|
|
Post by job on Aug 15, 2009 0:35:35 GMT 3
IS A FAKE COLOUR REVOLUTION BEING COURTED IN KENYA By Job ObonyoI have great respect for whistle-blowing corruption watchdogs and various human rights organizations that have recently sprung up in Kenya. Some have recently burst into the mainstream with impressive zeal and vigor, questioning budgets, irregular procurements, extrajudicial killings and such. My only growing concern is the increasing influence of Western forces (& foreign diplomats) in setting agenda within SOME of these organizations. There seems to be exceedingly more donor input into agenda setting in the activities of certain NGOs and civil society entities. Their funding by foreign agencies seems primarily hinged on total submission of their respective rights to determine intrinsic missions and goals surrounding their activities. In other words, they have become local appendages of select foreign interests. Whilst we have excellent home-grown NGOs and civil society participants in Kenya, some entities that are overly praised by the West, get such accolades for very different reasons. By merely submitting themselves for use by Western expatriates, donors and diplomats, such bodies readily get resources poured into them. They may literally end up engaged in fueling fake colour revolutions on behalf of the West. (see definition of colour revolutions in my fifth post below). This is the subject of my concern and discussion.I recently viewed several video clips posted in a civic organization’s website (I’ll not name it) and noticed one peculiar pattern. Right before my eyes, I was seeing the exact words previously uttered by a powerful foreign diplomat being played out at the grassroots. I was seeing a colour theme, a non-violent theme, and a youth-led initiative, against the government.For the past year and a half, US Ambassador, Michael Ranneberger, has several times urged the Kenyan youth to mobilize ‘themselves’ and force the grand coalition government to bring reforms. Other political pretenders masquerading as minders of youth interests have lately added their not-too-veiled rejoinders. Fast forward to August 2009...and quickly following were these videos, on this website run by a contemporaneous non-governmental entity, depicting well organized and articulate youth at the grassroots, engaged in clearly targeted civic duties relating to promotion of voting awareness and civic participation in political discourse.  Youth activists teaching Non-Violent Resistance and how to (or not to) vote in ShinyaluI see them in coloured T-shirts, mostly black, with a foreign slogan/logo. Well resourced, well trained, and charmingly persuasive. Penetrating institutions of higher learning as well as rural grassroots with a non-violent message for change. Liberally embracing Obama's speeches. Well oiled Western funded grassroots penetration deep in Shinyalu(A small sidenote - while verbalizing political neutrality, it is noticeable that one of its key participants has entered the parliamentary race for a seat in an upcoming by-election.) In their well oiled activities, there is a very clear undertone to undermine the current grand coalition government and bring awareness about its failures to the populace.
Youth-led, donor funded grassroots activism against the grand coalition in Maua
No effort is made to dislose that both reform and anti-reform elements sit within the grand coalition, tussling in opposite directions for the right to steer the country forward. At the backdrop is a salient theme to associate two individuals, one Mwai Kibaki and another Raila Odinga, as the sole custodians of the GCG carcass - who specifically need rejection by Kenyans in the process of 'expected' change.  Resources being poured into the grassroots mobilization on behalf of the WestWho is charting this type of change that seeks to predetermine democratic choice for Kenyans? Is it the West? Is it an intrinsic and local grassroots phenomenon? Or is it a little bit of both? Glancing at recent opinion polls, it seems these Western-directed NGOs are at variance with the populace but nevertheless want to force their opinion on the masses. Polls show that a majority of Kenyans want to give the GCG some time to effect reforms, while these NGOs scream about resignation and fresh polls (even before we get a new constitution). Polls also show that Raila Odinga is overwhelmingly favoured to lead the country while the same NGOs keep blurting the trumpet sounds about Kibaki-and-Raila need to step down and allow change to happen. Very very clever and disenginuous! Trying to deny Kenyans their very right to choose in the name of democracy and change. While engaging in civic duty is a noble thing, it must never be an exercise of influence pushing. There are some NGOs currently bankrolled by the West that appear to be very keen to engage in suspicious civic duties that pretend to 'teach' people how to vote and how not to vote. Western-backed 'civic education' sessions which apparently aim at distorting party voting waves.In some of their video clips, they keep yapping about how grassroots voters are illiterate and need some little 'awareness'. UNDP cites that more than 75% of Kenyans have literacy levels adequate for comprehending voting materials. Many illiterate folks are often assisted at the polls with trained electoral body staff. These folks have a clear political conscience about what they want and majority have reasonable levels of literacy. People's voting must never be politically influenced by the civil society. We must be very careful to note that while Kenyans badly seek certain fundamental reforms, certain powerful foreign governments also need urgent reforms of quite a different nature from ours. They may be increasingly getting frustrated by the pace of reforms, but the West must not be allowed to force their prescribed agenda and speed upon Kenya. A recent poll showed 45% of Kenyans want the coalition government to resign and hold fresh elections while 54% want it to complete its term while ushering envisaged reforms. This must be discomforting news to them. One can’t fail to notice that the West is more anxious than the Kenyan public for different reasons. The tone and language of restlessness and frustration by several foreign diplomats (including those at the very top) is now commonplace. While all masterminds and participants of the 2008 post election violence should face justice, whether at the ICC or locally, the failure of the cabinet and parliament to chart a clear framework cannot be reduced solely into a Kibaki-and-Raila problem by sections of the civil society backed by the West – all who incidentally have watched the clear machinations of known suspects sitting in the same cabinet and parliament. Did anyone hear or see these 'revolutionary' NGOs organize protest marches demanding resignation of well known PEV masterminds who hold senior cabinet positions? Let us beware of fake revolutionaries. Even Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka once declared he was Kenya's foremost revolutionary. For full disclosure, I personally want genuine, people based reforms instituted in Kenya in the earliest possible time. But for heavens sake, let us get the right reforms in line with our needs, such as the beautiful proposals held in the Bomas draft constitution that also guarantee human and labour rights. Some Kenyan civil society actors claiming to be in the human rights front will soon find themselves in collision course with rights of labourers ( who happen to be human) - when they help entrench more Western liberal interests in our country. I don’t think the Rannebergers and such folks can steer Kenya towards any good reforms other than more liberalization of our poorly regulated economy that encourage human and labour exploitation – thus I will be very careful to ride the same ‘reform’ bus with those Ambassadors and their collaborators in the civil society. It seems these foreign interests don’t mind an openly concerted effort to mobilize a; youth-initiated, well-funded, grassroots-based, gender-inclusive movement, to stir rebellion against the grand coalition government led by Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga. In the videos I witnessed were classic signs of a Western-engineered insurrection, probably aimed (in the near future) at installing a more pliant neo-liberal government in power in Kenya. The idea is to tap into peoples’ anger and disillusionment with government, then prematurely misdirect them and plant a more Western-friendly puppet government.It is a plain fact that Western-manufactured revolutions have been surreptitiously triggered before in Serbia (the 5th October Overthrow), Georgia (the Rose Revolution), and Ukraine (the Orange Revolution), and have also been previously attempted with no success in Zimbabwe. The one common thing about all of them is their non-violent theme. Non-Violence is a fingerprint of all insurrections bred through Western pro-democracy institutions such as the Washington DC based, National Endowment for Democracy, the International Center on Non Violent Conflict and others. Incidentally, all those videos I watched depicting grassroots mobilization by the Kenyan youth, stress on Non-Violence, as a method of organization and mobilization – which is a good thing by the way. This idea of non-violence, spoken before by Ranneberger, did not just spring up from nowhere... there was first, a Non-Violent Conflict Training Workshop organized in Nairobi last year, when these ideas starting being peddled by local ambassadors and select civil society players. The local NGO forum proudly displays on its website as their logo/slogan (also appearing on conspicuous T-Shirts worn by their youth organizers), in foreign writing, the specific non-violent theme of the Western-engineered civilian coup in Serbia. The word in Serbian is translated to Non-Violent or Peaceful Resistance.The big question is - are sections within the civil society working with the West, to trigger a choreographed (but christened ‘spontaneous’), non-violent, grassroots-organized eruption of popular anger against the grand coalition government? Who knows!We need to interrogate the rationale held by our Kenyan brothers and sisters, the so called non-violence, pro-democracy activists who cheer on, and contribute to the organizing of fake color revolutions and popular coups that may only end up bringing more misery. Let’s remember that fake revolutions inspired and funded by the West can often undermine truly popular home-grown revolutions. We need to re-read Onyango Oloo's ideas (in the respective thread) about a truly popular United Democratic Front comprising the youth, women, workers (& labour union), farmers, peasants, disabled folks and all other groups in Kenya.
|
|
|
|
Post by politicalmaniac on Aug 15, 2009 0:43:52 GMT 3
Job
Can you post the youtube links?
I dont get the full picture yet, of what it is you are yapping ;D ;D ;D about
|
|
|
|
Post by tiskie on Aug 15, 2009 0:59:27 GMT 3
JOB
Ironically I hear they claim that the message is from Obama "labeled Grass root youth movement -which is a lie.. Obama in all his messages to Africa and Kenya ask people to hold government accountable - not to stage coups ..
Kenyans are very wake -unless they use mungiki or other gangs to disrupt the coalition then I don't believe the educated and knowledgeable youth can be bribed easily to bring more bloodshed in Kenya...
that is why I don't understand this lot?? what are they trying to do?
|
|
|
|
Post by job on Aug 15, 2009 1:11:30 GMT 3
Check your in-box for details. I can't infringe their rights like that by extracting their clips and transferring them here.
|
|
|
|
Post by Onyango Oloo on Aug 15, 2009 12:47:56 GMT 3
|
|
|
|
Post by politicalmaniac on Aug 15, 2009 20:41:03 GMT 3
Check your in-box for details. I can't infringe their rights like that by extracting their clips and transferring them here. Asante and I did! |
|
|
|
Post by job on Aug 15, 2009 23:55:26 GMT 3
OO,
Thanks.
|
|
|
|
Post by job on Aug 15, 2009 23:56:00 GMT 3
Check your in-box for details. I can't infringe their rights like that by extracting their clips and transferring them here. Asante and I did! Thanks. |
|
|
|
Post by job on Aug 16, 2009 1:14:00 GMT 3
Have you recently met or seen a youth activist in your village or town street, wearing a black T-shirt with the emblem OTNOP (phonetically pronounced OTPOR),- which means ‘Non Violent Resistance’ in Serbian - engaging grassroots folks on civic duty?
OTNOP-adorning Revolutionary Activists in Training at KICC
Have you heard or watched their videos 'teaching' voters not to vote for party waves, in three-piece fashion, or for money? Lets find out where they came from and educate ourselves about colour revolutions. From Wikipedia and Webster @ 2009.What are colour revolutions?
Colour revolution is a term used to describe Western-funded grassroots movements that developed in several societies in the former Soviet Union and Balkan states during the early 2000s.
The overall goal of the movements is often a popular and non-violent civilian uprising resulting in regime change or government overthrow.
Some observers have argued that while disguised as local popular uprising colour revolutions are external machinations, mostly American inspired by capitalist and liberal special interest groups and think tanks.
American interests have been noted to greatly benefit from new regimes formed in the aftermath of colour revolutions in former Soviet states.
Participants in colour revolutions have mostly used nonviolent resistance to protest against governments seen as corrupt and/or authoritarian, and to advocate democracy.
These movements all adopted a specific colour or flower as their symbol. (think about the black T-shirts and a black revolution)
The colour revolutions are notable for the important role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and particularly student activists in organising creative nonviolent resistance. 
So far these movements have been successful in Serbia (especially Serbia's Bulldozer Revolution of 2000), in Georgia's Rose Revolution (2003), in Ukraine's Orange Revolution (2004), and (though more violent than the previous ones) in Kyrgyzstan's Tulip Revolution (2005).
Involvement of outside forces
Many analysts believe the Ukranian Orange Revolution was American inspired and built on a pattern first developed in the ousting of Slobodan Miloševiæ in Serbia four years earlier, and continuing with the Rose Revolution in Georgia.
Each of these victories, though apparently spontaneous, was the result of well funded and extensive grassroots campaigning coupled with coalition-building among the opposition that was waiting to govern.
Each of these social movements included extensive work by Western-trained student activists.
The most famous student activist movement of all these was Otpor, the youth movement that helped bring in Vojislav Koštunica. ( :owait a minute - I've seen this OTNOP (OTPOR) logo on T-shirts worn by Kenyan Vijanas)
OTNOP-adorning 'black revolutionaries'
at Masinde Muliro University unwittingly
soldiering for 'change' to benefit hidden
Western capitalist and liberal interests
In Georgia the student movement was called Kmara. In Ukraine the movement has worked under the succinct slogan Pora ("It's Time").
Chair of Georgian Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security Givi Targamadze, former member of the Georgian Liberty Institute, as well as some members of Kmara, were consulted by Ukrainian opposition leaders on techniques of nonviolent struggle.
Georgian rock bands Zumba, Soft Eject and Green Room, which earlier had supported the Rose Revolution, organized a solidarity concert in central Kiev to support Yushchenko’s cause in November 2004 in anticipation of the Orange revolution.
Activists in each of these movements were funded and trained in tactics of political organization and nonviolent resistance by a coalition of Western pollsters and professional consultants funded by a range of Western government and non-government agencies. [/color] According to The Guardian, these include the U.S. State Department and USAID along with the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, the International Republican Institute, the Bilderberg Group, the NGO Freedom House and George Soros's Open Society Institute.
The National Endowment for Democracy, a foundation supported by the U.S. government, has supported non-governmental democracy-building efforts in Ukraine since 1988.Writings on nonviolent struggle by Gene Sharp formed the strategic basis of the student campaigns. Use of youth and student movements:The first active student movement in a colour revolution was Otpor ("Resistance") in Serbia, which was founded at Belgrade University in October 1998 and began protesting against Miloševic' during the Kosovo War. Many of its members were arrested or beaten by the police. ( i think the Kenyan OTPOR founders (black revolution in waiting) have also been beaten and toured cells)Despite this, during the presidential campaign in September 2000, Otpor launched its "Gotov je" (He's finished) campaign that galvanised Serbian discontent with Miloševic' and resulted in his defeat.Members of Otpor have inspired and trained members of related student movements including Kmara in Georgia, Pora in Ukraine, Zubr in Belarus and MJAFT! in Albania. These groups have been explicit and scrupulous in their practice of non-violent resistance as advocated and explained in Gene Sharp's writings. The massive protests that they have organised, which were essential to the successes in Serbia, Georgia and Ukraine, have been notable for their colourfulness and use of ridiculing humor in opposing authoritarian regimes. [/blockquote] Enough said!!!!! but I must add this - Western funders/donors of colour revolutions have never thought of organizing one at home (in their own countries of the West).
|
|
|
|
Post by politicalmaniac on Aug 16, 2009 5:33:22 GMT 3
Enough said!!!!! but I must add this - Western funders/donors of colour revolutions have never thought of organizing one at home (in their own countries of the West). I guess it depends on the agenda and who you would define as "western funders" In the US there are many of such groups who masquerade as think tanks, to hide their real purpose. Dick armey the former majority GOP whip resigned from one just two days ago after it was revealed that he was also behind the "tea baggers" who are "angry" at the Health care reform agenda. Also cant OFA, the child borne from Pres Obama's Presidential campaign organization can be considered as an organizing body? It has an agenda and its quite striking in revolutionary terms of changing how the Govt functions. How about in France, JM Le Pen fascist movement/party? Or UKs BNP? These guys are hell bent on "Revolution" BTW Job, can we apply the term "astroturf" to these guys? They arent real grass root popular movements but fake grass - astroturf! ;D ;D |
|
|
|
Post by Onyango Oloo on Aug 16, 2009 12:49:19 GMT 3
|
|
|
|
Post by job on Aug 16, 2009 23:26:02 GMT 3
Oloo,
Exactly! Your earlier observations about the imperialist take-over of our civil society, is happening right before our eyes. It was happening then (2005) and is today on top gear.
Some NGOs have been created or older ones apparently hijacked by neo-imperialists – this time to specifically penetrate the youth and grassroots, in a clear and concerted bid to catalyze regime change via a fake revolution. We have seen this before in the former Soviet states, and it's experimentation in Kenya is playing out right now.
In this type of operation, as we’ve witnessed before in Serbia, Ukraine and Georgia, there’s always also a coordinated link with certain political figures in the ‘waiting’ opposition.
In Kenya’s grand coalition arrangement, there is no opposition from where to wait.
Political collaborators granting future access to Kenya's largess would either have to be fished from within the coalition government, or from among those who bolt out via resignation.
Haven't we seen some recent resignations and such. It seems there’s a lot of jostling and competition for that role of local collaborator.
So far, Martha Karua has bolted out and embarked on a mission to bash the GCG principals Kibaki and Raila.
She’s made a publicized trip to the US alongside Paul Muite, and made a presentation at Washington DC’s think-tank, the Center for Strategic International Studies (CSIS).
At that forum titled ‘Is Political Reform Possible in Kenya?’, the self declared presidential candidate for 2012, Karua, and Paul Muite declared that BOTH Kibaki and Raila CANNOT usher the reforms needed by Kenyans.
This is supposed to be the new gospel to be followed by Kenyans as per wakina Karua. It is the deceitful gospel about reducing Kenya's enormous problems to two individuals. Pure reductionism and balderdash!
Prof. Makau Mutua who was listed as one of the panelists on that same CSIS Washington discussion, just this week penned an Op-ed in the Nation newspaper, rehashing that same theme which is now the sound-bite by many in the civil-society.
It is a growing chorus about the need for Kibaki-and-Raila to go home leaving SOME conspicuous civil society actors propped and funded by imperialist interests, colluding with the rest of the recycled Kenyatta-Moi-Kibaki wolves like the Karuas and Kalonzos in-charge of reforms.
Then comes the wealthy old elite of the Kibaki regime who participated in the frenzy of neo-imperialist and irregular privatization that pried open our state parastatals to foreigners during the NARC term.
They have accumulated vast amounts of capital guarded by Kibaki’s state and are now trying to reinvent themselves as ‘youth’ through Jimmy Kibaki’s Simama Kenya! This mafia of heartless crony-capitalists is quite audacious.
All these things are going on and the Kenyan youth (majority unemployed and landless) have little option but tag along the deceitful and treacherous paths charted by the two groups (on one hand, the imperial West and their OTNOPs, on the other hand, the rich local mafia and their Simama Kenyas).
The rest of hopeless youth enter criminal extortionist enterprises like Mungiki – a very, very sad state of affairs. Sharks and hyenas are jostling for control of our poor youth in sham operations (remote-controlled from a distance) that will never benefit the youth themselves.
Long gone are the days when authentic, original youth organization and student activism was spontaneous and fierce – such as the SONU days of the Mwandawiros and Adungosis and several others even here in JUKWAA.
No NGO or political fat cat needed to inspire these young folks to organize themselves and demand justice, democracy and government accountability. What has since happened?
Some of these things can't be manufactured or out-sourced. Clever folks are even trying to PRIVATIZE citizens anger for their own profit & benefit. Greed in this world is assuming interesting dimensions.
Everything about contemporary Kenyan youth movements seems fake, and is remote controlled either from the West or by local political barons. If not, you can bet it is criminal.
Everything about current workers/trade unions in Kenya looks fake – fighting not for the worker, but for the interests of the West and local political barons. Same with women groups – a lot are essentially cash-cow NGOs promoting Western imperial interests.
In the process, Kenyan resources and wealth and freedoms are being concentrated into few hands in the political high-table and the West, while millions of wananchi wallow in abject poverty.
Massive authentic reinvigoration and organization is required among the youth, workers, women, farmers, disabled folks, peasants. Another massive organization is needed to bring them together in the United Democratic Front Oloo discusses.
|
|
|
|
Post by politicalmaniac on Aug 17, 2009 0:58:02 GMT 3
Oloo,This is supposed to be the new gospel to be followed by Kenyans as per wakina Karua. It is the deceitful gospel about reducing Kenya's enormous problems to two individuals. Pure reductionism and balderdash!
It is a growing chorus about the need for Kibaki-and-Raila to go home leaving SOME conspicuous civil society actors propped and funded by imperialist interests, colluding with the rest of the recycled Kenyatta-Moi-Kibaki wolves like the Karuas and Kalonzos in-charge of reforms.
And that must be resisted at all costs, this idea that R is the sloths moral and political equivalent, and since the apeman from othaya has so really goofed, R too by deduction is guilty and must go, for a new "fresh beginning" to happen in Kenya. R is here to stay, and so long as he is healthy, and willing, he cant be ignored. It just too bad he ain't that cheap for these nefarious fellows to buy and use for their own selfish ends. Each and every time the US has meddled in a country's affairs, that country has burned down. Why wont we learn from history! |
|
|
|
Post by job on Aug 17, 2009 3:57:12 GMT 3
Each and every time the US has meddled in a country's affairs, that country has burned down. Why wont we learn from history! Given that this is a show aired for the US audience, (as opposed to the international audience), it carries a lot of weight and significance that Zakaria was introducing a Kenyan leader to the US domestic audience - just as he did a few weeks ago with Rwanda's President Paul Kagame.Zakaria is one of Washington's top most think-tanks and foreign policy shapers. Even Secretary of States like Powell, Rice and now Hillary Clinton often consult him. He sits in top foreign policy think-tanks ranging from the Council on Foreign Relations (CFC) to more elitist and secretive entities like the Bilderberg Group. That's besides being the managing editor of Newsweek magazine and having this CNN show as part of an influential profile. I listened through the interview with Zakaria and quickly concluded that it was not a mere public relations intro of Kenya's PM to the Americans. In fact, the theme of his airing can be simply traced at Zakaria's website at cnn.com/gps. The title of the recorded podcast (which you can listen, for the actual interview) is: HAS THE KENYAN PRIME MINISTER SOLD OUT? The important question to distinguish is - sold out on who? I need not expound the obvious liberal interests of the US thirsting restlessly on the sidelines for a quick take-over of Kenya as a client state, a feat long held by British imperial interests since the colonial days.In the interview, Zakaria challenges Raila on his terse statement to US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton to the effect - 'we do not need lectures on governance from outsiders'- even reminding him how he (Raila) screamed urgently for external help in his days as a dissident and political prisoner. Of course Raila stood his ground and asked that when dealing with Africa, the US needs to talk more about trade and wealth creation instead of issuing orders on governance.On democracy, Raila stated that Kenya (& Africa) was working to improve democracy, not so as to placate anyone, but purely for themselves and reminded Zakaria that Africans have paid a heavy price in that quest. I found it interesting that Raila was quite forceful even declaring that what Kenya needs was partnership and not patronage or 'being lectured to like students'.I quickly connected this general theme with constant words from the US viceroy in Kenya, Mr. Ranneberger about 'the principals not doing enough to push reforms' yet he knows exactly what Ruto and Uhuru have been doing to sabotage the STK process, and what Kibaki has singularly been doing to prevent the replacement of Ali, Gicheru, Wako and Ringera.Why can't Ranneberger directly call out on Ruto, Uhuru for bribing sections of parliament to stall certain reforms (STK) and also call out on Kibaki directly for sabotaging institutional reforms in police AG chambers, KACC and judiciary? Folks can see through these frequent generalizations and moral equivalency skunk being thrown collectively at the Prime Minister and President. All these fall very much in line with US Asst. Secretary of State (for Africa), Johnny carson's lamentation about 'what happened to the Raila of the multiparty struggle?' and Karua's - 'Raila and Kibaki have failed and need to resign'. Is this not about America's search for suitable client facilitators. It must have been Raila's bombastic declaration to Zakaria, quoting directly 'Kenya is not a Client State of any government' that must have triggered CNN's Zakaria to edit the headline he now posts on his website- Has the Prime Minister of Kenya Sold Out?Ok, at least now we can confirm the war is about client states and supposedly assumed local facilitators. Since it is now an open secret that some people are refusing to play nefarious roles on behalf of US imperial interests aka 'not enough is being done on reforms ' - we need to be vigilant to pick out Ranneberger's local preferences within Kenya's politic-bureau who can 'bring reforms Ranneberger wants'. You will have to look at the US-funded civil society to smell the direction of bait-steak being roasted.When the PM reminded Zakaria and the CNN audience in America that even the US democracy was not perfect as demonstrated by the 2000 Florida debacle, and asked why Hillary was speaking different tunes on democracy whenever she was in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt and switching to different standards when coming to Kenya, I knew the die was cast. Raila charged that the US speaks different languages on human rights and democracy. He bragged to Zakaria that he (Raila)spoke the same language on human rights whether addressing Kibaki, Mugabe, or speaking on the Darfur issue and other abuses in Africa. But it was his ending pronouncement that he was a Pan-Africanist who believes in the ability of African people to develop Africa that must have shocked Americans who are firm believers of super-power clientilism. Interesting times... |
|
|
|
Post by tiskie on Aug 17, 2009 6:46:48 GMT 3
But it was his ending pronouncement that he was a Pan-Africanist who believes in the ability of African people to develop Africa that must have shocked Americans who are firm believers of super-power clientilism. Job I thought Raila was just repeating what USA Presi "Obama said in his speeches? It is up to Kenyans themselves to bring change to Kenya and in Ghana Obama added that Africans themselves must bring change to African ....mmm without US interference from the New Obama adminstration.. not forgetting "Bush" congratulated Kibaki even when he knew that he had rigged himself back in power.. Raila gave Fareed the example of Florida elections because even the American know that Bush lost in Florida!! but went on to take office using technicalities just summing it up lightly e..t.c.. As for Democracy in the Arab world i.e Jordon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt e.t.c "none existent" that was a good point Raila made.. why preach and lecture Africa on Democracy and Rule of Law when you turn around and laugh and shake hands with the Middle-east leaders who have no idea about democracy and can't even utter the word in their vocabulary? Raila in my Opinion in this interview he was right on the mark.. I may disagree on some of his political stands... all politicians have their ups and downs but on the interview with Fareed Zakaria.. he said it as is..... |
|
|
|
Post by kamalet on Aug 17, 2009 8:36:16 GMT 3
Being one that has had issues with activists, this is an interesting thread.
My abhorrence of activists is premised on the fact that they are normally not driven by any cause pro-human, but just the money! Look at this movement Job writes so well about. The fact that it is finding its way to the youth in our universities is testament that the local people promoting them do it for nothing but money. The ideology is always secondary!
|
|
|
|
Post by politicalmaniac on Aug 17, 2009 18:54:52 GMT 3
JOb
I did not see Farids peice with R
But I need not see it as you have summarized it eloquently.
Indeed R is in a tough place. He is shackled to an ignoramus thug apeman thief scoundrel and cast as a 'principle partner'. This is all malarkey. For we know and the Panuistas wont stop reminding us that R is but a spanner boy. The notion that R is the moral and political equivalent of the othayian must be countered with all the energy we can muster!
We all know this inept fat sloth is on his last legs, and is on his way out so now they want R tethered to him on his way out so that they can manipulate the levers of power as they see fit.
INDEED R IS NOT A LAME DUCK!
On the other hand R is a true gentleman and patriot and he wont allow the reputation of the country to be besmirched just like that. So he has to defend Kenya and Africa against the broadsides delivered by kina Farid, rhetorical stuff always mouthed by the west. And as he does that, safe guardS our reputation, he also INADVERTENTLY goes to bat for the sloth apeman from othaya, a known mamluki sponsor and abetter!.
This drum beat that is now faintly emerging, that is trying to cast aside R, tether him to the sloth as a man living past his sell by date, is a conspiracy we have to guard against. Let the sloth apeman from othaya nyeri carry his cross. Let the voters choose whom they want. If R is healthy and willing he should run. But to fall prey to these fake grass root movements funded by the West who want to determine out future is just wrong. We should expose and fight them - these fake grass rooters the Astro turfers!.
|
|
|
|
Post by tnk on Aug 17, 2009 23:08:37 GMT 3
|
|
|
|
Post by job on Aug 18, 2009 6:45:59 GMT 3
Politicalmaniac,
You aptly refer to this as an astroturf operation - how accurate, how appropriate. Just check out how @ Wikipedia describes the term.
This rent-a-youth-crowd operation MUST be checked in time. My evaluation is that it is aimed at tilting and influencing voting patterns to end 3-piece and party wave voting habits.
In Shinyalu where they're camped at the moment, they're silently trying to end ODM's dominance in the region.
Even if they fail - this is what they're surreptitiously attempting to do. There is no need to sugarcoat the motive - it is clear.
In Bomachoge, they're officially and openly sponsoring a candidate Cyprian Nyamwamu under Paul Muite's party Safina. Make no mistake, Muite is working with the OTNOP fellows.
Muite and Karua are now frequent guests in the US - they were recently hosted at CSIS (Washington DC) where they were singing the gospel of 'reforms cannot be delivered by Kibaki and Raila'.
Today Karua is saying in New Jersey that Raila, Moi and Kibaki are birds of the status-quo feathers, while she is the real reformer.
I mean this is the Karua who accosted Kivuitu to release rigged results & election certificate with eyeballs popping off their sockets at KICC,... then later ping-pong-ed the same occular balls at Kofi Annan in Serena, to produce a lopsided NARA.
But then oops...when Kibaki told her 'wewe wacha mambo mengi' and appointed Uhuru Kenyatta as Deputy PM, she started throwing tantrums before resigning into this reborn mode.
Well, Kenya has already tasted her kind of reforms. She can keep them to herself. By the way - why didn't she deliver reforms as Kibaki's Justice Minister?
|
|
|
|
Post by Onyango Oloo on Aug 18, 2009 18:34:05 GMT 3
NduguPerhaps you could help me by sharing this link: FAQs: www.marsgroupkenya.org/partnershipforchange/faqs.php which perhaps constitute some form of explanation of what's being done and why - for whom although as yet not by whom.
"We reffirm our right to continue doing what we are doing despite people's perceptions."
|
|
|
|
Post by politicalmaniac on Aug 18, 2009 19:18:24 GMT 3
Well, Kenya has already tasted her kind of reforms. She can keep them to herself. By the way - why didn't she deliver reforms as Kibaki's Justice Minister? I asked the same question in the other thread devoted to specifically discussing her idiocy. When its time to campaign the question will be asked in a simple manner, no rherocal flourishes will be needed to sharpen its focus. martha WHAT DID YOU DO as minister for injustice? Whats your record! R is busy building a working resume, in a very difficult enviroment, tackling very complex and sensitive issues and taking flack or praise. He will match his record against hers and kina judas empty suit KM, and the mungiki thug jomo 'born with a silver spoon in my mouth' jnr. R has to keep doing what he is doing, multi task, delegate let his able lieutenants, let them speak for him when needed, act for him when needed. And he ought to let everyone know where he stands, and not shy away from an issue, however controversial once he has wieghed the pros and cons. The grassroot model of what made Pres Obama suceed is not easy to replicate. Each and every political movement has its own organic origins determined by the unique political climate. Let kina martha and paul do what they think they need to do, but as far as I am concerned, they are just feeding hungry mouths willing to be rented for now, but who will caste their votes with THEIR interests in mind come election time. |
|
|
|
Post by job on Oct 7, 2009 2:51:25 GMT 3
error
|
|
|
|
Post by job on Oct 7, 2009 3:17:21 GMT 3
FOLKS,In response to JUKWAA's Phil's posting in a seperate thread on Agenda 4 ScoreCard and Alfred Mutua's 90% pass rate - where Phil called out on Mwalimu Mati (of Mar Group and Partnership for Change) for peddling the moribund theory of moral equivalence via joint Kibaki-Raila blame game for stalling reforms - I will give a rejoinder in this thread (for relevance).  Mwalimu Mati's P4C joint-blame sharing
and premature and suspect call for
elections before constitution reformsThis is not about Mutua's assignment of 90% A grade on the grand coalition's reform record.  Mutua and 'boss' Muthaura.This post is specifically in relation to Mati's Mars Group rebutal to Mutua. That Mars rebutal is equally loaded with a lot of mischief and joint-blame generalizations. This joint-blame game narrative is a deceptive phenomenon actually tied with some donor funded NGOs. Let us first acknowledge that the civil society is a very wide and complex arena comprising varied and vested interests, diverse political and ideological leanings, and often intriguing and confusing schisms. Mwalimu Mati is no Wanyiri Kihoro and vice-versa. Mars Group is no Bunge La Mwananchi. Similarly, the motivations propelling Okiya Omtatah’s activism are probably not those inspiring Makau Mutua for instance. Since Mwalimu Mati is now pretty much a public figure, (involved in a lot of public discourse on governance and whistle-blowing), I think it's fair to scrutinize and debate some of his actions (especially those with huge political implications). To me, Mwalimu Mati is a fine and decent man who has lately evolved (from his days at TI) into a more proactive cheerleader of USAID’S ‘effective advocacy and accountability monitoring’ policies at Mars Group. In my as sessment, notwithstanding his exemplary and detail-oriented scrutiny of the budget, Mati’s political acumen is questionable (just my opinion). Today, Mati may be overtly displaying political flaws not seen in his friend, the pioneer whistle-blower and other USAID-foot-soldier, John Githongo.  John Githongo and Michele Wrong in LondonWhile Githongo has probably learnt from past mistakes and has so far maintained a fairly politically-neutral perception in the eyes of the public, Mati is slowly emerging as a little more cantankerous and liberal when it comes to delving into partisan politics. The perception of political impartiality is a very important asset to possess in this field of whistle-blowing, and governance monitoring. Mati may have underestimated the ability of his countrymen and women to detect even the slightest whiff of both externally-inspired whistle-blowing, and ambition-driven political activism. Wananchi have probably noticed both traits in Mati’s otherwise popular efforts. If I was to talk to Mati I would candidly tell him this. It is one thing to make a whistle-blowing career in donor supported agencies like TI or Mars Group, but as soon as you nose-dive into politics, you come with baggage, bearing the donor-tag on your forehead, essentially having a big cloud of client-imperialist-agent hanging over your head. Also, the naïve assumption that joint-bashing of Kibaki and Raila passes for political neutrality, is as politically dishonest as it is myopic. To ordinary folks, it either reflects disingenuous posturing or plain deception, period! I’ll revisit this later.Like another preceding tragedy, yet another of USAID’s earlier ‘good governance’ recruits, Makau Mutua, was disgraced through sheer political ineptitude and blind partisanship (bordering on tribalism) – which he publicly displayed through his numerous Op-eds. Mutua is today bereft of national credibility. Furthermore, Mutua and his likes have made it necessary to raise important questions about tribalism, political partisanship, and cronyism, helping to illuminate the paradox of crony-driven recruitment practices within the very donor-supported watchdogs, meant to fight cronyism and corruption in the first place. Just look at the network of donor supported governance watchdogs (NGOs) led by these people and you will see a pattern of tribalism, political partisanship, nepotism, cronyism and exclusion.Looking at the record of many of these recipients of strings-attached-USAID-funding, one doesn’t really get inspired. For those who have worked in and outside donor agencies at policy level, it is easy to discern the thin line between imperial foot-soldiering and benevolent patriotism that Mwalimu Mati (and his predecessors) have been attempting to walk. Donors will push you to implement their anti-corruption interventions (many which turn a blind eye on the supply side of it) and the more vocal you get, the more pressure will be applied to push you even outside the line of genuine patriotism. It then becomes easy to undertake political hatchet jobs on behalf of external forces. One may find themselves held hostage to external clientilist interests, while simultaneously immersed in the local political arena. Mati could be slowly heading towards this direction. Foreign interests love to scout articulate and vocal agents like Mati who are also able to generate great public interest (via his whistle-blowing). Mati is now venturing into partisan politics probably due to a desire towards the often lucrative servitude of external interests. Githongo has so far resisted the temptation and pressure to OPENLY meddle into partisan politics. I suspect however, that Githongo is subtly supportive of Mati’s politics of joint Kibaki-Raila-bashing, but safely behind veils. When Mwalimu Mati and his affiliated Partnership for Change (P4C) strayed into imperial experiments in foreign-inspired grassroots mobilization, culminating in the last parliamentary by-elections, he had essentially entered into partisan politics. The botched black-T-shirt youth experiment (OTNOP) which may have projected to hit Kenya’s political arena with a storm, was recently given local shock-therapy at Shinyalu and Bomachoge. That black-eye on P4C, and by extension, Mwalimu Mati, robbed the latter significant credibility-capital and inducted him into partisan politics. Mwalimu Mati is now already identified as a political competitor of both PNU and ODM. P4C’s open sponsorship for a parliamentary candidate under Paul Muites’s SAFINA party is as clear as political partisanship gets. Sour grapes or not, after the recent by-elections, Mwalimu Mati essentially crossed the line of political neutrality, and cannot henceforth claim to be impartial whenever he criticizes his political competitors inside the grand coalition. Mati now possesses active, hands-on and highly vested political interests, just as other PNU-and-ODM competitors like Paul Muite (SAFINA) or Martha Karua (NARC-K). USAID-funded Mars Group and P4C may be holding the assumption that they are creating a credible, effective and broad-based advocacy network for the near future, but many people now see a; non-indigenous, foreign-inspired, youth-based, partisan, and dead-end political mobilization attempt. Besides, I am seeing Mati turning into another Makau Mutua, right before my eyes. Despite a distinguished streak of meticulous whistle-blowing record, Mati may end up being dismissed as a political partisan and eager USAID rent-seeker. If only he would completely keep off political campaigns, if only he was as meticulous and truthful in pin-pointing blame within the grand coalition, his credibility and national standing would remain unblemished. But as soon as he enters the Muite, Mutua, Karua school of political acrobatics, irrational exuberance, and blatant deception - of the Kibaki-and-Raila-are-the-same-thing variety - he is gone with the winds. Kenyans fully understand that the de facto grand coalition is essentially a de jure PNU government, with the power-sharing arrangement skewed to retain within the presidency all financial & resource allocation, and security apparatuses of the country. Many Kenyans can in fact accurately pin-point which individuals inside the grand coalition are blocking reforms. They don’t buy into the mischievous joint-blame game. They also see governance efforts by each individual in the grand coalition. That is why when recently polled nationally (as per Gallup’s latest poll, June, 2009), respective rates of job approval for the President (Mwai Kibaki) stands at 63%, while the Prime Minister’s (Raila Odinga) is 85%. People should stop underestimating the intelligence and honesty of Kenyans. Wananchi will exactly know when one Mwalimu Mati, capitalizing on his past distinguished whistle-blowing record, attempts to bend the truth and hide in generalizations, just to suit narrow political whims guised behind ‘anti-corruption monitoring’. Mati should not let USAID, in collaboration with other donors, e.g., DFID, the World Bank, and others, dictate to him their own assessments about ‘political will’ and risks of supply-side interventions in the grand coalition. He should instead make his own honest, independent assessment and report the truth to them. While it is hard to predict political will to fight corruption before one actually gets an opportunity to hold high office, it is both dangerous to mislead or guarantee to donors that a particular politician either has such will, or lacks such will, to fight corruption. Mars Group has joined the chorus (of sections within the civil society and Muite and Karua’s political arena) telling donors that Raila does not have the political will to fight corruption. This seems to be the new mission of an exclusive donor-heavy section of the civil society today.When you put too much premium and faith in whistle-blowers and watchdogs for leadership, you could sometimes pay a price. Githongo’s story lays this premise and notion as bare as it can possibly be. Githongo naively misadvised USAID and other donors in 2002/3 about Kibaki’s ‘abundant’ political will to fight corruption by tabling the evidence of Kibaki’s accent to create the now -disbanded Department of Government Ethics (DGE) at State House – which was to ‘advise and assist the President on the development, implementation, and monitoring of anti-corruption strategies’.
USAID quickly poured money through ACI into Githongo’s State House office, alongside Philip Murgor’s then DPP office, and Mwalimu Mati’s then office at TI. More USAID funding was poured into the office of another of Githongo’s friend – at Kiraitu Murungi’s then office at Justice & Constitutional Affairs Ministry – via the Governance, Justice, Law and Order Sector (GJLOS) Reform Programme, some more USAID funding ending up into another office created by and for another of their friends – Aaron Ringera, at KACC. What did all that Githongo advice and advocacy result in? It led to; Ango-Leasing, grand corruption, lack of transparency, zero accountability, Kiraitu’s plea to the anti-corruption Czar to ‘ngo srow’, and death threats to Githongo himself, conveyed by none other than Justice Aaron Ringera. USAID’s allocated funds via ACI all went up in smoke and within no time, Githongo was in exile in the UK, Murgor kicked out of DPP, and Mati kicked out of TI. It is only after that fiasco that USAID then decided to reallocate funding somewhere else; some place where (predictably) many of our current whistle-blowers (including Mati) also headed - a reserved and exclusive members-only corner within the civil society - where a sophisticated class of dollar-loving, travel-happy, media-savvy activists with rent-seeking experience now reside. In official books, USAID claims to have reallocated their funds to ‘legislative and civil society capacity-building effort focused on strengthening collaboration between civil society organizations and the Kenyan legislature’. Mati is still a recipient of USAID funding at Mars Group and actually ‘collaborates with the legislature’ just as requested by the tune-caller. Mars group collaborates with Imanyara and possibly Karua in the legislature. In the same vein, Makau Mutua and SUNY Kenya-project are USAID partners in ‘providing technical and analytical support to strengthen legislative driven reforms’. You see, it is a kind of sophisticated activism very different from Okiya Omtatah’s one-chained-man marches to police stations. It is arm-chair based, well rewarded in ‘consultation’ dollars, and based in leafy Nairobi suburbs. It also prepares some for near-future careers in politics. And, very clearly evident today – it provides a platform through which members of this exclusive club, sell to donors which national politicians either have or lack ‘political will’ for reforms. A fair reflection of their gross political acumen and direct grassroots connectivity is well depicted in the respective performances of their sponsored candidates at the recent Shinyalu and Bomachoge by-elections. The big question is – judging from Githongo’s own experience, can Kenya outsource its national leadership and agenda setting to this small, exclusive and sophisticated class within the civil society? I will let Mwalimu Mati, John Githongo, Makau Mutua do what they do best – whistle-blowing - but I will never ever look up to them for political leadership or national agenda setting! History has taught us what their prescriptions can harvest.
|
|
|
|
Post by phil on Oct 7, 2009 15:27:43 GMT 3
Thanks for the insights JOB.
MARS GROUP might not win the nobel price just yet but their CEO Mwalimu Mati could well emerge the hands-down winner of the award for hypocrite of the year if he carries on coming out with the sort of commentaries he keeps making. They are just to generalized and lopsided.
Apparently, it is alright for MARS to whistle-blow on government shortcomings, but it is not even mentioned who MARS and the rest of the civil society are answerable to!
Now that Mwalimu is exposed his hand in partisan politics, ODM and the rest of political parties should deal with MARS politically. Let MARS call their campaign rallies and street demonstrations, and let ODM also carry on with its own.
It is a contest I await with much anticipation
|
|
|
|
Post by job on Dec 13, 2010 18:12:26 GMT 3
One-and-a-half years later, thanks to wikileaks cables, the government is finally waking up to this reality which we observed earlier.www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/-/1064/1071600/-/79jls4/-/index.htmlFinally, what we started saying here in JUKWAA eons ago, is downing upon the two principals. The US (under stupid advice from its local Ambassador Ranneberger) is in-plain-sight trying to incite our youth into a fake revolution in Kenya. That's just the plain reality. It's one thing to have genuine, organic, and self-inspired youth aspiring and competing for leadership, but another altogether, to have imposed youngster puppets (with foreign masters), or criminally questionable youth like Sonko or Mungiki leader Maina Njenga, pretending to be Kenya's next leaders.Ranneberger is using grassroots-based civil society (NGOs) and a few youthful parliamentarians – the so called Parliamentary Reform Caucus (of wakina Eugene Wamalwa, Danson Mungatana, Kabando wa Kabando, Bonny Khalwale et al.,). The US Embassy (Nairobi) has been feting these two groups (NGOs & MPs) both locally and in Washington, throwing a lot of cash to them. We have been closely watching, sometimes rubbing shoulders with them in Washington DC. FACT: A lot of grassroots based, civic-oriented NGOs have received USAID-channeled $$$$ to discredit the current coalition government. Some(eg the corruption whistle-blowing NGOs like Mars Group) are inadvertently doing good for the country, but the underlying aim is to effect a regime change favourable to US patronization of Kenya- as a client state. That’s what Kenyans must know – he who pays the piper, calls the tunes! America basically wants to colonize Kenya just before it strikes Oil. It is experiencing a lot of difficulty effecting that dream - with the current crop of mature leaders (including Odinga). Ranneberger thinks a young Kenyan, very likely pro-US, with actual American fantasies, would be an excellent puppet to impose upon Kenya.FACT: Ranneberger has been ‘cooperating’ (= feting, funding & dining) with youthful MPs like Eugene Wamalwa, Bonny Khalwale, and Danson Mungatana. In fact, they formed the so called — Parliamentary Reform Caucus under Mungatana.Ranneberger has paid for these MPs to come for trips here in Washington. I PERSONALLY met Khalwale during one such trip here in Washington – where legislative, policy, and leadership inculcation under the American model, is infused into them. FACT: Against all diplomatic etiquette, Ranneberger has been directly boosting political profiles of those MPs – visiting their constituencies, donating stuff & attending political functions. In July this year, during the referendum campaigns, Eugene Wamalwa, hosted Ranneberger in his Saboti constituency. In short, after witnessing how easy it is to ignore peoples' democratic will, hubris has got so much into Ranneberger's head, the latter assumes he can/will self-impose his hand-picked ‘youthful’ leaders upon Kenyans. Why could this be possible?This story goes along way back. Let’s call a spade a spade. Ranneberger fears that Prime Minister Raila Odinga won’t be a pliant puppet of Washington DC. Raila himself publicly declared that on CNN TV (on Fareed Zakaria’s GPS program).It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that Michael Ranneberger has been all along determined to block Raila Odinga’s ascendancy to Kenya’s presidency. As leaked wikileaks cables start pouring out, folks will shortly confirm that Ranneberger played a key role sabotaging Odinga during the 2007 general elections. After all 2007 pre-election polls showed Odinga with a clear lead over Kibaki, it was Ranneberger who released a fake poll depicting the constest as ‘too-close-to-call’? Ranneberger deliberately introduced that very too-close-to-call lingo into our discourse in 2007/8 - the very dangerous precedent that set the stage for stealing the elections? A little earlier, it was again Michael Ranneberger (himself a career CIA spy) who engineered the exposition and politicization of the secret MoU signed between ODM’s Raila Odinga and NAMLEF – the National Muslim Human Rights Forum – who were simply protesting against extraordinary renditions and disappearances of Muslim Youth into police cells in neighbouring countries. It’s an open secret Ranneberger tacitly approved and encouraged the shenanigans who manipulated the tallying of presidential election results at KICC. He was physically present at KICC’s plenary hall as the election robbery he approved was proceeding. Meanwhile, as Kibaki’s security plunged the country into darkness (media black-out), an election exit poll (on people who had actually voted) conducted by none other than Republican backed International Republican Institute (IRI) which showed Odinga with a clear 8% win over Kibaki, was immediately suppressed by the same Ranneberger.As soon as the fake/doctored results were announced, Ranneberger promptly cabled Washington to send their congratulatory message to Kibaki. George W. Bush did so quite fast. Kenya was immediately plunged into it's deadliest turmoil ever- almost going into full blown civil war.That is Michael Ranneberger's legacy in Kenya.Just like that, Ranneberger subverted the democratic rights of millions of Kenyans. He single-handedly helped impose his preferred (but otherwise unpopular) leadership upon Kenyans.Guess what, Ranneberger has since fallen out with that person he helped rig in - who has moved Kenya closer and closer to China. And as usual, Ranneberger wants to impose his next preferred leadership upon us. His new lingo into the discourse is now ‘youthful leadership’.That new lingo (ati 'youth leadership') is deliberately calculated to mean, locking out both Kibaki and Raila from future leadership. It again doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Ranneberger’s actual target is once again, 65 year old Raila Odinga, who is eligible to contest the Presidency in 2012.Ranneberger is pouring a lot of money, starting at the grassroots, through many NGO’s and various Youth Fora (scattered across Kenya - from Kisumu to Mombasa, to Western, Kisii, Rift Valley, Nairobi, etc), to stir rebellion upon the current leadership. Age is being used as the rallying call. All these stupid OTNOP, black Tee-shirt bull crap is nothing but Ranneberger’s creation. It is not an organic, self inspired movement- as I predicted earlier. The masters & funders sit at the US Embassy. The so called youth leaders in it are basically eyeing cash. Ranneberger is the biggest champion drumming the moral-equivalency theory that Kibaki and Raila are conjoined at the hip when it comes to governance matters – thus the youth should provide alternative leadership. He has consistently tried to blur the obvious character and philosophical differences between these two individuals (Kibaki & Raila) in his quest to impose a puppet on Kenya’s leadership. I will once again reiterate that such misguided and inept strategies of imposing puppet leadership – with an aim of turning Kenya into a US client-state will fail. In terms of democratic progression, Kenya is way ahead of other African countries. America should/must learn to work with leaders democratically elected by Kenyans, period! Kenyans have good judgment to freely elect whoever they deem fit (best) as President.
|
|
