Why the outrage with dog food?

Lets be fair to the lady and her company which wanted to offer dog food the people of Kenya, specifically Mbita. Why are Kenyans getting worked up? Is this the first time they are eating animal feed?? No, they have eaten it before and they liked it. Remmember the "cow feed" aka "yellow maize" which was donated by the US way back in the 80`s. Look, the food that was to be sent to Kenya was not actually dog, but an additive to dog food which is rich in protein and that. But why has the story of dog food come about?? Yes, because the Kenyan government is busy stealing from the people rather than assisting them. The silos are full to capacity yet due to poor logistics the government cannot bring the food to the people. Shame

















MEANWHILE ENJOY THIS DOG STORY BY MR. M DARUIA

My wife, Malathi, loves dogs. She calls them"Sweetie." She also calls me "Sweetie." Idon't know whether to smile or wag my tail.It's really confusing. The other day, Malathisaid, "Dinner is ready, Sweetie." I rushed tothe kitchen, along with the dogs. "Silly dogs,"I thought. "You're not getting any of my dinner."The meal looked delicious, and I would havecomplimented my wife, had she not placed iton the floor.The two dogs got to the food before I could.Their heads, unfortunately, are closer to thefloor. That allows them to quickly slurp foodand anything else that looks remotely likefood, such as dirty socks or tofu. If you owna dog, you may not need a vacuum cleaner.Within a minute, the dogs -- a Labrador andGolden Retriever -- had licked their bowlsclean and were looking up at us withexpressions that said, "Come on, folks.When are you going to feed us?" Even ifthey've just eaten a big meal, they want tokeep eating. They're a lot like me. Exceptthat I'm too proud to beg. When the dogsare wolfing their food, I try not to sit in front ofthem and drool. Unfortunately, they neverextend the same courtesy to me. I can't eatanything without enduring their sad-eyedexpressions that say, "Oh please, wehaven't eaten any food since last summer,when we ate all your tennis balls. If you don'tfeed us, we'll fill your entire home with drool."The dogs aren't ours. We're just dog-sitting,until their owners return from vacation.Dog-sitting is a lot like baby-sitting, exceptfor three major differences: (1) babies havetrouble catching food with their mouths;(2) babies are usually uglier; and (3) babiesare nicer to trees.Most dogs in America are so lucky. They'refed and treated better than many childrenaround the world. And they never have to dothe dishes. You can't even get them to takethe trash out. They must have a powerfulunion.My wife knows a lot about dogs. She's aveterinarian specializing in epidemiology. Ittook me three weeks to learn how to spell"epidemiology" and another three weeks tolearn how to pronounce it. I still don't knowwhat it means. All I know is that Malathi lovesanimals, especially dogs. She kisses themand pets them and talks to them, making mewish I had four legs.I think she likes dogs partly because they'rebetter listeners than men. When she's tellingone of her long stories -- usually aboutsomething amazing she heard on NPR(National Public Radio) -- the dogs will justsit there and listen attentively. I know whatthey're thinking: "If we sit still and actinterested, maybe she'll feed us." Dogs aresmarter than they look.I don't mind Malathi babying the dogs, but Iwish it weren't so confusing. The other night,she said, "Are you coming to bed, Sweetie?"I rushed to the bedroom, along with the dogs."Silly dogs," I thought. "You're not snugglingin bed with us. Not until you learn to usemouthwash."The Labrador jumped on the bed before Icould. I looked at my wife. She looked at mewith a puzzled expression that said, "Didsomeone call YOU to bed?" Then she pettedthe dog."He's going to be with us for only a shorttime," she said."OK, Sweetie," I said. "I love you.""I love you, too," she said."I was talking to the dog," I said

I FEAR FOR KIBAKI, HE IS LOST

I hope that Kenyans will not be cheated into accepting Kibakis hoodwinking tactics. The other day he called the permanent secretaries and cabinet ministers into his office and let the sign the so called "performance contract". He thereafter told PS`s to fire the corrupt in their respective ministries. What the hell does he think he is doing by pretending that he is fighting graft by letting PSs and minsiters sign a piece of paper? What will the paper do if he cannot act. How can he instruct the PS´s to fire the corrupt while he is eating nyama choma with some of the most rotten people in Kenya. What is Karaitu, Saitoti, Awori etc doing in the government? On what moral grounds is he talking of other people being fired while these corrupt elements feast on lamb and zeal. Kibaki will go down in history as the most inept president in Kenya so far. People use to laugh at Moi because of his humble educational beackground but lets give it him, the man could make a decision.

Moody Awori in a bad mood-

WHY DOES A THIEF REFUSE TO RESIGN? MUST HE BE SHOT DEAD OR LYNCHED BY THE WANAINCHI FIRST???

OLD HABITS DIE HARD. REmMEMBER HOW THEY USED TO STEAL DURING MOI´S DAYS???



JUST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS:::



YES, YOU ARE A THIEF.
YOU HAVE STOLEN OUR MONEY.
YES, THE WANAINCHI ARE YOUR ACCUSERS.
WANAINCHI HAVE RIGHTS TOO.
INDEED WE WILL LYNCH YOU.
WE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU ALONE, SORRY.

Yesterday the vice president came out in his own defence. He said that he had not done any wrong and did not see the need to resign. It also emerged that people like Kombo, Kituyu and Ngilu are out to finish him and take his place. Moody Awori seems to have lost all friends he used to have. First, he ditched the LDP, and then he merged with MKM. No sooner was he is their midst did he start pulling fraudulent deals. John Githongo reports that it was Moody`s idea to buy fictitious equipment from fictitious companies in the name of fending terrorism.

Who will defend this man? LDP members who joined MKM like Saitoti, Shakombo? No way, for people like Saitoti are involved in Goldenberg up to the neck. They dare not lift a finger at anyone. How about LDP party? Forget it, they won’t associate with a thief. This is a fight that Moody will have to fight on his own.

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

Above: Ali Baba smiling











Below: The forty thieves

Below: The robbers apologists

MUITE AND KOIGI ARE TRIBAL JINGOIST

Muite

There will never be another, Sankara

The one and the only Thomas Sankara.

A major anti-corruption drive began in 1987. The tribunal showed Captain Thomas Sankara to have a salary of only $450 a month and his most valuable possessions to be a car, four bikes, three guitars, a fridge and a broken freezer. He was the world’s poorest president.
Sankara refused to use the air conditioning in his office on the grounds that such luxury was not available to anyone but a handful of Burkinabes.
When asked why he had let it be known that he did not want his portrait hung in public places, as is the norm for other African leaders (and as Blaise Compaoré does now), Sankara said ‘There are seven million Thomas Sankaras’.

Lets all do the isikuti

Ladies and gentlemen, things are so tough for Ali Baba and the forty thieves that the only relief is to do the isikuti dance.

Kibaki as guilty as hell

A few cabinet ministers have decided to defend Kibaki at all cost. They claim that he is not part of the Anglo leasing scandal. The only problem I have with the defence of Kibaki is the fact that one cannot exonerate him without doing a thorough investigation into the matter. Only after such investigation, and with all the facts on the table, can anyone find Kibaki innocent. But even if he is not the one who stashed the money into his pocket, he has known the culprits but decided not to take action. He has continued to mingle wine and dine with them, even promote them. He is therefore guilty by association. The above rubbishes what Kituyu, Kombo, Ngilu, Kagwe, Kimunya and co. wants to make us believe. We will not be lied to in open day light.

Chris Murugaru has indicated that the president knew everything that was going on.

Wenge and Werra Son in Stockholm

He is really good. A great entertainer

The Conquerer of the British Empire

Alhaji Field Marshall Idi Amin Dada is carried shoulder high by westerners.

KOFFI AND HIS TEAM IN STOCKHOLM

Koffi did not tick. He no good anymore!!!!

Goldenberg has nothing to do with Anglo-leasing

It is more the shocking to hear Hon Kimunya and other cabinet ministers defending those involved in the Anlo leasing scandal. Its even more stupid to hear them link the scandal to the Goldenberg one. The point is that there is no connection between the two. All Kenyans know that Bosire and company finished their investigations long time ago but Kibaki has refused to recieve the findings of the commission. The only similarities between the two are that (1) they are both day light robberies (2) MPs were involved. The naked truth is that Murungi, Mwiraria, Muthaura, Murungaru and Kibaki are neck deep into this scandal. This is outright theft and nothing else.

Who will it be - Uhuru or Ruto

I have always maintained that Hon. William Ruto is the fulcrum upon which Kanu rests. It is for this reason that I have had a problem with the Steadman who conduct polls without looking into significant factors on the ground. For starters let me put it that Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta has no bedrock support his central province due to the fact that he is seen as “hanging out” with “outsiders”. People from central province are not keen to join Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta in Kanu because the same outsiders seem to have occupied all the juicy posts. In other words, if they join the party, they must do so as “rai wa kawaida".

Anyone making a statistical calculation on how Uhuru can win presidential elections must take into account Ruto, whom without he is finished (never mind how much M-1 loves him and rebukes Ruto for having ambition). One cannot therefore claim that Uhuru Kenyatta on his own without Ruto can see the inside of the state house. The same goes for Hon. Kalonza Musyoka, whom without Hon. Raila Odinga cannot become president, given the current political climate. Neither can Raila nor Ruto make it on their own. I guess that when Uhuru was announcing that Kanu will go it alone, he did not imagine that Ruto would challenge him. To him the case was closed. Infact by announcing that, he poured cold water on ODM. And he has right to do so afterall he is the chairman of Kanu. But people like Ruto have seen the support that ODM has and are looking a step further. Kanu to them is just a vehicle for bigger things within ODM. Former president Moi is living in the past, believing that Kanu can be what it used to be i.e the monolithic party which used to stride the country like a colossus. However, the party has an image problem, with a past of corruption, incompetence and nepotism, it would be hard to sell it. So going it alone would certainly spell disaster for Kanu. Besides, these are times of coalition governments. No party will ever again go it alone and win in Kenya.

OBS! As for Steadman, I’m not implying that they should invent the wheel but all I’m saying is that they cannot take statistical tools used in the west and hope to apply them in Kenya without some adjustment suit the local situation. The poll system, which is borrowed from the west is perfectly ok, but not in an African setting more so Kenyan where tribalism is the order of the day.

Kenyan government should be ashamed

The Kenyan government should be completely ashamed of not having any kind of preparation for emergencies. It was shocking to hear the police call for "anybody" who has knowledge of "first aid" or has "heavy equipment" to volunteer help. Nothing wrong with that, but where the hell was the governments emergency equipment and personell. More ashaming was the fact that the US Marines and the Israeli military reached the scene before the Kenyan armed forces. Please let me know what the military does apart from cooling their heels in the barracks.

Another thing Im wondering about is what the man in the brown suit with a pair of sunglasses doing while emergency work is going on. He looks really foolish, dont you think.

Ringera just joking

It seems that the ghost of Anglo-fleecing is finally coming afore. I, however, doubt if Justice Ringera are serious. My bet is that the current saga is just but a dress rehearsal to clear his friends. Imean it. If you dont believe me then just watch this space.

The next thing you will hear is that there is no evidence.


I hope that Murungaru is not blaming it on sir. Clay




More to come::::

What a shame

Kenyan government officials are known for their lavish spending. But do you have to show of wealth even when you are going to beg? It beats logic. Look at all the cars and chattered planes. Congratulation to David Ohito for bring to bare this shamelessness of our officials.

Who killed Dr. Mbai

In some countries, crime files are never closed and are usually opened years later. In Kenya, a file once closed is never reopened again. This unwillingness of the Kenyan justice system to keep unsolved crimes alive and follow those cases to their logical end promotes crime. The justice system seems to suffer from fatigue and is often unable to carry out investigation, which go on for long period. Conducting an investigation is a campaign, which might give immediate results or continue for years. The Kenyan public has come to believe that once an investigation goes on past a given period then the chances of its success is a good as zero. And they are right given that cases such as those of Dr. Ouko, JM Kariuki, Gama Pinto, T. Mboya etc have ended up in the dustbin. Dr. Mbai case is heading this direction. I will not be surprised to hear the suspects who are demanding a new trial being dismissed as daydreamers and told that the case had ended period. Lets all keep Dr. Mbai`s murder case alive, for justice must be done or seen to be done however late.

Sisi si korrupt

Just before the end of 2005 KACC I sat with a good friend of mine talking about the so called corrupt recruitment process that took place within the Kenyan police. The friend told me to stop grumbling about corruption in Kenya for it has become a way of life. He however went on blaming it for the country's slow development and the reluctance of multi-nationals to invest in the economy. "Everyone in Kenya accepts bribes," he complained. He even suggested the we form a union of corrupt people a call it Kenya Corruption Commission (KCC). He believed that all rich sons of the land would actually join us. Well, I am still thinking.

As the talk went on I asked him about his sister in Nyalgunga. He said she is still waiting for her green card, though he sponsored her 15 years ago. "No one in America accepts bribes," he complained.

Of course, he was exaggerating -- on both counts. Not everyone in Kenya accepts bribes. In fact, the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) has compiled a list of government officials who have never accepted bribes and hopes to give awards -- perhaps even gold watches -- to both of them.

If you want to know the names of these honest officials, just send a self-addressed stamped envelope to KACC -- and do not forget to include a token of your appreciation, preferably in the form of cash. The more you pay, the more likely the response. KACC went on to claim that it has not brought anybody to justice because corrupt people are difficult to come across. As soon as you catch one he becomes clean by bribing. But the commission has stepped up its efforts and said that if it does not make at least a head roll in the next two years, then it will impeach Justice Ringera himself. The commission intends to call at least three press conferences a week this year to ask for public opinion on how to do their work. Serious work starts in 2007. They even intend to conduct a referendum on whether to bring people to justice or not.

Truth be told, there are hundreds of millions of people who have never accepted bribes. They are known as the poor. Though they have little money, some have to pay off others just to maintain their basic needs, such as a good spot on the pavement.

Corruption, unfortunately, extends into every sphere of life and is almost unavoidable. Money can get you just about anything: a good job, a good education, a good Internet connection.From the lofty ministers to the lowly street sweepers, everyone has a price. And being caught on tape accepting a bribe won't necessarily jeopardize your career, especially if you can find someone else to bribe.

Even if you have just stuffed thousands of shillings into your pockets, you can plead your innocence. "This is not a bribe. This is a donation. I am a very honest person. As a wise man once said, it pays to be honest."

Yes, corruption is a serious problem, but despite what some believes, Kenya is not the most corrupt country in the world. That distinction belongs to Bangladesh, which finished dead last among 91 countries surveyed some few years back by Transparency International. This has allowed Kenyan cabinet ministers to brag that they are more honest than some countries. "If you want to see real corruption, just cross the border to Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania or Sudan. Even husbands have to bribe wives just to have children."

By Ujiji Ujiji

German cannibal tells of fantasy

I wonder why one should eat another human being. Yet this German admitted to eating countless people. But the more bizarre thing is that some people volunteered to be eaten by Mr. Armin Meiwes' . Who do you think enjoyed the event most? The eater or the eaten? My guess is as good as yours, so don’t expect an answer from . Its all madness.

World's leading Egyptologist

At this point Egypt continues to dominate the focus of our African oriented studies. These studies have clearly demonstrated that not only were early Egypt's origins African, but that through the whole of Egypt's Dynastic Era (the age of the Pharaohs), and during all of her many periods of national splendor, men and women with black skin complexions, broad noses, full lips, and tightly curled hair, were dominant in both the general population and governing elite.photo
In the intense and unrelenting struggle to establish scientifically the African foundations of Egyptian civilization, the late Senegalese scholar Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop remains a most fierce and ardent champion. Dr. Diop (1923-1986) was without a doubt the world's leading Egyptologist and held the position of Director of the Radiocarbon Laboratory at the Fundamental Institute of Black Africa in Dakar, Senegal. In stating the importance of the work, Diop noted emphatically and early on that, "The history of Black Africa will remain suspended in air and cannot be written correctly until African historians dare to connect it with the history of Egypt."

The solid range of methodologies employed by Dr. Diop in the course of his extensive Afro-Egyptian labors included: examinations of the epidermis of the mummies of Egyptian kings for verification of their melanin content; precise osteological measurements and meticulous studies in the various relevant areas of anatomy and physical anthropology; careful examinations and comparisons of modern Upper Egyptian and West African blood-types; detailed Afro-Egyptian linguistic studies and the corroboration of distinct Afro-Egyptian cultural traits; documents of racial designations employed by the early Africans themselves; Biblical testimonies and references that address the ancient Egyptian's ethnicity, race and culture; and the writings of early Greek and Roman travelers and scholars describing the physical characteristics of the ancient Egyptians.

There is no doubt that Ancient Egypt was an African civilization.

We dont have moral authority

"What moral authority do you have when your proposals were rejected by the people?". Simeon Nyachae MP, Nation Jan. 11 2006.


Comment: Now that you have come to your senses I hope that you will convince the Banana bunch to follow the same nyayo. You actually lost the moral authority with your camping at Kilifi and doing the draft without Kenyans. Anyway, its never too late to learn.

But how come this man
is till confused about the matter. Why is he asking for views which have already been collected? Could you offer you fellow mzee some advice please. Its most saddening to see Kibaki playing games with Kenyans. Being too clever by half he has set into motion some few events to confuse Kenyans. One is the pretence that there is infighting within DP and two that he wants a constitution. Neither of the two can be said to be true. The first one is to test the waters and see if there is a possibility of ressurecting DP without his coalition partners making noise. The second move is to dilly dally the whole constitution process with the hope of splitting ODM on one hand and LDP on the other from within. He knows that the longer he waits the less likely they will agree on power sharing, as there will be no enough positions to go around. I only hope that both ODM and LDP are seing these tricks.

Manduli electrifies a Banana rally

"Total woman Orie Rogo Manduli electrified a Banana rally at Uhuru Park when she said that Planning minister Anyang' Nyong'o has no business saying that the Wako Draft is not good for women. "Is Nyong'o Nyong'o a man or a woman?" she asked. And she invited Internal Security minister John Michuki to tell the crowd whether the man is a man or a woman because "he should know as they share the same lavatories at Parliament". Michuki, in his wisdom responded, "hiyo Swali, Anyang' Nyong'o atajibu mwenyewe." (That question, only Nyong'o can answer.) Palaver.

Comment: Thats Orie Rogo Manduli for you, she is rough and tough.

I realised that I was being tricked to enter a nolle prosecui

"Muite is a close friend of Kiraitu Murungi and I think he had convinced Kiraitu to help him get the case dropped. When I was DPP, Kiraitu approached me several times, asking me to drop the case. But I advised him that this was a matter that could only be handled by the Attorney General," says Philip Murgor.

He says that, a day before President Kibaki named his national unity cabinet in June 2004, Kiraitu asked him to drop the case to avoid embarrassment as Muite was due to be named minister.

"What I found strange was that the AG had just flown out. I talked with the AG in Netherlands about the case. But the AG declined, arguing that the matter could be dealt with if and when Muite were named minister as we could not start talking about something that had not happened," says Murgor.

"When the list of the Cabinet was being read out," continues Murgor, "I was in Kiraitu’s office. When I didn’t hear Muite’s name, I asked Kiraitu why, but he did not give me a substantive answer. He said the President had quietly listened to him and Murungaru arguing for Muite’s inclusion in the Cabinet, but in the end picked Njenga Karume instead. I realised that I was being tricked to enter a nolle prosecui in this case," he said. The Standrad 8 2006

Comment: Well!

Prof. Bethwel Ogot

The then Minister for Constitutional Affairs, Charles Njonjo gave him (professor Ogot) one minute to quit his job at the University of Nairobi when he refused to work under Richard Leakey. He would be out of a job for three years before he joined Kenyatta University.
But why did he refuse to serve under Leakey? "Surely," he poses, "how can a professor work under a form four drop-out?" The Standard Jan. 8 2006

Comment: Kwani what was Njonjo thinking? Ama its because Leakey is a mzungu?

Railas life in danger.

"Lang’ata MP Raila Odinga yesterday said he feared for his security as a strange vehicle has been trailing him — on one occasion forcing him to stop — since the referendum vote". Sunday Standard, Jan. 8 2006.

Comment: Difference of opinion is what promotes democracy. The Banana bunch should stop worrying about Raila, so much so that they trail him night and day. Should anything happen to this man Kenya would not be the same again.

Pic: left Hon Raila Odinga, Right Pia Gama Pinto

Direct and indirect effects of poverty in Kenya

Could there be a better term to describe poverty than having inadequate income? But it is more than that, for it is about lack of access to quality public services vital to the poor such as education, health and water and sanitation. The other dimension of poverty is the deprivation of the poor of a voice, representation and access to information. Even though corruption is multidimensional, the bottom line is that hurts the poor disproportionately.

Corruption distorts the poor’s view and trust for public officials, the police and people in authority who extort bribes from them. There is no better environment for corruption to succeed than in one where power of individual member of society is measured in terms of access to people in power and where financial resources supersedes the rule of law. The poor can therefore never get far in such a society because they lack power, thus opportunity. Because of their defencelessness, unlike the powerful, they cannot use corruption in their favour. It is from this point of view that the majority of Kenyans see the emerging corruption. They feel helpless and unable to do anything about officials whom they elected to be the guardians of the state coffers. To them, the slow pace of investigation of matters on corruption in high places, the inane denials, contradictions and hesitation of the government to take any action against the alleged culprits is a real let down, especially from a government elected on a platform of radical reform. Such excess only impedes growth, distorts public expenditure allocation and in more than one way hinder the alleviation of poverty.

The most obvious form of corruption in Kenya is petty corruption for the provision of public services. The money slipped to the bureaucrat for the issuance of a new identity card, the unofficial payment to get a family member tuberculosis medicine which should be distributed free of charge at the hospital, or the occasional bribe to the policeman to avoid harassment. Society at large is affected by this kind of corruption but the most hit are the weaker ones, the poor. An analysis would probably reveal that the poor pay a larger percentage of their income to bribes than the rich for they are dependent more on public services. The poor and powerless cannot take their children to expensive private schools or hospital and are therefore more vulnerable to extortion.

Economic burden is added on the poor and the unborn on daily basis by using foreign aid to fill private pockets than intended projects. On this count, only an insane person would have problems with the British ambassadors, Mr. Clay’s strong worded statement about graft. The colour of his language may not have been diplomatic but it was a non exaggerated and accurate depiction of what is going on. For he is hurt that his hard earned tax money which he gives Kenya through grants to alleviate poverty ends up lining the pockets of a few individuals.
The effects of the various faces of corruption are not merely financial. They may also be profoundly economic, moral, and social. If medicine or maize in a government aided project disappears it erodes poor people’s relationship with their community leaders and government officials. If a policeman or teacher takes advantage of his position to extract bribes, it harms their reputation and relationship of trust, destroying social capital and decreasing moral standards. Corruption becomes a way of getting things done eventually eroding the rule of law. The Kenyan government has promised to do something about the Anglo Leasing Scandal; it’s only that nobody believes it. It has become apparent to the people that this administration is better at empty rhetoric than action. They therefore feel cheated; it’s for this reason that Mr Clay’s criticism is music to their ears and a total embarrassment for Kibaki government. If not checked the corruption will become a way of earning a living. Bribing in Kenya has become a habit which has over time made people lazy in following correct procedures, because after all problems can be solved by way of bribe and sometimes blunt thievery.

One form of corruption arises due to discrepancies of power between public officials who have control over a goods or services and the poor who lack education, knowledge, access to information, the financial resources as well as good connections. The poor are dependent on public officials which explain why they are hesitant to speak up about corruption cases.
Proper legal representation is something that poor just dream of because it is very costly. These people, cannot, therefore, sue persons who demand bribes from them. In worst cases a magistrate or a judge has to be bribed for ones case to see the light of day. In Kenya, justice has become a commodity sold to the highest bidder, much to the advantage of the rich and powerful who have virtually no limits imposed on their actions.

Corruption and poverty are linked through many indirect channels. On a macro level, corruption has implications for a country’s ability to attract investment, for the effectiveness of its institutions, for income generation through taxation and hence in the end for economic growth and poverty alleviation.

Kenyans have experience with many projects which due to corruption are left half finished or finished but lying in ruin due to lack of maintenance. This is because it is more lucrative to spend on new projects, thereby, leaving existing roads, hospitals and other public infrastructure to decay. Lack of precision in public expenditure planning can create opportunities for corruption and diversion of funds. At the same time, clearly allocated expenditures may never reach the intended recipients – a major source of deprivation to poor people. While this corruption hurts society in general it hurts the poor most since they are more vulnerable and dependent on the quality of governance and state support. That’s why the so called “new corruption” is on the lips of all Kenyans. It is what they want stumped out once and for all.

There are therefore various ways in which inequality and corruption interlink. It is for this very reason that Kenyans are asking Kibakis government to pull up its socks and clean up its act. The truth is that there is no single factor which has hurt Kenya more than corruption. Most Kenyans don’t even remember the names of individual government officials who embezzled money during presidents the past two regimes. But people still remember the two presidents and their kind of government. I’m sure that Kibaki would like to be remembered as the president who exterminated corruption or reduced it drastically and not who did nothing to stop the vice. If the obvious and cheap cover up continues, I’m afraid the wanainchi will revert to singing the song yote yawezekana bila Moi. Only this time they will mean that all including corruption is now possible without Moi.

By Ujiji Ujiji

From reform to tribalism

It is sometimes difficult to understand how proper logical reasoning escapes our politicians. Take the case of a former Justice and constitution minister who the other day rubbished the referendum win by the ODM. Claiming that the 43 percent the Banana Movement (BM) got was solid and should not be downplayed. I really have a problem with the argument because in a democratic country the majority vote is what counts. The losing team, whether it loses by one vote has no choice but to go by the wishes of the majority.

Just before the referendum, many of the chest thumpers in the BM were quoted as saying that they had won the” war”. But that was then, all Kenyans know now, is that most of these chest thumpers are still missing in action or could be prisoners of war. They could have been arrested and taken hostage by their own arrogance. Prior to he referendum current minister for agriculture was quoted saying, we beat them in Bomas, parliament and in the high court, we are going to beat them in the referendum. But that was before the tsunami swept them aside.

As the saying goes, the higher you go the harder you fall. Even with all the open “bribery” and use of state resources in campaigning for the draft BM could only manage 42% of the votes cast. They did win in only 25% of all the constituencies, majority of them in central province. At the national level they could only secure 1 out of the 8 provinces. The ODM trounced them by over one million votes. If this is not a thorough beating, then what is? The loss should not be underrated because if it were a general election, the president and most of his men would be out of office by now.

When it came to forming the new cabinet, the president consulted from one foot of Mt. Kenya to the other foot of the same mountain, and finally came up with an ethnically charged, Agikuyu leaning cabinet, side lining all those who propelled him to power. Apart from the fact that he has decided to abandon those who brought him to power, he has also divided Kenyans along ethnic lines like never before.

There has always been competition between tribes but never in our history have almost all tribes ganged up against one, nor has one tribe tried to openly and arrogantly sideline all others. This has resulted in the Kikuyu phobia that has always been subliminal to be dangerously overt. Kenyans had hoped that the president would distance himself from the likes of Hons. Koigi Wamwere, Michuki, Njenga Karume etc who reinforce the kikuyu prejudice by constantly and blindly defending one of “their own” even when “their own” is clearly offending the wanainchi. There is another group which he should have kept at bay, the likes of the power drunk Karaitu Murungi and Simeon Nyachae who are known for saying wrong things at the wrong time in wrong places.

Then enter the league of opportunists known for their stage drama and political stand up comedy e.g. David Mwenje, Kalembe Ndile, Mirugi Kariuki, Danson Mungatana and the flip flopping Mwangi Kiunjuri. The lot does not add value to our aspirations.

The way in which the president has defrauded his coalition partners only confirms what the president best friend, Njenga Karume once said of him; that he (Kibaki) is the most thankless person. Now that the cabinet is falling all over the place, his best move would have been to consult his coalition partners. But he will not do that because he is bent on defrauding them, the second best move would have been to call a snap election, but since he is schooled in the very same political school Mobutu, Banda, and Museveni went, that will never happen. The man who was supposed to save Kenya from corruption and tribalism has completely reinforced and further entrenched the above.

President Kibaki will go down in history as the leader who squandered the greatest opportunity to unite Kenyans and uproot corruption. Instead of fighting the Anglo-leasing and Goldenberg thieves, he has concentrated on destroying and uprooting the economic base of other tribes, by hindering them from participating in nation building. I am sure that the ordinary kikuyu on the street is not a party to what is happening at the state house. It’s only a clique that has turned the state house into a “kikuyu house”, the presidency to “kikuyu presidency” and the government into a “kikuyu government”. However, the divide and rule tactics and political banishing of yesteryear will not work in Kenya again. The political landscape has radically changed. Old men like Michuki and Karume are still of the belief that the tactics they applied during Kenyatta days could be applicable today. They are in for a major surprise for the tsunami is sweeping so hard and fast that those not on higher grounds will meet their political end sooner rather than later. Meanwhile the looting of state coffers will be on going, while Ringera and KACC will be calling stage-managed press conferences to announce how culprits will soon be behind bars, in the interim he will be earning two million shillings a month. The anti-corruption committee led by one Rev. Musyimi will be guzzling Kenyans hard-earned taxes as he prepares to wind up without having achieved anything. In the meantime, the anti Bomas draft constitution hardcore Martha Karua, just as her predecessor Karaitu Murungi, will be doing her best to throw the Bomas draft into the Indian Ocean and replace it with one of their own. Nevertheless, unless and until the government recognises that the constitution is not a government but the people’s project, it is more than doomed.

Kibaki will not loose out completely because the F-Kenya group will climb back into the cabinet within two weeks, afterall Hon. Musikari Kombo has been wanting on matters of principle. But if they do that, then Kenyans will for sure know whom Kibaki has all along been referring to as pumbavu. How would Kombo think that the president would make him a VP instead of Awori? Why is Kombo throwing tantrums, while all along ODM has been advising him to not to support a charlatan? Was F-Kenya not one of the parties cheated out of the MoU? Did Kombo not refuse to accept that fact? Did he not condemn LDP for crying foul? Is it not the same Kombo who thought that Kibaki would choose him as successor? The chicken seem to have come back home to roost.

How will Kenya get a constitution with a fence sitting president

Liberal Democratic Party chairman, Mr David Musila, a career administrator who served as provincial commissioner for over a decade, observes that a leader must strive to be his own man, lest everybody takes advantage of him. Kibaki " told us one thing and moments later his advisers prevailed upon him to communicate to us a totally different thing. This is quite unfortunate because they have subjected him to a big embarrassment by portraying him as an indecisive leader whose decisions are subject to approval by his juniors," says the Mwingi South MP. Sunday Nation, Jan 8 2006.

Comment: Fence sitting will be Kibakis undoing. Question: If there was no scheduled meeting why did Muthaura call Raila to cancel a non exsistent meeting.

Worse than a colonialist

"We supported you Mr Kibaki. You were injured. We fought in your absence thinking you were a reformer and a nationalist, but you are worse than a colonialist. We didn’t know you … now we know you," Najib Balala, The Standard Dec 18 2005.

Comment: It`s a good lesson on trust

I am Prepared to Die. Okong´o Arara, a true Hero

“I do not ask for leniency from this court for to do so is to recognize its right to judge me. I expect no mercy and ask for none, for if there is no mercy for millions of Kenyans, what will mercy for one individual serve?..Those apostles who have attempted to rescue justice have found themselves in detention, prison or exile….I am proud and happy to join the company of such illustrious sons and daughters of the land. The people of this nation are simply demanding their fundamental rights and freedoms. They are simply demanding their rights to a descent living, right to education, right to proper medical care, right to housing. In short right to be human beings. If that is sedition, so be it. These are the goals for which I have always fought, and for which I am prepared to die” The former Kenya Air Force officer Harris Okong'o Arara, answering to sedition charges before a magistrate, now a high court judge.

Comment: Nelson Mandela had the following to tell a judge in a Pretoria Supreme Court on, 20 April 1964

"Their struggle is a truly national one. It is a struggle of the African people, inspired by their own suffering and their own experience. It is a struggle for the right to live. During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die" .

Fidel castro said this in a court of law. "I know that imprisonment will be harder for me than it has ever been for anyone, filled with cowardly threats and hideous cruelty. But I do not fear prison, as I do not fear the fury of the miserable tyrant who took the lives of 70 of my comrades. Condemn me. It does not matter. History will absolve me."

Multi-party politics antagonistic and divisive

"I have sometimes been accused of being against democracy because I have said that the people’s involvement in governance must go beyond the ballot-box, and because I have expressed concern about the tendency of multi-party politics, especially on our continent, to become antagonistic and divisive, to foster a cynical kind of expediency which owes more to prospects of the next election than it does to the long-term interest of the people, and makes politics too dependent upon which group has more money.I am more concerned about the essence of democracy than about the outward forms of democracy. We must infuse those forms with the spirit of the people. They must own democracy, they must feel a part of it. That is the only way democracy can thrive on our soil. Let me also say that I believe that my concerns about partisan politics are valid". Jerry Rawlings, former president of Ghana, Witswatersrand University, South Africa, Sep. 2005