Bwa ha ha ha ha! Bwa ha ha ha ha!Yes folks, this Wetangula man is in fact a comedian. He has slapped President Abdullahi Yusuf with a travel ban..lol. Progress is seeing Kenya actualize the credibility to issue sanctions. Well, henceforth, the president of Somalia is barred from crossing the Kenyan border. But that’s not all folks; included in the adverse action is an order to freeze the presidents’ assets in Kenya. I imagine that would include bank accounts and real estate. Meanwhile, an internationally sort Rwandese fugitive is investing heavily in Kenya’s real estate and industry, operating several fat bank accounts and living nondescriptly in expensively furnished cellars of ambassadorial mansions ‘under construction’.
So what did Mr. President do to deserve such shabby treatment from a government that respects the AU charter on the sovereignty of countries such as Zimbabwe? He fired his non-performing Prime Minister and replaced him with his ally. More like a hybrid cabinet reshuffle…affecting one person. The kind of thing Moi used to do by the roadside while munching on roast maize and sweet bananas.
Of course no Kenyan wants to see Somalia disintegrate further. Its proximity alone should be reason enough for worry. But even with that said, don’t you find it a tad strange that our government continues to offer the African explanation when taken to task on Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe might not be an officially recognized war zone but the suffering of its people is incredible.
Responsible governments must join the International Community in pressurizing Mugabe to step down. As they do so, they must also ask the AU to close shop.
Kalamari,
ReplyDeleteAre you sure somebody has not messed/diced up what you taking? Kwani Mugabe amekula nini yako? You know very well that Zim is na independent and SOVERIEGN state while you cheekily go ahead and imply intervention. Toa hiyo weka ingine. Cholera in ZIM is the peidemic that never was and Brown exported it to Harare as an excuse to attakc Bob.
And why are you speaking of sanctions on Somali that are not there? Somalia is very important TRADING PARTNER that we cannot do without. If you doubt just pass by Estealigh. I wonder whetehr you have fallen for the western media conpiracy to speak of things happening in Mars. Wacha porojo tafadhali Kalamari will you?
Kalamari, you have come up with a rather "spurious comparison" between our handling of the Zimbabwe issue and our attitude towards Somalia.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all what happens in Somalia has a direct bearing in Kenya due to their proximity. The Kenya government has a duty to be actively involved in the monitoring of goings-on in Somalia because a further esclation of disorder there will not just trigger another influx of refugees, it will also raise obvious tension on the border.
Two, Kenya has always had an official role in trying to get these guys to come up with some semblance of institutionalized government. We've spent a fortune trying to redeem these guys and have even borne the brunt of terrorits as a direct result of our engagement with the somalis. If we have been hosting this President with the obvious accompanying risk, then surely dont we have the right to read him the riot act? Can Somalia as a country ever hope to join the civilized world without Kenya's help?
My position about the Zimbabwe case has always been that we are trying to overreach ourselves. The government of Kenya, through the minister already issued a statement condemning Robert Mugabe's handling of the talks in Harare and the need for him to listen to the will of the majority in his country. Any further attempt by anybody to romp in the government into the nitty gritty of what Mugabe should or shouldn't do should be seen for what it really is---a cheap publicity stunt. The governemnt of South Africa is the one that needs to take the lead role in reigning in Mugabe. Why a country like Kenya which has no known existential relationship with Zimbabwe would want to espouse the kind of obsession the likes of Raila Odinga have with Mugabe is hard to understand.
You aso need to understand that minister Wetangula has not called for the ouster of President Yusuf. We have a right to impose sanctions on anyone, we have a right to bar anyone from entering our country, but we do not have a right to oust Presidents of other countries. Being mouthy about Zimbabwe even when our opinions do not matter there, is clearly not the way to go.
We obviously see it differently, don't we?
Vikii,
ReplyDeleteacha uchizi and call a spade a spade. It's ok for Wetangula to issue travel bans for Somalis but not ok for Raila to suggest the ousting of zimbabwe's mugabe???
C'mon man. Lack of leadership is the problem here. Raila and Wetangula ranting as big fish in small puddles of water amount to nothing.
Do you really believe that any African leader needs a visa/passport to enter Kenya? The ban is due to protecting other somali friends of Kenya.
As for Zimbabwe, nothing SA or Raila or Annan can do will save Mugabe. The US/UK have express wishes that nothing is going to grow out of that dust bowl called Zimbabwe as long as that monkey Mugabe is hunging off trees in Harare. Ask Mbeki what happened when he tried to hammer a deal with both principles in Zim to some Kenyan like power sharing. he was the 1st one to loose his job!
Papa plus, relax. Let us first agree that Wetangula's actions constitute the official government position while Raila's persistent calls for Mugabe's overthrow are his personal opinion. You are not telling me that you believe Raila speaks for the government of Kenya when he suggests President Mugabe's ouster.
ReplyDeleteYou raise an important question about President Yusuf not needing a visa to come to Kenya. I cannot argue with that. You are probably right on that one because he is afterall a President. But how about economic sanctions?
I have not said anywhere that South Africa can replace Mugabe or anything to that effect. In fact I do not believe that is a trend we want to start. My point was that Kenya is to Somalia what South Africa is to Zimbabwe. They have a closer relationship both strategically and economically. They are the country recognized by the African Union as spearheading the talks over there. We also have played that big brother role over the years in Somalia. You get my point?
We can sit here and discuss the motives of the US, the UK and even their stooges in Africa, but one thing you cannot deny is that if these two imperialist nations really and fiercely wanted Mugabe out,he would have long gone. They would have formented a political coup or even assasinated Mugabe. They want to be seen as caring but they dont really care
Why is this an issue?
ReplyDeleteThe President of Somalia is misbehaving, box him in.
The President of Zimbabwe is misbehaving..set him free..now I get it.
Kenya has gone to the dogs. Kibaki is a big loser, but has been given a big christmas gift. RAO, is a good man, but I have major questions now about his ability to be a good leader. I am not denouncing him...yet...but my fanaticism about him, which bordered on sycophantism, is no longer there.
Kenyans, time to wake up. Time to think about 2012, a leader of the people in 2012, a leader for the future, in the mold of Barack Obama, of Kogelo.
On 30th December 2007, Kenya lost its authority to tell anyone anything. We have a 'Mugabe like' thief for a president and a govt formed from peoples blood in January and February. Wetangula should in fact be the last man on this earth to say anything isn't he the same one who went to beg Somalia to recognise the Kenyan govt after the 2007 elections? Sasa anatuambia nini? Kenya, Somalia and Zimbabwe are all birds of a feather.
ReplyDeleteGuys,
ReplyDeleteI see there's a clown who wants to impersonate me. Why this guy went to such lengths is beyond me. I've checked out some stuff and I'm stunned to see where these guys are. Let me tell these guys that like Kenyans at home and around the world, I will not be cowed by cheap tricks. Our journey to fully democratise Kenya is now underway.
So to Sam Okello @ 8:46, I invite you to get into this train and work with the rest of the progressive Kenyans to finally and fully liberate our nation.
What will you choose?
Wetangula is a seeking cheap publicity where there is non the Somali problem is an internal one and the Kenyan government should keep out! after all we are sailing to same direction as Somalia and Zimbabwe. Mr foreign minister who are you to tell the Somali president what to do in his country? I suggest you pay your taxes and shut up especially when no one gives a monkeys about your opinion in any matter concerning Somalia.
ReplyDeleteVikii said:
ReplyDelete....Can Somalia as a country ever hope to join the civilized world without Kenya's help? ......
So we are CIVILIZED Vikii, aren't we? Or does it amount to the blind leading another without both eyes? Obsession to so-called oficial line can only blind those believing in MIRACLES and not reality. Cheap publicity comes different shapes and shades, take your pick.
Vikii,
ReplyDeleteMy view is that neither Raila nor Wetangula nor any minister for that matter speaks for the GK. Kazi yao ni kupayukapayuka tu bila plan. There is an extremely thin, if non existent, line between personal opinion and GK policy in our country. Many instances, personal opinion is the GK policy until the the shit hits the fan and then the said minister refutes that policy/opinion as the work of technocrats in the ministry. So I find it very lame to hedge my bets on Wetangula as the GK.
The whole argument of Kenya being central to Somalia civilization is moot. We have to first clean our house before we can tell others to clean theirs. That of course is the perception engendered by the election shenanigans.
most likely, either ranneberger or someone in meles' regime put wetangula up to it. the sanctions idea stems from an earlier meeting in addis ababa which then gained traction at the IGAD mtg, followed by the u.n. security council. yusuf was called to nairobi this w/e to meet jenadyi frazer at the same time nur adde's cabinet is impeaching him.
ReplyDelete