Saturday, 23 February 2008
Friday, 22 February 2008
Thursday, 21 February 2008
Commentary ( Nation Editorial) - Mass action is not a solution to anything
Ref: http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=24&newsid=117321
Mass action is not a solution to anything
Publication Date: 2/21/2008
Orange Democratic Movement MPs Wednesday resolved to call mass action if Parliament is not summoned by next week to enact constitutional changes that will pave the way for the implementation of proposals tabled during the Kofi Annan-led mediation talks.
The 45 MPs declared that their patience was running out, and accused the Party of National Unity of using delaying tactics, ostensibly to sabotage the negotiations.
While these MPs may have a point about the need to start discussions on a speedy review of the Constitution, their threats amount to extremely dangerous talk at a time when delicate negotiations are being carefully nurtured.
Kenyans have had very bad experiences with mass action. In almost every case, such action has resulted in running battles with law enforcers, and has given an opportunity to looters, arsonists and other ne’er-do-wells to carry out their nefarious activities.
To start talk about mass action when all avenues of negotiations have not been exhausted is not only to poison the atmosphere, but also to employ armtwisting tactics which are bound to harden positions.
It is evident that during such protests, it is the poor, unemployed youths who suffer most, for they are used as canon-fodder to further the interests of the political class.
This is why we urge great caution in these sensitive times. Loose talk from hot-blooded legislators on both sides of the political class will not help this country; only negotiation and mediation will.
That is why we support Mr Annan in his warning to the parties concerned not to use any intimidating language and issue ultimatums that will only serve to make the hardliners in both PNU and ODM to hold fast to their declared positions and not cede ground.
All Kenyans of sound mind are anxious for this country to return to normalcy. We have gone through extremely traumatic times as a nation, and we are not even out of the woods yet.
History will judge our leaders harshly if, through their irresponsible utterances, they make a return to political sanity impossible.
Mass action is not a solution to anything
Publication Date: 2/21/2008
Orange Democratic Movement MPs Wednesday resolved to call mass action if Parliament is not summoned by next week to enact constitutional changes that will pave the way for the implementation of proposals tabled during the Kofi Annan-led mediation talks.
The 45 MPs declared that their patience was running out, and accused the Party of National Unity of using delaying tactics, ostensibly to sabotage the negotiations.
While these MPs may have a point about the need to start discussions on a speedy review of the Constitution, their threats amount to extremely dangerous talk at a time when delicate negotiations are being carefully nurtured.
Kenyans have had very bad experiences with mass action. In almost every case, such action has resulted in running battles with law enforcers, and has given an opportunity to looters, arsonists and other ne’er-do-wells to carry out their nefarious activities.
To start talk about mass action when all avenues of negotiations have not been exhausted is not only to poison the atmosphere, but also to employ armtwisting tactics which are bound to harden positions.
It is evident that during such protests, it is the poor, unemployed youths who suffer most, for they are used as canon-fodder to further the interests of the political class.
This is why we urge great caution in these sensitive times. Loose talk from hot-blooded legislators on both sides of the political class will not help this country; only negotiation and mediation will.
That is why we support Mr Annan in his warning to the parties concerned not to use any intimidating language and issue ultimatums that will only serve to make the hardliners in both PNU and ODM to hold fast to their declared positions and not cede ground.
All Kenyans of sound mind are anxious for this country to return to normalcy. We have gone through extremely traumatic times as a nation, and we are not even out of the woods yet.
History will judge our leaders harshly if, through their irresponsible utterances, they make a return to political sanity impossible.
Commentary (by Charles Onyango-Obbo) - WHAT OTHERS SAY: Looking at ‘our’ Senator Obama in an African way
Ref: http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=25&newsid=117318
WHAT OTHERS SAY: Looking at ‘our’ Senator Obama in an African way
Story by CHARLES ONYANGO-OBBO
Publication Date: 2/21/2008
IN THE PART OF AFRICA WHERE I come from, the older relatives (particularly in the village) used to judge the failings of children in a manner that was very unfair to their mothers.
If a child failed her examinations in school, they would say she is “stupid like the mother”. If she topped the class, they would say she takes after her father — or one of her paternal relatives.
They will say this with a straight face, even if it’s common knowledge that the father dropped out of school to become a businessman, and it’s her bright mother who graduated from university with flying colours, therefore the child probably takes after her.
If, in her rebellious adolescent years, she jumped over the fence to go to a party against her parents’ wishes, they would claim that “she is badly behaved like the mother”, or an aunt on the mother’s side.
But if she were an “obedient” child who helps out in the local church, then she would have taken after her father. Never mind that he is a hard-drinking bloke who hasn’t attended prayers of any kind for years.
This approach towards assessing children’s character and abilities allowed generations of, sometimes largely incompetent, African men to maintain some dignity and respect despite their many failures.
It also reinforced the patriarchal architecture of society by enabling the husband’s side of the marriage to look always better than the wife’s.
We tell this story because we have to comment on the stunning success that Senator Barack Obama is enjoying in his quest to be the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate in the US elections in November.
If he keeps up his present winning streak, then he is going to whip Senator Hillary Clinton to take the prize. And, though at this point it sounds too good to be true, opinion polls say that if the election were held today, Obama would beat the man who will almost definitely be the Republic Party candidate, John McCain, to become America’s first black president.
Senator Obama was born to Barack Hussein Obama, a good Kenyan man from Kogelo, Alego, in Nyanza, and an American mother, Stanley Ann Dunham.
When he came to Kenya in 2006, and visited his ancestral home (there was that memorable hug with his 85-year-old grandmother Sarah), they were the headiest days in Alego.
According to The Times, there are prayers aplenty for Obama’s good fortunes in Kogelo.
THE PAPER QUOTED HIS UNCLE, Said Obama, apparently not a particularly cosmopolitan gentleman, saying in apparent reference to leader Raila Odinga’s claim that he was cheated out of the presidency by President Kibaki in the December polls, a claim which the president vigorously denies, that: “Now we are praying for Obama’s success... even if we never get a Luo in Kenya’s State House, we may have one soon in the White House”.
Nyanza is, of course, nowhere near Illinois that Obama represents in the Senate, and Kenya is a far cry from the US. Still, he must be the most famous person with Kenyan ancestry in the world today, and could soon be the most powerful “Kenyan” to walk the earth.
So one wonders how the elders in my village would call this one; does his father’s genes, or his mother’s account for Obama’s success?
There are no rewards for guessing what his grandmother and relatives think, but after the post-election genocidal, ethnic fury, it has become that much harder to argue that the Kenyan blood flowing in Obama’s veins is what accounts for his success.
To the Americans, Obama’s case is clearly one of those where the child is the product of a strong-willed mother, and not a deadbeat dad. But it’s not too late for Kenya to settle this matter.
Look at it this way. Barely two months ago, Kenya, as The Economist put it, was an admirable example for Africa. After the disputed polls, many have been quick to write it off as “another African basket case”.
But now there are the Kofi Annan-mediated talks between the Government (Party of National Unity) and the opposition ODM, to resolve the post-election impasse through a “power” or “responsibility” sharing deal.
A settlement that allows Kenya to get back to work and to exorcise the demons that plunged it into crisis might see the country being touted as the “comeback African nation” by the end of the year.
It might look unlikely today, but it’s not impossible. One would have said the same thing of Obama a year ago.
A first-time senator with no experience in government or foreign policy; a black man in a country with a history of racism that is still fresh in the memory of civil rights activists, running against a Clinton. It looked like his goose was cooked.
Methinks if the country bounces back and gets on a high roll, and Obama wins the American presidency, it will be hard to deny that the Illinois senator has a Kenyan streak in him.
WHAT OTHERS SAY: Looking at ‘our’ Senator Obama in an African way
Story by CHARLES ONYANGO-OBBO
Publication Date: 2/21/2008
IN THE PART OF AFRICA WHERE I come from, the older relatives (particularly in the village) used to judge the failings of children in a manner that was very unfair to their mothers.
If a child failed her examinations in school, they would say she is “stupid like the mother”. If she topped the class, they would say she takes after her father — or one of her paternal relatives.
They will say this with a straight face, even if it’s common knowledge that the father dropped out of school to become a businessman, and it’s her bright mother who graduated from university with flying colours, therefore the child probably takes after her.
If, in her rebellious adolescent years, she jumped over the fence to go to a party against her parents’ wishes, they would claim that “she is badly behaved like the mother”, or an aunt on the mother’s side.
But if she were an “obedient” child who helps out in the local church, then she would have taken after her father. Never mind that he is a hard-drinking bloke who hasn’t attended prayers of any kind for years.
This approach towards assessing children’s character and abilities allowed generations of, sometimes largely incompetent, African men to maintain some dignity and respect despite their many failures.
It also reinforced the patriarchal architecture of society by enabling the husband’s side of the marriage to look always better than the wife’s.
We tell this story because we have to comment on the stunning success that Senator Barack Obama is enjoying in his quest to be the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate in the US elections in November.
If he keeps up his present winning streak, then he is going to whip Senator Hillary Clinton to take the prize. And, though at this point it sounds too good to be true, opinion polls say that if the election were held today, Obama would beat the man who will almost definitely be the Republic Party candidate, John McCain, to become America’s first black president.
Senator Obama was born to Barack Hussein Obama, a good Kenyan man from Kogelo, Alego, in Nyanza, and an American mother, Stanley Ann Dunham.
When he came to Kenya in 2006, and visited his ancestral home (there was that memorable hug with his 85-year-old grandmother Sarah), they were the headiest days in Alego.
According to The Times, there are prayers aplenty for Obama’s good fortunes in Kogelo.
THE PAPER QUOTED HIS UNCLE, Said Obama, apparently not a particularly cosmopolitan gentleman, saying in apparent reference to leader Raila Odinga’s claim that he was cheated out of the presidency by President Kibaki in the December polls, a claim which the president vigorously denies, that: “Now we are praying for Obama’s success... even if we never get a Luo in Kenya’s State House, we may have one soon in the White House”.
Nyanza is, of course, nowhere near Illinois that Obama represents in the Senate, and Kenya is a far cry from the US. Still, he must be the most famous person with Kenyan ancestry in the world today, and could soon be the most powerful “Kenyan” to walk the earth.
So one wonders how the elders in my village would call this one; does his father’s genes, or his mother’s account for Obama’s success?
There are no rewards for guessing what his grandmother and relatives think, but after the post-election genocidal, ethnic fury, it has become that much harder to argue that the Kenyan blood flowing in Obama’s veins is what accounts for his success.
To the Americans, Obama’s case is clearly one of those where the child is the product of a strong-willed mother, and not a deadbeat dad. But it’s not too late for Kenya to settle this matter.
Look at it this way. Barely two months ago, Kenya, as The Economist put it, was an admirable example for Africa. After the disputed polls, many have been quick to write it off as “another African basket case”.
But now there are the Kofi Annan-mediated talks between the Government (Party of National Unity) and the opposition ODM, to resolve the post-election impasse through a “power” or “responsibility” sharing deal.
A settlement that allows Kenya to get back to work and to exorcise the demons that plunged it into crisis might see the country being touted as the “comeback African nation” by the end of the year.
It might look unlikely today, but it’s not impossible. One would have said the same thing of Obama a year ago.
A first-time senator with no experience in government or foreign policy; a black man in a country with a history of racism that is still fresh in the memory of civil rights activists, running against a Clinton. It looked like his goose was cooked.
Methinks if the country bounces back and gets on a high roll, and Obama wins the American presidency, it will be hard to deny that the Illinois senator has a Kenyan streak in him.
Commentary (by Okech Kendo) - China has proved it’s not a friend to count on
Ref: http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143982201&cid=4
Published on February 21, 2008, 12:00 am
By Okech Kendo
Outsiders — only in the literal sense since the world is now a global village — got embedded in the Kenya tragedy after ballots became bullets.
In the face of causeless and atavistic bloodletting, irresponsible display of State might, misplaced aggression, retrogressive exhibition of prejudice and agile protesters, only irresponsible outsiders would have cheered, while proclaiming non-interference.
China is one such prisoner of indifference. China is a ‘development partner’ no country should count on to take a position on the side of reason.
By taking such an unconscionable diplomatic position in the face of murders, displacement, vandalism of the economy, entrenchment of ethnic animosity and tribalisation of the political crisis, China has proved it is not a true friend of Kenya.
China has promised to continue with business as usual, building roads and toilets, when the lives of the users of such facilities are in danger.
It is like the hyena of folklore that found two brothers fighting each other to the death. While proclaiming non-interference, the hyena promised it would, however, feed the warriors as they fought over nothing.
The first statement to come out of the People’s Republic of China, when this crisis started eight weeks ago, was that "Western democracy is unsuitable for Africa".
In the Chinese The People Daily, Western powers were blamed for imposing colonial rule and Western style electoral democracy in Africa. But the crisis has nothing to do with Eastern or Western democracy. It is about abuse of the best of the worst systems of governance. It is about greed, prejudice and impunity. It is about disdain and moronistic obstinacy.
If the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) had worked as independently as the Constitution expects, there would have been no dispute. But ECK was embedded and beholden to vested interests. When the greedy mess up what is otherwise the best-known form of governance, that cannot be blamed on democracy.
Philosopher William Ralph Inge knew this decades ago, when he said: "Democracy is a form of government which may be rationally defended, not as being good, but as being the less bad than any other."
Indian sage Jawaharlal Nehru puts it differently: " Democracy is good. I say this because other forms are worse." Democracy puts administration in the hands of the majority, and not the few with the aid of gullible State agents. Millions of Kenyans went to vote, but a few in the ECK and their accomplices conspired to undermine the wishes of the electorate.
China needs a better way of explaining its indifference and background information on the events than alienate the people it seeks to help.
Would not interfere in ‘internal affairs’
The second statement from China on the crisis came from its local ambassador, Mr Zhang Ming, last week. The envoy alleged, indifferently, that China would not interfere in Kenya’s ‘internal affairs’. Like the murder of 1,000 people, displacement of 500,000 people, vandalism of the economy, disruption of education and public service are small matters.
They would rather supply arms at the wrong time, than mind what importers do with guns. What China treats as a domestic matter has also disrupted the economy of Southern Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda and others who depend on the Indian Ocean for imports and exports, through Kenya.
Some of the imports and exports may have something to do with China.
Ming put it naively, innocently, if not indifferently: "My country has a non-interference foreign policy, which means we do not interfere with foreign countries’ activities."
Ming could have added, for detail, even if they are killing one another for nothing.
But at the same time, Ming is concerned about the derailment of road construction projects, as a result of post- election violence.
China is preoccupied with businesses in Sudan, while the Khartoum junta is accused of presiding over genocide in Darfur. For China, the lives of millions of Sudanese are not important as long it allows Beijing to hunt for energy and minerals across Africa.
There is nothing Western or Eastern about democracy. It is the best of the worst forms of government. All democracy takes to work is leadership with the integrity to accept the will of the majority, and the majority to accommodate the minority. It is about tolerance and accommodation.
—The writer is (kendo@eastandard.net) the Standard Managing Editor, Quality and Production
Published on February 21, 2008, 12:00 am
By Okech Kendo
Outsiders — only in the literal sense since the world is now a global village — got embedded in the Kenya tragedy after ballots became bullets.
In the face of causeless and atavistic bloodletting, irresponsible display of State might, misplaced aggression, retrogressive exhibition of prejudice and agile protesters, only irresponsible outsiders would have cheered, while proclaiming non-interference.
China is one such prisoner of indifference. China is a ‘development partner’ no country should count on to take a position on the side of reason.
By taking such an unconscionable diplomatic position in the face of murders, displacement, vandalism of the economy, entrenchment of ethnic animosity and tribalisation of the political crisis, China has proved it is not a true friend of Kenya.
China has promised to continue with business as usual, building roads and toilets, when the lives of the users of such facilities are in danger.
It is like the hyena of folklore that found two brothers fighting each other to the death. While proclaiming non-interference, the hyena promised it would, however, feed the warriors as they fought over nothing.
The first statement to come out of the People’s Republic of China, when this crisis started eight weeks ago, was that "Western democracy is unsuitable for Africa".
In the Chinese The People Daily, Western powers were blamed for imposing colonial rule and Western style electoral democracy in Africa. But the crisis has nothing to do with Eastern or Western democracy. It is about abuse of the best of the worst systems of governance. It is about greed, prejudice and impunity. It is about disdain and moronistic obstinacy.
If the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) had worked as independently as the Constitution expects, there would have been no dispute. But ECK was embedded and beholden to vested interests. When the greedy mess up what is otherwise the best-known form of governance, that cannot be blamed on democracy.
Philosopher William Ralph Inge knew this decades ago, when he said: "Democracy is a form of government which may be rationally defended, not as being good, but as being the less bad than any other."
Indian sage Jawaharlal Nehru puts it differently: " Democracy is good. I say this because other forms are worse." Democracy puts administration in the hands of the majority, and not the few with the aid of gullible State agents. Millions of Kenyans went to vote, but a few in the ECK and their accomplices conspired to undermine the wishes of the electorate.
China needs a better way of explaining its indifference and background information on the events than alienate the people it seeks to help.
Would not interfere in ‘internal affairs’
The second statement from China on the crisis came from its local ambassador, Mr Zhang Ming, last week. The envoy alleged, indifferently, that China would not interfere in Kenya’s ‘internal affairs’. Like the murder of 1,000 people, displacement of 500,000 people, vandalism of the economy, disruption of education and public service are small matters.
They would rather supply arms at the wrong time, than mind what importers do with guns. What China treats as a domestic matter has also disrupted the economy of Southern Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda and others who depend on the Indian Ocean for imports and exports, through Kenya.
Some of the imports and exports may have something to do with China.
Ming put it naively, innocently, if not indifferently: "My country has a non-interference foreign policy, which means we do not interfere with foreign countries’ activities."
Ming could have added, for detail, even if they are killing one another for nothing.
But at the same time, Ming is concerned about the derailment of road construction projects, as a result of post- election violence.
China is preoccupied with businesses in Sudan, while the Khartoum junta is accused of presiding over genocide in Darfur. For China, the lives of millions of Sudanese are not important as long it allows Beijing to hunt for energy and minerals across Africa.
There is nothing Western or Eastern about democracy. It is the best of the worst forms of government. All democracy takes to work is leadership with the integrity to accept the will of the majority, and the majority to accommodate the minority. It is about tolerance and accommodation.
—The writer is (kendo@eastandard.net) the Standard Managing Editor, Quality and Production
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
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