There is a memorable photograph taken by the Nation newspapers in 1990 that shows, President Kibaki, then the health minister viewing the remains of Dr Ouko.
Many Kenyans were sure in 2002 that with Kibaki in State House, the killers of Dr Ouko would finally face justice. Today as the president completes the final leg of his five-year term, it is clear that this will never happen under his watch. It is also clear that if re-elected, chances are nil that anything will happen in this regard.
Yet the president should have taken a leadership role in getting Ouko's killers to face justice, especially when there is enough evidence available to convict, according to expert opinion.
Why is it so important to bring to book the known murderers of Ouko? The best answer to that question is another question. How can Kenyans look at themselves in the mirror every morning and keep a straight face while ignoring this brutal murder of 17 years ago as not being important or even a priority at the moment?
Well, the past is about to catch up with the Kenyan people in a most unpleasant way. The people who killed Ouko have refused to let go of politics and are now positioning themselves to influence the forthcoming elections in a major way and thus deny Kenyans the dream of a genuine new beginning that most desire deeply. These are powerful and devious persons who are greedy and selfish and if not stopped will plunge this country into chaos. Sadly these people are friends of the Kibaki administration.
Somebody who has killed, is bound to kill again and again. Is this what Kenyans want to live with, more so in view of escalating crime in the country?
It is interesting how every criticism of the Kibaki government these days is viewed as "tribal". Just launch a site today and dare criticize the Kibaki administration. The result would be that "angry" readers calling you an uncircumcised Luo (most of the leaders that the most powerful nation in the world, America has had over the centuries have been uncircumcised so what is the big deal all about?) and a Raila Odinga sympathizer would soon litter your blog.
But let us all sober up for a minute and analyze this situation candidly for a moment. A vote for Kibaki in the forthcoming elections will be a vote to retain the status quo. It does not matter what tribe you are, but if you can live with a clean conscience when the murder of an innocent Kenyan, whose only mistake was to fail to be as corrupt as his colleagues in the cabinet, still hangs heavily over the country… when a widow still lives in fear in this great nation and when persons in far away lands still peer anxiously over their shoulders wondering if some gunman will suddenly emerge from nowhere to pump bullets into them…
If you can cast a vote for the incumbent and not be bothered in your conscience about a murder most foul and so brutal that Dr Ouko painfully fractured bones in his leg before he died, not to mention other torturous acts committed against him before death finally and mercifully came through a bullet fired by a gun held next to his head…
If my fellow Kenyan you can vote and live with those facts, and still play with your children and grand children knowing that you want a good secure future for them in this country…
…then I have no words for you. It really does not matter what tribe you are.
Exlusive: Kumekucha Talks To John Troon About Ouko Murder Evidence
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Why Crime Reporter Stephen Muiruri Was Forced To Resign
A guest writer offers a different and revealing view to the Muiruri case
I first met Stephen Muiruri in Machakos town where I had gone to 'chase' a follow up story on the accident that president Kibaki was involved in on December 8, 2002 on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway at the Machakos turn off popularly known as Makutano
He had also traveled from the city with a photographer and we met outside the offices of the traffic base commander where he was chatting with local correspondents and asking questions about the near fatal crash that almost killed the presidential aspirant who went on to occupy the highest office in the land.
When I learnt that this was the legendary crime reporter, Muiruri, I was shocked beyond belief. For starters, he spoke broken English with a heavy Kikuyu accent and was so full of himself that he did not notice that the local stringers were having a hard time in understanding what he was saying.
I was to learn later that he had gotten the job at the Nation through 'strings' pulled by the powerful editorial director Wangethi Mwangi who is now under intense pressure to resign over a sex scandal that has rocked the giant Aga Khan owned Media group. But again, that is another story.
When Muiruri tendered his resignation last week and wrote a long letter explaining the circumstances to colleagues (which leaked and was posted on the web), it came as no surprise to many who had been carefully following the "Muiruri" case as his departure was long overdue and could be part of the problem that has caused a lot of discontent among junior and senior graduate reporters who earned less than Muiruri in spite of their qualifications.
Lets give the devil his dues, Muiruri had impeccable sources and contacts and this enabled the Nation get exclusives including his last major scoop where he amazingly revealed the individuals who had been short-listed to take over from the former CID boss, Joseph Kamau.
Among the four candidates Muiruri talked about in his articles was Gatiba Karanja who was later appointed to the post, a fact that went down badly with police commissioner Hussein Ali who works closely with Wangethi Mwangi and NMG boss Linus Gitahi, this is according to Muiruri's resignation letter that was reproduced in this blog.
According to Muiruri's letter it is obvious that they were very good friends with the former CID director, Mr Kamau who intervened on his behalf when senior police officers wanted to acquire a police bonded vehicle that Muiruri's cousin had already paid for among two other cars that were put up for auction.
Muiruri was later accused by Wangethi and Gitahi of having been bribed by Kamau with a car. Muiruri's bosses at NMG also claimed that he was receiving cash from the CID boss from time to time to give him favorable coverage.
Considering the way Kamau and Muiruri worked together, the accusations were plausible although there was no shred of evidence. But again, bosses don’t need evidence when they are accusing their subordinates; talk of the saying that 'the boss is always right'
It seems that Police commissioner Ali may have put pressure on the Nation to get rid of "Kamau's man". More so when the commissioner is keen to control the flow of information to the media and what ultimately gets published as far as crime and security related stories are concerned. Although chances are that Mururi will carry his contacts with him to his next job, no other newspaper in the country has the kind of circulation and reach that the Nation has. The damage to Ali, if any, will therefore be minimal.
It is no secret that Muiruri's articles were badly written with grammatical errors but his stories were factual and in most cases very accurate. In many senior reporting position the world over, good writing is not the most important skill editor's seek, since there are sub-editors who often re-write many stories while keeping the facts intact. Muiruri's value was obviously evident in his investigative skills and excellent contacts. However it seems that the lad had outlived his time at NMG and what better time to force him out than now when a major shakeup is in progress amid the damaging sex scandal where the name of group managing editor, Joseph Odindo has also featured. Odindo is one of the most experienced and respected journalists in Kenya today.
NMG will not miss Muiruri all that much as sometime last year, another crime reporter, Dominic Wabala left the STANDARD and joined Nation and is already filling in for Muiruri. Wabala is experienced and a very seasoned crime reporter who also has his own impeccable sources of many years, not to mention his grasp for written and spoken English which is excellent.
This is not the last among the unceremonious exits from the Nation as the purge is in progress amid the imminent exposure of a sex scandal involving top editorial staff and their juniors in the newsroom in a sex-for-promotion scam that disgruntled employees have anonymously said they will expose details of on March 1. This blog is among those that the employees intend to use to expose the sleaze.
Exlusive: Kumekucha Talks To John Troon About Ouko Murder Evidence
I first met Stephen Muiruri in Machakos town where I had gone to 'chase' a follow up story on the accident that president Kibaki was involved in on December 8, 2002 on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway at the Machakos turn off popularly known as Makutano
He had also traveled from the city with a photographer and we met outside the offices of the traffic base commander where he was chatting with local correspondents and asking questions about the near fatal crash that almost killed the presidential aspirant who went on to occupy the highest office in the land.
When I learnt that this was the legendary crime reporter, Muiruri, I was shocked beyond belief. For starters, he spoke broken English with a heavy Kikuyu accent and was so full of himself that he did not notice that the local stringers were having a hard time in understanding what he was saying.
I was to learn later that he had gotten the job at the Nation through 'strings' pulled by the powerful editorial director Wangethi Mwangi who is now under intense pressure to resign over a sex scandal that has rocked the giant Aga Khan owned Media group. But again, that is another story.
When Muiruri tendered his resignation last week and wrote a long letter explaining the circumstances to colleagues (which leaked and was posted on the web), it came as no surprise to many who had been carefully following the "Muiruri" case as his departure was long overdue and could be part of the problem that has caused a lot of discontent among junior and senior graduate reporters who earned less than Muiruri in spite of their qualifications.
Lets give the devil his dues, Muiruri had impeccable sources and contacts and this enabled the Nation get exclusives including his last major scoop where he amazingly revealed the individuals who had been short-listed to take over from the former CID boss, Joseph Kamau.
Among the four candidates Muiruri talked about in his articles was Gatiba Karanja who was later appointed to the post, a fact that went down badly with police commissioner Hussein Ali who works closely with Wangethi Mwangi and NMG boss Linus Gitahi, this is according to Muiruri's resignation letter that was reproduced in this blog.
According to Muiruri's letter it is obvious that they were very good friends with the former CID director, Mr Kamau who intervened on his behalf when senior police officers wanted to acquire a police bonded vehicle that Muiruri's cousin had already paid for among two other cars that were put up for auction.
Muiruri was later accused by Wangethi and Gitahi of having been bribed by Kamau with a car. Muiruri's bosses at NMG also claimed that he was receiving cash from the CID boss from time to time to give him favorable coverage.
Considering the way Kamau and Muiruri worked together, the accusations were plausible although there was no shred of evidence. But again, bosses don’t need evidence when they are accusing their subordinates; talk of the saying that 'the boss is always right'
It seems that Police commissioner Ali may have put pressure on the Nation to get rid of "Kamau's man". More so when the commissioner is keen to control the flow of information to the media and what ultimately gets published as far as crime and security related stories are concerned. Although chances are that Mururi will carry his contacts with him to his next job, no other newspaper in the country has the kind of circulation and reach that the Nation has. The damage to Ali, if any, will therefore be minimal.
It is no secret that Muiruri's articles were badly written with grammatical errors but his stories were factual and in most cases very accurate. In many senior reporting position the world over, good writing is not the most important skill editor's seek, since there are sub-editors who often re-write many stories while keeping the facts intact. Muiruri's value was obviously evident in his investigative skills and excellent contacts. However it seems that the lad had outlived his time at NMG and what better time to force him out than now when a major shakeup is in progress amid the damaging sex scandal where the name of group managing editor, Joseph Odindo has also featured. Odindo is one of the most experienced and respected journalists in Kenya today.
NMG will not miss Muiruri all that much as sometime last year, another crime reporter, Dominic Wabala left the STANDARD and joined Nation and is already filling in for Muiruri. Wabala is experienced and a very seasoned crime reporter who also has his own impeccable sources of many years, not to mention his grasp for written and spoken English which is excellent.
This is not the last among the unceremonious exits from the Nation as the purge is in progress amid the imminent exposure of a sex scandal involving top editorial staff and their juniors in the newsroom in a sex-for-promotion scam that disgruntled employees have anonymously said they will expose details of on March 1. This blog is among those that the employees intend to use to expose the sleaze.
Exlusive: Kumekucha Talks To John Troon About Ouko Murder Evidence
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