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1 hour ago
Monday, November 3, 2008
TO KENYA FROM CALIFORNIA
From my friend djovida over at djovida.com
On video expedition to an Obama phone banking office, Djovida encounters Harun Mito, a Kenyan who knows Barack's grandmother. Mr Mito born in Kenya now a US citizen has already cast his absentee ballot in the 2008 presidential election. He first explains in English and then subsequently in Luo why Obama is important to the world and holds a special place in the hearts of Kenyans in particular. Harun sends word to Africa from America.
DJ has amassed quite a bit of documentary footage on his YouTube Site From a series he calls "Senior Moments" to sound bites, speeches and mementos of the Obama Campaign.
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3 comments:
Fred,
Thanks for posting this clip. I was amazed to happen upon this man. I met him at a "walk for change" day back in March. I just heard from a friend in Malawi that Obama is the major topic in the land. In addition to what Harun says above, I'm told that his village has put aside ten cows for the celebration. That's a barbeque!
djovida
Thanks for all of your hard work very the past almost two years. This clip reminds me of the opening scene in Bertoluci's "Besieged" in which a griot walks up the road singing, a prelude to the rest of the film. Thanks for the use of the video.
My name is Harun Mito David,USA citizen born in Kenya,next to Barack Obama's father ancestral village of Kogelo in East Africa.
I have BA a Degree from University of Nairobi Kenya-Political Science and Masters in Public Administration,MPA-Human Resource Management/Organizational change from California State University East Bay/Hayward-CA-USA.
I pride myself with strong knowledge and interest in international affairs especially towards Peace and Social Justice that will address the plight of African related problems.
I speak,write excellent Luo,English and Kiswahili languages which is spoken by over 400 Million African countries.
I have excellent oral communication skils knowledge in Microsoft Office software application products.
In November 2007,I went back to Kenya to observe Kenya’s 2007 General Elections where I
saw and documented first hand Unfortunate political,social and economic sufferings Kenyan people underwent which turned many Kenyans in to Internally Displaced refugees-(IDP’s)in their own country,not to mention other refugees who have for so long came to live in Kenya from unstable political countries like,Eritrea,Somalia,Ethiopia, Sudan,Rwanda,DRC,Uganda,Burundi and Mozambique.
The Kenya's political situation further contributed to more influx refugees in search of shelter,peace and hope that for so long had proved elusive in the above said countries.
This is why I've consistently put more focuss on Peace and Social Justice to be restored in Great Lakes Region,and therefore,I believe Barack Obama could be the right leader who could help towards this process in the great lakes region.
Refugees have come and lived in Kenya because Kenya has for so long remained peaceful,they cross over to Kenya through Kenya's porous border points in Buses,foot,riding animals and without any plans for them to go to special designated refugees’camps to call home until they find alternative countries that could be willing to take the refufugees and ressettle them permanently in.
Refugees camps are cramped with little or no sanitation nor any other amenities infrastructure that may support their needs.
When I returned to USA in March,2008,I traced some already resettled refugee’s in USA in-Texas-Dallas.I saw and interviewed some of them who came from different countries as well.
I learned how refugees consistently face daily hardships struggles in order to survive in their "new" homes USA.I knew then that I need to address more Peace and Social Justice especially for refugees and other vulnarable groups to ensure world peace and justice.
In Peace and Social Justice,I see Barack and myself answering and calling for perpertrators of violence to be brought to face international justice and other peace loving general public.
Without peace and justice,developments can't be achieved for the sake of humanity.
Kenya and USA can use available common mandate and database in-house resources to further assist the refugees by promoting Peace and Social Justice and to re-settle the forgotten part of our own human race.
I know working with USA and Barack Obama for Peace and Social Justice for refugees will include both short and long-term research projects,updating refugee’s specific activity needs reports,assisting in their daily, weekly,monthly needs in conjunction with other agencies like ICRC and donor countries to meet refugee’s needs and news through allowing refugees to tell their stories in order to meet their needs expectations for the sake of Peace and Social Justice.
This will include assisting and addressing Peace and Social Justice needs that will commensurate Obama/Usa administration with logistics,clerical and administrative tasks like answering phone calls,major donor mailings preparation and education needs, fundraising,health and so on.
I hope I'll better serve refugees by bringing extra flair of cultural sensitivity that Barack Obama has been known for way back since he's been to Kenya and he himself,he's an accomplished lawyer to embrace and cherish these human sufferings.
I hope Obama administration will act soon once he becomes the president of USa.
The world can’t wait while refugee’s plights and health issues are being ignored,Peace and Social Justice must come first
Introduction
Bolman & Deal in their book Reframing Organizations defines frames as… mental maps; frames oe set of ideas or assumptions that we carry in our heads.Frames help us to understand and to negotiate particular"territory".The territory isn't necessarily defined by geography or how better your map is,but the easier one is to negotiate your terrain carefully and timely,but every map is bounded and interconnected,so is Peace and Social Justice.
A good frame makes it easier to know what you're up against and what you can do about it.
Goran Carstedt,former French Volvo executive added,"The world simply can't be made sense of,facts can't be organized unless you have a mental model to begin with.That theory doesn't have to be a right one,because you can alter it along the way as more information comes in,but you can't begin to learn without some concept that gives you expectations or hypotheses"(Hampden-Turner, 1992,P.167) p(12-13).
Peace and Social Justice Depends on how one looks at it and that’s my main purpose in writing or analyzing refugees issues together with peace especially in Kenya's last concluded general elections through different frames with regard to-Changing Human Organization.
Bolman & Deal talks of these frames which are:
Abstract:
Kenya held its 10th General National election on the Dec.27th 2007 since it attained independence from Britain in 1963,with all signs to look back to past general elections, it proved then to be a massive one since many voter turned out nationally to vote in all polling stations and constituencies including Nairobi,Kenya's commercial capital hub.
The massive voter's turn out in Kenya election was massive with some areas reporting over 90% voter's turn-out.
This projected voter's turn out list among some respected and trusted media houses according to local pollsters and international observers accredited to monitor the polls/ elections almost represented over 11.5 million voters which was a record in Kenya's elections history from an overall registered voters list of 14 million voters according to Kenya's local government voters list data base and Kenya’s Election Commission records.
Overview
Kenyans can only hope that with this kind of voters turn out,some common sense will prevail and voters choice shall be respected from it's powerful people who controls power in Kenya and its outside friends including international community who has massive sway interest to see Peace and Social Justice prevail in a country surrounded by neighboring countries that have known nothing but war for the sake of political stability together with social fairness to prevail.
It's upon Kenyan population to make sure that war that befell Kenyan after it's past general election is stopped as soon as possible for normalcy to return in order for people to return to their normal business unhindered.
Peace situation must not thrown outside the window or unchecked and instead should be addressed soonest.
Kenyans must heed the voices of reason of the people who massively turned out to cast their votes peacefully against the outgoing government in order to intervene urgently to restore sanity and stability for the sake of Peace and Social Justice for all.
All those who are involved must meet their responsibility including international community who are bound to suffer and lose their short term and long investments gains that for so long they have nurtured and protected at the expense of warring parties that surround Kenya Republic which attained her independence from Britain in December, 1963 after a bloody 11 years of liberation war that witnessed no bound then that to never rear it's ugly head again.
Political instability in Kenya shall definitely affect the whole of East,central and African region as a whole,which shall remind us of the clamor for freedom that resulted into Africa's freedom and independence gains lost for-ever if not for a long time.
Barack Obama/USA and Great Britain and other countries must show their true side as world guarantors and protector of democratic ideals together with it's institutions that for so long,it's fought for and still cherish proudly and guard Peace and Social Justice.
USA and Britain have been known to expound and even export forcefully these ideals and this is when they must stand up and be counted together with Kenyans among civilized nations.
Let's think of the recent purported autocratic regimes of the world from Rwanda-under Juvenal Habiyarimana,,Republic of South Africa-under apartheid's PW Botha,Democratic Republic Of Congo(Zaire)under Mobutu Sese Seko,Uganda under Idi Amin,Somalia under Siad Barre just to name a few.
Had the world abrogated its roles and responsibilities unto these nations,where would we be now and will we have been still at peace with ourselves and the world?,USA,Great Britain and international community must play their political,economical,and social and above all,moral roles if they don't want to upset again Peace and Social Justice while ignoring early warning signs to address these situations speedily and expeditiously.
In the end majority of empty rhetoric and ideals shall be left to pass and history shall not be neither side not even USA,and when and eventually these aspects shall be written and read among annals of future history generations shall not spare the brunt of blame on us for not having done our rightful duties when time was on our side.
The reality is that International observers themselves have raised concerns and speculation with all events pointing to a possible rigged election,this is not just a Kenyan affair,the whole world must deal with it in a timely manner to avert further crisis.
Fortunately,USA and Obama together with the UN don't have to look far to confirm these fears of what may happen because they already know and accept that already they are bearing the brunt of not acting as fast as they should have been to avert the present world's largest peace keeping missions duties in the world being permanently stationed in DRC,Africa's 3rd largest sovereign country after Algeria and Sudan which are embrolied in middle of the vast and unstable African continent war and hope while trying to restore peace that they had an early chance and opportunity to be addressed despite DRC having claimed the then UN secretary General,Dag Hammarskjöld’s life in 1967 when DRC started tilting towards political instability in the midst of political stable countries of the then newly independent African continent of 1960's
Today,Kenya too stands on the cross road as DRC was in the 1960's,if human beings and international community fail to act,it will take it's own course and none of us will be safe regardless of the distance that separate us and them.
The only difference is that Kenya doest even rank among the largest 20th African continent in size,despite it bearing the brunt of almost over ½ million refugees from surrounding African countries.
The most important thing worth remembering is that for a long time,it's remained an island of peace in the midst of warring African continent countries.
Kenya today has played its international role and expectation from 1960s to stabilize Africa,it's been also a peaceful launching pad for spreading democratic ideals and keeping in check the spread of socialism which would have swept Africa by then.
The British and American interest are among some of the aspects that may go to flames if this situation isn't checked and controlled first,unless we so chose to leave the situation to God to take care of,the question is which one since time immemorial has been left to the divine intervention and has succeeded.
Governments are fallible while divine is infallible and is gullible to the forces of nature.
Kenya Government resorted to unorthodox means of curtailing press freedom,going against international basic human guaranteed protected human rights which it was a signatory to,all signs are that the cycle of election violence shall keep going on if not checked on time,a fact that has been confirmed by groups of eminent persons under the chairmanship of Hosea Kiplagat who helped brokered Somalia peace and Elijah sumbeiyo,former peace mediator for Sudan in 2005,General Daniel Ken Opande,the former Sierra-Leone UN commander who helped broker peace deal during Sierra-Leone's civil war between Foday Sanko and Ahmed Tejan Kabbah and Mr.George Waweru.
Kenya is on the brinks of massive change of guard and no one knows what shall happen next, but it's anticipated that voter's verdict shall be respected by whoever wins or who loses this general elections,Peace and Social Justice must be allowed to prevail.
Kenya's Electoral Results -December,29,2007
There were cases of election rigging in certain places but it's not going to massively affect the overall vote out come results.I hope soon,Kenya shall start setting an example of democratic maturity in the change of guard.
There was delays in announcing election results despite after 3 days when elections were over.This led to the speculations from the people that government was bent on rigging the elections after sensing defeat with the results agonizingly coming so slowly while ODM opposition party under Raila Odinga was continuously showing to be in the lead in virtually all areas save for Central Province-home town of the sitting president Mwai Kibaki..
Already there are street demonstrations and some observers and international press has picked up what is happening and cases of rigging are already ripe in the daily newspapers,print media,Kenyans homes, discussion among Kenya's population is on.
President Kibaki,3rd president of the Republic of Kenya seems to be swimming against an impossible tide especially having lost virtually all areas that supported his administration and where he received massive votes in 2002 general elections; he has also lost more than half of his cabinet who had been defeated by opposition contestants.
He has lost his traditional ethnic strong holds, like North Eastern, Coast Province, North Eastern, Western province coupled with a bad feelings from Kenya's population who have felt cheated despite having overwhelmingly voted against Kibaki government who only remained with a section of a small community that can not be said to be worth the salt of what Kenya's population is all about, anti Kibaki/government feeling has been boiling and this is the result of what the people of Kenya decided who have instead chosen to vote or identify with the opposition party(ies) under ODM-Orange Democratic Party being led by Raila Odinga.This has nothing to do with tribes love for the opposition but may be construed to mean that the people have shown their distrust and distaste with Kibaki government.
Kenyans has been traditionally made to believe that they are 42 tribes,yet the fact of the matter is that,Kenya's population is only composed of 2 tribes,the rich and the poor which are not important now since Kenyans have lived and worked together side by side for so long and being an American citizen of Kenyan descent,I know better where the truth lies.
Since the early part of Kenya's independence, there has been polarization of and mistrust among some communities having felt that they have been left out of the Government despite them having played a crucial role in bringing the change that Kenya now is so proud of and envy of many other nations.
Some sections of the communities/tribes has perpetually been left out of Kenya’s wealth creation and distribution,despite them also being family part and nation of this great peaceful island country in the midst of political upheavals that has been surrounded by warring countries of Uganda,Somalia,Sudan, Ethiopia,DRC.Ethiopia,Burundi
Kenyan past government has also been accused of participating in political assassinations from JM Kariuki,Pio Ganma Pinto,Ronald Ngala, Kitili Mwendwa,Argwings Kodhek,Chelegat Mutahi,Alexander Muge and Robert Ouko.
There has been culminating cases or political upheavals and incidences that the country has experienced and subjected to,but the bulk of the blame and suffering has gone to Kikuyu community which had been in the forefront of leadership that Kenya now enjoys.No amount of re-assurances shall convince any section of Kenya's community to believe that they are part of this nation without Peace and Social Justice.
The way Kibaki shall govern with a minority government,only time shall tell,having worn less than 50 seats when all the election results are concluded with friendly parties that may support him to form a fully functioning government that shall be able to pass bills and move the country forward towards 21st century.
I hope that chaos will come to an end and that electoral commission of Kenya will exercise its independence and strongly reign in and use its massive independence powers to ensure both the people and the country at large that this uncertainty will be solved peacefully soon.
Kenya has a history of resilience,this can only be said to have come unexpectedly for them,having lived peacefully in the midst of countries embattled in wars and animosity for over 2 decades.This is the time when people's resilience may be even more tested and whoever comes out of it,may live to tell the story. It's not about who is the most strongest,but it's all about learning from past historical mistakes as a nation and as a people while borrowing a leaf from our neighbors whom we knew but now we don't even remember their sad stories.
Resiliency and decency only works if fairness and respect of people's wishes is upheld through Peace and Social Justice.The people of Kenya have spoken through voting and election results that have kept on coming and it's high time that their wishes are respected,post election violence has been going on since the purported Kenya's 2007 flawed election results were announced with the death toll already reaching over 1300 people.
The ODM opposition party under Raila Odinga which claims was robed of their victory has asked it's supporters to converge at Uhuru Park for a swearing in ceremony of "People's president” but the government sent it's massive security and paramilitary forces to obstruct people from converging at Uhuru park.
Now,we don't know when they will try another attempt even though according to the Nation Media,it was announced that this ceremony will now take place on Thursday at the same venue. What will happen and the results,only God & time may tell.
Meanwhile,deaths and destruction of property is seemingly going on UN abetted with different quarters asking for a dialogue to be started immediately to avoid further bloodbath that is rocking Kenya after along time in the midst of neighboring warring states that for a long time Kenya has considered a far distant happening within its borders in order to achieve Peace and Social Justice,the killings and destruction of property is going on with hunger and looting being a normal daily occurrence with the police force being kept on their toes all the time who knows where and when this come to an end.
International community has also judged Kenya's elections to be unfair and flawed they have come short of calling it a sham and short of expectation.
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown called both key political and opposition leaders Raila Odinga and President Mwai Kibaki to ensure peace is maintained.
This is news from Nation Electronic media source which also reported that at this juncture on 1st January 2008,1300 people has been reported killed in different parts of the country with more sporadic clashes still going on in majority parts of the country.
Among the victims is the former president Daniel Arap Moi who supported the current president Mwai Kibaki in the last elections and is considered an elder member of Kenya and African society has become a victim of these political violence too,most parts of Kenya remains a no go zone despite government assuring people that security has been beefed up and constant patrols within Nairobi central business District has been intensified.This is also true with other parts of the country,the violence and mayhem is going on and what the people have or knows is simply a censured message from the government which even makes it look more suspicious that there's something the government is bent on hiding from the people.Soon,they may not be able to do this any more since the internet and the international media and press is also busy picking up signals and relaying the same to the world there’s no boundaries to hide any more.
The people have also intensified the use of SMS (Short Message Services),a very prudent way of communication among people to people since majority of credit phone outlets have run out while some have closed in fear of their lives and properties being looted.
Fuel and other basic necessities have run out and neighboring countries like Uganda are feeling the heat since they are landlocked and has always relied on Kenya for fuel supply.
There have been shortages that have hit the country and social unrest including rape and diseases are quickly spreading to the rest of the population in general.
The general essence is to act quickly and expeditiously to avert any further bloodbath.
But unless the below eight points aspects are addressed,there shall remain suspicion and animosity that has afflicted most Africa societies and other past societies before too.
Our efforts shall be worthless and will or may fail because of these aspects which are referred to as eight common mistakes or errors that are symptoms of failure and are not immuned to any one individual nor any one society regardless of the part of Globe one resides in.Among the errors that Bolman &Deal talks about are:
The international community must act fast to stop these kind of happenings,lest,they'll be used as a case study by other future bad leaders to cling to power.
•Error number 1-Not establishing a great enough sense of urgency.
People were ready for change and this is why they rebelled against Moi Government. Important lessons that must be learnt from this error is that the Kibaki Government that ruled Kenya thought and wished that these events shall come to pass by very soon,they have been proved wrong,Kibaki should have established dialogue and fairness for this impasse to be solved,instead,he chose to ignore it and now,he’s sucked in it and is paying a heavy price with refugees pilling every where ever day.
•Error Number 2-Not creating enough and powerful guiding coalition
Kibaki Government didn't address and establish fair system that could have ensured equitable distribution of resources to all Kenyan people in order for him to build trust and faith among Kenya's population in general which may have translated into votes come 2007 General election,now he’s paying the price.
•Error Number 3-Lacking vision
There was total lack of vision when Kibaki administration was deteriorating and going the wrong way as opposed to what people hoped and yearned for when they stood up for change, that's why among those who supported and brought him to power have turned against him in 2007 General election, Kenyans didn't necessarily love the ODM opposition party under Raila Odinga, but they used it as a symbolic sign of their disgust and distaste with Kibaki’s administration.The best option out of this impasse is to seek total and just dialogue that the opposition and people of Kenya are demanding for peace to be restored together for peace,justice and trust to prevail.
•Error Number 4-Undercommunicatting the vision by a factor of ten
The government didn't communicate well with the Kenyan population but instead offered piecemeal appeasement to its citizens via photo ops and sometimes hard ball talking and statements.Mere re-appointments of some few individuals back into the cabinet who don't have Kenya's community and political support at heart will not do the trick of peace and justice because Kibaki still surrounds himself with his same old Golf buddies at the expense of building stronger fair and just democratic institutions for the people of Kenya.Kibaki chose not to see these realities but instead opted for a short cut gains, which instead brought more chaos and crisis especially to Kenyan people who eventually became political refugees in their own home land for the first time since Kenya attained independence from British in 1963.Kibaki's adamancy at the expense of promoting and strengthening democratic instituitions has only brought shame,death and destruction followed by coups and counter coups which also triggered some downfalls of similar governments in the past like that of the late Ferdinand Marcos in Philippines when he assassinated Benigno Aquino,Eduardo Shevardnadze-then longest serving USSR foreign affairs minister who eventually became Georgia president when he was toppled by people revolution led by Shakashvili’s Orange Democratic Movement, Nicolae Ceausescu,the former dictator of Romania who also suffered similar fate in the hands of Ion Iliescu.
Rwanda under Jevenal Habyarimana who also suffered similar fate when Paul Kagame with RPF(Rwanda Patriotic Front)eventually toppled his government.These situations led to the rise of refugees and massive losses both of lives and trust.Kenya’s current political situation must not be allowed to go this way or else,it may also lead to similar path if left unchecked.Kibaki misjudged and misconstrued common sense and intelligence of Kenyans who overwhelmingly and patiently voted against Moi and Kanu regime in 2002 not withstanding the yoke of bondage that for so long they had been subjected to before then.Kenyans are not ready to go back to these old days.
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•Error Number 5-Not removing obstacles to the New Vision
There was massive obstacles put on the way when Kibaki only chose to provide selectively certain parts of Kenyan communities the benefit and fruits of independence while ignoring other Kenyans at the expense of Kikuyu and some few upper class groups.Kibaki ought to have created and build fair distribution process to all Kenyans,this was seen in manpower distribution,giving only plum sensitive positions in the governments and parastatals jobs to his friends therefore symbolically telling the rest of Kenyans that they don't matter after all,this created hatred from other Kenya’s 2 tribes communities/tribes at the expense of Kikuyu tribes.
•Error Number 6-Not systematically planning for,and creating, Short-Term Wins
There were no short term wins that Kibaki government established in order to measure its performance and where it's gone wrong so that it could make amends while time was still there.Kibaki thought that the little long term planning would satisfy the abandoned parts and segments of Kenyan community and tribes, he was wrong.
•Error Number 7-Declaring victory too soon
Kibaki counted his presumed victory too soon at the expense of other 42 Kenyan communities and this is what his government didn't know. This helped Raila Odinga and the rise of ODM party to build and strengthen his support base in preparation for the 2007 general elections. When time came nearer and Kibaki awoke from his slumber, it was a bombshell for him, he was too late and this is when Kibaki realized what difficulty he was in. He, started campaigning across the country while soliciting for people’s votes while forgetting that some times back; he had ignored these very parts of the country and the people plus their communities when he had a chance. Kibaki had the audacity to think that by using state resources and distributing little goodies, he could easily win the hearts and minds of those whom for so long he had for so long neglected during his five years tenure despite him riding on their back then to state house then, these are those people who gave him power then, had it not been for them, Kibaki would have not have ascended into presidency, yet no sooner had he ascended presidency, than did he turn against them. How naive and short sighted he was.
•Error Number 8-Not Anchoring changes in the corporation's culture
The Government didn't establish and anchor firm and professional culture that it promised it will bring when it came to power through building strong and independent institutions. The few cosmetic changes that Kibaki brought about were not good enough or they just came too little too late. Until and unless these cultures are set in place, Kenyan people are not that forgetful and they were not going to forget and forgive the one whom they pulled from abyss of failure and destruction into the throne again only to become discarded again at the expense of old timers and friends who had nothing to do nor to offer during the freedom struggle.
Conclusion:
The current Kenyan situation is still very fluid and if it's not tackled soon, It’ll affect the rest of other Kenyans and the whole region before the international community may come in, which will increase the refugees problem that for so long, Kenya has been spared of.The current Kenyan crisis isn't only a Kenyan problem,instead it's international problem that needs to be addressed together to avoid further refugee crisis happening. Kenya's current lesson should be seen as lessons for each and every peace loving nation of the world in order for similar situation not to re-occur anywhere any time. Those who suffer most are the masses who eventually become refugees with uncertain future, which has created recipe for further tensions somewhere else, therefore issues that deals with change on how economy works must be addressed to fulfill fair equitable power redistribution of assets. The sooner we do this, the better for peace and social justice to prevail.
This writer can be reached at:
mitoharun@gmail.com or mitoharun@africamosaictours.com
www.africamosaictours.com
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