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Post by Onyango Oloo on Sept 22, 2005 12:34:02 GMT 3
Please Select From One of the Above. There is No Point Voting More Than Once.
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Post by kariukiwamathira on Sept 22, 2005 14:29:15 GMT 3
JAMBO ALL,
Why would any right thinking person want to vote in this atrocity that just yesterday caused so much hurt in Thika and beyond as the "common man" fights with his neighbours to please some God Forsaken Politician just out to grab some more for their upkeep. ..... What would happen if we refused to vote for this nonsense ..... accept the crisis that will subsequently follow .... wait for 2007 and vote the whole house out for letting the country down. Think
kariukiwamathira
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Post by Onyango Oloo on Sept 22, 2005 15:53:43 GMT 3
With all due respect Kariuki wa Mathira, I think that an abstention is actually a vote FOR the Wako Draft since it will help it pass.
Why should we quote, "accept the crisis that will follow"?
For one, having spent five years in prison, I am not prepared to spend even one more day under an imperial presidency.
Why have Kenyans been dying for a new constitution?
Why were our people brutalized in Muoroto, Saba Saba, Nane Nane, Tisa Tisa and Kumi Kumi?
Why were people like Richard Leakey whipped in public in Nakuru?
Why was Timothy Njoya clobbered in Nairobi?
Why was Davinder Lamba teargassed in the streets?
Why was James Orengo manhandled on public rostrums?
Why was Wangari Maathai locked up in police cells?
Why did Alexander Muge die?
Why was Karimi Nduthu killed?
Each in their own way suffered because of fighting for a Kenya that is governed by just and humane laws; a Kenya where the excessive powers of the head of state are curbed- precisely the kind of Kenya that will NOT obtain in a post Yes dispensation.
I am not prepared to see another Mbai, another Karimi die.
I do not think that more Njoyas and Leakeys should be clobbered.
Kenyans have been celebrating each and every opening up of democratic space- even when this is one or two inches.
In December 1991 we celebrated the repeal of Section 2A, even though Moi went on to "win" two more elections in the multiparty era.
In December 2002 we celebrated the victory of Kibaki and NARC, even though it unleashed a two and a half year period when the same regime catapulted to power on the promise and premise of a new constitution instead had one faction that tried to pile up even more dictatorial powers for the president than was present in the current undemocratic constitution.
Are we even eligible for elections in 2007 if the Wako Draft passes? Some people think not.
In any case, why should we extend the 100 days we gave to Kibaki and NARC to give us a new constitution to five blood soaked years where more Wahu Kaaras will be teargassed and clobbered?
There were Kenyans who sat on the fence in the 1980s when university lecturers and students were dragged to detention and maximum security prisons; there were Kenyans who dove under their beds when wananchi went marching for a new Katiba in the 1990s; there were Kenyans who stayed home when millions trooped to the polling booths in December 2002- that was their CHOICE; they chose to SUPPORT the status quo by refusing to be part of the SOLUTION; neverthless, all those contingents above benefited when the detentions and imprisonments of the 1980s set the stage for the open debates and discussions on political pluralism in the 1990s; they reaped the bountiful harvests of the Unbwogable Spirit in 2002- some like Petkay Miriti who is today an assistant minister, used to be part of the secret police torturing and interrogating Kenyan democrats and patriots at Nyayo House in the mid 1980s.
Today we see some of the most powerful members of the Kibaki administration to be the same allegedly "apolitical" and "neutral" technocrats of decades past who refused to do anything, refused to lift a finger when repression intensified under the Moi-KANU dictatorship.
To ask Kenyans NOT to vote in the upcoming referendum is to actually SLAP THEM in the face, urging them to ACCEPT THE JACK BOOT in the FACE for two more years until 2007.
Make no mistake, we are seeing the emergence of a civilian dictatorship in Kenya which brooks no opposition. This is a cabal which is prepared to deregister the official opposition party, kick out any dissenting ministers from the ruling coalition and coopt as many opposition MPs thus effectively killing the multi-party dispensation that even Daniel arap Moi respected for the last ten years of his dictatorial rule.
That is why compatriot Kariuki wa Mathira I beg to differ with your view- which you are welcome to espouse and campaign for.
Onyango Oloo
Toronto
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Post by aeichener on Sept 23, 2005 11:47:33 GMT 3
Why were people like Richard Leakey whipped in public in Nakuru? ... I do not think that more Njoyas and Leakeys should be clobbered. I wonder, OO, I wonder... didn't you very harshly attack Leakey only recently? As an enemy of the wananchi? Or did you refer to a different aspect of his political activity? Regards, Alexander |
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Post by Onyango Oloo on Sept 23, 2005 15:27:58 GMT 3
Alex:I am not sure I know what exactly you are referring to- but yes, I have had occasion to severely criticize Richard Leakey in the past. The fact remains though that there was a time when Richard Leakey was part and parcel of Kenya's national democratic movement. Incidentally before we go much further, below is one of my previous online postings that refer to Richard Leakey: www.mashada.com/forums/index.php?az=show_mesg&forum=22&topic_id=15980&mesg_id=15980&listing_type=searchTo proceed. Richard Leakey was at one time one of the founders of Safina and there was a time, somewhere smack in the middle of 1992 and 1997, when Safina WAS the MOST PROGRESSIVE political outfit in the country in terms of political parties- denied registration for a long time because it so threatened was the status quo by this upstart formation which included, if memory serves me right- Farah Maalim, Muturi Kagano, Njeri Kabeberi, Paul Muite,Richard Leakey and briefly, Anyang' Nyongo and Kiraitu Murungi. My buddy Mwandawiro later became Secretary General of the Safina Party. It is a historical fact that sometime in October 1995 or thereabouts, when Richard Leakey and Njeri Kabeberi ( Safina Treasurer at the time) showed up in Nakuru to try and see the then imprisoned Koigi wa Wamwere, government goons in sjamboks whipped Richard Leakey in front of the media and remember at this time he was already wearing a prosthesis having lost one of his limbs in a plane accident. At that time Richard Leakey was one of Kenya's leading freedom fighters and we all supported him. I remember that it was around that period( in 1995-96) that I wrote a proposal to the Montreal based Rights and Democracy organization that would later result ( in late 1996) in a Canadian tour of four human rights and democracy activists- Davinder Lamba, Willy Mutunga, Rose Waruhiu and Rev. Timothy Njoya visiting Toronto, Ottawa and elsewhere to talk about the opening up of democratic space and the 1997 elections. Initially Leakey was slated to be on that trip and I spoke to him several times. He was the first to confirm and the only one who insisted on paying his own way to North America. Eventually he pulled out because he got tired of waiting for his colleagues to come on board- it took almost six months! and by that time his public speaking agenda had filled up. So as you as see Alex, I not only give credit where it is due, I cannot take away people's historic contribution from them. No one for instance can deny that Kenyatta was one of the foremost Pan Africanists when he was abroad all those 18 years. On a more personal note, no matter how intense my political opposition to Kiraitu Murungi is, I can not wish away the FACT that he was instrumental, as a human rights lawyer, in my court victory against the Kenyan government which resulted in my release from prison on Monday, May 11, 1987. We have to remember that it was the SAME Leakey who l ater on RESIGNED his position as Safina leader and went back to his old job and even more ominously, Moi's head of the civil service as the architect of the so called Dream Team. At that point, when he sold out we criticized him- just as I am on record as severely criticizing Raila Odinga when he became Secretary General of KANU.But perhaps you can expand some more about your concerns Alex. Onyango Oloo
Toronto
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Post by aeichener on Sept 23, 2005 16:30:05 GMT 3
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Post by roughrider on Sept 26, 2005 20:33:27 GMT 3
How coincidental
Last week I just finished reading Eutace Gitonga and Martin Pickford book on Richard Leakey.
Richard E Leaky: Master of Deceit
I don’t have much time to review it now and probably there is a review somewhere on the internet but I would urge anyone who needs to get a different perspective on Leakey to read that book.
His tenure at the Muesums is riddled with corruption, illicit sex, sleaze, Intellectual dishonesty, plagiarism and even plain old murder!
The list of sins is long and surprisingly well detailed with letters, dates, people and lots of other juicy stuff with a fair amount of evidence. If even a fraction of this is true then I must ask: Will the real Richard Erskine Leakey please stand up?
As a matter of idle interest I decided to check one or two facts and they turned out to be accurate.
The Financial Review in 1998 described him as the Museums White Elephant in a cover story. And Proffessor C Loring Brace an American paleontologist was withering in his criticism of Richard Erskine Leakey’s ‘work’in 1979:
“Beginning undergraduates get failing marks marks for mistakes such as those” He said of the errors in Leakey’s books. "They should sell reasonably well, however, and perhaps the proceeds will make it possible for Richard Leakey to get the education he so obviously needs..."
What I found most shocking is how Richard Leakey continued to arm twist people. Scientists would write brilliant papers and books only for him to put his name as author and win all the awards. Arm twisting of the board of NMK; bribing politicians and transferring millions to his personal accounts! There are stories of how he used to sleep with women working at the Museum including his personal assistant Jean Rotta and open racism among a host of other shocking things....
I'm just quoting a book. I have no comments on his democratic credentials or the lack thereof.
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Post by aeichener on Sept 26, 2005 22:25:46 GMT 3
how he used to sleep with women working at the Museum including his personal assistant Jean Rotta and open racism among a host of other shocking things.... Open racism? I am duly shocked - that *would* indeed show him to be a born-and-bred Kenyan. A. |
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Post by Onyango Oloo on Sept 26, 2005 22:58:39 GMT 3
The Leakey I have spoken to is fluent in Kiswahili, surrounds himself with Africans and unbidden, takes on his fellow Kenyans of European descent who have the kaburu mentality. In this same thread I have included a link to a letter he wrote to a British newspaper to denounce the vilification of the Mau Mau heroes. Leakey may be many things, but I do not think "racist" is one of the charges he is guilty of. It is just too easy to call a White man a racist.
Let us be open to the possibility that the book is a hatchet job by individuals with sour grapes.
Onyango Oloo
Toronto
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Post by job on Sept 27, 2005 0:34:48 GMT 3
"Kioko"
While the Constitution /Referendum debate is raging, sometimes passionately, it is not bad to reflect on some of the Key players from both sides. Their personal and political histories are relevantly tied to the current debate in the context of competition for power.
Kenyan's are entitled to numerous debates, commentaries and "civic education" offered from all quarters. In the process, they'll be able to make informed choice during the referendum.
Your's indeed was part of this contribution, from your perspective. The theme may have been a reflection on the "excellent" contribution to nation-building of some Wazees you admire especially Nyachae and Karume, while castigating and rebuking the "destructive" role of Raila and the Odinga family.
Without passing judgement, your heroes maybe villains to other Kenyans. The leaders you so passionately love may be fiercely hated by other Kenyans. Those you blame for Kenya's woes may just be the panacea for hope to other wananchi and vice-versa. That's just how it is, but let's leave it there since time will surely tell.
However, I'll quote from your writing;
"Kibaki and Nyachae have never fooled anybody that they are hot-blooded revolutionaries, they have never scared people with tsunami's". You continue " with them, what you see is what you get, people elected them because they know them, they represent stability and acceptability"
Let's first get it clear that Nyachae was rejected nationally in the 2002 poll, so his acceptability / unacceptibility is not in question. Kenyans took him for what he is, and deservedly placed him in his rightful place.
They saw in him, an arrogant son to a colonial chief, who reaped immensely from public coffers, thanks to the shortcomings of a bad constitution, and his vantage position as Head of civil service. He is simply not a hero to many, but actually one of the perpetrators of unchecked economic destruction of Kenya. Kenyans are not stably comfortable with this situation nor would they wish for a stability of such miserable economic condition.
Nyachae's "revenge" mission on Kenyans, by prescribing to them a bad Constitution, doctored at Kilifi, will be quashed too. He may continue on this self-destruct mode, but wananchi keenly noted his quiet entry into government "through the back-door" to help kill the Bomas draft. keep an eye on this space after the November referendum.
A Nairobi based BBC correspondent described Nyachae in the run up to the 2002 elections as "arrogant, dictatorial, overbearing, self-righteous, pushy, and given to flaunting his immense wealth"
Kibaki on the other hand, rode to power on a revolutionist, reform based wave, spearheaded by NARC. At least he promised to bring about the long sought-for reforms in Kenya, under this landmark revolutionary platform. Kenyans soon found out he was fooling them after-all. He is not for any meaningful change, but is a conservative, ill-bent on maintaining the status-quo. That, we've learnt.
On Kibaki, not all, 'what we saw in him', ' is what we got '. We may have known him for being snobish, aloof and more adept at "ku-jienjoy" and "ku-chill na beer-warm" BUT little did we know that he's also a prolific turn-coat, deal-breaker, reneger on promises, and a dreamer for life-presidency. We neither knew that "pumbavu" was a word so ubiquitously prominent in his vocabulary.
In "Kioko's" rather harsh commentary, he warns "Do not downplay the contribution of these Wazees to the country" and adds "If not for them, Kenya would be a dirigiste enclave of poverty like North Korea".
These Wazees have not without any doubt made Kenyan's POORER as reflected in the latest world poverty indices, and Kenya is certainly not anywhere near North Korea in terms of development. 70% of Kenyans survive on less than a dollar per day, living miserably below poverty level, and North korea is not an enclave of poverty by any world standards.
While I don't espouse Communist ideals, it is worth noting contrary to "Kioko's" misplaced facts, that the Communist government of North Korea spends on Military alone, an amount that far exceeds (very significantly) Kenya's < 600 billion shilling Revenue, whereas at Independence our GDP per capita was closely comparable to them and many other countries that have progressed in development.
It is also worthy noting that Communist China is the worlds fastest growing economy, and none other than Kibaki himself recently trooped there, seeking trade and economic deals, alongside development aid and grants.
As for the November 21st, referendum, it is a twisted fallacy to imagine that this is a referendum on Raila as Kioko contends. The referendum has rightly put the Kibaki government on notice, thanks to their trickery, corruption, anti-reform mindset and under-estimation of aspirations of wananchi.
Please Redirect your Railaphobic hate sentiments to him if possible at a personal level if you wish, but the referendum will not provide you with a platform to score with him as you may soon learn.
It is an abuse on the intelligence of Kenyan's to swathingly declare that the massive 'NO" Rally turnout is a reflection of wananchi's thirst for comical entertainment from their leaders, at this significant time in the life of the nation.
Since when did Raila, Kalonzo, Uhuru, Ruto, et al become Kenya's leading comedians on such an important matter regarding our Constitution. Raila's entry into politics upon his release from detention was punctuated by his loud calls for Democracy and Justice, and calls for an end to dictatorship and police oppression of dissenting voices.
Support with facts, any evidence that his Ideals espouse communism, besides shallow notions like "he went to college in communist East Germany", " his father was a communist" etc etc. Kenya has outlived such Kenyatta era propaganda aimed at alienating political rivals. Raila is a Democrat with a capitalist mind and that explains his business and political engagements. Being a politician, he has an ambition like any other politician in Kenya, unless certain Kenyans are "prohibited" from holding any ambitions.
Isn't it strange that some people judge Raila by different standards whereas you could compare his political profile with many today in Narc for example, the socialist mama Ngilu, who has also shown interest for the PM position, unsuccessfully vied for the Presidency, formed her own party, decamped another and is now in NARC.
On the KANU/LDP alliance, there's no need for Kioko to personalize debate with passionate, hateful and tribalistic vitriol. Let's rise above that. Different political-party permutations and combinations of alliances and coalition outfits, are formed every now and then in Israel, India, Germany, France and other nations.
Parties may form governing coalitions and seperate their ways even before the expiry of their terms as shown in Israel and other countries and, different parties can seek an alliance for strategic political aims.
LDP and KANU share a common stand with regard to the Constitution impasse and it would only be logically wise for them to join hands and if need be, form a coalition ahead of the next general elections.They can invite as many other wiling parties that wish to join them.
That's what democratic competition is all about. LDP's alliance with KANU should not create unnecessary panic to Kioko and like minded people who merely see this as Raila's pact with Uhuru. There's more than individuals in parties.
On a different issue, I don't know what this guy meant by his example of "urchin offsprings being taught to fish clandestinely in Lake Victoria" but these are the kind of vitriolic phrases we must be careful about, lest the danger of misinterpretations and "turning mole hills into mountains" arise.
About Karume being used as a model in an MBA class in Africa or elsewhere, forget it! A class on how rewardism, cronysm, tribalism and political connectivity can buy you contracts, land allocations and Treasury-sleazing deals would sufficiently fit his profile.
In less than a year of his return to government,("also through the back door") Karume's once ailing businesses have acquired a new lease of life. His intent to sell two office buildings in Nairobi to offset troubled investments, and in lieu of his painful loss to Kenya Breweries in a 250 million shilling lawsuit, indicated that the man was struggling.
Even Kibaki himself publicly pointed this out during the 2002 campaigns when Karume deserted him, having misread the election mood and assumed Uhuru was poised to win.
With Karume back, his share's at Jacaranda Hotel have grown tremendously, thanks to an advance of 100 million credit, by the government owned KTDC. Whereas KTDC's lending policy prohibits loans for settlements or property and share purchases; ONLY giving credits strictly for "Hotel development and expansion", Karume's State house connections worked miracles for him, and the rule was bent to favour him buy out the Commonwealth development Fund ( a partner foreign Investor).
Karume is now trying to settle scores with Kenya Breweries. The intended mischevious legislation of a Bill preventing alcohol advertisements is aimed at "injuring" KBL's succesful marketing machine, to help Karume succeed in bringing back his business allies, South-African based Castle Ltd, into Kenya's lucrative beer market. That's the practice of legislating to protect individual business interests. I don't think an MBA professor would want to teach such dirty practices to his/her class.
When challenged by Mugirango MP, Omingo Magara & Mbita MP Otieno Kajwang, to state his interests in the government facilitated (under his Special programmes Ministry), maize importation to cover for famine, Karume simply refused to talk.
Companies affiliated to him and his cronies were awarded tenders which were later given suspect variations without cap restrictions. They were paid $ 230 per ton against other genuine business bidders that offered to undertake it at $ 189 per ton.
Wananchi lost Billions of shillings in the process!!!! This is the kind of governance Kenyan's resent, where few in power make billions illegally at their expense. We still remember the Anglo-Leasing passport and forensic lab scams where Billions of Public tax money were siphoned into pockets of individuals who later claimed they returned the cash. Who believes this, when those charged with investigating (Ringera & co) were the first to publicly defend the suspects, some who happen to be their political god fathers.
We also know Karume is mentioned adversely in the Ndungu land report, alongside Nyachae. Karume was allocated 149.33 acres in Nakuru, while Nyachae "offered himself" land belonging to a public institution called KARI.
These heroes of Kioko may not be champions for the masses, but champions for their individual stomach's who disguise behind their respective tribes.
Therefore when they call a YES rally in any corner of the country and get "shaken" by real stoning,...then the writing is clearly on the wall...Kenyan's are angry at them. When a NO rally elicits massive turnout,.. then it may signify the quest for Kenyans to "listen" to alternative vision with regard to the Constitution and governance in general.
Those who passionately argue for the YES vote, viciously taking the lead, like Michuki, Karume, Nyachae and Murungaru stand to loose the most in a referendum loss, since they've gained the most under the current dispensation,and would love to see Kibaki re-elected so they continue reaping.
Some luke warm sycophants are stranded in the middle, since they've probably not eaten all that much to go on an 'all out' war, for these guys. That explains their reluctance to go to their grassroots to campaign for the "Banana" team. Quite a number of YES MPs fall in this footdragging category.
The NO resolve has rightly stimulated a deserved reform movement and no amount of side-show's like personalization of the constitution debate, or Tuju's sensationalized but moribund party will distract liberationists from their focus of bringing about change.
Karume's YES stance may not benefit his ordinary constituents but himself, Nyachae's YES stance will also not help his constituents at large, but only himself, his wives and offsprings. Nyachae must be reminded that the same pollster who mislead him about a landslide victory in the 2002 elections is misleading him again that the YES vote will win by 70% as he recently declared. Time will tell.
Nimesema,
unedited.
Job
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