UNBELIEVABLE!
I must say that I was in a state of euphoric shock last night as I was watching Barrack Obama’s elevation to becoming the most powerful man in the world. I told someone yesterday (as I was watching his acceptance speech) that I felt like I was going through both a physical and spiritual cleansing. It was almost like Obama was cleansing my body, mind and soul of the 8 years of toxic filth and grime that the Bush presidency had imparted on my person. It was very refreshing– like walking out of a shower full of antiseptic.
Now, I’ll move onto other issues of the election that I found interesting both in relation to Kenya and to America (since this a blog about Kenya and it’s place in the global economy).
First Point:
Ah Kibaki.
Kibaki, Kibaki, Kibaki….
Yet another public holiday declared. Just like that. Fuaaaaaa….no work tomorrow. Nimesema!
Have we not spent the last week discussing how and why Kenya is such a low productivity country? Kibaki needs to cool it with all these freaking public holidays.
Second Point:
The changing demographics of America. I heard on CNN last night that Obama won this election by only getting 40% of the white vote. That is astounding and it shows that if you can galvanize enough of the minority vote (African-Americans, Hispanics, homosexuals, Asians, the disabled, etc, etc) — you can win elections. It also showed that America is becoming more black and more brown and in 20 years it’s going to be a majority-minority country. How will republicans ever win elections with these kinds of demographics? What’s Lou Dobbs going to talk about when this happens?
Third Point:
This point relates in some way to the second point about Obama winning without a majority of the white vote. There’s a segment of the white population that simply refused to vote for a black man and they were largely non-college educated, blue collar white people — in other words, people who have been adversely affected by the changing dynamics of this global economy. They’re angry and they’re bitter, but their not angry at themselves or at Bush. If you listen to republican radio in America, you soon realize that these core voters have come to believe that their inability to make ends meet economically is the fault of two groups:
I don’t think I heard any of the analysts mention this dynamic last night and I think these core group of white people are going to get even angrier as the economy continues to slip. They just have absolutely refused to accept the realities of this new global economy and because of this, they have been unable to adjust to it.
So, for me, this election was really an acknowledgment of how fast the world is changing: the source of power is no longer going to be in one location, money can be moved around the world instantaneously, jobs can now be moved around the world instantaneously and the question is, do you want to become like those bitter mzungu’s who have refused to accept this reality or do you want to accept it and change? and if yes, how does one adjust to this more competitive world economy? How does Kenya adjust to it?
These are the key questions for me about this election and link your comments below to the above issues.
Below are some jokes I cut and pastied! It was a good day.
“Kenyan men are in high demand abroad, they do produce the seed for President.”
“Comedian Chris Rock was interviewed on TV and when asked who he thinks will win the US Presidency, he answered “Obama”. The journalist then asked him, why do think Obama will win? He replied: This guy is from Kenya. have you ever run a race with a Kenyan and won?
“You are invited to Obama’s swearing in ceremony in Kagelo, Kisumu. Parking starts in Kericho. Make sure you make your way early enough so that you don’t park in Nakuru.”
Obama’s win is great for those who haven’t lost hope/faith in dreams materializing. Through hard work of course, and not the incessant ‘woe are we’ that we seem damned to forever hear in kenya. I only hope his ‘cousin(s)’ is/are taking notes on what a REAL national (vs. tribal) leader looks like and speaks like.
but the holiday?
Psyd off:
I think many kenyans were watching this election and wondering if kenya will ever get to the point where we have non-tribal politics, but it did take America 400 years to get to this point, so perhaps we still have a long way to go.
I did think the election in 2002 was the closest the country came to becoming non-tribal, but everything got screwed up in 07 both by Kibaki (for refusing a recount) but also by raila for aligning himself with the kalenjins and their violent plans.
So, now, Kenya is going to get stuck with kalonzo, a light-weight non-thinker who seems to have absolutely no convictions about anything.
I find it very scary whenever I see a man like kalonzo, someone in his mid-fifties who seems to have no fundamental convictions about important questions concerning life or the world. At some point in your adult life, everyone ought to have developed a set of core principles, which they are willing to ardently defend and which they truly believe in. If you haven’t done so yet, it just tells me that you are a non-thinker and that is very dangerous for a president (read: see bush).
That’s why I like martha karua. It’s not because she’s kikuyu. It’s because she has core belief’s, which she will public defend and she sticks to them.
I would also put Raphael Tuju in this group as well for his steadfast refusal to bow to raila’s every wish, even when he knew that it would cost him the election.
Other than karua and Tuju, I don’t see any other politician in Kenya who embodies this sense of national identity that’s coupled with a core belief system.
What was the essence of the Holiday in kenya and stato did not have a holiday as well. That shows how retarded our president is we need to be a productive economy not an econmy always lounging..Kibaki smell the coffee i thought its kazi iendelee..?
I see absoluteley nothing wrong with a holiday. He has kenyan roots of which he’s proud of. Most prominent Americans with other roots are not always eager to be associated with them, especially black, do u see Collin Powell letting people know that he’s Jamaican ?
It’s a historic moment and one day will not make kenya any richer or poorer.
Let Kenyans in kenya have the day off to celebrate
I think a holiday is a big psychological boost for Kenyans. It is also good for national cohesion.
It is actually a big deal to have Obama as president of the USA considering the fact that he is only second generation. His father was actually Kenyan.
It is a big deal for a small and insignificant country like Kenya – and hence the holiday.
Unfortunately, most Kenyans do not seem to understand that Obama, as much as he has Kenyan roots, his first constituency is and will always be the American electorate who put him in office. Kenyans did not put there. It is therefore absurd and truly sad to hear all those Kenyans who now claim that all manner of goodies will come Kenya’s way courtesy of Obama being in the White House. It simply won’t happen. What will they do when they finally absorb and internalize that reality?
Our press is either too ignorant or just foolish and hopelessly simplistic in fanning the outrageous expectations. People expect billions of shillings to be unlocked and pumped into Kenya, especially towards Nyanza province. What a sad story.
Listening to the radio and hearing the sometimes hilarious expectations; Kisumu will now have a 5 star hotel exclusively to accommodate Obama and his entourage when he comes calling even though it may be 3 years down the line, People are going to be employed in the Marines on preferential basis especially if you are from Nyanza, others will be employed on the White house grounds even if it is to cut grass etc., It simply reminds me that most Kenyans have learned absolutely nothing from Obama and his message. They are yet to outgrow the backward and primitive thinking that high public office is an avenue to steal and misuse public resources for the home boys, yet breathlessly proclaim how inspired they are by Obama.
I am very sad and disappointed at the sheer capacity for blithely disregarding the lessons from Obama the success story, and am consequently now very fearful about the future of our Country, more so from young Kenyans who should know better, especially after what we went through early this year.:sad:
“I think a holiday is a big psychological boost for Kenyans. It is also good for national cohesion”
Are you kidding ? don’t you get a psychological boost every sunday ? You want to celebrate Obama’s HARD WORK by taking a holiday yourself ???
its quite pathetic that the government declares a holiday for celebrating an American election…
The holiday is OK…..
What amazed me is the WHITE people (Americans) !!!They are the greatest on earth…They Belive in truth..Honesty and such values? They also kick *** when infringes on their core values….
HOW CAN KIBAKI RIDE ON A STOLEN ELECTION and still LOOK anybody in the EYE? africans (at least mama lucy is hiding…)
KE
Kalenjins are a great people (they take no shit) !!!!! Imagine what the WHITES would do to you if you monkey their ELECTIONs or RIGHTS by your incorrigible theft ? (i wish most kenyans were like kalenjins……)
KE
When is it worth fighting for anything ?
KE
Am proud to say I attended University of Hawaii on scholarship just like Obama’s dad and resided in the same dorm he was (though over 40 years differential).I also met Obama when he was just a senator at KINKOS FEDEX store in Honolulu.We talked for about 10 min. It was interesting though we dwelled more about Kenya and Raila. Sorry am just being a typical Kenyan……
On a serious note I think the most benefit Kenya will gain from this is probably the relocation of the new AFRICA COMMAND from Frankfurt Germany to may be LAMU. With it we get 5000 good paying jobs (not counting construction laborors and trickle down economics like food suppliers).
And watch the Kibaki govt. constructing a mansion for grandma Obama in Kogelo and tarmacking the roads to Kogelo…..just like the Moi days…..the more things change,the more they remain the same.
Anonymous
WHITES did NOT do anything when Bush stole the election in 2000! Wacha wewe.
As for your Kalenjin analysis; it is very stupid. If Kibaki has stolen the election, why would you attack your poor neighbour and not Kibaki himself?
And another thing, why would you then stop fighting when the other side deploys Mungiki? And when Mungiki strikes in Naivasha, Nairobi, Nakuru and Eldoret you quickly declare a ceasefire. Is it because you are cowardly? It must be!
All forms of violence should be deplored. It is not the way to resolve political disputes. It is surely the way to disintegrate Kenya.
RabidMzungu
It is not every Sunday that a Barack Obama ascends to the White House. I am happy with the holiday. And I am sure majority of Kenyans are happy with the holiday. The government is there to listen to the majority.
Kwa hivyo, kula kiwaru with your minority view.
What about Sen.MCCAIN the morning after loosing elections driving off from his Phoneix apartment with his best friend,Senator GRAHAM of S.C in a TOYOTA SEQOUIA…..(Belongs to Mccain).Talk of National Pride…..haha….
Remember Sarah’s line…”We need more pro-Americans”…
And how a day can make all the difference. He drove himself with no security detail.I heard the Secret Service agents were withdrawn at 6 am on wednesday.Even in Kenya we show a little more mercy than that…….
LOL @ the comments and the indication that Kenyans (self included) still have many rivers to cross before the promised land – ’cause it all degenerates into the same old ‘stolen election’ BS.
CT, I think the holiday’s spot on, the right move for a country that desperately needs something to celebrate.
We only hope that Obama’s message will penetrate the thick skulls which still abudu WHITES and backward thinking. Probably won’t though. Takes all sorts to make a world.
Kei O :
“And I am sure majority of Kenyans are happy with the holiday. The government is there to listen to the majority. ”
Hmmph… the govt. seems to listen to the vibe of the people only while declaring public holidays. I am astounded by your faith in government.
Psyd off :
“I think the holiday’s spot on, the right move for a country that desperately needs something to celebrate.”
Lets make every Wednesday a holiday…so everyone ‘desperate’ can have a reason to celebrate. We can identify a home-grown hero to celebrate every week. Should do wonders for productivity.
I’m kind of surprised at the number of people who think declaring a public holiday (for a foreign election) is a good thing for the country. You see why I’ve been telling you that kenya is a low productivity country?
Now, with this grand coalition illusion government, we could potentially have numerous more holidays: Kibaki day (for when he retires); Raila day (for when he retires); Uhuru day, mudavadi day, Obama day (wait and see, they’ll make this a permanent holiday).
Annonymous:
William Ruto is crazy and Kalenjins remind me (in a small way) of the Hutu militia’s in Rwanda.
About the holiday… bullshit and sycophancy!
http://www.coldtusker.blogspot.com
KE is right… its this stupidity that continues to keep Kenya firmly in the 3rd world category!
Rejuvenation? Harumph!
Let’s see we had ‘extra’ holidays after the election… perhaps if people were forced to go to work, they might not been fighting in the streets!
Then kibz had announced a ‘prayer day’… I just slept in. God wasn’t going to listen to me just coz I had a holiday called prayer day! And in any event… we have fridays for muslims, saturdays for SDA’s & jews and sundays for christians. I think Hindus pray all week.
Then we have krooked wa ngengi day as well as dan ‘thieving’ moi day… so how about kibz day? Then raila day… then ka-looser day…
I vote for COLDTUSKER DAY…. I will launch a petition…
CT
I doubt you are as productive as you claim to be.
Can you tell us what you would have done if there had been no Obama holiday?
At the end of the day, Kenyans are not very productive. Let us stop cheating ourselves that the holiday would have made a big difference to Kenya’s overall productivity. Infact, it was good in that it got people to spend money because of the feelgood factor.
This is typical.
A truly historic occassion involving a Kenyan American (he is the one who reclaimed his Kenyan roots so there is no getting away from his being one despite what his father did or didn’t do). Almost 20 posts about a day off in Kenya that won’t add or subtract that much from our economy.
Guys, maybe you need to get out more…
Or get a life.
Some people would ban christmas given the chance………
Hi all
Nearly missed this unbeliavable…..Let me confess……I took days off to ponder and celebrate the meaning of work sucess and a great country
Hey THE HOLIDAY was the greatest Kibaki policy ever…Actualy he should have DONE TWO days
FOR THOSE ‘economist” who think we lost production I BET you DO NOT LEAVE HERE!!! They wass no production the whole week leading to OBAMA victory…..think of something called oportunity cost……..
WTF….We are the happiest people in the world even the IDPS celebrated…and IT RAINED (still raining) all over Kenya
Thank you
And people like CT are still wondering what NRKs are doing for Kenya.
Isn’t Obama an honorary NRK? He has given Kenya international exposure some countries can only dream of – free of charge. And I bet there will be hoardes of tourists interested in visiting Kenya because of this very event.
This is the best thing to happen to Kenya ever!
I can’t help feeling superior to Nigerians, Angolans, Ghanaians etc. I know am not supposed to but I just have this secret feeling that we have gone one over them.
A Nigerian fellow once told me this;
“Kenyan man dey small but he dey sting like a bee o!”
I sometimes almost believe the hype that Kenya is a mystical country……
lord: Yes, I do not leave there… I live there…
Wow… the NRKs seem happier than Kenyans to have a holiday. Every day counts. Why did the Americans not declare a holiday?
I make my own living. I do not have a job so unlike those who work for others I have more to lose.
KE is right… being an entrepreneur/employer is a thankless job.
In the USA they have temp agencies & virtual offices.
I don’t know any good ones in Kenya. Suggestions?
I want to get rid of all my employees & outsource as much as I can. No need for an office (or get a smaller one). No need to worry about sick days, obama days, PAYE…
I am open to suggestions.
CT
Is life really that bad? Is this a cry for help?
My two cents is that you should wait for the optic fibre project to be completed. It will then be easier for you in Kenya to set up your virtual office and even work from home.
Incidentally, I have an interest in a small travel firm in Kenya. We have some ring-fenced clientele and we are sort of protected from the ups and downs of the regular tourist circuit. Perhaps this is what you should do with your tourist business. Capture some clients who will travel to Kenya regularly, chaos or no chaos. This suits us because we are not big players.
Otherwise, join the housebuilders (that you love to hate) and rely on the rent when things are bad.
Hope my suggestions are useful.
Coldtusker:
Depending on what you do, you really don’t need an office. I think I recall reading about two kenyan entrepreneurs who were renting out offices to people on an as need basis and that is a great idea. It’s really taken off here in the states, especially with the real estate market crashing–many small business owners will simply rent an office when they have to meet clients and the rest of the time, they work from home. If most of your work can be done on a computer, there’s really no need to waste money renting offices.
I’m with you about not having employee’s. I’ am a big fan of outsourcing and once I discovered it, I vowed that if I ever had a full time business, I would try my darnest to avoid having permanent employee’s. I’ve outsourced work to someone in Bosnia, someone in Bangladesh and I am currently working with someone in India.
Look at all the drama with Kencall and their employee’s:shock:
I think if you are going to get employee’s, make sure they are non-union workers because all the union workers I’ve encountered are lazy and crazy. Once people know they can’t be fired, they just stop working.
Josh: I am not in tourism.
I do not have the cash to buy buildings to rent. Interest rates in Kenya are 15%+ while rents vary from 6-15% leaving me in the hole.
KE: Genius Business Centre. In town but not CBD proper – which I count as between KICC to Biashara St…& Moi avenue to Uhuru Highway. parking is a nightmare & public transport remains poor.
Yes, I am waiting for fast & reliable Wi-Max.
I need a secretary but how to find someone i can use without having a permanent office?
To add insult to injury, our MPs, the stupid, lazy, pampered kooks, are now going to have a day of prayer and thanksgiving for Obama’s victory at Uhuru Park next Wednesday. They expect people to leave their work places to go and pray for Obama yet the same won’t be happening in America. Maybe it is time the Army took over and whipped these layabouts into line. Where are the busy body civil society now?
Manta Ray:
This is the reason I can’t be religious — what on earth do these prayer meetings ever accomplish? If you are religious, wouldn’t you think that God gave you a brain for a reason. He expects you to use it so that you can stop bothering him all freaking day long with your irrelevant screaming, yelling and general lunatic behavior (masquerading of course, as “prayer”).
Why couldn’t they pray on Sunday in Church?
People in America celebrated on the day of the election, but they were back to work the next day. Life has to go on and everyone understands that Obama is facing seismic problems: he’s going to have to deal with two wars and a collapsing economy. Obama is going to age like we’ve never seen before. Political journalists who cover presidents often say that their faces literally change over time because of all the pressures they encounter. I couldn’t believe (when I saw a picture of Obama from 2007, how much he had already aged just from campaigning for two years)>
KE,
Stop flagging my posts!! I bet you supported Raph NADER…
In another note,I think our MPs suffer from a severe case of ADD.
Why else would they waste time in a prayer meeting disguise..
They can do it all over the country on sunday.
Dee:
Um…why do you think your posts are being flagged?
if you post a comment with more than 2 links the post automatically gets flagged in order to avoid spam and it then has to be approved, but I just checked and none of your posts are in the flagged column for multiple links, so I’m not sure what you are referring to.
KE,
Our singular misfortune as a Nation is that those like you, me and many other Kenyans who know what is wrong and can fix it do not want to take up leadership, or else lack the incentive to do so. Those thoughtless buffoons calling themselves leaders and as exemplified by the current MPs are beyond salvage and will take us nowhere but into the ditch once again.
However, leadership does not have to be political. As a matter of fact, business leadership has far better prospects of changing Kenya than politicians ever could. It therefore follows that young savvy entrepreneurs in Kenya and in the diaspora could come together and either:
1. Take over leadership of the existing business organizations of Kenya such as the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, the Fpeak, etc.
2. Form their own organization composed of the the hundreds of small and medium sized business owners.
The objective would be to mobilize collective pressure on the Govt to perform or else business very seriously refuses to pay taxes, that simple, the clear. What can the politicians do, jail every business owner? hardly. They would have to give in, and once they give in, you have them where you want them.
The next step would be to form a political party where the actors are answerable to business owners to ensure the stability of the country. The business owners have the most to lose if things go tits up again.
Even the president-elect, has not taken a holiday yet…he was recieving security briefing daily, already has a chief of staff, had a press conference , radio speech and started forming his team. While some people are still fixeted on tuesday…what are they going to do during the inauguration..declare the week a vacation? I heard there is even a beer called obama
if you are looking to rent space on demand, there are some executive offices for hire at the new KREP centre in Kilimani (Wood Avenue i think)….check them out. They have a boardroom, internet, fax and even tea for your visitors…..
Anon: How much? Please provide contact info.
CT
Surely you can drive up there and see for yourself. I know where this place is. I don’t remember the road but you cannot miss it. You can even ask when you are in the vicinity.
By the way, this business is also here in the UK. I remember being offered a meeting place at £10 per hour a while back. It was not a bad deal.
CT
I have googled K-Rep and their contacts are right there – including their Kilimani headquarters!
Why do Kenyans need to be spoonfed?
keio: Stop being an idiot. If anon is already there… I wanted more info about the location.
CT
Well, well, well – it sounded like you wanted to be driven there…… know what I mean.
The whinging CT cannot even locate K-REP in a city as small as Nairobi.
keio: pole… I wud rather gather as much info from sources before I check something out. Saves time & money. As u have gathered I am trying to save money! I just got annoyed at your comment on Kenyans. On the other hand… it means you are 1) not Kenyan 2) an NRK so in the same boat!
Actually K-REP moved to Kilimani recently. Interesting. They were in Dagoreti. So are they moving upmarket?
keio: Apologies about the idiot comment
. The rest still stands! 
CT
Apologies accepted.
Mine was just a general comment about the attitudes I observe in Kenya. Things could be so much better if there was a bit more discipline. I was queing at a bank in Kenya (during my recent visit) and a decent looking woman came and jumped the queue and planted herself two postions from the teller. Nobody raised a finger. I protested to the security guard but he said the woman is known at the bank. There was nothing that he could do. I was so appalled I simply walked out and took my business elsewhere.
This is not to say that I am better in anyway. It is just some of the things that you learn when you are an NRK. That discipline improves efficiency.
Anyway, I didn’t know K-REP were in Dagoretti before. Is Kilimani upmarket? I normally live there when I am in Kenya and I am not really impressed. The roads around that neighbourhood are atrocious. The street lights do not work and nightclubs blaring out music on Friday, Saturday and Wednesday nights. Its horrendous.
I was rather impressed by the Tigoni area though. Just before you reach Limuru. That place is really beautiful. That is a place I would like to live in.
CT
I am surprised that you apologised. Are you really a Kenyan?
Compared to Dagoretti… Kilimani is up-market… Kilimani used to be a nice area but the recent obsession with apartments means over-development…
Tigoni has open spaces but the traffic can kill you getting into town…
KE IO
Was in a queue in a bank (standard ) and only 4 persons were Behind me and the active tellers were at least 3…so service was crazy fast…..A woman came to me just when a teller was free…she said….I was here on this line….i have been waiting there……apparently she had ‘BOOKED THE LINE”’
I just smiled and let her go the to the empty teller…….
CT & Ke Io
Followed your exchanges…..you guys are are hilarious
KeIo cuts out to me as a gentleman with street wititism and humour, nyama choma kind..can drink with him and exchange ODM/PNU with no recourse to fist….
CT cast a figure of a gentleman, suave Nairobian with a geekish streak. I doubt if he realy likes Cold Tuskers really……and if you have a drink with him prepare to have an Anan around and certainly you will go DUTCH so carry some money…..
how far am i right ?…excuse for this it still the Obama effect…:grin:
Lord
Kei O and CT’s exchange also made me smile.
The two are behaving like a married couple.
Heheheheee …… its good to have some humour though.
leta post mpya