Sen. Barrack Obama akiwa nyumbani kwao Kenya. Photo. New York TimesWednesday, May 23, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
The Tower of Babel that is Narc-Kenya
When it comes to the “on and off” Narc Kenya grassroots elections who for heavens sake is the official voice of this party? Is it the Deputy Party Leader, or the National Chairman, or is it one of the eight Vice Chairmen or the Secretary General or the Organizing Secretary?
I am compelled to raise this question because it must have surprised many when the chairman Raphael Tuju would have the Party Whip Jayne Kihara send short text message (SMS) to all the party MPs informing them that the party has postponed the elections indefinitely because of the national prayers on May 26, the day the elections are suppose to start.
In the recently announced party national leadership line-up, the Naivasha MP’s position as the Party Whip perhaps two tiers below the positions mentioned above. Party Whip position’s jurisdiction relates to party parliamentary matters and not party management and or election affairs.
In what was termed by the media as a hurriedly Press Conference Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, the party Secretary General quickly and rightly noted: ‘‘She cannot speak on behalf of the party. We decided that grassroots elections kick off on May 25.” One of the Party’s Vice Chairman George Saitoti, at the same press conference, pointed out: ‘‘I am here to reaffirm the decision taken by the party that the grassroots elections go on as planned. They cannot be cancelled if we are a serious political party.” And not to be out done the Organizing Secretary Danson Mungatana added: ‘‘Kihara and the group scared of elections need prayers. They should go for the prayer breakfast and later go for elections.’’
It has since emerged that the party National Chairman Tuju did indeed communicated with Kihara with regards to the party election. The Foreign Affairs minister confirmed that he had communicated to Kihara about the elections timetable interruption but he was quick to point out that this would only be done when necessary. Why Tuju saw the need to communicate to the members through a junior official instead of say the Secretary General or the Organizing Secretary or their deputies (each has three) raises more questions than answers.
The party’s grassroots election has been the bone of contention in this party. There are two competing groups, one for and the other against the holding of elections.
Tuju can refuse to accept the fact that there is a major crisis and looking to blame the opponents does not hold water. Narc Kenya opponents, ODM Kenya, has nothing to do with Tuju’s miscommunications. Tuju can allayed fears of a divided party saying in any democracy people were likely to discuss issues openly and loudly but the fact remains that there are signs that the party is divided.
I boldly ask this question: Is this party a serious political party or is it just an arrangement established by the head of state’s supporters as President Mwai Kibaki’s re-election outfit and a vehicle for them (current legislators who formed the party) to seek to recapture their parliamentary seats in tandem. The current MPs allied to the party are genuinely accused by civic and parliamentary aspirants of locking them out of leadership. To a large extent there is some validity in this accusation.
Many would agree with Kiraitu Murungi, a party Vice Chairman when he pointed out that Narc Kenya ought to go on with the elections so that it could move from “being a large sheltering roof without foundations and pillars to support it”.
Kenyans’ memories as to what happened when Narc went to the general election without holding party elections are very . The party did not establish “party structures” and there was no elections held since inception, notwithstanding the fact that it has been the country’s a ruling party for more than four years. Is Narc Kenya dejavu all over again for its supporters who were moved from ‘Mama Narc’? We can only wait and see.
***
Winners, losersin Magarini poll
The dust has now settled in Magarini constituency after the bitterly contested by-election. In analyzing the winners and losers in this by-election the outcome is very obvious. Although many would not want to give them credit to the winners, but apart from the MP-elect Harrison Kombe himself, the true winners of this by-election are the three Coast based Ministers allied to NARC Kenya who decided to support the immediate former MP to recapture his seat through his original Shirikisho Party instead of fielding their party candidate. Kombe voted with the Government in Parliament and as such there was no need to oppose someone who is already with you in the first place.
Led by the Transport Minister Chirau Mwakwere, Morris Dzoro and Suleman Shakombo, Tourism and Wildlife and National Heritage respectively, should be credited for uniting in making sure they came out victorious. This show of unity has been missing in the province. The youthful and far-sighted Immigration and Registrations of Persons Assistant Minister Anania Mwaboza joined the trio to support Kombe.
Had Harrison Kombe lost this election, there would have been several commentaries to the effect that the three Ministers do not hold any sway in their own backyard. But now all those commentaries will not see sunlight, they have been discarded. As they say, charity begins at home; Mwakwere as a Mijikenda spokesperson and elder has shown his finesse and has emerged as a true leader of the province by starting to put his mark in the greater Mijikenda-lands.
The losers of this by-election include the first tier group of the four serious vote getting candidates namely Jeffah Kingi, Franco Esposito, Samuel Nzai and David Noti Kombe. The second tier losers is ODM-K as a party and all the party’s big-wigs who camped in the constituency and erroneously thought they have political relevance in the area.
Another side loser in this election is Danson Mungatana, who despite his greenish political experience believes he should be taken seriously in the province as a political leader. As a legal mind one would have thought the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister could come out as clever politician but every passing day the Garsen MP is proving to be a naïve legislator who refuses to learn from his elders.
I would boldly like to remind the youth Garsen legislator that by being covered by the Press and other media outlets every passing day does not make one a political leader to be reckon with.
***
Why not try directmayoral elections?
The revocation of the former Mombasa Mayor Taib Ali Taib’s appointment as a ‘nominated councillor’ forced him to lose his mayoral position. The revocation, constitutional or otherwise was made by the Local Government Minister Musikari Kombo. This circus that landed in the hands of the constitutional court that decided in favour of the former Mayor ought to compel the current Parliament to enact the much awaited law on direct election of mayors in our cities and towns.
There had been talks that the Local Government Act as we know it will be changed to give the voters in Nairobi and all other major towns the powers to directly elect their mayors. A mayor who is elected by a few individuals is susceptible to blackmail and because of the fact that the mayors have to seek "re-election" in mid-term makes their tenures unproductive and strenuous. But in cases where the mayors would be answerable to the voters it would make their four-year five term tenures secured thereby enabling them to concentrate in their service delivery by improving and developing their municipalities.
The residents of the City of Nairobi and all major towns and municipalities such as Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Garissa, Eldoret, Kakamega, Malindi, Kisii, Embu, Nyeri should be empowered to elect their respective mayors. Eventually all the Chairpersons of the local authorities should be directly elected by the people. This is not asking for too much.
We need to avoid such situations as the one in Mombasa where for instance we have had two ‘Nominated Councillors’ on separate occasions ending up being elected mayors of the country’s second largest metropolis. Najib Balala (now Mvita MP) and Taib were never elected at grassroots level as councillors but were elected Mayors of Mombasa. It might have escaped people’s minds but such type of mayors are technically answerable to the political parties that nominated them, god fathers and to the councillors who helped put them to the mayors’ parlour. On the face of it these individuals surely don’t see themselves answerable to the people—they never elected them.
While Balala who served for only six months became very popular, Taib on the other hand was arrogant and egotistical such that instead of him being the servant of the people, he wanted people to behave as his servants’ or something like that.
The facts remains that direct election of the mayors will go a long way in having the people give consent as to who should run their local governments and or who become their mayors. The matter should not be left to the few councillors who because of their low remuneration are susceptible to be corrupted to sell their votes to the highest bidder. We see this vote buying every time there is competitive mayoral race in the country’s municipalities. It makes sense that the individuals who run their respective municipalities should have the direct mandate from the people to do so, the same way MPs get theirs from their respective constituents.
These are some of the changes that Kenyans expect from the lawmakers and not seeing them devoting their time in strategizing how they will distribute political powers once elected to the office. The self-centred legislators are only concerned with filling their stomachs.
omarahmedali@gmail.com
I am compelled to raise this question because it must have surprised many when the chairman Raphael Tuju would have the Party Whip Jayne Kihara send short text message (SMS) to all the party MPs informing them that the party has postponed the elections indefinitely because of the national prayers on May 26, the day the elections are suppose to start.
In the recently announced party national leadership line-up, the Naivasha MP’s position as the Party Whip perhaps two tiers below the positions mentioned above. Party Whip position’s jurisdiction relates to party parliamentary matters and not party management and or election affairs.
In what was termed by the media as a hurriedly Press Conference Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, the party Secretary General quickly and rightly noted: ‘‘She cannot speak on behalf of the party. We decided that grassroots elections kick off on May 25.” One of the Party’s Vice Chairman George Saitoti, at the same press conference, pointed out: ‘‘I am here to reaffirm the decision taken by the party that the grassroots elections go on as planned. They cannot be cancelled if we are a serious political party.” And not to be out done the Organizing Secretary Danson Mungatana added: ‘‘Kihara and the group scared of elections need prayers. They should go for the prayer breakfast and later go for elections.’’
It has since emerged that the party National Chairman Tuju did indeed communicated with Kihara with regards to the party election. The Foreign Affairs minister confirmed that he had communicated to Kihara about the elections timetable interruption but he was quick to point out that this would only be done when necessary. Why Tuju saw the need to communicate to the members through a junior official instead of say the Secretary General or the Organizing Secretary or their deputies (each has three) raises more questions than answers.
The party’s grassroots election has been the bone of contention in this party. There are two competing groups, one for and the other against the holding of elections.
Tuju can refuse to accept the fact that there is a major crisis and looking to blame the opponents does not hold water. Narc Kenya opponents, ODM Kenya, has nothing to do with Tuju’s miscommunications. Tuju can allayed fears of a divided party saying in any democracy people were likely to discuss issues openly and loudly but the fact remains that there are signs that the party is divided.
I boldly ask this question: Is this party a serious political party or is it just an arrangement established by the head of state’s supporters as President Mwai Kibaki’s re-election outfit and a vehicle for them (current legislators who formed the party) to seek to recapture their parliamentary seats in tandem. The current MPs allied to the party are genuinely accused by civic and parliamentary aspirants of locking them out of leadership. To a large extent there is some validity in this accusation.
Many would agree with Kiraitu Murungi, a party Vice Chairman when he pointed out that Narc Kenya ought to go on with the elections so that it could move from “being a large sheltering roof without foundations and pillars to support it”.
Kenyans’ memories as to what happened when Narc went to the general election without holding party elections are very . The party did not establish “party structures” and there was no elections held since inception, notwithstanding the fact that it has been the country’s a ruling party for more than four years. Is Narc Kenya dejavu all over again for its supporters who were moved from ‘Mama Narc’? We can only wait and see.
***
Winners, losersin Magarini poll
The dust has now settled in Magarini constituency after the bitterly contested by-election. In analyzing the winners and losers in this by-election the outcome is very obvious. Although many would not want to give them credit to the winners, but apart from the MP-elect Harrison Kombe himself, the true winners of this by-election are the three Coast based Ministers allied to NARC Kenya who decided to support the immediate former MP to recapture his seat through his original Shirikisho Party instead of fielding their party candidate. Kombe voted with the Government in Parliament and as such there was no need to oppose someone who is already with you in the first place.
Led by the Transport Minister Chirau Mwakwere, Morris Dzoro and Suleman Shakombo, Tourism and Wildlife and National Heritage respectively, should be credited for uniting in making sure they came out victorious. This show of unity has been missing in the province. The youthful and far-sighted Immigration and Registrations of Persons Assistant Minister Anania Mwaboza joined the trio to support Kombe.
Had Harrison Kombe lost this election, there would have been several commentaries to the effect that the three Ministers do not hold any sway in their own backyard. But now all those commentaries will not see sunlight, they have been discarded. As they say, charity begins at home; Mwakwere as a Mijikenda spokesperson and elder has shown his finesse and has emerged as a true leader of the province by starting to put his mark in the greater Mijikenda-lands.
The losers of this by-election include the first tier group of the four serious vote getting candidates namely Jeffah Kingi, Franco Esposito, Samuel Nzai and David Noti Kombe. The second tier losers is ODM-K as a party and all the party’s big-wigs who camped in the constituency and erroneously thought they have political relevance in the area.
Another side loser in this election is Danson Mungatana, who despite his greenish political experience believes he should be taken seriously in the province as a political leader. As a legal mind one would have thought the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister could come out as clever politician but every passing day the Garsen MP is proving to be a naïve legislator who refuses to learn from his elders.
I would boldly like to remind the youth Garsen legislator that by being covered by the Press and other media outlets every passing day does not make one a political leader to be reckon with.
***
Why not try directmayoral elections?
The revocation of the former Mombasa Mayor Taib Ali Taib’s appointment as a ‘nominated councillor’ forced him to lose his mayoral position. The revocation, constitutional or otherwise was made by the Local Government Minister Musikari Kombo. This circus that landed in the hands of the constitutional court that decided in favour of the former Mayor ought to compel the current Parliament to enact the much awaited law on direct election of mayors in our cities and towns.
There had been talks that the Local Government Act as we know it will be changed to give the voters in Nairobi and all other major towns the powers to directly elect their mayors. A mayor who is elected by a few individuals is susceptible to blackmail and because of the fact that the mayors have to seek "re-election" in mid-term makes their tenures unproductive and strenuous. But in cases where the mayors would be answerable to the voters it would make their four-year five term tenures secured thereby enabling them to concentrate in their service delivery by improving and developing their municipalities.
The residents of the City of Nairobi and all major towns and municipalities such as Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Garissa, Eldoret, Kakamega, Malindi, Kisii, Embu, Nyeri should be empowered to elect their respective mayors. Eventually all the Chairpersons of the local authorities should be directly elected by the people. This is not asking for too much.
We need to avoid such situations as the one in Mombasa where for instance we have had two ‘Nominated Councillors’ on separate occasions ending up being elected mayors of the country’s second largest metropolis. Najib Balala (now Mvita MP) and Taib were never elected at grassroots level as councillors but were elected Mayors of Mombasa. It might have escaped people’s minds but such type of mayors are technically answerable to the political parties that nominated them, god fathers and to the councillors who helped put them to the mayors’ parlour. On the face of it these individuals surely don’t see themselves answerable to the people—they never elected them.
While Balala who served for only six months became very popular, Taib on the other hand was arrogant and egotistical such that instead of him being the servant of the people, he wanted people to behave as his servants’ or something like that.
The facts remains that direct election of the mayors will go a long way in having the people give consent as to who should run their local governments and or who become their mayors. The matter should not be left to the few councillors who because of their low remuneration are susceptible to be corrupted to sell their votes to the highest bidder. We see this vote buying every time there is competitive mayoral race in the country’s municipalities. It makes sense that the individuals who run their respective municipalities should have the direct mandate from the people to do so, the same way MPs get theirs from their respective constituents.
These are some of the changes that Kenyans expect from the lawmakers and not seeing them devoting their time in strategizing how they will distribute political powers once elected to the office. The self-centred legislators are only concerned with filling their stomachs.
omarahmedali@gmail.com
The big duel that never was
By Dr. ABDILLAHI Alawy
The heavy rains that pounded Magarini and the surrounding villages during the by-election day have a standard interpretation as far as Hollywood cinema is concerned. Such signs could mean that the election was bringing some difficult changes in the constituency and the country. Yet, the same rains may be translated in the Mijikenda context that there will be major blessings in the Giriama landscapes.
The by-election in Magarini Constituency and 14 civic wards in the country provided a convenient and timely platform for the two political parties to rehearse their strength before this year’s General Election. From Gongoni, Kenya to Washington DC and many other places in between, the election was largely seen as a contest between Narc-K and ODM-K. Fists were raised and threats issued at every level but in the end the winner, Harrison Kombe, took it all. I agree that as far as this election was concerned, whether in Kenya, 2007 or America, 2008, that we have not seen anything yet!
You ain’t seen nothing yet! A common naughty phrase that is grammatically unbalanced but quite popular during elections times. Accompanying terminologies include “you will see” and the Swahili interpretation of “Mambo bado!” Such are the exchanges vastly gaining currency in the streets of Nairobi, in the capitol bars of Washington DC and many other politically addictive places.
In the Giriama Coast, mambo bado was mainly used in the context of another bigger election that is coming in seven months. Yeah, Kombe has seven months’ salary to enjoy before returning to the villages. Only this time all his suited supporters will be busy bribing in their own villages seeking re-election. In America, the same is implied when we take a serious glance at the pool of candidates in the two major parties here…not necessarily the bribing but the uncertainty of what elections can bring in terms of animosity and bad blood.
Of no big surprise is the realization that you only need four thousands votes to win the Magarini parliamentary seat. A rural competition that brought to earth all the millionaire Kenyan presidential candidates and cabinet ministers into the cashew bushes of the Giriama villages. Indeed these are very intense political times and the fever is high not only in Magarini but also in Washington DC.
You ain’t seen nothing yet because Washington is abuzz with news about Senators Barrack Obama or Hillary Clinton as the next president of this country. Yet, it is a known fact that senators never become presidents—at least in recent elections. From the days of Jimmy Carter to George W Bush all senatorial presidential contestants failed badly.
Former governors such as Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, or George W Bush all moved from governorships to presidency. Senators Bob Dole, Jon Kerry and many before them did not win the presidency. Will these two senators, Hillary and Obama, dislodge that jinx and capture the White House? Particularly for these two, everything will be a novelty for them given that we have never had before a woman president or a black head of state in these United States.
Back to Kenya, Kenyans in the whole Diaspora have digested the news of the Magarini by-election whose results have confirmed the power of state resources used for political campaigning. Here and there they call it the power of incumbency. Title deeds, cash, a few pieces of kanga, sugar, floor and a promise to legalize their local brew can entice any voter, anywhere, anytime. Even after this show of Government’s muscle, ODM-K came around and threatened: you ain’t seen nothing yet! What, another Four-year petition for the remaining Seven months on the seat? We may have concluded in Kenya who the opposing presidential candidates are going to be come this December. You think that you know it until the Artur’s book is released and we see who the less corrupt candidates are --as if that matters in Kenya.
Yet, the big surprise for presidential candidates may not happening in Kenya but here in the USA. This beats all what you have heard before; the two candidates for the final presidential elections in the US have not even announced their bids yet. And, that is when I tell you that you ain’t seen nothing yet!
That Al Gore is releasing a brand new book, Assault on Reason, and his previous success with the documentary movie, An Inconvenient Truth, is but a curtain raiser for his announcement soon. I am learning that Al Gore will actually run for the presidency in 2008 and he is likely to pick Senator Obama as his running mate. This last line (VP Obama) is my prediction.
This former US vice president who won the popular vote in 2000 has openly encouraged rumors that he is running for president in 2008. Speaking with Time magazine this week, Al Gore said the following: “I haven’t ruled it out. But I don’t think it’s likely to happen.” And, that is why many observers here claim that the 2008 elections have not started yet. There is more in the works and Al Gore is not even the only surprise.
On the Republican Party (GOP) side, their pool of candidates is not as exciting compared to the star-studded Democrats that showcase a rock-star cast of Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and Bill Richardson. The Republicans are stuck with Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and several other unknowns. Each one of the GOP candidates has major problem concerning key campaign issues such as abortion, the right religion for candidate, and simply, the general problem of eroded charisma for all of them.
But this may soon change because another New York mayor will join the race very soon. Michael Bloomberg is the second term mayor of America’s largest city, New York, New York. He has money, name recognition and a plan. At least, it has been confirmed that Mayor Bloomberg is not interested in becoming governor of New York. Although New York governorship is seen as a logical place to go after successfully serving New York City, Bloomberg has decided to leave the governor’s mansion to Eliot Spitzer, the current governor of the state.
Therefore, here we are not only speculating on the entry of Al Gore but an even bigger Republican factor is looming over this election. And because of the above problems with the GOP candidates, Bloomberg sees an opportunity to jump in probably via a third party. Privately he has revealed that he could spend upwards of $500 million or more to finance an independent, third-party presidential campaign. If anybody can afford that much money from the New York City Hall, it is Bloomberg. Obama was not mentioned as a likely running mate here but you never know. Thank God Hon Harrison Kombe has job security for the next seven busy months!
SUNDAY TIMES
aalawy@gmail.com
The heavy rains that pounded Magarini and the surrounding villages during the by-election day have a standard interpretation as far as Hollywood cinema is concerned. Such signs could mean that the election was bringing some difficult changes in the constituency and the country. Yet, the same rains may be translated in the Mijikenda context that there will be major blessings in the Giriama landscapes.
The by-election in Magarini Constituency and 14 civic wards in the country provided a convenient and timely platform for the two political parties to rehearse their strength before this year’s General Election. From Gongoni, Kenya to Washington DC and many other places in between, the election was largely seen as a contest between Narc-K and ODM-K. Fists were raised and threats issued at every level but in the end the winner, Harrison Kombe, took it all. I agree that as far as this election was concerned, whether in Kenya, 2007 or America, 2008, that we have not seen anything yet!
You ain’t seen nothing yet! A common naughty phrase that is grammatically unbalanced but quite popular during elections times. Accompanying terminologies include “you will see” and the Swahili interpretation of “Mambo bado!” Such are the exchanges vastly gaining currency in the streets of Nairobi, in the capitol bars of Washington DC and many other politically addictive places.
In the Giriama Coast, mambo bado was mainly used in the context of another bigger election that is coming in seven months. Yeah, Kombe has seven months’ salary to enjoy before returning to the villages. Only this time all his suited supporters will be busy bribing in their own villages seeking re-election. In America, the same is implied when we take a serious glance at the pool of candidates in the two major parties here…not necessarily the bribing but the uncertainty of what elections can bring in terms of animosity and bad blood.
Of no big surprise is the realization that you only need four thousands votes to win the Magarini parliamentary seat. A rural competition that brought to earth all the millionaire Kenyan presidential candidates and cabinet ministers into the cashew bushes of the Giriama villages. Indeed these are very intense political times and the fever is high not only in Magarini but also in Washington DC.
You ain’t seen nothing yet because Washington is abuzz with news about Senators Barrack Obama or Hillary Clinton as the next president of this country. Yet, it is a known fact that senators never become presidents—at least in recent elections. From the days of Jimmy Carter to George W Bush all senatorial presidential contestants failed badly.
Former governors such as Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, or George W Bush all moved from governorships to presidency. Senators Bob Dole, Jon Kerry and many before them did not win the presidency. Will these two senators, Hillary and Obama, dislodge that jinx and capture the White House? Particularly for these two, everything will be a novelty for them given that we have never had before a woman president or a black head of state in these United States.
Back to Kenya, Kenyans in the whole Diaspora have digested the news of the Magarini by-election whose results have confirmed the power of state resources used for political campaigning. Here and there they call it the power of incumbency. Title deeds, cash, a few pieces of kanga, sugar, floor and a promise to legalize their local brew can entice any voter, anywhere, anytime. Even after this show of Government’s muscle, ODM-K came around and threatened: you ain’t seen nothing yet! What, another Four-year petition for the remaining Seven months on the seat? We may have concluded in Kenya who the opposing presidential candidates are going to be come this December. You think that you know it until the Artur’s book is released and we see who the less corrupt candidates are --as if that matters in Kenya.
Yet, the big surprise for presidential candidates may not happening in Kenya but here in the USA. This beats all what you have heard before; the two candidates for the final presidential elections in the US have not even announced their bids yet. And, that is when I tell you that you ain’t seen nothing yet!
That Al Gore is releasing a brand new book, Assault on Reason, and his previous success with the documentary movie, An Inconvenient Truth, is but a curtain raiser for his announcement soon. I am learning that Al Gore will actually run for the presidency in 2008 and he is likely to pick Senator Obama as his running mate. This last line (VP Obama) is my prediction.
This former US vice president who won the popular vote in 2000 has openly encouraged rumors that he is running for president in 2008. Speaking with Time magazine this week, Al Gore said the following: “I haven’t ruled it out. But I don’t think it’s likely to happen.” And, that is why many observers here claim that the 2008 elections have not started yet. There is more in the works and Al Gore is not even the only surprise.
On the Republican Party (GOP) side, their pool of candidates is not as exciting compared to the star-studded Democrats that showcase a rock-star cast of Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and Bill Richardson. The Republicans are stuck with Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and several other unknowns. Each one of the GOP candidates has major problem concerning key campaign issues such as abortion, the right religion for candidate, and simply, the general problem of eroded charisma for all of them.
But this may soon change because another New York mayor will join the race very soon. Michael Bloomberg is the second term mayor of America’s largest city, New York, New York. He has money, name recognition and a plan. At least, it has been confirmed that Mayor Bloomberg is not interested in becoming governor of New York. Although New York governorship is seen as a logical place to go after successfully serving New York City, Bloomberg has decided to leave the governor’s mansion to Eliot Spitzer, the current governor of the state.
Therefore, here we are not only speculating on the entry of Al Gore but an even bigger Republican factor is looming over this election. And because of the above problems with the GOP candidates, Bloomberg sees an opportunity to jump in probably via a third party. Privately he has revealed that he could spend upwards of $500 million or more to finance an independent, third-party presidential campaign. If anybody can afford that much money from the New York City Hall, it is Bloomberg. Obama was not mentioned as a likely running mate here but you never know. Thank God Hon Harrison Kombe has job security for the next seven busy months!
SUNDAY TIMES
aalawy@gmail.com
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Confusion Over Coast Varsity
By: Abdillahi Alawy,
Washington DC
Recently the Saudi Arabian government offered a little grant to start a university at the Coast. Reading from the latest Kenya’s government recommendations on improving higher education, I see several recommendations that appear confusing as to the intention of the Kenya government and what is in the works pertaining to the intended “Pwani University.”
I believe Coast province will get a fully fledged university soon. However, the recently recommended Pwani University College by the presidential commission on higher education as a constituent of another upcountry university is unclear. The truth is this would have been confusing even if I was not in Washington DC. Either I am sensing a real disconnect in policy recommendations on this university or worse, there is a duping project underway by the government to swindle Coastals out of their university, again!
In the very least, at this time a law to create this university should have been established. We have the highest paid legislators in the whole Africa. I am saying this because these efforts started a long time ago. Knowing that the amount of money is not yet enough to build a university, a website and an aggressive fund-raising effort should have been underway to promote this new university and collect additional funds. Or, is the government planning to abort this university like what happened before?
Well, I will not be surprised if there is a major disclosure of bad news for the Coastals who are eagerly waiting for this university. It is even possible that our own leaders are confused with the little money that has been promised for this school and what to do from here. For example, do we know if Coast leaders are campaigning for a fully-fledged university for the region or are playing politics as usual? One billion shilling is not enough funds to begin construction of a university!
I will give the newly formed “Pwani University” planning committee the benefit of the doubt and praise their recent efforts and statements. But after waiting for over 40 years for this institution I have become very suspicious; even though I know there is money coming from Saudi Arabia and some promised by our own government.
Do you all remember the earlier debate about building a Coast university from scratch against the promotion of our local technical colleges into some kind of branches of upcountry universities? I suspect that this discussion has been revived given the little amounts of funds and continuing discrimination of the Coastals. But let me update you on the debate that took place in 2005.
About two years ago, the Ministry of Education wanted to turn the Mombasa Polytechnic into a branch of the new Coast University. At one point, the debate centered on cultural conservation against the thrifty intentions of the education ministry. The Coastal communities were up in arms trying to halt the destruction of their historical sites in the face of an obvious strategy by the ministry to deny Coast people of their promised university. Clearly, the ministry wanted to cheaply improve the existing local institutions so as to silence the Coastals who were rightfully demanding a university of their own. And we almost took the bait.
Amazingly, the same ministry of education that excitedly informed us that funds would be availed to construct a brand new university for the Coast province was talking about cheaper alternatives aimed at promoting local technical colleges. At that time, the ministry successfully shifted the debate from establishing the university to a diversionary debate of whether or not we should turn our Mombasa Polytechnic into a university.
Luckily, the debate did not go far because the local MP, Hon. Najib Balala, was also the minister for national heritage who had the mandate of preserving our cultural wealth. Balala was also spearheading the demand for a coastal university. But, that was then. Now we have a billion shillings promise and leaders who are ready for action, or are they?
That the planning committee is in place is not a sure sign that anybody is serious or anything is going to happen. We have seen a hundred committees before whose reports have not even been published. We need a coast leadership that will remind this government that Coast’s educational aspirations are being trodden down for the convenience of the education policy leaders such as Minister George Saitoti. Coast people need to see consistent and firm commitment from the government on this matter.
Whether the Varsity Planning Committee is on task or dragging their feet, a few benchmarks needs to be clarified. Coast people do not want our landmark institutions such as the local Mombasa Polytechnic to be turned into a university. It serves more than 90 per cent of our children who fail to secure university places and that role is very important. Sheikh Khalifa School, the institutes at Voi and Kilifi or any institute in the province must continue to serve us in the same role rather than be promoted to university.
Coastals should not accept renovations and repairs that will turn our already fully utilized institutions into a banana university enticing us not to demand our rightful regional university system like what they have in Njoro, Juja, Nairobi, Eldoret and elsewhere. Government of Kenya regulations clearly stipulates that there should be at least 50 acres of land for a main campus of a university to be established. Mombasa’s Polytechnic, Bandari College and all the major government affiliated colleges in Mombasa metropolitan area do not even total up to 10 acres. Therefore, the idea of a cheap approach should not come into the minds of the planners, at all.
The same institutions earmarked for these changes are busting their seams in serving needy students and they have established a clientele of their own. We are better off if we will continue to support these institutions to serve this population. Converting them to university is not a solution.
You cannot change Mombasa Polytechnic or Bandari College and promise their stakeholders that these institutions will continue to provide the same services to the community. That is not true because we know what happened when Egerton was promoted from a premier agricultural diploma college to a degree granting university. Things were never the same again. And this is the clearest evidence that the Coastals must have a fully-fledged university built from scratch.
aalawy@gmail.com
Washington DC
Recently the Saudi Arabian government offered a little grant to start a university at the Coast. Reading from the latest Kenya’s government recommendations on improving higher education, I see several recommendations that appear confusing as to the intention of the Kenya government and what is in the works pertaining to the intended “Pwani University.”
I believe Coast province will get a fully fledged university soon. However, the recently recommended Pwani University College by the presidential commission on higher education as a constituent of another upcountry university is unclear. The truth is this would have been confusing even if I was not in Washington DC. Either I am sensing a real disconnect in policy recommendations on this university or worse, there is a duping project underway by the government to swindle Coastals out of their university, again!
In the very least, at this time a law to create this university should have been established. We have the highest paid legislators in the whole Africa. I am saying this because these efforts started a long time ago. Knowing that the amount of money is not yet enough to build a university, a website and an aggressive fund-raising effort should have been underway to promote this new university and collect additional funds. Or, is the government planning to abort this university like what happened before?
Well, I will not be surprised if there is a major disclosure of bad news for the Coastals who are eagerly waiting for this university. It is even possible that our own leaders are confused with the little money that has been promised for this school and what to do from here. For example, do we know if Coast leaders are campaigning for a fully-fledged university for the region or are playing politics as usual? One billion shilling is not enough funds to begin construction of a university!
I will give the newly formed “Pwani University” planning committee the benefit of the doubt and praise their recent efforts and statements. But after waiting for over 40 years for this institution I have become very suspicious; even though I know there is money coming from Saudi Arabia and some promised by our own government.
Do you all remember the earlier debate about building a Coast university from scratch against the promotion of our local technical colleges into some kind of branches of upcountry universities? I suspect that this discussion has been revived given the little amounts of funds and continuing discrimination of the Coastals. But let me update you on the debate that took place in 2005.
About two years ago, the Ministry of Education wanted to turn the Mombasa Polytechnic into a branch of the new Coast University. At one point, the debate centered on cultural conservation against the thrifty intentions of the education ministry. The Coastal communities were up in arms trying to halt the destruction of their historical sites in the face of an obvious strategy by the ministry to deny Coast people of their promised university. Clearly, the ministry wanted to cheaply improve the existing local institutions so as to silence the Coastals who were rightfully demanding a university of their own. And we almost took the bait.
Amazingly, the same ministry of education that excitedly informed us that funds would be availed to construct a brand new university for the Coast province was talking about cheaper alternatives aimed at promoting local technical colleges. At that time, the ministry successfully shifted the debate from establishing the university to a diversionary debate of whether or not we should turn our Mombasa Polytechnic into a university.
Luckily, the debate did not go far because the local MP, Hon. Najib Balala, was also the minister for national heritage who had the mandate of preserving our cultural wealth. Balala was also spearheading the demand for a coastal university. But, that was then. Now we have a billion shillings promise and leaders who are ready for action, or are they?
That the planning committee is in place is not a sure sign that anybody is serious or anything is going to happen. We have seen a hundred committees before whose reports have not even been published. We need a coast leadership that will remind this government that Coast’s educational aspirations are being trodden down for the convenience of the education policy leaders such as Minister George Saitoti. Coast people need to see consistent and firm commitment from the government on this matter.
Whether the Varsity Planning Committee is on task or dragging their feet, a few benchmarks needs to be clarified. Coast people do not want our landmark institutions such as the local Mombasa Polytechnic to be turned into a university. It serves more than 90 per cent of our children who fail to secure university places and that role is very important. Sheikh Khalifa School, the institutes at Voi and Kilifi or any institute in the province must continue to serve us in the same role rather than be promoted to university.
Coastals should not accept renovations and repairs that will turn our already fully utilized institutions into a banana university enticing us not to demand our rightful regional university system like what they have in Njoro, Juja, Nairobi, Eldoret and elsewhere. Government of Kenya regulations clearly stipulates that there should be at least 50 acres of land for a main campus of a university to be established. Mombasa’s Polytechnic, Bandari College and all the major government affiliated colleges in Mombasa metropolitan area do not even total up to 10 acres. Therefore, the idea of a cheap approach should not come into the minds of the planners, at all.
The same institutions earmarked for these changes are busting their seams in serving needy students and they have established a clientele of their own. We are better off if we will continue to support these institutions to serve this population. Converting them to university is not a solution.
You cannot change Mombasa Polytechnic or Bandari College and promise their stakeholders that these institutions will continue to provide the same services to the community. That is not true because we know what happened when Egerton was promoted from a premier agricultural diploma college to a degree granting university. Things were never the same again. And this is the clearest evidence that the Coastals must have a fully-fledged university built from scratch.
aalawy@gmail.com
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Our hearts go out to those victims of KQ plane crash
Dr. ABDILLAHI Alawy
We are extending our deepest condolences to all the families and friends who are directly affected by the recent tragic crash of the Kenya Airways jetliner in Cameroon. It is possible that mistakes were made, rules not followed, or just fate visiting on us through the mighty hand of God. It is very possible that terrorism was not the cause for this crash and thorough God we all pray for the souls of our departed.
Kenya Airways is one of the best managed companies in Kenya. Truly, it is the icon of African pride evidenced through its services and employees’ dedication. And it is this dimension which makes it believable that KQ 507 crash was totally an accident beyond the control of any human. It’s a hard thought in these times, but let us remember that the Abidjan-Nairobi is not a new route for Kenya Airways and many more of these daily flights have consistently made it through reliably and safely.
About six years ago, I took such a Kenya Airways flight out of Abidjan that had a stopover in Douala, Cameroon. I had visited six countries in West Africa that were implementing my foundation’s programs in Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Guinea, and Ivory Coast. After a rigorous month, I returned home via the same KQ flight that was fully manned by a Kenyan crew. I have never taken a friendlier flight since.
You will have been surprised that although a Kenyan owned jet and going to Nairobi, there were hardly any Kenyans flying as passengers on that flight. This particular night-flight is popular with many nationalities across the continent and the world. But the all-Kenyan crew that night was especially friendly and represented their airline very proudly. KQ and its dedicated staff are not called the pride of Africa in vain.
The cabin crew was composed of a mixed group of male, female, Muslims, Christians and people from all over Kenya as far as Gazi in the south coast to Baringo in the Rift Valley. Indeed we had a very smooth ride from Abidjan to Nairobi.
And many more KQ flights have been the same. Meaning they have been safe, friendly, memorable, and profoundly efficient professionally. Even the pilots charmed their way into the cabin to help us kill the time on that very humid-African night flying over the vast continent on the last day of October 2001.
However, KQ Flight 507 was never meant to be that way for reasons that are only known to God. In January of 2000, KQ Flight 431 also crashed with more fatalities than last week’s. In due time, experts will be called upon to explain this accident. But we take consolation in the fact that God has called up His children. A call we will all receive eventually.
There are several discussions in our press and some from our leaders that in light of what has just happened, KQ should quit this route.They want KQ to abandon the West Africa market and look elsewhere. Strong suspicions are being advanced to the effect that the Cameroon airport facilities are below standard and this could be the cause of the accident.
Future evidence may actually suggest the obvious. That most of the West African airports that Kenya Airways utilizes have significant safety deficiencies. That Flight 507 went down less than six kilometres from the edge of the runway. Yet it took 2 days for the rescue teams to locate the wreckage thus missing a chance to save lives of those who did not die on impact. Evidently, some basic aviation equipment ought to have traced this plane in seconds not days. In the coming days, we will be shocked over and over again by what our West Africa hosts define as international airport safety and security standards.
Specifically, a lot more evidence against the Cameroonian aviation authority will come out in the next few days. But the bottom line is that 114 people have perished and many families are grieving. Even from here, I look at the pictures of Elizabeth Achieng Ong`ondo, one of the departed KQ hostess, and feel the devastating pain that has befallen her family. I read Captain Leticia Bwemelo’s story, another dead KQ 507 passenger from Tanzania, and how her husband, Captain John A. Jumla, is agonizing over his beloved wife’s death--and shed tears of pain. There are hundreds of such sad stories all over the region. May God give all the bereaved families patience and fortitude.
Definitely it is a very sad time for all the families and the staff of Kenya Airways. Kudos to Titus Naikuni, Kenya Airways CEO, and Kenya’s Minister of Transport, Chirau Mwakwere, for their humility and speedy co-ordination of the Kenyan response. These two leaders also assured us that Kenya Airways will not disrupt its services to the region as a result of KQ 507 crash.
Without question, it will be more tragic if we take this accident as a reason to cancel KQ services to West Africa. West and East African travellers require this link. Kenya Airways is the hope of many travellers to and from these regions because there are hardly any reliable airlines operating in most of the West African major cities.
Air Afrique, which connected many of the West African countries a few years ago went bankrupt. Many travellers are usually stranded for days at these airports. We know of stories where some Kenyan cabinet ministers have taken commuter buses to cross from one country to another within that region because of chronic flights delays. In many West Africa capital cities if you are stranded at an airport you will have to wait for days not hours.
Still, Kenya Airways is a pioneering model of air travel in this region. KQ acts as a link and a lifeline for many individuals who catalyse development for both regions. If you only look at the list of the ill-fated passengers you will notice the diverse combination of traders, military/government officials, journalists, philanthropists, physicians, and tourists. If KQ is persuaded to abandon these potential investors, Kenya will be doing this at the expense of not only West Africa but the whole continent.
In the case of African economy, Kenya is a leader in many respects. Call it the Tiger of the East African economy or the peace-broker in the Horn of Africa. These are some roles for which we must sacrifice. And it is not a favour we are doing our neighbours but it is our calling and concrete sacrifice to the general good of the continent. Kenya Airways should not discontinue its strong presence in the West African market.
By the eloquent words of our transport minister, Mwakwere, who was among the very first of the Kenyan officials to walk in the Cameroonian swamp of death, we should pray, mourn, investigate, but also move on! We and Mwakwere strongly believe that Kenya Airways should continue its services in West Africa and beyond. As these flights have become the indispensable linkages and bridges of hope. Accidents do happen all the time; and the losses have been devastating for Kenya Airways and its clientele. But God will give Kenya Airways the strength and persistence in opening doors for the rest of Africa.
SUNDAY TIMES
aalawy@gmail.com
We are extending our deepest condolences to all the families and friends who are directly affected by the recent tragic crash of the Kenya Airways jetliner in Cameroon. It is possible that mistakes were made, rules not followed, or just fate visiting on us through the mighty hand of God. It is very possible that terrorism was not the cause for this crash and thorough God we all pray for the souls of our departed.
Kenya Airways is one of the best managed companies in Kenya. Truly, it is the icon of African pride evidenced through its services and employees’ dedication. And it is this dimension which makes it believable that KQ 507 crash was totally an accident beyond the control of any human. It’s a hard thought in these times, but let us remember that the Abidjan-Nairobi is not a new route for Kenya Airways and many more of these daily flights have consistently made it through reliably and safely.
About six years ago, I took such a Kenya Airways flight out of Abidjan that had a stopover in Douala, Cameroon. I had visited six countries in West Africa that were implementing my foundation’s programs in Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Guinea, and Ivory Coast. After a rigorous month, I returned home via the same KQ flight that was fully manned by a Kenyan crew. I have never taken a friendlier flight since.
You will have been surprised that although a Kenyan owned jet and going to Nairobi, there were hardly any Kenyans flying as passengers on that flight. This particular night-flight is popular with many nationalities across the continent and the world. But the all-Kenyan crew that night was especially friendly and represented their airline very proudly. KQ and its dedicated staff are not called the pride of Africa in vain.
The cabin crew was composed of a mixed group of male, female, Muslims, Christians and people from all over Kenya as far as Gazi in the south coast to Baringo in the Rift Valley. Indeed we had a very smooth ride from Abidjan to Nairobi.
And many more KQ flights have been the same. Meaning they have been safe, friendly, memorable, and profoundly efficient professionally. Even the pilots charmed their way into the cabin to help us kill the time on that very humid-African night flying over the vast continent on the last day of October 2001.
However, KQ Flight 507 was never meant to be that way for reasons that are only known to God. In January of 2000, KQ Flight 431 also crashed with more fatalities than last week’s. In due time, experts will be called upon to explain this accident. But we take consolation in the fact that God has called up His children. A call we will all receive eventually.
There are several discussions in our press and some from our leaders that in light of what has just happened, KQ should quit this route.They want KQ to abandon the West Africa market and look elsewhere. Strong suspicions are being advanced to the effect that the Cameroon airport facilities are below standard and this could be the cause of the accident.
Future evidence may actually suggest the obvious. That most of the West African airports that Kenya Airways utilizes have significant safety deficiencies. That Flight 507 went down less than six kilometres from the edge of the runway. Yet it took 2 days for the rescue teams to locate the wreckage thus missing a chance to save lives of those who did not die on impact. Evidently, some basic aviation equipment ought to have traced this plane in seconds not days. In the coming days, we will be shocked over and over again by what our West Africa hosts define as international airport safety and security standards.
Specifically, a lot more evidence against the Cameroonian aviation authority will come out in the next few days. But the bottom line is that 114 people have perished and many families are grieving. Even from here, I look at the pictures of Elizabeth Achieng Ong`ondo, one of the departed KQ hostess, and feel the devastating pain that has befallen her family. I read Captain Leticia Bwemelo’s story, another dead KQ 507 passenger from Tanzania, and how her husband, Captain John A. Jumla, is agonizing over his beloved wife’s death--and shed tears of pain. There are hundreds of such sad stories all over the region. May God give all the bereaved families patience and fortitude.
Definitely it is a very sad time for all the families and the staff of Kenya Airways. Kudos to Titus Naikuni, Kenya Airways CEO, and Kenya’s Minister of Transport, Chirau Mwakwere, for their humility and speedy co-ordination of the Kenyan response. These two leaders also assured us that Kenya Airways will not disrupt its services to the region as a result of KQ 507 crash.
Without question, it will be more tragic if we take this accident as a reason to cancel KQ services to West Africa. West and East African travellers require this link. Kenya Airways is the hope of many travellers to and from these regions because there are hardly any reliable airlines operating in most of the West African major cities.
Air Afrique, which connected many of the West African countries a few years ago went bankrupt. Many travellers are usually stranded for days at these airports. We know of stories where some Kenyan cabinet ministers have taken commuter buses to cross from one country to another within that region because of chronic flights delays. In many West Africa capital cities if you are stranded at an airport you will have to wait for days not hours.
Still, Kenya Airways is a pioneering model of air travel in this region. KQ acts as a link and a lifeline for many individuals who catalyse development for both regions. If you only look at the list of the ill-fated passengers you will notice the diverse combination of traders, military/government officials, journalists, philanthropists, physicians, and tourists. If KQ is persuaded to abandon these potential investors, Kenya will be doing this at the expense of not only West Africa but the whole continent.
In the case of African economy, Kenya is a leader in many respects. Call it the Tiger of the East African economy or the peace-broker in the Horn of Africa. These are some roles for which we must sacrifice. And it is not a favour we are doing our neighbours but it is our calling and concrete sacrifice to the general good of the continent. Kenya Airways should not discontinue its strong presence in the West African market.
By the eloquent words of our transport minister, Mwakwere, who was among the very first of the Kenyan officials to walk in the Cameroonian swamp of death, we should pray, mourn, investigate, but also move on! We and Mwakwere strongly believe that Kenya Airways should continue its services in West Africa and beyond. As these flights have become the indispensable linkages and bridges of hope. Accidents do happen all the time; and the losses have been devastating for Kenya Airways and its clientele. But God will give Kenya Airways the strength and persistence in opening doors for the rest of Africa.
SUNDAY TIMES
aalawy@gmail.com
You've done well, Mr President
___________
Politics aside, you have got to give it to President Mwai Kibaki for his vision when it comes to uplifting wananchi lives by improving their living standards. Education is the key medium to any and all societal developments. One reason why most of the developed countries have economic success stories, take the case of United States for example with its military superpower, is simply because of education. Acquiring knowledge and or skills in the United States is easily accessible to anyone who is interested with no age restrictions as is in many countries, including Kenya.
Politics aside, you have got to give it to President Mwai Kibaki for his vision when it comes to uplifting wananchi lives by improving their living standards. Education is the key medium to any and all societal developments. One reason why most of the developed countries have economic success stories, take the case of United States for example with its military superpower, is simply because of education. Acquiring knowledge and or skills in the United States is easily accessible to anyone who is interested with no age restrictions as is in many countries, including Kenya.
I say you’ve got to give it to President Kibaki as he started with the popular, very successful and well implemented free primary school education programme. This well endowed policy even impressed former popular US President Bill Clinton, who praised Kibaki and named him as the one person he wished to meet. And he met him at State House Nairobi during Clinton’s visit to Africa.
Kibaki is now even going further in taking free education to another notch with the pledge of tuition free secondary education effective next year. And on May 11, while laying a foundation stone for Boito Polytechnic in Bureti district, the President said the Government was implementing the model polytechnic project to enable the youth to acquire skills that will enable them to engage in gainful employment. The Presidential Press Service (PPS), in their press release notes: “President Mwai Kibaki today launched the setting up of a model youth polytechnic project in each of the 210 constituencies in the country.” I must add that these lower middle level tertiary institutions are what has been non-existent in the country.
Kibaki is now even going further in taking free education to another notch with the pledge of tuition free secondary education effective next year. And on May 11, while laying a foundation stone for Boito Polytechnic in Bureti district, the President said the Government was implementing the model polytechnic project to enable the youth to acquire skills that will enable them to engage in gainful employment. The Presidential Press Service (PPS), in their press release notes: “President Mwai Kibaki today launched the setting up of a model youth polytechnic project in each of the 210 constituencies in the country.” I must add that these lower middle level tertiary institutions are what has been non-existent in the country.
The fact that, the Government intends to fund the construction of 210 polytechnics is a great stride in the country’s road to economic empowerment of its people. I suggest that these institutions be identified and or recognized as "community polytechnics." The one the president laid the foundation stone should be known as "Boito Community Polytechnic" to separate these institutions from say Kenya and Mombasa Polytechnics, some private polytechnics and the existing "village polytechnics." In addition, these institutions will also only attract students from their respective local communities. They will also be supported by their respective constituencies’ education fund, the youth fund and in some extreme circumstances Constituency Development Funds.
While the Orange Democratic Movement Kenya leaders are busy in their backroom or boardroom deals in distributing positions of power in the event they win the general elections and form a government, Kibaki is dealing with the bread and butter politics for an average Kenyan. Raila Odinga appointing William Ruto as his Premier or Kalonzo Musyoka appointing Musalia Mudavadi his Vice President and Balala as a Deputy Premier is good for the appointees and their families but does nothing to Kassim, Kamau or Keino. One can always criticize the incumbent, but the opponents need to come out with substantive policies that benefit the masses and show how they plan to pay for them.
Having praised Kibaki in his education polices, I am still troubled by the fact the President has made sure that Education Ministry is managed from the top by individuals from his Mount Kenya kinsmen and women, from the Minister, to the two Assistant Ministers, to the Permanent Secretary to the Director of Education and on it goes. Very sad. It is not a coincidence that these individuals occupy these top positions in the Ministry.
What a democratic farce in ODM-K!
In the City of Philadelphia whoever wins the bitterly fought Democratic Party primary for the Mayoral seat is a shoe in to be the next mayor of America’s fifth most populous metropolitan come November election. Currently, there are five candidates for the party’s coveted ticket in this Tuesday’s primary. The five hopefuls for the mayoral seat includes, two members of the US Representatives representing the two congressional legislative districts in Philadelphia in the US Congress. One State Representative, a local legislator, also represents one section of Philadelphia in the state General Assembly (Pennsylvania’ lower house chamber), a wealthy businessman and lastly a former city councilman (councillor). One of the two Congressmen, Bob Brady, is as a matter fact the Democracy Party chief in the city of brotherly love.
Through Tuesday’s primary election, these individuals will let the ordinary Democratic Party members to decide who should be the party’s mayoral candidate in the November election. It is likely that Councilman Michael Nutter, will carry the day as he is ahead on the polls by ten points against his closest rival multimillionaire Tom Knox. I bring this story to light as a lesson to our politicians, because unlike in the ODM-K presidential primary, there will be no backroom deals in Philadelphia mayoral primary. If my information from what I have read in the media serves me right, there are reports that a group of ODM-K’s lawmakers are pushing for consensus as a method of picking their party’s presidential candidate in an effort to reduce the number of presidential contestants to four. One reason for this boardroom strategy is that some of the hopefuls “lacked serious following in their backyards”.
In Philadelphia it will be an open contest where the most popular and liked individual will carry the day. But in ODM-K presidential primary, it will not be the people, but the contestants who will decide. According to the same press reports they allege that ‘sources are on the view that the party’s Council of Elders chaired by Westlands MP Fred Gumo, was keen to see the four key presidential hopefuls strike a deal after a series of meetings’.
Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, William Ruto and Musalia Mudavadi are considered key to ensuring ODM-K defeats President Kibaki in the December General Election simply because of their tribal numerical numbers. Uhuru is out of the picture because as long as the incumbent President Kibaki is in the race, his (or their) populous Kikuyu and in extension the mighty Mount Kenya vote bloc will vote no other candidate but re-electing Kibaki.
It is seems to me that ODM-K luminaries cannot go out there and let their supporters decide, but would only hold backroom deals to secure their party’s nomination. It is one thing for individuals to claim they are democrats, it is completely another to act and or behave democratic.
It is seems to me that ODM-K luminaries cannot go out there and let their supporters decide, but would only hold backroom deals to secure their party’s nomination. It is one thing for individuals to claim they are democrats, it is completely another to act and or behave democratic.
Wolfowitz must quit
The embattled World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz needs to resign. If there is any chance of salvaging the image of the World Bank with its tattered image of its head, the man has to go. Wolfowitz is President George Bush’s appointee, prior to this appointment, Wolfowitz served as Bush’s Deputy Defense Secretary and he was one of the architects of the Iraq war. When there were suspicions of impropriety on the part of the then United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan’s role on the oil-for food program, there were several calls of Annan’s resignation. These calls were spearheaded by US Senator Norm Coleman. The senate was then with the Republican majority but decided to hold a senate hearing to this effect. It was apparent even for a non keen observer that the Minnesota senator was after Annan’s blood.
This is what Coleman wrote: “Mr Annan was at the helm of the UN for all but a few days of the oil-for-food programme, and he must, therefore, be held accountable for the UN’s utter failure to detect or stop Saddam’s abuses.” The senator went on to add: “Any private company would have asked for his (Annan’s) resignation. But the members of the Board, in this case Security Council members China, Russia and France, have all benefited from Saddam being in power.” Although there was no hard evidence to show any impropriety on the part of the UN secretary general, Coleman demanded his resignation. As with the case of Wolfowitz there is evidence and confession of Wolfowitz’s impropriety; he should resign.
There is evidence that Wolfowitz, as the World Bank president acted inappropriate, corrupt you might say, and there are no calls for his resignation from Coleman. Here Wolfowitz has accepted that he made a mistake in this corrupt deal, but he still continues to serve as the WB President. Who is benefiting for having Wolfowitz remain at the helm at the World Bank, Sen. Coleman?
A cartoon in the Newsweek this week has Wolfowitz making an address and saying the following: “the World Bank economic success stories include Asia, Africa, My Girlfriend, and Latin America…” I thought it was very apt, the World economic success stories does indeed include institution’s chief’s woman companion.
A cartoon in the Newsweek this week has Wolfowitz making an address and saying the following: “the World Bank economic success stories include Asia, Africa, My Girlfriend, and Latin America…” I thought it was very apt, the World economic success stories does indeed include institution’s chief’s woman companion.
I would say this. Had Wolfowitz been an African or a person coming from any Third World country for that matter, he would have been hounded out of office in disgrace by the United States senate. But because he is an American and the fact that the appointing authority (Bush) is still in office and is facing tough times politically at home with regard to the unpopular Iraq war, loss of senate and House of Representatives control. My money is on Woilfowitz that he will keep his job by mere default.
SUNDAY TIMES
omarahmedali@gmail.com
omarahmedali@gmail.com
Friday, May 11, 2007
Urasimu katika utoaji habari uachwe
Tahariri
MhaririHabariLeo; Thursday,May 03, 2007 @00:01
LEO ni Siku ya Uhuru wa Vyombo vya Habari Duniani, siku ambayo waandishi na watu wote duniani wanaungana kukumbushana umuhimu wa habari katika maendeleo ya nchi yoyote katika dunia hii na haja ya kuhakikisha uhuru katika utoaji na kupokea habari haupokonywi na mtu yeyote.
Wakati kwa mwaka huu tathmini inayofanyika ni matatizo ya usalama yanayowakabili waandishi, wahariri na wachapishaji wanaojitolea maisha yao katika kuhakikisha wanawapatia wananchi taarifa muhimu, na kadhalika inasikitisha kwamba waandishi wameendelea kupoteza maisha yao kwa wingi katika utendaji wa kazi zao. Kwa mfano, ripoti ya mwaka jana inaonyesha kuwa waandishi wa habari 150 waliuawa mwaka jana na mamia wengine walikamatwa, kutishiwa na kushambuliwa kutokana na ukiukwaji wa uhuru wa vyombo vya habari katika sehemu mbalimbali duniani.
Kama tulivyosema hiyo ni hali ya kusikitisha, lakini ambayo haiwezi kuachwa ivuruge jitihada za utoaji habari kwa jamii. Ukiachilia mbali sura ya dunia katika suala zima la habari, hapa kwetu Tanzania hali nayo haijawa barabara.
Tunasema haijawa barabara kwa kuzingatia kwamba maofisa wa serikali bado wanaendelea na urasimu wao wa kutoa habari. Wanaendelea kuwa wagumu wa kutoa habari licha ya Rais Jakaya Kikwete kuwaeleza – zaidi ya mwaka mmoja uliopita – kwamba wanapaswa kuwa na mfumo unaohakikisha wanatoa habari kwa waandishi inavyotakiwa.
Kwa mfano katika wizara na idara za serikali maelekezo yalikuwa ni kwamba wawe na vitengo kama siyo maofisa wanaohusiana na habari kurahisisha mawasiliano na waandishi na vyombo vya habari. Lakini bahati mbaya ni kwamba hata katika wizara ambazo kuna vitengo au maofisa wa aina hiyo bado urasimu katika utoaji habari uko vile vile.
Limekuwa ni jambo la kawaida kwa maofisa wa aina hiyo kuwataka waandishi kuandika maswali hata wanapotaka kupata ufafanuzi wa suala la kawaida tu! Hivyo tunasema katika kuadhimisha siku ya leo, ingefaa wizara na idara za serikali zibadilike na kwenda na wakati. Waache urasimu katika utoaji habari ili kuleta maendeleo halisi ya wananchi na taifa kwa ujumla.
MhaririHabariLeo; Thursday,May 03, 2007 @00:01
LEO ni Siku ya Uhuru wa Vyombo vya Habari Duniani, siku ambayo waandishi na watu wote duniani wanaungana kukumbushana umuhimu wa habari katika maendeleo ya nchi yoyote katika dunia hii na haja ya kuhakikisha uhuru katika utoaji na kupokea habari haupokonywi na mtu yeyote.
Wakati kwa mwaka huu tathmini inayofanyika ni matatizo ya usalama yanayowakabili waandishi, wahariri na wachapishaji wanaojitolea maisha yao katika kuhakikisha wanawapatia wananchi taarifa muhimu, na kadhalika inasikitisha kwamba waandishi wameendelea kupoteza maisha yao kwa wingi katika utendaji wa kazi zao. Kwa mfano, ripoti ya mwaka jana inaonyesha kuwa waandishi wa habari 150 waliuawa mwaka jana na mamia wengine walikamatwa, kutishiwa na kushambuliwa kutokana na ukiukwaji wa uhuru wa vyombo vya habari katika sehemu mbalimbali duniani.
Kama tulivyosema hiyo ni hali ya kusikitisha, lakini ambayo haiwezi kuachwa ivuruge jitihada za utoaji habari kwa jamii. Ukiachilia mbali sura ya dunia katika suala zima la habari, hapa kwetu Tanzania hali nayo haijawa barabara.
Tunasema haijawa barabara kwa kuzingatia kwamba maofisa wa serikali bado wanaendelea na urasimu wao wa kutoa habari. Wanaendelea kuwa wagumu wa kutoa habari licha ya Rais Jakaya Kikwete kuwaeleza – zaidi ya mwaka mmoja uliopita – kwamba wanapaswa kuwa na mfumo unaohakikisha wanatoa habari kwa waandishi inavyotakiwa.
Kwa mfano katika wizara na idara za serikali maelekezo yalikuwa ni kwamba wawe na vitengo kama siyo maofisa wanaohusiana na habari kurahisisha mawasiliano na waandishi na vyombo vya habari. Lakini bahati mbaya ni kwamba hata katika wizara ambazo kuna vitengo au maofisa wa aina hiyo bado urasimu katika utoaji habari uko vile vile.
Limekuwa ni jambo la kawaida kwa maofisa wa aina hiyo kuwataka waandishi kuandika maswali hata wanapotaka kupata ufafanuzi wa suala la kawaida tu! Hivyo tunasema katika kuadhimisha siku ya leo, ingefaa wizara na idara za serikali zibadilike na kwenda na wakati. Waache urasimu katika utoaji habari ili kuleta maendeleo halisi ya wananchi na taifa kwa ujumla.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
KQ Urged to Continue West African Route
By: Abdillahi Alawy
Washington DC, USA
We are extending our deepest condolences to all families and friends who are directly affected by the recent tragic crash of the Kenya Airways jetliner in Cameroon. It could be that mistakes were made, rules not followed, or just fate visiting on us through the mighty hand of God. It is very possible that terrorism was not the cause for this crash and thorough God we all pray for the souls of our departed. May they rest in eternal peace.
Kenya Airways is one of the best managed companies in Africa. Truly, it is the pride of Africa air travel and services. And it is this dimension which makes it believable that this was purely an accident beyond the control of the airline. It’s hard but let us remember that the Abidjan-Nairobi is not a new route for Kenya Airways and many more of these daily flights have made it through reliably and safely.
About six years ago, I took this same Kenya Airways flight out of Abidjan that had a stopover in Douala, Cameroon. I had visited six countries in West Africa that were implementing my foundation’s programs in Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Guinea, and Ivory Coast. After a rigorous month, I returned home via this KQ flight that was fully manned by a Kenyan crew. I have never taken a friendlier flight since.
You will be surprised that although a Kenyan airliner, there were hardly any Kenyans flying on that flight. This particular night-flight is popular with many nationalities across the continent and the world. But the all-Kenyan crew was friendly and represented their airline very proudly. Half the cabin crew were male and half were female and formed a mixed group of Muslims, Christians and people from all over Kenya as far as Gazi in the south coast to Baringo in the Rift Valley. Indeed we had a very smooth ride from Abidjan to Nairobi.
And many more KQ flights have been like that. Meaning they have been safe, friendly and profoundly efficient in a professional manner. Even the pilots charmed their way into the cabin to help us kill the humid African night over the continent.
However, KQ Flight 507 was never meant to be that way for reasons that are only known to God. In January of 2000, KQ Flight 431 also crashed with more fatalities than last weeks. In due time, science will be called upon to explain the accident. But we take solace in the fact that God has called on His children. A call we will all receive eventually.
There are several expressions out there from our press and some from our leaders that in light of what has just happened we should leave this route. They want KQ to abandon the West Africa market and look elsewhere. Strong theories are being discussed to the effect that the Cameroon airport facilities are below standards and this may be what caused the accident.
Future evidence may actually suggest that most of the West African airports that Kenya Airways utilizes have significant safety deficiencies. That the flight went down less than six kilometers from the edge of the runway. Yet it took 2 days for the rescue teams to locate the wreckage thus missing the chance to save lives of those who did not die immediately. Evidently, some basic aviation equipment ought to have located this plane in seconds not days. We will be shocked over and over again by what our West Africa hosts define as international airports.
Specifically, a lot more evidence against the Cameroonian aviation authority will come out in the next few days. But the bottom line is that 114 people have perished and many families are mourning in agony. Even from here, I look at the pictures of Elizabeth Achieng Ong`ondo, one of the dead KQ hostess, and feel the devastating pain that has befallen her family. I read Captain Leticia Bwemelo’s story, another dead KQ 507 passenger from Tanzania, and how her husband, Captain John A. Jumla, is agonizing over his beloved wife's death--and shed tears of pain. May God give all the bereaved families patience and strong faith.
Definitely it is a very sad time for all the families and the staff of Kenya Airways. Kudos to Mr. Titus Naikumi, Kenya Airways CEO, and the Kenya’s Minister of Transport, Mr. Chirau Mwakwere, for their humility and speedy conduct of the Kenyan response. These two leaders also assured us that Kenya Airways will not disrupt its services to the region as a result of KQ 507.
Without question, it will be more tragic if we take this accident as a reason to cancel KQ services to West Africa. West and east African travelers desperately need this link. Kenya Airways is the hope of many travelers to/from that region because there are hardly any reliable airlines in most of the West African countries.
Air Afrique, which connected many of the West African countries a few years ago went bankrupt. Many travelers are usually stranded for days at these airports. We know of stories where some Kenyan cabinet ministers have taken commuter buses to go from one country to another within that region because of chronic flights delays. In West Africa if you are stranded at an airport you will have to wait for days not hours. Yet, this may not be a very good reason to risk passengers’ lives just to help this region.
Still, Kenya Airways is a pioneering presence of air travel in this region. KQ acts as a link and a lifeline for many individuals who catalyze development projects for both these regions. If you only look at the list of the ill-fated passengers you will notice the diverse combination of traders, journalists, philanthropists, physicians, and tourists. If KQ is persuaded to abandon these potential innovators and investors Kenya will be doing this at the loss of not only West Africa but the whole continent.
In the sense of African economy, Kenya is a leader in many respects. Call it the Tiger of the East African economies or the peace broker of the horn, there are some roles that we must sacrifice for. And it is not a favour we are doing our neighbours but it is our calling. Kenya Airways should not discontinue its strong presence in the West African market.
By the promise of our transportation minister, Hon. Ali Chirau Mwakwere, who was among the very first official to walk in the Cameroonian swamp of death, we should pray, mourn, investigate, but also move on. Mr. Mwakwere strongly believes that Kenya Airways should continue its services in West Africa and this route is key to the region.
Kenya Airways is one of the best managed companies in Africa. Truly, it is the pride of Africa air travel and services. And it is this dimension which makes it believable that this was purely an accident beyond the control of the airline. It’s hard but let us remember that the Abidjan-Nairobi is not a new route for Kenya Airways and many more of these daily flights have made it through reliably and safely.
About six years ago, I took this same Kenya Airways flight out of Abidjan that had a stopover in Douala, Cameroon. I had visited six countries in West Africa that were implementing my foundation’s programs in Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Guinea, and Ivory Coast. After a rigorous month, I returned home via this KQ flight that was fully manned by a Kenyan crew. I have never taken a friendlier flight since.
You will be surprised that although a Kenyan airliner, there were hardly any Kenyans flying on that flight. This particular night-flight is popular with many nationalities across the continent and the world. But the all-Kenyan crew was friendly and represented their airline very proudly. Half the cabin crew were male and half were female and formed a mixed group of Muslims, Christians and people from all over Kenya as far as Gazi in the south coast to Baringo in the Rift Valley. Indeed we had a very smooth ride from Abidjan to Nairobi.
And many more KQ flights have been like that. Meaning they have been safe, friendly and profoundly efficient in a professional manner. Even the pilots charmed their way into the cabin to help us kill the humid African night over the continent.
However, KQ Flight 507 was never meant to be that way for reasons that are only known to God. In January of 2000, KQ Flight 431 also crashed with more fatalities than last weeks. In due time, science will be called upon to explain the accident. But we take solace in the fact that God has called on His children. A call we will all receive eventually.
There are several expressions out there from our press and some from our leaders that in light of what has just happened we should leave this route. They want KQ to abandon the West Africa market and look elsewhere. Strong theories are being discussed to the effect that the Cameroon airport facilities are below standards and this may be what caused the accident.
Future evidence may actually suggest that most of the West African airports that Kenya Airways utilizes have significant safety deficiencies. That the flight went down less than six kilometers from the edge of the runway. Yet it took 2 days for the rescue teams to locate the wreckage thus missing the chance to save lives of those who did not die immediately. Evidently, some basic aviation equipment ought to have located this plane in seconds not days. We will be shocked over and over again by what our West Africa hosts define as international airports.
Specifically, a lot more evidence against the Cameroonian aviation authority will come out in the next few days. But the bottom line is that 114 people have perished and many families are mourning in agony. Even from here, I look at the pictures of Elizabeth Achieng Ong`ondo, one of the dead KQ hostess, and feel the devastating pain that has befallen her family. I read Captain Leticia Bwemelo’s story, another dead KQ 507 passenger from Tanzania, and how her husband, Captain John A. Jumla, is agonizing over his beloved wife's death--and shed tears of pain. May God give all the bereaved families patience and strong faith.
Definitely it is a very sad time for all the families and the staff of Kenya Airways. Kudos to Mr. Titus Naikumi, Kenya Airways CEO, and the Kenya’s Minister of Transport, Mr. Chirau Mwakwere, for their humility and speedy conduct of the Kenyan response. These two leaders also assured us that Kenya Airways will not disrupt its services to the region as a result of KQ 507.
Without question, it will be more tragic if we take this accident as a reason to cancel KQ services to West Africa. West and east African travelers desperately need this link. Kenya Airways is the hope of many travelers to/from that region because there are hardly any reliable airlines in most of the West African countries.
Air Afrique, which connected many of the West African countries a few years ago went bankrupt. Many travelers are usually stranded for days at these airports. We know of stories where some Kenyan cabinet ministers have taken commuter buses to go from one country to another within that region because of chronic flights delays. In West Africa if you are stranded at an airport you will have to wait for days not hours. Yet, this may not be a very good reason to risk passengers’ lives just to help this region.
Still, Kenya Airways is a pioneering presence of air travel in this region. KQ acts as a link and a lifeline for many individuals who catalyze development projects for both these regions. If you only look at the list of the ill-fated passengers you will notice the diverse combination of traders, journalists, philanthropists, physicians, and tourists. If KQ is persuaded to abandon these potential innovators and investors Kenya will be doing this at the loss of not only West Africa but the whole continent.
In the sense of African economy, Kenya is a leader in many respects. Call it the Tiger of the East African economies or the peace broker of the horn, there are some roles that we must sacrifice for. And it is not a favour we are doing our neighbours but it is our calling. Kenya Airways should not discontinue its strong presence in the West African market.
By the promise of our transportation minister, Hon. Ali Chirau Mwakwere, who was among the very first official to walk in the Cameroonian swamp of death, we should pray, mourn, investigate, but also move on. Mr. Mwakwere strongly believes that Kenya Airways should continue its services in West Africa and this route is key to the region.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Obama: U.S. must help automakers shift to greener cars
DETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Monday that U.S. energy policy must change in order to help domestic automakers answer the rising global demand for fuel-efficient vehicles.
"For years, while foreign competitors were investing in more fuel-efficient technology for their vehicles, American automakers were spending their time investing in bigger, faster cars," the Illinois senator told Detroit business and political leaders.
Obama said his plan encourages domestic automakers to make fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles by giving them health care assistance for retirees. Federal financial assistance would cover 10 percent -- up to $7 billion -- of automakers' annual legacy health care costs through 2017, under Obama's plan, which would require automakers to invest at least half of their health care savings into technology to produce fuel-efficient cars.
As a second choice, Obama's plan would provide $3 billion to automakers over 10 years to help retool plants to make fuel-efficient cars and trucks.
It's all part of the U.S. auto industry taking necessary steps to help its own turnaround, Obama said.
"Here in Detroit, three giants of American industry are hemorrhaging jobs and profits as foreign competitors answer the rising global demand for fuel-efficient cars," he said.
"The need to drastically change our energy policy is no longer a debatable proposition. It is not a question of whether, but how; not a question of if, but when. For the sake of our security, our economy, our jobs and our planet, the age of oil must end in our time."
A Senate committee on Tuesday is expected to consider a proposal to raise fuel efficiency requirements for automakers. The measure, which would require a fleetwide average of 35 miles per gallon for cars and trucks by 2020, comes amid calls to push the industry to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles to respond to global warming and America's growing reliance on foreign oil.
Obama said focusing on the cars Americans drive and fuels used would save 2.5 million barrels of oil per day.
"It starts with our cars, because if we truly hope to end the tyranny of oil, the nation must once again turn to Detroit for another great transformation," Obama said at the sold-out Detroit Economic Club meeting.
To start, his plan calls for raising American fuel economy standards by 4 percent each year, adding about one mile per gallon. Passenger cars currently must meet a fleetwide average of 27.5 miles per gallon, while the standard for SUVs, pickups and vans is 22.2 mpg.
The Bush administration has set a similar goal of increasing the standards by 4 percent each year.
"Our goal is not to destroy the industry, but to help bring it into the 21st century," Obama said. "So, if the auto industry is prepared to step up to its responsibilities, we should be prepared to help."
Separately, a portion of Obama's energy plan that would establish to establish a national version of California's low carbon fuel standard drew praise from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican.
"Climate protection, energy security and economic well-being are not partisan issues, and I hope members of Congress on both sides of the aisle will support and help pass this important legislation," the California governor said in a statement.
Monday's visit was Obama's first campaign trip to Detroit. He was introduced by Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the first-term senator was to meet in the afternoon with local labor leaders and elected officials.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Having tough time!
From BOLD Scripts ...by Omar Ahmed Ali
They lied to Americans, world to attack Iraq...
United States President George W. Bush and his neo-conservative ‘know-it all’ team took the country to war in Iraq on a false pretense. The funny thing is that Vice President Dick Cheney, then considered a respected foreign policy expert, kept on insisting that there is a close operational link and connection between Saddam Hussein and Usama Bin Laden led Al Qaeda, the group that perpetrated the September 11, 2001 terrorists’ attacks on the American soil. It has since become apparent that the Bush Administration lied to the American people when it made its case on going to war in Iraq. They played on the American public fear of the threat of imminent terrorists’ attacks based on faulty and doctored intelligence.
We used to hear the Administration spin–doctors asserting in every opportunity the preponderance of evidence of the presence of Weapons of Mass Destruction, or WMD, in Iraq and ‘the Saddam—Al Qaeda’ close links. The group includes Dr Condoleezza Rice then National Security Adviser to Bush, Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and his then deputy, the embattled World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz et al. Now that they have been caught in a lie to the American public, they are left saying Saddam needed to be removed and as far as WMD and Al Qaeda links are concerned, the international intelligence community was all in agreement that Saddam Hussein had WMD. As if American intelligence community and or the administration listens to the outside world for any advice or to the inferior intelligence analysis so to speak. They know they didn’t listen or even considered such a thought.
The fact of the matter is that the administration did not listen or want to listen to the views of others; but only listened to themselves and those who agreed with their position. British intelligence community was taken seriously only as matter of being polite to United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Brits, too, doctored their intelligence to conform to their America counterpart’s conclusion as they were already compromised by the blind support the British Prime Minister was giving Bush.
These are the facts and not daydreaming makeup stories. With the publication of his new memoir, At the Centre of the Storm, and in an appearance on the popular “60 Minutes” television programme last Sunday, former CIA director George Tenet has become the latest former administration official to admit publicly that the Bush administration launched its war against Iraq based upon false pretenses and manipulated intelligence. Tenet writes in his memoir, “There was never a serious debate that I know of within the administration about the imminence of the Iraqi threat,”
The New York Times notes in one of their leading stories on this subject: ” But Mr. Tenet largely endorses the view of administration critics that Mr. Cheney and a handful of Pentagon officials, including Paul D. Wolfowitz and Douglas J. Feith, were focused on Iraq as a threat in late 2001 and 2002 even as Mr Tenet and the CIA concentrated mostly on Al Qaeda.”
More than 3350 American soldiers have paid the ultimate price and several thousand Iraqi men, women and children are dead and hundreds dying every day in the war which has become very unpopular in the United States. It is without saying that the Iraq war is now widely unpopular in the United States, with 32 per cent of Americans in a recent CNN poll supporting the conflict and 60 percent (opposing) siding with Congress on the issue.
The American people spoke very clearly in November 2006 mid-term elections as being disgusted with the war and the Republican administration-led Congress that was being used as a rubber stamp by the executive. The people gave the Democrats control of the Congress, the power of the purse to do something in stopping the carnage of their soldiers if not the Iraqis.
It is so sad to see Dr Rice on Television saying that the Iraqis are better off today than they were under Saddam Hussein. She continues to say the Iraqis voted and now have a democratically elected government, that the US has not been attacked and if they leave Iraq, the terrorists will follow them home. It is the administration’s view that better they fight them (the terrorists) there than at home, so says Rudy Giuliani, the Republican Party presidential aspirant front runner.
The American people spoke very clearly in November 2006 mid-term elections as being disgusted with the war and the Republican administration-led Congress that was being used as a rubber stamp by the executive. The people gave the Democrats control of the Congress, the power of the purse to do something in stopping the carnage of their soldiers if not the Iraqis.
It is so sad to see Dr Rice on Television saying that the Iraqis are better off today than they were under Saddam Hussein. She continues to say the Iraqis voted and now have a democratically elected government, that the US has not been attacked and if they leave Iraq, the terrorists will follow them home. It is the administration’s view that better they fight them (the terrorists) there than at home, so says Rudy Giuliani, the Republican Party presidential aspirant front runner.
I for one support the American soldiers who are serving the nation. It is not (the soldiers’) fault that they are fighting the wrong war. It is their political leaders who are to blame and not the men and women in uniform. A friend of mine has a 20 year old son in Iraq, the father is not happy but he has no choice, and he understands that his son enlisted in the Marines now he must follow the orders.
Hours before the widely expected vetoing of the War funding Bill that spells out the troop’s withdrawal (as Bush is adamant when it comes to setting a date for troops withdrawal) the president told American and allied military officers after a visit to US Central Command headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base, in Florida that a US failure in the four-year-old war “should be unacceptable to the civilized world.”
Hours before the widely expected vetoing of the War funding Bill that spells out the troop’s withdrawal (as Bush is adamant when it comes to setting a date for troops withdrawal) the president told American and allied military officers after a visit to US Central Command headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base, in Florida that a US failure in the four-year-old war “should be unacceptable to the civilized world.”
Now Bush is turning his personal failed war, to be the war of the civilized people. America went to war without the permission of the United Nations or the international community. Even the UK Premier Tony Blair who is known to have stood with Bush is now distancing himself as his government has started the withdrawal process of their troops from Iraq.
The reality is that Bush has been accustomed to use the Congress as his rubber stamp organ for all the executive unilateral activities and with the new Democratic leaders in Congress that is not possible. It is easy to infer that Bush still thinks he can bulldoze his way around despite the change of guard at Capitol Hill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, notes: “The president wants a blank cheque. The Congress is not going to give it to him.”
The reality is that Bush has been accustomed to use the Congress as his rubber stamp organ for all the executive unilateral activities and with the new Democratic leaders in Congress that is not possible. It is easy to infer that Bush still thinks he can bulldoze his way around despite the change of guard at Capitol Hill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, notes: “The president wants a blank cheque. The Congress is not going to give it to him.”
Another sad reality that is being hidden from the American public is the administration’s ignorance of the cultural implications of the war and the occupation. For instance, there are more Iraqis dying in one hour than they used to (die) in a month under the brutal dictatorship reign of Saddam Hussein. My good friend Ed doesn’t know this reality and I could say Ed is an average intelligent American. In addition Iraqis are afraid to even go to the markets, to work, children to schools without the thinking perhaps they will never make it back home. The sectarian violence was contained under Saddam, and was re-ignited by the war; the war that Bush now says “the civilized world cannot accept failure”.
Apart from fighting the wrong war, as per Republican presidential candidate John McCain the war in Iraq has been mismanaged for years and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will be remembered as one of the worst in history.
“We are paying a very heavy price for the mismanagement—that’s the kindest word I can give you—of Donald Rumsfeld, of this war,”
The Bush’s house of cards seems to falling apart. His Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez is in trouble for lying on his act of firing the eight US Attorneys (federal prosecutors, the equivalent of the state counsels in Kenya), Cheney’s former Chief of Staff Scooter Libby was found guilty for lying to the grand jury, and Wolfowitz is now seen to be more corrupt than the most corrupted African and third world leaders and is fighting to keep his job.
“We are paying a very heavy price for the mismanagement—that’s the kindest word I can give you—of Donald Rumsfeld, of this war,”
The Bush’s house of cards seems to falling apart. His Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez is in trouble for lying on his act of firing the eight US Attorneys (federal prosecutors, the equivalent of the state counsels in Kenya), Cheney’s former Chief of Staff Scooter Libby was found guilty for lying to the grand jury, and Wolfowitz is now seen to be more corrupt than the most corrupted African and third world leaders and is fighting to keep his job.
Then there is the story of two prominent Republican congressmen, Duke Cunningham (California) and Bob Ney (Ohio) both serving federal jail sentences on separate corruption charges. Former powerful Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay resigned his position and from the Congress and still is facing corruption charges.
Talk of the Bush White House can’t wait for their term to end sooner rather than later. They have two more years before the end of their term and they know they are now under the microscopic eye of the Democratic controlled Congress. No more rubber stamp legislature for the one time “imperial presidency”.
Talk of the Bush White House can’t wait for their term to end sooner rather than later. They have two more years before the end of their term and they know they are now under the microscopic eye of the Democratic controlled Congress. No more rubber stamp legislature for the one time “imperial presidency”.
SUNDAY TIMES
http://www.timesnews.co.ke/06may07/editorials/bscripts.html
Why are Coast leaders so silent on the Guraya terror?
Dr. ABDULLAHI Alawy
Over 50 police officers ambushed three houses at Guraya, Mombasa, in a well-planned three-hour terrifying raid that began at 2am last week. Police took over the Guraya’s Jomo Kenyatta Avenue 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 bus-stop restaurant in the middle 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 John Michuki’s anti-terrorist-campaign foreign trip this week, the top-heavy operation did not nab any of the alleged suspects from the Comoros islands.
Two o’clock at the crack of dawn is not a time that one expects Gestapo-mimicking cops at your door shooting in the air, kicking, arresting and blind-folding elderly people for no good reason. Indeed, peace-loving citizens don’t want such officers storming into their homes, breaking furniture and assaulting old women. But if that is what Minister John Michuki has ordered for the Guraya Muslim residents then it is sad.
Muslims, like the rest of the citizens, do want evil people to be arrested and prosecuted. And, Guraya residents are no exception. They are always willing to sacrifice anything to see justice done. But, this raid had all the hallmarks of a rogue police force acting illegally rather than protecting harmless villagers. From this staged midnight raid, verily, our Government has confirmed its active role in the 2001 George Bush-declared crusade against Muslim population.
The timing of the raid, the intricate intimidation, the rough tactics and outright trampling on all the rights of the “suspected” citizens left little doubt that the operation had everything to do with Michuki’s trip overseas. The Minister had gone to adulate his masters in the name of George Bush and Tony Blair given that he is highly motivated to punish Kenyan Muslims at any cost.
The Guraya intimidation was meant to become Michuki’s exhibit in combating terrorism on his trip to the UK and US recently. Moreover, while the whole of Guraya is greatly terrified, Michuki is waiting for the congratulatory phone call from either Bush or Blair for a job well-done.
By all means Blair and 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.
The raid in Mombasa painted a bloody picture on many fronts. First, as a typical Michuki’s project it went wrong and was blatantly open 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 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 to the citizens of Kenya and the Muslim community specifically, is the luke-warm reaction from the coastal leaders in Government. It is common knowledge that in the pecking order in the Kenyan leadership, it is always assumed, and correctly so, that Cabinet Ministers are more important than MPs.
When it comes to condemning police heavy-handedness such as the one exhibited during Guraya raid, a joint-ministerial statement would have carried more weight than the lone official complaints from the area MP Najib Balala and his local counterparts. Kudos to the religious leaders and the civil rights groups that promptly condemned this raid. But the rest of the Coast leaders do not seem to be ready to even discuss the incident. Apparently, there is a lot more important work in the up coming Magarini by-election than there is in protecting the rights of innocent Muslims in Guraya.
This region has three very visible Cabinet Ministers and a number of assistant ministers who have strong clout 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 emphasise with the families that were harassed.
While it was expected of Balala to condemn the raid because Guraya is in Mvita; it was in bad taste for the three Cabinet ministers shut in the face of such injustice.
Again, the Government continues to violate the rights of Muslims. But what is even more troubling is that our ministers have abandoned their Muslim constituents. Subsequently, this lack of taking firm position against the Guraya raid opens up more room for the Government to bully Muslims with impunity. Instead of strongly red-carding the Government for this intimidating raid on the Muslims, our ministers have expressively given this regime the leeway to punish a segment of their constituents because of their religion.
Apparently, many Coastal people have given up on effective representation from their political leaders. Serious, aggressive, and committed representation of Coast people will never happen through our current ministers who are timid when it comes standing for the rights of their people.
By the way, none of the coastal ministers are expected to pull the Charity Ngilu/ Musikari Kombo’s style successful negotiation for senior Government positions for their people.
For these Ministers, it is important to hold on to their jobs and maintain a clean record in terms of blind support to the Government. Without any question, it is for the same reasons that you will never hear or see our ministers advance any controversial views whether it’s the Guraya raids or the lost opportunities for the people of this great province.
aalawy@gmail.com
http://www.timesnews.co.ke/06may07/nwsstory/opinion5.html
Over 50 police officers ambushed three houses at Guraya, Mombasa, in a well-planned three-hour terrifying raid that began at 2am last week. Police took over the Guraya’s Jomo Kenyatta Avenue 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 bus-stop restaurant in the middle 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 John Michuki’s anti-terrorist-campaign foreign trip this week, the top-heavy operation did not nab any of the alleged suspects from the Comoros islands.
Two o’clock at the crack of dawn is not a time that one expects Gestapo-mimicking cops at your door shooting in the air, kicking, arresting and blind-folding elderly people for no good reason. Indeed, peace-loving citizens don’t want such officers storming into their homes, breaking furniture and assaulting old women. But if that is what Minister John Michuki has ordered for the Guraya Muslim residents then it is sad.
Muslims, like the rest of the citizens, do want evil people to be arrested and prosecuted. And, Guraya residents are no exception. They are always willing to sacrifice anything to see justice done. But, this raid had all the hallmarks of a rogue police force acting illegally rather than protecting harmless villagers. From this staged midnight raid, verily, our Government has confirmed its active role in the 2001 George Bush-declared crusade against Muslim population.
The timing of the raid, the intricate intimidation, the rough tactics and outright trampling on all the rights of the “suspected” citizens left little doubt that the operation had everything to do with Michuki’s trip overseas. The Minister had gone to adulate his masters in the name of George Bush and Tony Blair given that he is highly motivated to punish Kenyan Muslims at any cost.
The Guraya intimidation was meant to become Michuki’s exhibit in combating terrorism on his trip to the UK and US recently. Moreover, while the whole of Guraya is greatly terrified, Michuki is waiting for the congratulatory phone call from either Bush or Blair for a job well-done.
By all means Blair and 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.
The raid in Mombasa painted a bloody picture on many fronts. First, as a typical Michuki’s project it went wrong and was blatantly open 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 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 to the citizens of Kenya and the Muslim community specifically, is the luke-warm reaction from the coastal leaders in Government. It is common knowledge that in the pecking order in the Kenyan leadership, it is always assumed, and correctly so, that Cabinet Ministers are more important than MPs.
When it comes to condemning police heavy-handedness such as the one exhibited during Guraya raid, a joint-ministerial statement would have carried more weight than the lone official complaints from the area MP Najib Balala and his local counterparts. Kudos to the religious leaders and the civil rights groups that promptly condemned this raid. But the rest of the Coast leaders do not seem to be ready to even discuss the incident. Apparently, there is a lot more important work in the up coming Magarini by-election than there is in protecting the rights of innocent Muslims in Guraya.
This region has three very visible Cabinet Ministers and a number of assistant ministers who have strong clout 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 emphasise with the families that were harassed.
While it was expected of Balala to condemn the raid because Guraya is in Mvita; it was in bad taste for the three Cabinet ministers shut in the face of such injustice.
Again, the Government continues to violate the rights of Muslims. But what is even more troubling is that our ministers have abandoned their Muslim constituents. Subsequently, this lack of taking firm position against the Guraya raid opens up more room for the Government to bully Muslims with impunity. Instead of strongly red-carding the Government for this intimidating raid on the Muslims, our ministers have expressively given this regime the leeway to punish a segment of their constituents because of their religion.
Apparently, many Coastal people have given up on effective representation from their political leaders. Serious, aggressive, and committed representation of Coast people will never happen through our current ministers who are timid when it comes standing for the rights of their people.
By the way, none of the coastal ministers are expected to pull the Charity Ngilu/ Musikari Kombo’s style successful negotiation for senior Government positions for their people.
For these Ministers, it is important to hold on to their jobs and maintain a clean record in terms of blind support to the Government. Without any question, it is for the same reasons that you will never hear or see our ministers advance any controversial views whether it’s the Guraya raids or the lost opportunities for the people of this great province.
aalawy@gmail.com
http://www.timesnews.co.ke/06may07/nwsstory/opinion5.html
Mwakwere to lead team of investigators to Cameroon
Transport Minister Mwakwere addressing reporters at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport immediately after the crash.
____________
A high powered delegation led by Transport Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere leave for Doula Cameroon later Saturday to assess the status of the missing passengers and plane.
Kenya Airways Managing Director Titus Naikuni said the team which includes crash investigators from Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, will fly out to assist the Cameroon government in the rescue efforts.
Naikuni also added that KQ is in constant contact with the Civil Aviation Authority in Cameroon to get the latest information regarding the crashed plane.
The Cameroon government had already sent a helicopter to the crash site, where a distress signal was last received from the missing plane. KQ says the crashed plane was only 6 months old and was fully maintained and serviced.
The Cameroon government had already sent a helicopter to the crash site, where a distress signal was last received from the missing plane. KQ says the crashed plane was only 6 months old and was fully maintained and serviced.
Families of the 9 KQ crew members who were on the plane have already been informed and Kenya Airways has promised to fly them out to the crash site once concrete details on their status has been determined.
Meanwhile nominated member Prof Ruth Oniango has expressed her sympathy with the unfolding situation. She says as a national carrier, Kenyans should empathize with Kenya airways and join hands at this time of tragedy.
_______________________
Kenya Broadcasting Corp- Nairobi
Kenya Airways plane with 114 Aboard Crashes in Cameroon
_______________
By EMMANUEL TUMANJONG
AP
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (May 5) - A Kenya Airways plane with 114 people on board crashed early Saturday after sending out a distress signal over a remote rainforest in southern Cameroon, officials said.
Nearby villagers reported hearing a loud boom.
The jet bound for Nairobi, went down near the town of Lolodorf, about 155 miles south of the coastal city of Douala, where it had taken off after midnight, said Alex Bayeck, a regional communications officer.
There was no word on survivors, said Bayeck, speaking by telephone en route to the crash site. He said search planes were flying over the forested area where the airliner gave off a distress signal, but no wreckage had been spotted. He said residents in the area, which has few roads and is dotted by small villages, reported hearing a "large boom" during the night. "Searchers have gone out looking in this area," he said. Kenya Airways CEO Titus Naikuni said the plane, which was almost new, took off an hour late because of rain. He said the distress call was issued automatically - "from a machine, not a pilot." Kenya's transport minister, Ali Chirau Makwere, said it was too early to determine what caused the crash.
"We need to get information from the technical experts as to whether it was occasioned by the weather or pilot error or mechanical fault," he said in Nairobi. "We really don't know. It's too early to make any conclusions." The Boeing 737-800 was carrying 114 people, including 105 passengers, from at least 23 countries, Kenyan airline officials said. A Nairobi-based Associated Press correspondent, Anthony Mitchell, was believed to be among the passengers. Mitchell had been on assignment in the region for the past week. Kathleen Carroll, the AP executive editor, said Mitchell "contacted his family before boarding the flight to let them know he was headed home." "We hope for the best," she said. Relatives waiting at Nairobi's airport began wailing as news reports of the crash filtered in. Dozens of family members collapsed in the airport terminal. Janet Mwema said she believed her daughter, Vicky, a cabin crew member, might have been on the flight but said counselors could not confirm that for her. "We trust God that he will strengthen his people," Mwema said. "Because we all go one day, whether it is accident or what." The flight departed Douala at 12:05 a.m. and was to have arrive in Nairobi at 6:15 a.m. The flight originated in Ivory Coast but stopped in Cameroon to pick up more passengers, the airline said. "The last message was received in Douala after takeoff and thereafter the tower was unable to contact the plane," Kenya Airways' Naikuni said earlier Saturday. The Douala-Nairobi flight runs several times a week, and is commonly used as an intermediary flight to Europe and the Middle East.
Kenya Airways - considered one of the safest airlines in Africa - said most passengers were planning to transfer to ongoing flights in Nairobi. Naikuni said the plane was only six months old. U.S. aviation officials are standing by, expecting to head to Cameroon and help with the investigation if asked. "Generally, other governments don't have the same accident investigation expertise that we have," said Laura Brown, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration. In 2004, the United States helped investigate the crash of a Flash Airlines Boeing 737 that killed all 148 on board minutes after taking off from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt.
Boeing spokesman Jim Proulx said there have not been any safety concerns with the Chicago-based company's fleet of 737-800s. About 2,000 737-800s are in use around the world. "We express our profound concern for the passengers and crew on board on the Kenyan Airways flight that went missing," Proulx said Saturday. "We stand ready to assist the authorities if they ask us to do so." The last crash of an international Kenya Airways flight was on Jan. 30, 2000, when Flight 431 was taking off from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on its way to Nairobi. Investigators blamed a faulty alarm and pilot error for that crash, which killed 169 people. Associated Press writers Elizabeth A. Kennedy and Tom Maliti contributed to this report from Nairobi, Kenya.
By EMMANUEL TUMANJONG
AP
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (May 5) - A Kenya Airways plane with 114 people on board crashed early Saturday after sending out a distress signal over a remote rainforest in southern Cameroon, officials said.
Nearby villagers reported hearing a loud boom.
The jet bound for Nairobi, went down near the town of Lolodorf, about 155 miles south of the coastal city of Douala, where it had taken off after midnight, said Alex Bayeck, a regional communications officer.
There was no word on survivors, said Bayeck, speaking by telephone en route to the crash site. He said search planes were flying over the forested area where the airliner gave off a distress signal, but no wreckage had been spotted. He said residents in the area, which has few roads and is dotted by small villages, reported hearing a "large boom" during the night. "Searchers have gone out looking in this area," he said. Kenya Airways CEO Titus Naikuni said the plane, which was almost new, took off an hour late because of rain. He said the distress call was issued automatically - "from a machine, not a pilot." Kenya's transport minister, Ali Chirau Makwere, said it was too early to determine what caused the crash.
"We need to get information from the technical experts as to whether it was occasioned by the weather or pilot error or mechanical fault," he said in Nairobi. "We really don't know. It's too early to make any conclusions." The Boeing 737-800 was carrying 114 people, including 105 passengers, from at least 23 countries, Kenyan airline officials said. A Nairobi-based Associated Press correspondent, Anthony Mitchell, was believed to be among the passengers. Mitchell had been on assignment in the region for the past week. Kathleen Carroll, the AP executive editor, said Mitchell "contacted his family before boarding the flight to let them know he was headed home." "We hope for the best," she said. Relatives waiting at Nairobi's airport began wailing as news reports of the crash filtered in. Dozens of family members collapsed in the airport terminal. Janet Mwema said she believed her daughter, Vicky, a cabin crew member, might have been on the flight but said counselors could not confirm that for her. "We trust God that he will strengthen his people," Mwema said. "Because we all go one day, whether it is accident or what." The flight departed Douala at 12:05 a.m. and was to have arrive in Nairobi at 6:15 a.m. The flight originated in Ivory Coast but stopped in Cameroon to pick up more passengers, the airline said. "The last message was received in Douala after takeoff and thereafter the tower was unable to contact the plane," Kenya Airways' Naikuni said earlier Saturday. The Douala-Nairobi flight runs several times a week, and is commonly used as an intermediary flight to Europe and the Middle East.
Kenya Airways - considered one of the safest airlines in Africa - said most passengers were planning to transfer to ongoing flights in Nairobi. Naikuni said the plane was only six months old. U.S. aviation officials are standing by, expecting to head to Cameroon and help with the investigation if asked. "Generally, other governments don't have the same accident investigation expertise that we have," said Laura Brown, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration. In 2004, the United States helped investigate the crash of a Flash Airlines Boeing 737 that killed all 148 on board minutes after taking off from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt.
Boeing spokesman Jim Proulx said there have not been any safety concerns with the Chicago-based company's fleet of 737-800s. About 2,000 737-800s are in use around the world. "We express our profound concern for the passengers and crew on board on the Kenyan Airways flight that went missing," Proulx said Saturday. "We stand ready to assist the authorities if they ask us to do so." The last crash of an international Kenya Airways flight was on Jan. 30, 2000, when Flight 431 was taking off from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on its way to Nairobi. Investigators blamed a faulty alarm and pilot error for that crash, which killed 169 people. Associated Press writers Elizabeth A. Kennedy and Tom Maliti contributed to this report from Nairobi, Kenya.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Obama proving critics wrong
DISPATCH FROM WASHINGTON
BY Abdillahi Alawy
We began our coverage of the illustrious Illinois Senator Barrack Obama’s campaign before he officially announced his bid for the White House in 2008. At that time, many observers pointed out that Obama as a candidate is a non-starter because of many reasons including his race, inexperience, and the racism blanket covering the United States. However, we asserted that Obama was going to be spectacular in this campaign.
Obama was compared to Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, and other non-white male candidates who came and went without leaving a mark on their presidential runs. Then came the announcement of his candidacy and the spectacular $25 million he raised in the first two months of the campaign. Soon after, the doubting e-mails against our prediction abruptly stopped coming. And, doubts have suddenly disappeared that a black person can actually become a US president.
A few of us had this gut feeling right from the beginning that Obama was something. And we did expect that around this time, the Illinois junior senator will be commanding a good standing in the polls. Going by the recent national polls conducted by Rasmussen Reports, Obama has actually taken the lead by overtaking the long-time leader Senator Hillary Clinton.
Evidently, he has exceeded our expectation and for the first time in the Election 2008 season, the New York Senator Hillary Clinton is not on top of the Democratic Presidential nomination. As of the end of April, Mr Obama had 32 percent while Senator Hillary Clinton had 30 percent of all the votes.
Of course this can change any minute. This is the age of Youtube and the Satellite Television and whatever the candidate does is all in the open and affects the polls very significantly. However, it looks like all what is happening is that Obama is steadily gaining on Hillary and there is no stopping for this son of a Kenyan professor. It is quite amazing for this largely unknown politician to be where he is today; a leading candidate who is beating a former First Lady and a Senator for over 8 years.
Rasmussen survey utilised telephone survey targeting likely Democratic Party primary voters. From the above summary, we gather that Obama has slightly overtaken Mrs Clinton. Although Obama’s lead is statistically insignificant, it is a sure sign of things to come in this campaign.
From January and up to now, former North Carolina Senator John Edwards has stayed at a distance third with poll-numbers hovering around 17 percent. In a recent debate where all the eight declared Democratic Party candidates participated last week, no winner was evident given the 90 minute duration and the format of the interview.
Still, if that debate had any effect on the campaigns it would not have shown in the April polls since this survey was conducted on April 23-26, 2007. If the debate had any impact it will be registered in this week’s polling.
Obama’s surge is credited to his strong showing at fund-raising. You can gather from the polls that in March, 2007, Hillary was leading Obama with over 12 percent. At the end of that month she had 37 percent to his 25 percent. But the tables were turned in April.
His campaign reports that most of Obama funds came in small donations from individual citizens some of whom gave less than $100. In the US, one citizen can contribute up to $4,600 towards a presidential campaign. It is a good thing that many of the small donors will come back and contribute more.
Many analysts believe that collecting smaller donations is a good strategy and it shows the goodwill that Obama’s campaign has promised. That it was going to avoid corporate campaign money and make this a campaign for the people rather than big interest businesses.
However, a closer reading of his fund-raising report reveal significant donations from big businesses and some law firms that he has connections with. Whether that will be problematic down the road is yet to be seen. However, we can confidently see that Obama is a real contender for his party’s nomination.
Obama is maximising on his staunch opposition of the Iraq war. Of all the four or five main candidates, he is the only one who did not vote for the war. He was not even in the Senate yet. And he has not wasted even one second reminding voters of that fact. As of this Wednesday,
President George Bush has just vetoed a war-funding bill, for Iraq, that had a schedule for redeployment of US soldiers out of Iraq and the war debate is gaining heat here in Washington.
Events like the above and the fact that there is a brand new guy at the top of Democratic Party presidential contenders has tremendously increased the visibility of Barrack Obama. Many have compared his oratory skills with John F. Kennedy. And, even though the elections are many months away, we are witnessing the rise of a very exciting phenomenon of renewed interest in government and politics.
It is possible that the 44th President of the United States of America may not be Barrack Obama; and if it does not happen in 2008, Obama is already shattering lifetime records that have positioned him for larger things than the presidency itself.
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