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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Will Sakaja’s inexperience cost TNA the presidency?


Johnson Sakaja the chairman of TNA just recently celebrated his 28th birthday. Admittedly his experience in student politics at the University of Nairobi is useful in his new role as chairman of a popular national political party because SONU politics can sometimes get pretty rough and dirty.

His profile also says that he played a key role in the “re-election” of Mwai Kibaki in 2007 (ouch!!!!). I am still reviewing video footage of those who attended the bedroom swearing in at State house in 2008 (invited before the election results were announced) but I think I have a great chance of spotting Sakaja.


I have no problem with youth. Indeed I have said many times here that this country would be better off with a president who was under 40 years of age. I still hold strongly to those views.


Still there is no substitute to experience and this was proved yesterday when Sakaja made a very major blunder. So major is this blunder that it could easily turn the direction of this presidential election and lose Uhuru an election that he was going to win by a landslide.


Before I tell you what that blunder is, let me tell you a story. I was recently on the bus from Mombasa to Nairobi and struck up a conversation with this young pretty lass (why can’t this young women leave me alone?) From her slight accent and striking beauty I knew that she was Wiper Democratic Movement property but when I asked her who she was going to vote president, her answer shocked me.


“Uhuru,” she said without hesitation.


My point is that Uhuru Kenyatta has managed to attract a lot of votes from numerous young Kenyans who find it easier to identify themselves with a younger person. These young Kenyans know very little about the history of their country and have no time to delve into the details of boring ancient history. After all any titbit they want to know Bwana Google will tell them.


Now the big blunder Sakaja made was to complain about Wetangula’s recent remarks about a presidential candidate who was using wealth gained from grabbed land for his campaigns and also to bribe voters.


In recent times both CORD and Jubillee presidential candidates have been taking a swipe at each other and some of those swipes have been pretty personal. Many Kenyan voters have missed them, even those in Nairobi because incase you did not know we are all suffering from what somebody called “information overflow”. That is there is so much information flying at us from all directions that we ignore most of it and only pay attention to what we think is the most important.


Gullible Sakaja took Wetangula’s bait and in one master stroke has brought to national attention his presidential candidate’s soft under belly. The right strategy would have been to ignore the remark but if he felt that he must attract attention to himself and the party in some way he should have issued a statement that takes away attention from why Uhuru Kenyatta is so wealthy. Perhaps something about the TNA party being a party of youths where all folks who are over 50 are in the council of elders of the party.


As it is Sakaja’s complaint has attracted a lot of media attention and Kenyans are discussing it all over the place. And the younger Kenyans are asking if it is true. I laugh when I hear young people ask whether there is evidence. It would take any lawyer about 15 seconds flat to prove that Jomo Kenyatta was indeed a serious land grabber. Nobody did more than him to set the stage for the post election troubles of 2008. But I digress.


Many Kenyans lost their lives as a direct result of the grand old man’s appetite for land. It is instructive that the very first major political assassination in Kenya which took place when Kenya as a nation was barely a 2 year old toddler, was linked to Jomo Kenyatta’s land grabbing. I am of course talking about the ugly shooting of Pio Gama Pinto right in front of his 6 year old daughter. (Get all the details from my book Political assassinations in Kenya available for FREE to regular Kumekucha readers only). The bottom line is that this is still an extremely sensitive issue that could cost Uhuru millions of votes.


Why did Wetangula bring it up? Was he perhaps jealous and a little frightened about the kind of money the Jubilee coalition is spending? Difficult to tell, but Sakaja messed up big time and I am not sure if the Uhuru campaign is going to be able to recover from this one. Let’s wait and see shall we?


P.S. - The Jubilee Coalition will spend an estimated Sh10 billion in campaigns. Last week, Uhuru's TNA acquired 10 branded four-wheel-drive vehicles at an estimated cost of Sh30 million. The vehicles painted red with Uhuru's name on the side are to be used to transport TNA staff during rallies and roadshows. Late last year, Uhuru's running mate William Ruto of URP acquired five four-wheel-drive vehicles and bought a chopper. The two Jubilee leaders now have four choppers at their disposal — two of which they own and the other two hired by the Uhuru campaign on an as needed basis.



More about Sakaja
Sakaja Johnson, the National Chairman of TNA is currently the Principal Partner at Arthur Johnson Consultants which offers financial and strategic advisory services to Governmental and Private business entities in Kenya. He began his foray into national politics through student politics at the University of Nairobi (NASA – as vice chair of the Actuarial Students Association and later in SONU). Sakaja Johnson studied Actuarial Science and is currently pursuing Political Economics where he found his interests lie. He has been involved in National Politics since the 2005 referendum and played a key role in the 2007 re-election of H.E. Mwai Kibaki. Sakaja was also instrumental in the constitution making process being a key consultant to the COE and Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution on the issue of Representation and helped formulate the formula for delimitation of electoral boundaries in Kenya. He has also co-authored a book together with the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ – Kenya Chapter) on Representation and Fiscal Decentralisation having particularly written the chapters on the Technical Framework for Devolution. Sakaja is also an avid musician and plays bass guitar for a local music band.

Sakaja hails from Western province.

TNA  is run by young people between 30 and 35; the chairman, Mr Johnson Sakaja, is under 30. Those above the age of 50 will be accommodated in the parties Council of Elders, which is an organ of the party.

15 comments:

  1. Now, now, now, one ought to have used such an occasion to inform and educate us what he deems the best land policy for the nation and why.

    Instead of such a mature approach to serious issues, all we hear and read is, is is it gonna cost UK votes!

    So, let us assume it costs him votes and he loses. So, how the hell do Kenyans gain by that now?

    Sensationalism without substance!

    Anyway, we leave to enjoy:

    Mwaka wa Hyenas:


    http://is.gd/FycG0d









    ReplyDelete
  2. @Mwarang'ethe

    How practical is your "best land policy for Kenya"? Convince me. convince Kenyans...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chris,

    Yesterday I highlighted your loopsided reporting and today I am 100% convinced that you are an ODM gun for hire.

    We all know Wetangura's scandal in Tokyo Land Deal where the arrogant minister stole a cool 1 billion. He was even suspended for a couple of months over the same scandal. Any reporter worth his salt would not fail to mention such blatant hypocricy in such a case. But not Chris.

    Talking about land, Raila was found culpable of Malindi squatters land, molasses plant, KKV funds and the Triton Saga but Chris of Kumekucha can't write about it. Last year he dared to spill the beans before he went underground for a couple of months. What a hypocrite!!

    Uhuru inherited wealth accumulated by his father. He did not steal any land but you want him to bear that cross. How pathetic considering those shouting loudest LITERALLY STOLE from the public and are DIRECTLY CULPABLE>

    In short, Chris you are compromised and you are another blogger out there on FORA payroll.

    Jane

    ReplyDelete
  4. If you want to see/understand how practical our land policy is TODAY, visit Singapore and Taiwan.

    NB: A few days ago, in Singapore, they increased TAXES you pay when you buy a house to 25%. In the rest of the world, such as the UK, they ARE LOWERING it and giving TAX PAYERS money to so called FIRST BUYERS!

    NB: The IMF will NEVER tell IGNORANT Kenyans such TRUTHS. Instead, they tell Kenyans to RAISE the VAT!

    If want to see how practical it is in the 19th Century, visit Japan from 1860's.

    As a matter of FACT, it was this Japanese LAND POLICY, which we ADVOCATE, that helped the Japanese escape the European COLONIZATION and thereby, became HONORARY EUROPEANS!

    NB: A few days ago, TO FOOL YOU, the Japanese gave us some COINS ati for agriculture!

    It was lack of such a land policy that, led to the colonization/subjugation of India and Africa.

    NB: And, YOU STILL DO NOT GET IT!

    Sample this:

    "Alarm as house deficit doubles in three years."

    "The shares of real estate firms will be sold in equivalent stocks of Sh1 MILLION each as per CMA proposals that are under discussion by the policy makers.

    Investors will be required to have a minimum of Sh1 million to buy shares of real estate development firms listed at the stock exchange as per the proposed changes."

    Source: http://is.gd/e1gmHe

    NB: Chris, do you have KES 1 million to "invest?" in these houses? Wake up and see the REALITY!

    If you to see how practical it is, visit the most ancient of all nations, Ta Merry, i.e. Egypt and see HOW that policy lifted that nation above all nations for THOUSANDS of YEARS!

    If you want to understand the origins of the modern STUPID land policies that we INHERITED from the PERFIDIOUS ALBION, visit the Convention Parliament of 1660 which met WITHOUT THE SANCTION of THE KING! It was ILLEGAL to say the least!

    If you want to come closer, visit England in 1815 after the Napoleon wars and you shall understand how WELL THOUGHT out is our land policy.

    Swali lingine ndugu?

    Our policy has been tested for over 5000 years and found to be the best. What is YOURS?

    So, tell us what is your land policy and stop giving us sensation stuff! We expect MORE FROM YOU!

    For instance, the ABSENT Arabs (SLAVE TRADERS) own 77,000 acres on the Kenyan Coastal strip.

    These Arabs, are not running for the Presidency. So, what do you say about them?

    With that, we leave to enjoy in peace:

    What happened to our concept of WEALTH?

    http://is.gd/CfIDTf



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  5. Mwara,

    You have not told us what this recommended land policy is.

    what is it?

    ReplyDelete
  6. I just hope that I have not spoken too soon but I think Chris Kumekucha's mojo is back. Now this is the kind of stuff that made this blog popular.

    No other analyst has seen this Sakaja blunder every other media house is talking about hate speech nonsense.

    Chris we need you to write posts like this one regularly here don't go AWOL again as you always do to campaign for your Raila man. We are watching.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Protus Wafula Nyongesa said on Facebook;

    We are not going to use Hate Speech to stifle debate. What Moses Wetangula said in Makueni is nothing but the truth, the vast land the Kenyattas have cannot be accounted for purely on willing buyer willing seller basis. The chairman of TNA is a 29 yr old young man who has no idea what Kenyan history is about. He should go back to school and read some more. Writing letters to IEBC and National Cohesion whenever somebody saying something you disagree with is height of absurdity. Let Kenyatta tell us how his father got all that land, after all he is running on the basis of being a kenyatta and his wealth comes from what his father left behind.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Carol Nyege said on Facebook;

    Why do Kenyans prefer side shows and changing the subject? We are NOT talking about Wetangula here. Si we finish discussing Uhuru's grabbed land first and then we can discuss Wetangula in detail. And anyway Wetangula does not want to be my president and so to me he is irrelevant. Uhuru wants to decide my destiny for the nxt 5 years. I am very concerned because I was considering voting for him having forgotten a few things.

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  9. C. Shikuku said on Facebook;

    Someone is sitting on land equivalent the size of a whole province while being defended to the hilt by people who cannot afford land to be laid to rest when they are finally through with their blind support.

    Dark forces must be working overdrive here!

    ReplyDelete
  10. @ Jane and the other anon,

    I am NOT a Raila man. Let my posts speak for me. Jubilee has been ahead of CORD according to my info but yesterday Sakaja made a major blunder. Would I have ignored it and written about CORD?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Chris,

    Who is the Gov of Kenya's 9th province?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Poor Chris, Sakaja is not only young, educated and handsome, he's got SWAG, why on earth do you think those young beautiful lasses and lads go gaga for TNA? Its the looks dear Chris,the looks and TNA does have them- Wengangula was hateful and someone had to say something. still waiting for your analysis on Nyanza primaries.

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  13. Wetangula reminds me of Kidero. He was bragging how senior he is compared to Sakaja. What a load of crap. Then he had the audacity of refering junior officers in CORD coalition eti....Dr so and so.
    I am suprised that these issues escaped Chris who seems fixated of bashing TNA. Juzi it was Wambui, now Uhuru and I can bet my next meal next will still be TNA.
    Seems he wants us to forget about the crimes and faults of CORD. Well, Chris is a Kamba and I am not suprised. Traitors since the time of Moi.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks Mwarang'ethe for your land policy input.
    I did a quick follow up. Here is an interesting (and free)reading for those that are interested(Progress and Poverty by Henry George):
    http://www.henrygeorge.org/pcontents.htm

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  15. are you sure he grabbed land
    everyone I met complained they had to sell for market value (or slightly below market value)even though they did not want to sell; at the time most of the land could have been owned by others but was unused; it depends what one did with that land after they obtained it. What I cannot get over is your description of the slum dwellers in Kibera - is there no political will to build permanent homes and washrooms and provide guaranteed jobs??? how about increasing property tax, property transfer tax, estate tax and use the funds to provide guaranteed jobs to kibera residents to build houses, washrooms and roads??

    ReplyDelete

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