What I wish official opposition (CORD) was doing instead of playing victim

As a person who voted for CORD and was deeply disappointed by the Jubilee win, I must say the recent actions by the CORD party are anything but impressive. Everywhere you turn, CORD is playing victim to something. Yes the election was not fair but we took it to the supreme court and lost. Whether that was because we did not present sufficient evidence or Mutunga and his team were bought is of no importance at this point simply because CORD accepted the ruling. But to do that then take a permanent victim position on every matter is simply shameful and shows lack of strategy on the CORD side. Why do I say that? Its only been 100days but look at all the pettiness that CORD has been part of. First it was the IEBC are the devils. This was understandable since clearly they performed way below average. But did we present a solid case to the Supreme court? Then it was Mutunga who became the devil himself never mind that both Issak and Mutunga were Raila's choice for the job. Just when Kenyans were beginning to get over the Mutunga hate, it was the Airport VIP drama...... oh the government is trying to shame Raila. Barely a month later its the Kethi battle.......oh TNA removed her from the voters list. Jesus Holy Christ..........I mean dont they get tired of being victims? Having said that, I think there are two ways that CORD could make its self useful to kenyans and while at it, bit Jubilee at their own game. 1. Instead of holding constant meetings with its Senators and Governors in mombasa to gauge their loyalty, they should use that money and the one the former PM is using to go around campaigning (i dont know for what position) to hire experts to go to each CORD county and help the officials there develop an integrated county development plan which is a 5 year development plan that is required by law for each county. Why is this important? Its no secret that most (if not all) counties lack capacity. If CORD hired this experts, they would ensure that they work with CORD governors to develop a full proof plan that would place CORD counties ahead of other counties. One year down the line, a simple audit would have us all wish Raila was the president. 2. Engage institutions intelligently. On this CORD members can learn from their brother Chris Wamalwa. Dont just run around telling us Isaak is a bad man, show us. The moment Isaak refused to take that oath, i am sure even those who believed the jubilee win was solid had a moment of doubt. That right there is a very strategic move and a big victory to CORD. If only they would do the same in parliament and their respective committees. Otherwise all this "tunaonewa" nonsense has gotten old.

Kenya: A country that celebrate villains

The 4th president of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn-in in a colorful ceremony on 9th of April. In every sense of the word this was a proud moment for Kenya and Africa..........or was it? Its no secret that I am not a supporter of Uhuru but that’s not the reason I am writing this piece. After weeks of being bombarded with "peace and move on" messages everywhere I looked, I'm almost ashamed to admit that I’m one of those Kenyans who had boarded the ship and accepted Kenya's fate although with a heavy heart. However, scenes from the inauguration ceremony quickly jolted me back to the reality of the political madness in this country. In 2002 when we finally ended the Moi era, I thought to myself, Kenya has finally said goodbye to the worst of its villains………….we had turned a corner. Of course I knew many more challenges were ahead of us but I thought that one think will keep all Kenyans focused on achieving great things, the understanding that the likes of Moi will never again enjoy public space or have a say in this country. So you can imagine my shock when a stadium filled with 60,000 Kenyans literary gave the former president a standing ovation when he attended the inauguration. Why? why? why? Now, I understand how Kibaki can be cheered.......... the man has certainly brought this country from dumpster despite all his cons. I understand the excitement in celebrating the future expectations placed by a section of Kenyans on the new president Uhuru thus the non stop cheering (personally I have 0 expectations) but Moi???? Really?? Have we forgotten what Kenya was like 10 years ago? I bet even Moi himself doesn’t recognize Kenya today. A Kenya where citizens are free to express themselves and criticize their leaders. A Kenya where a 25 year old can be sure to find support for her/his brilliant business ideas etc etc. I’m not by any chance saying Kenya is perfect but looking at what we have been able to achieve in the last ten years, we were pretty much on the right track (don’t know about the next 5 years). So I ask again, what did Moi do to deserve the cheering? Is it because he introduced Uhuru to politics and therefore partly responsible for his position today? If so then most of the current political figures are Moi's orphans and therefore we should never have done away with him in the first place. But to think that we have been reduced to cheering Moi and Museveni in the name of teaching the west a lesson?? I feel sorry for us because our values as citizens keep fluctuating and therefore we will never get the leaders this country truly deserves. I have been told not to take the cheering too seriously because the stadium was full of under 30’s (which means they were under 20’s when Moi left) who don’t remember Moi and therefore cheered for the heck of it. I guess my question is, are we in that case rising a generation that knows 0 history? My friend Gacheke put it perfectly "Politicians the likes of Ruto (and Raila if you ask me) have mastered the art of using social movements language to appeal to the economically maginalised". The talk of Unga ya 60 bob is the exact kind of language that appeals to the mwananchi. But where has the good will been all this time? I guess we shall all wait and see.

Calling CSO's foreign parapets misguided

Since the IEBC announced Uhuru as the fourth president of Kenya, anyone who opens his or her mouth to challenge the outcome has been branded a western parapet. People from the Civil Society have particularly received their fair share of name calling with some of the newspaper articles going as far as to claim that the CSO's are getting paid by the west to destabilize Kenya's political landscape. Now, anyone who knows how NGO's operate or how they secure their funding for that matter will tell you that both are made much easier when they work under "difficult" environments. Difficult according to the donors/partners of course. Lets say the court was to throw out the petition by CORD, that move would make Uhuru the fourth president of Kenya. What would that mean for Kenya's relationship with the west? Now if the west consider Kenya an "unjust" country because they elected an individual who is facing charges for crimes against humanity the impression I get is that the so called democratic western countries would do anything in their power to ensure that Kenya is restored back to being an icon of the region by upholding justice and democracy. If this is the case, then it is a no brainer that Kenyan Civil Society would have more access to funding and thus their lifeline would be prolonged because Uhuru's presidency in the eyes of the west would validate the existence of NGO's(parallel governments). Baring this in mind, why would the Civil Society cut the hand that feeds them (Uhuru's presidency). Wouldn’t it be more convenient for them to shut up and let Uhuruto be sworn in then immediately after begin the efforts of fundraising to resort democracy? My point? It is no secret that citizens in this country rarely get the opportunity to contribute to the development agenda. Now if the only way you can get your voice heard is through civil society, then why not? Of course I have my own reservations on the fact that NGO's get funding from foreign governments to carry out an agenda (progressive or else). in countries like Brazil for instance, NGO's get funded by government without fear of getting gagged. In the so called western countries we all love to blame for our problems, Civil Society is funded by wananchi for as little as 100bob. Ask yourself what you have done to contribute to the democratic space of this country. If Civil Society was looking to increase their funding budgets, the right move would be to back Uhuru(silently of course). So please, before vindicating the Civil Society organizations that have gone to court to challenge the election outcome, please remember that they are also Kenyans who are trying desperately to ensure the democratic spaces we have all waited so long to enjoy are not closed up in the pretence of upholding peace.