Notes From Kangema Funeral for the Late Hon. John Michuki

The state funeral for the late Hon. John Michuki today was befitting a man of his stature and contribution to the country.

Many things were said at the funeral which was MC’d by DPM Uhuru Kenyatta but the highlight are as follows:

From the Ministry, Margaret spoke and noted Michuki was the hardest working minister

He loved reading about policy; he will get in office at 7AM and read policy while waiting for 8AM meeting.

One thing she remembers is him saying he did not understand why workshops are held to review a consultant review report of yet another consultant’s report.

Cleaning environment a must for Michuki.

Rivers that cross city give cities value

She said has a university graduate and experience but learned so much from Michuki who mentored her greatly.

Michuki was a family man who loved his wife and children immensely

When one would ask him how his wife is doing, he will have a great smile that said it all.

He said much as people like to delegate, there is one thing you must never delegate and that is your spouse to anyone, even to your children.

His wife was his business.

When it came to prayer, his wife was the leader of the family prayer.

He believed in her prayers and that’s what has kept the family together and given him the drive to do what he did.

Hon. Speaker Marende:

Spoke in behalf of all MPs and managed to introduce by name those who were present—and they were many—without missing a name.

He urged us all to emulate Michuki.

Emphasized that Michuki Loved Kenya and if we all emulated him as much in loving the country, we shall be alright.

Noted that Michuki wanted Kenya to be one nation.

Marende warned that politicians cannot and must not engage in incitement.

No promotion of hatred and division.

Kenya is for us all and let’s keep it that way.

Michuki would prefer that.

Ret’d President Daniel Arap Moi:

Offered his heartfelt sorrow and condolences to Mrs. Michuki.

Said Michuki is someone he has known most part of his public life.

Came to know him as courageous man who performed his duties with rare zeal through and perfection

When Michuki was DC in 1961 DC, Moi was parliamentary secretary for education while Matiba was assistant sec in ministry of education and because of this, all three men worked very closely.

The two were to work even closer as responsibilities grew.

Michuki would go to Treasury and assistant minister and Moi Vice President and later president.

He remained personal friend to death.

When Michuki completed Windsor, he noted road was not lit and posed danger and informed Moi about this and Moi promptly ordered power company to fix the street lights to the hotel, which was done in good time.

Michuki has a sterling record in no just politics but in the private sector where he was outstanding as well.

Michuki’s discipline and management style enabled him to create jobs.

When he was PS in Finance, no cent passed without a paper trail from person to person.

This is what should be done to rid us of corruption.

Moi noted during this time of grief, he prayed to God to give the family energy to bear the loss.

He also noted the program had a hymn in it saying “it is well with my soul” and this speaks all about life and death.

Life is not simple as people think, said Moi.

When at a funeral like this, everyone is here as friends, brothers and sisters.

No one will live forever.

Moi said we shall all go and had people nervously laughing when he noted he will be leaving and so will Kibaki but he hopes they meet in heaven where Michuki has gone ahead of them but will no doubt be joined by them and all of us.

The former president urged people to lean on God.

We may give the family condolences, but God’s counsel is sufficient, Moi noted.

Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga

Met Michuki when he was KCB Director where he helped him with a business loan.

Later entered politics where the PM recited with detail the relationships between 1983 to present.

Recalled flying to London from Norway to meet Michuki and Matiba and on their return to Kenya, Section 2A was repealed.

The PM noted Ford Divided where Michuki went to Asili and he to Ford-Kenya but the men remained working together in the opposition.

In 1997, “Asili ikasusia.”

They then worked together in Narc and joined government together, Michuki in Transport and Raila in Roads and everyone knows what a good job Michuki did at Transport, including the Michuki rules.

The PM then recalled the struggle for the new constitution where differences emerged.

After the referendum, the two worked together.

The PM noted Michuki made his mark at Environment as well.

The PM specifically noted Michuki was behind him as he fought to save Mau.

Muchuki has been leading in efforts to fend off those who would want to move UNEP from Kenya.

There are many countries wanting to remove UNEP but Michuki has been firm in making sure they don’s succeed, the PM noted.

The PM noted Michuki was to head a delegation to Rio in June for the global conference on the environment.

The PM urged Kenyans to plant trees from today through next Tuesday in memory of Michuki.

He said he did just that this morning in his home and at Freedom Corner.

H.E. President Mwai Kibaki:

God be with the family.

Thanked Kenyans for their expression of loss of his friend Michuki.

He was very close to him for “not that long” the President said, clarifying it would have been long if they both lived beyond 100—laughter from the audience.

The president praised Mrs. Michuki for her making sure even as Michuki was working hard outside the home, she, too, was working hard at home to make sure the children were taken care of and did as well as they have done in both education and professional and now married life.

The president noted many people forget about the home as thy pursue success elsewhere.

The president urged everyone with family to take care of them.

The president emphasized and reemphasized the good work Mrs. Michuki did at home as wife to Michuki and mother.

She led family and kept house together which made  Michuki happy.

The president said he is not worried about the family but urged them to help finish the work Michuki started and nearly finished.

“The work left now is small,” the president noted, adding the kids are doing well and will maintain their success because of the foundation Michuki and the mother has laid for them.

The president urged all Kenyans to emulate Michuki and finish what he started.

Without following that, there is no success or progress, he noted.

The president then went on what can be characterized as jabs at various politicians but one this writer believes he meant to target in saying all politicians should be like Michuki who never changed his mind “ovyo ovyo.”

The president said one thing Michuki believed was set a goal and never sway from focusing on it no matter what.

“No changing changing because you met with so and so,” said Kibaki, adding “stay firm as Michuki.”

Vote of thanks by son:

Thanks to God

Thanks co-celebrants, led by the Bishop Maria Wainaina

Thanks to clergy who gave tribute

Thanks to State: The President for his friendship and support, Head of Civil Service for funeral arrangements, Ret’d President Moi for his words of wisdom, the PM, his wife Mama Ida for words of encouragement, VP, I forget why, medical care staff, Dr. Njenga, Dr. Githega, and UK doctors as well as others, including all mourners.

MAY HE RIP.

 

Miguna Has Sunk To The Lowest In Associating With the Extreme Racist Corsi To Publish His Raila Smear Book

Many of us have been saying for a long time that Miguna has no beans to spill notwithstanding his effort to mislead people to believing that he does.

What we didn’t know is that he would stoop this low as to associate himself with the extreme racist Corsi to publish the book and no one can disagree, including Miguna himself, that it can’t get lower than this.

We also know of many “tell all” or “bombshell books” that have been written by people who have fallen out with their political mentors and/or bosses but to their credit, much of what they say is factual “insider” information heretofore unknown publicly–albeit with a spin to make the subject look bad–and that’s not a bad thing from a public policy perspective.

Miguna on the other hand, is bent on telling made up personal tales only his imagination will be his limit and that may have an audience for those interested in such salacious false tales but any serious person would have or should have no moment for it.

The book will have no public policy value.

None.

Here is another way to look at this: If any of Raila’s closest advisors and friends were to have a falling out with him, NONE will run to publish a book to malign Raila and this is because they are seasoned politicians to know one must maintain their level of respectability and publishing such maligning tales may in the short term give them satisfaction and monetary gain but will forever destroy their credibility and reduce them to nothing but people with an ax to grind.

What Miguna is doing is what all us should condemn regardless of political affiliation because it serves no purpose other than Miguna simply utilizing the lowest of forms to exact revenge against Raila for firing him.

Please note the book will not have any appreciable difference in the elections because those would would base their voting decision on the book were never going to vote for Raila, anyway.

Put money on the book no seeing the bookshelves in Kenya before the elections nonetheless.

 

All Else Having Failed Thus Far, Its Time Someone Occupies The Whole of Somalia

According to the Standard Online, President Kibaki has lauded the efforts of United Nations Security Council towards strengthening the operations of the African Union Mission in Somalia.

“Kenya welcomes the United Nations Security Council Resolution No. 2036 of 2012 that has reviewed the AMISOM future operations in Somalia, as recommended by the African Union,” said President Kibaki.

The President, however, noted that the resolution does not provide for a maritime component, which is critical to the eventual success of the campaign in Somalia, as well as the fight against piracy and international terrorism.

Speaking Thursday during the London Conference on Somalia at Lancaster House, London, President Kibaki said that a new and more dangerous theatre for terrorist action had emerged in Somalia following the involvement of Al Qaeda elements in the Al Shabaab insurgency.

To further enhance security in Somalia, President Kibaki underscored the need for the development of a Somali national security force.

Meanwhile, the BBC, reports that other world leaders attending the conference have urged Somalis to seize an “unprecedented opportunity” to rebuild their nation, at a gathering in London on the war-torn nation’s future.

UK Prime Minister noted ending threats of terrorism and piracy were in everyone’s interests, while Hillary Clinton said plans to elect leaders and adopt a constitution before August were “ambitious,” adding the mandate of the UN-backed interim government would not be extended any longer.

Representatives from many Somali factions are attending the London conference, but the Islamist group which controls much of the center and south of the country was not invited.

Somalia is the world’s worst failed state but PM Cameron and others believe it needs a “second chance”.

There have already been more than 15 attempts to end more than 20 years of fighting in Somalia

Mr Cameron told the gathered world leaders, who included Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, Ethiopian leader Meles Zenawi and UN chief Ban Ki-moon, that the world would pay a high price if it ignored the plight of Somalia.

“In a country where there is so little hope, where there is chaos and violence and terrorism, pirates are disrupting vital trade routes and kidnapping tourists,” he said.

During his speech, Somalia’s President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed called for an end to the arms embargo, saying: “We’re looking for security. We’re scared of tomorrow.”

Yoweri Museveni, the leader of Uganda – which has provided the bulk of troops for African Union (AU) forces in Somalia – told the gathering African solutions to African problems worked best.

On Wednesday, the UN Security Council approved a resolution increasing the number of AU troops in Somalia by 5,000 to more than 17,000. Council members also agreed to extra funding for the mission and to extend its mandate.

The UK says its increased focus on the country is justified as the activities of militant groups and pirates operating off the coast of Somalia pose a direct threat to British interests in the region and to both regional and global security.

Naval ships from the UK and other countries around the world have been sent to patrol the Indian Ocean off the Somali coast to deter pirate attacks.

They have foiled a number of kidnapping attempts in recent months but attacks continue – and have been staged further from the shore.

The UK has also said it cannot rule out sending more military advisers to boost its small team currently assisting Ugandan forces part of the AU mission.

Kenya has also sent troops into Somalia to tackle al-Shabab, blaming the group for a number of kidnappings on its territory last year. Its forces will now be absorbed into the AU force following the UN resolution.

All this is good and well but the solution may just be simply occupying Somalia.

The two countries with the most at stake on this issue, Kenya and Ethiopia should simply move in and occupy the country, backed with the entire AU and, if necessary, the UN.

They should rule the nation until the locals either come back to their senses and agree to once again become a one nation, curve it up to two or three countries or forever occupy it, if they don’t get serious in pursuing and reaching either of the two options.

These half-hearted or weak at best efforts are simply delaying the inevitable and that is, someone occupying the country which has proven over and over it does not deserve to be considered a sovereign nation.

The warloads who have made it impossible to establish a government system in Somalia should be simply rounded up and forced to either accept a nationally imposed government by the occupying forces or they simply must be incarcerated.

The world cannot just sit by and watch or take these endless ineffective approaches to a problem that cannot be allowed to go on forever and getting worse along the way.

No band of people, small or large, lethal or otherwise should be allowed to rain terror on the innocent and hold hostage a whole region, indeed, the whole world when we have seen decisive actions taken in other places to root out worse enemies.

There simply reaches a time the sovereignty of a nation must give way to what is more practical for its own good and for the sake of the rest of the world and there can’t be a better example of that than Somalia.

Again, occupying the country does not mean doing so infinitely but only as necessary to restore peace and security within and without it.

Granted, there are logistical and political considerations that may not be easy to execute beyond the theoretical but, given the gravity of the situation and the urgency of it, this should be accomplished with relative ease so long as the end objectives and means are well thought out and made clear from the outset by those with nothing but the clean intentions to meet those objectives.

Who Is In Control of What In Somalia

 

Remembering Hon. John Michuki

Standard Online

I was very saddened to hear about the passing of Hon. Michuki. In a comment posted on Standard Online, I noted the following: “Now passes on a man who embodied all that is great in public service and the ingenuity of leadership for the benefit of a nation without putting ego or self first. The Bible tells us all have sinned but in the passing of this great man, let’s remember him for the great things he did in life and contributions to our country’s continued struggle to find home to itself. May he rest in peace.”

As we remember him, I recall the last time I saw him was in New York last year and sitting next to him at a dinner involving others as well and after glancing at the menu briefly, he looked at me, grinning and asked that I suggest what he should have.

Now, here is this Mzee giving me this heavy responsibility but I happily obliged albeit nervously so, wondering if he would take one bite and send me scrambling to fetch him nyama choma.

Fortunately, he liked it and as we left after that long dinner, he invited me to visit him when next in Nairobi. Unfortunately, that did not materialize as he was out of the country when I next came to Nairobi but was planning to do so the next time; a meeting which sadly now will not be.

As I have seen someone say elsewhere on the Internet, he will be remembered for many good and bad things but I will always remember him for the good things.

My heartfelt condolences to his family and again may he RIP.

 

Prime Minister Raila Odinga Is Right In Withdrawing Support for Anti-Graft Nominees

In President Kibaki Is About To Flip Us All The Middle Finger Again posted last November, I noted the following:

The two [candidates for nomination to chair the Anti-Corruption Commission “EACC”] are said to be former Law Society of Kenya chairman who also served in the KACC Advisory Board, Erick Okong’o Omogeni, and Mumo Matemu who is a former commissioner at the Kenya Revenue Authority and chaired the Task Force on dual citizenship.

According to the [Standard Online], Kibaki wants Prof Matemu to take over EACC, while the PM prefers Mr Omogeni to head the body.

During the vetting process, Omogeni scored the highest at 81.7 points, followed by Matemu with 78.4 points.

Mogeni should therefore in my view be appointed as chairman of the body if merit means anything.

I cannot see any overriding interest to overlook the fact that Mogeni came up on top after shortlisting and interview other than Kibaki yet again trying to muscle his way into getting something he should not good only for his personal and narrow political interests not in the national interest.

Indeed, I find it interesting when the Standard says that �sources familiar with the standoff say the two leaders would compromise by way of one being allowed to pick the chairman and the other the deputy.�

That�s not a compromise unless Kibaki relents and lets Raila have his choice; having it the other way around would not be a compromise but yet again another flip of the finger at all of us by Kibaki as he did with the appointment of Prof. Githu Muigai as our AG. See my blog The Meaning of Kibaki�s Appointment of Githu Muigai As Attorney General for more about how Kibaki flipped us the middle finger then.

Let’s hope not.

End quote.

According to today’s Standard Online, the PM has now written to President Kibaki, withdrawing his support for the nominations previously submitted by the Executive for EACC, the new anti-graft body but rejected by the Parliamentary committee handling the matter.

Neither Parliament nor the Executive did anything after the committee rejected the nominations and now the PM wants the nominees withdrawn and a new list sent to Parliament upon consultation between the principles.

This is a good move consistent with the constitution and the right thing for the president to do, is simply withdraw the nominations and seek fresh consultation with the PM and submit a new list agreeable to both sides.

The arguments being advanced by those intent on maintaining status quo in reforms are bogus and must be rejected.

Hon. Kiraitu Murungi, for example, is quoted by the Standard as saying the PM’s move is “water under the bridge” because the nominees were “automatically confirmed” because Parliament did not approve the list within 21 days.

There is tortured logic and then there are things that do not make sense at all neither of which are places one should anchor any argument, especially one that goes to an important question whether a body that is charged with the responsibility to root out corruption in the country should be headed by an individual or individuals with impeccable credentials and integrity.

Indeed, even lawyers who have neither facts nor law on their side must surely try not to say nonsense for the sake of saying something!

Yet, this is what Murungi has done, namely, said nonsense in defense of something the president is better off heeding the PM’s counsel without making a fuss and redo this process for the sake of constituting a body we all as Kenyans must have faith in to do the important task ahead of it.

When the likes of Isaac Ruto parrot what Murungi is saying without thinking as usual, we must pray for our current Parliament for who knows how many of them we have ready to so blindly vote on anything and regardless of how anti-reform or counter-intuitive and against progress it is.

Peace, Unity and God Help Us From Some of These MPs

Omwenga

 

What Republicans In The United States and Uhuru/Ruto Have In Common

Republicans almost to a man and woman over the age of 18 are obsessed with one and only one thing in 2012: to defeat President Barrack Obama in his bid for reelection but ask each individually reasons why, they will parrot what their leading loudmouths and opinion shapers are saying with few exceptions and definitely without any depth of understanding or knowledge of the nonsense they offer as reasons:

Obama has “destroyed” the economy.

Obama “hates” America

Obama is “brainwashed by Rev. Wright’s teaching,” which is offered as one of the reasons he “hates” America.

Obama is a socialist who wants to convert America to “European style socialist state” mara to “Greece.”

Obama is an “apologist” who “goes around bowing to Muslim countries” and “apologizing for American sins.”

Obama is a Muslim who is “waging a war on Christianity.”

Obama has “no leadership skills beyond community organizing.”

Obama is not an American but a Kenyan therefore was illegally elected as only US born citizens are eligible to be elected president.

Obama “wants to control everyone’s lives by telling them what to do, how and when” mara Obama “wants a big government controlling all aspects of people’s lives.”

Obama is the “Food-Stamp president”—which is code for Obama takes and gives black people money to buy groceries.

Common sense will tell you one cannot be all these things, let alone any of them and survive as president for even one day.

Yet, Republicans led by their Right Wing media have been peddling these lies day in and day out some of the unwary and uninitiated have come actually come to believe some of these as being fact, when it’s all lies.

Every single one of them.

Fortunately for Obama, even as these Republicans are pulsating and can’t wait to vote against Obama, they are engulfed in one of the worst primary nomination such that whoever emerges as their flag-bearer will be so wounded as to be any effective at all campaigning against Raila with the end result being the opposite of what was feared even in deep Democratic circles and that is imminent defeat of Obama at the general election; the fortunes have turned thanks in part with the dogged obsession with denying Obama victory and forgetting little details as nominating a person who can, in fact, defeat him.

Uhuru and Ruto have borrowed from the same Republican Playbook and will likely face the same defeat at the polls for you simply can’t be against a person; you also must be for something and none of these individuals determined to “stop” Raila has articulated a single reason why they are against a Raila presidency or if they have inarticulately mumbled something, it has not and cannot make sense why either or any of them is better than Raila in doing whatever that is.

At least Raila has proven he can do what he says he wishes to do if Kenyans give him the nod and he is, in fact, sworn this time around as president.

Yet, like their Republican mentors here in the US, Uhuru and Ruto are taking Kenyan politics to the height of lies, hypocrisy, distortions and innuendo unlike anything we have seen in the country.

First, it was Ruto going solo in his crusade against Raila and the Mau Forest lies not a single person believes anymore, which may in history mark the turning point for Ruto’s continued downward spiral politically and Raila’s continued upswing in his prospects for reelection as president.

See Who Is William Ruto Part VI; The Succession Game And Why The Scheme To Topple Raila Failed.

Second, Uhuru and Ruto have now joined hands in their desperate lies that Raila is responsible for their woes with ICC in efforts to confuse and mislead “their people,” not the duo’s conduct the ICC Chief Prosecutor has alleged and now stand confirmed by the Pre-Trial Chamber, which they must answer and convincingly so to avoid conviction and long jail times.

Third, a group of equally shameless politicians, led by many MPs who really don’t care about truth or facts, is helping these two spread the lies and distortions in the guise of offering “prayers.”

God is a very forgiving and urges us all to pray and seek forgiveness at all times and He will readily forgive.

However, even He must on occasion LOL wondering if people have not taken the concept of impunity too far by believing they can make a mockery of this noble notion and directive from Him with impunity.

It would be wise if these characters sought true redemption for their actions and seek true God’s intervention in their lives so they can act and do things in accordance to His will, not pretend to seek his protection while at the same time laying the foundation for hate and division He would not allow again for the prayers of true believers with good intentions who are the majority will always be answered over those offered with ill-motive in the minority.

Here is one little fact these two seem to either know and pretend they don’t know or genuinely don’t know in which case they would need a prayer:

Neither needs a prayer for what they face at the Hague; they just need good lawyers with a solid defense for what they stand accused.

They don’t need God for that because He is stepping back on this one as he always does in similar circumstances until people seek true redemption and forgiveness.

 

An Open Letter To Hon. Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi, Deputy Prime Minister, E.G.H., M.P.

An Open Letter To Hon. Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi, Deputy Prime Minister, E.G.H., M.P.

Dear  Hon. Mudavadi:

Needless to say, your political journey has been and continues to be very interesting, to say the least.

You served as one of our country’s youngest ministers back in 1989, having succeeded your late father as M.P. for Sabatia and you have now made your way to serving as our Deputy Prime Minister.

You also to this day remain the holder of the dubious title of “Shortest Serving Vice President” in our country.

Indeed, many had politically written you off, following the 2002 elections in which the country loudly said no to you and then KANU presidential candidate and now fellow Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta.

To be fair and in hindsight, that was more about ending the Moi regime than a reflection of you individually beyond your decision to accept the VP running mate position—something many a politician of the day would have done, anyway.

To your wisdom and wise counsel, however, you regrouped in time and aligned yourself with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) where having received 391 votes to Raila’s 2,656 for party nomination, Raila made you his running mate for the 2007 elections.

The rest, as they say, is history but a few things need to be noted:

First, you have served the country well as one of our two Deputy Prime Ministers.

Indeed, a convincing case can be made you have served more effectively and accomplished more as DPM than your colleague Uhuru Kenyatta.

Second, unlike many in your situation, you have not carried yourself as one who believes holding public office is an entitlement by virtue of family background.

Instead, you have curved yourself a path to political and business success not necessarily all owing to the fact you were born to privilege but in spite of it.

No one can say, however, that your rise to where you are has not been due to that very fact of your family background.

That you have been the beneficiary of a privileged family background is true but there is nothing wrong with that and neither is it something not to be proud of as many others born to same or similar background have either wasted away or otherwise not accomplished much in life.

Third, you are once again placed in a situation where you must draw upon the same wisdom and counsel as you did back in 2005 when you decided to warm up-to and join ODM albeit with one major distinction:

The decision you must make now is far more delicate and complicated at the same time than the one you had to make back in 2005 which few would disagree was the only wise decision you could have made at that time were you to have any chance of reviving yourself politically.

The decision you must make now is whether or not to aggressively seek ODM nomination and therefore the presidency of our country.

The prevailing wisdom between and among most ODM members and supporters, is that you should not challenge Raila for ODM nomination.

You have stated a desire to do the opposite, namely, to challenge Raila for the nomination and have couched your desire to do this under a need to have “internal democracy” within ODM.

Some who are opposed to your quest to challenge Raila fear you are either compromised by Raila’s and ODM enemies or that you are being misled to believing you can win the presidency when, in fact, your chances of winning the presidency are far much less than Raila’s, given any objective analysis of the current political climate and dynamics.

To be sure, the one reason that is being cited by those egging you on to challenge Raila for the ODM nomination, and therefore the presidency, is that you are the more electable of the two, given the plight Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto face.

For your part, you have said—and one must take you for your word—that all you seek, is simply to offer a choice to ODM members in who should be the party’s flag-bearer and proceed to seek the presidency on that basis, if given the nod.

However, this begs the question, why?

When one talks of democracy, this requirement is satisfied in the ODM nomination process because when you and Raila presented yourselves for nomination in 2007, the party spoke and Raila was chosen Party Leader and you were by virtue of having garnered the next highest votes, made the Deputy Party Leader.

These are life-time elections unless one so elected acts or does not act in a manner not befitting one holding those positions or otherwise becomes a liability for the party such that removing him or her or seeking a fresh mandate is desirable.

Neither you nor Party Leader Raila Odinga has acted or failed to act in a manner not befitting your positions therefore seeking a new mandate from party members is neither desirable nor warranted.

It is a fallacy of the worst kind to argue that not seeking a fresh mandate under these circumstances is inconsistent or contrary to the ideals of democracy.

Far from it and all one needs to do, is to survey other countries and one would readily find that party leaders are rarely challenged and the only time there is any serious contention as to nomination for party flag-bearer, is when there is no incumbency.

In all other times, there may be challenges here and there but they are often token or from the extreme end of the party’s ideological spectrum—a wing which is never satisfied unless the party nominates one of their own and therefore ensuring handy defeat in the general elections where such extreme candidates never win.

There is a reason this is the case, namely, why party leaders are rarely challenged and that is, party unity, cohesion and continuity.

A party is well served in galvanizing its resources and focusing on its real opponents and that is those who seek to diminish or defeat them at every turn and every resource or energy expended fighting useless fights within the party distracts from this mission and is almost always counterproductive no matter how noble the fight may be.

It is also poignant that, in politics, when you see your political opponent—and we are here talking from the perspective of the party—cheering you or egging you to undertake any particular action or not to, know fully well that is always never in the interest of your party but is always in favor of their party or interests.

Some of those gleefully cheering you on to challenge Raila for the nomination are Raila’s political enemies and opponents and the last thing they want to see is you being elected president either!

This fact alone should give you pause.

Unless, of course, you believe that you have a shot at dethroning Raila in ODM and doing a double to vanquish those scheming daily to defeat him—and you by extension—in which case the question you must ask yourself and answer wisely is, at what expense?

There are those within ODM who genuinely but perhaps naively believe that you should challenge Raila if anything to say you are your own man.

You would be wise to tell them first, you are your own man and have proven so many times over and, it’s not your manhood but nationhood at stake.

A protracted albeit even mild battle for ODM nomination would irreversibly harm ODM and doubly so when the net-gain in terms of effort alone will be negligible.

It would also potentially weaken ODM and therefore potentially produce a victory for anti-Railaists and ODM opponents who there is little doubt what they stand for and that is, nothing but “stopping” Raila, status quo and reversal of progress we have made as a country in reforms.

Your challenging Raila must therefore be seen from this prism.

In other words, your challenging Raila but ultimately not garnering enough votes to topple him as Party Leader would not have made ODM more democratic than it is and even if you were to somehow succeed in doing so, your success will only be deemed a net-gain in democracy only if the process is deemed not having been interfered with from the outside by Raila’s enemies—something one cannot rule out under these circumstances, in which case it will be less democratic and therefore more problematic for ODM and therefore the country going forward.

In light of all of these considerations, I in behalf of many others who have great respect for you and your wisdom, urge you to do the right thing and that is, simply focus on having Team ODM once again triumph at the polls in 2012 and leave the quest for the presidency for another time.

If you must challenge Raila, then do so in a manner that does not damage the party and its prospects for 2012, which is not an easy thing to do for any number of reasons not the least of which is mischief with or without your tacit approval and thus the reason it makes more sense not to even bother and instead focus on party unity and popularization.

With ODM’s success at the polls and Raila being re-elected as president, the pathway to your presidency is that more certain and deservedly so.

Sincerely,

/s

Samuel N. Omwenga, Esq.

 

Uhuru and Ruto Must Stop Dreaming And Face Reality; They Cannot Contimue Acting As If The Rule Of Law Means Nothing To Them

According to the Nairobi Star, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and MP for Eldoret North, William Ruto are now threatening to move a censure motion against Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, Mutula Kilonzo because of his view that the two should be barred from vying for the presidency following confirmation of the serious charges of crimes against humanity against them now pending before the International Criminal Court.

These two have come from chest-thumbing, to being reckless just a couple of weeks ago–and thank God they have toned down the dangerous rhetoric–and now back to ridiculous chest-thumbing and self-elevation to being some untouchables the country cannot have elections without them on the ballot.

Can someone shake these two characters and tell them they are dreaming?

Now they want to move a motion in Parliament to censure a minister for not only expressing his views as any Kenyan is entitled to but expressing views that fall squarely within his portfolio!

Indeed, were the courts not addressing this issue, Mutula would have been well within his ministerial prerogative to introduce and move a bill to enact precisely what he is saying and that would not be grounds to initiate a censure motion unless these characters are being advised by their shamba boys who never saw the inside of a classroom on parliamentary motions and procedures!

Or did they not either as a matter of reality and thus their acting this way?

Did they cruise through years of education without learning a thing, including the very basic education is supposed to provide and that is ability to discern when one is about to do or say something really dumb or stupid?

Even assuming that to have been the case, surely life’s experience or even being members of Parliament must have made it possible for either to know their assertions here about censuring Mutula is nothing but the height of stupidity and ignorance when it comes to knowing or understanding what censure motions are intended to accomplish.

There is no question these two are desperate and have even at times acted recklessly relative to the serious charges they face but are they also now this dumb and desperate or are they declaring war on the country?

Someone better talk some more sense to these characters before it’s too late.

Here is more from the same story:

Yesterday, the ODM came to Mutula’s defence and said they would lobby MPs to defeat the proposed censure motion. ODM secretary general Anyang’ Nyong’o condemned “renewed efforts by some desperate politicians” to remove Mutula from office through a censure motion “so that they can undermine the constitution at will”.

Nyong’o said the planned censure motion against the minister is “a blatant abuse of Parliament’s authority over the executive to achieve highly partisan, self-serving and vengeful goal.” “These politicians have stooped very low indeed to target a minister whose position on the issues under discussion are among the most resonant with Kenyans today,” Nyong’o said.

He said Mutula’s record at the ministry has been consistent “from the very beginning on these issues”. He said Mutula was giving his views based on the understanding of the law and described him as “one of the most independent voices in the Cabinet”. “The fact that he has taken a position different from that of his party leader on the ICC issue and the fact that he himself is not a candidate for the presidency demands that all pay the fullest attention to his interpretation of constitutional principles as a minister and as senior counsel,” Nyong’o said.

He said that while the ODM had in the past had disagreements with Mutula, “these were never personal nor did they ever lead to the vindictive plots we are now witnessing.” Nyong’o appealed to the reformers within the PNU coalition to restrain their colleagues who are behind the Mutula plot “and other attempts to divide Kenyans.” Roads assistant minister Lee Kinyanjui on Monday said he and a group of “like-minded MPs” were strategising to get the outspoken minister kicked out of his Cabinet docket.

Meanwhile, Kangundo MP Johnstone Muthama yesterday accused the Daily Nation of putting words in his mouth and threatened to sue the newspaper. Muthama denied reports that he told the crowd in Machakos rally on Sunday that Kalonzo stands to benefit politically from ICC cases against Uhuru and Ruto if they lose their appeal to have the charges dropped. “What I said on Sunday is a slogan I have used even before I joined Parliament,” he said.

Peace, Unity and Watch Out For Desperate Politics

Omwenga

 

Wars Raila Must Simultaneously Fight And Win

In the business world, the ability to effectively perform multiple tasks at the same time otherwise referred to as “multi-tasking” or MT is a very desirable quality one to have and often distinguishes the super-achievers from the above average, let alone the mediocre.

Multi-tasking is distinguishable from successfully carrying out one’s assigned tasks in their job descriptions which by definition must be more than multiple but the expectation and general tendency is to have these duties done one at a time, even though most employees think or believe they are multi-tasking at all times.

In politics, the concept does not neatly fit in evaluating performance except when it comes to assessing the performance of the president or leader of a country who in essence is the CEO of the country.

In warfare, multi-tasking takes on a different meaning altogether.

Any military General must always have contingency war plans ready to be executed concurrently and sometimes on many fronts.

In theory, fighting multiple wars at the same time looks good on paper than actually executing the war such that the general who does and emerges victorious in all fronts has his place cut in history and earns their place among the great generals remembered long after the wars they fought are forgotten.

Generals like Genghis Khan, Napoleon Bonaparte, Hannibal Barca and in recent time the controversial George Patton of WWII come to mind.

Before entering the ring to prove his CEO multi-tasking skills, which he and others can plausibly and convincingly argue he has already proven, Prime Minister Raila Odinga must first prove his political warfare skills beyond what he has undoubtedly and unquestionably proven to everyone’s satisfaction.

However, all that he has proven either as CEO or master of politics and strategic survival will be for naught and merely an asterisk in his otherwise illustrious life, if he does not get reelected and sworn as president.

The skillful politician he is, Raila must now put on his Military General hat and fight a war on three fronts he must fight and win before being rewarded with the greatest political prize of all in Kenya and that is the presidency.

The first front Raila must successfully fight, is the mobilizing of a small force in the West by way of the slowly brewing skirmish within his own party and that is Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi’s declared intention to challenge Raila for the nomination as ODM flag-bearer.

On the surface, this may look as though it’s a minor skirmish or none at all but let no one make no mistake as to believe that’s all there is to it as there is more to this than actually meets the eye.

And therein lurks the danger for Raila and ODM.

To be sure, Mudavadi’s quest is not all about openness and transparency or even democratization of the parties for that matter.

If Mudavadi’s quest were simply a desire to have a healthy debate as to which one of the two gentlemen is better suited to lead the ODM forces to victory, then all those who are pro democratization of our processes would be rooting unreservedly for such a debate.

What is clearly at play are two unmixable condiments and if mixed successfully, the end product would be nothing but toxic concoction for anyone to swallow, let alone Raila and these are: Mudavadi’s quest—genuine or not, to seek ODM nomination on the one hand, and Raila’s enemies quest to use the opportunity to knock out Raila as the leading presidential contender he is while positioning Mudavadi squarely on a seat from which to sink him so fast in the general elections, he wouldn’t know what happened.

Mudavadi is like the employee who hardly ever gets in trouble not because he or she is not conniving or doesn’t do anything wrong, but because he or she is clever in disguising the mischief and when others report him or her to the boss for wrongdoing, the boss is always dismissive of them as haters because he or she has done a good job of having the boss believe he or she cannot do no wrong.

When the boss suddenly finds himself booted or transferred to some remote post in the countryside where he is struggling to even cope with the strange environment and this same employee is now promoted to his or her position, the boss can only but wonder if he or she has not all along been schemed by this clever but ruthlessly calculating understudy.

Invariably, however, the evidence will start trickling in that the boss has, indeed, become the victim of his or her total trust and believe in a person with no intention of reciprocating.

The ones LOL silly in all of these are none other than the very co-workers who the now former boss routinely ignored their warnings this person is up-to no good but that’s not to say the person did not get their on their own merit; they could have and there is nothing wrong with that.

The trick is, knowing when the person is trying to get there by hook or crook and nipping both.

This is akin to a black person trying to decipher whether he or she is being discriminated against because of being black.

Sidney Potier put it best in saying when he got bad service in the restaurant, he always wondered whether it was because of racism or because the waiter is simply lousy and incompetent such that the color of his skin didn’t matter all that much in what service he received.

In that situation, the only thing the black person can do, is go with his or her instincts and not only scream racism the loudest he or she can, but also do something about it in making sure the racist is held to account.

How Raila and ODM manages this “little” Mudavadi issue will either put him closer to reelection and even assure him of it or it’ll cause turbulence dangerously perilous for his journey to State House.

The second front Raila must successfully fight, is purging ODM of his enemies and distractors while at the same time ensuring their exit does not cause the same perilous turbulence on his way to State House.

Although a case can be made that the only enemy within ODM for Raila is Ruto and the handful of MPs allied to him, one can also make a convincing case there are a few stealth enemies within the camp and the sooner Raila identifies these, if he has not already, and neutralizes, purges or at least exposes them, the better.

It is said politics is always full of strange bedfellows and in the ODM context this would constitute those who are openly against Raila as Ruto or and those openly supporting Raila but secretly plotting with outsiders to derail his presidency in the guise of supporting Mudavadi with his quest to challenge Raila as a matter of democracy they know its anything but.

Then there is the mother of all battles Raila must fight and defeat on his way to State House and these are the anti-Raila forces coming at him from all different directions be that PNU, G7 or whatever tribal grouping emerges as the forces to “stop” Raila from being reelected as president.

No politician this writer knows that must face and deal with so many known knowns, known unknowns and unknown unknowns, to borrow from Donald Rumsfeld, the perennial but now former US Secretary of Defence, than our own Raila Amolo Odinga.

However, the one thing Raila has going for him against all these forces he must fight, is he is a tested and proven survivor in many a skirmish, small and great.

He was a frequent guest of Moi in places few have ever been let alone experienced the horror and pain of being there.

He survived not without steeliness, fortitude, agility and discipline—all essentials of a good general in leading men and women to war that must have the same—he lived another day to become instrumental in the final defeat of Moi and his regime.

When Kenyans went to the polls and gave him the nod for the presidency but only to find himself stopped at the gatehouse by Kibaki and Co telling him, “no; not this time!,” Raila went back to the drawing board and emerged with the half loaf he now holds and this was nothing but the application of the above skills and more.

Now, the man also known as “the Enigma” must once again draw from these skills and more to successfully fend off the enemies from all these warfronts and emerge victorious in the collective war and likely last of his political life.

When Jaramogi said of Moi being a giraffe that saw far, not even Moi saw or thought Raila getting to where he is today against all odds as he has and, even though the human nature is for someone in Moi’s shoe to want to exact revenge against Raila for 2002 by rooting for or even backing his enemies, as compared to getting him elected, if Moi is the giraffe Jaramogi credited him to be, he will see that getting this Son of Jaramogi elected president is the wiser of the two and ditto for Kibaki as Raila’s election will bring to a close an end to the old politics of conniving, scheming and outright theft to get elected or maintain office while ushering in a new era of honest politicking—at least to the extent possible and competition of ideas and won’t that be a legacy either of these presidents would want to be forever associated with should that, indeed, come to pass, namely, their helping Raila get elected?

Doing otherwise for either would be no different than putting their stamp of approval on schemes and machinations by those merely ganging up against Raila for no other reason other than they don’t want him reelected president for reasons that have nothing to do with whether or not he is qualified or has the leadership skills necessary to govern as president, which should be the only measure by which we should elect our leaders and the sooner we get there, the better for the country.

Otherwise, status quo, continued bad and disjointed governance and wallowing in the politics of stagnation in all fronts it shall be.

 

Ending Lies, Distortions and Tribal Calculus In Kenyan Presidential Elections

For those who follow American politics, one stable of campaigns in the recent years and now even arguably indispensable, is “negative campaigning,” which can be described as taking factual information about your opponent and either highlighting it, if it is unfavorable as it is, or simply distorting it to paint a picture about your opponent that makes him or her less or not attractive at all as one worth voting for.

Negative campaigning is related but different from from telling bold or outright lies, which is equally practiced in American politics but less so at least relatively speaking and often backfires on those who engage in it.

A hybrid between the two is also practiced in plenty and this is this is the subtle lying that has become the specialty of the Conservative Broadcast TV, led by Fox Television under their blatantly misleading slogan “Fair and Balanced”–which none of its channels are and its comrades at war against Democrats, the Conservative Talk Radio led by their loudest loudmouths, the Big Fat Idiot/ Rush Limbaugh.

There are many similarities between American politics and Kenyan politics and more so between President Obama’s prospects for reelection and Prime Minister Raila’s reelection.

A complete analysis of these similarities or comparisons would entail penning a piece beyond what time allows but there is plenty of time to examine in a limited way how voters receive negative information and outright lies in the two countries.

There are Americans who would buy hook, line an sinker lies against President Barrack Obama peddled to them by the likes of the “birthers”–those who peddle the lie that Obama was born in Kenya and therefore an “illegitimate” president since only those born in the US qualify to seek the presidency and the aforementioned Conservative Broadcast and Talk Radio, which on any given day are peddling one lie or another against Obama.

These are are no different from the Kenyans who would buy hook, line and sinker lies peddled against Raila by his opponents.

This group we can call it Group A, and let’s for analysis sake describe it as those voters who would buy anything negative about those they oppose or don’t care about their candidature and will never vote for the candidate no matter what.

Conversely, we have a group of Americans who would not buy anything negative peddled against Obama and would vote for him regardless and ditto for Raila.

For analysis sake, let’s describe this as those voters who would see no evil or hear no evil about their man or woman in a race and would vote for him or her regardless of what’s being said about them.

This group we can call it Group B.

Then there is a third group that intersects the two groups and would vote for Obama or Raila based on whether they are convinced that either is a better candidate of those seeking to challenge him, in the case of Obama, or “stop” him, in the case of Raila.

For analysis sake, let’s call this the group of voters who are genuinely independent and would objectively look to evaluate a candidate as a whole, taking into account both the lies and known truths about them.

This group we can call it Group C.

My thesis has been and continues to be that politics in Kenya has at least since the advent of multipartyism been influenced and actually determined by those in either Group A or B, and never those in Group C, depending where the tribalists and tribalism lovers find home that election year.

Given this, yours truly has postulated and continues to preach that in order to fundamentally change politics in Kenya and transform the country, the next president must successfully move people from both Groups A and B to C and make Group C the majority that puts him or her in office, not exclusively those in either Group A or B.

This is what yours truly sees Raila and ODM doing and, as he has been saying and continues to, victory utilizing this model, is not only victory for the victors, it would be victory for the country as a whole.

Conversely, few would disagree that those bent on “stopping” Raila from be reelected president are wholly relying on a strategy to lie, lie and lie their way to State House, if they could, with the help of those in Group A, driven only by tribalism and nothing but tribalism.

Their victory would not only be a defeat of the progressive forces and agents of transformative change, it would be a loss for the country to the extent they simply don’t have an articulated agenda other than “stopping” Raila from being reelected.

No one can make a plausible case such an agenda would be a victory for Kenya in any way.

The good news for Raila and ODM, however, is there are many in Group A or B willing and ready to receive that message of hope and transformation and to accordingly move to Group C, even in the face of this dogged determination by those scheming to defeat the spreading of such a message.

Who shall prevail?

Let’s all hope those with a message of hope and transformation; at least let’s hope a majority of those going to polls do and vote accordingly.

Such victory will mark an end to tribalism as we know it and the ushering in of an era where neither tribalism nor outright lies and distortions are the major determinative factors in at least presidential elections.

Peace, Unity and No More Tribal Politics in Kenya

Omwenga