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A few thoughts on the Congo crisis November 13, 2008

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As the world turned it spotlights on Rwanda after 1994 genocide  and created a seemingly successful State on the surface to purge its guilt, the enemy took off and inhabited the vast Congo. This great nation have suffered the aftermath of that infamous event more painfully than the Rwandese and the world will ever dare to accept.

CNN’s Anderson Coopers called it the deadliest conflict since the world war two. Within the last ten years more than five million people have been massacred and masses uprooted from their homes depending
with the UN for their livelihood. It attracted the largest UN, 18,000 strong peacekeeping mission in history but who are unfortunately toothless in the face of Nkundas 4000 army.

The women and children have suffered most in this war. One of the latest victims reportedly being treated in an Eastern Congo hospital is Sifa M’Kitambala. “They just cut her at many places,” Dr. Mukwege explains. Sifa was pregnant, but that didn’t stop her rapists. Armed with a machete, they even cut at her genitals.

My Professor from USIU stated in his thesis that Congo will not see peace at least not in our life time because the stakes are too high for the West to let go. This is bad news for us. As president Kagame
trade accusations with President Kabila over issues that are rather obvious on who funds General Nkunda our people continue to suffer.

To us these people have names and faces. We have posed for photos with them, they have cooked for us and we have slept in their houses. They are indeed our brothers and sisters. Anytime i get a distressed
private call with a code +243 my eyes tears up. Some of them may not be in harms way but the desperate tones tells the whole story. These are cries of mature men whose hope of  giving their children a decent
education in our current globally competitive  world gets slimmer as the guns shots grow louder in their neighborhood.

This complicates the story for the pygmies in the forest outskirts. As we prepare to launch a Book written by Samuel Muraguri  (M Div)” The pygmy World” on 5th December it will be a time of reflection for us at
Mission Base Initiative  and our partners and friends. The hope of this great country will not come from their troubled neighbors since they have rational selfish interests too. It will be a time to re-evaluate the magnitude of our interventions and the solutions that our message provides.A time to rethink Kenya’s position and its mandate in this region. The body of Christ must arise on all fronts and seek for
a sustainable solution to this rich but poor country, who have the capacity to light up the whole of Africa but suffers the worst black outs ever, whose teachers haven’t seen a salary in the last ten years and whose police survives on ‘donations’ from minor offenders and well wishers.

We long for a time when we shall see this conflict come to an end. It is an anathema to our continent and a shame to the Western powers and their mineral savvy TNC’s and their cronies amongst us. It was refreshing to hear President Kibaki talk tough and promising that a military intervention is an option. I urge us brethren to use all means including Lobbying our government so that they may come up more strongly  and assume our privileged position and status in the region to help these people. It may be expensive but worth it both as the people of God fulfilling our mandate and our nation performing its moral duty to its troubled neighbors.

Gachunia

The writer Works with Mission Base Initiative – a religious organistation with help efforts in the DRC

Obamaday – national celebrations in kenya November 5, 2008

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Mwai Kibaki

Mwai Kibaki of Kenya

The governement of kenya has declared a national holiday to celebrate the victory of Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America.

This capped a night of celebration as curious kenyans followed election results overnight as local TV station suspended regular programming schedules to relay the vote tallying process live. There is a palpable air of excitement all over the republice as kenyans look forward to the elections and the future of a man they consider one of their own. There were reports that a bull had been set apart for slaughter and celebration in the eventuality of an Obama win.

Obama's kenyan relatives sit outside their home in Kogelo Siaya

Obama's Relatives in Kenya entertain guests outside their home in Kogelo, Siaya

Dozens of local and international journalists have descended on Kogelo,Siaya where the father of the US president-elect Barack Obama was born and raised. In the nearby city of Kisumu, a group of youths held a mock parallel election, with six ballot boxes in different locations around the city. In the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, people chanted “Obama! Obama!” as the results were announced on television.

“He’s in!” said R N, 23, a business student who joined hundreds of others at the residence of the U.S. ambassador for an election party that began at 5 a.m. “I think this is awesome, and the whole world is backing him.”

I am calling tomorrow Obamaday – A day to …. havent figured that out yet.

it could be a day to

  1. Celebrate Obama’s victory
  2. Cheer those who are celebrating Obama’s victory
  3. Sleep
  4. movies, pizza and blogging
  5. Visiting friends
  6. Driving lesson 3 – number 2 is today
  7. planning my political options
  8. applying for an American visa
  9. reviewing Obama-tunities [Opportunities that will come out as a result of the Obama presidency]
  10. blacked out – after the office cocktails tonight

THE WAKI REPORT AND THE INDIANS October 25, 2008

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The political landscape is becoming hotter and hotter. And I think it is for all the proper reasons; Now William Ruto has said that he is ready to resign if there is appropriate evidence that he was inolved in planning and executing the post election violence. Which other evidence does he want apart from the written and reseached evidence of a respected judge of the court of appeal? Who else should give evidence against Ruto for him to accept the truth?

I have seen a section of the report that lists the members of parliament who planned and executed the post election violence. Here it is:

(1) the late hon. Lorna laboso former odm mp, sotik constituency.
(2) the late hon. David kimutai too former odm mp, ainamoi constituency.
(3) the late hon. Kipkalya kones former odm mp, bomet constituency.
(4) hon. William ruto odm mp, eldoret north constituency.
(5) hon. Franklin bett odm mp, bureti constituency.
(6) hon. Boaz kaino odm mp, marakwet west constituency.
(7) hon. Sally kosgey odm mp, aldai constituency.
(8) hon. Fred kapondi odm mp, mt. Elgon constituency.
(9) hon. Henry kosgey odm mp, tinderet constituency.
(10) hon. William ole ntimama odm mp, narok north constituency.
(11) hon. Omondi anyanga, odm mp, nyatike constituency.
(12) hon. John pesa odm mp, migori constituency.
(13) hon. Ramadhan kajembe odm mp, changamwe constituency.
(14) hon. Najib balala odm mp, mvita constituency.
(15) hon. Chris okemo, odm mp, nambale constituency.
(16) hon. Elizabeth ongoro odm mp, kasarani constituency.
(17) hon. Uhuru kenyatta, pnu mp, gatundu north constituency.
(18) hon. Kabando wa kabando, pnu mp, mukurueni constituency.
(19) hon. Stanley githunguri, pnu mp, kiambaa constituency.
(20) hon. Peter mwathi pnu mp, limuru constituency.

I cannot believe that the list above is 100% authentic but I believe it.

I think Justice Waki is the first Kenyan commission chairman to actually do his job. With that he has exceeded he expectations of amny a kenyan. Waki has done his part and now the best we can do for ourselves now is to help ourselves by executing justice effectively and efficiently without fear or favour. Ruto should be investigated and like any other kenyan made to pay for his sins. he should not be crying wolf even before most Kenyans have had a chance to read the whole report.

Many Kenyans died in the post election skirmishes and that culture of impunity must not  be allowed to continue. Perhaps Ruto ordered the killings with the expectations that they wold be forgotten and that they would another day and go and kill a few more people. Someone must rise up and say NO.

The Waki report is, however, not perfect. It fails on the application of the post election remedies to the wider causes of the violence. Hope you all know that this is NO LONGER a country for Africans.

  1. Kenyans are the most receptive people int he world [they are ever receptive to foreign cultures]
  2. there are places that a black Kenyan cannot go to. in this category are countless ranches that do no accept Kenyan tourists, restaurants and of course private game parks
  3. less than 10% of Kenya is actively farmed
  4. some of the white farmers who were kicked out Zimbabwe have set up camp in kenya
  5. Kenyan land – iko na wenyewe
  6. Kenyan agriculture has its owners [africans make about 10 bob ker kilo of coffee/tea while white middle men -dormans, williamson, unilever, brokebond and others make hundreds pere kilo]
  7. Indians are taking over the Kenyan business landscape – construction, development, farming, retail, electricity, telecommunications

Do you know that out of all the construction going on in Kenya 90% is Indian, 5% is Kikuyu and the rest is for the rest of Kenyans. imagine if we kicked out the Indians from this country – there would be so much more left for us to share. I do not propose us taking over private property but I think Africans must demand their own place in their own continent. Giving away our own properties and wealth to foreigners is not the best ting that we can do for the motherland.

  1. how  many Kenyans own plots in India?
  2. how many Kenyans have contracts to supply the government of India?
  3. how many Kenyans have contracts to supply the military of India?
  4. How many Indian companies have given good fortunes to Kenyans- as in Kenyans have grown through the levels and gone into management and ownership?

There is the other thing that I have been seeing in kenyan society. MODERN SLAVERY.

Have you seen some old mzees who have worked for indians alltheir lives and the mzees keep geting thinner and thinner. I think there is a spiritual connectiona that binds the mzees to work for their bosses forever and that spirituall colonialism is something that we must stop. Hope you ahve already seen the speaker’s seat at the kenyan parliament. it was donated to kenya by the government of India. it has a snake on either side. i think that seat is a totem – a physical item thrug which the government is bound to the indians. It needs to be thrown out and burned.

Financially the slavery is executed by paying the person just enough to keep him around. something to eat and some hope that one day things will be better. Alternatively reminding that person often that you can do without them anytime. that they should kiss your boots or be ready to disappear.

Economically – i think Kenya as a country cannot afford to keep entertaining them Indians. i saw a report some time back that showed how much the UK government was spending on immigrants inclusive of direct cash input as well as rebates, concessions etc compared to how much the UK government was making from the migrants in terms of fees, taxes [private and biz] etc. the report was able to conclude that the UK government was a profit of a out 1.6 billion pound from the immigrants. I wish someone could do a similar report for Kenya.

There are many problems in kenya and some of them are that there is not much wealth to go round. to much of it has already been stolen by indians and whites. Too much of it only has room for farm hands and cleaners. too many politicinas have been compromised to become part of those who fight against the african.

There is need for a change.

Wanjala languishing in jail October 22, 2008

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Former Budalang’i MP Raphael Wanjala and Ms Joyce Akinyi.

The Budalang’i MP wants the Government to make an effort to have a former minister arrested in India returned. Mr Ababu Namwamba, yesterday urged the Government to consult with Indian authorities on former Assistant minister Raphael Wanjala’s fate -  he of ‘I am a very important person’!.And the woman is some Luo bimbo. One of the properties is DEEPWEST NIGHTCLUB in Nairobi west!

“I have pleaded Wanjala’s case with the Minister for Foreign Affairs Moses Wetangula and I hope the Government will be in a position to intervene “The Government should offer any necessary assistance to the former Assistant Minister and his woman friend because they are Kenyan citizens,” said Ababu, who ousted Wanjala in the last General Election.

Wanjala and Ms Joyce Akinyi, the woman at the centre of a divorce and property wrangle with her Nigerian husband, were arrested in New Delhi, India last week. Namwamba said he held talks with the minister to ensure their safe return.He argued that despite the magnitude of the offence, the two should be tried in their own country.

Budalang’i residents said they were concerned with the conduct of the former MP. “Why is he going around with a married woman yet he has two wives? Although we appeal to the Government to help him, he is letting us down as a community,” said Mr Corneli Sebe, a resident. However, family members at Wanjala’s rural home in Budalang’i remained tight-lipped over his fate.

The Bimbo; Akinyi has been accusing the husband of criminal activities in Kenya. What akinyi is not aware of is that she stands to loose everything if she persists on criminalising her husbands activities. The law is very clear on proceeds of crime, they are forfeited to the state period. So if Chinedu is a drug dealer, and there is evidence that he used drug money to invest in Kenya, then it should all go to the state. Akinyi can also be considered as an accomplice ‘aiding and abetting’ she could also be facing jail time. What the couple should settle for is an amicable divorce and splitting of property otherwise they will both be losers. plus its impossible for a wife to testify against the husband.

Wanjala Released from jail with Akinyi October 22, 2008

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Former Budalang’i MP Raphael Wanjala and businesswoman Joyce Akinyi who were jailed in India, have been released.

The two were released following intervention by Kenyan authorities. Sources at Foreign Affairs Ministry said the two were released on bail.

Raphael Wanjala
It was unclear if the two would be allowed to return, given the pending case. Authorities in India were investigating what Wanjala and Akinyi intended to do with Sh7.59 million found on them when they were arrested on Moi Day.

The two were arrested in New Delhi, with the undeclared money.

Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba had urged the Government to intervene and have the two released.

According to India’s Telegraph, New Delhi’s revenue intelligence department and the narcotics bureau were investigating if the money was to be spent on drugs.

MISSION ABROAD

The authorities said the two refused to disclose their mission, more than 10 days after they were arrested.

“They have refused to give the names and addresses of people they were to meet and stay with in Delhi,” the paper quoted an official.

Ms Akinyi, who is at the centre of a property tussle with her estranged Nigerian husband Antony Chinedu, travelled under a different name.

Officials at Tihar Prison, where the two were held, told the newspaper Akinyi travelled on a passport with the names Ochieng’ Teressa.

Kenyan High Commissioner in India Francis Kaberia said he was instructed to hire a lawyer and bail out the two.

Wanjala and Akinyi left Kenya through Uganda, the newspaper said, adding they entered India from Dubai aboard an Emirates EK- 514 flight, on October 10.

Officials in New Delhi say cash more than $5,000 (Sh375,000) has to be declared and owners obtain a currency declaration certificate.

When they were arrested, Wanjala and Akinyi had more than $100,000 (Sh7.59 million) in cash, all undeclared. Both have cases pending against them here in Kenya.

source: EafricaStandard

Kenyatta day; Coast by bus October 21, 2008

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Friday ten pm found me on a bus heading towards Mombasa. It was great and slow too. I didn’t know that the Chinese had been doing such a bad job though they already have done a nice job. Yaani that part between South C and Mlolongo is terrible. But most of the rest – all the way had mwambao is perfect! Not a single pothole just open skies and endless road.

Arrived at Mtitio Andei to find that all of Nairobi was going to coasto. Even met some people from way … way back.

But that was just the beginning.

Turns out that local tourism is the big thing. Big Time! There were Kenyans all over the place just having fun, touring everywhere. For me it was all the more exciting because it was the first time I’ve taken myself on such a long journey without there being some relatives involved! I think I love it!

So it was that we arrived at Mombassa just as the sun was coming up and booked ourselves to a nice little guest house. Then there was this conversation.

Person 1: I just want to take a shower and sleep for just two hours

Person 2: Sleeping. We aint come here for no sleeping

Person 3: Sleeping? Couldn’t you have done that in Nairobi?

Activity matrix:

Arrival > Shower > Streets > food > swimming > food > drink > streets > a little bit more of the same in no defined order.

There are those who literally passed out on the bus on the way back!

First was some biashara for me during which I got lost and found myself in Bamburi. Many kilometers away from Buxton here I was originally supposed to be. Buxton pronounced bastani … or something like that.

Lambada

Lambada is a drink and dance club in Mtwapa and if you have the right company it can be the bomb of your trip to coast.

Life in Mombasa is generally slow. There are always people seated on the streets chatting, chewing miraa. There is always a lost tourist etc.

Food

So me and me swits go to this place to buy ice cream strawberry na vanilla kama kawaida. Sasa there is no strawberry plain – kuna strawberry with three different sub-flavors. Not seen that in Nairobi yet. Also three different vanilla creams. It was soooo sweeet!

Swimming

I almost ended up not swimming. That would have been quite unfortunate. Thank God it didn’t happen. The first day – I lost my friends hooking up with another old friend at her place of employment. Had the offer to swim one of coast’s best swimming places but bila company I’d better be on the public side with me peeps.

That reminds me to reschedule my swimming classes. Mmhmhm

Full Federation

Full federation can be found at the café near Coast Bus booking office. Its best to go upstairs. Full federation is a platter of rice, beef, stew, spaghetti and chips. One serves two but the plate is so big as to be easily embarrassing! But I should tell you at this point that there was no left overs on our table. No pointing fingers but the guilty ones – tunajijua.

Then its back to work and people are talking standards. That is my on my desk this morning. IT standards.

Geek food anyone?

Going to Mombasa kenya October 17, 2008

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Am just thinking about going to Mombasa tonight.

Yeap, the ticket is in my pocket, the camera is coming and my eyes are eager tosee for themselves what it is that this great coastal town has to offer.

Am going with some friends and will hopefully be posting some intersting pictures of my trip right about Monday or there about.

I’ve never has any illusions that i can manage coastal kiswahili but am going to try my long heald theory that Mombasa people dont get no english!

Yes, wakiniuliza naambaje nitajibu Naamba very fine sir.

More later.