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Thursday, March 30, 2006

Mr Mutahi Kagwe, Please Note That There Are Some Images That Can’t Be Cleaned





Recent developments in government clearly show Mutahi Kagwe’s rising influence within government. One of the things that he has been promoting is the increased use of professional Public Relations (PR) services.

This blogger has practiced PR extensively and I can tell you that no amount of PR can clean this government’s image.

Mutahi Kagwe (pictured above), the current minister for communications has had some past experience in PR and owns a local PR firm called Tell-em PR.

The Bush PR Campaign Of The Century
Probably what is inspiring Kibaki government insiders to try out PR is the amzing victory that President George W Bush handlers managed with their PR campaign in the last American presidential elections.

However there are a few differences with that case. Firstly there is very strong party affiliation in the American political system. President Kibaki has no political partyu as we speak.

Then the biggest difference is that the American scanrio was a two-horse-race-affair which is extremely easy to manipulate. Bush did it beautifully by creating fear in the electorate that terrorists needed a tough President and that the weak John Kerry was exactly what Osama Bin Laden and company wanted. In the end Americans voted Bush not so much because they liked it but because he seemed the better option in the circumstances.

Then Kerry went and committed the classic PR blunder. He refused to open up and let the electorate get to know him – warts and all. Many Americans did not vote Kerry because they said they didn’t know him. Bush was very well-known because he made his stand clear on many controversial issues. Voters will always prefer an honest person rather than somebody who seems to agree with them on everything and even changes their minds with them when they start to think different.

Can Kibaki Pull Off A Bush?
The situation is very different in Kenya. Even the ODM is in for a few surprises. You see for the first time in Kenyan history politicians will be facing very angry voters. An angry person is capable of doing anything.

Our advice to the government is to stop wasting tax payers funds trying to pretend they are somebody else. Why not just do it the plain old fashioned way and change genuinely. Kenyans don’t need some expensive spin doctors to see genuine change, especially now.
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(See election 2007 predictions)

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

President Kibaki's Health

You Don't Look Well Mr President

Shortly before the Kibaki administration started earning the name "crisis" as its' middle name, the influential Economist carried an interesting article detailing wild drinking sessions at State House. The report attracted a lot of interest from the public and the usually slow selling international magazine quickly sold out in the streets of Nairobi. (Or did State House staff purchase all copies?)

It is a well-known fact that the President prior to being elected loved his beer (just like many old men his age, including my father. The big difference is that my dad is retired and does not hold any public office.)

This issue of drinking and the President's health is an issue that The Weekly Citizen tried to bring out. The entire staffs were quickly arrested and the case is still pending in court. Meaning that this is an extremely sensitive issue at State House.

Still the facts cannot be ignored. President Kibaki was involved in a very serious road accident shortly before the 2002 general elections. In fact early in his presidency he was re-admitted at the Nairobi Hospital for a number of days. It was rumored that he had suffered a mild stroke.

The pressure that the President has had to face in the last few months has been enormous. And the pressure does not stop on the political front, President Kibaki has had to contend with what looks like a long-standing family rift between First lady Lucy Kibaki and his other wife, Wambui wa Mwai. Lucky is the man who comes from pressure in the office to a relaxing atmosphere at home. Imagine the man who steps from one war zone into another!!

We saw President Moi rapidly age after 1991 before our very eyes with the re-introduction of multi-party politics. And don't forget that Moi was a much fitter and healthier man. He has always been a teetotaler who has stuck to an amazingly healthy diet that includes plenty of milk and brown porridge for years. A friend of this blogger who had lunch at State House with the President once remembers how Moi loved his brown Ugali. It is no secret that even now Moi is much fitter than the younger Kibaki.

Moi was lucky in that he had many years that cushioned him before the re-introduction of multi-party politics. President Kibaki moved into State House while still recovering from a serious road accident. And then he had previously been leader of the opposition running a sleepy DP political party. You be the judge as to what the possible current state of his health could possibly be.

Well, photographs don't lie. And recent photographs of the aging President with Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete were far from flattering. It looks like our President has lost a lot of weight, which has had the effect of exaggerating his potbelly. Or is his pot belly evidence of a current regime of heavy beer drinking? If this were true, would you really blame him?

The President has not announced officially whether he is seeking re-election but those close to him including first lady Lucy Kibaki are on record as saying that he will be in the race for re-election. That is his democratic right but a very bad idea indeed. It is an example of an individual putting their personal interests ahead of national interests, (which is really the story of Kenyan politics since independence). If the President were to for example step aside from the 2007 race for State House, it would go a long way in helping to cool the current political temperatures in the country heightened by the November 2005 national referendum on the new constitution.

Besides the current problems in Kenya need handling by a much younger, more energetic new-ideas-Kenyan.

It would also be best for the President's health, which should surely be more important than any other personal ambitions he may have.

(See election 2007 predictions)

Update: John Githongo For President 2007

Githongo Turns Down Presidential Bid... For Now

Asked recently by a New York journalist whether he was considering running for President, Kenyan hero John Githongo quipped that everybody seems to be asking him that question these days. (Clear evidence that a campaign that was launched by this blog has quickly spread far and wide).

Githongo added that he had no rural constituency left because all his fellow tribesmen (the Kikuyu) must have turned against him by now for betraying his tribes-mates.

You're wrong John. Right now you can stand in virtually any constituency in Kenya and still have a very good chance of winning. You are the face of the new generation of Kenyans who have little or no regard for tribal affiliations and sentiments and whose time has come. We urge you to re-consider.

(See election 2007 predictions)

The Mystery Behind The Kenyan Race

Is the Stranglehold By Kenyans On The 3,000 metres Steeplechase Symbolic or Prophetic?

I was really looking forward to the Commonwealth games 3,000 metres Steeplechase Finals. Like many other Kenyans all over the world, I am sure. This sporting event always brings tears to my eyes because no matter how well or badly Kenyans have performed at a particular Olympics or Commonwealth games, the 3000 metres steeplechase home stretch is always so predictable. Without fail you will see two or three Kenyans emerge and confidently head for the finish line to be followed by a lap of honour with the Kenyan flag draped around them. This has been the case since 1968 when Kipchoge Keino set the ball rolling. (Grand old man President Kenyatta would never dare speak out this great Kenyan athletes' second name because in the Kikuyu language it is abusive and means a woman's private parts. Yet another case for unity in diversity?)

No other sporting event in the history of mankind has been dominated in such a manner by one nation. Not even the mighty Brazilians have managed such a stranglehold on the World soccer stage.

In the just concluded Commonwealth games the mighty Kenyans underlined their total domination of this event that has come to be dubbed, the Kenyan race. A visitor from outer space would be forgiven for thinking that it is only Kenyans who compete in this race and not the whole world.

Those who lean towards the spiritual, like myself say that there is something more to it - a deeper meaning. A close examination will reveal that this event is very much an obstacle race with hurdles and even pools of water to be jumped over. The symbolic meaning is that whatever hurdles are on the way, the mighty Kenyans (with God's help) will always overcome them. That includes the coming general elections, which are critical to the future well-being of the nation.

(See election 2007 predictions)

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Tuesday Edition 21st March 2006

General Elections in Kenya in 2006?


The Saddest Film Clip In Kenyan History: Kenyan Politics Since Independence
Has The Time For a True New Beginning Come?

General Elections in Kenya in 2006?

At the beginning of this year ODM leading light, Raila Odinga made the prediction that Kenyans should be prepared to go for General Elections this year -- one year earlier than the scheduled 2007.

The prediction brings to mind another prediction made by Raila’s late father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, at the beginning of 1991. He predicted the repelling of the notorious section 2a of the constitution that made Kenya a one party state. That was at the height of the struggle for multi-party politics in Kenya and there were those within the then all-powerful ruling party of Kanu who thought that the old man had clean gone out of his mind. However that prediction proved to be very accurate.

Now 15 odd years later, the son of Jaramogi makes this prediction about general elections in 2006. At the time, I must admit that I was one of the people who felt that this was one prediction that was unlikely to be accurate.

Now most Kenyans are “smelling” a general election very close in the horizon and this year, just as Agwambo had predicted.

Before this Armenian mercenaries circus broke, most Kenyans thought that things could not possibly get worse for the crisis-ridden Kibaki administration. They were wrong. The mercenaries saga has caused the current administration to sink even lower. The big question now is when are we going to reach the bottom? Surely it has to be soon. Where else in the world have you heard of foreigners of dubious character confidently swaggering around town talking like they own some banana republic lock stock and barrel? Even where this has happened, it has been kept quiet.

The most amazing thing about this whole issue is why the Artur so-called brother still in the country has not been deported. But then maybe it isn’t so surprising. It is probably just a question of the same old story in Kenya where money talks and miraculously opens every door while firmly shutting the ones that should be shut.

What has been made very clear to Kenyans by this latest Kibaki administration
crisis is that the government IS NOT in control. This is dangerous and it makes a lot of sense to get of such a government as quickly as possible. This is the current mood in Kenya, except that there is the big question of what to replace it with (see separate post).

Parliament has opened today after a long recess that started in October in the run-up to the exorbitantly expensive and totally unnecessary referendum on a new constitution which had been hijacked and “doctored” by the government and was therefore destined to be rejected.

The mood in parliament is deadly for this current government. Politicians allied to the Orange movement will want to take full advantage of the current euphoria to quickly go to the polls and win a new term in their constituencies. They are keenly aware of the fact that the public mood can change quickly and will want to make hey while the sun shines.

This means that a historical vote of no confidence by MPs, to force an early general election is no longer a pipe dream.

There is yet another possibility. The President can decide to pull off another surprise and call for a snap election to try and pull the rug from under the feet of the ODM. In fact everything seems to be ready now. There was previously doubt as to what political party the President would stand with but with the recent announcement that a new party – Narc Kenya has been registered. It is believed that this will be the party under which the President will stand. The current Kenyan constitution does not allow for independent candidates.

Whatever will happen, with every passing day a general election in 2006 is looking more and more likely.

The Saddest Film Clip In Kenyan History: Kenyan Politics Since Independence

Has The Time For a True New Beginning Come?

There is a film clip that is often played on Kenyan TV channels during public holidays that shows the raising of the Kenyan flag for the first time shortly after the lowering of the Union Jack which officially ended colonial rule in Kenya.

Understandably the crowd went wild with euphoria during the historical function that was held at Uhuru Gardens adjacent to the Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi. If only they had been able to see the future, they would have immediately realized that their euphoria was misplaced.

In fact there are those who would argue that life was better under colonial rule. What actually happened at Uhuru Gardens on that memorable evening of December 12th 1963 was that Kenyans just changed masters from the white settler to a much more ruthless African ruling class.

With the general elections looming it is clear that for the first time candidates will be facing some very angry and skeptical voters who already feel that they were cheated in 2002. This sets the stage for voters to vote in a totally new generation of politicians. Already there is talk doing the rounds in Nairobi that this time voters should make a point of not voting for anybody who has been in parliament before. Bold move indeed, and a golden opportunity for the generation born around the time of independence and immediately after to move their influence from just the corporate world into mainstream politics. More on this in future posts.

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Breaking News: Czech Republic Armenian Link Email Floods Kenyan Inboxes?

Read Email for yourself at the bottom of this message

As the tale of the two Armenians continue to dominate the pages of the Kenyan local press, a certain email claiming to be from somebody in the Czech Republic has started circulating feverishly in email boxes belonging to Kenyans all over the world.

The email claims that the two "Armenians" are not related to the Armenian president but are in fact former members of an elite force of the Czech army.

The email further claims that the two have been involved in arms and drug trafficking.

My investigations so far point to the email being fake. There are too many inconsistencies, including the fact that the writer says he knows them very well but cannot remember their real names.

This is exactly the sort of thing that happens when the government refuses to come clean and tell Kenyans the truth about the identity of these arrogant foreigners talking like Kenya is a corporation in which they own majority shares. Some Kenyan with a fertile imagination gets to work and as I write this, I estimate that this email has reached tens of thousands of Kenyans. Most people checking their email hardly have the time to be analytical, especially when so far indications in this saga are that we should believe the worse because it seems to be closest to the truth.

Mr President, please put an end to this circus and save us all the embarrassment.

The only way to do this is to come out with the truth.



========
I have carried the email below exactly as it is, spelling errors and all.
========

Sender's Email:mehmet.zturk@yahoo.com

When a Kenyan living here in the Czech Republic showed me your on line edition with pictures of Artur Sargsyan and Artur Margaryan who were claiming that they are heavy bussiness people, I could not believe my eyes.I know both of them and they are not related to the Armenian President.

The names they are using is not their original name. Sad that i can't remember their real names. What i know is that both of them were members of the elite Czech Army and they were fired because of selling government arms illegally. There after they moved to Turkey and were involved in a lot of drug and arms trafficking where the man claiming to be Margaryan was caught and jailed. Since then they disappeared completely only to emerge in Kenya as heavy business men. What i know is they are criminals who will even kill to get money.

They are not Armenians as they claim. May be they are using a forged Armenian passport.

Be careful Kenyans!!! Mehmet Öztürk

Thursday, March 16, 2006

In Your Thursday Edition This Week

Did The Next President of Kenya Attend This Meeting?
Raila’s Well Laid Plans For The Presidency of Kenya

The Riddle Of The Armenian Mercenaries In Kenya

Kenya Airways Wins Against The South Africans

Did The Next President of Kenya Attend This Meeting?

Raila’s Well Laid Plans For The Presidency of Kenya

Raila's game plan is beginning to take shape even as his popularity amongst the Kenyan public has risen to an all-time high.

Last week a very interesting meeting took place at Serena Hotel. Ironically the very same venue where the-now-dead Narc, the coalition that swept President Kibaki to power was born.

Of special interest to this writer was the late announcement by Najib Balala that he too was interested in vying for the Presidency. Hon Balala is a Raila man and chances are high that some last minute calculations by Agwambo showed that arithmetically he was not upto date in this summit group that met at Serena. You see all indications are that this group will stick it out (at least most of them) until the general elections. Meaning that decisions made by these “contenders for the presidency” will hold.

Raila now has a clear numerical advantage and is well on his way to winning the ODM nomination to stand for the Presidency. Kalonzo Musyoka is just playing politics because he already knows that he is not "the one." In fact his handlers already have a political party organized for him to use to run the presidency. The only detail that is yet to be ironed out is "financing".

As we have often said in this blog, there is nobody amongst the generation that messed the country that is more deserving of the presidency than Raila Odinga. However there are two major obstacles that are against his winning the presidency.

i) The great growth in awareness amongst the younger generation in Kenya and their determination to make an impact in Kenyan politics by ditching the entire bunch of current politicians.

ii) The great distrust that key would-be supporters still feel towards Raila.


Read a detailed report of the Serena meeting. Did the next President of Kenya attend this meeting?

The Riddle Of The Armenian Mercenaries In Kenya

A reader of this blog reacted angrily when I first mentioned the mercenaries issue here. He thought I was plain out of my mind.

I don’t blame him, many Kenyans still don’t believe or understand what is going on, although most seem to believe that Raila is telling the truth. As is proved by this recent online survey carried out by the Nation online edition.

Who do you believe is telling the truth on the mercenary story?

Government 5.3%
Armenians 9.8%
Raila Odinga 52.5%
None 32.4%

In the last five years or so Raila Odinga has made very few mistakes indeed. Fellow Kenyans get ready to get more shocked. At the end of this the Moi government will look like Mother Teresa in comparison to this current government.

Kenya Airways Wins Against The South Africans

In the midst of all the politics, few have taken note of an interesting development in neighbouring Tanzania.

About two years ago South African Airlines rudely brushed aside Kenya Airways to make a bid to take over the troubled Air Tanzania. The local carrier had no illusions as to what the South African’s game plan was – to literally wipe out the Kenyans from the East African skies. Kenya Airways moved quickly and bought 49 per cent ownership in the then privately owned other airline in Tanzania, Precision Air.

What followed was an ugly war in the skies of East Africa.

Signs that KQ were winning started to emerge mid last year when Air Tanzania suddenly pulled out of the busy Dar-Nairobi route.

Recent developments are that Precision Air (49% owned by KQ) has made a bid to merge with Air Tanzania. Apparently the South Africans want out.

As they retreat to Jo Burg, they will no doubt be going back with more respect for the pride of Africa. Some Kenyan doubting Thomases should note this. This is not a matatu airline you know.

Even more telling is the fact that currently there are very few airlines in the world that are turning a profit, KQ has been in the black for a number of years.

…Oh and by the way, its' key senior management (including CEO Titus Naikuni) are all under 45. Remember the generation this blog is rooting for to take over political power in Kenya?

Thursday, March 09, 2006

How Deep Is The Crisis In Kenya? (Thursday edition)

There is something very wrong somewhere.

ODM luminary Raila Odinga insists that there are Russian mercenaries in the country. About four or so of them, he says. (the guy went to College in then Russian controlled Eastern Europe, you know). Even points to the exact place where they are staying (somewhere in Runda).

What is even more puzzling is the reaction of the CID chief. If somebody confronted you with such an allegation what would be the first thing that you would do? Deny? Even as CID chief, you cannot know everything. You are not God.

The correct reaction would be that you would investigate. But Mr Ndungu does not want to investigate, he says that he is sure that there are no mercenaries in the country.

Most Kenyans would naturally give the benefit of the doubt to Mr Odinga. But if he is right and this whole shocking revelation is true, then the next big question to ask is, what are they in the country to do?

In an earlier post regular readers of this blog will remember that I emphasized that the season has changed dramatically in Kenya. Now I can say it is the season of "no secrets". Notice that Central Bank Governor Andrew Mullei is being probed for corruption. Oh yes, the season has changed and changed dramatically in Kenya.

There are indications that this may not be the first time the Kenyan government has seen the need to use mercenaries. Caucacian hair was found at the scene where the charred remains of former foreign Minister Robert Ouko were found. Remember?

What are the advantages of using foreigners in security operations? Chances of leakage are dramatically reduced. Members of the security forces in Kenya are ordinary people who have families and even if they are very tight-lipped, they can talk in their sleep and the wife can hear…

What exactly is going on in Kenya?

This I can tell for sure, it is the season for "no secrets" The idea is that we would never have heard of this thing nor noticed it until the deed was done, (whatever it was).

I cannot keep my promise of naming names today because my investigations are not complete. I think I’ll be ready on Tuesday. Meanwhile keep you ears and eyes open, if some of my findings so far are correct, something is going to give/crack as we go into the weekend and things will become a little clearer.

Have a watchful weekend.

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Inside Your Tuesday Edition 7th March 2006

Standard Newspapers Raid: Big Battle behind The Scenes That Kenyans Don’t Know About


Kalonzo Musyoka: Is The Presidency Slipping Through His Fingers?


President Kibaki: The Tell-Tale Signs Were There Right From The Beginning

Standard Raid: Big Battle behind The Scenes That Kenyans Don’t Know About

Security of the state is such a sensitive subject in any country that it is usually dealt with by only one person – the highest authority in the land.

In other words if the Minister of Internal security John Michuki is telling the truth that the brutal Standard raid was a matter of internal security, then only one person would have authorized it – the president of the republic of Kenya. If Michuki is not telling the truth then that is another matter. If it was authorized without the president’s knowledge, then that is even worse news. It means that this power delegation thing has gone so far that there are some people capable of authorizing raids on even… State House.

That is how serious this whole issue of the Standard and KTN police raid is so serious.

But my recent investigation has gathered something even more serious and sinister in the whole gruesome operation. There is increasing evidence that behind the scenes, there is a very serious battle for supremacy going on. This battle began proper during last November’s constitutional review referendum. Kenyans were simply used as pawns in a battle involving two major forces, with President Kibaki’s administration on one side and the dark mysterious opponent on the other. We love ODM and they are probably our only hope at the moment, but Kenyans must ask themselves this question, “Who financed the ODM referendum campaign?” The answer to that question will bring Kenyans very close to the answer as to who this enemy the government is gighting in the name of state security is.

My investigations seem to answer the deep mystery as to why the government should be so sensitive about every comma published in the Standard newspapers and yet fail to see any danger in much more damaging Anglo leasing reports published in the Daily Nation (no policemen have been sent there to harass journalists and shut it down).

Who is this big enemy that the Kibaki government is fighting with the use of foreign mercenaries who use the words like “nigger” on Kenyan soil?

It really all started with the arrest of some Kenya Times journalists in September 2005


The Kenya Times is a newspaper that hardly sells 10,000 copies a day. In short hardly anybody reads it. Why all the sensitivity about an obscure commentary that very few would have read before the arrest of the journalists in 2005?

Again the government acted strangely by arresting Weekly Citizen staff over a story they carried on President Kibaki that also touched on his health. (Citizen weekly circulation countrywide is estimated at about 20,000 copies). About 10% of what the Daily Nation does on a good day.

Yet again the government showed extreme sensitivity when The Sunday Standard (circulation is about 45,000 when compared to the Sunday Nation’s 200,000) published a story about Kalonzo Musyoka, a leading opposition politician meeting with President Kibaki. Two journalists were arrested and their case is pending. Interestingly the charge was the same as that the Kenya Times journalists and also Weekly Citizen staff faced, publishing an alarming report. This is an old colonial law that was originally designed to intimidate any ambitious newspapers in the colonial days.

Is the threat real from this other guys the government are fighting, or is this a case of some overzealous guy trying to use a hammer to swat a fly near all their glassware?

I’ll spill all the beans on Thursday. There is a little info I’m waiting for. Don’t miss this blog, late Thursday.

Kalonzo Musyoka: Is The Presidency Slipping Through His Fingers?





One thing is for sure. Whatever the LDP or ODM says, most of them are bitterly against Kalonzo Musyoka being the next President of Kenya.

And it is clear that his enemies are prepare to do anything to tarnish his image and reduce his clout.

While distributing relief food in Malindi through his Kalonzo Musyoka foundation on Monday, the former environment minister repeated his assertion that he knew the people who were responsible for planting the story in the media about his meeting with President Kibaki. Yet again he repeated that these people are within LDP.

It is even more instructive that as he was distributing food in Malindi, Raila odinga and Najib Balala, his LDP colleagues were doing the same in neighbouring Ganze in Kilifi District.

Kalonzo cannot become President on his own. He needs the support of other major political blocks.

As events unfold it will be interesting to see what happens, especially within Kanu where Musyoka is still very close to former President Moi and the chief chess player behind current heightened Kanu moves to snatch back political power.

Recent elections have proved that Ukambani, where Musyoka hails from is the “swing state’ in Kenyan politics. It’s like Florida in the American Presidential elections.

In 1992 Ukambani puts its’ weight behind Moi and Kanu as food distribution intensified in the vast semi-arid province in the run up to those first multi-party elections, since 1963. Kanu won.

In 1997 Ukambani stuck with Kanu and Moi who won those elections

In 2002 Ukambani switched to the opposition Narc who won those elections

In November 2005 Referendum Ukambani switched to the “No” camp at the height of campaigns. The No camp won.

So what happens when the swing state fields a candidate? Difficult to tell and this complicates things further for the 2007 Presidential elections.

More Recent Articles On Kalonzo Musyoka

Detailed analysis of Kalonzo Musyoka's Presidential Bid Part 1

Part 2 Kalonzo Musyoka Analysis

Part 3: Who Is Financing Kalonzo Musyoka

Part 4: Kalonzo Musyoka And Witchcraft

Part 5 Stuff you never knew about Kalonzo Musyoka

Kalonzo Musyoka Part 6

President Kibaki: The Tell-Tale Signs Were There Right From The Beginning

Kenyan voters feel cheated and disgusted with the Kibaki administration. Yet the signs that all was not well were all there loud and clear right from the beginning;

• As President Moi sends the GSU to disband Bomas constitutional review delegates in early 2002, Kibaki declares that although he is for a new constitution, he is in support of going into the elections with the old constitution. Few people take note, after all he is not even a presidential candidate at this time, at least not officially.

* During a meeting with a Christian lobby group, then opposition candidate Mwai Kibaki emphasizes how he lives in Muthaiga and has lived there for many years.



Recent terse statement from The American embassy prove that the honeymoon with the Kibakis is over.


• On winning the elections, President Kibaki abandons the memorandum of understanding with mainly LDP.

• President Kibaki becomes the first Kenyan President to live in State House. The last ruler in Kenya to do this was colonial era governor Malcolm MacDonald.

• Hawkers who had been promised allocations in strategic streets in the city are suddenly told that they will have to move to a place reserved for them in Parklands in the city outskirts.

• Kenyans are told that they should approach banks for loans since the government has worked hard to reduce interest rates.

• The government announces that about 500,000 jobs were created in its’ first year in power. Kenyans desperately glance at the calendar believing this to be an April fool’s prank. But the announcement was NOT made on April 1 and what’s more the government keeps a straight face and sticks to its’ “figures”.

• Kibaki’s appointments puzzle many Kenyans. Some of his appointees are even called out of retirement. “old is gold” hasn’t really jelled very well in Kenya in recent years. If anything multinational raking in billions in profits are being run by younger Kenyans who for instance don’t panic when they come anywhere near a PC. Kenyans should have known then.

• A commission of enquiry into Goldenberg scandal is appointed when there is enough evidence gathered over almost 10 years to go ahead with prosecution. Patient Kenyans however give the government the benefit of doubt. The entertaining commission with star performances by Kamlesh Pattni and Ketan Somaia soon help Kenyans to quickly forget.

• Kenya Times journalists arrested. Most Kenyans think to themselves, “wacha Kanu wakione” and let them have a taste of their own medicine. Kenya Times newspaper is owned by former ruling party Kanu. Little do they know that this is only the beginning?

• PS Githongo seeks political asylum in Britain. Hey, wait a minute I thought Kanu and Moi were out of power? Kenyans are shocked beyond belief.

Friday, March 03, 2006

Contents Thursday Edition March 2nd

Standard newspaper and KTN Raids: The Inside Story

Who Ordered Raid?

Why Was Standard Newspapers Raid Carried Out?

Standard newspaper and KTN Raids: The Inside Story

"Even During Moi And Kenyatta's Darkest Hours, This Never Happened..."


As Kenyans and the world are still reeling with shock over the incident this week where masked policemen armed with automatic weapons raided the oldest newspaper in Kenya, more questions than answers are emerging from this strange event that is unprecedented in Kenyan history.

I will not waste your time nor mine with long philosophical analysis littered with the words, “possibilities” “probable” etc. Instead I will get straight to the point with the raw information I have gathered so far. I have put all in a simple Q&A format. I focused my research to answer the questions everybody is asking. Questions in bold headlines, the answer I unearthed in text format.


Who Ordered Raid?

The whole operation to invade the Standard group was hatched by Internal Security Minister John Michuki (of the now famous rattle snake comment), CID Director Joseph Kamau and President Kibaki’s special advisor (on political strategy) Stanley Murage.

Intensive research by the Standard Newspaper itself which no doubt benefited greatly from volunteered information from the sympathetic public goes further and puts the the three in Michuki’s office along Harambee House, hours before the operation, supposedly fine-tuning everything.

Why Was Standard Newspapers Raid Carried Out?






Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka: This man's bid for the Presidency has put him at the centre of all the trouble.

To answer this question, we will need to ask and answer many other smaller questions, so here goes.

There is little doubt that the arrest of the 3 Standard Newspaper journalists for the Kalonzo story, and the attacks at Standard and KTN are linked.

The government is saying that the raid was carried out to counter a plan by the newspaper to do something that touched on “national security”.

In answering our question here, the first small question we need to ask and answer is “who owns the Standard Group.” The answer is people allied very closely to former President Moi. (Remember all the controversy when the newspaper changed ownership during the Moi era?

The arrest of the 3 journalists was because of a story that said that Kalonzo had secretly met with President Kibaki. Kalonzo Musyoka, a presidential hopeful is on record as having said that the rumour was leaked to the press to “mess him up” and that he knows the people who did it by name.

There are only two possible suspects who would have wanted to leak the story to the press. It could be a section of Kanu allied to former President Moi who are keen on the ODM breaking up. Or it could be Musyoka’s colleagues within LDP.

Musyoka has implying that it is the latter, the evidence on the ground implies that it is the former. I suspect that both answers are correct in that the two groups have joined hands to achieve a common goal they have. We already know that a section of Kanu are working with LDP within ODM.

The ODM is full of people whom the government deems dangerous. Dangerous enough to be a threat to national security.

The raids were carried out to send a clear message to this group, that the government side is now prepared to play “dirty” and that they are fully aware of what is going on.

Isn’t it strange that it is the Nation newspaper that breaks the Anglo Leasing scandal, a story that many are predicting will bring down the Kibaki administration, but then all the government attention ends up being focused on the (lower influence and lower circulation) Standard newspapers instead?

Presidential press unit head, Isaiah Kabira, in a meeting with one of the journalists who was arrested, two days before the story was published is quoted as having asked the journalist why the Standard newspaper was against the government.

So what is the threat on national security that Michuki and company were dealing with when they carried out such a barbaric move on the oldest newspaper in Kenya? Was the newspaper about to break another big story? Is this whole circus designed to pre-empt the breaking of such a story? Difficult to say but one thing is for certain, when you start asking such questions you are very close to the truth in this matter.

What Does it All Mean?
It means that the high-stakes-no-holds-barred battle for political power through the upcoming general elections is in full swing. But I strongly believe that the voters of Kenya have a nasty surprise up their sleeve for all these wheeler-dealers. Firstly the rules have changed, what worked in 2002 will not work this time. Secondly the Kenyan voters are getting angrier by the day. They’ll be very angry by the time they’re casting their votes. Angry voters can do strange things. Ask the older Bush how he lost to Clinton. Watch this blog for more details on this in later posts.