In a message dated 5/2/2010 12:37:34 PM Central Daylight Time, lynnk05@aol.com writes:
Tennessee is underwater…L
Be sure to blame George Bush.
In a message dated 4/29/2010 6:04:01 PM Central Daylight Time, ProudLiberal7@aol.com writes:
I Will Not Violate My Constitutional Rights. I Pledge to Boycott Arizona.
Good, you are exactly the kind of criminal supporting people Arizona doesn’t want soiling their state.
Somehow that seems illogical…
RE:Bride Price Should Reign Bride price is a long traditional practice which needs to be maintained. The code of Hammurabi mentions bride price in various laws as an established custom. It is not the payment of the bride price that is prescribed, but the regulation of various aspects:
a man who paid the bride price but looked for another bride would not get a refund, but he would if the father of the bride refused the match. if a wife died without sons, her father was entitled to the return of her dowry, minus the value of the bride price. The Hebrew Bible mentions the practice of paying a bride price to the father of a minor girl. The practice of the bride price is referred to in the Bible, in the Old Testament: Exodus 22: 16-17 says:
If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins. Similarly, from the Islamic perspective, Saadak (Mahr) is paid to the bride. So bride price is both religious and cultural. It has a number of advantages, which should not over look. Just to mention the obvious one, it strenghens and stabilises marriege in addition to being a token of appreciation to the parents of the girl for the pain they went through to bring up their daughter. I imagine a situation where bride price is abolished, I believe divorce and breaking of marrieges are most likely to increase. Many argue that bride price makes women look like properties owned by men. But I believe marriege has to with what in my philosophy is for a man to extend all love to his wife and never attemt to understand what a woman is and the woman to extend her little love to a man and try to understand who her husband is. I believe this is important in marriege in my opinion. Sultan
*By Hillary Nsambu*
THE Constitutional Court has rejected a petition to abolish bride price in Uganda. The petitioners of a Tororo-based lobby group, who were represented by 13 people, including a Roman Catholic priest, had asked the court to abolish bride price, commonly known as dowry, arguing that it was degrading and caused domestic violence.
Through Rwakafuzi and Company Advocates, the petitioners said the abolition of the practice would protect women from being turned into property.
However, with a four to one majority judgment, the court ruled that the petitioners did not bring any scientific evidence to prove the connection between bride price and domestic violence.
Only judge Amos Twinomujuni agreed with the petitioners. Those who dismissed it were Laetitia Kikonyogo, who is also the Deputy Chief Justice, Alice Mpagi Bahigeine, Constance Byamugisha and Steven Kavuma.
Twinomujuni ruled that the practice of bride price violates all the constitutional provisions to give protection to women. He also argued that the practice no longer serves any useful purpose in society. “It has now become purely commercialised, highly exploitive and humiliating to women.”
No need to cover it. Best regards, Ayaz Gul
Dear All,
The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) will hold a Press Briefing on “FAFEN’s Proposals for Election-Related Constitutional Reforms” on schedule given below.
Venue: Sheesh Mehal Hall, Holiday Inn Islamabad
Day: Saturday
Time: 4:00 pm
The briefing will be addressed by FAFEN’s EC Members. Civil Society activists and some parliamentarians will participate in the briefing.
You are requested to kindly depute your staffers to cover this event. Your cooperation will be highly appreciated.
Thanks and regards,
Rashid Chaudhry
Rashid Chaudhry
Program Officer
Free and Fair Election Network
House 224, Margalla Raod
F-10/3 Islamabad
Tel: 051-2211026
Fax: 051-2211047
Cell: 0302-8110511
Email: rashid.ch@fafen.org
Website: www.fafen.org
Pojim:
Mr Salim Lone quit long ago. It is Miguna Miguna, a former Secretary General of SONU.
Yes, Mr. Wako is accused of not acting enough given his stellar credentials before he became AG. But those qualities have served him well. The funny thing is that he is about to finally midwife a new constitution and that will be his legacy. Once the referendum is done and the Constitution enacted he may feel satisfied to go home to Busia. But who knows, he may be appointed a Court of Appeal Judge.
The good thing about Kenya politics is continuity. Those folks know each other pretty well.
Mr. Mutula Kilonzo is already Minister of Justice so he will stay there and that may rule out the Kamba fellow. Ah, Kenya.
PM Odinga left for Japan after suspending ministers and being reversed.
WBK
WBK;
I think that the Raila adviser you meant to refer to is Magina Magina, a former journalist. He and my former boss at the UN, Salim Lone (the Asian Kenyan who is always by Raila’s side), are highly experienced, clear-headed journalists. But, they are not political animals, and that may be why Raila got it wrong, this time. But WBK, Amos Wako’s personae has rubbed Kenyans the wrong way for a long time. Whenever he’s called upon to offer legal advice at critical moments, he chooses to wait out the storm and come up with a legal opinion that legitimatizes a political decision. As for his replacement, politically speaking, Kilonzo Mutula (Kamba) would be more preferable to Martha Karua for PNU to chop away from Agnes Ngilu’s wings. The other names you mentioned have little political influence, for now. Pojim Sent: Mon, February 15, 2010 12:13:34 PM
Pojim:
No, AG Wako’s temperament is actually similar to president Kibaki’s: that is how both have survived. Now here is another fact, former Minister Okemo a Mukhayo like AG Wako is in Ruto’s camp. My take is that AG Wako will weather the storm because he did not create it. The culprit is PM Raila’s hyperactive legal advisor Mr Miguna Miguna.
The names bundled out if Mr. Wako were to go include Mr. Willy Mutunga (Kamba) The current SG Mr Wanjuki Muchemi from Nyeri-something Mr Kibaki would not want to do, Mr. Lee Muthoga also from Nyeri, the very able Deputy Solicitor General Ms Muthoni Kimani, and Dr Gibson Kamau Kuria who is from Othaya.
Hon Karua is not predictable which is not good in Kenya ‘s ever colorful politics.
PM Raila should not escalate the conflict. He should try to mend fences although in Kenya ‘s ethnicized politics that is not easy to do. But he is a very rich man thanks to his alliances with Mr. Moi.
Since yesterday my e-mail has been full with emails from Kenyans of all sorts. Apparently they think I am Kenyan!
WBK
WBK;
I don’t think Amos Wako is indispensable. Firstly, he’s a civil servant, and secondly, a hold-over from the Moi era. Most importantly, his cautious temperament in this previously loud and constitutionally sensitive position, has created the impression that he is a coward and incompetent. As such, I think his replacement has negligible effect in the country as a whole, and Western Kenya in particular. Besides, with Wako out, Kibaki gets an immense opportunity to reach out to Martha Karua and retain the loyalty of her followers. That way, Kibaki neutralizes Karua’s presidential ambition, and at the same time reach out to women voters. Let’s stay tuned here, for the Raila I know won’t go down quietly. Pojim
Sent: Mon, February 15, 2010 10:46:45 AM
Pojim:
AG Wako will stay put because his departure would create problems for President Kibaki in terms of who to replce him. Remember he is now one of the ministers from Busia District and being Kenya , people would demand that his replacement should be someone from Western region.
Therefore AG Wako may stay until 2012 and go home on his terms. Plus he has a bigger job coming up to midwife the new constitution. That will be his legacy. .
The lesson for Ugandan opposition and govt too is to get older and wiser legal advisors. President YKM has also used junior lawyers some out of law school. Not good enough.
PM Raila was put in this unfortunate situation by poor advice of his young lawyers. They may be academically smarter, but lack lived experience which counts for something.
In truth, the actions came from the blue and put the country on the edge for not good reason.
PM Raila had everything to gain by simply going into opposition and bid his time for 2012. The rest is now history. Remember because of Mr. Annan’s moves, there is no opposition in their bunge.
The fellow in Ukraine was smart to go into opposition and bid his time: he has now won it all to implement his policies.
WBK
Musisi Bosco;
Those quotes from Attorney-General Amos Wako tells us absolutely nothing. As chief government adviser, my friend Wako is poorly serving Kenya at such a critical moment when his counsel is urgently need. This power struggle has degenerated into a constitutional crisis partly because of Hon. Wako’s timid leadership style, and because of well-timed, shrewd political maneuvering by PNU that managed to upstage its divided partner, ODM. The chief loser this time around will be Raila Odinga, because he has sold his souls so often for immediate personal political gains that his lieutenants are tired of clearing the paths for him. And Wako, the sagacious survivalist, will finally be shown the door. Pojim
Sent: Mon, February 15, 2010 9:05:39 AM
BBC
Feed Date: 15.02.2010 Feed Time: 16:17:11
Keywords: AF1, KENYA, GOVERNMENT Language: English
WBK;
I don’t think Amos Wako is indispensable.
Firstly, he’s a civil servant, and secondly, a hold-over from the Moi era. Most importantly, his cautious temperament in this previously loud and constitutionally sensitive position, has created the impression that he is a coward and incompetent.
As such, I think his replacement has negligible effect in the country as a whole, and Western Kenya in particular. Besides, with Wako out, Kibaki gets an immense opportunity to reach out to Martha Karua and retain the loyalty of her followers. That way, Kibaki neutralizes Karua’s presidential ambition, and at the same time reach out to women voters.
Let’s stay tuned here, for the Raila I know won’t go down quietly.
Pojim