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News this week is that Raila Odinga is cooking on gas - having signed a new Prime Minister's strategic plan to strengthen the Prime Minister's role - launched by President Kibaki - though commentators are skeptical of the enthusiastic alliance between the PM and President - they think that the President is throwing the PM a rope on which to hang himself. If he fails he coudl wipe his chances in the 2012 election - if he manages to succeed he could be in a great position to lead (see Standard newspaper Friday Aug 21). Raila also led the campaign over saving the Mau forest - which has had a lot of support from the public. (but not Rift VAlley MPs).
I got a bit snarled up with Ida Odinga's mini motorcade outside the tiny 'Foodies' supermarket at the bottom of our road. I love that shop - apparently she is a regular customer too - . I imagine that we both ignor the fact that everything is covered in a thin layer of dust and love all the sunny people who work there and are eager to help. The problem is that the access to the parking is narrow - so had a bit of a standoff with GSU bodyguards over who were trying to swoosh out as I was bumbling in.
My husband saw on the back of a matatu emblazoned with the words 'Siendi Hague!' (I'm not going to the Hague!) made him chuckle - matatus can always be trusted to make a wry comment on the public mood with their tagging.
The Dark Legacy. There's an interesting expose in today's Nation regarding torture that took place in Nyayo House under Moi's regime - links in with a previous post on the same subject. It's worth a read.
Last week Moi, who gave away over 100,000 hectares of forested Mau land during his 'reign' has waded into the rainforest debate warning Kibaki and Raila to 'proceed with caution' which was a bit galling perhaps.