It is both funny and irresponsible to see MPs shouting fire in a crowded hall after absconding from heir primary role of making laws by absenting themselves from parliament when needed most. Now that they have been exposed, they are all shouting at Kibaki not to sign the passed Communication (Amendment) Bill into law. Leaves you wondering whom do these scoundrels think they are fooling apart from themselves.
Our MPs have institutionalized DECEPTION by lying through their oddly-spaced teeth. In their warped mindset they believe Kenyans will swallow all the balderdash they spew. Make no mistake, there is no love lost between the politicians and the media. And the truth is the media must be regulated. That said there is no need to re-invent the wheel and the practice world over on responsible journalism is stringent self-regulation and not our penchant to legalize raids headed by ALIENS from Armenia.
MPs’ behaviour is symptomatic of our shamelessness to lie and get away with it no matter the consequences, personal or national. Shaggy’s song IT WASN’T ME has never been more poetic. Now that the politicians are experiencing first hand signs of open revolt they are ruing their selfish antics to have us bend as they rape as some more. The spectre of food riots is one reality that change the political landscape forever.
But the MPs still don’t get it. The national mood is so FLUID no politician is safe from being heckled and shouted off stage. Even the time-tested contempt to egg the protesters on is meeting new challenges if nasty and violent scenes at Nyayo Stadium are any measure of dissatisfaction. Even Bush is not immune to SHOE MISSILE.
Food riots
Kenya and her leaders have taken deception to new levels. Only on these shores is lying on camera and denying it on the same screen acceptable and whitewashed with some hair splitting gimmicks. Mugabe must have outsmarted his Kenyan teachers is denying cholera outbreak and even claiming that the disease was exported from the west to remove him from power. That stunt must have sounded familiar as the ANGLO LEASING scandal that never was.
Minister Poghisio knew well when to strike the fatal blow on the media’s underbelly. With a partisan and fractious parliament he only needed a handful of COMPLIANT MPs and hurrah the bill is headed from presidential ascent. The media owners can scream themselves hoarse but Sam holds no hostage to sectarian interests. Damn the national interests, MPs have had the sweetest revenge served on the media.
The present standoff provides the best platform to launch campaign for TRUE REFORMS. But trust such a resolve to be a casualty of short-term political memory that will soon see demonstrations take ETHNIC SLOGANS. But the good news MAY be that finally the civic society is finally waking from their slumber after their fire was extinguished by embedding them in government.
Taabu,
ReplyDeleteMwenye macho haambiwi tazama.
The MPs will never get it and when caught it will always be "IT WASN'T ME". Their blindness and lack of sensitivity to national issues brings the day of 'changeover' more closer putting into consideration that kenyans are done with taking things lying down.
As much as it hurts to see them so, thing is it gets exciting day by day. Na bado mapambano.
Shida ipo kwa utafusiri wa maasharti inchini Kenya. All laws are subject to different interpretation. When we say the media must be regulated, exactly what media are we talking about? KTN? STD? During the previous regime, what media was targeted for censorship? It's ok to con the ex-chaquer but if you return the money it's all good. And on and on we go merrily merrily down K street.
ReplyDeleteWell put, Taabu.
ReplyDeleteTo me, one crucial question that must be addressed alongside the motives of minister Poghisio and the couple dozen MPs who passed this draconian bill is this chronic truancy by Members of Parliament. If you have one of the best paying jobs in the world then what's the reason for your abseteeism?
Every MP knew what was on the order paper (and my understanding is that every bill brought before the house is a crucial bill). Instead of us venting against those who passed the bill, the bigger question for us to ask is 'where was the other 90% of the house?' When these people now climb to podia and implore the President to veto the bill, what comes to mind is; "what moral authority do you have to even give your opinion on this issue?" Joshua Kuttuny should learn to shut his mouth because, honestly, when he hits out at his colleagues who exercised their voting discretion in Parliament when he himself was sleeping or drinking, then one wonders who the fool is in this saga. I am encouraged at those folks in Nyanza who demanded answers from their MP on his whereabouts when the bill was being passed.
As we demand the payment of taxes by MPs, we should also pile pressure on them to do what we pay them to do. It is improper for minister James Orengo to threaten to resign from government if that bill becomes law. He should be talking about resigning from PARLIAMENT because this is not just about 'the government', it is about a rogue Parliament of which he is an influential member. Was he present when the bill was debated and passed? If the answer is no, then he need not issue threats, he should have resigned the day the bill passed.
It is interesting that you brought up the role of the civil society. Parliament has become a cash cow and that is why those we always looked upon to take on government high-handedness have all either joined politics (and become dangerously debauched)or have decided to go to bed with the morally corrupt politicians. Where are the Kamau Kurias, the Wanyiri Kihoros, the Willy Mutungas, the muthoni Wanyekis and all the other noisemakers? This society we call Kenya has gone to the dogs and it will never come back. Whoever called it a 'man eat man society' captured very well the severity of our immorality.
About President Bush dodging that shoe, well, I think the man should be given credit for his alertness. But that was a smart way to get him to search his consience on why he invaded and occupied an innocent and independent nation.
Vikii asked
ReplyDelete"If you have one of the best paying jobs in the world then what's the reason for your abseteeism?"
"Viko"
the answer is INCOMPETENCE and LACK OF INTEGRITY
Our MPs would not know what INTEGRITY is even if it rose up and bit them in the bum like Barney President Bush's scottish terrier. An honest days wage for an honest days work is not in their vocabulary and despite being handsomely renumerated without TAX they are still the most INCOMPETENT bunch of lawmakers you could ever meet-they do what they want and say they thought thats what we wanted
Whatever happened to a government of the people for the people and by the people?
Taabu, I totally agree with your sentiments. These MPs are always in the habit of coming to tell us crap when the deed is done. Where were they when the Bill was passed?
ReplyDeleteAnyone who watches the live parliamentary proceedings on telly will tell you there's hardly ever a quorum to speak of in parliament. Therefore, all those absentees should promptly shut up like Vikii has said.
Laws are made in parliament not in homecoming parties, churches nor harambees! Let them know maji yakimwagika hayazoleki.
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ReplyDeleteLaws are made in parliament not in homecoming parties, churches nor harambees!
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hiyo ni kweli
ODM says they are against the Media Bill, yet the majority of the MPs who voted for the Bill are from ODM. Orengo says ODM will challenge the Bill in court if president signs it into law, yet ODM with its parliamentary majority had an opportunity to vote the Bill down. Orengo thinks he is smart and Kenyans are fools.
ReplyDeleteKenyans don't want to hear PNU or ODM. Wananchi wanataka haki yao. When we start the food riots in earnest, the silly politicians will know there no PNU or ODM followers; there are only hungry Kenyans.
Good one, Taabu. What is now happening are the initial ramblings of a full scale revolution. I fear, however, that the same revolution may be hijacked by the very same MPs now making denials of having never voted for the Bill. Witness how ODM's Orengo even threatened to resign his portfolio and become an activist again in order to supposedly have a platform from which to fight against the bill more effectively, which is bullshit of course and outrageous dishonesty. He should first reject the Jamhuri day Presidential award he was given to show that he is serious. He is now James Orengo, E.G.H. Wow indeed!
ReplyDeleteOther MPs like PNU's Mungatana and who were in the house at the time and voted for the bill now claim that they did not support it. PNU's Githae has even admitted that the MPs were motivated more by vengeance because of the media tax crusade more than anything else! Obviously, the entire house is composed of thugs suffering from hubris and a sense of omnipotence after having defied the executive and made Kibaki and Raila back down. They will not and must not succeed against the people of Kenya. We cannot neuter Executive dictatorship only to replace it with legislative or parliamentary dictatorship. Just goes to show what MPs are capable of and what will happen if we have a PM elected by MPs. It will be worse than an executive Presidency.
Dont you just wish a giant space rock comes crashing in Parliament when they are having a full session?
ReplyDeletethen we can start all over again without these fleas
That if 'ordinary' people REFUSE to pay taxes as well?
ReplyDeleteGood points Taabu.
ReplyDeleteThe strong possibility of food riots should serve as a wake up call to the bunch of hooligans in parliament.
While the Jamhuri day shenanigans may serve to further illustrate the irresponsibility of the media folk, I am still not convinced that government should seek to tighten media freedoms. Regulation of the mass media should be approached with extreme caution and not simply because the hooligans in parliament seek to snuff out demands for their taxation.
It seems to me that the content of the media bill has not been sufficiently exposed to the regular mwananchi and any current debate is severly restricted if not outright deceptive. In fact, assuming no bias, I see this as an issue that is fertile for constructive opinion polling.