Luo Elite & Counties in Nyanza- Mismanaged & Broke

[Kichwa]

ODM leaders understand the lmportance if voter registration and getting people to vote. I believe they are doing what's humanly possible to get people to vote. The campaign is very intense and in my village people are substituting "oyawore" (good morning) for "have you registered to vote". I still believe that unless the two million ghost voters available to Jubilee presidential candidate at a push of the button is taken away, it does not matter whether everybody in CORD stronghold votes. Kibaki "won" in 2007 with less.

[MOON Ki]

ODM leaders understand the lmportance if voter registration and getting people to vote. I believe they are doing what's humanly possible to get people to vote. The campaign is very intense and in my village people are substituting "oyawore" (good morning) for "have you registered to vote". I still believe that unless the two million ghost voters available to Jubilee presidential candidate at a push of the button is taken away, it does not matter whether everybody in CORD stronghold votes. Kibaki "won" in 2007 with less.

I'm glad to hear that, "for CORD's sake", because it would reflect a change.   I followed IEBC registration exercises last year, and that is the basis of some of my comments.  Take a look at, for example, Homa Bay, which is pretty much Raila's home.    And elsewhere, how many "oyawore" replacements actually translate into real registrations? And in non-"oyawore"places"?  .... So, we probably differ on the "understand the  importance".

I can't comment on the existence of the "2 million".   But I have asked CORD people: how many of your people are actually in that register, or---if you wish to complain about multiple or supposedly bogus registers---any register at all?  No answer.  My guess, from "casual" observation, is that CORD is going to wake up to a serious registration problem.  (I know the True Believers will disagree: The Enigma/Mysterious-One will pull a rabbit out of the hat.)

Beyond "existence", we can look at a "practical" aspect of the "2 million": What exactly does CORD plan to do about them?   When and how?

[Kichwa]

I think the politicians and community leaders should do what they can to urge people to register and vote but the people have a right not to do so-voting is a right that people should exercise at their own will. It is my humble opinion that the politicians are doing what they can but I also respect the peoples right to choose not to engage.  I am one of those who do not buy into the myth that Raila lost in 2007 or 2013 because luos did not vote enough.  Raila or ODM cannot win on luo votes alone.  What CORD needs to do is to get the luo votes that they can and then look for votes all over the country. I think Raila is hunting for votes all over the country and is not relying on all luos to vote for him. Even if all luos register that does not mean they all have to vote for Raila.

ODM leaders understand the lmportance if voter registration and getting people to vote. I believe they are doing what's humanly possible to get people to vote. The campaign is very intense and in my village people are substituting "oyawore" (good morning) for "have you registered to vote". I still believe that unless the two million ghost voters available to Jubilee presidential candidate at a push of the button is taken away, it does not matter whether everybody in CORD stronghold votes. Kibaki "won" in 2007 with less.

I'm glad to hear that, "for CORD's sake", because it would reflect a change.   I followed IEBC registration exercises last year, and that is the basis of some of my comments.  Take a look at, for example, Homa Bay, which is pretty much Raila's home.    And elsewhere, how many "oyawore" replacements actually translate into real registrations? And in non-"oyawore"places"?  .... So, we probably differ on the "understand the  importance".

I can't comment on the existence of the "2 million".   But I have asked CORD people: how many of your people are actually in that register, or---if you wish to complain about multiple or supposedly bogus registers---any register at all?  No answer.  My guess, from "casual" observation, is that CORD is going to wake up to a serious registration problem.  (I know the True Believers will disagree: The Enigma/Mysterious-One will pull a rabbit out of the hat.)

Beyond "existence", we can look at a "practical" aspect of the "2 million": What exactly does CORD plan to do about them?   When and how?

[veritas]

ODM leaders understand the lmportance if voter registration and getting people to vote. I believe they are doing what's humanly possible to get people to vote. The campaign is very intense and in my village people are substituting "oyawore" (good morning) for "have you registered to vote". I still believe that unless the two million ghost voters available to Jubilee presidential candidate at a push of the button is taken away, it does not matter whether everybody in CORD stronghold votes. Kibaki "won" in 2007 with less.

Voter registrations are important but mean nada when it's just gonna be rigged. It's not just about campaigns and winning. ODM really need to focus on being patriotic and serve their country regardless of who's in power.

There looks to be a rogue faction within ODM who are grooming ODM parliamentarians to be rebellious, underperform and undermine Uhuruto's presidency. This isn't how respectable elective representatives behave.

Just because ODM aren't the ruling party, ODM still need to respect their counties and do their job at an excellence above par Jubilee because this is what most of Jubilee parliamentarians are doing and would keep doing even under a Raila presidency. This is the kind of patriotism and proactiveness that attracts voters and the respect of the ruling party. Service to all Kenyans, be diligent, make the most of what one has- build Kenya up, behave and perform as if Raila was president today.

[MOON Ki]

I think the politicians and community leaders should do what they can to urge people to register and vote but the people have a right not to do so-voting is a right that people should exercise at their own will. It is my humble opinion that the politicians are doing what they can but I also respect the peoples right to choose not to engage.  I am one of those who do not buy into the myth that Raila lost in 2007 or 2013 because luos did not vote enough.  Raila or ODM cannot win on luo votes alone.  What CORD needs to do is to get the luo votes that they can and then look for votes all over the country. I think Raila is hunting for votes all over the country and is not relying on all luos to vote for him. Even if all luos register that does not mean they all have to vote for Raila.

Yes, people have a right to not vote.   But getting ones supporters registered is an important first step. In any case, nothing about my questions has anything to do with not respecting people's rights, forcing them to register, or whatever.  So I don't see how all that "respect" and "humility" is relevant.

I don't know what to make of your focus on Luos.    If you look, my questions have to do with "CORD supporters".  Are all of those Luos? I even ask: "And in non-"oyawore"places"?"

I'm sure Raila is hunting for votes all over the place.   I have been curious as to how that's going, especially given claims here that victory is pretty much his in free and fair elections, but  obviously I will not get any answers until the vote register is finalized.

We might as well leave this one here and see how it all works out in the end.   As things stand, my prediction is of tears on the CORD side.

[Kichwa]

All I care about is free and fair elections at this point.  If CORD loses a free and fair elections then so be it.  There will always be another time.  I am sure CORD politicians just like Jubilee politicians want their supporters to register and vote and are doing whatever they can to achieve that goal.  I have not been all over Kenya lately and that is why I only speak of my village.  The registration of voters in Kenya has a long history and just looking at the voter roles does not tell the whole story.   One has to have Kipande to register and we know the story of how Kipande has been used as a tool of marginalization and voter registration suppression in "opposition strongholds".  Of course the  propaganda is that Kajwang was the minister in charge of issuing Kipande's and he had the power to issue Kipande's like njugu karanga to luo people if he was not as lazy as most luos are. I still believe that CORD can get enough votes in the country to win if the voting was free and fair and if they had the right message.  What I find unacceptable is the "ghost voters".  If CORD cannot resolve this problem "ghost voters" then they should boycott the 2017 elections until this problem is fixed . If Ouru wants to be president as badly as Kibaki wanted to be in 2007, then do not legitimize him by participating in sham elections or nusu mkate as we did kibaki. At a certain point in time the truth will prevail.

I think the politicians and community leaders should do what they can to urge people to register and vote but the people have a right not to do so-voting is a right that people should exercise at their own will. It is my humble opinion that the politicians are doing what they can but I also respect the peoples right to choose not to engage.  I am one of those who do not buy into the myth that Raila lost in 2007 or 2013 because luos did not vote enough.  Raila or ODM cannot win on luo votes alone.  What CORD needs to do is to get the luo votes that they can and then look for votes all over the country. I think Raila is hunting for votes all over the country and is not relying on all luos to vote for him. Even if all luos register that does not mean they all have to vote for Raila.

Yes, people have a right to not vote.   But getting ones supporters registered is an important first step. In any case, nothing about my questions has anything to do with not respecting people's rights, forcing them to register, or whatever.  So I don't see how all that "respect" and "humility" is relevant.

I don't know what to make of your focus on Luos.    If you look, my questions have to do with "CORD supporters".  Are all of those Luos? I even ask: "And in non-"oyawore"places"?"

I'm sure Raila is hunting for votes all over the place.   I have been curious as to how that's going, especially given claims here that victory is pretty much his in free and fair elections, but  obviously I will not get any answers until the vote register is finalized.

We might as well leave this one here and see how it all works out in the end.   As things stand, my prediction is of tears on the CORD side.