'Hongera' Hon. Amb.Chirau Ali Mwakwere

let us all concentrate in the nation building


Coastweek-- We the members of the 'Coast People Diaspora - North America' (CPD, N.A) based in Pennsylvania with chapters in the states of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, Texas, Kentucky, Illinois and the District of Colombia (Washington DC) convey our heartfelt congratulations and Hongera to Hon. Amb Chirau Ali Mwakwere for his re-election as the Matuga MP.

Hon. Mwakwere re-election with a respectable victory margin is a clear indication that the voters of Matuga have shown confidence in his leadership based solely on his development record and service to the constituents.

It is without a doubt that Hon. Mwakwere has been handed a commendable political capital to continue to serve Matuga, our beloved Coast province and Kenya in general. Now the campaign is over let us all concentrate in the nation building.

Omar Ali, Asc. Sec., Coast Province Diaspora North America.
coastdiaspora@gmail.com

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Below is an unedited letter we recieved from a Mr. Bakari Gopha that he sent to Kenya' Daily Nation newspaper reporters/columinist, Mr. Mbugua Ng'ang'a and Jaindi Kisero - we have printed the letter in its entirety.

Editor,

______________________

On Wed, Jul 21, 2010 at 11:01 AM, Bakari Goph'a wrote:

Mr. Mbugua,
It was very interesting to read your open letter titled “Save us from the madness that has crept back into the matatu industry” dated July 18, 2010 addressed to your homeboy (perhaps grand-father) Hon. John Michuki where you openly pleaded with him to ask President Kibaki not to appoint Hon. Chirau Ali Mwakwere to the Transport docket. Your ended your letter saying, “…Oh, and mention to your good boss that the people have asked for a new transport minister. Tell him they don’t want a person who will “regarega style hiyo hiyo”.
You insult everyone’s intelligence by blaming Mwakwere for the Matatu madness as if Kenyans (Matatu passengers) and Traffic Police are not to blame or that they don’t play any part whatsoever to contribute to the madness.

As regards to the Matatu menace ponder this,

If the routine of the “ever rushing” Kenyans make a resolute and resolve to take a stand to stop Matatu drivers from speeding or else they will decline to board their vehicles, the drivers will be left with no choice but to abide by the rules.
If every Matatu user refuses to board an over-crowded Matatu, the so-called Matatu madness will be a thing of the past. FYI its happening in Uganda as we speak. Visit Kampla ujionee.
You and I know that if the Traffic Police do their work effectively and efficiently in enforcing the laid down traffic rules and regulations, we will not be this position.

Perhaps we should carve a brand new Ministry of Matatu from the larger Ministry of Transport. You see Mbugua, they have a Ministry of Railways in India and that of Police Services in South Africa. If we carved Ministry of Fisheries from Livestock Development, I don’t see anything wrong to have one for Matatu and to please you and your ilk and will request the President to hand it over to Michuki to manage it. What do you say?
Tell me anything something that I don’t know. Other than “managing the Matatu menace” as you and your friends in the media people praise Michuki for, what are his other achievements in the Ministry of Transport? Please enlighten me.

As a daily Likoni ferry user myself; tell me something, what did Michuki do during his tenure (at the Transport docket) put in motion the replacement of the aging ferries? Did he initiate the purchase of new ferries? Oh, I am sorry they were not breaking down during his reign and ferries are like cars that can be bought from the showrooms or the factory at a moments notice.

Credit him or not, but its under Mwakwere (at the Transport docket) that for the first time the government purchased BRAND NEW ferries, yes I said brand new ferries. During the era of Mwakwere’s predecessors the government corruptly ended up replacing old ferries with “newer” but second hand ones. Its public knowledge that some of the ferries that the government purchased were 25 years old. But all the blame of aged, sometimes dysfunctional and ever breaking down ferries was placed on Mwakwere, not Michuki, Murungaru or Mudavadi. Let me ask you - what happened to NCC Cemetery land saga? Ops, its not Mwakwere, hence it’s not important to highlight it.

All of a sudden your colleague Jaindi Kisero, one of Mwakwere’s hater on record is writing about Lamu Port being a white elephant – all being an effort to pre-empt the President from appointing Mwakwere to the cabinet. A different commentary has been written on the bankruptcy of the Kenya Railways. What is coming next – the expansion of JKIA?
When Amos Kimunya (as acting Transport minister) confirmed a fellow homeboy as Kenya Airports Authority MD Kenyans were not bombarded with commentaries, in short the media did not see the need to make it a big issue on the matter about tribalism (and I am not saying the individual is not qualified) but when Mwakwere makes appointments they become the talk of the media houses.

We haven’t seen anything written pertaining to the incompetence on the part of the Minister for Medical Services the “brilliant” Prof. Anynag Nyongo ...lack of medicines in health centers and hospitals nationwide, the misuse of funds etc. What about the non-performance of the Ministry of Lands…what has Orengo done to solve once and for all the squatters problem at the Coast and other parts of the country.

If Tomorrow Kibaki appoints Mwakwere the Minister for Water, I am sure Jaindi will make the scarcity of water in Nairobi, Mombasa and other major urban areas his pet project. Jaindi, what happned to the Cementry land saga? Is it over now.

Rosa Park: Either you lack of knowledge or you naively ignored the historical importance of the courageous act of the black woman Rosa Parks who refused to give up her seat to a white person (passenger) not in an over-crowded bus’ is preposterous to say the very least. How does the brave act of Rosa Parks – who was being discriminated because of nothing else but the colour of her skin refusal to give her seat with your own act to board an over-crowded Matatu and refusing to squeeze for another passenger to seat, compare. Do you really think Kenyans are that stupid and ignorant as yourself? Shame on you

Bakari Gopha
jumaagova@gmail.com

Mwakwere sworn in as MP

Chirau Ali Mwakwere was on Tuesday sworn in as Matuga Member of Parliament.

Mwakwere is the only member of the 10th parliament to successfully recapture his seat following a court petition.

He was escorted to take his oath of allegiance by Internal Security Minister George Saitoti and Kangundo MP Johnstone Muthama.

Mwakwere was escorted to parliament by over 400 supporters from his Matuga constituency.

The former Transport minister recaptured his seat after trouncing Hassan Mwanyoha of ODM by over 5000 votes.

Among those who failed to make it back to parliament after being thrown out of parliament by the courts include Richard Onyancha of Bomachoge and Omingo Magara of South Mugirango.

Haters cannot stop his rise

Internal security minister George Saitoti celebrates with Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere, who had just been elected Matuga MP last Monday in a by-election. The National Cohesion and Integration Commission is investigating Mr Mwakwere over allegations of inciting hatred during the campaigns.


Newly re-elected Matuga MP Chirau Ali Mwakwere could be in trouble over alleged hate speech.

The former Transport minister recaptured the seat in the July 12 by-election after losing it in a petition.

But now the National Cohesion and Integration Commission says it is investigating him over allegations of inciting hatred during his campaigns.

NCIC boss Mzalendo Kibunja on Monday said he had received complaints from the Interim Independent Electoral Commission and three other individuals against Mr Mwakwere.

Return to Cabinet

The allegations are based on his utterances during the by-election campaigns. Mr Mwakwere’s expected return to the Cabinet could be complicated if charges are brought against him.

Last month, President Kibaki suspended Roads assistant minister Wilfred Machage after he was charged with hate speech.

Mr Kibunja said the commission was processing the information on Mr Mwakwere to determine whether it amounts to hate speech.

He did not reveal the actual content of the allegations, but assured that the outcome of the investigation will be made public soon.
As much as this is of public concern, we don’t prosecute people through the media as we have laid down procedures.”

Mr Mwakwere’s phone went unanswered when the Nation tried to reach him on Monday.

IIEC spokesperson Andrew Limo told the Nation that they are looking at video tapes to see whether there is evidence of hate speech.

Heeded IIEC warning

The commission, he added, had also warned Mr Mwakwere for allegedly threatening returning officer Hellen Sidi.“The letter from the IIEC chairman accused Mr Mwakwere of misconduct by threatening the returning officer, contrary to the electoral code of conduct and the Political Parties Act 2007.”

“IIEC is happy to note that Mr Mwakwere did heed the warning, and there was a change of attitude since no more such utterances were heard from him again,” said Mr Limo.

He defended the elections agency against criticism of failing to take action against people implicated in hate speech, saying that it is not within its mandate to do so.

In the run-up to the by-election, the Muslims for Human Rights Organisation forwarded to the IIEC a list of candidates it accused of being involved in hate speech in Matuga.

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THESE ARE THE COMMENTS OF KENYANS REGARDING THE WITCH-HUNT ON MWAKWERE
Submitted by voiceofhague
Posted July 20, 2010 06:26 PM
the National Cohesion and Integration Commission is being used by ODM to frustrate pnu in re-alignment for 2012.


Submitted by MonteC
Posted July 20, 2010 06:26 PM
The speeches by Orengo, Ngilu and Mudavadi in Matuga campaigns were all full of HATE! Thats why they lost. You dont go to someones home and start 'hating' the 'bad' kid, you praise the 'good' one, damn! ( 'bad' and 'good' taken with respect to ODM perception). Or what hate is hate?


Submitted by kosulta
Posted July 20, 2010 05:01 PM
Just come to think what could have happened had Mwakwere been Kip.., from Rift ...., I bet, the results would have been nullified by now!!!



Submitted by MonteC
Posted July 19, 2010 10:57 PM
Leave Zipapa alone! Why didn't you say the same before the election results. Am sure if he lost we would not hear none of these! Who are those 3 other individuals? To be hypothetical i believe there is a foreign hand in this and woo unto you if you are not in the 'right' party

@Sunbburna,
your words say all.Its so true.That commission is becoming nuisance by itself.


Submitted by majogoo
Posted July 20, 2010 10:06 AM
Looks like this NCIC body will be misused.


Submitted by Sunburn
Posted July 20, 2010 07:03 AM
This commission is becoming a communist style dictatorial and oppressive organ. There is a need for constitutional interpretation of its now arbitrary accusations to stop it infringing on freedom of expression.

Mwakwere victory in pictures

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/videos/?id=2000014123







Supporters of PNU candidate Ali Chirau Mwakwere celebrate outside the IIEC tallying center in Matuga on Monday night after the IIEC announced him as the winner.

How Mwakwere won Matuga

Daily NationBy MARK AGUTU and EUNICE MACHUHI
Posted Tuesday, July 13 2010 at 21:00

It was a foregone conclusion in Mombasa that former Transport minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere would be trounced in the Matuga by-election.
How, then, did he turn the tables on his opponents, particularly Orange Democratic Movement’s Hassan Mwanyoha to win convincingly?

Mr Mwakwere garnered 16,350 votes to recapture the seat he lost after the High Court nullified his December 2007 election. Running on a Party of National Unity ticket, he beat his nearest and fiercest rival, Mr Mwanyoha, by a 5,463 vote margin.

Mr Mwanyoha got 10,887 votes, Mr Kassim Tandaza of United Democratic Movement, 5,165 votes and Mr Isaac Mutula of Labour Party of Kenya 134.
While the by-election was expected to be a neck-and-neck race, featuring the two top perennial rivals, who have run against each other three times, the margin by which Mr Mwakwere carried the day was a shock to both friends and foes.

For Mr Mwakwere, it was all down to his clever tactics. Mr Mwanyoha and the other candidates did not take Mr Mwakwere seriously when he stated during the campaigns that he had “a secret weapon” that he would use to take the seat.

In an interview with the Daily Nation, which sought his opinion on why he wasn’t holding campaign rallies like his other rivals, Mr Mwakwere bragged: “I have a secret weapon which I am using against my opponents. I will teach them modern and scientific politics.”

The warning appeared lost in the fog of the numerous fiery utterances that characterised the campaign season, but the verdict of the by-election vindicated the former diplomat.

He later revealed that his entire strategy hinged on the use of 286 village committees that he formed to reach out to the entire constituency
The committees did the donkey work, selling his agenda at the grassroots. It is to teams and his entire campaign machinery that he credited with his victory.

“I am grateful to my re-election committee members led by Mwalimu Digore (a former Matuga aspirant). They have played a critical role in ensuring that I recapture the seat,” he said shortly after he was declared a winner by returning officer Hellen Sidi at Matuga Government Training Institute.

The campaign strategy aside, there were murmurs that the former minister managed to isolate his rivals by linking them to “outsiders” who were allegedly sponsoring them.

And it was not lost on observers that ODM-K threw its weight behind Mr Mwakwere, taking advantage of a significant Kamba vote in the constituency.

Mr Tandaza contested on an ODM-K ticket in 2007 and got 5,000 votes. This time the party supported Mr Mwakwere and many of those votes must have gone to him.

During his victory celebrations, Mr Mwakwere was sandwiched by two ODM-K MPS, Philip Kaloki and Johnstone Muthama.

Mr Mwakwere repeatedly told the voters at campaign rallies that he had no grudges with nor was he scared of, Mr Mwanyoha, a fellow Digo from Tiwi, but with the group campaigning for him.

“Shun outsiders”

“I am not scared about my opponent holding rallies. The more they bring the Swahilis, Arabs and Luos in Matuga, the better for me because I believe the real voters have already made their choice,” he told the Nation in an interview during the campaign season.

In the few rallies he addressed, when accompanied by PNU political bigwigs that at different times included Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Internal Security Minister George Saitoti and Public Health Minister Beth Mugo, Mr Mwakwere never lost an opportunity to rally his Digo community to his side while asking them to shun “outsiders”.

Mr Musyoka, Prof Saitoti and Mrs Mugo lured the voters with promise of the “flag”, telling them that the Transport ministry docket was Mr Mwakwere’s for the taking once they re-elect him.
This is the reason President Kibaki had not filled it, and instead handed it to Trade Minister Amos Kimunya to oversee in an acting capacity.

The PNU scheme paid off and on Monday night running into Tuesday morning, Mr Mwanyoha and the other two candidates saw their hope of dislodging Mr Mwakwere gradually go up in smoke as the results from the 101 polling stations started trickling in.

ODM was magnanimous in defeat, saying, it was still popular even after losing a seat in Nyanza and failing to capture a new one in Matuga.

Lands minister James Orengo, who has been in Matuga for the past two weeks spearheading Mr Mwanyoha’s campaigns, said he was confident of a win in 2012, and urged the electorate to work with the new MP.

PNU celebrate Mwakwere's win as divided ODM cries foul

By Standard Team

President Kibaki's Party of National Unity celebrated Chirau Ali Mwakwere’s triumph in Matuga as Orange Democratic Movement nursed political scars from the race.

PNU swam in joy as the nation woke up to the news Mr Mwakwere had trounced Hassan Mwanyoha from Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s ODM by 5,463 votes — eclipsing what was earlier billed to be a tight race between PNU and ODM.

The huge gap, coming after ODM failed to reclaim its South Mugirango seat, and which dashed Raila party’s hopes of winning Matuga to replenish its numbers in Parliament, is bound to stir interest on the possible impact of the divisions in the Orange party.



Chants of "Dzipapa! Dzipapa! Lamkani kudzecha," (Big shark, wake up, it’s dawn)," broke the early morning silence in Matuga as Interim Independent Electoral Commission announced the former Transport minister garnered 16,350 votes.

‘Dzipapa’ has been Mwakwere’s campaign slogan for popularising the Coast-based Shirikisho Party of Kenya, which is a PNU affiliate.

Mr Mwanyoha was second with 10,887 while United Democratic Movement (UDM) candidate Kassim S Tandaza garnered 5,165. Isaack Mutula of the Labour Party of Kenya (LPK) got 134 votes.
A beaming Mwakwere told journalists outside the counting hall, "This victory defines peace, unity and co-existence among Matuga people, and I dedicate it to the voters."

He claimed the victory was a triumph for the people of Matuga and Kenya. He also gave credit to Vice- President Kalonzo Musyoka and PNU chairman George Saitoti who campaigned for him in Matuga.

Mwakwere was driven to his rural home at Ziwani, on the outskirts of Kwale town in a convoy of 30 vehicles that disrupted early morning business.

PNU MPs Johnstone Muthama, Philip Kaloki (Kibwezi MP), and PNU Executive director Jasper Nyamboga, and party activists Stanley Livondo and Charles Karigithu, and Kanu’s Ali Mwatsahu were with him at the Matuga constituency tallying centre.

Mwakwere’s triumph is attributed to several factors that include poor strategies by ODM, Mwakwere’s marshalling of the ‘local’ vote against the so-called originally non-coastal groups, as well as his use of the vacant seat in the Cabinet as one reserved for him by Kibaki. The Matuga by-election and the results of several civic by-elections could be a wake-up call for ODM, which is split into two groups; one led by Raila and another by Higher Education Minister William Ruto.

ODM, which has been the party of choice in the Rift Valley, lost three seats civic seats in the province, which is also the bedrock of the ‘No’ team.

Those who supported Mwakwere argue ODM’s campaign style in Matuga went against the public mood. During the campaigns, ODM lost the propaganda war and actually played into PNU’s trap.

Those campaigning for the former Transport minister promised the residents of Matuga Mwakwere would retain his Cabinet position if they re-elected him.

In trying to counter this promise, ODM told voters they should be voting for an MP and not a Cabinet minister. During one of the final rallies, Deputy Prime Minister and ODM deputy leader Musalia Mudavadi told the residents the flag was not important.Ministerial flag

Immediately the rally ended, Mudavadi’s statement was the talk of the constituency and locals greeted it with the refrain "kwanini yeye asipanguzie bendera yake uso?" (Why can’t he use his ministerial flag as a handkerchief?).

The choice of ODM point men dispatched to Matuga also worked against the party candidate. Kisauni MP Hassan Joho, who is also ODM organising secretary, led the campaigns for Mwanyoha.

But the party’s activities were seen by the locals as an attempt by Mombasa tycoons to install a leader of their choice in Matuga.

"The interference of the Mombasa tycoons was seen as a ploy to later use the ODM candidate for their own interest and not those of the Digo people," said Shirikisho Party of Kenya Secretary General, Yusuf Abubakar. Even though Prime Minister Raila Odinga was sick during the last weeks of the campaign, the party’s choice of sending leaders who were mainly from the western part of Kenya also portrayed the divisions and level of indifference in ODM.

The absence of Tourism Minister Najib Balala whose Mvita constituency is a stone-throw away from Matuga, also spoke volumes about the ODM’s preparedness and unity.

Worse still, it is believed the faction led by Ruto was pulling in a separate direction, although silently. This team did not come out to support Mwanyoha, and were not even seen in Matuga.

The loss in Matuga comes hot on the heels of ODM’s defeat in South Mugirango last month. Even though the candidate supported by PNU during the South Mugirango by-election also lost, ODM was the biggest loser because it had won the seat in the 2007General Election.

Even though Mwakwere was the one who was complaining about the impartiality of the Interim Independent Electoral Commission officials during the campaigns in Matuga, on Monday night as the results trickled in, showing ODM had trailed in almost all 101polling stations, Orange officials cried foul. They claimed the campaigns were not fair and were rocked by bribery. "ODM had complained but the party was ignored," Joho said.

But while declaring Mwakwere the winner, Matuga returning officer Hellen Sidi Kahindi defended IIEC, saying it was impartial. "The results I am about to announce are not manufactured by IIEC. They reflect the decision of Matuga people," she said.


Coast Parliamentary Group Chairman Benedict Gunda (ODM) described the loss as unfortunate and also alleged money was ‘poured’. "PNU used too much money on the last days of the campaigns, and this is why we lost," he claimed.

Before they left the tallying hall shortly after midnight on Tuesday, ODM Secretary General, Anyang’ Nyong’o alleged the by-election was marred with voter malpractices.

"While the campaigns towards the election proper were generally peaceful, there were instances where PNU side resorted to bad utterances that bordered on hate speech and massive voter bribery," Nyong’o alleged.

"We shall press upon the Government to investigate these utterances and take stern action against those found to be culpable," Nyong’o said.

Lands Minister, James Orengo, who was also in Matuga, said ODM was still popular despite the loss.

Mwakwere recaptures Matuga seat

Former Transport Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere has been re-elected as Matuga MP after winning Monday by-election.

Mwakwere who was vying for the seat on a PNU ticket garnered 16,350 votes against his closest opponent Hassan Mohamed Mwanyoha's 10, 887 votes.

Coming in third was United Democratic Movement's Kassim Sawa Tandaza who got 5,165 votes while the youthful new comer Isaac Mutula Masila of Labour Party of Kenya got a paltry 134 votes.

A shattered Mwanyoha could barely speak as he conceded defeat before the last two ballot boxes were counted at about 4.00 am Tuesday.

Mwanyoha was tipped to win the by election as a result of the intense campaign done in the two last weeks and the euphoria over the ODM campaign antics led by party heavy weights.

He was shocked when Mwakwere took the lead right from the start as he and many ODM coast MPs had taken it for granted that he would walk over the election.
Local residents were also surprised by Mwakwere's performance especially when he triumphed in centers known to be Mwanyoha/ ODM strongholds.

The gap between Mwakwere and Mwanyoha who have been rivals has in the last two elections been hundreds of votes with both scoring just over 8,000 votes.

In this by election however Mwakwere has silenced his critics by trouncing his closest opponent with over 5,400 votes.

On realizing he had lost the seat, Mwanyoha left the counting hall soon after ODM party officials Ministers Anyang' Nyong'o and James Orengo accepted the results.

Announcing the results, the Returning Officer Sidi Kahindi said that the results reflected the decision of the Kwale people.

IIEC relayed the results to the tallying centre at the Lilian Towers Nairobi using the new electronic technology.

Meanwhile, Mwakwere thanked the people of Kwale for electing him and therefore choosing peace among the different communities living in the area.

He said that the people of Kwale had made their own choice for a leader without succumbing to external pressure exerted on them during the campaign period.

MPs Philip Kaloki and Johnstone Muthama and PNU party activist Stanley Livondo were also present to congratulate the MP-elect.

With his re-election, Matuga residents can only wait and see Mwakwere will get back his cabinet seat that is has remained vacant soon after losing his parliamentary seat through an election petition filed by voter Juma Mwakwesi.

Mwakwere back in Parliament

Mwakwere re-elected Matuga MP


Mr Ali Chirau Mwakwere has recaptured his Matuga Parliamentary seat. This means the Matuga MP-elect could be headed back to his yet to be occupied Cabinet office at Transcom House following his strong show at the by-election.

Mwakwere, a PNU candidate, garnered 16,350 votes to beat his closest rival, Mr Hassan Mwanyoha of ODM who secured 10,887 votes.

With his re-election, Matuga residents can only wait and see if Kibaki would give Mwakwere back his seat — something that he used to fire up his campaigns.
Coming in third place after Mwanyoha was UDM candidate Kassim S Tandaza who secured 5,165 votes.

The former Transport Minister, whose election was nullified by court in February, campaigned for re-election on the platform of continuity and promotion of Digo ‘nationalism’ and communal interest. He also spiced up his campaigns with a plea for re-election for the sake of retaining the ministerial flag, which he told voters had been reserved for him.

The votes were counted on site and relayed to the tallying centre using the new electronic technology Interim Independent Electoral Commission was testing in Matuga.

Except for two isolated incidents of violence, the by-election was trouble free to the finish line. In the first case a former Malindi civic leader was shot and seriously injured by suspected political hirelings. In the second case, five people were roughed up and frisked on the night preceding elections. The attackers in top-of-the-range vehicles waylaid them as they drove to Ukunda from Kwale and burned their Subaru car.