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Post by amunra on Jan 28, 2012 14:58:18 GMT 3
now, if she also added the pain and suffering of idps and those who lost loved one it would have made a perfect approach.
the timing of her statement is rather poor,the pms statement was good enough. who handles the pms p.r.?
but she is genuine behind closed doors you can only imagine the hurt their respective families are going through just because one of their kin was greedy and power hungry .
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Post by mwalimumkuu on Jan 29, 2012 8:05:55 GMT 3
Ida Odinga is part and parcel of the Kenyan elite and has no ability to understand the Wanjiku. We sometimes wrongfully believe that people such as Raila, Uhuru and Ruto are sworn enemies who have nothing in common. We are of course dead wrong because these people are often friends in private and also have family ties. In their spare time they party and feast together while their supporters hate on each other. It’s therefore not strange that Ida Odinga identifies and feels the pain of the Ocampo 4 and nothing at all for the IDPs. Ida has just exposed the selfishness and double standards of the Kenya elite. To expect her to stay away from commenting on the ICC and especially not to support the murderous elite is a wishful thinking. She is doing exactly what a person in her position and station is expected to do. In other words she is not pretending at all. She is talking from her heart. Her comments are no doubt silly if not reckless. Not quite. How would Ida be part of the elite and not her husband? My reading of this whole thing is that, it is symptomatic of the undercover division that exists in the Raila camp in regard to the ICC process. Ida seems to be siding with one ODM group that includes Mudavadi and the RV remnants that think that the Orengos, Midiwos etc are closing statehouse doors for the Odingas specifically and ODM generally by their misguided strong pronouncements on the ICC process as is. It will not escape the thought of many that the little thing that is Luo succession politics could be at play especially for James Orengo and Midiwo who after succeeding at edging out Miguna Miguna are working over time to assert themselves and consolidate their elevated positions in ODM. This of course is not sitting very well with Ida and a few other ODM honchos who are beginning to feel, and genuinely so, that the duo and their supporters have their own personal agenda.
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Post by Omwenga on Jan 30, 2012 23:16:04 GMT 3
moesha, She is talking from her her heart because her heart only hurts for the Ocampo six and not the victims of the PEV. Had she said that she is hurting for the PEV victims, she would be lying. According to impeccable sources, the story about Mama Ida reported in the news is correct but it's not the whole story. As is often the case in media reporting, Mama Ida gave a lengthy interview but only bits of it were cut and pasted in the story first appearing in Daily Nation. The story, for example, did not emphasize the fact that even though publicly aired, Mama Ida's message was primarily intended for Members of Parliament because she believes the August House failed Kenyans in not passing the law intended to try all PEV suspects in Kenya. Mrs. Odinga, however, believes Parliament should still pass this law that may or may not include those cases currently pending at the Hague with her concern being perpetrators of PEV who are not at the Hague should also face justice at home. The source says Mrs. Odinga also believes Parliament has many willing to do the right thing but only those who were compromised before derailed the process to establish a local tribunal for reasons they now regret. Mrs. Odinga believes Parliament can act in a non-partisan spirit to pass the law for local tribunal which, in her view, is the only way closure can be had on PEV. Regarding her shared sympathy as a mother, Mrs. Odinga made it clear that was with all mothers and wives of the ICC suspects and not necessarily the suspects themselves she says the law should be allowed to run its course. The PM's wife is emphatic that she made it clear during the interview that she needless to say feels the pain and anguish of the PEV victims and reminds people that she was the very first person to visit PEV victims in the aftermath of the violence to console them when there were no politicians doing so at the time.
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Post by b6k on Jan 30, 2012 23:44:15 GMT 3
Omwenga, & Mrs Odinga is saying all this for which constituency?
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Post by nereah on Jan 31, 2012 12:34:36 GMT 3
nyagem ;D as mama ida is known to me, is merely trumpeting what those i know in the centre left and by large, odm moderates and liberals, have been whispering.
i for one is eager, willing and ready to debate with anyone in jukwaa who may want to prove to my like minded in a new thread, that this hague/icc process is not one big con.
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Post by kasuku on Jan 31, 2012 13:14:22 GMT 3
People Ida is a soft hearted woman used to see good in everything even as bad as IDP servered life. She is like many other women i know (including my mother) who have seing all in life and have learned to shut their eyes on the evils on this earth in order to keep going for the sake of their Family (and their community) harmony.
I agree with Oo, she should have kept out of it. In Fact, with such public blatant she could spoil for Raila.
Could it be that she calls the shots at home and has full influence in Railas Political life too?
Remember the many times Raila broke political battles to compromise for less? Look at the many times he has taken a soft landing? Doesn’t that sound like Idas work? “Darling, stop the fight and take what they are giving you and let it be, god is great”!?
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Post by nereah on Jan 31, 2012 14:12:16 GMT 3
Could it be that she calls the shots at home and has full influence in Railas Political life too? Remember the many times Raila broke political battles to compromise for less? kasuku? ;D please allow me to quip in. nyagem was bitterly opposed to the merger of ndp and kanu and is on record having protested against dissolution of tinga. that just one example. ask any of her former students, one happens to be just an inbox away( not me) and you may be able to get a clear understanding of who this great lady is.
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Post by kasuku on Jan 31, 2012 15:08:13 GMT 3
What i questioned about Ida was my personal observation projected by her calling for the end of the ICC court procedure when it is already too late. Where was she before the court procedures started? She seems to be thinking with emotions not rational.
A teacher and a first lady are too very different people (living in two different life chapters where priorities must be placed?).
And honestly, I am not interested into knowing the Ida Odinga Teacher. She is more interesting to me now, as a possible first lady for she could be the boss behind the scenes should Raila become the president. And what she says now will be followed carefully and scrutinized under a microscope if necessary.
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Post by nereah on Jan 31, 2012 15:24:29 GMT 3
What i questioned about Ida was my personal observation projected by her calling for the end of the ICC court procedure when it is already too late. Where was she before the court procedures started? She seems to be thinking with emotions not rational. A teacher and a first lady are too very different people (living in two different life chapters where priorities must be placed?). And honestly, I am not interested into knowing the Ida Odinga Teacher. She is more interesting to me now, as a possible first lady for she could be the boss behind the scenes should Raila become the president. And what she says now will be followed carefully and scrutinized under a microscope if necessary. my apologies if i am cherry picking but forgive me for asking, what exactly is your qualm with ida's statement? is it because as the first lady, she is not suppose to be entitled to her opinion? ... or could it be because her husband who is a politician has not,to the best of our knowledge, practically endorsed her view?.....
as i said and this is not specific to you, i am game with anyone who want a debate(not in this thread but a new thread purposely for that).......who is determined to prove me wrong that the icc process and hague trial isn't after all a con game.
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Post by kasuku on Jan 31, 2012 19:12:58 GMT 3
my apologies if i am cherry picking but forgive me for asking, what exactly is your qualm with ida's statement? is it because as the first lady, she is not suppose to be entitled to her opinion? ... or could it be because her husband who is a politician has not,to the best of our knowledge, practically endorsed her view?.....
Nareah The answer to your question is right in my first reply to you. Ida's timing to call for the local tribunal for the top election fiasco suspects is way too late, and i am only questioning the motive behind it. What made her make such a serious statement at a time like this when the cases have gone way too far in den Haque to stop them? The timing is my problem and not her having own opinion. Of course she is allowed to make her own opinion without asking mzee for permission (which i doubt she didn't discuss with himas it should be the order in every successful marriage). This has nothing to do with Madam Ida personally. She is a very important figure for our country and people want to know why she does this and that.
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Post by mwalimumkuu on Jan 31, 2012 19:29:21 GMT 3
my apologies if i am cherry picking but forgive me for asking, what exactly is your qualm with ida's statement? is it because as the first lady, she is not suppose to be entitled to her opinion? ... or could it be because her husband who is a politician has not,to the best of our knowledge, practically endorsed her view?.....
Nareah The answer to your question is right in my first reply to you. Ida's timing to call for the local tribunal for the top election fiasco suspects is way too late, and i am only questioning the motive behind it. What made her make such a serious statement at a time like this when the cases have gone way too far in den Haque to stop them? The timing is my problem and not her having own opinion. Of course she is allowed to make her own opinion without asking mzee for permission (which i doubt she didn't discuss with himas it should be the order in every successful marriage). This has nothing to do with Madam Ida personally. She is a very important figure for our country and people want to know why she does this and that. Kasuku [/b] Ida Odinga has a personal stake in her husband being the CEO of the republic of Kenya. Like our own Mzee here on Jukwaa, she has come too far to see some people mess up the chances of her husband. Ida belongs to the emerging click of the likes of Musalia, who have come to the realization that the ICC is the proverbial mtego wa panya. Have you noticed how the party has gone mute on Uhuru's decision not to vacate his DPM position? Ida seems to realize that her husband is held hostage by some few Luo MPs who care less for the future of ODM but their own election as MPs. See for instance how viciously they are starting to attack Mudavadi for stepping forward for the ODM nominations. Looking at the timetable Phil provided on the other thread on the PM's whirlwind tours of the counties, reveals a man not at peace with the goings on. This is a very interesting time and many more such moments still lie ahead.
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Post by mwalimumkuu on Jan 31, 2012 20:05:12 GMT 3
Exactly what I am talking about: PM Raila Odinga tongue-lashed an assistant minister from Nyanza when the man dared introduced the subject of ICC during the weekend memorial ceremony of Raila's father, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. The assistant minister had criticised one of the Ocampo four suspects for insisting he would continue with his race for the presidency even though he was facing crimes against humanity charges. The visibly angry Raila called the assistant minister aside after he finished his speech and gave him a tongue lashing for speaking out on the issue which he and other MPs from the region had been told to steer clear of. It seems the man opted to follow his own script instead of the one set for all the speakers at the ceremony.the-star.co.ke/national/corridors-of-power/60285-corridors-of-power
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Post by adongo23456 on Jan 31, 2012 20:19:15 GMT 3
Nareah The answer to your question is right in my first reply to you. Ida's timing to call for the local tribunal for the top election fiasco suspects is way too late, and i am only questioning the motive behind it. What made her make such a serious statement at a time like this when the cases have gone way too far in den Haque to stop them? The timing is my problem and not her having own opinion. Of course she is allowed to make her own opinion without asking mzee for permission (which i doubt she didn't discuss with himas it should be the order in every successful marriage). This has nothing to do with Madam Ida personally. She is a very important figure for our country and people want to know why she does this and that. Kasuku [/b] Ida Odinga has a personal stake in her husband being the CEO of the republic of Kenya. Like our own Mzee here on Jukwaa, she has come too far to see some people mess up the chances of her husband. Ida belongs to the emerging click of the likes of Musalia, who have come to the realization that the ICC is the proverbial mtego wa panya. Have you noticed how the party has gone mute on Uhuru's decision not to vacate his DPM position? Ida seems to realize that her husband is held hostage by some few Luo MPs who care less for the future of ODM but their own election as MPs. See for instance how viciously they are starting to attack Mudavadi for stepping forward for the ODM nominations. Looking at the timetable Phil provided on the other thread on the PM's whirlwind tours of the counties, reveals a man not at peace with the goings on. This is a very interesting time and many more such moments still lie ahead. [/quote] It is amazing how some people are running around in circles like headless chicken. A few months ago the mwalimumkuus were celebrating the collapse of the Ocampo cases. They stubornly without the benefit of reason and common sense concluded that the Ocampo cases were a mirage coined by Raila to fix their little tin gods. They were yelling and screaming how their little ones were going to be free in a few months and how Ocampo will go down in shame. It went on and on. Then the ruling finally came down. After all the bravado and chest thumping the judges had their say. It was not what many of the professional chest thumping maniacs had in mind. First they went into shock and denial. Then they remembered the text book of keeping up the appearence of beating up their chests. They screamed about how nothing will change. It was going to be business as usual. Githu was ordered to help Uhuru and Muthaura keep their jobs and Githu made a complete fool of himself. Within two days of Githu's announcement Uhuru was out of the ministry of finance and Muthaura was headed home. Now Uhuru desperately hangs to DPM, without an office, without even a pretence of any portfolio and ready to go set up a desk in the basement of Shell House. And all these is supposed to be a great success story! Really? Now after realising the fantasy world they are living in is crumbling bit by bit, the Uhuru mob is now busy consoling themselves about the impending demise of Raila and the ODM. This is the same demise they promised us already took place months if not years ago. Now mara it is ooh let ODM give Mudavadi the candidacy and ODM would be fine never mind it is the same ODM which they told us died years ago. Mara they jump on Ida's very humble and genuine sense of solidarity with the mama nginas who are realing in anguish. I mean how desperate can people be and this is even before the actual trials commence at The Hague. Calm down folks, you have a long battle in front of you. Stop worrying too much about the party you said was dead years ago. You have more immediate problems to deal with. Try generating stories about Uhuru and Ruto without getting stuck with Raila. Can those guys make news without Raila?
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Post by mwalimumkuu on Jan 31, 2012 20:38:09 GMT 3
Adongo,
Ruto and Uhuru know very well that their political lives do not start and end with the ICC, but that it is only a part of the whole game.
So far they are taking it in stride and reveling in its limelight. But at the same time fixing their eyes on the bigger price. And so far I think they are doing fine. Noticed how the ODM storyline changed only after two rallies? Na bado, Ocampo or no Ocampo life has to go on.
So Ida can commiserate with fellow mamas all she wants, but the njambas are out there, knowing well that this is a battle, and they are fighting it the best way they know how.
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Post by adongo23456 on Jan 31, 2012 20:55:08 GMT 3
Adongo, Ruto and Uhuru know very well that their political lives do not start and end with the ICC, but that it is only a part of the whole game. So far they are taking it in stride and reveling in its limelight. But at the same time fixing their eyes on the bigger price. And so far I think they are doing fine. Noticed how the ODM storyline changed only after two rallies? Na bado, Ocampo or Ocampo life has to go on. Good to know that the boys are hanging in there. It is going to be a long tough journey. If they are guilty as charged they will end up in jail probably for the rest of their active lives and they will richly deserve it. If they are innocent they will get their dues and go on with their lives. What is nonsensical is this running amok with Raila this and Raila that everyday as far as the Hague mess is concerned. Even in spinning bad news you need a certain level of coherence. When Raila was away doing the nation's business we heard Oooh Raila is quiet something is wrong for him. Now when the man is back in the country and has his own political plans rolled out we are hearing weeping from some quarters. Make up your minds. Same thing with ODM. You folks preached the death of ODM after Ruto left for UDM and that is before he ended up at URP. The other day Mudavadi was in North Rift where he recieved many ODM supporters including in Ruto's backyard. All of a sudden the Uhuruto mob is talking about Oooh Raila just needs to let Mudavadi take over and everything is fine. Oooh Raila is now scared about Mudavadi. This is from the same people who told us not long ago that Mudavadi was the weakest link for ODM and that Raila needed to pick somebody else and forget Mudavadi. So which is which? The Hague matter is not a joke. It is going to take a life of its own and those involved will have to deal with it. In the meantime life goes on. Kenyans still want food and a better life in their country. They will decide in the next GE which party and which individuals gives them the best chance for a better country. Trying to stuff anything down their throats with this ICC mekelele is not going to help anybody. Going to The Hague is not a virtue anybody can sell as a godsend to any politician. They are going there for murdering Kenyans to begin with. Not going to The Hague by itself is not something you can sell to Kenyans as a sign of your good leadership. We should give Kenyans a little credit. They are not as stupid as some of the politicians think. We will find that out in the elections. It is not far off. I think the Hague bound folks need to find something else to sell to Kenyans other than the mere fact that they are going to The Hague and therefore must be good leaders. That soap opera is running thin very fast.
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Post by phil on Jan 31, 2012 21:05:28 GMT 3
It is amazing how some people are running around in circles like headless chicken. A few months ago the mwalimumkuus were celebrating the collapse of the Ocampo cases. They stubornly without the benefit of reason and common sense concluded that the Ocampo cases were a mirage coined by Raila to fix their little tin gods. They were yelling and screaming how their little ones were going to be free in a few months and how Ocampo will go down in shame. It went on and on. Then the ruling finally came down. After all the bravado and chest thumping the judges had their say. It was not what many of the professional chest thumping maniacs had in mind. First they went into shock and denial. Then they remembered the text book of keeping up the appearence of beating up their chests. They screamed about how nothing will change. It was going to be business as usual. Githu was ordered to help Uhuru and Muthaura keep their jobs and Githu made a complete fool of himself. Within two days of Githu's announcement Uhuru was out of the ministry of finance and Muthaura was headed home. Now Uhuru desperately hangs to DPM, without an office, without even a pretence of any portfolio and ready to go set up a desk in the basement of Shell House. And all these is supposed to be a great success story! Really? Now after realising the fantasy world they are living in is crumbling bit by bit, the Uhuru mob is now busy consoling themselves about the impending demise of Raila and the ODM. This is the same demise they promised us already took place months if not years ago. Now mara it is ooh let ODM give Mudavadi the candidacy and ODM would be fine never mind it is the same ODM which they told us died years ago. Mara they jump on Ida's very humble and genuine sense of solidarity with the mama nginas who are realing in anguish. I mean how desperate can people be and this is even before the actual trials commence at The Hague. Calm down folks, you have a long battle in front of you. Stop worrying too much about the party you said was dead years ago. You have more immediate problems to deal with. Try generating stories about Uhuru and Ruto without getting stuck with Raila. Can those guys make news without Raila? @adongoIt is even more of an absurdity that mwalimumkuu can dare figuratively equate an ICC indictment as something positive for the indictees to bask in the limelight with! I do not know what mwalimu is smoking because even sycophancy has its limits. Not only are these fellas facing the worst criminal charges known to any court of law, they are unrepentant and full of arrogance. These are the kind of people ICC judges love bringing down to earth and crushing down they will sooner rather than later. I mean, even their own families must be deeply traumatised by developments from the Hague. How do the kids go school and learn normally or how comfortable are their wives attending the local chama meeting or even go to the market for groceries?
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Post by joblesscorner on Jan 31, 2012 21:12:54 GMT 3
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Post by tnk on Jan 31, 2012 22:00:12 GMT 3
It is amazing how some people are running around in circles like headless chicken. A few months ago the mwalimumkuus were celebrating the collapse of the Ocampo cases. They stubornly without the benefit of reason and common sense concluded that the Ocampo cases were a mirage coined by Raila to fix their little tin gods. They were yelling and screaming how their little ones were going to be free in a few months and how Ocampo will go down in shame. It went on and on. Then the ruling finally came down. After all the bravado and chest thumping the judges had their say. It was not what many of the professional chest thumping maniacs had in mind. First they went into shock and denial. Then they remembered the text book of keeping up the appearence of beating up their chests. They screamed about how nothing will change. It was going to be business as usual. Githu was ordered to help Uhuru and Muthaura keep their jobs and Githu made a complete fool of himself. Within two days of Githu's announcement Uhuru was out of the ministry of finance and Muthaura was headed home. Now Uhuru desperately hangs to DPM, without an office, without even a pretence of any portfolio and ready to go set up a desk in the basement of Shell House. And all these is supposed to be a great success story! Really? Now after realising the fantasy world they are living in is crumbling bit by bit, the Uhuru mob is now busy consoling themselves about the impending demise of Raila and the ODM. This is the same demise they promised us already took place months if not years ago. Now mara it is ooh let ODM give Mudavadi the candidacy and ODM would be fine never mind it is the same ODM which they told us died years ago. Mara they jump on Ida's very humble and genuine sense of solidarity with the mama nginas who are realing in anguish. I mean how desperate can people be and this is even before the actual trials commence at The Hague. Calm down folks, you have a long battle in front of you. Stop worrying too much about the party you said was dead years ago. You have more immediate problems to deal with. Try generating stories about Uhuru and Ruto without getting stuck with Raila. Can those guys make news without Raila? adongo well said, the tragedy here is that there are a lot of folk who actually believe the uhuruto propaganda
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Post by Omwenga on Jan 31, 2012 22:03:09 GMT 3
What i questioned about Ida was my personal observation projected by her calling for the end of the ICC court procedure when it is already too late. Where was she before the court procedures started? She seems to be thinking with emotions not rational. A teacher and a first lady are too very different people (living in two different life chapters where priorities must be placed?). And honestly, I am not interested into knowing the Ida Odinga Teacher. She is more interesting to me now, as a possible first lady for she could be the boss behind the scenes should Raila become the president. And what she says now will be followed carefully and scrutinized under a microscope if necessary. Mama Ida is not "calling for an end to the ICC court procedure." This is a wrong impression, among other things, left in the initial reporting of the story in DN and has since been repeated in error by others. The clarification on this thread clarifies all of that.
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Post by Omwenga on Jan 31, 2012 22:16:14 GMT 3
[/b] Ida Odinga has a personal stake in her husband being the CEO of the republic of Kenya. Like our own Mzee here on Jukwaa, she has come too far to see some people mess up the chances of her husband. Ida belongs to the emerging click of the likes of Musalia, who have come to the realization that the ICC is the proverbial mtego wa panya. Have you noticed how the party has gone mute on Uhuru's decision not to vacate his DPM position? Ida seems to realize that her husband is held hostage by some few Luo MPs who care less for the future of ODM but their own election as MPs. See for instance how viciously they are starting to attack Mudavadi for stepping forward for the ODM nominations. Looking at the timetable Phil provided on the other thread on the PM's whirlwind tours of the counties, reveals a man not at peace with the goings on. This is a very interesting time and many more such moments still lie ahead. [/quote] It is amazing how some people are running around in circles like headless chicken. A few months ago the mwalimumkuus were celebrating the collapse of the Ocampo cases. They stubornly without the benefit of reason and common sense concluded that the Ocampo cases were a mirage coined by Raila to fix their little tin gods. They were yelling and screaming how their little ones were going to be free in a few months and how Ocampo will go down in shame. It went on and on. Then the ruling finally came down. After all the bravado and chest thumping the judges had their say. It was not what many of the professional chest thumping maniacs had in mind. First they went into shock and denial. Then they remembered the text book of keeping up the appearence of beating up their chests. They screamed about how nothing will change. It was going to be business as usual. Githu was ordered to help Uhuru and Muthaura keep their jobs and Githu made a complete fool of himself. Within two days of Githu's announcement Uhuru was out of the ministry of finance and Muthaura was headed home. Now Uhuru desperately hangs to DPM, without an office, without even a pretence of any portfolio and ready to go set up a desk in the basement of Shell House. And all these is supposed to be a great success story! Really? Now after realising the fantasy world they are living in is crumbling bit by bit, the Uhuru mob is now busy consoling themselves about the impending demise of Raila and the ODM. This is the same demise they promised us already took place months if not years ago. Now mara it is ooh let ODM give Mudavadi the candidacy and ODM would be fine never mind it is the same ODM which they told us died years ago. Mara they jump on Ida's very humble and genuine sense of solidarity with the mama nginas who are realing in anguish. I mean how desperate can people be and this is even before the actual trials commence at The Hague. Calm down folks, you have a long battle in front of you. Stop worrying too much about the party you said was dead years ago. You have more immediate problems to deal with. Try generating stories about Uhuru and Ruto without getting stuck with Raila. Can those guys make news without Raila? [/quote] These people often; in fact, always remind me about the Republicans here in the US. Right now, they (the Republicans) are going through a roller-coster of a primary that is revealing what these people really stand for or not in ways unseen before but, tune in to any Right Wing TV Station or Radio, their opening salvos are rants and raves about how Obama is the worst president in America, mara he hates America, mara he wants to destroy America and other nonsense you wonder whether anyone in their right mind would believe but they do, all this while accepting marital infidelity as a virtue, something they nearly hanged Bill Clinton for committing only a few years ago. This is not hypocrisy; it's a disease that needs a cure pronto if the United States is to remain united as the United States. Ditto for politics at home; people need to check their extreme partisan and tribal sentiments and try to find ways to build on what we have in common and not what we don't which the latter can largely be attributed to tribalism and greed that transcends tribe.
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Post by Titchaz on Feb 1, 2012 7:52:50 GMT 3
Ida is mistaken; the Ocampo suspects should be tried by international court By GIBSON KAMAU KURIA Posted Tuesday, January 31 2012 at 20:01 The suggestion by Mrs Ida Odinga that Kenyan judges are better placed to try the Ocampo Four than ICC judges because they understand their people better is wrong for four reasons. The first reason is that as Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says, all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and right, are endowed with reason and conscience, and are required to treat each other in a spirit of brotherhood. There is no reason to believe the ICC judges will not treat the Ocampo Four as their brothers during the trial. The claim that Kenyan judges are superior lacks merit.The second reason is that there is the principle of universal jurisdiction to try persons charged with crimes against humanity. That principle assumes that every nation is able to punish those who commit crimes against humanity. It was first applied at Nuremberg where judges from different countries tried those who committed crimes against Jews. This principle was accepted by the final appellate court in England which in 1999 was prepared in principle to have former President Pinochet of Chile extradited to Spain to face charges of crimes against humanity. Were it not for his medical condition, he would have been extradited to face charges in respect of offences he was accused of having committed when he was president. If he had been found guilty, Pinochet would have been punished by the Spanish courts for crimes committed in Chile. The world does not believe that there is a nation which lacks the capacity to try persons charged with such offences. The third reason is that the political leadership in Kenya has not, since 1991, manifested the statesmanship which democracy requires to enforce the rule of law. The standards for statesmanship were established by Abraham Lincoln when he used force between 1861 and 1865 to uphold the constitution, asserting that the constitution did not envisage self-destruction. It was also manifested by Mzee Jomo Kenyatta who declared war against the Shifta in October 1963. The Shifta had challenged the territorial integrity of the nation of Kenya. Like Lincoln, he made available the entire might of the state to defend the constitution. The fourth reason is that the Kenyan leadership has since 1992 lacked the spirit of brotherhood. Despite the documentation by the select parliamentary committee of 1992 headed by Kennedy Kiliku which investigated ethnic clashes in western Kenya, and by the Akiwumi Commission on those who instigated violence between 1991 and 1998, the Executive failed to prosecute. That documentation is to be found in: 1. The Report of the Select Committee to investigate ethnic clashes in western and other parts of Kenya published in September 1992 chaired by Mr Kennedy Kiliku. 2. The report of the Judicial Commission appointed to inquire into tribal clashes in 1999 published in 2002 after a victim of the ethnic violence got an order to compel the Attorney-General to release it. 3. The report of the Commission of Inquiry into Post-Election Violence chaired by Mr Justice Philip Waki. The Attorney-General and the directors of Public Prosecutions have not shown any interest in prosecuting those who killed and maimed Kenyans, displaced others and destroyed their property during that period. The coalition government has not charged those who killed and maimed Kenyans, displaced others and destroyed their property after the December 2007 elections. Until and unless there is demonstrated political will to prosecute offenders, the call for a trial in Kenya is a call for the perpetuation of impunity.There is no reason why prosecutions should not have taken place since the coalition government was formed in early 2008. Since the crimes were committed, the country has not been in need of a special tribunal to prosecute the offences. The request that the Ocampo Four be tried in Kenya is a request that they return to a country which pays lip-service to the rule of law. The implementation of the new Constitution, when complete, will result in new and better institutions than the ones the country has had. However, that process is not complete. Besides, even when complete, the political will to prosecute offenders which the country has required since 1991 when political violence first broke out is lacking. Few Kenyans believe that prosecution will take place if it was decided the trial will take place here. Of course it can take place when the country has a political leadership with the political will to enforce the law the way it ought to be enforced in all democracies. Dr Kuria is a constitutional lawyer based in Nairobi.
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