Reader Request: Tit-Bits from Week-End Presidential Campaign Round-Up
Uhuru warned over Ruto & Crowd asks Ruto to Apologize for 07 post election violence
During Jubilee rallies in Kisii a section of crowd demanded that Ruto apologizes for 07 PEV It was also reported that Uhuru Kenyatta was forced to abandon his rally at Etago Market,Bomachoge Constituency after residents heckled him complaining of his coalition with Ruto.Residents told him that as long as Ruto was his running mate,he wont get the Kisii votes! Some rallies were poorly attended that 3 choppers had to do rounds to attract attention.
William Ruto, Sam Ongeri and Omondi Odinga booed at rally in Ogembo Minister for Foreign Affairs Prof Sam Ongeri, Jubilee deputy presidential candidate William Ruto addressing a roadside baraza at Igare market, earlier Ruto, Ongeri and and a Mr.Omondi Odinga were booed at a rally in Ogembo. The jubilee alliance leaders are in a campaign tour of Gusii region-a stronghold of CORD presidential candidate Raila Odinga.
Naomi Shaaban in Taita Taveta – all I want is you people to vote for me. For the presidency, you know what to do. Si mnakumbuka hapa Taveta hatuna mashamba baada zikunyakuliwe na mtu mmoja?
Charles Keter in Keiyo Marakwet – najua nyote mnasema ACHICHA. We understand you very well. All we want is for you to give the other seats to URP but for the presidency mtumie akili. Hatujasahau what they did to us…..
Aden Duale in Garissa – I am not going to force a certain presidential candidate down your throats. Lakini mimi pia ni mtoto wenu, msinitupe.
Ali Mwakwere in Kwale – shida zetu hapa Pwani ni mengi. I know who can solve them and who can not. Vote me in, I will continue championing for your interests. But I need a president who has coastal and Muslims need at heart.
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Today was bumper harvest for ODM/CORD as the coalition received whole battalions of leaders from Wajir, Marsabit and Baringo Counties, including Hon. Joseph Lekuton (Laisamis), Hon. Adan Keynan (Wajir West), Hon. Chachu Ganya (North Horr) and Mr. Joshua Kendagor (aspirant for Ainabkoi, Baringo).
The defectors were received by CORD presidential candidate Raila Odinga.
Uhuru and Ruto Bound By Crime and Selfish, Personal Interest
The fact that Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto have sat down and decided how they are going to share Government is one good thing for Kenya. They have exposed their greed far too early.
We all know how the two gentlemen have reached their current positions and we also know their past history. Their union is now manifesting how greed can blind a sane man.
Their assumption is that they are the Manna we have been waiting for in Kenya and they are surely going to save us from their past. A talk about corruption and impunity in Kenya cannot be complete without the mention of Uhuru- in his vast land estate, and Ruto, also in his many questionable land deals.
When one talks about impunity in Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto come to the fore. They are the epitomes of impunity, corruption, tribalism and raw bravado. Kenyans went through a traumatic experience in 2008 and as many as 1,133 Kenyans died in the aftermath. As many as 600,000 more Kenyans were displaced and up till now, they have not been adequately resettled. Many are still homeless.
Then, property worth Millions of Kenya Shillings were lost. And the main protagonists in this senseless episode, according to the ICC are Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, the two gentlemen who have now sat down and decided how they are going to share Kenyans amongst the two of them. ICC says they have the greatest responsibility about what happened to Kenya.
In my view, this new found unity is a sure test for Kenyans. We must now unite once and for all to drive Kenya to the right direction. We cannot sit back and assume that all is well. These two gentlemen do not mean well for Kenya. They past association with power has been treacherous and Kenyans cannot have the luxury of handing power to the duo. It will be an unmitigated disaster for Kenya and Kenyans.
The Uhuru/Ruto unity shows how power can blind. The two gentlemen seems oblivious of the fact that Kenyans are watching and Kenyans are surely more than this two egocentrics.
This unity will surely only benefit Uhuru for it is a proven fact that his people have NEVER voted for any other Kenyan, and will NOT do so even in 2013 or in the foreseen future. The Kalenjins have voted for none of their own in the past. And many Kenyans have voted none of their own in the past. But even in Uhuru’s own admission, he did not commit his people to vote for Ruto.
He only said, as for me and my family, we can vote for you. But I am not sure if my people can vote for you. That was telling. Very telling. The voting patterns in the past has proved beyond any reasonable doubt that Uhuru’s people will NEVER vote for none of their own. And Kenyans know this.
Now, many Kalenjins have said no to the Uhuru/Ruto deal and said they are not and will not be part of that deal. They have realized that Ruto is using the Kalenjin name to engage in high stake business, where name of the community is being used for self gain.
Kenyans must be alive to this new attempt at balkanization.
We want one unitary state when power rests and is vested on the people, not in the boardrooms. We want Kenyans to have the freedom to vote in persons of their choice as the next CEO of Kenya without being manipulated.
Ruto and Uhuru are driving recklessly to the abyss and they want the Kikuyu and Kalenjins to join with them as they torpedo their own boat. This is not acceptable.
The Kikuyus must say no to this scheme just like the Kalenjins have said no.
It is time all Kenyans joined with The People President as we cross the bridge to a better Kenya, a unitary Kenya where we are all equal and the rule of Law is supreme.
Could The Real Performers Please Stand Up?
January 8, 2013
By: Onyikwa Onyakundi
William Ruto is often touted as a performer. His party’s slogan ‘Kusema na Kutenda’ seeks to tap into this ‘performer image’, and he, and his acolytes never miss an opportunity to trumpet the fact that as Minister for Agriculture, he really ‘performed’ by ordering the reduction of fertilizer prices. It is not my intention to deny any devil his due, but i do not consider reading a report and asking a secretary to do a memo to effect the recommendations of that report makes anyone an Einstein, or a Superman. If there is any brain frying research and deliberations that went into the idea of providing subsidy for fertilizer, there is an army of technocrats in the Ministry that are paid fat salaries to do just that.
For argument’s sake though, let us say that ordering for the reduction of fertilizer prices is the wisest most ‘Solomonic’ decision and also the bravest most difficult back breaking action by any Minister in Kenya’s history. It still doesn’t resolve the contentious issue of who should take credit for such an ‘earth shaking’ achievement. To illustrate how difficult it is to apportion ‘kudos’ and boquets in the intertwined spaghetti-like relations between different individuals and institutions in the coalition government, one need only look at the single most important achievement of the coalition government ~ infrastructure and in particular roads ~ for which the President has been singly hailed in every speech, article, news bulletin and interview that has broached the subject of the Kibaki legacy.
I do not wish to rain on anyone’s party, but it is my sincere and heartfelt belief that President Kibaki’s role in the construction of our roads and development of infrastructure is blown way out of proportion. If we all keep an open mind and stick to objective, scientific and logical reasoning, devoid of emotions and preconceived ideas, we just might be able to burst a few myths and expose some fallacies. Nowhere else, have i ever seen the Nazi propaganda machinery’s mantra that “a lie told repeatedly eventually becomes the truth” manifested than in the assessment of President Kibaki’s contribution to the development of our roads, and this is why.
Thika Road started with Raila Odinga ~ as Minister for roads ~ single-handedly bringing down palace-like houses that were built on grabbed road reserves soon after the NARC Government came to power. Mr. Odinga was vilified and threatened by the politically connected fat cats whose multi-million shilling houses he dared flatten, to pave the way for the construction of that road. There were even reports of an assassination being plotted against him by the extremely rich and powerful land grabbers, but the man was not cowed. The German trained Engineer ignored all that noise and threats to his life and midwifed the Thika Superhighway, the Southern and Northern bypasses as well as several magnificent roads not just in Nairobi, but across the country. Where i come from for example, we have the Kisii-Chemosit Road to thank him for. This road has been such a big game changer for the people of Nyamira County, that they do not have to travel to Kisii town in order to leave Nyamira County.
And if one goes back to the time the Thika Superhighway deal was signed, the man in charge at that time was this very Eng. Dr. Raila Odinga. Since then, the men at the helm of that ministry that has been ‘moving mountains’ ~ no pun intended ~ are Kipkalya Kones and Franklin Bett, close confidantes, friends and good students of Eng. Raila. In a nutshell, the massive infrastructural development of the last five years would never have been possible without Dr. Raila and his friends. Bett has been in every inch of the country in pairs of shorts ~ ill fitting as they may have been ~ stuck in mud, braving heavy down pours, launching fresh construction work, commissioning new roads basically turning all those huge craters into roads! He like Raila has faced litigation, threats, insults and demonstrations, but has not wavered in his resolve to complete what his two friends before him initiated.
The question that then naturally pops up is this “if Ruto is a performer for ordering the reduction of the prices of fertilizer, and Ngilu is another, for taking water to her people in Ukambani, why aren’t Raila, Kones and Bett performers for building us all those beautiful roads?” Is the performance of every minister evaluated by the same standards and criteria? Why doesn’t ‘hands off’ Kibaki take all the credit for Ruto and Ngilu’s work, just as he does for the work of Raila, Kones and Bett? Could this be a case of double standards meant to deny a certain devil his due? Isn’t denying this devil his due, equal to denying us more roads?
I’ll sign off with an excerpt of a speech that Raila Amollo gave recently, and let you be the judge on who really is the one that should wear the ‘Kusema na kutenda’ badge. “”In the last election, I anchored my campaign on three issues that my govt would use to jump-start our economic growth; 1. Infrastructure 2. Infrastructure 3. Infrastructure. This time, on top of those three, I intend to give another three key issues greater focus so that our people can enjoy the benefit of economic growth; 1. Jobs 2. Jobs 3. Jobs”.
By: Rashid Wanjala (This is part II of the my analysis of Ruto’s fury on Infotrak polls; part I highlighted Ruto’s paranoia attack (http://www.kenya-today.com/opinion/kenya-opinion-polls).
…and Ruto has every reason to be worried, and scared about the opinion polls, talk in the few North Rift districts (whose support Ruto is struggling to consolidate behind Uhuru) has been rife that “if Ruto misleads them this time, he should forever forget their support”. Add to this the depressing news that ICC cases will drag on till 2015 means that Ruto desperately needs rapport and an ally in Statehouse.
And the elders have warned him as much. Ruto’s lies to elders for joining Uhuru was that Uhuru can win. Now his lies have been poked holes into by opinion polls consistently showing Raila is the man to beat. He is slowly running out of ideas to convince his base why the Mountain and not the Lake was the geographical feature to look to. Why he mislead them into a losing ticket.
It has only been weeks and the house that Ruto mislead them into has begun to crumble and fall apart like a house of cards, thanks to Cord’s invincible campaign juggernaut. First out of Jubilee was Eugene, then Mudavadi. Then the news that Leaders and various aspirants from Wajir and Marsabit counties led by MPs Joseph Lekuton (Laisamis), Chachu Ganya (North Horr) and Adan Keynan (Wajir West), Assistant Minister Adan Sugow among others had ditched Jubilee for Cord began to wear Ruto out.
Cord’s impressive poll showing results came at a time when Raila’s tour of the Western region attracted huge crowds and unprecedented enthusiasm. Bukusuland seemed Corded, Kakamega, Busia looked Corded. (The undecided-Meru, Kisii, Masai, Luyha) will defintely go CORD because they wonna be with the winning team. They wonna be on the side of the bread that’s buttered.
This is also happening against the background of infighting within Jubilee. Ruto’s major announcement which was scheduled last week was intended to blackmail Uhuru because he is already, as expected reneging on some contents of the Jubilee coalition agreement. UK threw a little bone to calm Ruto into changing the topic of the press conference. Ruto had threatened endorsing Raila without preconditions thereof, liwe liwalo if certain Jubilee agreements are not addressed.
Backstabbing by TNA is also evident in which TNA has fielded candidates of Kikuyu descent in Lang’ata and Nakuru contrary to earlier zoning arrangements with URP.
Cord where all agreements are being honored is solidly united behind the Fourth President of Kenya. While Cord hangs together, UhuRuto will be hung separately on Mar 4th.
The undocumented Jubilee agreement was that Uhuru finances URP operations to the tune of billions to carry out a massive campaign blitz in the Rift Valley and other TNA unfriendly areas that can’t stand Uhuru’s face due to historical reasons.
It’s against these promises that Ruto went ahead and made advance orders of 2 choppers. However the billions that apparently made him bolt out of the Ruto-Raila alliance talks haven’t been forthcoming in the amounts and installments as promised. Betrayals right there!
Other than the billions in down payment that Mama Ngina paid from her own purse when she and Uhuru visited Ruto’s house, the balance has not been forthcoming as requested.
Ruto is under pressure to deliver the financial promises Uhuru made to URP MPs and handpicked Kalenjin elders. They think he has pocketed, but I defend him on this one. The cash cow has refused to be milked!
Behind the scenes, reliable sources say, UK has been heard saying “Ruto aratinda akiuga mbeca, mbeca, mbeca ni cia nyina.(Ruto keeps saying money, money, is the money his mother’s?)
Uhuru has been palekaing URP hivi hivi tu, with preconditions galore tied up to the payments of the rest of the ransom. For example UK has demanded that the URP disbands its secretariat and instead merge with the TNA secretariat to be headed by the toothless Sakaja Johnson and Onyango Oloo at the former PNU offices to be called the “Jubilee campaign office”.
This is a precursor to TNA’s demands for Jubilee member parties to dissolve into Jubilee if Uhuru becomes president. This script sounds familiar doesn’t it? Kibaki tried to have LDP, DP; Ford K etc dissolve into Narc after 2002 elections.
This merger of secretariats as precondition for further Ruto campaign financing- Ruto has accepted halfheartedly, but it’s because he has no choice otherwise he will use his own money in surmounting a well oiled CORD and Gideon Moi onslaught in Rift Valley and pastoralist regions that URP is delusionally betting on.
The idea is that the UK installments in campaign funds to URP are slower because TNA wants URP broke during the nominations so that they cannot match TNA’s candidates’ financial might during the Jubilee nominations next week.
Add to this the Kalenjin ambivalence and indifference that has resulted in lethargy and lack of enthusiasm towards the Uhuru candidature resulting in URP candidates saying that for MP, Senatorial and Gubernatorial seats give URP but Rais patia Arap Mibei hence the chini katikati pigia URP, Juu tumia akili rallying call.
Uhuru’s rallies at Kericho and Baringo had surprisingly low turnout. The Jubilee plane is at the end of the runway, and it hasn’t taken off. It can only crash into the grasslands.