Embodiment of virtues

The entire Kumekucha bloggers and loyal abiding readership wish to extend heartfelt "Hongera" to Water and Immigration Minister Charity Ngilu on the happy occasion of her successful B.A. L.M. graduation


The single virtue defining us as Kenyans is the power to read letters as exemplified by our own economical African Teacher and the high priced Ivy League Education Graduates.

Critics rhetoric not withstanding, a degree remains a necessary qualification for sufficient leadership of any nation and holding a degree immediately improves the company of ones association as portrayed by the guest list during the Water Minister's celebration party.

Thankfully the power of the new constitution is already at work sweeping away the rot of functionally illiterate leaders who have been laughing all the way to the bank leading an equally functionally illiterate populace NA BADO

Juicy Esther Adongo Timberlake (EAT)

Eat and lets eat. It is a free world and let people eat and get eaten generously. The burden of modern freedom and civilization.

And then the killer punch. You can imagine if Esther's parents were also to file a counter suit demanding compensation for all the diapers, weetabixes and lollipops. Maybe Esther would counter that she is a byproduct of her parents' emotional bliss.

The Arungas financed a law degree that has come back to haunt them. The resulting legal scoundrel can afford to wed in prison/remand oblivious of the fact that is not permissible under Kenyan laws.

Whatever HELL(on) has brought together no parent must try/dream to put asunder. Consenting adults have all the rights to indulge and parents must learn to know when to let go.

Esther has set a precedence. Soon many will be suing their parents for forcing alien names and beliefs (religion) on them. Never joke with YouTube generation.

Tom Mboya: What is Kumekucha Hiding?

Is Kumekucha now resorting to twisting history in an attempt to influence current and future political events? I hope this right-of-reply will shed the light on some of the more recent misrepresentations.

Chris said;
Somebody wanted to be convinced that Oginga Odinga practiced tribal politics. Here we go;

i) Odinga senior hated Mboya because Mboya did not respect tribal ways where the older man is respected by the younger. Which meant that Mboya was supposed to shut up and blindly follow Odinga because he was also from Nyanza and older.

Bw. Chris,

On what basis do you make the accusation that Jaramogi ‘hated’ Mboya? Is it recorded anywhere as a fact? And then you go ahead and make very skewed conclusions that Jaramogi wanted Mboya to shut-up and blindly follow Odinga. I would like to see evidence of these allegations Chris because just in the same way, did you expect Jaramogi to shut up and follow Mboya blindly? I think you ought to get a copy of the book ‘Not yet Uhuru’ then perhaps you can understand that the white colonialists were much better than the African ‘liberators’ whom Mboya represented with zeal.

ii) When Odinga snr saw that Mboya was in poll position to be the first president of Kenya, he played the tribal card by calling for the release of an old man who was badly out of touch called Kenyatta not because he loved him but because he knew this would "fix" Mboya who drew the bedrock of his cosmopolitan support from the Kikuyu. This single action forever changed "the gear" of politics from the nationalistic approach Mboya was pursuing to a tribal one.

Prior to independence, Mboya was never in pole position to be the first president of Kenya. If anything, Kenyatta was in jail and Jaramogi was approached by the British to be Kenya’s first Prime Minister but he declined saying that no Kenyatta, no Uhuru. In case you did not know, Kenyatta was in the 50s the leading nationalist and along with the famous Kapenguria six a leading politician in his own right. How then do you accuse Jaramogi (a Luo) of tribal politics when without him Kenyatta (a Kikuyu) would probably have died in Kapenguria detention centre, and he (Jaramogi) would have proceeded to be Kenya’s first head of state?

As far as my knowledge of pre/post-independence history is concerned, Mboya was a mere labour union official (much like present day Francis Atwoli) who was jealous of Jaramogi's close relationship with Kenyatta and was desperate to get close to Kenyatta so as to up his political chances in the Kenyatta succession that was sure coming after independence. If Kenyatta radically changed midstream and converted from hero to villain, and even in the process fell out with his Kapenguria cellmates and Jaramogi regarding land redistribution and sharing of the national cake, how does this become a creation of Jaramogi?

iii) Despite his many years in the opposition trying to create the image of a nationalist, when the first multi-party elections were called, Odinga snr could not get national support and instead made a tribal deal with the Bukusu (Luhya sect) but this was not enough to win the elections or even to beat second placed Kenneth Matiba.

Please do not display your ignorance of multi-party politics in Kenya on this esteemed blog. Odinga did not try to create an image of a nationalist. That he WAS a nationalist who was later to be christened the DOYEN OF OPPOSITION POLITICS in Kenya are matters of FACT and not fiction. This was not without reason and his record speaks for itself. His quest for the presidency in 1992 was successful in so far as the prevailing circumstances then goes.

Although he was number 4 in the highly rigged elections in which Moi led Matiba, Kibaki and Odinga in that order, it is well known that Matiba and Kibaki were number 2 and number 3 because of reasons I have explained elsewhere on this board and as proof, the MPs who got elected to parliament in their respective political parties were all clustered in one region!

In contrast, No. 4 Jaramogi's party FORD-K managed to obtain an MP from each province in this republic a feat that not even KANU or any other party for that matter has achieved to date. In subsequent by-elections in Webuye, Kisauni, Kasarani/Mathare, FORD-K emerged tops despite the then mighty KANU machinery. Which national party did Mboya, Moi or Kenyatta lead? Please Chris, you can do much much better than try to twist history here!

I am further inclined to believe that FORD-K was the most effective official opposition since the advent of multi-part politics. For instance, without FORD-K, the famous IPPG reforms would never have come to fruition and by now it is probable that Kumekucha himself could as well have been wasting away in Manyani or Shimo-la-Tewa prison for running this blog. Chris you have every reason to thank Jaramogi for bringing together level headed and highly courageous young turks together in FORD-K to fight the might of Moi and KANU. While we are at it, could you please enumerate any political or constitutional achievement of significance that Mboya brought forth in his more than a decade long career in Kenyan politics and if any such achievements are impacting positively on the life of any Kenyan today?

If Bukusu’s vote for FORD-K in 1992 is tribal, what was Matiba’s (FORD-Asili) vote from Kakamega in the same region and the same election? What was Moi’s from NEP or Kibaki’s from Maasai land? Arent all these regions in Kenya? What about those who stood in their own areas and failed; like Mukaru N'gan'ga of KENDA and George Moseti Anyona of KSC? I am kindly asking you to spare us this shameless hypocrisy and tell the facts as they are.

iv) Contrast Mboya and Odinga senior. Odinga's support in the 60s was tribal where all Luos were supposed to follow him blindly without question. Mboya represented a cosmopolitan constituency where the intelligent voters had to be convinced with intelligent arguments and actions rather than mere words. Mboya resisted all calls to go back to his "easier" rural home (although admittedly he was virtually unknown there having grown up mostly amongst the Akamba people and the Kikuyu in parts of Kenya very far away from his home in Rusinga Island. Odinga saw this as a weakness he could exploit in Mboya and played the tribal card again and again against him.

You see, what you are trying to imply here is that it is negative tribalism for Jaramogi to be MP for Bondo, while it is quite alright for Kenyatta to represent Gatundu, or Kibaki to represent Othaya, or Moi to represent Baringo. Is Bondo not part of Kenya?

Incidentally, Kibaki was MP for Bahati in Nairobi before relocating to his Othaya in Nyeri. Chris does not see anything wrong with this, but continues to see something wrong with Jaramogi reprepresenting Bondo, which he only represented for a year or two before his unfortunate demise. All the other leaders served their home constituencies for life with current President Kibaki now approaching half a century of representing his birth place of Othaya yet Chris see this quite perfect.

There are only 8 constituencies in Nairobi against 210 others spread all over the country. Do we take it that one can only be a nationalist if one represents any of the 8 constituencies in Nairobi? Are the likes of Maina Kamanda, David Mwenje, Norman Nyagah, Beth Mugo or Simon Mbugua all nationalists since they were all elected MPs in Nairobi like our ‘hero’ Mboya? Incidentally Chris, and just for the records ODM boasts the first non-indigenous Kenya MP outside Nairobi through the election of one Shakeel Shabir in Kisumu. Another Kenyan Somali councillor was also elected Mayor of Migori. Can a Maasai or a Luhya be elected councillor and then Mayor say in Mwingi or Nyeri? For ODM, this has already come to pass and this is apart from being the party boasting the most widespread MPs nationally. So which is the tribal party, is it ODM or ODM-K and PNU?

I see your pro-Mboya posts as a wicked attempt at trying to influence young voters through gross misinterpretation of facts. Only the truth (and reforms) shall set us free. Not fables published by Kumekucha and packaged as history.

IDPs Revisited: Paved Road to Self-Destruction

That the absence of war does not necessarily mean peace has never been truer for Kenya. After staring apocalypse in the face following the bungled elections, all we have to our credit is making false impressions of motion without any trace of commensurate movements.

At our element best we settled for political expediency in superficial and cosmetic political theatrics cobbled as selfish power sharing while conveniently glossing over the fundamentals under agenda four.

Look around you and what do you see? The IDPs continue to transform themselves into permanent refugee status within their own country. Meanwhile the very leaders who are the cause and source of their Kenya horrid predicament have their eyes singularly trained on the next political trophy which is another 2000 days away. Unwittingly cheering these scoundrels on are the Kenyan Diaspora with the MOVE ON mantra as our kin and kiths continue to starve in IDP camps. But again, who cares venturing in stale non-industrious ventures anyway?

Not only have we exported our village stereotypes abroad but we even continue to give it an abstract sheen albeit packaged as objective road map. Meanwhile the tribal chiefs continue to milk dry our motherland auctioning any prized jewel within her borders.

The gimmick of power sharing is not worth the paper it is written on. A closer look will disabuse any pretence of break from fraudulent schemes to feather the ruling elite’s nests at our collective peril. The facade of Kenyan being at peace is surely the lull before the ultimate storm. In our penchant to bandage festering national wounds we prefer to gloat over smokescreens of progress in our shameless antic to continue digging while stuck in the deep hole. Soon and very soon, we have nobody but ourselves to blame when the balloon of deception is finally pierced by reality.

Peddling tribal hemlock
Just like Moi used to believe that a country prospered on mere strength of PEACE, LOVE and UNITY empty slogans, we continue to be led by people whose collective strengths are premised on vices. The GCG is nothing but a product of international pressure and no Kenyan politician can take any credit for it as evident in no efforts to own it towards it. We are back to old and dirty political games of scheming and nobody is taking lessons from the near-Armageddon to build sustainable structures for that contribute to national peace.

Almost 10 months down the road, the IDPs have been relegated to footnotes of our national conscience as the political plots thicken with alliances and pseudo alliances. Every corner of Kenya is teaming with non-reversing 2012 presidential convoys emitting fake miracles in their wake.

How I wish these scoundrels would devote half the energy and the same passion fighting our national basics of poverty and harmony. But that is a wish with wheels to ride on in Kenya. Instead the reality remains serial and shameless peddling of tribal hemlock. Surely, we must be condemned to the curse of living a collective national lie.

Should Parliament Abolish Moi Day?

Today is Moi Day in Kenya. Under Chapter 110 of the laws of the country, October 10 of each year is recognised as a public holiday since the year 1989 when it was passed into law by parliament during KANU's rule.

However, since Moi’s retirement in 2002, the day has become a low key event without the traditional military marches, fly-overs and traditional choirs at all provincial and district headquarters.

Instead, most Kenyans stay away from school, work and their businesses or stay at home even as they wait for yet another public holiday on October 20 known as Kenyatta Day. Moi himself says Kenyans should reflect on this day by helping the less fortunate in society (sic). Walking through Nairobi Wests' Birongo Square today, the picture one gets looks more like a car wash / beer drinking day.

This month alone Kenya will have three public holidays given that Muslims celebrated they Idd Ul Fitr just last last week. Hindis also have their Diwali in October. The Hindi faith is a major employer in Kenya.

Whereas it is quite in order for humans to have adequate rest periods for purposes of health and safety and also to allow necessary participation in family, recreational, social and political activities, I have tried to figure out the relevance of these two public holidays and to be quite honest, I cannot see any benefit Kenyans get out of them.

Not only are the two October holidays a regrettable waste of resources and man-hours, they are also complete waste of time which is a tragic reality considering the gigantic task involved in turning this country around. I believe it is high time parliament relieved Kenyans of the huge burden arising out of these two holidays. If parliament sees it necessary that Kenyatta Day be retained because of historical significance, then I can only suggest that it be renamed Heroes Day or Wazalendo Day or whatever, but just not to name it to one individual who caused Kenya more harm than good in their life time.

On the other hand, the origins and current purpose of Moi Day does not provide any value addition to the Kenyan of today. Moi Day was made legal as a result of the egoistic nature of the then President who wanted to feel at par with his own predecessor (Kenyatta) who had a day (October 20) named after him. Moi even went as far as christening just about any public institution in his own name.

These are some of the favours that Hon Linturi and Hon Ababu should be extending to Kenyans in the 10th parliament au sio jamaa?

Thank You Judge Krigler for Saving Kenyans from Themselves

You don’t choose to live a national lie and expect to be delivered from chronic deceit by a foreigner. That good old Judge Krielger passed a verdict that pleased nobody was no surprise. Since Kofi Annan couldn’t stay here forever to persuade us from hacking each other, he had to find a spare hand to pay in doing the thankless job of saving Kenyans from their murderous selves.

Judge Kriegler came and witnessed first hand our DECEPTION IMMORTALIZED. Being no fool he had to leave us holding onto our skunk of living the eternal lie we have perfected as a nation. Listening to the old Afrikaner wax intellectual by rubbing it in that ours is a lost course of serial sham election, one would be forgiven for labelling him as patronizing and condescending. But who cares provided you don’t upset the political cart, the looters can pat you on the back for reinventing a wheel that is not even round in the first place.

You see in reminding us of the ruinous Moi ERROR, Kriegler has overtaken every average Kenyan in setting the bar to its lowest level. Are we not the same people who elevate tokenism to obscene heights as the ruling class auctions Kenya to the lowest bidders? You don’t need post apartheid electoral experience to dissect dysfunctional and incompetent ECK. Kivuitu may epitomize last year’s bungled polls but concentrating exclusively on his head is akin to blaming the dog for a vicious attack while exonerating the master who order the bitch in the first place.

Living eternal political lie
Last year’s electoral fraud was the culmination of an elaborate plan to maintain status quo at whatever price. It is only that concentration of the outcome while remain oblivious of the process left the perpetrators criminally exposed. Even the equally senile Mugabe had the presence of mind to allow himself to be defeated if only to proceed to the second round of voting where he knew the die was cast and he didn’t disappoint. At least Zimbabwe is re-enacting Kenya in the reverse albeit painfully so. We have set the worst and most shameful political precedent in killing the spirit and body of competitive politics.

True to a lawyer's forte of wordiness bereft of direction while conveniently avoiding the challenge at hand, Judge Kriegler declared NO WINNER. The next basic and logical consequence would have been recommending fresh polls. But Kriegler knew his script inside out and apologists of Kenya’s status quo will promptly raise the red flag of opening old wounds. Well, we better nurse the festering wound till the doctor comes with the saw calling for the limb’s severance before our body collectively succumb to septic shock. Well, let us enjoy the swim till we drown in pus.

Escapists may wish to call it flogging a dead horse. The truth is this baggage will hang on our necks for the rest of our lives. Meanwhile we suffer the absolute perils of living a political lie. Kriegler came, lived and conquered. Thank you Judge Krigler. May you judiciously transfer the Kenyan experience to save your smouldering native South Africa from herself too.