President Kenyatta's inauguration speech

SPEECH BY H.E. HON. UHURU KENYATTA, C.G.H., PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA DURING HIS INAUGURATION AND SWEARING-IN CEREMONY ON TUESDAY, 9TH APRIL 2013 AT THE MOI INTERNATIONAL SPORTS COMPLEX, NAIROBI.

o Your Excellency Hon.Mwai Kibaki, C.G.H., M.P.;
o Your Excellency Daniel arap Moi;
o Your Excellencies, Visiting Heads of State & Government;
o Chief Justice Willy Mutunga;
o All our Invited Guests;
o Fellow Kenyans,

Let me begin by thanking all Heads of State present and the representatives of Heads of State for choosing to be here as a symbol of your continued support and goodwill towards Kenyans.

I particularly note, with gratitude, the large presence of our brothers and sisters from across the continent. This is a clear indication of your commitment to the Pan-African agenda. You have bestowed a great honor on me and our country by being here. On behalf of the Kenyan people I welcome all of you to Kenya. Karibuni Sana!

Let me also acknowledge with gratitude and respect the distinguished service of my predecessors. President Mwai Kibaki, a true statesman and a great leader who over the past 10 years has laid a firm foundation for the future prosperity of our country. Asante sana Mzee. Shukrani nyingi sana.

I pay tribute also to former President Moi who is with us today and thank him for his years of leadership and dedication to our nation. Asante Mzee!

With humility and respect, I acknowledge and pay tribute to the memory of my father, the late founding father of our nation, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. May he and his fellow architects of liberation in Kenya and Africa as a whole rest in peace with the knowledge that this generation is committed to fulfilling their dreams of for our nation and our continent.

I would like to thank all my worthy opponents in the recently completed presidential election. Every one of you helped define and make stronger our democracy. Because of you, Kenyans had real choices. Because of you, Kenyans felt free to exercise their sovereign will. Thank you all.
In an open and free democracy, there is a vital role for a vibrant opposition that helps to hold the Government to account. Kenya is such a democracy, and as President I will respect that role just as I will champion the right of every Kenyan to speak their mind free of fear of reprisal or condemnation.
Fellow Kenyans,

Our nation has now successfully navigated the most complex general election in our history. Our journey began three years ago, with the promulgation of a new constitution, and ended eleven days ago, with a landmark Supreme Court decision. Ours has been an unusual story. An unconventional path. We have been praised and criticized in turn – depending on who was telling our story. Yet while some watched the unfolding national events with skepticism, resigned to what they believed was the inevitability of chaos, others, the vast majority, looked upon our nation with a tempered hope; cheering us on not only because they believed in us but because they knew that if Kenya succeeded they too would succeed. For all that has been said of our nation, the records of history will attest to a number of undeniable facts.

They will outline the long queues we made, the long hours we waited to vote and the historic voter turnout of these elections. They will detail the decisions that the Kenyan media made – the professionalism and responsibility with which they acted. They will remind us of the fact that we embarked on a feat that few other countries have attempted, holding six elections simultaneously. They will call our attention to the fact that the youth were meaningfully engaged in the entire electoral period and that the political consciousness of Kenyans was at an all time high. They will list and honor the individuals, institutions and service organizations that played a strong role in this defining chapter of our nation’s history. They will contrast our accomplishments, with the fact that Kenya ventured into multi-party politics only 20 years ago further strengthening and entrenching our democracy. When the records remind us of these truths, we will recognize that at the end of the day, it is the indomitable spirit of the Kenyan people; their commitment to peace; their desire for progress and their respect for the rule of law – that was the true headline of this election story.

Where systems failed, Kenyans did not. Where decisions were delayed and ambiguity prevailed, Kenyans were patient – seeking and waiting for clarity. Where contentious issues arose to stir up dissent, Kenyans exercised restraint; peacefully sought redress and submitted themselves again to the constitution and the rule of law – united in the belief that God’s judgment would guide that of men.

Today, I am humbled and honouredhonoured to accept the mantle of leadership that the people of Kenya have bestowed on me. I will lead all Kenyans – those who voted for me – and those who voted for our competitors – towards a national prosperity that is firmly rooted in a rich and abiding peace in which unity can ultimately be realized. Peace is not simply about the absence of violence. It is defined by the presence of fundamental liberties and the prevalence of economic opportunities. We will not settle for a perfunctory peace that is disrupted every five years by an election cycle. Rather, we are calling and working towards a permanent peace, through which democracy is glorified rather than undermined. A peace that fosters unity.

Indeed, national unity will only be possible if we deal decisively with some of the issues that continue to hinder our progress. It will come through job creation. It will be founded on economic growth. It will be strengthened by a globally competitive education system: by the building of more schools across the nation and by ensuring that we have well thought out curricula that prepares our children for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. It will be upheld when all citizens are able to access affordable healthcare and protect themselves, and their children, from preventable diseases that still wage war on our populace.

It will be strengthened through the promotion of public-private partnerships and through the creation of a friendly and enabling environment for business. It will be reflected in our men and women working side by side as equals to move our country forward. It will be realized when we become a food-secure nation by investing in and modernizing the agricultural sector by equipping it with the relevant information and technology that it needs to grow. It will be confirmed when the rights of all citizens are protected through legislation that upholds the spirit of our constitution. When women and young people are both seen and heard at the decision-making table, at national as well as devolved levels of government. When all communities in Kenya are confident that they have a Government that listens to and addresses their needs.

Achieving peace and strengthening unity will be the goal of my Government.

This work begins now. We welcome all Kenyans to hold us to account.

Within the first one hundred days – we will ensure that maternity fees are abolished and that all citizens of Kenya are able to access government dispensaries and health centers free of charge. Within the first one hundred days, we will develop a framework to direct the 6 billion Kenya Shillings previously allocated for the election run-off towards establishing a new Youth and Women Fund that will be open to the youth and women from every part of this country. Within the first one hundred days, we will put measures in place to ensure that all students, joining class one next year, within the public school system receive a laptop. We made a promise to our children and we will keep it because we believe that early exposure to technology will inspire future innovation and be a catalyst for growth and prosperity.

Fellow Kenyans,

My government will immediately begin the process of supporting devolution and enabling county leadership to carry out their constitutional mandate and fulfill the pledges they made to the Kenyan people. Let us all be clear – supporting devolution is not a choice, as some claim it to be – it is a duty. A constitutional duty. One that I have sworn to uphold. Our constitution does not suggest devolution, it demands it. I urge all Kenyans to be persistent, pragmatic, patient and non-partisan, as we pursue the promise of devolved governance.

Fellow Kenyans,

Dealing with unemployment will be a priority for my government. We are committed to creating jobs and opportunities for our people – especially our young people. We will do this, by creating an enabling environment for the private sector. We will harness the gifts and talents of our youth, in order to enable sports and entertainment providers earn a profitable livelihood and make Kenya a global leader in these areas. We will make the procurement process faster, more accessible, and transparent. We will simplify the process of starting and running a business ,business, in order to make it friendly and cost-effective to do business in Kenya. We will expand electricity generation, extend the transmission network and ensure that electricity supply is more consistent and reliable. We will build on the accomplishments of the last administration in infrastructure, by increasing accessibility through roads and rail networks, as well as increasing digital connectivity. To the private sector, my promise to you is that we will create an enabling environment, so that you can play your part in creating employment and fostering economic growth.

Fellow Kenyans,

For too long our nation has exported jobs that should rightly belong to our citizens. We have focused on exporting primary products, instead of promoting value addition and manufacturing finished goods thereby creating jobs and improving our standard of living. Today, I pledge, that my administration will work towards diversifying our economic base. We will support the manufacturing industry and support all enterprises, both local and international, that strive to create finished goods using local labour and materials. I also pledge, that this Government, as the largest buyer of goods and services will take the lead in supporting local industry, by buying Kenyan first.

I have consulted with Parliament and on the 16th of April, I will address both Houses and announce a detailed government program and legislative agenda.

Fellow Kenyans,

One of the biggest challenges to national unity is the feeling of exclusion in the decision making process, hence our desire and need for devolution. That notwithstanding, my commitment to Kenya is that our national Government shall and will reflect the true face of Kenya, with the clear understanding that as we bring decision making and services closer to the people, the integrity and solidarity that binds us as citizens of one nation, must not only remain, but must be strengthened.

I am equally committed to ensuring that interests of women and the interests of young people are represented in my government. A department in my office will be dedicated to ensuring that the interests of these groups not only inform every decision I make as President, but also those of every department and government ministry. Our doors will always be open. We will never turn a deaf ear to the needs of any person or group.
We will leave no community behind.

Fellow Kenyans

To achieve these goals and to achieve Vision 2030, we must be responsible stewards of our natural resources. In light of this – my commitment and the commitment of the Government will be to support the National Land Commission as they seek to provide the land answer. My government will strive to work with all actors to ensure that the issue of land will never again be a contentious or a divisive subject but rather that land will be seen as what it truly is, a factor of production.

I also promise that we will exploit our natural resources in a way that benefits the current generation while safeguarding the interests of generations to come. I want to assure all Kenyans that we shall use all the money that comes from natural resources for development programs.

Fellow Kenyans

We will ensure that the harmony we are striving for extends to the environment. It is our heritage. It is our duty as guardians and custodians of that heritage to protect it for future generations. Indeed, my government will strike a decisive blow against all those that threaten it. My fellow Kenyans, poaching and the destruction of our environment has no future in this country. The responsibility to protect our environment belongs not just to the Government, but to each and every one of us. We will do all this, and more. Where there is uncertainty, we will revive confidence in the government’s ability to protect its citizens. Where there is disillusionment – we will restore hope. Where there is opportunity denied – we will open new frontiers, and through our actions, we will renew our faith in government as an instrument of good.

Let me reiterate that even as we work together to promote inclusion, open new frontiers and create new opportunities, we will not tolerate those who continue to threaten the peace and security of our citizens. Criminals, cattle rustlers, drug barons and agents of terror, who disrupt the peace of our society, will be met with the full force of the law and the strength of Kenya’s Security Forces. On this matter, we are resolute.

To our men and women in uniform, I say, this nation is indebted to you.
You continue to lay down your lives in service, protecting Kenyans from threats both external and internal. My government will continue to work with you and do all that is in its power to support you as you continue in your noble duty.

To our sister countries in the region – we understand that our future is joined to yours. Our peace is linked to the security and stability of the region. We deployed our armed forces to Somalia because terrorism and piracy affects all of us. Indeed in the last two decades, Kenya has invested immense diplomatic energy and resources in the quest for a stable Somalia. Our commitment to fight terrorism and eradicate piracy will remain a central pillar of my government’s policy on peace and security.

As President, I will work with the international community to strengthen its support for IGAD and the AU peace process in Somalia because a stable and prosperous Somalia is in the interest of all nations.

My fellow Kenyans

The future of Kenya depends not only on our National Unity but also on deepening our bonds with our brothers and sisters in East Africa and Africa as a whole. It is with this unity that we will prosper and truly deliver on the promise of independence and liberation from our colonial past. My administration is therefore committed to regional trade and cooperation and will continue to strengthen ties through the free movement of people, goods and investment, including the removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade within the EAC. My goal is to see the continued growth of our community towards ultimate integration.

As Kenya celebrates its Jubilee year of freedom and independence, Africa too marks slightly over 50 years since the fall of colonialism. The breakaway from colonialism has not been easy. Indeed it has been fraught with great challenges and setbacks. Without fail however, the trajectory of our recent history, in Kenya as in Africa, has been one of great hope, renewed progress and palpable determination. Africa, Ladies and Gentlemen, is on the rise. Kenya sees herself as an integral part of this exciting awakening. The great renaissance spoken of a mere 20 years ago is upon us. Across the continent evidence of renewal and growth is everywhere, built on the bedrock of rising self-confidence, a growing educated, youthful population and God given abundance of natural wealth and resources.

To the Nations of Africa and The African Union – we assure you that in Kenya, you will continue to have a partner and an ally. If we stand together in solidarity I am confident that we will find the strength to thrive and innovate solutions that work for us. Of course, we join you in continuing to insist on relating with all nations as equals – not juniors.

As partners, not subordinates. In our history as nations, we have seen some of the most ardent promoters of ideals of national sovereignty and democracy sometimes fail to live by the principles they espouse, but let us remember that their failure does not justify ours.

To the nations of the world – we acknowledge that in this age of globalization, all of us are interdependent. Our economies are interconnected as indeed are our people. I pledge to continue cultivating the relationships we have had with our traditional trade partners and I say to all developing and developed nations who desire a deeper and more mutually beneficial relationship with Kenya: we are ready for partnerships, we are open for business and we invite you to invest in our country. I also want to remind the International Community that for the last fifty years, Kenya has been one of the most engaged members and one of the most prolific co-authors of international treaties and instruments.

I assure you again that under my leadership, Kenya will strive to uphold our international obligations, so long as these are founded on the well-established principles of mutual respect and reciprocity.

Central to our continued contribution to the international community, will be the understanding that the world is made up of many countries, cultures, political experiences and world-views. We must remember that no one country or group of countries should have control or monopoly on international institutions or the interpretation of international treaties. While each state has a right to its own view, it must respect the fact that it holds just one view amongst many in the community of nations.

Fellow Kenyans,

Today, work begins. The time has come, not to ask what community we come from but rather what dreams we share. The time has come not to ask what political party we belong to but rather what partnerships we can build.

The time has come to ask, not who we voted for, but what future we are devoted to. Fellow Kenyans we must move forward together. Let us remember that although we are may not be bound together by ethnicity, or cultural practices or religious conviction – our kinship rests solidly upon the fact that we have all been adopted by Kenya’s borders; we are all children of this nation, we are all bound to one constitution which calls us to rise above our individual ideologies and march to our national anthem.

That anthem reminds us of the fundamental principles upon which our prosperity must be built. It calls us to reflect on the power of peace; to recall the supreme value of freedom; to believe, once more, in the beauty of service and brotherhood; to aspire each day, to the dignity that results from hard work, and to contend for the hope that justice brings.

Brothers and sisters; Fellow Kenyans – let us move forward, together, in the spirit of our anthem and in the spirit of our constitution being confident that if we turn neither to the left nor to the right of our national values, we, as a people, will see the promised land of prosperity that our forbearers set out for.

God bless you, God bless the Republic of Kenya and God bless Africa.

Kenyan Police Threaten to Strike Over Poor Pay

On the Headliner tonight we focus on the simmering disquiet in the police force. With talk of a strike in the offing, what next for Kenya's law enforcers. NTV's John-Allan Namu reports on their plight and why their patience may have run out.

MWANAMUZIKI PREZZO ALIVYOPOKELEWA KENYA BAADA YA KUTOKA BBA

CMB PREZZO ambae ni mshindi wa pili wa Big Brother Afrika 2012 akihojiwa na waandishi wa habari baada ya kutua kwenye uwanja wa ndege wa Jomo Kenyatta

Mama na mwana.

AJALI ILIYOUWA WANAKWAYA 11 WA KENYA MTO WAMI

Baadhi ya wakazi wa kitongoji cha Makole Mkoa wa Pwani wakiangalia ajali ya gari iliyotokea leo katika eneo la Mto Wami na kusababisha vifo vya watu 11 wote wakiwa raia wa Kenya.

Basi lililokuwa limewabeba raia wa Kenya waliokuwa wakielekea jijini Dar es salaam kwa ajili ya mikutano ya injili likiwa limetumbukia katika korongo jirani na Mto Wami na kuua watu 11 katika Kijiji cha Makole Mkoa wa Pwani.

Baadhi ya abiria walionusurika wakiwa katika eneo la tukio kabla ya kupata msaada.Picha Zote na Mdau Francis Dande

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WATU 11 wanaoaminika kuwa raia wa Kenya wamefariki dunia papo hapo, huku wengine saba wakiwa mahututi baada ya mabasi waliyokuwa wakisafiria kutoka Nairobi kwenda Dar es Salaam kupata ajali katika Mto Wami mkoani Pwani.Mbali na vifo hivyo, ajali hiyo pia ilisababisha majeruhi 25 na saba kati yao waliripotiwa kuwa mahututi na walipelekwa katika Hospitali ya Tumbi, Kibaha kwa matibabu.

Ajali hiyo ilitokea katika Kijiji cha Makole, wilayani Bagamoyo wakati abiria hao ambao ni wanakwaya walipokuwa wakisafiri kutoka Kenya kwenda Dar es Salaam kushiriki katika tamasha la uimbaji.

Ajali hiyo ilitokea jana saa 11 alfajiri ikihusisha magari manne, mawili kati yake yakiwa ni mabasi hayo yakitokea Kenya na malori mawili ya hapa nchini.Tukio hilo pia lilifunga Barabara Kuu ya Chalinze - Segera kwa zaidi ya saa nane hivyo abiria waliokuwa wakisafiri kuelekea na kutoka mikoa ya Kaskazini ikiwamo nchi ya Kenya kwenda na kutoka Dar es Salaam kukwama.

Kamanda wa Polisi Mkoa wa Pwani, Ernest Mangu alisema raia hao wa Kenya ni waumini wa Kikristo na walikuwa wakielekea Dar es Salaam kwenye tamasha la kwaya.

Ajali ilivyotokea
Mangu alisema awali, mabasi hayo yalikuwa yametokea Segera, huku yakiwa yameongozana na moja ilipofika eneo la Makole ghafla liliyumba na kupinduka kisha kutumbukia kwenye korongo.Alisema basi la pili lililokuwa likifuatia nyuma lilipita eneo hilo, lakini baada ya mita 500, dereva alipigiwa simu na mwenzake kuwa amepata ajali na wametumbukia korongoni hivyo ikawalazimu kugeuza kurudi nyuma ili wakawasaidie wenzao.

“Haikuwa rahisi kwa mtu ama gari kuliona haraka hivyo wenzao walipofika hapo nao walipita bila kujua kama kuna gari limeanguka, lakini muda mfupi tu dereva alipigiwa simu na mwenzake akimjulisha kuwa amepata ajali na wametumbukia mtaroni,” alisema Kamanda Mangu.

Alisema baada ya kugeuza na kurudi eneo la ajali, baadhi ya abiria walishuka ili kuwasaidia wenzao na wakati wakiwa kwenye harakati hizo, ghafla lilitokea lori ambalo lililiparamia basi la pili ambalo pia lilitumbukia kwenye korongo.

Kamanda huyo aliongeza kuwa, wakati basi hilo likigongwa, tayari lilikuwa limegeuzwa kuangalia uelekeo wa Chalinze na kwamba baadhi ya abiria walikuwamo ndani.

Alisema baada ya lori hilo kuligonga basi hilo, liliendelea mbele kwa kasi na kugongana uso kwa uso na lori jingine lililokuwa likitokea uelekeo wa Segera, hivyo kufunga barabara hiyo kwa zaidi ya nane.

“Kwa hiyo njia ilikuwa imefungwa kuanzia saa 11:00 alfajiri hadi saa 6:30 mchana baada ya askari wetu kufanikiwa kuyaondoa malori hayo kwenye barabara kuu na sasa (jana) safari zinaendelea kama kawaida,” alisema Mangu.

United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Kenya

SOUTH SUDAN VICE-PRESIDENT TO ATTEND BUSINESS AND SECURITY FORUM IN NAIROBI

South Sudan Vice-President to attend Business and Security Forum The Vice-President of South Sudan, HE Dr Riek Machar, will join senior ministers from Kenya and other African countries at the forthcoming Africa Forum on Business and Security, it was announced on Monday, July 30th.

Dr Machar has been a key figure in developing the fledgling economy of the world's newest state since it attained independence from Sudan just over a year ago.

At the Africa Forum on Business and Security, which will be held at Nairobi's Laico Regency Hotel on September 13th and 14th, 2012, Dr Machar and other statesmen will rub shoulders with business leaders, investors, security experts and decision-makers from all over Africa and beyond.

"The Africa Forum on Business and Security is taking place at a very interesting and important time for Africa," says Peris Wanjiru of conference organisers ICWE. "Many African economies are growing at six or seven per cent a year. The one thing that can hold us back now is a failure to address the security challenges that confront us. This ground breaking, pan-African dialogue between the public and private sectors will make a real difference."

The conference will focus on dealing with persistent problems, attracting investors, protecting vulnerable sectors and securing growth. It will also consider the immense opportunities for African business in delivering security, investment, skills and jobs.

Businesses wanting to take part in the Forum should contact Anna Shigwedha atanna.shigwedha@newsecurityfoundation.org for more information.

For more information on the Forum, please contact Juliane Walter at juliane.walter@icwe.net or visit the conference website www.usalamaafrica.org.

For more information, please contact:

The New Security Foundation

Leibnizstrasse 32

10625 Berlin

Germany

Tel.: +49 (0)30 310 18 18-0

Fax: +49 (0)30 324 98 33

Email: anna.shigwedha@newsecurityfoundation.org

Web: http://usalamaafrica.org

Miguna miguna : Request for 24-hour state security

TOP PRIORITY

27 July 2012

Mr. Mathew Iteere
The Commissioner of Police
Kenya Police Headquarters
Vigillance House, Harambee Avenue
P.O. Box 30083
Nairobi, Kenya
By email transmission to:
commissioner@kenyapolice.go.ke
customercare@kenyapolice.go.ke

Dear Sir,

RE: REQUEST FOR 24-HOUR STATE SECURITY
__________________________________________________

This is my formal request for round-the-clock state security in view of the recent chilling threats to me and my family including the macabre burning and burial of my effigy and coffin in a mock funeral in Nyando lead by an ODM Member of Parliament Fred Otieno Outa and the apparent endorsement of those serious and criminal threats by the top leadership of the ODM and the failure of the relevant Kenyan authorities in apprehending and prosecuting the culprits as would be required in a country governed by the rule of law.

Since launching my book, Peeling Back the Mask: A Quest for Justice in Kenya, on July 14, 2012, I have received several death threats and threats of serious bodily harm by short text messages and email transmissions from people I do not know. One chilling threat stated that upon my return to Kenya next month, I will be “assassinated and my kidneys eaten.”

My family and I take these threats very seriously. We believe that the recent media attacks on me; the character assassination; the almost daily and desperate pseudo psycho-analysis; and the deliberate concoction and publication of so-called “Miguna Files” in sections of the Kenyan media, deliberate and are intended to divert attention from the serious governance issues (particularly grand corruption and nepotism in and by the Office of the Prime Minister) raised in my book, but which some powerful figures, including, but not limited to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya, would rather keep hidden from public scrutiny.

Despite all the threats, the intimidations, the character assassinations and the daily gratuitous attacks in the media and the Internet, I shall return to Kenya on Thursday, August 16, 2012. My flight is scheduled to land at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 20:15 hours. I intend to continue with my chosen work of writing about and agitating for the respect for the rule of law, the upholding of the constitution (in letter and spirit), the respect for fundamental human rights, the expansion of the democratic space, the elimination of corruption, tribalism and nepotism (of all forms and shades) and the entrenchment and practice of good governance in Kenya. In other words, I am fortified and fully committed in the quest for justice in Kenya.

Consequently, I hope and trust that your good offices will grant and deploy, for my protection and that of my family, 24-hour state security.

I would be very grateful if you can assign adequate security for me upon my arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on the date and time specified.

I am forwarding this request electronically, through the Kenya Police email service, because I am currently on holiday and book tour/promotion in Canada.

I look forward to your prompt and positive response.

Yours very truly,

MIGUNA MIGUNA

Cc: The national and international media

ALLY REHMTULLAH’S COLLECTION AT THE TRENDZ KENYA FASHION FESTIVAL 2012

Pictures by Thomson Ncube.

Open Letter to Musalia Mudavadi

Sir, I have been taught to refer people by the titles they deserve. But today I am a little confused. I want to give you the proper salutation but I do not know the road to take! Would you like me to go by Hon. Musalia or just by Deputy Prime Minister Musalia? But since you have resigned as an ODM member, this leaves me wondering where you really belong and what is best for you without compromising natural justice! You see, you ceased being honorable the moment you announced loyalty to another party in full glare of media, local and international. Moreover, you ceased being Deputy Prime Minister the moment you resigned deputy party leader of ODM. You may continue holding this seat till kingdom come but you will just be holding the seat in denial!

I hiccup at the thought that you want to run for office to be the next president of the Republic of Kenya. I do not want to belittle your capacity but William Shakespeare makes me a little pessimistic. He wrote that at times dreams can be children of an idle mind begot of nothing but vain fantasy. Yes it is a mere fantasy for you to think that within a time frame of nine months, between now and March 2013, you can pull a fete unprecedented in the entire democratic world of politics. Presidency is not just a small fete.I believe it requires organization and time. Are you running for the seat because you think you are the right candidate and can win or are you running because you think you are just any candidate but with a chance of winning?

Sir, I did not want to write about Obama but you forced me to. You have talked about him so many times and compared yourself to the USA president. This is a myth and a truth that you want to shade because you will never and can never be Barrack Obama. At best you will always be Musalia Mudavadi. However, for the sake of the comparisons you have been drawing, allow me to note a few facts that maybe lost to you.

Please sir; let us take a mental flight to January 2005. Barrack Obama is the newly elected senator from Illinois. He arrives at the senate as a celebrity courtesy of the speech he had delivered at the Democratic National Convention 5 months earlier in Boston, pitching for the election of John Kerry. But the Democratic Party had failed to capture the senate and the Congress in the elections that also saw George Bush get another term. So Obama was by all means the new kid on the block. He had instantly become the superstar of the party. Veteran politicians started coalescing around him. They knew there was a spark in the guy. As Tom Daschle the then DP House leader prepared to leave the party, he assigned his assistant Pete Rouss the mandate of nurturing Obama. This is where it all began for Obama. A three year plan was coined. The rest, as you and I and all people of the world know, is history. However, the lesson learnt is that a leader must excite his base. He must be able to build a country block by block, calloused hand by calloused hand and must never use short term political goals as a wedge to divide a party like you did in ODM.

I am yet to see your organizational skills. In fact I do not know what you are all about. Needless to say, I cannot say what UDF, your new vehicle stands for, and if you are in it for the long haul or just for this season of elections. In a way I cannot blame you if you decide to jump ship to another party after sometime. I know this is the way Kenya politics are all about-the “I”. You cried wolf that there was no internal democracy in ODM. You started moaning about the mode of holding the primaries in ODM but that did not score the much you wanted. You then sought another excuse ‘a clause in the party constitution that ostensibly nominates the party leader as the presidential candidate.’

I need sobriety to understand why it has always to be the “I” in politics as opposed to “Others”. I will tell you a short story here sir, with your indulgence. The founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth was at one point supposed to be in a conference room addressing delegates. However, he got sick and was admitted to hospital. It was a point in his life where he knew, alongside his handlers that time was up for him on this earth. So his aides took a paper and a pen for him to write a small speech for the delegates he would not manage to address. Within a few minutes, he was through. He handed the paper back to the aides and to their surprise, he only wrote “Others”. His message was simple-always consider others first.

I have heard you talk about democracy. But how come you seem to be the presidential candidate in UDF? How did you get nominated? What was the process? Where did delegates meet? Are there minutes of the meeting that elected you?

Back to ODM. Since you were the deputy party leader, I am sure you were aware of the constitution and all it stood for. It therefore means you were in line to replace the leader, you know, in case of anything. So do not tell us that there was no democracy in ODM. You were part of the process. You gained your minute of fame by being deputy party leader!

Finally sir, I would want to know if you are willing to declare your wealth and if you have already received a certificate of compliance from the Kenya Revenue Authority. I would have requested that you also submit your tax returns for the last five years but then I remembered that just like other parliamentarians, you do not pay taxes. I should have known that you are part of the establishment that Kenya is tired of.

Good luck.

http://mukurima.blogspot.com/2012/05/open-letter-to-musalia-mudavadi.html

Suspension of Recruitment and Export of Domestic Workers to Middle East Countries

The Government has noted with concern, the increasing number of Kenyan citizens who have sought employment in the Middle East as domestic workers (Housekeepers/maids) and ended up in distress.

The complaints received range from mistreatment, lack of payment of salaries, overwork, and denial of food and lack of communication with their relatives in Kenya.

In some cases, the Kenyans are lured by unscrupulous and unregistered agents who promise non–existent and supposedly lucrative jobs to desperate and unsuspecting Kenyans.

The Government wishes to reiterate its commitment to the protection and welfare of all its citizens, including those outside the country.

The Government is therefore working on a mechanism, including but not limited to, vetting of all recruitment agents afresh and signing of Labour framework Agreements with various countries, to address some of the concerns raised by the distressed Kenyans in the Middle East.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that the Government has temporarily suspended recruitment and export of domestic workers (Housekeepers/maids) to Middle East Countries with immediate effect.

AMB. P.S. Wamoto, EBS
Political and Diplomatic Secretary
Ministry Of Foreign Affairs
6th July, 2012

Rais Jakaya Kikwete akimsindikiza Naibu Waziri Mkuu wa Kenya

Rais Jakaya Kikwete akimsindikiza Naibu Waziri Mkuu wa Kenya ambaye pia ni Waziri wa Serikali za Mitaa Mhe. Musalia Mudavadi baada ya mnaongezi yao Ikulu jijini Dar es salaam.

Key Terror Suspect Arrested in Uganda

BY BERNARD MOMANYI, 4 JUNE 2012

Nairobi, Kenya — Police in Uganda have arrested a suspected terrorist wanted for a series of bombings in parts of East Africa.

The suspect only identified as Hussein was arrested on Sunday and his details have already been shared with Kenyan authorities to confirm if he is wanted here.

Reports in the New Vision newspaper of Uganda said a deputy police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba confirmed the arrest and circulated two photographs of other terrorists wanted in Kenya.

A source at the Anti Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) has told Capital FM News they have not been able to match the details sent to them from Uganda with the ones they have.

Police had announced they were looking for a bearded man who left a bag in one of the stalls at Assanand's House which is believed to have contained a home-made bomb that went off, wounding 38 people, one of whom later died in hospital.

Police do not have the suspect's name and sources within the ATPU have said it may be difficult to get the suspect or link anyone directly to the blast unless there is tangible evidence.

A video recording obtained from a nearby building does not show clear images of people running out of the shop after the blast, making it difficult to pinpoint anyone as a perpetrator.

The photographs circulated in Uganda are those of Ahmed Khaled Andreas alias Martin Muller and Emrah Erdogan Alias Imraan AL-Kurdy who are also wanted by Kenyan Anti Terrorism police.

Kenya's Police Spokesman Eric Kiraithe who released the photographs last week announced that they have credible information that the two men are dangerous because they have ties with Al Shabaab.

"We have evidence for sure that Erdogan is an Al Shabaab member, he is involved in any attacks which Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility," Kiraithe said when he released Erdogan's photograph last week.

He had earlier released Muller's photograph whom he equally described as a dangerous man.

Police have lately intensified patrols and intelligence gathering across the country, and particularly here in Nairobi following reports by IntelCenter, a private intelligence agency in the US which has warned of impending attacks by Al Shabaab who are now targeting skyscrapers.

The threats made public on Saturday warns of a major blast in the next two weeks, with a chilling warning "Kenyans will weep... Something big will happen."

Authorities in the Kenyan security forces have admitted the terror threat in the country is real but they have assured that adequate measures are in place to avert any planned terror attack.

"We are aware of the terror threats, but there should be no panic because we have intensified security measures across the country," Kiraithe said and urged the public to work closely with the police in providing vital information.

On Monday, police in Nairobi announced they were questioning seven men found filming the Wilson Airport.

Police at the Lang'ata station where the suspects were held briefly before being handed over to Anti Terrorism Police Unit detectives who said all of them were Kenyans.