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Friday, October 05, 2007

Defection Watch: Ngilu Goes Oranges

The soaring political heat this week has climaxed with Hon Charity Ngilu endorsing Raila Odinga’s presidential bid on ODM ticket. Her timing and manner or deliver reflected everything characteristic of Kenya’s first woman presidential candidate. She was scathing, direct, confrontational and daring.

Hear her speak: "The ghost of the Moi era has returned to haunt us. This is contrary to the expectations and mandate we were given in 2002.’’ But defection was all coming to pass. The news however rests in the perceived coup to the incumbent. She may not be bringing substantial numerical (read voters) to ODM but the effect of having a cabinet minister defect to the opposition is a massive psychological dent or boost depending on which horse you ride.

Ngilu gave ODM more ammunition by repeating the often-denied line that the Narc Government has not achieved its dream of good governance. Instead it is characterised by all negative sms: tribalism, nepotism and cronyism. In painting Kibaki’s regime as opaque, Ngilu dives into her own defence in reminding all and sundry that she remained the only member of the Narc dream still standing and adding that apart from the natural departures, most of the other players have abandoned ship.

Give it to her. Whoever crafted Ngilu's speech must have had Narc's (and by extension Kenyans dream) eulogy in mind. In reminding us that of the theme song of Yote Yawezekana was a call to national renewal and hope that turned to be a hope betrayed and a dream deferred, no epitaph would have been any better.

So by mama Rainbow choosing to abandon reigning ship to take refuge in a rescue boat, are we poised to witness more high drama these coming weeks after parliament is dissolved? I have no answer except to train my eyes singularly on the unfolding drama and enjoy every bit of it. The truth is like her hate her Ngilu has in her what many Kenyan women don’t have. To deny her that fact benefit is to engage in self deception. Na bado as the political temperature soars to shame Sahara.

Raila Odinga secretly met John Githongo in London last month

Guess what John Githongo's nickname was when he worked at State House

10 comments:

  1. What's new with that? Mama Rainbow is a politician like her male colleagues, and of course every politician is vying for individual political survival. No other way to expalin why the thieves are in both parties, never mind the leader is going toget back their ill-gotten gains (forget it dear Kenyans!)
    In case you missed it, Ngilu has been around since '92 and has party hopped like most everyone else I can think of.
    However, in the spirit of giving credit where its due, I must point out that Mama Rainbow is the only one who has NEVER, EVER been to KANU, and I will always respect her for that! I wish the other chameleons on the 'rescue boat' would pave way for her instead. Succession? Lets dream big.For the love of the motherland.

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  2. Away from the dinosaurs struggling to survive, please check out a very unbiased piece on The Standard today about young(ish) Kenyans leaving prestigious and sometimes high-paying jobs for leadership.
    I mostly skim through the standard due to its glaring bias, but this caught my eye;
    http://eastandard.net/news/?id=1143975563
    Guys from Kieni East, Edwin Mwangi Macharia is the man!

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  3. I consider this one of the smartest political moves in recent times. Some people like Taabu will try and water down such events. Bottom line is; Ngilu HAS NOT defected from NARC. The true picture is:

    Mrs Charity Ngilu has demonstrated once again that tribal politics has got no room in today’s issue based debate by unequivocally declaring that her party will support to the candidature of ODM’s Raila Odinga. She also confirmed that she would remain in government and seek re-election of her parliamentary seat on a NARC ticket. Nothing strange in that – even when she has herself collected and paid for ODM nomination forms. (Derek are you reading this?)

    During her press conference at NARC Headquarters, Ngilu said that she made a PATRIOTIC decision to give up her own presidential ambitions after extensive consultations and personal soul searching. She also launched a scathing attack on President Mwai Kibaki’s regime saying it had failed to deliver pre-election promises and ‘looked the other way’ as grand corruption thrived. She also blamed the GNU for attempting to hijack the NARC dream which belonged to all Kenyans. Ngilu insisted she would still remain a cabinet minister until parliament is dissolved. Ngilu spoke bitterly about how President Kibaki, elected on an anti-corruption platform, had promised to serve for a single term only to turn back and renege on this pledge and also fail to act on open grand corruption cases like Anglo Leasing scandal . Ngilu also wondered why the government spent millions of shillings (nearly one million euros) of tax payers money investigating capital flight and compiling the Kroll Report only to ignore or pretend to ignore the recommendations in the final report. She accused President Kibaki of keeping the company of the same people NARC worked very hard to remove from power, and those who were now back in power corridors urging a continuity of 40 years of frustration of the Kenyan people. She vowed to campaign for the election of Raila Odinga saying ODM was and still remains part and parcel of the unfulfilled NARC dream.

    By the time Raila celebrates his 63rd birthday in January 2008, a clear road map for a new constitution and economic independence will already be in place. And Ngilu will be right there to offer support and be part of significant history of this republic.

    Phil (at the THUNDER RALLY) Uhuru Park Nairobi.

    PS. We are expecting five more defections of MPs from GNU at this rally today. Will keep you posted.

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  4. Taabu uko na taabu.... what would make Kibaki, a man of great respect go running after a old mama whose been pounded by gachoka till she looks like dried fish??? Absolutely nothing!!! Men of honour dont go bullying boys over omena. We all knew that she couldnt oppose her ODM sweetie even way before their affair blossomed and caused the death of Ngilu's hubby. The bitch shamelessly dishes out her huby's goodies for political inclination... what a shame. Anyway its the only way to make it in this dirty game.

    (mr. steel pulse)

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  5. Phil. What do you do for a living apart from writing senseless articles in praise of Raila the molasses thief?

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  6. Phil,

    Rally, No Rally, I believe that the best Presidential candidate is Emilio Mwai Kibaki and whether a Thunder Rally or a Baby Rally, ODM will not win.

    Have you seen the crowd in Rift Valley? Mark you, there are five constituencies in Central Rift (part of the Rift Valley) that are friendly to Kibaki. In short, just to add on the what Ngilu might have thought during her defection, is that she is going no where and no tribesman/woman succeedds in this case.

    Remember Joseph Munyao in 1997, and Nyongo in 1997. That will happen this year and how unlucky it will be that she m,ight not be nominated by Kalonzo Musyoka. Anyway, she is an undecided lady and woe unto her advisers.

    What has been going on this week Phil. You are not yapping alot this week. Then a reminder... Omingo Magara for Kisii ODM campaigns, Start with the Kitutu Chache seat. I think it is vacant.

    As for Kibaki's move on Ngilu, Good Riddance and No love lost either. Maendeleo. Derek

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  7. Charity Ngilu supposedly consulted her family, friends and constituents. I want to hope that is true and that these wonderful groups of people gave her the best advice. She has defected like so many other people before her and it is her democratic right.

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  8. Steel pulse, something is wrong with your head, Kibaki is the most deceitful man in the entire political landscape, he only gets away coz he has truly mastered the art .How else can one renegade on something he gave his word on and look kenyns straight in the eye and say otherwise.His own kombo kombo admited to his one term promise and so did Ngilu and of course Raila, so tell me, three people are lying and he is the one telling the truth , oooh please! give me a break.Even in court eye witness evidence is very credible especialy when the same information is repeated by more than 1.

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  9. Politics will come and go but we all remain Kenyans. Some comments are abusive and there is no need hurling such words of hate just because Charity has demonstrated her democratic rights. Remember Charity has only one vote so is Kibaki.
    Kibaki had five years in state House, what is wrong with Raila having a turn? We behave as if State House ina wenyewe. Stop your abusive language miss anonymous.
    Moi sat there for 24 years and left. If Raila went in this year he will go too or if Kibaki went back he will be 81 and will go home. Why that hate, darling anonumous Kikuyu sweetheart?

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  10. Charity Ngilu is a political prostitute. She is foolish to support Raila as she is now seen as a traitor in Eastern Province. She will even lose her parliamentary seat. I hope Kalonzo joins with Kibaki to save the nation from stone throwers.

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