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January 04, 2008
23:39
Getting A Grip
From: What An African Woman Thinks

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Getting A Grip

Permalink for 'Paza_Sauti/2008/01/04/Why_Kivuitu_must_be_held_accountable_for_poll_chaos'

21:11

Why Kivuitu must be held accountable for poll chaos

From: Paza Sauti

Read This Entry & More At Paza Sauti

This is one of the more reasoned opinions in the Media.

Why Kivuitu must be held accountable for poll chaos

Story by DONALD B. KIPKORIR
Daily Nation: Publication Date: 1/5/2008

About 5.30pm on December 30, Electoral Commission chairman Samuel Kivuitu and two other commissioners huddled in a tiny room and, exclusively through state-funded Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, announced President Kibaki re-elected. Within an hour, the President was sworn in at State House at a function in which the national anthem was not played and in the absence of the diplomatic corps. Then the country was thrown into chaos.

In the fullness of time, history will apportion culpability over the current anarchy. At the moment, however, Mr Kivuitu should take full responsibility. But as he tries to run away from this responsibility to blame the chaos on pressure from PNU and ODM Kenya, I wish to offer the correct legal position over the whole saga and how the country can wriggle out of it.

The Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) was created pursuant to Section 41 of the Constitution and thus has security of tenure and independence. Section 42A sets out its mandate to be mainly two-fold — the registration of voters and the maintenance of the voter register, as well as directing and supervising civic, parliamentary and presidential elections.

The National Assembly and Presidential Elections Act, Cap 7, and its subsidiary, the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections Regulations sets out the legal framework that enables the ECK to effectively and fully conduct elections. The election of political leaders is a key component of any nation state that claims to be a democracy. To be legitimate, the electoral process must not only be free and fair, but also be seen to be so.

The regulations clearly set out the road-map for conducting elections, voting, votes counting and tallying, announcing results and challenging the process.

Presidential, parliamentary and civic elections are conducted at the polling stations, which are so located that voters have access to them with the least inconvenience and such that the ECK and the Government provide the logistics, the materials and security. At the moment, there are nearly 27,000 polling stations.

Each station is headed by a presiding officer, assisted by poll clerks. On the polling day, voters are given specific times within which they may cast their votes in person and not by proxy. All through the entire voting process, candidates’ agents, the media and accredited observers have free and unlimited access to the polling centre to witness the voting.

At the close of voting, the presiding officer and his clerks, in the presence of the agents, the media and observers, proceed to count the votes. Once the counting begins, the law stipulates that it shall not stop until it is completed. The results are then announced at the polling stations. The presiding officer then makes three packets each separately holding valid, disputed and spoilt ballot papers.

The officer makes another three packets holding spoilt papers, marked copy register and counterfoils of used ballot papers. He also prepares a statement that summarises the voting at the polling station, which he signs. It is countersigned by all the agents present. The packets are sealed and the agents are free to affix their own seal. The two sets of packets, the statement and the ballot boxes are transmitted to the returning officer at the constituency level.

The returning officer, once he receives the packets and boxes from the polling stations, proceeds to tally the votes. This is done in the presence of the candidates’ agents and the media. Vote recounting is not gone into, except for those disputed, and the returning officer has discretion to confirm or vary the disputed ones only. He shall never change the valid or spoilt votes. He then proceeds to announce to all present the results of both the presidential and parliamentary votes.

The returning officer is obliged in law to then fill Forms 16, 16A and 17A, which set out the results and the votes cast for each presidential and parliamentary candidates. The statutory forms are signed by the officer and the candidates’ agents. The agents, the media and observers are allowed to make and keep copies of the three forms, which are then physically delivered to the ECK headquarters in Nairobi.

On receiving them the ECK gives all parliamentary and presidential candidates 24 hours to lodge complaints, if any, including demanding a recount or retallying. The ECK is obliged to, within 48 hours, allow the recount or retallying. All candidates and the ECK therefore have 72 hours to resolve any disputes. It is only after the period that the ECK can announce the winners of each of the 210 parliamentary seats and issue a certificate known as Form 17 to each elected MP and Form 18 to the elected president. The results are then gazetted.

With due respect to Mr Kivuitu, it was irregular, unlawful and void in law to announce the results on December 30 and swear in the President on the same day. The ECK boss announced the results when he did not have the original Forms 16, 16A and 17A from each constituency, refused to allow the 24-hour period for candidates to lodge complaints and declined to allow retallying.

He told the world that his returning officers had gone underground, and that he did not have powers to order retallying. On the day the results were being announced, Special Gazette Notice No. 12612 was issued declaring Mr Kibaki the president. Mr Kivuitu deliberately misled the world and subverted the law.

Section 5 of the Constitution states that the president shall be elected in accordance with the Constitution and the National Assembly and Presidential Elections Act, Cap 7. Non-compliance with the mandatory provisions vitiates the process.

In law, the fundamental principle is that a void process does not confer legitimacy. A public officer acting in compliance with the law must comply with the substantive, formal and procedural conditions laid down and at all times act in good faith and for the public good. As a repository of these constitutional and statutory powers and duties, Mr Kivuitu was obliged to be faithful to the process and not be influenced by external forces, as he has admitted.

By his infidelity to the law, he has failed the country and must undo the mistakes. Section 5 of the Constitution states that a president duly elected is the one who has the highest votes cast.

The ECK can invoke its powers under the Constitution to retally all valid Forms 16 and 16A and retract the results and announce the valid ones. The announcement of results on December 30 was a ministerial act that does not invalidate the ECK’s constitutional powers.

The Constitution states that any other law that is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution is void to the extent of inconsistency. Thus, Mr Kivuitu must take the high road, invoke the ECK’s constitutional mandate and review the forms and give Kenyans the president they elected, be it Mr Kibaki or ODM candidate Raila Odinga.

The tough stands taken by ODM and President Kibaki’s PNU are theatrics which will not help the country. Neither party has any constitutional mandate that is the ECK’s monopoly. If he allows the status quo to stay, Mr Kivuitu will one day be held to account for the bloodshed and property destroyed.

The country’s unity and future rest on his shoulders, and he cannot pass the buck.

Mr Kipkorir is an advocate of the High Court.

20:49
Let's Talk About R
From: For Love and Money

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Let's Talk About R

15:00
Kenya Is Burning. Stop The Fighting!
From: tHiNkEr'S rOoM

Read This Entry & More At tHiNkEr'S rOoM
Vote Of Thanks Many thanks to everyone sending all those emails and text of concern. I am alive and well and taking good care of myself. I am a bit flooded with emails but am doing my best to respond to everyone. Special thanks to all those sending in news and information. ...

14:36
Kenya: The Loss of Innocence.
From: You Missed This

Read This Entry & More At You Missed This
It is slowly becoming clear that the violence in the slums of major Kenyan cities and the bushes of Rift Valley have as much to do with the outcome of the elections as with the resentment of perceived Kikuyu domination. Any lasting solution towards peace must involve avenues to address and possibly dismantle the perception that Kikuyus are out to systematically reap where they did not sow. It is time to be real my friends.

Before we can move on, we must all agree that the manner by which Kibaki was installed president does not help the situation. In fact, the arrogance portrayed by his key players, from KICC to State House and beyond, has only cemented the ill anti-Kikuyu sentiments spreading like wildfire across the nation. Even the Kikuyu elite and some poor Kiambu village folks are patting themselves on their backs in congratulatory acknowledgment of having stolen this one 'legally' . The rest of the country is in awe and amazement at how this heist of voting rights was completed in very short order. FACT: The presidency was stolen. Yes my friends, it is time to face the truth.

Back to the violence. Every chap of average intelligence is well aware that the burning of churches in Eldoret will have to be avenged. The killing of Kikuyu folk countrywide will have to be avenged. Let us keep it real folks. Mungiki folk have been sharpening their pangas since the eve of Dec 27th, 2007. Yes my friends, these jamaas are fast regrouping and this time with the support of every Kikuyu who saw pictures of heavily protected Kikuyu-folk-laden convoys enroute from RV to Central. We will never be too sure but we have an idea of what the humanitarian govt. forces deployed in opposition areas are all about. Looking for answers in the bullet riddled bodies in Kisumu morgues is of no consequence. Yes my friends, ukweli ni mbaya. We are all victims.

So what next? Mungiki will soon strike and more tears will flow. The govt. will then follow-up and use all its military might to purge any signs of anti-govt. rebellion. After a couple of weeks of running battles, the Kenyan people will get tired and slowly revert to their normal day to day activities. They will give up to the powers that be at which point, Kazi Itaendelea. Yes folks, let us not imagine that Kibaki will step down or budge from the seat of power. The reality is that Kenyans must pay rent and put food on the table. We actually will have no choice but to retreat to our obscure shelters as we watch Kimunya, TransCentury and other assorted Kibaki lieutenants share out Safaricom among other delicacies. Yes folks, with one policeman on every street for months, an uneasy peace will return to Kenya. What about the anti-Kikuyu sentiments? What of those who say that Kibaki's action has legitimized every fallacy they've heard of Kikuyu's before? Yes we will walk the streets again, but what will happen when lets say a Luo man driving in the deep of Nyeri accidentally knocks down and kills an old Kikuyu woman crossing the street? Do you now see the type of scars a stolen election has etched onto the Kenyan psyche? Will we ever be brothers and sisters again under a tattered flag that does not recognize the value of our votes? These wounds will remain with us for years after these jamaas have retired to their Muthaiga homes. These wounds will follow us to every ballot box going forward. These wounds will determine the city we choose to work in, the schools we send our children to and the areas we choose to open up businesses. These wounds will make us turn a blind eye to the evils committed against our brothers from other communities. With these wounds, the jokes of Bwana Ojwang and Mama Kayai will loose meaning. With these wounds, some sheng words such as Musakhulu, Musapere and Mujaka will no longer be politically correct. The reality is that some of us are very happy with the turn of events. Some of us are mad as hell. All of us will remain insecure for years. Ask yourself why, the next time you board matatu number 16A to Kayole.

We will return to our work stations throughout the country and use the next five years trying to relocate to work areas close to our native homes. Only an insane Luo man will take up that promotion in Muranga town. This is serious trouble my friends. You see, the thing is that as a country, we have lost innocence. We can never talk of Rwanda with a chip on our shoulders. In all, the theft at KICC has made us grown men. Never again will we be able to propagate the notion that Kenya is a peace loving country. We are as fallible and as volatile as all other African countries. Kenya, as a bastion of democratic ideals, has been buried by the actions of Mwai Kibaki. This is the only man who could have ordered the PNU machinery to stop and desist from topping up the vote results from his strongholds. This is the man who may have chosen to resign after seeing the questions raised by the ECK chairman and some commissioners, observers etc. Any prudent man of singular leadership qualities and intelligence would have averted the crisis at KICC by doing the right thing......i.e. let the people decide.

But more importantly, when the election news is old news, what will Kenyans do to ensure peace in future? This is what I suggest. First and foremost, the fallacy that Kikuyus are bent on dominating other Kenyans must be dismantled. Let us choose to really get to know our neighbors. More often than not, you will find out that the struggles faced by most Kikuyus are similar to those faced by all Kenyans. They are just as poor and led by a coterie of the same bunch of inept leaders that the rest of the country displays. Whereas it is unlikely that you will find other communities doing business or settling in Central Kenya, the prevalence of Kikuyus in other areas may well be a simple result of population growth. If we have ever needed each other, this is the time. This is the time for national healing and reconciliation. Do not expect solutions from political leadership. Let us join multicultural churches. Let us demand that our workplaces reflect the face of the country. Let us choose peace.

If we continue fighting and shedding blood on behalf of our political leaders, nobody will be left behind for them to lead.

Permalink for 'You_Missed_This/2008/01/04/A_Minute_of_Honour'

13:02

A Minute of Honour

From: You Missed This

12:30
Kenya Is Burning. Stop The Fighting!
From: tHiNkEr'S rOoM

Tags: Elections
Read This Entry & More At tHiNkEr'S rOoM
Vote Of Thanks
Many thanks to everyone sending all those emails and text of concern. I am alive and well and taking good care of myself. I am a bit flooded with emails but am doing my best to respond to everyone.

Special thanks to all those sending in news and information. Special thanks to WathiiFM for updates from the Buru Buru area and first class pictures
Housekeeping
I fondly believe that most of my readership are adults of sound mind with a modicum of maturity. In case you are not, allow me to tell you this. This is not a site to propagate hate and rumours. I have spent more time than I should moderating obtuse comments. I am tired of that. I have many other things to worry about. Henceforth if you post something even remotely advocating hate or violence not only will I delete it, I shall blacklist you from ever visiting my blog again. I shit you not. If you think this is a convenient avenue for your hate, think again. I have no time for your nonsense. We want solutions, not more problems.

My connection is not the most stable so henceforth I shall be uploading a huge combined post whenever I can.
News Update
- Official death toll is now 300. Unofficial death toll is much larger
- Yesterday there were skirmishes in Bahati, Maringo, Kangemi, Arwings Kodhek, Industrial Area and Thika Road
- A man was killed on Thika Road when police fired in the air, severing an electrical cable that fell on him
- ODM rally was moved to Saturday
- At long last Mwai Kibaki addressed the nation in a lackluster speech long on hot air, ambiguity, vagueness and lethargy and short of concrete solutions
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu arrived and met with the ODM leadership. The grapevine has it that Kibaki initially refused to meet with him. Subsequently it turned out that a meeting was indeed scheduled for this day.
- Again proving that no matter how low the bar is, stupidity will always find a way to slither under, Government Spokesman Alfred Mutua, rose eyed lens firmly on, castigates the international community for interfering.
- Flies on the wall allege that Kibaki himself is pretty amenable to negotiation. But as is the hallmark of his regime other elements in his administration are taking hardline positions.
- Same flies say that Kibaki is willing to form a coalition government with the opposition. This I have to see to believe.
- Nairobi water company allays fears that the city water supply is poisoned.
Kibaki’s Speech Highlights
- He is deeply concerned
- He condemns the violence
- Kenya is a peaceful country (Is it now?)
- Justice abounds in Kenya. No one has ever been denied justice
- He too, just like other Kenyans, was made aware that he was won in that same press briefing of the ECK
- He has followed the law all the while and will continue to
- Anyone with problems with the outcome should take it up with the court
- He would seek solutions once the situation calms down. (WTF?!! People are dying while you wait!)
- He had no time for journalists’ questions. If they had any they should come tomorrow. (People will be dying while we await for you to be comfortable with questions)
State House
Earlier today I drove past State House. A continuous flag like the one that is put on public holidays is very much in evidence. I took some very illegal pictures juggling camera and car. It is no idle rumour that the security personnel there are overzealous. A friend of mine once stopped outside one of the far flung entrances and within minutes a truncheon was being bounced off his amazed skull.

Personally I would take down that flag. It can be construed as a celebration of Kibaki’s new term. I don’t think there is anything to celebrate.

Here are the pics (Quality is not the beast because I was driving and some were taken through windscreen)

Road heading towards State House, adjacent to the grounds

The State House Junction

Approaching the main gate

The main gate
The Rally
I’ve been roving here and there to capture developments on the ground just after the skirmishes took place. The pictures are sobering indeed. My heart breaks when I photograph what some Kenyans have done to others. Scarred indeed are our weary souls.

The following set is from a looted Coca Cola distributor on Arwings Kodhek. I spoke to the proprietor and the owners of the adjacent stalls. The angry mob repulsed by the police in Hurlingham wreaked havoc. The vendors lost their fruits and vegetables. Hooligans would bite a mango and throw the rest at cars, buildings, etc.

At the depot they broke bottles from some 300 or so crates.

A destroyed adjacent vegetable stall. They ate the fruits and took or destroyed the vegetables

Another looted vegetable stall

A torched stall

Broken glass on the road

A closer view of the glass. They broke 300 crates

Pile of shattered glass

A closer view

A still closer view

The distributor

Attempts to recover

Uprooted bus stop

The following set is from the Engen Petrol station further down the road

The empty parking bay

The looted quick shop

The broken door through which they entered

Thrown stones litter the parking

Entrance to the adjacent restaurant

Windows of the restaurant

An ignored plea in the restaurant window
Kenya Burns
I weep.

Rioters burn tyres behind a locked gate

I need not tell you that as I write this our country is on fire. Flames stoked by the ineptitude of the current regime and outright tribal polarization by politicians have finally exploded in a shocking turn of violence and destruction. Neighbours are turning against each other. People are suddenly afraid.

The rowdy mob makes its presence felt

Myself included. As I was driving to visit the missus who lives in an area that happens predominantly of a single community I wondered what exactly I would do if I was stopped by a mob and asked to identify myself. One of the names given to me by my folks happens to be Luo, and it is proudly there on my ID. The fact that I am not actually Luo would not help be because assumptions would probably be made on the strength of my ID, as is happening in many places in Nairobi, let alone Kenya. I have two friends in hospital who has “the wrong names” on their IDs.

An unfortunate is arrested

However I refused to succumb to this situation. I refuse to be a victim of the greed of the political elite.

GSU personnel run after a mob

The fact of the matter is that the political elite is very comfortable in their homes. I drove by State House this morning and not only is the road clean and uncluttered, there are flags all over presumably to celebrate the Kibaki victory. Unlike my hood where there is debris and ashes and broken glass and stones all over.

A GSU office reloads with tear gas

Our politicians are not suffering. They have running water. Milk, eggs, bread, meat and even cake are delivered to their doorsteps.

Reloading

It is me and you, my friends, who risk being beaten up by mobs and shot by the police as we look for milk and bread for us and our own.

A GSU officer ready for anything

The political elite are enjoying cartoons and soap operas and football on their DSTV and GTV. It is only me and you who are watching KTN and K24 and Al Jazeera and NTV to see the carnage being visited on our country. (KBC is not a serious news station. They’ve been showing cartoons and comedy clips as the country disintegrates)

Fully reloaded the GSU set off after rowdy mobs

The political elite sleep soundly in the peace and quiet Kitusuru and Thigiri and Riverside. It is us unfortunates who have our sleep interrupted by screams and shouts and gunshots.

The press in the thick of things

The political elite have access to fist class air tickets to fly out of the country. It is me and you who have nowhere to run to. If Somalis and Rwandas and Ugandans and Sudanese flee here, where o where are we to flee to?

Still reloading

And while our brothers and sisters and cousins and nephews and nieces are dying, pseudo-leaders wallowing in crass stupidity appear on TV to grandstand, blaming the chaos on each other.

Listen, nitwits. We are not interested in your grandstanding and finger pointing. We want solutions. Alfred Mutua, we have no time for your foolishness Kenyans are dying. We need all the help we can get to contain this situation. Accusing the international community of interference is nothing short of obtusely crass stupidity. This is not an episode of your half baked pesudo-thriller Cobra Squad! This is real life!!!

The GSU at work

We’ve had enough of nonsense press statements from comfortable hotels and the State House lawn. Come and make those inane gestures from Kibera or Mukuru or Thika Road or Kangemi. I dare you. Come down like me and other Kenyans who have no security detail and do your grandstanding!

What Should Be Done?
- Every politician and their offspring should have their visas canceled and should be denied new ones. Let you and your children experience the Kenya that you created! Let your children come back from the US and Australia and Canada and England and live with the consequences of what Mama and Papa created like the rest of us!
- The grandstanding between the government and ODM should stop. We are not interested in your foolish finger pointing games. It is we, not you, who are suffering. Shut your mouths and give us solutions, not problems. The media (local and international) should give the ilk of Alfred Mutua a total blackout.
- Kibaki and Odinga should visit the affected areas and make their statements for there. If they are so sure they are right then there should be no problem in facing your people.
- PNU and ODM must negotiate without pre-conditions. This is no longer about you.
- This is not merely a matter of getting peace. We need to treat the disease, as well as the symptoms. The disease is justice, or lack thereof. If we don’t sort out this root cause then the violence will just flare up again later.
- Recounting the votes and re-checking the tallies I fear is no longer an option. It would seem that some form 16As have been conveniently stolen from the safe in which they were stored. Presumably ballot boxes are being stuffed with votes as we speak.
The ideal solution I would think, would be along the following
- Kibaki and Odinga agree to a government of National Unity, with the former as president and the latter as vice president. The cabinet would then be split between PNU and ODM
- In 6 or so months, fresh elections to be held
- Neither Odinga nor Kibaki should offer themselves for election. They are even more polarizing than they were before. We need a completely new shift in governance. Those political fossils still in power need to go before they sink us all
- The election should be overseen by an imported Electoral Commission. I would not trust the ECK to hit the water if it fell out of a boat
- Usage should be made of all the TV footage and camera pictures. Neigbourhoods and communities should be called upon to identify the murderous and destructive fools that have been the instruments of destruction. They should be dealt with ruthlessly once identified.
As with most ideal solutions this one has a fatal flow. Neither Kibaki nor Odinga have demonstrated putting the welfare of the nation above their own.

What can we do?

Stop the fighting.

Go into your hood and talk to people. If you’re waiting for someone else to do it you’re part of the problem. You have youth groups and fellowships and estate committees and outreach programs and tuition groups. Go and talk to them. Go into the community and preach peace.

People in the slums do not have TV to watch the televised campaigns. The most powerful voice is yours. The people know you and they probably trust you so they’ll listen to you.

If I do that and you do that and the people you talk to do the same pretty soon we’ll have covered this country.

Stop the fighting. Why are we losing our lives while the elite, who don’t care, are comfortable?

Show them they no longer have power over us. Show them that they work for us, not us for them.

Show then their days of lording over us and using us as cannon fodder are over.

Stop the fighting.

Stop the fighting.

Stop the fighting.

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© M :: tHiNkEr'S rOoM, 2008. Comment On Kenya Is Burning. Stop The Fighting!
Category: Elections, Grey Matter, Hubbub, Politics, Reflections.

8:34
It’s Not About Us, it’s About Them
From: White African

Tags: mobile
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While blogging, emails, Twitter and the internet are doing a great deal of good getting the news out of what’s going on in Kenya to the rest of the world, I find myself troubled. You see, the communication that needs to be happening is at the grassroots level. Everyday Kenyans do not have access to any of these services.

Let’s put our minds and capabilities towards solving real problems for people beyond the technologically elite.

Take the current state of affairs in Kenya as an example. With every problem comes an opportunity. In this case, we’re talking about finding a way to open up better communications to not just the African digerati and blogosphere, but the everyday Kenyan as well.

The primary means of communication during an emergency in Kenya is via SMS - on their mobile phones. Some of the problems with the current structure of mobile communications in any African region during a crisis:
- Many disbursed one-to-one communications (SMS)
- Lack of reports from people on the ground - traditional media can only cover so much. If there was ever a need for citizen journalism, then this is it. (this goes beyond what Ken talked about in just citizen monitoring of the polls)
With the just the two problems outlined above, it’s possible to see what kind of technology solution might be useful. That’s the type of service and/or platform that we should be building towards. Beyond the usefulness of such a service in a crisis, it would likely be a profitable business venture in less trying times.

[Check out two good posts on Kenya from a technology angle by Joshua Goldstein at Harvard’s I&D blog and Mark at Mashable]

Another good tech idea from Ory at Kenyan Pundit:

“Google Earth supposedly shows in great detail where the damage is being done on the ground. It occurs to me that it will be useful to keep a record of this, if one is thinking long-term. For the reconciliation process to occur at the local level the truth of what happened will first have to come out. Guys looking to do something - any techies out there willing to do a mashup of where the violence and destruction is occurring using Google Maps?”

7:18
::: SITUATION KENYA ECONOMY 04/01/2008 :::
From: RIBA CAPITAL

Read This Entry & More At RIBA CAPITAL
Today am publishing my article from the central business district in Nairobi,..that's how calm it is in town. And I actually used public transport, just incase riots erupted.
After yesterdays early closing of the NSE whereby it traded for around an hour, today things were much better, however the volumes are still low and share prices are still on a downward trend.

The killings have seized to some extent as there are no fresh reports of violence today, as yet.
The shilling has been hit very hard is down at the moment, with oil prices hitting the $100 per barrel today, this is very sad since the cushion of a strong shilling is being eroded by the day and Kenyans should brace for harder times to come as our fragile economy is being hit very hard.

The region is also choking from the instability in Kenya with Rwanda, Uganda and Congo report fuel shortages as the routes for transport are being blocked by gangs in Kenya.

Considering the leverage we have been enjoying as a regional hub, no matter who takes the presidency, our economy and the Kenyan people will be the hardest hit. Necessity is the mother of invention and if the regions decides to look for other partners they might just get better deals and we will have a very hard time reclaiming our prowess.

Furthermore, Kenya has been flourishing on Services and tourism, these sectors will be extremely hard hit if we continue on the violence path.

All in all, if we take one day at a time and have an example like today when there was peace and calm in most parts of the country, then may be we could just salvage the situation......

God Bless Kenya.

6:54
Kibaki’s meeting with Tutu - Kenya Election 2007
From: Mentalacrobatics

Tags: kenyaelection07 Election07

Read This Entry & More At Mentalacrobatics

Nobel peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa arrived in Kenya yesterday for a brief visit at the invitation of the All African Conference of Churches in the hope that the Archbishop’s considerable prestige and respect could help to kick start the dialogue between the Raila and Kibaki camps. Archbishop Tutu is highly experienced in conflict resolution having chaired the South African Truth and Reconciliation Committee amongst other initiatives.

Raila’s camp, which has been calling for international mediators from the first day of the dispute, was more receptive towards the Archbishop’s trip and Tutu had a two hour meeting with the ODM leadership yesterday where they put their explained to him their position.

It seemed that Tutu would leave the country later today without speaking to Kibaki as Kibaki’s camp insisted that the problems facing Kenya were internal problems which could be solved internally and there was no need to involved foreigners. However, this morning there was some movement on that position from within the Kibaki camp and Archbishop Tutu managed to get a meeting with Kibaki and his core team which ended a little while ago.

A reliable source who was in that meeting has just shared some news. The good news is that Kibaki seemed willing to negotiate and was “flexible” on a variety of issues. The disturbing news is that members of Kibaki’s camp who were in attendance namely Martha Kaura (Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs), Danson Mungatana (Assistant Minister in the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs) and Moses Wetengula (Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) were adamant that the poll result was not in dispute and that Kibaki’s presidency should not be up for discussion at all.

I repeat again that the violence facing Kenya was sparked by a political dispute. If we do not secure a resolution to that political dispute then the unrest in the country will continue. The political dispute revolves around the fact that nobody knows who won the presidential election. Until Kibaki’s camp recognise that it is hard to see a way the political dispute can be resolved.

This also raises the question of what seems like Kibaki’s increasingly isolation from the situation on the ground by those around him. I asked a friend the other day, “Why do you think Kibaki is hiding in StateHouse?” My friend replied, “Is he hiding or is he being hidden?” Indeed.

kenyaelection07

© Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | 17 comments

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4:17
Kenyan Police Divided over the poll crisis.
From: Hapa Kenya

Read This Entry & More At Hapa Kenya
The division in the police force regarding the poll crisis in Kenya is well depicted on the video
posted in this link.
Demonstrators can be seen passing through the armed policemen without much effort. In other areas of the country, TV footage captured demonstrators hanging on one of the police vehicles.

Blogged with Flock

3:02
Europe twists Africa’s arm
From: Black Looks

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World Development Movement comment on Bali roadmap: The EU [says] it will increase taxes on imports from African, Caribbean and Pacific countries on 1 January 2008 if agreements are not signed. At the same time, the EU has suggested that the existence (or not) of an Economic Partnership Agreement will influence EU decisions on which countries [...]

3:00
What Will Happen In Kenya Next
From: You Missed This

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If you are on roof of your house...

Find out at the bottom of this post why frequent updates are no longer possible in this blog

The most dangerous thing you can have in a situation like Kenya’s is somebody who thinks they understand the situation but actually DO NOT.

It starts with cocky know-it-alls leaving comments in this blog about “incitement” characters like John Michuki who are sure that this is Luo problem.

In my view Raila Odinga does not have the power to stop the chaos, even if he went on his knees on live TV.

The statement by the President yesterday tells you pretty much what is going to happen next. I don’t want to say it because it would be incitement.

The solution?

I have already appealed to Kenyans to reach out to our Kikuyu brothers and isolate the small clique of mad men and women who have caused all these problems. From the tone of comments in this blog, that has mostly been ignored.

So I am afraid the next agenda is to worry about your personal safety if you are in Kenya and to get to some safe place and pray very hard.

God have mercy on Kenya.

I came across another article by another inciter who is not even a Kenyan. He’s based in Trinidad. He says;

But don't blame it on mere "tribalism". Kenyans are not fools, and they know they have been betrayed.

Read the full article here

P.S. To date Uganda is the only country in the world that has congratulated Mwai Kibaki on his “re-election.” The US quickly withdrew their congratulations hours after they had announced it.

P.S. 2 The news from Kenya is all very bad and if we were to report the true situation and give you updates, it would be incitement according to Michuki and most Kenyans. If for example I told you that most of the killings in Nairobi are being done by Mungiki wouldn't you classify that as incitement? We all have to tone down the news and report very carefully while still giving Kenyans a ray of hope while there is really none.
2:52
Who Can Save Kenya?
From: You Missed This

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The Mirage of Politics, Policies, Interests, Investments, Returns in Government. How can the common mwanainchi also get a piece of the cake?

In view of the recent bloodshed, hate speeches and polarized elections outcome. We ought to evaluate what is more important in relation to the sacrifice and constitutional rights in our beloved country Kenya.

Who will be at least generous to share in their fortune after the aftermath of the nations outcry, if we in turn, we must slaughter one another?

We have the “Safari Park, one million per plate campaign benefactors” popularly referred to as Kibaki’s cronies. Awori, Kombo, Tuju, Nyachae, Uhuru etc. They have all placed their bets and stakes at the big office. It’s all about business and capitalism where the little man has to be contained and put in check…Enriching themselves, while the rest dwell in economic stagnation as they benefit from the so-called improved economy just for the upper class.

Mutula Kilonzo, Moi’s lawyer and Kalonzo’s chief negotiator not to forget Maanzo ODM-K chairman. Who got a little boost from Moi. “Hata bwana Gideon Moi yukona ODM-K” said Kalonzo at Uhuru Park. The meeting with Nyayo at his retirement home should have raised eyebrows. Everyone has to have funding for his or her campaign vehicle. What did he offer in exchange if that was the case? He denied meeting Moi but said Mutula was there with other “parties”.

Raila is claimed to have funded part of Kibaki’s 2002 campaign we can tell where he might have gotten his campaign money…other Governments business moguls with foreign interests and investments that benefit from Infrastructure projects, redistribution of equitable resources and human labor.

In awe to this, each and every political aspirant has to answer to someone after they get elected. It’s like when Nyayo did Harambees he always used the phrase “yangu na marafiki”.

If Raila, Kibaki or Kalonzo could tell us who the benefactors are right now, what would they say?

Who has more at stake? Is it the guy who got the least number of votes at the polls who might form a coalition with Kibaki and get the VP post? The man who has unelectable cronies and fewer seats in parliament and Moi’s family protection program? Could it be someone who has majority seats 112 MPs, constituents to answer to, believing he can offer an alternative measure and a share of the piece of cake with amounted pressure to keep that promise and glimmer of hope for the less fortunate few?

Before we point fingers at our leaders we must realize what kind of pressure they are under to deliver results. How can the nation also benefit? Who has at least the best deal for the common mwanainchi in mind?

They have a sacrifice to make and some have even sold half their souls. ”Ewe Mungu Nisaidie”

Guest post by Kombo George

Read the complete article at

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