Cord Pulls All Its Members Out Of All House Parliamentary Committees

CORD - Coalition For Reforms and Democracy

Nairobi, Kenya: CORD has withdrawn its members from all parliamentary committees until it gets chairmanship and majority members in key watchdog committees.

CORD wants to head and have majority members in the Public Investment Committee ( PIC) and Public Accounts Committee ( PAC).

Accusations were traded on Monday over claims that MPs allied to CORD had plotted an amendment of Standing Orders last January.

This led to a rift between Jubilee and CORD over membership of the two watchdog committees.

The repealed Standing Orders provided that the opposition parties shall have majority of one in membership of PIC AND PAC.

The new rules provides that membership of committees is based on party strength in the House meaning that Jubilee Coalition controls all committees.

Uhuru Kenyatta in London - Picture Speak

Delegates Meeting In Progress

More Delegates Arriving For The Meeting

How Son of Jomo Arrived at The Lancaster House for The Meeting

President Yoweri Museveni was Equally in Attendance

President Uhuru Kenyatta Arriving in an Official Presidentail Car

More Delegates Arriving For The Conference

Part of The Delegates At The Lancaster Meeting - Notably Somali President on the Far right

President Uhuru Kenyatta Making a Presentation at The Lancaster Meet

Preident of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta arrives for the Somalia Conference held at Lancaster House in London, Tuesday May 7

“4 Billion for State House Face Lift” - State House Responds To The Star

State House Kenya has reacted to a publication appearing in the Star Newspaper claiming that State House plans to spend over Ksh 4b for State House Facelift.

Below is the reaction from the Presidential Press Service.

“4 Billion for state house face lift” an imagination of the Star newspaper May 7, 2013 PPS

We refer to inaccurate reports appearing on page 2 of todays “Star” newspaper headlined “State house set for Ksh 4 billion facelift”. The reports are malicious and are intended to create an impression that the State House of President Uhuru Kenyatta is insensitive to public spending.

The truth is that the proposed recurrent and development expenditure for the seven state houses and lodges located across the country as captured in the 2013/2014 estimates is Ksh 1.8 billion. Out of this, the repairs, routine maintenance and facelift have been allocated only Ksh. 300 million.

The budget estimates are a public document that are open to public scrutiny and should be accurately interpreted to avoid creating wrong impressions, especially at a time of increased expenditure demands by both the county and central governments.

PPS,

7th may 2013

Nairobi

Kidero’s Nominee’s – Is It A Blunder or A Strategy

Governor Dr. Evans Kidero

Nairobi Governor; Dr. Evans Kidero has unveiled his Ten Member Cabinet comprising of highly qualified personnel with proven integrity.

Notably, He brought back former Town Clerk John Gakuo into his Cabinet. More notably, he appointed Anne Lokidor, to head the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock Development and Fisheries.

Going by reactions of Kenyans on Social Media, it seems that the two nominees have raised some sort of eyebrows. ‘ Mr. Gakuo viewed for the same Governor’s seat and lost…why bring him back when there are thousands of deserving and even more qualified Nairobians  on the City Streets?..Wonders one Thomas Jumano. 

However, in a quick rejoinder, Gakuo seems to gather support from some sources if the observations of one Ken and Christos are anything to go with: ‘Thank you for considering John Gakuo to feature in your cabinet. Gakuo did a lot for Nairobi. Kidero should continue joining hands with whoever is willing to transform our beloved city’ ……. Ken.  ‘It is John Gakuo who transformed Nairobi City to the Current Greener City we all enjoy. All the beautiful trees within Central Business District exist because of Gakuo’…… Christos.

Some Kenyans have questioned the suitability of Anne Lokidor’s credentials to her designated position. She holds a masters degree from University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Science from the same Institution. She has several years of experience in Sales and Marketing, having worked at Sera Software East Africa and National Cereals and Produce Board. It is her credentials visa viz the role expectations that have raised a storm; similar to the Cabinet Secretary nominee of Health in the Uhuru’s Cabinet.

Did Dr.Kidero honestly balance and presented the real face of Kenya? Has he initiated ‘a bigger political journey’ and thus laying the groundwork? Is He really going to implement the Jubilee Agenda or He is focused on the CORD Agenda. Will he really deliver on his election promises? …..The list of questions will always be endless. However, Nairobians are keenly watching how their Governor is set to tackle his election promises.

Work has to be done. Whether Kidero’s list is a blunder or a strategy, Nairobians are keenly watching and following. Decision Times Kenya wishes to congratulate Dr. Kidero on Unveiling his team and wishes all of the best. Nairobi is patiently in wait.

How Kenyans on Social Media Have Reacted to Kidero’s Nominee’s.

Social Media

‘Next time we go to elections, it will only be fair to let ‘professionals’ and ‘mahustlers’ choose their own respective leaders. When will mahustlers fit in this Kenyan Economy. I reserve my comments on Kidero’s List. It is very disturbing’ ….. Joshua.

‘Kidero has just demonstrated that he is not a tribal chief. Thank you Kidero for rising above tribal cards and unleashing the true face of Nairobi. God bless You’….. Rosa.

‘Some Jubilee Leaders should learn from Kidero’… Dina.

‘Thank you so much Kidero for the regional balancing act. However  how much good you do, it is very difficult to please everybody’…. James.

‘Thank You Daktari……surely you are the next big thing’…. Roy.

‘Very funny… He has chosen a cabinet!!!! Anyway I am in love with this list. Ukabila tunanyonga na kuzika kabisa’…..Mary.

‘When will the struggling youths and graduates secure some descent jobs. We are tired of hawking in the streets. That list is a shame to the Kenyan youths’….Linet.

‘Kudos to Kidero for rising above petty party politics. Kidero is a true leader and Nairobians still believe that he will deliver on his election promises’…Dan.

‘Thank you for considering John Gakuo to feature in your cabinet. Gakuo did a lot for Nairobi. Kidero should continue joining hands with whoever is willing to transform our beloved city’ ……. Ken.

‘It is John Gakuo who transformed Nairobi City to the Current Greener City we all enjoy. All the beautiful trees within Central Business District exist because of Gakuo’…… Christos

Nairobi Governor Dr. Evans Kidero Unveils Cabinet

Dr. Evans Kidero

Nairobi Governor Dr Evans Kidero has unveiled his 10 member cabinet committee comprising of highly qualified personnel with proven integrity. 

Amongst those nominated are Women who have held highest positions in Government and private sectors in the republic like Anne Othoro and Josephine Gichuhi former public servant with rich experience that spans over 30 years, she has masters degree in sociology and Bachelor of Arts from University Of Nairobi.

Dr. Kidero said, “ I have nominated a team of men and women who have been tried and tested in service delivery for various organizations. I trust Nairobians will get enhanced world class services.”

Today’s unveiling ceremony introduced the expected ministries in Nairobi County, the executive committee, the County Public Service Board among others as shown in details below. 

MINISTRIES IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY

1. Finance and Economic Planning

2. Lands, Housing and Physical Planning

3. Trade, Industry, Cooperative Development and Tourism

4. Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries

5. Public Service Management

6. Public, Works, Roads and Transport

7. Water, Energy , Forestry and Natural Resources 

8. Information, Communication and E-Government

9. Education, Youth Affairs, Culture and Social Services

10. Health Services

COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

1. AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT AND FISHERIES

Anne Kamais Lokidor holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from University of Nairobi, and is currently undertaking her Masters in Business Administration at the University of Nairobi.

She has several years experience in Sales and Marketing, having worked at Sera Soft ware East Africa and National Cereals and Produce Board.

2. PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGEMENT

Mercy Wambui Kamau holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Nairobi, a post graduate diploma from The Kenya School of Law, Certificate in women empowerment from Georgia University, Masters in International Relations from University of Nairobi and Master of Laws from University of Nairobi. She is a Certified Public Secretary and a member of the Law Society of Kenya as well the East African Law Society.

Mercy has got 21 years experience having practiced law in several institutions, is a company secretary in a number of banks and is currently in private legal practice.

3. PUBLIC WORKS, ROADS AND TRANSPORT

Erick Mokua Arita is a graduate of Commerce from Shivaji University and also holds a Masters degree in Strategic Management from United States International University.

Eric has got several years experience in the banking sector, having worked at CFC Bank, Southern Credit Banking Corporation and as a Senior Manager-Corporate Division –Kenya Commercial Bank

FINANCE & ECONOMIC PLANNING

Gregory Silvanus Mwakanongo holds a Masters in Finance from the University of Nairobi. He is a Certified Public Accountant (K) and holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree.

He has 15 years experience in finance as an assistant Accountant and later Financial Controller at Maersk (K) Ltd, Financial Analyst at Cadbury Kenya , chief Accountant at P&O Nedloyd (EA) Ltd, Regional Controller Nestle Equatorial African Region Ltd and currently as controller of Financial and Shared Services at AG Group International.

4. LANDS, HOUSING AND PHYSICAL PLANNING

Tom Odongo holds a Master in Urban Planning from Oxford Brookes University.

He has 33 years experience as Assistant Director of Planning, director of City Planning and Town Clerk.

5. TRADE, INDUSTRIALIZATION, CO-OPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM

Anna Othoro is a holder of a Bachelors of Sociology & Philosophy from the University of Nairobi. She also has a Masters in Business Administration from USIU and is a member of the Marketing Society of Kenya.

Anna has 17 years experience in Sales and Marketing having working at GlaxoSmithKline (Kenya and Middle East), Marketing Director - CELTEL, Head of Marketing and Strategy at Telkom Kenya and currently Managing Director Quintessentially Kenya

6. AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT AND FISHERIES

Anne Kamais Lokidor holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Nairobi, and is currently undertaking her Master in Business Administration at the University of Nairobi.

She has several years experience in sales and Marketing, having worked at Sera Software East Africa and National Cereal and Produce Board.

7. WATER, ENERGY, FORESTRY, ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES

John Gakuo is a holder of a Bachelors degree of Arts degree in Government and Sociology from the University of Nairobi, as well as having undertaken various courses in Singapore, Havard, John Kennedy and Eastern and Southern Institute.

He has over 37 years experience in administrative positions serving as a District Officer, District Commissioner and Town clerk

8. INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND E-GOVERNMENT 

Mohammed Abdullahi is a holder of a Diploma in Human Resource Management from the Railways Training Institute, and also holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.

Mohammed is a Senior Executive at first Community Bank

9. EDUACATION, YOUTH AFFAIRS, CULTURE, CHILDREN AND SOCIAL SERVICES

John Kennedy Wanyama holds a Bachelors degree from Jomo Kenyatta University.

He has worked as Group Credit Controller at Kenol /Kobil and as Director of Strategic Partnerships at Silverstone Group of companies

10. HEALTH SERVICES

DR.Timothy Moki Kingondu is a holder of a Bachelor of Medicine degree from the University of Nairobi, Masters in International Medicine from London University and Respiratory Medicine from New York University

Dr.Kingondu has over 18 years experience serving as a medical doctor and also as a director at Kenya Medical Training College and Kenyatta national Hospital

COUNTY PUBLIC SERVICE BOARD

• Chairman: Architect Philip Kungu

Philip Kungu is a partner at Otieno & Kungu Associates. He has 30 years work experience in a wide range of leadership experience which includes:

• Chairman, Muthaiga Golf Club

• Chairman, Uvumbizi Wildlife and Conservation Club

• Member, Wildlife Clubs of Kenya

• Board member, Interim Oversight Board for Nairobi City Council

He also has experience in Human Resource Management having served as Acting Chairman, Department of Architecture at the University of Nairobi and Project Architect for navy Projects at the Ministry of Works.

Philip is affiliated to various professional bodies which include Commonwealth Association of Architects, AAK, and Chartered institute of Arbitration among others.

He holds a Masters degree in Architecture from University of Technology, Helsinki Finland and B. Arch (Hons) from the University of Nairobi. Philip is married with two children.

• Secretary: Edgar Jumba Imbamba

Edgar is currently a Manager, Secretarial & Governance at Kenya Tea Development Agency Ltd. He has over 20 years work experience in a career which has seen him work with various organizations which include Attorney General’s Chambers, Kaplan & Stratton Advocates, Postal Corporation of Kenya, Kenya Tourism Development Corporation before his present potion at KTDA.

Edgar holds a master’s degree in Law and is also currently pursuing an MBA in Corporate Management at KCA University.

• Members:

Mrs. Josephines k Gichuhi

Josephine Gichuhi is a former Public Officer with a rich work experience that spans over 30 years. Her most recent assignment in Public Service as a Commissioner, Public Service Commission of Kenya from where she retired in 2011. At the Public service Commission of Kenya she was the Chairperson in charge of the committee for implementation of PCS’s Constitutional mandate. She also has background in finance having served as Chief Finance Officer in a number of government ministries. Josephine has also severed as board member for KARI and National Cereals and Produce Board.

She has a Master’s degree in Sociology and Bachelor of Art from University of Nairobi, Certificate in Public Finance from Harvard University and Post graduate Diploma in Project Design and Management from the University of Nairobi.

She is married with Children.

Maurice Mutinda Wambua

Maurice is currently a Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Fedha Africa Ltd, East Africa Region. He has 13years experience which has seen him serve as a graduate trainee at KK security Group, HR Manager at Express Kenya Ltd and later rising to be regional Head of HR at the same Company before his present Position.

He has served in several boards in various positions. These boards include Kencan Holding Ltd., Fedha Africa Ltd., East Africa and Mission for Advancing Theological Education, Canada among others.

Maurice holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Moi University.

He is married.

Chomba M. J. Munyi

Chomba wa Munyi is currently the National Chairman of Disabled voters, Kenya Union of the Blind, United Disability Empowerment of Kenya and Kenya National Paralympics Committee. He is also a member, Board of Governors at Kenya Institute of Special Education. He has over 30 years work experience.

More to that, he has wide experience in the education sector, having started off as a teacher at Lenana School before moving to the Kenya Institute of Education as a Principal Lecturer. He is also currently a part-time lecturer at Kenya University.

Chomba holds a MA degree (special Education) from Michigan State University USA, B.Ed. from University of Nairobi and Post Graduate Diploma in Education (Curriculum Development & Evaluation) from Nairobi University. He is married.

ADVISORS TO THE GOVERNOR

a) Economic Advisor

Ngure Mwaniki is an economist and a graduate of Harvard University, University of Colorado and the University of Nairobi.

He has worked as lecturer at the University of Nairobi, senior assistant secretary in the office of the Vice President and Ministry of Finance and as a consultant to the World Bank (RMEA). He is also a member of the board of Directors of the Kenya Revenue Authority and is currently board member/ commissioner in the Privatization Commission.

b) Legal Advisor

Gad Awuonda is a partner at Legis Policy Associates. He is a lawyer with experience in legislative drafting. 

c) Political Advisor

Festo Fadamula is a holder of a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nairobi, Master of Arts in Planning from the University of Nairobi, Certificate in Policy Studies from John Hopkins University and Doctor of Management–Organizational Leadership from University of Phoenix.

He has held various leadership positions in the Nairobi Central Business District Association having worked as CEO and as campaign manager for various politicians.

d) Chief of Staff

George Wainaina an Accountant by profession and also holds a Masters degree in International Business Studies from Copenhagen Business School. He is an astute businessman having chaired boards of various organizations and also having served in various leadership positions, as Councillor as well as National Executive Committee member in Football Kenya.

TRANSITIONAL TEAM FROM TRANSITION AUTHORITY

• Interim County Secretary- Lilian W. Ndegwa

• Interim Chief Officer Finance – Jimmy Kiamba

• Interim Head Accounting- Philemona Nzuki

• Interim Head, Budgeting & expenditure- Stephen Osiro

• Interim Head, HRM- Keziah Njonjo

• Interim IPPD manager- Catherine Mwikali

• Interim Head ICT- George Ombua

• Interim Head Internal Audit- Polycarp Abuor

Uhuru Kenyatta Arrives In London A Mid Tight Security

                                                                   Courtesy of Kenya Today.

The Kenya’s President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta   arrived in London in the early hours of the morning around 6:00 hours local time. His early arrival time seems to have been a deliberate effort by his hosts the UK government to shield him from the hungry media to broadcast his UK arrival and the potential backlash from human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

Upon arrival, President Kenyatta was received by the MI5 [The UK’s Special Branch], officials from the UK government and staff from the Kenya High Commission in London led by Ambassador Ephraim Ngare.

They were then whisked away through Cargo Planes sections of Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 and together with his entourage were driven to secret locations in London.

Up to the time of writing this article at 14:30hrs local time, no media house is aware of the whereabouts of Uhuru’s entourage and there is a total media blackout about the President presence here.

Kenyans waiting to see their President on mainstream media like BBC, SKY, CNN etc may wait indefinitely but will be sure to see him through PPS among the Central Communities migrant in the UK organized by some local pastors.

To save face of Cameron’s administration from a storm that would appear to be granting a head of state with similar status as Sudan’s Al Bashir an official visit, Her Majesty’s government with it’s elite security agencies are   managing the visit to be as incognito as it could be.

 The Conference the President is attending will deliberate on strengthening security, policing and justice system as well as public finance management in Somalia as part of the wider strategy of stabilizing the country and ensuring security in the Horn of Africa region.

The President is accompanied by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta and Attorney General Githu Muigai among other senior Government officials.

The AG is expected to be handy for the president in assisting to vigorously defend his status of being ‘innocent until proven guilty’.

A Stolen Election- A Country At War With Itself ( By John Githongo)

Full Article - Courtesy of John Githongo

John Githongo

An Arab friend once told me in reference to the perpetual struggle with Israel that, “We shall fight until the last Egyptian!” Egypt remains the most populous Arab country and most central to the politics of the Middle East in many ways…

WAITING FOR ODINGA

I remember showing up for a ‘change-the-constitution’ rally in the mid-1990s at Uhuru Park only to find it had not started. I ended up hanging around with a pack of local and international journalists under a tree waiting for things to start. The police had already shown up in force.

There were the beginnings of a crowd albeit dispersed into small groups chatting. The question everyone was asking was whether and when Raila Odinga would show up. If he failed too then it was implicit the event would not lift off. For it was Raila who galvanised the crowds; it was he who showed up with throngs of young mainly Luo men willing to be on the frontline once the tear gas started being lobbed about.

Only Kenneth Matiba was able to mobilise youth (mainly Gikuyu for his part) in a similar way that got under the skin of the Moi administration. In those days, these loyal troops were essential to any self-respecting attempt at a demonstration.

Once they showed up and ‘Tinga’ or Matiba arrived ,the show was on the road. It meant the journalists would have something to report and nice action-packed photographs and stories about Kenyans’ struggle for a new katiba would be beamed across the planet.

Since the 1960s when Raila’s father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga fell out with then President Kenyatta, the political competition between these two families and their respective supporters (especially those from their tribes) formed the beating heart of the most tectonic political contest that has rocked Kenya’s politics. Odinga, who recently accepted defeat in the just concluded polls to Uhuru Kenyatta, was the controversial centre of gravity of Kenyan politics. He made the bold moves that shaped much of opposition politics.

The controversy was also partly fed by an instinctive political restlessness, razor-sharp intuition and, among other things, his alleged role in the attempted coup of 1982 that saw him returned to detention and from which he emerged eventually as the most detained politician in Kenyan history. He decamped from Ford and formed the NDP.

He then took the NDP into a cooperation agreement with Kanu (then the mortal enemy of all ‘reformers’ and oppositionists) causing howls of outrage that reverberated across the country for months. In 2002, as the first Project Uhuru was rolled out by the then retiring Moi, it was Odinga’s “Kibaki tosha!" endorsement while dumping Kanu that united the opposition and routed the ruling party after 24 years. Again, it was effective because it was an accepted political fact that Odinga brought with him a solid Luo voting bloc. It also helped that at that moment, Kibaki was not seen so much as a Gikuyu candidate but the leader of a coalition that could crush Kanu.

This article is not an ode to Odinga. He is a man of many flaws and strengths alike that shall doubtlessly be dissected in detail over the coming months.

Rather, I have been speaking to friends in past weeks and as the results of the elections sink in and narrative of ‘we must forget and move on’ is rolled relentlessly out, the place of the Luo in our tribalised politics remains the subject of particular fascination to me.

Though the nuances are many, it is clear that when one looks back at the past five decades, the highly politicised Luo community (Kenya’s fourth largest), and its leaders, have come to occupy a disproportionate space in our political story; punching way above their tribal numeric weight or commercial strength.

As a result their politicians have been unevenly assassinated, detained, jailed and harassed since the mid 1960s. Luo academics too have borne the brunt of state efforts to manage what Kenyans think politically.

In every sphere of life, the post-colonial State in Kenya has been perceived to apply an aggressive political and economic containment strategy with regard to that community’s leadership.

Ironically, Barack Hussein Obama Snr, father of the current American President, suffered his greatest trauma as a result of this. He never really recovered.

THE LUO AS THE INFANTRY OF KENYA’S DEMOCRACY

For in our politics tribe trumps everything else. Our patronage-based political economy gives us a big man who carries his tribe around in his pocket as a voting bloc that allows him to negotiate with other tribal kingpins for a place at the table.

For a long time it has held our political imagination hostage and it often carries the aspirations of a community plus the promise of patronage, security and access to justice.

It is politically incorrect to admit: there is a powerful perception, fostering a deep collective resentment and sense of victimhood among the Luo, because they have been at the forefront of Kenya’s most important democratic struggles since independence regardless of opinions regarding their leader - hostile or otherwise. There is therefore the feeling among their elite especially that they as a community have served as the infantry in the struggle for the freedoms Kenya now enjoys. The reward for this has too often been seen as denigration, mistrust, betrayal and violence (both soft and hard) meted out against their leaders for 50 years.

Thus the narrative: if you are struggling for freedoms, send out the Luo grunts ready to face the state, they’ll be outspoken and courageous in battle but the ‘victory’ has always been ‘stolen’ from them.

The stereotypical counter argument is that their leaders, Raila Odinga in particular, is not a safe pair of hands in which to place the nation’s fate.

His supporters are too noisy, too violent, too reckless, given to bombast and an abhorrence of pragmatism. It was perhaps thus that media stations rushed their top journalists to Kisumu during primaries that preceded the election, the election itself and then after the Supreme Court ruling.

I’m not trying to romanticise anything here. Indeed, there is no guarantee that the Luo elite would not have behaved exactly as Kibaki’s Mt Kenya mafia had the ascended to power.

THE COLLATERAL LUO

When the Supreme Court released its judgement with regard to the disputed March 4 election at the end of last month, skirmishes between the police and Mr Odinga’s disappointed and disbelieving supporters broke out.

What has struck me is that killing young Luo men has become normalised now. This is much in the same way we always expect steady violence in Northern Kenya.

Like the IDPs languishing in IDP camps within our own country, it is almost as if these citizens are no longer Kenyan. A similar fate befell many young Gikuyu men accused of belonging to Mungiki in 2007. There is a pattern here. It was best articulated by leading young Kisumu lawyer, Issac Okero when giving evidence to the Waki Commission in August 2008:

“There is a perception that where there is need to contain demonstrations, the use of lethal force is an option that rapidly comes to fore and that is very very worrying and speaking as a resident of Kisumu, my own experience is that in the 16 years that I have been here, every occasion on which there has been demonstrations particularly in the election years, there has been the deployment of live rounds which has resulted in the deaths of residents of Kisumu and that is a very, very unfortunate statistic."

A colleague who recently returned from the Western part of Kenya was emphatic that the ‘peace’ that’s holding thus far is fragile. In several areas, he told me, Gikuyu traders are facing a silent boycott.

This is apparently being reciprocated in parts of Central Province and Nairobi. “Many people here don’t yet believe Uhuru is President. They are dazed like a football player suffering a concussion”, another colleague explained, “and the issue is not only that their candidate

Odinga lost the election its that they believe the poll was stolen ‘by the Gikuyu’ once again. So everywhere you hear people saying there no reason to vote ever again as the process will be rigged and no one has confidence in the Supreme Court any more.”

As head of state, Uhuru faces a daunting nation building and reconciliation exercise. He won’t be able to securitize this existential disconnect across the entire nation bang it over the head and kill it.

And if he is wise he’ll have to start among the Luo and be prepared to work extremely hard at it for the fury there is unmitigated. He demonstrated this political wit by attending a funeral there last weekend. No piddling committee will resolve things though, leadership is the key in a situation where half the electorate doubt or outright reject his legitimacy and their worst stereotypes about Gikuyus have seemingly been borne out by the facts.

There is a Coastal saying, “Corner a cat, start to beat it and it can even kill you.” We need to face up to the fact that in many respects, Kenya is a country at war with itself.

This is not yet with machetes but with words and deeds too often added to by a crass triumphalism on the part of some Jubilee supporters who don’t seem to realize that those they mock have ran out of institutional problem solving options as far as political disputes go.

However, I believe that currently, devolution and counties gives many people hope. In typical contradictory Kenyan fashion, devolution is supported not only because it promises people in the countryside their ‘turn to eat’, it is also viewed as a tool to ‘put the Gikuyus in their place’.