Obama on opposition:

[RV Pundit]

• Tweet

Obama recalls a conversation with one opposition groups. They wanted him to be "hard" on gov. Obama reminded him that recently he was in gov and he wanted him to respect gov sovereignty.

Admit US was previously involved but now that has changed.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

That will sound like music to the jubilant ear.  The opposition should by now realize it is up to them to change this system. 

Obama represents American interests.  If reforms suit them, he will push for them.  Conversely democracy can go to hell if it runs counter to US plans.

If they doubt it, they should talk to Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega.

Obama himself is an interesting character.  When he campaigned against Hillary in 2008, he managed to keep the liberals on his side by embracing the Single Payer healthcare system.

When negotiations began with Republicans on the same, Single Payer was not tabled.  It was never mentioned once.  Not even passing.

[RV Pundit]

Yeap the greatest beneficiaries of this tour have been Uhuru and Auma Obama. Uhuru must be doing a victory lap now. He seem to have charmed his way to Obama.

Obama has jetted off and now normal service can resume.

That will sound like music to the jubilant ear.  The opposition should by now realize it is up to them to change this system. 

Obama represents American interests.  If reforms suit them, he will push for them.  Conversely democracy can go to hell if it runs counter to US plans.

If they doubt it, they should talk to Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega.

Obama himself is an interesting character.  When he campaigned against Hillary in 2008, he managed to keep the liberals on his side by embracing the Single Payer healthcare system.

When negotiations began with Republicans on the same, Single Payer was not tabled.  It was never mentioned once.  Not even passing.

[vooke]

Osama has wisened in engaging countries especially Negroes;
1. A dictator is infinitesimally less risky than a managed regime change
2. Confrontations are a luxury America can't afford now that Kung Fu is painting the world red
3. America has finite and stretched capabilities so babysitting the world is wearisome

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

Yeap the greatest beneficiaries of this tour have been Uhuru and Auma Obama. Uhuru must be doing a victory lap now. He seem to have charmed his way to Obama.

Obama has jetted off and now normal service can resume.

That will sound like music to the jubilant ear.  The opposition should by now realize it is up to them to change this system. 

Obama represents American interests.  If reforms suit them, he will push for them.  Conversely democracy can go to hell if it runs counter to US plans.

If they doubt it, they should talk to Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega.

Obama himself is an interesting character.  When he campaigned against Hillary in 2008, he managed to keep the liberals on his side by embracing the Single Payer healthcare system.

When negotiations began with Republicans on the same, Single Payer was not tabled.  It was never mentioned once.  Not even passing.

One would hope he realizes he seriously needs to sort out the security mess.  Al shabaab.  He can't afford to be on an Obama high for too long.  I have spotted a semi-rehabilitated Malik in the throng too.  I wonder how long his high will last.  Perhaps next time he is stopped at the gates of state house and told to fuck off.

[Georgesoros]

Opposition have to give kenyans a reason to listen to them.

[Empedocles]

Obama recalls a conversation with one opposition groups. They wanted him to be "hard" on gov. Obama reminded him that recently he was in gov and he wanted him to respect gov sovereignty.

Admit US was previously involved but now that has changed.

I guess this is what Obama meant:

Mr Ranneberger's comments drew immediate anger from Raila Odinga, Kenya's prime minister.
"We don't need lectures on how to govern ourselves. Lecturing us on issues that deal with governance and transparency is in bad taste," Mr Odinga said.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/kenya/5979171/Dont-lecture-us-Kenyan-PM-tells-US-as-Hillary-Clinton-begins-Africa-tour.html

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

Obama recalls a conversation with one opposition groups. They wanted him to be "hard" on gov. Obama reminded him that recently he was in gov and he wanted him to respect gov sovereignty.

Admit US was previously involved but now that has changed.

I guess this is what Obama meant:

Mr Ranneberger's comments drew immediate anger from Raila Odinga, Kenya's prime minister.
"We don't need lectures on how to govern ourselves. Lecturing us on issues that deal with governance and transparency is in bad taste," Mr Odinga said.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/kenya/5979171/Dont-lecture-us-Kenyan-PM-tells-US-as-Hillary-Clinton-begins-Africa-tour.html

He took a swipe at Raila.  I believe he even praised kamwana's window dressing on corruption.  Jakom is probably stung.

Hopefully he does not call it quits.  For all his faults, he is what stands between a sham democracy and a full fledged tribal dictatorship.

The day Kenyans of all persuasions understand that no outsider is responsible for their state of affairs is the first day of maendeleo.

[RV Pundit]

Raila time I think is pretty much up. Uhuru executed yet another PR coup and gave as good as Obama did. This was a proud moment for kenya considering what Moi and Kibaki were...senile pumpkins..and here stood Uhuru always ready, always prepared and seemingly intelligent.

Uhuru made me proud of my  vote for him.

Raila should consider handing the baton to a man of younger generation who can deal with contemporary issues.  And these are now developmental. I think legal, human rightst, structural,constitutional and name them issues have been dealt with..and if they haven't...they are not crisis level.

We know need somebody who can compete on softer issues...the nuts and bolts..of managing the country.

[vooke]

He took a swipe at Raila.  I believe he even praised kamwana's window dressing on corruption.  Jakom is probably stung.

Hopefully he does not call it quits.  For all his faults, he is what stands between a sham democracy and a full fledged tribal dictatorship.

The day Kenyans of all persuasions understand that no outsider is responsible for their state of affairs is the first day of maendeleo.

I saw Alai spinning it. Says Osama was telling off Kalonzo and not Rayirla.
Think about it. This is a wake up call for Rayirla, they will have to make do with what is there and no machinations and arm-twisting, no magic from America. If I were Osama looking at Eastern Africa, am looking at Burundi burning, Kagame seeking a 3rd term,Museveni technically a lifer, Ethiopia's pathetic repression on media...Kenia is heaven. Then add to that Kung Fu mullah. And then Al shabaab. Osama has so many reasons to treat Ouruto with kid gloves.

 We have 2 years to go...the wake up call was timely.

[Omollo]

I think you are trying to prepare nail soup. Nothing has changed about Obama's policies. The understanding and perception may have changed but that change is in the beholder not Obama.

I noted that Pundit states that Obama or is it US used to interfere. Of course this was the case and led to decolonization. The idea behind US support for decolonization was to gain access to previously ring-fenced British monopolistic markets and raw materials.

Come the Cold War and everyone stuck to whatever he could grab. Kenya transited from a British citadel to American power in the 80s after Britain suffered serious economic problems leading to the fear that Somalia might invade.

From 1978 - 91 - The US exercised some amount of influence over Kenya. It started off as being simply persuasive, with state visits to the US by Moi and constant high level visits by Sec of state (various). The granting of access to Mombasa and other military locations for the US military comes to mind.

This ended when there arose the Sub Saharan Spring that saw Kaunda, Banda etc go. Pressure was brought to bear on Moi. Trouble started.

I doubt that the US has ever sought to impose any leader on Kenyans. They may have preferences but I doubt there has ever been any direct attempt. 

The narrative that Obama wanted to impose Raila was long discredited and I have taken it as part of the Kenyan political propaganda.

Osama has wisened in engaging countries especially Negroes;
1. A dictator is infinitesimally less risky than a managed regime change
2. Confrontations are a luxury America can't afford now that Kung Fu is painting the world red
3. America has finite and stretched capabilities so babysitting the world is wearisome

[Omollo]

There is no proof that Obama meant Raila. In fact Raila is last on my list of suspects. Raila wanted and asked for US mediation in 2007. Though he sat in government as PM, he had many run ins with Kibaki's retinue over appointments, the Katiba etc.

His comrades - Kalonzo and Wetangula - on the other hand made some very hawkish statements in that period.

I am not saying that it is NOT Raila and I am not saying it is him either. There is simply not enough to go by.

[RV Pundit]

Omollo,
I think I disagree with your historical analysis; I think Americans have always left the British to deal with Kenya only coming to intervene directly when they felt the British were being soft (91 Hempstone-Multipartism) and recently in 2007/2008 PEV..and they needed to bring in the big guns. When I used to work with folks from the US Embassy that seems the modus operandi..they defaulted to the Brits. The American respected and appreciated the deep roots & network that British had...while their footprints around Kenya are and were still minimal. The British generally cozy-ed up to the Kenyan leadership--Kenya leadership did the same as proud members of "commonwealth" and I think it's only Githongo-Brit Ambassador (forget his name) who decided to go frontal largely as result of China kissing their bride.

The last decade has seen British influence deteriorate to the extend I think in another 10 yrs they'd have to close down the commonwealth.

The place were you see deep American networks are those post-world war 2 colonies in Asia and America that US took over from Japan and the likes..likes of Philiphines/South Korea/...in Africa...US and Russia...has always played a second fiddle to the French and British.

But now everything is changing. US is basically broke. Europe is worse than US. China is awash with cash. Africa are emerging and refusing to play ball.

Bottomline for me, US will ran up and down Africa, but they cannot provide what Africa need. China will take over Africa. British Empire in Africa has fallen generally to the Chinese. The French is still holding on...they've tightly coupled their economies and destinies...so I think the French will hold on for some years.

But China is different ball game......it has unprecedented amount of cash..to buy everyone out.

I think you are trying to prepare nail soup. Nothing has changed about Obama's policies. The understanding and perception may have changed but that change is in the beholder not Obama.

I noted that Pundit states that Obama or is it US used to interfere. Of course this was the case and led to decolonization. The idea behind US support for decolonization was to gain access to previously ring-fenced British monopolistic markets and raw materials.

Come the Cold War and everyone stuck to whatever he could grab. Kenya transited from a British citadel to American power in the 80s after Britain suffered serious economic problems leading to the fear that Somalia might invade.

From 1978 - 91 - The US exercised some amount of influence over Kenya. It started off as being simply persuasive, with state visits to the US by Moi and constant high level visits by Sec of state (various). The granting of access to Mombasa and other military locations for the US military comes to mind.

This ended when there arose the Sub Saharan Spring that saw Kaunda, Banda etc go. Pressure was brought to bear on Moi. Trouble started.

I doubt that the US has ever sought to impose any leader on Kenyans. They may have preferences but I doubt there has ever been any direct attempt. 

The narrative that Obama wanted to impose Raila was long discredited and I have taken it as part of the Kenyan political propaganda.

[Georgesoros]

If I weere Raila, I will give new blood a chance. Its time.

[Omollo]

You mean he should quit after picking somebody and telling voters to support that person? That is not how modern democracy works.

Why can't the voters just identify the person and show it by voting for him instead of Raila? Raila fought and earned his corner. He defied Jaramogi to run for a seat in Nairobi and he broke out of the Wamalwa FORD-K that Moi was comfortable dealing with. Raila made his own man - even with the name recognition. Name recognition did not help Uhuru until Moi brought him close and it is not helping Gideon Moi or Mudavadi.
 
Has he not performed? He did not lose the 2007 elections as you well know. He should have gone for a runoff in 2013 and if defeated, I would have no grudges. So when you say he should give it to a younger person, please explain to me, would a younger person have won against Kibaki's rigging machinery in 2007 or the games that denied Kenyans a runoff in 2013?

Evidence is slowly emerging of how Isaack Hassan made decisions that ruined the 2013 elections. We now know that there was never any voters register. If there was, then nobody can state which one and how many people were on it. So how did the IEBC calculate the 50+1 winner without knowing the exact number of verified voters on the register?

If I weere Raila, I will give new blood a chance. Its time.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

By virtue of its power, whatever the US does/doesn't amounts to interference.  When Obama says he will keep his hands off Kenya's affairs, that is a signal that emboldens the jubilant in his agenda.

That is bad news for the opposition and democracy in general.  Because Jubilee can now ignore them.  They already believe they have the winning formula through at least 2022(beyond which kamwana can only guarantee his family's support to the hustler).

You can be sure IEBC is not going to change a thing in how they run elections.  No fixes to the glitches from the last one; even though CORD seems uninterested.  The chicken eaters will preside over it with impunity. 

That seems to be the immediate direction Kenya will go.  Whether the anti jubilant half of the country will be convinced to quietly tag along with the tribal dictatorship will define the politics.

Either way, Raila will and should remain a fixture on the landscape.  He remains relevant.  Age by itself does not mean much by way of policies. 

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

If I weere Raila, I will give new blood a chance. Its time.

If Raila is not perfect, he is the only counterweight, if somewhat weakened by Obama's total disrespect, to the current regime.

[Kadudu]

Do not worry opposition will soon have enough ammunation to shoot at the govt. the next financial scandal round the corner or a security lapse and Al Shabaab will strike again.
If you think TNA regime has learnt, you will be surprised for the opposite to be proved soon.

Opposition have to give kenyans a reason to listen to them.

[RV Pundit]

He has been completely neutered and is becoming a joke. Sadly for the opposition, he is still the best they've got. Uhuru right now is more or less guaranteed a second term. Unless we a really radical voter registration that alters the demographics..Uhuru is going to romp back with even bigger percentage.

Either way, Raila will and should remain a fixture on the landscape.  He remains relevant.  Age by itself does not mean much by way of policies. 

[MOON Ki]

China will take over Africa. British Empire in Africa has fallen generally to the Chinese.

Incredible.   50 years of "sovereign, independent, and equal"---with blood and tears expended for the "independence"---and Africans still get up to proudly and happily announce that they are being taken over, much as a young widow will tell the village that some rich, old guy is moving for the f**king.   And f**king (in the rear end) is exactly what it is.   

How about Africa standing up for itself and doing for itself, instead of "falling" and "being taken over"?  Africans need to give up this mentality, in which they are "owned" by anyone who claims to be providing "help".