Hi ODMers
This is just a by the way. Assuming that Obama wins american presidency, what impact do you think it could have on future Kenyan politics
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Raila Odinga's Weblog 
Agent for Change,
Thanks for changing the topic as we wait for the premiership inauguration. Hope you ask ODM supporters their opinion on public swearing in, because the way things are going either PNU has accepted the 50% change or they are upto something we cant quite tell for now.
As for Obama, I dont think his presidency will change anything. He is more of American than African, so he will go with the policies of America. Secondly the most he can get is Democratic candidacy but not American presidency. Incase he wins the democratic flag believe you me if you he will find it hard to get the national flag because there are many things at stake: Jews and antisemetics, race, Iraq war and alqaida, christian conservatives. At the end of the day he will be too risky a gamble that Americans may not make. I bet Mcain will win the presidency.
Obama has more for America than for Kenya. Maybe if you look at his ancestral home and what he has done for them (relatives), then that is a pointer of what he will do for Kenya.
Sometime we pretend to know and predict things that are not in our domain and this is one of them.
Only Hon. Raila Odinga ( MP for Langata constituency in Kenya) could tell with alot more precision, Obama’s impact on future Kenyan politics especially in Nyanza province.ODM in their last campaigns borrowed alot in terms of financial support, campaign tactics especially in relation to opinion polls, propaganda and hate campaign from Obama’s democratic party.
Incase Obama loses in the presidential elections, it would be interesting to see if there will be destruction and burning of property in protest both at his ancestral home Kisumu and USA. BUT, expect rigging claims.
no offense agent4change, but a more appropriate discussion would be about what has caused the 180 degree about face in ODM leadership over issues such as Safaricom IPO sale, speaking on/for govt when the deal has not yet cleared and a few other strange or unexplained events.
I would rather say dont expect any impact negative or positive to Kenyan politics incase he miraculously gets the nod to govern America. He may say a few things which any other American leader would say about democracy etc. If he was a true son of the Lake I dont think he would have reacted the way he did when there was violence in Kenya. He is an American with American views over world politics, who happened to have some roots from Kenya.
Good point TNK,
I think the leadership should be clear on a time frame during which the peoples expectations must be met. I have read afew things that suggest that our leadership is still focussed.
What they may not know is that these PNU guys are tricky and their goodwill though acceptable must be accompanied by some ODM push for deadline son Bills, Civil service etc. Surely we cant reach April before the governance of the country changes.
Obama is an American with Kenyan roots period! He is not running for office in Kenya so let us just focus on issues at home. Let us talk about Raila being “cool” with PNU. I do not get it. Explanations, anyone??????
@Jane
Is there any need to say what you just did?
Anon,
I dont want to say much about Obama for now.
Sorry that you could not get a job because you are not from Mt. Kenya. The same thing goes with East Afrian Spectre which is 99% Luo. Yet Raila Odinga pretends to be a nationalist. I want all our top leaders who own businesses to tell us who work in their companies and offices and from which part of Kenya they come from. Who works in Rutoh’s travel company? Who works at Kabarak University? (99% Kalenjin)
I was encouraged to see one of UHURU Kenyatta’s top executives at his dairy company is a Luo! We should start practicing what we preach in our individual companies because like I said before, Kenya will only develop in the private sector and it is here that we shall start practicing nationalism.
Why do most of us place our total faith in Raila Odinga and yet according to him, he does not believe in making individual decisions. He believes in consulting the Pentagon before making a major decision. It is only the exlusion of hardliners in PNU and ODM that left the two gentlemen (Raila and Kibaki) to save our country.
The other day I said that ODM is a party of tribes and some people were very mean at me like TNK and others. Did you read the standard and the way they started campaigning for the cabinet slots based on ethnicity and how they voted for Raila? There is one thing I can stand up and tell you with certainity, that KANU is on the way back to her feet and majority of RV will go back home to the independent party. The promises made during 07 will not be fullfilled and Gideon Moi, Nick Salat and others will be back after 5 years because the reality will have downed on the wananchi. At that time it will be criminal to talk of tribalism and exclucism.
@Railkamuodho
It is one thing to employ people from your own community in your personal business and another to do the same at a public institution!!! There is also something else called a “token” job where you give two or three jobs to other tribes and then 99% to your community. I think that is what Uhuru did and the word nationalist does not come to mind when I think of him.
We are talking about mali ya uma. Let us leave private business for a moment.
Kibaki is doing “fine” because PNU is GEMA only and even with that in mind, didnt some MP’s from Meru ask Kibaki not to exclude them? that was the equation that he could not balance during NARC days, let us wait and see what RAO will do before we write him off
Last time I checked I thought some people thought standard was Pro ODM and could not be a credible source and now it is spreading gospel truth?
Political pundits argue that the reason that Bush has failed is because he does not listen to his advisers or any other different view. I would rather have a leader who consults widely before making a decision. Look at where a hands off Kibaki style leadership led us to!!
Agreed TNK. i worry for the trains of thot recently. We are slowly losing the capillarity that is needed for meaningful action. Obama will not be Kenya’s Messiah. I wish him the best and not because he is a luo but because he is the best suited to remove Amreica from the present Quagmire. On the otherhand we should not look beyon our borders for salvation.
It is sad that thousands of Kenyans were singing “No Raila No Peace, No Raila No School, etc”. I am sure that those who died, and those who were clobbered by blood-thirsty GSU, and those who held their chests-up to dare the police, I am sure that the real soldiers of 2007 elections & January-February Massacre are disappointed beyond imagination of any political analyst.
It sickens me to the stomach to not only see ODM leaders eat with Kibaki (SAFARICOM) but also to see these leaders position their sons to be ready to loot with well-known thieves like Jimmy Kibaki. Kenya is building a DANGEROUS monarchy; a monarchy based on the “1% haves AGAINST the 99% have-nots!”..
I don’t really like the meetings with Kibaki’s apologists, neither do I appreciate Raila and his son meeting Jimmy kibaki. It doesn’t help the poor women I saw at the gates of the mortuary weeping over their bullet riddled sons lying on the cold floor.
I think, those are the real heroes of kenya’s struggle and until their death is avenged, I won’t take any meeting between the rich and oligarchs who have raped Kenya consistently over the years, kindly.
Raila is a sell out….ODM has failed the leadership test.Raila has now been hired by Kibaki! The Pentagon too will soon be seen kissing ass in statehouse.What happened to being to ODM’s ideals or they were just a campaign gimmick?
By joining the government through the grand coalition,ODM has effectively killed the Multiparty democracy that thousands of Kenya fought for in the twentieth century.By agreeing to serve under one authority,ODM gave up their moral authority to be the official opposition in government.Now we do not have an opposition party in Kenya.We do not have a government in waiting! We do not have anyone to keep the government in check.
The common citizen does not have an alternative.There is no one to spill the beans when necessary.
Why?So that ODM can receive a few cabinet posts?Is it really worth it!=ODM does not know the value of democracy!They under estimated the position of the leader of opposition yet this is the same position that opened the door for Kibaki to be President.Today the loser is the common mwananchi but the traitor is raila.By agreeing to lay in the same bed with Kibaki,ODM lost an opportunity to continue representing the common Mwananchi.Raila now works for Kibaki and not us,Ngilu and Ruto too will soon be hired by Kibaki.
Somebody must start shouting very hard, after the parliament passes those crucial bills, that the dead be recognized and the path to total freedom for Kenyans should be followed to the letter.
These are some of the ‘worrying’ trends
-Agreeing to Kimunya’s sale of safaricom without providing an insight into who owns mobitelea
-Meeting some hitherto known hardliners like Karua, Kimunya-and PNU insiders Jimmy Kibaki et al
-Getting all the PNU lot to his house for a party, before celebrating with the hardworking ODM secretariat who drove one of the most brilliant campaigns ever seen in an African nation
Apart from the Kimunya sale of safaricom, Raila is a realist who knows very well that he has to deal with the GEMA paranoia which has nearly driven kenya to its death bed after the anxiety laden campaigns.
With a stroke of a pen, this lot are still up and kicking and a politician worth his salt knows very well that you have to massage your enemies ego before taking a long and a painful process of rebuilding a nation along the path of equity and devolution.
Raila must be an avid reader of Mao’s long march in China. Mao retreated so many times even when success was imminent, making his supporters livid and angry at his ‘slow’ pace move to rout out the government. But like Raila, Mao had to ensure that he doesn’t completely break the status-quo without putting into places the necessary infrastructure to counter any come back. Mao also had to be sure that he had secured and maintained the support of the Soviets before he took the decisive steps.
Raila also might be playing this game because even though he has gained the support of the west, they are still not so sure about that his ‘populist’ and ‘radical’ past might be sufficient enough to allay their fears that he won’t turn into another tin pot anti-business anti-west dictator.
But Raila, like Mao must ensure that the grassroots are well-informed in advance of any decision so that they don’t grow impatient and ‘support’ Japan!
I don’t want to be in Raila’s shoes right now, but I know from the past experiences that the man, like Mao, comes out of hard situations a notch stronger.
The way Raila is going by end of June he will be irrelevant and non-existent. He can count his political career over
Kip,
You are a Kipsigis chauvinist (I dont think you are Nandi). I get sick when people want to elect a leader who only listens to their story. To you, more deaths (especially by your kinsmen) against other tribes in RV would have been okay if it had continued. Raila knew that he could not use people’s lives to bargain for power like Rutoh and Henry Kosgei. I don not even blame Kones this time around or Ntimama.
I am opposed to all kinds of killings either by Kalenjin worriors, Mungiki, Taliban, SLDF, Chinkororo or Musumbiji or even brutal policemen. I think Kibaki and Raila will go in history for creating and cleaning the Kenya mess. Maybe when Kenyans return to their senses, they will understand that Moi was indeed a nationalist and those who sang “Moi must go” will be the same people to sing “Moi must come”.
By the way Kip, do you intend to stand for an elective post? You are so radical and full of words but few real life applications. The Mao’s theory or Machiavellinism only works in retrogressive societies. Even China and maybe presently Cuba will slowly embrace capitalism as opposed to communism. Communism is a total fiasco and failure. And so are the tactics. Only real democrats and western educated leaders survive long enough as opposed to those educated in the east.
Kip
Why did Kalenjin burn President Moi’s house, tea factory and other properties? As a society, how did it help them achieve their political goals (and the fact that Moi also may have gotten sick due to stress?) Doesn’t the old man deserve respect and won’t the curse befall an entire generation unless they seek for his forgiveness?
There is one thing that Kikuyus, Merus, Kisiis, Luhyas, Luos and Kambas cannot- disrespect their elders that way. If you look at Samia, thou they did not support Moody Awori, they still respects him (they disagreed with him). Though Kikuyus did not vote for Matiba, they still hold him with respect. Though Kambas never voted for Munyao, they sill hold him with esteem as an elder. Even though the Kisiis did not vote for Nyachae, they still respect him (his property in Kericho was burned by Kipsigis) Infact the Kalenjin rules do not allow for what you did to Moi and it is necessary for all the Kalenjin elders to meet Moi and seek his forgiveness before it is to late.
I forgot one tribe that treats their council of elders with sacredness- the LUO. Ramogi, Jaramogi are an extraordinary asset to a society and cannot be abused.
Agent 4 Change.
This topic is a diversionary tactic.
A TOPIC ON SAFARICOM IS WHAT WE WANT NOW.
I AM SINCERELY DISAPOINTED BY THE CHANGE OF HEART ON SAFARICOM IPO.
Agent4change
I insist that you begin to clip Railkamuodhos sentiments in this forum on account of practising negative ethnicism.
whereas Kip above has endeavoured to avoid ethnicity except in a broad reference, the same cannot be said of Railka’s response.
Kip, lets not jump ahead of ourselves, i agree the going ons have me reeally baffled too, with the architexts of anglo leasing meeting with RAO, etc, but there must be a game plan and it will unravel in about 7 days. Kenyans are not gullible and no leader is indispensable, but the will of the people is paramount, and we shall prevail.
Agent for change
Is it possible for RAO to stay away from PNU and all Kibaki’a hardliners? Some of these people have been against him openly and I do not believe their change of heart.
About Safaricom…. we want to know what was wrong before and what is different now. Details and more details.
The feeling I get when I watch RAO of late bonding with PNU is like eating really bad food but being polite because you do not want to upset your host. Do I like it? Hell no!!!! the less he meets with PNU the better.
OBAMA HAS OVER TWENTY YEARS OF LEADERSHIP SERVICE.HE IS HUMANBEING WITH HIS ORIGIN FROM MONKEY TO MAN AFTER DISCOVERY
OF FIRE.AS NILOTIC HISTORIAN SAYS THAT THEIR GREAT GRAND PA WERE
CIVILIZED BEFORE THE TIME OF PHARAOH.THEY LEFT SUDAN NUBIAN LAND TO DISCOVER THE SOURCE OF LAKE VICTORIA WHICH WAS FOR THEM OBAMA
WHICH MEANS A CHANGE OF LIFE FOR ALONGER TIME THE WAR OF PURE WATER.HIS FATHER OBAMA SENIOR MADE HIM EARLY 60S TO THE STRONGER
DEMOCRACY IN THE WORLD.AS AN ADULT HE TOLD THE AMERICA THAT YES
WECAN HAVE ACHANGE WITH A PRINCE OF PEACE AS THE HEAD OF GOVENMENT SO THEY HAVE TO VOTE OUT THE WAR MONGERS WHICH MAKES
AMERICAN A THREATS TO OTHERS NATIONS.THE ANSWER IS YES OBAMA’S AMERICA IS WORLD WITHOUT WAR AND KENYA SHALL BE APARADISE ON EARTH.FOR THE AMERICAN SHALL BE PLENTY IN KENYA TO OFFER THEIR
KNOWLEDGES DEFFERENT TO THE ARROGANTS YOU CAN MEET TODAY IN KENYA ARMED AS IF THERE IS THIRD WORLD WAR IN THE WORLD.ASKING OF ALQUIDA AS IF WE KNOW WHAT IS ALQUIDA.KENYA AS ENGLISH SPEAKING NATION STANDS GOLDEN FUTURE TO WORK WITH UNITED STATE WITH BARACK AS THE HEAD OF THE STATE.-OPADO
Thou shall not despair. But you must be watchful. I dont think our leaders blundered in signing the Annan agreement. Kip whats the alternative please.
What I am surprised about is the slow pace of the critical implementation of the peace accord. I think we need specific time frame or deadlines. Also apart from the IPO of safcom no major activities should be done before the new govt sets in and if they are done illegally they should be reversed. Things like Mobitelea should soon come out of the closet.
RailaK:
Private property is managed privately. There are probably reasons why its only Luos who work at spectre. It could be the same reason why they work in the tea farma in central province or flower farms in Naivasha. So tell us if any person has been denied employment coz he is non Luo at spectre.
Public property for which we pay taxes are for everyone. We know the private GEMA owned largely employ their own and thats why NMG is pro PNU and anti ODM at one time denied ODM advertisement space.
Nevertheless its always good to read about your opinion on issues and hopefully correct some misplaced arguments.
came across this article and it shows there really is no way forward with some issues
http://www.kenyatimesonline.com/content.asp?catid=2&articleId=1949
Prof. Mass Action , advised ODM the shares stock market is manned by drug barons. Now that ODM has been swallowed by PNU, ( courtesy RAO, ODM leader advisors to take up a prime minister post with no powers while it would have been better to take the post of official leader of opposition), its time for the drug barrons to reap.
ODMers may not have a say in safaricom IPO as long as RAO is quiet.
When someone said only RAO knows where ODM is headed given that politicians change parties depending on their interests, someone scoffs at that. Who did RAO consult in his career moves in, FORD >to FORD-K >to Tinga Tinga >to Kanu >to LDP > to NARC >to ODM-K >to ODM >to PNU ( currently) > to ??? who knows whether RAO will continue in PNU or will get bored and form another party. ODM is now closely associated with killers.
Politics is a career like any other, so do not keep your hope in RAO or blame him when he makes political moves. RAO like anybody can change employers (read political party) any moment depending on which one promises a better package. So why stick in ODM especially if finances and ideas run out in the odm movement and PNU have promised him a better package/salary.
When are the bills going to pass through and when will they get presidential assent? I propose not more than 14 days.
When will the government be overhauled to reflect the new goernment structure and coalition?
For those thinking the battle will start btwn Ruto and mudavadi well its sealed Ruto supports Musalia as the DPM. ODM is a great party.
Guys I shall not be discouraged. I believe in ODM to deliver this country from the snares of the evil one-read hardliners, tribalists, thieves in PNU.
Many think ODM will collapse or be swallowed. You are in for a big surprise. Even Hon Ruto the heir apparent of RAO has confirmed that Musalia is the DPM. Even the ministries will not cause trouble.
All parties are made up of stakeholders everywhere. Obama-blacks, Clinton- women, McCain-conservatives. They all will appoint from their support base but balance it out. Thats why Condi replaced Powell etc. There is absolutely nothing wrong with standard newspapers highlighting how ODM should choose ministries.
Finally this IPO should be the last goodwill by RAO before new govt sworn in. I think we should have a timetable not exceeding 1st of April to have a new govt.
Can we share the CJ and AG too btwn PNU and ODM. I hope our leaders have marked all positions and are able to bargain for equity. the people are saying nothing less than 50%
Tnk,
I think these guys are in for a shock. They think by suggesting that they may bring in some competition in ODM. I wonder who they will front that will get votes out of cental and meru/embu area.
I thought people assumed that now with ODM in a power sharing deal there will be no opposition. Railaphobia and Railamania, is what will keep the government in check. The contributions here display just that.
ODMers, if you politicise everything you will get very dissappointed. Leave politics to politicians and in the confines of parliament. The safaricom IPO was approved last year by both the government and Vodafone. RAO has no say in safaricom IPO and there is nothing he could do about it. So no violence in protest please. Let the drug barons do their business.
ODM went to court to block the Safaricom IPO and were defeated. ODM went to the courts at the Hague to block PNU presidency and were rejected (sent away). ODM went to Addis Ababa to block MK from attending the AU meeting and were rejected.
ODM followers were recently informed by the current secretary to the Cabinet and head of civil service of the government position on ‘power sharing’ but they are not believing despite that being the position. Have you heard RAO himself disown Muthaura’s clarifications.
RAO’s recent moves (meeting Jimmy) may have been driven by a realisation that his advisors could be misleading him while others plan and execute mischief behind his back.
@railamoudho
Yes i am kipsigis and I will take this time to tell you there are no differences between kipsigis political needs or views and those of the na
First
Raila has surrounded himself with coward’s nyagah wanyade and anyany nyongo.Those men are cowards. Also other cowards are balala and mudavadi and they can’t lead the country the only two brave people are sally koskei and charity Ngilu.
We are not happy that raila is showing that he no longer needs our votes. He started becoming friends with the enemy so that he can give him the prime minister seat that has no power
I Know raila met with the council of luo elders and they told him not to give the deputy prime minister To Mudavadi but I know that raila will do so because He likes mudavadi and because he is a coward and he is looking at 2012 when he will tell mudavadi to wait for 10 years and then mudavadi will be made president .
The path that belongs to us
Don’t let your heart fail not all is lost. Right now raila is working hard so that the country can continue. Now I am telling him that he should give the kalenjin the ministry of internal security .The ministry is more important than the even the prime minster or presidency that raila wants.
So you should therefore know that for the coming days of our people will be ok if we get that seat .Raila has given his hand and word on this. He has promised that we will discuss this with kibaki and if kibaki refuses to accept then he raila will walk out of the coalition. And give kibaki a hard time. This will mean Kofi anan comes back and kikwete to tell kibaki to agree to that .also The American ambassador to Kenya is a good man he has no problem with us and I know he will talk to his fellow white men and force kibaki to agree.
Something else that I see is now that peace has returned kibaki does not feel any pressure/burden about people coming for outside.This is why I need brave warriors of war and those are yourselves. God bless you.You need to get ready to get rid of the few kikuyu remaining within you another thing is everyone should make sure you burn the houses that are remaining that no one is occupying. After that we can live peaceful amongst ourselves .we don’t want the kikuyu to come back
We want war so that the people from outside can bring back koffi anan. Apart from the warrior of war the rest of us the general community should give some support in whatever form to help the cause.
Something that shows that God is with us. First we were able to group our warriors fast and we were able to show the whole world that a lot of people were not happy for the fact that kibaki stole the elections.
Secondly the recent mungiki demonstration in Nairobi came in handy because it was able to give evidence to the west that the government operates hand in hand with mungiki. And cannot be trusted with the security of Kenyans.
In the coming days you will read in the press that the coalition must give this internal security seat to ODM…..
Raila must trend very carefuly on how he handles rift valley….
ODM without Raila is dead as a dodoooooo. Even other tribal chiefs cannot hold. The only way to go is go RAILA WAY! Your view here matter little. Two people led to the birth of ODM- Raila Odinga and his spanner boy Najib Balala. That is the bitter truth that Rutoh and company must tell their supporters. When Kalenjin brag around that they gave this and this to Raila, they will be left in the cold and will start to remember Moi. I wish all Kalenjin were as smart as Dr. Sally Koskei.
Be assured of one thing, Raila is always on the winning side since 1997 and was not ready to opt out this time around either. The alignments and realignments that will happen between now and 2012 has never been seen again in our short history. And the Kalenjin will not be as united then as now. Each will retreat to their own areas and will fight for their own survival in a united Kenya rather than RV jimbo. Wait and see and remember this post.
that said…. most kalenjins support Mudavadi for PM … and we postpone this issues to a later day. we support the luyha and will stay with them in the course and battle against GEMA supremacist.
I refuse to play devils advocate becuase its obvious to anyone that Raila has his head buried Deep in the PNU elites scheme of Keep your friends close and your friends closer.. as njenga karume suggested in 2005 ..after we beat them in the NO campaign
Please, Please dont talk of war here. First, you cannot have a decisive tribal war. It may take decades to decide. And during that time, a lot of destruction will happen. It is true that Kalenjin had an upper hand in the clashes and burnt a lot of houses and displace 300,000 people. However, I find it foolhandy to think that other tribes will be as unprapared as it was then. The police already know those tactics and soon the boys will be brought to justice. I do not advocate for killings as I said earlier. On the question of what ministry to give to who, nobody really knows. I believe a Maasai like Major Nkaissery would be more disciplined to handle the defense or security portfolio due to his age and discipline. I cannot for a moment advocate Rutoh who financed the crime against humanity to get the post. Mudavadi is acceptable to all Kenyans and like Kalonzo can get votes from all non-war-lke tribes.
I’m loving Ruto (not because he’s endorsed Mudavadi – just read the following article) more and more…excerpt from Nation
Ruto backs Musalia for deputy PM
Story by DENNIS ODUNGA and JONATHAN MANYINDO
Publication Date: 3/17/2008
ODM’s William Ruto Sunday voiced support for his colleague Musalia Mudavadi for the post of deputy prime minister in the proposed coalition Government.
The Pentagon member also appealed to leaders to stop arguing over political positions and instead concentrate on fulfilling promises made to the people.
“The Government we are about to form will not be pegged on sharing positions. Those out for positions should do so quickly and give us ample time to get down to real business,” said Mr Ruto.
Mr Mudavadi was ODM leader Raila Odinga’s running mate in last year’s elections and it has widely been speculated that he would be one of the two deputy prime ministers in the new line-up.
Rift Valley politicians have been demanding that Mr Ruto, the Eldoret North MP, gets the post.
Mr Ruto was speaking at Moi Girls’ High School, Eldoret, during a prize giving day.
Sacrifices made
The Eldoret North MP warned politicians not to reduce the sacrifices made in the past few months to a scramble for positions.
“Life and property have been lost. Let’s not talk about positions when many people are still living in camps as refugees in their own country,” Mr Ruto said.
The MP added: “Kenyans should pull up their socks, tighten their belts, roll up their sleeves and deal with various historical injustices, marginalisation problems and tribalism tearing the country apart.”
“In ODM, we strongly believe that it’s time for us to make sacrifices, like other Kenyans, in order to begin in earnest solving problems affecting Kenyans instead arguing about positions,” said Mr Ruto.
The legislator added that the issue of positions amongst leaders across the political divide was “small and minor” and it was not of interest to the majority.
Dance in the rain
“Life is not always about waiting for the storm to pass. Sometimes it’s about learning to dance in the rain,” Mr Ruto said, calling on leaders in the country to preach peace and not who gets what in the grand coalition between PNU and ODM.
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=1&newsid=119198
KIP
I can’t imagine anybody advocating war as a solution.We are all past that i’m waiting when kenyans will sure know that govt is not cure of all our problems.
Infact we need less govt and more individual libertys which will empower people to control and take care of their own.
I’m also tired of people using certain communities lives as a bait to bargain politically.We can’t move forward if all kenyans can’t own or live anywhere in this country.
For all who care this is worse than war-a whole generation lost by some crazy KNEC officials.
http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143983365
rafiq
that is the tragedy of our institutions,
absolutely no integrity, mediocrity and inexcusable gross errors, followed by blatant lies and deception to obliterate the inefficiencies and worst of all, no one can be held accountable and they all thumb their noses and declare they will not resign.
i just dont know how long this will continue, maybe pple will realise it better when in a few years you go to a hospital and come across pompous quacks wielding machetes as surgical instruments.
Politics aside, we are opening a new chapter in our history and whoever will try to stop this wave will be met by the wrath of Kenyans. We must have a new constitution, we must have a new government with the face of the Kenyan diversity and we must resettle victims of tribal clashes. There is no negotiations on these fundamental human rights. I particularly support the government plan to buy land from both Criticos and Kenyatta to settle the Taita and help them become productive Kenyans. A law should be passed to make sure that no one will ever sell this land to outsiders. Only plots in the business areas can change hands. This also should be the law in RV to protect the indegenous. Otherwise, those already there should be encouraged to trade with those near their kindmen. How about that?
Let me name names. Those Kalenjin living around Njoro, Mauche, Subukia, Rongai, Kipkelion, Molo, Elburgon etc should switch their land with Kikuyus in Kericho, Bomet, Eldoret, and other deep Kalenjin areas. This will enable each tribe to have certain boundaries and be able to protect themselves. Bankers and boundaries manned by the military should be drawn. Each tribe should be encouraged to retain their language and identity and can only meet in set markets to trade goods. Money should never be used (bater trade will be compulsory). This kind of arrangement will encourage us to retain our traditional values that we very much value. Otherwise I still see clashes occuring in 2012 in a more serous way than today.
I love the Kisiis for standing for their small tribe. I sympathize with this very democratic part of our society. They have yet again proved that they look at the calibre of their leaders not their tumbos. They do not possess blind loyalty like the big tribes (kikuyus, Luos, Kalenjin, and this time around the Luhyas). I wish them well as they seek justice for their displaced kinsmen.
I support two gentlemen for 2012 presidency and PM- Musalia Mudavadi and Kalonzo Musyoka in whichever order. Raila, Rutoh, Uhuru, Saitoti and others should forget ever getting to those posts.
@ Agent4Change,
The direction taken by the discussions is the clearest indication that the thread you introduced about Obama was Untimely, Misplaced, Irrelevant and inconsequencial. Your supporters have taken it with the contempt it deserves.
Good Luck Next Time.
and for the first time i agree with mike okello completely
The difference in the Safaricom IPO as I see it is that before election, the cash hungry PNU would have taken all the proceeds and partly used it for elections or pocketed everything to themselves, however today, irrespective of who had approved it, if it goes through the 50:50 Anan deal will ensure that either the whole proceed goes to the treasury and is used for national development or at least half of it is deployed meaningfully. Thats the way I see it.
Raila, Kibaki and others have no option but to move fast and put back Kenya on the path to recovery and prosperity. The first thing after mitigating the post-election crisis will be to create jobs for millions of young men and women in the streets and also create the markets for the products. When these productive members of our society get to business, then AIDS, gangs, and poverty will be a thing of the past. We can reduce the poverty level to just 10% in the next few months. I am encouraged by what the two leaders are doing for Kenya.
I will not be destracted by the blogers and those junior officers in ministries or sycophant Mps. I cannot wait to have Anyang Nyongo back in the cabinet. When we are experiencing today in Kenya is a result of Nyongo and Mwiraria (whatever you think of the old man).
Kibaki will do all within his power to leave a legacy and Raila will be on the top of things to keep Kenya going. However, I still support Mudavadi and Kalonzo for 2012.
ODMers , having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?. Have you been made blind by empty political rhetoric?.
Can someone tell us who presided over collapse of the following, and which has contributed to misery of many Kenyans ( from farmers to prospective white colar workers – all those crying of joblessness would be working in these institutions directly or indirectly);
1. Collapse of KCC – who was managing director ( Gideon Moi ?, et al )
2. Collapse of Coffee industry – Funds intended to pay farmers directed to other means –
3. Near collapse of pyrethrum industry – Funds for farmers directed to other means.
4. Near collapse of coffee board
5. Near collapse of Sugar industry
6. Collapse of the fishing industry
7. collapse of the cotton industry
8. Collapse of Kenya meat commission
9. The Goldenbag scandal – who was central bank governor ( Kotut) , KCB ( Arap Bii) , commissioner of customs (Cheruiyot)
10. Grabbing properties and selling them off to parastatals at exorbitant prices – William Ruto , et al who we understand have corruption cases pending in court.
11. Grabbing of a plot for the disabled along Jogoo Road – ( William Ruto etc )
12. Near collapse of the road network
13. Near collapse of Kenya Posts and Telecoms
14. Near collapse of the Railway – the darling for Kisumu and beyond, Mombasa , Nanyuki , etc
15. Near collapse of the Education system
16. Diversion of parastatal funds to Euro Bank , Sololo outlets, etc
17. Collapse, collapse, collapse, destruction, destruction.
18. Tribal clashes in Molo and environs as early as 1992.
19. etc, etc, miseries
20. Messing up KANU
list is endless.
These Kaleos have done enough damage during their tenure in Kanu, they messed KANU, jumped to ODM and continued with their destructive agenda ( this time literary killing humanity, burning humanity, destroying their houses and shambas, etc) before and after 2007 general elections while in ODM. They should go back to their farms, keep quiet, or go to jail.
To the destructive Kalenjins, Work in your farm, or office and do not get jealous or envy your neighbour because you perceive them to be from “ outside” . We ask you, who cheated you that you are the one from ‘ inside”.
A civilised society does not use violent! Stop violence unless you are still living in the uncivilised age!
I dare not say who was the VP and Minister for finance during that period above? But I also hereby state KANU was out of power for 5 years and also ask who should have investigated the above failures? Also who is in chsrge of the courts as at now? Who should tke the alleged to court?
Its too late to ask so many questions guys. Its time to provide answers. The answers are in ODM. Unfortunately we may only get 50% for at least 2 yrs but prya ofr 100%.
A community can not be blamed when they face extinction! At the rate things were going some communities unfortunately the majority take away about 4 would have been wiped out. Incase Kenya faces another community eliminating stealing tribalistic chauvinistic government it should be met by the force that it understands best. Kibaki failed in diplomacy, gentlemans agreement and free and fair elections. He can only listen to violence and that unfortunately will be the threat until he finishes his term.
What everybody should learn is WE ARE ALL EQUAL no matter which rivers waters we drank and whether we are Bildad Kaggia , JT Mboya ,Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Paul Ngei, Odhiambo-Mbai,JR Ouko, RK Ngala all RIP
Right I’m finally looking forward to this thing passing parliament. Further the first thing that Raila as PM should do is sort out this whole mess with the matatus. Why should the masses suffer!
The notion that somebody just makes executive decision without prior consultations, studies, impact assesment, welfare costs etc.
I understand the need for decongestion of the city centre, is how this decision was arrived at!
In the new government I want to see policy decisions taken which have been throughly evaluated and also released to the public prior to the implementation.
Frankly no time was given prior to the directive, it is not fair.
After destroying and killing the Kenyan economy while in the government , they jumped out ,in pretense hid behind RAO in the name of politics, and in the name of ODM and turned to killing and destroying humanity.
ODM should eject all those among them who carefully planned before the 2007 general elections for the killing of humanity.
These killers knew they would not have a place in Kanu under leadership of Uhuru for their uncouth acts , neither would they have a place in PNU or ODM-K.
No wonder two of them, ( William Ruto and Henry Kosgey ) were busy calling for economic sabotage and boycott of PNU friendly companies, as RAO was busy in the other corner asking those sensible followers among the hooligans not to boycott as they would suffer and which for sure they have suffered. What an embarrasement for RAO.
The killings of humanity and destruction of their property in Rift Valley had nothing to do with election results. The perpetrators of the violence belong in jail !! They are an embarrasement to RAO .They are an embarrasement to ODM. They are an embarrasement to Kenya. They are an embarrasement to Africa. Even the human rights and international community that overwhelmingly supported ODM and RAO are embarrased.
Shame on these killers of the economy and humanity.
rafiq, mumias
spot on.
mumias, one would think the era of roadside decrees was gone but now we have ministers issuing these with abandon
the reality is that Nairobi was structured/planned for about 500,000. the city now hosts over 3 million. there have been countless well documented efforts on how to structure Nairobi into a functional megacity that it is today. this requires consolidated and joint/collaborative effort by the city planners and managers (the City Council), business community and the public. those roadside decrees have no place with an educated/informed public. a lot more can be achieved through consultative forums than through imperial pronouncements. todate there are hundreds of worthy proposals gathering dust since the famous “the Nairobi We Want convention” held during the time of one of the few good mayors of nairobi Steve “Magic” Mwangi.
and as you correctly point out, in all modern countries these decisions are debated and then implemented in phases which include public awareness campaigns so that all concerned can have ample opportunity to adjust.
i am however impressed that prof ongeri has realised the seriousness of the KNEC fiasco and has gone ahead to institute a process to handle the crisis. i hope for once we can start seeing a few individuals appropriately disciplined as we usher in an era of increased professionalism and less lip service.
jane you are sick and again I tell you that you need medical attention. Do you remember what agwambo said in his speech during the historic political deal signing at harambee house? If you missed it then here it is: “By signing this agreement, we come from the era of confrontation to the era of cooperation…….”. so we as ODM are already above your standard.
There is not much that can be done now to drastically change the wording of the power-sharing bills but for Raila to have a real share of power @ 50%, the following have to be in place:
1. Head of Civil Service must be part of the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office). The Head of Civil Service supervises permanent secretaries and other civil servants. He has also been known to be supervising Ministers and Assistant Ministers. Remember during Nyachae’s tenure as Chief Secretary, MPs used to refer to him as Prime Minister?
If the Prime Minister is supervising ministers and ministries, he can only do so effectively when he has the Head of Civil Service directly under him. There will be friction if the Head of Civil Service was in the Office of the President as there will be two competing and opposing supervisions in government.
2. DPM Mudavadi also as Minister of Finance. Kibaki has the powerful presidency so ODM must have Finance. I have suggested that the other DPM be also Minister of Public Safety and Citizenship and this will involve all police (regular, administration, railway, port, airport, and GSU) services as well as immigration and citizenship. Kenyans have to be safe from the Artur brothers. The ministry will also be responsible for issuing birth certificates, passports, drivers’ and pilots’ licenses. The public must be safe from unqualified drivers and pilots.
3. Anyang’ Nyongo Minister of Planning or Trade & Industry. I like his honesty and dedication to duty.
4. Sally Kosgei Minister of Foreign Affairs. The whole world will wonder what is wrong with Kenya if the most qualified person to be Foreign Affairs minister is left out in favour of a crude diplomat unless the lady was being appointed the VP.
5. Let us have a Ministry of Local Administrations. The Provicncial Administration and Police must be separated if there is to be respect for human life in Kenya. Local Governments and Provincial Adminstration are both about local administrations. Why not combine them under a Ministry of Local Administrations.
6. The Ministry of Roads and Public Works is too large and cumbersome. Let the ministry responsible for roads construction and maintenance, construction of government buildings, construction and maintenanace of railways, ports, and airports be called the Ministry of Public Works & Infrastructure.
The part of the Ministry of Public Works that is currently responsible for requisitioning of government supplies, requisition and allocation of office space and management of government buildings (especially in the capital city), requisition and management of government (GK) vehicles and aircraft, government printing, let this be the Ministry of Government Services.
7. Public Service does not have to have its own minister. Let all emplolyment services whether in government or the private sector (current Ministry of Labour) be combined under the Ministry of Employment Services. Correctional services (the prison system) should also be under this ministry as prison time is lost workplace manhours. The Public Service Commission should be under the Ministry of Employment Services.
8. The current Ministry of Cooperative Development is not a real ministry. It should be abolished and various cooperatives be placed under the appropriate ministry. For example, the farmers’ cooperatives should be under the Ministry of Agriculture while savings and credit societies should be under the Ministry of Finance and small business co-operatives should be under the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Cooperatives should be made to register a credit and savings society separately if they provide this service in addition to other services such as collection and transportation of produce or sale of inputs to farmers.
9. The Ministry of Lands should not be a ministry. There are two aspects of land issues – land use and ownership. Land use should be under the Ministries of Environment and Agriculture while land ownership (demarcation and title deeds) should be under the Ministry of Local Administrations. The government should abolish the Ministry of Lands and stop giving people the impression that there is land to be distributed.
THE BIGGEST MISTAKE KIBAKI AND RAILA WILL MAKE IS TO HAVE A BLOATED CABINET OF 38 MINISTERS. THEY SHOULD MAKE USE OF THE GRAND COALITION IN WHICH BOTH OF THEM HAVE CONTROL. THEY SHOULD NOT THEREFORE TRY TO PLASE ANYBODY. EACH PROVINCE, INCLUDING NAIROBI, CAN HAVE AT LEAST TWO MINISTERS AND THERE CAN BE AT LEAST 8 WOMEN MINISTERS EVEN IN A SMALL CABINET OF MAXIMUM 24.
AND KIBAKI SHOULD STOP ENLARGING THE GOVERNMENT BY CREATING UNNECESSARY GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS.
While the so called democrats cum mass murderers scramble for gov’t positions, the deafening silence from central province is chilling.
We saw how much hate and envy is leveled at us. I think the days of running around pretending that we are all brothers and sisters is over.
Today, I would give my total support to majimbo
Kapkatet,
Kibaki and Raila do not listen to the likes of you. Why do people think that they can tell the president and PM who to appoint? Why not just shut up and let the CEO and COO do their jobs? When you hire somebody as a board, you give them a freehand to run your organization! Stop writing detailed nonsense because you are making us tired. Do something contructive at home or at School, stop posting booklets here.
We need issues addressed such as unemployment (which is included in yesterdays short-term emergency relief recovery program), infrastructure (in the budget) and reconciliation and healing. We need to take the report issued by world watch group very seriously.
All Kenyans inlcuding the government should support Maina Kiai for the UN human rights position. He is a sobber man from central province. He and professor Makau Mutua and John Githongo make a rare breed in Kenya political and civil life. I look forward when these sons of Kenya will go back to guide us into realizing a Kenya dream of equality, nationalism, brotherhood and prosperity. Kudos to their unrelenting fight for our beautiful nation.
Please delete this thread ASAP. It does not bode well for our Captain, Raila Odinga. What business do we have discussing Barrack Obama in a blog about Kenya’s elections? I have gone through Barack Obama’s campaign website and blog. I have not anywhere seen a thread entittled: “Raila and The Future of American Politics”
RailaK,
If you are lloking forward tp those guys coming to literally help build their motherland, you should have if you didnt, campaigned for ODM. Those guys were meant to hold critical positions in the new govt. So pray Kibaki and his group of people with narrow views for this country quickly fade from power. I dont believe Githongo will come back again to Kenya when Kibaki is president. The guy konws to much and will be silenced to the graves by things like crime of passion!
As for running after criminals as Kibaki stated. Its a good idea but just as there is Mungiki, there is Chinkororo. Those who caused preelection violence also caused postelelction violence and MUST ALL be apprehended. So as we arrest those guys in Naivasha, Eldoret, Kibera, Kisumu, Kakamega, NYACHAE and his circumcision-war song heroes captured in camera MUST ALSO be brought to book.
RAO may not listen to eveeryone but once a theme is taken up by a maority he will honour it. Thats why Balala had the audacity to threaten with seccession because he knew what the people were saying and bogging here when Kibaki and Ali ran riot on Kenyans with police.
Welcome back Pato,
Why the call for Majimbo in Central. What has changed? If you want the majimbo of chasing others away you are entitled to it in equal measure from the other side. I dont thi nk you have a choice. What Kibaki has chosen is the best for Kenya a compromise for your own survival. What follows next should be affirmative acton for poor guys from Central and the rest of Kenya. And please teach your young ones that everybody has equal rights. Dont give them a sueriority mentality to other kenyans we all belong here courtesy of God and our parents. Watu waheshimiane!
The forces of isunity nevr cease to amaze.
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=1&newsid=119342
The forces of disunity never cease to amaze!
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=1&newsid=119342
The Obama tsunami is blowing towards the kenyan coast hold your horses.
i went to hospital and had a blood test.the results came and i was positive-i mean odm positive.i suggest that jane should follow my trend.you just cannot accept that odm is the bomb.come on just give in and stop being a hardliner in this kenyan politics.as for those who burnt houses they just didnt have any way to release their anger this was never planned because i was in eldoret then-it just happened.can you imagine how it would have been if raila won.any way you people should be dead assured that a kikuyu would never take over in the coming years
Dear Obama,
There is a reason why the official abode of the president is referred to as the WHITE HOUSE. I believe that all that will change and you will give this house color. YoU must ask AMERICA TO VOTE WITH ITS CONSCIENCE.
ASKED THE QUESTION IF CLINTON HAD A CHANCE OF WINNING. THIS IS WHAT ONE STUDENT HAD TO SAY:
I really hope not for the sake of this country. Poor Hillary, though…I really liked her, but she is not Bill — she is not a uniter. We have to go with the person that bring this country together and that can get elected, and that is Barack Obama.
Hillary is a divisive candidate, she has no appeal to the right, and she isn’t that liberal — in fact, her voting record in the senate is that of a moderate conservative on the political spectrum. Is this what we want for our country?? She changed positions on the Iraq war…she did not have to vote for its funding, but she did. That is money that could have been allocated for health care, education reform, etc.
She will not defeat John McCain. I’m a staunch liberal from the University of Michigan, and I just want the best for our country. Barack Obama must win.
For the sake sake for a free and fair election OBAMA must win. Something we never had in Kenya. The cow is bigger than the tick (parasite).
I know to some kit is sweeter to others it is bitter and so n and so forth. But we have to accept reality of events and get know that God is really changing the world and it is high time the pple of the world realized this. The error of assassination are a gone story and the error of racial, tribal and ethnic discrimination are a forgotten story. So if anyone is thinking in that line we are very sorry for you. God is bringing leaders who are committed to stumping out cheating corruption and all kinds of vices which are in this world. And we know very well those who are front line fighters in the crusade for lean governance justice and truth needless to say. So even Kenya and Kenyans should be braced for such leaders if somebody still thinks of rigging pole bro or sis. it is hightime the thieves went home, the corrupt were punished so Obama is the next President of the united state and Kenya will likewise follow the suite. Those who don’t like it let them go dive in the ocean. ODM Employee
VOTE OF THANKS WHEN YOU ARE STILL ALIVE TO READ YOUR EXCELLENCY RAILA AMOLLO ODINGA.
YEAH I HADTO WRITE THIS AFTER PLANNING ON AND ON FOR SOO SO MANY MONTHS ON END,BECAUSEI WANT YOU TO READ THIS,SO THAT WHEN ONE DAY JEHOVAH CALLS YOU IN YOUR TWILIGHT YEARS YOU WILL KNOW IN YOUR RESTING PLACE THAT INDEED THE BRAVE FIGHT YOU WAGED FOR THIS COUNTRY AND ITS ENTIRE PEOPLE INDEED DID TOUCH OUR HEARTS.
I KNOW AND ALL OF US DO,HOW WHEN SOMEONE DIES IN THESE SIDES OF THE WORLD IS WHEN FRIENDS AND FOE COME TO SHOWER PRAISES IMAGINARY AND REAL AT THE FUNERAL OF HOW THE LATE WAS A GREAT MAN AND BLAH BLAH BLAH,EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO’VE PERSECUTED YOU AND TEH PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY FOR DECADES AND COUNTING,WILL FALL OVER THEMSELVES TO GET A CHANCE TO SAY HOW AGWAMBO WAS A GREAT CHAMPION OF THIS NATION,BUT THAT IS WHAT I DO NOT WANT TO HAPPEN TO YOU OUR HERO.
YOU MUST GET THE CREDIT YOU DESERVE NOW AND READ IT AND HEAR IT FROM OUR MOUTHS,NOT ONLY THE SHOUTS,NOT ONLY THE SWEAT,NOT ONLY THE BLOOD,NOT ONLY THE DUST,NOT ONLY THE TEARS THAT WE SHED TO JUST SEE YOU AS YOU CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE AND EMBODY ALL OUR AMBITIONS AND ASPIRATIONS AS A LONE AND ONLY MAN…..BUT THATS THE BURDEN A GREAT LEADER LIKE YOU CARRIES,NO OFFENCE TINGA.
I SAW YOU GET EMOTIONAL AND CRY REAL TEARS WHEN YOU SAW THOUSANDS OF YOUR SUPPORTERS THRONG YOUR MOTORCADE WITH ALL THEIR HOPES,DREAMS,AMBITIONS AND ASPIRATIONS ALL LAID ONTO YOUR HUMANLY SHOULDERS,WHEN O.D.M WAS GOING TO KASARANI LAST OCTOBER TO NOMINATE A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE….I COULD NOT HELP GET EMOTIONAL MYSELF AS I WATCHED ON THE TELEVISION…I SAID “THIS IS INDEED A TRUE LEADER OF THIS GREAT NATION,HE FEELS THE PAIN OF THE PEOPLE AND IT HURTS HIM FOR REAL”..BUT YOU DID NOT GIVE UP THAT IT WAS SUCH A BIG DEAL…YOU CARRIED ON AS A SOLDIER FOR THE PEOPLE,THE PEOPLE OF KENYA,WHOM YOU’VE GIVEN YOUR LIFE AND TIME FOR FREE.
I SAW THE TEARS AGAIN IN NAIROBI NAD IN KISUMU WHEN THE ELECTIONS WERE STOLEN FROM YOU,THE PEOPLES PRESIDENT,SOO SO BLATANTLY I STILL FEEL THE PAIN AND I WILL DEFINATELY FEEL IT TILL KINGDOM COME…YOU FELT I THOUGHT SO..THAT YOU HAD LET US DOWN,THAT OUR DREAMS,HOPES,AMBITIONS,ASPIRATIONS HAD BEEN SHATERED BY YOU,BY YOUR NOT BEING ABLE TO RECLAIM THE VICTORY THAT WE GAVE YOU…NO! NO! NO! AGWAMBO YOU DID NOT LET US DOWN,WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED AND WE SAW HOW YOU TRIED EVERY HUMANLY POSSIBLE THING TO CLINCH IT BACK,BUT YOU KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE GREAT CHARACTERS IN THIS WORLD ARE FEW,LEADERS ARE SOO FEW..AND IT HAD TO TAKE YOU,A GREAT LEADER TO SAVE OUR LIVES THAT WE WERE LOOSING TO HELP YOU GET BACK OUR ASPIRATIONS BACK THAT WE HAD PLACED ON YOU…YOU DECIDED TO SVAE THIS NATION BY RETREATING…THOSE ARE RARE QUALITIES THAT ARE ONLY GOD-GIVEN TO HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE HE WANTS TO LEAD HIS FLOCK TO HIS PLACE OF CHOICE AND THAT WE KNOW AMOLLO.
OFCOURSE AM STILL YOUNG AND I ALWAYS PRAY THAT YOU LIVE TO ACHIEVE OUR DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS FOR US AS THE SOLE LEADER OF THIS GREAT NATION,IS IS NOT A MEAN ACHIEVEMENT….BUT STILL YOU’VE DONE GREAT,A WONDERFUL;L JOB THAT MANY DROPED BY THE ROAD AND SOME WERE EVEN HIJACKED AND DECIDED TO GO BACK THE SAME PLACE YOU HAD TAKEN US AWAY FROM…BUT AS A GREAT SOLDIER YOU NEVER TIRED AND KEPT ON MOVING ALONG WITH US DAY AFTER DAY,THERE WERE EVEN TIMES WE THOUGHT YOU HAD LOST YOUR BEARINGS AND YOU WERE MISSING THE ROUTE,BNUT ALL THAT YOU DID WAS ALWAYS THOUGHT OUT AND PLANNED TO CONTINUE THE JOURNEY UP AND UP ALBEIT THE MANY OBSTACLES.
SO WHATEVER HAPPENS BETWEEN NOW AND 2012,KNOW THAT INDEED WE KNOW,ATLEAST I DO AND I PUT IT DOWN TODAY..YOU’VE DONE WONDERS FOR US-KENYANS AND YOU’VE ACHIEVED ALOT FOR US THAT NOT ANYONE WE KNOW IN THIS COUNTRY TODAY COULD HAVE LAID HIS LIFE FOR AND ACHIEVE.
WE SAW AND KNOW THE PERSONAL SACRIFICES YOU’VE MADE TO TAKE US THIS FAR,ALL THE THINGS YOU PASSED THROUGH TO TAKE THIS NATION FORWARD FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL AND YET YOU REMAIN THE MOST PERSECUTED OF ALL KENYANS ALIVE AND LIVING TODAY.
THE PERSECUTION JUST CONTINUED DURING AND AFTER THE POLL RESULTS AND STILL CONTINUING WITH THE “COALITION GOVERNMENT” WHICH YOU JOINED HONESTLY AND GENUINELY AS YOU ARE ALWAYS HONST AND GENUINE,BUT SOME PEOPLE WHO ALWAYS HAVE THEMSELVES AT HEART JOINED WITH YOU TO CONTINUE FRUSTRATING YOU..BUT WE AINT SHAKEN TINGA,COZ WE KNOW YOU AND WILL ALWAYS REMAIN BEHIND YOUR BACK AND GO WHEREVER YOU GO AND STAY WITH YOU THERE,FOR WE NOW KNOW WHO HAS THE ENTIRE NATION AT HEART..ITS YOU AGWAMBO.
SO BECAUSE I WONT AND ACNT GET THE CHANCE TO TELL YOU ALL THIS FACE TO FACE NOR WILL I BE ABLE TO GET ANY NEAR TO JUST SAY “THANK YOU JATELO”,I WRITE IT TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT WHEN ONE DAY THE SUN SETS ON YOUR DAYS,OFCOURSE WHEN YOU ARE VERY VERY OLD….YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT I FEEL EMOTIONALLY INDEBTED TO YOU FOR WHAT YOU’VE DONE TO THIS NATION AND IF I WERE THE PERSON GIVING THE NOBLE PEACE AWARDS,THEN THE “2008 PRICE” WOULD AUTOMATICALLY GO TO RAILA AMOLLO ODINGA….BUT DO NOT DESPAIR THE THANKS I GIVE YOU TODAY IS FROM THE ALMOGHTY FATHER AND TAHT MEANS ALOT.
TO ME YOU FALL IN THE GREATS LIST OF NELSON MANDELA,MAHATMA GANDHI-E.T.C…ONLY THE GREAT LEADERS WHOSE CHARACTER CONTENTS CHANGED TEH WORLD AS YOU HAVE..IF OBAMA BECOMES PRESIDENT,THOUGH BEING A NOMINEE HE HAS ACHIEVED ALOT TO ME ALREADY,THEN HE WILL ALSO JOIN YOUR LIST IF HE CHANGES TEH WORLD BY TEH CONTENT OF HIS CHARTACTER TOO.
WHEN THAT DAY COMES DO NOT MIND ABOUT EULOGIES THAT YOU WONT LISTEN TO,KNOW THAT WE’VE APPRECIATED,WE DO APPRECIATE NOW AND WILL FOREVER APPRECIATE.
AND I SAY YOUR EXCELLENCY..”THANK YOU A GREAT DEAL”
A MUST READ. THANKS FOR SENDING IT TO ME
Barack Obama And the Graveyard of Hope* The East African
> > (Nairobi)
> > OPINION
> > 15 June 2008
> > Posted to the web 16 June 2008
By Wambui Mwangi Nairobi
I am finding it very difficult to join in the jubilation about Senator Barack Obama. Not that I want to deny the man his victory, but my impulse to celebrate keeps deflating on the idea that the best thing that happened to little Barack was not growing up in Kenya. I have been imagining alternative trajectories for him if he had come to know the world through the eyes of a Kenyan citizen, if his mother and grandparents had not rescued him from our chaos and contradictions and brought him up somewhere his intellect and talent could grow. If he had grown up here, and had he somehow managed to retain most elements of his current self, he would have been another outstanding, intelligent and competent Luo man in our midst: and he would have been killed. Yes, we would have assassinated a Barack Obama if he had remained ours, with us, one of us here in this schizophrenic cauldron we call home.
This is not going to stretch the imagination of any Kenyan – after all, when we had that incredibly good-looking and charismatic home-grown hero, Tom Mboya, we shot him to death. And when that austerely intellectual and elegant leader, Robert Ouko, threatened to look overly intelligent to the world, we killed him too. We killed Pio Gama Pinto and we killed JM Kariuki. There is no reason to suppose that Barack Obama, whose integrity of purpose and stringent sense of ethics even his enemies concede, would have survived his Kenyan roots. HE IS MUCH TOO INTELLIGENT, TOO charged with the promise of history, too bold in his claim to a shining destiny, too full of the audacity of hope, for us to have let him survive. Kenya would have killed Barack Obama, or at least his dream, as we inevitably destroy, in one way or another, the best and the boldest of us. Goldenberg whistle blower David Munyakei’s challenge to his country to be bigger than our greed was met with a whimper, and then with rapid abandonment. We did not deserve him, either.
As for John Githongo, he should have known better than to take the idea of public ethics seriously – this is Kenya, after all. Let him enlighten people at Oxford instead; such considerations are too virtuous for us, too sensible, too conducive to a promising future. We do not even remark on the haunting wastage of all this shining accomplishment – Micere Mugo sings her lyrical poetry for Americans, and we do not even know enough to mourn the loss. AND YET WE ARE ALL ENCHANTED with the power of the idea of Barack Obama, the hope of him, the beauty of his life’s trajectory, the universe of possibilities and probabilities that it conjures for the least of the rest of us. If someone’s cousin’s friend’s neighbour makes it to the United States… Then we all have a chance. We have a strange predilection for schizophrenic loves and loyalties; we let geography dictate our alliances and imaginary lines decide our friends. It is as if our social contract states that here, at home, we are obliged to behave like fighting rats to each other but when abroad, when released from the shackles of kin and clan and conclave, we can fly and soar and master the sky.
When Wangari Maathai is abroad, we feel that her Nobel Prize is partly represented in each of our Kenyan living rooms; when she comes home, she is just another Kikuyu politico. We preen about our athletes winning yet another international competition to anybody who will give us half a chance, but when they are at home we turn them into more fodder for militias. Caine Prize winners are Kenyan by automatic assent, but Binyavanga Wainaina is a Kikuyu writer when at home and Yvonne Owuor is indelibly a Luo – we shrink them to fit the midget-sized visions we have of ourselves. IT IS CLEAR TO ALL OF US, AND THE evidence continues to accrue, that we have, collectively, a certain global competence, as Kenyans, that we produce individuals of substance and historical purpose. Being Kenyan, however, we prefer to drown in the pettiness of our parochial quarrels when at home, and if one of us threatens to be too hopeful, too ambitious, too intelligent, too creative or too inspirational to fit into our trivial little categories of hatred and suspicion, we kill them, or exile them from our societies, or we just cause them to run away inside, hiding from us and from themselves the grandeur of their souls, the splendid landscapes of their imagined tomorrows. Nothing but the worst for us, at home. We recognise each other by our most rancid rhetoric. We insist upon it, we cultivate it, we elevate it to an art form: Kenyan, and quarrelsome. Kenyan, and clannish. Kenyan, and counter-productive. Kenyan, and self-destructive. Kenyan, and consistently heart-breaking.
Genius everywhere, and not a thought to be had. Promise and potential everywhere, and not an opportunity to be had. Money everywhere, and not an honest penny to be earned. Helicopters aplenty, but no help for the needy. A land awash in Cabinet ministers and poverty. I HAVE BEEN WATCHING KENYANS getting high on Obamamania, and I am wondering what we are so happy about? It is perhaps that we are beginning to acknowledge what we should always have known – given a half a chance, an ever so slightly conducive context, Kenyans are more likely to over-achieve than not. At the faintest provocation, Kenyans will leap past expectations without breaking their stride or breaking a sweat, especially if they happen to have escaped the imprisoning edifice we call home and found foreign contexts to flourish in, no matter how alien. I went to a town in the Canadian Arctic once, in the far north, where in summer the sun shines even at midnight and in the winter the world is an endless landscape of ice and snow. Here, far, far away from home, where nothing was familiar except the gentleness of elderly Inuit women and the comforting weirdness of the white residents, I was told that the local dentist had, for many years, been a Kenyan. Everybody said he had been an excellent dentist, out there in the desert of the cold. I was unsurprised. We are an adventurous people, we Kenyans, and we take to the world outside our home as if born to a conquistador culture – we are brave and brash and bold, out there. We buy and sell things, and make money at it, out there. We go to school and excel and cover ourselves with accreditations, out there. We win things, out there. We get prizes, out there. We are at our best, out there. HOWEVER, AT HOME, FOR SOME REAson we refuse to either acknowledge or examine – we have chosen simply to set aside this capacity. Here, at home, nothing but the very lowest common denominator will do; nothing but the basest and most brutal aspects of our selves are to be presented to each other; nothing but the most cynical manipulation is the basis of our political space.
We prefer to be ruled by individuals whose mediocrity is matched only by their mendacity, here at home. We prefer to abdicate our adult responsibilities and capacity for reason to “leaders” whose lack of virtue is as legendary as our attractively exotic pastoralists. We do not only waste talent, here at home – we go out of our way to suppress and repress it. We do not only deny dreams, here in Kenya – we devour them, and ask each other, “Who do you think you are?” As if the success of another is an affront. In Kenya, grand vision and soaring imagination is illegitimate; here, they just call you naive. Out there, you stand a chance of becoming a hero; at home, you will have nothing but the taste of ashes in your mouth. Mothers, take your children abroad. Barack Obama has written two books, in which he discusses ideas. Ideas. This is a man with vision and conviction, and enough good ideas that even those who do not like the pigmentally-advantaged are listening, and changing their minds.
Even those who think that his name sounds suspiciously like a terrorist’s are reading his books and listening to his speeches, and changing their minds. This is a man with interesting and inspiring things to say – which disqualifies him from any Kenyan-ness we would have liked to claim. Americans like the image of them that Barack Obama has painted in words; which Kenyan leader would dare to build dreams bigger than his roots? Which Kenyan leader would ever be so foolish as to attempt inspiration instead of instigation? BARACK OBAMA HAS SEDUCED THE world by the power of his persuasiveness, and while Kenyans raise another glass to the accomplishments of “one of our own,” it seems clear to me that we gave up our rights to him when we gave up our hopes for ourselves. When we settled for incompetence, and corruption, and callousness, we defined ourselves out of his universe, and out of his dreams. We rejected Barack Obama-ness when we allowed those pangas to slash our dreams, when we watched our hopes spiral away in smoke. We allowed the ones who had done this to become the only mirrors of ourselves, and then squelched our disgraced selves back to the mire of our despondency. Barack Obama cannot be a Kenyan, and Kenyans cannot grasp Barack Obama’s dream. We have already despaired of it, and of ourselves. His dream would have died with ours, here at home, here in the graveyard of hope. But oh, how we yearn to see ourselves reflected in his eyes…
“God will make a way where there seems to be no way, he works in ways we cannot see he will make a way for me………he will be my guide hold me closely to his side with n love and strengthfor each new day he will make a way, he will make a way””Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth isyours. Yours, OLORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head overall.” (1 Chronicles29:11)
OBAMA HAS SAID IT. IT ABOUT YOU AND ME AND ITS ALL ABOUT BRING CHANGE TO STATE HOUSE AND NOT EXPECTING CHANGE FROM THERE.
MY GOODNESS OR OTHERWISE. SUCH MALICE AGAINST OUR LEADERS. EXPECTED TO BE LAUNCHED AT HOME SOIL. THIS WRITER MUST HAVE GATHERED AMMO FROM A DIVISIVE FEW THE NATION NEWSPAPER SAY – “FRIENDS IN RUNDA”.
YESTERDAY’S POLL SHOW THAT MAJORITY KENYAN’S REJECTED HIS BOOK AND BACKS THE GOVT’S REPTNN.
Just arrived in Ghana and will part of a team that will observe the election. The Presidential debate and manner in which the campaigns are carried out is a lesson for the rest of Africa. Maybe this is the reason why Ghana was the first Black Nation to get its indepe.
There is some maturity and decorum about this country that captures my heart. To start with the people OBEY THE TRAFFIC RULES. Yes simple traffic by-laws, Dont cross a red light ( Fine is 1000 Cidis Approximately 1000 Dollars) and stop with the amber (Yes brothers and Sisters – Not orange). So while you are out there trying to PONDER WHY NO ONE WANTS TO IMPLEMENT THE WAKI COMMISION, brother at least obey the traffic rules.
On my way to Ghana, it took me the Flight from Msa- Nrbi took 45 minutes and It took a whooping two hrs from the Nyayo (This name is ominous) roundabout to the city center. HAVE POT -BELLIED, CAP SAGGING, MEAN LOOKING POLICE MEN REPLACED TRAFFIC LIGHTS ??????????????????. Traffic lights are set by acturians (Exact Science) after gathering statisitcs over a long period of time. Its an exercise that costs the tax payer millions of Ciidis ……..why replace these with Police men. In many countries its the youth wingers ( NYS) who man these junctions and report overlaaping cars. If fines are implemented, then we on track.
As a lawless, Impunity laden people, then we are just a Somali in waiting.
Downside, they are naming one Road George Bush.
I see no mention of Obama’s victory (at least not adequately reflective). It often crossed my mind why didnt Raila campaign adequately in Central Province (But that is a topic i will pick up next time)- Or even Uhuru/Kibaki in Nyanza ?
I STILL SOME OF U WONDERING WHO WON/LOST THE ELECTIONS EVEN WHEN WE KNOW CLEARLY ITS THE KENYANS WHO LOST.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT A POLITICAL PARTY CAN BE BIGGER THAN A NATION.
NOW THAT THE THREE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ARE IN POWER
– wHY IS SECONDARY EDUCATION FEES STILL ON THE TAB.
– WHO CARES ABOUT THE I.D.P.s
– Maru even ur almighty Raila is silent about the Taxation on M.P’s allowance.
There are it again trying to bloc my comments. Cyber Editors
You can kill the messenger but no the message.
The reason why Kenya lives on 46 years later is because of the few hardworking critical Mass who work hard to keep it going despite the gnawing merchants of venice flogging the country to the highest bidder. 46 years later we are still rely on rain based agriculture as our leaders make expensive trips abroad to beg for food.
The life expectancy of a lion is 18 years.
The elephant and tortoise (200 years) lives longer
By the way. Am a cockroach.