If you want to get a cross-eyed look from an Acoli parliamentarian, or an Acoli elected official for that matter, mention the alleged Acoli leadership void or vacuum. However, before I get anybody bent out of shape, let us define what leadership is and pin-point what people really mean by “leadership vacuum.”
On-line Mariam Webster defines leadership as:
1 The position or office of a leader: ascended to the leadership of the party.
2. Capacity or ability to lead: showed strong leadership during her first term in office.
3. A group of leaders: met with the leadership of the nation's top unions.
4. Guidance; direction: The business prospered under the leadership of the new president
Then Wikipedia says that the word leadership can refer to:
1. The process of leading.
2. Those entities that perform one or more acts of leading.
3. The ability to affect human behavior so as to accomplish a mission designated by the leader
“The ability to affect human behavior so as to accomplish a mission designated by the leader” is most likely what people are referring to when they talk of “leadership vacuum” in Acoli. And that fits with definition #4 of Mariam Webster. That “ability” or lack thereof is largely determined by the environment or polity.
The 60s was a relative calm and prosperous period for Acoli— punctuated only by a few intriguing deaths of a few Acoli personalities of the time. If these deaths caused any murmurs, they were never taken by the power elites as anything to portend what was to come for Acoli. Parliamentarians and Ministers concentrated on Uganda and their place in it for themselves. No one stood up prominently to lead mass Acoli opposition to the one-party state promulgated by Obote as something not in the interest of Acoli. Instead many young bright Acoli were lured into the party of totalitarianism for personal glory and opportunism. Local Council officials administered what was left from the colonial days without any bold creative initiatives.
If you were looking at influence and ability to influence public policy and the course of events at this time, you would have found in the government Ministers Ojera and Lakidi. On account of them Acoli got trophy schools, hospital upgrades, Gulu-Kampala highway tarmacking and maybe some choice ambassadorships, or princes of parastatals. Move-to-the-Left and the Common Man’s Charter may have got nodes from Ojera and Lakidi by virtue of their ministerial positions. Did they do it because it would have been a boon to Acoli aspirations? We will never know. As Minister of Communications Ojera may have been the architect of very cynically oppressive press laws that likely worked against Acoli.
In the opposition Alija Latim and Obonyo, in concert with KY Daudi Oceng, worked to expose high-level corruptions. While many crossed to the government side they remained firm in the opposition even as their influence diminished with the advent of the one-party state.
Overall, I would give the Acoli leadership in the 60s a C+.
The seventies woke up Acoli to the butcher by the Amin regime. Some of those who lost their positions with Obote made a dash out of the country to regroup and make a comeback. Most attempts at coming back were tentative at best—and deadly—Ojera lost his life in the process.
This is the period when we begin to see the real vacuum in Acoli leadership. Those leaders who went with Obote or soon after did not make efforts or made only half-hearted efforts to rally Acoli to the reality of the deaths of many Acoli in the hands of the military regime in Kampala. Those who remained retreated to their farms and/or sat on their hands waiting for fate to rescue them.
Acoli leadership gets a D during this period in my book.
The seventies period ends with the rescue of Uganda by Tanzania with help from some Acoli who still largely fought to bring Obote back. Did they think bringing Obote back was beneficial to Acoli? Some may have thought so, but was there any clear Acoli-centric leadership as we go into the eighties? Yes, in terms of influence and ability to influence public policy and the course of events, culminating in the take-over of power from Obote. The wisdom and effectiveness of such leadership is another matter.
Acoli leadership gets a B-.
With the ascension of the NRA in power, any semblance of Acoli leadership was thrown into turmoil. As nature abhors a vacuum in came charlatans, a prophetess, someone called Joseph Kony, and deaths and deprivations rained on Acoli. This then began the era of Messianic, Clientele-subordinates and other In-betweens.
The Messianic group is represented by a hodge-podge of rebel outfits, which were later succeeded by Lakwena and Kony, whose members spread into the so-called Diaspora. These are people who saw that iron could only meet with iron to affect change. Too weak to effect any military victory, hence any policy change in Kampala, they resorted to coercion and terrorizing of the Acoli people who could not rise in popular support.
The Clientele-subordinate are represented by an assortment of NRM ministers, LC5s, MPs and presidential advisors. These are people who feel that the Messianic and other characters are being unreasonable and they claim to speak for the ordinary suffering Acoli. Generally, however, they are in it for their groceries, and have very little influence on any policy and events affecting Acoli.
The In-betweens are characters who, while giving semblance of opposition, nevertheless were co-opted into the so-called broad-based government. Vocal and articulate as they may be they never really caused any meaningful events or policy change.
Here then is a period when no Acoli is able to change the course of events or help forge policies despite the wails of Acoli in the displaced persons camps and the razing brutalities against Acoli by both the government armed forces and Kony’s LRA. Hence we have the notion of the leadership vacuum.
Acoli leadership gets an F.
Enter the multi-party politics. The Messianic never participated and no one openly advocated any association with their actions. The Clientele-subordinates lost big in the elections because the electorate saw them for what they really are. The In-betweens could be divided into two groups. Those tied to the old political parties. The other are coalition- incrementalists who by design or instinctively saw that in the Uganda of today Acoli can only play a meaningful and effective part by coalition with peoples of other regions.
How effective the Coalition-Incrementalists will be depends on when Uganda elections will become competitive or continue to be non-competitive. It is said that any election is non-competitive where the winner wins by 59% or more. What does this mean in the context of Acoli? This means that as long as Museveni is expected to garner 59% or more, the marginal votes of Acoli does not matter, and the less the NRM would take Acoli seriously for effective policy influence—hence, continued leadership vacuum. However, if Museveni’s chances dips lower, Acoli will be a hot campaign battle fields in which Coalition-Incrementalists will play a decisive roll and have potentials to influence events and major policies that will affect Acoli. Already we are seeing bold and courageous statements by some MPs that will have influence on land policy of the NRM government.
Note. The idea of Messianic, Clientele-Subordinate, and Coalition-Incremetalist is adopted from Richard A. Keiser’s Subordination or Empowerment?---.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Where is the evidence of Acoli in Kenya?
Well said brother Balmoi. Kalyegira's article was reckless and irresponsible. I wonder whether the Monitor's editor would have allowed that kind of insinuation if it were made against any other group.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/sun_letters/Where_is_the_evidence_ofAcholi_in_Kenya.shtml
Where is the evidence ofAcholi in Kenya?
I WAS appalled by Mr Timothy Kalyegira's article of January 19, 2008, "Raila Odinga's Orange Revolution", in which he intimates that Acholi are quietly disappearing and joining Luo in Kisumu.
As much as Acholi are dismayed by the violence and death of Kenyans in the post election mayhem, it is wrong for Mr Kalyegira to create rumuors and at the same time be the rumour-monger too. And it is not the Luo as a race causing the crisis. There are facts Mr Kalyegira intentional ignores in his effort to stereotype the Luo race and Acholi in particular as seemingly violence-prone.
First, all major Kenyan parties (ODM, PNU, ODM-Kenya, etc) are multi-ethnic. Secondly, there was spontaneous eruption of violent protests all over Kenya upon Mr Mwai Kibaki being announced the "winner" on December 30, 2007, not just in Luoland.
Third, the worst ethnic violence/killing has not been in Luoland but in the Rift Valley by Kalenjins, which continues up to today. Fourth, almost all of the deaths in Kisumu or Luoland have been caused by police shooting at civilians.
Fifth, most Kikuyus in Kisumu or Luoland were not killed but regrettably chased out while their properties were either wrongly looted and/or burnt down; compared to the Rift Valley where most Kikuyus were killed and properties completely razed. Sixth, many Luo people and other tribes are also displaced by the violence. Seventh, BBC reports show that Kikuyu gangs in Nairobi and other Kikuyu towns also killed Luo and other tribes (as testified to by Kambas saying that they thought they were safe when Kikuyu gangs went about looking of Luo people, but the opposite happened).
Therefore, it is despicable that Mr Kalyegira is trying to insinuate that Luos in general are causing violence in Kenya, and Acholi in particularly, are implicated. As much as Acholi may naturally sympathise with kin in Kenya, it is false to start accusing them of complicity.
Acholi are barely recovering from the 22-year suffering and are struggling to return from IDP camps let alone "going to Kisumu".
I challenge Mr Kalyegira to provide any evidence of his claim. Otherwise, he should stop trying to stereotype and create unfounded rumours against Acholi and the Luo race.
Balmoi Tido,
balmoitido@gmail.com
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/sun_letters/Where_is_the_evidence_ofAcholi_in_Kenya.shtml
Where is the evidence ofAcholi in Kenya?
I WAS appalled by Mr Timothy Kalyegira's article of January 19, 2008, "Raila Odinga's Orange Revolution", in which he intimates that Acholi are quietly disappearing and joining Luo in Kisumu.
As much as Acholi are dismayed by the violence and death of Kenyans in the post election mayhem, it is wrong for Mr Kalyegira to create rumuors and at the same time be the rumour-monger too. And it is not the Luo as a race causing the crisis. There are facts Mr Kalyegira intentional ignores in his effort to stereotype the Luo race and Acholi in particular as seemingly violence-prone.
First, all major Kenyan parties (ODM, PNU, ODM-Kenya, etc) are multi-ethnic. Secondly, there was spontaneous eruption of violent protests all over Kenya upon Mr Mwai Kibaki being announced the "winner" on December 30, 2007, not just in Luoland.
Third, the worst ethnic violence/killing has not been in Luoland but in the Rift Valley by Kalenjins, which continues up to today. Fourth, almost all of the deaths in Kisumu or Luoland have been caused by police shooting at civilians.
Fifth, most Kikuyus in Kisumu or Luoland were not killed but regrettably chased out while their properties were either wrongly looted and/or burnt down; compared to the Rift Valley where most Kikuyus were killed and properties completely razed. Sixth, many Luo people and other tribes are also displaced by the violence. Seventh, BBC reports show that Kikuyu gangs in Nairobi and other Kikuyu towns also killed Luo and other tribes (as testified to by Kambas saying that they thought they were safe when Kikuyu gangs went about looking of Luo people, but the opposite happened).
Therefore, it is despicable that Mr Kalyegira is trying to insinuate that Luos in general are causing violence in Kenya, and Acholi in particularly, are implicated. As much as Acholi may naturally sympathise with kin in Kenya, it is false to start accusing them of complicity.
Acholi are barely recovering from the 22-year suffering and are struggling to return from IDP camps let alone "going to Kisumu".
I challenge Mr Kalyegira to provide any evidence of his claim. Otherwise, he should stop trying to stereotype and create unfounded rumours against Acholi and the Luo race.
Balmoi Tido,
balmoitido@gmail.com
Saturday, January 19, 2008
My Top Ten Pet Peeves
1. Puritanical “Savedees.” I am turned off by the self-important look as they carry their dog-eared bibles with permanent smiles on their faces. The world is a tough place; leave me alone to honor my melancholy as I ponder the weight of the world. And they question me: “Are you saved, my brother? Jesus is the only way.”
“Saved from what?” I answered back with a glare that will wilt a tree.
Luther’s rebellion against the corrupt Catholic Church was timely in my book. But the excesses of the Calvinists exemplified by predestination of the elect brought arrogance into the mix. Moreover, the insistence of being “saved by grace alone, and not by works” undermined the underpinnings of the Catholic Church of community and service to our fellow man. Now individualism became the centre stage that was to support the Industrial Revolution and Capitalism—with it came bad manners associated with raw competition.
With their bad manners of “holier than thou” the Brits sent these Puritans scampering to the so-called New World. And to this day they have confused Americans and the rest of the world that subscribes to anything Americana.
In most American jurisdictions women can barely wear anything as long as they don’t show their nipples in public. If you do, you risk going to jail. Never breast feed in public if you don’t want the Sheriff to handcuff you. This, of course, is a legacy of the Puritanical version of fear of arousal. They spoilt a good thing that is meant for loving and feeding.
Then there is the no-drinking and no entertainment. This people don’t want fun. The bootlegging Catholic Kennedy patriarch told the Puritanical Temperance Movement to shove it during the Prohibition—he sold enough “illegal” liquor to make a fortune that survives to this day. Imagine Prohibition entered the United States Constitution!
2. Competition-Crazed Americans and their Imitators. Excellence for its sake is a good thing. But to do a thing just to beat the other is sickening—and literally since it is what is supporting the manufacturers of Prozac and other mind-altering snake oils. What happened to collaborative work? It will achieve the same in the larger scheme of things than the cutthroat-in-your face raw competition.
3. Processed Hair. Ladies, Ladies, Ladies. Black women of the world, stop being scarecrows. You will never be a white woman however much you try to shake that processed do—it just doesn’t have that swing. If I want a white woman, I can have one with the snap of a finger. Then there is the horse hair extensions—give me a break. If that is not enough, you try to color it to match your brown skin tone. My, My, My. Then you humiliate the race by becoming blonde!
The so-called First lady of Uganda has it right—and just maybe about the only thing about her that appeals to me. The close-cropped do is au naturale just the way my African queen should look like. Besides it is easy on the budget.
4. Ten-ton gas guzzling American monster vehicles. I know the car is a symbol of freedom, and the one that has the “baddest” toy wins. Ever since my view was blocked from seeing that vehicles had stopped to a crawl, and had to pump hard on my breaks to avoid being mangled into the mountain in front, I have hated the guzzlers. You waste the common resources of the world. You pollute the environment more than I do.
5. African power-obsessed dictators and their hangers-on. These are colonial rulers in dark skins. Apparently the colonials did a good job inculcating the notion of indirect rule. Even when they supposedly left, they still rule. Sooner or later the African will say no to these bloodsuckers in spite of their guns and patronage.
6. People who lack inner joy. Wearing sadness in your face is not going to bring you money, food or even wealth. On the contrary the sadder you are the more these things run away from you. Leave the Joneses alone and rejoice in their beautiful women and children, businesses, and the likes. This may make you less uptight and open your energy resources for creative ideas and wealth.
7. Jealous envious people. You can’t get any lower than being envious and jealous. It is a mystery to me why these traits are so prevalent and yet they are very debilitating to the psyche and well-being.
8. Stupid people who follow blindly. God gave you a mind to think for yourself; why be taken by some smooth talking snake-oil salesman? They followed Hitler and millions died. Bush lied about Iraq and thousands died, and now we have a recession looming. And now he is going to fix the recession by giving us money? What a piece of crock.
9. Ill-bred pretending dissemblers. Just be who and what you really are. You want to be somebody, work for it.
10. People who don’t keep promises. This is a sign that there is really nothing between the two of you—whether in love, business or play. So take a hike.
“Saved from what?” I answered back with a glare that will wilt a tree.
Luther’s rebellion against the corrupt Catholic Church was timely in my book. But the excesses of the Calvinists exemplified by predestination of the elect brought arrogance into the mix. Moreover, the insistence of being “saved by grace alone, and not by works” undermined the underpinnings of the Catholic Church of community and service to our fellow man. Now individualism became the centre stage that was to support the Industrial Revolution and Capitalism—with it came bad manners associated with raw competition.
With their bad manners of “holier than thou” the Brits sent these Puritans scampering to the so-called New World. And to this day they have confused Americans and the rest of the world that subscribes to anything Americana.
In most American jurisdictions women can barely wear anything as long as they don’t show their nipples in public. If you do, you risk going to jail. Never breast feed in public if you don’t want the Sheriff to handcuff you. This, of course, is a legacy of the Puritanical version of fear of arousal. They spoilt a good thing that is meant for loving and feeding.
Then there is the no-drinking and no entertainment. This people don’t want fun. The bootlegging Catholic Kennedy patriarch told the Puritanical Temperance Movement to shove it during the Prohibition—he sold enough “illegal” liquor to make a fortune that survives to this day. Imagine Prohibition entered the United States Constitution!
2. Competition-Crazed Americans and their Imitators. Excellence for its sake is a good thing. But to do a thing just to beat the other is sickening—and literally since it is what is supporting the manufacturers of Prozac and other mind-altering snake oils. What happened to collaborative work? It will achieve the same in the larger scheme of things than the cutthroat-in-your face raw competition.
3. Processed Hair. Ladies, Ladies, Ladies. Black women of the world, stop being scarecrows. You will never be a white woman however much you try to shake that processed do—it just doesn’t have that swing. If I want a white woman, I can have one with the snap of a finger. Then there is the horse hair extensions—give me a break. If that is not enough, you try to color it to match your brown skin tone. My, My, My. Then you humiliate the race by becoming blonde!
The so-called First lady of Uganda has it right—and just maybe about the only thing about her that appeals to me. The close-cropped do is au naturale just the way my African queen should look like. Besides it is easy on the budget.
4. Ten-ton gas guzzling American monster vehicles. I know the car is a symbol of freedom, and the one that has the “baddest” toy wins. Ever since my view was blocked from seeing that vehicles had stopped to a crawl, and had to pump hard on my breaks to avoid being mangled into the mountain in front, I have hated the guzzlers. You waste the common resources of the world. You pollute the environment more than I do.
5. African power-obsessed dictators and their hangers-on. These are colonial rulers in dark skins. Apparently the colonials did a good job inculcating the notion of indirect rule. Even when they supposedly left, they still rule. Sooner or later the African will say no to these bloodsuckers in spite of their guns and patronage.
6. People who lack inner joy. Wearing sadness in your face is not going to bring you money, food or even wealth. On the contrary the sadder you are the more these things run away from you. Leave the Joneses alone and rejoice in their beautiful women and children, businesses, and the likes. This may make you less uptight and open your energy resources for creative ideas and wealth.
7. Jealous envious people. You can’t get any lower than being envious and jealous. It is a mystery to me why these traits are so prevalent and yet they are very debilitating to the psyche and well-being.
8. Stupid people who follow blindly. God gave you a mind to think for yourself; why be taken by some smooth talking snake-oil salesman? They followed Hitler and millions died. Bush lied about Iraq and thousands died, and now we have a recession looming. And now he is going to fix the recession by giving us money? What a piece of crock.
9. Ill-bred pretending dissemblers. Just be who and what you really are. You want to be somebody, work for it.
10. People who don’t keep promises. This is a sign that there is really nothing between the two of you—whether in love, business or play. So take a hike.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
From Cradle to Grave: The Politics of Futility
From Cradle to Grave: The Politics of Futility
I once had a pin tripe blue double-breasted jacket. Way back when—when double-breasted suits had not made a comeback in the nineties. I loved that jacket. When I wore it to my fist real job interview in America, it was an instant hit—I got the job. I will not go into the circumstance in which I lost the jacket, but I at times get flashbacks and I miss that jacket however much I went on to other elegant attires. So, I understand how some people don’t throw away old clothes. The clothes are symbols of their past experiences. But should one not get a life and move on instead of being stuck in the past?
This brings me to political affiliations that some people hang on no matter what. Here in United States, assuming you have the gift of gab and full of yourself, you can fool the Republicans by the simple statement: I will cut taxes. Or such nonsense as: Read my lips; I will raise no new taxes. Or such platitudes as: I will protect the rights of the unborn child. So, no matter what, some people will vote against their own self-interests on the bases of these banalities.
In Uganda we have such a disgraced political party called UPC. This is the party that took the helm of government from colonial Britain. By a series of incompetence and intrigues that are well documented they lost power in Uganda. At this time there are probably two or three UPC MPs in a parliament of more than 200, and dominated by the ruling NRM. Now, if you were to hear some losers on the Internet still insisting on UPC as they comfortably enjoy their little lives in Copenhagen, London or Toronto, you would think that it is still a viable political party when all indications are that it has shriveled to the party of tribal Langi and a few Acoli. These poor souls should get a life and begin in the now. Take the examples from the Kenyans who use political parties as mere vehicles to ride as they advance their political convictions. See http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?premiumid=0&category_id=39&newsid=114450
This business of hanging on to a political party for life is for the birds.
I once had a pin tripe blue double-breasted jacket. Way back when—when double-breasted suits had not made a comeback in the nineties. I loved that jacket. When I wore it to my fist real job interview in America, it was an instant hit—I got the job. I will not go into the circumstance in which I lost the jacket, but I at times get flashbacks and I miss that jacket however much I went on to other elegant attires. So, I understand how some people don’t throw away old clothes. The clothes are symbols of their past experiences. But should one not get a life and move on instead of being stuck in the past?
This brings me to political affiliations that some people hang on no matter what. Here in United States, assuming you have the gift of gab and full of yourself, you can fool the Republicans by the simple statement: I will cut taxes. Or such nonsense as: Read my lips; I will raise no new taxes. Or such platitudes as: I will protect the rights of the unborn child. So, no matter what, some people will vote against their own self-interests on the bases of these banalities.
In Uganda we have such a disgraced political party called UPC. This is the party that took the helm of government from colonial Britain. By a series of incompetence and intrigues that are well documented they lost power in Uganda. At this time there are probably two or three UPC MPs in a parliament of more than 200, and dominated by the ruling NRM. Now, if you were to hear some losers on the Internet still insisting on UPC as they comfortably enjoy their little lives in Copenhagen, London or Toronto, you would think that it is still a viable political party when all indications are that it has shriveled to the party of tribal Langi and a few Acoli. These poor souls should get a life and begin in the now. Take the examples from the Kenyans who use political parties as mere vehicles to ride as they advance their political convictions. See http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?premiumid=0&category_id=39&newsid=114450
This business of hanging on to a political party for life is for the birds.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Fear is a Bummer
http://www.pbase. om/manny_librodo/image/50579579c
Anger maybe the root of all evils, but at the bottom of it is fear. And fear is the single cause of many miseries in the world. The politicians fear to speak their minds and evil men get their ways to the detriment of many. I fear to stand up when someone is being bullied, disparaged with nasty calumnies or abused. We are angry out of fear. We are jealous out of fear. We lash at others out of fear.
Children generally (assuming they are growing in well nurtured environement) are fearless. What happened to that fearless tyke who now sits behind a desk in a crammed office, bored to death pushing papers and dreaming of sex? What happened to the rebel who would not take No for an answer until he had his way? What happened? The adult systems broke him down to a mere figment of a man happy to work for food, shelter and occassional miserable sex if Memshahib allows.
If the genetic code was for us to be wild, free and fearless, we die many deaths before we expire to come later as poodles in the next life. Why not come back as a Brahman or even a Buddha if only we dare live fearlessly?
Anger maybe the root of all evils, but at the bottom of it is fear. And fear is the single cause of many miseries in the world. The politicians fear to speak their minds and evil men get their ways to the detriment of many. I fear to stand up when someone is being bullied, disparaged with nasty calumnies or abused. We are angry out of fear. We are jealous out of fear. We lash at others out of fear.
Children generally (assuming they are growing in well nurtured environement) are fearless. What happened to that fearless tyke who now sits behind a desk in a crammed office, bored to death pushing papers and dreaming of sex? What happened to the rebel who would not take No for an answer until he had his way? What happened? The adult systems broke him down to a mere figment of a man happy to work for food, shelter and occassional miserable sex if Memshahib allows.
If the genetic code was for us to be wild, free and fearless, we die many deaths before we expire to come later as poodles in the next life. Why not come back as a Brahman or even a Buddha if only we dare live fearlessly?
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Museveni is in Africa's Club of Shame
No wonder Museveni was the only African head of state to recognize Kibaki's win. Even his sponsor, the US, backtracked after rcognition on auto pilot. I am sure he is eager to have a neighbor to join him in Africa's Club of Shame--11 so-called leaders of the African Union who have served/imposed themselves for twenty years and counting-- with Omar Bongo of Gabon clocking 40 years. http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_2235161,00.html
Does this phenomenon say anything about who we Africans are? The leading heading on the online article says "Africa's stalwarts," suggesting an undercurrent of sarcasm. If anything, these long-serving leaders reflect the dirth of any established institutions to carry on social,economic and political growth and stability in a rapidly changing world. Even in Africa's Arabs countries where it should have been an established institution to help guarantee continuity, Islam is in a state of turmoil with fundamentalists struggling to gain control and take these nations back to the dark ages. In Black Africa there is hardly any established institutions to speak of. The indigenous institutions having been destroyed by colonialism, Christianity and Islam, what can provide a sense of continuity for the alien notion of nations are the autocratic Big Men.
Around these Big Men are the forces of handlers and hangers-on who perpetuate the status quo for their own benefits. Any means other than the gun will take years to oust these demigod leaders because the masses, burdened by the need for physical survival, are aneasthetized by a sense and need for continuity. It will take years for those who have liberated themselves from this mental slavery to develop a critical mass to get rid of the big-man cult.
Already people like Raila Odinga, through cheer grit and organization, has achieved much. He was the chief architect and tactician in ousting Moism. His putting together of ODM is pure genius. The calculation behind the numbers for the Coast, Rift Valley, Western and Nyanza was pure textbook political alignment that is the future of Kenya power axis. What happenned with the stolen election is a temporary dliectical setback.
Does this phenomenon say anything about who we Africans are? The leading heading on the online article says "Africa's stalwarts," suggesting an undercurrent of sarcasm. If anything, these long-serving leaders reflect the dirth of any established institutions to carry on social,economic and political growth and stability in a rapidly changing world. Even in Africa's Arabs countries where it should have been an established institution to help guarantee continuity, Islam is in a state of turmoil with fundamentalists struggling to gain control and take these nations back to the dark ages. In Black Africa there is hardly any established institutions to speak of. The indigenous institutions having been destroyed by colonialism, Christianity and Islam, what can provide a sense of continuity for the alien notion of nations are the autocratic Big Men.
Around these Big Men are the forces of handlers and hangers-on who perpetuate the status quo for their own benefits. Any means other than the gun will take years to oust these demigod leaders because the masses, burdened by the need for physical survival, are aneasthetized by a sense and need for continuity. It will take years for those who have liberated themselves from this mental slavery to develop a critical mass to get rid of the big-man cult.
Already people like Raila Odinga, through cheer grit and organization, has achieved much. He was the chief architect and tactician in ousting Moism. His putting together of ODM is pure genius. The calculation behind the numbers for the Coast, Rift Valley, Western and Nyanza was pure textbook political alignment that is the future of Kenya power axis. What happenned with the stolen election is a temporary dliectical setback.
Anger, the Root of all Evils
All the wars, family squabbles and tragedies, hatred, falling-off with friends, etc originate from Anger. Anger destroys all the goodness we have built with others. It brings arguments, fights, and even killings. Nothing arms us more than Anger. Look at the Anger in Kenya that resulted from the presidential elections. Look at the Anger of the LRA that brought sufferrings to millions in Uganda. When mythical Gipir and Labongo of the Luo parted company it was anger for a simple bead of one brother and loss of a spear of another.
So, what is man to do? Recognizing that it is a trait we are born with, it can be unlearned and replaced with Patience. By renouncing anger and practicing patience, over time, we may reach a time when anger is no longer controlling--that is maturity and true wisdom.
So, what is man to do? Recognizing that it is a trait we are born with, it can be unlearned and replaced with Patience. By renouncing anger and practicing patience, over time, we may reach a time when anger is no longer controlling--that is maturity and true wisdom.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Raila Blinked as Kenyatta Talked Tough
Was it wise to have raised the ante that ODM would defy the ban? Kibaki with water cannon and teargas showed who was the man in town. And kijana Kenyatta talked tough. Consequently Raila blinked and talked of a temporary government for three months until another election. In this chess game he has lost again not unlike his father, Jaramogi. This is classical brinksmaship, and the end result is anybody's guess. High level murder or death is one unsavory solution. But even that has consequences that are too dark to contemplate.
Kenya was once my playground. My heart hurts to see it fall apart. Maybe what was long vestering needed this to correct the alignment of the stars. Good luck Kenya.
Kenya was once my playground. My heart hurts to see it fall apart. Maybe what was long vestering needed this to correct the alignment of the stars. Good luck Kenya.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Ugandan Troops in Kenya?
There are talks of Ugandan troops working with Kenyan government forces in Western Kenya.
http://www.kenyanpundit.com/
What do you expect out of Museveni anyway. All he knows is the gun to solve issues. So, what are these Ugandans going to do? Shoot to kill? What is needed is a political solution, which he already started on the wrong foot by recognizing Kibaki. A thief is not going to be set to catch another thief.
http://www.kenyanpundit.com/
What do you expect out of Museveni anyway. All he knows is the gun to solve issues. So, what are these Ugandans going to do? Shoot to kill? What is needed is a political solution, which he already started on the wrong foot by recognizing Kibaki. A thief is not going to be set to catch another thief.
Mobile WiMax
Cell or wireless phone has reached the remotest corners of the world and has revolutionize communications to many who would not have had access to land line phones. The challenge to most parts of the developing world is, however, the experience of using the Internet. Most access the Internet via Internet cafe's that are often crowded and the connectivities slow. One reason for the slowness is the inadequate and expensive bandwidth to the Telco networks.
WiMax is a technology that has been accepted by the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 or 3G, and will offer wireless broadband last-mile connectivities that will take Internet to most homes and businesses. This is exciting because VOIP, Telemedicine, or BPO, etc will be practical in many less developed economies.
WiMax is a technology that has been accepted by the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 or 3G, and will offer wireless broadband last-mile connectivities that will take Internet to most homes and businesses. This is exciting because VOIP, Telemedicine, or BPO, etc will be practical in many less developed economies.
US 2008 Presidential Politics
Since I live in the US I might as well give my two-cent piece of opinion on the presidential race. Obama and Huckabee are my clear choices to lead the two parties. Both are articulate and well-spoken. I believe that either of them can bring about meaningful changes to American politics. I like Edwards too.
The rest of the front tier packs of either parties are sleazy calculating politicos. The Mormon just makes me cringe. He is a racist and an opportunist who changes with the wind just to win. Giuliani, with his wicked smile, is plain scary.
The rest of the front tier packs of either parties are sleazy calculating politicos. The Mormon just makes me cringe. He is a racist and an opportunist who changes with the wind just to win. Giuliani, with his wicked smile, is plain scary.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
The 2007 Land Bill
The master of Macheavellian intrigue is at it again. After the orgasmic high of the CHOGM has waned he brings the controversial Land Amendment Bill. The bill is purpotedly meant to protect tenants/squatters--legal and illegal--from being thrown out by the landlords.
The whole thing begs the questions: Has the country never had any law protecting the interests of both tenants and landlords? How come the liberator has waited over twenty to wake up to protect tenants? Somebody asked: Where are the tenants being thrown out? Another asked: What if I want to develop my land on which some tenants are, why would my hands be tied by the laws in the bill?
Of course, this bill comes in the context of the wondering "Balaalo," mainly ethnic Westerners roaming the country with their cattle for grazing. Why did they leave their ancestral areas? Were they chased away by landloards, and are now being imposed on other peoples by this pro-tenant bill?
The land bill has stirred up a storm in Buganda where the concept of bibanja--tenants of a free-hold land owner--is common. Acoli should not play the characteristic Uganda thing of standing on the sideline when the co-wife is being whipped. The same stick that whips the co-wife will turn against you. With current dislocations due to the LRA war there are Acoli people who have escaped their areas and occupied lands of others. This bill will make it hard for the true owners to re-claim their land. What if the Balaalo occupy any of the largely communial Acoli land? The bill will essentially protect them.
The whole thing begs the questions: Has the country never had any law protecting the interests of both tenants and landlords? How come the liberator has waited over twenty to wake up to protect tenants? Somebody asked: Where are the tenants being thrown out? Another asked: What if I want to develop my land on which some tenants are, why would my hands be tied by the laws in the bill?
Of course, this bill comes in the context of the wondering "Balaalo," mainly ethnic Westerners roaming the country with their cattle for grazing. Why did they leave their ancestral areas? Were they chased away by landloards, and are now being imposed on other peoples by this pro-tenant bill?
The land bill has stirred up a storm in Buganda where the concept of bibanja--tenants of a free-hold land owner--is common. Acoli should not play the characteristic Uganda thing of standing on the sideline when the co-wife is being whipped. The same stick that whips the co-wife will turn against you. With current dislocations due to the LRA war there are Acoli people who have escaped their areas and occupied lands of others. This bill will make it hard for the true owners to re-claim their land. What if the Balaalo occupy any of the largely communial Acoli land? The bill will essentially protect them.
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