Sunday, November 30, 2014
Saturday, November 29, 2014
There will never be another Kajwang'
Former Homa Bay Senator the late Otieno Kajwang. Photo/Elkana Jacob
Senator Otieno Kajwang' aka 'Nyakwar Nyakwamba' was many things to many people. But he was, arguably, far from being a 'mole' of any hue. That is, if political 'moling' includes undermining one's party and backstabbing its leader.
Kajwang', a loyalist without equal, was as dependable as they come. He was a party hawk with superior antennae for nosing threats to the party and to its leader.
His party leader, Raila Odinga, who was also his friend, had no doubt about Kajwang's sense of duty and purpose.
The late Senator for Homa Bay county was the first to notice early in the National Rainbow Coalition that President Kibaki's side of the alliance, the National Alliance Party of Kenya, was shortchanging the Liberal Democratic Party, Raila's side of the ascendant partnership.
The coalition kicked out the Kanu regime from power in December 2002, but within days in State House, the President's side was claiming a larger share of the pie. Ministerial and other Executive appointments favoured the President's side of the coalition. A kitchen Cabinet was already taking a form that told the rest of the power gang they could bolt. Power was back in the house - thanks to you – but the winning coalition had served its purpose. The Narc Summit was moribund, as soon as it drove Kibaki to State House.
What was known as the 'Mt Kenya Mafia' during Kibaki's first term in office was said to be exploiting his poor health to claim a larger stake of the Rainbow government. Kibaki was then recovering from the injuries in a pre-election road accident.
Kajwang' understood the folly of trying to outshine his party leader early in his elective political career. His sharp political and survival instincts might have had something to do with his personalised reading and application of Law One of Robert Greene's treatise, The 48 Laws of Power.
This is a cautionary metaphor on the folly of outshining the master. Stars, as everyone knows, do not compete with the sun. They know there can only be one sun at a time, which is why stars disappear at the first signs of the approaching sun.
Kajwang' never tried to outshine his party leader. Which could be why he was the MP for Mbita constituency from 1997 to 2013. He then moved to be the first Senator of Homa Bay County after the March 4, 2013, general election.
The Senator was still riding strong as a potential candidate for re-election. The achievement is unmatched in a county where two terms of 10 years is unachievable for most MPs. Most incumbents fizzle within five years, as the current ones will.
For the party and its leader there was always one Kajwang' - the choirmaster who fired party rallies. In Nyanza, it only needed the master of ceremonies to prompt, "Kajwang' chuo thum (play the music)" and his signature tune, 'Bado Mapambano' would boom. The tune was the morale booster from a politician who could have been a benga maestro in another life.
There never shall be another Kajwang' with the finesse of a court poet, a griot, and the resilience of a confidante who knew the party totem pole around which everyone else should orbit.
Kajwang's loyalty to ODM and party leader Raila seemed like the former MP would have made a good mole-hunter in the cassava gardens in Waondo, Mbita, where he was born. This is where he will be buried on Friday - not so far away from Rusinga, the island that gave Kenya the legendary freedom fighter Tom Mboya.
Kajwang' knew something about the subterranean burrows of the rat-like rodent. And he looked and sounded like he could trail their human equivalents among some of his political colleagues.
These colleagues always felt Kajwang' was in the habit of edging them out from the sanctum of power. They did not like him for that, even as they envied his courage. He was always the one to bell the cat whenever his party and its leader were under attack from their rivals.
The senator's death coincides with the season of smoking out moles in a land where politics is a full-time business. A land where intrigues and betrayals are plotted and executed 24 hours a day, and every day. A land where trust is rare and breach of confidence is common.
This man stood for something. He understood party discipline and respect for party leadership. For this ODM has lost a crucial pillar - a dependable striker.
Coming four months after the death of another pillar of the party, Adhu Awiti, ODM will have to work extra hard to secure the 'mole-infested' Homa Bay county, particularly, and the former South Nyanza, generally.
If Uhuru Cannot Defeat The Al Shabaab, Jubilee Should Resign
Al Shabaab militia during a training session in Mogadishu, Somali. Photo/File
Reacting to the killing of 28 Christians in Mandera, Deputy President William Ruto said: “Terrorists (al Shabaab) are criminals who are driven by criminal intent.” Not entirely.
At best, Islamic terrorists are religious crusaders for an Islamic world and at worst, misguided Muslim fanatics using Islamic radical ideology as their recruiting motif, vision of the world and legitimisation. Islamic terrorists are not criminals in the ordinary sense of the word. They would be easier to beat.
Kenyan current conflicts are not driven by a class ideology pitting the poor against the rich but by negative ethnicity between Pokot and Turkana, clannism between Borana, Gabbra, Rendille and Burji in Marsabit and Islamic terrorism that separates Muslims from Christians and then kills them in cold blood in Mandera, Mpeketoni and Westgate.
Many Muslims deny al Shabaab terrorism is Islamic or even religious. They argue it is driven by unemployment, poverty, historical injustices, hopelessness and marginalisation. But same problems are in other places where there is no terrorism.
Social and political conflict in predominantly Islamic regions may not be driven by Islam but by Islamic terrorism that uses Islam to legitimise itself.
Al Shaabab, al Qaeda, ISIL, Uamsho or Boko Haram are all Islamic terrorisms. If we do not admit their religious nature, we shall not succeed in eradicating or protecting ourselves against it.
Al Shabaab Islamic terrorism in Kenya is like Boko Haram Islamic terrorism in Nigeria. Boko Haram started small but is today taking over villages and towns with conventional war like ISIL in Iraq and Syria. As for al Shabaab, it started attacking Kenya as a friend of America and later for taking Kenyan army to Somalia but in the name of unemployment, historical injustices, lure of secession – Pwani si Kenya – and possible Islamic caliphate for Muslims under Sharia law.
Whether Islam allows terrorism or not, al Shabaab embraces Islam for legitimisation of the religious war it is waging in Kenya. Though Kenya is multi-religious, it will fight a religious war to repel the one of the al Shabaab.
Many Muslims rightly and correctly argue that Islam does not support terrorism. However, in defending Islam, Muslims cannot deny that al Shabaab and Boko Haram are Islamic terrorisms that fight in the name of Islam. But unless the heresy of mixing terrorism with Islam is repelled by those who do not condone terrorism, Islamic terrorism will hijack Islam and with it overwhelm not just non-Muslims but moderate Muslims who don’t believe in terrorism.
That the conflict between al Shabaab and Kenya is religious cannot be denied. To do so would be to deny people the truth they need for self defence. Yet accepting al Shabaab is Islamic terrorism does not mean every Muslim is a terrorist or Islam is inferior to Christianity.
What is the genesis of Islamic terrorism in Kenya?
Muslims say terrorism is caused by Kenya government for its failure to resolve unemployment, hopelessness and injustices in Islamic communities.
But Kenya government says Islamic terrorism is brought to Kenya by al Shabaab, an offshoot of Al Qaeda and its ideology of Islamic radicalism that radical Muslim clerics propagate in mosques.
In addition, al Shabaab says to withdraw its terrorism from Kenya, government must pull its army out of Somalia. Mombasa Republican Council adds Coast must secede from Kenya and be an independent state.
Kenya government also insists that al Shabaab terrorism must be eradicated by the Kenyan army both in Kenya and Somalia.
But there is a third opinion suggesting that because “if you roast two yams, one is likely to burn”, KDF must first establish security, peace and stability in Kenya before Somalia.
Second, Kenya must counter ideology of Islamic radicalism with ideology of religious tolerance and political nationalism.
Third, KDF and Kenya police must drive al Shabaab out of Kenya by all means necessary.
Fourth, that Kenya must learn from shifta war and Ethiopia how best to defeat al Shabaab.
Fifth, war against al Shabaab should not be sacrificed on the altar of conflicts among Jubilee partners, some communities threatening to withdraw support for government in protest against its operations against terrorism.
Sixth, Kenya must distribute national resources equitably to all corners of Kenya to end marginalisation of any part of Kenya.
Seventh, Kenya must launch large-scale infrastructural projects to take youth away from possible recruitment by al Shabaab.
Empirically, Islamic terrorist attacks have increased rather than decreased in Kenya. For bungling the war against Islamic, ethnic and clan terrorisms, people are asking Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku, Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo and Kenya's Chief of Defence Forces Gen Julius Karangi to resign.
But while the three are guilty of failing to guarantee security, they don’t bear highest responsibility for it. President Uhuru and Deputy President Ruto bear the highest responsibility for errors of judgement in appointing the three, and for their failure to stem spiralling terrorism. If ole Lenku, Kimaiyo and Karangi are the only ones to go, Uhuru and Ruto might reappoint others like them to replace them.
As American Presidents Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon bore highest responsibilities for failures of their administrations – bungling a rescue operation in Iran and not telling the truth about Watergate by resigning – President Uhuru and DP Ruto must also resign when terrorism puts their Jubilee government on the defensive. If Kenya continues to take unceasing blows from al Shabaab, and leaders are not pressured to resign, what will be their incentive to win?
Ultimately, the war against Islamic terrorism will succeed only with fullest participation of Muslim leaders and scholars to win hearts and minds of Muslim youth from Islamic radicalism. Without fighting al Shabaab, Muslims will look like its supporters.
Whatever our internal differences are, Kenyans must unite to fight our collective external enemy – al Shabaab. That said, it is tragic and success for terrorism that non Muslim Kenyans want to leave Mandera en masse for fear of terrorism. For Kenya, they must not; but the government must do everything to protect them. But will it? If the impending exodus materialises, Kenya will be no more.
LENKU, OMAMO MINISTRIES TO BE MERGED
MERGER: Defence Cabinet secretary Rachel Omamo with with interior security's Joseph Ole Lenku during a press briefing. Photo/File
MARCH FORWARD: President Uhuru with Chief of Defence Forces Julius Karangi and Defence CS Raychelle Omamo during KDF Day in Lanet Barracks, Nakuru County, on October 22.Photo/PSCU
THE Interior Ministry will be merged with Defence to create a super Ministry of Homeland Security coordinating the fight against escalating insecurity and terrorism.
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration is under intense pressure from both politicians and the public to take decisive action to protect Kenyans.
The new ministry will bring the Kenya Defence Forces, the National Police Service and National Intelligence Service under a single roof.
The merger and improved co-ordination of security agencies is the Jubilee Government’s new strategy to tackle rising insecurity, according to sources in the national security establishment.
The President spent most of Wednesday and Thursday meeting security chiefs who proposed a number of approaches.
“The Homeland ministry is under serious consideration and could be unveiled before too long,” a security chief familiar with the plan told the Star. It was not immediately known when it would be operational.
Under the arrangement, KDF will be responsible for border management, police will concentrate on internal security and the NIS will continue gathering intelligence for both the KDF and Police Service.
Kenya’s soft security under-belly has been exposed in many criminal and terror attacks.
The latest was in Mandera county on November 22 when suspected al Shabaab militiamen hijacked a Nairobi-bound bus, executing 28 passengers in a dawn raid near the Somalia border. That attack and others forced military deployment in various places, including West Pokot and Lamu counties.
In creation of an overarching Homeland Security Ministry, Interior CS Joseph ole Lenku and his Defence colleague Rachel Omamo, as well as PSs Monicah Juma (Interior) and Mutea Iringo (Defence), will be either sacked or redeployed.
Ten days ago, Lenku made a five-day trip to Israel, accompanied by officials from Counter-terrorism, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and NIS to familiarise themselves with best practices in homeland security operations.
The Kenyan delegation consulted public security and transport ministers and toured Ben Gurion International Airport. Israel was chosen since it faces hostility from neighbours but manages to maintain high security and a level of normalcy.
The Star asked Lenku for comment on the proposed ministry but he declined, saying he was not in a position to discuss planned changes in government.
Interior Ministry spokesman Mwenda Njoka said: “The creation of any new ministry is the the President’s prerogative. I can’t talk about it.” He said State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu was in a better position to comment.
However, Esipisu could not be reached and was said to be out of the country on assignment. President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Chief of Staff and Private Secretary Jomo Gecaga and Head of Civil Service Joseph Kinyua did not respond to enquiries.
Government sources said the decision to create the Homeland Security Ministry was reached after the Westgate Mall attack on September 27, 2013.
In the aftermath, the three security agencies blamed each other for the bungled counter-terrorism response. The NIS blamed the police for failing to act on intelligence, while police accused KDF of mismanaging their operation.
Sources said the Homeland move will also combine and make more efficient use of resources and equipment. The Star has also established there are plans to merge the regular police and the paramilitary Administration Police into a single command.
This means the AP will be trained afresh and deployed in the National Police Service. National Police Service Commission chairman Johnston Kavuludi last month hinted at a merger. That prompted protests by a section of AP officers.
Yesterday Kiharu MP Irungu Kang’ata said creation of the proposed ministry was timely and positive, adding it would coordinate security countrywide. Not everyone is supportive.
International Centre for Policy and Conflict director Ndung’u Wainana dismissed the plan, saying what is needed is a total overhaul of top security chiefs and the recruitment of new security strategists.
Go well my brother and friend Kajwang'-Raila
Otieno Kajwang.
A giant has fallen out of our midst and gone silent. It is our fate to bear the pain of seeing Gerald Otieno Kajwang depart.
Kajwang’s thoughts and spirit opened doors to new and freer frontiers. He nurtured dreams that gave hope to the hopeless. His powerful voice shook the powerful and the mighty.
The man we bury today was tied to me personally, with a cord that no one can break, in ways many may never understand. May he live forever!
You had to live my life with Kajwang to appreciate the ties that bound us. You had to be at the centre of the struggle to know why this sharp legal mind has had to die poor while peers and colleagues of lesser talent minted money to tease and taunt him.
You had to come of age in his time to understand that someone had to rebel for freedom to come.
It is often the fate of visionaries to be misunderstood. Kajwang was misunderstood.
Our paths first crossed in the 1980s. My harrowing tales of life in detention became his reason to join the Change Movement. Kajwang felt summoned by history to stand up for our nation when imprisonment, torture, assassination and murder swept the land.
He embraced that timeless call of Dr Martin Luther King Junior… “A time comes when silence is betrayal." He heeded the call to seize the moment and give coherence to the dreams, wishes and frustrations of our people. He brought vigour, charm and energy to the Change Movement.
Pro bono, he took up the cases of youths thrown into police custody for crying freedom. His law offices became the heart of our political planning. Kajwang became a friend, a brother, a keeper and a comrade.
Hand-in-hand, we walked through the shadows and valleys of death, tended to each other's wounds and mourned each other’s sorrows. We stood by each other and helped each other fight. We watched as friends turned their backs on us.
But we swore to keep walking, straight into what we believed was the Promised Land.
We believed in the justness of our ideals and shared the certainty that we would triumph.
Kajwang’s friends became my friends and mine his. His parents became my parents and mine his.
We boiled with ideas about freeing our people and making our country great.
But we also shared precious moments of joy and laughter and together, enjoyed the taste of freedom when it arrived.
With Kajwang, we made decisions that shaped our country: to resign as MP and seek fresh mandate in 1996, to have NDP present a presidential candidate in 1997, to take Goldenberg case to court.
Kajwang was intricately involved in the negotiations that led to cooperation, partnership and merger with Kanu.
He was party to our decision to pull out of Kanu. Kajwang's passing therefore leaves a monumental emptiness in me and in all his friends.
He was party to our decision to pull out of Kanu. Kajwang's passing therefore leaves a monumental emptiness in me and in all his friends.
He probably would have wanted us to look back on our struggles with pride, sing on and march with greater resolve and faith in what lies ahead.
Kajwang remains in the super league of foot-soldiers of our freedom and democracy. Rarely do we find candour, humour, fieriness and humility all rolled up in one character. He electrified the crowds with his witty and humorous presentation of weighty political matters at our public rallies.
In his death, the Orange Democratic Movement, the CORD fraternity and the Change Movement have lost one of their most fearless and eloquent public speakers. Kajwang never retreated from a battle that was not finished, never shied from responsibility and never shifted blame.
He was a worker who rose early to rise and retired late. He immersed himself fully into the job of Cabinet Minister for Immigration, initiating reforms against strong opposition from within that was determined to fail him.
No human being is perfect. Kajwang had his failings. Revisionists that our nation is blessed with will lurch on to these to rewrite history and make a failure out of this unsung hero. To many Kenyans though, Kajwang was a fortress of renewal, determination and resilience worth our emulation.
Fate has determined that Kajwang travels ahead of us. I want to believe that when our time comes, he will be there to meet us, and seek to know how we fared with the struggle and probably ask that we sing Bado Mapambano.
We have a pact with him to take the liberation flag right to the mountain top. Then we shall hand over the spear of the nation to our successors and with pride say, here, the weapon to safeguard a nation delivered by the heroes of our past.
When the roll is called up yonder of men who gave their all to our nation, Kajwang’s name shall be there.
So, go well, my brother.
Fare thee well, dear friend.
Have peace our comrade.
Be assured that we will strive to bring unity to our divided land, peace to our tormented country, equity to our unequal Kenya and dignity to our dehumanized citizens.
Bado Mapambano.
Friday, November 28, 2014
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Monday, November 24, 2014
Sunday, November 23, 2014
ODM unveils new lineup with Raila as party leader and Ababu Secretary General
Senatir Agnes Zani, ODM party leader Raila Odinga and new Secretary General Ababu Namwamba after a press conference in February. Photo/PATRICK VIDIJA
Orange party has moved in to stem party rebels by unveiling an inclusive party lineup after the botched February party polls.
The party will now have 36 party officials to fill up 27 positions.
In the new lineup Raila Odinga will be the party leader deputised by Mombasa governor Hassan Joho and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya. In the February Ababu line up Joho wanted the deputy party leader slot.
The current Secretary General Anyang' Nyong'o's fate is unknown after the party replaced him with Budalang'i MP Ababu Namwamba who has of late been seen as a rebel. Ababu has publicly criticised the party for lack of internal democracy.
Raila's close allies like Siaya senator James Orengo have not been given any party positions in the fresh line up.
The line up was agreed upon during the party's joint sitting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Transitional Independent Executive Committee (TIEC) at the Sentrine Lodge in Elementaita on Saturday.
The party said in a statement that it has postponed the planned meeting of the National Governing Council (NGC) scheduled for Friday November,28 2014 in honor of Homabay senator Otieno Kajwang'.
The NGC is expected to endorse the new lineup during a meeting on December, 5 2014.
Here is the full lineup for the party positions:
1. Party Leader – Raila Amolo Odinga
2. Deputies Party Leader – Hassan Ali Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya
3. National Chairman – John Mbadi
4. Deputies National Chairman – Josphat Nanok, Paul Otuoma, Adan Keynan and Christine Lemein.
5. Secretary General – Ababu Namwamba
6. Deputies Secretary General – Elizabeth Ongoro and Dr. Agnes Zani
7. National Organizing Secretary – Abdikadir Aden
8. Deputies Organising Secretary – Suleiman Dori, George Aladwa, Florence Mutua and Rozah Buyu
9. National Treasurer – Timothy Bosire
10.Deputies National Treasurer – Hilda Siang’a and Ogla Karani
11.Secretary Public Policy and Economic Affairs – Steven Kariuki
12.Secretary Legal and Constitutional Affairs – Timothy Wanyonyi
13.Secretary for Publicity and Information – Denittah Ghati
14.Secretary for International Affairs – Joyce Lay
15.Secretary for Women Affairs (OWL) – Beth Syengo
16.Secretary for Youth Affairs (OYL) - Rashid Mohammed
17.Secretary for Special Interest Groups – Grace Mboja
18.Secretary for Environment – Ronald Ng’eny
19.Secretary for Devolved Government – Kipkorir Arap Menjo
20.Secretary for Science and Technology – Dr. Noah Akala
21.Secretary for Labour Programmes and Social Welfare – Wario Dida
22.Secretary for National Security – Hon. Maj. John Waluke
23.Secretary for Humanitarian and Disaster Management – Amos Lempaka
24.Secretary for Disability Affairs – Isaac Mwaura
25.Secretary for Political Affairs – Opiyo Wandayi
26.Secretaries for Parliamentary Affairs – Janet Ong’era (Senate) and Thomas Mwadeghu (National Assembly)
27.Executive Director (Ex-Officio)
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