Chama Cha Mapinduzi(CCM) wilayani Arusha kimetoa onyo kwa wagombea waliojitokeza kutangazania ya kugombea jimbo la Arusha mjini kupiti chama hicho kuacha tabia ya kuchafuana na kuanza kampeni kabla ya muda
Onyo hilo lilitolewa mwishoni mwa wiki iliyopita na katibu wa chama hicho wilayani Arusha,Ferooz Bano wakati akimkabidhi kanuni za uchaguzi wa CCM mgombea alliyetia nia ya kugombea jimbo la Arusha mjini kupitia chama hicho,Kim Fute
Mgombea huyo alifika mbele ya ofisi za CCM wilayani hapa kujitambulisha na kutia nia ambapo mbali na kufanyiwa ukaguzi wa kadi zake za uanachama pia alikabidhiwa kitabu chenye kanuni hizo na kupewa agizo la kutoshiriki kampeni kabla ya muda.
Hadi sasa jumla ya wagombea saba ambao ni Kim Fute,Phillemon Mollel”Monaban”,Mustapha Panju”Bushbuck”,Victor Njau,David Rwenyagira,Deo Mtui,Francis Laiser pamoja na mbunge mstaafu wa jimbo la Arusha mjini,Felix Mrema wamejitokeza kutia nia kuwania jimbo la Arusha mjini.
Akizungumza mara baada kumkabidhi kanuni hizo katibu huyo wa wilaya aliwataka wagombea wote waliojitokeza kutiania kupitia chama hicho kuacha tabia chafu ya kupakana kuandaa sherehe kwa wapiga kura.
“Muda wa kampeni bado haujafika hatutaki nyinyi wagombea muanzekuchafuana huko mitaani na wala kuandaa vijisherehe”alisema Bano
Hatahivyo,kwa upande wake mgombea huyo mbali na kushukuru mapokezi ofisini hapo pia alihaidi kufuata maagizo ya chama hicho na kusisitiz kwamba atafuata maagizo ya kanuni hizo kwa umakini mkubwa.
Fute,alitangaza rasmi kuinga katika kinyang”anyiro hicho kupitia CCM huku akijitapa kwamba amejipima na kubaini anatosha kuwa mwakilishi wa jimbo la Arusha mjini kwa kuwa amegundua kuna ombwe la uongozi.
GLOBAL CAMPAIGN OF MILITARY SPENDING (GCOMS) – KENYA
“I WOULD PLANT TREES TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE”
Acknowledgement
This survey report; “I Would Plant Trees to Combat Climate Change”
would not have been a success without field data collection and
extensive research that was done by the planning team composed of Hilda
Musimbi, Anthony Kirika and David Otieno. We acknowledge with humility
their contribution as they spent their time and energy in field data
collection and also literature review of various documents that came up
with national, regional, continental and global military expenditure for
select countries.
We also thank the International Steering Committee (ISC) of the
Global Day of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) specifically Colin
Archer for their contribution especially in suggesting various links
including SIPRI that enabled the local planning team to get various
military spending for different countries that has been studies.
We can’t forget to acknowledge one of the respondents whose response provided the title of this survey report “I Would Plant Trees to Combat Climate Change”.
The title was chosen from a response that was got from one of the
respondents who said that if he was to be given the money spent on
military, he would plant trees to combat climate change.
Finally we thank all the respondents who spared their time to provide
information during field data collection. Without them, this process
would have not been a success. David Calleb Otieno Convener CCI Kenya & GCOMS Kenya
Abstract
Today as the world mark GDAMS 2015, the total global military
expenditure stands at USD1.75trn and activists around the globe today
are gathering at different places holding different activities and shall
be arguing that if a small fraction of the global military spending
would be spent differently, then it would go a long way to resolving the
real and very grave challenges facing our planet including inequitable
distribution of resources and resource related conflicts.
In 2013/2014 Africa, had the largest relative military rise than any
other region in the world at 8.3% reaching a spending of USD44.9bn.
Algeria for the first time exceeded USD10bn while at the same time
Angola overtook South Africa as largest spender in the SADC region.
Increases in Algeria and Angola are attributed to high oil revenues.
At the Global arena, there has been a modest fall from the previous
years. According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
(SIPRI) report, the top 10 global spenders in 2013 in that order are,
USA (significant decrease since 2012), China (significant increase),
Russia (moderate increase), Saudi Arabia (large increase), France (small
decrease), UK (small decrease), Germany (No change), Japan
(approximately No change), India (approximately No change) and South
Korea (small increase).
The GDAMS Nairobi 2015 was preceded by a Survey that included street
data collection and literature review. The street data collection was
aimed at “assessing views of members of public on military expenditure and their preferred spending areas”.
Those sampled indicated that there are rampant problems related to
environment degradation, pollution, lack of social services at the
grassroots and rampant insecurity including terror attacks which for the
first time has targeted Kenyans even in rural and slum areas.
Those sampled were unanimous that huge global security sector
spending does not translate to safety both globally and locally as there
has been an increase of cases of insecurity especially terror related
attacks that has led to lose of lives globally. It was felt that bulk of
the money goes to purchase of military hardware which does not
necessarily translate to safety. Others felt that huge spending could
also be attributed to regional arms race which makes states arming
against imaginary enemies.
60% of those sampled indicated that they had not heard of GDAMS/GCOMS
while 40% indicated that they had heard of GDAMS/GCOMS majority of them
indicating that they heard about GDAMS/GCOMS during past GDAMS in
Kenya. All of those sampled indicated that they wanted to know more
about GDAMS/GCOMS signaling growing interest of the people on matters of
military spending.
This paper presents the background of GDAMS/GCOMS and also present
the Survey report that includes report of the street data collection and
literature review related military spending. It also analyze the Kenyan
military expenditure in comparison to other countries in East Africa
and also with other select African states for the period ranging from
2009 to 2013. Data used here have been sourced from SIPRI report which
has been compiling military expenditure of several countries in the last
25 years. GCOMS Kenya Convener David Otieno while releasing the Kenyan military spending report at Freedom Corner Nairobi
Global Day of Action on Military Spending[1]
(GDAMS) is a day marked annually around the globe in the month of April
by Civil Society Organizations, Faith Based Organizations, Community
Based Organizations and Peace Groups to call for reduction of ballooning
global military expenditure which in 2013 reached a record high of
USD1.75Trillion. GDAMS initiative was co-founded in 2011 by the
International Peace Bureau[2] (IPB) and the Institute for Policy Studies[3] (IPS) and is now being coordinated by the Global Campaign on Military Spending[4] (GCOMS) which a global campaign whose main objective is to ask the world governments to reduce their military expenditures.
The purpose of GCOMS is to raise awareness of the huge and excessive
amounts of public money spent on the military system all over the world
and to build a community that can have some impact on the budget
decisions made, especially at national level.
GDAMS is marked by holding a range of activities including
demonstrations, lectures, tree planting and charity activities all aimed
at calling for a reduction of military spending. GDAMS has been marked
in Kenya since 2011 and in 2014 Kenya was admitted to be part of the
International Steering Committee (ISC) that coordinates the GDAMS
initiative globally.
Questions have been asked regarding the need and necessity of the
military budgets. Opinions differ widely on the usefulness of the armed
services and indeed if there is a need for them at all. Some feel that
peacekeeping operations (under UN mandate) are necessary and important
hence staffing and equipping them, there has to be some kind of military
system. This is the thinking behind standing force run by the UN.
Others who are pacifists, i.e. they do not believe in any military
force, say that conflicts must be solved by peaceful means and if
necessary by police forces but not by armies and soldiers. However all
are agreed that the current annual global military budget of KSh153
Trillion (USD1.75Trillion) is grossly excessive, and in particular is
totally opposed to spending on weapons of mass destruction.
Better still others could ask about the non-violent solutions to
reduction on military spending and armed conflicts available. Nonviolent
alternatives are abundant, morally superior, drastically less costly,
far more appealing to the great majority of people in most countries,
and thus strategically more effective. They should not be mistaken for
inaction or capitulation. They include:
Active pursuit of meaningful diplomacy – engaging other governments
and institutions in the region; using more effectively multilateral
institutions like the UN and its agencies
Economic sanctions on terror groups and its supporters and serious efforts to cut off the flow of money
Arms embargoes
Support for local civil society, including refugees
Increased humanitarian assistance
Longer-term steps include:
Withdrawal of U.S./western troops/Kenyan troops from Somalia and other conflict areas,
Ending oil imports from the region affected by terror,
Tackling economic and social inequalities and injustices,
Empowering women and the marginalized,
Building democracy from below, rather than trying to enforce it from above.
1.2. GDAMS 2015 Themes
GDAMS 2015 shall be organized around four main themes namely Climate
Change and biodiversity loss, Sustainable development and anti-poverty
programs, Peace: disarmament, conflict prevention and resolution, human
security and Sustainable development and anti-poverty programs focusing
on post 2015 development agenda.
1.2.1. Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss
Effects of climate change come with much damage which includes severe
weather and health complications arising from high temperatures.
Economic models of mitigating emissions deals with trade-offs between
the cost of reducing emissions and motivation to reduce emissions in the
future. However reducing emissions involves transformation of global
energy and transport systems from fossil fuel-based energy system to
clean and low carbon technologies as well as investing more in
re-afforestation and agriculture.
This is why one of the themes of GDAMS 2015 shall be to “Move the
Money” from military to support Climate Change Adaptation and
Mitigation. GCOMSISTs argue that huge global military expenditure can be
reduced and moved to support investments in green and clean energy and
agricultural practices that are safe.
With the global debate being how to get funds to support climate
change mitigation and adaptation, the GCOMISTs argue that such funds
could be got by moving the money from increasing and ballooning military
expenditure to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
1.3. Past GDAMS
Since its inception in 2011, Kenya has consistently been marking GDAMS.
1.3.1. GDAMS Nairobi 2011
In 2011, GDAMS was marked by a photo opportunity by a group of students in Eastland Nairobi where they posed with a banner[5].
1.3.2. GDAMS Nairobi 2012
In 2012 several groups including Bunge la Mwananchi (BLM), Wanjiku
Revolution and Baraza la Taifa held a procession and presented a
petition to the office of the President along Harambee Avenue asking the
then Coalition government to[6]:
Immediately withdraw Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF) from Somalia and
embark on policing our borders as attacks had continued despite the
KDF’s presence in Somalia pointing to a failed policy.
Drastically reduce the amount spent on military hardware and related expenses and channel the funds to provision of basic needs.
Beef security to ordinary Kenyans who have constantly suffered should there be any attack.
Come out clean on how the tenders to supply material were awarded to
allay fears that the Somalia incursion is used to benefit some
unscrupulous businesspeople.
1.3.3. GDAMS Nairobi 2013
In 2013 several organizations under the banner of the BLM and
Coalition for Constitution Implementation (CCI) held a procession to the
office of the president where they presented a petition asking the
government to:[7]
Follow up on the allocation to the security sector in 2012/2013 budget to find out if the allocations had been used prudently.
Reduce Kenyan military spending and reallocate the resources to the social welfare sector.
Speed up the withdrawal of KDF from Somalia
Increase security surveillance along Kenyan borders to prevent
proliferation of arms and other contraband goods, which are likely to
aggravate insecurity.
Increase allocations on the food production, education, healthcare,
housing and water, employment and social security sectors to reduce the
crimes related to access resources
1.3.4. GDAMS Nairobi 2014
In 2014 several organizations including BLM and CCI held a forum at
Ufungamano House where a detailed report of Kenyan military expenditures
was discussed[8]. There after a march, tree-planting and candle-lighting activities were also held at Freedom Corner in Nairobi[9].
During the GDAMS Nairobi 2014, several recommendations were given to the African governments as follows:
That the African governments should lift the classification (secrecy
act) that locks out interrogation of military expenditure by public and
Civil Society Organizations (CSO).
The anticorruption in Africa agencies should investigate military
expenditure in the continent to ascertain whether such classification is
for the purposes of widening corruption networks.
That the African states should invest in peaceful means to resolving
problems so as to save the taxpayers from funding conflicts that could
hitherto be resolved peacefully.
That the African states should channel some of the allocations on
the military to provision of basic social welfare as most conflicts are
due to access of basic needs.
News from Nigeria that former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari (72)
of All Progressives Congress (APC) beat incumbent president Jonathan
Goodluck (57) of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is sweet news to the
opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) whose one of
possible candidate Rt Hon Raila Odinga is often ruled out of the race
due to age. Coincidentally president elect Buhari won the seat in his
fourth attempt just like Raila too who if nominated by CORD will be
contesting for the fourth time for the presidency never forgetting that
President Uhuru Kenyatta will be 56 one year shy of Jonathan’s age and
Raila will be 72 same age as Buhari.
Already CORD supporters are allover on the social media taunting
Jubilee that they should be prepared for exit just like Jonathan and his
PDP. A CORD blogger and former University of Nairobi Student leader
David Osiany wrote on his Facebook page that “Just a quick observation
on the win by Nigeria’s opposition leader: He is 72, the age Raila
Odinga will be in 2017 He beat Goodluck Jonathan at 57, Uhuru Kenyatta
will be a year shy of that (56) in 2017. He beat an incumbent, which
goes to show that it is possible in Africa. Especially after former
Malawian President Joyce Banda’s loss too. Goodluck Jonathan just served
a term as a substantive President; such may be Uhuru’s fate.#TeamCORD#TwendeKazi”
While all these might be true, one similarity between Nigeria and
Kenya which should not be ignored is that just like in Nigeria where the
election was decided by mega corruption scandals and insecurity
necessitated by Islamist Boko Haram attacks, the Kenyan 2017 polls are
likely to be decided by mega corruption scandals that has rocked Jubilee
administration and insecurity necessitated by Islamist Al-Shabaab
militants. Perhaps this is the realization of Jubilee government hence
the latest purge of state officers accused of graft.
However for CORD to effectively use corruption as a tool to dislodge
Jubilee from power in 2017, they have to be seen to be “clean” and
corruption free. They must be seen to be fighting corruption within its
ranks and file. One may ask how CORD can do this yet they are out of
power. CORD can do this by not protecting their Governors, Members of
National Assembly (MNA), Senators and Members of County Assemblies (MCA)
surrounded by graft allegations.
Just like MNAs who have failed to toe the coalition’s positions on
issues like by-elections were summoned to show course why they should
not be disciplined by stripping them of membership hence loosing their
seats, the CORD members found to have presided over corruption should be
summoned and if found guilty stripped of membership and hence loose
their seats. CORD has already accused President Kenyatta of lacking
political will in graft war and that he is shielding sacred cows and at
the same time has stated publicly that they lack faith in Ethics and
Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) hence this move by CORD to discipline
the corrupt within its ranks will serve to convince Kenyans of CORD’s
seriousness to eliminating graft once they take over power.
Lastly just like Buhari’s APC that relied on the Civil Society
Organizations (CSOs) who were disgruntled by PDP’s administration’s
systematic targeting of CSOs to mobilize support for APC, CORD has to
think of a serious partnership with the Kenyan CSOs especially in war
against graft. The CSOs in Kenya who are currently under siege from
Jubilee government will work with CORD if it shows seriousness in war on
graft and commitment to full and proper implementation of the
Constitution of Kenya 2010. It must be noted that the National Rainbow
Coalition (NARC) was heavily supported by the CSOs who were then
reacting to the then Moi regime’s systematic targeting of CSOs and its
leaders.
SERIKALI
imesema kuwa imeridhishwa na maonyesho ya madini ya vito yaliyoandaliwa
najumuia ya wafanyabiashara wa madini nchini
Tamida,kutokana na kuonyesha mafanikio makubwayakiongozwa na madini ya Tanzanite.
Waziri wa
Nishatina Madini,Georage Simba Chawaene,ameyasema hayo leo alipokuwa
akifungua maonyesho ya nne ya madini ya vito yanayoshirikisha wauzaji, wanunuzi
wakubwa wa madini hayo ulimwenguni .
Chawene,amesema
kuwa hivi sasa serikali ipo katika hatua za uimarishaji wa kutengenezaji
madiniukataji wake na uchongajihivyo kuyauza yakiwa yameongezewa thamani na
kutoa ajiranyingi tofauti na awali
ambapo yalikuwa hayatoi ajira hizo kutokana na kuuzwa yakiwa ghafi.
Amongeza
kuwa serikali ipo katika hatua za mwisho kutengeneza kituo kikubwa cha kuuzia
madini ambapo kutakuwepo na Hotel, maduka na ofisi za mamlaka ya mapato TRA, na
uwanja wa kutua Helkoptana hivyo
kuondoa ulanguzi wa madinin na hivyo kuongeza pato la taifa sanjari na kuondoa
urasimu uliokuwepo wakati wa mauzo ya madini.
Pia serikali
itawekavituo maalumu vya ukaguzi kwenye machimbo ya Tanzanite,ili kudhibiti
wizi sanjari na kurejesha utaratibu wa kujenga ukuta uliokuwepo kwenye
machimbo hayo ambao ulibomolewa na
baadhi ya watu wenye nia mbaya ili waweze kutorosha madini hayo kwa urahisi ,pia
kuimarisha ,utolewaji wa vitambulisho .
Ameongeza
kuwa utoroshaji wa madini unaofanywa na watanzania ambao wamepewa leseni za
kuuza na kununua madini umepungua kutokana na udhibiti kuimarishwa.
Amesem,a
miaka miwili iliyopita Tanzania ilipata dola milioni 38 za kimarekani kutokana
na mauzo ya Tanzanite, huku Kenya ikipata dola milioni 100 kutokana na mauzo ya
Tanzanite, na India ilipata dola milioni 300.
Arusha.
RAIS Jakaya
Kikwete, anatarajiwa kumtunuku tuzo maalumu ,Jumaine Ngoma,ambae ni mgunduzi wa
madini ya Tanzanite.
Waziri wa
Nishati na madini, George Simba Chawene, ameyasema hayo alipokuwa akifungua
maonyesho ya nne ya madini ya vito .
Amesema kuwa
rais, atatoa tuzo hiyo kutokana na kuthamini mchango wa Mtanzania huyo ambae
aligundua madini hayo ambayo yanathamani kubwa ulimwenguni.
Madini ya
Tanzanite , ulimwenguni yanapatika kwenye machimbo ya madini ya Mirerani
,wilayani simanjiro mkoani Manyara.
MFANYABIASHARA maarufu wa Madini ya Tanzanite mkazi wa jijini hapa,Eliakimu
Daud Mollel(45),amepandishwa kizimbani katika mahakama
ya hakimu mkazi Arusha akikabiliwa na shitaka la kujipatia madini ya thamani
ya shilingi milioni 15 kwa njia ya udanganyifu.
Akisoma mashtaka mwishoni mwa wiki, mbele ya hakimu wa mahakama hiyo,Nestory Baro,mwendesha
mashtaka wa serikali,Gaudencia Lyimo aliieleza mahakama hiyo kwamba, mshtakiwa alitenda
kosa hilo januari 4 mwaka huu katika jengo la Ottu, huku akifahamu wazi kuwa ni
kinyume cha sheria .
Alisema mshtakiwa huyo alijipatia madini ya Tanzanite kutoka kwa mlalamikaji
,Banai Shininu yenye thamani ya shilingi milioni 15.
Ilidaiwa kuwa mfanyabiashara Mollel alimrubuni
mlalamikaji kuwa anaenda kuuza na baadae angemletea kiasi cha shilingi milioni 15,ikiwa
ni thamni ya madini hayo, hatua ambayo hakufanya hivyo badala yake alitoweka
kusikojulikana.
Mahakama
ilielezwa kuwa mshtakiwa alikuwa akitafutwa kwa muda mrefu na mlalamikaji na
punde anapopatikana hutoa ahadi za uongo kuwa angelipa kiasi hicho cha fedha
lakini hakufanywa hivyo hadi alipokamatwa na kufikishwa mahakamani.
Baada ya
kusomewa shtaka hilo la kujipatia mali kwa njia ya udanganyifu,mshtakiwa alikana
kutenda kosa hilo .
Hata hivyo
hakimu Baro alimweleza mshtakiwa kwamba dhamana ipo wazi kwa masharti ya kuwa na fedha
tasilimu kiasi cha shilingi milioni 7.5,na
wadhamini wawili wanaofahamika hatua ambayo mshtakiwa alishindwa kutimiza na
kulazimika kwenda magereza.
Kesi hiyo namba88 ya mwaka huu, imepangwa kutajwa
tena mahakamani hapo januari 26 mwaka huu.
ZAMZAM WAIBUKA MABINGWA KOMBE LA NG”OMBE JIJINI ARUSHA
Mfadhili
wa fainali za kombe la Ng"ombe jijini Arusha,Kim Fute akimkabidhi
zawadi ya ng"ombe kocha wa klabu ya Zamzam,Omary Athuman mara baada ya
timu yake kuilaza klabu ya Nyota kwa jumla ya mabao 2-0 jana katika uwanja wa shule ya msingi Sinoni jijini Arusha(Habari picha na Pamela Mollel wa jamiiblog)
Wachezaji wakiwa wanapambana uwanjani
Mfadhili
wa fainali za kombe la Ng"ombe jijini Arusha,Kim Fute akimkabidhi
zawadi ya Jezi kocha wa klabu ya Zamzam,Omary Athuman mara baada ya timu
yake kuilaza klabu ya Nyota kwa jumla ya mabao 2-0 jana katika uwanja
wa shule ya msingi Sinoni jijini Arusha
Mashabiki wakiwa wa timu ya Zamzam wakiwa wanashuhudia zawadi ya ng'ombe baada ya timu yao kushinda kwa mabao 2-0
Mfadhili wa fainali za kombe la Ng"ombe jijini Arusha,Kim Fute akiwa anazungumza mara baada ya kukabidhi zawadi kwa washindi
Umati mkubwa wa mashabiki wa timu ya Zamzam na Nyota wakifatilia mpambano
Mashabiki
mbalimbali wakiwa katika uwanja wa shule ya msingi Sinoni jijini Arusha
wakishuhudia mchezo wa fainali baina ya Nyota na Zamzam zilizokutana
katika uwanja huo jana,Zamzam waliibuka mabingwa baada ya kuilaza Nyota kwa mabao 2-0
Mratibu
wa mashindano hayo Sanare Mollel akizungumza na wanahabari kuhusu mechi
hiyo iliyokuwa ikifanyika katika uwanja wa shule ya Sinoni jijini
Arusha
Taswira katika uwanja huo wa shule ya Sinoni jijini Arusha
Umati mkubwa wa watu katika uwanja wa sinoni wakifatilia mechi kwa ukaribu
Mashabiki
wa klabu ya Zamzam wakimyanyua mlinda mlango wa klabu hiyo mara baada
ya timu yake kufanikiwa kutwaa ubingwa wa fainali ya kombe la Ng"ombe
baada ya kuilaza klabu ya Nyota kwa jumla ya mabao 2-0 juzi katika
uwanja wa shule ya msingi Sinoni jijini Arusha
Kushoto
ni mdau mkubwa wa mtandao wa kijamii wa Jamiiblog Muhamed Akonaay
akiwa na mmiliki wa mtandao huo Pamela Mollel katika uwanja wa sinoni
Klabu
ya Zamzam yenye maskani yake Sinoni jijini Arusha juzi wamefanikiwa
kutwaa ubingwa wa kombe la Ng”ombe mara baada ya kuilaza klabu ya Nyota
kwa jumla ya mabao 2-0.
Kwa
ushindi huo Zamzam walikabidhiwa zawadi ya ng”ombe na jezi huku Nyota
wakiambulia zawadi ya seti moja ya jezi kama mshindi wa pili katika
fainali iliyopigwa katika uwanja wa shule ya msingi ya Sinoni jijini
Arusha.
Katika
mchezo huo wa fainali ambao ulikuwa na mbwebwe za kila aina kipindi cha
kwanza kilimalizika bila timu yoyote kuona lango la mwenzake huku
mlinda mlango wa Zamzam,Seleman Msuya maarufu kama “Casillas”akionekana
kung”ara katika mchezo huo.
Kipindi cha pili kilipowadia klabu ya Zamzam ilifanikiwa kupata mabao kupitia kwa wachezaji wakeJaff Mbunda dakika ya 50 na Juma Mgunya dakika ya 82 na kupelekea shangwe kwa klabu hiyo.
Akizungumza
mara baada ya kukabidhi zawadi hizo,mfadhili wa ligi hiyo,Kim Fute
ambaye pia ni mkurugenzi wa kampuni ya East Link Tz Ltd alisema kuwa
lengo kuu la kudhamini fainali hizo ni kuibua vipaji na kusisitiza pia
michezo inaondoa tofauti za kidini,kisiasa,kikabila na kuleta umoja.
Naye,mratibu
wa michuano hiyo,Richard Mollel alisema kuwa jumla ya timu 12 katika
kata mbalimbali za halmashauri ya jiji la Arusha huku lengo lake likiwa
ni kuibua vipaji na kuleta umoja ndani ya jamii.
In his opinion piece that appeared in the daily nation of 18 April 2015 titled “Inside ODM’s Appeasement Policy towards Al Shabaab[1]”,
professor Kagwanja struggles to link ODM and to an extent the ODM
leader Raila Odinga to what he calls an appeasement mission by the
opposition to embolden the Al Shabaab so as to benefit from the security
failures of Jubilee government come 2017 elections.
Prof Kagwanja further state that Nairobi is trying to verify an
“intelligence” document that has been doing rounds in the social media
allegedly from Iran stating that Raila is funding Al Shabaab and “setting up the current regime by working with militants” as an electoral ploy “to make the government appear weak.” The document adds that “Mr.
Odinga seems to have gained considerable political mileage from the
issues arising from insecurity especially in alleged terror attacks in a
manner almost identical to (President-elect) General Muhammadu Buhari’s
situation in Nigeria.” The piece allegedly from Iran Ministry of Intelligence doing rounds on social media
As one reads the piece by Prof Kagwanja, one can’t fail to find the
political overtones it is laced with as it is more focused on painting
Raila as a terrorist sympathizer and struggles to paint Jubilee policies
on security as perfect save for Raila’s and opposition’s interference
all in a bid to cover up Jubilee security failures and blaming them on
the opposition.
For example Prof Kagwanja fails to mention recent calls by Jubilee majority leader Aden Duale for negotiation with Al Shabaab[2],
his public calls while in Eastleigh Nairobi for the militants to bomb
elsewhere and even his announcement that leaders from Northern Kenya
shall provide a list of Al Shabaab financers. He does not mention
amnesty given to Al Shabaab adherents who state says that were confused
into joining the militant group a call that has even been opposed by a
section of Jubilee MPs[3].
In his piece, Kagwanja sensationally state that Kenya has liberated
over 300,000 square kilometers and over 175 kilometers inside Somalia
but he fails to explain how the Al Shabaab has continued to plan and
execute such killings like the ones witnessed in Garissa and Westgate if
such large areas have been liberated. He also praises the metamorphosis
of KDF into Amisom as an exit strategy by Kenya to avoid mistakes made
by Ethiopia army which dislodged Islamic States Union from Mogadishu but
fails to inform the readers that despite what he calls Ethiopia’s
failures, Ethiopia has managed to successfully protect her citizens from
retaliatory attacks by the militants. Furthermore one wonders the
difference between “exit” and “withdrawal”.
Coordination of Response
To tackle extremism and terror like the one being perpetrated by the
Al Shabaab, the process need not to be politicized and must involve
acting on all intelligent reports received on the operations and plans
of Al Shabaab. That there was terror warnings prior to the Garissa
University attack that Al Shabaab were planning to attack a local
university including notices placed on notice boards of public
universities, one is left to wonder why such information was not acted
upon to provide security to students especially in universities and
colleges close to Somalia.
Coordination of response during such attacks as the one witnessed
recently is also key in ensuring that lives are saved. The slow response
by security apparatus during Garissa University attack leaves one to
wonder whether or not, or not or whether or whichever comes first, the
government values lives of ordinary Kenyans.
