THE DESIRE TO PROTECT BIG WIGS COULD BE THE REASON BEHIIND THE RIGGING OF THE ELECTIONS AND DESTRUCTION OF LIVES AND PROPERTIES

    Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 21:05:16 -0500
    From: Lucia Akech

For weeks, I followed the election campaigns in my beloved country, Kenya and watched a multitude of poor people gather around the candidates with burning desires to hear them lay out their vision for Kenya's future. On elections day 12/27/07, these voters formed long lines and castes their votes with dignity . They performed their civic duties peacefully.

Within a matter of hours, voters' good intentions turned into mourning and gnashing of teeth as they watched their hopes smashed by violence, death and destruction. For mysterious reasons, the officials charged with the counting of results had other ideas about what their desired results had to be. The verdict was not what most people had hoped for. I could not help wondering; "why?"

One of the tapes I had watched during a campaign event came, glaring me in the face.  It was the tape of the Finance Minister, Mr. Amos Kimunya who was on a campaign event in Kisii where he highlighted his fears as follows:-

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6729959714015544061&hl=en

Could these be some of the reasons for the current turmoil in Kenya?
 
The Minister emphasized:

 
1-    The protection of investors should a regime change occur. He claimed  these investors do not have confidence in an alternative government because they do not trust those they do not know;

2-    Ensuring job security for senior civil servants. The senior people must be offered protection by the ODM team;

3-    Seven ODM members are tainted by the Anglo Leasing scandal.

 

I understand that in order for Kenya to be prosperous, it must trade with its neighbors and international investors. However, it would be very disturbing if these investors resort to dictating to a host government the kinds of people they want to interact with when conducting these business transactions.  This is the kind of mindset that has given rise to corruption and destabilization of governments where one group of citizens is set against another.

Unless there are shady deals or corruption of biblical proportion associated with investors' contracts, there should be standard operating procedures (SOPs) for handing over deals or contracts that were signed by an outgoing team to the new team. 

Furthermore, these so called "investors" have been fighting tooth and nail against PROTECTIONIST policies; why are they demanding protection from the Minister of Finance?  Where do the rest of Kenya citizens fit in this protectionist equation?

Additionally, Mr. Kimunya was very much worried about the protection of civil servants who he feels could not campaign for themselves.   What about those jobless people who lined up to vote,   who is protecting their interests? Are they obliged to just show up during elections, cast the votes, go back to their slum cities and keep quiet until the next election circles?

Many of these ordinary voters are jobless. Why would anyone expect them to vote so that the investors, most of who are not interested in creating jobs, can be protected?   Kenyans would like to work to feed their families. They are not interested in World Food Programs which are promoted by corrupt and inept government elites assisted by their foreign donor friends.

DUBIOUS MESSAGES FROM SOME WESTERN COUNTRIES

On December 30, 2007, U.S. State Department offered congratulations to President Mwai Kibaki for winning the elections

http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-12-30-voa20.cfm

On December 31, 2007, the U.S appears to withdraw that congratulatory message! This is very worrisome particularly for those people with relatives in areas affected with violence and looting.

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_2245189,00.html

Tribalism is now being used as an effective tool to destabilize Kenya. However, when you look at the people bleeding, dying or those whose hard earned properties are now engulfed in smoke, they are ordinary people with no representation at the closed door tables where deals affecting their lives are cut. The people pulling the strings are negotiating deals they feel favor their agenda. For those citizens who have lost their lives after casting their votes, I wonder how or where they fit in the behind the scenes deal breaking business. They lost without knowing why.