The Patel Dam burst: Government neglect as the owner allowed to build an illegal dam!

Whats the saddest about the tragedy in Solai, Nakuru County in Kenya, it is that it could have been avoided, but the common greed is the reason for the fatal dam. That it burst and hit the village. This is where the owner of the farm had put up an illegal dam called the Patel Dam, which was not legally built or constructed. It had already leaked before, but not burst. Therefore, the uncertainty was there, but nothing happen.

That the owners of the Patel Dam should answer for their illegal construction of the dam. Where the forces of water shredded lives, lives that could have had a longer life, if it hadn’t been for the greed of the Patel Coffee Estate Limited. That did this for the benefit of better farming, but dodged the law and built a dam. So that the harvest could be good. Build a cheap dam of sand and rock. Even forgetting a vital principal of having concrete as foundation of it. So that the dam has strength to oppose the currents of the water. Instead, the poor construction burst and took dozens of lives. Innocent lives who couldn’t be prepared for this. Even if there was leaks before, no one would have considered that the construction of it was this weak. That the owners had considered the possibility of it bursting. 

The land was bought and renamed by the current owner, the old name was Milton Siding. That the building of this dam should have caused a stir by the Local Government in Nakuru. The Governor of Nakuru at the time, should have sanctioned the farm as the reports of the building should have been reported to his desk. The Police and the authorities should have inspected it and questioned its papers. Not to allow this sort of installation, unless he had permits and solid foundations for building it. This isn’t a tool-shack or a mere extension of a house. This is a major construction that has to follow certain technical specificity. Even the Kenyan government hire wrong people and building bad constructions, that has happen at ports and even bridges. Therefore, they should be careful to let private farmers and enterprises building dams like this.

That is why this is neglect by the government, the local government and the contractors, finally also the owners. All of them has failed the people of Solai, the Nakuru County Local Government should step-up and take blame, as they should seen this coming. They without actions, has given consent to the farm and its owner to do it. After getting knowledge of the construction, they should have informed needed authorities to stop the building of it, until the proper legal paperwork and shown the plan to safety standards. So that the public shouldn’t fear of what happen yesterday on the 9^th May 2018.

The public shouldn’t be responsible for what owners tend to do on their land, they should trust that the owner has legal ability and has hired people with technical expertise to do this. Especially a project like this, building a dam and making sure the waters are steady. However, that didn’t happen here, as the foundation was built on the wrong premise. Cheap construction not built for securing the water. That is why it burst. The contractors, the owners and local government should have answers. Come up with reasons and answer in court for the deaths of innocent civilians. They are innocent people who got caught in the greed of the farmer.

That is the sad thing, that the farmer didn’t build a proper dam. He built a cheap one, that instead of thinking of consequences, only thought of profits. That is the sad reality and the authorities, should really be shaken, as they could let this happen on their watch. They are also responsible, since they didn’t take action and sanction the owner of the estate. That would have been the right thing and gotten the owner to strengthen the dam. However, that is just 20/20 and we know that didn’t happen.

We know how serious the burst is at it affected 2500 people and 500 families, as well as over 40 people are officially announced dead. All of them is too many, when this could have been avoided. They died over state neglect and lack of oversight. Peace.

KRC/CCCC: SGR Operation ‘Secrecy Agreement’ is a disgusting way of muffling the employees!

You know that Kenya Railways Corporation sucks, you know that the Standard Gauge Railways project is fatigued. As the circulations of the Secrecy Agreement that all employees has to sign onto. Which states that the employees cannot tell the truth about the operations or the works of the corporation.

They expect all employees to be strictly confidential about all matters connected with the SGR and the Kenya Railways Corporation. You are not allowed “to record, store copy any information or violating the SGR Operations”. Therefore, the SGR and Corporation are clearly muffling its staff. This includes “participating in negative articles, writings or videoes or photoes on social media or Facebook or Youtube and etc. that involving SGR Operation”. So when the company goes this far, it says how dire the operations are, they cannot be golden, but instead grim.

This is happening after the state orders all Containers from Mombasa to be put on the SGR and also pushing for the public to use the rails. However, it is still not profitable. As the project has been costly and also embarrassing as the grace period for the loans are soon hitting the government. Meaning, the huge loans for the infrastructure investment comes to roost. Therefore, the needs for revenue is even more important. To patch the hurt, before moving on to other projects.

That is why these sort of leaks and showing how far the Company takes it. Shows how bleak the situation is. When they have to muffle and silence the employees. Since the Secrecy Agreement has Chinese signs on them, it could be given by the tendered company, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which have the 4 extensions tenders to the previous built railway from Mombasa to Nairobi. Therefore, this could be the direct interference of the contractor CCCC, that would explain why the agreement wrote Youtube as Yutube. Because, that is a site that is banned in China. So, if the CCCC employees wouldn’t know about it and its spelling it would make sense.

Because if the employee was to break the agreement, they would meet the SGR discipline, whatever that means. If that would be termination or put on leave, its hard to know, since their protocols are not out and the KRC/CCCC are not that open on this matter. I am sure they didn’t want the Contracts into the public sphere anyway. Since this is disgusting silencing of the workers and taking away their rights as citizens. This is all communications outside the operations is not allowed. This is not about keeping away company secrets, but keep negative social media impact of the company. However, now that the agreement is out.

I can assure the negative articles will come, not only that the state has order transports of containers directly, that its not profitable and not a wholesome company, instead its a mismanaged State Operated Enterprise (SoE). Surely, the Kenyans should feel betrayed, as they are silenced by outside forces, who are building railways in their republic. The CCCC is acting as kings and they are the servants on the spot. Not allowed to talk or express opinions, just work on the clock and shut-up. That is initially what the contract is saying. Peace.

Kenyatta apologized, but will he patch the hurt?

In the State of the Nation Address, the fifth of his kind, President Uhuru Kenyatta did go into the expected territories, however, he went in one direction I didn’t anticipate. He asked for forgiveness. But as a leader, I hope he acts, because he knows how he came to power for the second term in 2017. We know how he was the loudest voice of discontent, the one who has blatantly disregarded the rule of law, the one that has used the army and the police to hurt civilians. Therefore, the ones that was in-charge of doing these ills should pay for the hurt they caused. Not just, apologize and move-on. Just as if Rail Odinga got his handshake and his role in government, so now he does not care how the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) rigged the game. Here is the part of the speech I felt had some values, worth mentioning.

“We also learned, again, a hard truth. Neither peace nor unity are a given; we have to work for them. I say so because last year taught us that if we don’t put an end to unrestrained political competition, it will put an end to Kenya. You saw what happened. In the heat of the campaign, words of anger, malice, and hatred were spoken. Politics was no longer a debate between opponents on issues; it was a clash of irreconcilable enemies. You saw the consequences: lives lost, property destroyed, our unity sapped. I want to be clear here: never again should Kenyan life be lost for politics’ sake; never again should Kenyans’ property be destroyed on account of politics. But that will not just happen on its own. All of us, and in particular we leaders here, will have to admit that last year, we failed in our duty to preserve the unity of this country. And we must make amends. First, I pray that all of us will spend the days and weeks after this address repairing the bonds that frayed last year. Let us apologize for our words, and for the anger and malice that Kenyans heard. From Mandera to Maseno, from Mbita to Mvita, from Lodwar to Lunga Lunga, let us shake hands and embrace our neighbours, and let us celebrate the diversity that is God’s gift to us. Let every leader in the country reach out to our sons and daughters, and remind them that they have it in them to forge a Kenya that speaks gently, that criticizes constructively, and that embraces and respects dissent and competition as healthy and civilized ways of collaboration. And since leadership is best done not by exhortation but by example, let me do as I have asked you to do. If there was anything I said last year that hurt or wounded you, if I damaged the unity of this country in any way, I ask you to forgive me, and to join me in repairing that harm” (Uhuru Kenyatta – State of the Nation Address in Parliament, 02.05.2018).

It is good to hear this from the President, I just hope it is sincere, but if it is, then there is need for action. Not just handshaking Odinga, give him some coins and thinks the families, the tragic deaths that occurred on your watch goes away. All the Extra-Judicial Killings, the big shots who sudden killed days ahead of the elections. Those will be remembered, they will not be forgotten, even if you ask forgiveness. They are still bloodstains on the hands of the President, who hasn’t really done anything to investigate or more like a cover-up to not look into those who has lost their lives. So that he could rule a second term in office.

I wish it was differently, but it wasn’t only innocent civilians that passed away because of protest, police-brutality and electioneering. There was people who mattered and was high upon the food-chain, still the deaths of these lingers on. With many unanswered questions, into the levels, of who paid who and who ordered to send for who? As long as those questions are open, you can wonder if the highest command want it die down and go silent. So that they wont be questioned for their role in their demise.

It is hard to forgive, when your not even trying to cover-up or trying to patch the hurt. You don’t even try to forge or change. Seems like all talk and no play. Since, everything you have done is to pay-off your worst enemy. However, not look into the systemic indifference nor the activity that lead to the demise of the people during the elections. That is because that will hurt your own allies and the dark shadow of your presidency.

Therefore, I don’t expect President Kenyatta to really look into the Police Service, the Military or the Government institutions involved, even investigate into the Cambridge Analytica, the tenders of electoral frauds and the rigging of himself. Since, that will delegitimize his role as the President. It will humiliate him and his allies. He can talk about apologizing, but will state offer more condolences to the ones who lost their loved ones during the skirmishes of the police in and after the Presidential elections? Will he offer them a trust-fund, something to secure the families of the ones who lost their lives? Will the kids get support for their education and a safety net for the ones who were betrayed by the state in the run-up the fresh presidential elections?

Because, I hate to say it, its easy to apologize, but takes courage to investigate himself with a independent body and also use the coins you self have gotten to help the lives of the ones you hurt. That would have been mature, that would have been righteous. However, I doubt it would happen. Since this government is all about PR and not about delivering service to the community. Peace.

Opinion: After today’s speech seems like Odinga is the unofficial PM!

“We have a big workforce in our country and most of them are youthful and looking for jobs. This is why we in NASA are in agreement with Jubilee in matters of job creation, universal healthcare, poverty and food security” – Raila Odinga (01.05.2018).

Today’s speech by the National Super Alliance leader Raila Odinga in Nakuru is unequivocal a sign of loyalty to Jubilee. This is happening now close to two months after the handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta. What striking today, is his tokens, his resignation of fighting spirit and his direct vision within the government. That meaning, he is practically not an opposition figure, but a stooge inside the Jubilee. Just like the Thirdway Alliance did before the 26^th October 2017. Therefore, the is no difference. Only that the words of Odinga matter a bit more than the words of Dr. Ekuru Aukot.

Because today, the National Resistance Movement of Kenya (NRMKe) was dissolved, the whole boycott of government sponsored products and companies, which has been connected to the direct government works. Companies that worked directly during the elections in 2017 and was partly responsible for the rigging and the electoral malpractice, which occurred. So now, its official done. But that has sort-of-died down months ago anyway. It was serious when first unleashed, but a month or two in, the reality wasn’t changing enough. The NASA knew this and their People’s Assemblies has also been dissolved. Before they we’re even built or even became official shadow organizations to the Local Government structures.

Odinga, is really the unofficial Prime Minister, the Republic is a mixed Republic and not a Presidential Republic. However, that is not officially yet, but his actions speaks like it. Especially, with his support of the Big 4 Agenda of Kenyatta. It is like a sign of loyalty to the causes of the Government. That isn’t a sign of an opposition leader. That seal is broken, therefore, Orengo should resign, the ODM shouldn’t be seen as the biggest opposition party, but a direct partner with Jubilee in a coalition. If Odinga supports and works for the agenda of Kenyatta, he is practically part of the Kenyatta paradigm. Even if he says otherwise. He still is, the words and actions shows it.

Odinga is practically the third on the food-chain. The third force in the Jubilee government, if he speaks like this. Odinga should be sworn-in again and get an official title. You can fool people once, maybe twice, but sorry brother, not the third time. Maybe Aukot should start the Fourthway Alliance to get some relevance, because the Third Way right now is Odinga. After Kenyatta and Ruto.

Its time to stop nonsense from this man, the time of opposition is over. Someone else is the real opposition. Someone else is fighting the indifference, the lack of governance and the deteriorating levels of poverty, that so many are feeling day-to-day. Therefore, they were willing to fight and join Odinga during 2017, because his message was different then of Jubilee. Now he sounds and acts like them. Its a betrayal of Canaan, but was already sealed with the handshake in March 2018.

So Kenyatta, do your thing, give the man his office and portifolio. He is your man now. Odinga will not fight you, he is tired and hungry. It is time you feed him and patch his hurt. Let him become PM again, because that is all he wants. Peace.

The Launch of OKM: Trying to make Kalonzo relevant falls flat!

I think Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, the former leader of Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) and part of National Super Alliance (NASA), has today forgotten what happen in February 2018 after the abysmal performance of himself. Why do I say that, because the Ukambi Youth Forum and their leadership renounced him for his neglect and lack of leadership. They renounced him on the 24^th February 2018, that they are standing behind Dr. Alfred N. Mutua. After my recogning, that is not Kalonzo.

So, reading that the Ukamabani Declaration and the start of a new Party out of the Kamba, is rare, considering that the Youth in the region isn’t his fans or supporters. They are already displeased with him and his leadership. Kalonzo Musyoka has already lost their faith and hard to restore after years of playing big, but delivering little. We can wonder if he will deliver anything new in One Kenya Movement (OKM).

Its a reason why Mutua didn’t attend today’s forum, where the new re-branded party was declared, as well as his didn’t intend to support his voice in a gathering made trying to revive the legacy of Kalonzo. Which this was, that is why he is trying a new and a fresh. Because he knows that his ways is tarnished, the youth of Ukambani is thwarted by his own in-actions. Even if he renames himself and become someone else, the in-actions and lack of trust.

How will this change with a name-change and Ukambani Declaration between fellow bedfellows? That is why they couldn’t even muster Mutua to the meeting. Surely, other local dignitaries didn’t appear or show attendance, because this is all just a ploy to make him matter again. Even if that is only happening locally. This not making Kalonzo nationally. Kalonzo is just consolidating himself and re-appearing as a local savior with a new logo and slogan, but not making him rising star.

That star dimmed and has been tarnished by recent issues from January and February 2018, where his true political tools was delivered and the framework presented wasn’t stunning, but more meager lack of willingness to stand-up in the midst of fire. He didn’t even try and tried with public PR failures. Therefore, he is trying again and it should be seen through. Not because he might mean well, if not he does whatever he can to salvage his career.

This is a PR Stunt, a Wiper event turned into OKM, just to make sure he staying relevant in the manners of politics, not that it was for all of Ukambani, because even Mutua wasn’t there. When his party wasn’t involved, surely others didn’t come too. Wonder if Kalonzo invited the Ukambani Youth Forum leaders, that has already thrown their weight in favor of Mutua? I doubt that, because that would humiliate Kalonzo and on this day. That couldn’t be the intention.

The intention was to make Kalonzo look like a king, look like a big-man and of importance, there it fell a bit flat. Because it only make him look hungry and starving for relevance. That is not a good look. Peace.

Nation Media Group’s statement on withdrawal by columnists (27.03.2018)

Nation Media Group – Statement by Independent Columnists: “We Refuse To Be Silenced” (27.03.2018)

ODM: Unpacking the Memorandum Between H.E. Raila Odinga and H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta (21.03.2018)

Opinion: Wentangula is now a lost one!

Today, a new storm arise in the Kenyan Parliament, just as the signed agreement between Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga went into force, the changes came swiftly. However, the National Super Alliance Co-Principals has felt left behind. They never got the satisfaction, but now the Orange Democratic Movement are showing no mercy for the ones who left Odinga alone on the 30^th January 2018. Since the now former Minority Leader in the Senate Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetangula will be changed with ODM Sentor James Orengo.

This is just a proof of the power of the ODM compared to the other parties within the coalition. That the ODM can just shuffle around and take force because of their stature and the amounts of political goodwill it has created. Now the NASA Co-Principals are mere extra’s on the ship. They are not running anything, they have to follow or be lost.

We knew that Kenyatta won when Odinga signed the pact; he got the credibility and the legitimacy he so craved for, while Odinga get peace and becomes the merrymaker in the shin ding. He and his party is now showing it, when they empty Wetangula out as yesterday’s paper. Just putting him in bin and putting one of their own.

ODM has the strength in the Parliament to do so, with the amounts of MPs and Senators, no doubt about it. But they are now showing no mercy and leaving no one behind. The Amani National Congress (ANC), Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) and Forum for the Restoration of Democracy – Kenya (FORD-K), so by mere numbers this is reasonable. However, if they care about the coalition in the end, it is damaging to hurt the pride of Co-Principals. Because of the representatives in total in minority, who is not forming government the ODM has 96 out of 162. While FORD-K has 14, also, the WDM has 26 and ANC has 17. Total of the other parties than ODM has 57 representatives in the Parliament. The smallest is also FORD-K. Therefore, by giving the title to them was a leaf and straw of confidence.

This is really cracking the whip, this is really petty politics, but surely to teach the Co-Principals a lesson after betraying Odinga. He haven’t acted before he went his own way and signed pact without them knowing. Just like, they didn’t answer or commit to the swearing-in, which was the first rift. The political games has started since and the resistance has dwindled until recently, when it’s been obviously discarded. Everyone can read Githeri Media and buy Brookside milk like nothing ever happen. Though Miguna Miguna says otherwise and David Ndii who lost his column in Daily Nation.

The ones that should worry is Mudavadi and Kalonzo Musyoka, as they are seeing how Wetangula is discarded like bad chapatti today. Today, Wetangula is lost in the wind, he is taken and flying out with nowhere to land. Clearly, the goal is to prove a point. I like Orengo and his attitude in politics. How he carry himself, but this is not good for the political climate between the coalition parties. This is petty, this is brutal and is not sharing, but overpowering.

This is a sign of what to come. This is not over, not until it is over. However, the ODM is proving their power and machinery after the agreement. Now the Co-Principals can either follow, or disband. We have to see… Peace.

Kenya Police Service: “Ref: JKIA Police Station OB NO. 35 of 26/2/2018 – Notice Compelling Attendance to Police Station under Section 52 of the National Police Service Act of 2011” (13.03.2018)