Even as ODM holds its parliamentary group meeting at the Safari Park Hotel this morning, this blogger is informed that ODM is facing a daunting task in assuring its supporters that the party remains united and will emerge victorious following today's party nominations for the by elections.
There have been rumours of shadow-boxing in ODM and supporters fear that PNU and KANU have indeed infiltrated the ODM ranks including up to the Prime Minister's office. The anxiety peaked when ODM announced it had disbanded the National Elections Board previously headed by Justice (rtd) Richard Otieno Kwach and replaced it with a new team headed by former Rangwe MP Philip Okundi. No explanations have been forthcoming from the party why the Kwach team has had to be disposed.
Today, the public is singularly focused on ODM with all the mainstream media currently broadcasting regular updates on the on-going ODM nominations and the party's PG meeting.
As in the 2007 general elections, the ODM is once again showing political parties in Kenya why and how to conduct primaries in electing representatives to face opponents in the main elections.
Considering PNU, NARC-K, FORD-K, KADDU, etc have all intimated that they will be fielding independent candidates for these elections, it is strange that for the last one week, newspapers, TV and radio stations are only reporting on the ODM nomination exercise as it is the only political party in Kenya and its nominee will be the automatic MP.
For undisclosed reasons and not surprisingly, the ODM-K is not fielding even a single candidate in the by-elections and will instead support those of the PNU. Whereas Raila's ODM is in cabinet by right, Kalonzo's ODM-K owes cabinet positions to PNU and it is avoiding antagonistic actions that might be misinterpreted by its senior partner as a challenge to authority. Whichever way one looks at it, ODM-K MPs in cabinet are at the mercy of PNU - whatever the political subject in question! One would have expected a decision as to whether or not to field candidates to be made at a party National Delegates Congress, and certainly not at some backyard office in Nairobi as ODM-K is doing.
Well its true all the focus is on ODM at the moment and most probaly it might string longer than usual.All the attention is given i think primarily because many a kenyan feel it is the party that has Kenyans fate at hand.
ReplyDeleteIts also a fact there are problems withing the party and the removal of Kwach and company might be after all tactical and not something arrived at haphazardly.Infiltration was highly likely because the enemy at hand was tacticless.
If you had found favour in yourself for us,you would have cared to explain who among the contenders in Nairobi is likely to be settled on by the party if they fail to reach a consesus.Am particularly keen on One Esther Muthoni Passaris and someone i feel deserves a seat having been humiliated by UK.
On another note,i am told ODM atleast unreliably that ODM settled for a Kalenjin or is Nandi for the Kilgoris pitting the locals who are pre-dominantly Maasai.I doubt we could call that a proper way of choosing or going about a nomination or is it?
Phil,
ReplyDeleteWhen ODM gets a news balckout you complain, when they shape the news you complain? What is it?
On ODMK, this is a different entity, not ODM. Why dont you let them play their politics the they know better. I thought the issue was about ODM being in focus.
PNU,KANU, ODMK politics are differnt from ODM.
Knoppix
ReplyDeleteThats right. You probably are new to Kumekucha.
We have a rich history. I mentioned Ms. Muthoni Passaris in my previous posts. Please check;
By-Elections: Why is the ECK Silent?
As a mass movement the ODM will be attractive to Kenyans from all walks of life. However, there are many factors to consider when handing over nomination certificates to candidates.
My personal opinion is, unless otherwise, Muthoni Passaris will be the ODM candidate in Embakasi while in Ainamoi will see the late Too's brother inherit his mantle.
But this is of course subject to voters and the Election Board.
I agree with you 100% on one point that you raised:
"......infiltration was highly likely because the enemy at hand was tactless."
The fact that sections of PNU are purporting to endorse Kalonzo for presidency in 2012 shows you just how deep these idiots have sunk! You can repeat that...TACTLESS!
Perhaps the so-called disgruntled ODM MPs should take the cue: we want a strong party outfit. And with Kibaki having gazetted the political parties bill, they should rather concentrate on strengthening their party instead of treating the country to unnecessary theatrics in the form of grand opposition. Should we the party supporters also start seeking reward for voting for the party. Please waheshimiwa, this is not part of change we yearn for.
ReplyDeletePhil
ReplyDeleteKwach's removal does not need any explanation he messed up and that was final. Kwach and his shameless cohorts costed ODM some very important seats....Especially in Kisii Nyanza...Look at Nyachae's seat, they preferred Bichage who was a looser and left Monda out...Thank God for NARC, look at Onyonka he was also rigged out but went ahead and won with a party that was not even known.
Another thing i wish the ODM cabinet will just be told the truth as it is...They are becoming too cozy with PNU that they will even forget that the people of this country voted them in on change and reform agenda...and that is what we want, siasa ya peni mbili hatutaki.
Off the post i watched both KTN & CITIZEN y'day i was impressed by RAO he was talking about reconciliation whereas the only man in PNU (Karua) was still maintaining her stance...That man doesn't really know what she is doing to this nation!!!!
Read Kiptanui's article on todays std...It is an eye opener to so many things and apparently Orengo is applauded on the stand he has taken concerning the issue of land. We have to sort all issues that took this nation to the brink and as a young generation vow never again will we head to that direction....But you see for us to go the promised land....EXCESS BAGGAGE must be left behind!!!!!
Ivy
Sure Phil i did read that very post albeit i dint comment!But you could also find it compelling that so much as changed since then and loyalities might have traded places and favours splashed around thus it might not be very strange to find Ishad Sumra turning out to be ODMs or RAOs favourite as it were.
ReplyDeleteElsewhere by sheer omission i forgot to mention about ODM-K a party i abhorr to bits.It is also noteworthy like i said earlier that PNU and ODM are the only parties that are on everyone's lips given the clout each rightfully carries.So i have this feeling Kalonzo and ODM-K are basking in the dream of being endorsed by PNU stalwarts and hence they dont see the need of shouting from the rooftops about themselves.But methinks in the circle that is politics that dream is not good for business!
But the recent mistakes or gaffes from one side of the GOK are adding remote mileage to ODM and besides most ODM supporters havent given up yet to see their right expressed in kind or mind.If the recent outbursts by the top PNU clown Wetangula is anything to go by then as you said Phil any nomination ODM makes is almost automatically the MP.
Gideon Konchella should not represent Masaai interest in Kilgoris.
ReplyDeleteIvy:
ReplyDeleteAs someone who is close to some personalities in Orange and Pentagon House, Kwach was absolved of any blunders arising out the nomination fiasco. The blame has been put on those busybodies carrying briefcases full of currency seen around Orange House. Unfortunately some officials were said to have been compromised.
On the brighter side,the whole world is appreciating the role played by ODM and more specifically Raila Odinga in uniting Kenyans into one opposition political party that went as far as successfully conducting PRIMARIES right from the civic to presidential level and then emerging with a majority in civic and parliamentary seats. What the hell...Kivuitu had to be kidnapped by armed soldiers because ODM had also won the presidency. As a matter of fact, political parties all over Africa are aligning themselves to ODM. ODM is a role model for many African opposition political parties.
Whatever ODM has done is highly commendable considering the so called GNU ruling party had by then misused state resources to campaign and to undermine opponents. KANU was never allowed to play any its constitutional role as official opposition because Kibaki kept poaching KANU members into his cabinet after sustained onslaught from ODM (then LDP), otherwise Kibaki was never going to finish his term. Lets give credit where it is due!
Knoppix:
Irresponsible utterances by Moses Wetangula (and I dare say Dr. Alfred Mutua) have made this country lose a lot of international credibility and investors are now looking elsewhere.
The 2008 Global Peace Ranking Index was released recently and Kenya dropped in rankings so much so that countries emerging out of civil war like Rwanda, Mozambique, Uganda, Angola and the rest have overtaken Kenya in ranking. Infact these so called civil war countries are enjoying faster economic growth than Kenya - all because of a Kenyan duly erected president who has had to defraud Kenyans twice over a period of 5 years so as to remain in power.
Just check the 2008 GPRI at this link here.
The go ahead and read this article that I am sure will be a bitter pill for many proud Kenyans to swallow:
Country Ranked High On Global Peace Index
The New Times (Kigali)
NEWS
21 May 2008
Posted to the web 22 May 2008
By James Karuhanga
Kigali
Rwanda has been ranked the second most peaceful country in the region after Tanzania, so says the 2008 Global Peace Index (GPI) rankings.
In Africa, Rwanda is 11th out of 30 countries while it is 76th out of the 140 countries analyzed globally.
Tanzania, the 58th in overall ranking scored 1.919 and is seventh in Africa while Rwanda's overall score is 2.030.
Uganda follows as third in East Africa and 114th overall with a 2.391 score while Kenya, fourth in the region is 119th overall with a 2.429 score.
Burundi was not included in the survey.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) ranks at 128 in the world and 25th in Africa, just ahead of Nigeria, Central African Republic, Chad and Sudan.
Somalia comes last in Africa and second from the bottom on the world index.
Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world while the worst is war-torn Iraq. The index points out political participation as one of the drivers of Rwanda's high peace ranking.
Other key indicators in Rwanda's favour include: number of homicides, volume of imports and exports of major conventional weapons, number of deaths from both organized internal and external conflicts, number of armed services personnel and hostility to foreigners or private property.
Rwanda also scores fairly high on number of jailed population, military expenditure of the GDP, the number of armed services personnel, and number of displaced people as percentage of the population.
Other peace indicators favouring Rwanda are respect for human rights, ease of access to weapons of minor destruction, level of organized internal conflict, military capability and sophistication, potential for terrorist acts and number of internal and external conflicts fought during 2000-05.
The GPI is composed of 24 qualitative and quantitative indicators which combine internal and external factors ranging from a nation's level of military expenditure to its relations with neighbouring countries and the level of respect for human rights.
These indicators and others were selected by an international panel of academics, business people, philanthropists and peace institutions.
The GPI is collated and calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a research and advisory company providing country, industry and management analysis worldwide.
It is particularly well known for its country profiles, monthly country reports, five-year country economic forecasts, country risk service reports and industry Reports.
The Company also specialises in tailored research for companies that require analysis for particular markets or business sectors.
Ghana, Madagascar, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Gabon, Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, Senegal, Malawi, Rwanda, Namibia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, Angola, Uganda, South Africa, Congo-Brazzaville and Kenya are the first 20 in their respective order of ranking.
Globally, the first 12 are Iceland, Denmark, Norway, New Zealand, Japan, Ireland, Portugal, Finland, Luxembourg, Austria, Canada and Switzerland respectively.
The GPI is endorsed by a number of prominent individuals including Nobel Laureates Archbishop Desmond Tutu, President Jimmy Carter, Joseph Stiglitz, Amnesty International, the Dalai Lama and Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus.
Copyright © 2008 The New Times. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
Ivy
ReplyDeleteIf indeed It was Kwach who was responsible for handing out the nomination certificates, then its a shame and his removal was long overdue!
I know of a case in Kitutu Masaba where one Timothy Nyanusi already had a certificate of nomination before the actual polling had been counducted, pitting One Mose Nyambega a prominent Nairobi lawyer who is yet to come to terms with that issue!
But then again i think all is not lost and ODM is going to make clear the the path that is nomination in Kenyan political parties.I see it being a role model in party manners!
Knoppix
ReplyDeleteI dont know if it is Kwach that did that...The bottom line is that he was at the helm.
Ivy
Phil
ReplyDeleteThat is indeed a bitter pill to swallow...First i was lied to that there has been an impressive economic growth...but it took only 2 months for the country to go under and at the moment Kimunya is still leaving in denial.
Then i have known Kenya to be a peaceful country...Now that...Najivunia kuwa mkenya kweli, where did that slogan go to?
Ivy
Here you are again Gutter Press.Your assertions are words of a heckler...keep up! Raila will reward you come 2012.
ReplyDeleteAnon 7:24
ReplyDeletePolitical conciousness is a human right.You are either with them or not.Google about the effect of politics on the economy.One can ruin the other at the expense of the other.I needn't explain as Kenya is a very good example.
So some of us have chosen to side with one part of the thing that is politics and by and large with Raila.As for rewards i doubt till my death he will ever be intrested to know the muddy path towards my village.I might even die before he does but God forbid!
Because you dislike gutter so much kindly log on to politics.nationmedia.com and wait if Macharia Gaitho or even Onyango Obbo will respond to comments like the one you have left here,actually it might not see the light of day.
Because Phil and his cohorts are so lazy and gutter oriented they have created some space for you to expose your skull in open air cant you have the decency to respect what you yourself cant create?Is that too much to ask of you anon?
If there is a liar in this world, it is Phil. If there is an undemocratic outfit in this country or world, it is ODM. The simple fact that LOOSERS were named winners like James Orengo and Prof Nyongo, it shows just how DICTATOR-IN-CHIEF Raila Odinga can go to make his word law.
ReplyDeletePhil once told us that Musalia Mudavadi will be the head of the government during the Annan talks. Later it came out to be false. He even sold the idea of Muthoni Passaris in Embakasi as the ODM Pentagon nominee. Thye have in the process recieved cash and doled out nomination papers to a few individuals.
To Phil, like Raila his GOD, their word is law and should not be taken otherwise. Then, how on earth should we trust a person of this calibre, whether close to Raila or is actually Raila's son to be feeding us with propaganda called crap.
Phil, now admits that there were flaws in the ODM nominations prior to the elections and blames it on busibodies aroudn pentagon House which automatically admits corrpution and kills the domocratic spirit of fair represeantation after fair nominations.
The other day, Phil tells us that the PS in Raila's office is behind a big mess simply because he is not Luo and has boxed out the handout seekers like him (Phil) and thus the PS was named past retirement age, and behind the loss ODM saw in North Eastern.
It is time this handout seeker in the name of Phil started to have a better life and used his time wisely in doing better things. An idel mind is a devil's workshop so they say. Phil's mind is one real one.
Following raila does not make one a reporter or an opinion shaper. Have a life please.
Phil,
ReplyDeleteOur ODM nominations last year were nothing to be proud of at all, bwana. The violence across the country during nominations, and the merchants of favours around Orange House are nothing to be emulated by any party in Africa. Take the case of Ugenya where Orengo was dished the certificate after being mauled down by a young political warrior, Steve Mwanga. People may say that Orengo was a good deal for the party and the country, but how do we know how Mwanga would have turned out if he is denied his rightful opportunity to prove himself. It is not just enough to say we are doing better than PNU. Take the current effort to have Passaris nominated to stand in Embakasi. Some say she deserves it because she was humiliated by UK, or she is a pretty face. Others will say she helped ODM last year in advertising. But she did not come to ODM because she loved the party ideals. She came after she fell out with her PNU godfathers (aka lovers) and City Hall mandarins over commercial deals gone sour - the same type of deals our party abhors!! She came to us we money alright, then we embraced her, kissed her behind and we are ready to make her our goddess. That is exactly how Moi cronies joined our party and are now giving us trouble from within. Then we respond by saying that PNU is sabbotaging us. Please Phil tell our leaders the following: THE PUBLIC IS IN ODM BECAUSE THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO GO AT THE MOMENT, BUT NOT BECAUSE WE LOVE WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE PARTY. There is a general feeling that our leaders feel they have arrived after they shared out half the antelope - lakin wanachi wanauliza uko wapi mkia watengeze supu!!!!
Anon 8.46
ReplyDeleteThanks for your opinion. Am an odmer and i share your feeling fully. Am not sure ODM as currently constituted will shape kenya. All the kanu hawks and hate for one tribe is what is binding them together. Am not sure rao with guys like phil will go far. Passaris only trademark is money, and kyuk thats all. lets learn to critic ourselves rather than seeing shadows, plans and tactics when criticised. Democracy, am not sure we show anyone - in my rural area we nominated mwanga yet they gave it to orengo. Anyang, and kajwang. They owe their allegiance to Rao not the people. Is this democracy? am dissapointed. We are only in odm for lack of a better alternative
ODM-K is a tribal party from Machakos and should have not been allowed to join the gov.
ReplyDeleteParty rules should be amended to bar tribal parties from participating. For a party to join National Parliament it should have at least 10 percent of votes from ALL corners of Kenya.
It is high time we kicked the ass of this dog called Tribalism (and its set-ups).
Anon, ODM-K s not a tribal party. The chairman is Masai, Kalonzo is Kamba and Julia Ojiambo is Luhya ODM is a Luo Party that was bought from a Meru, and now has Peter Anyang Nyongo as treasurer and Omingo Magara as treasurer. What do we call that? ODM Nyanza? Think twice. Stick to you OOO party. Leave other people to do their own things. SHAME
ReplyDeletePaassaris for Embakasi , it is time we have miss /mrs parliment beauty pagent , know martha karua has a new nemesis.You know how ugly women hate the pretty ones with a passion , iam sure even baba jimmy ata mezea huyu ,
ReplyDeleteAnom @5.49 ya 4get NDP n LDP parties formed by ya idol Yet nobody questioned. Aint ya applying double standard. Infact this is the only time Rao has a national outlook. He's always bin a Luo Nyanza paramount chief.
ReplyDeleteHas it occured to you that ODM has lost 4 MP's in the current sitting. Anyang Nyong' will say they were all killed by PNU. Ruto is almost insuinating the pilot ws hired to crash the latest victim.
ReplyDeleteIts ammazing how Kenyans are willing to embrace murder in the name of justice. All those who died in the Rift valley- innocent blood is welcome because some people stole elections.
Couldnt Matiba have aske the kikuyu's to fight it out in 92?
Any ODM supporter who doesn't condemn what happened to innocent kikuyu's, or any PNUand afiliate who doesnt see a dead Luo as a loss, is guilty of murder. Now that Raila is in gov are the free manna flowing in Nyanza. Truth be known many leaders are there for their own stomach's. Its funny to see some commoners willing to lay their lives down for undeserving selfish leaders. Its time young men of integrity rose up to unsit RAO/Ruto/Karua and the rest.
Its time for Real change.