RE: PROPAGANDA FROM UGANDA - A Rebuttal

(A Rebuttal to the article by John Smith in The Monitor Daily newspaper of Uganda –

The world falling in Raila’s traps? - KENYA VIOLENCE )

By Sande Olocho – HR Activist, Vihiga. Kenya.

This is a response to the cheap propaganda by a ‘john smith’ of the Monitor newspaper of Uganda, a sister paper of the ‘pnu’ friendly paper The Daily Nation.

There has always been this habit by journalists and politicians to sensationalize the 1982 Coup and particularly in linking it with Raila. This is immaterial as it is inconsequential, because the coup is part of Kenya’s history in the struggle for the second liberation. There were good reasons for the coup; and john smith should remember that the engineers behind the coup were from Central province, Kibaki’s forte.

If john smith is indeed a John Smith, then he should know that violence is not a good thing but violence has a place in the emancipation of a people.

Violence brought about the freedom of the slaves.

Violence brought about the liberation and independence of Kenya.

Violence brought about the Christianization of Europe.

Violence brought about the death of Jesus Christ and the foundation of Christian faith.

Violence brought about the overthrow of Dictator Idi Amin Dada.

Violence brought about the multi-party democracy that Kibaki is abusing today.

Is Raila using violence as a tramp card? No! He is not organising te violence, this is spontaneous reaction to an injustice. Is violence a part of it, yes; but Raila is not the architect.

Public sympathy? Raila has had public sympathy right from the day they hurled insults and innuendos at him in a ‘pnu’ rally at Nyayo stadium. And the more insults they continued to heap upon him, the more sympathy he gained. Raila has continued to gain public sympathy because of Kibaki’s political naivety and not the current violence.

Why does john smith compare Kenya’s situation to the Israeli bombings and shootings? Is this part of the sub-conscious thinking to hammer the Luo using the government security apparatus as they are doing at the moment!!

John smith inadvertently uses the press reports before the elections where certain politicians were found ferrying machetes, bows and arrows to different parts of the country; what john smith does not say is that the politicians who were found to be doing this were actually ‘pnu’ candidates and ministers; Kibaki men.

The pressure that is brought on the candidates in Nyanza to step down is usually from the populace and not Raila. As a matter of fact, many of Raila’s lieutenants were felled in the nominations. The political awareness in Nyanza is very high compared to other regions of Kenya; and the reason is, they have been in the struggle longer than all the other communities in Kenya.

It is the government’s attempts to penetrate or infiltrate the Nyanza region that are usually resisted and seen as violence towards the government agents. However, it should also be noted here that the government apparatus are very keen on finding a way to tilt the political scales and great influence that Raila has over the Nyanza region.

John smith mixes issues by referring to the party nominations of 2002. Whatever happened at that time was for the political expediency of the time of which Kibaki was the beneficiary and not Raila.

Raila is a symbol and icon of the Luo struggle for a fair share of the national cake which they feel cheated of since independence. A drive through Nyanza will give you a quick answer to this concern and struggle of the people of Luo Nyanza.

Rafael Tuju is a turncoat executive who insisted on going to parliament. Because he had the means to do so, he was seen as an asset during the 2002 campaigns and for this reason, it was felt he be supported to capture the Rarieda seat. Supporting campaigns is not bribery at all. Moreover, it is Tuju himself who benefited from this support for the then NARC team. He did not bribe Raila, he helped to fund the NARC campaign. Is there anything wrong with that?

John smith’s article in the Monitor is a cheap piece of writing, not researched and most likely done in one of those River road lodgings of Nairobi. The height of bad manners.

Next time bwana john smith or whoever you are, do you homework before you put your pen to paper. And for the ‘pnu’ sympathizer in the name of the Editor of the paper, vet your articles that have political overtones carefully; and especially where you want to draw international comparisons and attention. A mere using of English names will not help you much, it is the content, the subject and the weight.

The era where we believed anything that was printed or supposedly done by an English man is long gone. Today it is eyeball to eyeball, nose to nose.

And if you are an African, then you do not need a pseudo name, be bold and stand up, argue your case objectively.

Sande
HR Activist
VIHIGA