From: David B
Date: Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 8:10 AM
Subject: Re: Why Turning MAU into Mkalenjin Aondoke Upesi will complicate matters for Raila and 2012 elections
Bwana Amenya
Yours is the kind of wisdom and sane discussion I have been longing for. People cause hate and tension unnecessarily by trying to show that others are like dung. Look, While others are being allowed to cultivate forest in the “shamba” system, others who actually posses title deeds are handed 14 day ultimatum. Any animal with little brain will never expect cooperation from such skewed application of justice. MAU MUST BE CONSERVED, YES but when and how did these people get into Mau? Kibaki himself handed out some of the titles in 2007!!. They are not just 1900 titles, they are over 15000 plus squaters.
But why all the impatience? Why not seek reasonable solution together with the community? I am from Mau, and I and the community have no problem at all in leaving the forest alone, we badly need that forest. But wait, Kenyatta started it in the 70s by dishing out peaces of it to Kikuyus and no one complained about it. Ndefo, Rare, Likia, Mau Narok (all in Njoro) and parts of Mau dished out to pure Kikuyu. Kuresoi forest is the very essence, the real Mau home to the Ogiek and the actual source of all the water including Mara, yet was dished out to Kikuyus in the 70s and the Kisiis came in to buy land too. Olenguruone was violently grabbed and dished out to Kikuyus in 1974/1975. We watched silently.
Kamara, Timborua, Molo forest, Turi forest, Mau Summit forest had already gone to Kikuyus, Elburgon, Burnt forest (in the very heart of the Kalenjin land) had all gone to Kikuyus. I have not mentioned also that all the Muzungu land were all grabbed by the same powerful Kikuyus all the way upto Kitale? Kidowa and Londiani were all heavily populated by shamba cultivating Kikuyus all the way to Kipkelion (again, the heart of the cultural heritage of the Kalenjin) all the way to Fotana (Fort Tanan). Kiptungo, Mareshioni, Naisuet, Ndoswa forests were all densely habited by one community in the name of shamba system. They were only waiting to claim themselves as forest squaters and demand allocation of the forest land ( I am increasingly being very proud of my peaceful Kalenjin nation, all this time we kept our peace, Now God help us).
Before Moi peacefully left office, some of the worried departmental heads decided they could not sit and wait for another Kikuyu to come and dish the remaining forest out to Kikuyus, they dished it out too!!. Now we are evicting these few Kalenjins who rushed to salvage the left over?
Kidaruma dam hydroelectric generation was closed recently due to low water levels. what happened was that Mau? All over the country is drying. Why harase a small population instead of seeking a more sustainable solution? We will vacate Mau but treat us like human beings or ..Kenya will never be the same.
During these times of drought and hunger, only fools will evict people and destroy their livelihoods. You will be creating more crisis fools!!.
Sit down and calmly seek a more lasting solution. Raila and Kibaki, You can do better than show hatred against a people.
ArapBett
Life is about Connections; connecting with God, with humans and accessing resources to help change the world.
Dare to dream and then do it(Thomas Nelson, 1998)
The one who is afraid to go wrong may never be right
— On Thu, 8/27/09, amenya gibson wrote:
From: amenya gibson
Subject: Why Turning MAU into Mkalenjin Aondoke Upesi will complicate matters for Raila and 2012 elections
Date: Thursday, August 27, 2009, 6:53 AM
Sometimes is important for any leader to be quite careful on any policy he/she may try to push across may spell doom for him/her in near Future
Let me explain using a few examples
1-When Moi pushed Hon Uhuru to be a KANU flag bearer for 2002 elections consequences are there for us to see,Uhuru project went belly up
2-When Raila tried to bring some sanity on roads expansion by demolishing buildings we all know what happened
3- When NARC tried to bring a radical surgery in Judiciary we all know what happened
I bring out all this in matters in relation to to MAU evictions
It may look to be a good idea but may also turn out to be badly executed and may cause more discontent
We may be fascinated at about conserving our forest and diversity but
we also we need to ask ourselves are we doing it well or is just waking up one morning and begin removing people
The idea of using police agencies to remove people in MAU forest will
leave a bad taste in many people from MAU forest
I will be glad if Raila if need be,try to use communities and elders to educate people on need to vacate MAU Forest let us not be in hurry to push people out of MAU Forest in a haste not forgetting the currest state our nation is undergoing-no water,no power,no food,etc
Kenya is in unstable condition and if we start to flex muscle wrongly may be hard to correct it.
Hon Raila has to engage all and discuss the issue gradual and have the process carried out humanely rushing to show your mighy power may work against him
Learn how Obama is handling Healthcare Issue in USA he has allowed wisdom and better judgement to prevail unlike had he stood firm and pushed the whole issue forcefully.
Can Hon Raila use your professional skills to wade through Mau issue or you will use Fimbo ya Forest officers to weep powerless communities that are eking a living in MAU
Over to You Hon PM
Thanks
Gibson Amenya
Member of Kenya Young Greens
Feedback gamenya@kenyayounggreens.org
The Hon. Prime Minister is very forgetful indivitual. And as such he has this shallow perseption that all Kenyans are like that.
Not long ago, when Kibaki was sending thugs, ( The embodiment of impunity in our country-the Police ) to assault, shoot and murder Kenyan people. Yet today, he goes arround , sporting Kibaki. On many occassions, Raila himself, literally, had to run for his life!
The question is, why use force, on defenceless people? People are poor and you ask them to move out, out where to? How would they reach to far off places where they came from?
The prime Minister should know this: If he is no longer interested in being the Head of Kenya in 2012, then he is on the right path. There is the lessons from the 2007 elections. By discarding the Kalonzo Mushoka votes, Kenya got Kibaki. And the killings that followed.
Imagine the difference if we had kept together!
I can see what is coming, if the Prime Minister thinks that the Mau Residents are dispensable, then I am sorry for Kenya, He will never be the president. Those people have real lives, families and they are not as forgetfull as he might assume.
Kenyan territory, near the Prime Minister’s birth place has been annexed by hostile foreign nation, ( Uganda ) but he has never done a thing. Istead, he sees priority in evicting Kenyans in their own land? What a sad thing for Kenya. How unfortunate.
For the sorry Migingo Island Kenyans, You were sold to Uganda-Given away. by Kibaki. The deal was brokered, by the former Vice President Moody Awori. Whose brother is a Ugandan Cabinet Minister.
The exchange was for Uganda’s help in dealing with the insecurity in the Western and the Lake region. Kenya’s security, covering all the frontier of Uganda-Kenya, extending from ; the Sudan to Kisumu was left Under Uganda.
So many Kalenjin people are seething over Mau, and if the Prime Minister is wise, he, should take caution and treat people with respect. It is plain and obvious to every body that, the Mau Evictions are only the Kalenjin. Do not make it so open and plain, with arrogance.
3 million votes has a potential to make him president or lock him out of presidency. Do not loose every thingwhile you are rushing things up. Remember respect , RESPECT is what shall take you along way.
Dr. Ruttoh Pollyzzarrioh
VICTORIA BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
MR RUTTOH, AMENYA AND DAVID .
1. YOU AGREE PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE OUT.
2. NOBODY HAS BEEN MOVED OUT VIOLENTLY YET WHY COMPLAIN ? .
3. PEOPLE WILL BE COMPENSATED THIS THE PRIME
MINISTER HAS REPEATED MANY TIMES WHAT HAS HE DONE DIFFERENTLY.
4. MOI A KALENJIN WAS PRESIDENT FOR TWENTY FOUR YEARS
WHY, WHY BLAME RAILA MOI KNEW THE INVANSION OF
YOUR LAND INFACT KENYATTA APPONITED HIM TO KEEP THE
STATUS QUO.HE DID NOTHING ABOUT IT.
5. MOI DID NOT CORRECT THE ANOMALY HE COMPOUNDED THE PROBLEM BY GABING MORE LAND.
6. NOW RUTO IS PROTECTING YOU FROM WHO . NO HE WANTS THE STATUS QUO MAINTAINED SO THAT YOUR LAND THAT HE GRABBED SHOULD REMAIN WITH HIM.
7. MY ADVICE TO RAILA IS THAT LET THE GRABBING CONTINUE. DONT BOTHER ABOUT ANY BODY KAZI IENDELEE.
AMOLLO OKEYO
TANZANIA
Rutto, Amenya,Okeyo.
While i agree with most of Okeyos points # 7, leaves us wanting. But let me give my one cent on the overall discussion. Too much propaganda and ethnic interests have been intertwined into this Mau issue that for those who will not reflect honestly, truthfully and progressively on the matter we became victims of the propaganda. Lemme explain:
1. That Mau is a water catchment that is vitally essential to survival of our rivers and environment (which includes the Kalenjin themselves) is a fact. How then can we reason that we should continue with business as usual? When do we as young progressive Kenyans begin to turn the table of “yesteryear reasonings” that if Kenyatta ATE why shoulnt we EAT? When do we start thinking about the next generation? Or our neighbour?
2. Having said that if, Ruttoh, we all agree that Mau MUST be conserved then lets begin with it since its the most catastrophic! But lets go further , as soon as we are done with Mau lets then go to Abardares, Mt. Elgon and we continue on and on applying the same standards.
3. Who will be the “implimenter” should not concern us because our eyes should be viewing the whole picture not a sectatian, ethnic, narrow interests. But lets give credit where it is due. Only a true politician like Agwambo has proven he has the balls to tackle this one. So kudos to him.
4. If Kenyans were asking for change shouldnt we then applaud those ready to impliment change? we have heard and heard this reasoning that if they let so and so EAT why cant we EAT? It makes as sick and tired!
5. Will Mau kill RAO in 2012? We have watched politics evolve for a while now and whereas it may “scratch” him it will have little impact on him! These noise makers assume that they represent ALL the masses in North and South Rift. Further from the Truth! And time will tell. Keep tabs on developments as they unfold eg. Bye election results in Shinyalu and Bomachoge. For every constituency in the Rift the is an aspiring candidate ready to move into ODM to dislodge the sitting MP. Some will prevail but a good number will not survive.
6. The issue of the PEV is not over yet its just beginning and there will be casualties. Are you telling me that the ordinary Kaleo on the shamba will go to war just coz a few politicians might fall on the wayside coz of the PEV? My sense of politics is that those who wish this to be the scenario had better have a plan B. Why? May not happen at all. These men who will fall are not angels remember. Look at their track record. Dont take the ordinary Kaleo for granted!
7. Finally i will say that i hope sense and not mere ambition will prevail on some of these aspiring young politicians with burning ambitions! Why? So that they hopefully will not miss out on the spoils in 2012. As it seems now they are falling all over themselves and dragging some poor folks with them.
RINDI ( CA )
Dr.kiprutoh, or what you call yourself, you must be a bitch. What makes you think that mau issue can be debated?
By the way dont think that Kalenjins vote can do any thing to Pm. Kikuyus and Maasais and Luos can join hands, and trust me MOI was your last man to rule Kenya.