Mashada Blogs » October 7, 2007

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October 07, 2007
23:48
'To Be A Man'- Poetry Competition
From: Kenyanpoet

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'To Be A Man'- Poetry Competition

11:22
Kenyans now start ‘spewing’ excuses?
From: You Missed This

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On Tuesday, September 11th, 2007, Habari Leo newspaper (a Tanzanian daily) carried a story titled “Wakenya waanza visingizio” (Kenyans now start spewing excuses) on its front page.

The article started by saying that Kenyans were complaining that they were finding it increasingly hard to cross the border into Tanzania as they were being mistreated by immigration officers at the borders.

For instance, at the Isebania border post, there is a heavy presence of immigration officers hell bent on checking the ‘insalubrious’ influx of Kenyans into Tanzania. Kenyans found without the requisite travel documents have had to go through harrowing experiences.

This has left a bad taste in the mouths of Kenyans as they rightly ask why they are being mistreated while the Tanzanians crossing the border do so without a fuss being raised.

In the past, Kenyan businessmen were crossing the border on their way to Tarime (which is 25 kilometres from the Isebania border post) without any problem whatsoever. But now, according to these businessmen, things have changed.

There are many Kenyans working in Tanzania, the newspaper continues, and hundreds of Tanzanians working in Kenya as small scale business people, bartenders and sellers of second hand clothes (Mitumba in East Africa speak). This is slowly becoming a thing of the past as mistrust stealthily creeps between peoples of the two countries.

This mistrust has further been amplified by the recent armed robberies on Tanzanian soil thanks to robbers of Kenyan descent. This state of affairs has received the full vent of Tanzanian President Mr. Kikwete and the Minister for Internal Security Mr. Bakari Mwapachu.

The good intention of the East Africa Community, where it behooves us to live as brothers and sisters, is being sacrificed at the altar of bureaucracy and misconstruction. In fact, things are being taken for what they are not – literally speaking.

That’s my take. What’s yours?

Raila Odinga secretly met John Githongo in London last month

Guess what John Githongo's nickname was when he worked at State House

When will PNU wake up and get a serious campaign going?
11:00
The killing of 14 Kenyans: Something just does not jell
From: You Missed This

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It has been reported in the Tanzanian media that:
• Plans to execute them had long been planned
• Tanzanian police pretended to be robbers

The newspaper Sauti ya Watu Tanzania Daima (a Tanzanian daily) on Monday September 17th, 2007 carried a very controversial version of the story about the killing of 14 suspected robbers of Kenyan origin in Moshi a few days earlier.

According to the newspaper, the killing of the Kenyans was something that had been planned and staged. It is said that some Tanzanian police travelled to Kenya and posed as accomplices in criminal activities and succeeded in luring these people to Tanzanian soil

According to a source who divulged information about the whole plan, the ground where the police executed their heinous act was a clear ground with no obstructions. So the question is: If there was a shootout between the police and the robbers, why were there no police casualties?

It is alleged that these ‘robbers’ were taken to their supposed hideout in police cars that did not have number plates of the police force. Here the police sprayed their car and that of the ‘robbers’ with bullets in a bid to ‘hide’ the truth of what actually happened.

Just to show that the whole event was like a drama of sorts, a police car (registration number T 168 AEA Hiace GLX) was sprayed with bullets on the top of the body. Its windscreen was, incidentally, not broken. This is something that is very unlikely in the event of a shootout.

Questions arise here:

• If there really was a shoot out, why was there no glass that was broken in the vehicle of the police?
• In the alleged shoot out, why were there no casualties on the side of the police?
• If it really was a planned event, what was its aim?
• Was the aim of the ‘event’ intertwined with the supposed Tanzanian police’ heartfelt desire to show their president that they are working?
• Under whose direction was it?
• Is theTanzania Daima account a true representation of what happened on the ground? If it is true, what are its dynamics?

Can the Tanzanian police force come clean of these serious allegations? Kenya does not need nor does it deserve the heartrending bashing that it has been receiving from some quarters of Tanzania of late…

Raila Odinga secretly met John Githongo in London last month

Guess what John Githongo's nickname was when he worked at State House

When will PNU wake up and get a serious campaign going?
10:39
When Will PNU Wake Up And Get A Serious Campaign Going?
From: You Missed This

Read This Entry & More At You Missed This
If it is true that ODM is a Luo political party then Nairobi has just too many Luos. In fact the census figures for Luos should be revised as clearly they now have a larger population than the Kikuyus and Luhyas put together.

The writing must be on the wall by now for President Kibaki and his campaign team, which appears to be an extension of his administration—ruled by decision makers who are stuck in a time warp of the swinging but slow 60s.

The Kenyans who formed the crowds at Uhuru park yesterday represent the masses of Kenya, hungry for change. The president is not selling change but retention of the status quo. In fact looking at his team of old men one cannot help but stifle a yawn before the old man stands up to give those monotonous repetitive speeches of his. So what do you expect from the electorate?

In short, as predicted here earlier, the President’s campaign has started off on the wrong foot and it is doubtful if they will be able to come anywhere near ODM in the catch up game. Those are the facts on the ground.

Meanwhile we are experiencing mass hysteria from some people who do not want to believe that it is feasible for the country to be led by a Kenyan from Luo Nyanza and it will not be the end of the world. You will see some of them hurling insults here in this blog and saying all sorts of things with desperation written all over their words.

Yet, I dare say Mwai Kibaki and his inner circle are the ones who created this monster called ODM and a Raila Odinga presidency (if it is true that the two are indeed monsters). They did this when they went and changed their own job descriptions from what was handed over to them by their employer (The Kenyan people) in December 2002. The people sent them to State House to create jobs as a priority and to eliminate corruption and bring the perpetrators to book. Instead Mr Kibaki went and grew the economy (for the benefit of only a few) and instead of ending corruption embraced the biggest perpetrators of that corruption—the Mois and the Kenyattas.

The masses of Kenya may not be all that well educated but did the President really expect to get away with that?

Read more

Raila Odinga secretly met John Githongo in London last month

Guess what John Githongo's nickname was when he worked at State House

7:49
Phone blogging 101
From: Mount Kirima

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As many of you know I have limited access to the internet in the office and this has ensured that my blogging experience is basically a labour of love since once addicted it is extremely difficult to ignore. Being in a deep rural area has also added to the challenge for there is no luxury [...]

5:16
Ngilu's Sacking: Dumb Move or Smart Move?
From: You Missed This

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The announcement by President Kibaki that cabinet minister Charity Ngilu had been ‘relieved of her duties’ ostensibly for throwing her weight behind ODM presidential candidate speaks volumes about misuse of executive power by successive Heads of State in Kenya. It reminds Kenyans of the circus that occurred in KANU during the last months of President Moi’s rule where cabinet ministers and vice president were sacked and replaced because they failed to endorse Moi’s choice of successor after his retirement. Moi’s actions then led to the formation of the Rainbow Alliance and eventually the NARC coalition that defeated Uhuru Kenyatta with Mwai Kibaki as its candidate. Could history be repeating itself? It definitely is.

The sacking was relayed to newsrooms from State House Nakuru, about an hour after the huge ODM rally. The statement was silent on the fate of other GNU defectors still serving in Cabinet like Dr. Enoch Kibunguchi and Samuel Moroto – who are both assistant ministers for health and education respectively.

I consider the sacking of Mrs. Ngilu as ill advised and that which may have been instigated by one of those many individuals accompanying the president in Nakuru and arrogating themselves presidential political advisors. Considering Mrs. Ngilu was a major and founder player in the formation of NAK and NARC coalitions and was in cabinet by right, her sacking is bound to be counter productive in this election year because it is in actual sense a heavy slap in the face of the large women constituency, and a big betrayal of the NARC dream that many Kenyans held dear in 2002. The thunderous welcome that Ngilu was accorded at ODM’s rally at Uhuru Park last Saturday and demands for her to address the crown showed that Kenyan’s still consider this lady a major political force nationally. That begs the question: Is the sacking of Mrs. Ngilu bound to add or subtract votes for
the president?

If the president was a man who respects democracy and is keen on building his statesman credentials, then he could have simply ignored Mrs. Ngilu who, like all of us, retains the democratic freedom to back the candidate of her choice. In any case, she did clearly explain her reasons for backing Raila with valid points.

With Martha Karua the only woman remaining in cabinet, it is certain that Kibaki will use the vacant health ministry to make an appointment that will be intended to woo a community into his fragile coalition. My hunch is that the President’s choice will be a woman and he may choose to re-appoint Mrs. Linah Kilimo to appease voters in Rift Valley, or promote Dr. Naomi Shabaan – who was subject of controversial remarks against the US Ambassador – to woo voters from the coast. It is unlikely that Beth Mugo, Wangari Maathai or Betty Tett will be considered as replacements for Mrs. Ngilu by the mere fact they are from the Presidents own ethnic community.

As if Ngilu’s support for Raila is not enough headache for PNU, three separate opinion polls commissioned by the Nation media Group this week and relased today show that Raila is increasing his lead over Kibaki and Kalonzo. Word on the street in Nairobi indicate that NSIS, which has too many leakages in recent days, have placed Raila’s lead at between 60% - 64%, while Kibaki is at 29% and Kalonzo at 5%. If these polls are anything to go by, then it seems these general elections will be a matter of formality as far as the presidential seat is concerned and Raila Odinga is already being touted as the fourth president of Kenya.
2:57
What Does an ODM Government Hold for Kenya?
From: You Missed This

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Wananchi admire the custom-made bus - aptly named PENTAGON 1 - featuring an open top and branded with party colours, that ODM luminaries rode on into Uhuru Park. Although the government recently quietly imported a fleet of Mercedes Benz limousines that are intended for use next term by the president, the ODM are leading by example. The bus was fabricated at a local leading motor vehicle dealer, and was used for a road show in the early hours of Saturday.

The Thunder Rally - Uhuru Park 6th October 2007

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and its presidential candidate made a solemn vow to give Kenyans real and complete change as the party officially a kicked off its presidential campaign.

In a memorandum read by William Ruto, in front of a crowd estimated at 400,000, four main issues would form the basis of an ODM administration:

a) Economic re-generation and reconstruction (not economic recovery)

It seems the current government is contented with a 6% annual economic recovery hence its campaign based on continuity.

The ODM has a sound plan towards achieving double digit annual growth. Massive resources will be injected into the development of infrastructure. Modern road and rail network, efficient port facilities, affordable low cost housing, reduced energy costs and cheap access to information are some of the areas that an ODM government will embark on immediately it assumes power.

b) Devolution and equitable distribution of national resources through the enactment of the Bomas Constitution Draft

Speaker after speaker at the rally talked of sustained marginalisation of certain areas in Kenya and a an unfair resource distribution over the last fourty years. The ODM recognises that only a devloved constitution will bring control of resources to the hands of the people. The proposed devolution of power is not aimed at disenfranchsing sections of the Kenyan society as one Daniel Arap Moi wants us to believe.

c) Zero tolerance to corruption

As has been said before, corruption robs the country of its enormous resources while choking its potential. Corruption is not only immoral, but is also the main cause of endemic poverty and gross inequality in Kenya. The ODM will simply not tolerate corruption in public offices. Anti corruption institutions will be strengthened and provided with necessary powers so as to effectively impede this vice.

d) Improvement of education and accelleration of fight against poverty.

The ODM will improve the provision of free basic education and extend the service to free secondary education. The ODM will promote Public/Private Sector Partnership (PPP) initiatives and private businesses will be supported through elimination of government bureaucracy and review of taxes. The ODM will set aside designated areas for hawkers and other small business.

The event was broadcast live by all major media houses in Kenya.

I just cannot wait for this government to take over.

Read the complete article at

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'To Be A Man'- Poetry Competition

Kenyans now start ‘spewing’ excuses?

The killing of 14 Kenyans: Something just does not jell

When Will PNU Wake Up And Get A Serious Campaign Going?

Phone blogging 101

Ngilu's Sacking: Dumb Move or Smart Move?

What Does an ODM Government Hold for Kenya?