The ugly drama at ASP on Rule 68 doesnt help Ruto

It is either an exceptionally powerful death wish or pure innocence – or even both. As Kenya was pleading for Papal prayers this week, a large detail of State officials was clowning before the world, at the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) and embarrassing their government and country. They were in Europe to protest against perceived injustice in the case against Deputy President William Ruto. Mostly made of legislators, they have created the curious narrative that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has conspired with the Opposition to “fix” the Deputy President, “so that he does not ascend to power when President Uhuru Kenyatta retires in 2022.” They carried their usual juvenile unruliness to a solemn and structured international forum. They behaved as if they were at one of their peculiar “prayer meetings,” where nihilism is the norm. They screamed, heckled, clowned and made themselves preposterous. Who sends out people to fool about like this? A bigger question begs, however. Does the DP ever reflect on the wider significance of the tomfoolery going on in the name of saving him? Does it ever occur to him that these people, claiming to be his dyed-in-the-wool friends, are pushing him towards a possible jail sentence by the ICC? Our people say that the ear that will die does not listen to medicine. They also say when cows know that one of them will be slain, they will tease and lead her to the slaughterhouse. Is someone determined that the DP should be pronounced guilty? Or is it only his own naiveté? Does he lack the capacity to recognise that the ugly drama that has played out these so many months does not help his case at all? If the DP lacks the capacity to read this situation correctly, he would probably have some genuine friends – or family? They would advise him that not everybody who protests about him cares for him? He would know that this noise and drama is about themselves. In the end, these people don’t really care about what happens to Ruto. Put in simple terms, the DP is alleged to have mobilised people to violence that amounted to crimes against humanity. That he is so powerful that Kenyan courts cannot try him; he is virtually “above the law.” Accordingly, the ICC being a political court, is trying him because at home “he is protected by impunity.” Now each time these MPs hold aggressive “prayer meetings” and abuse the ICC, they reinforce the perception that “here is an extremely powerful politician who enjoys fanatic support at home. He can mobilise people on a huge scale to do whatever he wants them to do.” When they carry this conduct to international forums, they leave everyone there saying, “If they can behave like this here where they have no authority over us, how more vile are they back home?” The ICC does not pretend to be a normal court. The Rome Statute states very clearly that this is a political court, established to try powerful politicians who enjoy impunity at home, or in whose countries the court system has collapsed. These people are not helping Ruto. They will be his undoing. It is a pity that this week they adulterated the diplomatic gains the Papal visit brought to the Jubilee Government. Meanwhile back at home we have been of good comportment while the Papal visit lasted. Indeed, we began even before the Holy Father arrived. My mother told me we were acting preemptively. We did not want the world to attribute to the Pope the reforms that we made. And so beleaguered Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru resigned – or asked the President to relieve her of her duties and give her a lighter load. Suspended Cabinet Secretaries were finally dismissed. Seven new secretaries were appointed. Ethics and Anti Corruption Commissioners were nominated. The Riot Act was read to those who would dare to be corrupt. Even the private sector got its own script from State House. See also: Leaders’ conduct over ICC unbecoming Mama Roselyn believes all this was window dressing. She says it was all meant to impress the Pope – that our true conduct was what was happening before the ASP. She has been around for nearly eight decades. I have learnt from her some of the things I have previously said in this column. She could therefore be right. I pray that she is wrong. When President Kenyatta read the Riot Act in Parliament in March, she told me all that was hot air. Nothing would come of it. The President’s tough words would vaporise into nothing. I disagreed. I must accept we have achieved nothing since March. Mama Roselyn was right. I was wrong. Which leads me to this Cabinet reshuffle. Why did President Kenyatta shortchange Kenyan women? I have attended, this week, the International Commission of Jurists Annual meeting. We pondered over moving from rhetoric to action on the question of inclusion of women in leadership. It is difficult to understand why the President keeps shortchanging women. Why does the President ignore a Constitution he has taken oath to protect? Do you have something to add to this story? Comment here.
Read more at: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000183837/the-ugly-drama-at-asp-on-rule-68-doesn-t-help-ruto

Posted Thursday, November 26, 2015 | by- FLORENCE KITHINJI To err may be human but to forgive is divine

Pope Francis gives his weekly general audience in St Peter's square on November 18, 2015 at the Vatican. Married Catholic priests in Kenya want Pope Francis to spare a moment and meet them during his visit to the country. AFP PHOTO | ANDREAS SOLARO
 
Whether or not you are a Catholic, this has been a historic week, with the visit of Pope Francis to Kenya. One of the central messages given by the Catholic leader is on the importance of forgiveness.

Forgiveness is very important because it frees the person who forgives from the prison of un-forgiveness.

You may not know it, but as long as you hold a grudge against someone, you are a prisoner. The other person may not know that they hurt you.

Everyone needs forgiveness. If you haven’t already, please watch the 2007 movie: The Note, directed by Douglas Barr. It is a story about a columnist by the name Genie Francis who came across a note that had been written by a passenger in a plane that

had unfortunately crashed, leaving no survivors. The writer had written a simple note: “Dear T, All is forgiven. Love, Dad”.

The journalist embarks on a journey of locating the intended recipient of the note. She decides to track all the families of the men on the flight, hoping to give the note to its intended recipient.

As she does so, she is led through a journey of self-discovery, as are all the individuals she contacts.

For instance, there was a man whose father was a pastor. The man is not sure whether he should stay in the church that his father had founded. After reading the note, he recalls the conversations he had with his father, and knows that he needed to step into his father’s shoes.

An embittered female singer whose foster father had died on the plane has a chance to reflect on her life when she gets the note and makes a change for the better.

CENTRAL TO LIFE

The journalist herself has some learning to do. Years ago, she had given up her new-born child for adoption and had never forgiven herself for having done it. As she meets different people, she realises that forgiveness is central to life itself.

Eventually she finds the real owner of the note. Christine, who had been adopted at birth, got into a quarrel with her adoptive father just before he got onto the fateful plane. Her words were hurtful.

Her dad must have realised that the plane would crash and had the time to write the note, thus giving her the gift of forgiveness.

The beautiful twist is that Christine was the daughter that the journalist had given up at birth. She too has a chance to ask for forgiveness.

One of the lessons I learnt was that it was important to use each opportunity you are with someone that hurt you to mend fences. Don’t leave unsaid what you can say today-one day it might be too late. Don’t wait for next time because sometimes, next time never comes!

I also learnt that it is important not to judge people on face value, because you don’t know everything about them. They may be hiding secret hurts that make them behave the way they do. Instead of becoming judgemental, learn to ask yourself, ‘What circumstances or hurts might this person have gone through for them to become like this?”

Always be accommodating and forgiving because you don’t know the whole story.

When is the last time you wrote a note of forgiveness to someone? You might want to start with yourself. Are there things that you need to forgive yourself for having done or failed to do? Next, who are the people that have hurt you? Have you locked them out of your life by holding back forgiveness?

You need to write them a note of forgiveness so that you free yourself of the burden of un-forgiveness.

Please write a forgiveness note to someone today. Even if you don’t get to give them the note, please write it. Go on, do it before it is too late!

Page 2 of 2

Previous

Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.

I am a reason because I believed the unbelievable.
I am a reason because I did not give up.
I am reason because I desired freedom from the shackles of poverty and I was determined to achieve it.
Success does not automatically qualify for riches. It means that you have achieved what you set out to achieve.
I recently watched a Coca Cola advert about the perceptions we have of others and the statement ‘Labels are for cans, not people’ struck me.
Indeed, ‘labels are for cans, not people’. It doesn’t matter what your parent, teacher, relative, leader, competitor, ex-lover has labeled you. You need to understand that you are more than that label and reach out for your greatness.
While growing up, I may have feared for ‘tomorrow’ but I never doubted that I would succeed.
I was raised in abject poverty; the sole definition of poverty was me and honestly I didn’t feel as though I was anything more than that. I was educated by well-wishers whom I never got to meet and thank. I would attend school without shoes; I mean, shoes were a luxury I simply could not afford. During one of the holidays my well-wishers bought me a pair of shoes which unfortunately I was afraid to use for fear of destroying them. When schools closed, I would never look forward to going home because of my status, so my friends would invite me to share in their festivities with their families.
Eventually, I began working over the holidays and I’d wear the only pair of shoes I had to move around so that I’d look presentable. I would use my earnings to support my brother’s education (now a professor at USIU) and whatever was left would cater to our basic needs.
Several times, I would watch my friends and their families, and desire some of the things they had. I vowed that I would not be bound by the shackles of poverty. I knew that one day my education and knowledge would be my means to success.
At that time, success for me was the ability to complete my education, earn money and cater to my basic needs (and that of my siblings) as well as seeing my younger brother complete his education.
One thing is for sure; my difficult background did not deter me from having a vision. You see, poverty motivates those who have tasted its impact, and since I was lucky to have received support and advice from others, that was all the wealth I needed. For me, advice and encouragement was more valuable than money. It gave me the zeal and determination to do and achieve more.
I always say that you can be down but not out. The fact that you have failed on several occasions or fallen should not mean you quit. Only quit and move to the next thing if it’s not working out for you.
Just like a little child who tries to ride a bike, keeps falling but never gives up, or the tailor who kept trying to put the thread through the needle and eventually did it and began selling great threads, you cannot afford to give up. You are your only beacon of hope. When you decide to do something, DO IT! And if you don’t, you have no one else to blame but yourself.
Going to school barefoot and getting the education I got created opportunities that I never dreamt of. I never knew I would end up getting an opportunity to increase my knowledge at some of the advanced institutions in the world like Harvard. Better still, I never knew that same knowledge would help me establish successful businesses and gain a wealth of experience that would take me to sit on the external board advising the President of Harvard.
The soles of my shoes only know the many miles I have traversed and the struggles I have endured. Those struggles define my success and my reason for being.
Make sure you define your success; define your reason and be the reason. Remember, mistakes are proof that you are trying. Keep trying and be the reason you or someone smiles each day. Don’t let the label limit your potential.
CLICK

Posted Wednesday, November 25, 2015 | by- DAILY MONITOR Do not believe what Museveni tells you, Besigye tells Ugandans

KAMPALA, Tuesday

Forum for Democratic Change presidential candidate Kizza Besigye has told Ugandans not to believe President Yoweri Museveni when he says he will not seek re-election in 2021.

Museveni, 71 said at a press conference during his tour of West Nile last week that should he win next year’s elections, he would respect the law that bars anyone above 75 from contesting for presidency.

“What am I planning to do? I will follow the Constitution,” Museveni said.

However, Besigye said Museveni was not sincere.

“An adult cannot change. Do you think Museveni can stop telling lies?” he asked a crowd at a rally in Budadiri, Sironko District.

He also reacted to an article in one of the dailies in which presidential adviser John Nagenda said Museveni would respect the law.

“It is surprising that Nagenda thinks some Ugandans still listen to Museveni and his term talk,” Besigye said.

TERM LIMITS

In 2001, Museveni said if given a second term in office, he would step down in 2006. The constitution was later amended to do away with term limits.

There are claims that NRM, which enjoys a 67 per cent majority in parliament could amend the law to increase Museveni’s terms.

Besigye also drew in presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi, who was a powerful figure in Museveni’s government until they fell out.

“You have heard Mbabazi say he parted ways with the president because Museveni lied to him about this being his last term,” he said.

In Kitgum, President Museveni said he would fix problems in education by building a primary school in every parish and a secondary school in every sub-county countrywide. 

FREE EDUCATION

The NRM leader was addressing a rally at Boma Grounds.

Posted  Wednesday, November 25, 2015 |  by- DAILY MONITOR

Do not believe what Museveni tells you, Besigye tells Ugandans

Page 2 of 2

He reiterated his promise to provide pupils with sanitary towels, pens, pencils and exercise books to support free education. 

Museveni also promised to invest Sh600 billion in the next five years for wealth creation.

He said the money would be used to make every household have an acre of citrus trees or coffee.  

NAMOKORA AND MUCWINI MASSACRES

Earlier, he told a gathering that included relatives of people killed in the Namokora and Mucwini massacres of 1986 that he had instructed the solicitor-general to investigate the incidents but did not explain why it had taken that long to address the matter. 

The victims’ relatives, who are demanding compensation, want the government to build a monument in memory of the people reportedly killed by the army’s 35th Battalion.

And in an interesting twist, Museveni said he was ready to take on Besigye, Mbabazi and other candidates in a televised debate.

“I am ready for Besigye, Mbabazi and other candidates for the debate. What is wrong with that? I am mobile with my mouth. I do not leave it at home,” he said.

LIVE TELEVISION DEBATE

Last week, Dr Besigye dared the president to a live television debate.

In Kayunga, Farmers Party of Uganda presidential candidate Benon Biraaro,  promised to build a special prison for those convicted of corruption if he was elected president.

“The prison will be at Kidepo National Park in Karamoja. If they attempt to escape, they will be eaten by lions,” Maj Gen (rtd) Biraaro said.

The rally in Nazigo was temporally stopped by the Kayunga District NRM boss Moses Karangwa who distributed President Museveni’s posters.

In Buikwe, presidential aspirant Abed Bwanika showered praises on the Milton Obote and Idi Amin regimes.

Dr Obote, the founding leader of Uganda People’s Congress was president from 1966 to 1971 and 1980 to 1985 while Amin ruled the country from 1971 to 1979.

These two regimes were criticised internationally for gross human rights violations.

The People’s Development Party boss said Obote and Amin left lasting legacies.

Understanding the German Cases: Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genetive

So you’ve been learning German and the cases are driving you up the wall, worry no more. Here’s a short crash course:
First, a simple sentence to explain the object, verb and subject:

I love you. Ich liebe dich.

I (Subject) Love (verb) You (Object).

Contents

• 1 Nominative:
• 2 Accusative:
• 3 Dative:
• 4 Genetive:

Nominative:

This is the “factory setting” or if you like, the pure form. Der, die, das. Usually used when the item is the subject in the statement. You don’t need to do anything to these words, they are as you find them in the dictionary.

Accusative:

The direct object (accusative) functions as the receiver of the action of a transitive verb.
Certain German prepositions are governed by the accusative case. That is, they take an object in the accusative case. The accusative prepositions tend to be used a lot and it is important to learn them early in your study of German.
There are two kinds of accusative prepositions:

(1) those that are always accusative and never anything else, (durch, für, gegen, ohne, um) and
(2) certain “two-way” prepositions that can be either accusative or dative – depending on how they are used. (an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor, zwischen)

The basic rule for determining whether a two-way preposition should have an object in the accusative or dative case is motion versus location. If there is motion towards something or to a specific location (wohin?, where to?), then usually that is accusative. If there is no motion at all or random motion going nowhere in particular (wo?, where (at)?), then that is usually dative. This rule applies only to the so-called “two-way” or “dual” prepositions in German.

Dative:

Unlike the accusative, which only changes in the masculine gender, the dative changes in all genders and in the plural. The pronouns also change correspondingly. The indirect object (dative) is usually the receiver of the direct object (accusative).

Der Polizist gibt dem Fahrer einen Strafzettel.
The policeman is giving the driver a ticket.

The dative case is also used after certain prepositions (zu, mit, gegenüber, nach, aus, außer, bei, seit, von) and verbs (gratulieren, hören, gehören, gefallen, helfen, glauben e.t.c.).

Genetive:

Shows possession. In English, it’s signified by the apostrophe s (‘s).

• Mum’s car (Mutters Auto)
• Angela’s dad (Angelas Vater)

German and English Genitive share the same idea but the don’t share the same mechanics. English marks the noun, German marks noun AND article. The German Genitive element, so the person or thing who owns something can be put before and after the possessed thing.
CLICK

HERE is the FULL LIST of 46 Principal Secretaries Appointed By Uhuru in A Cabinet Reshuffle

Uhuru has increased the number of sub-ministries from 22 to 46 a more than 105% increase in WAGE BILL. Here below are the full names of the new appointees who will be in charge of ‘eating’ in the new sub-ministries.
PRINCIPAL SECRETARIES NOVEMBER 2015
Ministry Name
1 Agriculture Richard Lesiyampe
2 Arts, Culture Joe Okudo
3 Basic Education Dr Belio Kipsang
4 Broadcasting & Telecommunications Sammy Itemere
5 Cooperatives Ali Noor Ismail
6 Correctional Services Micah Powon
7 Defence Amb Peter K Kaberia
8 Devolution Mwanamaka Mabruki
9 EAC Integration Betty Chemutai Maina 10 Energy Eng. Joseph Njoroge
11 Environment Charles Sunkuli
12 Fisheries Prof Ntiba Micheni
13 Interior Eng. Karanja Kibicho
14 Youth and Public Service Lilian Omollo
15 Health Nicholas Muraguri 16 Housing & Urban Development Aidah
Munano
17 ICT & Innovation Victor Kyalo
18 Industry & Enterprise Development
Julius Korir
19 Infrastructure John Musonik 20 Foreign Dr Amb Monica Juma
21 International Trade Dr Chris Kiptoo
22 Irrigation Patrick Nduati Mwangi
23 Labour Khadija Kassachoom
24 Lands Mariam El Maawy
25 Livestock Dr Andrew K Tuimur 26 Maritime Commerce Nancy Karigithu
27 Mining Dr Mohammed Ibrahim
Mahmud
28 National Treasury Kamau Thugge
29 National Water Services Fred Sigor
30 Natural Resources Dr Margaret Mwakima
31 Petroleum Andrew Kamau Nganga
32 Planning & Statistics Saitoti Torome
33 Public Works Dr Paul Maringa Mwangi
34 Social Security & Services Susan
Mochache 35 Special Programmes Josepheta
Mukobe
36 Sports Development Richard Ekai
37 Tourism Fatuma Hersi
38 Transport Wilson Nyakera Irungu
39 University (Higher) Education Prof Colleta Suda
40 Vocational & Technical Training Dr
Dinah Jerotich Mwinzi
41 Gender Affairs Zeinab W Hussein

Senator Moses Kajwang on Cabinet Reshuffle

By Hon Moses Kajwang: 25.11.2015
The true objective of the cabinet announcement was to confirm the sacking of disgraced Cabinet Secretaries (CS) Ngilu, Waiguru, Ole Lenku, Chirchir, Kosgey, Kambi and Kamau (yes, Ole Lenku was still a minister without portfolio).
Then President pooped the party by replacing them with tribesmen. Ngilu with Mailu; Waiguru with Kiunjuri; Chirchir with Keter; Kambi with Kazungu; Kamau with Kariuki; Kosgey with Bett.
Must you be Kalenjin or Kikuyu to have an above average chance of serving this nation as a CS? Article 130(2) of the Constitution requires the executive to reflect the regional and ethnic outlook of the nation.
Was there any ideological message in the reconstituted cabinet?
With Kenya on the verge of an economic, social and political meltdown, and with less than two years to elections, does Jubilee have the luxury to experiment with ministerial appointees?Take the ministry of Lands as an example; the new appointee is a professor of dentistry who has precipitated the worst education crisis in Kenya in the two years he has served as Education CS. What new ideas will he offer in Lands? Yet unresolved land grievances remain the single most potent issue that can lead to civil war in Kenya.
Then move over to ICT; Joe Mucheru is a well known tech entrepreneur and marketer. But will he fly in the bureaucratic and mafia infested waters in government? What is his philosophy on media freedom, since he will have vast powers to regulate the media?
Look at Mining; Dan Kazungu is a jolly good fellow who made a professional career selling ICT solutions. This is not data mining; this is about going to the bowels of the earth to extract coal and oil and other assets God put there and making sure it benefits Kenyans. While I wish him well, will he succeed where the hardened politician Najib Balala failed?
Then take a look at the new appointee to the powerful and favoured ministry of Devolution and Planning; Mwangi Kiunjuri is a seasoned politician. In 2010 when he was Assistant Minister and was moved from the Ministry of Water to Public Works amid graft claims, he loudly protested that he was a “whistleblower” who was being victimised. This ministry surely attracts whistle-blowers! He was further named by ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda as one of the accomplices of President Uhuru during the 2007/2008 post election violence. Kenya is in trouble if NYS remains under his docket.
The monkeys have changed, but the forest remains the same. Kenyans should brace themselves for a long and hard ride under Jubilee.