Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Ida begrudgingly Rejects Allowance


What ought to have been a matter of outright rejection at the first instance, stretched out to be a fortnight of apparent soul-searching process for Ida Odinga. She seems to have come to terms, albeit grudgingly, that the Ksh 400,000 allowance is at the moment an unwise political misstep that has elicited a fast and furious backlash from folks that would otherwise form her bedrock of support.

To pretend that she had only read of the offer in the press and therefore treated it as malicious rumor from her detractors is disingenuous crap pasted from an old script. Since keeping silent would have implied her complicity in the attempted skimming of public funds, it was perhaps necessary that she made her position clear. But her statement came out as a bitter retort to “people” when in fact a simple line or two rejecting the offer would have sufficed. Her rigmarole about “heavy responsibility on behalf of the Republic of Kenya” is menacing and it is probably just as well that she is not occupying a higher office on behalf of “people”.

The outrageous allowance offer did, however, find support from what seemed unlikely quarters. Former nominated MP Njoki Ndungu, who has over the years built a reputation as a brave defender for women and children rights came out with some fairly strange support for the allowances. Ms Ndungu thinks that the monies should be paid “in recognition for the evident work that spouses do in our political structures”. She adds that “We expect them to occasionally hold court, to preside over functions, to grace important State occasions, to be patrons of organizations, etc. We are essentially asking them to give up their private lives.” Madam Njoki, are we?

If such defense as Njoki’s came from the ‘ordinary’ citizenry, it might have carried some water and even looked progressive. But from you, Madam Njoki, it brings with it a little tinge of elitism prevalent in the leafy neighborhood you share with Ida and Pauline. It sounds like support for ‘one our own’. Otherwise, I am persuaded that “we” do not demand these vague services for which we are expected to pay for without even a little pretense to consultation. And “we” expect that perhaps spouses should consult before either of them plunges into public service of the political kind. Anyone who finds that politics is “drudgery”, as Njoki puts it, should steer clear of it and no one will begrudge them.

Now, Pauline. I expect that she will produce a back-dated letter to Muthaura showing that she had rejected the offer first!

Related article; Pauline Musyoka and Ida Odinga; Spouses or Escorts

6 comments:

Mama said...

Hehehehehe Hlumiti dream on! I am sure Pauline was waiting to see if Ida gets the money so she can get her 'dues' as well....no backdated letter on rejection shall be produced.

If anything I expect her to say yes to the money, I mean what has she got to lose? The huzzy is going nowhere!

Anonymous said...

Taking the money might do her purse some good but will also make her look greedy. I wonder if she can handle the heat from the spotlight that will follow her, seeing the way she likes keeping in the shadows. Unlike Ida who loves prancing about like a peacock, Pauline seems to tip-toe into gatherings with coyness and stealth. Almost like she's being forcibly dragged about. Poor lady.

But then again, maybe I'm seeing things in my dreams.

UrXlnc said...

she took the money

and now claims she'll give to charity. hehehehe, kweli iko mambo

i bet after two public shows, she'll get too busy and somehow the money will slide into the account

UrXlnc

HLumiti said...

Hi urxlnc,

Karibu huku.

Seems to me like madam Pauline's handlers thought she had to do different and not be seen to take prompts from the 'other side'. Charity indeed. With other peoples' money.

Mama said...

Hlumiti, am I allowed to say I told you so? Some people are hyprocritical to say the least Kalooser's wife is just following in her husbands spineless thieving steps.

Who ever heard of someone using government money for charity? That is not charity in my book that is open theft! When Bill gates and Oprah give money to charity they do so from their pockets and fund raisers to do it, not steal money from the government!!

HLumiti said...

Kweli Mcheku, you told me so. Now I know who to consult before making prophesy.

And truly, if this is the way Pauline intends to fund her charities then she's not sincere. She might as well keep the money and shut up instead of insulting the spirit of charity.

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