An Open Letter to SAMUEL KIVUITU, Chairman of Electoral Commission of Kenya

GUEST POST

Dear Mr. Kivuitu,

We've never met. It's unlikely we ever will. But, like every other Kenyan, I will remember you for the rest of my life. The nausea I feel at the mention of your name may recede. The bitterness and grief will not.

You had a mandate, Mr. Kivuitu. To deliver a free, fair and transparent election to the people of Kenya. You and your commission had 5 years to prepare. You had a tremendous pool of resources, skills, technical support, to draw on, including the experience and advice of your peers in the field - leaders and experts in governance, human rights, electoral process and constitutional law. You had the trust of 37 million Kenyans!

We believed it was going to happen. On December 27th, a record 65% of registered Kenyan voters rose as early as 4am to vote. Stood in lines for up to 10 hours, in the sun, without food, drink, toilet facilities. As the results came in, we cheered when minister after powerful minister lost their parliamentary seats. When the voters of Rift Valley categorically rejected the three sons of Daniel Arap Moi, the despot who looted Kenya for 24 years. The country spoke through the ballot, en masse, against the mindblowing greed, corruption, human rights abuses, callous dismissal of Kenya's poor, that have characterised the Kibaki administration.

But Kibaki wasn't going to go. When it became clear that you were announcing vote tallies that differed from those counted and confirmed in the constituencies, there was a sudden power blackout at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, where the returns were being announced. Hundreds of GSU (General Service Unit) paramilitaries suddenly marched in. Ejected all media except the government mouthpiece Kenya Broadcasting Corporation.

Fifteen minutes later, we watched, dumbfounded, as you declared Kibaki the winner. 30 minutes later, we watched in sickened disbelief and outrage, as you handed the announcement to Kibaki on the lawns of State House. Where the Chief Justice, strangely enough, had already arrived. Was waiting, fully robed, to hurriedly swear him in.

You betrayed us. Perhaps we'll never know when, or why, you made that decision. One rumor claims you were threatened with the execution of your entire family if you did not name Kibaki as presidential victor. When I heard it, I hoped it was true. Because at least then I could understand why you chose instead to plunge our country into civil war.

I don't believe that rumor any more. Not since you appeared on TV, looking tormented, sounding confused, contradicting yourself. Saying, among other things, that you did not resign because you "did not want the country to call me a coward", but you "cannot state with certainty that Kibaki won the election". Following that with the baffling statement "there are those around him [Kibaki] who should never have been born." The camera operator had a sense of irony - the camera shifted several times to the scroll on your wall that read: "Help Me, Jesus."
As the Kenya Chapter of the International Commission of Jurists rescinds the Jurist of the Year award they bestowed on you, as the Law Society of Kenya strikes you from their Roll of Honour and disbars you, I wonder what goes through your mind these days.

Do you think of the 300,000 Kenyans displaced from their homes, their lives? Of the thousands still trapped in police stations, churches, any refuge they can find, across the country? Without food, water, toilets, blankets? Of fields ready for harvest, razed to the ground? Of granaries filled with rotting grain, because no one can get to them? Of the Nairobi slum residents of Kibera, Mathare, Huruma, Dandora, ringed by GSU and police, denied exit, or access to medical treatment and emergency relief, for the crime of being poor in Kenya?

I bet you haven't made it to Jamhuri Park yet. But I'm sure you saw the news pictures of poor Americans, packed like battery chickens into their stadiums, when Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana. Imagine that here in Nairobi, Mr. Kivuitu. 75,000 Kenyans, crammed into a giant makeshift refugee camp. Our own Hurricane Kivuitu-Kibaki, driven by fire, rather than floods. By organized militia rather than crumbling levees. But the same root cause - the deep, colossal contempt of a tiny ruling class for the rest of humanity. Over 60% of our internal refugees are children. The human collateral damage of your decision!

And now, imagine grief, Mr. Kivuitu. Grief so fierce, so deep, it shreds the muscle fibres of your heart. Violation so terrible, it grinds down the very organs of your body, forces the remnants through your kidneys, for you to piss out in red water. Multiply that feeling by every Kenyan who has watched a loved one slashed to death in the past week. Every parent whose child lies, killed by police bullets, in the mortuaries of Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret. Everyone who has run sobbing from a burning home or church, hearing the screams of those left behind. Every woman, girl, gang-raped.

Do you sleep well these days, Mr. Kivuitu? I don't. I have nightmares. I wake with my heart pounding, slow tears trickling from the corners of my eyes, random phrases running through my head:

Remember how we felt in 2002? It's all gone. (Muthoni Wanyeki, ED of Kenya Human Rights Commission, on the night of December 30th, 2007, after Kibaki was illegally sworn in as president).

There is a crime here that goes beyond recrimination. There is a sorrow here that weeping cannot symbolise. (John Steinbeck, American writer, on the betrayal of internally displaced Americans, in The Grapes of Wrath)

Haki iwe ngao na mlinzi....kila siku tuwe na shukrani ("Justice be our shield and defender....every day filled with thanksgiving" (Lines from Kenya's national anthem)

I soothe myself back to patchy sleep with my mantra in these terrible days, as our country burns and disintegrates around us:

Courage. Courage comes. Courage comes from cultivating. Courage comes from cultivating the habit. Courage comes from cultivating the habit of refusing. Courage comes from cultivating the habit of refusing to let fear dictate one's actions. (Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese Nobel Peace Prize winner).

I wake with a sense of unbearable sadness. Please let it not be true.....

Meanwhile, the man you named President cowers in the State House, surrounded by a cabal of hardline power brokers, and a bevy of sycophantic unseated Ministers and MPs, who jostle for position and succession. Who fuel the fires by any means they can, to keep themselves important, powerful, necessary. The smoke continues to rise from the torched swathes of Rift Valley, the gutted city of Kisumu, the slums of Nairobi and Mombasa. The Red Cross warns of an imminent cholera epidemic in Nyanza and Western Kenya, deprived for days now of electricity and water. Containers pile up at the Port of Mombasa, as ships, unable to unload cargo, leave still loaded. Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Southern Sudan, the DRC, all dependent on Kenyan transit for fuel and vital supplies, grind to a halt.

A repressive regime rolls out its panoply of oppression against legitimate dissent. Who knew our police force had so many sleek, muscled, excellently-trained horses, to mow down protestors? Who guessed that in a city of perennial water shortages, we had high-powered water cannons to terrorize Kenyans off the streets?

I am among the most fortunate of the fortunate. Not only am I still whole, alive, healthy, mobile; not only do I have food, shelter, transport, the safety of those I love; I have the gift of work. I have the privilege to be in the company of the most brilliant, principled, brave, resilient Kenyans of my generation. To contribute whatever I can as we organize, strategize, mobilize, draw on everything we know and can do, to save our country. I marvel at the sheer collective volume of trained intelligence, of skill, expertise, experience, in our meetings. At the ability to rise above personal tragedy - families still hostage in war zones, friends killed, homes overflowing with displaced relatives - to focus on the larger picture and envisage a solution. I listen to lawyers, economists, youth activists, humanitarians; experts on conflict, human rights, governance, disaster relief; to Kenyans across every sector and ethnicity, and I think:

Is this what we have trained all our lives for? To confront this epic catastrophe, caused by a group of old men who have already sucked everything they possibly can out of Kenya, yet will cling until they die to their absolute power?

You know these people too, Mr. Kivuitu. The principled, brave, resilient, brilliant Kenyans. The idealists who took seriously the words we sang as schoolchildren, about building the nation. Some of them worked closely with you, right through the election. Some called you friend. You don't even have the excuse that Kibaki, or his henchmen, might offer - that of inhabiting a world so removed from ours that they cannot fathom the reality of ordinary Kenyans. You know of the decades of struggle, bloodshed, faith and suffering that went into creating this fragile beautiful thing we called the "democratic space in Kenya." So you can imagine the ways in which we engage with the unimaginable. We coin new similes:

Lie low like a 16A (the electoral tally form returned by each constituency, many of which were altered or missing in the final count)

We joke about the Kivuitu effect - which turns internationalists, pan-Africanists, fervent advocates for the dissolution of borders, into nationalists who cry at the first verse of the national anthem .

Ee Mungu nguvu yetu Ilete baraka kwetu Haki iwe ngao na mlinzi Natukae na undugu Amani na uhuru Raha tupate na ustawi.

O God of all creation Bless this our land and nation Justice be our shield and defender May we dwell in unity Peace and liberty Plenty be found within our borders.

Rarely do we allow ourselves pauses, to absorb the enormity of our country shattered, in 7 days. We cry, I think, in private. At least I do. In public, we mourn through irony, persistent humor, and action. Through the exercise of patience, stamina, fortitude, generosity, that humble me to witness. Through the fierce relentless focus of our best energies towards challenges of stomach-churning magnitude. We tell the stories that aren't making it into the press: the retired general in Rift Valley sheltering 200 displaced families on his farm, the Muslim Medical Professionals offering free treatment to anyone injured in political protest. We challenge, over and over again, with increasing weariness, the international media coverage that presents this as "tribal warfare", "ethnic conflict", for an audience that visualises Africa through Hollywood: Hotel Rwanda, The Last King of Scotland, Blood Diamond.

I wish you'd thought of those people, when you made the choice to betray them. I wish you'd drawn on their courage, their integrity, their clarity, when your own failed you. I wish you'd had the imagination to enter into the lives, the dreams, of 37 million Kenyans.

But, as you've probably guessed by now, Mr. Kivuitu, this isn't really a letter to you at all. This is an attempt to put words to what cannot be expressed in words. To mourn what is too immense to mourn. A clumsy groping for something beyond the word 'heartbreak'. A futile attempt to communicate what can only be lived, moment by moment. This is a howl of anguish and rage. This is a love letter to a nation. This is a long low keening for my country.
Shailja Patel

After Charles Taylor, Mwai Kibaki Next?

The trial of former Liberian President Charles Ghankay Taylor in The Hague marks another milestone in the international democratization process and respect of human rights especially in the third world countries of Africa. One certainly hopes that Kenyan leaders are following events at the Hague!

Ex-President Taylor faces 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. He is accused of funding Sierra Leone's former rebels, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) by selling diamonds on their behalf and buying weapons for them. RUF fighters were notorious for hacking off the arms and legs of the civilian population with machetes, as well as killing, raping and robbing them.

Charles Taylor, born 59 year ago, is the first African leader to face a criminal trial internationally and is charged with having command responsibility for the rebels' atrocities. He has pleaded not guilty.

It would seem obvious to the world that Taylor will not be the last ex-African president to face similar charges.

If what Kenyan civilians are experiencing in Nyanza, Western, Nairobi, Rift Valley and Coast Provinces, then it would not be too far-fetched to imagine Mwai Kibaki in a similar ICC trial facing charges that would make RUF crimes look like child's play.

The Kenya Red Cross and the Kenya Human Rights Commission, the Nairobi Womens Hospital have all been reporting horrendous cases of police executions, gang rape of women and children, burning of buildings with people locked inside, machete hacking of unarmed civilians. Incidentally, a majority of these crimes against humanity are undoubtedly committed by police and paramilitary forces. Mwai Kibaki, through his Internal Security minister, has the sole command responsibility for the atrocities by the security forces.



These images, captured by an AP photographer shows harmless babies and other dead bodies of civilians in a Kenyan morgue last week. The other shows a group of armed police assaulting an unarmed civilian during the riots.

Interestingly, it remains the sole responsibility of the government of Kenya to investigate, arrest and institute charges against any other person who is found guilty of having committed any crimes against humanity, something they have completely failed to do, instead only selectively arresting disenfranchised ODM demonstrators on flimsy charges like arson, unlawful assembly, robbery with violence, etc etc. How dreadful considering the more than 1000 people dead and still counting.

It has not been lost to observers that residents of Mt. Elgon, Kuresoi, Molo and even in Mathare slums of Nairobi have not known peace for the entire period of Kibaki's first term and before ODM came into existence. Cases of beheadings and armed raiders were all too common in the Kenyan press for the period 2003-2007, culminating into a damning report by the KNCHR to the effect that up to 8000 civilians - mainly from Central Province - were killed by police in the year 2007 alone!

Meanwhile, this blogger is encouraged by President Kibaki's visit to Burnt Forest yesterday. The president and his entourage were escorted by more than eight land rovers full of armed GSU paramilitary personnel whom the residents have accused of harming them. One also hopes that those other Kenyan refugees camping at Jamhuri Park, Kisumu Airport and Malaba on Uganda side will not be forgotten during these presidential tours.

How Will These Men Be Remembered?

How Will Mwai Kibaki Be Remembered?

How Will Raila Odinga Be Remembered?

My mind just can’t come away from the photograph in this recent post, posted by Phil of young toddlers and kids huddled together in a city morgue.

My question. When they give figures of the dead, do they count this children? Or are they considered not people?

This is hardly time to apportion blame but since I started this blog my reputation has grown from never cowering from saying things as they are.

When I see those dead bodies of innocent little ones who knew nothing, many of them could not even speak a tribe I am reminded of crucial steps along the way that led to this national disaster.

1. The refusal by Mwai Kibaki to postpone the national referendum on the constitution in 2005 despite pressure from various sources who said the political and ethic temperatures were too high.

2. The decision by Mwai Kibaki, Daniel Moi and others to allow the 2007 general elections to be rigged in broad daylight and in full view of International observers. They knew very well what the consequences would be but somebody must have said; "We can sacrifice a few peasant lives, it will blow over." Let the people responsible be haunted to their graves by this photograph of harmless dead toddlers and by the hoardes of other dead toddlers who never even had the dignity of ending up in a crowded morgue and were left lying in the streets and fields of Kenya.

3. Raila Odinga’s failure to stand up and say; let the presidency stay, but let the killings stop. He would have saved many lives had he done this.

4. Mwai Kibaki’s attitude that all is well and let people go back to their normal activities. The president got an angry response yesterday in the Rift Valley when the Kenyans he was addressing him (Mostly from the Kikuyu and Kisii community) retorted angrily and asked the president which schools he expected them to take their children to next week when they have all been burnt down.

5. The media’s silence even as atrocities are happening on the ground under the pretext that reporting certain incidences will incite more violence.

6. Kenyans and others leaving comments in this blog who focus their entire energies on defending one political party while threatening and warning this blogger of dire consequences for incitement. One wonders who is forcing them to read Kumekucha when they can simply move on to other “less inciting sites.”

I report to no paymaster and I will always speak my mind.

The picture of those dead babies still haunts me so…

Kenyan man in tears in Sudan

World Bank boss' secret memo on Kibaki shocks the world

Full shocking report of election fraud.

Leaked World Bank Memo About Kibaki Shocks World Community

Even as the peace efforts in Nairobi, now being led by current AU chair and president of Ghana John Kufuor got under way in earnest yesterday, the Financial Times of London has released a shocking story involving a leaked memo by the World Bank Kenya country director Colin Bruce.

The confidential memo has raised concerns amongst senior World Bank officials that the Washington-based lender’s assessment of the Kenya government and especially president Kibaki’s administration may have been compromised by too close a relationship between Mr Bruce and Kibaki. It has even been mentioned that Mr Bruce lives in a house owned by the Kibaki family which raises conflict of interest possibilities.

The memo allegedly gave false information claiming that it was the considered view of the UN that the ECK announced Kibaki win was correct. The UN immediately denied this and observers were puzzled over the fact that virtually every election observer had given the verdict that the just concluded presidential elections were fatally flawed. So why was Mr Bruce so determined to paint a different picture?

It has been lost on many observers that Mwai Kibaki’s contacts in the World Bank are excellent because he has known many people in the organization for years dating back from the days he was a finance minister in President Kenyatta’s administration.

This is probably one reason why a government that some feel is much more corrupt that even the Moi regime has enjoyed relatively good rapport with the World Bank and has continued to receive hefty funds even after such huge scandals as Anglo Leasing were brought to light. It would seem that the World Bank has just ignored the corruption and pressed on with giving Kenya a lot of finances.

Even more interesting is the fact that Mr Bruce seems determined that the World Bank should ignore the current crisis and continue dealing with a government that has just named individuals who have been linked to major corruption scandals like Kiraitu Murungi and George Saitoti. Both have been “cleared” by Kibaki friendly institutions. This is rather ludicrous because for instance George Saitoti’s name featured prominently in a leaked Kroll report. Anybody who read that report will cringe at this man being allowed anywhere near public funds or a position where he can do some of “the deals” portrayed in the damning Kroll report.

Read Financial Times article released in today’s edition of the newspaper.

It is instructive that Kibaki’s naming of his partial cabinet shows that he has already reneged on major promises he gave in the run up to the election. Kibaki had vowed that he would have a “clean hands cabinet” and one with youths and more women. This has clearly not happened. But even worse is the fact that 7 of the 17 ministers named so far are from the Mount Kenya region.

Clearly Kenyans are dealing with a man who never means what he says and the general feeling is that there is shock countrywide as Kenyans get to learn more and more about somebody they thought they knew well.

P.S. Even more insensitive was the move to appoint a Kikuyu (George Saitoti) to the position of Minister in charge of Internal security where he will have to take the lead of hunting down perpetrators of the violence which are mostly other tribes against members of his Kikuyu tribe. It will be virtually impossible in the circumstances for him to look impartial.

Cry For Kenya: Letter From Kenyan In Sudan

I have received the following emails from concerned Kenyans on both sides of the divide;

Bwana Chris,

Why aren't your "impeccable" sources giving you information on who is ordering the burning down of houses in Eldoret? Or is it a case of selective amnesia?

Please go ahead and address this issue. There is no one in Eldoret who stole people's votes. Furthermore, even Bishop Korir has said that the attacks are not spontaneous as the ODMers would like us to believe.

I acknowledge the fact that Raila lost unfairly but the kind of suffering visited upon the Kikuyus in Eldoret is in bad taste. The Kalenjin even have the audacity to burn down houses in the presence of the president, the Standard reports.

-----------

Hi Kumekucha,

First lemmie thank you for the wonderful job you did during the elections and the aftermath. I relied more on your updates than the conventional news channels.

This will be long so brace yourself! As I write this, I have tears welling in my eyes once more. I thought I was through with that until I reported back to the office today after a 3 weeks break. I live and work in Khartoum, Sudan and every single person I have met so far in the office today is asking me - What Happened??. The Sudanese who have had civil war for over 2 decades have always looked up fondly to Kenya as a haven of peace in Africa.

How could a country that helped them end their civil war degenerate into a near çivil war in just a few days?

What broke my heart was when one of my clients who is a respected figure in the society walked into my office, embraced me and broke into a long emotional prayer for Kenya to regain it's "rightful place in Africa" and end the babaric killings!

How could things go so wrong for Kenya? Did you know that Sudanese have even named their children and one city "Naivasha"after the peace accord that was signed there?

I used to hold my head high here due to the respect they gave Kenyans. Within weeks now we have to hold our heads down in shame trying to explain why we are killing each other viciously??? All that because we have greedy leaders willing to cling on to or gain power at all costs while sacrificing Kenya at the altar of Greed and Deceit? Why dear Lord I ask? Why? What did we do to deserve this?

I'm a Luo who was born and brought up in Kericho (Kalenjin land), schooled in Kikuyuland, lived and worked in many regions of Kenya and married a wife who has Kamba, Meru and Somali blood. WHY SHOULD I SUDDENLY BE MADE SO AWARE OF MY TRIBE? I shudder when I try to think of how long it will take to heal the wounds of this past week's events. What will I tell my children when they grow up? That once upon a time we all used to live peacefully as one nation until one day the goverment tried to steal the elections and we started killing each other based on what tribe we are from! Would they understand that?

On the political front our leaders should get their act together. Kenyans should demand that! It was such a shameful act and gross notoriety for the current government to steal the elections blatantly in broad daylight. The ECK and especially Kivuitu should bear the brunt for helping this government to abet such a henious crime against Kenyans. The blood of all killed in the aftermath will haunt him day and night! The reality however is this:

The moment Kibaki and his cabal of friends decided to rig the elections, that
was the time we should have realised that he has become totally numb and his
conscience was long DEAD! (it was in a coma before that). Therefore Raila and the ODM team as well as all those calling for demos, mass rallies, protests etc to put pressure on him are just wasting their time! That won't move them as they are in a comatose stage conscientiously and in a state of hypnosis to greed and power.

A negotiated end to the current stalemate should be given high priority and Raila and Kibaki brought face-to-face. However I believe the purpose should be to put together an interim government that would prepare for fresh presidential elections in 3-6 months. A GNU just wont work and Kenyans and the international stake holders should just stop dreaming. Kibaki's 'half cabinet' is a very clever ploy to divide ODM: Announce that he wants to form a GNU and catch the ears of the greedy and selfish elements in ODM who do not appreciate the fundamentals of the cause...play on their desire to want to be ministers....eventually creating division and cracks in ODM!

What should be next if option if an interim government doesn't see the light of day? I feel that instead of ODM resorting to protest and other antagonistic measures they should instead take up their place in the opposition in parliament. Now before ODMers skin me alive let me explain myself:

1. If ODM believes that it has the interest of Kenyans at heart then their leaders can help constitutionally in parliament to seal all loopholes that were used by the Kibaki regime to rig the elections.

2. They will be best placed to do the above because an existing regime will not bother to seal loopholes that they can use to this to their benefit whenever needed e.g. in 2012.

This will be a long-term plan with long-term benefits for the country as it will be a fallacy to even try after 3 months to run the elections again under the same constitutional and institutional status. Some of the areas that ODM can use their might (albeit slim) in the parliament to help make things right are:

1. Pass the IPPG "rules" and entrench them in the constitution to strengthen
the institutions that have a direct bearing on the running of elections i.e.
ECK, Judiciary etc to make them TRULY independent and well respresentative.
This will include passing bills that abolish the powers of the president to
directly nominate Comissioners and pass this on to an independent body subject to ratification by the parliament (Chapter III Sec 41 of the constitution)

2. Make laws under the Electoral Commision act that will ensure the electoral votes are declared at polling stations and the final votes for each constituency declared publicly and copies given to the party agents PLUS accredited observers and the media. Failure to do so by any Returning Officer would be punishable by law.

3. Pass bills allocating funds from the treasury to develop the ICT infrastructure of the ECK (instead of paying shady contractors!) This will avoid cases of lame excuses like "The Returning Officers have switched off their phones'!! OMG Kivuitu! In this day and age when CNN, BBC et al can report 'LIVE' from Burnt Forest to Atlanta???

4. Pass laws barring the ECK Chairman from announcing Presidential poll results as long as one contesting party has raised in writing to the commission (not courts!) credible issues that will put doubt to the announcement of results that will be seen to be free and fair.

5. Pass appropriate laws giving a reasonable timeline to conclusion of election petitions (6 months?)

6. Pass laws preventing legislators jumping from one party to another and keeping their seats as long as they have not written to the Speaker to declare this. The party leader should be given the powers in law to declare in writing to the Speaker that a legislator in his party has defected as long as he can prove this e.g. by associations, pronouncements, joining the cabinet without the Party Leaders approval etc. He will then be required to seek re-election afresh!

This will prevent the president poaching on ODM legislators to build a majority in parliament or frustrate passing of bills that are of constitutional nature.

All these may take long but for the sake of the country's peace and survival it might be a sacrifice worth taking for the benefit of our beloved Kenya.

It's time for all the elected leaders that Kenyans are looking up to to stand up and be counted. I'm tired of seeing the heart-rending scenes coming out of Kenya! Who will explain to those poor kids why they are refugees sleeping in the cold in their own country? How will we teach the young orphans to trust humanity and love one another when they saw their parents brutally murdered or even burnt alive. You just need to watch the movie Hannibal Rising and the thought of what we have done to these children will send a cold chill up your spine!

While we are imploring our fellow citizens to stop the killings, the government should also immediately stop the shoot-to-kill order to the police! Does Michuki still think that he is hunting down Mau Maus so as to be rewarded by colonialists? How archaic! And to think the country is in their hands! These leaders (you know them) belong to the Museums of Infamity as fossils!!! Saitoti will be too timid to do anything after being helped massively to rig in Kajiado North.

As for now I'll just keep on having to repeat myself trying to answer the question on everyone's lips here.......What Happened to our role model Kenya?

PS: On a lighter note - One of the Sales Managers (a Sudanese) in my company
was talking to a team member who had reported his sales achievement figures wrongly. He told him "not to do a Kibaki on him"and get his fugures right!

Kibaki has made us the laughing stock of the world because he is so incompetent he cannot even rig an election "quietly"!

I'll keep praying...

Billy

ODM Pentagon Now Target of an Assassination Plot

It is now emerging the a leading member of the ODM pentagon consisting of Raila, Ruto, Ngilu, Nyagah and Mudavadi is target of an assassination plot hatched by political opponents. God forbid!

Word reaching this blogger indicates that this threat is being assessed by the ODM security team that is headed by former police comish Edwin Nyaseda. Already, ODM is said to have identified at least two active moles that have been planted at Pentagon House, where most of the activities of the party are being co-ordinated from since the electoral process was sabotaged by ECK Chairman. Anyone watching the movement of the pentagon members will not have failed to notice the increased security around them. Other moles are said to be working as insiders at the party secretariat near Yaya Center and are responsible for the chaotic party nomination exercise prior to the elections.

The plotters feel that it is easier to manage the aftermath of an assassination than handle the political crisis currently unfolding in the country. It seems obvious that a plot to eliminate a member(s) of the pentagon would have far reaching implications on Kenya's political landscape if it is actually committed. It seems some powerful cartels after having failed to infiltrate the pentagon and are now considering murder as a solution to the post election crisis which was incidentally caused by the same cartel that arm-twisted the Kivuiti into agreeing to declaring fraudulent election results. Kenyan security forces - albeit with some little foreign help - have so far proven (sic) that they can handle large scale civil unrest that is sure to follow should such an assassination take place.

This blogger has deliberately failed to mention names/tribes of the moles and/or their political sponsors but knowing that this blog is read widely by all politicians, informers are advised to quickly make their bosses aware that they evil plans have already been exposed and their moles are being closely watched.

Violence Coming? Plus Dr Mutua: Stop messing up the peace efforts!

Update: There is this game we used to play when we were young. You twist the hand of your friend and as they scream out in pain, instead of letting go, you twist some more. The idea is to get them to scream as loudly as possible. You want to see just how far you can drive them up towards the pain barrier.

That is the game one Mwai Kibaki is playing with Kenyans. On Tuesday he appointed a cabinet and immediately there were riots across Kenya (according to the New York Times)

Interestingly on the Kumekucha post that announced this information, even Kibaki supporters felt that this was the wrong move.

Actually I fear for the worst. If the second wave of violence does come it will be worse than the first and I expect Nairobi to be affected very badly.

Who will save Kenya from this small clique of mad men (representing many tribes) that is holding the entire nation hostage?


Dr Mutua: Stop messing up the peace efforts!

By GUEST WRITER

Government Spokesman Alfred Mutua’s skills would have been badly needed during the dark days of the Kanu regime but not in modern Kenya.

He lost a good opportunity not to have been around during President Moi’s reign. Kenyans of today can’t be fooled easily.

The manner in which Dr Mutua has been discharging his public duties since he mysteriously landed on the job has been an issue of great public concern. However, the statements that have been coming from him after tragedy hit the country following the disputed December 27 General Election reveals the amateurish manner in which he handles his job.

His recent statements make him look like the spokesman for the Party of National Unity (PNU) and not a Government spokesman. There is a clear distinction between PNU and the Government. The Government – which Dr Mutua serves – is for all the 33 million Kenyans but PNU belongs to Kibaki and those who subscribe to his ideologies (if he has any). Dr Mutua’s statements are a replica of those coming out of PNU hawks.

Dr Mutua, either acting on his behalf or at the behest of the infamous Mt Kenya Mafia led by Head of Civil Service chief Francis Muthaura, seems hell bent to add more confusion to the already volatile situation in Kenya.

It has become almost a routine to see the Government spokesman addressing a media conference every day in the company of his counterpart in the police, Mr Eric Kiraithe. Nothing sensible comes out of their mouths every time they take the microphone.

Of worth noting is Dr Mutua’s repeated statements that Kenya does not require an external mediator to resolve the current political crisis. He said Kenya was not at war and the problem could be solved by us.

And when it finally emerged that Ghanian President and the African Nations Chief John Kuffuor was headed to Nairobi to spearhead international mediation between Mr Kibaki and the would-be President, Mr Raila Odinga, Dr Mutua has changed tune. He now says that President Kuffuor and Mr Kibaki are good buddies and the Ghanian leader was coming to Kenya on the invitation of Mr Kibaki and not on mediation mission.

Contrary to the filtered news from mainstream media and fake official police reports, more than 1,000 Kenyans have lost their lives in the post-election violence and hundreds of thousands of others have been displaced from their homes and property worth billions of shillings lost. What joy does Dr Mutua and his like-minded characters derive from swimming in the blood of innocent Kenyans?

Kenya is bleeding profusely and the country has been gripped by fear that has no precedent in independent Kenya. It is, therefore, callous for anyone to turn a blind eye to the current crisis and declare that Kenya was not on fire and there was no need of an external arbitrator.

If President Kibaki is not what we know him to be - a visionless fence-sitter who fears making any slight move or even make a minor decision – Kenyan would not be bleeding the way it is for now and there would be no need of external help.

But Kenyans would be so naïve to expect President Kibaki to lead the nation into resolving the national crisis or on a healing path yet he has failed to solve petty domestic squabbles with his wife, Lucy, leading to embarrassing spill-over in public!

It’s due to President Kibaki’s actions that Kenya is on fire and that is why there is a growing outcry locally and internationally that international mediators are needed to help Kenyans put out the fire before it wipes out the face of our beloved nation. It’s within Dr Mutua’s knowledge and understanding that Kenya is in the current state because President Kibaki stole the December 27 General Election.

There is no doubt that President Kibaki is occupying State House illegally after stealing the presidency from Mr Odinga. Although Mr Odinga, who had won the Presidency through a democratic and transparent process, had a constitutional to refuse to hold any talks with the illegitimate President in State House, he has softened his earlier hard-line stand and agreed to share a table with the pretender-to-the-throne.

Depending on the way Mr Odinga plays his cards, he might emerge from the talks the statesman to be remembered and envied for years to come. Already, he enjoys the sympathy, confidence and credibility of a majority of the Kenyan populace and the international community.

On the other hand, President Kibaki’s credibility and reputation has suffered heavily since he was declared winner of the stolen election. Is it then a wonder that no country has sent congratulatory messages to President Kibaki since he was declared winner and sworn in for a second term in a funeral-like ceremony at the lawns of State House?

If I was President Kibaki, I would soul-search deep in my heart and find out why he has been isolated by world leaders. He risks losing the global goodwill he enjoyed if he continue clinging to stolen presidency. The visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Dr Jendayi Frazer, on Monday told the media that they congratulated the Kenyan people and NOT President Kibaki’s “victory”.

That is why I argue that if I was Mr Odinga, I would play my cards well. This will boost his political status locally and internationally. Already, President Kibaki is feeling the pinch and that is why he has sent emissaries like George Saitoti, Uhuru Kenyatta, Moses Wetangula and Raphael Tuju to countries in Africa to beg for recognition. We wish them luck in their mission!

We need to hear voices of reason - people encouraging dialogue between Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga for the best interest of our country but not voices of doom. The likes of Dr Mutua should be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

What will the likes of Dr Mutua achive if Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga turn their backs against each other and the country explodes into a huge bonfire?

I submit here that Dr Mutua – who is Mr Muthaura’s mouthpiece – should shut up if he has nothing better to tell Kenyans. Kenyans wants peace. He should not pour cold water on Mr Odinga’s reconciliation overtones – which will be beneficial to the majority of Kenyans who are suffering from the post-election violence.

Furthermore, there is an unwritten rule that you don’t continue hitting a man when he is down. Despite being robbed of the presidency in a day-light robbery, Mr Odinga has done what many thought he would not do – agreeing to talk with the thief!

I highly doubt if the likes of Dr Mutua are feeling the pinch of the violence. Whatever method is used to restore peace and sanity in Kenya is welcome to those who don’t harbour selfish interests.

Was This The Kalonzo ODM-K Miracle?

Guilty By Association: ODM-K looked the other way as Kamba Votes were Awarded to Kibaki

Any regular reader of these columns should not be surprised by the swift acceptance and deep gratitude shown by one Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka after being appointed Vice President and Minister for Home Affairs.

After roping the entire Kamba community into his futile and highly regrettable presidential bid, Kalonzo has successfully prostituted himself to be the country's second in command and betrayed not just those who voted him, but the entire republic. Kenyans have not forgotten that as Kalonzo roamed the country campaigning for his candidature, he repeatedly told his audience that he would have nothing to do with the corrupt Kibaki regime. Yesterday however, the man who loves to call himself a born-again Christian had all the nice words for President Kibaki.

Throughout the single ODM-K family days, Kalonzo fought tooth and nail to deny the party a democratic presidential nomination process. The same individual, with Moi's assistance, sabotaged the London bonding trip. He made various unexplained trips to Southern Africa - where specifically Kroll & Associates traced part of the GBP 1 billion that was stolen from Kenyan state coffers and diverted by protected crooks - and it is whispered that Kalonzo and some his ODM-K brigade - have crossed the poverty line forever, a big reward for successfully dividing the Orange family and further dispersing possible presidential votes for either of the top two candidates. Anyone who watched Kalonzo chatting heartily on his cellphone during the 'miracle' rally at Uhuru Park could see he was a puppet of the same people he confessed called him during the rally to say "we are together".

At the end of it all he is now VP, after garnering only 600,000 votes (plus a 200,000 votes award) and emerging a distant third in the presidential polls. It now means that constitutionally, if Kibaki were to die or be indisposed at any moment, Kalonzo would automatically assume the Presidency of the Republic of Kenya.

Although the VP's post carries some weight, the ministerial docket of home affairs is a demotion - for an immediate former presidential candidate - to say the least. His other ODM-K troops are hopeful that with a few dockets still vacant and no assistant minister named, the Mutulas of this world will finally make it to cabinet together with their skeleton laden closets.

But do not take that to the bank just yet, ODM is alive and kicking. Kenyans, brace yourselves because it is just a matter of time.

Kenya's 'First Half Cabinet' Named

As predicted by Kumekucha a few days ago, Kibaki's part cabinet is named and our predictions are spot on.

This afternoon 'President' Mwai Kibaki made a live broadcast address to the nation:

" I am pleased to announce part of my Cabinet. In forming the Cabinet, I have considered the importance of keeping the country united, peaceful and prosperous under a strong, broad-based leadership. I am accordingly, naming the first half of my Cabinet as follows:"

(1) Vice President and Minister for Home Affairs - Hon. Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka,
(2) Minister of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Office of the President- Hon. Professor George Saitoti
(3) Minister of State for Defence, Office of the President - Hon. Yussuf Mohamed Haji
(4) Minister of State for Special Programmes, Office of the President - Hon. Dr. Naomi Namsi Shaban,
5) Minister for Public Service, Office of the President -Hon. Asman Abongotum Kamama,
6) Minister for Finance - Hon. Amos Muhinga Kimunya
(7) Minister for Education - Hon. Professor Sam Ongeri
(8)Minister for Foreign Affairs - Hon. Moses Wetangula
9) Minister for Local Government - Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta
(10) Minister for Information and Communications - Hon. Samuel Lesuron Poghisio
(11) Minister for Water and Irrigation - Hon. John Munyes
(12) Minister for Energy - Hon. Kiraitu Murungi
(13) Minister for Roads and Public Works - Hon. John Njoroge Michuki, MP
(14) Minister for Science and Technology - Hon. Noah M. Wekesa
(15) Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs - Hon. Martha Karua
(16) Minister for East African Community - Hon. Dr. Wilfred Machage
(17) Minister for Transport - Hon. Chirau Ali Mwakwere

In brief, the president is telling ODM, President Kuffour, Gordon Brown, Desmond Tutu and Madam Fraser and all 4.5 million Kenyans who voted against him - YOU CAN GO TO HELL, I AM PRESIDENT.

Even as ODM shows goodwill by suspending protest rallies, the president is throwing mud at them by recalling parliament and naming his cabinet. The questions is: Is there need to continue negotiating with an individual who has shown over the last five years that he cannot honour agreement??

Analysis and comments to follow.

Nime-RIG, Muta do?

Excerpts of Richard's email to Kumekucha;

"Are you aware ECK is yet to release the final tally to Kenyans? The 1 million votes that gave Kibaki the final figure are yet to be broken down. The Meru and Central Kenya 90% turnout was never carried by the press..."

Kumekucha's comment: They're probably still cooking.
-----------------

I urge Kenyans to read the first few comments to my previous post.

Inaonekana niliamsha nyuki mpaka akatapika ukweli (It looks like I provoked a bee until it vomitted the hidden truth.

I am referring to the comment by one Kimi Raikkonen.

At one point Bwama Kimi says;

I am very, very glad that Kibaki did what he he had to do to stop that demon called Raila from bringing back KANU looters to continue from where they left off, and also blocked what would have been an effort to bring back unwarranted British and Arab influence in our daily lives.

I don't need to add anything, that is the genesis of the problem in Kenya.

Lastly I leave you with a question;

Since when was it possible for a mere opposition party to rig elections?

Please give me a precedent of where else in the world it has happened?

The truth is that the government stuffed votes in Raila's strongholds so as to give the impression that it was not totally responsible for the rigging. And my did it work like a dream? Anybody in doubt, just read Bwana Kimi's full comment which I reproduce in full, below his post, incase he tries to delete it. The message is to Kenyans is clear. It is; "Yes, I have rigged what will you do about it." or in sheng; "Nime-rig. Muta-do?"

If the opposition had any power to rig, why didn't they just rig the whole election and win?

I am convinced that the way to save lives in Kenya now and in the future is to speak the truth and nohing but the TRUTH. This blog does not support ODM or Raila, we support TRUTH, JUSTICE and DEMOCRACY. The majority of Kenyans voted against the illegal government now in State House and any fool can see that from the parliamentary results. That is the truth.

The minute I am convinced that the majority of Kenyans voted PNU and Kibaki, then I will change accordingly.

This nonsense of denial is what has cost as so many lives and this crisis.

Why new elections is the best way forward by Ralph Murage

Kimi Raikkonen said...
This is typical of the breathless ignorance of a large number of Kenyans who think that having their views endorsed by equally ignorant Western Newspaper Journalists amounts to being awarded a medal of honour. The Economist and their supporters can shout until the cows come home, but Kibaki is a reality in State house that will not go away anytime soon. Instead of perpetuating jealous and infantile hatred while pretending to be a paragon of political wisdom, i suggest you educate yourself and other ODM supporters that the elections are now behind us, that both sides rigged massively in their strongholds, and that the more powerful group, using the power of incumbency, ended up trumps.

Your insane and obstinate intolerance of Kibaki and prejudiced view of Kikuyus in General will not change the reality that Kikuyus are Kenya citizens by rights. Kikuyus will not succumb to a wicked horde of spiteful and murderous bigots in the name of ODM, no matter how often you demonise them as having stolen Kenya's wealth. This of course, is the genesis of all the trouble we are now experiencing in Kenya. ODM succesfully ganged up other Kenya tribes against Kikuyus in the misplaced perception that Kikuyus had eaten enough, and that if you remove Kibaki from power you will also get rich. What utter rubbish! If any of the Kikuyu are wealthy, and very many are, it is because they earned it, not because you and ODM did them any favours. They have made their wealth inspite of hostility and primitive jealousy from people like you and will continue to do so, upende msipende, and if you don't like it you can go jump off a cliff.

I am very, very glad that Kibaki did what he he had to do to stop that demon called Raila from bringing back KANU looters to continue from where they left off, and also blocked what would have been an effort to bring back unwarranted British and Arab influence in our daily lives. Our very independence was at stake. Bravo Kibaki for protecting our freedom and independence.

9:58 PM

Can You Handle The Truth? The Kenya Presidential Elections Were Rigged, Says America, France, Britain And Most of The World

What The Economist says about the Kenyan crisis...

No time to be nice
Initially, America, which sees Kenya as a front-line ally in a war against Islamist militias in neighbouring Somalia, made the mistake of endorsing the president's re-election. Now Britain, America and the African Union are urging Mr Odinga and Mr Kibaki to talk in an effort to stop the bloodletting. That lets Mr Kibaki off the hook far too easily. All the violence should certainly be condemned, but most of the diplomatic pressure should be exerted on Mr Kibaki's supposed new government to annul the results and organise a recount—or a new vote.

If Mr Kibaki will not do this, the rest of the world should suspend direct aid to his regime and impose a travel ban on his officials. That is the least the wretched people of Kenya have a right to expect from their friends abroad.

Read Economist article

Kenyans have a lot to learn from The Economist. This weekly has been successful because it is opinionated and many times it is bang on target. Being balanced does not mean ignoring the truth. In fact the reason why Kenya is in this mess in the first place is because we (at least most of us) ignored the simmering tribal tensions for years pretending that they did not exist. Indeed many of us are still doing that. This time the excuse is that it will heighten tribal tensions.

It is instructive that it was also The Economist that first brought to light the drunken parties that went on in State House late into the night and into the early hours of the morning. This happened in the early days of the Kibaki administration in 2003. Not many Kenyans got to read that article because somebody went round purchasing all the copies of the Economist they could find. Alas, it was an early warning signal that many missed.

This is interesting because the obvious manner in which the rigging was done this December resembles exactly what an arrogant group of drunkards would do. By the time they sobered up, Kenya was burning.

One of the mysteries Kenyans will have to solve when all this is over is who was behind the decision to do what was done. Only a mad man would have made such a call.

It seems that the rest of the world unlike most Kenyans is ready to call a spade a spade. The US assistant secretary of State Jendayi Frazer said it yesterday and the French said it. They have all said; the elections were rigged. In fact the French put it bluntly;

'Were the elections rigged or not? I think so, many think so, the Americans think so, the British think so, and they know the country well,' Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said.

Let the mediation efforts begin at that point, for the sake of Kenyans.

P.S. The ODM rallies planned for today have been called off by ODM presidential candidate Raila Odinga. He gave the reason for the cancellation as the fact that he has been assured that internationally mediated talks would begin soon.

Oxford dictionary additional entries for the year
2008...

1. Kivuitu – a liar, a thief, a dubious person, an
untrustworthy individual, a person of
questionable character and/or credentials

2. Kibaki - (Same as No. 1 above) To do "a Kibaki" also means to commit suicide or a suicide bomber. Make a move that costs many lives.

3. Lucy Wambui - (Same as No. 1 & 2 above)

4. Form 16 A - (Opposite of No. 1, 2 & 3 above)

After The Cellar: A Citizens Pathway To The Future

Where it all begun: A Compelling Case For A Goverment of National Unity (GNU)

Published below is the executive summary produced out of a more detailed document titled "Citizens Pathway to the Future" after last week's meeting at The Cellar. The group has now grown considerably and the draft of the framework as discussed last week provides part of the 'mass' of the iceberg which has been shared with as many common interest groups as possible with a view to coalescing to a common position that will be endorsed by all and that forms the 'Citizens Agenda' for resolving the current political crisis.

CITIZENS PATHWAY TO THE FUTURE-EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The country is in a crisis following the disputed presidential elections. The evidence of this is clear to all:

• Over 300 Kenyan’s are dead, perhaps many more unknown
• Over 200,000 Kenyan’s, mainly women and children have been forced to flee their homes.
• People’s life-work and livelihoods have been destroyed
• Business has come to a standstill with dire consequences on economic performance and in particular domestic revenue collection. A country that was proud of its recent economic achievements may now have to take out its begging bowl.
• Investor confidence in the country has evaporated overnight resulting in the diminution of the value of our national assets (falling exchange rate, what is the value of Safaricom today?)
• The international image of the country continues to deteriorate as horrific images of chaos, death and destruction dominate the international media
• The economic and democratic gains since 2002 are quickly being washed away and could be completely eroded by continued mass action.
  

This crisis is going to be further deepened by the hard line positions taken by the key protagonists:

1. We need to recognise that none of the opposing sides can claim an overwhelming popular mandate. More than 50% of the electorate rejected either candidate. Further we have a hung and fragmented Parliament making Parliamentary business at best fragile.
2. One of the emerging hard line positions is that PNU can cobble together a government with other parties. Should this happen without a negotiated settlement with ODM, it will be a further step into the abyss as ODM may have no alternative than to pursue mass action, disruption and other non-constitutional means. Kibaki and his government has not and will not have international legitimacy with consequences to our country’s ability to participate in the international diplomatic and financial arena.
3. The other hard line position taken by ODM is that Kibaki is illegally in office and must be forced out either through mass action or an early re-run of the election. This stance is likely to lead to more loss of life and the entrenchment of the image of ODM leaders as insensitive villains ready to sacrifice the country for their selfish pursuit of power.
4. Whereas, the urban disruption could be quelled in the short term, rural insecurity will be much harder to police and will stretch our security forces, further exacerbating the security situation. The very fabric of our society is threatened and could collapse.
5. Kenyan’s are feeling the pain of having contributed positively by voting and yet obtained extremely negative and painful outcomes for themselves – death, loss of property, mental anguish, fear, hopelessness and tribal tensions. The highly charged political atmosphere is likely to remain because many Kenyans who made personal commitments and sacrifices in the election process feel disenfranchised by the disputed results and the continuing stalemate. Civic education and the relatively more aware and enlightened populace compound these feelings.
   
6. Unless the situation is resolved urgently, economic meltdown will become certainty. As trade is disrupted by violence and mass action and investor confidence plummets, economic activity will come to a standstill with reverberations being felt at all levels of the national spectrum: from key business leaders to the very poor, who also happen to form the political support base of all the actors.
7. The regional economies are and will continue to suffer disruption as a result of the Kenyan crisis. Some of the countries in the region have been known to intervene to protect their national interest and are not expected to sit back as Kenya causes them internal strain and possible strife.
8. As more people suffer the unfolding events will be blamed on the key individual protagonists (as has already begun to happen) to whom the hard line positions will be attributed. This could have long-term and dire consequences for Raila and Kibaki personally including exile and international isolation as pariahs.
   

Despite all this, as citizens we believe a window of opportunity exists to turn this situation around and put Kenya on a path of peace and broad based development. This opportunity lies in a negotiated settlement that will include:

1. Beginning the national healing - bring an end to the violence – cooperative effort by all parties including bringing on board the post-serious incident therapy professionals.
2. Trust and confidence building measures for the political players need to be instituted
3. Election closure
4. Composition and duration of an Interim Government/ Government of National Unity.
5. Priority agenda for the Interim Government/ Government of National Unity to take account of some of the key issues that have accentuated divisions,
   
6. Administrative, legal and constitutional reforms to be instituted before the next election;
7. An agreed timing for Presidential and/or National Elections after Interim/ GNU
8. Global agenda to restore regional and international respectability
   

If handled with sobriety and enlightened leadership, Kenya can still emerge from the current situation as a strong nation that has its pride of place among nations of the world. We can all return to one common purpose, one that unites us together in the development of our nation:
To earn and uphold our pride of place among nations as a sovereign and remarkable country of outstanding people enjoying a high quality of life

This is the agenda that we, as citizens of Kenya have for our country. Our leaders as agents must implement the will of the people.

CONCERNED PROFESSIONALS

Happy New Year as Kenya bleeds for Justice

Happy new year! Though it did not start happily as many Kenyans may had hope.

I have to thank all Kenyans that voted in the good way the did. The process was good as well as the response but the conclusion of the process was disastrous (Kivitu you bear all the blame). We lost lives of innocent kenyans as they pursue their democratic rights.My sincere condolences!

The question that still lingers in the minds of Kenyas is who actually won the presidential election. Kivitu doesn`t have this answer and I don`t know who has the answer.

If it is true that a losing aspirant was crowned the president and the winner abandoned by the roadside, this is very unfair and unfortunate. We are now putting our trust in God who knows what really happen. For sure evil shall not prevail.

Will Kikwete Support Kibaki At This Trying Hour?

Kumekucha’s stand on violence and muzzling of the press in Kenya

Quote of the week from comments made in this blog;
Anonymous said...
To all KIBAKI SPIES;

This website is not anti-PNU or pro-ODM.

IT IS PRO-DEMOCRACY!!!

The fact is simple and any pinhead can understand it.

-------------------------
Update: President of Ghana and current AU chair John Kufuor is expected in Nairobi this week to lead Intenational mediation efforts. Strangely, foreign affairs assitant minister Moses Wetangula was hurriedly flown to Ghana to brief him of the situation in Kenya before he arrives.

At the same time the latest strategy of the govenmnt is to seek support from other African countries other than Uganda (which so far is the only country on the planet that has congratulated Kibaki on his "re-election." Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete who has his own massive domestic problems and has lost a lot of popularity in recent times with accusations of grand corruption, is being courted.

ODM presidential candidate Raila Odinga has called for meetings countrywide including 5 in Nairobi set for Tuesday.
-------------------

Am I my brother’s keeper?

A few days ago, I had a discussion with a friend who works for a well known media house. Since I would not whole heartedly agree with his view that the current situation pertaining in the country was attributable specifically to one side of the political divide, I was left in no doubt that I should be considered a traitor to my own. That’s ethnic, not, political persuasion.

And that’s the rub. How do we even begin to bridge the ethnic divide, because it does exist, when to reach out to the other side may well lead to alienation from your own ethnic community?

Is this situation unique to myself? I think not.

Kenya is walking wounded. The 2007 general election has exposed the deep ethnic hatred that has simmered for many years in this country. Kenyans, in their own unique way, have perfected the art of doublespeak. That we are a united nation, and proud of our patriotism yet we remain deeply divided along ethnic lines as the outcome of this election has clearly shown.

Isn’t it time that as Kenyans we come out once and for all and admit that all is not well in ‘our house’? What are we so afraid of, that we would rather find a quick solution to the current crisis and return to our ‘fake’ lives only to wait for the next implosion of ethnic killing.

In todays nation, Gitau Warigi said, ‘Yet the mere resolution of the presidential election dispute is not going to erase the ugly ethnic hatred that has finally been exposed. Dialogue is the first step but, inevitably, some lasting constitutional or other pact must be worked out to ensure everybody will forever feel safe. And, ‘the facade of a peaceful Kenya has always been intended to obscure from view the deep fissures in the country’.

It’s clear that many of us recognize the deception we are living. More so, another opinion article in the same paper today notes, ‘It gets even more tragic for Kenya that in this day and age, corruption and ethnic chauvinism remain the biggest challenges’.

So its clear to all who want to see. Tribalism or ethnic chauvinism to a large extent is the driving force behind our politics and hence the flawed elections and its aftermath.

It is clear to me that corruption and tribalism go hand in hand. There is a viscous circle containing in it, tribalism, corruption and politics. The three combining in various lethal doses to fuel the next.

In my own sphere of influence I have often argued that the first in line in this sad mix is tribalism which then fuels political interests to convert Kenyans to support and vote one of their own ethnic community or a friendly ‘one’ to get as close to executive power as possible. Hence if ones ethnic group have a candidate for the presidency then the obligation is to support him or her regardless of their capacity, reputation, or leadership qualities. In addition, the community should then support as many next tier candidates as possible so as to attain the largest spread of ethnic command of Government.

So the prize then is Government and the Executive power that goes with it.

Why? This is where the corruption element rears its ugly head. So that the community may firstly protect itself (read those who have already been implicated in past corruption related offences) and then go on to acquire more wealth through manipulation of selected Government processes. Those not directly in the ethnic political elite then strive to acquire ‘Godfathers’ who will facilitate the same. The rationale being, ‘it’s our turn now’, and ‘if we don’t do it someone else will’.

This unfortunately unravels back to the Kikuyu elite of the 1960’s when the first post independence government was formed. Kenyans have thus adopted the misguided notion that the best way to negate the corrupt gains made by this community is to get one of their own into power and reverse the trend to their own favour.

Despite our claim to being a mostly Christian and for that matter Muslim nation, the concept of forgiveness is surprisingly absent.

Yet as we become more sophisticated as a nation we must cloak our raw unbridled greed, tribalism, in ever more sophisticated camouflage. Hence, NARC and now ODM and PNU. At the heart of each you will find the same principle at work.

Its either direct, as in, we need power to sort out our issues and redistribute income or the previous Government neglected (or threatened) us so we will join with another power seeking group to remedy the situation and punish them in the same vein. This would explain the coming together of Luo, Kalenjin and other tribal groups against the Kikuyu under the guise of democracy. The majority of Kikuyu for one do not believe this.

Please do not (deliberately) or otherwise misinterpret this as an attempt to justify tribal/ethnic groupings or any one communities desire for political power including my own.

I have always seen myself as a Kenyan first and a Luo second and in that sense I believe it is easier for me to temper my own tribal inclinations (which exist).

Indeed I see that we have far more to gain by seeing ourselves as one, as Kenyans than letting our ethnic order get the better of us.

Further, there is absolutely NO WAY that a division of Kenya along those lines into separate states will make life any better for even the most economically endowed ethnic group. So what’s the point of thinking in that way in the first place?

Our strength as Kenya and our future is in us setting aside those tribal passions and working together to make Kenya what is should be. This will require forgiveness, understanding, compromise and humility. There is no other way and what we have witnessed in the last 10 days is not an option.

A ‘Truth and Justice Commission’ is a priority. Those old wounds have not healed no matter how much we pretend they have. We have to deal with our past to ensure our future and the sooner the better. Otherwise Kenya will continue to exist as the dysfunctional house it is where, gains today can be reduced to nothing in hours, each time ethnicity takes centre stage.

If combined with genuine patriotism, wealth and power will improve the lot of the common man as those who have attained them will understand that fate plays just as much a role in their lives as their own strivings.

There is something that I have thought of often but have never been able to find the correct words to express. I found the words almost exactly as I had envisioned my thoughts in today’s nation editorial.

‘Kenya practices a brutal, inhuman brand of capitalism which encourages fierce competition for survival, wealth and power. Those who can’t compete successfully are allowed to live like animals in slums. The country is choking with millions of young, able-bodied people who haven’t a hope of amounting to anything and who are susceptible to the seduction of false promises’.

To this group the Political class plays master puppeteer with the consequences we have already seen.

I put it to you that the solution to Kenya’s problems lie in a quiet and distinct revolution in the minds of the middle class who may not control the wealth but are most certainly the only real buffer this country has to true and bloody revolution.

So where does this leave us?

Am I my brother’s keeper? Yes. Yes I am. I must be.

Guest post by Lucas Mboya.

Stop Press: Eton-educated PR Consultant May Have Been Behind Hate-Pamphlets

Kumekucha’s stand on violence and muzzling of the press in Kenya


The influential Times Online has just reported that a PR Consultant Marcus Courage masterminded the re-election campaign of Mwai Kibaki. Courage previously promoted Bob Geldof’s Live 8 campaign to tackle poverty in Kenya.

The Times says that Kibaki now faces possible EU sanctions for alleged vote rigging.

As head of Kibaki’s communication team it is believed that Courage may have been directly responsible of hate pamphlets against Raila Odinga that were widely distributed in the Rift Valley but seem to have had no effect.

Courage has also been accused of accepting corrupt funds as payment for his work in Kenya. A recent United Nations sponsored report has said that at least 25 % of Kibaki’s estimated 4.8 million sterling pounds campaign kitty was funded from monies siphoned from the State.

Read full Times article

Kumekucha's Stand On Violence And Other Urgent TRUTHS

1. Here is Kumekucha's stand on the violence and killings.

2. I urge all Kumekucha readers and Kenyans of goodwill to take note of the comment made in this blog by a foreign journalist recently to the effect that "HE KNOWS" Kenyan security personnel usually keep very close tabs on blogs like this one. I have plenty of evidence to support that allegation.

3. I appeal to all persons leaving comments here, in the spirit of truth and justice which most of us agree is the only way Kenya will get out of it's current mess to desist from trying to use this forum to spin their crazy ideas to the International community.

I am aware that some people's jobs are on the line because Kibaki has badly lost the propaganda war with the International press and that's why Kimunya and company have been desperately feeding news outlets like Sky with bizzarre "angles" of the situation in Kenya. I am also aware that these government "PR people" blame Kumekucha for playing a part in their loss. While I am flattered (I didn't know I was that powerful) the truth is that the Kibaki team lost it when they shot themselves in the foot by gagging the media. Of course it all started with the rigging done right infront of the eyes of International observers. You can't spin the unspinable.

So I ask you to kindly leave Kumekucha alone and practice your spin ideas in other more popular and "like minded" sites, some of which have announced here that they have taken a lead in peace and seeking solutions to the Kenyan problem in contrast to the "negativity-sells-approach of kumekucha."

Be informed that I will now be actively deleting comments that I feel fall under this category. If this does not work, I will start moderating all comments again.

4. I have also noted that most of these "spin doctors" usually "attack" this blog at the same time at around the time when Kenyan commentators have called it a day and just before those in the US wake up (does this give a hint to the market they are targetting for the spin ideas)? This is the time I will be most alert from now on.

There are of course many genuine PNU supporters who are regular commentators here. Please note I AM NOT referring to you, so please do not make any comments here proclaiming your innocence, I know exactly who I am referring to and they also know themselves. I urge you my genuine PNU brothers and sisters to resist the usual Kenyan "disease" of wanting to comment on issues they do not quite understand too well.

5. Let me also take this opportunity to state clearly that in my view the idea of censoring news and keeping information from the people under the pretext of avoiding provocation/incitement is quite ridiculous for many reasons, the most obvious being that the vast majority of the main combatants on the ground do not read newspapers, let alone blogs like this one. In Rwanda a radio station broadcasting in vernacular was used to incite people. The situation in Rwanda for those who will bother to study it, was VERY different from what is happening in Kenya.

In my view too many people are barking up the wrong tree even as real danger lingers on the ground. Nobody for instance is doing anything about bracing for the second wave of violence (mainly for revenge reasons) that is bound to sweep across the country if the people responsible are not alert. If it happens, it will make what has already happen look like kindergarten stuff.

God have mercy on Kenya. God save Kenya.


P.S. I was in church today. The feeling amongst many praying Kenyans is that what is happening in Kenya now is judgement against the people of Kenya for past sins including political assassinations, arrogance and injustice against the common man e.g. land grabbing, stealing life-saving medicine from public hospitals causing the deaths of thousands of poor people etc. The feeling is that unless Kenyans repent their sins, the worst is yet to come. Every stiff neck (arrogant unrepentant Kenyans) will be cut down by the judgement of the LORD before peace returns to Kenya. So my advice is that as you pray you focus on repentance and also ask the LORD to remember mercy for Kenya.

P.S. 2 Some people believe that this is the "earthquake of judgement" that Dr Awuor was talking about only that it has come in a differet and more devastating form.

Ethnic Cleansing?

Update: We are nowhere near a solution to the Kenyan crisis. Raila Odinga has rejected the idea of a government of national unity which Kibaki has embraced. Kenyans continue to suffer and die. The biggst threat now is hunger and disease.

One man in Kisumu was found dead, hanging from a rope after losing everything but making it to safety. It is suspected that he committed suicide. We now have censored news even as reports of what appear to be revenge attacks are being reported.

Meanwhile I've just received the amazing email below. Read and make your own conclusions;

Hi.

The following is a comment I posted on your blog.Once again, thanks for keeping us updated - this is the only other site I have been able to turn to for what I hope is open coverage when it comes to politics.

Allow me to add that when we talk about the chaos that has broken out as a PNU/ODM or LUO/KIKUYU affair, depsite the regretable loss of lives, we trivialise the situation beyond belief.

The fight out there is one for democracy. The fact that actors this time are clothed in tribal outfits, and the scene could be titled "elections" doesn't change the fact that we must all rise above our weaknesses and comfort zones to liberate our country from the imposter who now sits in Statehouse.


Hi Chris,

First let me say thanks for filling the blanks where the mainstream media are too afraid to speak. Granted, everything we read must be taken with a pinch of salt, even what would be posted on this blog.

Allow me to share a theory, feel free to delete if you feel it is over the top; and let me know if it is worth thinking about.

First, I agree, this is not a Kikuyu versus Luo war. Far from it. It is a protest against the death of Democracy. No matter how hard we try to sugar coat it, and say we must move on, our grievances must be addressed. This dust is not about to settle soon.

Second, pre election, who's car was it that was found with pangas, machete's and battons? I need no correction, it was a government car. I will assume, this is one of the vehicles that got caught. Would it be preposterous to assume that there was a group of people, who had access to government vehicles who were arming themselves before the election???

Thirdly, which side was it that was screaming bloodshed in the event ODM won the election? What made them so sure that Kenyans out there would break out in violence?

Could it be that all the above are be connected?

Ukweli haifichiki.


Regards,
Victoria Marale.

Will A Government Of National Unity Work?

Breaking News: There is a virtual news blackout in Kenya on what is really happening on the ground outside Nairobi and major towns. Yesterday at about 5 pm a bus coming from Kisumu and headed for Nairobi was ambushed at Naivasha and the passengers were attacked with Machetes and Pangas. It is not clear how many people were injured or if there were any deaths.

As you read this Mwai Kibaki is in the process of forming a government of national unity. The big question is whether this is going to work in resolving the Kenyan crisis. I will be answering that question in a minute.

The option of power sharing has greatly been favored by Britain and the United States and indeed it is believed that Kibaki made this announcement shortly after a meeting with Jendayi Frazer a diplomat who flew into Nairobi yesterday with very specific instructions from the State department to find a solution to the crisis as quickly as possible. Therein lies one of the mistakes in trying to resolve the Kenyan crisis. It has been assumed that this is a simple tribal tensions problem that can be resolved quickly.

Actually the ideal solution should have involved dividing everything into two priorities. The first priority should have been to stop the killings and the second should be to deal with the root problem of the tensions that brought about the whole problem in the first place so that it does not happen again. But the world rarely seeks ideal solutions. So what is happening is that there is plenty of diplomatic pressure to bring a quick end to the crisis.

Why exactly are Britain and the US so interested in what is happening in Kenya. Darfur went on for weeks before anybody paid any attention. Kenya got attention immediately. Why?

As you read this the entire region surrounding Kenya is in a mess. Raw materials not being able to reach factories in Tanzania has slowed down production. The price of petrol has shot up dramatically in Uganda and there are serious shortages of the same in Rwanda. Aid which all goes through Kenya has been delayed to Somalia, Congo, Sudan etc. causing great suffering. In other words the economies in the entire region and beyond would be greatly affected if Kenya shuts down. Kenya slipping into total chaos would actually be a major catastrophe because many Western powers have major interests scattered all over the region which are heavily dependent in some way to Kenya and will not operate when Kenya is shut down.

With that information you can begin to imagine the kind of pressure that Raila Odinga and especially Mwai Kibaki are having to soak in even as you read this. Interestingly Kibaki seems to have misread the whole situation at the beginning because the BBC says that he refused to invite the Ghanaian president into the country even after being told that he would lead an International mediation team. Kibaki is of the view that this is a “small internal issue” that does NOT need any outside mediation. Well, these guys are serious and they seem to have gotten him to change his mind, even if it is just a little bit, because today the president had a lengthy meeting with diplomat Jendayi Frazer.

But credit for the big breakthrough to State House has to go to locals, Bethuel Kiplagat, Lazarus Sumbeiywo and two other concerned Kenyans who took the initiative to invite Bishop Desmond Tutu to Kenya to mediate for peace. He ended up being the first international mediator to actually get an audience with Kibaki.

Let me take this opportunity to pay tribute to the following gallant Kenyans meeting right now at the Cellar (Kilimani)

J. H. R MURIGU - murigu(at)suntra.co.ke
CLIFF MUKULU - cliff.mukulu(at)rentworks.co.ke
KEN MBWAYA - ken.mbwaya(at)hp.com
PATRICK NGENGA - patrick_ngenga(at)wvi.org
MOSES MWAURA - mkmwaura(at)gmail.com
JAGI GAKUNJU - jgakunju(at)aar.co.ke
MOSES NDERITU - mnderitu(at)level1.co.ke
MUCAI KUNYIHA - mkunyiha(at)coopers.co.ke
JOHN KASHANGAKI - jkashangaki(at)sba.co.ke
MAINA KARANJA - adijai(at)wananchi.com

The fact is that they have taken the initiative like the Bethuel Kiplagat group to try and find a solution. In my view the fact that they dared is the important thing and not how successful they end up being. Kudos, guys.

But having said that, my view is that a government of national unity will increase tensions rather than reduce them. How does anybody expect Mwai Kibaki and Raila Kibaki to run a government when they can’t be in the same room without the room temperature cimbing considerably? And besides the hungry common man will not understand it. They are the vast majority and they are the key to solving this crisis. All they want to see to put their pangas down is Raila in State house as president.

Already Raila Odinga has ruled out the idea and called for negotiations instead.

The saddest thing in all this is the fact that everybody seems to have missed the point that the current violence is about the hungry common man losing hope. That is why the violence will be so difficult to halt in any other way other than Kibaki leaving office.

What makes matters even worse is that we are beginning to see evidence of revenge attacks like the Naivasha bus attack. It may already be too late…

P.S. Kivuiti is constitutionally mandated to fix the problem. He can annul the results. Read this eye-opener of an article.

...Another Idea: Why Kenyans should not fight each other

BREAKING NEWS: Citizen TV says US have commended Kibaki for extending olive branch to Raila as he (Kibaki) prepares to form a government of national unity. Chris is preparing a post about this which will appear shortly.

By GUEST WRITER
From the onset, I wish to state that I’m a Kikuyu and I voted for President Kibaki on Dec 27, 2007. I voted for him thinking he was the right man to lead Kenya. But times have changed. I have seen another character in Kibaki, which, like most Kenyans, did not know of.

If the laws of the land allowed voters to recall their votes, I would have been the first to do so. The man I voted for has ashamed me and I regret why I wasted my fuel driving back to the city from my rural home to the city centre to vote for him. I voted for him to win a clean election but not to steal an election he had lost fairly.
Kenya has been bleeding for the past five days and the blood of innocent Kenyans – butchered by state agents and angry voters protesting the election theft – will haunt all of us for many years to come.

Why are Kenyans fighting each other? The blame squarely lies under the feet of Emilio Mwai Kibaki and the small clique that surround him for stealing an election in broad-day light! Newspaper commentators have argued that Kibaki and his clique should have used a little intelligence. I wholly agree with them.

One would have expected Kibaki to be somehow remorseful after stealing the election from Mr Raila Odinga. But the Kibaki we saw on TV on Thursday evening did not show any signs of being remorseful. He was maintaining his usual arrogance and daring those who do not agree with him for a fight.

Kibaki has been happily following the slaughter of innocent Kenyans from the confines and comfort of his State House bedroom. To him, the blood that is being spilt is just like the water you can fetch from a stream. This is the same contempt he has ruled Kenya with for the past five years.

I’m not shocked by Kibaki’s actions. Kenyans should be wiser. What does Kibaki stand to lose even if the violence escalates? Nothing. He has all the wealth and his children and grandchildren are well taken care off. The only thing they would do if the worst happened is to jump into a plane and take off and leave the rest of us swimming in our own blood.

Those who are expecting Kibaki to resolve the current political crisis, which he is squarely to blame for the election robbery, are badly mistaken. How is expected to resolve a national crisis if can’t solve his own domestic problems with his wife? Kenyans know the public dramas – leave alone the private ones! - staged by his wife. And the man maintains the same gloomy face through out as his wife had done nothing!

Kibaki has no business being the President if he can’t for once present himself as a leader. Those who have been in Kenya for the past five years know Kenya only had a figure-head President and not a leader.

For instance, Kibaki watched in the past five years as NARC, the party that swept him to power in 2002, disintegrated and finally died without making efforts to save the situation. Perhaps, he’ll wait in the same manner until Kenya disintegrates from the current violence right under his eyes!

I appeal to my fellow Kenyans to become wiser and know that Kibaki cares less about their plight. All he cares about is to be called the President of the Replic of Kenya! Is this a man worth dying for? The answer is NO. The people who voted were not enemies. The people who voted for Raila or Kibaki were not enemies. Their common enemy is Kibaki – he refused to form a party and refused to go out to campaign early knowing he would steal the votes even if Kenyans rejected him.

Kibaki has the guns, the police, the military and other state agents at his disposal to kill and maim anyone who does not tow the line. Mr Odinga has the Kenyan people right behind him.

I appeal to my fellow Kenyans that instead of killings each – which is what Kibaki wants – we should allow the illegitimate Kibaki administration to cling to power. We are now more wiser. Five years is not a long time. The entire Opposition can opt to back Mr Odinga in 2012 and we collectively ensure the Kibaki clique does not pull another surprise on us.

We’ll then deal with Kibaki as an individual and not punish the entire Kikuyu community for mistakes done by a single man who has no control of his wife.

History will judge Kibaki harshly. Kibaki’s actions and conduct are unacceptable to any right-thinking Kenyans – except for his few fanatical Kikuyus who reason like him.

A Compelling Case For A Government of National Unity (GNU)

There are a lot of initiatives that are currently underway to resolve the current political stalemate in Kenya that has resulted to Kenya being compared with Rwanda genocide by the international press. You can do something. Published below are the efforts of few individual Kenyans, some of whom may be known to you, who are taking the initiative because they believe they can influence change. These Kenyans are meeting today Saturday 5th January 2008 at 4pm - Kenya time - at The Cellar (Kilimani). Any Kenyan of goodwill who may be interested or have any positive idea(s) to propose are welcome to join. These are some of the thoughts they have put together and managed to communicate to ODM and PNU.

(The ideas proposed herein are not necessarily those of Kumekucha nor the publisher)

We the undersigned are very concerned that destruction of life and property continues whilst politicians continue to posture. The country faces a meltdown. One of the undersigned has worked in many conflict countries and shared with us his experiences. We should all be determined that our country must not go that route. We should do everything possible within our means to ensure this does not happen.

The emerging evidence is that the electoral process was seriously flawed. Therefore no credible winner can emerge from this process. We are appealing to the two main protagonists to shift from their hard line positions and consider dialogue. There can be no winner in this contest and there may never be one for sometime to come.

The fears of all Kenyans need to be addressed and mechanism put in place to protect all Kenyans regardless. We feel this can only be achieved through an Interim Government of National Unity.

Whilst the issues that put us in our current situation are being addressed, we would like to put up a strong case for the creation of a Government of National Unity (GNU), as the most effective method of quickly resolving the ensuing stalemate as well as solving a number of other outstanding issues in the country.

Here are some of the options available to address these issues:

1. PNU can take the hard option of going on with business as usual, form a cabinet and prepare to live with the opposition for the next five years. This is not a viable option.
2. The two parties can jointly file a consent agreement in an election petition court declaring the election to have been irregular and request for their nullification, after which new elections can be held.
3. ODM can go to court and challenge the election of President Kibaki, and if successful then this can lead to a repeat election.
4. PNU, ODM and other parties can agree that the election was irregular. PNU and ODM have been seriously implicated in the malpractices. However, other than seeking for a repeat election, they can agree to form a all inclusive Government of National Unity.
   

The GNU would be tasked to undertake and complete the following tasks:

• Finalise the constitution including the creation of the position of a Prime Minister position. Mr Kibaki would become the President while Raila would take up the position of Prime Minister
• Remove the current stalemate and enable the country to engage in more productive activities.
• Unify the country and recreate the national image. The country needs it if it is to be saved from disintegrating into tribal enclaves under the authority of warlords.
  

If no action is taken urgently, the following would become the consequences:

1. The country will degenerate into unprecedented chaos. The consultant mentioned above who has worked with many third world countries that went through similar experiences, is of the view that Kenya is ripe for this type of disintegration.
2. Many of us, including the very leaders who are refusing to take up action, if not dead or if they will not have run away, will be lining up with other refugees for daily allowances.
   
3. We shall lose all the gains we have achieved to date and go down in history as another fallen African republic.
   

J. H. R MURIGU - murigu(at)suntra.co.ke
CLIFF MUKULU - cliff.mukulu(at)rentworks.co.ke
KEN MBWAYA - ken.mbwaya(at)hp.com
PATRICK NGENGA - patrick_ngenga(at)wvi.org
MOSES MWAURA - mkmwaura(at)gmail.com
JAGI GAKUNJU - jgakunju(at)aar.co.ke
MOSES NDERITU - mnderitu(at)level1.co.ke
MUCAI KUNYIHA - mkunyiha(at)coopers.co.ke
JOHN KASHANGAKI - jkashangaki(at)sba.co.ke
MAINA KARANJA - adijai(at)wananchi.com