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November 04, 2008
7:17
America Votes
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: US election 2008

It is the fourth of November, the Tuesday after the first Monday of November. America votes today, and the world watches.
We ran a similar programme when Kenya voted at the end of last year, and we can only hope the Americans enjoy a post-election period more peaceful than ours.
Click here to share your US election stories, wherever you might be. Also, join us later in the day in a livechat as results begin to trickle in.
Write to us editor@kenyaimagine.com.
October 12, 2008
22:20
Losing it, first maurin dodd nytempus in latin, and then the weird prison video of McCain
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: US election 2008

Whatever. I liked this, do you? How far can you get before capitus explodit, or whatever. Pity we haven't Latin or even Arabic to occupy our mostly idle Kenyan pupils, eh? They are knitting and making stool stools instead.

Click on the title to read more.
September 10, 2008
19:30
What Can the Exit Poll Tell us About the Kenyan Voter?
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Exit polls, surveys taken of voters as they leave polling centers, provide the most comprehensive information on the issues, perceptions and attitudes that matter to voters selecting candidates for office. They are used worldwide to help scholars, politicians, parties and citizens understand these important characteristics of the electorate. First and foremost, exit polls seek to understand what determines why a person votes the way they do. What factors, including demographic characteristics and evaluations of government, contribute to the choice that citizens in a democracy make about their elected leaders? These matters are especially important in Kenya, where the transition to democracy has been long and hard-fought.

Read more from James Long.
September 02, 2008
13:13
Protests at the RNC in St. Paul (slideshow)
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: US election 2008

Nekessa Opoti:
What began as peaceful protests in St. Paul, Minnesota today ended in the arrests of close to 150 people.
Many of the protesters were anti-war activists. Some had been preparing for at least a year to protest the Republican National Convention (RNC). Others just showed up today. At least 10,000 people, from Minnesota and the rest of the US, showed up on the streets of downtown St. Paul.
Read more here.
February 26, 2008
8:11
State of Kenya: Talks in trouble
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election updates

Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has announced his increasing frustration at the inability of the two sides in Kenya's crisis talks to come to a mutually agreeable compromise. The New York Times reports Annan saying,

"After four hours of intense negotiations this morning, the negotiating team made almost no progress toward reaching an agreement on governance, despite the fact that they were given the entire weekend to consult on their positions.......I had to conclude that they were not capable of resolving the outstanding issues."

Aides close to Annan said he was running out of patience and that he was unlikely to stay long in Kenya.

Read more here.
February 10, 2008
11:38
The Insane Ones
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

I am accused of unconsidered optimism from time to time. Today, I am relieved about the possibility of peace across the country. With a huge side order of disgust, I allow myself some relief in this handshake that two old friends could have made weeks ago and saved a thousand lives; but which they found inconvenient; until now.

Who are You? Who am I?
This threadbare security blanket has been exposed.
We live on the knife-edge of denial.

Read more from JC Mureithi here.
February 08, 2008
8:56
Breakthrough in Kenyan Peacetalks
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election updates

The Kenyan government and key opposition leaders, ODM, have reached a breakthrough.
According to news reports, former UN Secretray General Kofi Annan will be holding a press conference shortly to highlight the specifics of the "breakthrough" in peace talks between the government and ODM.

Check here for updates as they come in from Nairobi.
8:20
What happened to the exit polls?
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

Speaking yesterday before a Congressional Hearing in the US, the head of Kenya's statutory human rights body asked the US congress to exhort the International Republican Institute to release the results of an exit poll taken after Kenya's December 27th General Election. Exit polls are by practice one of the fall-back options when an election is found to be difficult to call on account of the irregularities in its process. This is especially so where the pollster is an independent organisation whose credibility will stand up to scrutiny, and whose findings will be respected by both sides. So it is that Maina Kiai's statement bears looking into, even as he joins the great list of Kenyans discredited in the public eye this last month. He, for sure, is not one of the independent institutions.

Read more from Stephen Wanyama here.
February 06, 2008
22:03
Central Bank of Kenya Statement on the economy
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis economic

The Central Bank of Kenya governor has put out the following press release on the recent unrest and its effect on the economy and our prospects for resuscitation.

Read more here.
January 31, 2008
21:26
Let us talk about what really ails our country
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

Last week, I treaded where angels dread. I talked about what I believe has plunged our beloved country into chaos.

I received overwhelming response. Readers concurred that we have swept the ugly truth under the carpet for too long. That is why we are consumed by passions we cannot control. I also stirred the hornet's nest, so the barbs came fast and furious.

Read more from Nancy Mburu here.
January 29, 2008
19:33
Mediation and the three Kenyas
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

I was working late in the library yesterday when I got an email from an aquaintance I hadn't seen in almost 7 months. He was concerned about my welfare, wondering if my family was OK following the coup in Kenya.

I was stunned; had there been a coup in Kenya in the one week that I had decided to focus on my school work? Thankfully, his concern was misguided – French newspapers had mistakenly reported that the political instability was some kind of political coup. He felt that I was in denial: what else short of a coup would drag so many notables into this previously quiet, at least in the international scene, country? Surely the level of political upheaval in the country matches the scale of the intervention?

Read more from Nanjala here.
19:31
Kenyans will still not lose their country
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

Last week, I suggested that Kenyans would not lose their country to thugs and criminals. I nearly changed my mind this last weekend and with good reason. But even after all this, I still think we shall and must save our country.

Last Friday when having a drink with some friends at a local pub in Nairobi West, I was aghast at the discussion taking place. And this was going on among some Kikuyu friends. They were tired of the mayhem and murder of Kikuyus by gangs of marauding Kalenjin warriors.

Read more from Kamale T here.
January 28, 2008
2:42
State of Kenya: Fresh Violence
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election updates

The government has deployed the military in areas of the Rift Valley in an attempt to control violence that took on a new high at the end of last week. [updates]

Read updates here.
January 27, 2008
20:13
Mis-Leading Kenya
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

A few weeks ago as the country fell apart around us, and in a moment of untempered and cursing anger I wrote an article, which I then proceeded to submit for publishing on these pages.

A few days went by, and still I did not see it published. So I wrote one of the editors and asked about my submission."Your article was very well written, it was brilliant in fact. Unfortunately, with the current situation in Kenya we have decided not to publish it.", was the reply I received.

Read more here.
January 26, 2008
23:02
Flawed election is the spark, not the cause
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

I was to Kenya twice last year. The first visit was in June - I hadn't been there for a while and was returning with the intention of registering as a voter. One of the first things I noticed, returning to the country of my birth was that the country was more polarised along ethnic lines than ever before.

It must be said that both sides were going at it, the one side blaming the other for the hogging of public wealth and resources, and the other alleging subversion, sloth and a hate campaign inspired by the other. Since I've had some experience of (and written against) anti-black racism, I had absolutely no desire to even remotely cooperate with either side. I decided not to vote, and so didn't register.

Read more Daniel Waweru here.
January 24, 2008
1:14
Kenya: spaces of hope
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

The way Kenyan citizens are living out and working through their country's crisis offers insight into how boundaries of ethnicity, clan and class can be overcome, writes the anthropologist Angelique Haugerud.

Read more here.
0:32
State of Kenya: Athletes accused of involvement in violence
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election updates

Fifty-seven Kenyan athletes, including Moses Kiptanui and Ezekiel Kemboiwas have allegedly been accused by the police of funding acts of violence in the Rift Valley.

Read more here.
January 23, 2008
8:05
Kenyans will not lose their country!
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

Last evening, I was informed that my colleagues for the firm I work with that our UK office had dressed down last Friday for Charity, and that the benefitting charity was the Kenya Red Cross Society.

This is a regular custom at their office every Friday, althought most of the beneficiary charities are UK-based. On the odd occasion, I have managed to get donations for African calamities such as the suffering in Sierra Leone or the famine in Mali some time back. The rule for the dress-down is simple, you donate £2 and get as a result to wear jeans and sneakers to work. They raised a sum of £200 which I topped up with my small donation of £50. The cheque will be handed to the Kenya Red Cross tomorrow.

Read more from Kamale T here.
1:16
Listen
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

The time has come, in my view, for Kenyans to stop and take stock. Many of us are angry at some of the accusations and counter-accusations that are flowing back and forth in our country, in our media, and in many other fora. But the time has come for us to stop and take stock.

An analogy comes to mind. Imagine two men charged with carrying a precious glass case containing a valuable crown across a large valley. They have no cars, no bicycles; the only way they can get from point A to point B is to hoist the rather heavy glass case, mounted on two sticks, onto their shoulders. About half way there, the two men enter into an argument and the first man shoots his compatriot in the knee. The man at the back is equally angry and somehow manages to shoot his friend in the knee as well. Both of them are lying on the floor, writhing in pain but still strong enough to trade accusations and counter accusations. They fail to notice one thing. The case is broken and the crown is lost.

Read more from Nanjala Nyabola here.
January 22, 2008
2:03
Kenya: To Hype, or Not To Hype
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

A Montreal professor arrived in Nairobi recently. He came here two weeks after the well-publicized chaos began, and it was interesting to hear him relate the impression outsiders have of Kenya as a country where burning buildings, mass riots, and dead bodies have become the norm.
Once you’re on the ground, he said, the picture that emerges is a calmer one, “where a number of local disasters are embedded in a matrix of peace.”

Read more from Arno Kopecky here.
January 19, 2008
7:55
Kenya: ethnicity, tribe, and state
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

The extensive commentary on Kenya's troubles has tended to blame ancient tribal rivalry, cynical political calculation, or a combination of the two; with the corrupted electoral process seen as providing the unintended catalyst - or worse, the deliberate instigator that awakens latent tribal hostility. British imperialism has also received its expected share of criticism, for inventing the now-indigenous Kenyan practice of divide and rule (see Caroline Elkins, "What's Tearing Kenya Apart? History, for One Thing ", Washington Post, 6 January 2008).

Read more from John Lonsdale here.
January 18, 2008
21:42
A Mathematical Way out of Kenya's Crisis?
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

Kenya has seen a string of inefficient and kleptocratic (self-enriching) rulers, and recent weeks have seen a disputed election and tragic ethnic violence.

Kenya is far from alone. The politics of fear, division and violence are a too common feature of African politics (as well as the West's not so distant past). How is it that weak, inefficient, and sometimes criminal rulers stay in place in a democratic society? Why can they enrich themselves and stay in power? What path charts a way out?

Read more from Dr Blattman here. You can also read more from his blog, Chris Blattman here.
16:40
So how do we make them listen?
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

Currently, in these times of great duress, we have two options of making ourselves heard in Kenya: a) business as usual, scurrying around with our heads low to piece together whatever pieces we might still have at hand (and this does not really count as ‘being heard'), and b) mass action, rallies in the streets chanting some(one's) political slogan. But whose voice is being heard? and how is the message interpreted?

Read more from David Obura here.
January 17, 2008
18:06
Kenya Tourist Board Statement
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election violence

Click here to read a press statement from the Kenya Tourism Board on the state of the country's tourism industry and the security situation for visitors to the country.
Kenya tourism officials are working diligently to ensure the safety and security
of visitors to the country. In order to keep the traveling public up-to-date on
the situation on ground in Kenya, we are sending out continual updates on the
current state of affairs within the country with regard to the tourism
infrastructure.
January 16, 2008
21:50
Non-violence; the Kenyan protest for justice
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election violence

If you read the newspapers, magazines or anything on the internet, listen to the radio, watch television, or take note of the chatter in the markets, at fireplaces in remote villages across the land, weddings or funerals one thing does come out clearly. Kenyans across the country are horrified by the wave of extremism death and destruction that has visited their country. There is no point in blaming one person, or the last government, or the one before for our present state. The seeds that led to this uproar predate these governments and go back 50, 70 even 100 years. Essentially, the root causes of this violence are not as significant as what this violence points at, the fact that Kenyans finally feel that they have the first roots of what it takes to be a representative democracy- to try their hand at majority rule, not the will of the few.

Read more from David Obura here.
January 15, 2008
16:48
Marende (ODM) is Speaker of the Kenyan National Assembly
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election updates

Live blogging here.

Also members of parliament are sworn in.
January 09, 2008
22:18
An analysis of the violence
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election violence

While some of us grieve lost ones, and while thousands of Kenyans grapple with the reality of losing all their earthly possessions, it's time to reflect on how the violence escalated to these, previously unimaginable levels.

In my view the violenc and its drivers can be divided into several categories.

The spontaneous expression of outrage at the perceived flawed election.

Daniel Rubia has more here.
22:12
Am I my brother's keeper?
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

A few days ago, I had a discussion with a friend who works for a Kenyan media house. As I was not in whole-hearted agreement with his view that one side of the political divide was culpable for our present state, I was left in no doubt that I was a traitor to my own.

What is demanded it seems is ethnic, not, political persuasion. And there's the rub. How do we even begin to bridge the ethnic divide, because it does exist, how do you reach out to the other side when doing so may well lead to alienation from your own ethnic community? This is thr true tragedy of our polarised society, and a situation that I have found is not unique to myself.

Read more from Lucas Mboya.
22:01
The revolution has been televised!
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election analysis

The Kenyan media industry gave to the 2007 General elections intense, unparalleled, often partisan, coverage. This coverage has been blamed for the chaos that has engulfed the country after the final result announcement.

But this is not a black and white issue, and the media is not wholly to blame.

Read more from Toni Kamau here.
January 07, 2008
11:15
What do PNU people really think?
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

On the Presidency
We do not believe that Mwai Kibaki is the legitimate president of Kenya but he is the legal president of Kenya.

On ethnicity--Hamisi's article features a slur against the Agikuyu, claiming that they do not want to compromise, that Mwai Kibaki would be disgracing himself if he compromised.

On the speedy, stealthy inaugurationThere was a real air of uncertainty surrounding the country at the time with riots and violence in the western city of Kisumu.

A combined article by Vitalis Oyudo and Stephen Wainaina. Read more here.
January 03, 2008
23:32
The Way Forward: Suggestions for Political Solutions to Kenya’s Crisis
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election violence

Kenya is in deep crisis. It is sitting on the precipice of a fully-fledged ethnic-based violent rupture. As death, mayhem, and possible genocide unravel, Kenyan politicians and leaders seem dangerously unwilling or unable to show genuine and effective leadership in ending the ethnic strife pitting their supporters.

In refusing to seek an immediate end to the ethnic strife, perhaps each side hopes to somehow gain the upper hand in the resolution of the post-election crisis. This is both dangerous and unacceptable. It is needlessly stoking tension and violence as innocent Kenyans get killed by overzealous supporters of each camp. Both the Kibaki and Raila camp must act immediately to end the madness. Everything else must come after that.

Read more here.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Written by:
Prof. James Gathii is the Governor George E. Pataki Professor of International Commercial Law Albany Law SchoolProf.
Dismas A. Masolo is the Justus Bier Professor of Humanities and Distinguished University Scholar and Professor of Philosophy, University of Louisville, Louisville, KentuckyProf.
Joel Ngugi is an Assistant Professor of Law, University of Washington, Seattle
Ms. Atieno Caroline Odhiambo is a Human Rights Lawyer in Seattle
Dr. Kiarie Mwaura is a Visiting Fellow, Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School and Lecturer in Law, Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Prof. Sylvia Kang’ara is an Assistant Professor of Law, University of Washington, Seattle
12:47
Today I Cried
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election violence

I consider myself a patriot, one true and pure in my love and devotion to Kenya. To understand how I got here, you would have to know my life story. Too long to be told here, but one that must be heard to understand my journey. I will not attempt to make you understand me, I fear it may be an impossible task. Besides, I may only have your attention for the next few minutes. Instead I will tell you about the two days that I came to realize just what being Kenyan is about.

Read more from Doris Sadera.
January 01, 2008
10:54
ODM: Give us the evidence
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007 results

Much has been said about the recently concluded presidential election that Raila Odinga lost but which still gave his party sufficient constituency wins to control parliament.

There is a feeling of resignation, shock and being cheated at the electoral loss and this is fully understandable. Those of us old enough will recall the 1992 election where everyone thought they would beat the KANU candidate Daniel Arap Moi but he still came out triumphant. Opposition leaders screamed that Moi had rigged the elections and even FORD Asili's Kenneth Matiba went the extra mile to file a petition in court, one which ultimately failed on a technicality.

Read more from Kamale T here.
December 31, 2007
20:08
Walking into the New Year
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election updates

The world's eyes are on Kenya as we usher in the New Year, perched on the edge of an abyss, an abyss beyond which we could plunge into darkness and death.

With the riots and mayhem of the last few days there is for all of us a sense of loss and little to celebrate considering the cloud of fear hanging over the country. Many of our brothers and sisters are in mourning for those lives we have lost. Our disagreements are threatening to erode many of the important strides we have made.

Read the rest of kenyaImagine's editorial here.
9:36
The state of Kenya: updates
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: post election updates

The recent violence and subsequent suspension of live television has given rise to several rumors across the nation.

Here are reports from credible media sources.
December 30, 2007
3:34
Live Election Updates
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Updated as it happens!! Get your news here, and a chance to discuss with other Kenyans the process and status of the elections.

Read here.
December 29, 2007
1:01
Let's be patient
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007 results

It has been said that this election and the campaign period preceding it have been far more violent and turbulent than the 2002 election. Still, Kenyans have conducted themselves in a manner that is much to be admired, even if some of their leaders have showed the most poor form.

Read more from Vitalis Oyudo.
0:59
Election Updates II: ODM questions delay
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007 results

At a press conference held early this morning ODM leaders, William Ruto, Joseph Nyagah and Tony Gachoka expressed their concern on the delay of votes.

UPDATED EVERY FIVE MINUTES-- live blogging of the ECK press conference.

More updates..... .
December 28, 2007
23:10
Provisional Parliamentary Results
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007 results

Published here is a scroll of all the parliamentary results. It has become clear that there are anomalies in the previosuly published reports here. We hope that in going through this list readers can verify and correct to what has been announced by the ECK and the mainstream media.
13:39
Why did we vote the way we did?
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

The results of the election are quickly coming in and reports from around the country indicate very high turnouts. However, it still not clear to me exactly what inspired voters around the country.

High turnouts are a traditional indicator that voters are passionate, that they are not apathetic, that they are involved and want to take charge of their destiny. I want to join with people around the country in their pride about this election, especially in the results on the parliamentary seats. I want to say we are a democratic people, that we have set an example for other third world countries, that all that is left is ensuring accountability, but was there any design to yesterday's vote, or were factors like tribe, manipulation and euphoria more important than an analysis of the candidates?

Read more from Amir Ibrahim here.
13:35
Keeping the promise, is it payback time for the Rift Valley?
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

The election results are still streaming in and Raila has taken what appears to be an unassailable lead though there are still those hopeful that there are another 3 or so million votes to be counted and these could turn the tables.

But that is not what I want to write about. As most readers will recall, following the 2002 elections, there was this continuous talk of how much the Agikuyu and President Kibaki owed Raila for his triumph over Uhuru Kenyatta. This was repeated so many times it was taken as the truth, and forms part of the casus belli that led to the fallout between the two politicians and their followers.

Read more from Kamale T.
3:53
Kenyan Elections Update
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

The Day After: Friday, 28th December, 2007
I have a racking headache this morning. Yesterday was a tough, nay, gruelling day. Yeah, and so much so. It was Election Day; the most competitive, much anticipated issue-based election since independence. I was among the last people at the polling station having stood in the hot sun for almost half a day. Read more here.

Election Updates
Have you any news on the elections? Please share it here. It needn't be anything untoward or alarming, although news of that will be very much appreciated also. Even news on the turnout, any delays in opening and so on is welcome. Are there enough observers about? Are there long queues? Do the Commission's officials look like they will cope with the hard work? Read here as Kenyans give their election experience.

Sources, sources
This post here has links to different websites that have updated data on the election.

Parliamentary votes, winners and losers
This election has some big losers. Who are they? Read more here.

Why I did not vote
I decided to boycott this year's elections. All the candidates running for both parliament and the president's office have been promising the world to the electorate when they know very well that they will not be able deliver nor will they make an effort to do so once assuming public office. Kibaki was the only one silent about the constitutional review and it's adaptation. Read more here.

Picha za Kura
Here are snapshots from polling stations in Kenya.
December 23, 2007
12:47
Too Close to Call
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

You could cut the tension in Nairobi with a knife, everyone seems to have taken sides and even those who have not, are fully aware that this is a high stakes affair with a sense of doom written all over it.

The air is rife with rumours, most of them about an attempt by the government to rig the election. Other topics of fervent discussion include allegations that the government will not hand over to the ODM should it be beaten on Thursday.

Read more from Maina Gichangi.
December 22, 2007
9:09
Opinion Polls in Kenya
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Kenyans have never been very good at predicting election outcomes. In 1992, one Kenneth Matiba was widely expected to beat President Moi at the elections. The buzz about his campaign was like nothing the country had ever seen.

The amount of money he spent on the election was without parallel in our history. He also had the crowds, massive ones and these all over the country. Unlike the other opposition parties which were largely ethnic in their makeup, he had backers in all the provinces and was riding on a wave of euphoria that was truly gigantic. With charisma in buckets, he infected his supporters with such an enthusiasm they struck a real terror in the establishment's heart.

More here from Vitalis Oyudo on the impact of opinion polls on the Kenyan electorate.
December 03, 2007
11:23
Erase and rewind, I've changed my mind
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

A month before the elections, opinion polls keep showing a stubborn 3-4% of Kenyans that have refused to side with one side over the other. It is not hard to see why.

Read more from a Kenyan voter- Annette Keino.
November 30, 2007
20:43
Election Euphoria in Kenya
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

The Catholics Bushops Conference has elected to issue in the midst of the increasing bigotry, intra-religious turf wars and tribal & religious hate-mongering, a refreshing breathe of tolerance, soberness and secularism.

Read and discuss what the Catholic Bishops of Kenya had to say here.
20:38
In the matter of Emilio versus Amolo
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

On 27th December 2007, Kenyans go to the polls to elect a new President. New in this case means recently elected rather than elected for the first time. Yet, according to recent opinion polls, it could very well be that the word new may refer to both definitions.

There are two front runners for the post of President. The incumbent Mwai Kibaki is running on a party named the Party of National Unity whilst the main challenger Raila Odinga is running on a party known as the Orange Democratic Movement.

Read more here.
November 28, 2007
12:36
NAMLEF release Raila MoU
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

The National Muslim Leaders Forum has released what it says is the MoU entered into with Raila Odinga. It says the intention and objective of signing the MoU was to safeguard the interests and welfare of a section of the Kenyan Muslims that has undergone atrocities over the last 44 years.

Read more from Tony Gathungu here.
November 26, 2007
15:34
The Secret MoU
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

This week just gone I was subjected to the horror of listening in as my countrymen described how they would put us Muslims in our place if we ever got to try and implement our secret deal with Raila Odinga.

It would be dishonest to claim I was not angry. These were after all solidly middle class students, the kind of people that should properly be immune to the hateful propaganda machinations of the political parties. It is also true that as an agnostic with a nickname that does not betray my cultural background, those making these statements did not think I would be threatened by their invection. Perhaps they even thought it natural that I would be in agreement with their scheme, that I would offer up ideas on how to deal with the Islamic threat. Now hours later, I am left asking myself why this has come to pass. Have Kenyan Christians and Muslims not lived side by side in mostly sunny forbearance for aeons? What has changed?

Read more from Amir Ibrahim here.
November 16, 2007
17:40
Manifestos: Commitments on Paper
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Now that all the major parties have released their manifestos, it is time to analyse them. At first glance they appear pretty similar with ideas like the doubling of the economy's size, maintaining a 10% growth or even better a 24 hour Nairobi City appearing in more than one document.

Read more on Kamale T's assessments.
November 13, 2007
22:39
Things fall apart, the danger of ODMnomics
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

There was once an African country that was the wealthiest in its region, it had the best-educated population and its factories produced the goods that filled the shelves in its neighbours' shops.

Then came a president who had new ideas, very passionately held, about how to make his country even wealthier. He said the country needed to develop its own style of government, one that was uniquely tuned to addressing its needs. He spent vast sums, upto 60% of the budget on mega-projects. As he had reversed progress made in revenue collection by previous governments, his new government had to inaugurate an entirely new regime at the revenue authority. At the same time, the authority's budget was cut into by the fact that there was much less in tax collections, the president having exonerated large sections of the working population from the tax burden. He nationalised companies that had previously been privatised and antagonised the financial markets with endless investigations and insinuations. Rent controls served to kill the fledgling property and mortgage markets.

Read more from Vitalis Oyudo.
October 28, 2007
4:50
Can Kibaki Still Win?
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

A closer study of the Kenyan political scene when read in conjuction with the recent polls by the Steadman Group indicates that with proper planning, President Kibaki can be beaten at the December polls but still win his seat back.

Read more from Kamale T.
October 22, 2007
20:56
Not the miracle man!
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Mwingi South MP Kalonzo Musyoka was in his element last Sunday gone, buoyed along by the massive turnout to his campaign's official launch at Uhuru Park. The former long serving Kanu organizing secretary is arguably the best political propagandist the country has ever produced. He was as eloquent as always, even though little from the team he fronted, Bahari MP Joe Khamisi excepted, suggested that they meant in any way what they were pontificating.

Read here Solomon Gakungu's criticism of Kalonzo Musyoka.
October 11, 2007
16:25
Parliament as a Big Brother House
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Reality TV is an essential part of the zeitgeist , and no part of it more emblematic than the phenomenon of the Big Brother TV show. Question is, is that spirit transferrable? Shouldn't we watch our MPs just as closely?

The idea of regular live coverage of parliament has already been mooted, so this fantasy is not too far from fruition. But what is it all about?

Find out here.
October 10, 2007
20:33
Interview with a possible MP
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

In these series, kenyaImagine ask a list questions of young Kenyans who are throwing themselves into the politcal ring. DO they represent a new Kenya? What problems stand in their way? Do they deserveto win?

Download a questionnare here to forward onto aspiring members of parliament.

The first of these is Ole Mepukori. Read his interviews here.
13:42
Let's do away with the Muslim vote
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

There has been a trend in Kenyan politics and this most prevalent among the media and political classes to speak of the Muslim vote, a collective that needs to be courted and won over by the parties and their candidates.

Amir Ibrahim demonstrates that Kenyan Muslims are not a monolithic demographic entity. Read more here.
October 09, 2007
22:06
The Right Not to Vote
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

I consider myself a responsible and fully-paid up member of my society. I participate in the PTA at my daughter's school, and I am involved in the neighborhood council.

We do not do anything too exciting in our council; it's only putting together the funds for the refuse collection, and that for the neighborhood guards. We also put money together for the resurfacing of the road that passes through our little enclave.

It is an enclave alright, and we are its little government. We have blocked the two entrances to our road. We have put up a ten-foot wall on the one-end, with electric fencing at the top; and we have a massive gate (again with electric fencing on top) at the front-end. At the gate we have two guards, ex-policemen who are under instruction not to let anyone come uninvited into our little piece of calm and tranquility. We have long given up on the ability of the local government and the central government to deliver the services we should properly expect from our taxes.

Annette Keino demonstrates why none of the political parties nor the candidates that represent them are worthy of her vote. Read more here.
October 03, 2007
5:22
Moi's Strange Plan for Kenya
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

On Madaraka Day in 2002, former President Moi posited that Kenya's problems could not be solved this century. He predicted that Africa would continue to wallow in poverty, corruption, tribalism and disease forever.

Solomon Gakungu advices against listening to the former president. Read more here.
October 01, 2007
20:36
Unchanged; Kenya after the last election
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

As we consider our choices at the next election, and ponder the utility of elections in promoting good governance. What also of the specific pledges that politicians are making now?

Read here as Bertil Mketu assesses the political growth or lackthereof in Kenya and watch a slide show detailing Kenyan newsmedia coverage of the previous elections.
20:33
Kibaki Needs a Miracle
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

President Mwai Kibaki trails his fierce rival Raila Odinga in Kenya's latest electioral opinion polls. Even this early in the game, the margin seems unassailable as Raila moves into a position of dominance across the regions.

George Nyangweso wonders how President Kibaki will make a case for his re-election. Read more here.
September 25, 2007
15:53
Joining forces against Raila
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

After waiting a long time, we have seen a circus of tribal chiefs supporting President Kibaki's re-election as they launched PANU, a coalition whose aim is to maintain the status quo at all costs.
By their speeches it was quite apparent that they live in morbid fear of one Raila Odinga. Ministers Chirau Mwakwere and Simeon Nyachae captured the frustration and fears of the ruling class against the indomitable ODM flag bearer.

On June 7th last year I had predicted in a local daily that a Moi/ Kibaki/ Kenyatta axis would inevitably emerge if ODM flag bearer Raila Odinga clinches the ODM ticket. In light of this, the dramatic endorsement of Mwai Kibaki by Moi and then Uhuru Kenyatta did not come as a major surprise. I have deliberately mentioned the two since they are the main pillars of this reactionary group.

Read more as Solomon Gakungu opines on the race to Kenya's presidency this December.
15:40
The man who could not be bothered
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

The one thing that came out glaring from last week's news was the fact that Mwai Kibaki will lose the General Election, even with all the advantages of incumbency and the inertia he enjoys as head of state.

Mwai Kibaki is not a bad man; he is no more corrupt than Raila Odinga. He is no more a tribalist than our first President Kenyatta ever was, and neither is he a violent man. By all accounts he is a God-fearing, kindly family man with an excellent educational background and a long career in politics. What he is not by a long shot is a leader, and for all those Kenyans who are opposed to a Raila Odinga presidency, nothing could be more disheartening.

Read Stephen Wainaina assesses the Kibaki presidency here.
15:36
All that's wrong with political party financing
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

In the absence of strict legal controls, political party financing in Kenya will always retain a link to serious financial crime and money-laundering.

The phrase "money laundering" gained prominence during the Watergate Scandal when President Richard Nixon's Campaign Committee moved illicit campaign donations to Mexico and then brought the funds back through a shell corporation in Miami.

Closer home, in every election yea, Kenyans experience extraordinary generosity from their politicians. The countryside comes alive with new projects and unsolicited donations towards various courses. Is this excessive benevolence always genuine? And if so who funds it?

Read more here from Capt. Collins Wanderi Munyiri.
15:24
Magara and Ruto as guilty as Nyachae
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

While condemning Simeon Nyachae for the acts of savagery committed by his hoodlums against MPs Omingo Magara, and William Ruto, Kenyans should not ignore the part the victims played in the events.

Magara, the South Mugirango MP, and his Eldoret North counterpart should bear responsibility for their decision to storm Nyachae’s rally. The two MPs should have known – given the nature of political fundamentalists during campaigns – that walking, uninvited, into a gathering called by one of Gusii’s most vicious men was bound to result in violent confrontation. There is no doubt that prior to the attacks, Magara was aware that Nyachae gets extremely aroused by orgies of violence.

Read more here from Ombuya Okong'o.
September 23, 2007
4:00
Is KACC past its sell-by date
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Parliament voted this week to deny the KACC's quest for extra powers, limiting its authority to take on corruption cases that precede the 2003 Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.

Coming so close after the leak of the Kroll Report and just prior to the beginning of the campaign season, the questions abound. Is this a cynical attempt to stand in the way of the Executive in an election year? Is it an example of MPs oppossing everything from the government for the sake of embarassing it? Or is the KACC and its boss truly a waste of taxpayers resources, undeserving of our sympathies and support? Should Ring'eera stand down?

Read more here.
3:53
All that's wrong with political party financing
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

In the absence of strict legal controls, political party financing in Kenya will always retain a link to serious financial crime and money-laundering.

The phrase "money laundering" gained prominence during the Watergate Scandal when President Richard Nixon's Campaign Committee moved illicit campaign donations to Mexico and then brought the funds back through a shell corporation in Miami.

Read more here. from Capt. Collins Wanderi Munyiri.
3:48
Kalonzo Musyoka on Taxation
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Read here Kalonzo Musyoka's tax platform for Kenya if elected president.
September 21, 2007
2:45
Election; mere politics, no development on the agenda
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

As Kenya approaches the next general elections, political contenders have cast away all pretensions. They are now engaged in real , of ethical inhibitions, in their attempt to lure voters to their side.

Capt. Collins Wanderi Munyiri urges Kenyans to vote on issues. Read more here.
September 20, 2007
2:18
Kibaki's new Democracy
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Is it possible, that the decision by Kibaki to go for a PNU arrangement with an array of parties supporting him but remaining distinct, may lead to enhanced democracy in Kenya?

Kamale T analyses President Kibaki's strategy for the next general election. Read more here.
1:02
The two horse race
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

One way or the other, a majority of Kenyans are affected by poverty, insecurity, low quality education, inadequate health services, a lack of social welfare programs and huge disparities in income.

Growing unemployment, tribalism, massive corruption, disempowerment, escalating prices of basic commodities and a desperate hopelessness are also continuing to ravage our society.

Job Obonyo assesses two of Kenya's presidential candidates-- Raila Odinga and Mwai Kibaki. Read more here.
September 18, 2007
1:21
Unleashing the media oligopoly on Raila
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Faisal Aideed's reaction to an article in the East African Standard.

But the question is , will Kenya buy into this clever propaganda? Sadly, history tells us that our people are indeed gullible and given the particular concentration' of media ownership in the hands of pro-establishment operatives and sympathizers ,we can expect more of similarly crafted "neutral" pieces in all the dailies and their affiliated non-print outlets that will sell Kibaki's re-election through negative campaigning against his opponents.

Read more here.
September 17, 2007
22:32
ODM’s fatal flaw and Kibaki’s masterstroke
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Even the neutral observer must have felt that the laid-back campaign style of the Kibaki team was denying us a true contest in the election year.

While ODM went about the country winning converts in mass rallies, the forces around President Kibaki seemed destined for another performance like the 2005 referendum where they waged an incompetent campaign and doomed themselves to an easy defeat.

Read more from Amir Ibrahim here.
September 15, 2007
6:21
Raila Odinga's Denver Speech
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Read and discussed presidential candidate's Raila Odinga's speech to Kenyans in the Diaspora.

Here.
September 03, 2007
11:44
Angels with dirty faces
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

There's many ways to wage an election campaign. Whipping up the public emotion and demonizing your opponent so as to turn the public against him is one of the more commonly used, and one of the most effective. In a nutshell, this strategy involves painting one's team as angels, and the opposing side as demons bent on the destruction of the public good. The danger with this approach, which presents itself as very cost-effective, is that it places the angels in a position of great disadvantage.

Read here as Amir Ibrahim asks the ODM party to have an issues campaign versus a morality one.
September 01, 2007
3:09
Justice without vengeance
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

In the aftermath of the Kroll Report, and of President Moi's announcement that he would back President Kibaki's re-election, many have tried to draw an equivalence between the stand of Raila Odinga, and that of President Kibaki. It is important however, that we note and take into account the difference between political rhetoric and action. Kenya does have a terrible past, but it is important that the leadership is able to seperate its passions against those crimes from the steps it will take to remedy them.

Job Obonyo reacts to the Kroll Report.
August 29, 2007
12:41
Moi throws his lot in with Kibaki
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

In an announcement yesterday that has been coming for months, former President Moi declared that he would be supporting the re-election bid of President Kibaki at the general elections later this year.

What do you think? Join the kenyaImagine discussion here.
August 25, 2007
15:49
Political responsibility and transfer payments from Nairobi
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

In a move likely to go down like a bitter pill in Parliament, but a sweet lozenge elsewhere the government this Friday announced the appointment of professionals to manage Constituency Development Funds.

Read more here as Stephen Wanyama on spending public funds.
August 24, 2007
0:46
Constricted political space and forced allies
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

It was not a big headline, but it may count for more than is obvious. Former Cabinet Minister and Marakwet MP Linah Jebii Kilimo has packed her bags, left the ODM 'bash' and returned to support the government. I am not going to speculate on the exact reasons for the departure of the Marakwet legislator, who was famous not just for her courage in advocating the rights of women in her area before she came to Nairobi, but also for her resolution when she chose to quit the government and serve ODM. But it is curious that she should return now, to the very people and group she had previously made speeches against, and from whose grip she had sought to redeem her people.

More from Amir Ibrahim here.
0:44
Our tribes, our rights
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

I remember having a conversation with a lawyer friend of mine, where we were discussing whether the jury system of resolving court cases would be viable in Kenya. The jury system ,you would know, is one in which the accused is tried by his peers who, based on the facts presented in court determine his guilt or innocence and thus his fate. He laughed in my face, at my naiveté in conjuring up such a notion. This was not because mine was an unsound proposition but , he said, because I had failed to consider how deeply entrenched tribalism is in this country.

Read more from Sophie Mukwana here.
July 26, 2007
0:04
New constituencies - much ado about nothing?
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Kenya has at present 210 constituencies, which number is the maximum legal limit. The government has in recent weeks sought to increase that number of seats.

How can a balance be struck, and is the problem the government's unilateral approach or is the opposition making a fuss over nothing? The Constitution does after all demand constituency revisions every 10 years.

What do you think?
July 22, 2007
18:59
Kalonzo Musyoka, Quiet Visionary?
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Sonia Maina on Kalonzo Musyoka's vision.

When delving as per presented in his manifesto, his vision for Kenya’s direction speaks a modern persona, a stark contrast to the coalition bargaining chip he is most often portrayed by the media. His vision appears practical, concise, noble, simple and powerful. It taps into fundamental realities, similar to Franklin Roosevelt’s 1933 inauguration speech during the great depression likewise amidst the poverty the corruption and woes acknowledged and for Kenyans to aspire to integrity.

Read more here.
July 21, 2007
12:52
Communal Psychoses :- truth or slur
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Stephen Wanyama reacts to a recent article by UNY Professor, Makau Mutua on ODM-K Presidential Candidate and Lang'ata MP described what he called a psychosis among the Luo.

Is there such a thing as communal psychosis, he wonders.

Read more here.
12:44
The Kenyan Outsider
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Amir Ibrahim on Kamlesh Pattni's presidential bid.

Pattni: But today is a sad day; the saddest day in my life. I sat there as my application was rejected. I cried for the first time in many years, not since my conversion have I been so emotional. Reality sets in; they are trying to talk to me now. Trying to explain that all they want is a process that ensures my papers are in order. I overhear some of the MPs claiming that I would not win too many votes out of Nairobi, or out of Parklands; and then suddenly they change their minds. I think I know what it is, they want that million shillings for the Secretariat.

Read more here.
July 17, 2007
13:22
KANU's last wish - video
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

KANU Chairman and Gatundu South MP, Uhuru Kenyatta demands that ODM-K accept corporate membership, that it sees itself not as a collective of individuals, but as a collective of parties.

Where does KANU go from here, and apart from Uhuru who may profit from not being associated with a party opposed to President Kibaki, does any KANU MP really stand a chance outside of the big coalitions?

Watch the video here.
0:49
War on Mungiki
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

The Kenyan government promised Mungiki a no holds-barred struggle, and in the last month, the police have lived up to their word.

Every single day, tens of Kenyans are injured or killed in violence that the media attributes to the Mungiki phenomenon. In our question of the week, we ask your opinions on the violence, and on the extra-judicial response of the state. Is oath-taking in itself a reason for police executions? We also show video from some of the affected areas, with frog-marches and whole neighbourhoods of wananchi are forced to lie on their bellies as interrogations are carried out. Reminisces of the Emergency? You decide.

Watch the videos and join in on the discussion here.
July 11, 2007
19:05
Packaging Politicians; PR in Kenyan Politics
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2008

John Victor Ogot urges Kenyan politicians to have have public relations consultants to control their public image.
Mistakes will no doubt be made, and your average attention seeking politician is
likely to let fly something he will regret as soon as it leaves his mouth.
However, the conduct of interviews and press releases is controllable.

Read more here.
July 10, 2007
18:33
Strawmen, Liars and Matches
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Vitalis Oyudo takes us on a civics lesson questioning Kenyans who will not vote for Raila because of his tribe. In his assessment of ODM-K, Oyudo advises:

Now, there is obviously going to be competition in ODM-K, but this will have to be conducted wisely if the party is to survive in any form at all. The only victory that can come from the current state of affairs will likely leave even the victor badly hurt, much like our one-eyed neighbour above. Negative campaigning of the sort conducted against Kalonzo Musyoka all year does nothing but demean its proponents in the public eye. He certainly does not seem to have done anything to deserve it, and with a negative stereotype already attached to Raila, the keenness of this crusade against Kalonzo will only make the Mwingi MP look more like the under-dog, prevailing against the oppressive forces that far outnumber and outpower him. For many of us, Kalonzo has been turned from an outsider to a heavyweight challenger merely by the fact that Raila and his crowd hate him so much. We are now being forced to ask, to what is it they are so violently opposed?
Read more here.
18:24
Raila does not deserve this kind of treatment
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2008

Mwangi Muiruri assesses "undue" criticism on presidential candidate Raila Odinga. He says ODM-K, while with a large following, is headed the wrong direction with the wrangles for power at the top.

When the chips are finally down, ODM-K may go into the annals of history as the party with had the largest following, but squandered its huge advantage and lost a general election it. True, the referendum may have been a different ball game, but there is no denying that the momentum it initially gave ODM-K, has for most of the year simply been unassailable.
Read more here.
July 08, 2007
11:29
Kalonzo's Role in the 2nd Liberation
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Rabet Mataari on presidential aspirant Kalonzo Musyoka's recent interview with the Daily Nation.

Kalonzo has variously been described as a late-comer to Kenya's agitation for change, and as part and parcel of the KANU system. In a recent interview with the Daily Nation, he sought to dismiss this perception of him as erroneous.
Read more here.
July 06, 2007
2:10
Fantasy Cabinet, who's your team?
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

The election has been won, and you are President. Who had you picked to run by your side as President?
Who are your key Ministers? What ministries would you consider your key Ministries? There's a lot of talk now about boosting women into top positions, would you take that road? As President, you can nominate a few people into Parliament, and perhaps you would like to make some of them ministers. Would these include some non-politicians, who and why?

Any other key appointments? Who would be your Chief Whip? Key ambassadors? Any new ministries?
Join the kenyaImagine community as we discuss our dream team here.
June 06, 2007
22:53
Mudavadi Tosha?
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Dave Nyambati assesses Musalia Mudavadi's political career. Can he be the next president of Kenya?
A compromise candidate. No one currently in ODM-K fit that tab better than Musalia. Raila and Kalonzo (and others) trust Musalia to hold to whatever pact they concert on after the election more than they trust each other. They would also control the ODM-K base of MPs effectively checking Musalia’s power as the executive. What’s more, Musalia this time round would garner the support of the coveted Luhya community as a legitimate presidential candidate and is a much less polarizing figure to the rest of country than most of the other candidates. ODM-K would be able to hold its coalition, with Kalonzo and Raila appearing to have sacrificed their aspirations for the ‘good’ of the nation. Musalia may have the last laugh after all!
Read the rest here.
June 02, 2007
0:10
Sit down with Mungiki-- video
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Mungiki have been terrorizing Kenyans for the last several weeks. The murder of several citizens has got out of hand. Onyango Oloo here suggests why the government needs to sit down and engage Mungiki in dialog.

We also have three videos on the Mungiki.
May 16, 2007
9:35
Bound to the mast
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

When the Anglo-Leasing scandal broke out, in the din that was raised from out of the bowels of Kenya one thing was conspicuous. The silence from its centre. Similarly, if you were to point out the anti-democratic credentials of the President and his inner circle, or his role in the creation and establishment of the KANU tyranny, the people of Central Kenya would likely rise up in protest. Most people in this part of the country even believe that the misrule of Kenya started in 1978 when Moi became President and not in 1963. Any comment or criticism of the Kibaki or Kenyatta governments, even here on this site is met by sheer hostility from these same quarters. Also, any suggestions of nepotism in public appointments, or of shielding such ‘cousins' from the full effect of the law are met with equal disapproval no matter how factual they may be.

Amir Ibrahim argues against Kenyans electing men who will take advantage of their position by getting their way instead of serving the people.
April 28, 2007
6:45
Kenyans; our Own Worst Enemies
» ‎ Kenya Imagine

Tags: election 2007

Ask Kenyans what kind of leaders they want in government and they will tell you precisely - almost in unison:
Those who will create good jobs, construct smooth highways, make education affordable, reduce crime and stem corruption. The latter is especially important because achieving it makes the preceding expectations possible. It therefore, makes sense for Kenyans to speak out against graft, and they do so every day - loudly.
Ombuya Okong'o, " Let's advocate patience, one of the most important African values. (Haraka haina baraka). It takes weeks or even months for a person bitten once by a dog to heal; a country left in the hands of hyenas for four decades will take at least that many years to recover."
Read more.