SUNDAY NATION NOVEMBER 26, 2023 21

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For the Thinking Perso ISSUE NO. 63 | NOVEMBER 26, 2023 FREE WITH ‘SUNDAY
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RAILA EXILE FILES

In the heat of the agitation for a return to multiparty democracy, Odinga fled Kenya to
Uganda, from where he sought to go to either America of Germany. Newly declassified
documents reveal the back and forth that surrounded his search for assylum
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RUNNING AWAY FROM THE MOI REGIME, RAILA HAD SOUGHT ASYLUM FROM GERMAN, AMERICAN GOVERNMENTS

RAILA, THE ‘UNWANTED’ EXILE

Western governments were afraid of antagonising the ‘friendly’ Danial arap Moi government, while
Uganda under Yoweri Museveni was keen to avoid a diplomatic dispute with its neighbour

Father and son seem lost for words at their first meeting at the Birds of a feather? FORD Kenya’s Raila Odinga (left) listens to Chief Inspector Ikonya of the Nairobi Central Police Station, Nai-
elder Odinga’s Bondo home since his son Raila was detained five Koigi wa Wamwere at the All Saints Cathedral where they met for robi, explains to members and suporters of the Release Political
years ago.But Raila’s arm, and the look in their eyes express all the the Release Political Prisoners Cultural Week. FILE | NATION Prisoners pressure group, who included FORD Kenya’s Langata
emotions of the moment. Raila travelled to Bondo soon after his MP Raila Odinga (left) why they were not allowed to plant trees at
release from detention. FILE | NATION Freedom Corner to commemorate Political Prisoners Day. Others
ish High Commissioner that Mr quest to London, urged him to were Murugi Kariuki, Victor Wachira, Kang’ethe Mungai, Karimi
BY ODHIAMBO LEVIN pala ,the UNHCR representative, Odinga’s first option was Germa- continue pursuing the Germa- Nduthu, Kitur arap Tirop, Geoffrey Kuria Kariuki, Rumba Kinuthia,
only referred to as Mr Farah, re- ny,which they were“pursuing vig- ny route. He further pointed out Labour Democratic Party chairman Noor Mohamed and physician
OPIYO quested an urgent meeting with orously”. that he was not aware of any will- Lukas Munyua. FILE | NATION
the British High Commissioner to Farah’s aim was to put Mr Odin- ingness by Her Majesty’s Govern-

R
ecently declassified docu- Uganda Charles Cullimore . ga on a flight to Brussels, Belgium, ment and the High Commission However, it would be helpful to fice stating: “We are very con-
ments in London have for “Farah , the UNHCR represent- the following day, after which he in Nairobi to assist Mr Odinga have instructions on how we cerned at the proposal that the er-
the first time revealed the ative, called to see me this after- would board a connecting flight with his asylum case. should respond if the German op- ror in Ngugi’s Ghanaian passport
full extent of efforts by the noon at his urgent request ac- to Germany. But the plan was be- The meeting ended with Farah tion falls through and Farah re- should in effect be legitimised
United Nations High Commis- companied by his assistant,” Mr ing delayed by the Germans inde- promising to update the High turns to us,”he wrote. . Ngugi is the enemy of Kenya
sion for Refugees (UNHCR) to se- Cullimore wrote in a priority tel- cisiveness on the asylum request. Commissioner about any devel- He was however of the opinion number one. I am also disturbed
cure safe passage for opposition egram. Even though a similar request opment . that one way or another, Mr Odin- by the fact that Ngugi appears to
leader Raila Odinga, who had fled During the meeting, Farah in- had been made to Norway and Following the meeting, the dip- ga should be out of Uganda as have two passports, one Ghana-
to Uganda on October 26, 1991 formed Mr Cullimore in strict the United States, Farah sought to lomat telegrammed London, soon as possible since it was “ im- ian and the other Kenyan. We al-
fearing for his life, and the reluc- confidence that before fleeing know from Mr Cullimore wheth- seeking advice on how to re- portant in terms of bilateral rela- so seem to be having problems
tance of big Western powers to Kenya Mr Odinga had made asy- er the UK would be willing to take spond to the request. The tele- tions between Uganda and Ken- keeping a track of Ngugi’s move-
give him political asylum. lum enquiries with American in Mr Odinga incase other op- gram marked “confidential” was ya”. ment (Something we had agreed
Mr Odinga, a serial political de- and German diplomats in Nai- tions failed. also copied to the British Embas- we should do), can things be tight-
tainee who was at the time a lead- robi. The UNHCR representa- The British High Commission- sy in Bonn, Germany. Track movement ened up?”
ing campaigner for multiparty tive further revealed to the Brit- er, while assuring Farah that he “As things stand there is no It was clear from the records Such was the dilemma of many
democracy and prominent op- p- wo
would pass need to respond further to the that the British and Americans of those who fled to the West dur-
ponent of President Daniel Moi’s i’s on the re - approach Farah has so far made. were hesitant to offer Mr Odinga ing that period. Nonetheless, Mr
autocratic regime, had crossed ed a
asylum. Odinga was eventually offered
into Uganda through Lake Vic- c- This could be explained in the asylum in Norway where he re-
toria disguised in religious gab.b. context
c of Cold War, which was at mained for a couple of months.
With rumours spreading about ut its
i tail end. The Odingas and oth- While he was away freezing in
his whereabouts, a Ugandan n er
e political agitators were consid- the biting Norwegian winter,back
government official hurried- d- e
ered a threat to Western interests home Moi, had yielded ground
ly convened a press conferencee by
b antagonising Moi, who was following persistent pressure and
and confirmed to reporters that at seen
s as a safe pair of hands,. announced the return of multi-
Mr Odinga was indeed in Ugan- n- In one file marked “confiden- party politics in December 1991.
da, but his request for asylum m tial”,
t covering the 1980s and ear- With the clamour for change at
had been rejected. ly
l 1990s, Koigi wa Wamwere and its peak, Mr Odinga was not ready
The government of Presidentt P Ngugi wa Thiong’o were de-
Prof to remain in exile for long. He was
Yoweri Museveni, well awaree scribed
s as“enemies of Kenya”who particularly keen on attending
of the annoyance Mr Odinga’ss should
s not be given a safe landing the first rally of the newly formed
presence in Kampala would d in
i Britain. In fact, Prof Thiong’o political party—Forum for Res-
cause the Moi administration n only
o got his indefinite leave to re- toration of Democracy (Ford)—
and possibly result in a diplo-- main
m in Britain after an immigra- which was to be held at Kamuku-
matic row, reacted swiftly by y tion
t officer made a mistake and nji. The only problem was that he
passing him on to the UNHCR. endorsed
e his passport, the docu- didn’t have a Kenyan passport
According to the British gov- ments
m reveal. and his Norwegian one was not
ernment documents, on Octo- The Foreign Office was so much valid for travel to Kenya.
ber 28, 1991, just two days af- angered
a by the error that it wrote To navigate this logistical chal-
ter Mr Odinga’s arrival in Kam- a protest letter to the Home Of- lenge, according to the declassi-
fied documents, he approached
British High Commissioner Br
British High Commissioner to Lord David Steel, a former leader
to Uganda Charles Cul- Kenya Roger Tomkys of Raila
Ke of the British Liberal Democratic
limore’s letter regarding Od
Odinga’s request for assistance Party, to intercede for him so that
um.
Raila Odinga’s search for asylum. to get back his Kenyan passport he could get his passport back.
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Lord Steel, who later served as the
presiding officer of the Scottish AZIMIO WELCOMES FORMATION OF COMMISSION AND DEMANDS INCLUSION
Parliament, had spent part of his
boyhood in Kenya.
Lord Steel’s father, the Rev Da- BY MOSES NYAMORI

STATE CAPTURE
vid Steel, was the minister of St

U
Andrews Church Nairobi in 1949, nder “Ending State Capture” in his
and was known for his criticism manifesto, President William Ru-
of colonialism in Kenya. This put to promised to establish, “with-
him at odds with the Governor in 30 days, a quasi-judicial public
of Kenya and some of his con- inquiry to establish the extent of cro-
gregants. nyism and state capture in the nation
Just like his father, Lord Steel and make recommendations”.
was an acclaimed campaigner for During the August 2022 Gener-
social equality.“I have been con- al Election campaigns, President Ru-
scious from my earliest days. to accused the Jubilee government—
President promised a commission to probe state capture
There are interrelations be- which he had been a part of until his within 30 days of taking office, but a year later, he is yet to act
tween one’s personal belief and falling out in 2018 with then President
attitude to social questions.” Per- Uhuru Kenyatta—of being behold-
haps this explains his early associ- en to cartels, fraudsters and econom-
ation with liberation figures and ic saboteurs, whom he blamed for the
movements in Africa. rising cost of living.
In 2007, for example, he backed But since he assumed office in Sep-
Mr Odinga’s bid for the Presiden- tember last year, Dr Ruto and his al-
cy, stating that the opposition pol- lies went cold on the matter, only re-
itician and his father Jaramogi viving it when stung by Mr Kenyatta’s
Oginga Odinga “have always been public utterances and now in the wake
guided by a moral code whose of the current criticism of the govern-
cornerstones are truth, national- ment-to-government fuel deal and the
ism, democracy and social justice. Sh17 billion oil saga.
Driven by powerful consciences, Last weekend, during a church func-
both men always remained true tion in Kitui County, Mr Kenyatta
to the cause of justice for all and lashed out at President Ruto and his
freedom from tyranny”. allies for perpetually blaming his ad-
The British Conservative maga- ministration for their failure to deliver
zine, Spectator, in its January 2008 on their pre-election promises.
issue, stated: “It is a little known “I don’t have to say anything but so
fact that though Raila Odinga was that my silence is not misconstrued
a socialist firebrand who named to mean that I am afraid of speaking
his son Fidel Castro, his mentor up my mind, it is now clear to Ken-
was the former Liberal Party lead- yans that some people have failed in
er Lord Steel.” their job,” he said.“Nowadays, I’ve got-
It is therefore not surpris- ten used to being blamed for any- National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah during an interview in his office April. FILE I NATION
ing that Mr Odinga chose to ap- thing and everything.Each time some-
proach him in 1992 to help him one fails to do their job, they blame with establishing the commission as National Dialogue Committee; the op- departments: Office of the President,
get his Kenyan passport back. Fol- the previous government. Even when promised during the campaigns. position must be equally represented State Department of Trade and Indus-
lowing the request, Lord Steel somebody’s wife fails to conceive, they “The state capture commission will for any truth to be known,” said Jubi- trialisation, State Department of En-
raised the issue with an official blame Uhuru.” guide the country not to ever repeat lee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni. ergy and State Department of Trans-
of the East African Department This triggered a series of reactions past economic mistakes and private “The real state capture is under this port.”
(EAD) in the Foreign Office, who from Kenya Kwanza Alliance poli- business inspired policies as we forge regime. Kenyans want to know why Prof David Monda, a lecturer at City
then informed the British High ticians, including a renewed push ahead,”said Mr Ichung’wah. appointment letters in the public ser- University of New York, said it would
Commissioner in Nairobi:“Sir Da- to form a commission of inquiry to He added: “It will as well end the im- vice are now being dished by Kenya be problematic for President Ruto to
vid Steel has been approached by probe state capture during Mr Kenyat- punity as public officers use their offic- Kwanza politicians,”said Mr Kioni. address the state capture issue since
Raila Odinga who is now living in ta’s 10-year tenure. es to loot the country. It will help us re- He added: “If this probe is to not be- it is ingrained in the fabric of both the
Norway about the possibility of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua patriate all the loot stashed in safe ha- come another cover for their inade- current and previous administration.
getting his passport back.” said that the country was facing hard vens.” quacies, we want the commission to “I think the problem lies with lack of
The official went on to say that economic times because of a borrow- Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coali- also inquire into why corruption cas- political will to deal with state capture
he had intended to raise the mat- ing spree and state capture under the tion, which is led by Mr Raila Odinga es touching on Kenyan Kwanza politi- at the highest levels of government. In-
ter with Dr Sally Kosgei, the Ken- previous administration. He promised and which Mr Kenyatta says he is still a cians have all been dropped.” stitutions like the DCI (Directorate of
yan High Commissioner to the to release details of the alleged state member of, welcomed establishment Criminal Investigations), DPP (Direc-
UK , but was not able to secure an capture soon. of such a commission,but insisted that Explain away their failure tor of Public Prosecutions) and EACC
appointment because the Ken- the inquiry has to cover both the cur- ODM chairman John Mbadi said the (Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commis-
yan diplomat was operating be- In a hole rent and previous administrations. renewed push to probe the alleged sion) are deliberately led by political
tween Nairobi and London. “Those debts must be paid and they The opposition also said that such a state capture was yet another tactic by appointees that pay lip service to deal-
“I wanted to make clear to her will be paid by the people of Kenya. commission should be composed of Kenya Kwanza to explain away their ing with state capture and malignant
that I was not lobbying on Raila What we agreed under the leadership individuals from both the ruling alli- failure to deliver on their pre-election corruption,”said Prof Monda.
Odinga’s behalf as such but rath- of William Ruto is that we found our- ance and Azimio to avoid possible cov- pledges, more than a year since they “In a nutshell, I’m not very optimis-
er concerned with the level play- selves in a hole and what you do if you er up and victimisation. It added that came into office. tic this administration will address
ing field aspects of the pre-elec- are an intelligent person is you first some of the individuals in the current Mr Mbadi said such a commission state capture. Particularly now with
toral situation.” empty it and figure out how to get out regime held powerful positions in the should have been formed in the cur- the government being broke and un-
In concluding his telegram, the and that’s what we have done; tight- previous regime. rent administration’s first month in of- able to pay its bills. Kenyans have be-
official requested the British High ening revenue collection, sealing leak- Although he was sidelined in the last fice if they were serious about it. come used to the President promising
Commissioner,“ if you are seeing ages, making sure that every cent is term of Mr Kenyatta, President Ruto “The cartels who were in the pre- to fight corruption with few prosecu-
Kosgei could you perhaps feed collected to pay public debt,” said Mr served as the country’s second in com- vious administration have been re- tions of suspects and even fewer con-
this in and let me know what re- Gachagua on Tuesday. mand for the 10 years. Mr Ichung’wah placed by another group of cartels. victions,”he added.
action you get”. In April, Mr Gachagua blamed the fi- served as the National Assembly’s This government is even borrowing Some insiders in the Ruto admin-
The following day, the official nancial challenges facing the nation- Budget and Appropriations Com- more than the previous administra- istration, who spoke in confidence,
sent another telegram to the High al carrier Kenya Airways on state cap- mittee chairperson for close to seven tion,”said Mr Mbadi. said a full commission of inquiry, like
Commissioner in Nairobi asking ture. He claimed that Mr Kenyatta’s re- years—the committee plays a big role The nominated MP said some of the the one against former South African
him to do everything possible to gime made the airline sign questiona- in the passing and implementation loans President Ruto is blaming Mr President Jacob Zuma, poses the risk
talk to the Kenyan government ble contracts. of the country’s budgets. Current De- Kenyatta for were taken during Jubi- of unintended political consequenc-
about Mr Odinga’s passport. “I think the state capture fellows fence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale lee’s first term in office. es or embarrassing revelations for the
“Raila Odinga is due in Lon- were very clever, they did it in such a served as the National Assembly Ma- “Ruto literally ran the first term of Ju- government.
don on 20 January for a meeting way that even if there is a change of jority Leader for about eight years. bilee in office. He has said it himself. A preferred route could be to re-
with Sir David Steel. Apparently, government, to get out of those con- “We welcome it, but it should not be Will he be subject to the commission lease bits of information on alleged
the FORD meeting in Nairobi has tracts, the penalties are extremely used for intimidation. They cannot of inquiry?’he asked. state capture targeting specific sectors.
been put off in the hope that Rai- heavy,”he said. be talking of state capture only when Narok Senator Ledama Olekina said: These could then be pursued by Parlia-
la Odinga will be able to be there, National Assembly Majority Leader the former President challenges them. “While at it, let us bring out our in- ment or investigative agencies.
but it cannot be put off much be- Kimani Ichung’wah this week indicat- If they are serious about it, let it be come statements. Of interest will be
yond the last few days of January,” ed that Kenya Kwanza would proceed formed in a similar manner like the the income statement of the following mnyamori@ke.nationmedia.com
he wrote.“Grateful therefore any-
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SUNDAY
SUNDAY
SUNDAY
NATION SEPTEMBER
NATION
NATION
NATIONAUGUST
AUGUST
AUGUST27,
10,
13,
6, 2023
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HE HAS HAD SEVERAL ALTERCATIONS WITH THE POLICE AND TURNED THEM TO HIS ADVANTAGE

THE RETURN OF MAINA NJENGA

The former Mungiki sect leader is on a mission to change perception about him; he has been doing
rounds in media stations and during his court appearance in Nakuru last week, he led the crowd in a
Christian prayer—a symbolic show of moderation and image building
BY JOHN KAMAU

W
hen he held a well-attended meet- Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga in the
ing in Kenol, Murang’a County, on dock at the Nakuru law courts during the
October 7, former Mungiki lead- hearing of his criminal case on Wednesday.
er Maina Njenga appeared to be WILFRED NYANGARESI | NATION
making his mark within the Mt Kenya re-
gion.
Besides what was dubbed the Kikuyu
Men’s Conference, Njenga has recently
been on a say-nothing TV publicity drive
during prime-time news and has scared
the Central Kenya politicians aligned
with Deputy President Rigathi Gacha-
gua.
Njenga, 54, is a survivor—he has been
shot at, kidnapped, jailed and remand-
ed for long—and even claims to have
died and resurrected. The man used to
dine with former President Daniel Moi,
graced Uhuru Kenyatta’s campaigns,
hobnobbed with former Prime Minis-
ter Raila Odinga, and always gets a front
seat at any political rally he attends.
As the Mount Kenya region goes
through transition politics, Njenga has
been positioning himself as an alterna-
tive force—his past notwithstanding
—and has been offering some shine to
the lacklustre Azimio la Umoja One Ken-
ya Mt Kenya leaders Jeremiah Kioni and
Martha Karua. More so, he seems to tar-
get the Deputy President, the most sen-
ior political figure in the region because
of his current position.
As an astute mobiliser, Njenga is send-
ing shivers within the region in what ap-
pears to be a well-organised plot to ei-
ther dethrone Mr Gachagua, create pow-
er paralysis in the region, or solidify the
fragmentation of the region’s politics.
While post-Ruto politics are now in full
throttle, the Njenga positioning can on-
ly complicate Gachagua’s rise unless he
commands the entire Central Kenya
vote. Any division would leave him vul-
nerable and create space for the likes of
Musalia Mudavadi, the Prime Cabinet
Secretary. ty to mobilise has always shocked the se-
This week, women MPs from the re- curity apparatus, coupled with the eth-
gion protested Njenga’s return to the no-nationalism that drives its agenda. At
centre-stage of the region’s politics and one point, it operated its tax-collection
asked Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure system, allocated land and controlled re-
Kindiki to stem Mungiki’s return. But al estate development in the regions it
there was more to it than the subtle fear operated in.
of Mungiki. Though he has never been elected to
That Mungiki was never vanquished any political position, Njenga operates
has been an open secret within Mt Ken- best as a power broker. He is always in
ya, where it has operated with a tri- the company of top politicians and bod-
ple identity: part traditional sect, part yguards, and lives like a rock star with
self-help group, and part criminal ma- separate homes in Laikipia, Nyahuru-
fia. While it has dropped the symbolic ru, Nakuru, Kajiado and Nairobi. His sup-
dreadlocks, it has various offshoots in- porters call him “Mr Chairman”, an odd
dependent of Njenga’s former extortion- title for a man who evades questions on
ist gang that was sent underground by how he made his multi-million-shillings
the late John Michuki, former President fortune. It is with this fortune that he
Mwai Kibaki’s Internal Security minister. bankrolls politics.
Like UDA, which targeted the margin- In 2017, Njenga had wanted to run for
alised, Njenga speaks to the same group. the Laikipia senatorial seat on a Jubilee
However, he adds revolutionary change Party ticket, but the party secretariat re-
and echoes of Mau Mau to his mobilisa- jected his papers, citing integrity issues.
tion strategies. Though he filed an appeal before the The public follows proceedings on screens during the hearing of a case against former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga in the
Though the group is outlawed, its abili- Political Parties Disputes Tribunal and parking area of the Nakuru Law Courts on November 22. BONIFACE MWANGI | NATION
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COUNTRY MOVING TO NARCOTICS CONSUMER FROM TRANSIT HUB

CRIME ON THE RISE

New Africa crime index paints a grim picture for Kenya, with most forms
of crime recording increased activity

BY DOMINIC WABALA Kenya scored high for human trafficking

aimed at forced labour and sexual exploita-

H
Maina Njenga campaigns for the Laikipia County senatorial seat in uman trafficking, arms trafficking, envi- tion because of its geographical position,
Karendi, Nyahururu on January 26,2022. EVANS HABIL | NATION ronmental crime,drug trafficking and cy- which is favoured by traffickers.
bercrime have placed Kenya at the top in New hotspots have emerged around the
the region’s crime index. country in recent years, with the human
claimed to have used Sh120 mil- itics, with Dr Ruto proclaiming According to the Africa Organised Crime In- smugglers transporting illegal immigrants
lion to popularise the party, Njen- himself the region’s kingpin. dex 2023 by Global Initiative-Transnational from Somali, Eritrea, Uganda and Tanzania to
ga also blamed then party lead- But after the victory, Mr Gacha- Organised Crime (GI-TOC), which was funded the Gulf States and Middle East.
er Uhuru Kenyatta and his then gua started mobilising the re- by the European Union (EU),there is increas- Because of its porous borders and region-
deputy William Ruto for his pre- gion for political unity by shep- ing criminality and growing vulnerability of al position, Kenya has also become a hub for
dicament. The party asked him herding the MPs elected on the societies owing to the evolving nature of the arms trafficking, which has exacerbated cat-
to clear his name with the Direc- Jubilee Party ticket towards Ken- crimes. tle theft.
torate of Criminal Investigations. ya Kwanza. This move led to a Research data revealed that Kenya scores “Decades long armed violence in neighbour-
“Many issues have b e en coup within Jubilee, in which Mr 7.02 in the criminality index, leading the nine ing Somalia has exacerbated the arms traffick-
brought to our attention about Kenyatta’s group almost lost con- Eastern Africa region states and fourth among ing market in Kenya. In 2021, increased inse-
him and as a matter of proce- trol. The weakening of Jubilee the 54 nations on the continent. The score is curity in Ethiopia resulted in an uptick in the
dure, he must clear his name and has, ironically, created space for 0.07 points higher than the previous year’s. number of firearms crossing the border. High
satisfy us that he has nothing to Njenga—just in case Mr Kenyat- In the resilience score,which indicates ability level political and government officials are re-
do with the criminal gang,” the ta leaves that void. to fight the criminality, Kenya scored 5.33, up portedly linked with trafficking arms to war-
party’s then director for cam- How Njenga will manipulate 0.13 points from last year, showing that there ring factions,”the report reveals.
paign communication, Albert the Mt Kenya politics will depend have been continued efforts to combat the There is also a noted increase in trade in
Memusi, was quoted saying. on who is backing his bid to edge problem in the country. counterfeit goods, especially car spare parts,
This week, police in Nakuru cre- Mr Gachagua out. It also depends Most of the noted crimes are being execut- electronics, luxury goods, fashion clothes and
ated more publicity for Njenga on whether Mr Kenyatta is inter- ed in collusion with senior public officials and computer accessories, leading to billion shil-
as they mobilised the riot squad ested in managing local politics, corrupt politicians, making it harder for law ling loses annually.
ahead of his court appearance, or prefers to fade into oblivion. enforcement to intervene. ting better because the criminal actors seem Illicit logging and harvesting of protected
where he is charged—for the nth While appearing at the Nakuru According to the report, human trafficking, to have a special affinity for the continent.The species also had a noted increase as the coun-
time—for being a member of the court, Njenga’s lawyers pointed arms trafficking, cannabis trade, financial EU has been committed to supporting resil- try’s forest cover dwindles. Wildlife traffick-
Mungiki sect, the quasi-political fingers at the deputy president crimes and cybercrimes showed a notable in- ience efforts, and organised crime is a priority ing between Kenya and Asia has remained
gang that terrorised non-adher- over their client’s troubles. It was crease. Electoral tension, political instability for intervention in line with the EU’s roadm- prevalent. Trade in lion, rhino, hippo, sea cu-
ents and sustained itself through a clear indicator of his target. and conflict, the Kenya report noted, have sig- ap in fighting drug and human trafficking. cumbers, turtle products, lobsters and don-
extortion. Njenga rose to fame in the nificantly contributed to the increased crimi- EU will continue to support African efforts in key skins to China has risen to concerning lev-
The Nakuru court ordered the 1990s by manipulating ethnic nality in the country. It further indicates that combating effects of organised crime,”Mr Sim- els. These illicit goods from the East African
proceedings to be beamed on tensions, with his Mungiki group the gap between criminality and ability to ek said. region are transported through the Port of
screens outside the courtroom being mentioned alongside Tal- combat it has greatly increased. GI-TOC Director Mark Shaw revealed that Mombasa.
after police attempted to block iban and Kamjesh gangs that Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, which are criminal actors are embedded in the private Minerals from the Democratic Republic of
Njenga’s followers from the court were linked to the complex con- some the continent’s biggest economies, bore sector and noted that criminal spheres have Congo are smuggled through Kenya to legiti-
precincts. frontational politics of the Nyayo the brunt of increased criminality following grown from last years’ 10 to the current 15, mise them, before they are sold to other coun-
By deploying police with every era. It also represented Kikuyu elections. turning the region into the criminals’ play- tries as Kenyan products.These mineral smug-
appearance of Njenga in court, nationalism—its meetings today According to EU Deputy Head of Delegation ground. glers, the report indicates, have association
the police have made Njenga in- are spiced with Mau Mau insur- to Kenya Ondrej Simek, the impact of the in- The report reveals that criminal gangs and with Kenyan politicians.
to an alternative symbol of pow- gency songs. creasing criminality on security and govern- corrupt public officials in Kenya largely op- It further notes that although Kenya re-
er. And the man loves the alter- Interestingly, Njenga has ance is profound. erate with impunity and offer protection to mains a transit point for drug trafficking,
cations with police, for it throws dropped his traditional sect “In Africa, we don’t really see anything get- drug lords and corrupt politicians. there has been significant rise in abuse of co-
him at the centre of attention, norms of “facing Mount Ken- caine and heroin in the country. There is also
but more importantly, he uses ya” and in Nakuru last week, growing domestic expansion of the use of syn-
them to rebuild his image as a he led the crowd in a Christian thetic drugs.
peaceful man. prayer—a symbolic show of “Kenya is a transit country for heroin traf-
The rise of Njenga, or his pro- moderation and image building. ficked from Afghanistan and the Arabian Gulf
motion as an alternative leader That they no longer openly call to Europe, the Americas and other parts of Af-
of the Mt Kenya proletariat, has for a return to “traditional” reli- rica. Currently, there is a large domestic her-
turned political as the region is gious beliefs and practices does oin and cocaine abuse problem, particular-
caught in a political divide be- not mean that they have aban- ly along the coast. The heroin market is quite
tween Mr Kenyatta, Mr Gachagua doned that past. profitable and competitive and no special
and the search for an alternative. While Njenga has successful- criminal group controls the trade.
That search has led Ms Karua ly crafted his image from tradi- “Authorities have pointed out that Kenyan
and Mr Kioni to launch what tionalist to “born-again” Chris- drugs traffickers are now importing narcot-
they call “Kamwene caucus”—an tian, the same cannot be said of ics mainly for the local market, which if the
inward-looking community mo- his politics. trend continues,would transform Kenya from
bilisation strategy disguised as Whatever political games are a drug transit hub to a consumption hub,” the
the search for an Mt Kenya king- being played, Mt Kenya politics report reveals.
pin. is being reconfigured. The vari- Cybercrimes such as data breaches and ran-
Already, Njenga has announced ous ethno-nationalist groupings somware have doubled in Kenya, the report
that there will be a leadership in the area are also divided, and shows, targeting insurance firms, schools, gov-
handover on December 31, 2023. Njenga complicates an already ernment organisations, public infrastructure,
But Kenyatta’s supporters have complex situation. utility service providers and financial institu-
thrown cold water on the an- While the disillusionment over tions.
nouncement, fearing it could UDA’s promises has left a bitter The index also shows that that there has
edge out the former President feeling in the region, Njenga’s been an increase in financial crime across
from the Mt Kenya politics. past sends shivers across the ter- public and private sectors and civil socie-
In the last General Election, the rain, and lack of another alterna- ty, with high levels of corruption among gov-
Mt Kenya region made a protest tive leaves Mt Kenya facing polit- ernment officials and executive office holders
vote against Mr Kenyatta and vot- ical abyss. leading to financial fraud, embezzlement and
ed for President Ruto against . In misuse of funds.
essence, the voting pattern shift- jkamau@ke.nationmedia.com, A pile of illicit firearms on fire at the Regional Police Traffic Training Centre in Ngong,
ed the control of Mt Kenya pol- @johnkamau1 Kajiado County, on June 9, 2021. FILE | NATION mayodom@gmail.com
 26 The Weekly Review SATURDAY NATION AUGUST 13, 2023 SUNDAY NATION NOVEMBER 19, 2023

opinion

Democracy wanes How to improve people’s confi-

dence in government
Public confidence in government and
leaders will improve only when the gov-

on the back of K A R U T I

KANYINGA
ernment manages the economy in a
manner that will lead to improvement
of the wellbeing of a majority of citi-
zens.This will require focused attention
to the revival of industries,particularly

government failure views of voters.They feel their leaders

are disconnected from them.They are
of the view that elected leaders alienate
to account?
First,it is about slow progress in im-
proving the well-being of citizens.While
the manufacturing sector,where many
jobs can be created and various products
made for the regional markets.
Tied to the above is the need to consis-

A
themselves from voters after elections. per capita income has increased over the tently implement policies aimed at low-
close reading of elections across clined from about 50 per cent in 2011 to This is in contrast to countries like Tan- years,this has not translated into steady ering the cost of food.This requires giv-
the world shows the emergence 39 per cent.A significant number of peo- zania and Ghana where over 70 per cent reduction of poverty. ing attention to agricultural develop-
of right-wing and populist leaders ple are also dissatisfied with how elec- feel their leaders represent them well. About nine million Kenyans or about ment.But successive national and coun-
even in countries that took pride tions work. Kenyans still prefer elections as a 16.1 per cent of the population are living ty governments have approached ag-
in defence of radical democratic On average,about 45 per cent of people means of choosing leaders,with close to in extreme poverty.The number of those riculture,including livestock develop-
ideals. in Africa are of the view that elections 80 per cent of them perceiving elections living in poverty is even higher if we ad- ment,in a very inconsistent and casu-
Voters in Europe and America have are not effective in holding their leaders as a good means of choosing leaders. just the measurements above the $1.9 al manner.
thrown caution to the wind. They pre- to account.Only 14 per cent in Gabon,16 Even more interesting,as many as 80 per day—over 27 per cent are below the Building a fertiliser factory has been
fer politicians who speak to their hearts. per cent in Eswatini,20 per cent in Nige- per cent of Kenyans say they vote with- poverty line of $2.15. talked about since the late 1960s.Value
Former US President Donald Trump ria and 28 per cent in South Africa feel out fearing intimidation.They are able Unfortunately,from the time of inde- addition in agriculture has been a cam-
is one such leader. Therefore, it will not elections help them to hold their leaders to choose who to vote for without feeling pendence,successive governments have paign talking point and government
be a surprise if he wins the presidential to account.Many countries in West Af- pressured by anyone. campaigned on a platform of eliminat- promise in Kenya for many decades,but
race next year. rica’s“military coup belt”also have low And in relation to freeness and fairness ing poverty,ignorance and disease,but little progress has been made.Kenya con-
The strongholds of these right-wing numbers of people who have confidence of elections,only 54 per cent of Kenyans these remain a challenge. tinues to import wheat,rice and maize
politicians appear to be areas where cit- in elections. (below Africa average of 59 per cent) Secondly,the 2010 constitution was when there is plenty of land to irrigate
izens are dissatisfied with the perfor- Kenya fairs much better than the Afri- think the elections they last voted in meant to address these issues.It is trans- and produce more.
mance of their governments in address- ca average in terms of number of citizens were free and fair. formative in form and content but lacks In trade,Uganda has been Kenya’s larg-
ing what some consider the “wave of who have confidence in elections.But Topping the list of countries where effectiveness and spirit of implementa- est export market.But the focus of our
immigrants”. only 55 per cent of Kenyans,compared to people say their last elections were free tion. foreign policies has not been sensitive
These developments have led to a gen- Africa’s average of 45 per cent,have con- and fair are Tanzania,Liberia and Zam- All candidates,whether at national or to this.
eral decline of democracy in Europe fidence in elections. bia.At the bottom of the list,that is coun- county level,have been campaigning on Improving the well-being of Kenyans
and America. Very soon, some of these Ghana leads the continent in terms of tries whose citizens say their last elec- a platform of the 2010 constitution and requires leaders who work on a vision to
countries will lose the moral authori- number of citizens who have confidence tions were not free and fair,are Gabon, in particular,the need to address pover- transform the country in a period of one
ty to support democratic causes in the in elections as tool for holding leaders Sudan,Morocco,Guinea,Mali and Zim- ty and transform the country.But stan- generation.Unfortunately,the vision of a
Global South because of this. accountable.Eighty per cent of those in babwe. dards of living have not changed for ma- majority of leaders in Kenya—national
In much of Africa,a close reading of Ghana,70 per cent in Uganda and 61 per ny people.The gap between the rich and and county—is focused on winning an
elections also shows that people are dis- cent in Tanzania say elections work well Slow progress on development ex- the poor continues to widen.The in- election every five years.
satisfied with the performance of their in enabling voters to remove non-per- plains dissatisfaction come disparities continue to be a mark
governments.This is reflected in data by forming leaders from office. Why are people in Kenya not satisfied of the Kenyan society. This challenge Prof Kanyinga is based at the Institute
Afrobarometer research over the years. But 61 per cent of citizens in Kenya feel with how democracy works? Why do continues to fuel class conflicts of the for Development Studies, University
In the last 12 years,satisfaction with that elections do not ensure that those many people have reservations about type seen in the days preceding the 2022 of Nairobi, karutik@gmail.com, @karu-
how democracy works in Africa has de- elected to Parliament represent the elections as a means of holding leaders elections. tikk.

President must see to the full implementation of devolution

T
he circus emerging between the county governments,with some minis- spelt out in the constitution.
national government and county tries performing large elements of de- There exists consensus on three key
governments on handling the volved functions.Elements of devolved things—devolution has changed lives,
effects of the ongoing El Nino functions still held by ministries include: services and power dynamics across the
rains brings to the fore the urgent agriculture (41),health (45),education country; devolution has played a criti-
need to fully devolve functions N D U N G ’ U (52),water (18),roads (51) and trade (37). cal role in politically stabilising the coun-
and resources as envisioned in the Others ministries holding large elements try; and the underpinning social contract
constitution.
On August 16,President William Ruto
WAINAINA of devolved functions are energy,tourism
and environment.
and cornerstones of the 2010 constitution
are devolution,public finance,social and
expressed his commitment to transfer- Further,the precise mode of making economic rights and public expenditure
ring all devolved functions and the atten- spent most of the time engaging in mean- tional government has been hindering, concurrent functions operational has not that promotes equitable development.
dant resources that are still being held by ingless bickering and childish suprema- obstructing and systematically clawing been resolved in all sectors.The exact lev- Counties are the new frontiers of inclu-
the national government,10 years since cy fights. back devolution. els of responsibility and accountability sive wealth and job creation.
the new constitution came into effect.He The current group of governors and The transfer of all devolved functions in- of each level of government concerning President Ruto must walk the talk in im-
assured that the process would be con- senators are no better.They are steeped cluding exclusive and concurrent and re- most of the concurrent functions remain plementing devolution.He must retrace
cluded within 60 days. That promise is far in politics and praising of the Presiden- sources was supposed to have been com- indeterminate. and correct missteps that happened after
from being fulfilled. cy rather than firmly demanding the na- pleted in seven years and upon ensuring Functions overlaps and duplications the 2013 General Election,including fail-
Further,President Ruto recognised tional government abide by the consti- that all county governments can perform persist.The two levels of government do ure to: implement fundamental structur-
that the delay in disbursement of con- ution. their mandates optimally.Yet there are not adhere to their respective roles and al reforms,and restructure and align po-
stitutionally set equitable revenue share Devolution is the core promise of the still exclusive functions that are yet to be levels of responsibility.Their planning litical and economic governance,services
funds to the counties has had negative 2010 Constiution of Kenya. It is the en- fully operationalised in the counties. and budgeting still captures functions and public sector functions The net effect
impacts on service delivery,leading to gine for revolutionising and transform- It is unacceptable that the national gov- that are legally outside their jurisdictions. of this has been to put the country on the
poor outcomes.Regrettably,in the quar- ing governance and services,and creat- ernment’s ministries,departments and The functions of state corporations and disastrous economic and financial melt-
terly economic and budgetary review re- ing inclusive development in the country. agencies are still heavily performing parastatals largely remain unbundled,a down being witnessed. It is time for radi-
port for the period ending September While the constitution requires the two some county exclusive functions or cer- process which is a necessary precursor cal governance and economic changes.
in the current financial year,transfers to levels of government to engage in cooper- tain aspects of them.This is most evident to transferring any component of their This is a national dialogue on social and
the county governments were below tar- ation,coordination and consultation,this in the functions of health,housing,agri- functions that should be performed by economic rights,quality public and social
get by Sh62.5 billion.This is another bro- is only possible after the national govern- culture,roads,water,sanitation and edu- county governments. services,local economies and production,
ken promise. ment has surrendered all devolved func- cation,among others. It is evident that there is a need to ex- jobs and incomes,unleashing people’s
The group of governors and senators tions and resources. The recent detailed report released by pedite the establishment of new policies potential and creativity,dignity and hu-
who have served in the last 10 years can- The national government is legally re- the Inter-Governmental Relations Tech- and review of existing ones,laws and in- man freedoms.President Ruto must de-
not escape responsibility for this unjus- quired to provide technical support and nical Committee (IGRTC) confirms this stitutional frameworks to ensure they fa- liver this 2010 constitution vision.
tifiable failed transfer of the all devolved capacity development to county govern- fact.The report revealed that the nation- cilitate improved governance and service
exclusive and concurrent functions and ments to ensure they satisfactorily deliver al government is holding devolved func- delivery,which can only be attained if Mr Wainaina is a Transitional Justice
corresponding resources.They have been on their constitutional mandate. Rather tions and assets valued at more than the respective levels of government ade- and Human Security Fellow, @Ndungu-
complacent and complicit.They have than fulfilling this legal demand,the na- Sh400 billion are yet to be transferred to quately carry out their responsibilities as Wainaina
SUNDAY NATION AUGUST
23 SEPTEMBER
27, 2023
17, 2023 SUNDAY NATION AUGUST 13, 2023
25
31
SATURDAY NATION AUGUST 13, 2023
SUNDAY NATION NOVEMBER 19, 2023 The Weekly Review 27

people, power and politics OBIT

The squatters can negotiate with the family, but that should not encourage land invasions
‘Nation’ humour
Lessons from Grogan, State House Girls, Kirima land writer Loughran
takes final bow

W
build another hospital – but this time
atching Alice Wahome, in memory of his wife Gertrude, who ELVIS ONDIEKI

F
t h e C a b i n e t S e c re t a r y had died of a heart attack in July 1943
for Lands, abandon the and was buried at Nairobi Forest Road rom the tender age of 17, the late
squatters who had built on Cemetery. Gerard “Gerry”Loughran chose
Gerishon Kirima’s land in J O H N In her honour, Grogan had consid- journalism, and that would be his
Nairobi reminded me of ered turning Gertude’s 17-acre home profession for 48 years, and about
the story of Ewart Grogan and the
European Nairobi Hospital, now the
KAMAU in Muthaiga into a home for “war or-
phans”.
a quarter of that career was spent
in Kenya.
administration block of State House A Nairobi doctor, Gerald Neville, who Gerry, who died on Wednesday, was
Girls School in Nairobi. ficers or what he called: “Those human Grogan looked at the government offi- was fundraising to build a children’s born in 1935 in Newcastle upon Tyne in
There are history lessons we can learn silverfish feeding on their files.” cial. hospital, heard of Grogan’s project northern England.
if we care to look. We can learn that an To digress, Grogan once had a row with “Better have your surveyor work out his and went to see him. When Neville ex- He started off as a junior reporter
illegality doesn’t have to end with a government officials for being stopped figures again,”Grogan said. pressed interest in the orphan’s project, with The Northern Echo, a newspaper
demolition. If it had, House Girls High from making bricks from the clay at the “You’ll find that part of the land you are Grogan cut him short: “Are you an or- founded in 1870 and which is based in
School would not have started. current junction of Globe Cinema and Ki- building on is actually my land.” phan?” Darlington, northern England. He later
Grogan was one of the first white set- jabe Street. Interestingly, the government, like the That is how he convinced Grogan that had an editing stint with the Newcastle
tlers in Nairobi, having acquired more He was asked to take a prospecting li- Kirima squatters, continued construct- a children’s hospital was better. Evening Chronicle.
than 113 acres in Chiromo, the land on cence since clay was considered a min- ing the European Nairobi Hospital. But Neville wanted the hospital to be He first came to Kenya in 1960, the
which State House Girls school stands, eral. Grogan took the permit and then Later, government officials started get- on “the other side of town where other same year NMG was launched in Kenya
and parts of the Nairobi River. started digging holes along Government ting furious after realising that Grogan hospitals were.” by His Highness the Aga Khan.
Having built his residential house in Road and staking a claim on the clay. was right and that most of the European “Grogan fixed me with his steely blue He was an editor at NMG for four years
Chiromo after hiring the Indian fundis He vowed to dig many other holes in all Nairobi Hospital sat on Groganville – the eyes,” Neville would later say.“And he before leaving. He would later return to
who had decided to stay after complet- towns until the ridiculous law declaring name he had given to his land, which in- said: ‘young man, you are given a gift hold various senior editorial positions
ing the Uganda railway, Grogan wanted mud to be a mineral was changed. The cluded parts of Westlands. and you accept it gratefully’.” for at least seven years. His second stint
to develop his Nairobi property. But he mining commissioner, Charles Hobley, They then started blaming Grogan for That is how Gertrude Garden’s Chil- at NMG also involved reporting from
was surprised one afternoon when ap- was made to remove clay from the list of the mess they had found themselves in. dren Hospital in Muthaiga, Nairobi, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia and Tan-
proaching Chiromo from Hospital Hill minerals. “If you knew from the beginning that was born to accommodate 20 children zania.
to realise there was construction at his It is still one of the legacies of Grogan’s we were building on your land, why did initially. After NMG, he moved into the inter-
farm. fight with the government. you wait until we started building before It is said that after Kenya gained inde- national press, which could be his berth
That could be the same feeling Kiri- Back to the hospital project, according pointing out the mistake? There is noth- pendence and the colonial empire and for 18 years. The bulk of that time was
ma had as he watched squatters invade to Grogan’s biographer Ledda Farrant, ing we can do about it now,” they told its symbols started collapsing, the staff spent with the United Press Interna-
his Njiru Farm and start building. Kiri- “weeks passed and indeed the project- Grogan. at Gertrude would cover the African tional (UPI), an American wire service.
ma was also one of the first African real ed European Nairobi Hospital was tak- “Yes, there is,” he told them. “Just take children up, fearing Grogan would ob- He was UPI’s bureau chief in Beirut,
estate entrepreneurs in post-independ- ing shape.” down that end of it.” ject their presence. Paris and Moscow before being appoint-
ent Nairobi, having bought his land It was by then clear that part of it was With the law on Grogan’s side, the gov- According to his biographer,“Grogan ed head of international news in New
from an exiting settler. on Grogan’s land. Interestingly, Grogan ernment decided to negotiate and gave discovered the trick and every time he York. He took up the New York job in
After Grogan saw the construction on did not intervene and watched the hos- him an offer. And that is how the mod- went to the hospital, he made straight 1976,according to a biography of Gerry’s
his farm, he would later narrate later, pital take shape. All he did was confirm ern-day administration block of State for the African children’s beds and on the Henshaw Press website. It adds
he enquired from the colonial govern- that this was to be the European Nairo- House Girls School became European played with them, as he did with the that while he was the bureau chief for
ment surveyor what was happening. bi Hospital. Hospital – before a new European Hospi- others”. UPI, he was once taken hostage by Pales-
“We are building a hospital,” the sur- As construction was aproaching com- tal was built later on in the present-day The transition from a settler colony tinian guerilla movements.
veyor informed him, and Grogan, who pletion, Grogan visited the project and Nairobi Hospital in 1950s. appears to have been slow-motioned. Afterwards, he was asked by the Aga
was said to be one of the jocund charac- met the engineer: “How very nice of the It is the same position that the peo- Before he died, he told Edward Rod- Khan to return to Europe and establish
ters in the colony,quipped:“Oh.How in- government to build me a hospital,” he ple who built on Kirima’s land are find- well, one of Kenya’s longest-running a service providing news of the little-re-
teresting, Nairobi does need a hospital.” said. ing themselves in. They may have to pull columnists: “The Lord is very good to ported developing nations. It was called
He then left for Chiromo.It is not clear Farrant tells us that the engineer “was down their structures or negotiate with me; he had made me almost blind and Compass News Features and it operated
what was going on in his mind, but he not amused and informed Grogan that the modern-day “Grogan.” very deaf.” in from Luxembourg and later London,
constantly clashed with the govern- he was mistaken. The hospital was a gov- Having missed a chance to own a hos- He had taken room at Muthaiga Club according to
ment and had a low opinion of its of- ernment project on government land.” pital on his land, Grogan would, later, where he told those who cared to listen “Prior to retirement, Gerry wrote a his-
that he was “waiting to die”. tory of the Nation Media Group to mark
Then Grogan, much to the chagrin of its 50th anniversary in 2010. Birth of a
his friends, disappeared with Mrs Tow- Nation: The Story of a Newspaper in
ers. He was a great friend to Humprey Kenya was widely hailed as an honest
Slade, the Speaker of National Assem- and accurate assessment of the newspa-
bly: “We knew nothing until they had pers and the nation of Kenya, both born
left. Grogan’s friends were upset when in the same year,” adds the Henshaw
he vanished. We were sad because he Press biography.
wouldn’t have liked to be anywhere When he retired, he returned to his
else.” hometown, Newcastle upon Tyne, from
The end of empire was also ending where he did most of his articles for the
in untimely exits. The more signifi- “Letter from London”column.
cant lesson from Grogan and the State “He pens the occasional short story
House Girls is that demolition of struc- and quaffs the occasional single malt
tures can be evaded by negotiations. whisky,” says a bio of Gerry’s on 96tho-
But that does not mean squatters in- foctober.com.
vade people’s land and negotiate from One of the short story titles Gerry
within. Nay. But the owners have a re- wrote is available on Amazon. It is ti-
sponsibility not to watch like Grogan tled The Leopard’s Reward: Short Sto-
and Kirima and make a move after ries from Near and Far. This book was
buildings have been completed. “prompted by his African experiences”
as stated in his bio on Amazon that ac-
kamau@ke.nationmedia.com @ companies his titles being sold there.
johnkamau1 Gerry also co-authored The Man Who
The European Hospital in Nairobi. FILE | NATION Killed Apartheid, a biography of Dimitri
Tsafendas.

Stephen Gitagama Washington Gikunju Managing Editor, Andrew Anini Chief Graphic Designer
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