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Post by akinyi2005 on Jul 26, 2012 15:51:24 GMT 3
www.nation.co.ke/News/Raila+says+he+will+not+sue+Miguna/-/1056/1463726/-/item/1/-/v2maeaz/-/index.html...and now Raila will not sue Miguna for the allegations contained in the book. This should easily surprise his supporters and excite his enemies. Lawyer Paul Mwangi should not have written that excuse of an article to explain why Raila will not sue Miguna. Quating US authorities as the basis upon which he took the decision, Mwangi realises that a defamation suit against Miguna by Raila would hurt him a lot more than he can imagine as putting Raila on the stand only opens himself up to ridicule and fears of a political collapse should he say anything silly. If Raila really wanted to go public on why he would not sue Miguna, he could have given a decent list of political excuses for not doing so as opposed to quotes from US jurisprudence. The other sensible option would have been to shut up! Now the poor man is cannon fodder..if you cannot sue for defamation, then it is true and that mantra will be repeated severally! You guys really expected the PM to sue MM for defamation? MM has had his 10 days of fame. NEXT! |
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Post by reporter911 on Jul 26, 2012 16:03:43 GMT 3
Why should he sue? someone like Miguna? those who believe in Miguna's book of allegation, innuendo's and rants are riding a fools paradise so let then sing miguna's praises it will end to Nothing.. What the government should do collectively is to SUE Miguna for withholding PEV crucial information that he claims he has that is the only issue that Kenyans care about! why the hell this guy Miguna is using the PEV information to threaten Politician asking them to KISS HIS FEET is beyond reason. bure kabisa You are a danger to your own self. You actually stand the risk of running over yourself with this obsession on PEV and Miguna. Now that would not be a funny sight! A danger to myself? you are delusional, like I indicated maybe you didn't loose anyone during the PEV and don't seem to care about innocent Kenyans who lost their life's, you are someone who follows blindly to score points irregardless whether the information coming from the sewers are allegations, lies, innuendo's and whatever spews out of the sewers.. Kenyans demand an answer from Miguna and rightfully so? How dare he use PEV to threaten others.. He must be complied to hand over the information he is withholding pronto.. I'm looking forward seeing on the stand at the ICC like his friend Nguyai.. I hope the PEV victims lawyers call on him to answer some crucial question in regards to the information he so claimed on national media that he is withholding Bure Kabisa! as your you as usual you are clueless! |
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Post by savekenya011 on Jul 26, 2012 16:15:00 GMT 3
You are a danger to your own self. You actually stand the risk of running over yourself with this obsession on PEV and Miguna. Now that would not be a funny sight! A danger to myself? you are delusional, like I indicated maybe you didn't loose anyone during the PEV and don't seem to care about innocent Kenyans who lost their life's, you are someone who follows blindly to score points irregardless whether the information coming from the sewers are allegations, lies, innuendo's and whatever spews out of the sewers.. Kenyans demand an answer from Miguna and rightfully so? How dare he use PEV to threaten others.. He must be complied to hand over the information he is withholding pronto.. I'm looking forward seeing on the stand at the ICC like his friend Nguyai.. I hope the PEV victims lawyers call on him to answer some crucial question in regards to the information he so claimed on national media that he is withholding Bure Kabisa! as your you as usual you are clueless! Reporter, You do indeed run a risk of running yourself over on this one. You made your point on pev.Point noted but true, you are starting to sound worse than a broken gramophone on this! Let it rest or take some action instead of just yapping about it every opportunity you get! And before you start thinking the way i may not have been affected allow me to inform you I was right in the heart of it! I guess it just wasnt my time.Not only did i loose people (and things) directly as a result of PEV, I escaped from the worst of it with only the clothes on my back and hard to start life a fresh, from scratch. Still, stop yapping about this PEV thing any opportunity you get! DO something about it already! On a totally different note, I think this man Miguna Miguna is quite a brilliant guy who is trying to pass some information across. I listened to him seriously for like 59 mins three days ago and i made a decision, I am going to interract with and interogate all he has said on "Peeling the MAsk" and on any interviews and articles he may have written. Granted, he may have a very "unique" , "different" and to most "untoward" way of communicating, however after having lent him my ear a coupla days ago, i do think there is need for us all to ambrace some soberness and inttellectual maturity and interrogate THE CONTENT of his message without being blinded by his mannerisms. Afterall, we all have our own mannerisms, don't we? |
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Post by Omwenga on Jul 26, 2012 17:53:02 GMT 3
www.nation.co.ke/News/Raila+says+he+will+not+sue+Miguna/-/1056/1463726/-/item/1/-/v2maeaz/-/index.html...and now Raila will not sue Miguna for the allegations contained in the book. This should easily surprise his supporters and excite his enemies. Lawyer Paul Mwangi should not have written that excuse of an article to explain why Raila will not sue Miguna. Quating US authorities as the basis upon which he took the decision, Mwangi realises that a defamation suit against Miguna by Raila would hurt him a lot more than he can imagine as putting Raila on the stand only opens himself up to ridicule and fears of a political collapse should he say anything silly. If Raila really wanted to go public on why he would not sue Miguna, he could have given a decent list of political excuses for not doing so as opposed to quotes from US jurisprudence. The other sensible option would have been to shut up! . Kamale, This may come as a surprise to you and others but I actually agree with you on this. Raila did not have to provide any justification why he is not suing Miguna; a terse one sentence statement saying it's not necessary to lower himself and the dignity of his office to sue a disgruntled former employee over matters everyone knows or should know are false and intended merely to hurt him politically would have sufficed. On this I disagree with you 100% for the reasons I have previously and repeatedly provided, and that is, there are those who would buy hook, line and sinker everything Miguna says regardless of whether its true or false and there are those who simply won't buy any of it given the author's declared and well known ill-motives for penning the book. A defamation suit by Raila is not going to change the minds of either as to him. Let the rest who believe have been defamed sue and let's all seat back and watch the outcome of this Come, Baby, Come tragic saga. |
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Post by reporter911 on Jul 26, 2012 18:07:40 GMT 3
A danger to myself? you are delusional, like I indicated maybe you didn't loose anyone during the PEV and don't seem to care about innocent Kenyans who lost their life's, you are someone who follows blindly to score points irregardless whether the information coming from the sewers are allegations, lies, innuendo's and whatever spews out of the sewers.. Kenyans demand an answer from Miguna and rightfully so? How dare he use PEV to threaten others.. He must be complied to hand over the information he is withholding pronto.. I'm looking forward seeing on the stand at the ICC like his friend Nguyai.. I hope the PEV victims lawyers call on him to answer some crucial question in regards to the information he so claimed on national media that he is withholding Bure Kabisa! as your you as usual you are clueless! Reporter, You do indeed run a risk of running yourself over on this one. You made your point on pev.Point noted but true, you are starting to sound worse than a broken gramophone on this! Let it rest or take some action instead of just yapping about it every opportunity you get! And before you start thinking the way i may not have been affected allow me to inform you I was right in the heart of it! I guess it just wasnt my time.Not only did i loose people (and things) directly as a result of PEV, I escaped from the worst of it with only the clothes on my back and hard to start life a fresh, from scratch. Still, stop yapping about this PEV thing any opportunity you get! DO something about it already! On a totally different note, I think this man Miguna Miguna is quite a brilliant guy who is trying to pass some information across. I listened to him seriously for like 59 mins three days ago and i made a decision, I am going to interract with and interogate all he has said on "Peeling the MAsk" and on any interviews and articles he may have written. Granted, he may have a very "unique" , "different" and to most "untoward" way of communicating, however after having lent him my ear a coupla days ago, i do think there is need for us all to ambrace some soberness and inttellectual maturity and interrogate THE CONTENT of his message without being blinded by his mannerisms. Afterall, we all have our own mannerisms, don't we? Get it straight and place your ears on the ground, I will repeat a million times and over and over again for your buddy Miguna to hand over the information he is withholding even if i sound like a broken record so be it!! facts are that those innocent Kenya victims 6ft under can't speak for themselves and some of them were dear to many of us including many Kenyans who lost our loved ones and if that makes you annoyed go swallow a pill. I WILL NOT STOP ASKING FOR MIGUNA TO TABLE THE PEV INFORMATION HE IS WITHHOLDING!!!!Nobody in Kenya including your friend Miguna has a right to withhold information that can shed light to what happened during the PEV, I'm surprised you come out with insults and blazing guns in support of your buddy Miguna, GO ASK HIM TO HAND OVER THE CRUCIAL INFORMATION HE IS WITHHOLDING THE PEV VICTIMS ARE WAITING FOR JUSTICE!!! OR WAS HE USING THE PEV VICTIMS TO SELL HIS BOOK!!!BURE KABISA!!!! and if indeed you lost anyone during PEV you have a strange and warped way of showing it!! I feel sorry for them! |
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Post by phil on Jul 26, 2012 18:45:15 GMT 3
So now Miguna is trying to force a direct response from the Prime Minister?
What a loser this man is, and to imagine someone was equating him to John Githongo?
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MIGUNA RESPONSE TO PAUL MWANGI
My response (for publication) to the story “Raila will not sue Miguna”
a) He has not condemned Outa and others who burnt my effigy and buried my coffin in Nyando, thereby openly encouraging people to hurt or kill me. A responsible leader who upholds the rule of law would have quickly condemned those barbaric acts and distanced himself from them. By not doing so, Raila has now fully associated himself with such acts;
b) He has not responded to the allegations in the book, which are serious and go to the heart of his ability or lack thereof, to lead. The country and the world is still waiting.
c) By authorising FORA, Gitobu Imanyara, Sarah Elderkin, Ngunjiri WAmbugu and Omar Hassan Omar to attempt to assassinate my character by hurling abuse and attempting pseudo and fake psychological analysis on me rather than dealing with the contents and substance of the book, Raila has demonstrated the numerous weaknesses and failures catalogued in my book.
c) If or when Caroli and others commence action against me, as far as I am concerned, that would be Raila doing it. Caroli is not just Raila’s Private Secretary (and money man and silent nominee in various ventures), he is also a self-styled ‘Chief of Staff’. Everything written about Caroli in the book revolves around what he did after Raila was appointed PM and Caroli started working at his office. Consequently, as far as I am concerned, in all intents and purposes, Raila is Caroli and Caroli is Raila as far as my book is concerned.
d) And finally, Paul Mwangi’s opinion comment published in the electronic version of your newspaper cannot be taken to be Raila’s. Paul Mwangi is NOT Raila’s spokesperson; he is supposed to be a ‘legal adviser’. Kenyans have not given Paul Mwangi any legal and constitutional authority to act as Prime Minister. The op-ed piece is Paul Mwangi’s opinion. Therefore, as far as I can see, Raila has not spoken on my book at all. Subterfuge will not do. This is not what is expected of a PM who wants us to compare him to modern leaders in the first world. He has failed in action and practice.
Miguna [unedited] Toronto, Canada, July 26, 2012
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Post by reporter911 on Jul 26, 2012 19:01:14 GMT 3
So now Miguna is trying to force a direct response from the Prime Minister? What a loser this man is, and to imagine someone was equating him to John Githongo? ------------ MIGUNA RESPONSE TO PAUL MWANGI
My response (for publication) to the story “Raila will not sue Miguna”
a) He has not condemned Outa and others who burnt my effigy and buried my coffin in Nyando, thereby openly encouraging people to hurt or kill me. A responsible leader who upholds the rule of law would have quickly condemned those barbaric acts and distanced himself from them. By not doing so, Raila has now fully associated himself with such acts;
b) He has not responded to the allegations in the book, which are serious and go to the heart of his ability or lack thereof, to lead. The country and the world is still waiting.
c) By authorising FORA, Gitobu Imanyara, Sarah Elderkin, Ngunjiri WAmbugu and Omar Hassan Omar to attempt to assassinate my character by hurling abuse and attempting pseudo and fake psychological analysis on me rather than dealing with the contents and substance of the book, Raila has demonstrated the numerous weaknesses and failures catalogued in my book.
c) If or when Caroli and others commence action against me, as far as I am concerned, that would be Raila doing it. Caroli is not just Raila’s Private Secretary (and money man and silent nominee in various ventures), he is also a self-styled ‘Chief of Staff’. Everything written about Caroli in the book revolves around what he did after Raila was appointed PM and Caroli started working at his office. Consequently, as far as I am concerned, in all intents and purposes, Raila is Caroli and Caroli is Raila as far as my book is concerned.
d) And finally, Paul Mwangi’s opinion comment published in the electronic version of your newspaper cannot be taken to be Raila’s. Paul Mwangi is NOT Raila’s spokesperson; he is supposed to be a ‘legal adviser’. Kenyans have not given Paul Mwangi any legal and constitutional authority to act as Prime Minister. The op-ed piece is Paul Mwangi’s opinion. Therefore, as far as I can see, Raila has not spoken on my book at all. Subterfuge will not do. This is not what is expected of a PM who wants us to compare him to modern leaders in the first world. He has failed in action and practice.
Miguna [unedited] Toronto, Canada, July 26, 2012 ;D ;D ;D as Miguna has indicated they are just allegations, therefor which Kenyans is stupid enough to comment on allegations? Let Miguna table proof of all his allegations and innuendo's like the book reads like a science fiction from out of space.. and if Miguna indeed alleges corruption then he was in the thick of it all, why else did he stay in his position instead of quitting his job and turning to a whistle blower? awacha upuzi? does Miguna think that Kenyans are that daft? The book is about a vindictive former employees that is trying to make $$$$$$$ by writing a book full of allegations, rumors and innuendo's without concrete proof whatsoever. Journalist Sara addressed Miguna's issues with clarity.. ati now he says Paul Mwangi has no right to answer for the prime Minister office? this guy is getting more weird as days go by.. and as for what happened in Nyando awache upuzi those people burning his effigy are adults and they can answer for themselves if Miguna so wishes to ask them why they did it..Or Miguna has a right to Sue them if he wishes to, the issue has got nothing to do with Raila period! As for Miguna himself let him tell Kenyans why he is withholding crucial PEV information instead of paukaring all over the place.. Kenyans need answers on why the hell is withholding such crucial info.. Kapishe! |
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Post by podp on Jul 26, 2012 19:08:26 GMT 3
einstein, His eight books I could have reduced to three namely; the more controlled story of his youth and triumph; the political story of his hero RAO and ODM; and the third book on Big Man syndrome with emphasis on RAO as villain in chief. Githongo helped us cast Kibaki and Co aside and hence this last book should be the gem that demolishes the deity, RAO, many here are unhappy to discard. Peeling Back the Mask is like an onion, with many layers that as you peel them off, you find many surprising revelations or questions which when you attempt to answer require you to peel off more facades. MM will survive though, so too will RAO and hence no need to forget the bigger struggle i.e. dealing with impunity and merchants/peddlers of impunity who rely on corruption, nepotism and related negatives to sit on us. We need to keep reminding RAO, Uhuruto, Martha, Kenneth etc. that we need transparency, accountability and values enshrined in the Constitution not political conmen, master manupulators and deception advocates. What a loser this man is, and to imagine someone was equating him to John Githongo? phil, He appears better organized than Githongo but as kamalet said both are activists and it was a 'mistake' for them to have been in GoK. However, both are trail blazers in exposing the tin gods and their hangers on, groupies etc. who are beneath our feet on integrity and ethical standards. How it would be nice to have both 'Our Time to Eat' and 'Peeling Back the Mask' as secondary school civics books as they would result in the ground shifting repeatedly beneath the reader's feet during the course of studying 'our leaders' trends! |
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Post by mzee on Jul 26, 2012 20:41:49 GMT 3
Migunas behavior is the strangest I have ever come across.
The man wrote a book that was supposed to bring the PM down. Apparently, nothing of that sort is in the verge of happening. What else, the PM has refused to reply or react to the fictitious allegations and for that, Miguna is now throwing tantrums like a 15 year old school girl. Is Raila the father that Miguna never had? Why on earth does he insult a man in a five hundred page book and still hope that the person will treat him with kids gloves? Miguna is a big time joker.
If I read him right, he now wants Raila to restrain Caroli from suing him. What gibberish. Miguna calls Caroli Omondi a thief and he expects him to do nothing and if Caroli goes to court, Raila should to save him. Oh dear.
If Raila can simply ignore and forget the abuse and insult heaped on him by Miguna, why can’t Miguna also just ignore outa? If someone takes out Miguna (God forbid), it’s because he has insulted all and sundry. He has lied about everyone he spoke about in the book.
Miguna being Miguna thinks that the PM will carry out a shouting match with him as if they were equals. Truth is that without Raila, Miguna would still be representing immigrants in the courts of law in Canada. Raila was Migunas boss and they cannot be political equals.
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Post by okhunyanye on Jul 26, 2012 22:09:32 GMT 3
;D ;D ;D www.nation.co.ke/Features/DN2/-/957860/1463802/-/bjtq69/-/index.htmlA glimpse into Miguna Miguna’s files during his tenure as the Prime Minister’s adviser: In May 2010, for instance, Miguna requested a mobile phone for official use. A decision had been arrived at to buy him a Blackberry Curve 8900 worth Sh30,000. Apparently, this was what he was entitled to, according to the procurement rules procedures in the office. Well, the good man rejected the phone, which was delivered to him by a Mr Evance Nyachio. In a terse letter on May 27, 2010 to the then acting PS Andrew Mondo (now at Special Programmes), Miguna made it clear that he wanted nothing other than a Blackberry Storm 9500, worth Sh60,000.He accused Nyachio of failure to find the sophisticated phone, terming the Blackberry Curve 8900 model as “five grades lower in quality”. To further justify his demand, he said he had known of officers in Job Group T and below who had been bought the Storm, and that he would not accept any discriminatory treatment from him (Mr Nyachio) or anybody else in government. To end the mobile phone war, Mondo asked Miguna to provide names of businesses where the model could be found. “I sent you a text message on May 26, at 1:44pm and disclosed genuine Blackberry Storm 9500 phones are available at Aurellio Safaricom Shop at Sarit Centre,” Miguna replied. To hasten the purchase of a genuine Storm, Miguna furnished the PS with the names and mobile numbers of outlets where it could be purchased. And, with the letter, he enclosed the Blackberry Curve which had been delivered to him... with a strong caution. “Please note I need a genuine Blackberry Storm 950 which is what I requisitioned. I am returning that phone as Mr Nyachio bought it irregularly. Please advise him (that) I do not want to deal with him.” For peace’s sake, Mondoh directed the procurement department to buy Miguna the phone. “The matter must be brought to conclusion. Buy him the 9500 phone,” he ordered. But that was not the only matter troubling Miguna. He was also uncomfortable with the car he had been allocated, which, he said, had “numerous problems”. In a memo on May 18, 2010, he reminded Mondoh that he needed a Toyota Prado “which Dr Mohammed (Isahakia) had already undertaken to purchase this financial year”. Dr Isahakia is the PS in the Prime Minister’s office. It did help that Prof Kivuta Kibwana, president Kibaki’s adviser on constitutional affairs and whom Miguna considered his counterpart, had been allocated better cars. This underlined the urgency of the purchase. “My counterpart (Prof Kivutha Kibwana) at the Office of the President has been allocated two brand new vehicles,” he noted. One of the notes on the letter by a senior ministry official two weeks later seemed to further delay implementation of his demand. “Next FY” (Financial Year),” it curtly noted. Then there was the small matter of rank. Dr Isahakia, in particular, never got along with Miguna. According to Miguna, the PS was his equal, if not his junior. Miguna’s letter of appointment on March 6, 2009 by President Kibaki did not indicate that he was a PS, but the ebullient lawyer acted and behaved as one. In fact, some of his letters and internal memos were signed ‘PM’s Adviser, Coalition Affairs/PS’. Confusion also arose because, as it turned out in his case seeking re-instatement after he was sacked, Miguna was not a civil servant but a political appointee. High Court Judge Mohammed Warsame noted his position was only tenable as long as his employer wanted him. Miguna had never signed any employment letters dictating that the terms of service were the same as those of Prof Kibwana, a former Cabinet minister. Thus his world only revolved around him and the Prime Minister. There is no better demonstration of Miguna’s taste for class and high life than his specifications for the office space he was to be assigned on the Third Floor of the Prime Minister’s office on Harambee Avenue, Nairobi. This time, it was the director of administration, a Mr Hadao, who was on the receiving end. On September 15, 2010, a letter marked “Top Priority & Strictly Confidential” landed on Hadao’s table. It had 17 specifications on Mr Miguna’s future office.First, he requested “adequate space” that would be home to an executive chair, a couch, two side chairs and a book shelf. He also asked for a water dispenser, a fridge, a bathroom with toilet, sink and shower, a fire resistant cabinet and electronic air conditioning.
“The reception should be separated from the waiting area, which must have a television set, cable TV and Internet, fax and telephone lines,” he instructed. Keen on keeping tabs on everything that was going on, he demanded general and direct telephone lines with extensions to the Prime Minister, the PS, the private secretary administration, the human resource manager and the procurement department. He further asked for three access keys for himself, as well as two keys for the VIP elevators; and directed that “the entire office space (my office, reception, bathroom and waiting area) should be tiled; not carpeted”. For clarity, Miguna attached a hand-drawn sketch of how his office had to look like.Three months after occupying an office with skeleton staff, he set tough conditions for workers, most of them secretaries, bodyguards, drivers and messengers. The rules, as outlined in a June 9, 2009 office memo, had to be followed to the strictest of detail. He was categorical that they should never get instructions from more than two people as long as they worked in his office. “ The only person who can instruct or direct you contrary to myself is the Prime Minister,” he wrote in the internal memo.The long memo contained instructions on the basic office etiquette expected of the staff, including a requirement to i nform him, in person, 24 hours before being absent from office.“ For the drivers and bodyguards, they have to work at all times based on “my working hours and in accordance with strict instructions from me,” he instructed. Miguna concluded the long memo with critical advice: “Please use common sense”. Well, 11 months into these new trappings of power, the Higher Education Loans Board came calling. Having spent most of his time in Canada, Miguna had not repaid the loan advanced to him during his student days at the University of Nairobi in the ‘80s, the Helb claimed. Ms A Ayonga wrote to Dr Isahakia from Helb on February 24, 2010, breaking down Miguna’s repayment schedule, which was supposed to be effected the following month. Dr Isahakia immediately advised the Human Resource department to effect the deductions... and opened another war front. Four months into the deductions, Miguna penned a protest letter to Dr Isahakia on August 3, 2010. It was marked “Urgent and Without Prejudice”. “This is to firstly object strongly to the irregular, un-procedural and unlawful deductions you have authorised, without my knowledge and consent as required by law, on my salary purportedly on a letter dated 24 February 2010,” he began, and went on to demand that the PS makes available to him copies of documents that would justify the deductions. He did not owe Helb any money, he said, and demanded a copy of the loan contract he signed with Helb. “It should indicate the type of loan, the date the loan was signed, the amounts given, the duration the loan was provided, the applicable interest and the reason for the loan.” Further, Miguna demanded that the PS produces court proceedings and correspondence between Helb and himself regarding the matter, and a court order authorising the deductions and proof that Miguna was served with such an order. He claimed Helb had not produced the contract and the purpose for which he was given the loan, and therefore demanded that Dr Isahakia should produce Helb’s appraisal of whether the purpose for which the loan was given was achieved. If not, he wrote, then Helb should produce a document explaining why that purpose was not achieved. Miguna signed off the letter to Dr Isahakia by advising him to “govern yourself accordingly”. |
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Post by mzee on Jul 26, 2012 22:39:23 GMT 3
What a drama queen.
Now I have started understanding why he was thrown out so unceremoniously.
Ati he does not want to pay HELB while everybody else is doing just that.
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Post by raiswakesho on Jul 26, 2012 22:42:05 GMT 3
Miguna is a learned friend and therefore should have no difficulty in understanding Paul Mwangi's op-ed piece. As a matter of fact, if the PM were to sue, Miguna would be forced to file for bankruptcy!
Does Miguna wants Raila to request Caroli not to sue? Again, Paul Mwangi laid it down very clearly, anybody who is named in the book is free to seek a legal redress. What more does Miguna want other than attention?
I just remembered that at some point Miguna wa willing to go back and work for Raila except that they couldn't work out the details of the contract. If Raila is that bad then why did he give the job a second thought? Poor guy...!!
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Post by mzee on Jul 26, 2012 23:00:12 GMT 3
Miguna is a learned friend and therefore should have no difficulty in understanding Paul Mwangi's op-ed piece. As a matter of fact, if the PM were to sue, Miguna would be forced to file for bankruptcy! Does Miguna wants Raila to request Caroli not to sue? Again, Paul Mwangi laid it down very clearly, anybody who is named in the book is free to seek a legal redress. What more does Miguna want other than attention? I just remembered that at some point Miguna wa willing to go back and work for Raila except that they couldn't work out the details of the contract. If Raila is that bad then why did he give the job a second thought? Poor guy...!! Poor Miguna Miguna thinks that he can order Mwangi not to speak for and on behalf on Raila Odinga. Magudgod, this guy is running mad |
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Post by job on Jul 26, 2012 23:11:41 GMT 3
My belated review below: But, first - the Prime Minister is quite in order to have ignored (directly) addressing or suing Miguna for anything. Time will surely tell that the real Mask to Peel here is Miguna's own.
Unlike Miguna, Paul Mwangi conducts his affairs quietly yet diligently - often away from media fanfare. That's a more pragmatic approach when employed as a civil servant. I endorse his well-considered advise to the PM not to bother suing madness.
Billy Muiruri's "Common Sense" piece in today's Daily Nation (posted by Okhunyanye) offers a perfectly congruent theme from Miguna's own memoir. It should be a must-read for anyone seeking a broader perspective about the work-environment around Miguna. I suspect more folks will come out to offer unblemished experiences on their professional/personnel encounters with Miguna. Obviously, there were folks who were literally tormented working with/under Big Mig. On the other hand, some may have enjoyed his presence. Others like the PM, probably chose to sleep/nap while getting briefs from him.
It's been no different at JUKWAA. Few hawk-eyed analysts like the venerable Abdulmote, or the insightful Kaburwo had foreseen and posted telltale and loose-cannon signs - which many of us downplayed. Well, the rest is history.My review:
Miguna’s Bitter-Gate: Memoir-turned-Street-Tabloid!I read the entire book and will sum it up in 2 or 3 parts (time allowing). We were promised a volcano – but street tabloid is what we got! Peeling Back the Mask is an angry man’s collation of bar-room anecdotes; motivated by the author’s bitterness over unceremonious suspension from work. That's it in a nutshell. The memoir takes a very different turn from the point of Miguna’s brusque exit from the Prime Minister’s (PM’s) office. The beginning is quite an interesting narrative of Miguna’s early life – well written and filled with descriptive details. There’s no doubt Miguna experienced a traumatic childhood – never saw his father (who died prior to his birth); endured abject poverty; and eventually went to live with abusive relatives. You really have to go through the entire book to start appreciating subtle signs that these early abusive experiences may have had effect on the author’s later life. I will not even attempt to psychoanalyze anything. All you have to do is read this book and pick for instance, the multiple (& conflicted) personalities of Miguna - described by himself. This may eventually help figure out how he handled his equally traumatic and gruff suspension. Miguna describes himself on one hand as: ‘ humongous’ (both in height and weight); with a strong and loud voice (especially when agitated); vocal; holding strong opinions; articulate; never fearing (power, wealth or position); and fierce defender of ideals he holds high. That actually reads more like the Miguna I’ve known (through cyber) over the years. The limelight-hogging, microphone-loving, loud and boisterous Miguna! Then there’s this other unfamiliar Miguna that he refers as the – No Drama Miguna: Here’s how he describes the reticent, reserved, lone-ranger Miguna: Excerpt from Chapter 18 “Circling Wolves”:It may come as a surprise to many to know that I am also quite reserved and private. I hardly go out at night. I love listening to music and reading for hours on end. I am punctual and adhere to deadlines without fail. In fact, throughout my life, I’ve always completed school assignments ahead of my classmates. I work without supervision. Indeed, during the first year after my appointment as Raila’s advisor, I rarely made public statements and never appeared in the media unless as part of a state or official event. That made some of my supporters refer to me in internet discussion platforms as “No Drama Miguna”. I can, and often tend to be reticent, especially in the midst of important assignments. I consider myself both a strategist and tactician. Before I comment on or commit to anything, I subject the prevailing issue to thorough research, analysis and introspection. This could be frustrating to those used to shallowness, sycophancy or rushed decisions.
Your guess is likely right which Miguna dominates this memoir. He comes out frankly as a self-confident character with an overblown sense of self-importance. Often, he exhibits both irrational grandiosity and explosive temperament. At some point (likely coincides with the time of his suspension from the PM’s office) - the tone of the book suddenly changes into that of anger and bitterness.The tale from then on is apparently rushed – clearly in a bid to beat both the publishers’ and electoral calendar deadlines. Thrilling well recollected details that were abundant in the earlier portion of the memoir are now replaced by livid (and often emotive) bureaucratic intrigues and put-offs. Several mistakes and inaccuracies can also be noted in the later part – for instance 90% and 30% doesn’t sum to 100%. There was clearly a rush to achieve something. An enraged and resentful pitch eventually dominates the rest of the book. Much later, Miguna also dabbles liberally into street gossips, unsubstantiated innuendoes, and half-truths which persist to the very end of the book. It degenerates into - either ‘I heard this from Sally Kosgei’; or 'heard that from so and so'. Street and bar anecdotes about who could be sleeping with whom; who has acquired what property; and such, are peppered in to spice the memoir. Nothing of a smoking-gun expos`e. No factual evidence of wrong-doing. His memoir virtually turns into a tabloid where cheap gossips about close friends, family, and colleagues flow almost recklessly. Unlike John Githongo’s actionable Anglo-Leasing dossier and the substantive “It’s Our Turn to Eat” whistle-blowing account; “Peeling Back the Mask” terribly fails to expose real evidence of graft in government. Granted, there’s a lot of name-calling, card-stacking, and throwing of the occasional big lie, but this book frankly fails to connect not just Raila Odinga, but Caroli Omondi and Mohammed Isahakhia in any form of graft. The closest thing to whistle-blowing in the memoir is a rehashed World Bank audit report (previously exposed by media) which suggested misappropriation of KKV funds into unauthorized expenditures – such as fueling vehicles and other irrelevant undertakings. Miguna himself explains that those expenditures by officials such as Rachel Gesami, Chabeda, and others were nevertheless redirected for authorized use (following the routine audit querries). I only wish Miguna had a hand-in-jar detail showing Caroli or Isahakhia’s direct involvement in real graft – which I suspect may have actually proceeded right under Miguna’s nose. Was the ‘humongous and fierce’ Miguna probably too consumed fighting Kibwana and Muthaura to pick such little but crucial clues? Or junior staffers were too afraid to confide any tangible information to Big Loud Mig? Part of this failure is likely attributed to Miguna’s complex personality and emotional state – quite of which is peeled back by his own account in the book. The Miguna who showed up in office most of the days must have been the confrontational, loud, and boisterous one. These traits don’t abode well for any insider investigator who wishes to get to the bottom of facts and unearth scams and corruption. It is sad that the closest whiff of corruption Miguna walked out of that office with is main street rumours - not even a single actionable file or tape. What a missed opportunity! I suspect Miguna had been working on his memoir for some time – meticulously detailing his early life experiences – until the sudden suspension from the PM’s office. From that point – what suddenly entered into the memoir is a rushed collection of pay-back propaganda driven by fury and sourness. What started as an excellent life story suddenly veers into a swirling narrative dominated by half-truths and a clearly slanted sense of reality. I suspect even the diplomats he touts as friends must be wondering! Miguna doesn’t also (seem to) respect the unwritten dictum that private conversations (shared in confidence) should essentially remain private. He mercilessly breaks this rule; often pitting friend against friend. Whatever the long-term motive, I doubt the end result would be favourable (to him and some of his friends alike). Then there’s this tendency for quick rush into judgment. When Miguna described a friend who once visited him in Toronto - and asked to be connected to a female shopping-guide - he ends up defining that person’s “priorities in life” based on that single encounter. Reading between the lines, a great omission is that he actually never saw the friend until years later. He confesses he had no clue what happened between the two. Was there actual shopping or more to it? Miguna rushes into judgment through insinuation. How does Miguna conclude about his friend’s so called priorities if not through conjecture and innuendo? Talk of a memoir-turned-tabloid! You will find acres of innuendo and insinuations in this book - some of which don't make sense at all. I find it unfortunate that an articulate lawyer like Miguna is so big on unsubstantiated street gossip – rolling them into a memoir for sale. It depicts some tawdry slyness on his part. For Pete’s sake this was supposed to be Miguna’s memoir. A journey from Magina village, through Toronto to Shell House ends up dwelling on salacious innuendos about who sleeps with Mrs. Shebesh or Anne Kariuki!!! Helloooo!!!! Probably he should have just opted to confine the 614-pages to a long ego trip. “ I am so important”… “ I am so intelligent”… “How can I be suspended?”… doesn't just blend well with "oh by the way, she is so and so's squeeze" in my view. Miguna consistently paints a bigger-than-life image of himself – even literally attaching his height and weight into that perception. Why then invite all these other small and unimportant losers into this volcanic memoir. Then there’s this propensity (by Miguna) to invoke easily discernible exaggerations and power-words so as to stroke powerful emotions. He’d probably wish every reader would cry along. A glaring example of a hyped emotion is the ordeal of escaping Gwassi by the night (as an 11 year-old). After a fight with his cousins, 11 year-old Miguna escaped from his uncle’s homestead at night. Well, young Miguna was lucky to get a truck-ride to Ahero (near Magina). He didn’t run into a Gwassi leopard or rhino. Here is how Miguna sums his feelings about his uncle Aoyi - from whose homestead he was escaping:
The second time I communicated with Aoyi was after my relocation back to Kenya in 2007. Aoyi was by then an ailing old man. He had undergone prostate cancer treatment and was back at the Moi Referral and Teaching Hospital in Eldoret for further tests and treatment. While there, his son, Daudi, who was then teaching at a university in South Africa, called and asked if I could speak to his father. I did. That was the second and only time I had spoken to Aoyi since 1974. To me, Aoyi was an embodiment of raw and unmitigated evil. By not trying to prevent an 11-year-old boy from disappearing into the night in a place where wild animals roamed, he had shown real barbarism. But worse still, he never bothered to find out where I had gone or whether I was still alive. He made no attempt to send anyone to Magina to find out if they had heard of or seen me. That was bestial. Aoyi died in May 2011 and I attended the funeral. Death is the final equaliser.
In the preceding background, Miguna clearly says it was two cousins (not his uncle Aoyi) that had a physical altercation with him. From what he writes, he provides no proof Aoyi never bothered to find out if he was alive. Sending someone wasn't the only way of establishing that. Aoyi may have just - through word of mouth - learnt that his nephew Miguna arrived home safe and left it there. Such is a typical assumption Miguna throws around liberally in this book. Quick to find-fault, pin blame - then exaggerate its emotive effect! Finally, he would typically exact revenge then wait for a final laugh. Well, he better watch out for these laughs...his might not be the last. Tossing a nuclear bomb upon his late uncle Aoyi's tomb (in this memoir) while acknowledging continued friendship with Aoyi's sons (likely to read the memoir) is bizzarre to say the least. Besides, the chronic-persistent bitterness is worrisome. Even upon death! Gud lawd!To be continued.
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Post by job on Jul 26, 2012 23:12:02 GMT 3
review ii
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Post by job on Jul 26, 2012 23:12:22 GMT 3
review iii
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Post by Omwenga on Jul 27, 2012 3:19:57 GMT 3
Many of us have been predicting that the much hyped book by Miguna Miguna will not in reality come even close to what it has been hyped to be much to the great disappointment of those who have been eagerly awaiting and hoping it does obviously at the expense of one person and the target of the book, Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga. Miguna touted the book as “volcanic” and many bought the hype that here was someone--a dwarf, to be more precise--who would accomplish that which many a giant before him had failed and that is, to force a cataclysmic fall of Awambo from Kenya’s political scene. Most of us knew and were confident that would not be the case and it’s obvious we have been and continue to be proven right. Our skepticism and unwillingness to buy the hype from Miguna and his book is not based on spite or otherwise a disliking of the man but is simply informed by both logic and known facts, especially as they relate to politics in general and Kenya specifically. Much as tales of a jilted lover are only devoured with some titillating satisfaction by both hers and her lover’s enemies, the contents of a vindictive book by a sacked junior staff or otherwise to the Prime Minister can only be equally devoured with titillation by the PM’s enemies and opponents but nobody else. In fact, a good case can be made that even the PM’s opponents are not that interested in devouring the book’s content but would not mind at all being the beneficiaries of any harm to befall the PM from it, if any but there is none we can detect thus far other than on the periphery. There are many reasons why this is the case, namely, why even the PM’s political opponents except for the most avid haters would not care to devour the content in Miguna’s book—lies or otherwise and leading them is the simple reason they are of the view this behavior should not be encouraged all. Miguna is not the first nor is he going to be the last person to be sacked from an appointed political position and that’s regardless of whether the position is at the Permanent Secretary level or higher as Miguna claims he was or far below as everyone else knows he, in fact, was. People get sacked from these positions all the time, including ministers but you never see them dashing to the nearest publisher to peddle “tell all” books and this is, in fact, true in every known democracy. That’s not by accident but a reality of politics, namely, like those in the ranks far below them, even those at the very top, including presidents and prime ministers can and do get sacked. In the West, which is far more advanced in democratic ideals, when senior government officials differ with their bosses, be it the President, in the case of countries such as the US or the Prime Minister in countries such as the United Kingdom, the norm is for those officials to simply resign. If the officials differ on policy with their bosses but are not inclined to resign, they are forced to resign or they are simply sacked—sometimes with no apologies. The bitter ones go on a mission to avenge their sacking, including badmouthing their former bosses often with no success but the smarter ones simply regroup and carry on with life, accepting the sacking as part of life, which it is. Miguna is obviously of the former type and thus the reason it’s been predictable he cannot succeed in his quest to avenge his sacking by badmouthing and smearing his former boss for those who like him have tried have equally largely failed to “get back” at their former bosses. Interestingly, Miguna said he invited Chief Justice Dr. Willy Mutunga to be his guest of honor at the book launch, an invitation he claims the Chief Justice accepted. When this issue came to light before the launch, many of us expressed shock that our Chief Justice would accept to be guest of honor at such a politically charged and controversial event. To our collective relief, the Chief Justice made it known he would not and, in fact, did not attend the book launch—a very wise move on the Chief Justice’s part for it would have otherwise been a major disaster of constitutional crisis proportions. Note also who did not attend the book launch: Raila’s chief political opponents—and enemies by definition for the reasons noted above. Writing a vindictive “tell all” book, which really means “lie about all” book by a miffed or sacked ex-political aide, leave alone “insider” is to be distinguished from a whistle-blower account written or told after the whistle-blower on his or her own leaves an institution. A whistleblower is a person who, whether having participated in the wrong doing or not, nonetheless is overcome with a consciousness to no longer be a part of the system or organization he knows to be engaged in the wrongdoing without anyone else but him making any effort to stop it. His or her primary motivation may or may not be utilitarian but it’s almost always the case the public good is served by such exposure and thus the reason many of these whistleblowers are credible even where they don’t have concrete, tangible evidence to back up their claims. The fact that they come screaming before being booted is sufficient reason to believe they cannot but be driven by good moral conscience to do so. On the other hand, one who starts shouting and screaming at the top of his lungs and from the nearest mountain tops or mike after being sacked is not and cannot be credible unless they corroborate what they say with indisputable evidence. When the declared purpose of such “expose” by the author is to “finish” their former boss and other enemies, only the most gullible can or should buy his or her tale besides those who wish ill of the target of such vitriolic and vindictive prose. Miguna not only started screaming about wrongdoing at the PM’s office after he was sacked, he actually negotiated directly with the PM to have him reinstated to the same office! Let me make something very clear here: No one is saying and certainly not yours truly is saying that the PM’s office is perfect or that even the PM himself is perfect. The question most of us have asked and answered in the affirmative with respect to the PM is, among those vying for the presidency, who is the best qualified to lead our country after Kibaki, taking into account everything we know about them, particularly in relation to the dual, critical issues of combating corruption and ending impunity and the answer for most of us is that person is none other than Raila Odinga. Some may disagree but that’s the nature of politics as it’s not unanimity in support and views that matters in democratic processes but making a case or even not making a case but having a majority cast a vote in favor of someone or a proposition they favor in an open and transparent ballot. Every polling that has been taken since even before 2007 to-date clearly shows Raila is the man to beat, even though he was not beaten in 2007. That was the case when Miguna was working for Raila and actually made the same case; it was the case the day the PM sacked him and remains to be the case even long after he has published his vindictive book. In other words, there is nothing in Miguna’s book that changes the dynamics of who we have running for the presidency or who among them is best qualified to be our next president. This is so because what Miguna has done is simply regurgitate what has been alleged before about conduct of some people in the PM’s office, which conduct was investigated and conclusions reached about those individuals that did not find evidence of wrong doing. Miguna now wants to have everyone believe that his innuendos, embellishments and outright making up facts is far more important, dispositive and outweighs any previous official findings by Price Waterhouse Coopers, the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC), Inspectorate of State Corporations (ISC) and the Efficiency Monitoring Unit (EMU) with respect to any of the things he alleges in his book just because it’s Miguna saying so! Please. Miguna’s self-elevation to monumental heights of importance in Kenya is definitely without a match in past, current and future generations but even overblown egos must explode at some point and this one has! The fact is, everyone, especially in politics has and must have an ego otherwise they don’t belong there but everyone also must check their ego at one point or another before it explodes to their detriment much the same way as Miguna’s has. This is true in Kenya much as it is elsewhere. The arrogant and tough talking Alexander Haig, former US Secretary of State, found this the hard way after essentially declaring himself president when then President Ronald Reagan was lying in bed near comatose and being treated for gunshot wounds, only to find out his old pal Reagan did not find any of this declaration amusing when he recovered and was told about it. Reagan simply distanced himself from Haig and ultimately showed him the door and that was the end of this once powerful army general and Reagan confidant and when he died a couple of years ago, hardly anyone remembered who he was. There is simply no time to go down the list of people whose overblown egos have seen them booted from high and low offices in Kenya but every one of them pales in comparison to Miguna. As if to underscore all of this, Miguna is now upset and whining that Raila is ignoring him besides not suing him! Let me quote him and what he is saying about this: My response (for publication) to the story “Raila will not sue Miguna” [Why Raila Will Not Sue Miguna, www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000062694&story_title=OPINION:-Why-Raila-will-not-sue-Miguna] a) He has not condemned Outa and others who burnt my effigy and buried my coffin in Nyando, thereby openly encouraging people to hurt or kill me. A responsible leader who upholds the rule of law would have quickly condemned those barbaric acts and distanced himself from them. By not doing so, Raila has now fully associated himself with such acts;b) He has not responded to the allegations in the book, which are serious and go to the heart of his ability or lack thereof, to lead. The country and the world is still waiting.
c) By authorising FORA, Gitobu Imanyara, Sarah Elderkin, Ngunjiri WAmbugu and Omar Hassan Omar to attempt to assassinate my character by hurling abuse and attempting pseudo and fake psychological analysis on me rather than dealing with the contents and substance of the book, Raila has demonstrated the numerous weaknesses and failures catalogued in my book.c) If or when Caroli and others commence action against me, as far as I am concerned, that would be Raila doing it. Caroli is not just Raila’s Private Secretary (and money man and silent nominee in various ventures), he is also a self-styled ‘Chief of Staff’. Everything written about Caroli in the book revolves around what he did after Raila was appointed PM and Caroli started working at his office. Consequently, as far as I am concerned, in all intents and purposes, Raila is Caroli and Caroli is Raila as far as my book is concerned.d) And finally, Paul Mwangi’s opinion comment published in the electronic version of your newspaper cannot be taken to be Raila’s. Paul Mwangi is NOT Raila’s spokesperson; he is supposed to be a ‘legal adviser’. Kenyans have not given Paul Mwangi any legal and constitutional authority to act as Prime Minister. The op-ed piece is Paul Mwangi’s opinion. Therefore, as far as I can see, Raila has not spoken on my book at all. Subterfuge will not do. This is not what is expected of a PM who wants us to compare him to modern leaders in the first world. He has failed in action and practice.Miguna [unedited] Toronto, Canada, July 26, 2012A few things can be said in response to this: First, Raila need not say anything about the protests in Nyando against Miguna anymore more than he publicly needs to say anything about the lies, innuendos and distortions in Miguna’s book about him or others; Miguna is free to publish those at the risk of being exposed to lawsuits much the same as the protestors have the right to protest at the risk of running afoul of the law if their protests cross the line. Second, Miguna makes an unbelievable admission that his are not facts but “allegations!” Wow. Does anyone need further proof if they have been sitting on the fence not knowing what to make of Miguna’s book which contains allegations, not facts as he admits? Lies, innuendos and distortions are individually or collectively nothing but allegations of the worst kind. The best of them (allegations) are those predicated in good faith belief or knowledge albeit lacking concrete evidence and thus the reason they are referred to as allegations. Miguna is saying his are nothing but allegations. Makes no difference whether they are of the worst type or the more benign where he simply has no evidence to back what he is alleging. The net-outcome is the same: one cannot prove a negative so the onus is on Miguna to table the evidence to back his wild claims or simply shut up. Demanding that Raila responds to his allegations is not only absurd, it proves yet again what it is we have known and continue to witness in Miguna and that’s someone who’s allowed and continues to allow himself to perpetually and unrelentingly self-destruct notwithstanding his God-given talent and skills. Third, Raila as any politician at his level has surrogates who speak for him with or without his approval at all times so, when Miguna whines that FORA and others speaking in behalf of Raila somehow demonstrates that Raila has “the numerous weaknesses and failures catalogued in my book,” his saying so goes to prove that Miguna either doesn’t understand how politics works or does and has completely lost it with his single futile mission to politically destroy Raila, which he can’t. No polling has been done yet post Miguna’s launch of his book but for those in the betting business, their money has to be on Raila remaining the man to beat despite all of this onslaught and noise making from Miguna. Fourth, Miguna’s claim that Raila is Caroli Omondi and vice versa is too ridiculous and nonsensical to even comment on it other than to say absurdity, too, has its limits and no amount of tortured logic can change that fact. Finally, whether Paul Mwangi is speaking on behalf of the PM or not or whether he has the constitutional authority to do so or not is irrelevant because the issue he raises and discusses is whether Raila should sue Miguna and the prevailing view among all is that there is no need for Raila to sue and neither is there any need to publicly respond or address you Miguna in anyway. Too bad if that’s what you had calculated and hoped he would. Too bad if that was also part of your promotional strategy for the book. You say you are on vacation instead of peeling the tarmac in every corner of our beloved country promoting your book which I must hasten to say I hope you get good sales like any other writers before you but not as the “volcano” you told us it was to be but simply as any well written piece of literature, fiction or otherwise. In the end, some of us hope you truly would have learned something about this whole experience. Some people do learn from past experiences, good or bad. You need to as well. Good luck. Uchambuzi Tanaka www.omwenga.com |
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Post by kamalet on Jul 27, 2012 9:11:44 GMT 3
;D ;D ;D www.nation.co.ke/Features/DN2/-/957860/1463802/-/bjtq69/-/index.htmlA glimpse into Miguna Miguna’s files during his tenure as the Prime Minister’s adviser: In May 2010, for instance, Miguna requested a mobile phone for official use. A decision had been arrived at to buy him a Blackberry Curve 8900 worth Sh30,000. Apparently, this was what he was entitled to, according to the procurement rules procedures in the office. Well, the good man rejected the phone, which was delivered to him by a Mr Evance Nyachio. In a terse letter on May 27, 2010 to the then acting PS Andrew Mondo (now at Special Programmes), Miguna made it clear that he wanted nothing other than a Blackberry Storm 9500, worth Sh60,000.He accused Nyachio of failure to find the sophisticated phone, terming the Blackberry Curve 8900 model as “five grades lower in quality”. To further justify his demand, he said he had known of officers in Job Group T and below who had been bought the Storm, and that he would not accept any discriminatory treatment from him (Mr Nyachio) or anybody else in government. To end the mobile phone war, Mondo asked Miguna to provide names of businesses where the model could be found. “I sent you a text message on May 26, at 1:44pm and disclosed genuine Blackberry Storm 9500 phones are available at Aurellio Safaricom Shop at Sarit Centre,” Miguna replied. To hasten the purchase of a genuine Storm, Miguna furnished the PS with the names and mobile numbers of outlets where it could be purchased. And, with the letter, he enclosed the Blackberry Curve which had been delivered to him... with a strong caution. “Please note I need a genuine Blackberry Storm 950 which is what I requisitioned. I am returning that phone as Mr Nyachio bought it irregularly. Please advise him (that) I do not want to deal with him.” For peace’s sake, Mondoh directed the procurement department to buy Miguna the phone. “The matter must be brought to conclusion. Buy him the 9500 phone,” he ordered. But that was not the only matter troubling Miguna. He was also uncomfortable with the car he had been allocated, which, he said, had “numerous problems”. In a memo on May 18, 2010, he reminded Mondoh that he needed a Toyota Prado “which Dr Mohammed (Isahakia) had already undertaken to purchase this financial year”. Dr Isahakia is the PS in the Prime Minister’s office. It did help that Prof Kivuta Kibwana, president Kibaki’s adviser on constitutional affairs and whom Miguna considered his counterpart, had been allocated better cars. This underlined the urgency of the purchase. “My counterpart (Prof Kivutha Kibwana) at the Office of the President has been allocated two brand new vehicles,” he noted. One of the notes on the letter by a senior ministry official two weeks later seemed to further delay implementation of his demand. “Next FY” (Financial Year),” it curtly noted. Then there was the small matter of rank. Dr Isahakia, in particular, never got along with Miguna. According to Miguna, the PS was his equal, if not his junior. Miguna’s letter of appointment on March 6, 2009 by President Kibaki did not indicate that he was a PS, but the ebullient lawyer acted and behaved as one. In fact, some of his letters and internal memos were signed ‘PM’s Adviser, Coalition Affairs/PS’. Confusion also arose because, as it turned out in his case seeking re-instatement after he was sacked, Miguna was not a civil servant but a political appointee. High Court Judge Mohammed Warsame noted his position was only tenable as long as his employer wanted him. Miguna had never signed any employment letters dictating that the terms of service were the same as those of Prof Kibwana, a former Cabinet minister. Thus his world only revolved around him and the Prime Minister. There is no better demonstration of Miguna’s taste for class and high life than his specifications for the office space he was to be assigned on the Third Floor of the Prime Minister’s office on Harambee Avenue, Nairobi. This time, it was the director of administration, a Mr Hadao, who was on the receiving end. On September 15, 2010, a letter marked “Top Priority & Strictly Confidential” landed on Hadao’s table. It had 17 specifications on Mr Miguna’s future office.First, he requested “adequate space” that would be home to an executive chair, a couch, two side chairs and a book shelf. He also asked for a water dispenser, a fridge, a bathroom with toilet, sink and shower, a fire resistant cabinet and electronic air conditioning.
“The reception should be separated from the waiting area, which must have a television set, cable TV and Internet, fax and telephone lines,” he instructed. Keen on keeping tabs on everything that was going on, he demanded general and direct telephone lines with extensions to the Prime Minister, the PS, the private secretary administration, the human resource manager and the procurement department. He further asked for three access keys for himself, as well as two keys for the VIP elevators; and directed that “the entire office space (my office, reception, bathroom and waiting area) should be tiled; not carpeted”. For clarity, Miguna attached a hand-drawn sketch of how his office had to look like.Three months after occupying an office with skeleton staff, he set tough conditions for workers, most of them secretaries, bodyguards, drivers and messengers. The rules, as outlined in a June 9, 2009 office memo, had to be followed to the strictest of detail. He was categorical that they should never get instructions from more than two people as long as they worked in his office. “ The only person who can instruct or direct you contrary to myself is the Prime Minister,” he wrote in the internal memo.The long memo contained instructions on the basic office etiquette expected of the staff, including a requirement to i nform him, in person, 24 hours before being absent from office.“ For the drivers and bodyguards, they have to work at all times based on “my working hours and in accordance with strict instructions from me,” he instructed. Miguna concluded the long memo with critical advice: “Please use common sense”. Well, 11 months into these new trappings of power, the Higher Education Loans Board came calling. Having spent most of his time in Canada, Miguna had not repaid the loan advanced to him during his student days at the University of Nairobi in the ‘80s, the Helb claimed. Ms A Ayonga wrote to Dr Isahakia from Helb on February 24, 2010, breaking down Miguna’s repayment schedule, which was supposed to be effected the following month. Dr Isahakia immediately advised the Human Resource department to effect the deductions... and opened another war front. Four months into the deductions, Miguna penned a protest letter to Dr Isahakia on August 3, 2010. It was marked “Urgent and Without Prejudice”. “This is to firstly object strongly to the irregular, un-procedural and unlawful deductions you have authorised, without my knowledge and consent as required by law, on my salary purportedly on a letter dated 24 February 2010,” he began, and went on to demand that the PS makes available to him copies of documents that would justify the deductions. He did not owe Helb any money, he said, and demanded a copy of the loan contract he signed with Helb. “It should indicate the type of loan, the date the loan was signed, the amounts given, the duration the loan was provided, the applicable interest and the reason for the loan.” Further, Miguna demanded that the PS produces court proceedings and correspondence between Helb and himself regarding the matter, and a court order authorising the deductions and proof that Miguna was served with such an order. He claimed Helb had not produced the contract and the purpose for which he was given the loan, and therefore demanded that Dr Isahakia should produce Helb’s appraisal of whether the purpose for which the loan was given was achieved. If not, he wrote, then Helb should produce a document explaining why that purpose was not achieved. Miguna signed off the letter to Dr Isahakia by advising him to “govern yourself accordingly”. Another goof by the PM's office releasing internal office communication to fight back the book my Miguna! Have they not heard that silence is golden??? |
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Post by mzee on Jul 27, 2012 10:27:35 GMT 3
Kamale, I think it was smart of the PM to tell Kenyans why he will not answer to Miguna (there is nothing to fear about Miguna whom you have often termed as a poor brain). Read the PMs statement and you will see that he is not talking to Miguna but Kenyans. He does not even call Miguna by name or even mention the title of his book.
BUT from now on, he must keep mum and let others such as Caroli Omondi talk to Miguna through the courts of course. This book is going to cost Miguna big time (money wise)
I guess that you (Kamale) have changed your mind about the "wonderful" book that was supposed to "bring Raila down". I hope that you have seen that almost everything Miguna says is either a lie or exaggerated.
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Post by mzee on Jul 27, 2012 10:42:29 GMT 3
Many of us have been predicting that the much hyped book by Miguna Miguna will not in reality come even close to what it has been hyped to be much to the great disappointment of those who have been eagerly awaiting and hoping it does obviously at the expense of one person and the target of the book, Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga. Miguna touted the book as “volcanic” and many bought the hype that here was someone--a dwarf, to be more precise--who would accomplish that which many a giant before him had failed and that is, to force a cataclysmic fall of Awambo from Kenya’s political scene. Most of us knew and were confident that would not be the case and it’s obvious we have been and continue to be proven right. Our skepticism and unwillingness to buy the hype from Miguna and his book is not based on spite or otherwise a disliking of the man but is simply informed by both logic and known facts, especially as they relate to politics in general and Kenya specifically. Much as tales of a jilted lover are only devoured with some titillating satisfaction by both hers and her lover’s enemies, the contents of a vindictive book by a sacked junior staff or otherwise to the Prime Minister can only be equally devoured with titillation by the PM’s enemies and opponents but nobody else. In fact, a good case can be made that even the PM’s opponents are not that interested in devouring the book’s content but would not mind at all being the beneficiaries of any harm to befall the PM from it, if any but there is none we can detect thus far other than on the periphery. There are many reasons why this is the case, namely, why even the PM’s political opponents except for the most avid haters would not care to devour the content in Miguna’s book—lies or otherwise and leading them is the simple reason they are of the view this behavior should not be encouraged all. Miguna is not the first nor is he going to be the last person to be sacked from an appointed political position and that’s regardless of whether the position is at the Permanent Secretary level or higher as Miguna claims he was or far below as everyone else knows he, in fact, was. People get sacked from these positions all the time, including ministers but you never see them dashing to the nearest publisher to peddle “tell all” books and this is, in fact, true in every known democracy. That’s not by accident but a reality of politics, namely, like those in the ranks far below them, even those at the very top, including presidents and prime ministers can and do get sacked. In the West, which is far more advanced in democratic ideals, when senior government officials differ with their bosses, be it the President, in the case of countries such as the US or the Prime Minister in countries such as the United Kingdom, the norm is for those officials to simply resign. If the officials differ on policy with their bosses but are not inclined to resign, they are forced to resign or they are simply sacked—sometimes with no apologies. The bitter ones go on a mission to avenge their sacking, including badmouthing their former bosses often with no success but the smarter ones simply regroup and carry on with life, accepting the sacking as part of life, which it is. Miguna is obviously of the former type and thus the reason it’s been predictable he cannot succeed in his quest to avenge his sacking by badmouthing and smearing his former boss for those who like him have tried have equally largely failed to “get back” at their former bosses. Interestingly, Miguna said he invited Chief Justice Dr. Willy Mutunga to be his guest of honor at the book launch, an invitation he claims the Chief Justice accepted. When this issue came to light before the launch, many of us expressed shock that our Chief Justice would accept to be guest of honor at such a politically charged and controversial event. To our collective relief, the Chief Justice made it known he would not and, in fact, did not attend the book launch—a very wise move on the Chief Justice’s part for it would have otherwise been a major disaster of constitutional crisis proportions. Note also who did not attend the book launch: Raila’s chief political opponents—and enemies by definition for the reasons noted above. Writing a vindictive “tell all” book, which really means “lie about all” book by a miffed or sacked ex-political aide, leave alone “insider” is to be distinguished from a whistle-blower account written or told after the whistle-blower on his or her own leaves an institution. A whistleblower is a person who, whether having participated in the wrong doing or not, nonetheless is overcome with a consciousness to no longer be a part of the system or organization he knows to be engaged in the wrongdoing without anyone else but him making any effort to stop it. His or her primary motivation may or may not be utilitarian but it’s almost always the case the public good is served by such exposure and thus the reason many of these whistleblowers are credible even where they don’t have concrete, tangible evidence to back up their claims. The fact that they come screaming before being booted is sufficient reason to believe they cannot but be driven by good moral conscience to do so. On the other hand, one who starts shouting and screaming at the top of his lungs and from the nearest mountain tops or mike after being sacked is not and cannot be credible unless they corroborate what they say with indisputable evidence. When the declared purpose of such “expose” by the author is to “finish” their former boss and other enemies, only the most gullible can or should buy his or her tale besides those who wish ill of the target of such vitriolic and vindictive prose. Miguna not only started screaming about wrongdoing at the PM’s office after he was sacked, he actually negotiated directly with the PM to have him reinstated to the same office! Let me make something very clear here: No one is saying and certainly not yours truly is saying that the PM’s office is perfect or that even the PM himself is perfect. The question most of us have asked and answered in the affirmative with respect to the PM is, among those vying for the presidency, who is the best qualified to lead our country after Kibaki, taking into account everything we know about them, particularly in relation to the dual, critical issues of combating corruption and ending impunity and the answer for most of us is that person is none other than Raila Odinga. Some may disagree but that’s the nature of politics as it’s not unanimity in support and views that matters in democratic processes but making a case or even not making a case but having a majority cast a vote in favor of someone or a proposition they favor in an open and transparent ballot. Every polling that has been taken since even before 2007 to-date clearly shows Raila is the man to beat, even though he was not beaten in 2007. That was the case when Miguna was working for Raila and actually made the same case; it was the case the day the PM sacked him and remains to be the case even long after he has published his vindictive book. In other words, there is nothing in Miguna’s book that changes the dynamics of who we have running for the presidency or who among them is best qualified to be our next president. This is so because what Miguna has done is simply regurgitate what has been alleged before about conduct of some people in the PM’s office, which conduct was investigated and conclusions reached about those individuals that did not find evidence of wrong doing. Miguna now wants to have everyone believe that his innuendos, embellishments and outright making up facts is far more important, dispositive and outweighs any previous official findings by Price Waterhouse Coopers, the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC), Inspectorate of State Corporations (ISC) and the Efficiency Monitoring Unit (EMU) with respect to any of the things he alleges in his book just because it’s Miguna saying so! Please. Even overblown egos must explode at some point and this one has. Everyone in politics must check their ego at one point or another before it explodes to their detriment much the same way as Miguna’s has. The arrogant and tough talking Alexander Haig, former US Secretary of State, found this the hard way after essentially declaring himself president when then President Ronald Reagan was lying in bed near comatose and being treated for gunshot wounds, only to find out his old pal Reagan did not find any of this declaration amusing when he recovered and was told about it. Reagan simply distanced himself from Haig and ultimately showed him the door and that was the end of this once powerful army general and Reagan confidant and when he died a couple of years ago, hardly anyone remembered who he was. There is simply no time to go down the list of people whose overblown egos have seen them booted from high and low offices in Kenya but every one of them pales in comparison to Miguna. As if to underscore all of this, Miguna is now upset and whining that Raila is ignoring him besides not suing him! Let me quote him and what he is saying about this: My response (for publication) to the story “Raila will not sue Miguna” [Why Raila Will Not Sue Miguna, www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000062694&story_title=OPINION:-Why-Raila-will-not-sue-Miguna] a) He has not condemned Outa and others who burnt my effigy and buried my coffin in Nyando, thereby openly encouraging people to hurt or kill me. A responsible leader who upholds the rule of law would have quickly condemned those barbaric acts and distanced himself from them. By not doing so, Raila has now fully associated himself with such acts;b) He has not responded to the allegations in the book, which are serious and go to the heart of his ability or lack thereof, to lead. The country and the world is still waiting.
c) By authorising FORA, Gitobu Imanyara, Sarah Elderkin, Ngunjiri WAmbugu and Omar Hassan Omar to attempt to assassinate my character by hurling abuse and attempting pseudo and fake psychological analysis on me rather than dealing with the contents and substance of the book, Raila has demonstrated the numerous weaknesses and failures catalogued in my book.c) If or when Caroli and others commence action against me, as far as I am concerned, that would be Raila doing it. Caroli is not just Raila’s Private Secretary (and money man and silent nominee in various ventures), he is also a self-styled ‘Chief of Staff’. Everything written about Caroli in the book revolves around what he did after Raila was appointed PM and Caroli started working at his office. Consequently, as far as I am concerned, in all intents and purposes, Raila is Caroli and Caroli is Raila as far as my book is concerned.d) And finally, Paul Mwangi’s opinion comment published in the electronic version of your newspaper cannot be taken to be Raila’s. Paul Mwangi is NOT Raila’s spokesperson; he is supposed to be a ‘legal adviser’. Kenyans have not given Paul Mwangi any legal and constitutional authority to act as Prime Minister. The op-ed piece is Paul Mwangi’s opinion. Therefore, as far as I can see, Raila has not spoken on my book at all. Subterfuge will not do. This is not what is expected of a PM who wants us to compare him to modern leaders in the first world. He has failed in action and practice.Miguna [unedited] Toronto, Canada, July 26, 2012A few things can be said in response to this: First, Raila need not say anything about the protests in Nyando against Miguna anymore more than he publicly needs to say anything about the lies, innuendos and distortions in Miguna’s book about him or others; Miguna is free to publish those at the risk of being exposed to lawsuits much the same as the protestors have the right to protest at the risk of running afoul of the law if their protests cross the line. Second, Miguna makes an unbelievable admission that his are not facts but “allegations!” Wow. Does anyone need further proof if they have been sitting on the fence not knowing what to make of Miguna’s book which contains allegations, not facts as he admits? Lies, innuendos and distortions are individually or collectively nothing but allegations of the worst kind. The best of them (allegations) are those predicated in good faith belief or knowledge albeit lacking concrete evidence and thus the reason they are referred to as allegations. Miguna is saying his are nothing but allegations. Makes no difference whether they are of the worst type or the more benign where he simply has no evidence to back what he is alleging. The net-outcome is the same: one cannot prove a negative so the onus is on Miguna to table the evidence to back his wild claims or simply shut up. Demanding that Raila responds to his allegations is not only absurd, it proves yet again what it is we have known and continue to witness in Miguna and that’s someone who’s allowed and continues to allow himself to perpetually and unrelentingly self-destruct notwithstanding his God-given talent and skills. Third, Raila as any politician at his level has surrogates who speak for him with or without his approval at all times so, when Miguna whines that FORA and others speaking in behalf of Raila somehow demonstrates that Raila has “the numerous weaknesses and failures catalogued in my book,” his saying so goes to prove that Miguna either doesn’t understand how politics works or does and has completely lost it with his single futile mission to politically destroy Raila, which he can’t. No polling has been done yet post Miguna’s launch of his book but for those in the betting business, their money has to be on Raila remaining the man to beat despite all of this onslaught and noise making from Miguna. Fourth, Miguna’s claim that Raila is Caroli Omondi and vice versa is too ridiculous and nonsensical to even comment on it other than to say absurdity, too, has its limits and no amount of tortured logic can change that fact. Finally, whether Paul Mwangi is speaking on behalf of the PM or not or whether he has the constitutional authority to do so or not is irrelevant because the issue he raises and discusses is whether Raila should sue Miguna and the prevailing view among all is that there is no need for Raila to sue and neither is there any need to publicly respond or address you Miguna in anyway. Too bad if that’s what you had calculated and hoped he would. Some people do learn from past experiences, good or bad. You need to as well. Good luck. Uchambuzi Tanaka www.omwenga.comYou did it again. You put it so clear even Big Loud Mig will understand. What a beating Miguna is getting. Migunas friends should keep a close look at him for the man is going nuts. Mara Raila is Caroli, Oh Raila must answer me, oh! Oh! I still insist that Miguna will be pulped with his own book and its going on as I speak. |
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Post by mzee on Jul 27, 2012 10:44:10 GMT 3
My belated review below: But, first - the Prime Minister is quite in order to have ignored (directly) addressing or suing Miguna for anything. Time will surely tell that the real Mask to Peel here is Miguna's own.
Unlike Miguna, Paul Mwangi conducts his affairs quietly yet diligently - often away from media fanfare. That's a more pragmatic approach when employed as a civil servant. I endorse his well-considered advise to the PM not to bother suing madness.
Billy Muiruri's "Common Sense" piece in today's Daily Nation (posted by Okhunyanye) offers a perfectly congruent theme from Miguna's own memoir. It should be a must-read for anyone seeking a broader perspective about the work-environment around Miguna. I suspect more folks will come out to offer unblemished experiences on their professional/personnel encounters with Miguna. Obviously, there were folks who were literally tormented working with/under Big Mig. On the other hand, some may have enjoyed his presence. Others like the PM, probably chose to sleep/nap while getting briefs from him.
It's been no different at JUKWAA. Few hawk-eyed analysts like the venerable Abdulmote, or the insightful Kaburwo had foreseen and posted telltale and loose-cannon signs - which many of us downplayed. Well, the rest is history.My review:
Miguna’s Bitter-Gate: Memoir-turned-Street-Tabloid!I read the entire book and will sum it up in 2 or 3 parts (time allowing). We were promised a volcano – but street tabloid is what we got! Peeling Back the Mask is an angry man’s collation of bar-room anecdotes; motivated by the author’s bitterness over unceremonious suspension from work. That's it in a nutshell. The memoir takes a very different turn from the point of Miguna’s brusque exit from the Prime Minister’s (PM’s) office. The beginning is quite an interesting narrative of Miguna’s early life – well written and filled with descriptive details. There’s no doubt Miguna experienced a traumatic childhood – never saw his father (who died prior to his birth); endured abject poverty; and eventually went to live with abusive relatives. You really have to go through the entire book to start appreciating subtle signs that these early abusive experiences may have had effect on the author’s later life. I will not even attempt to psychoanalyze anything. All you have to do is read this book and pick for instance, the multiple (& conflicted) personalities of Miguna - described by himself. This may eventually help figure out how he handled his equally traumatic and gruff suspension. Miguna describes himself on one hand as: ‘ humongous’ (both in height and weight); with a strong and loud voice (especially when agitated); vocal; holding strong opinions; articulate; never fearing (power, wealth or position); and fierce defender of ideals he holds high. That actually reads more like the Miguna I’ve known (through cyber) over the years. The limelight-hogging, microphone-loving, loud and boisterous Miguna! Then there’s this other unfamiliar Miguna that he refers as the – No Drama Miguna: Here’s how he describes the reticent, reserved, lone-ranger Miguna: Excerpt from Chapter 18 “Circling Wolves”:It may come as a surprise to many to know that I am also quite reserved and private. I hardly go out at night. I love listening to music and reading for hours on end. I am punctual and adhere to deadlines without fail. In fact, throughout my life, I’ve always completed school assignments ahead of my classmates. I work without supervision. Indeed, during the first year after my appointment as Raila’s advisor, I rarely made public statements and never appeared in the media unless as part of a state or official event. That made some of my supporters refer to me in internet discussion platforms as “No Drama Miguna”. I can, and often tend to be reticent, especially in the midst of important assignments. I consider myself both a strategist and tactician. Before I comment on or commit to anything, I subject the prevailing issue to thorough research, analysis and introspection. This could be frustrating to those used to shallowness, sycophancy or rushed decisions.
Your guess is likely right which Miguna dominates this memoir. He comes out frankly as a self-confident character with an overblown sense of self-importance. Often, he exhibits both irrational grandiosity and explosive temperament. At some point (likely coincides with the time of his suspension from the PM’s office) - the tone of the book suddenly changes into that of anger and bitterness.The tale from then on is apparently rushed – clearly in a bid to beat both the publishers’ and electoral calendar deadlines. Thrilling well recollected details that were abundant in the earlier portion of the memoir are now replaced by livid (and often emotive) bureaucratic intrigues and put-offs. Several mistakes and inaccuracies can also be noted in the later part – for instance 90% and 30% doesn’t sum to 100%. There was clearly a rush to achieve something. An enraged and resentful pitch eventually dominates the rest of the book. Much later, Miguna also dabbles liberally into street gossips, unsubstantiated innuendoes, and half-truths which persist to the very end of the book. It degenerates into - either ‘I heard this from Sally Kosgei’; or 'heard that from so and so'. Street and bar anecdotes about who could be sleeping with whom; who has acquired what property; and such, are peppered in to spice the memoir. Nothing of a smoking-gun expos`e. No factual evidence of wrong-doing. His memoir virtually turns into a tabloid where cheap gossips about close friends, family, and colleagues flow almost recklessly. Unlike John Githongo’s actionable Anglo-Leasing dossier and the substantive “It’s Our Turn to Eat” whistle-blowing account; “Peeling Back the Mask” terribly fails to expose real evidence of graft in government. Granted, there’s a lot of name-calling, card-stacking, and throwing of the occasional big lie, but this book frankly fails to connect not just Raila Odinga, but Caroli Omondi and Mohammed Isahakhia in any form of graft. The closest thing to whistle-blowing in the memoir is a rehashed World Bank audit report (previously exposed by media) which suggested misappropriation of KKV funds into unauthorized expenditures – such as fueling vehicles and other irrelevant undertakings. Miguna himself explains that those expenditures by officials such as Rachel Gesami, Chabeda, and others were nevertheless redirected for authorized use (following the routine audit querries). I only wish Miguna had a hand-in-jar detail showing Caroli or Isahakhia’s direct involvement in real graft – which I suspect may have actually proceeded right under Miguna’s nose. Was the ‘humongous and fierce’ Miguna probably too consumed fighting Kibwana and Muthaura to pick such little but crucial clues? Or junior staffers were too afraid to confide any tangible information to Big Loud Mig? Part of this failure is likely attributed to Miguna’s complex personality and emotional state – quite of which is peeled back by his own account in the book. The Miguna who showed up in office most of the days must have been the confrontational, loud, and boisterous one. These traits don’t abode well for any insider investigator who wishes to get to the bottom of facts and unearth scams and corruption. It is sad that the closest whiff of corruption Miguna walked out of that office with is main street rumours - not even a single actionable file or tape. What a missed opportunity! I suspect Miguna had been working on his memoir for some time – meticulously detailing his early life experiences – until the sudden suspension from the PM’s office. From that point – what suddenly entered into the memoir is a rushed collection of pay-back propaganda driven by fury and sourness. What started as an excellent life story suddenly veers into a swirling narrative dominated by half-truths and a clearly slanted sense of reality. I suspect even the diplomats he touts as friends must be wondering! Miguna doesn’t also (seem to) respect the unwritten dictum that private conversations (shared in confidence) should essentially remain private. He mercilessly breaks this rule; often pitting friend against friend. Whatever the long-term motive, I doubt the end result would be favourable (to him and some of his friends alike). Then there’s this tendency for quick rush into judgment. When Miguna described a friend who once visited him in Toronto - and asked to be connected to a female shopping-guide - he ends up defining that person’s “priorities in life” based on that single encounter. Reading between the lines, a great omission is that he actually never saw the friend until years later. He confesses he had no clue what happened between the two. Was there actual shopping or more to it? Miguna rushes into judgment through insinuation. How does Miguna conclude about his friend’s so called priorities if not through conjecture and innuendo? Talk of a memoir-turned-tabloid! You will find acres of innuendo and insinuations in this book - some of which don't make sense at all. I find it unfortunate that an articulate lawyer like Miguna is so big on unsubstantiated street gossip – rolling them into a memoir for sale. It depicts some tawdry slyness on his part. For Pete’s sake this was supposed to be Miguna’s memoir. A journey from Magina village, through Toronto to Shell House ends up dwelling on salacious innuendos about who sleeps with Mrs. Shebesh or Anne Kariuki!!! Helloooo!!!! Probably he should have just opted to confine the 614-pages to a long ego trip. “ I am so important”… “ I am so intelligent”… “How can I be suspended?”… doesn't just blend well with "oh by the way, she is so and so's squeeze" in my view. Miguna consistently paints a bigger-than-life image of himself – even literally attaching his height and weight into that perception. Why then invite all these other small and unimportant losers into this volcanic memoir. Then there’s this propensity (by Miguna) to invoke easily discernible exaggerations and power-words so as to stroke powerful emotions. He’d probably wish every reader would cry along. A glaring example of a hyped emotion is the ordeal of escaping Gwassi by the night (as an 11 year-old). After a fight with his cousins, 11 year-old Miguna escaped from his uncle’s homestead at night. Well, young Miguna was lucky to get a truck-ride to Ahero (near Magina). He didn’t run into a Gwassi leopard or rhino. Here is how Miguna sums his feelings about his uncle Aoyi - from whose homestead he was escaping:
The second time I communicated with Aoyi was after my relocation back to Kenya in 2007. Aoyi was by then an ailing old man. He had undergone prostate cancer treatment and was back at the Moi Referral and Teaching Hospital in Eldoret for further tests and treatment. While there, his son, Daudi, who was then teaching at a university in South Africa, called and asked if I could speak to his father. I did. That was the second and only time I had spoken to Aoyi since 1974. To me, Aoyi was an embodiment of raw and unmitigated evil. By not trying to prevent an 11-year-old boy from disappearing into the night in a place where wild animals roamed, he had shown real barbarism. But worse still, he never bothered to find out where I had gone or whether I was still alive. He made no attempt to send anyone to Magina to find out if they had heard of or seen me. That was bestial. Aoyi died in May 2011 and I attended the funeral. Death is the final equaliser.
In the preceding background, Miguna clearly says it was two cousins (not his uncle Aoyi) that had a physical altercation with him. From what he writes, he provides no proof Aoyi never bothered to find out if he was alive. Sending someone wasn't the only way of establishing that. Aoyi may have just - through word of mouth - learnt that his nephew Miguna arrived home safe and left it there. Such is a typical assumption Miguna throws around liberally in this book. Quick to find-fault, pin blame - then exaggerate its emotive effect! Finally, he would typically exact revenge then wait for a final laugh. Well, he better watch out for these laughs...his might not be the last. Tossing a nuclear bomb upon his late uncle Aoyi's tomb (in this memoir) while acknowledging continued friendship with Aoyi's sons (likely to read the memoir) is bizzarre to say the least. Besides, the chronic-persistent bitterness is worrisome. Even upon death! Gud lawd!To be continued. This was just great but I will be waiting anxiously for your second and third parts. |
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Post by kamalet on Jul 27, 2012 11:26:32 GMT 3
Kamale, I think it was smart of the PM to tell Kenyans why he will not answer to Miguna (there is nothing to fear about Miguna whom you have often termed as a poor brain). Read the PMs statement and you will see that he is not talking to Miguna but Kenyans. He does not even call Miguna by name or even mention the title of his book. BUT from now on, he must keep mum and let others such as Caroli Omondi talk to Miguna through the courts of course. This book is going to cost Miguna big time (money wise) I guess that you (Kamale) have changed your mind about the "wonderful" book that was supposed to "bring Raila down". I hope that you have seen that almost everything Miguna says is either a lie or exaggerated. Mzee My views about Miguna have been pretty consistent unlike the johnny come lately who thinks he is a devious and evil man! I have had my disagreements with Miguna and if you look at it closely apart from his indiscretion about divulging private conversations, our disagreements have actually been about Raila rather than Miguna the person for it is Raila that he represented when we disagreed! Miguna only confirms the issues we disagreed about in his book so yes it may appear that I am a recent convert! It you the Mzees of this world who would lambast me when I disagreed with what Miguna wrote (I remember someone quite disappointed that I had come in 5th in a response to a Miguna thread in Jukwaa!). The closest I can relate to this phenomenon is the reaction of many christians when it was revealed that Judas had written his own gospel! You cannot countenance a situation where your long held views about Raila are changed and you see this as betrayal! Just look at the threads of those that were unhappy with Raila sacking Miguna and their reactions today? You will find that Jukwaa is a treasure trove of hypocrisy! |
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Post by mzee on Jul 27, 2012 11:47:57 GMT 3
Kamale, I agree that I have changed my views about Miguna. But only a fool refuses to change his mind. I did not know that he was a loose canon. For example the man does not know what is private conversation. And private conversations are many times just rumors meant for that moment. In a court of law Miguna would not stand a chance against anybody. His book is a litany of lies of that alone could be cited to show that he is a serial liar.
Its his lies that turned me away from him not his disagreement with Raila. Afterall, I was the first to condemn Migunas dismissal. But that was before I knew his true character.
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Post by roughrider on Jul 27, 2012 18:01:54 GMT 3
Job;
I enjoyed reading your piece. Once you are done I may share my perspectives. One thing that struck me as the result of the untreated childhood psychological trauma meted by Aoyi among others, is Miguna’s characterization of things and people as ‘evil’ or the ‘devil’. It starts with the Aoyi story that you reference: Miguna declares with some justification ‘To me, Aoyi was an embodiment of raw and unmitigated evil’. It seems that this sets the template for how Miguna sees things and people. He begins to liberally make declarations about good and evil, almost whimsically. Truly a mental dark room.
‘Chunga had a reputation as a meticulous, efficient devil.’
‘That’s why only the word evil defines how I feel about Raila’s action.
they know that Miguna has integrity, that he cannot be arm-twisted into doing anything wrong, that he cannot turn against the common man, be anti-people or evil;
“Let me tell you that Raila is evil – pure, undiluted evil!
He is a vindictive, envious, jealous, confused, lecherous and evil man.
“We have always suspected that the man is both ungrateful and evil.”
That’s betrayal. It is treachery. It is dishonesty. It is pure, unmitigated evil.”
There are many other instances. Ultimately in the epilogue, he gets preachy. It is like Ellen G White writing about the Great Controversy between Christ and Satan.
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Post by Omwenga on Jul 27, 2012 18:41:43 GMT 3
Excellent, objective review Job; please find time and document the rest for historical reference ;D |
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