If you thought that Kenya had sunk to its’ lowest ebb, then think again. Mambo bado.
Today is Jamuhuri day and ironically this day will be remembered for generations to come as the Jamuhuri day celebration that was held just after the 10th parliament and the ruling class celebrated a huge leap backwards in press freedom in our beloved country.
Wanted: Freedom fighters on the web now that the mainstream media has been successfully gagged by enemies of Kenya.MPs have also successfully resisted paying any taxes on their huge allowances. There is little doubt now that the 10th parliament will now join the 9th parliament and others in the country’s crowded hall of SHAME. The 10th parliament has this week passed perhaps what is the most draconian media bill to ever be presented anywhere in the world since the apartheid days of South Africa.
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But folks there is some good news to report. The good news is that the struggle has picked up momentum. The revolution that will change Kenya is not too far off. It was rather clear from the mood of the public at Nyayo Stadium a few minutes ago that Kenyans are well aware of exactly where we are as a country and no amount of sugar-coated speeches will wash. Especially the kind where people take pride in saying "my government" (I though it is supposed to be the people's government?)
It is interesting that just towards the end of the President’s speech a few minutes ago, a man caused a commotion when he started shouting and was promptly gagged and roughly manhandled by security personnel as he was carried out kicking and still attempting to scream from Nyayo Stadium. As soon as he was out of view of he public, eye witnesses saw the man receiving a through beating from several policemen. There were loud protests from the crowd at the way the man was arrested and a section of the crowd promptly burst into the campaign song Msilale bado mapabano. (Don't sleep, the struggle is still on).
It is official folks, Kenya is a police state. A police state led by a very crowded, expensive coalition government cabinet that is just sitting there "eating" as Kenya goes to the dogs.
The gains made in securing media freedom in Kenya are now threatened by the horrible members of the August House. And yet these gains were made through the spilling of blood of many innocent Kenyans. It is very annoying to note that one Emilio Stanley himself today seats in State House due to the sacrifices that other Kenyans made to free the media enough for him to campaign to victory and yet he will probably not hesitate to append his signature on the immoral piece of paper that parliamentarians call a bill that will fall on his desk for signature shortly.
The said MPs passed the controversial Kenya Communication (Amendment) Bill 2008, without the alterations agreed upon between the Minister for Information and Communication Mr. Samuel Poghisio and members of the media owners association. This Bill was first brought into the precincts of the House in 2005 by the former minister for Information Mr. Mutahi Kagwe. After an outcry by the Media stations the president refused to assent to it then instead asking the members of parliament to amend it accordingly.
Unfortunately, Mutahi Kagwe’s departure was not the end of the Bill as expected. His wishes were continued by the PS Ministry of Information and Communication one Mr. Bitange Ndemo A man I sincerely despise and will never forget since he gave the order for the media blackout on 30th December 2007). I have no qualms calling that man an idiot!
Mr. Poghisio has held numerous meetings with the members of the media owners association promising them that the controversial clauses in the Bill shall be deliberated upon before it is passed. Poghisio also made assurances to the prime minister that that Bill would not be tabled without the requisite amendments. But that same afternoon Mr Poghisio after promising the country that he would take the concerns of media houses into consideration publicly on Q-FM he sneaked in the Bill backed by David Musila and with 23 other members of parliament passed the Bill without any amendments alleging it should not have been tempered with for the sake of national security. It has largely been said the passage of the Bill was a retaliatory attack on the media for pushing the agenda on the MPs to pay taxes.
Now the media fraternity is shouting itself hoarse about the effects of that Bill, which include having the Minister for Internal Security raid media houses to destroy equipment (ala the Michuki 2006 raid on the Standard media group), the Information minister shall have power to control broadcast content, what’s more the postal corporation shall have the power to open our letters without any consent from the court.
This Jamhuri Day morning radio presenter, Caroline Mutoko, Walter Mong'are, Larry Asego activist Mwalimu Mati and his wife together with about 20 other people were arrested at the Nyayo National stadium for wearing black t-shirts with loud messages on the MP’s tax refusal. It is said that in his arrest Nyambane was severely manhandled by the police after attempting to serve the president personally with the media petition. Some of the people arrested were stripped off their t-shirts. The arrested people were taken to Langata Police Station. Another sad day for Kenya on the anniversary of the day we attained independence. What a shame!
The Media houses are now ‘begging’ the MP for Othaya NOT to assent to the said Bill. I am a pessimist by nature and honestly don’t expect the MP for Othaya to do anything about it I mean come on this is the man whose wife stormed the Nation Media Group in the middle of the night a few years ago slapped a journalist and threw the company into disarray, making operations come to a complete halt for a few hours. This Kibaki is the same man who backed Michuki’s raid of the Standard group. So what kind of action are we expecting from him? Maybe a miracle will save this nation and Kibaki will refuse to assent to it once again but I am not holding my breath!
I will not despair either and may I just say thank God for blogs and other internet sites out there because it now seems that these shall be the only other way that the public will be able to receive unadulterated information from within our borders.
Post Update By Chris
Debate is good but it is important to stick to the facts. It is clear from the comments to this post that several eyewitnesses to the same event at Nyayo Stadium today saw different things. Phil did you forget to tell us that when the Prime Minister asked wananchi to agree with him that "Yes we can" they replied by quoting the popular Celtel slogan; "Vuka" (cross over). What they meant was that Raila should leave government immeditaly and cross over to the opposition.
It is also NOT true according to several commentators here that under President Kibaki there has been more press freedom. The fact is that under Kibaki more bills have been introduced in parliament to gag the press than has happened in the history of Kenya including the time the country was under colonial rule. That is a fact!!! Kibaki found a very free press in 2003 which the opposition had collectively fought for, spilling blood in the process. Kibaki then proceeded to dismantle that freedom. If the bill which was passed this week was really Mutahi Kagwe's brain child, then why did it not fizzle out with his departure from the August house? The truth is that the real force behind the Bill is the president himself. The fact that he did not sign it the last time was merely a political gimmick at a time when he was soon facing a general election.
Then another significant historical incident took place at Nyayo stadium today. For the first time we saw the president leaving his seat during a public holiday function to confer with the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the national assembly. They later returned to their seats after a few minutes. What were they discussing?
By the way when the president came into the stadium and was waving to the people, hardly anybody waved back. At least Moi knew one important secret, when people are hungry they can be ruthless animals. So he made sure that whatever happened Unga did not suddenly cost Kshs 130/- one morning because some minister wanted to make quick money. Such deals are not too bad with Sugar. But maize!!!!!!?????? Aiiii!!!!!
Lastly when a commotion ensued towards the end of the president's speech he cynically remarked; "let those who want to fight go ahead and fight." Is that how a leader of a nation handles themselves? Inciting or daring (depending on how you interpret his remarks) his dissatisfied people to fight?
It was very clear today at Nyayo stadium that the country is in "ignition mode" it needs only a small spark to get things really ugly. But alas, the political class do not see it like that.
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karamba, we are back to square one. We do not have leaders but thugs in the real sence of it. The only Good news is that kenyns have woken up.Thanks to kibaki the stolen elections taught us a lesson. Dont just sit back and expect the train back to the rail. I promise kenya will never be the same again. Today parliament reigns supreme but tomorrow it will be the people. This crop of selfish thugs that control and missuse our taxes have no place in present day kenya.And we are partly to blame too for voting in these thugs for MPs.
ReplyDeletekanoo
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ReplyDeleteChris. Habari ya Jamhuri DAY?
ReplyDeleteWhat was evident at Nyayo Stadium shows how poor and pathetic our president and vice president are at handling chanting crowds. Twice in the last one month, you saw how the Prime Minister managed to calm down chanting youth in Kibera and Eastleigh. Today however, Kibaki was dismissive as was his vice president (who has this disgusting habit of copy pasting everything the PM raises in his speech on public holidays). If you were at Nyayo Stadium, only one politician was cheered. I will not name him for fear of being called 'worshipper'. But those are the facts. Leaders should never ignore or run away from the problems of the people. We have to learn a lot from how the PM has handled protesters and hecklers. And from the look of things, the protests will continue, and may turn violent....which means we shall see less and less of the president in public....can you imagine how far May Day 2009 is - as this is the next time we shall have another public function? And Labour day is not an obligation for the president, but June 1st 2009 - he must show up....will akina Mati, Mutoko and Nyambane maintain the pressure to that date....or this was merely a one day publicity stunt???
As a man who lives in Kenya and who monitors whats broadcast in our mainstream media each day, I am in full support of the amendment recently passed by parliament and I urge the President to sign this bill into law immediately. If the pornographic garbage Maina Kageni feeds us every morning, or the distortions we get in Citizen and Nation is what passes for responsible press in mainstream media in Kenya, then it is trully a shame! What is broadcast in vernacular FM stations leaves a lot to be desired.
Whats more, I take great exception at the attempts by Mati, Mutoko and Mongare to disrupt what is an important national day. Why doesnt the media call its own rally, say at Uhuru Park or Kamkunji grounds to mobile support for its course instead of bringing the memory of our hard won freedom into disrepute?
My own personal experience with Kenya's press shows that they are quite smart at twisting stories and misreporting events. They hardly cross-check facts and are a law unto themselves. I just hope we, in Kumekucha, will practice what we preach. We shall use our freedom of expression responsibly and maturely.
I further urge the LANGATA OCPD to ensure Mutoko, Asego, Jalango, Nyambane, and Mati be held in police cells until Monday when he should arraign them in court for holding demonstrations without notifying local police and administration authorities, and I would add charge them also with causing a breach of the peace by disrupting a state function.
Please note I am speaking as a more than a decade veteran of being on the receiving end of police batons and tear gas, demonstrations and street protests, and overnight stints at central police station that evidently brought the freedom this so-called mainstream media enjoys in the first place. Where were kina Mutoko and Nyambane when Moi was trully MOI??
Happy Jamhuri's day!!
ReplyDeleteI am jealous not to be there to enjoy the day!):
I don't know much about this story, but as much i resist any form of media gagging, I would also like to point out something, Kenya under President Kibaki boasts one of the Africa liveliest and most-developed media scenes. Kibaki's government has liberalized media into one of the most diverse media in Africa, this when you compare with Moi's era or with many other countries. Under Moi one-party rule, police harassment and clampdown on journalists was the order of the day leading to arrests and imprisonment as state officials were constantly worried about the media challenging the government.
Having said that, Kenya is no where near the kind of press freedom we have in the West. Do you know the press in UK brings down the government? Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was forced out of the office by media? In 1990s the press nearly brought down the House of Windsor (British Monarchy) until Her Majesty the Queen made an emotional appeal on television saying her family have all kind of problems just like any other family.( They were forced to eat a humble pie)
And this is what I would like to see in Kenya---media intrusion into politicians and other personalities lives, exposing them and bringing them down!
Kenyans should fight vigorously against censorship and any law that undermine press freedom.
Please join the organization "Reporters without Border".
Kenyans,
ReplyDeleteThere are certain things worth fighting for, and even dying for if need be. One of the most common thing that many have died for is freedom.
It is only 11 months ago that many gave their lives, and many more lost their livelihood and dignity as we all wanted either Kibaki or Raila.
Though the pain from that experience is still raw, sadly it is time to fight again. Our MPs, PM and Prezo have gone mad again.
But we are the people, their boss. Let us take to the streets again and not relent until Kibaki sends the Media bill back to the MP dogs, let us take the streets again until our MP dogs agree to pay taxes like all of us. Let us protest until they end impunity.
To everything, there is a season....... The time to fight is now!
Joram Ragem, Esq.
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Joram Ragem
wuod Ndinya, wuod Onam, wuod Amolo, wuod Owuoth, wuod Oganyo, wuod Mumbe, wuod Odongo, wuod Olwande, wuod Adhaya, wuod Ojuodhi, wuod Ragem! (Are you my relative?)
Even if we assume that Emilio is an enemy of democracy and particularly of media freedoms (which is of course unlikely as on average both expanded quite considerably under his rule--tell em Kwale!), there are good reasons to speculate that he will veto the bill.
ReplyDeleteHe's on his second and final term and likely motivated less by short term political gain (i.e. relection in 2012) than by longer term considerations of his legacy. So the obvious choice would be for him to veto the bill, especially after such public outcry.
But then, one would argue that there are other upcoming important decisions that he needs the MPs to pass and so would rather not brook their anger. Even so, the really crucial ones to Kenya right now are those which Kenyans (and their development partners--sic!), including the MPs themselves, have been clamoring for for a while.
These decisions have to do with various reforms mandated by the various commissions Emilio authorized this year. It is unlikely the majority of MPs will fail to support these upcoming reform proposals as it will place them on a direct collision course not only with their own constituents (yet again!) who are still reeling over events earlier this year but with other actors as well, including the development community. The latter have gone to the extent of threatening budgetary support. While the former--the constituents--may threaten re-election prospects.
So the political cost to Emilio of vetoing the media bill are low-- he's not in play for 2012 plus MPs are unlikely to give him headaches as their political costs to them of not supporting other upcoming important decisions are on the rise.
What might be benefits for Emilio of vetoing the bill? One has to do with building on the general trend of media freedom and democracy that he started in his first term (yeah, tell em, Kwale!). Another has to do with establishing a legacy--and this media bill would be an excellent opportunity for that.
So, unlike Chris and other Emilio-pessimists, scuttlebutt(-ers), mudslingers, doommongers and so on, I do see a great possibility of Emilio vetoing this bill.
Oh, and Chris, the story about Poghisio holding consultations with the media folks and then sneakily (secretly almost?) ensuring its passing—is that real or just more KK-style scuttlebutt?
Chris,
ReplyDeletePlease be RESPECTFUL to the DE president whose foresight made him eloquently second Njonjo's 1980 bill to officially make Kenya a dictatorship. He is a don and an economist to boot. 4 more years please.
"Please note I am speaking as a more than a decade veteran of......., and overnight stints at central police station..."
ReplyDeleteWhy didnt you just stay there?
"If you were at Nyayo Stadium, only one politician was cheered. I will not name him for fear of being called 'worshipper'"
ReplyDeleteHe he he he.
What were they cheering? His shiny face?
The word is performance, my friend. Performance!
Kwale, the press in Kenya is full of hypocrites. Look at the EA Standard for instance. Everything Raila does is of messianic proportions and should never be questioned or interrogated. When he makes obviously daft if not corrupt decisions such as that pertaining to the recent maize flour saga with two prices, the media keeps quite and does not investigate the absurdity. Obviously, Raila made the decision in order to cushion millers and who in turn were the victims of corrupt ODM elements like Namwamba and Ruto who cooked the smelly deal in the first place. Instead of the EA Standard(and also the Daily Nation) VIGOROUSLY holding Raila and the ODM MPs in question to account for the weird decision, they are now mourning to the very same public they have been deceiving. Very annoying and stupid behavior. When Raila was in Kibera last weekend, he uttered in public anti-Kikuyu remarks, yet the media never reported it, why? Useless cretins.
ReplyDeleteIf they truly were afraid for their freedom, they should simply gag and blackout politicians, easy. They can easily pick and choose which politicians to report on and then blackout those who are anti-democratic. Very, very effective. What is stopping them? Frankly, i don't buy the Kenyan media's outcry. A lot simply doesn't add up.
Kimi,
ReplyDeleteVery true the media is taking Kenyans for a ride. But they will painfully discover that credibility is like virginity. Just ask the once heraled NMG whisch was almost suffocating E and C Africa in dominance. They ignored their base/facts and pandered to SECTERIAN whims. Now you look at their coverage and boy what a cracked mirror.
That said the media must work hard EXTRA HARD to have the public on their side. With that they need no protection form the scoundrels. But Kenyan scribes have price tags. Coverage is guaranteed depending on affiliation and even sadly you mother tongue. Painful but true. The axe grinds both ways.
Very, very true Taabu. Do you know why the press will NEVER choose the option of blacking out politicians for being anti-democratic and anti-media freedom? Well, because they sell coverage to the highest bidder, and the politicians know it! I do not believe there is a single journalist in Kenya who does not take money in order to cover politicians. Journalists have been covering up evidence of political thuggery and impunity for years now in exchange for money. You would need to look really hard to find an investigative and principled journalist in the mold of the Pulitzer prize winning icons of the Western press. If the press in Kenya had actually practiced honest, mature and grown up journalism, politicians would not dare touch them and would be very wary of trampling on media rights. Unfortunately, its very difficult to tell the difference between a rag like Citizen from the EA Standard or the Daily Nation. Its only in the gloss where there is a difference otherwise the content and mentality is the same, cheap like chang'aa and equally unenlightening. The chickens have simply come home to roost.
ReplyDeleteKimi
ReplyDeleteI was at Raila's home coming rally in Kalix grounds two weeks ago. Which anti-kikuyu remarks do you attribute to Raila?
If you know the story, please quote what Raila said and what he was responding to.
While at it, please also tell us what William Ruto said about his alleged secret meeting with President Kibaki as reported by the Nation, a day before the rally ostensibly to split the pentagon!
Kimi,
ReplyDeleteNow the two labels: DECEPTION and FRAUD have been actualized and nationalized. We live national lies bandying tokensim as progress and the press is our trumpet, ama? We need to think HARD and STRAIGHT and reclaim Kenya from the JAWS of scoundrels. The press is a mere reflection of the rotten Kenyan culture.
I want to differ with Chris on this one.
ReplyDeleteKENYAN PRESS HAS TO BE GAGGED!
Kenyan press has become so irresponsible, uttering foolishness here and there.
The Vernacular FM radios were number one in inciting people during the ethnic unrest.
KENYAN PRESS HAS TO BE GAGGED!
This is the only way forward...until the day the press will learn DISCIPLINE!
If you have a public forum, you have to responsible...do not utter racial epithets here and there!, that is what happened to Rwanda.
KENYAN PRESS HAS TO BE GAGGED!!
Kimi:
ReplyDeleteIdeally the media can black out some and not others and that could be an effective sanction. But that seems possible under two conditions. One, if the media were a unified monolith (perhaps as in communist economies). Two, if there were some coordination among media actors.
Now, you just gave a good example of how that cheap rag, EA standard, chooses to report on, as against the Daily Nation--the two dominant print media with TV affiliations as well. This lack of coordination among these competing media actors, and their close affiliation (if not integration) with other complementary media sectors might point to why 'media' cannot effectively sanction the legislators. Some of the media might even be deep in the politicians pockets. Who knows?
I'm just suggesting that the media is not only differentiated within itself but may also be subject to its own politics that's not entirely insulated from national politics or corruption. This may work against ability to thwart the legislators, when the latter choose to coordinate/band together.
ps: how would generally lower unga prices (even if split into two price categories) cushion the millers? Sounds like they were monumentally screwed-- first by the broker fiasco and second, (even more) by lowering the prices.
Kimi & Anon 6.29, I see where you are coming from. If press in Kenya is biased and hypocritical IT SHOULD BE GAGGED! Period.
ReplyDeleteA civilised media outlet DOES NOT prints stories or an article that is likely to stir up ethnic hatred.
Please note, fair and free reporting in the West, especially in UK is done under a code of practice and have independent bodies to monitor and regulate the press and freedom of information where all members of the press have a duty to maintain the highest professional standards. And it is essential that an agreed code should be honoured not only to the letter but in the full spirit.
Codes of practice which WE MUST adopt are;
ACCURACY
i) The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information, including pictures.
ii) A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion once recognised must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and - where appropriate - an apology published.
iii) The Press, whilst free to be partisan, must distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact.
HARRASEMENT
Journalists must not engage in intimidation, harassment or persistent pursuit.
ii) They must not persist in questioning, telephoning, pursuing or photographing individuals once asked to desist; nor remain on their property when asked to leave and must not follow them.
DISCRIMINATION
i) The press must avoid prejudicial or pejorative reference to an individual's tribe, religion, gender, or to any physical or mental illness or disability.
ii) Details of an individual's tribe, religion, physical or mental illness or disability must be avoided unless genuinely relevant to the story.
Phil:
ReplyDeleteAt that rally Martha Karua asked Raila's help in returning landlords' property to them, and in resettling those who had been displaced in the post-election violence. Her statement was greeted by jeers.
When Raila had his turn to speak he said in Swahili, something to the effect that ‘huyu mama haelewi mambo yanayofanyika hapa kijijini, lakini nimemweleza na ameelewa. Wale watu ambao walitoka kule Kikuyu walirudi kule,sasa walio ndani ya manyumba, wataenda wapi?..."
Karua later returned to the incident. She was at a church where she asked Raila not to forget that he was MP for both the tenants and the landlords. She also wondered where exactly the PM meant when he said Kikuyu, was it Kikuyu Town in Kabete Constituency, or did he mean Central Province.
Phil, can you tell us what Raila meant with reference to the word Kikuyu. go on, make me laugh. I thought the dispute is about tenants and landlords regardless of their origins.
I do not know what remarks you are referring with regard to Ruto and Kibaki's secret meeting. Please enlighten us.
B-carotene, point well taken, that is why i say the media is being hypocritical because if the situation was indeed so grave, they should be able to coordinate punitive actions against politicians with the one effective weapon they have, BUT THEY WON'T! If it is in their interest to reign in both executive and parliamentary dictatorship, why can't they jettison their different partisan media interests in aid of their own common good? Easy. They are simply NOT MEN ENOUGH OR PRINCIPLED ENOUGH TO BE INDEPENDENT OF THEIR POLITICAL PATRONS AND THE BIASED INTERESTS THEREOF, NOT TO MENTION THE FINANCIAL REWARDS FOR BEING GOOD BOYS. And so, here they are, frothing at the mouth with one eye firmly STILL(!) on the politicians wallet. hehehe.
With regard to the Unga, the millers are being allocated the 1.7million bags that had ostensibly 'disappeared' from NCPB Silos and then reappeared as 'imports' so that they recover the profits they lost to the politicians. Truth is, the said bags never left the silos. Just paperwork flying back and forth. Remember how Goldenberg was done? Also was just paperwork without any 'gold' having left the country.
A few months ago no opportunity was lost reminding us about how ODM will be controlling business in parliament being the majority.We got used to being told how the combined numbers of Mps from PNU,Kanu,Narc Kenya and ODM-K could never pose any threat to ODM-Raila.As far as I know bills are debated and voted for in parliament.How then does the president come into this media bill thing seeing as that it was passed by that same ODM majority parliament?Food for thought Phil.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I should also like to add, despite freedom of press in UK, the code of practice is also the strictest and properly adhered to. Any case of defamation or complaints from the members of public which happens to be in breach of rules is a very costly business.
ReplyDeleteGuys,
ReplyDeleteWhat in the world happened at Nyayo? I sense that I missed something big there.
You can all take it easy. I have it from an authoritative source that President Kibaki will NOT sign this bill.
Happy Jamhuri Day, folks!
Kimi said:
ReplyDelete.....the media should be able to coordinate punitive actions against politicians with the one effective weapon they have, BUT THEY WON'T!.....
C'mon Kimi don't be naive. The Kenyan media is a reflection of our fractious society. The tribalists are everywhere dispensing their vitroil in every available space. NMG will go mute and headline TABLOID News of the world if necessary and so do Std. The scribes will always go and pamper the highest bidder. FYI plenty of blackmail is what lines the pockets of most TOP reporters.
@Kwale,
Wewe, stop watching and too much Sky/C4. I saw you religiously watching that AIDED SUICIDE doc and wow......Kenya sio UK, ama?
Thanks Evangelist Sam for the wishes. Lakini hakuna cha kupanda hapa, sorry.
ReplyDeleteTaabu, i am not being naive. I am very well aware that our media houses are incapable of rising to the occasion and being professionals, a word they only know how to spell but are totally lost as to its true meaning. Again, as you say, the media is indeed a reflection of our own hopelessly divided society. However, if there is one institution with the capacity to unite Kenyans, it is the media, but they are of such poor quality they wouldn't know how to find their nether regions with a compass.
ReplyDeleteI think much as this bill (and I admit I haven't read its contents fully) is touted draconian, I think the media, if left unchecked, can be irresponsible at times. It needs some amount of regulation but not outright control. And look, in the event that some of their actions can cause national security concerns (which is genuine to an extent) then a group which comprises their representatives needs to check them.Venacular FM reporting is also very irresponsible and I think these stations need to be shut.
ReplyDeleteSam, that source can only be Rucy. Good contacts or should I say birds of a feather......
ReplyDeleteI think we are writing the same thing over and again, save for Phil's unsurprising bouts of servile sycophancy and pettiness.
ReplyDeletePhil, you have chosen to disregard all objectivity and instead seize every little opportunity to feed us on very unpalatable distortions and propaganda about the worthiness of you demagogic Prime Minister. I for one will not allow you the luxury of imagining there is any sense in your dangerously deluisonal take on the things your hero does and says.
Your Prime Minister has over and over again, refused to stand up for principle and you know it. Your 'challenge' to Kimi to reproduce what anti-Kikuyu sentiments he mouthed in his little occassion are nothing but a distraction. He said something in the tune of "..huyu mama (Karua) hajui mambo yaendavyo hapa kijijini lakini nimemweleza na ameelewa. Sasa kama wale walikuwa kwa haya manyumba wamerudi Kikuyu, wale wamo ndani sasa wataenda wapi?" That is not only a backward communist statement, it is fascist especially when it comes from the same guy who once said that Kamotho and UK came from the heartland of the enemy.
I would like to know what your take is on what transpired during deliberations on Karua's and Raila's attempt to fire innocent kenyans from the ECK and replace them with their cousins. I would like to know what you think of Raila's enticement of Members of Parliament to support the draconian push in exchange of the President assenting to a finance bill that does not compel MPs to be taxed like everyone else. It's not that I expect to be surprised by your opinion on this (considering it is only MPs from your party who are yet to unequivocally come out and declare their intentions to pay taxes. Haroun Mwau and Cyrus Jirongo are not ODM MPs so dont tell me about them). Do you think Raila's belief (even this late in the day) that MPs should not pay taxes is progressive thinking? Are you, just like him, still clinging to this discredited position?
Substantive issues like these that affect the Kenyan people are what you should use to solicit our support for him, not how some Kiberans cheered him at Nyayo Stadium and how everybody else cannot handle hecklers. We are not looking for an expert on demagoguery, we are looking for a leader.
About William Ruto's attempt to split the so called pentagon, that's not our problem. It is your problem as a member of his party. For heavens sake Ruto and his friends and all their emerging scandals, are important components of the Orange Party, the party you so laughably regard as "the party of the year"!
Kimi said:
ReplyDeletethe millers are being allocated the 1.7million bags that had ostensibly 'disappeared' from NCPB Silos and then reappeared as 'imports' so that they recover the profits they lost to the politicians.
b-carotene says:
Ah-ha!
I gather this is not the first time such a thing has happened in the ag sector, no?
Strange how KK hasnt picked up on this yet.Or is it just another blackout to shield the ODM thugs behind the FRAUD, THEFT, DECEPTION? So much for responsibility and maturity.
Kimi said:
why can't they jettison their different partisan media interests in aid of their own common good? Easy. They are simply NOT MEN ENOUGH OR PRINCIPLED ENOUGH TO BE INDEPENDENT OF THEIR POLITICAL PATRONS AND THE BIASED INTERESTS THEREOF, NOT TO MENTION THE FINANCIAL REWARDS FOR BEING GOOD BOYS. And so, here they are, frothing at the mouth with one eye firmly STILL(!) on the politicians wallet.
b-carotene says:
This is right on the mark. Two things then. First, instead of being gleeful about this very dangerous situation, dont you think a useful thing might be to puzzle how this media over-dependence on the pockets of politicians might be reduced? Because surely, is it not in all our interests to have an independent media?
The second thing, which contradicts the first then, if the media are fully in the pockets of politicians, why then would the legislators seek to regulate them?
Why would the legislators take the risk of generating such acrimony and appearing to go against what much of (un)civil society labels as press freedom. I personally wouldnt waste my time thinking through and drafting new regulations if I knew the mass media was already well reigned-in.
In fact, the more I think of it, the more I am beginning to think that it might even be the other way around---the politicians are well and nicely embedded within the pockets of the mass media, and provide protection to the media, hence the unsanctioned irresponsibility in the media that many people here have mentioned. The current attempt at regulating the media might be symptomatic of a souring relationship--perhaps the rents are no longer coming in to the politicians, for some reason. Even more importantly (and as Kimi mentioned earlier), the legislators are sensing a realignment of interests against them i.e. the media, rest of civil society and population at large coming together around issues and isolating them.
B-Carotene, you ask:
ReplyDelete"..Why would the legislators take the risk of generating such acrimony and appearing to go against what much of (un)civil society labels as press freedom?
Answer: Because politicians are by their very nature control freaks and do not like to share authority with or scrutiny by anyone. The financial payoffs to journalists were just the enticements required to isolate then finish off the media precisely because the media have walked into a trap and have themselves consequently lost credibility with the honest discerning public. Politicians are very well aware they have NO credibility to lose themselves.
Sam Okello, there is nothing happening over here. poa bwana.
ReplyDeletebtw, last night you received several awards from Kumekucha.
Check them out!
"2008 Awards From A Kumekucha Faithful"
Kimi and Vikii,
ReplyDeleteHow does the remarks amount to anti-Kikuyu? The PM is merely stating facts. In your eyes, the only people worthy of being called IDPs are those who were displaced into Central Province and parts of lower Rift Valley. On the flipside, we have IDPs who were violently evicted from properties they own in Central province and parts of Nairobi province and they could only come to slum areas like kibera as they do not know any other home.
If those evicted from Kibera have to come back home, why cant president wannabe Martha Karua also talk in defence of ALL IDPs....in Kisumu, in Kibera, in Kangemi and everywhere else where her party has a stronghold? Why must she, as justice and national cohesion minister, make selective and discriminatory statements in favour of those who are deemed to be PNU supporters?
If you people want this country to heal, you must look at issues objectively and both ways. Many people iiin this forum do not understand what happened in Rift Valley following the elections. its a story that has deep roots. the same arrogance and insults you see on this froum are replayed in real life everyday by those people who consider themselves 1st class citizens. That superiority complex has to be dropped. Grievances must be analysed both ways...and if concessions have to be made, they have to made both sides. Thats what the PM told the rally in trying to correct the uninformed Juctice minister..
Please also consider the plight of those IDPs sheltering with us here in Kibera....and that is the truth of the matter.
Meanwhile Vikii, you can continue using the derogatory language that you are so good at....believe you me those Kiberians are also Kenyan citizens. Mutashukha hizo ngazi zenu falaa hizi.
Phil, you agonising, affected, dummy, handed−down nob excuse for a second−rate glowworm, do you know Kibera, Kangemi...are Kikuyu ancestral land?
ReplyDeleteChris, Thanks for the update.
ReplyDeleteQuite true, there has been a lot of pressure from ODM supporters to quit the GCG. Right from the days of portfolio balance, our people have been against this partnership right from the beginning. You remember even RAOs own thanksgiving in Kisumu where he suggested that he will be visiting accompanied by Kibaki – the crowd did not waste time in telling him off about it. Today’s hecklers were mostly university students and not your common mwananchi.It was so bad today, intelligence had advised Kibaki in advance. He had to had a one-on-one meeting with Raila backstage to avoid things spilling over. Did you see how security was all over the place and wananchi were being frisked before entering the stadium? Or how they were locked in to give Kibaki and kalonzo time to drive back into state house safety? wow!
The fact is Kenyans know they were robbed of victory and there are people masquerading as their president.
But look at it from a political point of view: If the GCG government were to collapse now; which people will suffer? Is violence likely to resurface again? Will IDPs ever be resettled? Will businesses thrive? Will inflation go up or down?
At least the PM has tried as much as he can to explain that he made a major concession to climb down and accept to be Kibaki’s PM. He said he was pained to see his people killed like flies by state sponsored violence. This is obviously someone who has the interest of this country at heart. Afterall without him, Kibaki would never have seen the inside of state house in the first place. Right Chris?
Most importantly Chris, the collapse of the GCG means Kenya will never see a new constitution and both Krieglers and Wakis recommendations will never see light of day. In other words we shall be back to square one. Do we really want that?
Chris, in you update you forgot to say that Mutoko and her fellow journalists have been released, but Mwalimu Mati and his wife are still being held at Langata Police Station ‘assisting police with investigations’.
Phil, the more I argue with you the more I get the impression that you are not equal to the task. I have no intentions whatsoever to belittle you. Like so many in your party, you have irreperably belittled yourself with your notion of arguments.
ReplyDeleteWhat you are looking for is a shouting match and I wont play. If you are really a pertaker of the objectivity you espouse in your comment, then QUOTE me the exact deragotory language I used in my comment. Is it deragotary to ask you whether you and your guy, Mr. Raila, still cling to the position we long moved from that MPs should not pay taxes on their alowances? Do you endorse his warped thinking that in the 21st century we should be bribing MPs to change their positions? And endorse what is clearly a idea?
This post was about the Communicatons bill and everybody else responded to that. Then you came and told us how Raila was cheered in Nyayo stadium and how both Hon. Kibaki and Hon Kalonzo cannot handle hecklers. If that is not pettiness and sycophancy, then tell me what is. First of all Nyayo stadium is in Raila's constituency and so is Kibera. What is so 'deragotaory' in telling you the reception they get in these rallies is not important? That what is important is where they stand on issues that matter?
Keep in mind that you have not answered my question. You are trying to deflect attention to petty stuff now. IS IT IN ORDER FOR RAILA AMOLO ODINGA TO PROMISE MPS TAX FREE ALLOWANCES IF THEY PASS THE CONSTITUTION BILL 2008? I want to read your response to this.
I don't know whether we speak the same language. If we did, we would agree that there is nothing more dishonourable, more insulting than the word fala. That's what I am trying to teach you.
Well, as far as I know, the media has hardly had much credibility with the public over a period of a decade or so and we may be at the nadir now. That’s not novel, and the legislators probably know that. Why bury the media NOW?
ReplyDeleteAnyhow—clearly the love affair (or corrupt symbiosis?) between the media and the politicians (esp ODM) is at a low. That’s not a bad thing. But this could also be diversionary. Many things are in the offing, including the Waki report, which has interestingly mobilized some understanding among the adversarial parties, and now they unified in clipping the fourth estate as it starts to align itself with the third.
Ironically, and something I'm hardly hearing much of, ODM form the majority in Parliament-- or did that change recently?
Vikii, I respect your opinion, but you are least qualified to teach me anything.
ReplyDeleteBecause you dislike my opinion and do not understand why I speak in support of those I support, you said........"Phil's unsurprising bouts of servile sycophancy and pettiness."
This post was not about the communications bill as such but about what transpired at Nyayo Stafium on the occassion of jamhuri day. You see Vikii, Mutoko and group may have been protesting about the recently passed amendment law, but in rewality they were donning t-shirts urging civil disobedience, ie mwananchi not to pay taxes because MPs do not pay taxes. Which is which? And again, MPs non payment of taxes on their allowances did not start with the tenth parliament...it has been there for ages...why now?
Let the country be governed by the rule of law. ODM is part of government and fortunately it is sensitive to positive criticism. All the same I am not going to score an own goal by supporting mwalimu Mati incitement of the public. There are better ways to do it.
Where and when did the PM utter the words to the eefect that MPs WOULD GET TAX FREE ALLOWANCES IF THEY PASS THE CONSTITUTION BILL 2008? Obviously this is not true and if you are quoting any of our mainstream media, you will already have seen my comments about them above.
But to give you my honest opinion on it, YES, I think MPs should not pay additional taxes on allowances but they deliver a new devolved constitution incorporating both Krieglers and Wakis recommendations in 2009. A new devolved constitution is much more important than MPs paying taxes on condition that we stick with the same constitutional dispensation. What would you rather we have?
It is not a question of "either or". I will leave it that--with a rider that you are yet to convince me why Raila's attempt is not uncouth, at the very least.
ReplyDeleteI will also tell you that while it is unproven that I can indeed TEACH you (at least until that day when we sit down over malt and find out), I am not a fala, never been.
On whether or not Raila did solicit for MPs support using the words; "on condition that the President changes his mind about the Finance Bill", If you still think there is nothing wrong with that OR that that is not true, then I am pleased to stop any further debate on the issue. It's just not worth it, not in the absence of the slightest objectivity.
I welcome the chance to be 'taught' over a malt Vikii (lakini nisha vuka siku hizi ni summit - supporting anything Kenyan).
ReplyDeleteI think Mwalimu Mati and Caroline Mutoko needs crash courses in street protests. You do not approach stadium through the VIP entrance, and neither do you distribute 'incitement' t-shirts infront of the Nyayo stadium police station....Also you do not dress in designer shoes and designer sunglasses when you know you risk a rungu and rough handling.
it is very clear that the current leadership has nothing new to offer...odm/pnu/grand coalition = same thing= status quo.
ReplyDeletePhil, Raila did not have to use the word Kikuyu either, he could have simply called them landlords. Those are the people Karua was talking about and whose houses have been invaded and occupied by force by Raila's supporters. How does the issue of IDPs come in?
ReplyDeleteWhere do you get off telling us that we have a superiority complex when it is quite clear you foolishly think you can equalize every aspect of living, just like the closet communist you really are? You go on to demonstrate your blinkered thinking by saying:
"..Grievances must be analysed both ways...and if concessions have to be made, they have to made both sides. Thats what the PM told the rally in trying to correct the uninformed Juctice minister.."
What was the genesis of the grievance in the first place? Who seized someone's property by force, TO BEGIN WITH? There is nothing to analyse or concessions to be made. The law and natural justice is quite clear that people who do not own the houses they occupy have no right to them without the landlords consent. You cannot negotiate about private property rights in the wake of a criminal act! The landlords have invested their hard-earned wealth in housing and offered them to tenants. SIMPLE! What right does the tenant have to come and invade the landlords house, evict him and then suggest a negotiation?!! That is thuggery and is what Raila has been encouraging. Is it a wonder nobody, not even Mugabe, bothered to respond to his stupid call for the invasion of Zimbabwe because Raila thinks with his mouth before engaging his brain, if he even has one?
I do not know what kind of world you live in but some people regardless of whether they are Kikuyu or Luo or Kamba or Luhya will always excel. You CAN NEVER have equality because it is unnatural. Your obvious motivation if you cannot understand that is therefore just good old jealousy seasoned with malice and spite. That is why you think the tenants(invaders) have a case as it is an opportunity to make the arrogant Kikuyu landlords "shuka ngazi" to use your words.
If there is anyone who is arrogant, it is people like you who have this sense of entitlement and think you should be coddled and begged in order to behave like civilized people. You even have the gall to insist that "..If you people want this country to heal, you must look at issues objectively and both ways..", an idea you are completely incapable of recognizing in your zeal to be a Raila arse licker, and then you go ahead to call Vikii and myself "falas". Remove "hizo shades za mbao, Braza", you don't look cool.
Kimi,
ReplyDeleteI regret having engaged you in the first place because clearly you are not adding value to this post that primarily focuses on what took place at Nyayo Stadium yesterday.
If you have no idea where the issue of IDPs come from, then you have no idea what took place at the rally in Kalix grounds.
Now now, how does mentioning the word Kikuyu at a public rally amount to anti-Kikuyu remarks? Get real.... we have IDPs in Kibera - a village called Serangombe - displaced from areas perceived to be PNU strongholds and very close to Nairobi, such as Kiambu, Uthiru, Kinoo, Waithaka, Kikuyu, Githurai, Kahawa, Ruiru and Thika. These are the IDPs the PM was referring to. They also own properties that were seized in the areas they previously called home. If we have to dispense justice, it cannot be one sided. No it cannot. Let them also be resettled alongside those you are calling landlords. Let the national cohesion minister ensure justice is dispensed equally right across the board. I live in Kibera and understand the politics more than you do. If the attitudes cannot change, be ready for more violence, mre seizures and more displacements.
Understandably, this has been a difficult year for hobo-bumpkin, punctuated with nothing but failure. Sigh. The Mau debacle, the Ruto fallout, rumblings from the coastals, fraud/theft/deception by ODM unga barons, grand opposition and so on--all bitter pills hobo has had to swallow and which remain unresolved despite his characteristic big mouth, chest-thumping bravado.
ReplyDeleteSo when the starving hoi polloi (gratis of ODM unga barons), the majority of hobo's constituents scream "unga! unga!", the hobo slumlord thought he'd do better than deliver unga, he'd fling them red meat. And what redder meat than that of the Kikuyu ENEMY, the landlords, who putatively hold no titles to slum land? And what better way for the butcher to do this than in the presence of land minister, sycophant number one?
They are stoking a most dangerous fire.
Sela!
Perhaps they remember, with fondness and nostalgia, the murder and anarchy they set into motion last year.
So when the ODMoron sheep in Kumekucha (not unlike the Kibera hoi polloi) bleat impunity! Impunity! at every opportunity, the soundness of their minds can be challenged—for is getting away with whipping up emotions and incitement not about impunity as well?
Anyway, let the land minister, the other chest-thumping barbarian lacking in imagination, just manage his docket--too many words lately and no action from that end. For his information, there are tons of slum rights recognition/formalization processes from Lima to Karachi, to Cairo and so on to learn from.
When a commotion ensued towards the end of the president's speech he cynically remarked; "let those who want to fight go ahead and fight." Is that how a leader of a nation handles themselves? Inciting or daring his dissatisfied people to fight?
ReplyDeleteIt was very clear today at Nyayo stadium that the country is in "ignition mode" it needs only a small spark to get things really ugly. But alas, Kibaki does not see it like that. He thinks he's the intelligent one and everyone else is pumbavu while the reverse is actually the case.
The fact is Kenyans know they were robbed of victory and there is someone masquerading as their president - Kibaki.
What happened at Nyayo stadium stems from the fact that Kibaki has failed spectacularly as a leader since 2003, na isitoshe, he went on to STEAL the Dec '07 elections. These are just some the chickens coming home to roost. More are coming. Kibaki will not have it easy. Like a thief handling STOLEN GOODS - THE PRESIDENCY, these embarrassing incidents will follow him all over the place.
It is mentioned in all the holy books that STEALING has unpleasant consequences. These are just some of them; more to come.
One more thing, contrary to the lies and "fairy tales" that panua mongrels try to spin and spread here, the violence and chaos that occurred from Dec 30th '07, however unfortunate, did not just come out of the blues without a reason. They occurred because people clearly saw that Kibaki had brazenly STOLEN the elections right before their very eyes. The violence and chaos could have been avoided if Kibaki, just like John McCain, had accepted that he had lost - I Know this last bit will be very painfull to all you panua mongrels, poleni sana it is the TRUTH.
Phil,
ReplyDeleteDo you know your demigod Raila is living in "Kabila adui yetu" ancestral land? Do you also know Kibera is also adui yetu ancestral land?
anon@4:44 am:
ReplyDeleteyou can find a copy of the kriegler report here:
http://www.ambnairobi.um.dk/en/menu/TheEmbassy/News/JointInternationalCommunityReactionToTheKrieglerReport.htm
read it.
even the int'l community whose intervention you beseeched, signed their approval.
the rest of your post is tripe.
stop whining.
start working.
May all the haters especially B - CARROT choke on their hatred.
ReplyDeleteKimi Raikkonen, B-Carotene,
ReplyDeleteThank you guys. I am proud to be associated with both of you. I am proud to have company like yours in my political corner.
I am waiting for the time when JUST ONE of the fellows on the other side, just one, comes up with something as coherent as your comments today (and every other day actually). It is just sad they never are on the right side of the argument, and worse, they cannot even write. They simply do not have the ability to defend whatever positions they have. Their trick? Hurl insults, repeat some old discredited lines, gang up against those like you with some very childish sarcasm and throw stones at you. That's how they expect to win the argument. That's why their brothers on the ground have always used machetes and stones to settle every little argument (just look at the ODM elections. Look at their party's nominations last year). When people do not have ideas, they become insecure. Intellectually frightened.
I think a leader can only attract followers as smart as him. When that leader has "a bigger mouth than brain", you can expect all what you see here.
Vikii,
ReplyDeleteas you continue burying your odm-k/pnu head in the sand, don't lose sight of the fact that ODM remains the most popular and only NATIONAl PARTY, hence the high level of competition and infiltration by pnu agents and cyber haters like you trying to paint a picture of doom.
Do you expect the same level of jostling and competition in PNU/ODM-K regional/tribal parties.
By the way, what is odm-k motive behind sponsoring the media bill? Pogs, Musila with 'empty suit' kalonzo were the masterminds. Is it because of being exposed as one of the 5 culprits that stole from tax payers by inflating their claims?
Finally, I hear 'empty suit' is still sulking because the PM will head the kenyan delegation to obama's inauguration - tell me more.
NOOOO!!!
Heh-heh-heh. Vikii--I love you too.
ReplyDeleteVerily, I must say unto thee Vikii that by happenstance I stumbled on KK, in this very year of our Lord. The workings of thine brilliant mind, a lesson to many. Yea, I stand in awe over thou. Aye, I do.
But thanks for the encouragement. I actually felt bad for the unkind words of Anon@7:26 am. No, I am not a hater and I am sorry if anyone thinks I hate them. I DO NOT.
And now. Peace be unto you Vikii in this festive season, and all that art thine, including thy flock, fowl, asses, wenches, muthokoi and so on.
ps: for the most petty post of the year, see Anon 9:18am. :))
Give me a break moron. So now the communications Bill is an ODMK thing? ODMK has only eighteen members of parliament, friend. How this TINY number of MPs sets the agenda in Parliament alone tells you why your "National Party" is just but a paper tiger. I would take you more seriously if you exalted the things that this majority really does. Bragging about 100 Mps that never attend Parliament and are instead occupied every minute of the day with homecoming rallies and forming unga cartels again shows the big mouth vs small brain that someone talked about.
ReplyDeleteIn the same way you guys attribute any failure by the Kenyan political executive to the President, you should own up to every crazy thing that sails through Parliament. Your party has a mandate it cannot run away from. You cannot pass the buck. You just can't. Long time when I was your size, I took pleasure in little bragging rights even when it was clear that I was being led to hell by those I loved. That is why I want to hope. That you will one day see the larger picture.
Now that was really petty.
B-Carotene, happy holidays too. May be you should also try some muthokoi too. It's pretty good.
"Chriso"
ReplyDeletecontrary to popular backward opinion, Kenyans are not waiting for anybody to either lend them a listening ear or extend them a helping hand so they can "solve" their problems for them-we are ANGRY because we are capable yet we're treated like fools but we are not the ones out of touch with reality-if anything the SHOE is on the other foot!
We are not, have not and will never be fooled by the glib speeches intoned by statue-like heads of state or the crowd pleasing antics of charismatic ministerial supervisors/co-ordinators. They tremble in their boots because we are learning to react this way to all manner of issues this govt needs to address-
You and i are enjoying FRONT-ROW SEATS watching as real power(not computer Keyboard Fluency) is being handed back slowly but surely to the people of this country and its happening one jeer at a time, one angry silent fete at a time, and one upper middle-class protester at a time
The middle class who refused to throw stones and wield machetes in January in the name of being "civilized" are now the ones willingly offering themselves to go to jail and be locked up rather than die living a collective national lie that all is well within our borders
Vikii, thanks for your manly comments, Wewe ni Mwanaume Kamili.
ReplyDeleteFor these unthinking ODM zealots, automatons and fanatics, refusing to acknowledge a truth in front of oneself is ignorance of the basest denominator and is a painful migraine whose source they refuse to figure out.
To look up to the hobbling wobbling bumpkin as the only source of their truth, then they deserve the darkness in which they wake up, everyday.
odhiambo tortured! We are back to Nyayo days!! Is this the reason kenyans killed each other in january?!?!
ReplyDeleteIf I was a virgin, I would want Vikii to be the first man______!! I admire him so much!
ReplyDeletePhil is a clown! he lives in kibera hoping if raila becomes the president he will move into a nice rent free home somewhere in an upmarket area.
ReplyDeleteHe never goes to work, he lives by the little money he earns as ODM foot soilder.
It would do you good if you dont engage with this sicko!
phil's mistress
Anon@5:09 pm: you male or female?
ReplyDeleteAnon 5.09 is a she. You see Vikii is the only commenter who make alot of sense here. Intelligent, knowleadgeable, fearless and eloquent. How cannot any red
ReplyDelete-blooded female not wish _____?!
I cant imagine that the political alignments on argument in this blog are so raw that people refuse to see facts as they are.
ReplyDeleteThe truth of the matter about the angry Kenyans at Jamhuri Celebrations are about hunger and tax allowances. The issue of Media is just been blown out of proportion by the media owners who are trying to protect, understandably, their interests.
What I cant understand is how some people imagine the PNU ODm rivarly is still going on between RAO and Emilio. These two fellas are friends and you folks here are just hitting the keyboard with anger that could kill for these two folks who now talk at least thrice every day.