ODM-K London "Bonding Retreat"

[bkichwa]

Looks like this one will be another Raila-only event considering the news in the past few hours regarding the pull-out by a majority of ODM-K heavyweights.

Interesting piece from KT. It appears that the infamous Bishop Gilbert Deya of the "miracles babies" saga is a sponsor of this trip. I guess he is part of the UK, ODM-K office...the "brethren" in London that ODM-K proudly keeps mentioning? D*amn. Were Ruto and Musalia denied visas cause of their corruption issues as the article suggests? Are the rest afraid of an association with Deya, or the local negative impact publicly of discussing Kenya's future in the company of foreign UK MPs?

This whole saga leaves more questions than answers. Very shady.

ODM-K - maisha bora kweli...

Here's the loaded KT piece:

www.timesnews.co.ke/09mar07/nwsstory/topstry.html



Why UK trip aborted

By PHILIP MULEE

THE much-hyped London trip by ODM-K presidential candidates yesterday appeared doomed when four of them pulled out at the eleventh hour.

Officially, Kalonzo Musyoka (Mwingi North), Uhuru Kenyatta (Gatundu South), William Ruto (Eldoret North) and Dr Julia Ojiambo (nominated) rejected the trip, complaining it had been hijacked by some unnamed group with the ulterior motive of allegedly painting the party in bad light.

“These people have managed to convince the rest of Kenyans that the trip was a begging mission and intended to agree on who was to be the presidential flag-bearer of our party”, the four said in a statement faxed newsrooms via ENKE Management, a company associated with Uhuru Kenyatta.

Mvita MP Najib Balala, however, said he would not make the trip and was actually admitted to a city hospital.

The team was due to travel to London last night to strategise and meet supporters in the diaspora.

The four said they firmly believed in democracy and restated they embraced the proposed delegates method as the system of picking the presidential flag bearer for elections due in December. The four luminaries said the idea of going to solve their problems in London had been questioned by Kenyans “who are largely suspicious of ODM-K motives and questioned reasons for our travel.”

Said the statement:“ Being sensitive to these sentiments and as peoples’ servants, we must abide by their demands. We have, therefore, cancelled our trip to London and this is our own individual decision. We are, however, in solidarity with our colleagues and wish them fruitful deliberations”.

Nominated MP Mutula Kilonzo also confirmed last night that he too, was not travelling, saying he fully identified with the reasons advanced by the four luminaries in cancelling their trip. Ojiambo also confirmed that she had withdrawn but her other three colleagues could not be reached on telephone.

The aborted trip for presidential hopefuls and other top party operatives had been touted as aimed at ‘bonding and peacemaking’ among the presidential contenders. The sojourn to the UK, organised by ODM-Kenya friends in the diaspora, was part of a series of measures crafted to defuse the rising internal tension and fears that the ambitions of those fighting for its ticket could burst the Orange. The organisers of the UK visit were said to be keen on saving the party from crumbling.

Former Vice President Musalia Mudavadi had indicated last weekend that he would not travel on account that he had an ongoing busy campaign schedule at the Coast province. However, credible sources intimated that he and Ruto had ran into visa hitch because of corruption allegations levelled against them when they served as ministers in the previous regime. Mudavadi has had the multi-billion Goldenberg saga hanging over his head, while Ruto has corruption matters pending in court related to land belonging to Kenya Pipeline Company.

Unofficially, however, when Mudavadi and Ruto failed to get visas, Uhuru, Kalonzo and Ojiambo threw their weight behind them in solidarity, virtually scuttling the trip.

Ruto, however, had earlier said in Eldoret that his visa was being processed at the British High Commission, adding that the British envoy had assured him of the document. He nonetheless pointed an accusing finger at the Government and some individuals in Narc-K and the ODM-K for allegedly sabotaging the trip. Ruto said the proposed meeting will now be rescheduled for Nairobi.

And last evening, Raila said he had received a briefing on the unfortunate withdrawal but maintained that he will be in London to do damage control. He said though the impact may be immense, all shall be well adding that his colleagues may have been victims of propaganda coming from their enemies.

Speaking by phone from Florida, USA, Raila said he will try to reschedule what he can and proceed with the rest of the programme where possible. He said some people especially within Government were hellbent on destroying ODM-K but said such people will be shocked, adding that he was consulting widely before the next course of action was determined.

It also emerged last evening that one of those said to be sponsoring the trip is Bishop Gilbert Deya of Gilbert Deya Ministries who has in recent years received stinking publicity relating to the ‘scandal’ of miracle babies.This development is understood to have put off other ODM-K presidential hopefuls who did not want to be associated with the controversial bishop wanted in Kenya to stand trial for allegedly kidnapping babies.

But even as the four ODM top-guns made the unprecedented move not to go to the UK, their party secretariat said it was unaware of the new development and issued a list of those in its entourage to the UK, including the four and insisted they had been issued with travel visas to the UK.

Mr Ahmed Hashi, Deputy Director, Policy and Communication who addressed the press conference on behalf of Secretary General Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o said he was not aware of the withdrawal and included the four in the list. Others in the proposed entourage were Najib Balala, Joseph Nyagah, Mutula Kilonzo, Henry Kosgey, Prof. Nyong’o and Janet Ong’era.

Lang’ata MP Raila Odinga and his South Mugirango counterpart Omingo Magara who are currently in the United States were scheduled to join the delegation in London.

Nyagah said he will travel because he believes in the party unity and had a serious commitment to Kenyans abroad. “I feel we should go and meet with the Kenyans abroad because they are important constituency and opinion leaders of this country. I also respect my colleagues position to withdraw”, Nyagah said.

The name of Nazlin Omar, another ODM-K presidential candidate was missing from the list of those scheduled to travel, prompting her to threaten court action next week and challenge any resolution from the London trip.

She, however, questioned why Kenyans should consult former colonisers on the way forward more than forty years after independence. “I have been crying foul about the manner the whole thing was being planned by I have now been vindicated”, she said by phone.

In their statement, Kalonzo, Kenyatta, Ruto and Ojiambo stated categorically that the ODM leadership were invited by brethren residing in the UK ...“to go there and share with them our plan and agenda for the future of this great country’.

Their friends in UK, the four said wanted to be informed on what role they can play for success “Nonetheless, the present debate has clouded this issue and made Kenyans at large very suspicious to our motive questioning the reason for our travel there”, the statement said. They said they arrived at the decision to cancel the trip later after many of their colleagues had already made elaborate preparations to travel.

“We, therefore, have not had enough time to consult them and communicate our decision to them. However, we are in solidarity with our colleagues and wish them fruitful deliberations”, the statement concluded.

However, the ODM-K secretariat was reading from a different script, saying that while in London, the leaders will also have the opportunity to meet with policy makers in the British government, political leaders, British press and NGOs. The secretariat denied claims that the UK trip was meant to provide an opportunity for the presidential aspirants to bond as has been speculated in the press.

While this is an exercise that the aspirants yearn for, there will be little opportunity for it on this trip as the programme is already full with other activities of equal importance, the statement clarified.

The statement confirmed that the ODM-K UK committee had invited the ODM-K presidential aspirants and party officials for a visit to London to meet with party supporters, friends of Kenya and the business community.

[bkichwa]

The EA Standard version of the story reveals even more details.


"It was also revealed that a former diplomat based in Nairobi tried to intervene for Ruto at the UK’s Office of Parliament and the Africa and Equatorial Desk but to no avail."

With respect to the above excerpt from the EA Standard piece: Didn't Sir "anti-corruption, Kenya's knight in shining armor" Clay take up residence in Kenya after his retirement as a UK diplomat? Could this be him who tried to intervene for Ruto, who in turn is facing corruption charges for past Moi era ills? Say it ain't so...cause if it is this is certainly very strange - I could have sworn that Bwana anti-corruption's exalted sense of probity doesn't allow him to associate with folks who are guilty of vomitting/having vomitted on others shoes.

It emerged that Deya, a controversial cleric fighting deportation from the UK to face trial in Kenya for his alleged link to international child trafficking, raised £ 10,000 (Sh13m) to host the ODM-Kenya top brass in London.

"I’m an ODM-Kenya member and it is therefore unfortunate if people cancelled the trip because of me," said Deya, the man known for his claim that he helped women conceive miracle babies in the UK before they came to give birth in Kenya.



Safe to assume also that Deya is Bwana Raila's amigo? Raila is the only ODM-K heavyweight who hasn't abandoned this trip. Or if not, then whose boy out of the ODM-K crew then is he? Cause some ODM fatcat must have known that Deya was financing this trip. 13 million ksh is not small change. That child trafficking biz must be some cash cow...got me re-thinking my 9-5 employment MO.

This is quite a dramatic turn of events - I won't be surprised if there are many more intrigues in all this, than meets the eye.

Here goes the full story:

www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143965832

ODM-Kenya UK trip: The inside story
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


By Biketi Kikechi and Andrew Teyie

The dramatic last-minute collapse of the much-awaited ODM-Kenya London bonding mission has been linked to a visa hitch and the involvement of controversial preacher, Archbishop Gilbert Deya, The Standard reports.

The UK mission in Nairobi denied Eldoret North MP, Mr William Ruto — one of the front-runners for the party’s presidential ticket — a visa to enter Britain.

It also emerged that the involvement of Archbishop Deya — wanted in Kenya to answer charges of child trafficking — in planning and funding of the trip may have made some presidential aspirants uncomfortable.


— ODM-Kenya presidential aspirant, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, speaks after opening an administration block at the Gatundu District Hospital on Thursday. Picture by Peter Ochieng

But Lang’ata MP Mr Raila Odinga, who was in Florida, United States, when the shocking news filtered through on Thursday, announced he would be flying into London on Friday.

"I will go ahead with the trip. I will be travelling to London tomorrow (today)," Raila told The Standard by telephone. "I will meet the Kenyans who are ready to receive me. I will listen to what they will be saying on behalf of ODM-Kenya".

Ruto, however, read conspiracy and alleged a plot by the Government, some foreigners, and enemies within the party to break it up.


Divergent opinions over trip


He also said divergent opinions had emerged among ODM-Kenya leaders and Kenyans over the bonding trip.

"There was no unanimity by ODM-Kenya leaders over the trip and that is why we have opted to call it off," Ruto said, but quickly assured party followers: "We are not about to split."

On Thursday, The Standard established that while the move to deny Ruto travel papers may have angered a section of the aspirants, forcing them out in solidarity with the Kanu secretary-general, others were offended that anyone could have involved Deya in the affair.

Kanu chairman Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, Mwingi North MP, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, and Nominated MP, Dr Julia Ojiambo, announced that they were skipping the London trip.

The British High Commission in Nairobi said Ruto’s travel papers would have to be approved by White Hall, London. But it is unlikely that London could overrule Nairobi, sources intimated.

"A visa for anyone with a corruption court case in Kenya are referred to the Home Office for approval," said a source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

It will be recalled that the Home Office blacklisted former Cabinet minister Dr Chris Murungaru over his alleged links to the multi-billion Anglo Leasing-type scandals. The Kieni MP is contesting the travel ban in an ongoing case at a High Court in London.

Sources at the UK mission said Ruto presented his visa request early this week, and the application was forwarded to the Home Office for clearance.


Deya raised £ 10,000




When The Standard sought an official comment, Deputy High Commissioner Ray Kyle, said: "I am sorry we do not comment on individual visa cases. That is our policy."

It emerged that Deya, a controversial cleric fighting deportation from the UK to face trial in Kenya for his alleged link to international child trafficking, raised £ 10,000 (Sh13m) to host the ODM-Kenya top brass in London.

"I’m an ODM-Kenya member and it is therefore unfortunate if people cancelled the trip because of me," said Deya, the man known for his claim that he helped women conceive miracle babies in the UK before they came to give birth in Kenya.

"I have been participating in Kenyan politics for a long time. I even helped Narc officials, who came to visit me in 2002. I cooked uji (porridge) and they also ate my ugali," said Deya, who referred to the late Vice-President Michael Wamalwa and ODM-Kenya secretary-general Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o.

Speaking from London, Deya said he had every right to be involved in shaping the country’s political agenda.

Until Thursday, it had been widely believed that a Mr Kipnyango Seroney was the leader of the Kenyan community in London that invited the ODM-Kenya presidential aspirants.

"Kenyans met here in London on Wednesday night and demanded to know who was financing the meeting," said the source in London.

They were then told that Archbishop Deya had promised to give £10,000 for transport, food, accommodation, and the venues.


Sources in London gave a different story


In an unsigned statement faxed to newsrooms, Ruto, Uhuru, Kalonzo and Ojiambo gave different reasons for not travelling.

"The trip has been hijacked by those with ulterior motives to paint our party in bad light.

"They have convinced Kenyans that the trip was a begging mission and intended to agree on who was to be the presidential candidate," said the statement.

But sources in London gave a different story. They said Ruto did not travel because he had a case filed against him in 2004.

"They don’t give visas to such until their cases have been heard and determined," they said.

It was also revealed that a former diplomat based in Nairobi tried to intervene for Ruto at the UK’s Office of Parliament and the Africa and Equatorial Desk but to no avail.

The new development appeared to have surprised other ODM-Kenya officials. The interim chairman, Mr Henry Kosgey, confirmed he was travelling to London, but was not aware of the development.

"I have my visa and a ticket and I will be travelling tonight (Thursday), you can come and see it if you want," said Kosgey.

It was also confirmed that Gachoka MP, Mr Joseph Nyagah, had received his visa and was to attend the meeting.

Former Sabatia MP, Mr Musalia Mudavadi, another leading presidential contender, had earlier indicated he would not travel, as he was busy campaigning.


Hitch threw secretariat into confusion


Uhuru’s confidant, Mr David Murathe, the former Gatanga MP, called The Standard on Thursday morning asking if Ruto was travelling.

"We want to know if the others are travelling because it will be pointless for Uhuru to travel and meet with Raila alone when the rest are not there."

The London source had indicated that Raila and South Mugirango MP, Mr Omingo Magara, who are in the US, were on their way to London.

The visa hitch threw the ODM-Kenya secretariat into confusion. The Executive Director, Ms Janet Ongera, who was also to travel to London spent the day chasing for Ruto’s visa.

She then called a press conference after the media persisted on knowing if the trip was still on.

At the press briefing at ODM-Kenya headquarters, the deputy director policy, strategy and communication, Mr Ahmed Hashi, claimed that all presidential aspirants were to travel.

"We can confirm to you that they are all travelling on different flights today (Thursday), apart from one or two who may travel tomorrow," said Hashi.

The secretariat seemed unaware that the four presidential aspirants had cancelled the trip. The statement by Uhuru, Ruto, Kalonzo and Ojiambo said debate had clouded the trip and made Kenyans suspicious of the motive for their travel.

[bkichwa]

Kipkoech Tanui of EA Standard is as well grappling with what to make of the latest ODM-K drama. He raises some salient points and questions in his below piece today.

ps: Looks like some ODM-K "third liberators" got a rude reminder vis a vis the skeletons in their respective closets (which I'm sure they thought they had permanently transformed into un-penetrable solid vaults).


www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143965798

Does ODM have a date with angels of doom?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


By Kipkoech Tanui

A big question popped up after ODM-Kenya leaders tore up their invitations to the excursion in London. It is not whether the party, hosting an eight-member club, called I-want-to-be-President, will hold once the candidate is picked.
Not even whether Mr Kalonzo Musyoka and Mr Raila Odinga, whose supporters speak suspiciously of the other, will climb down or, at the very least, meet each other halfway. Neither is it the commonplace talk that the compromise candidate could be that indecisive softie — Mr Musalia Mudavadi, the scion of the King of Mululu.
Nor is it whether the scion of the Founding Father President, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, would confound both friends and foes through a wind-assisted win at the ‘delegate’ elections. Not even the claim that Raila, Mr William Ruto, Musalia and Mr Najib Balala are one and the same and the rest are just struggling to fit in.
The big question is: Why did the leaders, who at the weekend were upbeat that the party was on the roll and London was the healing pad, face the cameras to announce they were unpacking their bags. It seems the whole story has not been told yet. You do not plan a trip excitedly, tell friends you are headed ng’ambo, assure supporters the ailing Orange will soon be up and about, and suddenly call to say it is cancelled.

By inference, the leaders — Kalonzo, Ruto, Uhuru and Dr Julia Ojiambo — were telling us the perception the trip was a ‘bonding and healing’ excursion was just but a spin. Agwambo must have been holding a glass of Scotch whisky on a hotel terrace as he waited for the other club members and their supporters. He was in the US ‘campaigning’ and the deal was they hook up in London. He said as much when reached last Saturday. His colleagues implied there was more to the trip than planes, trains, trams and sumptuous meals.

But three paragraphs in their statement raised eyebrows: "Sadly, the debate has been hijacked by those with an ulterior motive to paint our party in bad light. These people have managed to convince Kenyans that the trip was a begging mission and intended to agree on who was to be the presidential flagbearer of our party.

"Nonetheless, the debate has clouded this issue and made Kenyans very suspicious of our motive, questioning the reason for our travel there.

"This is our individual decision. We have come to the decision late after many of our colleagues have already made elaborate preparations to travel … However, we are in solidarity and wish them fruitful deliberations.’’

First, one can discern the hurry with which the cancellation came. It is very unlikely it is a reaction to ‘ulterior motive’, for that has been with us unless the leaders are conceding ODM is grappling with systemic decay, exemplified by full-blown symptoms of communication gaps and traits of the Tower of Babel. Second, the hosts footing the bill are friends of ODM-Kenya and pass along as patriots in the Diaspora. It is unlikely ODM-Kenya leaders would give them a backhanded slap on camera.

Third, the party cannot at this stage afford negative publicity that the leaders are once again running after one another hammer and tongs. For ODM-Kenya’s pillar has been that it is united. Cancelling the trip breaks the dry ground for more rumours to flourish. Fielding questions why the talks had to be in London would definitely have been easier than writing and signing a statement on why they were unpacking the bags.

Fourth, there was so much ecstasy in the party about the trip that it was seen as the safety valve which would allow it to reinforce its seams. The party needed it to stop the squirming and unease that ODM-Kenya has a date with the angels of doomsday.

Fifth, the enthusiasm to travel was threatening to consume everyone except Musalia who could have had a premonition of what was coming and decided to declare he was too busy to travel. On being excluded, one ODM-Kenya presidential hopeful threatened to go to court and block the trip in the afternoon.

The point is: ODM-Kenya leaders are either blatantly dishonest or have chosen to be the proverbial ostrich burying the head in the sand because there is a sandstorm in the horizon. That is the party’s soft belly, going for the easier option of projecting unity even when the house is swaying with the wind.

They did not tell us there was a blunt ‘No’ from the British visa desk. They chose the decoy of ‘ulterior motive’ instead of facing the fact that the Chris Murungarus of this world are not just to be found on the foot of our gigantic mountains. ODM-Kenya leaders seem fixated with the projection that it is a party of Saints. In yesterday’s statement, there was the line they were invited by "our brethren residing in the UK’’. Or were some afraid of being asked hard questions on corruption in front of donors and international media?

[adongo12345]

bkichwa

If this is the big break up of ODM that some people have been eagerly waiting for then the ODM should be laughing all the way to the polling booths.

For me the London meeting wasn't much to write about. I really don't care where the ODM leaders want to meet to deal with their internal issues. They can meet in Timbuktu for all I care. The good news for the ODM is the rather energetic reception they are getting from Kenyans in the U.K. I think it is a good thing that so many Kenyans are so eager to talk to ODM leaders seeing them as the only way to get rid of the Kibaki regime that has let them down in so many ways.

www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143965833

The idea that the sky is falling because ODM leaders could not meet in London is kind of silly. My sense is that ODM delegates will choose their leader in democratic elections. It is the right way to go and it is about time political parties accepted democratic elections as a means to choose their candidates at all levels. It is going to be an uphill task in a country where political parties have historically been mere shells and private properties. Look at the fiasco in Narc Kenya where the invisible owners of the party overrule pretenders to the throne who are supposedly the office holders in those parties.

www.timesnews.co.ke/10mar07/insight/ins3.html

The thing I don't agree with as far as the ODM London event is concerned is the involvement of someone like Bishop Deya. The organizers in London have stated that Bishop Deya was not a member of the Organizing Committee. They would be foolish to have him in that committee. The man is a known crook wanted in the country for one of the most heinous crimes-child trafficking. The ODM should keep away from this guy.

Otherwise I see no trouble at all for the ODM. Choosing a candidate is tough even for the most advanced political parties. Look at the Democrats in the US. Obama and Hillary are going at it and their supporters are sometimes nasty behind the scenes, but once the presidential candidate is chosen the party rallies around its chosen candidate.

I think we need to call off the suicide watch on the ODM. For those in Narc and their confused allies whose every hope is tied to the "imminent" collapse of the ODM, it is going to be a long wait.


Adongo.

[bkichwa]

adongo12345 said:

For me the London meeting wasn't much to write about.

Do you really mean that, AO?

Check out what today's papers are saying. I think this thing is way more convoluted, revealing and intriguing than you make it out to be. From Mudavadi's tough questions towards his colleagues who skipped the trip at the last hour, to Kosgey's sudden about-turn on the way to JKIA and his strange comment about the notion of this as a "bonding" trip being the fabrication of the media (please Mr. Kosgey, Kenyans are not std 3 kids), to Ruto's travel document problems and the RV political events lately. What about Joe Khamisi's comment from the Daily Nation's version of this saga? And who are these people with ill-intentions who are continually said to have "hijacked" the event in London...Raila's folks in London? (or even maybe the govt as am sure we will be told...since we are all in std. 3). This is as high political drama as it gets in Kenya. The ODM-K spin/damage control is clearly in high gear, especially considering the little info slipping out from some ODM cats who are too disgruntled to remain mum.

You surely don't think it's all just a case of a simple "London meeting"...do you, AO?

ps: Do you think Raila will be patriotic enough to facilitate the extradiction of one of the meeting's organizers, Deya, for his alleged heinous and abominable crimes? Patriotism is after all one of the strong traits that his supporters credit Raila with, and mention as a reaon for him to be Kenya's next leader...no?

pps: On the Narc-K internal issues - I agree. But in this post we are discussing the top story in Kenya currently which is ODM-K and the London "bonding" trip...no?

Here are the reports from today's Kenyan dailies:

www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=1&newsid=93426

www.timesnews.co.ke/10mar07/nwsstory/topstry.html

[adongo12345]

bkichwa

I can see your desperation to hang on to the Deya. The organizers in London seem have said he is not part of the team and I think they are more credible than Internet romour mongers.

Of course this is a juicy story for the media and they should have fun with it. My point is that I don't see the ODM falling apart tomorrow because they couldn't meet in London. As I said the sheer pressure Kenyans are putting on the ODM to sit tight and deliver the nation form the Kibaki crooks is quite something. That is what is going to keep ODM together. Those who bolt from the movement will be doomed to political oblivion. That is what saved Narc and rainbow movement. I am glad we can see it again in its full splendour. Everybody wants the ODM to succeed and they will. Too bad for those salivating on the sidelines waiting to gobble crumbs from a failed ODM.

Adongo.

[bkichwa]

adongo12345 said:

bkichwa

I can see your desperation to hang on to the Deya. The organizers in London seem have said he is not part of the team and I think they are more credible than Internet romour mongers.

Adongo.

Adongo,

Ofcourse the organizers would say that, they would be stupid to consent to any association with Deya - it's called damage control...or politics if you like.

There is no desperation on my part. This guy's name has been continously mentioned in the mainstream media from yesterday when this story broke. Why would someone just bring it up from nowhere and invoke it into the whole saga? Or is it the work of the malicious and evil govt yet again at play? Did you see the mention in one of the dailies that rival supporters/stalwarts of different ODM-K folks are spilling negative info on each others' candidates to the media? Nay my friend - I don't think this is the work of internet rumor mongers this time around, as you allude...hii ni kazi ya watu wa ODM wenyewe, as a result of their infighting.

Kama ni mbaya ni mbaya, Adongo. I'm not making anything up - it's all there for us to see...don't know if you do though. Deya is mired in this saga in some way or other, whether you believe it to be true or not. Let's call a spade a spade - if the shoe was on the other foot (govt in bed with Deya), I'm sure you wouldn't be indifferently shrugging off such an image-damaging association...or would you?

[bkichwa]

Here you go Adongo, from today's EA Standard - is Balala an internet rumor mongerer too?
(I guess the damage control ODM-K talking points were late in getting to him at the Aga Khan Hospital? All is not lost though - I'm sure tomorrow he will categorically deny having said this).

Balala said the decision by a section of the party’s presidential hopefuls to give the talks a wide berth was partly influenced by the involvement of controversial preacher, Archbishop Gilbert Deya.

"ODM-Kenya should know that even though the party membership is open to all we should be careful not to allow excess baggage on board.

"How did they expect us to attend the London talks if Deya was associated with it?" he asked.

Rest of the story below:

www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143965879

[bkichwa]

Adongo,

The internet rumor mongers are at it again! This time they have somehow cleverly fabricated several pictures of Raila meeting Deya in some official capacity while on a past trip in London.

But wait a minute...they surely can't afford such sophisticated creativity now, can they? These fake pics are too high tech and costly for cyber losers whose only job is to malign Raila on the cheap. It must be the govt behind this creative, pictorial propaganda!...no?

See link below:

deya.notlong.com/

[bkichwa]

More revelations on the botched London trip in this op-ed piece by one of ODM's presidential aspirants, Nazlin Omar. She lays the problems emanating from this London fiasco squarely on Raila and his crew.


www.timesnews.co.ke/11mar07/nwsstory/opinion3.html

Disrespect, mistrust is cause for ODM-K's woes

Kenyans have come along way in the struggle for democracy and its preserve must be everyone’s priority. The Orange Democratic Movement Kenya was founded on the principles of integrity, political solidarity, accountably, democracy, public demand, good governance and unity of resolve and purpose of the founding leaders, including me.

Any deviation and undermining of the above must be rejected and resisted in the true reflection of the servant leadership that we proclaim. The press is awash with mud slinging, name calling and distention at the national and grassroots level within our party which only reduces our capacity to win the General Election and form the next Government.

First, the London rendezvous was in bad faith, ill-intentioned and undermined expectations of the Kenyan electorate who have stood with us in quest for sound and responsible leadership. This is why I publicly rejected it and won the support of Kenyans.

I read the ulterior motive by some leaders in the Movement who had orchestrated an elaborate scheme to champion personal selfish interests at the cost of others, as I have pointed out severally. This was poised to scuttle the very essence of championing the people’s wishes in the leadership of this country and responsibility that they have invested in the party.

I want to thank my colleagues-Uhuru Kenyatta, Kalonzo Musyoka, William Ruto and Julia Ojiambo- in the race for presidency for seeing sense in my calls to reject the London trip in the interest of public support and unity of the party whose survival is threatened by a few individuals.

It is now clear that there was a deliberate move by Prof Anyang’ Nyongo’ and the secretariat and those whose presidential aspirations they have shown bias to, to dupe the ODM Kenya leaders and Kenyans as a whole to believe that the meeting was in the interest and expectations of Kenyans.

The secretariat and those behind them have put our national sovereignty and the integrity of ODM Kenya leadership to question. It is a shame, a betrayal and admission of self-enslavement and recolonisation as our party secretariat attempts to forfeit our hard fought freedom and independence to submit potential presidents of our soil to the “counsel” of mere 10 British MPs and civic leaders. This is sacrilegious and an affront to the struggles of democracy and our sovereignity.

Though I was later included in the list of those who were to travel to London after complaining of discrimination, I never thought it fit to go for a dubious retreat which was based on “principles:

lSuspicious sponsors like Bishop Gilbert Deya, who is wanted in Kenya for charges of child trafficking and the denial to the effect that he did not fund the visit is irrelevant as he has confirmed that he is actually the main donor to the trip.

lReligious and gender discrimination.

lPolitics of division and dominance geared towards support of selfish presidential interests.

lBoardroom resolutions that smack of dictatorship.

These serious issues have exploded into the public domain, yet Prof Nyong’o refuses to face the reality. In fact, he is the one who was fully in charge of this trip as the interim secretary general of the party and cannot feign ignorance of issues that have come to the fore. I think to the best of my knowledge that Prof Nyongo’'s stewardship of the party secretariat is wanting and the sooner he leaves the better for us and his reputation.

Secondly, I have been in the forefront calling for the dissolution if the secretariat for being misused for personal ambition by forces within the party leading to curtailed democracy, humiliation of other aspirants ridicule to our party. My position has been supported by several other aspirants including Musyoka, Ruto and Uhuru.

My concerns that the party’s harmonisation process was unlawful and had locked key aspirants out of the presidential race have fallen on deaf ears. I don’t recall any meeting where we as stakeholders have sat together to give guidelines as to what would constitute the said committees and also provide strategy to ensure that there would be no infiltration from our opponents and that the process would provide a level playing field for all. It is clear that this process was not conducted for the purpose of maintaining our party's unity, for ensuring harmony of all supporters at the grassroots level nor strengthening our party but for purely personal ambitions.

If the issues raised had received the attention they deserved, the whole process would not have flopped. It has only proved disastrous, locking out ardent ODM Kenya supporters who have since started decamping to our arch rivals.

If this status quo is allowed to hold and we fail to address these challenges as a team, then let us not fool ourselves but brace reality that our opponents will be celebrating all the way to the ballot box as we head to shame, collapse and loss.

Let us not undermine the documented evidence of endorsements and declarations of support I have received from my network throughout Kenya, the top most Islamic clerics throughout Kenya for the block vote, pastors and bishops from over 800 churches and the over 120 aspiring parliamentary candidates and several other sectors and communities backing me to run for the top seat in Kenya.

I will challenge this overwhelming discrimination, unfair undemocratic bullying and the whole discriminative nomination exercise should the channels of dialogue and respect within the party fail to bear fruit for the sole purpose of saving my party from collapse and loss. This is my duty as a faithful party member and a true democrat.

I think time is now for the party's presidential aspirants and members of goodwill to sit down togther as the ODM-K fraternity to soberly address the eminent and looming challenges that we face.

The writer is an ODM-K presidential aspirant.

[kamalet]

What are these ODM spin masters trying to do by denying the involvement of Deya in the London talks?

The man was on KTN on the day of the cancellation of the trip reiterating his membership in ODM and also acknowledging that he was involved in the facilitation of the 'bonding' talks!!!