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Thursday, November 29, 2012

What Legacy President Kibaki?

In a few weeks from now (and not soon enough for some) President  Mwai Kibaki will ride into the sunset. Actually the whole problem is that the president’s exit from State house will not be as simple as that this time round.

Most analysts and observers are certain that when Kenya’s third president leaves office he will suddenly find himself entangled in all kinds of legal problems including a summons from the International Criminal Courts (ICC) at the Hague.

But his possible legal problems aside, now is a good time to ask what kind of legacy the Othaya legislator will leave behind. How will he be remembered? How will he compare to his predecessor President Daniel arap Moi in the eyes of historians?

In politics perception is everything but my guess is that you read this blog for a little more than that so let’s start with the hard facts.

Under Mwai Kibaki Kenya has changed a great deal and  a solid foundation has been laid for future rapid development. The CDF program for instance started under Kibaki’s presidency and despite numerous reports of looting and mismanagement of the fund the truth is that it has had a real impact on the lives of many Kenyans in many corners of the republic. The country is also better managed and the infrastructural achievements under Kibaki are nothing short of breathtaking the crown in the jewel being the recently completed Thika super highway.

Admittedly this president’s achievements have been overshadowed by his laid back management style that often left a dangerous leadership vacuum in a young nation that has been accustomed to seeking leadership and direction at every turn. Not to mention the kind of unprecedented nepotism that makes Moi look like a poor imitation. But most of all this is a president who will stand out in the minds of millions of Kenyans as the one under whose watch the country slipped into its’ darkest hour yet when in early 2008 chaos erupted after a presidential election whose real winner is still a deep mystery.

The bottom line is that Kibaki will be remembered not for his achievements but for what went wrong in the country during his tenure. Many will never forget that he went on national television to tell lies about his personal life and deny his second wife and family. Not exactly the kind of character that would inspire confidence let alone in the highest office in the land.

Supporters of the president will be quick to point to the fact that it was one Raila Odinga who messed up what would have been Kibaki’s peaceful and productive tenure by putting the country on a permanent election campaign mode shortly after the 2002 polls when Kibaki reneged on the MOU (memorandum of understanding) that his faction of the national Rainbow coalition had with Kibaki’s faction. Although there is plenty of truth in that allegation you can be sure that folks will hardly analyze the Kibaki presidency in those terms in the years to come. Rather what will be brought into sharp focus will be his failings as a leader and of that there is plenty. In fact the early Kibaki years were nothing but a collection of blunders. Still the biggest mistake this man made was to refuse to accept the people’s verdict during the 2007 general elections and his failure to protect the lives of innocent Kenyans after that when all hell broke loose.

And saddest of all most will want to downplay the fact that it was under President Kibaki that the country got a new constitution. Hardly surprising when the same President Kibaki has been at the forefront of undermining the very constitution he worked so hard to deliver to Kenyans.

At best the Kibaki presidency will be seen as one with many contradictions at worst it will be used as an example for many decades to come, of the disaster that can result from the poor management and decision-making ability of any leader or manager.

Raila's Epitaph: Inspired G7, Lost 5 to Become G1

They came breathing political fire and brimstone packaged as a potent G7. In no time the real owners G2 took charge and Kenyan politics has never been the same again ever since.

The mad season of political coalitions is here. The December 4, 2012 deadline promises to see to may political moves and counter mover Kenyans may as well be left in a delirium.

But one political fulcrum whose main joint has been left unhinged in PM Raila Odinga. The captain of is seeing the hitherto MV ODM capsizing faster than the might Titanic did exactly 100 year ago.

Not for lack of trying, far from it. Raila remains the most formidable politician in Kenya. But the sheen that madehim unbwogable in 2007 has come off.

Politics is a fickle game. So much perishable is politics that Raila cannot just recreate the superlative force he was in last elections. Maybe those who STOLE the elections from him knew that he never be the second time lucky.

Make no mistake, Raila's lack of grinding force does not necessarily translate into shoe-in for the Uhuruto victory. The coalition of the accused will soon come tumbling like the Tower of Babel. The ICC glue holding them together is like wax now that the new-found bravado is cheating them to fly near the sun.

The folly of making the next election a referendum on the ICC will backfire in all directions. Forget rants from cheap pundits always lurking online to pounce on breaking news with glee as analysis.

Make no mistake, no amount of political laundering will cleanse the evil duo from CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY.

Back to Raila. The son of Jaramogi would do himself a favour in retracing his steps. But again time is not on his side. The present business of cobbling tribal alliances will only succeed in polarizing Kenya more.

While Mudavadi has been left high and dry after being fooled to decamp from ODM, Kalonzo will never tire telling Kenyans they owe him plenty. So trinity vices of embarrassment, false pride and misplaced sense of entitlement will not see the birth of any formidable third force.

So as we polish Raila's political epitaph in golden letters, secure your vantage seat, fasten your straps and brace yourself for a long and eventful political duel in the next 100 days.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Kibaki Seals Statesman Legacy With Noble Launch

KUMEKUCHA would formally wish to go on record as extending an open apology to, and publicly retracting from our former harsh unwarranted opinion on the Kibaki Legacy. no hard feelings?

The formal opening of the state of the art million shilling Syokimau Train Station and rail service today proved H.E. P.O.R.K's critics are simply ethnic wanaNICHI who since 2002 remain visionLESS enslaved to small thinking and talk.

H.E. P.O.R.K. has never lost sight of his main agenda KAZI IENDELEE. Petty talk on elections next year, IDPs PEV, heightened national ethnic tension, I.C.C. etc all take a back seat to H.E.'s singular determination and steadfastness to steer Kenya to greener pastures as enumerated in vision 2030.

The essence of H.E.s presidency is evincing the political giraffe metaphor through actions that speak louder than words as only the best P.O.R.K ever could do. Such actions toasting leadership success from the front and by example have roped in Kenyans across the country to emotively chant "run for a 3rd term"! "run for a 3rd term"!

With the opening of the train line between Embakassi and the Central Business District, H.E.P.O.R.K has now not only left Kenyans cruising on the path of superhighway but also quaking in the wake of implemented radical and positive ideas whose time had come and was long past due. Make no mistake what one man does with his "half loaf " is another man's poison

The naysayers are now eating humble pie while exposing their post molars in delight from seeing the patient fruits of H.E.'s vision that could not fully be harvested as a one term presidency. The end has justified the means as Kenya full overtakes Singapore's GDP economyNA BADO

Monday, November 12, 2012

Uhuruto: Kenya's Two-horse Race to Destruction

Peter Kenneth may have done his best to market his ideas as a presidential candidate. But deep down the MP for Gatanga is not naive to Kenyans penchant to go tribal at the ballot.

The presidential field has been trimmed to the predictable five populated by the BIG FIVE TRIBES - say a prayer for the small tribes. But it is the Uhuruto axis that has generated more political heat given what is at stake for the pair.

They are joined at the Dutch heap. The sword of damocles that is The Hague is hanging precarious above the duo's heads so much so that the only way is to rope in Kenyan voters and commit a political harakiri.

Damn the consequences. So far the respective ethic voters are playing along. The two are very smart politicians and they are not naive to reveal the true plot to their gullible supporters.

Self-preservation packaged in hollow sovereignty and patriotism has never been so cleverly articulated in shuttle diplomacy episode II.

Poor Kalonzo has been left holding both the dirty water and dead baby. He refused to see the bold writing in capital letters staring at him. Brother Stevo ended up wailing louder than the bereaved about the G7 Tower of Babel oblivious of the sting from its true owners.

PM Raila may soon curse what he wished for. The two horses may as well have bolted with Kenyan voters to The Hague.

We haven't seen anything yet. The next three months will Kenyan politics charged like neve3r before. The old tribal stereotypes will come flying left, right and centre. NA BADO

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

The Hague Referendum Aimed to Burn with Kenya

Like him hate him, Cherangani MP Joshua Kuttuny has a way with words. And when it matters most his gliding lips minces no words and he says-it-as-it-is. No diplospeak. He has told all and sundry that next year's elections is a referendum on The Hague. Period.

Forget where all The Hague business earned its first coin. We did not take ourselves to that place it came seeking us with a laser guided missile. You must remember the nation's battle cry 'NO HAGUE, LET'S BE VAGUE'.

And golden pair Uhuruto have declared the elections must be worn first round so that they can concentrate in defending themselves at The Hague. Make no mistake, you don't need to be a resident president. Ruto has spelt it clearly that he can remotely rule by ICT. We have been paying absentee MPs for ages, why not upgrade?

You cannot blame the conjoined twins Uhuruto. Their fate is so similar and so bleak only winning the Presidency and using it appears the only path to beat ICC. And don't engage your fertile imagination to extrapolate into what they are not saying.

So will Kenyans play ball and help bail out our prodigal political twins? No need for guessing they have done the maths and it looks promising.

Uhuru and Ruto knows all they need is have to their respective communities under lock and key. After that the rotund Gambian Fatou Bensouda is cooked goose.

Tempting ICC gods

Forget the moribund G7. That was a warmup kit before the main match by two friendly parties. Give it to Jomo Junior, what he has done with T(i)NA within these last few months ss incredible. He would not have had the leeway to do as he pleases with Kanu.

Raila never saw it coming. Even his sojourn with Kalenjin Elders will not save him this time. The die is cast and all the faces bear no resemblance to son of Jaramogi. What a rude political send off for the prime Minister.

The diplomat Stevo true to his calling still harbours hope that some miracle will happen and he will feast on the fallen limbs. Politics must be a very rude sport. Just ask Musalia Mudavadi who was bought new political sails only to be left in the doldrums at the mercy of UPEPO WA KUSI.

Uhuruto has all it takes to tempt both the gods of ICC and fate itself. We haven't seen anything yet. The game has been determined and the Kenyan voter has been squarely roped in. Playing is just but a routine.

No need for abstract theories. The two suspects need power to twin their fate with Kenya. Game over and damn the consequences. NA BADO.