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13:34 moving house, well, sort of…
» Me, Life & Everything 2234 | short | settled | home | jana ni jana - eric wainaina It has been a horribly distracted few weeks with me keeping myself occupied watching 5 seasons of Gilmore girls amidst installing Kubuntu 7.10 [Gutsy] both running concurrently, the watching and installing too, on my Toshiba Satellite A200 laptop. Most of that time [...]
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10:40
Lessons for 2012 (or is it 2010)?
» You Missed This If it was not already clearly evident to you dear reader, it should by now be as bright as the light -this great nation of ours sadly does not have any leaders willing to place the interests of our people first before their own selfish gain and personal advancement
Nowhere has this been more clearly reflected than in the current attitudes and bad manners on display by especially those in the PNU party (although ODM are not innocent either) whose sluggish reactions to the emergency of the current crisis are slow-moving responses that best exemplify all known reasons and unearth even more unknown reasons as to why they and their ilk are not fit in any capacity to lead any government this country had, has or will ever have in any century particularly the 21st-please don't remind me, i already know we are stuck with them for another eternity
Way before this blog had peaked 1,000,000 readers and it was simply serving as a healthy forum for wholesome debate, witty repartire and in-depth political analysis not available then through the current staple of main stream media, the header at the top of this page read "only brand new ideas and brand new leadership can save kenya"-of course i'm aware that the banner is still the same at our sister blog [kumekucha1.blogspot.com]
So naturally as always i am keeping in theme with editorial policy Kumekucha and on the look out in particular for what lessons we can learn from the present to apply to the next generation of fresh-faced, new ideas totting political "rookies" complete with their radically different ideologies and approaches on how to change this country for the better. Not only will they have severed all ties and links with the political dinosaurs of the past but also their names may actually be new to our political landscape.
Well, its still integrity and not the economy, stupid. The light ease with which the present impasse has been treated, as if 1000 dead kenyans and 500, 000 IDPs have all the time in the world to wait for airplanes to land at Wilson Airport from Kilaguni lodge, shows that without a heart for the suffering havenots, nobody has a right to qualify to occupy any seat whether parliamentary, civic or legislative in both government and opposition
What of crisis management? Its also true that without prior requisite experience of reacting speedily to humanitarian crisis and national disasters in times gone by(and boy haven't we had plenty to practise from land clashes '92, '97 to el-ninio '98, bomb-blast 2003 and arturs 2005) how can we expect our mandated institutions and instruments of social governance representation (starting at the top with the presidency all the way to law and order e.g. police) to now display the much needed efficiency and effectiveness in leadership, planning and organisation in times of trouble that they could not hitherto show in times of "peace"-relative peace-i repeat 1,000 needlessly dead kenyans 500,000 IDPs do not have time for airplanes to land from Kilaguni lodge before their needs are given urgent attention-they require action and they needed it yesterday and it should not be mickey mouse answers and paper-tiger solutions(i salute you Dr. Mutua)
Who is behaving more like a leader?Watching Koffi Annan traverse the country in its length and breadth has been a great lesson to me in asking myself the question who is behaving more like a real leader? even without the official job title and constitutional job description to match, let alone not being from the same country as he is actually trying to help-of course i understand there is a covert undercover snipper on the lose biding his time before picking off our dishonourables one-by-one therefore, therefore understandably their desire to lie low at this moment and issue statements from the relative safety of their fotresses mainly in the capital is clear
What of diplomacy? after this shambolic handling in treatment of ArchBishop Tutu, AU chairman John Kufuor, emminent ex-african presidents Kaunda, Chisano,Mkapa and Masire, and even US envoy Jendayi Frazier, you know that this current dispensation of parliament has lost the right to be allowed to ever mediate and broker peace in conflicts throughout the region and continet at large owing from their shameful and disrespectful attitudes display in dumbing down efforts of outside helping hands of concern and equating it to long-distance tea and coffee drinking excursions
What of international image?Condolezza Rice's visit on Monday will help turn up the heat and the spot-light on hidden messages hitherto undicepherable by the pumbavu mwananchi such as the fact that the international community, while being repeatedly slapped in the face with parched calls of "our soverignity" nevertheless represent a global willingness to if need be show a strong arm of force in the face of a possible failure of the Annan talks, just serving as a friendly reminder that some countries are more sovreign than others no matter how much the other says so
Future leaders, heed to what you are seeing-the type of clownish antics currently on display represent nothing at all of what is the hopes, wishes and desires of the majority of the kenyan population-whether they're just too afraid to say anything because of fear of the unknown i don't know-but it will take a brave fool to dare confront architects of past decay, charismatic bullies and handsome cowards and carry the nation on their shoulders to a future where both rich and poor homes will once again be filled with laughter and injustice has taken a bow to reason and sense
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9:21
Let’s Talk About Sex: Top 7 Things I Have Learned About Women and the Opposite Sex
» The Displaced African Hi,
I am writing this in the middle of a really old crush resurfacing to confuse me and annoy me and therefore forgive me if this post is an incoherent babble. The infatuation has taken over. Here now are the top 7 things that I have learned about women while abroad (more…)
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7:37
February 27th 2008 – International day of action in solidarity with the people in Kenya
» Eyes on Kenya Amnesty International urges Kenya’s leaders to ensure the human rights of Kenyan people are protected.
An international day of public and online action this month will demonstrate solidarity with the people of Kenya and call on the Kenyan government to protect people from politically-motivated and ethnic violence.
On 27 February, people can show their outrage at the continuing human rights abuses in Kenya in a series of events organised by Amnesty International; including an online Facebook action and a series of street demonstrations.
The disputed election of 27 December 2007 sparked an outbreak of fighting and a series of grave human rights violations. At least 1,000 people have been killed so far, while more than 300,000 have been displaced.
Amnesty International’s recent visit to Kenya found evidence of unlawful killings, the ethnically targeted forced relocation and burning of homes by armed militias, excessive use of force by security officials, sexual violence against women and girls, and violations of freedom of expression and assembly. Amnesty International has also documented death threats against human rights defenders and activists.
The death toll includes hundreds shot dead by police, who were deployed to quell the post-election violence and break up mass protests against the election called by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) opposition party.
Subsequent violence has seen increasingly organised attacks by ethnic militia and youth gangs against people of Kikuyu ethnicity, which has led to retaliatory attacks by Kikuyu militias and youth gangs.
There is particular concern at the ethnic dimension to the political violence and its possible long-term implications for Kenyan society.
Amnesty International calls on the Kenyan government to protect the people of Kenya, many of whom have endured unrelenting suffering in the last two months. Kenyan leaders must end the cycle of impunity that perpetuates the politically motivated violence in Kenya.
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7:00
Kakamega on Fire!
» Hapa Kenya UPDATES:- Gun shots reigns the air as police try to disperse angry residents who are protesting the treatment vented on their kins who have just landed from Nakuru and Naivasha.
- More smoke can be seen from the town area and Lurambi shopping centers.
- Crowds are building up at the Police station. Reports indicate that Kakamega residents have surrounded the Police Station.
- People are demanding that the IDPs at the Kakamega Police Station must vacate before the sunset.
- A building complex has been surrounded, its being targeted for burning.
Blogged with Flock
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Chaos erupt in Kakamega!
» Hapa Kenya Chaos have erupted in Kakamega following an emotional return of the people displaced from Naivasha and Nakuru areas. A lorry full of the IDPs has raised emotions in an otherwise calm Saturday afternoon. Running battles have ensued in the town with marauding youths trying to invade the Kakamega Police Station where majority of the people displaced from the larger Western Province are residing.
The lorry did several rounds within Kakamega town with wailing residents escorting it. Sources indicate that the lorry which came through the Eldoret Chavakali-Kakamega route entered the town at exactly 12pm.Everywhere it went,it was recieved with lots of emotions and wails.Majority of the IDPs in the lorry showed clear panga cuts, a sign of the atrocities vented on them by the Mungiki while in Nakuru and Naivasha.
Smoke can be seen all over town, youth are burning old tyres and targeting percieved enemies who were slowly returning to their early ways.Tension is high in the town.In Amalemba and Lurambi shopping centers,police have barricaded the roads,barring people from entering the main business district.
More on this story will follow.
Blogged with Flock
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6:08
What do vegans eat?
» Black Looks I am now Vegan - phew I have finally spoken the words in a public space. Am sweating from the admittance not because there is anything negative about being a Vegan, on the contrary I feel quite proud that I am no longing consuming animal bits. But a certain commitment comes with public admissions. [...] -
Quick Links
» Black Looks *** Freedom Rider on the “Obama Cult”. What a relief. They are every where, like pod people in Invasion of the Body Snatchers. If you don’t fall asleep and turn into a pod person too, they are out to get you. I mean Obama supporters of course. If their adoration for cynical nothingness wasn’t so dangerous [...]
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PNU Must Accept A Grand Coalition or Else
» You Missed This Pic: PNU and ODM teams disembark from an aircraft that flew them from Kilaguni Lodge on Thursday evening.
In his press briefing yesterday, Kofi Annan read resolutions that sounded more like a replica of the ODM manifesto than from a three-week intensive negotiation between two bitter political rivals. Information on what transpired in Kilaguni Resort indicates that PNU will not (voluntarily) concede an inch of executive power to ODM.
According to Annan, who apparently enjoys universal support in his Kenya peace mission, a grand coalition is the only viable option, but the government side is avoiding this arrangement like plague. In reality, PNU are only making additional enemies each day the Annan mediation drags on. PNU are also unknowingly giving the ODM undue mileage because Koffi Annan is experiencing first-hand the kind of crap that Kenyans have had to put up with since Kibaki received instruments of power in 2002. Annan is relaying his frustrations to the diplomatic community who are becoming bolder in their pronouncements with each passing day.
ODM insiders say (and I agree with them) that the party is just about done with negotiations and any political analyst worth his salt knows that nothing less than force will make the ‘duly elected government’ concede to democratic demands. They opine that it is just a question of when and how.
The PNU government is now using its perfected kindergarten tactics of enticing the ODM negotiators with cabinet positions and amnesty from persecution for past crimes (sic!) rather than engage in progressive negotiation while not having the slightest idea that they are undermining the Annan led mediation talks.
This afternoon, hints will be definitely dropped by ODM leaders at the funeral of the late Embakasi legislator Mugabe Were in Budalangi, Western Province, and the grapevine tells us that ODM leadership (read Pentagon) are not amused by the illegal approach of its members and the dragging of feet by the government side.
With the presence of George Bush next door in Tanzania and his influential Secretary of State Condi Rice due to visit Kenya on Monday ‘to support Annan’s efforts’, and going by the number of strong warnings issued to saboteurs by the international community, Kenyans can expect diplomatic fireworks to take place as from Tuesday (actually Monday afternoon) next week.
The issue is no longer who stole/won the last elections, but how best peace, stability and normalcy can be returned to Kenya. PNU have been evasive on any proposals to a coalition government since January but on Monday, Kibaki will have to make hard decisions including that of giving up significant power to a prime minister who not only beat him at the ballot but also happens to control more MPs than himself. The government side has continuously frustrated mediation efforts and international community seems to be running out of patience.
It will be a sad day for the country if Kibaki rejects Annan’s grand coalition proposals. Intelligence leaked to us indicate that PNU will most likely be walking out of the Annan talks (Bomas style) and this will be the beginning of anarchy.
PNU will, in its usual chest thumping modus operandi, resort to state sponsored intimidation tactics like mass arrests of ODM supporters and leaders, out-law public demos, probably another assassination of prominent ODM member, imposition of illegal curfews in opposition strongholds, etc. The end result will be a rising death-toll which will give the UN Security Council a perfect excuse to intervene. Eventually, the regime of Kibaki will be forced out militarily by the UN and fresh general elections called to the advantage of the ODM.
Whichever way you look at it, PNU will have to concede power to ODM sooner or later. In my opinion, they stand to secure more if they accept Annan’s proposal for grand coalition transitional government now, rather than be militarily forced out later.
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2:47
Viewing Pleasure…
» My Life is...Mochalicious! ….has yours been affected by the recently ended Writer’s Strike? See below and keep watching!!! ABC Likely to be back with new episodes in the spring Desperate Housewives Grey’s Anatomy Samantha Who? Ugly Betty Boston Legal Brothers & Sisters Won’t be back until next season Private Practice Pushing Daisies Dirty Sexy Money On the bubble Women’s Murder Club Cashmere Mafia Carpoolers Dead? Big Shots Notes From the Underbelly Cavemen The rest Lost Eli Stone October Road Men in Trees According to Jim All [...]
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0:23
One Kenya indivisible, elections now
» Kenya Imagine A distraught friend of mine wrote to me recently, asking that the Kenyan middle class join up in arms, that we refuse completely to cosset any longer the spirit of separatism and hatred that has taken over our country.
Yesterday, I read from Patrick Gathara here, an article asking why we are at all tolerating the idea that there are Kenyans who have ancestral rights to sections of this country. I hate to imagine where this notion would take Kenyans were oil to be found near my home in North Eastern Province, or should we finally decide to take on a grown up energy policy and flood Marsabit with alternative energy solutions.
Read more from Amir Ibrahim here.
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