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Daily Nation newspaper says Raila almost shed tears…
The goings on deep within the ODM high command are now in the public domain.
The most graphic description of it all is in today's Nation newspaper;
"That was why the Langata MP was almost shedding tears before the council of elders on Wednesday as he questioned the determination by his colleagues to confine him to the Prime Minister's post
"Sources said his colleagues are of the view that Mr Odinga cannot defeat President Kibaki at the ballot box."
The Nation newspaper analysis earlier clearly explains how Kalonzo Musyoka, Mudavadi and Ruto have clearly stated their position which is that Raila should step down and pave way for either Mr Musyoka or Mudavadi to be the Odm fag bearer for president, because they claim that those are the candidates with a better chance of defeating president Kibaki.
I remain neutral in this battle within ODM because anyway I have now gone back to my radical old self which says that none of the above are fit for the office and we need to look for a principled political nobody to elect into office.
Still the naked truth is that all these ODM presidential candidates have changed their minds and positions shamelessly. Remember the time when Raila was at pains to convince his colleagues to go for the consensus method of finding a candidate? It is not even 3 months ago when this was happening. Now it is the same Raila rooting for elections via delegates and all the rest rooting for consensus. Which means that the situation must have changed and therefore the candidates have changed to favor the system that favors their individual agenda most.
Remember how Kalonzo refused to submit his presidential nomination papers until a properly constituted neutral national election board was in place at ODM? Surely you don’t need an electoral board for the consensus method, do you?
But the most attention-grabbing news in the whole saga for me is the fact that to date, none of the presidential candidates have made any statement about the politically instigated violence that has now crept into the vast Kibera slums shortly after leaflets warning residents had been circulated. The priorities of these gentlemen are very clear. It is just to get to State House, period. A few people dying in Kibera and elsewhere is of no consequence to them. Let us wake up, my brothers.
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Give it Std. DN is only recycling what Std reported 48 hours ago. I hold no brief for the Std but like it hate it, its caverage of politics (save me the rant of tabloid, we have none in Kenya) often ashames DN. Chris if you read the dailies, then you failed to give an apt credit because DN is merely playing catch up.
ReplyDeleteAs for the ODM fiasco, they muust hhave seen it coming. All you see in ODM are politicians who are the perfect exemplification of the general Kenyan psyche. The problem with Kenya (remember the problem with Nigerian novel?) is aptlyy captured in their narrow view of things anchored on shortermism.
Poor Agwambo, when he though that all were caged and the price is his and sealed, then invisible hands mutate to grab the trophy! The guy has sharpened the very knife now stabbing him. First was KM who was only waiting for TOSHA from Amolo then Mudavadi who was retrieved from poltical oblivion, dusted and packaged. Finally Ruto who was shown how to brush his political teeth. Now these chaps claim to have outgrown their poltical bozers and wants ALIAR (sorry read in the reverve) own pants. How times change.
But what pains me in all these is the basterdization of a whole community. When KM, MM and WR gangs against one of their own where does leave their common 'enemy'? In the mix is MM even roping in Toro to bag ODM ticket. How base and betraying can politics get? Moi will be more that hapy to auction his heart for Lucifer if only he is assured Raila is done in. It is payback time chaps and politcs of the foreskin is taking a new dimension. Meanwhile Kenya is left the poorer in the process.
Kabisa Taabu. Look at things from the day of the Vision launch and you will know that the prize was not for the man who fought for it.
ReplyDeleteIt is not over until the Grand Man of Kenya politics sings. MOI. What did he not say. ODM is a tribal party. How? All tribes are in ODM. Ruto is not his son. Who ever thought he was. He does not support that party and he has made it known that he does not. Who ever said he supported ODM.
The hand you are talikng about is of one Prof. It took his personal effort to make it not happen for Raila.
Everything, go back to one year ago seemed to be working for the son of Odinga. Popular, with the masses and above all, this time packaged for the great things.
He fished Musalia as you say, from political oblivion, toured the country with him, made people love him again, that they even forgot he like Uhuru lost the 2002 plot. So much so, that at one point, it was easy to sell Mudavadi as Tinga's VP, a ploy that Western Kenya could have fallen for hook, line and sinker.
I do blame the ODM charade for one thing. They did not go back and evaluate the Referendum performance and the euphoria might have carried them away. After that, a post-mortem could have kept them together all the way. Tye thought that the presidency was theirs for the taking and the apointed one could go all the way.
Then there is a saying that 'Maji Kazidi Unga'. It is now true. Infact, covering the space lost in the last three weeks might take eternity for ODM.
For them to agree, it will be one month. Then to settle for a presidential candidate, another month. It will be two months to go. That time, Mwai and Moi will have sorted these guys out and parliament will be dissolved, with the opposition running like a headless chicken and another win for Emilio.
During that time, Mwai will have doled goodies left, right and centre and they will all be falling over one another, as Kamotho said 'Dont campaign for Kibaki here. Go outside and popularise him outside' and what 2012 Elections will be the sight set for Narc.
I am a firm believer in democracy. I am putting it here for all to see that Kalonzo and his little friends are taking Kenyans for a ride. I will not vote for a candidate chosen in a restaurant. I believe I have the maturity, brain and age to choose a leader for myself. Anybody attempting to impose a candidate on the people of Kenya should know better.
ReplyDeleteThe reason I am supporting a candidate who is chosen for the people by the people themselves is because the score card for that person as president will bear only his name and none of the rest in the crowd will be prepared to take responsibility for any failure by that government. I believe some of the problems we are facing today should be blamed on Kaluki Ngilu and Michael Wamalwa for choosing the opposition candidate for the people of Kenya. Let that candidate go to the people and if he is worth entrusting the leadership of the country on, then the people themselves will do that.
There has been a lot of talk about how Kalonzo is shifting goal posts. The big question is----"Who, among his competitors is not doing so?" Kalonzo Musyoka, just like Raila Odinga a couple months ago is supporting consensus because it appears to favour him. Raila Odinga was the biggest proponent of consensus in Feb because all the other candidates apart from Uhuru and kalonzo were nothing more than his cheerleading boys. They were always prepared to pave way for him anytime, anywhere, anyhow. Raila has now made a a U turn and so has Kalonzo.
It is clear that Raila has effectively replaced Kalonzo as the most serious presidential candidate, at least within the ODM. A few months ago when Kalonzo was hot favourite, Raila managed to rally all the other candidates against him. Everytime Kalonzo said anything, The Standard would the following day carry a story about how he is rocking the boat from within. I remember even people of normal political standing like Joe Nyaga telling Kalonzo to quit the party and then u ask yourself, Who is Joe Nyaga? You do not need contact glasses to see that he was only being a messenger. The same thing is now happening to Raila and there lies only one explanation.. When you outshine your mates even in class, your strongest challenger will rally everybody else against you. Politics is not a love affair and so Raila should not be crying ovyo ovyo. Grown men do not cry. He should harden up and soldier on.
Having said that, I must point out the fact that even what Raila is proposing is unacceptable to me. A few elegates whom William Ruto tells us have already been hand picked and whose names are in Anyang nyong'os folder, do not effectively represent all the kenyan people or atleast the ODM supporters. Let the nomination be done by the people. I was reading 'The Standard' and they were quoting Raila pouring cold water on Ford Asili's direct nomination of 1992. I will repeat that Ford Asili's choice of candidate was more democratic than any other party's in multi party kenya. Apart from NARC in 2002, Ford Asili has so far been the only opposition party to pose any serious threat to a sitting government. They actually won those elections and I can only attribute that to the inclusivity of te nominations. Lt the ODM adopt either Kalonzo's or Raila's shortcuts and Koigi Wamwere will have one more vote in his basket.
My brother Taabu, with all due respect, U have read 'The Standard' too much and you are evidently believing some of the crap they write. I am challenging anybody here or in "The Standard" to quote one incident in which Kalonzo Musyoka or Musalia Mudavadi told Raila Odinga to step down for them. When they call for consensus it may mean them stepping down for Raila. I equally challenge you folks to quote one incident when Ruto told Raila to step down because Luos cannot lead. Ruto is in fact acknowledging that he cannot win a presidential election and yet he is not luo. I may sound annoyingly repetitive but I must tell Raila, The standard newspaper and the supporters of Raila to stop dragging the luo community in this. When Taabu you blame these fellas for alledgedly saying luos cannot lead, u are not only accusing them falsely, u are also joining the bandwagon of those insulting the luos as incapables. I have repeatedly said that in my opinion Raila Odinga is not only incapable of winning a presidential election,he is unable to rule even if the presidency was offered to him, already won by someone else. This has nothing to do with his being luo and with all due respect for my luo brothers and those others in the habit of whipping up tribal emotions, guys you are becoming boring.
Having said all that, Let The People Decide.
Chris, you will struggle to remain neutral but I am disappointed you are failing to shoot straight here.
ReplyDeleteOne, ODM contenders, especially one William Ruto, are shamelessly segregating Raila purely on the basis of his ethnic origin. It is sad as it is a disagrace that in the present age and time, a fellow human being can be treated as a second class citizen and be told of his imagined inadequacies on his face. If this was to happen to you Chris, would you not be 'close to tears'? Very sad times indeed.
Also, you seem to have forgotten that Raila was in Kibera the same morning following the murder of his 4 constituents. All the murdered Kenyans, coincidentally happened to be Luos, and Raila was right there with the widows and relatives of the deceased. So I think it is incorrect to state that none of the ODM luminaries has publicly commented on this issue when Raila was quoted in the press as urging his constituents to co-operate with the poilce and allow candidates to freely campaign in Langata.
Thirdly Chris, Raila has not dismissed consensus. You will remember he was the first to suggest it in the early ODM days, but he was castigated by the opinion poll stars of those days. Chances of these gentlemen agreeing amongst themselves is nil, and I agree with you let the people decide.
I am heading to the Kamkunji rally where Raila's prowess will be there for all to see. Will report to you Monday.
Finally, it is my sincere hope that we will, for once, use our votes to consign Raila to where he belongs rather than prejudge him for exercising his democratic right.
THE KIBAKI STORY
ReplyDeleteKamau wa Njoroge, (not his real name) who happens to own five acres of
land somewhere in the Rift valley - tuseme Laikipia - will this year sell his maize, yes! Maize for Kshs. 1,300 a bag. He sells his produce at the local cereal board (NCPB). Right across the street from the NCPB, Mr. Kiptoo is doing a roaring business akisiaga posho. He even mills the sifted unga and hence no need for rural folks to buy Hostess from Unga limited.
Five years ago, he got about shs. 400 for the same if he even dared plant
it in the first place.
His five cows give him an average of 25 kilos/litres of milk per day. He
reserves 5 litres for subsistence and sells 20 everyday at a price of
Kshs. 18 per litre. That is kshs. 360 daily and since cows give milk even
on Christmas day, it is kshs. 10,800 every month.
He has three kids in primary school. He is a reasonably young man and
since he is not paying school fees, he is busy saving money for their
secondary education.
Across the road from Kamas's shamba, his neighbor James Koske has 10
acres. He has put 5 acres under wheat cultivation, 2 under maize, 2 under
other cash crop like potatoes, oranges and other types of vegetables.
HE will be selling his wheat for about Kshs. 1,500 a bag. That is about
700 more than what he'd have received 5 years ago.
Wheat yield is about 15 bags per acre. That will give him about Kshs.
108,000 per year.
He has 7 cows. That gives him over 12,000 shillings monthly. He sells
oranges and other vegetables. He is smiling because he is getting
rewarded for his efforts.
That is the same case for Simiyu in Mumias and his sugarcane farm. Chacha
and his tobacco is getting the same.
Otieno the Jua kali artisan and panel beater has just taken up a small
loan from Equity bank to expand his business. He has actually hired three
more guys, two panel beaters and a painter man.
Mama mboga is doing roaring business at the soko and so is Joseph, the
owner of Hilton hotel across the market.
Mwalimu ameongezewa mshahara and so is the civil servant. He now has more
disposable income and some of it is being left at mama mboga's and Joseph's kiosk.
Dr. Ogeto, a Veterinary Doctor is doing roaring business at Nyahururu town
selling Adamycin, anti bloat medicine and Nilzan dewormer to farmers.
Wakulima wameongeza mifugo coz KMC is doing roaring business and so is
KCC.
All these are common dudes. They are the small guys, the small trader.
ODM, tafadhali acheni fitina. You look bad. Try something else. The
economy is our strength; it is Kibaki's strength.
The economy is not doing well for two kinds of people;
1. Those who wait for free things, for manna to fall from above.
2. The lazy idlers.
For everyone who has a body temperature and willingness as well as the
initiative to take a risk, something is happening.
There are so many University graduates who are unemployed in Kenya today.
They are still waiting for those six figure income jobs.
They should go get a life. Start farming. its the easiest way to make some
money. Some of them have land lying idle (their parents), but can't even
educate their parents on what should be done. Hang on Matatus as manambas and save some money and do something.
For anyone who had saved kshs. 12,000 last year, that was enough money to
buy 1,000 shares of KENGEN. (@Kshs. 12.00). He would have made a cool
8,000 shillings any day after the shares were floated in the market for
doing nothing. Reinvest the same money in something else and the money
would have given 50% yield (shs. 4,000) giving him Kshs. 12,000 or double
what he had saved. He now has 24,000 shillings in less than six months. That is enough to secure him a loan at the bank or something else.
Remember the woman who borrowed kshs. 100,000, bought 6400 KENGEN shares for approximately 77,000, sold the shares at Kshs. 40 each making 28
shillings per share or 180,000 shares, repaid her 100,000 loan and made
Kshs. 80,000 ALL THAT IN A WEEK????
Why wouldn't a university graduate do that?
Remember the Chokora who saved Kshs. 50,000 and bought the same leaving
Kimunya impressed?
Watu! Stop whining. It only makes you look bad.
Finally, everyone has a story of a small trader be it mitumba, bike
repairer, shopkeeper e.t.c. who has made it in the last 4 years in a way
he could only have dreamt of.
Remember, there are no two economies in Kenya. There is just one economy.
You don't have to be a genius to realize that if all sectors of the economy are growing including major employing sectors such as agriculture and tourism then automatically jobs are being created.
E.g. 5 new KTB employees go to Europe to promote tourism = Mr. Shah gets
10000 tourist through his hotel this year= Mr. Shah needs to hire cooks,
watchmen waiters entertainers, drivers etc =Mr. Shah also needs support
services a company to do his laundry and provide supplies.
Mr. Shah also needs to feed the tourist: enter Mr. Kamau. Mr. Kamau needs
to supply the fruits eggs milk for Mr. Shah he also needs people to go
buy the stuff from the farms clean package and deliver them to Mr. shah.
Enter Mr. Mwachofi he knows all the right people to do this job.
While the tourist’s are in Mombassa Salim the local has a tour guide company
that guides tourist’s around the coast, he also has a small kikoi shop and
curving he employs Mutiso Kilonzo and Mwangumi. Later Mahanga and his
friends the local beach boys troop in to go sell the carvings.
Meanwhile Mr. Shah, Kamau and Mwachofi need to operate offices to deal
with billing, payment, taxation to deal with KRA etc by DEC 2007, 600,000
JOBS CREATED NAHIYO NI MAENDELEO SIO MAANDAMANO.
Meanwhile Onyango is still living in Kibera and attending endless ODM
rallies. While Mr. Shah, Kamau, Koske, Mwachifi, Kiptoo, Salim, Mutiso
Mahanga and Nyongesa make some money and vote for Kibaki in 2007 and dont
forget the women Mrs. Shah, Kiptoo, Kamau, Salim and Nyongesa.
CDF projects have also created jobs especially in the construction sector, but in some areas MPs resorted to buying lab items from their own companies and also spend all the money in giving bursary to private students attending their private owned schools. People in such areas will never feel or see the impact of the money.
President Kibaki promised that he would steer the economy to create 500,000 jobs annually.
Kenya has 210 constituencies.
Each constituency receives approximately Kshs. 20 million annually in
CDF.
On average, each constituency needs to create 2380 jobs to attain the
desired goal.
Granted, some constituencies will definitely create more jobs than others
for example, Nairobi. This is the hub of commerce and industry as well as
the service sector be it tourism, banking, hotel etc.
Some areas like the Rift Valley and Central Province are also very vibrant
in terms of the economy and will see a disproportionate job growth than
other areas.
I believe that we are very close to the said target and in two or three years, if the status quo holds, we will definitely surpass it.
KIBAKI'S DETRACTORS
ODM is so discomfited by the good economic news that they are groping in
the dark looking for answers.Why not just give credit where it is due?
If you think about the ODM big 6 (or seven if you add Dr. Julia Ojiambo),
you'd be forgiven for making the assumption that they are not in the
country.
When there is good news, they are absent and notably very quiet.
Some days ago, Equity bank announced its profits and the story is the same. This is how the bank CEO summarized the rosy picture. This excerpt is direct from the Kenya Yimes.
"Equity Bank's snowballing profit for the third quarter has spiraled by
120 per cent to Sh774 million from Sh351 million recorded for the same
period last year.
The soaring profitability, attributed mainly to a surge in volume of
business, is certain to boost investor confidence among the bank's
shareholders following its listing at the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE)."
He said that it was due to a surge in volume of business.
It wasn't EABL, KENGEN, SafariCom, Mumias and other blue chip companies
that borrowed all this money; it was you and I, the small guy.
It is good to be objective. It is by being objective that we can be proud of being Kenyans. Subjectivity has turned people into pessimists who cannot see light at the end of the tunnel. This pessimism has been spread to many ignorant Kenyans
who have fallen prey of selfish politicians. For example Hon. Musa Sirma was sarcastic in his criticism of the NARC government. But today he has seen what KANU was saying was impossible e.g. free primary education is now possible. We are no longer kneeling down to donors yet every constituency including his Eldama Ravine is getting something. However there are some who still cannot
appreciate any of these goodies yet you cannot trace any performance record when they had a chance.
For Instance:
(1) Hon. Kamotho was Minister for Education,
Transport, Local Government, Trade, and Environment
What legacy has he left in all these ministries? What can you remember?
Coups in local authorities, chaos in transport, and Oh! What about
Karura forest? Hon Michuki was in transport for only two years and he
has made history although Hon. Kajwang calls him - Muchuki.
(2) Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka has been in parliament since 1988. When
expressing himself he has always referred to himself as a lawyer.... As a
lawyer he advised Kibaki to dissolve parliament and call fresh elections.
As lawyer he predicted that 2006 would be a year of elections. Kenyans
need to see his legal competence in parliament. Dont forget Njoki Ndungu
joined Parliament recently yet she will go into history books because of
her contribution in parliament. Kalonzo needs to understand that Kenyans
need more of actions and less of empty talk. Again he was Minister for
Foreign Affairs, Education, Wnvironment etc. Tell me something unique we
can remember him for.
(3)Hon. Raila Odinga was made Minister for Energy during the Moi regime. As a minister during that time do you remember him beyond landing in
Kisumu in a helicopter? Later he was appointed Minister for Public Works.
Do you remember him beyond bringing down buildings on road reserves? Give
performance a chance mheshimiwa!
(4) Hon. Balala was made minister for Sports and National Heritage. As minister he could not bring order to KFF. Hon. Maina Kamanda was recently
appointed Minister for Sports and we can see what is happening to sports
in this country.
(5) Hon. Ruto can be best remembered in 1992 as a Kanu Activist. You
remember the economy came to its knees as millions of shillings were
looted for campaigns and for years Kenyans have paid for this economic
crime. Anything you can remember him for as Minister? However within a
very short time as Minister, Hon. Kirwa has brought sanity in the
agricultural sector.
(6)Hon. William Ole Ntimama became Minister in 1988. However I tend to remember him more issuing threats and insults than working as a minister.
During the Narc era he was Minister for Public Service. Do you recall him
beyond threatening public servants. In the short period Moses Akaranga
has been Minister do you see what he has done?
Actions speak louder than words. We have seen the likes of Munyes,Obwocha, Tuju, Karua, Ngilu, Kagwe, Soita...their actions are louder than their words.
WE ARE NOT BLIND WE HAVE SEEN AND WE ARE NOT DEAF WE HAVE HEARD.
Does the ODM have an agenda for Kenya or these people have an agenda
for themselves?
We can differentiate between competence and incompetence, selfishisness
and selflessness. Can these people be trusted in their incompetence and
inconsistency?
You and other Kenyans should advice me. Send this to them and ask them
to advise a Kenyan who wants to be proud of being a Kenyan. A sample of
ten is reasonable.
President Kibaki is going to be re-elected with a landslide,
Wait and see...
AND...
That is the story!
My philosophy remains ''WACHA KIBAKI ABAKI!!!!!!''