I met this pot bellied Kenyan who is yet to donate Kshs 10 to the hungry

Even as Kenyans get involved in an unprecedented effort to feed their starving fellow citizens mostly in the Northern parts of the country, we still have pot bellied men (and a few women) gorging themselves with their usual nyama choma in a most unhealthy way who are yet to contribute even the minimum Kshs 10 towards their starving fellow citizens.
I know because I struck up a conversation with one such Kenyan just a few hours ago and got really angry and disgusted. I watched in fascination as this fellow took in such huge quantities of nyama choma that I was genuinely surprised when they did not pass out at the end of it all. Instead they just belched and took a long swig from a bottle containing cold Tusker (can you imagine a sweating cold drink in this Kenyan winter?)

It was difficult for me to hide my disgust, especially when I discovered from a casual comment that they are yet to show any kind of mercy to starving fellow citizens.

Well, it is not mandatory for every Kenyan to contribute to the Kenya for Kenyans initiative and I fully appreciate the fact that this thing is voluntary however in this day and age those of us who live in such an unhealthy manner and yet have no compassion in our hearts for those less fortunate than ourselves only remind me of our political class.

These guys not only continue to gorge themselves with public funds (they have refused to pay taxes and those who have, have done it for publicity with much fanfare so as to score points in their bid for the presidency). Not only that, these guys continue to campaign for 2012 and are really angry that some of the limelight has moved away from them and is now more focused on ordinary Kenyans and their gallant efforts to save the lives of their fellow citizens.

I am really sorry if you are reading this and yet you have this big huge pot belly, so huge that if you ended up at a maternity hospital in the city with your pregnant wife, you might just get taken into the labour ward first. Nothing personal and to prove it I will be doing a post later to help you look much better minus that heavy thing you are carrying.

I have a message for you even if you will have no compassion, even if you are saying that the hungry are well taken care of now because of the huge contributions being made. Even if you are saying that this is Kenya and some of the funds will get embezzled tupende tusipende. Whatever your excuse, that is up to you and your conscience.

My message today is very simple. Just try and skip a single meal tomorrow and then see what you feel. Maybe then you will start to have a little compassion. Save that money you would have spent on that unhealthy lunch and send it via Mpesa or any means convenient to you to the Kenya for Kenyans initiative. Just send it! Do your part and the rest of us will do our part in ensuring that NO single shilling will get into the wrong hands. (Kumekucha already has people hovering around waiting for somebody to try something stupid.)

This is a strong appeal from Kumekucha to all you wonderful Kenyans out there to stand up and be counted. Please don’t slow down your giving. We must feed these people until well after the rains come (nobody even knows when that will be). We can do it and we must not get tired.

But what jazzes me most of all, above everything else is that we will keep sending this message to our political class which they do not like. The message is that we don’t need them and they should start packing their bags (with their presidential pipe dreams) because any government that cannot accomplish something as simple as feeding it’s own people has no business being in power. Any legislator who sits in parliament silently as Kenyans starve to death has no business being an MP.

If you support the contents of this post, please forward it to as many of your friends as you possibly can. If you read this through facebook ask all your Facebook friends to re-post it.

Kenyan lives depend on it.

The future of our beautiful republic depends on it.

Miguna Miguna a casualty of Raila’s campaign for a better presidential image

PM Raila Odinga, the real winner of the 2007 presidential general elections has not yet announced his bid for the presidency in 2012 but it is clear that his campaign has already started in earnest and kicked into a higher gear in recent times.

Miguna Miguna, one of his closest aides and confidants seems to have been caught in the crossfire of Raila’s preparations and was last night summarily fired for what the PM’s office referred to as “gross misconduct.” Read the story HERE.

With the Prime Minister who will now look odd without the burly figure constantly at his side.

Clearly what Raila is currently doing is trying to clean up the image around him and portray a more national and presidential outlook. Little wonder that Salim Lone, the man responsible for building Raila and ODM’s formidable image so quickly and effectively in 2007 is being seen tailing the PM much more frequently. Quite a contrast from what has been happening where Miguna Miguna has been sticking closer than a fly to Raila. Only that the latter is rather burly and has such an imposing presence that my imagery seems comically out of place for somebody familiar with him.

Experts in image building have for a long time been wondering about this man called Miguna Miguna. A confrontational, aggressive and take-no-prisoners character the Canadian lawyer has all along been behaving more like a student leader than a presidential advisor.

There have been numerous calls for his sacking which have so far been ignored by the PM. Little wonder that he received the news of his sacking yesterday with shock saying that he was yet to receive any communications.

As a student in Njiris high school 1984

While he served at Raila’s side it was often clear that his powers extended well beyond his docket of advisor on coalition matters. In recent days there have been whispers that Raila is keen to strike a deal with close allies of Mwai Kibaki in an effort to make what he sees as his own ascension to the presidency in 2012 smoother. Since Miguna hardly ever used to leave the PM’s side and has on numerous occasions even been captured in posed official photos that were only meant for those in cabinet, it was predictable that he would start being excess buggage to the PM sooner rather than later. Indeed any negotiations with PNU in the presence of Miguna Miguna would not go down well because it is said he leaves a bad taste in the mouths of PNU big wigs which would make a favourable outcome for his boss virtually impossible.

But who is Miguna Miguina?

Mr Miguna was a BA arts student at the University of Nairobi before he was arrested and briefly detained in 1987 by the then dreaded Special branch. Although he was later released, he was expelled by University authorities and fled to Tanzania shortly after that. He managed to obtain temporary political asylum in Swaziland (Africa) before being granted more permanent status in Canada where he completed his studies and also qualified as a lawyer. That is where he was practicing law mainly as an immigration lawyer before his dramatic return to Kenya and Raila’s side in 2004.

Addressing students as Finance Secretary of SONU at the University of Nairobi in 1987.

He was one of the ODM parliamentary aspirants for Nyando constituency but did not make it to the ballot stage. Technically Miguna Miguna did not even qualify because the Kenyan constitution at the time did not allow for dual citizenship and Mr Miguna has always held Canadian citizenship since he started practicing law in that country. Talk of impunity by somebody fighting against impunity in others.

Curiously one of the places where there is generous celebration this morning at the sacking of Miguna is at Makini school where his children go to school. Teachers at the famous school have been bitterly complaining of harassment from the PM’s aide who is said to frequently call them very late at night usually shouting and warning them to give special treatment to his children and to “stop being harsh” towards them.

TJ monument finally goes up as Kumekucha releases new secrets from past assassinations

TJ monument finally goes up as Kumekucha releases new secrets from past assassinations

My late dad used to fondly refer to him as TJ and he could never stop talking about him. The man was assassinated when I was only 5 years old in 1969 and so I knew little about the man

I went out and did some serious research. It did not take me long to realize why the man had so mesmerized my dad. I was quickly converted.

And so when I launched this blog I hit the ground running campaigning very hard for the recognition of the man and for his killers to be brought to book. But to be honest with you, I never thought for a minute that in my lifetime I would see what I saw yesterday. Finally a monument in honour of a great son of Kenya has gone up in the CBD.

In case you still have no idea what I am talking about, I am of course referring to Thomas Joseph Odhiambo Mboya, or simply Tom Mboya. Sadly my dad did not live to see the country finally remember this man they were once determined to forget. Great pity. He would have loved it for sure.

The monument is stationed about 50 metres from the exact spot where TJ stopped two bullets from an assassin on that fateful lunch hour 5th July 1969 outside a chemist.

Interesting coincidence because I have just completed my latest book, Political assassinations in Kenya where I reveal some fascinating new information on the biggest political assassinations in Kenyan politics and those who were involved. Tom Mboya, Pio Gama Pinto, JM Kariuki and Masinde Muliro. Yes many Kenyans don’t even know that Muliro was assassinated. Very neat clinical job but it was an assassination and this becomes very clear when you study what happened after his death. Actually this is the only political assassination in Kenya that I know of that achieved its’ objectives.

The reason why I did this book and chose this particular topic was because there have been fears that masters of impunity in the country who are not happy with the reforms and new constitution will revert to political assassinations. I hope that this never happens and so I decided to do this book to reveal the full horror of assassinations so that Kenyans get very determined for us never to return anywhere near that bloody path of the past.

I have plenty of free information on the book. All you need to do is fill in your email address in the pop up box that appears after you click HERE.

Right now I am so excited about the new TJ monument.

If it is true that constitutions are written in blood then TJ’s blood is amongst the blood of other Kenyans that wrote our current brand new constitution.

RIP TJ!!!

Get a sneak preview of Kumekucha’s new book: "Political Assassinations in Kenya"

Kumekucha Has Lost a Syllable in Kifoto's Death

The curtain has fallen on a name that is not only closely associated with this blog but and also inspired its nomenclature. Today (Amka) Kumekucha has lost a syllable in Habel Kifoto's death.

Kenya's present generation may not know what they missed until they listen to the EVERGREEN Maroon Commandos led by the burly guitarist Habel Kifoto. Well, that no nonsense band leader has just past on in some nondescript hotel room in Madaraka estate where he was staying in readiness for a Music Society of Kenya (MSK) board meeting.

Those old enough can only imagine the grief of one indefatigable DJ Jeff Mwangemi whose infectious laughter when introducing local talent over the radio made madmen offer handshake to strangers. Only people like Jeff with their natural charm would break the monotony and boredom of the monolithic KBC then.

The late Habel Kifoto of Charonyi ni Wasi fame was born in Taita District of Coast Province. He started his music career back in 60s and started playing bass guitar in 1967 until when he started his skill in Solo lead guitar.

That Maroon Commandos was synonymous with Habel Kifoto is irrefutable. The soldier in him never dimmed not diminished his vocal prowess. Instead he lead from the from the front strumming the strings and by example in leading his fellow soldiers to musical glory.

Nostalgia galore for those fortunate/old enough to have graced the then agricultural shows where Habel Kifoto and his Maroon (Green) Commandos had villagers and urbanites alike shake their legs to nationalistic songs whose inspirational was way ahead of our past and present tribal leaders. What is more, apart from Aziz Abdi (Kilambo), few musicians appealed beyond tribal enclaves. if in doubt just ask PENSIONERS.

Kenya has lost her equivalent of both Baraka Mwinshehe and Remi Ongala. It is a sad day for Kenyan music, (wana) Maroon Commados and 7KR.

Fare thee well Habel Kifoto.


Tribute to Habel Kifoto from Chris Kumekucha

Tears are blurring my eyes and I have a heavy heart as I write this brief tribute to a truly unsung hero of the republic.

I was sincerely looking forward to his classic (which has always been the anthem of this blog) Amka Kumekucha being played over and over again one day in 2012 when we have a new government and government structure in place. In my heart I knew that that would be the moment when Kenyans would wake up and really notice this talented Kenyan who has given so much and yet received so little in return.

Alas it was not to be. We will still play his song but it will not be the same.

I agree with my comrade in arms Taabu that Kumekucha the blog has truly lost a syllable.

"His life was gentle; and the elements
So mixed in him, that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, THIS WAS A MAN!"

— William Shakespeare (Julius Caesar)

RIP afande!!!


Today's post by Kumekucha Chris: What is this new thing happening in Kenya?

What is this new thing happening in Kenya?

Something without precedent is happening in Kenya.

In just a handful of days Kenyans raised over 80 million shillings to feed their starving and dying fellow Kenyans in areas that are worst hit by the current drought and resulting ravaging famine.

On the ground many amazing tales of selflessness and sacrifice are beginning to unfold. A humble house-help with a very stretched budget asked her employers to deduct half a monthly pay and send it to the Mpesa number that has been set up in the Kenyans for Kenya appeal to raise funds for the hungry.

Others are walking to work and other skipping lunch to create donations out of their equally stretched budgets.

Now it is a little difficult for most of my readers to appreciate the struggles that most Kenyans go through to maintain sanity in their lives. I am not talking about balancing their hand-to-mouth budgets because most folks cannot dare have a cup of tea or a cold Coca Cola in town when they are thirsty for fear of creating chaos in their already unbalanced food budget.

Amazing. Kenyans have never given like this before and believe me we have had many disasters and many appeals for donations. Mostly those administering these programmes have been very frustrated and have had to beg, cajole, sell stuff give amazing offers etc. for Kenyans to show any signs of reaching for their pockets for coins to throw at them.

Not this time round. Something has changed and changed dramatically.

So what is happening now? What has changed?

These are the angry voters of 2012 I keep on talking about. Kenyans who are completely fed up with the political class. To use a very appropriate local phrase “wame-shiba watu wa siasa.” And they are expressing their disgust at the disorganization, corrupt ways that those running this country insist on keeping to. They are doing this by taking matters into their own hands and doing what leaders should have done a long time ago. Kenyans are delighted to be able to prove to themselves that they can do without the political class some of whom have been in parliament so long that cobwebs must have developed on their clothes that are stuck to the August house. And many of these characters have given the impression that life in Kenya cannot go on without them.

Folks, the stage is being set for a what I call “a blood-bath” in 2012. Don’t worry, I am not talking about the blood letting of 2007/08. I am talking about huge casualties amongst the political class and those who think there would be no Kenya without them.

Yes, the stage is being set for an outsider to enter the precincts of State House to the amazement of all and sundry. And let me warn that individual in advance that they will have a hell of a job on their hands. Mainly because the angry voters will not be done yet. By that point in time they will be so angry that what they wil demand from the fourth president of Kenya, no human can deliver.

But halleluyah because that will be the beginning of a new era in Kenya where leaders are truly servants of the people.