The World Environment Day- 5th June
From: odhiambo okecth
Friends,
I will be hosted at Radio Ramogi tomorrow at 8.00am in the morning and anyone who has access to a Radio can tune in. And today in the morning, Mr. Sam Okello- President of Sahel Publishing was hosted at Ramogi this morning and he discussed his new book- Luo Nation Rising. This is something we want to invite as many people to buy and read.
I bought my copy and Sam signed it off for me. Sam has been a great Friend to me and to KCDN and I am happy that he also Registered himself, his wife and his colleague as Members of Kimisho Community Development Network- KCDN when we met this morning.
The World will be celebrating the World Environment Day on the 5th June 2013. In Kenya, the main celebrations will be in Kisumu, while in Nairobi, in partnership with the Susan Owiyo Foundation, the Media, the Nairobi City County, the UNEP and many other partners, we will be hosting the Soko Bila Waste Initiative at the Wakulima Market.
KENYA: THE FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART AND THE APOSTLES OF JESUS CHARISM
From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
MONDAY, JUNE 3, 2013
Next Sunday I shall not have my homily. I shall be attending funeral of Joan Muganda on Saturday June 8, my long time family friend and pioneer of Ukwala Catholic Church in Siaya County, Kisumu Archdiocese. She was about 95 years old. She had made a wish last year at one of the memorial services in Ukwala that I shall be the one to bury her when she dies.
At the same time, I have decided to comment on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, for one reason that it is where our charism as members of the Missionary Institute of the Apostles of Jesus, The Good Shepherd is drawn. This charism encourages us young missionaries to love and endure suffering with our flock and be compassionate to them.
Compassionate implies action. It doesn’t ignore the problem or run away from our flock when they are in need. In Mark 1:41 Jesus is moved with compassion. The phrase “moved with compassion” means “stirred to action.”
Therefore, in taking “the good shepherd,” as our charism like Jesus as the members of the Apostles of Jesus missionaries we are to protect, guide, and nurtures the flock. They must always be under our watchful all the times. We do not run away from them in case of any danger.
Encouraged by the move of David who killed a lion and a bear while defending his father's flock as a shepherd boy (1 Samuel 17:36), as members of the Apostles it is our noble responsibility that we must tend to our flock, even to the extent of giving our lives in protecting the sheep.
This is precisely was the vision of our two Comboni missionaries’ founders, Bishop Sisto Mazzoldi and Fr Giovanni Marengoni. After having witnessed social and political upheaval in Sudan, Bishop Sisto Mazzoldi and Fr Giovanni Marengoni endured lots of suffering, yet they did not runaway from their flock. They were ready and willing to suffer with them.
Against the background that they were convinced that in order to survive and grow the Catholic Church in Africa they needed not only to found a congregation of its own native born clergy but also its own African missionary religious.
Even though this partly this conviction was inspired by the motto of the founder of their own Comboni Missionary Institute, Saint Daniele Comboni: “Saving Africa with Africans”, primarily their vision was to found the Institute of the Apostles of Jesus, Africa's very first institute of missionary religious, following the experience the bishop and the priests under went as missionaries in Sudan.
By being native priests and religious our founders were convinced we should be in a better place to understand and save Africa. The two were forcefully expelled from Sudan by the government authorities’ in1960s.
In 1964 the government of Sudan had fallen into the hands of Islamic extremists, expelled all Christian missionaries and Bishop Mazzoldi and Fr Marengoni crossed the border into northern Uganda. During the journey the two men had time to discuss future plans and agreed, near the town of Morulem in the diocese of Moroto, to work together to found a new Institute.
Their letter dated 16 August 1967 addressed to the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples in which they explained the pastoral plan was immediately approved following official communication to the Holy See, Cardinal Gregorio Pietro Agagianian, the then Prefect of Propaganda Fide.
When he contacted the Bishops of Uganda asking their opinion about the foundation of an Institute of Missionary Religious, the answer was positive and the bishops expressed their consensus to the Holy See. On 3 May 1968 Bishop Sisto Mazzoldi, Ordinary of the diocese of Moroto, received a letter from Cardinal Agagianian giving permission to found the Institute.
The letter read: “With this letter the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide, having considered the purpose of the Institute and heard the favourable opinion of the Ugandan Hierarchy, grants you the authority to issue a decree of approval for the Institute in question as well as all the necessary faculties to achieve this task”.
On 25 May 1968 Bishop Mazzoldi issued the decree declaring the purpose of the new Institute in three points: to evangelise; to strengthen the Church in mission lands; to help local Churches grow and become self-supporting.
This was the idea of founding the institute of the native Africans. The Congregation Propaganda Fide approved the Institute's Constitutions on 23 February 1970. The first seminary was opened on 22 August 1968 and that was the beginning of the new Institute.
Inspired by the same vision, later the visits to Africa of Paul VI and John Paul II would confirm the intuition of our founders. In 1969 on a visit to Uganda Paul VI said in his discourse in Kampala: “Africans, the time has come for you to be your own missionaries! You must carry on the work of building up the Church on this continent”.
In 1980 in Nairobi, Kenya John Paul II, encouraged the Apostles of Jesus at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, where our members prepared and served at the Holy Mass he celebrated there”. He urged: “Africans to be missionaries “not only in this country which is waiting for the Gospel, but further afield”. It can explain very well why today Apostles of Jesus missionaries have spread to Europe, Australia and USA.
Bishop Sisto Mazzoldi MCCJ (1898-1987) was born in Nago (Trent) 13 January 1898. He joined the Comboni Missionaries and at the age of 24 was ordained a priest. After a period of formation in the diocese of Trent he was sent on mission to Sudan, mainly to organise seminaries. He spent the next 57 years of his life in Africa.
In 1950 he was appointed Prefect Apostolic of Bahr el-Gebel, in Sudan. The following year he was ordained Bishop of Lamus. His activity from then on was to guide and found new dioceses and he helped found no less than four religious Congregations: two Lay Institutes (the Sisters of the Sacred Heart and St. Martin de Porres Brothers, respectively in 1953 and in 1954, in Sudan) and together with Fr Giovanni Marengoni, the Apostles of Jesus (1968) and the Evangelising Sisters of Mary, Missionaries, in 1977, both in Uganda.
For the Apostles of Jesus Mazzoldi himself, as Bishop of Moroto, approved the Constitutions examined by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. In 1980, at the end of his mandate, he stayed on as Bishop Emeritus of Moroto, where he died on 7 July 1987.
On the other hand, Fr Giovanni Marengoni MCCJ (1922-2007) had the charisma of the founder and the formator of consecrated persons. In his free time he worked in direct apostolate in parishes and for other religious institutes, organising retreats, spiritual exercises, spiritual formation courses, conferences and he administered the Sacraments.
Giovanni Marengoni was born at Trezzano Rosa, in the province of Milan, 18 January 1922. A novice in Venegono, where he made his first vows in 1940, he completed his formation in Verona, Rome and Rebbio. He was ordained a priest in 1946 and served as formator and professor at Rebbio Seminary.
In 1952 he was sent on mission to Sudan, where he stayed for 12 years (1952-1964), at first at the missions of Rejaf and Kadulé and later at Okaru, as Rector of the seminary. After a year as Superior of the scholasticate in Venegono, he set out for Uganda, where he served for three years at Gulu Cathedral parish and then in 1968, moved to Moroto for 13 years as formator and superior general of the Apostles of Jesus.
Fr Giovanni continued this responsibility (1978-1983) also when the Institute was transferred to Nairobi, in Kenya. In Uganda and in Kenya he spent his life nurturing the three Institutes he founded: the Apostles of Jesus, the Evangelising Sisters and the Contemplative Evangelisers.
After a sabbatical year in Rome (1985-1986), Fr Giovanni lived for 16 years in Rongai, Kenya (1988-2004). In November 2006 he was admitted to hospital in Milan, where he died at the age of 85 on 27 July 2007, only hours after celebrating Mass for the repose of the soul of the deceased Bishop Mazzoldi.
Since its foundation the Apostles of Jesus have had five General Superiors: 14 February 2008: Fr Speratus Kamanzi AJ (Tanzania) whose term is coming to an end next year 2014-2002 - 2008: Fr Augustine R. Njuu AJ (Tanzania); 1996 - 2002: Fr Silvester Ruwamukube AJ (Uganda): 1990 - 1996: Fr Thomas Oliha AJ (Sudan); 1984 - 1990: John Masawe AJ (Tanzania); 1968 - 1983: Fr Giovanni Marengoni MCCJ.
Apart from Europe, Australia and the United States of America, today there are more than 60 communities in 30 dioceses in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, South Africa, Botswana, and Ethiopia. There is also the Association of the Friends of the Institute (AFAJ) founded by Fr Giovanni Marengoni.
This is an association of lay people to live the charisma and spirituality of the Apostles of Jesus and to ensure spiritual support for the Institute. The AFAJ is an association of people of different states of life who strive to know, love and practice the gospel virtues and spirituality: diocesan priests and seminarians, religious, lay single people and married couples, who strive to engage in missionary activity, practice devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, live following the example of the Lord's first Apostles.
The association members pray and assist the Apostles of Jesus that they may be faithful to the religious life and vows of chastity, poverty and obedience and persevere in missionary and apostolic work.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole
Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002
Africa: AU turns 50
from: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2013
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole
Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002
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TIME AFRICANS TOOK THEMSELVES SERIOUSLY AS AU TURNS 50
STORY BY CHRISPIN ONYANGO-NAIROBI
In some part of History of Philosophy, there was a time when European Philosophers were convinced that the way in which they saw things was the only true one. When the first travelers and explorers came to Africa, they noticed that people were different from the Europeans in many ways, not only in their skin color, but also in the way they dealt with life.
This led European philosophers like G.F. Hegel to believe that Africans were irrational. Hegel, who relied on accounts from European explorers, maintained that Africans had no culture and therefore no reason, no religion and no history. He thought that they lived in a state of innocence, unconscious of themselves. Hegel’s ideas were supported by then French Anthropologist L. Levi – Bruhl.
He spoke of the ‘pre – logical mind’ of the Africans, similar to the mind of the small children. He divided human societies into two types: the civilized (Europe) and the primitive (Africa); or the healthy on one side, and the sick, savage and inferior on the other.
Later on the other hand in 1930 a Belgian Missionary working in Congo: the Franciscan Fr. Placid Tempels basing himself on his own observations wrote: “To declare that primitive peoples are completely lacking in logic, is simply to turn one’s back in reality.
Every day we are able to note that primitive peoples are by no means just children afflicted with a bizarre imagination.” He wrote for European readers and Missionaries. His famous book, Bantu Philosophy, was a kind of guide to understand the Bantu soul.
He explained that for the Bantu all beings – human, animal, vegetable and inanimate have their ‘vital force’. Among the created beings, the human being stands in the centre.
Tempels wanted to show that it was wrong to think of Africans as uncivilized and primitive, that their behavior was guided not by the absence of logic, but by the use of a complex logic, which differed from Western logic. Who, after all, has the right to believe that one’s own way of thinking is the only right way? Unfortunately, this was the attitude of the West for centuries.
African Philosophers such as D A Masolo and P. Hountondji made great efforts to liberate African intellectually from the West and to stand on her own feet. They were united in their struggle for a search of a true African identity, which of course varies according to the different cultures and traditions.
It is a struggle quite similar to the struggle for independence of Jomo Kenyatta, Kwame Nkrumah, Leopold Senghor and Julius Nyerere. As Hountondji says to Africas, “the time has come to take ourselves seriously”.
Our effort will be seen from our political, economic and social life. I f we make progress then our enemies from the West will respect us or else we shall remain at their mercy forever.
To achieve all these we need servant leaders not like our current Members of Parliament who are hungry for wealth. Gone are the days when Africans were seen as inferior to the Europeans.
Unfortunately, even many educated Africans have adopted this view of Africa as a primitive and uncivilized continent. They often look at their African mother tongue as inferior, and prefer to speak English, Italian, French, and German among other foreign languages.
It is Disheartening to see good people part from the world too quickly
from: Judy Miriga
Good People!
In this world, we are on a journey. There comes a day, we journey to our destination with one way ticket i.e. we travel with no return ticket from the world. When that time come, those in the world will forever miss their loved ones whose Spirit parted their bodies and have left the world. It only that those left in the world, shall only remember their loved ones not in physical but in spirit.
Our lives on earth is not permanent. I am sad that, those I knew, people of great responsibility have left this world too quickly. If I begin to count, they have gone so many and now the good responsible ones left are not many. I believe in Gods promises, that He is able to provide for us in every situation and circumstances ....... but we have a duty to live right with God.
Is there something we have done wrong to our God Almighty? God promised that His Spirit will always be with us; but how come I wonder....... Has God's Spirit left us? Our Loving father is Merciful and full of Grace. May He forgive us our sins and protect us from the enemy and against evil of our sins so that in our remaining days on earth, we enjoy unity and peace in God's love; sharing and caring for one another for goodness sake..... Shall we all therefore strive to make a commitment to leave this world better than we found it for goodness sake???
Good people, it is hard and sad to loose loved ones. I have lost a wonderful friend and a dear son.
May our Good Loving God Rest his Spirit in eternal Heavenly Kingdom.
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
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Opiyo Bilongo - Bi om pii dalawa.wmv
Uploaded on Jan 24, 2012
Opiyo Bilongo of Bilongo Golden Stars with Bi iom pii dalawa here. Here is a real Osito disciple pairing up with the likes of Ericko Chogo. Other songs in this Album of Nyako we Sanda include; Margaret Gati, and Nyako we Sanda itself.
Tobias Opiyo janyakach kadiang'a, formerly a solo guitarist in Nabi Kings of Osito Kale started his own band in the early 2000 and had been doing well through out. Bilongo also did songs like Ywak Debe Sauti Moja and Ang'o ma Ji Dwaro. He left Kenya for the USA after the death of John Otieno Ogile - Jakolando Wuod min Abonga. Teaming up with Ian nyathi otenga & the others, they did songs like Obama and others. Later, he came back to Kenya and has been teaming with Odhiambo Tusker in his hit songs, Florry Nyabondo, Cynthia, and Judy Atwech- Jirani.
Exploitation of African Natural Resources should deliver African share of global manufacturing
From: Juma Mzuri
Author: Dr. Antipas T. Massawe/0754653924/massaweantipas@hotmail.com
People and natural resources such as the renewable like fertile lands, lakes, rivers and oceans and the nonrenewable mineral resources like iron, copper, nickel, coal, oil and gas, diamonds, gemstones and rare earths have always been source of the seed capital, raw materials and the technologies involved in the manufacturing practice behind the sustainable processes of wealth creation most of the wealthiest economies worldwide are characterized with and should be source of the same for the African continent.
Despite of been one of the most gifted in terms of natural resources and manufacturing potentials, Africa is still the world’s poorest and most backward continent in its application of modern technologies and its share of global manufacturing is only 1 % and shrinking as its labour intensive made goods fail to compete with the imported goods which are more competitive in the local market because they are manufactured using modern technologies which are continuously modernizing.
Africa failed to enable realization of its huge manufacturing potentials because the individual going African countries are on in the foreign lead exploitation of there natural resources is not earning their Governments much of the revenue they deserved due to bad mineral policies, legislations and rampant corruption and/or professional incompetence among the Government officials responsible.
And, most of the little revenue African Governments earn here is not wisely invested in the development of the foundation infrastructures required to enable the countries to attract their deserved share of Global investing in manufacturing due faulty investment priorities, corruption and/or professional incompetence among the Government officials responsible. As a consequence, Africa remains a net exporter of raw materials cheaply and importer of manufactured goods costly when technological illiteracy, joblessness and poverty among its majority population escalate.
Even the exponential increases of Foreign Direct Investments experienced on the Continent in the past decade and reported by Elsabé Loots and Alain Kabundi didn’t earn the Continent deserved benefit because most were associated with the exploitation of nonrenewable mineral resources as raw materials like crude oil for export instead of local manufacturing.
Collaboration among African Countries is required to enable collective responsibility in ensuring they earn their deserved share of the wealth generated from exploitation of their natural resources for investing in the development of the foundation infrastructures required to enable the Continent attract its deserved share of Global investing in manufacturing and the modern technologies it is associated with by accomplishing as follows:
development of the All Africa Master Plan of integrated foundation of infrastructures which is required to make Africa attractive for the Global investing in manufacturing;
formulation of All Africa common mineral policies and legislations which are required to enable African countries to earn their deserved share of the wealth generated from exploitation of their natural resources;
development of the All Africa Master Plan of priority manufacturing potentials;
formulation of All Africa common policies and legislations which are required to encourage and enable individual African countries to invest the revenues they earn from exploitation of their natural resources in the development of the All Africa Master Plans of integrated foundation of infrastructures and/or priority manufacturing potentials;
formulation of All Africa common legislations which discourage exportation of raw materials which are essential in the development of the All Africa Master Plans of integrated foundation of infrastructures and/or priority manufacturing potentials or unprocessed.
The manufacturing growth potentials Africa is gifted with are one of the best among the countries sharing the Indian, Atlantic and Mediterranean Oceans and their coastlines in North and South America, Middle East and Asia. If their exploitation is well organized and managed, the Continent could become one of the leading manufacturers worldwide.
Africa is strategically located on the interface of world’s leading marine trade exchange between markets within
and around the Atlantic, Indian and Mediterranean Oceans and surrounded all around with very extensive coastlines and numerous sites which are suitable potentials for the development of marine ports to facilitate marine trade exchange between the main Global markets in Africa and within and around the three Oceans.
Africa is also one of the most gifted in terms of its favourable climate throughout the year, mineral resources, fertile lands, forests, freshwater bodies and potentials for fresh water dams construction, fresh and salt water fishing, hydro, coal, solar, wind, geothermal and nuclear power generation and a lot of other natural gifts of great importance in the development of a highly competitive African manufacturing economy.
The natural advantages Africa is gifted with over most of the rest worldwide plus its huge population of 1 billion in 2009 and which has a high growth rate of 3 % make it the ideal place for the ongoing raw materials of Africa based global manufacturing for markets within and around the Atlantic, Indian and Mediterranean Oceans.
Despite of being gifted with all what is required to turn the Continent into one of the leading players in the fisheries, agriculture, forestry and mineral resources based Global manufacturing, Africa is still one of the least manufacturing continent in the world and a net exporter of raw materials cheaply and importer of manufactured goods costly from foreign markets which are naturally less competitive for manufacturing investments compared to Africa.
Africa’s present share of global manufacturing is 1 % and shrinking as its labour intensive manufacturing going on in conditions of limited financing and unreliable and costly power supply and transportation of raw materials becomes uncompetitive in-front of the highly productive and cost effective modern technologies based global manufacturing going on in the foreign markets where financing is readily available and power supply and transportation of materials most reliable and cost effective worldwide.
Africa failed to secure its deserved share of global manufacturing because the individual going African countries are on in the exploitation of their natural resources has failed to enable them and their Continent into one of the most attractive for the modern technology based Global investing in manufacturing.
Africa failed because markets of individual African countries are too small and the individual going African countries are on in their uncoordinated foreign dominated exploitation of their natural resources like the nonrenewable mineral resources is not earning them their deserved share of the wealth generated due to bad mineral policies, legislations and rampant corruption and/or professional incompetence among the Government officials involved in the scrutiny and approval of mineral contracts which favour foreign explorers and miners at the expense of their own Governments and fellow citizens.
Again, rampant corruption and/or professional incompetence among the officials responsible in the management of Government revenue and its investing and the faulty and/or conflicting investment priorities most of the African countries are on in their individual going resulted into most of the little revenue individual African countries are earning from the foreign dominated exploitation of their nonrenewable minerals ending up in the pockets of corrupt individuals and most of the rest invested on faulty priorities other than in the development of a well harmonized and/or integrated foundation of infrastructures like transportation and power generation and transmission throughout the manufacturing and market potentials in all African countries.
Having all African manufacturing and marketing potentials well covered with reliable and cost effective networks of materials transport and power generation and transmission is essential in the minimization of cost in African manufacturing and movement of materials throughout its fast growing population of more than 1 billion and enable it to realize its natural competitiveness for Global investing in manufacturing.
Lack of the foundation infrastructures required to enable Africa to realize its natural competitiveness for Global investing in manufacturing is what forced countries on the Continent to remain net exporters of unprocessed raw materials cheaply and importers of the manufactured goods they consume costly. This is bad because Africa earns just a mere fraction of the natural wealth inherent in its exports of unprocessed raw materials and as it imports the manufactured goods costly, the Continent continues sinking deep into poverty as earnings from unprocessed raw materials exported cheaply remain insufficient to finance the importation of all essential goods costly.
As a net exporter of raw materials and importer of manufactured goods, the Continent also continues sinking deep into technological backwardness and become more and more unproductive and poorer, as it fails to secure application of modern technologies in local manufacturing; as its natural resources like the nonrenewable mineral resources continue been drained away cheaply by foreigners; and as its hydropower generation potentials like the Grand Inga and the Stigler’s hydropower generation potentials in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania continue draining as waste into the Atlantic and Indian Oceans when acute shortage of power supply is such a huge hindrance of development on the Continent.
Even though, Africa is still rescue-able because the huge natural wealth still in its possession in the form of natural resources like nonrenewable mineral resources and power generation potentials is a lot more than required to finance development of the integrated foundation of infrastructures which is required to enable the Continent realize its natural competitiveness for Global investing in manufacturing.
Rescue of Africa requires African Governments to decide and pass resolution that their individual policies and legislations which are involved should be reviewed and harmonized to effect common strategies and African collaboration in the exploitation of the wealth inherent in natural resources like nonrenewable mineral resources and power generation potentials within individual African countries in order to ensure African countries earn their deserved share of the wealth generated and investing it wisely in the development of the All African Integrated foundation of infrastructures like transport and power generation and transmission which are required to enable Africa realize its natural competitiveness for global investing in manufacturing and reverse trend in which Africa is a net exporter of unprocessed raw materials cheaply and importer of manufactured goods costly.
Idea is to enable individual African countries to overcome their chronic dependence on developed nations (especially the former colonial masters) for aid, which is often tied up with condition that individual African countries should adopt policies and legislations which discourage collaboration among themselves in favour of the collaboration of individual African countries with the developed donor nations in the management and exploitation of their natural resources in which African countries will remain net exporters of raw materials to the former colonial masters cheaply and importers of manufactured goods from the same costly.
Objectives of African collaboration are:
to enable African countries to formulate and dictate All Africa common terms in their collaboration with non African countries in the management and exploitation of natural resources on the Continent and establish a win-win situation in which African countries will earn their deserved share of the wealth inherent in their natural resources;
to formulate the common All Africa Master plan of integrated foundation of infrastructures like in transportation, power generation and transmission and water supply which are required to enable the continent realize its natural competitiveness for Global investing in manufacturing;
to identify priority manufacturing potentials like in fisheries, agriculture, forestry and mineral resources in all African countries and formulate the All Africa Master Plan of priority manufacturing potentials and promote it for Global investing;
to formulate African common policies and legislations required to ensure individual African countries earn their deserved share of the wealth inherent in their natural resources like nonrenewable mineral resources and discourage exportation of raw materials in favour of importation of Global investing in manufacturing;
to formulate guidelines for encouraging and enabling individual African countries to invest the revenues they earn from exploitation of their natural resources in the development of the All Africa Master plans of integrated foundation of infrastructures and priority manufacturing potentials anywhere on the Continent, provided that new developments and their capacities won’t compromise the market shares of developments already on ground and cause underutilization of costly African infrastructures and manufacturing facilities already on ground due to;
to establish and adopt common measures against corrupt practices in the doing of business on the Continent;
to enable African countries to invest in the development of economic growth potentials anywhere on the continent and secure their deserved shares of Global investing for manufacturing and benefit from the modernizing technologies and job opportunities inherent in Global investing for manufacturing.
Aim is to achieve the collective responsibility of all African Governments in ensuring that exploitation of natural resources like nonrenewable mineral resources within individual countries on the Continent earns them their deserved shares of the revenues generated for investing in the development of the All Africa Master plans of integrated foundation of infrastructures and priority manufacturing potentials anywhere on the Continent to reverse trend in which the Continent is a net exporter of raw materials cheaply and importer of manufactured goods costly.
KENYA & WORLD: PRESS DAY MARKED AS TWO JOURNALISTS RECEIVE DEATH THREATS
From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2013
Today is World Press Freedom Day. Although the day gives people the chance to pay tribute to media professionals who risked or lost their lives in the line of duty, in Kenya as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports-Kenya: 2013 - Committee to Protect Journalists, the day is marked at the time two investigative journalists have received death threats.
Mohammed Ali and John-Allan Namu, investigative journalists from the private KTN television network received threats from anonymous callers and via social networking sites on Wednesday, according to Namu and Willis Angira, associate producer for KTN.
David Ohito, news editor of The Standard, which is also affiliated with KTN, told CPJ that the threats were linked to an investigative story aired on KTN two weeks ago, called "Inside Story: Death in Ten Minutes" that suggested foul play in a helicopter crash that killed former Interior Minister George Saitoti.
It is also being celebrated at the time police were also implicated in the January 2009 murder of Weekly Citizen journalist Francis Nyaruri, shortly after he investigated corruption within the police department.
Nyaruri was brutally murdered in western Kenya in January 2009 while investigating suspected corruption in a police construction project. The investigation has not yielded arrests to date.
Just recently a correspondent for The Star daily newspaper was found dead Sunday morning in his house in the coastal city of Mombasa. A housemate found reporter Bernard Wesonga with blood on his nose and mouth at around 11:30 a.m. according to Star Deputy Editor Charles Kerich.
Local journalists said Wesonga, 27, was with friends at a local pub in Mombasa Saturday night, leaving around 10 p.m. Wesonga had told friends he recently received anonymous threats via text message in connection with a story that described allegations of unlawful shipment and sale of fertilizer that had exceeded its expiration date. Authorities have not established a cause of death.
Against the background that on Saturday, March 9, 2013, US President Barack Obama made a statement in a gala for journalists in Washington that appeared to suggest that Kenya is not a safe destination for foreign correspondents.
"They've risked everything to bring us stories from places like Syria and Kenya, stories that need to be told," he said. Syria is currently in the midst of a bloody civil war that was started on the pretext of removing its dictatorial ruler Assad from power. The conflict in Syria has killed more than 70,000 people.
The period following the Kenya's last presidential elections in 2007 was marred by widespread ethnic violence. Over a thousand people were killed. Kenya's journalists, especially those working independently, found themselves the targets of public anger, police intolerance and political fury. Many were threatened, injured, attacked and had equipment damaged or taken.
In Nairobi the day will be marked with two key celebrations:
1)The regional journalists convention - Second Annual Journalism Excellence Awards (AJEA) Gala, an event that seeks to acknowledge, identify and promote excellence in media in Kenya
2) The Executive Council meeting of World Association of Press Councils (WAPC, which will draw participants of press councils from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Somalia Burundi, Zimbabwe, Turkey, Nepal, the United States of America, Pakistan, India, Malawi, and North Cyprus among others.
These events will focus on safety and protection of journalists and encourage Development Journalism in Kenya in respect to Vision 2030.
Each year since 1997, the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is awarded to honor the work of an individual or an organization defending or promoting freedom of expression, especially if it puts the individual’s life at risk.
The award is named after a journalist murdered in 1986 after denouncing drug barons. Last year it was awarded posthumously to a Russian investigative reporter who was murdered in a contract-style killing in 2006.
Established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1993 as an outgrowth of the Seminar on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press, World Press Freedom Day has only been celebrated since 1993. This seminar took place in Namibia in 1991 and led to the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration on Promoting Independent and Pluralistic Media.
It has much deeper roots in the United Nations, Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration on Human Rights which states that everyone “has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers".
The Windhoek Declaration called to establish, maintain and foster an independent, pluralistic and free press. It emphasized the importance of a free press for developing and maintaining democracy in a nation, and for economic development. World Press Freedom Day is celebrated annually on May 3, the date on which the Windhoek Declaration was adopted.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole
Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002
KENYA: LABOUR DAY CELEBRATED AS MIDDLE CLASS KENYANS EXPLOITED
from: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013
Today is Labour Day. The Google doodle has marked the day by showing men at work creating building blocks. It shows workers from all walks of life doing their jobs. It shows an IT worker, a gardener, a painter and a plumber. A chopper is also hovering around its blocks.
Although the day is meant to celebrate the economic and social contributions of the workers, in many countries workers are exploited, working many hours with little wages. In Kenya, despite the attempts by workers to walk out during the President’s speech over his failure to set new guidelines on minimum wages has not seen any change.
The minimum wage for workers in the industrial sector was last raised in 2006 when it went up from Sh4,817 to Sh5,395. The amount for agriculture workers is Sh5,346.
In recent months, the cost of basic commodities has gone up significantly partly due to inflation, the effects of post-election violence and the rise in the price of fuel globally.
In his speech, the President always rule out a pay increase, saying the challenge we are facing is in Kenya is immense. The President’s explanations have however, not go down well with the workers.
The day is being celebrated at the time Kenya’s approach to food pricing emanating from grain pricing and imposition of taxes on basic grains like wheat which Kenya is not self sufficient.
For several years now, despite rising international prices and declining local production, Kenya has maintained taxes on imported grain against pleas of consumers – which invariably drives up the costs.
In Kenya we don’t grow enough to meet the local consumption needs and yet they all attract very high duties – made worse by global price increases due to constrained supply in the source markets.
Yet government of Kenya has not managed to provide tax relief on the importation of basic commodities and raw materials that are needed by industry. The government has also failed to consider taking measures to reduce the cost of fuel which has tremendously gone up over the past few months thus increasing the cost of living in the country.
Fuel prices can only go down when the reduction of tax charged on fuel, reworking of the formula used to come up with fuel pricing and measures that will ensure that the country has strategic reserves of fuel stock that can serve the country for at least 90 days at any given time thus preventing ‘shock prices among others.
When the government fails to take these measures then the situation will continue to deteriorate even further, then, many businesses will have no otherwise but either to relocate to other destinations that offer lower cost of doing business or completely close down their operations.
The situation in Kenya is so worrying to the extent that even musicians have used their lyrics to plead with Kenya government to look into the matter urgently. One of such musicians is Odhiambo Osumba Rateng with his hit: Baba Otonglo aka Baba Penny.
The music talks of an erstwhile rich man who has hit upon hard times, clears his throat and gathers a sheaf of papers ready to deliver his anticipated domestic budget.
As his large polygamous family listens attentively, Baba Otinglo points out that since the previous financial year had put a squeeze on the shilling, there was need for austerity measures to survive the slump during the next year.
He, therefore, proposes that from then on meals like beef, chicken and fish would only be eaten twice in 30 days” mid month and end month. Breakfast would invariably consist of strong black tea with one spoonful of sugar or uji, without luxuries like milk, bread and eggs.
Due to high cost of living, Baba Otonglo emphasises with a tinge of sarcasm, even the neighbour is still alive despite not eating such foods. As for chapati and rice, these would be reserved for Easter and Christmas.
Boiled sukuma wiki from Soko Mjinga would be the meal of choice. More importantly, everybody would be expected to eat meals at the same time, as it is expensive to keep food for those who come late. And only bar soaps would be used for bathing, not the many luxury brands hitherto at the family’s disposal.
There would also be reforms in the management of visitors. Ideally visitors are officially banned from the house. But should any turn up without notice, they would be expected to carry their own bus fare and bedding.
Also prohibited would be neighbours who have formed the habit of asking for small quantities of items like flour, cooking oil and matchsticks, with false promises that they would replenish the supplies.
It was a song that brought him and his Sega Sega Band fame, fortune and, inevitably, trouble. Initially, says Osumba, it received sufficient airplay on the Voice of Kenya (VoK) radio. But things soon turned sour and the political class, sensitive to any form of criticism and ready to censure artistic expression at the slightest excuse, apparently ordered the national broadcaster to stop playing the song.
Osumba then got into more trouble when in the flurry of media attention, a journalist convinced him to pose with a briefcase, in the manner of the Finance Minister’s pre-budget posture. When the photograph was published it rubbed some powerful people the wrong way.
Four policemen came to his house in Baba Dogo Estate, Nairobi, and arrested him. They accused him of criticizing the Government and composing a song that incited people.
In Kenya that is normal, anything that tries to criticize the government for its failure and evils are called incitements or hate speech. The best example is the controversial play by Butere Girls High School Drama Club: “The shackle of Doom”. The play, although talked of nepotism and an equal distribution of wealth, it was termed political.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole
Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002
Kenya: Celebrating the life of David Osiany Okuta
from: odhiambo okecth
Dear Friends,
We are inviting Jokanyanam duto to accord Japuonj David Osiany Okuta his last respects tomorrow with dignity and decorum.
Japuonj Okuta was a well respected Trade Unionist who headed the Kenya National Union of Teachers and his burial will be attended by Moluor Raila Amolo Odinga, Ker Uhuru Kenyatta, Jalup Ker William Ruto, Moluor Kalonzo Musyoka kod many other dignitaries from across the World.
To help us honour Japuonj Okuta, let us show respect to all our guests and show them our other side. Let us show the whole World that the Luo are a peace loving people and even as we mourn, as painful as death has always been, that we rest all in the able hands of our Lord the Almighty.
May Japuonj Okuta rest well for us and our progeny and may we all celebrate his life with love. We at The Clean Africa Campaign are in solidarity with the Family at this moment in time. May the good Lord rest his soul in eternal peace.
Peace and blessings as we work for a Clean Kenya, a Clean Africa and a Better World.
Odhiambo T Oketch,
Executive Director,
The Clean Africa Campaign-TCAC.
Tel; +254 724 365 557
mailto:oto@kcdnkenya.org
http://kcdnkomarockswatch.blogspot.com/
http://www.kcdnkenya.org
KENYA: MY HOMILIY ON PALM SUNDAY
From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2013
There will be no network where I will be for mass tomorrow so I have decided to send my homily in advance.
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday. It commemorates the triumphal entrance of Christ into Jerusalem. Jesus chose to ride a donkey when he entered Jerusalem instead of a horse which was usually ridden by Kings. He chose the donkey to demonstrate his humility and to fulfill a prophecy in Zechariah 9:9:
“The Coming of Zion’s King Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey”.
Jesus thought of people he served dearly than himself because he practiced humility (Phil. 2:3). Jesus did not only put the well-being of others ahead of their own well-being (Phil. 2:4) but also wanted us to be ministers and servants instead of kings and princes (Matthew 20:25-28).
In other wards, what Jesus wants from us is to be servants instead of masters (Matthew 23:10-12). Jesus was not hypocrite. He always practiced what he preached and preached what he practiced.
Jesus walked on this earth with no place to lay his head, he walked on foot hundreds of miles to preach the gospel, he ate what his disciples ate, he stood in the background, did not advertise himself, he placed other interests above his own, he wrapped a towel around his waist and washed his disciples feet.
Jesus was moved with compassion when he saw crowds of people who did not know God, he was moved with compassion over the plight of an adulterous woman, a widowed bereaved woman whose only son had died, a Samaritan immoral woman, Mary a demon possessed sinful woman, a lying thieving tax collector.
Jesus lived for others, not for himself or his comfort. Many times he was interrupted by crowds on his way to prayer and he took time to give them the good news. He taught his disciples that whoever wanted to be great must be the servant of all, if anyone wanted to be first he must be the slave of all.
Though the word of God gave him the right to be supported financially and fed through his ministry, he gave up this right and worked and toiled and even helped others with his sweat. Instead of walking on a red carpet he decided to walk on palm branches placed in his path, before his arrest on Holy Thursday and Crucifixion on Good Friday.
He gave an example of two men who went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.'
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other, for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted." (Luke 18:10-14)
And when the hour came for him to dine at table with his Apostles he took the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide among you”. And he took bread, he gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them saying, “This is my body given for you, do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:14-23).
It demonstrates that Eucharistic celebration is not only a symbol of unity but also as one people of God should divide the little things we have as a community justly. In other wards we should not allow the seeds of tribalism and nepotism to be planted in us.
When we come together to celebrate the Eucharist we express who we are as Church. The liturgy, especially the Eucharist, "is the outstanding means whereby the faithful may express in their lives and manifest to others the mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church" (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 2).
Pope John Paul II explains the Roman Catholic position regarding intercommunion in his encyclical letter on ecumenism, That All May Be One. He says that Vatican II's Decree on Ecumenism (#22-23) "pointing out that the post-Reformation Communities lack that 'fullness of unity with us which should flow from Baptism.
He observes that 'especially because of the lack of the Sacrament of Orders they have not preserved the genuine and total reality of the Eucharistic mystery,' even though 'when they commemorate the Lord's Death and Resurrection in the Holy Supper, they profess that it signifies life in communion with Christ and they await his coming in glory' (#67).
We see these seeds of tribalism and nepotism planted among early Christians (Acts 6). “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food”.
So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. These good leaders destroyed these seeds of tribalism and nepotism what was being planted in the people.
Those who did not want these seeds of tribalism and nepotism destroyed accused Stephen of insulting other tribes and so they tried to kill him all the times he condemned leaders who only favoured their tribes and relatives when it came the time of distribution of common cake.
Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.
Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law.
They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Condolence message:
On behalf of News Dispatch and my own I would like to send my condolences to the priests, Christians, religious, family and relatives of Bishop Akio Johnson Mutek, Bishop of Torit following his death at the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi on Sunday night and was laid to rest on Friday March 22, 2013.
Mutek who was also my college mate at Fordham University in Bronx, New York was rushed to the hospital in Juba in Nairobi as a result of serious kidney complications. Mgr. Mutek was 55 years old and had undergone two kidney transplants in India.
Mgr. Mutek was ordained a priest on December 18, 1988, and appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Torit on May 18, 1999. He was ordained a Bishop on August 15, 1999 and appointed Bishop of Torit on June 9, 2007. He worked closely with People for Peace in Africa, the organization I worked with for 13 years.
May Almighty God rest his soul into eternal peace-AMEN.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole
Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002
TRIBUTE TO ELIJAH BONYO MITTO “ BABU”
from: Obat Masira
Hi. Find here a poem to publish.
- AKECH OBAT MASIRA -
- - - - - - - - - - -
A POEM
A TRIBUTE IN MEMORY OF ELIJAH BONYO MITTO “ BABU”
“ BABU OUR PILLAR OF LOVE AND TOGETHERNESS”
(SAD GOSPEL SONG)
TODAY WE FEEL BITTERNESS
BITTERNESS IN OUR HEARTS AND FEEL BETRAYED
AND TEARS ROLLING DOWN OUR CHEEKS FREELY
AND OUR HEARTS TORTURED GREATLY
FOR BECAUSE BAY
OUR PILLAR OF LOVE AND TOGETHERNESS
IS NO MORE
OUR HEARTS BETRAYED WITH PAIN AND EMPTINESS
VILE PASSIONS, PASSIONS WITH PAIN AND EMPTINESS
BABU, ELIJAH BONYO, THE GREAT CHIEF OF SAKWA PEOPLE
BABU, OKEW SAKWA.IDHI ADIERA WUOD PALA KOBON’G?
BABU OWADGI EDDY KOD SARAH ASURE
ARE YOU REALLY GONE? OR IS IT A SAD DREAM?
AND NEVER TO RETURN AGAIN?
WHO WILL BE PROUD OF US?
WHO WILL PLACE US AT THE CENTRE OF RESPECT?
OUR BOND OF LOVE AND TOGETHERNESS IS NO MORE
(HAPPY GOSPEL SONG)
BABU, OUR PILLAR OF LOVE AND TOGETHERNESS
WE WILL REMEMBER YOU FONDLY
DUE TO YOUR RARE ATTRIBUTES
YOUR MEMORIES AND EDDY OUR SISTER GONE BEFORE YOU
ARE SO ALIVE AND
WILL LIVE BEYOND YOUR GRAVES
BABU, YOU WERE SIMPLE AND YET SO GREAT
DHI GI KWE OSIEP MIKE SULE KOD MANDELA
BE IDHI ADIERA? KOSO EN LEK?
YOU LEFT SO EARLY BEFORE YOU COULD
REALIZE YOUR DREAMS
WHO SHALL REPAIR MY ELECTRICAL GADGETS?
(SAD GOSPEL SONGS)
WHERE SHALL WE GET SUCH RARE ATTRIBUTES/
BABU OUR CARING, LOVING AND OPEN HEARTEDNESS
WHY COULDN’T YOU SAY BYE….
YOUR PASSING ON HAS PRICKED OUR HEARTS
WITH SHARP SPEARS. SPEARS OF DEATH
OWADGI PETER OJOWI KOD EDWIN MANJI
KOD JOHN ARARA, OLAL MIRU!
BABU, IN LIFE YOU TOUCHED OUR HEARTS
NOT WITH WEALTH BUT HUMILITY
YOU COME NAKED INTO THIS WORLD
AND NOW NAKED YOU SHALL LEAVE IT PREMATURELY
NYAKWAR CHIEF ELIJAH BONYO OF SAKWA PEOPLE
YOU DIED IN MY HANDS JUST LIKE THAT
OSIEP WUON SLIM JA MAJENO IS GONE
NYASAYE OYUDHIE ELWETA MANA KAMAE?
(SAD GOSPEL SONG)
BABU, OUR PILLAR OF HAPPINESS, PILLAR OF LOVE,
PILLAR OF HARMONY AND PILLAR OF COMRADESHIP
WHAT A SAD END?
YOUR DEATH HAS REKINDLED YOUR GREATNESS
FOR YOU WERE DIFFERENT. YOU VALUED HUMANITY IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR SOCIAL STATUS
WE CHERISHED EVERY MOMENT OF
YOUR LIFE . MOSNA EDDY NYATHIWA
(SAD SONG)
BABU, OUR PILLAR OF LOVE AND TOGETHERNESS
IS GONE. ROLLING DOWN OUR CHEEKS
FOR YOU. ARE GONE AND NEVER TO RETURN
FAREWELL OUR BROTHER
BABU IDHI ADIERA?
OUR PILLAR OF LOVE AND TOGETHERNESS
IS NO MORE!!
END
(SAD SONG)
BY EUNICE ATIENO AND OBAT MASIRA
IN UYOMA KOBONG- PALA SCHOOL
22 ND MARCH 2013
TEL +254726164954
Africa must rise and shine
From: odhiambo okecth
Africa must rise and shine.
We must re-live the dreams of our fathers,
The men who fought for our Independence.
We must rise and make Africa shine.
For so long we have been a Dark Continent,
and now, we are increasingly becoming The Dirty Continent.
Dark and Dirty,
Yet,
We have Leaders, Leaders who have refused to Dream for Africa.
Our Fathers dreamt for Africa,
Even if their dreams were never realized.
They were dreams.
Do we have dreamers now?
How many of us are dreaming big dreams for Africa?
What with the immense opportunities waste and garbage is presenting us?
Africa must rise and shine,
And we must dream huge dreams for Africa.
Africa must stop being small and intimidated,
Rooming the World with huge begging bowls,
At a time when all wee need is discipline,
Financial discipline to help manage the huge mineral resources we have in Africa.
Africa has enough wealth for all of us,
But she does not have enough wealth for the greed of our leaders.
Routinely we troop to the ballot,
Only to elect thieves, pimps, drug pushers and charlatans,
For our leaders.
Africa must rise and shine,
And we must start respecting the huge human resource we have.
Let us start new dreams for Africa,
Dreams that will see us clean our Cities and Towns.
dreams that will see us see Waste as huge Investment Opportunities.
Dreams that will help clean Africa of ineptness and impunity,
And usher in hope and satisfaction.
We must re-live the shuttered dreams of our Fathers.
We must have our own new dreams for Africa,
Not dreams to entrench impunity, greed and tribalism.
Those are worthless Dreams.
Oto
Story: The Honest Abe
From: Junaid Tahir
We celebrate Abraham Lincoln's birthday (February 12), and we should. Lincoln was one of the few great men who really was great. Before he became president, Lincoln spent twenty years as an unsuccessful Illinois lawyer -- at least he was unsuccessful in financial terms. But when you measure the good he did, he was very rich indeed. Legends are often untrue, but Lincoln was the real thing. George Washington never chopped down a cherry tree, but Abraham Lincoln was honest. During his years as a lawyer, there were hundreds of documented examples of his honesty and decency.
For example, Lincoln did not like to charge people much who were as poor as he was. Once a man sent him twenty-five dollars, but Lincoln sent him back ten of it, saying he was being too generous.
He was known at times to convince his clients to settle their issue out of court, saving them a lot of money, and earning himself nothing.
An old woman in dire poverty, the widow of a Revolutionary soldier, was charged $200 for getting her $400 pension. Lincoln sued the pension agent and won the case for the old woman. He did not charge her for his services and, in fact, paid her hotel bill and gave her money to buy a ticket home!
He and his associate once prevented a con man from gaining possession of a tract of land owned by a mentally ill girl. The case took fifteen minutes. Lincoln's associate came to divide up their fee, but Lincoln reprimanded him. His associate argued that the girl's brother had agreed on the fee ahead of time, and he was completely satisfied.
"That may be," said Lincoln, "but I am not satisfied. That money comes out of the pocket of a poor, demented girl; and I would rather starve than swindle her in this manner. You return half the money at least, or I'll not take a cent of it as my share."
He was a fool, perhaps, by certain standards. He did not have much, and it was his own fault. But he was a good human being by anyone's standards and I'm glad we celebrate his birthday.
Honesty makes you feel good about yourself and creates trust in others. It improves your relationship with yourself and with others. It is not much in fashion these days to talk about the benefits of honesty and decency, but the benefits are there and they are valuable and worth the trouble.
Honesty. It may be corny, but it is the finest force for good in the world, and it always will be.
Do some honest good in the world
M Junaid Tahir
Read my Blog : http://paradigmwisdom.blogspot.com/
A GREAT KISUMU ACTOR DIES IN ENGLAND
From: Obat Masira
Kindly see the attachment
Obat Masira
THE LATE OSCAR OMONDI AWINO.jpg (image/jpeg) 134K
THE LATE OSCAR OMONDI AWINO 1.jpg (image/jpeg) 181K
THE LATE OSCAR OMONDI AWINO 2.jpg (image/jpeg) 136K
THE LATE OSCAR OMONDI AWINO 3.jpg (image/jpeg) 92K
THE LATE OSCAR OMONDI AWINO 4.jpg (image/jpeg) 90K
THE LATE OSCAR OMONDI AWINO 5.jpg (image/jpeg) 133K
THE LATE OSCAR OMONDI AWINO 6.jpg (image/jpeg) 119K
THE LATE OSCAR OMONDI AWINO 7.jpg (image/jpeg) 105K
Condolences: The Late Fred Osodo
From: AKR|Association of Kenyans Living in Rwanda
Fellow Kenyan,
Happy New Year.
It is with sorrow and grief that I notify you of the demise of Fred Osodo.
Fred passed on, on the 30th December 2012 at his rural home in Rusinga after he was stabbed to death by a neighbour when he intervened in a quarrel between his brother and the neighbour's son. Peacemaker turned victim.
Until his death, Fred worked in Kigali with Karisimbi Business Partners as a Financial Analyst and was a member of AKR.
He will be laid to rest on Sunday January 13th 2013 at his rural home in Rusinga.
Friends are meeting daily starting today 7th January 2013 from 6.00 pm at Foeyes Premier Hotel for funeral arrangements. There will be a fundraising on Wednesday 9th January 2013 at Foeyes from 6 pm.
Find attached the photo of our departed brother Fred.
May his soul rest in eternal Peace.
Kind regards,
Carol
Kenya: LATE MAMA KRISTINA ODING OUKO ARRIVES AT HOME FOR FINAL SEND OFF
From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2012
Late mama Kristina Oding Ouko has been removed from Dr Omboga Mortuary Nyamira Hospital to her home Miruka Masamro village. Holy mass begins at 5pm presided over by Rev Fr Frederick Otieno Osin, AJ, Regional Superior-Kenya Region assisted by Fr Joseph Okech, AJ. Tomorrow’s mass will be presided over by Vicar General, Homa Bay Catholic Diocese on behalf of Bishop Philip Anyolo.
Condolences continue to come in from Bishop John Oballa of the Catholic Diocese of Ngong, Fr Joseph Healey, MM, Fr Augustine Njuu, AJ, USA, Fr Denis Morosso, AJ, USA, Fr John Loboka, AJ, Councilor in-charge of Education and formation, Fr Aloysius Bukenya, AJ, Rector, Scholasticate-Langata, Fr Ben Vincent Awongo, AJ, Fr Gerry Mooij, Mill Hill Missionaries, Kisumu, Peres Were, Domitila Ayot, JPII, Amos Ochieng, JPII, Martin Meritim, JPII, Mr Joseph Ngala, PPA Director, Nyabonyi Kazungu, USA, Denis Radak, Felix Kasomo, Fidelis Damana, Maurice Oduor and Emily Omudho among others.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole
Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002
Kenya & Rwanda: JAMHURI DAY AND END OF YEAR CELEBRATIONS
From: AKR|Association of Kenyans Living in Rwanda
Dear Fellow Kenyan,
Compliments of the season.
AKR, in conjunction with the Kenya High Commission, is planning to host Jamhuri day celebrations and end of year party. Watch this space for further details in due course of next week.
During the event, we shall have a leading property agent from Kenya present on the opportunities available back home, to prepare you to scout for investments as you join your family and friends back in Kenya for the xmas holiday.
Carol
WORLD: INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
From: Ouko joachim omolo
Voices of Justice for Peace
Regional News
BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2012
Today is Sunday November 25, 2012, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. For Roman Catholic it is the feast of Christ the King. The Day for the Elimination of violence against women has been officially recognised by the United Nations since 1999. Attached images demonstrate horrible faces of some of the assaulted women around the world.
Women's activists have marked 25 November as a day against violence since 1981. This date came from the brutal assassination in 1960, of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, on orders of Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).
On 20 December 1993 the General Assembly, by resolution 48/104, adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women. NGOs, faith groups and women's groups are especially active in the Day, pressing government to take concrete action.
The Secretary-General of the UN, Ban Ki Moon in his statement describes how millions of women and girls around the world are assaulted, beaten, raped, mutilated or even murdered in what constitutes appalling violations of their human rights.
From battlefield to home, on the streets, at school, in the workplace or in their community, up to 70 per cent of women experience physical or sexual violence at some point in their lifetime. As many as a quarter of all pregnant women are affected. All too often, perpetrators go unpunished. Women and girls are afraid to speak out because of a culture of impunity.
Some historians believe that the history of violence against women is tied to the history of women being viewed as property and a gender role assigned to be subservient to men and also other women.
Widows in particular are often confront a denial of inheritance and land rights, degrading and life-threatening mourning and burial rites and other forms of widow abuse. Some are evicted from their homes and physically abused – some even killed – even by members of their own family.
This happens because in many countries, a woman’s social status is inextricably linked to her husband’s, so that when her husband dies, a woman no longer has a place in society. To regain social status, widows are expected to marry one of their husband’s male relatives, sometimes unwillingly. That is why for many, the loss of a husband is only the first trauma in a long-term ordeal.
Yet still, in many countries, widowhood is stigmatized and seen as a source of shame. Widows are thought to be cursed in some cultures and are even associated with witchcraft. Such misconceptions can lead to widows being ostracized.
As a result children of widows are often affected, both emotionally and economically. Widowed mothers, now supporting their families alone, are forced to withdraw children from school and to rely on their labour.
Moreover, the daughters of widows may suffer multiple deprivations, increasing their vulnerability to abuse. Such cruelties are often seen as justified in terms of cultural or religious practice. It explains why even in countries where legal protection is more inclusive, widows suffer social marginalization.
In some communities widows are forced to be sexually cleansed, generally involving a widow having sexual relations either with a designated village cleanser or with a relative of her late husband.
It has traditionally been a way to break with the past and move forward—as well as an attempt to establish a family’s ownership of the husband’s property, including his wife. It does not matter whether the husband died of Aids or not.
In some communities where a group of widows are challenging the practice with help from church institutions, especially in Western Kenya, even though they have refused to sleep with a cleanser, most of these women are traumatized.
Laws are not enough to change these conditions. India, for example, has a law dating back to 1956 that allows some women to inherit property from their fathers. Despite the law, women rarely inherit and are often unaware of their rights.
Many widows in traditional societies have no rights, or very limited rights, to inheritance or land ownership under customary and religious law. Without inheritance rights, including a lack of rights to the property of their birth family, widows find themselves financially insecure and totally dependent on the charity of their husbands’ relatives.
Poor nutrition, inadequate shelter and vulnerability to violence, combined with a lack of access to health care, can impact the physical and mental well-being of widows. The sexual and reproductive health needs of widows may go unaddressed, including the fact that widows are often the victims of rape.
Due to taboo and stigma associated with sexual violence, many cases of sexual abuse are not reported. Experiences of sexual and gender based violence like this were suffered on a massive extent in 2008 when Kenya faced the worst political crises since independence.
Yet still, domestic violence is often treated as a private matter, exempt from norms and laws that apply to stranger violence. Victims face stigma not associated with other crimes. Impunity emboldens perpetrators.
In conservative communities, Muslim women are often considered inferior to their husbands, possibly controlled or oppressed, and lacking opportunities that would give them their own personal sense of identity, all of which adds to the complicated nature of unearthing and obtaining remedies for domestic violence.
Many Muslim women are required to wear a veil, hijab or burga. In Iran a woman who is unveiled in public could be fined or put in jail. This is because domestic violence is considered to be a problem in Muslim-majority cultures.
Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded; and (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them; then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them; surely Allah is High, Great.
According to 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Article 10 provides that States must take measures to ensure women’s equal rights with men to education.
Among the provisions of Article 12 is the requirement to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of health care in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, access to health-care services, including those related to family planning. Article 16 requires States Parties to eliminate discrimination against women in the context of marriage and family relations.
The 1993 World Conference on Human Rights, Declaration and Programme of Action (‘Vienna Declaration’), Article 41 recognizes the importance of women’s right to enjoy the highest standard of physical and mental health throughout their life span. Throughout the document there are significant statements relating to women’s human rights and violence against women.
Still, 1993 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, Article 4 calls on States to condemn violence against women and not invoke any custom, tradition or religious consideration to avoid their obligations with respect to its elimination. States should pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating violence against women.
1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), Programme of Action, Article C, Chapter 7 addresses sexually transmitted diseases and the prevention of HIV from the perspective of women’s vulnerability to the epidemic, setting out key recommendations for addressing HIV through reproductive health services.
1995 Fourth World Conference on Women (‘Beijing’), Declaration and Platform for Action, Strategic Objective C.3 is to “Undertake gender-sensitive initiatives that address sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health issues”.
2000 Millennium Declaration and Development Goals-Goal 3 calls on nations to “Promote gender equality and empower women” and Goal 6 is to “Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases”.
2001 UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on HIV/AIDS, Declaration of Commitment- Article 14 of the Declaration stresses “that gender equality and the empowerment of women are fundamental elements in the reduction of the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV/AIDS”.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
People for Peace in Africa
Tel +254-7350-14559/+254-722-623-578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Peaceful world is the greatest heritage That this generation can give to the generations To come- All of us have a role.
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HAPPY THANKS GIVING EVERYBODY..
From: Tebiti Oisaboke
GOO;
Thanks a hip for wishing us a happy Thanks Giving Day greetings. In addition to what you said, I would like to add that:
Being Thankful is appreciating what you have and had
Being Thankful is being repentfull for your wrong doings
Being Thankful is not being too big to say I am sorry
Being thankful is not being stubborn and set in your ways so much that you can not forgive
Being thankful is no being selfish
Being Thankful is giving thanks to the God Almight by doing unto others as you would like others to do to you.
Being thankful is showing love and compassion
Thanks all and I too would like to wish each and everyone of you a Happy, Peaceful and Restful Thanks Giving Day!!
TOI
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From: geoffrey osiemo
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2012 11:02 AM
Subject: HAPPY THANKS GIVING EVERYBODY..
I have been reflecting on what "Happy Thanks Giving" means for an American and by extension those of us who have come here as immigrants. Indeed in this land there is plenty to be thankful for. Then a quote from Carl Jung (a mystic) comes to mind:
That i feed the hungry,forgive an insult, and love my enemy...these are great virtues.
But what if i should discover that the poorest of the beggars and the most impudent of offenders are all within me, and that i stand in need of the alms of my own kindness; that i myself am the enemy who must be loved?
What then?
May we learn how to be loving by seeing how unloving we are.
Thanks.
GOO.