Could Ruto have been testing his popularity with RED campaign?

Playing the referendums RED card in the next general elections

Updated: Thursday, 25 August, 2011

Story by: MEEME JOSHUA

The signs of Ruto's sacking have been hovering for a long time. Indeed the sacking will endear him to more Kenyans who have rightly forgotten he headed the RED card centre. Now the PM Raila Odinga will licking his wounds in Rift Valley in what has been orchestrated to mean a purge on the area leaders.

Region's leaders have been made to believe that Raila originated the woes Ruto faces with ICC cases. In the event that charges against the sextet are confirmed at the Hague, Ruto will intensify his blames on Raila. With the Constitution being silent on suitability of people appearing before a court like the international criminal court, Ruto's name will definitely appear on the ballot.

The question that we seek to answer is, will Ruto support another person? Let take a walk down memory lane. Delegates conference in Kasarani, that anointed Raila as ODm presidential candidate, Ruto had calculated well that he would clench the nomination. However he was prevailed upon when he was promised the premier's post. The fallout in ODM inner circle was attributable to that day promises and failure to honour them.

His recent statements that he has been supporting others during the 8th anniversary after the death of Kijana Wamalwa speaks volumes. In a coded message he seems to tell other contenders to support him for the stab on the presidency. He tested himself against Raila during the refendum for the New Constitution. Having garnered two million, Ruto feels that is a large block of votes to front for others to support him. This is block that he want others to consider in support for his bid.

It should not be forgotten that all the rest except Cyrus Jirongo were either watermelons or Greens. If Ruto convinces other to support him, Kikuyus will not feel rightly represented in the government based on history. Why are the members of the community apprehensive of Ruto's rise to power? When Moi became the President he brought all prominent Kikuyus to their knees. The community has not forgotten  but are holding a grudge against their suspect friends.

During the 2007 post election chaos, it was the two communities that suffered the highest damages. The issue of IDPs in the area and around the country has not been resolved. This is to mean that the unity calls could be just a veneer that covers the hidden agenda of their leaders.

Among the Ruto supporters, his sacking depicts Raila as being intolerant to diverse views. But that was dilemma that Raila faced; damned if he never sacked the rebles, damned if sacked them. If opted for the latter.

Mutua should have lost his job, not Chief

Kenyans say: Release Chief and crucify Mutua

Updated: Wednesday August 10, 2011

Story by: JOSH MEMENTO

The Chief from Kalapata area bore the brunt of telling the world that his people were dying of hunger. This was after Government Spokesman Alfred Mutua challenged the media on his weekly media briefing to reveal any information of a person who had died of hunger and not disease or old age. Who between the two should have lost his job?

Dr. Mutua was serving his employer diligently by covering his nakedness even when the employer was dying. The Kalapata Chief was serving to save his people from more deaths. Kenyans of goodwill could not turned p in large numbers had they known that the government was on top of things in alleviating hunger. But because we knew the bureaucracy and sluggishness in attending to issues that deserves urgency, Kenyans-for-Kenya went out to help their brothers and sisters suffering suffering in Northern Kenya.

Indeed it should have Mutua who should have lost his job for not representing facts. Being out of touch with the people that pays him, is a crime that should have cost him his job. But this is Kenya. The chief was sacked for exposing the dire situation affecting his people. To rub salt to an injury, the Internal Security Permanent Secretary Francis Kimemia justifies sacking the chiefs. Where do this guys live? Indeed now I understand why when most people coming from these regions claim to be coming to Kenya when they coming to Nairobi. This is because they do not consider themselves to be in Kenya.

This impervious government turned its deaf ear on the meteorological warning that that rain would not be enough and many people would suffer famine. If indeed the problem was logistic as the government's spin doctor want Kenyans to believe, they could have measures in place to avail the food to the people at the opportune. However what we see is  shameful knee-jerk reactions to hunger when people are already dying.

From the success stories, that have aired in the media, Kenya is not hungering for food but for resolute leadership. Why would a government that has taken oath to protect Kenyans, result to reactionary measures of sending relief food when these people can in fact feed themselves. Information is power. Many of these in Northern Kenya do not have a choice to be pastoralists but this is the source of livelihood that they know. If the government can avail water either from the underground or from the rivers across the country, these areas can be food sufficient. Sacking the chiefs was not a solution to the problem of hunger. This exemplifies a situation of killing the messenger from bringing the message to the relevant people.

Wake up guys! Kenyans will not remember you for the good cars that you drive or by how well you argue on behalf of your employer but by how well you represent actual information. Dr. Mutua must be forced to resign for denying that there were people suffering of hunger; the chiefs should be promoted for bringing to the attention of Kenyans the fate of his people.