INTER ETHNIC TENSION

Balancing act tricky for race to State House  Published on September 28, 2007, 12:00 am   By Kipkoech Tanui  

There are two traps that await new governments: postmortem and passing the buck.

Before Anglo Leasing ghosts found their way to the Cabinet, and even as Kenya turned a working nation, ministers burnt half their time telling us how bad the past had been. The nectar in their speeches was that they were change managers.  President Kibaki said he was inheriting a tattered nation. Late Local Government minister Karisa Maitha, at the time the likes of Vice-President Moody Awori and Mr Ali Chirau Mwakwere were mere assistant ministers, swept streets of street families.  Internal security minister, Mr John Michuki, before he was given wrong unwieldy docket, cracked down on matatu drivers and touts.  

Agriculture minister, Mr Kipruto arap Kirwa, revamped the fledging sub-sectors. Justice minister, Ms Martha Karua, privatised urban water boards while Cooperative minister, Mr Njeru Ndwiga, restored order in the movements.

 Education minister, Prof George Saitoti, championed the free primary education programme. Mrs Charity Ngilu’s went for free health for all.  But two projects pulled off by two ministers flopped. The Orange Democratic Movement presidential candidate, Mr Raila Odinga, then the Roads minister, brought down houses standing on bypasses.  Perhaps Mr Odinga had not heard of countries where the incoming regimes balanced the interests of the economy, against the ‘crime’ of land grabbing (where curiously the homeowners had legitimate Government documents), and decided the unlucky landowners must meet the cost of re-routing the bypasses. Some regimes turned the buildings into public facilities. They then paid off the owners from the budget the host set aside for new offices.  But the mood then was such that every minister wanted to be seen working and the cheering squad was large. Even as the Office of the President, Treasury, Central Bank and Kenya Revenue Authority, were transformed into a tribal cabal, few noticed.  

The feeling of satisfaction was quickly dimmed by the MoU war between President Kibaki and the Liberal Democratic Party brigade, and strange guests as Mr and Mrs Anglo Leasing.

The tension exploded in the 2005 referendum and the two presidential candidates fighting to unseat him, Raila and Mwingi North MP Kalonzo Musyoka, were in the basin of ‘dirty’ water he threw out.  They are now back with fury, to take what they believe was theirs. Kalonzo however appears to be more keen at stopping Raila and his team from reaching State House than dethroning Kibaki. Half of what he says is about ‘our brothers in ODM’. The second most whimsical project, perhaps only eclipsed by Mr Chris Murungaru’s attempt to reincarnate General Mathenge, was in the hands of the then Justice minister Mr Kiraitu Murungi (now in Energy).  Ever the admirer of Mzee Nelson Mandela and post-Apartheid South Africa, Kiraitu tried to set up a Justice, Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Like the fine mess Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission has made of the war against graft, this too hit the wall.  Bishop Desmond Tutu was invited and he warned Kenya to tread carefully because ‘truth’ and ‘reconciliation’ could light fires across the country. The villain must be as ready as the victim to speak the truth, he said.  Yes, corruption must be fought and it is a disgrace Parliament has blocked the indolent KACC from pursuing crimes committed before 2003. But this won’t work.  Raila is chasing a mirage, I doubt he has given much thought to this fancy idea and Kiraitu must be laughing. It boggles the mind how he imagines he will line up the VIP thieves at KICC to confess the amount they stole, the date, and fork out the payback cheque.  Firstly, we do not have hard evidence; there were no book entries. Secondly, even if we do, no one will be willing to confess. Thirdly, who will define corruption? Fourthly, inter-ethnic tension will flourish and we could end up with a slaughterhouse for a nation.  Fifthly, Kenya is no post-Apartheid South African or Greensboro where the both sides were willing to face the panel seeking the truth. Sixthly, the corrupt will, like some in ODM, shield themselves under the roofs of courts and constitutional references.  Seventhly, this election will be fought and won on the platform of tribalism and trust. All the others are textbook fads; they can only sway a few. Raila should not tell us he would be a postmortem President. Kenya needs a new deal and beginning. For the lack of a promising candidate, the majority would easily re-elect Kibaki aendelee na kazi!  Mr Charles De Gaulle when he ruled France said: “Since a politician never believes what he says, he is quite surprised to be taken at his word.”  The writer is The Standard Managing Editor, Weekend Editions ktanui@eastandard.net 

KENYA IS SICK CCM OUT OF PNU.

 By CCM Secretary General.

29TH SEPT.

Due to ideological diferences in PNU/PANU which contradict CCM’s socialist ideology, CCM has opted out of the alliance and will not be part of any other groupings or coalitions.

CCM as a party cannot campaign for any other political party competing with it for political office. But members can support other candidates where CCM is not fielding a candidate of its own.

CCM’s position remains. We shall field our own parliamentary and civic candidates in most of the consitituencies in the country.

Its sad. As it has been in the past, the destiny of the poor majority WANANCHI has been hijacked again by politicians whose honesty records are questionable.

CCM insists that the Angloleasing, Goldenberg scandals and Ndugu land report  culprits cannot be left out forever without taking them to court.

Its a shame that even Mps in ODM and ODM-K alongside those of Nark-Kenya passed a motion to set looters out of the hook although Kibaki refused to sign it. This shows that the interest of those siding with Raila, Kibaki, Kalonzo is to gain political power to protect their loot. Kenya is sick.  

Its CCM’s stand that all present and past economic looters will at some stage face full force of the law. At some stage all past crimes such as the infamous landclashes culprits will face the law.

The ongoing killings of innocent Kikuyu youths, branded criminal suspects by the police, will at some stage be investigated and the culprits shall face full force of the law. Kibaki administration has turned Kenya into a brutal police state.  

CCM abhors the current executions of innocent young Kikuyu men by the Kibaki led regime. For this very reason Kibaki re election has become a thorn in the flesh of the Kikuyu youth. Hence the apathy in Kikuyuland.

Killing small time crime suspects and leaving looters of public coffers, land and property is the ultimate indication that the Kibaki led henchmen are not to be trusted in taking care of the country.

For Raila,  saying he will not take Moi or Kibaki to court has made Wananchi’s hope of justice ever being done in this country a distant tream.

CCM cannot join hands with looters be they in PNU, ODM, ODM-K and KANU. Any politician protecting looters betrays the Nation and is of no help to the looted and suffering majority be they in Nyanza or Central.

But all said and done, CCM’s position is that its members have the right to elect presidential candidates of their choice since we are not going to field a presidential candidate. Individual candidates nominated by CCM has the right to campaign for either Kibaki, Raila, Kalonzo or any other would be aspirant.

  

Opinion on Raila

Kenya needs an inclusive system of leadership  Published on September 28, 2007, 12:00 am   By Joel M Ngugi  

In Kenya, we take politics seriously: perhaps too seriously. Taking politics too seriously can be hazardous: it makes it hard for people to engage on the (de)merits of particular political choices.

If we are to overcome our national ethnically partisan political positions, we must start publicly rationalising the choices we make. The following thoughts are offered in this spirit.  Let us imagine a Raila presidency – an imagination backed by a pragmatically clear-eyed rather than romantic or idealistic analysis.  A Raila presidency would represent, not a loss for Kibaki, only a victory for Kenya. The losers would be the power-mongers around President Kibaki. Without trashing the Kibaki regime, and even while applauding its successes, we could reasonably conclude that Kenyans should think about giving Raila a chance, on the basis of three key issues. 

First, there is the need to accelerate the path of economic prosperity of the last five years.

Kenya has prospered moderately under the Kibaki regime. Some say that this prosperity has come in spite of the Kibaki regime. 

Nonetheless, there are many economic governance decisions made correctly, which chiefly account for the economic growth.

But we can, and should do better. Some of the current regime’s missteps in economic governance are legendary. They include Anglo Leasing and failure to adequately provide for key infrastructural needs such as arterial roads.  With another Kibaki presidency, we are unlikely to see much radical change in economic governance. But with the key decisions made under Kibaki, a new president stands a better chance of deepening the reforms. This is a case for a new president, with a pat on the back to the outgoing President for a job well, but not excellently, done. 

Second, the opportunity to construct an autochthonous mechanism for sharing national wealth, across regions and classes, that will supplement without supplanting the on going economic prosperity.

We must guard against the likely righteous but deeply disruptive politics that might discourage continued investment. 

Thus, we must simultaneously encourage economic growth while putting in place effective mechanisms for sharing that prosperity. Raila’s articulated social democratic ideology is useful.

This is not to say that Raila’s political ideology will become policy upon election. But political ideology matters.  

While Kibaki’s mainly neo-classical sensibilities will take care of the front-end of things (economic development);

Raila’s social democratic sensibilities will take care of the back-end of things (social co-operation and cohesion and other mechanisms for managing social conflicts and reducing moral hazards). Third, we must imagine the possibility and promise of national healing. Ethnic cleavage has deepened during the Kibaki regime. We cannot bury our heads in the sand and pretend that we will become a nation by default.  We must make political choices that will take us there. The elections provide Kenyans with an opportunity to begin a post-tribal political discourse. By such a discourse, I mean, not a politics where ethnic affiliation and tribal identity miraculously become extinct, but one where individuals can think across ethnic affiliations in a socially rational way that serves national cohesion.   In such a dispensation, people make political decisions based on a complex matrix in which the conflicting and competing interests are important but not necessarily decisive.  

A necessary first step is a Raila presidency. Because of Kenya’s unique tribal politics, Raila will be a powerful symbol that we are in a new post-tribe era.

This is not because Raila is a saintly anti-tribal leader. Rather, it is because, if Raila is to be elected president, it will be in spite of his tribe. This, in itself, would be a first step. Secondly, and controversially, a Luo presidency will put to rest the idea that some Kenyans cannot be president.  

A Raila presidency would likely re-align political and economic forces, making tribe less of a factor in politics.

This is because, despite his progressive ethos, Raila is a hardcore entrepreneur, unlikely to destroy the economic base but is likely to forge class-based alliances across the political divide. In any event, short of assuming draconian dictatorial powers, president Raila will not afford complacency: he would be facing well-heeled political opponents with a solid economic base and who would keep his government on its toes. What does this mean for Raila and his handlers? He must change his campaign emphasis; free it from the perception that it is anti-Gema, and transform it to be one of ideology and national healing. He must energise his supporters in spite of, not because of their anti-Gema sentiments. He must address economics beyond the vaguely unhelpful incantations that the national cake is not equitably distributed.  He must tell Kenyans how he will keep the modest prosperity going while re-orienting the national legal baseline to one that permits productive redistribution of national resources. Differently put, Raila must start speaking the language of national healing, reconciliation, and the classic feature of a virtuous welfare state: the promise to use organised State power to moderately modify the play of market forces to guarantee the lower classes social inclusion and some minimum resources irrespective of the value that the market places on their labour and goods. The writer is an assistant Professor of Law at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. 

CHAOTIC KENYANS

Return of poll chaos

Published on September 22, 2007, 12:00 am

By Beauttah Omanga, Robert Nyasato and Ayub Savula

Volence and ugly incidents marred the campaign trail as ODM leaders, Mr William Ruto, Mr Omingo Magara and an aspirant were viciously attacked by youths in South Mugirango constituency as they attempted to attend a fundraiser presided over by Roads minister, Mr Simeon Nyachae.

And in Busia, ODM-Kenya presidential candidate, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka and his running mate, Dr Julia Ojiambo were heckled by a rowdy crowd, forcing police to intervene and escort them to safety out of town.

In scenes reminiscent of ordinary thugs being chased out of the market, the MPs had to run for dear life and even had their clothes torn by blood thirsty youths.

Ruto, Magara and the aspirant, Mr Chris Bichage were injured after they were pelted with stones and hit with clubs by the hostile youth who barred them from entering the Nyachae meeting venue.

An arrow aimed at the MPs narrowly missed Bichage who sustained serious injuries from blows.

Police protected Kalonzo

In Busia, police had to usher Kalonzo to his vehicle then escort his convoy with police vehicles seven kilometres out of the town.

In one of the ugliest incidents of this year’s electioneering, the MPs in both incidents were humiliated in scenes later condemned by ODM politicians.

Ruto, Magara and Bichage had to flee for dear life with youths in hot pursuit, baying for their blood.

They were rescued by a matatu into which they jumped and asked the driver to speed off to safety.

The incident occurred at Nyamarambe playgrounds where Nyachae was presiding over a fundraising for youth groups in Magara’s South Mugirango constituency, apparently without the MP being informed.

The ODM team that had earlier attended another function in Gucha landed at the field in a helicopter and headed for the dais.

But even before the dust raised by the chopper could settle, youths armed with clubs, arrows and stones charged at the politicians.

Also caught in the fracas was former Finance minister, Dr Chris Obure, who had just arrived.

The helicopter flew off as youths aimed missiles at it.

Magara and his team were hit with stones before police charged at the youths, firing in the air to scare them away.

The MPs’ bodyguards also drew guns and shot in the air as chaos reigned.

A pistol belonging to Magara’s bodyguard fell as the ODM team ran out of the venue.

But a police officer retrieved the gun and handed it to the bodyguard as mayhem reigned.

Ruto and Magara were hit several times with stones while Bichage was roughed up and thrown to the ground.

Ready for combat

The vehicle in which they sought refuge took them to Rongo town.

A youth armed with a bow and arrows charges at Eldoret North MP, Mr William Ruto, on arrival at Nyamarambe.

Ruto was injured on the knee, while Magara was badly hurt on the right hand. Bichage sustained multiple injuries and a dislocation on the shoulder. An arrow aimed at him whizzed past his head.Nyachae and other Ford-People MPs remained unmoved at the main dais as the ugly scene unfolded.

Nyachae has been named Panu’s advisory board chairman and by the virtue of his position, he is at the helm of President Kibaki’s re-election campaign.

Tension had been high as supporters of Nyachae vowed that Magara, who is ODM point man in Gusiiland, would not set foot at the venue.

The youths, locally known as chinkororo, wore maroon robes and were armed with bows and arrows in readiness for combat.

They had first been greeted by Nyachae, who commended them for their bravery and defending the rights of their community and its political stand.

“I am proud of these youths; they stood by me when I was campaigning for your MP during a by-election,” the Roads minister had said.

The harambee in aid of youths was orgnised by various parliamentary aspirants who had invited Nyachae as the chief guest.

Medical personnel receive South Mugirango MP, Mr Omingo Magara at the Wilson Airport, Nairobi on Friday.

Magara, also the ODM treasurer, was not invited for the fundraiser and had earlier told The Saturday Standard it was his right to attend as the area MP.Tension remained high after some supporters of Magara earlier stormed out of the function in solidarity with their MP.

Speaking at a Press conference in Rongo town, the leaders blamed Nyachae and Planning minister, Mr Henry Obwocha for the fracas.

They also demanded the arrest of the two ministers.

Ruto called on the Police Commissioner, Maj Gen Hussein Ali, to take action against the two ministers.

“This is not only satanic but primitive for a Government to watch as elected leaders are harassed by armed youths,” said Ruto.

“It is by the grace of God we are alive since the youths seemed to be under instructions to eliminate us,” he added.

Magara claimed some of the youths were imported from other constituencies.

However, Nyachae dismissed ODM team’s claims, adding they were the ones who invaded his meeting.

“We did not invite them to the meeting and we are not to blame for what befell them,” said the Nyaribari Chache MP.

Nyachae said his party had never interfered with any of the Opposition rallies in the region and wondered why Magara and his team stormed a Ford-People meeting.

He claimed he has an army of youth who will defend Ford-People at whatever cost.

MPs present at the rally were Mr Jimmy Angwenyi, Mr Zebedeo Opore, Dr Hezron Manduku, Mr Geoffrey Masanya, Mr Mwancha Okioma, and Assistant minister, Mr Joel Onyancha.

At Rongo, Magara said he would not be intimidated to keep off his constituency, saying he was ready to face his critics.

“This primitive behaviour will not deter us from bringing about change in this country. We are determined to get rid of Nyachae and his group,” said Magara.

Their chopper picked them from Rongo and flew them to Wilson Airport, Nairobi, from where they were taken to Nairobi Hospital for treatment.

The three were admitted to the hospital overnight for observation.

At the airport, Bichage was carried on a stretcher as Ruto and Magara showed journalists their injuries.

Ruto and Bichage’s trousers were torn.

They were met at the Airport by Raila’s presidential running mate, Mr Musalia Mudavadi, party chairman Mr Henry Kosgey, Secretary General, Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, MPs Mr Reuben Ndolo, Mr Musa Sirma and secretariat director Ms Janet Ong’era.

Mudavadi said the attack was part of a wider plot to stop ODM from campaigning in some areas.

“This is a scheme to bar us from accessing some areas. But nothing and no one will stop the ODM campaign,” said Mudavadi.

A furious Kosgey said: “This Government will go the same way it came. Security is not a favour, it is our right and we demand it.”

Raila, who called on his way from the US, condemmed the attack.

He said: “This cannot deter us from campaigning. When I land there (this morning) we will hit the road and we are unstoppable.”

Raila said he would visit them in hospital this morning.

Earlier, while attending a funeral in Gucha, Ruto urged the Kisii to support ODM’s presidential candidate, Mr Raila Odinga.

Ruto spoke at Nyamache, in Bobasi constituency during the burial of a teacher who was killed by thugs two weeks ago.

Magara warned the Gusii to be wary of individuals out to alienate them from participating in the process of forming the next Government.

“We don’t want to join the Government through the window. Let us be part of the party that will form the next Government,” Magara said.

STATE HOUSE SQUATTERS

Squatters next to State Lodge Published on September 22, 2007, 12:00 am By Moses Njagih

They have chosen unlikely place to wait for land from the Government – next to a State lodge.

 For these squatters, the wait has been long – really long.For over 17 years, they have braved hardships and miseries of living in temporary shelters.Most of them live along a road reserve less than two kilometres from Sagana State Lodge.

Gatundu North Mp, Mr Patrick Muiruri (left) Lands minister, Prof Kivutha Kibwana and Gatundu DC, Mr Dan Mesis, when they visited the squatters in Kieni forest. Picture by John Muchucha

From their often chilly and squalid surroundings, the irony of the glitter of Sagana State Lodge reflects on them, representing the presidential authority that could deliver them from their dire want. Poverty has gnawed their wait continuously while hygienic conditions in their dwelling decline progressively.Each rising day brightens their hope that the Government, which ruthlessly evicted them from the only place they knew as home, would respond to their cries and resettle them.It is almost two decades since the squatters, who are now living along the road reserves in Mathira — in what has come to be referred to as Muoroto slums — were kicked out of Mt Kenya forest.Security personnel, they recount to anyone who choose to hear, ruthlessly torched their houses. The flame consumed all their property. Nothing was saved and in less than 20 minutes, they had been reduced to paupers. They neither had anything nor anywhere to go.

Little did they know that the shanties would be their homes.

 

Empty promises

 Like many other squatters in Muoroto slums of Kagochi, Kiaruhiu and Iruri, Ms Margaret Wanjiru has chosen to wait for the Government, which for years, has promised to resettle them.The squatters, who were living in Ragati, Hombe and Chehe forests, which form part of the larger Mt Kenya forest, were evicted between 1989 and 1994.

This was part of the Government programme aimed at ridding forests of squatters. After the eviction, the Government promised to buy land where it would resettle them. That is when the wait began.

 

Years have passed since that promise was made and the more 750 families of squatters are still waiting.

 

Although they were initially optimistic that the wait would end, many are now worried the Government might not honour its promise. Many have grown weary.

 

Senior Government officials, including the First Lady, Mrs Lucy Kibaki and Lands and Settlement minister, Prof Kivutha Kibwana, have visited them, giving promises that the long wait is about to end.

 

“When Kibwana told us in March that we will be out of this place by June, we were optimistic and we began the countdown. But June came and passed,” says Mr James Maina Mugo, the secretary of a group of evictees agitating for resettlement.

 After the lapse of Kibwana’s period, the First Lady, may be on her way to the lodge, called on the squatters. The visit renewed their hopes.

“No human being should be living under the conditions that you are in. President Kibaki’s Government will ensure that you are moved from here to a better place before the General Election. I am asking you to exercise patience, as you have over the years,” Mrs Kibaki told the squatters when she addressed them at Sagana Primary School, a short distance from the lodge.

 

Kibwana told them plan to buy part of the expansive Solio Ranch, which had been earmarked for resettlement of the squatters, was under way. And the poor, landless, homeless and almost hopeless people were elated.

 

One of the directors of Solio Ranch, Mr Edward Parfet said recently in a statement to The Saturday Standard that the ranch management had negotiated with the Government to sell 15,000 acres at Sh85,000 per acre.

 

Four boreholes and access roads serve the area, which the ranch management has set aside for sale.

 

But it was not long before local politicians poked holes into the deal. They complained that the land was over-priced.

 

The hitch slowed down the sale and became a protracted argument that has gone as far as Parliament where questions about the settlement and Solio ranch have been asked.

 Parfet said Sh85,000 is below the market price, which is between Sh150,000 and Sh200,000.

He added that Solio Ranch would not have sold the land at below the market price except that the Government intended to use it for the settlement of squatters.

 

“We have a letter from the Ministry of Lands confirming that it is satisfied with the price of Sh85,000 per acre,” says Parfet.

 

Contacted, Central PC, Mr Kiplimo Rugut, says his office is waiting for a directive from the Ministry of Lands, before subdivision and resettlement.

 

“I may not say exactly how the plan is proceeding but I know that the Ministry of Lands, the Treasury and the owners of Solio are in serious negotiations,” said Rugut.

 

The PC moved to dispel fears of squatters, promising them that their long wait is about to end.

 

“There is no turning back on this as the Government is committed to keeping its promise to the squatters. There should be no worry as they will be resettled within the time promised by the First Lady,” assured the PC.

 “We are waiting for a go-ahead from the ministry and we are optimistic word will come soon, then we can move in to sub-divide the land and resettle the squatters,” he added.But in the meantime, the squatters will have to wait. 

Forgotten Kenyan patriots

 By Muthoni Thang’wa  

The 50th anniversary marking the death of Freedom fighter Dedan Kimathi was recently celebrated with a play at the Kenya National Theatre. 

Once again there were renewed calls for the British Government to be ‘forced’ to reveal the exact resting place of this National Hero with some Kenyans insisting that the British Government should be made to pay to the family some monies, in the form of a compensation. 

Some have even described the honorary statue on Kimathi Street, near the Hilton Hotel, as too little too late. Since the issue of heroes is quite emotive, one has to let such feelings be.  

Even as we express our feeling towards the Mau Mau heroes, it may be worthwhile to think like William Prescott, a former slave on celebrating the banning of slavery in Britain. He stated that ‘‘they will remember that we were sold, but they wont remember that we were strong.

They will remember that we were bought, but not that we were brave.’’ This is a powerful way of expressing the reaction of many perpetrators of human rights abuses.  They will only remember the worst of what they did usually with glee and bravado, very few seem to remember such moments with grief and remorse.

Kenyans owe themselves a bit more than just remembering that Kimathi’s resting place is unknown, rather than remembering that its is a symbol of triumphs since he was not hanged in vain, Kenya is independent today.  There is no doubt that Kimathi was a brave fellow.

He lived at a time in Kenya when one would be punished under the law of Collective Punishment for failing to co-operate with the colonial powers in identifying and otherwise apprehending the Mau Mau. Yet he sent his picture to the British Security Forces on hearing that they were busy looking for him (the most wanted Mau Mau leader), even if they did not know what he looked like.

Now would you rather remember where such a person is buried or are his heroic deeds more endearing not just to his family, but to future generations? All great world leaders have serious flaws, which if the world concentrated on, would make useless use of energy trying to rewrite a history that is almost now cast in stone. 

Sir Winston Churchill, the renowned former British Prime Minister, during the Second World War, was not really a bright fellow in school, was almost estranged from his parents and had a stutter, which has been decorated called a lisp. The gentleman also had an above average fondness of alcoholic beverages, which is recorded on his visits to India and South America.

But nobody remembers any of this; we all remember that he was the hero who led Britain to victory during the Second World War.

Not even Kenyans remember that he was the Prime Minister when the state of emergency was declared in 1952 and that his strategy was extreme repression including public executions. Our own Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, the founding father of the nation, must have had some flaws.

The best thing is that no one remembers them. Or does someone? Nevertheless, we do not think of him as a rotund, short fellow with false teeth. We remember his Charisma, booming voice and that he was a symbol of the emerging leaders of independence Africa.

Since politicians only remind us that he was a land grabber when they are cross with Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, that information is deleted from our conscious memory no sooner than we have heard it. African hero and former South African President, Mr Nelson Mandela, is another leader with whom we find no official complaint.

Though we know that it is not humanly possible to live without a flaw, Mandela is thought of only in the very best terms. Whenever there is some semblance of conflict between him and another party, in our mind, err is with the other party not Mandela.

 In his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, any weakness is well camouflaged as strength.  Though the possibility that the critics of heroes are not good writers hence they fail to record the ills that might want be remembered, generally they are considered heroes because their positives completely out weigh their negative.  

Any forum in which they can be pointed out is locked out of the human memory until such a time that acknowledging such faults does not make a difference to history. What is the point of remembering those things that do not make a difference?  

Meanwhile, on the political scene history is being rewritten and the only question politicians on both sides of the divide should ask themselves is what we the nation will remember them best for.  

Shall we remember that they grouped and regrouped or shall we remember that they led us?  The writer is a curator at the Karen Blixen Museum 

PANU SPLIT OVER NOMINATIONS

By Ben Agina and Joseph Murimi 

Crisis loomed for President Kibaki’s Party of National Unity (Panu) as three of its key affiliates grappled with hurdles occasioned by the coalition.  

Narc-Kenya, Ford-Kenya and DP were on Thursday embroiled in wrangles that threaten to tear the party apart. A Narc-Kenya meeting ended in a deadlock after Cabinet ministers and MPs disagreed on the nomination method of its parliamentary aspirants.

As the NEC meeting went on at Safari Park Hotel, DP secretary general, Mr George Nyamweya, railed at the flower party accusing it of treating DP as an inferior entity. 

The two hitches occurred as Ford-Kenya holds a special meeting at Silver Springs Hotel Friday, to decide which coalition to work with and iron out complaints that party chairman, Mr Musikari Kombo, had moved in to back Panu before a consensus was reached. 

At the Narc-Kenya meeting, MPs came up with proposals that would be tabled for discussions with leaders of other Panu constituent parties. A key proposal expected to generate resistance is that Narc-Kenya fields candidates across the country. Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister, Ms Martha Karua, led the group that proposed that Narc-Kenya fields candidates countrywide. 

But other MPs opposed the mode and proposed that the country be zoned to allow Panu affiliates to exclusively field candidates in areas they were popular. The MPs disagreed. 

The meeting, attended by nine Cabinet ministers and 14 assistant ministers, was described as ‘heated’ by MPs who spoke later. Sources revealed that Narc-Kenya toyed with three scenarios of nominating candidates, but agreed on none. 

The first scenario, as favoured by the President, is that each political party holds its nominations to field candidates in zoned areas, while Kibaki vies under a Panu ticket. 

The second scenario favoured by the conservative wing of Cabinet ministers Mutahi Kagwe and Karua, envisioned a situation where all the parties supporting Kibaki would hold joint nominations and whoever wins gets the only ticket under Panu. 

In the third scenario, the aspirants were to go for separate nominations and whoever wins runs on their original parties without zoning restriction. Majority MPs said they favoured a situation where all parties competed at common primaries to produce the strongest candidate for Panu.  Some are more equal than other.

The meeting saw the leader of Narc-Kenya’s aspirants’ forum, Mr Kimani Ngunjiri, take on the ministers and their assistants, accusing them of treating them as lesser members of the party.  

Ngunjiri said Panu should resolve the issue and start campaigning since time was limited. Karua said a clear slogan, symbol and colours of Panu must be identified to avoid confusion during campaigns. 

She suggested that a map of Kenya with a circle within which all the colours and symbols of the affiliate parties are contained should be used. Speaking at a different forum, Narc-Kenya chairman, Mr Raphael Tuju, said Panu affiliate parties had not agreed on how to conduct their nominations. 

Speaking to journalists after attending the Africa Presidential Peace Conference at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi, Tuju said: “The issue of zoning is someone’s opinion and he is not talking on behalf of Panu.” He said Panu would choose a spokesman. “We will choose our spokesman either today or tomorrow and all statements from the council will be relayed through him,” the Foreign Affairs minister said. But as Tuju spoke, Nyamweya, after attending a DP NEC meeting, said, “We appeal to Narc-Kenya members to tone down their language, be respectful and treat other coalition parties as equals because without it nothing will work out.” 

Nyamweya said they were prepared to work with Narc-Kenya in Panu only if they were to be treated as equal partners. Said he, “In a coalition, there is room for debate and one has to be prepared to adjust one’s position if the process is to run smoothly.” It was not clear why Nyamweya decided to shoot straight at his coalition partners, but DP sources said the party NEC had discussed “Narc-Kenya’s arrogance”.  

And on Ford-Kenya, a source said, “We met last week and the NEC was sharply divided on who to support come the elections.” The NEC member said they were not against Kibaki’s re-election, but the issue had to be resolved unanimously.  Additional reporting by Lucianne Limo, Morton Saulo and Renson Mnyamwezi 

KIBAKI JOINS PNU ALLIANCE CCM IS A MEMBER

Kenya: Kibaki Finally Names His Party Today East African Standard (Nairobi)16 September 2007
Posted to the web 15 September 2007Gakuu Mathenge
NairobiPresident Kibaki is today scheduled to go live on radio and television to announce he has picked Party of National Unity as his re-election vehicle.

Sources familiar to the resolve struck by the President’s insiders revealed the rallying call of the umbrella party for Kibaki-friendly parties will be Tuungane pamoja (Let us unite).

The symbol will be, as is the case with its rival ODM-Kenya, the map of Kenya but in the place of the sliced orange in the middle, there will be the shape of the human heart.The President will then head to Western Province for a four-day tour to rally support for his Government.

After months and weeks of keeping the nation guessing, President Kibaki’s team decided on his re-election, eyes turn to Kenyatta International Conference Centre where the President makes the announcement at 3:30 pm.

A Presidential Press Service dispatch to newsrooms in the afternoon invited the Press for a presidential press conference at KICC at 3.30pm.His formal entry into ring completes the charged three-horse race, before the sun sets down on December.

Also on the starting blocks are Lang’ata MP Raila Odinga and Mwingi North MP Mr Kalonzo Musyoka.Delicate balancing actThe entry also bears the promise of the bigger war ahead given that on his side are a constellation of 14 parties, two led by Mr Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr Simeon Nyachae, who lost to him in the race to State House in 2002.

He can also count on his predecessor, and opponent in the 1992 and 1997 poll, Mr Daniel arap Moi. He also has former Vice- President Prof George Saitoti, Ford-Kenya chairman Mr Musikari Kombo and the Shirikisho trio – Cabinet ministers Ali Chirau Mwakwere, Moris Dzorro and Suleiman Shakombo – on his side.He also has the support of high profiled ministers who are all in Narc-Kenya, which now, with all its 60-plus national officials, an affiliate of PNU.

But the cocktail comes with its on challenges; particularly because the glue that holds them onto PNU is the confidence among its leaders they could be the President’s running mates They also are staking out for plum Cabinet jobs for their cronies and supporters.

It is a delicate rope the President has to walk in balancing the competing interests without showing disregard for anyone who has crossed to his side.Whereas the last election was fought on the platform of anti-corruption and generational change, which lost, this time the President is packaging himself as a national unifying force.

The announcement ends months of speculation and anxiety among his supporters and theatrics by political parties, which have claimed his allegiance even as he studiously kept aloof.But the President has serious challenges before he can pop the champagne bottles for the second time and final time in less than 12 weeks.

To be President one has to be nominated by a political party that certifies one as a parliamentary and presidential candidate to the Electoral Commission.To get elected, one needs highly motivated, effective, elaborate and well-organised and focused political machinery, usually organised around a political party.To be President one has to bag the majority of the total of presidential votes cast, and at least 25 per cent of votes cast in five of eight provinces.President Kibaki’s re-election campaign kicks off with all the advantages of incumbency, but lacks one crucial ingredient: his own political party that propagates his vision and development record, but which he hopes to name today.If he is re-elected on another umbrella party, the country may be looking forward to another five-year cycle of a presidency that is hostage to party chiefs and regional chieftains that keep on exacting their pound of flesh at the slightest excuse.

Kibaki has scored wellThe administration enjoys a fair score. An impressive economic turn around from negative growth rates in 2003 to above six per cent, unprecedented tax collection levels, free primary education, salary increases for civil servants, improved health care and a revamped Kenya Medical Supplies Agency replacing predators of Mafya House as late former Health minister, Mr Joshua Angatia once said.Rural electrification has been fast tracked and made more accessible by low income earners, road construction budget more than tripled until the local capacity got chocked by the volume of construction, not to mention the refurbished and re-energised civil service that has won the country two global awards.President Kibaki acknowledges not everyone sees things his way. There exists a significant section of the populace that thinks his time to go home is long overdue.Last weekend during inter-denominational prayers at Uhuru Park, Kibaki acknowledged this reality thus: “Kazi tumefanya, aliye na macho ameona, lakini yule hataki hatuwezi kumulazimisha ” (We have achieved a lot, but we cannot force those who chose not to see to acknowledge the achievements)Kibaki often reminds his audiences that it is their taxes that have driven what his Government has done. Those supporting his bid for a second term are urging him to take charge of his campaign and sell his achievements to the voters directly.Though some say this self-effacement disguises a thick skin that has weathered many a political storm, his hands-off style, allowing his ministers and sidekicks too much room, has been cited as the reason his achievements have not translated into political goodwill and support.

Unflattering appraisalFor instance, last weekend, the President had to endure an unflattering appraisal from youthful Wajir West MP, Mr Ahmed Khalif, who accused him of “betraying” the people of Wajir West even after they voted for Narc. He claimed he instead rewarded Kanu opponents who voted against him.”You have no votes here in Wajir, your Excellency,” Khalif told the President, amid applause from the crowd. Khalif’s father, former Labour minister, the late Ahmed Khalif, who died in the Busia plane crash in 2003, was the only MP elected on a Narc ticket in 2002.Although Khalif’s language did not go down well with some of those present feeling it was unnecessarily caustic. But that part of the crowd applauded means his message resonated.It was an indication the President’s men on the ground, were not with the people. This is why we are saying all candidates must be subjected to nomination to test their popularity. We should not take the risk of direct nominations,” said Kiunjuri.Regional Development Assistant minister, Mr Ali Wario, who is also the an influential voice among the pastoralists had similar sentiments:”There is an urgent need to harmonise the presidential campaign and the various groups involved,” he said.The Bura MP and chair of the Parliamentary Pastoralist Group, said although Kibaki’s administration had achieved much, the message was being lost in the cacophony of voices coming from his corner.North Eastern Province has indicated it may take much more than goodies to win a second term.The President has visited North Eastern three times in the last five years, has warmed up to a region that voted against him almost to the last man in 2002, appointed Wajir Central MP Mr Mahmud Mohamed (Kanu) Cabinet minister, and several MPs from the region appointed assistant ministers besides doling out other top civil service jobs.No counter propagandaPresident Kibaki has spoilt a few other regions with more and high profile goodies than the NEP.Prior to his visit last week, the President had just granted the region seven new districts, elevating nearly every constituency to a district, raising NEP districts from four to 11 last June.Last week, the Head of State converted Wajir Military Airport, built by Israeli’ and Americans in the 1970s into a commercial civilian airport. It is expected to greatly market livestock products and civilian transport.Despite all these and many more, the region seems reluctant to welcome Kibaki and his Government, and the mood seems to have changed little since the 2005 Referendum when NEP overwhelmingly voted against the proposed Constitution, which the Government supported.Asked why the region seemed hostile, a retired senior civil servant and one of the aspiring parliamentary candidates for Dujis, Mr Ali Korane says the Government has neglected to counter a five-year opposition propaganda that has painted the Government in extreme ethnic colours.”The administration was also painted as anti-Islam during the referendum campaigns and this has been allowed to stick. There has never been an attempt to counter this projection,” he says.The hard face of Internal Security minister, Mr John Michuki, has also not helped, a region long used to dealing with the OP for prompt resolution of all manner of situations.”The current Office of the President, tends to scare people away than inspire a sense of protection. OP has historically been the centre of Government, acting as the enforcement arm. This is no longer the case,” said Korane.The politics of the region are personality and clan based, and Korane feels civil service and technocrats alone cannot mobilise political support.He called on the president and his handlers to consult local leaders before taking decisions.

No one in-charge of campaign

Discordant voices coming from the President’s corner have also had the effect of confusing supporters as to who is in charge of his re-election campaign. A proliferation of freelance initiatives claiming the presidential re-election campaign mandate have cropped up, but some of whom have been accused of alienating the President from his supporters.Most vilified has been the three-tier structure that comprises Advisory Council as the apex, a Presidential Elections Board -comprising parastatal technocrats in the middle – and a secretariat at the bottom comprising professional foot soldiers.The group was crafted by a closely-knit group of long time allies of the President, whom politicians have accused of shielding the Head of State.”For a long time this group has sidelined politicians and political parties. We are telling them a president is put in office by voters and only politicians know where the voters are,” said a politician.”Kibaki needs to take charge of his campaign. There are too many centres of power and one does not know whom to deal with,” said Bomet MP, Mr Nick Salat, who was among MPs from Rift Valley who pledged support for Kibaki’s re-election last week.Besides dispelling the notion he is a prisoner of any clique, class or interest groups, Kibaki has to pacify political parties who are also fighting for space in his court.Democratic Party Secretary General, Mr George Nyamweya, complained that Narc-Kenya was making impossible demands that it would only join the grand coalition umbrella party only if DP was kept out.Nevertheless, DP was not invited to the Naivasha meeting last week that brought together Ford-Kenya, Kanu, Ford-People and Narc-Kenya leaders to discuss the Kibaki re-election coalition.Narc-Kenya views DP as a nuisance waiting in the wings to harvest from anticipated falling out after the nominations.The entry of Mr Uhuru Kenyatta and his Kanu brigade, who have said fielding parliamentary and civic candidates in all constituencies and wards was not negotiable, complicates things further for Narc-Kenya, a party that is still struggling to shed the image of being in the stranglehold of sitting MPs.

OSAMA IN SOMALIA SAYS USA

Osama is in Yemen or Somalia, not Pakistan:

US counter-terrorism expert  Mogadishu 14, Sept.07 ( Sh.M.Network)

The Bush Administration’s former chief counter-terrorism adviser, Richard Clark, has claimed that Osama bin Laden is either in Yemen or Somalia, and not in Pakistan. Clark, who was also the chief counter-terrorism adviser to the National Security Council during the Clinton Administration, said that bin Laden was propagating a kind of propaganda to lure Washington into a sense of neutrality to enable it to strengthen itself. 

 “Osama bin Laden had been saying for years, ‘America wants to invade an Arab country and occupy it, an oil-rich Arab country.’ He had been saying this. This is part of his propaganda,” the Daily Times quoted Clark, as saying. 

“In other words, we stepped right into bin Laden’s propaganda. And, the result of that is that al Qaeda and organisations like it, offshoots of it, second-generation al Qaeda have been greatly strengthened,” he added.  In another interview to the CBS weekly show, 60 Minutes, in addition to a write-up in Newsweek, Clark said that after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre, he told his colleagues at the White House, “We have to deal with bin Laden; we have to deal with al Qaeda,” but Paul Wolfowitz, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, said, “No, no, no. We don’t have to deal with al Qaeda.

Why are we talking about that little guy? We have to talk about Iraqi terrorism against the United States.”  Clark added: “I blame the entire Bush leadership for continuing to work on Cold War issues when they (came) back in power in 2001. It was as though they were preserved in amber from when they left office eight years earlier. They came back.

They wanted to work on the same issues right away: Iraq, Star Wars. Not new issues, the new threats that had developed over the preceding eight years.” (ANI)     Shabelle Media Network Somalia

Museveni in Push for Union

East Africa: Museveni in Push for Union The Nation (Nairobi) 14 September 2007

Patrick Nzioka And Charles Mwanguhya MpagiNairobi

Kenya and Uganda should move ahead with plans for an East African political federation and leave out Tanzania until it is ready, President Yoweri Museveni says.

Reports in Ugandan media say Mr Museveni sent his envoy to Kenya immediately after the extra-ordinary Heads of State summit in Tanzania last month with the message that Kenya and Uganda can move on with the idea without Tanzanians who are reluctant to embrace the proposal.

During the Heads if State meeting, Tanzania made it clear that while it was interested in a political federation, it would prefer a phased approach where the three countries would first consolidate economic gains before moving on with the political federation.

The meeting recommended the establishment of a common market and a monetary union by 2012. Sources say that President Museveni was unhappy with this outcome and sent an emissary to President Kibaki immediately after the meeting. In his speech in Arusha, Mr Museveni said there was overwhelming support for such a federation in the three countries.

However, Tanzania has been sceptical about Uganda’s designs in its push for the political federation ahead of an economic one.

Yesterday, Mr John Koech, Kenya’s minister in charge of East Africa Cooperation said it was not possible for Kenya and Uganda to work towards a political federation while leaving out other players like Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Important thing

The latter two, he said, had just joined the community and needed time to catch up. “The important thing is to strengthen economic integration as we work step by step towards a political federation. It is therefore crucial to encourage Tanzania to speed up economic integration as we give time to Rwanda and Burundi to catch up”, Mr Koech said.

National consultations in the three countries on political federation indicate that Ugandans and Kenyans were keen on fast-tracking the process while Tanzanians were reluctant.

Sources say Mr Museveni’s envoy told President Kibaki that Kenya had everything to gain if it used Tanzania’s reluctance to consolidate its Ugandan market.

KANU SUPPORTS KIBAKI

Uhuru declares support for Kibaki

By Standard Team

Kanu chairman Mr Uhuru Kenyatta has now declared he is out of the race to State House and thrown his weight behind President Kibaki. Uhuru’s move comes as a rare political occurrence, for an Official Opposition leader anywhere in the democratic world.

Uhuru, who came second to President Kibaki in the 2002 General Election, said he had to be realistic on his chances of winning the presidency were he to join the race. Uhuru’s announcement means Kanu is walking in the footsteps of former President Moi, who has announced that he is backing President Kibaki’s re-election, but would support the party’s parliamentary and civic candidates.

Uhuru justified his throwing in the towel saying he was not the type to run for the presidency just for the sake of it, but one to do so only when he was sure of a win. We are not people who just run. We run when we are sure we can win.

I am leading the party to the next government, Uhuru said, after emerging from a Kanu National Executive Committee meeting at the headquarters in Nairobi. Uhuru said the party had formed a team to negotiate with President Kibaki-friendly parties and Mr Kalonzo Musyoka’s ODM-Kenya a winning formula for the General Election.

He, however, said the party’s support for the Government would depend on a number of issues, including how the interest of Kanu members would be considered. Our support is not automatic we are entering into negotiations and we have a number of issues we want the Government to address.

Our interests and concerns need to be addressed, Uhuru said. He said Kanu was now united and that branches would be harmonised to ensure that members, including those in the faction led by Keiyo South MP, Mr Nicholas Biwott, were accommodated.

Uhuru said party members who have joined other parties would be replaced during the harmonisation. Uhuru said Biwott and Bureti MP, Mr Paul Sang, had been incorporated into the committee to negotiate with President Kibaki, but were absent during the press conference on Thursday.

Other committee members are Uhuru, former Mombasa mayor Taib Ali Taib, former Cabinet minister Prof Sam Ongeri and MPs Mr Yusuf Haji, Mr Marsden Madoka, Mr Justin Muturi and Dr Naomi Shabaan.

They were all present for the NEC meeting that was also attended by businessman Mr Stanley Githunguri, who is the central Kenya representative, and former Starehe MP, Mr Gerishon Kirima, who represents Nairobi. Meanwhile, unrest continued to stir in President Kibaki’s camp with three Cabinet ministers sending mixed signals over the delay in naming the President’s re-election bid party.

Narc-Kenya Secretary-General Dr Mukhisa Kituyi said there was no agreement yet on the coalition expected to spearhead President Kibaki’s re-election. Kituyi disowned the Party of National Unity (PNU), which has been floated as the umbrella body for parties backing President Kibaki’s re-election. As a party, we are still deliberating on the direction to take.

We have not decided on the umbrella party to use or whether other parties in the coalition will field their own civic and parliamentary candidates, Kituyi said in Nairobi. In Meru, Energy minister Mr Kiraitu Murungi and Assistant minister Mr Patrick Muiruri said they were set to ditch Narc-Kenya if President Kibaki does not seek re-election on its ticket.

The ministers said they would not hesitate to abandon the party and join PNU or any other party that the President settles on. Political parties are like matatus. If you board one and you feel it may not take you to the preferred destination, you just alight and board the one that will enable you complete the journey, said Kiraitu, one of Narc-Kenya’s vice-chairmen.

The two, who were speaking in Kiraitu’s South Imenti constituency, said they were monitoring President Kibaki’s political move and would follow him to whichever party he favoured for his re-election. Reported by Joseph Murimi, Ayub Savula, Patrick Muriungi and Morton Saulo

Woman in Moshi saga shot 8 times

By Ombati and Munene Kamau

One of the 14 Moshi victims was shot eight times at close range, a postmortem report says. The post-mortem examination on the body of Anne Kang’ara indicated that she was shot in the chest from the left side, and bullets exited from the right.

She also had a hole in the stomach and bruises on the hands and neck, indicating she was probably tortured before the shooting.

An official with the Oscar Foundation, Mr Kingara Kamau, who witnessed the exercise, told The Standard the post-mortem was done in the absence of some relatives.

Police denied the victim’s father entry into the operating room, allowing only her brother and Kamau. “They told me not to take notes lest I was prosecuted.

They have finished the exercise and we will release it officially on Sunday,” he said. The autopsy was conducted after days of hustling, pitting the family of the victims against the police.

Police in Moshi had said they would use a government pathologist, and denied the family a private one.

More relatives were allowed to travel to Moshi to collect the bodies. Meanwhile, the family of David Njuguna Mbugua, one of the 14 victims, cannot afford to transport his body back home. T

hey also do not wish to go to the neighbouring country for fear of arrest. On Wednesday, his family appealed to Tanzanian authorities to extend the 14-day deadline to collect the bodies, failure to which they would be buried in a mass grave.

Njuguna’s family said it was poor and could not afford to transport the body. But they expressed the wish to bury him at Karira village in Mwea.

“We are appealing to the Tanzanian authorities not to dispose of our brother’s body since we have not raised enough money to transport it back home,” said Mr James Mbugua, the deceased’s younger brother.

The family’s burial committee appealed for the Government’s help to transport the bodies of the 14 victims. “If they are transported to Nairobi, then we shall afford to take Njuguna’s body to Mwea,” Mbugua said.

LOOTERS TO GO FREE

The Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) no longer has powers to investigate grand corruption committed before May 2003, where taxpayers could have lost billions of shillings.

This means suspects linked to mega economic crimes like Goldenberg and parts of Anglo Leasing have been let off the hook.With one fell swoop, Parliament endorsed a crucial clause buried in the Statute Law (Miscellaneous amendments) Bill, 2007 that effectively barred the anti-graft agency from probing corruption cases committed before it was established in 2003.

The move now weakens KACC but the AG has leeway to selectively use the Penal Code to punish culprits.

The amendment, engineered by Mr Paul Muite (Safina, Kabete), elicited animated debate from the Government side after the Opposition flexed its muscle to push through the clause.

When the matter was put to division by Deputy Temporary Speaker, Mr Kirugi M’Mukindia, the Opposition emerged victorious with 38 votes against the Government’s 27.Before the vote, Justice minister Ms Martha Karua, said the amendment would render the work done by the anti-graft body for the past three years useless.

In an animated argument, Karua pointed an accusing finger at Muite, saying he had an interest in the matter.

But Mr Kenneth Marende (Emuhaya, Narc) came to the defence of Muite, who is also the chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs.

“The chairman has no interest in the matter at all,” Marende said. But Karua hit back: “Unless the minutes of the committee are shown here, I am bound to believe there is personal interest in the matter.”She added: “Hon Muite’s interest is obvious and this amendment is mischievous.

“In the debate that lasted barely 30 minutes, several members rose on points of order, as the House at some instance endured unparliamentary language prompting Deputy Temporary Speaker, Mr Daniel Khamasi, to take charge.Karua cried foul, saying past economic crimes have not successfully been investigated and the amendment would give KACC a deadly blow.

The amendment thus recognises only economic crimes committed after the enactment of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, 2003.Parliament also denied the agency powers to summon suspects and their associates.By deleting sections 26, 27 and 28 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, 2003, the MPs declared the end of any pretences to the war against graft.

These sections were the core of the Act and their deletion on the recommendations of the Muite committee means that KACC has no powers to perform its duties.Efforts by Karua to see KACC retain some powers fell to deaf ears from the Opposition MPs, who were in a hurry to dilute the anti-graft body.

And Kieni MP, Mr Chris Murungaru, was among those celebrating the reduced powers of the agency, saying he had suffered greatly under it.He said Integrity Centre, where KACC has its offices, had been turned into a secretariat to serve some selfish political interests.He revisited his past battles with KACC, saying he had won a major struggle when the agency previously summoned him to declare sources of his wealth. 

CCM OPENS NYERI BRANCH

Story by NATION

CorrespondentPublication Date: 9/12/2007

Chama Cha Mwananchi has pitched camp in Mathira Division of Nyeri North District to woo squatters. 

The Koigi wa Wamwere-led party, which opened a branch office in Karatina Town yesterday, asked the Government to settle the landless. They accused the mainstream political parties of sidelining the poor. Mr Wamwere rejected calls to join Narc Kenya to found the party. 

 Interim chairman James Nderitu Githae claimed the needs of poor had not been properly addressed “because the rich do not understand our problems.” Colonial villages The party promised to address the “imbalance” and bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.

 Mr Githae said the party would agitate for the settlement of people who have been living in colonial villages and squatters evicted from government forests 20 years ago. Kamlesh Pattni’s Kenya Democratic Alliance (Kenda) has also inaugurated its Mathira branch office in Karatina.  

An interim committee led by the branch chairman Joseph Gathee Rurige, who has declared his intention to vie for the Mathira parliamentary seat on the party’s ticket, will popularise the outfit in the area. 

Mr Pattni was last week quoted in the media as saying his party would not enter into any coalition with other outfits ahead of the General election.   

13 parties in drive for Kibaki win

Story by NATION CorrespondentPublication Date: 9/6/2007  

Thirteen political parties have formed a partnership in Nakuru to drum up support for President Kibaki’s re-election. The parties, including Kanu, Narc-K, DP and Chama Cha Mwananchi, announced their officials for the drive.

Development recordThe officials maintained that the formation of the Kibaki Tena inter-political parties council yesterday was intended to win maximum votes for President Kibaki in the town and neighbouring districts. Mr Ngali Valai, who was elected chairman, said that the group would network with the Kibaki Tena election board secretariat.

The group argued that their mission would not be difficult since President Kibaki’s development record spoke for itself.Health sectorAlthough the group will campaign for President Kibaki, they said that they would field civic and parliamentary candidates separately during the General Election.

The group said that there had been tremendous improvement in the economy, education and the health sector, among others, thanks to the reforms initiated by the Government. 

KOIGI CHAMA CHA MWANANCHI HOSTS GROUPS OF PWDs

KOIGI’S CHAMA CHA MWANANCHI HOSTS  GROUPS OF PWDs:

Controversial Politician and Assistant Minister for Information and Communication, who is also chairman (FOUNDER MEMBER) of a New political Party called Chama cha Mwananchi (CCM) hosted a group of person with disabilities and pushed for the disability Agenda.

 First it was interesting the political juxtaposing that he took parting ways with the so-called rulling party NARC-Kenya (which some call the rulling party and that observers believe President Kibaki supports, though he was elected under the original NARC that divorced after parting ways with Raila Odinga Led LDP). Kenyan Political party confusions aside, Mr. Koigi formerly a fugitive in the Norway after running to exile from the political horns with the Kanu dictatorship has had a cold-warm relationship with Presdient Kibaki.

He is among the “young” politicians who have felt left out by the old gaurds surrounding the president. His history with issues outside political hawking is scanty and therefore an unreliable measure if we are to measure his latest political move.

 The MP for Subukia a metropolitan constituency somewhere in Nakuru district with two major tribes of Kikuyu and Kalenjin, came into parliament as a beneficiary of the ALL is Possible-without-MOI political wave of 2002 that also brought Kibaki to Power.

Significant political step for PWDs. The politican however will be credited as being the first politican or political party that has took up the disability agenda in the current political foreplay in readiness for the general elections later in the year.

VOTE FOR Chama Cha Mwananchi Kudos to him and hoping that paradventure this would be a first in followed by other mainstream political groups like NARC-Kenya and ODM-Kenya. The Bomas draft and the other constitutional debate has set the agenda for engagement of various groups on issues that need to be part and parcel of politcal intercourse irrespective of the coalition that forms government.

Many political strategists in the Kenyan political coalitions have not come up with a specific lists of policies they would use to woo the voters with disabilities. There are quite a number who still believe that they dont vote anyway. Others think Voters w/disabilities do not form a significant political block worth their war chest allocations.

Yet other still view the community from the bowl in hand physically helpless face you would see in the streets of Nairobi. Koigi may be a political minniow compared with the “powerful” political heavyweights horses of ODM-kenya and Narc-Kenya or the donkeys of FORD-kenya and Charity’s Narc or is it NPK.

But for this one he will go down in History as the first politician who politicised the disability agenda in campaign politics. Unique political rally Someone may see mischief in this article.

Someone may claim that the Youth Affairs Minister machinations with the deaf community is reported recently in disabilitykenya as having held what could be seen as a the development politics of the Party in Power with the sharing of the billion shilling youth fund.

Others may say that the First Lady and her big heart for disability is a political move. That to me would not be compared with the political act that Koigi did. The disability community has not been looked at as a voting block until Koigi convened his meeting. His was actually a political rally targeting specifically the disability community.

This we find unique. He may not have had much goodies to distribute around, after all the other assistant Minister and fellow political spannerboy of Kibaki’s administration Garsen MP Danson Mungatana has been quoted to call Koigi’s Political Party “the party of the Poor”.

But given the need for more representation in political advocasy the involves disability community, who else (maybe even in Africa) has had a political rally of voters with disability only? Which party will push the disability agenda So when the chairperson of the party of the poor stood up and said that the government should or could allocate a portion of its national revenue say 2% to making adjustments that are disability-friendly i felt a tilt of joy.

That only KBC saw the importance of the news clip is telling of the others including KTN and NTV who claim to push the rights of the disability community. I felt a tilt of joy when in the environment of the meeting a KBC reporter saw the need to collect opinion of one of the participants and blow it as part of the reporting for the political event.

The man with disabilities had a simple message “we the voters with disabilites are also ready to cast our vote with reason in view of the benefits that will acrue to us”. The man was quoted as saying that we people with disabilties can work also. we want a share of the growing economy to trickle down in terms of jobs and credit for business.

We can work and are ready to work and will work given an opportunity. We will support someone or a political party that will give us what we need to achieve these needs. What more would i say but wait with bated breathe to see how many other political groups will identify politicies that support some form of disability agenda!

How many of the presidential manifestoes will have something on improving disability-friendliness of this country? How many political groups will empower disabled persons as representatives in their political groups? We are watching…. disabilitykenya.org

14 KENYANS EXECUTED BY TANZANIA POLICE IN MOSHI

 By Cyrus OmbatiTanzanian police confiscated two cameras from relatives of one of the 14 Kenyans shot dead in Moshi.

They also rejected an independent post-mortem on the bodies by Kenyan doctors.

And in Nairobi, police on Tuesday sided with the Tanzanian authorities, saying six of the suspects had criminal records.

Police spokesman, Mr Eric Kiraithe, said they had not established the circumstances under which the other eight people died, but they believed they were accomplices

In Moshi, relatives of Anne Kang’ara and officials of Oscar Foundation had taken pictures of a Suzuki Vitara alleged to have been carrying the victims when they were shot dead, when police confiscated two cameras.

The officers also arrested a guide hired by the family to take them to the scene of the shooting.

Oscar official, Mr King’ara Kamau, said Kilimanjaro police had denied them permission to hire a private pathologist to carry out a post-mortem.

The officers insisted that only their government’s pathologist and two people would be allowed into the operation room.

“There is a standoff here because the post-mortem has not even started and they took away our cameras. We have not even viewed the bodies,” Kamau told The Standard by telephone.

Anne’s family was on Monday detained for hours as they sought permission to probe the incident.

In Nairobi, Kenyan police said they had established that Moses Kuria Kamau had been convicted of robbery with violence in 1997 and sentenced to death, but could not tell how he was released.

Another victim, David Njuguna Mbugua, was jailed for stealing by a Nakuru court in 1981, while Zachary Mwangi Kimathiro was charged with robbery in 2004.

Kiraithe said John Gikonyo Buku was in 1996 accused of preparing to commit an offence, and Philip Irungu Wanjiru was also charged with robbery in Nairobi.

Peter Maina Waweru was charged with robbery in a Thika court in 2004.

“We believe most of them had appealed their cases before they were released from jail,” said Kiraithe.

Others killed are Jeremiah Wachira Macharia, Wilson Irungu Kiige, David Njuguna Mbugua, Rudovic Gicheru Kariuki, Ephrahim Maina Mwangi and Genson Karuhi.

LOOTING PROTECTED

Nation EDITORIAL
12 September 2007
Posted to the web 11 September 2007NairobiWhen a Cabinet minister makes a pronouncement on a matter of public policy, the presumption is that he is expounding the Government position.It is also widely acknowledged that some ministers are more equal than others. This could be because of the dockets they hold, or their proximity to the inner circle that is known to have the President’s ear.National Security and Provincial Administration, minister John Michuki is one such personality. Which means his utterances cannot be dismissed as speaking out of turn; they are taken as official policy, or at least, to reflect the thinking of the inner sanctum.Thus it was when Mr Michuki on Sunday stated that this Government was not interested in pursuing those responsible for economic crimes under the previous government.Mr Michuki’s statement was contradicted by his Justice counterpart Martha Karua, who said yesterday such matters were still under investigation.Despite the clarifications, however, very disturbing signals have been sent out. Conflicting statements on an issue of such great public interest actually raise the spectre that the stated policy may be at variance with the policy in operation.We may well be told that pursuit of economic criminals continues, while the policy in practice is to turn a blind eye to such crimes.For many, the import may not be in contradictory statements by ministers, but in what has actually been achieved or not achieved. There has not been a single successful prosecution of grand corruption.Kenyans were shocked to learn recently that the Government had opted not to act on a report by international investigators on looted funds spirited out of the country by key figures in the previous regime.View that against the political alliance between those heading this Government and those in charge in the past regime, and it becomes easy to see why past crimes are not being pursued with any vigour.If we must forgive the past, then let us so do openly and in a structured and official way. It must be clear who is being granted amnesty and for what.