Kenya is peaceful but disturbed. A famous national analyst Saturday said the country is “on the brink of implosion.” The loser in the presidential election is challenging the results in court, but if he loses the president and vice-president of Kenya will be international criminals indicted for crimes against humanity. This is not acceptable.
“An uncomfortable silence pervades the public sphere,” Godwin Murunga wrote this weekend in Kenya’s largest newspaper, the Daily Nation. “We are afraid of our feelings.”
So the country waits on pins and needles and does so by being quiet. A once robust media discusses fashion and school tests while the Joker and his prime assistant prepare a government of iniquity. A fabulous new constitution sits like an butterfly in a cocoon waiting for a dictator to roast it before it hatches.
And the world holds its breath, so happy there’s not another war or revolution, hoping perhaps beyond hope that the New Kenya will right itself.
But how?
The mistake came long ago when in the many wonderful and difficult things the country was doing to recreate itself, it allowed indicted international criminals to become candidates. What else could it do? Does not democracy revere the right of the accused to be considered innocent until proven guilty?
And, in fact, multiple accused by the World Court in The Hague have been ultimately released or original charges dropped before trial.
But I think the more important fact is that the World Court’s standards for irrefutable evidence is so great – so much more substantial than country courts around the world including the U.S. – that just to be indicted is at the very least reason to prohibit the indicted from assuming national office or responsibility.
Even as a contradiction to democracy and the purity of law that governs it. The interlude between indictment and conviction was the loophole that put Kenya in the mess it finds itself, today.
And that’s the point. So even while people like myself are convinced that Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto will be convicted by The World Court, their simple indictment should have prevented Kenya from allowing them to become candidates.
Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, the current president-elect and vice-president-elect, are not nice guys. They are greedy, conniving politicians whose families have looted the poor Kenyan for generations.
Their success was brilliantly created. Singly they couldn’t survive, because they come from tribes that are historical arch enemies. Together they combined their enmity to defeat all that was good in Kenya.
Raila Odinga, the challenger who lost, is not purity incarnate, but he is considerably less corrupt, untainted by scandals, and was not the least bit implicated in engineering the violence of 2007 as the ICC has charged Kenyatta and his running mate, William Ruto, were.
Odinga’s challenge of the outcome of the election in the Kenyan courts is substantial. Kenyatta was declared the winner by less than 8,000 votes of more than 12 million cast. The election was bungled. One of Kenya’s finest analysts called the election “shambolic.”
The list of counting grievances includes districts whose vote tally exceeded the number of people registered there. It includes up to a half million votes that were declared spoiled by incorrect marking, even while the intention of the voter was clear.
It includes thousands of discrepancies between parallel methods of counting that were intended to confirm one another.
It is, in a nutshell, a mess. And it is that mess that even if too complicated to untangle stands as a powerful reason to claim that .07% of the votes cast might not be legitimate.
Yet at the same time peace has been sustained and security prevails, today. “Many Kenyans… have spent the last 5 years trying to avoid a repetition” of the violence of 2007, writes Magnus Taylor, a South African who reported daily from Nairobi on the election. But he adds:
“Kenya is far from being over the nightmare.”
Take me off your list… you are such an ass
Not saying what you say is not the truth….but you are so f negative. Loose the business to Kenya and how many people do you think you will put out of work in Kenya.
Crimes against humanity are not acceptable….
Alana Hayden, Born Free Safaris
We are democratic country,and would appreciate our foreign” friends” not to try and impose their choice of leaders under the shadows of “crimes…which are not proven.
Over 5 million citizens made their choice which is their democratic right.
Our courts will handle all petitions.
Jim you have a huge following why not use it to positively speak about our peaceful and beautiful country,and help bring back tourists which will create jobs, spur ripple effect business.
Lucy Karume
The onus is on the ICC for delaying the trials, letting the accused get bail, etc. And their rules of evidence are so impossible… viz, just now dropping the case against one of Kenyatta’s co-accused because a witness, by the prosecutors own admission, is too scared to testify and admits to being bribed. Kenyatta and Ruto should have been in the dock before the election. They will not now go before the court under any circumstances.
You are very biased , choosing to write terrible things about a country you least know about. I don’t know what nationality you are , if you are South African you got enough stuff to sort out in your own backyard . We will soon be on your case on the social media as we will NOT allow you to continue writing lies and tarnishing our image as a nation. I am sure you are unhappy that Kenya did not explode, the matter is now in court and we will show the world and your likes that indeed we are a civilized democratic nation. Stick to safari guiding and don’t try to get into analyzing Kenya’s political matters. I hope you publish my comment.
SO YOU WANT TO WRITE ON KENYA??? I refer you to an article herein titled ” So You Want To Write on Africa” posted under STEREOTYPES and I paraphrase below
In other words, I am not asking that people write only positive articles about Africa, simply that they use the same intellectual and investigative tools that they apply to other regions of the world.
A nuanced description of the problem- a 3d portrait of some of the people it affects—a briefing on the obstacles—and an overview of how people/institutions are dealing with it.
Spare me the wallowing.
As always, I am exempting the horrible situations in some conflict zones where misery over-rides other aspects of life. These are, thankfully, few and far between.
So you want to write on Kenya? We are not asking you to write only positive articles, simply that you use the same intellectual and investigative tools that you apply to other regions of the world or ask anyone who really knows Kenya.
You have missed on some points. But generally I think you are right. Uhuru and Ruto have been rigged in by the National intelligence crooks.
I dnt understand what you will achieve by writing such crap
Spot on,,,, good your saying what the rest fear
“Raila Odinga, the challenger who lost, is not lily white, but he shines like a terry cloth white towel just washed in Tide Bleach when compared to these monsters.”
What a poor, poor choice of words. Wow.
Jimmy uou just a thorn in the flesh, why soo negative about our beautiful peaceful country, i think you need to stop being malice and write material that has image but i dont think your story will sell by being that negative! We kenyans are dying for your blo,,,,,,
It does not matter how our elections were contacted its non of ur business, i think you need to go back to your home land! Please give us peace of mind! Sorry jim am just touched and by your painful write up!!
Jim, are you a serious person? You sound like one of those ill adviced googling writers who don’t care about any truth but to sensationalize everything. If you had done an ounce of homework, you might have found out that the ICC by its own admission has witnesses who are compromised by the former prosecutor and the very credibility of that court is in question. Oh and again if you had done some h/work, Uhuru won by 4100 votes NOT 8000…but then again you were in a hurry get a story out right? there are so many facts wrong with your story, its utterly insulting to Kenyans. Get a job that doesnt require brains…you cant make it in this one
Dude, so you are wiser than 5 million Kenyans now? Please, SIT DOWN!!
If I can read between your lines, I can extrapolate that you are disappointed that the Kenyan Media is not ganging up on Mr’s Uhuru and Ruto enough. In that understanding, they the Kenyan media are in your opinion “a once robust media” – so in your exalted opinion the Kenyan media should become a political vessel for your favoured candidate, so as they can busk in the glory of been referred by you as been robust. One wonders robust in/or at what?
I suppose it wouldn’t matter to you that they have no inclination to spark animosities through electoral patronage. Not everybody is short-sighted you know – even within the Kenyan media.
But let’s talk about your obsession with the ICC. Wouldn’t it not make sense that the US and her electorate ratify the Rome Statutes and join the rest of the lowly diplomatic world in finding solutions to US Drone Diplomacy and its attendant targeted killings; we can review the international war on terror, from WMD’s, Afghanistan, Iraq , Libya and perhaps talk about the international proliferation of arms – All on an equal footing. If that wouldn’t be too much of an ask to the US electorate, her constitution and her governments.
Anything less than that would be condescending and pretentious, wouldn’t you say?
In my opinion it would auger well for Kenyans to know that they are part of the international community, as recognised by their constitution, electorate and governments. Hence it is their responsibility to furnish that relationship and understanding with their cooperation and participation diplomatically.
The international community owes Kenya exactly the same understanding and diplomatic undertaking to. It will bode well with Kenyans to have the international community respect her electorates will as much as they would engage with her elected government s diplomatically (CORD or Jubilee) as stipulated and articulated by the international norms that Kenya and her electorate are signatory’s to….
Please refute the writers “faulty” claims with good argument.
ICC is a joke and a sham, no doubt about that.
But it is also intellectual dishonesty and hypocrisy to say that the Kenya elections were not. All expensive IT systems conveniently “failing”? That alone is the elephant in the room before the other issues before the court are argued.
What happened to the mantra that you are innocent until proven guilty??
What are you suggesting the Kenyan people to do now…half of them to go to war against the over 5million who voted for the “monsters” as you call them???
Will more bloodshed solve this??
Stop the rhetoric and your half-assed assessment of what Kenya needs.
wow! another lop sided review of a countries status, one under some payroll supposed to be perceived as a fearless journalist in africa, but perhaps just a fellow who has sold his birth right sensationalizing words like a movie script. crap
You stupid moron, just squeeze your rotten testicles abit before you call our president and v. President elect greedy!! 6M Kenyans voted them! ICC is politically instigated and the cases are already fast crumbling! Where do you live?? F*** you gay!!
When you got looser who lacks content to copy and paste , this is the outcome….style-up and get facts well. Kenya is a great country and will follow the laws. Who is this age trust politicians .
You won’t know what hit you when I finally take you to court like I have done other ‘monsters’. What the fuck do you want from us
? You have proven to be incapable to compete with your own and now venture into a delicate topic that could as well stir emotion and hatred among Kenyans when we as a country have our own problems yet we are struggling to deal with the elements that you have taken and magnified out of all proportions to just deceive and earn a name!!! You are such an ass! I wonder what your wife thinks of you, if you have one at all. Go home. Or better yet.. DIE!!!! I doubt you are needed in this world. You are drunk and incompetent that you can’t even deal with your own people that you find people you can dominate in the name of Safari. Trust me- The International Community may not do anything.. But I tell you, justice shall always prevail in the end.
I hope those Kenyan born lions in the Mara feast on you.
We Kenyans are offended by the truth. I don’t agree with everything but you are absolutely agree that people indicted for such crimes should not be on the ballot. Period.
It is morally wrong. Trust Kenyans to not be objective on this. Congratulating ourselves on a peaceful election? Why?? Elections are supposed to be peaceful. You don’t congratulate yourself on things you are supposed to do. If you take care and raise your own child, you do not praise yourself for doing so! You are supposed to!
Someone sounds disappointed that Kenya is not at war and hence nothing to report home about!! #Kenyanslovespeace
Well spoken!!!!
So, when did foreigners become authorities on our country. I keep saying, ‘journalism’ (i use this term in this case loosely for obvious reasons) comes with responsibility. Is it worth reporting lies and inflaming a situation for the benefit of visibility. SHAME ON YOU!
By the way did you hear another witness in ICC has dropped. and so you think your candidate is ‘white’ compared to monsters who are supposedly ‘black’. i cant help but notice how racist you are! and by the way whi said white is superior than black.
you are such a disgrace to human race.
As a Kenyan who wants and wishes prosperity i this country, I see lot’s of irresponsible reporting and commenting by you in this article.
If you are South African, kindly concentrate on talking positive about your country and nation instead of talking negative on Kenya.
As Kenyans, we’ve known what ails us and are handling it internally. Its the reason we can move to court to challenge the results instead of fighting. We know we’ve solutions among us. Focus your energies on reporting about SA, our tourism competitor. We’ll report our own case as us.
This Jim what the Heck are those jounarlists who depend on NGO’s to get funding for their trips to Africa posing as working whilst they have just come for pleasure, it was Jim’s utter displeasure when Kenyans voted peacefully and no violence occured which caused his NGO’s not to sponsor his fancy trips, with these anger he opted to take sides and with sides he selected the most vulnerable and copy paste articles which could stir violence.
To Jim I will leave you with Eminems lines, But how dare you try to take what you didn’t help me to get
You selfish bitch; I hope you fucking burn in hell for this shit – ‘Cleaning out my Closet’
Very poor reporting – I agree with Agatha Juma:
So you want to write on Kenya? We are not asking you to write only positive articles, simply that you use the same intellectual and investigative tools that you apply to other regions of the world or ask anyone who really knows Kenya.
What a negative and wrong article can you not find something else to write about
I am disappointed in your writing because it is so obviously biased. As a Kenyan, it is not lost on me that the President elect and DP elect are facing charges at the ICC. What you should be asking yourself, is why did so many Kenyans choose to overlook that factor? We are not daft, neither do we not know what is at stake. Do your homework Jim Heck… we are tired of hearing the ‘alienation song’, we know the lyrics by heart. In the meantime, please unsubscribe me.
You foolish creature, Wow how do you write a horrid article about Kenya? why are you biased in your writing? what these foreigners need to know is that we don’t need folks telling us whats right and whats wrong or who we should vote for or not… we as Africans should know whats best for us…. please stick to writing about simba et al, you would not require to use your brains for that.
Initially, I thought so highly of you but, as from today, I know who you are… you are in the payroll of US white house employed to insight Kenyans against each other. But this time round, you will have to employ different tricks. You managed to destroy Libya in the name of democracy and what are you doing there currently? Just stealing the oil under marine guards. Kenya has oil and you want to get it through your puppet Raila. Poor Jim, Raila lost the elections so this and other business deals are difficult to get. Uhuru and Ruto are best known to Kenyans than to your bunch of foreign detractors.. Get your country organised before you shamelesly pock your nose into Kenyan affairs. And before you talk about the ICC, could you ask your masters why they keep talking about it whereas they are not signatories? Why is it that its only African leaders who are taken there? Doesn’t George Bush deserve to be there for the hundreds of thousands he killed in Iraq? Please be advised that we do not need your propaganda any more. I feel sick!!
Idiocy knows no bounds
very misguided writing this.
I saw comments up in arms on this article and decided to read it myself.
Its not worth responding to. This man clearly had set his mind to having another person win. But the good part as Kenyans is we can ignore his comments, because he is not Kenyan and his wishes do not matter.
I can only hope that both our President-elect and Deputy President-elect will get a hold of this and they can sue him for the names he has called them but most importantly for him to prove where they were found guilty for crimes against humanity.
Kenyan tourisim sector has survived so much more than this, lets not give this man some leverage of importance that he really doesn’t have. His vile article will be overcome as Kenya has managed to overcome so many more.
Kenya means “God’s dwelling place” that should explain why this beautiful nation overcomes much and remains standing strong.
God will nullify all this – ignore him. Kenya is o.k
Did you just refer to the ICC as the World Court (slow clap right there)
It’s finally dawning on Kenyans that Odinga was a stooge of the West, too sad the plan backfired on their faces. ICC cases are crumbling daily like a house of cards. Worst criminals in the world are Bush and Blair for their evil roles in the mass murder of thousands of innocent women, children and men in Middle East. I think African’s are waking up to fact that ICC which Americans are not signatories was formed to whip Africans. Odinga has always been involved in violence, from the botched 1982 coup attempt, to 2007 elections where he called for “mass action” a code name for riots, burning and violence. Kenyan will prosper!
the writer is just another house slave married to the western imperialism ideals, philosophy and praxis. I thought you should be intelligent enough to see beyond the tip of your nose. There was no news for the west. You got very disappointed that the country went through the elections peacefully albeit the appeal at the supreme court. Our Kenya media covered the elections comprehensively without stirring the emotions of the voters. You still lamenting for lack of ‘news’. We have no respect for the west. They dont trade with us or relate with us because of the love they have for the kenyans.it simply makes business or strategic sense to. We can comfortably deal with you to that extent. This country will resolve the outstanding issues comfortably through the legal constitutions that we have build. Look for trouble elsewhere.
Haron at http://www.mediacouncil.or.ke
Ati who are you again? Some imbecilic misfit who can’t be useful in their own country but out here in the ‘wild savannah’ you think pips will give you the time of day. Think again!
There you go ……..you asked for it. By the way incitement and hate speech is still an active law in Kenya and it targets everyone, not only Kenyans,in Kenya!!!!.
Expect a call!!
Jim,
I am not interested in this.
Regards
Herman, http://www.aberdaresafarihotels.com
Of what value will such arm chair, negative bile add. I am tempted to spew similar vitriol…but I will be the bigger person and look out the window and marvel at the beauty that is KENYA. I sincerely pray that you will not spam me.
Why r u soo keen on rubbishing Kenya with all that nonsence?Please write about things u know about and dont go cooking bullshit just to keep your job.U r such a loser,if u’d spend your time hoping for bloodshed just so u can sell a paper,u r such a loser!
Seriously, you should be embarrassed and ashamed for your stupidity is showing. This is highly unproffessional and is libel which is sueable. You seem to have a lot of time on your hands and with nothing to do we can see why an idle mind is the devils workshop. Jim, the mind is not a good thing to waste, so try and not waste it with stupid assumptions and also concentrate on what you know. This is one thing you don’t, get a life
This is just your opinion??? “I think, I think… ‘the mistake’ ‘not acceptable'”… according to WHO? Who the hell are you? Do you know what this kind of press does to MILLIONS of people relying on tourism in Kenya? From the man or woman making up the rooms, to the supplier of milk and bacon to camps and lodges! Some of what you say is already on the mind of Kenyans…but the underlying fact… that Kenyans pulled off a successful election with an 80% turn out to vote is left wanting!!! How many tourists came to harm even after the last Presidential Election??? WHY shouldn’t people come here? Sure there might be some places to avoid… don’t go wandering into the centre of Kibera. But we are all functioning fine here thank you very much and the reason media houses and radio DJ’s are discussing fashion and school tests is because these are EVERYDAY things because we are getting on with our lives!
Who are you to say people shouldn’t come here? This isn’t the centre of Cairo or Syria for god’s sake?
Take a clue from the 44 (now 45) comments left here and focus your menial attention somewhere else please… and leave us alone!
http://www.deltadunes.co.ke
I wrote my own report on the just concluded elections, to all our agents overseas, which I think is a more realistic view on what WE AS KENYANS feel. An American safari agent and middleman, has no right and obviously no knowldge to comment on our affairs and putting our country down, when he earns money from us. I share the email I sent to all, with you:
Dear All,
You have probably been wondering how things have gone over the last week and how it has all worked out.
Just a brief to let you know.
On 04th. March we all lined up and voted.
This all went very well and absolutely peaceful.
The lines to vote were very long, in some cases it took 6 hours lining up.
This is mainly because it was a very ambitious project to hold 6 elections at one go!
We are a very proud country right now, because it all worked surprising well, despite some technical problems.
From 05 March the results trickled in slowly and it quickly became a 2 horse race, Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta.
Uhuru took an early lead and kept it throughout.
All the voting came out pretty much as we all thought, Raila doing very well in his tribal areas and Uhuru doing very well in his.
Final results were finally issued on Saturday afternoon, after dealing with all queries and questions; the end results were as follows:
President
Winner needs 50% + 1 votes and at least 25% of votes in 24 Counties
291 of 291 constituencies reporting
12,221,053number of valid votes cast
•
UHURU KENYATTA
JUBILEE
6,173,433 votes
50.1%
counties > 25% = 31
•
RAILA ODINGA
CORD
5,340,546 votes
43.4%
counties > 25% = 29
•
MUSALIA MUDAVADI
AMANI
483,981 votes
3.9%
counties > 25% = 3
It is important to note that the entire country has embraced the results in a spirit of peace and that there has been no major trouble reported anywhere.
The European Union has said that the elections were free and fair.
“The European Union has passed a vote of confidence in the March 4 general election, saying Kenyans had demonstrated a strong commitment to democracy.
The EU Election Observation Mission hailed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for overcoming several challenges to conduct a peaceful and democratic exercise.
“I was pleased to see that Kenyan voters’ determination to exercise their democratic rights was strong enough to defeat even the longest queues,” said the Mission’s chief observer, former Slovenia Prime Minister Alojz Peterle.”
An independent international watchdog also conducted a parallel vote count and have confirmed that the figures given are accurate. At the end of the day, at each of the 30,000+ voting and counting stations there were representatives of the following:
1. The electoral commission.
2. A representative of each and every candidate.
3. A representative of the EU
4. A representative of the independent watchdog.
They all signed off on the final tally “returning sheet” and all left with copies. Everybody has confirmed that what is showed on their copy is what was announced in the final results.
Anyway, Uhuru gave the most touching and incredible acceptance speech I have ever heard, and the country (including most of the opposition supporters) have welcomed him as the 4th. President of Kenya.
Interestingly, there was a 19 year old teenage boy that stood and won a seat as a County Representative!!
The Country is back to work as normal today and everything is very peaceful.
Uhuru will not be sworn in until the legal challenge of Raila Odinga has been heard. The courts have promised to deal with it within 7 days, then assuming it is cleared, he can be sworn in 14 days after that. This means that Mwai Kibaki will remain the official president until then. It is an extremely important time in Government right now, as they all have to prepare everything for the 2013/2014 budget which has to be released by 01 June 2013, so they cannot waste time. Under the new constitution we shall have a much leaner government and interest rates are predicted to drop due to less government borrowing.
I am very proud to be a Kenyan right now, we have shown an exceptional level of political maturity, that even I did not expect. There is still a lot of voting along tribal lines rather than policy, but this is changing. We managed to run 6 elections in 1, and pulled it off. The world press waited for violence and it did not come, and I think that this country is really ready to boom under Uhuru. I think the days of elections being a period of worry and concern are over and that they will just become a normal national event in the future.
Uhuru is very keen on tourism and is also personally invested in the industry, so for all of us, be prepared for great things.
The purpose of this email was just to brief you and keep you in the loop of what is going on, I hope I did that without boring you too much. In case you are interested in further details; then please find 2 further documents attached.