The Clergy in Kenya has been at war with its flock. By the look of things the Clergy has miserably lost. According to the latest Strategic Research polls Kenyans will accept the Proposed Constitution with a big majority. No less than 66 % of registered voters will support the Proposed Constitution.Most of the voters are Christians who are telling the Clergy to keep off politics. Tempers are now high and instead of the religious leaders preaching peace, they have joined the YES-NO war of words; and unfortunately they have joined the losing side. Naturally they will lose face and a lot of respect.
The little support that is to be found in the “NO” camp is mainly made up of people who are unable to reconcile themselves going against the word of their church leaders. Yet some church leaders have forgotten a very major role they should be playing in the whole battle for “YES” or “NO” votes – that of reconciliation. It is not late for them to start preaching reconciliation according to the Bible which says:
"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice"
--Ephesians 4:31
Throughout the referendum campaign period Kenyans were shocked to see religious leaders engage in words of bitterness openly through anger full of malice. The people who know the teachings of the Good Book looked at the leaders dressed in red gowns and realized they were not following the teaching of God. That is why the majority of them have decided to abandon their pastors and join hands to bring about the much needed change in this country. Kenyans know that among the leaders taking the “YES” stand are some very good Christians including 300 church leaders. Day in and day out the red-robbed church leaders have shown Kenyans that they can be very angry people; yet the Bible says:
"In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,"
--Ephesians 4:26
The sun in Kenya goes down every day with many angry church leaders setting very bad example to their flock. Because of the anger created by church leaders the country is torn apart. Without church leaders in the “NO” camp the people opposing the Proposed Constitution would have been just a handful led by William Ruto, Cyrus Jirongo, Daniel arap Moi, Naomi Shaban and Samuel Poghisio. The rest of Kenyans would have been in the “YES” camp as they did when they were giving their views to the Committee of Experts which wrote the Proposed Constitution according to the wishes of the people. Even if the religious leaders think the “YES” team is made up of sinners, they still seem to have forgotten what the Bible says about forgiveness:
"…and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us"
-- Matthew 6:12
Throughout the campaign church leaders in the “NO” camp showed very little willingness to forgive the people they thought were wrong. The stand taken by the Church leaders in the “NO” camp was so confrontational that people were moved with emotions with very little room for forgiveness. Even after the “YES” team is declared the winners on Thursday, Church leaders must come out as leaders of peace and preach forgiveness. The manner in which they have been behaving, as they moved in different groups to many parts of the country, they seemed to have very little room for forgiveness. Paradoxically, when the country overwhelmingly endorses the Proposed Constitution, it will be the Church leader who will need to be forgiven. The good Christians of Kenya must not be tired of forgiving each other for the Bible says:
"Then Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? [As many as] up to seven times? Jesus answered him, “I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven!"
-- Matthew 18:21-22
It is not too late to forgive. Even now when there are only three days left before the people of Kenya go to the ballot boxes to prove the Clergy wrong, religious leaders have an opportunity to bring the country together by asking both the “YES” camp and the “NO” camp to forgive one another. The new Constitution will drastically change the manner in which this country is governed but basically the country will remain the same. The people of Kenya will still be brothers and sisters. So the Clergy must seize the opportunity to preach forgiveness, for the Bible says:
"Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others."
-- Colossians 3:13
There are many stories that have been told about the real reason the Clergy in Kenya seems to have forgotten the word of God and started preaching hatred. American fundamentalist Rightist churches that want to use the referendum in Kenya to fight Barack Obama have openly said that they have given a lot of money to the Clergy in the “NO” camp. Despite all that, church leaders must now embark on the noble duty to make peace for the Bible says:
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
-- Matthew 5:9
Long after the country endorses the new Constitution the Kenya will need peace. Though the people have been taught bitter lessons during the post 2007 election clashes, there are still some leaders who have been threatening peace during the referendum campaigns. William Ruto and the retired President Daniel arap Moi have time and again warned that the endorsement of the Proposed Constitution would lead to chaos in the Rift Valley. So far the people of Rift Valley have behaved very admirably by refusing to be led to unnecessary confrontation with people they disagree with politically. Kenyans must always remember that peace is so important for us for the Good Book says:
The LORD blesses his people with peace.
--Psalm 29:11
Religious leaders should have been in the forefront to prepare the people of Kenya to vote peacefully on Wednesday; but listening to some of them leading prayers throughout the campaign period for the referendum was like listening to generals preparing soldiers to go to war. They were totally uncompromising.The future of this country will depend on peace. All the good things that are proposed by the Draft Constitution will not be able to be implemented in a situation that has no peace. Knowing the religious leaders well, Kenyans realize that they will be among the first to blame all sorts of people and institutions when the results are declared and they discover that they have been backing the wrong horse all this time. They must remember that with the New Constitution and peace the future is very bright for the Bible says:
Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace.
-- Psalm 37:37
Even with peace the country will need unity to forget the animosity that has been preached by religious leaders. Even though the country will have a new Constitution in three days we are a divided people and the divisions have been brought about by what some religious leaders have been preaching. Despite all the animosity the religious leaders have been preaching, they still have time to obey God’s commandment which is found in the Bible:
"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
--John 13:34-35
When all is said and done Kenya will remain one country with a new Constitution from Wednesday. The country must remain united and forgive the religious leaders because the Bible says:
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"
-- Psalm 133:1
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Referendum: Why Kibaki criticizes Moi
Nothing fascinates Kenyans today more than the Moi-Kibaki fight on the Proposed Constitution. The two have off and on been political associates and antagonists at different times in their long lives. But when they fight they are so careful not to spill the beans concerning the many skeletons they both hide in their cupboards. On constitutional issues they have fought many wars both as friends and foes.
The first Kibaki-Moi confrontation on a major constitutional issue was in 1963 when the two took opposite stands as they belonged to the then most powerful political parties that bitterly opposed one another on the kind of constitution independent Kenya needed. Whereas Mwai Kibaki belonged to the Kenya African National Union, which stood for a unitary system of Government, Daniel Toroitich arap Moi belonged to the Kenya African Democratic Union, which stood for a federal type of Government known as the majimbo system.
When the final constitutional conference took place at Britain’s Lancaster House in 1963, Moi belonged to the camp led by Ronald Ngala backed by Masinde Muliro and Justus ole Tipis which was strongly supported by the Colonial Government whereas Mwai Kibaki belonged to the camp that was led by Jomo Kenyatta, Tom Mboya, James Gichuru and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. At the end of the Lancaster House conference Kibaki’s team lost to the Moi team when the majimbo constitution was adapted as the supreme law in Kenya’s internal self government with Jomo Kenyatta as its first Prime Minister.
In the first Government formed by Kanu under the leadership of Jomo Kenyatta in 1963 neither Moi nor Kibaki sat in the first cabinet. In that Kanu Government Kenyatta was the Prime Minister, Oginga Odinga was the Minister for Home Affairs, Tom Mboya was the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs , James Gichuru was the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning , Joseph Murumbi was the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office in charge of foreign affairs, Mbiyu Koinange was the Minister of State for Pan African Affairs, Dr. Njoroge Mungai was the Minister for Health and Housing, James Otiende was the Minister for Education, Bruce McKenzie was the only white face in the first Kenyatta Government and was the Minister for Agriculture , Samuel Ayodo was the Minister for Local Government, Dr. Julius Kiano was the Minister for Commerce and Industry, Dawson Mwanyumba was the Minister for Works , Communications and Power, Eluid Mwendwa was the Minister for Labour and Social Services, Laurence Sagini was the Minister for Natural Resources , Achieng Onkeno was the Minister for Information , Broadcasting and Tourism and Jackson Angaine was the Minister for Lands and Settlement.
Though that was a very powerful Kanu team in the Government, Kenyatta and his Kanu party were not satisfied. Power was not really in the hands of the old man. With majimbo fully operational power was scattered all over the country because the constitution said so. Kenyatta’s first duty was to fight a quiet war applying the stick and carrot tactic to influence Kadu to join his Government in order to concentrate all the powers in his hands. But that could not be done without constitutional changes.
That is when Kibaki and Moi joined hands in one of the first constitutional conspiracies in this country that betrayed the people of Kenya by concentrating all the powers in the hands of Jomo Kenyatta who was beginning to build the foundation stone for making himself a despot. This was done through the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act Number 28 of 1964 which brought Moi and his other colleagues in Kenyatta’s first republican government after the dissolution of Kadu as the Opposition party – a move that is today seen by many as the first step towards the creation of despotism in Kenya.
The second time when Kibaki and Moi joined hands in another constitutional conspiracy against the people of Kenya was when they jointly, together with their two parties Kanu and Kadu, passed another Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act Number 38 of 1964 which denied regions powers to raise their own funds, making them totally dependant on the central Government in yet another move that made Kenyatta a powerful despot. This was the amendment that also gave the President powers to appoint judges without consulting anyone.
In yet another effort to make the President of Kenya really powerful Moi and Kibaki joined hands yet again to pass the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act number 16 of 1966 which demanded Members of Parliament to lose their seats if they were jailed for more than six months. This made MPs so timid and scared of the President who was becoming too powerful and could make any one of them lose his or her after going to jail for petty offenses. That same amendment to the Constitution made MPs lose their seats if they missed eight consecutive sittings in Parliament.
When it was obvious that Jomo Kenyatta was becoming an uncontrollable dictator the Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga resigned from Government on April 14, 1966. He also resigned from Kanu with a strong team of 28 Members of Parliament after forming what was threatening to be a very popular party known as the Kenya People’s Union (KPU). To fight Jaramogi, Kibaki and Moi joined Tom Mboya and Kenyatta in yet another constitutional conspiracy through the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act Number 17 of 1966 which required MPs to seek new mandate from the people through by election when they resign from the political party that got them elected to Parliament.
This is what led Jaramogi and his team seek new mandate through what was then called the Little General Election. When President Kibaki and Daniel arap Moi engage in public war of words on constitutional issues they both know that in 1966 they betrayed the people of Kenya when they joined hands with other Kenyatta sycophants to pass yet another Constitutional (Amendment) Act Number 18 of 1966 which made the President have powers to detain anyone without any trial. These are the skeletons the two leaders are careful not to expose in their cupboards as they publicly exchange bitter words.
Kibaki and Moi joined hands yet again in another constitutional conspiracy in 1966 when they passed the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Number 40 of 1966 which abolished the Senate which the Proposed Constitution is rightfully trying to reestablish. The two leaders betrayed Kenyans yet again in another Constitutional Amendment Number 2 of 1968 which prohibited politicians from seeking election as independent candidates. Today Kibaki is repentant and wants the people of Kenya to enjoy the freedom to seek election without any political party as it is in the Proposed Constitution, but Moi is not and wants the despotic tendencies of denying wananchi that right to continue.
Kibaki and Moi joined hands in yet another constitutional conspiracy when they passed the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act Number 45 of 1968 which demanded presidential candidates to be nominated by a political party. In yet another constitutional conspiracy Kibaki and Moi joined hands and passed the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act Number 5 of 1969 which required all members of the Electoral Commission of Kenya to be appointed by the President. This amendment is what gave Kibaki powers to appoint Samuel Kivuitu whose terrible mess in mishandling the 2007 election is still fresh in people’s minds.
In constitutional matters Kibaki and Moi have been very close friends. When it was clear that Mzee Kenyatta was getting too old a team of Gema leaders tried to change the constitution to make sure Moi, who was then the Vice President, did not take over. That political plot was called Change-the-Constitution-scheme. Mwai Kibaki was one of the most outspoken politicians against the scheme. When Daniel arap Moi took over the leadership of Kenya he rewarded Kibaki’s loyalty by appointing him the country's Vice President.
When Moi became the country’s number one boss his joint constitutional conspiracy with Kibaki against the people of Kenya did not stop. Mwai Kibaki joined him in changing the Constitution yet again to make Moi even more despotic than Kenyatta. That was through the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act Number 7 of 1982 which made Kanu the only legal political party in the country. At that time Kibaki and Moi made the entire country sing songs in praise of the so-called ruling party as mama na baba of all Kenyans.
To be fair to President Kibaki he has done quite an about turn act since he took over the leadership of the country and tried to give Kenyans a truly democratic Constitution. But that was not before he tried to copy the dictatorship exemplified by Daniel arap Moi. In the 2007 elections Kibaki did what Moi had done many times in stealing the election. Moi’s worst record was in 1988 when he deprived the people of Kenya the right to elect their parliamentarians democratically. That is when he introduced the notorious mlolongo electoral system .
By giving the people of Kenya the opportunity to approve the Proposed Constitution, Kibaki knows Kenyans will forgive him for the constitutional sins he committed with Daniel arap Moi against the people of this country. When Daniel Toroitich arap Moi goes round the country condemning the Proposed Constitution he must be seriously irritating Mwai Kibaki and reminding him of things he would rather were swept under the carpet. He therefore has very good reasons to criticize Moi.
The first Kibaki-Moi confrontation on a major constitutional issue was in 1963 when the two took opposite stands as they belonged to the then most powerful political parties that bitterly opposed one another on the kind of constitution independent Kenya needed. Whereas Mwai Kibaki belonged to the Kenya African National Union, which stood for a unitary system of Government, Daniel Toroitich arap Moi belonged to the Kenya African Democratic Union, which stood for a federal type of Government known as the majimbo system.
When the final constitutional conference took place at Britain’s Lancaster House in 1963, Moi belonged to the camp led by Ronald Ngala backed by Masinde Muliro and Justus ole Tipis which was strongly supported by the Colonial Government whereas Mwai Kibaki belonged to the camp that was led by Jomo Kenyatta, Tom Mboya, James Gichuru and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. At the end of the Lancaster House conference Kibaki’s team lost to the Moi team when the majimbo constitution was adapted as the supreme law in Kenya’s internal self government with Jomo Kenyatta as its first Prime Minister.
In the first Government formed by Kanu under the leadership of Jomo Kenyatta in 1963 neither Moi nor Kibaki sat in the first cabinet. In that Kanu Government Kenyatta was the Prime Minister, Oginga Odinga was the Minister for Home Affairs, Tom Mboya was the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs , James Gichuru was the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning , Joseph Murumbi was the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office in charge of foreign affairs, Mbiyu Koinange was the Minister of State for Pan African Affairs, Dr. Njoroge Mungai was the Minister for Health and Housing, James Otiende was the Minister for Education, Bruce McKenzie was the only white face in the first Kenyatta Government and was the Minister for Agriculture , Samuel Ayodo was the Minister for Local Government, Dr. Julius Kiano was the Minister for Commerce and Industry, Dawson Mwanyumba was the Minister for Works , Communications and Power, Eluid Mwendwa was the Minister for Labour and Social Services, Laurence Sagini was the Minister for Natural Resources , Achieng Onkeno was the Minister for Information , Broadcasting and Tourism and Jackson Angaine was the Minister for Lands and Settlement.
Though that was a very powerful Kanu team in the Government, Kenyatta and his Kanu party were not satisfied. Power was not really in the hands of the old man. With majimbo fully operational power was scattered all over the country because the constitution said so. Kenyatta’s first duty was to fight a quiet war applying the stick and carrot tactic to influence Kadu to join his Government in order to concentrate all the powers in his hands. But that could not be done without constitutional changes.
That is when Kibaki and Moi joined hands in one of the first constitutional conspiracies in this country that betrayed the people of Kenya by concentrating all the powers in the hands of Jomo Kenyatta who was beginning to build the foundation stone for making himself a despot. This was done through the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act Number 28 of 1964 which brought Moi and his other colleagues in Kenyatta’s first republican government after the dissolution of Kadu as the Opposition party – a move that is today seen by many as the first step towards the creation of despotism in Kenya.
The second time when Kibaki and Moi joined hands in another constitutional conspiracy against the people of Kenya was when they jointly, together with their two parties Kanu and Kadu, passed another Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act Number 38 of 1964 which denied regions powers to raise their own funds, making them totally dependant on the central Government in yet another move that made Kenyatta a powerful despot. This was the amendment that also gave the President powers to appoint judges without consulting anyone.
In yet another effort to make the President of Kenya really powerful Moi and Kibaki joined hands yet again to pass the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act number 16 of 1966 which demanded Members of Parliament to lose their seats if they were jailed for more than six months. This made MPs so timid and scared of the President who was becoming too powerful and could make any one of them lose his or her after going to jail for petty offenses. That same amendment to the Constitution made MPs lose their seats if they missed eight consecutive sittings in Parliament.
When it was obvious that Jomo Kenyatta was becoming an uncontrollable dictator the Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga resigned from Government on April 14, 1966. He also resigned from Kanu with a strong team of 28 Members of Parliament after forming what was threatening to be a very popular party known as the Kenya People’s Union (KPU). To fight Jaramogi, Kibaki and Moi joined Tom Mboya and Kenyatta in yet another constitutional conspiracy through the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act Number 17 of 1966 which required MPs to seek new mandate from the people through by election when they resign from the political party that got them elected to Parliament.
This is what led Jaramogi and his team seek new mandate through what was then called the Little General Election. When President Kibaki and Daniel arap Moi engage in public war of words on constitutional issues they both know that in 1966 they betrayed the people of Kenya when they joined hands with other Kenyatta sycophants to pass yet another Constitutional (Amendment) Act Number 18 of 1966 which made the President have powers to detain anyone without any trial. These are the skeletons the two leaders are careful not to expose in their cupboards as they publicly exchange bitter words.
Kibaki and Moi joined hands yet again in another constitutional conspiracy in 1966 when they passed the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Number 40 of 1966 which abolished the Senate which the Proposed Constitution is rightfully trying to reestablish. The two leaders betrayed Kenyans yet again in another Constitutional Amendment Number 2 of 1968 which prohibited politicians from seeking election as independent candidates. Today Kibaki is repentant and wants the people of Kenya to enjoy the freedom to seek election without any political party as it is in the Proposed Constitution, but Moi is not and wants the despotic tendencies of denying wananchi that right to continue.
Kibaki and Moi joined hands in yet another constitutional conspiracy when they passed the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act Number 45 of 1968 which demanded presidential candidates to be nominated by a political party. In yet another constitutional conspiracy Kibaki and Moi joined hands and passed the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act Number 5 of 1969 which required all members of the Electoral Commission of Kenya to be appointed by the President. This amendment is what gave Kibaki powers to appoint Samuel Kivuitu whose terrible mess in mishandling the 2007 election is still fresh in people’s minds.
In constitutional matters Kibaki and Moi have been very close friends. When it was clear that Mzee Kenyatta was getting too old a team of Gema leaders tried to change the constitution to make sure Moi, who was then the Vice President, did not take over. That political plot was called Change-the-Constitution-scheme. Mwai Kibaki was one of the most outspoken politicians against the scheme. When Daniel arap Moi took over the leadership of Kenya he rewarded Kibaki’s loyalty by appointing him the country's Vice President.
When Moi became the country’s number one boss his joint constitutional conspiracy with Kibaki against the people of Kenya did not stop. Mwai Kibaki joined him in changing the Constitution yet again to make Moi even more despotic than Kenyatta. That was through the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act Number 7 of 1982 which made Kanu the only legal political party in the country. At that time Kibaki and Moi made the entire country sing songs in praise of the so-called ruling party as mama na baba of all Kenyans.
To be fair to President Kibaki he has done quite an about turn act since he took over the leadership of the country and tried to give Kenyans a truly democratic Constitution. But that was not before he tried to copy the dictatorship exemplified by Daniel arap Moi. In the 2007 elections Kibaki did what Moi had done many times in stealing the election. Moi’s worst record was in 1988 when he deprived the people of Kenya the right to elect their parliamentarians democratically. That is when he introduced the notorious mlolongo electoral system .
By giving the people of Kenya the opportunity to approve the Proposed Constitution, Kibaki knows Kenyans will forgive him for the constitutional sins he committed with Daniel arap Moi against the people of this country. When Daniel Toroitich arap Moi goes round the country condemning the Proposed Constitution he must be seriously irritating Mwai Kibaki and reminding him of things he would rather were swept under the carpet. He therefore has very good reasons to criticize Moi.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Referendum: Polls point to the truth
Two more opinion polls show that the “YES” camp will win on August 4th. Yet church leaders are still adamantly determined to tear this country apart by insisting on telling their flock to vote “NO”. History will be extremely unkind to them unless they come to their senses now and mobilize the country to unite for the sake of peace and stability. It is not too late for the Clergy to insist on a MoU with the Government to ensure that their desire to amend the Proposed Constitution's contentious issues will be given the first priority after the adaptation of the Draft law.
The Prediction by Synovate that the “YES” team ill win by 58% and by Infotrak Harris that it will win by 65% give the average figure of a win by 61% as the most likely indicator of a true picture on the ground. The remaining period of slightly more than a week can make that figure go even higher. This simply means the Clergy in this nation is about to lose face among its flock. Kenyans have decided that they only take their religious leaders seriously on spiritual matters of prayers and divinity. But on temporal and particularly political issues they know the expert knowledge is not to be found with the noisy church leaders.
The interdenominational prayer for next Friday, therefore, should be devoted to seeking remedies to the ailment of disunity in the country. So far all the church leaders have realized that their adamant stand against the Proposed Constitution has been rejected by their own flock and instead of waiting to lose face on August 4, they should now do something not only to save face but also to engage in a noble duty of damage control that the entire nation desperately needs. Swahilis have a wonderful saying: Asiyekubali kushindwa sio mshindani. This means the same thing as the English one which says: He who fights and runs away may live to fight another day.
The Clergy should now start running away from the chaos they have created in the country and embark on preparing for an even more honourable fight for peace and stability in this nation. This is the time for them to answer to their true calling of men and women of God who seek peace, unity and justice rather than being the instruments of promoting injustice and disunity that will only bring about animosity and bloodshed in the country. The Clergy should be the first to know that the Proposed Constitution aims at ending injustices that have always favoured the rich against the poor.
The Clergy should also know that their adamant “NO” stand has made it extremely difficult for some people to make the right decision on the Proposed Constitution. Among the majority of the undecided voters are people who know the Proposed Constitution is good for their country; but fear to go against the word of church leaders who symbolize the God they worship. Little do these people know that the Clergy is only backing the “NO” camp for monetary gains from the American conservative rightist churches of fundamentalist persuasion fighting President Barack Obama on his own fatherland.
The latest opinion polls show that the number of people supporting the Proposed Constitution is steadily increasing after dropping very fast following a rejuvenated campaign by church leaders using the Christian gospel and crusades as their disguised platform for the “NO” campaign. But that trend is changing and changing very fast. The only plausible reason can either be the fact that people have learnt to see through the camouflaged image of deceitful church leaders, or that there is a new force that has helped them see the light in the Proposed Constitution . That new force can only be the introduction of senior civil servants as a new brigade for the “YES” campaigners.
The decision by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to unleash the Civil Servants to join the “YES” camp of the campaign is the most controversial administrative order to be made by the two since they took over the joint leadership of this nation. Condemnation against that decision has come from many quarters including the IIEC which is mandated to ensure that the referendum is carried out in a free and fair manner.
The IIEC is also backed by the Cap 183 of the Laws of Kenya which is also known as the Public Officer Ethics Act whose Section 16 (1) says clearly that a public officer shall not , in or in connection with the performance of his duty as such (a) act as an agent for , or so as to further interest of, a political party, or act as an agent for, or so as to further the interest of, a political party; or (b) indicate support for or opposition to any political party or a candidate in an election .Section 16 (2) of the Act says a public officer shall not engage in political activity that may compromise the political neutrality of his office .
The big question that must be answered by the Head of the Civil Service, Francis Kirimi Muthaura, is whether participating in the campaigns for the “YES” camp is engaging in political activities. There are many political pundits who believe the entire exercise of selling the Proposed Constitution to the people is a Government project that must be propagated by everyone in the Government whether civil servants or politicians. Supporters of this point of view argue that the implementation of Agenda Four would be impossible without the Proposed Constitution and the people in the forefront for that implementation are the civil servants. Hence the importance of involving them in the “YES” campaigns.
Fearing that the political limelight in their constituencies is about to be stolen by the top civil servants in the campaign trail, members of Parliament have belatedly decided to adjourn Parliamentary sittings to take part in the campaign for or against the Proposed Constitution. The majority of them are backing the “YES” camp. But many of them are doing so for very selfish reasons knowing very well voters will probably be absolutely ruthless with any political leader opposed to the Proposed Constitution. The willingness of MPs to adjourn the National Assembly, instead of using the august House as a campaign platform for higher pay, means they have read the writing on the wall which shows the mood of the people is totally opposed to their greed.
The return of MPs to their constituencies to participate in the referendum campaigns will also means the “YES” teams will now have the top civil servants backed by MPs plus a number of clerics and pastors who are likely to change from “NO” to “YES” camps due to their opportunistic tendencies. This is extremely bad news for the opponents of the Proposed Constitution who must be closely observed by everyone lest they decide to change their anger into violence.
As the country approaches the voting day security in some areas traditionally associated with election violence has been beefed up. This is the correct way of dealing with the situation. If ever there will be any danger to the security of the country, it is most likely to occur in areas dominated by “NO” supporters. These are the people who will be disappointed and as was the case after the 2007 election, the disappointed people may resort to illegal demonstrations and destruction of property. Security forces in these areas have correctly been beefed up. But when it comes to security matters it is the ordinary people who must be the eyes and ears of the Government. Anyone plotting against the outcome of the referendum must be exposed right now before the first vote is cast.
The Prediction by Synovate that the “YES” team ill win by 58% and by Infotrak Harris that it will win by 65% give the average figure of a win by 61% as the most likely indicator of a true picture on the ground. The remaining period of slightly more than a week can make that figure go even higher. This simply means the Clergy in this nation is about to lose face among its flock. Kenyans have decided that they only take their religious leaders seriously on spiritual matters of prayers and divinity. But on temporal and particularly political issues they know the expert knowledge is not to be found with the noisy church leaders.
The interdenominational prayer for next Friday, therefore, should be devoted to seeking remedies to the ailment of disunity in the country. So far all the church leaders have realized that their adamant stand against the Proposed Constitution has been rejected by their own flock and instead of waiting to lose face on August 4, they should now do something not only to save face but also to engage in a noble duty of damage control that the entire nation desperately needs. Swahilis have a wonderful saying: Asiyekubali kushindwa sio mshindani. This means the same thing as the English one which says: He who fights and runs away may live to fight another day.
The Clergy should now start running away from the chaos they have created in the country and embark on preparing for an even more honourable fight for peace and stability in this nation. This is the time for them to answer to their true calling of men and women of God who seek peace, unity and justice rather than being the instruments of promoting injustice and disunity that will only bring about animosity and bloodshed in the country. The Clergy should be the first to know that the Proposed Constitution aims at ending injustices that have always favoured the rich against the poor.
The Clergy should also know that their adamant “NO” stand has made it extremely difficult for some people to make the right decision on the Proposed Constitution. Among the majority of the undecided voters are people who know the Proposed Constitution is good for their country; but fear to go against the word of church leaders who symbolize the God they worship. Little do these people know that the Clergy is only backing the “NO” camp for monetary gains from the American conservative rightist churches of fundamentalist persuasion fighting President Barack Obama on his own fatherland.
The latest opinion polls show that the number of people supporting the Proposed Constitution is steadily increasing after dropping very fast following a rejuvenated campaign by church leaders using the Christian gospel and crusades as their disguised platform for the “NO” campaign. But that trend is changing and changing very fast. The only plausible reason can either be the fact that people have learnt to see through the camouflaged image of deceitful church leaders, or that there is a new force that has helped them see the light in the Proposed Constitution . That new force can only be the introduction of senior civil servants as a new brigade for the “YES” campaigners.
The decision by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to unleash the Civil Servants to join the “YES” camp of the campaign is the most controversial administrative order to be made by the two since they took over the joint leadership of this nation. Condemnation against that decision has come from many quarters including the IIEC which is mandated to ensure that the referendum is carried out in a free and fair manner.
The IIEC is also backed by the Cap 183 of the Laws of Kenya which is also known as the Public Officer Ethics Act whose Section 16 (1) says clearly that a public officer shall not , in or in connection with the performance of his duty as such (a) act as an agent for , or so as to further interest of, a political party, or act as an agent for, or so as to further the interest of, a political party; or (b) indicate support for or opposition to any political party or a candidate in an election .Section 16 (2) of the Act says a public officer shall not engage in political activity that may compromise the political neutrality of his office .
The big question that must be answered by the Head of the Civil Service, Francis Kirimi Muthaura, is whether participating in the campaigns for the “YES” camp is engaging in political activities. There are many political pundits who believe the entire exercise of selling the Proposed Constitution to the people is a Government project that must be propagated by everyone in the Government whether civil servants or politicians. Supporters of this point of view argue that the implementation of Agenda Four would be impossible without the Proposed Constitution and the people in the forefront for that implementation are the civil servants. Hence the importance of involving them in the “YES” campaigns.
Fearing that the political limelight in their constituencies is about to be stolen by the top civil servants in the campaign trail, members of Parliament have belatedly decided to adjourn Parliamentary sittings to take part in the campaign for or against the Proposed Constitution. The majority of them are backing the “YES” camp. But many of them are doing so for very selfish reasons knowing very well voters will probably be absolutely ruthless with any political leader opposed to the Proposed Constitution. The willingness of MPs to adjourn the National Assembly, instead of using the august House as a campaign platform for higher pay, means they have read the writing on the wall which shows the mood of the people is totally opposed to their greed.
The return of MPs to their constituencies to participate in the referendum campaigns will also means the “YES” teams will now have the top civil servants backed by MPs plus a number of clerics and pastors who are likely to change from “NO” to “YES” camps due to their opportunistic tendencies. This is extremely bad news for the opponents of the Proposed Constitution who must be closely observed by everyone lest they decide to change their anger into violence.
As the country approaches the voting day security in some areas traditionally associated with election violence has been beefed up. This is the correct way of dealing with the situation. If ever there will be any danger to the security of the country, it is most likely to occur in areas dominated by “NO” supporters. These are the people who will be disappointed and as was the case after the 2007 election, the disappointed people may resort to illegal demonstrations and destruction of property. Security forces in these areas have correctly been beefed up. But when it comes to security matters it is the ordinary people who must be the eyes and ears of the Government. Anyone plotting against the outcome of the referendum must be exposed right now before the first vote is cast.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Referendum: Media wars get fierce
There have been some fantastic television commercials for and against the Proposed Constitution. A number of them seem to have very little regard for the Code of Conduct and Practice of Journalism in Kenya. Top on that list is an advertisement by the “NO” team showing an unborn baby in the womb with the heart still beating indicating the fetus was alive. Then the camera moves to some living children responding to a symposium interview: one says the unborn child must not be killed because it has blood; the other says it must not be killed as it was indeed a living being. Then the camera moves to a written text saying: Protect life, vote “NO”.
Technically that is an ingenious advertisement. It emotionally moves people and probably has won the “NO” camp many votes. But ethically it is unprofessional. It gives the erroneous message that voting “YES” is supporting abortion when factually the Proposed Constitution says in Article 26 (1) every person has a right to life; and in Article 26 (2) says that the life of a person begins at conception; and in Article 26 (3) says a person shall not be deprived of life intentionally, except to the extent authorized by this Constitution or other written law.
Despite all that the Proposed Constitution clearly says in Article 26 (4) abortion is not permitted unless, in the opinion of a trained health professional, there is need for emergency treatment, or the life or health of the mother is in danger, or if permitted by any other written law. Publishing a horrifying picture of a fetus which ostensibly is about to be killed and then interviewing children pleading for sparing the life of the unborn child is contextually erroneous and therefore unethical. If it is unethical, it is, needless to say, also unprofessional and should not have been accepted by the media houses at whatever cost.
Probably the most controversial TV commercial about the referendum is the one showing the Minister for Higher Education, William Ruto, openly supporting the Draft Constitution. It depicts him saying it is a good document that can do a lot of good for the country. Soon after that the camera shows Ruto condemning the Proposed Constitution and then the camera moves to yet another William Ruto who is castigating hypocritical Members of Parliament who say one thing in the National Assembly and the complete opposite when they are outside the chamber.
From a propaganda point of view that is a fantastic commercial which makes Ruto appear to be the most hypocritical leader who says one thing at one time and the complete opposite at another. Whereas both the footages of William Ruto are basically correct, they are not professionally upright as they are not contextually correct and therefore they are factually wrong. The commercial does not say that the first footage showed William Ruto praising the Draft Constitution after it was thoroughly chopped and reshaped by Parliamentary Select Committee which included himself. The commercial is also professionally wrong because it fails to point out that what Ruto was praising and condemning were two different drafts of the Proposed Constitution at their two different stages of development.
The “NO” camp has correctly complained about the manipulation of films which show William Ruto doing things out of context. What was shown to the public was neither accurate nor fair to William Ruto and it goes against the very first professional ethical principle of accuracy and fairness which says that the fundamental objective of a journalist is to write a fair, accurate and an unbiased story on matters of public interest. The principle demands all sides of the story to be reported, wherever possible. It also says comments should be obtained from anyone who is mentioned in an unfavourable context.
The same part of the ethical principle says whenever it is recognized that an inaccurate, misleading or distorted story has been published or broadcast, it should be corrected promptly. It adds that corrections should present the correct information and should not restate the error except when clarity demands. Obviously the media houses that ran the Ruto commercial had totally disregarded this part of the Code of Conduct and Practice of Journalism in Kenya and the “NO” camp had every right to complain.
Apart from that, the Code prohibits the irresponsible manipulation of pictures which happened with the Ruto footage. The Code says as a general rule, the media should apply caution in the use of pictures and names and should avoid publication when there is a possibility of harming the persons concerned. Manipulation of pictures in a manner that distorts reality, says the Code, should be avoided.
Another captivating TV commercial for the “YES” camp shows the sad picture of Kenya during the post 2007 election clashes. Pictures of burning tires with the rowdy crowds of people carrying sticks and pangas have the immediate effect of terrifying the viewers who are immediately told to avoid similar situation by voting “YES”. Whereas there is an element of truth in the commercial that suggests voting “YES” actually closes all avenues leading to similar disturbances in future, the innuendo of the commercial is that those in the “NO” camp do not want peace. Determining whether or not to accept such an advertisement is an extremely hard professional nut to crack.
Supporters of the “YES” camp could argue that all the facts of the commercial are correct. Indeed the country went through a traumatic period of upsetting disturbances. They could further argue that all that the commercial does is to remind the voters of the dangers of rejecting the Proposed Constitution. Apart from the libelous innuendo of the commercial there are no strong professional reasons for rejecting it. With the defence of justification on their side media houses that run that ad could take a calculated risk of publishing it. It is a powerful commercial with an extremely scaring message.
Among the most imaginative commercials are to be found in the “YES” camp where there are creative heavyweights led by Salim Lone who is one of Kenya’s most ingenious media professionals . Under him yet another “YES” commercial starts with playing the national anthem when Kenya became independent. It shows the founding father, Jomo Kenyatta, participating in the first Uhuru celebration when Kenya’s flag was hoisted for the first time. The commercial then says that independence was short lived as Moi’s dictatorial regime took over. A sad picture of one of the freedom fighters, Mbuyu Koinange, kneeling before the all powerful Moi could make any nationalistic Kenyan shed tears.
The sad picture of Mbiyu’s kowtowing gesture is followed by the courageous verbal protest of the Rev. Timothy Njoya. The viewer can’t help admiring the bravery of the pastor who stood against Moi’s dictatorship. The picture however quickly changes as the announcer says Njoya’s courage was short lived. Then the most shocking episode of torture and cruelty is shown as the Rev. Timothy Njoya is repeatedly clobbered several time as he shouts for a none existent assistance. The heartbreaking disaster of the respected church leader’s misfortune comes to an abrupt end with a solemn declaration: Never again….Vote “YES”! An extremely powerful message that can hardly be professionally criticized as it is both competently proficient as it is ethically upright.
May be the most horrifying advertisement against the Proposed Constitution was published in the Sunday Standard of July 18 on page 13. The full page ad by the Kenya Land Owners and Land Users Association (KELA) proved beyond any reasonable doubt that foreigners have an axe to grind on matters concerning land in Kenya. Before the people of Kenya wanted to have a new constitution that would introduce true democracy and justice in this country very little was known about KELA. That KELA is an organization of foreign land owners with a token insignificant membership of natives was exposed on July 3, 2010 by Gitau Warigi in his Sunday Nation opinion column.
Kenyans must have been shocked by Warigi when he exposed KELA as an organization of foreigners who own huge tracts of land where the indigenous people have no rights what so ever. Kela’s ad in the Sunday Standard tried unsuccessfully to defend the ridiculous leasehold of 999 years against the wishes and well being of the true sons and daughters of Kenya. But the ad showed the war is on and the battlefield is in the media. Those who control the media have both moral and professional obligation to make sure the game is played on a level field. Only a thorough knowledge of the Code of Conduct and Practice of Journalism in Kenya can make that possible.
Technically that is an ingenious advertisement. It emotionally moves people and probably has won the “NO” camp many votes. But ethically it is unprofessional. It gives the erroneous message that voting “YES” is supporting abortion when factually the Proposed Constitution says in Article 26 (1) every person has a right to life; and in Article 26 (2) says that the life of a person begins at conception; and in Article 26 (3) says a person shall not be deprived of life intentionally, except to the extent authorized by this Constitution or other written law.
Despite all that the Proposed Constitution clearly says in Article 26 (4) abortion is not permitted unless, in the opinion of a trained health professional, there is need for emergency treatment, or the life or health of the mother is in danger, or if permitted by any other written law. Publishing a horrifying picture of a fetus which ostensibly is about to be killed and then interviewing children pleading for sparing the life of the unborn child is contextually erroneous and therefore unethical. If it is unethical, it is, needless to say, also unprofessional and should not have been accepted by the media houses at whatever cost.
Probably the most controversial TV commercial about the referendum is the one showing the Minister for Higher Education, William Ruto, openly supporting the Draft Constitution. It depicts him saying it is a good document that can do a lot of good for the country. Soon after that the camera shows Ruto condemning the Proposed Constitution and then the camera moves to yet another William Ruto who is castigating hypocritical Members of Parliament who say one thing in the National Assembly and the complete opposite when they are outside the chamber.
From a propaganda point of view that is a fantastic commercial which makes Ruto appear to be the most hypocritical leader who says one thing at one time and the complete opposite at another. Whereas both the footages of William Ruto are basically correct, they are not professionally upright as they are not contextually correct and therefore they are factually wrong. The commercial does not say that the first footage showed William Ruto praising the Draft Constitution after it was thoroughly chopped and reshaped by Parliamentary Select Committee which included himself. The commercial is also professionally wrong because it fails to point out that what Ruto was praising and condemning were two different drafts of the Proposed Constitution at their two different stages of development.
The “NO” camp has correctly complained about the manipulation of films which show William Ruto doing things out of context. What was shown to the public was neither accurate nor fair to William Ruto and it goes against the very first professional ethical principle of accuracy and fairness which says that the fundamental objective of a journalist is to write a fair, accurate and an unbiased story on matters of public interest. The principle demands all sides of the story to be reported, wherever possible. It also says comments should be obtained from anyone who is mentioned in an unfavourable context.
The same part of the ethical principle says whenever it is recognized that an inaccurate, misleading or distorted story has been published or broadcast, it should be corrected promptly. It adds that corrections should present the correct information and should not restate the error except when clarity demands. Obviously the media houses that ran the Ruto commercial had totally disregarded this part of the Code of Conduct and Practice of Journalism in Kenya and the “NO” camp had every right to complain.
Apart from that, the Code prohibits the irresponsible manipulation of pictures which happened with the Ruto footage. The Code says as a general rule, the media should apply caution in the use of pictures and names and should avoid publication when there is a possibility of harming the persons concerned. Manipulation of pictures in a manner that distorts reality, says the Code, should be avoided.
Another captivating TV commercial for the “YES” camp shows the sad picture of Kenya during the post 2007 election clashes. Pictures of burning tires with the rowdy crowds of people carrying sticks and pangas have the immediate effect of terrifying the viewers who are immediately told to avoid similar situation by voting “YES”. Whereas there is an element of truth in the commercial that suggests voting “YES” actually closes all avenues leading to similar disturbances in future, the innuendo of the commercial is that those in the “NO” camp do not want peace. Determining whether or not to accept such an advertisement is an extremely hard professional nut to crack.
Supporters of the “YES” camp could argue that all the facts of the commercial are correct. Indeed the country went through a traumatic period of upsetting disturbances. They could further argue that all that the commercial does is to remind the voters of the dangers of rejecting the Proposed Constitution. Apart from the libelous innuendo of the commercial there are no strong professional reasons for rejecting it. With the defence of justification on their side media houses that run that ad could take a calculated risk of publishing it. It is a powerful commercial with an extremely scaring message.
Among the most imaginative commercials are to be found in the “YES” camp where there are creative heavyweights led by Salim Lone who is one of Kenya’s most ingenious media professionals . Under him yet another “YES” commercial starts with playing the national anthem when Kenya became independent. It shows the founding father, Jomo Kenyatta, participating in the first Uhuru celebration when Kenya’s flag was hoisted for the first time. The commercial then says that independence was short lived as Moi’s dictatorial regime took over. A sad picture of one of the freedom fighters, Mbuyu Koinange, kneeling before the all powerful Moi could make any nationalistic Kenyan shed tears.
The sad picture of Mbiyu’s kowtowing gesture is followed by the courageous verbal protest of the Rev. Timothy Njoya. The viewer can’t help admiring the bravery of the pastor who stood against Moi’s dictatorship. The picture however quickly changes as the announcer says Njoya’s courage was short lived. Then the most shocking episode of torture and cruelty is shown as the Rev. Timothy Njoya is repeatedly clobbered several time as he shouts for a none existent assistance. The heartbreaking disaster of the respected church leader’s misfortune comes to an abrupt end with a solemn declaration: Never again….Vote “YES”! An extremely powerful message that can hardly be professionally criticized as it is both competently proficient as it is ethically upright.
May be the most horrifying advertisement against the Proposed Constitution was published in the Sunday Standard of July 18 on page 13. The full page ad by the Kenya Land Owners and Land Users Association (KELA) proved beyond any reasonable doubt that foreigners have an axe to grind on matters concerning land in Kenya. Before the people of Kenya wanted to have a new constitution that would introduce true democracy and justice in this country very little was known about KELA. That KELA is an organization of foreign land owners with a token insignificant membership of natives was exposed on July 3, 2010 by Gitau Warigi in his Sunday Nation opinion column.
Kenyans must have been shocked by Warigi when he exposed KELA as an organization of foreigners who own huge tracts of land where the indigenous people have no rights what so ever. Kela’s ad in the Sunday Standard tried unsuccessfully to defend the ridiculous leasehold of 999 years against the wishes and well being of the true sons and daughters of Kenya. But the ad showed the war is on and the battlefield is in the media. Those who control the media have both moral and professional obligation to make sure the game is played on a level field. Only a thorough knowledge of the Code of Conduct and Practice of Journalism in Kenya can make that possible.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Referendum: Michuki’s “watermelon” betrayal
The Defection of John Michuki to the “YES” camp is a serious blow to the “NO” group. William Ruto depended entirely on the support of the so-called “watermelons” to win support of the Eastern and Central provinces. The most important man in the Central Province “watermelon” group was Michuki who can easily be regarded as the most powerful politician in the entire Muranga District.
Michuki’s departure from the “NO” camp means big money is moving to the “YES” group which was beginning to feel the shortage of funds to conduct its campaigns. Following the decision to stop using Government funds in the campaigns, the “RED” camp with so much money from American extremist churches has appeared to have “more money than God” to spend in their campaigns. The chances of Kikuyu tycoons contributing to the “YES” camp’s funds,however, are still very remote because among them are some people who feel threatened by the prospects of a new constitution challenging the sources of their wealth.
John Michuki and his friends are, in that case, backing the President in the “YES” camp to protect their wealth rather than to make sure the “NO” camp is defeated. As prominent business people they stand to gain while they remain in the President’s good books instead of antagonizing him. The bottom line of the entire exercise means the “watermelons” will be more subterranean than before; but as they will now be forced to operate like a clandestine organization, they are bound to be considerably weakened as they can no longer try to recruit supporters openly.
The close relationship between the President and the Prime Minister has also been a major threat to the Mount Kenya Mafia surrounding Mwai Kibaki. The group, which has always been a major threat to the coalition Government, has been operating under the leadership of the Head of the Civil Service Francis Muthaura who now has to take orders from Raila Odinga as the chief campaigner of the “YES” camp. The decision to have the Permanent Secretaries in the Government campaign for the “YES” camp has only strengthened Raila Odinga’s position in the coalition Government, which is perceived as a major blow to the Mount Kenya Mafia.
Raila Odinga’s undisputed stewardship of the “YES” camp, which has the total backing of the President, has made the Mount Kenya Mafia feel completely outmaneuvered by the Prime Minister at a time a Cabinet reshuffle is just around the corner soon after the referendum. If Muthaura and Michuki are to have any influence at all in that Cabinet reshuffle which will involve promotions and demotions of many top civil servants as well as Ministers and Assistant Ministers, then the time to start influencing Mwai Kibaki towards winning that goal is now. There could be no better way of doing so than to prove to the President to be absolutely loyal to the Head of State by remaining in or coming back to the “YES” camp.
One of the major reasons for John Michuki coming back to the “YES” camp is the fact that every dirty movement to make the “NO” camp triumph has been reported to the President and the Prime Minister by the National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS). Having been the boss of this institution as the former Minister for Internal Security, John Michuki knows the operations of the NSIS. Engaging in any anti Kibaki clandestine organization in whatever form would only end up jeopardizing his status as a top businessman in the country. It did not take long for Michuki to realize that he was in the “NO” camp at his own peril.
With John Michuki, Francis Muthaura, Uhuru Kenyatta, Njenga Karume, Maina Njenga, Martha Karua, Kiraitu Murungi, Gitobu Imanyara and Wangari Maathai backing the “YES” camp more than 70 per cent of the Kikuyu, Embu and Meru voters in the forthcoming referendum are likely to support the Proposed Constitution. Yet the relationship between Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga, which disturbs the Mount Kenya Mafia so much, is not likely to breakup soon as the two leaders have just realized what a formidable force, both within and outside the Government, their cooperation amounts to.
The newly found political alliance between Kibaki and Raila has given each one of them an excellent opportunity to get rid of their enemies in their two political parties PNU and ODM. The incompetent Ministers from these two parties, who could not be fired because of the important positions they held in the pre-coalition Government days, can now be shown the door without any fear of unpleasant political upheavals. These include Naomi Shaban, William Ruto and Samuel Poghisio.
A major outcome of a new Constitution after the referendum is the fact that the Coalition Government will be more powerful and united with very few Ministries occupied by competent politicians and technocrats. Given the fact that Kenyans have an insatiable desire for top public jobs, a new trend of exhibiting total loyalties to Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga as well as to the PNU and ODM will gain momentum in the last two weeks of the referendum campaigns swelling the numbers of the “YES” camp to the amazement of the Clergy and William Ruto. Kalonzo Musyoka is also likely to take advantage of the situation and strengthen his ODM-K by firing out of the party the rebels he has always wanted to get rid of.
Very soon the “NO” camp will start crying foul as the full force of top civil servant’s campaign for the “YES” begin to bare fruits. Already an extremely powerful advertisement which shows the atrocities of bloodbath following the post 2007 election violence and reminding the viewers that such blood bath could be avoided by voting “YES” , have changed thousands of the undecided voters to support the Proposed Constitution for the sake of peace. The advertisement is likely to make the “NO” camp complain that it paints them as people who want no peace in the country.
The complaint they have made against the American President Barrack Obama supporting the “YES” camp has had an opposite reaction as Obama is an extremely popular leader in Kenya. Kenyans accept him as a fellow countryman who is entitled to openly say which side of the Proposed Constitution he backs. Many political observers have also wondered why the “NO” camp is complaining of American intervention at this stage when top leaders from that powerful nation were openly welcome to the country soon after the 2007 clashes to help us solve our problem at that time.
Long before the 2007 elections Americans seemed to have been involved in Kenyan politics. At that time they supported the ODM and William Ruto thought it was OK. Then they supported the peace process after we started slaughtering one another, and the Clergy thought it was OK. Now the Americans are supporting both the “YES” camp and the “NO” group. Obama may be backing the Raila-Kibaki side but the American Christian fundamentalists are also supporting the “NO” camp financially and they have publicly accepted that. William Ruto has no problem with the American funds for the “NO” camp.
The contest between the “YES” and “NO” camp has reached a Darwinian stage of survival of the fittest in the struggle for existence. As all is fair in love and war, the fight is going to be even rougher. Fortunately with Michuki firmly in the “YES” camp some of the most dangerous tycoons who could have financed dirty tricks will now work for the peaceful conclusion of the referendum. The struggle for political power within the ODM and PNU new structure under the leadership of united Raila-Kibaki cooperation will take a new turn which may be beneficial to the country. We are in for some very dramatic change in the whole campaign which will see the Proposed Constitution being accepted by well over 70 per cent of Kenyan voters.
Michuki’s departure from the “NO” camp means big money is moving to the “YES” group which was beginning to feel the shortage of funds to conduct its campaigns. Following the decision to stop using Government funds in the campaigns, the “RED” camp with so much money from American extremist churches has appeared to have “more money than God” to spend in their campaigns. The chances of Kikuyu tycoons contributing to the “YES” camp’s funds,however, are still very remote because among them are some people who feel threatened by the prospects of a new constitution challenging the sources of their wealth.
John Michuki and his friends are, in that case, backing the President in the “YES” camp to protect their wealth rather than to make sure the “NO” camp is defeated. As prominent business people they stand to gain while they remain in the President’s good books instead of antagonizing him. The bottom line of the entire exercise means the “watermelons” will be more subterranean than before; but as they will now be forced to operate like a clandestine organization, they are bound to be considerably weakened as they can no longer try to recruit supporters openly.
The close relationship between the President and the Prime Minister has also been a major threat to the Mount Kenya Mafia surrounding Mwai Kibaki. The group, which has always been a major threat to the coalition Government, has been operating under the leadership of the Head of the Civil Service Francis Muthaura who now has to take orders from Raila Odinga as the chief campaigner of the “YES” camp. The decision to have the Permanent Secretaries in the Government campaign for the “YES” camp has only strengthened Raila Odinga’s position in the coalition Government, which is perceived as a major blow to the Mount Kenya Mafia.
Raila Odinga’s undisputed stewardship of the “YES” camp, which has the total backing of the President, has made the Mount Kenya Mafia feel completely outmaneuvered by the Prime Minister at a time a Cabinet reshuffle is just around the corner soon after the referendum. If Muthaura and Michuki are to have any influence at all in that Cabinet reshuffle which will involve promotions and demotions of many top civil servants as well as Ministers and Assistant Ministers, then the time to start influencing Mwai Kibaki towards winning that goal is now. There could be no better way of doing so than to prove to the President to be absolutely loyal to the Head of State by remaining in or coming back to the “YES” camp.
One of the major reasons for John Michuki coming back to the “YES” camp is the fact that every dirty movement to make the “NO” camp triumph has been reported to the President and the Prime Minister by the National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS). Having been the boss of this institution as the former Minister for Internal Security, John Michuki knows the operations of the NSIS. Engaging in any anti Kibaki clandestine organization in whatever form would only end up jeopardizing his status as a top businessman in the country. It did not take long for Michuki to realize that he was in the “NO” camp at his own peril.
With John Michuki, Francis Muthaura, Uhuru Kenyatta, Njenga Karume, Maina Njenga, Martha Karua, Kiraitu Murungi, Gitobu Imanyara and Wangari Maathai backing the “YES” camp more than 70 per cent of the Kikuyu, Embu and Meru voters in the forthcoming referendum are likely to support the Proposed Constitution. Yet the relationship between Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga, which disturbs the Mount Kenya Mafia so much, is not likely to breakup soon as the two leaders have just realized what a formidable force, both within and outside the Government, their cooperation amounts to.
The newly found political alliance between Kibaki and Raila has given each one of them an excellent opportunity to get rid of their enemies in their two political parties PNU and ODM. The incompetent Ministers from these two parties, who could not be fired because of the important positions they held in the pre-coalition Government days, can now be shown the door without any fear of unpleasant political upheavals. These include Naomi Shaban, William Ruto and Samuel Poghisio.
A major outcome of a new Constitution after the referendum is the fact that the Coalition Government will be more powerful and united with very few Ministries occupied by competent politicians and technocrats. Given the fact that Kenyans have an insatiable desire for top public jobs, a new trend of exhibiting total loyalties to Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga as well as to the PNU and ODM will gain momentum in the last two weeks of the referendum campaigns swelling the numbers of the “YES” camp to the amazement of the Clergy and William Ruto. Kalonzo Musyoka is also likely to take advantage of the situation and strengthen his ODM-K by firing out of the party the rebels he has always wanted to get rid of.
Very soon the “NO” camp will start crying foul as the full force of top civil servant’s campaign for the “YES” begin to bare fruits. Already an extremely powerful advertisement which shows the atrocities of bloodbath following the post 2007 election violence and reminding the viewers that such blood bath could be avoided by voting “YES” , have changed thousands of the undecided voters to support the Proposed Constitution for the sake of peace. The advertisement is likely to make the “NO” camp complain that it paints them as people who want no peace in the country.
The complaint they have made against the American President Barrack Obama supporting the “YES” camp has had an opposite reaction as Obama is an extremely popular leader in Kenya. Kenyans accept him as a fellow countryman who is entitled to openly say which side of the Proposed Constitution he backs. Many political observers have also wondered why the “NO” camp is complaining of American intervention at this stage when top leaders from that powerful nation were openly welcome to the country soon after the 2007 clashes to help us solve our problem at that time.
Long before the 2007 elections Americans seemed to have been involved in Kenyan politics. At that time they supported the ODM and William Ruto thought it was OK. Then they supported the peace process after we started slaughtering one another, and the Clergy thought it was OK. Now the Americans are supporting both the “YES” camp and the “NO” group. Obama may be backing the Raila-Kibaki side but the American Christian fundamentalists are also supporting the “NO” camp financially and they have publicly accepted that. William Ruto has no problem with the American funds for the “NO” camp.
The contest between the “YES” and “NO” camp has reached a Darwinian stage of survival of the fittest in the struggle for existence. As all is fair in love and war, the fight is going to be even rougher. Fortunately with Michuki firmly in the “YES” camp some of the most dangerous tycoons who could have financed dirty tricks will now work for the peaceful conclusion of the referendum. The struggle for political power within the ODM and PNU new structure under the leadership of united Raila-Kibaki cooperation will take a new turn which may be beneficial to the country. We are in for some very dramatic change in the whole campaign which will see the Proposed Constitution being accepted by well over 70 per cent of Kenyan voters.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Referendum: The Kakamega Ruto heckling
The heckling of William Ruto’s “NO” team at Kakamega marks the beginning of a new trend by the people. They seem to have enough knowledge of the content of the Proposed Constitution to know when politicians try to distort it. The Kakamega incident also means the efforts by the “NO” camp to magnify two issues of the Proposed Constitution – the Kadhi courts and abortion – and totally ignore all the good aspects of it , will no longer be accepted by the people.
While time is running out for the campaigners of both camps, the winning side seems to be that which interprets the Proposed Constitution correctly. There are more people who have read the document than the “NO” camp realizes. Claims that the Proposed Constitution will open doors to homosexuality in Kenya and that poor people will not be allowed to own small pieces of land now are boomeranging as the people attending the rallies demand to be told the truth.
The move by Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga to stick to the truth about the Proposed Constitution is beginning to pay dividends whose real outcome will be realized on August 4th. Kibaki , who has calmly urged the people to read the Proposed Constitution before making up their minds on whether to or not support it, changed his tactic over the weekend when he attacked people “who have been paid by foreigners to preach against the Proposed Constitution.” Because the President has insisted that the campaigners stick to the truth, it is obvious his allegations are based on facts in his possession.
It is only a fortnight ago when the alternative media in Nairobi came up with an expose on police investigations concerning funds donated by American churches to the “NO” camp. The investigations must have revealed shocking information about how the Clergy in Kenya is making so much money from Americans for attacking the Proposed Constitution. It will not be surprising at all if the beneficiaries of the American funds are exposed in future “YES” campaigns.
According to the latest South Consulting report to the KNDR, Kenyans believe the manner the President and the Prime Minister interpret the Proposed Constitution is closer to the truth than the way William Ruto and Cyrus Jirongo interpret it. The report says that the people believe the media much more than the politicians when it comes to matters pertaining to the Proposed Constitution. Just as the people are now in a position to tell which leaders are interpreting the Proposed Constitution correctly or incorrectly, so are they able to differentiate between upright media houses and those that have a tendency to distort facts.
The manner in which the Kakamega heckling of William Ruto was reported by various papers clearly indicated the sides various newspapers were taking on the Proposed Constitution. According to The Star of July 12, the Kakamega heckling warranted not only a front page position but the splash itself. The Standard ran the story as its page eight lead with most of the details correctly presented. But the Daily Nation used five paragraphs of the story and married it to pro “NO” stories though the story was used as the paper’s page four lead. According to the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation no heckling at Kakamega took place at all as the story was given total blackout by the national station.
Of all the media houses, The Star is taking the lead in exposing the inside story of how some politicians cajole journalists to present their stories in a distorted manner. On the Kakamega heckling the paper’s July 12 edition reveals what really happens when it said: “On realizing that the crowds were walking away, Ruto quickly called TV cameramen onto the dais and asked the small crowd that had been given the Red cards to flash them so they could capture the footage.” This publish-and-be-damned approach to journalism separates the horses from the mules and shows the courage needed in the Fourth Estate to save this nation from deceit that could cost Kenya unnecessary turmoil caused by unhealthy division among the people.
Members of Parliament who are now supposed to be in their various constituencies campaigning for the Proposed Constitution are adamantly remaining in Nairobi fighting for their ridiculous pay increments. Some of them have come out openly claiming they would not support the Proposed Constitution without more money from the taxpayers in their pockets. This arrogant decision by Parliamentarians threatening to shoot down the Proposed Constitution unless they were paid more money has been a blessing in disguise in the country. It has helped the people realize that MPs’ greed can only be stopped by the Proposed Constitution, which will remove the powers to increase MPs’ salaries from Parliament.
President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga were depending on Parliamentarians to popularize the Proposed Constitution during the recess which MPs have refused to take. Paradoxically their refusal to back the Proposed Constitution has made it even more popular among the people. The MPs’ most unwise demand has inadvertently been the best thing that has happened to the “YES” camp. Their refusal to go back to their constituencies without pay hikes has turned out to be the best campaign ever for the Proposed Constitution.
The referendum will probably be the last exercise in which Kenyans will participate as blocs of ethnic groupings. When the Proposed Constitution is accepted as the supreme law of the land a lot of work must be done in what will probably end up to be a widespread post-referendum civic education to make Kenyans implement what will then be in their new constitution. When the constitution is operationalised all doors to parochial ethnic nationalism will be closed as power moves to the people. Whatever way one looks at these radical changes a peaceful, very positive revolution will take place in the country as the first steps are taken to bridge the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
May be the most positive aspect of Kakamega heckling of the “NO” camp is the fact that the people of Kenya have refused to be divided along religious lines. Nothing is more dangerous to this country than whipping up religious animosity among the people. Whenever there has been religious confrontation people have suffered because it has always ended up in bloodshed. There are so many examples for Kenyans to learn from – India, Nigeria, Ireland and Iraq, to name just a few. The Kakamega heckling and walking away from leaders preaching hatred and lies will probably become the order of the day between now and August 4 when the people will most likely accept the Proposed Constitution to be their supreme law for a long time to come.
While time is running out for the campaigners of both camps, the winning side seems to be that which interprets the Proposed Constitution correctly. There are more people who have read the document than the “NO” camp realizes. Claims that the Proposed Constitution will open doors to homosexuality in Kenya and that poor people will not be allowed to own small pieces of land now are boomeranging as the people attending the rallies demand to be told the truth.
The move by Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga to stick to the truth about the Proposed Constitution is beginning to pay dividends whose real outcome will be realized on August 4th. Kibaki , who has calmly urged the people to read the Proposed Constitution before making up their minds on whether to or not support it, changed his tactic over the weekend when he attacked people “who have been paid by foreigners to preach against the Proposed Constitution.” Because the President has insisted that the campaigners stick to the truth, it is obvious his allegations are based on facts in his possession.
It is only a fortnight ago when the alternative media in Nairobi came up with an expose on police investigations concerning funds donated by American churches to the “NO” camp. The investigations must have revealed shocking information about how the Clergy in Kenya is making so much money from Americans for attacking the Proposed Constitution. It will not be surprising at all if the beneficiaries of the American funds are exposed in future “YES” campaigns.
According to the latest South Consulting report to the KNDR, Kenyans believe the manner the President and the Prime Minister interpret the Proposed Constitution is closer to the truth than the way William Ruto and Cyrus Jirongo interpret it. The report says that the people believe the media much more than the politicians when it comes to matters pertaining to the Proposed Constitution. Just as the people are now in a position to tell which leaders are interpreting the Proposed Constitution correctly or incorrectly, so are they able to differentiate between upright media houses and those that have a tendency to distort facts.
The manner in which the Kakamega heckling of William Ruto was reported by various papers clearly indicated the sides various newspapers were taking on the Proposed Constitution. According to The Star of July 12, the Kakamega heckling warranted not only a front page position but the splash itself. The Standard ran the story as its page eight lead with most of the details correctly presented. But the Daily Nation used five paragraphs of the story and married it to pro “NO” stories though the story was used as the paper’s page four lead. According to the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation no heckling at Kakamega took place at all as the story was given total blackout by the national station.
Of all the media houses, The Star is taking the lead in exposing the inside story of how some politicians cajole journalists to present their stories in a distorted manner. On the Kakamega heckling the paper’s July 12 edition reveals what really happens when it said: “On realizing that the crowds were walking away, Ruto quickly called TV cameramen onto the dais and asked the small crowd that had been given the Red cards to flash them so they could capture the footage.” This publish-and-be-damned approach to journalism separates the horses from the mules and shows the courage needed in the Fourth Estate to save this nation from deceit that could cost Kenya unnecessary turmoil caused by unhealthy division among the people.
Members of Parliament who are now supposed to be in their various constituencies campaigning for the Proposed Constitution are adamantly remaining in Nairobi fighting for their ridiculous pay increments. Some of them have come out openly claiming they would not support the Proposed Constitution without more money from the taxpayers in their pockets. This arrogant decision by Parliamentarians threatening to shoot down the Proposed Constitution unless they were paid more money has been a blessing in disguise in the country. It has helped the people realize that MPs’ greed can only be stopped by the Proposed Constitution, which will remove the powers to increase MPs’ salaries from Parliament.
President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga were depending on Parliamentarians to popularize the Proposed Constitution during the recess which MPs have refused to take. Paradoxically their refusal to back the Proposed Constitution has made it even more popular among the people. The MPs’ most unwise demand has inadvertently been the best thing that has happened to the “YES” camp. Their refusal to go back to their constituencies without pay hikes has turned out to be the best campaign ever for the Proposed Constitution.
The referendum will probably be the last exercise in which Kenyans will participate as blocs of ethnic groupings. When the Proposed Constitution is accepted as the supreme law of the land a lot of work must be done in what will probably end up to be a widespread post-referendum civic education to make Kenyans implement what will then be in their new constitution. When the constitution is operationalised all doors to parochial ethnic nationalism will be closed as power moves to the people. Whatever way one looks at these radical changes a peaceful, very positive revolution will take place in the country as the first steps are taken to bridge the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
May be the most positive aspect of Kakamega heckling of the “NO” camp is the fact that the people of Kenya have refused to be divided along religious lines. Nothing is more dangerous to this country than whipping up religious animosity among the people. Whenever there has been religious confrontation people have suffered because it has always ended up in bloodshed. There are so many examples for Kenyans to learn from – India, Nigeria, Ireland and Iraq, to name just a few. The Kakamega heckling and walking away from leaders preaching hatred and lies will probably become the order of the day between now and August 4 when the people will most likely accept the Proposed Constitution to be their supreme law for a long time to come.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Raila-Kibaki peace plan after referendum
There is hope that Kenya will be a peaceful country after the referendum. The amount of work that needs to be done to fulfill the aspirations of the Proposed Constitution will inevitably solidify the Raila-Kibaki unity brought about by the two leaders’ congruent beliefs in reforms. But that rosy picture will only come to fruition if the country votes “YES” on August 4th when the destiny of this nation will be determined by ordinary people whose future will depend entirely on the decision they make on that crucial day.
The campaign for the “YES” solution to the constitutional problem in Kenya by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has given the country the opportunity to see for the first time since the formation of the coalition Government, soon after the bloody 2007 elections, that the two leaders can indeed work together for a common goal. Many are the sad times when the coalition government faced the danger of breaking up due to internal squabbles. But the referendum seems to have solved that problem which has made the ODM and PNU leaders realize that the country prefers them united rather than parochially separated.
Whenever Kibaki and Raila clash the entire government comes to a standstill. The disagreements between the two have seen Cabinet meetings postponed and important decisions swept under the carpet to the detriment of progress and stability in the entire country. Whenever the squabbles take place there has always been a secret hand manipulating the antagonistic rivalries for very selfish reasons. It so happens that those who have benefited from the Kibaki- Raila wrangles are now all in the “NO” camp campaigning for the rejection of the Proposed Constitution.
The rich tycoons who have always surrounded the President and made him make the most unpopular decisions against the people of Kenya such as the invasion of the Standard newspaper group in 2006, are all in the “NO” camp. One such person is John Michuki who was the first to defend the State terrorist action against the media by claiming that rattling a snake would always lead to a bite. William Ruto is yet another person in the “NO” camp who always took an uncompromising stand against Kikuyus in general and Mwai Kibaki in particular.
Whatever the outcome of the referendum, the Kibaki-Raila unity during the current campaign is bound to bring about far-reaching political change in the relationship between PNU and ODM. Indeed it is the thought of these changes that make some in the PNU feel so scared of Raila Odinga that they have become “watermelons” while supporting the Proposed Constitution. The realization of the fact that the majority of Kenyans are determined to have a new constitution after the referendum has considerably weakened the “watermelon” strength to the detriment of the “NO” camp.
The latest Raila-Kibaki political cooperation is likely to bring about an inevitable Cabinet reshuffle whatever the outcome of the referendum. It is with this reshuffle in mind that Uhuru Kenyatta is now mobilizing the Gema community in favour of the “YES” camp following what was tagged the "Limuru Declaration" which was soon to be followed by the so-called "Machakos Declaration". The Limuru Declaration was born when the Central Province MPs joined hands with the GEMA leaders including the Mungiki leadership and vowed to bring five million votes in support of the “YES” camp. The purpose of the declaration was to boost the image of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta as the leading light of the campaign for the “YES” vote in Central Province, rather than the Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
On the other had the Machakos Declaration was also born when the Kamba MPs joined hands with the community’s top civil servant to deliver the “YES” vote in the Kambaland. At the meeting the Minister for Water, Charity Ngiu, openly told her tribesmen that backing the “NO" camp was the surest way of losing the Vice Presidency now held by a fellow Mkamba Kalonzo Musyoka. The two declarations prove that the Kikuyus and Kambas realize that the Raila-Kibaki unity is bound to bring about the desired peace in the country which will call for loyalty in the new structure of the Government after the referendum.
Whatever happens after the referendum Mwai Kibaki will remain the President of the Republic of Kenya and Raila Odinga will remain the Prime Minister of the Government of Kenya. The task before them will be either to try and get a new constitution in Kenya if the Proposed Constitution is rejected, or to implement a number of plans suggested by the new constitution, if it is accepted by the people. Either way some heads must roll to create room for a new loyal team the Prime Minister and the President can work with. Among the first group of people to be shown the door will be the so called watermelons who by that time will be trusted by no one. The “NO” camp will have made enough use of them and the “YES” camp will have realized they are only a bunch of traitors.
According to the latest polls conducted by the South Consulting on behalf of the Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation (KNDR) half of the registered voters have already decided to vote “Yes” for the Proposed Constitution and a quarter have already decided to vote “NO”. This group is mostly made up of churchgoing Christians who are obviously influenced by the Clergy. The quarter that is still undecided will determine which side will carry the day. It is a group that is most likely to be influenced by the side that is likely to create a more stable and peaceful Kenya. With Raila and Kibaki united, Kenya is likely to be more stable and peaceful. The Kibaki- Raila unity therefore is likely to attract more people from the group that has not made up its mind yet.
The undecided group is likely to be influenced by the truth-telling “YES” camp that can easily substantiate all the claims made by their leaders in the campaign trails. Untruthful allegations made against the Proposed Constitution by the “NO” camps are so easily rebutted by the CoE and the civil society backing the Proposed Constitution , that more and more people are joining the “YES” camp everyday. Though hampered by the lack of money, civic education has helped many Kenyans make up their minds about the Proposed Constitution.
The role played by the Fourth Estate in making the people understand the contents of the Proposed Constitution is very crucial. Media Houses that seem to be unprofessional in the coverage of the referendum are likely to be exposed before the referendum day. Addressing journalists at a workshop recently, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communication, Dr. Bitange Ndemo challenged the Media Council to work with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to expose journalists who engage in hate speech. Whether the Media Council takes the challenge seriously it seems the Government will not allow the media to be used by anyone to disturb the peace of the country this time.
Whatever the case may be the people of Kenya have realized the importance of peace and stability in their country. If that peace will come about as a result of Raila-Kibaki cooperation then that cooperation, which is the core of the “YES” camp, is likely to attract more people in the "YES" camp. It is also likely to lay the foundation stone for a new slogan of peace and unity that will be the clarion call for all Kenyans after the referendum.
The campaign for the “YES” solution to the constitutional problem in Kenya by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has given the country the opportunity to see for the first time since the formation of the coalition Government, soon after the bloody 2007 elections, that the two leaders can indeed work together for a common goal. Many are the sad times when the coalition government faced the danger of breaking up due to internal squabbles. But the referendum seems to have solved that problem which has made the ODM and PNU leaders realize that the country prefers them united rather than parochially separated.
Whenever Kibaki and Raila clash the entire government comes to a standstill. The disagreements between the two have seen Cabinet meetings postponed and important decisions swept under the carpet to the detriment of progress and stability in the entire country. Whenever the squabbles take place there has always been a secret hand manipulating the antagonistic rivalries for very selfish reasons. It so happens that those who have benefited from the Kibaki- Raila wrangles are now all in the “NO” camp campaigning for the rejection of the Proposed Constitution.
The rich tycoons who have always surrounded the President and made him make the most unpopular decisions against the people of Kenya such as the invasion of the Standard newspaper group in 2006, are all in the “NO” camp. One such person is John Michuki who was the first to defend the State terrorist action against the media by claiming that rattling a snake would always lead to a bite. William Ruto is yet another person in the “NO” camp who always took an uncompromising stand against Kikuyus in general and Mwai Kibaki in particular.
Whatever the outcome of the referendum, the Kibaki-Raila unity during the current campaign is bound to bring about far-reaching political change in the relationship between PNU and ODM. Indeed it is the thought of these changes that make some in the PNU feel so scared of Raila Odinga that they have become “watermelons” while supporting the Proposed Constitution. The realization of the fact that the majority of Kenyans are determined to have a new constitution after the referendum has considerably weakened the “watermelon” strength to the detriment of the “NO” camp.
The latest Raila-Kibaki political cooperation is likely to bring about an inevitable Cabinet reshuffle whatever the outcome of the referendum. It is with this reshuffle in mind that Uhuru Kenyatta is now mobilizing the Gema community in favour of the “YES” camp following what was tagged the "Limuru Declaration" which was soon to be followed by the so-called "Machakos Declaration". The Limuru Declaration was born when the Central Province MPs joined hands with the GEMA leaders including the Mungiki leadership and vowed to bring five million votes in support of the “YES” camp. The purpose of the declaration was to boost the image of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta as the leading light of the campaign for the “YES” vote in Central Province, rather than the Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
On the other had the Machakos Declaration was also born when the Kamba MPs joined hands with the community’s top civil servant to deliver the “YES” vote in the Kambaland. At the meeting the Minister for Water, Charity Ngiu, openly told her tribesmen that backing the “NO" camp was the surest way of losing the Vice Presidency now held by a fellow Mkamba Kalonzo Musyoka. The two declarations prove that the Kikuyus and Kambas realize that the Raila-Kibaki unity is bound to bring about the desired peace in the country which will call for loyalty in the new structure of the Government after the referendum.
Whatever happens after the referendum Mwai Kibaki will remain the President of the Republic of Kenya and Raila Odinga will remain the Prime Minister of the Government of Kenya. The task before them will be either to try and get a new constitution in Kenya if the Proposed Constitution is rejected, or to implement a number of plans suggested by the new constitution, if it is accepted by the people. Either way some heads must roll to create room for a new loyal team the Prime Minister and the President can work with. Among the first group of people to be shown the door will be the so called watermelons who by that time will be trusted by no one. The “NO” camp will have made enough use of them and the “YES” camp will have realized they are only a bunch of traitors.
According to the latest polls conducted by the South Consulting on behalf of the Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation (KNDR) half of the registered voters have already decided to vote “Yes” for the Proposed Constitution and a quarter have already decided to vote “NO”. This group is mostly made up of churchgoing Christians who are obviously influenced by the Clergy. The quarter that is still undecided will determine which side will carry the day. It is a group that is most likely to be influenced by the side that is likely to create a more stable and peaceful Kenya. With Raila and Kibaki united, Kenya is likely to be more stable and peaceful. The Kibaki- Raila unity therefore is likely to attract more people from the group that has not made up its mind yet.
The undecided group is likely to be influenced by the truth-telling “YES” camp that can easily substantiate all the claims made by their leaders in the campaign trails. Untruthful allegations made against the Proposed Constitution by the “NO” camps are so easily rebutted by the CoE and the civil society backing the Proposed Constitution , that more and more people are joining the “YES” camp everyday. Though hampered by the lack of money, civic education has helped many Kenyans make up their minds about the Proposed Constitution.
The role played by the Fourth Estate in making the people understand the contents of the Proposed Constitution is very crucial. Media Houses that seem to be unprofessional in the coverage of the referendum are likely to be exposed before the referendum day. Addressing journalists at a workshop recently, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communication, Dr. Bitange Ndemo challenged the Media Council to work with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to expose journalists who engage in hate speech. Whether the Media Council takes the challenge seriously it seems the Government will not allow the media to be used by anyone to disturb the peace of the country this time.
Whatever the case may be the people of Kenya have realized the importance of peace and stability in their country. If that peace will come about as a result of Raila-Kibaki cooperation then that cooperation, which is the core of the “YES” camp, is likely to attract more people in the "YES" camp. It is also likely to lay the foundation stone for a new slogan of peace and unity that will be the clarion call for all Kenyans after the referendum.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Referendum: “YES” vote guarantees peace
When there are bitter struggles between the “YES” and “NO” camps to win supporters in the forthcoming referendum, it is easy to forget why Kenyans are going through the referendum in the first place. Had there not been international intervention following the post 2007 elections violence , Kenyan today would have been reduced to a hopelessly war torn country where respect for human life would have been subordinated to a level of brutal primitivism.
Before the intervention of the international community under the auspices of the African Union’s Panel of Eminent African Personalities headed by the former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, Kenya was divided between the supporters of the Party of National Unity (PNU), which constituted the then illegitimate Government of Mwai Kibaki; and the Orange Democratic Movement, which, under the leadership of Raila Odinga, many believe had won the 2007 elections.
It is because these two groups – the PNU and the ODM – agreed to end the post 2007 election hostilities that the country returned to some form of acceptable peace which was symbolized by the establishment of the Kibaki-Raila coalition Government we know today. It is in the effort of avoiding the repetition of the 2007- 08 clashes that the joint leadership of ODM and PNU agreed to have a new Constitution that would get rid of historical injustices that made the people of Kenya slaughter one another after the 2007 elections.
That ODM-PNU peace agreement, therefore, would not have been possible without the formation of the Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation (KNDR) team from both the PNU and the ODM. It is this team that looked at the way to solve Kenya’s socioeconomic and political problems through Agendas they named One to Four. One could say, without any fear of contradiction, that it is this KNDR team that saved the country from what was about to develop into a civil war caused by tycoons who paid private militia groups to cause trouble so as to either remain in political power or gain it.
Before Kofi Annan came into the picture , not a single church leader or any of the tycoons now opposed to the Proposed Constitution was concerned with any effort to bring about peace in Kenya, which was about to explode into a conflagration of tribal turmoil. They all left the field to the KNDR which was the only hope this country had to establish a nation of democratic diversity within unity. Now that the KNDR has laid the foundation for a long lasting peaceful country where justice is about to be done through the Proposed Constitution, attempts are being made to derail the whole process by wrecking the forthcoming referendum.
Nothing is of greater importance to the KNDR agreement than the referendum the country is about to go through. It is through this referendum that Kenyans can have a bloodless revolution that will reverse the trend of the haves having it all and the have-nots having nothing at all. The miracle of the latest development is the fact that both the PNU and ODM now agree that it is only through the Proposed Constitution that the country can have a long lasting peace.
One is always tempted to ask if the ODM and PNU agree to support the Proposed Constitution, why then is there still a latent secret power operating against the Proposed Constitution? The answer to that complicated question reveals the fact that the ODM of 2007 is not the same as the ODM of today. Neither is the PNU of 2007 the same as the PNU of today. The pre 2007 elections ODM was a united force that was determined to remove Mwai Kibaki form political power through the ballot.
Within it was a Kalenjin group that had plan “B” to embark on in the Rift Valley if the ODM failed to gain power constitutionally. Many believe that that plan “B” is what started the bloodbath that followed the election results that claimed Kibaki had “won” the elections. It is through this plan “B” that some crimes against humanity were committed in the Rift Valley. The result of the crimes is now water under the bridge as Luis Moreno Ocampo is already mobilizing his forces against certain individuals within the ODM.
Many believe it is because of Moreno-Ocampo’s determination to prosecute some individuals within the ODM that the party has disintegrated with Kalenjins leaders becoming rebellious to the extent of voting against the ODM backed Proposed Constitution. There is a school of thought that believes that William Ruto is only opposing to the Proposed Constitution because it is backed by Raila Odinga. William Ruto’s bitterness against Raila Odinga is believed to be based on the fact that Ruto does not feel Raila has used ODM’s formidable powers enough to protect him form Moreno-Ocampo’s possible prosecution.
The reasons for the disunity in the ODM are similar to the reasons for the disharmony within the PNU where Uhuru Kenyatta believes enough is not being done to protect him from the Moreno-Ocampo possible prosecution for alleged masterminding post election violence against Kalenjin aggression in the Rift Valley. This, some believe, is among the reasons he supports the Proposed Constitution in a lukewarm manner. So lukewarm that he is suspected to be the leader of the so called “watermelons” in the Central Province though he has vehemently denied the accusations.
The unity that existed within the PNU during the 2007 elections has also been diluted by the fact that within the PNU are some of the richest people in the country whose wealth is definitely being threatened by the referendum. If the “YES” group succeeds, all the corrupt methods of gaining illegal wealth will cease to exist. So will the impunity that protects the rich corrupt people from being prosecuted.
Both the Moreno-Ocampo’s intended prosecution and the referendum to give Kenyans an opportunity to stage a bloodless coup are meant to make sure that the country will never again be threatened by internal political strife caused by historical injustices. The “YES” vote therefore is a vote for peace in Kenya as the Proposed Constitution removes all the causes of political disharmony and economic injustices. It is a vote that gives the power to the people in the real sense of the word.
In the referendum the greatest enemy of the “YES” vote is the Clergy which is repeating the same mistakes it made just before the 2007 elections. At that time it took part in the fragmentation of the country along ethnic groupings which rekindled the fires of tribal hatred that led to the post election violence. Today the Clergy has joined forces with the rich against the poor for lucrative reasons only. It is said the Clergy is being bankrolled by the US fundamental churches that thinks the introduction of Kadhi courts in Kenya will lay the foundation stone for Sheria laws in the country.
Though that belief is based on pure ignorance the local clergy would not like to correct the situation as doing so would kill the goose that lays golden eggs for them. The Clergy in Kenya is not interest in peace just as it never was interest in peace in the pre 2007 election period. Saying “NO” for the Clergy is very good business which is swelling many individuals’ bank accounts. Greed has made many power hungry political leaders and gluttonous Clergy totally forget the real reason Kenyans need a new constitution. That reason is to establish a long lasting peace in the country, which can only come about through the “YES” vote.
Before the intervention of the international community under the auspices of the African Union’s Panel of Eminent African Personalities headed by the former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, Kenya was divided between the supporters of the Party of National Unity (PNU), which constituted the then illegitimate Government of Mwai Kibaki; and the Orange Democratic Movement, which, under the leadership of Raila Odinga, many believe had won the 2007 elections.
It is because these two groups – the PNU and the ODM – agreed to end the post 2007 election hostilities that the country returned to some form of acceptable peace which was symbolized by the establishment of the Kibaki-Raila coalition Government we know today. It is in the effort of avoiding the repetition of the 2007- 08 clashes that the joint leadership of ODM and PNU agreed to have a new Constitution that would get rid of historical injustices that made the people of Kenya slaughter one another after the 2007 elections.
That ODM-PNU peace agreement, therefore, would not have been possible without the formation of the Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation (KNDR) team from both the PNU and the ODM. It is this team that looked at the way to solve Kenya’s socioeconomic and political problems through Agendas they named One to Four. One could say, without any fear of contradiction, that it is this KNDR team that saved the country from what was about to develop into a civil war caused by tycoons who paid private militia groups to cause trouble so as to either remain in political power or gain it.
Before Kofi Annan came into the picture , not a single church leader or any of the tycoons now opposed to the Proposed Constitution was concerned with any effort to bring about peace in Kenya, which was about to explode into a conflagration of tribal turmoil. They all left the field to the KNDR which was the only hope this country had to establish a nation of democratic diversity within unity. Now that the KNDR has laid the foundation for a long lasting peaceful country where justice is about to be done through the Proposed Constitution, attempts are being made to derail the whole process by wrecking the forthcoming referendum.
Nothing is of greater importance to the KNDR agreement than the referendum the country is about to go through. It is through this referendum that Kenyans can have a bloodless revolution that will reverse the trend of the haves having it all and the have-nots having nothing at all. The miracle of the latest development is the fact that both the PNU and ODM now agree that it is only through the Proposed Constitution that the country can have a long lasting peace.
One is always tempted to ask if the ODM and PNU agree to support the Proposed Constitution, why then is there still a latent secret power operating against the Proposed Constitution? The answer to that complicated question reveals the fact that the ODM of 2007 is not the same as the ODM of today. Neither is the PNU of 2007 the same as the PNU of today. The pre 2007 elections ODM was a united force that was determined to remove Mwai Kibaki form political power through the ballot.
Within it was a Kalenjin group that had plan “B” to embark on in the Rift Valley if the ODM failed to gain power constitutionally. Many believe that that plan “B” is what started the bloodbath that followed the election results that claimed Kibaki had “won” the elections. It is through this plan “B” that some crimes against humanity were committed in the Rift Valley. The result of the crimes is now water under the bridge as Luis Moreno Ocampo is already mobilizing his forces against certain individuals within the ODM.
Many believe it is because of Moreno-Ocampo’s determination to prosecute some individuals within the ODM that the party has disintegrated with Kalenjins leaders becoming rebellious to the extent of voting against the ODM backed Proposed Constitution. There is a school of thought that believes that William Ruto is only opposing to the Proposed Constitution because it is backed by Raila Odinga. William Ruto’s bitterness against Raila Odinga is believed to be based on the fact that Ruto does not feel Raila has used ODM’s formidable powers enough to protect him form Moreno-Ocampo’s possible prosecution.
The reasons for the disunity in the ODM are similar to the reasons for the disharmony within the PNU where Uhuru Kenyatta believes enough is not being done to protect him from the Moreno-Ocampo possible prosecution for alleged masterminding post election violence against Kalenjin aggression in the Rift Valley. This, some believe, is among the reasons he supports the Proposed Constitution in a lukewarm manner. So lukewarm that he is suspected to be the leader of the so called “watermelons” in the Central Province though he has vehemently denied the accusations.
The unity that existed within the PNU during the 2007 elections has also been diluted by the fact that within the PNU are some of the richest people in the country whose wealth is definitely being threatened by the referendum. If the “YES” group succeeds, all the corrupt methods of gaining illegal wealth will cease to exist. So will the impunity that protects the rich corrupt people from being prosecuted.
Both the Moreno-Ocampo’s intended prosecution and the referendum to give Kenyans an opportunity to stage a bloodless coup are meant to make sure that the country will never again be threatened by internal political strife caused by historical injustices. The “YES” vote therefore is a vote for peace in Kenya as the Proposed Constitution removes all the causes of political disharmony and economic injustices. It is a vote that gives the power to the people in the real sense of the word.
In the referendum the greatest enemy of the “YES” vote is the Clergy which is repeating the same mistakes it made just before the 2007 elections. At that time it took part in the fragmentation of the country along ethnic groupings which rekindled the fires of tribal hatred that led to the post election violence. Today the Clergy has joined forces with the rich against the poor for lucrative reasons only. It is said the Clergy is being bankrolled by the US fundamental churches that thinks the introduction of Kadhi courts in Kenya will lay the foundation stone for Sheria laws in the country.
Though that belief is based on pure ignorance the local clergy would not like to correct the situation as doing so would kill the goose that lays golden eggs for them. The Clergy in Kenya is not interest in peace just as it never was interest in peace in the pre 2007 election period. Saying “NO” for the Clergy is very good business which is swelling many individuals’ bank accounts. Greed has made many power hungry political leaders and gluttonous Clergy totally forget the real reason Kenyans need a new constitution. That reason is to establish a long lasting peace in the country, which can only come about through the “YES” vote.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Proposed Constitution may tame MPs' greed
Kenyan MPs have now come out openly as the greediest people in the country. Putting up their salaries to well over a million shillings each every month, when there are millions who don’t know where their next meal will come from and thousands still living in ramshackle tents as IDPs, has made them lose the little respect they had among the people. The ruthless step they took to feather their own nests is a very cunning move to put something by for the rainy day which they know will come soon when the Proposed Constitution is accepted by the people of Kenya and becomes the country’s supreme law.
The acquisitive step taken by the MPs has also proved that the majority of them are what has proverbially come to be known as political watermelons which are green on the outside and very red in the inside. The 130 of them claimed to be very green at the joint PNU-ODM Parliamentary Group meeting chaired by Raila Odinga and Mwai Kibaki. But the cat almost came out of the bag when they demanded to be paid five million shillings each in order to popularize the Proposed Constitution in their constituencies.
MPs have also realized that green or red they will have very little influence in the forthcoming referendum on which people have already made up their minds. The passing of the Proposed Constitution is what Raila Odinga would describe as a tsunami or a tidal wave which will sweep across the whole country into a new dawn of democratic and transparent governance in Kenya. The question now is not whether or not Kenyans will accept the Proposed Constitution, but it is with what majority.
Paradoxically, the insatiable gluttony exhibited by Kenya’s most dishonorable legislators has only strengthened the people’s determination to turnout in large numbers and pass the Proposed Constitution , which they know is their only saviour in this bloodless war between the haves and the have-nots. Unlike the referendum of 2005 when people almost blindly followed the guidance of their political leaders, this referendum is by and large based on considerably more knowledge of the content of the document which, when all is said and done, originates from the people’s own contribution.
The Proposed Constitution really scares the current breed of Parliamentarians who invest in their parliamentary seats to milk the country dry through corruption, tribalism and nepotism. The document that is about to become the supreme law in Kenya closes all doors to what attracts politicians to Parliament. In future getting elected to the legislature will not mean an automatic acquisition of stolen wealth cornucopia. The door to that wealth normally leads to cabinet positions which in future will only be occupied by competent technocrats of proven clean record.
MPs are also scared stiff of the reorganization of political parties recommended by the Proposed Constitution. In future political parties will be national and not tribal. They will be required to exercise internal democracies and not be used by the rich as stepping stones to political power. The dirty plans of using political parties to deny young competent and popular leaders nomination tickets will soon be a thing of the past, for the Proposed Constitution will allow independent candidates to contest all political offices.
The very description of a leader in the Proposed Constitution would frighten the current Kenyan MPs. It requires high standards of integrity and respect for the people which the Parliamentarians seem to have none. According to Article 73(1) (a) (iii) of the Proposed Constitution on responsibility of leadership, those who will be holding important public offices in future will be expected to bring honour to the nation and dignity to the office.
MPs in Kenya have been responsible for bringing a lot of dishonour to the nation by constantly being absent from the legislature despite the high salaries they get for their jobs. The act they took of putting up their salaries in the most unreasonable manner has only helped to highlight the indignity of the entire House.
The one part of the Proposed Constitution which makes MPs spend sleepless nights and hide behind watermelons is Article 104 which gives the people the powers to recall their Member of Parliament they are dissatisfied with. If that Article was operationalised today all the MPs would have been recalled by the wananchi for being absolutely reckless in demanding such high salaries from the taxpayers that Kenya today is a laughing stalk in many parts of the world.
The irony of the whole episode is that no sooner will our MPs open up fat banking accounts obtained from the people’s sweat, than they will be making regular trips to the Western world to beg for some money to keep the Government from collapsing. Meanwhile there is no money in the country to pay school teachers whose contribution to this nation is of greater importance than that of the MPs.
One other aspect of the Proposed Constitution that makes MPs shake in their boots is the establishment of Counties which will be the governments very close to the people. Developments of many areas where the MPs come from are currently done through the Constituency Development Funds, which have turned the MPs into demigods in their home areas. CDFs have also been a cause of a lot of corruption.
With the establishment of offices of Governors, MPs’ status in the rural areas may be pushed to the peripheral level with limelight shining more on Governors. This predicament has been responsible for the increasing number of watermelons in the legislature. Fortunately the sin they have just committed will make the people not take them seriously when they call for “YES” or “NO” votes in their constituencies.
Between now and 4th of August the most important people as far as the referendum is concerned will be members of the CoE who will be conducting civic education. Other members of the civil society doing the same are likely to be taken more seriously by the people than the politicians from both the Red and the Green camps.
Wherever they go MPs will not be able to talk about their salaries yet the people will be thinking about nothing else but the manner in which the politicians have been milking them all the time. Without knowing it, the politicians have boosted the popularity of the Proposed Constitution and made certain that the “YES” team wins with a landslide victory. The people know that that is the only way to put a stop to the MPs’ shameless gluttony.
The acquisitive step taken by the MPs has also proved that the majority of them are what has proverbially come to be known as political watermelons which are green on the outside and very red in the inside. The 130 of them claimed to be very green at the joint PNU-ODM Parliamentary Group meeting chaired by Raila Odinga and Mwai Kibaki. But the cat almost came out of the bag when they demanded to be paid five million shillings each in order to popularize the Proposed Constitution in their constituencies.
MPs have also realized that green or red they will have very little influence in the forthcoming referendum on which people have already made up their minds. The passing of the Proposed Constitution is what Raila Odinga would describe as a tsunami or a tidal wave which will sweep across the whole country into a new dawn of democratic and transparent governance in Kenya. The question now is not whether or not Kenyans will accept the Proposed Constitution, but it is with what majority.
Paradoxically, the insatiable gluttony exhibited by Kenya’s most dishonorable legislators has only strengthened the people’s determination to turnout in large numbers and pass the Proposed Constitution , which they know is their only saviour in this bloodless war between the haves and the have-nots. Unlike the referendum of 2005 when people almost blindly followed the guidance of their political leaders, this referendum is by and large based on considerably more knowledge of the content of the document which, when all is said and done, originates from the people’s own contribution.
The Proposed Constitution really scares the current breed of Parliamentarians who invest in their parliamentary seats to milk the country dry through corruption, tribalism and nepotism. The document that is about to become the supreme law in Kenya closes all doors to what attracts politicians to Parliament. In future getting elected to the legislature will not mean an automatic acquisition of stolen wealth cornucopia. The door to that wealth normally leads to cabinet positions which in future will only be occupied by competent technocrats of proven clean record.
MPs are also scared stiff of the reorganization of political parties recommended by the Proposed Constitution. In future political parties will be national and not tribal. They will be required to exercise internal democracies and not be used by the rich as stepping stones to political power. The dirty plans of using political parties to deny young competent and popular leaders nomination tickets will soon be a thing of the past, for the Proposed Constitution will allow independent candidates to contest all political offices.
The very description of a leader in the Proposed Constitution would frighten the current Kenyan MPs. It requires high standards of integrity and respect for the people which the Parliamentarians seem to have none. According to Article 73(1) (a) (iii) of the Proposed Constitution on responsibility of leadership, those who will be holding important public offices in future will be expected to bring honour to the nation and dignity to the office.
MPs in Kenya have been responsible for bringing a lot of dishonour to the nation by constantly being absent from the legislature despite the high salaries they get for their jobs. The act they took of putting up their salaries in the most unreasonable manner has only helped to highlight the indignity of the entire House.
The one part of the Proposed Constitution which makes MPs spend sleepless nights and hide behind watermelons is Article 104 which gives the people the powers to recall their Member of Parliament they are dissatisfied with. If that Article was operationalised today all the MPs would have been recalled by the wananchi for being absolutely reckless in demanding such high salaries from the taxpayers that Kenya today is a laughing stalk in many parts of the world.
The irony of the whole episode is that no sooner will our MPs open up fat banking accounts obtained from the people’s sweat, than they will be making regular trips to the Western world to beg for some money to keep the Government from collapsing. Meanwhile there is no money in the country to pay school teachers whose contribution to this nation is of greater importance than that of the MPs.
One other aspect of the Proposed Constitution that makes MPs shake in their boots is the establishment of Counties which will be the governments very close to the people. Developments of many areas where the MPs come from are currently done through the Constituency Development Funds, which have turned the MPs into demigods in their home areas. CDFs have also been a cause of a lot of corruption.
With the establishment of offices of Governors, MPs’ status in the rural areas may be pushed to the peripheral level with limelight shining more on Governors. This predicament has been responsible for the increasing number of watermelons in the legislature. Fortunately the sin they have just committed will make the people not take them seriously when they call for “YES” or “NO” votes in their constituencies.
Between now and 4th of August the most important people as far as the referendum is concerned will be members of the CoE who will be conducting civic education. Other members of the civil society doing the same are likely to be taken more seriously by the people than the politicians from both the Red and the Green camps.
Wherever they go MPs will not be able to talk about their salaries yet the people will be thinking about nothing else but the manner in which the politicians have been milking them all the time. Without knowing it, the politicians have boosted the popularity of the Proposed Constitution and made certain that the “YES” team wins with a landslide victory. The people know that that is the only way to put a stop to the MPs’ shameless gluttony.
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