Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Stopping the Political Tsunami that is Raila

Raila and Kibaki seen here chatting heartily in the VIP tent at the Speaker's garden tea after the official state opening of parliament.

It is now emerging that unfortunate utterances attributed to Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura are seriously threatening the very survival of the recently signed peace agreement between President Kibaki and ODM Captain Raila Odinga. Although the principals have not commented publicly on the controversial Muthaura statement, many insiders are clearly upset by the comments. As of Tuesday morning, Kofi Annan is said to have spent some time on phone talking to ODM Vice Captain and lead negotiator Musalia Mudavadi in what could have been an attempt to quel any statements that may derail the peace deal that took Annan more than a month to achieve. It is unclear if Kofi spoke to anyone on the PNU side.

On the same day Annan was talking to Musalia, ODM spokesman Salim Lone is quoted in the Financial Times as saying: "The whole world, from President [George W.] Bush downwards, was engaged in trying to strike a power-sharing deal. If that power-sharing deal made Odinga number three, we'd have never accepted it."

In other words; if the 'government' maintains its position and supports Muthaura's statement that the Vice President ranks above the ODM Captain, then folks, we are back to square one.

Another intriguing point that tells Kenyans that Muthaura is a puppet of the athuri group is the allegation that PNU is not obligated to share state appointments with ODM on a 50/50 basis. The question is: Why would the president be obligated to consult the PM in the sacking/hiring of ministers including the VP if the PM is not only No. 3 but also himself an appointee of the president?

Even before Prime Minister designate Raila Odinga has been sworn in, the drastic change in his relationship with the president appears to have ruffled sensitive feathers who have made it their business for as long as we can remember to ensure that Raila does not come anywhere near power in Kenya.

Perhaps more significantly, some elements in government are already showing symptoms of Railaphobia for reason this blogger attributes to the electric excitement Raila elicits wherever he goes. Whats must be a headache for them is that Raila appears to already have hit a silent but very effective campaign trail in what is slowly unfolding to be a no-holds-barred Kibaki succession battle. It leaves many a politician green with envy that any function that Raila attends, even if it is just a church service or even a funeral, immediately transforms into a political campaign rally. Martha Karua attempted to do the same in her Gichugu constituency bus park last weekend with mixed results. What she fails to understand is that, although Raila does not have PPS or VPPS assigned to him, he has for the last 10 years captured the psyche of the entire Kenyan nation. For instance, whenever Raila’s image appears on TV screens in a noisy joint, a hushed silence automatically falls over the premises.

Not to be left behind rather than for commercial interests, mainstream media in Kenya and the region have now attached permanent staff to Raila’s entourage that follows him wherever he goes. Wow!

Fellow pentagon member Najib Balala could not have captured it more aptly. He said that whenever Raila enters a room or appears to the public even before he says a word, people go crazy.

This sort of image, rightly or wrongly, will be impossible for the likes of Muthaura to subdue whether the PMs office is 5th or 10th in the pecking order. After all they say, power comes from the people (as opposed to secret swearing-in ceremonies).

18 comments:

  1. Yes Raila is an enigma, Kenyans who love and support him do it with passion and those who hate him, hate him with passion. If you want to send Kenya into an abyss just assassinate Rail and Kenya will be cooked for good

    ReplyDelete
  2. you people where is this madness that Raila will be assassinated? Please this is not healthy chat. Stop it.

    Raila is safe.

    No problem. I am talking from what I know. I am very close to the PM designate. You are sending wrong messages across.

    I know many things seems unclear but not to the extent that you are now thinking.

    Otieno-Bondo

    ReplyDelete
  3. You only have to dig deep and explore the true meaning of the word "Agwambo".
    They, as in the MKM know better as not to touch "Janam" or that will be the end of Kenya as a "publica" and you know who will be squarely to blame for it. We might be talking the "second republic of Lesotho." Guys will not take it lying down as they did with Ouko in the 90s. Kenya is very different from whence we came.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ati the President has to consult Raila when hiring and firing ministers, including the Vice President????? Give me a break. Tell that to the dogs please.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Let's assume for a moment that Muthaura is acting outside the authority of Kibaki, who else would galvanize the audacity to confront the old Man? Quite simple really, the collective caboodle that is the "Central Mafia" of which without, Kibaki can marshal little authority among.

    PNU are now faced with dishing out Cabinet Posts among other pleasantries to ODM-K among other small parties just to hold on to a significant following. What is pretty apparent now, especially with Kalonzo's woes, that their grip on power has been reduced to the will of Kibaki and the effectiveness of Raila as PM. These scenario is one that most in Central Mafia cannot comprehend.

    Whether Mutahira takes orders from Kibaki or not, it is quite apparent his position represented that of the majority in Central and Kibaki cannot afford to alienate his own kind and hence the audacity to go against the Annan Document.

    It will be interesting to note what comes out of Parliament especially with the world threatening action, if the deal fails. The Principals cannot be seen to undermine this agreement yet foot soldiers are busy scattering the whole process.

    The consequences of such brazen rhetoric will only hurt the Muthaura types in the long run and they know it. They must have simply decided to go out swinging, at whatever cost.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kumekuchans, allow us to deviate a little from this thread and ask a question which we invite you to blog on, either here at Kumekucha or at our blog or both.

    Could somebody tell us, was there top-up in the just released KCSE exams? Who did it, why did they do it and how shall we work to restore confidence in the KNEC? Or has it, like the ECK, gone to the dogs? Kenyans attach a life-and-death-importance to the education of their children. Somebody has used a very unscrupulous means to sambaza performance, but forgot to cover their tails. We need to get to the bottom of this matter and there is no better day than today.

    Kumekucha, what have you found out about this recall and re-adjustment of results from Nyeri and Njiri's High School? Why has Mangu suddenly eclipsed the other schools? Are the scandals common in one geopolitical and not another zone? Was it deliberate?

    Kenya Revelations

    ReplyDelete
  7. KUMEKUCHA- PLEASE POST THIS URGENT MESSAGE A REPLY TO THIS POST!!!HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT HE IS TAKING ABOUT AND IF HE IS ODM OR CLOSE TO THEM!!THEN HE BETTER READ MY MESSAGE CAREFULLY!!!

    Anonymous said...

    you people where is this madness that Raila will be assassinated? Please this is not healthy chat. Stop it.

    Raila is safe.

    WELL WHISPERS ARE OUT THERE THAT PENTAGON HOUSE IS FULLY BUGGED AND EVERYTHING DISCUSSES THERE IS WELL KNOWN=
    EXAMPLE THE FIGHT MEMBERS HAD ON THE DP SLOT PNU WERE HEARD SAYING WE WILL DIVIDE THEM SOON! WE KNOW EVERYTHING BEING DISCUSSED AT PENTAGON HOUSE!!!QUOTE FROM
    QOUTE FROM SOMEONE(JUNIOR PNU) WHO WAS SEATING AT THE TABLE WHILE THE DISCUSSIONS WERE GOING ON!! TOP - HARDLINERS

    IF RAILA IS INDEED SAFE?? WHY HAS HIS HOUSE BEEN BUGGED?? SOURCE VERY TINY BUGS WERE ACQUIRED TWO WEEKS AGO THAT CAN FIT IN A VERY TINY SPACE!! THE SOURCE THOUGHT THEN THAT THEY WERE FOR THE PM'S CAR AND NOW THEY THINK MORE ON THE LINE OF ALL HIS HOUSES!!
    CHECK THE SECURITY DETAILS THAT WERE AT HIS HOUSE?? SOME OF THEM WERE NOT EVEN POLICE(gsu) SPECIALISTS IN HIGH TECH!!WAS ONE OF THE TITLES OF ONE OF THE GUYS IN THE SECURITY DETAIL SEND TO RAILA'S HOUSE!!!

    SO AGAIN JUST A QUESTION TO THIS PERSON THAT IS INSISTING RAILA IS SAFE??
    HOW SAFE IS HE?? AND WHY DOESN'T HE USE HIS PERSONAL SECURITY FOR NOW??
    i STLL INSIST WITH WHAT i HEAR FROM THE GROUND!!!I 'M NOT ODM GUESS WHICH PARTY I SUPPORT AND I'M IN THE MIX OF THINGS!!
    MY STAND IS FOR A PEACEFUL KENYA AND IF AI CAN HELP TO STOP THIS MADNESS AND GIVE HINTS ON HERE THEN I WILL!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Can you stop this nonsense Phil! It's time for healing and reconciliation. Wacha DOMO twende kazi.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Otieno, stop being cheap by saying you are close to Raila. YOU ARE NOT and WILL NEVER BE!

    People close to him are not even talking. On my part, I dont think Raila Odinga is unsafe. Not for a minute. Raila is safe and should wait to be made PM and 'be delegated duties of co-ordinating the ministries after Mwai Kibaki signs the Bill'

    Anyway, wish him and everyone the best in his new appointment.

    -Derek

    ReplyDelete
  10. POWER SHAILING

    is not power-shairing. According to Mt Kenya contemporary dictionary, power-shailing means you sign a deal today and tomorrow you disown it.

    Kibaki agreed on power-shailing with The Genuinely Elected President Raila.

    ReplyDelete
  11. @Kenya Revelations 10:29

    TOP ups in KCSE and KCPE has been going on for a long time. Why does the ministry consist of 100% Kikuyu employees from minister to sweeper? (Now 99,9% due to Prof. Ongeri).

    During the post-election chaos, they got cold feet and released the real results of KCPE (without to-ups). Didnt you see how Nyanza and Western excelled?

    They have applied the tricks again in KSCE to fail Nyanza and favour Central. Mangu, Njiri's, etc have terribly gained from this excercise.

    Disband not only ECK but also KNEC and reshuffle all employees of the Education Ministry.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Guess what the new political Tsunami is non othe than KARUA , check how her ratings as a politician have gone up ........

    In Kenya politics a politician is deemed powerfull if he / she can marshall the support of his/her community.............thats RAILA POLITICAL CAREER 101......which n why even Kalonzo ran as a presidential candidate in 2007

    This is the main reason why Raila was acceptable to Luhyas n Kalenjins in 2007......Kenyans really like a strong leader thats why Kikuyu supported Matiba in 92 elections .....if they figure out one is a fierce n strong leader who can withstand any storm they will lean to that politician

    n this is the main reason why Gema is tilting to MARTHA KARUA

    for all those years Gema knew KIBAKI was a weak leader .......even when he was the V.P......in 97 they had no other option n come 02 cos of the voting as a block of gema in 97 he was the preffered choice with a little backing from Luhyas n Kambas ....they had faith he would become the president


    Lets not escape from the truth The Gema as a political block is very strong cos of the numbers ....n thats why the constituion should be changed so that elections is not all about numbers but representing people interests ........if this trend goes on ....come 2012 we will have KARUA AS THE NEW RAILA BUT TELLING GEMA KALONZO TOSHA......N THEN ITS A WRAP........


    my personal opinion is that RAILA doesnt have any ill motives its just the Rutos who have .....read MOI 101 ......he taught the kalenjins that its not about working had n qualifications ....its all about connections.....you have one of yours in the office then the whole village will be in the civil service........

    this is the reason they are talking of that 50/50

    WAKE UP KENYANS FROM 2008 ....ITS A NEW KENYA

    ReplyDelete
  13. On KCSE: I have some stories but limited in my possibilities to be able to send it. Am checking this blog on mobile phone so no easy way...
    On KCSE: have you asked yourself why some schools are burning? Is there a reason why some don't get to the press? Did you know that on saturday night the students of Nairobi school went on rampage and destroyed ALL classroom desks and windows and the biology lab. They also stoned the teachers and broke out of the gate and some 200 or so students marched to town? Do you know that none of these matters has been reported by the papers and now the ministry is trying to coverup? The origin is in a parents on Saturday afternoon meeting which was attended by a high ranking government official and pushed an agenda of increasing fees, banning juice in the school and organising a trip to Dubai to reward the teachers for the good performance of the school. If the owners of this blog want, i can send a brief article to an email address they tell me: i'd tell you in a more orderly fashion about the parents meeting barely two hours before the students rioted and the six hour meeting between the teachers and students of Nairobi School.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Pls stop this obsession about Ruto....Wacheni wivu can't a young man make it, just coz he thrashed Moi, Kibs hands down, he is evil!!! Those who have the evidence...Kumekucha is not a court or a police officer...Take it there and stop wasting space over here, ati Ruto this, Ruto that....Hearsay/rumours and propaganda or is it as one Karucy says ndomo ndomo!! wewe mtu wa ndomo that is what you have...Then if Ruto is guilty i also heard one that Uhuru bankrolled mungiki in Naivasha....and i am quiet coz i can never proove it in a court of law....It is what women circles call ..."Udaku"...So men who are rutoing over here get a life if you have evidence take it to court or forever hold your peace....Ah Tumechoka!!!

    Ivy

    ReplyDelete
  15. lol ivy....that's hilarious!! hata mi nimechoka!! thank you for 'categorically' stating this is not a police station!!

    anybody who has a problem with ruto please follow the proper constitutional laid channels.....file your complaint in the nearest police station!! and if you feel you cant you are free to call annan!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. RAO is just RAO hate him or like him hakuna njia ingine.
    Martha might throw weight around but to make an impact the number of people that love you have to outweigh those that hate u... Right now Martha is not one of the most favourite person for a good number of Kenyans.. Infact for those that respected her in the past her arrogance has even eroded that.. She needs a major PR works to shed off the arrogance to make an impact outside GEMA circles.
    I agree with Ivy leave Ruto alone.. The more you hate him, the more you are making us like him.
    Whatever he did in the past is seeming less relevant for agood number of us... leave the guy alone..

    ReplyDelete
  17. Luos never cease to amaze me! Your blind loyalty to RO makes you blind to child's reasoning. I f RO carries the kind of magnetic field around him, why couldnt he all these years he vied for the presidency, it is only in 2007 that he made any impact? Open yoyr eyes guys. Kina Osama bin Laden thrive on the kind of blind of loyalty you have for this guy which throws logic out of the window.I know publishing anti-RO in this blog is like milking a desert rock but so what.

    DIM

    MOMBASA

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anon@8:26am, Please substitute the name Raila with Kibaki, and Luos with Kikuyus, 2007 for 2002.....what a waste of time and space, as your name suggests..DIM.

    ReplyDelete

Any posts breaking the house rules of COMMON DECENCY will be promptly deleted, i.e. NO TRIBALISTIC, racist, sexist, homophobic, sexually explicit, abusive, swearing, DIVERSIONS, impersonation and spam AMONG OTHERS. No exceptions WHATSOEVER.