Kenyan Sphere Blog hopping

The Kenyan Open blog launched recently, the idea behind it is to “be able to track and trace issues that are of relevance to the Kenyan blogosphere or being debated in the wider Kenyan blogosphere.”
Could this open blog, along with inititiaves like Nchi Yetu Daily be moving the kenyan blogosphere along on the 3 part model of social engagement?(collecting information, comment and debate, and action – For more on that, check out Ethan Zuckerman's paper on “Making room for the third world in the second superpower”) Please pardon the brief digression, now back to the Kenyan blogosphere.

Following the referendum held a fortnight ago, Kenya was without a cabinet for two weeks when President Kibaki prorogued parliament and dismissed all cabinet ministers. He has now reconstituted the cabinet. Noticeably absent in the new cabinet are the leaders of the Orange Democratic movement, who still wield power as evidenced by the referendum vote. Mental acrobatics observes that whoever has been advising President Kibaki hasn't been doing too good lately.

It has to be said the craziest person in Kenya today is whoever is advising Kibaki at the moment. Wrong move after wrong move after wrong move. Watching Kibaki is like watching a heavy metal fan trying to break dance.

At the time of writing this roundup, 3 ministers and 17 assistant ministers declined their posts assigned by President Kibaki. On this, mental acrobatics notes that we would like to think that they are doing so out of a sense of national duty, but indications point to party interests instead.

kibara's take on the new cabinet?

I believe that Kibaki made the best decision for Kenya , to select people loyal to his to his cabinet. I don't understand for the life of me where dudes decided one day that all politicians have to be in one party. We need opposition in Kenya for our nascent democracy to thrive.”

he also adds that Kenyans in 2007 should have more choices, stating

… there should be one or two major parties for Kenyans to choose their president. Here is what I can see as the parties in Kenya come 2007 and beyond. Kibaki and the NARC Kibakistas, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and KANU. That is quite good. No need for some stupid Government of National unit as far as I am concerned.”

Kenyan pundit who is attending a global voices conference in london, points to an editorial about the lack of women in the new cabinet.

M takes a story book approach to the cabinet lineup, complete with puss in boots, cinderella and the dwarves…

Kenyan Pundit in her informative style asks “What is ailing Kenyan Journalism?”

Kenyan Prodigal daughter says that there is a slowness to how things are done at a certain copy center, contrasting it with the bustling nature of nairobi.

Bankelele reports that an ice skating rink will be opening December 16th in Nairobi, and has listings of (non-cabinet) jobs. Earlier in the week he also reported on the tremor that rocked Nairobi (There was an earthquake in Tanzania)

As the year draws to a close, Maitha on his swahili blog – Mawazo na Mawaidha, will be reflecting on the highlights of the the past year, the good and the bad, and invites others to share their ‘top ten’ for 2005.

I will be off to Kenya for a couple of weeks, i might not have as much access to the internet, may i take this opportunity to send holiday greetings to the Global voices team, readers, and visitors, the vibrant Kenyan sphere and the global blogosphere at large. See you in '06!

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