Letters

Will Raila disprove Miguna claims?

An African proverb goes ‘where there’s smoke, there’s fire’, and in the wake of the sensational book by Miguna Miguna, the former advisor to the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the premier must come clean and honest on the massive allegations against him. In fact, in this case, there is more than smoke.

Miguna is a practising lawyer who is well aware of the gravity and consequences that libel bears if proven that it is indeed so. It is, therefore, evident in writing his Peeling Back the Mask: A Quest for Justice in Kenya, Miguna’s conscience is clear and above that must be accompanied by volumes of documented evidence and witnesses who can confirm the allegations given the opportunity to do so.

Secondly, for the period Miguna was the PM’s advisor on coalition matters, he must have been privy to information that any other rank and file wouldn’t have otherwise been exposed to. This, therefore, renders credence to the allegations he has made in his book.

For these and other reasons, the PM — and not ODM — must give his side of the story. We are used to the usual ODM reactionary statements heavily worded with legal parlance, political gibberish and plain humdrum. Simply put, Raila owes the citizenry a personal explanation and own account of the unfolding story.

The allegations should compel him to do the right thing and this should involve stepping aside pending investigations on graft, misuse of office, incompetence and gross misconduct as the ‘Kenyans 4 Honest Governance’ lobby group demanded on Sunday.

{Pamella Akoth, Kisumu}

Raila should not bury his head in the sand over the Miguna allegations. It is only right, if at all Raila upholds the reform spirit that he claims, that the PM takes both the moral and political obligation and responsibility and explain himself to Kenyans over the allegations.

In the spirit of new era and reforms, the nation cannot tolerate individuals implicated by deep allegations of corruption, incompetence, nepotism and sheer ineptness of fresh leadership that we yearn for. And being an aspirant in the coming polls, the PM must clear his name.

Whether true or not, the gravity of these allegations cannot be overemphasised. As he has always urged others in the past to do, Raila should do the most honourable thing and take responsibility to save face.

{Marcus Kipng’etich, Eldoret}

Following Miguna’s allegations against Raila, the PM owes majority of Kenyans who subscribe to his tenets and ideologies an explanation.

The PM has for long portrayed and demonstrated his unquestionable endeavour to inject reforms in the country through transforming the country’s institutions into more credible, reliable and transparent establishments to serve Kenyans better. Furthermore, he has made it his sole prerogative to ensure Kenyans attain basic rights and freedoms which past despotic regimes have denied them.

However, going by Miguna claims, it would now seem that all this is a mere veneer of the true man behind the face Kenyans see in public. It will be disappointing to realise Raila is not the reformist he purports to be, but a diluted version of the dictatorial leadership that plagued this country over the years.

Whether Miguna was inspired by political malice after the fall-out with Raila or it is his alleged “quest for justice” is irrelevant. What retains significance is the fact that Raila is heavily implicated by the book as being a grossly incompetent, ineffective, non-reformist and despotic leader who does not deserve to be in the ballot paper come the next elections, unless he clears his face.

{Obonyo Ochieng, Kisumu Rural}

The PM has unequivocally expressed his desire to rid Kenya of all incompetent and questionable leaders through reforms, and it behoves him to act in tandem with his previous pronouncements and clear his name of the allegations by his former advisor Miguna.

{Nathaniel Otum, Migori}

Executive must end debate, walk the talk

Ever since President Kibaki made the controversial appointment of county commissioners, much has been said about the decision. The High Court recently nullified the appointments terming them unconstitutional and improper.

A market research company, Gallup Africa, has contributed to this debate by publishing opinion poll results on it.

Coming at a time when politicians are up-in-arms over the Internal Security ministry’s move to seek legal redress over the High Court ruling, the opinion poll has confirmed the general mood of Kenyans who, unlike their leaders, seem to be united over this issue.

The political class ought to desist from politicising the issue and instead engage in constructive discourse over the way forward over the integration of both the national and county governments.

In this regard, our leaders should read the mood of the citizenry, at least from the results of the poll, and seek the best way forward in tackling this issue away from the ponderous and base arguments being fronted to counter the appointments.

{Rehema Khadijah, Mombasa}

The battle between the Judiciary and the Executive on the appointment of county commissioners has elicited varying reactions.

It is sad to note that our leaders are not committed in the full implementation of the Constitution but they are just paying lip service.

President Kibaki once assured his commitment to adhering to rule of law when he averred he could not go against a ruling on election date. What has changed between then and now? Why can’t he act rightly now by honouring ruling on the county bosses.

It is bad to see our leaders pulling the drum on their side but fail to honour the ruling of the court.

How will Kenyans have faith in the reformed Judiciary if leaders fail to regard it with the respect it deserves? It is bad for leaders to preach water and yet take wine.

The Executive need to honour the Constitution and be on the frontline to call for its full implementation.

The Government has always assured Kenyans of its commitment to full implementation of Constitution and it is now time to walk the talk.

Meanwhile, the county commissioners need to vacate office immediately without even being pushed or forced to do so.

{Kenneth Irungu, Maseno}

Report wrong on State role in fraud

I am a victim of the fraud activities of Mlolongo Brothers that sold us fake title deeds at Syokimau estate.

I read the PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ forensic report on Saturday newspapers and I disagree with them when they recommend that we should not be compensated by the Goverment because it was not involved in the fradulent sale.

On one hand, the report says the former town clerk of Mavoko local authority, a former Commisioner of Lands and officials at the Machakos Lands department should be investigated with a view to being prosecuted for collaborating with Mlolongo Brothers to defraud us. Aren’t these Goverment officials?

Whom in the Goverment were we supposed to deal with to get the right position on the plots we bought at Syokimau, if not the same offices we sought assistance from and gave us their nod?

The Goverment, through these officials, was involved in defrauding us and it must compensate us for the loss we incurred.

{Dr Kowino  J O, Via Email}

Campaign cash can boost the economy

Politicians have hit the road campaigning for all forms of yet to be declared vacant seats.

However, what we are seeing are lavish spending on the entire exercise. Heavy fuel guzzling vehicles, choppers and security teams just to name a few form part of the expenditures of a politician’s campaign team. These come with a heavy financial muscle meaning that were our politicians spending this money wisely then Kenya could just be ahead economically.

It is absurd that most of these politicians’ backyards are poor.

{Motari David, Nairobi}

Kenyans desperate for good leadership

Revelations about corruption by Miguna Miguna in his book Peeling Back the Mask may not have come as a big surprise.

This has caused Kenyans a lot of desperation in learning that the leaders they so much hoped would redeem the nation from the depths of evil turned out to be wolves in sheep’s skin. They shamelessly fleece the public and steal from the poor.

Kenyans are, again, desperate to learn that despite corrupt deals being laid bare to the public, no one is willing to take the suspects head-on. Suspects are paraded for questioning only to be set free for “lack of evidence”.

{Concerned Kenyan, Via Email}