Wagalla Massacre Secrets Unraveling

I'm late in getting to John Oywa's Wagalla expose but I guess it still warrants a post unto itself. The writer sheds light on the gruesome events of 1984 and how it played out across the complex chain of command in place then.

Anyone who is been following this story should definately read his article here:

Documents seen by The Standard on Saturday and which have been tabled before the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission which is trying to unravel the truth about the bloody operation that shocked the world, show a tale of intrigues and a series of undercover events that could shed light into how a planned security operation to recover firearms and discipline members of a clan in Wajir District went awry.Twenty-seven years after the killings that the United Nations once described as the worst form of human rights abuse in Kenya, many questions remain unanswered.Last week, the Wagalla ghosts hovered in the horizon after witnesses to the TJRC, former senior government officials and members of the powerful and secretive Kenya Intelligence Committee (KIC) who visited the district a day before the killings, distanced themselves from the deadly security operation.Frequent attacksSome members of the KIC had denied ever holding a meeting in Wajir, leave alone meeting the local District Security Committee.It has now emerged that the decision to round up the Degodia clansmen who had been accused of frequent attacks against their Adjuran neighbours was issued by the Wajir District Security Committee on February 9, 1984, a day after the KIC delegation that included four Permanent Secretaries had left Wajir.

While the report does not conclusively prove the culpability of the accused, who've been pathologically incapable of taking responsibility for their actions, it does corroborate some of the testimonies given by witnesses and experts. 

On a related matter, here are few more links on the massacre that have made it to the dailies in the past few days. You'll find them insightful albeit depressing.

TJRC: Mwiraria LIED

Former PC: Orders for Wagalla Massacre Came from Above

Kiplagat's Role in the Massacre (slightly older)

Our Raving Looney Dualle

 For those of you that are inclined to closely follow the escapades of the guy representing us in parliament, our looney Rep has gotten a new assignment. The spectacularly named G-7 has appointed him chairman of a technical committee solely designed to come up with strategies aimed at knee-capping Raila's presidential ambitions.

The Standard had this to say on the issue;

A technical committee under chairmanship of rebel ODM Vice-Chairman, Aden Dualle, has been formed while plans are on for the establishment of an elders’ caucus to help hold the alliance.The so-called G-7 political alliance is weighing its options in its quest for power next year.

"I am not interested in the presidency and my mission is to work behind the scenes and ensure the alliance holds," said Dualle, MP for Dujis.The G-7 political alliance brings together Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Tourism Minister Najib Balala, Eldoret North MP William Ruto and Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa.Dualle told The Standard On Sunday that reports indicating Uhuru and Ruto might go separate ways race could be part of the alliance’s strategy.Two optionsRuto had been quoted saying he was considering going for the presidency on his own, instead of through an alliance with Uhuru, an idea not popular with many."We have two options. First is to agree on three positions of president, deputy president and majority leader in Parliament and form a pre-election coalition. Second is each of the key leaders to run for president independently, then the alliance will back whoever qualifies for the run-off because we are sure there will be no clear winner in round one," said Dualle, who is the alliance’s point man in North-Eastern.The G-7 alliance aims at negating Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s chances of succeeding President Kibaki in the General Election due next year.

 It seems like we've all been underestimating the value of hyper-egomania since it appears to have served this particular rookie very well. Clearly there is no law of diminishing returns when it comes to self promotion and megalomania in Kenyan politics. 


One wishes, Aden Dualle would take a minimal detour from the Kikuyu-Kalenjin Vs Luo politics and spend half as much time laying strategies aimed at turning Garissa into an economic powerhouse.  

      

Principal Harun Wins

Court defers transfer of teacher honoured by Kibaki

Published on 29/05/2011

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By David Ochami

The High Court in Nairobi has extended orders barring the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) from transferring a secondary school principal to teach at a primary teacher training college by three weeks.

On Friday, Justice Daniel Musinga extended the orders he gave on May 13 to July 21 to enable the lawyer for the principal, Mohamed Harun Yusuf to respond to an affidavit filed by the TSC justifying the transfer from Garissa Secondary School to Mosoriot Teachers Training College in Nandi Country. Ironically, last December Yusuf received a Head of State Commendation for exemplary contribution to excellent academic performance in North Eastern Province and Garissa County.

Through his lawyer Evans Ondieki, the principal has gone to court to overturn what he considers to be a politically motivated transfer engineered by local PC James ole Serian. Yusuf said the transfer followed political pressure from a powerful political elite opposed to his efforts to stop land grabbing at the school.

Staff balancing

The principal argued in an affidavit that TSC as an independent commission should not be arm-twisted.

Ondieki said the premise of the transfer was a letter by ole Serian to the TSC on April 13, this year alleging the principal was at loggerheads with a powerful minister in the province and, therefore, had to be transferred. He told Justice Musinga on May 13 that the coincidence of the transfer by TSC on April 29 this year and the letter by the PC cannot be separated.

This caused the judge to suspend the transfer until May 26 when TSC was to reply to Yusuf’s claims that the movement to Mosoriot was a demotion and not a normal transfer.

But on Friday, TSC through Nancy Macharia, its director in-charge of staffing opposed the petitioner’s claim, arguing that as an independent commission created by article 237 (1) of the Constitution, it could not have succumbed to external pressure to make the transfer.

She alleged in a sworn affidavit that the petitioner was deployed and not demoted to Mosoriot "owing to his exemplary performance and mastery" of Islamic Religious Education and history, adding that the Commission was "motivated solely by its guidelines and the need to ensure correct staff balancing."

State Urged to Compensate Wagalla Massacre Victims

Updated 7 hr(s) 21 min(s) ago

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By Ally Jamah

The Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission sitting in Wajir has heard from three witnesses who recounted the events of February 1984 at the airstrip where the Wagalla massacre allegedly happened.

One of the witnesses, Bishar Ibrahim Ishmael, who was a Government official during the period when the alleged massacre occurred, said he identified the Government and security officials who were at the airstrip between February 8 and 16, that year.

Mr Bishar said by February 8, about 2,000 people had been rounded up at the airstrip and by February 16, about 5,000 people had been brought from far as Mandera.

Bishar later recalls seeing two truckloads of dead people, being driven out of the airstrip.

"I can identify the actual Government official and army personnel, who were here during that period. I also can identify the vehicles they drove and the number plates of these vehicles," said Bishar.

The commission heard that in 2003, the Narc Government had promised the construction of Wagalla memorial and public library.

"All we want from the Government is a formal apology for us to move on,’’ said Bishar.

He said upon accepting responsibility, the Government should compensate the people of Wagalla in accordance to the Somali traditions. He said the compensation would be five camels for each man killed.

The commission also heard the area is socially and economically marginalised and the trend must be changed. Witnesses cited the poor state of health and educational facilities in Wajir and greater North Eastern region, saying it resulted to poor education standards and health challenges.

Wajir has 34 witnesses identified and the hearings end on Wednesday.

TJRC is mandated to inquire into human rights violations, including those committed by the State, groups or individuals between December 12, 1963 and February 2008.

The violations include but are not limited to politically motivated violence, assassinations, community displacements, settlements and evictions.

TJRC will also inquire into major economic crimes, in particular grand corruption, historical land injustices and the illegal and irregular acquisition of land especially as these relate to conflict or violence within the stated period of time.

The commission will receive statements from victims, witnesses, communities, interest groups, persons directly or indirectly involved in events or any other group or individual; undertake investigations and research; hold hearings and engage in activities as it determines to advance national or community reconciliation.

Horrifying Testimonies from TJRC Hearing

 Former PC and gutless war criminal, Francis Sigei , perpetrated horrific crimes upon the residents of Galmagalla in 1989,  TJRC was told. Several victims of the former fascistic Moi government told commissioners about the trauma they went through at the hands of security officers.

Mr Yakub Adow Abdi, who was a councillor at the time, accused Mr Sigei of assaulting him when he arrived at Galmagala trading centre in a helicopter where four police officers taking salaries to Holugho Police Station were ambushed and killed by bandits.

Mr Abdi told the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission during its hearings at the Garissa Public Library that when Mr Sigei arrived at the scene of the attack, he ordered the police to round up residents.

“We thought his arrival will end our torture at the hands of the security officers sent to pursue the bandits, but we were shocked when he asked us to give him the names of the culprits who had killed his officers,” Mr Abdi said.

The former councillor said he told the DC the bandits were from across the border, but in response the official attacked him.

“He kicked me in the ribs. Other well-built officers descended on me with kicks and gun-butts until I fell down unconscious,” he said amid sobs.

Mr Abdi said 20 people died in the 1989 Galmagala operation and many women were gang-raped by security officers.

Mr. Farah Waju's also gave a moving testimony about the brutal death of his wife and the post traumatic effect it had on his children. It was a teary and emotional testimony on the kind of injustice that humans are capable of inflicting on others when there is no equality or accountability. Mr. Farah Waju was the chairman of KFF-Garissa branch and head of PTA Garissa primary school.

   Mr Hussein Farah Waju, whose wife was also allegedly killed by a police officer whom he said was still serving in the force, sobbed uncontrollably and said his has been a long journey to seek justice. “I wrote to then provincial commissioner Maurice Makhanu and a former police commissioner asking for justice but all in vain,” said Mr Waju.He said one of his daughters was so traumatised by the shooting of her mother that she suffered a mental breakdown.
“I am witnessing a truly remarkable turnaround in northern Kenya with this commission. I hope justice will come soon,” said Mr Waju.

I cannot do the story any justice by trying to summarize it, therefore, I'll refer you to the full stories on The Daily Nation and The Standard.

Here is the link to the daily nation version and here is the Standard version

The face of the devil  --->

The Disconnect between ODM & NEP

 Ibrahim Rashid , a political and development analyst, has an editorial in The Standard on how ODM failed to live up to its promises in NEP and how its fast losing any semblance to a political movement for all. He also touched on the prospects for economic and political development in this vastly under-developed region.

Here is an excerpt from the piece

  The party is talking of elections while its electors are dying from hunger and thirst.Which                                           of these starving voters will still be around to cast their ballots and occupy the ODM offices in the region?For North Eastern, the priority cannot, and must not be party elections. Their undying prayer is finding     persons, or  political party, ready to implement and operationalise Article 43(1) where every person has the right (c) — to be free from hunger, and to have adequate food of acceptable quality; 43 (d) — to clean, safe water in adequate quantities.Even then, ODM cannot claim to conduct grassroots elections countrywide while its Secretariat and/or Election Board is not reflective of Kenya’s regional representation as required by both political norm and the new Constitution.The party has also short memory of how it has failed to equitably share the half loaf of bread (nusu mkate) of the Grand Coalition Government and quickly shortchanged those who bore the greatest responsibility in the reform crusade since Jaramogi’s Not yet Uhuru of 1966 to Raila’s Free at Last, last year.

             You can read the full editorial here

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.

This is one of those feel good stories that restores your hope in a Garissa that will one day be the bread basket of Kenya. Tana River Drought Recovery Project is implemented by the Kenya Red Cross Society through support from the Japanese Government.

The Standard | Online Edition :: Reaping fruits of prosperity from land riven with aridity

Reaping fruits of prosperity from land riven with aridity

Published on 17/11/2010

By PETER ORENGO

The gaunt desert bushes flanking the river seemed to tremble as the farmer’s hoe struck the rich earth beneath.

In the background, the sound of the two-piston engine harmonised with the singing of Dado Lalafa, carrying across the fields along the crocodile-infested Tana River.

Along the smooth flowing river are 20 irrigation water pumps, draining thousands of litres of the rich brown water on thousands of hectares of owned by about 100 farming groups.

Dado is one of the 5,000 farmers from Tana River and Garissa Districts who have embraced irrigation, thanks to an initiative by Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) dubbed, Tana River Drought Recovery Project.

Two years ago, the communities were mostly pastoralist, relying on relief food from the Government and international organisations.

KRCS is one of the organisations that have been distributing food to communities in Madogo, Bura and Bangale. But they chose to move in a different direction by moving away from food distribution to empowering local communities fend for themselves.

Untapped potential

The Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary General Abbas Gullet (right) and Dujis MP Aden Duale savour the fruits of the labours of Tana River farmers

And the biggest resource the locals is the Tana River which, like the mighty River Nile, is said to have the untapped potential of feeding more than half of Kenyan’s population.

As it veers South, opening into a wide valley, it meanders through floodplains which, for years, have been subject to inundations. The murky sludge it carries is rich in mineral soils, and ideal for agriculture.

Garissa Agricultural District Officer Bashir Abdillahi says communities living along the Tana River, near Garissa, are able to produce over 20 metric tonnes of food crops such as vegetable and fruits all year round.

"These farmers were pastoralists but because of frequent droughts that have rendered them destitute, they are trying their hand at farming," Abdillahi says, "They used to suffer during drought and floods. Now signs are good because they can now augment livestock production with farming."

Vast amounts of banana, chilli, onions, tomatoes, oranges and mangoes are exported to Far East markets, which in turn affords the residents steady incomes to afford them school fees and other needs.

The Madogo project has 35 farm groups, which benefit around 5,000 people.

The project is in its second year following years of reliance on relief food.

Dado said when the project started making returns, the community wrote to the Government to say they no longer needed relief food, but instead needed empowering to produce their own food.

KRCS Public Relations Officer Titus Mung’ou says the organisation is shifting from assistance to facilitation.

"Our experience has shown that when you empower a community they are able to take care of themselves without relying on handouts. What we are doing along the Tana River is to restore the dignity of the community to provide for itself," Mung’ou tells The Standard.

The Tana Basin has immense irrigation potential. [PHOTOS: PETER ORENGO/ STANDARD]

Aid mentality

His sentiments are echoed by the organisation’s Secretary General Abbas Gullet, who last week presided over the donation of 20 water pumps to the community for use in irrigation.

"The mentality of aid must stop. Those who can get water pumps should utilise them and say ‘no’ to hunger. The KRCS is determined to change the mentality of handouts," said Gullet.

Dujis Constituency, one of the areas where people have befitted from KRCS pumps appears set for bigger things. Area MP Aden Duale says farmed lands have increased to 22,000 hectares.

"People always think of the arid North as only a land of banditry, drought and conflict. Today, we are exporting fruits and vegetable outside the country. If we continue empowering the people, I see the whole Tana eco-system feeding half of this country," said Duale.

He says all that is needed is for the Government to devote more funds to irrigating the fertile lands along the Tana River.

"Politics of food distribution should end if our people are given the opportunity to fend for themselves. The future of investment in the country lies in the arid areas. The land is available, and so is the technology," said Duale.

News of Interest

Kenya's new electoral constituencies are out and NEP has been assigned 6 new electoral units to amass a meagre tally of 17 new representatives in the post 2012 National assembly. The populous Mandera Central will be split into three constituencies while each of Dujis, Mandera West, Lagdera and Wajir East are to be split to a carve out a new unit. Sorry Wajir South.
You can read the full the story in its explosive glory as it appeared on The Standard here.
                                       ******************
The verbal dust up between Ruto and KNCHR commissioner Hassan Omar continues to unfold. This time round Muslim Human Rights Forum (MHRF) has called for Ruto's arrest for his irresponsible and illogical rhetoric with regards to the fake bribery controversy he  ginned up. Story is available here

                                          *************
Finally, something rather interesting and strange popped up in my inbox yesterday. Apparently Deputy PM and grand corrupt-or (pardon my english) has nominated the people of Othaya, Garissa & Mtwapa  for a radical urbanization master plan. The video evidence can be found here.

The Standard | Online Edition :: UN alarmed at plight of Somali asylum seekers

The Standard | Online Edition :: UN alarmed at plight of Somali asylum seekers

UN alarmed at plight of Somali asylum seekers

Published on

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By Amos Kareithi

The international community should not ignore thousands of Somali nationals fleeing their war torn country, a UN official has warned.

High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres at the same time said they have been overwhelmed by the outflow of asylum seekers fleeing to Kenya from Somalia.

"We are doing the best, but our best is not enough for Somali refugees. We need to do more but we do not have resources," he said.

During a visit to Kenya, which took him to Kakuma and Daadab refugee camps, Guterres said there have been attempts by some countries to block or discriminate against Somalis.

slammed doors

Kakuma and Daadab camps remain overwhelmed by refugee number. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

"The anxiety expressed by Somalis is justified. Doors are being slammed. Please do not send them to their country as they are likely to be persecuted," Guterres said.

He said more than 20 years after anarchy broke out in Somalia, the flow of victims from endless war still continued.

Although he declined to give names, the High Commissioner said he was disheartened by some European countries for reportedly discriminating against Somalis.

He said although the UNHCR had made 128,000 submissions for relocation, only 80,000 have been successful, representing a meager one per cent of refugees.

While pressing the international community to do more to bring peace to Somalia, Gurretes said: "There is no evil without an end and there is no good thing, which will not end one day. One day the evil war in Somalia will end. Nothing lasts forever."

At Daadab, he expressed shock at the congestion in the refugee camp, which now has 287,000 refugees.

He ruled out closing of Kakuma camp, which was being used for relocation to decongest Daadab.

At the same time, Dadaab, he said, was being expanded to accommodate a further 40,000 asylum seekers.

Immigration Assistant Minister Francis Baya said the Government was planning to create a better reception centre near Kenya-Somalia border to screen refugees.

On Sudan, the commissioner said although 38,000 refugees had been repatriated following the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, tension still reigned.

"We are still receiving refugees from Sudan especially from Darfur region. We appeal to all the parties in Sudan to respect the outcome of the coming referendum," he said.