3 thoughts on “Fw: White House Visitation”

1. DR.ODIDA OKUTHE June 12, 2009 at 10:22 am

   KENYA’S DECAYING IMAGE

   Kenya’s decaying image is caused by: those who rigged the 30th December 2007 presidential elections, the cabal in PNU who are full of arrogance and impunity, the police who shot and killed innocent democrats protesting the 2007 presidential elections rigging, rampant corruption, land grabbers, the injustices present and past, police extra-judicial killings, official tribalism that favors one community and uses the rest and abandons them. Judy Miriga contributes nothing toward that Mr. Ochwangi.

   Just see now! The Minister Mutula Kilonzo has written to Kofi Annan to extend the deadline for handing over the secret envelop to The Hague! He is cushioning his masters. Do not forget that this minister could neither see nor hear of atrocities of the Moi regime nor can he now see the injustices of having a president of the country heading a minority in Parliament.

   This minister is in place to derail reforms and not to speed them up since the said reforms according to him could hurt the entrenched interests of PNU. PNU and sadly possibly the likes of Mr.Ochwagi cannot see anything good in Agenda 4 which they consider it to be not only removing the feathering of their beds but taking away all together the very people’s bed they are enjoying illegally and criminally.

   DR. ODIDA OKUTHE.
2. David ochwangi June 13, 2009 at 4:07 am

   Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:34:53 -0700 (PDT)
   From: David ochwangi
   Subject: Re: White House Visitation

   I don’t know who you are trying to impress Ms Miriga nor do I, frankly, care! You could be the queen for all I care but your record of brazen attention seeking outbursts of course speak for themselves: one minute you told Bush to intervene in Kenya, the next you are ousting the Ambassador with idle baseless threats, the next you are inviting Kenyans to the White-House, the next you are the Diaspora spokesperson, I mean you are perpetually making a complete joke of yourself, all I am saying is stop while you are still a head otherwise you will become irrelevant very fast. Kenyans didn’t elect President Obama and I don’t know how you figure he will invite Kenyans to the White House leaving out Millions upon Millions of Americans in all the fifty States with a direct stake in his presidency who’d like to visit the president; com’on lady-think! I have no doubt you mean well, perhaps in your self promotion but be smart about it. I don’t know what kind of Doctor you are or dose you can give me but I am not sick and even if I were, you may prescribe the wrong medication, thanks for the offer. All I am saying sister is you are hurting your image and that of those you purport to represent. Kenya’s image is in the toilet already, we don’t need to flush it any further…
3. Jacob Prichani November 2, 2011 at 3:21 am

   David Ochwangi Goes Ballistic: A Response to his Attack on Ambassador Elkanah Odembo
   By Jacob Princhani, Baltimore, Maryland

   Some of you may have chanced to read Atlanta based David Ochwangi’s invective laden jeremiad castigating Elkanah Odembo, Kenya’s envoy to the United States. Whist anger does sometimes act, as a catalyst for good writing; one must wield it skillfully to achieve good effect. Ochwangi is angry from the get go. He does divulge the reason and the genesis of his mammoth discomfort halfway through his lament of biblical proportions. We shall get to that.
   Let us see if we can compress Ochwangi’s lament to a few specific points and then address them: The last Mashujaa Day celebration in Atlanta was a resounding success courtesy of attendance by Kenya’s envoy to the United Nations, Ambassador Macharia Kamau, and no doubt Ochwangi’s organizing prowess despite limited resources. Ambassador Odembo snubbed the function because of “petty” personal reasons; Ambassador Odembo is an ODM representative in DC and a relative of Raila Odinga’s, unqualified one to boot having had scant prior experience in diplomacy. The ambassador’s acts should be seen through those lenses and that alone. His predecessor, Ambassador Ogego was a more outgoing fellow who frequented Atlanta and facilitated Ochwangi’s outreach efforts consecrating his self-appointed role as the point person of the Kenyan Diaspora in Atlanta. Lastly, Ochwangi makes some vague appeals to nationalism and how others including Odembo are wrecking it because they do not agree with his vision. He derides the recently concluded Diaspora Conference in DC.
   Congratulations for pulling off a highly successful Mashujaa Day celebration in Atlanta, the best ever. However, the breathless attack on Ambassador Odembo immediately following self-back patting, for having failed to “honor” the occasion, betrays a man masking deep disappointment and seeking recognition at all costs. That others might have different and equally valid visions escapes Ochwangi’s mind. Just because the visions do not jibe with his does not make them pernicious or even suspect.
   Why, then, would Odembo snub Ochwangi? I have little idea but it could partly be due to a poisonous and totally unfounded attack Ochwangi aimed at Odembo before the Ambassador took up his posting in Washington DC. Ochwangi claims Odembo was favored because he is related to the Prime Minister. He might well be. I have no idea; however Ochwangi’s brazen claims that Odembo is unqualified to hold the post are laughable. It appears all he knows about Odembo’s background is that he was an NGO activist. He clearly knows very little about the ambassador. He needs to do further homework.
   That said Ochwangi might have a point when he criticizes the Kenyan system for tending to concentrate rewards to those from or close to leading families. It is a national trend and the solution should be sought beginning with understanding and analyzing the issue in order to devise ways of checking it without trampling on the rights of Kenyans who happen to be related to notables. That is how civilized societies work. To single out one family as an embodiment of this trend is to say the least an act of malice.
   Having penned an ill-informed tirade against Ambassador Odembo, Ochwangi expected a congratulatory note! I believe the ambassador took the swipe in his stride and would have thought nothing of it to but for the self-appointed (Ochwangi) Kenyan envoy’s antics in Atlanta. Ochwangi claims Ambassador Ogengo consecrated his role and maybe he did, but that was Ogego. He had his style of interacting with Kenyans here in the US which does not necessarily form a template future Kenyan ambassadors here must emulate. Different office holders have distinct ways of going about their business, which may explain why Ambassador Odembo has chosen a different vehicle, Diaspora Advisory Council, as the preferred mode of interaction with Kenyan communities across the country. Ochwangi will not hear of different ways of doing things if he not at the center of it hence he casts aspersions at anyone with different ideas.
   Is it true that the Kenya’s DC missions are an ODM transplant /operations focusing on and interacting with ODM supporters exclusively? Nothing could be further from the truth. This bit of hokum is a creation of Ochwangi’s fevered mind and wounded ego. Take the recent Diaspora Conference in DC. The get together attracted close to one thousand Kenyans. Serious topics were discussed. Discussants’ political affiliation or persuasion were nowhere on display. They were not relevant. That Ochwangi tries to rubbish what was universally acclaimed as a successful event betrays bitterness and a narrowness of mined that is in harmony with his apparent narcissism.
   Kenyans should be able to disagree over substance, and it may get heated at times. The basic rule of orderly and informed debate is facts must be respected. Ochawangi has a very right to hold the views he does but he must extend the same courtesy to others who may have different opinions. His way or the highway, in this case, character assassination, is not a sign of political maturity.