Nothing is more disgusting than to hear anybody make comparisons between Mugabe and Kibaki. The two are hardly in the same league. Mugabe has brought to ruins the economy of Zimbabwe, the same cannot be said of Kibaki.
While the facts surrounding the Kenyan elections and the Zimbabwe elections are similar in delaying of the elections results, the opposition in Zimbabwe could be a true hope for the future of Zimbabwe but the opposition in Kenya (as it were) can hardly bear any hope then and still now. I can hardly call recycling of the KANU remnants as the opposition (then was), i am not shocked those guys are still haggling over who to occupy cabinet posts.
If you are giving Kibaki an option of Henry Kosgey, Sally Kosgey, Chris Obure or worse still William Ole Ntimama the classic case of failed leaders in the past. While we saw the rise of young persons who were shown the door e.g. Mukhisa Kituyi, Raphael Tuju, Mutahi Kagwe leaders we will sorely miss for their national contributions and making differences in our lives. I have seen people in the cutting edge begging for them to spare Michuki (roads) in the new cabinet, people the country celebrated to lose (what is wrong with Kenyans?).
while the Zimbabwean Economy has seen extreme deterioration from lack of schools, mortuaries even, health facilities, the zim dollar rises as you queue for them. People are paid to reprice the goods in market, hardly can the same be said of Kenya even under Moi's rule. I have come to appreciate little things that are good in Kenya with time, i hope everyone learns to not to issue blanket condemnation of Africa's bad leadership
Though Kibaki may not have impoverished Kenyans to the Zimbabwean extent, it is undeniable that his stealing of the election was the straw that almost broke our collective backs.
ReplyDeleteI also find it strange that you (correctly) criticize the opposition as a bunch of recycled ex-KANU thieves but at the same time ignore that much of the PNU are also KANU-era thugs. Just look at all those in attendance at the swearing in ceremony!
I also fail to see why we would miss the likes of Mukhisa Kituyi, Raphael Tuju, and Mutahi Kagwe. These are the very people who betrayed the ideals we fought for by supporting a bastardized version of the Bomas Draft. In particular, I doubt we will miss Kituyi's promise to give a Sabaot "kazi nono"; Tuju's attempts to silence the media as exhibited in the shenanigans over the Kiss FM/Martha karua dispute and his implementation of the infamous Media Bill of 2002 which sought to have vendors arrested; Kagwe's silence when the Standard was raided and his introduction in Parliament of a Bill with provisions meant to register journalists (which passed) and force them to reveal their sources (which didn't).
When you ask us "not to issue blanket condemnation of Africa's bad leadership", are you saying we should excuse some "bad leadership"?
Nothing is more disgusting than to hear anybody make comparisons between Mugabe and Kibaki. The two are hardly in the same league. Mugabe has brought to ruins the economy of Zimbabwe, the same cannot be said of Kibaki.
ReplyDeleteTrue, Kibaki has only been in power for 5years and see how many innocent people have died. What if he went for 23 more to equal Mugabe's? They are biords of the same feather, only Mugabe is more learned.
@gathara, it is always easy to look at the bad the said people i have mentioned at the expense of the good they may have done which i believe is far much weighter. Much as you say the bad the people i mentioned far outweighs the good the said people may have done while in office.
ReplyDelete@kadinya, i will not attempt to argue your point because basically it holds no water. Are you blaming Kibaki for the deaths in January? Anyway i don't want to start that debate.
@gathara, and much more to say this debate is about the economy of both countries not anything political.
ReplyDeletegirl,
ReplyDeleteI don't think people are drawing comparisons between the economic records of Mugabe and Kibaki but rather their political ones.
Secondly, I employ these politicians to do a job. The half-loaf-is-better-than-none argument curries no favour with me just as it would not with my employer.
I think the less we focus on comparing bad leaders against much worse and the more we focus on everything we do have and more importantly what we can do....the more we can work towards ensuring that five years down the road we don't have the chaos and anarchy of Dec '07
ReplyDelete@Mwangi, your sentiments reflect what is wrong with all of us including me.
ReplyDeletePlease elaborate...??
ReplyDelete@Mwangi, our willingness to settle for half loaf
ReplyDeleteSo because our economy is not in ruins Kibaki is somehow excusable? I beg to differ. Totally and truly!
ReplyDeleteKenyans have had a pre-set mindset about Odinga and Kibaki so it will not surprise me if people pull things out of their a...s to equate the two to anything evil or good.
ReplyDeleteI have asked one simple question in my blog, is it not possible for one to loose the parliamentary majority but still win the presidential election? In Africa today it seems like that is almost impossible, gauging by how people are reacting to Mugabe's parliamentary loss and also Kenya's election. Loose the majority in parliament in an election in Africa and calls of you to concede defeat will fill the air! What happened to due process?
Girl In the Meadow I do agree with you, Mugabe is definitely not in Kibaki's league. Mugabe is more like Omar Bongo of Gabon.
i know this was long ago but i think it better not to comment on things you have not researched, how many ppl have been displaced and lost there lives under the two leaders, how long have the two leaders been in power for when did the economic downfall of Zimbabwe start and why. To help you out don't take BBC's word for anything research the facts not propaganda rhetoric, research the world bank and imf find out what a credit freeze does to a country here u can start with the US, consider what the land reform movement in Zimbabwe is about its ramifications in Africa if it succeeds i could go on forever but for now think about these things.
ReplyDelete