Why TNA, ODM two horse race will lock out reform in Kenya

By Murimi Mwangi

The two-horse-race cliché has dominated the presidential campaigns. The ODM team has already bestowed the reform tag on their horse and is rubbishing the G7 horse as a wagon of conformists of impunity.

However, this reformism-conformism gimmick is a lyric that the public must ignore since riders of both horses have a history of being merchants of impunity and none of them qualifies the title of a true reformist.    

For starters, Uhuru Kenyatta has over history dirtied himself with the muck of impunity due to his relationship with all the post independent governments. He was a Moi project in 2002, despite being a political naïve then. It is widely believed that Uhuru never joined politics to serve the interest of the wide citizenry but to protect members of the elite class that had illegally amassed wealth during the Kenyatta and Moi regimes.

The unprecedented merger of KANU and other pro-Kibaki parties in 2007 into PNU was a deliberate attempt by Uhuru to remain politically relevant after his untenable loss to Kibaki in 2002. He did this with the hope of in inheriting the kikuyu chiefdom from Kibaki, which he has dully achieved despite having serious crimes against humanity in The Hague!

His rival horse rider, Raila Odinga’s credentials of reformism are pegged on his 7 years detention by president Moi, his vigorous campaign against the insubstantial 2005 constitution and eventually his efforts in acquisition of the new constitution. Ironically, Uhuru also rejected the 2005 draft and campaigned for the 2010 constitution alongside Raila. So why does Raila qualify to be a reformist for the same things that the alleged impunity-conformist also did?

Raila has also been acclaimed for his momentous role in bringing the lakeside nation into the Narc coalition of 2002 that trounced the 24 years of the despotic Kanu regime.

However, Miguna Miguna, in his memoir peeling back the mask claims that prior to Raila’s  historical pronouncement, ‘Kibaki Tosha’, he was just from signing an MOU endorsing Nyachae’s presidential bid. This is a clear indicator of a wavering politician; an allegation that has also been confirmed by his former head of protocol Tony Gachoka.

Raila’s campaign strategy in the 2007 election to date still encapsulates serious suspicion. Muted allegations that he conducted the campaign based on a concealed agenda of 41 tribes against 1 (that fuelled the 2008 chaos), is a serious negatron of his alleged reformism.

Additionally, his occasional doublespeak on national matters also portrays a leader without a clear stand. In parliament he says MRC is a prescribed gang but at the Coast he has the guts to say that the armed hooligans wrecking havoc there can come to a round table with him and discuss peace!

At one time he says that ICC suspects should be locked up in Kamiti Maximum prison, but later on we hear he is in serious coalition talks with Ruto, one of the ICC suspects.

Paradoxically, both Uhuru and Raila claim that they would fast track the full implementation of the constitution upon election.  However, for Uhuru to be given the green light to even contest the presidency a flawed integrity bill mutilating chapter 6 of the constitution has to be effected- that tells a lot about what would be his style of constitution implementation.

Raila’s promise of speedily implementing the constitution also sounds ridiculous. On one hand he wants to forge an alliance with Ruto, yet that can’t happen unless the integrity Bill is blemished to allow Ruto into the arena. Additionally, how will Raila Marshall his government to implement the constitution if he brings aboard Ruto who captained the rejection of the draft by the Kalenjin nation?

A true reformist is an indefatigable leader that not only stands by a single voice but who also walks their talk.

However, none of the two horses prognosticated as key contenders for the presidency pass the test of reformism! Perhaps we should select among the rest who have been discarded as insignificant by the polls.

The writer is a communication and media student at Maseno university wilsonmurimi@yahoo.com 

Politics: Why Kuria will be a launch pad to enter ODM Luo Nyanza turf

Ndaragwa MP Jeremaih Kioni, the introduces UDF presidential aspirant Musalia Mudavadi at Mabera when the party opened it's county offices.

Since their inclusion into Migori County the Kuria community, a minority tribe according to numbers has enjoyed a lot of national political activity with the run up of the coming elections.

The palpable fear within the community of being locked out by majority luo tribe within the county has seen some leaders, including the current MP and Assistant Roads Minister Wilfred Machage, to unanimously vote for NO during the past referendum and some to request Kuria to be joined in Rift Valley.

This fear coupled with the versatility of the tribe in voting for their leaders in line with their respective clans of; Bakira, Abagumbe, Nyabasi and Burege have seen chosing candidates from their clans irrespective of the party.

“The Kuria area in both East and West districts have 33 councilors with ODM being strong in the county having 11 with the rest divided between the score of PNU affiliate parties, Kanu and even Kenya Social Congress, a party associated with Mukaru Ng’ang’a having a civic seat” Tobias Range the Kehancha mayor explains.

Range says this dynamic politics makes it hard to predict the voting outcome of the Kuria area which within Nyanza bloc in the 2007 general elections gave President Mwai Kibaki 23,000 votes against PM Raila Odinga’s 19,000 votes.

Now with this versatility national parties with a keen interest to try to log out ODM’s grip from South Nyanza are using Kuria and Kisii area as a launching pad to infiltrate within Luo Nyanza which are hard to convince to get another party.

“The areas of Homa Bay and Migori counties are seen as hardcore ODM zones which has made politicians seeking to open their county offices in Migori to meet the IEBC guidelines to do so in Kuria which together with Kisii area may be instrumental in campaigning in Southern Nyanza” Patrice Musabi the Siabai councilor in Kuria East says.

To show the potential of the area, within the past two months the area have been a flurry of activities with New Ford Kenya presidential aspirants Eugene Wamalwa and United Democratic Front’s Musalia Mudavadi; and Kanu chairman Gideon Moi having a extensive road campaign in Kuria while giving a wide berth Luo section of Migori county.

Within this period UDF opened their county offices at Mabera town where Mudavadi was made a Kuria elder and christened ‘Mwita Chacha’, New Ford Kenya opened county offices at Isebania town while Kanu which has its National Vice Chairman and Kuria East legislative aspirants Shadrack Manga, who is also a former MP, opening two offices in Kehancha and Ntimaru towns.

This follows prior opening at Kehancha of Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Democratic Movement-Kenya county offices and ODM Kuria branch offices with the activities expected to hot up with the run up to next general elections.

“With the demand by constitution to get at least 5% of votes in each counties there is a possibility of Kuria being an alternative in Migori County as a launching pad for parties hungry for votes in ODM turf to use it as a major base to campaign within the area” Thomas Mwita Maeta ward Kanu councilor and ward respective aspirant in next election explains.

Additionally internecine rivalry within the clans brought by cattle rustling and frequent war for land and posts can also be used by politicians to get their party officials to be elected irrespective of the party as long as they get the right member of the clan to stand.

But ODM sensing this loophole has resorted to ‘soft-politics’ of embracing the Kuria community within the county as neighbours brought together by the new county offices.

“We have an office in Kehancha specifically for Kuria region and also our county chairman John Meng’anyi Magaiwa is from Kuria, a post he took in the grass roots elections even when some politicians wanted to field a luo for the post” Joseph Olala the ODM county secretary says.

There have been options within local ODM party members to give an ‘acclamation ticket’ between the majority Luo and minority Kuria which fear being with elections being just a rubber stamp for their choice

Mixed benefit as water hyacinth invades Lake Victoria by Philip Alambo

Ugandan fishermen pushing their boat stuck in water hyacinth at Lake Victoria SOURCE: INTERNET

The infestation of Lake Victoria with water hyacinth dates back to 1984, when it was first spotted in River Kagera, which empties its water into the Lake.

Since then, water hyacinth has been synonymous with the lake. Like the Kagera River, the lake is today chocked with Hyacinth, which poses risk to local inhabitants by harboring  crocodiles along its shores.

Scientifically referred to as Eichoirnia Crassippes, water hyacinth multiplies to cover more than 50 hectares of a water body within two weeks. This rapid growth is enhanced by massive disposal of industrial and sewages waste in the lake.

 “Nutrients from industrial wastes, both treated and untreated, dumped into Lake Victoria is conducive for the growth of water Hyacinth.” Peter Kamau, an environmentalist from COSMER-LAV which monitors the groeth from Kisumu said.

He says discharging of effluent into the fresh water body is to be faulted for the uncontrolled growth of the exotic weed that has now invaded the lake.

The negative impact of the weed started to be felt in the early 90s by fishermen who largely dependent on the lake for their livelihood. They say their standard of living with others around the lake basin have been drastically affected which can be attributed to high number of school dropouts increased owing to difficulties in raising funds necessary for early childhood education.

“Water Hyacinth hindered the free movements of boats. As a result, our daily catch gradually declined”, recalls Joakim Otieno, a fisherman living at Dunga Beach in Kisumu.

“The weeds caused disruption to boat riding business. What awaited the investors was the inevitable expectation of financial instability on their part” he adds

No one talks about water hyacinth without making mention of its infamies. However, recent studies indicate that the floating vegetation has come to the rescue of the endangered native fish species. To this end, the indigenous hide beneath Water Hyacinth to escape the snares of Nile Perch which feed on them.

“Since Water Hyacinth heavily consumes oxygen in the lake, Nile Perch cannot survive underneath it, to the safety of the smaller fish, which can withstand a less oxygenated environment. Water Hyacinth thus harbors the smaller fish from their predators”, remarks Peter Kamau.
“In early 60s,” he adds, “Lake Victoria was inhabited by over 560 species of indigenous fish. Forty years on, only 162 have been left.”

For Kamau and other observers, the introduction of Nile Perch and overfishing are to blame for the extinction of these fish species. Water Hyacinth is thus instrumental in saving the remaining endangered fish population.

A number of organizations, notably OSIENALA (Friends of Lake Victoria) and National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) have come to the fore in attempting to regulate the growth of water hyacinth so that it does not pose an obstruction to the main economic activity of residents of the lake region.

OSIENALA strongly recommends the reduction in disposal of industrial effluent into the fresh water body, given that nutrients sustain the growth and multiplication of the weeds. Reading from the same script, Mr. Omollo, an environmental science lecturer, Maseno University, suggests that a buffer be created along the shores of the lake where industrial wastes are discharged into the water body.

“On the buffers”, he adds,” hippo grass should be grown to utilize the nutrients supportive of the growth of water hyacinth. That way, the speedy growth of the unwanted plantation will have been regulated.”

The World Bank, in collaboration with Europe in 1988 set up a $9.3 million project, geared towards mopping up the dreaded Water Hyacinth. In the program, local stakeholders such as Lake Victoria Environmental Management Authority (LVEMP) were furnished with funds necessary for eradication of the plants.

Beetles were introduced into the lake, feeding over 12,000 hectares of water covered with the floating weeds.

Nevertheless, the beetles were unable to phase out the weeds. These fruitless attempts have thus been met with sharp criticisms emanating from scientists and politicians, terming them as an exercise in futility. Scholars and researchers therefore have a task of finding ways of redressing this phenomenom

Burning Lens: A lonely Toyota Corolla under a withering tree

A car packed under a withering tree as dry spell sweeps across Nyanza. I just took the picture for the lonely way the car looked in the midday sun. Manuel Odeny/The Burning Splint

A car packed under a withering tree as dry spell sweeps across Nyanza. I just took the picture for the lonely way the car looked in the midday sun. Manuel Odeny/The Burning Splint

A Dholuo Poem: Akwanyo Sindan by Manuel Odeny

Akwanyo sindan,

tang’ane?

Atang’ meru,

merane?

Amero kong’o,

kong’ane?

Akong’ lau,

lawane?

Alaw gweno,

gwenane?

Aguen chogo,

chogane?

Achog rabolo,

bolane?

Abol suka,

sukane?

Asuk wiya,

waiyane?

Awi tuoro,

tuorane?

Atuor nindo,

nindane?

Anindo kama,

to anindo kama,

tachieo!

(There is a calming madness when writing in your mother tongue, Dholuo)

Voluntary Male Circumcision in Nyanza a success

A volunteer undergoing the cut

The WHO and government’s call for elders from communities that don’t perform male circumcision to help curb the HIV/AIDS in the country is a move in the direction.

Gains made by medical voluntary male circumcision in Nyanza province to be replicated in major urban areas and other communities like Turkana and Teso who don’t culturally cut their males will help prevent spread of the deadly virus country wide.

The cut help reduce infection rate by about 60%, although being circumcised is not a panacea to fight HIV/AIDS this little effort always go along way to having an AIDS free Africa.

The Nyanza program was a success as other African countries like Swaziland are visiting Kenya to pilot studies to help them back home.

Published on Monday, April 12 2010 by The Star/Kenya

How moonlight VCT helps Curb HIV/AIDS infection in South Nyanza, Kenya

Counselors waiting clients at a moonlight VCT in North Eastern parts of Kenya. The same has been carried out in Migori County.

By Manuel Odeny/KNA

24th February 2009 (March 2009 issue of The Eye)

About 2,000 residents of Migori district have benefited from moonlight VCT services carried out in three centers; Migori Town, Lwanda Konyango and Muhuru-Bay.

The Moonlight services mainly targets prostitutes and truck drivers on Kenya-Tanzania highway because of their high risk behaviors. Additionally, fishermen also benefited by knowing their HIV/AIDS status.

A total of 1960 clients were tested and counseled with only 245 of them testing positive placing the prevalence rate at 14%.

The moonlight VCT which started on May this year operated from early evening to 10pm with aid from the Community Habitant Funding (CFH) under the USAID and Maanisha initiative of AMREF.

Speaking to KNA Dickens Owuor a counselor said they targeted the clients since they were busy during the day and rested at night while commercial sex workers were readily available at night.

“Government administrators like police and chiefs offering security to counselors were also tested and counseled” Said Mr. Owuor

On the other hand couples busy during the day also preferred the night counseling to avoid stigmatization.

“This high number of couples attending the night time VCT will help reduce the high prevalence rate among married couples as experienced today” said Valoriance Odhiambo a counselor.

 “For the fight against HIV/AIDS to be managed working formulas like this have to be continued and replicated countrywide” said Owuor.

Last year of 23,173 clients tested in the three centers the number of males was higher than females with 867. The prevalence rate was higher in females at 24% which was 10% more than males.

The general district prevalence rate was 18%.

Former Legislature, Hon. Ochilo Ayacko(Rongo) wins a libel case

Hon Ochillo Ayacko (2nd L) with President Kibaki as Sports minister

Two journalists have been found guilty by a Migori law court for defaming a former Rongo legislator.

Kisumu City based freelance scribes, Jeff Otieno and Leo Odera Omolo, penname Arrum Tidi were charged alongside a politician Philip Mkabong'o and a high school principal Kaunda Ogweno, with printing, writing and publishing defamatory matters concerning former sports minister Hon. Ochillo Ayacko.

The libelous articles were posted by the journalists on a website, www.jaluo.com, between 15th and 24th of August last year.

The first article: Amorous MP caught red handed with somebody's wife in bed was posted on 15th by Leo Odera, 73, who writes for Citizen Weekly and contributes to several websites. Mr. Odera has reported since 1957 for the Standard Group, Nation Media Group and the BBC before retiring.

Jeff Otieno tried to extort money from Hon. Ayacko before going online on 17th of with the second article: New information emerges on MP caught in the act with somebody's wife. the article read in part: the youthful MP from the larger southern Nyanza district, who is also a lawyer by profession, escaped the wrath of enraged villagers...when he was caught in the wee hours of the night making love to a woman"

The last article was a rejoinder by Leo Odera on 24the where he circulated a personal letter by the principal Mr. Kaunda.

Passing the judgment on Monday 27th last month the senior Principal Magistrate Ezra Awino of Migori law courts acquitted Mr. Kaunda because the letter was sealed and not intended for libel.

Philip Makabong'o was fined Ksh. 50,000 or 6 months imprisonment for spreading the articles during a funeral.

The journalist, Jeff Otieno was fined Ksh. 50,000 or six months imprisonment while Leo Odera was fined Ksh. 80,000 or a year imprisonment.

Assassination of Kenya Prime Minister Raila Odinga? give me a Break!!!

Come Saturday, Valentine’s Day my mood was sky high. I was feeling good. I had managed to secure a paltry 40 bob for the newspaper to avoid the queue at Berna’s barber shop.

I could’ve bought the newspaper were it not for the headline which fouled my mood and my Valentine day. Somebody (obviously not named) wanted to kill your premiership the only one ushered in the grand coalition, or something of that sort signed into being on 28th February last year.

Through a telephone interview the ministry of defence said it was in high alert. Some cloudy source said all police stations in the capital were in alert to protect a guy with 700million office and security detail.

I give it to our police; their strict vigilance could not locate youngmen lost in the doodle of police records. At least the premier of the grand coalition government was safe.

I left the newspaper stand, least said without a paper. I thought of Kahawa ya Jamii to uplift my mood. Solace never followed, all around bar men animatedly of how Baba Castro, his premiership of cause, escaped many death threats. Facts and dates flared as inept speakers, most willing to hear themselves talk dumpen my spirit further.

Yet again somebody is trying to kill Raila Odinga. Yet again the incident is all news worthy. Yet again most people don’t grasp the politics behind the scheme.

Yet again.

Yet again I felt retched by the all idea.

The Machiavellian tactic of deflecting attention I terribly need a break. Jesus, somebody wants to kill Raila Odinga, again. At this time when Raila terribly needs to save his face.

The grand coalition is in a cess pit. A man made famine is killing Kenyans Raila and agriculture minister William Ruto cant place where the missing sacks are. His son Fidel Castro is implicated in illegal selling oil bringing a shortage in the country.

To add pepper on sour wound the motion to start a local tribunal, a basis of formation of the grand coalition was terribly flawed. Raila and Kibaki misguided thinking it was still the Nyayo error when powerful politicians in parliament could sway voting outcome.

The question many saw and overlooked including political pundits was the involvement of Francis Muthaura who wrote letters to government Mps to rally behind the motion. Why did Raila let Muthaura carry out his duties?
With Raila’s face covered in mud a deflection is terribly needed. Nothing fits better roger this:

Once when the orange fruit was whole and many many tribal chiefs wanted a bite there was a man called Raila Amollo Odinga, a slip of pen please, the honorable of course. These tribal chiefs appointed themselves the speakers of their tribes. The tribal chiefs claimed of their undying interest to their hearts and marrow of their bones.

Their interest was further promised in their untaxed salaries and exclusive members only clubs where they hibernate till elections. These tribal chief shunned tribalism in rallies attended by their tribes. All Kenyans were to be united, so they said. Before and after the post-election.

Confusing, amid the unity the orange, ODM was later split. One took a K after the name and their symbols changed. But my readers need not worry about them for they are all under one roof; grand coalition and they purpose to be united (phew!)

The otiose tribal chiefs; Musalia Mudavadi, Uhuru Kenyatta, Kalonzo Musyoka, William Ruto, Najib Balala, Rajput Umar, Julia Ojiambo, Nyaga and Raila could not solve the conflict by simple arithmetic. Simply they could have stated what to do with the orange. Make juice or eat it raw. Plant the seeds or use the peels to make cake. Many more uses.

Sell it or bury the certificate in a backyard. Anything.

The politicians and their secretariats could not solve this bigger crisis than who won the 07 elections

Odinga, no Hon. please for a pen may luck ink but its still a pen, had these very brilliant idea. The representative of cosmopolitan Langata constituency, alleged to represent a tribe from Nyanza which wont be named for tribal reasons proposed a nontribal meeting far away from tribal forces. England.

Very brilliant, on a dimmer glare though the other tribal leaders never saw the ray. But Raila saw clearly past 2007 through vision 2030 and went alone. The move augured negatively, the orange started losing taste. Some bigots developed a taste for other fruits and a hummer, a tool.

In addition the Steadman polls looked grim on baba Castro. Nagging questions of whether pastor Deya financed the trip soared. Political pundits without tribal twist savored the moment with miracle baby and human trafficking saga thrown in.

On return, journalists wanted to asked questions about the trip. Interestingly instead they fell pen on paper for an automobile, Hummer.

Before you could say oil scandal the vehicle was christened Umvee and H something. ‘Celebrities’ placed orders.

Rating for radio shows were gauged from competitions for free hummer rides. Columnist with dead-resurrected skills on motoring gave the hummer features and placed the amount at whopping 45million.

The all country including opinion leaders were swayed. But dissents never cease. I found someone not in the bandwagon. Katiambo D. a media scholar at Maseno University teaching media content and political communication summed the haze thus:

“the whole country was swayed. One man, a politician, determined the editorial content of the mass media. The content of the mass media was controlled by a shrewd politician and his piece of automobile.”

Craftily important questions were deflected and free advertisement achieved because for every article on hummer Odinga’s name featured.

Come the Arturs, exit journalist. Machiavellian tactic of knowing your enemy moves and weaknesses and when to strike was employed by Raila on artur brothers’ saga.

Although Kenyans have a short memory like forgetting about corrupt deals, some don’t forget easily. A strong fish they say swim against the current. These Kenyans read between lines and airwaves to know a gimmick.

Quickest way to make an item newsworthy is by shrouding it with mystery. Nothing sells faster in news like unnamed sources closer to an item giving tit bits. They call it exclusivity (phew!)

The brothers were sensationally called mercenaries. The culmination was the raid of standard by ‘some hooded pale skin guys with funny accents’
The political engineer got a perfect chance.

With the uncanny ability to hold five mikes while entertaining a crowd the media was shelved away in media freedom mantra. Wonder where ODM was when the controversial media bill was passed.

The idea that the Arturs wanted to assassinate him gave Raila a free advertisement as the government was literary got pants down. After the dust settled Raila flatly refused to appear before a commission of inquiry.
During the news frenzy in the hall where I was watching only two people grasp the impact. The Arturs were stale when they left the country and Raila was tired of the joy ride.

The first person was I, the second was Raila Odinga.

With a pinch of salt
Yet again, when unnamed sources claim assassination of Raila I retch. May the prime minster look somewhere for a scapegoat.

The maize stolen from government silos should be accounted for. The triton saga solved.

The speed to which police responded to the saga should be reflected in search of youths lost in police dungeons.

Ati somebody wants to kill Raila? With hunger and oil shortage who gives a hoot!!!!!!!