Raila's Meeting With John Githongo

Sources close to former Ethics PS confirm that the meeting took place recently

As the country hurtles towards the general elections in a couple of weeks, Kumekucha can now authoritatively report that high drama has been unfolding behind the scenes.

My trail of this amazing story started with a hot tip from a trusted source in London that ODM presidential candidate Raila Odinga had a meeting with former ethics PS John Githongo in that British capital very recently. Impeccable sources close to Githongo not only confirmed that such a meeting actually took place, but they added a number of sizzling riders;

- That the former ethics PS is intrigued by the seven point governance agenda Raila announced at the airport on his return to the country on Saturday 22nd September. Especially the part that touched on restitution fo the nation's missing billions.

- That Raila Odinga discreetly approached John Githongo as early as March 2006 to discuss the issue of coming up with a just system for recovery of assets looted by past and present administrations and closing these past corruptions through restitution. Their meetings and contacts have been ongoing.

But what has been even more fascinating has been the reaction all round to Raila's blistering statement on corruption released at the airport on his return. Contrary to what the president's campaign team must have been hoping for, this issue of corruption and especially the Anglo Leasing scandal will just not go away and is shaping up to be a major campaign issue, in a country where previous general elections have hardly addressed issues.

This issue of restitution and the returning of vast amounts of wealth looted from the people of Kenya has provoked statements from heavyweights like President Kibaki himself, former president Moi and his son Gideon amongst others. There is no doubt that Raila's speech more than ruffled a few feathers.

However the whole issue of Kenya's looted billions is a very complex issue indeed. Analysts are asking searching questions as to how possible it will be for the ODM presidential candidate to keep his promise on corruption, if he is elected. Can he really turn the stones that have always proved to be too heavy to budge (let alone turn)? This point was illustrated by a recent Gado cartoon in the September 29 th issue of the Saturday Nation.

What has caused even more doubts is the fact that some of the people involved are powerful office bearers within ODM.

On the other hand the Hoo Ndii Emm presidential candidate has clearly stated his stand on this issue which is that the country should forget the past and move forward. In other words, Kenyans should let the looters off scot-free so that they and their future generations can enjoy their ill gotten wealth in peace, even as most Kenyans struggle to put food on the table. Hardly surprising coming from a candidate whose previous campaigns in the Rift Valley have included assurances to the Kalenjin that looters from the community would be protected under his administration.

Clearly the kind of excess baggage being carried by the country cannot allow for Mr Musyoka's policy to be feasible. For instance in 2002 the Kenyan people elected a new administration in the belief that corruption was a thing of the past. What followed was that the new administration used the model from looting that had been used by previous governments the fleece the exchequer of well over Kshs 50 billion in a series of about 18 fraudulent contracts, most of them to non-existent companies. It is that administration that is now appealing to Kenyans to re-elect it for another 5 year term. And their slogan is rather ironic; na Kazi iendelee (roughly translated to mean; and let the work continue). This obviously implies good work.

President Kibaki's campaign so far does not dare address corruption except to make carefully worded meaningless declarations. Sadly many of his supporters have not pushed their candidate for a stronger and more decisive stand on this very critical issue but have instead fully subscribed to, na Kazi iendelee which would seem to imply and let the work (which includes corruption) continue.

Why Did Kibaki Government Officials Nickname Githongo, Mujaruo?

Another piece of interesting information that emerged in the course of research for my other post, from my impeccable sources close to former ethics PS John Githongo is the nickname that he earned from colleagues deep in the Kibaki administration from April 2004.

They called him Mujaruo which is an obnoxious reference terming him a member of the Luo tribe. Githongo is actually a pure Kikuyu but it is clear what irritated and provoked his colleagues to give him such a nickname was the fact that he was more Kenyan than Kikuyu at heart. In other words instead of "eating" with his fellow tribesmate and enriching himself, Githongo chose to question and probe and generally do his job as a true Kenya patriot. In this case this appears to have been seen as extreme betrayal by his fellow tribesmen hence the sarcastic nickname; Mujaruo.

It is instructive that this blogger has been called exactly the same name by many commentators of this blog here because of my views on the past injustices committed to the Luo community for political reasons. My constant clarifications that neither my Kamba father or Luhya mother have any Luo blood in them has fallen on deaf ears. After this recent Githongo revelation it has become very clear to me what has been meant by these seemingly deaf commentators.

In fact it is safe to assume that the exact nickname will be used across the country in the run to the elections to refer to many supporters or even mere sympathizers of ODM presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his political party.

Many Kenyans would prefer to bury their head in the sand over this sensitive Kikuyu issue in Kenya. Yet it continues to raise tensions in the country at an alarming rate more so that for the first time in the history of the country we have two major presidential candidates from Kenya's two most visible tribes facing each other in a winner takes all race for State House. Older Kenyans can imagine how volatile elections would have been in 1969 with the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga opposing Jomo Kenyatta in a direct presidential election.

But clearly the biggest hurdle for the Gikuyu community is for them to accept that it is possible for the country to be ruled by a non-Kikuyu and in particular a Luo and it will NOT be the end of the world. Already we have had declarations in this blog that if Raila odinga were to win the presidency some Kenyans from the house of Mumbi would go into a self-imposed exile and renounce their Kenyan citizenship.

Nicholas Biwott (Kenya Betrayed)

Chapter 1 - Part 5 - Nicholas Biwott enters



So for me this subject was finished………. especially since soon after this I met Dr. Njoroge Mungai and with him started to feel ‘safe’.

But I should have been warned that a man like Kivuvani and with him also Nicholas Biwott, did not give up that easily - and definitely would not forget.

I should have taken into consideration their strong relationship especially since they had gone together into a very profitable ‘venture’, i.e. organizing the trafficking of Ugandan prostitutes to fulfill the ‘needs’ of the American Navy Personnel coming by the thousands to Kenya to spend some days or even weeks off from their duty in the Gulf Region. They had even forced the hotel managements to accept that these girls could enter the premises since especially the Officers used to stay in Hotels (until then this had been strictly forbidden). They also gave the gambling license to certain hotels (of course against a nice amount of money and shares also in this business.

___________
(* see details of all this in my London Declaration given by
me to the Sunguh-Committee in February 2005).
--------

My problems started after I had rented a house on a permanent basis in Mombasa which belonged to Mrs. Joan Canham. She was quite old and had some financial problems. Since I only used to stay there occasionally mainly during the summer holidays when my daughter used to join me, I had allowed Joan to continue living there using her bedroom-suite upstairs.

The house was directly next to the Nyali-Beach Hotel with a beautiful kept garden on a 3-acre-plot. Our neighbour on the other side was Duncan Ndegwa (Chairman Commercial Bank of Kenya).

The lawyer George Waruhiu and also Arthur Magugu (Minister for Health at that time) together with their wives were amongst the people who visited me there. They all liked the house and especially George was interested to buy it, should Mrs. Canham decide to sell it.

So it came as a big shock for me when I came back from a short trip to Switzerland and Mrs. Canham informed me that Mr. Kivuvani had approached her in the name of his Nairobi-friend Nicholas Biwott.

Biwott had some Italian business friends who wanted to buy the house for themselves.

The lawyer of these people (Brolio Steel Manufacturers) had forced her to accept a cheque for a 10 % deposit payment and so sign a Sales Contract threatening her that otherwise she would have to leave the country and would lose the house without seeing any money at all.

She showed me the document and when I saw the price, I told her that this was much too low and that George Waruhiu had offered a much higher price.

I was sure (at least thinking about the legal situation in such cases in Switzerland ….) that the whole matter could be revoked since she did not cash the cheque yet. So she should be able to step out of this mess.

Since I could not reach George Waruhiu, I called James Karugu and asked him for advise. He confirmed that the sale could be revoked and then passed to me the name of a lawyer, a friend of his, in Mombasa.

Together with Mrs. Canham I went to see him. He promised to solve the matter and got into contact with Kivuvani and Biwott.

But soon after Mrs. Canham was told that there was nothing to do since Biwott had insisted in the name of his Italian friends that the sale had to go through.

And on top of this, also James Karugu got himself into troubles because he interfered against Biwott’s interests ………. he soon after lost his job – of course some other more serious reasons were then given officially but he and I knew what really happened ‘never mess up with a man like Biwott’ …………….. I should have better kept this in my mind too ……..

Mrs. Canham had to move out of the house immediately. As a ‘punishment’, she only got half of the agreed money at the end – the other half was then ‘covered’ by putting at her disposal a run-down small apartment in a low-class area of Mombasa.

It took me some months to find out where she was living since she had no telephone connection in her new place. I visited her and was shocked about the conditions she was living in. Luckily, her old servant who had been working for her for almost 40 years, had agreed to still look after her although she could not pay him anymore the former salary.

When I came back to Mombasa a few weeks later, her neighbours informed me that she had died in the meantime …………

***************

Another incident happened about the same time which involved Biwott directly:

I had been introduced by the Swiss Manager of the Hotel Intercontinental in Nairobi to a German businessman from Hamburg, Dieter Neumann, who was planning to build an Apartment-Hotel at the Coast.

Some Kenyan business circles had introduced him to Nicholas Biwott, Minister of State – Office of the President. And Biwott had put him into contact with his lawyer in Mombasa, Prem Prinja, who then proposed a site for the hotel.

Prinja had also told Mr. Neumann that Biwott had to be given 15 % participation in the Hotel (10 % for President Moi and 5 % for himself – following into the footsteps of the Kenyattas who had ‘introduced’ this successfully in the 60s and 70s as the “normal” procedure for any company which wanted to do business in Kenya – as Mr. Biwott explained).

I personally saw some correspondence in which Mr. Neumann was confirming this arrangement to Biwott addressed to his official address at State House.

After having spoken with Mr. Neumann and having heard about this ‘funny’ conditions, I introduced him to Dr. Mungai who then proposed another plot which the German Group liked much more (as far as I remember it was a plot owned in a joint-venture by Mama Ngina, Ngethe Njoroge (Mungai’s brother) and Gechaga and situated on the other side of the creek facing the old town of Mombasa.

Mr. Neumann then made the mistake to tell Prinja that he had found another plot and therefore the business with him and Biwott could not go through and also the 15 % Agreement had to be revoked.

And that was the end for Mr. Neumann in Kenya: When he came back together with his German partner and their families to spend some weeks at the Reef Hotel, Biwott got into contact with Kivuvani.

First the Hotel Management of the Reef was instructed not to accept their Credit Cards (although they had golden Visa Cards). They were asked to arrange for cash payment. Since they had already been in the hotel for more than 3 weeks – two families together with 5 children occupying a suite with 2 bedrooms each – this was a big amount. But after some days (knowing the Kenyan Banks at that time, you will realize that this task was not easy), they got the money and not only covered their bills but also left a nice deposit for the rest of their stay.

Thinking that with this, their problems were settled, Mr. Neumann went to Nairobi to continue his discussions with Dr. Mungai and also to meet Zakhem Engineering (they had been introduced by Dr,. Mungai and had shown an interest to enter as Partners and had already secured that the Intercontinental-Group was taking over the Management of the Hotel later).

When he came back from one of these meetings, two Special-Branch Officers were waiting for him. They searched his briefcase and also confiscated his German Passport.

Mr. Neuman later realized that the only documents missing was the correspondence between him and Biwott regarding the 15 % arrangements.

So the force behind Special Branch involvement was confirmed: Nicholas Biwott……………

Luckily I was also in Nairobi at that time and immediately tried to Intervene and spoke with Dr. Mungai.

Mr. Neumann was then allowed to return to Mombasa – and after having settled their bills, he and his partners also left Kenya ………….. forever .

But because of my renewed involvement or as he called it ‘interference in his personal matters’ , Nicholas Biwott had already ‘collected’ another file about me – as I was to learn very soon ………..


See Marianne Briner's other fascinating blog on the Kenyan presidency.

Elections 2007: The Kind Of Elections You Should Expect

As promised yesterday, I have agonized all night putting myself in the shoes of the incumbent and imagining that I was him seeing State House literally slip through my incumbent fingers before my very eyes as I watch.

By the way this is a very important exercise as it will give us all some very useful insights on what we should expect over the next few weeks leading up to the general elections.

The only thing that would have an outside chance of working would be to clandestinely look for a candidate to sponsor to erode the popularity of Raila and to take away as much votes as possible from the opposition side. This candidate would have to be chosen carefully because it is vital that they do not take any votes from the incumbent. This should not sound so far-fetched because there is nothing that a sizeable media and advertising budget cannot do to get just the right candidate very popular overnight. It would be preferable for that candidate to be young, the kind that would excite the millions of younger voters now firmly in the ODM ship. But of course chances of such a candidate winning would be nil, but remember that the objective would be to put a credible spoiler. This candidate should be seen to be an enemy of the Kibaki camp and will even take a few well aimed barbs in his direction. However their campaign strategy will be to tell Kenyans that both Raila and Kibaki are the same and only the young generation can save Kenya. Such a message has the potential now of catching fire like an uncontrollable bush fire in a dry savannah landscape.

Another useful thing to do would be pull out all the files from the intelligence service on characters like Kalonzo Musyoka and Mutula Kilonzo and to even start the process of preparing prosecutions. Believe me there is plenty of dirt on the files on these two characters. The whole objective would be to get Kalonzo Musyoka and the entire Hoo Ndii Emm to back President Kibaki’s re-election bid.

The next part of the strategy would be to unleash plenty of violence and terror to cause chaos and confusion (especially in opposition strongholds) while keeping real issues out of the campaign process. This would then all be blamed on ODM and that man with a violent history called Raila Odinga. This is not very difficult to do as “moneybags Livondo” proved to all of us last weekend.

Fellow Kenyans, in short I have come to the horrifying conclusion that there is no way the Kibaki handlers and camp will push for a peaceful elections because doing so is not in their best interests. That is a terrible thing to say but it is the truth. Of course as all this will be happening, the Kibaki camp will do its’ best to project an image of respectability and a team very keen on peaceful elections. But let us remember that we are dealing with politicians here. So don’t focus on what they say, instead focus on what they do and read between the lines rather than the actual sugar-coated sentences.

As you read this there are tens of thousands of Kenyan who are refugees in their own country in the Mount Elgon area. The government has been “unable” to quell the violence in that area. Also note that whatever has happened, Simon Nyachae has still NOT been charged for his actions at Kisii (captured on national television).

To complete the whole “horror movie” that is elections 2007, former president Moi is a major decision maker on President Kibaki’s campaign team. Here is the man who invented ethnic cleansing for election purposes in Kenya. And he must be more that a little upset at the way he has been received in many areas of Kalenjin Rift Valley in recent times. He will want to teach the wananchi a lesson or two—please don’t ask me how he will do this. But here is a hint shortly after multi-partyism was reintroduced in the country. He told delighted and cheering Kenyans; “Hii multiparty itachoma nyinyi.” (this multiparty will burn you). How prophetic his words proved to be… and to this day.

Those of you who know how to pray for divine intervention, now is a very good time to get into some very serious prayers for the beloved motherland.

Kenya Betrayed - William Kivuvani

Chapter 1 - Part 3 - William Kivuvani (Special Branch)

These rumors about me reached such a level that the Special Branch had to intervene and I was asked to come to their office in Mombasa.

Here I met then William Kivuvani for the first time. He was at that time the Chief of Special Branch, Mombasa.. He was also related to Mary and Simon.

We agreed that I should not attend the functions at the Navy Base anymore since he was sure that then all these funny rumors would stop. I understood and accepted.

So Mary started instead to invite some of the American Commanders who had in the meantime also become friends on a private basis. I remember, we once even made a ‘picnic’ party at a drive-in cinema together with Mary’s children…..

During our meeting at his office, Kivuvani had also asked me about my personal background. I told him that I had dual Citizenship (Swiss and German). He was very interested to learn that I spoke besides German and English also French and Italian.

I regarded this ‘interrogation’ as part of his job and did not think much about it especially since I knew that he was not only a relative but also a trusted friend of Mary and Simon.

Kivuvani told me that he had been in charge on behalf of Special Branch to organize the transport of the body of the late President Kenyatta when he died on August 22, 1978, in Mombasa to be brought to Nairobi before his death was officially announced.

But the car broke down in the middle of the road and he had to call the Kenya Navy to send one of their ambulances. Here Simon Mbilu comes in: he was on duty that night and called by Kivuvani (his cousin).

So the body of Kenyatta was changed in the dark at the roadside from car to another and then flown to State House, Nairobi, and in the following morning his death was officially announced to the people of Kenya.

The reason for this delay was the fact that a certain group wanted to use this time to get hold of the Vice-President Daniel arap Moi before he could reach State House where – according to the Constitution – he would have automatically become the new President.

But the problem was that Moi was that night at his Kabarak-Farm near Nakuru and had to be brought to Nairobi since only at the State House he would have been ‘safe’. To prohibit him to reach State House, road-blocks were set up and the police instructed to search for Moi’s car.

But Kivuvani had known about these ‘plans’ and together with friends from the coast (amongst which also the PC, Eluid Mahihu), had passed the warning to Hezekiah Oyugi who in turn got together with his friends, Nicholas Biwott and Abraham Kiptanui (by the way, that was the first time that I heard the infamous Nicholas Biwott ever mentioned).

Kivuvani, Oyugi and also Kiptanui knew each other since a long time: all three had originally started as Prison Wardens before joining the Secret Service.

So Moi was picked up at his Kabarak Farm and first brought to a nearby place before they organized a small van and hidden under some blankets and using some small side-roads driven to State House.

And here Moi was finally safe – The Attorney-General Charles Njonjo also had been contacted the same night at his residence in London. He came back immediately and then proclaimed Moi the legal successor of Kenyatta. The rest is history.

And Moi did not forget to whom he owed his Presidency:

Charles Njonjo became soon after a nominated Member of Parliament and then Minister for Constitutional and Home Affairs.

Nicholas Biwott became a nominated Member of Parliament and Minister of State, Office of the President (until he changed to the more lucrative Ministry for Energy a few years later).

Hezekiah Oyugi was appointed Head of Internal Security (and as that he later got involved in the killing of Dr. Robert Ouko and then 2 years after he was killed by poisoning at a London Hospital to stop him from talking.)

Abraham Kiptanui was appointed Director of the Nairobi Airport and a few years later Moi’s Private Secretary and State House Comptroller.

William Kivuvani (whose part in all this Moi did not know immediately) was later promoted to head Special Branch Nairobi and at the end even became Director of the CID. -

And to complete his ‘picture’: he had been summoned by the Sunguh-led Committee to give evidence, but he refused to give any information and was proclaimed a ‘hostile witness’.


Who Is This Marianne Briner?

Many of you have asked the question “who is this woman called Marianne Briner and what is her background” - so I have decided to give some answers.

I grew up in Germany in a very social and open environment. My parents always insisted that also as a girl you have to be independent and have a good education to become independent in your future life.

So I had a very happy childhood with a lot of privileges as I have realized only later since at that time it was all ‘normal’ for me.

I went to a very selective Maedchen-Gymnasium (similar to a Girl’s High School) – and the biggest attraction was our Music Teacher – Otto Daube. He was a friend of the Wagner-Family and well-connected in the international classic music world.

So we had the privilege that the most famous musicians and singers of that time came to our school to give free concerts for us.

But it did not stop at that: Each year he invited some of us to come with him to the Wagner-Festivals in Bayreuth ….. and I was one of them.

For those who do not know what this means: the Wagner-Festival is upto to today one of the most exclusive international venues – with a waiting list to get tickets – not only for one season but for upto 10 years …………

But we did not stop with being interested in classical music ‘only’ ……………

Just to give you an example: Together with some friends (amongst them the Heir of the famous Krupp (Steel) Dynasty, Arndt von Bohlen, we set up a Jazz-Club in an old (war) bunker which very soon became the center of social life in our area.

We even had the honor that people like Louis Armstrong, Chris Barber, Dizzie Gillespie and Duke Ellington came to give private (free) concerts in our place.

Some of my old friends of that time (like Stockhausen and Doldinger) even became very famous Musicians and another friend out of that time is one of the most known German TV-Actresses, Marie-Luise Marjan.

But the biggest ‘impact’ on my life had the Sister of my mother. She was married in the Netherlands and her husband was the Director of the West Indian Banana Company (WIBIC) which later became the famous brand ‘Chiquita. His brother was the Financial Adviser of the Dutch Queen (first Wilhelmina and then also Juliana – the mother of the present Queen Beatrix). And it was Beatrix and her sister Irene with whom I then met since I started to spend most of my summer holidays in the Netherlands. We became very close friends ………

My aunt had been a driving force behind rescuing Dutch Jews from the Holocaust during the 2nd World War – protecting them and arranging for their departure mainly to the United States risking her own life in doing this.

She also set up a Charity Organization for Mistreated Girls and Women at a time when nobody even believed that these horrible things existed.

This earned her the title of ‘a Dame of the Court’ – given to her by Queen Beatrix.

Her life and courage would be worth another book – and maybe I will write it soon…………

And here life and its amazing stories crops in: Beatrix’ husband was Claus von Amsberg and he is directly related to my daughter’s husband’s family – actually Crown-Prince Willem Alexander is a first Cousin ……..and I think that was one of the reasons why Jeff Koinange was so interested in her ……calling her ‘royal’…….

My first ‘boyfriend’ was Klaus Westphal – the son of a famous Atomic-Power Physician – his Klaus’ godfather was Albert Einstein ........ just to give you an idea……...

Get me right – at that time things were very innocent and not like it is today: we met during a school-trip – he was two years older than me. We started writing to each other and then he invited me to come to Berlin. When my parents had some objections (don’t forget, things were different at that time from now), his mother wrote a very nice letter to my mother assuring her that everything was fine.

So I got the permission by my parents to visit him ……. and from then on we kept contacts ….. even after I met my future husband and he also met his present wife Margrit …. it was an innocent friendship started as teenagers and stayed like that ………

Klaus is living since many years in the United States and has become very famous – he was one of the driving forces behind the Jurassic Park movies ………… for all those who are interested to know more about him: google ‘Klaus Westphal’ ……..and you will know what I am talking about ……. his fathers name was Wilhelm F. Westphal – for the ones who really want to know more …….

Other people who had a strong influence on my life were:

Ivo Andric – Literature Nobel Price winner – I met him and his wife in Yugoslavia when I was only 20 years old – they invited me to their house and we kept contact for some years after.

Donald Kursch – I met him when he was American Vice Consul in Zurich – he later became Special Ambassador of the United States for the Kosovo …..

There are many more …… so you see, my life did not start in Africa …… it started long before that ……..

Maybe one day I will write about all this – as my daughter is pleading with me since years - but for now I am still too occupied with Kenyan Politics –


Chapter 1 - Part 4 - James Karugu / Ben Gethi


After Kivuvani had assured me that I would not have to face any more problems, I moved from Mary’s farm back to the Ocean View Hotel.

Here I always had the same table reserved for me. A few days after having spoken to Kivuvani last (he had confiscated my Swiss Passport and gave it only back to me after I had been found ‘clean’), I found a man sitting at ‘my’ table when I came down for breakfast.

He must have seen the light anger in my face and that I already started to call the waiter to show me another table. So he got up and explained that he had been waiting for me because he wanted to talk with me.

He introduced himself as James Karugu and told me that he was the Chief Prosecutor (soon after be became Attorney General succeeding Charles Njonyo).

A few minutes later a second man came to our table and Karugu introduced him as Ben Gethi (Commander of the GSU).

No further explanation was given and we continued with our breakfast when they asked me to accept their invitation for Lunch at a nearby French Restaurant. I understood that they did not want to talk in front of the Ocean View personnel.

They also had booked a room at the Ocean View although Karugu told me that he also owed a house next to the Bamburi State House (he later even showed it to me) but it was rented to some Foreigners at the moment.

We then had Lunch together at a Restaurant at the creek near Kilifi. And here they told me then that Kivuvani had told them about me and they had come to get to know me personally since Kivuvani had the idea that I could work for the Kenyan Secret Service.

They explained that I would receive invitations to attend official and private Functions mainly in Nairobi. Since I spoke several languages, it should be easy for me to understand what is discussed in foreign diplomatic circles. I should try to find out about the opinion of certain countries and their Ambassadors have about Kenya and then report to the Special Branch. My contact person would always be William Kivuvani.

They also told me that already some other foreigners living and working in Kenya had been ‘asked’ and had finally accepted. I understood very well that also these people must have been put under pressure ‘either you accept or you have to leave…..’ and I may have to face the same ‘solution’ one day…….

Karugu – joined by Gethi – assured me that with my looks and the way I was dressed, I could move easily amongst these diplomatic and business circles and could soon become ‘a part’ of it.

It seemed here Simon Mbilu had given some favourable reports how the American Commanders had reacted to me and how easy it was for me to make contacts.

We then drove back to the Ocean View since they told me that they had a meeting scheduled with Kivuvani at his office later. Before, they made sure that I would accept their invitation for Dinner and informed me that also Mary Bryant and Simon Mbilu would then join us.

Before leaving for Nairobi the following morning, Karugu and Gethi told me to think about their proposal and let them know my decision as soon as possible. They would already start looking for a house for me in Nairobi since I would then also have to ‘entertain’ people and therefore a safe and even luxury place and servants were essential.

But I started feeling ‘unsafe’ – almost threatened – so I decided to go back to Switzerland for some weeks enabling me to think about all this in a more neutral and peaceful surrounding.

When I came back after about 3 months, I called Karugu’s office and was informed that he had been appointed Attorney General in the meantime. I then met him at his new Office and informed him that I had decided not to accept their proposal and asked him to also inform Kivuvani and Gethi which he promised to do saying that he would make sure that I had no further problems………

We then spoke about some private matters and I gave him a present I had brought for him from Switzerland: When we had Lunch at that French Restaurant near Kilifi, he had told me that he loved a special Swiss Liquor called ‘Williamsbirne’ and was quite disappointed that they did not keep it at that place since it was perfect together with the coffee after meals.

Thinking about this, I had bought for him a bottle of this Liquor hoping that this would help getting him on my side when telling him about my refusal – and it seemed to work - at least for a while.

Tomorrow: Enter Nicholas Kipyator Biwott

Why Are The Diplomatic Corps So Worried About Election Violence?

Diplomacy is the art of lying creatively while maintaining a straight face.

Today all the major western power’s representative talked to the press about the looming mother of all general elections emphasizing that they were not backing any “horse”. Actually the diplomats addressed a number of issues, but the purpose of this post is to try and see through their diplomatic pronouncements to their real concerns and objectives on the ground.

Firstly all western powers share one deep concern—to ensure that Kenya remains peaceful. If anything were to happen to disturb the peace in Kenya a lot of their operations would be badly disrupted. For example did you know that Nairobi has an enviable reputation with donor organizations as one city in black Africa where you will find anything you need. This is in sharp contrast to many other African capitals where certain vital supplies have to be imported and this makes operations very difficult when moving relief food and other supplies to war torn or disaster areas on the continent.

But let’s get back to today’s press conference.

I predicted here over a year ago that this year’s general elections would be the most violent in history. My conclusions were based on what is at stake this time round when compared to past elections.

Fascinatingly the diplomats dwelt on that point at great length this morning. They said that the elections were going to be very closely fought because the opinion polls have so far been swinging from one candidate to another. They also said that a lot was at stake and therefore electoral violence was a major concern to them. They emphasized that although they were neutral, they would not remain silent if election malpractices occurred (and election violence is clearly one way of denying Kenyans a free and fair election).

I expect that the Kibaki side which is said to be trailing Raila will face a lot of animosity as they hit the campaign trail and indeed many of them have already started to sense that all is not well. So the million shilling question is how they will react to this? If the action of Mr Moneybags Livondo yesterday is anything to go by, then we expect that the president’s foot soldiers will favor violence as the most effective counter-strategy, even as they find ways and means to blame it all on ODM supporters.

Moi has secretly told those close to him that the reason he is campaigning against Raila is to avert bloodshed because those close to the Kibaki administration have assured him that they will NOT hand over power to Raila Odinga. Let anybody else win the elections BUT NOT Raila Odinga, Moi says that they have told him.

It seems that the diplomatic corps’ own intelligence services have informed them to be on the look our for some serious violence in these elections. Naturally they have also given them a pretty good idea of who is bound to win and what it means for western interests like the war on terrorism which is very high on the crowded American agenda in this part of the world.

The way the diplomats emphasized on this election violence thing today has gotten me very suspicious and more nervous that before. They seem to have some information which the rest of us clearly do not have. Although there is really nothing surprising here because we all know how former president Moi and many other powerful persons in the Kibaki re-election team play this game.

And as we have said here many times before which the diplomats repeated this morning;

The stakes are dangerously high this time round.

Secretly Investigate Unfaithful cheating spouse in Kenya

Why married women cheat

Book Special: Kenya Betrayed

Kumekucha Exclusive

In the true Kumekucha tradition we begin today to publish information that has never been published anywhere before.

Marianne Briner’s raw no-holds-barred tale of her encounter with Kenya and her people from all walks of life including the high and mighty. Visit Kumekucha daily and read this amazing tale for yourself. If you have read a Shinning Star In Darkness, you will still find a lot of information that you never saw in that earlier watered down version of this amazing tale.

ENJOY.


M A R I A N N E B R I N E R
---------------------------------
In Memory of Dr. Robert Ouko - Minister for Foreign Affairs And International Co-operation.

Brutally killed on February 13, 1990
________________________________

Although part of the story is based on the Book A Shining Star in Darkness – co-authored by Sam Okello – this book is a totally new approach – not only because I am using the real names, but mainly because I am telling the ‘whole’ story – something neither the American Publisher nor Sam Okello had allowed me to do since I feared legal consequences…….

But I have decided that the times where I or anybody else should feel afraid, are over. It is time to tell the whole truth. Dr. Ouko and all the others who have died for a similar cause, deserve this. Only then will they finally be able to rest in peace.


- All rights reserved –
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system – without permission in writing from the copyright owner and the above Publisher of this book.

Spain, August 31, 2007


In Tune ……..

I don’t remember when I first began
To call you ‘ friend ‘ . One day, I only know,
The vague companionship that I’d seen grow
So imperceptibly, turned gold, and ran
In tune with all I’d thought, or dared to plan.

Since then, you had been to me like music low,
Yet clear. A fire that throws its warm, bright glow
On me as on each woman, child and man,
And common thing that lies within its rays.

You’ve been like wholesome food that stays the cry
Of hungry, groping minds; and like a star -
A self-sufficient star - you made be raise
My utmost being to a higher sky.
In tune, like you, with earth - yet wide and far.

***************************


Prologue


“Please fasten your seat-belts, we are approaching Nairobi Airport and will be landing in about. 30 minutes,”

The voice of the Swiss Pilot clings in my ears - it is November 19, 2004.

I had received a Summon by the Kenyan Government to give evidence in front of a Parliamentary Committee which had been set up to investigate the killing of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Robert Ouko.

I recall the anxious eyes of my daughter at the Airport in Zurich and her pleading voice before I passed the Check-in, “Please, Mami, don’t go.”

But then appears in front of me the sincere and smiling face of another person:

Dr. Robert Ouko - brutally killed on February 13, 1990 - unforgotten not only by his immediate family and me but also by so many who had put their hope in him that he could change their lives, erase the corruption and lead Kenya into a better future.

Then I know that it had been right to take the risk and that I owed this not only to Dr. Ouko and his family but also to myself.

I then wonder if I will also see the former President Daniel arap Moi. I am sure he knows about my arrival since it had been announced in the Media already since weeks.

There are so many questions to answer - so many gaps to close - so many doubts to erase which only he would be able to do.

One of the Swiss Pilot comes and tells me that I will have to stay in the plane until all the other passengers have left. He had been informed by the Nairobi-Flight-Control that a Kenyan Delegation and some Security People will come directly to the plane to receive me.

Finally the plane is landing and I realize that this may be the last time that I will ever be allowed to enter Kenya.

I close my eyes and my thoughts go back in time.

I am trying to remember when and how it all started.


***************************


Chapter 1

……HOW IT ALL BEGAN ……

Chapter 1 - Part 1 - The early years -

I came to Kenya for the first time in 1967 when I was working as Air Hostess for a German Airline.

At that time we had 7 days stopover and my flight schedule included this destination once per month during the following two years.

This gave me time to get to know the country and its people and to visit also the beautiful National Parks. Together with the rest of the Crew I used to rent a private plane and could explore also parts which were otherwise difficult to reach like Samburu and the Lake Victoria-Region.

Although the Airline paid our hotel in Nairobi (we usually stayed at the Westwood Country Club), we normally preferred to go to Mombasa. East African Airways gave us free tickets and some hotels like the Nyali Beach Hotel or the Two Fishes offered us reduced rates.

Kenya was just beginning to build up the Tourist Industry and it was our Airline which brought the first German visitors on a regular basis.

Nairobi was still a quiet city, no high-rising buildings like today. But the social life was already very active. We therefore received via our local Representative sometimes invitations to attend also diplomatic functions and private parties.

Here I then also met for the first time President Jomo Kenyatta and his beautiful young wife, Mama Ngina.

At that time I was already engaged to Dr. Frederik Briner, a well-known Swiss Psychologist and a Member not only of the Swiss but also of the German Psychological Association and teaching in both countries at various Universities.

He also entered Swiss politics following the footsteps of his grandparents - his grandfather was one of the founders of the Swiss Labor Party SP and his grandmother was behind the first Cooperative Movements.

After we got married in 1969, we received an invitation to spend our Honeymoon in Kenya and stayed for two months in a private house near Malindi.

Since my husband had some close contacts with the German Automobile Association, he had then the idea to get into contact also with the the Kenyan AA. He had started in Germany and Switzerland to help to develop some machines which were testing the eye-sight and another one the reaction of the drivers.

The Kenyan AA was very interested and in 1970 we went back to Kenya during the Summer Holidays and he started to make some tests introducing these machines also to the Kenyan Officials. They then proposed to start testing as a first trial some school-bus- and truck-drivers since the amount of accidents had increased significantly.

He was then also interviewed at the Kenyan Television and we also met President Kenyatta.

But the whole exercise turned out to be a disaster: not only did almost nobody pass the Reaction-Test, but he even encountered many drivers who not only did not see well which could have been rectified by wearing glasses, but some were even blind on one eye.

He had to report them and these people lost their jobs. He was then threatened. Their families even came to our house (we stayed in Karen in a private house). Since I was normally alone during the day, my husband felt that I might be in danger - so he decided to stop and we went back to Switzerland earlier than scheduled.

Before leaving he instructed some Kenyans from AA how to use these machines and left them with them.

Our daughter was then born in November 1971 and we continued spending holidays in Kenya at least once per year and therefore kept the ties with the people we had met before and some have remained our friends up to today.

After our divorce some years later, I started to go to Kenya on a more regular basis, always accompanied by my daughter and also her father used to join us sometimes. We are still very close friends and always kept contact.

Watching the beautiful landscape and the animals has contributed to my daughter’s later decision to become a Veterinary doctor (as she said during her first years in Kenya: ‘one day I will lie in the grass and count the lions....’).

By the way, my daughter’s name is Alexandra Malaika and to get the second name registered in Switzerland took us three days since the Swiss did not accept it first because they believed it being just a fantasy name.

Chapter 1 - Part 2 -
Mary Bryant and Simon Mbilu (Commander Kenya Navy)

Although I normally used to rent a house when my daughter was staying with me during her summer holidays, I preferred to stay in a hotel when I was alone. One of my favourite places was the Ocean View Hotel just next to the Bamburi State House.

To be continued tomorrow.


Secretly Investigate Unfaithful cheating spouse in Kenya

Why married women cheat

Kibaki’s Surprise Appearance At The Ford People’s Delegates Conference

All indications are pointing at Kenyans going to the polls earlier than our countdown by as much as a whole month (30 days). However we will stick to our latest possible date countdown and will only change when the election date is formerly announced.

One of the clear indicators of this is the president’s increased activity. Yesterday he turned up unexpectedly at the Ford People’s delegates’ conference. Terrible PR if you ask me because the implication was that the president is fully behind his cabinet minister Simeon Nyachae. Somebody that he should have fired from his cabinet over the political violence incident in Kisii recently where William Ruto and Omingo Magara were chased by armed youths and got slight injuries as a result. But the issue was not the so much the severity of the injuries as the ugly head of political violence rearing its’ head.

------------------------------------
Just as I was making this post, I received word that President Kibaki has also turned up at the Kanu National Delegates Conference today where he again addressed the Kanu delegates and appealed for their votes. I will analyze this in more detail tomorrow.
------------------------------------

Addressing the delegates the president appealed for votes because his government “imefanya kazi” (has worked hard for the people).

Just before the president arrived, Nyachae was stressing the independence of the party where he said they should build their strength in parliament and will be fielding candidates where they felt they were strong, meaning in Gusiiland (irrespective of what the PNU high command decided.)

Interestingly Nyachae told the press this week that the devil moves in them, even though it was clear who was under the influence of the devil from the naked threats and warlike activities of Simoen Nyachae last week in Kisii.

In a way it is sad that a political party founded by such a principled politician and a man who was before his time, Kimani Wanyoike would end up in the hands of such a violent tribal chief as Simeon Nyachae, a man who milks ethnicity for all that it is worth.

Is The Steadman Poll Accurate Only When Your Preferred Presidential Candidate Is Winning?

Kalonzo Musyoka of Hoo Ndii Emm says that the Steadman poll is flawed.

This is really interesting because when he was doing well in the same poll, last year, he often praised it as being very accurate and representative of the people’s views. It is now clear that since he is lagging behind, the poll is suddenly flawed.

Kumekucha has been consistently critical of the Steadman polls. My view is that the people conducting them concentrate most of their efforts on Kenyans in a certain class. The pollsters are quite often young girls in mini skirts and smartly dressed graduates who have never used a pit latrine in their lifetime and are frightened to go into places like the Kibera or Mathare slums—two places that will decide the presidential vote in Nairobi.

When these areas omitted by Steadman are factored in, the implication here is that Raila odinga has a landslide victory if the elections were to be held today.

The other thing is that if president Kibaki loses this election Steadman will be to blame just as their polls are to blame for causing Kalonzo Musyoka’s head to swell so much so that he told President Kibaki; "I believe I am your most serious challenger." The same poll gave many of the president’s advisors the mistaken fatal attitude that the president was invincible.

One of the reasons why I think a Kalonzo presidency would be disaster in this country is because, in sharp contrast to Raila Odionga, Kalonzo believes that nothing should be done about the looters of the past and the country should only set its’ eyes on the future. Very wishful thinking this and just the recipe to encourage even more corruption if Kenyans allow for a Kalonzo Musyoka tenure in State House.

Kenya Is A Failed State

Guest post by Mathayo

Some time back there was a heated debate emanating from an article that purported that Kenya is a failed state. A lot of noise has been made over this issue. Many Kibaki apologists and "patriots" were all up in arms trying to counter the sentiments echoed in the foreign publication.
During the past few weeks, I have been doing some analysis on the way this country is run. I can now conclusively agree that Kenya is in deed a failed state.

Case Study One: Elections
In a few months time, we are headed for the polls. Once again, Kenyans are going to vote for their tribal chiefs. Kikuyus will overwhelmingly vote for Emilio, Luos Raila, Kambas will also do the same for Kalonzo. How many plates of ugali will be added to my house after having voted for someone who happens to come from my tribe? Note that most of us have never even had the chance to meet these people. But we will proudly shout ourselves hoarse declaring our undying support.

"Intellectuals" who support Kibaki will continually rant about how the economy has grown. The "intellectuals" supporting Raila will tell you that he represents "true change"for Kenyans. But why does it happen that, you will never find a Luo Prof supporting Kibaki and vise versa. Since they don't want to appear as petty, they bring about non-issues to back up their tribal choice. Mutula Kilonzo, Prof Anyang Nyong'o and Lawyer Paul Muite are perfect examples of what am talking about. If at all our very learned members of society are playing petty politics, what do you expect of the general populace?

More to that, Raila is the best candidate in the forth coming general elections, but when you look at the characters he's working with, you feel that we're being cheated. How do you enact change when you have all those Kanu faces in your cabinet? There was a time Raila was on Citizen Television; Louis Otieno asked him a question about bringing change of government. Raila wasted no time in saying that Kibaki's government is full of members from the Lancaster House. But Louis got him this time, he asked him, What about Martin Shikuku on your side?
On Saturday, Raila was reported to have said that he would ensure that what belonged to Kenyans is brought back. But how do you do that without interfering with the "peaceful" retirement of past leaders.

Kenyans are in a classical catch 22 situation. All the options we have support the status quo.
Just like Kumekucha keeps saying, hope Githongo is reading this. We need him urgently!!!!


Case Study Two: Police Force
I come from Githurai, of late there have been "Msakos" (Police operation) as we call them. Woe unto you if you are a young man. What has been happening is, around 9.30 pm the Police from Kasarani Police Station have been coming to this dangerous neighbourhood with a lorry. Due to the traffic jam usually experienced on Thika Road, most people happen to be getting home at around this time. But as soon as you alight from the matatus, one meets the police. Without any questioning, you are told to sit down in a big group before being shown your way into the waiting lorry. Crime committed?

I was once caught during the Mungiki uprising. When I asked what crime I had committed, they told me that they would tell the courts am a member of the dreaded sect. I had to part with Kshs 200 albeit bitterly, to buy my freedom Don't forget that they told me that bail for such a crime is Kshs 200,000. In fact, they initially told me to part with Kshs 1,000. However, I didn't have such kind of cash by then. After, a bit of "bargaining" that's when they accepted to take the Kshs 200.
I ask how many innocent people are in jail today since they were not able to buy their freedom? In addition, how many criminals are on the loose?

The other day, people were running helter skelter as soon as the lorry was spotted. Are we supposed to feel safe when police appear or we are supposed to run? I couldn't believe my eyes.
This is just one example, how many roadblocks do we have on our highways? Of what significance are they to the fight against crime. Isn't it an open secret that all the police are after is money?

Well, let me just highlight the others other than ranting here how ours is a failed state no matter how hard we try to deny this.

• Dilapidated infrastructure. Even when thousands throng the Maasai Mara to see the migration of the wildebeests, the road leading there is in a despicable state. A lot of revenue coming from this attraction notwithstanding.

• On being elected into parliament, the current legislators first had to ensure that they filled their stomachs and their pockets.

• Amos Kimunya would rather, award himself and the rest of his crew huge gratuity allowances first and look for funding for the free primary education from donors or through treasury bonds.

• The issue of renumeration seems to be the only one that our legislators agree. Across the political divide, nothing else brings them together, and no other debate attracts a full house. The rest are dogged by lack of quorum.

• Despite the fact that we have no natural resources (oil, gold, diamonds etc), the former regime according to the Kroll report siphoned 500-700 billion to Swiss accounts.

• We have no disaster management program in the country. We are so good at begging when we are hit by both natural and artificial calamities. Why should Israelis come to assist us when a building of not more than six floors collapses?

• A fire department that can't even put out a fire at our own City Hall. Don't forget that they are always late and never have enough water. According to John Gakuo, the City Council collects Kshs 8 billion per year. But when I look at the situation right now, his priorities are more on planting more flowers as fires gut down industries and residential premises.

• When they fail to get to your premises in case of a fire a council in charge of city planning accusing Kenyans of poor planning even when the buck clearly stops with them.

• Talk of buck-passing, every one is good at blaming others. I have a friend who can blame you for anything including why he always seems to be broke, never mind that he is an idler. But government officials have perfected the art.

• The economy growing by 6% but the price of basic commodities rising by an even higher percentage.

• A police commissioner who does not seem to read from the same script as the Minister for Internal Security.

• A country where the Attorney General happens to be a judge and can say nolle prosequi since there wasn't enough evidence to prosecute. If that is the case how many people languishing in jail, deserve that legal term more than the mzungu settler?

The list is long, you can add more on the same.

Mwai Kibaki Politics And The Experienced Cobbler

Artists impression wioth crayon of the nice guy president who was never meant to be a politician posing with his family recently.

One of the things Kenyans must do as we approach the elections later this year is to look back and analyze mistakes that were made in the past so that we stop them from ever being made again.

In understanding Mwai Kibaki the politician, it is useful to take in the following short story. I love to tell stories and I hope you love to take them in.

Nzisa was new in town and wanted her shoes repaired. She saw quite a number of cobblers at one street corner and went to the first one, an elderly looking man, and asked him how much it would cost to repair her shoe. The old man with a very bored expression on his face said it would cost Kshs 200/-. He didn’t even look at her shoes.

“But why is it so expensive?”

The cobbler replied rudely that she was free to take her shoes to the other cheap cobblers if she so wished but he had 40 years experience as a cobbler and his price was 200/-, take it or leave it.

Nzisa decided to ask the other cobblers for a quote so that she could compare prices. She approached a young good-looking cobbler who smiled and welcomed her.

“Mathe hio itacost 20 bob.” He told her after carefully examining the shoes.

Nzisa was confused. The old experienced cobbler charged 200/- but this other one charged 20/-. There had to be a catch somewhere. After some thought she decided to use the old experienced cobbler because she really liked her shoe and did not want any cheap cobbler messing around with it.

The first thing that went wrong is that she came several times on false promises before the shoe was finally ready. But her problems had just started. When she saw the way the shoe had been done with string showing and even sticking out where the cobblers’ needle had gone through, she wanted to scream.

The old cobbler remained bored as Nzisa bitterly complained about her special shoe which had a lot of sentimental value above all else to her. But now it had been damaged beyond repair. She stalked off with her shoes, the tears flowing down her cheeks. The 20/- cobbler saw her and hurried after her. He calmed her down and assured her that he was able to solve the problem as she waited. It would take him only 20 minutes.

The cheap shoe repairer did it in 15 minutes and when he had finished work on the shoe, Nzisa could not believe her eyes. It was as good as new.

Many days later when she had recovered from the ordeal she invited the young cobbler to a cup of tea. She was very curious and this was one mystery she was determined to solve.

“What happened to you sister has happened to very many people who don’t know the old cobbler.” The young cobbler told her.

“But why? Is it true that he has 40 years experience in the trade?”

“Yes, that he has,” Nzisa was told. “But the problem is that he was never meant to be a cobbler. He found himself in it accidentally. He hates the smell of shoes and can hardly sew straight. In short he has no interest in the profession that puts food on his table. In fact the reason why he charges 200/- is because he is sure any customer he gets will never come back to him again and will tell others how bad he is. So he charges for the 10 visits he know he will never get from you. The rest of us charge 20/- knowing that we have a customer for a long time to come.”

The problem is that the number of years in a profession is not as important as your capability and capability depends a lot on your love and interest for the profession.

The truth is that Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki was never meant to be a politician. He hates the lies, and the hypocrisy and avoids confrontations at all costs. At heart he is really a very good man, a gentleman and too good to be in politics. He got into it by accident when the late Tom Mboya drove all the way to Makerere to fetch him to become Kanu’s first executive officer. They required an educated person and there were not many gradutates those days, let alone university lecturers. Mr Kibaki would have made an ideal don and listening to him lecture wananchi sometimes, I feel pity for him and his missed calling.

Contrast him to Jomo Kenyatta who loved nothing more than a good confrontation and was never scared of the “mud’ that so easily splashes on you when you are in politics. Jomo also understood and greatly respected public opinion. He knew it was what kept a president in power and not control over the military as is widely believed.

That was one mistake we all made including yours truly in 2002. We elected somebody whom we did not really know. Somebody who was and is a great lecturer in economics and would have had an amazing career at any leading university in the world.

Raila and company chose him mainly because he was a Kikuyu and they wanted to neutralize Moi’s project. They were also sure that he would be the easiest to control and manipulate. What they forgot was that there is something called a kitchen cabinet and that kitchen cabinet just surrounded the president and made him completely inaccessible to those who had worked to get him into State House. The rest as they say is history. You can see the problems the president is having with a presidential campaign when all his campaigners and strategists the last time round are all in the opposition now. Watch what happens as he continues to implement his own neat theoretical ideas working at something he was never meant to be.

With the benefit of hindsight, it is my view that Kenya would have achieved much more under a Uhuru Kenyatta presidency. Moi stooge or no Moi stooge the younger man would have gotten much more done.

But alas, let us remember my old violent cane wielding teacher’s mantra; it is OK to make a mistake once. But twice? Eh!! That teacher of mine would go berserk with the cane, his fists, his legs and everything on any student silly enough to make the same mistake twice.

Very important lesson in this short life, very important.

The price for an ad here is ridiculously cheap. Click HERE to find out just how ridiculous.

Executive Internet and computer training in the comfort of your office/home plus installation of software and hardware and computer accessories as well as networking. Reasonable rates. 0729-469 082. Email: danlievester@gmail.com. MOMBASA only.

Secretly Investigate Unfaithful cheating spouse in Kenya

Why married women cheat

Trouble In Eastleigh Again: Time Bomb Is Still Ticking

Two days ago, residents of Eastleigh in Nairobi were involved in running battles with the police for the better part of the day.

Trouble started when residents got fed up with the failure by the City Council to clear garbage that had piled up in a certain area of the expansive estate, so they decided to protest by placing piles of it on the road. The riot police were quickly called in to clear the roads.

Eastliegh is mostly occupied by Somali refugees from a neighboring country that has been at war for decades. Most of these foreigners have been able to effectively pose as Kenyans easily acquiring the national ID and are expected to influence the outcome of the coming general elections in that constituency (Kamukunji). It is no accident that this part of town has been christened Mogadishu (after the capital of war-torn Somalia).

The fact that most of those involved in the protest were foreigners is clearly evident in the fact that Kenyans have always drowned in garbage without seeing the need to riot because of it. This is a terrible thing to say, but it is the truth. It seems that the attitude has been that we have so many other problems that overflowing garbage is the least of them.

Part of the reason that trouble has been triggered off just now is the fact that our Muslim brothers are going through their holy month of Ramadhan and it is reported that the stinking garbage heap was close to a mosque.

Residents complain that they have pleaded with the city council many times to get rid of the eye sore and health hazard but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

The price for an ad here is ridiculously cheap. Click HERE to find out just how ridiculous.

Executive Internet and computer training in the comfort of your office/home plus installation of software and hardware and computer accessories as well as networking. Reasonable rates. 0729-469 082. Email: danlievester@gmail.com. MOMBASA only.

Secretly Investigate Unfaithful cheating spouse in Kenya

Why married women cheat

Kalonzo Musyoka’s Strange Presidential Campaign

For most of last week and into this week Hoo Ndi Emm presidential hopeful Kalonzo Musyoka has been campaigning in Ukambani spending considerable time in his own backyard and the neighboring constituencies, including that of Health Minister Charity Kaluki Ngilu.

This is rather strange for a national presidential candidate. Imagine President Kibaki spending a whole week campaigning in Central province with most of his time spent in Nyeri and Othaya? Or Raila Odinga spending a week in Luo Nyanza campaigning? It just doesn’t work like that.

============================
For our count down to elections in our main Kumekucha site we have taken the latest possible date for the election which will be 27th and 28th December 2007. There have been strong indications that the president is eager to have the elections done before Christmas so that Kenyans can enjoy their holidays without pending polls hanging over their heads. However this seems more unlikely by the day, as a result of several emerging factors including the delay in printing of ballot papers caused by an ongoing court case filed by a company that lost the lucrative tender. A high court judge has ordered the Electoral commission to halt all work on the ballot papers. Still there is the possibility, albeit remote, that elections could still come earlier than the 27th/28th date (the extra day is usually to allow for an extension of voting if necessary.)
============================

My understanding is that where your bedrock of support is, is the place to send representatives while you the presidential candidate concentrates on gaining votes in other difficult provinces.

It has been widely reported in the media that Hon Kalonzo has had difficulties campaigning in areas of Rift Valley where charged crowds have accused him of being a traitor. The presidential hopeful has also met with hostile reception in one or two other areas in the country. So it would seem that Kalonzo prefers to campaign closer to home as a result.

But that’s not the way a serious politician, especially a presidential candidate should do their things.

If I am wrong can somebody explain to me exactly what is going on here?

The price for an ad here is ridiculously cheap. Click HERE to find out just how ridiculous.

Executive Internet and computer training in the comfort of your office/home plus installation of software and hardware and computer accessories as well as networking. Reasonable rates. 0729-469 082. Email: danlievester@gmail.com. MOMBASA only.

Secretly Investigate Unfaithful cheating spouse in Kenya

Why married women cheat

Are All The Polls Putting Raila Ahead Rigged?

The latest Steadmann poll puts ODM presidential hopeful, Raila Odinga slightly ahead of President Kibaki. 44% of those polled said that they would vote for Raila while 40% said they preferred President Kibaki. Only 10% said that they would for Kalonzo Musyoka.

This is the only survey by Steadmann where it has been revealed how the survey was financed. This particular one was paid for by the Standard Newspapers group.

However the poll was conducted ONLY in Nairobi.

This is very surprising because most analysts (including those leaving comments in this blog have always been sure of a Kibaki victory in Nairobi.)

Of course there are also those wonderful Kumekucha readers who believe that any poll that puts Raila ahead of Kibaki has been rigged or is just plain propaganda. I will be very interested in what Jeff and PKW have to say about this latest Steadmann poll.

As reported here, some days back, all the figures coming in are telling a story that nobody wants to believe. They seem to suggest that if the election were to be held today, Raila Odinga would not only win, he would win by a landslide.

Other strategies to halt Raila’s popularity that even I thought would work very effectively seem to be falling flat. For instance the circumcision thing that Simeon Nyachae tried to pull off in his Kisii stronghold has backfired badly and we are seeing photographs on the front page of newspapers of Kisii people burning effigies of Mr Nyachae.

Deep in Central province, there is a lot of discontent against the Kibaki administration. In my view, were the elections to be held today, Raila would get no less than 15% of the votes in Central province and probably even more.

So what has happened? What has changed in Kenya?

Actually a lot seems to have happened. For starters the younger generation is starting to assert itself in Kenyan politics and many of them abhor tribalism and all that it stands for. Many of them are well educated and able to influence folks in their rural areas. I can say that we are in for a shock this time round. But nobody will be more shocked than the political classes who have held on to power for too long by cheating the masses.

If I was Raila I would also be very frightened. Frightened at the extremely high expectations Kenyans have of an ODM government. To be very honest, so far I have not seen any conclusive evidence that they can deliver on their promises. However most Kenyan voters seem to be of the opinion that they deserve a chance.

The price for an ad here is ridiculously cheap. Click HERE to find out just how ridiculous.

Executive Internet and computer training in the comfort of your office/home plus installation of software and hardware and computer accessories as well as networking. Reasonable rates. 0729-469 082. Email: danlievester@gmail.com. MOMBASA only.

Secretly Investigate Unfaithful cheating spouse in Kenya

Why married women cheat

The Advantage Kibaki Will Enjoy If He Fires Nyachae And Mwakwere Now

This government condemning election violence means absolutely nothing. We have seen this kind of lip service before.

In 1991/2 there was plenty of evidence to suggest that the government then was financing the tribal clashes in the Rift Valley. But we saw some very strong statements from President Moi then, condemning the clashes and saying the usual fairy tales—like the government is in control of the situation and so on.

The only thing that can convince Kenyans is action. For starters the president should distance himself from Simoen Nyachae and his actions and a slap on the wrist is not enough. He needs to sack the roads minister. And while he is at it, he also needs to fire his other cabinet Minister Ali Makwere who has given his government a very bad image.

During a live call in show on KTN last week a caller asked the minister about his being sighted at the notorious Koinange street with other politicians. Makwere appears to have lost his head on live TV and answered back sarcastically that he was looking for his mother (the caller’s mother) to make love to. This abusive language from a full cabinet minister on live TV says a lot of things about the quality of the president’s cabinet and the kind of election violence that these sort of characters are bound to promote.

Imagine the consequences of giving such an answer to a mwananchi at a public meeting?

If the president is still interested in competing in the forthcoming elections, he needs to start making his moves now. He needs to spin a new image of a decisive hands on president who can get things done. He has the golden opportunity now by taking action against members of his cabinet.

In my view both Makwere and Nyachae are especially vulnerable now and expendable. If anything sacking them will gain the president many more votes than he will lose just now. Word on the ground is that Makwere is not popular in his constituency and that is why he is very keen to support the president in return for a war chest of cash that is his only chance of seeing the inside of the 10th parliament next year.

The price for an ad here is ridiculously cheap. Click HERE to find out just how ridiculous.

Executive Internet and computer training in the comfort of your office/home plus installation of software and hardware and computer accessories as well as networking. Reasonable rates. 0729-469 082. Email: danlievester@gmail.com. MOMBASA only.

Secretly Investigate Unfaithful cheating spouse in Kenya

Why married women cheat

Fake Notes On The Increase

One of the sure signs that there is an election around the corner is when we suddenly get flooded with fake notes.

My information is that there has been a very sharp increase in fake local currency circulating in the market. High on the list this time round are Kshs 200 notes which many unsuspecting Kenyans do not look at too carefully—at least not in the same way that they look at Kshs 1,000 notes.

The fake notes are also getting better and better and much more difficult to detect.

So why should fake notes increase when elections are around the corner?

A reader gave us a theory here last year about how politicians and thugs are very closely linked and are sometimes the same people. By the way another sign that an election is imminent is a dramatic increase in armed robberies including bank robberies.

The price for an ad here is ridiculously cheap. Click HERE to find out just how ridiculous.

Executive Internet and computer training in the comfort of your office/home plus installation of software and hardware and computer accessories as well as networking. Reasonable rates. 0729-469 082. Email: danlievester@gmail.com. MOMBASA only.

Secretly Investigate Unfaithful cheating spouse in Kenya

Why married women cheat

Unspoken Truths About The Nyachae Election Violence Incident

Hon Simeon Nyachae who watched in glee as ODM’s William Ruto, Omingo Magara and Chris Bichagge formerly of Coffee Board Of Kenya but now an aspirant, were chased by armed youths stubbornly insists that he has nothing to apologize about. He further adds that the press has taken sides already in these elections and they seem to be overwhelmingly on ODM’s side.

Before we go into the events of last Friday that have raised so much heat, let us analyze Nyachae’s allegations against the press. The Minister gives as his evidence the fact that his incident has received so much publicity and yet the harassment of other candidates in Kisumu has not been covered by the press. He also insinuates that ODM seem to be getting more press than other political parties.

Now that last statement is true although it is not a matter of favoring but pure commercial reasons. The brand new Nairobi Star seems to have been struggling until they discovered the “ODM trick.” The truth is that any headline you put on any second rate rag of even gutter press publication that has ODM on it will sell like hot cakes. So what do you expect the press to do? I do not want to speculate at this juncture as to why this is so and why ODM headlines sell even in the heart of Central province. But I want to say that I believe in fairness and that the major political parties should get equal coverage as far as possible. However the headline business is serious business because it touches on the commercial survival of publications and my take is that publications have the prerogative on what headline they should carry.

Incidentally the East African Standard was first off the blocks on this one and their circulation ahs increased by several tens of thousands with sales going overboard in Nyanza and Mombasa, since they started carrying ODM headlines daily.

But I digress. Let us come back o the issue of the day. Here are the facts;

- William Ruto and Omingo Magara were NOT invited to the said fundraiser, but decided to do some mischief to pit the popularity of ODM against the waning one of Hon Nyachae. Hon Nyachae simply had to hit back. That’s the man’s character.

- Hon Simoen Nyachae openly provoked the youths (who were armed to the teeth) to attack the ODM leaders by his every action, including that of leading them in Kisii circumcision songs used in times of war.

- Jimmy Awenyi openly told the press that the day he went through the Kisii circumcision ritual he took an oath to defend the Kisii community. What he meant was to defend the community from infiltration by any other political interests. It is instructive that the Kisii have always been insighted by their leaders to be hostile to any foreign political interests. Remember how Raila Odinga also got attacked in Kisii in the run up to the 2002 elections. In fact the only presidential candidate to have campaigned freely in Kisii without heavy security presence is Charity Ngilu when she ran for the presidency in 1997.

- However this time round the ordinary folks are refusing to be told what to do and for the first time we are seeing them defying their leaders. Look out for this trend countrywide as the general elections approach. Many politicians are still not aware of the big leap ordinary voters have taken in understanding the issues at hand and in their yearning for real change. Most voters will be virtually impossible to cheat (see my other post on how Moi ran into similar problems in Aldai recently.)

- Nyachae instructed the security personnel present in the area to stay out of the proceedings and for this, I support the idea of him being made to answer for his actions. There is no law in Kenya that says it is OK to use violence when you have been provoked and sparing Nyachae will encourage many other politicians planning violence in the forthcoming polls.

- It is now clear that just as I said last year, violence is going to be rampant in the forthcoming polls as Friday’s circumstances are going to be replayed in so many other parts of the country.

The price for an ad here is ridiculously cheap. Click HERE to find out just how ridiculous.

Executive Internet and computer training in the comfort of your office/home plus installation of software and hardware and computer accessories as well as networking. Reasonable rates. 0729-469 082. Email: danlievester@gmail.com. MOMBASA only.

Secretly Investigate Unfaithful cheating spouse in Kenya

Why married women cheat

Narc-Kenya Versus DP: The Crux Of The Problem in PANU

Yesterday a reader left the following comment in this blog;

“The problem with PANU is the sitting MPs. Truth be told, most of them are not going to be re-elected. Whether it's by coincidence or design, they are all in Nark-Kenya. Through guerilla tactics they have been able to get nominations to vie using that party's ticket. Since the situation on the ground is different, their opponents had to look for ways of ousting them in the coming general elections. The option therefore being DP. This explains the differences being experienced in PANU.

In Central province, Peter Kenneth & William Kabogo are almost sure of re-election irrespective of party their party affiliation. The rest have a battle ahead of them. In their quest for re-election they are jeopardizing the President's campaign juggernaut. It will be a tall order to convince them to run on one party. Reason being, they will lose to new comers who can offer what they have failed in the last four and a half years.

Just listen to likes of Joshua Toro, Robinson Githae, Amos Kimunya and you will see that there's more here than meets the eye.”
Mathayo

I could not agree with Mathayo more. In this comment he has described the crux of the problem within PANU. Clearly it is something that is unreasonable.

So what should President Kibaki do? The truth is that he is between a rock and a hard place. If he abandons current legislators supporting his re-election bid it will be political suicide because chances are that they will all troop across the road to ODM and make things even more difficult for him. If on the other hand continues with his current policy of relying on them to help him assemble his troops, he could prove so unpopular that voters voting for the challengers might just end up voting against him. Please note that I have said, vote against the president and not for ODM. There is a big difference and increasingly it looks like Ho Ndii Ema Kalonzo Musyoka will get a surprisingly large and unexpected number of votes from Central province, not because he is popular but as a result of angry voters voting against the President.

The price for an ad here is ridiculously cheap. Click HERE to find out just how ridiculous.

Executive Internet and computer training in the comfort of your office/home plus installation of software and hardware and computer accessories as well as networking. Reasonable rates. 0729-469 082. Email: danlievester@gmail.com. MOMBASA only.

Secretly Investigate Unfaithful cheating spouse in Kenya

Why married women cheat

Fireworks Expected In Juja Constituency

William Kabogo looking more than a little worried when he was seeking a court order to avoid arrest by police earlier this year. The police wanted to charge him inconnection to the outlawed murderous Mungiki sect.

Election Analysis: Focus on Juja Constituency

There are those who insist that incumbent MP William Kabogo Gitau will smoothly sail back to parliament. Kumekucha does not quite agree. Although Kabogo will have to start as the hot favorite to retain his parliamentary seat, it will not be smooth sailing and what we will see in Juja will be a bruising no-holds barred battle.

Kabogo is extremely popular in his constituency, especially with youths. Thanks mainly to his habit of staying close to the ground throughout his entire tenure this last 5 years. And his wallet has been busy all over the constituency and many have realized that the relatively young legislator is much richer than was earlier thought. His ride (a noisy helicopter) has enabled him to efficiently be in many places almost at the same time. That helicopter will be one campaign tool that will give him a serious edge against any would-be challengers.

The fact that Mr Kabogo made it to parliament through the ticket of an obscure party called Sisi Kwa Sisi, should tell anybody interested in Juja politics, a lot.

This is how they voted in 2002;

SISI William Kabogo 20,897
Narc Charles Muchai 16,423
Kanu Stephen Ndicho 7,784
MPK Paul Hato 1,484
Safina Tony Gachoka 930
Ford-P Peter Kamau 583
SDP Peter Kiama 451
NLP David Nzioka 406

Registered voters: 104,385

As you can see, not even the National Rainbow Coalition wave was strong enough to sweep Kabogo aside.

The entry of George Thuo of Citi Hoppa fame into the Juja race has raised temperatures considerably and it is apparent that Kabogo is already feeling the heat. Thuo has been busy in the constituency dishing our generous donations to churches, women’s groups and schools. And although Kabogo identified himself with Narc Kenya right from the beginning, he has now fled from the party as George Thuo has firmly entrenched himself in it. Thuo is of course a close ally of powerful internal security Minister, John Michuki.

As a clear indication of how nasty this battle will be Kabogo at one time deliberately flew his helicopter very low over a George Thuo party in progress somewhere in the constituency, ruining the food with the cloud of dust he raised.

So which party is Kabogo in at the moment? There was a time that rumour had it that he was getting very close to the ODM high command and even flew them in his chopper to a meeting or two. However since the split of Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka, it has been difficult to read the situation and the legislator has played his cards very close to his chest.

But one major issue that is expected to emerge in the Juja race for parliament this time is the issue of the source of William Kabogo’s colossal wealth. Rumours have been flying for years and others have even claimed that they have evidence to support those rumours. The situation has not been made any better by the legislator’s closeness to the shadowy John Harun Mwau. It has been said that the Juja legislator is a drug baron. Assuming that he is not, it is still very difficult to tell where his money comes from.

Last time Kabogo defeated the holder of the seat then, Stephen Ndicho who is a born again Christian. In fact on losing his parliamentary seat, Ndicho became a full time preacher. It will be interesting to see what party Ndicho stands with this time round.

Others expected to stand for the same seat include, the Kibaki’s family friend, Dick Githaiga who is a building contractor, Kenya National Union of Tecahers secretary general, Francis N’gang’a, Kiama Wangai (a qualified doctor and qualified lawyer) and entrepreneur Enos Nzioka. Alice Wambui Ng’ang’a and Francis Waititu Munyua are also expected to run.

However it is expected that the race will mainly be between Kabogo and Thuo.

The price for an ad here is ridiculously cheap. Click HERE to find out just how ridiculous.

Executive Internet and computer training in the comfort of your office/home plus installation of software and hardware and computer accessories as well as networking. Reasonable rates. 0729-469 082. Email: danlievester@gmail.com. MOMBASA only.

Secretly Investigate Unfaithful cheating spouse in Kenya

Why married women cheat

Moi Heckled In Aldai: Hired Mob Or A Sign Of Things To Come?

Poor Moi is hardly experiencing the quiet retirement he may have hoped for. He is now seeing things that he has never experienced before in his long political career.

Moi turned up at a fundraising function in Aldai constitution only to be greeted by chants of “ODM” “ODM” (ile shetani sitaki itajwe mbele yangu).

Tempers really flared and the crowd got worked up when area MP Jimmy Choge appealed to the people not to vote for Raila Odinga in the presidential race.

When Moi stood up to address the people and asked them to raise the one finger Kanu salute, only a handful did so while most of the crowd stubbornly kept their hands down. Still MOi warned the crowd that they would deeply regret supporting ODM blindly.

Former nominated MP Ezekial Barengtuny criticized the crowd and said that they had been hired to embarrass the former president.

Moi pleaded with the people to vote for Kibaki so that the Kalenjin community will be included in the next government.

Kumekucha has long predicted here the feelings of the people of Kenya on the ground about the current government only to be abused and ridiculed by some readers, but still I am rather surprise and taken aback by the open animosity against President Kibaki and his re-election bid in many parts of the country from usually quiet and polite Kenyans who often wait for the polls to express their feelings in their voting.

The price for an ad here is ridiculously cheap. Click HERE to find out just how ridiculous.

Executive Internet and computer training in the comfort of your office/home plus installation of software and hardware and computer accessories as well as networking. Reasonable rates. 0729-469 082. Email: danlievester@gmail.com. MOMBASA only.

Secretly Investigate Unfaithful cheating spouse in Kenya

Why married women cheat

Nyanza Man Who Tried To Get Rich Selling Hippo Milk

There was this fascinating case where a Nyanza man was charged with selling hippo milk (unfit for human consumption) to unsuspecting consumers.

You have to understand that a hippo is one of the most violent wild animals around and is commonly found around Luo Nyanza in the many rivers that criss cross the area. A Hippo will attack without being provoked. So for starters the prosecution had a problem convincing the court that the milk the accused had sold to his clients was actually milk from a hippo. How does somebody get to milk a hippo, the judge wondered?

Locals claim that the man was using witchcraft to hold the hippo in a trance so as to milk it. Apparently Hippo milk like any other mild does not taste very different from the usual cow milk. Luckily for the defense, the judge was not as superstitious.

It is said that most of clients were school teachers who appreciated the fact that the accused man’s prices were lower than those of other milk dealers. Many of them paid him monthly to have their milk delivered.

Rumours started doing the rounds when the man’s milk business really took off and locals envious of his rapidly accumulating wealth wondered where he was getting his milk supplies from. More so when the man was a loner-type and was not known to possess any cows of his own.

When word reached the teachers as to the alleged source of the milk, they appear to have been more furious than surprised at the news and the man quickly found himself charged in a Kisumu court. But alas, it was a very difficult case for the prosecution to prove, more so when the defense was able to establish that none of the “enterprising” man’s clients had gotten sick in the long months when they had eagerly and enthusiastically consumed the milk.

The price for an ad here is ridiculously cheap. Click HERE to find out just how ridiculous.

Executive Internet and computer training in the comfort of your office/home plus installation of software and hardware and computer accessories as well as networking. Reasonable rates. 0729-469 082. Email: danlievester@gmail.com. MOMBASA only.

Secretly Investigate Unfaithful cheating spouse in Kenya

Why married women cheat