It takes a grave matter for Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi to lose his cool. You would if a cemetery threatened to bury your job.
As a normal human being you would be in order to bang tables, especially when a damning dossier is leaked to the press when the matter is still under investigation, and you've not been accorded a chance to give your side of the story.
You would be free to rave and rant (which Musalia didn't) when you had actually written to Head of the Civil Service Francis Muthaura, to take action against the suspected architects of the scam.
You would be forgiven for feeling like walking to Muthaura's office brandishing a meat cleaver, especially if, in your estimation, Bwana Muthaura was taking his sweet time to nail the suspects.
But Bwana Musalia, the last time I checked, nearly all the major big stories in this part of the world and elsewhere came to the knowledge of the public after being leaked to the press: Goldenberg, Anglo-Leasing, the latest maize scam, the Kanu-era presidential jet purchase and many more.
While one cannot rule out the possibility of the leakages being driven by political vendetta and not being entirely correct, they also happen because the press is seen as an institution seized with the responsibility of exposing social ills; especially in societies that harbour a deep mistrust of the officialdom.
While I appreciate Mr Mudavadi's discomfort and have no reason whatsoever to doubt his defence as presented in Parliament on Wednesday, I urge him to appreciate that these things happen when you assume a public office.
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If thoughts by some East African defence chiefs, officials from The East African Community Directorate of Peace and Security, EA Parliamentarians and a motley other officials see the light of the day, tanks could be rolling across borders to restore order in troubled EAC member states.
Very bright idea only that it could give certain politicians ideas. Ideas like stealing an election with the full assurance of your brother across the border that any eventualities would be no match against his tanks and helicopter gunships.
It could happen in spite of the elaborate modalities that will be developed to determine under what conditions such interventions can be made. Remember, politicians have rubbished treaties and protocols as worthless pieces of paper in the past.
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I hear PNU wants another retreat at Naivasha next week. Hopefully the MPs will succeed this time round. If they don't, they should foot their individual bills or wash dishes till kingdom come.
We can't be soaking up their expenses whenever they flap gums for days only to go back to Square A after "reaching a consensus."
And, do Naivasha resorts charge for meals not taken? Somebody needs to go through that Sh30 million bill they are slapping us with after MPs failed to show up for constitutional talks.

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