hello
written by Amir Ibrahim , February 13, 2008

Ndorobo,
First of, the word Ndorobo is an ugly swear-word, much like saying nigger, it would be nice to get a new love-handle.

Secondly, you would do well to ignore those who are asking you to apologise for being middle class, or being Kikuyu. We must form an alliance against such people, an alliance which must be defined in emphatically anti-tribal lines.

Those people who rejected the ODM's message of hate and division, those who refused to inherit its grievance culture, those who refused to see the last five years as hell, but instead as filled with opportunity are one people, beyond all tribes and races.

I would be very grateful if you left the ethno-nationalism and the urging toward vita vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe to the ODM, their Messiah and all that follow in his train. In fact we must now work to win over and persuade to peace and prosperity all those from these ranks, rather than work to isolate them. Let us work to open their eyes to all the opportunity around them, to the fact that it is private enterprise and hard work that bring prosperity, and not Messiahs or government.

One Kenya, must be our eternal refrain.

No longer a moderate
written by Ndorobo , February 13, 2008

I was a moderate. I am no longer a moderate. Consider me to be now a hardline Kibaki supporter. By an accident of history, or is it coincidence, I was born a Kikuyu. In the last 6 months, I have been told I need to apologize for being one. I refuse to, I refuse to dishonor my semi-literate dad who made me read newspapers for him every Saturday morning. One in English, translate to Kikuyu and then I would have to read the story to him in Kiswahili for him to verify my translation.

Apparently, Kenyatta had something to do with this. My dad, who worked until he literary fell dead from asthmatic complications, I refuse to dishonor his memory. I refuse to apologize for washing dishes while cleaning toilets and working my way through a US college. I refuse to apologize for learning to play golf from my half-stoned college buddy.
Why am I now a die-hard Kibaki-ist. Because even my so-called educated friends see things in Kikuyu vs. non-Kikuyu terms. I think Kibaki is my only hope for making sure my family is safe. At least we still have the state machinery on our side. Ms. Karua, please do not share power with these mentors of tribalists. I refuse to dishonor my father by moving from the RV. I refuse to vacate the land where my father and grandmother are buried. My fathers grave shall not be another unmarked grave like that of my grandfather and some of my fathers siblings. At least not while I am alive. I am a Kikuyu. I am my fathers son. I am a descendant of the Mau Mau. We got screwed once and were ejected from Central Province. Over my dead body shall I be ejected from my fathers land in the Rift Valley.
Rights are not a selective collection of deeds only available to some people. I was born middle class from illiterate parents, who had dark marks on their faces from the cold as they worked day and night. I have been successful because I was punished when I did not succeed and I was never rewarded when I succeeded. I was expected to excel, I expect myself to excel. I was held to a high standard. I hold myself to a higher standard. I refuse to have my father's hard work refused to a language that I do not speak very well.
Kibaki, arrest the perpetrators of the violence. Form the government na kazi iendelee. I am a Kikuyu.

Artoney at Law
written by Baya Kobangoshe , February 13, 2008

I would like to give Dr. Kofi Annan the benfit of doubt until he is able to respond to Justice Minister Karua's protest. As someone who knows the minister very well as a learned friend, I am almost 200% sure her protest has merit and is justified and on spot.

Dr. Annan is respected personality, and he should not injure his reputation as a senior diplomat just because he is under pressure from the west, even if they are meeting his fee for the mediation work. He should not discard all the gains his team has made so far, just to have quick fix in the way of a commonly shared wisdom on desired outcome. Kenya may not be the same with other cases that have found the tradition of sharing power world over palatable. I am not dismissing that option either, but it must be mutually agreed, by ODM and PNU groups, which is Dr. Annan's key objective. Had that not been the primary goal, any one would have do the mediation job, including Osama.

i
written by shiroh , February 13, 2008

While I am proud of all things my country; i am truly one but like everyone else is greatly burdened by the fact that everyone in this country thinks our solutions are political. They are not. Our problem=ancestral settlements.

The original owners of Kenya whoever they are should come and claim their land and then redistribute it.

History is very clear that most Kenyans moved here from other places and settled wherever they felt like.

Anyway I do not envisage a Government with the likes of Henry Kosgey, William Ruto & Co.

re: No longer a moderate
written by Farouk , February 13, 2008

I was a moderate.

You were never a moderate. Things suited you, and now that there is irreversible change on the skewed equillibrium that benefited you, you turn hostile. This wont help.

We got screwed once and were ejected from Central Province. Over my dead body shall I be ejected from my fathers land in the Rift Valley.

You are self centred. you never give a damn about the pligth of the people displaced in the RV when unfortunately you got ejected from central province. As you think about your self ineterest, think about the indeginous people of the RV many of whom are squatters. The pligth is the same.

I was expected to excel, I expect myself to excel. I was held to a high standard. I hold myself to a higher standard.

Every human being is a hardworker, as long as they manage to eat in a man eat man capitalistic society. It is only that access to factors of production differ from one country to the other, one region to the other. Others have natural competitive avdantage of nations owing to their despositions and not attributable to genetics.

It is my prayer that we all get to know that, as Gaddafi put it, western style democracy is not fit for africa as we have our own unique and peculiar problems. In short, in Africa, save for ZA, democracy is crude tribalism.

I WONDER WHY??????
written by Nori , February 13, 2008

How can it be that anyone or any report with the slightest hint that is in favour of ODM even if it is a mere 1% is rejected by the government and 90% of the Kenya Imagine forumers?

Cyril Ramaphosa, Maina Kiai, Western countries and now I can see tables being turned against Koffi Annan........for reasons known to all of us.

What is the composition of this power and what does it mean to all Kenyans whether in opposition or in government. I thought each and every Kenyan is taxed whether a PNU, ODMER or SAFINA. Why is that this power can be shared amongst other people and not others?

It is a known fact that there are people in both camps whom we are uncomfortable of working with but as Annan put it, the mediation talks is about making scrifices and eventually reaching a lasting solution that will guarantee peace and prosperity for all Kenyans.

Break-ups
written by Kamogo , February 13, 2008

Has any one noticed any consistencies in some members of the leading negotiating teams? I can point out one, BREAK-UPS. No matter in what way, it starts as small as at the social level (Family) to national level(Country). Please watch out people with such histories sitting in negotiation tables.

...
written by Mtaa Babji , February 13, 2008

I agree with some of Farouk's observation. During Moi's time the current dicators pretended to be liberators until they took over. Karua is a classic example. Until Kenyans think rationally, we are ddomed. Problably this problem was meant to be a wake up call for mutual resepct and understanding.

...
written by Umshini Wami , February 13, 2008

When call for change becomes an end in itself and not a means to redemption of the electorate, it becomes fraud of the highest order. When tribal stereotypes become the tool of defence by the otherwise level headed minority, the future becomes even darker. Africa is an enemy to itself, and needs to be safed from itself before it is too late.

When all shall have been done and dusted, and the head of commission to look into what went wrong with Africa present his report, the key reason shall be poor leadership supported by tribal superiority complex, destructive competition for limited resources and the failure by the moderates to call order.

My take is that power and an African are opposite side of a long stick. An enabling environment for slave trade was created as a result of greedy leadership and tribal wars. Colonialism prospered because of the failure by tribes to unite. The home guards and traitors continue to rule because we are Africans, and our tribes are more important than principles.

Africa continues to be destroyed by its own people. It continues to be destroyed by arrogance supported by false confidence and illusions. The Karuas, Mugabes, Abachas, Aideeds, Mengistus, Amins, Kibakis, Mobutus, Mois, Kenyattas, and their are/were true Africa leaders. Yes, leaders leading their countries into destruction and poverty.

Africa, to arise must be ready for a true shift to the Mandelas, Lumumbas, Nkurumas, Kikwetes, Zumas,Bikos, and Kagames. We must or we shall continue being just Africas fighting for the little that we continue to call 'our resources'.

It is a shame!!

...
written by Umshini Wami , February 13, 2008

Democracy in Africa will continue being just a mirrage. We shall continue cheating ourselves that we are a democratic country when in all fairness we are just a bunch of voters driven by tribal sentiments and hatred.

I say we should go back to the old system where the Kalenjin had their Orkoiyot, the Masai their Laibon, the Luhyas their Nabongo, the Mijikenda their Kaya leaders, and the list continues. We should return back the African leadership structures and move on rather than subject ourselves into a western style democracy which is only an avenues for the Karuas and Michukis of this world to exercise power through the back door by exploiting a senile old stroke victim, who is not in control of his faculties.

Africa arise. Lets arise for the future depends on the choices we make today

seeing sense
written by Ndorobo , February 13, 2008

@Farouk

Every human being is a hardworker, as long as they manage to eat in a man eat man capitalistic society. It is only that access to factors of production differ from one country to the other, one region to the other.

I agree with this. My viewpoint is that we should strive to continue creating the means of production. Denying some people the means of production or re-distributing the means of production cannot achieve this. Ndiangui has in another section of this paper highlighted the achievements made by the Kibaki government making the means of production available to more people. Link here

Other than pointing out to certain communities owning the means of production and ways of ensuring that these tribes are denied or dispossessed of these means of production, what is the economic policy that ODM offers?

@Amir, I choose the moniker Ndorobo to illustrate the utter ridiculousness of this whole ancestral land debate. I however agree with the tenets of the rest of your post on Kenya being one.