Why are these guys making a big deal out of Kibaki not attending the function?If he does not want to attend as evident he should be left alone.Even if he was to attend he would only plant a single tree.

...I wonder why the kibaki is behaving the way he is doing...like he has other 20 years to call us pumbavu!!! He can only gain points in his legacy if he attends the function. I think as days go by he is becoming more and more of an IDIOT...

Ondiek:

Kibaki IS supposedly the president of this country, who promised to lead the coalition government with the PM as a team. He personally assigned the PM duties of reclaiming the MAU during the official launch of the PM's strategic plan.

Kibaki was there in Copenhagen last month and he endorsed the conference accord on behalf of all Kenyans.

Kibaki called year 2010 the 'Green Year for Kenya'.

Kibaki's own minister for forestry, was the one who announced that he would lead the launch together with the PM. Muthaura followed it up with a postponement, and now PPS have emerged with an embarrassing denial / cancellation.

That MAU has been politicized is no secret. The PM has been constantly vilified for advancing the government agenda for reclamation of the MAU. It is high time Kibaki expressed solidarity with his PM, if they truly are working as a team serving the same coalition government.

Swearing in judges is certainly not a whole day's affair. It is also not a matter of life and death. Any of the two functions can be done on the same day or rescheduled to fit into the presidential diary. What is important is that the people to see Kibaki's symbolic support for reforestation of Kenya beginning with MAU.

The significance of Kibaki's attendance is not just to plant a single seedling. Heads of State are expected to lead from the front so as to positively inspire their citizens. Can you imagine what would happen if ALL of Kenya's 40 million citizens planted a single seedling each? Surely, that would translate into a straight NOBEL PEACE PRICE for Kibaki, if not something else.

I think the bad history of Mau is the reason behind Kibaki keeping away. Mau was the determinant on how Rift Valley voted in the last election. Kimunya's action in Mau had not been forgotten. The burning of homes, destruction of schools, forceful eviction etc.. One newspaper predicted yesterday that the Mau issue will be the factor in 2012. I would not go there if I were him unless I am sure how it will taken in a more clear picture.

@ FundamentAli - What does Kibaki have to lose in 2012? It is time this guy stood up for something and stopped cowering at every issue he is confronted by.

A case of selective amnesia!, or is it see no evil, hear no evil, as far as Raila is concerned!

Let's deal with facts and keep intuitions and other heart attachments at bay.
I actually don’t see what the hullabaloo is all about.

Kibaki never told any body that he would be going to Mau to plant trees.
Read that Raila and co. cannot set the agenda for the President, and if/when they attempt to, then they risk suffering the embarrassment they are at the moment.

I do not for one second think that Kibaki is working at cross purpose with the Mau conservation project.
However,I guess he wants to steer clear of Raila’s unnecessary bravado and ‘showbiz’, about the whole matter. Note the difference btn the two men’s modus operandi, - while Raila plays to the gallery, Kibaki gets the job done quietly.

By the way,if Kibaki stopped supporting Mau conservation, the squatters would just walk back and there is little that Raila would do about it, as it takes the police to get them out, and Raila cant order any police.

Kibaki got these same squatters out in 2005, Raila championed their continued stay in the forest!!!!!!!
Then, due to heightened political temperatures, Kibaki backed off, which prompted more squatters to invade the forest.

At that time the destruction of the forest was much less compared to today.
If Raila had not played politics, Mau would be safe and intact today.
In our myopia, today we are crediting the same politician with saving the Mau!

What an irony!

The current effort was started by Kibaki, who later directed Raila to coordinate the matter as it falls across the ministries of Forestry and Environment.
Remember the time Michuki overflew the the Mau to access the destruction, Raila was out of the scene.

In my humble view, if Kibaki and Raila were to lay their ‘credentials’ about the Mau on the table, Kibaki would beat Raila hands down.
When Moi was dishing out the forest land to politically connected fellows, Raila was his Minister and Kanu’s secretary General.
There is no record of him protesting at all, which ostensibly points to an approval.
In any case anything a Govt does, all serving ministers take collective responsibility.

Kibaki then was in opposition and opposed the excision.

When Kibaki got to power, within two years he evicted the squatters but Raila defeated the cause by introducing politics of incitement.

Again, this time the squatters only moved out when the armed police came in to evict them upon the expiry of the deadline given.
These police were acting at the behest of Kibaki and NOT Raila.

Again I dare say that if the squatters got wind that Kibaki was no longer interested in moving them out, they would gladly walk back and show Raila the middle finger.

Let the Mau be saved, but let those who want to make political capital out of it like Raila not be facilitated to do so.

The bigger job is to get the occupiers out. Trees can and should be planted by hired ordinary wananchi.
Govt VIPs would only plant a seed-ling each for showbiz – at great cost- unnecessary if you ask me.
Kibaki continue saving the Mau.
Bravo

@Njung'e

Wewe, Raila hawesi sema police nashoot watu bwana.
Remember he has always scolded the police for brutality. Well of course unless he wants to do an about turn!
But I trip myself!! With politicians one can never be too sure.

It is time the mau was treated as an environmental issue and necessary action taken.We could have the NYS,Army,corporates and schools participate in planting of trees to reclaim the forest land.

Raila is a master of politics of convinience.

He reads the public mood, aligns himself accordingly, creates a wave and rides on it for political gain.

'You can cheat some people for some time, but you cant cheat all the people all the time'.

Rao is one hell of a motor mouth.

How did he choose to speak on behalf of Kibaki.

Look where that left him now....