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Post by nereah on Oct 24, 2009 12:27:45 GMT 3
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Post by njamba on Oct 25, 2009 17:40:30 GMT 3
This is good for democracy at least he is willing to fight raila on ODM plattforms I will support him and others who want to enhance democrazy within ODM
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Post by phil on Oct 27, 2009 16:43:30 GMT 3
I've always supported Ruto and in the past, I've questioned why ODM folks are attacking him. If indeed he organized violence, he did it for none other than RAO. I was in Kenya during that election and what happened there is not even worth re-kindling, just because kibaki decided to steal the election. Instead of folks accusing kibaki of stealing the election, they give him powers to form commissions to investigate himself! then those he'd chosen to as commissioners, come up with a freaking list of individuals in a sealed envelope, ati wana handover to Ochampo. I've never seen such foolishness anywhere in the world. Now all the attention is re-focused on the list and people are forgetting that the damn fat sloth from othaya is the one who stole and sent his police and the military to shot and kill. So now after the freaking commission is set up to investigate they come up with the so-called list and hide the names. Even in South Africa they did not hide no names of the apartheid masterminds. Why hide the names? let alone telling us who, where and how they gathered evidence on those people in the list.(that's another story) I say that was bullcrap and those who'd like to call me up on that may as well do that. I think RAO is trying to please someone who i really don't know. Instead of calling on kibaki, who does nothing to him, he defends him. times have changed and i think he needs to wake up and smell the coffee. BTW. We all know that folks are getting armed in the RV, so I'm waiting for the very moment that they'll arrest Ruto and hand him over. I recently heard Mutula say such crap and RAO followed suit! ati they'll arrest folks and hand them over to Ochampo, those people in the list. bure kabisa! I will endeavour to keep this simple and free of emotions. Fiction: Instead of folks accusing kibaki of stealing the election, they give him powers to form commissions to investigate himself! then those he'd chosen to as commissioners, come up with a freaking list of individuals in a sealed envelope, ati wana handover to Ochampo.Fact: William Ruto sat as part of an ODM representative in the Annan-led talks that led to the NARA accord and adoption of Agenda 1 – 4 both of which created the commissions. The constitution was consequently amended to accommodate all these agreements. Fiction: If indeed he organized violence, he did it for none other than RAO.Fact: ODM is a party founded on principles of democracy called for mass action in 2007 following the bizarre election result announcement by Kivuitu. Mass action is a democratically accepted form of protest by civilized people. Democrats never physically harm their opponents or attack their supporters for exercising a democratic right. ODM never called for ethnic cleansing, mass rape, arson and other crimes. William Ruto opted to support RAO’s candidature after he lost by a large margin in the ODM primaries and on his own personal volition. RAO was an ODM candidate and not a candidate representing himself. Fiction: Now all the attention is re-focused on the list and people are forgetting that the damn fat sloth from othaya is the one who stole and sent his police and the military to shot and kill.Fact: The Waki list contains names from both sides of the political divide. Let’s keep our emotions under control. Fiction: We all know that folks are getting armed in the RV, so I'm waiting for the very moment that they'll arrest Ruto and hand him over. I recently heard Mutula say such crap and RAO followed suit!Fact: Kenya is signatory to Rome statutes and recognizes the ICC. Rift Valley MPs – prime suspects in the Ocampo envelope - are deceiving themselves into imagining they can evade the Waki recommendations. Fiction: So now after the freaking commission is set up to investigate they come up with the so-called list and hide the names. Even in South Africa they did not hide no names of the apartheid masterminds. Why hide the names?Fact: Names were not disclosed for reasons which Justice Waki acknowledged. Kenya’s long history of culture of impunity and for the avoidance of stirring up emotions in a country that had yet to heal its 2008 PEV wounds. Fiction:I think RAO is trying to please someone who i really don't know. Instead of calling on kibaki, who does nothing to him, he defends him. times have changed and i think he needs to wake up and smell the coffee.Fact: RAO is not pleasing anyone. Neither does Kibaki do anything for him. Ruto keeps changing positions, but RAO has remained steadfast in supporting the provisions of the NARA and the Waki Report. Further, RAO and Kibaki are now grand coalition partners serving the same government. Perhaps it is you needs to smell the coffee and understand that ODM is no longer an opposition party but a coalition partner.
Fiction: I say that was bullcrap and those who'd like to call me up on that may as well do that.Fact: I said I would keep it simple and free of emotions. |
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Post by politicalmaniac on Oct 27, 2009 18:15:52 GMT 3
phil,
This is "Hillarity" in action! the "call and response " you did was so well done and so humorous at times I chocked on my mid morning coffee! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Excellent!
I was waaaay too pissed of by those assertions that were spun as if Glenn Beck wa Fox news wrote the script.
How does one respond to what you assert as fiction namba two above? Why is R being pulled into others people's poop? Seems R is always the 'cause' of a bad side effect uh?
Na namba sita je? Who are these these phantoms R is trying to please. Jameni take a chill pill please and cease with these wild mental gyrations. Get a grip!
Beckian - Limbaughian - Fox newsian accusations just wont wash in this here site!
Logic na facts pekee!
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Post by enigma on Oct 27, 2009 19:30:21 GMT 3
Phil, Very articulate and factual.
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Post by deyiengs on Oct 27, 2009 22:56:44 GMT 3
Phil, the facts are always there, and some people know them. Unfortunately, we are very selective in dissipating facts. The main issue should be what caused the violence, the common man in Kenya thinks this way. The Rome statutory will mean nothing to them and they surely won't understand why a thief will be freed and those who practiced "mob justice" lynched. Of course mob justice is illegal, but I think it will be so awkward to deal with those whose votes were trashed in the first place. I also did not say that the list only contained names from one side of the coalition. Going by the rumors, there might be a possibility that Kibaki’s name is not in that list. Fact: he should be number one in that list and the rest follow. My beef was the sealed envelope method deployed. Emotions will be stirred however long it takes for their disclosure.
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Post by tnk on Oct 27, 2009 23:38:24 GMT 3
the common man in Kenya thinks this way...... and they surely won't understand why an (election) thief will be freed and (while) those who practiced mob justice (to restore justice); lynched true dat. our job is to bring everyone on board and channel that energy through more internationally (and perhaps locally) acceptable vehicles and still arrive at true justice. takes longer, with many landmines, but we are getting there one brick and one step at a time. |
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Post by enigma on Oct 28, 2009 0:24:31 GMT 3
Phil, the facts are always there, and some people know them. Unfortunately, we are very selective in dissipating facts. The main issue should be what caused the violence, the common man in Kenya thinks this way. The Rome statutory will mean nothing to them and they surely won't understand why a thief will be freed and those who practiced "mob justice" lynched. Of course mob justice is illegal, but I think it will be so awkward to deal with those whose votes were trashed in the first place. I also did not say that the list only contained names from one side of the coalition. Going by the rumors, there might be a possibility that Kibaki’s name is not in that list. Fact: he should be number one in that list and the rest follow. My beef was the sealed envelope method deployed. Emotions will be stirred however long it takes for their disclosure. Do not underestimate the intellect of the ''common man''. Last time there was a poll, about 80% wanted the Hague option. If this is to be taken as a barometer, then the ''common man'' knows a thing or two about how best to deal with the perpetrators of PEV. I think you may know why Balala appears to be fighting Ruto's corner. Hint hint 6 current ministers were adversely mentioned. The ODM culprits invariably bandy the word ''dictatorship'' about whenever the party position is reiterated. ODM is not ''the mob'', its a party striving to function coherently unlike the other rudderless rag tag outfit. |
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Post by job on Oct 28, 2009 1:13:25 GMT 3
Thanks Phil for this rebutal. By the way Balala just clarified that he never endorsed Ruto, but only asked that Ruto be allowed the freedom to run. The question is - just who prevented Ruto from running? No one has blocked Ruto's Presidential run, and similarly no one has blocked Balala from endorsing Ruto. That's their democratic right. I guess even Balala himself is free to throw his hat in the ring despite having been a vocal proponent of the 'Lesotho solution' which even us here at JUKWAA said was irresponsible. Anyway Phil got this on the mark. It explains all the brouhaha, rebellion and panic by certain ODM folks with one common denominator relating to PEV. Fiction: If indeed he organized violence, he did it for none other than RAO.
Fact: ODM is a party founded on principles of democracy called for mass action in 2007 following the bizarre election result announcement by Kivuitu. Mass action is a democratically accepted form of protest by civilized people. Democrats never physically harm their opponents or attack their supporters for exercising a democratic right. ODM never called for ethnic cleansing, mass rape, arson and other crimes. William Ruto opted to support RAO’s candidature after he lost by a large margin in the ODM primaries and on his own personal volition. RAO was an ODM candidate and not a candidate representing himself. |
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Post by kmurungi on Oct 28, 2009 8:26:01 GMT 3
be hold!!!! I think it is time for Ruto, we might be heading to north rift this time round. well Raila himself might be thinking some strategy.
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Post by nereah on Oct 28, 2009 14:45:28 GMT 3
kweli siasa moto moto kama pas ya makaa. You guys can really defend Agwambo, I give up. deyieng? why give up brother? i think jukwaa does well with revisionists just as we enjoy company of my likes, progressives, liberals and of course, the raila-phobics.  |
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Post by politicalmaniac on Oct 28, 2009 18:22:42 GMT 3
phil did a marvelous job debunking a lot of 'spin' to put it mildly, and so far wana Jukwaa applaud him with heartfelt thanks.
Statements that are irresponsible esp the most egregious of all, 'Fiction namba two' on phils list, also quoted by Job above, is just so nauseating. Its just to inflammatory and an apology to R and ruto needs to be made. What gall!
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Post by mzee on Oct 28, 2009 23:51:20 GMT 3
PM,
You are right Phil did a wonderfull job of debunking what is pure lies. Reminds of the referendum when OO, AO and Miguna Miguna just to name a few would debunk lies and propaganda by the banana side of the divide. They were crisp and to the point.
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Post by Dumekenya on Oct 31, 2009 12:08:47 GMT 3
I really appreciate the level wanajukwaa have matured in terms of democracy and deciphering between hypocrisy and facts. I have always said time and again that falsehood and misplaced opinions/blames are over in Kenya. Blackmail too has got no room. Phil keep it up and we need to step up the pace.
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Post by nereah on Nov 2, 2009 11:07:46 GMT 3
the star has a screaming headline on how ruto intend to rout out odm in rift valley. it reveals how raila's deputy in odm is pulling all stops to consolidate his hold in the kalenjin land.
the story is to the effect that ruto has summoned udm command and elected political representatives in rift valley for a crucial strategy meeting with the 2012 in mind.
this coming hot in he heels of alleged arms race in rift valley and last weeks significant tribal gathering where moi's military chiefs took charge of the kalenjin council of elders.
if the latest reports are true, then could someone with deep knowledge of the kales help me understand the undercurrents in the rift.why are the kalenjins restless? what is ruto upto and will he succeed in destabalising odm in rift valley ?
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Post by job on Nov 2, 2009 19:05:25 GMT 3
Someone once wrote here in JUKWAA that the Star newspaper is owned by Zipporah Kittony's son, a nephew of Ruto’s perennial political rival in Eldoret South, (the late Reuben Chesire), so could there be family feud mixed with politics here? Maybe Star is using the Kalenjin exodus into UDM storyline to boost sales. But who knows, they may be right. I will not pretend to know what is happening on the ground in all of Rift Valley’s respective sub-ethnic territories – I can only suspect the mood in Eldama Ravine may not be as heightened as that around Mau Forest in Kericho for instance. I can’t rule out that Ruto is doing some damage to ODM in South Rift especially. But in the same vein, I suspect come 2012, Kalenjins will not walk into a political slaughterhouse so to speak. They may be more pragmatic than a lot of credit is being given to them.
They would rather be in strong national alliances than pretend to do the Nyachae, Kalonzo types of lone ranger trips which history has shown always get abandoned by grassroots.
Remember too, it was easier for Kisiis to isolate themselves and vote Nyachae in 2002, and likewise Kambas in 2007, but after the PEV and high-stakes in RV province, does Ruto surely believe he will herd the Kalenjin in isolation, in similar fashion as Nyachae and Kalonzo in 2012? - watch this space I think if there's general political restlessness in RV, it may have more to do with William Ruto’s individual panic regarding Ocampo’s impending visit to Kenya. But let’s frankly interrogate the realpolitik of William Ruto’s fragile premise about this Kalenjin exodus into UDM. In short, Ruto has played to the Kalenjin gallery the narrative that they walked prematurely into ODM, overwhelmingly voted for it, then got dumped (as evidenced by Mau and handling of PEV), thus the alternative this time round, is to play a Kalonzo Musyoka style in 2012, where RUTO runs under UDM irrespective of whatever position he ends up, then, like Kalonzo, negotiates with the party that will form the next government. I see a lot of faulty assumptions in that premise. First, Kalonzo Musyoka’s experience is the best example of what tumbo-moja negotiations get you. Kalonzo benefitted as an individual, but his general community lost out. How many Kambas did Musyoka bring into government? Does anyone think Kalonzo, with his big title, wields even a quarter the powers possessed by the PS in the Office of the President? Who has not seen the so called Vice President Kalonzo, unable to even save his fellow Mukamba, Kioko Mangeli’s job? Secondly, Kalenjins will ask the simple question - what is in it FOR US in case PNU wins? The sure answer will be that Ruto MIGHT end up with a flag BUT there shall never be devolution, land reforms, or bread-and-butter issues of Rift Valley. Moi’s experience under Kenyatta already proved this. The grand coalition, because of its unique composition, will most likely only deliver a diluted constitution, far from the Bomas draft, and it would still be left to ODM to finish the job of constitutionally empowering people and guaranteeing equitable distribution of resources through devolution, land reforms etc - a fact that will not be lost on the Kalenjin. A post-election deal with PNU can never be the answer to Kipsigis concerns over the Mau, it will in fact be the real problem (peasant settlers won’t be compensated as former Lands Minister Kimunya & current Environment Minister Michuki stated) - even toddlers in the forest should be knowing this. PNU can never be the answer to Kalenjin youth & land matters – in fact it will worsen the prospects. Neither PNU nor Kalonzo or even Uhuru can be the panacea to devolution dreams of Rift Valley, they will in fact be the very stumbling block to that aspiration.Thirdly, the issue of PEV remains largely unresolved in Central, who are still seething over the women and children burnt in the Kiambaa Church and the hundreds of thousands IDPs who were raped, dispossessed, displaced and had their livelihoods shattered. The closest testament of this bitterness was the tense memorial service for the Kiambaa victims which Kibaki held without informing his coalition partners. It is almost a guarantee that a PNU-led government (free of coalition hindrances) will in their own fashion and format revisit this matter in the tone so eloquently expressed by Martha Karua back in 2008, who promised the so called ‘justice’ however long it takes. Kalenjins may be acutely aware that under such arrangement, Ruto may be assured political safety but not the ‘youth’ that Karua and others keep pointing fingers at. Fourthly, tell me which Kalenjin has not seen PNU folks renege on electoral promises and MOUs without blinking an eye? It is claimed in some quarters that Kibaki was ‘forced’ by his handlers and ‘powers behind the throne’ to ignore the 2002 MOU with LDP. Those same powers can have similar (if not worse) ideas about Ruto, after his usefulness has been outlived. It is a no-brainer that a Ruto-PNU post-election negotiation is a losing end-game politically speaking. Try mixing calls from Central for more constituencies, bring in the constitution debate that’s now closing towards crescendo, with the referendum to boot, and let’s see how easy oil will mix with water. And sure, Ruto himself, however defiant, is receiving a good dose of cautionary advise from many Kalenjin elders. Sirma is sure not a match for Ruto, but the former has the temerity to forewarn Ruto and his community publicly about the ‘fire’ called PNU that he is toying with, which could scald him. In fact Kalonzo’s story has clearly shown that in post-election negotiations, even if the race is won in controversial terms, only the individual negotiating may benefit, not his/her community, period! It is worse in case the winner gets a legitimate victory because there may in fact be no need for any post-election negotiations in the first place. It might be just like that - boom! and you're on your own in the fragmented opposition. Therefore, who says a promise for a post-election negotiation is a guaranteed possibility? Kalonzo’s experience is a case study about the perils and dangers under post-election negotiations and will be testament for use in the 2012 campaign, watch this space. The next election cycle will probably solidify the premise that pre-election alliances, with advance and public MOU’s to boot, (so long as Kibaki is not in the picture) may represent more transparent politics for the future. ODM is already a party, trying to break it just as a bargaining chip to sign an MOU looks a bit silly. Ruto needs to pause, take a deep, long breath, and stop dragging his entire community into his youthful experiments. He is still 43 years old and has a bright political future so long as he calms down and starts calculating from a national footing. Where he would most likely get votes OUTSIDE Rift Valley should be his utmost concern. He must neither look at ODM’s Raila (20 years his senior) nor Musalia (5 years his senior) as foes, but rather as party allies. ODM, Raila & Musalia did not influence what Justice Waki wrote and gave to Ocampo and ICC, but the PNU fraternity Ruto is currently courting did. It is the PNU intelligence, politicians like Karua, the NSIS, CID, police and Waki’s cousin Mutula Kilonzo who may know more about the evidence they stuffed in Ocampo’s cartons. Neither Raila nor Musalia gave those ‘hearsay’ tales to Waki, nor do they have powers over what Ocampo does. This compelling case will be strongly made in Rift Valley when the right time comes. So Ruto should stop misdirecting his anger and bitterness into his own party that he is deputy leader. He should chill out and relax, in fact making too many statements and faux pas has really hurt Ruto on the national stage. Just like his recent acrobatic shifts in opinion regarding the issue of PEV (initially from ICC then to STK and finally to TJRC) and the Mau Forest issue (initially supporting conservation, then dismissing the Task Force report, before demanding blanket compensation first, and finally dropping compensation demands for executive settlers), Ruto is fast becoming a case study for political flip-flopping in Kenya. The danger I see is that in these high-stakes gamesmanship, Ruto has decided he is not troubleshooting alone, but instead dragging his entire community along. As he keeps shifting opinion, position and vantage, he expects his entire community to follow along. To me, that’s the hallmark of recklessness. If these claims are true, then it will in fact not be the first time 43 year-old Ruto has made veiled threats to defect with his entire community into UDM. Ruto's recent dropping of wrath and intimidation on elders perceived not to toe his line (like former Kalenjin Council of Elders - Mzee Keittany & Jackson Kibor) suggests a tinge of intolerance to dissent. It may be a blessing for ODM that these intrigues are playing out long before the 2012 general elections, when a lot of dust will have possibly settled – notwithstanding any of Ocampo’s actions. After Ruto’s subterranean machinations (against ODM’s stipulated constitution) to have himself replacing Musalia Mudavadi as deputy party leader ( a person who came second in ODM’s nomination process), the party made a positive gesture to the former, by bending its constitution and creating a second position of deputy party leader just for him. Note that ODM’s Chairman is also from Nandi. Ruto was also given the privilege by Raila, as the only Minister to have hand-picked a Ministry he preferred to lead, and he selected Agriculture where he has shown flashes of excellence amidst claims of irregular maize procurement. Why waste this extraordinary talent? It may be true that UDM belongs to Ruto (alongside Jirongo and Kirwa) and he could be promoting it as ODM’s alternative in Rift Valley (esp. South Rift). But this will not be the first time Ruto is testing it. In fact Sports Minister, Professor Helen Sambili, and several councilors in RV are UDM sponsored. Sambili’s belligerence and knack for controversy is now legendary. The same Star newspaper reported that Ruto secretly supported UDM's Brigadier (Rtd) Wilson Sitienei in Sotik instead of ODM's Joyce Laboso, and also UDM’s Paul Chepkwony in Ainamoi instead of ODM’s Benjamin Too. Ruto’s support for Beatrice Kones in Bomet was also reported as lukewarm at best. Star keeps repeating this UDM story line, it also previously reported that Isaac Ruto, Brig. Sitienei, Gen. John Koech (UDM’s Party leader), and Dr Julius Kones will all run in UDM in 2012. When Ruto reconstituted the Kalenjin Council of elders and installed retired Military Generals and officers, I immediately thought of Gen. Koech, the leader of UDM. Is this smoke, because where there is smoke, there is fire. |
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Post by politicalmaniac on Nov 2, 2009 19:22:54 GMT 3
All I know is this.
People will vote their interests, ruto, or not!
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Post by tnk on Nov 2, 2009 21:28:26 GMT 3
kenyans are getting more and more enlightened and by 2012, will be even more informed
there are two criteria that kenyans in all provinces (except central) will guide their choice for leaders
a) those that are able to best represent their local agenda
b) those with overwhelming (inter)national appeal (except for central)
am not isolating central per se, i just dont get their criteria, am still wondering that perhaps a constitution for wanjiku may not have been a bright idea after all. seems to me that wanjiku was against the constitution when moi was in power but was ok with it with kibaki and a potential uhuru in power. maybe we need a constitution for the john and jane doe equivalent i.e bw. Jama na Binti Fulani ..... heck dont know or just maybe one for the rest of kenya and another for wanjiku ;D ;D
for the progressive constituencies, they will tend to lean more on national/international appeal. these are the societies that are traditionally and sometimes deragoratily reffered to as non-cohesive i.e do not vote as a block which i think is just plain stupid. typically these are western, coast and parts of nyanza and of course parts of ukambani and meru. funny enough the people who make such remarks, they themselves "vote as a block" but are quick to point out the foolishness or folly of herd mentality, hehehehe, what irony. the RV people have come of age and know the importance of national and international acceptability after all they are the single most easily identifiable characterisitic or association of kenya (the athletes domination of distance running, the maasai pictures for tourism). i think its unfortunate that the land grievances in RV cannot be quickly resolved and we move forward as a country.
while on herd mentality - politics is all about herd mentality. i.e a (aspiring) leader has to get the right mix/choice of collective reasons (issues, traits etc) to get the largest herd behind him/her possible
and then of course after the elections we get two herds - the cabinet herd (collective responsibility i.e vote for/on govt side even if you dont agree) and the opposition herd (vote against even if you have no clue whats cutting)
....yep love to digresss from time to time
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Post by mzee on Nov 2, 2009 23:23:02 GMT 3
Siasa moto is yet to begin as RAO confirmed to us in Stockholm recently. The ODM is steadily marching to the SH and this has scared people into declaring themselves prezi candidates come 2012. Some "strengthening" other parties to use as a bargaining chip come the elections. All the same, the man below is the person to watch. He is yet to get into siasa moto mood.  He has even rooted for the kadhi court which christians oppose. I dont know why the kadhi court is bothering some people. Kenya will never turn into an islamic state just because the kadhi court is embeded in the katiba. |
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Post by kaburwo on Nov 3, 2009 0:08:27 GMT 3
Job,
I will correct you on one thing. Benja, as the Ainamoi MP is fondly called was a Ruto project from the word go. He (WSR) could not have supported Dr Chepkwony of Moi University, a fervent advocate of traditional medicine. Timbilwet (as Chepkwony is called) is a land rights activist. Ruto and land rights are like Olive oil and chilly water; immiscible. Chepkwony is educated and he definitely has other ideas about poverty alleviation. Ruto has an illiterate allergy towards the educated.
Having said that, two things stand out. To answer Nereah, Ruto is buying the Kalonzo line hook and sink. Kilimo the other day hosted WSR. Everybody in that meeting who cared to talk said 'we' will have 'one of our own' running for the presidency. WSR cleverly went ahead and talked about the constitution, nothing about him running for the presidency. I have seen very eloquent arguments on why Ruto has the democratic right to contest the presidency. I hold the opinion that ODM has to democratically decide between RAO and Ruto, and possibly other unknowns who are yet to throw in the towel. This was done in the lead up to 2007.
Mark my words, Ruto is, sadly, NOT interested in the ODM ticket. He wants to do a Kalooser with the Kalenjin in his basket. Unfortunately as matters stand at the moment, the Keiyo and Nandi are not moving anywhere with Ruto, at least not into PNU. Half of Kipsigis is stuck with the idea that Ruto is an intruder from North Rift, and wants to 'koroga maji yetu' na Jaluo. He is trying another trick.
Nereah, count out the Kalenjin elders, they are in their own class and they don't give a hood what Ruto wants. In fact, Sei may be more of a Kosgey pal (they were at Kapsabet Boys together with Total Man Biwott in the 1960s) than for WSR. Having said that, let us wait and see.
-Kaburwo-
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Post by job on Nov 3, 2009 18:33:20 GMT 3
Job, I will correct you on one thing. Benja, as the Ainamoi MP is fondly called was a Ruto project from the word go. He (WSR) could not have supported Dr Chepkwony of Moi University, a fervent advocate of traditional medicine. Timbilwet (as Chepkwony is called) is a land rights activist. Ruto and land rights are like Olive oil and chilly water; immiscible. Chepkwony is educated and he definitely has other ideas about poverty alleviation. Ruto has an illiterate allergy towards the educated. - Kaburwo- Point taken! I guess this answers my pose whether Star reports could be misleading, since it is the very Star that previously reported Ruto's surreptitious support for UDM candidates. |
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Post by nereah on Nov 15, 2009 15:34:49 GMT 3
Cabinet ministers William Ruto (Agriculture), Franklin Bett (Roads), and assistant minister Jebii Kilimo (Cooperative Development) left a leaders’ retreat in Mombasa and went to Kapsongor.
“The government has failed to abide by the promise that those removed from the forest will be resettled. They have not. And before they assure us that they will, we are asking you to stay put,” said Mr Bett. This came barely hours after the retreat in Mombasa resolved that ministers and their assistants take collective responsibility.
In a communiqué issued on Saturday at the end of a three-day national leaders’ retreat in Mombasa, the ministers and assistant ministers also agreed to avoid utterances that could portray a negative image of the government. However, Mr Ruto criticized Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Wildlife Minister Noah Wekesa for evicting the Mau Forest settlers before making adequate plans for their resettlement.Source: Daily Nation: www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/686424/-/uookvt/-/index.htmljukwaa? what is all these? so the dress down at the mombasa retreat did not serve any purpose? raila was even specific on politicisation and double speak on mau as an example of indiscipline by cabinet ministers who disregard protocol and collective responsibility. is this mere populism or brinkmanship by ruto & co who ought to know better by virtue of their cabinet membership? does ruto and his lackeys have a point? Quote from the NATION news story: "Mr Ruto said he had already spoken to President Kibaki, deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, who is also the Finance Minister and their Special Programmes colleague Dr Naomi Shaban who were in agreement that the government will identify land to resettle those displaced."it speaks volume that ruto overlooks the minister of lands(orengo) and the pm's office and instead choose to deal with uhuru,shaban and kibaki. which begs the question, who should the government deal with(if it must) on mau issue.local elected MP and councillor? kalenjin council of elders? ruto? sirma or kosgey? this one is getting convoluted.
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Post by kaburwo on Nov 15, 2009 16:02:01 GMT 3
Nereah, The whole process was mishandled and poorly planned. It is about lives. Kids and babies are in the cold. The families have left food in the farm. There are no toilets, no clean water at the roadside. That sight of families using bamboo leaves to cover their 'tents' in an indictment on the adrenaline of this disjointed government. It is a PR disaster, no less. www.kenyadecides.com/2009/11/mau-evicitions-case-of-bungled-and.html-Kaburwo- |
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Post by job on Nov 15, 2009 18:50:05 GMT 3
Kaburwo, Nereah et al.,
Ruto is simply playing populist politics - he knows very well 'Kibaki-Uhuru-and-Shaban' will NEVER solve the problem of Mau forest squatters who held no title deeds.
Ruto has refused to be bound by collective government position on the matter - something which doesn't help the very people he claims to be fighting for.
Does Ruto surely think Kibaki cares about these Mau evictees, when Ruto himself (alongside Cheruiyot, Bett & Co.) were all involved in the Nyeri evictions of Mt. Kenya and Aberdare forest squatters under Moi's administration (1985-1994)?
They might try a hoodwinking mission with Uhuru using taxpayer money, just like Kibaki temporarily tried to hoodwink the same Mau evictees during campaigns, but I can assure you it will remain just that, a gimmick, so long as the LANDS Ministry is kept out. That's why this is just hot air.
Ruto knows well that the PM and the Lands Minister are key to any peasant land resettlement effort.
But Ruto is not politically interested in seeing these ODM 'rivals' of his address problems of land reforms, which might not only be politically rewarding, but a process that might also challenge their own vast, idle swathes.
Ruto is not genuine on land matters, he is primarily interested in courting political acceptance from Uhuru, period!
On land matters, there is an ideological rift within ODM, because Raila, Orengo et al., are for reforms, but Ruto (& many Rift Valley MPs) are no different from Moi and other land grabbers from say Central province, who are totally opposed to genuine land reforms for the peasants.
This forest issue is just a gimmick, and Ruto is gaining populist mileage for pretending to care about forest evictees.
I partly blame Raila's task force for giving Ruto & Co., the advantage, by starting the eviction process in reverse. Did Raila & his task force underestimate the role of the Wildlife Ministry?
How I wish this process started by evicting Moi and these MPs holding swathes in the forest. Their opposition to the evictions would thus be seen in its true form.
Granted, this eviction is causing human suffering and needed better humanitarian support. The PM must be aware that the Wildlife Ministry (PNU-led) may - for pure political reasons -inflame, embarrass and disjoint this entire process. He needs representation at the ground, immediately.
People who encroach into forests (whether Mt. Kenya, Aberdare, Mau, or Embobut) are all desperate for land, therefore the land reform agenda must be addressed.
Outside forests, I'm now convinced most of the Rift Valley or Central leadership are not interested in any genuine land reforms. Their supporters may have internalized this cynicism, thus probably why some are desperately encroaching into State forests, just hoping to get away with it.
Keeping our limited forests inhabited will just endanger millions more. Downstream, rivers are drying, pasture is dwindling, and rain patterns are changing.
The irony is that in Mau, those blocking the much needed land reform agenda are the same leaders that Mau peasants elected to represent them.
The devil lies in the details. The motivation of forest encroachment in the first place is about landlessness and resistance against land reforms.
Ruto, Moi, Cheruiyot, Bett and their PNU friends, the Kenyattas, Mutulas, Karumes, all hold large swathes of land in Rift Valley at the expense of the peasants.
Why is no one, starting with the Rift Valley leadership, willing to discuss this. Why are Moi, Isaac Ruto, William Ruto, Julius Kones and the rest blocking land reforms aimed at helping peasants, but only willing to surround their forest land grabs with human fences (poor peasants).
People need to remember that Moi evicted Kikuyus from Aberdare and Mt. Kenya forests between 1985 and 1994 and they settled along the cold Sagana roadside - Muoroto slums.
During that Moi-led exercise, Ruto, Bett and Zakayo Cheruiyot were all in government. The issue was never politicized to the extent Mau evictions are being made.
The truth is that those responsible for the mess in land distribution in the country, are sadly the same people in leadership, whether in Rift valley or Central province. Land grabbers can't solve problems of the landless!
The Prime Minister must not only lead a humanitarian saving of Kenyan forests, but also face these land kingpins head-on, and effect land reforms to benefit the desperate peasants.
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Post by nereah on Nov 21, 2009 9:32:07 GMT 3
www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?id=1144028762&cid=4i may be wrong as usual, but my reading is that the ruto's nuisance in odm is worth serious attention. standard report(see above link) makes raila and his troop sound like moi and his sycophants during the ndp-kanu era. my reading from this quote of raila and his entourage attacking ruto camp is that odm is being held captive by ruto and that raila is a lame duck party supremo. a couple of days ago, luo mps had to call off a news conference at parliament building to fend off attacks against raila by ruto camp.i thought that was brilliant idea and they certainly have held their collective peace in the face of the ruto led kalenjin intransigence. until raila let slip what the media have been seeking to get from him. now this frontal attack on ruto as much as it is weighty and significant given the platform in turkana only leverage ruto in my view. what raila's handlers are doing is equivalent of what luos say dheyo ka nyach loosely interpreted as postponding a serious problem. although he cast a rosy future for odm, i fret at raila's indirect admission that his leadership is unable to decisively deal with the ruto problem and thus allowing the wound his deputy is inflicting on the party to fester. only yesterday, the nairobi star was informing us that raila defied pressure from his lieutenants including gumo to sack ruto and bett arguing it would be costly. yes, of course odm have tried close door consultative and even bonding meetings including the naivasha retreat where the ruto problem was the focus. what other options are there? odm special delegate conference? well, some of raila's handlers i have talked to believe ruto is no match and therefore no threat to his premiership despite reported revelation by ruto's lap dog kutuny, that they(ruto & co) were upto no good and will soon counternance his premiership. now to ruto. i am of the view that its high time jukwaa pundits take a fresh look at this political animal and his calculus. i have been studying his media driven image and exploits over the last couple of weeks and come to some conclusion. the fellow is a good student of raila odinga and jacob zuma which may explain why the shrewd agwambo is cautiously countenancing him. lets face it, ruto is a political maverick,highly educated, eloquent, wealthy,youthful,ambitious and a grassroot operative who is increasingly adept at survival politics.na ishitoshe, he has a warlike community on his grip. understand how he managed to end up in yk92 and despite the yk92 skunk, shot meteorically to parliament and cabinet (op and later incharge of prisons) where he earned the umbrage of late job omino( boli boli had an ominious prediction for ruto and jail) even as the star of his fellow soulmates in udm cyrus and kirwa deemed. then despite a damning and highly publicized court case which is stil ongoing,ruto won the acclaim and respect of kenya's political reformists who embraced him as their own.he even defied and walloped moi,the man who made him so.the rest is history. what i can surely tell of ruto is that he is more than just a prop of kalenjin nationalism and that the curious manner with which he is defying predictions and surviving political tests like the maize and fertilizer scams is instructive. as much as we are content that his is mbiyo ya sakafuni, i humbly submit that this guy is politically dangerous. my pesa nane.
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