Democracy is alien to our parties

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BOLD Scripts...by Omar Ahmed Ali

It is now official that there is no intra-party democracy politics in Kenya. In this day and age, at a closer look of what is going on within the supposedly two major strong political organizations, Orange Democratic Movement Kenya and Narc Kenya, it becomes apparent that democracy is foreign and not a subject matter when it comes to participatory politics in the country.
Let me elaborate by first looking at ODM-K which is seeking to remove President Mwai Kibaki from power. The party’s formed the Fred Gumo Council of Elders in their effort to shepherd unity of their party before and after the party’s presidential nomination that is poised to be potentially explosive. In the Council’s effort to avoid the potential fallout of the party after the presidential nomination, they have come up with a plan that will "take care of the party’s presidential nomination losers." The so-called party elders “want to ensure that even those who fail to clinch the presidential nomination would not be left out of the power-sharing formula.” One would have thought that party losers have an obligation to support the winners, but I guess not in Kenya.

Sad, but true, the elders say they believe that if the nomination losers are guaranteed other senior positions should ODM-K emerge victorious in the General Election, they were likely not to defect to other parties. The ODM-K leading lights-cum-presidential nomination aspirants are so power-hungry to the extent that they unashamedly have the audacity to be in agreement of the creation of extra and equally senior ministerial positions for themselves even if they are not popular to win the nomination. These individuals are banking on the ethnic communities’ they hail from as the basis of the "right" to be given those senior positions of their party’s government.

It is reported that, ODM-K’s government will have a prime minister, two vice presidents and two deputy prime ministers. We were not told how many ministers and assistant ministers. One wonders what benefits such positions would be to the ordinary Kenyans who are struggling to put food on the table and shelter to their families. I wonder what position Ms Nazlin Umar will be given in the ODM-K government, Prime Minister or an assistant minister. Your guess is as good as mine.
Then you have Narc Kenya, the presumptive President Mwai Kibaki’s re-election political vehicle. In order to avoid fallout on their side, this new party formed by government allied MPs was forced to shelve any plans to conduct national elections. The party hierarchy, which is mainly restricted to Members of Parliament, assistant ministers and ministers led by Vice President Moody Awori as the party Deputy Leader, has opted for selection, instead of the election, of the National Executive Council (NEC) membership.
The NEC is the political party’s top organ in Kenya’s political parties’ structures; it seems to me that one can easily be a member of such a party organ without being elected but merely selected.

Even the supposedly selected few of Narc- K were not named at the eleventh hour of the announcement (appointments) because of yet another fallout that was believed would have happened had the Vice President gone ahead to name the line-up. It is alleged the party is in Catch 22 bind, as some MPs confided that naming of the new officials by the VP would plunge the party into deeper political quagmire that finds itself already in. They compelled Awori to note: “Due to the huge interest, the period set aside by the Council for two weeks is inadequate. I have been given two more weeks to complete the consultations.”
It seems to me that Narc-K constitution, just like ODM-K, favours sitting MPs hence the party board composition that is to pick (or would have picked) the national official is definitely bound to be biased.

Although, I have only discussed the masaibu ( woes) of ODM-K and Narc- K, but the story line is the same in other political parties, be it Ford Kenya, NARC, NPK and SAFINA, the list is endless. For instance, the ruling party NARC never conducted elections in the four years plus the party has been in power.
What is going on in Kenya when it comes to the management of political parties is sad and pathetic. It will interesting to see what happen in ODM -K as far as the presidential nomination exercise is concerned. As for the Narc-K we shall wait and see the new line-up of the NEC. Two weeks is a very short period of time Mr Vice President.
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In support of Commish Ali

Were the rules of engagement in the coming General Election as laid down by the no nonsense chief of police Maj Gen Hussein Ali harsh and draconian? The answer (with capital letters) is "No." If you ask me, I think it was high time for Commissioner of Police Ali to put the politicians on notice for this year’s General Election campaign. Kenyans can say whatever they want but it is without a doubt that such orders were long overdue. This is not in defence of Kibaki but in defence of the institution, the Presidency.
It has become a tendency for the local politicians to publicly abuse (in taking advantage of the freedom of speech) the President as an individual and the institution. This tendency needed to be stopped once and for all. The country doesn’t need the legislature to pass such a decree. The law is already in place stipulating that abusing the sitting Head of State is an offence; one would be breaking the law. There is a compelling need to remind politicians the need to respect the institution of the presidency, especially as we approach the election season.
Ali was not making laws for the country as it is alleged by Mutula Kilonzo. The Kanu Shadow Attorney-General himself once a presidential lawyer was quoted to have noted: “Ali has no business creating new laws for the country. With or without Ali, we will continue to criticise Kibaki.”

Criticizing and insulting are two different things and Kilonzo as a trained and experience legal mind ought to know difference. Ali is not taking the country back to the old days of one party rule and political intolerance as it is alleged. Instead he is trying to bring sanity to the political arena specific to the institution of the presidency and for the benefit of the country as things are getting out of hand.

It is better to remind people that Assistant ministers Kalembe Ndile, Asman Kamama and Dunson Mungatana do not represent Narc-K as a political party although they are known to be associated with the political organization. These individuals in opposing Ali’s rules spoke as individual politicians and not as Narc-K as a political outfit as it is supposed by the press. Simply put they represent themselves and at best their rural constituencies.
If you ask me, Kibaki is no saint but he is no dictator either. As the country’s Head of State, he deserves respect as a good and hard working democratically elected leader and the president of our country.

People can say whatever they want but the fact remain that Ali’s directive does not infringe on the constitutional right of any Kenyan. Ali has no history of playing politics since he assumed the office of the police commissioner and as such he cannot be accused of doing so now.
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This is a very cheeky invitation!

The Langa’ta legislator and ODM-K presidential nomination candidate Raila Odinga is reported to have invited 4,000 guests to attend the launch of his presidential vision. According the media reports more than one thousand invitation cards have already been sent to all the sitting MPs and the supposedly who-is-who in and out of the government for the event that is poised to take place at the KICC on May 6, 2007.

This is all well and good for Raila and his campaign team. What is not well and good and perhaps imprudent is the fact that the former Roads and Public Works minister also invited his former boss, President Mwai Kibaki to the event. In addition, the one time Kanu Energy Minister invited to the occasion are his own rivals in the ODM-K presidential nomination contest.
This is very comical and funny to say the very least. Why would Raila invite his own rivals to the launch of his presidential vision and to make the matter worse, he unsophisticatedly invites the person he intends to dislodge in his bid. I think the illustrious handlers and scholarly Raila’s advisers failed him in this regard.

I am sure ODM Kenya presidential hopefuls, in an effort to secure a safe landing spot in an eventual Raila presidency (remember the prime minister, two vice president and two deputy premiers positions in an ODM Kenya government) will have to attend the function, President Kibaki will not, and I repeat will not attend the function. It looks good in paper to have invited Kibaki, but in reality Raila knows he was only being comical.
There is neither political mileage nor it’s cleverly to invite Kibaki to your function Mr Raila. You are politician who has travelled in different parts of the democratic world, and I am assure you are aware of the way genuine politics is played and or conducted.

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Sources: Sunday Times
April 29, 2007
http://www.timesnews.co.ke/29april07/editorials/bscripts.html

WELCOME TO COAST UNIVERSITY PROJECT

PRESIDENT MWAI KIBAKI OUGHT TO BE GIVEN CREDIT FOR MAKING THIS LIFE LONG DREAM FOR MANY COASTAL NATIVES A REALITY

Coastweek - - I join my fellow coastal compatriots to be overjoyed because finally at long last our Coast province will soon benefit for having an institute of higher learning, thanks in part to the Royal government of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the Governor of Riyadh has agreed to contribute to the U.S. $ 10 million towards the establishment of what is poised to be the newest fully-fledged university in the country.

I am ecstatic for the news that, Coast will soon have a university.
During his official state visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after attending one of the most historic and the 19th Arab league summit, President Mwai Kibaki was able to secure development assistance to the tune of more than K.Shs. six billion for the country.
Upon arrival from his Middle East visit, the head of state said in part:
"Foremost is the establishment of a fully-fledged university at the Coast province and construction of the Garissa- Modagashe road."

The State House based Presidential Press Service in it press release notes in part:
"With regard to the establishment of a fully-fledged Coast University, President Kibaki said the Saudi Fund will contribute 10 million Dollars towards the co-financing of the university, adding that the Kenya Government and other development partners are also expected to contribute to the Coast University project".
This must have been the greatest news to the native Coast people if not the entire country as the university although to be base at Pwani is open to every Kenyan.
President Mwai Kibaki ought to be given credit for making this life long dream for many Coastal natives a reality.

Mzee Jomo Kenyatta had fifteen years and his predecessor Daniel arap Moi almost a quarter of a century and they did nothing when it came to improving the education standard in our region and ensuring that the province had a public university.
In less than five years, Kibaki has made it possible and it will soon become a reality.
And as the Muslims would say, Insha'Allah very soon the region would benefit with the presence of a university with our neck of our woods.

The topic of having a university located at my native region is very dear to me.
I treasure it because the only reason why more than forty years after independence Coast doesn't have a fully fledged university or even a satellite campus of one of the public universities is not only painful by disheartening.
I live in the greater Philadelphia region where it has the more universities and colleges than any other region in the entire United States.
The county I live in which is small located at outskirts of Philadelphia, has more universities and colleges than the whole of Kenya.

It is painful to me and other Coastarians (Wapwani) because I know the only reason the province lacked a university for all these years is because of the education marginalization (amongst other marginalizations) of the region by the two governments of Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi.

The new university should either be called Coast/ Pwani University, or alternatively Ronald Ngala University (RNU) as a respect to the region's illustrious son, and one of the country's founding fathers.
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Sources: Coastweek
http://www.coastweek.com/3017-19.htm
Omar Ahmed Ali,
Philadelphia, USA.

Coast Cabinet Ministers Quiet on Guraya Raid

By: Abdillahi Alawy

Wasini Kenya

Over 50 Police officers ambushed three houses at Guraya, Mombasa, in a well-planned three-hour intimidating raid that began at 2 am Tuesday. Police took over the Guraya’s Jomo Kenyatta Avenue portion and blocked all traffic movement, locked up night watchmen and all residents who were still awake mainly in and around the busy Lebanon 24-hour bust-stop restaurant at the center of Guraya.

It was reported that the operation was conducted by the Anti-terrorism Police Unit, the General Service Unit, and the Flying Squad. Since the intent was mainly to punish the Muslim villagers and leverage Minister Michuki’s anti-terrorist-campaign foreign trip this week, the top-heavy operation did not catch any of the reported suspects from the Comoros islands.

Two O’clock in the morning is not a time that one expects Gestapo-imitating cops at your door shooting guns in the air, kicking, arresting and blind-folding elderly people for no good reason. In the least, peace-loving citizens don’t want such people to come into their homes, break their furniture and slap old women around. But if that is what Honorable Minister John Michuki has ordered for the Guraya Muslim residents then that’s what he gets.

Muslims, like the rest of the citizens, do want bad people to be arrested and prosecuted. And, Guraya residents are no exception. They are always willing to sacrifice anything to achieve this justice. But, the this raid had all the hallmarks of a bad police force following a bad script of intimidation rather than protecting and securing harmless villagers. From this staged midnight activity, verily, our government has confirmed its active role in the 2001 Bush-declared Crusade against Muslim populations.

The timing of the raid, the intricate bullying styles, the rough tactics and outright trampling of all the rights of the “suspected” citizens left little doubt that this raid had everything to do with Mr. John Michuki’s trip overseas. The minister had gone to adulate his gods in the name of George Bush and Tony Blair that he is highly motivated to punish Kenyan Muslims at any cost.

The Guraya intimidation was meant to become Michuki’s centerpiece of his terrorism trip to the UK and USA this week. It is the hope of all the victimized Gurayans that the drama resulting from this raid gave him something to show to his overseas masters. Moreover, while the whole of Guraya is utterly terrified, Michuki is waiting for his phone call from either George Bush of Tony Blair for a job well-done against the Muslims.

By all means Tony Blair and George Bush’s administrations must have been very pleased to hear of the mock-arrests. These are some of the extra-curricular projects that can make a minister from a loyal sub-Saharan African government a celebrity in Washington or London.

This week’s raid in Mombasa painted a bloody picture in many colours. First, as a typical Michuki’s project it went wrong and became blatantly transparent for all to see. No credible suspect was netted and the all-too-familiar government tactics were exposed. Clearly Guraya is a replication of the Standard Newspapers raid. The only difference is that the Guraya victims did not rattle any snake this time or at any other time since the declaration of the new crusade.

But what is more rattling for the citizens of Kenya and the Muslim community specifically, is the luke-warm reaction from the coastal top government leaders. It is common knowledge that in the pecking order of the Kenyan leadership, it is always assumed, and correctly so, that cabinet ministers are more imperative than MPs.

When it comes to condemning police heavy-handedness such as in the Guraya raid, a joint-ministerial statement would have carried more weight than the lone official complaints from the area MP. MP Najib Balala and his local counterparts did their part in consoling the victims and condemning the raid. Kudos to the religious leaders and the civil rights groups that promptly condemned this raid. But the rest of the Coast government leaders do not seem to be ready to even discuss this incident.

This region has three very visible cabinet ministers and a number of assistant ministers who have strong clouts in Nairobi. It is amazing that none of these ministers managed to give even a two worded statement to the press let alone going to Guraya to console the families that were targeted.

While it was expected of Mr. Balala to condemn the raid because Guraya is in Mvita; it was unexpected that all the three cabinet ministers would let this one go by without letting the public know where they stand on such injustices.

Again, our government continue to let us down. But what is even more troubling is that our ministers have abandoned their Muslim constituents. Subsequently, this lack of firm position against the Guraya raid opens up more room for the government to bully the Muslims with impunity. Instead of strongly red-carding the government for this intimidating raid on the Muslims, our ministers have expressively given this regime a bright green-light to punish a segment of their constituents because of their religion.

Apparently, many Coastal people have given up on aggressive representation from their cabinet ministers; the aggressive and committed representation of coast people will never happen through our current ministers who are too insecure themselves to initiate any special help for their people.

For example, none of the Coastal ministers are expected to pull the Charity Ngilu/ Musikari Kombo’s successful haggling (for example) for senior government positions for their people. None of our leaders are ready to put their established comfort zones beyond any controversial line.

For these ministers, it is important to hold on to their jobs and maintain a clean record of blind support of the government since a lot is riding on that loyalty. Without any question, it is for the same reasons that you will never hear or see our home grown ministers advance any controversial truths whether it’s the satanic Guraya raids or the lost opportunities for the people of this great province.

aalawy@gmail.com

A Romantic Tale of Sleezy Nepotism at the Bank

DISPATCH FROM WASHINGTON

By: Abdillahi Alawy

Washington DC

Four days after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, President George W Bush summoned his top national-security advisers to Camp David to plot for an America's retaliation. Dr. Paul Wolfowitz, then a 57-year-old Deputy Defense Secretary, presented a cleverly scripted proposal for America to go to war not only in Afghanistan but all the way to Iraq.

The good doctor argued that Afghanistan is symbolically important, but Iraq was simply the unfinished work that American must pursue. Wolfowitz succeeded in convincing everybody at the meeting to go to Iraq. And it was from this meeting that he came to be known as the chief architect of the Iraq war.

In early 2005, during Bush’s second term, Dr. Wolfowitz was rewarded by an appointment to the World Bank as its president. But even before this appointment, Dr. Wolfowitz's girlfriend, Shaha Ali Riza, a Libyan by birth, Saudi Arabia raised, British citizen, and Oxford educated, worked at the Bank’s headquarters here in Washington.

When Dr. Wolfowitz joined the Bank, she had to be transferred since the Bank’s policy stipulates that one can not supervise a romantic partner. Therefore, he transferred her to the State Department and signed a memo that gave Ms. Riza a tax-free salary of $193,590, according to the Government Accountability Project. This salary is more than the $183,500 paid to Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice. Essentially Ms. Riza’s new boss at the State Department, Dr. Rice, earned $10,000 less than Wolfowitz’s girlfriend at her own department.

When information on Riza’s pay package was leaked out, it turned a lot of heads and prompted accusations of favouritism from bank employees. After much discussion within the ranks of the Bank, the staff association loudly protested against Dr. Wolfowitz. They wanted him to resign because they claimed that this scandal exhibited poor governance by their leader.

Dr. Wolfowitz’s definition of good governance is "the combination of transparent and accountable institutions, strong skills and competence, and a fundamental willingness to do the right thing". He gave this definition in a speech he read in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2006. During the Reagan administration, Dr. Wolfowitz served as U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, the fourth largest country in the world and the largest in the Muslim world. During this three-year diplomatic stint in the 1980s, Dr. Wolfowitz distinguished himself as the most effective and incorruptible leader of his time.

To Mr. Wolfowitz, corruption is defined as the abuse of public provision for private gain. Jim Wolfensohn, Mr Wolfowitz's predecessor at the World Bank, simply defined corruption as "a cancer on the development process". Like the infamous corruption promise to Kenyans by our brand new president in 2003, for the World Bank, Mr. Wolfowitz wanted to become the anti-corruption president. He even embraced John Githongo, the former Kenya government Ethics PS, with all the pomp when they met for a well advertised dinner last year.

But just this week Mr. Paul Wolfowitz has retained the services of Robert Bennett, a high profile Washington lawyer whose list of former clients include former president Bill Clinton. When someone in Washington hires Mr. Bennett, you know that they are in deep trouble-- and it is not a good sign in this capital city of strange politics.

The entry of Mr. Bennett is due to the fact that the 24-member governing board at the Bank is currently evaluating whether Dr. Wolfowitz abused his position in promoting and approving generous pay rises for his girlfriend. As of Wednesday this week, Germany, a powerful partner of the bank, unambiguously asked for Dr. Wolfowitz’s resignation. And, after an initial statement of support for Dr. Wolfowitz, the White House has remained very quiet lately.

The scandal has all the definitions of nepotism laced in a 21st century wars, passions and an intriguing international love-affair only imaginable in high class spy novels. It is even juicier that a Muslim divorcee with Middle-eastern roots is tangled in a love affair with none other than Dr. War himself. Hollywood will never script a finer screenplay.

Nepotism as a form of corruption is rampant in developing nations. The vice has been difficult to contain even within the powerful multi lateral institutions. For example, current and past United Nations secretaries-general have had to deal with this issue all the time. Such has also been the case at the Bank. For example, reports confirm that until 2005, the wife of the World Bank's Managing Director, Shengman Zhang of China, worked directly under him. Also the World Bank employed a brother of its Chief Economist and Senior Vice President, Nicholas Stern of Britain. It goes without saying that these acts violate the Bank’s own rules against employing siblings. Shockingly, even the president of the institution is practicing what he set to wipe.

Therefore, it is very unsettling that Dr. Wolfowitz has been exposed in this light. His leadership at the Bank asserted very strong anti-corruption messages. He was openly against making grants to corrupt governments who use funds meant for the poor to enrich themselves.
It is for this reason that Kenya’s funds from the Bank have sometimes been withheld for months on that pretext. And, for someone as deeply involved in the Iraq quagmire, we believed that Dr. Wolfowitz had seized an opportunity to rebuild the world on a legacy equal to that of a previous Bank’s president in Robert McNamara. McNamara used the Bank as his springboard from the Vietnam mistakes. However, the road does not look bright for this Washington insider because his own actions at the Bank raise a lot of questions.

Clearly, if one wants to seriously fight corruption in the developing world or anywhere for that matter, one has to be irreproachable himself. That is why many African presidents have failed to wipe the vice—including in Kenya where the current government is facing major challenges with regard to the expanded nepotistic culture of tribalism.

But, when the World Bank president hugged and praised John Githongo last year his message was clear to President Mwai Kibaki that we, Wolfowitz and Githongo are clean and you, Kibaki and your government are not. But God has a way of turning the tables and embarrassing all of us in many ways!

It is very likely that Dr. Wolfowitz is on his way out and that may return some credibility to the Bank. However, if there is anybody who knows his way in Washington it is Paul Wolfowitz. If he manages to hug onto his job, then, for sure, the Bank’s credibility will continue to erode onto spotty territories that will be hard to wash-off.

aalawy@gmail.com

Our local media on the spot!

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From BOLD Scripts, by Omar Ahmed Ali

In the recently released study on the performance of our media by the African Women and Child Features Service (AWCFS), I must say the research Media Score Card Report (MSCR) hit the nail on the mark in several spheres.

From what I have read, the study findings are so precise such that it is apparent that the media has failed Kenyans and the country. The media has faired worse than the politicians who are always blamed to have failed the country and left it to the dogs.
Being in a position where I did not see the study findings in their entirely, but only reading from what has been published in the media; from that stand point, I have several remarks to make. One media report notes: “The MSCR says that there are rampant cases of ethical violations against social responsibility and public interest, professional integrity, respect for human rights and search for truth.” The study continues: “Most Kenyan journalists have failed to make sound moral decisions and judgement, thus jeopardising truth and objectivity which are pillars of the media industry.” In this area the study indicated that the newspapers scored highly on the count of accuracy but poorly on fairness.

As human-beings, we are all culprits of certain pre-conceived prejudices, biases and bigotry. Majority of these biases and prejudices have no affect on others as they are secretly kept by respective individuals and in most instances are applied clandestinely. But when it is practised by the media and when it goes beyond bias, it becomes very harmful, wrong and unacceptable.
The media houses can be and are very harmful to the national development. We know that the scribes are trained to write in a tactical manner that can look or appear as if their writing is unbiased in their effort to influence the thinking of their unsuspecting public. This style is reporting is what the MSCR study findings concluded that to be the cause of moral torture to the general public who are the direct consumers of information.

Yes, in the simplest language this commentary will show how the media in Kenyan is a culprit of bad biases and prejudice. But first to clear the air, let me first talk about thyself as a columnist and political commentator. I for one do not deny some bias, but I have always made it very clear on the onset that when I support an individual I have bee the consistent in stating so without hiding such a fact. I never distort a fact but instead bring all the available facts to the table for all and sundry to see and challenge if they so wish.

Take the case of my strong support for President Mwai Kibaki and his Government of National Unity. Conventional wisdom would have it I should support the Opposition, but I don’t and do not hide that fact. One can be tempted to ask me this question: ‘Is President Kibaki a tribalist?’ My answer is there is no shadow of doubt about that – looking at appointments in his Government; the President’s tribe is given most of the plum jobs. The only explanation for this is tribalism, no matter any way one looks at it.
There might come yet another question: ‘Do you think Kibaki is the best President for Kenya? My answer: ‘You bet he is. Looking at a bigger picture, Kibaki although favours his kinsmen; he at the same time also gives other tribes a chance. Kibaki has a completely different modus operandi as opposed to his two predecessors- former presidents Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi.

Another example of someone I support is the Transport Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere. I have never pretended otherwise when it comes to my support for this Coastal political leader. And like my support for Kibaki, I do not hide my support for the Matuga MP. The former Foreign Affairs Minister is the best Coastal legislator and he stands as one among equals nationally in all aspects of his career — from the National Assembly to the Cabinet where he has had the privilege to serve in three ministerial dockets.
Some of us are candid in stating our position for those we think deserve our support, but others use tactical moves with their hidden biases on the pretext of being impartial in their likings and support or hatred.

This brings me to this question: What cardinal sin did Mwakwere commit such that he is hated so much by a section of some media houses-hated to the level of "religious fanaticism." It is possible that, Mwakwere refused "to play ball" in declining to ensure the scribes give his positive media image. Or is it perhaps there are some politicians, his colleagues probably influencing some media persons to discredit the Minister in order to hinder his soaring career?
Let me explain this situation further. I can say with certainty that some certain newspapers editorial teams always look into the opportunity to fault Mwakwere. Take for instance as a prefect example the Daily Nation’s April 12, 2007 editorial titled ‘Ministry can do better’. The editorial although referring to the Roads and Public Works Ministry after the ministry’s Assistant Minister Joshua Toro, admission in Parliament that the State was unable to instill discipline on the road. This editorial craving to somehow look to fault Mwakwere for anything that pertains to the transportation notes in part: “Cabinet Minister John Michuki, as Transport Minister, made name precisely because of introducing and enforcing tough traffic rules that saw dramatic decline in road accidents. The current occupant of that office, Mr Ali Mwakwere, of course, has made a mess of it.”

The editorial is not placing any praise to the former OP Provincial Administration and National Security Minister Dr Christopher Murungaru under whom the cops, Traffic Police unit worked under when traffic law enforcement was at its best in the country. In addition the editorial does not see anything wrong now where ironically the same Traffic Police Unit which used to enforce the law when the Kangema MP was the Transport minister are now working directly under Michuki and are not seen to effectively enforce the same rules he (Michuki) is being praised to have enforced.

Then when people get the chance to read honest and unbiased commentaries they realize how the media are cooking up stories for the individuals they hate.
What the media has done is that they have tried to make it appear that the Minister of Transport is a mere "Matatu" Minister and nothing more. They are blinding an unsuspecting public not to see the developments taking place under this ministry. Remember the MSCR study findings: “causes moral torture to the general public who are the direct consumers of information. “

Although people might have noticed, but it is a fact that no one has ever placed blame on the two individuals who have manned the Road and Public Works docket, Raila Odinga and his successor Simon Nyachae. Poor roads and the state of affairs of our roads system is so bad such that one wonders what the ministers in this docket have been doing. The Langa’ta MP when he was in-charge at this ministry at one time returned the money to the Treasury while the country’s roads are worst in the Eastern Africa sub-region. We used to read editorials describing the roads conditions but you never heard Raila being blamed when he manned that docket nor Nyachae being blamed.

Why are you being so naive, Mr Mungatana?

Three Ministers-Mwakwere, Morris Dzorro (Tourism and Wildlife) and Suleman Shakombo (State VP Office, for National Heritage) cannot all be wrong. And Dunson Mungatana a ( thirty-something) junior minister cannot be right in his thinking that the Ministers’ support for Harrison Kombe in the Magarini seat by-election is an imposition.
The Garsen MP wants President Kibaki to think that the ministers are wrong in their support for the immediate former MP Kombe simply because Shirikisho Party Kenya of which Kombe is his party of choice will seek to recapture his seat with is in ODM-Kenya.
If one may ask Mungatana, isn’t Kanu in ODM-K and aren’t there Kanu MPs serving in the Kibaki-led GNU government at Cabinet level? One would have thought Mungatana to be a clever and smart young lawyer legislator, but he isn’t. He is acting more like an ignorant and naïve leader. We all know that in Kenya it doesn’t matter where one’s party is allied to. It is the individual’s personal position and or stand that matters. Kombe who has the support of the three Coastal Ministers is not only a Mijikenda in a Mijikenda constituency, but has also consistently voted with the Government when it counted.

Mungatana might want to pretend he is above the tribal lines by supporting a mzungu candidate for NARC Kenya. He is either kidding or fooling himself if he thinks people will take him seriously. There is a reason why the three individuals are Cabinet Ministers and he is a junior minister. It not just a coincidence.
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Sources: SUNDAY TIMES
omarahmedali@gmail.com
http://www.timesnews.co.ke/22april07/editorials/bscripts.html

Hunting debate splits Kenya's wildlife community

By Daniel Wallis Thu Apr 19, 8:41 AM ET

Tourists take photographs of a leopard hunting in the plains of Masai Mara game park...
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NAIROBI (Reuters) - A controversial proposal to help save Kenya's wildlife by scrapping a 30-year ban on sport hunting split delegates at a conference in the east African nation on Thursday.

Tens of thousands of tourists flock to Kenya each year to see lions, leopards, elephants, wildebeest and other wildlife roaming the parks and reserves. But animal numbers have fallen by at least two-thirds over the last three decades, and experts blame poaching plus human destruction of their habitats.
Those backing sport hunting say it would preserve wildlife by encouraging better management and earning big money that could be ploughed back into conservation. It would also bring Kenya into line with neighbors Uganda and Tanzania, and with South Africa, which all profit from restricted hunting.


Opponents have denounced any moves to re-introduce the blood sport and accused elitist hunters of colluding with wealthy local landowners.
"It is such an emotional issue right now," Sarah Macharia, a Kenyan environmental consultant, told Reuters at the meeting.

"Every time they try to count our animals there are fewer and fewer. I am against hunting because we don't have the capacity to enforce any rules on it. Maybe later, but not now."
Last year, Kenya's government appointed a committee to formulate a new wildlife policy. The draft report, completed in February, recommended lifting the ban on hunting, but its publication has been delayed by the wrangling.
BIG GAME
Tempers have flared, and one Kenyan journalist recently protested at the idea of Arab royals and rich Americans, "bored by ordinary living," blasting away at big game while children in rags look on from the doorways of mud huts.
Opponents say locals want a bigger share of tourist revenues from the parks and reserves, which go mostly to the service sector, and compensation for loss of property or crops caused by wildlife -- but not hunting.
Supporters of hunting include not only ranchers and sports hunters themselves, but also some veteran conservationists who have worked in the country for decades.
They say countries like South Africa and Tanzania have prospered hugely, partly because hunters spend thousands of dollars, many times more than regular tourists, and partly because they have experienced an increase in animal numbers.
Mike Norton-Griffiths, an expert on the economics of wildlife management, says natural habitats in Kenya are being destroyed by landowners because the returns from agriculture are currently much higher than from wildlife.

Money-making activities like selling animals, culling locally abundant populations, marketing trophies and -- most valuable of all -- sport hunting, should be allowed, he says.
Well-funded foreign animal welfare groups, mostly based in the United States, have muddied the debate, and even "subverted democracy," in Kenya, he says.
These groups seem determined to make sure hunting never returns, apparently regardless of whether this leads to further falls in wildlife numbers or continued rural poverty, he says.
"If they succeed in derailing the wildlife policy review, the decline in the country's wildlife will carry inexorably on," he wrote in the magazine New Scientist last month.
"That would hardly be a victory for conservation."
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Sources: Reuters

Everything is in a name when it comes to varsity

DISPATCH FROM WASHINGTON

By Abdillahi Alawy

The Honorable MP for Lamu West, Mr. Twaha Fahim, thought it critical to name the upcoming coast university after President Mwai Kibaki. May be Kibaki is a name to be considered given that he was instrumental in attracting the initials funds for this new institution. There were two presidents before Kibaki and none of them took any serious initiatives that has come this close.

With due respect, however, I am relieved that this university will not be called Mwai Kibaki. Because despite his current popularity we still don’t know how Kibaki will fair when the final history of his presidency is written down. We are all human and before we die, many things can happen that can make us heroes or villains. For this reason, we should not set-up ourselves for failure until we know the finality of Kibaki’s legacy. I have long experience in the educational funding profession and my recommendation at this time is that we collectively name this university with care.

Public universities all over the world continuously depend on funds from many sources private and public. A good smart and neutral name can be a magnet for future funds and a bad name can very much hurt any institution. Imagine the reaction of funders who don’t believe that Moi was a good president for Kenya when asked to provide grant monies for Moi University?
Not many people will fail to separate the name and the university in this case. But believe me; names carry a lot of influence in these matters because the same funders receive proposals to support rehabilitation for Nyayo House torture victims.

Have you imagined the reasons why Makerere did not change its name to Iddi Amin Dada University? Whatever makes us believe that our living leaders, current and/or former won’t end up with histories as cold as that ascribed to the butchers of yesteryears?
There is no Siad Barre University or Julius Nyerere campus. We have not heard of Milton Obote College but we know of Patrice Lumumba University not in the Democratic Republic of Congo but located in the good old Russia, thousands of miles from where Lumumba was sacrificed. The point is if a certain leadership is great, then its name will forever live with us locally and globally.

And, Kibaki’s name will forever be remembered amongst us. Especially if all the allegations associated with the Arturs brothers, Standard Newspapers attacks, Anglo Leasing, and an openly tribalist government are downgraded to mere fabricated talk by the opposition. Therefore, we don’t need MPs whose voice is only heard when they come out to “worship” the president.

Without argument it is best for a university to be called by the name of the town/region in which it resides. Apparently the initial plans aim at decentralizing the university’s campuses in the ten Coastal districts. Therefore, Pwani as a temporary name for the institution is excellent but we should not stop there since Mwambao, and other names are also been associated with the region. Remember also that a university will need a lot of names afterwards for its buildings and facilities. So if you wanted a Chonyi campus or Kaya Hall, please be patient.

At the moment there is very little competition for a name given that the region is lagging behind in this sector. It’s not like there are seven other universities competing for the regional name. However, care should be taken to discourage politicians from pushing the Kibaki’s name especially in this election year when every insecure MP is eager to please the State House. In naming this university, we see competition not from other institutions but from the perennial synchopaths out to please President Mwai Kibaki for their own benefit.

More importantly the preferred name for the new university should come from the people themselves. Areas MPs, and a few highly educated individuals cannot do justice in this matter and involvement of other Coastals should be prioritized immediately. Whether through focus group interviews or in-depth research processes a method can be designed to incorporate involvement of many in naming this university.

The region has patiently waited for over 40 years for this opportunity and it will not be fair to hijack the whole process without incorporating the involvement of key stakeholders from the region. Area MPs will not always be unbiased when it comes to such matters. Therefore, let’s start this on the right footing by inviting all stakeholders of this region.

Lastly, I am very pleased that Egerton’s Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak is chairing the 18-member team. He is an outstanding Coastal academician who will provide excellent leadership for this new institution. I strongly believe that he has already started to steer the project in the right directions. In the coming months we are looking at quick progress that will seek input from not only amongst the 18 members but from all us who believe in this project.

Both Prof. Abdulrazak and I are students of the legendary Professor Juma Lugogo whose only absence in the above team is due to the fact that he is no longer with us anymore. Coast and Kenya sadly lost Dr. Juma Lugogo in October of 2005, but the very best homage for this distinguished teacher and leader will be to do this thing in the right way for the people of the Coast Province.

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Kenya Times

April, 20, 2007

http://www.timesnews.co.ke/20april07/editorials/comm1.html

Team calls for law on Coast university

The Government has been asked to speed up enactment of a law on establishment of a university at the Coast.

The task force formed to plan for the proposed university also requires money for its operations. The team was set up this week in a meeting of Members of Parliament and scholars from the region to explore its location and curriculum to be offered in the institution.
Egerton University’s deputy vice-chancellor Prof Shaukat Abdulrazak who chairs the 18-member team, said yesterday that the law will enable them complete their task on schedule.
Universities are set up by an Act of Parliament.

“Now that the Government has indicated its intention to build a university at the Coast, Parliament has to come up with an act establishing it. Once we have the legal framework, it will be easier for our committee to propose the structure and courses to be offered,” he said.

Courses and location

Prof Abdulrazak said they had divided the team into several sub-committees that would deal with courses, infrastructure and location.

During the meeting attended by seven MPs at the Coast provincial commissioner’s boardroom, it was suggested that the new university has campuses in each of the region’s 10 districts.
In addition, it was proposed that the institution be named Pwani university.

A suggestion by Lamu West MP Fahim Twaha that it be called Kibaki University was overruled by scholars who said the country should end the culture of naming institutions after leaders.
Prof Abdulrazak said Sh1 billion set aside was not enough for construction of the institution.
“Sh1 billion can’t take us somewhere unless the university is built on existing infrastructure. Then we can start with courses requiring minimum input as we focus on the next course of action,” he said.

The leaders had suggested that the first intake be in September this year, but Prof Abdulrazak said, that will only be possible if the relevant law is enacted.

Form the senate

He said the committee would come up with courses once there was a university council and senate. “The senate can decide on courses to be studied or we adopt those approved in other universities,” he said.
______________________
Daily Nation
Story by JUMA NAMLOLA
Publication Date: 4/18/2007

Coast varsity team set up

A 17-member team was yesterday appointed to spearhead establishment of a university at the Coast.
The task force comprising scholars from the region, has been given a fortnight to come up with proposals on location of the university, infrastructure and curriculum.
MPs from the region will be ex-officio members.
Named Pwani varsity
During a stakeholders meeting chaired by Coast provincial commissioner Ernest Munyi, it was agreed that the new institution be named Pwani University.
Earlier, Lamu West MP Fahim Twaha had suggested that they name it Kibaki University in recognition of the President’s efforts to seek funds for the institution.
However, the other leaders and academicians overruled him saying Kenyans must stop the trend of naming institutions after leaders.
Some MPs had proposed that the university be situated at Kilifi Institute of Agriculture.
Members of the team include the Egerton University deputy vice-chancellor, Prof Shaukat Abdulrazak, and Moi University lecturer Prof Justin Irina.
Others are: Dr Athman Lali, Dr Mtana Lewa, Dr Juma Makopa, Dr Rita Lugogo, Dr Johnstone Kazungu, Dr Gabriel Katana and Dr Nesbert Mangale.
Ten districts

Supkem Mombasa branch chairman Sheikh Juma Ngao and Mombasa Catholic Diocese Education Secretary Fr Wilybard Lagho, are also members of the task force.
The leaders proposed that the new university should have campuses in each of the 10 districts in the province.

The MPs were: Chirau Ali Mwakwere (Matuga), Najib Balala (Mvita), Ramadhan Kajembe (Changamwe) and Suleiman Shakombo (Likoni).
Others were: Joseph Kingi (Ganze), Anania Mwaboza (Kisauni) and Mr Twaha (Lamu West).
Provincial Administration assistant minister Joseph Kingi challenged the stakeholders to improve existing secondary schools in order to prepare students for the university.
________________________
Daily Nation
Story by JUMA NAMLOLA
Publication Date: 4/17/2007

9 Kenyan Virginia Tech students safe

Nine Kenyans studying at a US university where a gunman killed 32 people on Monday have confirmed that they are all safe.
At the same time, the gunman was identified by police Tuesday as Cho Seung-Hui, a South Korean studying at the university.
Police said Cho was 23 and was studying English literature. They gave no motive for the shooting rampage, the worst in US history.
“We are safe. We Kenyans here are all OK,” said Mr James Mutunga, a doctoral fellow at the university.

He said there were nine Kenyans pursuing their studies at the institution who were all safe.
Said Mr Mutunga: “There are nine Kenyans here pursuing their undergraduate and graduate studies. We were able to get in-touch with each other and were able to ascertain the safety of all.”
“We do not know of any (Kenyan) staff here in Virginia Tech as of now. We lost friends in the killings (students and lecturer) and we are still not sure how many in number,” he wrote in an email to natiomedia.com.
Mr Mutunga said none of the Kenyans witnessed the shooting, and relied on information from fellow students and news outlets.
He said: “I managed to pass close to where the first shooting occurred 30 minutes after and did not realise it until later. The puzzle is that the killer waited for another two hours to unleash terror which claimed more fatalities. The assumption was that he had fled after the first killings but for sure he managed to make the attacks later to the surprise of all.”
He described the incident as frightening, adding that all students had gathered for prayers and to comfort each other.
Police said one of two guns recovered was used in both of the two separate shooting incidents at the campus that killed a total of 33 people, including Cho.
“The evidence has not led us to say with all certainty that the same shooter was involved in both shootings,” Steven Flaherty, superintendent of the Virginia State Police, told a news conference.
“It’s certainly reasonable for us to assume that Cho was the shooter in both places.”
Victims were found in at least four classrooms as well as a stairwell, he said.
“The gunman was discovered among several of the victims in one of the classrooms,” Flaherty said. “He had taken his own life.”
The rampage sent the sprawling rural campus, where there are more than 25,000 full-time students, into shock and grief. President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush were to attend a memorial service at Virginia Tech later today.
Television images of terrified students and police dragging out bloody victims revived memories of the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 and were likely to renew heated debate about America’s gun laws.

Police said the gunman appeared to have used chains to lock doors and prevent victims from escaping. Fifteen people were wounded, including those shot and students hurt jumping from windows in a desperate attempt to flee the gunfire.
Many students expressed anger that they were not warned of any danger until more than two hours after the first attack at a dormitory - and then only in an e-mail from the university.

__________________________________
Sources: Daily Nation
Story by MURIITHI MURIUKI and REUTERS
Publication Date: 4/18/2007

VA Shooting: At First Muslims Were Suspected

By: Abdillahi Alawy
Woodbridge, Virginia, USA

A gunman of Asian origin shot dead 32 people and injured 15 more in two separate shooting incidents on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia on Monday morning. Authorities called this shooting the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history. Even in a country where citizens can buy and keep guns, this incident still is believed to be the worst mass shooting in the U.S. history.

On a pristine and normally quiet campus of 26,000 students, two people were shot around 7:15 Monday morning in the first shooting at a first-year students dormitory, West Ambler Johnston Hall, and two hours later thirty more students and faculty were killed in a second round of gunfire at Norris Hall, an engineering building.

Although we now know the identity of the gunman, a student Cho Seung-Hui, 23; it took over 24 hours to officially announce the identity of the perpetrator. The 24 hour waiting period was mainly due to the fact that the shooter had disfigured his face in his final act of killing himself. But it needed exactly that amount of time to speculate on the identity and motive of the shooter. Many internet chat-sites and blog spots had people insinuating that this Asian person was a “Muslim suicidal jihadist up to no good!”

Still, many here wondered who the perpetrator was, and what the motive of all the killings. Several eyewitnesses confirmed it was an Asian male. But, to be described as an Asian male in the USA could mean anything. Even before the 9/11 bombings, Asian looking in a senseless killing spree like this mainly says one thing. That, the person could be a Pakistani or Arab Muslim and the killing easily associated with the Jihad. For this Virginia carnage, the assumption was made easy due to earlier bomb threats on the same campus and the killing of an Israel professor among the 32.

In the heat of the moment, some US media consumers automatically assumed that this was a terrorist act at an international university. In this country we are constantly bombarded with suicide killings, bomb threats, and consistent Islamphobia that has continued before 9/11. So, when an Asian looking man shoots 32 people then commits suicide many jump to the conclusion that a Muslim is the perpetrator.

In 1994 in Oklahoma City, the bombing of the federal building was immediately thought to be work of an Arab radical Islamist. Several suspects who fit the bill, mainly Arab Muslims men around age 30 were held in many airports around the world. As it turned out though, Timothy McVeigh, A white American with no Islamic affiliations was the bomber.

It could be considered insensitive to bring up topics such as these especially in the midst of 33 families directly mourning this tragic incident. Moreover, we are all touched by this massacre whether we live in Virginia or Mombasa. We are all saddened by this act and our prayers are for all the victims and their families. However, the sigh of relief coming from the massacre survivors resembles very much the relief experienced from the Muslim communities in the US who are mostly considered guilty until the perpetrator is found.

Rural Virginia small towns tend to be very beautiful and very safe. A campus town like Blacksburg would be even more diversified due to the student populations from all over the world. But in any diversity an outgrowth of suspicion may also take root and not many educated people know the diversity aspects within the world Muslim communities. There

So it was quite disappointing in some blogsphere quarters when it turned out that the shooter was not John Allen Mohammed but a quiet Korean immigrant who has lived amongst us for the last two decades or so. Virginia Tech massacre was horrible and disgusting.

Political Bill is long overdue

Omar A Ali,

______________

It is a given that a political party is a grouping and or a legitimate gathering of “patriotic or nationalist” citizens with entrenched conviction to do good for all citizenry, and having common cause, and purpose. From one school of thought, such a gathering usually involves citizens with conscience and shared vision necessary to move their respective countries forward.
It is no secret that in Kenya, political parties are usually vehicles used by our politicians to advance their political careers. Kenya’s political parties have seldom belonged to the masses but to the individuals who register them

This includes all political parties in the country, from veterans such as Kanu, Narc, Ford Kenya, Ford People, Shirikisho Party, Sisi Kwa Sisi and several other new players in the game such as Narc Kenya and Orange Democratic Movement — Kenya. Many would remember former President Daniel arap Moi acknowledging these types of ‘ownerships’ when he publicly said Kanu has its owners (iko na wenyewe).

The tribulations facing our existing parliamentary political parties and the political arena in general has more to do with the fact that there exists no specific law governing the running and or management of political parties. The absence of such a law results the nonexistence of internal political parties’ democracies and self-governances.
I can speak for the majority of Kenyans who are very pleased that the Government has kept its word and has since tabled the much awaited Political Parties Bill 2007 in Parliament for legislation. Like majority of my compatriots, I have not seen the Bill in its entirely, but if what I have so far read in the media regarding this Bill’s provisions is anything to go by, then I concur with those (provisions) that the media has opted to highlight.

For instance, the threshold where political parties must garner five per cent of the national vote in the national election or faces deregistration may appear harsh on the face value. But there is a compelling need for tough provisos to help clean up the political system. My take is that, if a political party cannot garner the hypothetical 655,000 votes (from the 13 million registered voters) in a general election, then those political parties are not worth being considered as such from any stretch of imagination.

The country has over 85 registered political parties. The simplicity and ease in pre-requisite when it comes to political party registration is really as easy as a,b,c... or 1,2,3... If I were to decide to take a flight to Nairobi next week and choose to register a political party, the only hindrance I would probably face would only be if the potential party would have a controversial religious and or regional name or connotation. But other than that, it is a smooth path all the way into the registration process. For instance, I know of a Maryland (USA) based university professor who has ‘his own’ political party waiting in the wings for the General Election. Having 85 or so political parties in a country where there have been only three presidents since independence is insane, to put it mildly.

I don’t want to be seen to be singling people out, but the fact remains that individual politicians such as the Kabete MP Paul Muite, former Changamwe legislator and trade unionist Kennedy Kiliku, and Dr Julia Ojiambo all have their ‘own’ political parties that are in fact their personal properties. No one can ever take away Safina from Muite or Labour Party of Kenya from Kiliku and on it goes. These are supposedly “politically” household names but if “their political parties” cannot garner less than a million votes then it is not worth for their political parties to exist at all. Period.

I am of the same opinion with the Political Parties Bill drafters that political parties ought to disclose all their assets and expenditure, including all contributions and donations. This will help avoid some individuals from using political parties as their corrupt way of milking the unsuspecting public for their hard earned donations. In addition, again I totally agree with the Bill where it stipulates that political parties’ officials who fail to disclose or give false information about funds obtained by their respective party’s will be convicted for the offence. Those convicted of these offences must first repay the monies and face mandatory jail sentences.
The Bill notes in part: “No person shall, in one year, contribute to a political party an amount in cash or kind, exceeding one million shillings, any amount in excess shall be forfeited to the State,” I think this is more than sufficient. The wording I happen to disagree with in the Bill is where it gives the newly created position of the Registrar of Parties the powers and sole discretion to allow anyone to contribute more than the stipulated amount. What was Justice a Constitutional Affairs Minister Martha Karua and the Bill drafters thinking by inserting such a proviso? Kenya’s legislation is not mature enough to even try to think and give sole power to one individual.

A number of stake holders in the political arena are opposed to some specific provisions of the Political Parties Bill because they know it would affect them personally. These stakeholders who includes current and former legislators claim that if the Bill is passed in its present form it would stifle democracy rather than enhancing it.
It seems me that, the rules for parliamentary aspirants in certain political parties are tougher than the rules to register a political party. Here is what I mean. Take, for instance, the Magarini constituency by-election, probably the last by-election before the general election, the Narc Kenya’s party aspirants for Magarini will need to pay a Sh10, 000 nomination fees and in addition produce a list of 200 registered supporters.

The Narc-K rules (and perhaps similar ones from ODM Kenya) are tougher than those applied to the registrations of political parties. This is insane if you ask me. We have a situation where Every Dick ,Tom and Harry can register a political party, but not every Dick, Tom and Harry can even try to become a parliamentary candidate. I think the Registrar of Societies (the current registrar of political parties) only needs an application, three or four individuals with identity cards, Sh 3,000 and a physical address for ‘their political party’ without having to produce any evidence of grassroots’ political support whatsoever.
It is because of lack of regulations that we find, ODM-K presidential candidates making unilateral decisions when it comes to the mode of nominations. And when it comes to Narc-K there are two groupings, one group with the view and the stand that the party conducts internal party elections and the other strongly opposing such a move.
The absence of regulations is the reason why ruling party Narc never conducted internal elections. Narc has ruled Kenya for more than four years now with interim officials who have remained in the same status since the party was formed. The party has no ‘party structures’.
____________________

For Kenyans in the Diaspora, the ability to vote or not in the coming general election is the sixty million dollar question. This subject has generated interest from majority of the Kenyans in the Diaspora who want to be able to vote in the General Election without having to travel home.
It would be an admirable thing indeed to have these “disfranchised” Kenyans get a chance to vote in this year’s Election. These Kenyans contribute immensely in sustaining the county’s economy by way of sending the much needed foreign exchange currencies through their remittances to their respective families and friends to the tune of Sh 34 billion, according to an Assistant Minister for African Affairs, Kembi Gatura.

The way I see it is that the only election these Kenyans could be made to participate in is the presidential contest only. I say this because it would be impossible for them to vote for the parliamentary and civic seats where their votes would to be counted for the 210 constituencies.

Logistically it would be unworkable to have their votes counted for their respective Parliamentary and Civic candidates because then the ballots would have to be transported to their respective constituencies for counting. In some instances there could fewer than 20 ballots and in some cases maybe only one. If we are to count the ballot for Kamkunji, and Kisauni, we should also count the ballot for Mandera, Marsbit and Moyale. If the Opposition leaders such Raila Odinga, the Gachoka MP Joe Nyagah and others are serious when it comes to this issue and are not talking to please their supporters in the Diaspora, then there is a compelling need for them to act on it. They have to come up with the legislation sooner rather than later so the National Assembly is able to legislate and if agreed, enact a law before the general election to make it possible for the ‘Diasporan Kenyans’ to vote in the presidential election at the very least.
The Opposition politicians are claiming that it is the Mwai Kibaki Government that is denying Kenyans in the Diaspora the chance to vote and cleverly seeking sympathy from the Diaspora community. At the very least there should be an effort even if temporary enact a law which would make it possible for Kenyans to vote in the presidential election at their nearest embassies four weeks before the general election.

Any Kenyan who is a resident of any foreign country, even those within the East African region happen to be very smart and intelligent where he or she can eke a living outside their homeland and as such they are clever enough not be easily duped by the politicians’ political games or ploys.

I am one of those who want to vote in the coming Election. And as a registered voter, I know for a fact that I will have travel to Kenya during the Election because I know no law will be in place for the Diaspora voters such as myself.
Speaking boldly, the best present the current lawmakers can give to themselves, their political parties and to Kenyans in general is the passage of the Political Parties Bill 2007. Once it has been legislated and sent to State House for assent, President Kibaki needs to sign it and make into law. Kenyans and Kenya needs this Political Parties Act.

omarahmedali@gmail.com
_________________
Source: Sunday Times
April 15, 2007

http://www.timesnews.co.ke/15april07/editorials/bscripts.html

USA’s occupation of Iraq abuse of power

BY Dr. Abdillahi Alawy

From Al-Ambar province to Geneva and Washington, word is out that the humanitarian situation in Iraq is increasingly worsening. And, this could be the right time for the rest of the world to step-in for a unitary voice to demand quick action that will end the turmoil. As the American occupation of Iraq marked its fourth year, the International Committee of the Red Cross reported last Tuesday that Iraq is slowly becoming the worst humanitarian tragedy this generation has witnessed.

The never ending conflicts have caused immense suffering for the entire citizenry in and outside of this country. This week alone, major protests were seen in Iraq and here in Washington where the common denominator for these voices is for the American occupation to end and a return of normalcy to this oil rich country.
The suffering has reached incredible levels that can only be compared to a new holocaust that is perpetrated by all of us who have chosen not to intervene, and mainly by the United States for continuing to occupy an Islamic country in a new century that is marked with renewed religious tensions and animosity.

And, for the USA to be behind such a massive wave of human suffering in Iraq--it is just the most contradictory show of democracy and the ultimate abuse of power. The belief that America is the beacon of freedom and peace has now become a myth of sadness for all of us who care to think of Iraq for a minute.

In Iraq, all the important institutions are disintegrating to a level of permanent dysfunctional state of hopelessness. In many parts of the country, there are no hospitals, police, schools, or a fall-back mechanism of social infrastructure. The billions of dollars that have been poured in have not been helpful to the Iraqi or American economies. The injured are afraid of going to the hospital and the doctors are afraid to go to the hospital for fear of getting kidnapped or killed.
“The situation in Iraq is dire,” said Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, the new Commander of United States forces in Iraq during his confirmation hearing at the Senate Armed Services Committee this January. From a military general of Petraeus status to the street hawkers of Falluja, Iraq, there is no sugar-coating when it comes to describing this situation…Iraq is at the end of the road. Surprisingly, America’s open ended occupation continues and troops’ levels are going up. It is an open secret here in Washington that even for some staunchest Republican Party fanatics are agreeing that this one (Iraq war) has been lost.

A bipartisan group assembled by President George Bush last year studied Iraq and produced the famously known Iraq Study Group Report. In this report, the renowned American leaders did not mince words when they called the Iraq situation as “grave and deteriorating.” Contrary to what the White House is planning to do, this report clearly wanted troops’ levels to be systematically reduced. In other words, all the honest analysis of this war and the alarming situation in Iraq believe that it is time for the Americans to get out of Iraq.

Yet, the US administration argues that if they leave Iraq at this time, the situation will worsen not only for the Iraqis but the whole region will become a hotbed of civil-wars and a centre of terrorism. As a neighbour with a lot at stake, Saudi Arabia’s monarchy is totally unsure of what they want the US to do. At one time they threatened to throw their support behind the victimised Sunnis if Americans ever left Iraq. However, two weeks ago the Saudi King openly condemned the US occupation of Iraq.
The truth is that no one really knows what to do. Still, the American occupation of Iraq has reached a point of saturation where all laws of diminishing returns rule. It is not profitable; it is not common-sense. It is not even helpful to have over 140,000 Yankee soldiers in between a religious and ethnic strife that does not seem to be improving even after publicly hanging the hated dictator, Saddam Hussein.

It is important to point out that the ethnic and religious strife in Iraq has been there for generations and generations before even Saddam Hussein came on the scene. The extraordinary and permanent hatred and tensions between the Shia’s and Sunnis is a permanent fixture in the lives of Iraqis. Whether the American troops leave now or in the next twenty years, is not going to change anything in this catastrophic situation in Iraq today. But it is the opinion of many that the earlier the better and time is now for the Americans to return to their country.
However, things could change for the better if some bold actions are taken immediately. It is time to redeploy American troops back to the US for example.. And re-focus attention on how to return Iraqis’ life and their institutions back to normal. For Americans it is important to come off the high moral horse and start talking to Iraq neighbours in an honest and open way of helping this country get its bearings for peace and calm. For example, America cannot isolate Syria and Iran if they want genuine solution to the Iraq dilemma.
But the bigger responsibility of intervention is always going to rest on the shoulder of the rest of the world, “us” rather than the US. It is not a good thing to let go of situations like these continue at the call of irresponsible leaders of the world.

The world citizens must have a role to play in supporting the protesters in Baghdad and Washington in order to make their wishes recognised and acted upon. We can not pretend not to have seen the Rwanda genocide and massacre, and we let that one go. We can’t say we don’t really see what’s going on in Darfur or the disintegrating provinces of Iraq. It is wrong to keep quite and pretend that what is happening in Falluja or Musul Iraq has no effect on you or your life.
aalawy@gmail.com

Speaker Pelosi visit to Syria is lesson for us

by Omar A Ali

________________

The first woman in history to ever hold the position of United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the Middle East and among other countries and made an official visit to Syria. Pelosi who is the highest ranking Democrat in the United States had a meeting with the Syrian strongman President Bashar Assad in defiance of the United States president. This trip to Syria, a country considered a rogue state by the US President George Bush, was made despite the White House objections.

The visit and the meeting with the Syrian leader was an attempt by the head of the legislative branch of the US government to push the Bush administration to open a direct dialogue with Syria, a crucial step that the White House has rejected. Congressional Democrats who now control the Congress, insist that the U.S. attempts to isolate Syria have failed to force the Assad theocratic government to change its policies. Whether Mrs. Pelosi, third in line to the US presidency, and her high powered Congressional delegation to Syria will bear any fruits, the jury has just been sent out to deliberate. Pelosi trip emphasized the theory that you don’t make peace with your friend but with your enemy.
How does this issue relate to or have anything to do with Kenya, one might be tempted to ask? That would be a legitimate question. The answer is pretty simple. It is an important lesson to Kenya’s politicians where in a clear-cut scenario demonstrates the true separation of powers between the executive and the legislative branches in practice. This is not just in the books and or theory as is in many other democratic societies. In the world’s richest nation and the only superpower, each one of the three organs of government are separately empowered to check each other. When push comes to shove, the respective heads of the three organs, the President, the Speaker and the Chief Justice comfortably exercise their power and no one get hurts.

Now let us see, would such a scenario ever be envisaged in Kenya. The truth of the matter is that, such a setting would and could never happen in our country, ever. There is no way that the Speaker Francis X. Ole Kaparo despite his rhetoric talk and sometimes obnoxious defense of the House and its members dare to visit a country without being sanctioned by the State House. Traveling outside the country visiting a friendly nation, let alone a foe, without the permission of the Head of State through the PS, Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service, Francis Muthaura, will never ever happen. One minute please, I am singling out Mr. Kaparo. I am just using the former MP from Laikipia district as an example since he is the sitting speaker of the National Assembly. My point here is that, we can talk of democracy and the constitution as it relates to the three branches of the government pertaining to our specific situation until the cows come home without reaching anywhere. The fact of the matter is that what we have in Kenya is an all powerful presidency with dictatorial powers and authority.

As we stand right now, it will be inconceivable for the Speaker and the Members of Parliament to defy the country’s sitting president, should he stop them from traveling despite their supposedly independence form the executive. This would be despite the fact that such a trip would be beneficial to the country as is the case with Speaker Nancy Pelosi vis-a vis the United States foreign policy towards Syria and other Middle East countries.

Kenyans have time and time again been hearing opposition leading lights calling for minimums reforms in the pretext that they are seeking to level the political playing field for themselves. I have said this before and would repeat it here again today that the “minimum reforms” calls have more to do with the opposition leaders’ personal (either ‘individually or as a group) gains and very little to do with the average Kassim, Kamau, and Kavulu. The reason being that, whoever hopes and dreams to become president one day, they also want to enjoy the same benefits the Kenya’s defacto ‘imperial presidency’ bestows to the State House resident and his family.

The reforms which could make Kenya a better government, where the three branches are poised to be empowered equally is pretty simple. Let the reforms empower the Parliamentary Speaker have equal powers to that of the head of state and the judiciary. In addition let the reforms give our National Assembly the powers to vet some of the presidential appointments if not all of them. For instance, there is compelling need when it comes to the Judiciary branch, the appointment of the Chief Justice to that of the Justices of the Court of Appeal and the High Court Judges ought to be scrutinized and or vetted. Ambassadorial posts and chairmanships and or managing directorships of government corporations also need to be vetted by the legislature.

To put it simply, as a nation we will not advance where we have a situation where the Chief Justice of the country becomes the instrument of the executive who is out there to advance the interests of the executive as opposed to that of the nation. The US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is a perfect example wher instead of being the country’s AG he is seen behaving as if he is President Bush’s legal adviser.

In addition, let our National Assembly play its important role and not become an exclusive club of members who are only interested in feeding and making their matumbo bigger and fatty by increasing their remuneration. Also, we need to have a House Speaker with real powers and not just powerless but with glorious position.

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Kenya and the cancer of tribalism:

Tribalism is the melanoma that will always continue to hinder Kenya’s developments in all the spheres. This dreadful cancer we all know was started by none other than the country’s founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. It was then perfected by his protégé and predecessor former President Daniel arap Moi. And sadly, it still continues to thrive under the current President Mwai Kibaki and Moi number two for a decade. Kibaki’s defenders can deny it, but the fact of that matter is that Kenyans are not stupid, dumb and blind. They are seeing tribalism and nepotism being practiced openly in daylight with no impunity.
For instance, is it just a mere coincidence that all top positions in the two key ministries of Finance and Education are manned by members of the president’s community? Is this just a happenstance? What about the Judiciary and the Kenya Revenue Authority? To put it mildly what we have is a systematic exercise (which we Kenyans have perfected) in favoring our respective kinsmen for appointments and employment whenever we get the chance. This is from the State House down to the sole proprietorship business.
It is no consolation that the Government through the State Minister for Public Service Moses Akaranga is seen to have bowed to pressure and supposedly formed a taskforce to look into allegations of tribalism in appointments to the Civil Service and State corporations.
Kenyans have no choice but to wait and see what the task force is going to do. But I can say the supposedly task force will not undo the current appointments nor effect the future appointments and you can take that to the bank. Yes today the Mount Kenya people dominate Kibaki government, tomorrow if Kalonzo Musyoka or Raila Odinga wins the presidency; their governments will be dominated by Kambas and Luos respectively. When will this cycle end, or will it ever end?
Separately I would add that, former president Moi should be the last person to counsel Kenyans when it comes to shunning tribalism. He is in fact insulting Kenyans when he issues his advice on this subject. Listen to Mr. Moi talking: "I need not tell you what tribalism can do to a nation. It is dangerous and you need to be careful." Keep on listening: "Let us be like Christ who loved everyone while he was on Earth regardless of race or creed." Is he repenting or wishing that the Kalengins were in power so that the favors are again bestowed to them.
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University at the Coast

Finally my native Coast province will soon benefit for having an institute of higher learning, thanks in part to the Royal government of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the Governor of Riyadh has agreed to contribute the equivalent of US$10 million towards the establishment of what is poised to the newest fully-fledged university in Kenya.
During his state visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after attending the 19th Arab league summit, President Mwai Kibaki was able to secure development assistance of more than KShs 6 billion for the country. On arrival from the visit, the head of state said in part: “Foremost is the establishment of a fully-fledged university at the Coast province and construction of the Garissa- Modagashe road.”
The State House based Presidential Press Service in its press release notes in part: “With regard to the establishment of a fully-fledged Coast University, President Kibaki said the Saudi Fund will contribute 10 million Dollars towards the co-financing of the university, adding that the Kenya Government and other development partners are also expected to contribute to the Coast University project”.
This must have been the greatest news to all the Coast people if not the entire country as the university although to be base in Pwani is open to every Kenyan. President Mwai Kibaki ought to be given credit for making this life long dream for many Coastal natives a reality. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta had fifteen years and his predecessor Daniel arap Moi almost a quarter of a century and they did nothing when it came to improving the education standard in our region and ensuring that the province had a public university. In less than five years, Kibaki has made it possible and it will soon become a reality. And as the Muslims would say, Insha’Allah very soon the region would benefit with the presence of a university within our neck of our woods.
The idea of having a university in my native region is very dear to me. I treasure it because forty years after independence Coast now has a full fledged university or even a satellite campus. The education marginalization (amongst other marginalization) of the region by the governments of Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi had systematically isolated its people.

Boldly Speaking:
Time is still on his side with the chance of a re-election. If he can put his house in order, President Kibaki has the potential to become one of the greatest presidents of Kenya and the region. Start by shunning tribalism; take leadership in giving Kenyans a new constitution and deal head-on with corruption by letting the pieces fall as they may.

Sources: Sunday Times

BOLD Scripts column

April, 8, 2007

Washington & Baghdad War Protests Need Our Support

By: Abdillahi Alawy

Washington DC

From Al-Ambar province to Geneva and Washington, word is out that the humanitarian situation in Iraq is increasingly worsening. And, this could be the right time for the rest of the world to step-in for a unitary voice to demand quick action that will end the turmoil. As the American occupation of Iraq marked its fourth year, the International Committee of the Red Cross reported this Tuesday that Iraq is slowly becoming the worst humanitarian tragedy this generation has witnessed.

The never ending conflicts have caused immense suffering for the entire citizenry in and outside of this country. This week alone, major protests were seen in Iraq and here in Washington where the common denominator for these voices is for the American occupation to end and a return of normalcy to this oil rich country.

The suffering has reached incredible levels that can only be compared to a new holocaust that is perpetrated by all of us who have chosen not to intervene, and mainly by the United States for continuing to occupy an Islamic country in a new Century that is marked with renewed religious tensions and animosity.

And, for the USA to be behind such a massive wave of human suffering in Iraq--it is just the most contradictory show of democracy and the ultimate abuse of power. The belief that America is the beacon of freedom and peace has now become a myth of sadness for all of us who care to think of Iraq for a minute.

In Iraq, all the important institutions are disintegrating to a level of permanent dysfunctional state of hopelessness. In many parts of the country, there are no hospitals, police, schools, or a fall-back mechanism of social infrastructure. The billions of dollars that have been poured in have not been helpful to the Iraq or America economies. The injured are afraid of going to the hospital and the doctors are afraid to go to the hospital for fear of getting kidnapped or killed.

“The situation in Iraq is dire,” said Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, the new Commander of United States forces in Iraq during his confirmation hearing at the Senate Armed Services Committee this January. From a military general of Petraeus status to the street hawkers of Falluja, Iraq, there is no sugar-coating when it comes to describing this situation…Iraq is at the end of the road. Surprisingly, America’s open ended occupation continues and troops’ levels are going up.

It is an open secret here in Washington that even for some staunchest Republican Party fanatics are agreeing that this one (Iraq war) has been lost.

A bipartisan group assembled by President George Bush last year studied Iraq and produced the famously known Iraq Study Group Report. In this report, the renowned American leaders did not mince word when they called Iraq situation as “grave and deteriorating.” Contrary to what the White House is planning to do, this report clearly wanted troops’ levels to be systematically reduced. In other words, all the honest analysis of this war and the alarming situation in Iraq believe that it is time for the Americans to get out of Iraq.

Yet, US administration argues that if they leave Iraq at this time, the situation will worsen not only for the Iraqis but the whole region will become a hotbed of civil-wars and a center of terrorism. As a neighbor with a lot at stake, Saudi Arabia’s monarchy is totally unsure of what they want the US to do. At one time they threatened to throw their support to the victimized Sunnis if Americans ever left Iraq. However, two weeks ago the Saudi King openly condemned the US occupation of Iraq.

The truth is that no one really knows what to do. Still, the American occupation of Iraq has reached a point of saturation where all laws of diminishing return rule. It is not profitable; it is not common-sense. It is not even helpful to have over 140,000 Yankee soldiers in between a religious and ethnic strife that does not seem to be improving even after publicly hanging the hated dictator, Saddam Hussein.

It is important to point out that the ethnic and religious strife in Iraq has been there for generations and generations before even Saddam Hussein came into the scene. The extra-ordinary and permanent hatreds and tensions between the Shia’s and Sunnis is a permanent fixture in the lives of Iraqis. Whether the American troops leave now or in the next twenty years, is not going to change anything in this catastrophic situation in Iraq today. But it is the opinion of many that the earlier the better and time is now for the Americans to return to their country.

However, things could change for the better if some bold actions will be taken immediately. It is time to re-deploy American troops back to the US. And re-focus attention on how to return Iraq life and their institutions back to normal. For Americans it is important to come off the high moral horse and start talking to Iraq neighbors in an honest and open way of helping this country get its bearings for peace and calm. For example, America cannot isolate Syria and Iran if they want genuine solution to the Iraq dilemma.

But the bigger responsibility of intervention is always going to rest on the shoulder of the rest of the world, “us” rather than the US. It is not a good thing to let go of situations like these continue at the call of irresponsible leaders of the world.

The world citizens must have a role to play in supporting the protestors in Baghdad and Washington in order to make their wishes recognized and acted upon. We can not pretend not to have seen the Rwanda genocide and massacre, and we let that one go. We can’t say we don’t really see what’s going on in Darfur or the disintegrating provinces of Iraq. It is wrong to keep quite and pretend that what is happening in Falluja or Musul Iraq has no effect on you or your life.
aalawy@gmail.com

With Ambassador Ngaithe

Omar Ali, H.E. Leonard Ngaithe and Dr. Alawy (right) at a function in Washington DC. Ngaithe is the immediate former Kenya's Ambassador to United States,
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