PNU Mandarins ‘STUNNED’ by US Support to PM's Office

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STUNNED, STUNNING, STUNS.
1. To daze or render senseless, by or as if by a blow.
2. To overwhelm or daze with a loud noise.
3. To stupefy, as with the emotional impact of an experience; astound.
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PNU mandarins are reportedly ‘STUNNED’ by the announcement that the US government has pledged US$500,000 (Sh30.5 million) direct funding to sustain the development and smooth running of the newly created Prime Minister’s office. What is raising eyebrows is that the funds will be channeled directly to the PM's office and not via Treasury (Ministry of Finance).

One such mandarin is Kalonzo Musyoka’s sidekick and newly appointed Assistant Minister of Defence, Hon David Musila. He is quoted by the VOA accusing the government of US of behaving as if there are two governments in Kenya. You can read/listen to his remarks here.

While making the announcement, US ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger was not sitting at Foreign Affairs Minister Wetangula’s office. He was infact making the politically unpalatable remarks in an interview with a local newspaper which quotes him saying that his country is putting "a lot of hope" in the PM’s office because of the role the Constitution has assigned it to co-ordinate and supervise government ministries.

"In a government this large, the role of the Prime Minister is going to be critical. We will work very closely with the Prime Minister in co-ordinating and supervising the Government," the ambassador said.

He added: "We recognise that critical role, and that is why we are ready to give money to strengthen the office."

To add insult to injury, the Ambassador also announced that the US had invited Prime Minister Raila Odinga to Washington "at a mutually convenient date" to be hosted by the State Department and meet with Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice. He was cagey whether the visit would include a meeting at White House with President George Bush. Raila, Ranneberger added, was being invited to the US because of the importance Washington attaches to his role as the one "constitutionally required to supervise and co-ordinate the activities of government". Pressed to explain why the invitation was not extended to Mwai Kibaki as Head of State, the ambassador said he remained in close touch with Kibaki, adding that the President had been on a state visit to the US before.

"We are inviting the PM so that we can review assistance here and show that we can co-ordinate closely. The US has such a large partnership with Kenya and we want to ensure it is properly co-ordinated," he elaborated.

Following the desputed elections in December, President Kibaki sent a number of envoys to foreign countries in an attempt to gain legitimacy. President Kibaki appointed Uhuru Kenyatta, Raphael Tuju, George Saitoti and Moses Wetangula as special envoys to brief world leaders on the political crisis in the country caused by his disputed election as president. Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said yesterday the envoys would visit several African states and brief their heads of state about “the genuine situation in the country,” instead of relying on the international media. Uhuru Kenyatta was reportedly kept waiting and never given audience by Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, who went on to support Anan’s efforts in creating a power sharing deal. It is unclear whether the other envoys made any headway because only one or two world leaders congratulated Kibaki on his "re-election". Bloggers here will also remember that Kalonzo Musyoka, as newly appointed VP, made whistle-stop tours in UK and USA in a FUTILE effort to market the Kenya Government. This was long before the National Accord had been signed.

Surprisingly, there has not been any official statement by Hon. Wetangula or Dr. Mutua on this new development regarding accredited envoys directly funding the PM.

Playing Cheap Political Games With IDPs

The horrid conditions of the IDPs has mutated to a new crisis. Meanwhile the curse of Ps has seen PORTFOLIO give birth to PROTOCOL crisis. Are we jinxed as a nation to be eternally diving into one political crisis after another? Well, we asked for all that befalls as dutifully shepherded by our DULY ELECTED leaders.

The IDP problem must be put into its right context. The truth be told, Kibaki is under immense pressure from his tribesmen to use his presidential powers to resettle them. The Kikuyu Diaspora is alive to the fact that the present political and power dispensation won’t last long. Kibaki is very keen to camouflage the TRIBAL push pretending to be oblivious of the fact that he is the SINGULAR CAUSE of the IDPs.

The protocol crisis is Kibaki succession brought forward albeit in disguise. The objective is to undercut the very force whose hand you are seeking to help you navigate choppy political waters. Don’t fool yourself for a second that Kibaki is above the political fray. The script playing itself is well rehearsed with his knowledge. While he wants to make Kalonzo feel appreciated as a saviour during tumultuous times, the GEMA power brokers will stop at nothing to undermine Raila politically.

Where do these serial goofs and cheap power plays leave the IDPs? These UNFORTUNATE Kenyans remain pawns in the selfish pre and post election game of TRIBAL SUPREMACY. An honest evaluation of the whole charade will reveal that Kibaki needed Raila as a cover to visit the IDPs. Since his BEDROOM swearing in, the THIEF-IN-CHIEF only made a technical appearance in Eldoret before and he knew what a waited him were he to ignore the ODM team.

Cultivate peace not legislate
Kibaki the marionette is captive to ETHNIC supremacists who cannot allow him the luxury of thinking outside the box. True leadership demands leading from the front and by example. Kibaki’s conceived his model of leadership from Kenyatta and weaned it under Moi. Expediency is his FORTE. He prefers quick fixes as the problem smoulders underneath to explode another day. To make resettling the IDPs an event and not a process is akin to placing the cart before the horse, but who cares?

The present IDP problem is symptomatic of our DECEPTIVE leadership. Kenya has been home to more than a million IDPs since 2005. But then these are LESSER Kenyans from the wrong geographical regions who are mere statistics. They cannot be any priority to the DULY ELECTED. Either Kibaki considers Kenyans as dunderheads who can be collectively duped or he can willfully serve them full course of his usual utter CONTEMPT when he preaches peace and reconciliation while remotely entertaining power wars on the same platform.

Peace is CULTIVATED and never LEGISLATED. You cannot afford a policeman for each displaced Kenyan. The IDPs are not naive and will not move back into their previous homes without guaranteed security from both their neighbours and government. Selective quoting of the constitution that you can own property anywhere won’t wash. It only leaves you wondering why that piece of legislation selectively and EXCLUSIVELY applies to only one part of Kenya.