Kenya Stockholm Blog

Kenya-Stockholm “Rumor Fever” Over Inebriated Kenyan

The other day, I wrote about an alcoholic Kenyan who called me and began to pester me with “garbage talk”. Little did I know that the story would lead to a barrage of calls from KSB fans, trying to find out the identity of the guy out of curiosity thereby creating an infectious “Rumor fever” in Kenya-Stockholm. The situation is so serious that I have to add something.

The identity of the guy will not be released under any circumstance although the guy wanted his name published. He was under the influence when he bragged that his name could be circulated but the danger of doing so is that he can easily sue KSB and there will be no defence because KSB does not tape callers to use the material as evidence in court.

Kenyans in Stockholm circulating possible names and trying to allege that it was this or that ka guy are doing so at their own risk and KSB will not take any responsibility for any names doing the rounds at the moment. What I can confirm is that the conversation took place and nothing else.

Three names have already been dropped by seven callers seeking a confirmation so that they can continue to spread “hot gossip”. We are in January and Kenyans here need to start the year clean of gossip aimed at character assassination. Just like Kibaki said that the “elections are now behind us” after rigging elections, let us leave gossip “behind us”.

The story was written as a matter of concern and to send signals that the guy needs prayers. KSB does not need to name the guy for him to qualify for prayers. If you want to help, you can pray like “Oh God almighty, help the guy mentioned at KSB in connection with the call to Osewe…” and something like that. Kenyans at Bagarmossen prayed for post election victims without knowing their names and the same case can apply.

Although it reflected the reality, the story was not positive and since KSB is not in the business of maligning Kenyans, I wish to state categorically that the story was published in good faith with the belief that it would lead to assistance. Those who have converted it into hay for Kenya-Stockholm propaganda are doing so at their own risk and KSB will not be responsible for any consequences (real or imagined) that may arise as a result of the rumors.

Okoth Osewe

January 7, 2009 Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis | 5 Comments

Crisis In Coalition Government Has No Solution

At the end of March last year, I put up the perspective that the Coalition government will not be able to work on a long term because the Kikuyu ruling class around Kibaki was not ready to share “real power” with ODM.

The “National Accord and Reconciliation Act 2008” had just been signed and the problem of the day was christened “portfolio balancing”. The Cabinet had not been decided upon as both PNU and ODM went back and forth on the issue of Cabinet appointments. I wrote:

Coalition government: Raila has no powers and Kibaki does not listen to him as shown by the signing of the draconian Media Bill by Kibaki

“The inability of the “principals” to set up a Cabinet because of petty disagreements based on the size of the Cabinet and the identity of the Ministries for their Parties should serve as enough evidence that the Coalition will not be able to work in harmony to transform the lives of millions of Kenyans pregnant with expectations of change and transformation once the Coalition gets into business”.

Yesterday, ODM called a meeting “to re-evaluate its position” in the Coalition government following the signing of the Media bill into law by Kibaki without consultations with ODM. As the Media continue to increase pressure against the controversial Bill, ODM is trying to score points and to gain political mileage by moving close to the rightful position being propagated by the Media and supporters alike to the effect that the Bill is oppressive, defective, draconian and a rollback of the democratic gains of the past.

Because of its populist character, it is in the interest of ODM that the Party is seen to be on the side being backed by the majority and whose view is that the Media Bill should not have been signed by Kibaki.

The Media Bill is not the first clashing point between ODM and PNU ruling classes. As late as last week, ODM accused PNU of undermining the authority of Prime Minister Raila Odinga by using the arrogant and non-conformist Civil Servant Boss Francis Muthaura to act as a buffer against Raila Odinga’s ideas of governing especially when it comes to key policy issues.

Prior to disagreements on the signing of the Media Bill, Muthaura had clashed with the Prime Minister over the appointment of a transitional team that was to take over from the disbanded Electoral Commission of Kenya to prepare the way for the entry of the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) as per recommendations of the Kriegler Commission.

The altercation was about Muthaura’s unilateral appointment of 38 members of the transitional team, a move that Raila Odinga termed as “illegal”. The Prime Minister’s Office indicated its intention to have the move reversed as the Party took a new step of calling for Muthaura’s Office to be under the Office of Prime Minister.

Raila Odinga is a “Spanner Boy” in the Power Structure
The tug of war that is increasingly becoming characteristic of the Coalition government should not be surprising because this Coalition is the product of forced compromise following the stealing of Raila Odinga’s Presidency by a savage Kikuyu ruling class that does not want to relinquish power but whose agenda is to use the coalition arrangement to enrich themselves as much as possible. Details about the 2007 election crisis are contained in my just published book.

Although he is the Prime Minister, Raila does not have real power in the Coalition because apart from being the Commander in Chief, Kibaki controls the Internal Security Ministry, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Justice and Constitutional Affairs and the Finance ministry. The Ministries Raila controls are of no consequence when it comes to power wielding and this situation has reduced Raila’s role in the power structure to that of a “spanner boy” in Kibaki’s garage.

The apparent show that the Coalition government is functional is a sheer Public Relations exercise to maintain the peace so that the real stake holders in Kenya – the rotten and corrupt ruling class, its bourgeoisie counterparts and Western imperialism – can concentrate on a peaceful exploitation of the country’s resources under the peaceful conditions guaranteed by the Coalition government.

Before the Coalition Cabinet was set up by “the principals”, I stated in March that “What should be expected is a series of disagreements, political atmospherics, combat in Parliament, flaps in policy making, malevolence during strategic inter-ministerial consultations and a host of roadblocks in the way of Coalition governing”.

Now, ODM has complained that PNU’s Permanent Secretaries are undermining ODM Ministers, clashes in policy have reached the public domain while many Kenyans studying events in the country are moving to the position that the Coalition government is increasingly becoming dysfunctional because of growing conflicts between ODM and PNU.

As Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, Muthaura cannot override Raila Odinga, the Prime Minister, unless the pecking order in our brand of Coalition was curved out of a special model specially tailored to take care of the kind of rigging in December 2007 and the ensuing post election crisis that paralyzed the country.

A Solution to the Crisis is fresh Elections
Unfortunately, there is no solution to the crisis apart from fresh elections. The suspicions between the Coalition partners will continue to escalate and the best that can be expected in the situation following the disbandment of the ill-fated Kivuitu-led Electoral Commission is the setting up of a new Electoral Commission and enactment of a new Constitution after which ODM should pull out of the Coalition government to pave the way for its collapse and the calling of new elections so that a legitimate government that has the full mandate to rule can assume State power for Kenya to move forward.

In the meantime, the maximum ODM can do is to utilize its position in government to ensure that it is not tainted by unpopular decisions from PNU hawks surrounding Kibaki. After distancing itself from the controversial Media bill, ODM should now back the proposed teacher’s strike, call for a further reduction of unga prices, campaign for a reduction of oil prices, get their MPs to pay taxes and begin to underline the need for fresh elections as the crisis deepens.

ODM is in government but it is not governing so it has nothing to lose. From its history of election rigging, the tainted nature of PNU personalities and its pushing of a draconian Media Bill, there is enough proof that PNU is not in a position to move the democratization process in Kenya forward.

The current Coalition government should be a stop-gap to new elections which ODM is in a position to dictate by virtue of its position, both in the government and as per the National Accord and reconciliation Act 2008 which spells death of the Coalition if any partner pulls out.

There is no need of waiting for 2012 because that will be too long. PNU thieves dragging the country backwards can be sent packing together with Kibaki in the next few months as long as the Constitution could be fixed and a new Electoral commission can be put in place. This is how I see it from Stockholm city.

Okoth Osewe

January 7, 2009 Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis | 9 Comments