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Jerry Okungu's Articles in Africa

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With a bit more ruthlessness, Gaddafi may be just what the AU, NEPAD and the APRM have been missing
Africa is in dire need of a benevolent dictator. Democracy as we know it cannot take us anywhere. When hunger strikes, we cannot feed our people on democracy alone. Good governance means that there are laws that every citizen including the head of state must obey. When you have uncontrolled democracy such as ours in Kenya where every law is either disobeyed or ignored, anarchy creeps in.
Why I must share in Moody Awori's sins and disgrace!
I have a special stake in Uncle Moody Awori's present political quagmire. I do so because I am partly responsible for his being where he is to day by default. I never knew it would come to this when it all started innocently one afternoon in October 2002.
Why can't the world see the obvious -- That Abdullahi Yusuf cannot manage Somalia?
Any attempts to force Yusuf on Somalis will be a sure catalyst for a bloodbath of unimaginable proportions. Africa certainly does not need another Iraq or Afghanistan on its soil.
Why are we doing these terrible things to Kenya?
For those of us whose only country in Kenya, our hearts bleed. We bleed because we cannot believe, let alone comprehend what is happening to us. It would appear like we have just had a bad dream; a nightmare we would rather believe was never real. Yet, as the day goes by, as sunrise and sunset come and go, we are confronted by the reality of the nightmare that never goes away.
Where are our leaders when Kenyans are hacked to death in our slums & villages?
What is happening in Kenya today is not only shameful to our country but painful too. While I condemn the silence of our elected leaders, I get this impression that the Mungiki army has grown in leaps and bounds only compared to the Islamic Courts in Somalia. The kind of arrogance and daring with which they extort cash from residents of Mathare with impunity indicates that they have formed a parallel government to that of President Kibaki complete with their own taxation system.
What's next fo Uhuru Kenyatta after ditching ODM?
The charismatic Uhuru Kenyatta is at it again. Once a free bird on Nairobi's entertainment spots, the young Kenyatta now finds himself confronted by the ever unending twists and turns of Kenyan politics. Thanks to Daniel Arap Moi and Mama Ngina Kenyatta who convinced the reluctant emperor that the throne was his for the taking.
What it means for a public officer to receive a protest note from members of the public
The plot thickens for Justice Aaron Ringera, Kenya's Anti-Corruption Chief. Dark clouds and forces of evil have conspired to end his career at Integrity House before his first tenure is over. The Kenyan public is baying for his blood. While they choke under the weight of grand official corruption, Aaron Ringera is smiling all the way to the bank, thanks to their endless taxes that must sustain his opulent life. Yes, Kenyans must continue experimenting with political leadership until cows come ho
The state of the East African Nation
As I write this article, apart from dealing with earth breaking political upheavals like the stand-off between President Kibaki and Parliament over the Anti Corruption Commission appointments, leading Kenyan politicians are likely to be arrested any time now for crimes against humanity and hauled into The Hague for their roles in the 2007 post election violence that claimed 1500 lives and left thousands homeless.
The politics of Barack Obama vs Kenyan politics of psychophants and turncoats!
I may be wrong but all those thousands of all Kenyans from all walks of life that thronged Senator Obama's functions in Nairobi, Kisumu and Siaya; could they all have been wrong? Why did he appeal to so many Kenyans? Was there something good that Obama brought to Kenya?
The East African Political Federation: This is the time!
Past experiments with colonial East African Common Services and the post colonial East African Community nurtured more brotherliness than it caused friction amongst us. What destroyed us was petty political ideologies that emanated from outside. These ideologies forced our political leaders to drift apart at our own expense.
South-South Talks: Come on African Leaders, Get Serious!
I have followed the contributions of African leaders at the just concluded UN General Assembly in New York and a follow up meeting in Venezuela at which the South-South talks centered on Africa's close cooperation with South America.
President Kibaki of Kenya must not let East Africa down
Judging by the mood and excitement at the new Federation Anthem, it is possible that East Africans are finally coming to terms with the real possibility of one East African nation. The lyrics of the national anthem told it all.
Of Raila Odinga, Mercenaries and the Kenya Government
There are two ways of looking at this intricate situation. Either Raila is a chronic liar that this government can no longer take seriously or, the CID Director is a pathetic and incompetent public servant that has no business being trusted with the security of this country.
Of Nile waters, Mau forest politics and Egyptian arrogance
Egypt and Sudan are clinging to the River Nile treaties of 1929 and 1959 as if the documents were the Ten Commandments handed over to the biblical Moses by the God of Israel. In that treaty, Egypt and Sudan have exclusive rights to 70% and 30% of Nile waters respectively, irrespective of countries that occupy the sources of River Nile.
Mugabe is an embarrassment to AU and UN
This despot must be removed by force if necessary to stop him from further annihilating his country, his record as a freedom fighter notwithstanding. Zimbabweans did not fight for freedom only to be massacred by one of their own! Because of the shame of what is going in Zimbabwe, the AU and the UN stand condemned in the court of world public opinion.
Mo Ibrahim award, a slap on the face for good governance pretenders
It is now official. This time round, no former Head of State was good enough to earn Mo Ibrahim's annual prize bounty of US $ 5 million plus a lifetime cheque of another $ 200,000 per year for life. To tell you the truth, this is the most attractive prize anyone can earn in today's world where the buzz word these days is economic crunch.
Kibaki, Kikwete and Museveni spelt it out for the rest of Africa
They may not be the best that the African continent has today in terms of leadership, but they are certainly the most acceptable in terms of nurturing regional cooperation. This is the single most plausible reason we will have to listen to them no matter how much we disagree with them on a lot of domestic issues back in our home countries.
Kenya Politics in Turmoil
The year 2006 will go down in Kenya's political history as the year that Kenya killed democracy. It will also be remembered as the year of shame when political thuggery, treachery, deceit and con-manship held sway! For how else can anybody explain the shameful act that embarrassed the whole nation at the East African Community?
Kenya Government Caught With Pants Down!
What does it feel like to be the President of Kenya during the Kibaki regime? How painful it must be to wake up every morning only to be met by screaming unfriendly newspaper headlines, hostile talk-show programmes on every FM station, not to mention equalling devastating television headlines the night before about this scandal, that scam and this sleaze allegedly committed by your various cadre of generals and your extended family members! It must be a painful period for Kenya's third pr
Is the madness of Kenya's political squables spreading into the East African Community
What started as the usual domestic political wrangling among political parties has now taken new and damaging dimensions that will leave all parties bruised and looking silly in the eyes of East Africans. Kenyans have finally imported their most unwanted product in to the region; political wrangling.
Is ODM-KENYA capable of causing an Orange Revolution in Kenya?
If President Kibaki and is keen on running for a second term, he should defect to ODM Kenya today, not tomorrow!
How popular is Daniel Arap Moi in Kenya today?
Daniel Arap Moi is causing problems for the ODM-Kenya because he loves Kanu more. He loves Kanu more because Kanu helped him rule this country with an iron-fist, and plunder the resources of this country to its bones for his personal gain.
Has the Media in Kenya lost direction and sense of responsibility?
The media may not think so much about this headline but Hon. Mutahi Kagwe, the Minister for Information and Communication, and many more Kenyans like him think so. Those many Kenyans can count me among them. I am one of those people in this country who, for the past two weeks have been wondering aloud whether these accusations leveled against the media may as well have some grain of truth in them.
Has Kenya specialized in creating scandals and fiascos at the expense of solving them
Is the Justice Department up to the task or are we manufacturing punishable crimes at a faster rate?
Good Old America at her finest when it comes to order and discipline at state funerals
In contrast to the carnival nature of party conventions, American funerals are the most solemn funerals on earth. Somehow in Kenya, funerals attended by politicians become a free-for-all affair and a contest between the clergy, Members of Parliament and local councillors. In such funerals, God help you if you have a local area councilor as the master of ceremonies to guide the programme.
Emerging Tribal Arithmetic & Ethnic Voting Pattern: Will it propel ODM to power .....
The ODM line up represents Kikuyus, Luos, Maragolis, Embus, Kambas, Samias, cosmopolitan Coast and Kalenjins. If we stretch our imaginations, we can put Uhuru and Nyagah in the same basket under Gema while we lump together Musalia Mudavadi and Julia Ojiambo under the greater Luhya fraternity. Leaving Balala out for lack of clear tribal identity, we can then assume that the contest for the presidency in the ODM- K will be between Gema, Luos, Luhyas, Kambas and Kalenjins.
Does the current Kenyan Parliament deserve to exist?
Kenya's 9th Parliament is a spectacle to behold in more ways than one. It is an institution that defies any logical description. Whichever way you want to look at it, it is a baffle and a mystery from every angle. The problem with Kenya's 9th Parliament is the problem with the current Speaker who, for several years under the Moi regime allowed Kanu to flout parliamentary rules without raising a finger. When other political parties followed suit, he realized he had set a precedent ........
Despite past blunders, Kenyan Members of Parliament have still failed to read the mood of the nation!
What exactly does this nation need to do to get the message across to its law makers? Are these men and women capable of hearing and seeing the obvious? What language can we speak so that they can understand that we are no longer just disgusted but also embarrassed by their behaviour?
Could the Isinya declaration spell doom for the NARC Kenya bandwagon?
Patriotism and political ambitions are good things. They are the engines on which political wheels turn. As patriotism propels the frontline solders to hit their heads against any oncoming blockade, the might of their enemies not withstanding, their personal ambitions urge them to go on fighting in expectation of the spoils of war, should they claim victory.
Changing faces and fortunes in the Kibaki Administration
There is a new political party in Kenya called Narc-Kenya. This is a very interesting development on the political scene considering that the party's first name is really not a name but an acronym of sorts. In essence, if one were to care to spell out Narc Kenya's full name, it would sound something like this; National Rainbow Coalition of Kenya.
Catholic Bishops and President Kibaki's stand on the Constitution is not surprising
Kenyans must be really tired of endless lies, betrayals and hypocrisy from our moral gatekeepers. For how long must we sit and watch the church and state conspire to fool and ridicule our intelligence? What use is it for a leader of the church to conspire against its flock, not once but twice in one year and still expect believers to remain followers of their teachings?
Believe it or not, Martha Karua may just be the right minister to fight corruption
Like her or hate her, Minister Martha Karua is probably one of the most decisive and action oriented members of the Kibaki government today. Sometimes I am tempted to believe that she is the only independent-minded person left in the Kibaki cabinet after the December 2005 reshuffles.
Before we hang the Steadman Pollsters, may be there is something they know that Kenyans don't!
The season of heated political debate is with us again, thanks to the ever controversial Steadman Opinion polls. And one wonders why the very papers that keep on carrying the Steadman results cannot commission more research organizations to carry out the same.
Be careful ODM members: You haven't crossed the river yet!
Let me give ODM presidential candidates one unsolicited advice. It is one thing to aspire to be president of Kenya and another ball game to win the elections. It is one thing to clamor to be nominated presidential candidate and quite another to conduct a successful campaign and actually win even if one had tones and tones of cash to do it.
A two pronged revolution in the offing - Regime change will be led by women youth
Forget about the violent 1982 uprising that went nowhere except to cause mayhem for a few hours. Forget about the Rainbow People Power that threw KANU out of power but failed to manage power. Forget about Kiraitu Murungi's promise to shake every corner of this republic with his Banana movement that never was. Forget about the Orange revolution that took home the Referendum prize in late 2005 but failed to figure out what to do with it after victory. What is in the offing will be like no other...
A crisis in Uganda is an East African crisis
This article is a reminder of my painful memory as a child growing up in East Africa. I do hope that those among us who grew up with me under Kenyatta, Obote, Nyerere and thereafter Idi Amin will bear with me.
2009 Does Not Auger Well For Democracy in Africa
From Sirte in Libya and The Hague in The Netherlands, the news hasn't been very for democracy and justice in Africa this week. Finally the continent's rulers have decided that enough is enough. They will no longer adhere to international obligations like the United Nations' Rome Statutes. The dead and the dying in Africa can go to hell. The AU rulers will no longer listen to their anguish.

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