On the Presidency
We do not believe that Mwai Kibaki is the legitimate president of Kenya but he is the legal president of Kenya. There is a big difference between the two. We acknowledge that there are issues surrounding the election and that as ECK Chairman Samuel Kivuitu and Attorney General Amos Wako have averred, it may not possible to tell who actually won the vote given the irregularities on both sides. It is clear from pre-election polling that the result was going to be a close on, although exit polls from around the country do suggest that Kibaki won the election .

On the other hand, we are very much aware of the need for the government to have both a national outlook and a sufficient following in parliament. It is true that the strategy of fielding multiple candidates in the same electoral constituency has really hurt us, in many of Nairobi's constituencies for example, the ODM candidate won, even as the bulk of the presidential vote went to Mwai Kibaki. So even as we admit defeat in these constituencies, we would also like to correct the erroneous perception that there was an overall rejection of the PNU or the government's policies. Consider for example, the case of Cherangany where former Agriculture Minister Kipruto Kirwa lost by just above 2195 votes, beaten by a recent university graduate on an ODM ticket. The field had 16 candidates, most of whom were pro-Kibaki. The almost evenly split electorate in this highly charged atmosphere does demand a cooperation between the parties and ethnic communities. We are looking forward to this.

On ethnicity
Hamisi's article features a slur against the Agikuyu, claiming that they do not want to compromise, that Mwai Kibaki would be disgracing himself if he compromised. From the day after the election, Minister Michuki has been reaching out to the ODM and ODM-K. It is Raila and the ODM that are proving recalcitrant.

It is very tempting to point both ways and say Kibaki is also in the wrong, but on the matter of the violence, there is very little the president can do. If he went to Kisumu or Eldoret for example, he would only be causing more violence. It really is up to the ODM and especially Raila and Ruto to bring the violence to a stop. It will be interesting to read what sociologists make of the effect of the ODM's anti-GEMA campaign on the Kenyan public, and its influence on the post-election violence. It is increasingly obvious, that much of this violence would have been visited on Kenyans regardless of the elections turnout.

On the speedy, stealthy inauguration
There was a real air of uncertainty surrounding the country at the time with riots and violence in the western city of Kisumu. The ODM it is clear had planned a parallel inauguration regardless of the result and we were very much aware of their Dick Morrisian tactics. The whole affair was very unfortunate and extremely embarrassing for all Kenyans, those who supported the president included. It is hard to see how things could have been different though, there did have to be an executive authority over the country.

On voting and tallying
First, there are increasing reports of irregularities in the ODM zones prior to the elections. Many are reporting that they were prevented from voting in Nyanza, especially female voters who seemed predisposed to vote for the party of development and against the prevailing tribal bloc.

It would be flying against all reason to suggest that something very wrong did not happen in the period immediately after the election. It could be argued that those making this suggestion are only taking it to counter the ODM's refusal to admit that there were irregularities in its sphere of influence. The international media seems to have focused merely on Molo, and the local media on Maragwa, but there were reports of dodgy results from across the divide including in places like Langata, Rarieda, Sigor, and Eldoret North among others. Rigging is rigging and it affects the results, to focus merely on the late rigging and not the early one is dishonest and reflects an unhelpful bias.

As Kivuitu said then, and as Archbishop Tutu now agrees, the results of a re-tallying would not be any truer than that of the flawed election. The ballots and the forms are not kept securely, and even before they were lost from KICC, the BBC had one from the ODM which it displayed on its website. This alone shows that it is impossible to account for the integrity of the forms 16A.

On Kivuitu
Oh, the poor man. Kenyan hysteria now dictates that the man was forced by PNU and ODM-K to declare the results. How hungry we are for headlines. It is clear that both sides pressured the ECK Chairman to announce the results when they thought themselves triumphant. Note for example that the ODM had already announced that Raila Odinga had won the election, and the riots around the country, particularly in Kisumu demanded an early announcement. It was already two days after the voting had ended! It is impossible to tell what would have happened in that one week, as the votes were recounted, or the tallies added up as Maina Kiai and the diplomats wanted, but if Kisumu is any indicator, things would not be much different than they are today. In any case it is an open secret that the ODM was never going to accept defeat.

On the situation in Nairobi
The situation in Nairobi really does depend on where you live. It is very bad in some places, and simply quiet in others. It is not a PNU point of view, but rather different realities. It is scary for all of us; PNU people are not in any way less likely to be harmed by the violence, especially not in Nairobi. The ODM's Raila Odinga's continued statements about genocide are without a doubt incendiary and are dousing the flames with oil.  Such sentiments have before led to strife in Nairobi along landlord-tenant relationships. 

On the situation up-country
It is difficult to explain what inspired the Eldoret murders. The ODM and its acolytes will be keen to blame this on the events of the last week, but the facts speak different. Every single election since the repeal of Section 2A has seen violence against 'foreigners' in the Rift Valley. It is also quite disingenuous to act as though the ODM's two year campaign against the Agikuyu has no bearing here, or that its promotion of Majimbo as a system of government has played no role in inspiring the targets and the violence.

On the wazees
Without a doubt the PNU campaign was one of the worst run in the history of elective politics.  Not only were its drivers incompetent, but they used such old methods, and adopted a most rigid, formal structure that they were in the end insensitive to public opinion and to the signs from all across the country.

On political rallies and demonstrations
Like all Kenyans who care for their country, we recognise that there were serious shortcomings with the election. However, we are primarily concerned that we act now to save lives and to salvage what remains of our country's reputation. It is absolutely important that Kenya makes it off the front pages of international newspapers, and that when we make it back it will be to show that we are capable of sorting out our differences in a calm and orderly fashion.

On the security forces
It is true that the military and the police force are not all GEMA. There is absolutely no basis for the ODM's charge of genocide apart from a desire to escalate the situation and win their party international sympathy. Note also the way the party tries to suggest that the police are beating opposition supporters, or raping opposition supporters. The international media seems to have fallen for this lie, but Kenyans really ought to know better.

On the Western powers
We are only supporters of the PNU against the lies of the ODM, so we cannot pretend to be privy to such information. However the president has promoted in his first term a non-aligned approach to international politics. When it serves Kenya's interests best, Kenya will be allied with the USA or with China or with our neighbours in the East African Community. What matters most are the interests of Kenya. In this increasingly multi-polar world, this really is the best option.

On Raila's claims against corruption
The PNU's supporters are aware of the ability of corrupt politicians and business people to infiltrate even the best political parties. We regret that there are a few on our side that are corrupt. Still, it is amazing just how gullible one has to be to believe that the party that has Raila Odinga as presidential candidate, Musalia Mudavadi as Vice President, William Ruto as Prime Minister designate, Henry Kosgei as Chairman, Richard Kwach as Elections Board Chair among others in the who's who of corrupt persons, represents anything but a return to the most corrupt politics ever.

On Kibaki's meeting with MPs
Like all Kenyans of goodwill, we are determined to save our country from the spiral of violence. We will do everything that it takes to calm things down, and will work with all parties and all communities without sanction. This really must be the way for anyone who cares about Kenya. This is not the time for division.

It is especially important for Kenya's prospects of recovery that the violence does not escalate and that we return to a state of normalcy as soon as possible. Every day that goes by without calm represents lives lost, lives that will never be regained.

On the new cabinet
We recognise in the light of the events of the past six months, that it is absolutely necessary that a government that is all inclusive is made. It will also be of utmost importance that this cabinet contain the very best talent Kenya has to offer particularly as this will be a hard year with a global credit crunch, rising food and energy prices, a fall in productivity from the areas of ethnic cleansing and a likely fall in the number of tourists streaming into the country. It is not just at the cabinet level, but even at the individual one that all of us will have to pull for Kenya.

On Raila's MoUs 
The less said the better. This is hardly the time to pick political fights, Kenyans must come together to salvage their nation. The ODM leader's history does speak for itself all the same.