By KK Blogger
President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta II's administration is on a roll. And what a turnaround for the ICC yoke that was cleverly transformed into political jet fuel. Add that to the West's moody response to Uhuru's presidency which is unwitting handing over Kenya to the Chinese.
The word in the streets and on many people's lips is that the Chinese will or may dutifully fill the void left behind by the Americans, British and other European establishments, yes and not really.
While the March 4th, 2013 general election may just have been completed, Kenyans should not throw caution to the wind but be very wise enough not be carried away by their next course of action.
It is therefore incumbent upon winners, losers and their various supporters to heed the ancient warning that is still relevant to our country's specific sociopolitical and economic situations: Fear the Chinese, even those bearing gifts of infrastructure development on a massive scale, cheap affordable goods, and promises of unaccountable shippments of tons and tons of contraband.
Simply put,there is ain't no such thing as a free lunch, especially bowls of warm and cozy noodle soup from the Chinese government, corporations, businessmen, individuals, and common street vendors.
Red dragon loans
Lest we forget, there is always a very hefty hidden cost involved when dealing with Chinese government and Chinese merchants of the so-called affordable goods and services, and where very few or zero questions are asked.
Most of the recent gunshot partnerships - that being fronted as corporations between equal partners - involving China and African countries like Kenya, the type that do not have well defined and real in-built legal checks and balances, may come back to haunt the unsuspecting recipients, or gullible African political leaders.
Further, the real premium attached to doing business with China may end up costing many African nations, including Kenya, a lot more they seem to have alredy bargain for in the first place.
For instance, the sovereignty of the African countries involved in business with China may end up being compromised and in worst case scenarios, held hostage in form of billions and billions of 'run-away dragon loans' and massive debts that may take up to four to five decades in order to be repaid by the next generations of Africans.
So, Kenyan political leaders and the concerned citizenry, beware of the modern day Chinese Greeks bearing tantalizing business deals, contracts, aid, easy solutions and gifts that may sem handy at the moment.
Ole wetu and the next three to four generations, if we don not pay necessary attention as a people and nation.
Friday, March 15, 2013
ICC Made President Uhuru, West Drives us China
By KK Blogger
President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta II's administration is on a roll. And what a turnaround for the ICC yoke that was cleverly transformed into political jet fuel. Add that to the West's moody response to Uhuru's presidency which is unwitting handing over Kenya to the Chinese.
The word in the streets and on many people's lips is that the Chinese will or may dutifully fill the void left behind by the Americans, British and other European establishments, yes and not really.
While the March 4th, 2013 general election may just have been completed, Kenyans should not throw caution to the wind but be very wise enough not be carried away by their next course of action.
It is therefore incumbent upon winners, losers and their various supporters to heed the ancient warning that is still relevant to our country's specific sociopolitical and economic situations: Fear the Chinese, even those bearing gifts of infrastructure development on a massive scale, cheap affordable goods, and promises of unaccountable shippments of tons and tons of contraband.
Simply put,there is ain't no such thing as a free lunch, especially bowls of warm and cozy noodle soup from the Chinese government, corporations, businessmen, individuals, and common street vendors.
Red dragon loans
Lest we forget, there is always a very hefty hidden cost involved when dealing with Chinese government and Chinese merchants of the so-called affordable goods and services, and where very few or zero questions are asked.
Most of the recent gunshot partnerships - that being fronted as corporations between equal partners - involving China and African countries like Kenya, the type that do not have well defined and real in-built legal checks and balances, may come back to haunt the unsuspecting recipients, or gullible African political leaders.
Further, the real premium attached to doing business with China may end up costing many African nations, including Kenya, a lot more they seem to have alredy bargain for in the first place.
For instance, the sovereignty of the African countries involved in business with China may end up being compromised and in worst case scenarios, held hostage in form of billions and billions of 'run-away dragon loans' and massive debts that may take up to four to five decades in order to be repaid by the next generations of Africans.
So, Kenyan political leaders and the concerned citizenry, beware of the modern day Chinese Greeks bearing tantalizing business deals, contracts, aid, easy solutions and gifts that may sem handy at the moment.
Ole wetu and the next three to four generations, if we don not pay necessary attention as a people and nation.
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As usual, the latest grumblings from the West about the presidential election of Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and William Ruto as his deputy, have some truth about them - although, as Kumekucha has clearly noted, ICC Made President Uhuru, West Drives China.
ReplyDeleteThat is a true no-win situation for those among us who have started to panic at the thought or possibility of the least bit of a looming inclement relations with Western governments.
Anyone who has paid even the most scant attention in recent days must have noticed the significant increase in the number of articles and editorials appearing in various major international news papers about what Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta's presidency is going to mean in terms of how the Western governments ought or not ought to deal with an African leader like him, given the pending trial at the ICC.
While there are personal and political elements of Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta's past and present modi operandi that some of us disagree with, for obvious reasons, there is no question in our minds that we are beginning to see the first in what surely will be a cascading vilification and demonization of Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta as a person and his presidency.
All intending to undermine his image abroad and at the same time initiate an erosion of the people's faith in the soon to be Kenyatta adminstration, including the country's political system.
For instance, one garish editorial - Awkward Choice in Kenya. By THE EDITORIAL BOARD [The New York Times]. Published: March 13, 2013 - and an article - Indictee for President. [New York Times(blog)], March 11, 2013 - are just among some of the several articles already politicking about a real possibility of Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta's guilt before his trial begins at the ICC.
Fortunately or unfortunately, all of the above may bring about unintended consequences that may work in favour Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, by endearing him more and more to his constituents, among growing legions of sympathizers and supporters who still feel that the ICC was unfair in picking on him, while letting other major players off the hook of criminal justice.
Is it becoming an issue of jitters, or fear of being jilted?
ReplyDeleteKenya has had dealings with the two other nations for far too long, as a matter of fact, the bilateral relations with each one of them goes back to a time when three quarters of the country's current population were not yet born.
On the one hand, with regard to Kenya's recent relation with China, those concerned or rather who initiated it have something to show for in terms of tangibles and visible progress that has been made in terms of various development projects that will continue to promote the economy and enhance the well-being of the country's population at large.
On the other hand, Kenyans - the deserving poor - have always been reminded that they should consider themselves very lucky and fortunate enough for the generous $1 billion in American aid that the country receives annually.
That is besides the undisclosed large amounts of foreign aid from the UK, which comes with so many unhealthy strings attached to it.
Nevertheless, at the end of the day, there has been very little to show for, or even to account for in terms of the expected tangible development around the country, when compared to what China has already been able to do in few years they have been dealing with Kenya.
The so-called emergency aid in millions of dollars that passes through Kenya's sea ports and airports, is usually directly channeled to hundreds of foreign owned aid agencies, including a tight network of foreign run NGOs that have been based in the country for more than the two to three decades.
Most of which have really perfected the lucrative enterprise of dealing with floods of refugees from beyond Kenya's far nothern borders, which is carried out at the expense of Kenyan people who happen to live in and around the various fields of foreign aid operations.
So, where does the money or funding go, or the billion of dollars and hundreds of million of pounds really end up when all has been said and done?
Has a realization began to creep in within the rank and file that maybe Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, are capable of reversing the trend of omba-omba culture that has been so endemic in most regions of the country?
A move that is being feared and frawned upon, yet may end up precipitating the collapse of one of the most unregulated massive foreign aid enterprise that has thrived on Kenyan soil for decades?
Bad governship, brutal opressors used to run to Moscow. Today they run to Peking. When will stup.. African learn to follow the laws of his country and let those people who are not criminals rule.Poor Kenya.
ReplyDeleteChaos erupted at Kenyatta University on Friday evening after students discovered what is claimed to be an IEBC operation base at the university business centre underground floor room 14.(East African Standard)
ReplyDeleteAlso this presidency is stolen. No wonder they are in a hurry. They will swear him in darkness. Just wait.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteRunaway dragon loans will soon be the financial devil of a burden that Kenyans will soon know, if those responsible do not have the country's best interests at heart.
But imagine a runaway August 10th House with an exclusive Sh2.6 Billion send-off package cruising through the official channels after an executive approval.
Mmmmm! That would have been an utterly longterm financial stampede had the overnight parliamentary robbery been approved by the outgoing executive boss.
On a brighter side, it is quite a relief to see the historic curtains finally closing down on the now infamous August 10th House for good, while at the same time, the sun setting on the not so notable political careers of a good number of the eight-six MPigs who went ahead and voted for the Sh2.6 Billion send-off in the middle of the night, only to end up being trounced and humiliated at the polls on March 4th general election.
A tally of the names marching the defeated wannabe Ali Baba's 86 MPigs will continue to make its round as a deterrence for the whole duration the next parliament is in business.
Lessons learned the hard way at the polls, thanks to the majority of the electorate.
The majority of Kenyans know who they are, what they are, and what they been through in the last several decades.
ReplyDeleteEveryone of them who has been through the worst of times during the same decades, knows that fujo, ukorofi, ghasia, matata, uhasama, misukoko na chuki ya aina yoyote baina yetu, pamoja na vita na maafa ya sisi kwa sisi only brings life to a standstill, as well as creates a mediocre quality of life in all aspects, as everyone's schedules, rhythms, and livelihood are desrupted in the longterm.
While the currrent concerns of many Kenyans will not, and should not, be forgotten in the months ahead or years leading to the next general election, it is important to note that people now know what they really want for themselves, their families, counties, regions, and country, especially after the March 4th, general election.
Therefore, all elected officials, including ex officio members (of whatever ...) should be aware of the fact that they are on probation.
And they have also been put on notice that the previous endemic culture of mediocrity and toxic climate of business as usual will not be tolerated by the electorate and public at large.
At the same time, the very tiring and sickening old days of shaking off responsibility and deflecting blame for all sorts of dysfunctionalism in both the private and public sectors, will not be entertained, nor directed at the states house, but aimed at those entrusted with official duties and other responsiblities throughout the country.
The buck will from now on stop where it is supposed to be in the first place.
Most of what goes up in an election campaign season must eventually come down after the election.
ReplyDeleteThe removal of campaign signage that still litering the main cities, towns and throughout the country should be a real concern, because several losers of the March 4th general election, are still busy hiring people and street kids to put up whatever was left of their surplus campaign signage in the hopes for by-elections.
However, it should have been noted several days ago that the political reptilians are it again, slithering and foraging for whatever kind of soft-landing (smooth-sliding) they can find in the aftermath of the March 4th general election.
The reptilians in question are a well known political breed of reptoids (gubernatotial), reptiloids (senatotial), draconians (parliamentary), and humanoids (WRs) aspirants who were either rejected or dumped by their constituents, or fauiled abysmally to capture their dream jobs due to a variety of reasons on March 4th.
A frenzy of slithering and foraging in search of political nominations and plum jobs in the public and private sectors has become their last option, because as it turns out, their real motive of venturing - slithering - into the last political campigns had nothing to do with patriotic fervour nor a honourable desire to serve their respective constituents, counties and country, and uphold democratic values and constitutional principles.
Nevertheless, as it turns out, their bottom line is all they ever cared about in the first place, and the greed of gaining an entry political pass that would have guaranteed them access to a bonanza and other lavish perks that have always been enjoyed by many political incumbents in the last five decades.
People enter politics not to serve but to be served with a variety of self-serving opportunities that they would never have had in the first place. - The late Hon. ... ... , former MP for ... Constituency.
Bwa ha ha ha ha he he he wa wa wa wa we we we ra ra ra
ReplyDeleteThis is how simple these things are:
(a) a man/woman or a nation, can only CONSUME what he PRODUCES.
(b) should he have to CONSUME more than he PRODUCES, he has two options:
(i) borrow, i.e. go into debts, or
(ii) rob others by force.
Now, if you are the West, you ROB.
If you are Kenya, you BEG.
As such, it matters not where we borrow, the END RESULT remains the same.
Thus, from where we stand, the "DEBATE" on whether we borrow from this monkey or that monkey, is a CHILDISH DEBATE.
The REAL debate is: Why don't we produce enough wealth yet we have so many IDLE Kenyans?
Anyway, since this is Greek language to the ILF Graduates, we leave to enjoy:
What Happened to Our Wealth?
http://is.gd/CfIDTf
Kumekucha,
ReplyDeleteWhat became of the 14.3 million voters? Was it an estimated figure, or part of the registered voters?
Just, don't remind some of us that Mutahi Ngunyi told us about the tyranny of the number as early as December of 2012, but as usual we totally ignored the prophecies from his corner of political science.
Are we, the people, really there yet after fifty years of wondering in a political wilderness of trial and error?
ReplyDeleteAre we, the people, really free from our sociopolitical past at last? Have we, the one time lost people of Kenya, reached the promised land of a real and open democracy?
Are we, the people from all walks of Kenyan life, going to see or rather experience the last of weak institutions, very poor governance, totally inadequate infrastructure, impunity (wa galore)?
And wiil there be a zero recurrence of a country that was once marred with a frenzy of public officials shuttling 24/7 from one foreign nation to another, when the newly created county governments as well as in the Kenyatta II adminstration are sworn in office?
By the way, will the much anticipated new political chapter 2013-2018 revert us back to the same old days and its same old political games of business as usual, or will the new path of leadership and governance under Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta be forged for the most good?
Last but not least, is it really true that the Moon will allow itself to stand still so that Kamwana Yehoshu'a ben TNA, of the tribe of Jubilee Coalition, the one born in 'a place of fresh water' - Nairobi - may be enabled to finish the unfinished national business of implementing the country's new Constitution to the letter and spirit of the law?
Other than their hunger for elephant tusks, tiger penis soup and eating anything that has legs except a table, Chinese do not give a rat a*nus about a black person! By the time they are through with Kenyans, there will be no wild life left for tourists in the Republic! Due to TRIBALISM, the african ruling elites are at the mercy of any foreign elite with interest in RAW MATERIALS from Africa!
ReplyDeleteFinancial AIDS from Europe and USA ARE GIVEN to Kenya to enable THE RULING elites to sacrifice the unemployed Kenyan young men to fight kill Somalians. The Europeans and Americans mothers do do not want to sacrifice the lives of their boys if African are eager and willing to sacrifice theirs!
ReplyDeleteAre the Chinese merchants of runaway dragon loans and unlimited promises of tantalizing infrastructure development, mistaking the ivory on the African elephants for the lost eggs that once belonged in the dens of the mythical ancient Chinese dragons?
ReplyDeleteRegarding Chinese insatious appetite for ivory and countless other raw materials that continue to be illegally extracted from the African continent by treacherous African merchants of despondency, employed by rapacious African lords of impunity.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, there are some of us who tend to be very oblivious to the fact that the heavy Chinese presence in Kenya - and in various parts of Africa - is not their first rodeo in search of the glamorous byproducts derived from African wildlife and raw materials, the so-called Africa's ancient Curse.
The Chinese are just doing what they have always done in the past, dating back to the early 1400s when Zheng and many other Chinese seafarers and merchants were frequent travellers along the east coast of Africa.
Let us never forget to give credit where it is due, instead of induldging in the continuum of bashing and condemnation of the Chinese by assoication - with none other than the outgoing Kibaki regime.
Lest we forget that from 1400s through the late 1500s, China didn't need much from Africa, and there was nothing of value that Africans could trade with China, due to the fact that the Chinese were never interested nor involved in the booming industry of slave trade at time, as was the case with the Arabs, North Africans (mmmm!), Indians, Indonesians, Persians, Europeans and local tribal chiefs.
The Chinese seafarers under Zheng's command forfeited the common temptation of dealing in slaves - human cargo - and instead opted for the first known expendition of transporting back to China by sea, a gift of several twiga (Giraffa camelopardalis) that were offered to the powerful rulers of the Empire of the Great Ming.
When all has said about the Chinese, the fact that remains is that the Americans need Kenya more than Kenyans need them given the drastic cuts in the issuance of visas, countless scholarships, grants and aid since the end of the Cold War.
While, Kenya needs China more than China needs Kenya, given the generous options and countless alternatives that are readily available to the Chinese corporations, especially in places like West Africa, South Africa, Sourthen Africa, South West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa, without forgetting neighbouring Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.
Unfortunately, the commoners will always remain under the feet and service of Kenyan nobility, including the insidious six-per-centers of powerful, talented and wealthy pool of young and not so young Kenyans.
The proverbial foreign elite or hidden hands or dark forces that are powered and bankrolled by the conglomerates, are not always to blame due to the fact that, we are who we are, our own worst enemy, because of our resistance to molt from the type of collective mindset and country we have been in the last fifty years.
The ICC wants them to keep coming in on their own accord, like The Terminator intends on doing ASAP.
ReplyDeleteThe latest artmosphere at the ICC has been one of unbridled celebration after it received the long awaited news that the trial chamber will definitely be graced with the unexpected presence of one the most wanted indictee who has been in hiding somewhere in North Kivu for the last six years.
The indcitee who was one of the most feared warlords in the DR Congo's civil war torn region, and whose better known as The Terminator, Bosco Ntaganda, self-proclaimed Chief of Staff of the National Congress for the Defence of the People, found himself on the receiving end after a very fierce battle with his own kind, now former comrades in arms, that culminated into a resounding defeat of the faction of troops under his command.
Unfortunately for The Terminator, his forced but strategic quick retreat into neighbouring Rwanda, in search for immediate sanctuary in order to bargain for more time and regroup for a later large scale counter offensive, did no go down well the Paul Kagame's adminstration which has been subjected to recent constant international pressures and vociferous political attacks from Western nations, especially the United States of America.
So, the wise Paul Kagame pulled one of the most unexpected strategic political manuever, by granting The Terminator three options (death wishes).
(i) extract himself from Rwandan soil without his troops and return to North Kivu, risking capture, torture, court martial, and consequent execution.
(ii) accept to be flown to either the Oriental, Kasai-Oriental or Kantanga provinces of Dem Rep the Congo, and be handed to the custody of Joseph Kabila Kabange's government forces.
(iii) be driven a few yards next to the US embassy in Kigali and surrender himself up, a viable choice that would save his own life, and at the same time guarantee a safe haven in Rwanda, safe passage to Uganda, or elsewhere for his family, and asylum for loyal troops, rather than have them be forced back into enemy hands in North Kivu.
The Terminator had no alternative but to quickly settle for the third choice, whereby he agreed to terminate his long checkered military career, warlord status and destructive constributions to the civil war in North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and surrender himself to the US embassy in Kigali, Rwanda.
An alternative choice that has spared Rwanda from unnecessary awkward political predicament and showed a gesture of goodwill on Paul Kagame's part with regard to him being a solution to the ongoing problems in the larger north-western region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Paul Kagame's move has just outwited and outplayed Barack Obama on a personal and international level, and time remains to tell whether it will have enough political mileage to thaw relations with Washington DC, or outlast Barack Obama's adminstration.
So, Why did infamous war criminal just surender at a US Embassy located in Kigali, Rwanda?
Especially after the UN and other concerned parties have spent all these years, plus wasted millions and millions of dollars on either trying to capture, contain or extinguish him for good.
Kumekucha, it always easy for the general public to laugh out loud at the untimely fate of warlords and indictees like Bosco Ntaganda, 'The Terminator' for all it is worth.
ReplyDeleteYet at the same time, remaining unware and clueless as to what awaits the nation in the coming months and years, once the ICC trials of the country's own inductees commences at The Hague.
Will the courts eventual verdict of found not guilty or guilty end up being acceptable to all parties that have sought justice since 2008?
By the way, it is very hard to imagine any high ranking Sudanese or Kenyan politician surrendering themsleves to the US Embassy in Kampala, Dar es Salaam, or Nairobi, let alone the Royal Embassy of Netherlands in Nairobi, by 2017 or 2023, after years of hiding in various safe havens in the hinterlands of East Africa and eastern or northern Sudan.
As for Bosco Ntaganda, he is definitely a man who times had come or run out, or he may have outlived his usefulness to those concerned, or worse, tried to bite more than he could chew.
Well, it still remains to see whether his timely absence from the political events in North Kivu will land 40-percent contribution in the reduction of the civil war atrocities that continue to be perpetrated by the guerilla forces, splinter factions and government forces of Joseph Kabila in north eastern region of Dem Rep of Congo in the next five years.
Will they detain Raila and others? It seems so. Welcome dark days.
ReplyDeletewhat happened to daily postings??
ReplyDeleteKweli how can men who are accused to have let a thousand people murdered, who are accused because of land grabbing, corruption cases be allowed to contest.
ReplyDeleteImpunity number one.
Remember Kenyans: Serbia wanted always wanted to rule Yugoslavia with all election tricks(stealing of votes and buying of votes and voters), cheating and impunity.
Yugoslavia does not exist today.
Kenyans should be very careful in accepting "Serbians" to divide and rule us.
Consider this: Can votes from 2 provinces be more than votes of the whole Kenya?
Can it be that over 50 constituenties in one province have well over 70thousand voters?
Why only in 2 Provinces. Why only in 2013 and not in 2007?