Not many people are aware of the fact that former president Moi and his immediate family are majority shareholder of the Standard group of companies which includes the premiere TV channel, KTN as well as the daily newspaper. And now that th fomer head of state is working with president Kibaki, the media house seems to have softened its stand against the government.
Since 2003, the standard newspaper has been so critical of the government that in an unprecedented move last year, the NARC regime's agents raided the newspaper offices and not only burnt copies of the newspaper but also destroyed and took away expensive equipment in a bid to cripple its' operations.
Of late, the publication and its broadcasting division has softened its stand and the juicy stories about the first family have been fewer and further between as Moi and Kibaki are in good talking terms with the former even offering advice to the latter's administration which seems to be moving from one crisis to another.
Initially, it was the Nation newspapers which had chosen to be pro government since NARC took over as the chief executive of the publication then, Wilfred Kiboro was and is a bosom and golf playing friend of Kibaki not to mention the fact that they are both from the house of Mumbi.
The Nation's policy seems to have remained the same even after Kiboro was recently replaced by one Linus Gitahi, also a Kikuyu who has overseen a change in the papers physical outlook but the editorial policy has remained the same.
Back at Standard, the paper has recently been injecting fresh blood, mainly in the form of new editors and not surprisingly has been hiring more people from Moi's Kalenjin community and promoting those already there like one Kipkoech Tanui who is said to be an editor with more powers than his colleagues. He is considered to be the eyes and ears of the majority shareholder.
The Standard was previously owned by Lonrho who disposed it after its decision to do away with non-hospitality subsidiaries of the giant conglomerate to concentrate in the hotel business as their core activity.
After major restructuring including changing its editorial policy and making it more brazen towards the government of the day, the flagging paper managed to increase its circulation and slash operational costs hence churning out profits for the third year in succession, recently. In previous years the Standard had been see-sawing between low profits and small losses.
The former president's shares in Standard are being looked after by his son, Gideon who was notorious for dubious deals when his father was in power but has since slowed down and is more involved in legitimate business transactions not to mention the fact that he is now paying his taxes, something he was not used to when 'daddy' was in power.
It now remains to be seen whether the Standard will manage to sustain its circulation figures after softening its editorial policy to the detriment of its readers who are hungry for juicy stories on a government that has proved to be fairly incompetent. The public seems to especially favor stories touching on the first family and high level corruption.
But even more worrying is the fact that as we head to the general elections, the second largest circulating newspaper in the country may not be impartial and will tend to favor the incumbent in their partnership with Moi's Kanu.
Search engines can give you huge traffic. Here's how a Kenyan company can get thousands of visitors to their site daily.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Prof Philip Mbithi And His Strange Predictions: Are They Coming To Pass?
In an interview with this writer a couple of years ago, the former head of the public service turned self proclaimed prophet, Prof Philip Mbithi said Kenya would discover large deposits of crude oil in the near future along with other minerals.
As of today, oil exploration has been intensified along the Kenyan coast and in north eastern province and word is out that traces of the black gold have been found but what remains is to verify its quantity and establish whether it is commercially viable for exploitation.
The energy ministry is upbeat and Kenyans are optimistic that vast deposits will be discovered, which will put to an end the escalating local fuel prices and propel the country to higher economic status let alone ending the perennial problem of abject poverty among the majority of the population.
Prof Mbithi also told this writer that the production will be undertaken by a God fearing government where the head of state will be a deeply religious person along with his cabinet hence putting off the probability of it being exploited during this Kibaki era.
However, oil exploration is not new in Kenya as various foreign companies have over the years been involved in the search for fossil fuel with fruitless results but this time round there seems to be a lot of optimism among the stakeholders.
But again striking vast deposits of crude oil does not mean an end to our energy crisis as Nigeria, which is an oil exporting country has proved. Nigeria which is more corrupt than Kenya in certain respects, still experiences fuel shortages from time to time as a result of poor management and high level graft.
Witchcraft In Kenyan President's Office: The Bizzare Phillip Mbithi Harambee House "X-Files" Episode
Kalonzo Musyoka Was Named In Witchcraft Allegations
As of today, oil exploration has been intensified along the Kenyan coast and in north eastern province and word is out that traces of the black gold have been found but what remains is to verify its quantity and establish whether it is commercially viable for exploitation.
The energy ministry is upbeat and Kenyans are optimistic that vast deposits will be discovered, which will put to an end the escalating local fuel prices and propel the country to higher economic status let alone ending the perennial problem of abject poverty among the majority of the population.
Prof Mbithi also told this writer that the production will be undertaken by a God fearing government where the head of state will be a deeply religious person along with his cabinet hence putting off the probability of it being exploited during this Kibaki era.
However, oil exploration is not new in Kenya as various foreign companies have over the years been involved in the search for fossil fuel with fruitless results but this time round there seems to be a lot of optimism among the stakeholders.
But again striking vast deposits of crude oil does not mean an end to our energy crisis as Nigeria, which is an oil exporting country has proved. Nigeria which is more corrupt than Kenya in certain respects, still experiences fuel shortages from time to time as a result of poor management and high level graft.
Witchcraft In Kenyan President's Office: The Bizzare Phillip Mbithi Harambee House "X-Files" Episode
Kalonzo Musyoka Was Named In Witchcraft Allegations
Raila And The Presidency Part 3: The Big Headache For Raila Strategists In ODM-Kenya
What must be the biggest headache to ODM strategists at the moment is the simple fact that Narc-Kenya are hoping that Raila will be the ODM-Kenya presidential nominee because they have already worked out a rather intricate (albeit very dirty) strategy to deal with him.
And to be honest most analysts believe that a straight race between Raila and Kibaki would be a ticket back to State House for Kibaki. This is the fact that Kalonzo Musyoka has been using to justify his arrogance and insistence that he is the only person within ODM-Kenya who can defeat President Kibaki, given the tribal arithmetic and that he should therefore be handed the party nomination on a silver platter. Yet Raila, being human must be spoiling for a direct fight with a president he helped get elected but who then promptly betrayed him and did exactly what Kenyatta did to Raila's own father decades earlier. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga handed the presidency to Kenyatta by insisting that he be released from detention before Kenya could negotiate independence with her colonial masters. His main motive was to stop the then unstoppable Tom Mboya. Kenyatta rewarded the older Odinga with the vice presidency, but soon after that alienated him and hounded him out of office using Tom Mboya's clever political maneuvers.
Frankly, even selecting a high profile Vice presidential running mate will not solve this nagging problem for Raila. Raila himself must be keenly aware that Narc-Kenya plan to provoke the tribal anti-Luo-presidency-sentiments that many major communities in Kenya have deep inside them, firmly planted by years of deliberate propaganda from the Kenyatta administration. The result is that there are a number of major tribes who will hesitate to vote for a man who is "not cut". It matters little that Raila is one of the bravest politicians Kenya has seen—that's exactly what propaganda is designed to do.
Still there is little doubt that Raila Amollo Odinga will this time vie for the highest office in the land. He has already committed himself so much that he has reached that point of no return. His grassroots support and base of loyal delegates is unmatched at Kenya's leading opposition outfit at the moment. Not to mention the fact that time is rapidly running out for the ambitious Raila. Meaning that if he does not get to State House this time round, he is unlikely to ever make it to Kenya's most prestigious address.
Raila is of course not interested in anything less. Not even his already confirmed perch in the political history of this nation.
So what is going to happen?
It is difficult to predict at this early hour, but chances are that a crowded presidential field (that will include Kalonzo running on another party's ticket and a host of other surprise candidates) would result in a run off for the first time in the history of elections in Kenya, as all candidates will find it difficult to garner the required 25 per cent in at least 5 provinces. But even that scenario would not necessarily favor Raila.
But in conclusion, as we have already said many times before, what the country badly needs now is a total change of direction and a brand new generation of leadership, two key things that sadly, a Raila presidency cannot deliver.
And to be honest most analysts believe that a straight race between Raila and Kibaki would be a ticket back to State House for Kibaki. This is the fact that Kalonzo Musyoka has been using to justify his arrogance and insistence that he is the only person within ODM-Kenya who can defeat President Kibaki, given the tribal arithmetic and that he should therefore be handed the party nomination on a silver platter. Yet Raila, being human must be spoiling for a direct fight with a president he helped get elected but who then promptly betrayed him and did exactly what Kenyatta did to Raila's own father decades earlier. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga handed the presidency to Kenyatta by insisting that he be released from detention before Kenya could negotiate independence with her colonial masters. His main motive was to stop the then unstoppable Tom Mboya. Kenyatta rewarded the older Odinga with the vice presidency, but soon after that alienated him and hounded him out of office using Tom Mboya's clever political maneuvers.
Frankly, even selecting a high profile Vice presidential running mate will not solve this nagging problem for Raila. Raila himself must be keenly aware that Narc-Kenya plan to provoke the tribal anti-Luo-presidency-sentiments that many major communities in Kenya have deep inside them, firmly planted by years of deliberate propaganda from the Kenyatta administration. The result is that there are a number of major tribes who will hesitate to vote for a man who is "not cut". It matters little that Raila is one of the bravest politicians Kenya has seen—that's exactly what propaganda is designed to do.
Still there is little doubt that Raila Amollo Odinga will this time vie for the highest office in the land. He has already committed himself so much that he has reached that point of no return. His grassroots support and base of loyal delegates is unmatched at Kenya's leading opposition outfit at the moment. Not to mention the fact that time is rapidly running out for the ambitious Raila. Meaning that if he does not get to State House this time round, he is unlikely to ever make it to Kenya's most prestigious address.
Raila is of course not interested in anything less. Not even his already confirmed perch in the political history of this nation.
So what is going to happen?
It is difficult to predict at this early hour, but chances are that a crowded presidential field (that will include Kalonzo running on another party's ticket and a host of other surprise candidates) would result in a run off for the first time in the history of elections in Kenya, as all candidates will find it difficult to garner the required 25 per cent in at least 5 provinces. But even that scenario would not necessarily favor Raila.
But in conclusion, as we have already said many times before, what the country badly needs now is a total change of direction and a brand new generation of leadership, two key things that sadly, a Raila presidency cannot deliver.
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