A Glowing Profile of Yusuf Hassan By Saturday Nation

 

                   
The Saturday Nation's Billy Muiru penned a glowing profile of Kamukunji's newly minted MP, Yusuf Hassan, in which any substantive policy discussion was conspicuously absent.

Not to be parsimonious with praise myself but having read the article twice, I'm still at a loss to understand what the thesis was.

My intention is not to dismiss the profile as a fluff piece but questioning the writers journalistic talents is warranted and justified.

Instead of taking Kamukunji's only ever MP to possess a measurable sense of intellectual gravitas to task about his plans for the constituency, especially Eastleigh's business community, the writer focuses on the trivialities of the election battle and the personality quirks of Mr. Yusuf.

Some of the poignant questions that should have been addressed in the article include:

•  The civil injunction issued against the collection of taxes by city council  from Eastleigh based businesses

• The desperately malfunctioning sewerage system in Eastleigh

• Alien Registration for the thousands of Somali Refugees doing business in Eastleigh and paying tax to both local and central government apparatuses.   
• Police over reach and antagonism towards Somalis.

• Muslim Profiling

• Infrastructure that is begging for a serious re-investment.

Mega crap Saturday Nation! Sometimes I just have to say no thanks. Why point out the guys political outlook instead of offering us the chance to derive such conclusions from his answers. 

That Said, this profile will be useful to those looking to fill their knowledge gaps about the MP's biography. If you have the patience to go through the whole thing, it will most definitely shed light on some of those shadowy zones in his background. 

Here is an excerpt of the profile as it appeared on today's paper.

Who is this young man of Arabic or Somali descent on air? 

That is what former Voice of Kenya head James Kangwana asked when he first heard young Yusuf Hassan on radio on a hot weekend in the early 1970s.

Hassan had been selected for a part-time job as a presenter, and would present the popular Dunia Wiki Hii when journalists failed to show up on time after binging on Friday.

Kangwana had noticed the soft but firm voice. Little did he know the Kenyan Somali man he had also described as “thin but intelligent” would rise to international echelons and work for both BBC and Voice of America.

Fast forward to 2011. Hassan is the new Kamukunji MP, representing a constituency whose parliamentary elections have been marred by controversy never seen in Kenya’s history.

In 2007, vote counting and tallying was violently stopped by angry youth, and it was only after eight months that the then Electoral Commission of Kenya would declare Samuel Mbugua the winner.

Did not enjoy his salary

He did not enjoy his salary for long. Loser Ibrahim Ahmed lodged a petition at the High Court and the election was nullified in January this year.

In May, the ensuing by-election was stopped again only two days before polling after another loser filed a court case to stop it, arguing the nominations discriminated against him.

So when the ill-fated election was finally concluded two weeks ago and Hassan declared the winner, he heaved a sigh of relief.

“I felt like a new born baby. For all the battles I have fought, even at international level, I derived a lot of joy in this win,” said Hassan. He polled 19,030 votes against closest rival Ibrahim Ahmed’s (Johnnie ) 15, 476 votes.

Yusuf cuts a figure of a man who cannot harm a fly beneath his seemingly elderly demeanour.

A glimpse into his personal life, career exploits and political views reveals a personality that you cannot entirely brand as a journalist, human rights activist or a politician. He is all of them.

Human deprivation

Perhaps the easy way in which Hassan carries his affairs is a result of all the wars and human deprivation he has witnessed since his childhood through to his adulthood.

To read full profile, go here
 

More Hate, More Daily Nation and More Yellow Journalism.

Responding to this kind of malicious slander and racist propaganda is becoming almost too tedious for this blog. The Daily Nation continues to double down on its racist, knee-jerk reaction to anything marginally associated with Somalis even if culpability doesn't lie with Somalis.

This week, their delusions are based on a nefarious (mis)understanding of what happened in Madogo. The monkey posing as an editor forgot to mention to the clown who penned this opinion that Tana North District isn't part of Garissa and that the OCPD was killed by raging Munyos- not Somalis. But why let facts stand in your way when you can score cheap political points.

The Daily Nation's disregard for basic accuracy is villainous and reeking of yellow journalism.

Eastleigh estate has been taken over and it is no longer regarded as part of Kenya. Indeed, many Kenyans rarely venture into Eastleigh because it is under siege from various Somali elements.
Many indigenous Kenyans (including Kenyan Somalis) have since left for other estates. I hear that some crooks even collect ‘‘protection fees’’ from business owners.

The whole article is riddled with innuendos and counter-factual claims that are not supported by basic common sense. If Kenyan Somalis are to thrive long term, they need to take on this Indian backed rag head on.
At a time of such great difficulty for many Somalis who are suffering as a result of drought, state sanctioned marginalization and internal conflict, its inhumane and against common human decency for a paper beholden to rich Indian benefactors to paint a whole community as anarchist, violent and anti-democratic.

To allow teachers at third rate colleges to slander a whole community without evidence because of their deep seated hatred for Somalis is against the course of natural justice. The retard who wrote this hateful fluff piece can be reached at amutabi@yahoo.com
If you have a conscious, you'll e-mail this clown your reactions.

To read the full article, go here

Matatu Riots Close down Garissa-Nairobi Highway

Traffic on Northeastern's main highway and lifeline was ground to halt by a riot organized by a group of Madogo residents.

The Daily Nation reports:

Traffic on the busy Garissa – Nairobi highway remained disrupted for over seven hours on Monday as rowdy youth battled with matatu operators.The youth backed by a section of Garissa’s Madogo residents blocked the road following a protracted conflict between the two groups.
The rioters lit bonfire and used stones to block the section of the road between Garissa town and Madogo disrupting transport into and out of the town.
A land cruiser full of riot police officers from Garissa and Madogo police stations were thrice repulsed by the youth who pelted them with stones, forcing them to retreat.
Several police officers were injured in the skirmishes.
A contingent of Administration Police officers from Garissa were called in to reinforce their regular counterparts. The youths refused entry to any vehicle leaving and entering Garissa town including Buses.
 The otherwise peaceful demonstration that started on Sunday  turned ugly when Madogo OCS allegedly arrested Madogo Matatu Association Chairman Salim Ali Madei alongside 7 other youth.
Madei had earlier told the press that their Garissa counterparts attacked and injured several of their operators on Sunday completely denying them access to their designated Garissa town stage. In reprisal, the Madogo Matatu operators also barred the Garissa Sacco members from operating on the Madogo route. They also denied trucks from collecting sand at various locations in Madogo prompting Monday’s riots.
Madei also claimed that the Garissa Madogo Matatu Association they were initially affiliated to before they registered their own is not officially registered with the Registrar of Societies.
The Madogo Matatu operators who did not want to be mentioned accused the police of compliancy and siding with the Garissa team.

Plans to build Tanneries in Wajir & Garissa unveiled

BUSINESS NEWS

Sh25m set aside for three tanneries

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William Oeri | NATION Mr Simon Nganga of SIMJON Shoes Ltd displays a pure leather shoe made in Thika during the launch of the Leather Development Council Strategic Plan in Nairobi last April .

By KABURU MUGAMBI akaburu@ke.nationmedia.com

Posted  Friday, May 6 2011 at 18:32

IN SUMMARY

• Factories will boost production capacity of leather and increase value addition

The Government will spend Sh25 million to build three community-managed mini-processing tanneries in Wajir, Garissa and Bungoma, which are expected to be complete by August 2011.

The project, which is fully-funded under the Economic Stimulus Programme, will increase the number of tanneries in the country to 16.

Besides the increased processing capacity, the new tanneries are expected to increase value addition of the leather.

“We will end up with 16 tanneries, which should help us process all hides and skins and increase on value addition,” said Mr Mwinyikione Mwinyihija, the chief executive officer of Leather Development Council.

“With a demand of 34 million pairs of shoes annually, we can help this country industrialise.”

He added that the council, established by the government and private sector to drive the leather sector, had facilitated the formation of Kenya Footwear Manufacturers Association, which will play a key role in buying leather products.

Ms Nalina Rupani, managing director of leather shop Adelphi, said there has been no voice for the leather industry before the recent formation of Leather Development Council, while the absence of an institutional framework that would focus on tapping the huge potential in the leather industry had contributed to the low value addition.

The sector has gradually declined in performance throughout the production chain, starting with raw materials, leather processing, footwear and leather products and marketing.

Before the marketing liberalisation in 1990s, the country had 19 established tanneries with a capital investment worth Sh3.8 billion, employing 4,000 people.

Livestock Development permanent secretary, Kenneth Lusaka, said the government is addressing hindrances and competition, which have made Kenya unable to fully exploit hides and skins as a locally available resource.

This includes initiatives such as imposition of tax on exportation of raw hides and skins from 20 per cent to 40 per cent in 2006 and exemption of importation of tax on selected chemicals and machinery used in the tanning industry.

 

Sunday Nation & this month's latest in Anti-Somali Racism

Malignant Racists, like the Daily Nation's Editor's, don't know went to drop the old beat-up story of  how Somali refugees are a threat to Kenya's "security".

In typical xenophobic cabiid fashion, their template article for drumming up hatred, probably to influence the Kamkunji election is out.

The template always looks something like this:

HEADLINE: Somalis/Illegal immigrants pose risk to Kenya

"Kenya is grappling with the increased risk of (Insert one of the xenophobic lies they propagate e.g home grown terrorist, property price spikes, money laundering etc)

Blah blah blah...Monkey X, an expert in Security, finance, real estate said yada yada yada

Insert a definitively sweeping negative statement about all Somalis, Kenyan or otherwise,alleging the same aforementioned crap.

In this particular case, what stood out for me was the supposed security officer who said:

"Unlike the Ethiopians who use the country as a transit route, the Somalis mean no good; they are a security threat,”

Seriously? Not be a racist myself but come on, Ethiopian are better for Kenya than Somalis? HAHAHA!
Expect more of this as the normally notorious Kamkunji Politics heat up.

If you want to read the full story, here is the link

Billow Kerrow on the lack of Social Justice for Somali Kenyans

OPINION

Social justice for the people of northern Kenya is still a mirage

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By BILLOW KERROW

Posted  Wednesday, April 27 2011 at 18:46

In the past one week, the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) has been in North-Eastern Kenya getting a first-hand account of over 45 years of official neglect, deprivation and social injustice visited upon the residents by successive regimes.

The emotional outpouring by the residents has largely been unnoticed nationally, save for the media focus on the monstrous atrocities such as the Wagalla Massacre.

Brutal security operations continue unabated, and even as the Commission was being set up in 2008, security forces tortured and maimed several hundreds in Mandera.

Section 27(6) of the Constitution requires the State to take affirmative measures and policies to “redress any disadvantage suffered by individuals or groups because of past discrimination”.

However, the Commission should pay greater attention to the prevailing social injustice rather than being fixated on historical injustices.

This week, they will be in Mandera County that is reeling from the effects of the worst drought this decade.

Hundreds face death as a result of extreme hunger and thirst, while their economic livelihoods, namely livestock, continue to perish.

The government has a constitutional obligation to provide adequate food and water to all its citizens, without discrimination, among other socio-economic rights outlined in Section 46.

For the marginalised, Section 56 further mandates the government to provide infrastructure, such as boreholes, schools and health facilities as fundamental human rights.

As Indian writer and activist, Arundhati Roy argues, the assault on social justice has eroded its definition, made us lower our sights and curtail our expectations.

The notion of equality has undergone a process of attrition and eased out of equation.

He argues that these human rights violations are increasingly portrayed as unfortunate fallouts from an otherwise acceptable political and economic system.

The TJRC members’ mandate includes investigating the marginalisation of communities, and providing redress where necessary.

Will they order the government to immediately declare the ravaging famine in the region a national disaster and help halt the region’s march to devastation?

They are aware that the region’s youth cannot obtain identity cards due to official

The Kenya Human Rights Commission, in its 2009 publication titled “Foreigners at home – the dilemma of citizenship in Northern Kenya”, accuses the government of institutionalised discrimination on the itizenship of the residents through arbitrary denial.

Can TJRC urgently address this? Section 10 of the Constitution deems that social justice, equity and protection of the marginalised are national values that must be applied whenever State organs implement public policy decisions. Will the up-coming recruitment of 7,000 policemen be done equitably?

Section 232 on public service jobs demands that the State affords ‘‘adequate and equal opportunities and representation of diverse communities’’ in appointments, training and advancement.

Representation is best reflected through the regional, county or constituency population, which roughly mirrors our ethnic diversity.

Based on the 2009 census, and without the affirmative action “privilege” for minorities as proposed by Mr Orwa Ojodeh in Parliament, Nairobi would take 569 jobs, Central 795 Rift Valley 1,814 and North-Eastern 419 jobs.

This is arrived at by dividing the region or county’s population by the national population, and multiplying by the 7,000 jobs.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Bill 2011 is also in violation of Section 250 of the Constitution as regards the composition of the commissioners.

The section stipulates unequivocally that appointments to constitutional commissions and independent offices “shall reflect regional and ethnic diversity of the people of Kenya”.

The Bill suggests that five commissioners be appointed now, and four others in a year’s time.

Which region will play second fiddle to the other? Not North-Eastern, please!

Mr Kerrow, a former Mandera Central MP, is a political economist.

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Malkamarre Massacre in Mandera

  More details of the Moi regime's gross human rights violation in NEP are emerging. Survivors of the Malkamarre Massacre in Mandera described the horrific ordeal they went through at the hands of the Paleolithic tyrant [Moi] and his goons in1982.

 In scenes reminiscent of Nazi Germany, Moi's henchmen put victims in incarceration camps, murdered 332 innocent civilians, mutilated the bodies of the dead and the living, raped women and children and confiscated livestock worth millions of Shillings.

 If I remember correctly, 1982 is the year the glumpy faced pig of a leader, Daniel Moi, was saved from the guillotine by a Nepian by the name General Mahmoud. How dare he reward us with such tyranny?
Also, and I say this with no hint of 'qabaliya' or malevolence, weren't General Mahmoud and Moi  the Batman and Robin of the 80s? And why didn't the former stand up for his people?

Here is an excerpt from The Daily Nation's report;

More than 330 people were killed during the 1982 Malkamarre Massacre in Mandera, the Truth commission has been told.
Survivors, testifying before the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission at its hearings in Mandera Town, on Tuesday, said scores of people were also raped and maimed during the 1982 security operation.
Mr Issack Adow Abdi, 80, said they were rounded up by security officers hunting down bandits, beaten and some shot dead as they attempted to escape.
“I have not sired a child due to the painful torture I underwent as the officers mutilated my private organs,” Mr Abdi said.
The victims, he said, never sought legal redress, since the nearest law court was located some 400km from Mandera Town.
The commission heard that many, who witnessed the heinous acts, fled to Ethiopia and Somalia and decided not to return to Kenya.
Ms Dunia Abdullahi said many women were raped in Lulis, Banisa and Elmole in Mandera West District.
“Women in this area silently share the stories of how they were raped, some say they cannot hold back urine to date,” Ms Abdullahi said.
She said some of her relatives were killed while others fled to Ethiopia.
Asked by Commissioner Gertrude Chawatama if they could recall the officers who headed the operation, they said they only remembered a Major Halkano of the Kenya Army.
Victims of the Shifta war also recounted their ordeal before security officers put them in concentration camps.
“It was hell. We were pressed between two rocks — the shiftas killed, maimed and looted our property since we refused to join them while the Kenyan forces did worse instead of pursuing our tormentors,” Mr Guliye Mohamed said.

Painful Memories for Families affected by Wagalla

NEWS

Suffering with bitterness for relatives

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Stephen Mudiari | NATION Wagalla Airstrip in Wajir town where the massacre took place.

By SAMUEL SIRINGI ssiringi@ke.nationmedia.com

Posted  Tuesday, April 19 2011 at 22:00

IN SUMMARY

• Tears flow as villagers pour their hearts out to Truth, Justice and Reconcilia-tion com-missioners

Suleiman Abdi is 18. He was born nine years after the infamous Wagalla Massacre in which two of his uncles were killed.

RELATED STORIES

• Massacre widows testify in private
• Tears as victims recall Wagalla killings
• Women wail as they meet Truth team
• Wagalla: TJRC calls ex-security men

Yet he speaks with the bitterness of someone who witnessed the killings.

“If I had a gun and found those who carried out the killings, I would kill them all myself,” he said, anger written large on his face.

On Tuesday, Abdi walked the lonely runway of the Wagalla Airstrip — the place where, according to government records, 57 people were shot dead by gunmen believed to be government security officers. Independent estimates put the figure at more than 2,000.

Infamous airstrip

Abdi, a Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam candidate, walks alone on the infamous airstrip with 50 goats — seven of his own and the rest belonging to his father.

He wears an uncomfortable grin and says: “My two uncles died here 27 years ago.”

At the other end of the runaway, birds land on the airstrip. No aeroplanes land here any more. They use the more modern airstrip near Wajir town.

At the Wagalla Airstrip Abdi walks his goats, clutching a radio and hoping to hear that the perpetrators of the massacre have been identified and brought to book.

“I hear there is a government team in Wajir looking into the issue, but I am sceptical. I would rather the suspects are to be taken to The Hague,” he said.

He would rather the killers of the people, mainly from the Degodia clan, are taken to the International Criminal Court like the so-called Ocampo Six, accused of bearing the greatest responsibility for the post-election violence that killed 1,300 people after the 2007 General Election.

“I want to know why our people were killed.”

His remarks were a reflection of the bitterness expressed by Habiba Mohammed whose husband was killed. She also became deaf after being kicked and slapped during the atrocities.

She lives in the village surrounding the Wagalla Airstrip. “That is where our men were killed. That was where the men were stripped naked, tortured and then executed,” she says.

“I wouldn’t have so many financial difficulties, had my husband not been shot by security forces,” she said pointing at her son, Shukur Rashid, 18, a primary school pupil at Wagalla Primary School.

“Even paying medical bills at the Wagalla Health Centre when my children fall sick is a nightmare,” she says as she shouts at a goat going astray.

At the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission hearing, a survivor of the massacre, Abdi Nur, said the airstrip was now useless.

“When you go to the airstrip, as you (commissioners) did on Sunday, you find people are just crying,” he said as he wiped tears from his eyes, while pointing out the injuries on his body he says were inflicted during the massacre.

“Many survivors and my relatives live there, and have sad memories of the place.”