Ich habe dieser Tage eine alte Aufzeichnung einer Lesung von Walter Kempowski im Radio gehört, der ja vor kurzem nach langer Krankheit verstorben ist.
Ebenso wie Kemposwki, verstarb dieses Jahr auch mein Vater im Januar, kurze Zeit später der von mir sehr geschätzte Journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski - und jetzt vor kurzem leider auch Hans Otte, der hier in Bremen lange Jahre beim Sender Radio Bremen tätig war, und (nicht nur) dort ganz maßgeblich für ein neues Klangerlebnis gesorgt hatte.
Trotz dieser traurigen Botschaften war 2007 für mich aber auch ein sehr erfolgreiches Jahr, in dem ich viele neue interessante Menschen kennengelernt habe und jetzt einer Tätigkeit nachgehe, die meinem Profil weitgehend entspricht und den Freiraum bietet, den ich mir immer gewünscht habe.
Insofern bin ich gespannt auf das kommende Jahr und freue mich ob der Dinge, die da noch auf mich warten.
Ich wünsche Euch allen ein erfolgreiches und glückliches neues Jahr 2008!

Seriously…what else can one comment on the current situation of the outcome of the elections in Kenya in 2007?
There’s so much anger, so many hopes lost just because some guys have once again (!) taken Kenyans and the World for a huge ride.
I hope the European Union will not even dare to confirm “fair” elections.
This isn’t about Kibs or Agwambo, but instead about some fishy elections that were provided by a very diciplined electorate who turned up as early as 4 a.m. to cast their votes, endured till the end - only to be told two days later on that the guys who wanted to remain in power had actually tweaked the results to fit their needs.
Kenya's leading opposition candidate, ODM's Raila Odinga, has this evening declared that he will not recognise the purported re-election of President Kibaki.
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore
and then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load
Or does it just explode?
James Langston Hughes (1902-1967)
| When we got our independence in 1963, there was something leaders of the time liked to call The Kenya Dream and what a wonderful dream that was. Modern day politicians also talk about it, the loudest being those in the Orange Democratic Movement. The Kenyan Dream was essentially a victory against Poverty, Ignorance and Disease. While I agree there is more to good leadership than a fight against these three evils, the success of such a fight can form a sound basis for assessment of any regime. It therefore makes sense to analyze how Kibaki fared in this front and whether his performance played a role in his re-election. There is a very interesting statistic that I kept hearing when I was coming through (probably when in fifth standard in 1992); that 56% of Kenyans live below the poverty line. Politicians like to quote these statistics to advance their cause but the truth is that Kenya’s poverty index used to be 56% in the ‘90s. Kibaki took over when it was 50% and he finished his first term when it was 46%. That is not a too shabby performance over five years in my opinion. You cannot talk about poverty eradication without looking at the state of the economy. Mwai Kibaki’s government oversaw a period of high economic growth. Of course there are those who believe otherwise, but then we can’t all agree on all things. Angola, Ethiopia and Mozambique are the only African countries that recorded higher growth rates than Kenya in 2006/2007. When one considers what the ‘growth’ was five years ago, they cannot fail to appreciate the gains. There is an argument that Kenyan latter day economists like to advance that the trickle down effect is just not there. Any Poverty report says that poverty has reduced in the last five years. What then exactly do they mean when they say the average person does not feel the economic gains? Where do the people of Kenya take the money they used to pay primary school Development levies with? If people used to ‘fund raise’ to erect classrooms and village dispensaries, where are they taking that money today? The CDF was a good idea and the fact that the economy can support that without a sweat is good news to everyone. If healthcare is cheaper than it was six years ago, doesn’t that mean the Kenyan people are either saving money or spending on stuff they used to live without? It is just plain dishonest for anybody to claim that the economic growth statistics are a fabrication. What that basically means is that the government has made some strides in the war against poverty. The War against ignorance; Mwai Kibaki’s administration’s biggest success story is the free primary education. Bill Clinton said in 2003 his biggest wish was to meet Mwai Kibaki and thank him for making elementary school education accessible to every Kenyan child. Since the introduction of the free primary school education, school enrolment rates have shot up. Many children were being locked out of school due to the high fees. Today, Kenya boasts the oldest primary school pupil in the world. He had stayed out of school for almost a century and in my opinion, there is no better way of proving that you are fighting ignorance than having an 80 year old man enroll in class one. It has been argued that the quality of education has been compromised but to be fair everything comes with some side effects. Even so, the deterioration of standards is yet to be proved because performance in the national exams has continued to improve every year. The country’s literacy level as well as general education attainment is something we are all proud of. The last aspect of the Kenyan Dream is victory over disease. When Mwai Kibaki’s government came to power in 2003, the HIV prevalence rate was 14.2%. It was 6.7% in 2004. 6.1% in 2005, 5.9% in 2006 and 5.1% in 2007. These figures were given by Alloys Orago, the Director of National Aids Control Council in August this year. It would be very selfish for the government to claim solo credit for this decline, but no one can rule out their role either. The fact that HIV/AIDS victims can access ARVs at no cost in public hospitals is one of the biggest reasons for the decline. Healthcare is less costly than it was six years ago. The general health of Kenyans is better and that is why we are talking about a life expectancy of 55 up from 49. That means we are not doing badly in that front either. I know that some of these statistics may not make sense to a lot of people, but honestly how else would you assess the country’s situation without looking at them? These were noble goals that our founding politicians set and Kibaki should be rightly proud for being in charge at a time when all indicators show a favorable trend. Americans did not think very highly of President Bill Clinton, but when they looked at statistics on unemployment rate, inflation, economic wellbeing, home ownership, and welfare roles, they started seriously considering him as one of the country’s five best presidents ever. When we ask ourselves what it is we expect a president to do, we will agree that it is to provide leadership on things that matter to the governed. When you report to a right thinking Kenyan that there is better business environment, there is more money in circulation which they can get if they work hard, healthcare is better accessible and more affordable and that their children are better educated than they were six years ago, you will definitely see them smile. There are other areas of governance that must be assessed before passing a verdict on Kibaki’s regime. These include expansion of the democratic space to allow people of normal intelligence like Najib Balala to make fun of the president and his family. There are other things like his wife’s attempt at intimidating the press, the failure by his government to midwife the writing and adoption of a new constitutional dispensation acceptable to a majority of the people of Kenya and his war against corruption and insecurity. His performance in some of these aspects of governance was ‘outstanding’, ‘average’ on others and ‘outright failure’ in others. After considering all these, I think it’s fair to give the president a general score of 6.5/10. That in my opinion is a score that merits some reward. It is not too bad if you ask me and I am sure some people considered some of these things when casting their vote. “The World is full of willing people; some willing to work and others willing to let them.” |
Latest from a source within the ODM camp (unverified)
Raila and Ruto arrested after the press conference where they announced the alternative inauguration for tomorrow morning. They were taken to hospital by the security forces to be “treated for shock”. Message went on to say that Ruto had been shot but not fatally.
Planning an alternative inauguration can be interpreted as treason which would explain the security forces heavy approach (if this is true). During the press conference Raila introduced an army Major who stated that the armed forces are behind Raila. Our military is divided.
This is unverified. It is from a source who has been credible thus far.
Previous we had heard that Raila was “under the care of the army for his own safety” and that Raila would spend the night at the US Embassy due to concerns about his safety.
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Information that is circulating: ODM have rejected the Presidential Result and will hold an alternative Presidential inauguration for Raila Odinga in the next few days. More news as I get it.
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The symbolism could not be greater. Five years ago as Kenya celebrated the election of a democratically elected President Kibaki Uhuru Park in central Nairobi was full to the brim as over a million Kenyans came together in song and jubilation to witness the swearing in of their new president. Today, as Nairobi burns with the anger of a democratic vote disregarded and stolen by a now illegitimate “President” Kibaki, in a quickly rushed ceremony broadcast without any warning Kibaki was sworn in as president in front of the cabinet the Kenyan electorate rejected so emphatically. 5 years ago, a million plus Kenyans applauded and cheered, today a political dinosaurs such as Nyachae and Kombo clapped as they tried to outdo each other in showing their loyalty and eagerness to please in the hope that after being rejected by the electorate they would give a lifeline into parliament as nominated MPs.
I do not blame him. There is no way Kibaki can face the Kenyan public at Uhuru Park. No way. By hiding in StateHouse behind his security detail Kibaki confirms that he is a virtually a prisoner in his own country forever destined to interact with Kenyans behind a living jail cell of men in black suits armed to the teeth.
Meanwhile Kenya is toppling over the edge. Kibera is on fire. I passed a collection of police lorries collecting near the City Mortuary round about all the cops dressed in full riot gear waiting for the situation to calm down before they moved in. Along Ngong Road past Jamhuri park groups of people have started gathering around corners. Everyone is waiting. The whole place is like a gas cylinder awaiting a flint to set it off. In Kibera it has already gone off, from Kakamega I hear reports of houses burning, the same in Kapsabet.
Now Kibaki’s team shows its true colours. Just as ODM were about to give a live press conference they were suddenly taken off air. 10 minutes later Nation TV announce that the Minister for Internal Security, Michuki, has banned all live broadcasts. Kibaki in his rushed inauguration speech said he wants to come together as brothers and sisters for national unity. What an insult to the intelligence of Kenyans. Strangely Kibaki supporters have already started peddling the old excuse, that he does not know the draconian measures his ministers are taking. WHAT? The man was sworn in an hour ago and you say he already doesn’t know what is going on? Is this the democratic space Kibaki keeps talking about?
Meanwhile Kibera burns and people loose their lives. Because one old man and his cronies refused to believe Kenyans have rejected them.
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Those are the words that describe millions of Kenyan voters.
Of the three, I would suggest that citizens being jaded is the most harmful for the long-term. Why bother voting if you can’t have the confidence in your government to count them openly and honestly?

Image by Afromusing
A short summary:
Massive turnouts for this election in Kenya. Many incumbents were voted out of their parliamentary seats. Raila Odinga was a heavy favorite over incumbent Mwai Kibaki for president, and appeared to be in the lead by a good 40,000 votes. Counting was delayed. The electoral commission claims that Kibaki won by 200,000+ votes. Riots begin, and a state of emergency is declared.
Blog coverage of these elections have been excellent. The Kenyan blogosphere is one of the best and biggest on the continent, and they did their jobs well.
Ory gave some of the best media coverage of the elections, better than the traditional media, on her blog KenyanPundit.
MentalAcrobatics claims that something is not right with this election and also has a good post on the Kenyan election experience.
More coverage on the Thinker’s Room.
Juliana has some great pictures of the elections from upcountry.