The IEBC Selection Panel has shortlisted the following (8) candidates for the position of Chairperson of the IEBC who are invited for interviews on the 11th and 12th October 2011

1. Consolata Wanjiku Ngondi

2. Onsando Osiemo

3. Koki Mercy Muli

4. Murshid Abdalla Mohamed

5. Ahmed Isaack Hassan

6. Wakahiu George Njenga

7. Kinuthia Mwangi Wamwangi

8. Wanja Ann Kariuki

The IEBC Selection Panel which is mandated to nominate persons qualified to be appointed as Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) received a total of 15 applicants as follows:

1. Ahmed Isaack Hassan - LLB; Dip (Law); CPS (K)

2. Consolata Wanjiku Ngondi - LLM; LLB; Dip (Law)

3. Koki Mercy Muli - MA (Understanding & Securing Human Rights); LLB; Dip (Law)

4. Kelong Titus Kipkoech - BSc (Applied Statistics)

5. Murshid Abdalla Mohamed - LLM; LLB; BA(Arts); Dip (Law)

6. Wakahiu George Njenga - LLM; LLB; Dip (Law)

7. Nalwelisie Chrisantus - MSC (Procurement); MBA (Finance); BA (Business)

8. Calistus Wanjala - MA (Business Administration);BA (Marketing)

9. Ingwero Japheth Mwange - MBA (Strategic Management);Bed (Arts)

10. Agola Auma Osolo - No degree certificates attached.

11. Chelong Alex Kipkosgei - No IEBC form; No degree certificates; No Law degree

12. Onsando Osiemo - LLM; LLB; Bachelor of Social Legal Sciences; Dip (Law)

13. Kinuthia Mwangi Wamwangi - LLM; MSC (Human Resource Management); LLB

14. Wanja Ann Kariuki - LLM; LLB

15. Kimotho Stephen Kariungi - Master of Science; Bsc.

The death of Nobel Laureate and environmental activist Professor Wangari Maathai has engulfed Kenya with communal grief. She died at 71 years of age and was an iconic Kenyan representative to the world. Kenya has lost one of its caring and protective mothers. After such hard work spanning decades in environmental, political and gender advocacy it is now a time to rest for this Kenyan heroine and mother after a worthy purposeful cause in life.

Notably quiet during this time is former President Daniel arap Moi, who Wangari Maathai made her career out of. He at one moment described Wangari Maathai as a mad woman. She was actually "mad" about Moi's government encroachment of water catchment areas and wanton destruction of the environment.

Were it not for her and other activists, Karura forest and Uhuru Park would now be a concrete jungle. She was vocal about the destruction of indigenous forests such as the Aberdares and the Mau ranges. She was a headache to the Moi government especially during the standoff and stripping with the mothers of Moi's government political prisoners at Freedom corner at the edge of Uhuru park. She was as much a second political liberation activist as she was in the environment circles.

Through her Greenbelt Movement she made a mark of raising the levels of reforestation across the country. Contrary to the current campaigns of planting trees, Wangari Maathai was more than just a tree planter. She ensured that there was a system of nurturing these trees to maturity. She achieved this by enlisting the support of women in the grassroots to plant trees in their localities and take care of them. She also advocated for the planting of indigenous trees and not just planting any other tree.

Last year her endorsement was being sought for the use of eco friendly eco-Jeneza coffins for burial instead of the timber-made coffins. Eco-Jeneza coffins are made from recycled paper and have plastic handles on the side, with their key selling point being environmental friendliness. "Our product will save thousands of trees being cut each year to make wooden coffins," says EAPI Managing Director Cor Roest during the launch recently. For her love of trees, environmental pundits will be waiting to see how Wangari Maathai will be buried, or did she prefer cremation?

Probably the next level of public debate on her life will be how best Kenyans will remember her. There are already tree planting campaigns being organized. Other suggestions include renaming Thika road to Wangari Maathai Highway. However, using her Nobel Peace Prize money Wangari was in the process of setting up a Wangari Maathai Centre in partnership with the University of Nairobi. She was also a staunch advocate of each human being doing his/her part and being themselves.

To read Wangari Maathai's last public interview by Drum Magazine in July 2011 visit this site -
http://www.kenyanmagazines.com/prof-wangari-mathai-nobel-laureate-green-belt-movement/

Rest in Peace Wangari Maathai

On Thursday night thugs raided The Nairobi Law Monthly magazine published by outspoken lawyer Ahmednassir Abdillahi.

They stole computers containing crucial files related to a revealing story that was to be published in its October Edition. Speculation is rife that the story must have rubbed the powers that be the wrong way.

Ahmednasir is a vocal member of the reconstituted Judicial Service Commission that has been vetting judiciary appointees under the new constitution. He is also a former Law Society of Kenya chairperson.

While giving his national address to commemorate one year after enactment of the constitution, President Mwai Kibaki poignantly observed that history is being written as the country implements the constitutional.

He observed that the future generations will envy their predecessors for achievements realized in the social, economic and political arena particularly in the birth of the third republic. I could not agree more. I am convinced that this is the time to kick out the outdated politics of mediocrity and stride to the politics of merit and development.

It is crucial for Kenyans to embrace courage and decisiveness in order to occupy their rightful places under the new constitutional dispensation so as to avoid erosion of the gains thereof.

Kenya must be bold to discard unpatriotic cultures, ethos and beliefs that are an inhibition to growth of a progressive, equitable and democratic nation.

The ongoing reforms witnessed in the judiciary, are commendable and set sound criteria on illegibility of holder’s elective offices. It is a constitutional proviso that eligibility to contest for office of president, governor, senator, Member of Parliament and or county representative must be pegged on merit, intergrity and sound moral attributes.

The politics of yesterday, where materialism, tribalism and manipulations were glorified at expense of positive leadership qualities must be buried and forgotten. This can only be possible if the people of Kenya agree to change negative attitude and misguided notions in approach to politics and expectation of leadership. Those occupying public must be viewed as public servants with an obligation to pursue national growth as opposed to some demi god’s swimming in privileges at expense of the citizenry.

Beyond their daily routine lifestyles, Kenyans need to passionately analyze the caliber of individuals seeking elective offices. It is a heinous act of betrayal for citizens particularly the enlightened individuals to abscond the role of sieving individuals seeking elective offices with a view to realizing credible leadership. The quality of political office holders significantly determines the nation wellbeing and development.

With such a realization Wananchi must effectively determine who their leaders become by participating in election as positive educators, elective office seekers and or vigilant observers. Under the new constitution it will be an onerous duty of the citizenry to ensure that the political dirt of past is filtered from contaminating the present. This is not easy but it is achievable.

In the past political elites have courted tribalism, manipulation and corruption to further selfish political agenda. Issue based political competitions tethered on political parties manifesto have been a pipe dream. Dirty subjective political considerations such as tribalism have dominated political campaigns. Economic retardation and painful political violence has been a common episode akin to PEV 2007.

Politicians who pursue tribal based politics must depart the political arena. It is despicable that some politicians are horse trading pretending to carry basket of votes from their tribes. Conspiratorial advocacy urging some Kenyans to drop their political ambition is being voiced by some misguided elements.

It is naive for some politicians to expect Kenyans to buy a political brand that Kikuyu have served as presidents twice and or that Kalenjins have served as president through President Moi and out to leave presidential contest to this or that tribe.

The ordinary Kikuyu and Kalenjin is a victim of poverty, high costs of living, unemployment, insecurity, landleness, internal displacements and lack of opportunity .The beneficiaries of post independence Kenya power wilders has been their cronies and kins. What the Kenyans need is leadership that can push development agenda and achieve national stability and social justice.

It is an abuse of the intelligence of Kenyans for some politician to campaign on the platform that their tribesman supported so and so to ascend the presidency and therefore it is the time for reprocity. Similarly it is high water mark of lunacy for some political operatives to unilateral identify tribal spokesmen. It is unfortunate that some politicians are in have a delusion that the presidency must be inherited by their tribes. These are players of obsolete politics of exclusion and must be rejected.

Kenyan must embrace leaders on basis of their ability, effectiveness and development agenda. The wananchi must seek knowledge to enable them evaluate elective offices seekers.

Under constitutional provisions on right to legal representation coupled with reformed judiciary Kenyans must remain Zealous and ensure that political demagogues are locked out never to set foot in matters of public governance.

Institutions such as the church, mosques and other religious bodies must preach values of sound leadership and intergrity.Interest groups should focus to equip citizens with objective information’s on leadership.

A curriculum on leadership and positive values should be introduced in institutions of learning so as to influence the future.

Elitist middle class cluster of the society must agree to move out of urban entertainments joints, air conditioned boardrooms and go to their counties to positively contribute on matters of sound governance rather than trooping there for Christmas festivities

George N. Kimani- Nairobi

(The writer is a lawyer and Executive Director of Kisima Rural Foundation)

email gkihingo@yahoo.com

1) Hassan, Ahmed Isaack - LLB; Dip (Law); CPS(K)

2) Ngondi, Consolata Wanjiku - LLM; LLB; Dip (Law)

3) Muli, Koki Mercy - MA (Understanding & Securing Human Rights); LLB; Dip (Law)

4) Kelong, Titus Kipkoech - BSc (Applied Statistics)