As Hillary Clinton struggles with a $20 million campaign debt, the whole world seems to have broken into song, dance and celebrations over the Barack Obama democratic presidential win. It is like the man is already president. From London to virtually every African capital you can think of, the name Obama is in the headlines. Believe me, I checked.
I will not pretend to even understand the Obama phenomenon. I leave that to more informed writers than myself. But for this post, I want to talk about just a few of the Kenyan things that tickle me most about an Obama presidency. In fact they tickled me considerably even as I wrote them.
It is quite possible that the next president of the United States spent several nights not too long ago sleeping on the couch in the tiny sitting crowded sitting room of some middle class Nairobi estate.
Don’t even mention the fact that the man who many (including Kumekucha) believe will be the next occupant of the Oval office in the White House rode in a crowded matatu where any Kenyan will tell you humans are packed better than sardines, and nobody gave him a seat. Hahahahahahahaha.
Let us not even talk about the young senators’ emotional visit to the humble village in Luo Nyanza, Kenya where the man who sired him was born, hugging village sweaty folk who cannot even spell the word deodorant.
At a time when everything seems to split the country into two, from the disputed elections to the Safaricom IPO, the amnesty debate and God knows what, it is really great that Obamamania is here with us at a time like this. Something that we can all cheer about irrespective of which part of the country any of us comes from.
But even more importantly we can get inspired once again that as horrible and unfair as the world seems to be, it is still possible for anybody to make good.
Now let me ask a simple question... How many guys out of those jokers we call our leaders have done any of the things Obama has done?
Late Extra: Slain Journalist Told Friends That He Feared For His Life
Investigations into the horrifying murder of the Reuters journalist Trent Keegan continue in earnest. I am informed by sources that detectives are following several leads. Interpol too has joined in the investigations. I too hope for the best but earlier information I received tells me that they will get absolutely nowhere. Mainly because of the kind of people suspected to have been involved, this one will require intervention at the highest level and even then there are no guarantees that anything will come out of it because once again “the stones may be way too heavy to turn.” My heart goes out to this brave soul who dived into the murky waters called Kenya completely taken in by the façade which continues to fool many.
Apparently the slain journalist feared for his life and told friends so. See the story HERE.
P.S. The following information is for the sake of those who are new to this blog. Some remarks were made yesterday implying that I publish speculation in my main posts. Older readers will know that we have an admirable record of accuracy and one of the reasons is my policy of not using any major information unless I get verification from two independent sources. Sadly because of the way I get most of my information I cannot name sources and many times I even have to disguise my real source of information to defend the brave people who trust me enough to pass on usually explosive stuff.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Thursday, June 05, 2008
The Big Boys: Raila Enters Global Political Arena in Style
As V-P leads ministers in prematurely absolving ECK of electoral malpractices
The Big Boys:Nkurunziza, Mutharika, Mbeki, Schwab, Kufuor, Odinga
(WEF 04/06/2008) (Picture courtesy World Economic Forum)
In his first official trip abroad as Prime Minister, Raila is significantly representing Kenya at the World Economic Forum in Cape Town, South Africa where more than a dozen African leaders together with over 800 participants from 50 countries are participating in the 18th World Economic Forum on Africa. WEF is a prestigious global event which brings together senior government figures and high-level international business leaders in order to plan for a more integrated world and at the same time help both groups make connections which will boost investments.
That Raila Odinga is leading Kenya’s high powered delegation to WEF speaks volumes about the elevated status of Kenya’s statesman. His opening remarks at the conference clearly indicate the formal emergence of Raila in global politics. It also signifies a new chapter in Kenya’s dormant foreign affairs policy.
In a keynote speech at the opening plenary session yesterday, Raila was accorded a thunderous applause by conference delegates when he rebuked African leaders whom he accused of turning a blind eye to poor governance and disrespect of democracy. Said Raila: "The mediocrity with which Africa has been ruled is what is responsible for African underdevelopment."
To more applause, he also attacked Zimbabwe's government: "Still today, it is unfortunate that in an African country elections can be held and no results are announced for more than one month, and African leaders are silent about it. It would not happen in Europe."
These remarks were made in front of six African Heads of State including Thabo Mbeki of South Africa who many hold directly responsible for sustaining the dictatorship of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe. No other African leader, even within the SADC, has ever told-off Mbeki to his face on his preferred and obviously unworkable method of ‘quiet-diplomacy’ while the majority of Zimbabwean citizens languish in poverty and widespread hunger. Read the news report on Raila's speech here.
Back in Kenya, in an even more politically significant development, the Nairobi Star daily newspaper published an interesting report today that said Raila is due to be reinvented when he shall be installed as a Kikuyu Elder in a ceremony to be held on July 20 at the famous Riringu Stadium a few miles from Mukuruwe wa Nyagathanga – the mythical home of the Kikuyu Adam and Eve – Gikuyu and Mumbi. The ceremony is being organized by a group of Kikuyu elders and politicians operating under the umbrella of economic inclined MEGA – a breakaway faction of the tribal inclined GEMA – which incidentally also held a meeting recently in a bid to reinvent itself.
The same day Raila was addressing the WEF conference, a group of cabinet ministers led by V-P Kalonzo Musyoka were making categorical and shocking remarks that not one single individual in the ECK will ever be charged in a court of law for events that led to the post election violence last December! Kalonzo insisted that ECK Commissioners did not commit any electoral malpractices and that Kivuitu and all his fellow commissioners would go ahead a serve their full terms.
While Raila is representing Kenya at economically beneficial event in SA, the PNU crowd are busy opening healed wounds and trying very hard to trigger ethnic divisions in Embakasi constituency in the name of campaigning for a PNU candidate.
What has shocked observers is that although the Kriegler commission has just begun its work, it seems Kenyans are being prepared in advance to accept that whatever the findings of the Kriegler team, its recommendations will not be acted upon. This was the Vice President of Kenya speaking without batting an eyelid.
The conduct of leaders in handling public affairs has never been under so much scrutiny. What has happened in this country since December 2007 has clearly built and fortified the image of Raila to an impregnable level and he is now a depiction of an accomplished African statesman who has shown great level of restraint, torelance and leadership at a time when Kalonzo, Uhuru, Karua and their henchmen are hell bent on driving this nation towards ruin. The principals of good governance that Raila spoke about at the WEF conference cannot be seen in the utterances of any of our local PNU leaders.
This is why I am today making a prediction that many will agree with. Barring an assassination, continental pundits, including yours trully, have already placed their bets that Raila will be Kenya’s next president and ODM will leave the Kalonzo/Uhuru/Karua axis trailing a distant second.
The next elections are scheduled for 2012 but may come as early as 2010 depending on the unity of the grand coalition government and also whether or not a new constitution passes the referendum test.
Have you placed your bet yet?
The Big Boys:Nkurunziza, Mutharika, Mbeki, Schwab, Kufuor, Odinga(WEF 04/06/2008) (Picture courtesy World Economic Forum)
In his first official trip abroad as Prime Minister, Raila is significantly representing Kenya at the World Economic Forum in Cape Town, South Africa where more than a dozen African leaders together with over 800 participants from 50 countries are participating in the 18th World Economic Forum on Africa. WEF is a prestigious global event which brings together senior government figures and high-level international business leaders in order to plan for a more integrated world and at the same time help both groups make connections which will boost investments.
That Raila Odinga is leading Kenya’s high powered delegation to WEF speaks volumes about the elevated status of Kenya’s statesman. His opening remarks at the conference clearly indicate the formal emergence of Raila in global politics. It also signifies a new chapter in Kenya’s dormant foreign affairs policy.
In a keynote speech at the opening plenary session yesterday, Raila was accorded a thunderous applause by conference delegates when he rebuked African leaders whom he accused of turning a blind eye to poor governance and disrespect of democracy. Said Raila: "The mediocrity with which Africa has been ruled is what is responsible for African underdevelopment."
To more applause, he also attacked Zimbabwe's government: "Still today, it is unfortunate that in an African country elections can be held and no results are announced for more than one month, and African leaders are silent about it. It would not happen in Europe."
These remarks were made in front of six African Heads of State including Thabo Mbeki of South Africa who many hold directly responsible for sustaining the dictatorship of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe. No other African leader, even within the SADC, has ever told-off Mbeki to his face on his preferred and obviously unworkable method of ‘quiet-diplomacy’ while the majority of Zimbabwean citizens languish in poverty and widespread hunger. Read the news report on Raila's speech here.
Back in Kenya, in an even more politically significant development, the Nairobi Star daily newspaper published an interesting report today that said Raila is due to be reinvented when he shall be installed as a Kikuyu Elder in a ceremony to be held on July 20 at the famous Riringu Stadium a few miles from Mukuruwe wa Nyagathanga – the mythical home of the Kikuyu Adam and Eve – Gikuyu and Mumbi. The ceremony is being organized by a group of Kikuyu elders and politicians operating under the umbrella of economic inclined MEGA – a breakaway faction of the tribal inclined GEMA – which incidentally also held a meeting recently in a bid to reinvent itself.
The same day Raila was addressing the WEF conference, a group of cabinet ministers led by V-P Kalonzo Musyoka were making categorical and shocking remarks that not one single individual in the ECK will ever be charged in a court of law for events that led to the post election violence last December! Kalonzo insisted that ECK Commissioners did not commit any electoral malpractices and that Kivuitu and all his fellow commissioners would go ahead a serve their full terms.
While Raila is representing Kenya at economically beneficial event in SA, the PNU crowd are busy opening healed wounds and trying very hard to trigger ethnic divisions in Embakasi constituency in the name of campaigning for a PNU candidate.
What has shocked observers is that although the Kriegler commission has just begun its work, it seems Kenyans are being prepared in advance to accept that whatever the findings of the Kriegler team, its recommendations will not be acted upon. This was the Vice President of Kenya speaking without batting an eyelid.
The conduct of leaders in handling public affairs has never been under so much scrutiny. What has happened in this country since December 2007 has clearly built and fortified the image of Raila to an impregnable level and he is now a depiction of an accomplished African statesman who has shown great level of restraint, torelance and leadership at a time when Kalonzo, Uhuru, Karua and their henchmen are hell bent on driving this nation towards ruin. The principals of good governance that Raila spoke about at the WEF conference cannot be seen in the utterances of any of our local PNU leaders.
This is why I am today making a prediction that many will agree with. Barring an assassination, continental pundits, including yours trully, have already placed their bets that Raila will be Kenya’s next president and ODM will leave the Kalonzo/Uhuru/Karua axis trailing a distant second.
The next elections are scheduled for 2012 but may come as early as 2010 depending on the unity of the grand coalition government and also whether or not a new constitution passes the referendum test.
Have you placed your bet yet?
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