Double faced liberators 2.0

The wise said, Uzuri wa mkakasi ndani kipande cha mti (Underneath that ornate jewelry box is a piece of wood.) This cannot be far from the truth in the case of Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka. The man looks good; his hair always well kempt; always in nice suits; speaks like an angel; and above all professes to be saved by the blood of none other than Jesus Christ Himself. That was the image until Sarah Elderkin made an attempt to find out what lay beneath that flashy humble man.

http://www.eastandard.net/archives/sunday/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143963001&date=24/12/2006

Kalonzo Musyoka and Rev. Gilbert Deya

From what we know now, the holy man is not the saint he professes to be. He is a common criminal who has been saved by political connections. Just like the rest of our so-called leaders, Kalonzo has taken shelter under his tribe. Any attempts to make him face justice are always met by “our tribe-is-being-finished”. He survives to eat another day.

The holy man from Mwingi North inflates his mileage claims just like he has inflated his image. This man of God took the Summon on the Mountain (where Jesus fed a multitude with 2 fish and five loaves) into his own hands. In one month, Kalonzo cooked his mileage reimbursement claims to a tune of sh 559,000 above what he was justified to get! God must have really worked on Kalonzo’s odometer and trip setter.

What people do for political mileage!

.

Kalonzo did not fail to see his detractors’ hands when he was asked to pay back the money. “I think this is a witch-hunt. They have looked for skeletons in our cupboards but they have failed to find any. We have to call that bluff and that’s what I have just done,” Kalonzo said.
http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=17239&date=6/4/2005

I think these so called liberators have hijacked our quest for a better Kenya and used it to sanitize their pasts. When they are caught with their hands in the cookie jar they will invoke the name of holy Wanjiku.

Double faced liberators 1.0

"I came to Moi’s aid when the Government wanted to take away his houses and sue him over Goldenberg during my days as the Minister for Roads."

Those are the words of a Raila Amolo Odinga. Yes the man who promises us that he will make sure that no stone will be left unturned until all the corrupt people are brought to book should he become Kenya's 4th president. Here he is telling us that he used his position as Minister for Public Works, Roads and Housing to protect Moi’s House! He is also proud to tell us that he protected Baba Moi from facing prosecution over GOLDENBERG! Looks like we have a new definition of corruption!
http://www.eastandard.net/archives/sunday/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143961640&date=26/11/2006

Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi and George Saitoti pledging loyalty to

Mzee Baba na Mama wa Taifa, Mtukufu Rais Daniel Arap Moi.

We all know about Moi’s role in the Goldenberg; but what is this house that Raila is talking about?

The Kabarnet Gardens of course.

Raila Odinga knows more about the so-called Kabarnet Gardens because his family resided in it from 1963 to 1966. Raila is therefore in a position to know who the real owner of Kabarnet House is.

Kabarnet House was constructed in the 1940s to be the resident of the colonial deputy Governor. After independence, the house became home to Oginga Odinga –Kenya’s first Vice-President. Oginga was forced to resign terminating his tenancy at the residence. When Moi was appointed VP, he immediately moved into the house and continued to maintain it as his residence even when he was president. In the 80s, the Government built a new house on the property. The old building was maintained for it sentimental value.

In 2003 Kibaki took over from Moi with a promise to rectify past errors. Kibaki set up the Ministerial Committee on Public Properties. This committee’s work was to recover all government property that was grabbed and dished out to Kanu hawks. KICC and Kabarnet Gardens were top on the list.

Raila Odinga’s Minister for Public Works, Roads and Housing was to implement recommendations by public properties committee. Raila went of a frenzy of destroying kiosks that were located on road reserves. May buildings were condemned and bulldozers sent in. People who had bought such properties believing that they were legitimate were shocked to be chased like common criminals.

Now we know that as the small fries like Wanjiku were being rendered homeless, the big fish like Moi were given VIP treatment. The same people who cut deals to frustrate the war on corruption are now claiming that the government is not doing enough. It is this kind of hypocrisy that has created a systemic impunity where to fat cats cut deals with each other and get away with murder.

Raila Odinga in a photo op with a building under demolition

Here is what our children thought of the demolitions http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/Supplements/ynation/current/story290220042.htm

As we sip the euphoria being served by ODM, let us do it with caution. These goons are pretending to be pro democracy, pro-justice and anti-corruption but their actions are no different from those of their friends in Narc. The culture of Ngo slow (as Githongo paraphrased Kiraitu) is here to stay as long as we keep on recyling the same faces who owe favors to each other.

They say actions speak louder than words. In this case Raila’s action of protecting corruption tells us a lot about his words that he will fight corruption. Be cautious with this breed of demagogues. They are out to protect their own interests and not yours.

Mosaisi

Kibera: Can clean guys please stand up!

Let me open by saying that I do not subscribe to Ndura Waruinge and his Mungiki doctrine. Ndura Waruinge is a cold murderer should be in jail. My opinion on what happened in Kibera should therefore not be taken or be used to support Mungiki’s cause –if at all they nave one.

Before I go on, I will like to point out that in a democracy, even the devil has a right to be heard. In any civilized country, the police are given an obligation to be custodians of the law and to enforce the law. Taking the law in ones hands is deemed illegal.

In Kenya we have such a police force. Its members are recruited from almost all ethnic groups of Kenya. I have never seen a Mr. Singh in police uniform. But I have also never met a Mr. Singh complaining that the force refused to hire him. We can however say that our police force is pretty much a picture of Kenya even though we have never met Singhs, Smiths, and Patels donning the blue outfit. I therefore will not be wrong if I said that ours is not a Kikuyu police force but a Kenyan one.

In the recent past, we have seen policemen engage the public in cat and mouse games. Some of these police actions were justified while others were a total abuse of power. We have seen some political interference in the way police conducts its operations.

When the police go into these operations, probability dictates that there will be a Mogaka, Atieno, Kiprotich, Wanjiru, Mohamed, Nafula, etc involved. I have never heard of a scenario where senior police officers only enlisted the services of Kamau, Maina and Njoki. It ridiculous when politicians come out a present it as though the police force is Kikuyu.

But what happened in Kibera?

If you are an Agwambonista you will say this was a clear case of a Kikuyu police force out to finish the Luos. You will go on to defend your fellow Agwambonistas claiming that they were justified to stone both Mungiki and the Kikuyu police force. In your opinion Ndura Waruinge is a criminal who should not address any meeting in Kibera.

If you are the Mungiki chief you will say: "I am going to stop at nothing until I make sure I express my feelings. I was peaceful until provoked and now I want to let Raila know that fire shall be returned with fire and I will make sure that I stop all the ODM rallies that will take place in Nairobi until I am given a chance to hold my rally."

Now let us look at what really happened.

The East African Standard says:

Waruinge had earlier called off his planned rally after police barred him from accessing the Laini Saba venue of his meeting.

Police were almost overwhelmed by chaos when at one time the rioting youth set upon a passing goods train with rocks, injuring the driver and forcing the train to come to a halt. The rain driver suffered a deep cut on the head.

At Gatwikira, which was the centre of the skirmishes, a police bullet ripped the skull of a young man whose body was left lying on the railway line.

As the two equipment trucks were escorted out of the venue sandwiched between a police van and a lorry load of armed police, some youths started pelting the vehicles with stones shattering their windscreens.

… the irate mob surged menacingly towards the trucks threatening to burn them down.
This prompted the police to lob tear gas canisters to repulse them, which triggered the bloody encounter that lasted for more than four hours.
One officer at the scene claimed some youth had guns and fired at police, forcing them to retaliate by firing at them.

http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143962682&date=18/12/2006



The Nation Says:



Trouble started at around 8am at an open ground at the Laini Saba area, the venue of the planned rally. A gang opposed to the rally had stormed the ground, forcing tho
Even with police presence at the grounds, people who were suspected to have supported the rally were beaten with sticks and clubs. se who had gathered to flee.
An attempt to set the company's (Nairobi Projectors Services) vehicles on fire was thwarted by police. However, the driver escaped narrowly after the vehicle's windscreen was shattered by a stone.



Nairobi police boss Njue Njagi said the two were shot in the head and stomach, adding that some of the protesters had firearms.
At one point, the Nation spotted a man in the crowd firing at a group of police officers, forcing them to take cover


The Kenya Times says:

The deaths and bloodshed had begun when Waruinge and his convoy snaked into the venue of the rally but police stopped him from addressing the rally at Darajani, using teargas canisters to disperse the crowd that had gathered.

Youths from Katwekera area, and allegedly allied to area MP Raila Odinga, are said to have attempted to burn two vehicles in Waruinge’s convoy that were mounted with public address systems.
http://www.timesnews.co.ke/18dec06/nwsstory/topstry.html


What is common in all these papers is that chaos broke out. Hoodlums allied to Raila fought with hoodlums allied to Waruinge. Some people in the crowd had guns and fired at the police. I find it demagoguery at its best for Raila to come out and claim that his supporters were by-standers. Raila’s fanatical supporters have never been by-standers when it comes to violence. They thrive on it and live for it. It looks like Ndura was exploiting this aspect of Raila supporters. May be that is why Waruinge said that he was testing waters?

Demonsrators displaying a snake they had killed

Raila fanatic are known to suppress anybody with views that have not been approved by Raila. Many have fallen victim to Raila sanctioned violence. At one time or another, Anyang’ Nyong’o, Raphael Tuju, James Orengo and Shem Ochuodho have been forced to run for their lives. In all these cases Raila and Tingamanics run to claim that they were victimized.



Today it is the same story again. Railamaniacs are claiming that the Kibera killing are a systematic genocide against the Luo people. They point out to the 69 event where Kenyatta’s security men opened fire on the crowd in response to stones that were thrown at him. They also point out the recent referendum chaos in Kisumu.

Gor Sunguh with a bag of money. Such funds are used to oorganize youth groups at the grassroots.

Tingalettes claim that Tuju forced his way into Kisumu even though he knew there was to be trouble. In their opinion Tuju should have stayed away because Kisumu was a declared Orange zone where Raila had read the constitution and found it flawed and so the masses were not supposed to hear the other side of the story. I call this Odinga democracy. In this democracy only the Odingas and their errand boys (sorry for this gender bias. It is because I have never met a Railamaniac woman.) should speak.

In the Kisumu fracas, the press carried stories and pictures showing that Tinga maniacs had blocked the roads; stones cars and private property; attacked police stations; and even snatched a pistol from an injured cop. They were bold enough to pose for TV and print media cameras displaying their spoils of war. They expected to get away with it because theirs was a noble mission to stop Tuju from contaminating the masses.

Kisumu Polytechnic students display a pistol allegedly used to shoot one of their colleagues during a Yes campaign rally held at Moi Stadium at the weekend.

Okoth Osewe –a prominent pro-democracy activist- went online with a rant that blamed Tuju for provoking the people of Kisumu.

Osewe happened to be one of many prominent “democracy activists” to come out and condemn Tuju for tying to address a meeting in Kisumu. Osewe and his group said, “To protect four corrupt Ministers and a handful of sycophantic Assistant Ministers who were flown into the city in a chattered plane from Nairobi to address a near empty stadium, 3,000 armed policemen in full riot gear were mobilized to Kisumu. They were backed by several blood thirsty hika hika Para-military General Service Unit (GSU) officially trained to rape, humiliate, cripple, disable, scare, terrorize, maim and kill their targets using machine guns, batons and open hands.”

Tuju answered these Raila fanatics saying: "If what I stand for is so unpopular, why can't they let me address my two or three people? If they are so popular, why attempt to stop the rally?"

No Tuju. These hoodlums own democracy. They decide who should speak and when. Democracy happens to be anything that favors their god. They are quick to glorify violence as long as it is them who are dishing it.

Before that dreadful day in Kisumu, Tuju had been chased by Raila hoodlums like a chicken that is supposed to become a meal. Tuju was even prevented from addressing his constituents as Raila hoodlums unleashed terror. Around that same time, Khalwale’s vehicle was set on fire as Orange hoodlums unleashed terror. WHERE WERE THESE SO-CALLED DEMOCRATS? Not a single one of them came out to condemn

http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=31149&date=26/10/2005

Raphael Tuju takes shelter after he was attacked in Rarieda

Kenyans have to address this issue of political. All the players in this game have blood on their hand. They have set brother against brother as they fight to control their tuff. We are only but foot soldiers who protect our political gods’ privilege to eat. Raila is as guilty has Waruinge. It is hypocritical of him to blame it wholesome on Waruinge when it is evident that he had a hand in the violence. How long will the poor continue to receive sh.100 in exchange of putting their lives on the line for the gods?

Kibaki -and not the Kikuyu- is doing the eating

It sure is a blessing to be born a Gema. As Cheruiyot puts it, "It is hard to succeed today in Kenya unless you are a Kikuyu." Being born Kikuyu means you don't have to chew food and you may not need to swallow it. You simply demand that it be digested by others then pumped into your blood. http://www.timesnews.co.ke/05dec06/insight/ins4.html

If you are a Kikuyu businessman you should not stock your shop. All you need to do is open your doors in the morning and be driven back to your house a rich man.

If you are a Kikuyu and you live in the slums, you are wasting your life. Haven't you realized that you are born with a Midas touch!! In addition they give you a magical lamp with a Jini who has endless offers to grant your wishes.

How soon has Cheruiyot forgotten that the same was said about Kalenjins. It is hardly 5 years since the Kalenjins' time to eat expired!

Tribalism in Kenya is a reality. But claiming that the Kikuyus, Merus and Embus met hand hatched a plot to dominate other Kenyans is simply taking it too far. In my opinion, it is classism and political dynasties that rule the country. The notions of "it is our time to eat" and "they have been eating for a long time" is a creation of politicians as they seek to keep their tribesmen in lumps. During the Nyayo era, a common man in Nyanza may have been better of than his brother from Baringo.

The MoU

I find it silly when Kenyans come out to defend the interests of politicians in the rubbished MoU. To them, the MoU was a pact between Kibaki and the people of Kenya. The reality is the MoU was between Kibaki and other politicians on how they were to share the spoils of war. Wanjiku did not feature in that document. Politicians are now using it to pull their tribesmen's heartstrings by telling them the evil Kikuyu stole the PM post and 50% of political appointments from them.

It is our assumption that had Raila been made a PM, Kenya will be a mini-heaven. That is not the case. Raila will have taken care of his own interests first, then the interests of his campaign donors, then the interests of his close friends. Your interests do not feature in his grand plan. That Kibaki denied him a job should be the least of Wanjiku's worries.

A majority of the politicians who claim that they were short changed are MPs. Ask them how they have used their powers in Bunge and you will risk losing your neck. Their record in Bunge stinks. They are professional politicians who rant 24/7 and do nothing to rectify the mistakes they rant about.

Wanjiku has more to ask from Kibaki and his ministers than the selfish MoU that he rubbished. Corruption is still rampant, the security situation is not getting any better, and our healthcare system is still in ICU etc. Why then should we rush to the rescue of politicians! Have they ever come to our rescue? Show me one politician who stood against the obscene tax free pay hikes they gave themselves and I will show you a man or woman who is on the side of Wanjiku.

The Constitution

Cheruiyot brings up the issue of the constitution and uses it show that Kikuyus are tribalist who are out to dominate on other Kenyans. He says that the constitution was pro-Kikuyu and that Kikuyu voted with their legs in the referendum.

The truth is 45% of Kenyans voted YES and 55% Voted NO. A close analysis will show you that in areas dominated by Luos, the vote was close to 100% NO. In Kikuyu dominated areas the vote was close to 100% YES. Therefore the Luo and Kikuyu dominated areas voted overwhelmingly for the No and Yes sides respectively. They were way off when you pit them against the national average. Why then is it in order for him to point out that Kikuyus were motivated by tribalism and not the Luo? Does he know that Prof. Olweny went around Luo Nyanza telling citizens not to read the constitution because Raila has read it and found it to be defective?

The fallacy of 2002 unification of Kenya

Voting along tribal blocks is and has been part of culture for a long time. Some people who want to stir balkanization of Kenyans are telling us that in 2002 Kenyans threw tribal blocks out of the window and joined to vote for a Kikuyu. They go on to tell us that the Kikuyus are now eating by themselves. This is a fallacy.

If indeed it is true that Kenyans -especially Luos- saw Kibaki in 2002 and just voted then it is only logical to have even 5% of Luos still supporting Kibaki. This is not the case.

What happened in 2002 was the same old tribal blocks thing. Tribal chiefs came together and hammered out a MoU. The MoU shared out big seats and created new seats. The tribal chiefs then went to their tribal base and told their followers that they will be made something should they vote for Kibaki. And it was done.

The same trick is now being played out. All parties are shopping for tribal chiefs as they try to create new coalitions. We have seen new tribal chiefs being created the latest being Ruto who was crowned the Kalenjin Elder. We saw Raila try to woo Ngilu and Kombo. The Kikuyu and Luo Ker are holding talks on how to bring Kikuyus into ODM. In Narc, Kibaki is offering carrots as he seeks to pocket tribal chiefs. The winner of the next election will not be the best leader for Kenya but a person who beats the rest in tribal math.

It is time we stopped our stupidity and practiced politics that is guided by interests as opposed to "it is our time to eat." We should realize that it is the rich and the well connected who are eating and not the Kikuyu. Kamani, Patni etc are neither Kikuyu nor Kalenjin but they ate before ordinary Kiprotich and Njoroge did.

It is stupid to assume that Kisiis abroad were shipped there by Nyachae and those in Kenya who own Matatus were given the Matatus by Nyachae. It is stupid to say that Kalenjins are thick by nature and only got admissions to the university through Moi. It is even stupider (sic) to think that you will have a chance to eat when your tribal chief ascends to power.

10 lies often spread about Raila Odinga

I found Makokha’s commentary on the Nation to be kind of sarcastic. Some people have taken his commentary as the truth and are using them as evidence of Raila’s nobility. I went over Makokha’s sarcasm and made it clearer for those who may have missed it.

http://nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=25&newsid=86879

Story by KWAMCHETSI MAKOKHA

Publication Date: 12/4/2006

On Saturday, Lang'ata MP Raila Odinga received the world-famous Africa Link Solidarity Award for Champions of Democracy alongside Ghanaian President John Kufuor. This award, which is so coveted, should silence all those people who have been spreading malicious falsehoods about Mr Odinga.

That Mr Odinga shared this award with the Ghanaian President only demonstrates that he is president material. Yet, people continue to spread lies about him. But the labels the detractors pin on him cannot stand scrutiny. Here are 10 common examples.

HE IS HUNGRY FOR POWER: Mr Odinga does not eat power. However hungry he might be, he has no use for power. He gave away power to Candidate Mwai Kibaki on a silver platter in 2002 when Kenyans were begging him to take the presidency himself. He campaigned tirelessly as if he was going to occupy State House, and then said, “Mwai. You are my friend. Take this thing because you have waited long enough for it.”

Raila Odinga did not give away power to Kibaki. If indeed Raila owned power and was the distributor of the same, today Raila would be our president. Raila has been trying to be president since 1980. It is a fact that in 2002 Raila was fixed by Moi when Moi opted to go with Uhuru instead of Raila. Raila’s options were:

• Remain in Kanu Make a solo bid for presidency


• Join the opposition unity where Kibaki was the top dog


• Join Simion Nyachae who did not have the tribal math correct
  

Raila is smart so he went for option 2. Using that option, he signed a MoU with Kibaki where Kibaki was to be president then change the constitution in 100 days to make him the PM. Kibaki failed to do this and the war began.

Hunger for power in politics is part of the game. It is not illegal for politicians to have ambitions for bigger things. In our various professions we strive to reach the highest possible position. Raila and his supporters should not pretend that Raila has no ambitions because we can all see them.

Raila’s mission in Kanu was not to destroy Kanu from within as he claims. He is simply twisting history to fit his ambitions. If we went back to the headline of the day, we will see that Raila totally fell for Moi’s trap. Raila believed that Moi was to first make him VP –a position that Moi left vacant after 1997 elections- then hand him Kanu flagship. When Raila-Moi relationship gained steam, Moi went ahead and appointed Saitoti VP instead of Raila. Saitoti-Raila wars began. Raila sponsored a vote of no confidence and sued Saitoti over the Goldenberg. These were moves to force Moi to sack Saitoti. He failed. Moi went on to promise Raila a bigger post – PM. A new MoU was made that would have guaranteed Raila a PM position. http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/25122000/News/News32.html

A "warm" hand-shake from Moi

Shortly before Moi made the KANU iko na wenyewe comment, Raila ran to the streets of Kisumu pleading with his followers to give moi a warm welcome because jaduong' en ema engi nyako mawadwaro (the oldman is the one with the girl we are courting)". http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/03082002/News/News103.html

That is how bad Raila Odinga wanted Moi to make him Kanu's presidential candidate.

Moi appointed Raila to the Parliamentary Select Committee. The PSC was an outfit that was crafted to stifle Wanjikus wishes in the constitution review. People allied to Ufungamano and Mageuzi were clobbered by Kanu-NDP goons. In one instance Raila issued a direct order for Mageuzi members to be stoned should they step in Luo Nyanza. Raila’s zeal in Kanu was not that of a man who was out to destroy Kanu from inside but of a man who expected to use Kanu as a vehicle to statehouse.
http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/19122000/News/News42.html

HE IS A TRIBALIST: Mr Odinga’s enemies like to paint him as a Luo leader to reduce his stature as nationalist. Yet, he has never sought to be a leader of Nyanza Province where he was born and where the Luo live. Since he first entered parliamentary politics in 1992, Mr Odinga has been elected time and time again in Lang’ata, a cosmopolitan and multi-ethnic Nairobi constituency occupied by the poorest of the poor. If the people in Nyanza believe he is a spirit and want to follow him, how can he be blamed for that?

Representing a cosmopolitan or rural constituency does not make one a tribalists. What makes tribalists is their actions. Yes Raila is an MP of a cosmopolitan constituency but his nationalism is questionable.

Raila knows what his power base is. That is why he said:

"I am not ready to contest and be defeated. If you do not register in large numbers I will not run for the top seat," Raila said in Kano, Kisumu.

"I want to go to war when I am sure I have a strong army. The army is you and the arsenals are voter and identification cards. And when I order you to fire, you cast the vote." Raila said during a funeral for Mzee Ernest Awuonda Ouya, a Luo Council of Elders official.

"We must vote better than our rivals next time. In Nyanza, the voter turnout was 56 per cent during the November referendum and in Central it was 63 per cent. How will I win if you fail to vote in large numbers?" he asked.

http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143951785&date=30/4/2006

Whenever Raila celebrates any major accomplishments, he does not invite the people of Lang’ata. Raila travels more than 300 KM to celebrate with the people of Nyanza. A good example is when Moi elevated Raila to a cabinet position. Raila was escorted to Kisumu with a flock of government choppers in what is described as “coming home like a president.” http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/18062001/News/News35.html

Raila’s homecoming after the 2002 elections was in Bondo and not Langatta. It is the people of Nyanza who benefited from Raila’s bulls and maize bags in the celebration over referendum victory.

Raila is smatter than Ntimama and the rest of the tribal chiefs. Raila has errand boys who he uses to send his tribal messages. That is how you get one Ojodeh saying, “But I would like to ask Tuju (a sell out) to eat quietly from the enemies (the kikuyu) and leave Raila alone or else a political tsunami will sweep him along the way during the 2007 General Election.”

In the Mafia, the Capo de Capo does not have to involve himself in killings and money laundering. Raila's swingmen do all the work. In public, the Capo comes out as an innocent man who has never hut a fly. Raila has Kajwang, Ojodeh, Prof. Ayiecho Olweny and others. They do the trash talking while Raila avoid the topic but collects the political capital. http://www.timesnews.co.ke/02jan06/nwsstory/news3.html

Raila has always used the Ker (Luo Council of elders) to foster his political aspirations. In the recent times we have seen Raila use the Ker to meet with Kikuyu elders in the bid to unify the 2 tribes (as if these peoples are enemies). Raila has prides himself with consulting the Ker before making any moves http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/15052000/News/News27.html

Lang’ata MP Raila Odinga and Luo elder Riaga Ogallo

The use of Kerr as Raila’s personal property has been protested by a number of people. The Ker has always been on Raila’s side on every issue. The Council has also been partisan. One may think it is a NDP/LDP/Kanu and now ODM geriatric wing. It is strange because as an organ that represents Luos of different party affiliations it is supposed to be non partisan. Audi Ogada called on the dissolution of Ker saying, “The council should not be seen to be fronting for leaders of a particular political party but should encompass the whole community, irrespective of the parties they belong to.”
http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/230299/News/WE5.html

Raila believes that Kenyans should be balkanized into tribal fiefdoms for easy exploitation. Raila (a crowned Luo elder) is always present when other tribal elders are being crowned. The latest coronation was that of William Ruto –the latest Kalenjin elder on the block. Political tribal eldership is one thing that is hurting our nation. I don’t think any statesman should endorse this system. http://www.timesnews.co.ke/04jun06/nwsstory/news1.html

Above all Raila thinks that he owns Luo Nyanza MPs. He is known to force his cronies -like Otieno Kajwang' - down our throats. Raila is found of issuing statemements like: "These MPs of mine should be supported and not fought, if I have to win this war." This is a show that his interests in Nyanza (exploiting the masses for political survival) take prominace over development. It is for this reason why progressive voices like James Orengo, Shem Ochuodho, Raphael Tuju etc are fought using any available means.


HE HATES DEVELOPMENT: Mr Odinga’s detractors point to the poverty in Nyanza, the declining education standards, and then blame it all on him. This is a bit rich because those areas have their own leaders. His job is to represent the interests of Lang’ata people, and then Nairobi, and lastly Kenya. What more do his enemies want?

Raila does not hate development. Raila loves development when it concerns his family. Like Moi, Raila believes in the politics of Kaeni vile mlivyo. People who are poor and ignorant are the best voters. As a powerful MP and a former minister, Raila has nothing to show in terms of development. The flying toilets problem persists in Kibera persists even with the availability of the CDF. I have never seen or heard Raila advocate for his constituents. Raila is safe if his constituents continue languishing in poverty.

When the government wanted to improve the security situation in Kibera, Raila led a mob of goons who destroyed a police post. He said the people of Kibera did not need police protection. It was interesting to see Raila claim to champion security rights of the Mathare residents claiming the government was not deploying enough policemen. These are signs of a populist leader. Photo
http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=37245&date=2/3/2006

HE DESTROYS PARTIES: Look, when the National Development Party was a paper organisation, who turned it into a roaring tractor? When Kanu had lost credibility, who is it that walked in to give it credibility? It was Mr Odinga championing the Kanu-NDP merger. When the Liberal Democratic Party was a briefcase outfit, who gave it a new lease of life?

Raila does not destroy parties. Raila is a party. In Kenya we don’t have parties but personalities. When there personalities defect from a party, it ends up dead.

HE IS DRIVEN BY REVENGE: Despite being detained for eight years, six of them in solitary confinement, Mr Odinga has never harboured feelings of revenge against Mr Daniel arap Moi. He was betrayed by Mr Moi after the NDP merger, but he has never exacted revenge. He was betrayed by Mr Kibaki over the prime minister’s job, but he has never wanted revenge.

Raila believes that if he cannot have things his own way then nobody else should. He will rather team up with his past enemies than let his recent enemy have a better deal. Back in the day when Raila was in Ford Kenya, he locked horns with Wamalwa over the leadership of the party. Raila was beaten in the elections. Since Raila does not believe in being led, he walked out and joined NDP.
http://www.nationaudio.com/elections/moisuccession/Wamalwa/story2.htm

Later on, Raila joined Kanu where he was promised the big seat. Moi helped him rig Kasarani I where he was selected to be the Kanu Secretary General. He hailed the undemocratic elections as being free and fair. When Moi used the same wembe in Kasarani II against Raila, Raila walked out and called Uhuru Moi’s proxy. Retribution for Kasarani II is what Raila claims drove him to Kibaki –his archenemy.

Raila was again driven by vengeance to walk out of Kibaki after the later refused to make him PM. Today Raila is back in bed with Kanu and Uhuru not because he loves them but because they have the means to help him payback to Kibaki. Raila and his supporters never fail to point out that they will teach Kibaki a lesson for refusing to make Raila a PM. The zeal driving Raila and his supporters is not from what Kibaki has or has not done but from the rubbished MoU. They call that MoU a document that was in the interest of all Kenyans. In their opinion that is a bigger sin than any other.
http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/11032003/News/News115.html



HE LIKES VIOLENCE: Mr Odinga has never thrown a stone in his life. People like Mbita MP Otieno Kajwang’ would sooner be involved in fisticuffs than Mr Odinga would get into a physical confrontation. In fact, in recent times, Mr Odinga has insisted on fighting entirely with his mouth, issuing withering invectives against his detractors.

That Raila has never thrown a stone doest not exonerate him from charges of violence. Why should he ruin his reputation by throwing stones when his attack dogs and vigilantes can handle the job? All Raila needs to do is issue an order and his henchmen will execute it. It is an open secret that Raila loves violence especially when it is targeting his political foes. The memories of Baghdad Boys are still alive. We saw Raila and his father extensively use this group as a security outfit and as an attack unit. http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/29112000/Features/News_Feature10.html

Brutal: Armed youths beat up an innocent bystander outside Parliament yesterday. The men circled are said to be aides of NDP leader Mr. Raila Odinga. (Pic: by REBECCA NDUKU AND GOVEDI ASUTSA)
http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/15012000/index.html

http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/14012000/News/News128.html

http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/18012000/News/News27.html

In the past Raila has issued numerous threats of storming parliament, statehouse etc. He went as far as issuing a fatwa on the late Dr. Oki Ooko Ombaka, Sam Ochuodho, Orengo, etc. His orders have been carried to the letter.

Jame Orengo roughed up

Raila once ordered violence on Mageuzi activists saying, “I am busy fighting at higher levels and you too should do your work down here! You know what to do if they try to hold this rally on the 23rd.” http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/19122000/News/News42.html

Those words say a lot about a man who loves peace and has never hurt a fly.

Raila rivals Fred Gumo when it comes to throwing punches in Bunge. Raila beat up Kimunya and Karua on 2 different occasions. They both got a beating because of remarks they made in the house. http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/print/news.php?articleid=30059

HE IS UNPATRIOTIC: So Hezekiah Ochuka claimed that he had worked with Mr Odinga on the failed 1982 coup attempt. But Mr Odinga has never joined the military, gone for military training in Uganda or Libya like some people in the present government. They accuse him of exposing Kenya’s weaknesses abroad, but he only does so because he hates the evil he sees more.

Raila came out with revelations that he was part of the coup attempt. He justified the coup attempt and even commissioned a book to serve as a PR tool on this issue. Raila’s role in the 82 coup is therefore not imagined.

I think Raila is patriotic but he needs to differentiate between his political enemies and Kenya. He has to be a leader and not an activist. He has to learn that his utterances affect the lives of millions of Kenyans. It is unfortunate when a president in waiting tells the world that the NSE –Africas 4th largest bourse – is a drug market. I wonder how he plans to erase this notion he has created when he becomes president.

HE IS A COMMUNIST: This is laughable. All communists are against the accumulation of individual wealth. Since when did anyone see Mr Odinga sharing his wealth – be it houses, cars or the family business? Has anyone seen him saying, "Look. We own East African Spectre Ltd. Now, let us give out one gas cylinder to every family in Kenya for free?" That would be communism.

Raila is a stunt communist who claims he favors a command economy when in reality he believes in capitalism. If you told Raila that he is a multi-millionaire he will quickly point out that he is not as rich as Mt. Kenya thieves. Raila is comfortable when the masses see him as a poor man who is trying to change this boogeyman we call government. Raila has for sure taken a cue from other populist leaders.

HE IS AN ACTIVIST: As a backhanded compliment calculated to hurt his chances of running for the presidency, Mr Odinga’s enemies insist that the only role he is suited for is mobilising people to riot.

We have different classes of leaders. Looking at Narc you can see that activists and populists never get to deliver. We have firebrands like Kibwana, Wamwere, etc who have shown that they are better of as opposition politicians than serving in the government. It is very different when activists are on the other side. Raila falls in the class of populist leaders. As a minister, he engaged more on popular politics than in policy. We saw him personally supervise the destruction of buildings and claim he was doing it in the interests of Wanjiku.
Did Raila leave any changes in terms of policy and legislation that will prevent future encroachment of public land? If as an architect I wanted to know the limits of road reserves, do I have an avenue to do it?

Raila never took responsibility for what was happening in his ministry. He instead blamed junior ministry officials. As a president, he will not take responsibility for his administration and will instead look for scapegoats in office messengers.

Raila’s record in parliament shows that he is more of an activist than a leader. Raila like other MPs does not believe in solving problems. That is why such leaders will make the loudest noise outside parliament but their contribution in Bunge’s basic role –law making – stinks. Show me one bill that Raila has presented to parliament and I will change my opinion.

As a president, he may start opposing the same policies that his administration puts in place. Raila is more interested in pleasing the masses than prescribing a bitter pill that will cure our problems.