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Friday, July 11, 2008

Martha Karua’s Friendly Fire: Who’s Next?

The Iron Lady is said to be holding her rivals by the balls

Ordinarily, cabinet ministers are supposed to work in tandem while implementing government policy. The Kenyan grand coalition appears completely dysfunctional. The ‘official’ pecking order has rendered the parliamentary front bench uncoordinated and virtually unworkable. Additionally, numerous scheduled cabinet meetings have been cancelled without explanation while the bloated cabinet itself has now been caught up in a web of serious corruption allegations, incidences of backstabbing and bitter infighting all of which result from the Kibaki succession. Regular readers will remember this blogger predicting a vicious and mouth-watering political contest hinged to the Kibaki succession months ago.

One player who has emerged forcefully is Martha Wangari Karua – the Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister. Impeccable sources reveal that Amos Kimunya’s exit from cabinet was the start of Martha Karua’s deliberate extermination of potential rivals on 2012. Although many people wrongly attribute the no-confidence vote in parliament to the ouster of Kimunya, Karua, probably working in cahoots with Raila Odinga, met President Kibaki on Tuesday morning with a convincing agenda that persuaded fence-sitter Kibaki to phone Kimunya and politely ask him to resign. By lunchtime the same day, Kimunya was gone!

Kimunya’s political demise was so efficiently carried out that word going round now is that Kimunya is contemplating resigning his parliamentary seat as he is finding it impossible return to parliament as a backbencher and face fellow MPs even as fresh corruption allegations on him are unearthed. Kimunya is also said to be too embarrassed to go back to Kipipiri to face his constituents whom he had promised just last Sunday that he’d rather face death than resign his cabinet post.

Kimunya was the blue-eyed boy of the president’s trusted council of elders and they have hatched a scheme to inflict equal measure revenge upon ODM by ensuring an ODM cabinet minister is humiliated the same way Kimunya was. Luckily, Kajwang who was previously thought to be an easy buy has turned out to be no soft target and his legal background as well as his long political experience as RAO’s lieutenant has paid off. The same elders are campaigning for a cabinet re-shuffle that will hand their people (read- Uhuru, Kiraitu, Saitoti and an unnamed GEMA assistant minister) powerful but less corruption prone cabinet portfolios. Ironically, these are the same individuals who just three months ago denied ODM its rightful cabinet slots during the contested portfolio balance negotiations that had threatened the fragile coalition.

So clearly the questions are; Who is/are the invisible hand(s) that is/are pushing Karua to uncharacteristically seem to be on the opposition side? Could it be that Kibaki has revealed to Karua that he had already made and deal with and endorsed Raila Odinga as his preferred successor? Yes, we all remember the last Kenya Open golf tournament and the body language there. The president also last month unusually showered praise on Raila. Again, Karua remains so far the only senior PNU minister to have visited Nyanza province as a presidential representative during the funeral of the son of Dalmas Otieno. More recently eyebrows have also been raised when Raila did not protest when the president appeared to contradict him on the Amos Kimunya probe. Anyone who has been keenly observing events unravel since Kofi Anan landed in town, cannot rubbish these coincidences.

Back to the guerilla tactics of the Justice Minister, she now has her guns trained on potential GEMA rivals for 2012 presidential race. Discerning observers of Kenyan political arena know well whom she was targeting when she boldly exclaimed that the era of political god-fathers is gone. Her blunt honesty is making powerful individuals within ODM to give her second thoughts. Apart from herself and Raila Odinga, very few other leading contenders in parliament can claim to be self-made.

Sources close to the Justice Minister intimate that her next obvious targets are Uhuru Kenyatta and Kiraitu Murungi. It appears duo’s refusal to take up the Finance docket is not borne out of nothing, but real fear for Martha Karua whom, this also blogger learnt, has managed to access highly incriminating evidence on all the PNU point-men through the numerous enquiry reports that have been gathering dust at her ministry over the years. Top amongst these are the Kroll Report, Goldenberg Report, Anglo Leasing and the Ndun’gu Land Commission Report. Uhuru’s case is not made easier owing to his recent illegal nomination of excess councilors to civic bodies countywide.

The minister has accessed a goldmine of irrefutable evidence that has made her believe that she can indeed strike a knock-out punch to any of her rivals. Her close associates have been heard boasting that she is literally holding her PNU rivals by the balls and all she needs to do is tighten her grip a little for the men to give up presidential ambitions for good.

In reality, Kiraitu Murungi is a sitting duck because of the mega-deals he made as Justice minister with Moi and his people on the non-repatriation of stolen billions public funds tracked by Kroll in off-shore accounts not to mention Kiratu’s blatant interference with John Githongo’s investigations into the biggest of them all - the Anglo Leasing scam. On the other hand, George Saitoti, one of the richest men in Kenya, is now at Karua’s mercy following renewed interest in the Goldenberg scandal arising out of the Grand Regency sale.

Admittedly, Karua knows too well that her chances of being elected the next president of Kenya are slim if not nil, but then she is making significant in-roads into being accepted by the ODM pentagon whom she prefers doing business with as opposed to ODM-K’s Kalonzo Musyoka who emerged a distant third in last year’s presidential polls. Credible but unverified reports received by this blogger, indicate that a cabinet line-up based upon the Bomas draft and featuring Martha Karua as a Deputy Prime Minister has already been drafted and is awaiting endorsement of a joint secret meeting of the higher echelons of ODM and the new NARC-K.

Observers are now wondering whether this meal Raila shared with Karua and the recent unusual declaration of support to Karua by ODM’s parliamentary group were mere coincidences or a political alliance in the making?

This is the question that even the so-called experts have yet to find an answer.

On my part I think the ODM captain, once touted as unelectable, has outsmarted state house power mandarins yet again.

STOP PRESS!!

John Njoroge Michuki, Kenya's Environment Minister, has been appointed to act as Finance Minister. The finance docket has been vacant since the resignation of Amos Kimunya last Tuesday following the Grand Regency Hotel sale scam.

At the same time, Public Works Minister Chris Obure has been appointed acting Roads Minister to replace Kipkalya Kones who died in a plane crash in Narok.

28 comments:

  1. Enough is Enough!.

    SAM OKELLO MUST return the money he stole from the poor woman.
    This is becoming very tough and we are also going to pull the Nuclear Option, we can do it fellow people.

    Sam Okello, you MUST return the money stollen from me, a poor woman who earns her living writing stories; now I do not have money, because you and your wife stole.
    RETURN MY MONEY; SAM OKELLO!
    If you call Kibaki a thief, and Kimunya a thief, then include yourself.

    Stealing money from me to write a book that 'will keep you up all night'. The only people who stay up all night are thieves~. Take a cue from your wife who 'stays up all night' 'while on her knees'!

    -Marianne Briner

    PS: For those who want the books Email me ASAP [mariannebriner@yahoo.de--since I have moved] and I will give you books to stay up all night while on your knees!

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  2. Phil am sure unamjua mnyama aitwae "Twiga". yes a giraffe! It sees far but not when drinking water (basic to sustain it's life), it's at it most vulnerable moment. RAO and Karua ?

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  3. Readers, just disregard the above loser and the jackass, Shady, who pretends to be me.

    Responses should be related to the topic. Stop the stupidity you demagogue!

    Sam Okello

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  4. Raila will never be president UNLESS he is willing to let the corrupt boys have a free run. There will be no clean president in Kenya, ever. There will be hell to lose for all the influential people who occupy high positions. That is why the election was stolen, and that is the reason elections will always be stolen, unless the winner is willing to permanently look the other way as the big boys loot the country.

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  5. Marianne briner, I do not know what your issue with the Okellos are. Yes, I have seen acres of information and disruptive comments from you, but that will not solve the problem

    While I am not taking sides in the issue, you are the one who seems to have credibilty issues with all those escapades with the Mois and Biwotts that the whole world read about.

    I have a polite request - can you sort out your business with the Okellos elsewhere?

    FRANKLY, NO ONE CARES.

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  6. For Kenyan living in UK and London and SE in particular, here is your local pub (bar) owned by a Kikuyu. They serve Nyama Choma and Tusker baridi or moto at a reduced price.

    Here is the link;
    http://www.thatchedhousepub.co.uk/

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  7. Martha Karua the iron lady.she will next priso and first kenyan Iron lady.
    She a Reincarnation of mumbi

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  8. Chris

    Your post makes a good read. I would have dismissed it as fiction and wishful thinking, but in this country of ours anything is possible. Yes, the notion that RAO is no longer unlectable is now confirmed as a myth. Offcourse the man has to got to do more if they were to embrace Karua in central. This may guarantee Rao votes in the next election - but am not sure if the kalenjin mafia will still be with Rao nothing much will change. There is so much hate between where Karua comes from and the Kalenjin mafia. This may be the only reason notwithstanding time that may come between the dream ticket. But Karua working with Rao is still a mirage today.

    Mzee wa Kijiji

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  9. Martha Karua is hot!

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  10. Anon 9:08, are you really Onyango Oloo.? I have serious doubts.

    Anyway, Folks I know we have come a long way. I know the tempest is gone, but, I will never forget...duly elected.....go to court personna non grata...and Martha Karua giving interviews to BBC, AL JAZEERA and any stations that held a microphone to her face and cared to listen.

    Deep down, I know she knew the truth.

    She has defintely mellowed down,call it strategising, hitting back for not getting DPM(despite the spirited fight she put up).

    I have just seen pathetic Uhuru on KBC, talking about...Kimunya this, Kimunya that when he should have said all this nonsence in parliament. Uhuru, if In were you I would be worrying about the soon to be revoked civic nominations. Broda, I know you were brought up in butter, but in the real world things don't happen that way.

    Back to the main story, I'm sure Martha is not happy seeing him chewing on the steak while she is given the matumbo. She can scheme, rant, rave, bring all the legal jargon, but I don't think ODM should let her near.

    These people will always stab you in the back. Nyoba is bigger than anything else.

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  11. Anon@ 9:08. Speak for yourself. So many posts have gone by that I feel there might be a real grievance here. I will be emailing Marianne Brinner for more info.

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  12. Reference to Anon 9.12

    You can also listen to Kameme FM in London. Just visit http://www.misterseed.com and follow the link.

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  13. Well done article

    Karua is force to reckon with, but i doubt she can get to be the President of Kenya.As you said, a DPM post is within her reach.Dury played her badly and she may never forgive him at all

    Michuki-He is one of the best public servants that Kenya will ever see.
    But,It is unlikely for the Dury to confirm him as the Finance minister (unless Parliament refuse Kimunya,AGAIN after justice Cockars cock up commission).
    You see, The scandals are not being done by the DURY Himself but the offsprings.These are the people who will and are never comfortable with Michuki.With Michuki in Treasury, they cant continue messing about.Thats where the problem is and it means that he is never going to be the Substantive Minister.
    Saitoti Kinuthia is ruled out.The Goldenburg smell is too strong.

    My bet is that a far much younger Kikuyu will be the next full finance minister. But as stated above, only parliament will make this happen.Otherwise,the DURY may try to sneak Kimunya back-that is if he would not have found a rope or alll together resigned as an MP.He has problems.Massive.Can he step into parliament?

    Karua must work with RAO,as Mutahi Ngunyi predicted.This way, as Ruto will advise her,she needs an external force to reign on the Mumbi tribe.Ask Moi and of course,Ruto overtaook him ages ago.
    With RAO, Karua will deciminate these old Kiambu mafia

    By the way, where is Karume?

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  14. i think that article by mutahi ngunyi which you mention in your post is insightful and needs further processing.

    the means (who's and what) is done to achieve that end are always debatable or subjective but includes chopping the feet or stomping on the toes of anyone getting in the way or "the goat route"

    now i'd like to admit my limitations at this juncture and state where we part ways and i go back to my pedestrian rock throwing expertise. bw mutahi is an accomplished political analyst and can therefore spin that consipiracy theory any which way and case out the different scenarios.

    at my level i keep it simple, my focus is that as these guys go about their political business to capture the throne, are they stealing from me and my children (looting public coffers), are they imprisoning innocent people while releasing barrabas (thugs and villains) i.e applying selective justice and also opressing the innocent while rewarding or perpetuating crime. are they creating a conducive environment for kenyans to conduct business or are their actions making it harder for kenyans, promoting rising insecurity and poverty, etc. those are the issues am chasing, everything else including cat-walks and goat roasting orgies are certainly fun to watch and participate in but are nothing more than eye-candy and light entertainment before the championship match which as we know can turn ugly real fast (we must remind ourselves all the time of the tragic events that took place Dec 2007 to March 2008). Its about how these political games are played. If you turn the time dial back, you will find that the root cause and strategy that lead to those tragic events were similarly laid out by the very same Mutahi Ngunyi when he penned his response to curb RAOs and ODMs rising popularity will look for the article and post it here when i get it.

    UrXlnc

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  15. Marianne Brinner is not disrupting. She is a Mzungu and for us Africans - like Sam Okello - who is a Luo like me to steal money and then refuse to pay is bad. Nyaka oduok pesa wegi. I am from Gem Kambare and I am sure Sam must be from another clan NOT Gem. Okello rudisha pesa ya Brinner. Even if she had sex with Moi - so what? Justice is Justice.
    Okello keep off this columns until you pay nyar loka.

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  16. Phil,

    Me thinks this is the height of arrogance for Kibaki to appoint Michuki to Finance. If anybody still doubted there was something to be swept under the rug at Finance, there is your proof. For how long will these clowns be allowed to play games with Kenya?

    But more stunning is the elevation of Chris Obure to Roads. Tell me what this means about the state of the ODM coalition. Is this ship about to kiss the bottom of the ocean? Or is there a plan for the South Rift?

    Sam Okello

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  17. Shady/Sam Okello/10:51. What options did Kibaki have? That is a very hot seat at the moment and it needed someone with the guts to sit firmly on the lid at treasury. Remember Oburu promised to reveal more regarding the politically correct individuals who were loaned 20 BILLION!

    Personally I did not expect the appoinmtment to leave nyoba and with the contents of the pot spewing over, Michuki was his best choice. Whether or not he will keep up with the demands of the job with his pre independence ideas, is for you to judge.

    What I foresee is 'rattlesnake Michuki' in his true colors, ordering everyone around as if we are in the 60s. I hope kina Ababu will not be intimidated by such colonial relics. (Hopefully, Ababu's security has been beefed up).

    For now, let us sit back and watch how he handles the hot seat. I'm sure they expect fire works especially with all the scrutiny from parliamentarians.

    Question is, how will he 'tame' parliamentarians? Will he give shoot to kill orders to anyone who gets too nosy?

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  18. Sam,

    Thanks for ignoring this Kenyan CLOWN who is impersonating you and getting desperate for your attention with each post. Achana na hiyo farasi.

    Michuki's appointment, albeit in an acting capacity, is a carefully thought out cover-up plan.

    Parliament was due to next week Wednesday find out from Dr. Oburu Odinga (Finance Assistant Minister) on just who are the private citizens to whom Kimunya acted as guarantor when Central Bank gave out Kshs. 20 billion loans. This was shapping up to be an even bigger scandal then Grand regency and I fear Michuki's appointment is aimed at protecting the identities of these people who took these illegal loans and if they ever intend to payback the money.

    In reality, if it was not for the "gentlemanly behavior" of RAO, this Kibaki government would be history by now, if he could have marshalled his troops and pulled the nuclear option.

    On the other hand, Obure's appointment helps cover Michuki's to pass as normal appointments, notwithstanding the roads docket has been vacant for about a month while the finance docket only three days.

    Additionally, it is about time the captain cracked the whip in terms of party discipline. Some Kipsigis MPs allowed themselves to be used by Moi and in the process, seriously undermined the party leadership. RAO is NOT obligated in anyway to re-appoint a Kipsigis to replace Kones and Laboso. My personal take is that other interest groups supporting ODM, eg. women and youth, especially from minority groups can be considered for these dockets. I am confident, the people of the lower rift will remain with ODM even if MPs decide to defect. This is the only way we can answer idiots like Isaac Ruto and Franklin Bett who think they are doing us a favour by remaining in ODM. It will also serve as a warning to other 'big' tribes who think that the captain can be blackmailed with KANU-style tribalism that Moi manifested in the old days, which as a united party is at the gate of the promised land.

    I can bet you my last dime - TRANSCENTURY GROUP - which features the president's best buddies and Kimunya's godfathers could be the names behind the Kshs. 20B loan from CBK. I hear after the safaricon IPO in which they got substantial shares through a myriad of companies locally and abroad, with the help of Kimunya, the Transcentury group want to take over Uchumi Supermarkets and turn it into a market leader at par if not better than Nakumatt. Unfortunately, they intend to do this with our money which they have stolen (sorry loaned without intentions of repaying). You bet they are also eyeing the KCB rights issue just like HFCK has already been taken over.

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  19. Phil,
    IDOL worshipper, now you have KARUA o your list after RAO.

    Poof!

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  20. phil

    would you kindly (research some more if need be) clarify the following which is unclear to me

    parliament already asked Oburu to shed light on the 20b suspect loan(s).

    the query was to ministry of finance so it does not matter whether its oburu or michuki to answer unearth the story behind this new revelation. Michuki can play hard ball and procrastinate all he wants but answers must be provided at some point. i do not beleive memebers of the 10th parliament can be intimidated by michuki or saitoti or kibaki. perhaps the depth of answer may be wanting, but we have sharp enough lawyers and economist/bankers as well as polished crooks/thugs etc in that parliament who can smoke out any suspect deal through correct questioning, so onus is on parliament to ensure they ask the right questions, michuki is an honorable gent, and he may not volunteer information, but he will certainly provide answers if he is asked.

    the clarification is, michuki will still have to answer the parliamentarians YES or NO and that parliament can compel the minister or insist on getting right answers if they feel answers are unsatisfactory, is that true or not, or will this be the perfect opportunity to stall the ball play (timeout) with the age old excuse - he needs time to familiarise with the ministry (about three months or 4.5 years)

    UrXlnc

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  21. Dream on, Mister. It is astonishing the kind of political naivete a lot of ODMers display. Karua as a politician has NO CLOUT beyond Kirinyaga district, and NO CLOUT beyond the Ministry of Justice. Moreover, she has NO CLOUT with the GEMA youth, unlike Uhuru Kenyatta. What then will she be bringing to the ODM table? The moment she steps into the ODM house her goose is cooked as it will be seen as the height of betrayal in Central Kenya, and Raila will then have a chance to destroy her completely. If she doesn't know, Raila too has read The Prince by Machiavelli, one of whose golden rules is to utterly vanquish all potential political rivals/independent minded politicians opposed to him now, in the present or in the future. Just look at Nyanza, Orengo had to bow down to Raila before getting his blessings and being elected.
    Raila cannot accept a hothead like Karua without having a sinister agenda up his sleeve. I doubt that he has forgotten how Karua once slapped him in public, and Raila's ego is too bloated to have forgetten such a slight, nay, humiliation.
    Karua also owes her position as a Minister to Kibaki's inner circle and if she decides to grow horns and oppose them, she will be fired faster than she can say hi, and all her influence and status will go up in flames in a flash.
    Even as you guys were speculating on who will be the new Finance Minister, i told you that Kibaki was not going to appoint any and instead would appoint either Michuki or Uhuru in an acting capacity, and that is exactly how it turned out. Now i am telling you that if Kimunya is cleared of any wrongdoing, he will be back at Treasury. So much for your Kimunya predictions of a political demise. In case you haven't seen it by now, the GEMA Presidential candidate in 2012 will be Kalonzo Musyoka, with Uhuru as his major sidekick destined to assume the position of Prime Minister with enhanced powers unlike the present PM, subject to negotiation and a deal with Kalonzo. ODM knows how potent this alliance is likely to be and Raila's only chance to be President in 2012 is to split the GEMA vote, thus the jitters and conspiracy theories coming out of the ODM mouthpieces on this blog and others.
    No matter how many guns Karua may have trained on potential rivals like Uhuru, they will be mere potshots at an indifferent Aircraft carrier.

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  22. UrXlnc as always your mature comments bring a breath of fresh air.

    Lakini, were you serious about this ?: michuki is an honorable gent,

    Kimi, you seem a hateful guy/lady from your comments. Calm down broda/sista. Dismissing people's views as political naivete is not the way to go.

    I'm sorry, but please organize your thoughts, let not the hatred overcome your train of thought. Mara Orengo owes his position to Raila, mara Raila was slapped by Karua, what exactly is your point?

    Here is an excerpt:

    In case you haven't seen it by now, the GEMA Presidential candidate in 2012 will be Kalonzo Musyoka, with Uhuru as his major sidekick destined to assume the position of Prime Minister with enhanced powers unlike the present PM, subject to negotiation and a deal with Kalonzo.

    May I ask where Uhuru will get these enhanced powers from . MUNGIKI? What exactly are these powers?
    Kalonzo and his overblown ego can continue waiting to be toshwad. He can continue fighting fires in Ukambani.

    Do you realize these are two weaklings who will get nowhere? Hawana msimamo.

    Now who is now more naive?

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  23. anon 2:05 hahaha i struggled with the semantics, but you're right i need to qualify in this context i mean michuki is a hard liner with airs and show of bravado, tough no nonsense six shooter and all that approach and will go to great lengths to cover officialy thru state secrets, etc, but at least he will not (or at least I think from how he has always conducted his business) do the flip flopping and blatant lies as kimunya shamelessly did, in that respect i call him honorable which i find easier to use since thats their official title. i toyed with respectable or truthful and gave up

    perhaps i can get a tribal word that sums it up better.

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  24. Please Phil,

    Stop inflating a human balloon. Very soon (in the next cabinet resuffle) Karua will be leaving Justice. And if she is not careful, will be allowed to graze off to her political sunset. The moment she is declared Raila's mole in Mt. Kenya region, that is her funeral!!!!

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  25. UrXlnc i doubt anyone would have given a better description of Michuki.

    All that you have said is true and it's sad that the legacy he left at the transport ministry has 'conveniently' been forgotten. We (I being one of them), associate him more with the standard raid and the Artur saga.

    He has never defended himself and so I believe the allegations have some truth, or maybe he is deflecting the bullet for SOMEONE.

    I'll try to overlook all his 'weaknesses' and trust that he will use his strong points (hopefully not brute force)to bring some sanity to Treasury.

    With all the stink coming from that direction, it remains to be seen how RATTLESNAKE, KIMEENDERO(sp) MICHUKI will weather the storm.

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  26. Anon @ 2.05. Normally, i would not give lazy minds of your ilk the time of day, but i will ask you do something very simple and easy. Change the dim 25 watt bulb in your head to a 150 watt, switch on, read the text of my message, digest it, THINK and then respond.

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  27. Who is impersonating who?
    Sam Okello is a plain downright thief. Stealing from an already conned woman.
    Rudisha pesa ya wenyewe. Au ulimwomba akakunyima?
    Chul gowi bwana.

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  28. Karua helped steal the votes. It is obvious that Kitaki will support her.

    Poor Kalonzo, where will he go to?

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