the other ‘freedom  fighter’ was brought down by a police constable from his own area; Nyeri away  from Aberdare  forest where his home was. Also, his militant partner, Muriuki KImotho alias  General Tanganyika, was also executed, in 1956 and who lived at the Mt.  Kenya forest. Before his death his troop was identified as ‘Hika Hika’  battalion led by General China.

Another  fighter, Kariuki wa Chegge, who later repatriated from the Rift Valley,  in 1953 to his home area, Murang’a is believed to have planned and  carried out ‘tribal’ battles using guerrilla tactics to great  advantage. He would attack unexpectedly, quickly and move away from the  scene just as suddenly as he had com. His name and presence kept many  ‘guessing’ due to his unforgiving valour. When he died, his other  fighters lost a ‘genius’ in guerilla warfare.

Certainly,  these ‘freedom fighters’ may have been the architects of the now  prescribed Mungiki vigilant group as an illegal self-made battalion of  yester-years.
          
  Regards,
  Mundia Mundia Jnr.
      

Do you like the way you look?

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In front of me, just above my computer station, the place which probably knows me by name, and maybe loves or appreciates me for spending most of my time there, are photo albums; albums that contain photos of friends, relatives, family members and places that I
have been to. Except that I have slowed down with age, I used to take photos, and I mean lots of them. If I know you, or have met you somewhere, it’s possible that your photo is there too.

It’s interesting that at my place of work, I am one of those who take, develop, and hand over the passport photos to the customers. Like all other assignments, I like this part of my assignment. But I must confess that it took me a while to learn how to use the
digital camera, or maybe this particular one.  But today if you asked me, I will tell you that I consider myself an expert.

Of all the years that I have done what one may consider one of my hobbies,one thing has surprised me: People just don’t like the way they look, period! Some of the reactions I have heard over the years, include but not limited to,” I don’t like the way I look,” or “I hate myself.” And because of this, I have been requested to re-take the pictures over and over again, with hopes of someone looking better! Well!

And so I wonder,”Do you like yourself, I mean the way you look? Which part of yourself don’t you like and why, If I may ask?

Maybe like me,  you don’t have this problem, but do you know someone who does? This problem is not as easy as you may want to take it. There are people who have taken their own lives simply because they thought no one liked them because of the way they look.

Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder. Furthermore, you and I need to remember the adage that “one man’s meat is another man’s poison.”

Included in the many prayers that have had an impact in my life, is the prayer of Saint Francis, of Assisi. He prayed,”God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, courage to change things I can,and wisdom to know the difference.” To me,this is
it! How I look is one thing that I cannot change. For the best reasons known to the good Lord, this is who He planned to make and I cannot do anything about it.

And so, instead of spending too much time, or better still, any time worrying about how I look, I decided long time ago to rejoice and praise my God because ” I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”(Psalms 139:14.)How about you my friend?
 

Just a thought

Pastor C.Absalom N.Birai
www.maranathasdachurch.org

RE: Kikuyu-Luo Harmony

2 Replies

TRIBE IS A GOOD AND INTERGAL PART OF OUR AFRICAN CULTURE AND SOCIETY
  
  Hello,

Allow me to respond to the constructive and insightful comments by Aizak Kiza, on institutionlised tribalism. I do this, on behalf of Mugo Muchiri, since I posted his article on the DigAfrica forum. The contributor, Aizak Kiza is are right in saying that, the issue of institutionalized tribalism has being nurtured and perpetuated by our self-centred politicians.
  
  Tribalism has been used sentimentally to gain, manipulate and misuse national office and Presidential power. Tribalism has also been used by Kenyan and African leaders to supress certain tribes and communities that are considered a threat, or for other baseless, absurd, and mundane reasons.
  
  Tribalisam and nepotism have also been used by our leaders to corrupt the systems and institutons of modern governance in the Republic of Kenya. The same is true, as the misuse of power and abuse of office is replicated in all the other nations in East Africa,  in Central and, indeed, in the whole African continent.
  
  In my opinion, “tribalism” in Kenya and Africa is only a symptom of the core problems that Kenya and Africa faces.
  
  Tribe is like race. Tribe is a natural phenomena with social implications. Let me illustrate my point by saying that a black man will always be black. In the same way as a white man can get a suntan or spend endless hours in a skin-tanning bed, but they will still remain white. An African black man can try or learn, behave and think like a white man, but that will never change the skin colour or heritage. Unless, of course, you want to bleach your skin,  and then you will end up looking like as weird as Micheal Jackson. And, frankly, even after all that trouble, expense, and stress, you will still remain a black man. In fact, you will probably run the risk of being the biggest joke in town and you will definitely earn high marks for being a silly and stupid. You will be ridiculed, and rightly so, as being a black person who lacks self-esteem, self-respect and confidence. You might even be viewed as a black person who does not have much self-worth and lacks a sense of
 heritage, cultural pride, and as being a person with an serious identity crisis.
  
  Back to tribalism as a factor in the crisis that Kenyas are grappling with today… The situation in Kenya is very similar to the 13th, 14th and 15th century conflicts in Europe. Faced with economic decline and a myriad of other problems, including the enormous power of the monarchies, the erosion of confidence, assured values, and quality of life, the people of Europe got fed up. There was social unrest. The people begun to revolt, demanding a voice, improvement in standards of living, equitable access resources, to  better representation and impoved governance. (Ref: A History of Enland, Prehistory to 1714, Vol. 1, by Clayton Roberts and David Roberts).
  
  Europe, in the past centuries, experienced increasing population pressure, high cost of rents and living, and ruthless and insanely inhumane feudalistic landlords with private lawless bands or men as armies. Then there were other contributing factors in the European and the American conficts of the past centuries such as prejudice, economic depression, and the unprofitability of demesne farming that erroded the dignity of the people and the manorial institutions in the countryside. All these issues are mirrored in the Kenyan crisis.
  
  Also similar to the Kenyan situation is the European conflict’s era of a distinctive English language, very much like the Swahili that is used today in East and Central Africa. The growing use and signficance of the English language, in Europe during 13th, 14th and 15th centuries, promoted a national and regional consciousness that undermined the cosmopolitanism of the early middle Ages. The few new, wealthy, educated laity and elite promenaded around, maquerading as gentlemen and distinguished women, presuming themselves to be of a higher class than all the poorer people who were supposedly seen as inferior and as mere mortals. The merchants, clergy, and lawyers showed increasing interest in the material world, governance, and politics, thereby improving the penchant for analytical debate of various national, continental and international issues. This is the exact situation that is being replicated in Kenya today.
  
  And to quote historian Clayton Roberts, “out of the crises and dislocations of the fourteenth century arose new values and new institutions – nationalism, capitalism, individualism, anticlericalism – that were to find fruition in the sixteenth century”.
  
  So, based on historical precedent, there is hope for Kenya.
  
  We have hope that Kenya will emerge from the depths of this miserable, disturbing, agonising, terrifying, horrific and unfortunate dream-like-state. We hope that Kenyans will awake to improved leadership, new and better values, new and better institutions. We hope that a new sense of nationalism will be born. Vey much like a woman goes through much pain and travail in order to bring forth her beloved child whom she nurtures, gives lots of attention, and adores with loving care all of her life. Enjoying and cherishing the fruition of her pain, struggles, and labour for many years.        
  
  In Kenya, the black-Africans are born into a tribe. And tribes are part of our African culture. Tribe is part of who we are. In the same way thst being a black-French citizen is a part of the puzzle that makes up what it means to be French and just as an African-Canadian is part of what it means to be Canadian.
  
  In essense, tribe is a good and integral part of our African societies. Tribes signify great potential and diversity.
  
  However, like any other distinct identity, tribe can be used in a prejudicial manner. Tribe can be missued to favour or victimise and oppress a certain group of people. Much in the same way as black people and Asians were easily discriminated against in Kenya during the colonial times. Or, in the same was that Hitler was prejudiced against the Jews (Ref: The Life and Death of Adolf Hitler, by historian Robert Payne). Note that the Jews are a group of 12 tribes of Israel/Jacob, bound together like a tight cord, by religious faith and ardent belief. (Ref: Gen. 32:28 in the Holy Bible, and The Bible as History, A Confirmation of the Book of Books,  Archaeology and Science adventure 4,000 years into the past to document – the Bible, by historian Werner Keller)
  
  Cultural diversity applies to people of all tribes in Africa. In the very same way, cultural diversity applies to Asian-Africans, Black-Americans, Irish-Americans or Chinese-Americans and Latino-Americans in USA. They are all Americans. In Canada too, there is a lot of cultural diversity. It is the cultural diversity that makes these countries so awesome.
  
  Even today in Canada, USA and Europe, civil rights groups and common folks are still advocating for justice, equity, better health care, and better governance. This is in spite of all the talk about democracy and civilization.  There is still social, political and economic injustice in the West.
  
  Real life and the standard of living in the West are definitely much better than in most parts of Africa. Yet, as a word of caution, life and society are still very much like that in Animal Farm, the classic work of literature by George Orwell (1903 – 1950).  In this book, the animals seem to have taken over the farm. They think it is the start of a better life. They have  dreams of a world where all animals are equal and all property is shared. But as we all know, no sooner do the pigs take control than one of them, Napoleon, becomes the paramount leader and begins to dictate to all the animals. A sign is posted saying: ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS. One by one, the principles of the revolution are abandoned, until the animals have even less freedom than before.

So in Kenya tribe is a factor in society but not the core issue in the current crisis. Like the whole of Africa, Kenya faces great challenges and obstacles to social and economic development. A major retrogressive factor being our pathetic, self-centered, lackadaisical leadership. Sadly, but not at all surprisingly, the most pressing and core issues are still the same ones we faced when Kenya became independent in 1963. These core issues are poverty, ignorance and disease.
  
  In addition to the core issues, Kenya needs to address the distribution of power (the current flawed, almighty, all knowing, and all powerful – winner takes all – Kenyan presidency). Kenyans also need to establish constitutional and structural checks and balances. And, like the popular East African advertisement: “new blue and improved omo,” we the people of Kenya must ensure that the constitutional and structural improvements “ngarisha kabisa,” work well well enough to ensure good governance and improved management of Kenya’s national resources.
  
  Let me end by quoting Maina Kiai, the chairman of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. Maina Kiai says that “What’s going on in Kenya is a political crisis with ethnic expression. It’s not an ethnic crisis. It’s triggered by political issues… The reasons for them (the violence), are that peaceful means for resolving our differences have been closed down, so people become violent and express that violence in an ethnic way because our politics is ethnic. That’s very important to  emphasize. This issue will not go away quickly. It’s a serious issue. It’s a big crisis for Kenya. I need to emphasize that calm is not peace… We have got to stop band-aid solutions to deep problems. We have to deal with the political problems”.
 
Indeed, I could not have summed it up any better than Maina Kiai has done. So, for those interested in reading further, here is the link to the full copy of Maina Kiai’s wide-ranging interview: http://allafrica.com/stories/200802120297.html. Maina Kiai has also proposed reasonable soultions and a reasonable plan of action to resolve the Kenyan crisis.
  
  Hopefully we, Kenyans and Africans, will find a sane, sober and amicable way to resolve our conflicts. I am confident that with good and able leadership, we can address the issues of: abuse of power, poverty, ignorance and disease. Dedicated leaders, who are honestly committed to serve our people, can restore our fragile dignity and lead us toward justice and greater heights of socio-economic development.
  
  Thank you.
  
  Your patriotic Kenyan,
  Kiprotich Arap-Ruto
  Canada
  E-mail: kenruto@yahoo.com
  
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aizak kiza wrote:
          
Hallo,
I am looking forward o your next aticle when you will adress the vexing issue of “how do we move on.”…

Your article is alright…who does not want peace and harmony right?

Without seeming to pre-empt the content(s) of your next article, I am afraid you shall have to deal, very clearly, with the issue of institutionalized tribalism….by this i mean the tribalism that has been nurtured and perpetuated (even though not created) by systems and institutons of modern governance in the Republic of Kenya.

Like i said, Peace and Harmony are really ‘ends’ in themselves. What kinds of Systems and Institutions stand in the way of Peace….real Peace, not the simply the absence of overt war and/or Violence? How can we recreate/re-cast these institutions?
Thank You

P.S.  I don’t know but i’ve heard it said that the real problem in Kenya has never been really about Kikuyus and Luos. Those that say this point out that even if Mr. Kibaki
and Mr. Amolo were to share/rotate the Presidency between them on a monthly basis, the deep, real core sissues would remain unsolved?  I don’t know,  just heard people saying…

But I understand you have to start from somewhere, right?
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Sat, 2 Feb 2008 11:58:42 -0800

KIKUYU-LUO HARMONY

From: Mugo Muchiri
Los Angeles
January 31, 2008

The Luo and Kikuyu have a long intertwined history that predates Kenya’s political independence of 1963. It is a very precious, almost brotherly, relationship that’s primarily molded on friendship and respect, but that’s unfortunately been allowed more times than necessary to degenerate into fear and loathing.

For the most part, Luos look at Kikuyus with admiration; they respect their drive and acumen which fuel their seemingly relentless pursuit of material abundance. Kikuyus, they’ll acknowledge, have an uncanny ability to organize factors of production so that the color of the end result is green. Being satisfied with the status quo doesn’t appear to be an option for most Kikuyu folk which may well explain Mumbi’s children’s zero tolerance for economic stagnation.

This view of Kikuyu ingenuity goes way beyond the confines of Luo thinking and is in fact widely held in the country. A comedic byproduct of this is that Kikuyus have been the butt of any number of jokes. My favorite one goes like this: If Divine intervention isn’t forthcoming, by all means use the ‘ka-ching’ sound of a dropping shilling as a foolproof way to revive a dying Kikuyu. Kikuyus, who themselves have a healthy penchant for self-deprecation, will hasten to chime in that a revived Rathaaro (Lazarus) promptly declares: “Eyo ni yakwa” (“That is mine”).

How do Kikuyus on the other hand view their Luo brethren? The words high regard, smart, intelligent and easily driven to excel come to mind. This is especially true in pursuits of an intellectual nature and of sportsmanship in general. When a scholarship is offered a Luo, for example, you’re talking huuuge, deep bite! They ain’t letting go until the goal is achieved, all too often a PhD.

If education is important to the Kikuyu, it is doubly so to the Luo. Ask any progenitor of Ger and they’ll be quick to point out to you that the fault lines of respect run deep in Luo society. Becoming highly educated is a prized treasure and a constant motivator that opens the door to societal respect, recognition and, to a large extent, fame. The Great Separator in Kikuyu society is wealth as measured in banknotes and earthly possessions.

Few would argue that Kenya isn’t the richer owing to this deeply instilled tradition of academic excellence among Luo folk. How otherwise could you explain that at virtually all institutions of higher learning in Kenya, a Luo imprimatur in teaching and research is indelibly present? Luo academe is widely recognized as astute purveyors of higher education to our college-going sons and daughters.

Kikuyus on the other hand have had a vast impact on the economic wellbeing of the country by the sheer strength of their desire and drive to create wealth. Indeed wealth creation is so impregnated in Kikuyu DNA that geography has hardly been a barrier to the adventure of finding treasure. As a result, the Christopher Columbus’ of Kenya’s economic frontier are perhaps the most highly dispersed or diffused of all 42 ethnic groups in Kenya.

The funny thing is that although Luos and Kikuyus are known for their bravery and chest thumping, the courage to openly express mutual appreciation hasn’t necessarily occupied center stage. They have been loath to acknowledge membership in Mutual Admiration Society. Yet the truth of the matter is that we secretly admire each other’s talents and are aware on a visceral level that we need each other for our mutual progress and benefit. The reason why America is the economic powerhouse of the world can be distilled into one simple fact: an acutely efficient environment that all but guarantees the almost seamless interaction between technology and entrepreneurship. Keen minds discover and raw greed delivers.

Happily, it is on the individual level that cross-fertilization hasn’t needed any coaxing. Today, intermarriages between the two great tribes are just about as common as the Otieno-Wambui union of the 60s was uncommon. I have often mused about two of Kenya’s most prominent political antagonists – President Jomo Kenyatta and his first Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and in particular about how their personal chemistry might have been influenced by the knowledge that two of their grandchildren would one day be joined together in holy matrimony.

Would their disagreements have been less bitter and disruptive to intercommunity harmony? Would a point of commonality have had a mitigating effect on their negativity and its ensuing deleterious effect on the Luo-Kikuyu nexus?

What is clear to me is that the relationship between the Kikuyu and Luo is far too important to be left to the personal chemistry (or lack thereof) of its leaders. And a digression might help illuminate this point. After the deadly attacks of 9/11, many here in America were totally astounded and completely aghast at how much hate broad swaths of Middle-Easterners harbored against us. The first impulse of any Administration might have been first to profile and then flush out alien Arab-Muslims from the homeland. In fact most foreigners believe that this was precisely the inspiration behind the edict that all aliens beyond a certain age, starting with those of Middle Eastern descent, register at INS offices countrywide.

Fast forward a few years and enter Karen Hughes, America’s gung-ho image re-setter. Significant numbers of Middle Eastern students get invited to come and study at US colleges and universities. Why? True we want them to get a fine education, but we also want them to see, live and interact with ordinary Americans everyday. It wouldn’t take long before they discover real Americana, the one that so often gets distorted by stereotypical prisms from the outside and lopsided foreign policy proclivities from the inside. The true generosity of the American people, their kindheartedness and openness of spirit would come cascading forth. Feedback would eventually filter back to the students’ home countries and a re-cast American image, it was judged, would be a huge national dividend for the United States.

The counter-intuitive morale of the story is simple: in the face of adversity, multiply points of contact, DO NOT FALL PREY TO THE VOICES OF ISOLATIONISM.

It is vitally important that interactive subsets be established at all levels of Kikuyu-Luo body politic. Letting such a relationship become hostage to the vested interests of 2-3 individuals is pound foolish and penny wise. It is stupidity compounded (stupidity to the power of 3). It’s like going gaga over antiquated IBM mainframes in today’s age of iPods, iPhones, iTunes and Blackberries!

My second missive, in a few days, will shed some light on what I believe Kenyans need to do to quickly put this sad chapter of an otherwise beautiful story behind us. We need to entrench peace, harmony and positivity but not just amongst the larger tribes. The feeling of being Kenyan and loving all Kenyans needs to be an abiding reality of every mwananchi.

And so it’s kwaheri ya kuonana from the son of Ndunge who dearly hopes that we can quickly return to the days when humor rules and where our version of the Onion allows us to congratulate Jesus 2.0 for a terrific upgrade (from an ass to a Hummer!) and to assert our strongly held belief that there’s absolutely no problem that a slap and a nolle prosequi can’t solve.

WE WILL BE A MUCH, MUCH, MUCH STRONGER NATION AFTER ALL THIS. I AM SIMPLY TELLLING YOU THE TRUTH.

OUR CONDOLENCES GO OUT TO ALL BEREAVED WANANCHI.

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READERS: We held this story for some time so that we could discuss whether the obvious stereotypes contained herein were offensive. We decided that a little humor was in order and that we would make an exception and put political correctness aside for the sake of a piece that we believe is worth reading. We believe that the stereotypes contained in this article do not detract from the very necessary message of this piece.  We appreciate the author’s submission of this well written and interesting article and we hope that you have enjoyed reading it.

For other responses to the article “Kikuyu-Luo Harmony” by Mugo Muchiri, please see: http://jaluo.com/wangwach/200802/KOnyiego_Kagwe_ArapRuto020808.html

FEATURE: ODM – PNU: VALENTINE’S DIVORCE OR MARRIAGE?

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In Africa, it  is believed that, “when hyenas stop chewing on a stricken elephants, the beast  rarely gets up again”

It seems the  current political stalemate in Kenya is the shadow of the ‘unmovable beast that  is eating away its nation.’

What if the  Kofi  Annan-led mediation process  fails?

Would the UN  Security Council ask NATO to give temporary assistance to the AU, pending a  full-blown UN Mission’s arrival, including military? Why this questions and  many more?

Remember what  happened in Rwanda! There was a sudden withdrawal of foreign troops and resultant  chaos. Where was the UN, then, to save Rwanda?

Is China  failing Kenya by ‘passively’ helping end the political stalemate? History  reminds the world that China opposed the intervention of the UN in Sudan for  fear of annoying the ‘murderous government,’ from which it bought vast dollops  of oil. Isn’t China guilty for acting a passive perpetrator of genocide in  Sudan?

In ‘severe’  situations, UN distinguishes between two sorts of Security Council resolutions.  “Those passed  under Chapter 6 (six), deal with the peaceful resolution of disputes and  entitle the council, to make non-binding recommendations.  Those under  Chapter 7 (seven), give the council broad powers to take action including  warlike action, to deal with “threats to the peace, breaches of peace or acts  of aggression.”
          

And as it is  commonly asserted that Kibaki’s occupation of State House as president is still  ‘illegal’ and questionable and as the hardline stance by government is sustained, Kenya runs a risk of being ruled by warlords.

This means  that even if the second attempt, after a failed one by Ghana’s president Kufuor, to restore political electoral and historical order and currently  backed by the International Community, former UN Chief Koffi Annan and his team  of Eminent Persons, should not at all fail or else Kenya shall reach a  punctured crunch point in time to come.

Kofi Annan’s  team ought to facilitate Kenya to have a transitional ‘government of national  unity’ which could, in a year or two, hold elections. The International  Community should come in to give logistical and financial support directly or  NGOs affiliated to the mediation process to help save Kenya.
On tougher  grounds, Kenya would need closer foreign military protection and back-up for  the sake of internal and cross-order security.

Why?  Intelligence  forces predict a risk of a politico-economic proxy conflict breaking out  between Kenya and Uganda (and probably Somalia and Ethiopia) due to the  ‘adapted opposition strategies’ employed in Kenya by ODM against government’s  PNU. President Museveni would face the same challenge president Kibaki is  currently facing.

Does East  Africa need UN’s blue helmet forces to secure peace in the region?

To revisit  history, the International Crisis Group (ICG), a think-tank, had warned that the arrival foreign (Africa) troops as peace keepers, especially Ethiopia, may  rekindle Somalia’s civil war. The current militancy is Somalia seems the aftermath  of the pre-meditated warning.

Across the  border, and years back, the last Rwandan military aircraft had chugged  away, the Mai-Mai, a tribal militia came out of the bush. Two hours later,  bullets were flying and the townfolk were fleeing, as Mai-Mai warriors fought members of another rebel group and many were left dead.

Worse still,  the Lendu tribe of Congo had its own  death trap. With painted faces and leaf circles in their hair, they broke into a  hospital near Bunia where many of the medical staff and patients were from the rival Hemas, a tribe allied to  western Uganda.  The Lendu warriors went from bed to bed,  cutting up the occupants. By the time they had dragged out the children hiding  in the roof and torched a nearby village, they had killed 1,000 people.
In Kenya,  after elections were announced several self-made tribal militia clubbed together to try and force out a ‘rigged-in’ leader, Mwai Kibaki, and later on  turned on one another displacing themselves and leaving behind crude weapons of  national destruction and displacement.

On a lighter  note, I refuse to accept that ‘machetes and pangas’ should be classified as ‘small arms’. Should we blame knives, pangas, slashers, sickles, and razor  blades for being weapons that could kill? Or should we change the attitude of  men to de-classify such as ‘small arms.’ This is an issue of attitude and intention and not a matter of transforming an object to be an arm of the mind.

Certainly,  Kenyans have been caught between flexible timetables that the Koffi Annan led team and the International Community have demanded and the depressingly  inflexible record of African politicians, including Kenyan tribal militia  groups, warlords and faction leaders whose sparring has cost perhaps 1,000  lives and displaced 300,000 persons from their homes.
          

The International Community ought to end the intermittent and periodic pillage and  death that is ethnically based.

Reassembling Kenya back to where it was is a daunting task, but it is a task that has to start from somewhere– with the internationally sponsored Kofi Annan-led mediation process and the group of Eminent Persons, including like minded protagonists and political and ordinary Kenyans.
Let us all  avoid overturning the progress made so far and avoid political miscalculations  that endanger national security and stability. We all need to choose to  separate our home-grown centrism or hardline stances from national affairs and sectarian  political party radicalism for the sake of Kenya.      

Regards and Happy Val’s,

Mundia Mundia Jnr.             
       
                    

Kivuitu compares Kibaki to Moi, says rigging was possible

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EXCERPT: 

   Kivuitu added that he had been struck by the speed with which the president and his entourage were ready for the swearing in, less than an hour after he had announced the results.

  “It reminded me of the days of Moi,” he said.

For full article, see http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=4285141

– Sent by Keen Nyamwange

What Changes We Need For A Stable Kenya

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Of the changes that we need for a stable Kenya, not only for the present but also for the future, here are a few that are important:

1. A term limit for the Presidency(we already have that)
2. An independent electoral commission.
3. An independent Judiciary system.
4.  An independent parliament.
5.  A land Commission with implementation power.
6. A tribal clashes commission with power to punish.
7. Vetting of senior government position by parliament.

What we don’t need:

1. Power sharing ( what is the purpose of an election)
2. Prime Minister (a position to divide people and waste money with little benefit to the common man)
3. A coalation government(what is democracy without  opposition)

All of the above can be achieved by constitution amendments or by agreement by all stake holders.

– Charles Nkuraya

Other Luo Projects-LUO ECONOMIC FORUM

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Nyikwa Ramogi,
Mano doko paro maber mar Luo welfare. Aungo u lwedo kabisa. Joluo esecially modak oko, wadwa chako chenro mar investing in Luo land specifically Kisumu, as you all know Kisumu is a ghost town, thanks to massive destruction during post-election violence.

We are currently thinking establishing  a LUO ECONOMIC FORUM. To help foster development of Luo nyanza, we are proposing activities such as investments in Kisumu city, seeking funds for welfare-education, mobile clinics, health center, boreholes, and any rural development activites which will improve lives of Luo folk.

We are Luos in diaspora and we can mobilize funds to develop Luo Nyanza. We in diaspora can also find ways of investing our money not having to go through NSE which is full of Kikuyus (some of whom may be well-meaning, but others who may not).

Joluo, this is the time to wake up, let us redeem ourselves. Join us today. Interested parties please contact me: Gloria Atieno Otieno for more information My address is below.

Gloria A. Otieno
PhD Fellow, Development Economics,
Insitute of Social Studies ( ISS)
Kortenaerkade 12,
2518 AX
The Hague, Netherlands
Room 405
Tel ( office): +31(0)70 4260
Tel ( mobile) +31-630-357341

Post edited for content by Jaluo Press.

Ero kamano

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Kawuono eka afwenyo ka. Abiro ndiko kendo kelo twak mag dongruok. Amor kuom neno nyinge jo ma angeyo mangey ka. Wan kanyakla. Ero kamano.

– ONYANGO

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Ero kamano kuom ngiyo site.  Pod wa loso mae mondo wa ket barupe kendo weche ma ji ndiko pio moloyo kaka ne wa nyalo keto gi e site ma ne wantie go. 

– Jaluo Press

FEATURE: A Case for Justice in Kenya

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Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2008     22:49:32 -0500
 

On February 7th  2008, the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing titled “The Immediate and Underlying Causes andConsequences of Kenya’s Flawed Election”. This timely hearing
was chaired by the astute Senator Russ Feingold D-WI who, along withother committee Senators, made incisive queries of a number of American witnesses. The hearing resulted in a formal measure supporting a peaceful resolution of the current crisis in Kenya.

For readers who may be unacquainted, the people of Kenya have been painstakingly forging a nascent democracy over the past several decades. National elections were held on December 27th 2007 after an unprecedented peaceful and vigorous campaign season. There was real hope for the entrenchment of robust democracy by way of free and fair elections.

This was tragically not to be, for in the 11th hour, during vote-tallying, evidence of blatant and widespread rigging became exposed. A pre-meditated plan by the Kenyan government to outright steal the vote was enacted in front of the whole world. In fact, numerous international observers and official bodies have
roundly pointed to a flawed vote-tallying process. The result has been a discredited election that saw  incumbent Mr. Mwai Kibaki surreptitiously sworn in under the cover of secrecy and darkness, and the immediate, pre-meditated repression of civil liberties by a widespread lethal police crackdown on freedoms of speech, media and public assembly.

What has followed is truly horrific. Kenya has been convulsed by rioting in direct response both to the theft of votes as well as to the brutal police crackdown on anticipated protests; a crackdown which has included a
‘shoot-to-kill’ order toward unarmed protesters (Kenyans do not enjoy a right to bear arms as Americans do). The immediate post-election reaction by Kenyans has been one of outright rage at the blatant theft of their precious vote. This rage, and the lethal police suppression of it, has spiraled into the uncorking of
deep-seated land grievances and related ethnic rivalries.

The simplistic “tribal clashes” aphorism that has been imposed by Western media to neatly explain away the complex emotions being vented by Kenyans of all walks of life should be dispelled lest it become a self-fulfilling
prophecy. The facts are actually to the contrary. The poor of Kenya of all ethnic identities are the foot soldiers of a disenfranchised majority, and have taken to the streets to voice their disgust with a government which has robbed them of their barely realized liberty. It is the secondary action of a few shadowy nefarious characters, which has exploited the unstable situation to egg-on atavistic tendencies of impressionable youth to rally around parochial tribal identities.

In the meantime, the United States’ State Department and Embassy in Nairobi have been thrust into the role of attempting an honest brokerage between the protagonists the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) opposition, and Party of National Unity (PNU) government. This brokerage has had the somewhat nebulous aim of restoring peace, and resolving ‘the post-election violence.’

As a result, in an attempt to be even-handed, the U.S Ambassador to Kenya Mr. Michael Ranneberger proclaimed that “There is ample evidence of rigging on both sides.” The folly of this position is that there is actually no evidence at all of rigging by the opposition. This is because the opposition could not steal the vote even if it had wanted to; the partisan state apparatus has menacingly controlled the voting process
from an early beginning to the extreme end. In fact, on multiple levels, including the personnel appointments of the duplicitous Electoral Commission of Kenya, all organs of Kenyan government are directly dominated by Mr. Kibaki’s imperial presidency.

Mr. Ranneberger should have called squarely the uneven hand of the government which has buried Kenya in its reckless house of cards. The government PNU can and did steal votes- on the order of at least hundreds of thousands and probably over one million in an electorate of but 9 million, in order to tip the balance in favor of PNU’s unpopular Mr. Kibaki.
The evidence of this government orchestrated rigging has been openly put before Mr. Kofi Annan who is currently in Nairobi attempting feverishly to mediate dialogue between the leadership of the two parties. In the meantime, those who have the least to lose, mainly dwellers of Nairobi’s informal settlements, and poor country farmers and peasants, are caught up in an escalating cycle of violence characterized by the widespread killings of unarmed civilians by paramilitary police, murders of neighbors in heretofore
peaceable communities, then revenge killings, all of which continue with impunity.

The problem for the United States, is how and where to take a stand on the Kenyan post-election crisis. In order to articulate the import of such a stand, it is useful to recall Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s maxim “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This maxim should not be dismissed as a trite feel-good adage, if only for the mere fact that we currently have soldiers foisting democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq in order to preserve a fragile terrorism-free security on our own home front. The central problem with Mr. Ranneberger’s well-meaning proclamation is that he sacrificed the defense of justice, for the expediency of trying to equalize an unequal peace. This is problematic because, invoking Dr. King once more, “True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.” Seemingly similar, distinguishing between a True Peace and an unequal peace is crucial for Kenya. With True Peace there is justice; in an unequal peace there is not. The mediated settlement the Kenyan opposition ODM has demanded is in fact one predicated explicitly on political justice, and therefore would lead to a True Peace if extolled by all. The government, through guile and
not-so-clever manipulation of repressive instruments of power freely at its disposal, will try to force an unequal peace. As an example, the recent shocking murder of two opposition members of parliament
has now reduced the hard-won opposition ODM majority in parliament.
The government line on these political murders (which have a long precedence in recent Kenyan history) is that one is ‘merely unexplained’ and the other ‘the result of a love triangle’. In the second murder, the lecherous government propaganda machine shows that it does not even leave its own unscathed. The murderous culprit of this obtusely angled fairy-tale turns out to be none other than a shoot-to-kill-loving policeman, as so witlessly confessed by the government police boss himself.

Notwithstanding the direct and insurmountable evidence of unjust election rigging by government agents, there is conversely equally compelling circumstantial evidence supporting the opposition’s contention that
veritable justice must be a central deliberate outcome of any mediated negotiation. This circumstantial evidence exists most powerfully as the telling convergence of now official conclusions by the US, EU and Canada, with the longstanding platform manifesto of the ODM: that the traditional framework of Kenyan government as enshrined in its neocolonial constitution, and as defiled by the wanton corruption of its likeminded oligarchs, is inherently undemocratic. Even the weak-minded United States Bureau of African
Affairs Assistant Secretary of State, Dr. Jendayi Frazer, testified February 7th at Senator Feingold’s hearing that Kenya is in bad need of radical constitutional and other institutional reform. All other civil society American witnesses who testified at this same hearing re-iterated the fundamental problem of Kenya’s tyrannical constitution which preserves an imperial presidency without independent checks and balances.

ODM presidential candidate Mr. Raila Odinga had campaigned on an open platform of bringing a new
constitution to bear within six months. Such a constitution, known colloquially in Kenya as the Bomas Draft, had already been authored by eminent persons from across the political divide and has been eagerly awaited enactment by a savvy majority of Kenyans. This new constitution has as its pillar the devolution of power from the presidency and creation of the necessary political spaces to accommodate all of Kenya’s varied and deserving communities. Of course, its enactment has been heartlessly stymied by the greedy cronies of Mr. Kibaki’s government.

America has a special historical role in championing freedom and democracy both at home and all around the world. The great American Martin Luther King Jr. was prescient in his perseverating sensation that the cause of justice must be the bedrock upon which peace is lastingly unfurled. I hail the resolute efforts of Senator Feingold to exact truth from Kenya’s treacherous predicament. He and his committee’s devotion affirm the
universal dictum that ‘suffering truth shall set us free.’ For Kenya, the distillation of truths from the poisoned chalice of the recent election has exposed immediate political, social and economic injustices. The corollary therefore is that directly addressing glaring injustices arising from the flawed Kenyan election is the
essential stand that will at long last set Kenyans free.

The voices for justice on this West side of the Atlantic and on that East side of Africa are finally synchronous because of the cathartic space that Kenya’s post-election crisis has loosed upon the world. Those of us who have
a conscience and are aware of the unfolding calamity in Kenya should see therefore that our fair-minded voices sound firmly on the side justice. We should for the sake of those in Kenya who, though corralled in the great Rift of their burning Valley, thirst first for the quenching stream of justice to wash away the torment of their fair, yet freedom famished land. Don’t just take it from me. The great Russian Novelist Alexander Solzhenitsyn, who made the world aware of the Soviet Union’s great sin of Gulag labor camps, states it best: “Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience but the  conscience of the whole of humanity. Those who clearly recognize the voice of their own conscience usually recognize also the voice of justice.”

– Omondi

LETTER TO UNKNOWING WAZUNGU REPORTERS

2 Replies

Do you know that all the diplomats/foreign reporters in Nairobi all live in houses owned by Kikuyu landlords?  They are routinely invited to ‘mutura’ parties and compromised/pressured in the process. How can you manage to be out of that trap?
Read below to open your eyes. Really the root cause of all the mayhem is very simple. The Kikuyu are  trying to be colonial rulers of Kenya, a repeat of the Kenyatta era with Kikuyu PCs (like Mahihu and Mathenge) being colonial governors over the various other tribes in the provinces. This is untenable in modern Kenya. Michuki is a neanderthal living in a time warp.

40% of Kenya’s GDP/jobs/education/HC/civil service/capital etc is around the Maasai City of Nairobi. This is the ‘well’ that the Kikuyus have drunk from for over 40 years disproportionately due to their geographical and demographic advantage. The GOD of capitalism is capital and they have had access to this capital also in the same way.
Moi had peace with them by an unwritten agreement, they ate business money and the rest of the tribes (his being favoured) ate government GDP and jobs, etc. (slowly over 24 YEARS). Finally the non-Kalenjin ganged up and won the ballot in 2002. Kibaki promptly trashed the MOU (excluding the other tribes)and reverted to Kikuyu domination and in only 3 YEARS appointed his own to the government throwing out all the Kalenjin. What really riled the Rift Valley Kalenjins was that Kenyatta had allocated the best pieces of the Rift Valley to his fellow Kikuyus yet the Moi government allocations of the dregs were trashed by the Kikuyu Lands minister as just pieces of paper!? You can’t blame them for getting wild and angry.

The Bukusu (who are really the Mugisu who fled into Kenya during Idi Amin’s reign in Uganda) quickly aligned themselves with the Kikuyu against the rest of Kenyans (thanks to Musikari Kombo)and started eating at the table.  Similarly, the Kisii/Kuria (who also emigrated to Kenya in droves during Nyerere lean years in Tanzania) did the same (via Nyachae). Just look at the Kibaki new cabinet -Wetangula (Bukusu) and Ongeri (Kisii-scholarships and ambassadorship jobs for the boys). But it is falsehood that is bound to crumble.

So we had a situation where the Kikuyu (and their cohorts above) were  eating both the business money and the government money. The rest waited patiently after the MOU was trashed for the ballot in five years time -2007.

But oh no !! There was no way the parliamentary votes could be rigged on a mass scale (due to the counting agents and the on site declaration and certificate required to be issued to the winner) so they came up with ‘tally’ rigging where hundreds of thousands of votes were ‘found’ being only for the presidential candidate–that is, these voters were not interested in their parliamentary candidate but only in voting in the naked emperor Kibaki!!  What rubbish !! (There was no such discrepancy in 2002.)

The ODM voters immediately took to the streets as a result and mayhem has followed. Annan efforts will come to zero, it’s very simple – the same Martha Karua who was in the KICC tally Hall at the time the presidential votes were ‘found’ and being included in the tally is on the negotiating table !!?? She should actually be hanging from a noose for giving moral support (as Justice Minister, no less!) to the small timer clerks doing the false ‘tallying’ and thus being the cause of the mayhem that has cost over a thousand lives so far!!

There are over 10,000 ex-army/forces men who had served under the Moi regime in the  Rift/Western/Nyanza provinces. God help us all if they get automatic weapons if this impasse is not solved because only a few hundred Sabaots attacking the Bukusu/Mugisu from Uganda cannot be tamed by the Army, so what happens with such a large force?!

There is a light that shone at the time of the election of the Deputy Speaker -the Opposition now had 110 votes (more than the earlier 104). This means that the Kikuyus in Parliament will be routed by the rest of Kenyans and this is really the only hope. But against this is the ‘shemeji’ phenomenon, non-Kikuyus married to Kikuyu women (2 PCs, Mungatana, Kirwa, Mutua, Madoka, Nyachae, etc.) and coupled with big money bribery they may yet get a working majority in Parliament to continue with their colonial agenda.

We hope and pray for the best. Cardinal Njue of course has been called for confession by the Bishop of Rome for his part in the slaughter of and division amongst Kenyan Catholics. Or maybe he was also discovered giving a ‘private message’ to Martha Karua in a car by the roadside in the middle of the night like his fellow Catholic priest. (They say a lot of Catholics in Western and Nyanza want to convert to Islam because Najib Balala looks very handsome in his coat and khanzu-just kidding!)

– Iqbal

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READERS: Please note that this post has been edited for content.  Ochieng and any others who may have been offended, please accept our apology. 

That said, we do not believe that this article (in its current form) demonizes any group.  Note that where the author makes claims about any ethnic group’s domination, he or she also provides facts to substantiate these claims.  If you have any other complaints regarding the article, please be specific and cite an example of an unsubstantiated claim.  This is a forum for open discourse.   

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Thank you for the heads up Ochieng.

 Regards,

Jaluo Press   

PRESS STATEMENT BY BISHOPS FROM RIFT-VALLEY, NYANZA, AND WESTERN PROVINCES IN SUPPORT OF PROPOSALS FROM H.E KOFI ANNAN

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Any Peace loving Kenyan or anybody in any country in the world who has been following the post general election events in the country, would sincerely support the Mediation team of former UN chief Kofi Annan.
  
  It is on that note that we as Bishops from Rift-Valley, Nyanza and Western Provinces urge Kenyans to rally behind Annan if the country was to heal from the sufferings it has experienced in the last few months.
  
  We believe it is the formation of a Grand Coalition Government pending elections after two years that would help the country pick up fully and remain united as before. Kenya has been known as an Island of peace and this would continue when Kenyans are satisfied of the country’s leadership through elections.
  
  The country has shed a lot of blood and it is therefore important for our politicians to weigh what they say especially regarding the Mediation talks led by H.E Koffi Annan. The remarks like those from Hon. Martha Karua regarding the announcement by Annan over the talks development should be avoided by all means.
  
  As Bishops from the three Provinces, just like majority Kenyans, we are convinced that Annan and his team is best placed to end the turmoil in the country if they are fully supported by us, Kenyans.
  
  The remarks from Hon Karua, criticizing the announcement by Annan on the Plans for a grand coalition government followed by elections after two years, is in bad faith and clearly shows that she, and by extension the PNU which she leads in the mediation is not for the interest of the general country.
  
  As we told H.E Koffi Annan in amemorandum we had sent to him, the country is bleeding and talks hold the key to the future destiny of this nation whose innocent citizens, including children have heavily suffered due to the Presidential elections. The situation needs a political approach like this led by Annan and not courts as demanded by the PNU.
  
  We must realize that courts are not fields to sort out political mischief. Kenyans are keenly following the proceedings from the Annan dialogue because they yawn for Justice on the political leadership in the country which will be solved through another ballot exercise.
  
  As clergy, we feel duty bound to remind our political leaders that they cannot hang on power while the country is falling apart over the disputed Presidential elections and that it was important for them to swallow any pride and support Annan initiative for the interest of the country.
  
  The behaviour of Hon. Karua over the progress made to the public from Annan, clearly indicate that she does not mean well for the country and has no respect for the democratic principles she had been talking of previously.
  Kenyans voted on the platform of change and made their verdict. If their democratic decision through the ballot box was not respected hence a rose to the dispute, then it would only be wise to subject the same Kenyans to another elections so as to get a leader of their choice.
  
  That is why we maintain that people of goodwill must just support the Mediation initiative led by H.E Koffi Annan.      
                    
  
  
  
  
  Signed by Bishops
  
  1.      BISHOP DR. WASHINGTON OGONYO NGEDE
  POWER OF JESUS AROUND THE WORLD CHURCH & COORDINATOR CHURCH FOR CHANGE NYANZA. PROVINCE
  
  2.      BISHOP FRANCIS MWAI ABIERO
  ANGLICAN CHURCH
  
  3.      ARCHBISHOP SILAS OWITI
  VOICE OF SALVATION AND HEALING CHURCH
  
  4.      BISHOP ZEPHANIAH OUMA ORAO
  NEW WINE EMMANUEL SHALOME CHURCH
  
  5.      ARCHBISHOP JULIUS OTIENO OLOO
  LIVING WATER INTERNATIONAL
  
  6.      BISHOP PETER CHEMASWET
  BAPTIST CHURCH & COORDINATOR CHURCH FOR CHANGE RIFT VALLEY PROVINCE
  
  7.      BISHOP PATRICK MUGANDA
  FRIENDS CHURCH COORDINATOR CHURCH FOR CHANGE WESTERN PROVINCE
  
  8.      BISHOP JOSHUA KOYO
  CHAIRMAN NCCK NYANZA REGION
  
  9.      BISHOP CHARLES AGWATA
  OBEDIENT PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF GOD

How to Submit a Story and More

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Dear Readers,

 In order to better serve you–to deliver news and commentary to you in a more efficient manner–we are moving to a blog format.  You may continue to send us your submissions at jaluo@jaluo.com or you may register at this site and submit a post for moderation.  Please be patient with us as we continue to work on making this site more user friendly. 

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FEATURE: A HANDY WHO’S WHO GUIDE TO KENYAN POLITICS

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Kenya’s Thief-in-Chief  

Mwai Kibaki.  This man stole the presidency in Kenya in 2007. At 76, he’s the world’s oldest notorious thief.

Traitor-in-Chief

Kenya ‘s Judas Iscariot Kalonzo Musyoka, the Democracy-traitor-in-Chief. He betrayed all democratic ideals and wiped off any hope of ever leading Kenya .

Liar-in-Chief 

The PNU spokesman, Dr Goebbels Alfred Mutua is the spinmeister of the bandit regime. He can answer any question. One of the most effective agents of disinformation.

Rattlesnake Me-Chuki.  

John Michuki.  This man is the most famous rigging mastermind in Kenya . Known for his ‘rattlesnake’ temper, he has a tongue that dates back from colonial administration. The shadow president of Kenya.

Look at his eyes, cunning and foxy. He is the power-behind-the-throne. HE is the shadow president of Kenya.

Compromised Church

Whereas Kenya boasts a probable Pope in Cardinal John Njue, the Church is in bed with the state. When Kibaki stole the presidency in 2007, the hitherto dependable church went mute. Now that the aftermath of that conspiracy of silence has manifested itself in full-blown ethnic wars, the church is crying faul. While Mungiki is hacking opposition supportes and the police gun down peaceful demonstrators, John Cardinal Njue has discovered that there is spiritual revival in silence. The church in Kenya  is complicit in state-sponsored theft and genocide of innocent civilians.
 

Warlord-in-Chief

Uhuru Kenyatta is Kibaki’s heir-apparent. He is using his wealth to bankroll Mungiki. He is Kenya ‘s warlord-in-chief. The drunken-looking son of Jomo is an astute student of master-rigger Daniel Moi.

Brains-for-thieves

Martha Njoka-turned-Martha Karua is the brains behind the throne. Take her off and Kibaki is exposed and vulnerable. She has presided over theft and erosion of Kenya ‘s judiciary. Arguably the most intelligent minister in Kenya ever, she dates a Catholic priest, Father Wamugunda.

George Saitoti

The Goldenberg tainted George Saitoti is presiding over police genocide in Kenya . Also a silent approval of Mungiki-led purge of the political scene, he hopes to succeed Kibaki by default. Saitoti lost the 2007 parliamentary seat but rigged himself in with the help of his brother using counterfeit ballots.
 

Police Commissioner

The Police Commissioner Ali is presiding over a police-sponsored genocide of innocent lives. A millitary man, he was made police commissioner in a surprising move. He should be charged with crimes against the Kenyan people.
 

Enemy of the people

The disgraced ECK Boss, Samwel Kivuitu carries the blood of innocent Kenyans everywhere on his cynical face. He is the coward-of-the-nation. He does not know who won the election, yet he handed over a certificate to the thief-in-chief.
 

Killers-for-Hire

Mungiki is a pro-Kibaki-government, primitive gang of goons who sniff snuff, behead their victims, forcefully and crudely circumcise men, perform female genital mutilation, drink the blood of their victims and kill-for…

Need we say more?

– Sent by David 

A big night

Leave a reply

Annah – 

Thanks to you, Barack won all three of today’s contests decisively.

Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC join a sweep of eight straight
victories since Barack won the most states and the most delegates on Super
Tuesday.

But the race for the Democratic nomination remains close. It’s going to be a
fight for every vote and every delegate in the remaining 18 contests.

Each of us needs to take responsibility for getting as many people involved in
this campaign as possible.

More than 400,000 people have donated to this campaign in 2008, and we are on
course to reach half-a-million donors before the crucial March 4th primaries
and caucuses.

Now is the time to step up and own a piece of this campaign.

If you make a donation of $25 now, your gift will be matched by another donor
like you, doubling your impact.
 
Make a matching donation now:

https://donate.barackobama.com/match

The upcoming contests in Wisconsin, Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania will demand
energy and resources on an unprecedented scale.

It’s going to take all of us to keep these victories going. But if anyone is
up to the task, it’s this movement.

Thanks for your support,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

Donate: https://donate.barackobama.com/match

Interesting Read: Solutions for Kenya???

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PLEASE SEND AN INTERESTING STORY ABOUT WATER MELON TO PNU
MEMBERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  _____  

Great article on finding a unique way to meet a market need, a customer focused approach and thinking out-of-the-box (or maybe in the box in this case!).

 Lessons of the Square Watermelon

Japanese grocery stores had a problem. They are much smaller than their US counterparts and therefore don’t have room to waste. Watermelons, big and round, wasted a lot of space. Most people would simply tell the grocery stores that watermelons grow round and there is nothing that can be done about it. That is how I would assume the vast majority of people would respond. But some Japanese farmers took a different approach. If the supermarkets wanted a square watermelon, they asked themselves, ‘How can we provide one?’ It wasn’t long before they invented the square watermelon. 

 
http://www.financialhack.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/square-watermellons

http://www.financialhack.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/square-watermellons.

The solution to the problem of round watermelons wasn’t nearly as difficult to solve for those who didn’t assume the problem was impossible to begin with and simply asked how it could be done. It turns out that all you need to do is place them into a square box when they are growing and the watermelon will take on the shape of the box. 
 
http://www.financialhack.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/square-watermelons
http://www.financialhack.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/square-watermelons.p

This made the grocery stores happy and had the added benefit that it was much easier and cost effective to ship the watermelons. Consumers also loved them because they took less space in their refrigerators which are much smaller than those in the US meaning that the growers could charge a premium price for them. 

 http://www.financialhack.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/square-watermelons–

http://www.financialhack.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/square-watermelons-2

What does this have do with anything besides square watermelons? There are a few lessons that can you can take away from this story which help you in all parts of your life. Here are a few of them:

Don’t Assume: The major problem was that most people had always seen round watermelons so they automatically assumed that square watermelons were impossible before even thinking about the question. Things that you have been doing a certain way your entire life have taken on the aura of the round watermelon and you likely don’t even take the time to consider if there is another way to do it. Breaking yourself from assuming this way can greatly improve your overall life as you are constantly looking for new and
better ways to do things. This was one of the most difficult things for me to do because most of the assumptions I make, I don’t even realize that I’m making them. They seem perfectly logical on the surface, so I have to constantly make an effort to question them.

Question habits: The best way to tackle these assumptions is to question your habits. If you can make an effort to question the way you do things on a consistent basis, you will find that you can continually improve the way that you live your life. Forming habits when they have been well thought out is usually a positive thing, but most of us have adopted our habits from various people and places without even thinking about them. I have changed a large number of habits that I have had after taking the time to question them and continue to do so. Some of them I have know idea where they came from while others I can trace to certain people or instances in my life. It’s a never ending process, but by doing this, you can consistently strive toward making all aspects of your life more enjoyable instead of defaulting to what you have now.

Be creative: When faced with a problem, be creative in looking for a solution. This often requires thinking outside the box. Most people who viewed this question likely thought they were being asked how they could genetically alter water melons to grow square which would be a much more difficult process to accomplish. By looking at the question from an alternative perspective, however, the solution was quite simple. Being creative and looking at things in different ways in all portions of your live will help you find solutions to many problems where others can’t see them. I am not a creative person, but I’ve found that the more that you look at things from different perspectives, the more creative I have become. It’s a learned art and builds upon itself.
 
Look for a better way: The square watermelon question was simply seeking a better and more convenient way to do something. The stores had flagged a problem they were having and asked if a solution was possible. It’s impossible to find a better way if you are never asking the question in the first place. I try to ask if there is a better way of doing the things that I do and I constantly write down the things I wish I could do (but currently
can’t) since these are usually hints about steps I need to change. Get into the habit of asking yourself, ‘Is there a better way I could be doing this?’ and you will find there often is.

Impossibilities often aren’t: If you begin with the notion that something is impossible, then it obviously will be for you. If, on the other hand, you decide to see if something is possible or not, you will find out through trial and error.

Take away the lessons from the square watermelons and apply them to all areas in your life (work, politics, finances, relationships, etc) and you will find that by consistently applying them, you will constantly be improving all aspects of your life.

 
JK