On Monday, presidential aspirant William Ruto unveiled his blue print for Kenyans if he were to be elected president in the forthcoming general elections. In his well-crafted speech, the Eldoret North MP said that fighting poverty would be a priority for him.
What he did not admit is that he is one of the handful of Kenyans including other YK92 colleagues and Kamlesh Pattni who single-handedly made millions of Kenyans much poorer overnight by flooding the country with cartons of cash (mainly 500 bob notes) and is therefore a major contributor of the poverty problem. He further engaged in high level corruption during the Moi era.
Ruto is among the ministers in Moi's regime who became overnight millionaires by grabbing prime property in Nairobi and its outskirts and forcefully selling them to parastatals like Kenya Pipeline Corporation at inflated prices.
He is now talking about alleviating poverty and fighting insecurity by arming private security companies with firearms and does not talk of how they are going to control and regulate this considering that there are plenty of bad tempered and frustrated guards in the country.
Talking about bad tempers is synonymous with Ruto who did the unimaginable in State House, Nairobi a few years ago when he attacked and punched Reuben Chesire, an elderly man who could pass for his father. Ruto had accused the old man of going around and tarnishing his name by telling people that he was a con-man.
Ruto, the man who now wants to be president was also an official of the youth for Kanu 92 lobby group which dished out so much money to Kenyans in forms of bribes to ensure Moi's re-elected in the first multi-party elections of 1992. The inevitable effects of suddenly increasing money supply was runaway inflation, and was the point at which many Kenyans entered the deep poverty rut they are yet to emerge from today. That same Ruto now says reviving the economy and creating jobs will also rank high in his agenda.
The former cabinet minister who was very powerful in a regime that stifled the basic democratic rights of Kenyans like freedom of speech and association now says he will enhance and expand the democratic space and ensure Kenyans enjoy all their rights.
As Ruto was reading out his blue print, a lot of cheering was heard in the crowd which comprised mostly of his Kalenjin brethren who also greatly benefited from the Moi era.
The Eldoret North MP knows very well that he cant make it for the presidency but his selfish nature tells him that he has to do this because he wants to be in the high table when the cake is being divided by ODM-Kenya as and if they ascend to power.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Carjackers And Highway Robbers Also Have Political Ambitions
The year 2007 has started on a very bad note with the brutal murder of three policemen by gangsters who made away with Sh 22 million that was being transported to the bank, somewhere in Elburgon, Rift Valley province. Barely a week later, six robbers were gunned down in Kawangware in another incident.
This being an election year, is the disturbing crime rate going to soar taking into consideration that there are politicians who need to raise cash fairly fast to finance their campaigns? All indications are that the answer to that question is a resounding "Yes". More so when you consider the fact that cash sources for a campaign are very minimal considering the fact that banks don’t issue loans for electioneering campaigns as the risks are far too high
Even more worrying is the fact that it is not a new phenomenon in Kenya that criminals also have political ambitions. In fact the trend has been on the rise and a number of Members of Parliament today have criminal records, and in some cases the electorate knew about them prior to electing them to parliament.
A case in point is the Kibwezi legislator Kalembe Ndile. It is whispered that he was a notorious highway gangster during his hey days as a councilor at Makueni county council. He was even arrested by police several times and charged with hijacking trailers along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway but always got away with it due to lack of evidence.
More than half of the councilors from Kibwezi between 1997 and 2002 were said to be involved in criminal activities along the highway with one having opened a large hardware store off the expansive highway at a place called Machinery to sell off goods stolen from carjacked trailers.
It is an open secret that civic leaders representing wards along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway especially in Kilome, Makueni and Kibwezi constituencies have dubious pasts including involvement in criminal activities such as selling fuel siphoned from trailers plying the highway.
A former Kilome MP, the late Tonny Ndilinge who was brutally murdered in Nairobi a few years ago also had a criminal history and it was speculated that his murder had to do with his past as the crime has never been solved to date.
It is perhaps only in Kenya where integrity and probity is never taken into consideration when it comes to electing leaders as the one with the deepest pockets usually carries the day by bribing as many voters as possible with ill-gotten wealth which in most cases must have been acquired through criminal activities. It is difficult to dish money like that that you have sweated for.
I should not be mistaken for a prophet of doom but taking into consideration that this is an election year, the crime rate is expected to soar to unprecedented levels ahead of the polls to be held later this year, at a date known only to President Emilio Kibaki.
This being an election year, is the disturbing crime rate going to soar taking into consideration that there are politicians who need to raise cash fairly fast to finance their campaigns? All indications are that the answer to that question is a resounding "Yes". More so when you consider the fact that cash sources for a campaign are very minimal considering the fact that banks don’t issue loans for electioneering campaigns as the risks are far too high
Even more worrying is the fact that it is not a new phenomenon in Kenya that criminals also have political ambitions. In fact the trend has been on the rise and a number of Members of Parliament today have criminal records, and in some cases the electorate knew about them prior to electing them to parliament.
A case in point is the Kibwezi legislator Kalembe Ndile. It is whispered that he was a notorious highway gangster during his hey days as a councilor at Makueni county council. He was even arrested by police several times and charged with hijacking trailers along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway but always got away with it due to lack of evidence.
More than half of the councilors from Kibwezi between 1997 and 2002 were said to be involved in criminal activities along the highway with one having opened a large hardware store off the expansive highway at a place called Machinery to sell off goods stolen from carjacked trailers.
It is an open secret that civic leaders representing wards along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway especially in Kilome, Makueni and Kibwezi constituencies have dubious pasts including involvement in criminal activities such as selling fuel siphoned from trailers plying the highway.
A former Kilome MP, the late Tonny Ndilinge who was brutally murdered in Nairobi a few years ago also had a criminal history and it was speculated that his murder had to do with his past as the crime has never been solved to date.
It is perhaps only in Kenya where integrity and probity is never taken into consideration when it comes to electing leaders as the one with the deepest pockets usually carries the day by bribing as many voters as possible with ill-gotten wealth which in most cases must have been acquired through criminal activities. It is difficult to dish money like that that you have sweated for.
I should not be mistaken for a prophet of doom but taking into consideration that this is an election year, the crime rate is expected to soar to unprecedented levels ahead of the polls to be held later this year, at a date known only to President Emilio Kibaki.
Bizarre Rumour In ODM-Kenya About Mutula Kilonzo
Majority of Kenyans are now waiting for one Kalonzo Musyoka to cause a split within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM-Kenya) and the big question is not why but when he will leave.
In recent weeks the former foreign affairs minister has been behaving very strangely from leaving crucial meetings in the middle and crying foul over nothing, even before the long awaited nominations for the presidential candidate have been done.
It is common knowledge that there is no way Kalonzo can beat Raila Odinga for the party nomination and the former has already started weighing his options after his expected exit from ODM soon after the party primary's expected mid this year.
These recent developments have only acted to fuel some bizarre rumours that have been doing the rounds within ODM-Kenya for sometime now. Could Musyoka and his lawyer bossom-buddy, Mutula Kilonzo be moles in ODM reporting to former president Moi? And by extention President Kibaki? One fact that has caused this rumor to refuse to go away is the fact that Mutula Kilonzo is still representing the former president in some very sensitive legal matters steming from the past.
For starters, Kalonzo will have very limited options after walking out of ODM which will include standing for the presidency as an independent candidate (he already has his own registered party—also called Orange Democratic Movemenet but without the "Kenya" at the end. Or he could join forces with president Kibaki to ensure his re-election. The former is unlikely as he does not have the financial capability to go it alone.
And again, Moi will be very interested in Kalonzo to do the spade work for him and ensure that Raila does not make it to State House—a recenet pet obsession of the former president.
Moi has never forgiven Raila for leading the rebellion in Kanu after Moi declared Uhuru Kenyatta the party's presidential candidate in the 2002 elections. It ruined his well laid plans and is one of the reasons why he has been forced out of retirement, even as his health starts showing signs of deteriorating.
Along with Kalonzo is his lawyer Mutula Kilonzo who is still Moi's advocate yet he holds considerable clout in ODM and sometimes serves as the party's spokesman and reads out press statements on behalf of the movement.
Kalonzo has never fallen out with Moi and usually defends the former president at every opportunity he gets. When Moi was involved in an automobile accident last year, it was Kalonzo who came out first asking the government to increase chase cars for the ex- president and enhance his security while traveling by road.
Moi and Kalonzo have always been good friends even after Kanu's defeat in 2002 and the former largely blamed Raila for Kanu's defeat and had nothing against those who ditched Kanu for NARC ahead of those elections.
Mutula owes everything he has to Moi. After being introduced to the former president by the then powerful Machakos Kanu branch chairman, the late Mulu Mutisya, Mutula made a fortune by not only being Moi's lawyer but by also representing parastatals like the National Social Security fund.
It is on record that Mutula made Sh 900 million for two jobs he did for the NSSF and did not pay any taxes on these fees. It is said that he now has an arrangement with the Kenya Revenue Authority which takes almost all his salary and allowances from parliament as he clears his tax arrears which accumulated during the Moi era.
Without Moi, Mutula could not be the multi millionaire that he is today and it goes without saying that the lawyer still takes instructions from the former president and this may just include reporting back to him about crucial decisions being taken by ODM.
The bizarre rumour within ODM-Kenya that has been heightened by the recent behaviour of Kalonzo claims that Mutula Kilonzo and Kalonzo Musyoka are moles in the opposition working for the former president. So could this be true? If we are a little patient the truth will soon emerge, but there are definitely enough signs of smoke here.
Search engines can give you huge traffic. Here's how a Kenyan company can get thousands of visitors to their site daily.
In recent weeks the former foreign affairs minister has been behaving very strangely from leaving crucial meetings in the middle and crying foul over nothing, even before the long awaited nominations for the presidential candidate have been done.
It is common knowledge that there is no way Kalonzo can beat Raila Odinga for the party nomination and the former has already started weighing his options after his expected exit from ODM soon after the party primary's expected mid this year.
These recent developments have only acted to fuel some bizarre rumours that have been doing the rounds within ODM-Kenya for sometime now. Could Musyoka and his lawyer bossom-buddy, Mutula Kilonzo be moles in ODM reporting to former president Moi? And by extention President Kibaki? One fact that has caused this rumor to refuse to go away is the fact that Mutula Kilonzo is still representing the former president in some very sensitive legal matters steming from the past.
For starters, Kalonzo will have very limited options after walking out of ODM which will include standing for the presidency as an independent candidate (he already has his own registered party—also called Orange Democratic Movemenet but without the "Kenya" at the end. Or he could join forces with president Kibaki to ensure his re-election. The former is unlikely as he does not have the financial capability to go it alone.
And again, Moi will be very interested in Kalonzo to do the spade work for him and ensure that Raila does not make it to State House—a recenet pet obsession of the former president.
Moi has never forgiven Raila for leading the rebellion in Kanu after Moi declared Uhuru Kenyatta the party's presidential candidate in the 2002 elections. It ruined his well laid plans and is one of the reasons why he has been forced out of retirement, even as his health starts showing signs of deteriorating.
Along with Kalonzo is his lawyer Mutula Kilonzo who is still Moi's advocate yet he holds considerable clout in ODM and sometimes serves as the party's spokesman and reads out press statements on behalf of the movement.
Kalonzo has never fallen out with Moi and usually defends the former president at every opportunity he gets. When Moi was involved in an automobile accident last year, it was Kalonzo who came out first asking the government to increase chase cars for the ex- president and enhance his security while traveling by road.
Moi and Kalonzo have always been good friends even after Kanu's defeat in 2002 and the former largely blamed Raila for Kanu's defeat and had nothing against those who ditched Kanu for NARC ahead of those elections.
Mutula owes everything he has to Moi. After being introduced to the former president by the then powerful Machakos Kanu branch chairman, the late Mulu Mutisya, Mutula made a fortune by not only being Moi's lawyer but by also representing parastatals like the National Social Security fund.
It is on record that Mutula made Sh 900 million for two jobs he did for the NSSF and did not pay any taxes on these fees. It is said that he now has an arrangement with the Kenya Revenue Authority which takes almost all his salary and allowances from parliament as he clears his tax arrears which accumulated during the Moi era.
Without Moi, Mutula could not be the multi millionaire that he is today and it goes without saying that the lawyer still takes instructions from the former president and this may just include reporting back to him about crucial decisions being taken by ODM.
The bizarre rumour within ODM-Kenya that has been heightened by the recent behaviour of Kalonzo claims that Mutula Kilonzo and Kalonzo Musyoka are moles in the opposition working for the former president. So could this be true? If we are a little patient the truth will soon emerge, but there are definitely enough signs of smoke here.
Search engines can give you huge traffic. Here's how a Kenyan company can get thousands of visitors to their site daily.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)