REGULAR CITIZENS NEED TO RISE UP TO EMANCIPATE KENYA

Fellow commoners, if you are contended that the current government of Jubilee has what it takes to tackle the myriad challenges facing our nation, forget it… Not even the so called official opposition Cord, has shown any credibility as an alternative government.

What those in power and opposition are capable of doing is to talk about our plight publicly; shedding crocodile tears but inwardly, they care less about the tribulations common citizens go through every day.

Nobody is thinking about the suffering of Kenyan commoners; except the almighty God. Even those who shout loudest about our suffering only do so to achieve their selfish ends- power, fame and influence. What is our role as commoners; shall we assume that our leaders will one day come up with remedies to our challenges?

Pacifism is good in an egalitarian society where the principles of equality, equity and human rights are respected. However, in the Kenyan setting, critical action is desperately required to pave the way for a renaissance or emancipation of our society.

We can’t wait any longer for the skies to continue rising and falling five decades after independence without taking action. It’s also critical to realize that waiting for a solution from those who are the causers of our present suffering is totally futile.

Shall we wait for President Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto, Raila Odinga or Kalonzo Musyoka to mention but a few, to shape the destiny of Kenya when they have practically shown the nation that they lack the transformative agenda for Kenya?

How long shall we talk about endemic corruption, tribalism, lack of equity and equality in Kenya?

We can’t afford wading in starvation, disease, injustice, stolen elections, nepotism, and grandiose greedy when other nations are making positive strides in socio economic development; leaving us stuck in the mud mainly due to graft and mismanagement of our resources!

There is no trace of evidence that the current leadership will grant Kenyans economic freedom, fight graft, narrow the gap between the rich and the poor, empower disadvantaged groups in the Country or propel our country’s justice system and respect universal democratic tenets.

The President and his deputy only talks about our challenges in public but rarely think about a hungry Kenyan child; walking bare-footed to school and often lacking basic stationery to use at school.

The current leadership which came to power controversially a year ago continues to thrive on confusion. Both Uhuru and Ruto are extremely allergic to democratic values because they are knitted from linens of dictatorship, injustice, assassinations, corruption and looting of public resources started by the first President of Kenya, Mzee Kenyatta, perfected by Uhuru and Ruto’s mentor; former President Moi.

With all the current impediments, how can we sit back as ordinary citizens and wait as if Kenya is being fixed when it’s in fact being destroyed by the ruling elite?

If President Uhuru believes in democracy, why should he tell Kenyans publically that he has 10 years ahead of him as President as if Kenya is a dictatorship? No wonder, the Jubilee government is out to stifle the truth and rumour that the Standard Media Group may have been prevailed upon by Uhuru to fore-go the airing of the Jicho Pevu expose about the irregularities of last year’s elections, may be true.

Is this not enough to stir the minds of Kenyans who respect democracy through the ballot to think deeper and wider on the wrong path we are in?

Telling a nation of 40 million people that you will rule them for 10 years as if you have powers to define your mortal existence is unwise. As if this was not enough, the President had the audacity to tell Kenyans that after his 10 years, he will pass the baton to his deputy for another 10 years. What an insult to Kenyans and democracy?

Inaction will make Kenya remain doomed
This is not incitement but a re-awakening message for all Kenyans from Moyale to Namanga; Mount Elgon to Liboi, to rise up irrespective of tribe; creed or gender so that we can pave the way for a mass led leadership in the Country. A new consciousness to resist that which is sinking our nation is desperately needed.

We pay taxes meant to build the country in all spheres but… Kenya is sick. The time is now if we truly want to have a better Country. We both need to fight in order to sail through clear waters or sink in dirty waters and drown as a Country.

Remember, all the revolutions we have so far seen in the world are triggered by the pursuit to overcome a crisis and in Kenya, we have a serious crisis which has defeated the leadership and it’s upon us citizens to act…

We need to recognize the fact that because the current regime has failed to urgently address our suffering, we have a right as citizens to pursue peaceful resistance or a revolution. We are aware of what is at stake; we have the weapons and the battle field -moral courage, passion and determination to bring change.

Our inaction will make Kenya to remain doomed while action will give us an opportunity to define the right destiny for Kenya. According to Fredrick Douglas, the sage of the civil rights movement in America, those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want rain without thunder and lightning.

Fellow commoners, we need to refuse allegiance to a corrupt regime out to completely wreck the nation to benefit a minority. We don’t need money to bring change to Kenya, but through a popular revolution based on a consciousness of bravery, passion, endurance, sacrifice, commitment and dedication. We are all fatigued; we are burdened. Our tears have filled the bottle for the last 50 years.

Let us take the opportunity as the majority without worrying on who will lead a successful movement for Kenya’s renaissance. After all, we have millions of men and women who are in synch with the aspirations of Kenyans from all walks of life and with a positive focus of transforming the country for the good of all.

First of all, we need to align our conscience first through the understanding that we are in social, political and economic doldrums, which MUST be overcome by regular citizens and not the ruling elite. Secondly, we need to prepare ourselves psychologically. After these, move pronto for a revolution because we care for Kenya and her future.

Key worrying trends:
• Why should we pay taxes when the government has failed to provide us with basic services- water, security, and better schools?
• Why is the gap between the rich and poor continuing to widen yet we have constitutional safeguards for all and sundry?
• Why has the judiciary never prosecuted or implicated any senior person on graft yet we see so many mega corrupt scandals and looting in the Country?
• Why should we continue to pay our taxes to pay civil servants yet they demand bribes or kickbacks before rendering services to members of the public?
• Why should we waste time to vote in an election when a President who is in office in less than a year talks openly about leading the country for 10 years and passing the baton to his deputy for another 10 years as if Kenya is a dictatorship?
• Why should we be contended that things are right when we see the government in power thriving on impunity, disrespecting and violating the constitution of the land?
• Kenya is being tone asunder. Professionalism, meritocracy, regional balance is never the yardstick when it comes to making government appointments. Call it brain drain, professional hopping or demoralization… our professionals- doctors, nurses, engineers are running out of the country for greener pastures because Kenya has failed to recognize their worthy. Who will design our roads and treat our patients?
• Why has the government failed to act, yet time after time, the auditor general has stated that massive billions of Kenyan Shillings are unaccounted after the audit of our national treasury?
• Why is the government or even the political opposition silent on this? Why is the current government not clear to try and divulge the circumstances under which the funds are disappearing when ordinary Kenyans are living in grubby conditions?
• Kenya is in an economic crisis. Aren’t you outraged by the government’s silence on addressing the low purchasing power and the skyrocketing of prices of essential commodities like Unga, milk and bread?
• Aren’t you outraged that tribalism has not only become a culture but a norm while the rate of unemployment is indescribable?
• Are you comfortable as a citizen when a small class of Kenyans have mysteriously risen to riches through unscrupulous (corrupt) means- from middle class income people to multi-billionaires? The same class, who now account for over 40% of the Country’s wealth? Why wait when those who purport to be our leaders are primarily expanding their financial empires at the expense of the taxpayers?
• Aren’t you outraged when civil service appointments do not meet constitutional thresholds on meritocracy, gender equity and regional balances?
• As a citizen, are you not outraged by the government’s failure to curb rampant insecurity despite controlling all security machineries in the Country? That even houses of worship are not spared by thugs.

Our suffering is a trigger to nurture Kenya’s future!
We need a person in the seat of power who understands the suffering of the Kenyan masses; a person who will walk with all and sundry in one wavelength; sharing our predicaments, challenges and aspirations to realize our collective good.

Kenyans at home and abroad need to ask this question: is this the country we wish to bequeath to the future generation? And if the answer is no, we have the moral ground to stand up for a peaceful revolution in the Country and shame those who belittle the strength and power of Kenyan commoners.

If the Arabs did it in style between 2010 and 2011 in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia, the French in the 18th Century, and Romanians in 1989, while Philippines did it even peacefully by overthrowing Ferdinand Marcos in 1986, why should resilient Kenyans fail to do the same to salvage the Country from the jaws of the hyenas? Mass power is vital and the only lethal weapon to bring down corrupt regimes in the world!

The millions of votes Uhuru and Ruto garnered in 2013 mostly came from the hungry poor who have every right to reverse what they did anytime using all means available. Stand up and be counted if you are outraged and if you see that the votes you cast in 2013 was to pave the way for hyenas to maul Kenya clean!

According to Che Guevara, the Argentine revolutionary, “a revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall.” Let us act and let us move; let us use every available soft weapon to liberate Kenya from the current doom.

We are justified to act in a manner that will propel into power a leadership which is representative, accountable, just and democratic. If you are allergic to dictatorship and are frustrated the way the ruling elite are running the Country, let us act.

Archives for the major scandals that have gone unpunished in Kenya

Jeff Koinange Live with Lupita Nyongo's Dad, Prof. Peter Anyang Nyongo

THE KENYAN MEDIA MUST DEFEND THE TRUTH AND NOT POLITICIANS

Why is the media fraternity ambivalent on the alleged mega corruption standard in the Standard gauge railway and the corruption which has rocked the Central Bank governor Njuguna Ndugu on procurement impropriety?

The skewed government appointments which has negated meritocracy, gender parity and accommodating special interest groups in our society as per the current constitution?

Why is the media silent on what the government knew about Westgate? Although we applaud The Standard group through their Mohamed Ali and John Allan Namu for exposing the behaviour of our defense forces during the rescue at the mall, we expected them to unravel the truth on what our intelligence men and women knew before the attack. We expected them to have deepened their findings in order to unravel what happened behind closed doors with our security organs.

We hope the rumour going round that the jubilee government has gagged KTN from airing the findings on last year's Presidential election is false. If it turns out to be true, it will give credence to the draconian media bill which President Kenyatta signed into law three months ago.

While I don’t agree with all the Cord leader does on national politics, I think the Standard media has been on the warpath on Raila and his ODM party by reflecting him and the party negatively.

The ink hasn’t even dried since President Uhuru signed the draconian media bill into law yet the aggrieved media is always at the frontline to defend the Jubilee administration especially its failure to unravel key truths in government malpractices.

We want to see the Daily Nation, Standard, Citizen and other media houses protecting and defending truth and justice in the country instead of pampering a government which is gagging and coercing them over the content they purvey to the public.

How can you protect the interests of a person who has bewitched your child? Kenyans would want to know why the media is always reflecting the Jubilee government on good-light when the same government has openly shown that it’s against freedom, justice and democracy?

Why should the media be trigger happy to splash their content with what the political opposition Cord has failed to do instead of telling Kenyans what their government is doing and has failed to do? Between Jubilee and Cord, it’s the former on the driving seat and if anything goes wrong, it’s the government which MUST be held to account.

Why can’t the media be at the front line to take a stand on policy matters which enhance the public good? Even if it means giving direct endorsement of presidential candidates, governors, senators or MPs whose leadership qualities and track records are in tandem with future of Kenya, why should the media fail to the take this path? Even Western media houses usually endorse candidates who stand strong on issues and aspirations of their nations.

The Kenyan media should be at the frontline in defining the leadership pattern the citizens should follow during the electioneering period. Rather than remain on the grey when the citizens need guidance and direction, it will fair if the media went spot on; providing facts on the values, characters and behaviours of candidates who are holding public office and those who aspire to hold the same offices in future.

If the New York Times and The Guardian endorse candidates running for office as well us taking positions on policy matters in the governance of their nations, we need to see the same trend from our Nation Media Group as well as Standard Group. The same must be done objectively and fairly.

Instead of splashing our Television screens about non issues like infidelity about pastors, we want to see our media as an educator, informer and a guide for the nation or the right and wrong policy from the government.

Kenyans are tired of witch hunt especially what goes on in people’s bedrooms. The media is the informer, enhancer and perpetuator of public good. When these are fed to the public, it sinks into their psyche to trigger a positive attitude, thereby increasing patriotism, hard work and a sense of responsibility.

If the media pampers dishonest politicians instead of exposing their inequities, how would the citizens understand their leaders and even make informed choices during election time?

WE HAVE REASONS TO DOUBT ABABU NAMWAMBA AND RAILA ODINGA’s TRUTHFULNESS…

Listening keenly and reading media clips on the aftermath of the ODM elections which aborted on Friday, I have concluded that ODM members are being played by men and women who don’t care about democracy, good governance and the rule of law.

ON ABABU NAMWAMBA
I admire honourable Ababu Namwamba, but the more I listen to his words, the more I get the impression that, he is up to something sinister. I may be wrong but… Mole or no mole in ODM, Namwamba is hiding some arsenal which may be good or bad for ODM. If he wants to control and rebrand the party for the good of Kenya, it will be good and well.

However, if it finally dawns that external forces are catalyzing his aggressiveness to take the Party Secretary General Position and hand it to the highest bidder, Namwamba will NOT be forgiven by ODM supporters and non supporters especially those who believe in good leadership practices, democracy, character and integrity. IT’S MY PRAYER, THAT THE VIBRANT LEGISLATOR IS NOT READY TO DENT HIS RISING STAR.

ON RAILA ODINGA
For the ODM Party leader, let him not shed crocodile tears by hiding from the truth. RAILA, MAY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED IN KASARANI. There is no way he will fail to know the presence of dozens of men in black purporting to be the party’s security and what they were up to …Kenyans are not fools.

We all admire what the former PM has done for Kenya. However, if it turns out that he knew that his closest associates were behind what happened in Kasarani and failed to prevent it as a party leader; he should resign from politics to avoid further embarrassment!.

The man has done so much for Kenya and since humans tend to white-wash one’s good of yesterday with the bad of today, Raila should throw down the towel to safeguard his legacy.

If it turns out that he wasn’t aware of the Kasarani fracas, he should come out openly and distance himself from the perpetrators; whether they are his bosom friends, relatives or family members.

By and large, Kenyans are aware that most of Raila’s political miscalculations are largely due to members of his community.
These are my neutral views as a respecter of democracy, good governance and the rule of law.