Sunday, March 30, 2008

African democracy

It is very unfortunate to hear west question African democracy, According to the west “Weaknesses in democratic governance dampen economic activity, causes civil unrest and can create fertile ground for “terrorists”. In their mind and policy, west on goal is strengthening the principles of hold of Africa as long as they have the people they want in the government. The west policy is only to create the conditions for that favors them and promotes U.S. interest and west dominance agenda’s over Africa. The cases of Kenya where they support people who killed women and children, the same people are in Gangs of five are in the Kenyan government with the wet blessing. This is what is wrong with African democracy. If you kill in the west you go to gas chamber. Unfortunately the Africans themselves have reinforced this notion. I am not a Zimbabwean and do not know her inner politics. I do respect Mugabe a man who can make unpopular call with the west and survive.
We need to talk about the evil caused to African by the west and if possible try to prosecute these crimes in Hague. There is so much evil done to African and still going on. In Kenya, when the Kikuyu Mau Mau were tying to fight to get their land back from white people, which they never got up to now, 600,000 kikuyu’s were killed. At this moment there are an ageing group of former Mau Mau insurgents who have launch a legal action in Britain accusing the army and colonial authorities of torturing or illegally killing thousands of Kikiyu’s during the rebellion for independence 50 years ago. Some also witnessed killings worse than that of Darfur. These people like in Zimbabwe were trying to get what is their own.
There are accounts where women as young as 15 were arrested for supplying the Mau Mau with food. The white officer ordered them torture, carried out by a black soldier who shoved a bottle into their vagina to force them to reveal the whereabouts of the member of the Mau Mau. In some cases there the white soldiers who would fill bottle with hot water and then pushed it into their private parts with their foot. These crimes are in records and have never been prosecuted.
The African democracy has failed since west continues to treat Africa as its colony today, with African blessing; Africa has also accepted this providence. Crimes committed to African until now has not brought for prosecution in Hague nor has the west encouraged this crime for humanity to be prosecuted. If those women and children burned in church in the Eldored, burned forest were white, the world would be crying for justice, but since they were not. The people who burned them will be in the next government with the blessing of west. This has to stop!!! The world needs to investigate those who killed in the burned forest if there is any hope for justice and democracy in Africa.
The African intellect has failed to educate the world the evil of the west against the African people now and during the colonial times which was very identical to slavery. If the white farmers took farms away from Zimbabwean like they did in Kenya, then Mugabe is right by taking the farm away from white farmers. The west evil has lead to what we see now as bad democracy in Africa. The west for years and even now has continued to support bad government and killers of women and children. These are people and government they have supported for their interest and hidden agenda. In the case of Kenya, the west supported an opposition which had supported violence and killing of women and children. These killers are in the next Kenyan government. The west knows about it and yet they continue to support them.
This is why the rule of law, good government, and the democracy while never flourishes in Africa. When Al Gore was rigged out of election, the law of land right or wrong was followed. When the opposition or the Gang of five questioned the validity of president Kibaki election, the west supported a violence way of resolving the issues. They supported the killer of children and women. Kibaki weakness was that he gave more democracy than most opposition appreciated. They, with the west support took it the street and killed people while the west watched and video taped for evening news. If this was dictators as Mugabe or Daniel arap Moi, this would not have happened. By giving more democracy in Africa good leaders fail. West wants to see turmoil in the whole of Africa. Where in whole world can you encourage killing of children and women and become a prime minister with the blessing of the west? In Africa and in this case Kenya.


James Gatihi

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Warlords and Militia in Kenya govenment

It is very sad to read the media depiction of how the Kikiyu’s have dominated Kenya, both economically and politically for the last 40 years. The fact is before Kibaki come to power president Moi, a kalinjin had ruled Kenya for 24 years uninterrupted. For those 24, every five years whenever there was an election there has been killing of the kikuyu’s community in the rift valley and yet the united states and the world has witnessed this without any condemnation. The notion that the kikuyu has benefited from the government has no foundation. The kikuyu’s are very hard working and industries that the rest of the other Kenyans are begrudge.
African democracy has to be defined by the African themselves. The continental policy of appeasement or business as usual in the United Nations will not end a deliberate policy of targeted killings and forced movements of people from ancestral lands by a sitting government or the warlords and militia like In the case of Kenya. The African Union has to step in and come up with a plan to protect these two regions, the Darfur and Kenya rift valley.
There is history of ethnics cleansing in Kenya that target the kikuyu’s. There were killing lead by Moi government for 24 years and now there is cleansing lead by warlors Raila and Ruto in Kenya. It is a same that this is happening when Kenya has a kikuyu seating president. People need to understand since the cleansing is done by Khartoum or the warlords like ODM does not make any difference, it’s is still human life. There is a comparable between Kenya and Sudan, both in ethnics cleansing. We are yet to see any verifiable signs that the government of Sudan is ending its deadly policy in Darfur, neither there is no sign also that the Kenyan government lead by Kibaki has done anything to protect the lives of the kikuyu people in the rift valley. There is need for the African union to send peacekeepers to save lives in Darfur and also in the Kenyan rift valley.
President Kibaki is calling the displaced people to go back to their property and yet the opposition (Warlards), whom are now in his government, still has militia waiting for these people to return for an easy Kill. It is clear from the elections of 1992 onwards, that the sacrificing of the kikuyu’s will happen every five years, it is also clear that the Kenyan government, either lead by a kikuyu or a non-kikuyu cannot protect these hard working peoples. It is clear that the Kenyan government is now run by member of the ODM Militia and warlords who do not care for its people as long as they have power.
African Union’s leading proponents of the new vision for Africa and with strong armies, should contribute well-armed troops that can protect lives and stare down any armed militia and warlords in Sudan and Kenyan rift valley, to stop intent on continued killing of innocent women and children. It would be a defining moment for the African Union to act first without waiting for the United Nations or Western governments. African leaders should be prepared to do whatever it takes to stamp out the roots of ethnic cleansing or genocide in the continent. Since Kibaki is not sending any peace keeping mission in the valley, most of the Kenyan will not return and I do not blame them. Kibaki and his warlords, militia government of unity has failed to protect it people. The AU needs to move in and move in fast.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

DEMONIZATION OF AFRICAN DEMOCRACY

It is unfortunate that west have demonized the African democracy so successfully. What is even more poignant is that African themselves also have now joined their former master in doing so, case in point Maina Kiai. Elections are always stolen even in the so called developed countries and case in point USA where Al Gore was rigged out, I guess democratically. I do not think there is perfect election, since the entire politicians are alike in my view. Now the question is: why is that there is always complain from the west in every African election that is, when their puppet loses? In case of Mugabe, Kibaki, Museveni? And why Mugabe when we have, Tanzania and Egypt one party system that are Unchallengeable and in Togo where there have been no challenge for 30 years.
Is this because there is so much to lose for the west self interest in Kenya and Zimbabwe? Why was there no cry when Musevani changed the constitution so he can stay in power? Why are darker people being killed in thousand in Darfur every day? While west is aware of these tragedies unfolding in Togo and Sierra Leone it is a shocking fact that there has been no cry from the west as in Kenya and that of Zimbabwe. Could all this outrage be racist drivel marshaled and sponsored by imperial media houses or it is genuine collective moral outrage aimed at forestalling the west self interest and thus halting the Chinese penetration especially in Kenya?
The Kenyan election was a very bad African precedence, Instead of moving forward whom I think Africa was, the west notarized violence in Kenya, and rewarded the killers. Africa moved backward which was the goal of the west. By serving their self interest, west throw the first stone in killing African democracy and rule of law. No party from today onward will ever accept defeat. There will be killing in every African election as the west has planned. When bunch of thugs and terrorist kills human being and destroy personal properties while the west stood and cheered on the side line and thereafter demand the same people to share power, this is a bad and gloomier day for African and human being. This is democracy at its worst!!! The peace loving world cannot just seat and reward these people, the whole opposition need to stand trial in Hague. We cannot let violence win….and yet west demand the same people to be part of democracy. What kind a democracy is this, killing women and children, is what we reward for?
When a president kibaki help the economy grow by 7% reduce the poverty, create over 500,000 jobs, rehabilitee the infrastructure and when Mugabe redistribute the land that was stolen by the white amongst the black majority then these presidents Kibaki and Mugabe are genuine African patriot who are being sacrificed by the powerful and racist Western world for doing the right.

Kenya and African Democracy

It will take a long time for develop African democracy; I am saying African democracy since democracy does not mean western democracy. Africa should ponder deeply and critically on the direction or how to grow a more sustainable democracy in Africa. Democracy that reflects Africa's histories, experiences, cultural traditions and norms.

The problem with the African democracy is a Sycophant like Maina Kiai who is an opportunist at any cost. For the people who followed the Kenyan campaign, we saw Mr. Kiai’s hidden agenda all the way. Was Mr. Kiai promised something by the opposition or the west since west wanted Opposition to win? This is a man who claims to be holly since he is a kikuyu and think people will listen to him because of that. Please Mr. Kiai, state your agenda since we do not believe you. Let’s hear what you know about rigging or shut the f--- up!!!
Peoples lives were lost, property damaged, children burned in church and all Maina Kiai can think about is about “rigged” election and what can make him famous. Your ten minutes of fame is up and shame on you. What a shame to the African decency and democracy to call you a human advocacy.
This man was against the government since the start of campaign. To divide Africa and conquer the colonial government used people like Kiai to plant seed of abhorrence which are being harvested today. The murderers of innocent people are using Maina Kiai to cover up. There are some questions that Kiai as he claims to be ‘human right advocate” should be asking. Who financed the killing in the rift valley? Who did the killing and under whose directions? We know there was ethnic cleansing against kikuyus; there were murders, rapes, and expulsions of kikuyu’s. Kiai as a humanitarian should be asking if the murders, arrests, rapes, and expulsions of Kenyan citizens were a matter of cleansing and again who sponsored them. We know some of the sponsors are going to be in the next government and we want them exposed and prosecuted in Hague for the crime against the humanity.
These are a very serious time; we need serious people if we are going to define our destiny and “African” democracy that caters for all people. We need to remove a person who creates ten minute fame without regard to who it hurts like Mr. Kiai. Mr. Kiai should be preparing a case in Hague right now against the murderer of the” burned forest” church and their master. We cannot sleep until these people are caught and brought to court of law. The spirits of these people demand and deserve to heard.

James Gatihi

Thursday, March 6, 2008

International community must prosecute the killers in Kenya

We all know African will eventually have her own type of democracy. It will be hard for African to establish their version democracy, since the kind of democracy the west wants it not going to work for Africa. If you win in Africa and the west do not like you, like the case of Mugabe or Mwai Kibaki of Kenya. The west will cry foul and rigged election. African needs to challenges the west to except the African democry which is very infancy and of different version just like in Europe. African democracy does not have to be an image of the west. West do need take a hard look at our political institutions, out laws and our philosophies that are too often taken for granted as the way-things-must-be as defined by west.

It’s funny and true; I read a story is told of a U.S. citizen chiding the former president of Tanzania, Julius K. Nyerere, about the fact that Tanzania had only one political party. Nyerere is said to have responded: "Well, in the United States, you, too, have only one political party, but with your customary extravagance you have created two versions of that one party.
Many Africans consider the Western model of political democracy to be extremely narrow and even alien to African cultures. "Democracy is not merely the right to vote and seize power," the Rev. Jose Belo Chipenda, General Secretary, All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) has said. "It is about a whole complex of rights and duties which citizens must exercise if a government is to be open, accountable, and participatory." Africans like Chipenda find that Western-style democracy "places people into artificial antagonistic boxes, turns friends into enemies, and aims at arousing unnecessary competition. In west you have luxury to do this, since economy factors do allow.
In the case of Kenya, since the Kibaki government has done such a great job, where the economy was growing at the rate 6%, the opposition had to come up with garbage type of politics, e.g. “Majimba” which means that every ethnics has to go back to where the majority of that group came from, the “Sheria” law which means that where the majority are Muslims, then the Islam law applies. They also incited other ethnics groups against each others claiming the other groups got more from the government than the others, where in some cases it is true, but not even this case is true for 0.5%, mind you this is the same case even in the west where big corporation do not pay taxes.
When all this was going on, the west and especially the American ambassador was on the side line as a sheer lender and encouraging this to happen. We here in states knew this was going to happen, since the opposition campaign advisor was Dick Morris the famous for inflating polls. This was clearly ignorant of the west. Again as long as their puppet is winning, then of course minimal democracy criteria are met as they define it. Like the case of Kenya, Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania Saudi and Jordan.
Democratic governance and respect for human rights are the foundations for political and social stability and economic progress no matter what. They are also intrinsic to the goal of human development. I believe Kibaki won the elections, and all grievances should have been taken to court of law like the case Gore. We did not ask Gore to share power with Bush! West therefore should not apply double standard like in Kenya, where they supported people who advocated violence and killed people and burned their houses. Today, the struggle of Africa's people for democracy and human rights continues since the west has refused to be fair just. As in the past, international support and fairness can play an important role for true democracy. West should have encouraged the opposition to go to court. Today nobody is talking about who organized the killing Kenya. We know these same people are going to be in the next government as very senior minister. We demand the international community to prosecute these people. We demand their names to be exposed and send to Hague. We also demand the west to measure democracy and justice with one yard stick.
James Gatihi

Sunday, March 2, 2008

I just come back from Kenya and witnessed most of these horrible crimes first hard. My wife and I also were involved in finding help to displaced kids and families. We were able to move 15 kids to my father house and also enroll them in schools. Kenyans people are good people regardless and I do want the world to know that, they do not care about race until incited and clearly that was what happened in Kenya when Raila and the opposition lost.
It is unfortunate that this has happened in the front of the world. What is surprising is the way the world has kept quiet in terms of the who is responsible for this. If the world was listening to the ODM’s the campaign slogans, they should have known that this was to happen. Their banner was “Majimbo” meaning separation by race. This was happening while the US and Europe watched and never raised a finger. They, the west also supported Raila and the opposition, while all this was going on and clearly knew what was going to be the consequence. Their intention was the genocide of those who did not support them and specifically the kikuyu’s, there was genocide written all over but he west and the world ignored it.
The militia groups were organized way ahead of the polls, their mission clearly defined by the oppositions. They were to force some tribe’s and again specifically the kikuyu’s people as have been happening in the past from their homes by killing them. The individual and this militia which the government is aware of have committed war crimes against the civilian population and need to be prosecuted by international tribunal. This includes people who are going to be in the next grand coalition. There has not been one time that I have hard the west point a finger on who organized these crimes. This pattern of genocide against the kikuyu’s has been going on for too long in Kenya. Every election we have had in Kenya, kikuyu have paid a heavy price in terms of human lives. The world needs to stop this now.
Under the leadership of Kofi Annam, the two opposing sides have agreed to share power which is what the Kenyan people would have wanted, peace! My argument is what kind of precedence is being set for the democracy in Africa and third world country? This is clearly a big blow to democracy, because it clearly says that when you lose an election, kill as many people as you can and the world will listen to you. Raila and the opposition have been rewarded by inciting and genocide. And then the world have demand that you share power, congratulation!! This is what happened in Kenya. I do not know if Kibaki won or lost but clearly there was a better way of resolving this. There is court of law and the procedures set, that should have been followed. By allowing the opposition to share power we are encouraging this to happen again, and I guarantee that this will happen. Zimbabwe here we come, you are next, and the west is waiting to be entertained by killing of African. What way to set precedence in Kenya.

James Gatihi