Post by Onyango Oloo on Oct 4, 2017 18:19:56 GMT 3
This is Part Three of my digital essay.
Yesterday night, I almost dozed off due to researching and writing for hours when I was in the throes of talking about the prospects for a United Democratic Front in Kenya.
Well, I did go to sleep and got some rest.
I have been awake for hours now.
Here I am in front of my computer, living up to my promise of completing the essay.
But before I go further, I want to take my readers back to a multi-part treatment that I simply titled “Tweedledum & Tweedlee” or something like that.
The piece, penned just before the 2017 elections basically compared Jubilee and NASA principally along the lines of ideology.
In a nutshell, I concluded that there was VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE politically between the two rival formations despite their various social constituencies.
I argued further, that there was a severe programmatic, structural and strategic limitation in NASA’s programme.
I did not bother with Jubilee given their OVERT, TRIBAL and FASCIST overtures.
I had a quibble with Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Moses Wetangula et al coming together on the basis of a “coalition”.
I invoked Indian Communists to demystify the concept of the “coalitions”.
If I recall, this is what I said in Part Sixteen of an essay I posted on Jukwaa, the website that I founded in August 2005 and administer to this day:
It is at the Communist Party of India (Marxist) stand at the India Social Forum at the Jawarahal Nehru University on November 12, 2006 that I purchased a hard copy of the book by Dr. M.V.S. Koteswara Rao, then Assistant Professor in Political Science Department,Nagarjunana University in Guntur. He received his Ph.D for his work, Communist Parties and United Front Experience in Kerala and West Bengal published in March 2003 by Prajakasti Book House in Hyderbad, A.P. India.
You can get your very own copy by writing to the publisher at Prajakastasti Book House, H. No. 1-1 1987 1 /2, Viveknagar, Chikkadpally, Hyedarabad-20. Or simply email at pbhhyd@yahoo.co.in.
The book, which runs into 317 pages including a Select Bibliography from page 282 consists of eight chapters followed by a section captioned Conclusions.
The book is my constant companion, traveling with me on my return journey through the Emirates plane ride from New Delhi to Nairobi, staying patiently in my Nairobi home library and coming along when I moved to Mombasa in November 2016 and is currently part of my bedside reading here in Kirinyaga County in early May 2017 along with all four volumes of the Final Report of the TJRC plus the explosive dissent of the three international commissioners who did not go along with the censorship of their Kenyan counterparts who were pressured by Uhuru Kenyatta’s State House officials to suppress Jomo Kenyatta’s shameful land grabbing in Diani, Taita Taveta and other parts of the Coast.
The author on page 62 says this about Coalition Politics:
Coalition, is a non-Marxist approach to gain control over the government. It is a complex political manoevre to stick to or gain power.
In contrast to the grand plan of ODM, Wiper, Ford-Kenya, Amani and other mainstream Kenyan political parties to grab power at the ballot box, I juxtaposed what came from a close reading of Communist strategy and tactics in the Indian states of Kerala and West Bengal. I further studied the Tripartite Alliance of the ANC, the South African Communist Party, COSATU and their allies[ who have been in power in Madiba land since April 1992.
Essentially I was showcasing the Marxist-Leninist United Front approach to the tried and failed approaches of petit-bourgeois “Coalition Politics”.
I wrote that essay in May 2017-three months before the Kenyan elections.
I am writing today on Wednesday, October 4, 2017.
Without crowing or barking jubilantly at anyone, I have to stay that Onyango Oloo, using the tried and tested ideology of Marxism-Leninism is thoroughly VINDICATED.
Let us look at what has happened to NASA.
The Secretary General of Wiper Democratic Movement has resigned from the party.The other day I saw a web posting stating that former Senator Hassan Omar will, if asked, CAMPAIGN for the victory for Uhuru Kenyatta and Jubilee who just a few months ago, he was cursing on television, the radio, Twitter and the newspapers. David Musila, one of the head honchos of Kalonzo Musyoka’s party[ was seen by all part of a pathetic mission to State House for some handouts- along with a former senior ODM personage, Paul Otuoma and other personages who were until recently part of the NASA choir. The “fifth Principal”- Issac Ruto dashed back to his namesake’s arms complaining he was apparently “too lonely” in NASA. Martha Karua who gave the misleading impression that she had gotten rid of the PNU leopard spots which made her jump at KICC on a table and scream that Mwai Kibaki had “won” the 2007 elections was not too long ago, sharing a Jubilee platform to root for Uhuru in Naivasha. Paul Munya who dramatically defected to NASA went back to the Uhuru fold before we could blink. There are others, but you get my point.
I will take a paragraph to share some words on Hassan Omar.
I consider him a personal and political friend. I have admired and followed his human rights work for years from back when he was the Deputy Chair of the Kenya National Commission for Human Rights. I remember when I was still a member of the socialist leaning SDP party calling Hassan and offering to assist him get a party ticket in 2013 when he was having difficulties getting an ODM nod. He eventually vied on Wiper and I celebrated when he won the electoral contest to be Mombasa’s first Senator under the new Constitution. I followed his contributions in Parliament and I used to send him emails and tweets whenever he was in the media. I remember when I was still living in Bamburi, Mombasa County, I made a special point of seeking personal audience with him at the Renaissance Centre which he heads. We discussed many things, but then the subject of him contesting the gubernatorial seat against Ali Hassan Joho came up. I told him that while his politics was better than Joho, POLITICALLY the incumbent Governor was unassailable. I pointed out to him that he was GUARANTEED a second term as Senator if he defended the post. Hassan Omar disagreed and invoked Bernie Sanders as someone who had embarked on a popular movement based on the youth and other disgruntled elements in the USA. Hassan Omar went ahead to LOSE the Governor’s contest coming after Jubilee’s Shabhal. A few weeks ago, a good friend of mine who is a Kisumu human rights activist said on Facebook that the former senator had never been a true human rights activist. I remember going after the Kisumu activist hammers and tongs. I finally excused myself from the exchange because I have known the comrade for over 10 years and I found it unseemly to have such a public spat with my friend.
Imagine my stupefectation when I read on Robert Alai’s Kahawa Tungu quoting Hassan Omar as pledging to campaign for Uhuru Kenyatta’s election –if “Uhuru asked him.”
To say I was gob smacked will be the understatement of the month.
I was, to put it mildly, saw the alleged remark as a SMACK IN THE FACE.
I am copying Hassan Omar on this email so I hope that as comrades, we will be able to get some clarity.
To get back to the topic.
I think that NASA should retrace itself, learn from the misadventures with “Coalition Politics” and study the historical lessons of the United Democratic Front, the Tripartite Alliance in South Africa and the 30 to 50 experience of Indian Communist Party (Marxist) on how they worked with the concept of the United Front.
I could go into further details but look, I am committed to NASA and this is a digital essay which is read by everyone.
Since I have the contacts of my good friend and Kamiti inmate Oduor Ongwen, who is the Executive Director of ODM plus many other progressive people, I will now retreat to the PRIVATE spaces where I interact with a wide variety of Kenyans who I know and consider PROGRESSIVE and continue my ideological interaction therein.
Kapish?
Yesterday night, I almost dozed off due to researching and writing for hours when I was in the throes of talking about the prospects for a United Democratic Front in Kenya.
Well, I did go to sleep and got some rest.
I have been awake for hours now.
Here I am in front of my computer, living up to my promise of completing the essay.
But before I go further, I want to take my readers back to a multi-part treatment that I simply titled “Tweedledum & Tweedlee” or something like that.
The piece, penned just before the 2017 elections basically compared Jubilee and NASA principally along the lines of ideology.
In a nutshell, I concluded that there was VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE politically between the two rival formations despite their various social constituencies.
I argued further, that there was a severe programmatic, structural and strategic limitation in NASA’s programme.
I did not bother with Jubilee given their OVERT, TRIBAL and FASCIST overtures.
I had a quibble with Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Moses Wetangula et al coming together on the basis of a “coalition”.
I invoked Indian Communists to demystify the concept of the “coalitions”.
If I recall, this is what I said in Part Sixteen of an essay I posted on Jukwaa, the website that I founded in August 2005 and administer to this day:
It is at the Communist Party of India (Marxist) stand at the India Social Forum at the Jawarahal Nehru University on November 12, 2006 that I purchased a hard copy of the book by Dr. M.V.S. Koteswara Rao, then Assistant Professor in Political Science Department,Nagarjunana University in Guntur. He received his Ph.D for his work, Communist Parties and United Front Experience in Kerala and West Bengal published in March 2003 by Prajakasti Book House in Hyderbad, A.P. India.
You can get your very own copy by writing to the publisher at Prajakastasti Book House, H. No. 1-1 1987 1 /2, Viveknagar, Chikkadpally, Hyedarabad-20. Or simply email at pbhhyd@yahoo.co.in.
The book, which runs into 317 pages including a Select Bibliography from page 282 consists of eight chapters followed by a section captioned Conclusions.
The book is my constant companion, traveling with me on my return journey through the Emirates plane ride from New Delhi to Nairobi, staying patiently in my Nairobi home library and coming along when I moved to Mombasa in November 2016 and is currently part of my bedside reading here in Kirinyaga County in early May 2017 along with all four volumes of the Final Report of the TJRC plus the explosive dissent of the three international commissioners who did not go along with the censorship of their Kenyan counterparts who were pressured by Uhuru Kenyatta’s State House officials to suppress Jomo Kenyatta’s shameful land grabbing in Diani, Taita Taveta and other parts of the Coast.
The author on page 62 says this about Coalition Politics:
Coalition, is a non-Marxist approach to gain control over the government. It is a complex political manoevre to stick to or gain power.
In contrast to the grand plan of ODM, Wiper, Ford-Kenya, Amani and other mainstream Kenyan political parties to grab power at the ballot box, I juxtaposed what came from a close reading of Communist strategy and tactics in the Indian states of Kerala and West Bengal. I further studied the Tripartite Alliance of the ANC, the South African Communist Party, COSATU and their allies[ who have been in power in Madiba land since April 1992.
Essentially I was showcasing the Marxist-Leninist United Front approach to the tried and failed approaches of petit-bourgeois “Coalition Politics”.
I wrote that essay in May 2017-three months before the Kenyan elections.
I am writing today on Wednesday, October 4, 2017.
Without crowing or barking jubilantly at anyone, I have to stay that Onyango Oloo, using the tried and tested ideology of Marxism-Leninism is thoroughly VINDICATED.
Let us look at what has happened to NASA.
The Secretary General of Wiper Democratic Movement has resigned from the party.The other day I saw a web posting stating that former Senator Hassan Omar will, if asked, CAMPAIGN for the victory for Uhuru Kenyatta and Jubilee who just a few months ago, he was cursing on television, the radio, Twitter and the newspapers. David Musila, one of the head honchos of Kalonzo Musyoka’s party[ was seen by all part of a pathetic mission to State House for some handouts- along with a former senior ODM personage, Paul Otuoma and other personages who were until recently part of the NASA choir. The “fifth Principal”- Issac Ruto dashed back to his namesake’s arms complaining he was apparently “too lonely” in NASA. Martha Karua who gave the misleading impression that she had gotten rid of the PNU leopard spots which made her jump at KICC on a table and scream that Mwai Kibaki had “won” the 2007 elections was not too long ago, sharing a Jubilee platform to root for Uhuru in Naivasha. Paul Munya who dramatically defected to NASA went back to the Uhuru fold before we could blink. There are others, but you get my point.
I will take a paragraph to share some words on Hassan Omar.
I consider him a personal and political friend. I have admired and followed his human rights work for years from back when he was the Deputy Chair of the Kenya National Commission for Human Rights. I remember when I was still a member of the socialist leaning SDP party calling Hassan and offering to assist him get a party ticket in 2013 when he was having difficulties getting an ODM nod. He eventually vied on Wiper and I celebrated when he won the electoral contest to be Mombasa’s first Senator under the new Constitution. I followed his contributions in Parliament and I used to send him emails and tweets whenever he was in the media. I remember when I was still living in Bamburi, Mombasa County, I made a special point of seeking personal audience with him at the Renaissance Centre which he heads. We discussed many things, but then the subject of him contesting the gubernatorial seat against Ali Hassan Joho came up. I told him that while his politics was better than Joho, POLITICALLY the incumbent Governor was unassailable. I pointed out to him that he was GUARANTEED a second term as Senator if he defended the post. Hassan Omar disagreed and invoked Bernie Sanders as someone who had embarked on a popular movement based on the youth and other disgruntled elements in the USA. Hassan Omar went ahead to LOSE the Governor’s contest coming after Jubilee’s Shabhal. A few weeks ago, a good friend of mine who is a Kisumu human rights activist said on Facebook that the former senator had never been a true human rights activist. I remember going after the Kisumu activist hammers and tongs. I finally excused myself from the exchange because I have known the comrade for over 10 years and I found it unseemly to have such a public spat with my friend.
Imagine my stupefectation when I read on Robert Alai’s Kahawa Tungu quoting Hassan Omar as pledging to campaign for Uhuru Kenyatta’s election –if “Uhuru asked him.”
To say I was gob smacked will be the understatement of the month.
I was, to put it mildly, saw the alleged remark as a SMACK IN THE FACE.
I am copying Hassan Omar on this email so I hope that as comrades, we will be able to get some clarity.
To get back to the topic.
I think that NASA should retrace itself, learn from the misadventures with “Coalition Politics” and study the historical lessons of the United Democratic Front, the Tripartite Alliance in South Africa and the 30 to 50 experience of Indian Communist Party (Marxist) on how they worked with the concept of the United Front.
I could go into further details but look, I am committed to NASA and this is a digital essay which is read by everyone.
Since I have the contacts of my good friend and Kamiti inmate Oduor Ongwen, who is the Executive Director of ODM plus many other progressive people, I will now retreat to the PRIVATE spaces where I interact with a wide variety of Kenyans who I know and consider PROGRESSIVE and continue my ideological interaction therein.
Kapish?