”We Are The Same People”, Ngatia Tells Narc-KS Crowd
At the Narc-KS Party that was organized on Saturday 28th April at Alby to launch the Narc-KS website, a significant development also took place. The Party had officially invited ODM-KS to the function and since there is no acrimony or serious rivalry between the two Parties, ODM-KS honored the invitation.
Apart from launching the website, two speakers were given the opportunity to address the crowd. Mr. Martin Ngatia, the Vice chairperson of ODM-KS was one of the speakers.
He said that regardless of political differences, “we are one people”, adding that “We cannot allow tribalism and nepotism to lead Kenya” amid applause.
Pointing out that he was happy to have been allowed to address the gathering, Mr. Ngatia said that both ODM-KS and Narc-KS should prove to Kenyans that “We are the most civilized and sophisticated people in this time and era”. He said that despite political differences, everybody was enjoying at the Party and that nobody was fighting with one another.
There was a good turn out at the Party and Narc Kenya leaders appeared very satisfied. The Master of Ceremony was Mr. Daniel Mwaura, the Chairperson while Mr. Githuku wa Muirani welcomed visitors at the door.
After Mr. Ngatia, Mr. Dick Kamau, the Secretary General of Chama Cha Mwananchi, also “greeted the crowd”. He said that Kenyans ought to remain united. He told the crowd that Kenyans in Scandinavia formed a Constituency and encouraged members of the community to return to Kenya to play politics when they think that it is time.
He introduced Mr. Keegan Kagwe whom, he said, is the Representative of CCM in Scandinavia. Mr. Keegan is a well known Kenyan in Stockholm.
He said that at home, Kenyans are reading blogs and advised that blogs should focus on development issues. He said that sometimes, what is published in the blogs are progressive while some times retrogressive.
KSB had discussions with several prominent Kenyans at the function about different topics. KSB had discussions with Mr. David Nyori, Mr. Nashon Mbugua (Narc-KS Committee members), Mr. Dick Kamau, Mr. Jamlik Muritu, Ms Caroline Irungu and many others who all had interesting points of views on diverse issues.
However, the situation in Stockholm took center stage in the discussions followed by the situation in Kenya. The problem of Munala in ODM-KS was scratched, the Narc web site was mentioned, past stories in KSB were re-winded and analyzed with lots of good tips on how the site could be improved.
The “Ngatia address” marked a turning point in the relationship between ODM-KS and Narc-KS which has not been able to make contacts at the official level. The atmosphere was friendly and one could feel that Wakenya wako pamoja regardless of political differences. Mr. Mwaura winded up the address by telling the crowd that Narc Kenya was fully behind President Kibaki.
Okoth Osewe
In Brief: Munala Pulls Down ”Massive Turnout” Story
On Saturday evening (28/04), Mr. Dancan Munala, a renegade ODM-KS Committee member, published a story at his blog titled “Massive Turnout At ODM-KS Emergency Meeting”.
The story was in relation to the illegal Saturday meeting Munala called together with Odhiambo Opee Jr at ODM-KS Office. The story was up the whole of yesterday and claimed “success” at the meeting. It also suggested that those present were pro-Munala.
When KSB published the truth (see story below) about what happened at the meeting, giving names of those who attended and on whose side they were, Munala has now pulled down his lies. This is how Munala operates and this is just one example that has now played itself in the eyes of the public.
The story did not reflect the reality that was on the ground and he pulled it down because he could not defend it after KSB exposed the real truth. The facts spoke for themselves making his composition an embarassing lie. You don’t expect this kind of dirty game from a former “Preacher” who used to open the bible and mesmerise the crowd in a moment of “Bwana asifiwe”, do you?
Okoth Osewe
KSB UPDATE:
After the publication of this brief, Munala has restored the story but the lies remain.
“Emergency Evacuation” At Wananchi Pavilion
Mr. Dancan Munala was yesterday dropped as the Secretary of ODM-KS. In an Executive Committee meeting held yesterday at ODM-KS Office, the Committee delivered a “Vote of no confidence” on both Mr. Munala and Ms Sofia Njoroge, the Treasurer.
During a motion that was moved by the Chairperson Mrs Hellen Opwapo, Committee members observed that it was no longer tenable for both Mr. Munala and Ms Sofia to continue serving as Secretary and Treasurer respectively because they were working against the organization. The new Secretary is Mr. Okoth Osewe while the new Treasurer is Mrs Grace Nyambura.
The Committee also decided that the annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday May 19th. Several decisions were taken at the meeting. The Executive committee will prepare an Annual General Report ahead of the AGM, send invitation to members 3 weeks in advance to attend the AGM, prepare the ballot papers and re-organize the Office in preparation for the AGM.
ODM-KS members who wish to stand for elections have until May 13th to submit their names to the Committee. All candidates will have their names printed on the ballot papers which will be used for voting. The Committee will draw up a “Code of conduct” for elections while members who wish to contest for Office have been given freedom to begin election campaigns. The Committee will meet again on Friday 4th May. The Committee meeting ended at 15.20.
After the meeting, ODM-KS members who had come to the office to “observe” developments at an unconstitutional “Emergency members meeting” that had been called by Mr. Munala and Mr. Opee began a count-down towards 16.00 hrs.
The members believe that Munala, Opee and Sofia are trying to disrupt the Party and they were very curious to know who was behind Munala and company. These members were the following: Hellen Opwapo, Makan Macharia, Waweru Nderi, Paul Muirani, Leena Nousiainer, Martin Ngatia, Grace Nyambura, John Njenga, Teddy Machua Antony Adiwa, Long John and Okoth Osewe. Many ODM-KS members called HQs to say that they would not attend the meeting because it was unconstitutional.
Fanuel Okoth, a Kenyan, told members that he had just been informed that Wakenya were meeting. He is not an ODM-KS member. He later decided to join the Party and promised to pay his membership fees. Members were excited when he said that he did not know much about ODM-KS. It looks like the Munala group tried to use him to increase numbers.
On the Munala side, the first person to arrive was Mr. Gerry Midenyo, a former Treasurer who resigned from the Party and quit ODM-KS, saying that he had become a member of ODM-K in Kenya. His resignation was published by Munala at his blog and members wondered whether the Munala group was very desperate for support so as to try to recycle a member who had quit the Party to attend an illegal meeting. Gerry did not join the ODM-KS observers and kept on moving up and down the Pavilion like a “security officer”. After Gerry, Odhiambo Opee came in. He too, did not join the ODM-KS observers. By 16.30, only Gerry and Opee had arrived and members began to realize that the big talk about a meeting was hot air.
A PUNCH BY PUNCH ACCOUNT OF “CHAOS DEVELOPMENT”
Then Clay Onyango and Jasper Orieny arrived and joined the group of observers. Nobody knew on which side both Clay and Jasper stood. It was Clay’s first time at the Pavilion. Members did not bother to interfere with Clay because they were having a good time relaxing with drinks at the Pavilion. No alcoholic drinks are allowed at ODM-KS meetings and since members who were present simply wanted to show solidarity with the Committee, they just took it easy as the waiting continued then Otieno Opee arrived. The Mzee is on Munala’s side.
The last to arrive was Munala and Sofia. It was now some minutes to 17.00. By the time the two arrived, the Munala group comprised of the following: Munala, Sofia, Odhiambo Opee, Otieno Opee and Gerry Midenyo, five people. Apart from Clay and Jasper whose positions were unknown, the rest of the group were not with Munala and company. It was a big shame.
The Chairlady then addressed the supporters informed them about key Committee decisions that had been taken. She said that the Office had been reshuffled and advised those who were affected to hand over items belonging to the Party. She also said that the date for the AGM is May 19th and gave other details.
Other members also spoke and lectured Munala and company for trying to disrupt the Party. Makan told them that they could not bypass the chairlady while calling a member’s meeting. At First, Gerry tried to stop the filming of what was happening but he was quickly told to shut up and the filming continued.
It was after Sofia and Munala were given time to speak when hell broke lose. They started shouting that “Osewe is a dictator” and “Osewe must go”. They were soon joined by Gerry in the chorus. At that point, members started shouting down Sofia, Munala and Gerry, creating big chaos at the Pavilion.
For the next 10-15 minutes, the Pavilion was filled with noise prompting the Swedish Manager of the Office to come out to check what was happening. Her mother was also at the Office and she appeared really shocked at the site of Africans shouting at the top of their voices.
As the situation threatened to deteriorate even further, the Committee decided to get supporters out of the Pavilion. Gerry was nearly beaten up by a member who had to be restrained by two members. He used the “F” word on Gerry as he was led away.
There was no time to waste. We convinced members to leave akina Munala alone and wait for the AGM if they wanted them out of the Party. It was a very difficult task. The evacuation process took approximately ten minutes and I was the last to leave.
Supporters had left the Pavilion but I was still trying to talk to Sofia and Opee on how organizations are managed. Opee never shouted at anybody and Sofia had cooled down. I remember telling Opee that the best option could have been to discuss any differences in the Committee and if they could not be resolved, the issues could be taken to members in a properly organized members meeting. “If you use the methods you people are using, there will be anarchy and chaos”, I told Opee Jr who accepted that I had no personal differences with him.
Suddenly, three members came and told me that we had to leave so I left. Munala, Sofia, Gerry and Opee Jr were left alone at the Pavilion to ponder their next move. “We have left with the members”, I told them in a last minute shot.
I don’t remember when Clay and Jasper left the Pavilion but I suspected that they might have dashed out when the noise reached “fever pitch”. I met Antony Adiwa outside and he told me that he was very disappointed with Munala and his two supporters. The struggle against political opportunism in ODM-KS continues.
Okoth Osewe
Fireworks At Wananchi Pavilion
The much awaited illegal ODM-KS ”Emergency member’s” meeting at Wananchi Pavillion was a big fiasko. The Committee meeting ended as planned but when time for the ”member’s meeting” came, those who were present turned out to have been members who were supporting the Committee being led by Mrs Hellen Opwapo, the Chairlady. They had come as observers. There was “Fireworks” as wenyefitina were shouted down by members who called for elections.
Over 20 ODM-KS members attended the meeting. Out of this crowd, non was on the side of the two Committee members (Munala and Odhiambo Opee Jr) who had called the meeting and it was a big shame.
Clay Onyango and Jasper Orieny attended the meeting although it was not clear which side they were. Clay has been attending both Narc Kenya and ODM-KS meetings. There was no attempt to throw Clay out because nobody was interested in his presence.
Those who were in the opposition were four namely: Dancan Munala, Sofia Njoroge (ODM-KS Treasurer), Gerry Midenyo (A non ODM-KS member who resigned from the Committee and quit the Party), Odhiambo Opee Jr (Vice secretary) and his father Otieno Opee, a member.
Munala and company failed miserably to mobilize even a single ODM-KS member and they ended up addressing a hostile crowd that was pro- Opwapo Committee. If the Committee had violated the Constitution and pushed for “elections”, Munala and company could have been voted out of office.
After their humiliation, Munala and company are now claiming that there is a plan by the Committee to suspend them from the Committee. There was no such decision at the Committee meeting because the Constitution does not allow the Committee to suspend any member from the Committee under any circumstance. The maximum the Committee can do is to recommend the suspension or expulsion of a Committee member to members who must vote over the issue at a member’s meeting. At the Committee meeting, there was no decision to recommend any suspension or expulsion of any Committee member. The Committee believes that such an action could have been unjustified.
The maximum the Constitution allows is for the Committee to reshuffle the office and nothing else.
There is no website which has been hyjacked by anybody as Munala has claimed. The Committee is in control of ODM-KS website which has been under construction since January. Further information will be made available as soon as possible.
The Committee agreed that all official ODM-KS issues will be published at the Party’s website which www.odmks.org.
Okoth Osewe
ODM-KS Website Is Up And Running
The website of the Orange Democratic Movement (odmks.org) is up and running. The site is still under construction but basic information is available. ODM-KS Constitution, Program, Committee members and contact can be accessed through the site.
The Party’s logo (above) is prominently displayed at the site. The 12 legs of the logo represent the Party’s 12 point program, the Orange is symbolic for the Orange Democratic Movement, Kenya while the image of the sun represents a new dawn for Kenya once ODM-Kenya seizes power.
The availability of the site means that all official information of ODM-KS will now be available through the site. There has been concerns from members that the Party is too reliable on communicating through Blogs which are not representative of the Party.
The Party has had problems because a Committee members has been a major stumbling block in the Party, a situation which frustrated efforts by the Committee to set up the site. The member has allegedly been seeking to hijack the site for selfish ends.
In the meantime, ODM-KS Executive committee meets today at Wananchi Pavillion to set a date for the Annual GeneralMeeting (AGM) and to discuss the situation in the Party.
Two Committee members have called an illegal “Emergency member’s meeting” at ODM-KS Office. Mrs Hellen Opwapo, the Chairlady, has appealed to members who have said that they will come to the Office to observe the illegal activities of two Committee members to be calm and un-provocative.
A group of angry Committee members have threatened to stay put, arguing that the agenda of ODM-KS to help remove Kibaki from power will not be subverted by opportunists and self seekers within the Committee.
The members, who communicated to the Party’s leadership, said that the Party has to announce the date of the AGM so that elections can be held as soon as possible. They insist that members can only have a say in the situation through elections organized on time for every member to attend, not unconstitutional meetings.
ODM-KS Executive has put in place a strategy of dealing with the situation at the Party HQs.
Okoth Osewe
Who Is The Spokesperson Of ODM-KS? What The Constitution Says
In Kenya, if the government of President Mwai Kibaki violates the Constitution, we are always quick to make noise about it. Why should there be silence when the Constitution of ODM-KS is being violated repeatedly and with impunity before our very eyes? Currently, the Secretary has assumed the role of “Spokesperson” of the Party. He has realeased a public statement on behalf of the Party without consultation with the Committee. Who is the Spokesperson of ODM-KS and what does the Constitution say?
§8: CHAIRPERSON’S RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. To co-ordinate the work of the Executive committee.
2. To chair Committee meetings.
3. To act as the Party’s Spokesperson.
4. Ensure that decisions taken by the Committee are executed.
5. Co-ordinate with the Treasurer to ensure that the Movement’s income and expenditure records are in order.
6. Save copies of the Movement’s documents for at least ten years.
Violations are violations and there are no sacred cows in ODM-KS. If the Constititution cannot be followed especially by Committee members, there will be anarchy and chaos within the Party. What happens if every Committee member begins to release a statement on behalf of the Party? Speaking up against these violations is a duty of every ODM-KS member regardless of the level of mud-slinging, personal attacks, threats and other pretences meant to divert attention.
Okoth Osewe
ODM-KS Member’s Meetings And What The Constitution Says
§6. MEETINGS
There will be two types of meetings: Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Member’s meetings.
1. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held once a year while the member’s meetings shall be held at least three times a year.
2. It is the responsibility of the Executive committee to decide on place and time for meetings.
3. Meetings shall require a quorum of at least 50% of the total paid up registered members, all with voting rights.
4. Decisions taken at meetings are valid if supported by the majority.
5. The Constitution provides for the calling of Extra-ordinary meetings.
1. Annual General Meeting (AGM)
The invitation letters and Agenda of the AGM shall be sent to ALL paid up members at least three weeks in advance. The agenda of the AGM shall be:
(a) Whether the meeting has been convoked according to the Constitution.
(b) List or Register of voters which must be provided by the Treasurer.
(c) Approval of the day’s agenda.
(d) Election of the meeting’s Chairperson or Secretary.
(e) Election of two minute verifiers who shall also be responsible for vote counting.
(f) The Executive committee’s Annual report.
(g) The Auditor’s report.
(h) The Executive committee’s freedom from responsibility.
(i) Election of the New Executive committee
(j) Appointment of two Auditors
(k) Election of (three) Electoral commissioners
(l) Review of finance.
(m) Decision on member’s registration fee for the coming calendar year.
(n) Elected Committee can then decide to co-opt two members into the Committee at its convenience to oversee Committee activities.
2. The Annual General Meeting shall be held during the last Saturday of October.
3. The Extra-ordinary meeting can be called two months before or after the Annual General Meeting.
4. If 20% or more members request in writing for an Extra-ordinary meeting, the Executive committee is legally bound to call such a meeting.
Okoth Osewe
ODM-KS Executive Committee To Meet
The Executive committee of ODM-KS will meet on Saturday April 28th to discuss Party issues. Speaking to KSB, Mrs Hellen Opwapo, the Chairlady, said that ODM-KS Interim committee had completed its mandate ahead of time and that the Committee needed to organize an Annual General Meeting so that members can elect ODM-KS office ahead of the General elections in Kenya.
So far, all Officials have been working on a voluntary basis. Mrs Opwapo said that the Committee had done a fantastic job and recommended that the current leaders were fit to lead the Party. She was quick to point out that members will be free to elect anybody to lead the Party.
As the Official Spokesperson of ODM-KS, the Chairlady said that as a Party, ODM-KS has had its own internal problems and promised that once the Committee calls a member’s meeting, all issues will be laid on the table. She said that it was upon the Committee to decide on the date and time of the member’s meeting.
When pressed to name issues that have proved thorny in the Party, Mrs Opwapo said that it would be irresponsible for her to go public with any internal problems within the Party, arguing that there was a clear machinary in ODM-KS when it comes to dicsussions about thorny issues affecting the Party.
“I cannot say anything at the moment until Saturday when the Committee meets”, she told KSB.
According to the ODM-KS Constitution, it is the responsibility of the Executive committee to call member’s meetings and Mrs Opwapo appealed to members whose membership status are not up to date to ensure that they took contact with the Party to ensure that they would be able to exercise all rights including voting for the Party’s leadership when the AGM is eventually called.
On a private capacity and as a member of ODM-KS, she said that she believed that Raila Odinga should be given a chance to lead Kenya and hoped that ODM-K will nominate Mr. Odinga as the flag bearer of the Party when nominations are called.
She said that as a matter of policy, ODM-KS will support any candidate nominated by ODM-K, arguing that the principle agenda of ODM-K should be to defeat the government of President Mwai Kibaki regardless of who becomes President.
Okoth Osewe
KSB Crew Not “Disco Police”
Occasionally, KSB gets interesting requests. A person gives an interview and once it is published, Wakenya begin to call him or her. Friends and foes alike begin to put pressure why the newsmaker has said this and that. The newsmaker begins to experience butterflies in the stomach and calls KSB to make a request that the story be pulled down because it is “bringing problems”.
We are in the digital age and because the newsmaker had accepted that the interview be recorded, it is always obvious that there will be no excuse about “I was misquoted” kinda thing. KSB has had about five such cases in the past and no story has ever been pulled down. The rules are clear. As Bob Marley said, “Don’t jump in the water if you can’t swim”. Within the context of KSB, don’t give an interview if you cannot defend what you are saying.
Now, a new request has popped up. Someone called KSB and requested that a picture be pulled down because it’s not good. The picture was taken at a disco during a Kenyan Party. In law, Kenyan discos are part and parcel of the public sphere and the law is clear when it comes to publication of pictures taken at a public place. If the picture depicts someone committing a crime, the face has to be concealed because if the case goes to court, it might turn out that the person is innocent anyway. If there is no crime being committed, the picture can be published by any media although circumstances vary.
As a matter of courtesy, KSB is sensitive when it comes to taking “sensitive pictures” because the purpose of this site is not to put Wakenya into problems. You can be comfortable that you will never see your picture on the blog when you are squeezing yourselves on the dance floor, sometimes with lips tightly glued during that passionate moment when you eventually melt down and forget that you are in a public disco.
KSB does not know the romantic equations normally worked out before a couple begins to fuse on the floor. It could be that you decided to play “cheater” on your BF or GF for a break and a Kenyan disco was probably the perfect ground for you. You surely saw KSB Crew at the Party and when you wake up the following day, you might be curious about a report on the disco so you get online and bwaii! You are on the headlines wrapped up in a bundle (chest to chest) and the scene is damn dangerous from a romantic perspective. But that is if you are lucky.
If it was your bad day, you are woken up with a phone call because Wakenya have been calling round the clock to “break news” or asking whether you are these days moving with so and so. “No I don’t. What’s up?”, you pose in a moment of surprise. “You are in the blog mamen na wewe ni mdeadli”, comes the response as you rise to get updated online.
KSB DOES NOT HELP PEOPLE “GET EVEN”
You instantly discover that you will soon be in trouble and you do what is best. You call KSB and request that the picture be pulled down because italeta problem. At KSB, we are responsible so just do your thing. It is true that the disco is a public place but we do respect the “little privacy” which, we believe, revelers are entitled to. At the disco, the propaganda potential is normally so enormous that married Kenyans who come “unaccompanied” never take a risk. They dance “for fun” but keep a very safe distance.
At the disco, there are Kenyans who get so much zonked that they begin to sleep anywhere. Imagine what would happen to your image as a respectable Mwananchi when you suddenly recognize yourself in deep sleep, with your arms and fore-head resting on the table (as you snore) when Wakenya are partying in the background. Such pictures are degrading and KSB does not publish them as a matter of policy. We report scandal but we do not create scandal, more so, with innocent Wakenya who just want to have fun.
Another new thing. A Kenyan learns that KSB was at the scene and realizes that we made lot’s of very detailed observations which have been compiled in a report. The Boyfriend or hubby was away under the pretext of “attending the Kenyan disco”. Sometime, the woman of the house had slipped away because she had to link up with Kenyan friends at the disco, leaving Mamen to baby-sit.
Then suddenly, a call gets in and guess what? A partner wants to know whether a rib was at the disco and whether he/she was articulating with someone on the dance floor. “My man is stupid and he does stupid things when he is drunk and I just wanted to find out”, came a comment from a Swedish lady when I became tough to a stupid question.
Surely, KSB crew does not play “Disco police”. If you ask me, then “I did not see anybody” so don’t ask me. The disco reports are mainly for humor because nothing much happens at the disco anyway. Wakenya should not therefore read too much into the reports or expect KSB crew to have some “Intelligence” which could be shared. Back to the picture thing, we will soon update our FAQ to include a position on taking pictures and publishing them at the blog-site.
Lastly, if you have disagreed with your fellow Kenyan, don’t call KSB with private details to be published because you are looking for revenge.
“I know how this guy came to Sweden. He had nowhere to go. I helped him for eight months. He had no job. And now, he is bullshitting me. And bla bla bla…” . We don’t want to know because everybody has a story left behind. Just sort it out by yourselves.
There are several discussion forums and other garbage dumps (like RCbowen) where you can publish anything. We have a responsibility to readers and certain basic principles which cannot be compromised. KSB does not help people get even. We hope that this explains why certain articles sent via email have never been published. The same case applies to any mails that are classified as “crap” by KSB. Have a good day.
Okoth Osewe
Is Narc-K Scandinavia Looking For Fire?
Since it was concocted clandestinely in a flat in Alby and had all positions filled up with the most prominent Kikuyu chauvinists in Stockholm, KSB has desisted from rendering an analysis of Narc-K Scandinavia to give the moribund Party time to put its house in order.
“The Children of Mumbi” have hardly pulled anything significant (save for a decrepit website which, nevertheless, will soon be “launched”) yet they have began throwing spears in the direction of ODM-KS. The opportune moment came when an ODM-KS Committee member “resigned” from the Committee after raising opportunistic criticisms about the Party.
Before his resignation, the Committee member was talking daily to a “daughter of Mumbi”who sits in Narc-KS Committee. It is not therefore surprising that when the Committee member “resigned”, his resignation email eventually landed on the laps of Narc-KS Committee, albeit belatedly. To the thinkers of Narc-KS, the resignation email was “Intelligence material” which had to be circulated as the Party rushed to announce that ODM-KS was in “crisis”.
The email seemed to have been a manner from heaven because it helped to blind Narc-KS about the resignation of Jane Nyakairo from the Committee a while ago. Nyakairo quit the Committee because she could not work with Kenneth Wamburi, the Secretary. The reason for the bad blood between Nyakairo and Wamburi is historical.
During the days of KUWA (Kenya United Welfare Association), Nyakairo organized a fund raising towards the medical bills of her sister. After the harambee, rumors filled Stockholm that instead of using the cash that had been raised for the intended purpose, Nyakairo went into business. The Kenya underground News channel “BBC Stockholm” had it that Nyakairo hired a container and filled it up with second hand tires before shipping it to Kenya. The story was published in KUWA Bulletin and some Kenyans who were allegedly hired to pack the container are the same people who went to town with the news.
When she joined Narc-KS Committee and realized that Wamburi was the Secretary, Nyakairo went berserk. This is because when the alleged scandal came to light, Wamburi blasted Nyakairo in KUWA Bulletin (which I was editing), asking her to produce receipts on how the cash that was raised had been used.
Wamburi said that “…an independent investigation should be launched either by Kenyans or the Swedish State to establish whether there is a “harambee cartel” that is fleecing Kenyans out of their hard earned cash” (KUWA Bulletin November 1999).
This was too much for Nyakairo and when she found herself in the same pot with Wamburi in Narc-KS, she declared that Wamburi had to go or she would quit. In the end, Nyakairo quit the Narc-KS Committee. The news was however kept under wraps by Narc-KS hawks while KSB did not think that it constituted a “crisis”.
After Nyakairo’s resignation, Narc-KS was hit with a new resignation. Njoro, who was a sitting Committee member, resigned after finding himself in the middle of a power struggle between Githuku wa Muirani and Daniel Mwaura.
THE FAILED COUP ATTEMPT AGAINST NARC-KS CHAIRPERSON
Muirani has ambitions of contesting a Parliamentary seat in Kenya while reports reaching KSB also indicate that he is not happy with the heavy-handedness of Mwaura who has been accused of running the Party like a private business.
Muirani has no post in Narc-KS because insiders have told KSB that he does not want to “stoop too low” by going for something less than the Chairmanship. He badly needs the Chairmanship of Narc-KS because he needs to increase his political profile so that when he returns to Kenya to contest a seat, he can be recognized as a “somebody”.
The problem is that Mwaura is playing the same game. When he travelled to Kenya in January this year to attend the funeral of a relative, he made sure that he squeezed himself to the extent of addressing a Narc-K crowd in Kenya and ensuring that he captured the scene on camera to be used for cheap propaganda when he returned to Stockholm.
He also used his position to seduce the gutter press in Kenya which gave him cheap publicity. The Nation, the Standard and the Kenya Times showed him the red card. When he returned to Stockholm, the city was awash with what became known as the “Mwaura cuttings”. He was walking around with two press cuttings, trying to underline his impotence to Wakenya in Stockholm and how he was “given attention” by the Kenyan media.
At a Kesofo Committee meeting, members were surprised when Mwaura produced the famous cuttings and Moses Trubadur, a Committee member, had to challenge him why he is not producing cuttings from the three big Kenyan newspapers.
When Mwaura took a picture with the Kenyan Ambassador to Scandinavia H.E Purity Muhindi during the Jamhuri day celebrations last year, he began to circulate the picture to show that he was “connected” to the Ambassador. Although the Ambassador might have posed thinking that it was a private collection, the picture is now being used publicly by Mwaura to suggest that the Ambassador is a Narc-K member! This is not just unfair to the Ambassador but also illegal. The situation could have been different if the picture was taken in a Narc-K function. The picture has now been hanged at a web site and KSB feels sorry for the Ambassador.
Muirani is one Narc-KS Committee member who has not been happy about the way Mwaura is running the Party and the craze with the cuttings simply propelled him to try and stop the menace to save the image of Narc-KS. He began to carefully organize a coup against Mwaura. For Muirani, the Mwaura theatrics were degrading to Narc-KS and undermining the whole Committee whose members were uncomfortable that their leader had become too cheap. We will not go into the details of the Muirani coup planning (which is on file) but will focus on how the whole saga is connected to Njoro’s resignation.
Muirani began a campaign to recruit supporters who could give him a backing through an election. He wanted the coup to appear “democratic” and his calculation was that Mwaura would never know what had hit him until he (Muirani) took over.
Muirani cleverly came up with a plethora of claims as to why Mwaura should be dropped as Narc-KS Chairperson. Top on the list was the accusation that Narc-KS Chairmanship should be rotational but Mwaura had changed the Constitution which somehow makes him a “Permanent Chairperson”. It is still a mystery how thinking members within the Committee accepted such a drastic change. When the Constitution came under discussion, Mr. Peter Gitau is reported to have been very vocal especially on changes that appeared illegal although it is still not clear what happened next.
Among Muirani’s top supporters was Njoro whom Muirani has been very close to. When Njoro got a baby, it was Muirani who mobilized Wakenya to go and “see the baby”. When Mwaura discovered through his spies that Njoro was helping Muirani to overthrow him from power, he quickly made an appointment with Njoro to investigate.
Strangely enough, Muirani had not told Njoro that he was planning a coup against Mwaura. Muirani only told Njoro what he needed to know because he simply wanted his support. The confrontation between Mwaura and Njoro was so intense and since Njoro was in the dark about the main issues that were at play, he decided that the only logical option for him was resignation. He took time off to try and understand what was actually happening within the Party. Although Intelligence filtered into ODM-KS Office, the Party did not rate the Njoro resignation as a crisis because in a Party, people come and go. The Muirani coup aside, other Narc-KS members have bitter disputes to sort out with Mwaura whom they accuse of being individualistic and over-sensitive to criticism.
We won’t name names here. But when two Narc-KS members who are Mwaura’s rivals went to Kenya to try and speak to Madosi, Mwaura communicated and informed Nairobi that the two members were odiangabuks who have nothing to do with Narc-KS leadership. They were refused attention and when they came back to Stockholm, they were furious. According to spies, Mwaura told headquarters that anybody without clearance from himself could not meet anybody important in Nairobi. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
The crisis brewing in Narc-KS will never be resolved in the near future. The current show of “unity” is a façade and instead of looking for fire by shooting scud missiles in the direction of ODM-KS, Narc-KS should go slowly and solve its own internal crisis first. KSB will open the “Narc-KS files” if it becomes necessary to go deeper into this rag tag of a Party. At the moment, this is not a priority because there are other urgent and pressing issues. In any case, ODM-KS does not want vita with Narc-KS. Through its unprovoked and baseless attack on ODM-KS, is Narc-K Scandinavia looking for fire?
Okoth Osewe
Kenyan Lady Drops Dead In A Salon
A Kenyan lady is reported to have collapsed and died yesterday in Västerås. According to reports reaching KSB, the lady collapsed in a salon in the center of the town. Circumstances surrounding the death are still shrouded in mystery. A friend based in Stockholm said that the lady was married to a white Swedish man.
The lady’s identity has been with-held until the next of kin are informed. A contact told KSB that she was a nice lady, polite, jolly and very kind. KSB sends deep condolences to the bereaved family and hopes that relatives will gather the courage to cope with the terrible tragedy that has struck.
Okoth Osewe
“Raila Is Fit To Lead Kenya”, Says Martin Ngatia
Mr. Martin Ngatia, the Chairperson of KESDEMO (Kenya Scandinavia Democratic Movement) and Vice chairperson of ODM-K Scandinavia has said that Honourable Raila Odinga needs every support from Kenyans genuinely looking for change because he is fit to lead Kenya.
Speaking to KSB, Mr. Ngatia said that politicians who are afraid of Raila taking over power in Kenya as President are corrupt political and economic criminals who have violated human rights and who are afraid of being brought to justice once Raila becomes President.
“The hate campaign being directed against Raila is ethnic oriented and is built out of a colonial heritage which pitted Luos against Kikuyus during the colonial era”, said Mr. Ngatia.
Mr. Ngatia told KSB that Raila is one individual who is capable of forming Commissions of inquiries and ensuring that the findings of such Commissions are not made secret after tax payer’s money has been spent on them.
Mr. Ngatia pointed out that those who have accused Raila of changing parties do not understand political strategy which dictates that you create or work with forces which can move the liberation struggle forward at any point in time as long as there is political agreement about the main objective.
“At the ideological level, a progressive politician has to abandon retrogressive and opportunist forces who have no role to play in the struggle and this is what Raila has been doing”, Mr. Ngatia said.
“There is nobody in Kenya today who has the leadership credentials that can be compared to those of Raila Odinga”, Mr. Ngatia declared.
The Kenyan politician said that Raila was involved in the 1982 coup attempt to overthrow Moi because he understood that there was no other way of ending tyranny under a one Party dictatorship that was being presided over by Dictator Moi.
“Election rigging was rampant, Parliament had become a rubber stamp of the Executive, alternative political parties were banned, Press freedom was muzzled, freedom of Assembly was abolished while freedom of Association had been thrown out of the window by Moi. Only freedom of religion was allowed to perpetuate the brainwashing of Kenyans to accept the status quo”, Mr. Ngatia said.
The KESDEMO leader said that Raila was right in participating in the 1982 coup because there was no other way of overthrowing the dictatorial Moi regime since whoever opposed Moi would be intimidated by security forces, detained without trial, maimed, crippled, imprisoned, tortured to death or forced into exile.
He said that Raila took over the leadership of the coup at a time when all Intellectuals were singing pro-Moi hymns like Kasukus.
“Raila paid heavily for his role in the struggle against Moi dictatorship who detained him for seven years. Obeying the rules of strategy, Raila joined hands with Moi after he came out of detention because he believed that Moi could be persuaded to go peacefully”.
KENYA NEEDS A COURAGEOUS LEADER
Mr. Ngatia told KSB that when Moi tried to play dirty politics through the “Uhuru Project”, Riala abandoned the dictator.
“Raila quit and wrecked Moi through Narc before he was betrayed by Kibaki”, Mr. Ngatia told KSB.
The KESDEMO leader said that without Raila Odinga in the frontline in the struggle against the Wako mongrel Constitution, Kenyans could by now be having a Mount Kenya Mafia Constitution controlled by home guards who surround Kibaki and whose every move is anti Kenyan people.
“According to Raila’s political history and background, I am not ashamed to say that Raila is fit to be President of the Republic of Kenya. I can repeat several times that Raila Tosha”, Mr. Ngatia said.
Observing that Kenyans needed to wake up to the political realities of the day, Mr. Ngatia pointed out that Raila cannot be compared with Kalonzo Musyoka, Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto, Julia Ojiambo, Najib Balala, Nazrin Mohammed and others in the race for President.
“To speak the truth, Nobody comes closer to Raila’s credibility and those opposed to him because of ethnic bias should rethink their positions because Kenya will not be built on ethnic foundations”, Mr. Ngatia said.
“If we look at recent developments in Kenya, Raila is responsible for averting an assassination spree by the Armenian mercenaries whom, according to evidence in the public domain, were brought in the country by the government of President Kibaki”, he said.
Mr. Ngatia said that after committing crimes, the Armenians were released and deported without being charged.
“That would not happen anywhere in the world. The deportation of the Armenians after they had humiliated the Kenyan people is evidence that Kenya has no government in control”, Mr. Ngatia said.
He said that Kenya needs a courageous and visionary leader who can stand up to the Kenyan people and say no to corruption, tribalism and nepotism in the appointment of public servants.
“We need a leader who can defend the human rights of Kenyans, stop the ethnic cleansing across the country, end police brutality against innocent civilians, end landlessness, defend rights and freedoms of Kenyans and punish political and economic criminals who have looted that country and stashed billions of Kenyans shillings in foreign Bank accounts”, Mr. Ngatia told KSB.
Mr. Ngatia said that as a leader, Kibaki is a failure because he has failed to: deliver a new Constitution, create jobs, end corruption, end tribalism in the appointment of civil servants and failed to deliver election promises.
“Kibaki has failed to visit Mount Elgon, Garsen and other areas of North Eastern and Central Province where members of the Mingiki sect are terrorizing innocent civilians. He has failed to issue even a Press release to condemn the massacres”, Mr. Ngatia said.
“Kibaki has not even tried to speak his native language to stop the slaughter of Kenyans in his own back yard of Central Province where tens of innocent Kenyans are losing their lives every day and becoming internal refugees in their own country as a result of ethnic cleansing and the Mungiki menace”. Mr. Ngatia told KSB.
RAILA CAN OPEN THE DEMOCRATIC SPACE EVEN FURTHER
“If Kenya was a democratic country, the government should have resigned to pave the way for elections immediately because the government has failed to deliver”, Mr, Ngatia said.
Mr. Ngatia said that if the Kenyan Army cannot intervene to stop ethnic cleansing perpetrated by gangs armed with crude weapons, how will they be able to protect the country if there is an attack.
“Instead of intervening to stop the slaughter of innocent civilians, the Army is burning houses of poor villagers and raping women because solders have been given directives to commit atrocities against their own people”, Mr. Ngatia said.
Mr. Ngatia appealed to Kenyans not to be afraid of Raila arguing that if he doesn’t deliver, Kenyans will have the opportunity to throw him out after five years because political consciousness is rising in the country and no leader will be able to impose himself or herself on the Kenyan people in the future the way past Presidents have done.
“People can continue to politik but for now, Kenyans should count themselves lucky that a person like Raila is available and asking them to give him an opportunity to lead the country and clean the house”, he said.
“The democratic space in Kenya needs to be opened even further and after Kibaki began to ban political rallies, refuse registration of new parties, muzzling the mass media and arresting journalists, Kenyans should have realized that the struggle is far from over. Raila is the only hope at the moment”, he said.
“Raila will not be able to stick to power if the Kenyan people do not want him at the top therefore there is nothing to be afraid of. He is the only surviving member of the anti-one Party state movement who has been consistent enough. Let Kenyans give him a chance”, he told KSB.
Okoth Osewe
Juliet Kavinga Murder Trial: Kenyan Lady Testifies
The Juliet Kavinga murder trial continues. On Monday, a Kenyan called Winfred Karimi Mungatia (popularly known as “Winnie”, took the witness stand to narrate her last contacts with Juliet a few days before she was murdered. According to Winnie, she was supposed to meet Juliet on 14th May 2005 but Juliet never turned up. Police believe that Juliet was killed on the 13th of May 2005 because that is the last time Juliet is known to have communicated on the phone.
Winnie was sure that she was to meet Juliet on the 14th because on the same day, she was free from work. Winnie’s boyfriend had travelled to the United States on the 12th of May, leaving her home with her son. Winnie told police that she needed company when her boyfriend was away and that it is also for this reason that she wanted Juliet to come and visit her.
Winnie, who came to Sweden in 2000, was one of Juliet’s best friends. She met Juliet when she was living in Skågos and was introduced to her by a Kenyan male who was moving from the flat making it possible for Juliet to move in.
The Kenyan lady told the court that when she spoke with Juliet, it was not decided that she would come but they agreed that if Juliet was not busy, she would be in a position to make the trip. Juliet informed Winnie that she had a customer who wanted her hair weaved on Sunday the 15th of May although Winnie said that she didn’t know the name of the customer.
She told the court that she still had the same mobile number she used during her communication with Juliet and that Juliet had two telephone numbers that were both linked to Nokia cell phones. A lady who called one of the numbers and who testified during the trial last year told the court that when she called Juliet’s number soon after Juliet disappeared, a man speaking broken English answered it. According to the line of questioning, it appeared as though the prosecutor wanted to demonstrate that the man who answered the phone which belonged to Juliet might not have been involved in the murder.
As the trial continued, the testimony of the man in question was played to the court. It emerged that the man lived in the same apartment as Juliet together with another man. According to the tape recording, the man had been using Juliet’s phone after she disappeared but the man did not know that Juliet had been killed. The man, who comes from Sudan and who was a student at the Kings Technical High School (KTH) told the court during testimony that he was surprised that a lady was calling her sounding very worried about Juliet.
According to Winnie, Juliet did not come home on the 14th May 2005 to visit her as they had planned. Winnie tried to call Juliet’s number but she was not answering. She told the Court that she was not worried that Juliet did not come to visit her but that after several phone calls went unanswered, she began to get worried.
A week after Winnie failed to get in touch with Juliet, Winnie called Juliet’s boyfriend and said that she was getting worried that Juliet had not communicated. Juliet’s boyfriend then told her that “If she calls me, I will call you”.
When asked whether she had ever met Juliet’s boyfriend suspected to have murdered her, Winnie said that she met him once at a pub in Stockholm. They had a brief chat in the pub. At that moment, Winnie said that there were some girls from Thailand who were also in the pub. She told the court that Juliet’s boyfriend commented that girls from Thailand were only interested in money.
When she was interviewed by police last year, Winnie said Juliet had told her that her boyfriend had been together with a girl from Thailand. She told police that when they were at the pub, Juliet’s boyfriend told them that his Thai girlfriend had left him in preference for a rich man.
During the trial on Monday, there were long periods when the court simply listened to tape cassettes of the initial trial held last year. During the afternoon session, the court spent two and a half hours listening to tapes. Among those who were in the court was Juliet’s sister Susan and Winnie’s sister. Susan arrived in Sweden last year to follow the case. The court had fixed a translator making it possible for her to follow the proceedings in English.
When Winnie spoke to police last year, she said that Juliet had informed her that her boyfriend was very jealous. For example, she said that Juliet’s boyfriend did not let her speak on the phone with male friends while Winnie believed that the boyfriend “controlled” her very much.
On Monday, Winnie told the court that Juliet told her that the boyfriend used to tell her to clip his toe nails and to clean his feet. If she refused, they boyfriend used to tell her that she could have met someone else. The trial continues.
Okoth Osewe
Why Raila Was Nominated For Presidencial Race By ODM-K Scandinavia
Mr. Raila Odinga, a leading ODM-Kenya Presidential candidate, was last Saturday nominated by ODM-K Scandinavia to run for Presidency in the forth coming December elections. Plans for ODM-KS to nominate a candidate were announced by the Party’s Executive committee last month and since then, there has been a lot of lobbying, arguments and counter arguments within the Party’s membership about the exercise.
This was expected. When the matter was put to vote, it emerged that majority of members wanted the exercise to proceed. At the end of the nomination, Raila Odinga emerged the winner. Supporters of the nomination were of the view that the issue of nomination was creating a lot of divisions back home and that since ODM-Kenya was in a state of confusion, the Party needed clear signals from Scandinavia as to who was preferable amongst the current line up which comprises of Kalonzo Musyoka, Uhuru Kenyatta, Musalia Mudavadi, William Ruto, Najib Balala, Nazrin Mohammed and Julia Ojiambo.
For ODM-KS members who supported the nomination process, delaying the nomination of ODM-Kenya’s Presidential candidate carries with it poisonous ingredients of perpetual disunity within the Party, a negative tendency which, some ODM-KS members believe, will deprive the Party precious campaign time.
ODM-KS members who were opposed to the move think that such a nomination at this time is tantamount to “crossing the bridge before you come to it”. Their view is that ODM-KS should not have nominated a candidate before the Party’s members in Kenya have had an opportunity to do so.
This view was countered by pro-nomination members who reminded their colleagues that regardless of who was nominated by ODM-KS, the Party would still support whoever is nominated in Kenya because that is how democracy works.
Supporters of Raila’s candidacy believe that he will win the nomination in Kenya because he remains the most popular candidate. According to the pro-Raila camp, the politician has already shown his campaign abilities by successfully campaigning for the incumbent President who made history by seizing power on a wheel chair because he had a good campaign team whose aggressive tactics, they claim, were masterminded by Raila Odinga.
The nomination of Raila was also pegged on his political experience. Being the record holder of the “longest serving detainee” in independent Kenya, Raila’s supporters argued that he is fit for Presidency because Kenya needs a principled President who does not compromise with cowardice. Raila’s years of detention without trial under Moi has been used by his supporters to project him as a person who has tasted suffering and who, therefore, is in a position to understand the suffering of millions of Kenyans currently being oppressed under the Kibaki dictatorship.
Raila moved from detention and joined former President Moi who later betrayed him through the botched Uhuru Project. Raila’s supporters argue that without Raila moving from KANU after he was betrayed, KANU could still be in power and that the current President Kibaki could still be in opposition. The view is that Raila’s decision to quit KANU is what wrecked the Party from within creating room for the construction of Narc which seized power to end 40 years of KANU dictatorship in Kenyan politics.
RAILA SUPPORTS DUAL CITIZENSHIP AND VOTING FROM ABROAD
ODM-KS is aware that its nomination of Raila will not be taken well by other Presidential candidates and Raila haters. The Party’s position is that its members have a right to nominate a candidate of their choice and to express this choice openly, just like other members of the Party. According to these members, ODM-KS cannot wait for ODM-Kenya to give instructions on how the Party needs to operate in Scandinavia because ODM-KS is operating under different political circumstances.
Another issue is that ODM-K is currently in deep crisis because of the problem of nominating a candidate. Under the circumstances, members who supported the idea of nomination believe that ODM-KS has to show the way on the nomination issue.
Raila also scored lots of points because of the gigantic work he did during the Referendum, time when ODM was also formed. Party members who voted for him believe that he was instrumental in the rejection of the Wako draft of the Constitution because of his ability to unify people.
Historically, Raila is seen by supporters in Scandinavia as the most progressive Presidential candidate in the line up because of his consistency, “attack strategies” and enormous courage. His exposure of the “Artur scandal” has also been used by supporters to portray him as a politician who is well informed and who is therefore fit to be President.
Further, supporters argued that Raila has good international contacts which Kenya needs for reconstruction in the post Kibaki era. Supporters have argued that he has close ties with leading politicians like Barrack Obama who is currently running for US Presidential nomination and that in case Obama wins in the United States, Kenya may be one of the countries that might benefit heavily as a result of bilateral ties.
Raila has been moving abroad a great deal. His numerous contacts with Kenyans in Diaspora was used by supporters to argue that he is the only politician who has gone out of his way to try and reach as many Kenyans in Diaspora as possible in order to explain his policies. Supporters cited video footage of Raila’s trips abroad where he is seen fielding difficult questions from Kenyans in Diaspora and answering them satisfactorily.
According to supporters, Raila is the only Presidential candidate who has travelled abroad and made it clear that Kenyans abroad should not just be allowed to vote from abroad but that under his government, they will be allowed dual citizenship.
Another plus that put Raila ahead of his contenders is the view that as a politician, he is not tainted with corruption scandals neither has he been in government for as long as Kibaki or Kalonzo Musyoka who worked with Moi under a corrupt regime for decades before crossing over to Narc when KANU was sinking.
Although he has been portrayed as a tribalist, supporters were quick to point out that if that was so, Raila could not have allowed his eldest son Fidel Castro to marry a girl from the Kikuyu ethnic group, more so, from the family of the first President of the Republic of Kenya, President Jomo Kenyatta. Mama Ngina Kenyatta, the wife of the late President Kenyatta, attended the wedding, the same wedding that united the Odinga and the Kenyatta families by blood. “This wedding put to an end lose talk that Raila is a tribalist”, a supporter told KSB.
A radical wing within ODM-KS encouraged members to view Raila as a member of the Kenyan ruling class , arguing that although he is the most progressive candidate in ODM-K, his class in politics dictates that he might remain unpredictable whether or not he is elected President.
Okoth Osewe
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ODM-KS Is Ripe For Elections, Not “Merry Go Round” Meetings
Within the Kenya Stockholm scene, this Saturday is, probably, the most packed with activity in recent times. If you are one of those “Kenyan rioters” , there is no shortage of action. In Marsta, “Kilimanjaro Leopards” will throw a bash at Norrbackaskolan while in Alby, Narc-KS will, at long last, “launch its website”.
Both Parties will run up to morning although preferences might have to boil down to whether you are political or simply looking for fun. Narc supporters or sympathizers will, most likely be at Alby where Narc-KS will also be testing its ability to “pull crowds”. A poor turn-out will be very demoralizing while a respectable show will boost the morale of Narc-KS Committee which is thirsty for something successful to show off.
However, the biggest excitement will be at the Wananchi Pavillion where two ODM-KS Committee members have called for an “Emergency member’s meeting” at 16.00. Two hours before the meeting, ODM-KS Executive committee will meet to discuss “the situation in the Party. The Committee has indicated that an item on the agenda is the planning of an Annual General Meeting (AGM) so that ODM-KS members can elect their leaders since the current Committee has completed its mandate. The Committee has been in Office on a voluntary basis.
In the last two weeks, there has been disagreement between the two Committee members and five others and now, the two, namely Dancan Munala, the Secretary and Odhiambo Opee, a Committee member, believe that they have to go it alone.
While this sounds perfect, the curious question a critical mind might ask is why they have refused to wait for the AGM that majority of Committee members are planning so that they can have their say, choosing instead, to call their “Members meeting” on the same day that the Committee, led by Mrs Hellen Opwapo, are also meeting.
According to the ODM-KS Constitution, both members meetings and the AGM are supposed to be organized by the Executive committee, not individual Committee members. In calling for the meeting, Munala and Odhiambo seem to be violating the ODM-KS Constitution in four ways.
This is because such a meeting can only be called by the Executive committee which, at the moment, constitutes eight members. In the current show-down, it is two against five because the position of one Committee member is unknown. Mr. Charles Otieno Owiyo, a Committee member who is currently in Kenya, has condemned the Munala-Odhiambo action.
According to ODM-KS Constitution, if a “Members’ meeting” or an AGM has to be called, members have to be given at least two weeks notice. The two have given members only two days. The circumstances of the meeting might itself scare members, some of whom have read a “hidden agenda” in it. Why calla meeting unconstitutionally, abruptly and with a notice of two days when the Committee you belong to is planning the same meeting?
Thirdly, the two have called for “An Emergency meeting”. This type of meeting does not exist in the ODM-KS Constitution which has room for an ordinary “Member’s meeting”, an “Annual General Meeting (AGM)” or an “Extra ordinary meeting”.
The Constitution empowers the Committee to call both the “Members meeting” and the AGM. An Extra-ordinary meeting can only be called by 20% of members who must inform the Committee in writing to call such a meeting. If that happens, the Committee has to call such a meeting. In short, the meeting the two have called is unconstitutional but this is a loop hole the two do not see, raising questions as to whether they really understand the ODM-KS Constitution.
UNDERSTANDING WAKENYA IN STOCKHOLM AND POLITICAL MEETINGS
Prior to the call for the meeting, Munala had usurped the powers of the Chairperson by acting as its “Spokesperson”. He released a public statement on behalf of ODM-KS without consulting the Committee, an act that perplexed many ODM-KS members and the Committee members alike. Some members called Munala to question his methods of work.
Munala appeared to have released the statement in order to trap the Committee into a public exchange over the “Raila nomination” issue, a strategy that was very easy to read into. The Committee never responded and instead, called a Committee meeting scheduled for this Saturday.
Munala knows that he had violated the Constitution and that his conduct would come under discussion at the Saturday Committee meeting. The unconstitutional “Emergency member’s meeting” the two have called is intended to help Munala “hide” from the Committee meeting where he has no support. To do this, the two had to elevate a “disagreement” into a “crisis”.
Apart from violating the ODM-KS Constitution, both Munala and Odhiambo have boxed themselves into a tight corner. ODM-KS Committee will definitely meet at 14.00hrs but it is what happens next that will be a make or break for the two members.
Both Munala and Odhiambo are green horns in Kenya- Stockholm politics. Until he was constructed “from scratch” by myself six months ago, Munala was an unknown quantity in the stormy politics of Stockholm. At the children’s Party that was held on 7th April at Alby, I was still introducing Munala to Wakenya who could not put a face on his name. “This is Munala”, I told Ofore.
Few Kenyans who had interacted with Munala knew him as a “man of religion” or a “Preacher” and when he surfaced during the time when ODM-KS was being formed in October last year, critics accused me of trying to create a “Political Munala” from nothing. I declined to assume the position of ODM-KS secretary and proposed Munala. As a revolutionary Socialist, I have no problem in creating or promoting young leaders. Munala is not my first creation and both Wakenya and Narc-KS leaders know this. I am not blowing my own trumpet here and so don’t attack me.
Now, Munala believes that he is mature enough to test his “political muscles” within ODM-KS. As Munala prepared to enter into political controversy, his “Enemies in the Church” saw an opportunity to feed KSB with his dossier and they were really payukaring. Much of the material are unpublishable because KSB does not encourage rumor mongering , character assassination and getting even simply because there is a controversy. Munala and his new acquaintance, Odhiambo Opee Jr, are on a war path apparently “to teach ODM-KS Committee a lesion” and they are really working over time.
In the past, Kenyan organizations in Stockholm have had their share of wars, the last one having been fought in KUWA four years ago. At that time, a total of 17 members ganged up against the Committee but when elections were called, they all lost with members of the sitting Committee enjoying a comfortable win. Even KUWA members who had never attended a members’ meeting before came to vote opponents out because they were seen as “opportunistic” and “petty”.
The current ODM-KS Committee has made it clear that the next stop for ODM-KS is an AGM because the mandate of the Committee is over. One therefore wonders what Munala and Opee are actually fighting about.
Odhiambo is another unknown quantity who should have been preparing for elections instead of getting into small-time controversy. Whatever happens, the worst case scenario is if ODM-KS members boycott the meeting and the two suddenly find themselves without support.
The situation could be complicated because it could mark the beginning of the writing of political obituaries of two of the youngest “politicians” to have entered the scene in Kenya-Stockholm. This could be unfortunate because Kenya is burning and young Kenyans across the world need to get into politics with or without ideologies.
An organization or a political Party is not a website, an address or a piece of paper but the Membership and the ideas. Stockholm is not Kenya where Wananchi follow opportunistic politicians blindly because of money or because ODM-Kenya is a big name.
Experience in Stockholm teaches that for Wakenya to leave their jobs, abandon planned activities or spare valuable time for relaxation on a Saturday to come to a political meeting, there must be a very good and convincing reason.
Wakenya feel respected when you give them enough time to become available and the only exceptional case is normally bereavement.
In their quest for “Supremacy”, these are lessons that might soon be learnt by Munala and Odhiambo who are sitting in a “Political Committee” for the first time in their lives. When ODM-KS members eventually speak through the ballot, the two may have to return to the drawing board or simply eat humble pie. ODM-KS is ripe for Elections and any “Members meetings” without elections will simply be new and time wasting sessions of “Merry go round”.
Okoth Osewe
April 26, 2007 Posted by makozewe | Commentary | Leave a Comment