Re: Kisii 2007:Magara & Ruto hurt in Nyamarambe

Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2007 18:57:42 +0000

Messrs Matunda and Nicholas,

Good morning both of you.

Jagwassi my long standing brother, and my good friend Matunda Nyanchama (a respected Kisii and Kenya professional leader in the Diaspora). I think both of you are attempting to be on different sides of an incident that all Kenyans have condemned except for Mr Nyachae and a few misguided youths (who are now in hiding). Mwanyagetinge-MCDI.COM the professional caucus of the Abagusii issued a very balanced press statement denouncing this activity. Very many others have denounced Nyachae’s actions, including the President himself. The only person in the whole republic of Kenya who has a slightly different view is Mr Michuki, the internal security minister. His version of events goes that the noise from fire arms of two of Magara’s body guards agitated the armed proscribed chinkororo causing them to attack Magara, Ruto and Bichage. (and I hope Matunda was not referring to the internal security minister’s statement). The truth however is as reported in all the media – including the pro government media houses. This was an attack on an MP who came to a fund raiser event in his own constituency and was attacked by another MP and his army of illegal youths from a different constituency. The guards fired in the air to scare the surging armed chinkororo as they shot arrow, rungus, stones and spears at the MPs as they descended from their helicopter at the Harambee venue.

Mr Matunda, although you now live and work in Canada and USA, I hope you have not forgotten some of our customs. You know very well that it is completely out of cultural norms for a grandfather and community leader of Nyachae’s calibre to stand in front of an harambee crowd of women, children and men and start singing circumcision songs at 2 pm in the afternoon. There was nobody being circumcised at the venue and event. You also know under what circumstances we as kisiis used to sing circumcision songs – and what age group of people took our boys for circumcision. The truth is that something is very amiss with one of our community leaders and he should be told that he is not just embarrassing himself, but also anyone else who cares to call himself a kisii. There is something very wrong and we need to be very forthright in saying to Mr Nyachae that as a leader, he is walking naked in the courtyard at 2 pm. This is not even an issue of politics or political stands. This is culturally repugnant.

And these are the view of very many Kenyans. Most of Nyachae’s friends are too embarrassed and lost for words on what to say either in public and private. The misguided sycophants are the only ones imaging that Magara went to his home to provoke Nyachae, who is even from another constituency. Incidentally, are you aware that Nyachae is yet to organise a fund raiser for the youth in his own constituency, yet he went to organise one in Magara’s constituency??

Who is provoking who here?? Are you aware that since the referendum, Magara is on record as saying that he (Magara) has recorded over five statements in various police stations (with no action taken) confirming that Nyachae has threatened him (Magara) in and out of parliament that he will “”finish”” him?? Who is provoking who between these two Gusii leaders???

At these times of heightened political temperature, let us not preach peace. Let us live in peace. Let us be tolerant. Let us welcome all political leader to Kisii to sell their agenda in peace. Let us welcome all politicians to all part of Kenya to sell their agenda in peace.

Eng Chris Oanda