Kenyans must think hard before casting ballots in March

Ab-Titchaz

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Kenyans must think hard before casting ballots in March







By MAKAU MUTUA
Posted Saturday, December 29 2012 at 17:05

In Summary

  • Sanctions: Uhuru, Ruto and senior officials will not be allowed to travel abroad. Kenya will die diplomatically
  • Electing the Kenyatta-Ruto pair would mean the country will come under severe economic sanctions.

Jubilee presidential nominee Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta doesn't live in a cave. Jomo's son is one of the most urbane Kenyans. He was educated at an elite college in the United States. He's reputed to have vast business interests in many places.

But Mama Ngina's son has fallen out with the West. No credible country in the West - and elsewhere - wants him elected to State House. That's because he's been indicted for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

But Mr Kenyatta believes he can only beat the ICC rap if he's elected president. Which begs the question - what will it cost Kenyans if Mr Kenyatta becomes president?

Let's get some facts straight. Kenya is a strategic state in Africa. It's the economic and security anchor of East Africa.

But it's also a fragile state in transition. That's why powerful states are keenly interested in Kenya. They will be damned if they let it fall into the wrong hands.

Kenya's elite - and its middle class - are culturally Eurocentric. Its economy, diplomacy and philosophical outlook have umbilical tethers to the West.

Let's not cheat ourselves - Kenya would likely fail as a modern state without the West. That's because it's still a neo-colony.

It could reinvent itself by "looking East" but that would take decades, and may be for naught. No country in Africa has successfully made that transition.

This reality may be odious to many Kenyans but, as they say, "it's what it is". Kenya's sovereignty is necessarily limited. This is what voters must seriously ponder as they go into the March 2013 elections.

Mr Kenyatta and his partner, Eldoret North MP William Ruto, are playing the "nationalist card" to get elected.

This is their pitch - we shouldn't let "wazungu" [the West] tell us who to elect. To do so, they argue, is to surrender our independence.

Fair enough. Except that both gentlemen are facing the most heinous crimes known to man. It's like a suspected wife-batterer telling his victim not to call the police because they'll violate the home as the "man's castle". Not very persuasive.

Sir Winston Churchill once said that the "best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter". Voters are gullible, and can be misled.

That's why it behoves the entire nation to engage in a sober conversation that's more than five minutes long. This is especially true when the nation is staring down the barrel of a gun.

We were there after the 2007 elections. We danced on the precipice, and almost went over the goddamned cliff. We should heed a wise saying - once bitten twice shy.

Don't listen to ulterior emotive arguments about sovereignty. Coming from Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto, that's nothing but a ploy for their personal survival. It's nothing to do with Kenya.

This is what my crystal ball tells me should Kenyans elect the Kenyatta-Ruto duo: Kenya's international image will change overnight - like flipping a switch.

The country will be twinned with Sudan and every reference will be to Mr Kenyatta's and Mr Ruto's indictment by the ICC. That will be the world's reference on Kenya.

This is gargantuan - we will have lost the public relations war even before we open our mouth. We will be shunned and ridiculed internationally. People will say we are ruled by warlords.

Senior officials

Mr Kenyatta, Mr Ruto and senior officials won't be allowed to travel abroad. Kenya will die diplomatically. We will become a pariah nation - isolated. We'll become the butt of jokes in the world.

But even worse, our economy - which is externally-oriented - will come under severe sanctions. Mr Kenyatta even alluded to this when he blamed the "devil" and "dark forces" who asked him to step down for Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi.
He was right. Methinks Kenya's coffee, tea, minerals, flowers, and other valuable exports will be banned.

Investors and foreign banks will flee, and local ones won't be allowed to transact with their counterparts abroad. Kenyans in the diaspora may be prevented from making remittances. International hotel chains may shutter. Foreign airlines will desert Kenya and tourists may dry up. Kenyans related to government officials won't be allowed to either travel, or study abroad.

It could get worse. Foreign aid, the United Nations, and World Bank largesse could be pulled. Diplomatic missions are likely to get out of Nairobi.

The clear beneficiaries here will be Uganda and Tanzania. Their economies will grow, while Kenya's stagnates, and possibly collapses. Super-inflation will grip Kenya - like Zimbabwe - and render the shilling worthless. Life savings will evaporate.

Very soon, essential commodities will become scarce - and expensive. There will be mass layoffs.

Unemployment will skyrocket. Crime will increase, as it does when economies tank. Corruption, which is terrible now, will become a way of life. There will be no incentive for growing cash crops. Farming will die.

Kenyans are likely to be exposed to poverty levels never before seen. Social unrest usually follows such economic contractions. The State responds by becoming more repressive. The leaders develop a "laager mentality" and live in a bubble of their own, uninformed by reality.

Innocent citizens become the enemies of the republic. This is how a republic of fear is constructed.

Hear me out - this is how every failed state has evolved. Look no further than some of our neighbours. That's why Kenyans must think hard before they cast their ballots in March.

Makau Mutua is Dean and SUNY Distinguished Professor at SUNY Buffalo Law School and Chair of the KHRC. Twitter Makaumutua.

Kenyans must think hard before casting ballots in March - Opinion - nation.co.ke
 

Mkuu hapo kwenye RED ni kama vile amezidisha chumvi kuwatia hofu middle class wa Nairobi...:becky:
 
Bantugbro said:
Mkuu hapo kwenye RED ni kama vile amezidisha chumvi kuwatia hofu middle class wa Nairobi...:becky:
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Na wala sio siri..aliosema hio kitu ni mkenya na anajua wazi anachosema.

...Bongo kaeni mkao wa kula!
 
Makau mutua talks of savings of kenyans perishing meanwhile his savings at chicago are intact and will be intact not contributing anything to the GDP of Kenya falls to the gates of hell; but his remittances in taxes is enriching and sponsoring the already developed city of Chicago and the those elitists politicians that run it. That is why he is effective in talking as an ambassador that serves the interest of the European and American elites

is he remitting anything substantial for the motherland which nurtured him apart from his family? Ndugu do not always be willing to believe all the noises from those not involved directly with nation building.
 
Kabaridi,

stay on the message please and leave the messenger alone....attacking him and whatever he does will not wash.
Makau raises pertinent issues that should not just be swept under the rug...however harsh the reality therein may be.
That's where the gist of this debate should be hinged.
 
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Karua warns against electing Uhuru



Presidential hopeful Martha Karua addresses locals at Kiritiri market in Embu County December 29, 2012. She warned Kenyans against electing persons facing cases at the International Criminal Court. CHARLES WANYORO

By CHARLES WANYORO
Posted Sunday, December 30 2012 at 14:17

Presidential hopeful Martha Karua has warned Kenyans against electing persons facing cases at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Ms Karua said if Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta is elected president, government operations would be derailed whenever he was required to attend court.

"If a person comes to you seeking a job from you and informs you that he has a case that will require him to skip work three days a week, would you employ him?" she posed.

Mr Kenyatta is seeking the presidency on a Jubilee Coalition ticket after The National Alliance (TNA) and the United Republican Party (URP) delegates endorsed his candidature.

The delegates also indentified Eldoret North MP William Ruto as his running mate.

Both men are due to stand trial for crimes against humanity at the ICC in April 2013, a month after Kenyans go to the polls.

Speaking during a tour of Mbeere in Embu County Saturday, Ms Karua urged the electorate to reject other presidential aspirants saying they had nothing new to offer.

She said her competitors had failed to end the current wave of insecurity in various parts of the country while they were still in government.

"We hear constant blasts and rampant insecurity while they are still in government. Every now and then we hear bomb blasts in Nairobi. Last evening (Friday), houses were burnt in Mathare.

"One alliance is made of the Prime Minister (Raila Odinga) and the Vice President (Kalonzo Musyoka) while the other one has a Deputy Prime Minister (Uhuru Kenyatta) and another has an assistant minister (Peter Kenneth).

"Which other government are they talking about forming so they can rectify things?" she posed.

Ms Karua said Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka have spent the past five years exchanging words and could not be trusted to work together.

She said runaway corruption, tribalism and nepotism had thrived during their time in government and had formed alliances to ensure the vices continue.

Ms Karua said the she performed splendidly during her tenure as Justice minister and only quit after she was unable to tolerate corruption.

The Gichugu MP promised to boost security in the country, provide free primary and secondary education and quality and affordable healthcare.

Ms Karua criticised opinion polls that show he trailing her opponents saying the real poll will be done by voters on March 4, 2013.

Karua warns against electing Uhuru - Politics - nation.co.ke
 
Ab-Titchaz,

here is someone who is housed by a foreign government committing his resources to a foreign land, yet we can sit and listen to such. Besides it is nothing new that we expect, the same old noise. get all your dailies and confirm. To him it is better that Kenyans fight because of vengeful and anarchist reforms, No my friend I opt for unity. I believe the next kenyan leader should be beyond negative rapprochement of ICC and others of such magnitude...but we need also a leader who's integrity is sampled according to their development track record beyond redeeming themselves only before the ICC. For Kenya to move forward successfully there needs to be stability henceforth.

I believe that his exile to ply his trade was facilitated and sponsored during the moi government. So he thinks the Kenya he left then is similar to the one there is now. So much has changed in terms of rejuvenation of the economy, reviving industries that had fallen visibly during their watch, whereas then they could do nothing. We have moved from a dispensation of impunity into one of reforms of economy and institutions/judiciary. that is actually the path Kenya is on now.

Sorry if I am too harsh that is my tone sometimes
 

Ndugu Kabaridi,

mambo ya Chicago hayana mshiko tuyaache huko huko hizo remittance ni siri ya mtu na ukoo wake. Makau kaandika ukweli tuache kuwa vipofu na viziwi wakati sio vipofu wala viziwi,bali ujinga na ukabila ndio ''utatuponza''. Nimeandika utatuponza ingawa mi si Mkenya lakini kumuchagua Uhuru na timu yake kutatuathiri hata sisi wa Tanzania.

Sio siri kwamba nchi za Magharibi ndio zinatutawala kiuchumi. Bila nchi hizo si Kenya wala nchi yoyote katika huu ukanda itaendelea,na watakoteseka sio Uhuru au Ruto na viongozi wenzake bali ni mamilioni ya Wakenya masikini na wa kipato cha chini. Hata Makau ni mkenya kwa hiyo anahaki kuonya kwa yale mambo ambayo anayahisi yatatokea . Makau anajua nini anachosema. Je mumesahau Moi alivyotengwa na uchumi ulivyokuwa? Samahani huenda kaka ulikuwa bado mdogo kwa hiyo hayo mambo hukuyashuhudia lakini Makau alishuhudia na ndio maana anadhidi kuonya .

Ebu angalia huko anakotoka Uhuru hali kimaisha ya watu wake walivyo.Nafikiri ndio wanaongoza kwa umasikini ,ni umasikini kama wa watumwa na je kafanya nini kuwasaidia? Kuwasidia sio tu kuwalipia ID zao kutoka kwa Saccoss ili wajiandikisha kupiga kura.mpaka hapo inaonyesha kuwa ana tanguliza maslahi binafsi kwani siku zote alikuwa wapi kuwalipia ili wapate ID.

Acheni ukabila Wakenya na nchi yenu itakuwa ya amani bila ya Uhuru na Ruto.Kumbekeni wangombanapo mafahari wawili ziumiazo ni nyika,na nyika ni umma maskini wa Wakenya. Pia kumbekeni hao viongozi wenu ndio wanasema mle rat wakati wa njaa. KIKIUMANA WENYEWE WATAPANDA NDEGE KWENDA FAR EAST NA WATOTO WAO na nyie mtabaki mkila panya na kubeba hela kwenye tolori kwenda kununua NUSU MKATE
 
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Wakishindwa kukabiliana kwa hoja na akina Uhuru na Rutto watakimbilia kuwatisha wananchi, it will not work.



Kenya ni nchi huru, ambayo mamlaka yake yapo mikononi mwa Wakenya watakaopiga kura March 4, kama wapinzani wa Uhuru wana record ya utendaji kazi ulioyukuka ikizingatiwa wapo kwenye serikali then uchaguzi huu wazi kwa Wakenya, la hawana record ya utendaji zaidi ya kupiga domo wakati akina Rutto wanajulikana ni watendaji wazuri,then wajilaumu wenyewe, by the way bado kunAa nafasi ya kutayarisha agenda zao kwa wananchi, ila hii debate itawasaidia akina Uhuru kuliko wapinzani wao wanavyodhani, Jubilee is going to win this thing hands down..
 
mfianchi,

kumbuka maendeleo haiji kwa njia ya kiongozi gani ana ujuzi wa kuleta misukosuko na upinzani ndani ya serikali, huo mfumo wa siasa mithili ya ile inaoendeshwa Tanzania sio safari kenya inataka kuichukua. Hebu just imagine, kenya ya sasa ambayo ni unstable, iwekwe mikononi mwa wanasiasa unstable kama Ababu Namwamba au jakoyo Midiwo?!.. ninakuhakikishia wape hawa miaka miwili tu, kenya itageuka majivu. lol. Naamini Kinara licha ya kuwa anapigania haki za binaadmu na kuongoza lazima aweke nidhamu kama kipengele ya uongozi kwenye chama na pia bidii. Sio kupigania haki tu pasipo na nafasi mwafaka kwa wananchi kuwa katika mazingara mazuri ya Amani ya utendaji kazi, kuendelea kunawiri kiuchumi na kiafya. Historia imeonyesha ili taifa liendelee mbele, lazima kuwa na ustawi na amaani na umoja. Haiwezekani kiongozi anayejipiga kifua ya kuleta mabadiliko na maendeleo ya kiuchumi kushindwa hata kwa kinywa chake kutamka mambo haya nyeti ya amani kwa wote nk.

Kuna utapeli wa kisiasa ndugu yangu ambayo ilifaulu sana wakati wa moi, ambapo vyombo vya habari havikuwa huru..Ambapo mambo yalikuwa yanafanywa kwa siri bila watu kufahamu...Wakati huu macho yote ya ulimwengu kupitia vyombo vya habari yanaangazia viongozi mienendo/hasa tabia yao nk. Kwa Sasa nafahamu misingi hii haimo TZ na ndio unaleta changamoto. Hali hii ndio inaigubika TZ hata sasa, na ndio maana hakuna mtanzania yeyote anayeelewa hali ya kenya (mfano ruwaza ya kenya nk). Siasa za ubishi miaka nenda rudi inaifanya TZ kuenda mtindo wa konokono sehemu, nyingi. Kuna utapeli wa kiuchumi, hivi kwenye makabati kuna mafomu yenye ripoti TZ uchumi wake unakuwa kwa asilimia 6.7, lakini ukitizama kwa kina, yale yametekelzwa na viongozi TZ ni zero.

Kwa mtazamo huu, Ujue kuwa kuna misaada nyingi zinapitia kwenye ofisi ya PM kenya, lakini utakuta hakuna ripoti au jambo itasemekana yeye na kikosi chake kimefaulisha. Na ninyi pia, ningewasihi, badala ya kutumia ukabila kama kigezo wakati wote kujaribu kufunika watu macho, kumbuka there is much information kwenye magazeti tovuti na social media kama FB twitter jamii forums...Kila kitu kitafanyika peupe ambapo vilio tu havitatosha. Kila aliyepewa jukumu atapekuliwa kulingana kazi zake.

Hakuna mwanasiasa yeyote ataweza kutupotosha, mi mwenyewe mwanahistoria, nina historia ya matiafa AM Tz Uganda kenya nk, nitakueleza yote moja-kwa-moja tangu wakati wa nyerere na sheikh Abed karume. Hivi nikufahamishe vyombo vya habari kenya, vinapenda sana kuleta political cannon fodder sana kuliko mambo ya busara na ujumbe kando na siasa. We need leaders who are focused, sio wale wanatafuta kuhungwa mkono na mabepari kutoka nje ya nchi.

Nikimalizia ni kwamba Kumbuka kutoka jamii ya waluo kuna viongozi wengi kando na familia ya odinga ambao wanaona "ukombozi" uko mikoni mwao. Kuna wasomi na philanthropists ambao wana nyota ya kuwa viongozi kuliko tu jakoyo midwo ambao wana uwezo wa kuongoza nchi ya kenya. Lakini unakuta kuwa brainwashed inafanya hata waluo kubaguana wenyewe-kwa-wenyewe, case in point, RAILA/AGWAMBO being the faultline. Nimalizie kwa kusema, there is nothing wrong with being young, most highly esteemed kenyan leaders started there trade while they were young, working alongside leaders; mature leaders i.e.....Being young or old has nothing to do with leadership. It also has nothing to do with perception.
 

This is a whole load of horse manure that you are tryna feed us here Kabaridi. Why are you sounding alarmist in
your post...or is it a joke as you sign off with a sarcastic lol? Please tell that mess to the birds and save us these
juvenile rantings.


What is the relevance of the above quote to this thread or the discussion therein? Once again the thread is about
advising Kenyans to think hard before they cast their vote for the Uhuruto team...which is a train wreck to doom.
Trying to divert the thread with red herrings will not suffice.


Here you go again engaging in irrelevancies!


This is your usual whining position. From your digital footprints on this forum it is evident that you spend a huge amount
of energy trying to demonise Raila Odinga. Once again I beg to repeat this thread is about Uhuruto and not Raila Odinga.
Please do some work on your obsession because it has become too obvious!


Whats up with this here?


Let me flip this mess you are trying to spin right back in your face...nitamalizia kwa kusema kua katika jamii ya wakikuyu
kuna viongozi wengi kando na familia ya Jomo Kenyatta ambao wanaona "ukombozi" uko mikononi mwao kama kina Martha Karua na Peter Kenneth. Kuna wasomi na philanthropists ambao wana nyota ya kuwa viongozi kuliko watu kama kina Jamleck Irungu Kamau, Njeru Githae, Mary Wambui, Jeremiah Kioni, Lucy Ndungu na Githu Muigae na ambao wana uwezo wa kuongoza nchi ya Kenya. Lakini unakuta kuwa brainwashed inafanya hata wakikuyu kubaguana wenyewe-kwa-wenyewe, case in point, Kenyatta's thieving/land grabbing familiy being the faultline.

Usidhani kua watu hapa hatujui siasa ya Kenya na unakuja kuhubiri hizi ngonjera zisizokua na kichwa wala miguu.

Habari nd'o hio!

Ngongo upo?
 

Mkuu Ab-tichaz,

Hata kazi hiyo yote niliyofanya hivi imegeuka na kuwa mbolea ya farasi? Nilikuwa nishafahamu mada yenyewe lakini nilikuwa nampa jibu mfianchi kulingana na post yake..

lo! lo! mkuu umeingia kwa kuleta mawimbi hapa..lo! lo! naomba msamaha... Ningekuomba mkuu usiyumbishe merikebu, safari imekuwa ndefu kufikia sasa..tuweze kuelimishana. Hata hayo uliyosema hapo juu yote ni ya busara na kweli.:smile:
 
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What can I say Bro! Thanks a lot 4 your new year msg.We 2 wish U a very happy new year. May God grant you all your wishes and aspirations for 2013, the same should apply 2 all fellow Kenyans especially: Kabaridi,Mekatilili,Mwembetayari, Smatta just to mention a few.

My only advise 2 all Kenyans is: You should maintain your COOL mnapo piga kura in March - msije mkajisahau tena mkataka karudia maafa ya 2008.
 
Unajua ndugu Kabaridi TZtuna msemo kuwa Kwenye msafara wa mamba kenge hawakosekani. Kwa kila wanasiasa lazima utakuta kuna wahuni,hata huko Jubilee wapo akina Sonko,Waititu,Kutuny,...je hao ndio tuseme ni watu makini wa kuongoza nch? Pia akina Dr Khalwale nao wamo...Je,utashindwa kumchagua Uhuru au Odinga au Mudavadi sababu wana wafuasi wahuni? Mimi nafikiri hutachagua hao viongozi watatu kama wao wenyewe wanamakosa na sio wafuasi wao!
 
Ajabu ni kuwa mkiwa timu matokeo yote yawe mazuri au mabaya yote yanakuwa ni mafanikio ya timu,sasa kwa tabia za ukabila mi nashangaa mazuri yote anasifiwa Kibaki na mabaya yote anasema Raila,hapana hizo ni chuki ndugu waafrika wenzangu,tukumbuke maamuzi magumu ya Raila ndio yameifanya muwe na Thika RD,ajabu ni Kibaki anasifiwa na sio Raila.Haiwezekani serikali moja ionekane ina watu wawili tofauti moja mzuri na mwingine mbaya,kama mazuri ni wote wasifiwe na kama mabaya wote walaumiwe
 
mfianchi,

walivosema wahenga kila soko ina wendawazimu wake lol (wendawazimu yaani si wamerukwa akili bali msemo tu)..umenena ukweli kuhusu sonko, waititu nk. Kwa kweli ni kura ndio itakaoamua ni nani atashinda uchaguzi ujao. Nashanga wenzangu ambao ni nationalists kama livefire, Ab-Titchaz, kshaka hushindwa kujieleza hivi kutetea hoja zao. Wewe kama mtanzania unatupa funzo ya kuigwa.
 
livefire said:
I think Kabaridi verily chooses to turn a blind eye to the obvious. Am back; happy new year, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Click to expand...

Glad to have you back in this promising year 2013 mate, as usual I will moderately continue exposing the skeletons with love.
 

Sioni hoja ktk maelezo yako, inaelekea bado mentality za kikoloni zinasumbua. Kifupi babu zetu walipigana na ukoloni na kuondoa ukoloni tawala na sasa bado kuna ukoloni uchumi ambalo bado halijapatiwa dawa hasa with respect na mtazamo wako.

Mataifa ya magharibi yamegundua njia yakutu colonize remotely amabayo ni to kuziweka nchi za dunia ya tatu kua masikini as at any cost possible.
Unapokuwa masikini basi wao wanapata mwanya mzuri wa kuja kukunyonya, na ndiyo maana wanapenda kuweka vibaraka vyao ili kufanikisha policy. Na, ndiyo maana sehemu panapoendelea na ambapo hakuna vibaraka watatumia mbinu kuvi mpaka wahakikishe sehemu hiyo wanairudisha wakati wa ujima na kutoka tena ktk state hiyo itai-cost nchi husika milongo kadhaa.
Angalia Iraq, Libya, Syria nk.
Wengi tunafikiri wanaenda kuiba mafuta ama resources, lakini lengo lao ni ku-send them back kwa stone age life style.

Situka na Amka. Hakuna taifa la magharibi linalokutakia mema. Ile berlin conference ya akina Bismark siku hizi iko Brusels ndo makao makuu ya NATO na EU.

Kwani Raila anakotoka kisumu ama pale kibela wote wale ni matajiri mbona wa mwandama uhuru kwa kuangalia pande moja tu ya shillingi?
 
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