From: Judy Miriga
Good People of Kenya,
I wish you all a peaceful, credible, free and fair elections. I Pray you will all conduct yourselves cautiously and with calm and report or document and with use of your cellphones post in youtube information all that you want to share with Diasporas.
Whoever wins, we shall not allow to be frustrated or intimidated in any way, but will maintain steady pressure to make sure Public Mandate and the New Constitutional Change Reform Accord is in compliance with the Will of the People respected and honored.
We shall not allow to be short-changed or give up for whatever reason, but we will continue to press for complete Reform Change until all is perfect and we trust God will direct our path always.
Any grievances or conflicts to be channeled to Court for hearing without any waste of time.
God Bless us all and we shall keep a watchful eye.
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
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Senior Judge can swear in president in Mutunga’s absence
Updated Wednesday, February 27 2013 at 17:46 GMT+3
By GEOFFREY MOSOKU
Nairobi, Kenya: The senior most Supreme Court Judge will swear in Kenya’s forth president in case Chief Justice Willy Mutunga is unavailable.
The constitution provides that in the absence of the Chief Justice, the Deputy CJ can swear in the president.
However, the position of DCJ is vacant following the exit of Nancy Baraza and her proposed replacement Kalpana Rawal has to wait for the next parliament to approve her appointment.
Attorney General Githu Muigai on Wednesday said he had consulted Dr Mutunga and resolved that in the unlikely event of his absence, a senior judge can perform his duties.
“We have had discussion with the CJ and agreed that notwithstanding the lack of a substantive office holder of Deputy Chief Justice, the senior most Judge at the Supreme Court will step in,” he said.
He continued, “ We are taking abundant caution in the unlikely even the CJ is unavailable, there will be no gap. We will proceed to swear in the president once the results are declared.”
Githu issued a stern warning to public servants found interfering with the conduct of the elections that they will face the full force of the law.
“As a Government, we are committed to abide by the clear policies, which requires public servants, irrespective of their positions to be non-partisan,” he said.
The CJ added that he has finalised arrangements on how the president and County governors and representatives will be sworn in saying judges and magistrates have been designated for the work.
“Mutunga said he had also set up special courts that will deal with criminal cases arising from electoral offences that will operate 24/7,” he said.
The CJ too said disputes arising from election results will be adjudicated within the set timelines saying the Judiciary has completed developing and training judges on the rules of procedure for election petitions.
Leave no ‘stone unturned’ on Mungiki threat to Mutunga
Updated Sunday, February 24 2013 at 00:00 GMT+3
The proscribed Mungiki sect has a long, turbulent and ‘fascinating’ history. It has time and again brushed shoulders with successive regimes, along the way making and losing ‘allies’ as well.
That they are now ‘threatening’ the Chief Justice is indeed and must not be treated lightly. Not only has the “criminal gang” severally been banned by former President Moi and President Kibaki regimes, but also severely thrashed and mercilessly ‘rooted out’ via what human rights organisations labelled: ‘extra-judicial killings.’
Illegal terror
This is an illegal terror organisation blamed for bizarre butchering of human beings (especially around Kiambu, Kikuyu and Kiambaa), extortion from matatu operators, illegal ‘tax collection’, among other evils. The most disturbing thing is their ‘impromptu’ appearance when elections are looming in our nation. Human Rights groups and dozens of commissions mandated to look into 2007/2008 PEV chaos did blame them in their reports for allegedly committing human rights abuses in some parts of Rift Valley and Nairobi provinces.
The Government must take stern action and never waiver in its ambitious programme of doing away with illegal sects and groups in our country, especially now that General Election is around the corner.
For Chief Justice Willy Mutunga to come out in public and mince not his words by alleging the threats were specifically emanating from ‘ Mungiki veterans’, such threat must be probed thoroughly.
Lest we forget, our Judiciary, especially under the current hawk-eyed watch of Justice Mutunga, is on the verge of restoring the dashed hopes Kenyans have been forced to nurse for years on end. It is no longer business as usual in our judicial corridors and chances of one embracing genuine justice has since increased!
Crucial organ
The Judiciary is one of the most crucial organs of Government and its role is not only pivotal in case of an election dispute, but also indispensable in a growing democracy like ours.
Kenyans of good will must denounce such unhealthy gestures and ensure every government organ (moreso the Judiciary) performs its roles expeditiously, independently, professionally and without intimidation or manipulation. Surely, we have come of age and the least these ‘ Mungiki veterans’ should have done was applaud the noble tasks the CJ and his colleagues have undertaken without fear or favour.
By Cheruo Levi Cheptora, Trans Nzoia
Embakasi parliamentary aspirant missing
Updated Wednesday, February 27 2013 at 12:01 GMT+3
John Rex Omolle who has been missing since Sunday [Photo: Courtesy]
By Cyrus Ombati
NAIROBI, KENYA: A Parliamentary candidate for the Embakasi West Constituency in Nairobi is missing after a suspected kidnap incident.
Mr John Rex Omolle of PDP, a party affiliated to CORD went missing on Sunday and is yet to be found.
He is seeking to be a Member of Parliament for the new constituency and had been cleared to contest by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission ( IEBC).
The family of the candidate says they are yet to hear from him or the kidnappers since Sunday morning when he went missing.
Police too confirmed they are investigating the incident and so far no ransom has been demanded or calls made to the family.
Nairobi head of CID Nicholas Kamwende said a team of police is pursuing the case but they have no clue on where he could be or those behind it.
âWe have visited various places including hospitals, police stations, prisons and even mortuaries in vain. So far there are no calls that have been made to the family to make demands as it should be the case,â said Kamwende.
The police boss added said they are yet to know the motive behind his missing and if indeed it was the work of kidnappers.
Omolleâs wife Lilian told journalists the PDP candidate went out for a jog on Sunday morning from their Harambee Sacco residence in Umoja estate but did not return home.
He usually goes for a jog and as usual he left the house but he did not carry his mobile phones. He is yet to call and he never confided to me his life was in danger,â said Lillian.
He had not been threatened in a manner that would require him to watch over his security by asking for armed security as some candidates have so far done.
She appealed to whoever has information regarding the whereabouts of Omolle to let them know.
Most candidates are on final campaign trail for their respective seats and his missing is a blow his bid.
Why ODM aspirants not sitting pretty in Kisumu
Updated Thursday, February 28 2013 at 08:01 GMT+3
By Mangoa Mosota
The political battle for parliamentary seats in Kisumu County has attracted a lot of attention following claims of rigging during the ODM nominations.
And for the first time, the Orange party led by Prime Minister Raila Odinga, could lose out to CORD allies, despite calls for ‘six-piece’ voting.
The unsatisfactory nominations led to some aspirants, touted to be popular, but ‘lost’ to decamp to parties affiliated to CORD such as Ford-Kenya and Wiper.
Despite this, CORD presidential candidate Raila’s popularity has not wavered in a county with 388,729 registered voters.
But there is a likelihood of ODM losing at least three seats, to CORD affiliates. Residents claim there are efforts to impose leaders on them, especially members of the next National Assembly.
The scenario has been made complex by ODM candidates’ insistence that voters follow ‘six-piece’ pattern. Some of them, immediate former MPs, are facing a revolt never witnessed before including some being heckled in the Premier’s presence.
Shouted down
The county has seven constituencies namely; Kisumu Central, Kisumu West, Kisumu East, Nyakach, Muhoroni, Seme and Nyando.
The most bruising contest is likely to be witnessed in Kisumu West, Nyando, Muhoroni and Nyakach.
In Nyando constituency, the contest is between immediate former MP Fred Outa and Jared Okello (Ford-Kenya).
Their supporters recently clashed at Ahero town, a few minutes before Raila addressed a rally. Outa was shouted down.
No legislator has ever been re-elected in the area, and Outa is trying to change this.
Why ODM aspirants not sitting pretty in Kisumu
Updated Thursday, February 28 2013 at 08:01 GMT+3
Okello, popularly referred as ‘Jare’ has campaigned aggressively and believes he will win.
But Outa insists he has initiated several development projects, which put him in a favourable position.
In Kisumu Central constituency nominations were marred with tension and at some point, GSU officers had to guard the polling station.
Mr Ken Obura controversially beat three other competitors.
His closest rival Abdul Omar alleged the exercise had been rigged.
Omar, is popular due to the projects he has initiated in informal sectors such as jua kali artisans. He is currently engaged in door-to-door campaigns, and the social media.
The flamboyant Obura used customised vehicles in his campaigns in the run-up to the nominations, but these seem to have fizzled out.
In Kisumu West, Olago Aluoch has been an MP for the two terms, and Ms Rozah Buyu is giving him a run for his money.
Olago decamped to Ford-Kenya, after claiming he had been rigged out in the ODM nominations.
Cause surprise
Education assistant minister Ayiecho Olweny faces stiff competition from his main challenger, Erick Koyoo, of PDP in Muhoroni constituency.
Prof Olweny was heckled despite Raila’s intervention in Awasi, a week ago. Mr Koyoo contested against the minister in the 2007 polls, and lost. But this time, he might cause a surprise.
In Nyakach, there are six contestants, but the race is between immediate former MP Pollyns Ochieng and former Kisumu Town Clerk Aduma Owuor.
Mr Ochieng argued the nominations were not free and fair, but Mr Owuor said he won.
Last week, while campaigning in Kondele, Raila urged residents to vote for him and make their own decision in the other seats.