Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Mudavadi is right, we should all take responsibility
Its peak season for Kenyan politics which means that politicians running their mouths just so they can make headlines is nothing new. Kenyans seem to think that Mudavadi is one such politicians and to be honest when i first read the statement, those were my exact sentiments. How dare he blame us for the mess created by politicians? For me this was a true reflection of what they call the "silly" season in politics.
But then his "silly" comments got me thinking and sadly im inclined to side with him......... at least to a certain extend. Why you may ask?? People, haven't we for the last four years talked about how a neighbor slashed a fellow neighbor to death. How a businessman well known to everyone in the community was kicked out of his land by the same boys he use to give Kibarua?
So my question is, if i took a panga and slashed my neighbor, or at least know a person who did this, how can i now stand and blame William Ruto or Francis Muthaura for the death of that same neighbor. Of course we must have someone take responsibility for enabling or allowing kenyans to murder each other the way we did and thus the Hague process is completely valid. But really, shouldn't we also take some responsibility for the mere fact that since 2007, only one person has been found guilty for killing another during the post election violence and yet we live or still know the people who picked pangas against our very own neighbors?
As i write this, the Tana River fire has barely gone out. And yes like the Kenya's we are, we are blaming it all on politicians and of course by doing so the crimes will go unpunished (unless you count the one night sleep over by Godana in a cell as punishment). What about the goons who decided to slash the women and children like animals? Or just because some politician somewhere incited them they are free of any blame? Im sorry if i don't agree with all the Kenyans who are begging for Mudavadi's blood but we as kenyans must also take POLITICAL responsibility for the mess we have made out of this country. Well you know what they say, 'personal is political', we kill our fellow country men/women so that we have power, power to control land, power to vote in our clans man and the list goes on. Politics is all about power, so don't tell me that only your area politicians was driven by the need for self preservation.
Enough of blaming it all on politicians, after all they were all in their nice Runda homes as we murdered each other.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
ICC case is not the only reason Uhuru cannot be our next president.
As the election date gets closer, the debate on who among the current kenyans running for the highest office in kenya gets more diverse and interesting by the day. At the rate we are going, we might be voting for the lesser evil because clearly there is no messiah coming to save us. And of course as the date gets closer, the candidates seem to get even better at the story telling game. Granted, every Kenyan has the right to run for office, but you would think that the statement between the lines here is that "Every Kenyan of credible character".
It is no secret to Kenyans that the biggest source of tension in this country is land. I am however yet to hear any of the candidates speak comprehensively on how their stay in the statehouse will produce a solution to this problem. Even worse, some of the leaders still hold on to ridiculous amount of land at the cost of the Kenyans they supposedly want to redeem from the tribal conflict.
Take Uhuru as an example, does anyone really know how much land the Kenyatta family owns for sure? It is no secret that this land was acquired during the first presidents tenure at statehouse. If Uhuru really wanted Kenyans to believe that he has our best interest at heart, wouldnt it be proper for him to start by relinquishing some of the land back to the people. I know that many other Kenyans have acquired land through dubious means but i doubt any of them has reached the Kenyatta family level and they also are not trying to become my next president, so the land commission will hopefully deal with the rest. But Mr. Kenyatta, how is the land commission to function effectively under your watch when you do not choose to lead by example?
Where as the ICC case is a major hindrance to Uhuru's candidacy as Kenya's next president, I think he should disqualify himself by the mere fact that Kenya's biggest challenge to achieving peace i.e land ownership, will never be addressed so long as he is the president of this country. I challenge those planning to vote for the man to tell me how he plans to go around this issue.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Syokimau an opportunity to address land issues in kenya
When I saw the big mansions in Syokimau come down, I could not help but wonder what kind of a government would do that to its people. Every kenyan who is serious in investing in a home has known for the last 4 years that Syokimau is the place to look, so how come the government was blind to all the investment buzz around the area. But this is not just about Syokimau but also all the informal settlements that have year in year out faced the same predicament, the only difference this time round its the middle class that has been rattled by the government, something this government will regret for its remaining term.
I however want to look at the land saga from a different lens. Any kenyan will tell you that land is the cause of conflict in this country dating back to independence. The more we talk about land reforms the worse the situation gets and it makes you wonder if kenya is approaching this from the right angle. The current demolitions however give us an opportunity to approach this differently from how we have done in the past. When the Mau saga broke out, we all expected the reforms to hit the core of the problem but all we saw was poor kenyans who like Syokimau residents, had been duped into buying illegal property without protection from the government whatsoever. Since then we have been waiting for the big fish to be kicked out but instead what we got was a commission to investigate, something any kenyan will tell you has never worked in this country.
Like Mau, this is exactly what is going to happen to Syokimau. politics will be played at the cost of poor kenyans then the ruling class will retain the spoils when the dust settles down. The reason I compare the two is because, kenyans must wake up and smell the coffee, there is no such thing as land reforms, the political class is just playing politics with the issues. The solution can only come if kenyans demand justice dating back to 1963. the Ndugu report should be the starting point as it provides the history of land injustice in kenya. Kenyans should demand that the ruling class who benefited from land stolen from kenyans after independence be reverted back to government. The soon to be formed land commission (we can all hope) should then be tasked with the responsibility of handing the problem. Of course its easier said than done, but until we take that difficult path, innocent kenyans will continue to suffer at the hands of the politically correct leaders who have mastered the art of getting themselves out of any scandals. If we have learnt anything from Syokimau, its that the political class will stop at nothing to get what it wants.
I however want to look at the land saga from a different lens. Any kenyan will tell you that land is the cause of conflict in this country dating back to independence. The more we talk about land reforms the worse the situation gets and it makes you wonder if kenya is approaching this from the right angle. The current demolitions however give us an opportunity to approach this differently from how we have done in the past. When the Mau saga broke out, we all expected the reforms to hit the core of the problem but all we saw was poor kenyans who like Syokimau residents, had been duped into buying illegal property without protection from the government whatsoever. Since then we have been waiting for the big fish to be kicked out but instead what we got was a commission to investigate, something any kenyan will tell you has never worked in this country.
Like Mau, this is exactly what is going to happen to Syokimau. politics will be played at the cost of poor kenyans then the ruling class will retain the spoils when the dust settles down. The reason I compare the two is because, kenyans must wake up and smell the coffee, there is no such thing as land reforms, the political class is just playing politics with the issues. The solution can only come if kenyans demand justice dating back to 1963. the Ndugu report should be the starting point as it provides the history of land injustice in kenya. Kenyans should demand that the ruling class who benefited from land stolen from kenyans after independence be reverted back to government. The soon to be formed land commission (we can all hope) should then be tasked with the responsibility of handing the problem. Of course its easier said than done, but until we take that difficult path, innocent kenyans will continue to suffer at the hands of the politically correct leaders who have mastered the art of getting themselves out of any scandals. If we have learnt anything from Syokimau, its that the political class will stop at nothing to get what it wants.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Cancer foundation good but misses the point
Talk to many Kenyans about government performance on service delivery, and the response you get might not be too positive. Why is that you may ask? Because the government has left its mandate to the private sector and NGO’s. This however is a scenario that is likely to change if the likes of the “Unga Revolution” fellows keep up with their recent activities.
This week I was saddened by the statistics on cancer in Kenya. They say 80,000 are diagnosed with the disease every year. Now these are worrying numbers especially baring in mind that Kenya is not fully equipped to deal with this cases. It is therefore applaud able to see the institutions like the African Cancer Foundation coming up. My challenge is however directed at the Minister of Medical Services Prof Anyang Nyongo who is a survivor and the brains behind the foundation.
Prof Nyongo, you occupy a very special if not the most powerful position where policies related to healthcare are concerned. Truth be told, you have the power to change literary anything in this country related to healthcare. As much as many of us applaud your efforts to tackle the disease through the foundation, we wonder if your efforts would be more effective if they were targeted at the public facilities we already have and are more accessible to the citizens, e.g. Kenyatta National Hospital. The hospital is the biggest referral hospital in east and central Africa and so it would make sense that it is fully equipped to handle any cases including cancer.
I wonder how many cancer patients in Kenya alone know of the existence of your foundation and how to go about accessing the services offered by it. How many Kenyans walk into Kenyatta hospitals with cancer only for the doctors to send them back home because they are unable to diagnose the disease. Prof Nyongo, if your objective is to change the healthcare sector in Kenya to benefit its citizens, then use the powers at your disposal as the minister of medical services to change public institutions. Otherwise if you the appointed representative does not do it, who else will?
This week I was saddened by the statistics on cancer in Kenya. They say 80,000 are diagnosed with the disease every year. Now these are worrying numbers especially baring in mind that Kenya is not fully equipped to deal with this cases. It is therefore applaud able to see the institutions like the African Cancer Foundation coming up. My challenge is however directed at the Minister of Medical Services Prof Anyang Nyongo who is a survivor and the brains behind the foundation.
Prof Nyongo, you occupy a very special if not the most powerful position where policies related to healthcare are concerned. Truth be told, you have the power to change literary anything in this country related to healthcare. As much as many of us applaud your efforts to tackle the disease through the foundation, we wonder if your efforts would be more effective if they were targeted at the public facilities we already have and are more accessible to the citizens, e.g. Kenyatta National Hospital. The hospital is the biggest referral hospital in east and central Africa and so it would make sense that it is fully equipped to handle any cases including cancer.
I wonder how many cancer patients in Kenya alone know of the existence of your foundation and how to go about accessing the services offered by it. How many Kenyans walk into Kenyatta hospitals with cancer only for the doctors to send them back home because they are unable to diagnose the disease. Prof Nyongo, if your objective is to change the healthcare sector in Kenya to benefit its citizens, then use the powers at your disposal as the minister of medical services to change public institutions. Otherwise if you the appointed representative does not do it, who else will?
Monday, July 4, 2011
Popularity contest or not, just pay up
There has been alot of talk from the political quoters on whether MP's should pay their taxes as stipulated in the constitution. Of course there is no debate on the side of the Mwananchi because they all seem to resoundingly support John Njiraini. However, our leaders seem to have been caught completely off guard by this issues despite the fact this is not the first time that the tax man has brought this up. But knowing our MP's they never thought in their wildest dreams that this day shall come to pass. In the last two weeks we have seen it all, from threats to paralyze parliament, to cries of being broke.
ButI am not concerned about those who purport not to have the money to pay the taxes, I am more concerned about those who think that by painting those who have paid the taxes as political skimmers, they might get public support or in the least bit buy themselves more time till their terms come to an end. Well I have news for you, kenyans dont care if Raila, Kalonzo and all the others are trying to buy love from the public by paying the taxes. All we care about is that the money is paid. After all arent all the MP's the likes of Jirongo with their village cafeterias doing the same anyway? The only difference is, we are tired of running after the MP's and are more than happy to sort it out with the tax man and the state.
I also want the MP's to think of all those times billions have been stolen from the public. By paying taxes, we will no-longer hope that you can empathize with the public, but feel the pitch in equal measures. So as the likes of Aden Dwale walk around trashing the MP's who have payed their dues saying they are playing public relations games, let this be a wake up call, Kenyans dont really care, all we care about is the end result so PAY UP
ButI am not concerned about those who purport not to have the money to pay the taxes, I am more concerned about those who think that by painting those who have paid the taxes as political skimmers, they might get public support or in the least bit buy themselves more time till their terms come to an end. Well I have news for you, kenyans dont care if Raila, Kalonzo and all the others are trying to buy love from the public by paying the taxes. All we care about is that the money is paid. After all arent all the MP's the likes of Jirongo with their village cafeterias doing the same anyway? The only difference is, we are tired of running after the MP's and are more than happy to sort it out with the tax man and the state.
I also want the MP's to think of all those times billions have been stolen from the public. By paying taxes, we will no-longer hope that you can empathize with the public, but feel the pitch in equal measures. So as the likes of Aden Dwale walk around trashing the MP's who have payed their dues saying they are playing public relations games, let this be a wake up call, Kenyans dont really care, all we care about is the end result so PAY UP
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
THUGTATORS VS DICTATORS AND D***KDATERS
THUGTATORS VS DICTATORS AND D***KDATERS
(18/03/11)
BY DENNIS DANCAN MOSIERE
After invasion and conquests
Mother Afrika was left
With despots and dictators
As leaders become the worst
dick daters
Afrika,they love behind the mask
Pan African haters
My heart skips a bit
When I remember myself
In chains of discomfort
Torture in my heart and soul,
crest-fallen but tied to decks
Nights and days I did not see
Swirling sounds of high seas
Smells of rotten and decaying
Brothers and sisters fed to sharks
throwing up,defecating in my static position
Under or beside my own life
raping,against my wishes
Lost wealth and blood,lost energy
But what was my real value
Cigarettes and rum
guns and ammunitions
A mish mash of tribal chieftains
Humanity was long smoked out of their brains
bargains for bayonets
Beaten but up and rising again
Like the sand dunes of Sahel
I wish I could kill Israel once and for all
Silence the bombs dropping in Palestina
Like a genius shuttle poet,
Drop bombs of words
And destroy A Merry Car,I cant drive
It is not christmas in Madagascar
If I was a global Lord
I would declare independence
to the islands suffocating under the ass of Zarkozzy
All the islands traumatized by the queen's menopause
If I could pray
Oh great Engoro,Oh Great Enkai,
Overseer of the mad poets
grand master poets and griots
and great magicians,marticians
with asses like the three peaks of mount Kerenyaga
O lord,you whose head is covered with snow for hair
YOU whose brain has a bond of wisdom
Like the crator lakes
OH Great lord
If I must pray
Good lord,
May you sink the terrible virgin islands
drop them under the sea
In a great heap like the bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Lord,may the sweat of my words
kill the African despots and dictators
Don't spare the Dick daters
Spare NONE,OOHHHH GREAT WERE
Obong'o Nyakaragaaaaaa
Ban and burn all the K alliances in Kenya
Even the Ku Klux Klan
Ban the ass hole crusades
And the Jihads of fundamentalism
Rape the prospects of globalisation
kill the democracies and democrazies
Like the sons of Afrika killed in bondage
Bungle and chain the Rhodes scholars
and the International Mother fcuker,sic suckers
in weird wild skunk
Propagating new weird orders
Persecuting with scientific poverty
Intellectual infidelity,transparent promiscuity
Yet we are non-vigilant
genetically modified political transplants
We shall maim with words
The remnants of historical despots
and all the merchants of wreck
We shall create new and another world,NOW
or not
Dennis Dancan Mosiere is a Nairobi based performance Poet.Fahamu Pan African Fellow.
(18/03/11)
BY DENNIS DANCAN MOSIERE
After invasion and conquests
Mother Afrika was left
With despots and dictators
As leaders become the worst
dick daters
Afrika,they love behind the mask
Pan African haters
My heart skips a bit
When I remember myself
In chains of discomfort
Torture in my heart and soul,
crest-fallen but tied to decks
Nights and days I did not see
Swirling sounds of high seas
Smells of rotten and decaying
Brothers and sisters fed to sharks
throwing up,defecating in my static position
Under or beside my own life
raping,against my wishes
Lost wealth and blood,lost energy
But what was my real value
Cigarettes and rum
guns and ammunitions
A mish mash of tribal chieftains
Humanity was long smoked out of their brains
bargains for bayonets
Beaten but up and rising again
Like the sand dunes of Sahel
I wish I could kill Israel once and for all
Silence the bombs dropping in Palestina
Like a genius shuttle poet,
Drop bombs of words
And destroy A Merry Car,I cant drive
It is not christmas in Madagascar
If I was a global Lord
I would declare independence
to the islands suffocating under the ass of Zarkozzy
All the islands traumatized by the queen's menopause
If I could pray
Oh great Engoro,Oh Great Enkai,
Overseer of the mad poets
grand master poets and griots
and great magicians,marticians
with asses like the three peaks of mount Kerenyaga
O lord,you whose head is covered with snow for hair
YOU whose brain has a bond of wisdom
Like the crator lakes
OH Great lord
If I must pray
Good lord,
May you sink the terrible virgin islands
drop them under the sea
In a great heap like the bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Lord,may the sweat of my words
kill the African despots and dictators
Don't spare the Dick daters
Spare NONE,OOHHHH GREAT WERE
Obong'o Nyakaragaaaaaa
Ban and burn all the K alliances in Kenya
Even the Ku Klux Klan
Ban the ass hole crusades
And the Jihads of fundamentalism
Rape the prospects of globalisation
kill the democracies and democrazies
Like the sons of Afrika killed in bondage
Bungle and chain the Rhodes scholars
and the International Mother fcuker,sic suckers
in weird wild skunk
Propagating new weird orders
Persecuting with scientific poverty
Intellectual infidelity,transparent promiscuity
Yet we are non-vigilant
genetically modified political transplants
We shall maim with words
The remnants of historical despots
and all the merchants of wreck
We shall create new and another world,NOW
or not
Dennis Dancan Mosiere is a Nairobi based performance Poet.Fahamu Pan African Fellow.
Monday, June 6, 2011
What is the Unga Revolution!!!
I am sure many kenyans have noticed the group of youth that congregate on Harambee Avenue (Now rebranded Unga Avenue) everyday at 1pm with empty plates. I have heard a lot of criticism about this brave young people from several quoters. Some claim that the youth have been paid by foreign organizations to cause trouble, others think the youth are just lazy, plain and simple. When I look at my monthly budget, I am tempted to think that the people who feel that this group is a waste of time and space must be living in an entirely different kenya from the rest of us.
Of course the Economist are telling us that this is the situation all over the world and that blaming our government will not change anything. We all know that the cost of fuel affects the cost of everything else and thus the price of basic needs keeps increasing as a result. However what they dont tell us is that the government has the power to regulate anything they want. So that brings us to the question of priorities. The government has always had a choice when it comes to price control. When the prices go up, the government can choose to absorb the extra cost and that means reduce the percentage that goes to them. How about taxing the luxury goods like the cost of a 4x4 vehicle, or the cost of a television set? one way or another, the government has a choice. This is what the young men and women are protesting. The fact that our government does not seem to notice the increase in the price of this basic products. It seems that the only way they will take cognizant of that is if MP's salaries are reduced to cater for the budget deficit resulting from the decrease in the government percentages from petroleum products.
So when you see the young people outside the president's and prime ministers' office, know that they are brave enough to confront the problem on behalf of the rest of us. We have always been told that kenyans are a tolerant and resilient lot and I have always wondered how many of us take that as a compliment. Simply put, we can over come anything. If I was a corrupt public servant, I would take that to mean that no matter how much i took from the public coffers, kenyans would find a way of getting over the damage i cause. Now do you still think that is a compliment? We need to exercise our civic duty more often; that is what the Unga revolution fellows have taught me. We need not give up just because we can survive on what we have today, tomorrow might be a different ball game all together.
Of course the Economist are telling us that this is the situation all over the world and that blaming our government will not change anything. We all know that the cost of fuel affects the cost of everything else and thus the price of basic needs keeps increasing as a result. However what they dont tell us is that the government has the power to regulate anything they want. So that brings us to the question of priorities. The government has always had a choice when it comes to price control. When the prices go up, the government can choose to absorb the extra cost and that means reduce the percentage that goes to them. How about taxing the luxury goods like the cost of a 4x4 vehicle, or the cost of a television set? one way or another, the government has a choice. This is what the young men and women are protesting. The fact that our government does not seem to notice the increase in the price of this basic products. It seems that the only way they will take cognizant of that is if MP's salaries are reduced to cater for the budget deficit resulting from the decrease in the government percentages from petroleum products.
So when you see the young people outside the president's and prime ministers' office, know that they are brave enough to confront the problem on behalf of the rest of us. We have always been told that kenyans are a tolerant and resilient lot and I have always wondered how many of us take that as a compliment. Simply put, we can over come anything. If I was a corrupt public servant, I would take that to mean that no matter how much i took from the public coffers, kenyans would find a way of getting over the damage i cause. Now do you still think that is a compliment? We need to exercise our civic duty more often; that is what the Unga revolution fellows have taught me. We need not give up just because we can survive on what we have today, tomorrow might be a different ball game all together.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
It has always been about party politics, never leadership
Bonny Khalwale is quite a fascinating man. Look at any active MP and chances are he/she has a legal background. And by active i mean someone who seems to understand what it is they are doing in parliament, not this mediocre of Sonko like leaders we completely have refuse to let go. Khalwale is a medical doctor by profession but he certainly seems to have done his home work when it comes to what kenyans require of him. It cant be easy mastering all the italian legal jargon that our lawyers seem to be too proud to throw around without thinking that half the kenyans dont really care. The man still has time to participate in the bull fighting events and that kind of balance to me makes him a political genius. However, this is not about Khalwale's prowess in politics, its about the failure of many in the political arena to differentiate between when to play party politics and when to act as good leaders.
Khalwale is the most vocal leader in parliament, and i mean in a relevant way. That should make every political party want to have him on their camp and if not, at least back him as we saw Martha Karua do. Instead what we saw as usual are the same power politics with the competition now focusing on Ford Kenya and ODM: Basically Mudavadi and Eugene Wamalwa. Now that Khalwale has won, the debate is not on how kenyans will benefit from Khalwale's victory but more on what this means for Musalia Mudavadi and ODM. Mudavadi even seems to be blaming some elements within his party who supposedly funded/supported the Ford Kenya Candidate. The issue is now whether Mudavadi will have his people's support if he ditches Raila and runs for the presidency or otherwise risk loosing to Eugene. why cant it just be that Ikolomani people voted for Bonny the man and not Ford Kenya?
I always thought Raila was an astute politician. He has always known how to lie with a straight face and that takes practice. he always seemed to know which lie to tell for each scenario. however this is the one time where truth would have really worked for him. in my opinion, ODM already knew that Ikolomani was a near impossible win and that should have prompted them to swallow their pride and support the best man for the job. An act of bravery like that would not have gone unnoticed by kenyans and may b, just may be, this would have bought mudavadi an extra lifeline in 2012. in 2002 Raila stepped aside for Kibaki, Kenyans saw that as a sign of good leadership and as many of you will bare me witness, Raila has played that card many times for the last 9 years. so why not do the same for Mudavadi in the of case Ikolomani.
Anyway, enough of politics, Im sure all kenyans look forward to having Khalwale back in parliament. I wonder what he will say about the CJ earring issue?? All said and done, it has been a good week for Kenyan politics.
Khalwale is the most vocal leader in parliament, and i mean in a relevant way. That should make every political party want to have him on their camp and if not, at least back him as we saw Martha Karua do. Instead what we saw as usual are the same power politics with the competition now focusing on Ford Kenya and ODM: Basically Mudavadi and Eugene Wamalwa. Now that Khalwale has won, the debate is not on how kenyans will benefit from Khalwale's victory but more on what this means for Musalia Mudavadi and ODM. Mudavadi even seems to be blaming some elements within his party who supposedly funded/supported the Ford Kenya Candidate. The issue is now whether Mudavadi will have his people's support if he ditches Raila and runs for the presidency or otherwise risk loosing to Eugene. why cant it just be that Ikolomani people voted for Bonny the man and not Ford Kenya?
I always thought Raila was an astute politician. He has always known how to lie with a straight face and that takes practice. he always seemed to know which lie to tell for each scenario. however this is the one time where truth would have really worked for him. in my opinion, ODM already knew that Ikolomani was a near impossible win and that should have prompted them to swallow their pride and support the best man for the job. An act of bravery like that would not have gone unnoticed by kenyans and may b, just may be, this would have bought mudavadi an extra lifeline in 2012. in 2002 Raila stepped aside for Kibaki, Kenyans saw that as a sign of good leadership and as many of you will bare me witness, Raila has played that card many times for the last 9 years. so why not do the same for Mudavadi in the of case Ikolomani.
Anyway, enough of politics, Im sure all kenyans look forward to having Khalwale back in parliament. I wonder what he will say about the CJ earring issue?? All said and done, it has been a good week for Kenyan politics.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Open letter to William Ruto By Peter N. Ngure
An Honest Open letter to Honorable William Ruto
I have watched you in the last few weeks transverse the country urging the people to re- look at the ICC list of six and you have somehow caught my eye. . In a way, I agree with you; the Six plus others should face Trials and be prosecuted My problem comes when you try to win sympathy from us by bringing in the issues of your family (By the way, Kiraitu tried the same early and it failed miserably). I watched you talk about how your child is having a hard time in school being asked by fellow children if their father indeed torched a church (or is it facilitated the displacement of hundreds of thousands). I indeed felt the pain of your children who have no ready answers (Unlike you) on the events of 2007/08. I actually agree with you that your child should be kept out of this; just like we should have kept the children of the IDP’s and by extension their parents who had no ill role in voting for their preferred candidate in 2007. (By the way, have you ever thought that some of the people who were displaced were highly supportive of ODM? Their only crime was their ethnic background which is God given and they can do nothing about???). This is similar to those who died or were displaced in Kisumu, Kibera, Kikuyu town, Limuru and Naivasha.
I was impressed when you said that your child’s teacher advised you not to leave your child to watch news (the impression I got is that the things you guys are saying on TV are too ridiculous for a child to handle; think about that critically before you go to address a crowd next time).
Three things caught my eye; one is that your child goes to school – this is History for IDP children as their education was disrupted long ago by the PEV and they will have to restart the same in the future. Second; you can afford to have your children watch TV, the IDP children have no idea what that is; its still history since 2007/8 PEV. I was of the opinion that your children need to watch the burning of the Kiambaa church just to get a feel of what the IDPs children saw of their homes but a friend of mine told me two wrongs don’t make a right. Thirdly; one of your children insisted to go with you to The Hague (Even if the IDP kids insisted to go to the Hague, and their parents were willing, they can’t afford) but most importantly, how I wish that the IDP children had the choice in 2007/08 to go with their parents to the camps or to be left at their maternal homes; Ohhhh sorry, I had forgotten, the homes had already been burnt!
**********
The right and just thing to do now is for you and the others in the Ocampo list is to come together and make a joint pact; that the Rift Valley and Central provinces, towns like Naivasha, Kisumu and even Kibera are all part of Kenya, anyone can live there; peace can, will and should prevail. And Ohhhh, Kiplagat’s commission is out there; go and tell them your truth; alternatively, the Hague offers a better and wider audience (lots of TV coverage too) GO FOR IT! JUST KEEP YOUR CHILDREN AND THE IDP CHILDREN OUT OF IT!
(Complied by Peter N. Ngure – A social worker with a Heart for the IDPs)
I have watched you in the last few weeks transverse the country urging the people to re- look at the ICC list of six and you have somehow caught my eye. . In a way, I agree with you; the Six plus others should face Trials and be prosecuted My problem comes when you try to win sympathy from us by bringing in the issues of your family (By the way, Kiraitu tried the same early and it failed miserably). I watched you talk about how your child is having a hard time in school being asked by fellow children if their father indeed torched a church (or is it facilitated the displacement of hundreds of thousands). I indeed felt the pain of your children who have no ready answers (Unlike you) on the events of 2007/08. I actually agree with you that your child should be kept out of this; just like we should have kept the children of the IDP’s and by extension their parents who had no ill role in voting for their preferred candidate in 2007. (By the way, have you ever thought that some of the people who were displaced were highly supportive of ODM? Their only crime was their ethnic background which is God given and they can do nothing about???). This is similar to those who died or were displaced in Kisumu, Kibera, Kikuyu town, Limuru and Naivasha.
I was impressed when you said that your child’s teacher advised you not to leave your child to watch news (the impression I got is that the things you guys are saying on TV are too ridiculous for a child to handle; think about that critically before you go to address a crowd next time).
Three things caught my eye; one is that your child goes to school – this is History for IDP children as their education was disrupted long ago by the PEV and they will have to restart the same in the future. Second; you can afford to have your children watch TV, the IDP children have no idea what that is; its still history since 2007/8 PEV. I was of the opinion that your children need to watch the burning of the Kiambaa church just to get a feel of what the IDPs children saw of their homes but a friend of mine told me two wrongs don’t make a right. Thirdly; one of your children insisted to go with you to The Hague (Even if the IDP kids insisted to go to the Hague, and their parents were willing, they can’t afford) but most importantly, how I wish that the IDP children had the choice in 2007/08 to go with their parents to the camps or to be left at their maternal homes; Ohhhh sorry, I had forgotten, the homes had already been burnt!
**********
The right and just thing to do now is for you and the others in the Ocampo list is to come together and make a joint pact; that the Rift Valley and Central provinces, towns like Naivasha, Kisumu and even Kibera are all part of Kenya, anyone can live there; peace can, will and should prevail. And Ohhhh, Kiplagat’s commission is out there; go and tell them your truth; alternatively, the Hague offers a better and wider audience (lots of TV coverage too) GO FOR IT! JUST KEEP YOUR CHILDREN AND THE IDP CHILDREN OUT OF IT!
(Complied by Peter N. Ngure – A social worker with a Heart for the IDPs)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Why Ocampo Six matter more than 38m ‘stupid’ Kenyan
http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/-/2558/1106234/-/o69p3mz/-/index.html
Why Ocampo Six matter more than 38m ‘stupid’ Kenyans...
By Patrick Gathara
On my way to work last week, I had an epiphany.
As I sat in one of the unending traffic jams that have become part of the daily ritual of trying to get to work, fuming as matatus “overlapped” the queue, it occurred to me that it wasn’t they who were the stupid ones.
The rule of law, whether we’re talking about the highway code, commercial law or criminal statutes, assumes a universal application.
So, when I agree to religiously abide by it when others consider it only as a guideline, to be discarded whenever it is convenient to do so, then it is me who is refusing to see the reality as it truly is.
This notion was reinforced when I finally got to my office and read in the papers that Rift Valley MPs were planning to ditch the National Accord in a bid to replace Raila Odinga as the prime minister with William Ruto.
According to the Standard, the plot is an attempt to shield Ruto from potentially facing charges at the International Criminal Court relating to the 2008 post-election violence.
“If it means repealing the Accord, then we will act and move with speed to replace the PM,” the paper quotes the chairman of the Rift Valley Parliamentary Group, Dr Julius Kones, as saying.
Putting aside for one minute the questionable wisdom of the move (after all, Omar al-Bashir’s position as president of Sudan didn’t save him from similar indictments), the statements simply emphasise the fact that there is one law for some and another for the rest.
Just like the enlightened matatu drivers, our politicians believe that the rules do not apply to them and can be discarded whenever one of them gets into trouble.
Our whole system of governance aids and abets this logic. So when Cabinet ministers are forced out of office after being caught with their hands in the till, the government creates a new taxonomy in which those who “step aside” are allowed to keep their fat salaries and allowances without actually having to work for them.
That, they tell us, is how we will win the war on corruption!
I now believe that it is the ordinary, hardworking, tax-paying, law-abiding Kenyan who is stupid.
We agree to faithfully pay our taxes, even celebrating when the government exceeds its revenue collection charges, while those who actually pass our tax laws do not feel obliged to live under the same regime.
We pay salaries to policemen and civil servants and then agree to supplement these with bribes.
We accept that the leaders of the same government supposed to ensure roads are properly built to cater for the booming numbers of vehicles and that traffic rules are obeyed, should not themselves be inconvenienced when they fail to do their jobs.
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Why Ocampo Six matter more than 38m ‘stupid’ Kenyans...
By Patrick Gathara
On my way to work last week, I had an epiphany.
As I sat in one of the unending traffic jams that have become part of the daily ritual of trying to get to work, fuming as matatus “overlapped” the queue, it occurred to me that it wasn’t they who were the stupid ones.
The rule of law, whether we’re talking about the highway code, commercial law or criminal statutes, assumes a universal application.
So, when I agree to religiously abide by it when others consider it only as a guideline, to be discarded whenever it is convenient to do so, then it is me who is refusing to see the reality as it truly is.
This notion was reinforced when I finally got to my office and read in the papers that Rift Valley MPs were planning to ditch the National Accord in a bid to replace Raila Odinga as the prime minister with William Ruto.
According to the Standard, the plot is an attempt to shield Ruto from potentially facing charges at the International Criminal Court relating to the 2008 post-election violence.
“If it means repealing the Accord, then we will act and move with speed to replace the PM,” the paper quotes the chairman of the Rift Valley Parliamentary Group, Dr Julius Kones, as saying.
Putting aside for one minute the questionable wisdom of the move (after all, Omar al-Bashir’s position as president of Sudan didn’t save him from similar indictments), the statements simply emphasise the fact that there is one law for some and another for the rest.
Just like the enlightened matatu drivers, our politicians believe that the rules do not apply to them and can be discarded whenever one of them gets into trouble.
Our whole system of governance aids and abets this logic. So when Cabinet ministers are forced out of office after being caught with their hands in the till, the government creates a new taxonomy in which those who “step aside” are allowed to keep their fat salaries and allowances without actually having to work for them.
That, they tell us, is how we will win the war on corruption!
I now believe that it is the ordinary, hardworking, tax-paying, law-abiding Kenyan who is stupid.
We agree to faithfully pay our taxes, even celebrating when the government exceeds its revenue collection charges, while those who actually pass our tax laws do not feel obliged to live under the same regime.
We pay salaries to policemen and civil servants and then agree to supplement these with bribes.
We accept that the leaders of the same government supposed to ensure roads are properly built to cater for the booming numbers of vehicles and that traffic rules are obeyed, should not themselves be inconvenienced when they fail to do their jobs.
flashad
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Are you implicated in any corruption charges??? You must leave office immediately
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.
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.
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
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