Job on Coup/Revolution Talk

[Onyango Oloo]

Folks,

Is this an Oops or strategy?

One possible avenue of altering a Constitution that is practically impossible to amend, is without doubt through revolution, whether Civil or Military.

Raila and Kalonzo's warning, to the government, to the effect that - if it intends to rig the referendum & impose an "un-amendable" constitution upon Kenyans, then it might be prepared for massive resistance-, is nothing out of the ordinary.

True indeed, it is a natural socio-political concept that could easily follow, but wait a minute. The questions I have with regard to this statement are numerous.

Was it the right time to say this? Was it said by the right personalities in the Orange team?

This may be a delicate period of appealing for votes and driving the sense into those still not privy to the dangerous provisions in the Wako draft.

It may be a good time to expose the eternal machinations of a tight cabal that worships power in their quest to lord over Kenya forever.

I may be wrong but, what I'm not sure about is whether this is the time to scare the few undecided voters, (who may not even grasp the concept of constitutionalism & its impact on their lives) with talk bordering on coups and revolutions.

Is there something veiled about the Kivuitu (ECK) meeting with Mwiraria & Murungi this week, or Camp-Orange is just nervous about other intentions behind the meet?

The Orange vote is ahead in ALL opinion polls recently taken by fairly credible pollsters, including a well known pro-government media house.

The EU and other donors have promised to fund the poll agents (from both camps) to monitor the voting besides sending local based staff to monitor it's fairness. Two International NGO's have promised to dispatch specialized poll monitor teams.

Were these two leading Orange leaders warning the government, assuming that they (govt) were probably dismissing any remote possibilities of such consequences ever happening in case of a rigged vote?

Do they have some information that the government was toying with the rigging idea or actually planning to execute one?

If NAK thrusts an unpopular constitution upon Kenyans, through rigging, then the possibilities of mass unrest will exponentially rise, but is it really possible that Kibaki's intelligence has not duly informed him of the same?

Media aside, has Camp-Orange just presented the Banana camp an opportunity to capitalize on the fear factor of Kenyan wananchi,....... to Banana's advantage.

The speed at which the Daily Nation and YES proponents postured this issue as the headline talk for the next few days, is quite stunning.

The Daily Nation in an attempt to draw sympathy votes for Kibaki, now shifts from debate about the Wako Mongrel to talks about; impending coups, revolutions, & overthrows of a poor Kibaki government, that was democratically elected.

C'mon DN, it's not a Kibaki vs Raila contest, it's about a constitution that will impact heavily on our lives (including our children & their future offsprings)

However, I postulate that all is not lost. The impending danger of enacting the Wako Mongrel sends more chills to wananchi than such hyped side-show talks. After a close study involving a little statistics, my bet remains with the Orange vote.

peace as I wait for Kamale.

Job.

[miguna]

Job:

Good questions. But I believe that this is not the forum to ask or answer them. On coups, these were actually first raised by Kibaki's henchmen. They have been saying that Raila & Co. wants to overthrow the Kibaki gvt.; that they want power thru the back door, etc.

Kibaki himself intends to execute a constitutional coup. Remember that sec. 47 has not been amended to allow the entrenchment of a new constitution and the "overthrwal of the old."

Do you guys remember Germany recently? An elected leader gambled, voted against his own govt. and lost in the ensuing elections.

Sometimes shock therapy is the only medicine needed.

[job]

Miguna & Kichwambaya,

Good suggestions, ...point taken.


Adongo,

I can't agree more with the corruption issue. The corruption factor in this referendum/Constitution debate should be featuring more prominently, beyond just Nyong'o's questions. Especially given that Murungaru, Mwiraria & Murungi are very vocal advocates of the Wako mongrel.

It is interesting that after Nyong'o publicly urged Githongo (former ethics PS) to reveal what he knew about Anglo Leasing & other grand cases of graft, he (Nyong'o) now seems to be alluding to something. By the way, Africa Confidential (The UK newsletter) recently reported that Githongo may be soon travelling to Nairobi to present a detailed dossier & record a statement, we shall see.

As you appropriately pose,.........If we can't trust these DP folks with our money, why entrust them essentially with our lives? & worse, ....for posterity!

Mwiraria's first assignment at Treasury was to centralize public procurement right at his office ( the Treasury) after he fired all supplies officers. Under his nose, he planted 36 new procurement officers to handle all govt. supplies/procurement contract deals, 23 of whom were his GEMA cohorts, (the rest of the nation shared 13 positions). Mwiraria's nose is now found poking in parastatal procurements too, since he's been mandated to solely "control" all State money matters.

The implications of this is obvious...... in essence, to supply even a bic biro pen, for govt. use in say Kisii or Siaya district headquarters for instance, Mwiraria's Treasury has to be involved now, since the District Supplies Officers' positions were now rendered obsolete. The small local businesses that thrived on that turf are no more. I have a rural based kin who's lost a means of livelihood through this.

Talk of centralizing & consolidating resources (money) in "one center", here is a glaring case. Wako draft want's to consolidate all executive power likewise into one center, the Presidency. This is no wonder these guys don't love the concept of devolution which spreads power & resources away from that center they intend to control.

On grand public procurement deals, in as much as I don't support IMF/World bank prescribed remedies, which basically favour Imperialist interests of the West, ......just watch how Kibaki is reluctant to sign that procurement bill ......which Mwiraria HIMSELF agreed to author (in a signed MOU) behind the closed doors of Bretton Woods buildings. These guys really have an "impressive" track record with signed MOU's, they're quick to append signatures in contracts they don't intend to honour, when seeking votes or money. Once they get it, they consign the MOU's in dustbins without batting eyelids.

The legislators that happily endorsed Ringera's appointment to head KACA without even applying for the job, owe Kenyans an explanation, since KACA has turned out to be an outfit that seeks to protect DP's corrupt mandarins, while witch hunting the Biwotts et al into submitting to DP's whims.

This heinous DP domination agenda has creeped into the Judiciary (which my friend Abu Namwamba contends is too much), the Military, & other sectors and is the real reason for the constitution mess we are in today.

Corruption and overt tribalism MUST feature more prominently in the Orange campaign!


Job.

[aeichener]

miguna said:

Do you guys remember Germany recently?

As Lenin astutely quipped, German revolutionaries, when wanting to storm the railway station, will queue up in line and buy platform tickets first.

As to Job, one correction of fact: KACA has ceased to exist years ago; it's KACC now.

A.

[kamalet]

There is very little likelihood that Kenya will the subject of a military coup after Kibaki promulgates the new constitution on Jamhuri day.

Unfortunately, the Orange group has managed to suck itself into the same trap they spent all of last week extricating themselves from - that they are not doing this for power! The problem is that once the statement was made, the Banana group will use this ill timed comment by Raila and Kalonzo, including twisting the exact words to fit into the characterisation that the Orange group is only interested in power!!

For purely political reasons, this was one of the bad things to come out of the orange campaign - and will perhaps even give those in the group that were looking for a way out an excuse. I think those statements will hurt the orange group and only time will tell!

Happy now Job?! ;D

[job]

Aeichener,
Thanks for the correction.

Kamale,

Are you by any chance imagining that its a done deal & a victory for the Banana campaign. Well, anyone dreaming so is stuck in a world of dangerous fantasy.

There is no new constitution being promulgated on Jamhuri day, neither is there going to be a victory party at State House.

This plan botched as soon as Kiraitu unveiled his so called roadmap, and Wako released the mongrel, just scan across the country and tell us where the miracle votes will suddenly pop up from. This is not a time to entertain fiction & wild imaginations.

Wasn't Western province supposedly a YES zone, then please explain why Khalwale had to flee from his own people. Do you think the story is any different in NEP, Nyanza, Coast, Ukambani, Rift Valley, & parts of Nairobi/Central ? The writing is clearly on the wall.

Wasn't Kibaki supposedly waiting to start campaigning on Oct 21st ? Did his intelligence tell him that the ground is a little too hot, after his humiliating experience in Nandi?

Let me tell you, Kenyans have a different idea altogether about this Wako/Kiraitu plans, and will reject the Wako mongrel. These people have under-estimated the power of the people for too long.

Go back to your drawing board & do your math.

After reflecting deeply & consulting widely, there is every reason to forewarn anyone imagining that a YES win could be easily achieved by strangulating a resounding NO vote through rigging.

Kenyans are appropriately sensitized to look out for attempts to rig the vote. Attempts at narrowing the current Orange lead in opinion polls by dubious schemes has also indicated something obvious to the alert Kenyan public. The Orange lead is quite huge as a matter of fact and I wish that Michuki et al don't get tempted to toy with this idea of rigging.

Remember the fact that.......An idea whose moment has arrived may not be suppressed by whatever forces. The peoples might will always prevail.


Job.

[aeichener]

Itr is not vote rigging what is to be feared, IMHO. What hovers at the horizon, rather, is further political division, strife and violent tribalism. And you know who suffers when the elephants are fighting.

Alexander