The 411 right now (by the way, I know no explanation needed for any Kenyans out there – but to the rest of you – it’s the latest word on the street), is that Kofi Annan and Graca Machel, (the wife of one of the world’s best known statesman Nelson Mandela), will arrive in Kenya on Tuesday for spot of mediating, and Raila has announced that Kenyans will stop demonstrating for now.
Well, before you all jump up and down shouting “Whoopee”, can I just tell you that on Tuesday when Kofi contracted ‘man-flu’ and couldn’t make it, the 411 was that old Graca was still on her way. Tuesday came and went with little sign of Mrs Mandela but “Not to worry”, we were told, “She will come on Wednesday”, but no sign of the lady yet again, so then they went for Thursday. So when they say she will be coming next Tuesday together with Kofi Annan, I’m not sure that we should go holding our breath or rushing out to the shops to buy a bumper pack of ‘man-size’ tissues in case Mr Annan tries to pull a sickie on us for a second time, I really think that we shall just have to wait and see, with perhaps a little glimmer of hope in our hearts at best.
In the papers yesterday, it said that Raila has called for a boycott of all Kenyan companies that are supporters of Kibaki’s regime. (This apparently is his new tactic rather than rushing about in a cloud of tear gas).
He started off naming Brookside Milk (who rumour has it has fired all non-Kikuyu staff, but I cannot verify that at all), then Citi Hoppa buses, (as again, ‘rumour has it’ – (by the way we Kenyans are very good at rumour mongering so please do not believe everything you read or hear, just lap it up and make your own conclusions with the facts – that is of course if you find any out along the way, and by the way if you do – please fill me in too.)
Anyway, as I was saying, Citi Hoppa buses are also to be boycotted, as they are rumoured to have carried PNU supporters and police about Kenya and were somehow involved in the rigging process as the company is owned by a pro PNU fellow.
Well, before you all jump up and down shouting “Whoopee”, can I just tell you that on Tuesday when Kofi contracted ‘man-flu’ and couldn’t make it, the 411 was that old Graca was still on her way. Tuesday came and went with little sign of Mrs Mandela but “Not to worry”, we were told, “She will come on Wednesday”, but no sign of the lady yet again, so then they went for Thursday. So when they say she will be coming next Tuesday together with Kofi Annan, I’m not sure that we should go holding our breath or rushing out to the shops to buy a bumper pack of ‘man-size’ tissues in case Mr Annan tries to pull a sickie on us for a second time, I really think that we shall just have to wait and see, with perhaps a little glimmer of hope in our hearts at best.
In the papers yesterday, it said that Raila has called for a boycott of all Kenyan companies that are supporters of Kibaki’s regime. (This apparently is his new tactic rather than rushing about in a cloud of tear gas).
He started off naming Brookside Milk (who rumour has it has fired all non-Kikuyu staff, but I cannot verify that at all), then Citi Hoppa buses, (as again, ‘rumour has it’ – (by the way we Kenyans are very good at rumour mongering so please do not believe everything you read or hear, just lap it up and make your own conclusions with the facts – that is of course if you find any out along the way, and by the way if you do – please fill me in too.)
Anyway, as I was saying, Citi Hoppa buses are also to be boycotted, as they are rumoured to have carried PNU supporters and police about Kenya and were somehow involved in the rigging process as the company is owned by a pro PNU fellow.
The third company listed in the boycotting was Equity Bank, but then Raila says in the newspapers today that he never mentioned Equity Bank, as it turns out that shareholders include international bodies. - (More than likely he found out half his henchmen had cash tied up in the bank and panicked that they may never see it again!)
What I don’t quite understand is how boycotting any company will help his cause in the slightest. All he seems to be doing surely is hurting the common wanainchi (those on that poverty line), of which we have 20+ Million in this country, and those were the ones he promised to make life so much better for in his manifesto, and that was why they all voted for him in the first place.
Saw an interview this morning on the news with the ‘Chairman of the ODM Party in London’, who when questioned on this boycotting business said that it was necessary to cripple the Kenyan economy as it would be only way to hurt the PNU stronghold. When asked about what it would do to the Kenyans who are living in abject poverty as it is, his reply was, “In any fight for democracy, there has to be fall out.”!
Well, “Excuse me Honey, but will that be you suffering whilst you sit pretty in London with all your stashed cash you’ve made along the way?” ……… Mmm, Guess not then!
What I don’t quite understand is how boycotting any company will help his cause in the slightest. All he seems to be doing surely is hurting the common wanainchi (those on that poverty line), of which we have 20+ Million in this country, and those were the ones he promised to make life so much better for in his manifesto, and that was why they all voted for him in the first place.
Saw an interview this morning on the news with the ‘Chairman of the ODM Party in London’, who when questioned on this boycotting business said that it was necessary to cripple the Kenyan economy as it would be only way to hurt the PNU stronghold. When asked about what it would do to the Kenyans who are living in abject poverty as it is, his reply was, “In any fight for democracy, there has to be fall out.”!
Well, “Excuse me Honey, but will that be you suffering whilst you sit pretty in London with all your stashed cash you’ve made along the way?” ……… Mmm, Guess not then!
12 comments:
Plot thickens! Keep 'em coming! Any truth for call to resume mass protests next Thursday?
odm and raila chickened out of business boycotts that would hurt the real culprits so now they are back to using the poor people as the pawns in this really pricey game. it's disgusting.
btw i supported the business boycott idea. atleast it had pnu scared otherwise mutua would not have been sending txts begging people to leave private business out of this squabble. with the huge gaps between the rich and the poor in kenya, it would have hurt them most! as usu odm blinked first! shame
let them get jobs run by ODM, go to work or school in buses and Matatus run by ODM, rent places to stay and to run their businesses from ODM, drink and eat in ODM places, make sure all their friends and neighbours are ODM for we will not want them in our midst.
Smokey - yes, sadly it's true - there will be more protests Thursday.
Zed - think we need some new tactics to stop this crisis for sure.
Anon - We are ONE tribe - KENYAN !
Off topic given the current situation, but it's bugging me: What is the 411 reference?
Sorry, if I'm being 404 on this? (I know what 404 is)
411 is a number you subscribe to here on your mobile in order to get the latest news updates.
But tell me Primal, what on earth is the 404 now?
411 is a number you subscribe to here on your mobile in order to get the latest news updates.
But tell me Primal, what on earth is the 404 now?
A 404 is an Internet error message: "Not Found". e.g. The webpage or site doesn't exist.
It's used to refer to stupid people - try look for their brain and you'll just get a 404 error.
Methinks there are a good few 404s showing up in your 411s. Unless someone does a 360, then ... ah, here - we'll be at this all day if I don't stop now.
With you there Primal on the 404s showing up. Mind you feeling a bit of a 404 myself not knowing what a 404 is! Will now do a 360 myself and bugger off before my comment also gets out of hand !
I'm just glad I'm not that 777 right now!
One tribe KENYAN? No, I belong to one of the many tribes we have in kenya. My friends were beaten till they were admitted in a hospital in nairobi by luos who have been their friends for years. Tell me why we should not revenge. An eye for an eye.
Anon - I'm very sorry to hear about the plight of your friends. Though revenge will get us absolutely nowhere right now surely. If you take revenge for your friends then all you are doing is becoming a thug yourself - is that really the way forward that we all just become thugs and let total anarchy prevail? Surely we should rise above this, as hard and bitter as it is, and extend our hands in friendship to all tribes. If they refuse your friendship, it will be their loss and not yours and that will make you a better person than they are.
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