The Kleptocracy That is Kenya

In a post I wrote about 11 months ago titled "Kenya: The African Mexico, its Stockholm Syndrome and What Somalis Can do to change their fortunes" I wrote this telling paragraph:

 Kenya is being over-run by drug cartels and narco-hitmen. Its unprofessional and untrained police officers are getting whacked Mafia style right in the heart of Nairobi while they are pre-occupied with explaining their bad fortunes on non existent 'terrorists' and burqa clad femme fatales.
The uptick in clashes between Police and drug traffickers is a sign that Kenya's long running drug problem is coming of age. We have now entered a new phase where drug barons feel powerful enough to take on the weak  and co-opted police force. Kenya's is fast morphing into a Mexico. Its now the equivalent of a Brazilian Favella. Traffickers have heavily embedded themselves deep into every level of society and  are virtually controlling law enforcement on this almost failed state.

That prognosis still holds true today and this is the actual war we should be fighting today.

Much of the hooblah surrounding Kenya's occupation of Southern Somalia has gone overboard now. Those of us opposed to the Somali war are opposing it on philosophical, humanitarian and economic grounds. We are not opposed to the war in Somalia because we are lily-livered weaklings. We understand declaring war is different from winning a war and Kenya has over the past 47 years shown that it is bad at fighting.

There is a temptation to take uncritical pride in your country when its defending you against enemies foreign even if that enemy is the imagination of a couple of brain-addled politicians.

The real war Kenya's security apparatus should be fighting is the one against narcotics. Our youths and children deserve to be protected from the evils of hard drugs. Our greatest enemy is the insidiousness of  drugs, the way it separates families and corrupts every lever of our society.

The video embedded below is a good indication.

Quick Hits: Youths Storm Municipal Council Offices & Nurses Assaulted in Sakuri

 This morning, my inbox was stuffed with e-mails from readers informing me about what some of them termed 'a revolutionary fervor' bubbling in our city.

Yesterday, about 8-10 youths from the Northern forum for Democracy(?) were arrested and arraigned in court after they  stormed the Garissa Municipal Council offices. All of the accused youths were released on free bail and will have allegation against them heard by a judge at a later date.

Does this represent a break with our passive past? No one can conclusively say so but we hope this heralds a  change in the fear pyramid where citizens move to the top of the hierarchy.


                                  ****

In an eerily similar circumstance, a bunch of youth were arrested in Sankuri and are now facing charges of aggravated assault causing bodily harm and forcible confinement after they severely beat up two nurses at a dispensary in the village and locked up a third in a room.

The nurses have been brought to Garissa General Hospital for treatment. Its not clear what led to this act of random violence. Sources I've spoken to claim that some one who was claiming to be sick played a major a role.

In any case this was highly unnecessary and avoidable. Attacking healthcare workers for no reason is not part our culture.
We wish both ladies a quick recovery.

The Garissa High School Debacle

The efforts by Garissa County's asinine political elite to transform our city into some hegemony controlled by afew exclusive families continues apace.

Their campaign to destroy Garissa's egalitarian political normativity

has claimed one more victim in Principal Harun.

Its a political conspiracy of Oedipal nature...a case of kill the baby in its cradle before it kills its papa. Just because the man had the audacity to toy around with the idea of running for the Governor's seat, he is being punished with a transfer to Mosoriot Teachers Training College.

Don't get me wrong! I don't believe Harun Mohamed is a great educator or principal for that matter. I'm also not of the persuasion that Garissa High School is a great school or even the best in NEP {That honour goes to Mandera Sec which took 35% of all position in the TOP 100 and 15 of the top 25} but his political ambitions shouldn't mean an imminent transfer from a place where he is well liked and appreciated as the demo illustrated.

This's a clear case of political paranoia meshed with unchecked ego and it goes on to show how the powers that be are full of machinations aimed at screwing the public.

That's what our exiguous choice of leaders gets us but it doesn't mean we have to put up with it.

Breaking News: Al Waqaf Ablaze

  One of the worst fires in a very long time is raging atop one of Garissa's most iconic buildings and at the heart of the city's business district. Al Waqaf Quran House is ablaze and because of the city's lack of fire engines and trucks nothing has been done about it.

The fires posses the grave risk of spreading to nearby buildings and causing much bigger damage. So far there have been no fatalities reported. The situation is very fluid hence much of what I'm reporting is based on first hand reports (from readers and fans) whose veracity I cannot vouch for.

As much as the Municipal council should be held criminally liable for negligence of duty, the business community should have had contingency plans in case this happened. Relying on an entity that has a checkered history for the safety of your business is pretty stupid. In any case, I believe the premise was insured and Mr. Kunow will probably recoup its full value.

Lets hope the winds don't spread the fire to Suuq Mugdi and its uninsured stalls.

Send me you pictures and reports @ garissacity@yahoo.com

It's Police Recruitment Season Again!

 This Wednesday, April 27, 2011 is another chance for the post-pubescent children of Garissa to run exceptionally long distances and do a lot of other meaningless physical activities in an effort to join The Police Force. This year, the soulless recruitment process will lock out a lot more applicants since the grade requirements have been raised from a D plain to a C plain.

We all have untoward preconceptions about the Police Recruitment system and deservedly so. Its cruel, corrupt and non-meritocratic. Finagling and God-father sponsorship are the paradigm that predominate in this process. However, NEP PC, Ole Sirian [accused of participating in the Wagalla Massacre], is promising a clean and  "ethnically" balanced recruitment drive.

He is quoted by The Nairobi Star to have said:

This time round it won’t be business as usual for those who like using shortcuts. Let’s totally avoid corruption of any kind when conducting this exercise and do it in a professional way,” “The issue of clans is a very big one in this region and so in places where we have more than one clan, you will have to make sure that you balance and make sure that you distribute the slots equally. This is meant to avoid creating the impression that the recruitment only favoured members from one clan,” he added.

To all those who want to join the ranks of the masters of emasculated beggertude, I wish you nothing but the best. Your prayers for secure jobs will be answered by cold and dull stares from the eyes of overweight DCs, OCPDs and psychotic APs.

Finally, if you see, hear or sniff any corruption, flip on ur cellphone camera/audio and send me the grainy videos.
 Good Luck and inform all those who want to try out!  Read full story here.

Dujis CDF Report Card

The National Taxpayer Association audited Dujis Constituency's CDF projects and appropriations process. The group wrote up a detailed report on their findings which I have embedded below.

Here is a summary of their main findings:

• 1 out of every 4 shillings allocated to Dujis was either wasted or stolen (unaccounted for) i.e a total of Kshs. 24 Million.
• Close to 17% of all CDF funded projects were poorly constructed 
• Most projects are beset with delay and are often behind schedule, if they had any.
• Those incharge of the committee threatened this independent group and tried to bar them from auditing their activities.   
• Close to 0% of the funds were spent on any infrastructure project; ICT projects, expansion of telephone networks, expansion of the electrical grid etc.            

The document in its entirety is posted below. The projects reviewed date back to the latter days of Hussein "Maendeleo's" (sic) reign.

I think this reveals the checkered nature of those we've put in-charge of our resources and their casual treatment of theft and mismanagement. On top of all our problems, finding out the money which was allocated for the alleviation of inequality has been stolen is completely unacceptable. Its all the more surprising that no one seems to be bothered by this. Not Supkem, not a single civic groups, not the local media, not G-youth. Concentrating all the roles in the committee in the hands of a few individuals from related families has given them the power to legislate for themselves when to steal and when to construct a classroom at an inflated price. Despite the reported 25% misappropriation rate, those of us that are from Garissa know mismanagement is more pervasive in the committee than this figure suggests. I'm sure when figures for the past two years are analysed, multitudes of jaws will drop in shock. Corruption and nepotism still remain the cancer that eat away at the fabric of our society.

Share this with your friends. All links are embedded below .

Dujis-2010

Garissa's Ruinous Relationship With its Leaders

 In every wretched relationship, there are moments that are so loathsome they make a person throw his hands in the air and vehemently seek vengeance with brute force. Somali Kenyans have reached that point. The anger on the ground in Garissa and other places is palpable. Whilst an unmitigated disaster unfolds in NEP as people starve, the government is splashing money on defending War criminals and genocidaires. It's a reflection of the future that lies ahead in the sick relationship between MPs and their subjects. As poverty and frustration percolate to the core of society, the men we elected to change our fortunes are busy aligning themselves with internationally recognized war criminals. As somali mothers get gang raped by the same people (Police) that were supposed to provide them with protection, our elected Somali officials are busy thwarting the ICC's pursuit of Ruto and Uhuru. As we get humiliated on our own streets by policemen who see us as walking ATM machines, our MPs pusillanimously cow-tow to the fascism of a government that we've been disenchanted with for almost half a century.

 For those of us that are unemployed, educated and frustrated, let's be done with these goons and let them be done with us. Let them start businesses with all the money they stole over these 5 years and make millions in profit. We will promise not begrudge them-as long as they create jobs here in Garissa and stay out of politics.

 To the youth, I urge you to be cynical of everything these pseudo-dictators tell you. Cultivate the Tunisian in you and even if it takes a low level intifada to bust the existing political class delineation in our county, GO FOR IT. GOD BLESS YOU!

Leave your thoughts in the comments section and share with friends. All links are embedded below

In a sign of Political Maturity, Ruto admits to being a War Criminal

 In his latest effort to save himself from the guillotine, William Ruto has  said today he was willing to agree that he is a war criminal. Political tensions have been ratcheting lately as ICC prosecutor Moreno Ocampo threatened to out the names of prime suspects in 72 hours.

Ruto's participation in 2008's PEV has been the point of debate and under exaggeration for the past three years. In agreeing to wearing the war criminal tag, Ruto's intention was to lower the stakes of Ocampo's announcement.

In his unilateral admission of guilt, Ruto said, "My intention was to save my fellow Kalenjins from the impending holocaust. We've been picking up reports of Central province gangs arming themselves to wipe out the kalenjin dirt from Wangu wa Makeeri's land."

"We won 2008's war and I thought it was good to quit while ahead since the pusillanimous Luo's have betrayed us." Ruto further went on to say. But Mr. Ruto's acceptance of 'war criminal' status seems to have  been to little too late. His nemesis, the leader of the Kikuyu criminal association, His excellency, Mr. Michuki said that Kikuyu had to have the last laugh. "If you rattle a snake, expect to bitten." He bellowed at a press conference organized at Kikuyu Central Command headquarters.

Elsewhere, after reports of Kibaki involvement in graft were made public by wikileaks, Kibaki responded in his typical calm, diplomatic manner and said , "Pumbavu! Assange ni mavi ya kuku. Tutamshika akiwa parepare. Kubaff, Waacha aandike. Pia sisi tukipewa donation ya kalamu by our Shynese (chinese) friends to tutaandika." Apparently the President didn't realise that the report was originally written by the US Ambassador. It was reported that the president ordered his followers to troll on Mr. Assange's facebook page as a sign of showing their displeasure.

Kenya Inc.

Kenya is nothing more than a massive mafia conglomerate. Don't believe me? Read today's Standard. There is a massive expose on how a bunch of Sisyphus morons from The Mt.Kenya region have taken this nations and its citizens for a ride. How corruption pervades this nation, its elected leaders and every sphere of life is breathtaking in its breadth and rot.
What best describes these minions is what Matt Taibbbi of Rolling Stone Magazine wrote about wall street bankers at the height of the global sub-prime mortgage crisis.

     "a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into                                 anything that smells like money."

Here are a few of the links that you might consider reading:

Jibril Adan's cover story on the figures behind The Standard media raid .
Police officers colluding with drug trafficking cartels.
The story on how Brigadier Ali and Aaron Ringera, the former resident of Integrity House, aided and abetted drug trafficking
Chase Bank's involvement in drug trafficking, tax evasion among other numerous fraudulent adventures.

Seriously, where are we headed? Are we ever going to see a major political figure head in prison?
Lumumba seems to be making all the right noises but his efforts will surely be impeded by our highly polarized and extremely tribalised politics.
If this country is ever to achieve its vision 2030,  "our tribe, our thief" rational is got to come to an end.

The War on Corruption comes to Garissa

For as long as we can recall Police officers posted in Garissa saw it as an opportunity to enrich themselves and fill up their coffers with illegally earned money. They engaged and enabled human trafficking and weapons smuggling . They detained Kenyans on false premises, extorted money from small businesses and canvassed the town for anyone who might have left their IDs at home. While the rest of our fellow patriots celebrated their days with Busaa and drunk themselves to oblivion, we were busy memorizing the names of all chiefs in Garissa and its environs so as not to fail our upcoming vetting by people who are not natives of this town. Most of us thought help would never arrive and waited for better days with bated breath. Not anymore!


 This week, the spineless KACC nabbed six senior police officers for their alleged corrupt activities. I say alleged because its the correct legal verbiage here but in the court of public opinion they are guilty and condemned already.
The six thugs include, NEP deputy PPO Philip Ndolo, Deputy provincial criminal investigations officer, his deputy and two other senior commanders.


As citizens of Garissa, we are glad that the normally vapid PLO Lumumba is going after this serious cancer. Where our brain addled leaders have failed to deliver, Lumumba is already showing good signs. Many of you remember senior Immigration Officers including the deranged minister's personal assistant and head of refugee affairs at Nyayo were rounded up following  infiltration by Somali KACC officers disguided as aliens seeking documentation.
Rooting this evil out will be quite a reach and is set to take a long long time but the people of Garissa have developed the necessary patience over the years. we hope Mr. I-memorized-the-thesaurus- Lumumba will deliver on his promises.

How Dujis CDF Funds Were Spent

DUJIS CDF

Kenya's Interests are better served if it says Out Of Somalia

By Samir H


   A bunch of sisyphus morons in the kenyan cabinet have been cheerleading efforts to catalyse the epic confirmation of Kenya as a failed state. These quacks have learnt the art of prophesising from Dick cheney's school of fear mongering. They are being used by the United States of America to become a quassi-permanent occupiers of Somalia. The guilty pleasure of their existence is simple and understandable.In their galactic appetite for self-enriching ventures they will stop at nothing even if it means sending the countries children to a senseless war in a neighbouring country. Everytime we belly up to their filthy inarticulate utterances, they serve us nothing but comedy. These miscreants that are drumming up for war are pawns being used by America in a larger geo-political power game. That the united states has reasons for being scared of alleged terrorists taking over a major oceanic transport hub and the dangers they pose to the strategic interests of America is not suprising but for Kenya to volunteer itself to do the dirty job for some financial and military backing is mindnumbing.

With our antique military facilities and the history of foreign intervention in Somalia, Kenya is better adviced to keep its troops in Kenya. These snake-oil-salesmen tend to forget Black hawk down and the ethiopian defeat but maybe these moronic minions are mental dwarfs. Their tone deaf statements smell of selective amnesia. After leading to the deaths of more than a thousand people a year and a half ago they want to raise up religiouis and ethnic tension in the country again. How will a third of the country's population that is muslim react to kenya occupying an an islamic nation? why do we have to invite terror and bombings to our streets? Did we forget the 98 bomings? Are we forgetting how porous our bordes are with somalia and the ease with which these guys can wreck havoc in Nairobi? Are we forgetting the financial and economic implications of such attacks.God forbid they happen.

These politicians want to hoax the kenyan people to a war that can never be won. A war that will morally and financial bankrupt this nation. Maybe then the economy will stop teetering on the edge of collapse and go down the toilet for good. These self abnigating, perenially thirsty vampires are hyping up paranoid delusions about the dangers Alshabab posses to the horn of africa.

we will celebrate Dec 2012 as a soul wrenching day. A day when we will finally get rid of ur faithless stewardship of this country and bring it up from the abyss you have placed us into. These slimy slugs masquerading as politicians are simply fascists who want to start profiteering rings from a war that is better off left to those who knw and want to fight it.

It is time we put these people in the garbage can and started over again as a country because the past 40yrs were a sham. The current petulant presidency and the formenting graft that continues unabated should be the catalyst for a grassroots uprising. Our parliament has turned into Comedy audition show where guys mudling and hogwash one another but where real questioned aren't asked. Kenya is becoming a failed state under all indications and getting into war with somalia will finally put the doomed stamp to underscore that point.
Lets leave this war for the Americans to fight it.