Corruption and impunity are King in government of Kenya circles. Maize, Oil, Tanks & Guns, Grand Regency Hotel, Goldenberg, the phantom Ken Ren Fertiliser Factory, Anglo Leasing, Free Primary Education, the list goes on and the institutional rot is obvious. Today Parliament shall debate a report on the sale and purchase of Kenyan diplomatic mission property in 5 countries – alleged to be tainted by corruption and abuse of public trust. ( www.marsgroupkenya.org )
That being the case, you probably will agree with me that Kenya is ripe for change. Charged citizens, MP's eager to please, Lumumba who's heading an institution who's reputation hungs in the balance and the two principles who dont seem to care about which political side of the divide you come from. Since we got our flag independence in 1963, I dont think there is any other time in our history when kenyans were as hopeful and as ready for change as they are now. The new constitution has a lot to do with is, but I also choose to think that Kenyans are genuinely fed up of being short changed. They might not have grasped how to get themselves out of this quagmire, but they definitely are ready to act if provided with possible alternatives.
One of the fundamental areas that need radicle change is public service. We seem to target the scam of the earth for the most demanding and sensitive positions. If today the cabinet were to be vetted, we probably would not have anyone left standing. Now we all know that the prospects of having all the cabinet fired or even investigated (in the spirit of the new constitution of course) is nirvana and will not happen in our lifetime. However, we have a robust and extremely outspoken new kid on the block by the name of PLO lumumba. This man might just deliver us to Can-an if we put enough pressure on him. Already as it is, he is extremely eager to perform but we all know that its only a matter of time before he is compromised. What kind of pressure am i talking about here? Kenyans must show that they are hungry for blood, blood of anyone who feels they can continue to govern this country with impunity. All lumumba's team has to do is point us in the right direction. If your name as much as appears on a corruption report, whether proven guilty or not, you MUST leave office. This issue of "innocent until proven guilty" does not apply to this corruption ridden government.
Now most of you will suggested that this kind of "none negotiable" approach will encourage witch hunts among government. True as this may be, I can confidently say that this is a risk kenyans should be willing to take. The idea of politicians hiding behind ethnic cocoons must end, and the only way to end it is for kenyans to start capitalizing on the opportunities presented by the new constitution. Ensuring that Ruto,Wetangula, Saitoti, Majiwa and all their brothers have been laid to rest politically is the only way.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
The rhetoric that has become climate change.
Have you ever sat through a climate change meeting? especially one of those that try to come up with solutions? It is true that the world is in a sorry state. All you have to do is read some of the statistics on the rate at which our greedy industrialization behaviors are eating up the world and you will develop a bucket list immediately after. We have all seen the increased disasters, from the tsunamis, earthquakes to unexplained draughts and floods. at the rate things are happening, the scientist will be out of work soon.
Now, all of us seem to have come to terms with the disaster we have made of things. I however will never understand how the discussions we have in our NGO circles will change anything. we talk about changing our lifestyles, about holding our governments accountable. well, lets start with changing how we live, does anyone think this is possible? lets shut down GM and other car manufactures, heck, lets bring technology to an end. I know that sounds radicle but im not sure we have the luxury of taking the slow option. the changes we recommend today in my opinion only serve to postpone the inevitable. My friend Janet Akao used to say that the only solution to climate change and other global ills, is for the world to swallow us all then have a fresh start, a less evil generation. Now that is radicle.
I must admit that i dont know much about climate change, but i know for sure that telling people to give up their comfort zones might take centuries, which at this point we do not have.
Holding our governments accountable is the other hurdle we are yet to figure out. Industrialization seems to be all that our governments think about. the economy, employment creation etc all look to industrialization to create this opportunities. Truth of the matter is, we bought the western model ages ago and now its almost too late to turn back. So lets keep signing all this UN declarations, attend the COP16, 17 etc meetings, be vocal at the Rio20, because, honestly speaking, ita all we can do to keep from think of the inevitable.
Now, all of us seem to have come to terms with the disaster we have made of things. I however will never understand how the discussions we have in our NGO circles will change anything. we talk about changing our lifestyles, about holding our governments accountable. well, lets start with changing how we live, does anyone think this is possible? lets shut down GM and other car manufactures, heck, lets bring technology to an end. I know that sounds radicle but im not sure we have the luxury of taking the slow option. the changes we recommend today in my opinion only serve to postpone the inevitable. My friend Janet Akao used to say that the only solution to climate change and other global ills, is for the world to swallow us all then have a fresh start, a less evil generation. Now that is radicle.
I must admit that i dont know much about climate change, but i know for sure that telling people to give up their comfort zones might take centuries, which at this point we do not have.
Holding our governments accountable is the other hurdle we are yet to figure out. Industrialization seems to be all that our governments think about. the economy, employment creation etc all look to industrialization to create this opportunities. Truth of the matter is, we bought the western model ages ago and now its almost too late to turn back. So lets keep signing all this UN declarations, attend the COP16, 17 etc meetings, be vocal at the Rio20, because, honestly speaking, ita all we can do to keep from think of the inevitable.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
It MUST not be business as usual!
Have you ever wondered why bringing change is such a daunting task in Kenya yet we have all the right ingredients? If its passion we’v got it, education, the masses, and most definitely we have every reason to want change from this failed system of be it government or society as a whole. Yet every time we embark on a mission to bring about change we end up worse that we started. Why is that? The answer is that either we have the memory span of a catfish or we never fully understand the reason we do things. All you have do is make a list of all the scandals we have had in the last 15 years and how quick we were to sweep all this under the carpet. Even the maize scandal which most of us thought was too close to the heart of Kenyans was forgotten as soon as the media moved on to the next big thing.
Where am I going with this you may ask? Of course like every Kenyan, I am bubbling with joy out for having a new constitution. Today as I got into a matatu, I couldn’t help but notice the business as usual mode we had all switched to. One week ago, everywhere you went, and I mean literary everywhere, Kenyans from all walks of life were discussing the new Katiba, every TV channel had a whole lot of “what if’” debates on the proposed Katiba. Only 7 days later and it feels like we have accomplished everything we set out to. Now this is what worries me!!!! Because this time round we cannot afford to have those temporary amnesia episodes and if we do then we might as well forget Kenya as we know it.
This last weekend, three different groups in Mombasa walked into privately owned land and started demanding that the owners (who I might add are foreigners) move because the new constitution reverts the land back to them. I am not in any way suggesting that the new constitution allows incidents like this to take place, I am simply trying to emphasize why we cannot afford to go to sleep this time. Kenyans need to understand that the changes we aspire for will not come at the stroke of Kibaki's pen, it will take much more work on the part of government and private sector and vigilance on our part. This constitution is one of best things that has happened to Kenya in along time and we must ensure that it remains this way. This requires that we keep the dialogue alive wherever we are. For the media, keep up the same spirit of sharing we saw during the process leading to the referendum. The CoE and other experts need to come up with new civic education materials to be used by civil society. For the principles, we don’t care what the deals behind closed doors were, you must keep the unity intact and visibly so. For the public, keep the debates going as the only way to keep our tolerance levels in check. We must not look at this as business as usual.
For the first time in a very long time, Najivunia Kuwa Mkenya.
Where am I going with this you may ask? Of course like every Kenyan, I am bubbling with joy out for having a new constitution. Today as I got into a matatu, I couldn’t help but notice the business as usual mode we had all switched to. One week ago, everywhere you went, and I mean literary everywhere, Kenyans from all walks of life were discussing the new Katiba, every TV channel had a whole lot of “what if’” debates on the proposed Katiba. Only 7 days later and it feels like we have accomplished everything we set out to. Now this is what worries me!!!! Because this time round we cannot afford to have those temporary amnesia episodes and if we do then we might as well forget Kenya as we know it.
This last weekend, three different groups in Mombasa walked into privately owned land and started demanding that the owners (who I might add are foreigners) move because the new constitution reverts the land back to them. I am not in any way suggesting that the new constitution allows incidents like this to take place, I am simply trying to emphasize why we cannot afford to go to sleep this time. Kenyans need to understand that the changes we aspire for will not come at the stroke of Kibaki's pen, it will take much more work on the part of government and private sector and vigilance on our part. This constitution is one of best things that has happened to Kenya in along time and we must ensure that it remains this way. This requires that we keep the dialogue alive wherever we are. For the media, keep up the same spirit of sharing we saw during the process leading to the referendum. The CoE and other experts need to come up with new civic education materials to be used by civil society. For the principles, we don’t care what the deals behind closed doors were, you must keep the unity intact and visibly so. For the public, keep the debates going as the only way to keep our tolerance levels in check. We must not look at this as business as usual.
For the first time in a very long time, Najivunia Kuwa Mkenya.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Why the Kenyans must vote green tomorrow.
There has been a lot of debate on the draft constitutions, most of it legal and credible, a lot of it propaganda. The constitution discussions have become the centre of everything, from the dinning table back home, matatu rides in town and salons. Whether YES or NO, I must admit I am proud of my countrymen for taking their responsibilities seriously. For the first time since the west started shoving “democracy” down our thoughts, I feel that Kenyans might have finally understood the true meaning of the word and not a mere “multi party state”.
Today I want to talk to the Kenyans who will be at the ballot box tomorrow. You must have already heard a lot of reasons why to vote for or against this constitution. Let mine be an addition to the many credible reasons as to why we must vote GREEN tomorrow. Like many before me have stated, this has been along journey for Kenya, some will say driven by foreign interest. But whether or not foreign interests have interfered in our process, we must understand what a NO vote will do to us. It is not about the beautiful preamble that opens up the constitution, or the numerous gains for the women, youth and marginalized communities. Its not about building credible and accountable institutions which most certainly this constitution aims for, its about citizenship.
Kenyans have finally started to gain confidence in themselves confidence in questioning the role of state, confident that we all play a role in bringing about change. This is what you need for any progressive nation, a people who take up responsibility. The open engagements resulting from the agenda 4 reforms processes have definitely propelled a common mwananchi’s confidence in their contribution to the building of the nation. Gone are the days when government was an exclusive club.
Now to my point!!! If we vote NO, then all this gains will be reverted back to the days when seeking to find out what your last CDF budget did, amounted to crime. It’s the feeling of achievement that builds confidence. Kenyans have been sent back to the drawing board too many times and this might just be the last straw. Kenyans might just give up completely if we are sent back to the drawing board this time. Many say that, if NO carries the day, we will simply dust ourselves off, pick up from where we left off and start the battle, but our history tells us that it has never been as easy as that. The common mwananchi is hanging at the very end of the string. Someone needs to throw us a lifeline and the new constitution might just be it.
So tomorrow as we vote, don’t think of all the YES and NO campaigns you have been hearing all over, think of the millions of who will completely give up on ever seeing change and I mean any kind of change in this country.
I am however very optimistic that like our president said, we will be parting all over town on Thursday. If it was up to me, I would make that our true independence day, and not the day we received a piece of paper drafted by our oppressors.
Happy voting my brothers and sisters
Today I want to talk to the Kenyans who will be at the ballot box tomorrow. You must have already heard a lot of reasons why to vote for or against this constitution. Let mine be an addition to the many credible reasons as to why we must vote GREEN tomorrow. Like many before me have stated, this has been along journey for Kenya, some will say driven by foreign interest. But whether or not foreign interests have interfered in our process, we must understand what a NO vote will do to us. It is not about the beautiful preamble that opens up the constitution, or the numerous gains for the women, youth and marginalized communities. Its not about building credible and accountable institutions which most certainly this constitution aims for, its about citizenship.
Kenyans have finally started to gain confidence in themselves confidence in questioning the role of state, confident that we all play a role in bringing about change. This is what you need for any progressive nation, a people who take up responsibility. The open engagements resulting from the agenda 4 reforms processes have definitely propelled a common mwananchi’s confidence in their contribution to the building of the nation. Gone are the days when government was an exclusive club.
Now to my point!!! If we vote NO, then all this gains will be reverted back to the days when seeking to find out what your last CDF budget did, amounted to crime. It’s the feeling of achievement that builds confidence. Kenyans have been sent back to the drawing board too many times and this might just be the last straw. Kenyans might just give up completely if we are sent back to the drawing board this time. Many say that, if NO carries the day, we will simply dust ourselves off, pick up from where we left off and start the battle, but our history tells us that it has never been as easy as that. The common mwananchi is hanging at the very end of the string. Someone needs to throw us a lifeline and the new constitution might just be it.
So tomorrow as we vote, don’t think of all the YES and NO campaigns you have been hearing all over, think of the millions of who will completely give up on ever seeing change and I mean any kind of change in this country.
I am however very optimistic that like our president said, we will be parting all over town on Thursday. If it was up to me, I would make that our true independence day, and not the day we received a piece of paper drafted by our oppressors.
Happy voting my brothers and sisters
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Myths about the Kenyan public.
As the NMG celebrates 50 years of serving Kenyans, one cannot help but wonder how far Kenya has come as a ‘democracy’. It is quite clear by now that a nation’s good governance is heavily reliant on its citizen’s ability to engage the government. Although a healthy democracy depends on the ability of citizens to directly affect the public policies central to their lives, the current system has little room for genuine citizen input and influence. Having said that, we must acknowledge the role played by the media in bridging this gap. In a government system where information is not considered a public good, the Kenyan media must begin to realize the heavy responsibility bestowed upon them to ensure that the Kenyan public remains well informed.
For this to happen however, the media must come to terms with what has come to be known as the 3 greatest myths of the Kenyan public. The first myth is that the Kenyan public will not participate in policy making and are happy to leave the job to our politicians. Recent history has shown an increase discontent among Kenyans with the way politicians are handling public issues. The reaction to recent scandals i.e. the maize, FPE, among others is but a simple indication of the dissatisfaction. Kenyans are ready to drive policies but the media must create a conducive environment for that to happen by continuing to highlight government business. The second myth is that Kenyans are not competent enough to deal with policy matters. All you have to do is look at how our designated policy makers perform their tasks to know that this is not true. As consumers of government services, no one can be more competent than the public to state how the said services should be delivered. Therefore, to assume that we the public need a crush course in order to provide meaningful contributions to the policy making processes absolute nonsense. The third and most important myth is that Kenyans will not be able to rise above self-interest on behalf of the common good. It is no secret that Kenya experienced the worst ethnic violence in 2008. However, the politicians have continued to capitalize on this dived by pursuing their tribal chief positions. I speak for the Kenyan public when I say that all we want is a proper functioning government and if we have to keep using outsiders, the likes of Kofi Annan and the ICC to prove the point, then we will. Our politicians cannot continue to hide under the tribal cocoons and using our names to justify their misplaced actions.
I therefore applaud our media for the good job it has continued to do and remind them that Kenyans will act so long as they continue to do their job right.
For this to happen however, the media must come to terms with what has come to be known as the 3 greatest myths of the Kenyan public. The first myth is that the Kenyan public will not participate in policy making and are happy to leave the job to our politicians. Recent history has shown an increase discontent among Kenyans with the way politicians are handling public issues. The reaction to recent scandals i.e. the maize, FPE, among others is but a simple indication of the dissatisfaction. Kenyans are ready to drive policies but the media must create a conducive environment for that to happen by continuing to highlight government business. The second myth is that Kenyans are not competent enough to deal with policy matters. All you have to do is look at how our designated policy makers perform their tasks to know that this is not true. As consumers of government services, no one can be more competent than the public to state how the said services should be delivered. Therefore, to assume that we the public need a crush course in order to provide meaningful contributions to the policy making processes absolute nonsense. The third and most important myth is that Kenyans will not be able to rise above self-interest on behalf of the common good. It is no secret that Kenya experienced the worst ethnic violence in 2008. However, the politicians have continued to capitalize on this dived by pursuing their tribal chief positions. I speak for the Kenyan public when I say that all we want is a proper functioning government and if we have to keep using outsiders, the likes of Kofi Annan and the ICC to prove the point, then we will. Our politicians cannot continue to hide under the tribal cocoons and using our names to justify their misplaced actions.
I therefore applaud our media for the good job it has continued to do and remind them that Kenyans will act so long as they continue to do their job right.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
THE ONE MAN BATTLE.
As Kenyans, we have always wondered how our leaders continue to rule this country with a level of impunity that is unimaginable. We have always asked why people with such strong and dedicated personalities fight for our country only to end up being the most corrupt when we elect them for political positions. I will tell you the answer, because we the citizens are all cowards. We talk behind our closed doors and make noise about our dysfunctional governments and yet when we are called upon or an opportunity comes along for us to put our thoughts to action, we all run and hide behind our tribal blankets.
Today I speak to those Kenyans who have always said our country lacks leaders who take initiative. Isn’t Raila doing that on this whole Mau saga? Or what exactly is our definition of taking initiative? The prime minister has gone against the political current to save the Mau forest. Don’t you think it would have been much easier and politically correct for Raila to simply pretend the Mau destruction was irrelevant? Instead he has been fighting a one man battle for months now. Where are the so called environmental civil society organizations? I bet we are all hiding in the fear of being branded political entities. Where are our church leaders who always seem to have something to say about our bad politicians? Or do we only open our mouths to speak when we are critiquing and not when a good initiative needs our support.
I say this to you Kenyans, unless we learn to start recognizing good deeds done by some of our citizens, we will be sending the message to those few who are daring enough to take a stand that Kenyans do not really care either way. I know that not all of us can be as daring as Okiya Omtatah Okoiti, but the least we can do to support such individuals is to let them know that we approve and are grateful for their actions as Kenyans. So as president Kibaki sits in state house pondering whether planting the trees in Mau is worth his time, let the Kenyans send a message that we will stand behind those who try to save our nation, regardless of their political affiliations. We will plant those trees in Mau whether or not the politicians will be present.
Today I speak to those Kenyans who have always said our country lacks leaders who take initiative. Isn’t Raila doing that on this whole Mau saga? Or what exactly is our definition of taking initiative? The prime minister has gone against the political current to save the Mau forest. Don’t you think it would have been much easier and politically correct for Raila to simply pretend the Mau destruction was irrelevant? Instead he has been fighting a one man battle for months now. Where are the so called environmental civil society organizations? I bet we are all hiding in the fear of being branded political entities. Where are our church leaders who always seem to have something to say about our bad politicians? Or do we only open our mouths to speak when we are critiquing and not when a good initiative needs our support.
I say this to you Kenyans, unless we learn to start recognizing good deeds done by some of our citizens, we will be sending the message to those few who are daring enough to take a stand that Kenyans do not really care either way. I know that not all of us can be as daring as Okiya Omtatah Okoiti, but the least we can do to support such individuals is to let them know that we approve and are grateful for their actions as Kenyans. So as president Kibaki sits in state house pondering whether planting the trees in Mau is worth his time, let the Kenyans send a message that we will stand behind those who try to save our nation, regardless of their political affiliations. We will plant those trees in Mau whether or not the politicians will be present.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Is Kenya a democracy?
Sydney Harris described democracy as the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be. Truth be told, democracy means different things to different people. But today I ask if Kenya is a democracy.
I recently have heard a lot of views expressed on Kenya’s current situation. Many have said that Kenya was the country to watch out for three years ago. With stable GDP growth, lower crime rate, increase in literacy levels, Botswana and Ghana had nothing on us. We were going places they said. Then came the dreaded 2007 election and all hell broke loose. The worst fear of the developed nations had come true that Kenya would be added to the list of basket cases. Meetings to discuss how to prevent Kenya from becoming another failed state in Africa were conducted in the USA, UK, and many other places.
We have had a fair share of blunders as a country but I refuse to think that this makes us an unstable nation. I see the Kenyan case as one of institutionalizing democracy which is seriously enriched by looking at it as a process of group learning and understanding. Today, Kenyans as a collective have emerged from the crisis wiser. How can we prove this you might ask?
a) Despite all the turmoil witnessed in 2007, Kenyans managed to send over 50% of MP's home. This to me is a positive sign towards changing the leadership perception.
b) The general engagement with the Agenda 4: Although our leaders have been tip toeing around this issue, Kenyans have remained vigilant all through the process even forcing the leaders to take certain stands that might be unfavorable to them. The process might not be 100% people driven but if what I saw in Isiolo during the CoE consultation process is anything to go by, we are headed in the right direction.
c) The launch of the draft constitution. This is a major milestone for our country. Granted, the draft is not perfect. Granted, it might be another 15 years before we start implementing it. Taking all this into consideration, I still believe that we have made great strides; after all, Rome was not built in a day.
These are just but a few indicators.
The cost of democracy is always high, but Kenyans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission. Today, I can proudly say that Kenya is a democracy. Not because per capital GDP has reached the recommended level, or that our government is functioning as it ought to, but because, Kenyans have learnt the power of asking questions and to me that is the greatest path to democracy.
I recently have heard a lot of views expressed on Kenya’s current situation. Many have said that Kenya was the country to watch out for three years ago. With stable GDP growth, lower crime rate, increase in literacy levels, Botswana and Ghana had nothing on us. We were going places they said. Then came the dreaded 2007 election and all hell broke loose. The worst fear of the developed nations had come true that Kenya would be added to the list of basket cases. Meetings to discuss how to prevent Kenya from becoming another failed state in Africa were conducted in the USA, UK, and many other places.
We have had a fair share of blunders as a country but I refuse to think that this makes us an unstable nation. I see the Kenyan case as one of institutionalizing democracy which is seriously enriched by looking at it as a process of group learning and understanding. Today, Kenyans as a collective have emerged from the crisis wiser. How can we prove this you might ask?
a) Despite all the turmoil witnessed in 2007, Kenyans managed to send over 50% of MP's home. This to me is a positive sign towards changing the leadership perception.
b) The general engagement with the Agenda 4: Although our leaders have been tip toeing around this issue, Kenyans have remained vigilant all through the process even forcing the leaders to take certain stands that might be unfavorable to them. The process might not be 100% people driven but if what I saw in Isiolo during the CoE consultation process is anything to go by, we are headed in the right direction.
c) The launch of the draft constitution. This is a major milestone for our country. Granted, the draft is not perfect. Granted, it might be another 15 years before we start implementing it. Taking all this into consideration, I still believe that we have made great strides; after all, Rome was not built in a day.
These are just but a few indicators.
The cost of democracy is always high, but Kenyans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission. Today, I can proudly say that Kenya is a democracy. Not because per capital GDP has reached the recommended level, or that our government is functioning as it ought to, but because, Kenyans have learnt the power of asking questions and to me that is the greatest path to democracy.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Dear Kenyans
Today the CoE launched our draft constitution. This has been a long battle for each and everyone of us and although we are not all on the same page I can almost feel the equal excitement. This is almost the first time in Kenya’s history that a committee has delivered on time and God knows we have had many of those so lets go out and make history.
However as we celebrate, there are two things i would like to add to the ongoing debate. first, i hope we dont get swallowed into the Banana-Orange saga of 2005. because if we do, then my fear is that we will never get a new constitution. the CoE has done a brilliant job, the only unresolved issue as expected is the powers between the PM and the President. did you really expect our politicians not to do what they do best? the truth of the matter is, if it was up to them we probably even wouldn’t be launching the draft today. so here is my preposition. to prevent what happened in 2005 from happening again, we must have two options to pick from (or even 3). let people vote for one of two drafts. in that way, Kenyans can finally have a new constitution. if we don’t get a new constitution just because Raila and Kibabki and the whole bunch of lunatics are stuck in the present and cant seem to see beyond their noses, then we might as well wait another 5 years or even longer.
Secondly, lets not fall into the tribal drama that has become a norm for us. in 2005, we all went out and voted for or against. But i really wonder how many of us really took time to read the documents, especially the Bomas draft . This time, let’s do it differently. So I ask you today, not to let the politicians hijack this process.
The world is watching .Lets give them a damn good show!!!
However as we celebrate, there are two things i would like to add to the ongoing debate. first, i hope we dont get swallowed into the Banana-Orange saga of 2005. because if we do, then my fear is that we will never get a new constitution. the CoE has done a brilliant job, the only unresolved issue as expected is the powers between the PM and the President. did you really expect our politicians not to do what they do best? the truth of the matter is, if it was up to them we probably even wouldn’t be launching the draft today. so here is my preposition. to prevent what happened in 2005 from happening again, we must have two options to pick from (or even 3). let people vote for one of two drafts. in that way, Kenyans can finally have a new constitution. if we don’t get a new constitution just because Raila and Kibabki and the whole bunch of lunatics are stuck in the present and cant seem to see beyond their noses, then we might as well wait another 5 years or even longer.
Secondly, lets not fall into the tribal drama that has become a norm for us. in 2005, we all went out and voted for or against. But i really wonder how many of us really took time to read the documents, especially the Bomas draft . This time, let’s do it differently. So I ask you today, not to let the politicians hijack this process.
The world is watching .Lets give them a damn good show!!!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Kenya (Africa) does not need a SAVIOR!!!!!
Has anyone had a chance to talk to kenyan's lately. You will be amazed at how far we have come. Gone are the days when people sat back and felt like they could do nothing, gone are those days when most kenyas thought of politics as a one man shows. I wonder how many people would agree with me on that.
In the last one month, i have had an oppotunity to talk to most people whom you would consider the "the future of development". The feedback I got, is appalling. What is it about development and the need to save african's from themselves. everyone you talk to has this supper ideas on how to turn Africa into a "Developed world". Why dont we just ensure that the information is accessible, how? buy them all laptops. how helarious is that? Technology, is our future saviour! says who??? I dont remember my mother back in the village showing any concern with this global rabbish. Why would she want to know what Obama has to say about American healthcare????
Now, I am not by any means implyin that Africa is a small heaven. we have our own demons to vanquish, but then again, who doesnt. when kenyas fight for their rights,its branded ethinc clashes, when iranias do thesame, oh "this are people trying to exercise their democratic rights". what gives you the right to categorise people into these small boxes when you have no clue what democracy is.
We definately have along way to go, but the first step as far as im concerned, is filter out half of the so called "development agencies". Afer all, what exactly are they developing? us or simply perpetuating the old school of thought.
In the last one month, i have had an oppotunity to talk to most people whom you would consider the "the future of development". The feedback I got, is appalling. What is it about development and the need to save african's from themselves. everyone you talk to has this supper ideas on how to turn Africa into a "Developed world". Why dont we just ensure that the information is accessible, how? buy them all laptops. how helarious is that? Technology, is our future saviour! says who??? I dont remember my mother back in the village showing any concern with this global rabbish. Why would she want to know what Obama has to say about American healthcare????
Now, I am not by any means implyin that Africa is a small heaven. we have our own demons to vanquish, but then again, who doesnt. when kenyas fight for their rights,its branded ethinc clashes, when iranias do thesame, oh "this are people trying to exercise their democratic rights". what gives you the right to categorise people into these small boxes when you have no clue what democracy is.
We definately have along way to go, but the first step as far as im concerned, is filter out half of the so called "development agencies". Afer all, what exactly are they developing? us or simply perpetuating the old school of thought.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Can the true Kenyan Jerry Rawlings Please stand up!
Most often than not, I have heard a number of my fellow citizens suggest that we need an Obama like person to pull us out of this political quagmire we have been stuck in for many years. Question is, do you really think an Obama can survive in Kenya. I personally think we would eat him alive if the politicians dont bit us to it. I say this because, Kenyans as a people lack individual commitment and drive that saw the Americans elect a black president, something that would have otherwise been considered impossible. if we wont label him as a tribal chief, we are more likely to dismiss him as elitist and out of touch.
Bearing our pettyness and ignorance in mind I suggest we start looking for an individual more like Jerry Rawlings. Alot has been said about the man. some say he is/was a dictator, others think of him as the man who has made ghana what it is today, a true democracy. in effect, Rawlings demystified governance in Ghana, preaching to people that they have a right to demand accountability from their leaders who are there to serve the people. We need a leader who can conduct "a house cleaning" exercise on kenya, the way Jerry Rawlings did to Ghana. Having over thrown the government twice because of the institutionalized corruption, Rawlings gained peoples' confidence and trust. The man knew what needed to be done and he did it. this is what has been lacking among old, new and upcoming leaders of this country, the courage to step up and do what needs to be done instead of walking around seeking approval from all the wrong quarters.
So i say again to all the 2012 hopefuls, rethink your strategy on how to gain respect from this humble citizens.
Bearing our pettyness and ignorance in mind I suggest we start looking for an individual more like Jerry Rawlings. Alot has been said about the man. some say he is/was a dictator, others think of him as the man who has made ghana what it is today, a true democracy. in effect, Rawlings demystified governance in Ghana, preaching to people that they have a right to demand accountability from their leaders who are there to serve the people. We need a leader who can conduct "a house cleaning" exercise on kenya, the way Jerry Rawlings did to Ghana. Having over thrown the government twice because of the institutionalized corruption, Rawlings gained peoples' confidence and trust. The man knew what needed to be done and he did it. this is what has been lacking among old, new and upcoming leaders of this country, the courage to step up and do what needs to be done instead of walking around seeking approval from all the wrong quarters.
So i say again to all the 2012 hopefuls, rethink your strategy on how to gain respect from this humble citizens.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
When I grow up, i want to be a Ministry of Finance VIP
I bet not even Obama spends that much on entertaining the Gordon Brown's of the day. But alas, our treasury has such VIP guest that we have to buy them samosas worth 960k everyday. Je ne comprends pas, so someone please make me. I did not get the opportunity to listen to the budget, my loss but you know what, after the 10 billion computer error, i dont believe in anything anymore. Im staying put and waiting for the next four days before the 210 most unqualified people, decide how much a samosa is worth.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The changing times: Did Marende save the Grand coalition or just postpone the grand collusion
http://blog.marsgroupkenya.org/?p=726
Did Marende save the Grand coalition or just postpone the grand collusion
People, I think all of us felt a sign of relief when Marende picked himself as the chair of the House Business Committee (HBC). What did you really expect of the poor guy? remember the Kivuitu blander? Marende's actions yestereday would have determined if this country was going to slide back into the january 2008 scenario. you have got to hand it to the man, he is no doubt wise and takes his job seriously. I wish Raila and Kibaki would learn something from the guy.
I however doubt if kenya is out of the woods. if you have been folowing the ODM politics lately, then you will know that Raila was not necessary interested in holding the chairmanship of the HBC. Rather his only problem was getting Kalonzo out of it. truth be told, kalonzo should be the last person to occupy any public office. its bad enough that we have to listen to him making silly baseless comments about what the public wants. Kibaki and Raila might not be the best of leaders but atleast they earned the right to be or say what they want. as bad and useless as they are, we the wananchi who voted for them, have no choice but to hang in there till 2012 because we gave them the mandate.
Now, if ODM was really not interested in chairing the HBC, then whats with all the noice? I think what Marende did yestereday was simply sweep the durt under the capet for now. needless to say, the ODM-PNU battle is far from over. but where does that leave the nation? has anyone thought that this might be a perfect strategy to keep us the wananchi absorbed in the political nonsense so that we barely have time to question the lack of performance by both principles. I think its no secret that there are no political enemies in this country and history can atest to that. lets think for a moment of all the issues we should be hearing about. The constitution, Agenda 4, IDP's, Insecurity, Food shortage, Migingo and the list goes on and on.
I wonder what makes us kenyas have such short memories, yet we claim to be bearing the brunt of all the political nonsense. politicians have mastered the art of distracting us from the real issues. doesnt that make the whole bunch of us as hipocritical as they are? Fact is, this coalition will survive for all the wrong reasons which we are all well awear of. that being the case, we have two choices, either continue playing along with the current scenario or demand some results. otherwise we will loose the window of opportunity for change presented by the natioanal accord.
I however doubt if kenya is out of the woods. if you have been folowing the ODM politics lately, then you will know that Raila was not necessary interested in holding the chairmanship of the HBC. Rather his only problem was getting Kalonzo out of it. truth be told, kalonzo should be the last person to occupy any public office. its bad enough that we have to listen to him making silly baseless comments about what the public wants. Kibaki and Raila might not be the best of leaders but atleast they earned the right to be or say what they want. as bad and useless as they are, we the wananchi who voted for them, have no choice but to hang in there till 2012 because we gave them the mandate.
Now, if ODM was really not interested in chairing the HBC, then whats with all the noice? I think what Marende did yestereday was simply sweep the durt under the capet for now. needless to say, the ODM-PNU battle is far from over. but where does that leave the nation? has anyone thought that this might be a perfect strategy to keep us the wananchi absorbed in the political nonsense so that we barely have time to question the lack of performance by both principles. I think its no secret that there are no political enemies in this country and history can atest to that. lets think for a moment of all the issues we should be hearing about. The constitution, Agenda 4, IDP's, Insecurity, Food shortage, Migingo and the list goes on and on.
I wonder what makes us kenyas have such short memories, yet we claim to be bearing the brunt of all the political nonsense. politicians have mastered the art of distracting us from the real issues. doesnt that make the whole bunch of us as hipocritical as they are? Fact is, this coalition will survive for all the wrong reasons which we are all well awear of. that being the case, we have two choices, either continue playing along with the current scenario or demand some results. otherwise we will loose the window of opportunity for change presented by the natioanal accord.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Who owns Migingo Island?
What is used to measure the powers of a country??? Is it the size of its army, how well equipped its army is, the size of its economy or the level to which other neighboring countries depend on it for their survival?
Well, if this are the different categories used to measure the prowess of a country, then by every means, Kenya is a powerful nation. our army is known all over the world for our constant supply of peace keepers to the UN missions, just the other day we were busted exporting some serious arms to sudan (which i hope we ended up retaining after all the drama), and above all, the Ugandan, Tanzanian and a couple of other east African economies depend hugely on the success of our economy. the fact that countries like uganda due to the fact that they are land locked, relies on kenya for alot of its imports/exports, means we call the shorts on this side of the continent.
So what is this nonsense about uganda refusing to stand down, and kenya stomaching this arogance? If what our goverment has made us believe all this time is true, then we should not have a problem putting UG back to its place. instead, the dilidarling by our leaders leaves some of us wondering if all the great kenyan stories we grew up hearing are really true. if im not wrong, this is not the first time uganda is trying to intimidate us. museveni seems to have a "chokoza syndrom"
To our dear president, its absard to hear of kenyan citizens paying tax to another nation in their own country, whats even more crazy is how the ugandan flag continues to fly on the island and non stop harusment of our citizens.
DO SOMETHING OH THE ELECTED ONES!!!!!!
Well, if this are the different categories used to measure the prowess of a country, then by every means, Kenya is a powerful nation. our army is known all over the world for our constant supply of peace keepers to the UN missions, just the other day we were busted exporting some serious arms to sudan (which i hope we ended up retaining after all the drama), and above all, the Ugandan, Tanzanian and a couple of other east African economies depend hugely on the success of our economy. the fact that countries like uganda due to the fact that they are land locked, relies on kenya for alot of its imports/exports, means we call the shorts on this side of the continent.
So what is this nonsense about uganda refusing to stand down, and kenya stomaching this arogance? If what our goverment has made us believe all this time is true, then we should not have a problem putting UG back to its place. instead, the dilidarling by our leaders leaves some of us wondering if all the great kenyan stories we grew up hearing are really true. if im not wrong, this is not the first time uganda is trying to intimidate us. museveni seems to have a "chokoza syndrom"
To our dear president, its absard to hear of kenyan citizens paying tax to another nation in their own country, whats even more crazy is how the ugandan flag continues to fly on the island and non stop harusment of our citizens.
DO SOMETHING OH THE ELECTED ONES!!!!!!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Lame excuse of a government
Tomorrow I will be conducting a community training on how to track the budgetary allocations as well as involve themselves in government poverty eradication strategies. It breaks my heart to keep taking about government processes that will probably never live to see the light of day, resources that they will never access. yet it is my job to ensure that they are aware of the existing opportunities, opportunities that will never be available to them.
This makes me wonder, how is it possible that a community like the one i will spend the next two days with, continues to excise their so called democratic right to elect representatives. Doesn't it make more sense to just keep off some of this hypocritical processes? They say Rome was not build in a day. Keep on keeping on. but the sight of this old men and women, makes me wish i had power over life and death, because then, all the kenyan politicians would be history.
My prayer is 2012 comes sooner rather than later.
This makes me wonder, how is it possible that a community like the one i will spend the next two days with, continues to excise their so called democratic right to elect representatives. Doesn't it make more sense to just keep off some of this hypocritical processes? They say Rome was not build in a day. Keep on keeping on. but the sight of this old men and women, makes me wish i had power over life and death, because then, all the kenyan politicians would be history.
My prayer is 2012 comes sooner rather than later.
HAIL ALL TO THE IRON LADY!!!!
Whoever said Martha Karua would never resign? Well, i hope you are all swallowing your words right now. It is extremely sad how politics in this country has been turned into a club of idiots out to make money. Kenyans are convinced that all is lost and no one in the present leadership sphere is driven by their moral conscious to do the right think. As a result we tend to dismiss even the few who act with this country's best interest at heart. Well, lets snap out of that nonsense.
Today will go down in modern Kenya's history as the day this generation had a choice to stand up to the old flock and forget the tribal hullabaloo. She might not be perfect in terms of leadership, she is not as charismatic as Obama, doesnt always hit the nail on the head, but one thing is clear, its about time this country elects a person who stands by what they believe in and not swim with each political current and throw their mouths all over the place.
Viva Martha!!!!!
Today will go down in modern Kenya's history as the day this generation had a choice to stand up to the old flock and forget the tribal hullabaloo. She might not be perfect in terms of leadership, she is not as charismatic as Obama, doesnt always hit the nail on the head, but one thing is clear, its about time this country elects a person who stands by what they believe in and not swim with each political current and throw their mouths all over the place.
Viva Martha!!!!!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Africa: The "lip service" continent
They say democracy means different things to different people. Well.... so does good governance. Over the years, African governing institution and parliaments more specifically, have been seen to pass policies and laws that are alien to the electorate. My issues however is to whether the lack of consultation and the question of the lack of inclusivity in the policy development processes, can be translated to mean poor governance
Take Kenya as an example. Early 2008, Kenyans witnessed the worst case of internal conflict since independence. Many political analyst have termed this incident as the fight for power to control the resources by different communities. if that is the case, then this so called fight for democracy, remains to be an elitist fight. it is however important to note that this assumption labels kenyans as an ignorant people.
In order to differenciate between tribal clashes and fight for equity, it is paramount that we take a step into the kenyan history in order to understand the great juorney of kenya into a democracy. My greatest fear as a kenyan is that the media and other institutions have not fully analyised the question of democracy in this continent. most african nations are therefore at a risk of being lamped together with nations that have the worst human rights record.
Take Kenya as an example. Early 2008, Kenyans witnessed the worst case of internal conflict since independence. Many political analyst have termed this incident as the fight for power to control the resources by different communities. if that is the case, then this so called fight for democracy, remains to be an elitist fight. it is however important to note that this assumption labels kenyans as an ignorant people.
In order to differenciate between tribal clashes and fight for equity, it is paramount that we take a step into the kenyan history in order to understand the great juorney of kenya into a democracy. My greatest fear as a kenyan is that the media and other institutions have not fully analyised the question of democracy in this continent. most african nations are therefore at a risk of being lamped together with nations that have the worst human rights record.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
