Tag Archives: Azimio
A Eulogy for Chapter Six
Missing in the print version but will be in the online version:
This must come to an end, and it starts with the president rolling up his sleeves and taking head on this vice that has crippled and continues to cripple the country.
The president can do this by at least having Parliament enact legislation that grants the EACC and other agencies prosecutorial powers apart from the ODPP. It won’t be an easy task for the president because it is believed one of the reasons this has not happened already is it’s not in the politicians’ interests to have such expanded prosecution powers.
However, to win the fight against corruption and other economic crimes in Kenya, those suspected of corruption must be brought to trial and if convicted, sent to jail besides disgorging their ill-gained wealth.
This practice of arresting the suspects of economic crimes and never hearing about their cases again must end.
It is known that there are people with easily provable corruption cases, but they are roaming around with impunity because they know they can use the same ill-gotten money to bribe their way out of everything, including acquittal should anyone dare prosecute them.
Unless this culture of corruption is ended, Kenyans will continue to suffer notwithstanding how the economy performs. It is not enough to just keep talking tough about fighting corruption, let the president do something about it finally.
Ruto’s Opportunity to Change Kenya is Now
Missing in the piece but will be on the online version:
When asked for the reasons why the country is headed in the wrong direction, 89 percent cited the high cost of living while 34 percent cited unemployment.
The president can change all this almost overnight by (a) reshuffling the cabinet and removing deadwood and (b) waging a genuine war on corruption and going after thieves overstuffed with stolen money that must be returned to the coffers.
Yes, he can.
Let’s Have a Truce on Stolen Elections
In Let’s Have Truce on Stolen Elections, I make the case why. Excerpts:
Former US President Donald Trump has been singing like a canary bird that his election was stolen by President Joe Biden in 2020. Truth is—and he knows this, the now MAGA cult leader was trounced at the polls by Biden.
There are no buts and ifs about that and if in doubt, check with federal courts in the US, which dismissed all 60 cases Trump and his minions filed to challenge the election.
…
As in 2020, sober independents will save America from going to the dogs in 2024 by once again joining Democrats and rational Republicans in rejecting this person who many of his opponents call names not worth repeating.
Trump shouting from the mountains that he won the 2020 elections and that the elections were stolen from him is hollow and without any basis in fact.
Is the situation in Kenya the same or different? Have elections been stolen in Kenya since our independence? Of course. The only credible, free, and transparent elections we had was in 2002. Every election we have since has been marred with all manner of election irregularities, daylight robbery and in between with the highlight (or darkest) being 2007 following which the country almost went into a civil war.
In 2013, neither now retired President Uhuru Kenyatta nor Raila won the requisite 50 per cent+1 but Raila performed so poorly compared to 2007 the powers that be decided to dispense with round two and simply have Uhuru sworn in as president—and he was.
In 2017 the Supreme Court annulled the first elections of that year citing daylight robbery and other criminality.
In 2022, the apex court went a different direction by dismissing opposition leader Raila’s petition challenging the election of President William Ruto.
…
Given how emotionally and in some cases, how financially people are invested in their political trenches, it is unlikely one can be convinced to switch positions as to whether Raila was rigged out in 2022 or not.
People will continue to believe what they believe until the next election circle and beyond, and circle will likely repeat, unless something is done to end this madness once and for all.
That something is for both sides to call it a truce and let’s have a clean start for 2027, starting with reconstitution of the IEBC and, for God’s sake, at least have an agency that can deliver a credible election for which both winners and losers can say a job well done!
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It sounds impossible but it can be done, otherwise we shall continue to go through these circles of violence and when there is no violence, absolute stagnation of economic activity owing to bickering and demonstrations that paralyse everything.
Is it worth it?
Let sober minds say no and do something about it.
Raila and Martha Address Historic Virtual Rally
Azimio presidential flagbearer Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga and his running mate Hon. Martha Karua or MDP as I refer to her (Madam Deputy President) addressed a historic virtual rally that was viewed by Kenyans living in more than 80 countries and those at home. This was another exciting and yet again another milestone for Baba as there has never been a virtual rally done like this one before.
Coming on the heels of Mr. Odinga appointing Martha Karua as his running mate, the excitement can only increase the momentum the Azimio team is enjoying for the remainder of the campaign.
The virtual rally was designed to show why Kenyans living in the diaspora support Raila and MDP and to make the case why the Azimio team is the winning ticket and this was done via a series of speeches given by Kenyans living in the diaspora.
The Azimio leader Raila welcomed the views of these diaspora speakers as representatives of the diaspora and encouraged the diaspora to present a unified document stating these views that can be considered for incorporation in the Azimio government’s policy formulation and implementation, which is a process underway in anticipation of taking over power come August.
For their part, Baba and MDP had the following to say, especially as it relates to the diaspora:
Note: The following are my tweets in cue from the live event but am sharing them here for Raila and MDP supporters to cut and paste as their own tweets and posts, which is fine with me:
Kenyans living in the diaspora play a critical role in the welfare of their kinfolk at home
Unfortunately, many of diaspora’s efforts to invest back home are hampered with corruption and slow-moving wheels of justice The Baba and Martha government will make sure this is not the case anymore.
#Azimio government will protect the investment of the diaspora as well as investment by all who invest in our country’s economy @MarthaKarua
#Azimio government will have fighting corruption as one of its top priorities and the government will need the support of the public, including the diaspora to make this happen @MarthaKarua
#Azimio knows this can be done because we saw a sneak-peek of it during the 2002 NARC government when the public participated in fighting corruption @MarthaKarua
#Azimio will use every method and avenue available to fight corruption, including use of existing laws or making new ones to close loopholes that enable the culprits to thwart or altogether avoid being held accountable
#Azimio will end the practice of having serious cases lingering in the judicial process for years and years and ultimately nothing being done for the accused who are, in fact, guilty @MarthaKarua
#Azimio government will have a ministry that will, among other things, cater to the needs and interests of Kenyans in the diaspora
#Azimio government will also have a Diaspora Desk in the president’s office to make sure diaspora issues are dealt with as quickly as possible
#Azimio government will finally move Kenyans to middle-income status
#Azimio government will fully implement the one county, one product policy and will encourage the diaspora to participate in this with their investments
#Azimio encourages the diaspora to be like Jews who are 3 or 4th generation in America but when the mother (Israel) beckons, they are ready to pounce
#Azimio will have a conducive environment for investment in all areas of the economy and diaspora should be prepared to put their hard-earned money to work for them. @martha
#Azimio will also encourage those in the diaspora with experiences needed at home to consider returning home when the time is right to offer their expertise in the development of the country. @MarthaKarua
#Azimio appreciates the value of blue-economy and will have this also as one of its top priorities
#Azimio will increase capacity for blue-economy by reviving some of the ports that were in operation decades ago and building a new one in Shimoni, Kwale
#Azimio will encourage more institutions like Bandari University which already has faculty dealing with the blue economy, ditto Kisumu Institute
#Azimio will strike a balance between appointing politicians as ambassadors and promoting within the civil service ranks, with most appointments being civil servants
#Azimio believes overloading the diplomatic core with failed politicians is demoralizing to the career diplomats who many are rotting in the ministry
#Azimio will strike a balance to have a certain percentage of ambassadors coming from outside civil service but a bulk of them to be civil servants and career diplomats
#Azimio balancing between appointing ambassadors from within the civil service and outsiders will only be fair and increase morale within the civil service
On religion, #Azimio hopes the public can see the dishonesty of the other side trying to shamelessly use religion to advance their false narratives @MarthaKarua
The Constitution separates church and state, yet the other side is busy sowing seeds of doubt whether #Azimio leaders are members of any faith
#Azimio leaders at the top did not start their association with religion when Azimio was formed; many like Baba and Martha have been believers for decades
Indeed, @martha and Baba are Anglicans but neither needs to prove that to anyone
Church leaders are representative of God and Christ on earth but there is none of them who have been appointed to judge anyone on earth as to their faith @MarthaKarua
Nobody should do this and this includes the competition
#Azimio will protect freedom of worship and uphold the Constitution and that is all that should matter to anyone, not measuring degrees of one’s faith and beliefs
No one should judge and @RailaOdinga and @MarthaKarua refuse to be judged
End of Tweets
The meeting ended with Baba thanking the organizers publicly and feedback received privately indicates Baba and MDP were, indeed, happy how it all went despite some technical glitches.
The unstoppable march to State House continues for Baba and MDP
Do your part in the journey by helping by spreading the good news by sharing the above tweets in your circles and more to come.
Thank you!
Wajakhoyah Is a Threat to Ruto, Not Raila
According to the Star, Jubilee Vice-Chairman David Murathe has told Deputy President on paper William Ruto what he and his team already know and that is the rising popularity of Roots Party presidential candidate George Wajackoyah is something that should worry them.
During an interview with NTV on Wednesday, Murathe said that the Roots Party has become popular in the last two months, and this was posing a threat to DP Ruto and not Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga. Murathe tore into Kenya Kwanza’s policies, saying that they do not bring solutions to the youths and Kenyans at large, unlike Raila and Wajackoyah’s agenda.
According to Murathe, Azimio is not worried about the popularity of the Roots Party and its presidential candidate because their manifesto is in line with solving Kenyans’ problems, just like Wajackoyah’s.
Ruto, on the other hand, has been clinging on hopes he can continue hoodwinking the youth to support him through Election Day but, like all other support Ruto had in Mt. Kenya, it was all a phantom Raila and MDP have quickly and methodically had to disappear almost overnight.
The Azimio flga-bearer and his deputy are now almost cruising to victory on 9th August.
There is more work to be done which is being done, but everything considered, Baba na Martha are sitting pretty and it is only a matter of time now for all this to come to pass.
Moses Kuria, Governor Kabogo and the Current Situation in Mount Kenya Region
Chama Cha Kazi party leader Moses Kuria has accused the UDA party of playing politics of conmanship against their Kenya Kwanza coalition partners.
Speaking on Sunday, Kuria said the Deputy President William Ruto-led party was sidelining other parties within Kenya Kwanza in the planning of campaigns with Mt Kenya region.
The Gatundu South MP noted that in some of these meetings, UDA leaders plot against their partners from the region.
“When it comes to events in Mt Kenya, organization meetings are held exclusively by UDA and we are thrown out. For me its sad and strange. to make matters worse, aspirants from UDA are warned from associating with me or Governor Kabogo which truly is against the spirit of the alliance,” Kuria said on Citizen TV.
He added, “We find this to be dishonest and I find it to be when we talk about the politic of deceit and conmanship which made us run away from Jubilee, I find this more exemplified by what is happening against us in Mt Kenya region as opposed to what we are fighting Jubilee about.”
The Kiambu gubernatorial candidate said that Kenya Kwanza seems like a nuisance to some people with the United Democratic Alliance party.
Reports the Star, and thus my translation as above.
Current Affairs in Kenya 