CCM PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES 2007 ELECTIONS

LIST OF CCM PARLIAMENTARY CANDITATES IN 27TH DEC 2007 GENERAL ELECTIONS

THIS IS A LIST OF CCM PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES WHO TOOK PART IN NOMINATIONS ON 23RD AND 24TH NOVEMBER. FINAL LIST AWAITS ECK DECISIONS ON COMPLAINTS BY OUR CANDIDATES UNFAILURE TIME BARED.

THE LIST INDICATES HOW POPULAR CCM HAS BECOME ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

NAMES CONSTITUENCY PROVINCE
1- KOIGI WAMWERE …………………………………………………………………..SUBUKIA ……………………………………….RIFT

2- DAVID SK MWENJE………………………………………………………………EMBAKASI …………………………………….NAIROBI

3- SAMUEL CHEGE THIARI……………………………………………………..NDARAGWA…………………………………….CENTRAL

4- JOSEPH IVOR KORIR…………………………………………………………..SOTIK……………………………………………..RIFT

5- Mrs. SAUMU KAVERE HASSAN…………………………………………….VIHIGA…………………………………………..WESTERN

6- MWAGANU WA KAGIA………………………………………………………..KANDARA……………………………………….CENTRAL

7- RICHARD NZIOKA MUIA……………………………………………………..MWALA…………………………………………EASTERN

8- BERNARD CHEGE WAWERU………………………………………………..KIGUMO…………………………………………CENTRAL

9- MOSES MACHARIA ALI………………………………………………………KINANGOP……………………………………….CENTRAL

10- PAUL KAMAU MWANGI……………………………………………………..GITHUNGURI………………………………..CENTRAL

11- PHILIP NDUHIO GITHAMBO…………………………………………..MOLO………………………………………………..RIFT

12- JAMES NDERITU GITHAE………………………………………………….MATHIRA……………………………………….CENTRAL

13- PETER NDIRANGU GATHIKA…………………………………………….OLKALOU………………………………………CENTRAL

14- JONATHAN MAGARA JUMA………………………………………………GACHOKA…………………………………….EASTERN

15- ANDREW SHIROKO SHILENJE………………………………………….KAKAMEGA………………………………….WESTERN

16- Ms. HALIMA DARO SHINKE………………………………………………MOYALE………………………………………..EASTERN

17- COSMUS CHARLES NDARI………………………………………………..VOI………………………………………………….COAST

18- BEN GATHOGO…………………………………………………………………..NAKURU TOWN………………………………RIFT

19- Mrs. FLORENCE RURIGE NGAYU……………………………………TETU…………………………………………………CENTRAL

20- YASSIN MOHAMED AMIN…………………………………………………DUJIS……………………………………………..NORTH EASTERN

21- LAWRENCE RURIGE MWANGI………………………………………….KERUGUYA KUTUS……………………..EASTERN

22- WILSON NJUKI GITHETHWA………………………………………….LAIKIPIA EAST………………………………..RIFT

23- GIDEON PATEMO NYAKIONGORA…………………………………..NYARIBARI MASABA………………………..NYANZA

24- PATRICK KARITIE MUYA………………………………………………….RONGAI………………………………………………RIFT

25- MUNDIA NJERU GETERIA…………………………………………………RUNYENJES………………………………………EASTERN

26- GODFREY KISEMEI MUTISYA………………………………………….KITUI SOUTH……………………………………EASTERN

27- CHRISTOPHER KAMAU KARIUKI……………………………………KIAMBAA…………………………………………CENTRAL

28- MOHAMED ADAN SAFE……………………………………………………SAKU……………………………………………..NORTH EASTERN

29- SAMSON MAUTI SAGWE………………………………………………….SOUTH MUGIRANGO…………………….NYANZA

30- THOMAS KITHUNZI………………………………………………………..MUTITO………………………………………….EASTERN

31- Rev. LAWFORD NDEGE IMUNDE…………………………………….IMENTI SOUTH…………………………….EASTERN

32- GEORGE MURITHI MUTURA…………………………………………..IGEMBE SOUTH……………………………EASTERN

33- ERNEST MURIUKI MUNGAI……………………………………………GICHUGU……………………………………….EASTERN

34- JEREMIAH KIPKURUI LANGAT……………………………………….KURESOI……………………………………….RIFT

35- SHEM ATHEMBO ONYURO……………………………………………….MUHORONI…………………………………..NYANZA

36- FESTUS MUINDI MAII………………………………………………………MBOONI……………………………………….EASTERN

37- NICHOLAS SIRO ANGWENYI……………………………………………KITUTU CHACHE…………………………NYANZA

38- TIRUS MBURU CHEGE………………………………………………………LARI…………………………………………….CENTRAL

39- ANTONY KABUTHA…………………………………………………………..KIHARU………………………………………CENTRAL

40- JOEL MUTHOKA MAITHYA……………………………………………..MWINGI SOUTH………………………….EASTERN

41- SIDNEY TAWUO TIORAI…………………………………………………..KAJIADO CENTRAL……………………..RIFT

42- CHARLES KABUI NGANGA…………………………………………………NYERI TOWN………………………………CENTRAL

43- JAMES MOSETI…………………………………………………………………..NYARIBARI CHACHE……………………NYANZA

44- JUSTUS MAGATI NYAMBERI……………………………………………..BOBASI…………………………………………NYANZA

45- NOAH KWERULA ONGAYA………………………………………………….KHWISERO …………………………………WESTERN

46- Mrs. JANE MORAA NYANCHAMA………………………………………WEST MUGIRANGO…………………….NYANZA

47- OSWALD GITONGA NJAGI…………………………………………………NITHI…………………………………………….EASTERN

48- GERALD IRERI NDWIGA…………………………………………………….SIAKAGO……………………………………….EASTERN

49- KIKETE MUNGAHU SIAMBI…………………………………………………BUMULA………………………………………WESTERN

50- TITUS NZEKI MATUKU…………………………………………………………KANGUNDO……………………………….EASTERN

51- JAMES ALFRED KENYWA NTHIGA………………………………………MANYATTA………………………………..EASTERN

52- SAMUEL KAMUNU NGANGA………………………………………………….MARAGUA………………………………..CENTRAL

53- JAMES KARIUKI MUCHIRI…………………………………………………….MATHIOYA………………………………CENTRAL

54- CHARLES ARIKU……………………………………………………………….AMAGORO……………………………………WESTERN

55- MARK KITUTE NDINGO………………………………………………………..KITUI WEST……………………………..EASTERN

56- IBRAHIM SALIM KIPIRISH…………………………………………………..KILGORIS…………………………………NYANZA

AN UPDATE WILL SOON FOLLOW THIS LIST THIS WEEK.

WE SHALL ALSO INCLUDE A LIST OF OUR 400 CIVIC CANDIDATES.

RELIGIOUS CONFLICT IN THE OFFING

Raila’s secret MoU with Muslims revealed

Published on November 28, 2007, 12:00 am

By Ben Agina

The lid has finally been lifted on the controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Muslim leaders and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) presidential candidate, Mr Raila Odinga.

With its secrets unveiled at an international press conference in Nairobi on Tuesday, the ghost of the six-point document — which has been a subject of intense propaganda, cyber wars and a source of concern for sections of the Christian community — was, hopefully, finally exorcised.

Its chief signatories are Sheikh Abdullahi Abdi, the chairman of the National Muslim Leaders Forum (Namlef) and Raila, while Mr Mohammed Farouk Adam, Mr Said Athman Mtwana and Mr Najib Balala have signed as witnesses. The pact was quietly signed on August 29.

After captivating the country for several weeks, it was an anti-climax of sorts when the much talked about MoU turned out to be merely a timid piece of quid pro quo paper agreement between someone seeking votes for a top political office and a group that believes they have been treated as third-rate citizens by successive governments.

It said nothing about the Sharia law.

Instead, the MoU — which has been widely circulated on the Internet as the ultimate dangerous piece of accord — turned out to be an agreement aimed at safeguarding the interest of the Muslims.

“This MoU is made to secure and cement solidarity and partnership between Hon Raila Odinga and Namlef constituency based on values of mutual trust, honesty, integrity, transparency and good governance,” the pact reads in part.

It further states: “This MoU is made in utmost good faith and trust between Hon Raila Odinga and Namlef with the common objective of transforming our country Kenya into a proud, prosperous and just nation, where all Kenyans live in harmony realising their full potential without discrimination, subjugation or fear.”

Kibaki and Kalonzo non-committal

On Tuesday, Namlef — who originated the idea — further revealed that it held consultative meetings with President Kibaki and ODM-Kenya Presidential candidate Mr Kalonzo Musyoka with a view to entering into a similar pact.

Both were non-committal, Sheikh Abdullahi, told journalists.

“We met Kibaki once and then met Kalonzo and Raila three times. It’s only Raila who made a commitment,” Abdullahi, who said Namlef finally entered into the pact with Raila and decided to support him for the presidency because of his “consistency, valour and statesmanship”.

Abdullahi was speaking at the Namlef offices in Hurlingham, Nairobi.

And on Tuesday, Raila said: “Not all leaders are so opportunistic as to disown solemn memorandums in the interest of political expediency, as Kibaki so brazenly did after becoming president”.

The outgoing Lang’ata MP said he never kept the pact secret and that he publicly spoke about it on September 1, after securing the ODM presidential nomination.

He added in a statement e-mailed to newsrooms on Tuesday night by the Orange party secretariat: “I subsequently mentioned this memorandum at other public events as well, since I have every intention of honouring what I have formally committed myself to.”

Raila reiterated that the agreement with the Muslims was not the first such memorandum to be signed.

He said just before the 2002 elections, at the Nyali Beach Hotel, Mombasa, President Kibaki along with the late former Vice-President Mr Michael Wamalwa, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, Mrs Charity Ngilu, Mr Najib Balala, the late Mr Karisa Maitha and himself signed a similar one with the Muslims.

The 2002 memorandum, Raila said, was necessary because all the then Narc Summit members recognised Muslims as having been historically marginalised, sometimes victimised and viewed as a national minority to be discriminated against.

“In 2002, President Kibaki as a Christian did not feel the need to sign a memorandum with the Christians. Nor did I. Like him, I am a Christian, baptised as an Anglican,” said Raila, who together with Pentagon members Ngilu and Balala had earlier yesterday addressed a press conference at Wilson Airport, Nairobi, before embarking on a campaign tour of the Coast, touched on the pact.

Hatred between Muslims and Christians

He added: “Our opponents simple aim was to create hatred between Muslims and Christians, in a bid to promote the re-election of the President.”

Raila said those behind the propaganda included Party of National Unity (PNU) leaders and some religious figures, who were trying to portray themselves as defending Christian rights.

In the pact, copies of which were provided to the media, Raila promised to initiate within the first year of his presidency deliberate policies and programmes to redress historical, current and structural marginalisation and injustices on Muslims in Kenya.

These will include the entrenchment in the Constitution of provisions that will outlaw the targeting and profiling of any member of the Kenyan community (including Muslims) and subjecting them to human rights abuses, violations and discrimination under any guise whatsoever.

Raila and Namlef agreed to the setting up of a commission of inquiry on deliberate schemes and actions of Government, its agencies or officers to target or interfere with welfare and social wellbeing of Muslims in Kenya.

According to the MoU, Raila is to accord northern Kenya and the Coast Province and other neglected areas budgetary priority in infrastructural development in the sectors of road telecommunications, water, housing, education and health.

Namlef and Raila agreed to embark on the radical transformation of Kenya to a “just harmonious, peaceful and prosperous nation based on good governance, constitutionalism and the rule of law and a genuinely devolved government”.

Yesterday, Abdullahi observed that the Government had meted out calculated, deliberate, unprecedented discrimination intimidation and harassment of sections of Kenyans, including Muslims.

“Namlef and the Muslim community in Kenya desire to see an end to this,” said Abdullahi, who was flanked by the forum’s National Executive Committee.

List of Candidates sent to UK for Printing

Kenya: Electoral Commission Sends List of Candidates to UK for Printing

	Email This Page Print This Page Comment on this article

The Monitor (Kampala)

27 November 2007
Posted to the web 27 November 2007

Nairobi

The Electoral Commission of Kenya yesterday dispatched the full list of civic and parliamentary candidates to the printers in the United Kingdom.

The bulky documents were sent by DHL, an international courier service firm, to the London-based printers, who were given two weeks by the ECK chairman, Mr Samuel Kivuitu, to print all the ballot papers and post them back to Kenya in readiness for the December 27, General Election.

GA_googleFillSlot(“AllAfrica_Story_Inset”);

The list will be made public by ECK on Friday after it is published in the Kenya Gazette. A team of ECK officials, supported by their colleagues from the Kenya National Assembly, spent the whole of Sunday scrutinising and compiling the final list from their base at Kenyatta International Conference Centre.

By noon yesterday, the Nation team found a handful of staffers winding up their paper work, while others had called it a day.

An advanced team of Commissioners, who included Mr Jack Tumwa and secretary Mr J.H. Tsola, flew to the UK over the weekend, soon after the deadline for the presentation of nomination papers by parliamentary aspirants.

Mr Tumwa and his team will be supervising the printing of the 42.9 million ballot papers, broken down as follows – 14.3 million ballot papers for civic, 14.3 million for parliamentary and 14.3 million for presidential candidates.

Some 980 parliamentary candidates and over 10,000 civic candidates were cleared by ECK during the four-days exercise across the country, last week.

The cleared candidates from the 140-plus registered parties will now face each during the campaign period for the vacant 210 parliamentary and over 2,000 civic seats.

Relevant Links East Africa Kenya Uganda

The list of all the nine presidential candidates were dispatched last week to the same London-based printer, with full details of their names, their party of choice and symbols.

The front runners are President Kibaki on a PNU ticket, Mr Raila Odinga on ODM and Mr Kalonzo Musyoka on an ODM-K ticket. Others are Pastor Pius Muiru of KPP, former Cabinet minister, Mr Kenneth Matiba of Saba Saba Asili, Ms Nazlin Umar of Workers Congress Party, Mr David Waweru Ngethe (CCU), Mr Nixon Kukumbo (RPK) and Mr Joseph Karani (KPTP).

A similar list of the nine presidential candidates, 980 parliamentary and over 12,000 civic candidates was also sent to the Government Printers to publish in the Kenya Gazette. By the close of voter registration exercise mid this year, 14.2 million voters had been registered.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY to probe deaths

Let foreigners probe killings, says Kiai Story by FRED MUKINDA Publication Date: 2007/11/06

The investigation into the suspected execution of 500 people by police should be conducted by an international panel, the government human rights body says. Blood-stained and tattered clothes that were discovered in the expansive Ngong forest where mysterious killings have been reported in the past few months. Photo/HEZRON NJOROGE A report released yesterday by Kenya National Commission on Human Rights chairman Maina Kiai says the team should be drawn from among police experts in South Africa, Ghana and Rwanda. “The Kenya police are clearly incapable or unwilling to investigate the matter,” says the preliminary report. “If the investigations (by the international panel) establish that State sponsored executions, and disappearances have occurred, then those responsible should be identified and brought to justice.” The commission appealed to people whose relatives have gone missing to report to the organisation. Eleven relatives had lodged complaints at the commission’s headquarters at CVS Plaza in Nairobi after the initial appeal barely two weeks ago. The human rights officials are promising that information received will be treated in confidence to protect complainants. If the independent investigations fault the police, the commission also wants reparations granted to the families of the victims.  The report says that only 229 bodies of the suspected  victims of executions have been accounted for. Between June and October, 454 bodies were taken by police to the City Mortuary and booked as unknown. All had gunshot wounds. Nineteen others were booked at the Naivasha and Machakos hospital mortuaries. The commission accuse police of failing to carry out proper investigations since the first were was reported in June.

CONSPIRACY OF BIG PARTIES

Parties unite to block defectors

Published on November 6, 2007, 12:00 am

By Standard Team

In a bid to forestall cross-party defections, the three major political parties are now playing a cat and mouse game around the Electoral Commission of Kenya nomination deadline on November 16 for parliamentary candidates.

The Party of National Unity (PNU), ODM and ODM-Kenya were on Monday working for simultaneous parliamentary nominations on November 16, the last day set by the ECK for parties to pick parliamentary aspirants. The parties are then required to present the full list of nominees to the ECK on November 21.

And ODM presidential candidate Mr Raila Odinga on Monday met with over 1,000 former MPs and aspirants seeking the party’s ticket, and said there would be no sacred cows and direct nominations for candidates.

Raila told the former MPs and the new aspirants to stop believing in propaganda that the Pentagon members would try to influence the nominations in favour of certain individuals.

Raila gave the example of the Labour Party in the United Kingdom, which had on three occasions lost their quest to win the elections due to interference at the nominations stage.

Party hopping

On its part, the PNU announced a crucial meeting for Friday where they expect to come up with a pact to bind all aspirants against party hopping soon after the November 16 nominations.

PNU National Elections Board deputy chairperson, Ms Amina Abdallah, said the party was taking this precautionary step to ensure there was no fallout after the party conducts the nominations expected to be hotly contested.

And reading from a similar script, ODM-Kenya also announced it had pushed its nomination date from November 15 to 16 to ensure it holds the crucial preliminaries alongside its competitors.

Although the party gave the KCPE examinations as an excuse to move their nominations, observers were not lost to the fact that all the main parties planned to hold their parliamentary nominations on the same date.

The ECK stood its ground that it would not bend its rules requiring all parties to submit lists of their nominees five days ahead of the formal ECK nominations.

“By introducing this rule, which was passed in Parliament, the defections previously experienced in parties when one is not nominated will be streamlined. I ask political parties to follow it,” said ECK deputy chairman Mr Kihara Muttu.

The notice reads: “Each political party wishing to participate in this year’s General Election must finalise the nomination of its candidates…five days before the formal nomination.”

500 KIKUYU YOUNG MEN SHOT DEAD BY POLICE

Police accused of executing suspects

Published on November 6, 2007, 12:00 am

By Cyrus Ombati

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has laid the blame on the execution of close to 500 young men between June and October on the doorstep of the police.

The State human rights’ organisation, which described the 454 killings as ‘extra-judicial’, said the deaths coincided with the period when the police intensified a crackdown on the Mungiki sect.

In a preliminary report released on Monday, the commission said some of the victims’ bodies were dumped at the City Mortuary and others in Ngong Forest.

At the mortuary, the report adds, the victims were booked as ‘young Kikuyu male adults’. It adds that the bodies had a single gunshot on the head.

Commission Chairman, Mr Maina Kiai, said investigations had reached the conclusion that the dead were victims of execution and “the police could be complicit in the killings”.

Kiai said only the police had the capacity to do so. He said the commission had counted and identified 229 bodies and received many complaints every day.

He linked the killings to the war on Mungiki, saying the number of the dead taken to the mortuary rose sharply between June and July — 223 — compared to 189 between January and May before crackdown on the sect members heightened.

“They coincide with the period after June when the Government declared war on Mungiki and wanted criminals,” the report says.

But the number of bodies taken to the mortuary dropped in August. Earlier this year, a war erupted between the Mungiki and matatu crews over protection money.

When Mungiki demanded more money than was previously the case, matatu men in Kiambu and Thika refused to play ball. What followed were killings and beheadings in Nairobi, Central and parts of the Rift Valley provinces.

Police: report false

But Police Commissioner Maj-Gen Hussein Ali has denied a police link, especially in the killings in Kiserian, Kajiado, and termed them cases of murder, accidents and sudden death.

And last evening, police spokesman, Mr Eric Kiraithe, termed the report false, saying the authors depended on ‘rumours’ to compile it.

He asked Kiai to give the police postmortem examination reports that showed the victims were shot at close range and from behind.

“Who was there to say the victims were shot from behind and the bullets exited in front? These are reports aimed at maligning the force and individuals,” he said.

He said police investigations had established that speeding motorists hit some of the victims and many of the killings were the work of criminal gangs.

He denied the commission’s claims that the war on Mungiki targeted one community. Kiraithe added that inquiries into some of killings had been opened.

He added that police had visited some sites where the bodies were found, but did not find evidence to show that the law enforcement agencies dumped them.

Of the bodies found dumped in Ngong Forest, the KNCHR report says the commission had talked to witnesses who claimed they saw police vehicles at some of the sites where bodies were later found.

The report said police collected 11 bodies in Yatta, Machakos, between August and September. Family members, the report says, had told the commission that some of their kin had been arrested by police, but were later found dead in Yatta.

Kiai said executions are crimes against humanity and called for investigations by international experts.

“We want prompt, impartial and effective investigation by police experts from South Africa, Ghana and Rwanda since Kenyans are incapable or unwilling to investigate the matter,” said Kiai.

The commission also demanded that those involved be identified and brought to justice. Kiai, however, added that the burden of proof lay with the police.

Kiai was at pains to explain that KNCHR did not condone violent crimes by Mungiki gangs, but added that the executions were an unacceptable way of fighting crime.

He said police were unco-operative in providing information during the commission’s work.

The commission chairman said the report was preliminary and that a full one will be released later.

He added that the commission supported President Kibaki’s call on the police to stop harassing innocent people

Somalia: Peace Bid a ‘Nightmare’

Somalia: Peace Bid a ‘Nightmare’

	Email This Page Print This Page Comment on this article Visit The Publisher’s Site

Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)

31 October 2007
Posted to the web 31 October 2007

Mogadishu

The path back to stability in Somalia is a “nightmare” the Kenyan foreign minister that helped install the country’s beleaguered government has told reporters – in the wake of resignation of Somalia’s prime minister.

Kenyan Foreign Minister Raphael Tuju spoke as Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed held crisis talks with tribal elders and clan leaders to appoint a new prime minister a day after Ali Mohamed Gedi resigned.

GA_googleFillSlot(“AllAfrica_Story_Inset”);

“In Somalia, efforts to re-establish a central authority in that country have proven to be a nightmare,” Tuju told reporters in Nairobi, a rare confession from a man who once saw hope in his efforts.

Tuju lamented that 16 years of endless internecine fighting have resulted in a steady flow of small arms into Kenya, further deepening insecurity. About 80 percent of Africa’s small arms and light weapons lie in the hands of civilians.

Kenya hosted more than two years of convoluted peace talks that resulted in the the election of Yusuf in in 2004, but the move has failed to restore stability.

Relevant Links East Africa Conflict, Peace and Security Kenya Somalia

Nearly a year since Ethiopian forces, with tacit US backing, chased an Islamist movement that threatened to vanquish the government, the country is plagued by a ruthless insurgency led by the movement’s remnants.

Joint Somali-Ethiopia forces and at least 1,500 African Union (AU) peacekeepers from Uganda have failed to restore even a semblance of stability in the face of insurgents.

Bloody clan brawls after the 1991 ousting of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre has turned into an endless civil war, exacerbated by the US hunt of Al-Qaeda linked extremists it believes are hiding in Somalia.

STEALING POLITICIANS

COMMENTARY

What makes African leaders thieves still a big mystery Story by CHARLES ONYANGO-OBBO Publication Date: 2007/11/01

THE OTHER DAY, FORMER United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced Mozambique’s ex-President Joachim Chissano winner of the inaugural Mo Ibrahim Prize for African Leadership.  Chissano was awarded $5m (Sh330 million) for a retiring African Head of State who did the best job of leading his or her country. In addition to the Sh330 million, Chissano will also receive an income of $200,000 (Sh13.2 million) presumably to buy groceries and beer for his friends, and $2 million (Sh132 million) to donate to good causes. The Sudanese-born Mo Ibrahim, as every man and his dog in Africa must surely know by now, quit his job at British Telecom where he was earning £45,000 a year, and founded the pan-Africa mobile phone company, Celtel. Not too long ago he sold it for £1.7 billion (Sh234 billion).  However, we are here today because of what Annan and Mo said at the London event where Chissano was announced the first recipient of the prize. Annan said that ex-African leaders do not benefit from lecture tours as Western statesmen like Bill Clinton, and are vulnerable to the temptation to plunder their nation’s treasuries as a “retirement fund”.  Mo added that when an African leader is coming to the end of his term, there are only three choices — steal enough money to fund their retirement; manipulate the rules to stay in office indefinitely; or to live in relative poverty. His prize, he said, was an incentive for African leaders to give up their act.  I think these good gentlemen have got this the wrong way round. First, the majority of us earn less than one-tenth the salaries and allowances of African presidents.  But when we retire, we don’t all live in poverty. Quite a few retire to homes they borrowed from banks to build, and are able to live on their pension and savings. Why should African presidents who earn several times more not be able to do better?  Secondly, not all Western leaders are like Clinton either. Most disappear into oblivion. Only those who have something interesting to say get large speaking fees. Which is why Nelson Mandela, despite serving only one term, attracts so much interest.  Likewise, most African presidents are paid far more than American and other world leaders, yet it is mostly ours who amend constitutions so that they can die in office.  So, in order not to live in poverty when they retire, African leaders need to do something simple while in office — do their job well, and not steal from the taxpayers.  In fact, if we think Mandela is too rare an example, why don’t we try Zambia’s ex-President Kaunda? He didn’t steal, but still he doesn’t go to bed hungry. And he is internationally well-regarded.  WE SHOULD NOT LEAVE international speaking engagements without reflecting on what happened a few days ago to Shahid Malik, Britain’s International Development minister. Mr Malik also has the distinction of being Britain’s first Muslim minister.  Malik was stopped at Dulles Airport in Washington DC on Sunday on suspicion that he might be a terrorist. His hand luggage was analysed for traces of explosive materials.  Malik said he was particularly annoyed because a similar thing happened last year when at JFK Airport in New York, despite the fact that he was a keynote speaker at an anti-terrorism event organised by the FBI, Muslim organisations in New York, and the Department of Homeland Security, the super ministry that President George Bush created to fight terrorism after 9/11.  There is an easier way to understand what happened here. On Tuesday, a Ministry of Justice report revealed that black people in the UK were almost seven times more likely than white people to be stopped and searched by police last year.  The data shows the gap was even wider than in 2005, when black people were six times more likely to be stopped than white people. Asians were about twice as likely to be stopped and searched as white people — about the same as the previous year.  In the USA, as early as 2001, a Justice Department report showed that blacks are more likely than whites to be stopped by police, and much more likely to be searched on suspicion of possessing illegal drugs, guns or other contraband. This, despite the fact that searches of vehicles driven by whites — conducted less than half as often — were more than twice as likely to turn up evidence of criminality than those conducted on vehicles driven by blacks.  Already, by that point, black women were nine times more likely to be searched at airport customs checkpoints, but white women were twice as likely to be carrying contraband.  The blacks in the USA survive partly because of a breath-stopping sense of humour. So, to the crime of “driving under the influence” of alcohol (DUI), they added “driving while black” (DWB). I guess, reflecting on Malik’s misfortunes, we could add the crime of “travelling while a Muslim” (TWAM).

Kivuitu lashes at State over election observers

Kivuitu lashes at State over election observers

Published on November 1, 2007, 12:00 am

By Abiya Ochola

Electoral Commission of Kenya chairman, Mr Samuel Kivuitu, has slammed the Government for not inviting a section of international observers to monitor the General Election.

He also ruled out postponing elections in clash-torn regions.

Kivuitu said the Carter Centre and the African Union were yet to be invited by the Government to monitor the December 27 polls.

“It is sad that not all observers have been invited to monitor the polls. I do not know what we are hiding. We should allow all to come so that they do not disturb us after the election that there were some blemishes,” he said.

Kivuitu said he had asked the Government to invite the Carter Centre, African Union, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the European Union.

“But I was surprised when (Foreign Affairs minister Mr Raphael) Tuju failed to mention the Carter Centre and the African Union as those invited,” he said.

Speaking after opening a conference on ‘Promoting Issue-based Campaigns’ at a Nairobi hotel, Kivuitu said the elections were likely to be highly competitive, hence the need for an effective monitoring system.

“Kenyans trust foreign observers. They assist in the creation of environment for peaceful, free and fair elections,” he said.

He also appealed to the international community to financially support and train local observers.

Kivuitu also ruled out the possibility of postponing the polls in clash-torn Mt Elgon District.

He said the situation on the ground did not warrant such an action.

“The situation has not reached a stage to postpone the polls. We sent a team to investigate and the recommendation was that we use mobile polling stations. It is not very dangerous,” he said.

He at the same time challenged Assistant minister, Mr John Serut, to try and resolve the conflict, instead of asking for the postponement of the election.

He also lashed out at political parties for promoting what he termed political mediocrity by favouring wealthy, but intellectually challenged candidates.

“You are given preference even if you are an idiot so that you can take your foolishness to parliamentary debates,” he said.

He challenged parties to adopt and promote gender equity, saying lack of democratic nominations was to blame for gender disparities in political representation.

He said desperate politicians had played the tribal card hence fanning ethnic animosity during election periods.

Kivuitu also asked the media to report responsibly and cut out harmful propaganda from issue-based campaigns.

LUCY HECKLED

Crowd heckles First Lady at campaign rally

Published on November 1, 2007, 12:00 am

By Roselyne Obala

First Lady Lucy Kibaki’s second day tour of Western Province was met with booing and heckling by hundreds of wananchi in Emuhaya constituency, one of ODM’s strongholds.

Lucy received a rude shock as locals chanted ODM slogans immediately she left a campaign rally at Emuhaya Divisional headquarters for another one in Khwisero constituency.

The First Lady, accompanied by Public Service minister, Mr Moses Akaranga and other PNU leaders drove into ODM supporters at Emuhaya market who flushed the party’s slogan as they chanted ODM! ODM!

She and her entourage ignored the supporters and proceeded on the campaign trail.

Earlier, the First Lady on landing at Ebusakami Primary School grounds was met with residents who chanted, “Njaa! Njaa!” (Hunger! Hunger!).

The shocked First Lady who was received by Akaranga and Western PC, Mr Abdul Mwasserah waved at them before proceeding to the venue.

Addressing the rally, Lucy defended President Kibaki’s decision to give top jobs in the Government to old guard.

She said the old guard had the experience and played a major role in ensuring that Kibaki performed his duties diligently.

“Viongozi wengine wanataka wazee waondoke kwa serikali, waende wapi? (Some leaders want the old guard to leave Government, where to?)” she asked. The First Lady took issue with leaders demanding for the replacement of Kibaki claiming he was too old to lead.

She said Kibaki was still strong and had proved beyond any reasonable doubt that he could perform his duties as a Head of State better than some youthful leaders opposing him.

Also present were Western deputy PPO Mr Larry Kieng, Western Province Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation Chairperson Mrs Dora Atiti and Western PNU Co-ordination Mr Nixon Butiyo.