Quick quiz for you who believe you are experts on Kenya.Which is easily the most evil place in Kenya? So evil is this place that one can comfortably say that no other piece of dirt within the borders of Kenya has housed such a large collection of evil in the history of Kenya as this 3 square kilometer piece of land very close to the Nairobi CBD has. And it is not Kamiti Maximum Security prison. Still, countless injustices and cold blooded murders have been planned and monitored from within the compound of this evil wretched place. And the mischief did not even start recently, it started way back in 1907 shortly after this building was completed.
Answer: State House Nairobi. (formerly Government House). The official residence of the most evil office in Kenya.
If you read my landmark book, Dark Secrets of the Kenyan Presidency you will quickly grasp what I am talking about and concur with what I am saying here.
This is the place where the Kiambu Mafia would drink late into the night scheming the assassination of real and perceived threats to the president. Goldenberg was hatched here. And so was Goldenberg. And lots of other evil as is detailed in my book, Dark secrets of the Kenyan presidency. Discover what Moi's most guarded secret is.
But for the purposes of this post I will focus on the most recent evils committed that can be directly linked to this place. This address that politicians dream and scheme day and night to get to live in one day.
But first an interesting tit bit. This building was built to serve as the official residence of the Governor of British East Africa when Kenya was a British Colony. The governor would conduct his official functions at the old Provincial Commissioner’s office (now a national monument) next to Nyayo House and then retire to Government House for the day. However at independence President Jomo Kenyatta used it mainly as an office and meeting place and would mostly spend the night at his Gatundu home when he was in Nairobi (which was rare because he preferred State house Nakuru or Mombasa). President Moi was not very different and would retire to his Kabaret Gardens home from State house at the end of the day. But Kibaki is totally different. He lives in State house Nairobi and rarely ever ventures out of the place. Those who believe in evil places influencing the character and decisions of a person will be quick to point out that the blood bath under President Kibaki has been unprecedented. But a post on superstition is not for this blog so we shall stick to the politics and the facts.
The events that followed shortly after Mwai Kibaki ascended into the presidency and started exercising the functions of this extremely powerful office in 2003 are revealing. You will remember that the Kibaki administration looked very shaky at the beginning. So shaky that various politicians and even this blog started predicting that it would not last until 2007 when the next elections were due. It was around this time that handlers of President Kibaki started sending out feelers to retired President Moi. This was at a time when relationship between the two men was at it’s lowest. The bad blood was to change so dramatically that by the time the 2007 elections arrived Kenyans were talking about the Kibaki/Moi alliance. Admittedly whatever advice Moi gave to Kibaki dramatically stabilized the Kibaki administration so that it arrived at those elections fairly steady and capable of deling with all manner of threats. Sadly one of the things identified as a serious threat was a Raila Odinga presidency.
So what is this advice that Moi gave that was so critical to the stability of an administration? The answer will baffle most Kenyans. This blogger has evidence to suggest that an inner core of secret advisors/think tank with very close links to the NSIS was set up whose man task was to take care of the “security of the state.” In Kenya that simply means protecting the presidency from any would-be threats (real or imagined).
It is this inner core of secret advisors who first got wind of what special ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo was planning in his promise to the Kenyan people to deal with those most responsible for the post election troubles of 2007/2008. Predictably, the think tank set about exterminating this threat and this is what culminated in the shocking move that saw the passing of the anti-ICC bill in parliament. Indeed it was passed unanimously.
The executive has a long history of interfering with the legislature but some observers are sure that things have changed dramatically in recent years and that there is now very little if any influence from State house. That would be political naivety of the highest order. The truth is that in issues that really matter to the executive (like an appearance at the ICC after the president leaves office) State house plays it bear knuckled when it comes to having its’ way in the August house which has increasingly gained an image of independence in the eyes of Kenya. The truth is that only the methods have changed. In the old days it was threats and intimidation by the sheer power of the office of the president. These days the main currency is information, mostly information that would be detrimental to the lives of legislators if followed up on or made public. There are also plenty of political deals made taking full advantage of the current political troubles facing various legislators. It is a lot of hard work, but then the think tank are very well paid and they have no other work.
Kenyans should very seriously consider amending the yet to be implemented constitution so as to get rid of the office of the president.
NSIS has spread its tentacles everywhere Bw. Chris, you know just like a virus ,they have spread to every space that is Kenyan and are encroaching on foreign land as we speak.
ReplyDeleteFrom Airtel to Safaricom, hilton to whitesands, Gikomba to Village Market, NSIS sleuths are active. MJ formely of Safaricom tried to fight them in vain, but they are very professional in the way they go about their duties and can only me matched by intelligence circles in Egypt and South Africa, but with the james bond kind of gadgets set to be offloaded at the port in March next year, then Egypt better watch out.
Anther excellent article Chris! Great job.
ReplyDeleteYou said something very interesting in the article:
"... an inner core of secret advisors/think tank with very close links to the NSIS was set up whose main task was to take care of the “security of the state.” In Kenya that simply means protecting the presidency from any would-be threats (real or imagined)."
And you said, just before the above comment, that:
"... Sadly one of the things identified as a serious threat was a Raila Odinga presidency."
Chris, I know you are not a Raila stooge/phile. I also get this feeling that you do not admire the man any single bit. Anyway, that being the case, could you please enlighten us on why, in your own opinion, the likes of Daniel "Looting/Land grabbing" arap Moi, Mwai "KenRen/Angloleasing" Kibaki - generally the whole status quo "set up" are so, so SCARED stiff of Raila.
Raila's name alone is enough to send these clowns trembling like reeds that are being subjected to high velocity winds... it is almost comical. It is absurd.
And by the way Chris,
ReplyDeleteNSIS and IT and Computer wizkids are being trained in Boston USA and in UK via Scotland yard, ready to take up the IT savvy generation Y Kenyans, all courtesy of Kenyan Tax Payers, if you wish to join, recruitment will be in April and September this coming year Chris he he ha ha.
Nominations for Kumekucha person of the year 2010 so far;
ReplyDelete1. Martha Karua
2. Gitobu Imanyara.
3. COE (commitee of Experts)
4. PLO Lumumba
5. Mohamed Abdikadir
6. Manu Chandaria
7. Caroline Mutoko
More nominations please.
They have to be Kenyan. We are looking for the person or group that has made the greatest impact for the good of the largest number of Kenyans.
Nominations
ReplyDelete#0. Mwara"N"gethe
Anon @4:17 AM
ReplyDeleteI couldn't resist falling into your net. You are very crafty.
The reason why Raila is feared so much is because he is a unique politician. His greatest asset is his courage. A couragous man can do anything and that has a great impact in an environment like Kenya where the most spineless cowardly politicians like Jomo Kenyatta and Mwai Kibaki always seem to end up being president.
Chris Kumekucha
Chris wrote
ReplyDeleteKenyans should very seriously consider amending the yet to be implemented constitution so as to get rid of the office of the president.
xxxx
U mean the "wonderful new constitution" should be amended just after 4 months?
When Kenyans were yelling about executive powers and such jazz, we said this. The issue is not the executive or the number of mps and such jazz.
As Romans would say, woe unto the vanguished. You have not seen anything yet brother. Fasten your belt.
There is a movement for construction of POLICE STATE worldwide from THE USA to China so as to contain the expected chaos from economic mess that is on the way.
As such, many will wake up to the FOURTH BRANCH of the state when it is too late. This FOURTH BRANCH is the SECURITY and INTELLIGENCE complex.
And, on top of this, we have the FIFTH BRANCH which is the MONETARY and BANKING branch of the modern state.
The OLIGARCHY is tightening its grip on the vanguished humanity so as to entrench the NEO - FEUDALISM which we thought was behind us.
Anyway, for us, as we sip Mursik, let us continue listening to Peter Tosh's speech at the One Love Concert:
http://is.gd/jLDwh
Chris,
ReplyDeleteThis is Anon @4:17 AM. Thanks for answering my question to you.
I had expected you to launch a scathing attack on Raila but, surprisingly, that was not the case.
I agree with you 100% when you say that:
"The reason why Raila is feared so much is because he is a unique politician. His greatest asset is his courage. A couragous man can do anything and that has a great impact in an environment like Kenya where the most spineless cowardly politicians like Jomo Kenyatta and Mwai Kibaki always seem to end up being president."
Bottom line: The pumbavu status quo prefers to have wimps like Mwai "pumbavu" Kibaki at the top and not courageous and decisive men like Raila.
@Mwara"N"gethe,
ReplyDeleteWell said, for once I will aptly agree, the FOURTH BRANCH is already very active, those with eyes will see and those with ears will listen.
Kenyans running for "friendly" loans from our banks, better know how the "cartel" works, FORECLOSURES! Will be the new lingo, as "home owners" will be struggling to keep pace with the "interest" rates, countries in the P.I.G.S network ought to have set a good example & lesson for us.
Anyway, the taste of Mursik in a new gourd is amazing, sip and pass.
The Oracle has Spoken
The Oracle has Spoken @ 5:44 AM,
ReplyDeleteYour comment:
"Kenyans running for "friendly" loans from our banks, better know how the "cartel" works, FORECLOSURES! Will be the new lingo, as "home owners" will be struggling to keep pace with the "interest" rates..."
made me shiver. I know so many middle class Kenyans who are up to their necks in loans... Loans for homes... loans for furniture... loans for cars... e.t.c
You mean to tell us that "FORECLOSURES" - known as auctions to us Kenyans - will be popping off like a big bunch of fireworks gone crazy?
Mwarang'ethe, your take please.
Oddly enough or not, it has seemed obvious to some that one of the most evil places in Kenya is the GSU hdqtrs in Ruaraka, given its history since the dark colonial days.
ReplyDeleteThat's the home ('Hornest's Nest') where the dedicated guardians of the so called "National Grail" aka ("Security of the State") have been inducted, groomed and based ready to strike out at a moment's notice.
Kiambu Mafia:
As for the Kiambu Mafia of old, they used to drink late into the nights at either of the following places, the Kiambu Golf Club, Stags Head Hotel, far away from "Nakuru State Lodge" (Mzee Kenyatta's third favourite Thingira), and Mombasa State House, which was better known as "Mombasa State Beach Club" by the well connected, their families and trusted friends.
FYI, Kiambu County Golf Club was one of the best around the country until the late 1970s when it was no longer a viable conduit to the cherished destination for those bound for Gatundu, and the remaining enclaves of wazungu in the larger area.
Oh believe it or not, there were some factions of wazungu who hated the Muthaiga and Limuru (Tigoni) factions, so they sought refuge at Kiambu County Golf Club.
Why Mzee Kenyatta and Mzee Moi Avoided Residing at the State House:
Mzee Kenyatta and Mzee Moi knew what had taken place at the State House and none of them wanted to be haunted by the dark memories from the late 1960s, early-mid-late 1970s and throught out the 1980s.
There are three dark rooms, 15' x 15', located under the main Kitchen area, that were once used as storage rooms for rare wine collection, paintings and 1800s, WWI & WWII gun collection as well.
But they were later converted into interrogation and holding facilities ("disciplinary/maiming-death chambers") in the late 1960s, after Bruce McKenzie bought, emptied and shipped out all the historic and valuable contents (some artifacts as well) to the United Kingdom.
Kibaki had no Clue:
Of what went on in the 'chambers' underneath the main kitchen area, nor was he aware of the dark influences the residence have on its revolving occupants.
"Security of the State":
Boils down to the financial and political interests of the well connected, their foreign business associates and local loyal friends.
"Security of the Sate" ('SOTS') is a password or rather vital currency of survival within the old boys' network, namely, "cover our backs and we will make sure yours is well covered should the need arise or when the time comes."
@The Oracle has Spoken,
ReplyDeleteSpeak so that those with ears may hear, and post your comments so that those with eyes may take heed and become aware of the vicious economic fact that those who forget will be destined to remember the auctioneer's bell and harm in one way or another.
There is nothing new under the kenyan skies with regard to the dark side of the housing market or industry.
The term foreclosure is the santized version for Forced Auction (brutal auctions) that have continued to take place around the country since the days of Gridleys Bank owned real estate, Bank of India, Kenya Commercial Bank, ICDC and Masaai Auctioneers.
One of our distant neighbours had his fifty acre farm auctioned off in April of 1995. His loss became a blessing in disguise for a twenty-eight year old who happened to have travelled home for the burial of a parent.
The Auctioneer's stated conditions were met and a thirty percent exchanged hands through a local and the rest is history.
Those forced auctions are a very painful ordeal to watch especially if you know some of the families involved.
It's one of the very horrendous evil exercise or undertaking to be witnessed by any younger members of the affected families.
Oracle has Spoken wrote
ReplyDeleteKenyans running for "friendly" loans from our banks, better know how the "cartel" works, FORECLOSURES! Will be the new lingo, as "home owners" will be struggling to keep pace with the "interest" rates, countries in the P.I.G.S network ought to have set a good example & lesson for us.
xxxx
Well, keen minds are reading this:
"The Central Bank of Kenya [The OLIGARCHY] said yesterday it plans to buy $7.7 million (Sh616 million) from the local market, in its first foreign currency purchase this week.
The central bank has said the purchases are meant to add to the country’s foreign exchange reserves and are not aimed at weakening the shilling.
Source: http://is.gd/jMjwW
xxxx
In other words, the USELESS PAPERS from our "friends" in the name of QE are moving and buying our currency so as to acquire REAL ASSETS like LAND and other REAL ASSETS like KPLC.
Unknown to many, today, we are vanguished not with guns, but, with financial instruments.
Having been so vanquished, our military and so called NSIS which our "friends" train like Pavlov dogs, are there to protect the invaders wealth from the suffering Kenyans.
At the same time, this is making our currency strong, thereby, CRIPPLING our EXPORTS to our "friends" who are "helping" us end poverty with our new "wonderful constitution."
xxx
Also, keen minds are also reading this:
"Kenyan Treasury bill yields have been edging higher in recent weeks as the economy grows faster and expectations that a central bank easing cycle that started in December 2008 could now be over."
Source: http://is.gd/jMkoH
xxxx
In other words, Kenyans might wake up one, and our REAL GOVERNOR, i.e. the CBK governor has decided to TRANSFER more of their SWEAT and BLOOD to BANKERS.
He will do this without consulting ANYONE, because, under the old and the new wonderful constitution, he is INDEPENDENT, i.e. head of the OLIGARCHY.
mmmmm, where did we meet this idea of "independence/autonomy" of the Central banks?
It was first imposed on the MILITARILY VANGUISHED GERMANY after the WW1, whereby, Germans were supposed to accept among others:
(a) Assure the Reichbank's autonomy from politics.
What was imposed on a militarily vanguished nation has become accepted as a norm which one can only question if he is mad and a pseudo intellectual who likes cheap rebellion.
Check any commerce book for high school in Kenya on functions of the central bank if you doubt this.
Anyway, we can only recall the sorrowful words of Jesus. As he approached Jerusalem, he wept over it saying:
"If you had known, even you,especially in this your day, the THINGS THAT MAKE FOR YOUR PEACE!
But now they are HIDDEN from your eyes. For the days will come when your ENEMIES will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side and level you and your children to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation."
Anyway, let us continue enjoying mursik as we listen to "Cold Blood" by Tosh:
http://is.gd/jMrSz
Talk of the horrendous nature of auctioning properties in Kenya, over 200 familess forced out from a 360 hectare parcel of land in Mwakurunge village in Kisauni, Mombasa (Kenya).
ReplyDeleteQuiz: Take a wild guess at who once owned the land and used it as collateral to get three hefty loans from the Kenya Commercial Bank?
Answer:
He's still well, alive, up and about. While that property has ended up into foreign hands, yet it could have been used to build a general hospital, university or a conservation for park for marine wildlife for the immediate communities and region.
Such is life in Kenya and Africa where everything goes.
@Anons 7.08 AM and 8.24AM
ReplyDeleteI don't want to sound like a "gloom & doom" naysayer, but I would beg your forgiveness if I don't explain myself well, but i'm in general accord with what you say & have said, but do take note that we must also learn to differentiate between Hysteria vs Truth why?.
Mwaran'gethe Mentioned the FOURTH and FIFTH estate.. Accompanied with a Punch line of .."But now they are HIDDEN from your eyes"....
There is a BIG difference between the ASSET CLASS & the PAYCHECK CLASS and banks know this very well, that is why now most "Middle Class Kenyans" (whoever created that) are living the 'credit facade' - people are busy "feasting" at the 'credit trough'.
We are seeing a property "boom" around major towns, also don't forget that consumption is on an epic scale with no regard to the amount of disposable income. Is it a coincidence that NSIS has asked banks to employ "financial psychologists" ( whatever that means), is it because of what Mwarangethe has mentioned of a Police State?
The Credit bubble is and will be a social disaster - when people realise that their lives are not living up to their expectations, they will be naturally stressed and will react differently than you can imagine and the social ramifications will far outweigh the economic effects, hence an elaborate Police state must be in place early enough.
We are in the early stages of this bubble and generation x and y are at it. Take note:
The Hass Consult Property Index states that Kenya has a "demand" for 150,000 units per annum against a supply of 35,000 units, it goes as far as stating that investing in Kenya's housing industry has better returns than in the US & UK, which are indicated as more mature, so if we go by hass consult ,Kenya is in demand of housing, the answer is TRUE.
But going by this survey the "demand" is taken as the people who are in NEED of the SHELTER, rather than the people who are ABLE & WILLING to BUY( an average apartment now goes for 4.5 and 5.5 M), how many can afford? for this draw parallels with countries such as P.I.G.S
Now why are banks falling over themselves to loan is it coz of:
1)The CBK statistics that say that only 14,000 Kenyans have mortgages, against a white collar population of around 2million.
2) The Majority of the Population i.e over 60% are between the ages of 15 - 24 years (potential home owners)
But where is this "middle class"? What we have are the OLIGARCH ( Lakhsmi Mettal - Manu chandaria's cousin, Ambani brothers, Rothschild, Renaissance Capital and Coulton - bates) speculators NOT middle class. Please note several Kenyans have succeced to own homes via mortgages that can't be disputed, but why is NSIS keeping tabs on generation Y, the generation that is busy seeking Symbols of affluence to keep up with the Joneses.
I part by saying, if you choose to commit to a Mortgage of 10 - 15 years, better pray and ask the Almighty to add you a similar number of years on earth. When the market will be dry and silent after the speculators get burnt then we shall know that the bank is no place for negotiations.
The Oracle has Spoken
@Mwara
ReplyDeleteA "shadowy" family known as the Rothschild's is said to control the IMF and European banking industry and the tentacles are said to have spread right into Ben Bernanke's office at the Fed HQ's.
I have also heard of their names mentioned here in regard to some REAL ASSETS and association with a prominent family, but I have always taken what I have heard in the same breadth as the Old Orge stories my grandma used to narrate to me, what's your take on them ?
The Oracle has Spoken
Put it this way, Kenyans, Tanzanians, Rwandans, and Ugandans will need some housing counseling services at one point or another, but it will not be due to a housing market collapse on the scale as seen in the United States, Ireland and some parts of Europe. Trust me on that one.
ReplyDeleteSo far, there are so many immigrants from East Africa who were financially crushed with very heavy personal burdens that resulted from the American mortgage crsis.
There are some of them have rebounded, others have not yet recovered, some have cut their losses and moved on. While there others who will never recover from the one punch damage inflicted upon their lives by the mortgage crisis.
Anyway, let's not read too much into or out of the Kenyan housing industry. The demand for new homes is great, majority of the buyers have means to sustain their way of life and the local lending institutions have always been more scrupulous than ever before.
Unlike the barons and kingpins of the American mortgage industry who became untamed predatory hyenas and vultures who ended up leaving their clients hanging high and dry in foreclosure quagmires and disasters.
@ Mwange'the:
ReplyDeleteyou wrote:
In other words, Kenyans might wake up one, and our REAL GOVERNOR, i.e. the CBK governor has decided to TRANSFER more of their SWEAT and BLOOD to BANKERS.
He will do this without consulting ANYONE, because, under the old and the new wonderful constitution, he is INDEPENDENT, i.e. head of the OLIGARCHY.
this week I listened to this man John truman Wolf, ( author of Crisis By design) talk about a Global 'CBK" like structure that is in control of all that is going on and behind the scenes engineering the Global economic crisis that is going on. He stated that Allan Greenspan, Bernanke,- US Federal Reserve Bank Chairmen - are very much involved in this. Attending bi-monthly meetings in Europe etc to destabilize this economic system as we know it with the aim of establishing a global system to replace it.
What scares me now that I read your post is that our CBK Gov also has autonmy to make unilateral decisions. Which makes me believe that our CBK and indeed many worldwide "CBKs" are part of this Global Structure that is engineering this worldwide mess. I am also scared to learn that Kenyan "middle class" is playing this am-going-into-debt/credit/loans-to finance-my-lifestyle - game. People living outside their means, dancing to the enticing piper's music! I feel a Deja Vu coming on! Disaster IS on its way! The piper will want to be paid.
Bank for International Settlements, basel Switzerland
ReplyDeleteHappy 2011 to all Kumekuchans wherever you are at this hour of the day or night.
ReplyDeleteThe moment has come to turn the end year page on 2010 without forgetting all of its various offerings in the course of the last twelve months, but I also anticipate in taking renewed delight in Kumekucha's offerings throughout 2011.
@Chris,
Happy 2011 and thanks for allowing some of us take free daily as well as weekly strolls in the yards, gardens and at times across the lawns of Kumekucha.
Wishing you and yours all the best in 2011.
Nyayo estate has quality and cheap apartments, going for Kshs 5.3 million.
ReplyDeleteA person who gets mortgage loan to buy the apartment will need to pay Kshs 79,000 monthly for 10 years (this include insurance of 3% that most banks rarely mention).
If several people come together and pool up their resources to build apartment like Nyayo estate, and each puts aside Kshs 79,000 monthly, they'll need less than 7 years to have the same apartment, rental income for the former that the later won't get, inflation and rising value of house have been included.
Unfortunately currently you can't get an apartment like Nyayo Estate at Kshs 5.3 million. Apartment close to that are Greenspan that goes for Kshs 5.8 million.
Now someone who decides to build will have more advantage, the only major disadvantage being inability to see what's going on if you are far (there are many contractors who are conmen). If one builds and put aside Kshs 79,000 monthly he'll need less than 5 years to have an apartment like Nyayo Estate. If they are as many people as inhabitants of Nyayo estate and considering discount for bulk purchase they'll need less than 4 years of monthly contribution.
For those who buy apartments in upmarket areas like Upper Hill, Hurlingham, Kilimani, Kileleshwa, Karen, Westlands e.t.c, it's even worse. Most developer's budget of developments I have seen in these areas have a profit margin ranging from 50% - 70%.
In other words developers and banks together are fleecing innocent Kenyans upto 6 years of part or most of their hard earned cash.
If you consider the interrelationship between the major developers and bank you'll have a reason to worry.
ReplyDeleteI wonder where these developers came from. did they after fleecing the Irish, Americans, British pack their bags and their fat wallets and now have landed in the last frontier Africa? Overinflated prices + easy loans + a generation is all about keeping up with the Jonses = Recipe for disaster. We are next. Let those who can see and hear learn from what is going on and position themselves to either reap from other's misfortunes/stupidity or to be spared from the same fate.
ReplyDelete