Keen,
In spite of your total trust in an individual politician and his current makeshift political outfit, if you open the Kenyan political page back 15 years you will find that what just happened is a repetition of the same pattern. History is a good teacher.
Thanks.
Michoma Moenga
_______________________________________________________________
Keen Nyamwange wrote:
I have believed that free and unfettered straight talk is the basis of a free society. I am a stanch ODM supporter and have not wavered the least bit from the beginning. However, my thoughts and opinions have been strangely provoked because of the cabinet selection wrangling.
I believe that if ODM/Raila is to be an agent of change then we must see consistence and persistence with the goal always in focus. The goal is to bring real lasting change to the government machinery in our beloved Kenya to effect real change from the grassroots. If the just agreed number of cabinet ministers is any indication of things to come, than I am VERY DISAPPOINTED. This coalition is going to see a whole lot of turbulence in the coming weeks, months and years (if it makes it that far).
I said before that ODM/Raila must stick to their guns and ask for that which be for the people’s interest.
I feel that it is time for all Kenyans to speak out against this misguided trend. Left unchecked, then we are in for more bad news. I hope that is not the case.
ODM was pushing for 34, PNU was pushing for 44 that is a delta of 10. The people of Kenya were hoping for a “meanâ€, lean and clean cabinet of not more than say 24. How come the agreed number was not in this case a max of 39? Is this true power sharing? If anything for the sake of even numbers why not 38 then? PNU just wanted to show that they have the upper hand.
I expect to hear disappointment from ODM/Raila supporters.
I call for civil disobedience against PNU/ODM cabinet selection.
I expected ODM/Raila to send out a strong message against the needless and shameful teargas attack on honorable Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai. I was left dissadisfied and quit frankly discouraged on this matter.
The BIG question now is this: What else is ODM/Raila is going to compromise on?
To PM designate Raila Amolo Odinga (RAO): Please be careful not to let us down. We have come too far to sink!
Keen Nyamwange (Obama’s Illinois for Raila – OIFR)
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2008 15:12:03 -0400
Subject: RE: [talkback-forum] Cabinet Size a total Disappointment
Agreed, I dont like it. I am beyond dissappointment because it looks like
Kenya is for sale to the special interests.
Kutondo
Posted on behalf of Kutondo by Jaluo Press.
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2008 13:17:59
Subject: Re: [KACA] Cabinet Size a total Disappointment
Whereas I understand how tough it was to come to an agreement, I must say strongly point out that this is toooooo large a cabinet that it will cost us heavily. While I appreciate that the number was arrived at within the spirit of give and take, the Kenyan people are not happy about it, at all.
Going past this, I would like to say that A decision is better than NO decision and it is good that the cabinet size is out of the way. The next hurdle is a TRUE portfolio balance that we should expect to be done within a couple of days. This will help to lower the anxiety that was rapidly catching on. However, this very expensive arrangement MUST not be allowed to go on for more than 2 years.
We need to move quickly to address the IDP’s togather. Within a period of not more that 30 days all IDPs should be resettled. Thereafter, we must put into place the machinery and date for fresh election in 2 years’ time so that we don’t have to waste time haggling on powersharing agreements that seem to negate the interest of Kenyans and concentrate on developing our nation
Nyagudi
Posted on behalf of Nyagudi by Jaluo Press.
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2008 14:52:04
Subject: 40-Member Cabinet Cost !!!!!!!
40-member cabinet: Sh352,000,000,000 = $488,888,888.89 per month
Minister’s Salary: Sh1,087,000 = $18,116.67 per month
Assistant minister’s: Sh987,500 = $16,458.33 per month
This is an approximation…
Keen Nyamwange
Posted on behalf of Keen Nyamwange by Jaluo Press.
Date: Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:32:49
Subject: Please Dr. Koffi Annan do not waste your time helping Kenyan leaders anymore.
Kenyans,
I am supprised to hear that a country with very poor economy like Kenya is now going to have 40 ministers and 40 assistant ministers. Kenyans are living like beggers and it is in Kenya where there is the world largest slum on earth here ( Kibera). It is even worse to hear that it is Hon. Raila who is the MP of Kibera. This same people have now trying to tell Kenyans that they have performed some magics and came up with 40 ministerial posts. What is happening in Kenya?.
Where are they going to get all those funds to maintain the government?.
Should we ask again the international community to stop economic aid to this extavangant government or what?. Kenyans are looking almost everywhere for survival, some think that flying out of the country to look for green pastures outside is the only option. The IDP are hopelessly left into the hands of the international red cross. How much money does the government have to help those displaced people?. Which European or USA government will be happy to donate their tax payers money to Kenya at the time when Kenya itself is using tax-payers money to maintain criminals as ministers and in a large number?.
If we call a presidential election today ladies and gentlemen, Kibaki, Raila, Kalonzo will all lose the election. These people are similar and even identical no matter what sentences they speak. I just hope Kenyans, luos, kikuyus, luhjas, kalenjins, Kisiis all tribes to see the truth and completely elect new people. Look at even how heavly they have balanced the ministerial portfolios. Dr. Koffi Anna is speaking a different language and this Raila and Kibaki are doing another thing all together; is it power hungry or what?. Some friend of mine once said that never elect a millioner as a Kenyan president or prime minister, I can now see his point. Will this government really create an atmosphere of equal prosperity to all Kenyans? or it is going back to give to only those who have and the have nots will still be begging for, food, donations, jobs, developments, foreign scholarships, money for medical bills etc.
Paul Nyandoto
Posted on behalf of Paul Nyandoto by Jaluo Press.
IF THESE KENYAN ELITES AND THE FOREIGN BACKERS WHO ARE HOLDING GUNS OVER THEIR HEADS THINK THAT 1,200 KENYANS DIED SO THAT THEY CAN CREATE LUCRATIVE MINISTRIES WHICH KENYANS CANNOT AFFORD, THEY ARE DEAD WRONG! THE SUFFERING KENYANS DO NOT CARE ABOUT POSITIONS THESE CREEPS DISH OUT TO THEMSELVES OR HOW HUGE THEIR SALARIES ARE BECAUSE THEIR SALARIES ARE NOT GOING TO PUT FOOD ON THE POOR VOTERS’ DINNER TABLES.
APPARENTLY, ODM HAS BEEN HANDED CHICKEN LEG, HEAD, GIZZARD, NECK AND INTESTINE FOR MINISTRIES. THIS IS THE BIGGEST AND LAUGHABLE JOKE THAT ONLY SHOWS THE POWER BROKERS ARE PNU MEMBERS.
ADDITIONALY, THE FOREIGN POWERS CONTROLLING KENYA’S ECONOMY DO NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT AFRICANS LIVING IN KENYA AND THESE NEGOTIATING MORONS ARE JUST LETTING THEM GET AWAY WITH SENDING MANY KENYANS TO THEIR DEATH THROUGH STARVATION AND DISEASES WHILE THE COUNTRY IS BEING LOOTED.
IT LOOKS LIKE THESE KENYANS ELITES ARE BEING HELD HOSTAGE FOR SOMETHING AND KENYANS BETTER FIND OUT WHAT THAT THING IS BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!
THE MINISTRIES HANDED TO ODM ARE NOT WOTH THE PAPER THEY ARE WRITTEN ON AND CANNOT BE CALLED POWER SHARING BY ANY FAIR MINDED PERSON UNLESS THEY ARE DRUNK.
BY THE WAY, WHO IS BEING REFERENCED AS THE GOVERNMENT? I THOUGHT
THE COALITION GOVERNMENT HAS NOT BEEN FORMED YET. IS PNU “THE GOVERNMENT”?
This is tantamount to raping our motherland.Kibaki and his accomplices have realised that the lifetime of an MP in Kenyan politics is uncertain.They have decided to loot public resources for the benefit of their families before they are given the red card.
I wish to urge the common citizenry not to relent in demanding that this nonsense is stopped, and that their should be legislation mandating other parties in checking the activities of politicians.
Kenyan politicians have a tendency to lie at will and go scotfree despite the fact that they are infact accountable to us the electorate.They lied to us during the campaigns in the name of change and immediately they are elected they metamorphosize themselves into Kings and Dictators,creating ministries with impunity.
Lets not allow this.
Folks,
This is the more reasons why ODM has failed the MWANANCHI. In addition ADD the ACCUMULATIVE FUNDING from OVERSEAS Governments which is a PAYBACK and will be paid from TAXPAYERS the ordinary MWANAINCHI – which in ESSENSE the IOU MONEY is supposed to SERVICE the FALLEN & REVAMP ECONOMY to its feet.
You know what, I HATE TO SAY THIS but – it will be necessary for someone from ODM – to take over from RAILA the AGWAMBO than put Kenyans to a MESS. This is the same style his father did after winning with the majority opposition elected members in 1992. As people rightly says RAILA was TINGA TINGA. Well the saying goes without MUCH ADO that he was just a GOOD POLITICAL CAMPAIGN SKEWED MOBILIZER and a SCHEMER – BUT NOT an ASTITUDE POLITICAL LEADER. At this point he needs to PAVE way for some serious LEADERS who will lead Kenya to the fulfilment MILLENIUM PLAN OF ACTION by the year 2020.
Thanks,
Judy Miriga
USA
As much as it is agreed that a cabinet of 40 is bloated, its irrational to wholly lay the blame on Raila Odinga and ODM as Judy Miriga does since this is the result of negotiations and both parties to the accord had to cede ground on matters and principles that they held at the commencement of the talks.It is shortsighted to forget that ODM initially was for lean cabinet.Raila and ODM has made many concessions in the negotiations for sanity to return to the xtry and a bloated cabinet is one of them in exchange of peace which is valueless.
Judys analysis of Raila as a person is distorted,skewed and only intended to malign the name of Raila.Raila did not bring pple to this mess that we are in but Rather Kibaki and the ECK did.That is where the blame lies.
Judy somehow infers from her statement that Raila should have rigged himself to the Presidency just like Kibaki did.Therefore his decision to act in the contrary makes him not a serous leader.This line of thoght is to say the least in my opinion laughable and misguided.
The road to freedom is long and Raila has played his part well and consistently.He will always be remembered as a courageous and strong leader.