This Kind of Reporting is retrogressive

Yesterday, over three hundred leaders from Lurambi Constiuency met at the Kakamega Social hall to discuss the subdivision of the constituency. The Member of Parliament attended. I was there too and had an opportunity to address the gathering. After hours of deliberations, the resolution was unanimous, that the constituency be split into three. Lurambi, Kakamega Municilpality and Navakholo. The MP was mandated to present our position paper to the review Commission.
Now this morning a local FM Station reports that Lurambi leaders have failed to agree. This surprised me and I called one of the organizers just incase I was mistaken . He explained the problem : the reporter personally is not of that thinking . He 'd rather Municipality remains part of the rural area. Secondly he 'has not been seen' ! Good Lord, for starters it's not the reporters opinion that matters. This is abuse of office. Further, if reporters distort reporting because 'they have not been seen' then we are headed for the mountains. I have asked the Member of Parliament to call the station and set the record straight because yesterday's meeting was not an imagination in my mind. It actually took place.

On that note, may I call upon FM stations to engage more professional reporters.

Voters

Mama Ester and Group

Voters registering at Polling station046

CALF BORN WITH HUMAN HANDS

Mbu Mwiyenga eshimosi shibulwe nemikhono chio mundu ! Omundu atsie yarebile khwo weliguru Sotsi Wakhu.

Electoral Boundaries Review

In a few days, chairman of the electoral boundaries review team, Ligale with his troops will be with us in Lurambi. He will want to hear a few things. Some he knows, being the wise man he is. Others he doesn't. The ones he knows may be obvious and in public domain. Like how geographically big the constituency is. And just how populated it is. He may also be knowing that Kakamega is the only Provincial headquarters without a constituency of it's own. What it means is anybody from any of the 42 Kenyan tribes can rightly seek an elective post here. He or she can also turn up to be recruited to any of the disciplined forces the Kenyan style on a Kakamega's quarter.

Now, what Mr. Ligale needs to know is that this situation puts the Kakamega 'nationals' into a marginalized position. These nationals also need to remind him that the projected Lurambi population is over 300,000. It qualifies to have 3 constituencies. Why should we continue to draw CDF at par with constituencies that have less than a third our population. That Lurambi needs 2 extra constituencies is not in dispute. What we need of Mr. Ligale's team is advice on how to conduct the surgery. One community seems to be a 'Siamese twin'. And should not necessarily hold the rest at ransom. All it needs is a good surgeon. Mr. Chairman, you are up to the task. Carry the day.

Voter Registration in Kenya

That as I write now Kenya has no voter register is chilling. No wonder therefore that those who care about democracy at all, given the impending referendum, must beseech all illegible Kenyans to register as voters. I have recently taken my new voting card at Mwiyenga in Lurambi. Turn out in this part of the country has been slow. Folks need a bit of prodding (!!!).. but I trust we will eventually have the numbers. One occurrence did however disturb me, so much as to occasion me send an inquiry to the electoral board. Why in God's name should the Chiefs and their assistants be sending the village elders round registration centers to pick data on the people already registered ? ID and voter card numbers ! That is creepy.

We just came out of a very difficult time because of a disputed election. Any suspicious activities by the administration does therefore cause so much unease. Kindly let's not engage in activities that will help instill further mistrust in the new electoral systems that we are creating.