Yesterday will go down in the country’s history as having been a tumultuous and tension-filled day. It was a day when all the citizens (and even hundreds of thousands of non-citizens who live in the country and abroad) were on edge, jittery and anxious.
This situation was extremely exacerbated by the late announcement of the president of the republic of Kenya in what could be termed as a circus of sorts. Only the National Broadcaster, KBC, was present to broadcast the announcement live to all and sundry as all other media outlets, both local and foreign, had been ‘bundled’ out of KICC. And even more disturbing was the fact that within an hour of the announcement, President Kibaki was sworn-in to serve a second term in office.
The ODM cried foul for, in their book, their presidential candidate Mr. Raila Amollo Odinga had won the elections and therefore was the one supposed to be sworn-in instead of Mr. Kibaki. For this reason they have made it clear, in black and white, that they don’t acknowledge the presidency of Kibaki.
To prove that they mean business, they have made it clear that they will organise their own swearing-in ceremony at Uhuru Park today.
As things stand right now, there has been untold suffering unleashed on the people who live in some parts of Western, Nyanza, Coast and Nairobi. Fears are almost tangible that this planned rally and swearing-in by ODM and Raila will not augur well for the Kenyan populace.
My take is that, if such a thought is allowed to blossom and become a flower then this country could as well be headed to anarchy and lawlessness of untold proportions.
Hon. Raila, there surely are other ways of championing your cause instead of letting it take this route. Sir, the lives of the people you very much want to protect (by becoming the president) are at stake here. Many have already been lost in the carnage that has erupted; please don’t stoke a fire that will be hard to put out. Steer clear of that hearth for the sake of innocent mothers, fathers, and children. Innocent Kenyans should not be caught in the cross fire that is more than likely to materialise.
Our great country should not go down the road that Somalia, Sudan and other such countries have trodden. The citizens of these countries come to our country to seek solace and refuge. We are a beacon of hope in this part of Africa; we are the hope of the people who live within our borders.
Kenya country should not be allowed to go to the dogs.
Is it that it is when you ae realing that Raila needs to follow your advice? Kibaki has hijacked the country and there is apparently no democracy that will work. This issue cant be taken to court and handled by the same Kibaki's Wako Amos. The people spoke and if anyone dint realise, let them kill the pther tribes and remain only the Kyuks in kenya. Remamber it is not written anywhere that only one tribe can rule, any tribe can. In your view you are justifying the Kenya stollen by Kibaki.
ReplyDeleteWell said bro. We need somebody to act gently here. If Kibaki doesn't care about the lives of Kenyans, you should Hon. Raila.
ReplyDeleteYou think Al Gore believes that Bush won in 2000? Probably not. But then our country (which I am no longer proud of: shame on you all that rigged the elections) comes before the individual.
I know this was your best chance to lead Kenya and you may never get such a golden opportunity ever again. I know that they also denied your dad, but the country comes first. You are Kenya's legitimate president. May be that honour is enough in lieu of a parallel Govt.
I have personally been to Somalia as a Kenyan Somali. Believe me that is not the route that we need to go surely. Civil war is just a disaster that Kenya cannot afford to gamble with.
Hon. Odinga, I am your true supporter as most Kenyans are (6 provinces). However, even though I feel safe far from my motherland, i worry of my family and friends back home. Please be above them. Give peace a chance. Hope that you will get your reward in future.
However, I support other means of peaceful protests especially abroad. May be we Kenyans here can protest peacefully so that the rest of the world shares our concern.
Another option, Hon. Raila is to pass a vote of no confidence in parliament. You have the numbers.
Our country is a great country and our status as Kenyans should not be undermined by some characters who think they have been wronged.
ReplyDeleteAs Raila suggested, there has to be a full audit of the election results and that people/media should refrain from damaging the democratic process.
I don not need to remind that we are in the same boat. If one of you decides to dig a hole we will all sink.
So let us do the right thing. I urge Kenyans to be cautious about unsubstantiated material coming from this website.
This website has been known to abuse the freedom of press. Its reputation is untrustworthy.
This thing has to be sorted now. Otherwise, another "Kibaki" will steal elections next time and get away with it. The same trend will continue. Someone has to stand up now, then 10 people, 100, 1000, 1 million .... Raila is that one person. Let us join Arap Mibei in a peaceful demonstration
ReplyDeleteI am sure the government will support a peaceful demonstration. However, I will not be surprised if majority of Kenyans decide not to endorse such a move. Kenyans are more honorable people than Mr. Raila thinks. Kenyan has come a long way to be dragged into a mess that will only see chaos and bloodshed in Kenya. Blood thirsty officials campaigning at UHURU will have their day but their frustrations will fall on deaf ears. True democracy calls for Raila to show some direction on this issue.
ReplyDeleteGuys you have tried to put a sense of reason in this whole mess, wherever Kibaki is, even though he does not have "a heart" or a sense of humanity, I just wish that he was out here in the streets and estates to see and hear for himself what is happening, it has never been like this in the Kenyan history, but here it is with us now- gunshots all over, people are literally shot dead yet we are not at war, the media already banned from any live coverages, every one who could speak for the electorate compromised including the once revered Samuel Kivuitu, that is what we are witnessing in a once great country like this.
ReplyDeleteWe prayed for the divine intervention of God on this matter, we even exercised our democratic rights to vote as Kenyans with a clear objective of hanging the status of affairs, an to hijack that from the people, is like brutally denying them democracy and in essence telling them that even their vote is not relevant, and that justifies the kind of scenario we have in Kenya at the moment.
If Kibaki does not become a states man and do something urgently, the police will continue killing Kenyans, while Kenyans will continue murdering a particular community and that should not be kibaki's priority
There is nothing like an election being hijacked. Pole sana, 4.5m voters won the election and 4.3voters lost it. You must have been the 4.3m. Get over it and act responsibly. Crying over a lost election won’t do the country any good. There are other democratic avenues to sooth your frustrations.
ReplyDeleteI don't want my country to plunge into anarchy. At the same time, I find no consolation in telling myself to wait for 2012. By the time Kibaki lost the referendum, many Kenyans had told themselves they would wait for Dec. 2007 to vote him out. Look at what has happened. ARE WE TO BELIEVE IT SHALL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN IN 2012? Who is to say that there will be no rigging in favour of his anointed successor? The commissioners will be more or less the same thugs.
ReplyDeleteWhat truly is the way forward in the long term? Are Kenyans supposed to resign themselves to dictatorship for the forseeable future. HOW WILL WE PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE NEXT ELECTION?
It is not about the integrity of the next election it is about Kenya and how we will go forward from now. There has to be precise leadership coming from Raila in regards to assuring his followers of correct mandate to amend any deficiencies.
ReplyDeleteThe Problem is with Raila, if he does not provide such leadership and instead goes down the path of self-denial; then he has failed his 4.5m voters.
The ECK is open to a full audit i can tell you now (under full media coverage). Raila requested for it and it’s up to him to take the initiative. For the good work to continue and suffering to stop, Raila should accept the results for what they are. Otherwise, the real suffering of the Kenyan people will be on Raila’s hands.
There is a strange human condition that attacks certain people. Once it has attacked, the patient gets disconnected from reality and plunges into a state of denial. I don't understand how somebody can argue that the elections were free and fair in the face of all that footage showing how the vote tallying was compromised.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I ought not to be too puzzled. There are after all some who deny the Holocaust ever took place notwithstanding film, documentary evidence and actual concentration camp sites.
Raila should not have been opposition leader in the first place. He was too power hungry for such a position. Now look the mess we got ourselves into!
ReplyDeleteI agree that Raila should provide us with some leadership on this matter (as far as calming tempers is concerned). He still has the respect of many and they will listen to him.
ReplyDeleteAs for the audit, it would be great to know who will conduct it and under what conditions. Dictators can control anything and everything. That is why they are dictators.
Why are some quick to condemn Raila as power hungry? Actually, you have to be to some extent if you are a politician. Besides, Kibaki has vied for presidency as many times as Raila. Is he not power hungry too? Just look at how he handled the constitutional review process, his political allies in the last election and this election. If that is not hunger for power I don't know what it is.
ReplyDeleteAre there any updates regarding what is going on, in the ground. Are people responding to the ODM "inauguration" at Uhuru park. Are the protests still continuing?
ReplyDeleteSome updates are really appreciated as we are in the dark and depending on bloggers For updates. Sorry For Further burdening you guys. What You have done and cotinue to do is exemplary.
God bless you For your service to Kenya especially in this time oF crisis.
in the past me and my friends always wondered how we could make this kikuyus realize that they just like any other tribe.we came up with all crazy ideas,some sane friends said we should isolate them in central and let them rule themselves like lesotho in S.Africa. but i recommend either drowning the whole community in the lake victoria or indian ocean amin style. Some sense needs to be put in their heads.
ReplyDeleteIf you dont have blood in you body or you do not feel pian, then go to Uhuru Park.
ReplyDeletePlease stop sending alarming txts messages. Army Commender has not resigned, Ruto not assasinated and Police Commissioner has not resigned.
@Anonymous who said this:
ReplyDelete"in the past me and my friends always wondered how we could make this kikuyus realize that they just like any other tribe.we came up with all crazy ideas,some sane friends said we should isolate them in central and let them rule themselves like lesotho in S.Africa. but i recommend either drowning the whole community in the lake victoria or indian ocean amin style. Some sense needs to be put in their heads."
You want to drown millions od people because what have they done? U want to take my 7 and 2 year baby girls and me and their Father and kill us becasue what have we done to you? You are indeed a sick person. You are vile and a subhuman heartless pig. IF you and your Friends sit down discussing the murder oF innocent people because you perceive that they do not think that they are like other tribes then you don;t desrve to live among civilized society. You are worse than animals, you don't even belong to a zoo because even wild animals know better than to kill wantonly.
Finally, I hope you are ASHAMED oF yourselF you despicable thing you!
Between Raila and Kibaki who is a dictator now?! Who is power hungry now? the one who has stolen in election or the one now crying for justice in full view of the world! You might feel happy all you can, but the mark is there now and it will never go away! Ethnicity or not kiuks of this Kenya you better know that no one will ever trust you! Kibaki has just taken us back 24 years! I wonder if we shall ever go forward.
ReplyDeleteAnd for the millionth time may all the pro-gova stop telling us that those who feel aggrieved to go to courts! who doesn't know what happens to election petitions in Kenya!
The arrogance of some people on here are starting to annoy even the ODM Moderates like us....
ReplyDeleteSome telling us to stop crying and live with it???
ARE YOU SERIOUS >>>>
Total presidential election rigging as seen by the international observers :
ReplyDeletehttp://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143979743&cid=159
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSGOR12359220071231
Its unfortunate when we think its about Kyuks and Luos. We are only two tribes here. The haves and the have nots. Raila and Kibaki will never fight and kill each other no matter what. It is us, slum dwellers in Mathare, Korogocho, Kiberah and the likes that will kill each other. Its no use. Let no one tell me he is ready for bloodshed in Kenya. We are all Kenyans no matter what tribe you are. Lets not be influenced to violence by any one including you and me and all those politicians out there. Its all about their personal interests, not ours. Who doesn't know that all these guys are business partners? PEACE! PEACE!
ReplyDeleteI was very proud when I saw the way Kenyans waited in line (some even since midnight, as it was reported on all European TV-Channels) on December 27th - peacefully and full of trust that finally their voices will be heard.
ReplyDeleteIt made me proud.
Then came the counting and my heart sunk..... every fear I had, every nightmare I could imagine was becoming true.
And I became first sad, then angry and now I am furious like hell. Does this never end ? Do the people never have any value ? Can it be that the same group of people who almost destroyed the country, still dare to decide on its fate and on the life and future of its people ? Should this be accepted ?
One comment in the German Television was: "Though there some hopes before this Election that Kenyan was going a different path now, the swearing in of President Kibaki for a second term even before the final election results are known shows that Kenya still has a very long and thornfull road ahead before its leaders will finally understand what Democracy really means.......".
There were many signs before who had put some doubt into me:
One was that Kalonzo never joined Raila and with Mutula Kilonzo in ODM-K, their goal was clear: keeping 'dry' - and Mutula is becoming the next Attorney General making sure that no Goldenberg, Anglo-Leasing, any other corruption and/or killing and even the criminal way in which this Election has been handled is ever investigated. I do not like to repeat it, but I said this already some weeks ago as Lucas Mboya in one of his comments remembered).
And there are more 'moles' even in ODM --- too many of Moi's and Kibaki's friend had changed sides on the surface making sure to go into Parliament on an ODM-ticket (I just mention Prof. Kamar - Biwott's wife ....) - but there are many others who should have never been accepted. On the surface it looked all very fine to have them 'joining' ODM - but it somebody ever ask why they did this? Why all of the sudden split from the forces who have financed them so many years? Did nobody question their real intentions?
Yes, there is the possibility to put a vote of no-confidence in Parliament..... but just wait what Mutula Kilonzo will reply to this ... and then - even if it is possible - wait how some of these re-born ODM Members will vote .... I bet with you that there will be a certain number who will vote against it ...
It is indeed a sad day for Kenya.... one 'incident' gave me almost the assurance that it would come out like that:
When Lucy Kibaki got her 'salary' almost doubled, I knew that this the confirmation that they would continue for the next 5 years - everything was clear even before the Elections had taken place .... why else did she increase her salary just a few weeks before having to leave State House and even risk the outcry of the public? Because she knew she would continue being there for the next 5 years ........ she and her husband knew that it was not all over ..... and just wait and see, also Kibaki will 'accept' the increase in his monthly payments and even more ......
Like I said before, it is a very sad day for Kenya - only a miracle can save it now.
Marianne Briner
P.S. Happy Birthday, Chris - although I can guess how you must feel right now. You told me so many times to cheer up, to believe in faith, to believe in the Kenyan People - so this time it's me telling you this. Things will change, I am still sure - but not with creating chaos and uproar. Here only the innocent and poor will suffer and maybe even die. There has to be another way, I hope.
The day Kenyan people will wake up one morning and think they are Kenyans, will be the day they will start thinking what neo-colonialsm is doing in Kenya at the moment.
ReplyDeleteAs my friend from the Caribbean told me, black people suffers from the effects of slavery, colonialism and its the high time "21st century" that we address this issue and stop thinking Jaluo, Kikuyu, Kalenjin, Kamba, Kisii the list goes on to Ibo`s and Zulus etc.
Election only took a day, and the stupidness of uneducated in Kenya sorry to say and Intelectuals abroad have been compromised by two people, Kibaki and Raila "millionaires". They are now spilling poor people’s blood for their own selfishness, greed and power hunger. What do you think they want to accomplish? Protect their ill gotten wealth some of which have been stashed in foreign banks (safe deposits) while poor Kibera voters slaughter one another and others in Eldoret and Nyanza burn their loved neighbours houses, because they are from different tribes. And as we speak, Kibaki and Raila are tossing champagne and shouting loud "cheers". Probably with UK, US and Canadian Ambassadors. They all go to bed together. These guys are crooks, I quote John Kerry when Bush was declared the USA President the second time. After rigging Florida votes where his brother was Governor.
KENYANS, I PLEAD WITH YOU. LET US WORK, STUDY AND GO BACK TO KENYA AND DEVELOP OUR NATION. KIBAKI IS 76 YRS come on, RAILA 62 YEARS hihi getting there, PLEASE GIVE ME A BREAK. These people have never experienced poverty and the people dying are hardly 30 years old. ARE WE BUILDING OR DESTROYING OUR FUTURE?
These guys are senile, and the reason i`m saying that is because of the lifestyle they have. Ordinary Kenyans should come together as brothers and sisters and oust these guys out of office and out of our way and take charge of our country.
They have so much money; they can live wherever they want in this world without working until they die.