Post by Onyango Oloo on Nov 20, 2006 18:31:06 GMT 3
A Commentary from Onyango Oloo in Nairobi
Kenya Riot Police @ Work in Kamkunji, Sunday, November 19, 2006
Just when Kenyans were beginning to forget the macabre and bizarre antics of the "Armenian brothers", the Kibaki led neo-colonial administration strikes again.
Last night (Sunday, November 19th, 2006) I watched, mouth agape with bewilderment images of truncheon armed, tear-gas canister wielding cops disrupting an intended ODM-K prayer meeting in Kamkunji. What was even more astounding was to witness a greying G.G. Kariuki come to the cameras to rubber stamp the fascist outrage. Not to be outdone, Internal Security Minister John Michuki announced that anyone inciting the public would be promptly arrested. As an icing on that NARC-K cake, First Lady Lucy Kibaki, speaking at a church event somewhere, mouthed off about ODM-K using very unsavoury language and going as far as to imply that the UASU strike and street clashes involving Nairobi hawkers was part of a dastardly plot by the opposition. She promised to expose these "leaders of doom" in the very near future. Beth Mugo stated that ODM-K wanted the constitutional reform process to fail as part of a 2007 electioneering gimmick. Raphael Tuju was heckled by a Malindi crowd who asked him to substantiate an allegation that ODM-K leaders, on their overseas trips, were supporting the controversial Anti-Terrorism Bill. Danson Mungatana was at his screechiest sycophantic best clamouring for a second term for Kibaki.
I put all these events together because I am more than convinced that all this is all part of an evolving KGNU onslaught against perceived enemies within the ranks of the ODM-K. Even the way Citizen TV and NTV cover these happenings reeks of blatant partisanship.
Anyone SANE would have thought that if there was anything that Kibaki's administration needed less of then it was screaming headlines of the government clobbering and tear gassing innocent wananchi whose only crime was to show up on Sunday for a prayer meeting called by a political party.
Surely, surely my NARC-Kenya compatriots, do you really want to spend your precious time fighting off Amnesty International and other human rights bodies who will no doubt accuse you of perpetuating and perpetrating gross violations of people's rights- the very things we associated with the Moi-KANU regime that NARC replaced?
If NARC-Kenya has concrete selling points, why not concentrate on these and submit their agenda for public scrutiny?
How can Kibaki's handlers and image make over artists succeed in peddling him as a wise prince of peace when his ministers, forces of repression and well connected ethnic kinspersons go on a rampage punctuated by myopic vindictiveness?
I had lunch this afternoon (Monday, November 20th 2006) with a pal of mine who has his ears very close to the ground.
He gave me an interesting take on the motivation behind the fascist melee in Kamkunji yesterday.
In his opinion, it may not have come from direct State House orders but more stemming from some vindictive need to assuage a massive macho ego.
My friend pointed the finger at Kamkunji MP Norman Nyagah as being the impetus, if not the mastermind of the needless attack on ODM-K leaders and their supporters.
My rafiki told me that apparently Norman Nyagah was mightily peeved when he heard that Lang'ata MP Raila Odinga had named the NARC Chief Whip as among the 8 people who were plotting for the ODM-K supremo's premature demise. My sahib thinks that ultimately it boiled down to a pissing contest between Nyagah's political manhood and the intransigience of the ODM-K to stage the prayer meeting licence or no licence.
Of course this is a speculative opinion from one Kenyan who may or may not be right.
About the Raila accusations though, one of Nairobi's tabloids, The Leader has the following to say in its current issue:
SOURCE:
"Murder plot...Raila Names CID boss" The Leader, Vol. 4 No. 58, November 27, 2006, pp 1-2 & 11.
Whether those claims and allegations are true or false is not for me to vouch for.
Whatever the case, there seems to be emerging a surreal NARC-K campaign strategy that seems to consist of storming small towns and heckling Raila, Kalonzo and the ODM-K on the one hand and using the formidable machinery of the state to intimidate the ODM-K into submission on the other.
Is there a connection between these campaign gimmicks and the resurgent violence Kenyans are witnessing in Mathare, Kuresoi and elsewhere?
Who knows?
Onyango Oloo
Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya Riot Police @ Work in Kamkunji, Sunday, November 19, 2006
Just when Kenyans were beginning to forget the macabre and bizarre antics of the "Armenian brothers", the Kibaki led neo-colonial administration strikes again.
Last night (Sunday, November 19th, 2006) I watched, mouth agape with bewilderment images of truncheon armed, tear-gas canister wielding cops disrupting an intended ODM-K prayer meeting in Kamkunji. What was even more astounding was to witness a greying G.G. Kariuki come to the cameras to rubber stamp the fascist outrage. Not to be outdone, Internal Security Minister John Michuki announced that anyone inciting the public would be promptly arrested. As an icing on that NARC-K cake, First Lady Lucy Kibaki, speaking at a church event somewhere, mouthed off about ODM-K using very unsavoury language and going as far as to imply that the UASU strike and street clashes involving Nairobi hawkers was part of a dastardly plot by the opposition. She promised to expose these "leaders of doom" in the very near future. Beth Mugo stated that ODM-K wanted the constitutional reform process to fail as part of a 2007 electioneering gimmick. Raphael Tuju was heckled by a Malindi crowd who asked him to substantiate an allegation that ODM-K leaders, on their overseas trips, were supporting the controversial Anti-Terrorism Bill. Danson Mungatana was at his screechiest sycophantic best clamouring for a second term for Kibaki.
I put all these events together because I am more than convinced that all this is all part of an evolving KGNU onslaught against perceived enemies within the ranks of the ODM-K. Even the way Citizen TV and NTV cover these happenings reeks of blatant partisanship.
Anyone SANE would have thought that if there was anything that Kibaki's administration needed less of then it was screaming headlines of the government clobbering and tear gassing innocent wananchi whose only crime was to show up on Sunday for a prayer meeting called by a political party.
Surely, surely my NARC-Kenya compatriots, do you really want to spend your precious time fighting off Amnesty International and other human rights bodies who will no doubt accuse you of perpetuating and perpetrating gross violations of people's rights- the very things we associated with the Moi-KANU regime that NARC replaced?
If NARC-Kenya has concrete selling points, why not concentrate on these and submit their agenda for public scrutiny?
How can Kibaki's handlers and image make over artists succeed in peddling him as a wise prince of peace when his ministers, forces of repression and well connected ethnic kinspersons go on a rampage punctuated by myopic vindictiveness?
I had lunch this afternoon (Monday, November 20th 2006) with a pal of mine who has his ears very close to the ground.
He gave me an interesting take on the motivation behind the fascist melee in Kamkunji yesterday.
In his opinion, it may not have come from direct State House orders but more stemming from some vindictive need to assuage a massive macho ego.
My friend pointed the finger at Kamkunji MP Norman Nyagah as being the impetus, if not the mastermind of the needless attack on ODM-K leaders and their supporters.
My rafiki told me that apparently Norman Nyagah was mightily peeved when he heard that Lang'ata MP Raila Odinga had named the NARC Chief Whip as among the 8 people who were plotting for the ODM-K supremo's premature demise. My sahib thinks that ultimately it boiled down to a pissing contest between Nyagah's political manhood and the intransigience of the ODM-K to stage the prayer meeting licence or no licence.
Of course this is a speculative opinion from one Kenyan who may or may not be right.
About the Raila accusations though, one of Nairobi's tabloids, The Leader has the following to say in its current issue:
Last week, Raila named cabinet minister John Michuki, Kamkunji MP Norman Nyagah, NARC activist Mary Wambui and recently retired CID chief Joseph Kamau as the people who have been meeting in various spots in Nairobi to plot the assassination of senior ODM-K leaders. He also claimed that a person very similar to Artur Margaryan had also attended the mmetings, adding that Artur is part of a hit squad that has been assembled to complete "their unfinished business".
SOURCE:
"Murder plot...Raila Names CID boss" The Leader, Vol. 4 No. 58, November 27, 2006, pp 1-2 & 11.
Whether those claims and allegations are true or false is not for me to vouch for.
Whatever the case, there seems to be emerging a surreal NARC-K campaign strategy that seems to consist of storming small towns and heckling Raila, Kalonzo and the ODM-K on the one hand and using the formidable machinery of the state to intimidate the ODM-K into submission on the other.
Is there a connection between these campaign gimmicks and the resurgent violence Kenyans are witnessing in Mathare, Kuresoi and elsewhere?
Who knows?
Onyango Oloo
Nairobi, Kenya
