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• Hopes Fade, Mediation Team Takes Weekend Adjournment

  Posted: February 22, 2008, 2:21 pm by Phil

  
  Kenya's 'de facto president' Raila Odinga, of the popular Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
  
  It now appears that the deep divisions regarding the powers of the proposed Prime Minister's post have driven the weary mediation team apart and in effect left very little hopes for a political deal between ODM and PNU anytime soon.
  
  No deal? Kenyans brace for the worst!
  
  By the time the talks adjourned late Friday evening, hopes for a deal announcement quickly evaporated when neither Annan nor his spokesperson showed up at the press briefing. Media houses who have set up permanent camps (complete with OB vans and satellite) at Serena Hotel were disppointed when Annan failed to show up. The press have been forced to work in shifts so as to keep a 24 hour vigil at the five star hotel where the talks are taking place.
  
  An optimistic and upbeat Annan last addressed a press conference accompanied by US secretary of state Condi Rice a couple of days ago. It looks like the agreement that was apparently 'signed' by the warring parties in Kilanguni lodge last Friday is already being disregarded. How is Annan taking all this?
  
  To add insult to injury, this morning, the ODM captain Raila Odinga (pictured) skipped an appointment with Jean Ping, the new chairman of the African Union (executive) Commission. That was after the PNU team needlessly kept Kofi Annan, his eminent persons panel and the ODM team waiting for five hours after taking an early break (buying time) yesterday to attend, sic, the funeral of the man who set-up the infamous Nyayo House torture chambers and the brainchild behind Kenya's biggest scam of all time - Goldenberg International. That man was known as James Kanyotu.
  
  Jean Ping was met by Uhuru Kenyatta on arrival in Nairobi's JKI Airport and carefully shepherded to Kalonzo Musyoka's Harambee House office yesterday before meeting Mwai Kibai this morning. While the AU have not officially endorsed the PNU government, their behavior and amateurish actions clearly show which side they fall on. During Mr. Ping's visit, ODM were kept out of the picture as was Annan and his team. Ironically, Annan is in Kenya under the AU auspices. Perhaps this tightly and remote-controlled itinerary may have probably upset the ODM and made them send a junior team to meet Jean Ping.
  
  Although Raila was reportedly flown to Nigeria on chartered jet, no official in Abuja nor Lagos can confirm his presence in Nairaland. The Nigerian foreign affairs minister is not aware of Raila's visit. In a nutshell, Raila's whereabouts - Kenya's de facto president - is publicly unknown. What is going on?
  
  Both PNU and ODM teams reportedly emerged from Serena Hotel late Friday evening saying that they were giving each other the weekend for consultations and would resume talks on Monday. Kofi Annan was nowhere to be seen.
  
  Meanwhile, state intimidation moved to another level when ODM pointman in Uasin Gishu Jackson Kibor spent the second night in police custody after police announced they would arraign him in court on murder charges. Family, doctor and lawyers have been barred from seeing the 72 year-old diabetic Kibor. This afternoon, Kibor was subject of a heated argument between ODM legislators and journalists who had gone to cover the ODM Parliamentary Group meeting.

• Deal, no Deal and the Lips Go on

  Posted: February 22, 2008, 1:40 pm by Taabu

  And it came to pass. Another weekend of bottled emotions as a nation suffers acute bouts of anxiety. Well, hope remains our singular consolation. As to whether the good virtue is bankable or realistic given the immediate past experience is any Kenyan’s guess.
  
  Annan must be one unique African endowed with BOUNDLESS and ELASTIC PATIENCE. No wonder he scaled ranks to the highest global diplomat. With petty games played on him virtually everyday he must summon all his wits to stay a float in the Kenya political kraal.
  
  Meanwhile the so-called negotiators can continue with their impunity to hold the whole country at ransom. One day they take political grandstanding to new heights and before Kenya can say NO DEAL they offer a sweetener to our eyes which they don’t mean of its letters. And as we brace ourselves for the epic announcement, their fingers promptly hit the MUTE button.
  
  Just like cowards pessimists live longer because of their tendency to factor in many REALITY constraints before seeking any optimal equation. But minimization is the other face of optimization. So you see minimalists are actually maximalists albeit in the reverse.
  
  Suspended storm
  No rational human being derives pleasure from delivering bad news to others. But it is equally morally criminal to stare failure in the face and fail to recognize it. True, HOPE is the spice with which a depressing menu is served. On the same vain you do yourself no favour by burying your head to reality hoping against hope that a storm will evaporate.
  
  Kibaki is back to what he knows best - chasing a rodent while house burns. He is busy addressing sideshows in the belief that he is home and dry. His arrogance makes him think ALL Kenyans are fools (he literally means the pumbavu thing by the way). If only he would be alive to the truth that the crisis he singularly created will NEVER go away just by cheaply branding it human challenges in need of divine intervention. The true God is never cheated and He never deserts his creation either.
  
  Fingers we must cross hoping for the best from Annan. But reality and experience also nags us to face the unpleasant truth. No honest Kenyan will hinge his HOPE on Kibaki giving any meaningful concession. Kazi inedelee (with all the vices) was a slogan not coined in vain. And grand coalition can only derail the good work of scoundrels.

• ODM Issues Mass Action Notice

  Posted: February 22, 2008, 6:05 am by Phil

  Raila's Trip: PNU Intelligence Caught Napping
  
  After intentionally delaying this morning's mediation talks for about 5 hours, the government/PNU side were this morning thrown into disarray when news reached them that Raila Odinga had abruptly left the country. Was he in prison?
  
  This incident shows Kenyans just how organised ODM is. Firstly, unlike the duly elected President Kibaki who made several secret trips out of Kenya and to Mombasa immediately after the elections, ODM, through its deputy captain Musalia Mudavadi was open and clear: Yes, the captain is abroad for a day, but he is definitely available at all times for consultation while out there. Which means, (much to PNU's disappointment) mediation talks will not be delayed because Raila is out of reach.
  
  Secondly, ODM supporters are not left with any anxiety as a results of their leader's absence. PNU have continuously been playing delaying tactics with Annan for three weeks now, and they have been desperate for an excuse to lay blame on ODM for any reason that would delay the talks or show lack of seriousness.
  
  Hopes that a deal would be announced today appear to be premature. It is emerging that the protagonist are still deeply divided over the powers of the prime minister. The PNU side do not want to agree to a PM with executive powers, while the ODM side insist that the state and government must be divided with the PM only answerable to parliament and leading the government while the president leads the state. PNU have even tried to suggest the PM's role be crafted along the lines of some chief minister with some functions attached, but the ODM side would hear none of it.
  
  In order to show their seriousness, this afternoon, a second ODM PG meeting in as many days issued an ultimatum reconfirming its earlier threat that there would be countrywide mass protest within a week that is; as from Wednesday 27th February, if the PNU side failed to agree to their demands. ODM spokesperson Ababu Namwamba said that the huge amount of concessions their party had made in the search for peace was far much more than what the PNU side had made, if any at all. ODM accused the PNU of buying time so as to consolidate its illegitimacy.
  
  ODM's statement also appeared to emphasize the right to self-determination, and it will be interesting to see how players react to this. ODM had earlier requested that parliament be recalled to address issues of insecurity in the country, but it seems the man in whose hands the power to re-call parliament rests (PNU's Mwai Kibaki) is in no hurry.
  
  Insiders in ODM are insisting that Kibaki must be made to sign a peace agreement that shares executive power, and that the agreement must be legalised by way of constitutional amendment. Only then will ODM take up its duties. After all they ask; which pledge/promise has Kibaki ever fulfilled in his 40 years stint as a public figure/ MP / president? None.

Blah blah blah

Fish cakes

Alas a fish cake.

Yet more fish cakes

Guess what ... yeah ... fish cakes.

The end of the fish cakes