Why some Kalenjin politicians are now fleeing UDA. Shocking | Kenya news

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Tom Mboya’s Birthday: A Mere Coincidence?

Here is something really shocking, when you think about what has been happening in this blog over the last few houyrs.

In a few hours time it will be August 15th. Tom Mboya’s birthday.

Had this Kenyan hero lived he would have been 77, a year older than President Kibaki and 3 years younger than Vice President Moody Awori.

If it were possible for people to celebrate their birthdays in the grave, this birthday would have been the happiest and most memorable for TJ, as his friends called him. What would have made him happiest is that his younger son (just 21 months old when he was gunned down in Nairobi that fateful July lunch time in 1969, has come of age and shown the same courage he himself showed in challenging the mighty British government. A government that just 5 years earlier in 1952, had crushed the Mau Mau land uprising with such ruthlessness that somebody would have to be out of their minds to dare challenge them.

Tom would also have no doubt been deeply intrigued that...

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Incase you missed it, read the open letter from Marianne Briner to Njoroge Mungai.

37 comments:

  1. Anybody who is genuinely interested in a genuine new beginning for Kenya should help make the setting up of a Truth and Reconciliation commission, a major campaign issue.

    No matter how dark our past as a nation is, we must face it and resolve it to be able to face the future and I am afraid there are no short cuts here.

    We Kenyans love short cuts and we love to ignore the past to our detriment. Look what it did to the Kibaki administration?

    -Kumekucha-

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  2. Lucas, are you about to announce your candidature for some parliamentary seat? Might you be the mystery Kumekucha presidential candidate that went for further studies? Did you change your mind after tuition fees became exorbitant (just a joke)? If so, unleash the breaking news. When, where and which party? Not in anyway suggesting that your emergence here is preparatory work, but I think your indulgence in the thick of politics may provide access to classified files and some resolutions. All these mysteries are hidden under the ivory king-size bed on the second floor of State House; room number 2B……just follow the red carpet. From what I’ve heard from State House workers, the springy sounds of that bed have not been heard for ages; which would mean the secrets are safe underneath (not a joke).
    With name recognition, obvious zeal and the pressure to carryon a legacy, you might actually turn out to be a great candidate. Sometimes healing comes from completing unfinished work. I’ve got a campaign slogan for you; Ukweli Sasa!!!

    Chris, your propagation of MB and her uncanny ability to provide insights to the felling of our hero might be somewhat misplaced. Where exactly was she when TJ went down? True question, I really don’t know. I plead ignorance to her proximity to such details. If in fact, the information she’s providing here is truly regurgitated secrets from ex-powerful friends, are you willing to continue providing her 100% credibility? Will you personally take full responsibility if (when) it turns out that she’s been feeding us is delicious donkey bait laced with vengeful deceit? Since there’s no way we (including you) can fully ascertain her stories as fact, is it prudent that you collectively diminish us by suggesting that she’s done more for Kenya than all of us…..combined? When you publish such stories from shoddy characters and hawk them as biblical truth, do you not see the risk of relegating Mboya’s mystery to tabloid status?

    Chris, it’s plausible that MB might indeed be the real deal; the key to this conundrum. However, with your popularity, have you really given due diligence to finding and convincing Kenyans in the ‘real know’ to provide their take on this murder mystery? Lucas is the first right step.

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  3. my friend kalamari. Now that I have made your acquaintance. No i doubt Im the one Chris had in mind. i have to many flaws to be of much use at this time. Nevertheless. I do want to get into politics (policies not tribalism) but my nature and upbringing hinder me from being as effective as i would have liked. I do have a crystal clear agenda for Suba district and Mbita my constituency but Luos are more concerned with partisan politics and 'bada mapambano, bado mapanbano' than whether they have food on their table. Its really tiring. Any concrete suggestions for me? I need both financial and technical support. But even more so moral support. its really disheartening to see ones own community focus on what will inevitably fail to make any consitent and substantial improvement in their standard of living. lucas

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  4. God help us all. I smell a giant rodent. It appears we were all packed onto a cushioned roller coaster that is eventually docking at the shore. Finally the chicken have come home to roast, or aren't they. I pray that we don't disturb the souls and peace of those in the other word only to turn obtusely expedient. Lucas you ought to be smarter than that. Kalamari has intelligently smoked you out and you know what? Brother you are out lined in the streets to dry. Welcome to Kenya's version of deception smartly packaged as demand for justice.

    Brother, you have inadvertently invited all and sundry to cast away their sensitivity-scented gloves. And believe you me Kenyans never disappoint on such arenas. So you dare berate your dad's (I fear you are alien there) community that much? And you expect their votes bro? At 39 you ought to know better Luka. Politics is no sunday service and I doubt your psychological ppreparedness here. It starts with perception and formulating modalities to actualize dreams. Tell us more otherwise you have unknowingly opened the flootgates na ole wako (not threatening).

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  5. You can't find this level of thinking or powwow with any of our current crop of politicians in parliament today;
    In any nation on the face of this planet,its absolutely great when mwananchi begin to demand accountability on the part of their lawmakers; sustained pressure to make them answerable for all their actions and time spent in their duty to country is one way democracy can be practised at the you&me level-so a campaign for Kenya to reconcile her hurtful past is welcome, even if it may flop and fall flat on its face. the goal is absolutely worth it

    We are by no means the first or last truth seekers to try this in independent Kenya-till date, the families of all politically assassinated kenyans know not the meaning of "no stones unturned"; neither is there Govt. will to try and turn said stones. But now through Lucas Mboya we know for sure that just because we may not be aware doesn't mean the victims families have forgotten
    Same goes for the 1992&1997 land-clashes unsettled kenyans-they also have their story to tell
    one question remains-are kenyans ready for truth&reconciliation(Bwana Derek the docile issue arises again)?
    ...let the massacare from yesterday's comments guide your answer...

    JUSTICE BE OUR SHIELD-FAILING THAT GO ADMIRE THE ECONOMY

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  6. Lucas, I will also call you 'my friend'. You have won me bro. You see Chris is so full of political crap that I associated most of what he said here about your late father with his never ending propaganda. I am sorry I was finding the debate about your late father sickening and I have said just as much in this blog severally. I take back my words. Something just hit my heart now and I kinda felt close to what u feel about the whole saga.

    I was born almost fifteen years after your father died. Information about him is scanty in Kenya and that combined with the longevity of his absence, I never went the extra mile to research on him. That's something I am seriously considering now. I am foolishly and annoyingly honest: I read 'Not Yet Uhuru' at the age of thirteen and when I combined it with my primary school History I immediately formed a negative opinion about your father.I saw him as a sellout and this is a group of people I dont like. I will be lying to you if I told u I would go for your father at the expense of Oginga Odinga. In my opinion Odinga was more honest. Your endevour has however brought an inexplicable awakening in me. Your father may have been cleared out of the way so people could indulge in shoddy deals. Again I am feeling guilty for the disinterest I have shown. God will surely bring everyone involved in that 'deal' to book if man cant. Count me as one of those wishing you all the best Lucas.

    However i will point out one thing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having political ambitions (I have burning ones myself). However as my brother Mwalimu Taabu has told u, people will question the timing of your involvement in this(Your dad's revelation)and your response to Kalamari's curiosity. They will be right in questioning that and dont lose your cool. U gotta explain yourself.

    Having said that, kwa sababu umeamua kuwa mwana siasa kama mimi, wacha tuongee mambo ya wanasiasa sasa. Dont bother with Nyanza, they live in a different world from yours. They are comfortable with cartoonistic musicians like Kajwang. Come to Nairobi brother. Dagoretti constituency or Kasarani are ideal. Kamukunji would have been good but Lumumba is not bad either. If you choose Dagoretti, you have to talk to Kibaki who will then nominate beth Mugo in place of Betty tett who will be an elected mp. That's a deal that is strickable. I wouldnt do that though. Any deals should involve the peolple and that's why Kasarani should be the most natural choice for you. Dont join any of the five big parties. Join sisi kwa sisi, nyinyi kwa nyinyi or something close to that. With my prayers and those of other Kenyans u will win. I will be happy for you Lucas and hopefully u will be better placed to continue with the war you have started. I bless you my friend.

    I am pointing out something else and this goes to the babaric political opportunists. Tom Mboya's debate should be about a honest and selfless cause. The man will turn in his grave if anybody used his gruesome murder for some extremely narrow political ends. Let's put our money wherer our mouths are.

    I will attend your swearing in ceremony Lucas and I am no kidding. A good stepping stone for the presidency and a chance to fix all the mess.

    And to those cry babies who feel people like me like to 'oppress' the luos: He joins that club of hitherto two luo politicians I hold above all other politicians. He's actually replaced Lumumba as my number two. Lumumba drops down. Did u ask who the first one is? Jimmy Orengo any day.

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  7. 'Hon' brother Vikii kila heri. You are one GENIUS brother to have been able to READ and DECIPHER Not Yet Uhuru at the age of 13. At that age most were reading Mr and Mrs Kamau. All the same you never disappoint and that revelation gives me plenty of insight about your persona and take on numerous issues.

    So you ADVISE Luka to go to Kasarani na wewe? Urge him on he may nominate you latter when the going goes tough for you. Meanwhile you still have a decade and half to qualify to run for prezzo, ama? God speead and good luck people.

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  8. Taabu 'Not Yet Uhuru' was given to me by my English teacher in primo. That was in 1995. His name was Mr. Murage and I am in constant touch with him even todate. He was our debate patron and a very close friend of my dad then. I however read it in 1996 after writing my KCPE. I had a lot of time and after going through almost a hundred Weekly Review old copies, I plunged in it. A very interesting read if u ask me. I even temporarily adopted the name Ng'ong'a Molo coz I thought it kinda heroic to tell a white man it feels better calling your sons Ng'ong'a Molo Oburu and Rayila Amolo than Charles or Taabu. Or better still telling Edward Carey Francis you prefer Mr. Odinga to Mr. Adonijah. Why was he not called Mr. Edward himself? Hata sisi tuna mababa baby!

    My dream wil remain top secret now. It is however in rural ukambani.Chris may antagonize it with his increasily influential blog.

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  9. Taabu. Heres the deal. Firstly, yes I do dare to berate my own community. And I will do so again and again. The facts remain that Luos time and time again to my chagrin have demonstrated that they (as a rule) are more concerned with petty politics than the real issues of economic empowerment. Take Nyanza in the 60,' an economic powerhouse and a head of the country in education health etc. Look at it now? Many will have you believe that this is all due to neglect from successive Governments. Rubbish. Its because of the culture of handouts that pervades the region. In Nyanza today politics and handouts go hand in hand and that is an inescapable and undeniable fact. this is what is regressing Nyanza. The cry baby attitude that Governemts are against us. So they may be, so what. Arent we innovative enough to find ways around it. But we need quality leaders and quality leaders are those who call things the way the are not the way thats comfortable. If all I wanted to be was to be in Parliamnet whats to stop me from sucking up to Raila and heaping praise on my community and then reaping the handsome rewards without doing a thing. Unfortunately thats not my style. the same Luo leaders are the ones who had hatched a plan to sell our very own lake to foreigners???

    I have a five year and ten year development plan for Suba District and Mbita constituency that has taken me four years and mucho money as well as consultancy fees to develop. This includes a comprehensive budget and proposals for new bills and constitutional amendments to facilitate the same. And Im not even an MP! Show me one who has even close to this and i will find you some fairies in the bottom of your garden. Are you getting the picture. My goal would not be to play politics but to re invent it. So that is works and becomes about policies their improvement and implementation. The Raila and Kibaki bashing that goes on simply wastes the collective energy of the whole country.

    Such approaches can only be self degfeatist. Everyone wants power but who can tell us what they will do with it when they get it?

    I was a founder member of NARC. I sat on the NARC council. I was in the NARC strategic planning sub committee in the run up to the last election. I can state categorically that against the prevailing attitude I argued for everyone to join one party and abandon the idea of an alliance. Myself and Ngengi Muigai were shot down several times when we brought the suggestion to meetings. Yet finally what happened. They agreed. It was I who came up with the idea of a position paper for revamping the economy. Why. Because that would be something that the Moi camp could not do. They had destroyed the economy so a position paper of their own to say how to resore it would be a joke. these are some of the strong selling points that brought NARC to Government. They may have reneged on some of them but I have another up my sleeve already and that is that the platform for the next election is best fought on a position paper on the redistribution of income. The parties that can best demonstrate this will be best placed to win.

    Back to the Luo angle. I may have been 'smoked out'. So what? Smoked out, walked out, come out, whats the difference. I have political ambitions, I have always had. But that cannot overshadow my drive for the truth and a truh and reconcilliation commission. In any case the two can run concurrently i see no problem with that. I used to but am no longer susceptible to the perception of society. Whether i am liked or not, percieved as good or bad, brave or a coward i dont care. I just get on with my life and do what i have to do. Those who can accept me do so, those who cant dont have to. But i dont back down on what I think is true. A raila presidency will not help or hinder the Luos. The Luos are to raila simply a ticket to state house and thats if. I, for one am nobodys pawn. If Raila becomes the president them he will be the president of kenya, not of Nyanza, Luos dont seem to think of this. And In any case among the elite Luos who support him their main raeson for doing so is to get influential jobs and perks in return. This is a fact. I mingle with them. How is this different from the current administration? No president can simply take all GOK monies and use a petty cash for his community? Its not sustainable. Luos will be in for a rude wakening if Agwambo becomes president because he will simply tell them to get up and work and improve their lot using the same methods and procedures that are available to them today. This feeling that suddenly there will be food on the table and plenty of money going round is utopian. I promise you it wont happen. We (Luos) just have to be more independent (of our leaders) and equally innovative and we will soon have a bouncing economy in Nyanza. Sitting around waiting for handouts wont do the trick. You know what I have learnt in this brief life of mine. The biggest drawback to a man achieving what he wants to is 'fear' Specifically, fear of failure (fear of being wrong). What about a person who no longer fears making mistakes. Now that person is truly free. He can do whatever he wants and his chances of success are very high. I tell people that one of my goals is to de mystyify Luos of the Odinga hold over them. 95% tell me its impossible. Thats exactly why I will succeed. I have nothing against raila or his family. But neither do I have anything for them. In so far as I believe that their type of leadership and that of the Luos leaders at this time is against the economic interests of the community, then I will oppose their kind of leadership at any cost. Its that simple.

    Lucas

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  10. somebody is talking now!!! phil where at thou?

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  11. Go, Lucas, go!And I mean all the way to State House. You are MY hero! You are the only Luo here who has not used your tribe's or dad's name as a weapon for personal reasons. I'll keep this short lest I ramble out of topic.

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  12. Now this is getting really interesting. My opinion is that mtoto wa nyoka ni nyoka. So Lucas' brand of politics will never go well in Nyanza just like his dad's did not. Which should not really be surprising.

    Why don't you guys support Lucas for Kamukunji, his dad's old stronghold?

    Lumumba has got some skeletons in his closet (ask guys who went to campus with him). And Pius Mwiru will have a problem with the significant muslim influence now in this constituency.

    -Kumekucha-

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  13. By the way I have received numerous positive comments about the funeral videos in this post. I am surprised so many people did not view them the last time I posted them.

    I hope I am not jumping the gun here, but I have a suggestion.

    Would you guys like me to do a brief serialization of Tom Mboya's life in this blog again? One post daily, so that everybody understands a little more about Lucas' dad. I know most of you don't trust me, but can you trust me when I say it is importat for Kenya to understand so that we can understand the way forward a little more clearer?

    Just a thought. The verdict is with you, the people.

    -Kumekucha-
    P.S. I think about 9 posts (each, not too long should do it)

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  14. Well articulates Luka and you remain the master of your own destiny. But hey, come to think of it and read your post again. You points are VERY VALID buts smacks off an element of chest thumbing and disguised vegeance. The adage INSPIRATION AND AMBITION IS OFTEN ACTUALIZED IN COMPLETING UNFINISHED BUSINESS. Go Luka.

    Thanks for the insight on your involvement in NARC. Few people are that privilaged. Come to think the grandiose program must be implented and on earth not in the air. You may be a chip off the old block or simply being carried away with eloquence bro. That is not to BERATE you but to have you counter check your facts.

    You appear to start on point of misinformation packaged as modern thinking. There is more to informed opinio than a catalogue to newspaper rants, ama? It may be the rave but how far playing to the gallery takes chaps like you.. Well age and experience (no intimidation) should tell me otherwise. Reminds me of the cat fights in primary school when the dume would be cheered on for the sheer benefit of entertainment.

    We often point fingers with the majority of the digits pointing at yourself. On my e-cop role, I just feared that your introduction to this blog camouphlaged the real intentions. Are you vindicating this? Brother I know you are not naive and urge you to follow your heart. But the caveat: IT IS NO WALK IN THE PARK. Your dad and OO had their primitive version of supremacy fights but if you want a total break from that past, chart yours instead of submitting yourself to reasoning by displacement and substitution. Play to the gallary if you must but own it first.

    Fulfil your desire but premising it on attacking others is the surest recipe to amargedom. Make no mistake brother, I am not employing reverse logic here. I want you to succeed except you need to be armed not with plastic slogans like ukweli sasa. You package as position papers is not new. You mere re-inventing the old wheel. Ever heard of glittering blue prints and way forwards. Chaps have done it before and pretending to heard a whole community as petty is not only inteelectual arrogance but your Achilles heels. So there you go bring them on and the gallery offer deafening claps.

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  15. Lucas, I certainly do not agree with your sentiments as regards your description of the Luo community.

    There are so many other parts and tribes of Kenya that are poorer and more marginalised than (Luo) Nyanza, but I would not attribute their status to their 'brand of politics'.

    Secondly, your choice of words, ie. culture of handouts, in describing the Luo leaves a lot to be desired. People do not choose to be born poor, but they certainly have a right to choose who will be their political leaders. That is democracy. Just recently on national tv, we witnessed peasants from GG Kariuki's constituency fight viciously over a cash donation the MP had handed over to them. You ought to go on the ground to realise that life is not a bed of roses for majority of Kenyans be they in Nyanza or elsewhere.

    According to my little dictionary, "handout" is defined as "money or goods that are given to someone, for example because they are poor" . Do you have any facts to prove that political leaders in Nyanza owe their positions to handouts or this is what people living in Luo Nyanza have been surviving on?

    Raila, as a politician and a son of a Kenyan nationalist, has his own political and reform credentials in Kenya. Maybe I ought to do a little research to establish what your credentials are, as a wannabe politician and son of a Kenyan nationalist, before I can comment your post or even the 'development plan' you have prepared for Suba district.

    I think the picture is wider than you want us to believe. For that reason, I can only offer you moral support until the day comes when the country will revamp the constitution that your dad and his colleagues put in place at independence. This is primarily the reason, amongst others, that this generation finds itself in the quagmire you are describing.And until that it done, am afraid you wont achieve much with your development plan.

    PS. Chris, My opinion about your query is that, unless you have a new thing to report, like naming the killer of TJ, you have a archive existing in this blog and all you have to do is to create a Tom Mboya link for those who want refresh. You may also insert another link to TJs website. I say this because you might end up wasting valuable blog space and time, especially now that we are approaching the last quarter to the general elections. Thats my opinion.

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  16. Much appreciate the comments from phil and Taabu. Bottom line is i have my perception and you have yours. so be it. I call things exactly as i see them. As for my credentials, i dont have any. and if i did and posted them here would'nt that be construed as chest thumping? for what? Neither am i interested in them. Credentials mean exactly nothing. As you can see from all the credentials our current and past leaders have and the mess were in. Competence is not measured by credentials alone but ultimately by what is achieved by them. Im not in the least bit intimidated by anyone, politician or otherwise. Im sure thats why I come across as arrogant but I plead that this is not the case. I have a tremendous amount of respect for all of you on this blog, including the much reviled MB simply for the reason that today I may be cursing her (or someone else)and tommorow doing the same. Im no angel, and just as jesus said, 'he who has done no wrong cast the first stone'. Even as we argue I learn from You. Do not think for a second that any comment you have made has skipped my attention. I will internalize everything. But until i have done so it would be hasty for me to engage any of you in a war of words until i have fully appreciated your respective stands. I just see not reason to defer to anyone unless i can follow their line of reasoning. As far as Im concerned the only credentials that matter in kenya are a genuine desire to do the right things as a patriot for the greater benefit of kenya. To that end a child is just as capable as an old man or woman. And i defy you or anyone else to demonstrate that i dont have that? And if im chest thumping then let that be my problem after all it is I who will fail and not any of you. and if im eloquent then I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I dont even have a degree. Nevertheless. I see where your coming from. We have a difference in opinion. Sooner or later I guess we will all see the outcome of todays politics. So lets be patient. Its just a matter of time and we'll know who was right or wrong

    lucas

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  17. Phil one more small issue. Yes as Kenyans ( and Luos) we, they, everyone has full rights to choose their political leaders. Similary we have full rights to pay a heavy price if we choose the wrong ones, and sometimes that price is poverty.

    Lucas

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  18. I'm not surprised that's the only package Taabu and Phil could put together for Lucas. Lucas, once you attempt to swim against the current, you can always predict the results. My only question is; where were these gentlemen when Chris published stark anti-Kikuyu tribalistic posts here? Taabu, I will never forget this line..."this tribe is the majority even in mortuaries...".Too bad once you get words out, you can never take them back, even by saying that you take them back.

    Now that I've been learning more about TJ, I'm not surprised that he did not win the trust of his tribesmen and women. What makes a nationalist, though? Lucas do you honestly think you've got a shot at Suba? This year? I bet you'd be better off in Eldoret, where you grew up. But then again, you are not 'one of us' in Eldoret. Nairobi, then. Only I don't know where because I am a secret disciple of PLO and personally don't care if he has skeletons in his closet (what happened to the politics of the cracked pot?)I have several in my closet. As far as I'm concerned, PLO should be thinking State House. He is much like his namesake Lumumba of Congo, another of my heroes. Because if any man knows Kenya, PLO is that man. I think Muiru will in this life be more productive preaching hope to the Kenyan masses than in anything else.

    'Chris', I agree with Phil above. We are in Mid-August, elections are in December so I think we should do pure politics here. But NO, don't use Mboya as a campaign tool. To answer the question on this post's headline; No, its not mere coincidence that you posted the TJ stuff here as a lead-up to his birthday. The most 'coincidental' one one is where post somethin, hurry to make a comment suggesting a "...social gathering, nothing more..." for Kumekuchans, and before we are done reading the last comment, you-know-who has offered themselves as a referee, and is already a guest posting a love letter to a former flame and organizing for visas for people to fly to Spain.... no wait lets make it Switzerland.

    But yes, I think a truth and reconciliation committee would be great for Kenya, as Koigi wa Wamwere suggested ages ago. But not for selfish political gains. We must NEVER use it to play saints and garner votes as that will lead not to healing but to revenge and deeper wounds. Your strategy for having one before the general elections leeks of nothing but that. I suggest we wait till after the elections.

    Its very convenient to have us believe that your Ukweli Sasa slogan coincidentally comes up only few months to the elections. Its also a naive political strategy.

    Have you noticed that lately, you are first in posting your comments on your own opinions?

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  19. Taabu, wataka kuleta vita papa hapa sasa hivi? My questions were genuine with no intention of blowing anybody out of the water.

    Lucas, I think the way forward for you is rectifying that culture of yours that you so much ‘rightly’ despise than let’s say a run for the Mbita seat…at least not this time around…. esp. with anti-Raila sentiments. Maybe you should look at 2012 or beyond as you patiently wait for Odingaism to wane (kila kitu kina mwisho). Until then, your concentration should be in the villages of Mbita…..schooling chaps on the fallacy of Odingaism and handouts. You have a little over five years so get on with it.

    If you insist on running this year, then you must wet your palate and prepare to quench your thirst with a generous swig of anointing oil from the chalice of Agwambo. Calm down and don’t spit, it’s just politics. The only question is how much are you willing to sacrifice to attain your dream of delivering Mbitans from handout reliance? How about your integrity? Pride? Money? All you need to do is pull a Tujuistic move, and Mbita is saved.
    If you choose to remain headstrong and go against the grain, you will find yourself right here on this blog come 2008. Truth be told.

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  20. Ha ha Kalamari. Then you will find me right here come 2008.

    Lucas

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  21. to PKW: I must disappoint your stakes on me: - no invitation, no party, no visas - no Spain or Switzerland ............. I think, you all have your own places to 'celebrate' !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    MB

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  22. i'm sure the blogger who commented yesterday saying they don't know anything about Tom Mboya and don't care to know either must have quit the readership of Kumekucha by now, especially with Chris proposal to re-serialise the life &times of the late MP again; long live the backdoor (i thought this blog was losing readership-i never got those statistics sent to me by that other anonymous 1 month ago by the way)

    Could Kumekucha become a type and shadow of a training ground for future leaders of Kenya where they can learn to politic on the real issues of the day and campaign on the same to get them elected into office?Lucas may just be one such case in point

    Need i say it again?i hope i turn not into an intellectual parasite as per coaching from my Mwalimu Taabu but i repeat with added emphasis; Lucas, Vikii and any other 2012 political contenders have absolutely NOTHING to learn from anyone currently sitting in parliament unless its how to rob a country blind 101. So go ahead and refuse to bow to Raila, Kibaki or anyone else. The pied pipers are soon beginning to go out of tune

    You will be surprised how willing Kenyans will be to overlook political inexperience and novice in exchange for character and stupid proofness.
    Whether you fail or not is not the point-start from somewhere and set of the chain reaction. There are others just waiting in the wings to identify fellow birds of a feather(John Githongo are you listening)
    This is how revolutions are born-but anyway the economy is growing so no one under 30 is bothered about politics anymore

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  23. Lucas- by that I presume you are going for the Mbita seat without passing through the smoke filled two door hut; with Raila’s chair in the middle. Well good luck chief and keep us posted.
    I cant help but ask you to donate 80% of your campaign money to some children’s home or something close.

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  24. Kalamari. 'the less you owe, who or what you are, to any outside influence. The better you can funtion.

    I bow only to GOD. and i can live with the consequences.

    Lucas

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  25. I'm finding it hard to believe Lucas is only 39. Why did you keep all this wisdom to yourself for so long? Do you have your own blog, a book perhaps?

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  26. PKW. I am embarassed to say. I do have a blog but its a pretty pathetic one. the purpose of it is to unite kenyans by encouraging them to travel as much as they can in their own country. I believe that the only way we can put tribalism behind us it to visit places we normally would not, for instance, as a luo, visit meru Embu etc, or as a kalenjin vist coast province and not just mombasa but the smaller places, Kwale, taveta etc. The more we know about other peoples culture, beliefs and so on the more we identify with them and the less tribalism grips us. My blog is basically a pictorial of kenya (but i have hardly worked on i so...) I will do more but its nothing like Mr Chris' Kumekucha. I of course mainatin the TJ site. www.tommboya.com. My blog is www.kenyatogether.blogspot.com. Im flatterd by your comments but i will try not to let that get to my head otherwise i could be in for a funky fall.

    Lucas

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  27. Thanks Lucas. I took a sneak peak and liked what I saw. Will be back with comments - won't spare you if I defer!
    Please post more.

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  28. No worries. PKW. I'll keep trying. the text may be convoluted but the pics are fantastic. Incidentally I read this in todays nation. May i draw the attention of those who have been posting to some of my previous comments on the lack of seriousness of some politicians. nation page 9 today (16 August 2007)The issue of the low water level in Lake Victoria came up in parliament. Ignoring the obvious reasons, Massive Deforestation of Mara, Mau Forest, Nandi hills and kakamega forests catchment areas (one of the largest catchment areas for Lake Victoria and of utmost importance to the level of Sondu Muriu river) and Global warming, Ochola Ogur sugests that Government should investigate possible leakage from the bottom of the lake. 'What about the Government instituting investigations to find out whether there could be a leakage on the floor of the lake'????? Wow. Thats really deep. Apart from the fact that its the most implausible reason for the low lake levels (all lakes in rift valley are at their lowest levels as well, maybe their all leaking)How exactly would this be investigated??? Any suggestions...anyone?

    Lucas

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  29. Lucas, Just for the heck of it, lakes actually do leak…..esp. those on fault lines. Believe you me, one day will wake up to an empty lake basin. While its highly unlikely, is it possibly that Ogurs’ contribution to the debate was, while making light of the matter, an attempt to excite a rather ‘boring’ subject…. thereby eliciting solutions such as concern for deforestation/global warming etc?
    That said, is it plausible that the dangerous water levels are directly related to the failures of Kibakis’ and Mois’ environment preservation agendas? What’s the job of these ministries? At what point is an MP expected to formulate policies that will save a lake shared by a number of countries? Where are the professionals?
    Whereas I fully agree that our MPs are impotent in service delivery, I think some of our problems are related to failures of the entire administration and government structures. Issues like housing in Kibera; we have a housing ministry. Clean water in Kisumu city; ministry of water etc.
    If in any way you were to suggest that part of an MPs job is lobby these ministries until pipes are installed in Kisumu or roads are built in Juja, then I would say, please let us stop this culture of government HAND OUTS. Every citizen has a right to swim in an overflowing Lake Victoria. If indeed there’s a slow puncture at the bottom, the ministry of natural resources/water etc must be held accountable, not Mr. Ogur and the rest of the Raila sycophants. What do you think?

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  30. I think that even if lakes do actually leak and cause the shrinkage, our priority should not be to investigate what we cannot control NOW. Instead, we should use the resources for re-afforestation and the preservation of whats left of the catchment areas.If we still have some money, we can call in the experts to cement the lake floor and prevent further leakage.

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  31. Kalamari. Thanks. I guess lakes can leak as you have pointed out. But i still believe the ultimate responsibility lies with the legislators in affected regions. The reason i say this is that while i agree government Has the technical expertise and (should) have the resources one cannot say government has failed so tough luck. Step in as a legislator. Make noise legislate fm whatever it takes. Ultimately the loser will be the people regardless of where one wants to law the blame. For instance. Im still doing some research on this so give me the benefit of doubt, wd all know fishermen on the lake get a raw deal. The brokers and processors rip them off. They do the bulk of the work but take minimal value added. Fisherman about 15% for all his input. And hes the poorest im the chain. In the eu where 65% of the fish ends up the value added between wholesaler and retailer is 65%. Does this make sense? Why foot legislator from the region introduce a 'collective bargaining bill' or its equivalent and or an amendment to an existing bill that will force the eu to cede some of their value added to the poor fisherman. Its just a matter of getting our priorities right. If anyone is interested you can get my official e mail from chris and query. I will send you what i have come up with so far so wd work on it together. As for the issue of afforestation. This is probably the most critical issue today. Our previous governments greed and incompetence may ruin us. In maybe 5 years time wd will wake up to the reality of the destruction that has really been wrought on our environment. lucas.

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  32. PKW, How about we move the lake away from the fault line? It’s been done in China. Also Lake Nakuru is drying up again.

    Lucas, the fishermen’s misery is just business. Mostly these guys are uneducated, as such, conventional knowledge, in commerce at least, demands that they be exploited. This is not a leadership issue, rather it’s all about education; business education at that. All you need is a few fishermen with degrees in commerce, finance and economics. Suddenly, you see indigenously owned processing plants, competing refrigeration plants, refrigerated trailers etc. Hii mambo ya kula mgongo wazi when the fish steak sells for gazillions in EU is not good but the government should not interfere.
    That said, you must have responded in a rush…..spell check haifanyi job?

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  33. No Kalamari u r wrong! Lucas was using his cell phone for this article.

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  34. Ha. Whose that. Vi. Meaning vikii? Yes i was using cell phone. So it chooses words for you when using T9 function. If you dont go back and check then issues. Thanks for bailing me out. Lucas.

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  35. Any time Lucas. Keep the dream up, we will help where we can. That bit about moral or even financial support--feel free to let us know when the time comes. I still think Nairobi is your kind of place though. It'll be hard to win in Nyanza. What do u think?

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  36. Vikii. Yes nyanza will be all but impossible. The reason why im still likely to try is because someone has got to set a precedent of being independent from euphoria. Which is all odm is. Additionally. If i run and lose. Then things socio- economically remain the same (which will be the case) Then it will be serious Leverage for me in 2012. But on the sly i know a certain weakness that both front runners have. But it ties in with the overall final conflict in odm. The more Confusion and conflict in odm the better for me (in any case after seeing how raila denied ochuodho his nomination card in last election. Then took on kibaki in a private meeting to try to prevent ochuodho getting appointment to kenya pipeline) i doubt i would be given nomination certificate if i stood on odm and prevailed anyway. Were 5 who will recieve support for 5 seats in nyanza but i cant divulge more at this time. Basically. I see the problems we have on ground in south nyanza. Am slowly building a caucus who understand that its not about the party but the tangible results. Slow work but when done it will be solid. I would prefer to expend my energy where i feel it really counts. lucas.

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  37. Thanks for hitting back. While I respect all that and actualy do agree that you have no business trying to kiss Raila's ass, I still dont understand why you feel it has to be Nyanza. I dont get how you plan to succeed where Jimmy, Joe Donde and Ralph have failed. Breaking down that fanaticism will be almost impossible Lucas.

    When you say a loss will prepare the ground for your 2012 successful candidature I disagree. When you lose, people tend to shift their llegiance from you. I mean if it will be hard for you this time, it will be harder in 2012. Either way, I pray for you but I still think Nairobi would have been a lot easier.

    About the promised support,forget it. It has the potential of making you unpopular coz u will be viewed as a traitor by collaborating with outside forces to tame 'their son'. Dont u think so?

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