On 27th of December last year, Kenyans went to the polls and spoke out loud about the people they wanted to see ascend the political ladder (and those they didn’t want to stay up there a second longer!). But the events that followed this “loud decision” clearly placed Kenya among the countries that do no not care two hoots about the welfare of its people.
Kenyans were (and have since remained) strangulated, asphyxiated and raped off their democratic right.
This led to the unleashing of the most potent ‘demon’ that resides in humans to take full course: hate, ‘violent’ suspicion, murder, ethnic ‘turbulence’, ‘incompatible’ co-existence and a host many other evils.
All of as sudden our very identities became a threat to our existence, to our freedom and to precious life. Our names became the determining factor. One mention of our names would determine the direction of the sharp machetes. Our identity cards spoke against us. “Wacha nione kipande yako” became a life-threatening question.
Millions of Kenyans have lost their lifelines, their jobs and hope of any possible respite coming their way. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced and their properties lost in the innocuous ‘conflagration’ (both literally and metaphorically speaking!).
The wounds and hurt in our hearts, as Kenyans, beggars description. I believe that not even the most perfect and prolific wordsmith in town can put it in words (that includes our very own good writers here at Kumekucha Chris, Taabu, and Phil). Anyway, we don’t need words to explain the feeling.
Now there is talk of a political settlement between PNU and ODM. Well, this, to me, is like offering quack cures for old ills. A halfway house of sorts! We need more than our paunchy fellows at Serena are offering. How do they plan to deal with the frayed, threadbare fabric of society? On the ground, co-existence among different ethnic groups is stifled. “Gargantuan” amounts of mistrust rule the air among the different tribes. A very sorry state indeed!
Well, again, the very people who lost in the elections are the very guys who ‘want’ (want really? ) to give a piece of the action, a piece of the power, to the other group. Theatre of the absurd, methinks.
Theatre of the absurd yes indeed, it bites logic that looses are winners and winners are looses maybe its miracle accorridin to wiper kaloozer...the rejected stone will be corner stone
ReplyDeleteNo matter haw much you guys sing about Raila's victory, the fact is, as matters stand he to Mwai wa Kibaki. The question that has been raised is whether he lost fairly. Given that there was rigging on both sides, the fairness issue can only be estabished conclusively, not by the EU know-all loudmouths, but by a legally constituted fact-finder. In our jurisprudence the courts do that, but unfortunately the allegedly aggrieved Raila has refused to submit his claims to court or to suggest any other legal option. Instead, true to form, he has found comfort in the absurdity of streets where criminals and anarchists are kings. Therefore, his claim of an unfair loss will for ever remain that, a mere claim.
ReplyDeleteCharles.Nairobi.
ReplyDeleteThe debris that remain of Kenya are beginning to show.The ugly scars of violence are evident everywhere, the country has cooled ONLY because of the Annan Peace Talks....we have been humiliated on the world stage...Mr Kibaki just continues frying himself with his own oil.The disgusting-undigestable recipe offered to Kenyans by Force have ALL BEEN REJECTED!
The Brutality unleashed on protestors only gave US MORE RESOLVE to struggle to the BITTER END.
Now the RUMOUR MILLS ARE CHURNING we will listen and await confirmations..Where there is smoke there is always the FIRE Kibaki started and continues to fuel despite desperate pleas from other leaders.
I hope these rumour mills start producing results right here! We need news...
ReplyDeleteEgnubo.
well put charles @ 4:46
ReplyDeleteJACKSON KIBOR MUST BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteDefault Arrest this man too: mungiki leader gives interview - Today, 02:28 AM
Now that people are being arrested for giving names in interview
*His name is Mathenge
*He attended Mangu
*Attended UON, majored in Philosophy
*St. Paul's Theological College at Thogoto
*Former tax collector
There is enough information in this interview to arrest this Mungiki criminal and all the BigFatCats he is protecting. Otherwise release Kibor now!!
Interview with a Mungiki member
« Thread Started on Feb 20, 2008, 6:41pm »
AfricaNews -
Kenya: ‘Even God killed’ says Mungiki leader
http://www.africanews.com/site/
list_messages/15727
Anon 3:43, why are the EU suddenly loud mouths. Please don't insult our intelligence by suggesting court redress. If you do so, we will have no choice but to ask - Mwai who??
ReplyDeleteIt is clear that the only way forward is for the two camps to get together, work out some kind of agreement and move forward.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is a very expensive price to pay,the crisis in Kenya has raised a lot of questions on Kenya and the urgency to make real changes to our consitution, the way we approach politics and our relationships across social, political and economic strata.
We all know that regardless of who would have become president, the players on either side of the divide are the same. The likes of Kosgei, Ruto etc were the Govt. only 5 years ago, now we were expecting them to be the agents of change!!!!???
We must wake up and realize that politicians and politics has never been about the guy on the street. Its always been about a select group of people in Kenya. This crisis gives us as Kenyans, an opportunity to move from a system of musical chairs, to true change in our institutions.
Ai!!!!!!! Fire, fire, fire!!!
ReplyDeleteHave you people read the Sunday Standard?
I must say the deal (if agreed on next week) is the best we could ever hope for as ODMers, power sharing 50-50 with the necessary constitutional ammendment to give it the force of law.
Ministries to be set up by parliament henceforth.
Power shift from presidency to parliament.
If this holds, then it is a huge step towards democracy and constitutional reform.
I am continuously disgusted to see the likes of Martha Karua holding our democracy by its balls. History will judge these people harshly and to see a prosperous country disintegrate into an economic mud slid just makes me so angry. Shame on Kibaki! And let me add this, we who love our country more than that the taste of Power forcefully milked from the breast of democracy will fight back and get our country back on its feet.
ReplyDeleteFormer Ethics and Governance PS in President Kibaki’s Government, Mr John Githongo should be given a chance and be appointed the NEW Prime Minister of Kenya and that would strenghten the opposition.
ReplyDeleteWithout Raila, Ruto, Mudavadi, Balala, Ngilu, Kosgey, Kosgei, Nyaga and other Old KANU die-hards in the opposition, there will be no politics in Kenya.
Kenya needs people like this to pin-point the corruption and injustices of the government.
Otherwise there is no point of having Multi-party in Kenya.
IT IS EMBARRASSING TO SEE A NEWSPAPER LIKE THE DAILY NATION WRITING PETTY POLITICS'S WITHOUT PROOF !!
ReplyDeleteCAN THEY PRODUCE FACTS THAT RAILA DID NOT MEET WITH THE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA?? WE HAVE DIFFERENT FACTS- i THINK THIS TIME THEY WENT TOO FAR TRYING TO BELITTLE RAILA -
MY QUESTION TO NATION IS WHY DIDN'T THEY REPORT ON KIBAKI'S SECRET TRIP TO UGANDA IN JANUARY ? after which we had Uganda secret army cross into Kenya and there is proof on camera and pictures that some of them engaged in the killings of innocent Kenyans
Uganda Daily Monitor and world vision reported the trip!! now Daily Nation jumps up with lies from a source they claim!!! FRM NEXT WEEK WE HAVE URGED OUR LEADERS TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL NO MORE BUYING NATION NEWSPAPER- NOW WE HAVE CONFIRMED THEY ARE WORKING UNDER GOVERNMENT AGENDA!! BY THE WAY THIS SAME MESSAGE IS BEING POSTED BY ODM MEMBERS ON OTHER BLOGS!!THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER.......
NO MORE NATION NEWSPAPER!! IT IS OWNED PARTLY BY GOVERNMENT i JUST FOUND OUT YES THE AGAKHAN IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GOVERNMENT- MAYBE THOSE GOVERNMENT SHARES WERE TAKEN OVER(THOSE SHARE) BY PNU ELITE!!!
LOOK AT THE TOP MANAGEMENT- THIS WILL NOT SURPRISE ME!!
NEWS
ReplyDeleteRaila tries to involve Nigeria in talks
Story by Tony Eluemunor, SUNDAY NATION CORRESPONDENT, West Africa
Publication Date: 2/24/2008
Nigeria may have been urged to quietly join the efforts to return peace to Kenya.
In an unannounced visit, ODM leader Raila Odinga held private talks with Nigeria’s immediate past President, Olusegun Obasanjo, asking him to urge President Umaru Yar’Adua to bring Nigeria’s might to bear on the disputants in Kenya to embrace peace by reaching a quick accord.
Though full details of his visit were being kept top secret, as the meeting was unannounced, sources said Mr Obasanjo’s efforts to arrange a meeting between Mr Odinga and President Yar’Adua failed.
According to a source close to Mr Obasanjo, all through Friday, Mr Odinga remained in Otta, near Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital, as he got no approval to visit Abuja for an audience with Yar’Adua.
Few details have emerged on why President Yar’Adua would not have audience with him for now.
First, Mr Obasanjo did not clear with the President before inviting Mr Odinga. So the right protocols were not followed. Secondly, the Nigerian President would not want to be siding with anyone , so it would only hold talks with a side in the crisis if it has plans to also meet with the other.
Also, Nigeria has not made peace moves independent of the African Union, another source added. It is unlikely that Mr Obasanjo would join the former UN boss, Mr Kofi Annan, in the peace negotiations.
Mr Obasanjo’s failed attempt to elongate his tenure by arm-twisting the National Assembly to grant him a constitutional amendment failed last year.
After that, he presided over a terribly flawed election, that was globally condemned. Were it not for this, Mr Obasanjo could have helped solve the Kenyan problem.
Anon @ 2.49; Githongo cannot be "given a chance" to be Prime Minister my friend.
ReplyDeleteWe are trying to put in place long-term structures and mechanisms of governance for posterity. Kenya of the future must be run as a democratic republic not a kingdom.
Our leaders will always be less than perfect. That is why we need good systems to keep them in check.
Anon @ 3.43; Wake up and smell the coffee.
ReplyDeleteA power sharing agreement is underway and once we legislate the prime ministership, it will be the beginning of the end of Kenya's imperial presidency.
Next; more constitutional reforms including majimbo.
Lazima tuwe na serikali ya HAKI.
article in today's sunday nation on condie's visit last weeks confirms the observation that the u.s. has protected kikabi throughout the entire crisis.
ReplyDeleteSources who attended the top-level diplomatic meetings revealed that Dr Rice insisted that Kenya must quickly stop the slide into the abyss and return to the democratic path as a stable, secure country.
...
To achieve the stability, she urged the two sides to forget about the question of who was the winner or the loser and work together under a grand coalition.
after first mtg w/ annan, rice met w/ kibaki, of which
The meeting took two hours, and it is understood that President Kibaki was the first to speak, summarising the issues that he believed showed clearly that he was the winner and that ODM was using violence to support their claim to power.
...
It is understood that Dr Rice said that given the state of affairs in the country, it was the President’s duty to provide leadership by agreeing to share power with his rivals and prepare the ground for fresh elections.
after that, she went on to meet ODM at ranneberger's compound, of all places!
After the two-hour meeting with President Kibaki, she went to the residence of the US ambassador Michael Ranneberger in Muthaiga to meet the ODM team.
On its side, ODM had prepared a forensic audit of the votes to show how the final figures were altered at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) to favour President Kibaki.
But when they arrived prepared to argue their case, Dr Rice reportedly made the task easier for them. She is understood to have said: “We have everything on the elections; let us not waste time on it.”
The meeting took one hour.
...
Sources close to the meeting said the ODM team argued that a re-run of the presidential election was necessary to restore tespect for democracy in the country and clear the air over who the clear victor was.
But it is said Dr Rice replied that the environment was not yet conducive for an election and urged them to consider the sharing of power as the solution to the crisis.
She said it was no longer important to know who was the winner and the loser because of the damage that it had cost the country in terms of instability and the scale of violence.
Dr Rice made it clear that a grand coalition was necessary, that no obstacles should block the sharing of power and that the country should not rush into another election.
This position trumped the second ODM argument that they were ready to enter into a coalition with PNU on condition that an election be held after two years.
the sunday nation report goes on to state that rice said the grand coalition should last five years.
so much for u.s. rhetoric on the principles of democracy & adhering to the voice of the electorate, eh?
free elections are essential for democracy, but apparently that means nothing to some
one cannot remove a thorn from their foot w/o expecting some blood to flow
The kangaroo court system staffed and controlled by Kibaki and his cronies does not serve any other Kenyans. If it did the murders of Kungu Karumba, Tom Mboya, JM Kariuki, Gama Pinto, Robert Ouko,.., would have been solved.
ReplyDeleteKibaki and Karua have until Wednesday, 27th February to grow up. After that we may have to redraw the map of Kenya (i.e. Kenya and Kibakistan).
ReplyDeleteThanks Anon @ 8.48 for your careful reading of the article.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is that at least, the U.S. supports a POWER sharing arrangement.
If what is in the Sunday Standard is true and comes to pass, then we will truly be on our way to constitutional reform.
Karua and company are at it again trashing a deal that is just about to be signed. Wow!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, why would Raila agree to a deal where his boss is Kibaki and not the kenyan people(Parliament) and yet he went into an election with Kibaki for the sole purpose of removing Kibaki?
If this is what he wants to agree to, why bother standing against Kibaki and how is his position different from Kalonzo 'Judas wiper'?
The only deal for the sake of peace that is agreeable to us wanainchi who voted for ODM and the people who lost their lives fighting for the Democracy is an executive Prime Minister answerable to parliament and not mwizi Kibaki.
B.real no need to waste one's time reading the Daily Nation or Sunday nation why not just watch KBC instead?
ReplyDeleteIt's probably worse than KBC as a state tool- that's a waste of money.....