John Harun Mwau: Member for KilomeIf truth be told, the Kumekucha blog has been a long lonely and very bumpy road for me since that ill-fated day in May 2005 when I decided to launch this site after the bitter disappointment of the second liberation that never was. Over the years, many times people have scoffed at the carefully researched information that I have published in this blog. But time and time again the truth has come out.
For instance when I first reported about the extra-judicial killings going on in Kenya, supervised by the then police commissioner Major Hussein Ali, several readers scoffed at the kind of numbers I quoted here. Many still don’t believe those figures but I am not worried because you can be sure that the trials at the Hague will soon produce some very nasty shocks for Kenyans.
The information on Ali and another controversial post about a major drug lord in Kenya caused me plenty of trouble and there was a time I had to flee for my dear life mainly because of these two posts. Occupational hazards, you might say.
Still, I have always carried out my work knowing one simple truth. That in the end, the truth always comes out. ALWAYS. You can never hide it forever and history has proved this time and again. This truism was vindicated yet again yesterday when nobody less than the president of the United States himself issued a statement that is yet another deadly nail on the coffin of impunity in Kenya. I dare add that it is rather ironic that just a few months ago Chris Okemo was busy in bunge clearing Charterhouse Bank (which was associated with fellow legislator Harun Mwau) of all wrong-doing and was lobbying (almost successfully) for it to be re-opened. Who would have guessed that a few short weeks down the road both individuals would be on a serious list of most wanted criminals?
I wrote extensively on the Charter House/Nakumatt saga and simplified the technical stuff (including what money laundering means) in 2006. See the article HERE. It is one of the articles I am most proud of in Kumekucha and now the icing on the cake is that finally some action has been taken on the contents of that piece of writing, albeit by the president of a nation that is far, far away from Kenya. But at least it is a beginning. The good book tells us not to despise the day of small beginnings and with good reason I can assure you.
By the way if you did not know exactly what the term "merry-go-round" means when it comes to impunity and protecting those above the law in Kenya, then you just need to sample the following;
- The CID accuses Wako of failure to act on criminal charges against directors of Charterhouse Bank
- BUT Wako in turn accuses CID of failure to prosecute the directors of the bank.
- The Solicitor General on the other hand accuses CBK for failure to prosecute anybody at the bank.
- Meanwhile Banking Fraud Unit are asking State Counsel what this is all about.
- At the same time PLO and his KACC are calling for investigations (by whom and when? Isn’t there more than enough evidence already?)
This is the stuff that hilarious rib-cracking comedy is made of, only that the joke in this case is on Kenya and Kenyans.
See also: Sharp Shooter Cop Who Suddenly Became A Billionaire
And so? Who is Obama?
ReplyDeleteMany of us can still feel the echoes of pain trickle through our nerves as if it were the other day, when we are reminded of the fact that the family just doesn't have contacts. Kenya, as they say, 'iko na wenyewe na upende, usipende' it is [owned] and controlled by the corrupt and the thieves of public property. 'Uta-do?'.
ReplyDeleteHow true it is that the more things change, the more they remain the same. Same old faces in new outfits to match the occasions, the times and the transitions and secure the status quo.
A very sad reality where the powers that be, the controllers and the owners of everything above and under the soil of the Republic of Kenya felt that it would be in their best interests if old wine was was transferred into new wine skins after December of 2002, as long as they owned the keys to the nation's wine sellers.
While we the ordinary people are still left wondering why very little has changed in our urban as well as rural areas since the year, 2002, when 87% of the Kenyan population agreed to get rid of the professor of Kenyan politics, His Excellency President Mzee Daniel arap Moi and one of his most feared political machinery, the KANU bandwagon effect.
Having said that, so many of us the ordinary people are not even surprised by some of the revelations that continue to undermine reform in Kenya, such as, the Chief financier of the ODM's Raila Odinga's presidential campaign in 2007 was none other than a wealthy bsuinessman, well connected politician and current member of parliament whose names have been declared in the worst possible international associations.
Nor are we the ordinary people shocked by the fact that known powerful entities invloved in many other major financial, political, ethnic, food (maize/sugar), oil and military (junk-jet from Jordan) scandals are still walking scot free on Kenyan soil.
Is it due to the fact that the more things change, the more they remain the same?
Which brings us the ordinary people to one of the sad ancient political realities, namely, our nation will contibue to be dominated by a new script, new stage, new audiences but with the same old same old cast, ran by the same old key players, under the same old stage, the same old managers who are owned and financed by the same old theater company that is still steeped in its same old ways of doing business.
Will justice ever prevail or will the people like Harun Mwau continue to enjoy official blessings and a four tiered protective shelter accorded to Bashir of Sudan and company?
So,ODM was touted as the party of change.How good then is Raila,s sense of judgement or how sincere is he about reforms in Kenya if the likes of Ruto(they were pals before the bitter fallout),Okemo Mwau and a host of other shady characters were the main ODM financiers during the last polls.Little wonder then that the guy can spend upto 2 weeks in the US of A but Obama wouldnt even want to be within sighting distance of this master of deceit.As the Okemo/Gichuru and Mwau cases show,you can succeed in fooling Kenyans but not the whole world...!!
ReplyDeleteIs this the reason Mrs Obama and their 2 daughters are visting 2 African countries (S.Africa and Botswana) later this month but skipping Kenya?
ReplyDeleteWhy do most people like embracing the Bible, the Good Book, the Holy Scriptures when being sworn in office, court or at whatever official ceremony while knowing very well there is a very dark side to their lives? A deeply hidden life that ends up getting exposed to the public for one reason or another. Why not just raise the hand and solemnly swear without having to molest the Good Book.
ReplyDeleteChris, lest we forget that "this clique that became and remains the wealthiest, most powerful and most influential class in Kenya to date, and has held the country back, blocking reform and change, and the emergence of fresh progressive leadership, in its manoeuvers to maintain its power and wealth".
ReplyDeleteAre you sure the trip is confirmed? If so, then let them be for the time being, let them keep skirting around the land of their father, grandfather and father-in-law while they are still residing somewhere along Pennsylvania avenue.
ReplyDeleteTime will come when majority of the Kenyans living beyond the confines of Kongelo and surrounding areas, will pay them zero attention when their address is no longer part of the historic residence.
We all know that every village in Africa has had its share of former relative now turned snobbish cousins twice removed.
BTW, Oprah Winfrey has already left an indelible mark on South Africa as well as in the lives of many young South African school girls. I hope they remember to uphold the tradition and high standards set by one of their own, "Mother South Africa", Oprah Winfrey.
Is Mrs. Obama and daughters trying to retrace the touristic footsteps of Mrs. Clinton and daughter Chelsea? Or are they going over there to lay a foundation for a girls' boarding school in Bostwana and a 50 bed women's hospital in Soweto or a children's hospital in a remote area of South Africa?
Anyway let them see the other side of Africa and have some good times while the perks are still being granted to them.
There are very few people beyond Gatundu who still remember who Peter Magana is, let alone who his children and grandchildren are in 2011.
Am not condoning any wealth gained from drug dealings or through any other illegal means.
ReplyDeleteWe, 95% of us, all want what Harun Mwau has, a piece of wealth, respect, honour and fame that goes with.
Who doesn't? Who doesn't want to make more money or even own a golden bath tub and toilet seat as was the case with Emperor Bokassa?
I am sure that are people who may say otherwise in public but deep down they would replace Harun Mwau if they were given a chance, offered protection, and guaranteed immunity.
We are all busy worshipping the golden calf, better known as the almighty dollar and the golden euro.
There are many of us who wouldn't hesitate to offer or exchange their souls in exchange for wealth and all the the perks that come along with it.
How many times have we heard it said that "s/he has studied, worked and lived in America, Canada, Australia, Europe or the Middle East for all those years, yet there is nothing to show for. What a failure in life, what a loser!
One is damned if they have it like Harun Mwau has made it, and damned if they don't have it like the homeless man who lives around Wall Street.
Who among us doesn't love money? Doesn't spent their every minute thinking of ways in which to milk, mint, mine, chistle, and curve a lot of money?
Money is not the root of evil, it's constant craving for it and the usage of it is the root of all evil and makes some of us, those with good money, evil in the process.