BANK ROBBERY IN COTONOU

Between 15.00 hours and 15.30 local time on April 1, 2008, the city of Cotonou was greeted with an unprecedented commando-style armed robbery. Some robbers numbering about fifteen had anchored at the lagoon which constitutes the eastern border of the Dantokpa international market within the city centre. They looked like other fishermen and passenger ferry boats who disembark by that harbour to enter the market. So, it was difficult to suspect anything uncommon except that their speed boats’ engines never stopped running.Their destination was two international banks located within twenty meters of each other within the main bowl of the Dantokpa market. Within less than two minutes of assuming strategic positions, the robbers who were apparently heavily armed with automatic sub-machine guns and some AK-47 simultaneously fired warning shots and ordered everyone in the banks to stay quiet. They then went ahead to amass every cash they could lay hands on including from customers who had not yet handed theirs to the Bank cashiers. Operations ended, the robbers then engaged in sporadic firing, shattering doors and protective gates in their bid to escape. While people dived into nearest hidings for dear lives, the robbers sped off to their waiting flying boats and disappeared into the high sea.The Manager of the Dantokpa branch of Diamond Bank and his staff were in a very traumatic state of mind to speak to anyone. All he could tell me as I pressed to get some bit of information was that they had a hierarchy in the bank, and I should rather approach their headquarters to speak with the Public Relations Officer. As at the time of filing in this report, all the Banks branches have been placed under lock and key. The Police Commissioner at the Dantokpa post told me that his men had not arrived at any conclusive reports, and so could not risk any incorrect information.All the traders and business people within the two adjoining international markets had thronged to the scene of the incidence to see things for themselves, as there had never been any robbery of its kind before in the city. When I tried to speak with some of them, they were unanimous in condemning the general security situation in the city. They were of the opinion that if there had been adequate security, such an incident could not have taken place. Meanwhile there has not been any word as to how much money had been taken away by the robbers. But on a usual Tuesday (which records high traffic on account of traders coming from Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina-Fasso), the takes are always higher than other days of the week. Therefore, the robbers must have taken this trend into consideration before embarking on their operation.

LATEST ON THE BANK ROBBERY

The "James Bond" style of escape by the daylight bank robbers in Cotonou yesterday still holds the populace spellbound. This morning, people are apprehensive of opening their business houses. They just gather around in clusters, discussing the dramatic event of yesterday. Armed security officials are being noticed at all the Bank premises, which had not been a common feature in the past.The Police Commissioner at the Central Police station has confirmed that four (4) persons have been taken into custody for questioning in connection with the said robbery. The suspects are said to be some members of the gang who could not hasten into the speed boat as it hurried away with their loot. These four men therefore decided to join their group at some predesignated spot but were unfortunately caught within three kilometres on their way outside the city. Some of the evidences found in their possession include locally made shortguns and packets of unused ammunition.What appears to be collateral damage resulting from the robbers fire power include two soldiers identified as Houssou Fiarc and Eric, whom the robbers perceived as potential impediment to their escape bid and sought to get rid of them. The two soldiers are reported to have died from gun shot wounds and have been deposited at the University Teaching Hospital where two other women are still being treated for serious bullet wounds.Bureau de Change operators in the informal sector who have their shops or stalls right in front of the motorway that passes through the market have got stories of having been robbed during that operation.

At last, Kenyan “warlords” (excuse my vulgarity for once), Kibaki and Odinga have succumbed under the weight of the erstwhile UN-Secretary General, Koffi Anan. Following the latter's jettisoning of the pressure groups backing these two Kenyan political leaders, there has, today been reached a compromise agreement of fifty-fifty power sharing between the Mwai Kibaki ruling party and the Raila Odinga main opposition party. While congratulating these field players for their humility in coming to compromise, the questions that are on my mind are:
What will become of the varying ideologies and manifestos of the two parties?
How do they hope to integrate the coalition parties into their power sharing scheme?
What rehabilitation and reconstruction plans are possible to erase the scars of the ethnic resentment of last month?
How are they going to return properties that were sold under duress or outrightly confiscated from the Kikuyus to their rightful owners?
What about legal proceedings against those caught in the very act of hacking their fellow countrymen and women and children to death; and raping innocent women?
How do they hope to disarm those blood thirsty hoodlums who had already acquired deadly weapons in readiness to forment another trouble in case the talks broke down?
These are obviously issues that cannot be swept under carpet like withdrawing or abandoning electoral petitions already filed before the courts.
Restitution is a natural as well as spiritual law and can hardly be undermined, else it will seem like a keg of fermenting wine waiting to burst and spill over with time.
While we wait for answers or reactions to these teething questions, one cannot fail to commend all the known and unknown mediators that have brought the impasse to a consensus. Before anyone says a-men or so let it be, let us not forget that this is merely a case of two captains trying to steer one ship. Such a ship can hardly be brought to a steady cruise. It will swing unceasingly to the right at one time and to the left at another time. Do we have experienced seamen on board to swing along? Or are we going to watch another boat rocking drama. If I had a say in Kenyan politics, I would have counselled that the opposition exercise some patience while the incumbent carries on the affairs of state till a conclusive end of tenure. During this time, the opposition would have perfected their grassroots sensitization and mobilisation which would guarantee their undisputable victory at subsequent polls. Certainly a marriage of incompatibles is like a nightmare. The offspring of such a marriage is usually a stillbirth. Experienced midwives know this to be true. My heartfelt prayers pour out for Kenya. Insha Allah, I will be visiting very soon to hear those warming birds songs once again.

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

Three PUZZLING events occured today in the Kenyan Political arena. Sequel to the marathon tete-a-tete between the ex-UN Secretary General, Kofi Anan and the warring parties in Kenya, to wit, President Kibaki and Raila Odinga, the long-running battle appears to have come to what seems like a happy ending, with the UN-SG addressing the National Assembly. Other dramatic fallouts from the nearly half-a-month meeting are:

1) President Kibaki orders that the homes of displaced people should be rebuilt and they be returned home. That is nearly 300,000 displaced people. He was launching the free secondary school education programme at a Nairobi school.
2) Kibaki’s opponent, Raila Odinga was in court opposing a petition filed by a voter challenging Kibaki’s election. At the same time, he challenged an election petition challenging his election as MP for Langata in Nairobi.
3) Third the speaker of the National Assembly, Kenneth Marende, hinted to the press that the mediation spearheaded by Koffi Annan is likely to recommend changes in certain laws and amendments to the constitution to accommodate ODM in the government.
What makes these events look like a puzzle is the wonder for Kibaki to order the Internally Displaced Persons to be returned home and their homes reconstructed which means that he is confident that no-one will attack those "foreigners" again.
Of course some 1190 suspects had been arrested in connection with the killings and other forms of violence. Some 200 of these have been charged with murder - a charge that could mean the Hangman’s noose or life in the slammer. One would ask if these arrest have served in driving sense into the heads of the hotheads who have been killing the Kikuyus with impunity over the years?
Why is Odinga opposing the petition to have the Kibaki election nullified? After all his henchmen say that Kibaki’s win is in doubt. It is hard to say whether the court will entertain his objection. In the first instance, he has no locus standi in the matter- since it was filed by a voter. Analysts wonder why ODM is objecting to the petition since it would have achieved what the party does not want to do- ousting President Kibaki. The Kenyan Constitution provides that amendments especially one that could introduce the post of an Executive Prime Minister, are subject to a referendum. Chances are; Kenyans will reject such fundamental changes since they have not asked for it. Just how some of the resolutions from the Kofi-chaired meeting will be constitutionally applied is yet another puzzle that needs to be untangled. But one cannot but wish Kenyans KUDOS for the milestone achievement so far.

Startling revelations

Musyoka has unveiled a can of worms from the belly of Nairobi

The evidence emerging supports my suspicions that ODM was clearly out to deceive the world that it won the elections. It did not. This is probably because it got over confident.
Evidence emerging suggests blatant elections malpractices in ODM strongholds and a deliberate attempt by ODM agents in other parts of the country to delay the announcement of results by unnecessary and persistent protests.
The evidence also makes a mockery of journalists who assumed that a “deeply flawed election” means that the government rigged itself back to power. Flawed means it that the election was characterized by blunders. These blunders are not necessarily one sided. In fact the conclusion that the government stole the election is a misrepresentation by the media. The statement, as framed simply implies that both sides of the political divide tinkered with the results.
According to a document purportedly written by the World Bank country Director in Kenya, a re-tallying of the votes on the night of December 29, at the request of ODM established blatant electoral fraud in 14 ODM strongholds in addition to other electoral malpractices. ODM requested the re-tallying alleging that PNU (Kibaki) strongholds had registered suspiciously strong voter turn out.
At this meeting at the electoral Commission’s offices, it was agreed that the cut off point for suspicious large voter turn out would be 90 percent. ODM strongholds posted turnouts in the upwards of 90 percent. In six of these, voter turnout was between 102- and 120 percent. The most outstanding cases of this blatant rigging were; Eldoret North (represented by William Ruto) 116 percent, Kisumu Rural (Anyang Nyong’o) 120 percent, Bondo (Oburu Odinga-Raila’s brother 102 %, Narok South( William Ntimama) 120%.All these are hotheads and warlords within ODM.
Others posted turnouts ranging between 93% and 115%. In Kibaki’s strongholds, the largest voter turnout was 90%. The document says that despite this evidence of massive rigging, president Mwai Kibaki was still ahead of Raila.
It was then agreed on the Night of Saturday/Sunday December 29/30 that Kibaki was the winner. The document says that the announcement of kibaki’s win was “correct.” It accused the EU delegate who issued that Press briefing that was quoted world wide as “talkative, in-attentive and imprecise” in analyzing the data provided to him. It accuses the ECK and international media of not being sufficiently vigilant to establish whether a man presented by ODM as an ECK employee who witnessed a case of rigging was in fact, an employee or a witness. He was neither.
The document also accuses PNU of being “unprepared to deal with a highly media savvy opposition.” For instance PNU should have reported and exploited the fact that it was unable to field agents in Nyanza, Raila Odinga’s home province.
Given the malpratices cited above, one can see why ODM cannot go to court. A large number of its seats will be nullified. The rest is hogwash. ODM MP cum lawyer James Orengo, is busy filing petitions against the election of PNU MPs yet he argues, the same courts cannot be fair to his boss. His seat is one of those that cannot survive a court Petition as the voter turnout is in doubt.
By the way Raila, the ODM presidential candidate, has his election as Langata MP being challenged in Court. A petition has already been filed in Court and the man is as usual busy crying wolf.
ODM is slowly slipping from the high moral ground it used stand as its illegal conduct is being highlighted almost daily. Last week, Human Rights Watch accused the ODM of inciting and fanning the violence that has engulfed the country over the past one month. The government side last week also named William Ruto, an ODM MP as being the paymaster of the anarchists causing mayhem in the country.
Last Night, the police Commissioner warned that those who are friends of the media will soon “have their day in Court.” facing capital offences. The Police boss said an estimated 1190 people are in custody over the violence. A group of lawyers is said to be in the Rift Valley collecting evidence of genocide and tribal cleansing with a view to prosecuting them at the Hague.
Since the government began pulling ODM down from its high Moral ground, violence has escalated and there are attempts to spread it Country wide so that the anarchists could escape the noose.
Last week, an ODM affiliate MP, Charity Ngilu, is alleged to have organized a group of idlers in to invade Kikuyu owned businesses in Machakos town some 70Km SE of Nairobi. Machakos is in Kambaland and the Kamba are not involved in any fight with anybody. In fact Residents of the town and the entire region have never been involved in a fight with anyone. Ngilu, herself a Kamba, is considered a lost sheep. The Kamba actually rejected ODM.
Now the idlers she organized got excited and spilled the beans so that by the time they reached Machakos town, the Police was ready for them. Two were killed and the rest escaped and are now in hiding.
There are also signs that the government would soon deploy the military to deal with the violence. In the last two days, there has been increasing calls for the use of the military. In fact, to day the military was used to control Kikuyu Youths bent on revenge mission in a place called Naivasha.
It seems like the Military made its maiden appearance against Kikuyu Youths so that when it is deployed elsewhere, no one will complain about being targeted. It seems like the use of the Police has served its purpose to collect intelligence on the causes, perpetrators and financiers of the violence. With these already in place, it seems the Military can now be unleashed to clobber sense on the hot heads. In fact, ODM seems very worried about such a prospect saying the Police can deal with the matter.

PS: One cannot help but salute the courage of the ex-SG of the United Nations, who is dealing successfully with the matter of brokering peace.

Deadly Silence

As we continue to receive reports of mayhem in the slum region of Kenya, one cannot help but ask who is silently motivating and arming those killers. Initially, they had to carry any bricks or pieces of logs they could find with which they dealt blows at their helpless victims until they were dead. Now they have started carrying machetes. It beats me hollow to imagine that a man should go to pick up a deadly weapon like that, sit by the stone to sharpen it over a period of time and move from point A to point Z and fail to show any change of mind along the way; and goes ahead to hack down fellow human beings - big and small. Clearly this is a case of premeditated aggression. It is even more disheartening that the politicians whom one could hold responsible for encouraging these killings have preferred to keep silent; giving the impression that their hands are tied. The questions therefore arises as to how tight or tied their hands would be in terms of controlling the masses if they were given the mandate to rule. Who would want such a ruler? And the children that are being paraded as victims of Police high handedness. What responsible parent would allow his underaged child to join a gang of robbers being used by politicians to undermine the existence of their fellow citizens? Those parents do not have value for their children talk less of love and concern for their future. If the two elder statesmen from the depths of Ashanti town in Ghana could not resolve the political fiasco in Kenya, why would the international community fold their arms and watch innocent citizens perish? Let someone bell the cat. And quickly!

Eye Witness Account

A Kenyan-based colleague of mine who happens to belong to the same Network as I do, has kindly reacted to my blog with the following revealing facts which I have reproduced in unabridged form. Read on.

"I just did not know how to move until Vincent Nana came online. Let me first congratulate this guy for his honest and objective approach to to the crisis in Kenya. Others such as John and his friend in South Africa were dishonest because they demonstrated a clear misunderstanding of the issue at hand. Probably I should clarify this; unlike Mbeki who wanted to extend his term of office beyond the two terms allowed in the constitution, Kibaki's was bidding for his second and final term as allowed in the constitution. No Kenyan, I repeat no Kenyan would allow him a third tirm however good he is.

The issue was not illegal extension of one's term in office, it was whether, Kibaki won his second term fairly. On this one, i belief the most competent commentators would be kenyans who had lived with the process longer than any one else. Therefore It is dishonest and arrogance on any foreigner, be he a journalist of a foreign observer, to pretend to know our politics better than us.

As for Yellow Journalism, i totally agree with Vincent that this time around, Journalists went overboard. The process did not begin with the election and the violence that accompanied it. Kenyan journalists, supposedly the freest in the world, lost it when they sold their services to the highest bidder. The process of lying began way back in 2006 when some began to produce copy for a price. At that time, they were attacking Equity bank, one of the most innovative and fast growing indigenously owned bank. That failed, so was the attack on a company calle East African Cables, owned principally by KIbaki's associates.

According to a document dated November 9th, 2007,ODM set a side some Kshs 29.3 million (US$500,000) to bribe Journalists. Apart from Cash Hand outs, some were promised plum jobs at State House once ODM takes over the Government. That is why, I am told, ODM copy was handled by Managing Editors in our news rooms. We even saw some Managing Editors take the microphones and go to report in Kisumu, ODM's stronghold. With this kind of booty, and I cannot say that foreign correspondents did noot partake of the largesse, the death of the hated Kikuyu does not matter. To some journalists and their Editors in Kenya, the death of a kikuyu is not an issue, the oinly people who dies are ODM supporters. Even criiminal activies such as looting and plunder of Kikuyu owned assets by ODM goons is ignored for highlighting it drives their ambitions away. Those who read my copy earlier send would know the mess that the media made of the election results. The Media in Kenya let kenyan down. It actually betrayed their country.

Having been bribed blind, most turned a blind eye to ODM's rigging practices. Rigging began long before observers came to the scene. ODM was the major culprit in rigging its candidates for Parliamentary seats. In Most cases the Party gave certificates to losers in the polls. Among these were one James Orengo who lost in the preliminary and still got the Party's nod stand the Ugenya seat which he won. Chances are, he was also rigged in this seat since the victor in the preliminaries was also standing on another party's ticket.

Evidence emerging suggests that the attack on Policemen was an intimidation scheme as most kept away from the Polling station in Luo nyanza.This is an election offense which could costs ODM the election. It is because of its own involvement in tinkering with election results that ODM brands a legal matter a political one. LIke Vincent I do not see the benefits of mediation since no mediator has power to overturn the election results in Kenya except the High court. ODM cannot go to Court for that is where its own skeletons will be brought out.

Ethnic hatred became the only campaign weapon since ODM's attempt to introduce other issues such as grand Corruption hit a cul de sac. The economy was growing and money was being put in the hands of rural economy, the famers, Livestock Keepers, etc through improved prices of their produce.

Incindentally acording to a document allegedly from ODM and which the party has not denied to date, among the donors to its kitty were the the Kingpins of such massive looting scandals as: Goldenberg ( Kamlesh Pattni donated kshs 13.5 million), the Kamani Family which were the Kingpins of the Anglo leasing Scandal donated kshs 12.5 million). Others were Gun dealer Anura Pereira (Kshs 107 million) Joshua Kulei who led president Moi's gang of Robbers Donated kshs 45 million. One wonders how the party would have fought corruption in Kenya, while the corrupt put it in power.

Dick Morriss and associates, an American Consultant specialsing in Plotting civillian Coups, Ksh 21.5 million; Republican Party of ther US Kshs 154 million, Friends of Barak Obama,a US presidential aspirant on a democratic Party ticket, Ksh 66 million. Other donors were: Landrover of UK and its Kenyan Franchise holder, CMC group, Kshs 75 million.
Now you can see why EU and other foreigners are screaming murder as they see their ambitions on kenya go to waste. The relationship between President Kibaki and the so called donors was frosty during his first term. It was frosty because donor's discomforKenya which boasts of the largest budget in East and Central Africa, it now stands at US$10 billion of which Kenyans finance 93 percent that is 9.3 billion. This has made Kenya a litte independent to the discomfort of the so-called donors. In fact the country has in the past 5 years been giving donors conditions instead of the other way round.

Landrover must have been expecting to recover its lost market of supplying the Kenyan Police and Armed Forces with Landrovers.Others such as Germany must have been eteing the same market which has now been taken over by the Japanese vehicle makers. The Noise is basically pegged on self interest amon the so called "internationational community" Their investment in ODM has gone to waste and to salvage something, they are better off calling a legal affair political so that they can find some room to comment. What it will achieve, I cannot see. May we could discuss this. Will mediation resolve a legal Dispute issue in Kenya? Remember in my earlier copy I indicated that both parties were involved in tinkering with election results. ODM was simply outsmarted in its own game."

Musyoka wa Kyendo
Nairobi, Kenya.

PS: Musyoka is a gentleman journalist. I have every reason to believe what he has written because he had in the past, through his write-ups, proved to be a trustworthy writer with indefatigable resolve to state the truth even when it hurts his person.

Bias on Kenya

I have been mute on the Kenya saga because of the seeming 'yellow' journalism coverage of the issue by even highly respected media. Suppose at the end of the day, it is discovered that the incumbent did actually win, how can one remedy all the destruction of lives, character assassinations and wanton vandalisation of property that have been pepertruated by the so-called angered faction against fellow country-men?
Imagine the unguarded and provocative utterances of the opposition which have continued to infuriate rather than tame the hoodlums into killing their kinsmen in the style of Tutsi and their brothers of recent memory. The opposition has gone on air a million times to count the number of rioters who have been shot at by the Police. They have shown no remorse over the killing of scores of the Kikuyus and the destruction of their properties, looting, raping their women, maiming and traumatising innocent children by the opposition supporters. As far as I am concerned, this is the height of insensitivity at high places. The incumbent President has come on air only three times during all these turmoil, and has in no wise incited anybody into violence or revenge. What will the opposition gain by calling on the international communities to impose sanctions as if it had to do with strangling Kibaki as a person? If the unfortunate millions of Kenyans suffer or even die as a result of these stringent measures, who will the sadists rule when they come to the supposed distinguished or exalted seat? Politics is not a 'do or die affair' (apologies to ex-President Obasanjo of Nigeria). If one loses an opportunity to serve his people in one capacity at any given point in time, he could still show them love in so many other ways. In fact, his philanthropic gesture at a time like that will naturally endear him to their hearts, and would autamatically earn their votes next time around. Why must we be in such a hurry if the motive is not to serve self interest.