Raila Gives Statesman Speech In Washington, DC

[Omwenga]

Raila Speech At Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, DC

In vintage Raila mode, our former prime minister Raila Odinga gave a statesman speech cum lecture at the Woodrow Wilson Center earlier today, giving his vision for Africa next 50 years while touching on hot topics in both his supporters' and enemies' minds and that's the elections many believe he won but was yet again the victim of electoral theft.

In his view, Raila said he knows he won but has had to accept the Supreme Court's verdict to the contrary for the sake of peace for our country and that's the mark of a statesman.

Listen for yourself what the man had to say and you'll agree with me why it's apt to say what I have in the title of this blog.

Or take an Alka Seltzer in the event you're having an upset stomach over this man's unparalleled enigmatic ability in the whole of Africa save for a few others like him he shall share the stature for life.

I am here talking about the likes of Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Patrick Lumumba and others who put dealing with the needs and suffering of their people ahead of everything else as proven by their individual and painful sacrifices.

[foresight]

Omwenga this statement " I am here talking about the likes of Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Patrick Lumumba and others who put dealing with the needs and suffering of their people ahead of everything else as proven by their individual and painful sacrifices.". is the one important reason Behind my support for RAOs type of leadership...

The next step for him would perhaps be to define his role in the present day Kenya politics and beyond... It will be interesting to read reactions and analysis of that speech. Thank you.

Sometimes back I argued to this effect.. jukwaa.proboards.com/thread/6540/raila-odinga-president

[phil]

Jun 19, 2013 0:09:42 GMT 3 Omwenga said:

Raila Speech At Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, DC

In vintage Raila mode, our former prime minister Raila Odinga gave a statesman speech cum lecture at the Woodrow Wilson Center earlier today, giving his vision for Africa next 50 years while touching on hot topics in both his supporters' and enemies' minds and that's the elections many believe he won but was yet again the victim of electoral theft.

In his view, Raila said he knows he won but has had to accept the Supreme Court's verdict to the contrary for the sake of peace for our country and that's the mark of a statesman.

Listen for yourself what the man had to say and you'll agree with me why it's apt to say what I have in the title of this blog.

Or take an Alka Seltzer in the event you're having an upset stomach over this man's unparalleled enigmatic ability in the whole of Africa save for a few others like him he shall share the stature for life.

I am here talking about the likes of Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Patrick Lumumba and others who put dealing with the needs and suffering of their people ahead of everything else as proven by their individual and painful sacrifices.

Omwenga thank you for posting this!

Great speech touching on a variety of African geopolitics and a stinging rebuke of the AU hypocrisy on ICC.

In the Q&A session, Odinga is evidently a man well informed, especially listening to the interesting exchange with an Ivorian among the audience who questioned Odinga’s role in the mediating the Ivorian crisis.

Strangely, Odinga supports GoK decision to repatriate thousands of Somali refugees back to their unstable country from Kenyan refugee camps. On the tension between, Sudanese countries, Odinga urges total implementation of the CPA agreement signed in Nairobi, something which the Arab North has not been keen to follow-up on.

This man clearly is still one to watch.

[kamalet]

Poor guy! Still sucking up to the west and making himself the laughing stock by claiming that we won an election that even the EU and American observer acknowledge he lost! Suggesting that the British who did not even apologise as the an example for the Kenyan leadership to apologise as suggested by TJRC is nothing more than sucking up to the west considering that it took them 60 years to acknowledge their wrong and all they can do is express regret!

Bure kabisa!

[abdulmote]

I have listened to the speech. The whole of it! Time on my hands, I suppose. It was not necessarily all good or all bad. I heard a mixture of both. Nevertheless, it had some entertaining bits:

Here is my summary:

The start was late. Raila took his mike at around the 28th minute mark. I couldn't help but chuckle at his early stumble when he said: "kuna number of familiar faces...", thereby sneaking in a swahili word, unintentionally so to speak. See from 28.07. And by the way, this has happened to me as well, when speaking to wazungu and could not avoid using the 'mother tongue' unintentionally.

I was not entirely impressed in his address on issues and need for food security. Raila failed to touch on the mega land leases of African arable chunks being let given to foreign dollars. Despite hunger, poverty and food insecurity being a major issue, raila coveniently avoided mentioning such scams on his people.

On the question of African fears re the chinese immigrants, Raila responded by stating that it is entirely on the Africans themselves to "define their relationship with the Chinese" and not vice versa. What he did fail to acknowledge is the fact that he as the PM during his tenure and the Kenyan Immigration Department falling under his direct appointment, a la Kajwang, miserably failed to address such an issue. The Chinese have been known to partake on hawking and selling roasted maize in Kenya. A "petty business" which they should not have been allowed to engage in!

On the question of the newly introduced Public Benefits Act which relates to NGOs practicing in Kenya, Raila disappointed me by responding that it is upon the NGOs themselves to fight their own corner and not for a person like him to do that for them, even though he agrees that the Act is not a good one.

Otherwise Raila did mention some good points as well: for example, he clearly stated that although he did not agree with the SC decision on the last Presidential election petition, he chose to accept its verdict for the sake of peace and wider nation. That was good.

On the question of ICC and the AUs hypocrisy on the same, Raila impressed me by pointing out that it is the Africans themselves who chose to take their culprits to ICC, rather than the other way round. He reminded us that in Kenya it was "don't be vague, take us to the hague..." remarks, and various other African examples.

On the subject of the OAU and AU and its prevailing rhetoric and chest thumping, Raila pointed out correctly how hypocritical the said leaders are, but strikingly and in my opinion, Raila himself is also part of the same peers! Recall my take on Raila being a victim of his own failures here.

Finally, Raila's remarks on the question of "utilising corruption as a tool of progress" by one of the audience members, he was hilarious and you need to see that for yourself, almost at the end of the clip.

[mkubwa06]

It was a good event. We had an excellent time with the people's president. Was taken aback during Q and A time when a citizen from Cote D Ivoire said that Raila did not do his homework on the country. He did not really ask a question but instead made a statement in which he seemed to side with Gbagbo's actions.

[jakaswanga]

Jun 19, 2013 19:25:58 GMT 3 abdulmote said:

I have listened to the speech. The whole of it! Time on my hands, I suppose. It was not necessarily all good or all bad. I heard a mixture of both. Nevertheless, it had some entertaining bits:

Here is my summary:

Abdulmote,

Salaams, for those of us who have not yet found the time to hear or read the speech, your summary is the first intelligent act of this thread. Omwenga & Phil praised the speech in toto, without even a single indication, leave alone quote, of any particular issue in which he either matched patrice Lumumba, or some other such-like great orator.

Then on the other side came Kamalet with a broadside dismissal. None of these Jukwaa stalwarts came through on the subject matter. ---Well, they all knew you had time(rofl) on your hands and would do the necessary, din't they?

I feel like starting the mother of all derailments by calling all these gentlemen some choice vocabulary I have of late learnt from my wife! But why indulge Oloo? that cruel man of the :Dneck-chopping machine?

[abdulmote]

Sample this and let me spare you the pain of listening to the clip. Africans are certainly ingenious when it comes to matters of corruption. Or are they? I must warn that this is not verbatim but almost.

A Senegalese lady with her MSc from London asked: "The Chinese, amongst other Asian countries, are notorious for corrupt practices, but have managed to become the fastest growing economy in the world. Do you foresee any possibilities of shifting the idea of corruption in Africa, from a detriment, to actually a tool for economic growth?".

Answer from Raila, who used an example in his narration: "An African delegation went to Malaysia on an official visit. As is the norm, the delegation was taken around the city of their host and were shown various development projects, etc. In the evening, the delegations was taken for a reception at the hosting minister's home and were also shown around the various posh things within the minister's half acre compound. In awe and admiration of what the minister had as his possessions, the African minister within the delegation asked his host: "How did you manage to acquire all this?". The host minister then answered by taking his guest to a balcony and pointing to a road nearby he said: "do you see that road over there? The African minister answered "yes?". The host then said: "This is the ten percent over hear".


Subsequently after sometime, it was a turn for the Malaysian delegation to reciprocate their visit to the African state hosted before. During a similar evening reception, this time hosted by the African minister, the Malaysian minister was very impressed by his African counterpart: A large mansion with well kept gardens, posh furniture imported from Europe and an Olympic sized swimming pool to boot. The May then asked: "How did you manage to acquire all this?". The African minister then took his guest to his balcony and pointing to a dusty distance ahead asked his guest: "do you see that road over there?". Guest: "yes, but there is no road to be seen". Host: Thats right, what you see over here is the hundred percent of that road..."

That was his answer to the Senegalese question and end of the speech. Brilliant!

[b6k]

Jun 19, 2013 22:52:02 GMT 3 abdulmote said:

Sample this and let me spare you the pain of listening to the clip. Africans are certainly ingenious when it comes to matters of corruption. Or are they? I must warn that this is not verbatim but almost.

A Senegalese lady with her MSc from London asked: "The Chinese, amongst other Asian countries, are notorious for corrupt practices, but have managed to become the fastest growing economy in the world. Do you foresee any possibilities of shifting the idea of corruption in Africa, from a detriment, to actually a tool for economic growth?".

Answer from Raila, who used an example in his narration: "An African delegation went to Malaysia on an official visit. As is the norm, the delegation was taken around the city of their host and were shown various development projects, etc. In the evening, the delegations was taken for a reception at the hosting minister's home and were also shown around the various posh things within the minister's half acre compound. In awe and admiration of what the minister had as his possessions, the African minister within the delegation asked his host: "How did you manage to acquire all this?". The host minister then answered by taking his guest to a balcony and pointing to a road nearby he said: "do you see that road over there? The African minister answered "yes?". The host then said: "This is the ten percent over hear".


Subsequently after sometime, it was a turn for the Malaysian delegation to reciprocate their visit to the African state hosted before. During a similar evening reception, this time hosted by the African minister, the Malaysian minister was very impressed by his African counterpart: A large mansion with well kept gardens, posh furniture imported from Europe and an Olympic sized swimming pool to boot. The May then asked: "How did you manage to acquire all this?". The African minister then took his guest to his balcony and pointing to a dusty distance ahead asked his guest: "do you see that road over there?". Guest: "yes, but there is no road to be seen". Host: Thats right, what you see over here is the hundred percent of that road..."

That was his answer to the Senegalese question and end of the speech. Brilliant!

Abdulmote, this is actually a very old bar room joke, which in a sense goes to confirm that RAO is just one of "the lads" like us as reported by Kamale with his Madaraka Day sojourn to Mini Pub in Nairobi West. The sad thing is the gullible wazungu in the audience will take it as fact because a former PM said so. Sad really....

Will be back with my take on the stateman's speech once I watch the full thing, save to say an advance party to check out the venue will be a good idea in the future. A predominantly blue shirt worn in a blue background is a fashionista faux pas....

[abdulmote]

B6,

That bar room joke is a joke nevertheless, especially for any one who has not heard it before, myself included. Being in the circles of pub crawlers and Kenyan ones in fact, is a benefit which not everyone has, unfortunately. And no, I don't think the "wazungu" audience was likely to take that joke as a fact, simply because it was told by the ex PM of Kenya. I think the mentality of perceiving wazungu as some naive idiots is totally misplaced and I know that that is what is in place most of the time.

Having said that and on looking back, I think it was rather foolish of Raila to respond with such a joke on matters of corruption on such an occasion. I think he lost a very good opportunity to speak serious staff on such an obvious topic, instead of rubbishing the same with such a joke.

That aside, I also rather disappointed in observing that most of contributors in here and other Kenyan forums, tend to comment on issues whilst deeply stuck with their ethnic prisms. Too much unnecessary hate against each other if you ask me, simply for belonging to another tribe as it were. Any name with an 'O' has to be stricken down by some one with a name having a 'K' in it and vice versa. Why can we not just look at people for who they actually are without adding too much salt in satisfaction of our own skewed tastes?

[jakaswanga]

This to me was the right speech at the wrong place at the wrong moment.

Let me explain my thinking.

To date, Raila has not relinquished his position as the de facto leader of the CORD; neither are any leadership elections planned in the aftermath of the electoral 'defeat'. But CORD is the opposition , [euphemism for Mapigs as opposed to Mpigs] both in the houses of legislation, and the devolution continuum. Then the greatest, most important event that took place in the past week in the Kenyan political calender, was the reading of the first jubilee budget. Uhuruto statement of mission, and clarification of their ideological position, priorities respective the problems of the country.

In good politics, in fact the only politics, the leader of the opposition must come up with a detailed response to the government's statement of mission ---the budget. The leader of the opposition, if he has a different take [vision] must pick the governments contentions, assumptions, policies to pieces and show cause why his own vision is the medicine the country, had it been wiser, would have chosen last election. That is his chief and key duty after a budget read.

As things stand, Raila was nowhere to be seen; he ignored the budget, which, in military terms is a sentry taking French-leave during an attack, or a general snoring when the enemy's troop movements are being plotted.

That, in my opinion is what Raila has done, which is a cardinal mistake in politics. He has abandoned his formal task, and gone off to enjoy irrelevant fittings abroad. ---Else he should have freed CORD to yes, MOVE ON!

AS it is, he is suffocating it in paralysis. Chef de cuisine should not stray far from the kitchen at the most critical moment of the recept calender!

But perhaps there is even a deadlier reason why he has nothing to say to Jubilee's first budget. This is exactly the same budget CORD's minister of finance would have read in parliament. I mean it was prepared by the same people who prepared all the budgets during the defunct GCG in which Raila was co-captain, and which he endorsed. [Koro awendo ok ne nyal biro weyo siege kata ang'o]. That is to say the comprador ideological content of the budget would stay constant, Raila or Uhuruto in power.

Instinctively knowing this, it does not really matter CORD's leader of the opposition responding to Jubilee's budget, it would merely be an endorsement, another Uhuru-Oburu signed familial document.

So my verdict is ... banging the tam-tam in the neighbouring village when your house is on fire can of course be a musical treat to the listeners, but there is something foolish about the venture!

[b6k]

Jun 20, 2013 18:35:33 GMT 3 abdulmote said:

B6,

That bar room joke is a joke nevertheless, especially for any one who has not heard it before, myself included. Being in the circles of pub crawlers and Kenyan ones in fact, is a benefit which not everyone has, unfortunately. And no, I don't think the "wazungu" audience was likely to take that joke as a fact, simply because it was told by the ex PM of Kenya. I think the mentality of perceiving wazungu as some naive idiots is totally misplaced and I know that that is what is in place most of the time.

Having said that and on looking back, I think it was rather foolish of Raila to respond with such a joke on matters of corruption on such an occasion. I think he lost a very good opportunity to speak serious staff on such an obvious topic, instead of rubbishing the same with such a joke.

That aside, I also rather disappointed in observing that most of contributors in here and other Kenyan forums, tend to comment on issues whilst deeply stuck with their ethnic prisms. Too much unnecessary hate against each other if you ask me, simply for belonging to another tribe as it were. Any name with an 'O' has to be stricken down by some one with a name having a 'K' in it and vice versa. Why can we not just look at people for who they actually are without adding too much salt in satisfaction of our own skewed tastes?

Thankfully some of us are pub trawlers, not crawlers . I still haven't watched the Q&A segment of the statesman's speech so I will reserve comment on his wisdom or lack thereof at this juncture. As for wazungu gullibility I lived long enough with them to know they are just as prone to fall prey to their big man syndrome as Wanjiku is here...maybe even more-so given that they have the ways & means to know better if only they made a little effort to do so.

On the "O" vs "K" thing methinks that's purely conjecture on your part, especially here on Jukwaa where you can't tell the O's from the K's given handles . So everything's A OK....

[einstein]

Jun 21, 2013 20:23:33 GMT 3 jakaswanga said:

This to me was the right speech at the wrong place at the wrong moment.

Let me explain my thinking.

To date, Raila has not relinquished his position as the de facto leader of the CORD; neither are any leadership elections planned in the aftermath of the electoral 'defeat'. But CORD is the opposition , [euphemism for Mapigs as opposed to Mpigs] both in the houses of legislation, and the devolution continuum. Then the greatest, most important event that took place in the past week in the Kenyan political calender, was the reading of the first jubilee budget. Uhuruto statement of mission, and clarification of their ideological position, priorities respective the problems of the country.

In good politics, in fact the only politics, the leader of the opposition must come up with a detailed response to the government's statement of mission ---the budget. The leader of the opposition, if he has a different take [vision] must pick the governments contentions, assumptions, policies to pieces and show cause why his own vision is the medicine the country, had it been wiser, would have chosen last election. That is his chief and key duty after a budget read.

As things stand, Raila was nowhere to be seen; he ignored the budget, which, in military terms is a sentry taking French-leave during an attack, or a general snoring when the enemy's troop movements are being plotted.

That, in my opinion is what Raila has done, which is a cardinal mistake in politics. He has abandoned his formal task, and gone off to enjoy irrelevant fittings abroad. ---Else he should have freed CORD to yes, MOVE ON!

AS it is, he is suffocating it in paralysis. Chef de cuisine should not stray far from the kitchen at the most critical moment of the recept calender!

But perhaps there is even a deadlier reason why he has nothing to say to Jubilee's first budget. This is exactly the same budget CORD's minister of finance would have read in parliament. I mean it was prepared by the same people who prepared all the budgets during the defunct GCG in which Raila was co-captain, and which he endorsed. [Koro awendo ok ne nyal biro weyo siege kata ang'o]. That is to say the comprador ideological content of the budget would stay constant, Raila or Uhuruto in power.

Instinctively knowing this, it does not really matter CORD's leader of the opposition responding to Jubilee's budget, it would merely be an endorsement, another Uhuru-Oburu signed familial document.

So my verdict is ... banging the tam-tam in the neighbouring village when your house is on fire can of course be a musical treat to the listeners, but there is something foolish about the venture!

A clever opposition CANNOT afford to do what you suggest above. That would amount to giving the government in power tips on how to successfully adjust itself, improve on its governance and later on take credit for it leaving the opposition with no alternative campaign platform.

The government in power must be left completely on its own by the opposition to either succeed or fail in its management of the economy. If it fails, then the opposition can showcase its alternative platform in the next election.

If the opposition followed your suggestion above, then it can as well forget about ever being voted in as the next government. Very poor advice indeed!!

The responsibility of the opposition while in opposition is to play an oversight and not an economic advisory role to the government in power.

[jakaswanga]

Jun 21, 2013 21:08:09 GMT 3 einstein said:

Jun 21, 2013 20:23:33 GMT 3 jakaswanga said:

This to me was the right speech at the wrong place at the wrong moment.

Let me explain my thinking.

In good politics, in fact the only politics, the leader of the opposition must come up with a detailed response to the government's statement of mission ---the budget. The leader of the opposition, if he has a different take [vision] must pick the governments contentions, assumptions, policies to pieces and show cause why his own vision is the medicine the country, had it been wiser, would have chosen last election. That is his chief and key duty after a budget read.
Instinctively knowing this, it does not really matter CORD's leader of the opposition responding to Jubilee's budget, it would merely be an endorsement, another Uhuru-Oburu signed familial document.

So my verdict is ... banging the tam-tam in the neighbouring village when your house is on fire can of course be a musical treat to the listeners, but there is something foolish about the venture!

A clever opposition CANNOT afford to do what you suggest above. That would amount to giving the government in power tips on how to successfully adjust itself, improve on its governance and later on take credit for it leaving the opposition with no alternative campaign platform.

The government in power must be left completely on its own by the opposition to either succeed or fail in its management of the economy. If it fails, then the opposition can showcase its alternative platform in the next election.

If the opposition followed your suggestion above, then it can as well forget about ever being voted in as the next government. Very poor advice indeed!!

The responsibility of the opposition while in opposition is to play an oversight and not an economic advisory role to the government in power.

IN the manifestos produced and lauched with much aplomb in the run to the campaign seasons, all political parties more or less LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG. They reveal their thinking in detail, all their priorities and choices at finance. It is by comparing these detailed programs that an electorate is expected to make an INFORMED opinion, and thus choice.

If a government is to be left completely on its own, that is a walk-over. That is like getting into a boxing ring and refusing to engage the opponent. he knocks you out cold.

The task of opposition is also to help steer the country off excesses. Even forcing the govt into an about turn. The best form of flattery is to be copied, so when the government steals the opposition program, it admits its bankruptcy and the opposition simply has to say, resign, let the real thing take over!

We have a fundamental difference in approach to this problem. The conduct of oppositional politics.

CORD should have made sure the VATs on basic foodstuffs is nullified, by savage criticism and mass mobilisation. See Otishotishe's post on malnutritions in Africa.

But cord can not do that, because it is the leading lights of CORD like fellow Kavirondoman Mbadi and [jakom jogi dwaro negi] Midiwo, who were at the forefront of holding up the treasury for the high wages for Mpgis, which are to be footed by exorbitantly taxing the meagre ugali off Wanjiku's belly!

[einstein]

Jun 22, 2013 0:29:57 GMT 3 jakaswanga said:

Jun 21, 2013 21:08:09 GMT 3 einstein said:

A clever opposition CANNOT afford to do what you suggest above. That would amount to giving the government in power tips on how to successfully adjust itself, improve on its governance and later on take credit for it leaving the opposition with no alternative campaign platform.

The government in power must be left completely on its own by the opposition to either succeed or fail in its management of the economy. If it fails, then the opposition can showcase its alternative platform in the next election.

If the opposition followed your suggestion above, then it can as well forget about ever being voted in as the next government. Very poor advice indeed!!

The responsibility of the opposition while in opposition is to play an oversight and not an economic advisory role to the government in power.

IN the manifestos produced and lauched with much aplomb in the run to the campaign seasons, all political parties more or less LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG. They reveal their thinking in detail, all their priorities and choices at finance. It is by comparing these detailed programs that an electorate is expected to make an INFORMED opinion, and thus choice.

If a government is to be left completely on its own, that is a walk-over. That is like getting into a boxing ring and refusing to engage the opponent. he knocks you out cold.

The task of opposition is also to help steer the country off excesses. Even forcing the govt into an about turn. The best form of flattery is to be copied, so when the government steals the opposition program, it admits its bankruptcy and the opposition simply has to say, resign, let the real thing take over!

We have a fundamental difference in approach to this problem. The conduct of oppositional politics.

CORD should have made sure the VATs on basic foodstuffs is nullified, by savage criticism and mass mobilisation. See Otishotishe's post on malnutritions in Africa.

But cord can not do that, because it is the leading lights of CORD like fellow Kavirondoman Mbadi and [jakom jogi dwaro negi] Midiwo, who were at the forefront of holding up the treasury for the high wages for Mpgis, which are to be footed by exorbitantly taxing the meagre ugali off Wanjiku's belly!

Yes, Mr. Jack-of-all-trades! Are you not so right as usual! I end the discussion right here!!

[b6k]

Jun 22, 2013 0:29:57 GMT 3 jakaswanga said:

CORD should have made sure the VATs on basic foodstuffs is nullified, by savage criticism and mass mobilisation. See Otishotishe's post on malnutritions in Africa.

But cord can not do that, because it is the leading lights of CORD like fellow Kavirondoman Mbadi and [jakom jogi dwaro negi] Midiwo, who were at the forefront of holding up the treasury for the high wages for Mpgis, which are to be footed by exorbitantly taxing the meagre ugali off Wanjiku's belly!

Jakaswanga, you may have missed this news item, given the other salacious news stories doing rounds that Destiny brought to our attention, but the treasury (or GK) has already scrapped any moves towards taxing food, medicines & fertilizers.



Reprieve as Treasury scraps VAT on food
Updated Wednesday, June 19th 2013 at 23:52 GMT +3

Excerpt:

"The National Treasury has removed the controversial 16 per cent Value Added Tax on basic commodities from the VAT Bill.

In what is seen as ceding ground following mounting opposition to the Bill, Economic Secretary Geoffrey Mwau said the Exchequer is reviewing options of protecting the poor, including scraping the proposed taxes on basic items such as food, medicines, fertiliser and agricultural inputs.

Luxury items

Mwau, however, added that luxury food items such as swordfish and caviar, which are classified as inputs to the tourism sector, would not be spared taxation.

“Essential commodities such as food and medicines will be VAT-exempt to address the plight of people who cannot afford them. But there are other items that are really for the rich,” he told The Standard yesterday.

Presenting his Budget statement to Parliament last week, Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich said he would re-table the VAT Bill to raise Sh10 billion. “Government has limited options to grow its revenues other than imposing tax on items that would significantly increase the cost of living for Kenyans,” he said.

Among the goods that are currently VAT-exempt and had been targeted by the proposed VAT Bill before it was quickly shelved last year are bread, milk, maize flour, livestock feed, pesticides, sanitary towels, books, newspapers, computers, locally assembled water pumps and local gin cotton."

So Otishotish & Jakaswanga can rest assured that any malnourished children in KE won't be in that state because of VAT on food....

www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000086336&story_title=Kenya-reprieve-as-treasury-scraps-vat-on-food

[jakaswanga]

Jun 22, 2013 7:46:39 GMT 3 b6k said:

Jun 22, 2013 0:29:57 GMT 3 jakaswanga said:

CORD should have made sure the VATs on basic foodstuffs is nullified, by savage criticism and mass mobilisation. See Otishotishe's post on malnutritions in Africa.

But cord can not do that, because it is the leading lights of CORD like fellow Kavirondoman Mbadi and [jakom jogi dwaro negi] Midiwo, who were at the forefront of holding up the treasury for the high wages for Mpgis, which are to be footed by exorbitantly taxing the meagre ugali off Wanjiku's belly!

Jakaswanga, you may have missed this news item, given the other salacious news stories doing rounds that Destiny brought to our attention, but the treasury (or GK) has already scrapped any moves towards taxing food, medicines & fertilizers.



Reprieve as Treasury scraps VAT on food
Updated Wednesday, June 19th 2013 at 23:52 GMT +3

Excerpt:

"The National Treasury has removed the controversial 16 per cent Value Added Tax on basic commodities from the VAT Bill.

In what is seen as ceding ground following mounting opposition to the Bill, Economic Secretary Geoffrey Mwau said the Exchequer is reviewing options of protecting the poor, including scraping the proposed taxes on basic items such as food, medicines, fertiliser and agricultural inputs.

Luxury items

Mwau, however, added that luxury food items such as swordfish and caviar, which are classified as inputs to the tourism sector, would not be spared taxation.

“Essential commodities such as food and medicines will be VAT-exempt to address the plight of people who cannot afford them. But there are other items that are really for the rich,” he told The Standard yesterday.

Presenting his Budget statement to Parliament last week, Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich said he would re-table the VAT Bill to raise Sh10 billion. “Government has limited options to grow its revenues other than imposing tax on items that would significantly increase the cost of living for Kenyans,” he said.

Among the goods that are currently VAT-exempt and had been targeted by the proposed VAT Bill before it was quickly shelved last year are bread, milk, maize flour, livestock feed, pesticides, sanitary towels, books, newspapers, computers, locally assembled water pumps and local gin cotton."

So Otishotish & Jakaswanga can rest assured that any malnourished children in KE won't be in that state because of VAT on food....

www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000086336&story_title=Kenya-reprieve-as-treasury-scraps-vat-on-food

b6k, ---the following post is well, the Kenya-Post, rather than vintage Jukwaa. Do not think I do not spend long hours on free YOU to YOU, exchanging laughs with other rumour-mongers on these Dog eat woman, and man climb cow stories!

Only yesterday some girl was telling me dogs do it better, they have a keener sense of tongue and very licky flicks! I did not know whatg she was talking about of course, but I called a consultant on dogs to ask, but his fee was too high!

But, back to the matter at hand...

I told you to respect Agwambo, the peoples president. Uhuruto got wind of what he was plotting and sh!tted in their pants, thus this ABOUT TURN on VATS!
You see Agwambo wa plotting the mother of all marches, a 4 million souls march, against the starvation clause aka VAT-bill, a tax measure which would leave all us manambas and their dependants starving.

The Mpigs demo would then look like a joke, and Uhuruto would even be forced to deploy the army, which is under Raila's daughter Raychelle, therefore of doubtful loyalty. Out of options, the technocrat Rotich has been relegated to a spectator at his own budget. Politics first! --Who wants an ugali riot?

caveat: ever since the elections which ended sadly for CORD Parrots on Jukwaa, you Jubilee damus have been, as Nereah puts it, goyo siboi on Jukwaa. That is thumping your caviar-filled chests and hindering Agwambo from even using the raia public toilets at the airport ---forcing him to run to a nearby hotel for any call. Given this, I have decided to 'warm the seat of Raila cheerman' until uncle Phil the Kitale without K man, and Ori Omwenga have recovered from the intensive care unit where Dr. Khalwale has been recuperating them from their earlier reported suicide attempts.

Once they are back firing at full throttle on Jukwaa --or the star or Deepcogitation, I will stop immersing myself in tabloid-talk, and go back to telling the truth and the sole truth!

Meanwhile: Agwambo biro, yawne Yo!
Agwambo biro! Uhuruto dar a ka!![/i] --Donge?

UHURUTO LEAVE IT ALL TO GOD.

Why do you think the president of Kenya and his deputy led the nation in prayers for guidance out of the wages quagmire? ---Because only God can save them from Agwambo. They are clueless now! fearful children who believe in fairy tales, and it is dark and raining and thundering.

www.nation.co.ke/News/Uhuru-leads-in-taking-Kenyans-pain-to-God-/-/1056/1889668/-/ksuhqb/-/index.html

President Uhuru Kenyatta Thursday led the country’s political leaders in taking Kenya’s troubles to God, as his Deputy William Ruto wiped a tear, again, after recounting the elections story.
It was a cold morning in a tent, and the showers did not help matters at the first National Prayer Breakfast attended by the president and his deputy since assuming office.

AND NOW THE JUKWAA PART. note to Dr. Rotich.

Imagine yawa! taking the problem of a budgetary deficit to God! The key problem of every political dispensation!

Dr. Henry Rotich, you go all the way to Harvard then come back to advice African presidents and their deputies that God will handle inflation, youth unemployment, sovereign deficits, mass malnutrition, and Raila?

Wake up before Harvard withdraws your doctorate. Believe me sir, If you had gone to a German institute, by now your promovendus --that is the professor who supervised your cum-laude 'Doctorandus' would have summoned you to Germany for a faculty inquisition, and possible delition from the alumnis roll-call!

That is why I love Germany! they mean business, even if it is the horrific act of exterminating Jews, mental laziness is unknown. You practice your trade, or you move on !

NB: If Angela Merkel prayed for God to solve the Eurozone crisis, by the end of the day she will be admitted into a psychiatric institution.

So let us blast the imperialist West yes, but let us know so long we have low-brain-grade 'solution profiles' like Uhuru and Ruto leading, and handing you over to God's love, we are doomed to subservience. To East or West.

I will be back!

[jakaswanga]

Jun 22, 2013 1:47:26 GMT 3 einstein said:

Yes, Mr. Jack-of-all-trades! Are you not so right as usual! I end the discussion right here!!

yes, if you can not always be right, why bother becoming a teacher? then it would be better to earn more being a politician in Kenya methinks. ---Do not engage me, little brother, I am engaged to your wife. Perhaps she knows something this jerk of all trades is master of?

[b6k]

Jakaswanga,you have written a post that I have to reflect on further, much like admin's ode (or soliloquy) to b6k immediately after the supreme court ruling. Some things must be observed,ingested,& internalized before one can comment objectively, sans emotion. To put it in words before all that, I am not Jubilee. However I can agree to being of the school of thought that "better the devil you know" than the poodle of "higher" masters whose agenda remains unknown save for having a malleable leader in KE. Let me read again, internalize your message, regurgitate it in any one of my four stomachs sequentially after which . Will regurgitate my missive to yours when the planets have aligned....

[mank]

Jun 19, 2013 0:09:42 GMT 3 Omwenga said:

Raila Speech At Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, DC

In vintage Raila mode, our former prime minister Raila Odinga gave a statesman speech cum lecture at the Woodrow Wilson Center earlier today, giving his vision for Africa next 50 years while touching on hot topics in both his supporters' and enemies' minds and that's the elections many believe he won but was yet again the victim of electoral theft.

In his view, Raila said he knows he won but has had to accept the Supreme Court's verdict to the contrary for the sake of peace for our country and that's the mark of a statesman.

Listen for yourself what the man had to say and you'll agree with me why it's apt to say what I have in the title of this blog.

Or take an Alka Seltzer in the event you're having an upset stomach over this man's unparalleled enigmatic ability in the whole of Africa save for a few others like him he shall share the stature for life.

I am here talking about the likes of Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Patrick Lumumba and others who put dealing with the needs and suffering of their people ahead of everything else as proven by their individual and painful sacrifices.

The man is an entertainer. We all know that entertainers don't have to speak the truth all the time. So I will overlook the unfounded and uncomfortable allegations he makes, including the uncomfortable encounter with with man from Cote d'Ivoire, and take home the amusing parts - especially the closing skit.