Moi's Christmas Gift To ODM

[adongo12345]

By Adongo Ogony

The circus of Moi going on a limb to take back Kanu, throw out Uhuru Kenyatta from the Chairmanship, dump Ruto and people like Henry Kosgey from the Kanu leadership and get Biwott to take over is a great gift to ODM.



The nonsense that ODM is a tribal grouping is a lie everybody can see. We have Kisiis in large numbers who love ODM, there are Luos in their millions embracing ODM, Luhyas in huge numbers are with the ODM as are the Kambas, Kikuyus, Mjikendas, Pokomos, Kelenjins na mwingineo. The ODM leadership very much reflects the same. But this is not the gist of my missive today.

Just the other day Moi met with President Mwai Kibaki, in between receiving “delegates” and leaders who want to oust Uhuru and Ruto from the Kanu leadership. The two have been charged with committing the sin of believing that as elected Kanu leaders they had the right to steer their party’s direction without seeking permission from the “Profesa” of politics. It is not hard to figure out what Kibaki and Moi have in common. The destruction of ODM seems to be their number one priority. Me think they are screwing things up for themselves and making ODM much stronger by each bumbling action they take.



This is the way I see it. First of all Moi hobnobbing with Kibaki on the eve of his biggest operation since being humiliated in the 2002 elections is just bad optics. I don’t know who advises these guys, but whoever they are they are doing a terrible job. That meeting of the two now gives the perception that Kibaki and Narc Kenya are part of the masterminds to mess and trash the Kanu leadership and try to destabilize the ODM. If I was Kibaki I would keep away from the Kanu mess by all means necessary.

The president has enough filth to deal with, considering the frightening level of official tribalism which has become the religion of the state, the failed war on corruption, stalled constitutional talks, rising insecurity in the country, the talk of the Artur imports back in town, the return of teargas and police violence in national discourse, not to mention the horrors of a flooded nation. I don’t think Kibaki wants to add to this resume of “success” another badge of honour known as fuelling internal divisions in other parties. Since they don’t pay me to advice the president, I am going to leave him to enjoy the moment. It won’t last long.

Secondly the outcome of the Mombasa Kanu delegates meeting is going to provide very little changes on the ground. It actually means nothing in real terms. It will nurture the battered egos of the Mois, the Biwotts and their hirelings like Katana Ngala etc, but means practically zero on the ground.

After Biwott is installed as the new chair of Kanu, he and his new officials will file the names of their office bearers with the Registrar who must then decide whether whatever decisions they made were legal and binding. Considering the government has already shown their hand in the whole circus this part may be easy, but what happens after Monday when another Kanu NDC is held in which officials reported ousted by another NDC meeting will notify the Registrar of the resolutions of their meeting? The answer is, they will be headed to court for a long protracted battle, which might not even be resolved by the time Kenyans, go to the polls. Basically this means the status quo will remain and all the hullabaloo will be all for nothing concrete.

Biwott already bolted from Kanu and formed New Kanu and at best he may be able to pick up a few more disgruntled Kanu leaders, an insignificant minority, from the Uhuru group to join his New Kanu by a new name. Is that really worth all the trouble and the mud wrestling that Moi has jumped into? I doubt it.

Third, the abrasive and condescending manner in which Moi has treated Uhuru whom he supported and brought to the leadership of Kanu and Ruto in my view has pushed these group and the vast majority of Kanu followers whom they represent firmly into the ranks of the ODM. By destroying all the bridges the Uhurus, Rutos, Kosgeys and others could use to get back to Kanu should they have problems with the ODM, Moi and others are ensuring that the political future of these folks rests squarely in the ODM. Also by effectively destroying Kanu as a party the Moi group is helping the ODM to solidify and actually consider individual membership as more appropriate than corporate membership.



A weak and disorganized Kanu, tied up in court, does not serve their interests and those in Narc K, because it means ODM will have to stick together even tighter. We all know that the master strategy for Narc and its affiliates was to wait for the break up of ODM. With each desperate act, like this Mombasa circus, chances of that break up are getting smaller by the day. It might be time for Plan B. I think folks in the ODM should send a big thank you letter and some Christmas gift to the profesa. This time a round he is working for them in reverse gear. It is all good.

If Biwott wants a coalition with Narc Kenya, which seems to be the obvious motive, he already has New Kanu. Go a head and join the party of the “clean non tribalist” leaders. The party of the future. Right? I can hear people laughing, but seriously these folks embarrassing themselves through this fiasco alienates them more from Kenyans who have become very adept at decoding the political machinations of the elite.

A Moi-Kibaki alliance for 2007 doesn’t look too good. We know the alliance exists already, but if I was Kibaki I wouldn’t want to stand on the rooftops to announce I am back in bed with Moi to build a new Kenya. The clarion call for Narc K loudmouths has been that the ODM is just old Kanu, which messed the country and wants to take back power to continue the same and protect their ill-gotten wealth. What are they going to tell Kenyans after Moi and Biwott join their bandwagon?

The writer is a human rights activist

[mzee]

Adongo,
You are talking of plan B yet Narc-K did not even have a plan in the first place. I understand that they were waiting for the fake Steadman polls to cause havoc within the ranks of ODM but it now seems that this will not happen. Their main idea was that with time some people would certainly walk out of the party. The problem is that Kenyans have boxed the ODM leaders into a corner. The message from the wanainchi has been simple; abandon ODM and you are on your own. Second, they were expecting Moi to stop the sojourn into ODM by Kanu troops. Initially it looked as if he was going to stop Uhuru from leading kanu into ODM, but when his protégé indicated that he was better off with ODM; Moi threw several tantrums before settling for his old buddy Biwott to lead “kanu”. Now that Moody Awori has also declared that he will be Kibakis running mate, even those doubting thomases within ODM have come to the realisation that ODM is where they truly belong. Just as Adongo said, Moi and Kibaki are playing into ODMs hands and it is all good.

December 2007 is going to be a better thriller than the referendum.

[job]

What a perfect heading for this thread. This is surely the best christmas gift for 2006.

Birds of the same feathers flock together. The Nostalgia of yesteryear Kenya has pulled these two old fellas back together. We can clearly see it and we love it.

Moi in his sunset years, still believes no Kalenjin but his own son Gideon should take over his place in Kenya's political realm. Gideon doesn't have to work his way upwards starting from the Rift Valley grassroots. He just needs decoy escalators -installed by his father Moi- like the Kibaki's (since Uhuru already failed) or the Biwotts to carry him over their backs right into the national stage. Yaani into the Vice-Presidency,..........."Our Vice President Gideon Moi!"

Just like Jomo literally made Moi, the Mzee still dreams of yet another Moi reincarnation into the Presidency,....and he want's it soon enough. Other competing Rift valley political prospects are just irritants and spoilers in Moi's schemes.

You see how bright the Professa of politics thinks. That we should be given his own son Gideon as our Vice President,...and hiyo yote itakuwa ni maendeleo.

Ain't happening Sir!

Now,.... to the other Muthee,....... Kibaki believes he needs Moi to herd Kalenjin kin towards his electoral column in exchange for elevating Gideon's national standing,...and BOOM he will continue ruling (oops I meant mis-ruling) their Cash-cow Kingdom called Kenya.

You notice how bright these wazees are.

That Moi, will herd all Kalenjin towards Kibaki so as to have his own son elevated! Wow!
All other pressing issues in Rift valley must be pushed to the back-burner behind Moi's tumbo issues since,.........the best thing for Rift Valley people to do is,...watu wakae hivyo hivyo.

And in the others perspective, so long as he gets Rift valley votes,.....he will romp home and the "working nation" will continue enjoying the "booming economy" and " opened democratic space" he handed us. Wow!

These wazee who believe they own the monoploy to decide on Kenya's future will soon come to realize Kenya has truly moved forward,......... beyond the point of leaving their destiny solely in the hands of two "Museum destined Dinosaurs",...with SUCH GREAT IDEAS FOR US.

I must truly say (and I mean this),...... this Kibaki-Biwott-Moi sandwich is the best possible 'combo' ever to be presented for Kenyans in any contest. Let's not forget to spice it up with the Goldenberg Guru Saitoti and the Anglo-Fleecing mbirionaire Murungi. Watch this space.

This is definitely the easiest choice,.....Let the blitzkrieg begin in earnest!

In the mindset of others, it could be possible that things are really heading the "right" direction. With a little hiccups here and there: like Kirwa protesting and throwing tantrums at Kibaki claiming that Gideon (like his father) would want to jeapardize his political career; Kombo, Kituyi, Kirwa, Awori & Ngilu lobbying hard against any Moi reincarnation while fighting for the same Vice Presidency etc etc,....... the Narc-planners things they finally caught a big fish called Moi. Thus the referendum debacle won't be repeated.

Couldn't have been any better!. The galvanization of all forces ; anti-Moi, anti- Kibaki, anti-Goldenberg, anti-Anglo-Fleecing, anti-tribalism, anti-political assasinations...etc etc into one force,......all corners of the country appear to be headed for some REAL shaking. Couldn't have been any better.

Let us kaa hivyo hivyo,..sisi Kubaaafu!.

unedited.

Job

[mzee]

Job,
As things stand today, it will take a miracle for Kibaki to be re-elected. The fact that MKM is relying on Moi to give them tips on how to deal with ODM shows how bankrupt of ideas they have become. Remember that Moi lost "the Uhuru project" and the recent by elections in which he campaigned vigorously for kanu candidates. His so-called political genius can only work in a situation where he calls all the shots. A third defeat will perhaps convince him that he is not a professor of politics anyway. But all habits die hard.

[politicalmaniac]

AO
Wonderful post and Job I laughed all the way to the bottom of the post not to the bank Alas!
The big winner in all this is R
His position as the presumed nominee is now stronger than ever.
KM now has no KANU to move to should he dump ODM.

Another winner is jomo jr.
He has recieved an equivalent of an IV shot of political adrenalin and his political life that was hanging over a precipice by a loose thread has been resusitated, and he chances of reelection suddenly looks brighter.

The glue bonding the ODM leading lights is now much stronger and discourage the temper tantrums of the likes of KM. The nomination of parliamentary and civic candidates I presume will be that much easier as there wont be ODM and KANU candidates vying separately for nomination. So the disgruntled loosers wont threaten to leave with KANU. Once Uhuru and Co make their jump official monday, KANU as an entity preety much ceases to exist. The Biwott faction will have to answer what they did to the "New KANU" they registered. Thats a tricky issue to navigate I think.

The choice for the electorate is becoming starker and clearer by the day and once the ODM nomination is done, the sloth will look less appealing by the day, in a head to head matchup with the idefatigable R.

[kamalet]

Pmaniac,

I understand from my hideout in J'burg that the Uhuru/Ruto KANU axis decided still on corporate membership. But that is besides the point.

You see, these politicians still have to bring in a constituency into ODM to make their candidacy viable. Are you convinced that Uhuru or even Ruto can do that? I will not dismiss them outright...but I would actually urge a bit of caution if you think you can write off Mr. Moi just like that like you are suggesting. Just do hold onto your celebrations about this Kanu thing!

[adongo12345]

Kamale

Moi is embarrassing himself. He got the respect of Kenyans when he handed over power after losing, he had little other options to begin with. He was getting a lot of good vibes from the public, but he is abusing that privilege and going to be stripped naked, politically, I mean.

What constituency does Moi have when most of the M.P's in Rift valley, including his own backyard are defying him to his face? Why are these M.P's defying him? Because they know the situation on the ground is ODM. The M.P's are up for re-election, Moi is not.

The dumbest move for Moi was to plant Biwott there. They call the dude the Professor of Politics, but I think his midas touch has gone cold. He needs refresher courses. Biwott is radioactive. The man is toxic beyond repair. Talk about Ruto having a baggage. Biwott is a known murderer. The Ouko case is fresh in people's minds. Kenyans don't easily forgive that kind of stuff.



If Moi was smart he could have put someone like Ngala in charge and let Biwott operate from behind the scenes like he was in New Kanu. That way at least Kibaki and his folks would pretend they are talking to people like Ngala. But Kibaki in direct negotiations with Biwott, that is poison. It would cause trouble even within the ranks of the disjointed outfits that Kibaki run and manipulate - Narc , Narc Kenya, Ford K. Only kina Nyachae, Michuki and folks like Njenga Karume would embrace Biwott without difficulties. What I am saying here is that Biwott is going to be a disaster for Kibaki. This whole move was just nuts.

Moi is now ready to wrestle with Uhuru and Ruto to the ground. I suspect very strongly that Moi's back will hit the ground first and I doubt the buda will even get a chance to stand up and resume the mud wrestling.

Moi has destroyed himself in the most pitiful way. The good news for him is that the ODM folks are basically going to leave him alone and knowing the fox that he is, he will be sending emissaries to them as soon as he sees his game is up.

I think we are going to smoke all the crooks from their little caves and expose their every move. This was a bad move for Moi and Kibaki.

Adongo

[job]

Kenya Times

MOI, BIWOTT GET TONGUE LASHING!

FALSE START FOR OFFICIALS BUT SALAT CONFIDENT TEAM WILL BE REGISTERD TODAY


By Nzau Musau

ALLIES and emissaries to recently controversially crowned Kanu chairman Nicholas Biwott made fruitless efforts yesterday to have his team registered.

At the same time, delegates linked to the Uhuru Kenyatta faction endorsed his leadership and the party’s corporate membership into the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM)-Kenya.

The top decision making organ of the 40 years plus party voted to remain in ODM-K as a corporate entity, expand their position in the movement, ignore former party officials leading it astray and mandated the National Executive Committee (NEC) to spearhead future relations between it and ODM-K as they gave a stinging tongue lashing to former President Moi and Biwott.

Gathered at the Kasarani Sports Complex, the close to 4,000 delegates while ratifying all the deliberations of the NEC resolutions with regard to the party’s relationship with ODM-K also declared the positions formerly held by Katana Ngala and Dr Josephine Ojiambo of Vice Chairman and Gender Secretary respectively, vacant owing to their loyalty shift to New Kanu.

As the Uhuru camp unleashed apprehension at former President and Kanu Chairman Daniel Moi and Biwott, the officials associated with the latter, led by Dr Ojiambo and Bomet MP Nick Salat spent the whole day at the Registrar of Societies seeking to have the Biwott group which former president Moi endorsed at the weekend, registered as the new office holders.

Their efforts were, however, compounded by a protest note sent by Kanu’s lawyers Katwa and Kemboy Advocates who, acting through instructions of Secretary General William Ruto, threatened legal action if the Biwott group is registered.

The lawyers warned the registrar against receiving any purported representation of any change of officials in Kanu and explained that the party has not held fresh poll since the beginning of last year. The lawyers cited Articles 5, 6, 11 and 24 of the party’s constitution as basis of opposing the registration of the Biwott group.

Following the legal technicalities, the registrar last evening instructed the Biwott team to report to the office today at midday for the issue to be looked into afresh.

However, Salat said they were through and they were only going to formalise the registration this afternoon.

Back at Kasarani, the delegates at the same time voted into the NEC former Mombasa mayor Taib Ali Taib as Publicity Secretary to replace the late Shariff Nassir, Laisamis MP Joseph Lekutonny as Director of Elections to replace the late Abdi Sasura, Wajir North MP Dr. Abdullahi Ali as Secretary for Economic Affairs to replace Abdulrahman Hassan who has since joined Narc Kenya.

And in the strongest public censure of former president Moi by the party he led for 24 years, the delegates told him to cease rocking their boat to power and to seek divine intervention, confess the truth, ask for forgiveness and join the party as it prepares to recapture power in 2007.

Leading the onslaught on Moi in front of the packed gymnasium were Chairman Uhuru, Secretary General William Ruto, Vice Chairmen Chris Okemo, Dalmas Otieno, Henry Kosgey, Organising Secretary Gedion Ndambuki and Environment Secretary Musa Sirma, all who amid wild cheers described Moi as a hypocritical tribalist who had lost touch with realities of the times.

They said this was not the first time the party was getting into a coalition arrangement having engaged Moi’s own KADU after the 1961 elections for two years until 1963 when they merged.

The party later incorporated Jaramogi Odinga’s Kenya Peoples Union leadership when its was proscribed and most recently Raila Odinga’s National Development Party (NDP).

In his remarks, Uhuru whom Moi endorsed for the chairmanship after he retired from active politics after the 2002 elections read the riot act to the former president, warning him that the days of one man dictatorship in party affairs were long gone and an era of consensus dawned.

He dismissed last Friday coup in Mombasa in which he was “kicked” out of the party as a charade organised by Moi and Biwott and funded by the government for the sake of its wanting to extend its hold on to power in the face of disintegration, disagreement and disillusion.

“Look at Biwott, with his backlog of sins selling himself to destroy our party! He is a dog who is doing the wishes of his masters and we are very much alive to this. Early last year, we defeated him on this very venue and he ran away through that door...” he said.

The Gatundu South MP described Ojiambo, Ngala, Julius Sunkuli and all of Biwott’s henchmen as ...‘hungry people’ who had resolved to put their own “stomachs” before the interests of the party: “They are hungry, we understand them!”

Ruto introduced another angle to the story and which was approved by Uhuru to the effect that Moi had actually abandoned the party in 2003 when it was no longer fashionable to be associated with the party and when every body was running away from the party .

“We were orphaned by our father who led us to defeat. Everybody ran away from us but some of us hung on and through our trust in God and the goodwill of Kenyans, we revived the party and held our elections a year later to cleanse our party of rotten eggs in the basket”, Ruto said.

Uhuru did not spare Kibaki’s government, which he accused of wreaking the rule of law and democracy, saying Kanu had only 380 days before it recaptured power through the ODM-K banner.

Kibaki’s government, he said, was well aware of Kanu’s rich history, organisationa structure and grassroot support which it was keen to disintegrate for its own sake.

“They had better know that we will remain strong, united and committed to our ideals. As the national chairman, I will personally guide the party, lead and protect against those who are out destroy it. I will be there until is the end of my time”, he said.

[job]

Has Uhuru become his own man?

Story by MACHARIA GAITHO
Publication Date: 11/28/2006


It looks like the "Project" has finally come of age. Mr Uhuru Kenyatta may well be committing political suicide by going into ODM from a region guaranteed to vote to a man, and woman, for President Kibaki.

And he is committing a second suicide, if that were possible, by breaking loose from Mr Daniel arap Moi. The former president may be still in apoplexy that the callow young man he led by the hand onto a race for the presidency can, in effect, tell him to shut up and stop meddling in Kanu affairs.

But at least Mr Kenyatta is finally proving that he can make the hard decisions, and will no longer be played like a marionette.

More importantly, he is showing that he is willing to take decisions that pose great risk for his political future, but he will do so nevertheless because he believes that they are the right decisions.

In any case, he might be looking further into the future rather than just the 2007 elections. As he reminded the former president, Moi's time has passed and he should leave Kanu to be guided by the leaders who have an eye on the future.

We are certainly seeing some riveting goings-on in Kanu. One of the most significant developments was Mr Kenyatta getting the guts to finally tell off Moi over the latter's support for the coup mounted by former power-man Nicholas Biwott.

Meanwhile, we wait to see what the Government will do when the Biwott team files a notification of new office-bearers.

It might be significant that President Kibaki hosted his new-found political ally, Mr Moi, at State House just a couple of days before Mr Biwott bused a few thousand purported members of the Kanu delegates conference all the way to Mombasa for the meeting convened to have him and a few insignificant others installed as the party leaders.

Since it was a private meeting between the president and his predecessor, we don't know what they discussed. Maybe they just met for a cup of tea and to reminisce over the good old days. Or maybe they had some joint business ventures to discuss.

But the timing, on the eve of the Moi-backed Kanu factional meeting, was certainly ominous. If the Registrar of Societies goes ahead to recognise the Biwott team as the legitimate Kanu leadership, it will not take rocket science to put two and two together.

It is already an established fact, in any case, that President Kibaki has teamed up with Mr Moi and Mr Biwott in what looks like an increasingly desperate effort to counter the opposition umbrella grouping, ODM-Kenya.

Mr Moi has done all in his power to dissuade Mr Kenyatta and Kanu secretary-general William Ruto from taking the party into the ODM orbit. Having failed, he resorted to having Mr Biwott take over the party.

But that looks like a patently defeatist strategy which suggests the old man has lost his grip on Kanu and Kalenjin politics.

And he is no longer the self-proclaimed professor of politics, for it would take little to calculate that the manoeuvre will only play into the hands of ODM.

If Mr Kenyatta, Mr Ruto and the majority of Kanu leaders have fully bought into the idea of going into ODM, they will do so whether or not they technically control the former ruling party.

But they will go into the alliance from a position of weakness, which will give an upper hand to the very forces within ODM - Mr Raila Odinga and company - that Mr Moi and President Kibaki are so determined to block.

Recognition of the Biwott coup by the Registrar of Societies who dances to the Government's tune will be the final confirmation of a conspiracy designed to weaken the official opposition party.

And that is where the Government will lose out because the ruse will strengthen, not weaken, the opposition alliance.

Mr Biwott may have been a very powerful individual in his heyday. But even in Kalenjin politics- and this is the vote that Mr Moi is trying to swing for Mr Kibaki - the self-proclaimed Total Man was feared rather than loved.

His history, in any case, only serves to prove that this Government will partner with anybody and anything with an eye on the next elections. Forget all those tired promises about a reform agenda and clean, honest transparent governance.

We saw, just the other day, President Kibaki bring back into his Cabinet people still under a cloud of suspicion over corruption allegations.

Maybe the allegations had not been proved, but neither had the two gentlemen been cleared. This is the Government that promises -or used to promise because that particular mantra is no longer in vogue - to fight corruption from the top.

Clearly, the battle to recapture power in 2007 takes precedence over even the pretence to run a government that is based on some moral standards.

This Government will presumably be campaigning on platform of what it has achieved in transforming society for the better after 24 years of a vicious kleptocracy. Cheering on from the sidelines will be Moi and Biwott.

The only saving grace in this regard might be that the Opposition is not too clean either. It has in its leadership characters posing as paragons of virtue, but whose own roles in stripping state institutions and bankrupting the nation are well documented.

Some of them are angling for power because they were ejected from power and are raring for their turn to eat. Others have eaten in the past and want to resume where they left off.

So neither side will be occupying the moral high ground. But the Government in power has the responsibility of setting an example in regard to the observance of laws and the basic things that indicate common decency has not been thrown to the dogs.

Any move to recognise a patently illegal coup in the official opposition party will not only be a cheap shot; it will reveal the depths to which this government has sunk.

And a government that would do that would obviously not shirk from looting from the public coffers under the guise of raising campaign funds.

The kind of thievery that could be in the pipeline might make Goldenberg, Anglo Leasing, Kenya National Assurance, National Social Security Fund and all other past cases of larceny on a grand scale look like child's play.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr Gaitho is the Nation's managing editor in charge of special reports

[kamalet]

Reading these posts, I think we assume that Moi does not have a pulling power amongst his community bar the Nandi.

Has anyone one of you considered the Moi factor in the Referendum last November or has all that gone under water with the emergence of Ruto?

Seriously, anyone writes of Mr. Moi at his own peril!

[politicalmaniac]

Moi was a single passenger in a large bus.
He had his say alright, but seriously the progressive Kalenjins wont allow him to snatch defeat from jaws of victory this time around. Once beaten twice shy!
The formula for sucess is simple. Coalition politics. The referendum showed it, the by mini GE elections showed with stark clarity. Remember the old man Moi said KANU can go it alone? And they lost seats?
Folks arent stupid man!

[kamalet]

You seriously think Moi was just a single passenger in the referendum? Then you surely forget rather quickly!

As for the Kalenjin MPs you talk about, let us wait and see who has read the political mood correctly in the country - Moi or them!

[politicalmaniac]

Of Course Moi was a single passenger at the back of the Orange express bus.
The Driver was R, the Co=driver Ruto, head tout was KM, Balala, Mudavadi, Magara, and assorted other minions were ably assisting KM.
Moi never even uttered the word ODM. He vaguely said he was anti the Wako mongrel. He never campaigned agaisnt it anywhere.
The NO vote was as usual started by R, the colossus that stradles the political landscape. He was the one who said 'Hii kitu haipiti kamwe"!
And boy was he right!
No amount of obsfuscation, revisionist history by Baknista adherents will alter history or its course.
May R have a long and prosperous life to lead us out of this morass created by Moi and natured by the fat sloth