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It’s a sad day for Kenya

Tears are rolling down my eyes as I’m writing this.

It is a sad day for Kenya when Ruto and Kosgey are the guys arguing for justice and fairness.

It is a sad day for Kenya when Karua and Kibwana are defending rigged results.

It is a sad day for Kenya when Kivuitu is cracking jokes at the state house swearing in ceremony while lives are being lost for people who could care less (10 people already dead in Kisii, 2 dead in Kakamega, at least one in Kisumu).

It is a sad day for Kenya when Kibaki who pledged to be a one-term president and is only president because Raila said Kibaki Tosha can now not be bigger than himself and his cronies.

It is a sad day for Kenya when a cabal that has been in power since independence still controls the countries destiny.

It is a sad day for Kenya when millions of first time young voters have had their voice ignored – how do you tell these people that their vote matters in 2012?

It is a sad day for Kenya that Kenyans will no longer trust the one avenue they have – the ballot box.

It is a sad day in Kenya that the democracy that has been painfully and slowly nurtured since 1992 has been damaged in one day.

It is a sad day.

68 comments to It’s a sad day for Kenya

  • KIBAKI HAS BEEN SWORN IN

    VERY MARCHIAVELLIAN TACTICS

  • Bill

    Call it KARMA

  • Grace

    I am speechless…

  • Tanzania

    Really so sad even to us in Tz who know that Kibaki is not supposed to be the presiednt. So sad knowing that blood will be shed just because of one person (THIEVE KIBAKI)

  • Fred

    Ory, I wipe your tears.

    Usijali, we will fight. This is a national disgrace and the height of evil. Kenyans will not accept. We don’t care how many dies otherwise we will turn another Somalia.

    “Heads must roll for every noble cause.” (Chinua Achebe)

  • Rottuk

    Is it true that Kibaki has been sworn inn as the president for kenya? you mean it is such fast like that??? My God there is something wrong somewhere

  • Kenyan damu

    Kibaki sworn in as he continues to rush past any dictator who ever ruled Kenya. Reuters has reported the story. They were bolder than BBC Africa…used the word “rigged.” It also looks like foreign observers will not help Kibaki pull wool over our eyes. EU observer Alexander Lamsdorff told Reuters that there was “a massive question mark” as far as the tallying of votes was concerned.

  • Ivory

    What a bunch of bullocks!!! “They want to run kenya like a police state” I got this quote from BBC ealier. Sad very sad.

  • Grace

    For those who are talking violence… please poa. Who will suffer when the country starts burning? Do you think any of those who attended that swearing in will be around? They have demonstrated that they would rather the country burn than give up power. Why give them what they want? If we burn our home (country) where will we and our children go?

    Let us follow the path of mahatma gandhi and martin luther king. there are non-violent ways of registering our protests that do not destroy our country as we try to save it.

  • Ken

    this stinks BIG TIME. Why the hurried swearing in? Where is this country heading to? A sneak swearing in? Don’t the people of Kenya deserve a proper state ceremony?

    Someone knows he does not have a mandate and therefore cannot risk a public appearance. This stinks BIG. An African country has once again failed, denting once more the continent’s self esteem.

  • We shall overcome this. God is superior than all and He sees it all. I hate you kibaki and all your old guard, you have failed us, you have destroyed our gains, you have placedyour pot bellies before our lives… we will overcome, power rests with us besides God.

  • Kenyan damu

    I gather there was:
    a) footage of vote stuffing.
    b) Kamukunki vote tallies altered by hand e.g. “0” changed to “6” in favour of PNU – saw this one on KTN courtesy of Africast myself.
    c) Returning officer at KICC who pointed out irregularities.

    By the way, what is ECK’s position on those constituencies with results that even it admitted were compromised? The let’s just forget treatment? Are we to believe that 2012 elections will be any different? If vote riggers get away this year, they will only be more rabid in their activities next time.

  • Ashley

    This reminds me of the 2002 US “hanging chads” elections, that saw Bush been chosen by the Supreme Court. Off course there was tension and people were glued to their tv’s and radio’s awaiting the verdict. However, I don’t recall any deaths as a result, nor Al Gore threatening a coup.
    For those of us lucky to be outside Kenya, we need to watch what we write and respect the citizens on Kenyan soil. Your internet rhetoric will not make a difference, other than stress and certainly depress you, lest you move back to Kenya and engage in th fight for justice.
    Kenyan organizations abroad have also been mum on the issue, rendering them useless.

  • The Kenyan

    Fears have been raised of a plotted Kibaki Assassination within the first month of his new presidency by the Kenyan Army. God help us all as we watch what happens next.

  • sam dc

    It is a sad day for Kenyans & all those that hoped Kenya was on the way to democracy . Thanks Sister. You did your part.

  • Agatha

    Two out of three of your predictions have come true.
    Private announcement of Kibaki as winner.
    Hurried swearing-in ceremony.
    I just hope that the third one doesn’t happen
    State of emergency.

  • sunshine

    Unbelievable ! i don’t know whether to laugh or cry. If the voting was really rigged as it is claimed then how could President Kibaki give such speech extoling democracy and truth.

  • Don

    Grace,

    Well said…violence just begets violence….it won’t solve anything….what can folks do though? It sounds like protests will swiftly be shut down (even peaceful ones)….

    Just a few thoughts/questions:
    -I think it will be even sadder if ODM folks jump ship for millions of the new soon to be “PNU government” and forgot the change they were pushing for.

    -I respect Kalonzo in some ways…I wonder what his response will be to this.

    -Who is the VP going to be? AS sick as the fact that Kibaki is the Presedent under such circumstances makes me…

  • sf

    This is just unbelievable but not the END! 😡

  • Kenyan damu

    Don, I was wondering about the same myself. I had actually asked what was ODM-K’s position on the matter. Mutula Kilonzo as of yesterday appeared to side with PNU. I am hoping that the party leader’s position is different and that he will reign Mutula in before condemning the rigging that went on.

    Anything less from Kalonzo Musyoka and he will lose every bit of respect I have for him. If he dares join the PNU government, I hope Eastern Provincers will crush his political career in 2012.

  • JM

    “Congratulations” Kibaki! You have succeeded where Moi failed… Kenya is at the height of tribalism under your “leadership”…You and your greedy cronies have turned Kenya into a statistic overnight (another failed democracy!). What a legacy… I am angry! 😡

  • Kenyan damu

    Fox News has also reported the story. They have given the most details on election irregularities that I have seen in foreign media thus far including:

    a) reports that a certain candidate actually ran away with ballot papers.
    b) A constituency with 115% turn out.
    c) EU observer’s comments on the tallying irregularities.

    All Kibaki wants is to sit in State House. It does not even bother him that he cannot govern Kenya with 40/210 seats.

  • ke

    I can see this is an ODM zone :smile:

    Ory – where is the evidence of rigging?

    If I believed everything written in this post, I’d think that the only people who voted for Kibaki were Kikuyus and we all know this was not true. He got votes in every province and in nyanza he even got 14% of the vote!

    Wipe your tears away and stop being such alarmists. The economy is growing at 7% and will do even better in the next 5 years and I believe when Kibaki leaves, kenya will be a different country (economically, not politically)

    kenyanentrepreneur.com

  • Ken

    It is possible that Kibaki might have had more votes than Raila. But even as a neutral observer, I think the confirmed allegations of rigging in places like Maragua and the hurried swearing in make us have major doubts.

    Why the sneak swearing in? Don’t Kenyans deserve a proper state ceremony if indeed the government believes that it won the election?

  • Maina

    Jaja that is a very serious sentiment to express. It could be catastrophic, however desperate people have a way of taking desperate measures. A lot of people are of the opinion that 5 years is too long and they want him gone now, through hook or crook. Kibaki is in grim danger as we speak, he will have to tread very careful and beef up his security ten fold if he is ever to survive his full term.

  • Half n Half

    how do you rule with 40 MP’s? I haven’t prayed in a while but tonight I will pray for my country! Am totally refraining from using any profanities on your site.

  • jackie

    I AM NOT BITTER…………………….I AM MAD AS HELL.
    I AM JUST WALKING AROUND MY HOUSE IN CIRCLES.
    I AM CRYING FOR PEACE BACK HOME. I JUST WANT MY FELLOW COUNTRYMEN SAFE.
    SI THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR? AND HOW CAN THAT BE ACHIEVED AT THIS TRYING TIMES?

  • Man

    Here’s my suspicion: going by Kibaki’s speech during this inauguration, he was completely in the dark, totally unaware of the havoc that went on at KICC. Either that or he is the best actor in the whole whole globe worthy to be in Hollywood.
    JS

  • fran

    Its better an harried swearing in ceremony as it has happened, than waiting for a huge state ceremony that will defenately see hundreds of lives lost! trust me…

  • audrey

    I think we are back to dictatorship. Maybe like uganda and idi amin. I doesn,t matter what party you support it is very clear what has happened here. am sorry to say that blood will run and it has started

  • Kenyan damu

    Niky and Bruha-man – get real. 22 Commissioners can be wrong because they decide to compromise their integrity and ignore tallying irregularities. Where have the two of you been? Haven’t you been watching T.V.? Are you serious you are willing to accept the results without question after all that we have seen with our own eyes? Ladies and genetlemen, this is the problem with Africa. People here are too quick to push certain issues under the carpet. This means that the foundation upon which subsequent processes are built is very weak.

    In addition, we have to be concerned because there will be another election in 2012 (hopefully) and most of the same commissioners and their attendant laxity will be presiding over the process again.

  • bruha-man

    Assasinate him cause he won the election? Is that your version of democracy?

  • bruha-man

    Kenya damu what about those ODM guys caught with ECk stuff…isn’t that suspect too?

  • fran

    Jackie i understand your desperation as well as i am..
    But what i can tell you is just get into the house, go to the furthest corner and pray for Kenya the way yu have never done b4…am serious..

  • Grace

    It is no longer a question of who had the most votes. The system must not only be fair, but it must be seen to be fair. Announcing the results from a hidden location to a select few and a ‘swearing-in’ ceremony away from the public with only your supporters and perceived facilitators create the impression that the system was not fair.

    Would it have been so difficult for the ECK to review the vote tallies from all the constituencies in public with all the returning officers present? Would it have been so difficult for Kibaki to come out advocate for that? If all were so sure of the results and the numbers they were reporting, why not do a recount in public?

    This is all academic now. The deed is done and it appears that the country is already reacting with violence and those who are dying are not the political elite but those innocent who are now seen to represent the face (read tribe) of these political elite.

    Is this truly what we want for our country? Are those in power so greedy for it that they will sacrifice the lives of the innocent?

  • audrey

    Kenyans left their homes and lined up for hours to excercise their democratic rights. I think they waisted their time because democracy has failed them.

  • Kenyan damu

    Ke, stop assuming that all posters are ODMers. You should also cease from asking Ory for evidence of rigging. Where have you been since the 27th of December? Don’t you have a television set?

  • Kibaki Juu

    Since you are the lawyer, watchdog and whatever name you call yourself, why dn’t you give us the evidence and real facts of the how it was rigged and so happens now you do not have faith in ECK after your guy lost.Talk of double standards in the making. Why can’t y ou report what is fair without being biased ? YOu are the type of people who have cause violence in Kenya and would like that too by inciting people when you lose. It is not Kibaki’s fault , PNU or otherwise that you declared yourselves winners foolishly without waiting for real result. When you were winning , you didn’t seem to have a problem with the so called rigging. Why is it only ODM seemed wronged when there were so many other parties vying for the seat! Please report what is not what you want to sensationalize so you can appear as the martyr of KBW .Shame on youI used to think your havard education taught you to be objective at all times regardless!

  • brutha-man

    In a vote there are winners and losers, maybe its because you did not imagine your candidate losing that you may be emotional.

  • Kenyan damu

    Bruha-man thank you for demonstrating just how disconnected you are from reality. Those forms were flown in by charter (at ODM’s expense) and displayed openly in front of the cameras at KICC for all to see how Kibaki has stolen the election.

  • It is catastrphic and failure of democracy in Kenya. The good thing is that everybody knows the injustice that has taken place. Kibaki has joined the bunch of African leaders who seized power by force. What a terrible situation indeed. Kenyans cannot accept injustice. Kibaki is responsible for the deaths as a result of the flawed elctions. He will regret sooner or later.

  • brutha-man

    Abdi…you forget that PNU supporters are Kenyans too who voted for someone else. Not everyone voted for ODM.

  • zizi

    Tough talk here. I am for peace and support non-violent revolutions. But the question is: how realistic is that in the context of this year’s elections? People started fighting well be4 the nominations. Peace has been elusive in most parts of the country and Kibaki just gave rhetoric. Non-violent revolution is a culture that develops over time. No leader has ever come out to demonstrate that it is possible in kenya. We have no hero here. by the way, the culture of non-violence starts in times of peace and not conflict!

    Kalonzo Musyoka’s miracle may have come to pass-he will join government. May be as Vice-president. Actually as VP. What happens to his integrity polemics? Washed under the bridge. Mutula Kilonzo should also understand that the law has limits and a revolution in most cases, going against the law/status quo to serve the intrest of the larger society. So the ans to the stalemate in Kenya today is more political than legal.

    Assasination talk, I think is far fetched. PNU guys will want to use that to create fears among kenyas. So ODM watch out.

    I was just thinking that perhaps Kibaki is looking for an exit strategy before his term is over. So he wants to put some stuff in order before he leaves. I have always wondered what is contained in the Artur brothers report.

    God bless kenya

  • Bloggers, we need to shift to the next gear, call ODM to move a vote of no confidence in Kibaki on the first day of business when the parliament convenes

    I am sure with majority MPs, ODM can make the motion deliver.

    We need change, we need change now, we need new leadership, not leadership that has been tainted by Angloleasing …

  • Kenyan damu

    Kibaki Juu, other parties may have been affected – that is true. However, ODM was PNU’s most formidable threat and the latter wasted no time in going for their jugular.

    This election must join that of 1966 and 1988 as being one of the most laughable in Kenya’s history.

  • Catts

    @ Kibaki Juu, Clearly Kenyan Pundit is not for you. Please go to Kenyanlist and get all insulting over there. You need to understand that all comments posted here should be of respect regardless if you are an ODMer or PNU. There is Zero tolerance for people like you.

  • audrey

    Kenya juu and brutha-man

    Watch the tones my bruuuthas you are sounding rather defensive this is about what is right it doesnt matter what party. It is clear what has happened

  • carole

    My fellow Kenyans, we are missing the point here, it is not about who has won or lost, it is about the way the whole election has been carried… issues were raised, ECK ignored, and matters worse, ECK boss remained arrogant….we cannot rule out rigging. It not about being an ODMer or PNU but transparency… whoever can call the outcome of this election fair, has something terribly wrong….Raila has never been my favourite but I feel ECK ought to have taken the alleged accusations seriously and stop behaving in a hush hush manner. ORY, No matter what people say, you did a good job and we thank you for this….

  • fran

    Change is not always good especially when acquired through some other un meaningful manner!! but the right way…Let those who believe Justice was denied go to Justice system….Going to the streets wont help any further…it will only fuel more chaos..

  • audrey

    thanks catt well said. You go girl

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