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• September 20, 2009
• 3:56

  Jukwaani!

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  What's on  

  The centre of Nairobi is a very ripe onion. Layer upon layer upon layer upon layer. A tourist can “do” Nairobi in a couple of hours. Start at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, drive past the houses of parliament, with the cursory nod to JK’s tomb, up Langata road to the Nairobi Safari Walk where in 45 mins a lady in cultured tones (through pre-recorded messages shared via loudspeakers) will challenge you to think of the Hyena as a friend not a foe, the obligatory visit to the Maasai Market for a bunch of spears you will never be able to get past airport security, rounded off with a meal at the Nairobi Java Coffee house before getting completely “plastered” on Dawa at Carnivore. That is the top most layer, the one most sensible people throw away before cooking with the onion. You can peel and strip and peel, layer upon layer in this magnificent city.

  The Goethe-Institute, Nairobi and Alliance Française de Nairobi in association with the Kenya Cultural Centre have come together to remind us of several missing layers that in the same movement take us back to our traditional roots while also revealing our future to us.

  For the past three days I have been watching Kiswahili (with some English and little bit of German) performance literature at Jukwaani! – a four day festival of literature as performance. Kiswahili poets and storytellers from up and down the East African coast holding fort in the cultural embassies of German and France, surrounded by an amazing traffic jam of Japanese, Korean, British and yes German and French cars, Nairobi is now spelt cosmopolitan.

  A session called “Swahili Poetry” is simply magnificent. Moderated by Prof. Abdulaziz we hear from Ahmed Nassir, Ahmed Sheik Nabhany, Amira S. Msellem, Mahmoud Mau and Abdilatif Abdalla. What you see is not what you see. A poem about a family feud offers lessons on fighting corruption for example. Globalisation, infidelity and yes even love are all dealt with. However the strengths of classic Kiswahili poetry are also it weaknesses for how much influence does this poetry have on the people, does it move them, does it influence them, does it bring about changes? Is the message to hidden, in this age of instant communication who has the time to search for the hidden message of each piece? It was widely acknowledged that the greatest challenge facing the Kiswahili poets is that very few people know of them, their work is hard to find, making it next to impossible to engage in their discussions. After a couple of hours of feeling very irrelevant and inadequate it was good to see relevance again. If there ever was a problem that blogging was created to solve then this is it, giving people with a lot to say but nowhere to say it a place where they can say it, in their own words without relying on anyone.

  These are voices that need to be heard. Take Abdilatif Abdalla for example, one of the most well known Kiswahili poets and scholars. Abdalla holds the inevitable distinction of being probably the first Kenyan post independence political prisoner as Kenyatta felt it fit to throw him in jail for sedition for his pamphlet, “Kenya Twendapi?“. He was incarcerated in Kamiti, Kenya’s most notorious prison. He shared with the audience that his three years in solitary confinement there rather than break him simply strengthen his convictions. Those convictions and the convictions of all the Kiswahili poets, storytellers, and artists can be shared and distributed rather easily through blogs. Like I keep saying, blogging is the most African thing you can do online today.

  Jukwaani! Is a project by Goethe-Institut and Alliance Française in association with the Kenya Cultural Center. It is a joint initiative supported by the special fund for cultural projects established by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both France and Germany created on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty sealing reconciliation and friendship between the two countries. The festival is held in conjunction with the conference “Swahili poetry in performance” organized by Bordeaux and Bayreuth universities and IFRA at IFRA-BIEA.

  For other perspectives on Jukwaani! check out Harvesttone and the Professor.

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2009. | Permalink | No comment

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• April 02, 2009
• 8:03

  Livelihoods v Lives

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  G20  

  Douglas Alexander the UK government’s Secretary of State for International Development – a cabinet level position – has one of the hardest jobs at the London Summit as it falls on his shoulders to persuade us that this Summit intends to tackle the concerns of the people and countries who have been deemed not important enough to be represented here directly.

  Alexander did this in his press briefing by throwing numbers around, for example:

  • This summit is the 1st time ever that global leaders have come together to forumlate a global plan to economic recovery.
  • 90 million people are at risk of falling into extreme poverty in the next two years
  • 70% of global economic growth has been in emerging markets
  • a World Bank Rapid Response Social Fund to stimulate trade needs USD 30 billion and the UK has pledged GBP 200 million towards it
  • The USD 250 billion that the IMF has at its disposal is not enough
  • 90% of global trade requires either credit or insurance – in many cases both

  Alexander is in the unenviable position in that many UK citizens feel that their government has lost focus on what should be its key mandate, domestic issues and tackling hardship at home in the UK in order to play big on the world stage tackling global problems.

  To make Alexander’s position even more challenging when you consider that many of the initiatives this summit promotes, while helping some countries in desperate need of help, hurt others in the same position. Cheryl Contee who writes as Jill Tubman for the award-winning and top-ranked black political blog JackAndJillPolitics.com which she founded in 2006, and I came face to face with a such a scenario on Wednesday during the World Have Your Say phone in programme on BBC World Service. Asked to comment on the G20’s proposed initiative to close down tax havens both Cheryl and I spoke strongly in favour of the policy. Coming from Kenya where our former president the dictator Daniel arap Moi together with his cronies and family looted Kenya for over 20 years stashing away billions in these tax havens, my position is not that surprising. One caller from a tax haven, The Bahamas, emailed the BBC show to disagree stating that many people in the Bahamas relied on the tax haven financial system for their livelihood.

  How would you balance all these competing interests as the UK’s Secretary of State for International Development has too?

  Alexander’s response during the press briefing when remarking on the UK, but this could be equally applied to the caller in The Bahamas, was to remind us that yes in some places livelihoods would be lost however in other places lives would be lost and saving lives take priority over saving livelihoods.

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments

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• 7:03

  Livelihoods v Lives

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  G20  

  Douglas Alexander the UK government’s Secretary of State for International Development – a cabinet level position – has one of the hardest jobs at the London Summit as it falls on his shoulders to persuade us that this Summit intends to tackle the concerns of the people and countries who have been deemed not important enough to be represented here directly.

  Alexander did this in his press briefing by throwing numbers around, for example:

  • This summit is the 1st time ever that global leaders have come together to forumlate a global plan to economic recovery.
  • 90 million people are at risk of falling into extreme poverty in the next two years
  • 70% of global economic growth has been in emerging markets
  • a World Bank Rapid Response Social Fund to stimulate trade needs USD 30 billion and the UK has pledged GBP 200 million towards it
  • The USD 250 billion that the IMF has at its disposal is not enough
  • 90% of global trade requires either credit or insurance – in many cases both

  Alexander is in the unenviable position in that many UK citizens feel that their government has lost focus on what should be its key mandate, domestic issues and tackling hardship at home in the UK in order to play big on the world stage tackling global problems.

  To make Alexander’s position even more challenging when you consider that many of the initiatives this summit promotes, while helping some countries in desperate need of help, hurt others in the same position. Cheryl Contee who writes as Jill Tubman for the award-winning and top-ranked black political blog JackAndJillPolitics.com which she founded in 2006, and I came face to face with a such a scenario on Wednesday during the World Have Your Say phone in programme on BBC World Service. Asked to comment on the G20’s proposed initiative to close down tax havens both Cheryl and I spoke strongly in favour of the policy. Coming from Kenya where our former president the dictator Daniel arap Moi together with his cronies and family looted Kenya for over 20 years stashing away billions in these tax havens, my position is not that surprising. One caller from a tax haven, The Bahamas, emailed the BBC show to disagree stating that many people in the Bahamas relied on the tax haven financial system for their livelihood.

  How would you balance all these competing interests as the UK’s Secretary of State for International Development has too?

  Alexander’s response during the press briefing when remarking on the UK, but this could be equally applied to the caller in The Bahamas, was to remind us that yes in some places livelihoods would be lost however in other places lives would be lost and saving lives take priority over saving livelihoods.

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2009. | Permalink | No comment

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• 3:47

  What can the ordinary African citizen do to make Africa relevant on the Global Scene?

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  G20  

  20 of the most powerful global political leaders gather to take decisions that will impact the whole world in far reaching ways and Africa is has only one seat at the table occupied by South Africa. This under-representation of Africa is sadly a recurring feature and indeed a defining characteristic of these international summits.

  As Africans we have to start focusing our energy on adopting strategies to counter this state of affairs beginning with a harsh reality check. We are under-represented at these summits because we are increasingly irrelevant. On the global scene African countries have very little influence, even less power and no force at all (except against other African countries).

  Relying on our current political leaders to draw up and implement a strategy to make Africa relevant in a positive way is a non starter. Indeed those who have succeed in making African relevant to international policy making have done so for increasing negative reasons, for example Mugabe in Zimbabwe and Bashir in Sudan. Ethan Zuckerman labelled the position taken by such political leaders as a strategy of, “If we act deranged enough, maybe they’ll just give us the country.”

  The burden rests on us, the ordinary citizens of Africa, to come up with a strategy that will increase our positive relevance to important global conversations and thus make it impossible to ignore Africa, Africans and the issues they feel important. I would love to hear your thoughts on what this strategy should adopt.

  As a first step we can start by breaking the cycle of ineffective negative political leaders. The veteran British political warhorse Tony Benn proposes 5 questions to ask anyone in power or who wants power:

  1. What power have you got?
  2. Where did you get it from?
  3. In whose interests do you exercise it?
  4. To whom are you accountable?
  5. And how can we get rid of you?

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2009. | Permalink | 14 comments

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• April 01, 2009
• 6:43

  G20 Voices getting together before the G20 Summit

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  G20  

  I am in London at the kind invitation of G20Voice. 50 bloggers will be your eyes and ears at the G20 Summit in London, April 2. We come from 22 different countries, and between us represent a global audience of over 14 million readers and online participants. Some are journalists who use blogging as their medium to disseminate their views. Some are ‘professional bloggers’, others of us are are ordinary citizens who have become known through our blogs.

  We have been given the same media accreditation as the main stream media to enter the G20 Summit tomorrow and hopefully we will be able to make a positive impact for citizen journalists and some of you will be invited to the G8 and other high level meetings in the future.

  So who’s here at the G20?

  Leaders of the world’s major economies and of global economic financial institutions have been invited to attend the London Summit. This includes the leaders of the G20 countries, which represent:

  • 90% of global GNP (gross domestic product)
  • 80% of world trade
  • two-thirds of the world’s population

  Having said all that only two African leaders are here:

  Kgalema Motlanthe – President of the Republic of South Africa
  Meles Zenawi – Prime Ministe of Ethiopia in his role as Chair of NEPAD

  This is a dire state of affairs even if you go beyond the numbers. Motlanthe is just keeping the seat warm until South Afrcian elections later this month, and Zenawi well you couldn’t have asked for a better example of a “soft” dictator that are the bane of our continent!

  So who speaks for Africa here? Or even – should Africa be speaking here? Should Africa want to be involved in the G20? I think the important thing is to keep a sense of perspective by keeping an eye on the big picture and to question even the basic assumptions.

  Arriving in London this morning and making my way by tube from Heathrow to Westminster, in the heart of the city, (the Houses of Parliament, 10 Downing Street etc are only a few steps away) was notable only in that it was uneventful, none of the chaos that has been hyped to a ridiculous level by people with various agendas.

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2009. | Permalink | 4 comments

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• January 21, 2009
• 8:16

  Transcript of webchat with US Ambassador to Kenya

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  issues  

  Update 1: Official Transcript now avaliable. (Thanks Mark).

  At 15.00 local time on January 21 2009 the United States Ambassador to Kenya Michael E. Ranneberger hosted a webchat (online discussion) with Kenyan citizens on topics of interest in Kenyan-U.S. relations. Here is the transcript:

  Webchat Moderator (Mark): Welcome to today’s webchat! We are glad you are with us. Ambassador Ranneberger will begin answering your questions at the top of the hour.

  Webchat Moderator (Mark): We are taking your questions now. Our first question comes from Justus ole Ndutu Narok

  Justus ole Ndutu Narok 2: Now that the American people have elected their first ever African-American President, are we likely to see more African-Americans being elected to this office in future?

  Ambassador Ranneberger: Yes, I believe we will. The election of Barak Obama demonstrates how far the United States has traveled to build and strengthen democratic institutions. The U.S. presidential election was clearly decided on the basis of the issues, not on the basis of race. President Obama received support from a broad cross- section of American voters. His election also reflects the impact which the civil rights movement has had in transforming the United States. Democracy is, however, always a work in progress and much more remains to be accomplished.

  brigid koskei 2: brigid koskei from Kenya. the political party system in America not only favors the majority but also the minoority.it also ensures that political leaders are not only in officeas a result of support from a specific race or tribe but leaders with right qualifications and those who merit those position. Does the Kenyan political party support this? if not what can be done to ensure theres a suitable and fair party system?

  Ambassador Ranneberger: You are right about the American political party system. Political parties in the U.S. have developed over a period of more than 200 years. The parties nurture talent and enable individuals to run for office on the basis of merit. Although our political parties are well-developed, there are still a number of issues which must be addressed, including the ways in which parties and candidates finance political campaigns. In Kenya political parties are not as developed. First, there are too many parties (over 100), and many of these are tiny, personality-center “briefcase parties.” Second, corruption has a negative impact on political party development in Kenya. Third, many parties are based on ethnic affiliations rather than on issues. Development of more effective issue-focused political parties is very important to the future of democracy in Kenya. We are working to foster more effective political parties focused on issues. This is part of a broader effort to strengthen democratic institutions.

  omweba shadrack- moi university 2: obama says, “…those from largest capital to smallest villages(Kogelo/Nairobi) will feel him…” Through your embassy how will you make Nairobi(Kenya) reform its institutions especially parliament hence feel Obama’s effect as he promised now that you are our big brother? Asks Omweba S.M a Political Science Student from Moi university ( Kenya.)

  Ambassador Ranneberger: Even before the inauguration of President Obama, we were working to support reforms. As you know, during the post-election crisis, the U.S. intervened to press for formation of the coalition government. That government committed itself to carry out an agenda for fundamental reform. While there are many reforms, constitutional revision, establishing an independent electoral commission, and formation of the Special Tribunal to try perpetrators of post-election violence, and fighting corruption are among the most important. We have made clear to the leadership of the coalition government that the partnership between the U.S. and Kenya is based on shared democratic values and, therefore, on implementation of the reform agenda. Parliament must play its role to support implementation of the reforms. I also want to emphasize, however, that the Kenyan people have a most important role to play. Although the U.S. helped on formation of the coalition government, it was the fact that the Kenyan people spoke out and insisted on a political solution that was the most important factor in resolving the crisis. The Kenyan people did this directly, and through the media, civil society, religious groups, and the private sector. It is important that the Kenyan people now insist upon implementation of the reform agenda.

  Aaron cheruiyot 2: well yesterday president Obama moved from his usual hope speeches to one full of pragmatic demands both for his government and the citizens of the US. For us in kenya, after his inpiration we are faced with the enormous task of getting things rollong in our own country. where do you think is the place for us to start especially the youth?

  Ambassador Ranneberger: I believe that the inauguration of President Obama will inspire young people in Kenya to be more active in political life. Despite the fact that there are now many younger Kenyans in Parliament, I do not regard them as really the voice of the young people of Kenya. It seems to be that genuine youth leadership has not really emerged yet. The young people of Kenya has the advantage of being relatively well education. I believe that young people should become more active in forming and participating in civil society organizations, and in speaking out peacefully through the media. Young people should be asking their Members of Parliament and the coalition leadership hard questions about why the reform process has not moved more quickly and about why more is not being done against corruption. Young people should take advantage of new technology, like the internet, to communicate, and to promote activism. Young people can also insist on the reform of political parties so that young people can participate more transparently. We will support these efforts.

  Jeremiah – Kenya: Dear Mr Ambassador – I have read your bio about your career with the State department. With the new administration are you going to stay on in Kenya or will you be moving to another position?

  Ambassador Ranneberger: It is always up to a new President to determine whether an Ambassador remains in his position. We serve at the pleasure of the President. As a career, professional diplomat, I am non-partisan and strongly committed to advancing the policies of the United States regardless of who is President.

  Tuikeny from Nairobi: Bearing in mind that Obama’s ancestral home is kenya, does the America’s Embassy have any plan to encourage, support and boost tourism through initiatives like cultural activities in Kogelo and its neighbourhood?

  Ambassador Ranneberger: In the wake of the post-election crisis, the Embassy has been working to boost American tourism to Kenya. We have no specific plans to become involved with Obama’s ancestral home. How that is handled is strictly up to the Obama family members in Kenya. It will be important to respect their privacy and their decisions regarding to what extent they might or might not want to become involved with tourism promotion.

  Daudi: Good afternoon Ambassador. There is no mention of Africa on the White House Foreign Policy agenda page: [www.whitehouse.gov] indicating that perhaps Africa is not a priority for the new Obama administration. Can you share any information you have on the Obama’s administration foreign policy agenda for Africa?

  Ambassador Ranneberger: During the political campaign, Obama and his team made clear the importance they attach to U.S. policy in Africa. There has been strong bi-partisan support from Democrats and Republicans for programs like the PEPFAR anti-HIV/AIDS program, for promotion of democracy, for resolution of conflicts, for education, and for other programs as well. I am sure that the new Administration will give appropriate attention and priority to African issues. The U.S. greatly values its partnership and friendship with Kenya and with other countries on the continent. We will continue to support these and remain engaged with the people of Africa to promote their well-being.

  Kamene Mutua – Machakos, Kenya: You were instrumental in encouraging power sharing at the begining of last year at the height of post-election violence. What is your take on the coalition government so far?

  Ambassador Ranneberger: Thank you for your kind words. I believe that establishment of the coalition government was the best option to end the post-election crisis. I have talked extensively with President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga, and they have assured me of their commitment to carry out the reform agenda. I believe that they will do this. We will insist upon this, but the clear message they are hearing from the Kenyan people will also help push the reform agenda forward. At the same time, this will not be an easy process. There are vested interests on both sides who do not want to see the reform agenda fully implemented. It is important that the Kenyan people continue to make clear to the President and Prime Minister the importance of moving forward quickly to implement the reforms (particularly establishment of an independent electoral commission, establishment of the Special Tribunal to try perpetrators of post-election violence, and constitutional reform) and the urgent need to end corruption. The vested interests want reform that will be merely window dressing. President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga need the support of the Kenyan people to carry out real reforms that will begin a process of fundamental change. Largely because of the faith I have in the Kenyan people, I remain positive about the coalition government, and am optimistic that Kenya will move ahead to strengthen democratic institutions.

  Nekesa: Good Afternoon Mr. Ambassador. As I’m sure you’re well aware the USA under 20 team has qualified for the Junior World Rugby Trophy to be held in Kenya this year. Do you plan to attend this tournament?

  Ambassador Ranneberger: Nekesa: Unfortunately, I don’t know much about Rugby, but I am excited by the prospect that a U.S. team may participate in the tournament here. Kenya is well-known for its athletes, yet another dimension of this great country.

  Webchat Moderator (Mark): Thanks for joining everyone. We hope you will understand that the Ambassador tried to address as many of your questions as possible during the 60 minutes allotted for today’s webchat. The Q/A portion of today’s webchat is now closed.

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments

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• 5:33

  Ask the United States Ambassador

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  issues  

  January 21 webchat with Ambassador Michael E. Ranneberger

  Time: 15.00 Kenya time
  Location: This webchat will take place at [statedept.connectsolutions.com].
  Procedure: No registration is needed. Simply choose “Enter as a Guest,” type in your preferred screen name and join the discussion.

  Press release follows:

  The enduring friendship between the United States and Kenya is a testament to the commitment the two countries share to democracy, liberty and free markets.

  On Wednesday, January 21, 2009, at 7 a.m. EST (12:00 GMT), U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger will host an online discussion with Kenyan citizens on topics of interest in Kenyan-U.S. relations. The ambassador will be available in real time to take comments and answer questions.

  Michael E. Ranneberger has had a long and meritorious career with the State Department, spanning more than 20 years. He was sworn in as the new U.S. ambassador to Kenya on July 31, 2006. His previous assignments have been in Sudan and Mali, and he has also served as the Africa Bureau’s principal deputy assistant secretary and as the coordinator for Cuban affairs. He has worked in South America during periods of conflict and has worked to support human rights activists and to develop independent civil societies in South American nations.

  This webchat will take place at [statedept.connectsolutions.com]. No registration is needed. Simply choose “Enter as a Guest,” type in your preferred screen name and join the discussion.

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments

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• January 20, 2009
• 9:30

  Day of The Obama

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Africa  

  Random thoughts on Obama’s Inauguration

  Name one thing you would like Barak Obama to do once he is president of the United States of America. This is the question, or variations of it, that I have been asked, mainly by the international media, over and over again these past couple of weeks. They are eager for “the view from the Kenyan street” you see.

  As the day when Obama does become president has drawn closer my answer has changed a couple of times. From the philosophical – Obama does not need to do anything more, what he has achieved so far is revolutionary. The vaguely idealist – a deal on trade would be brilliant. To humouring my inner conspiracy theorist – Obama needs to tell us the truth about the American lab where the AIDS virus was invented.

  As today, Inauguration Day, got closer my mind kept going back to my good friend and blogger extraordinaire Sami Ben Gharbia and a Twitter update he posted on Oct 9th, 2008. Sami’s Tweet said:

  I’m sick of the Obama’s myth of change and of the dream that the US will finally stop its support for “soft” dictators

  I agree completely. Soft dictators – those who are convenient allies to the powers that be on the international scene while destroying liberty at home (see Mubarak, H; Zenawi, M; arap Moi, D) are the scourge of the Continent. If Obama’s administration drops the United State’s moral, financial and military support for soft dictators then we’d know the man is serious about change (and I’d be able to convince Sami that having a Kenyan in the White House is a good thing).

  Prayer

  Barak Obama must be the most prayed for politician ever. Throughout the past two years all over Kenya there have been prayer for Obama. My Nigerian and Ghanaian friends tell me that the same has been happening in their countries. Many African American churches and the wider evangelical movement have had frequent days of prayers for Obama.

  When the announcement came through on the international news networks that he had secured enough Electoral College votes to win the US presidency I could hear Christian songs of praise, sung by the West African women who had been having an all night prayer virgil as the results were coming in, flowing from the flat above. Not to be outdone Kenyan MPs decided to hold a prayer meeting in Uhuru Park in the middle of Nairobi.

  Even those who do not like Obama very much, for example bitter right wing bloggers, have been busy urging prayers for Obama (although their prayers seem to be of the sour-grapes-he-better-not-mess-up-all-the-good-work-Bush43-has-done variety, but they still count.) When you have Kenyan MPs and bitter rightwing bloggers all praying for you then you are probably the most prayed for politician ever.

  The prayers did not stop with electoral victory. Since he ascended from being a candidate for the presidency to President-Elect the prayers – at least in Kenya – seem to have intensified.

  Before the election the prayers were for electoral victory, immediately following the election the prayers were of thanksgiving for the victory. The intense prayers that have taken over since then are prayers of safety. Over and over again I hear passionate almost desperate prayers for Obama’s safety. That those who want to physical hurt and even kill him, his wife, their children and extended family do not succeed.

  There is a sense of real and immediate danger on behalf of Obama flowing through Africa and when Africans feel danger they pray! Most of the questions I have fielded on issues surrounding Obama in the past few weeks have focused on the Secret Service because people are interested in who is protecting him and how good they are. (Very bleeding good, is my standard reply, I wouldn’t mess around with the USSS if I were you.)

  This fear for the safety of Obama is strange in that it seems to have an expiry date. There seems a conviction that once he takes the oath of office he will be fine and no one would be allowed to kill him. But while he is just President-Elect he is still in danger! That is one reason some people have taken the afternoon off today in Kenya today – not just to watch the build up to the inauguration which is at 20.00 local time – but to pray for Obama’s safety in these final moments before he raises his hand and takes that oath.

  Asides

  Aside 1: If, as rumoured, the Boys Choir of Kenya included Jambo Bwana in their repertoire during International Conservation Caucus Foundation Inauguration Gala as threatened, I will personally cancel all their passports! Please no no no. Not Jambo Bwana. Please! Hopefully it was just a bad rumour!

  Aside 2: You would think that with all the Obama parties taking place across Kenya today someone would have hosted one of these, “No Bush Left Behind” bashes somewhere. Instead all we have are boring drinks with “traditional” food (a.k.a Nyam Chom na Tusker). Shave the Date would have been a lot more interesting.

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments

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• December 03, 2008
• 5:56

  Blogging Positively - Live chat on now

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  AIDS  

  Blogging Positively – Live chat on NOW!
  Join Us

  Instructions:
  Go to the chat room select “English” and then press “Next”. We will create other chat rooms for other languages if the opportunity arises.

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | No comment

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• December 02, 2008
• 7:49

  Blogging Positively - Live chat Dec 3 on AIDS + citizen media

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  AIDS  

  In commemoration of World AIDS Day Rising Voices will be hosting a live chat. This chat aims to build on the foundations laid by the first chat we had back in April which asked the following question: “How can citizen media be used to supplement and improve the mainstream media’s coverage of the AIDS epidemic?”

  Date: Wednesday, December 3rd
  Venue: [www.worknets.org]
  Time: 15.00 Nairobi time:
  07.00 (New York, EST) – 10.00 (Buenos Aires) – 12.00 (London, GMT) – 14.00 (Cape Town, Beirut) – 15.00 (Nairobi, Moscow) – 17.30 (New Delhi) – 18.00 (Beijing, Manila) – 21.00 (Tokyo) – 23.00 (Sydney)
  Login instructions: Login using your name and then select the room you want to join by clicking enter. Once in the room, select a font colour on the left side of the screen, then join the chat.
  Chat Facilitators: Serina and Daudi

  This weeks chat will start out focusing on two Rising Voices grantee projects, REPACTED in Nakuru, Kenya and AIDS Rights Congo based in Brazzaville. We will learn how both organizations have implemented blogging and video outreach programs to spread awareness about their initiatives in AIDS prevention and advocating for the rights of HIV-positive individuals.

  Other discussion topics include: What are the factors to weigh when HIV-positive bloggers go public about their status? How can blogging support networks form online? What about online forums? What are other new media tools, such as mapping mashups, that can be used effectively?

  If there are other topics that you would like to discuss during the chat, please respond with your ideas. I hope that as many of you as possible can make it.

  David Sasaki of Rising Voices writes:

  As a primer to the conversation I encourage you all to take a look at a recent post written by Juliana Rincón on Global Voices about AIDS awareness through video. Especially fascinating is a video podcast produced by QAFBeijing, which interviews South African grand justice Edwin Cameron, the country’s only government official who has gone public about his HIV status.

  I will be sending out a reminder email on Tuesday with a link to a video of a fascinating conversation among the members of the Breaking the Silence in Kwa Mashu project about the fear of discussing HIV status in their community.

  Check out Global Voices’ World AIDS Day 2008 coverage.

  Blogging Positively – see you there Wed 3rd December.

  
  
  
  

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | 2 comments

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• October 23, 2008
• 10:52

  Elendu - Nigerian blogger - detained without charge

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Human rights  

  The BBC reports:

  A US-based Nigerian news blogger is being held without charge by Nigeria’s secret service.

  Jonathan Elendu was taken into custody on Saturday when he arrived in the capital, Abuja, on a family visit.

  The State Security Service (SSS) has refused to allow his lawyers access to him and denied him a medical visit.

  Jonathan writes Elendureports.com.

  This is ridiculous. You do not hold people without charge, you do not refuse access to lawyers and you do not withhold medical treatment. Regardless of what you think about Jonathan or Elendureports.com you cannot and should not do that. Especially if you call yourself a leader and want us to treat you as such.

  What is it with these heads of states or “big” politicians who act all tough but cannot stand some criticism or dissent? Sending the secret service to round up critics is not tough; it is sad, pathetic and sign of very poor leadership.

  Via Afromusing – thanks.

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | One comment

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• October 11, 2008
• 20:20

  KELELE - The African Bloggers’ Conference

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Blogs  

  

  What is Kelele?
  Kelele is an annual African bloggers’ conference held in a different African city each year and run by an organising committee in that city. Kelele will be held for the first time in August 2009 in Nairobi, Kenya.

  Why Kelele?
  Kelele is the Kiswahili word for noise. We are organising a gathering of African bloggers in the tradition of historical African societies where everyone has a voice. Where society has room for debate and discussion. With too many voices marginalised or simply ignored in Africa society today for a variety of reasons we believe that technology in general and grassroots media tools such as blogs in particular represent the most powerful way in which to give Africans back their voice. We are gathering in Nairobi in August 2009 to make a powerful, positive, inspirational noise that will be heard across the continent and beyond. KELELE!

  The theme of Kelele ’09 Nairobi is Beat Your Drum – we want to connect the traditional Africa method of getting your message across vast distances – the talking drums – to the 21st century and the tools we use today to get our message across, blogs and the Internet. We anticipate that this conference will continue to be called Kelele wherever it is held. For example Kelele Nairobi ’09, Kelele Accra ’10, Kelele Cairo ’11 and so on.

  When will Kelele ’09 Nairobi take place?
  August 2009. We have tentatively booked the 13th – 16th August 2009.

  Here is a summary of the proposed programme:
  Day 1 August 13: Arrival in Nairobi and official opening
  Day 2 August 14: Conference Day
  Day 3 August 15: Skills/Training Day and Outreach Day. Official closing
  Day 4 August 16: Sight seeing / departure

  Sister events
  The African Bloggers Awards, which aims to recognise the top blogger from each African country. The winner from each country will be invited and sponsored to attend Kelele ’09 Nairobi.

  Budget
  Every successful event needs the backing of some great sponsors! We’d like to invite all organizations with an interest in blogging, Africa and citizen media to become a sponsor of the inaugural African Bloggers Conference: Kelele!

  There are a variety of ways that you can become involved as a sponsor for Kelele - your contribution doesn’t only need to be financial in nature. If you’d like to find out more about the sponsorship opportunities, please email daudi.were AT gmail.com

  For more information please contact
  Daudi Were – daudi.were AT gmail.com
  Erik Hersman - erik AT zungu.com
  Ndesanjo Macha - ndesanjo AT gmail.com

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | 3 comments

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• October 03, 2008
• 7:07

  Kenyan Bloggers Meet Up Tonight

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Blogs  

  To celebrate the end of another week and to herald the beginning of the weekend, a bunch of Kenyan bloggers/blog readers/blog enthusiast/secret bloggers/potential bloggers/relatives of bloggers will be meeting at Alpenhofs, next to Prestige Plaza on Ngong Road at 6pm TODAY Friday 3rd October. Nothing formal, no agenda, just catching up to find out what people have been up to, making new connections any excuse to spread some good blog karma. It looks like some very interesting people are going to be coming and so should you. Really. You have no excuse no to come. Spread the word.

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | 2 comments

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• August 18, 2008
• 16:30

  Hear us ROAR

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Kenya  

  Now that the child’s play (gymnastics, swimming, equestrian, kayaking etc) in Beijing is over the JOGOO of Africa roars (as much as a JOGOO can roar anyway).

  

  The only country that is worthy of a seat next to Kenya is Jamaica. As for the rest of you, you can steal our athletes with PetroDollars, LegoDollars and MacDollars but until you start eating ugali you haven’t got a chance.)

  In other news

  

  our dear (younger) brothers from Uganda, this is what we meant last time. Hehe ati dethrone Kenya in Nairobi. Never talk badly again!

  (Balanced, non jingoistic, rational coverage continues after the Olympics etc)

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | One comment

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• July 08, 2008
• 11:32

  Commissioner of Police - Kenya is NOT a police state

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Human rights  

  Now That Amos Kimunya Has Resigned -Release Our Civil Society Colleagues

  To the Commissioner of Police and the Government of Kenya:

  We demand the unconditional release of our patriotic colleagues in the civil society who were brutally manhandled and arrested this morning as they exercised their constitutional rights to demand the resignation of Amos Kimunya as Finance Minister.

  Their right to freedom of peaceable assembly was brutally violated by members of the Kenya Police. We demand their unconditional release for they have committed no crime. The Police officers who directed the assault on Ann Njogu and her colleagues must be subjected to appropriate discipline by the Commissioner of Police.

  Kenya is not a Police State and Kenyans will not surrender their constitutional freedoms or their right to complain against wrongdoing, or to speak against grand corruption and impunity.

  The arrested members of the civil society must be released.

  In any event the man they were protesting against, former Finance Minister Amos Kimunya has resigned his office and stepped aside to facilitate investigations into the subject matter of the protest of civil society. In the spirit of a transparent enquiry into the role played by numerous public officers and institutions in the grand corruption saga that is the Grand Regency Hotel ‘handover’ and sale, it is morally and legally right that no one should be punished for speaking out for the Kenyan people in their time of need.

  July 8th 2008 Mwalimu Mati www.marsgroupkenya.org

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | No comment

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• 9:54

  Kimunya:Death Certificate (temporary)

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Kenya  

  Patient: Amos Muhinga Kimunya
  Occupation: Member of Parliament for Kipipiri Constituency
  Previous positions held: Minister of Finance, Kenya
  Notable quote: “I would rather die than resign.”
  Cause of death: Death by Hubris

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | One comment

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• June 24, 2008
• 5:20

  What Amos Kimunya did not tell you about the budget

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Kenya  

  The Kenyan government, like most governments around the world, is well versed in the art of deploying and utilising smokescreens. As the name implies the purpose of the smokescreen is to hide something from view or atleast divert attention away from an issue or subject that the government would rather was not noticed, leave alone discussed or debated at all. These smokescreens come in various forms but they all share some of the same characteristics.

  For example the smokescreens usually contain something completely ridiculous which leads us to wonder what planet members of our government come from. This was the favoured tactic of the Moi regime. Here is an example. Did you notice how when there was a negative and potential very damaging story about the government dominating the news agenda one of Moi’s ministers would stand up and give a speech in which he would make some ridiculous claim? My favourite one was that Kenya was about to bid to host the Olympics. Predictably we would all get outraged and froth at the mouth and spend the next month partaking in debates with our friends and colleagues, remarking to each other that there are other priorities for the government to focus on, we would chuckle at the idea of the creaking Kenyan infrastructure being asked to host such a large event, and we would write articles to display our intellectual fortitude informing the minister that Olympics are hosted by CITIES not COUNTRIES so Kenya could not bid for the Olympics but Nairobi could. Of course by the time we had exhausted all this energy we would have forgotten what issue we were discussing before the minister made his ridiculous statement. And as we laughed all the way to our bars and coffee shops content that we were smarter than our ministers, our self proclaimed Professor of Politics was laughing at our constant ability to be played.

  More recently we have seen another smokescreen deployed occasionally. When difficult questions started surfacing about what we now call “Anglo-Leasing type contracts” the First Lady would go out and do something totally ridiculous, such as raid a private party at the World Bank country director’s house in her pyjamas. When the questions about corruption would not stop the First Lady would either storm a police station and demand the cops arrest somebody or storm a media house by herself in the dead of the night and proceed to slap reporters – an act that is 110% guaranteed to dominate the media’s new agenda. Where was Kibaki, we would ask, why didn’t State House intervene when the First Lady’s security detail first reported her irrational and illegal actions?

  Well maybe State House did not intervene because they had just deployed their smokescreen. And soon afterwards whispers about medication being deliberately withheld from the First Lady to ensure her irrational behaviour continues started to surface. These days whenever the First Lady does something outrageous I check the newspapers from the previous week to try and figure out what they are trying to hide.

  In June 2008 we have been thrown yet another smokescreen, this time by the Minister of Finance, Amos Kimunya. This smokescreen, brilliant deployed it must be said, centres around Budget and the issue of whether Members’ of Parliament should pay tax on their salaries and allowances. Of course they should. That is obvious and indeed it is ridiculous that in 2008 we can still debate this. Of course Members’ of Parliament should pay tax on their salaries and allowances. Predictably many MPs are resisting all attempts to pay tax and that is the debate that has dominated the Kenyan news agenda in the past couple of weeks.

  This debate about MPs and taxation is a smokescreen which Mwalimu Mati the CEO of MARS Group Kenya has exposed with his usually thoroughness. If MPs paid tax the Treasury would save between Ksh. 600 million and Ksh. 700 million. That is good money. However, Kimunya’s latest budget is full of waste, which runs into the HUNDREDS of BILLIONS of shillings. And that is even better money. And all this is probably going to pass unscrutinzed by a parliament full of MPS whose only point of concern in this Budget is whether or not they are to be taxed.

  Please download [pdf 48 kb] , read, blog and circulate widely Mati’s article. You can download [pdf 48kb] it here.

  Some shocking statistcs:

  1. Last year the Government of Kenya budget for entertainment of its guests amounted to Ksh 5.7 million per day for EVERY day of the year.
  2. The Governemnet of Kenya spends Ksh 3.995 billion on rents per annum and only receives Ksh 239.368 million per year from property income and rent.
  3. Last year, the Government of Kenya spent over Ksh 6.7 million per day every day of the year on foreign travel. This is set to increase in this budget.
  4. Did you know that State House Nairobi has 149 cars? Did you know that this year Minister of Finance wants to buy Ksh 73 million more worth of cars for State House? Did you know that last year a similar amount of money was spent on cars at State House? Did you know that the Government budget for cars for 2008 has gone up by 1 billion shillings, even as public attention is consumed by the debate on MP’s allowances?

  And the best one

  5. Every year the Minister of Finance presents lump sum budgets for the National Security Intelligence Services, the Armed Forces and the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission. This year their collective budgets will pass the Ksh 47 billion mark – and yet they will be no debate on the budget items in them because the Minister of Finance has helpfully provided none.

  Ksh. 47 BILLION!

  Kenyans let us demand that our MPs accept that they have a duty to pay taxes but let us not allow this debate on MPs allowances to distract us from the bigger picture. Do not be fooled by the smokescreen! Demand equally that your MP take his or her constitutional responsibility seriously and scrutinise Amos Kimunya’s ridiculous Budget.

  Please download [pdf 48 kbs], read, blog, and circulate widely Mati’s article. You can download it here [pdf 48kb].

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | 5 comments

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• May 28, 2008
• 22:09

  Japan hosting Africa - TICAD IV

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  ticad iv Random  

  
  
  

  So here we are at another conference on Africa, full of Africans, held outside Africa at an Asian economic powerhouse. This all sounds very familiar. In 2007 the African Development Bank Group held its Annual Meetings in Shanghai, China, from May 16-17. It is easy to become cynical. What is the world coming to, after all, when Africans are unable to host their own meetings? How can the African Development Bank take its annual meeting to Shanghai, is there no African city that can host our top bankers and economists? Why do 40+ African Heads of State have to fly half way across the world to Japan to sit down and discuss issues of crucial importance to the continent? It is easy to become cynical of the whole TICAD process and dismiss it as yet another example of the never-ending talking shop of conferences on Africa.

  That would be unfortunate position to take and would be missing the point. The multitude of problems facing Africa require a dedicated African response. That is established. “African solutions to African problems” is the rallying cry heard from cabinet rooms to street corners across the African continent. These African solutions, however, cannot exist in isolation from the rest of the world. Rather active, positive and accountable engagement with partners is required. These partners may be development organisations such as the numerous UN bodies, these partners could be individual countries, such as Japan and China. China is one of the 24 Non-Regional Members of the African Development Bank and only the second to host the Annual Meetings after Spain in 2001. Japan launched TICAD in 1993 to promote high-level policy dialogue between African leaders and development partners.

  At TICAD the focus is on two general objectives: Ownership and Partnership.

  1. to promote high-level policy dialogue between African leaders and their partners
  2. to mobilize support for African-owned development initiatives

  Rather than viewing these occasional meetings hosted for Africans outside African as an insult to our independence we should consider them an alternative type of forum, which may just produce some concrete results. After all our African Heads of State gather regularly across the continent at African Union meetings and the results of those meetings usually leave a lot to be desired. Take the African Union meeting earlier this year in Addis Ababa held while Kenya was at the height of violence, a situation the Heads of State refused to address as they collectively buried their heads in the sand. Meetings being held in African is no guarantee for success.

  Another advantage of holding a high level meeting such as TICAD outside Africa is that it removes the pressure of acting as host from all nations leaving the Heads of State and ministers to concentrate fully on engaging with each other positively. It is an added advantage that TICAD is hosted by the very efficient yet extremely polite Japanese people (and I am not just saying that because I am a sitting on a 16MB broadband connection – although it helps). Heads of State are ferried from one venue to the other rapidly and safely with none of the megalomania that usually accompanies our African presidential security details.

  Japan has proved herself to be a host worth listening to because she listens and acts on what she hears. The TICAD process is very much one of dialogue. This is reflected in the growing support for the process. At TICAD III in 2003 23 Heads of State came to Tokyo, this time round the number has double to over 40 Heads of State/Heads of Governments attending. Every single African country, bar one, has a strong delegation here. The only country without a delegation is Somalia. One clear indicator of political success in Africa would be a strong Somali delegation at TICAD V in five years time.

  [Photo Credit: Heads of State/Government at TICAD IV. Copyright: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan]

  TICAD IV | TICAD

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | One comment

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• May 27, 2008
• 23:48

  TICAD IV - Yokohama, Japan

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  ticad iv ticad iv  

  This week I am in Yokohama covering the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) IV for AllAfrica as part of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) press team. I am not here as a delegate but as part of the press corps, which I feel is significant.

  This is another example that increasingly the line between the traditional mainstream media and citizen media is blurring rapidly. The rest of the UNDP press team here at TICAD is made up of traditional journalists from print, TV and radio, now they have a blogger not only on the scene but embedded with them as another outlet off TICAD coverage. We saw during the 2007 Kenyan election, how bloggers in particular and the citizen media in general stepped up to cover angles of the election that the mainstream media were not covering and/or were ignoring. We also saw bloggers step up and fill the gaps when the mainstream media was gagged in a draconian ministerial ban on live broadcasting. Bloggers as part of a traditional press team is a welcome move, long may it continue.

  I have watched this change in the role of bloggers with interest. At TEDGlobal in Arusha last year the Google PR team was enthusiastic and insistent that bloggers joined the traditional journalists at any Google announcement. At Highway Africa, Africa’s biggest conference for journalists, bloggers have graduated from being a sideshow at the Digital Citizens’ Indaba (albeit a very significant and extremely worthwhile sideshow) to being included in the main conference programme. Indeed the Digital Citizens’ Indaba is now a draw for traditional journalists, at least those with the foresight to see where the future lies. In January Internews Kenya organized a media forum entitled Media Coverage of Post Election Violence Before and Now. It was an opportunity for the media in Kenya to reflect and to critique each other and themselves on coverage during the 2007 elections and the violence that followed. It was refreshing that I was invited as a blogger to take part in that conversation as an equal member.

  Coming back to TICAD IV, it will be a challenge to find the correct tone and angle as a citizen journalist as I feel there will be no point in reporting what happened and who said what to whom as the traditional mainstream media seems to have the covered. If there is anything you feel I should look at please let me know in the comments or via email.

  If you are interested in following TICAD or want to know what it is all about have a look at the website. If you want to see and hear what is going on in the main hall check out the Live Broadcasts. There are more than 40 African Heads of State/ Heads of Government here; surely you will find some them fascinating!

  TICAD IV | TICAD

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | One comment

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• April 22, 2008
• 7:50

  Anfield public service announcement

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Beautiful game  

  
  
  

  Viewers of today’s feature presentation, The Massacre at Anfield 3, may feel they are watching a repeat of last years feature, which we reviewed on Mentalacrobatics here.

  We would like to assure all our viewers that we at Anfield are professionals and thus will never tire of spanking Chelski in the Champions’ League semi-finals.

  We would also like to point out to our viewers that it is not our fault Chelski suck. Like many of our viewers we are disgusted that sub standard teams such as Chelski are allowed to participate in such a prestigious competition.

  We would like to remind our viewers that winning the Champions’ League requires pedigree, power, passion, panache, pride and a Liverbird on your chest.

  YNWA

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | 4 comments

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• April 18, 2008
• 5:34

  Join us today for a chat on HIV/AIDS and citizen media

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  AIDS  

  Date: Today, Friday April 18th 2008
  Time: 1400 GMT, 1700 Nairobi, 1600 Sweden, San Francisco 0700, New York 1000, New Delhi 1930
  Venue: [irc2.globalvoicesonline.org]

  This afternoon, I am talking part in and helping host a Rising Voices chat on the HIV/AIDS and Citizen Media, to which you are all invited. The main chat host is Serina (Kipepeo Nyeusi). Rising Voices is the outreach arm of Global Voices. Rising Voices aims to extend the benefits and reach of citizen media by connecting online media activists around the world and supporting their best ideas.

  Recently Kenya has made big strides in the fight against HIV/AIDS for example in 2006 the estimated adult HIV prevalence rate was 5.!% down from a peak of 9% in 1997/1998. The number of annual deaths from HIV/AIDS in Kenya has dropped from a peak of 120,000 in 2003 to 85,000 in 2006. ART programmes have averted about 57,000 deaths since 2001.
  However the still much to do and 85,000 people is a lot of people.

  (Figures from National HIV Prevalence in Kenya written by The National Aids Control Council and STD Control Programme. Nairobi, Kenya June 2007.)

  What can we as bloggers/readers of blogs/generators and users of citizen media do to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS? As they saying goes, we may not all be infected but we are all affected. Please note the examples I give are from Kenya as that is the country I know best, but this chat is open to everybody and I see from the Rising Voices email list that some of our brothers and sisters in Latin America will be joining us which is brilliant. This chat is open to all!
  Please join us today at: 14.00 GMT for our online chat.

  Date: Today, Friday April 18th 2008
  Time: 1400 GMT, 1700 Nairobi, 1600 Sweden, San Francisco 0700, New York 1000, New Delhi 1930
  Venue: [irc2.globalvoicesonline.org]

  HIV/AIDS & Citizen Media: Proposed Agenda:

  • Organization Involvement – What we hear, what we see, how we perceive it
  • Importance of Citizen Media
  • How can we ensure we focus on stories that main stream media avoids?
  • How do we ensure that we focus on the human element of the story?
  • Should our main role be telling the story or empowering those affected to use the tools we are using to tell their stories direct?
  • What can we learn from others experiences on different parts of the planet?
  • Technicalities / Technical challenges
  • How do we select whom to approach to case studies for the project?
  • How do we approach those we select?
  • How do we deal with possible initial suspicion?
  • How do we deal with language barriers?
  • What computing tools are available?
  • How can we best utilise these tools?
  • Do these tools have any cost implications?
  • Legal Issues
  • What steps will we take to ensure we have consent from third parties documented?
  • Will material be covered by copyright?
  • If so who will own the copyright?

  See you there!

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | 2 comments

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• April 17, 2008
• 6:01

  Mungiki and hypocrisy

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Human rights  

  The world did not come to a crashing halt at the beginning of March 2008. This would not be significant if it were not that in January and February 2008 many people in Kenya wrote, spoke and acted so irresponsibly that I could only conclude that they expected the world to come to a halt or at least to go through some great cosmic ctrl-alt-del sequence which would result in collective memory loss leading us all to forget what they said, wrote, did. But the world did not come to an end at the beginning of March 2008 and as I said at the beginning of the year, many people would look back at their words and actions and wish that the world would forget. Not so.

  I have just driven down Ngong Road, in the heart of Nairobi, at noon on a Thursday and the road is practically empty. You may remember that this is not the first time this year that roads in Nairobi are clear of traffic, and perhaps more significantly, clear of any public transport, in the middle of the day. We have been here before. But this time it is different and this difference is what highlights the hypocrisy in Kenya today, which will make many people wish that Kenyans would forget their irresponsible words and actions.

  This week Kenya is suffering (again) under the actions of the barbaric Mungiki militia. An illegal group whose preferred modus operandi includes, but is not restricted, to beheadings, forced female circumcision, public transport and rent extortion.

  Mungiki has been around for a while (for some background information please read Kenyan Pundit’s post which links articles on Mungiki) and the group has been influential for a while. For example you could ask anybody who was student at JKUAT during the time of the 2002 Kenyan general election about the role played by Mungiki in Uhuru Kenyatta’s presidential campaign and you will hear some interesting stories. (JKUAT lies on the road between Nairobi and Uhuru’s constituency).

  I remember driving up to JKUAT in August 2002 when election fever was rising to pick a friend who was studying there and driving into the heart of one of Uhuru’s roadside campaign rallies where Mungiki provided the “security”. They had completely taken over the whole road from Githurai to Thika and to say they were intimidating is to say the least.

  What I like about Mungiki (and this is perhaps their only positive characteristic) is that in the reaction to their latest activities Mungiki helps expose the hypocrisy in Kenyan society today.

  Take as a first example the reaction of the Kenyan police. In the past three months we have seen first hand and up close the brutality of the Kenya Police towards Kenya citizens who were trying to march peacefully and legally towards Uhuru Park in protest against having their votes stolen. Even non partisan groups were unable to march. A women’s peace group which had organised authorization from the Minister of Internal Security, from the Provincial Administration and had informed the police, were greeted with a ring of police officers telling them their peace match had been cancelled at the last minute when they were just about to set off.

  Time and time again Kibera would be ringed by heavily armed police and you would be lucky to make it on to Ngong Road leave alone get anywhere near town. I recorded a show down between the police and ODM supporters in Hurlingham where an army of police officers was deployed to ensure that ODM supporters get nowhere near the city centre. Similar shows of force by the police were deployed on Thika Road and Jogoo Road as the police moved swiftly to ensure that all major roads into the city were in their control. The same occurred in cities and towns across Kenya.

  How time changes things. Two months ago Ngong Road was empty because of a heavy police presence and their indiscriminate use of force (including live bullets). Today Ngong Road is empty as Public Service Vehicle owners withdraw their vehicles from the streets because the police cannot stop the Mungiki thugs who demand over 90% of each vehicles earning and burn your matatu/bus if you refuse to comply. You could say that in both cases the police are responsible for empty streets.

  In a sentence: two months ago Ngong Road was empty due to a large police presence, this week Ngong Road is empty because the police is conspicuously absent.

  Why is it then that the same police force that cracked down on the peaceful protests in the past couple of months are reluctant to take on a group that has openly challenged them to armed warfare?

  I do not buy the popular opinion of the day that Mungiki caught the police napping, that the police had no idea what was about to happen. Come on now. Security analysts reveal on TV that the police received calls as early as 5am from members of the public who had seen Mungiki members begin their activities of destruction, 10am the police were yet to respond. This is the same police force that sent lorries packed with police in riot gear into Kibera on Saturday when a rumor went around that perhaps some people were considering starting a demonstration to protest at the lack of a power sharing agreement.

  Internal Security Permanent Secretary, Mr Cyrus Gituai, told The Standard that the police had expected Mungiki to strike on Monday at 6am, but instead went on the rampage at 3am, three hours earlier.

  So the police decided to stay in bed until 5am or what? Come on now.

  These double standards are by no means restricted to the police.

  For instance, why is it that some bloggers/commentators who were complaining about the post election violence in general and the inconvenience of disrupted public transport in particular, were largely silent on the violence Mungiki perpetrated BEFORE the elections and are silent on the violence and disruption perpetrated by the same thugs this week? Why is it that those same people who were cursing Raila for not controlling the thugs in Rift Valley are now silent? Have you noticed how the responsibility for the violence two months ago was laid squarely in Raila’s lap individually, “Kenya is burning”, we were told, “because Raila is power hungry”. I wait to hear where they will appropriate blame this time round but I suspect they will remain silent or those who do speak out will blame, “the entire political class” which of course includes Raila. That is the duplicity that Mungiki exposes.

  That is not to say that the political class is not implicated as well.

  Why are politicians who have been screaming (rightly) that the police should get to the bottom of the post election violence are now screaming that the police should “negotiate” with Mungiki? Why not extend this call for negotiations to include other militia groups such as the Saboti Land Defence Force for example?

  Why is that politicians who were quick to call for the annihilation of any protestors in Rift Valley and Nyanza are now going to great lengths to explain that Mungiki rises out of a disadvantage upbringing. Aren’t many of the youth who rampaged against the government in Rift Valley disadvantaged as well? If Mungiki revolts because it is up against the wall with nothing to lose doesn’t this extend to youth from other communities? Why call for the arrest of youth in Rift Valley with no mention of their grievances yet call for negotiations with Mungiki and demand that the police investigate their grievances?

  Lastly, why are those who cheered when the army moved against the Saboti Land Defence Force not calling for the army to deployed against Mungiki? If indiscriminate killing is seen as viable method to bring about peace in the Mt. Elgon region why is not also being practised in Kibaki’s hometown which has been under attack by Mungiki?

  I will let you draw your own conclusions to these questions. The duplicity and hypocrisy displayed on this would be laughable if it was not so serious. What we do know is that when Mungiki falls there will be tremors all the way to the top of Kibaki’s administration according to the BBC. (To be fair I should mention that Kibaki’s Court Jester issued a statement in response to the BBC report.

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | 5 comments

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• April 15, 2008
• 8:02

  Statesmanship

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Africa  

  A while ago the East African blogosphere was rocked with controversy that began when a Kenyan blogger called the Tanzania president, Jakaya Kikwete, a “dumb-ass bitch”. Some Tanzanian bloggers took exception to this insult and stated so in their blogs. In return some Kenyan bloggers took exception to the Tanzanian bloggers taking exception and the KenyaUnlimited aggregator was full of posts quoting Voltaire (which was bizarre in itself as surely someone who complains about your insult has as much right to be heard as you do with your original insult).

  Throughout the year as I continued to interact with Tanzanian bloggers I came to learn that a significant number of them (Tanzanian bloggers) do not have much confidence in Kikwete and many of them view his presidency, to put it politely, as a disaster, especially when they reflected on his economic policies.

  This raised a number of questions in my mind.

  Firstly, if these Tanzanian bloggers are not at all impressed with Kikwete’s presidency why did they take such strong exception to an insult lobbed his way by an insignificant and inarticulate Kenyan blogger?

  Secondly, why did the Kenyan blogosphere find it so hard to understand why the Tanzanian bloggers were outraged by an insult to their president?

  Is it because Kenyans have thicker skin, are mentally stronger and are used to verbal sparing and thus can roll with the punches?

  Perhaps.

  Is it because Tanzanians are more eloquent, more mature and civilised and thus will not stand for insults?

  Perhaps.

  My understanding of why these two siblings, Kenyans and Tanzanians, could disagree so fundamentally on this issue can be summed up in one word.

  Statesmanship.

  In a sentence: the history and tradition of statesmanship within the Tanzanian ruling elite, and the complete lack of statesmanship within the Kenyan ruling elite.

  At the risk of launching a Platonic argument of gigantic dimensions let me define it thus (quoting Wikipedia);

  To rule or have political power called for a specialized knowledge. The statesman was one who possesses this special knowledge of how to rule justly and well and to have the best interests of the citizens at heart.

  As Kenyans I believe we find it hard to understand the notion of statesmanship, as it implies that those in the political elite in Kenya should be driven to implement policies that have the best interests of the citizens of Kenya at heart.

  How can we understand this when the Kibaki government claimed it did not have enough money to build the 500,000 homes it promised in its election manifesto of 2002 yet somehow managed to find USD 12m to spend on new cars (enough to send 25,000 children to school for eight years)?

  How can we understand this when the Moi regime fleeced the country of at least US $600 million in less than three years in what we now call the Goldenberg Scandal?

  How can we understand this when the extended Kenyatta family alone owns an estimated 500,000 acres — approximately the size of Nyanza Province — according to estimates by independent surveyors and Ministry of Lands officials, making them the senior members of what Michael Mundia Kamau, inspirationally, calls the KenMoiKib Farm?

  Our three presidents to date have failed the statesmanship test and failed it badly. Even Jomo Kenyatta, whom increasingly seems to be loved more by non-Kenyans than Kenyans in much the same way that love for THE Emperor seems to grow the further you get away from Ethiopia, is no longer spared. I can even go as far as stating that if you stand on any street corner in central Nairobi and shouted in a loud voice, “Kibaki/Moi/Kenyatta is a dumb-ass bitch” you would be ignored at the worst but probably be applauded by one or two people. Now imagine standing at the corner of a street in Dar-es-salaam and shouting “Nyerere is a dumb-ass bitch”. If you managed to get out alive and made it to Nairobi I would probably finish you off myself and I am Kenyan. Why?

  Nyerere was a Statesman.

  True his economic policies may not have been the best but here was a man who was big enough to know that the presidency in itself did not make him who he was. Here was a man big enough to walk away into retirement to sit under his tree in his shamba and enjoy his family. Here was a man who understood that the most powerful thing he could do was to give up power.

  The greatest disservice Kenyatta did to Kenya was dying in office, during the election of 1975 when it was clear he was no longer the force he used to be he could have choose to step aside and step into greatness. He did not, 3 years later he was dead, and this in turn gave birth to the president-for-life syndrome which manifests itself today in Moi still aching for power after 25 years in StateHouse and which made Kibaki think he would be failure if he had lost his presidency in the general election 3 months ago despite a career in politics of over 40 years.

  How can you be a megalomaniac in Tanzania when Nyerere was not? How can you claim the presidency as your birth right in Tanzania when the father of the nation walked away for it to give room to others?

  This is what the Kenyan blogosphere failed to understand at the time. That while Tanzanians may not be too impressed with their current president, they are VERY proud of their institution of Presidency.

  Of course statesmanship is not restricted to men. One of the most enduring images of the Kenyan post-election crisis was of Grace Machel during a tour of Internal Displaced People camps hugging a woman closely, whispering words of comfort as the woman wept and wept. Here was Grace Machel, the freedom fighter, former minister, and campaigner for children and for human rights, reaching out and bringing some humanity to IDP camps. Where was Kenya’s grossly overpaid First Lady at the time? Busy slapping Members of Parliament who had the audacity to suggest that her husband should get serious about sharing power. There are many things you can call Lucy Kibaki but not even the most rabid Kibaki supporter would call her a statesman. On the other side of the coin, you just try calling Graca Machel a dumb-ass bitch and see where that leaves you.

  While the eyes of the nation were focused to Kofi Annan who lead the team of Eminent Person conducting the mediation in Kenya following the post election violence, the rest of team of eminent persons was often over looked, Graca Machel and Benjamin Mkapa. Mkapa is a Tanzanian diplomat and like Nyerere a former Tanzanian president. You see people; there IS life after Statehouse. Here is man who was President for 10 years, handed over at the end of his term and is now a Statesman who helped us resolve our election disputes, happy to sit in the background and immerse himself in the nitty gritty while the world’s media focused on Annan. That is an example that our political elite should be following. How many countries do you think would welcome Kibaki or Moi to help mediate their election disputes? Not many, unless they were planning on, “doing a Kibaki”.

  On Sunday before Kibaki read out the list of his new bloated and grossly immoral cabinet he had the audacity, the AUDACITY, to stand there and brag to Kenyans about the “statesmanship and sacrifice” the political elite had displayed. Kibaki seriously needs to be reconnected with reality. Shuttling between Statehouse and State Lodges, hiding behind his security detail, and pushing Kenya to the edge is NOT statesmanship leave alone sacrifice. He also said the new cabinet, “underscores our nation’s leadership to put the collective needs of the country above everything else.” Is there anyone who thinks a bloated government and expensive cabinet is what our country needs? Mwalimu Mati writes on exactly why this is a disaster.

  As Kenyans we have to address this issues quickly. Statesmanship is not an option. Statesmanship is vital for a healthy African society. Statesmanship is African to its very core. Without Statesmen we will not progress.

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | 8 comments

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• March 19, 2008
• 6:05

  Why Ushahidi is important

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Blogs  

  White African and Afromusing have informative posts on how you can vote for the Ushahidi project on the Netsquared mash up challenge. If you had voted before, please go and vote again. This project really is ground breaking. Let me tell you a little bit why.

  
  
  Report Acts Of Violence In Kenya
  

  At the end of January I attended a media forum organised by Internews Network. The forum was for the media to examine the way local and international media covered the post election violence. A self-assessment session. It was a fascinating way to spend a morning. The room was filled with hacks. Newspaper journalists, TV reporters, radio presenters, from the broad spectrum of media houses in Kenya. The big national broadcasters, the vernacular radio stations, the religious radio stations, and yes even the bloggers. I was invited to attend and to speak as a blogger and I gave a presentation on the way the blogosphere had covered the election and the post election violence.

  In a session towards the end of the forum the discussion moved on to what we all could have done better in terms of our coverage. One statement that stood out for me was a comment that a lot of the reporting of the violence by Kenyan reporters/bloggers read like it was done by strangers. Kenyan reporters/bloggers were writing about things in their own country like strangers. For example, we all talked about Rift Valley militias like they are some kind of abstract phenomenon. Who are these militias? Who is funding them? Where do they live? What were the doing the day before the election? What do they call themselves? What are the names of the members? As Kenyans journalists they felt that these are the things they should have covered from the beginning.

  The same applies to the victims. We always complain about how Africans are reduced to statistics. Remember when Al Qaeda bombed the US Embassy in Nairobi and western media reports named the foreigners who died and left out the Kenyans, or when flight KQ507 went down and we heard international media reports which named a list of nationalities and ended with “the rest were Africans”? Well here we are in the middle of the greatest crisis our country has ever faced and we couldn’t even name our own victims.

  A few reporters spoke out against this criticism. One reporter said that as a Kikuyu woman she would have to be mad to approach the family of a victim of “stray” police bullet to ask his name as the public felt the police were working to protect the Kikuyu, and would have to be completely bananas to try and interview members of any Rift Valley militia who were busy running around rounding up Kikuyus. Valid points perhaps but they were quickly knocked down. After all, the moderator remarked, as professional reporters you must have more than one way to find information. Just because you can not approach the family directly is no excuse not to be able to identify the victim of violence or to do a story on the identities behind the militias.

  A couple of people raised another concern, that it was completely unrealistic for us to think that it is possible to name all or even most of those victims of violence. They felt that it was nice in theory but in reality it was unworkable. An Indian journalist who has been based in Kenya for the last few years as a foreigner correspondent told us about the example of Calcutta.

  After riots in Calcutta left over 3000 people dead one of the newspapers, I think it was the Calcutta Daily Telegraph, launched a project to name each of those victims and it succeeded. 3000 people and they wrote all their stories. If they can, we can too.

  It is unacceptable that people, our people, remain numbers. It is unacceptable that as Kenyans we can feel comfortable in the continuing anonymity of the ultimate victims of the post election violence. And let us be honest, we are cowards if we continue in this way.

  It takes guts to look death in the face, to find out whom this person was, where they worked, where they went to school, to hold their children, to speak to their partners. To find out what their dreams were. It takes guts but it is necessary.

  Take the example of James Odhiambo:

  1. James is 24 years old.
  2. James is the sole breadwinner for his family.
  3. James works at a petrol station as an attendant.
  4. One of his colleagues at the petrol station is called Brian Oluoch.
  5. James was killed in Lurambi at the junction on the way to Shikoti, Kakamega in Western province, Kenya.
  6. According to eyewitnesses he was shot by the GSU.
  7. The police were unable to pick James’ body, as they did not have enough fuel for their vehicle.
  8. James Odhiambo was buried on Sunday 13th January 2008.
  9. James was buried in Homa Bay, Nyanza province.
  10. Brian and other friends from the area travelled to Homa Bay to comfort the family.
  11. If you would like to help the family directly you can contact Brian on +254.724.912.015

  The national media declined to run James’ story so how do I know about it? I know because Mr.Michael Arunga, who works for World Vision in Darfur, was on holiday in the area at the time and took pictures, which he allowed Afromusing to post on her flickr account. Afromusing then wrote a blog post with all the information above she put on her personal blog and on Ushahidi.

  
  
  Report Acts Of Violence In Kenya
  

  In one blog post of 399 words James went from being just another number. James went from being just another dead body in the “over 1000 causalities” of the post election violence in Kenya to being James. Afromusing’s post is disturbing and saddening. It is also powerful and necessary. Afromusing’s blogpost and Michael’s pictures humanised the death of a young man, personalised it, and made it real and relevant.

  This is why the Ushahidi project is so relevant and so necessary. We as Kenyans are guilty of having short-term memories. Yesterday’s villains are today’s heroes. We sweep bad news and difficult decisions under the carpet; we do not confront the issues in our society and get shocked when the country erupts as it did two months ago. Ushahidi gives everybody, anybody, the opportunity to get his or her experience recorded. Through SMS, through email, through the internet, through meeting an NGO worker who will write down what happened and share it with us. Ushahidi is a project that has to be owned by those who use it; they have to believe in it. They have to trust it; they have to feel a part of it. Ushahidi is not the end but the beginning. We have the information, we share it, and people will run with it. Hopefully we will get the stories behind the numbers. Just as with James we can inject a little humanity back into the lives of these people who were killed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  The project is recording not just incidents of deaths, but of all the violence. The project is not recording just the negative stories but highlighting the doves who are working for peace in our communities as well. And the project needs all your help to survive. Ushahidi needs your help, needs your votes. Please vote for this project on the Netsquared challenge. You can find full details on how to do this here. After you vote, please get involved by submitting your experiences and those of the people around you to the database. Instructions on how to register to vote are here and here.

  Thank you.

  
  
  Report Acts Of Violence In Kenya
  

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• 1:56

  Is there any person in America who hasn’t heard of Barack Obama?

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Haha  

  Is there any person in America who hasn’t heard of Barack Obama?

  Yes … and his name is DMX.

  Q: Are you following the presidential race?
  DMX: Not at all.

  Q: You’re not? You know there’s a Black guy running, Barack Obama and then there’s Hillary Clinton.
  DMX: His name is Barack?!

  Q:Barack Obama, yeah.
  DMX: Barack?!

  Q:Barack.
  DMX: What the fuck is a Barack?! Barack Obama. Where he from, Africa?

  Q:Yeah, his dad is from Kenya.
  DMX: Barack Obama?

  Q:Yeah.
  DMX: What the fuck?! That ain’t no fuckin’ name, yo. That ain’t that nigga’s name. You can’t be serious. Barack Obama. Get the fuck outta here.

  Q: You’re telling me you haven’t heard about him before.
  DMX: I ain’t really paying much attention.

  Q:I mean, it’s pretty big if a Black …
  DMX: Wow, Barack! The nigga’s name is Barack. Barack? Nigga named Barack Obama. What the fuck, man?! Is he serious? That ain’t his fuckin’ name. Ima tell this nigga when I see him, “Stop that bullshit. Stop that bullshit” [laughs] “That ain’t your fuckin’ name.” Your momma ain’t name you no damn Barack.

  Q: So you’re not following the race. You can’t vote right?
  DMX: Nope.

  Halfway through this interview it becomes pretty clear that this cartoon lives in his own world. Thank goodness I grew out of gangsta rap a while ago!

  Via Kottke

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• March 14, 2008
• 12:03

  Securing Sweet Sixth Star

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Beautiful game  

  God really must be Liverpool fan.

  Destroy Arsenal in the quarter-final
  Demolish Chelsea in the semi-final (again) HAHAH ROTFLMBBAO
  HUMILIATE ManUtd in the final

  You couldn’t ask for a better end to a season

  We’ve won it 5 Times
  We’ve won it 5 Times
  In Istanbul
  We Won it 5 Times

  We’ll Win It 6 Times
  We’ll Win It 6 Times
  In magic Moscow
  We’ll Win it 6 Times

  It’s only on Loan
  It’s only on Loan
  In magic Moscow
  We’ll Bring It Back Home

  Meanwhile …

  From: Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Kenya (NBO)
  To: Moscow, Domodedovo Airport, Russia (DME)
  To: Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Kenya (NBO)
  Passengers: 1 Adult
  Cabin: Economy
  Departing: Tuesday, 20 May, 2008
  Returning: Thursday, 22 May, 2008
  Price: USD 1936.00

  WHOA - perhaps I’ll watch it on TV instead.

  (Yo Nyiloh, this time it’s on!)

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• March 05, 2008
• 5:08

  Vote for Ushahidi in the Netsquared Mashup Challenge

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Kenya  

  The last two months have been eye opening not just for me but for all Kenyans and all friends of Kenya. I have been shocked by some of the nonsensical narrow minded views that swept through the country, and it has to be said, through the blogs. Undoubtedly some friendships will never be the same again as people could not help but show their true colours.

  However, the blessing of being so involved in the response to the post election crisis that engulfed Kenya is that for all the nonsensical, narrow minded views that I encountered, for every person I came across who was hell bent on stirring up hate, I would find ten people who would do anything to pull the country back from the brink.

  Patriots would put careers on the line, friendships on the line, family relationships on the live and others even put their lives on the line to stand up and be counted as an agent for peace not for division. While some bloggers would announce that they could never take someone from another tribe home to their parents, other Kenyans were busy organising a media event where couples with each partner from a different tribe would publicly declare that they will not be part of any nonsense which insisted they leave their partners to show their loyalty to tribe.

  Apart from the personal relationships another trend which warmed my heart was that professionals would rise up and find ways through which they could utilise their professional services to help save the country. A group of writers gathered and formed the Concerned Kenyan Writers coalition which aims to use writing skills to humanise the crisis, the techie community such as Skunkworks offered technical IT and ICT support to the relief efforts, the legal fraternity came up with similar initiatives, the top musicians and producers in the country got into the studios, journalists as well. Bloggers usually wear more than one hat and in each of the other groups mentioned above you will find bloggers.

  
  
  
  

  Some initiatives are blog driven, they were born in blogs and grew in the blogs, were lead by bloggers and publicised by blogs. They are blogger lead and blogger dominated. One such project which I am honoured to work on is the Ushahidi project which was born out of Kenyan Pundit thinking out loud on her blog and Hash hearing those voices and running with them. The site was born on the blogs and brought in to existence by David Kobia, a guy who has been a huge supporter of Kenyan blogs and bloggers, in JUST TWO DAYS. I am yet to hear of another project that launched so successfully, that proved to be so ground breaking that was launched in such a short period of time. Kenyans across the globe showing what can happen with cooperation and commitment.

  Ushahidi is the Kiswahili word for witness.

  
  
  
  

  From Hash
  Ushahidi.com is a tool for people who witness acts of violence in Kenya in these post-election times. You can report the incident that you have seen, and it will appear on a map-based view for others to see.

  From Kenyan Pundit

  So what’s Ushahidi.com about… (for those who don’t know Kiswahili, ushahidi is the Swahili word for witness). The website was mainly set up to document incidents of violence, lotting etc. during the crisis (and soon to follow - information about ways to help on a micro-level). The website is still very much a work in progress and will be updated as we go along.

  We believe that the number of deaths being reported by the government, police, and media is grossly underreported. We also don’t think we have a true picture of what is really going on - reports that all have us have heard from family and friends in affected areas suggests that things are much worse than what we have heard in the media.

  From Afromusing

  We want to continue mapping not only the violence, but also the ‘doves’ or peace efforts happening in Kenya. The last two months have been traumatic to our collective psyche, and we would like to be well equipped to continue this important project. While we will not hide from the trauma of the events; we want make Ushahidi even more relevant to other countries in Africa.

  
  
  
  
  Since the launch of ushahidi the support from within the blogging community and from the main stream media as well, has been phenomenal. I have lost count of the number of radio and print interviews that have come my way because of interest in the project. Now Ushahidi needs your help again. Ushahidi has been entered in to the $100,000 Netsquared Mashup Challenge for further development. This is big in very many ways. It helps secure the future of the project and it helps secure the independence of the project, it allows the project to grow beyond Kenya, it give the opportunity for a powerful and increasingly necessary tool to achieve its potential.

  Please show your support for Ushahidi by voting for the project on Netsquared you have to register to vote, registration takes less time than it took you to read this sentence and voting takes even shorter. Help us to drive this project forward. Please read and link Hash’s post on the Ushahidi NetSquared challenge and remember to VOTE!

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• February 13, 2008
• 1:49

  The power of sport

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Beautiful game  

  Congratulations to the Pharaohs Kings of Africa once again after beating Cameroon 1-0 in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations.

  I was lucky to have the pleasure, for the first time, of watching the final of a major football tournament in one of the countries that was contesting that final. It was not planned, it was a complete fluke as I just happened to be in transit in Cairo between Istanbul and Nairobi. My six hours in transit coincided with the match. I walked around Cairo International Airport looking for a TV screen that was not showing the usual airport advertising pap and for a while I was scared that I would miss the game. How ridiculous that would that have been. Luckily sanity prevailed and most of the screens switched over to Accra as soon business began at the Ohene Djan stadium. Before kick off the airport staff were all polite and diplomatic when I asked, cheekily, if they would support Cameroon. Once the match began it was another story. Shouts, screams, hands in the air, fists shaken at TV screens. Yes indeed, football at its most passionate.

  While I was watching the game I was struck again by the immense power of sport. Especially at international level. To put it plainly I sincerely believe that if Kenya had qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations and had done well in the tournament the violence that rocked Kenya would not have been intense as it was. Imagine a commanding Luhya player (the captain naturally) a towering midfield destroyer, passing the ball to Luo player, the creative and flamboyant midfield maestro, passing the ball to a lanky but lethal Kalenjin striker, who blasts in the winning goal cheered by his Kikuyu goalkeeper. The unity the players would have to show on the pitch to be successful would serve as a constant and real reminder of the unity Kenyans would have to show off the pitch to be successful.

  This is not just sentimental hogwash. in the run up to the 2006 World Cup with Ivory Coast bleeding from civil war Drogba fell on his knees live on TV and sent out an emotional appeal for the warring factions to lay down their arms. It would be naive to claim that Drogba’s gesture ended the civil war. It would be equally naive to pretend that Drogba’s gesture did not have any effect at all. “All the players hated what was happening to our country and reaching the World Cup was the perfect emotional wave on which to ride.” Togo and Angola qualifying for the same World Cup in German helped heal both nations after decades of civil war. Beyond Africa as well there are numerous examples of the power of sport to unite a nation. Remember how the then new country of Croatia, which gained independence only 7 years earlier, played excellent football to reach the semi finals of the World Cup in France 1998 uniting their country in a sense of pride? Or how much the symbolism North and South Korea marching together at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games (although they did not compete in joint teams) meant to their people?

  Sport and especially team sport is a democratic and universal symbol of nationhood which becomes even more important in a country like Kenya where most of the other symbols of nationhood are inaccessible to ordinary citizens.

  Two weeks ago a special friend invited me to watch a preseason rugby friendly between the University of Nairobi’s Mean Machine RFC and Mwamba RFC, one of Kenya’s oldest rugby clubs. As with most preseason games the match was a relaxed affair played in a lively spirit. After the game the players from both sides gathered in the centre of the pitch and knelt together in prayer.

  
  
  

  This is a regular ritual conducted at the end of many rugby games. This time, however, it was wonderful to see the symbolism of a united Kenya across ethnic, religious, economic, political lines.

  Click here for a larger image.

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• February 02, 2008
• 6:42

  One big happy(ish) family

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Blogs  

  A few years ago I posted a comment on a friend’s blog (which sadly no longer exists) in which I remarked that the Kenyan Blogs Webring reminds me of a typical African extended family. Fluctuating from supportive to destructive, from connected to disjointed, from sane and united to crazy and dysfunctional. Those family members who always believe that there is someone in the family out to get them and thus they constantly whisper conspiracy theories while looking over their shoulders? Well KBW has them too. Luckily we have a lot of sane, sensible and funny family members too.

  Every once in while I get reminded that some people have way too much time on their hands! In the past 12-18 months I have been slowly switching webhosting companies as I search for more reliable, personal and courteous service. The webhosting company I left was called BlueHost

  
  
  

  and the webhosting company I now use is called A Small Orange.

  
  
  

  (Some of you sharp ones will have figured out by now where this post is going!)

  Bluehost’s primary colour is, naturally, blue. A Small Orange’s primary colour is, naturally, orange. Kibaki’s Party of National Unity primary colour is blue and Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement primary colour is orange. If this was not proof enough that I am Odinga’s number one fanboy, the mere fact that I choose a Webhosting company with the word orange in its name and now display a button with an orange is proof enough for some that mentalacrobatics.com is embedded within Odinga’s camp. Hehe.

  People, sometimes a webhost is a webhost and not a declaration of political affiliation! Honest!

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• January 29, 2008
• 8:15

  Moi is not our saviour

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  Once again the whole country has stopped as people gather around TV screens and radios. The last time this happened we were engrossed in the first session of the 10th parliament. This time we all waiting to see a press conference called by Kofi Annan’s mediation team at which both Raila Odinga and Mwai Kibaki are expected to attend. (Thankfully the Official Government Spokesman and his police counterpart, those two reliable beacons of information to some - misinformation to the rest of us, are not scheduled to make an appearance.)

  I am watching this from a building which (illegally) overlooks the Department of Defence headquarters on one side and overlooks Nairobi Hospital on another side. It feels right, therefore, to comment on Kenya’s former dictator, Commander –In-Chief of the Armed Forces and President Daniel arap Moi who is lying in one of the beds in the private VIP wing of Nairobi hospital with a needle sticking out of his hand admitted, we were reliably informed by his personal physician yesterday, because of lower back pain.

  The chaos that has erupted in Kenya in the past four weeks has some misguided souls crying out for a return to the dark days of Moi’s rule. This would have never happened under Moi, they say, things would have been better under Moi, they cry, Moi should save us, they plead. What nonsense!

  Are these the only two options available to Kenyans today? To live under a dictator or, on the other hand, to live in fear as the country burns under an illegitimate president? Are these the only two options? Was this the choice presented to us when we stood for hours to vote in December? NO. Sometimes I wish we had a team of rugby props who could go around the country grab people by the shoulders and shake some sense into them! One of the great victories of the 2007 Kenyan election was the complete and total rejection by the electorate in Rift Valley of Moi’s plans to build a dynasty as each one of his three sons who vied for a parliamentary seat was defeated at the polls. Going back to the dark days of the Moi dictatorship is not an option that should even be entertained. What is wrong with people? This is almost as bad as those crazy (and thankful increasingly isolated) black voices in South Africa who yearn for a return to apartheid. How we as Kenyans used to laugh at that logic, well look who is laughing now.

  To be fair it has become increasingly clear that Moi had a much stronger grip on the country than Kibaki ever did. Kibaki’s cheerleaders praised this as part of their boss’ “hands off” style of government. The only problem is that it did not end at hands off, if anything Kibaki’s style of government should be called a “Brain Off” style of government.

  The current chaos in Kenya was not triggered because of a failure of democracy; it was triggered by a selfish bunch of arrogant politicians who feel that they have the divine right to rule at any cost and thus trample all over our democracy. If democracy had been respected we would not be where we are now. Do NOT blame democracy for our troubles, blame those who are trying to trample it and thus follow in the footsteps of the lonely and frail man who lies in a hospital not far away from here.

  That sad and increasingly pathetic man is not our saviour.

  kenyaelection07

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• January 28, 2008
• 9:39

  Official spokesmen not reliable sources of information

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Blogs  

  Sometimes it feels sweet to be right. Other times it sucks to be right.

  In June last year I was heavily criticised for writing a blog post with the title “Suicide Bomber Hits Nairobi” when downtown Nairobi was rocked by an explosion. I had sourced that information from a Reuters report which quoted a policeman saying that the explosion looked like the work of a suicide bomber.

  The criticism I received focused on my use of the words “suicide bomber” and centred on the argument that it was irresponsible for me to report the explosion as a bombing until the police had released a statement. I wrote a post titled, “In Defence of Bloggers” in which I argued that in Kenya currently it is COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS to sit around and wait for a statement from the police or indeed from the government. Where was the official police statement on the Mount Elgon clashes and where was the official police statement on the Mungiki beheadings I wondered at the time? I argued that the Official Government Spokesman and Official Police Spokesman are not reliable sources of information. This was obvious to me then, it is obvious to all now.

  Kenyan TV has shown clips of young men being gunned down by police and the police spokesman states that he believes the clips have been manipulated to look like something out of “Rambo”. The country is burning and the official Government spokesman went on TV to say that there are a “few skirmishes here and there.”

  I am attending a media conference on Wednesday where I will speak on behalf on bloggers and believe me I will repeat that bloggers are the ultimate source of primary information in Kenya today.

  And despite my argument being proved right by time (after all those who led the criticism against me then are now leading the insults against the official spokesmen) I wish that we had a mature political system where at least the police would realise that they work not for a single political party or regime. But that they work for the country.

  Sometimes it sucks to be right.

  kenyaelection07

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• 8:40

  Carrot and stick

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  Carrot and stick is an idiom used to refer to the act of rewarding good behavior and punishing bad behavior. The carrot represents the edible reward, while the stick refers to a punishing switch.

  Since the crisis in Kenya exploded a steady stream of prominent Africans has flown into town to try and help kick start talks between the Odinga and Kibaki camps and to help the peace efforts.

  My favourite Nobel laureate, Desmond Tutu, arrived and tried to use his considerable moral authority with not much success.

  Four retired African Heads of State Former Mozambican President Joachim Chissano, former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda, former Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa and former Botwana president Ketimire Masire came to “stand with Kenyan people in times of need” but they too did not have much success and were snubbed by Kibaki.

  Up next was a serving head of state. President Kuffor of Ghana arrived in his capacity as head of the African Union to have a go and was instead insulted when the Kibaki’s official spokesman announced that Kuffor had come just to drink a cup of tea with his age mate Kibaki and two ministers, Internal Security Minister Saitoti and Transport Minister Michuki, announced at a press conference that they felt his trip was a waste of time.

  Then came former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, Kuffor’s fellow country man from Ghana. Suddenly things started moving. Kibaki and Raila meet face to face for the first time since the election, and shook hands in public promising to sit down and talk. Negotiation teams have been announced and perhaps most remarkably considering the treatment his predecessors have had in the past few weeks, Annan has complete access to Kibaki seeing him whenever he needs to.

  So what does Annan have that Tutu, Chissano, Kaunda, Mkapa, Masire and Kuffor did not have? Why does Kibaki have to listen to Annan when he ignored the rest and even let his team insult them? Why does Kibaki have to even meet Annan? Simply because he has too, he does not have a choice.

  This is why. Having seen Tutu, Chissano, Kanuda, Mkapa, Masire and Kuffor fail Annan did not want to suffer the same fate. He certainly would not stand for being insulted in public like his president was. Annan was already on his way to Kenya when news of Kuffor shabby treatment at the hands of Kibaki’s team came out and he quickly developed a very convenient “flu” which allowed him to postpone his trip to Kenya.

  Annan learnt from the rest how entrenched in their relative positions the political camps in Kenya were and how difficult it was to see Kibaki. Annan learnt quickly that there was no point in travelling to Kenya unless he carried with him the threat of sanctions. To put it simply he had to be able to force Kibaki and Raila to meet and talk, he had to have complete access to both Kibaki and Raila and he had to ensure that whatever he said they took very seriously. They would have no option but to talk to him and Kibaki especially would have to realise that this was not business as usual.

  In the last 15 - 20 years ever since the environment became sexy and climate change and global warming shot up to the top of the political agenda there has been a concentrated effort to move the United Nations Environmental Programme and United Nations Habitat headquarters from Nairobi. Many European countries want it, the BRIC countries all want it, and many believe that if it was moved to the UN headquarters in New York the environment would feature prominently in international policy. Basically it is all about money. Successive Kenyan governments have always argued that as UNEP is the only UN agency headquartered in a developing country it would send a negative signal to move it from Nairobi. Successive Kenyan governments have also argued that Kenya is an oasis of peace in a troubled region and it was important for the UN to have an international headquarters here.

  One major sanction that Kofi Annan brought with him was the threat to move UNEP and UN Habitat headquarters out of Nairobi, within THE NEXT SIX MONTHS! Not next year, not in the distance future, but by July! Non essential UN staff in Nairobi (as well as many diplomatic staff) have not reported back to work and have in effect been on holiday since the week before Christmas. All agencies have contingency plans to evacuate their offices and to make moves permanent. This was not an empty threat from Annan and I bet it is the number one reason Kibaki agreed to meet Raila.

  They would not take the carrot offered by Tutu and Kuffor, so Annan swung a stick.

  kenyaelection07

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | 6 comments

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• January 15, 2008
• 16:51

  Silver linings: Kenya Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  Every cloud has a silver lining, the saying goes. Tuesday afternoon the dark cloud of an illegitimate presidency in Kenya revealed its silver lining. Democracy hit back hard as Kenya’s 10th parliament convened for the first time. As a proud Kenyan patriot I was pleased that there were no punches thrown in parliament, no unseeingly scenes of honourable members doing what some call pulling a South Korea. It was all very civilised, everybody addressing each other as honourable member this, honourable member that. As a political scientist it was the most drama I have watch in a long time, so many issues to discuss. Rather than deliver a blow by blow account let me highlight a couple of issues I felt were important.

  The situation we have in Kenya as it stands is that we have a president who does not have control of parliament. This would not be a big problem if we had a presidential style of government as in the United States where the president and congress regularly come from different parties and those institutions are designed to work separately. However, what we have in Kenya is a ridiculous deformed hybrid of a presidential and parliamentary style of government, where we have an executive president, who is also a member of the legislature and has the right to vote in the legislature and is dependant on it for his agenda to go through, yet sits separate from other members of parliament and is treated as an respected outsider from most proceedings, does not have to justify his actions to parliament and can largely ignore it or bend it to his will as a rubber stamp.

  This deformed hybrid of government worked perfectly (from a presidential point of view) up to now as the president has always had control of parliament through his political party. In 2008 we have a situation where the strongest political force in the country, ODM, is not only completely opposed to the president but also considers him illegitimate.

  This is not news, ever since Kibaki claimed the presidency he knew that he had fewer members of parliament that those opposed to him. What has been extraordinary to observe in the days since Kibaki rushed to his swearing in ceremony, is that Kibaki has acted like he can simply ignore ODM. Isolated in StateHouse he has acted like he does not have to deal with ODM. Well during the first session of parliament on Tuesday reality hit. For the first time since the election Kibaki came face to face with a group of people who not only think he is illegitimate and stole the election, but also have real power to set up an alternative political power structure. This was shown when ODM managed to get their candidate for Speaker of Parliament, Kenneth Marende, elected over Kibaki’s choice, the former incumbent, Francis Ole Kaparo.

  ODM controlling parliament sets up some very interesting and indeed ridiculous scenarios. Kibaki gets to appoint a cabinet and that cabinet has to work through parliament. Yet the majority in parliament is completely opposed to Kibaki’s policies and will do whatever it can to wreck them. Kibaki, if he was thinking straight, could have overcome this by appointing ODM MPs to key cabinet positions. Instead he chose to ignore ODM all together in a move that made no political sense. ODM due to their strength in numbers will control all parliamentary committees. In another ridiculous scenario, some powerful parliamentary committees have a majority of seats reserved for the opposition in an attempt to prevent the largest political party in parliament from dominating all proceedings.

  Of course the largest political party in parliament is usually the president’s party. This time however ODM is both the largest political party in parliament AND at the same time is the opposition and therefore, now have the opportunity to completely dominate all aspects of parliament’s proceedings and undermine Kibaki’s agenda. They do not have the two thirds majority required for a vote of no confidence, however, they can, for example, vote down the budget. Then what would Kibaki do? Or they can introduce a private members bill which states that anybody appointed a minister immediately looses 90% of his parliamentary salary. This is not as far fetched as you think. After all today we saw attempts by ODM to have the oath MPs have to take as they are sworn in as unconstitutional! We shall see how this plays out. If you didn’t know why we need a new constitution before then hopefully this political mess has opened your eyes to why we do.

  Another aspect of this political situation in the country is that every political move, even when it seems spontaneous and obvious, is calculated. For example, take ODM’s strategy of asking the Speaker to rule the oath MPs have to take during their swearing in as unconstitutional as the MPs have to swear allegiance to the presidency as well as the country and the constitution. It was pretty obvious from the beginning that this Point of Order had no chance of succeeding for a whole variety of reasons and ODM must have known that. So why push it? Perhaps because it gives the new ODM backed Speaker of the House the opportunity to display his impartiality by ruling against ODM in his first ruling?

  What I have found completely irritating in the proceedings of today and the past two weeks is Kibaki’s camp continual insistence that, the law or tradition even, be respected at all times. This from a team that continuously broke “little” laws when they felt those laws did not matter much. One example, the law of Kenya states that there shall be no campaigning the day before an election. Basically this law is designed to allow the electorate to vote in peace. It is not the most significant law but it is important. The evening before the country was due to vote in the Constitutional Referendum i.e. well within the final 24 hours, Kibaki went on TV to give an address carried live by the national broadcaster urging Kenyans to vote for his new proposed constitution. A clear and blatant breaking of the law by the person whose team is now shouting obey the law. When you hear ministers who were part of a government that has repeated tried to muzzle the press by amongst other things sending in paramilitary terror squads and burning presses, continuously insist that everyone else must obey the law or take matters to court you can’t help but snort in disgust.

  These are the same clowns who were using state resources against the law, mainly vehicles and helicopters, in the just concluded campaigns who are now shouting that the law must be obey. We used to be told a story as children warning against adopting cute little lion cubs. The moral of the story; little lions become big lions and big lions kill. If you were wondering what the story teller was talking about well here is a 21st century adaptation; people who break little laws, will have no problems breaking big laws. Those who ignore a “small” law banning campaigning in the last 24 hours today, steal a “big” election tomorrow.

  During the debate in parliament today speaker after speaker on Kibaki’s side urged that tradition be respected. Yet this is the same Kibaki who completely ignored tradition and unilaterally appointed Electoral Commission of Kenya commissioners just two months ago without consulting the opposition ignoring a tradition which was established during the reform talks of 1997 and from which Kibaki directly benefited as a member of the then opposition.

  This habit of breaking the law when it suits them and ignoring traditions when it suits them means that there is no way ODM will trust anything Kibaki’s administration will say. This would not matter if Kibaki controlled parliament. Then he could just continue with his policy to ignore ODM. But since he does not and since ODM can claim the mandate of the people, as the have more MPs, it matters a lot.

  Many of us who worked tirelessly in the past year urging people to vote ensuring them that their vote matters, that their vote is their voice and that all votes are equal have been completely deflated in the past two weeks. What do you tell someone who voted for the first time and then sees his vote disregarded in blatant rigging? I have been expecting many of the younger voters to come and express their anger at me for getting their hopes up that their vote was as powerful as anyone else’s vote. Instead what I have seen is very encouraging; people are engaged in the political process as never before. For example, earlier on Tuesday a group of youth were busy calculating how many votes you need to be elected Speaker of parliament. At petrol stations you hear debates about whether Nominated MPs are nominated before or after the speaker is elected, people come up to me and ask if there is anything that can prevent Kibaki from stealing all the Nominated MP positions for his own party in defiance of tradition which states the nominated positions are given out in proportion to the number of seats won, and the most requested document request I receive by email these days is for the Constitution. Tuesday’s parliamentary proceedings were broadcast live on TV and the whole country was watching and taking note. When Marende was elected speaker we could hear shouts of celebration from Kibera and Kawangware. This engagement is not exclusive to the middle class. It looks like stealing an election is a fantastic way to get the public engaged in civic education. Now that is a massive silver lining!

  (It is now 01.00 and Members of Parliament are still being sworn in? Why the heck don’t these guys start their business day at 09.00 like the rest of the professional world (or at 6am like many of their constituents do)? Don’t worry, Kibaki snuck out a while ago and is probably tucked into bed enjoy a long nights sleep after a hard 5 hour working day.

  kenyaelection07

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• January 08, 2008
• 8:51

  Kibaki names new cabinet: Kenya Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  Kibaki just named a new cabinet on KBC TV - well part of cabinet anyway.

  Highlights

  Vice President: Stephen Kalonzo
  Michuki downgraded to Transport

  I expect the full list will be posted here soon.

  kenyaelection07

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

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• January 05, 2008
• 4:16

  Video: Kenyans talking with GSU - Kenya Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  I managed to capture a few short video clips of Kenyans talking to the GSU during the confrontation at Hurlingham. This clip shows Charity Ngilu asking the officer in charge why the rally is not allowed to continue. It is a bit shaky and ends mid sentence but at least it shows some sort of dialogue.

  For those who have asked, the pictures on the original post and this clip were all taken by me at around the same time. Feel free to use them on your blogs and websites under the terms of the Creative Commons license.

  kenyaelection07

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• 3:50

  Kenyans pulling together - Kenya Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  I’d like to share two stories of grass root initiatives that Kenyans are taking to build bridges.

  1. Nafsi Afrika is a team of acrobats formed in 2000. Its acrobats come mainly from the Kawangware and Kibera slums in Nairobi. These two areas have been rocked by the violence of the past few days. Later on today this team of acrobats will build a human pyramid of acrobats from different tribes in a show of unity. To build a human pyramid you all need each other and you all support each other. The symbolism is fantastic. Check out their website and find out some background information from one of their leaders Ken Owino.
  2. REPACTED is a community based youth-to-youth organization. They are based in Nakuru. In the Free Area part of Nakuru most of the landlords are Kikuyu and most of the tenants are Luo they managed to get both groups together in a forum. One of the organisers Dennis Kimambo writes:
     

     .. . it was a very fired meeting as both side tried to prove that they are right in what is happening at the end of the day we all agreed that the leadership should help with the problem nationally but as locals staying here in Nakuru as neighbours they agreed to refrain from violence and they will hold the same meetings every 3 days just to help one another with the tension and console those who have lost there family in other parts of the country, this was possible with the help of the chief of the area, as we continue to push for peace we are asking you to pray for this country.

     Even though tensions and accusations are high they agreed to meet every 3 days! Fantastic.

  My pride in my country, Kenya, is building up again!

  kenyaelection07

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | 9 comments

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• January 04, 2008
• 6:54

  Kibaki’s meeting with Tutu - Kenya Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  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

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• January 03, 2008
• 16:33

  ODM Rally 3rd Jan - Kenya Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  On Thursday I headed into town to get a feel of the mood on the ground before the ODM rally, banned by the government but which ODM insisted it would go ahead with anyway, at Uhuru Park was due to start.

  I took a matatu into town, jumped out at Railways and started walking towards the centre of town. I noticed all the newspapers had the same headline, Save our Beloved Country. The local media has been criticised in some quarters for not utilising its unique position to help the efforts against the violence, clearly the editors had decided to get proactive.

  
  
  

  I continued walking towards the centre of town and got as far as The Hilton Hotel before I encountered a crowd running towards me and obviously running away from something. There is only one thing that would make Kenyans break the 100 metre sprint record (we are more of the long distance running types), the police. Or specifically the elite paramilitary police, the General Service Unit.

  
  
  

  The GSU are not known for their conversational skills and they had one message for all the Kenyans in town, “Rudi Nyumbani” – Go back home. With ODM threatening to go ahead with the banned rally the cops were not taking any chances in case some ODM supporters had arrived in town early. The GSU units clearly had one objective, to clear the streets. I positioned myself behind them and followed them around as they did they work.

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  Once in a while they would come across an unmovable force. This watch repair man (seated behind the cardboard box) stated that he had come to work he had no money to go home and would have to stay until he earned some money to go home. He clearly had neither the inclination or motivation to attend the ODM rally, the only orange thing about him was the wall where he had positioned his stall. They left him alone.

  
  
  

  Everyone else was not as lucky. Pretty soon and rather effectively after a pretty normal start to the day, downtown Nairobi was like a ghost town.

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  Roads were blocked with stones and the GSU surrounded the perimeter of Uhuru Park making sure that anyone trying to get in would have a fight on their hands.

  
  
  

  
  
  

  All the action was taking place much further away up in Hurlingham a couple of kilometres from the centre of town. ODM leaders had been blocked by police further up although a small group of people included Members of Parliament had managed to walk a little further down.

  
  
  

  
  
  

  The cops were not having any of it however and showed up with a display of might and they were not going to let anyone through.

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  Led by former Health Minister and ODM Pentagon, Charity Ngilu, members of the public tried to engage the police in debate. In effect asking them why they were participating in the oppression of Kenyans and asking for understanding for the rally to go ahead. The police used the usual, “following orders from above” excuse.

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  At one point a member of the public accused the police of using live ammunition earlier in the day. The police insisted that none of the police officers had used live ammunition that day and if she had any cartridges she should bring them to him. The police insisted they were there to disperse the crowd peaceful. At which point someone asked, why many of them were carrying tear gas canisters then?

  
  
  

  The police explanation did not go down well with Ngilu, there is a determination amongst the leadership of ODM to not buckle under the intense pressure to ensure that at the very least the votes are recounted.

  
  
  

  Then the GSU did something I have never ever seen them do before. They turned around and walked away.

  
  
  

  
  
  

  This lead to shouts from the crowd of, “You are Kenyans, you are our brothers.” It felt like at least this section of the crowd wanted the cops to understand their position and join them.

  
  
  

  After a few minutes the road was empty, like nothing had happened there. But as usual it was the small traders who suffered the most, those that open had property and goods looted. The owner of this kiosk, wisely, decided not to open today.

  
  
  

  More pictures in on my Flickr Page.

  kenyaelection07

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | 31 comments

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• 15:23

  Site administration - Ground rules on comments

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  Site Stuff  

  Due to the sporadic nature of my internet connection these past few weeks I have not had much time, to read and engage with those of you who are leaving comments. Making sure my pictures and posts are uploaded correctly usually takes more time than Safaricom/Celtel GPRS gives me before it gives up on me. I would like to thank the vast majority of you again for coming out and engaging with me and with each other in a respectful yet passionate manner.

  However, it is sad to note that some of you are using the space I provide for your comments to spread hate and violent tribalism. I WILL NOT STAND FOR THAT. No doubt many of you were unaware of this blogs existence before this election and thus may not be aware of where I stand on this so let me some things clear.

  I do not blog as part of a popularity contest. I do not really care if I get no comments on my posts (search my archives, I have said this before) as I believe there are other ways to measure a blogs impact. I would rather have one sensible comment that 20 comments shouting nonsense.

  Secondly, I am not here to spoon feed you or even debate with you what does or does not make valid commentary. My younger cousins who are just out of their teens and about to join high school know the difference between intellectual and valid commentary and hate speech. So do you. I will not enter into a lengthy debate on whether your comment, that we should “finish” this or that tribe is valid because of some socio-economic-political-historical injustice you quote. For crying out loud our country is burning. You fuel the flames here and I will burn your comment, i.e. I will delete it.

  Thirdly, if you do engage in the nonsense highlighted above, not only will I delete your comment but I will probably ban your IP address as well. There is too much at stake here for me to spend time fighting hate here and if you spread hate I really do not care if you feel aggrieved at being locked out of my blog. I will not engage with you and more importantly I will not give you a platform from which to spread that hate. If you really must, then start your own blog and spread your nonsense there. I have banned people from commenting before and I have banned IP address from this domain before and I can tell you for sure that it works as, surprisingly, each and every person I have banned from this blog returns a few months later with a cleaner mouth (and new IP address). Some are even taking part in this debate about the aftermath of the elections, perhaps they will be brave enough to share why they are back after being banned. This shows to me that many of irresponsible people only leave hate comments because they feel they can get away with it. So I will not let you get away with it here.

  Now to the vast majority of my visitors, who have left comments, thank you i appreciate you and I urge you, please, please start your own blogs and add to the voices from Kenya. Ignore the rant above it was not directed at you.

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2008. | Permalink | 9 comments

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• 15:19

  ODM rally on - Kenya Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  (I wrote this post on the morning of Thursday 3rd of January but due to internet connectivity problems can only post it now. It has been overtaken by events somewhat, but as I sat down and wrote it I insist that I be allowed to post it!)

  The uneasy calm that settled over Nairobi for the past two days has been replaced by overbearing tension once again. Everybody knows that how today plays out will be vital for how our country will move forward. This is because today is when ODM is planning on holding a massive rally at Uhuru Park in the middle of Nairobi.

  Under Kenyan law if you want to hold a public rally you have to notify the local police at least 48 hours in advance. You do not have to apply for a license; you are required to notify the police. The rally can be banned for two reasons,

  1. The venue has already been booked by another group
  2. On national security grounds

  It is for this second reason that the police (allegedly working on orders from the Minister of Internal Security) have banned today’s rally. The ban on this rally is a very bad idea. This is why:

  Immediately after Kibaki was hurriedly sworn in on the 30th of December, ODM called for a rally on the 31st of December which was immediately banned. As the 48 hours notice had not been given, as the tensions in the country were very high and as we did not even know if the ODM leaders had been arrested or not, ODM decided to cancel that rally and scheduled today’s rally instead.

  It is important, especially as the country is divided, that as PNU has grabbed the instruments of State, that ODM be allowed to meet. By banning all ODM activity the government is sending the message that it considers ODM a nuisance at the best and illegitimate at the worst, which is VERY dangerous especially when a large section of the country feels the president seized power illegitimately himself.

  Secondly, everyone recognises that the country is split in half politically. Tensions are high everywhere. Sitting in Kenyan right now is like sitting in a Pressure Cooker. The pressure keeps rising and rising. This tension needs an outlet and there are various outlets that it can express itself in. One such outlet is allowing ODM supporters to see their leaders in person, hear them talk, and express their frustrations. This would significantly cool the emotional temperatures in the country. An experienced peace mediator and negotiator told me yesterday that if the rally was allowed to go on today and if it passed peacefully, tensions in the country could drop by over 50%. If you close this outlet for the tension and frustrations, then other outlets such as violence and looting may be employed instead. For the sake of stability and security this rally should go ahead.

  Thirdly, with the ban on live broadcasts (which should also be lifted immediately) it is important that ODM leaders are given a forum through which they can express themselves directly to their supporters. ODM has at least 3 times as many Members of Parliament as any other party, ODM is the largest political force in the country. It is completely nonsensical to refuse them the opportunity to talk to their supporters.

  However, this government seems to have taken leave of its sense. I am writing this in Golf Course/Ngummo on the edge of Kibera and as I was coming in this morning I could see lorries of policemen being deployed around us (to try and keep the crowds from Kibera from attending the rally). The water cannons are out with people determined to break through them, the crowd has already clashed with the police on Ngong Road. Unlike Monday today people will reach Uhuru Park. I hope that unlike Monday the police do not resort to using live ammunition.

  kenyaelection07

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• 0:11

  What is going on – Kenya Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  Like many Kenyans I watched with disbelief as my country slide into violence in the past week. One thing that shocked everyone was the speed at which things escalated. If you had told anyone one week ago as they stood in those long lines to vote that just seven days later the country would reeling from being plunged into violence, supermarkets would be forced to shut and there would be long queues for basics such as bread, that by Monday you would be paying KSH 90.00 for a KSH 50.00 and KSH 330.00 for a KSH 250 Safaricom airtime card, that a church with mainly women and children would be burnt to the ground killing around 30, most people would have thought you were mad. But that is what happened.

  So what are people doing? One important thing to repeat is that no one expected this and therefore, understandably, no one had a contingency plan in place for the country going up in flames. However, once the shock subsided, Kenyans swung into action. The first response was humanitarian, getting food, clothing, blankets, medical professionals and medical supplies in. The humanitarian response comes first because if your house is on fire, you immediate priority is to stop it burning. Once you have stopped the fire then you can start examining whether it was petrol, diesel, a faulty gas cylinder etc that caused the fire. Right now we are still fighting the fire, literally and metaphorically. The biggest challenge, apart from the usual logistical challenges of mounting such an operation, was the lack of safe passage into the area as the security situation deteriorated. As the government was nowhere to be seen, the humanitarian response revolved around identifying and talking to local Community Based Organisations (CBOs) on the ground in areas of violence and using their networks to reach those affected. CBOs are very important in situations like this because, they know many of those who are perpetrating the violence personally, they know where tensions are the highest, they know key people who can help reduce those tensions, and they have distribution channels through which supplied can pass. It has been heartening to see big international NGOs recognise and work with small CBOs on the ground.

  However, there was one big problem, communication. The severe lack of mobile phone airtime vouchers meant that information could not flow up from the ground. Many of us in Nairobi and other urban areas were running around looking for airtime vouchers which we can send directly to another mobile phone enabling them to make calls and send txts. Another problem was that as these CBOs are, as the name suggests, embedded in their community, many of them were caught up in the violence and were displaced themselves. So for example, some people had airtime on their phones, but couldn’t charge their phone batteries. It has to be repeated again that the government’s response has been pathetic thus far (that is a separate post on its own).

  After the humanitarian response to the crisis, there is now movement for a political solution. Whatever you think about the long term roots of the current situation, economic inequality, ethnic tensions or even perhaps that everyone has been possessed by “devils” we all need to recognise that what sparked this violence was a political crisis and that crisis is that we have what many Kenyans consider to be an illegitimate president. That is not a partisan statement, even members of Kibaki’s cabinet say that we simply do not know who won the election.

  Yesterday I attended a strategy meeting of concerned citizens a group pulled together by Ambassador Bethwel Kiplagat, George Wachira and former Armed Forces Generals Daniel Opande and Lazarus Sumbeiywo. This is a very powerful group, multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and across religious lines. The aim now is to get Raila and Kibaki to sit down and talk to discuss ways to stop the violence and to discuss political solutions to this crisis.

  The aim of this post is not to explore the issues around the issues but to highlight that there is a sophisticated and dedicated response to the crisis in our country. We ALL have to recognise that there are some long term issues here that will have to be dealt with to hopefully stop this from ever happening again.

  kenyaelection07

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• January 02, 2008
• 10:02

  Site Administration

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  Thank you for all the messages. Yesterday was a pretty taxing day all around. Today has been much better as I have been running around participating in various peace initiatives that are taking place around the country. There are many patriots working to pull our country back from the brink and I believe these efforts will prevail, they have to. I will share my insights in my next posts.

  Some administration information, in the past few days my blog has moved servers. (When I had scheduled it I was pretty sure that the 31st of December would be a quiet night on this blog – little did I know what fate had in store for us.) Apologies if your comment disappeared, it probably fell between the cracks. If you can see this you’re cool. Cheers.

  kenyaelection07

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• January 01, 2008
• 11:08

  New Year’s Day - Kenya Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  Apologies for silence today, I have been running around trying to keep tabs on the various initiatives to save our country. I will put up some posts in the next few hours. Right now I have to get home safe. One quick note:

  Eldoret, ladies and gentlemen, things are very very bad in Eldoret. Homes being raided. Churches being burnt. Shops being looted. Murder and rape in broad daylight. Ethnic groups after each other. Let me tell you this is much much bigger than Kikuyu –v- Luo.
  Pamoja.

  kenyaelection07

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• December 31, 2007
• 10:38

  ODM Press Conference – Kenya Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  The ODM Pentagon members are alive and well, looking determined and serious. Following a meeting with the diplomatic corps at InterContinental Hotel, the Pentagon held a press conference at the hotel poolside. I arrived as Raila was talking; he appealed for calm and restraint on the streets and repeated his call for a mass protest on the Thursday the 3rd of January at Uhuru Park. The international press were there in full force. I expect news from the press conference will make many of the major news channels. (Thanks M4 for the tip!)

  Tuju, Kibaki’s Foreign Minister who was amongst the senior cabinet members to lose their seat at the polls, gave a statement saying ODM should accept the result. (I think Tuju may also have been in the meeting with the diplomatic corps in his capacity as Foreign Minister although some of the local press at InterContinental whispered that he is not in Kibaki’s new cabinet due to be named any time soon.)

  Here are some pictures:

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  kenyaelection07

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• 2:23

  Uncertainty grips Kenya – Kenya Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  Uncertainty is the word I would use to describe the mood around Kenya this morning in contrast to fear and anger last night.

  Where are the ODM pentagon members?

  Last night’s report that they had been arrested and shot have been rubbished by the police. The police say they have not arrested any pentagon members. Which of course leaves the possibility that they were apprehended by another branch of the security forces for example the army. What I do know is that many senior opposition figures are attempting to contact them with no success, which in itself is pretty scary. Of course this could all be part of an elaborate plan to keep the location of the ODM Pentagon secret, especially from those of us outside the inner circle such as myself.

  Those of us in Nairobi with a network of information are lucky. The further you get from Nairobi the wilder the rumours. For example, in Kakamega in western Kenya, the story circulating is that all the members of the Pentagon are in jail for treason/sedition and their lives are in danger.

  I suspect that until Odinga appears on TV or at some other public forum these rumours will not die down.

  I feel in the Kenya we have today (despite the chaos of the last two days) it would be impossible to keep the arrest, shooting or death of key opposition leaders secret for long. Someone somewhere would have leaked that information, which would have made its way into the media. For this (albeit flimsy reason) I feel that the Pentagon are safe. I hope I am right.

  Will the rally at Uhuru Park go ahead?

  Last night ODM announced a rally for 14.00 at Uhuru Park today where Raila would be sworn in as the “People’s President”. The police were quick to ban the rally stating that correct procedure had not been followed. In addition the police added that any member of the public attending the rally would be, “dealt with”. This has not stopped large groups of people trying to make their way to Uhuru Park out of Kibera only to be met by security forces with tear gas. For those who know the area, the area around Mimosa court was the scene of fighting amongst rival gangs, pro and anti government. Ngong Road earlier today was also a no go area.

  If the Pentagon are unable to attend the rally for whatever reason then i doubt it will go ahead. The problem is with the media blackout no one knows whether the Pentagon will or will not attend and so may just end up going to Uhuru Park anyway. Having gambled a large part of their credibility in ensuring the rally does not go ahead I expect the police response to be vigorous.

  Are supplies getting through?

  I met a clever blogger stocking up on supplies at Uchumi Ngong Road a few days ago. I gave up standing in the long queue. Now I am regretting that decision. As supermarkets remain closed and major roads impassable there is concern that food and petrol supplies are low. One of the most valuable thing around here after food and fuel is mobile phone airtime cards, such is the scarcity! Kenya has also been on holiday for practically two weeks. People need to bank, businesses have to be run, the school year is due to start next week arrangements for that have to be made. Tomorrow should be a normal working day. Will it be?

  What is the media going to do?

  After yesterday’s directive restricting what the media can and can not broadcast the Media Council and Media Owner’s Association are meeting today to formulate their response. Will they obey the government’s order? Will they disregard it? Are they united? Are they divided?

  Who will be Vice President?

  Kibaki’s Party of National Unity only has 37 MPs most of who are from his Central Province. Logic suggests that there is no way you can have the president and vice president from the same tribe. In addition Kibaki needs to bring in many more political parties to have any semblance of a working parliamentary majority. This probably means that ODM-K are being courted heavily at the moment. Kalonzo, the leader of ODM-K and third in the presidential race, will probably demand nothing less than the Vice Presidency in return for his political support. This would not go down well with people who have been with Kibaki since day 1 of these campaigns.

  kenyaelection07

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2007. | Permalink | 5 comments

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• December 30, 2007
• 13:41

  Raila arrested, Ruto shot? - Kenyan Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  Latest from a source within the ODM camp (unverified)

  Raila and Ruto arrested after the press conference where they announced the alternative inauguration for tomorrow morning. They were taken to hospital by the security forces to be “treated for shock”. Message went on to say that Ruto had been shot but not fatally.

  Planning an alternative inauguration can be interpreted as treason which would explain the security forces heavy approach (if this is true). During the press conference Raila introduced an army Major who stated that the armed forces are behind Raila. Our military is divided.

  This is unverified. It is from a source who has been credible thus far.

  Previous we had heard that Raila was “under the care of the army for his own safety” and that Raila would spend the night at the US Embassy due to concerns about his safety.

  kenyaelection07

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2007. | Permalink | 22 comments

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• 12:18

  ODM plan rival inaguration - Kenya Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  Information that is circulating: ODM have rejected the Presidential Result and will hold an alternative Presidential inauguration for Raila Odinga in the next few days. More news as I get it.

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• 11:34

  Kibaki steals the election then attacks democracy - Kenyan Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  The symbolism could not be greater. Five years ago as Kenya celebrated the election of a democratically elected President Kibaki Uhuru Park in central Nairobi was full to the brim as over a million Kenyans came together in song and jubilation to witness the swearing in of their new president. Today, as Nairobi burns with the anger of a democratic vote disregarded and stolen by a now illegitimate “President” Kibaki, in a quickly rushed ceremony broadcast without any warning Kibaki was sworn in as president in front of the cabinet the Kenyan electorate rejected so emphatically. 5 years ago, a million plus Kenyans applauded and cheered, today a political dinosaurs such as Nyachae and Kombo clapped as they tried to outdo each other in showing their loyalty and eagerness to please in the hope that after being rejected by the electorate they would give a lifeline into parliament as nominated MPs.

  I do not blame him. There is no way Kibaki can face the Kenyan public at Uhuru Park. No way. By hiding in StateHouse behind his security detail Kibaki confirms that he is a virtually a prisoner in his own country forever destined to interact with Kenyans behind a living jail cell of men in black suits armed to the teeth.

  Meanwhile Kenya is toppling over the edge. Kibera is on fire. I passed a collection of police lorries collecting near the City Mortuary round about all the cops dressed in full riot gear waiting for the situation to calm down before they moved in. Along Ngong Road past Jamhuri park groups of people have started gathering around corners. Everyone is waiting. The whole place is like a gas cylinder awaiting a flint to set it off. In Kibera it has already gone off, from Kakamega I hear reports of houses burning, the same in Kapsabet.

  Now Kibaki’s team shows its true colours. Just as ODM were about to give a live press conference they were suddenly taken off air. 10 minutes later Nation TV announce that the Minister for Internal Security, Michuki, has banned all live broadcasts. Kibaki in his rushed inauguration speech said he wants to come together as brothers and sisters for national unity. What an insult to the intelligence of Kenyans. Strangely Kibaki supporters have already started peddling the old excuse, that he does not know the draconian measures his ministers are taking. WHAT? The man was sworn in an hour ago and you say he already doesn’t know what is going on? Is this the democratic space Kibaki keeps talking about?

  Meanwhile Kibera burns and people loose their lives. Because one old man and his cronies refused to believe Kenyans have rejected them.

  kenyaelection07

  © Mentalacrobatics for Mentalacrobatics, 2007. | Permalink | 7 comments

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• 5:16

  Something is not right – Kenya Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  In my post on the vote counting procedure I stated that, “once the vote has been placed in the ballot box it is next to impossible to do something dodgy.” Perhaps I spoke to soon. To put it least dramatically, something is seriously not right here.

  As an example let me use the constituency of Ikolomani in western Kenya as it is neither in Kibaki’s stronghold of Central province or Raila’s stronghold of Nyanza. I also know that constituency relatively well. Ikolomani is one of the constituencies where the Electoral Commission of Kenya has yet to release the results of the presidential vote.

  The constituencies around Ikolomani, Shinyalu and Butere all voted overwhelmingly for ODM at civic, parliamentary and presidential level. Ikolomani however re-elected Dr Bonny Khalwale who was standing on a New Ford Kenya ticket which is part of the coalition of parties supporting Kibaki. This result has been largely accepted by the people of Ikolomani despite the race being exceeding tight.

  Now in my observation of the vote counting process and according to Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) procedures ballots are counted in the following order: presidential, parliamentary, civic. The ECK announced the parliamentary result of Ikolomani late on Friday/early Saturday. This raises a few interesting points:

  1. As the presidential ballots were counted before the parliamentary ballots and all results are sent from the constituency to the ECK at the same time, why is it that the ECK announced the parliamentary results of Ikolomani two days ago yet have not announced the presidential results which they got at the same time?
  2. The parliamentary race in Ikolomani was pretty tight. This made it necessary for the results to go through various recounts to satisfy everybody. In short this was not a straight-forward constituency yet they had results by Friday evening. Why is that constituencies where the parliamentary race was much more straight forward have also delayed in sending in their presidential tallies yet have eagerly shared their parliamentary tallies.
  3. Could it be because the people of Ikolomani, like many around Kenya, split their ballot? In this example voting for ODM at presidential level, yet PNU at parliamentary level?

  Another more general point, the ECK says one of the problems it faces is that it can not trace around some of the Returning Officers who have the final presidential results of the constituencies they are yet to announce. The ECK chairman said yesterday that many of them had turned off their phones or were not answering their phones.

  I can tell you right now that the Returning Officer for a constituency is not small, insignificant person. Of the people I know who have been Returning Officers in the past, one was the chairman of the Headmasters Association (in short the Headmaster of the Headmasters of all the secondary schools in the country), another was the Head of Finance of a large petroleum company, and another was a former very senior civil servant. These are not people who can simply disappear off the map by simply switching off their phones. These are pillars in their respective communities. You can not tell me that they can not be found in 48 hours. Heck if I disappeared in shags I would be found within 12 hours easily, how is it these guys are completely MIA?

  A final point, according to official figures released by the ECK at 14.30 on Saturday Odinga had 3,880,053 votes against Kibaki’s 3,842,051 giving Raila a lead of 38,002. Now check out what the Office of the Government Spokesman has on its website:

  
  
  
  
  

  Kibaki: 2,394,099 and Raila: 2,388,721 giving Kibaki a lead of 5378. Now if that is not inflammatory and irresponsible I do not know what is.

  kenyaelection07

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• 2:12

  Blessed are the peacemakers - Kenyan Election 2007

   » ‎ Mentalacrobatics

  Tags:  kenyaelection07 Election07  

  Last night Kenya was on edge. For the first time I started doubting my own deeply held belief that this election would be largely peaceful. News from around the country of serious looting in Kisumu, violent protests in Kakamega, Eldoret, Mombasa, parts of Nairobi under siege were all very disturbing.

  There was some fracas along Ngong Road in Nairobi which (combined with the looting of supermarkets elsewhere in the country) led to Nakumatt (understandably) closing all their branches across the city. Kenyans (and Nairobians in particular) have become used to the culture of retail convenience. When people turned up at Nakumatt Junction found it was closed went to Nakumatt Prestige, found it was closed, panic started checking in. Uchumi, perhaps sensing the opportunity to make a killing, lowered some of their shutters but stayed open. Within an hour word had spread that everything was closed apart from Uchumi, the place was PACKED!

  
  
  
  
  

  People were buying everything. Bread, eggs, canned food, cereal, lots and lots of alcohol, but nobody stopped at the hardware section. With rumours weeks ago about people buying pangas in bulk (big sharp machetes used mainly for gardening) everybody was watching the panga and knives section. I wonder what would have happened if a person tried to buy a set of pangas.

  Because Uchumi was packed and everywhere else was closed, the small shops at petrol stations which have been largely deserted since the arrival of 24 hour supermarket shopping were also full. I queued for 20 minutes to try and buy some Safaricom airtime only to be told the only ones available were KSH 50.00 which explains why this post is coming to you this morning rather than last night.

  Things were not helped with the flurry of irresponsible txt messages flying from phone to phone. One alleged that PNU bigwigs (Kibaki’s party) had mobilized Administration Police across the city with orders to torch slums, another one alleged that ODM (Odinga’s party) had bussed it battle harden troops from South Sudan ready to cause chaos across Nairobi. And on and on it went. Strangely with everyone assured that “their side” had made contingency plans for violence everyone was slightly reassured. Now I know what it must have felt like at the height of the cold war when both sides had the ability to completely destroy each other so no one made a move. A weird illusion of peace as violence is balanced.

  It is not all bad news however; together with the violent, rumour filled txts came the calls for peace. Soon my phone book was over flowing with peace messages many of them religious. At midnight thousands of Kenyans knelt in pray in a prayer chain. Calls for prayers came from all over even the blogosphere. For sure churches and other places of worship are full to the brim this morning.

  I know that as I write this a meeting of influential but non political Kenyans from across tribal, gender and religious lines is being planned with the aim of convincing all big three presidential candidates to appear together in public and make a joint appeal for peace. (This effort may be overtaken by events as all eyes are now on TV screens as the Electoral Commission of Kenya is about to give a press conference where presidential results are expected).

  I leave you with a txt message I received this morning, it also leads as one of the longest txt messages I have ever received:

  An Open Appeal: For the record the MP-Elect from my constituency in which I voted, Ikolomani, is from New-Ford Kenya, a PNU affiliate party, and this has been taken peacefully by people because there was OPEN fairness even though almost as many voted ODM. Please let us note that Biblically God promotes peace when founded on God’s standard of truth and justice. Let us pray for truth/justice and fairness to prevail amongst all decision-makers and in all our hearts in the nation as the foundation for building peace now and forever. We note that the previous regime’s (Moi’s) “peace” legitimized oppression and unfair deals. People and God reject that and this negatively tainted whatever was done. Let us who have worked in Rais Kibaki’s government give a legacy worthy of our National Anthem. Thank you for praying. God bless. Please pass this on.

  kenyaelection07

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