In a surprise turn of events, Narc-Kenya yesterday appointed Foreign Minister Raphael Tuju as the chairman of the party.
The appointment and apparent easing of tensions within the party speaks volumes. The first clear message is that based on the enormous intelligence gathering services at the president's disposal the Narc-Kenya high command seems certain that the ODM-Kenya nominee for president is going to be Raila Odinga.
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Quip of the day;
An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all.
Oscar Wilde (Irish Poet, Novelist, Dramatist and Critic, 1854-1900)
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Going by he nature of Kenyan politics these days the nomination of Raphael Tuju would seem to be an effort to neutralize the Luo vote somewhat. However those who understand Luo politics will tell you immediately that this is something that will not work.
On a positive point it would seem that the president and his handlers have finally realized just how explosive a Raila versus Kibaki battle would be, more so if the radical Kikuyus who hold so much power and sway with the president are given a free hand to run the campaign. What the old men are going to say is pretty predictable and would be the same anti-Luo propaganda that the Kenyatta administration peddled for over a decade. The exact recipe for a very violent election.
However by placing Tuju as the party chairman, the message is that the president is clearly working very hard towards an issue-oriented campaign and there is bound to be a deliberate effort to douse any possible emotional campaign issues. What better way to do this than to have the president's running mate being a Luo?
If this is indeed the thinking close to President Kibaki then I fully support and back what they are trying to do. Over the last few weeks my top priority has shifted from seeing change in Kenya at all costs to doing everything possible to ensure a peaceful general elections. It has become abundantly clear to me that Kenyans are not yet ready to embrace the radical changes that can save them and it is only prudent to accept these changes to filter into the minds and hearts of the public gradually.
And if Tuju will indeed by President Kibaki's running mate, then it means that Raila's running mate in ODM would have to be a Kikuyu. Would Uhuru Kenyatta accept such a position?
Thinking totally in terms of a peaceful election, because the forthcoming general elections with the usual suspects still running is hardly the sort of scenario worth any Kenyan losing their life or being injured, then this balance would eliminate any negative campaigning or opening up of old wounds which would bring chaos.
Of course the best way to avoid it all is for ODM to opt for Kalonzo as their presidential candidate or to go for a compromise candidate in somebody like Musalia Mudavadi.
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What an imaginative post Chris albeit naive. If you thought that Tuju would be Kibaki's running mate then you better water your imagination to retain its fertility. Kenyan politics is all about me, I and myself (with cramps for my sycophantic tribesmen).
ReplyDeleteYou need not be a rocket scientist to see that Tuju is used as a stop gap to cool tempers as the powers that be create a smoke screen while regrouping for the untitimate arsenal. The ethnicized Kenyan politics makes Tuju's value be absolutely zero except being used as a facade i firefighting.
Tuju's elevation to chair NK is another proof of how much things remain the same as much as they appear to change. The party of flowers have done what Kenyans poltical parties and pliticians do best, cobble up tribal coalision packaged as regional balance.
The flower party has literally measured to its plastic nature of being a blossoming weed. What value to you gain by indivisibly decomposing assistant treasurership to such grandiose but menaingless subs as strategy, operations et al? This makes the rudderless ODM lok like a political saint, doesn't it?
All the changes apperaring on the political scene are disguised mirages. Our politics and nation is held hostage to outdated ideologies premised on tribal jingoism. The dinosaurs we have as leaders are driving us to abyss and cleverly ropping us in in their evil schemes. We will surely rue our folly very soon as we shout ourselves hoarse with unwarranted tribal bile against fellow countrymen. The predicted violence and propaganda only goes a step further to prove our vulrenability to political herd mentality. Oh poor Kenya and its contents!
He he Taabu, go easy on us please. You must be one serious linguistic expert, English lit teacher?
ReplyDeleteHow will political parties exist without people? Dont these people originate from tribes? Who will make up these parties if not Luos, Kukuyus, Kisiis, Maasais, etc? How should political parties be created then?
I dont see anything wrong with Tuju's Chairmanship and dont want to speculate what reasons could behind it. However, I agree with you, what the flower party is attempting to do is regional balancing, something that Moi tried to do with the new Kanu in 2002 and failed miserably. Phobia of elections? You bet!
The president must identity with this party now rather than later, and grassroots elections must be carried-out immediately in the most transparent manner, afterwhich the flower party will be able to claim to be a national party and ultimately face a united ODM.
My take is that because the flower party is in essence the "ruling party" then it has more to loose than ODM incase none of them conducts transparent grassroot polls and nominations.
By the way, in the history of independent Kenya - I dont recall any political party conducting successful grassroot elections. Do you?
Well, Tuju's appointment like every other one in the country was done with some political considerations. The idea is to have Narc Kenya led by people from areas perceived to be hostile to the new party.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I must point to the fact that tuju's appointment is not special. At least it is not the first one of its kind. The chairmanship has been a merry go round sort of thing. We had Kibwana, Mukhisa, Kamama and now Tuju. It is important for people to think outside their small orbits of trying to associate everything with an individual. Are u telling me Kibwana's appointment meant Kalonzo was the most popular ODMer at the time? How about Beth Mugo's, was Uhuru the most likely to clinch the ticket at that time? Was Musalia's likelihood of winning the odm ticket the reason Mukhisa was appointed charman? Was Kamama's apointment linked to Ruto's prospects? Wake up man, there is more to kenya's politics than raila Odinga. He is a key political player in Kenya but he is not the only player in the field. ODM has solid support in Nyanza and that's the reason Narc Kenya is trying to give itself a face there. It has nothing to do with Raila's being "most likely to clinch the ODM nomination"
Narc Kenya has been having rotating chairmanship. I am not sure the vice presidency will be rotational too. I means if tuju's appointment means he is being groomed to be vp, how about the chairmanships of Kibwana, beth Mugo Asman Kamama and Mukhisa Kituyi. It clearly means Tuju is special for some reason, doesnt it?
If that is what narc K has in mind then i would call myself a better political schemer than all of them. Who doesnt see the fact that Tuju's and Kibwana's terms as members of parliament are expiring in 7 months time? You do not make a nominated MP VP unless you are Idd Amin. If you have some respect for the supreme law of the land then that is something u do not want to do.
One more question for Chris and your two bearded sisters, what makes you think anything said against Raila Odinga is the old propaganda targeting luos. What makes you believe there is so much to say against the persons of Kalonzo, Kibaki and others and absolutely nothing to say about raila Odinga. When people refuse to back the horse you are riding, u resort to the tired line of "They dont like Raila because he is Luo". The other day one of your bearded sisters even claimed that I hate Raila because he is "Luo and incircumcised". We are trying to make every debate here tribal free and you keep reminding us of non issues. The focus should be what lurks above the neck and not below the belt if i may quote Professor Wangari maathai. We have enough issues with Raila Odinga just as u and your crew have isues with kalonzo and Kibaki. U should stop looking for sympathy by dragging the name of a community in all your arguments. That is not going to change anyone, at least not me.
I agree with Vikii's that this blog is getting more tribal and less level-headed analysis as time goes. Let's hope CHris does not turn it to another rcbowen
ReplyDelete“Hi Taabu” are you a comic or what?
ReplyDelete“water your imagination to retain its fertility” ?? No sense here. Perhaps don’t add water??!!
“plastic nature (elasticity- as in to extend but remain the same molecularly) of being a blossoming weed (growth albeit unwanted. You know addition of molecules)” : Double no sense.
“indivisibly decomposing” to separate in small parts with intent to diminish effects when whole…. essentially the opposite of compose. Whew!! let us kill this tree by cutting of all its branches then by cutting the stem.
“treasurership” Not a word.
“disguised mirages” WHAT??? Same as saying “wet rain”. Non sense to the power of ten.
“driving us to ‘the’ abyss and cleverly roping us in their evil schemes” Ha Ha Ha. Repetition. Same as saying: “ I’m eating and feeding myself” or more at home with you: “they are killing us and taking our lives” Ha Ha Ha
My advice, keep the Thesaurus closed when writing.
All very hilarious. From painting ever-bleaker images of Kenya that is definitely NOT the place I know, grew up in and love (if I were to believe 'Chris' and his crew, I'd think there would be civil war every day following his post), to peddling tribalism for selfish gain.....
ReplyDeleteAnd then some...Taabu trying to impress us with his 'knowledge' of the English language, and ending up getting a lesson instead.A very informative political blog indeed, but do I say!
Phil: You told it as it is. What would Chris prefer we do;abolish tribes? Pretend I am not Kikuyu-you might as well forget it! We are diverse, and we'd better be proud of it.Celebrate your Luo- or Kamba- or Ogiekness. If you hold an enviable position, surround yourself with people of a different culture of language.
To Chris: Clearly this is not enough. I'll give you a basic lesson, we could all it Siasa mia moja na moja:Politics is a career, and its what politicians do. Its also a game, mostly of numbers.If someone is making attempts at playing better, great! I've personally come to the conclusion that you will always find something to complain about, and you will criticize even the best of ideas as long as they don't serve your own purposes. I think you are one of the people who especially gifted to bring improvements through criticism (sorry I called it bitching in my other comments). I'll bet you one shilling that no matter who wins in this year's election, you will still be complaining.If the sum of it all is good for Kenya, do it, and take pride in it.
Proud Kikuyu woman!
Bw Anonymous swell the coffee and address the issues raised istead of disguising envy in criticism. You must never lynch the messanger. Give it to Taabu, the guys has away with words and you only fault him to expose your delicate underbelly.
ReplyDeleteA first year in lingustics will tell you that the English language has its dynamics and purposes. There is more to language engeneering tahn mere lessons is basic semantics. You miss the boat by a river by being vindictive and petty in offering lesson that nobody asked for. Keep your excitement to cheap criticisms to yourself instead of populating a blog of serious discource. By the way only write with a Thesaurus next to you to expose your naivity and imaturity in using Queen's language. Walk the talks and save us cheap tirages. Long live Kenya.
anon..No one is lynching any messengers. I’m sure Taabu has a sense of humor and would dislike you for terming him a mere messenger.
ReplyDeleteYou on the other hand, are either a groupie or a roadie. Either way, you overwhelmingly scream nothing….esp. issues.
As far as a blog of serious discourse, you are right, I take seriously all the intercourse related postings (no offence Chris; just trying to teach a lesson) such as the genital cutting surgeon. How about the propensity of men to have multiple partners?
The most confusing thing about you is the fact that you somehow squeezed in “long live Kenya”…HOW????
Hi Anonymous x 2. Thanks for great efforts chaps but a basic lesson won't hurt, or will it? Never abrogate yourself responsibilities you don't have or more succintly don't deserve. Never, I repeat never, try to explain what is written by somebody else.
ReplyDeleteWithout the benefit nor hindsight of intonation or facial expression you can only infer but statistical inference is premised on probability whose forte is lackof precision.
Your unsolicited attempts unfortunately fell flat (as their propensity wont to do) on their faces. They only succeeed in painting your otherwise beautiful posterior as amere appendage onlyy meant to securely separate your ears on its either side. Due respect and keep your Thasaurus company, good riddence to .......