The Kenyan grand coalition government is in a crisis. Today ODM cabinet ministers stated they will no longer attend cabinet meetings until the "real power sharing" crisis is resolved. Yesterday, ODM said it is seeking the intervention of Koffi Annan to mediate the stalemate. It also emerged today that Raila Odinga had sent a letter to Koffi Annan on 8th February seeking his intervention.
The polls results from the two leading TV stations in Kenya (NTV and KTN) during their 9pm news was as follows:
NTV
Question: Is the decision by ODM to boycott cabinet meetings justified?
Poll Results:
Yes:- 54%
No:- 46%
KTN
Question: Is ODM justified in calling for a boycott of cabinet meetings?
Poll Results:
Yes:- 58%
No:- 42%
Is ODM justified in calling for a boycott of cabinet meetings?
Kenya Grand Coalition Government must be Kicked Out: New Order Party Of Kenya
Grand Coalition government has failed to deliver on its promises…it must be kicked out
It is very clear in my mind that the government deeply divided as the Grand Coalition government is cannot and won’t liberate Kenyans from the bondage of economic, social and political slavery.
Day in day out Kenyans are humiliated by mature men behaving badly. Kenyans have to endure indignity of being ruthlessly oppressed, exploited and disenfranchised by the people the entrusted with the power to lead them through elections.
In all corners of the country Kenyans are living in mass misery, wallowing in absolute poverty. Hunger, unemployment and diseases are diminishing and killing our beautiful country. The land of our birth, the land of our ancestors, the land of Dedan Kimathi and the Mau Mau.
To millions of Kenyans the independence no longer has any meaning. National flag, National Anthem and seat in the United Nations is not what our fathers fought for. The privileged few in the name of the ruling class has mastered the art of subjugation and economic slavery that has literally thrown the country to the dogs.
Kenya has reduced to a man-eat-man and a dog-eat-dog society. Black exploiters have joined hand with the leading foreign multinationals and international imperialist to kill the Kenyan masses by sucking their blood and sweat. Few lucky Kenyans that are in employment toil extremely hard and in extremely humiliating oppressing circumstances only for their sweat and blood to end up in the Black Europeans plates.
Every year the academic institutions spew to the job markets millions of qualified and energetic young men and women. The Kenya economic system is such a way that it works for the rich and only those with the right connections, even with inferior credentials are lucky to secure employment in the civil service or the private sector.
The vast majorities who neither are rich nor represented in the ruling class wallow in unemployment, loose hope, turn to drugs, crime and prostitutions to survive. They end up in streets, prisons and most in graves.
God never meant for Kenyans to live like this. The situation is no longer sustainable and must be changed.
Kenya is poor not because the Kenyans are poor, but because those vested with leadership abilities have deliberately and willingly condemned Kenyans to these miseries thanks to graft, corruption and poor leadership. We must refuse to sit down and watch our country Kenya degenerate.
All indicators, political, social, economic, environmental clearly point to the fact that Kenya as a country is doomed. We must brace to take over the leadership of the country to clear the MESS created since independence. It is a huge mess and after cleaning there must be a fresh start.
From sports (Kenya Football Federation/FKL and youth fund) to Education (Free Primary Education), from Energy (Triton) to Agriculture (Maize, Fertilizer), From Finance (billions computer error, Anglo leasing, Goldenberg) for Foreign Affairs (Migingo), From Immigration (Al Faisal, Miguna Miguna saga, NEP population growth by 114%), From Water (Millions loss at City Water) to Lands (Ndungu report implementation and Mau Saga), From Trade (Kenya Beaureau of Standards saga and EPZ slavery) to Environment (Nema Woes), From Transport (Matatu saga, Airport Seciruty, Maritime Collapse, Kenya Ferry Services debacle), From Internal Security (Vigilantes handling, Cattle Rustling, General insecurity) to Cooperatives (Handling of New KCC, Coffee, Tea sectors.)…..the list is endless.
Radical and Meaningful change is a must in all sectors of governance. The power to effect this change is within us. Time to act is now.
Lawrence Kamau
Chairman
NOPE
Posted in
Corruption in Kenya,
Grand Coalition Issues
1 Comment
Miguna Miguna: Judge proved I am a true Kenyan citizen - The Star
Justice L. Kimaru released a landmark decision on the issue of citizenship on January 22. That decision puts to rest the odious attacks on me by the PNU and other malicious detractors over the unfounded allegation that I lost my citizenship because I allegedly acquired Canadian citizenship and passport.
PNU busybodies went berserk and called on the Prime Minister to fire me purportedly for "working illegally". They went further and demanded that I be prosecuted for "lying" about my "status". They knew that I have never lost my citizenship. They also knew that I have never lied about my status; nor have I broken any laws. They know that I have never renounced my Kenyan citizenship. But they do not care. Their intention is to besmirch my reputation with dirt.
Now the High Court has said: "Wait a minute; a Kenyan citizen by birth does not and cannot lose his/her citizenship merely by acquiring a foreign one or passport; he can only do that if or when he renounces his citizenship, and the person advancing the allegation of loss of citizenship has the burden of proof!"
That was my position all along. I kept telling the Kenyan media that they were wrong to clutch on straws; that the onus was on PNU and the idlers to prove their allegations by adducing credible evidence.
It all started with an election petition by Mahamud Muhumed Sirat against the MP for Wajir South, Abdulrahman Ali Hassan. Sirat had sought to nullify the election of Hassan. In response, Hassan made an application seeking to dismiss the petition with costs on the basis that Sirat was not a Kenyan citizen.
He argued that Sirat had voluntarily acquired the citizenship of Australia and therefore owed allegiance to the Government of Australia. Hassan further argued that the petitioner, being Australian, was not eligible or ought not to have been registered as a voter in Kenya and could not have qualified to be elected an MP in Kenya. Finally, Hassan argued that Sirat lacked legal and constitutional capacity to institute or to proceed with the petition.
Finally, Sirat denied ever having renounced his Kenyan citizenship in preference for an Australian one. He produced copies of his birth certificate, national identity card and Kenyan passport as evidence of citizenship. Sirat also produced copies of his academic certificates to establish the schools he attended in Kenya.
In his judgment, Justice Kimaru said Sirat, "by virtue of his birth in Kenya, and the fact that both his parents are citizens of Kenya, is entitled (to) citizenship of Kenya." The judge said section 97(1), (3) and (7) of the Constitution of Kenya does not deprive a Kenyan citizen by birth of his citizenship upon acquiring nationality of another country.
He opined that sections 88, 90, 92, 93, 94, 95 and 97 of the Constitution only "prohibited persons of a particular category who are citizens of other countries at the time Kenya attained independence".
The judge ruled that those sections "not apply to citizens of Kenya who acquired citizenship by virtue of their birth from acquiring citizenship of another country after attaining 21 years of age."
And finally, Judge Kimaru threw a judicial left-hook clincher: "Even assuming that the petitioner had indeed acquired Australian citizenship, there is nothing in the constitution that specifically prohibits the petitioner from acquiring such citizenship while at the same time retaining his Kenyan citizenship provided that Australian law allows for its citizens to acquire and have dual nationality."
The only "exception is when a person specifically renounces his Kenyan citizenship and acquires citizenship of another country that does not allow dual citizenship".
Hassan produced no evidence that Sarit renounced his Kenyan citizenship. He also failed to prove that Australia does not accept dual citizenship. As such, the judge ruled that Sarit remains a Kenyan citizen.
The possession of a Kenyan national identity card and passport, the judge ruled, are prima facie evidence of citizenship. Justice Kimaru said the court "lacks jurisdiction to invalidate or declare invalid a national identity card" which has been duly issued.
With this milestone judgment, Kenyans have hope in the reorientation and reform of our judiciary.
The writer is Prime Minister's adviser on coalition affairs and joint secretary to the Permanent Committee on the Management of Grand Coalition Affairs. The opinions expressed here are his own.
Dr Juma Mukhwana: Eugene Wamalwa has made his Point
As young members of the Kenyan society, I would like to say that Eugene Wamalwa has a significant point in declaring that he would like to vie for the presidency of Kenya.
While his steps may not be steady, those condemning him better hold his horses.
Kenyan politics today requires new, fresh and untainted individuals.
I am appalled at how Kenyans claim that they want good leadership and turn round and support corrupt and dynastic individuals who have perfected the art of cheating Kenyans into voting for them.
All Kenyans wishing to galvanize support for their presidency be given an opportunity to do so.
Off late I have sensed a trend where people wanting to look for leadership in Kenya are getting criminalized. Nobody was born to lead Kenya at the exclusion of others.
I also think that Kenyans are being taken for a ride by people who will talk about William Ruto being associated with YK92 only when he supports Eugene Wamalwa or someone else or declares his own intentions to run for the presidency; but the same cannot be mentioned when Ruto supported Raila in 2007. Are we being fair as a society?..
I have also heard people condemning the so called KKK for being a tribal outfit yet we all know the ODM and even PNU were and remain a tribal outfits having been formed along the same lines.
Kenyans will only get good leadership when they stop cheating themselves and each other and face the truth as it is. There was nobody who was born to lead Kenyans at the exclusion of other people.
I would like to urge that Eugene Wamalwa be allowed to sell his policies just like others before him have been allowed to do and then we can judge him on his own merit.
Dr Juma Mukhwana
While his steps may not be steady, those condemning him better hold his horses.
Kenyan politics today requires new, fresh and untainted individuals.
I am appalled at how Kenyans claim that they want good leadership and turn round and support corrupt and dynastic individuals who have perfected the art of cheating Kenyans into voting for them.
All Kenyans wishing to galvanize support for their presidency be given an opportunity to do so.
Off late I have sensed a trend where people wanting to look for leadership in Kenya are getting criminalized. Nobody was born to lead Kenya at the exclusion of others.
I also think that Kenyans are being taken for a ride by people who will talk about William Ruto being associated with YK92 only when he supports Eugene Wamalwa or someone else or declares his own intentions to run for the presidency; but the same cannot be mentioned when Ruto supported Raila in 2007. Are we being fair as a society?..
I have also heard people condemning the so called KKK for being a tribal outfit yet we all know the ODM and even PNU were and remain a tribal outfits having been formed along the same lines.
Kenyans will only get good leadership when they stop cheating themselves and each other and face the truth as it is. There was nobody who was born to lead Kenyans at the exclusion of other people.
I would like to urge that Eugene Wamalwa be allowed to sell his policies just like others before him have been allowed to do and then we can judge him on his own merit.
Dr Juma Mukhwana
Tome Francis: Now pseudo populist Wamalwa blames ODM for the cancellation of Simama Kenya rally
Going by what transpired in Bungoma this week, honorable Eugene Wamalwa has to quickly figure out what political tune to sing and how to effectively reach his audience or be decimated by the raging political undertones.
Miffed by his political antics, the Ford Kenya stalwarts unflinchingly told him to first take Simama Kenya to his Saboti constituency before embarking on a political tour to the larger Bungoma region.
In simple terms the genuine Ford Kenya stalwarts told him that it had become extremely difficult for them to recognize his musical or party affiliation.
His democratic ideals were questioned when he resorted to using unorthodox methods to clinch Ford Kenya`s chairmanship. Couldn`t the Simama Kenya endorsement have waited for the conclusion of the internal democratic process in Ford Kenya?
Why for instance would he opt to be endorsed as Ford Kenya`s de facto party chairperson by the nebulous “Simama Kenya” rather than the Ford Kenya party itself? These were the kind of questions that made Wamalwa dither and dither.
He finally made a tactical retreat and conveniently blamed the police for the cancellation. After this brushfire that burned through his political fortunes he frantically searched for a political function that could help him escape the searing political heat in the Ford Kenya home turf.
He later own found himself in the brigade of the Agriculture Minister William Ruto who was presiding over the opening of a teachers training college in Kapenguria. Predictably, politics took the centre stage.
Honorable Wamalwa yet again transported the Ford Kenya wrangles to Kapenguria. Dispensing off with gentility, he was not only offending and condescending but also down right annoying.
In what political pundits say is a strategy to chip away Raila`s popularity in the Ford Kenya`s political turf, honorable Wamalwa brazenly blamed ODM for the cancellation of the Simama Kenya rally that was to ostensibly endorse him for presidency.
In an apparent reference to the Prime Minister Eugene said, “The politics of a half loaf are behind the cancellation of the Simama Kenya rally in Bungoma.” I bet that he himself was surprised that people believed this lie.
Yet without adducing an iota of evidence, Wamalwa knows too well that he stands to be accused of peddling empty rhetoric. You see, rhetoric is cheap and because of its cheapness Wamalwa can afford plenty of it. Expect a lot of it from him.
The politics of 2012 has no doubt given him a curse of opportunity to reveal himself ruinously. It is hard to imagine that the hitherto nice guy has fallen so low and is fighting tooth and nail to remain relevant in Kenya`s political theatre.
In solidarity with the Agriculture Minister, they entered a pact that will ostensibly see them support each other to clinch the country`s presidency. And in this very function, a new buzzword found its place in Kenya`s political theatre of absurdity.
Frustrated that Kenyans are not too benighted to wholly swallow the “transformational leadership” banner, they invoked the phrase “generational change.” I find this phrase illiberal in the sense that what Kenyans are yearning for is transformative leadership which is neither a preserve of the youthful politicians.
Transformative leadership does not preclude age. I know so many among the current youthful political leaders who do not deserve to lead this country because they have nothing in common with the generation they fervently seek to be the voice of.
I stand to be corrected but I believe that the reason for the change of phrase is based on the realization that few if any among them have transformative abilities. I do not begrudge Wamalwa (aka the boda boda MP) for his new found wisdom.
However, I wish to remind him that in elective politics, images are symbolic, and symbolism matters when it reflects a deeper truth. His new found company bespeaks volumes. I doubt whether being a pseudo populist will do him any good.
For more of his writing visit Tome Francis' blog at http://kenyayoungvotersalliance.blogspot.com
Miffed by his political antics, the Ford Kenya stalwarts unflinchingly told him to first take Simama Kenya to his Saboti constituency before embarking on a political tour to the larger Bungoma region.
In simple terms the genuine Ford Kenya stalwarts told him that it had become extremely difficult for them to recognize his musical or party affiliation.
His democratic ideals were questioned when he resorted to using unorthodox methods to clinch Ford Kenya`s chairmanship. Couldn`t the Simama Kenya endorsement have waited for the conclusion of the internal democratic process in Ford Kenya?
Why for instance would he opt to be endorsed as Ford Kenya`s de facto party chairperson by the nebulous “Simama Kenya” rather than the Ford Kenya party itself? These were the kind of questions that made Wamalwa dither and dither.
He finally made a tactical retreat and conveniently blamed the police for the cancellation. After this brushfire that burned through his political fortunes he frantically searched for a political function that could help him escape the searing political heat in the Ford Kenya home turf.
He later own found himself in the brigade of the Agriculture Minister William Ruto who was presiding over the opening of a teachers training college in Kapenguria. Predictably, politics took the centre stage.
Honorable Wamalwa yet again transported the Ford Kenya wrangles to Kapenguria. Dispensing off with gentility, he was not only offending and condescending but also down right annoying.
In what political pundits say is a strategy to chip away Raila`s popularity in the Ford Kenya`s political turf, honorable Wamalwa brazenly blamed ODM for the cancellation of the Simama Kenya rally that was to ostensibly endorse him for presidency.
In an apparent reference to the Prime Minister Eugene said, “The politics of a half loaf are behind the cancellation of the Simama Kenya rally in Bungoma.” I bet that he himself was surprised that people believed this lie.
Yet without adducing an iota of evidence, Wamalwa knows too well that he stands to be accused of peddling empty rhetoric. You see, rhetoric is cheap and because of its cheapness Wamalwa can afford plenty of it. Expect a lot of it from him.
The politics of 2012 has no doubt given him a curse of opportunity to reveal himself ruinously. It is hard to imagine that the hitherto nice guy has fallen so low and is fighting tooth and nail to remain relevant in Kenya`s political theatre.
In solidarity with the Agriculture Minister, they entered a pact that will ostensibly see them support each other to clinch the country`s presidency. And in this very function, a new buzzword found its place in Kenya`s political theatre of absurdity.
Frustrated that Kenyans are not too benighted to wholly swallow the “transformational leadership” banner, they invoked the phrase “generational change.” I find this phrase illiberal in the sense that what Kenyans are yearning for is transformative leadership which is neither a preserve of the youthful politicians.
Transformative leadership does not preclude age. I know so many among the current youthful political leaders who do not deserve to lead this country because they have nothing in common with the generation they fervently seek to be the voice of.
I stand to be corrected but I believe that the reason for the change of phrase is based on the realization that few if any among them have transformative abilities. I do not begrudge Wamalwa (aka the boda boda MP) for his new found wisdom.
However, I wish to remind him that in elective politics, images are symbolic, and symbolism matters when it reflects a deeper truth. His new found company bespeaks volumes. I doubt whether being a pseudo populist will do him any good.
For more of his writing visit Tome Francis' blog at http://kenyayoungvotersalliance.blogspot.com
The writer erred in dowplaying Wafula Buke’s reform credentials
Recently a section of the media published an article which was written by one Ongoro wa’ Munga.
The article which according to me and those privy to real struggle for second liberation is full of malice and lies aimed at tainting Wafula Buke’s reputation.wa’Munga’s article is intended to distort history by praising the cowards at the expense of real heroes of the second liberation.
I first learnt about Buke’s heroic acts in late 1980’s when he was expelled from the university because of his views against Moism.It was an act of courage that many dared not to stand and be counted. He had a strong position about what he stood for and that is why the system feared him more and jailed him for five years while others like Miguna were acquitted.
I was young but my dad and elder brother always helped me to go through the newspapers and some magazines like the then Hillary Ngweno’s weekly review and Gitobu Imanyara’s Nairobi law monthly. When I joined the university of Nairobi in 2000, it happened that one of my lifelong desires was achieved; meeting Wafula Buke whom I still consider one of the greatest and true Kenyan heroes to date.
My knowledge of Buke as a the most sincere pro democracy crusader , a resilient, independent minded, strong willed mentor and a freedom fighter of our age that can hardly be compromised.
In the article, the writer tries to mitigate Miguna’s supposed credentials in the struggle as superior to Buke’s when he knows very well that Miguna is only known to his campus colleagues of that time.
Though I wasn’t part of that group, my familiarity with Buke informs me that the writer was inaccurate in his imaginations. There are many reasons why I agree with Buke when he said that Miguna’s struggle for change ended in 1987 at the University of Nairobi . The writer fails to cite any significant argument other than the good English .
Wafula Buke’s name is synonymous with the struggle for change in this country and at no point has Buke been a sycophant. it must be known that Buke’s contemporaries who chose sycophancy over principles are the ones who enjoyed during Moi’s time and are still enjoying the fruits of corruption even in the current government; an opportunity Buke denied himself because of what he stood for .given his position as SONU chairman then,Buke would have chosen the easier way of getting compromised or selling out his comrades and avoiding prison or playing sycophancy to western powers in order to earn a refugee status or foreign citizenship like Miguna.but Buke must be lauded for he avoided this temptation and still got involved in the liberation politics even after leaving prison.
Buke continued to play a major role in the struggle and his efforts and those of the likes of George Anyona,Koigi wa Wamwere,Njeru Kathangu,Wanyiri Kihoro ,Dr.Willy Mutunga,Mwandawiro Mghanga,Dr.Mukaru Ng’ang’a and others are the ones that have taken us this far as far as growth of democracy is concerned.
The writer’s hero Miguna Miguna plays an obscure role in this if any. The writer seems to have been around for quite some time since he claims that he was at the university of Nairobi a little time earlier than Wafula Buke and Miguna Miguna.
What he doesn’t tell us is his(the writer’s) own role in bringing change in this country. He looks like a new entrant .he falls in the category of spectators and therefore has no moral authority to talk about the discomforts of being in prison.
He doesn’t know what prison is. He is a coward who never dared take the central part of the struggle for change and he now seeks relevance by claiming that he knows both Buke and Miguna.Not all those who got expelled by university authorities fought for justice. Its interesting that the writer’s misguided analysis fails to explain his own lack of political presence despite claiming that he was expelled from the university at some point before the same fate befell Buke and Miguna.
It’s primitive for Mr.wa’Muga to insinuate that anyone is jealous or envies Miguna’s supposed academic achievements. Academic achievements only have value to individuals who posses them. Whatever the so called achievements are; they serve purpose to the individual who posses them and have little benefit to the nation as compared to the struggle for freedom justice and equality.
The freedom that Buke fought for is what has made Miguna to come and reclaim Kenyan citizenship and even get a job which he couldn’t get under previous circumstances that he ran away from. No one cares whether he has a million degrees; that is for his own personal benefit, not the nation’s. Let it be known too that there are many people who are more educated than Miguna.
Let it also be known that education is different from leadership, diplomacy and wisdom; qualities that I find scarce in Miguna as a person. He is just one of many professionals in his field. If that is what informs Miguna’s belligerence and self importance attitude, then he is totally misguided.
I happened to hear about Miguna Miguna for the first time through reading a number of his articles on some blogs during his days as an armchair activist in Canada.Miguna must know that there is a very big difference between writing from a safe distance and operating on the frontline.Buke’s credentials are evident through the works he did including mentoring and helping many young student leaders into developing ideologically oriented leadership.
I can authoritatively say that Buke mentored many of us while Miguna was busy writing to imaginary audiences in Canada.Buke played a significant role in even assisting students who were expelled and suspended.
Apart from giving us political education, he together with Professor Kivutha Kibwana helped so many suspended and expelled students including providing accommodation for over 20 students at a time. Where was Miguna then? He was in Canada writing articles and developing the character of drowning in his own megalomaniac imaginations which is the syndrome he suffers from to date.
Some of the people Buke mentored to student leadership include the likes of Ndolo Asasa, Mwengi Mutuse, Otieno Caleb David, Isaac Mukenya, Moses Oburu, Irungu Kang’ata,the late comrade Oulu GPO, Makokha Wanjala, to name but a few.Buke sheltered many comrades who couldn’t be welcome anywhere else after being suspended.
It was through Buke’s mentorship that despite the meager resources, I was able to contest and win SONU Vice Chairmanship in 2003 .Where was Miguna at that time? Living in the comfort zone of what he called political exile?
Where was Miguna when Buke joined together with other pro change activists in the struggle for the new constitutional order under Muungano Wa Mageuzi? During our days in SONU,which was as recent as 2003,mentioning Wafula Buke,Tito Adungosi,James Orengo,Wanyiri Kihoro Mwandwiro Mghanga ,Chelagat Mutai,Kabando wa Kabando,Otieno Aluoka;gave automatic votes to any candidate who was able to quote the said names in his/her speech.
Those names gave impression that the candidate knew the history of SONU. Those names to date define the true lineage of SONU leadership. I dint hear anyone mention Miguna Miguna. What kind of personality is this Miguna Miguna?he is a person whose main ideology is self righteosness. its a pity that he opts to insults whenever challenged or whenever he differs with anyone in ideas.
Since this Miguna fellow got an opportunity to be known to Kenyans he has been making uncivilized moves every time he does anything. He is rubbing everyone’s shoulders the wrong way. he is an intolerant person who doesn’t deserve a position like being the advisor to the Prime Minister.
I doubt if the Prime Minister relies on the advice of this intolerant character that happens to send around offensive and unprintable text messages to people who disagree with him in principle. It’s shameful that out of so many competent Kenyans, the Prime Minister appointed him as the chief advisor.
Miguna’s self righteous attitude drove him to even send unprintable insults to human rights activist and playwright Okiya Omtatah Okoiti just because they had a differing opinion on some political issue. Wafula Buke is an icon of the struggle for the second liberation and that is why those who envy his moral political achievements are out to taint his name.
History will honour Buke and shame on them who want to mitigate their absence in the struggle by downplaying Buke’s sacrifice that eventually highly contributed to the democratic change that we attained. The writer wants us to Google Miguna as the founding coordinator of the committee of democracy in Kenya .
The struggle for change is not about the elitist .the grassroots don’t know how to Google and that informs how out of touch the writer and his friend Miguna are. it is also wrong for the writer to seek legitimacy by linking whatever he claims to be Miguna’s struggle to the sacrifices the likes of Dr.Willy Mutunga made to help us get to where we are.
Miguna can not fit in the league of true pro-democracy activists like Dr.Mutunga.Miguna’s irrationality, self importance, self righteousness and the know it all mentality is the opposite of the values that people like Dr.Mutunga espouse.
They cannot be in the same league. If you ask majority of Kenyans, they will tell you that they only came to know Miguna, after him exposing the awful character which included him trying to derail the constitution review process when he walked out of the consensus meeting. There is hardly anything positive to say about Miguna.
The writer has given an example of Govani Mbeki and Chris Hani as having brought about change while in exile. if find this out of context and cannot apply in the struggle for second liberation in Kenya.ANC was fighting for freedom fro colonialists while the second liberation was about saving Kenya from an African dictator; Daniel arap Moi.
The writer also forgets the recent contribution Buke made in their ODM campaigns. were it not for Buke’s personal effort the ODM presidential candidate wouldn’t have got the number of votes that he got in Bungoma.I witnessed Buke’s campaigns firsthand when he tried to campaign in what was perceived to be a PNU zone in 2007.
Buke managed to help a number of ODM parliamentary candidates into victory and a surprise performance of the presidential candidate who got over 40 percent of the vote in the larger Bungoma.what votes did Miguna take to the ODM campaign?Miguna must be happy that its because of the efforts of the likes of Buke that he enjoys the comfort of working in the Prime Minister’s office, otherwise there couldn’t be such an office in this country.
Miguna owes Buke gratitude.
I am yet to see Miguna’s credentials in the struggle if at all there are any.
Fwamba NC Fwamba
Nairobi
fwambanc@yahoo. com
The article which according to me and those privy to real struggle for second liberation is full of malice and lies aimed at tainting Wafula Buke’s reputation.wa’Munga’s article is intended to distort history by praising the cowards at the expense of real heroes of the second liberation.
I first learnt about Buke’s heroic acts in late 1980’s when he was expelled from the university because of his views against Moism.It was an act of courage that many dared not to stand and be counted. He had a strong position about what he stood for and that is why the system feared him more and jailed him for five years while others like Miguna were acquitted.
I was young but my dad and elder brother always helped me to go through the newspapers and some magazines like the then Hillary Ngweno’s weekly review and Gitobu Imanyara’s Nairobi law monthly. When I joined the university of Nairobi in 2000, it happened that one of my lifelong desires was achieved; meeting Wafula Buke whom I still consider one of the greatest and true Kenyan heroes to date.
My knowledge of Buke as a the most sincere pro democracy crusader , a resilient, independent minded, strong willed mentor and a freedom fighter of our age that can hardly be compromised.
In the article, the writer tries to mitigate Miguna’s supposed credentials in the struggle as superior to Buke’s when he knows very well that Miguna is only known to his campus colleagues of that time.
Though I wasn’t part of that group, my familiarity with Buke informs me that the writer was inaccurate in his imaginations. There are many reasons why I agree with Buke when he said that Miguna’s struggle for change ended in 1987 at the University of Nairobi . The writer fails to cite any significant argument other than the good English .
Wafula Buke’s name is synonymous with the struggle for change in this country and at no point has Buke been a sycophant. it must be known that Buke’s contemporaries who chose sycophancy over principles are the ones who enjoyed during Moi’s time and are still enjoying the fruits of corruption even in the current government; an opportunity Buke denied himself because of what he stood for .given his position as SONU chairman then,Buke would have chosen the easier way of getting compromised or selling out his comrades and avoiding prison or playing sycophancy to western powers in order to earn a refugee status or foreign citizenship like Miguna.but Buke must be lauded for he avoided this temptation and still got involved in the liberation politics even after leaving prison.
Buke continued to play a major role in the struggle and his efforts and those of the likes of George Anyona,Koigi wa Wamwere,Njeru Kathangu,Wanyiri Kihoro ,Dr.Willy Mutunga,Mwandawiro Mghanga,Dr.Mukaru Ng’ang’a and others are the ones that have taken us this far as far as growth of democracy is concerned.
The writer’s hero Miguna Miguna plays an obscure role in this if any. The writer seems to have been around for quite some time since he claims that he was at the university of Nairobi a little time earlier than Wafula Buke and Miguna Miguna.
What he doesn’t tell us is his(the writer’s) own role in bringing change in this country. He looks like a new entrant .he falls in the category of spectators and therefore has no moral authority to talk about the discomforts of being in prison.
He doesn’t know what prison is. He is a coward who never dared take the central part of the struggle for change and he now seeks relevance by claiming that he knows both Buke and Miguna.Not all those who got expelled by university authorities fought for justice. Its interesting that the writer’s misguided analysis fails to explain his own lack of political presence despite claiming that he was expelled from the university at some point before the same fate befell Buke and Miguna.
It’s primitive for Mr.wa’Muga to insinuate that anyone is jealous or envies Miguna’s supposed academic achievements. Academic achievements only have value to individuals who posses them. Whatever the so called achievements are; they serve purpose to the individual who posses them and have little benefit to the nation as compared to the struggle for freedom justice and equality.
The freedom that Buke fought for is what has made Miguna to come and reclaim Kenyan citizenship and even get a job which he couldn’t get under previous circumstances that he ran away from. No one cares whether he has a million degrees; that is for his own personal benefit, not the nation’s. Let it be known too that there are many people who are more educated than Miguna.
Let it also be known that education is different from leadership, diplomacy and wisdom; qualities that I find scarce in Miguna as a person. He is just one of many professionals in his field. If that is what informs Miguna’s belligerence and self importance attitude, then he is totally misguided.
I happened to hear about Miguna Miguna for the first time through reading a number of his articles on some blogs during his days as an armchair activist in Canada.Miguna must know that there is a very big difference between writing from a safe distance and operating on the frontline.Buke’s credentials are evident through the works he did including mentoring and helping many young student leaders into developing ideologically oriented leadership.
I can authoritatively say that Buke mentored many of us while Miguna was busy writing to imaginary audiences in Canada.Buke played a significant role in even assisting students who were expelled and suspended.
Apart from giving us political education, he together with Professor Kivutha Kibwana helped so many suspended and expelled students including providing accommodation for over 20 students at a time. Where was Miguna then? He was in Canada writing articles and developing the character of drowning in his own megalomaniac imaginations which is the syndrome he suffers from to date.
Some of the people Buke mentored to student leadership include the likes of Ndolo Asasa, Mwengi Mutuse, Otieno Caleb David, Isaac Mukenya, Moses Oburu, Irungu Kang’ata,the late comrade Oulu GPO, Makokha Wanjala, to name but a few.Buke sheltered many comrades who couldn’t be welcome anywhere else after being suspended.
It was through Buke’s mentorship that despite the meager resources, I was able to contest and win SONU Vice Chairmanship in 2003 .Where was Miguna at that time? Living in the comfort zone of what he called political exile?
Where was Miguna when Buke joined together with other pro change activists in the struggle for the new constitutional order under Muungano Wa Mageuzi? During our days in SONU,which was as recent as 2003,mentioning Wafula Buke,Tito Adungosi,James Orengo,Wanyiri Kihoro Mwandwiro Mghanga ,Chelagat Mutai,Kabando wa Kabando,Otieno Aluoka;gave automatic votes to any candidate who was able to quote the said names in his/her speech.
Those names gave impression that the candidate knew the history of SONU. Those names to date define the true lineage of SONU leadership. I dint hear anyone mention Miguna Miguna. What kind of personality is this Miguna Miguna?he is a person whose main ideology is self righteosness. its a pity that he opts to insults whenever challenged or whenever he differs with anyone in ideas.
Since this Miguna fellow got an opportunity to be known to Kenyans he has been making uncivilized moves every time he does anything. He is rubbing everyone’s shoulders the wrong way. he is an intolerant person who doesn’t deserve a position like being the advisor to the Prime Minister.
I doubt if the Prime Minister relies on the advice of this intolerant character that happens to send around offensive and unprintable text messages to people who disagree with him in principle. It’s shameful that out of so many competent Kenyans, the Prime Minister appointed him as the chief advisor.
Miguna’s self righteous attitude drove him to even send unprintable insults to human rights activist and playwright Okiya Omtatah Okoiti just because they had a differing opinion on some political issue. Wafula Buke is an icon of the struggle for the second liberation and that is why those who envy his moral political achievements are out to taint his name.
History will honour Buke and shame on them who want to mitigate their absence in the struggle by downplaying Buke’s sacrifice that eventually highly contributed to the democratic change that we attained. The writer wants us to Google Miguna as the founding coordinator of the committee of democracy in Kenya .
The struggle for change is not about the elitist .the grassroots don’t know how to Google and that informs how out of touch the writer and his friend Miguna are. it is also wrong for the writer to seek legitimacy by linking whatever he claims to be Miguna’s struggle to the sacrifices the likes of Dr.Willy Mutunga made to help us get to where we are.
Miguna can not fit in the league of true pro-democracy activists like Dr.Mutunga.Miguna’s irrationality, self importance, self righteousness and the know it all mentality is the opposite of the values that people like Dr.Mutunga espouse.
They cannot be in the same league. If you ask majority of Kenyans, they will tell you that they only came to know Miguna, after him exposing the awful character which included him trying to derail the constitution review process when he walked out of the consensus meeting. There is hardly anything positive to say about Miguna.
The writer has given an example of Govani Mbeki and Chris Hani as having brought about change while in exile. if find this out of context and cannot apply in the struggle for second liberation in Kenya.ANC was fighting for freedom fro colonialists while the second liberation was about saving Kenya from an African dictator; Daniel arap Moi.
The writer also forgets the recent contribution Buke made in their ODM campaigns. were it not for Buke’s personal effort the ODM presidential candidate wouldn’t have got the number of votes that he got in Bungoma.I witnessed Buke’s campaigns firsthand when he tried to campaign in what was perceived to be a PNU zone in 2007.
Buke managed to help a number of ODM parliamentary candidates into victory and a surprise performance of the presidential candidate who got over 40 percent of the vote in the larger Bungoma.what votes did Miguna take to the ODM campaign?Miguna must be happy that its because of the efforts of the likes of Buke that he enjoys the comfort of working in the Prime Minister’s office, otherwise there couldn’t be such an office in this country.
Miguna owes Buke gratitude.
I am yet to see Miguna’s credentials in the struggle if at all there are any.
Fwamba NC Fwamba
Nairobi
fwambanc@yahoo. com
Tome Francis - Fund scam: do not play political ping pong by shortchanging children
The implementation of the Free Primary Education (FPE) and Subsidized Secondary Education (SSE) programme was seen as a final bright star falling into alignment.
The public as well as donors hailed the programme and supported it morally and financially. However, eight years down the line, this dream is on the verge of being shattered.
A huge chunk of the funds injected into this programme have instead been embezzled by corrupt bureaucrats in the Ministry of Basic Education.
Regrettably but predictably, the Ministry deliberately failed to have in- built mechanisms of monitoring and evaluation that would have provided Kenyans with consistent information regarding the state of the FPE and SSE. Everything just went awry.
Amid all these scandals, it is perhaps the ability of top technocrats to brazenly deny the obvious that is startling. Already, the Permanent Secretary and the Government Spokesperson (aka, the spin doctor) are furiously spinning strange tales in a bid to evenly cover up this muck.
They are wondering why a donor who contributes less than five percent of the FPE and SSE should complain when corruption rears its ugly head in the Ministry. To them, these donors are akin to an outsider who sheds more tears than the bereaved.
The worst is when they allege that the money stolen did not even come from the donors. These gentlemen seem to think that stealing donors’ money is what constitutes theft; however, stealing from the Kenyan tax payers is not theft at all!
By the way, it doesn`t matter whether it is FPE or SSE money that was stolen; the bottom-line is that a punishable crime was committed. It is therefore sickening to see some top civil servants play political ping pong by shortchanging our kids.
For how long shall such individuals continue to hide behind ethnicity or party politics while destroying the future of our children? It is even worse for the public to be subjected to a tirade by some MPS for merely calling upon the resignation of the Minister and the PS.
These MPs know that the Minister and the PS cannot be investigated while in office. Don`t they know that the office sanctifies its holder?
Moreover, it is nauseating for the PS to tell the public that it should not worry since the FPE and SSE programmes would be unaffected by the scandal that has docked in the Ministry. Could this imply that the Ministry has somehow backfilled its budget deficit?
Where did all this money come from? Could treasury have used the consolidated fund in frantically filling the gaping budget holes in the Basic Education Ministry? Or were there budgetary cutbacks from other sectors? Were such action(s) approved by the full cabinet and parliament? In my considered view, such an action would only make treasury a partner in crime.
If that be the case then the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) must censure the Finance Minister for operating outside his jurisdiction. Yet it is the President`s loud silence that has perhaps had the public wondering whether he still has the welfare of the Kenyan child at heart.
Like many other Kenyans, I have prayed that the president takes a decisive action to save this country from this cancerous growth that is cutting a swath through his brainchild.
To begin with, the Minister for Basic Education and his “Permanent” Secretary must have their services suspended, if not terminated. As Kuan Yew Lee opines “once a political system has been corrupted right from the very top leaders to the lowest rungs of the bureaucracy, the problem is very complicated.
The cleansing has to start from top and go downwards in a thorough and systematic way.”
The public as well as donors hailed the programme and supported it morally and financially. However, eight years down the line, this dream is on the verge of being shattered.
A huge chunk of the funds injected into this programme have instead been embezzled by corrupt bureaucrats in the Ministry of Basic Education.
Regrettably but predictably, the Ministry deliberately failed to have in- built mechanisms of monitoring and evaluation that would have provided Kenyans with consistent information regarding the state of the FPE and SSE. Everything just went awry.
Amid all these scandals, it is perhaps the ability of top technocrats to brazenly deny the obvious that is startling. Already, the Permanent Secretary and the Government Spokesperson (aka, the spin doctor) are furiously spinning strange tales in a bid to evenly cover up this muck.
They are wondering why a donor who contributes less than five percent of the FPE and SSE should complain when corruption rears its ugly head in the Ministry. To them, these donors are akin to an outsider who sheds more tears than the bereaved.
The worst is when they allege that the money stolen did not even come from the donors. These gentlemen seem to think that stealing donors’ money is what constitutes theft; however, stealing from the Kenyan tax payers is not theft at all!
By the way, it doesn`t matter whether it is FPE or SSE money that was stolen; the bottom-line is that a punishable crime was committed. It is therefore sickening to see some top civil servants play political ping pong by shortchanging our kids.
For how long shall such individuals continue to hide behind ethnicity or party politics while destroying the future of our children? It is even worse for the public to be subjected to a tirade by some MPS for merely calling upon the resignation of the Minister and the PS.
These MPs know that the Minister and the PS cannot be investigated while in office. Don`t they know that the office sanctifies its holder?
Moreover, it is nauseating for the PS to tell the public that it should not worry since the FPE and SSE programmes would be unaffected by the scandal that has docked in the Ministry. Could this imply that the Ministry has somehow backfilled its budget deficit?
Where did all this money come from? Could treasury have used the consolidated fund in frantically filling the gaping budget holes in the Basic Education Ministry? Or were there budgetary cutbacks from other sectors? Were such action(s) approved by the full cabinet and parliament? In my considered view, such an action would only make treasury a partner in crime.
If that be the case then the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) must censure the Finance Minister for operating outside his jurisdiction. Yet it is the President`s loud silence that has perhaps had the public wondering whether he still has the welfare of the Kenyan child at heart.
Like many other Kenyans, I have prayed that the president takes a decisive action to save this country from this cancerous growth that is cutting a swath through his brainchild.
To begin with, the Minister for Basic Education and his “Permanent” Secretary must have their services suspended, if not terminated. As Kuan Yew Lee opines “once a political system has been corrupted right from the very top leaders to the lowest rungs of the bureaucracy, the problem is very complicated.
The cleansing has to start from top and go downwards in a thorough and systematic way.”