'THINGS WILL BE BAD IN KENYA IF VOTES ARE STOLEN," RAILA TELLS UHURU

Are foreigners being registered to vote in this year's elections in Kenya contrary to the Constitution?

Opposition leader Raila Odinga says yes. He claims members of the secretive National Intelligence Service were crossing borders and issuing voters' cards to Ethiopians and Ugandans

using smuggled IEBC Biometric Voter Registration (BRV) kits.

The leader of the Coalition for Reform and Democracy (CORD) did not provide any evidence on what he called "credible information" about the illegal activities but warned "things will be bad in Kenya if a single vote is stolen." President Kenyatta dismissed the claims as "a ploy to cause chaos."

Is the ruling Jubilee government using members of the Kenya Defense Force and civil servants to manipulate the elections as claimed by the opposition? No one knows.

Another question.

Is the electoral register so screwed-up to the extent that tens of thousands of people have identical identification details in the voters' register?

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)agrees.

Indeed, Raila himself was a victim of this mix-up. It was found he shared details of his voters' card with another individual many miles away. As a matter of fact, according to the IEBC, over 120,000 Kenyans are in the same dilemma.

If this is the scenario prevailing six months to the August elections then the integrity of the polls is under threat.

These worrisome revelations have raised a red flag over the direction of the elections, and could be a trigger to post-election violence much worse than what was experienced in 2007/2008.

In the meantime, the Internal Security Ministry has asked Raila to record a statement and provide more details about the alleged illegal registration.

It is one thing if what is alleged is a rhetorical bravado by politicians desiring to hold sway over voters, but if it's intended to raise the specter of emotions and violence then the whole affair has potentially grave consequences.

The new leadership at the IEBC under the chairmanship of Wafula Chebukati has taken over an organization with a history of corruption, fraud and stultifying bureaucracy. It is an organization that has been vilified for manipulating the voting process and skewing results; and of connivance and dirty tricks.

IEBC shared the blame with others for the post election violence of 2007/2008 that sent Uhuru and five others to the International Criminal Court at The Hague; and was held responsible for the near explosive situation after Uhuru's controversial win in the 2013 elections.

It is an organization with a damaged reputation. I hope as he prepares for the polls, Chebukati will move with speed to repair those shortcomings.

I have gone on record here as suggesting that the 2017 polls will be rigged. I still hold that position. I hope the IEBC will prove me wrong. But with the allegations of malpractices now swirling around the electoral body and the tense reactions coming from Kenyans, the stakes are high and an urgent action is imperative to freeze public angst.

Unfortunately, given the current level of vitriol, high-decibel noise and disruption of meetings, coming from candidates and the public, the upcoming elections could turn out to be distressfully chaotic and monstrously violent.

President Kenyatta must avoid mayhem from occurring to save his legacy. He must lower the temperature by avoiding reactionary comments that further fuel opposition anger and create unnecessary queasiness.

Instead, he should put his effort in solving the two-month old doctors' strike and in extinguishing hunger facing a third of the country's population.

Otherwise, the second Kenyatta at the helm could end up being just a name.

And that is my say.

NO ROOM FOR A BUFFOON FOR THE NAIROBI GOVERNOR POSITION

Nairobi is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. It is vibrant, scintillating, and extremely pleasant, environmentally and socially. It has a large pool of ethnic restaurants, a robust night life, and a friendly atmosphere not found in many metropolitan capitals.

It is also the most sought-after station for diplomats and international workers. The presence of the UN Environmental Program (UNEP) and many foreign embassies, global blue-chip companies and media organizations, gives Nairobi an international ambiance that is hard to replicate.

In 2014 and 2015 it was voted the most "intelligent" city by one international organization; and according to the City Momentum Index - which tracks economies and commercial real estate markets - it was among 20 most successful cities in the world in innovation, capacity and invention.

But Nairobi has unusual challenges too. The "Green city in the sun" tag which attracted colonialists and inspired block-busters like "Out of Africa" has all but faded. There is more concrete now than trees and shrubs; the vehicular and pedestrian traffic is overwhelming; there is more neglect due to poor management and corruption; and slums in the fringes of the city are getting bigger by the day. Corruption by City officials is chronic.

Though it has grown out of the notorious reputation of "nairobbery" earned in the 1990s due to escalation of brazen crimes, the city can be intimidating for first-time visitors given the crowded downtown areas and poorly lit streets at night in some areas.

That is why Nairobi requires an administrator who is corruption-free and who has the energy, brilliance, and an innovative mind to steer the city to better times.

This coming August, Nairobians will have a chance to elect a new Governor after five years of dismal performance by the highly-rated Evans Kidero. This outgoing election circle has been a disaster for city residents who expected much more in terms of results from the hitherto well-respected professional manager. Instead of progress, they got a

lackluster performance interspersed with misuse of office and graft.

This year, city dwellers will have an opportunity to chose among eight candidates who have declared interest in the seat.

Unfortunately, more than half of those candidates are unfit to occupy the high office at the City Hall. They are either educationally unqualified, morally deficient or notoriously corrupt, with at least one of them suspected to be a big-time drug dealer.

In my opinion, only two candidates fit the bill and both of them bear the name Kenneth. One is the former Speaker of the National Assembly, a lawyer, who commands the respect of Kenyans for the manner he spearheaded debates in Parliament. He is clean, stridently commanding, and genuinely patriotic.

The other is a professional banker and former Member of Parliament who - like Yours Truly - won accolades for being the best manager of the Constituency Development Fund. When he was chairman of the Kenya Football Federation, this Kenneth was known to be strict but fair and his management skills were unparalleled.

Unfortunately, the contest for the Nairobi governorship has been narrowed down to a game of political preferences. Nairobi is too important (Gross National Income per capita 1,160USD)and too big (4.3 million daylight population)to be left to a buffoon just because he or she belongs to a particular party.

In the case of Nairobi, politics should be swept aside and merit should prevail. Anything less is deprecating.

And that is my say.

KENYAN DOCTORS DESERVE BETTER TREATMENT

For objectivity let me declare my interest in this discussion.

My daughter is a medical doctor practicing in the United States. She is among hundreds of physicians and nurses from Kenya who have decided to advance their careers overseas.

I know at least five Kenyan medical practitioners in my small circle of acquaintances working in different disciplines of medicine. Multiply that number many times and in many countries in the Diaspora and the number of qualified Kenyan physicians rendering services abroad could be in thousands.

That is what Kenya is missing. And that is what Africa is losing as the brain drain continues to bite the continent due to varied reasons ranging from poor remuneration to bad politics, to bureaucracies, that fail to appreciate the pivotal role of medical practitioners in the day to day life of citizens.

For the past six weeks, there has been a complete shut-down of government medical facilities in Kenya due to a strike by doctors who are demanding better working conditions. During that period, dozens of people have died and many are quietly wasting away at home for lack of medical care.

Kenyan doctors are not demanding the moon, but are asking for a pay structure that is reasonable and is commensurate with their training and skills.

And this is not a new struggle by Kenyan doctors. They have been striking intermittently for years for similar reasons. Every time, the government promises but fails to deliver while salaries for politicians and other government officials continue to climb insanely.

Compared to doctors in many countries, Kenyan medical practitioners are the poorest paid. They earn between 80,000 to 120,000 shillings a month, an equivalent of 8,000 to 12,000 USD.

In the US, employers begin scouting for doctors during their second year in medical school. The demand for young doctors is so high that employers are prepared to pay well above 1m shillings per a sign-up, and well in advance of graduation. They sign a contract and the money is theirs. Once on the job, their salary starts at 135,000 USD per month and continues upwards depending on the discipline.

What Kenyan doctors are demanding is a 300% increase over their meager pay which would bring them within the salary range of their counterparts in equally developed African countries. Instead, the government is offering them a 100% increase which the doctors have declined, and for genuine reasons.

Instead of approaching this critical matter with

urgency and equanimity, the government has chosen threats of dismissals and incarceration of union leaders, tactics that are as archaic as they are perfunctory.

Replacing a medical doctor is not as easy as replacing a politician in a by-election. Many years of training and practice make this cadre of professionals particularly difficult to substitute. So, instead of issuing dismissal threats, officials should sit down and seriously negotiate with the strikers.

The sooner that is done the better because Kenyans are suffering.

Doctors and nurses especially those posted to rural areas work under difficult conditions. Drugs are often in short supply and equipment is either dysfunctional or nonexistent. Their living quarters are generally unsuitable for health professionals.

It is unfortunate the government would rather have them drift away and work abroad than pay them what they rightly deserve.

This is an election year and by failing to sort out the mess the ruling Jubilee government is not only frustrating doctors but short-changing the taxpayers.

And that is my say.

REGARDLESS OF THE SYSTEM, KENYAN ELECTIONS WILL BE RIGGED, SO HELP US GOD

With less than eight months to go before Kenyans go to the polls, the usual disconcerting gerrymandering, brazen jockeying, and malevolent schemes aimed at manipulating the results are already at play, setting the stage for what could the bitterest and rockiest general elections ever.

From the controversy over whether the electoral system should include back-up manual systems in case of an electronic system failure, to frivolous arguments over the selection of members of the electoral commission, to a display of pique and chest-thumping by some egoistic politicians, the script for trouble is being written in red that could make the 2007/2008 post election violence look like a children's picnic jamboree.

What our pugnacious leaders do not get is that they are adding salt to the stumble. The embers of tribalism are already there and only need to be ignited by one careless move. The country is stridently divided almost in the middle, and our leaders' unrelenting venomous spiel is only worsening the situation.

My experience in the last elections tell me poll rigging will take place before, during, and after voting, regardless of which system of vote tabulation is used. Election officials will be corrupted, police monitors will be manipulated, and individual politicians will use all manner of ways to fiddle with the systems in order to win.

There is far too much at stake here. Kenyan politicians are some of the highest paid human beings in the world. To be a governor, an MP, a Senator or a simple member of the county assembly is to be above the pale. It is the fastest way of amassing wealth. From that pedestal, one enjoys unlimited opportunities to engage in corruption and other misdeeds, and is instantly propelled into the upper echelons of society.

That is why there is so much acrimony over the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill which seeks to permit manual backup in the identification and transmission of election results in case of a breakdown in the electronic platform; why there is so much evisceration of character among political players; why there is so much controversy on the selection of the electoral commissioners; and why there is even talk of postponing the scheduled August polls.

The bottom line is, Uhuru Kenyatta does not want to be a one-term president - the first in the country's history. That is why he is fighting tooth and nail to retain his cushy position. He will do everything to remain in power wapende au wasipende, whether anyone likes it or not.

Conversely, the opposition see this as the only chance to upend the status quo. Defeat in this election could lead to adverse repercussions in 2022 given the fast changing tribal demographics. Raila Odinga or whoever will be the opposition flag-bearer must look back to the 2002 elections when anti-Moi forces coalesced around Mwai Kibaki as a block and won convincingly against Uhuru Kenyatta, his chosen heir.

They must fish out the strategic notes that resulted in the Kibaki victory, dust them up, and embrace the old adage: umoja ni nguvu, unity is strength. This is pivotal. I am glad opposition leaders are currently engaged in discussions to find the best candidate to take up the incumbent.

So far, only two tribes in a country of 43 communities have occupied the presidency since independence. There is a need to untangle that dual domination. And that can only be achieved through a display of mature leadership within the ranks of the opposition and not extirpated dissent and repulsive posturing embodied in street protests.

And that is my say.

ARE YOU A PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATE FOR AN ELECTIVE OFFICE IN THIS YEAR'S KENYA ELECTIONS. DON'T PLUNGE IN BEFORE READING THE POLITICS OF BETRAYAL. LEARN ABOUT THE SHENANIGANS, INTRIGUES AND BETRAYALS IN THE KENYAN BODY POLITIC. STAY AHEAD WITH KNOWLEDGE AND AVOID PITFALLS THAT COULD DERAIL YOUR AMBITION. GET A COPY FROM YOUR BOOKSHOP OR ENQUIRE AT O711114443. GOOD LUCK.

2016 HAS BEEN A ROCKY YEAR FOR KENYA

The year 2016 has been a rocky year for Kenyans in many ways.

It is a year that has been characterized by shifting political demographics, acrimonious fights between the ruling Jubilee and the opposition CORD, a warped relationship between the office of the Auditor General and the Executive, and citizen's growing frustrations over lack of more transformative policies aimed at improving their standards of living.

It is a year in which petty and real-politic took center stage over bread and butter issues; of protests, hostility and insults; a year in which leaders talked from roof-tops about slaying the dragon of corruption while doing nothing about it; and a year in which Kenyans continued to die in road accidents, extra-judicial killings and hunger.

The year 2016 has also been a year of labor unrests, the doctors' and nurses' strike taking the longest period to resolve and culminating in disruption of health services and deaths of patients.

But it was also a year in which the government of Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto delivered some positives on education, mass electrification, infrastructure, and security.

The best news as the year comes to an end is, after months of haggling the new chairman of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has been unveiled. Eliud Wabukala, the soft-spoken former head of the Anglican Church is perhaps the most qualified candidate among those interviewed. He is non-controversial and commands respect across the political divide.

When he moves to Integrity House in the new year, he will find his in-tray full of files requiring immediate action. But his first task will be to restore the integrity of the anti-corruption body which has suffered years of disrepute.

It is hoped that as a decent man of the cloth, Wabukala will not buckle down to political interference and pressure from crooked elements whose career is to ruin our country. He will need to be fair but tough, apolitical and above ethnic instincts. He must always remember his service is to Kenyans and not to the Executive or anyone else.

Given the history of EACC and the high turn-over at the top of the organization, the question is not whether Wabukala will excel, but how long he will last. That remains to be seen.

The outgoing year has also seen electoral reforms moving steadily forward. Soon, the process of extinguishing the old Commission and installing a new one will be completed. It has been a slow process but we hope preparations for the polls will proceed smoothly thereafter, and the elections will be held as scheduled on 8 August, 2017.

Unfortunately, in their usual mischief, Members of Parliament have already begun lobbying for the polls to be postponed, reasoning that the electoral body would not be ready to carry out fair elections. That proposition is as futile as it is nonsensical and Kenyans should resist any such move.

The constitution mandates for elections be held every five years. As lawmakers the MPs must be beholden to the law. So, next year it must be.

As I proceed on my own holiday, I want to wish all my readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and to thank them for their support. This column rests until January 5.

And that is my say.

KENYA NATIONAL HONORS NOT FOR SYCOPHANTS

A month ago, US President Barack Obama honored 21 citizens with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian citation presented to individuals for their meritorious contributions in a wide range of disciplines including music, the arts, science, philanthropy, civil service and others.

According to the White House brief, these are people who "helped push America forward, inspiring millions of people around the world along the way."

Among them were two world-class sportsmen, basketballers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan, internationally-acclaimed innovators and philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates, film stars Tom Hanks and Cicely Tyson, and musicians Bruce Springsteen and Diana Ross, among those known to Africa.

It was a mixture of all that is good for America and the world. The White House presentation was dignified, and was washed down with a lot of laughter and tears. It is a yearly presidential ritual.

This week in Nairobi, President Uhuru Kenyatta honored some individuals with Kenya's own version of citations "in recognition of their distinguished and outstanding services to the country."

Other that the notable men and women in uniform, most of the names on the list were of 'regular, not-so-distinguished' folks - civil servants, politicians, and sycophants - some of whom are not known beyond their own villages.

For example, what "distinguished and outstanding service" have some of the politicians given to the country other than doing what they were elected to do?

In fact, some of them are famous more for their perpetually hateful and tribal tendencies than for exemplary behavior that inspires unity and hope. They are invariably incendiary and divisive and display no respect for the common good. They deserve no commendation from the people of Kenya.

Similarly, by selecting nondescript individuals from the Executive for decoration is an abuse of common sense. Unless the citizenry is told what their outstanding qualities are, it would not be easy to convince anyone that they deserve any honors.

According to the National Honors Act of 2013, persons meriting conferment must be individuals who have exhibited exemplary qualities, actions or achievements of heroism, sacrifice, bravery, patriotism or leadership for the defense, benefit or betterment of the country or a county.

That is why, in naming individuals, we have to be told in a summary form what each one of the recipients has contributed to make Kenya better, socially, culturally, or economically. We want to know how they made the list and why they deserve to be honored.

In the past, we have had instances where those named were found to have been involved in criminal activities including corruption and fraud. Being a cabinet secretary, a politician, a civil servant or even an officer in the uniformed service alone should not be enough to qualify.

The system we use to choose these citizens is unsatisfactory and appears skewed. A Cabinet Minister who has been in the office for a year only cannot be judged to have rendered "distinguished" service to the nation.

My view is that each recipient should be thoroughly vetted and their 'merits' must be justified.

We have teachers in the most difficult parts of our country who are sacrificing their comfort and lives to impart knowledge; doctors, scientists, and young innovators who wake up every morning and spend all their lives trying to make a difference to others; ordinary Kenyans in our villages who work quietly to help others deal with disease, hunger and misery,

who are more deserving of the commendations than the elite names we see year after year.

And that is my say.

YOU WANT TO BE ELECTED IN KENYA? GO AHEAD AND STEAL!

Do you want to go for an elective office in Kenya?

Then do one thing: steal!

No! I am not asking you to steal your neighbor's chicken or snatch someone's land. I am asking you to go and filch the big bucks. Millions, and if you can, billions of hard cash....from the public.

If you do that, a few things will automatically happen and none of them will land you in jail.

One, you will become limitlessly famous and every tom, dick and harry will invite you to a fund-raiser; and two, you will have all the money you need to corrupt the corrupt - enough to buy a nomination certificate, sufficient to bribe voters; and adequate to bargain for a cabinet position when the right time comes.

Theory? Not at all!

Next year, Kenyans go to the polls in one of the most consequential elections. For the second time the incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta will battle the resilient Raila Odinga for the presidency. Thousands of seats for governors, members of parliament, senators and members of county assemblies are at stake.

To join the fray, hordes of former jail-birds and criminal suspects have crawled out of the woodwork to declare interest in myriad positions of power. Drug dealers, tender fraudsters, women abusers, and yes, even land grabbers, want your vote. Some of them are already in public positions and want either to retain their jobs or rise to more powerful ones so that they can continue 'eating.'

Among them are 273 sitting members of parliament who are said to have bilked Shs4b of public funds in one year alone, according to a government audit report released this week. Also on the list are governors who collect millions from taxpayers in taxes and rates but refuse to declare the income to higher authorities.

All of them promise to make life better for us.

Saying we are a strange specie in Kenya is an understatement. We exalt thieves for their money. We feel blessed to associate with them. We invite them to our villages and churches, and give them a platform to flaunt their wealth and make us look poor and stupid.

They come in choppers. We kick the dust for miles on end. When it is over, with our stomachs churning in hunger, we trek back to our mundane misery.

On weekends, priests and pastors pose for pictures with these characters while holding brief-cases full of money and no one questions the source of the bundles. We welcome them with praise songs as if God approves.

When these thieves are busted, we crowd to support them and jump and jolt in courts to catch their attention.

And when they are let out we give them our ear and our votes because they are rich. Rich people, we cheat ourselves, don't steal. Like modern-day Robin Hoods, they just take and give to the poor, we say.

The moment we vote we are cooked. These serial good-for-nothings jump into their guzzlers and go out to steal some more leaving the majority of us limping away desultorily.

We repeat this charade year after year and wonder why we are still poor 50 years after independence, and why these people are driving late-model Mercedes Benz, BMWs and Jaguars, on our pot-holed roads.

It galls me to see people, caught in some of the biggest money scandals in history, being mobbed by ululating women and hugged by admiring local officials.

This happens because we think we know these characters, yet the only information we have of them is of the millions pinched from us, the taxpayers. These people are without remorse, shame or care.

Yes, if you want to be a governor, a member of parliament, or a senator in Kenya, don't be shy: go out there and steal. The rewards are boundless. And moreover, Kenyans are incorrigibly gullible.

And that is my say.