An Open Letter to PM Raila
Fom: Judy Miriga
Sun, Dec 6, 2009 at 12:02 PM
Dear Prime Minister Raila,
This is to bring to your attention our concern that many times your public utterances are wanting, so confusing, contradicting, worrisome and questionable to an extend majority poor Kenyans are left to wonder if their public interest are taken care of or their demands according to your view, would be given favorable consideration as partners in development and or be treated with honor incase you become the next President of Kenya.
My purpose for writing this email is as a result of recent public disagreement you had with Ambassador Ranneberger when he questioned recent raise in allowances for Civil Servants which he thought was not urgent or important as yet under the prevailing urgent humanitarian grounds where majority are lagging in poverty including the displaced persons and also it is thought sensible tackling serious issues of great importance which are believed were politically motivated and are severely affecting survival of ordinary poor Kenyan public (Mwanainchi ) presently.
Things of salary to Civil Servants can be considered when the country stabilizes. This shows we are lacking Experts in Finance Controller General who plans and balances expenditure budget usage for the Country. This give question to weather Parliamentary Finance Committee is functioning. MPs salary alone for a poor country like Kenya, which is unable to generate their own finances or support their people independently, is world wide questionable when Kenya Government rely heavily on Donor funding and grants to maintain their running expenditure in the Government. Members of Parliament salary increase takes place two to three times in one year, is this justified? This kind of behaviour is stealing from public. We want a considerate People’s Representative who will be willing to make partnership with the people so the public can achieve their desired ambition goals in life.
We are worried that you are not considering urgent remedy and resolution in matters affecting Kenyans for which we thought would be your agenda number one (service to ordinary people). To deliver, you must treat delivery as matters of life and death in your consideration and must be given top attention with urgency in order to be trusted. Position of Kenya is totally shaken from political quagmire, that engulf the Country with issues that scuttle Reform Agenda for Kenya and Kenyans, requiring immediate attention, so people can live at peace united with each other. I am contemplating issues surrounding implementation of Reform Agenda 4 which; your slow pace in giving unequivocal support to the Local Tribunal Bill, your slack way of interjecting on Draft Constitution which in my opinion is lacking PUBLIC CONTROL POWER, and where the so called Legal professionals were paid huge handsome money to do a shoddy job is robbery to the public, which you seem to support, and your jumpy way of cooperating with the International Community who are giving Kenya and Kenyans a jump-start financial back-up support necessary to help Kenya remain stable financially under these shaking stormy political condition which are about to sink Kenya into oblivion and throw Kenyans into a state of hopelessness, a people without direction is worrisome.
Any money that come to Kenya from International Donor or Government is not free money, one way or the other it must be paid back by the people/public. The people who pay back this money through hardship are the ordinary WANAINCHI. It is the responsibility of PEOPLE/PUBLIC therefore to question or know how and where their money is spent. They have the right to question. If it is stolen, they have the right to demand their money back, whether through court or otherwise.
In my opinion, you just seem to think of foreign money coming in to the Country without a plan how to transparently disburse the said money to the involvement and information of PUBLIC to bring achievable desired result which is possible in a short space of time. In your government as President, how will you treat donor funding. Public money used carelessly is what has failed Kenya and is the reason why Politicians are stealing from Kenyans, why Goldenburg ripped off Kenyans resource utility, why Anglo Leasing (Anglo leasing) is a big issue, Kenyans must recover through International Courts. This donor money, we want to believe you seem to think should circulate feeding your individual pockets in the Government without questioning, which is wrong, it is public theft. You do not turn jittery when that kind of question is put accross. You should defend such questions with dignity and humility to be able to achieve reform.
There will be no development success in Kenya or the removal of poverty without responsibility, commitment and transparency involving Civil Society as partners of Development in any Government. Checks and balances must be the way to go.
We worry that you may be having good professional experts to advice and guide in the Coalition Government in your leadership, but you ignore to utilize their expertise and do not give them express open hand to utilize their knowledge so they can deliver. For what use, Prime Minister Raila, is the increase of salary to Civil Servants if they are not going to deliver according to their profession because your type of leadership is tying their hands from performing, yet the public expect them to perform? This is tax payers money spent without due regard, the public money which the people pay back through thin and thick in TAXES in the form of rising costs of food, transportation, rent including other basic daily needs or otherwise from the poor’s hard earned earning which they (the public) conditionally oblige in order to survive. This behavior is considered knowingly subjecting and suppressing humanity through negligence into harsh reality of conditionality is considered abusive to humanity and is treated as Criminal against Human Rights in the International Treaty for Human Rights. This manner of behaviour can also scuttle Reform we badly need.
You also want to compare US State Secretary Hillary Clinton to her recent visitation to Kenya, that she had a big entourage yet they were spending Tax Payers money……you are attacking the same hands that are feeding Kenya and Kenyans. USA is so organized 50 years ahead of its Country basic finance budget. USA have Government reserve facility to accommodate their expenditures. The Government itself is able to generate its independent funds in many small sublet activities, in other words the Government has a creative ways of generating independent money so they are able to pay back any monies they borrow from public kitty. How would you therefore want to compare yourself or Kenya with USA? Is this not lacking wisdom?
Bwana Prime Minister you are letting Kenyans down. You cannot bite the hand that is feeding you because it will stop feeding you and you will be putting the country in arms length danger to invasion and terrorism. Step up and have a reality check so we can trust and believe that you are able to lead Kenyans to prosperity and deliver effectively to Kenyans without meandering. I believe you have an apology to the Envoy.
Best Regards,
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
Envoy and PM spat over civil servants allowances
Updated 18 hr(s) 6 min(s) ago
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EU Sh90m grant to boost conservation
By Martin Mutua
Prime Minister Raila Odinga almost fell out with US ambassador Michael Ranneberger over the push for austerity measures in Government.
Trouble started when Ranneberger questioned the recent raise in allowances for civil servants, saying the economy was still weak.
Raila, who had called a meeting between donors and top Government officials in his office, defended the raise, claiming the envoy was out of order. The envoy said the donor community had suggested that the Government limits the number and size of delegations overseas and were disappointed by the turn of events.
Ranneberger said a minister visiting Switzerland would claim $918 per day (about Sh68,850) in allowances, which is more than what an average Kenyan earns annually.
“By comparison it is perhaps worth noting that a US government official traveling to Switzerland receives only about half the daily allowance of a Kenyan minister,” the envoy is reported to have said. At this point an agitated Raila hit back and told Ranneberger he had overstepped his mandate.
“The PM actually told the ambassador that he had now gone overboard and was meddling in the internal affairs of the country and should stop,” added the source.
Raila is said to have referred the envoy to the visit by US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton whose entourage occupied the entire Inter Continental Hotel for a week.
“The PM asked the envoy to state whether by taking an entire hotel Clinton was also not burdening the US tax payers,” added the source.
Other issues the donors are said to have raised include Goldenberg and Anglo Leasing scandals. Ranneberger asked whether the Government was preparing to make more payments to Anglo Leasing-related companies.
Read all about: Prime Minister Raila Odinga Michael Ranneberger civil servants
EU Sh90m grant to boost conservation
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By Standard Correspondent
The European Union, through the Community Development Trust Fund (CDTF), is setting aside Sh90 million to fund projects located in Mwea, Embu, Mbeere, Kutui, Mbooni and Mwingi districts. These areas have suffered massive environmental destruction that have been perpetuated by human and animal activities in the areas.
The CDTF Programmes Co-ordinator, Salesius Njoka Miu, said the Sh90 million disbursements was part of a Sh1.3 billion EU kitty, which will be used to fund 179 environmental projects in Kenya.
Adopt skills
The EU Head of Social and Environment section, Daniel Plas, called on the project beneficiaries to utilise the grants effectively by adopting the skills learnt through the capacity building sessions, after he joined the board of trustees of CDTF in assessing progress made in the nine projects.
The skill upgrade, Plas said, would enable them sustain the project even after the close of the donor funding.
The nine projects are being implemented by community-based organisations, which have to contribute 10 per cent of the projects funding. Among the conditions set was gender inclusiveness, a move that saw women leaders participating in the projects.
CDTF also insisted that provincial administration and other environmental stakeholders be included in the formulation, implementation and sustenance of the projects to guard against inter-departmental conflicts and suppress vested interests.
Miu said the EU funding would also be channeled to agro-forestry projects, which include agro-organic farming, fishing and poultry farming, beekeeping, tree growing, pottery and brick making, which will improve environmental protection besides addressing the community’s livelihood.
Moreover, EU’s Project Manager, Joseph Mathuva, said the EU was ready to channel more funds into projects that will address the millennium development goals (MDGs) and improve rural communities.
Among the projects that CDTF visited included the Thiba and Nyamindi River Basin, which got Sh20.6 million in funding. The organisation aims to restore the area’s natural resources, and improve the livelihoods of communities through fish and poultry rearing, and rehabilitation of the area rivers.
The Allamano Mianya Primary School, in Mwea, received Sh2.5 million to improve learning facilities and the road access to the school, while the Nyanyaa Secondary School Laboratory, in Kitui, Sh1.7million.
Road access
In Embu, the Rwere-Kianjokoma Bridge received Sh5.5 million to provide reliable and efficient road access between Kavutiri and Kiriari sub-locations. CDTF is also funding the improvement of the Rupingazi river ecosystem.
EU has also channelled Sh1.8 million into the Kandara water dam, in Mbeere District, to increase availability of water for domestic and livestock. Moreover, communities used the funds to put up a dam that will serve over 500 households that initially trekked over 20 kilometers daily in search of water.
Additionally, drought hit Mwingi District will have reprive after the rehabilitation of the Mwingi -Katiliku-Kwa Mbungu water supply at a cost of Sh5.6 million is complete
In Mbooni, the Mutonguni Ecosystem Environment Management group received Sh18.2 for environmental rehabilitation. The group will establish a tree nursery, construct a sand dams and forestry processing unit, in addition to procuring of four brick making machines, and 183 beehives.
Kenyan leaders have lost everything about Kenya/ they just do not care
Fellow Kenyans,
Kenyans should call for an early election. This so called coalition government is a joke and a big waste of tax-payers money. It is not enough to rely on these leaders nor is it enough to hear their supporters shouting this and that. Some have accumulated die hard supporters who does not see anything beyond their noses.
A lot of Kenyans now have the knowledge to know whether these leaders are for the country`s good or just for their stomach and their political future. These leaders are not improving anything now for the ordinary man. In fact if you look and read the Kenyan papers very carefully today you will realise that what these people are doing today is either indirectly or directly campaigning for the 2012 presidential and parliamentary election. Nobody is doing the right thing needed today or needed after 2012.
Just take for example the problem between the prime minister and the USA ambassador recently. A Kenyan leader or official abroad claim 918.00 USA dollars a day (68 850.00ks) in allowances which is more than what an average Kenyan earns annually. while a USA official claims a half of that when on abroad mission. So guys how do you explain this ?.
And why is USA ambassador concerned?. The simple answer is this: These people have over spent Kenyan tax-payers money and are now eating the donors money. These leaders are sinking the country. It will take Kenyans ages to pay back all the loans these leaders are using today. A country can not be ruled by loans, and debts.
They do not have even money for referendum, no money for climate change, no money for HIV/AIDS drugs, no money for even going abroad to a meeting, no money for medical services, no money for IDPs, no money for food to feed the hunger problem, no money to buy weapons, not even enough money to use for repairing the parliamentary building or upgrade it with etc.
By the way why should a Kenyan leader abroad need 918 USA dollars a day, what for?. Even hotels, food or prostitutes does not consume that money everyday. So where does the rest of the money goes to?. I hope they are not banking them in their private accounts in Switzerland.
The best medicine is to call for election before 2012. To know what is right and not to do it is an act of cowardice, these leaders are afraid of their future so much that if they can have power to postpone even the 2012 election upto 2020 they will do it. Who wants to surrender or give away a cow which is producing a lot of milk?.
Paul Nyandoto
The PM has squandered the political capital Kenyan voters gave to him and ODM party during 2007 elections! That political capital was “THE MAJORITY in PARLIAMENT”.
IT is a fact that the 2007 election was stolen from the PM and ODM. However, these elites (ODM members) should have stood firm and solidify their party in honor of those poor Kenyan voters who gave ODM that majority. Some gave their lives while these elites were in some safe houses in Nairobi!
ODM has allowed their opponents to disrupt and dismantle its party to pieces, using its ODM members, in addition to coercion from the international community delivered by hit men like Kofi Annan and Ocampo.
It is unbelievable that PM or ODM members never suspected that the Mau Forest saga, which has occupied most of the PM time for close to a year now, was a trap intended to dismantle ODM as party!
Climate change is a serious issue; but it should not have been the first item on PM menu, because international community is not speaking with one voice on the subject!
Then comes “the Hague” stick; it does not make sense that the west would be putting pressure on the very people they intend to take to ICC to form the coalition government in Kenya. How stupid must Kenyans be to fall for this bloody rubbish? If these elites are guilty of something, they cannot run a government. FULL STOP.
There are more qualified Kenyans who can effectively run the government! With threats like these, nobody knows what Kenya’s assets are being compromised through acquisitions by the foreigners applying the pressure!
Poor Kenyans cannot, and must not depend on “jacks of all trades”, who are incapable of forming, or being faithful to any rules or by-laws a party must follow to govern. Every election circle these individuals form coalitions and partnerships they cannot defend or stick to.
What is happening in Kenya in general, and to members of ODM in particular, reveals disturbing character flaws, and lack of leadership qualities needed in men and women, who MUST understand what is at stake in governing a country like Kenya! Are these people capable of protecting and defending Kenya and Kenyans? Seriously, these people cannot be dismantling or forming political parties every election circle! Come on!
The tragedy is, as these indecisive elites sink to bribe taking levels, poor Kenyans sink to death and destruction, while the multinational corporations are looting the resources which they turn around and give to Kenya as loans or donations. At the moment, poor Kenyans do not know who owns the land in Kenya!
As these elites are preparing for 2012 elections, voters must inquire what they will be elected to do the next time around.
Are these security guards, who have outsourced the governing of Kenya and managing of its lucrative natural resources to foreign powers?
Mr. Paul Nyandoto and Mr. Akech,
Thanks. I have waited and was at the point of despair, wondering if there was even one Kenyan, who was awake and aware of the blatant abuse that Kenya is going through right now. Under the hands of today’s thugs sporting the name of ” Politicians ”
Kenya is being robbed blind, Kenyans do not mean much!. I mean seriously, when Kenyans are in such dire distress, a man can still take the obscene amount of cash as the amount depicted here, for a day spending?
In America, the amount is an equivalent to a months salary for some one! As usual there is money for some ” Government ” thugs! And sorrow for Kenyan masses!
There is Money to build Palaces, for the people in power, but a Kenyan poor mother had to die from starvation, in Yatta! There are funds for the purchase of the:
Presidents’ Extra Benzes
The PM offices 700 Million /=
The PM Entertainment 33 Million /=
The PM Entertainment 55 Million /=
The PM Entertainment 77 Million /=
The VP Palace 1 Billion /=
The parliament 60 Million /= overseas” ziaras ”
The Parliament 29 Million /= demolitions
The Parliament 958 Million /= Beautification of Chambers!
The ” Anglo-Leased ” 16 Billion /= New round!
The Graves at, 285 Million /= at the cost of 2.8 Million, for a
200 000/= acre!
The New Knock out $ 918 dollars a day robbery on overseas trips!
Where is the thievery going to end? Sorrowfully, Kenya is in for a long dark horror.
Todays politicians are akin to violent robbers who invades a home. They are there to rob as quickly as possible, and then flee. But if any one tries to stop them, they are ready to get rid of them.
For the PM to compare the entourage of Mrs. Clinton at Hilton and that of Kenyan Robbers in Switzerland, is very sad! why can’t these useless, chaff, don’t get it! Americans are not beggars, like Kenya!
The USA does not beg for aid the way Kenya does! And they do not spend 918 dollars a day while on their trips!
Will these idiots ever understand this?
What is sad is that, Kenyans shall never understand a thing, regardless! Watch and see. Come 2012, they shall re-elect the same bandits back into Parliament and the same circle, shall commence, all over again!
DR. KIPRONOH A. RUTTOH
The following statements on the Kenyan Standard give a clue as what is happening to Kenyans behind the scene:
QUOTE
“Raila, who had called a meeting between donors and top Government officials in his office, defended the raise, claiming the envoy was out of order. The envoy said the donor community had suggested that the Government limits the number and size of delegations overseas and were disappointed by the turn of events.”
UNQUOTE
The Members of the Coalition Government are now like cornered animals. This government forced into the throats of Kenyans by the very donors the Prime Minister had summoned in his office, most likely, to beg for some financial aid or loan to Kenya.
These are the same donors who are issuing constant threats to these very cornered Kenyan elites to make certain changes in the government, or else they will be taken to ICC at The Hague!
In other words, the begging members of the Coalition government have price tags hanging over their head! They have to produce something.
We all know that whatever these Kenyan elites give away will not help poor Kenyans put food on their diner table.
Furthermore, we all understand that when an animal is cornered, it becomes very unpredictable. In addition to being unpredictable, these members of the coalition government have absolutely no loyalty to any political party in Kenya because they keep on jumping from one political party to next like changing underwear! This is an indication of severe character flaws.
It is, therefore, very safe to conclude that the Kenyan elites running the coalition government are a bunch of characters who are neither loyal to a political party nor to poor Kenyans they claim to represent. In other words, they are fighting purely to fill their survival and benefits!
It is well understood that foreign donors do not dish out money for nothing! Something is being given out or promised in exchange for these donations. There is a flood of the so called foreign investors or donors in Kenya right now. Some are in the rural areas trying to grab land from unsuspecting land owners!
As pressure mounts, Kenyans must know what Kenya’s assets are being dished out by these loose squabbling cannons who are not interested in protecting Kenya’s land or its poor citizens. Have they forgotten that real people died trying to secure Kenya’s land they are now busy giving out in exchange for bribes (donations)?
Giving away land while condemning the local population to filthy slum dwellings is very disturbing indeed.
Poor Kenyans may eventually have to settle for the low paying, slave labors on foreign owned farms in Kenya. This is where these ruthless, foreign begging elites are taking Kenyans to when they demand votes using false pretenses!
It would not be surprising to find out out that these donations are merely buying military equipments to suppress ordinary Kenyans so that they shut up and stop complaining!
http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/273844/extent_of_agricultural_landgrab_revealed_on_new_website.html
Concerned about kkk? You are not serious. Listen careful to Pm
speeches, then you might understand him. Ruto joined ODM after
realising that Kalenjins have walked out of kanu. Ati Uhuru, Kalonzo
and Ruto. Let us be serious Kenyans can’t be fooled by the three
muskateers.
Faiza.
You have hit the nail on the head. It makes me go back to Ngunyi
Mutahi’s Sunday nation article. You both though indirectly on the same
page. Raila, if people look up close, he is one man with many enemies
continuously man hunting after him. Truly even if his intentions are
good, he will naturally protect himself from his once upon a time
cronies than take care of the nation as it is supposed to be.
iIclearly state that you we will be lucky if the PM goes through this
letter, snaps out of his POLITICAL chaotic miasma and begins, slowly
but surely to rebuild this country in this time that he has somewhat
of authority over it.
Brooklyn.
Faiza,
Nowadays I find this Judy very irritating. I thought I respected her,
now I don’t know. From the comfort of USA, she’s become very critical
of any government official, now she’s stripping the PM while she’s in
a foreign land? Does she watch news or suffer like all of us? Wewe
Judy unaongelesha nani? Mzungu your paymaster or the common suffering
Kenyan whom the PM is in constant touch with?
Find a permanent job to keep you busy. If you ain’t with us in this
pool to smell the stench, keep off. Your opinion matters little.
Bure sana, potelea mbali. DUH! Im wasting my breadth on the wrong
person.
Kenfish
Breigner,
What happened to tolerance of other folks views?
Judy expressed her views which may not agree to most our own. Y cant we debate the issue raised and not the person who raised.
Isnt this a YP forum for professionals?
Dan.
Well said, Judy, but you too are just complaaining (in fact whining), without trying to show the way forward! All stand corrected, whether you live in the US doesn’t matter; some contributor to this thread is senior kenialainen living and working in finland, but, we don’t meet a lot of talk from the same country…presentlly, for your information, the country has a public health and environmental program that covers the entire Western Province, and, traditionally, it does not go letting everyone blarb about it!
You amy be right about the personal character of the PM, unfortunately, talking about it here (much less a letter) does not ‘develop’ kenya.
D.
Dan;
The problem with Judy is she keeps complaining too much. She is
complaining too much about everything and everyone. I have followed
her threads everywhere and I see she whines a lot. Its unlike someone
who’s after real change. If she’s not inciting pirates to attack our
law enforcers for training a somali police unit to safeguard Somalia,
its about appointments in government.
We know our government leeches us dry. How much of the leeched is she
contributing in direct taxes? ZERO! How much is she in government
advocacy in the field, real battlefield? ZERO! When we are hiding from
some of the crooks hired to harass the peoples “watchmen”, she’s
nowhere, its a ZERO sum all through.
She’ll even start whining about you. Get a life my dear. Give us
solutions that can drive the country. We know we are being leeched,
please remove the leech if you can, or stop we sort the issues
ourselves, kwani hatujui?
Kenfish
Oh I thought I was the only one getting tired of this! I find it amusing for a Kenyan NOT in Kenya to complain and but give no solutions. Kwani Judy is running an NGO that is funded to complain?
Haiyayeeeee!
Are the issues raised by Judy genuine or not? I think that’s the way we should be looking at them. Put aside the person for a moment. Look at the issues.
—
Best regards,
Odhiambo WASHINGTON,
Nairobi,KE
254733744121/ 254722743223
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
“If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!.”
— Lucky Dube
Odhi
thumbs high for sis judy, the points she raised regards the P.M has merits and should be supported by all pple who love to see kenya prosper, during 2007, we did all we can and supported P.M believing that he will bring the desired change kenyans are yearning for, but unfortunately he has not measured upto our expectation. We have nothing personal regards the P.M, and we went all way using our vote and finance so support his leadership, and its unfortunate that its during this process that some lost their life. Just to enlighten , councils of imams were involved in accident from tour of LAMU, where they went to campaign for Raila during Dec 2007, and lost one of our imams, and chairman was in coma for more than two months, despite of all this sacrifice, Hon Raila locked them out during his visit to Msa last weekend, and even never bothered to visit Chairman Idris nor call him.
Wash;
All im saying is, she should be objective and remove the whining bit.
It kills the argument when all she does is complain about everyone. We
are not angels, we are earthlings. None of us is perfect thro our
scale, leave alone Gods, however much we try. We will always be
imperfect. They say keep one eye closed, and one eye open, and work as
if you are the only one working hard. But don’t just sit there looking
and whining about peoples issues, serializing. They tire.
Judy has serious arguments but they end up in sensationalism,
generalization and whining. If she ends up in this very thieving
group, I bet 100% she will behave the same way like Ababu Amwamba. I
have seen this before. It’s a tactic used to get a prominent
appointment.
Kenfish
Guys call a spade a spade and give respect where due. i am a kenyan working out of the country and i am not only proud of Kenya but its people and the leaders. If you don’t go out of your mother’s house you will always think she is the best cook. we all know this. So i believe even when i am out here and the country or the leaders are doing better than our leaders i should take what is possitive and advice my people how they can do it better rather than complaining.My dear remember your mother is your mother no matter how bad she may be. I have lived the time of defferent leaderships in Kenya but believe you me that this government has tried.I believe our leaders are doing the best they can for as.
Incresing the salary for civil Servant is a step forward because i believe some of the diplaced people’s relatives are in this category and therefore will manage to care for their reletives in need. In addition this will inrease the taxes and therefore improve….. Please kenyans wherever you are spread the good news about you beautiful country, intelligent people and the good leaders we have. Please don’t wash your dirty linen in public this is our internal affairs guys. Plese support our leaders and advise them accordingly
Peter et all,
I have ignored all other responses because, after reading, I saw a lot of immaturity and ignorance in the state of your reasoning and I thought I need to give you folks time to grow. I begin to understand that all you are playing here in your critics is not objectionable conversation that would trigger way forward to achieve political millage to progress but sycophancy is a sign of naivety (a state of not knowing and not being informed).
Firstly, you must understand that politics is not a fare-play or fallacy, it is a serious job that require deliverance to public, therefore, the road to delivery must be clear and concise. There is no politics without public development and there is no public development without politics. Politics is the vehicle at which we all must achieve our desired goals in life. There is a way politics must be conducted for popular gains, and that’s the way to develop a Country not for a secular or sectional gains. This is the only way to create a lasting peaceful solution and love amongst the Citizenry of a Nation. If you go the popular way, your Leadership and Country remain strong and progressive. There will be a conducive environment for competiton to achieve goals in life.
Secondly, I have a full time job, and this is my full time job – you can very well see how busy I get. PM Raila is the Leader presently. I know PM Raila very well better than the yappy folks, critics makes him alert and stronger and any Leader worth his salt must be a Leader of substance which PM is capable of acquiring only if he open himself to critics and pays attention to advice and be a good listener slow to respond. That does not mean weakness. This is why we stand to point out issues that we are concerned about either publicly or privately, reasons that politics is a public affair. He should be able to consult widely before he makes comments. He has bigger responsibilities so he has more advisors of different specialties. I will not butter PM Raila because he does not need yappy folks back-up in fulfilling his ambition, he knows that very well. The yappy folks should not imagine they have a score here. They should get it right that I am stepping in for a wise counsel not propaganda and not because I want to be considered for a job, but if that is the case, what would the yappy folks do if I have to get appointed? Peter with those in like minds, cannot stop my being appointed incase I have to, so what’s the hullaballoo for. I am not the “Jonny-Come-Late” and incase there is need for a position, I deserve to be appointed because I toiled and worked hard for it since 1990, though the time is not now. There is a lot of ground work to be done and plenty of volunteer jobs people should get involved to secure the Kenya we all want.
Thirdly, I do not need favour of a job in this kind of messy and confused government system of irrelevancy with no focus or direction. I want to help the system to be operational and functional and because of my informed capability, I decided to educate the masses for free stay out of active mainstream politics and play politics of advice and direction in sensitization and mobilizing in essence. So people like you can have a chance to be educated.
This last bit of your comment compelled me to respond so you know that you and your bashing friends could have had “Maziwa ya Nyayo” done effect to your brains. You have to be careful and watch that your brains were not affected by “Maziwa ya Nyayo” the free Primary Education Milk that was offered then by former President Moi as an incentive to gain energy while at school. I have reason to worry because, I have noticed commonplace conditional defects requiring urgent attention. However, considering what I have said above, I have the following to add:-
A) I have come a long way with Kenya’s politics, if it were position I need, I would have acquired that long time during the late Jaramogi Oginga’s time. I was one of his favorites women in politics and again I am not bragging, and those who were bashing me during those days were told off to “We na uru nya Mombasa na no mos” – it was not that there were no bashing then or that there were no critics, but he saw some potential and believed in me, he therefore did not let the Young Turks then, to mess with me.
I saw there were no conducive climate to allow infusion of my advice, how to go about things to develop and improve Kenya through Civil Society and other NGOs development program Agenda and how Civil Society can work together with the Government in partnership to achieve National Growth in Financial Development. Things fall apart and became worse as time went by…..we do not want to loose valuable time this time round because we are in critical economic crisis and things must be done right the first time since there will be no other second chance.
I am a leader by my own rights. Being the inside player in politics, I saw, after election of 1992, Jaramogi won, Moi turned tables on Jaramogi so he technically lost. Moi was truly a professor of political distortion and distraught, divide and rule, which caused the final straw collapse of Kenya. He based his politics on lies and cheats. He played Jaramogi smart, dented Ford through his maneuvers, although very sick Matiba was lured, he came in and raffled feathers and completely destroyed unity in Ford. Matiba caused the immediate collapse and death of FORD. Confusion set in and that was the beginning of all hell went loose in Kenya. I am giving you this episode so you know I am not a freshman in politics of Kenya. I have been there and I have done it. But that is not my style. The Ruto way of politics with Uhuru, Balala and Kalonzo is a repetition of Matiba’s style during Jaramogi’s time with Moi and I believe Ruto is playing childish tantrums he must stop to divagate.
B) I must remind you that, taxes are public money. I have the right to indulge in Kenya issues that involve taxes though I do not live in Kenya but because of natural automatic dual interest, I have a say. First, I pay tax in America and I complete my tax returns every years. I participate in America’s National building. I buy food, pay rent, drive a car and all these contribute in my paying taxes to the Government one way or the other. I therefore have a say as a tax payer and a Citizen of America who wish to want to know and desire to demand how our Tax money is utilized. I have families, relatives and friends in Kenya whom I send money for up-keep and therefore I have interest and the right to question to want to know and participate in all matters of tax-payer public money utility. It is therefore my Human Right Concern when the public money is carelessly squandered and utilized without due consideration and concern and at the same time stolen for private interest. Leaders who don’t take public matters or interest seriously are failing somewhere in their jurisdiction. Consequently, I have not cheapen low to be a chicken to your critics.
C) I am a custodian of my destiny both in America and in Kenya…..I therefore do not make noise, I deliberate and contribute how best I wish to be governed through opinion or idea sharing. I have Kenya’s interest at heart and would not wish it goes to the dogs. I will make noise because I do not wish and on behalf of many, I intercede for them all so we do not go back to Misri…..This is a true calling brothers and sisters, try and get even. Find yourselves some Volunteer Commissioning assignment so you get involve in creating the Kenya we all want. Building Kenya is each and everyone participating in the best way they know how.
God Bless you all.
Cheers!
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
Ladies and Gentlemen
Let me tell you guys something about lady Judy because I have met her in person during a politically charged atmosphere. I cannot forget that day. It was very cold in Washington DC. I had driven all the way from Florida to protest 2007 stolen election at the Kenyan Embassy and United States State Department. There were many people. Some I knew some I did not. Me and my Associates were not aware that there were other organizers but as you know word travels through the internet. Well we were disorganized and organized because one group did not know the other group. Judy belonged to one group and I belonged to the other. My group chose Alphonse Omondi of Philadelphia to be incharge the other group chose Judy.
Judy is almost the age of my mother but in her I saw a heart of a young warrior. She and Omondi were our incharges. Judy pushed the embassy door like a young lady but Ogego refused to talk to us although later on me and Omondi sneaked in only to be ejected by the security. Later that day with Judy and Omondi as our incharge we went to the State department and had an audience with the state reperesentative. We had along chain of demonstrators. Okoa spoke on our behalf. Through Judy and Omondi we handed over our two written petitions. Our issue was that Kibaki stole the election and the United States should not recognize him as president. Secondly we took issue with why the United States had already endorsed Kibaki as president and lastly we requested United States to be involved in solving the Kenyan problem. The next day Jandaya Frazer was dispatched to Kenya.
As you can see, Judy faught for the rights of Kenya and she achieved something. Fairness. He fought for Raila to be who he is now. Without United States, Raila could be rotting in jail somewhere opr in exile. Judy therefore has every right to tell Raila that he is wrong when he is. Indeed Raila was wrong in this case. Where on earth do you go to beg for money so that you can throw it to the sea and still claim sovereignity. If you want to claim to be sovereign then dont go begging. Besides, $900 allowance per day, where on earth do people get that except in Kenya. Kenyans should be outraged instead of looking at the type of english Judy wrote. Why are Kenyans so much dissolutioned. $900 per day for 10 days for 60 people who in my view are going just to visit Germany. If you look closely you may find out many of them are relatives of the people in the government. How is this diffrerent form Moi’s Government when Nyiva Mwendwa went with her hair dresser for an overseas trip. This is unjustifiable, travesity, impunity and at worse insulting the people of Kenya intelligence. This should be one very good reason why Kenyans should take to the streets. How come you cannot settle 2000 poor people but you can give an rich individual over $900 per day with hotel expences paid for 10 days. I have travelled enough to know that a Kenyan cannot dare pay $300 for breakfast, $300 lunch and $300 for dinner unless it is a life and death situtaion, even $50 per meal for a Kenyan is too much. Even US senators the richest country in the world do not get that.
It is amazing Raila was supporting this and when Judy who worked very hard for Raila questioned this, some headless chickens following their stomach pounced on her because she wrote poor english. Sirs, correct the english but also dare tell your king that he is naked. That is what Judy did. Judy has worked so hard for this course. She has every right to straighten it.
Yours Sincerely
Dr. Barack Otieno Abonyo