Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka on Friday confirmed Kenya’s worst fears: that the cabinet’s move giving the Waki report a wide berth during their last meeting was a deliberate spite on the Kenyan public and another display of the insensitivity and impunity now characteristic of Kenyan politicians. In Kalonzo’s words to quarries from journalists –“We will not discuss anything just because you think we should. You do not set the agenda for the cabinet!”
It would have served the VP well to consult his communications department, who hopefully have their ears closer to the ground than he does, before he stepped forward to field questions from the press. His spin masters would probably have informed him, that while he was officiating over the launch of the Orange mobile phone network on the 14th of October, Kalonzo’s peers at the top of Kenya’s political hierarchy, were on the hallowed steps of the Presidents Harambee house office, promising Kenyans not only the immediate implementation of the Waki report but its tabling and adoption at the cabinets next sitting.
It would appear that in jumping into bed with Mwai Kibaki, at the signing of the national accord and forming a government together, Prime Minister Raila Odinga caught Kibaki’s infamous flu- whose best known symptom is trashing MOU’s and reneging on promises. Why else would he be threatening to pull out of the grand coalition over the implementation of the Waki report? Since when did journalist’s queries on the cabinets silence on the report, comprise what Raila terms as silly questions he has no time for?
Kalonzo’s assertion that Kenyans must take notice that the country has many more serious issues requiring more urgent attention than the Waki report raises serious questions on the collective judgment of the countries top leadership. What are this emerging issues, whose urgency now supersedes resolving the issues at the root of the Kenya’s darkest moment. They must be much more weighty than the over 1000 lives lost between December 2007 and March 2008, They must mean much more than the over 300,000 persons displaced during that time, they must cost much more than the billions worth of property that went up in smoke during that period.
Has President Kibaki forgotten the heart rending scenes that nearly drove him to tears as he toured IDP camps early in the year. Is it lost on him, how many people were killed in his name, for barely supporting him or even sharing a tribal identity with him. Has Raila now forgotten the magnitude of the crisis Kenyans faced early this year in his name? Does he still feel that emotion that drove him to term the killings then as Senseless and even have his party write to the International Criminal Court at the Hague calling for intervention in February this year. Does it matter to him anymore, that a family of 8 were brutally murdered, locked up inside their house and set ablaze only because like Raila their mother tongue is Dholuo. Are the two leaders aware that while a political settlement was sufficient to resolve their difference, the chilling cold at IDP camps, memories of loved ones killed in cold blood, dashed lives and destroyed property and unresolved ethnic tensions still stand in the way of peace and cohesion for many Kenyans?
Are Kenya’s top leaders out of touch or plainly indifferent.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
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You are spot on Newton. This just goes to underscore the callousness of our current brand of politics. One might actually say, what we need in Kenya is not the period change of tenancy that occurs at State House, but rather a more radical shake-up of the political edifice that would redefine the basic ethic of our politics. These people are the same...we must now chose the less trodden path of building a truly national movement that with pay no attention to tired way of tribal machinations but will rise to the duty of nationhood and save our beloved country!!! It is the least we can do, it is the least lesson we can learn. We owe it to the memory of the 1500 people who perished in that senseless orgy.
ReplyDeleteNewton,
ReplyDeleteIts wonderful to see a well written comprehensive unbiased state of our country.
Very objective, thank you.
Newton, spot on. We don't have our butts kissing the base of a deep hole because of lack of ideas but instead we remain a nation populated by overtly opininated citizen with no action to match. The objectivity ends at our lips and the scoundrels for political leaders take over from there dragging us like animals into the cesspool. Come election time we re-elecet the same goonsand the same circus goes on. Well not any more as Kenyans have demonstrated their determination to reclaim their country. All they need is a pillar/Obama to rally all their efforts and epitomize their aspirations. None of the present scavangers meets the bill.
ReplyDeleteWe actually need more of the same stuff in the blogosphere. And surely Change shall come to Kenya too.
ReplyDeleteNewton, as a journalist, I think you are insincere on remarks attributed to PM Odinga.
ReplyDeleteFirst, every Kenyan knows the PM has been in the forefront in voicing his opinion on this Waki report and he has repeatedly said the report will be implemented. He has no constitutional executive authority to form a local tribunal – only one man has those powers and that man is talking about forgiveness instead of acting as recommended by CIPEV report!
The truth is that Raila’s refusal to budge from that decision in the national interest, despite huge political pressure, has been interpreted as one of the clearest signs than Kenya has turned the page on its traditional corrupt and venal politic. This is a development that should be welcomed by anyone who cares for this country.
Looking at PM as a politician and a leader of ODM, the KASS FM interview (aimed at Rift Valley residents) that you allude to and that which all of us heard on radio, he was specific that his party would abandon the coalition if innocent party members were victimised using the Waki report. You are now misreporting this and insinuating it to mean that Raila threatened to leave the grand coalition government if the Waki report is implemented! Nothing could be further from the truth and Newton you know it! Surely, you do not expect the Prime Minister to behave like an activist and lead public protests against a government that he supervises and co-ordinates, do you?
Why don’t gather the guts Newton and place the blame directly where it belongs. The report was handed over to the President, he immediately promised to table it in the next cabinet meeting and then forward it to parliament with a cabinet decision. More than a month down the road, none of this happened and time is not on our side. Even more sadly, short-sighted politicians are being given time to polarise the country along ethnic lines and in the process escalate tension between communities that have hardly reconciled following the botched 2007 election and violence. All because of indecision and impunity.
Kindly set the record straight and spare us the innuendos and unsubstantiated allegations that are all too common in the blogosphere. You are on the ground and have access to all these leaders Newton.
And to add something else, I would not call the NARA accord "jumping into bed with Mwai Kibaki"..
ReplyDeleteIt is tragic you use that sarcastic analogy to describe the politically mature actions of the Prime Minister because by accepting to sign a peace accord and form a coalition with Kibaki, Raila and his ODM party showed true statesmanship by making a huge concession to save this country from destruction, especially because they accepted a lesser position out of a contest they and millions others believe they won fair and square.
It's very unfortunate that Bw Phil never sees anything wrong in PM Raila Odinga. You should have been given the post of official PM spokesman. It suits you!
ReplyDeletePhil,
ReplyDeleteWhat are you doing here, this blog is not for Raila worshippers. This blog is for constructive and objective views on Kenyan politics.
I think we should be honest with ourselves. Phil, your thinly veiled political leanings aside, try and look at this objectively. We have a leadership problem personified in the sins of ommission of BOTH Raila Odinga and President Kibaki. Newton is neither being sarcastic nor misleading, if anything, his piece was more sober than it should have been. To blame Kibaki alone for indecision would be to solve half the equation; the both of them signed the national accord, thus they are both responsible for the direction the country takes. Raila cannot say one thing in public, then fold in private, and decide to tow the party line on an issue that is bigger than ODM. That reeks of indecision. trying to cleanse Raila of what is the country's biggest indiscretion to date is just plan unfair.
ReplyDeletejjournals
ReplyDeleteYour unsolicited comments are as ill-informed as they come.
What exactly do you and Newton Ndebu want PM Raila to do that he has not already done?
As opposed to Kibaki, Raila has successfully resisted political pressure to dance to the tune of his party members. Unlike the Mois, Kenyattas and Kibakis of this world, Raila does not dictate DICTATE to his fellow party members who just like him were also elected to parliament by the people - which also gives them a right to express opinion as leaders too!
The fact that the PM and Kibaki are joint signatories on the NARA accord does NOT give the PM any constitutional powers to form a tribunal. It appears you, jjournals, are the only one who does not know that the President (and nobody else) appointed the individual commissioners who served in the Kriegler and Waki commissions. That is the law.
The ECK as it stands now was solely created by Kibaki in total disregard to the IPPG Safari Park agreements. The same ECK made a mess of the elections and that eventually triggered the post election violence.
Even the controversial MAU Forest saga that is currently reason the PM is receiving flack from his own supporters was a criminal creation of the Moi regime and endorsed by the Kibaki regime. As the PM is making genuine efforts to humanely resettle Mau dwellers and save this all important water tower, and therefore avert a sure national disaster, media in Kenya are busy writing uninformed pieces about how ODM is fast loosing political support in the lower rift valley!
Are these hired mercenaries or professional journalists?
Newton,
ReplyDeleteWarning!
You must never respond to this Phil. he is a sick demented individual who worship Raila Odinga brazenly. If you don't agree with this sicko he get offended and emotional.
Newton Ndebu,
ReplyDeletePhil had been on suicidal watch since Raila Odinga lost at the polls. He is currently receiving attention and good care. Make sure you handle him with great care as well.
Phil's Mistress