Turns out that New Hampshire and Iowa were not the only areas on Obama's radar this week. In addition to working to win the primary in Iowa and place a close second in New Hampshire, Senator Barack Obama was also on the phone lines in Kenya dealing with the violence and turmoil in the country after recent elections.
Obama's father is from Kenya and he still has family there. Obama reached out to contact Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga by telephone and also hoped that he would have the chance to speak with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki.
Although Kibaki was declared the winner of the election, allegations of vote-rigging have marred the election results. The allegations have come from both inside Kenya and in the international community. As a result of the election problems, Kenya has been marred by violence, leaving hundreds dead and tens of thousands homeless.
International mediators are working to broker a settlement, but Odinga has said that he would not attend an unmediated meeting with Kibaki.
In response to Odinga's allegations, Obama had this to say: "Obviously, he believes that the votes were not tallied properly. But what I urged was that all the leaders there, regardless of their position on the election, tell their supporters to stand down, to desist with the violence and resolve it in a peaceful way in accordance with Kenyan law," Obama said.
Obama also taped a radio message to the Kenyan people urging that they be calm. His advisors said that he consulted with Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and The Arch Bishop Desmond Tuto.
37 comments:
I think that everyone is hiding the truth about Kenya. For the last 27 years, Kenya has been peacefull from the outside, but from the inside, Kenya has been in turmoil. There has been a wrangle for domination of leadership by a a group of same individuals for many years. The former President Moi was challenged to leave office by the Kenyan people on certain grounds. Let us all come out with the truth why Kenya has lost direction in order to have a lasting solution.
Newton Kinity
Former Secretary General
Kenya Civil Servants Union
Tel:1203 675 9354
Email: ink38@yahoo.com
There is no democracy in Kenya and many other African countries. This is an old set up by the western world to keep black people's eyes on trivial tribal diferences while the they are being robbed of their wealth and dreams. Neither Kibaki nor Raila cares for the Kenyans, if they did, they would have ended the chaos and killings which are wrecking the country. I bet the families of Kibaki and Raila are not on the streets with the rest of the people. Africa needs to wake up and unite to face the global issues of fare trade. Africa has to realise that it has more than enough for every africa. Please check the natural resources, the beatiful climate and the size of the continent, Africa leads the world!
Forget tribalism and focus on the African potential in the world market.Mr. Raila be the example, we know you won, you do not want to look selfish, end the demonstrations. Thank you.
Joe Kitele
Jkitele@aol.com
this is for newton. you said that "Kenya has only been peaceful on the outside, but from the inside,Kenya has been in turmoil." you are telling a lie. it is people like you who try to give kenya and other countries a bad look. I dont know where u currently reside in but i have lived in kenya pratically all my life. we are a peaceful country with peaceful people. we are goal oriented business men and women.
i would think by now since you say you were a former civil servant, that you dont rely on international news media. posted below is an article from one of the kenyan newspaper that i fully agree with, and to back it up i have seen violence been reported in a part of the city, while videos showed people just walking casually in the streets like nothing is going on. this is not to turn a blind eye to what has happend like the deaths, but we should not inflame the reality for a few dollars.
Story by PETER MWAURA | Fair Play
Publication Date: 1/5/2008
After viewing a K24 Eyewitness News video tape by Jeff Koinange (of CNN fame) on the riots in Kibera, Nairobi, and several newspaper pictures of the post-election violence that began on Sunday, I was struck by one fact: The rioters understood that they must feed the cameras.
In those pictures, the rioters were acting out for the cameras. They seemed to know that to further their side of the dispute they had to get the media to become part of them. They understood perfectly that they had to feed the media to keep their cause in the headlines.
So when the cameras arrived, the rioters stepped up their war dance, held up their stones and machetes and burning tyres menacingly for the world to see. They were seeking to influence public perceptions of the riots. And the media empowered them.
I was also struck by the symbiotic relationship between journalists and rioters. I was reminded of the famous CNN video tape of Nigeria’s Niger Delta rebels repeatedly aired on February 7, 2007. Wielding guns, the rebels in black outfits and black ski masks put up a war dance for the benefit of Jeff Koinange and his TV crew.
BY COVERING A CONFLICT, JOURNALISTS play out the conflict. They frame, and sometimes inflame, the conflict. They create the reality on which we base our understanding of the conflict.
In some situations, the media even help to escalate and ripen the conflict, even to create new conflicts and flashpoints. There are many instances of this. Perhaps the most illustrative is Charles Taylor’s rebellion in Liberia.
Mr Taylor started his rebellion in the 1990s reportedly with $300, some 20 hired thugs and a satellite phone, which he used to call BBC for interviews. After a series of dramatic interviews with BBC’s Focus on Africa, his rebellion came to fruition.
The media also contributed to the escalation and ripening of conflicts in countries such as Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) in the early 1990s, the Soviet Union during its break-up in 1991, Palestine, Israel and South Africa during the apartheid era.
In those conflicts, when a TV crew appeared a riot occurred because rioters were acting out for the cameras. In some of those conflict situations, if there had not been cameras there probably would not have been riots.
The dynamics of a conflict tend to sweep everything into its net. Journalists are sucked in and become players in the conflict.
During the recent riots in France, where demonstrators went on nightly car burning sprees, journalists were caught in the conflict dynamics. Editors were faced with the dilemma of whether to cover, or cover up, the riots.
As one French editor aptly put it: “Do we send journalists because cars are burning, or are cars burning because we send journalists?”
The French public television station “France 3” stopped broadcasting the numbers of torched cars. Other TV stations followed suit.
One of France’s leading TV news executives, who censored his broadcasts, said he did not want to encourage extremism.
Jean-Claude Dassier, the director general of the news service, LCI, said the prominence given to the rioters on international news networks had been “excessive” and could be fanning the flames of the violence.
He said his channel had decided not to show footage of burning cars.
“Journalism is not simply a matter of switching on the cameras and letting them roll. You have to think about what you’re broadcasting,” he said.
Most journalists, especially those trained in the Western tradition, however, think conflict is news and news is conflict. They also treat news as a commodity and compete over it.
They say they are gatherers of facts and their role is to provide information, not to create peace. However, in Africa, in such emerging democracies like Kenya, journalism cannot consist of merely reporting facts, especially in inflammable situations. There is an arguable case for peace journalism.
The violence that Kenya has experienced was directed against individuals and groups as representatives of larger communities. The violence was displayed, with the help of the media, as public spectacles so as to spread fear among the targeted communities.
I think the Government ban on “live broadcasts”, announced during the height of the riots, was informed by such considerations.
yes we are peaceful, but when we get pushed to the corner,you and i know there is only one thing to do...........
Of course there is only a small clique, that is controlling all these events because they want to cling to power even if there is nobody left to rule. But the small clique is empowered by a large number of ignorant(maybe innocent people).
For a while they perpetuated the myth that they come from a community too big they can win the elections at will. That myth was shattered in the last election.
Leaders come and go.Leaders must understand that without people, there can never be leaders.Both Kibaki and Raila must work together on truce.
Kenya is made up of more than 36 tribes.Any elected leader must work to unite all Kenyans regardless of where he or she comes from.There must be equal distribution of resources.No tribe is superior than other tribes.Until we get a leader who is willing to address this disturbing issues, not a tribal leader,there can never be peace.
I am surprised that people are still talking about Kenya like they have not witnessed the great development that has taken place the last five years. To mention but a few, the towns are now clean with Nairobi being a good example, the shilling has become stronger in the past five years,industries that had been shut down have now been opened and they are operating which is a direct benefit to the farmers, education system has been improved and the list goes on. Kenyans are not that blind that they do not realize some opposition leaders are upset just because they are power hungry. They behave like they are above the law. How do Kenyans want to be ruled by somebody who does not respect the law of the country? Somebody who lives on lies in an effort to get sympathy from foreign countries. People should remember dictator Amin of Uganda who likewise had no respect for law. That is why he put the country in such a deep hole to get out of. Do you all remember? Let us call a spade a spade and stop lying to the other countries. Kenya has grown, Kenya has been doing well and what we should do if we care for the citizens is to call an end to violence and wait for your chance to come. Inciting people to burn others, loot what people have worked so hard to achieve, burn houses and many more in order to get international attention does not benefit the country. Please be sensible. I also want to call on the international courtiers to realize that those who are speaking so loud are full of lies. A country can not be build with lies. Support the country if you care by encouraging leaders to respect the law of the country and to follow the correct channel in order to avoid anarchy.
By the way, does the person who says Kenya has been doing well in the past 5 years come from central Kenya? Can we at least have roads that are passable and piped water for everyone?
tooth and nail Kenya needs to have best leadership becoz it has suffered more than enough
Why should the civilains be under pressure every now and then
and more so why did Mr mwai kibaki expect the Ugandan soldiers in the country yet the army does ot want to cross boarders any how l wonder how this happened
Let the truth come out and re-election is done or mwai goes home to his plantations and start where he ended from during his term at home we are tired of people having the life line of leadership
calll a spade spade spade not big spoon
sadist from uganda
It hurts my heart that a nation on the road to prosperity like Kenya has been wrapped up in this kind of thing. But if the government is cheating and lying to the people, you have to do something about it. George Bush has been lying to Americans for years, but they are scared to do anything. This is really sad.
Let us cut to the chase and abandon all the the tribal symantics that have served only to blur the true picture. We need to WAKE UP!!! There is NEVER a good reason to kill or maim your fellow Kenyan brother or sister. The action of Kenyans has proven to the world that beneath the thin veil of sophistication, we as Africans are still savages.
There have been irregularities at the polls, YES. But why on earth are we killing each other?!
Until we learn to hold each other in high esteem and view each other as valuable assets, vital and necessary to the growth and survival of our nation, we will be forever mired in strife and the blood of our brothers.
Independence in Africa was an experiment which worked for our former colonizers. They realized that once they handed "autonomy" over to us, we would proceed to ruin everything that had been handed to us (strong economies and all). We went from being political colonies to economic colonies led by sycophants and puppets.
Those very same nations and some others (US AND EU)are now offering to "mediate" the crisis facing us. However, their agendas are thinly veiled. If we accept their "assistance," we will bitterly regret it come time for "quid pro quo."
What do they want? I'm glad you asked. Namely, the ability to impose their will upon our legislature (US PATRIOT ACT), infrastructure development contracts (EU and UK), and a host of other rights and concessions that will have us as a nation doing business at a disadvantage. At least China is wise enough to treat us as its peer, not as a subordinate "Yes-man."
The basic fact is this:
We need to display our intelligence and arrive at a solution on our own. This is the only way to prove to the world that we are a sophisticated and mature nation, capable of handling its own problems without outside interference.
I strongly urge all Kenyans to put aside their regional and ethnic interests for the good of the entire country, and adopt Nationalism, not tribalism as your governing ideal.
As soon as we change the way we think, we'll change our great Republic for the better.
We (the people of kenya) need to examine and learn from our brothers and sisters from Tanzania. Tanzania, unlike Kenya, has 120 distict ethnic groups who have come together and live in harmony. The Sukuma people of Tanzania are more than the Kikuyu people of Kenya. One of the major differences between the two countries is that, Mwalimu Kambarage Nyerere did not uplift one ethnic group the way Kamau Ngengi (the first president of Kenya) did to his Kikuyu people. Once, I had a dialogue with a Kikuyu person in Nairobi who made it very clear that his people do not want to be ruled by another ethinic group besides their own. This arrogance has alienated the Kikuyu people as all the rest of the other Kenyans perceive them as arrogant and extremely westernized Kenyans. Mwai Kibaki is the last Kikuyu to occupy the state house. The other 41 ethnic groups will not allow another Kikuyu to be the president of Kenya. These people are thieves, liars, and extemely self centered people.
I am shocked that most of the comments are not asking Mr. mwai Kibaki to step aside and let democracy prevail.He miserably lost the election.Remember that even in Eastern Province,where they claimed Kibaki won,Mr. Kalonzo actually allowed the vote tallying staff to actually grab a punch of votes from him and hand over to Kibaki.A lot of Kenyans inside and outside the country believe and correctly so that Kibaki lost the elections by more than 2 million votes.Very sad indeed!!!Tell the Man to pack and go back to Othaya.Think of this scenario:If Kibaki stepped aside, there would be no additional ounce of bloodshed in our beloved country.
Amazing that Raila and gang never anticipated losing the election, pure arrogance! Amazing that even in the diaspora kikuyus are small business owners, luos are professors etc. Are the kikuyus also getting special treatment from their host governments? I don't much care for Kibaki and wanted to see him go, but when the opposition picked Raila as their candidate, I couldn't find anything he had done positive for Kenya. All I saw was a hatemonger, loud chest thumping unprincipled triablist who would change Kenya for the worst, and he has. He is a man who wants power at any cost and he should not be allowed to rule. He is a divider, has engaged in acts of ethinic cleansing with his henchmen! The country has gone back years, tribal relations between kikuyus, luos and kalenjins have been destroyed beyond repair. This is not about a stolen vote, it is about hate and a section of people who want welfare without work. They want to blame their failures on other people. You all need to look at choices you make and maybe you will begin to see where your problems lie. Being loud and belligerent won't get you the presidency. What most have failed to see is that even those kikuyus who wanted change and those who voted ODM have turned around because of the violence. The lines are now drawn, Kibaki can't step down are you all crazy? Raila and his people planned to slaughter the kikuyus. Already what they have already done needs major investigation and they need to go to trial. Raila's actions are equivalent to Hilter. His arrogance is evident when he compares himself to Jesus Christ. I think satan is who he meant, yet again the man doesn't think before he speaks. Kibaki needs to throw them in detention with immediate speed. If this is what democracy is about then our people are too uncivilized for it. Sorry folks, I don't get the barbaric, animalistic behaviour. Unless the luos find another candidate to field in 2012 the presidency will again elude them! That is a gurantee. A lot of them are living in denial. How come Raila didn't lead the demonstrations with his wife and kids? Who are you all kidding? People can see through what is happening. Even the American media is beginning to wake up! Look at he article in the New York Times today! The clashes were planned, wake up guys, that is not democracy it is tribal terror! Look at the people who went to the demonstrations, the poor who were paid to go and act uncivilized! The presidency should be about credentials not tribes or taking turns. It is the presidency not a chief job! We need a uniter not a hatemongering divider!
Who does Odinga think he is?some times back he swore that the kenyan's will have a "political sunami" that means he is responsible for all the political upheaval in our country what did he(Odinga) mean when he said he does not mind meeting with sinners.(holy)Odinga i think you are acting like satan himself when he(SATAN)was tempting Jesus in the wilderness.Stop your bickering we are sick and tired of your verbal diarhoea
It is now coming out that Raila and his Pentagon want power and leadership in Kenya at all costs. Looking back, it is difficult to point out any positive thing Raila has done for his people in particular and for Kenyans in general. He is threatening a boycott of some companies and products owned by some individuals. Yet he owns and runs businesses that largely need support from a large part of the urban population. One of the VIP's that attempted to engage both President Kibaki and Hon. Raila in mediation efforts formed the opinion that if there was vote tallying problems, it was on both sides. Therefore Raila should not self-righteously thump his chest and cry foul. Kenya is a land of rule of law. Let him and his people follow the laid down channels and pursue a peaceful and negotiated solution. One other thing - Kenyans should stop killing each other and seek to reconcile our relationships. The criteria for leadership in Kenya should be credentials, not taking turns. Apparently, the EU and UK are pissed off at the outcome of the election. Do not know what a Raila government was going to do for/with them but they come out (at least to me) like partial and biased house. While we are on the subject of sadism, have we forgotten the woman whose child was snatched from her and thrown back into a raging fire? The people who have been hunted down with poisoned arrows and matchetes just because they belong to a certain tribe? Kibaki is not about to step down for Raila. He was declared the validly elected President of Kenya. That may be contestable in the eyes of Raila and other people, but there already established ways to go about it. Just now, I do not think any talk about a re-run is appropriate. Besides being expensive and time-consuming, a re-run now would favour Raila on account of the fact many people have been displaced and many others killed/maimed in many areas. In fact, some people are boasting of Kikuyu, Kamba, Meru, et al FREE ZONES. Wake up, Raila and stop sacrificing others peoples sons and daughters for your own greed! Be the bigger person you claim to be and stop all these senseless killings of Kenyan citizens. It all comes back to you and all the planned attacks that were unleashed on people that did not support you and your Pentagon. All along, I thought that was the point of democracy!! Voting for whoever you wished. Just because some people did not support you should not qualify them for persecution.
Luo Community Way Forward
Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:33:44 -0800 (PST)
I have been soul searching which way forward as a Luo community. The just concluded election as a community we organized and supported Raila as we have always done. But I knew things won't go well when Raila used the tribal card as his main campaign tool where he turned other tribes against Kikuyu in order to defeat Kibaki. I found that irresponsible because at any time it could bring bloodshed.
I am from Ugenya constituency and most constituents wanted Stephen Okoth because Orengo once elected stays in Nairobi never comes back. So we wanted somebody who will be with us as a community. The Raila machine rigged Orengo in and that was the end of the people's choice. Raila did not talk about rigging then why is he speaking about it now. When Orengo went against Raila he was rigged out but when he supported Raila he was rigged in. So I have come to realize that Raila is not about justice or democracy or common man he is about power.
I think it is time as a Luo community we start supporting another family we have been supporting the Ondinga family for over 50 years but we have nothing to show for it.. Every government comes along they rub it the wrong way and we had to stay in the opposition all this time. When Kenyatta offered Ondinga the Vice Presidency he continued to attack the government and even went ahead and started his own party when he was just a heart beat away from the presidency and I think that was very stupid. Kenyatta appointed Moi and Moi was an example of what Odinga would have done, he remained royal to Kenyatta and he finally got his reward. After Moi became president he invited Odinga to join his government. Odinga started bragging that Moi could not lead without him. Moi heard it and dropped him like a hot potato.
When Raila said tosha to Kibaki all he needed was to continue to be royal to Kibaki and probably when Wamalwa passed away he would have been made a VP but just like his father he started attacking the government from inside and he was eventually kicked out.. Now Kibaki would not want to hear of him in the government because he is a headache.
What has been polarizing even among us as a community without knowing is that the Odinga family has been portraying a communist image, a man of the people or the people's president but the family is as capitalistic as any one can get. The fact remain the family is one of the richest in Kenya through the gas business, entrepreneurship which they have failed to lead us into. I was surprised when Raila informed us that we can grow coffee in Nyanza. I asked myself after 40 years since every other community who could grow coffee has grown it is the time Raila is talking about it?
Fellow Wajaluo it is time to give another family a chance, the Odinga family might have charisma but they don't have the wisdom to lead us as a community where we want to go. Look at Oburu he sleeps for 5 years and then get elected almost unopposed as if he owns Bondo constituency just because his name end with Ondinga. Now compare that with all the work Tuju did for Rarienda but because his name does not end with Ondinga he was thrown out or rigged out.
We have also to think again on how we conduct ourselves as a community, since independence the Kikuyus have change their royalty from Kenyatta, Matiba and then Kibaki. We are the only people who have been stuck with one family. If we have been held by a spell we need to get rid of it, we cannot keep backing the same family for a whole century. When Matiba was rigged by Moi in 1992 did the Kikuyu people riot and loot and burn Murang'a? No. In 1997 when Moi rigged Kibaki did the Kikuyu in Nyeri riot loot and burn businesses? No. We have to think again and abandon this type of leadership which radicalize the youth with nothing to offer. We are suffering now in Kisumu because most of the stores are either looted or burned now who is going to suffer the Kikuyu the Kisii or Luo? Jaluo. The Kisii too have done away with Nyachae they have changed their loyalty. The Kalenjin have changed their loyalty from Moi they have refused to stick with his sons so we need to wake up.
It is time to support a progressive leader who people can disagree with without being stoned who can lead Luo people in doing business, in doing farming and in wise politics. By wise politics I mean a person who knows when to oppose and when to cooperate. Opposing all the time is stupid and retrogressive.
Stephen Ochichi
There is no justification to burn people alive in a church (kalenjins) or to kill or fight each other in Kibera sending people to a slow death by cutting off their genitals because they were born in a custom that does not practice circumcision like yours (kikuyus)or kick people out of the home they have lived most of their lives while looting and burning their businesses. All i have to say is Raila did not do his homework and is taking the blame coz he is the head,his pentagon failed him and he finds it hard to disown them (church burning by Kalenjins)Kibaki did not do his homework by favoring kikuyus in all the big jobs,cleaning up nairobi and ignoring the rest of the country. Listen to me people,the economic gains are for the select few(kikuyus) just travel out of nairobi and central kenya westward and your urgument that things are better for kenyans now than before becomes very tribal. Stop fueling the hatered because both sides are being killed but every one just talkes about the other side killing their side,revenging by killing the other side and avoid mentioning that. GOD HELP US
Annonimus
Krom the comments on this site,Kikuyus seem to be using Raila as a shield,whether Raila is evil or not, seems to me like they just hate Luos. Almost every minister in an influencial ministry is a kikuyu and the kambas are happy to join the government for their own gains be it Raila or Kibaki so dont go there. My point is if Raila did not exist,Kikuyus would still have a problem with a luo president and they know its true but they will act like its a Raila Problem. Fast forward years from now and see another luo have the same problem when Raila exists no more. He is not perfect,no human being is,even kibaki but luos voted for him to become president last time. Be fair
Karanja
Raila is the beginning of all the blood shed in Kenya. He knows that calling for demonstration guarantees chaos thereby putting more pressure on Kibaki.
But Raila, if you were going to be President of Kenya, don't you have duty to protect all life including that of the people who are being killed and displaced. Raila, you have the power to put a stop to all this violence because when you call off the demonstrations, all is quiet until the next time you ask for "peacefull" demonstrations, and then all hell breaks loose.
And stop blaming the police on the deaths. The police did not burn that church and throw a baby back into a burning building. The police are not the ones harrassing people out of their homes. They are there to protect even though its just as shocking that people have actually died of gun shots.
The Nation Newspares and The Standard (online versions)are also very biased in their coverage. The BBC and CNN is also biased and are only collecting stories/accounts from Pro-Odinga supporters and not randomly.
I am Kenyan, I am not going to label myself from a tribe. We all need to say we are Kenyans, not Luo's or Kikuyu's etc. We need to all stand in one exact moment and sing the Kenyan National Anthem and really listen to the words and mean them.
The US, EU and the rest of the world needs to not take sides. Both sides rigged, maybe one more than the other but they both rigged. The US Embassy in Nairobi in a message in its Websites that irregularities were noted on both sides. So Raila, maybe you should have rigged more than Kibaki but the elections were not fair and Both you and Kibaki should be ashamed of yourselves for allowing people to continue to die and the violence to continue this far.
Enough is enough. Let's repeat these elections and of course this time round Raila will not be near winning because seriously all the Kikuyu who voted for you, because they did although you are too caught up in yourself to believe otherwise, will not vote for you.
Raila, a lot of peace seeking tribes who believed in you are now not going to want you in. You have shown your true colours as a leader who turns people against each other, in the name of "peaceful demonstrations".
While Both you and Kibaki continue to be protected by your body-guards and eat and sleep like Kings, the people who voted for you are anguishing over their dead, displaced and the ever increasing cost of living caused by your rivalry.
STAND UP AND BEHAVE LIKE RESPONSIBLE FATHERS OF THE NATION.
If this is another Kikuyu bashing site, I advise it be closed and not continue.
Obama will not success if his people do not tone down the retoric they are promoting.
This is a statement from People Foundation, Inc, California. Over the last couple of days, we have seen Hon. Raila Odinga come to terms with the escalating lose of human lives in our country, and has consistently softened his stand towards a peaceful resolution to the current crisis. One thing that has aroused our curiosity is the posture that William Ruto has taken in the whole reconciliation process. We got concerned and embarked on a quick investigative research to unearth what is driving Ruto not to explore peaceful resolution to the social-political crisis going on in our country. Let the truth be known that William Ruto is the man sponsoring the genocide operations going in Rift Valley through the Karamajong Guerilla Fighters, a militia with operations similar to the old known militia "the Shiftas" that fought Moi in the 1980s. Reliable sources indicate that Karamojong Guerrilla Fighters arrived in city of Eldoret where they mercilessly massacred hundreds of innocent people including women and children. Recently Ruto was reported to be out of Nairobi, and could not attend the meeting between Raila and Kalonzo. We have established that Ruto was in Eldoret meeting with the Karamojong Guerilla Fighters. Ruto knew that the only way ODM could have access to adequate firepower (KEG) was to engage the Karamojong Guerilla Fighter who are obviously known to possess insurmountable quantities of AK-47, Automatic Rifles and other sophisticated small arms. It is important to highlight the fact that Karamojong communities are cousins with the Luos, and therefore, it is the same militia that is killing people in Nyanza. It is therefore imperative for the government of the day to take decisive and conclusive action against William Ruto, and the perpetrators of genocide. We cannot afford to see one more live lost. We are also asking Hon Raila Odinga to disassociate himself with William Ruto and speak for peace and return of the nation to normalcy. Who knows whether the judicial process could over turn the ECK decision, and see a re-run of the presidential elections? Karamoja, the nomadic pastoralists of Northern Uganda and Kenya have traditionally raided each other's livestock, an activity that flows naturally from their cultural frameworks for life. During the raiding season, the raid is typically followed counter-raid with considerable loss of life. Ever since they became neighbors, raiding has gone on intermittently, not only between Karamojong and Pokot, but also between them and Jie, Dodoso, Turkana, Samburu, Marakwet, Sapiny ot Sabawot, and Bukusu. Before 1970s, Karamoja was peaceful, pastoral and traditional, but the years according to Mirzeler & Young (2000) ushered in the new era of guns. The proliferation of automatic rifles (Leggett, 2000) has unequivocally infected the Karamojong culture with ills of modern AK-47 raids, which currently pose the single greatest risk to the security of the northern region. Mirzeler & Young (2000) write that there are over 40,000 AK-47 in Karamojong community, while Gray (2000) estimates that there are over 100,000 automatic rifles in Karamoja. Firearms are not novelties for the Karamojong, they have enculturated them with very little fuss, just like other Iron implements, all of which are acquired from foreigners. The Karamojongs have possessed firearms since 1870 when the colonial government licensed some, and there have always been at least a few illicit firearms. The community started acquiring sophisticated guns in large quantities in the 1970s following the routing of President Idi Amin's army in Uganda by an alliance of Tanzanian People's Defense Force and Uganda exiles (Mburu, 2000). One known major source was the Moroto barracks which the fleeing Ugandan dictator abandoned intact thus allowing the Karamojong to help themselves to unlimited quantities of rifles, small arms and ammunitions. William Ruto, knowing very well that in the context of the Turkana and Karamojong people that the current governments in Kenya and Uganda are part of the insecurity problem, has incited the Karamojongs and other communities to violence, and secretly engaged the Karamojong Guerilla Fighters to inflict fear and suffering among the people in protest of the outcome of the just concluded general elections. To this end, Ruto should be apprehended as an underworld warlord who incites ethnic communities to arm and commit genocide like what recently happened in the church campus in Eldoret, For those who think the government should not act decisively and conclusively with William Ruto should read (Romans 13:4) .. for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.
People Foundation, Inc,
Social Transformation
Advocacy Group 775 River
Oaks Parkway
San Jose, CA 95136
"Economic hit men (EHMs) are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. Their tools include fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, and murder. They play a game as old as empire, but one that has taken on new and terrifying dimensions during this time of globalization."
-Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, by John Perkins
THE TRAGEDY of Liberia , the only country in Africa founded on the American ideal and whose capital city Monrovia is actually named after a US President - James Monroe - is a powerful cautionary tale for both the world's only superpower and Kenyans on the eve of their 10th consecutive General Election.
No country in Africa has ever lent itself to the US agenda like Liberia did for decades in the 1930s, '40s, '60s, '70s and '80s and no country on this long suffering continent has suffered like Liberia has, with the possible exception of Somalia. During World War II Liberia served as the base of US operations in the North African theatre and supplied much of the rubber for the war effort in that region.
In the 1960s and '70s it hosted the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) biggest outpost on the continent, an operation with continental outreach. But by the end of the Cold War in the late 1980s and early '90s, Liberia had outlived its usefulness to the US and Washington merely moved on at precisely the point at which the people of Liberia needed the Americans most - the descent into civil war and anarchy.
The Liberian civil war spilled over into Sierra Leone , precipitating a war there too and destabilizing the entire West African region as warlord Charles Taylor went for blood diamonds with a vengeance. An entire generation of young adults died in the Liberian conflict, which was actually largely concluded by feral child soldiers, many of them murderous pre-teens who nonetheless participated in one of history's largest sustained mass rapes of a national female population.
It is already being largely forgotten that in its very final throes, when the traumatized Liberian nation was literally praying for the departure into exile of the warlord Taylor, it took one of the goriest acts of desperation to bring Liberians' plight to the attention of international media and on to the world stage. This was the dragging of 17 corpses to the gates of the US Embassy in Monrovia by howling and weeping mobs of child soldiers and women. The dumping of the human cadavers at the US mission appeared to do the trick.
Suddenly, Washington was ready to send in the Marines. Within weeks Taylor was persuaded to leave for his Nigerian exile and three US warships escorted by helicopters appeared in Liberian harbours to an ecstatic welcome from a war-weary population. In Sierra Leone a 17,000-strong AU and UN peacekeeping force polices the aftermath of the civil war.
US policy in Africa, which in recent years has closely been reflected in UK policy, has never been enlightened or consistently benign. Again and again in Africa, as in Latin America and Southeast Asia , Washington 's policy in Africa has been driven by the most uncaring and ignorant of nuance, complexity and cultural norms and practices blundering, miscalculation and inimical intent.
Finally, it would appear to be Kenyans' turn to suffer the tender loving care of Uncle Sam's calamitous intervention in other nations' internal affairs. The Bush Administration, already up to its eyebrows in the intractable Iraqi insurgency and "war on terror", is taking sides in the Kenyan General Election campaign in a manner that has for one thing alarmed not only the Kenyan establishment but the Ugandan one too.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda , the liberator of his country from a period of Liberia-like anarchy, is one of the eastern, Central and Horn of Africa's most accurate bellwethers of the prospect of instability. And he is reliably reported to be very uneasy indeed about American and British support for one side of the Kenyan General Election campaign, a faction that has all the makings of inserting instability into both the country and the region, with far-reaching consequences.
On the ground in Kenya , there is consternation at Washington and London 's attitude and also a deep-seated and gathering fury among the most enlightened and enterprising sections of the population and the electorate. Thinking Kenyans are incredulous at the fact that the most successful Presidential administration in decades is being treated like a pariah in the chancelleries of the West. The US and UK are headlong into mad rush to appease a faction that seems hell-bent on taking the country on a path of experimental radical-change reforms that have no guarantee of success and have great potential to backfire in such a polarizing and divisive manner as to result in a conflict that would engulf the region.
What is Washington/London's beef with the Kibaki Administration? Part of President Mwai Kibaki's Original Sin would appear to be the China policy he has pursued in office over the past four-and-three-quarter years. Kibaki's leaning towards China as a major development and commercial partner has gone down rather badly in London .
Certain British interests have also been angry with the Nairobi regime that finally decriminalized Mau Mau , for half-a-century a proscribed organization, and went so far as to unveil a statue of Field Marshall Dedan Kimathi Waciuri in the capital city's central business district right next to the Hilton Hotel. The British hanged Kimathi in February 1957, the same month they granted Ghana its Independence under Kwame Nkrumah, a man who, nine years later, London contributed directly to the overthrow of by the military and police and a resultant generation of tyranny in which Ghanians were shorn of the rule of law.
China has taken to partnering with Kenya and investing in this country with aplomb, with major engagement in gigantic infrastructural projects, including the JKIA-Gigiri road and the Lanet-Molo highway. China is also funding construction of major road bypass projects.
Perhaps the most drastic re-think and re-direction in Kenya-UK relations was this administration's early decision to diversify its sources of military procurement and other security-related contracts, for instance dropping the British Land Rover for the Japanese Toyota Land Cruiser.
Worst of all from the point of view of many Africa-last policymakers in both Washington and London , the Kibaki Administration has largely weaned Kenya from the abusive dependency on so-called development and international aid that has locked so many Third World nations into a vicious cycle of plunder and poverty.
According to a masterly insider analysis of the worldwide con known as globalization, entitled A Game as Old as Empire , subtitled "Global Empire: The Web of Control", by Steve Hiatt, Third World countries pay more than US$375 billion a year in debt service, which is 20 times more than the amount of foreign aid that they receive. There has not been a more unequal relationship in human affairs across the seas since the Trans-Atlantic slave trade that was abolished 200 years ago.
Considering the fact that half the world's population of 6 billion people lives on less than $2 a day, this is an unconscionably and unacceptably unjust system. But it is also a system in which the victims try to get out only at their own very real peril.
The story of the Kibaki Administration's first five years has been just such an attempt - a spirited go at breaking out of the prison of the global plunder and poverty trap that is the thoroughly corrupt "foreign aid" and "international development" con. The risk the Kibaki regime has taken in breaking the cycle of plunder, poverty, manipulation and alien control has come with clear and present dangers, not the least of which is a well-funded Opposition in which the forces of reaction, tribalism and economic backwardness have been equipped to take over and to keep Kenya firmly in the sphere of Western influence.
The Kibaki Administration's other Original Sin was the decision to break the aid dependency syndrome and finance the economy almost entirely on the basis of efficient, accountable and transparent tax collections. This move has been highly beneficial for Kenya and Kenyans, but this is precisely what our erstwhile Western masters never want to hear about, much less see happen.
The book from which the masthead quote for this analysis is drawn, John Perkins's first-person account of his own life as an Economic Hit Man, is a story of corruption at the global level that has many an object lesson for Kenyans as they prepare themselves to make an informed choice at the 10th General Election. It is a deeply disturbing story of the most mind-boggling greed and international corruption, a worldwide web of control, corruption, and plunder.
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is the most compelling book of its genre - insider investigative expose and whistle-blowing -since the late 1980s' The Lords of Poverty: The Power, Prestige, and Corruption of the International Aid Business by Graham Hancock. It is essential reading for thinking Kenyans who are sworn enemies of herd mentalities and opposition for opposition's sake.
By John Mugambi and Lilian Nekesa
To John Mugambi and Lilian Nekesa
I cannot begin to say what your write-up did to me. What you need is a website that all persons interested in the Real truth about Kenya can go to and be informed. A lot of Kenyans right now are just depending on what the international media or politicians want them to know. If it could be common knowledge to every Kenyan what you just wrote, maybe we would be looking at this differently. A lot of Kenyans have been brainwashed into thinking that Kibaki is back just because he is a Kikuyu and wants power back. While indeed he has a plan to take Kenya to levels of economic independence that no doubt every Kenyan would embrace. Please find a way to create your own media (internet). We would love to read more. greyso@yahoo.com.
I read about people blaming Kibaki on irregular votes, then i one comment that this community come to take your land in rift valley. This man said nothing when Moi was the president for 24 years. He never mentioned about the favor of one community for 24 years. No mention of rigging for Moi. Think again, i think this is hatred.
Ha ha ha....That is from the comment above that BBC and CNN are biased and are pro-Odinga! and again, ha ha ha. Since when would CNN care to make a certain party especially in a third world country and disfavor another? I would agree Kenyan tv stations are controlled, but BBC and CNN??? Lets not get paranoid.
Okay, so Moi rigged time and time again, we all know that, and we all agree it was wrong. At least I do. But pointing out that Kibaki didn't do anything about it as an excuse for him to do the same exact thing is rather unprepared....Kibaki was supposed to bring about change. That is why literally all communities, including Kalenjins, voted for the man, and continue to vote against Moi by sending all his three sons home. Kibaki should have been different. Not to say he did not bring any +ve things to Kenya, but by doing exactly what Moi did for 24 yrs, he is seriously taking Kenya back to the dark ages. Thank God he is too old to stay 24 yrs, because he would have been Moi no 2, seeing us getting out of power is something he cannot comprehend.
Sign Petition to take Ruto, Raila & Co. to the ICC in the Hague. As the information comes out we are learning the truth, that the post election violence was preplanned genocide. Please sign and forward we must never let this happen again in our country. Remember the 50 innocent women and children burnt alive in a church in Eldoret. Their voices are screaming from above for justice. We can't let them down. Go to:
http://www.gopetition.com/online/16189.html
To the Ha,ha,ha.... person above. If CNN and BBC had been fair they would have been interviewing all people not just Luo's or people whose last names start with "O" or "A". If you are not a Kenyan (which is why I am forgiving BBC and CNN) you may not catch on this. Interviewing Kenyans of all tribes seems much fairer to me especially if they can collect views from all tribes alike. The New York times have been very fair in their reporting. I am not being paranoid, just reading between the line and seeing the bigger picture.
On another note. Can our leaders (Raila and Kibaki) please come to their senses and save us from this ruin. While in the beginning it seemed that a few from one tribe had been insighted to ruin the other, now it has gone to an almost point of no return with retaliation. Now we can say that there is inter-tribal war in Kenya. For Real. The war is now on both sides and everyone, Kikuyus vs Luos and Kalenjins alike are loosing their homes, businesses, lives and its not a matter of what tribe is doing what. They are all doing it.
Once again, Raila and Kibaki, are you watching your children kill each other while you debate on who did what, when, and how?
To anonymous, aug 21st, 3:19 PM.
Sir, you are the hate monger. You cannot, substanciate your claims that Mr. Odinga is a war monger, a tribalist or anything short of a straight foward person, who has suffered persecution-since the Kamau's time (read--Jaramogi's fall out with Kenyatta)and his repeated detention by Toroitich.
Sir, you know as much as anyone that there is a clique of gramby old men around Mwai who have continually ill-advised an otherwise honest man.But Mr E.M.Kibaki, why stick to an office you know honestly you did not ligitemately win? How do you sleep at at night-knowing that that innocent blood was lost because of you. History will charge you so harshly.
To the Kenyans, is there need to vote is the executive steals it, using the state machinery. Africa, my motherland, we have a very long way to go.
The rootcause of the kenya's problem to say the least is the stolen presidential vote. Ask anyone!The downfall of the stolen vote however is the ethinicity that has been lying domant for over 40 years--and who planted that seed?---Kenyatta himself. He uplifted his people,amid protests from Jaramogi. Mr Murumbi resigned beacuse he did not want to be party to maglisation of other Kenyans in-favour of one ethinic group.
Why is Mungiki a one tribal gang? how come other groups do not stake a claim to it.
Kenya may be burning today, yet out of the ashes something positive will come out it. I regret the loss of innocent lives There is one thing I know for sure, Mr. Kibaki is the LAST Kikuyu to hold the presidency mark my words.
OOps! I forgot, Look at SK Musyoka! what a joke!
Did I hear you say you were a born again christian? ---- and what did the so called Christian do--he campaigned against corruption, against Kibaki, and where is he now--in jogoo house. He is no dirrerent that a loose woman (no offense to ladies).Your days are numbered too sir.
One last reminder, for MR. Musyoka---It in bad taste that you were appoited lead the mediation team. The political problem in Kenya is between kenyans-in ODM and PNU. You are merely a surrogate. Infact, you will be and are the reason why there may be no solution, so excuse me , the Kenyans and your self. at lease safe face.
Am not a proud Kenyan anymore!
Dear Ojuku
You are obviously a tribalist or racist like most Kenyans. One thing is clear, Luo's will continue to support Luo's and Kikuyu's will continue to support Kikuyus regardless of what sinful things they do. I'll be honest and say I am a Kikuyu. One of my sisters is married to a Luo and the other to a Luhya. And I love my brothers-in-law abundantly. They are the most dependable men in my entire family. My best friends all happen to be Luo's.
When I listen to someone like you and ODM I am wondering if within our family and close friends we are supposed to live in tension.
We should not be suffering over sins of our grand fathers. We have long come up, grown up (hopefully), been educated, and inter-married across ethnic lines. There are only two people in Kenya who are EQUALY responsible for the violence. That is Kibaki and Raila. They are the ones who have continued to stand by and watch people tear each other up. It should be more important to stop the violence than to bicker over who rigged and who started the violence. Now Luo's and Kikuyu's are fighting over ethnic boundaries created long ago that they only read in History books.
Ojuku, you should be uniting Kenyans and preaching peace. Saying that another Kikuyu would never be in power is hoping that all Kenyans have turned into racists and will continue to hold a tribal grudge. It should never be about tribe, race, gender. It should be about ability. Take a leaf from the Clinton Vs. Obama. A woman and a black man, either one of them stong enough to lead the country and all that is left is to convince America on which of them could unite, (not devide) bring hope, and lead the great US of A into a future that Americans deserve.
But Kenya is all about, who has been eating and whose turn it is to eat now.
One thing is for sure. Whoever plotted this ethnic devide in Kenya is surely seeing the fruits of his labor. Congratulations, you wanted Kenyans split and now they are split. Now all tribes are going to take sides. At the end of the day, people will remember who they supported that let them down. If there is a re-election, it will now be a matter of - are there enough luo's, luhyas and kalenjins to support Raila? And what happens to all the other tribes that indeed supported Raila that may not do so now. Same goes for Kibaki. I say Kalonzo has a chance at becoming the No. 1 because Kibaki and Raila are making a fool of all Kenyans right now.
To Kibaki:It is simple and clear,Kibaki if you think you won this election accept re-election and you will prove yourself right/wrong.Am sure you are dying of guiltness because you know very well you did not win the election and now pple are dying because of your greed.If you are still insissting that you won,answer the following questions:1.Why were you sworn in immediatly 30 minutes after the fake annoucing of your victory? i mean it was past 6pm,working hours!. 2.Why was there no National anthem sung on you fake ceremony?3.Why didn't you invite even a neighbouring president to witness your fake swearing as it's always done,but you only invited loser from your former cabinet and bad advicers who have led you to this mess? 4.does all this look normal and fair to you and you fellow kikuyus? Am telling you your days are numbered,this is God's nation not just a country that you can do with it all your evil stuffs.The souls that are already gone because of you greed have not gone free,somebody has to pay dearly,don't be suprised when God's wrath will be apon you and your malicious friends.If you could have accepted defeat we could be far much ahead than you've never thought off.God chose his leader for the country through voting but you disobeyed him,May he panish you and you generations to come.
JD
sake
The Bible says i wise person control his or her toung where by foolish and dishonest people
own feeling and judgement before the world, and even others to condemn disrespect and disrespect the truth. Remember you are the worst sinner than both kibaki and odinga.Do you know why ?dont write something destracting peoples heart and create hatred to each and every individuals attitude,instead talk of of positive moves and ways to end the hatred and the killings; and kneel down with both of your neindivialses and bore down your head and ask God to end the crisis otherwise your attitude towards who is write and who is surpassed to be the president and from which tribe and why not your tribe.My friends God want both of us to love one another it's the great commandment. For those who knows the Bible this is just temptation where by, all kenya we are tempted by satan, and we need to pray every time without stopping and either sleeping before the the devil overcomes the country. LEADERS ,RAILA AND MWAI please dont be too selfish save lives.And this is my will struggle and live like a dog but respect and legacy is the only string line can make die like a hero.God! BLESS KENYA.By arapmaush@yahoo.com U.S.A
One thing the kikuyus ought to know is that they are stupid and should learn from Rwanda and Burundi. They don't have enough land, second they are thieves and most of them can not do without the other race. They are all over Kenya because of that Nyinyi wakikuyu ni wajinga sana, but this time you had it. Kibaki amekunja mkia and he is ready to dialog with Raila.
This last comment by a fellow kenyan, calling the Kikuyu's stupid is what is keeping kenya from growing. this is what is killing us. empty heads who think on tribal lines. Take a big mental picture fellow. Anyone using this media too me is more so likely to be educated or learned or experience or exposed to some useful knowledge, use it glorious, help us save our kenya. It does not belong to kibaki or RAila. after all they are guarded and they have pretty to eat. Tell me if your relative or your neighbor or a friend or someone you knew in school hasn't suffered yet from all this violence. Or if you have not seen yet the faces of those innocent children laying on grass, some getting born . what have they done to deserve this? contrast it to the romantic picture of hon RAila at his home in bondo with his wife ida, smiling at the cameras and many more that we have not seen. Who is suffering?
A merican need to investgate on Rairas Hummer, some of the money he used was from one of the men who were stealing from sick and dead americans using their IDS. H also helped the lady who was filmed beating helpless sick man to terurn to kenya before she was taken to court, Raira is not a straight person as amricans and british think, he started talking about riging before the electin date was even mentioned so he knew with ruto what they were planing to do if they lost and this have made many people lost their lives,the american and british media has played their part too, when kikuyu were killed the did not mention the tribe which was killing kikuyus but when kikuyu started to defend themsef the media started praming kikuyu of killing other tribe and this gave Raira and ruto a way to prame kukuyu, wake up americans and british and do your home work and get answer,ps note iam not a kikuyu iam from western kenya
The last person's comments, I hate to have to comment, please apply your English properly and respect the use of nouns (people and countries) by using initial capitals and at the very least be able to spell names of the main players "Raira"!!.
Despite your serious English deficiency, unless you have proof, please do not accuse others of illegally owning stuff. The cost of a Hummer is mere peanuts to someone like Raila.
Being from Western Kenya (I hate to also say this, which is what Kenya should be avoiding) does not mean you are not a Kikuyu. It should only mean that you are a Kenyan whose family or fore-family found it feasible to live in Western.
Kenyans should be a free people with " a right to live, where-ever in Kenya, a right to liberty (real freedom) and a right to pursue happiness any where in Kenya.
Otherwise, should we take it much further and kick all Nilotes back to Sudan, Bantus into Central Africa and Cushites to where-ever. Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness should be a law everywhere in the world.
If you take a close look, the whole world is so mixed up with immigration, what is so strange about Kenyans migrating within the country. Why should a Luo not be able to buy land in Nyeri, if he has the money, and likewise for a Kikuyu owning a business in Kisumu, if he thinks its viable.
I live and own a land and home in Texas, yet am a Kenyan. No reason why anyone cannot buy himself land on any part of Kenya if thats where he thinks he will find his happiness. Unless somethings have changed, if a land is put for sale in Kisumu by a Luo and a Kikuyu has the money to buy it, I don't see that the Luo will refuse to sell the land, its money he wants - to turn around and chase the Kikuyu away who bought that land legally is beyond comprehension. And likewise in other areas of Kenya where Kenyans are being forcibly relocated.
Kenyans have been living together in peace for a long time and any bottled up feelings of inequalities (within tribes) were not felt at the common mwananchi level, those are grievances propelled by the leaders up there as their campaign motto to try buy the little people.
Everyone in the various stages of classes, be it in the slums, in Buru Buru, In the Universities, In the Kawangwares, Muthaigas, Westlands, you name it, everyone knows a Luo or a Kikuyu, across all classes. So if you're poor, middle class, high and up have a neighbour from either tribe, so when did it become that one tribe was more privileged.
Don't our children go to the same schools, don't we ride the same bus, shop at the same Nakumat and pay the same rent. Haven't we even had great people of all tribes in the government, maybe not the No. 1seat but, have you forgotten the very "great man" Robert Ouko.
We have all needed each other in more ways than one. Everyone brings something to the table, and for the leaders to incite people into thinking that "Kikuyus have been privileged for too long" is almost saying that there are no Luos out there who are just as privileged. Luos have it made too. There are just as many Kikuyus living in Mathare as there are Luos living in Kibera. Poverty has not been selective of tribes in Kenya so why was it even a point with the leaders to begin with?
Kikuyus have benefited a lot from the Luo and likewise vice-versa. We can live without each other if we really had to but we all love fish and chips (warus OR potatoes).
In layman's terms, Why cut the hand that feeds you.
Close-mindedness and abuse of others because of their origin, ethnicity or accumulative affluence is just pointing a finger back at the lack of intelligence.
To the other blogger who called Kikuyus stupid. Do yourself some justice and look up the word "stupid" in the dictionary, I believe there is an illustration next to that word and alas!, is that your photo, I see on there?
Calling anyone "Stupid" is Stupid in itself.
To the other intelligent bloggers, Sorry I just had to stoop that low!!
my learnt friend,you should go back to school!icouldn't help laughing at what you typed.Raira-who?what are you talking about?You should be ashamed of what you say coz you do not have a clue who you're talking about?Lol raira?that's humorous.Anyway what a mean sob you are.Do you think Raila is a rotten pice of garbage like you?He can afford it loser so get used to it.
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