Kenyan politics is infiltrated by shameless opportunists

Scheming for power, appointments or seeking electoral positions to tap on the lucrative allowances has became the game of the day. 

It seems all the aspirants,their supporters and incumbents Kibaki’s government are all opportunists. There is luck evidence of substance significant compassion of the Kenyans plight agenda in our current politicians.

While Kibaki is mass looting of public resources business before his term ends as he positioning his ethinic group at all strategic government lucrative positions,  public and private sectors.

Baba Moi Professor of politics and disorganizer, is smartly dangled his nyayo boys as the alternative option for Presidency (Kalonzo, Ruto, Mudavadi, Uhuru, Saitoti, Balala).

As ODM-K is being taken to intensive unit care in London, the syndrome of power thirst and corruption has infected the Party, the same syndrome which infected the original FORD and splitted in 3 parts( Ford-K, Ford-Asili and Ford-People) has been diagnosed on ODMK.

Musila and Kamotho are set to take over ODM-K. Kosgey and Prof Nyang’ have no assurance for their positions. The total man “Biwott” is lamenting that the Kalenjin are being marginalized and may opt for Majimbosm soon. While Narc, Saitoti and Kituyi are drawing swords set for the mother of battle for the party leadership. Mama Ngilu is also now in the race, facing Dr Julia Ojiambo for women votes. Ford-K and Kombo watching the unfolding, the Jirongo and Shitunda are forming alliance in KADDU.

Pastor Pius Muiru, claims to have a vision from God to run for Presidency while Bishop Dr Wanjiru wants to face out with Kamanda in Stahere, come this general election, on ODM-K ticket.

Kenyans may go down in history as a fail democracy or batch of political gamblers heading for disintegration. Someone may wonder whether the impoverised Kenyans will bear these wealthy corrupt leaders any more. 

The Luo Nyanza, Western, Rift Valley and Coastal Provinces may be the deciding factor on the way forward for Kenya, in terms of reintroduction of Majimbosm constitution to reclaim their lost resources and dignified livelihood before the coming election 2007.

By Jadolo Okoth Otura,/www.cdmk.org

Published by African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525

A holiday that became tragic

Dear Kenyans and Africans abroad..

This is a very sad story that might affect all of us residing abroad while visiting Kenya on holiday. A few months ago a Kenyan residing abroad lost a dear father.

Due to some unavoidable circumstances, he did not attend his dads funeral. He had lived abroad for 4 years and had saved some cash to buy a car and a container full of accessories to sell or use while in Kenya.

He decided to attend the fathers memorial after a few months. He shipped his container, bought a
ticket to Kenya and called the mother, the brother and the sister to meet him in Mombasa on arrival so that he could clear his gadgets and of course to treat his dear mum, brother and sister in Mombasa for a holiday.

They all met in Mombasa as planned and had a nice time on holiday and of course he was also mourning the father that he never saw for 4 years.

Having spent some time in Mombasa, he cleared his container and the car. He then hired a truck to transport the container. He advised the truck driver to drive to Western province where he comes from and decided to drive his imported car
later during the day.

He was offered a driver in Mombasa but he insisted to drive..you know with all the excitement of coming home with a car…but he
refused.

To cut the long story short.., they drove all the way from Mombasa to Naivasha and were involved in a very serious accident whereby he lost his mother, brother and sister. He lost both legs and had a severe injury on his head.

So how do we consider his situation right now? And what do we learn from this? I know it was not planned and neither did he expect this
to happen, but is there any way we can at least reduce accidents of this kind from taking place?

• Difficult to say, but here are some advise or tips that can help..
  -While visiting Kenya from Abroad avoid driving since you are not familiar with the roads at night.
  -If you borrow a relatives or a friends car confirm that the lights and wipers are funtional.
  -If you are a big family and you are planning to drive for a long distance try to divide yourselves into different cars or buses.
  -In case of a funeral where a clan might sit in a whole bus,divide close relatives so that you dont sit together.
  -Always be alert while driving..you might be a careful driver..but might come into contact with a reckless driver…as is the case in Kenya.
  -Never get a lift from a drunkad driver…choose to drive yourself if possible.

I hope this would help you to return abroad smiling…have I forgotten
some tips ?.. Open for debate.

By Clay Onyango

Published by African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no, tel +47 932 99 739, or +47 6300 2525

The bonding ODM-K trip to the UK is a waste of money

Do you know for Kenyans wishing to attend this ‘bonding trip’ it shall cost them between £1000 to £10000 depending on where they want to sit ?!

The more you pay the closer you will sit to these aspiring presidents. Did they have to spend all  that money for such a meeting whereas there are so many places they could have done it in Kenya?

I see Kenya being taken for another ride: I have no hope on any of these people. Actions speak louder than words and it’s what they should be doing to showcase that they are capable of leading Kenya. People are dying everyday due to lack of food, poor infrastructure and so many other things that this money could have gone to.

I watched a programme on BBC about Red Nose, a fundraising event in the UK that aims to support work in Africa. One of the officials of the project had travelled to Kenya, Wajir for that matter, to do a documentary and to show where the money raised goes.

He highlighted various things that people from that area need. He made a comment that does depict the situation in the area which was, ‘if you live in areas above the equator you are nowhere in the Kenya government’s eyes’.

There is so much poverty and to make it worse they are nomads so you can imagine what happens when the drought hits!

Anyway, there was a young lad who had approached some government officials in the area so as to get funds through CDF in order to attend high school, but his efforts were fruitless and you could tell this guy really wanted to go to school.

The man doing the documentary took the lad and some other 6 or so people that had told him of their problems, including some teachers of the only school in that whole area which has more students than it can accomodate: They are forced to have two or more lessons in the same classroom or pupils of different age groups at the same time, and they headed for Nairobi to meet their MP.

They were warmly welcomed but as soon as they started telling of their troubles their MP who had a kitambi bigger than Mount Kilimanjaro dispersed them saying it was all politics.

He complained that they had been hand picked to spoil his name, that they were his opponents, he questioned why there were no supporters of him among the group and much more verbal diarrhoea. I was embarrassed to say the least.

The man who had initiated the meeting was shocked beyond words, can you imagine him coming all the way from UK to help Kenyan citizens and getting such a reception from the person who is supposed to do that work? 

Anyway they all left peacefully and back to where no one cares about their plight and Red Nose man came back to UK aired his findings to the public who vowed to continue to help these unfortunate people despite the kind of government the country has!

Thinking about that programme makes me want to take the next flight to Kenya and give that MP a piece of my mind. I highly doubt the literacy of some of our government officials!

By Ebony

Related stories:

• ODM-K luminaries desperate to get visas from former colonial masters
• ODM-K travellers to UK for party unity talks
• ODM-Kenya to run to colonial masters in search for unity

Published by African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no, tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525

Speech by the Foreign minister of Somaliland

PRESENTATION BY MINISTER ABDILLAHI DUALE, FOREIGN MINISTER OF SOMALILAND, TO ACADEMICS, STUDENT LEADERS AND OPINION MAKERS AT THE DAWN OF GHANA’S 50TH INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS IN ACCRA, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, MARCH 5, 2007

Mr. President, Chairperson, Fellow Ministers,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Commandant of the Centre, Members of the Press, Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great honour for me to address you today at this Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) Seminar at the dawn of Ghana’s 50 years of independence celebrations. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. You may be well aware that Ghana’s struggle for independence, its bold leadership under Dr. Kwame Nkrumah (May God bless his soul), inspired us to lead our independence struggles under the late President Mohamed Ibrahim Egal (May God bless his soul). Ghana was correctly viewed as a beacon state, inspiring us and many continental liberation movements, such as Africa’s oldest liberation organisation, the African National Congress (ANC). On behalf of the people of Somaliland, our best 50th congratulations, to the heroic people of Ghana and their heroic leadership!

This roundtable seminar organised jointly by Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre in association with the University of South Africa, could not be more perfectly timed as we reflect on the path ahead, the `long walk to freedom’, towards a better life for our children and people. The mobilising slogan of our founding father Dr. Nkrumah is most appropriate today: `Forward ever, backward never’.

Allow me to make a few major points in response to the presentation by Dr. Iqbal Jhazbhay of the University of South Africa (Unisa) - an internationally known specialist on Islamic Studies and notably, Somaliland, Somalia and the Horn of Africa.

Somalia has been much in the minds of African and international policy-makers in recent months, as well as in the minds and hearts of concerned citizens and the Ghanian government, as it takes on the responsibilities as the Chair of the African Union.

Somaliland is in agreement with countries in the Horn of Africa, in Africa and internationally, who were and are concerned about long period of lawlessness and the current extremist elements associated with the Union of Islamic Courts, known in Islamic literature as at-tatarruf. These extremists posed a real threat to the peace and security of the region and the continent as well as the wider world through their regional territorial ambitions, irredentism and support for both fundamentalism and terrorism. Somaliland welcomes the actions that have been taken by Ethiopia and the African Union to neutralise this danger. Somaliland itself has been a victim of indiscriminate terrorist violence for numerous times.

I must emphasise, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of a moderate constitutional Islamic state myself, that this is not to say that Islam and the traditional Islamic leaders do not have an important role to play in the future of southern Somalia. Far from it. Some traditional Muslim leaders achieved a great deal last year in bringing stability and security to areas of Southern Somalia that had not seen such conditions. Unfortunately, the process was hijacked by extremist, fundamentalist and terrorist elements. For a very long time moderate Islamists will have a vital part to play in the urgent task of stabilising southern Somalia, working with the Transitional Federal Institutions and the AU’s stabilisation force.

Somaliland will be glad to play its sisterly role in assisting in every way to contribute towards stabilising Southern Somalia without compromising Somaliland’s sovereignty.

Mr. Chairman,

I am here today, however, to talk about another SOMALILAND. A country that does not make as many headlines or attract as much international attention as its neighbour in the south (former Italian Trusteeship). A country that is peaceful, stable and democratic which is seeking full recognition, acknowledgment of its achievements and of its rights by its fellow Africans. I am here to speak about my country Somaliland, on the clear instructions of my President, His Excellency President Dahir Rayale Kahin.

Somaliland was a British Protectorate. After Ghana’s independence in 1957, we gained our independence on June 26 1960, where we were recognised as an independent state by over 35 countries. We voluntarily entered a union with the former Italian Somalia. The union went disastrously wrong for Somaliland. Somalilanders were excluded from decision-making and discriminated against. Unlike Ghana, which did not experience a civil war, Somaliland experienced the brunt of military bombings by a dictatorship. Tens of thousands of Somalilanders were killed, nearly one million Somalilanders were forced to flee their homes as refugees and sought refuge in Ethiopia. Many were internally displaced persons, and much of the country was laid to waste and sewn with mines. We also paid a dear price for being pawns of the Cold war with Soviet and US interests making the army of the late Siad Barre one of the strongest in Africa.

As a result of this trauma, Somaliland withdrew from the union with Somalia in May 1991 and re-constituted itself as an independent country. This was a reversion to the independent state of Somaliland of 1960 within the same agreed borders of the 1960 state; not a secession, but a reversion to the status quo ante.

Since 1991 Somalilanders have reconciled their internal differences in a long, intense, home-grown process of national reconciliation and nation building. We have long since disbanded clan-based militias. We have rebuilt our country. And we have created a democratic system of government that has won praise from around the world and that combines an elected President and a lower house of parliament with an upper house of parliament composed of clan elders. This experience is now referred to in the African Studies literature by Dr. Iqbal Jhazbhay as `Africa’s Best-Kept Secret’. Our task is to share and expose this `secret’!!

Like all other peoples, whether in Ghana, Ethiopia, or South Africa, Somalilanders have their political disagreements. But there is one issue on which almost all Somalilanders agree: that they will not go back to union with Somalia. Somaliland’s constitution, which affirms Somaliland’s status as a sovereign and independent state, was endorsed in a 2001 referendum by 97% of electors who voted. The majority of Somalilanders participated in our recent democratic local (2000), presidential (2003) and parliamentary (2005) elections. We are now looking forward to a second round of democratic elections, starting with local government elections scheduled tentatively for the near future, to be announced by the National Electoral Commission (NEC).

The government of Somaliland along with its people is ready to share our experiences of national reconciliation and state building with our neighbours in Mogadishu and to assist in stabilising the south in any way we can. This position is open to IGAD, the AU and the international community generally, as well as directly to the Transitional Federal Institutions of Somalia without compromising Somaliland’s freedom and sovereignty.

Mr. Chairman,

An African Union fact-finding mission was sent to Somaliland in 2005 to assess our country and our state in the light of Somaliland’s application for recognition and membership of the AU. The mission was dispatched by His Excellency Alpha Oumar Konare, Chairman of the African Union Commission and led by his Deputy Honorable Patrick Mazimhaka. I am confident that you may all have seen the findings of that mission:

that the union with Somalia brought `enormous injustice and suffering’ to the people of Somaliland;

that Somaliland has a `unique’ and uniquely justified case for recognition that would not open a Pandora’s box for claims to statehood elsewhere in Africa;

that the lack of recognition has hampered the development of Somaliland;

and that the African Union should find a special mechanism and framework of dealing with the status of the Republic of Somaliland.

Mr Chairman,

I ask you not to loose sight of the carefully considered recommendations of the African Union fact-finding mission.

Somaliland has waited over sixteen years now for consideration of its legitimate case by the African Union. Until there is a settlement of the Somaliland issue there will be no settlement of the Somalia issue.

There are two specific proposals I ask of you:

First, Ghana as Chair of the African Union and as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, to:

a) make known this AU report on Somaliland, by every way possible

to encourage senior AU member states to visit Somaliland and see for themselves our home-grown democratic gains, challengers and,

to commission an AU member state delegation under the auspices of the current Chairman of the African Union, His Excellency President John Agyekum Kufuor of Ghana, to visit Somaliland and report back to the next summit in Accra in July 2007, and

Second, to follow-up urgently and creatively on the recommendations of the African Union report.

Somaliland has much to offer the African Union’s founding Constitutive Act. We are a partner for peace and stability in the Horn of Africa, a democracy made in the spirit of a new Africa and a force for development in one of the poorest parts of our continent.

We are committed to good, peaceful and open relations with Somalia and to our common development. We are ready to enter into any kind of dialogue with the Transitional Federal Institutions, as equals and neighbours, that does not compromise our irrevocable position of statehood and independence.

It is time for Somaliland, Somalia and the African Union to move forward together towards a better future for the Horn of Africa in particular and Africa at large.

Finally, as Dr. Nkrumah said, `Forward ever, backward never’! I can comfortably say: `Forward ever with Somaliland’s independence and stability, backward never for re-union with Somalia.’!!

`Forward ever with the stability of the Horn of Africa, backward never for irredentism and regional wars.’!!

Thank you once again for allowing me this opportunity to speak to you today.

Happy Birthday Ghana and God bless you all.

Republic of Somaliland
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Accra, Ghana

Send in by Ali Mohammed

Published by African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525

Uganda: Striking over raid

Lawyers see the raid as a violation of the judiciary’s independence.
Judges and lawyers in Uganda are on strike to protest at the recent raid on the High Court by armed forces.
They want a government apology for what they see as an attack on the independence of Uganda’s judiciary.

Last week, security agents stormed into the court area to arrest six treason suspects who had been granted bail.

Two years ago, operations at the court were halted after a siege by a military unit during a case against opposition leader Kizza Besigye.

‘Unwarranted concern’

A statement by the judges - who say they will strike for a week - said organs of the government have repeatedly disregarded the authority of the judiciary by ignoring its directives. 

 Dr Besigye still faces treason charges

The BBC’s Ali Mutasa in the capital, Kampala, says the judges are equally concerned about their freedom and independence.

But Internal Affairs Minister Ruhakana Rugunda has said the decision by the judges and lawyers to go on strike is unwarranted.

“The government is investigating the matter and appropriate action will be taken after the results,” he said.

On Thursday, armed security officers forced their way into the High Court’s criminal registry and bundled the suspects into waiting vehicles.

The suspects are alleged members of the People’s Redemption Army (PRA) accused of plotting a coup.

The government has often linked Dr Besigye’s name to the PRA, a rebel group that was allegedly based in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Dr Besigye, who was charged with treason and rape in the run-up to presidential polls last year, has denied any link with the group.

He lost the election and still faces charges of treason in the High Court, but was cleared of the rape charge last year.

Former allies

The International Commission of Jurists has condemned the incident and urged Uganda to respect the independence and freedom of the judiciary.

In 2005, as suspects charged with treason along with Dr Besigye were granted bail at the High Court, a group of heavily armed military men, since tagged the “Black Mambas Urban Hit Squad”, surrounded the building.

Fearing the armed men, they opted to return to prison.

Mr Museveni has ruled Uganda for 20 years and had been seen as part of a “new generation” of African leaders.

But he was criticised for changing the constitution to enable him to stand in last year’s polls. He received 59%, against 37% for Dr Besigye.

Dr Besigye used to be Mr Museveni’s personal doctor and the two men were allies in the guerrilla war which brought Mr Museveni to power.

After the pair later fell out, Dr Besigye stood against Mr Museveni in 2001 as well as last year.

After losing the 2001 poll, Dr Besigye fled Uganda, saying he feared for his life, and only returned in 2005.

By Longstory Cutshort

Published by African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525

Norway: Three suspects in a murder case released

Three of the five men charged in the murder of nightclub owner Mohamed Ahssain were released from custody on Tuesday, for lack of evidence. The two main suspects, both convicted murderers who already were serving prison terms, will continue to be held.

Friends, family and acquaintances of murder victim Mohamed Ahssain paid tribute to him outside his Kamikaze nightclub Monday evening. PHOTO: PER ANNAR HOLM

Related stories:

New arrest in brutal murder - 05.03.2007

Questions continued to swirl on Tuesday as to why they’d been temporarily released from prison last week in the first place. Both were serving time for murders committed within the last nine years when they allegedly struck again while on authorized prison leave.

Newspaper Aftenposten reported Tuesday that lay judges in the trial of key suspect Minh Quang Pham had recommended he be incarcerated under tight security, because they viewed him as dangerous and likely to kill again.

They were overruled by the court’s judges on the case. Minh Quang Pham was arrested Saturday after police found the body of Ahssain in the trunk of the car he was driving.

That’s prompted politicians, ordinary citizens and the head of the police officers’ union to denounce Norwegian prison authorities as being both naïve and much too kind to criminals. They’re demanding answers as to why murderers are allowed to serve time in low-security facilities and be allowed prison leave, often without adequate evaluation.

Minh Quang Pham has confessed to the murder of Ahssain, but police don’t think he acted alone. He also reportedly told his parents that he merely needed to get rid of the dead body on behalf of others, so police think he may be covering up for other killers.

Ahssain was beaten to death, apparently after a quarrel over money. Although Ahssain has been hailed as a pillar of the immigrant community in Oslo, his former business partner has said he was expecting to receive millions in cash under the table in connection with the sale of one of his nightclubs, to avoid having to pay tax on the amount.

By Nina Berglund

Lifted and published by African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no, tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525 source AftenpostenENG

Attacks by rebels vigorously condemned

Dakar (Senegal) Africa Union (AU) chairperson, Alpha Oumar Konare, has vigorously condemned the renewed attacks perpetrated during the week-end on the town of Birao, in the north of the Central African Republic, by rebels of Union of Democratic Rally Forces, APA has learnt.

A statement copied to APA Monday in Dakar, said Alpha Oumar Konare reiterated the AU’s opposition to any usurpation of power in accordance with the principles of the consultative Act of the Union.

The Commission’s Chairperson furthermore called on all the rebel groups to immediately put an end to the attacks and urged them to seize the opportunity offered by the agreement signed in Tripoli on 2 February, 2007 between the government and the rebel groups./APA

 

Published by Korir, African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525

ODM-K luminaries desperate to get visas from former colonial masters

By Ayub Savula

Anxiety was rife at the ODM-Kenya secretariat over fears of a visa hitch for two presidential aspirants planning to travel to the United Kingdom.

Eldoret North MP Mr William Ruto and former Sabatia MP Mr Musalia Mudavadi have both been mentioned adversely in public cases in the past.

The British High Commission has in the past barred public leaders mentioned in cases related to graft from travelling to the UK unless cleared by the Government.

Ruto has a case pending in court on alleged illegal acquisition of land while Musalia, a former Finance minister was mentioned in the Goldenberg scandal, but later cleared by the Justice Samuel Bosire Commission of Inquiry.

On Monday, Ruto said a UK visa was not an issue and expressed confidence he would get the travel clearance.

“The visa is not an issue. I am going to attend the meeting. I am prepared,” said Ruto.

Mudavadi said he has not applied for the visa because he will not be travelling to the UK as he had planned a series of rallies, which he cannot cancel at the last minute.

Claims dismissed as propaganda

The former Vice President said he has never had a problem with the UK mission. I did not apply for the visa because “I am not travelling, but I have no problem”.

He dismissed as propaganda claims that he feared applying for the visa because it could be denied.

A source at the British High Commission said no applications had been received as at Monday from the travelling team. The source declined to confirm if any of the leaders was on the blacklist.

“The trend is never to notify the affected person, but to wait until they apply and then they are denied,” the source said.

Former Transport minister, Dr Chris Murungaru, was denied a UK visa when he sought to travel to the United States.

But some of the leaders in the ODM-Kenya top line-up were understood to have valid visas.

They include Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, Mr Raila Odinga, Mr Najib Balala and Mr Uhuru Kenyatta. Prof Julia Ojiambo said she had applied for the visa.

Aspirants will be treated to an exclusive dinner

On Monday, the ODM-Kenya UK office added the name of another presidential aspirant Ms Nazlin Umar, to the list of invitees, after she complained that she had been omitted.

The co-ordinator of the trip in Britain, Dr Kipnyango Seroney, said ODM-Kenya London office was paying for the tickets.

Seroney, the secretary of ODM-Kenya London office, said that the aspirants would be treated to an exclusive dinner at Down Hall Country House Hotel in North London, before attending a rally at a school in Wembley, where 10 UK MPs are expected.

The London excursion that starts this Friday to next Wednesday has been billed as a bonding event to dissolve differences among the leaders.

Meanwhile, the London secretariat is making final arrangements for a live broadcast of the speeches by the aspirants on a Kenyan FM radio station.

Lifted by Korir and published by African press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no, tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525 source.standard.ke