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Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Biwott Faction Takes Over Kanu: The Danger That Looms For The Shaky Kibaki Administration

Nicholas Biwott spent a lot of cash last week but it certainly wasn't in vain. The Kerio South MP with quite a past is said to have virtually single-handedly financed the whole exercise of transporting over 4,000 Kanu delegates to Mombasa where they stayed at five star hotels and ate like kings. The whole Thing wouldn't have cost him less than Kshs 10 million. Phew!!

Uhuru Kenyatta and Kanu MPs allied to ODM also spent a lot of money hosting (mostly the same delegates who went to Mombasa, at Kasarani. The fact that it seems to have al been a waste of time, is no doubt one of the things that has made the Kenyatta faction so angry. My rough estimate is that Uhuru and company spent about Kshs 6 million.

There's lots of money in Kenya, you just need to know where to look.

But even as analysts try and fully understand what an official opposition leadership change actually means, there is a very clear danger ahead and all indications are that the shaky Kibaki administration is headed for yet another shaking. This was very clear from remarks made by both axed former Kanu chairman Uhuru Kenyatta and his sidekick, William Ruto. They said that they were waiting for Biwott to attempt to take over the instruments of the official opposition leadership, Nay, they in fact dared the Kerio South MP "to try".

Whatever happens, you can be sure that the Kenyatta camp that is currently seething with rage that will not be easily quenched is already plotting on how to go about exacting their revenge for the "under the belt" punch that they have just received from the Biwott faction. Uhuru Kenyatta has already ruled out going to court.

When you put the ODM-sympathetic MPs together with the aggrieved Kenyatta faction of Kanu MPs, you have enough numbers to cause plenty of mischief and even an attempted vote of no confidence in parliament against President Kibaki is not out of question.

It seems that parliament is going to be split right down the middle with two warring factions determined to go for nothing short of each others' jugular. Whatever happens it will certainly be a very interesting run up to the general elections.

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Nicholas Biwott: The Man Kenyans Love To Hate But Fail To Understand How Dangerous He Really Is

Nicholas Biwott is a man who does not take "no" for an answer. Whether it is from a chamber maid in Auckland whom he admires or the top seat in Kanu that he wants, the man will just not give up. To prove it, he now has the Kanu chairmanship firmly in his grip.

Kenyans have accused Biwott of many things. But what they are not aware of is that this is one man who doggedly follows his objective and will not quit until he has his "prize" in his hands. Many who have crossed his path and lived to tell the story, will tell you that you don't mess with Nicholas Biwott.

Right now, topmost on his mind is to protect the ill-gotten wealth he accumulated during Daniel Moi's 24 years in power. He has been successful in doing just that through the Kibaki regime and now looming in the horizon is this threat called ODM. Together with his old buddy Daniel Moi, Biwott is plotting for nothing short of the obliteration of ODM-Kenyan. Of course it will not be easy, but this tiny man will just not give up.

In the run up to the general elections in 2007, you can be sure that you will be seeing and hearing a lot about one Nicholas Biwott.

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Uhuru Kenyatta: ODM-Kenya's Secret Weapon After The Rise Of Biwott In Kanu?

Uhuru Kenyatta could be the devastating trump card that ODM hands Narc Kenya in the race for the presidency in 2007.

An ODM sympathizer who regularly calls this blogger (usually to tell me off for criticizing ODM) last night delivered a shocker to me. He asked a simple question; "imagine" ODM fielding Uhuru Kenyatta as their presidential candidate? Then he added; Of course Moi will still be the winner as we create a political dynasty of sorts in Kenya.

Analyzing this rather reckless statement I came to an astounding conclusion. To keep ODM Kenya intact, political schemer par-excellence, Raila, could just urge the leading presidential candidates to opt for a compromise candidate. Uhuru Kenyatta is in a perfect position to be that compromise candidate. Especially now when there is so much sympathy for him after what Biwott and Moi did to him in Kanu.

A Uhuru Kenyatta candidature would split the significant Kikuyu vote and de-tribalize the whole presidential campaign, just like in 2002 and chances are very high that it would carry the day, especially with an ODM Kenya that is still intact, having avoided the widely predicted fall-out the minute they announce their presidential candidate.

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Jomo Kenyatta: What He Would Have Said About The Looming Death Of Kanu

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Who is Raila's mole in the top echlons of Kibaki's security apparatus? Or how else does Agwambo find out about top secret meetings held behind closed doors? The answer will shock you and you can only find it in Kumekucha Confidential. Subscribe now (while it is still FREE) by sending a blank email to kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

The Biggest Story On The Biggest Scandal Ever In Kenyan History Will Be Published In This Blog Soon. Look Out For The Explosive Details. Subscribe to Kumekucha Confidential Now To Make Sure You Don't miss out. To subscribe send a blank email now to kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Jomo Kenyatta: What He Would Have Said About The Looming Possible Death Of Kanu

Jomo Kenyatta would definitely have been very upset at the current split in Kanu, which many see as the beginning of the end for Kenya's oldest political party.

After all it was Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya's first president who led the party to an emphatic election victory over Ronald Ngala and Daniel Moi's Kadu in the very first Uhuru elections. It is the same grand old man of Africa who sent Martin Shikuku and the late Seroney to detention (without trial) for suggesting in the 70s that Kanu was dead. You can imagine what he would feel now that Kanu really looks like it is well on the way to the grave.

A conversation between the top leadership of Kanu and Kenyatta would have most likely gone like this;

Jomo Kenyatta: I can see you people are behaving like fools.

Katana Ngala: But mzee we have just saved the party from extinction. All officials including em… er… your son, sir, had all moved to ODM Kenya.

Jomo Kenyatta: So you think you have now saved the party?

Katana Ngala: Yes, your excellency.

Jomo Kenyatta: And so now you are going to win the general elections?

Katana Ngala: Yes, em… er… I mean NO your excellency. We are thinking of forming an alliance with Mwai Kibaki and…

Jomo Kenyatta: So you saved the party to do exactly what the other people who supposedly killed it were trying to do?

Katana Ngala: (Lost for words).

Jomo Kenyatta: And as for Mwai Kibaki, he was a brilliant Finance Minister. But being president of Kenya is a totally different thing. Why is it so difficult for Kanu to defeat him and win the general elections? If Moi, of all people did it, why can't you people do it?

Katana Ngala: Mzee, things are very different in the world since you were president.

Jomo Kenyatta: Are they now?

Katana Ngala: Yes, mzee.

Jomo Kenyatta: And they have changed so much that Kanu can no longer win elections?

Katana Ngala: Speechless.

Jomo Kenyatta: You Kadu people are vinyagarikas and totally hopeless (goes into abusive language and swears and utters abuses in the Kikuyu language as current Kanu top brass flees.

Conversation constructed and put together taking into careful consideration the character and past policies and decisions made by Kanu's and Kenya' first president and founding father, now deceased, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.

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Are you aware of the details of sex scandals involving 3 top Kenyan women politicians, 2 of them cabinet ministers? You can only get them in Kumekucha Confidential. Subscribe now (while it is still FREE) by sending a blank email to kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Breaking News: Government Approves Biwott Faction As Genuine Kanu Office Bearers

As this blogger expected, news just in indicates that Nicholas Biwott is the new Kanu chairman as his list of new office bearers from the Mombasa delegates conference last week have been registered as the bonafide office bearers of Kenya's oldest political party.

It is unlikely that this is the end of the matter and what will probably follow is a long legal tussle. But one wonders whether it is really worth it, with the elections rapidly approaching, the Kenyatta faction would probably be better off concentrating their resources and time on their campaign within ODM Kenya.

It is hard to imagine Biwott as the official leader of the opposition in parliament, (have you noticed the way the man avoids TV cameras? He's not eloquent either.)

Kanu line-up after the government's decision today:

National Chairman -Nicholas Biwott

Deputy chairman-Noah Katana Ngala

Vice chairman-Prof Sam Ongeri

Vice chairman-Joash Wamangoli

Secretary General-Dr Josephine Ojiambo

Assistant Secretary General-Timothy Mwambia

Treasurer-Mohammed Sheikh Aden

Assistant Treasurer-Ayub Obara

Assistant Treasurer-Charfannu Moku

Organising Secretary-Nick Salat

Assistant Organising Secretary-Samuel Orore

Assistant Organising Secretary-Mary Kivuvi

Director of Elections-PK Sang

Secretary of Legal Affairs-Abdinassir Hassan Ali

Secretary for Information and Publicity-Yusuf Mbwana

Secretary for Environment-David Sudi

Secretary for Labour Affairs-Alex Mukabwa

Secretary for Gender-Aisha Mohammed


I received the email below from one of my political correspondents for this blog and I though I should reproduced it in full;


The die is finally cast.

Two horse race it is.

Moi, Kibaki, Biwott on one side, then Raila, Kalonzo, Ruto on the other side.

It is important that we get a third force to neutralize and then propel the youth to power.

We should reject anybody who has been a life member of KANU at one time or the other.

Moi wants to create another project in Biwott/Gideon Moi.

Why the deep hatred for ODM-Kenya?


Quote of the day:

Kalonzo: "We should not accept to be taken back to the dark days..."

Kalonzo sat with Moi and Kanu till the last minute
!


Read more details on this development.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Why Nicolas Biwott Wants To Be Kanu Chairman So Badly

Many Kenyans can sense how desperate Kerio South MP Nicholas Biwott seems to be to get the chairmanship of Kanu.

But why? The man has all the money and power he needs. Why risk it all by going for such a high profile political seat? It is instructive that when the Kibaki administration took over power in 2002, they wanted to go after President Moi's wealth, but at no time was Biwott's billions ever under any threat. It clearly illustrates just how powerful the man still is.

It is also telling that this government still sings the old lie, which originated from Biwott, about businessman Alnoor Kassam of TradeBank and Diners Finance fame. It is claimed that he is wanted by Interpol and the Kenyan government to answer unspecified charges. Everybody knows that the truth of the matter is that this entrepreneur dared to cross swords with Biwott over the Yaya Center, which was collateral for a loan taken personally by Biwott from TradeBank (which finally caused the collapse of the Bank). In fact Kassam is lucky to have escaped with his life. Too many people who have simply been an irritation to the Kerio South MP have ended up mysteriously dead. The list is so long that it is worth two or three separate posts in this blog, which I should do later

The truth is that Nicholas Biwott is like any other politician extremely ambitious. He has no doubt watched the Kibaki administration with a lot of inetrest as it has moved from one blunder to another and wondered why fate did not give him a chance to be President Moi's heir.

Here is a man who was the main strategist in Moi's two successful re-election bids in 1992 and 1997 when there was some very clever rigging of votes in Moi's favor. Why can he not use the same tactics he used to help Moi, and see himself in power?

And this is not such a far-fetched dream after all. Of all possible current presidential candidates, Nicholas Biwott is probably the only one capable of going into a presidential campaign without having to worry about campaign funds. When you throw in Moi's financial support, what you get is a formidable campaign machine that is very capable of winning the race to State House, especially if he positions himself as a spoiler.

Why would Moi want to support such a candidate? It is really simple. Topmost on Moi's mind right now is how to protect his vast wealth and keep his favorite son, Gideon out of prison. He will literally do anything to achieve these objectives. The direction in which ODM is headed, unknown to many within the party, will lead to enormous pressure from the people for all corrupt leaders past and present to be prosecuted. You can be sure that if Raila were to win the presidency he would gladly hand them over.

This would also explain Moi's visit to President Kibaki shortly before the Mombasa delegates conference last week. Some analysts speculated that the retired president wanted an assurance from the president that there would be enough security in Mombasa. A visit to Vigilance House to see police commissioner Major General Ali would have easily accomplished that.

Nay, the two men were discussing something much more "technical" and sensitive. So technical and sensitive that even a lengthy telephone conversation would not have done it.

It is much more likely that their discussion must have touched on issue of the fielding of a third major presidential candidate in Nicholas Biwott. With the man's own huge financial resources and Moi's support his candidature would be at least more than adequate to water down the ODM Kenya impact. Enough to allow Kibaki to romp back into power without too much trouble.

Kenyans forget too soon. Remember how Moi and Kibaki worked together in the by Marsabit elections occasioned by the Marsabit plane crash? Granted the results may not have been as good as was expected but the general election could be a totally different ball game. I would expect Biwott to grab at least 60 per cent of Rift Valley with his limitless cash resources and Moi working in his favor. I picture him gaining tremendously from the widely expected anti-Kikuyu backlash from voters who are undecided about ODM Kenya and its' excess baggage of former Kanu kingpins.

Mercifully, this is one election, which will not quite succumb to the rules of past polls, and money will not be such a major factor. What Kenyans very desperately want right now is change and visionary leadership. Biwott can hardly give them that. And neither can Kibaki or even Raila's ODM.

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Insecurity in Kenya: New Clues In Mombasa Random Shooting Raises Questions.

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Which top 3 Kenyan women politians have been involved in sex scandals in recent months?

You can join my Kumekucha Confidential list and read the absolutely amazing answer to this question. Just send an email now to kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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Better than Kenyan Yellow Pages. Sell Your Product Like Crazy, This Festive Season

Who Is Nicholas Biwott?

Could This Man Be President? Can His Vast Wealth Buy The Presidency?

Picture shows Nicholas Biwott and former President Moi discussing something. Moi once described Biwott as a Kirigit whom he could not abandon. In the Kalenjin language this means the cow that leads the rest of the herd home.




It is said that the day Moi assumed the office of President of the republic of Kenya in an acting capacity for 90 days, following the death of President Kenyatta in the early hours of August 22nd 1978, a man who was destined to be very powerful in his government was heading to Industrial area in Nairobi on foot. He had a hard day of manual labor ahead of him to earn his daily bread at some factory. That man's name was Mark Too, whom many believe is a biological son of Moi (don't ask me from which woman, because I don't know).

On the same day, some little known civil servant who had already unsuccessfully tried out his hand at politics was waking up to a day that he must have carefully planned for, for many years. I say this because the speed and precision with which he moved with over the next few years was definitely something that had been carefully planned over many years. Within a very short time, that man moved from being an unknown hard-up for cash former civil servant to becoming one of the richest Kenyans who ever lived. His name is Nicholas Biwott.

The first time I met the rather diminutive MP for Kerio South, was at a function for one of the Aga Khan's numerous interests in Kenya. It was 1986 and few people even realized that this was the most powerful man in President Moi's government.

I had been informed earlier that the man used to stammer, but somehow this aspect had mysteriously vanished shortly after Moi came to power in 1978. Biwott spoke softly and with a heavy accent that told you immediately that he belonged to the same Kalenjin tribe the then President hailed from. But he was the sort of man that was easy to ignore and so I never really though about that encounter for a number of years. A few years earlier, and prior to the 1982 coup attempt this man's name had come up as one of the three individuals who caused a stir in the early days of the Moi presidency by regularly rididng with him in the presidential limousine. Nairobians cynically called them "the president's three wives." They were Nicholas Biwott, GG Kariuki and Charles Njonjo. Everybody realized that the 3 had to be very close to the president. Still nobody took much notice of Biwott.

All that changed shortly after the murder of former foreign minister Robert Ouko. The Internet had yet to come but people were already making use of fax technology to pass on news. Some Ugandan newspaper published a very detailed account of how Ouko had died in the presence of Moi when Biwott suddenly drew a pistol and shot him. By that time, Ouko had already been seriously tortured by security agents. That incident brought out the ruthless nature of this man whom Kenyans knew so little about.

By this time, Biwott had already become the most feared cabinet minister since the days of Mbiyu Koinange, President Kenyatta's bossom buddy. One day he quipped I parliament about the need for any person of the make species and especially a politician to be "a man, a total man." Thus he earned the nick name Total Man.

It was clear that as Kenyans fought for the reinstatement of multi-partyism, Biwott was a major hindrance in any effort to get President Moi to soften his stance towards allowing more political parties. Biwott became the most loathed cabinet minister.

To understand how deep and total this hatred was, it is useful to note that newspaper editors in Nairobi quickly realized that their papers sold very poorly if they had a headline with the name Biwott on it. But the Nation set a record that is unrivalled to this day, when it carried a headline detailing the arrest of Biwott and Internal security PS Hezekiah Oyugi in 1991. That day over 331,000 copies of the Nation newspaper flew off the newspaper stands at a ferocious rate as Kenyans hungrily took in, with glee, the news that they had waited for and fantasized about for years. Alas, the whole thing was some façade from tricky Moi, to cool political temperatures and pressure on his government. It is said that Biwott was held for a few hours at a luxury facility within the GSU (General Service Unit) headquarters in Nairobi. He was released shortly after and that was the end of that matter.

Biwott has also been caught up in various sexual scandals. The embarrassing "Auckland Bull" is widely believed to be Biwott. In the sensational incident reported in the press in the late 90s, a very senior member of a high-powered Kenyan delegation that included Pesident Moi himself, attempted to rape a chamber maid at a hotel in Auckland. The identity of that official was kept secret from Kenyans. However word soon spread through the rumour mills of Nairobi like wild fire. It was the total man who had gone totally berserk over some young mzungu maid at the hotel in Auckland.

Reserved

Reserved

Friday, November 24, 2006

New Clues In Mwandoni Shooting Raises Puzzling Questions

A brief investigation by this writer into a bizarre shooting incident in Mombasa recently has raised even more puzzling questions.

The incident involved the shooting of innocent Kenyans during a robbery at a petrol station in Mwandoni area, Mombasa.

This week, MPs have put the government on the spot concerning the increased wave of violent crime and killings and it seems with good reason. The reason why the Mwandoni incident was so bizarre was that the killings were random. Usually thugs will kill victim who resist and other times they will kill their victims anyway, even when they comply. However in the Mwandoni incident, the thugs dragged a passenger out of a matatu that had come into the petrol station and shot them dead. They also shot a motorist dead.

What was the motive? Were the strange shootings part of a bigger plot to heighten insecurity in the country in preparation for the assassination of certain ODM leaders, as Raila claims?

Through my impeccable sources, I have unearthed some puzzling details linked to the Mwandoni shootings;

1) Mwandoni is within the expansive Kisauni constituency that belonged to former minister, now deceased, Karisa Maitha. Spates of violent crime are not uncommon in the area and that is why the owner of the petrol station that was raided took a number of precautions. He donated a brand new vehicle which he fuels, to a nearby police station so that patrols in the area could be intensified. This has been very effective in curbing crime. It is also a well known fact that plain clothes policemen are always stationed at the petrol station that was raided. However on the fateful day of the raid, those policemen were strangely nowhere to be seen? I do not believe in conincidences. Where were the police officers on that day when they were needed most?

2) A few days before the Mwandoni shooting residents of the neighboring Mtopanga had loud gun shots in the evening, at about 7 pm. When they peered outside, they saw a young woman covered in blood and writhing in pain on the road. Thugs had thrown her out of the car and shot her, before speeding away. She was rushed to hospital. There were no other details available about this particular incident. This particular incident never made it to the news. This is clear evidence that not all violent crime makes it to the news.

However the Mwandoni shootings were prominently reported in the media. Was this deliberate? Did somebody want to ensure that the bizarre indiscriminate killings at the Mwandoni petrol station were reported?

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Intimate interview with Alnoor Kassam reveals astonishing business secrets that can be applied in Kenya or anywhere else in the world.

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Why is it that Raila seems to know all this top-secret government meetings and goings on? Remember the Artur brother's saga? (Incidentally Raila says that one of them is back in the country). Does Raila have a mole in the highest echelons of government and if so, who is it?

The answer to these questions is shocking and too sensitive even for this blog. So I have answered it in great detail via email to my subscribers.

You can join my Kumekucha Confidential list and read the absolutely amazing answer to this question. Just send an email now to kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

You will receive an email asking you to confirm your joining the list. Please make sure that you follow the confirmation instructions to be included.

Grandpa's Presidential Race

President Kibaki recently celebrated his 76th birthday during the climatic changes summit in Nairobi and had various world dignitaries sing happy birthday for him, including outgoing UN chief Koffi Annan.

This means that if we go to the polls in December as is widely expected, the President will be 77 years old then. And if he wins re-election, he will complete his second term at the age of 82.

His running mate in the 2007 presidential race has been identified as yet another prominent grandpa, Moody Awori (or Uncle Moody, as he is affectionately called by Kenyans) who tries very hard to look as young as possible by shaving his head clean.

Maybe the President's handlers should borrow the clean-shaven head idea from the VP and do the same for their candidate. He might look much younger and more electable.

Prominent members of the President's election team will include Njenga Karume and Mutahi Kagwe's father in law and grandpa to his children, John "Standard Raid" Michuki.

One of the reasons why the first proposed Yash Pal Ghai constitution was rejected was because it put an upper age limit on presidential candidates. This was one of the first sections to be quickly changed.

At this rate maybe Michuki and Karume should consider running for the presidency after Kibaki's second term is over. That way our place in the history will be assured. And while we are at it, why don't we also actively seek a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the cabinet with the most grandpas in Africa, this could be a major boost to our tourism marketing.

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Intimate interview with Alnoor Kassam reveals astonishing business secrets that can be applied in Kenya or anywhere else in the world.

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Why is it that Raila seems to know all this top-secret government meetings and goings on? Remember the Artur brother's saga? (Incidentally Raila says that one of them is back in the country). Does Raila have a mole in the highest echelons of government and if so, who is it?

The answer to these questions is shocking and too sensitive even for this blog. So I have answered it in great detail via email to my subscribers.

You can join my Kumekucha Confidential list and read the absolutely amazing answer to this question. Just send an email now to kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

You will receive an email asking you to confirm your joining the list. Please make sure that you follow the confirmation instructions to be included.

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Does Kenya Know What She's Doing Dealing With China?

When the American and British governments speak with one voice, then it is advisable to take careful note of what they are saying and take some sort of action.

Both the US ambassador Michael Ranneberger and a visiting UK Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith have separately said the same thing albeit in different words. And that is that they are fed up with this governments' inaction on corruption. Many observers believe that the patience of these two governments has especially worn thin as a result of recent moves to warm up to the Chinese government who usually dish out assistance without asking too many questions. (An interesting aside here is how warmly President Kibaki was greeted by the Chinese compared to other African heads of state, during the recent summit in Bejing, as seen clearly on television clips of the event. Not even President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, a country that has dealt with the Chinese for decades, came close to receiving the smiles and warm vigorous handshakes that President Kibaki basked in).

We can talk about being a sovereign nation and not bowing to neo-colonialism until the chickens come home. But that will not change the facts on the ground. The facts are that the US and Britain are powerful and influential western powers who can make decisions that will hurt us. Especially when they have their own growing concerns and agendas to urgently address.

Retired President Moi was an expert at playing this high stakes game of international politics. One of the favorite tactics of this amazing self-taught man who never saw the inside of a high school classroom, was to play foreign powers against each other. Notice that during his tenure it was very rare for both the British and American governments to agree on Kenya.

Is the current government skilled at playing international politics? Well, I wish I could reserve my answer to that question and get away with it, because as truthful and factual as it is, it can only be viewed as malicious. My honest impartial opinion is that this grandpas' regime has no idea what they are doing. You don't fool around with a 300-pound Gorilla and say that you have a strategy. Whatever your reasons, this is not a prudent thing to do.

Don't get me wrong. I am as anxious as any Kenyan keenly aware of the situation, to rid our beloved country of unnecessary foreign influence and interference. But the right way to do it is to put our house in order first (that includes dealing firmly and decisively with corruption). Only then will powerful foreign governments have less reason to wander into our kitchens.

Here are a few important facts to consider in warming up to the Chinese;

i) You don't want to mess around with the Americans and the British when the elections are just around the corner, because you will be organizing easy financing for the opposition. Do the Americans and British finance elections in Africa, I can hear you ask? Obviously this is not the sort of information you would expect to find on the official American government web site, or even on the CIA website. Don't be naïve, my dear brother. Don't be naïve my dear sister. Read a little world history and discover the shocking answer for yourself.
Rejoinder: Are The Chinese not also able to finance an election?
My answer: They are, although it has never been their style in the past, but you never know, I have to admit.

ii) One needs to ask themselves if they know the Chinese adequately. Better the devil you know well, than the so-called angel you never dealt with before. There is no such thing as a free lunch on this planet. These guys want something in return. Is flooding our market with cheap Chinese products the right way to go when we need to create millions of jobs like yesterday? (My apologies to China because, I am currently using a Chinese laptop to write this particular article, but did I have a choice? They're so cheap and increasingly reliable).

iii) One needs to ask themselves what became of countries that have been cozying up to the Chinese for decades. A good example is Tanzania. Just to give you one example. They're stuck with an expensive Chinese railway track into Zambia that cannot be linked to any other rail networks in the region, which are all British standard. They even have some Chinese hawkers in the famous Kariakoo area in downtown Dar-es-salaam. The answer to my question of what has happened to countries that have jumped into bed with the Chinese in the past, is that they get isolated. One quick route to isolation is thos governments recently announced official support of the Chinese position on Taiwan.

iv) The strategy of the Kenyan government seems to be quite simple. If your lover doesn't play ball, make them a little jealous and they will fall in line. The few times African politicians have tried that strategy in the past, they have met with more than just failure. One excellent example is the first Prime Minister of Independent Congo, Patrice Lumumba, who tried to play the Russians against Western powers. He was in power for only 3 short months. A western power (that I will not name) organized a little indiscipline in the Army that led to a number of white women being raped (imagine the impact and consequences of white women being raped by "black monkeys" in the racism infested 60s!). That gave them enough rope to hang Lumumba. After installing the then army commander Mobutu Sese Seko (the one who should have been most guilty for the rapes) into power and putting Lumumba under house arrest, the prime minister disappeared off the face of the earth shortly after that. Not only did they execute him in secret, they cut his body into many small pieces and then burnt the remains. Of course the whole operation was fronted by locals (from the mine-rich Katanga area who were bitter enemies of the young ambitious Lumumba).

It is clear from the latest statements from the Americans and the British, that the Chinese strategy will only succeed in putting even more pressure on the Kenyan government to address corruption and other evils. Which by the way is a very good thing for ordinary Kenyans.

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Quick question; This government is basically doing a lot of things in exactly the same way that former President Moi's administration did them. If you find that you were quick to castigate the Moi regime but are in fact defending the current regime when they do exactly the same things, then it means that you can only be one thing and one thing alone, a bloody ?????? (See answer below written backwards). If you get the answer correct give yourself a big part on the back. If it were possible to samabaza kshs 5 cell phone credit, I would have offered that as my big prize for all the correct answers. But for now make do with a pat on the back from yourself.

ANSWER:
tsilabirt


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Intimate interview with Alnoor Kassam reveals astonishing business secrets that can be applied in Kenya or anywhere else in the world.

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Why is it that Raila seems to know all this top-secret government meetings and goings on? Remember the Artur brother's saga? (Incidentally Raila says that one of them is back in the country). Does Raila have a mole in the highest echelons of government and if so, who is it?

The answer to these questions is shocking and too sensitive even for this blog. So I have answered it in great detail via email to my subscribers.

You can join my Kumekucha Confidential list and read the absolutely amazing answer to this question. Just send an email now to kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

You will receive an email asking you to confirm your joining the list. Please make sure that you follow the confirmation instructions to be included.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

In Loving Memory Of Smith Hempstone 1929-2006



Sometimes fate chooses a person when they themselves are not fully aware of why they are at a certain place at a certain time and why they are so prepared for the task at hand. Smith Hempstone's passing on seems to have gone largely unnoticed by the World. I am yet to find a single American newspaper that reported it.

To them he was just some journalist who was once posted as Amabassador to some banana republic.

To us he was a man who rose to the occasion at a particularly difficult time in our history and risked his life for a better Kenya. We as Kenyans should feel ashamed of ourselves because so few of us are prepared to do what a foreigner came and did so willingly. It seems that the curse of Kenyans is to always think of selfish interests. The people who seem to mention the interests of the nation are looters of national coffers who just make empty rhetoric while pretending that they are patriotic. It just makes me sick…

Kumekucha salutes you Smith Hempstone, on behalf of the ordinary, still voiceless, people of Kenya. Our fallen true hero of the Kenyan cause.

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Alnoor Kassam Of TradeBank fame speaks to Kumekucha in an exclusive interview about Moi and Biwott and what he has in store for them.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Breaking News/STOP PRESS: Smith Hempstone Is Dead



Smith "Nyama choma ambassador" Hempstone: Kenyans will never forget you.

"Nyama Choma Ambassador Is No More"

Information that reached this blogger just a few minutes ago (from impeccable sources that I cannot name) indicate that a man who made a major contribution to the noble fight for the second liberation in Kenya in the 1980s and 90s, former US Amabassador to Kenya, Smith Hempstone, is dead. My source reports that the man Kanu hawks loved to contemptuously call "nyama choma ambassador" passed on, Saturday 18th November 2006 in the United States.

Quite ironic that he dies on that date because that was the eve of the ODM Kenya organized so-called prayer meeting at Kamukunji grounds which was broken up by police. Hempstone's support helped multi-party crusaders hold several rally's at Kamkunji (most of which were broken up by police) and there were even times that the main organizers drove directly to the venue from the US embassy then situated at the corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue. This was the embassy location that was bombed by Al Quaeda terorists in 1998.

Younger Kenyans may not be very familiar with Smith Hempstone's role in the struggle for the so-called second liberation, but the Kenyan people owe a great debt to this man who single-handedly refused to look the other way as the Moi government did everything in its' power to put down the campaign for multi-party democracy at a time when opposition parties were illegal in Kenya. Probably the most dramatic moment of the Hempstone tenure was the time in the 90s when he used his diplomatic immunity status to get Lawyer Gibson Kamau Kuria into a plane and on to exile in the United States right under the watchful eye of the then Special branch police who were more than eager to get their hands on the lawyer.

Hempstone also wrote a controversial book based on his Kenya assignment, Rogue Ambassador (which was banned in Kenya as Moi sued Hempstone, the publisher and the local book distributors (Text Book Center) in Kenya in 2001. Moi's big issue with the book was for its' alleging that he was involved in the murder of foreign minister Robert Ouko.

It is no exaggeration to say that without the contribution of Hempstone, at great risk to his own life (there were at least two attempts on his life) it could have been difficult for the country to have achieved what it did in terms of democratization and success in finally ousting the dictatorial Moi and Kanu from power.

I am deeply saddened at the death of Hempstone.

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Why is it that Raila seems to know all this top-secret government meetings and goings on? Remember the Artur brother's saga? (Incidentally Raila says that they are back in the country). Does Raila have a mole in the highest echelons of government and if so, who is it?

The answer to these questions is shocking and too sensitive even for this blog. So I have answered it in great detail via email to my subscribers.

You can join my Kumekucha Confidential list and read the absolutely amazing answer to this question. Just send an email now to kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

You will receive an email asking you to confirm your joining the list. Please make sure that you follow the confirmation instructions to be included.

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Tanzania Plunges Into Darkness

The Tanzanian government has announced a new electric power-rationing schedule where power will be switched off from 7 am to 10 pm Daily. The new timetable is effective Monday November 20th 2006.

The country has already been on power rationing for over a year now.

This breaks all records as far as power rationing goes in East and Central Africa and probably beyond. From the statements issued by government leaders so far, it is clear that President Jakaya Kikwete’s government has yet to fully appreciate the full impact of the rationing schedule on the economy. Government estimates still predict an economic growth rate for the year higher than 5 per cent. This I am eagerly waiting to see. If it happens, It will be clear to me that I will urgently need to go back to school to re-learn my limited economics.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

This Is Better Than Kenya Yellow Pages For Christmas Shopping, Kumekucha Claims

A Handful of Businesses Find A Secret To Sell Like Crazy This Christmas Season

Attention Blog Owners: Here's An Easy Way To Get A Lot More Traffic To Your Blog And It's Free

It is awfully difficult to find stuff from Kenya online, even when you use the famous yellow pages. I am not too sure why, but I suspect that part of the reason is that many businesses are yet to realize the rapidly rising power of the web as a marketing and advertising tool.

It becomes even more frustrating as the Christmas holidays are fast approaching and Kenyans all over the world find the need for some sort of Christmas shopping guide to help them get gifts for fellow Kenyans. In this case what is required is even more than yellow pages covering Kenya. One actually needs plenty of information on numerous shops, retail outlets and small businesses, spread out all over the country.

These are just some of the reasons why the recently re-launched Kumekucha Hot Ads are doing so well and creating some serious buzz amongst many, especially the businesses now beginning to witness for themselves, first hand the power of advertising online as they get genuine leads and even brisk sales from these tiny Kumekucha advertisements.

But what's even more amazing is the system being used here. Definitely more pocket-friendly than any Kenya yellow pages. The ads are free for simple wording and one mobile telephone number or a single link to a web site. I have chosen the mobile telephone number because it is the most convenient way for many to get in touch with a business these days, especially if the number is a Safaricom one. Web sites, for those who have good ones are actually even better. It is only when a business requires more information in their ad that there is a small fee of only $30 or Kshs 2,000 that is charged. What's more is that the ads are permanent and will continue getting a response for you for a long time to come. Kenya yellow pages are usually very effective when they last one year, Kumekucha ads in this very popular site for Kenyans in Kenya and those based all over the world, lasts forever.

How To Make Money This Christmas Season
Kenyans and those interested in Kenyans as a market have a very unique opportunity here to make a killing this Christmas season, by simply placing ads for free here in the high traffic Kumekucha site. Even if you are no entrepreneur, you can sit down and think of a special project that you can launch to make some little pocket money this Christmas. It could be as simple as selling some stuff that you don't need. You can even place a barter advertisement and exchange something you no longer use for something else of great value. Just sit down and think of something.

Small businesses owners and entrepreneurs hardly need to do any thinking about this. They can immediately send in their ads via email (to email address: umissedthis at yahoo dot com) to get their free advertisement posted immediately. Just include one Safaricom telephone number or your website where people can go to for more information. I can guarantee you that you will quickly find that this turns out to be better than any Kenya yellow pages ad that you may already have.

Web site owners and bloggers looking for more traffic, especially from Kenyans, are also most welcome to make use of the free Kumekucha Hot Ads that are better than even yellow pages.

GO TO THE KUMEKUCHA HOT ADS SECTION NOW

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Friday, November 17, 2006

Kenyans Say "No" To Leadership By The Youth And Women

It is amazing how Kenyans are so good at blaming everybody else apart from themselves. To use a worn-out, tired, over-used cliché, Kenyans are actually their own worst enemies.

A TV poll carried out last night by the KTN Newsline show produced some startling results to the question; Can the Youth and Women Lead? Only 36 per cent said "yes" and a huge 64 per cent said "no".

Today I want to say something very controversial that is however true. Kenyans in their twisted minds can never get women out of their minds as "sexual objects" and they cannot bear to think of them as leaders because of this. Some Kenyan men will say all sorts of nice things, but in their minds, the truth is that they will always look down on women. In a way this same twisted thinking is evident in what most believe is the most advanced democracy in the world – America as is evidenced by the fact that to date, the White House is yet to have a woman-occupant. And even in Britain where Margaret Thatcher was a very successful woman prime minister for well over a decade, the voting system is such that the leader of the winning party ascends to power and there is no direct vote for the Prime Minister. If there was a direct vote, the world would have missed out on Thatcherism and the wonderful impact of Thatcherconomics on the British economy.

Yet there is plenty of evidence to show that women in fact make better leaders than men. In fact it is my belief that for Kenya to make the critical changes that she badly needs just now, it is important that the next August house has as many women MPs as possible.
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Matters have of course not been made any easier by the many sex scandals and rumours that have dogged parliament for years, which have been damaging to the image of women as leaders. Read Kumekucha Confidential's intimate examination of 3 recent sex scandals in parliament (two of them have never been publicized) involving 3 respected women leaders namely, Martha Karua, Njoki Ndungu, and Charity Ngilu. To read this report and others that are just too hot for even this controversial blog, subscribe to Kumekucha confidential by sending an email now to;
kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

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Why is it that Raila seems to know all this top-secret government meetings and goings on? Remember the Artur brother's saga? (Incidentally Raila says that they are back in the country). Does Raila have a mole in the highest echelons of government and if so, who is it?

The answer to these questions is shocking and too sensitive even for this blog. So I have answered it in great detail via email to my subscribers.

You can join my Kumekucha Confidential list and read the absolutely amazing answer to this question. Just send an email now to kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

You will receive an email asking you to confirm your joining the list. Please make sure that you follow the confirmation instructions to be included.

Kibaki Will Call For Early Elections In March Or June: Mutahi Ngunyi Says

Political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi is at it again. Whenever you see him appearing on TV too often, then you know that elections are around the corner.

You have to give it to him, when it comes to marketing himself and his political analysis. Except that to him every move Kibaki makes is "interesting."

But Ngunyi himself has had some very "interesting" things to say on TV over the last 3 days or so.

- Last night he said that Kibaki is one of the most surprising politicians Kenya has ever had. And in this vein we should be prepared for anything. Like Kibaki calling for early elections to catch ODM flatfooted without a presidential candidate. He added that he would be surprised if early elections were called for either March or June next year (instead of the expected December 2007).

My comment on this; The first thought that came to my mind was, what is the motive of this statement? After all it is no secret that Mr Ngunyi is a close advisor to President Kibaki these days. Actually the truth is that he has always been an advisor as far back as in the run up to the 2002 general elections, but he was sidelined after the stunning Narc victory in December and only called back when the crisis ridden Kibaki administration realized that they needed some good strategy to just stay in power long enough to finish their term.

Could Ngunyi's statement about an early election have been designed to smoke out the ODM presidential candidate? Raila has the President's handlers very anxious. They wonder whether he could just rise to the occasion and issue another "Tosha" statement, pushing either Kalonzo or Uhuru Kenyatta forward to face off with Kibaki? It may be that they want this unknowing variable of who the ODM candidate is going to be, settled once and for all (so that they start putting their strategy in place). Hence Ngunyi's statement designed to get ODM top cats to push forward their presidential nomination.

President Kibaki is not one for surprises. In fact he is very predictable, if you ask me. Everybody knew he was going to re-appoint to the cabinet his Meru friends for the votes and Saitoti for his precious cheque book. Everybody knows that he delays every decision until the last possible minute (more evidence that we could be headed for an early election).

- That the move by ODM to embrace former long-serving AG, Charles Njonjo, has the potential of splitting the Kikuyu vote with the old Kiambu Kikuyu versus Nyeri Kikuyu rivalry re-emerging.

My comment on this; RUBBISH. And Ngunyi himself knows it. This is yet another statement probably designed to trick ODM and achieve something. Even in 2002 when a Kiambu Kikuyu (Uhuru Kenyatta) and a Nyeri Kikuyu (Mwai Kibaki) faced off in the elections for the presidency, President Kibaki got a sizeable amount of votes from Kiambu (he split Kiambu votes with Kenyatta). So what do you expect to happen when the ODM presidential candidate is Raila or even Kalonzo? If anything the referendum fiasco proves clearly that the Kikuyu will this time vote as a block and we all know who they will vote for. Incase you don't, visit a few discussion forums and try and catch the names of the folks harping on about a dramatically improved economy and repeating certain statements over and over again, like a broken toy; Kibaki atabaki. Etc.

Beware of political analysts who are both referees and members of one of the teams. If I was KTN, whenever I invite Ngunyi to comment, I would also be inviting the likes of Tony Gacoka for instance to give an opposing view. That would just about balance things out because we know that Gacoka is an ODM activist.

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Why is it that Raila seems to know all this top-secret government meetings and goings on? Remember the Artur brother's saga? (Incidentally Raila says that one of them is back in the country). Does Raila have a mole in the highest echelons of government and if so, who is it?

The answer to these questions is shocking and too sensitive even for this blog. So I have answered it in great detail via email to my subscribers.

You can join my Kumekucha Confidential list and read the absolutely amazing answer to this question. Just send an email now to kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

You will receive an email asking you to confirm your joining the list. Please make sure that you follow the confirmation instructions to be included.

Why Kibaki Reappointed Saitoti And Kiraitu To The Cabinet

I felt pity for Kiraitu watching him begging the president for his job back when he led elders and constituents to State House not too long ago. I mean the man has even been writing poetry about his being in the cold (how sweet a cabinet post in Kenya must be).

It seems to have worked because as you read this Kiraitu has a flag fluttering in the wind, in front of his chauffer-driven ministerial car complete with a minimum of two bodyguards. In return he has no illusions of what is expected of him. To keep ODM out of Meru, traditionally President Kibaki's stronghold.

President Kibaki actually has two close allies in Meru, namely former Finance Minister Daudi Mwiraria and Kiraitu Murungi. The thinking must have been as follows; to minimize the inevitable fall out, he should bring back only one corrupt Meru rather than two. Despite the fact that Mwiraria is a very close friend of the President for many years, the choice was not too difficult. It was a question of picking the one with a larger following. So Kiraitu got the nod.

The way the Kibaki camp has started doing such precise voter sums, seems to support the Ngunyi claim that we could be headed for early elections.

George Saitoti is also a very popular man, no doubt useful in limiting the damage that Ole Ntimama of ODM is bound to cause for Narc Kenya amongst the Maasai's when election campaigning starts. But even more important, George has to be in the cabinet to write a few cheques that will go towards the Narc Kenya campaign (if he will repeat a little of what he did for the National Rainbow coalition in 2002). Read his lips to find out the amounts on the cheques.

So there you are! George and Kiraitu are back in the cabinet. Neither the Goldenberg mega-scandal nor the Anglo-leasing mega rip off will go away. Not even the taped evidence against Kiraitu. But you can complain as much as you want, the two "mzees" are there to stay, at least until the general elections. Upende, usipende. Utafanya Nini?

I will throw in my lot with the eloquent analyst who quipped "Kenyans are watching these developments closely with their voter cards in hand."

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---------------------------------------
Why is it that Raila seems to know all this top-secret government meetings and goings on? Remember the Artur brother's saga? (Incidentally Raila says that one of them is back in the country). Does Raila have a mole in the highest echelons of government and if so, who is it?

The answer to these questions is shocking and too sensitive even for this blog. So I have answered it in great detail via email to my subscribers.

You can join my Kumekucha Confidential list and read the absolutely amazing answer to this question. Just send an email now to kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

You will receive an email asking you to confirm your joining the list. Please make sure that you follow the confirmation instructions to be included.

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Wednesday, November 15, 2006

News Flash/Breaking News: Saitoti And Kiraitu Bounce Back Into The Cabinet

In what is clearly a move designed to help prepare President Kibaki for re-election, George "Goldenberg" Saitoti and Kiraitu "Anglo-Leasing tape" Murungi have been reappointed to the cabinet.

President Kibaki a few moments ago handed back the Education ministry to Saitoti and the Energy ministry back to Murungi. Both held those same portfolios before being forced out of office earlier this year.

These latest appointments are a clear sign of the direction this government is taking over the issue of corruption.

In the same announcement 9 new assistant ministers were named;
· Mr Wario Ali -- Special Programmes, Office of the President
· Mr Peter G. Munya -- Internal Security, Office of the President
· Mr Katoo J. ole Metito -- Youth Affairs, Vice President’s Office
· Mr Hussein Maalim Mohammed -- Home Affairs, Vice President’s Office
· Mrs Jayne Kihara -- Environment and Natural Resources
· Mr Hussein Sasura -- Public Works, Ministry of Roads and Public Works
· Mr Ukur Yattani -- Science and Technology
· Mr Muchiri Gachara -- County Councils, Ministry of Local Government
· Mr Patrick Kariuki Muiruri -- Crop Production, Ministry of Agriculture

Both Saitoti and Murungi are infuential "tribal chiefs" commanding significant following in their constituencies. The appointments of the assistant ministers is designed to solidify government numbers in parliament for critical voting over key bills in the house.

It is also worth noting that it is widely believed that Prof George Saitoti was a major financier of the Narc campaign in 2002.

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Alnoor Kassam Speaks To Kumekucha: Exclusive Interview From Calgary, Canada

Kumekucha talks to Alnoor Kassam of Trade Bank and Diners Finance fame.

Those who are familiar with the inside story know that Mr Kassam is undoubtedly one of the greatest entrepreneurs Kenya has ever produced. The fact that Justice Minister Martha Karua claims that he is still wanted to face charges just illustrates how much things have not changed in Kenya and how Nicholas Biwott is still a very powerful man in the country today. Biwott, when Moi was taking power in 1978 was close to a pauper. Today he is one of the richest persons in East and Central Africa. So how did he make his money? No wonder everbody goes into politics for the worng reasons in Kenya. In fact Nick Biwott has been barred in the past from traveling to the US and Britain because of his widely known corrupt dealings. The fact that the Kibaki government claims that Kassam is a criminal and has not yet locked up Biwott (there was a time, recently, the administration toyed with the idea of appointing him to the cabinet) tells you all you need to know about the current situation concerning corruption in Kenya better than any carefully worded government statement heavy on rhetoric.

Read this fascinating interview and judge the man for yourself. He is no angel but surely, he has not been treated fairly by a past Kenyan government run by crooks and a current one that is still carrying too much of that old excess baggage…

I have punctuated the interview with my own commentary (in italics) where I have felt it is necessary for background and clarity purposes.

Kumekucha- You say you learnt a lot from running your first company, and got to understand the Kenyan market, but was the Empire Match Company ever profitable? What kind of profit or losses did it make?

Empire Match Company was at a breakeven point when I passed over management and operations to my Partners Orbit Chemicals, but was not profitable.

Commentary: The Empire Match company sold book matches with ads printed on the front. It was Kassam's first business venture in Kenya.

Kumekucha- Did you actually get involved in the hawking of your book matches in the days of the Empire Match company?

Yes I was initially the sales man knocking on all the advertiser doors and that is where I learnt how to sell and market a product. I studied Kotler, a Marketing Text Book and learnt the 4 P's of marketing.


Kumekucha- What was the key factor that made the difference in the successful turnaround of Diners Club Africa?

Realizing that Diners Club had until 1983 been poorly managed and there was no Sales or marketing or financial management and was targeted to only a very small percentage of the Kenyan population. The Established white Kenyan ( members of Muthiga club and Karen club, a few Asians and almost no Black Kenyans, when Black Kenyans were 98% of the population)

Commentary: Diners Finance Africa remains an admired model of the expansion possibilities of an enterprise, even in Africa, when structures and enough staff incentives are put in place. Kenyan executives who were familiar with it's operations and able to put all the controversy surrounding sister company TradeBank's collapse in proper perspective have copied many of the ideas with great success.

Kumekucha - Who was your most key manager/director in the amazingly innovative way in which Diners and TradeBank were run?

At Diners Club there were so many amazing people. Frank Levene who took membership from 2500 to 4000 in one year, John Kariuki , Valentine Gitoho , Mercy Kanga, Terry Njoroge ….Its many years since I was in Kenya but we had 120 employees and all of them were super stars…….

Trade Bank. Ian Rayner, Gideon Ndambuki and many many others.

Kumekucha - Legend has it that you stopped a run on Diners Finance, resulting from rumours over the TradeBank debt, by making available lots of cash to pay on the spot, anybody who wanted to close their accounts and were so successful at it that depositors who withdraw their money re-deposited the funds the very next day. What are the facts of that incident?

There were a few times that this happened and I can not recall the particular incident but we always made sure that we were very liquid and solvent at Diners Finance.


Kumekucha - Some analysts including this writer believe that you were being naïve by expecting to successfully collect the Trade Bank debt from a person as powerful as former minister Nicholas Biwott was at the time. Please comment.

With hindsight I was. But time will tell if Biwott manages to keep Yaya. I will not give up and am, even as we talk, trying to get the Kenyan Government to confirm their statements if there are any charges against me (as this is a mistake) and that I am free to come to Kenya. If the Kenya government confirms that, I will return to Kenya to get the legal process going to recover Yaya for the depositors of Trade Bank and Diners Club.


Kumekucha - In purchasing TradeBank, what was your thinking in accepting to buy a bank with such a huge debt in their books?

I felt that I would be able to collect the loan because I had security for the loan and it was the only way in those days to get a bank license


Kumekucha- What Internet businesses were you involved in shortly after arriving in Calgary?

I was not involved in any Internet business in Calgary but quite a few in Vancouver where I lived for 10 yrs. I was partner in the Smart Seed Fund.


Kumekucha - If You were in Kenya today and wanted to start a business, what business would you opt to venture into?

I do not know if I would start business in Kenya again and if I were to start one I would have to visit Kenya first. I have been away for 13 yrs and I am older and hopefully wiser and if I did something again in Kenya I hope it would not be a business but a project to assist Kenyans in looking at ourselves and asking how we got into the current mess and how we can correct things.


Kumekucha- Which is your favorite town/city in Kenya . Please give reasons why.

I loved Nairobi , but spent many years in Mombasa and supposedly a home in Shelly beach! Limuru , Kericho , Lamu. Chavakali, Masaku [Machakos], Nyeri , and Burma Market all have their charms. But right now I would love to be at the Sagret having Nyama Choma and a Tusker !


Kumekucha- What do you consider your biggest achievement as an entrepreneur ever? Please give details.

Creating the credit card industry in Kenya and becoming one of the best employers and best in customer service in Kenya .


Q- What do you consider to have been your biggest challenge as an entrepreneur and how did you resolve it?

Dealing with Biwott and Moi and I have not resolved it… yet.


Q- What is your view of the current government policies on the economy? Are they on the right track? What can be done?

I do not know as I am very far removed but they seem to be very similar to the Moi and Kenyatta era governments. I think Kenyans need to get these old Tribal Fogies out of the system and realize that the world is a very small place and we all have choices to do business where it is most friendly.


Kumekucha - Do you think it is possible to reduce corruption in Kenya to manageable levels and if so how do you think this can be achieved?

Yes .Yes. Yes It needs great leadership.


Kumekucha - You seem to have changed a great deal in your thinking and approach to life. What caused this?

Most of all the traumas in my Life, fleeing Kenya , my children being stuck in Kenya , and then becoming Clinically depressed and becoming suicidal and then deciding that there must be a better way to live my life.


Kumekucha - Why do you want to be Mayor?

I have been successful in Business many times in my Life and I have as much money as I need right now, I want to challenge myself to do something that is challenging and seems like it could be fun.


Kumekucha - What are your chances of winning?

Great if you ask me , very poor if you ask most other people today . Again time will tell if I am right.

Read Alnoor Kassam Analysis
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Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Big STORY Coming to Kumekucha Tomorrow

Kumekucha Exclusive

Kumekucha's intimate interview with one of the greatest entrepreneurs Kenya has ever produced.




In the most intimate interview Alnoor Kassam has ever given about his business practices in Kenya, and the way he ran the most innovative enterprises ever seen in these shores, he reveals how he launched a tiny little match company that gave him all the experience he needed to grow into the giant he is today.

This is a Kumekucha exclusive that you don't want to miss.

Kassam talks about;

- His relationship with Moi and Biwott.
- His star employees at Diners Finance
- How he learnt his marketing from a text book
- His future plans in politics and in Kenya.
- And much more.

Catch it all here tomorrow.

================

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Did You know That Quality $4 Content Providers Exist?

Did you know that there are some pretty useful $4 web site content available from online writers who can produce excellent quality content for your web site. At that price it makes it possible for you to get plenty of useful content done for your site.

Good quality content in plenty is an investment that you can do at your site that is sure to pay huge dividends in terms of returns. It is the sort of price that makes it easy to order 100 articles at a time. That is the number that opens up many other possibilities. For instance you can link all 99 articles to one special one that you want as many people as possible to see as it sells your site and what you do best

Monday, November 13, 2006

Raila And Michuki Assassination Claims: Why Murder Is Definitely On Somebody's Mind

The situation concerning the assassination claims made by both Raila Odinga and John Michuki is interesting because the two main reactions amongst Kenyans currently, is as follows;

i) Those who are sure that both Raila and Michuki are playing politics and that these statements are best ignored. This is the largest group and you can't really blame them because from as far back as anybody can remember, politicians in Kenya have been calling press conferences to announce that their lives are in danger. So why should the latest case be any different?

ii) Those who suspect that there is something in the Raila death-threat-claims that should be taken very seriously indeed. This is the second largest group and consists of both diehard Raila fans and serious political analysts who understand the history of Kenya well.

In this post I will ask and answer only two questions, namely

a) What is usually the motive when a politician claims that their life is in danger?

b) Is Raila's life really in danger?


Answer to a): The idea is to attract attention and position oneself as the victim. Sympathy votes usually win elections hands down. But in this case since the elections are so far away the other motive is usually a swing in "sympathy popularity" in favor of the politician concerned. This blogger is sure that this is not the case with Raila.

On many other occasions, politicians usually genuinely fear for their lives (they've been plenty of murders and assassinations in Kenyan politics). Politicians blowing the whistle in this way usually do so hoping that the people plotting their demise will be scared off. This blogger suspects that this is the case with Raila. Read the answer to my second question and you will see why I suspect that murder is definitely on somebody's mind.

Answer to b): In the run up to the first multi-party elections since independence in 1992, Western Kenya politician and the main strategist and "glue" that held the then opposition together, Masinde Muliro was returning from an overseas trip aboard a British Airways flight. Shortly after landing, the veteran politician collapsed and died. The mystery has never been solved to this day, but this was definitely an assassination, more so when you closely examine what happened next. The then united Ford (Forum For Restoration Of Democracy) opposition party crumbled and split into countless, harmless units. This assassination was one of the few that actually accomplish their objective. It was well executed, clinical and left no evidence of an assassination (the late Masinde Muliro was said to be suffering from some heart ailment). It had "national security job" written all over it.

Tom Mboya biographer David Goldsworthy describes in great detail how Mboya, by cleverly and ruthlessly neutralizing his main political rival, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga (the late father to Raila) unknowingly set himself up to be assassinated. In the same way, Raila has cleverly neutralized all political competition by forming ODM. Most Kenyans don't know it but whoever leaves ODM now and goes it alone for the presidency will face the fate of Simeon Nyachae in 2002. They will go nowhere. Most of us may not have liked mathematics as a subject in school, but by doing a simple tribal calculation you will realize that Raila will win the ODM nomination to be president without even breaking into a sweat. All the other tribal votes are split except the Luo vote. And besides Raila has picked up plenty of sympathy support after the MOU saga from many different parts of the country. And even if ODM decides to pick its' flag carrier using the delegates method, Mr Raila Odinga is a professor at that game. That's why he didn't bother to go to Kasarani in 2001 (when the infamous delegates conference chose Uhuru Kenyatta to be the Kanu presidential candidate). Others like Professor George Saitoti naively turned up having campaigned all night, only to realize that Moi was a step ahead. My sincere apologies to Kalonzo Musyoka fans, your man is already baked and almost out of the oven. It seems that only the NSIS and Kibaki insiders understand who Raila really is. But I digress.

Raila has worked himself into a very dangerous situation, where the elections are still too far off and yet it is clear that he is the main threat and the unifying factor in ODM. If Raila were to be assassinated now, naturally the assassination would be made to look like an accident or something to do with the current insecurity in the country. People would have their doubts, but there would be no proof. An exact replica of the Masinde Muliro saga.

The first thing that would happen after such an eventuality would be that ODM would crumble like a house of cards. No amount of sympathy would keep the Luo community in ODM. Done cleverly enough, other ODM presidential aspirants would also be top suspects in the assassination.

Just remember that in these matters you do not expect a confirmation that a Raila assassination plot is being hatched from the relevant quarters.

My view is that by making this thing public Raila has halted any such plot, if it existed. But if I were him, I would be much more careful from now on and I would loosen my iron grip on ODM affairs and develop as many prominent foot soldiers as possible.

I will finish this post with a question for you.

Why is it that Raila seems to know all this top-secret government meetings and goings on? Remember the Artur brother's saga? (Incidentally Raila says that one of them is back in the country). Does Raila have a mole in the highest echelons of government and if so, who is it?

The answer to these questions is shocking and too sensitive even for this blog. So I have answered it in great detail via email to my subscribers.

You can join my Kumekucha Confidential list and read the absolutely amazing answer to this question. Just send an email now to kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

You will receive an email asking you to confirm your joining the list. Please make sure that you follow the confirmation instructions to be included.

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Insecurity: Are These Strange Incidents Related?

In the recent past some horrifying incidents of security have taken place in Kenya. Could they be related? Could somebody be trying to create an atmosphere of insecurity to set the stage for something else?

- A puzzling attack at internal security minister John Michuki's rural home takes place when he has left for Nairobi in his usual very visible convoy. The number of bullets fired at the home (for what purpose?) is not known to date because police commissioner Ali's bullet figures and alleged motive of the attack do not tally with those of his boss, Michuki.

- Clashes that were meant to incite tribal animosity started on the same day (Sunday) in Mathare and in Kuresoi.

- Thugs while robbing a petrol station in Mombasa, drag a motorist out of his car and shoot him dead for no apparent reason. They also grab a passenger from inside a matatu that had just come into the petrol station and also shot him dead.

- A number of other violent incidences all over the country take place and are reported to the press. This is strange because police usually keep as much information on violent crimes away from the press, as they can get away with.

According to Raila and his henchmen an environment of rampant insecurity is being created in readiness for the assassination of some ODM leaders.

In 1975 many strange bombs went off in and around Nairobi, culminating in one that killed several passengers in a an upcountry bound public bus. What followed was the assassination of JM Kariuki. The incidences never recurred again until 1991, in the run up to the first multi-party elections when some pipe bombs harmlessly went off in public toilets in Nairobi.

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Why does Raila seem to have such a intricate intelligence web that reaches the highest echelons of the government intelligence service? The answer will shock you. Subscribe to Kumekucha confidential, send a blank email now to kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

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Saturday, November 11, 2006

Insecurity In Kenya: Which Dangerous Leaders Have Allowed It?

This blogger has often been called a Kibaki-hater and yet my faith, personal morals and convictions do not allow me to hate anybody. What I usually point out in this blog is what the current administration really is like, which in my view is extremely dangerous for the well-being of this nation at this time.

I have decided to point out in this post a few facts, I will leave you to make your own conclusion.

i) Two days ago, official leader of the opposition, Uhuru Kenyatta, asked President Kibaki to take charge of the security situation in the country. This is not the first time that this President has been asked to take charge of a situation. Remember?

ii) The UN intervened and expressed concern at what is happening. Meaning that the country is being treated in exactly the same way that irresponsible governments around the world like Darfur etc. are treated. The UN message had an uncanny resemblance to that of Uhuru Kenyatta.

iii) At the time these two were intervening, about a dozen precious Kenyan lives had already been lost.

iv) After the intervention of the official leader of the opposition and the UN, the President finally moved and took action. In my view the action was too little too late.

v) Summoning Police Commissioner Ali to State House was one of the actions that the President took. You tell me what purpose, other than PR and window dressing that such a move has. Is it not so that is will seem to the public and others that something is being done.

vi) Yet if truth be told the deterioration of security in the country has much more to do with the President than poor Ali. Sample this;

a) The President receives a security briefing almost daily from the country's intelligence services.
b) The build up of Mungiki in slum areas in Nairobi must have featured in the briefings received. If not we are in big trouble as a nation.
c) Kenya's intelligence services are reputed to be amongst the best in this part of the world, so we can only assume that the President has been receiving a lot of information but has failed to act on it until it is too late (which has happened too many times in the decision making process where this administration has been concerned).
d) The clashes in Kuresoi and Mathare both started on the same day, Sunday. Then there is the fact that this has happened too close to the elections NOT TO BE politically instigated.
e) Starting clashes to win elections is not President Kibaki's style, he is too much of a gentleman and decent human being for that and his personal principals and reputation over years of being in public life cannot be questioned. However could those close to him, many of whom have been given immense powers to ensure the President's political survival be responsible?

Analyze the facts here and reach your own conclusion. Most of all answer this simple question;

Is it in the best interests of the country for this leadership to be given another 5 years in office? You tell me.

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Friday, November 10, 2006

Raila Dances With Strange Woman At US Hotel

For the first time I have been able to get a detailed report of one of Raila’s functions from his recent US trip where he talked about a wide range of issues before he was asked to open the dance with a lady from the audience at a very successful function.

I do not agree with Raila on everything but one of the things he said that had me both laughing and nodding my head was likening the political situation to a football game where President Kibaki is displaying a lot of activity in “injury time” so as to pretend that he has had an effective and good game. My sentiments exactly.

Kenyans Yet To Take To Online Universities In A Big Way

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Thursday, November 09, 2006

How Mathare Clashes Started And What The Killing Is All About

The news media in Kenya has very carefully avoided telling Kenyans the blunt truth and have instead thrived on giving only hints. The keep on referring to the term, "members of a certain community." Not really surprising when it is clear that the government will order your arrest or another Standard-like-newspaper raid on your newspaper the minute you mention the four letter word "Tribe" or the the four letter phrase "tribal clashes". As I write this police are looking for an MP who "crossed the line."




The shocking bitter truth, which Kenyans must now face, is that tribal clashes are back. Is it a coincidence that it has happened so close to the rapidly approaching general elections?

But what is even more worrying this time is that the clashes are happening in Nairobi. Somehow in 2001,mainly by the grace of the almighty, the clashes stayed out the capital city however this time they are simmering right at the heart of the city in the sun. Kibera (earlier this year) and Mathare most recently have already exploded. This is in addition to tribal clashes now spreading in the expansive Rift valley and reported so far in Kuresoi.

How did the Mathare fracas start?

According to Mathare residents. Slum dwellers have been quietly suffering under heavy Mungiki "taxation". It seems that when the successful crackdown to remove this radical group from bus stands countrywide met with some success, the violent blood hungry youths quietly moved to the two largest slums in East Africa, namely Kibera and Mathare and took over things.

It is said that bathing facilities at the Mathare slums are charged at Kshs 25 by Mungiki and toilet facilities at Kshs 35. The terror group even connects illegal electricity at Kshs 300 installation fee and Kshs 300 monthly. Monthly protection fees are Kshs 30 per house per month.

Mumgiki, is seems are even a government in themselves. At least they were powerful enough to have successfully "banned" women from wearing trousers anywhere within the Mathare slums.

It is believed that the recent government crackdown on hawkers contributed to triggering off the Mathare clashes because it greatly affected the cash flow in the slum area and those who have been quietly paying up started feeling the strain and resisted. That was how trouble started. Mungiki in revenge attacks then raided all the changaa dens they could find in the sprawling slums. Changaa dens are mainly dominated by members of the Dholuo community under the protection of the terror group called Taliban. It was felt by the terror group, that the main resistance to Mungiki taxes were being instigated by the Dholuo community in the slum area.

The Taliban is a group that was hurriedly put together to counter the Mungiki menace in the days when a similar bloody war had broken out in some matatu stands in the country. They now seem to have arisen again to counter Mungiki in the two slums in Nairobi.

But it seems that the main action is yet to commence. Remember Mungiki founder member Nduru Waruinge? He's now a changed man and has since left the group. However he recently announced his interest in a certain Nairobi parliamentary seat. Not his native Dagoretti constituency where he was born, but neighboring Kibera constituency where Raila Odinga is the current MP.

I wonder who the Mungiki in Kibera will support for MP and I also wonder who the Taliban will support. And I wonder if the campaign there will be done without the help of Pangas and Machetes.

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Can Mungiki Be Stopped?

Or maybe the right question to be asking is; is their enough political will to stop Mungiki?

There is no doubt that the Mungiki build-up which has now escalated into blood-letting with the death of 6 people so far and cores of injured must have been noted by the local intelligence service. It is highly unlikely that they were unaware of what was going on. In fact it is instructive that about a month ago, internal security minister announced that there was a new crackdown on Mungiki. So why was nothing more drastic done by the government to deal with the disaster that was waiting to happen?

Could it be that the government fears the political fall out from the group and it's largely house of Mumbi sympathizers?

Or could it be the ongoing crisis of leadership we have in the country where decisions are slow in being made and where decisiveness is completely lacking?

As it is let nobody fool themselves about the Mungiki. They are very well organized and trained. Not to mention that a Mungiki members take a blood oath very similar to the Mau mau oaths that were taken in the run up to independence. These people fear nothing, least of all some ill-prepared policemen that they bribed yesterday.
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Strange Comment By Mathare MP

Mathare MP and minister for Sports Maina Kamanda, was asked for comment over the escalating violence in his constituency in he ealy days of skirmishes. His remarks were strange, bordering on the bizarre. He said that he did not see any major problem in Mathare. Was the MP frightened of the Mungiki?

Two city MPs have been linked to hooligans and terror groups in the past, and many a political opponent has quickly and rather painfully found out that these are not people to mess with. The two city MPs are Mathare MP Maina Kamanda and Embakasi MP (now assistant minister) David Mwenje who is on record as having publicly expressed support for Mungiki in the Moi days.

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Why Are Newspaper Vendors Being Paid Not To Sell The Standard?

As the political temperatures continue to rise rapidly in Kenya, all sorts of strange things are beginning to happen all over the place.

A recent report from Kenya's oldest daily newspaper, the East African Standard indicates that there are groups of unknown people going round compensating vendors in cash not to display or sell the Standard newspaper.

The big question is who could be behind this mischievous development? This is a question that is not too difficult to answer.

It has been clear for sometime now that the Standard group, which includes the popular KTN (Kenya Television Network), has been a thorn in the flesh to the Kibaki regime. This culminated in the infamous Standard raid earlier this year where hooded persons believed to be policemen raided the newspaper offices and burnt newspapers, took away computers and technically shut down the KTN station for hours on end as the management scrambled to pick up the pieces and get the popular TV channel back on air.

If truth be told, insiders say that up to that point the Standard newspapers circulation sales were low and struggling. The raid had the inevitable effect of causing the newspapers' circulation to climb rapidly. Naturally people wanted to read for themselves what it was that was upsetting the government so much.

In fact if you pick any copy of the Standard newspaper even today or listen to a KTN news bulletin you will quickly note that the media group is generally more sharply critical of the government than its' main competitor, the Nation media group. Although government hawks have read some mischief in this, the explanation is really very simple.

It is widely believed that the Standard group's main shareholder (who has remained a deep mystery to this day) is actually former President Daniel arap Moi. In the last days of Kanu, the paper was forced by these circumstances to tone down its' criticism of the Moi government. Thankfully, enough lessons had been learnt from the Kenya Times debacle for the former president's financial advisors to strongly advice against turning the newspaper into another party mouthpiece, because that would have surely killed this lucrative cash cow.

When the Kibaki government took power, many journalists, frustrated from the previous in-house gagging went overboard to make up for lost time. This is basically the situation that reigns at the newspaper to this day.

Could it be that the same campaign unit that has flooded blogs (including this one) and discussion forums online, pushing the Kibaki agenda, has also hit the streets to curtail the distribution of the critical Standard newspaper? It seems that there is really no other direction in which to point an accusing finger.

If this is true then the people behind the continued purge on the Standard must be sure that they have things under control at the Nation media group. Incidentally it was the Nation that broke the Anglo Leasing scandal story but has since become increasingly docile to the point of printing blatant lies under pressure about the Presidents' second wife and other family. More so now that there is a new CEO who is yet to develop the thick skin required to fend off political powers that be.

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