Monthly Archives: November 2009

FORMER SUGAR COMPANY BOSS IN COURT FOR ABUSE OF OFFICE CHARGE

THE HEARING OF CASE IN WHICH FORMER SONYSUGAR BOSS IS FACING A CHARGE OF ABUSE OF OFFICE AND CORRUPTION IS ADJOURNED BY A KISUMU COURT.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The hearing of abuse of office criminal case against the former SONYSUGAR Managing Director, Ambrose James Otieno, was adjourned here for the case to be mentioned again on December 15,2009.
The adjournment came abruptly when all the prosecution witnesses were present and ready to continue giving their evidences to the court.

The case is before Mrs Anna Ong’onjo, who is the Senior Principal Magistrate, in charge of Anti Corruption at the Kisumu law court. The prosecution is led by Miss Mary Oundo, while Otieno is represented by a Kisumu lawyer, David Otieno of Ragot and Otieno Advocates Company.

The adjournment application was made by the prosecutor State Counsel, Miss Mary Oundo, who had asked the court for time to consult the office of the Attorney General for fresh instruction and direction.

Otieno is facing a charge that on diverse dates, between February 2004 and July 2004, at Awendo Sare in Migori district, being a person whose functions concerned the management of public revenue, as the Managing Director of SONSUGAR, he willfully failed to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to procurement, by failing to disclose to the SONYSUGAR Tender Committee, the letter of guidelines, issued by the Acting director of public procurement, contained in his letter of February 27 2004 to the officials.

He proceeded with procurement of a secondhand grader tractor from the Associated Equipment Company Limited of South Africa{PTY}, as if it was the only source of grader, occasioning a loss of 100,000 South African rand to another firm, called MutanaTrading Company {PTY} Limited, for freight charges for shipment of a grader from South Africa to Kenya. But the grader was never supplied to SONYSUGAR.

The new development came about after the defending lawyer, Mr Otieno, had pinned down one of the prosecution witnesses during cross examination, during the previous hearing in October, only for the witness to admit that some important document were tempered with.

The witness, Peter Odhiambo, had told the court in his evidence that the former Managing Director, had tried to source the tractor grader single handedly, without informing other managers and even without consulting the company tender committee.

But the defending lawyer, Otieno, producer the same copy of the letter written by the Acting Public Procurement officer, Mr Kenneth Murunga, in February 2004. The letter was a guideline to SONYSUGAR, and it authorized the accused former managing director to proceed with the purchase of the grader after consulting all other relevant authorities, including heads of departments.

Otieno had shown Odhiambo, who is the purchasing manager of the SONYSUGAR, a copy of the same letter, which the former managing director had circulated to all the relevant managerial team in the company, including Odhiambo himself, who had duly signed it. Odhiambo accepted having seen and signed the letter. But his signature had been erased in the face, on the copy of the same letter for prosecution evidence. Documents from SONYSUGAR had been tempered with.

It also became clear that the company minutes of a meeting held on March 30, 2004, at which the guideline document from the Public Procurement officer was discussed exhaustively, were also missing. The witness, Odhiambo, was the one who was supposed to be the custodian of all the relevant documents.

The hearing resumes on December 15. Odhiambo’s evidence was stood over for further re-cross examination by both the Prosecution and the defense lawyer.
Ends

Thanks for Banning me from KPTJ

Thanks for Banning me from KPTJ
Okiya Omtatah Okoiti
Fri, Nov 20, 2009 at 5:18 AM

My dear sister L. Muthoni Wanyeki ,

I hope you are keeping well.

Thanks for this most interesting notification you have just sent me.

You write:
Firoze, please immediately remove this (sic) from the KPTJ listserve and also block them from being able to post to the same:
alai.robert@
mwaura.edwin@
omtatah@
omtatah@
bidiiafrika@
kenyaonline@

It reminds me of 1991 when my play “Voice of the People” was banned by the Moi operatives. It outlived the ban, got published 15 years later, and today is a set book for Literature at A-level. You cannot ban ideas. You argue your case, and win people over or you lose and cross over, or shut up.

It is unacceptable to assume that the concept of human rights is secular and that secularism (the exclusion of God from the public sphere) takes priority over other values. Such assumptions are controversial for those like myself who approach human rights from the perspective of Judeo-Christian and Traditional African religious beliefs. I belong to the school that maintains that these religious beliefs are the foundation of human rights: Consider the following three premises of the Christian religion, and a conclusion that follows from them:
God exists.
God is divine.
Man is made in the image of God.
Therefore: human divinity exists in all humans conferring special rights and corresponding responsibilities to all human beings simply because they are divine and therefore sacred.

You seem to claim priority for the faddism of the international (secular) legal understanding of the concept of human rights that is in vogue today. At the philosophical level, and for reasons best known to yourself, you decisively accord priority to secularism over religion.

Even though I know that the donor politics (Do you remember your ill-advised treatise [in the EastAfrican] on funding when Oscar King’ara and GPO Oulu were executed?) of this debate are more important for you in practice than questions of my religious philosophy, whatever you do, using pseudo-scholarship will never get me to join the homosexual gravy train. I have the courage of my convictions, and the will power to hold shape against any homosexual onslaught. If you overwhelm me wit numbers, I will go down fighting; I will never surrender to the profane!!!!

Thank God that as Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) Executive Director, you do not exercise executive powers over the Republic of Kenya, so I have a good fighting chance! And the Harmonised Draft Constitution of Kenya seems to be on my side. But wait a minute! I can’t be too sure. I am off to read it with magnifying glasses, to avoid being sorry.

I reproduce our debate that led to the ban hereunder for all to see.

May God bless us.
Omtatah

From: Wanyeki <wanyeki@
To: Lee Makwiny Rest assured that we wont allow anything about homosexuality to happend in Kenya!

Your ‘allowance’ has nothing to do with it. Whether you like it or not, Kenya already has an LGBTI community.

Regards.

Muthoni.

From: Okiya Omtatah Okoiti <omtatah@
To: Wanyeki ; Lee Makwiny <amosogal@
Cc: kptj-communications@

Haiya! I must play the VUVUZELA!

There are human rights and there are human rights but not all are human rights.
The problem with Kenya is that we have failed to separate the agenda of secularists who have hitched their wagon of deceit on the human rights train. Their plan is to push the profane to the centre so that the Godly takes to the periphery!

By the way, it is a campaign to make it a human rights violation to display the crucifix in public. But homos can stage scary near-in-the-nude parades in public in the name of human rights! If that is not the dictatorship of secularism that displays ultimate hostility to whatever is Godly, that seeks to subvert traditional institutions, then what is? Human rights indeed! I think we are at that place in time when we must revisit both the doctrine and architecture of human rights, especially their hierarchy, so that we don’t end up in the jungle of secularism where entitlement is achieved through profanity.

I will love the sodomite and will treat him as a fellow human being, but we will never ever join the homosexual bandwagon to declare from rooftops that sodomy is good (the ideology called homosexuality).

God bless.

Omtatah

From: Wanyeki <wanyeki@
To: Okiya Omtatah Okoiti I will love the sodomite and will treat him as a fellow human being.

..believe it or not, that’s actually all that human rights demands of you and all that our position expressed.

Regards.

Muthoni.

From:Okiya Omtatah Okoiti
To: Wanyeki
Cc: kptj-communications@

My dear Muthoni,

Why truncate my quote in the classic campaign of misinformation that drives the deceitful homo agenda?
You people want us to celebrate the sodomite!
You people want us to declare that sodomy is good.
You people want to give the sodomite parental rights…

But I say NADA! The only sex we will celebrate is heterosexual – and even here it is not free for all.
We condemn things like incest, adultery, rape, etc.

To love and treat the sodomite like a human being is to acknowledge that he has intelligence and, therefore, can and must use it to stop sodomy.
I prescribe rehab, not celebration, because I know humans can change and drop bad habits.

Please, next time show some respect by not distorting my thoughts.

God bless us.
Omtatah

From: L. Muthoni Wanyeki <wanyeki@
To: firoze@; Rosemary Tollo ; omtatah Omtatah
Sent: Fri, November 20, 2009 12:38:01 AM
Subject: [Fwd: Re: [Kptj-communications] Njeri Kabeberi Wins Prestigious Awards]

Firoze, please immediately remove this addresses from the KPTJ listserve and also block them from being able to post to the same:

alai.robert@
mwaura.edwin@
omtatah@
omtatah@
bidiiafrika@
kenyaonline@

Asante and warm regards.

muthoni.
— L. Muthoni Wanyeki
Executive Director
Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC)
P O Box 41079
Nairobi 00100
Kenya
Tel: (254) 20.3005673/3874998/9
Fax: (254) 20.3874997

RIFT VALLEY CIVIL SOCIETY NETWORK PRESS STATEMENT ON MAU EVICTIONS

From:  James Sang
Thursday, November 19, 2009 1:26 PM

RIFT VALLEY CIVIL SOCIETY NETWORK PRESS STATEMENT ON MAU EVICTIONS AT 680 HOTEL ON Nov.18, 2009
TIME: 10 AM
PREAMBLE:

We, members of Rift Valley Civil Society Network,

* Working to empower communities socially and economically,
* Aware of the impact of environmental degradation,
* Committed to the protection and conservation of our environment
* Supporting our Government’s effort to protect and conserve the Western Kenya Water Towers,
* Committed to truth and justice for all citizens of Kenya ,
* Promoting sustainable peace and justice in Rift Valley and Kenya at large,
* Respecting human rights and the rule of law by all citizens of Kenya ,
* Working to alleviate suffering and restoration of human dignity among communities,
* Having assessed the Mau eviction situation,

Do hereby issue this press statement:

INTRODUCTION:

The Mau Evictions process started on Tuesday 10/11/09 following the expiry of the 14 day quit notice by the Kenya Forest Service that ended on 9th. The targeted areas for eviction included Lelpanget, Kipkongor, Saptonok, Tiloluet, Koilonget, Kipsengwet, Arorwet, Kusumek and Ndoinet. In preparation for the evictions, the Government reportedly deployed over 300 armed security officers and maintained that the evictions shall be peaceful and humane.

The settlers started moving out of their settlements on Tuesday 10/11/09 to displacement Camps and highlighted by the media. This confirmed that these settlers are peaceful and law abiding citizens.

On Friday 13th November 2009, a humanitarian mission was organized by Rift Valley Civil Society Network spearheaded Emo Foundation and four other partners namely Kenya Foundation for youth and Women, Kipsigis Heritage Foundation and Kuresoi Kipsigis Council of Elders, accompanied by the media.

PURPOSE OF VISIT:

The purpose of the mission was to assess the humanitarian situation of the evictees and see how to assist them.

OBJECTIVES:

· To identify the locations that the evictees have camped

· Determine the numbers and assess their humanitarian situation.

· Identify and highlight their needs.

· Appeal and plan for humanitarian intervention.

METHODOLOGY:

The mission interviewed among others the District Commissioner, Area MP, Elders and evictees. The road conditions were very bad and we had to walk for some distance to access the camps.

FINDINGS:

· Evictees moved out peacefully. They heeded the Government’s notice hence moved out and camped by the roadside.

· Evictees camped in 10 areas namely:

o Lelpanget -1600 people

o Kipkongor -1400 people

o Saptonok – 230 people

o Kiptisia – 780 people

o Tiloluet – 640 people

o Koilonget – 482 people

o Kipsengwet – 348 people

o Aroruet – 560 people

o Kusumek – 403 people

o Ndoinet – 3560 people

Total population: 10,003 people

Humanitarian situation:

· No shelter, only temporary sheds.

· No food as the evictees had finished all they had.

· Very poor hygiene situation as there were no toilet facilities and water

· No medical facilities and one child who got burnt could not access medical care whereas several sick elderly persons and disabled left behind in the abandoned homesteads at the mercy of marauding wild animals e.g hyenas.

· People were highly traumatized especially children and women.

· People had left their crops in the fields and the evictees complained that the security personnel had harvested their crops and took to their base which the DC denied receiving any compliant. The area MP confirmed receiving the information and raising it with the authorities concerned thus ending the vice.

· Education had been disrupted due to the evictions as children flee with their families.

· There was no humanitarian intervention four days since the people arrived at the camp and the DC confirmed that plans were still underway for logistical and relief intervention. It was clear that the Government had not adequately prepared for the entire exercise.

· There was no humanitarian agencies in sight though the area MP said he had approached Red Cross but were nowhere on site four days after the exercise.

· The evictees claimed that they camped because they did not have land anywhere else to go.

Land issues:

The evictees claimed to be landless and had nowhere to go. They claimed to have been sidelined in land allocation where powerful individuals including former provincial administration and senior Government officials allocated themselves large chunks of land at their expense thus pushing them to the forest. This was quite visible as large trucks of large of land belonging to individuals were widespread.

It was reported that a land in Molo formerly belonging to a former prominent politician had been bought by the Government to settle them but was instead secretly allocated to members of one community.

Impact on Peace and reconciliation:

The developments in Mau are raising tensions and likely to affect peace in the area. Utterances attributed to some leaders especially the Minister for Forestry and Wildlife asking people to go to where they came from is a big blow to peace gains so far achieved and national healing process.

We therefore make the following statements:

Humanitarian:

We are appealing to the Government to speed up the relief assistance to the evicted Mau settlers (GDP’s) Government displaced Persons, to reduce human suffering.

We urge other humanitarian organizations and individuals of goodwill to come to the aid of the Mau evictees.

Land issues:

We are asking the Government to speed up the resettlement of the evicted squatters just like it is resettling IDPs and should not be seen to be selective.

The Government cannot be trusted as a custodian of public land as its officials and officers have allocated themselves large chunks of land instead of squatters. It should therefore target powerful individuals who have unscrupulously acquired land and revert it back to the forest.

Conservation of Mau:

The Government should make the communities in the region and especially the youth to partner in conservation by enabling them to participate in the rehabilitation of the degraded forest.

Peace and reconciliation:

The Government should promote peace and reconciliation by addressing the resettlement issue fairly and promote national integration. The current resettlement exercise clearly seems to target by not targeting only certain communities for resettlement while persecuting others e.g. Govt. Displaced Persons (GDPs), Ogiek, Siringonik, Embobut and Mt. Elgon .

The Government should come out clean on the allegation of allocating the land in Molo to one community at the expense of genuine Mau squatters and take the necessary actions.

We vehemently abhor irresponsible utterances by senior politicians and civil servants alleging that people should go to where they came from which negate the spirit of national healing and cohesion as well as national integration.

Reforms:

The Government should speed up reforms especially agenda 4 and constitution-making to address the land issues in Kenya , especially the Rift Valley. This will guarantee Kenyans their rights and justice thus bring lasting peace and security in the country

—————————————————————-

Message Forwarded  by:

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

KALENJIN MPS TOLD TO COME TO TERMS WITH POLITICAL REALITY AND STOP BLAMING PRIME MINISTER RAILA ODINGA OVER MAU EVICTION ISSUE.

KALENJIN MPS TOLD TO COME TO TERMS WITH POLITICAL REALITY AND STOP BLAMING PRIME MINISTER RAILA ODINGA OVER MAU EVICTION ISSUE.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.
Thur, Nov 19, 2009 at 10:10 AM

LEADING Kaelenjin politicians in the South Rift region have differed sharply with their cousins from the North Rift, over what they termed as falsified accusations against the Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, over the controversial Mau Forest eviction of illegal squatters.

A nominated Kericho Municipality Councilor, Nicholas Tum, angrily retorted that some of the Kalenjin Mps, who are the most vocal critics of Raila Odinga, had long standing differences with the ODM leader even long before the Mau Forest eviction issue came about.

Coun Tum cited the Chepalungu MP, Isaac Ruto, who had served in the last cabinet of the Moi regime. The MP had grudges with Mr. Odinga, whom he blamed for not having fronted his name in the list of cabinet appointments, among the ODM MPs. The same MP is now hiding behind the Mau Forest eviction, while vilifying Mr.Odinga, but forgets that not all the MPs cannot be Ministers.

The same could be said of the Marakwet East MP, Mrs Linah Kilimo. She ditched the ODM, even long before the last general election, and jumped the bandwagon of Kamlish Patni’s KENDA party, perhaps hoping to reap something out of the millions of shillings from the Goldenberg mega financial scandal. This particular MP had no business criticizing Mr.Odinga, and the sooner she shut up her mouth the better.

Tum told the Kalenjin MPs to handle the Mau issue soberly, and to control their emotions as true leaders, and to stop acting like common “hecklers. If they continued this kind of behavior, they risk plunging the community into the opposition benches when the next government is formed”.

“Odm is still the darling party of the majority of the Kalenjin people. We moved out of KANU in protest the other day, and we cannot afford now to ditch the ODM. These MPs should not keep the ODM party at ransom. Those who could not be patient and work for its unity should walk out and join other parties of their choices, instead o  behaving childishly”,said Coun. Tum.

He was full of praise for the cabinet Minister, Franklikn Bett, the Miinister for Roads, saying the Mp for Buret is the only Kalenjin MP who is behaving responsibly, and showing good leadership quality, that is full of political magnanimity and dynamism. Most of the MPs are inciters bent on promoting selfish issues.

Mau Forest eviction is not Raila Odinga project. It is the project of the government of Kenya, headed by President Kibaki, and the Kalenjin MPs know it pretty well that Raila is not the President and cannot take a unilateral decision on any matter of this magnitude. “Why can’t they direct their criticism to the President? Why Raila?”, Coun Tum asked.

The persistent threat of leaving ODM is the sign of political naivety and immaturity that is being displayed by some of the Kalenjin Mps, who only won the elections in 2007 due to the euphoria of the ODM in the region in 2007. “Let them walk out of the ODM now and not even half of them will see the inside of the Chamber of Parliament after the 2012 general elections. The community is closely watching their behaviors, which is full of political sycophancy”, said Coun Tum.

Coun Tum alleged that some of the Kalenjin MPs are seriously panicking over the impending Ocampo investigations and prosecutions for their parts in crime against humanity during the post-election violence and have gone publicly defending their names even before the ICC prosecutor disclosed the list of the suspects. Some have been allegedly issuing death threat to those whom they perceived to be the potential key witnesses.

ENDS
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

PRESIDENT MUSEVENI REVEALS A NEW MOVE TO BAR TRIBAL KINGS FROM TAKING PARTS IN UGANDA’S POLITICS

PRESIDENT MUSEVENI REVEALS A NEW MOVE TO BAR TRIBAL KINGS FROM TAKING PARTS IN UGANDA’S POLITICS

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.
Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 1:53 AM

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has revealed that the cabinet has approved the new law barring tribal kings from participating in politics.
He told the traditional and cultural leaders, in a meeting held yesterday, at Masindi Hotel, that the proposed new law included a clause that not only bars tribal kings and chiefs from engaging in politics, but also prohibits politicians from “riding on kingdoms.”

The Forum for Kings and Cultural leaders being held at Masindi Hotel, is to last three days.

All the traditional and cultural leaders across the country re in attendnce at the forum, except the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Mwenda 11, who was conspicuously absent.

“We have enough politicians. Kings should not interfere in politics, but also politicians should not interfere with cultural institutions. It is both ways”, Museveni said.

Citing outspoken leaders, Ken Lukyamyuzi,Goeffrey Ekenya, and Kabakumba Matsiko, President Museveni said each region had a sufficient stock of strong politicians. “Should kings become politicians?”, he asked, adding, “No. This would be something of over supplying of the stock of politicians”, he said, amid prolonged laughter by participants.

The Ugandan leader said that politicians have enough work to pre-occupy them, such as building the roads, and fighting corruption, and do not need to get involved in cultural affairs.

The leaders strongly condemned ritual killings in the country, the rampant corruption, and high power tariffs.

According to the NEWVISION, an un-named participant at the forum asked Mr. Museveni if he would ask the ruling NARM parliamentary caucus to amend the law, so that murderers, rapists, defilers and people charged with corruption can only be given court’s bail, after 180 days in custody.

President Museveni, in response to the sentiments sais, “The fight against corruption will be much easier. Now it is like a game, a person is charged and he applies for bail and he is released.”

The NEWVISION, a government owned daily observed the President seemed to be preaching to the converted traditional leaders, under the chairmanship of the Omukama {King} of Bunyoro, Iguru, in a memorandum pledged to distance themselves from politics.

The king of Bunyoro answered, “We call upon the government to put in place measures to stop cultural leaders meddling in partisan politics or being used as platform by disgruntled politicians”. They also pledged loyalty to the sovereign state of Uganda and to work as peers.

The traditional and cultural leaders also asked the government to increase payments to them and fund their activities, give them budgetary allocations, and to grant them with royalties in the country’s natural resources ,including oil.

The also asked the government to implement the regional tier, and correct the past historical injustices. “We in particular support the Omukama {King} of Bunyoro Kitara to secure justice-including rights to land denied to his subjects in Kabale”, the Memorandum says in part.
The kings also navigated the sticky issue of the restoration and coronation of Prince John Borigye of Ankole, as the new King of his people in Ankole.

“We requested the government to reconsider recognition of the Omugabe of Ankole, the Kingdom of Ankole having existed for over 600 years is a wealth of cultural assets that we cannot afford to see going to waste and neglect as it is currently happening.” They said in their memorandum.

President Museveni promised institutions that missed out on money for “bana bagagawale” that they would be catered for in the next budget, and that financial support for cultural leaders would increase on monthly basis.

On the issue of the revival of the Ankole kingdom,President Museveni said the traditional institutions were all restored, but only in areas where the people cherished them.

Asked to introduce himself, the Banyala leader, Baker Kimeze, aroused uneasiness among the delegates when he stood up and thanked Museveni for the way he had handled the Kayunga issue.
“Allow me to thank you for the true spirit of statesmanship you exhibited while handling the issue of Kayunga. Many people are thankful for the protection given to them when Mengo {Kabaka} organized thugs to loot and possibly erase the “Banyala” out of the country’s maps”.

It could be remembers that the planned visit to Kayunga in Bunyala, which was stopped by the government, was the source of riots in Kampala City and Bunganda Kingdom in September, in which close to 30 people died, mainly from the bullet wounds fired by anti riot police.

Earlier in the meeting, the Bunyoro Prime Minister, Kiiza, had told the President that all cultural institutions had sent representatives, apart from the “notable absence of the one who cannot where the Ssabanyala and Ssabakaboruli are”, a loose proverbial reference to the Kabaka of Buganda. Buganda is embroiled in land dispute with Bunyore Kingdom and also is adamant to acknowledge the existence Bunyala as a county located with Buganda, but as a separate entity.

Apart from the king of Bunyore at the meeting, were Bunyama Drulia. Jopadhola, Bamasaba and the Rwot of Lango. The other traditional leaders had sent representatives.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com,.

Draft Constitution

Friends,

It has been a very long time in search of a new constitution. And with the unveiling of the Harmonized Draft, it is now our turn to add value.

As we read and make comments, let us all agree that once passed, Parliament will not make any amendments to it. They will pass it as so desired by the People of Kenya.

If we pass the recall clause, and again subject the same to our MPs in Parliament, be sure they will go and amend it, in the process, they will remove it.

We have all seen how our MPs behave with serious National Issues in Parliament and I bet, if we subject the Final Draft open to Members of Parliament, they will be bought and in the process, they will ruin our party.

Over to all of us, and Viva Kenya.

Peace and blessings,

Odhiambo T Oketch,
http://kcdnkomarockswatch.blogspot.com

Jetlink Air Services – Disaster!

Jetlink Air Services – Disaster!

Edith Nyasega
Nov 18, 2:11 pm

I would like to bring to your attention a very disturbing trend with respect to unprofessional air services by Jetlink which needs to be brought to the attention of Kenyans and the political class to take action, before we have a disaster!

I was scheduled to travel back to Nairobi from Kisumu yesterday, Tuesday 17th November 2009, in the evening by Jetlink airline. However, we learnt yesterday midday, through informal networks and not by any formal communication from the airline that their services were canceled for the whole of Tuesday (the day I was scheduled to travel). The Tuesday morning flight had also not taken off from Kisumu. I then managed to get my agent to change my flight to this morning and although the cancellation was done by the airline, I was forced to pay extra costs for the change of flight. I understand that passengers who appeared at the airport yesterday were all stranded, except a few who were loaded onto other airlines – ALS and Fly 540 – and the rest were left on their own to seek and pay for accommodation. A practice I have not seen anywhere in the world! Under such circumstances, the airline takes responsibility for the passengers, some of whom had international connecting flights. This begs the question – under what rules is jetlink operating that they can leave passengers stranded?

This morning’s flight had its own challenges. We arrived in Nairobi without any luggage; only 2 or 3 bags were loaded onto the plane. No word was forthcoming on the whereabouts of our luggage with tempers flurrying from the passengers. The handling agent at the airport (a staff member of Jetlink) disappeared to call the supervisor and left passengers stranded without a word! She re-appeared 30 minutes later and promised passengers that their bags would arrive at 11.30am. She took details of passenger names, telephone numbers and baggage tag numbers promising to deliver the bags after the passengers refused to return back to the airport for their bags.

As I write this email (2 pm) I have still not received a call informing me of the status of my baggage nor any delivery of my bag.

Passengers expressed grave concern about the unprofessional manner in which this airline is rendering services and questioned the safety of passengers given the recent accident of Jetlink aircraft (in Kigali). If action is not taken to correct the situation, we may have a disaster in the offing. The level of laxity is not acceptable for an airline operating within the Kenyan borders. Kenyans and international passengers using this airline need to be reassured of their safety. We need to know if international aviation standards are really being followed in this case. Why is this airline being allowed to operate in such a “laissez faire” manner? Something is not right!

We need a statement from the Ministry of Transport.

Edith
Concerned Passenger

LEGION MARIA CHURCH IS DOGGED BY POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN ITS LEADERS

LEGIO MARIA CHURCH FACES DISINTEGRATION AS THE RESULT OF ENDLESS POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN ITS THREE TOP LEADERS EACH ONE OF THEM WANT TO BE THE POPE

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.
Wed, Nov 18, 2009 at 12:54 PM

LEGIO Maria of Africa is facing a lean time. The Church which is believed to have close to 3 million followers scattered all over East Africa could integrate if its leadership power struggle is not resolved soon.

Founded in Siaya by one woman Gaudencia Aoko in the late 1950 Legion Maria took the Luo-Nyanza by storm in the 1960s as it was seen as an indigenous church, and thousands of followers of Roman Catholic Church defected to it..

But its founder Aoko was later overthrown by the younger and aggressive Pope Melkio Ondeto in whose leadership he church grew from an obscure to a powerful church, which attracted mass following, mainly inside Luo Nyanza. It later spread its wing to all parts of the Eastern Africa regions.

Just a few weeks ago ,Got Kwer, which is the church headquarter situated on the hill-top was turned into the bloody battle ground between supporters of the current Pope Romanus Ong’ombe and another pope Raphael Adika.

Pope Adika who it is being alleged to have lost the battle for the supreme leadership of the church had tried to regain his leadership position, while supporters of the current Pope Romanus Ong’ombe are insisting that Adika’s removal was final and irreversible

The close to three days of intermittent fracases, during which score of people sustained bodily injuries only stopped after the intervention of the Police in Migori, who to custody a number of the combatants.

Lso involved in the battle for the control lf the church Pope Wilson Owino Obimbo who was himself ousted a couple of years ago by Pope Adika..

Bu the ugly face of the power struggle resurfaced two weeks ago during Harambee fund drive, which was presided by the Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga..The ODM leader tried in vain to reconcile the warring groups, and even at one time paraded the three Pope before the mammoth of enthusiastic crowd, but his efforts failed miserably as both Raphael Adika and his successor Romanus Ong’ombe stood their grounds.

Supporters of the two factions maintained that what is at stake cannot be resolved on a political platform, but through dialogue and proper consultation.

When Raila called the three to come forward before the crowd and reconcile, it was Wilson Owino Obimbo who bitterly addressed the crowd and said that he had invested a lot of his personal resources in developing Legio Maria Church and therefore cannot sit aside and watch somebody else controlling it.

On hjs part Adika also, said that what is at stake need more time and consultations to be resolved..

Legion aria Church gained its fame inside Luo-Nyanza because it was perceived to be the church which is supported by the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. Jaramogi frequently hosted its leader Pope Melkio Ondero in his Kang’o Ka-Jaramogi Nyamira home in Sakwa Bondo.

The late Jaramogi who was a follower of the CMS and later Anglican Church was baptized as Adonija Obadiah Ogiunga Odinga, But during e later part of his life, he switched to Legio Maria and unconfirm reports filtering out suggested that he might have been re-baptized as Gabriel Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and that Pope Ondeto personally officiated in the baptism exercise, though the date and place is not known.

Soon immediately after his release from detention camp, there was a big congregation and vigil prayers conducted by pope Mesiah Melkio Ondeto at the Jaramogi Bondo home, which was attended by thousands of people who fisted on over ten fat bulls and dozens of goats and sheep and other Luo traditional dishes.

This writer acted as the official photographer, hired specifically by Jaramogi to .take pictures of the events.

Rumors making the round is that Raila is supporting one factions hence the source of conflict and power struggles. It is also believed that the seemingly endless power struggle is over the Church’s resources.

However, after the death of Mesiah Melkio Ondeto a couple of years ago, the church has been embroiled in intensive power struggle and numerous legal tussles in courts over its leadership..At one time there was the Pope Hitler Chiaji.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

.

Who are IDPs?

Who are IDPs?
Nov 18, 2009 at 4:30 AM

We have had many people coming into camps in open spaces and then calling themselves Internally Displaced People. And I have looked at how our government has handled this issue with dismay.

Recently, Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta bought his own land using government money for a few Kikuyus who were claiming to be IDPs. As this was being done, we know that there were many Kenyans, not just Kikuyus who were displaced.

Again, recently, the President went to a place Kikuyus christianed Kiambaa, in the heart of Rift Valley to bury Kikuyus who were killed in the skirmishes of last year. Again, many Kenyans were killed in the clashes and the President was never available to attend their burials.

Now, who are these IDPs who seem to be more special than all other Kenyans who were affected?

Mr. Orinda Ndege lost his 2 wives and 9 children when his house was burnt in Naivasha. Do we have any one else who suffered more than this man in Kenya? And has the government made any single effort to help him?

We are living a lie. Kikuyus in power are pretending that there were no other Kenyans who were affected. And Raila Odinga and his Luo team of MPs are behaving as if Orinda Ndege deserves no help.

When Uhuru uses government money to buy his own land for Kikuyus who are pretending to be IDPs, where are our leaders? From Nyanza, Western, Rift Valley, Nairobi, Eastern, North Eastern and Coast? Are IDPs only from Central Province.

We are living a lie, and our leaders have been compromised to pretend that IDPs were only Kikuyus.

Kamau J Njuguna

AMERICA SHOULD STOP IMPOSING ‘YOUTH LEADERS’ IN KENYA

AMERICA SHOULD STOP IMPOSING ‘YOUTH LEADERS’ IN KENYA
Wed, Nov 18, 2009 at 10:52

It is imperative and the wish of majority of Kenyans especially the youth to see a better future for our country. We want a nation free from corruption, free from impunity and free from bad and immoral leadership. The mentioned characteristics have epitomized Kenyan political leadership for a long time. We as Kenyans are duty bound to protect the future of this country through creating an opportunity for transformative leadership. Those who already hold power are hell-bent to cling onto it and hand over to the heirs of their choice. This culture of attempts by leaders handing over to certain people of their choice has hurt Kenya since the days of colonialism. It is this method of nurturing leadership that we have most times ended up being led by wrong people whose duty has always been to continue with the legacy of their predecessors.

Currently, Kenya is going through tough times which call for leaders with a strong background and a good understanding of the needs for our country. This is the time that the young generation is challenged with a responsibility of nurturing a leadership that will transform this country into a well established economy for the future generations. this has become the greatest challenge for this generation and I appreciate the fact that many initiatives have come up to try and right what has been made wrong by our leaders who happened to hold the reigns of power in the past.

It is laudable that even the international community is concerned about the future of Kenya and has thus decided to get involved in trying to take part in some of the processes that can help Kenya rid itself of bad leadership.

However the most regrettable part is that the people who intend to help in the name of foreign support are doing worse that the bad leaders that we already have by trying to patronize the processes of change. It is a reflection of colonial mentality that some foreign ambassadors are trying to own the Kenyan youth by imposing what they imagine can be the leadership of the youth. They have entered into the fray of misusing the name of the youth to achieve their own selfish goals which are yet to be defined.

They are now looking for the youth who are ready to be used without any question to implement what appears to be a foreign agenda. The hope that they could help the Kenyan youth overcome the political challenges has become a pipe dream. The foreign envoys especially the American embassy has decided to fall into ordinary Kenyan politics of gossip, cronyism, tribalism and sabotage as a way of showing their bosses in the US that they are working. They are spending millions of money in this country on what they claim to be pro reform projects by organizing bogus youth meetings to impress their political powers that they are working in the interest of bringing political reforms.

So far, the Kenyan youth seem not to have any sincere friend, since while the current government officials are using the Kenya youth name to advance the culture of tokenism by pretending to be appeasing the youth through small institutional tokens like the kazi kwa vijana project and the youth enterprise development fund, the foreign embassies are using the name of the Kenyan youth in justifying their expenditures on what they claim to reforms on the interest of African governments whereby Kenya is included in this group.

The same embassies have decided to use the money to impose people who know little about political leadership. It’s noticeable that the agenda of the US in this country is not to nurture true leadership, but to create supposed projects for supposed reforms without well intended result. its time for the Kenyan youth to have their own time to identify leaders and not American appointed projects sitting in hotels under American ambassador’s sponsorship and masquerading as leaders of the youth. Those gatherings are for programme officers of NGOs who are driven by the thirst for donor money and know little about political transformation in Kenya. Kenyan youth need support to work towards realization for true change; we don’t need donor sponsored circuses claiming to be representing us. Kenyan youths already know their leaders and are not ready for any impositions driven by greed for donor funds whose full agenda is yet to be established. Foreigners are welcome to help us but they are not welcome to impose political novices into what is supposed to be youth leadership.

I support president Obama’s Policy of helping democratically challenged countries like Kenya to advance reforms, but we refuse any imposition of leaders on the Kenyan youth.

FWAMBA NC FWAMBA

Box 1176, BUNGOMA,

+254721779445

EVICTION OF KALENJIN FROM MAU, RAILA ODINGA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONSEQUNCES

From: NDALAT MOSOP
Nov 17, 2009 at 11:50 AM

What is taking place in Mau? Why are the Kalenjin community persecuted?
After 2002, the Kalenjin were thrown out of their jobs, then again, the
first evictions, of 2005. Let all note that the same person, the Hon.Raila Odinga was responsible, both times.

We all know how he feels about Mr. Moi, detaining him and all that!. We
understand he wants to revenge!. But should he punish all the community? We never asked to be Kalenjin, we were born into it, and let it be known we are proud of it and that we shall be Kalenjin first, and Kenyans after!

We are told our people are evicted then we shall be allowed to come back later to harvest our crops. Who is this mad man coming up with such ridiculous reasoning? Are you going to pay for the transport to and fro?

We have lived in peace with all communities and we even gave our land away hoping to please and in the spirit of brother hood, what have we got now in return? I come from Ndalat-Sugoi the heartland of Nandi, but we live with all the tribes, who have taken over our land, are we still to let them live among us when we are haunted from every part we have tried to live in Kenya?

Mr. N. Wekesa-the minister talks casually in contemptuous manner, Let them go back to where they came from, where did they come from Mr. Minister? First, those citizens have not robbed any one, and they are not like you who rides on the backs of people, greedily taking their money.

We gave the Prime Minister, our votes 2007, and he has turned back and bite us like a viper, why this betrayal?

This is a call to all my people-the Kalenjin, 2012 is coming soon, are we
going to repeat the same mistake? When this man is not even at the helm, he has courage to show us this side, what would it be like when he sits on the seat of power!

We were at least respected from being robbed all that we had acquired, when Kenyatta was there. Let us examine where we went astray. We should look again at other options come 2012! Raila should not be part of it.

We should never let any one take our land for free without compensation. We should realise that there is a concerted effort to impoverish us. It includes robbing us all our lands. The only asset that we possess.

Where are [ all ] the Kalenjin MPs. Why don’t we hear them fighting for
our cause! We are being robbed and thrown into the street yet they are silent? Learn from the Rwandese Hutus. When they fled to Zaire, they were all lumped as murderers. And their remnant survivors, are now being executed at the rate of 1500 a day. By the Congolese army and the Tutsi rebels operating in the Eastern part of Congo.

No help from the United Nations. The Congolese government sold them to Kagame, Rwandese President, in exchange for Laurent Ng’unta, the renegade rebel commander. Rwanda arrested him, and the Tutsi- Rwandese were allowed to go to Congo to kill the Hutu survivors. This could easily be the fate of the Kalenjin. The Tutsi population are on a revenge and meting out a punitive punishment. They intend to Kill as many as they can, of the Hutus so that they can reduce, and equalize their numbers. The left land shall be then taken over by the Tutsi. You can not hear about the plight of the Hutus who fled to Congo in 1994. The same is planned for our people!

Who caused 2007 election chaos? We hear today, about Eldoret North MP. He is accused of incitement, and planning the violence! Who asked the people to get out into the streets to resist? Was it not Raila himself? Who stole the elections, was it not Kibaki? Why don’t we hear those names? Mr. Prime Minister goes around talking about handing over people, [ suspects ] to Moreno Ocampo, is he indenting to include himself and Mr. Kibaki?

Ndalat Mosop

EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY HAS SIGNALED ITS WILLINGNESS TO HELP RAILWAY NETWORKS BACK ON TRACK IN THE REGION AND ASSIST GOVERNMENTS IMPROVE ROAD S AND COMMUNICATIONS.

East African Community to assist member states revive their railways network
Business Report By Leoa Omolo In Kiasumu City
Nov 15, 2009 at 1:23 AM

The East African Community has expressed its readiness to help resolve the challenges facing concession of railway lines in the region.
This will streamline the region’s transport network and spur economic growth. The intervention in the railway concession is one of the measures being instituted by the regional body.

The EAC’s Deputy Secretary General in charge of production and social sector, Jean Claude Nsengivumwa has said the infrastructure development initiatives being undertaken will address the low competitiveness of the region’s economies.

Addressing the participants at a recent forum on management of the Lake Victoria Basin in the Kenyan lakeside City of Kisumu, Mr Nsengivuymwa said the railway master plan are at different stages of implementation, and will help the region work towards political integration.

The move, he said, will focus on the concession of the Kenya-Uganda railway, and will include re-evaluation of the Central Railway system. It is being developed for East Africa and is aimed at improving the management of the network in the region.

The envisaged master plan will address, among other issues, interconnection and expansion of the railway line from the original coverage in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to incorporate Rwanda and Burundi.

The Rift Valley Railways was awarded a 25-year concession to run the Kenya-Uganda railway line in 2005. The firm has been embroiled in a series of challenges, including failure to agree on a new majority shareholder as well as sourcing additional capital.

The signing of the EAC Common Market Protocol is slated for next week, on November 20th,2009. It will pave the way for development of a Monetary Union that will herald a political federation.

Kenya’s Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, was recently quoted as saying Rwanda and Burundi will cushion the region from global economic woes.
Mr Odinga said the region is now a strong economic bloc, following the revival of the Community and the admission of Rwanda and Burundi.
The East Africa Community Customs Union, that was established four years ago, is expected to come in threshold in January 2010, when all goods traded in the region will attract zero duty. Lake Victoria Basin is expected to play a crucial role in the economic development of the EAC.

The Deputy Secretary General of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, Samuel Gachere, said the strategic locations of the basin makes it a regional economic growth zone. Several projects linking the different partner states are being implemented.

They include the construction of the Arusha-Namanga-Athi River road, and a power interconnection project between Kenya and Tanzania at the Namanga border point.

Preparation is also underway for the construction of Arusha-Moshi -Voi and Malindi-Mombasa,Tanga Bagamoyo projects.

Mr. Gichere aqdded that regulation covering aviation safety, aerodromes and security in partner states are in the process of being harmonized.

Gas and oil pipelines have also been earmarked for expansion; mainly from Eldoret to Kampala and, eventually, to Kigali and Bujumbura.
Mr Odinga called for investment in lake transport in order to open up the huge potential for trade within the region. He asked private investors to operate luxury boats on the lake and use it as a transport and tourism corridor.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Jothurwa, Kenya Iyako Rumo

From: Odhiambo Okecth
Date Tue, Nov 17, 2009 at 7:59 AM

Jothurwa,

Kenya iyako rumo.

Negichako kod yako loch- political power, aye giyako weche omwuom duto- finance and banking. Bang’e to giyako weche maodok kor ka rito piny- security.

Ekinde no, gitiegre mokalo, kendo sani, weche tiegruok te ni elwetgi- education. Aye gidhi e weche mag muya- Energy. Mano bende gise mako sani.

Kor ka dak to negikawo chon- housing. Kor ka wouth to gin kendgi- transpot. Weche mag ohalo to ok talgi- trade. Ka idhi e ofis serkal, to gin ema githoth- Civil Service.

Kuonde maiyake gikmoko, gin ema gin nyime- scandals.

Koro jo thhurwa, apenjo niya, wan ogendni mamoko e pinywa ka, wan pasenja koso?

Ang’o ma odong’ ma wanyalo chuto? To koso jotendwa to nikure?

Iyako piny kendo wang’ni to eka lich.

Odhiambo Wuod Oganda,
Echuny Buore.

“HOW DO OUR POLITICIANS LIKE THE MAU PICTURE NOW”

from: barack abonyo

subject “HOW DO OUR POLITICIANS LIKE THE MAU PICTURE NOW”

Yesterday poor people were moved from Mau with no promise of what is next. I saw an old man crying over his crops. I saw an old woman erecting a make shift house with twigs right next to the road. In the name of conservation of water catchment area we indiscriminately chased peasants from their farms and settled them right next to the roads so that they can display the face of Africa to the world. Amongst those poor people were children who were moved from their schools and friends with total disregard to what this may do to their psychology. They lost their friends, their cows, their dogs and yet their governement did not give a dam. Old people who may not even know how to read and write are being punished because they do not have the paperwork for land they have lived in for many years. It is very very sad.
I saw those faces and I was sad. Sad because we Kenyans do not care of our own. The more we move into the dungeon of poverty the happier we are. I hope the members of parlierment are happy about how this is playing in the international televison screens. I hope they are happy now that the water catchment area is free and the men and women who lived there have just become slaves. They have lost everything. None of them were worried about the land. They were simply worried about what they were going to eat. I am ashamed of my country’s leadership.

Watch. http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/-/471778/471778/-/ss135lz/-/index.html

Dr. Barack Abonyo

ONE MAN IS KILLED AND SCORES OF OTHERS INJURED IN ARROW ATTACK DURING TRIBAL FLARE UP BETWEEN THE MAASAI AND THE LUO ALONG THE RONGO TRANSMARA BORDERS.

From: Leo Odera Omolo
Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 2:25 PM

Writes Leo Odera Omolo

One man was confirmed dead and scores of others injured during a tribal flare up pitting the Maasai from Trans-Mara and the Luos from Rongo district

The fighting broke out last Sunday. It was ignited by land dispute after a Luo man living on the Massai side of the border reportedly died of natural causes. He had legally purchased the from a Maasai and had settled and lived in his homestead for close to 40 years.

But after his death, the Maasai mobilized themselves, invaded his home and gave a firm instruction to his family that he must not be buried on the land, though he was the legally registered owner of the land, which he had purchased close to four decades ago.

The deceased family could yield or succumb to the instruction. They went on and buried the deceased person in the middle of the night. The next morning, the Maasai returned to the home and learnt that the deceased had already been buried the previous night.

The incident occurred at Kitunja village in South Kamagambo Location near Angaga and Ochodororo.

The Provincial Administration in both Rongo and Trans-Mara moved in with speed and quelled what could have been a bloody full scale tribal skirmishes. The Maasai had mobilized themselves, set ablaze several houses and rendered close to 4oo people homeless.

On learning of the attack, the Luos immediately sounded the alarm, and hundreds of youths immediately gathered along the border area for a fight. But more than 4o policemen with reinforcement from Rongo and Trans-Mara managed to stop what could have been a blood birth..

The administration and the elders from both sides quickly agreed that the decease body be exhumed and taken to a morgue in Awendo, while the matter was receiving urgent attention of the government.

On Monday morning the Trans-Mara D.C , Mr Mbogo, and the Rongo District Officer One, visited the troubled border and addressed the two neighboring communities on the need to maintain peace, law and order. But soon after the two senior government officials had left, another man was shot with an arrow and had to be rushed to the Hospital, with the arrow head still lodged in his body.

There emerged conflicting reports about the weapon used in the killing of the dead man. Other reports had it that the victim was shot with gun by a Maasai man, while other reports indicated he died after excessive bleeding from an arrow wound.

By Monday evening, the tension was still high along the borders. Coun Martin Ondong’, of South Sakwa Ward in the Awendo Town Council went round pleading with Luo youths not to revenge, but to give the government a chance to resolve the issue.

Speaking by phone from his Mariwa home, Coun. Ondong’ appealed to the government to come to the assistance of the close to 400 people, mostly Luos living on the Maasai side of the border, whose homes were set ablaze, to return to their farm. He said this skirmishes seemed to have became perennial events. . ”Every December or when the end of the year is approaching, there is always recurrences of this ugly tribal skirmishes and loss of lives in this area.

‘If it is a matter of boundary disputes, let the government resolve it once and for all, so that the neighboring Maasai and Luo communities should live in peace and harmony”.

Some Luos were heard chest-thumping, saying they would block the roads and not allow the sugar cane owned by Maasai farmers in Trans-Mara to be transported by road to the nearby Sonysugar factor, based at Awendo, about 20 kilometers from the Luo-Maasai border.

The factory at Awendo receives a lot of raw cane from Trans-Mara district, which is fetching millions of shilling to the Maasai farmers. But Coun Ondong’ responded to this with severe warning to the youth that this amounted to lawlessness, which is punishable by the laws of the land.. He said nobody is allowed to take the law into his own hand, and all agreed that the two communities must keep peace .

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
– – –
Subject: ONE MAN IS KILLED AND SCORES OF OTHERS INJURED IN ARROW ATTACK DURING TRIBAL FLARE UP BETWEEN THE MAASAI AND THE LUO ALONG THE RONGO TRANSMARA BORDERS.

A NATION IN THE DARKNESS WITH ECONOMIC FUTURE IN LIMBO

From: Yona Fares Maro Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 10:22 AM

It does not need an advanced economic literacy to understand, that no nation can ever claim economic progress where there is no reliable supply of energy, especially in this age. More than ninety percent of Tanzanians for that matter have been in the darkness since the beginning of time, and little has been done to correct the chronic power rationing problem, while our leaders are taking advantage of the situation by continuing to line their pockets at the tax payer’s expense.

Our leaders are asserting nation’s economic progressive leap, yet has nothing to show for, more than the continued life in the darkness and despair. They are testing people’s will and resolve, as Richmond, and Dowans masterminds , who have plunged the nation into the darkness leading utopian lifestyles, and may never face justice for their criminal offenses , and the parliament sees the matter as a hot potato it does want to touch

The common man, the poor and the powerless who can’t afford expensive generators, and do not reside in the affluent parts of the city where power is never off, have been left to dance the tune of power rationing year after year. What a shame for a nation blessed with many rivers, abundant fossil ,and renewable sources of energy sufficient to power the entire nation for centuries, yet letting its people in despair, and constantly in the darkness? If tiny island of Seychelles, and even Lebanon, can sustain themselves in terms of energy, why not Tanzania?

More than 90 percent of Tanzania’s population has no access to electricity, yet our politicians want us to believe that peak demand for electricity is about 800 megawatts. Yes, they are talking IPTL which is going to be a temporary fix, what about fifty years from today? What plans do they have in place to harness renewable sources of energy after most non-renewable sources are depleted? The very people we entrust with our future, regularly assert to the nation’s positive economic progress with massive data, I wonder what progress they refer to. Is it a forward progression, or nation’s descent into the darker ages?

It will be very dangerous and extremely expensive to pipe gas from Kilwa -Songo Songo – to Dar es slaam, Ubungo power plant; a tiny facility surrounded by a huge population. Such undertaking can be done in Kilwa (at the source where space is unlimited ) and simply transport electricity to wherever it is needed within the country, instead of exposing the population into danger, and burdening the nation with such a huge cost at the expense of a few, well connected who won the piping tender before the project was invented.

Research centers, communication facilities, Factories and other businesses need constant and reliable energy supply to meet their production quotas, to retain the labor force; pay workers, and be able to compete in the domestic and international markets. The current environment of two to four hours a day, couple of days a month of electricity cannot foster economic progress, and something needs to be done, not today or tomorrow, but yesterday. The country needs reliable electricity, full stop.

Tanzania is not lacking resources or other financial ability to provide energy to her people, because billions spent on expensive Land-Cruisers, the amounts spent on unwanted, and outdated radars, the money stolen by EPA, Richmond, and Dowans fraudsters would be sufficient to bring to and end, the decades old power problem. The problem is simply the management; irresponsible, less visionary leadership thinking of today and not the future. This is the root cause of the misery the country is in today. They are people drunk with power, considering themselves as masters rather than servants

I have never comprehended what the minister of energy does in office; neither do I understand what TANESCO is for, because its leadership is still the same year after year of massive embezzlement and embarrassment to the country. Commissions that have cost tax payers billions of shillings have been formed, and their findings have never been implemented as the individuals implicated with fraud are still free, yet the petty criminals are paraded daily in the judicial system, what a joke and an insult to the tax payer?

There is no need for another commission or task force; many commissions have been formed and their reports shelved. TANESCO simply need disburdenment, the ministry of energy officials who have shown gross incompetence, and abuse of public trust, those implicated in various energy scams brought to books. Nonetheless, all commissions’ reports related to energy implemented, as the culprits are a big threat to the national security and economic progress.

Our leaders must forgo their hefty sitting, training, and travel allowances. In other parts of the world, people pay to attend meetings, yet in our country our leaders must be paid to attend trainings and meetings which is very bizarre considering the fact that our economy is a donor dependant one. Our responsibilities requires extensive travel globally meeting clients, working on lucrative deals, but have never been paid one dollar more than the cost of travel food and accommodation; our remuneration is based on the base salary and performance based incentives (bonuses). In our country, the leaders are paid more than forty million shillings to attend a meeting abroad. Where is sanity?

If a trillion dollar company cannot pay its employees to attend trainings, or meetings, why would a small government agency that floats on taxes pay its employees to attend, seminars, meetings and trainings? What special are they bringing to the table that can justify such hefty remunerations? No wonder we are in the darkness. These kinds of wastage must be stopped and the funds channeled to the appropriate areas where they are needed to boost economic progress. These funds must be put into renewable energy research and development

Economic and Strategic security of a nation lays on self energy independence and sustainability. We must therefore realize this, and prosecute Dowans, and Richmond architectures who are toying with national security. Tanzanian parliament, vested with powers to uphold and protect the constitution, must fight for the people who are held hostage by a few persons who are making life miserable for the majority. It must unequivocally, and aggressively deliberate on bills calling for prosecution of the economic criminals who have plunged the nation into the darkness.

Mr. Sitta, and other parliamentarians, Mo- Ibrahim, celebrations are over. You must come back to reality, and remember that, your positions are not a favor to the country, they are mandates vested upon you by the citizens to alleviate them of suffering. Your positions are meant to bring economic, political and social equality. Let’s stop being a nation that celebrates rich and powerful rascals and criminals, while condemning to death petty thieves, harassing and punishing young men whose crime is to sell bottles of water in Kariakoo to feed their children. Remember you took an oath to serve all Tanzanians impartially.

Do not compromise your beliefs and morals for the political winds that are only seasonal, let your consciousness rule supreme. The parliament must be sacrificial, act swiftly and fast to turn on the lights for all Tanzanians, otherwise we are sad to say, that the nation will continue to remain in the darkness with her economic future in limbo.

Unabated continuation of grand corruption with life in the darkness, will boil and push the nation to a point of no return, When people will be inclined to take power into their own hands, to turn on the lights; and that will be too little too late to salvage the situation. Political winds can be deceiving; our politicians must read the signs on the wall, telling them clearly, that the nation is rapidly descending into the dark ages, as the voices of the tax payers financing their lucrative positions shouting TURN ON THE LIGHTS


Yona Fares Maro
I.T. Specialist and Digital Security Consultant

– – –
Subject: A NATION IN THE DARKNESS WITH ECONOMIC FUTURE IN LIMBO

IT WAS “MOI MUST GO” THE POPULAR SONG PRIOR TO THE 2002 GENERAL ELECTION,BUT AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT FAILURE TO DELIVER TO THE ELECTORATE, THE TONE HAS NOW CHANGED TO “MOI MUST COME”

From: Leo Odera Omolo Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 6:41 AM

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

PRIOR to the year 2002 general election, the popular song that reigned in the air in every corner of this country, which was coined by the then proponents of change was, “Moi Must Go”.

Moi, the grand old man of Kenya politics, gained notoriety as a tough disciplinarian. He ruled the country with an iron fist. However, soon after his defeat in the 2002 elections, he calmly responded prophetically, saying: “One day they will sing “Moi Must Come””.

This is exactly the popular song now. Seven years after Moi’s abrupt departure from the office, Kenyans have yet to receive the new set of constitution and law reforms promised by the new administration, headed by the Makerere and London trained economist President Mwai Kibaki.

Although Moi’s tenure in office came to an end at the time of the beginning of the world wide economic recession, all the shortcomings were attributed to his poor administration, which at one time had gained notoriety of draconian police rule. But there were few extra-judicial executions, and minimal deaths caused by ethnic armed conflicts, in comparison to what Kenyans have witnessed after the disputed Presidential election result of December 2007.

Moi should be credited for having issued an advance warning against the freeing of the air waves and licensing of the FM vernacular radio stations. He had cautioned Kenyans that such vernacular FM radio stations might be used to preach ethnic hate , or could become recipe to chaos.

And that is exactly what is happening today. That is exactly what the popular Kalenjin FM Kass station is doing to day. All the Kalenjin politicians who are perceived to be supporters of the ODM and the Prime Minister Raila Odinga have come under fire through Talk Shows ushered by one Arap Sang, who speaks the Nandi dialects in his “Lelne nee Emet” morning talk shows.

On Sunday, the station only fall short of airing war songs over the Mau Forest eviction. It defiantly rallied the evictees and the Kalenjin world to get prepared for any eventualities, but not to be cowed to move out of Mau under all the circumstances. It turned the heat on the ODM, the party that the community had unanimously voted for in 2007, and at the same time questioned the personal integrity of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, and his sincerity to the community.

The alleged owner of the Kass Radio Station forked off a personal donation of Kshs 200,000 towards the support of the homeless and landless Mau Forest evictees, and close to Kshs 3 million was realized through an urgent appeal for help for the displaced Mau settlers, by the stations listeners.

Despite all this, the coalition government, headed by the two principals , namely President Mwai Kibaki and the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, have not seen anything fishy, to warrant the drastic measures of switching this FM Station off the air, in the interest of public safety and security. Is this the sign that the government has got no interest in monitoring the kind of programmers being aired by the mushrooming Fm vernacular radio stations? Or it is the case of security negligence as usual?

It is time, this government borrowed the leaf from the genocide deaths visited to the Rwandan people in 1994 where close to one million people perished due to seditious incitement that reigned the airwaves in that tiny Republic, a former Belgian colony, which is now a member of the enlarged East African Community.

The combined opposition parties, which regrouped under the flagship of NARC, bundled Moi and his brigade out of power, under the popular political slogan of “Zero Tolerant to Corruption”. But Kenyans have witnessed mega financial scandals involving billions of shillings. This is perhaps ten times higher than what was lost during Moi’s reign, that lasted for twenty four years.

What is happening in he Ministry of Sports, where even an Assistant Minister, had the gut of calling for a press conference and vilifying his superior, the Minister, in public, are some of the signs of the shape of things happening inside the grand coalition government. It is a government, which is full of policy contradictions as Ministers and their deputies assigned to work in one office maintain divided loyalties and allegiance.

The well cherished policy of the collective responsibilities is something of the past, owing to party allegiance. This has contributed largely to cabinet ministers and their assistants pulling indifferent directions on policy making and important decision making.

Obviously, this is not what the Kenyans want out of the multi-party pluralism system of government. And former President Moi has been proved right when, years back, he cautioned Kenyans to be aware that too many tribally oriented political parties would plunge the country into distasteful conditions and chaos.

Nobody seemed to be taking a serious note on the persistent claims by the former Kabete MP, Paul Kibugi Muite, that close to 7,000 youths have perished in Central Province and Nairobi in the past few years, under mysterious circumstances, or what he termed as “extra judicial killings”. This figure is too high, in addition to close to 1500 Kenyans who lost their prime and precious life in the post election violence that engulfed the country, following the much flawed and disputed presidential elections of 2007.

In my simple and elementary arithmetic’s, the number of Kenyans who have died since the resounding election defeat of Moi in 2007 is ten time higher than those who lost their lives during Moi’s twenty four years reign. Is this the kind of political reform that Kenyans had fought for?

What the reform and change of command from Moi to Kibaki has visited on Kenyans is the ushering in of a large number of political mediocre persons in our August House [Parliament}, who base their thoughts narrowly on tribal politics, each time they open their mouths. Tribal politics has superseded the true spirit of nationalism on which Kenyans fought the much mightier British colonial forces, and eventually succeeded in gaining their political independence, and sovereignty, among the independently free nations of the world.

The likes of Jomo Kenyatta, Oginga Odinga, Tom Mboya, James Samuel Gichuru, Ronald Gideon Ngala, Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi, Taaitta Araap Toweett, Paul Josepg Ngei, Masinde Muliro and Justus Kondit Ole Tipis had moderate education, unlike the present Parliament, which is full of high profile professors, lawyers ,doctors and other highly educated Kenyans, who have sunk themselves to the murky parochial tribal waters kind of politics. But these early nationalists and political giants of past, successfully outwitted our colonizers and were able in mobilize our people to face the mighty colonialist with one voice.

Perhaps this was so because the politics of sycophancy was not there, nor the cheap handouts. If these old true nationalists had behaved the same way like the seemingly political mediocre of today’s parliament, Kenya could not have become one nation, one people, at the time of independence in 1963. The country could have been fragmented into balkanized tribal fiefdom

Today, one gets sickened when hearing the parochial utterances of the likes of Joshua Kutuny, Isaac Ruto, Chepkutuny,. Julius Kones, Charles Keter, Ali Mwakwere, Olago Aluoch, Ayiecho Olweny, Mutula Kilonzo. It is all the symptoms of the rapidly falling standards of political leadership in this country, and the reason why we have so many erratic politicians amongst us today than ever before. Our people must therefore go back to the drawing board, for true nationalists with the required national outlook, instead of the current village tyrant.

We really need to get out of this kind of political quagmire situation, or else we sink in the murky ethnic political waters like our n neighbors in the Republic of Somalia, and elsewhere in this continent. Unless Kenyans act now and put their house in order by way of voting only for people of high integrity, who are ready to resuscitate the true spirit of nationalism, Kenya could be heading to the dogs.

The popular song which now reigns the air in every corner of the Republic is than Moi was a better, foresighted leader, which is only falling short by an inch to say “Moi Must Come”, in place of “Moi Must Go”. I am sure level minded Kenyans would not brand me a hypocrite.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

– – –
Subject: IT WAS “MOI MUST GO” THE POPULAR SONG PRIOR TO THE 2002 GENERAL ELECTION,BUT AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT FAILURE TO DELIVER TO THE ELECTORATE, THE TONE HAS NOW CHANGED TO “MOI MUST COME”

TETESI – Dr Slaa Kugombea Uraisi 2010

from Ulanga Ally
date Nov 14, 2009 6:59 AM

Tetesi toka vyanzo vya kuaminika vinaeleza kuwa Dr Slaa anatafakari
kugombea urais kutokana na shinikizo toka kwa wananchi ndani na nje ya
chama chake.

Habari zinaeleza kuwa hata uamuzi wa viongozi wakuu wa chama hicho na
wabunge kufanya kikao cha pamoja Dodoma ilikuwa ni sehemu ya hatua
kuelekea maamuzi hayo.

Taarifa zaidi zinaeleza kuwa wakati CCM ikifanya kikao na wabunge wake
Dodoma na Kamati ya Mwinyi, wakati huo huo kikao cha Mbowe na wabunge
wa CHADEMA na wakurugenzi wa chama hicho kilikuwa kikiendelea.

Taarifa zinaeleza kuwa baada ya kambi ya Lowassa na Rostam Aziz kupata
taarifa hizo sambamba na kikao cha kawaida cha kuidhibiti kambi ya Sitta na Malecela palifanyika kikao cha kuidhibiti CHADEMA na kuzima azma ya Dr Slaa kugombea urais kupitia chama hicho.

Mtoa habari wetu anaeleza kuwa katika kikao hicho iliamuliwa kama mkakati wa muda wa awali uwepo mkakati wa kuvunja imani ya wananchi kwa Dr Slaa kupitia kuvunja imani ya CHADEMA na utendaji wa Dr Slaa kama katibu mkuu.

Chini ya mkakati huo iliamuliwa kwamba magazeti ya Mtanzania na Rai
yaendeshe propaganda za kudumu yenye dhamira ya kuonyesha kwamba
CHADEMA ni chama cha udini, ukabila na ubadhirifu wa matumizi ya ruzuku. Kama sehemu ya mpango huo habari za mara kwa mara ziandikwe kumhusisha Chacha Wangwe na Zitto Kabwe na masuala mbalimbali
yanayojitokeza ndani ya CHADEMA.

Kwa upande mwingine, gazeti la Mwananchi ilikubaliwa kwamba liibue
suala la Dr Slaa kugombea urais. Tayari gazeti hilo katika toleo lake mojawapo la wiki hii limeshamtaja Dr Slaa kama mgombea urais wa mwaka 2010. Mkakati huo pia utahusisha kuhoji jitihada zote za Dr Slaa za kupambana na ufisadi zikihusisha na nia yake ya kugombea urais na kuelezea vita hiyo kuwa ni ajenda ya kusaka madaraka. Habari hizo pia zitahoji utendaji wa Dr Slaa ndani ya CHADEMA na kutaka aondolewe kama ambavyo kuna shinikizo la kutaka Makamba aondolewe kwenye nafasi hiyo ndani ya CCM. Habari hizo zitahusisha kuhoji baadhi ya watu na hata pale watakapokosekana habari zinazoitwa za kiuchunguzi zitaandikwa.

Mtoa habari anaeleza kuwa uamuzi wa kambi kuishughulikia CHADEMA na Dr
Slaa hautokani tu na ukweli kuwa Orodha ya Mafisadi iliyotolewa naye
Sept 15 mwaka 2007 bali unatokana na hofu kubwa ya ushirikiano wa kiajenda kati ya viongozi wakuu wa chama hicho na wabunge wa ndani ya CCM wanaojiita makamanda dhidi ya ufisadi.

Inatarajiwa kwamba mkakati huo utaweza kuzalisha mgogoro na makundi
ndani ya CHADEMA lakini pia utaleta mgawanyiko wa kiajenda ndani ya
chama hicho kama ilivyo kwa CCM. Kama mkakati huo ukishindwa kuleta
mgogoro ama mgawanyiko basi inatarajiwa walau mkakati huo utasababisha Mwenyekiti Mbowe na Katibu Mkuu wake Dr Slaa washindwe kukiongoza chama hicho kutokana na mivutano ya moja kwa moja na hivyo chama kupoteza nguvu yake kinapoelekea mwaka 2010.

Chaguzi za marudio za Tarime, Mbeya Vijijini, Busanda na Biharamulo
ambazo kwa sehemu kubwa wagombea wake kwa upande wa CCM walitoka kambi inayoitwa ya mafisadi zimetoa ishara kwao kuhusiana na nguvu za
CHADEMA kwenye ngazi za ubunge kuelekea uchaguzi wa mwaka 2010. Hivyo, namna ya kuvunja nguvu hizo ni kuhakisha chama hicho kinavurugika ama wananchi wanapoteza imani nacho mapema.

Tayari viongozi wakuu wa chama hicho wamekuwa na misimamo tofauti
katika hoja zinazohusu ufisadi hali inayoashiria kuanza kwa mpasuko wa
kiajenda katika chama hicho. Kwenye masuala hayo mbalimbali Mwenyekiti
Freeman Mbowe amekuwa na msimamo sawa na Katibu Mkuu wake Dr Slaa huku
Naibu Katibu Mkuu Zitto Kabwe akiwa na msimamo tofauti nao.

Baadhi ya masuala yanayotajwa ni pamoja na kuingia kwenye Kamati ya
Madini(Bomani), hoja ya Mkapa kustakiwa, Mitambo ya Dowans, taarifa ya Kamati teule kuhusu Richmond na suala la Dr Mwakyembe kuhusu mradi wa kufua umeme Singida. Katika siku za karibuni viongozi hao wametofautiana kimsimamo kuhusu kutenguliwa kwa uteuzi kwa maafisa wa chama hicho David Kafulila na Danda Juju. Wakati Mwenyekiti Mbowe na Dr Slaa wametoa msimamo mmoja wa kupinga utovu wa nidhamu ya kiutendaji na maadili ya uongozi wa maafisa hao, Zitto amemtetea Kafulila pekee akieleza kwamba hatua hiyo imemwonea ikimlenga yeye na kwamba itaathiri nafasi ya Kafulila kugombea ubunge wa Kigoma Kusini ambapo yeye amemwandaa kwa muda mrefu kuwa mbunge.

Dr Slaa amekuwa akikanusha mara kwa mara kuwa hakusudii kugombea urais
na kwamba yeye anapendelea zaidi kuwa mbunge wa Karatu. Mwenyekiti wa
chama hicho Freeman Mbowe ambaye aligombea urais mwaka 2005 tayari
ameshatangaza kutogombea urais mwaka 2010 na ameelekeza nguvu zake kurejea bungeni kupitia jimbo la Hai ambalo ameliongoza mwaka 2000
mpaka 2005. Naibu Katibu Mkuu wa chama hicho Zitto Kabwe, yeye
ametangaza kugombea urais siku za baadaye. Wadadisi wa mambo wanaeleza kuwa kwa umri wake, hatakuwa amefikisha umri wa kugombea urais mwaka 2010 hata hivyo anaweza kugombea urais mwaka 2015. Wachambuzi wengine wa mambo wanaeleza kuwa mvutano ndani ya CHADEMA kama ilivyo ndani ya CCM unaweza kutokana na nia za wanaotarajia kugombea urais mwaka 2015 ndani ya vyama hivyo.

– – –
subject TETESI – Dr Slaa Kugombea Uraisi 2010

ROBBERY PRONE COMMERCIAL BANKS IN KENYA SEEK NEW AND SAFE METHOD OF INTER-BANKS MONEY TRANSFER AFTER A SERIES OF STAGE MANAGED ARMED HOLD-UPS.

From: Leo Odera Omolo
Date: Sat, Nov 14, 2009 at 7:37 PM

Business Report By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

COMMERCIAL Banks in Kenya are grappling with the recent spate of stage managed and faked robberies of their money while on inter-banks transfer transit.

The banks have lost close to Kshs 100 million cash money on transit, and what has emerged is that these massive theft of money in transit are stage managed.

More than a dozen of conspirators and suspects in the faked hold ups are currently facing prosecution before the courts.

After the well planned and elaborate schemes, involving bank staff, and crews of the security firms, whose security vans are hired to transfer the money, as well as unpatriotic police officers hired as escorts, only paltry amount out of millions stolen are recovered.

And now the commercial banks are up in arms, seeking to device new and safe methods of inter-banks money transfer in Kenya, which of late has become a high-risk business.

The banks want private security companies involved in cash transit business to introduce new high technique internal measures to curb money theft on transit.

The banks say theft assessment of the companies measures to stop the crime are inadequate, despite of persistent requests to have such measures modified to protect their money.

Through the Kenya Bankers Association ,the institution said at the weekend that they are content that the police have put in place the right benchmarks to ensure that cash in transit does not falls into the hands of criminals.

The Association has however challenged the security firms involved in the money transfer transaction business in the country to initiate the use of smoke system to the cash on transit, against robbery.

The KBA boss, John Munyela, said some of the CIT providers are yet to conform to the required standards for operating such sensitive business and aren’t doing their best to curb problem. The CIT companies have yet to tell the public what they have done internally to address the problem. Thus the problem lies with firms, not the police, the KBA boss said.

Munyela’s remarks follow the alarmingly rising theft of cash on transit, whereby CIT company staff have been suspected of complicity.

So far, close to Kshs 100 million has been stolen this year alone, while on transit. It has emerged that some of the security firms vehicles do not have tracking devices as required.

Some staff have also been getting prior information on the size of the amount of cash on transit, contrary to the laid down rules Governing the money transfer business.

“It is only the control manager in the security firms, and bank managers, who are supposed to know the amount of cash to be transferred from one bank to the other. It is shocking to learn that even junior staff get information”, said one consultant in the banking industry.

Following the series of incidents, a special police squad has been established to escort cash by the Central Bank of Kenya and other stakeholders. This was disclosed by the Commandant of the Administration police, the unit that is charged with the responsibility of providing armed security escort.

According to the Commandant, Mr. Kinuthia Mbugua. This will enable them to vet and know the police officers who will be involved in the business on a daily basis within a certain specified period of time.

“We agreed to come up with a special unit specifically for c ash-in-transit, because it is an essential service. The officers selected for this assignment will be specially trained and will be well equipped with the necessary protective gears”.

Thee officers will be selected on the basis of their track records and integrity”, Said Commandant Mbugua.

It has also been resolved that members of Kenya Security Industry Association [KSIA}, and the Administration Police, will be conducting a joint training and supervisory drilling for CIT operation at the Administration Police Training College at Embakassi in Nairobi.

Further supervision, tracking and monitoring of all CIT vehicles will be carried out on a regular basis. Mr. Mbugua said he is confident the new measure will curb theft of cash on transit.

In one of the ugliest incident, several policemen were shot and killed while traveling in the van transferring money from a bank in Molo Town, in the Rift Valley Province ,about 300 kilometers west of the capital, Nairobi .The CIT had its way blocked by another vehicle, a pick-up whose passengers sitting at the back opened fire with an AK 47 automatic assault rifles and killed policemen including a young police woman even before they could fire from their rifles.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

About the author; Leo Odera Omolo is a veteran Kenyan journalist now semi-retired, but still operating as a freelance writer based in the Western Kenya City of Kisumu. He can be reached via phone number 0722486181,0734509212 or landline Number 0572500827.His mail address is P’O.BOX 833, KISUMU.
– – –
Subject: ROBBERY PRONE COMMERCIAL BANKS IN KENYA SEEK NEW AND SAFE METHOD OF INTER-BANKS MONEY TRANSFER AFTER A SERIES OF STAGE MANAGED ARMED HOLD-UPS.

An Interim Government As-Per Reform Accord Agreement is Overdue in Kenya

From: Judy Miriga
Date: Sat, Nov 14, 2009 at 2:19 PM
Subject: An Interim Government As-Per Reform Accord Agreement is Overdue in Kenya

Folks,

Please note it is time for an Interim Government put in place in Kenya according to Reform Accord Agreement and time for Coalition Government is overdue in Kenya. This Coalition Government has equally failed to share 50/50 as required hence, the ODM which garnered more than PNU, their Parliamentary Representatives are not able to support or lift their Constituents from Poverty. The Youth Project has not taken off….conflict is ripe on how they want to share the loot, yet the project has been turned to a white elephant. The women funding is far from reality, Parliamentary Representatives are not aware and have no clue if anything like such funding exists so they could inform their Constituents to apply or access the funding. Other times, funding are coded with red tag to hoodwink the International Community, but in reality no funding is disbursed. Something must be done and done urgently.

Quote……..

They also agreed that the President be elected through the popular vote, garnering more than half of the votes cast, and at least 25 per cent or more in over half of the regions. The PM will be picked from the parliamentary party with the highest number of seats and will chair Cabinet meetings. The president remains the commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and will have the power to appoint constitutional office holders.

This part is wrong, totally wrong and is unacceptable….will continually provide loop-hole for corruption and graft….The constitution is the backbone life-line of the public…..the people…..the citizens…..how could it be constitutionally appointed by a ceremonial position of the Presidency alone?…….this is a broadspectrum policy guiding principle that which directs the management, economic stability and security of a country……..this must not be accepted by Kenyans…….this is why, through referrundum, Kenyans spoke………

It seems these leaders have run out of New Ideas to be able to push the country to a new level of prosperity from poverty. They spend too much time to party and have pampered treat for themselves spending tax-payers money, they live afluent and majority Kenyans languishing in poverty. This has to stop. Service to people first must be the key to acquiring position of Public Service Office. They must also be seen to commit themselves to performing. What I see in this team, they are either too old to see things rightly and straight or condition of retardation may have sunk in their thinking faculty.

Unfortinately People…….. this Coalition Government will not function as is expected… there is need for it to be dismantled as was stated by the Reform Accord Agreement for it to pave ways for an Interim Government…………..

What we are treated to is Drama Vs. Drama……I dont see light through the tunnel with this coalition government……they have to sit on the side and be shown how things are done………they have no emergency or urgency to save a pathetic situation destroying Kenya, they are not in a hurry to save lives of Kenyans from another repeat conflict from election thuggery, assassination, poverty, displaced persons who have no place to call home, secure peace, secure lands that were grabbed by Kenyatta family, reshufle Judicial and remove Wako who is a stambling block to legal reform, remove Ogego from continued stay and embarrasment in Washington and prepare a platform for Civil Society partnership with the Government to foster community development.

This Coalition Government is not following principles of the signed Reform Accord Agreement, they are slow because they are creating loopholes for corruption and impunity as they forge ahead. The mass killings of the Mungiki, should not take place in un orthodox way, they should be taken to court, spill the beans so we know who played the role at the State House in hiring them, what they were paid and the agreement or oath they undertook. Instant assassination is a way to silence them from talking. We want to know what the Mungiki’s demands were why they fell off with their Mt. Kenya Mafiotic group, why the Kwekwe millitary rebel assassin was formed from the Administration Police known as AP, which Mt. Kenya Mafia is controlling to do clean assassination and walks away easily amongst crowded people without a say. Which Constitution provides for the creation of KWEKWE Military Rebel Assassination Group. Is this not terrorising Kenyans and sending fear waves to majority of Kenyans from talking or having freedom of speech?

They are actually colluding and busy destroying vital information by killing the Mungiki leadership to silence them forever, they have blackmailed the Country Kenya and selling out the country to foreigners in order to retaining their position in Kingship leadership
as long as Kenya survives as a State. They have abused all forms of International Human Rights and do not qualify to remain in power or leadership. They are busy bodies having fun and buying time to fulfil their ends needs.

This Coalition Government will not deliver within the time-frame of the next election. There will be continuously be witch-hunting, arm-twisting, the two principles – President Kibaki and PM Minister Raila keep shifting gears and dont seem to be serious with reform, they protect and shield suspects along with those who have been banned from foreign countries and derailing Parliament from being effective.

We will require the team of eminent leaders with a few nominated Civil Society, Notable Faith Based, some Academicians from local Provinces, Professionals headed by the Parliament to complete the assignment, call referrendum if possible and set the stage for election.

Each and every candidate must sell their policy why and how they want to lead their constituent and how they will be useful to the Nation.

We want all those suspected leaders whose names were forwarded to Hague to have their foreign account frozen and must not be allowed or participate in election and they must be completely be disqualified for next election.

We need and must have an Interim government put in place urgently in Kenya under Humanitarian Grounds without any further delay, this will definately speed up issues and save Kenyans from perishing.

Thanking you all,

Sincerely,

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

Watch attachments………

Anglo Leasing: Kenya risks losing more billions

Published on 11/11/2009
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Government risks losing over Sh60 billion to firms claiming payment for Anglo Leasing-related contracts.

This emerged as officials went into a crisis meeting a day after The Standard reported a British court has frozen 11 Government accounts. This is not the first time a European court has tried to attach state property over Anglo-Leasing-type debts.

Representatives from the State Law Office and the Finance and Foreign Affairs ministries met at Treasury on Tuesday to decide on a course of action.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s office is seeking to know why it was left in the dark over the development.

“The Office of the PM will meet with relevant authorities to seek clarification,” said Mr Caroli Omondi, a senior official in the PM’s office.
Sources at Treasury said permanent secretaries Joseph Kinyua (Finance) and Thuita Mwangi (Foreign Affairs), a representative of the Solicitor General and Central Bank officials were summoned to try and find a solution to the crisis.

Inspection and Control Services Ltd (ICS), which obtained orders to freeze Kenya’s donor accounts at Crown Agents Bank, is linked to a prominent business and political family and runs a local office in Nairobi.
A fortnight ago, a British commercial court judge gave orders for the freezing and inspection of Kenyan accounts to ICS, which is demanding about Sh780 million in Anglo-Leasing-related payments. This echoes the issuance of court orders in 2006 by an arbitration court at The Hague to another Anglo-Leasing firm over Sh2.7 billion.

The court ruled in favour of the company after the Government failed to enter a defence.

Legal precedent

The Foreign Affairs PS on Tuesday said Kenya’s High Commission in the United Kingdom has not been affected by the October 23 freeze. But the legal precedent could affect all pending Anglo Leasing contracts and cost taxpayers up to Sh60 billion.

“The ramifications are far-reaching,” said Mars Group Executive director Mwalimu Mati, who has previously warned about promissory notes related to Anglo-Leasing-type contracts.

“Anglo-Leasing promissory notes expire in 2014 and a bad precedent where Kenyan property can be attached has been set,” he added.
“It may well be the beginning of an avalanche of litigation against Government by creditors holding the promissory notes. To cancel a sovereign debt, you have to prove fraud, but Kenya did not put up a credible defence for the cases.”

Lawyers and MPs have demanded the Government proves the efforts it took as the case was being heard.

Central Imenti MP Gitobu Imanyara said he was angered by lack of action by Attorney General Amos Wako and Solicitor General Wanjuki Muchemi, whose offices were kept abreast of the proceedings.

“We read a deliberate attempt to fail to put defences in all cases that are related to fictitious or questionable claims.” Imanyara said.

“The AG and Treasury owe Kenyans an explanation on what arguments were put in favour of Kenya during the proceedings.”

The Law Society of Kenya accused the State of gross negligence and abdicating its duties. LSK vice-chairman James Mwamu challenged Wako and Muchemi to shed more light on their roles in the case.

“This is a matter whose value is about Sh800 million, with serious consequences to the taxpayer. Why have they kept quiet?” Mwamu asked.

“At what particular point did things go wrong? And has the Government formally sought help from her UK counterpart in the case?”
Court contest

Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs ministry sought to allay fears High Commission property may be targeted next. PS Mwangi said he had no knowledge about Kenya’s failure to defend itself against two companies in a court contest leading to the freeze of the accounts. He admitted that the mission has accounts in the UK but added none of them was frozen by a court order last month. The PS did not disclose how many accounts the High Commission controls in the UK but clarified none had been frozen as a result of the court ruling.

Mwangi added all monies allocated to the mission are “controlled from Nairobi” are unlikely to be encumbered by extraneous transactions.
“We sent the money on the basis of what is budgeted for,” the PS said without offering details.

Financial Secretary Mutua Kilaka told The Standard the matter was serious because the Government failed to honour an arbitration deal on the matter by failing to budget for the funds. Kilaka said the accounts frozen included one used to pay British pensioners who served in Kenya in the colonial regime. Another account had Sterling £624,912 (Sh76 million) at the time the orders were effected.

Details emerged that the Government failed to put up a credible defence in the cases, as well as in other Anglo-Leasing cases. This will have implications for aid as well as for other debts.

Mati said the freeze order will affect donor flow of funds and was likely to scare potential partners who may feel insecure over the funds held in such accounts.

“It also puts the Kenya donor kitties in jeopardy because technicalities of funding which require Government to open accounts will be severely affected,” Mati said.

The Kenyan accounts managed by Crown Bank Agents Ltd were frozen on September 26, affecting funding of various donor projects. By the time we went to Press, it was not immediately clear what decision was arrived at in the Treasury meeting as officers who had promised to revert to the media remained tight-lipped.

Read all about: British court Goldenberg scandal corruption

Parties fail to agree on executive powers

Updated 20 min(s) ago
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By Alex Ndegwa

The Government failed to reach an agreement on the new constitution after ministers expected to present a common stand to a meeting chaired by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga abandoned the mission.

Mistrust and suspicions between Kibaki’s Party of National Unity and Raila’s Orange Democratic Movement party scuttled the consensus meeting by the team expected to thrash out sticky issues and present a report to the larger Government team meeting at Serena Beach Hotel on Saturday.

But as the three-day retreat chaired by the President and Prime Minister involving ministers, assistant ministers and Permanent Secretaries ended, there was no word on the draft constitution . The Mombasa retreat had been called to resolve discord in Government, and ensure a common stand on national issues, among them, the draft constitution.

The Standard on Sunday learnt presentation of a collective Government position on the draft constitution prepared by the Committee of Experts was shelved after the two political camps failed to strike a deal.
Sources said the ministers, who included members of the Serena Team, were deadlocked on sharing of executive power between the President and PM, their functions, particularly on who should chair Cabinet meetings, and election of president.

But the Prime Minister denied talks on the draft constitution were on the agenda. Raila said the meeting made significant progress, and that the ministers had ironed their differences.

The top Government team had been discussing the sticky executive proposals since Tuesday, ahead of the retreat. The ministers are Uhuru Kenyatta, Mutula Kilonzo, Sam Ongeri, Musalia Mudavadi, James Orengo, Mohamed Elmi, Henry Kosgey, Sally Kosgey, Joseph Kingi, and Attorney General Amos Wako. Others present were joint secretaries Kivutha Kibwana and Miguna Miguna.

There are fears that the stalemate over the structure of government could scuttle the search for a new constitution that has spanned two decades.

The blow on Saturday came barely a day after President Kibaki said an agreement would be reached on sharing of Executive power in a new constitution.

“We are here to reach an agreement. We are not here to debate endlessly. Who are we? Aren’t we Government? Then we must reach an agreement,” the Head of State had told the ministers on Friday, while opening the conference.

The clash between PNU and ODM is who between the President and the PM should wield executive authority and control government.
Committee of Experts

PNU favours a popularly elected president, who heads Government and a ceremonial PM. But ODM prefers an executive PM picked from the parliamentary party with most seats, and a ceremonial president, elected directly by Kenyans.

PNU is adamant it is not proper to strip a president elected through a popular vote of executive power and transfer it to a prime minister. ODM counters executive authority is derived from the Constitution.
In the PNU proposals, the president should remain Head of State and Government, chair the Cabinet, and remain Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.

The Committee of Experts on Constitutional Review announced on Thursday it would release the proposed draft constitution on Tuesday, at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre. Then there shall be 30 days of public debate before the document is submitted to Parliament.
ODM, on the other side, argues an executive PM sponsored by a party with majority MPs, was the best bet for national unity and stability. ODM maintains, “Voters will be voting for a party and its policies, not an individual”. The party insists on functions of the Executive being separated along two lines: those of the State, and those of Government.

In the Orange position paper, the Head of State is elected by direct vote, or through an electoral college . He is a symbol of unity. He should not vie for a parliamentary seat, as is the case now.
In the ODM arrangement, the PM directs and co-ordinates functions and affairs of government and appoints public officers. The PM is in charge of internal security and inter-governmental relations.

Raila’s Warning
Updated 20 hr(s) 59 min(s) ago
by Alex Ndegwa

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga have warned ministers they risk unspecified punishment if they do not cease squabbling.

Kibaki and Raila reprimanded recalcitrant officials and cautioned he and the President would not tolerate dissent. They were addressing ministers, assistant ministers and permanent secretaries attending a retreat in Mombasa to tame discord in Government.

Some ministers and particularly Regional Development Authorities Minister, Fred Gumo, reportedly asked the President and Prime Minister to sack defiant ministers who he claimed were intent on destabilising the Government. The PM started the dressing down, saying the war of words between ministers and assistant ministers is counter-productive.
“We are yet to see a seamless working relationship among ministers, their assistants and permanent secretaries. In a number of ministries, ministers still refuse to delegate duties to their assistants and permanent secretaries still refuse to defer to their ministers. This cannot continue,” Raila said, as assistant ministers cheered.

“We need to embark on a deliberate policy that will see ministers involve their assistants in the running of ministries. Permanent Secretaries also have to accept that the ministers are the public faces and political heads of the ministries.”

Power struggle

The warnings came in the wake of various spats among ministers, assistant ministers and PSs. In one such case, Sports Minister Hellen Sambili has been embroiled in a war of words with her assistants Wavinya Ndeti and Kabando wa Kabando particularly over the appointment of Umuro Wario to head the Youth Enterprise Fund. The three were present at the function, on Friday.

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila at the Cabinet retreat in Mombasa on Friday. Photo: Maarufu Mohamed/Standard
The PM then turned the heat on Cabinet ministers who defied the principle of collective responsibility, including support for reform and other Government initiatives.

“We have seen Cabinet ministers and their assistants criticise the Government they serve in, and even criticise decisions they participated in making. It cannot continue,” he said.

Citing the Mau saga, the PM added: “For instance, when the Government says people have to be relocated from Mau forest you see a minister go to Mau to chest-thump about my people (sic) … Why does that minister think they are his people more than they are the Government’s?”

Fielding questions from reporters later, Agriculture Minister William Ruto said: “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion. We should not engage in blame games. But we will resolve those matters in there.”

The PM also put on notice poor performers, saying he will soon release a report detailing performance by ministries. He observed the audit had revealed some ministries had not even developed a single Cabinet memo. “If you haven’t developed one, one wonders what you are implementing.”

Freedom of expression

“We are moving into the mid-term of our tenure as we begin the third year of the Grand Coalition Government. Kenyans want results. They want it now, and they can’t wait,” Raila told ministers.
President Kibaki said even though ministers and assistant ministers have the constitutional right to express personal opinion, they are bound by the principle of collective responsibility. “We must speak in one voice on issues over which the Government has taken a position,” said the President.

The Head of State observed the Grand Coalition Government brings together parties that sometimes hold different views, which he termed healthy and democratic.

“However on matters of national interest, we have always come up with a Government position. If we are to move forward as a united country, the Government position should be seen as a superior and overriding individual views and party positions,” said Kibaki.

“Similarly, as elected leaders we are all participants in the competitive and elective political process. As we engage in this process, some of us may lose sight of what is of common interest to us, as a Government. There is the temptation of withdrawing to sections of the Kenya population where we think we may gain maximum support. Viewing our competitive politics from a narrow and parochial standpoint is as retrogressive as it is an impediment to nation building,” Kibaki said.
Attorney-General Amos Wako (left) and Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura at the Cabinet retreat in Mombasa on Friday. Photo: Maarufu Mohamed/Standard

Earlier, as a pointer to the wrangling bedeviling Government, assistant ministers demanded the programme be reviewed to allow them time to speak in the presence of the President and Prime Minister.
Defence Assistant Minister David Musila made the request, which he said was agreed upon by the assistant ministers at a meeting the previous night. Raila agreed. But Medical Services Minister Anyang’ Nyong’o’s similar appeal on behalf of ministers was rejected. The Prime Minister said ministers could raise such issues in Cabinet meetings.
Row over mandate

And the night before the President opened the retreat the PNU technical team led by Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta was in disarray after they disagreed with President Kibaki’s advisor on constitutional matters Kivutha Kibwana after he reportedly declined to sign a draft agreement on the kind of system the country should adopt.

A source at the Thursday night meeting said Kibwana refused to sign the draft until, after consulting the President. Kibwana’s move is said to have taken aback his team members, including Uhuru, Cabinet ministers Mutula Kilonzo, Moses Wetangula, and Beth Mugo.

“There were bitter exchanges among PNU members,” said source who sought anonymity. The Standard on Saturday was reliably informed before Prof Kibwana’s protestation, ODM and PNU had agreed on a hybrid system where the President is the Head of State while Prime Minister is the Head of Government.

Cabinet retreat starts amid MPs’ protests
President Mwai Kibaki flanked by the Cabinet at State House Nairobi. PHOTO/ FILE

President Mwai Kibaki flanked by the Cabinet at State House Nairobi. PHOTO/ FILE

By NATION Reporter and CorrespondentPosted Wednesday, November 11 2009 at 22:00

Several ministers arrived in Mombasa on Wednesday ahead of a three-day Cabinet retreat which starts Thursday.

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However, MPs questioned the need for the meeting and challenged the Office of the President to explain its benefits and costs to the taxpayer.
Ministers and their assistants will attend the retreat at Serena Beach Hotel and Spa that seeks to unite the Cabinet under the theme “One government, One voice.”

Deputy Prime Ministers Musalia Mudavadi and Uhuru Kenyatta and ministers Amason Jeffa Kingi and Moses Wetang’ula who were the first to arrive were holed up in closed-door meetings.

The retreat, according to the Presidential Press Service, is to enhance unity and cohesion in the Coalition and will be jointly addressed by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Breakdown of costs

It also seek to bring to an end the bickering, public criticism and divisions in the Cabinet since it was established in April last year. The fate of the victims of post-election violence and the new constitution will also be discussed.

To achieve the goal, they have invited experts who include Canadians Bob Rae, Prof Greg Marchildon and Giles Gherson as wells as Prof Prahlad Basu from India and Irishman Tom Dowing.

In Parliament, Garsen MP Danson Mungatana demanded the breakdown of the costs of the trip for the team of 96 ministers and their assistants.

He sought to know when money for the trip was budgeted for and approved by Parliament. “I do not remember passing a vote for bonding and relaxation of ministers and their assistants,” he said.

Assistant minister for Internal Security Orwa Ojodeh undertook to respond to Mr Mungatana’s question next Thursday.

Kibaki and Raila ‘shielding chaos perpetrators’
By NATION CorrespondentPosted Tuesday, October 13 2009 at 22:00

Five MPs have accused President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga of trying to shield masterminds of the post-election.

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* Ocampo headache for Kibaki and Raila

The MPs also pledged to support the speedy formation of a special tribunal to work with the International Criminal Court to try the violence perpetrators.

The MPs were attending a meeting on the Special Tribunal for Kenya Bill 2009 organised by the International Center for Policy and Conflict in Nairobi.

In a statement read by Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara, the MPs said the two principals could not be trusted because their public pronouncements did not match their actions.

The MPs said key members of the Cabinet and a small clique of top civil servants were supporting the two to undermine the formation of a Special Tribunal.

Bold and decisive

“The two principals are not genuinely committed to the International Criminal Court, contrary to the impression they are projecting,” they said.

The other MPs were Mr Danson Mungatana (Garsen), Dr Boni Khalwale (Ikolomani), Dr Eseli Simiyu (Kimilili) and Mr David Ngugi (Kinangop).
Mr Imanyara and his colleagues said their support for a Bill seeking to establish a local tribunal was unwavering and pledged to lobby their colleagues to support the Bill.

The Bill is sponsored by Mr Imanyara.

“There must be bold and decisive action against the culture of impunity in Kenya. The establishment of the special tribunal is necessary to ensure adherence to the rule of law and accountability,” the MPs said.
The Bill has provisions for reparations for victims of the violence, delivery of quick justice and also guarantees protection to witnesses.

Nine Mungiki suspects killed

Five armed gangsters were shot and killed at a roadblock in Dandora in this car on Wednesday. Police killed a total on nine people suspected to be Mungiki members in a 12-hour operation. Photo/LIZ MUTHONI

Five armed gangsters were shot and killed at a roadblock in Dandora in this car on Wednesday. Police killed a total on nine people suspected to be Mungiki members in a 12-hour operation. Photo/LIZ MUTHONI
By DOMINIC WABALA and CASPER WAITHAKAPosted Wednesday, November 11 2009 at 22:00

In Summary

* Police boss declares war on sect and vows to hunt down all its members

Police on Wednesday shot dead nine armed Mungiki suspects in Nairobi as Commissioner Mathew Iteere declared war on the sect and vowed to hunt down all its members.

Nine guns and 100 rounds of ammunition were recovered on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning in a 12-hour operation across the city.
Mr Iteere accused Mungiki members of kidnappings, rape, extortion, murder, illegal possession of firearms and robbery with violence and said police will vigorously pursue criminals who have made Kenyans’ lives a nightmare.

Eight suspected Mungiki members were arrested in Ngong on Tuesday night and two AK 47 rifles were recovered.

“We would like to warn the public that the Mungiki criminal gang is responsible for several cases of kidnap, rape, extortion, illegal possession of firearms, robbery with violence and murder. These cases are under investigation around the country,” Mr Iteere said at a press conference at Vigilance House, Nairobi.

The warning comes just days after Mr Njuguna Gitau, the spokesman of the Kenya National Youth Alliance, Mungiki’s political wing, was shot dead in Nairobi.

Mungiki leader Maina Njenga, who is now born-again after murder charges against him were dropped, has said his life is in danger.
Housing assistant minister Bishop Margaret Wanjiru at whose Jesus is Alive Ministries Church Mr Njenga received salvation, has also said that she is being trailed by unknown people.

However, Mr Iteere said routine check-ups on all APs deployed to guard VIPs were going on.

“It is a false impression for the assistant minister to say that she is being trailed by unknown people when they are security officers in a government vehicle,” he said.

On Wednesday, the commissioner described the crackdown against sect members.

“Yesterday (Tuesday) alone officers recovered two AK 47 rifles, two pistols and several rounds of ammunition in Nairobi and Central Province. Today (Wednesday) in Mowlem area of Dandora, officers recovered two pistols and a submachine gun in a fierce shootout with the criminals. Five of their members were killed and one was officer injured,” he said.

Two others were shot dead in Mathare and two pistols were recovered while another two were killed in Donholm estate.

The police boss accused Mungiki of using ill-gotten money to influence individuals of low moral character to ignore their criminal activities.

“The criminal gang has been using illegally obtained money to influence individuals of low moral character to divert attention from their criminal activities. We have noted with concern a deliberate effort to dissuade hardworking police officers from carrying out their duties by continuously threatening them with prosecution by the International Criminal Court for imaginary extrajudicial executions,” the police boss said.

The police boss also dismissed allegations by former Kabete legislator Paul Muite that police killed Mr Gitau. He said police had recorded statements and had accurate description of the gunmen.