Why Yusuf Hassan Won the Kamukunji Parliamentary Seat

Abdi Yusuf Hassan won the Kamukunji parliamentary seat just a few hours ago garnering 19,030 votes.

He happens to be from PNU and that is what short-sighted political analysts are busy emphasizing on this morning. Had Brian Weke of Narc Kenya (who came in third with 4,064 votes) won then I would have emphasized the role his party played in winning those elections.

Yusuf Hassan the new Kamukunji legislator

Even if ODM’s Ibrahim Mohammed alias Joni (who came in second with15,517) had won I would still NOT have emphasized the party or its’ role in the election victory. Read the full results HERE.

Many so-called political analysts still don’t get it. The vast majority of Kenyans have moved on from this party thing. They are getting wiser by the day in realizing that there is no difference between the political parties, what matters is the individual. They have taken note of the fact that it is not PNU nor ODM legislators who are refusing to pay tax it is the majority of legislators in the current house. Greed, corruption and impunity do not recognize or respect any party lines.

Having said that, there is no denying that money played a major role in the victory of Abdi Yusuf Hassan. The man was backed by some very serious cash and the people behind that cash is what should be of great interest to Kumekuchans just now.

An incident that happened at the Shauri Moyo tallying centre yesterday is an interesting pointer. Makadara MP Gideon Mbuvi arrived riding on a motorcycle and accompanied by over 20 other people also on motorbikes. Mbuvi entered the Shauri Moyo hall and after a short while emerged again but this time with a large group of chanting youths in tow.

Folks, there is a really fascinating thing unfolding within PNU that has a lot of similarities with what happened within ODM in 2007. A group led by Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka is working overnight to increase its’ influence within the lose alliance of parties that is claiming to be a unified party. This group is spending cash like there was no tomorrow. It is not clear where exactly the funds are coming from but the clear agenda is to get the water melon into State house (a mirage for hopeless day dreamers if you ask me). This same group is the one that recently financed the poll by the Nakuru-based Smart Octopus Limited (what a revealing name).

Maybe I should take this opportunity to reveal how these opinion polls are usually done. For starters you must know that doing a national opinion poll is pretty expensive. And I guess that you also know that these companies doing the polls are not NGOS or World Bank sponsored entities, but private profit-making enterprises.

I know what your next question is. Do they even bother to do a poll? Of course they do. If you wanted figures and a breakdown they will give them to you. The only difference is that the figures are tweaked slightly to portray “the client” in good light. So one easy way of establishing who has sponsored a particular poll is to look at the final analysis of the particular pollster which they give in the press briefing they usually hold to release their results.

The tweak done by the Smart Octopus outfit was to announce that one Kalonzo Musyoka is the candidate who would have the greatest majority in the event of a run-off in the next presidential elections. What I find extremely interesting is the timing because we know that many analysts are of the view that the next general election will have to go into a run off with two candidates competing in the final showdown for State house. I am not one of those analysts because I firmly believe that there is a huge chance that the next president of Kenya will be duly elected without a run off. But that is a post for another day because today we are talking about the Kamukunji by-election.

Any doubts that there was a serious money game going on in Kamukunji should be dispelled by the high number of double registration that was detected. Of the 42 voters arrested during the by-election yesterday a staggering 38 were for double registration.

The VPs remarks when the Kamukunji poll results were released was even more illuminating for those who want to know what is really going on behind the scenes. He said: “I congratulate Hassan for emerging victorious. It was a result of unity of purpose in PNU alliance which shows better things are coming,”

Hmmm.........

Who The Hell is Ben Mulwa?

A recent poll carried out by Nakuru-based Smart Octopus Limited on Kenya's possible next president had a shocker. It featured a name that nobody seems to have heard of. Ben Mulwa (pictured). And yet clearly 4% of Kenyans have heard of the name and would have voted for the man if elections were to be held today.
The percentage may seem small but the interesting thing is that Mulwa beat well known politician Martha Karua (3%) in the poll.

Let me shift to the old Kanu mode for a moment because plenty of old school guys must be pretty puzzled now and getting more so even as they read this.

Nani huyu Mulwa. Natoka wapi?

Where has this man been carrying out his campaigns? What political rallies are these that the press did not cover? Who licensed them?

Folks stuff that we have been discussing here for a very long time is coming to pass right before our very eyes. This is an early and clear sign that when it comes to the fourth president of the republic of Kenya, you can only ignore rookies and nobodies at your own peril.

This blogger is still doing plenty of digging to find out exactly who this Ben Mulwa is, but for now we shall focus on what he has done to land on the latest opinion poll for the presidency in 2012.

The man has entered the opinion polls exclusively via Facebook. (Old school: Hio nini?). Yes we have heard the old worn out tale many times; Kenyans are not on the web, the masses have no idea what the World Wide Web is and so it is a waste of time campaigning on the net for any political office.

Really?

Let me take you back for a minute to the disputed 2007 presidential general elections. Those who were Kumekucha regulars must have been rather surprised at the influence this humble little blog seemed to have on public opinion. Actually there is a very simple explanation. The 2007 general elections were the first in Kenya’s history where Kenyans in the diaspora ended up being a major force. You will remember that leading presidential contenders like Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka made several trips abroad to meet Kenyans living mostly in Western countries. These are the Kenyans who have remitted record sums of money back home so much so that these remittances are now the top foreign exchange earner in the country. Many of those Kenyans were naturally very active on the web and many chose Kumekucha as their main blog in the 2007 campaigns. ODM and Raila Odinga cashed in big on this trend. What happened is that these opinion leaders influenced Kenyan politics right up to the grassroots level. With tools like cell phones and text messages the transfer was quick, efficient and in real time. By the time PNU strategists realized what was happening it was too late.

But even before that American President Barrack Obama used social media extensively and it was one of his formidable political weapons. My political contacts in the United States now tell me that the president still maintains close contact with his social media network and they will no doubt play a major role in his re-election bid.

Bottom line, what Ben Mulwa is doing is not new.

But the question that is on everybody’s mind is what has he done differently on social media? A fair question because there are a number of other would-be presidential candidates and actual presidential hopefuls using social media for their campaigns. We didn’t hear their names in the opinion poll.

In my view the reasons for Mulwa’s success thus far is that he started early and his message has been very consistent. He has been telling Kenyans that we need a clean break from the past and that is why they need to seriously consider his candidature. Most of the other presidential candidates on Facebook have been hesitant to announce their real intentions, fearing to do so too early. Admittedly in politics timing is everything. But Mulwa apparently did not have that baggage and has been discussing his presidential agenda on a one to one basis with a wide cross section of Kenyans. And more importantly he has ridden on the wave of angry Kenyans we have been talking about here in Kumekucha who are looking for a clean break with the past. Currently Mulwa seems to be more visible than most when it comes to the rookie candidate Kenyans are looking for to teach the political class a lesson.

Read full results of the Smart Octopus Limited poll HERE.

Why Won’t Miguna Miguna Go Quietly?

Former advisor to PM Raila Odinga Mr Miguna Miguna has refused to leave office quietly and instead is going out kicking and screaming and causing lots of trouble. And most of his “kicks” seem to be aimed directly at his former boss.

So much so that some observers believe that his suspension may have already turned into a permanent sacking. Either that or the man may have read the writing on the wall and realized that he was unlikely to be re-instated and has therefore opted for the Samson option.

Still those who know Miguna well disagree and say that his reaction was predictable and that a better and wiser manager would have anticipated it and taken the necessary precautions to prevent this fall out that cannot be good for a man seeking the presidency in 2012.

The most famous Miguna photo.

The clearest signal thus far that the man’s “kicks” had hit the PM emerged last weekend when a section of ODM MPs on Sunday warned Miguna against “using abusive language” against the PM. The MPs said that Luo Nyanza legislators would meet soon to discuss this unbecoming conduct. See story HERE.

Miguna’s most telling “kick” must have been a long emotional tirade where he accused his former boss of “failing to apologize after dismissing him in a most inhumane way.”

“Unfortunately, he has failed or refused to do so after one whole week. This is neither honourable nor humane. A man who cannot apologise and correct his mistakes has no business pretending to be the symbol of positive change for this country,” Miguna said in a statement.

The former advisor to the PS says that he has sacrificed his professional career, life and even family for Raila Odinga and he was therefore shocked and hurt by the manner his case was handled.

This is exactly the kind of rhetoric that would cause rival PNU strategists and insiders to break into song and dance while doing a jig or two at the same time. Indeed had the support to the PM been of a less emotional nature one could have predicted that Miguna will turn into a chief campaigner for PNU in the run up to 2012. Those who understand Kenyan politics know that just the thought of such a thing is laughable, hilariously so. Besides Miguna may have burnt all his bridges with his youth-winger-take-no-prisoner-politicking when he was working for the PM. His behaviour earned him such hatred in the PNU camp that no serious negotiations would have taken place between his party and PNU in his presence.

Interestingly in his first reaction to his sacking Miguna blamed the ugly head of impunity and vowed to fight against it to the end. It is now clear that the Canadian qualified lawyer has classified his former boss in that camp of practitioners of impunity.

But Miguna has done more than just issue statements with barbs targeted at Raila. He has gone ahead and filed a case against his dismissal.

He has sued Attorney-General Amos Wako and the permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Dr Mohammed Isahakia, demanding at least half of his Sh584,000 a month salary plus allowances and reinstatement of his family medical cover as a first step. He also wants the High Court to lift the suspension.

He is asking the court to compel Dr Isahakia to reinstate his salary, allowances and benefits, which were stopped when he was sent home on August 4 over gross misconduct.

He also wants the court to restore an official driver, armed body guard and security at his house in Nairobi. Miguna says in his suit that he is entitled to not less than half of his salary, full allowances and benefits pending the outcome of the case against him.

He adds that he has been wrongfully locked out of his office and cannot access personal belongings. Not only that, his life has been exposed to risk due to the nature of his office.

In the suit filed at the High Court in Nairobi through lawyer Nelson Havi, Miguna argues that Dr Isahakia and Mr Wako have no power to suspend him because he was a presidential appointee. The decision to suspend him, he claims, was made arbitrarily and should be nullified.

Dr Isahakia did not give him a warning letter detailing the claims against him nor give him a chance to defend himself. He accuses the PS of leaking his suspension letter to the media more than 24 hours before it was delivered to him, instead of recalling him from leave and giving him the letter in a dignified and humane manner.

Every writer has to be careful about what they say concerning a matter that is before the courts but the truth is that Miguna’s demands in his suit are the kind that give the Luo community a bad name and the PNU camp will be busy right now repeating old worn out tales about how the Luo love perks and feeling important so much so that they will easily sacrifice everything else including remuneration for a big office, driver, bodyguard etc.

But even so, one cannot help but sympathize with the man. It seems that Moi dismissal methods have been put to good use in the political party that some Kenyans are looking up to, to bring us to a new era. I guess old habits die hard.

Read earlier Miguna Miguna analysis

The African's Tastes and Desires: Their Economic, Social, Political and Military Implications

By Mwarang'ethe Njoguu

On 13th August, 2011, Chris wrote, “KFC Re - Opens in Nairobi capital of hungry Kenya,” available here: http://is.gd/HCkSvG. Among other stuff, he wrote that, “I think it is possible to sell human waste very successfully in Kenya as long as you can convince people it is from America.” This statement reminded us that, we have had an article which has been sitting on the computer: The African’s Tastes and Desires: Their Economic, Social, Political and Military Implications, in short, the Political Economy of Africans tastes and desires.

Having been inspired by Chris’ essay, we now detail how our tastes and desires are the means by which the imperialists enslave us. Or, how, we enslave ourselves.

First, a true recent story. A few years ago, some Europeans visited a village in Mbeere district. While there, they were served with some chicken and chapati. When they tasted this chicken, they were like, we have never tasted such a nice tasting chicken all our lives and we would love to have it back at home. In fact, many years later, they still want to go back to Kenya, not, to see lions, but, to eat that nice tasting chicken in Mbeere. To many people, this would have been the end of the story. However, this reaction to the taste of a chicken in Mbeere, made us inquire, why is it that, the Europeans are not able to taste our chicken in Europe which would outsell the PLASTIC LOOKING
and TASTING European chicken? After some research and reflection, we have found that, the European rulers understand the POLITICAL ECONOMY of tastes and desires. As such, they control the tastes and desires of their own people.

Now, let us first inquire, what is imperialism? Simply, imperialism is a word used to denote a weird situation whereby, a few or the minority population dominate, rule, rob, subjugate, murder, rape and mis -educate the larger population. How do these minorities manage such a feat? They do so because, the imperialists are aware that, to control people, one must control the consciousness of the subjugated majority. As such, consciousness is a social product created by the interaction with other people. Consciousness should be understood to mean, tastes, desires, knowledge, beliefs, opinions, conditioned emotions, behaviour, world view and unconscious motives. It also involves
methods of information processing, directional aspects of information, i.e. what value do we seek to fulfil?. In this way, then, the objective of the European people since 1492 has been to manipulate the consciousness of the African people to their own use so as to increase their own PROSPERITY AND POWER, i.e. white supremacy. To demonstrate this truths, we will follow, a day in the life of Jinga, a fresh FOOLISH graduate of the IVY LEAGUE of FOOLS in pseudo economics.

It is 5.30 a.m. in the morning when the alarm clock which is made in Taiwan goes off which thereby wakes up Jinga. Having stressed himself, he springs from his bed made in South Africa. Thereafter, he proceeds to make his bed with bedsheets and a blanket, all made from the Egyptians cotton, but, manufactured in Hong Kong. Having made his bed, he puts on his bath robe made from the Egyptian cotton, but, manufactured in China and sleepers made from oil imported from Iran.

Having done this, he walks to the bathroom for a hot shower. As he walks to the bathroom, he is walking on marbles imported from China.

As he enters the bathroom, he stands to pee on a toilet basin designed and imported from South Africa. Thereafter, he enters the shower and closes the shower curtain made from oil imported from Saudi Arabia. He then goes ahead to open the shower using taps made from China. As he opens the shower, a stream of warm water, heated with diesel imported from UK by a UK independent power company streams out for a nice warm shower.

Having finished his shower, Jinga dries himself with a towel made in Vietnam and then proceeds to dress. For his dressings, he puts on a second hand suit imported from the UK, but, was manufactured in Taiwan with the Sudanese cotton. Having dressed himself to look nice, he embarks on his breakfast. However, before he sits for his breakfast, he decides to listen to the latest news and for this, he puts on his TV imported from Japan. For his breakfast, he prepares coffee using a pot imported from China. For the coffee itself, although grown in Kenya, it was processed in Holland by a UK company and then, imported back to Kenya because, it is high quality stuff. He proceeds to use a spoon made in Vietnam to scoop sugar from Brazil. For the bread which he proceeds to cut with a knife made in China, it is processed with wheat imported from the USA as aid, and which was carried by an American flagged ship. Having taken breakfast, Jinga proceeds to brush his teeth with a toothbrush made in Kenyan under a licence from a UK
company. For the toothpaste, it is manufactured in Kenya using imported chemicals from India, by an Anglo - American company.

Having brushed his teeth, he now puts on his shoes imported from Turkey and hits the road to seek a WELL PAYING KENYAN JOB. In his garage, he starts his BMW made in Germany. He then, hits the road which has been recently constructed by the Chinese using Chinese labour and most of the materials. As he cruises on the smooth Chinese made road, he looks around and see a lot of Nissan's, Toyota’s, Range Rovers etc, all imported just like his BMW. Having spent the first three hours without success, Jinga decides to take a cup of coffee in town. For this, he enters Java coffee house which is owned by an American, but, manned by young Kenyan girls dressed in uniforms made from imported cloth from China. With his belly full, he goes on with his search for a WELL PAID KENYAN JOB. Just around 1 p.m., Jinga receives a call from his friend on his Nokia phone owned by Finish company, but, manufactured in China. Lest we forget, his friends phone
is Ericsson owned by Swedish people, but, manufactured in Taiwan and Poland.

His friend asks him if he would want to sit down for lunch. Without hesitation, Jinga says yes. For their lunch, Jinga and his friend decide to eat at the newly opened and popular American KFC. There is no way they would have failed to know about it because, it was given FREE advertising by Larry Oduor of the Nation TV. When there, Jinga and his friend order some chicken and potatoes IMPORTED from Egypt as we can hear here: http://is.gd/ZLVXYp. To drown the fatty chicken, they sip an American Coca Cola. Having taken lunch at the American KFC, Jinga resumes his search for a WELL PAYING KENYAN JOB. To ensure he reaches a few more places, Jinga decides to fuel his BMW. To do so, he drives into a Libyan owned petrol station which sells Libyan oil. Fully loaded, he resumes his search for a WELL PAYING KENYAN JOB.

Having not succeeded in getting a WELL PAYING KENYAN JOB, Jinga, decides to relax at around 5 p.m. by sipping some beer with a few friends in an up market bar. Just like some of his friends, Jinga’s favorite beer is the Scottish owned cold beer stored in a Chinese made fridge, but, which is brewed by Kenya Breweries Limited. However, some of the Jinga’s friends are sophisticated and like such stuff such as the Aberlour Scottish whisky as well as French wine. As they sip their Scottish beer, whisky and French wine, Jinga, just like most Africans who are divided between Manchester and Arsenal fans, they are watching soccer on the TV imported from Japan at the bar. To FOOL the Africans into FINANCIALLY SUPPORTING the European soccer, the European clubs do hire a few black faces from Nigeria and such place. DELUDED that, we are supporting our own, we flock into supporting these teams. To screen the UK football, the Kenyan bar owner had to pay licence fees to the UK owners of the broadcasting rights. To recoup these charges, he sells his Scottish beer, whisky and French wines at a higher price.

Since it is getting late and Jinga does not want to waste time cooking, he and his friends decide to order some nyama choma. Since the current and previous droughts have decimated our cattle, they get beef imported from Tanzania. Just before they leave for their respective houses, which are all “bought” on mortgages which are denominated in the collapsing dollar, they decide to wait a bit longer to watch the latest news, i.e. propaganda by talking heads. As usual, the big news is about the next BIG OPIUM SESSION in 2012. Having watched the news on how different horses are transversing the country using European made helicopters and Hammers made in the USA, Jinga and his friends then start a very animated conversation as to which of the horses will CREATE HIGH PAYING KENYAN JOBS for the unemployed Kenyans like Jinga. After one hour of what Jinga and his friends would call serious debate, they decide that, the horse which has promised to
bring in more foreign investors as PARTNERS with the STATE to build TOLL BOOTHS on our roads is the best candidate. Lest we forget, these foreign investors will repatriate their profits tax free. Who pays for the stuff like the police to protect these foreign investors does not enter Jinga and his friends minds. It is too remote and more so, the local TV and its talking heads has never discussed such non - issues.

Since now it is 11 p.m. Jinga and his friends part ways. Jinga cruises to his house safely and goes straight to bed so that, he can wake up early at 5.30 a.m. to continue his search for a WELL PAID KENYAN JOB. However, at around 4 p.m., he receives a call on his Nokia phone from one of his friends. Fearing for the worst, Jinga is informed that, two of his friends were hijacked, robbed and murdered as they were entering their gate. He is told that, the policemen, using imported Toyota cars from Japan, and radios from the UK, are on hot pursuit of the thugs who have escaped with a Nissan car imported from Japan. He is also told that, the thugs were armed with 4K 47 guns made in Russia. To view his friends bodies, he heads to the Kenyatta National Hospital where some doctors tried to save their lives using x - ray machines and drugs made in Sweden and imported by some Asians.

As the news of the grisly murder is broad cast from our radio and TV stations, all equipped with imported gadgets from Japan and Germany, Jinga, like the rest of the nation demands more policemen in the streets to fight crime. To put more policemen on the streets does require more taxation of local industries and labour. This, to the masses if they are thinking, would make them realise that, more taxation will only bankrupt more local industry which increases imports. However, since the government is afraid of asking for too much tax, after all, how much can Jinga pay? So, in it’s cleverness, the government MONETIZES the debt. However, since there are UNIVERSAL NATURAL ECONOMIC LAWS which no government has ever managed to defy, this clever move leads to INFLATION. With inflation, the FALSE HIGH PRIESTS of the Central Bank increase the cost of money for the local industry. As expected, this only deepens the poverty which will lead
to more thugs. In other words, Jinga and his nation’s solution is to cede their streets to the two groups of armed thugs, i.e. ROBBERS and the POLICE. May the best armed and the most ruthless win!

However, since Jinga like the rest of Africans are educated in FREE TRADE, and MBA’s, this is a non - issue in their minds. As a result, the government decides to increase the number of policemen and have them better equipped with more Toyota cars as opposed to the usual Land Rovers. To the columnists of the Daily Nation and the Standard and the Gema, enriching the Japanese as opposed to the Britons, makes Kibaki a hero who can look East. Also, to aid the police communication system, the government invites some American companies to bring in
better radios, street cameras and such. With the security problem “solved” Jinga like the rest of the nation goes back to business as usual hoping for better times ahead after the coming OPIUM SESSION.

Jinga, like the rest of the nation is unable to understand that, the 2012 OPIUM SESSION will only increase the PARASITES. After all, our IVY LEAGUE of FOOLS legal dons told Kenyans that, increasing the PARASITES is the solution to all their problems.

What is the moral of all this? Simply, the African consciousness has been hijacked. Our conditioned tastes, desires, wishes, values, aspirations etc, are the means by which we further the prosperity and power of all other races. As such, due to the hijacking of our consciousness, we do not value African freedom, liberty, self sufficiency, wealth, dignity etc. This is because, Africans in Africa
and in the Diaspora have catastrophically failed to understand that, our tastes and desires are the means by which we feed others, as we starve; clothe others as we go naked; treat others as we die of diseases; build good houses for others as we live in shacks; educate others as we grapple with illiteracy; provide clean water for others as we drink contaminated water; ensure stable FAMILIES for other communities even as ours crumble into what some IGNORANT FOOLS call black men’s lack of responsibility for families; we provide safe communities even as our are invested with crime and drugs; provide jobs for others as our youth roam streets in search of non - existent jobs; arm other nations to attack us as we see in Ivory Coast, Libya etc.

In simple words, let no one fool you about the so called free trade and free choices. It is just another of the European propaganda concocted since 1492. When the European and Asians talks of FREE TRADE they mean this. To lock out the Africans from THEIR OWN MARKETS (check KFC buying potatoes from Egypt) and EXTERNAL MARKETS (try to export Kenyan potatoes to the EU). If there were free trade and free choices as they make Africans believe, then, the Europeans would be eating the nice tasting Mbeere chicken and not their plastic like chicken. What we call free choices are carefully planted tastes and desires to serve a system of political economy so as to serve certain ends. As such, to ensure that, the Africans tastes and desires serve the imperialist’s
agenda, through our so called education system, they falsify the African consciousness by:

(a) feeding Africans with FALSE CONTENT,

(b) feeding Africans with FALSE HISTORY,

(c) feeding Africans with FALSE KNOWLEDGE, and

(d) feeding Africans with IRRELEVANT knowledge.

By this, we mean to state that, Africans are OUT OF THEIR MINDS to think that, the UNNECESSARILY EXPENSIVE Western education is relevant or appropriate to the Africans situation. Any education system that teaches Africans to work in the current system is irrelevant and
inappropriate. As such, if our institutionalised schooling and self education is to have any meaning, it must have one goal. To produce REVOLUTIONARIES to OVERTHROW the current political economic system that falsifies the Africans consciousness. By word REVOLUTION, we do not mean USELESS street protests, riots, violence, new constitutions, OPIUM SESSIONS and such nonsense.

True REVOLUTION means equipping ourselves and more so, our children with the ability to judge things by their CAUSE as not the EFFECT. This requires that, we engage in a very critical re - examination of the true political and economic function of the Euro centric education system we put our children through. We must examine the intentionality of the Euro centric education system which brainwashes Africans with concepts such free trade and free choice. With such a review, we should be able to come up with African centred theories of learning and pedagogy. By so doing, we shall come up with education based on who we are and our African experiences. In other words, our salvation does not lie in new laws, new leaders, but, self knowledge of exactly who we are, why we are what we are and how we create others by what we are.

If we know who we are, we shall then automatically know who our children are. We shall be aware that, the African child’s destiny is totally different from that of a European child. On the one hand, the
destiny of the European child is to maintain the imperial system. On the other hand, the destiny of the African child MUST BE the total overthrow the imperial system. How can it be otherwise? If this is true, how can they learn the same thing?

Just an example. When the Western/Asian law schools teach their lawyers the mysteries of the stock exchange, it is an education to prepare them to continue the CAPITALISATION of the African soil in London, New York, Hong Kong exchanges etc. Now, if this is the true intention of stock exchange law from the Western/Asia law schools standpoint, what is the intention of the University of Nairobi when it teaches Kenyan lawyers stock exchange laws? If University of Nairobi understood its sacred mandate, it would prepare the Kenyan lawyers not to cooperate foolishly in the capitalisation of their own soil, i.e. create their own and their children's imperial masters, but, to resist and overthrow the Western/Asian capitalisation of the African soil. As such, instead of University of Nairobi becoming a means of self knowledge, it is a means of perpetuating the African's servitude to all other races. This is where the problem lies and must be understood if Africans are to be free people.

To summarise, dear reader, the relevant question then, is this. What values do our own education, wishes, tastes and desires promote? Do they promote the goal of African’s freedom from want, or, deepen it?

By this we mean that, even if the American KFC chicken is very nice and sweet, we must reject it to the extent that, it does not promote the Mbeere, Kitui, Kakamega chicken farmer.

KFC Re-opens in Nairobi capital of hungry Kenya

Kentucky Fried Chicken opened on Friday in Nairobi at the Junction shopping mall to such huge crowds that I fear many westerners will think that the crowds are the hungry starving Kenyans from the Eastern and northern part of the country queuing up for free food.

Kenyans are an interesting lot rushing to fill their bellies with all that fat. Unaware of the fact that the popular brand has fled the increasingly health-conscious west to pitch camp on the continent that loves everything that is American. I think it is possible to sell human waste very successfully in Kenya as long as you can convince people it is from America.
Interestingly the local press has completely missed the fact that KFC have been here before but packed and left in the early 70s. Now they are back to fatten naïve Kenyans.

Don’t get me wrong. It is not that I am allergic to chicken. It is just that I eat it sparingly and next time I am in Nairobi the first item on my list will NOT be to rush to KFC just so that I may have something to post on my Facebook status.

But friends, I am still very excited about KFC coming to Kenya. And the reason is the inspiring business story behind the world’s largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain.

The founder is one Colonel Sanders, a man who was not even a real colonel.

Born Harland Sanders, his dad died when he was only six years old, and, since his mother worked, he was required to cook for his family and that is how his long career as a cook started. He dropped out of school in seventh grade to help provide for his siblings. But when his mother remarried, he ran away from home because his stepfather beat him. Sanders falsified his date of birth and enlisted in the United States Army at the age of sixteen, completing his entire service commitment in Cuba. In his early years, Sanders held many jobs, including: steamboat pilot, insurance salesman, railroad fireman and farmer amongst many others.

At the age of 40, Sanders cooked chicken dishes and other meals for people who stopped at his service station in Corbin, Kentucky. Since he did not have a restaurant, he served customers in his adjacent living quarters. His local popularity grew, and Sanders moved to a motel and 142 seat restaurant, later Harland Sanders Café and Museum. Over the next nine years he developed his "secret recipe" for frying chicken in a pressure fryer that cooked the chicken much faster than pan frying.

Sanders was given the honorary title "Kentucky Colonel" in 1935 by Governor Ruby Laffoon. He was "re-commissioned" in 1950 by Governor Lawrence Wetherby.

It wasn't until 1950 that Sanders began developing his distinctive appearance, growing his trademark mustache and goatee and donning a white suit and string tie. He never wore anything else in public during the last 20 years of his life, using a heavy wool suit in the winter and a light cotton suit in the summer.

At the age of 65, Sanders' was broke. His small store had failed due to the new Interstate 75 reducing his restaurant's customer traffic. He took $105 from his first Social Security check and began going door to door selling his recipe. It was very hard work for such an old man and rejection was constant so much so that he was forced to live off Social Security. But amazingly he never gave up. He just kept on knocking on doors with his cooker and spices trying to convince restaurants to pay him to use his recipe. Smaller restaurants were willing to pay him a small fee for every chicken sold and, by 1960, Sanders had over 400 "franchises".

Sanders sold the Kentucky Fried Chicken Corporation in 1964 for $2 million to a partnership of Kentucky businessmen headed by John Y. Brown, Jr. The deal did not include the Canadian operations.

There are fewer tales that are more inspirational than the Sander story. Enjoy your fried chicken this weekend but head to the gym immediately after.

Amazing quotes from Colonel Sanders
I made a resolve then that I was going to amount to something if I could. And no hours, nor amount of labor, nor amount of money would deter me from giving the best that there was in me. And I have done that ever since, and I win by it. I know.

There's no reason to be the richest man in the cemetery. You can't do any business from there.

You got to like your work. You have got to like what you are doing, you have got to be doing something worthwhile so you can like it.. because it is worthwhile, that it makes a difference, don't you see?

Ambitious KFC plans for Kenya and Africa

Another inspirational business tale: How I turned around my ailing Nairobi business in 7 days flat

Quit laughing at burning London and get a quick exit plan out of Nairobi

If you live in Nairobi I suggest that you quickly wake up from your deep slumber. I have seen you sit in front of your TV burping and making jokes about what is happening in London with the ongoing riots and mayhem. It seems to delight you greatly that there is rioting on the streets of the mzungu capital. He who called us uncivilized to our faces after what happened here in January 2008.
But hold on a minute.

Some 61 years ago, in the very neighbourhood where you are burping, farting and feeling very safe, some arrogant white settlers sat listening to the radio with the exact same myopic attitude that you have right now. At the time the world was discussing the wind of change sweeping across Africa that was ushering in independence from colonial rule. The settlers joked about the absurdity of the stupid illiterate “monkeys” who couldn’t tell their left foot from their right ever ruling themselves one day. The “silly wind of change” would never reach Kenya they confidently burped. I don’t intend to bore you with my usual history lessons but barely two years later these settlers were on panic mode witnessing some of their own being attacked and others decapitated by the murderous Mau mau gang. Some of the monkeys even wore ties and went to London to demand for independence. Many of them never recovered from the shock.

My advice to you now is to carefully plan a quick and safe exit for you and your family out of Nairobi in the event of serious civil unrest breaking out. You are in the greatest danger if you live in one of those leafy suburbs of the city.

Let me explain. The “revolution” that swept across the Arab world recently was triggered by one incident, a killing of one young man, Mohammed Bouazizi In Tunisia and Kkaled Said in Egypt. In the UK the shooting of the 29-year old Mark Duggan, who died in Tottenham, north London, on Thursday after been shot by the police has started off the worst civil unrest on those shores in centuries. Indeed most people are perplexed and very puzzled at what is happening in that famous, orderly, clean city that is the financial capital of the world.

If we can come back to Kenya for a minute, much worse injustices have been visited upon the people of this beautiful republic and to make matters worse, the political class is busy provoking the masses every other day with something worse than what they did the previous day.

Actually trouble should have broken out here many years ago except for what experts in these matters call a “buffer”. The buffer is the so-called Kenyan middle class. However in recent times, as most of us know, that middle class has been rapidly disappearing. In it’s place a very deep and wide void has developed between the haves and have-nots. If this is not dynamite that is waiting to be ignited by just one small spark, or petrol on the ground with sparks flying all over the place, then I do not know what is.

As you read this, inflation is at a record high and the Kenyan shilling has plummeted to record lows. Amidst all that (and media attention has been diverted from this by the numerous other things happening) petrol prices have cleared the Kshs 110 per litre mark and continue to rise steadily. Even the so-called middle class are feeling the heat.

That is why I submit to you today that trouble could break out at any time. Don’t be caught totally unawares, your life could depend on it.

Kumekucha asked you to prepare for the worst more than a month ago

UK riots… a consumer revolution?

The Evil that the Central Kenya political class are planning

The problem with most Kenyans is that they believe what politicians are saying. They still take those crooks on their word.

Yet as we have seen in this blog too many times, what Kenyan politicians say in public and what they do in private are as different as day and night.

Uhuru Kenyatta: Annointed tribal chief

The president of the republic of Kenya has on countless occasions warned against tribalism and urged Kenyans to show love for their country. Very patriotic, as it should be. But what has State House done in private?

There have been reports for a long time now that the provincial administration (whose salaries are paid by all tax payers) is openly campaigning for Uhuru Kenyatta, mainly in Central province. All other possible candidates have been frustrated at every turn. Yes you heard me right. While Kenyans are dying of hunger the government is busy using the provincial administration to campaign for a candidate of their choice. And any state official who tells Kenyans the truth (like the two sub chiefs in Turkana who talked to the press about people in their jurisdiction dying of hunger) will be disciplined.

The same State house has launched a publicity gimmick campaign pretending that we have local capacity and the will to try and prosecute the Hague 6. We are seeing the Moi tactics of the 90s all over again (where powerful people are questioned by the CID. In the 1990 then powerful cabinet Minister Nicholas Biwott was “held” briefly over the death of former Foreign affairs minister Robert Ouko). This time it is Eldoret North MP William Ruto who is being used for the photo opportunity targeted at the masses of Kenya and the foreign press. The idea is for people to believe that the government is finally moving against the perpetrators of the 2012 violence.

Do not forget it is the same State house that crafted a strategy to turn the good Kikuyu people of Kenya against the rest of the country. They told the people that the Kikuyu were being finished by this “Jaruo” who after taking over the presidency would make it impossible for them to survive in this country. Those who crafted this strategy were safe in their up market houses as innocent Kenyan children were made orphans, while others witnessed their own mothers being brutally raped.

What worries me now and should worry Kenyans is that the same political game played in 2012 is in the works. The wounds of 2008 are still very raw and yet these so-called leaders are busy anointing a Kikuyu tribal chief (in the name of Uhuru Kenyatta) and doing everything in their power to start the 2012 campaigns for him early.

Let me help those not familiar with how politics is played in Kenya and are wondering what I am talking about.

We all know that there are at least three other major candidates from the Kikuyu community seeking the presidency. Namely Peter Kenneth, Martha Karua and Paul Muite. The strategy will be to shut down all the other candidates and elevate Uhuru kenyatta to the situation where he will be the sole candidate representing the Kikuyu who matters. So the strategists have to move quickly to make upstarts like Peter Kenneth, Martha Karua and Paul Muite irrelevant. How will they do it?

They will do it by provoking emotions amongst the Kikuyu electorate. This is the only way because the bitter memories of the IDPs is still on the minds of the electorate. These people some of whom were previously landowners and employers have been reduced to beggars and are yet to be re-settled. So the story the Kikuyu electorate will be given is that they have to deal with the threat to the community first and then the IDPs will be settled later. They are already being told that Uhuru Kenyatta is the only person who can unite the community to deal with the threat against the Kikuyu community. They will be told that “the enemy” has already seen this and that is why Uhuru has ended up at the Hague. They will be told NOT to accept a Uhuru conviction because those working for it want to finish the Kikuyu.

Folks that is the sad reality.

I am keeping my ears on the ground and will regularly report back to you about the real message this evil politicians are spreading on the ground. Forget what you hear them saying on TV. The real message is delivered well away from the press cameras.

Meanwhile my appeal to my fellow Kenyans and especially my dear Kikuyu brethren is to ignore what the politicians are telling them. Their community is not in any danger. And they don’t have to have one of their own in State house or in a powerful position to survive in the new Kenya. May I remind them that they survived in the old Kenya for 24 years under the rule of President Moi who felt very threatened by the Kikuyu community and did everything in his power the marginalize them. Indeed he is the man who inventes tribal clashes in 1991.

Surely in the new Kenya our Kikuyu brethren will thrive as will all communities in Kenya.

I met this pot bellied Kenyan who is yet to donate Kshs 10 to the hungry

Even as Kenyans get involved in an unprecedented effort to feed their starving fellow citizens mostly in the Northern parts of the country, we still have pot bellied men (and a few women) gorging themselves with their usual nyama choma in a most unhealthy way who are yet to contribute even the minimum Kshs 10 towards their starving fellow citizens.
I know because I struck up a conversation with one such Kenyan just a few hours ago and got really angry and disgusted. I watched in fascination as this fellow took in such huge quantities of nyama choma that I was genuinely surprised when they did not pass out at the end of it all. Instead they just belched and took a long swig from a bottle containing cold Tusker (can you imagine a sweating cold drink in this Kenyan winter?)

It was difficult for me to hide my disgust, especially when I discovered from a casual comment that they are yet to show any kind of mercy to starving fellow citizens.

Well, it is not mandatory for every Kenyan to contribute to the Kenya for Kenyans initiative and I fully appreciate the fact that this thing is voluntary however in this day and age those of us who live in such an unhealthy manner and yet have no compassion in our hearts for those less fortunate than ourselves only remind me of our political class.

These guys not only continue to gorge themselves with public funds (they have refused to pay taxes and those who have, have done it for publicity with much fanfare so as to score points in their bid for the presidency). Not only that, these guys continue to campaign for 2012 and are really angry that some of the limelight has moved away from them and is now more focused on ordinary Kenyans and their gallant efforts to save the lives of their fellow citizens.

I am really sorry if you are reading this and yet you have this big huge pot belly, so huge that if you ended up at a maternity hospital in the city with your pregnant wife, you might just get taken into the labour ward first. Nothing personal and to prove it I will be doing a post later to help you look much better minus that heavy thing you are carrying.

I have a message for you even if you will have no compassion, even if you are saying that the hungry are well taken care of now because of the huge contributions being made. Even if you are saying that this is Kenya and some of the funds will get embezzled tupende tusipende. Whatever your excuse, that is up to you and your conscience.

My message today is very simple. Just try and skip a single meal tomorrow and then see what you feel. Maybe then you will start to have a little compassion. Save that money you would have spent on that unhealthy lunch and send it via Mpesa or any means convenient to you to the Kenya for Kenyans initiative. Just send it! Do your part and the rest of us will do our part in ensuring that NO single shilling will get into the wrong hands. (Kumekucha already has people hovering around waiting for somebody to try something stupid.)

This is a strong appeal from Kumekucha to all you wonderful Kenyans out there to stand up and be counted. Please don’t slow down your giving. We must feed these people until well after the rains come (nobody even knows when that will be). We can do it and we must not get tired.

But what jazzes me most of all, above everything else is that we will keep sending this message to our political class which they do not like. The message is that we don’t need them and they should start packing their bags (with their presidential pipe dreams) because any government that cannot accomplish something as simple as feeding it’s own people has no business being in power. Any legislator who sits in parliament silently as Kenyans starve to death has no business being an MP.

If you support the contents of this post, please forward it to as many of your friends as you possibly can. If you read this through facebook ask all your Facebook friends to re-post it.

Kenyan lives depend on it.

The future of our beautiful republic depends on it.

Miguna Miguna a casualty of Raila’s campaign for a better presidential image

PM Raila Odinga, the real winner of the 2007 presidential general elections has not yet announced his bid for the presidency in 2012 but it is clear that his campaign has already started in earnest and kicked into a higher gear in recent times.

Miguna Miguna, one of his closest aides and confidants seems to have been caught in the crossfire of Raila’s preparations and was last night summarily fired for what the PM’s office referred to as “gross misconduct.” Read the story HERE.

With the Prime Minister who will now look odd without the burly figure constantly at his side.

Clearly what Raila is currently doing is trying to clean up the image around him and portray a more national and presidential outlook. Little wonder that Salim Lone, the man responsible for building Raila and ODM’s formidable image so quickly and effectively in 2007 is being seen tailing the PM much more frequently. Quite a contrast from what has been happening where Miguna Miguna has been sticking closer than a fly to Raila. Only that the latter is rather burly and has such an imposing presence that my imagery seems comically out of place for somebody familiar with him.

Experts in image building have for a long time been wondering about this man called Miguna Miguna. A confrontational, aggressive and take-no-prisoners character the Canadian lawyer has all along been behaving more like a student leader than a presidential advisor.

There have been numerous calls for his sacking which have so far been ignored by the PM. Little wonder that he received the news of his sacking yesterday with shock saying that he was yet to receive any communications.

As a student in Njiris high school 1984

While he served at Raila’s side it was often clear that his powers extended well beyond his docket of advisor on coalition matters. In recent days there have been whispers that Raila is keen to strike a deal with close allies of Mwai Kibaki in an effort to make what he sees as his own ascension to the presidency in 2012 smoother. Since Miguna hardly ever used to leave the PM’s side and has on numerous occasions even been captured in posed official photos that were only meant for those in cabinet, it was predictable that he would start being excess buggage to the PM sooner rather than later. Indeed any negotiations with PNU in the presence of Miguna Miguna would not go down well because it is said he leaves a bad taste in the mouths of PNU big wigs which would make a favourable outcome for his boss virtually impossible.

But who is Miguna Miguina?

Mr Miguna was a BA arts student at the University of Nairobi before he was arrested and briefly detained in 1987 by the then dreaded Special branch. Although he was later released, he was expelled by University authorities and fled to Tanzania shortly after that. He managed to obtain temporary political asylum in Swaziland (Africa) before being granted more permanent status in Canada where he completed his studies and also qualified as a lawyer. That is where he was practicing law mainly as an immigration lawyer before his dramatic return to Kenya and Raila’s side in 2004.

Addressing students as Finance Secretary of SONU at the University of Nairobi in 1987.

He was one of the ODM parliamentary aspirants for Nyando constituency but did not make it to the ballot stage. Technically Miguna Miguna did not even qualify because the Kenyan constitution at the time did not allow for dual citizenship and Mr Miguna has always held Canadian citizenship since he started practicing law in that country. Talk of impunity by somebody fighting against impunity in others.

Curiously one of the places where there is generous celebration this morning at the sacking of Miguna is at Makini school where his children go to school. Teachers at the famous school have been bitterly complaining of harassment from the PM’s aide who is said to frequently call them very late at night usually shouting and warning them to give special treatment to his children and to “stop being harsh” towards them.

TJ monument finally goes up as Kumekucha releases new secrets from past assassinations

TJ monument finally goes up as Kumekucha releases new secrets from past assassinations

My late dad used to fondly refer to him as TJ and he could never stop talking about him. The man was assassinated when I was only 5 years old in 1969 and so I knew little about the man

I went out and did some serious research. It did not take me long to realize why the man had so mesmerized my dad. I was quickly converted.

And so when I launched this blog I hit the ground running campaigning very hard for the recognition of the man and for his killers to be brought to book. But to be honest with you, I never thought for a minute that in my lifetime I would see what I saw yesterday. Finally a monument in honour of a great son of Kenya has gone up in the CBD.

In case you still have no idea what I am talking about, I am of course referring to Thomas Joseph Odhiambo Mboya, or simply Tom Mboya. Sadly my dad did not live to see the country finally remember this man they were once determined to forget. Great pity. He would have loved it for sure.

The monument is stationed about 50 metres from the exact spot where TJ stopped two bullets from an assassin on that fateful lunch hour 5th July 1969 outside a chemist.

Interesting coincidence because I have just completed my latest book, Political assassinations in Kenya where I reveal some fascinating new information on the biggest political assassinations in Kenyan politics and those who were involved. Tom Mboya, Pio Gama Pinto, JM Kariuki and Masinde Muliro. Yes many Kenyans don’t even know that Muliro was assassinated. Very neat clinical job but it was an assassination and this becomes very clear when you study what happened after his death. Actually this is the only political assassination in Kenya that I know of that achieved its’ objectives.

The reason why I did this book and chose this particular topic was because there have been fears that masters of impunity in the country who are not happy with the reforms and new constitution will revert to political assassinations. I hope that this never happens and so I decided to do this book to reveal the full horror of assassinations so that Kenyans get very determined for us never to return anywhere near that bloody path of the past.

I have plenty of free information on the book. All you need to do is fill in your email address in the pop up box that appears after you click HERE.

Right now I am so excited about the new TJ monument.

If it is true that constitutions are written in blood then TJ’s blood is amongst the blood of other Kenyans that wrote our current brand new constitution.

RIP TJ!!!

Get a sneak preview of Kumekucha’s new book: "Political Assassinations in Kenya"

Kumekucha Has Lost a Syllable in Kifoto's Death

The curtain has fallen on a name that is not only closely associated with this blog but and also inspired its nomenclature. Today (Amka) Kumekucha has lost a syllable in Habel Kifoto's death.

Kenya's present generation may not know what they missed until they listen to the EVERGREEN Maroon Commandos led by the burly guitarist Habel Kifoto. Well, that no nonsense band leader has just past on in some nondescript hotel room in Madaraka estate where he was staying in readiness for a Music Society of Kenya (MSK) board meeting.

Those old enough can only imagine the grief of one indefatigable DJ Jeff Mwangemi whose infectious laughter when introducing local talent over the radio made madmen offer handshake to strangers. Only people like Jeff with their natural charm would break the monotony and boredom of the monolithic KBC then.

The late Habel Kifoto of Charonyi ni Wasi fame was born in Taita District of Coast Province. He started his music career back in 60s and started playing bass guitar in 1967 until when he started his skill in Solo lead guitar.

That Maroon Commandos was synonymous with Habel Kifoto is irrefutable. The soldier in him never dimmed not diminished his vocal prowess. Instead he lead from the from the front strumming the strings and by example in leading his fellow soldiers to musical glory.

Nostalgia galore for those fortunate/old enough to have graced the then agricultural shows where Habel Kifoto and his Maroon (Green) Commandos had villagers and urbanites alike shake their legs to nationalistic songs whose inspirational was way ahead of our past and present tribal leaders. What is more, apart from Aziz Abdi (Kilambo), few musicians appealed beyond tribal enclaves. if in doubt just ask PENSIONERS.

Kenya has lost her equivalent of both Baraka Mwinshehe and Remi Ongala. It is a sad day for Kenyan music, (wana) Maroon Commados and 7KR.

Fare thee well Habel Kifoto.


Tribute to Habel Kifoto from Chris Kumekucha

Tears are blurring my eyes and I have a heavy heart as I write this brief tribute to a truly unsung hero of the republic.

I was sincerely looking forward to his classic (which has always been the anthem of this blog) Amka Kumekucha being played over and over again one day in 2012 when we have a new government and government structure in place. In my heart I knew that that would be the moment when Kenyans would wake up and really notice this talented Kenyan who has given so much and yet received so little in return.

Alas it was not to be. We will still play his song but it will not be the same.

I agree with my comrade in arms Taabu that Kumekucha the blog has truly lost a syllable.

"His life was gentle; and the elements
So mixed in him, that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, THIS WAS A MAN!"

— William Shakespeare (Julius Caesar)

RIP afande!!!


Today's post by Kumekucha Chris: What is this new thing happening in Kenya?

What is this new thing happening in Kenya?

Something without precedent is happening in Kenya.

In just a handful of days Kenyans raised over 80 million shillings to feed their starving and dying fellow Kenyans in areas that are worst hit by the current drought and resulting ravaging famine.

On the ground many amazing tales of selflessness and sacrifice are beginning to unfold. A humble house-help with a very stretched budget asked her employers to deduct half a monthly pay and send it to the Mpesa number that has been set up in the Kenyans for Kenya appeal to raise funds for the hungry.

Others are walking to work and other skipping lunch to create donations out of their equally stretched budgets.

Now it is a little difficult for most of my readers to appreciate the struggles that most Kenyans go through to maintain sanity in their lives. I am not talking about balancing their hand-to-mouth budgets because most folks cannot dare have a cup of tea or a cold Coca Cola in town when they are thirsty for fear of creating chaos in their already unbalanced food budget.

Amazing. Kenyans have never given like this before and believe me we have had many disasters and many appeals for donations. Mostly those administering these programmes have been very frustrated and have had to beg, cajole, sell stuff give amazing offers etc. for Kenyans to show any signs of reaching for their pockets for coins to throw at them.

Not this time round. Something has changed and changed dramatically.

So what is happening now? What has changed?

These are the angry voters of 2012 I keep on talking about. Kenyans who are completely fed up with the political class. To use a very appropriate local phrase “wame-shiba watu wa siasa.” And they are expressing their disgust at the disorganization, corrupt ways that those running this country insist on keeping to. They are doing this by taking matters into their own hands and doing what leaders should have done a long time ago. Kenyans are delighted to be able to prove to themselves that they can do without the political class some of whom have been in parliament so long that cobwebs must have developed on their clothes that are stuck to the August house. And many of these characters have given the impression that life in Kenya cannot go on without them.

Folks, the stage is being set for a what I call “a blood-bath” in 2012. Don’t worry, I am not talking about the blood letting of 2007/08. I am talking about huge casualties amongst the political class and those who think there would be no Kenya without them.

Yes, the stage is being set for an outsider to enter the precincts of State House to the amazement of all and sundry. And let me warn that individual in advance that they will have a hell of a job on their hands. Mainly because the angry voters will not be done yet. By that point in time they will be so angry that what they wil demand from the fourth president of Kenya, no human can deliver.

But halleluyah because that will be the beginning of a new era in Kenya where leaders are truly servants of the people.

Golden rules you need for a come back

Many of the most sensational comebacks have been in the world of sports. I am sure you know many and I would advice you to study them very closely because the same rules apply to a come back in virtually any field or calling in life.

Let me for a moment focus on a sporting come back I am very familiar with. Diego Maradona. Down and out and literally dying as well as being a cocaine addict to boot many people believed that Maradona went to Cuba to die and not only to escape from his tax problems. But in 2005 he literally bounced back from the dead and started a successful career as a football administrator at a leading club in Argentina. This come back led to his being appointed the Argentine national soccer team coach in 2008.

But the 2005 effort was not the first time Maradona whom some consider to be the greatest soccer player of all time (not this blogger my money is on Pele) was making a come back in difficult circumstances. After sensationally winning the 1986 World Cup for Argentina there was probably nowhere else to go but down. By the time the 1990 World Cup came along he was overweight and nursing a serious ankle injury. The speed, agility and dribbling were all gone but amazingly even though he hobbled along most of the time, he was still extremely effective and made a huge difference taking Argentina all the way to the finals. The man re-invented himself completely and concentrated on his positioning and pinpoint passes to tear apart the best defenses in the world and win crucial games for his country. This confirmed his status as a soccer genius.

It can’t be done if you don’t understand “your sport” like the back of your hand

Maradona’s soccer career has some important lessons for any come back attempt. The first is that you MUST understand your business, your sport or your vocation better than the back of your hand. There are no two ways about it.

Diego Maradona would never have achieved what he did without his deep knowledge of the game. If your come back is in business then you must understand that business extremely well and that includes the rapid changes that technology has brought about in many industries.

Luckily we are in the information age and getting information to make you an expert is easy, even if you are not one at the time you begin your research for your come back effort. Find one source of information I strongly recommend for anybody attempting a come back in business HERE.

You must re-invent yourself

If you understand your vocation deeply then re-inventing yourself like Maradona has done successfully again and again becomes much easier. Let’s go back to boxing now and compare Mike Tyson to other boxers like Mohamed Ali and George Foreman. Both these men managed to make successful comebacks. They came back as slower and less fit boxers but what mattered and counted in the end was the fact that they re-invented themselves adequately to be able to make a mark. Tyson it seems is less knowledgeable and this has no doubt been a great hindrance in any come backs he may have wanted to execute. It seems that he is only one kind of boxer and has found it impossible to come up with a new tactical approach or style that re-invents his game.

Most of those who fail in their come back bids are guilty of trying to do the same old thing using the same old tactics. This will not work. You will need to completely re-invent yourself. YOU MUST to stand any chance of success.

Finally whatever happens never ever give up. NEVER. Try again and again secure in the fact that some of those who went before you and became the greatest men in their time did so after failing so many times that failure almost became their second name before they finally made it. Just make sure you learn all the lessons you need to learn from every single failure. I can sense your doubt at this last statement I have made and so I will close my series this weekend with an example.

Abraham Lincoln is considered one of the greatest presidents the United States has ever had and is still an inspiration to this day to many seeking leadership under difficult circumstances. And yet he started off with very minimal education. He had only one year of formal education in his life and then what followed were more failures than most human beings can take in two lifetimes.

List of Lincoln's failures

1831 - Lost his job
1832 - Defeated in run for Illinois State Legislature
1833 - Failed in business
1834 - Elected to Illinois State Legislature (success)
1835 - Sweetheart died
1836 - Had nervous breakdown
1838 - Defeated in run for Illinois House Speaker
1843 - Defeated in run for nomination for U.S. Congress
1846 - Elected to Congress (success)
1848 - Lost re-nomination
1849 - Rejected for land officer position
1854 - Defeated in run for U.S. Senate
1856 - Defeated in run for nomination for Vice President
1858 - Again defeated in run for U.S. Senate
1860 - Elected President (success)

Read more about Abraham Lincoln

Thanks for keeping me company through this weekend and I wish you the very best in your come back. Hang in there!!

Go back to Part 1

Two things you must do to execute a successful come back

A reader’s comments on Tyson in my last post pretty much sums up what I was going to say in the first couple of paragraphs of this fresh post. Basically the point is that whatever you think about the former heavyweight boxing champion, there is no denying that he is a survivor. He must have gone through hell just looking at what he had to do and what he told his interviewer recently.

The reason why I have focused on Tyson for these articles is because his life illustrates many important lessons that we need to look at to plot our own comebacks.

Stop playing to the gallery

If you listen to Tyson you will quickly realize that one of his major problems was playing to the gallery.

He is not alone. Most people have lost fortunes just because they are busy showing off their success and in the process pride quickly slips in and they start thinking that they are gods and that nothing can defeat them. That is usually the beginning of the end.

In your comeback bid it is important to respect the success you had and it is also critical to be humble.

Ignore the gallery forever. You are not making a come-back to show people who you are. You are making the come back for you and you alone.

One great weakness I have noted in young Kenyans is that they take failure very personally and have the mistaken view that everything they touch should succeed at the first try. The result is that they will forever be frightened to try new risky things that have a high chance of failure and therefore success or getting back to the top remains an unfulfilled dream.

Listen to the wise words of the billionaire co-owner of Google Inc. Sergey Brin;

“The only way you are going to have success is to have lots of failures first.”

How are you going to make a come back when you are still warily looking up over your shoulder to the gallery wondering what people are thinking as you fall again and again in the process of your trying to get up?

But remember that the world is changing too rapidly

I know a few people who have attempted a come back by trying the same old thing again and again expecting different results. The person was trying to revive a business that went under. This is in fact the definition of insanity, that is trying the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result. And yet the market had changed dramatically indeed that is one of the reasons why they had gone out of business.

What you must do is try a new approach, a new angle that appreciates your reasons for failure the last time.

Make no mistake about it the main reason why a come back is such a difficult thing to accomplish is because the ghosts of your past will not leave you alone and will constantly burden you and pull you back down.

Read part 1

Read 3rd and final part