Miguna: Zero Tolerance to Theft of Public...

[Onyango Oloo]

We Must Not Tolerate Theft of Public Resources


By Miguna Miguna

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya, Raila Amolo Odinga, admitted in Parliament last week that more than Sh308 million of public money was lost - indeed squandered - by his office and related implementing ministries between 2008 and 2010. This only related to Phase One of the KKV. He also admitted that more than Sh20 million was misappropriated by his office in the year 2011 on Phase Two of the project.

Phase One of the KKV project was wholly funded by the public to the tune of Sh7 billion whereas the second phase of Sh4.3 billion was funded by the World Bank. That’s roughly Sh10.3 billion of public money.

That money is capable of constructing, equipping and staffing more than ten thousand primary schools where millions of poor kids would have gotten an education. What that amount of money has done should be visible to all Kenyans. But we clearly cannot see any evidence of where it all disappeared to. Sh10.3 billion isn’t chicken feed. It can’t be dismissed as inconsequential, as both the PM and some MPs have done.

Any public money – even one shilling – shouldn’t be stolen by anyone without any consequences!

Can anyone please show us how such colossal amounts of public money have been spent? How has it qualitatively improved the lives of millions of unemployed youth?

The PM’s admission in Parliament came grudgingly. It wasn’t voluntary. Nor was he contrite. Curiously, he seemed to take back the admission by insisting that “no single cent has been lost”. That’s after reading out a litany of millions of irregular, unauthorised and clearly dodgy payments made out by his office in breach of the government’s and the Bank’s procedures and regulations.

A few days before, the PM had proclaimed himself “as white as cotton” over the allegations. He repeated that in Parliament and completely refused to appreciate that he is the Prime Minister of Kenya, a highly privileged public official and trustee. That wasn’t statesman like. It wasn’t respectful of the public either. It was callous. Astonishingly, the PM exhibited a reckless sense of entitlement on live TV. His presentation in Parliament was contradictory, illogical and completely unbelievable.

No wonder TV polls conducted that evening showed that over 60% of viewers didn’t believe him. A true statesman would have genuinely apologised and ordered thorough investigations over the alleged fraud. He would have immediately relieved his officers named in the World Bank report: Rachel Gesami, Caroli Omondi, Mohamed Isahakia, Bernard Wandera and Patrick Chabeda. This isn’t time for scapegoats and political shenanigans!

Kenyans expect their PM to show sensitivity and understanding on matters touching on their welfare, particularly on issues of good governance, accountability, transparency and corruption. They expect and deserve to see that their PM cares about them and would protect the public interest; not his own or his cronies’ interests.

Yet, there he was - defending the indefensible. Instead of defending the public interests, the PM defended his senior staff. Is he in tune with the values enshrined in the Constitution? Is he capable of upholding and implementing the Constitution?

The PM’s admission was in response to a question by the MP for Saboti, Eugene Wamalwa, in which he sought to know how much money has been committed to the KKV project from inception; how much money has been lost through alleged corruption with respect to the KKV; who is responsible for the alleged loss of funds; and whether the PM would be prepared in the circumstances to take political responsibility for the loses.

Mr. Wamalwa’s questions were precipitated by the leakage of the World Bank’s “in-depth audit review” of the Kazi Kwa Vijana Project dated September 13th, 2011. The “audit review” only dealt with phase two of the KKV.

The PM and others have condemned that leakage. Why? How else was the public going to learn of the massive theft if the report hadn’t been leaked? Why blame the heroic whistle blower and not the thieves?

The PM has tried to pour cold water on the allegations. He has essentially said: “yes, millions of tax payers’ money disappeared in my office under my watch...but that’s not theft. Neither my officers nor I are responsible, either...” Well, who is then? Who authorised those millions to be paid out in breach of the law? Unauthorised payment is nothing but theft. Who will take responsibility for that?
The evidence of theft is compelling. This is a grave matter. We can’t treat it casually. It doesn’t and shouldn’t matter who is involved. When it comes to matters of integrity, ethics and public interests – no one is sacred.

Here are the hard facts from the World Bank report:

More than Sh33 million of our money was disbursed to senior civil servants and other ineligible third parties without following existing government and World Bank payment procedures. Millions were paid to unrelated project activities in breach of project legal agreements and Bank policies and guidelines. In many cases, money was incurred in excess of the approved limits.

There were numerous payments made without proper supporting documents in clear breach of government and World Bank financial disbursement policies and guidelines. Other payments were made for contracts that contravened the Bank and government procurement procedures.

In the case of Mrs. Gesami, she was illegally and concurrently placed on both World Bank and government payroll. The PM’s Office deliberately concealed the fact that she was a full-time public employee and misled the Bank into approving her hiring as a “consultant”. She was consequently paid more than Sh5 million on top of her regular government earnings. That was fraud.

The PM’s permanent secretary, Mohamed Isahakia, is cited – directly - five separate times. These are in addition to sixteen other serious alleged irregularities touching on him. He paid Sh1.2 million meal allowances to employees while they were at their work stations. He also irregularly paid Sh173,668 commuter allowance for employees at the PM’s office. He hired 26 unauthorised interns and paid them. More than Sh1.5 million was paid out to unknown and unauthorised persons.

Private companies like Copy Cat Ltd, Parallel Media, ISIS Solutions, DT Dobie, Kenya Shell, Total Kenya Ltd, Morven and Kester were paid more than Sh23 million for unauthorised services rendered to employees at the PM’s office. Retroactive payments were made on fraudulent invoices. Cash payments were made without supporting documents. The PM’s personal secretary, administration secretary and other unauthorised persons were either paid, their personal vehicles serviced and illegal fuel cards irregularly issued. All these amounted to tens of millions of shillings of our money.

Theft is a popular name for larceny. It is an act of stealing. It involves intentional taking of someone’s property without his or her consent. It includes illegal conversion or exerting unauthorised control over property. Embezzlement is theft. So is obtaining control over property by deception or false pretexts. Clearly, Kenyans never consented to the massive theft of the KKV project funds by senior officers at the PM’s office and at other ministries.

It shouldn’t and doesn’t matter the amounts involved. If a robber goes to a bank with a gun and forces the teller to give him Sh100 - by force, false pretext or through forgery - before attempting to flee with the money, it wouldn’t and shouldn’t matter if he is caught before he actually leaves the bank. It shouldn’t matter that the teller might have been deceived or forced to give out the money. Theft would have been established. The thief acted on an intention.


End of story!

That’s what happened in the KKV scandal. (Oh yes, that’s what it is!) Those who carried out the massive theft have been caught. They acted on their intentions. They stole public funds. They can’t get away with a slap on the wrist under the pretext of “refunds” of money they stole from us. We must have full restitution, yes. But the thieves must also be severely punished. They should be prosecuted, convicted and sent away for a few years. They cannot continue to hold public office. They lost our trust. They must also be publicly shamed. The culture of impunity must not be allowed to persist.


I am calling for both criminal and political responsibility for all implicated – starting with the PM, his PS, chief of staff, administration secretary, director of policy and all the senior staff mentioned in the World Bank audit report just like I did when William Ruto, Amos Kimunya and Moses Wetangula were on the dock over alleged embezzlement of public funds. Nobody is above the law!

Mr. Miguna is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya. He is also a Barrister and Solicitor in Ontario, Canada.

[man]

Since the so called KKV scandal took place while this Miguna guy was still in the the employ of the PM's office, can he shed more light on the scandal? And is it just a scandal now that Miguna is in the labor market?? Why was it not an issue to him while he was illegally earning a salary at thet PM's office (remember he refused to sign a contract). One day this man will move on and leave the PM alone. One day!!

[phil]

Miguna is desperate for relevance and as man rightly questions above, displays shameless hypocrisy in the whole matter.

As a member whose Jukwaa account is still active, I would have preferred if Miguna would be man enough to personally log-on to the forum and publish his increasingly political and biased articles himself. Or was government funded internet access also curtailed with his suspension?

Like Hon Gumo, I watch in amusement as serious parliamentary business is politicized and conducted in funerals across Rift Valley and also analyzed in third rate newspaper columns and blogs.

Various audit documents were tabled in parliament by the Prime Minister last Wednesday and it is on record that even Eugene Wamalwa himself has not been able to contest them and that his earlier assertions were mere propaganda. The fact that calls for the PM's resignation died out soon after this statement is proof that Dr Khalwale and Mr. Wamalwa had not done their homework well and were acting suspiciously in pursuing a political agenda. Not any different from what Miguna posits above.

Raila did not admit any such loses as Miguna is insinuating. The fact of the matter is that both the WB and GoK audits of the KKV never raised any accounting queries on the expenditure attributed to the OPM.

The good lawyer that he claims to be Miguna see's nothing wrong in placing his accusations on the basis of leaked, unverified, incomplete and classified document. So much for a self proclaimed champion of rule of law! But then, coming from a man who is currently serving suspension from office for gross misconduct, anything could be possible.

While Miguna is quick to point fingers at former colleagues in OPM, it is not lost on us who followed the debate in parliament that people like Rachel Gesami were in fact cleared not just by the WB but also by parliament itself and there are official documents to prove this.

To come to Jukwaa and try to prove a point using unscientific and unproven prime time TV news polls is just pathetic. How about those of us who listened to call-in FM shows the following morning where 99% of callers supported the statement by the PM and condemned the apparent political agenda in the fight against corruption?

[mugabe]

Phil

I have a been a supporter of ODM in the past but even I find myself agreeing with Miguna on this one. Where there is smoke there is fire. First the maize saga now allegations over KKV. Seriously, why was Miguna sacrificed at the altar of political expediency? If you believe the grapevine it was because Raila no longer wanted to be associated with Miguna's 'combatative' style. One wonders how the PM has somehow concluded that Miguna who did not have any serious allegations of corruption swirling over him was worthy of sacrifice while the likes of Omondi and Isahakhia somehow deserve to stay in office. What is the logic of the PM rebranding himself if he sorrounds himself with such individuals. Is Raila today the agent of change? I doubt it. There comes a time in politics when such individuals must be thrown under the bus if nothing else because the whiff of corruption can be terminal to any dream for high office.

[stibin]

Thanks Miguna for the timely and well-thought out piece. We actually lost track on the zero tolerance to the theft of public resources many years ago when the likes of Kimunya started thinking it is better to ‘die than resign’ even when faced with obvious corruption charges. However around this time, some of us still hoped that as long as we had strong characters like Raila in the Govt, things would somehow change for the better. The situation has only got worse and indeed if truth be told, the coalition (or collusion) Govt has performed rather badly with regard to zero tolerance to corruption.

As MM said, it is really not a good sign to see a person of Raila’s stature stand in the podium to blame corruption allegations on his imagined (or real) political enemies. It was particularly bad for him to conclude that ‘no single shilling was lost’ even before full investigations were done. How then is he different from Ruto, Kimunya, ongeri and Co.? In anyway he’s supposed to supervise and lead by example. My take is that RAO could have handled this issue better. Unfortunately just like his coalition partner, he sees and hears no corruption.

Lastly, I think Miguna is entitled to his opinion on any issue of national importance. He has once put it very clearly that he chooses what to write about and when. Therefore trying to figure out what else he was thinking about besides the thoughts he’s given here is, in my opinion, a waste of time.

[roughrider]

Indeed Miguna Miguna is entitled to his opinions but they need to be based on facts and correct figures. Did we both read the same statement that the PM issued in parliament?

Was 10.3 billion stolen? Who said that this money is inconsequential? Did Miguna even read the PM’s statement?

Miguna's article is laced with cheap propaganda and innuendo to the extent that he loses himself. With this kind of politicized writing and posturing the truth gets lost rather quickly. And you can see that when it gets to Raila Odinga, Miguna's hateful obsession is uncontrollable.

How much value should independent readers place on what Miguna says on Raila Odinga when he has declared Raila his enemy, too old, a political conman among other choice epithets?

For a man who received millions of public cash fraudulently while working at the PM’s office, Miguna is being clever by half. Can Miguna explain under what law he continued to receive hefty salaries from the government without a valid contract?

The point I am making is this: we will also have to interrogate the moral authority of paid propagandists like Miguna Miguna. Even as they execute their new jobs, Miguna and others will have to stand to public scrutiny. And Miguna is not a paragon of virtue. Trust me.

[roughrider]

Phil;

First let me deny that I am talking about Miguna Miguna ;D in this post. I want to discuss morality which is a proper subject to be discussed under this topic.

But seriously, let us examine character here. There are some salacious allegations that I stumbled on hapa internet. I have also heard stories in the streets. The Nairobi ones are hilarious, koinange street variety rumours.

What I read and heard are about certain things that are alleged to have happened in Canada. And others here in Nairobi. The said matters (in Canada) ended in court. I am not sure what happened subsequently. We will find out.

I don't know if we are dealing with a Herman Cain situation here. But it seems we should have a very different K24 bench experience soon - right here on Jukwaa.

When people speak, they must speak with integrity. We won't have seedy characters engaging us in crass hypocrisy!

Let me shut my trap for now.

[nereah]

Nov 8, 2011 12:58:29 GMT 3 @roughrider said:

Phil;

But seriously, let us examine character here. There are some salacious allegations that I stumbled on hapa internet. I have also heard stories in the streets. The Nairobi ones are hilarious, koinange street variety rumours.

What I read and heard are about certain things that are alleged to have happened in Canada. And others here in Nairobi. The said matters (in Canada) ended in court. I am not sure what happened subsequently. We will find out.


Let me shut my trap for now.

rr,

before i comment on this and all that in a related thread,please let me understand: is the Canada case you are talking about the same as the one on the link below--operated by a respected and respectable jukwaa member.


kenyastockholm.com/2010/02/27/

[sageman]

Mr. barrister and solicitor you are confused.

[roughrider]

Nov 8, 2011 15:02:55 GMT 3 nereah said:

Nov 8, 2011 12:58:29 GMT 3 @roughrider said:

Phil;

But seriously, let us examine character here. There are some salacious allegations that I stumbled on hapa internet. I have also heard stories in the streets. The Nairobi ones are hilarious, koinange street variety rumours.

What I read and heard are about certain things that are alleged to have happened in Canada. And others here in Nairobi. The said matters (in Canada) ended in court. I am not sure what happened subsequently. We will find out.


Let me shut my trap for now.

rr,

before i comment on this and all that in a related thread,please let me understand: is the Canada case you are talking about the same as the one on the link below--operated by a respected and respectable jukwaa member.

kenyastockholm.com/2010/02/27/

Nereah,

That story - on its own - can be malicious but it seems to be based on on a case, so i searched records of cases in Canada and found this one here, a suit based on another case but it lays out the facts:

www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2007/2007canlii3674/2007canlii3674.html

It describes the plaintiff thus:

The Plaintiff is a lawyer who was charged with three counts of sexual assault, based on the allegations of two female complainants who separately alleged that they had been sexually assaulted by the Plaintiff in his law office, where they had attended to consult with the Plaintiff with respect to refugee claims relating to concerns arising in their native land, Kenya. The Plaintiff was tried by the Honourable Mr. Justice Moore and acquitted on June 23, 2004.

The rest of the details about the ladies who alleged rape - KK and EA (likely initials) and a Mr. Onyango Oloo for the plaintiff appear to be accurate. We will have to interrogate this issue in-depth. Did a friend help out a buddy?

I am flabbergasted. You lift veil kidogo kumbe people have manenos? Let me just say that i still have no idea if this Miguna Miguna is the same who wrote this article of if the Onyango Oloo is the same friend posting his articles more than 5 years later. After all there could be several people with the same names.

[nereah]

rr & all,

i would not want to be seen derailing this thread hence my decision to pen the open letter(see my thread) that i had promised weeks ago but could not partly because a member took off with my laptop where i wrote the piece.

i think miguna fired the warning shot the moment he told jeff the koinange that he is working on a book (volcanic) to be release in an election year where agwambo is the common enemy.


back to the topic. he is casting aspersion on the character of agwambo.he is taking us back to the floor of parliament where those concerns he is raising were exhaustively raised and responded to( yes i was in bunge that day).check the hansard and in particular the rt.hon. prime minister's response to bony the khalwale and also most importantly bob orengo's challenge to the ruble rousers. also see jakoyo's midiwo and the speakers ruling on the sister gesami's question.

it has been brought to my attention that someone is working on a detailed response to this miguna diatribe against raila and from what i gather, agwambo's camp have lost their patience on miguna and from now henceforth he must be prepared for the public embarrassment that they believe he is bent on visiting on agwambo.

[adongo23456]

Folks,

Let me try to put a few things here in perspective from where I sit. I have said before that yes I have worked with Miguna from behind the scenes trying to help ODM whenever I was asked. I want to point out two major disappointments that stick out.

One was the 2007 nominations for ODM. We worked on a very elaborate plan. We explained the importance of having truly free and fair party nominations through direct secret ballots for every candidate and a complete rejection of direct nominations. We wanted the party to set an example and not make any excuses that the other parties are messed up too. The idea was to have credible elections embraced by the membership even if a few rejected candidates would be complaining and jumping ship.

We were very sure that such an election followed by a national convention to bring all party candidates together would be a big game changer for ODM. To my shock and horror the ODM 2007 nominations was a complete fiasco and nearly destroyed the party completely. Everything we were assured will be done was not done. In fact they did the exact opposite. We helped them to sort out the mess and eventually they ended up with a convention at Bomas to bring the party together from the edge of the cliff.

The second thing I worked on is trying to persuade the PM to understand that by holding the Office of the PM he now had a chance to demonstrate to the country what his State House would look like.

In June in a speech launching his presidential campaign the PM had talked of a State House without power brokers, without informal groupings who have direct access to power etc. Our idea was that if the PM created an office that will exmplify competence, clean politics and zero tolerance on corruption he will do himself a lot of good. Today I can safely say that if the PM followed that formula he would be walking to State House in his sleep. Obviously that did not happen and it has come to haunt the PM.

I have said before in the other ballistic threads that the PM needs to clean his office. Their should be no sacred cows in that office. What exactly does the PM owe them that he cannot get rid of them?

My problem here is that there is a difference between fighting Raila as some people's priority and fighting corruption. Fighting Raila as a political endevour has its benefits and also its drawbacks. One of the major drawbacks is once we politicize the war on corruption to suit our specific political fancies or the Raila must be stopped campaign it is unfair to expect people to take you seriously.

Let me give an example which I have been giving here for sometime. Even as the brouhaha about KKV has been raging with someone like Miguna now asking the PM to take "criminal responsibility" there is dead silence on Kshs 2.6 billion which the PS in the Treasury admits were simply stolen.

Here is the story.

www.nation.co.ke/News/Treasury+refunds+Sh2bn+donor+cash+/-/1056/1266894/-/8o7j7vz/-/index.html

I find it odd that this whole plain robbery has not even been discussed in parliament, is not being mentioned by all these warriors of corruption in the funerals and I don't see anywhere Miguna asking for "criminal or political" responsibility. What gives? Does Miguna's war with Raila now supercede the war against corruption. If so where do the rest of us fit in since we are not part of that project?

In terms of the specifics of the case I find Miguna's excessive beligerence disturbing. Was money lost, yes. I don't buy the excuse about money spent in the wrong projects. Was Kshs 308 million lost as Miguna alleges. Even Miguna provides no evidence on that apart from claiming that the PM admitted the same in parliament and yet even those who listened to the parliamentary debate live give a different story. Miguna's seems to talk about definite theft and alleged corruption all in one breath.

If Miguna is sure money was stolen and he has such information he should provide it. All we know for sure at the moment is that photocopy business, Rachel Gersami case and cars being serviced. Is this the Kshs 308 million?

My trouble here is that if things are being blown out of proportion for political expediency then let's file that under the political column. If the focus is on the actual cases and crimes committed then we will get somewhere. It is bizzare for Miguna to suggest that the PM takes "criminal responsibility". Does Miguna have any information that the PM actually stole money? If he does he has not provided it in that article. So what right does Miguna have to impute criminal responsbility on the PM with zero evidence. That to me smells of political mischief and that is where we lose the war on corruption and to me that is what stands out in that article. Stuff like that makes you question the real motives people have. Is it really a war on corruption or a political hit job? It makes a big difference.

In terms of those accusing Miguna of having been in the office when the KKV things were going on, that is not fair to Miguna. Miguna was an advisor on Coalition Affairs and had no input whatsoever on how moneys were spent. Miguna was never even given an office at the Shell House.

I also think it is unfair to launch personal attacks on Miguna. The man has raised issues if we have problems with that let's raise it. I am also tired of hearing about the Miguna's book which is supposedly going to be loaded with this or that. Miguna has a right to put his thoughts and experiences in a book. But if Miguna has evidence of wrong doing he does not have to wait for a book and people do not have to wait for his book to find out.

[reporter911]

Nov 8, 2011 19:00:44 GMT 3 adongo23456 said:

Folks,

Let me try to put a few things here in perspective from where I sit. I have said before that yes I have worked with Miguna from behind the scenes trying to help ODM whenever I was asked. I want to point out two major disappointments that stick out.

One was the 2007 nominations for ODM. We worked on a very elaborate plan. We explained the importance of having truly free and fair party nominations through direct secret ballots for every candidate and a complete rejection of direct nominations. We wanted the party to set an example and not make any excuses that the other parties are messed up too. The idea was to have credible elections embraced by the membership even if a few rejected candidates would be complaining and jumping ship.

We were very sure that such an election followed by a national convention to bring all party candidates together woudl be a big game changer for ODM. To my shock and horror the ODM 2007 nominations was a complete mess and nearly destroyed the party completely. Everything we were assured will be done was not done. In fact they did the exact opposite. We helped them to sort out the mess and eventually they ended up with a convention at Bomas to bring the party together from the edge of the cliff.

The second thing I worked on is trying to persuade the PM to understand that by holding the Office of the PM he now had a chance to demonstrate to the country what his State House would look like.

In June in a speech launching his presidential campaign the PM had talked of a State House without power brokers, without informal groupings who have direct access to power etc. Our idea was that if the PM created an office that will exmplify competence, clean politics and zero tolerance on corruption he will do himself a lot of good. Today I can safely say that if the PM followed that formula he would be walking to State House in his sleep. Obviously that did not happen and it has come to haunt the PM.

I have said before in the other ballistic threads that the PM needs to clean his office. Their should be no sacred cows in that office. What exactly does the PM owe them that he cannot get rid of them?

My problem here is that there is a difference between fighting Raila as some people's priority and fighting corruption. Fighting Raila as a political endevour has its benefits and also its drawbacks. One of the major drawbacks is once we politicize the war on corruption to suit our specific political fancies or the Raila must be stopped camapign it is unfair to expect people to take you seriously.

Let me give an example which I have been giving here for sometime. Even as the brouhaha about KKV has been raging with someone like Miguna now asking the PM to take "criminal responsibility" there is dead silence on Kshs 2.6 billion which the PS in the Treasury admits were simply stolen.

Here is the story.

www.nation.co.ke/News/Treasury+refunds+Sh2bn+donor+cash+/-/1056/1266894/-/8o7j7vz/-/index.html

I find it odd that this whole plain robbery has not even been discussed in parliament, is not being mentioned by all these warriors of corruption in the funerals and I don't see anywhere Miguna asking for "criminal or political" responsibility. What gives? Does Miguna's war with Raila now supercede the war against corruption. If so where do the rest of us fit in since we are not part of that project?

In terms of the specifics of the case I find Miguna's excessive beliigerence disturbing. Was money lost, yes. I don't buy the excuse about money spent in the wrong projects. Was Kshs 308 million lost as Miguna alleges. Even Miguna provides no evidence on that apart from claiming that the PM admitted the same in parliament and yet even those who listened to the parliamentary debate live give a different story. Miguna's seems to talk about definite theft and alleged corruption all in one breath.

If Miguna is sure money was stolen and he has such information he should provide it. All we know for sure at the moment is that photocopy business, Rachel Gersami case and cars being serviced. Is this the Kshs 308 million?

My trouble here is that if things are being blown out of proportion for political expediency then let's file that under the political column. If the focus is on the actual cases and crimes committed then we will get somewhere. It is bizzare for Miguna to suggest that the PM takes "criminal responsibility". Does Miguna have any information that the PM actually stole money? If he does he has not provided it in that article. So what right does Miguna have to impute criminal responsbility on the PM with zero evidence. That to me smells of political mischief and that is where we lose the war on corruption and to me that is what stands out in that article.

In terms of those accusing Miguna of having been in the office when the KKV things were going on, that is not fair to Miguna. Miguna was an advisor on Coalition Affairs and had no input whatsoever on how moneys were spent. Miguna was never even given an office at the Shell House.

I also think it is unfair to launch personal attacks on Miguna. The man has raised issues if we have problems with that let's raise it. I am also tired of hearing about the Miguna's book which is supposedly going to be loaded with this or that. Miguna has a right to put his thoughts and experiences in a book. But if Miguna has evidence of wrong doing he does not have to wait for a book.

Adongo
Good points.. the truth shall set us free.. but if we continues defending those who steal from government coffers then we might as well close our eyes to all the previous & current corruption and theft happening in Kenya ... and instead continue throwing personal insults around at each other! what a waste of time.. why can't people just admit that some serious $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ has been stolen from Kenya citizens for previous & current projects? or admit that cases such as Anglo leasing has not been solved or Goldenberg saga was bagged ...? enough noise! let those who prefer protecting and supporting civil servants and corrupt politicians from all political parties continue .. Kenya will never change at this rate.. enuff said..

[man]

Nov 8, 2011 15:02:55 GMT 3 nereah said:

Nov 8, 2011 12:58:29 GMT 3 @roughrider said:

Phil;

But seriously, let us examine character here. There are some salacious allegations that I stumbled on hapa internet. I have also heard stories in the streets. The Nairobi ones are hilarious, koinange street variety rumours.

What I read and heard are about certain things that are alleged to have happened in Canada. And others here in Nairobi. The said matters (in Canada) ended in court. I am not sure what happened subsequently. We will find out.


Let me shut my trap for now.

rr,

before i comment on this and all that in a related thread,please let me understand: is the Canada case you are talking about the same as the one on the link below--operated by a respected and respectable jukwaa member.


kenyastockholm.com/2010/02/27/

Can this story about the Canada case (which is common knowledge to some of us anyway) be posted in the Nairobi Star?? I think that would be a good idea.

[einstein]

Miguna Miguna,

You've lost me for good!

Man, you've lost me forever and you SHALL NEVER get me back.

What a waste of time it has been!!

Man, your attempt to redefine the KKV issue as raised and debated in the Kenyan parliament does not at all reconcile with what I listened to and heard being said in parliament.

The salient issues you belabour in your article are as at variance with what I heard in parliament as the distance between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe!

Is Miguna Miguna telling me that ALL our parliamentarians are nothing but a bunch of nincompoops?

On aside note, there is something seriously wrong with some Jukwaa's top honchos since Miguna Miguna parted ways with the PM.

Please members do not ask me yet what it is. I'm in the process of trying to figure that out. Folks are just starting to show their true colours.

But as for me, I'm very sick and tired of every you-know-who calling themselves reformers, liberators and fighters for transparency and accountability in government on behalf of poor Kenyans when they themselves are nothing but a frustrated miserable latter-day political and financial gold-diggers!!

I'm pissed off and disappointed and I ain't got no apologies to make. Just like Miguna Miguna, I write and say what I want when I want, basta!

[phil]

And to add what you are saying Einstein; being thrown into detention by Moi, or being tear gassed at UoN grounds, or living in exile in the 80s is certainly not a licence to lecture other Kenyans on the second liberation struggle or an approval that one is a certified reformist.

Some of these so-called reformist are the biggest political conmen, rabid tribalist and wheeler-dealers in town.

[foresight]

In my opinion MMs real qualm in this KKV scandal is related to unmet expectation, he is deeply disappointed and wounded that his ace card or his Joe Frazier [RIP] packed KO punch has been easily ducked or wadded off by the one who floats like a butterfly, instead MM has been hit by a sharp counter that stings like a bee.

As far as MM is concerned this KKV leakage was round two of his 15 rounder with the Hon Raila Odinga. Round 1 was the Jeff Koinange flop. So far MM has lost both rounds.

When a person’s expectations are unrealistically too high, they set themselves up for failure and disappointment, in the end they are left feeling frustrated, angry, and demoralized, that is MMs position at the moment.

Did anyone take seriously mans input at the beginning of this thread? he asked…

Since the so called KKV scandal took place while this Miguna guy was still in the employ of the PM's office, can he shed more light on the scandal?

Here is what MM said-

Mr. Wamalwa’s questions were precipitated by the leakage of the World Bank’s “in-depth audit review” of the Kazi Kwa Vijana Project dated September 13th, 2011.

then.. The “audit review” only dealt with phase two of the KKV. THE PM AND OTHERS HAVE CONDEMNED THAT LEAKAGE. WHY?

Then...

“How else was the public going to learn of the massive theft if the report HADN’T BEEN LEAKED? Why blame the heroic whistle blower and not the thieves?

Who was behind these leakages? Who is this HEROIC WHITSLEBLOWER..

The release of the KKV report must have been waiting for the opportune planned moment-

Listen to MM

“A few days before, the PM had proclaimed himself “as white as cotton” over the allegations. He repeated that in Parliament and completely refused to appreciate that he is the Prime Minister of Kenya, a highly privileged public official and trustee. That wasn’t statesman like. It wasn’t respectful of the public either. It was callous. Astonishingly, the PM exhibited a reckless sense of entitlement on live TV. His presentattion in Parliament was contradictory, illogical and completely unbelievable”

That statement gives away alot without really saying much....

RR answered that the above observation when he said

“How much value should independent readers place on what Miguna says on Raila Odinga when he has declared Raila his enemy, too old, a political conman among other choice epithets”

I agree, for I recall

• OO gave his submissions of the PM performance on that day, he said that he thought the PM answered questions very well.

• Nerea[h] attended the sessions that afternoon and also stated that the PM did well….

Phil said on this thread that "the following morning w99% of callers supported the statement by the PM and condemned the apparent political agenda in the fight against corruption"

You see it's all about perspective i.e. the appearance of things relative to one another as determined by their distance from the viewer…

My point is this, there are those who wanted the PM to fail and there are those who wanted the PM to pass.

Based on reactions after the PM answers, it was easy to determine which side of the divide one was inclined to.

Of course life isn't fair. Tornados aren't fair. Street muggings aren't fair. Death isn't fair. Betrayals aren't fair.

Unless MM becomes aware that his unrealistic expectations to destroy the PM will not come to pass, he will never gain the power to free HIMSELF and move on with his life.

Their will be no fair answers to HIS questions, even law is not fair and justice is not fair! Was OJ SIMPSON QUILTY?

MMs article unfortunately reveal him as a linear thinker or a single dimensional thinker, for that reason I now see why he had to leave the PMs Office.

He is reasoning LIKE a type of LUIS MORENO OCAMPO investigating KKV. His passion to see the fall the PREMIER wouldn’t even allow him to hear what others ARE TELLING HIM or think on this matter.

If one was to ask if MM HAD something to do with this leakage, wouldn’t they be asking a fair question? Was he party to this?

That’s why Adongo said “If Miguna is sure money was stolen and he has such information he should provide it.

Close scrutiny of MMs article reveals the mind of a man WELL informed and equipped with finer details of the workings of the PM office, to him belonged the advantage far beyond many of us.

In one of his earlier posts he said he has so much information that he will use against the PM.

And phil wondered “The good lawyer that he claims to be Miguna sees nothing wrong in placing his accusations on the basis of leaked, unverified, incomplete and classified document”

The PM is simply not going to tango with MM.. Period! I know through experience that our expectations play key roles in relationship conflicts. Whenever we form a relationship with another person, we almost always have expectations about how both we and that person should think, feel, and behave. When these expectations are violated, stress can occur.

I will conclude by borrowing from Einstein who said

“But as for me, I'm very sick and tired of every you-know-who calling themselves reformers, liberators and fighters for transparency and accountability in government on behalf of poor Kenyans when they themselves are nothing but a frustrated miserable latter-day political and financial gold-diggers!!

Now that’s what I call a sharp” upper cut”

[destiny]

Stealing from the public purse? Why do we bother screaming and shouting when the top two leaders don't seem to give a rats a@#??. It only becomes a crime if it's committed by the other tribe or the other political party.

If there's no political will, believe me, nothing will be done. We shall scream, shout, kick, curse till cows come home and after we have moved on and forgotten, a fresh scam suddenly erupts.

This regime has been the worst as far as corruption is concerned. Moi now looks in glee as if he was a saint. We cheered in 2002 when NARC took over hoping things would change but as usual, the joke is now on us. When Raila squeezed himself through after all the bloodshed, the first appointment was to chuck his bro into the Treasury. Then things got even worse than 2002/7 era.

Bunge is packed with thieves, crooks, liars and cheats. That's the sad part. Did I forget the drug dealers? They have to make some few bobs for the next campaign don't they?

Today's DN editorial asks the hardest question" Why is it that nobody is ever guilty of theft?

Read on and weep for our motherland:

www.nation.co.ke/oped/Editorial/-/440804/440804/-/qmuxi8z/-/index.html

[cheshirecat]

Nov 9, 2011 18:03:30 GMT 3 destiny said:

Stealing from the public purse? Why do we bother screaming and shouting when the top two leaders don't seem to give a rats a@#??. It only becomes a crime if it's committed by the other tribe or the other political party.

If there's no political will, believe me, nothing will be done. We shall scream, shout, kick, curse till cows come home and after we have moved on and forgotten, a fresh scam suddenly erupts.

This regime has been the worst as far as corruption is concerned. Moi now looks in glee as if he was a saint. We cheered in 2002 when NARC took over hoping things would change but as usual, the joke is now on us. When Raila squeezed himself through after all the bloodshed, the first appointment was to chuck his bro into the Treasury. Then things got even worse than 2002/7 era.

Bunge is packed with thieves, crooks, liars and cheats. That's the sad part. Did I forget the drug dealers? They have to make some few bobs for the next campaign don't they?

Today's DN editorial asks the hardest question" Why is it that nobody is ever guilty of theft?

Read on and weep for our motherland:

www.nation.co.ke/oped/Editorial/-/440804/440804/-/qmuxi8z/-/index.html

The excuses keep changing, the blame game keeps shifting. The only constant is that our money keeps being stolen. Its the only thing you can count on in Kenyan politics; that and that the thief's tribesmen will rally around to protect their 'son or daughter'

We are a sad lot, but we fully deserve those crooks in parliament. A country only gets the leaders it deserves.

[gateway]

I am deeply FRUSTRATED. I know our POLITICIANS are not CLEAN. I want a CHANGE to happen but Miguna's style seems to personal and boring and childish. He should form a party and start selling his ideas to the people instead of wasting time trying to cut a Mugumo tree using a razor blade. As I said before, the Mugumo tree is not perfect. It needs pruning, but Miguna is more interested in cutting the tree. I am not saying he cannot, but he needs a POWER saw, not a razor blade. His problem is YAPPING too much. Anyway, my frustration will make me LIGHT another spliff as i leave Miguna will this song,

[kamalet]

Anyone interested in my views about Miguna and his anti-corruption crusade, find my views in Nereah's open letter to the same man!

[Omwenga]

Nov 8, 2011 19:00:44 GMT 3 adongo23456 said:

Folks,

I also think it is unfair to launch personal attacks on Miguna. The man has raised issues if we have problems with that let's raise it. I am also tired of hearing about the Miguna's book which is supposedly going to be loaded with this or that. Miguna has a right to put his thoughts and experiences in a book. But if Miguna has evidence of wrong doing he does not have to wait for a book and people do not have to wait for his book to find out.

adongo23456,

Like you, I have previously interacted with Miguna privately on party matters and in my blog Miguna May Be Hurting But He Is Being Disingenuous As To Raila, omwenga.com/2011/08/14/miguna-may-be-hurting-but-he-is-being-disingenuous-as-to-raila/, I offered him my counsel as to what I still believe he should do and that is, quietly pursue justice as to his suspension and live to battle another day for what he believes in.

Many others echoed the same sentiment but Miguna is heeded his own and is doing what he is doing, which is fine. I have avoided and still continue to avoid commenting on what he writes because I really don't see any good that could come out of it but I have made an exception to comment on this piece and will do so in more detail why I think he has it all wrong about what he has said but suffice to say for now, at this rate of what he is saying, whether right or wrong or truth or fiction or embellishments or not or accurate or distorted and so on, by the time he gets around to penning his book, there will be nothing really to write about and that can only be a good thing for Raila so as the latter's staunch supporter, I would reverse myself and counsel our friend Miguna to have no holds barred and just fire away.

I noted elsewhere those who used to call Miguna a sycophant and other choice names those of as passionate about our support for the leaders we support are routinely plastered with now gleefully embrace him, could not find someone they love more and are cheering him on, of course, to "spill the bins."

The line between love and hate is, after all, that much thin one can cross it in a blink of an eye in the eyes of others by merely flipping in fundamentally who they are but where does that live principles and core believes?

I think we can all agree by now there are no beans to spill for Miguna otherwise we would have had bucketful a day by now but what Miguna instead offers are analysis and opinion he as any of us is entitled to, which we can refute, agree or disagree with or dismiss as motivated with a desire to get even and let those it's fodder feed on while others focus on other more constructive issues but he will not be the first person to do so here or anywhere.

With this in mind, I agree with you and say let's engage Miguna on the issues and arguments he makes and leave his personal and professional life out of it unless either is an issue.