Kenyan Idiot

A source of continual irritation or suffering. That is what the Justice, Cohesion and constitutional affairs minister Mutula Kilonzo has seemed to become in the days and weeks since     Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto   were pronounced as having to stand trial by the ICC in the Hague. The minister was incensed by the two’s   fighting remarks in the face of Chapter 6 of the constitution- which deals with   the integrity of public officials stating that they must, among other issues, act in a manner that brings honour to the nation and dignity and promote public confidence in the integrity of the offices they are holding- saying that it will not halt their presidential ambitions. But Kilonzo refuses to back down even as some in his party called for his dismissal from the powerful Justice ministry for embarrassing them with his contradictory remarks and ruffling feathers from within his Wiper Democratic Movement (formally ODM K) after disagreeing with the Part...

Not in recent times was an hour been so eagerly anticipated as 13:30 was on Monday 23rd. At this hour the future and fate of the Ocampo 6 was known. In the days before the hearing to confirm the suspects   I could not escape news and analysis in an almost constant media barrage on the ICC confirmation hearings, from every conceivable angle. This was indeed the beginning of a new chapter in the prosecution process and as it turned out 4 of the 6: Uhuru Kenyatta, Francis Muthaura, Joshua Arap Sang and William Samoei Ruto will now have to make numerous trips to the Hague to defend themselves against accusations that range from crimes against humanity of murder, deportation or forcible transfer and persecution to rape and other forms of sexual violence, other inhumane acts and persecution, in a case that could last three or more years. As the clock has ticked down and we collectively counted down the days perhaps the two most visible suspects were seen taking to their individual cam...

As the year came to a close the countries KCPE candidates anxiously awaited their exam results. And they came to tears, joy and pointed fingers of blame. While those who excelled in the exams were celebrated by their parents, piers and teachers those who failed were relegated to tears and the stark reality( and in the case of two girls: suicide)- that came courtesy of   a statement by the education minister Sam Ongeri- that school heads were banned from forcing students to repeat the exams. The examinations tend to inspire stiff competition not only among the student aiming to get placement in renowned government schools but also amongst schools whose aim it is to secure students for the new year, all this undoubtedly creates pressure on the young students eager to be part of the small group of students to gain admission to the top schools in the country.   As in all competitions there must be winners and losers and not everyone will be able to cope with the p...

This year or at least the last six months has been a seemingly endless period of strike after strike. In what has become almost akin to a tradition of demanding better (in most cases) from the government by taking to the streets, marching in unison with one goal and loud battle cries of ‘Haki Yetu’ or while singing the now famed song ‘Bado Mapambano’ that was first used by Otieno Kajwang to bolster support for the NARC party in 2005. These chants were to be heard at least half a dozen times in three strikes within the last 6 months with another threatening to follow suite this Christmas, by the Matatu Welfare Association alongside the Kenya Long Distance Drivers Association with the backing of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) in one week for a 10 day period beginning on the 19th –the 27th of this month if the government refuses to reduce the countries elevated fuel prices by 30%, calls to hike their fares by the Matatu Owners Association have been rejected by the ...

Last month the bulldozers were very busy as a long string of demolitions began in Syokimau then Eastleigh in Nairobi due to the buildings’ proximity to the JKIA flight path. The demos were enacted after several quiet notices were sent to residents with one even carried in the Daily Nation on September 15th. The residents – to their dismay- paid no heed to the whispered warnings, until twin yellow bulldozers paid them a rather rude wakeup call. This was part of a resolution by the government The wrecking machines wreaked havoc for another day and left behind the rubble and ruin one would expect to see after a natural disaster. I like many if not all Kenyans felt saddened at the tales of lost dreams and the investments of millions now down the drain. Now in the strongest statement against corruption the government has made in a while 12 Senior Lands Ministry officials have been given the boot, with more surely to come when through the inquest the corruption scandal was brought to...

Kenya’s fight to protect itself and rid its borders of the Al Shabaab and its terrifying menace has entered its third week. The brave young men and women were spurred into action on a day like any other when the Al Shabaab, who have terrified East Africa before in two gruesome attacks on Ugandan football fans in 2010 while they had gathered together in Kampala to watch that year’s world cup final; an act of terrorism that not only took 74 lives but shocked the rest of East Africa. Still no one thought that more than a year later the terror group would strike fear into the hearts and minds of Kenyan’s and as a consequence wake us from our peaceful slumber by invading the shores of Lamu and kidnapping first a British couple on holiday then a French woman (who was later killed) these two acts set off questions about our internal security and questions were fast in going to internal security minister George Saitoti: the professor who also has one eye on next year’s elections and the ta...

If there’s one thing we Kenyan’s know how to do its come together in times of crisis or in this case to bid a respectful good bye to one of its fallen and much loved heroines. After the initial shock, awe and sadness had worn off then came the tributes flowing fast like a river unabated and for a brief moment we were all banded together and our differences seemed to disappear if only just for the week. We gathered together a band of brothers and sisters to pay our respects and sing our songs to one of the strongest most passionate fighters of the environment and women’s (and indeed human) rights the nation has had the pleasure of spawning. She was fierce in her beliefs and love for the country; she was truly amazing and will be missed by the world. Ovarian cancer ended her struggle to preserve not only our present but our future generations. Everyone is planting trees from the young to the old, to the famous and the ordinary, everyone is getting their hands dirty for this good c...