KENYA: IDLERS INVADE KISUMU GOVERNORS OFFICE.
By Chak Rachar
RESIDENTS of Kisumu County are up in arms against their Governor Jack Ranguma and her Deputy Ruth Odinga for allowing goons to invade their offices under the guise of dubious titles.
Some of the goons call themselves communication officers, assistants, transport officers and consultants together with security officers yet such titles do not exist in the devolved county government structure.
The idlers have been seen harassing visitors and asking dignitaries who they are, eye brows have now been raised by local people over the many individuals who have invaded the county offices with glee.
The idlers have been hovering around the offices and corridors of their offices under the guise of being their Personal Assistants, technocrats and advisers.
A spot check within the offices of the said duo shows that political rejectees’ and hoodlums, idlers, party activists and regular hanger on within the Lake side city who are usually a common site within the Lakeside City have found a safe haven in the corridors of the said duo’s offices where they idle and gossip at the visitors area as they read past editions of the newspapers.
The assigned workers are demoralized at the goings on there and have appealed to the authorities concerned to urgently look at the matter if the dignity and integrity of the governor is to be protected.
“We are unable to do our work in this office as this busy bodies and hanger on flocks these two offices under the guise of being the governor’s Personal Assistants, Consultant, Advisors, Sympathizers etc etc, we surely can’t work and its usually an eyesore in the eyes of the visitors when they come here as at times they usually trade insulting words in the full of the visitors, surely there is need for something done to be done “said a County employee who never wanted to be quoted.
The most notorious one is a former Councillor from Kajulu who goes with many titles as; Governor’s adviser, strategist, informer and head of Protocol who is said to be desperately looking for attention from the Governor and ends up causing embarrassing scenes for him.
Another eyesore at the said two offices is a one time correspondent with a daily newspaper who was sacked for ineptness The former corespondent portrays himself as a media consultant yet his employer ceased taking his stories after discovering that he could not even construct a single sentence in English.
He was initially in his home town of Awendo and his relocation to Kisumu was made possible by a senior editor who was recently sacked from The Standard newspapers Oketch Kendo.
Then there is a wife of one time luo MP who wears tight long trousers like an adolescent and swaggers her hips left ,right and centre as if on a seductive sprees plus other ten idle women who have thick make ups and use cheap perfumes which usually suffocates visitors to the Governor’s office.
The group which totals to almost twenty are said to be hiring private vehicles which the County idlers use to follow the two everywhere where they leave hell of destructions and embarrassments as witnessed in most formal and informal meetings where they always fight for free foods and beers to the chagrin of the meeting attendees.
“Its high time senility is brought in these two offices otherwise these hanger-on and busy bodies will create more and embarrassment to the two offices, how comes only in Kisumu is such a thing allowed, you can’t see the same in Mombasa,Eldoret or Nakuru” lamented one County Assembly Rep.
The situation is so bad that if not checked properly will make Kisumu County Governor’s office look like a social club and not a service delivery office.
What is amazing is that most of the goons are in one way or the other related to political rejects who lost at the last general elections.
Insects source of protein instead of meat are Signs of Difficult Times ahead is here with us – Play Smart and Be Wise
From: Judy Miriga
Good People,
Making a responsible good use in trading with Africa's wealth, resources, land and water should come with Fair Mutual economic advantages where politics and social amenities benefits with ethical responsibilities. We must beware of corporations who engage in secret hidden back door corrupt businesses. They are the reason there are organized police terrorism with careless killings in Kenya and the rest of Africa. This politicians conspiratorial behaving is insane and is without respecting or valuing Public Laws and Regulations demands; in which case, they hate the established Constitution because it comes with peoples mandated regulations, checks and balances for accountability.
Corporations of special interests play a bigger role to influence criminality in Africa and suppress Africas' development agenda for their personal gains. This is not right. It is stealing from the poor Africans, which is why, they engineered organized terrorism and careless human rights but terrorize and kill people all over Africa although we can do better uniting under peace.
We have seen how African states such like Liberia tells the story of some of mass exploitation, of the ecstasy of long struggle for complete independence and how total liberation is not easy.
We also have seen how the Head of World Bank and IMF sensationally admitted acting against poor Africa's interest. The World Bank and IMF institution demanded that life-saving grain/food from Africa should be used to make the repayment debts (I wonder if African people were consulted when these debts were formulated). But the question is, who incurred and consumed those debts and to whose interest or benefit?? Such like these questions are ripe for deliberations……which is why, stolen public money banked in foreign accounts must be returned, as Africans are already paying the debts in ways and means from hiked taxes which are cut from high costs of basic consumer needs with other utilities.
Therefore, that which is killing Africa, is a conspiracy between World Bank/IMF, Corporation and the corrupt African political leaders.
Is World Bank engaged in Stealing Africa's future??? Dr. Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank, has this to say:
“Land is life to farming communities around the world, but a global land grab is threatening to destroy families now and hold their countries’ futures to ransom”.
If this is true, the World Bank already has strong evidence that funding large land deals often makes life worse for the people displaced and fails to generate poverty reduction. Twice the Bank has acted to halt lending to specific sectors or countries. Now it is time for a full freeze on land grab funding.
We call on World Bank leader to act urgently to end the sell-off of the world's land to private companies and reallocate World Bank funds to projects that really do eradicate poverty and promotes fair Economic Progressive Development Agenda.........
These land deals steal Africa's future, there is no doubt. Corrupt or weak governments enable big investors to evict rightful landowners, land often lies idle, and many displaced communities lose their access to food and water. Public institutions, notably the World Bank, are at the heart of many such deals, and stopping them could set the stage for a freeze on all land grabs, which World Bank is unwilling to pursue……
The World Bank's new president has devoted his life to defeating poverty and next week he makes his global debut at the annual Bank meeting. This is our best chance to get the Bank to take a strong stand against the land robbery. Distribute this information, and forward this to your friends.
World Bank Should Be Blamed for Land Grabs in Africa and to fix the problem, World Bank with partners must cooperate for reasonable acceptable norm.
Even to the casual observer, it seems so easy to understand why the global land-grabbing phenomenon, which has seen vast tracts of African farmland bought up by foreign investors, has generated such sharp opposition. The displacement of local people, to make room mostly for export biofuel production, has obvious detrimental consequences for human rights and food security. But rather than condemn these land acquisitions, the World Bank has only lent credibility to them, suggesting that land deals can be "regulated" with measures mitigate adverse impacts.
How is it possible that something so grievous and obvious ? clearly bound to increase the vulnerability of the world’s poor ? can become legitimized by an institution tasked with alleviating poverty, is a sign that No One Cares for Africa......Aint This Situation Pathetic, will it not raise concern, wont people stand up for Justice to protect their rights ?
Opponents have largely framed the issue as a matter of corporate greed taking priority over local people’s rights to live honorably with dignity. But if Law is Just, how can drivers if impunity go this far deeper than injecting injustices of this magnitude without clear conscious raising concern. Where land grabs find their justification to steal from the poor, how do you justify wrong with good at the most fundamental level where livelihood and survival is at stake? Is the Global African Black Society’s united comfortable with accepting its fundamental potentiality value of Agriculture’s subordination to industry without fair Give and Take for exchange of goods and services to provide a balance? What is the good norm for living a happy life in sharing and at the end, everyone remain happy and satisfied?
This disparity is so deeply embedded in our global economy by others claiming it is their right to take RISKS by making others people's pain and suffering; their notable success and joy.....Are we playing fair.......that the pain of the poor is taken for granted and thus often ignored when culprit of injustices in in today’s living is causing Global food crisis???
The emergence of agriculture as an industry in itself marks the ultimate capture of agriculture by industry.
A better exchange here is fair sharing of Partnership for mutual gains.
But, MONOPOLY and GREED in the present Foreign investment by AFRICA LAND GRAB to sustain the own and control bio-fuels industry is part of a bad conspiracy theory and is terribly frightening. This trend This trend is causing shivers of bad signs of things fall apart in a near future with fears of food shortages that which will cause food prices to rise and those who cannot afford to purchase food from the rich will automatically have to die..........Is this the trend of life the world want?????
This automatically must give the poor reason to a "WAKE UP CALL" to stop giving away their land and that Africa must unite to take LEGAL ACTION to task and challenge their political corrupt leadership through BOTH THE LOCAL and THE INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE; where they divert local food production to save life and instead divert the same for FUEL PRODUCTION. This behavior is a serious violation of Human Rights and criminal in nature, violating all norms of International Treaty for Human Rights.....
When the rural poor Africa's communities are pushed off their land, all sorts of assumptions are made to justify how they will achieve food security to the local people which in turn, there are evidence to prove poverty has sky-rocketed and injustices rose above acceptable normal condition.
The World Bank, in its Principles for Responsible Agricultural Investment, states: "Whenever there are potential adverse effects on any of aspect of food security (availability, access, utilization or stability), policy-makers should make provisions for the local or directly affected populations certain such that … equivalent access to food is assured." ........ what action did they take to make sure this practise was complied with ???.......What is the defination of World Bank "Global Food Economy" when United Nations are now asking people to transition to INSECT EATING ??? Are these not signs of serious hunger and recession that slow down of good activities but indicate bad times ahead????
As displaced poor rural populations are bound to become dependent on food from global markets, how is this acceptable and how shall this practice stay feasible where a few rich people will supply the poor with food efficiently when their aim is to make MAXIMUM PROFIT AND NOTWITHSTANDING THEIR GREED ? There are evidence that this practice aim is to enslave, segregate, manipulate and oppress disadvantaged victims which is completely unacceptable. This mathematics does not add up....it is haste for selfishness and greed.
In this equation, justifications of land grabbing equate food at the same values that underline Industrialized manufactured products in the world market economy: drivers are in search of cheap labour to produce abundant supply to distribute to the world and profits monopolized by a few corporate special business community.
Food is human basic rights and it cannot be seen like any product that are sold and distributed from those factory from somewhere in the world that are to be distributed through AIDS. This is basically saying, the era of cheap food is over. We are definately focusing on high cost of food.......What does this spellllllll......
Telling the world that the end of cheap food may is here, you pay for expensive food or you die.......is this man made inflation...........is it acceptable to would be consumer ??? In my view, is spells trouble, big big trouble to people of AFRICA, BLACK COMMUNITY OF THE WORLD...............
For this reason, in fact, it should provide an opening to address the rural-urban imbalance (Poor/Rich) to reason on matters of global food economy. It is a wake-up call where today’s food crisis is an opportunity to restructure the social relations of global business in agriculture and elevate the value of rural communities to its rightful place and "The Africa's Scramble to Land Grabbing" must become a disputable exposed wicked evil, an assault on the rights of rural people. These Conspiracy theories of Jeopardy of Scandals to to oppress and enslave the poor of Africa is unacceptable..............
Africa's Black Community must stand up and demand for JUSTICE......!!!
So as the debate over land grabbing rages on, let’s use this as a vital opportunity to think about how the very underpinnings of world agriculture to supply for Industrial Fuel can be termed FAIR to human survival and livelihood ? does it only favor the RICH with their monopoly of industrial mindset ? Will this provide food of thought about the unfolding historical roots of the crisis of organized terrorism and killings in Africa with smooth displacements in the world’s poorest African countries?????
This is a magnitude of problems and it require the Poor and Rich to Reason together and find more suitable means for Economic Sustainability Mutually Fair to All........
Best Regards,
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
Why are we fighting to challenge "The Scrumble to Africa" on "Africa Land Grabbing"
Statement by Judy Miriga – CEO and Executive Director
Confederation Council foundation for Africa Teaming with WADU
May 10th 2013 at Montgomery Works Wheaton
We have lots of engineered problems mounting in Africa. We want this behavior stop.
While we are commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Pan-Africanist, Thankfully, we recognize freedom fighters like Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., The Honorable Marcus Garvey, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Tom Mboya with others , who due to their sacrifices of great leadership, we are proud to recognize their great services to the Community. It is our turn to do as much and be able to correct mistakes or ills that are about to destroy us; so that we are able to do better to improve situation of "Africa Land Grabbing" to ensure there is equitable distribution of Public Wealth and Resources in a fair and legal manner and through checks and balances there must be a process for Transparency and Accountability.
We must stop scapegoating where wrong doers comfortably shift blame to find faults on others to escape blame and delay justice. This is what people like Martin Luther King did in their organizing for peaceful campaign calling for justice, they were able to bring sanity and freedom. It is a reflection that we must borrow a leaf and preach peace, unity and Love so together we are able to do good and leave this world better than we found it.
To prevent constant conflicts in Africa, let us get to the root-cause of what is ailing Africa, help to strengthen democracy at grassroots” level, build stronger and more resilient Social Cohesion with the Civil Society Institutions (NGOs, Schools and Faith Based) and ensure there is adequate checks and balances that are able to promote Partnership for Good Governance with Just Rule of Law and engage towards effective democratic principles with regulatory establishment for common good of all. Together, we are able to improve Human Rights and thereby reduce Crime, Violation and Abuses and be on the road to settle and fix grievances amicable within fair distribution of Public Wealth and Resources in an organized manner.
In order that we engage on a balanced responsible trading with Africa's wealth, resources, land and water, it is important to recognize fundamentals of People of Africa's Livelihood and Survival as well, that people of Africa also have rights to demand for their human rights to live a honorable dignified life; and that reality of fairness for common good of all comes with economic, social and political advantages that are conducive to improve development progressive prospects. These are benefits that come with ethical responsibilities shared mutually by all.
Today, Africa is facing serious problems that have been brought about by corporate special interests who engage with African Political corrupt leaders to cut-deals behind the scene through back door. They are the reason Africa has fallen into abject poverty and are in serious danger of losing their lands from "Land Grabbing". The Corporate Special Interest engineered Plan of Action to steal from Africa through organized police terrorism in Africa and by engaging the corrupt African politicians. These politicians do not respect or value the Constitutional Laws and Regulations that mandate them to comply; but, because of their unscrupulous networking they are conditioned to work against the Constitutional Rules and regulations where checks and balances require them to ascertain accountability.
Corporations of the special interests influence criminality in Africa by suppressing Africas' development for their personal gains through engaging in irregular activities that are illegal and are unconstitutional. In such activities the Corporate Special Interest engage in "Land Grabbing" in the "Scramble to Africa".
Head of World Bank and IMF sensationally admitted acting against poor Africa's interest. The question still remains, why did the World Bank, IMF and Hedge Funding engage in committing crimes including violation and abuse against Human Rights in Africa. These land deals steal Africa's future. Corrupt governments enable big investors to evict rightful landowners from their land, and many displaced communities lose their access to food and water. Public institutions, most notably the World Bank, found themselves engaging in such unfortunate deals, and stopping them will set a stage to freeze all land grabs. World Bank is therefore part of culprit who conspires to destroy human lives in today’s systemic food shortage and crisis. World Bank in this case should be blamed for Land Grabs in Africa and they must face joint blame on the same. This is a serious criminal injustices where World Bank engages with Foreign investment in Africa's farmland to sustain biofuels industry from land stolen from the poor Africans and is diverted from local food production to fuel production which is directly affecting greater African population.
This is a wake-up call to all people of the world that there is an urgent need to address the rural-urban food imbalance affecting the global food economy which now results to rising high costs of food against the domestic budget income.
Where is the moral responsibility in demanding debt repayments from Africa on finances that were not authenticated according to public mandate but instead, these types of irregular corrupt transaction failed to apply facilitation of public mandate to deliberate and fulfill Development needs of the African Citizen which instead, resulted in non-compliance but rather caused serious excessive poverty, joblessness, landlessness and the collapse of Government institutions of African larger community. The loses and misappropriations of billions of funds that were released for Government Institutions for Africa's development programs got distributed and banked in foreign private individual accounts to benefit unscrupulous African Politicians with their counterparts of Corporate Special Interest in an irregular corrupt manner. This behavior has equated African mandated needs to a sorry state of Africa's begging bowl and AIDS handouts. The World Bank already has strong evidence that funding large land deals often makes life worse for the people displaced and fails to generate poverty reduction.
How is it possible such serious crime, violation and abuse of humanity; a behaviour that clearly increases Africa's vulnerability to extreme poverty can be legitimized by a Public Institution tasked with alleviating poverty? How can the World Bank face this reality? How is World Bank comfortable to engage in Stealing Africa's future? Africa does not need assistance from begging bowl. Africa needs to Trade with the World on Partnership Development for progressive development made on a balanced agreement that benefit all stakeholders with investing shareholders equitably on a balanced sustainable Mutual consideration.
Africa states such like Liberia, Sierra Leone tells the story of some of mass exploitation, of the ecstasy of struggle for complete independence and how total liberation is not easy.
Now it is time for a full freeze on land grab funding. We call on you to act urgently to end the sell-off of the world's land to private companies and reallocate World Bank funds to projects that really do eradicate poverty. Poor Local Farmers need Partnership support not an eviction notice. It is time Africa's progressive development must face a turning point where the corrupt African leaders must face consequences for their corrupt deals.
The World Bank's new president has devoted his life to defeating poverty. British farmer James Siggs joined a venture to run ‘US-style large-scale agricultural systems’ in the Congo. But he left and now says ‘industrial-scale farming displaces and alienates people, creates few jobs and causes social disruption’. This is our best chance to get the World Bank to take a strong stand against the land robbery.
Land is life to farming communities in Africa and around the world. Africa's Cultural food value and traditional seedlings is fundamental to Africa's livelihood and survival. Africa was not consulted to have them driven out of their land and live a life of hopelessness. Land grab in Africa is threatening to destroy families and hold Africa's futures to ransom; this is a clear indication that there is plan to wipe Africans out of the face of earth. How will the world leaders justify this type of crime on Africa?
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
jbatec@yahoo.com
Organizing Team with WADU
World African Diaspora Union (WADU)
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Watch This .............!!!
Insects source of protein instead of meat
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22423977
6 May 2013 Last updated at 02:08 ET Help
Insects are regularly eaten by as much as 80% of the worlds population, but even the very thought of it seems shocking to most people in the UK.
But as the global population continues to grow, there is a growing move towards eating insects as a staple part of our diet.
Researchers from the Nordic Food Lab are looking at ways to persuade people to get their protein from bugs instead.
John Maguire reports.
Davos 2013 - (CCTV) China's Next Global Agenda
Published on Feb 15, 2013
China's Next Global Agenda
How will China's next global agenda affect the rest of the world?
Dimensions to be addressed:
- Inbound and outbound investment
- Global and domestic financial reform
- Role in international cooperation and negotiations
• Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Global Education; Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2007-2010)
• Jin-Yong Cai, Executive Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Washington DC
• Kevin Rudd, Member of Parliament, Australia; Global Agenda Council on Fragile States
• Lawrence H. Summers, Charles W. Eliot University Professor, Harvard University, USA
• Zhang Xiaoqiang, Vice-Chairman, National Development and Reform Commission, People's Republic of China
• John Zhao, Chief Executive Officer, Hony Capital, People's Republic of China
Moderated by
• Rui Chenggang, Director and Anchor, China Central Television, People's Republic of China
http://www.weforum.org/
Davos 2013 - The Global Development Outlook
Published on Feb 12, 2013
The Global Development Outlook
With the Millennium Development Goals expiring in 2015, what should be at the top of the next development agenda?
• Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations, New York
• David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
• William H. Gates III, Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA
• Helene D. Gayle, President and Chief Executive Officer, CARE USA, USA; Global Agenda Council on Poverty & Sustainable Development
• Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda
• Paul Polman, Chief Executive Officer, Unilever, United Kingdom
• H.M. Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Chaired by
• Thomas L. Friedman, Columnist, Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, USA
http://www.weforum.org/
Davos 2013 - De-risking Africa (CNBC Africa Debate)
Published on Feb 11, 2013
De-risking Africa
How are Africa's leaders mitigating investment risk in Africa's economies?
This session was developed in partnership with CNBC Africa.
• Louise Arbour, President and Chief Executive Officer, International Crisis Group (ICG), Belgium
• Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President of Nigeria
• Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer, Bharti Enterprises, India
• Jacob G. Zuma, President of South Africa
Moderated by
• Bronwyn Nielsen, Anchor, CNBC Africa, South Africa
http://www.weforum.org/
Davos 2013 - (Bloomberg) No Growth, Easy Money -- The New Normal?
Published on Feb 10, 2013
The Global Financial Context
What strategic shifts and transformational issues are shaping the global financial context?
Dimensions to be addressed:
- Limits of monetary policy
- Eurozone options
- Real world impact of Basel III and Solvency II
- Future of shadow banking
• James Dimon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, JPMorgan Chase & Co., USA
• Andrey L. Kostin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, VTB Bank, Russian Federation
• Paul Singer, Principal, Elliott Management, USA
• Tidjane Thiam, Group Chief Executive, Prudential, United Kingdom
• Axel A. Weber, Chairman of the Board of Directors, UBS, Switzerland; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2013
• Zhu Min, Deputy Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Washington DC; World Economic Forum Foundation Board Member
Moderated by
• Maria Bartiromo, Anchor, Closing Bell; Anchor and Managing Editor of On the Money, CNBC, USA; Young Global Leader Alumnus
John Lee Hudson 2 months ago
Austerity is a word to express Terrorism & Terrorist Acts 1000 times worse than any Al-Qaeda invented by Wall Street Propaganda Experts! The only way out of this Global Economic & Financial Crisis, is we must spend our way out. Since we went off the Gold Standard, we cannot print too much money, especially to reach 100% employment! Modern Monetary Theory
will explain @? The University of Missouri
Davos 2013 - The Global Financial Context
Published on Feb 10, 2013
The Global Financial Context
What strategic shifts and transformational issues are shaping the global financial context?
Dimensions to be addressed:
- Limits of monetary policy
- Eurozone options
- Real world impact of Basel III and Solvency II
- Future of shadow banking
• James Dimon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, JPMorgan Chase & Co., USA
• Andrey L. Kostin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, VTB Bank, Russian Federation
• Paul Singer, Principal, Elliott Management, USA
• Tidjane Thiam, Group Chief Executive, Prudential, United Kingdom
• Axel A. Weber, Chairman of the Board of Directors, UBS, Switzerland; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2013
• Zhu Min, Deputy Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Washington DC; World Economic Forum Foundation Board Member
Moderated by
• Maria Bartiromo, Anchor, Closing Bell; Anchor and Managing Editor of On the Money, CNBC, USA; Young Global Leader Alumnus
U.S. Accuses Banking Giant Of Laundering Money For Iran
Published on May 10, 2013
US, UK & EU IN ECONOMIC MESS DUE TO JERSEY & TAX HAVENS US$21 TRILLION OFFSHORE
CITIZENS OF US, UK &^ EU ARE HIT HARD AS WEALTHY CITIZENS PUT ALL THEIR CAPITAL IN BRITISH TAX HAVENS OFFSHORE
US$21 TRILLION IS AVOIDED IN TAX - NO WONDER THE US, UK & EU IS IN ECONOMIC DEPRESSION
UK ENCOURAGES TAX AVOIDANCE IN THE BRITISH SOVEREIGN DEPENDENCIES OF JERSEY & GUERNSEY IN THE CHANNEL ISLANDS OFF FRANCE
UN urges people to eat insects to fight world hunger
Comments (418)
13 May 2013Last updated at 09:00 ET
Over 2 billion people worldwide already supplement their diet with insectsRelated Stories
Eating more insects could help fight world hunger, according to a new UN report.
The report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization says that eating insects could help boost nutrition and reduce pollution.
It notes than over 2 billion people worldwide already supplement their diet with insects.
However it admits that "consumer disgust" remains a large barrier in many Western countries.
Insect nutritional value /100g
Food source Protein (g) Calcium (mg) Iron (mg)
Source: Montana State University
Caterpillar28.2n/a35.5
Grasshopper20.635.25
Dung beetle17.230.97.7
Minced beef27.4n/a3.5
Wasps, beetles and other insects are currently "underutilised" as food for people and livestock, the report says. Insect farming is "one of the many ways to address food and feed security".
"Insects are everywhere and they reproduce quickly, and they have high growth and feed conversion rates and a low environmental footprint," according to the report.
Nutritional value
The authors point out that insects are nutritious, with high protein, fat and mineral content.
They are "particularly important as a food supplement for undernourished children".
Insects are also "extremely efficient" in converting feed into edible meat. Crickets, for example, need 12 times less feed than cattle to produce the same amount of protein, according to the report.
Most insects are are likely to produce fewer environmentally harmful greenhouse gases than other livestock.
The ammonia emissions associated with insect-rearing are far lower than those linked to conventional livestock such as pigs, says the report.
The report calls for insect dishes to be added to restaurant menus
Insects are regularly eaten by many of the world's population, but the thought may seem shocking to many Westerners.
The report suggests that the food industry could help in "raising the status of insects" by including them in new recipes and adding them to restaurant menus.
It goes on to note that in some places, certain insects are considered delicacies.
For example some caterpillars in southern Africa are seen as luxuries and command high prices.
Most edible insects are gathered in forests and serve niche markets, the report states.
It calls for improved regulation and production for using insects as feed.
"The use of insects on a large scale as a feed ingredient is technically feasible, and established companies in various parts of the world are already leading the way," it adds.
KENYA: ACADEMIC FRAUDSTERS MADE EXECUTIVE MEMBERS WITHIN KISUMU COUNTY AS THE COUNTY HEAD TO ECONOMICAL ABYSS.
By Our Investiagtive Reporter
Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma the man many considered to be the most inept, ineffective, salient and a non performing Governor among his peers finally managed to announce members of the Executive Committee after area residents had threatened to move to court to compel him to do so.
But the appointments were not without question marks as he brought on board four people and who contested political seats but lost during the last general elections and it was discovered that most of the people who were nominated pending their nomination approved by the County’s appointment committee lied about their academic credentials a thing which is likely to jeopardize chances of the approval of the nominees.
Ranguma who appeared to be reading the names he was either ignorant or was given admitted that he was aware that the list “may not be the best but he pleaded with all and sundry that they just allow the nominees to take their roles.
He could not be able to tell two people Lorna Omuodo and Meshack Nyabenge what their roles would be but instead he told Journalists to be creative and invent a word for their titles something which really aghasted and surprised those who were present at the function.
Earlier it had emerged that Ranguma had kept the names of the nominees secret and would not even allow his deputy Adhaimbo Odinga to peruse the document before his announcement.
“He was drafting the list alone and never wanted his deputy to be involved, seems there were some sources who were really keen to have the list go their way and instead it has really backfired as some of the nominees are likely to be rejected straight away”said a source who attended the meeting but never wanted to be named.
He announced a ten man Executive Committee comprising four women and six men as many have vowed to move to court to challenge his nominees.
Just who are those nominated?
1-Joseph Omulo Okal-County Treasurer,
He hails from Kano and In his a academic resume he presents himself as “a distinguished Finance and Banking Specialist with several years of Post-Graduation experience”’
He is one man who can’t make his own personal decision
The truth is that the said Okal contested Muhoroni Parliamentary seat against Prof.Ayiecho Olweny during the 2007 general elections and lost miserably coming last among the then five candidates.
It can be authoritatively be said that Omulo has been sacked from Co-operative Bank,Diamond Trust and he was sacked early this year from Family Bank in what his employers says is his ineptness.
Many await to see how he will handle the crucial financial docket.
2-Rhoda Atieno Obadha-Environment Management
She comes from Kano but was a married in Kisumu Nyahera, she contested during the last general elections CORD nominations but came distant last.
In her academic resume,she is portrayed as high level Management Consultant ing in sustainable ,micro finance ,water and sanitation.
She was sacked from Agricultural Finance Corporation where she was the area Manager over her financial misuse of the said Company’s money,she was later sacked from Kisumu’s ASK show.
She ran away from her husband after the man had an accident and was mentally derailed.
Many await to see how she will carry her duties.
3-Dr.Barrack Otieno Abonyo-Water,Energy and Natural Resource
He also hails from Kano he is portrayed as an Associate Professor of Pharmacology at Florida A & M University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The truth is that the man never stepped inside this institution and all checks reveals that he never schooled there.
He was deported from the US and arrived in Kenya and started going round that he wanted to be contest Gubernatorial seat only to discover that he was real broke and could not sustain his campaigns.
He is usually found idling at a certain hotel within the outskirts of town where he is given free accommodation and meals
4-Elizabeth Ominde Ogaja-Health
She is a fourm four drop out and her academic resume could not be provided.
5-JenipherAtieno Kerre-Education ,Youth,Culture and Social Services.
She runs organization called WIFIP which is a Non Governmental Organization where workers are badly mistreated and are not paid.
She uses deceit to organize workshops and seminars where she really swindles participants whom she usually invites.
During the time she was a teacher rising to a Head teacher she was faced with various allegations and at one time was charged in a court of law for embezzling school funds.
She is said to have studied for a Masters of Arts Degree in Distance Education??
5-Dr.Stephene Otieno Orot-Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries
His resume says that he is an accomplished Veterinary Specialist who has risen through the ranks to be the Senior Assistant Director of Veterinary Services with the Ministry of Livestock
He hails from Kajulu within Kisumu East Constituency,
He was interdicted by the government after was found selling some Agrovet products using government vehicle and was later sacked.
8-Vincent Kodera-Phyical Planning,Roads and Public Works.
He is from Nyakach Constituency,he is said to hold a Bsc degree in Technology from Moi University.
HE is not known to have been employed anywhere, he contested Nyakach seat during both the 2007and the 2013 general elections and came third in both.
He has been out of employment since elections and his nomination came handy for him .
George Ongaya Okoth-Communications ,Planning and Development.
He is said to be;”an experienced and respected Proffesional with Impressive track record of Managerial accomplishments”
The truth is that Okoth has been an insurance policy seller within the streets of Kisumu.
He has worked as a commission agent for First Choice and Newday Insurance Brokers.
He was one of the people who were busy bodies during Ranguma’s campaigns.
Dr.Rose Kisia Omondi-Commerce,Tourisim and Heritage
She contested Nyakach Parliamentary Seat in 2007 and lost and during the 2013 general elections she contested as a women rep for Kisumu County and lost again to Rose Nyamunga
She claims in her academic resume that she studied Tourism from University of Waikato Hamiltone in New Zealand.
Surprisingly ,she has never taught in any Kenya University as most varsities questions her academic credentials.
We could not establish her teaching records at both Moi and Kenya Polytechnic.
10-Hanif Rana-Industrialization,Enterprise Development and Transport.
She operates an internet Cyber station near Mamba Hotel; he has been rewarded by Ranguma because during the last general elections he gave out his two Lorries for Ranguma’s campaigns.
“I am surprised that Rana is saying tht he has Masters degree in Health Research and Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics.
Did he really go past fourm Four?”wondered one of his peers who knows him well.
Meshack Osindo Nyabenge-
He is said to have experience in Natural Resources Planning and Management and also he isa GIS and Remote Sensing Specialist.
He is also said to be holding a Mscin Geoinforamtion Systems from Netherlands and Bachelor of Science in Surveying and Photogrammetry.
The truth is that he was once in charge of Kakamega Juvenile Prison
He is a retiree and have very limited education, many were surprised when such a resume was read as a belonging to him.
He was a chief Campaigner of Ranguma as he hails with him from the Lorna same Kobura clan.
Lorna Omuodo-
She is said to be an expert in energy, social development and sustainable development
She presents herself as agraduate of Rural Sociology from Punjab University India.
The truth is she is a jiko maker and was once a subordinate staff with Kenya Governmnt
POPE FRANCIS SOUNDS ALARM OVER THE PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS
From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2013
In his homily during the canonisation ceremony on Sunday, Pope Francis sounded the alarm over the persecution of Christians today, stating: "We ask God to sustain the many Christians who, today, in many parts of the world, right now, still suffer violence."
Apart from Vatican’s concern over attacks on Christians in the Middle East, including Egypt's Coptic Christians, churches in Nigeria suffer a great deal in the hands of Islamic fundamentalists, Boko haram. Churches have been bombed in Kenya, Tanzania, Indonesia, Syria, just to mention a few.
Since Islamists rose to power after Egypt's 2011 uprising that forced out longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak, Christians have grown more fearful of intimidation and violence from fellow Egyptians, especially ultraconservative Salafis.
Muslims have attacked churches there and forced Christians to close their shops. Members of the Christian man's family have been arrested, including his mother and father, after a prosecutor accused them of collaborating in hiding the woman.
In the past, similar incidents have triggered deadly sectarian violence. In 2010, the ultraconservative Muslim Salafis claimed that Camilla Shehata, a Coptic Christian wife of a priest, had converted to Islam, but was abducted by the church to force her to return to Christianity.
Iraq's branch of al-Qaida used the incident as justification for an attack on a Baghdad church that killed 68 people, and threatened to conduct similar attacks in Egypt until the church released her. On Dec. 31, 2011, a suicide bomber killed at least 21 Christians at a church in the port city of Alexandria — an attack linked to the Shehata case.
In May 2011, at least 12 people were killed and a Cairo church was burned in clashes after a Christian woman had an affair with a Muslim man. When she disappeared, the man alleged that Christian clergy had snatched her and were holding her prisoner in a local church because she had converted to Islam.
Separately, dozens of mostly masked protesters hurled stones and firebombs in clashes with riot police at Egypt's presidential palace in a Cairo suburb. Protests have become a weekly occurrence in Egypt with unrest continuing since the 2011 uprising.
In Asia the story is the same. Asia News recently published a terrifying story. “Christian tombs were recently desecrated and a young Christian woman was gang-raped for an entire night. In both cases, police refused to file a First Information Report, allowing the culprits to escape justice.”
The Christian minority in Pakistan is persistently abused. “Whether it involves Christian-owned land and property or individuals who are targeted because they are defenceless, victims will not find justice with the country’s legal system.
The Pakistan Christian Post reports: “Muslim landowners destroyed and desecrated a Christian graveyard, using a tractor to plough over a number of tombs. Buried coffins were broken and the bones of the dead were brought to the surface. The local police refused to open an inquiry, whilst the landowners utter threats against local Christians to get them to stop legal proceedings.”
Islamic Jihad circulated this frightening report from Pakistan: “A powerful Muslim businessman, with the help of a group of accomplices, kidnapped two Christian sisters, forced them to convert to Islam and marry him.
“The girl’s father reported the kidnapping to the police but the police blocked investigations by reversing the facts: the daughters fled because of their father’s violence.
“A priest from the diocese of Faisalabad points out that the kidnapping of young women has become “common practice”, because the authorities and police are “puppets in the hands of extremists.”
The word "violence" can be defined to extend far beyond pain and shedding blood. It carries the meaning of physical force, violent language, fury and, more importantly, forcible interference.
Violence also refers to that which is psychologically destructive, that which demeans, damages, or depersonalizes others. In view of these considerations, violence may be defined as follows: any action, verbal or nonverbal, oral or written, physical or psychical, active or passive, public or private, individual or institutional/societal, human or divine, in whatever degree of intensity, that abuses, violates, injures, or kills.
Some of the most pervasive and most dangerous forms of violence are those that are often hidden from view (against women and children, especially); just beneath the surface in many of our homes, churches, and communities is abuse enough to freeze the blood.
Moreover, many forms of systemic violence often slip past our attention because they are so much a part of the infrastructure of life (e.g., racism, sexism, ageism). Thus, under his definition, Christian violence includes "forms of systemic violence such as poverty, racism, and sexism.
Approximately 10 per cent of the 2 billion Christians in the world suffer persecution. This means that some 200 million Christians suffer harsh repercussions because of their religion.
Persecution of Christians often serves as an indicator of the status of religious freedom for other minorities, since where Christians are persecuted, other religions tend also to suffer.
A more startling figure on Christian persecution was published by the German news agency, IDEA. It claimed that since the crucifixion of Christ, more than 43 million Christians have been killed for their faith.
It includes persecution of Catholics mostly, before and at the beginning, of the Spanish Civil war (1936–1939) which involved the murder of almost 7,000 priests and other clergy, as well as thousands of lay people, by sections of nearly all the leftist groups because of their faith.
The Republican government which had come to power in Spain in 1931 was strongly anti-Catholic, prohibiting religious education – even in private school, prohibiting any education by religious institutes, seizing Church property and expelling the Jesuits from the country.
During the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939, and especially in the early months of the conflict, individual clergymen and entire religious communities were executed by leftists, which included communists and anarchists.
The death toll of the clergy alone included 13 bishops, 4,172 diocesan priests and seminarians, 2,364 monks and friars and 283 nuns, for a total of 6,832 clerical victims. On the night of 19 July 1936 alone, some fifty churches were burned. In Barcelona, out of the 58 churches, only the Cathedral was spared, and similar desecrations occurred almost everywhere in Republican Spain.
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
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.
World & Kenya: Donor Funding to the Kenya Judiciary should be frozen
from: Gordon Teti
To send a message to the lords of impunity and those who aided them, like the Kenya Judiciary and the Electoral Commission (IEBC) in rigging Uhuru Kenyatta to the presidency of the Republic of Kenya, the international community that finances the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), the two Western financial lending institutions should and must cut funding with immediate effect to Kenya and particularly to the Judiciary and the IEBC. The Kenya Judiciary under Willy Mutunga has been receiving a lot of financial aid from the two Breton institutions who were duped that the Kenya Judiciary is being reformed. This funding must stop with immediate effect since Willy Mutunga is not a reformist but an old tired chameleon who is working with the conservatives and the lords of impunity to make quick money as a compensation for the the many years that he spent struggling in political activism
KENYA GOVERNMENT PROMISES TO END FLOODING
By Agwanda Saye
The government has embarked on a 20 year mitigation strategy to end the floods in Kisumu County.
The permanent secretary for special programs, Andrew Mondoh said the strategic plan will be implemented in three phases running through 20 years.
The first phase will be implemented in the first 18 months where assessment is done on the affected areas and the victims are given some materials. The strategy which is already in place involves giving the victims food stuffs, bedding and mosquito nets.
Mondoh said in the second phase which is to take up to five years the government will construct check dams in the flood-prone areas and in turn use the water for irrigation. The final phase which will take 20 years will include feasibility study on the affected areas to establish the real cause and exact and appropriate measures for controlling floods.
In this phase, Dams will be constructed across the rivers that burst their banks frequently during heavy down pour. Such rivers are Nyando, Auji and Miriu.
Mondoh said this as they assessed the flood situation in Muhoroni, Nyando and Nyakach constituencies in alongside his counterpart, Mark Bor, Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Public Health. The team also included the provincial Security team, the Red Cross Society, World Vision and United Nation Children’s Fund, (UNICEF).
The team distributed 300 bags of rice, 200 bags of beans, 20 gallons of oil, 300 blankets and 180 Mosquito nets in Nyando and Kadibo. Similar amounts will also be distributed to flood victims in Muhoroni Nyakach and Nyatike.
The victims given materials were the adversely affected and were verified by a committee that included Red Cross and the Provincial Administration.
Public Health Ministry PS, Bor said that his ministry will provide nets to the victims as they were prone to water borne diseases.
“We are now providing treatment kits for prevention of water borne diseases,” said Bor.
Red Cross Western Region Assistant Secretary Emmanuel Owako said that the floods are still affecting Kano, Nyakach, Siaya and Budalangi.
Nyanza PC Francis Mutie assured that the government will do everything to ensure that also learning resumes in the affected schools.
Mondoh challenged the area residents to plant trees as a way of conserving the environment since that will help in stopping the floods.
…ENDS…
USA: What matters to you?
From: Nita and Shaunna, Ultraviolet
Last week, House Republicans voted on a disastrous bill that would allow employers to demand more work for less pay. It's time to show Congress what a pro-woman economic agenda really looks like. Tell us what matters most to you.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/756?t=2&akid=445.6000.VqfXmr
Dear Readers:
Eric Cantor and House Republicans are intent on rolling back women's economic rights and we have to push back.
Last week, they passed a disastrous bill that would allow employers to demand more work for less pay under the guise that it would give women and families more flexibility.1
50,000 UltraViolet members weighed in and made it clear that women aren't falling for this gimmick--and President Obama heard you and vowed to veto the bill.2
But now pro-woman champions in Congress are left wondering, what does a pro-family, pro-woman economic agenda look like?
With 42% of women having to choose between their paycheck and taking care of a sick child,3 childcare being more expensive than rent in 22 states,4 and the average woman losing almost $11,000 dollars every year due to wage discrimination,5 this is an urgent priority to figure out.
So can you tell us: What policies are imperative to increasing the economic security of women and our families? And what is your experience with them--does your office offer child care? Paid sick leave? We'll take the top responses from all UltraViolet members and put them into a 21st agenda for family economic security and make sure every member of Congress knows where we stand.
Tell us what's most important to you in a pro-woman economic agenda.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/756?t=3&akid=445.6000.VqfXmr
The gender wage gap has been stagnant over the last decade.6 So far, Connecticut is the only state that requires paid sick leave,7 which ensures workers can stay home when they’re sick. And don’t even get us started on how the US is one of only three nations in the entire world that doesn't offer paid maternity leave.8
All of this makes it harder to be a working woman, a parent, and a caregiver in America.
We need to show Eric Cantor and his fellow Republicans what a pro-woman economic agenda really looks like. UltraViolet is launching a major campaign to push it, but first we want to hear about what matters most to you.
Will you take 5 minutes to fill out the survey?
Tell us what matters most to you in a pro-woman economic agenda.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/756?t=4&akid=445.6000.VqfXmr
Thanks for speaking out.
Nita, Shaunna, Kat, Malinda, and Karin, the UltraViolet team
Sources:
1.Working Families Flexibility Act Passes House Over Opposition Of Democrats, Labor, Huffington Post, May 8, 2013
2. Ibid.
Harkin, DeLauro Renew Fight for Paid Sick Days, Senator Harkin press release, March 12, 2013
3. Working Women Need Paid Sicks Days, National Partnership for Women and Families, 2013
4. Parents and the High Cost of Child Care, Child Care Aware of America, 2012
5. What Could Women Do With $10,662 Per Year?, National Women's Law Center, April 20, 2010
6. The Wage Gap is Stagnant in Last Decade, National Women's Law Center, September 2012
7. State and Local Action on Paid Sick Days, National Partnership for Women and Families, April 2013
8. How The Zero Weeks Of Paid Maternity Leave In The U.S. Compare Globally, Think Progress, May 24, 2012
KENYA HAS BEEN PUT ON THE INTERNATIONAL MAP FOR SEX HAVEN
From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
Kenya has been put on the international map for sex with dogs, on the ‘bench', for marks, sex in the cemetery, sex in the parks, sex in brothel pubs, sex in private cars, just to mention but a few.
As Mombasa Polytechnic students, Janet Akoth Omollo and Mercy Waithera Karanja and a tourist were being arrested at Mamba Apartment in Mombasa while filming a pornographic film, part of the scene involving sexual acts with a dog, Kenya Episcopal Conference were issuing a press statement condemning a Catholic group for a billboard and newspaper advertising campaign promoting condom use.
Other students were Mary Nyambura Kimani, Magdaline Wairimu Chege, Celestine Nekesa Sitati, Dorcus Melishah Indakwa, Lydia Nyaboke Momanyi, Philidelia Mawia Solomon, Anne Wanjiku Gichuki, Celilia Nzambi Katuku and Joyce Wacuka.
No one can explain exactly why foreigners find Kenya to be the easiest country where anything to do with sex is the better forum. Even the US Catholics for Choice have found Kenya to be the best country to advertise and promote the use of condoms.
As Christopher Clement Weisssenrieder - Swedish national was caught filming the girls, a US doctor was pleading guilty to sexually abusing at least 14 children over an eight-year period in Kenya working at hospitals and with aid groups in Sori, South Nyanza. John Ott, 67, faces up to 30 years in jail and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced on July 26 after admitting to a harrowing catalogue of crimes.
This is not the first time the issue of recording and trafficking pornography has emerged in Kenya. On Jun 23, 2009, an American preacher was charged with trafficking in pornographic materials in Nairobi.
Thomas Manton of Dominion International Ministries was charges at the Kibera Law Courts. The charges stated that: “On February 25, 2009 at Runda Estate in Nairobi, for the purpose of or by way of trade or for the purpose of distribution or public exhibition, the accused made or produced obscene publication, one compact disc, tending to corrupt morals.”
In 2005 US authorities smashed a worldwide child pornography syndicate, which involves Kenyans who trade in illicit images over the Internet using sophisticated encryption. Most of the participants are the youth though people in good careers including banking, media and modeling have been mentioned as savvy actors in Kenya.
Desperate unemployed girls are also eager to be engaged at a cheaper fee. Some are paid as low as Sh.750 for a video recording of around 8-10 minutes. Girls who engaged in these acts say they do so against their conscience because of economic hardship in Kenya.
The youth seem to be the vulnerable groups because most of them are unemployed and are out to do anything to earn a living. Most of them are graduates and since they are not absorbed in the job market, they end up doing petty jobs to earn a living.
It is very sad indeed that unemployment in the country and economic hardship has forced the youth to drop their dignity and take up any job opportunity coming up. That is why many girls and boys, some underage chose to be prostitutes, even though under the Kenyan law prostitution is illegal.
A taskforce set up by then Nairobi Mayor, George Aladwa revealed that Nairobi has approximately 7000 commercial sex workers with each having at least three to four clients. That’s approximately 21,000 to 28,000 sexual activities per night in Nairobi alone.
It explains why pornography is a booming business in this city. Kiss TV’s Dennis Okari recently revealed the sex dens where orgies take place and pornography films are shot. Girls confessed to him that many of them are joining the porn industry due to unemployment and economic hardships.
No wonder why pornography has become one of the biggest businesses in Kenya, bigger than Hollywood, bigger than the major league sports. Today in Kenya, the easiest way to make a dime online is to go to pornography. That is why porn will never die in Kenya.
Analysis and statistics from the common keywords show Kenyans love to search and read about pornography than they read about businesses. This is a very worrying trend in the country were morals are decaying on daily basis.
No wonder why Kenya has been put on the international map for 'sex. It explains why it was hit with a bush sex scandal in March 2011 when several shots of different Kenyan citizens, including college students were caught on camera having physical sex in different positions, at a particular location, on a particular bench in the Masinde Muliro Garden, Kakamega in western Kenya.
The pictures captured people including students, old men, nursing mothers among others having sex at the recreational ground arousing mixed reactions from all sectors. The garden has since become one of the biggest tourist sites in the country.
Lecturers and teachers are also demanding sex from their female students in exchange for marks. These students later use their first class honours degrees to secure some of the best jobs in the private and public service, including sensitive areas such as the health sector. This puts off male students to compete in the ‘sex for marks’ arena as they do not have the requisite assets.
It is at the same time City police are at a loss on how to handle the increasing cases of couples opting for ‘green lodges’ near Uhuru Park. Police on night patrol have caught some couples so engrossed in pleasure that they forget they are in public. The eucalyptus trees opposite Uhuru Park in the Upper Hill area have particularly become a notorious ‘green lodge’.
It is also at the same time shocking details have emerged on the extent to which school girls fall prey to sexual predators — their own teachers. Up to 12,660 girls were sexually abused by teachers over a five-year period. The report by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) says that in some cases, teachers abused as many as 20 girls in a single school before they were reported.
The survey, which captured data between 2003 and 2007, said the 12,660 girls estimated to have been abused in schools over the period were enough to fill 79 single-streamed primary schools that have an average of 40 girls a class.
According to the report, done jointly with non-profit Centre for Rights Education and Awareness, some teachers were serial sexual offenders and molested girls from one school to another because when caught they were simply transferred and no action was taken against them.
Recently a secondary school in Gilgil was closed indefinitely following allegations that the principal was having love affairs with students. The Ministry of Education ordered Eburu secondary school to be closed sending over 300 students home with parents calling for the arrest of the teacher in vain.
It emerged that for years, the headmaster in the day and boarding institution had love affairs with students and some of the teachers were aware but not report the school head. Trouble started after the students went on strike to protest the interdiction of one of the teachers for absconding duty.
This is not to mention various Nairobi pubs and clubs turning them into a den of prostitution and brothels where a number of white women entertaining clients. The locations, mostly in gated maisonettes with acres of parking space, are apparently well known to taxi drivers and residents in the neighbourhood.
The most prominent ones are in Lavington, Hurlingham, Adams Arcade, Westlands and Kileleshwa. The mostly married men who attend these parties are Kenya’s prominent people.
For a weekend of pleasure the girls offer their services to these men which include anything and everything form massage, blow-jobs, anal sex and group sex.
According to sources from a Nairobi based private university, the girls in this trade earn handsomely, anything between Ksh 10,000 and 50,000 a night (200EUROS-1000) a night.
The story of a university student Mercy Keino who died under unclear circumstances after attending a party in Nairobi’s posh Riverside estate attended by among others a prominent Kenyan politician and scores of other rich businessmen tell it all.
Group sex, which in the United States is also called adult buffet, involves consenting adults arranging for intense sex sessions.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
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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
“Plundering of Africa Through Secret Mining Deals,” Kofi Annan
From: Judy Miriga
Good People,
When a problem of multitude involving "Land Grabbing" is looming about to endanger life it is fundamentally right for people to stand up and demand that problem be fixed. In a haste, leaders must be taken to task and they must take full responsibilities and immediately accept to engage people to help in finding ways and means for resolution and recovery. Good people must unite to get to the bottom and root-cause of the problem for any reasonable good results. Those who are found to have participated and stolen public wealth and resources must be made to pay back.
We must never run away from the problem leaving only a few people who most likely were the reason for the problem to fix the problem will never work.
Africa has the resource needed to feed the world's economic engine, a driver needed for progressive development. Africa is where the Emerging Economy all eyes in the Global Economic success depend on, but without Africa being put on a secured plan where the Chinese and the BRICS will not find room to mess Africa in a worse-case-scenario than what Africa has been exposed to ..... and where we all shall regret finding ourselves in deeper troubles to a point of no return.
Wake up good people so we all can unite to work with Africa to our mutual advantage secured under fair and balanced Partnership Development where all shall benefit equitably.
Again I say, Wake-Up !!!
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
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How to Rob Africa -People Power- Al Jazeera English
Published on Nov 8, 2012
A film by Stanley Kwenda, Clive Patterson and Anas Aremeyaw Anas
The world's wealthy countries often criticise African nations for corruption - especially that perpetrated by those among the continent's government and business leaders who abuse their positions by looting tens of billions of dollars in national assets or the profits from state-owned enterprises that could otherwise be used to relieve the plight of some of the world's poorest peoples.
Yet the West is culpable too in that it often looks the other way when that same dirty money is channelled into bank accounts in Europe and the US.
International money laundering regulations are supposed to stop the proceeds of corruption being moved around the world in this way, but it seems the developed world's financial system is far more tempted by the prospect of large cash injections than it should be.
Indeed the West even provides the getaway vehicles for this theft, in the shape of anonymous off-shore companies and investment entities, whose disguised ownership makes it too easy for the corrupt and dishonest to squirrel away stolen funds in bank accounts overseas.
This makes them nigh on impossible for investigators to trace, let alone recover.
It is something that has long bothered Zimbabwean journalist Stanley Kwenda - who cites the troubling case of the Marange diamond fields in the east of his country.
A few years ago rich deposits were discovered there which held out the promise of billions of dollars of revenue that could have filled the public purse and from there have been spent on much needed improvements to roads, schools and hospitals.
The surrounding region is one of the most impoverished in the country, desperate for the development that the profits from mining could bring. But as Kwenda found out from local community leader Malvern Mudiwa, this much anticipated bounty never appeared.
"When these diamonds came, they came as a God-given gift. So we thought now we are going to benefit from jobs, infrastructure, we thought maybe our roads were going to improve, so that generations and generations will benefit from this, not one individual. But what is happening, honestly, honestly it's a shame!"
What is happening is actually something of a mystery because though the mines are clearly in operation and producing billions of dollars worth of gems every year, little if any of it has ever been put into Zimbabwe's state coffers.
Local and international non-governmental organisations say they believe this is because the money is actually being used to maintain President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) in power.
True or not, it is clear that the country's finance minister, Tendai Biti, has seen none of it. A representative of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, which sits in uneasy coalition with ZANU-PF, he says he has no idea where it is going.
"We have got evidence of the quantities that are being mined, the quantities that are being exported but nothing is coming to the fiscus .... All I know is that it's not coming to the treasury. So that is a self-evident question. It is not coming to us. That means someone is getting it. The person who is getting it is not getting it legally. Therefore, he's a thief, therefore she's a thief."
Sadly, as Stanley Kwenda has realised, it is typical of a problem found all over Africa.
The continent is rich is natural resources that are being exploited for big profits, but the money is rarely used for the benefit of the people. Instead it goes to line the pockets of corrupt officials who then often smuggle it out to be deposited in secret offshore bank accounts in the developed world.
So who facilitates these transactions? And how and why does the developed world make it so easy to launder this dirty cash?
In this revealing investigation for People & Power, Kwenda and the Ghanaian undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, set off to find out. Posing as a corrupt Zimbabwean official and his lawyer, their probe takes them deep into the murky world of 'corporate service providers' - experts in the formation of company structures that allow the corrupt to circumvent lax international money laundering rules.
It just so happens that the pair's enquiries take place in the Seychelles but, as they discover to their horror, they could just as easily be in any one of a number of offshore locations (or even in the major cities of Europe and the US) where anonymous companies can be set up for the express purpose of secretly moving money and keeping its origins hidden from prying eyes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAO035...
Investors deny Africa land grab claims
Published on Jul 12, 2012
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Investors interested in buying land in Africa, have denied accusations that they are involved in landgrabs, insisting their practice is the only way to feed growing populations. Land in Africa, often extremely fertile and absurdly cheap, is the current talk of the investment market. The wealth funds assess issues to do with political volatility, risk of extreme weather, bribery and corruption. One problem with the buyup of africa is that there is little oversight except from local governments and the investment funds themselves. Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee reports from London.
"Blood diamonds"
Published on Jul 17, 2012
The Kimberley Process, set up under the auspices of the United Nations, aims to put an end to the traffic in so-called "blood diamonds" and the use of the proceeds to finance guerrilla wars.
Blood Diamonds - The True Story
Published on May 3, 2012
This documentary examines the little-known truth about how the worldwide diamond trade has funded wars across western and central Africa, leading to the deaths of millions of people.
Update on the Kimberley Process
Uploaded on Apr 28, 2011
Elly Harrowell a Campaigner for Global Witness provided an update on the Kimberley Process at Objective Capital's Precious Metals Diamonds & Gemstones Investment Summit.
To view full video, visit: http://www.objectivecapitalconference...
Final hearing of the Special Court for Sierra Leone in the war crimes trial of Charles
Uploaded on Feb 2, 2009
United Nations, 2 February 2009 - Stephen Rapp, Chief Prosecutor for the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), has heard on 30 January at The Hague the 91st and final prosecution witness in the war crimes trial of former Liberian president Charles Taylor. The Special Court for Sierra Leone was set up jointly by the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations. It is mandated to try those who bear the greatest responsibility for serious violations of international humanitarian law and Sierra Leonean law committed in the territory of Sierra Leone since 30 November 1996.
Blood Diamonds - Sierra Leone
Uploaded on Jan 31, 2008
February 2006
West Africa's civil wars were almost exclusively funded by the trade in 'blood diamonds'. But now, the UN and EU is tightening the trade in precious gems through the Kimberly Process.
The Truth Behind Africa's Conflict Diamonds
Uploaded on Nov 24, 2008
This video was prepared for the WRIT 340 class at the University of Southern California. It is for educational purposes only and is covered by the Fair Use doctrine.
“Plundering of Africa Through Secret Mining Deals,” Kofi Annan
May 10, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment
Mr. Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian President
Tax avoidance, secret mining deals and financial transfers are depriving Africa of the benefits of its resources boom, ex-UN chief Kofi Annan has said.
Firms that shift profits to lower tax jurisdictions cost Africa $38bn (£25bn) a year, says a report produced by a panel he heads.
“Africa loses twice as much money through these loopholes as it gets from donors,” Mr Annan said.
It was like taking food off the tables of the poor, he said.
The Africa Progress Report is released every May – produced by a panel of 10 prominent figures, including former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and Graca Machel, the wife of South African ex-President Nelson Mandela.
‘Highly opaque’
African countries needed to improve governance and the world’s richest nations should help introduce global rules on transparency and taxation, Mr Annan said.
The report gave the Democratic Republic of Congo as an example, where between 2010 and 2012 five under-priced mining concessions were sold in “highly opaque and secretive deals”.
This cost the country, which the charity Save the Children said earlier this week was the world’s worst place to be a mother, $1.3bn in revenues.
This figure was equivalent to double DR Congo’s health and education budgets combined, the report said.
DR Congo’s mining minister disputed the findings, saying the country had “lost nothing”.
“These assets were ceded in total transparency,” Martin Kabwelulu told Reuters news agency.
The report added that many mineral-rich countries needed “urgently to review the design of their tax regimes”, which were designed to attract foreign investment when commodity prices were low.
It quotes a review in Zambia which found that between 2005 and 2009, 500,000 copper mine workers were paying a higher rate of tax than major multinational mining firms.
Africa loses more through what it calls “illicit outflows” than it gets in aid and foreign direct investment, it explains.
“We (Africans) are not getting the revenues we deserve often because of either corrupt practices, transfer pricing, tax evasion and all sorts of activities that deprive us of our due,” Mr Annan said.
“Transparency is a powerful tool,” he said, adding that the report was urging African leaders to put “accountability centre stage”.
Mr Annan said African governments needed to insist that local companies became involved in mining deals and manage them in “such a way that it also creates employment”.
“This Africa cannot do alone. The tax evasion, avoidance, secret bank accounts are problems for the world… so we all need to work together particularly the G8, as they meet next month, to work to ensure we have a multilateral solution to this crisis,” he said.
For richer nations “if a company avoids tax or transfers the money to offshore account what they lose is revenues”, Mr Annan said.
“Here on our continent, it affects the life of women and children – in effect in some situations it is like taking food off the table for the poor.”
Source: BBC
Africa's "lift-off" held back by illicit finance drain: AfDB
By Pascal Fletcher | Reuters – Fri, May 10, 2013
By Pascal Fletcher
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Africa's economic development is being held back by a "hemorrhage" of illicit financial flows, which may be getting worse, the African Development Bank said on Friday, calling for reforms to stem the losses.
A draft report to be presented at the AfDB's annual meeting in Morocco later this month shows net resource outflows from Africa totalling up to $1.4 trillion over the 30-year period to 2009, far exceeding inflows to the continent.
Illicit financial flows were "the main driving force" behind $1.2-1.3 trillion of the three-decade net drain, it said.
This is about four times Africa's current external debt and almost equivalent to its current GDP.
"The trend is continuing, it could even be increasing," AfDB Chief Economist Mthuli Ncube said in a phone interview. Figures for the period since 2009 were not yet fully available.
"We need to block the leakage ... It is holding back Africa's lift-off," he added.
The report, by the AfDB and the Washington-based advocacy group Global Financial Integrity and made available to Reuters, called for anti-corruption agencies and laws, and mechanisms to combat money-laundering, to be reinforced and for government budget processes to be made more transparent.
The illicit outflows between 1980 and 2009 were often linked to the extraction of oil and minerals and covered criminal activities like money-laundering, tax evasion and transfers from corruption, kickbacks and contraband, the report said.
But they also included what the report called "mispricing of trade" - for example, opaque business deals negotiated with local authorities which flout or ignore existing legislation.
The study on illicit transfers comes as the world's least developed continent experiences an economic growth surge, outpacing global averages. The World Bank and IMF see Sub-Saharan Africa's GDP accelerating to over 5 percent in coming years, driven by investment and high commodity prices.
"This is the poorest region in the world and that is why we are shining a torch on this ... Africa needs these resources more than any other region," Ncube said, adding, "There is a lot to lose if nothing is done."
Kenya: Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and The Supreme Court To Redeem Their Battered Image
From: Gordon Teti
The Judges of the Supreme Court are poised to redeem their badly damaged images following the illegal decision to confirm Uhuru Kenyatta as the 4th president of Kenya against all the evidence to the contrary. Now the six (6) disgraced Judges of the Supreme Court want to bribe the trust of Kenyans on May 24, 2013 by declarring the obvious. That the County Commissioners that were forced through the throats of Kenyans by Mwai Kibaki to frustrate the implementation of devolved government are in office illegal. From day one when Kibaki did this Kenyans knew that the action was illegal and unconstitutional.
Therefore Mutunga should not think that Kenyans are stupid to believe the Judges of the Supreme Court when they will uphold the decision of the High Court which had ruled that the County Commissioners have no place in the present dispensation.
Kenyans, please do not buy this ploy of bribing your trust. Willy Mutunga and his five friends will forever remain condemned for betraying Kenya and the Kenyan people. God the Almighty will pay them the ultimate price that they deserve.
Here are the DETAILS: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-119192/county-commissioners-know-fate-may-31
Kenya: THE MUGO REPORT
From: Mugo Muchiri
Los Angeles, CA
May 1, 2013
THE MUGO REPORT – April 2013
Q: Good morning Bwana Mugo, it’s nice to see you. How’ve you been this past month?
Mugo: I’ve been very well, thank you. The spring is here and the flowers are blooming. I hope you had a beautiful April too.
Q: Oh yes I did, asante! Now I notice you have a little yellow on your lower lip. What’s up with that?
Mugo: (brushing away) Is it gone? It’s a little turmeric. I take a half spoon every morning kufukuza uzee. There’s this Indian grocer who runs an Indian sweets and spices shop on Yorba Linda Blvd. in Fullerton. One day, he showed me a pack of turmeric and told me it was good to take a little every day. So I fuata’d nyayo and made it a habit.
Q: What are its benefits?
Mugo: Spices are generally good for one’s health. They also make food taste better. I’ve read about turmeric’s anti-inflammatory effects. There’s a lot of literature about its other health benefits. But in general I think it’s a good complement, so I’ve tried to make it a habit and thankfully it seems to have stuck. I think its benefits are subtle, nothing flashy.
Q: Sawa. So let me start by thanking you for doing this again. For me, it’s always a joy to re-look at our beautiful Kenya over the past month, and to pick things that stand out.
Mugo: Oh you’re very welcome. When two come together – whether it’s something as banal as sharing a meal of ugali with sukuma wiki or a meeting of minds through conversation and reading – something more is added. And I’m happy to be part of this process.
Q: President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto are not exactly old hat, but they’ve had a few days on the job now. I think it’s fair to say that constituting the Cabinet has been their most important task thus far. We now have a pretty good layout of the people whom Uhuru and Ruto will count on to run the government and help their Jubilee promises. What are your thoughts regarding this important step?
Mugo: It’s an admirable start and I like the choices. Each has strong credentials and therefore a robust CV. Moreover, they’re not entrenched politicians or even neophytes at that. Uhuru and Ruto threw their fishing lines deep in private sector waters. Hopefully the private sector’s loss will be the nation’s gain. There’s also a fresh breath of air with the relatively large women representation on the proposed Cabinet.
They promised to nominate a technocrat-heavy team and they’ve certainly lived up to it. Now having said that, I want to underscore my discomfort with the nomination of Charity Ngilu and Najib Balala. I think Kenyans were expecting a complete sweep in the character of the Cabinet. I think these two cast some unglamor over the otherwise historical nature of the nominations.
Q: Ruto gave an undertaking that only he and the President would be the politicians on the team.
Mugo: Well yes, although Uhuru deftly tried to walk that back.
Q: I imagine both Balala and Ngilu wouldn’t exactly have a picnic in Parliament when their vetting begins.
Mugo: Balala’s odds are better than Ngilu’s. Ngilu’s road to confirmation will be straddled with thorns unless of course Parliament decides to use her as leverage for something they want badly.
Q: Why do you think Uhuru settled for what most clearly view as a problematic nomination? Ngilu’s tenure at both the Health and Water ministries always left a corruption trail that led to her family – her daughter, Billy Indeche, her son-in-law and her uncle amongst others. And as if that weren’t enough, she’s handed one of the most plum portfolios in the Cabinet.
Mugo: Well she’s clearly a loyalty play. But that’s not all. If land is to be seriously addressed in an unprecedented manner, then expect very large private owners in Kenya to endure some significant pain in the coming years. I’m thinking about 999 year leaseholds; Kaptagat-like excisions from public lands and what have you. We all recall which side of the constitutional debate the Kenya Landowners Association, which represents large-scale private landowners, was on.
Anyone with the word ‘President’ or ‘former President’ preceding his name, together with their families, continues to have land issues in the public’s eye. And this group is associated more with the cause rather than the cure of the land problem in Kenya. So I look at Ngilu’s pick as a bone thrown to this constituency. And I expect Uhuru to vigorously defend her as she treads rough waters.
Q: Well what about Balala in ‘Mining?’
Mugo: It’s clear the President wants mining to accelerate in terms of its intrinsic importance to the economy. Extraction and processing will inevitably feed value-added manufacturing which if done in Kenya will add a new character to the nature of this sector, as well as reduce the nation’s over-reliance on agriculture.
But the large tracts of land where mining is either being currently done or will be in due course- think Taita-Taveta, Kwale and its Coastal neighbors - these are again largely concentrated in the hands of very few families. So I think you want an Uhuru-damu kind of guy in this portfolio, one whose first impulse is loyalty to the appointing authority. And can you think of a better guy than someone whose career was literally at its deathbed? It’s hard to see a guy like that resigning from Cabinet on a matter of principle.
On the upside, this guy hasn’t been dogged by corruption scandals, at least not that we know of. Plus, his stint at Tourism was positively regarded. He received accolades for his stewardship of that important sector of the economy. I have less of a problem with Balala than I do with Ngilu. Ngilu’s toxic.
Q: OK. Let’s move on to. What’s up with the MPs and Senators and their remuneration demands? What part of ‘unsustainable public sector wage bill’ in Uhuru’s recent speech to them did they not get?
Mugo: I don’t even know where to start. There’s something all too familiar with power dynamics in Parliament. You can change the men and women there, but you can’t seem to change the behavior. Makes you wonder what kind of conversation Dedan Kimathi and his ilk have done there. Parliament’s demands are ultimately a calling card towards a weaker economy. The question is, Who aside from Omtata cares?
Q: Explain to us the relationship between wages and an economy’s competitiveness? How might higher wages, especially those from the public sector, dampen growing economic prospects of the Kenyan economy?
Mugo: Well let’s start with government. Government collects taxes through the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) which, by the way, is headed by a former Finance lecturer of mine at the University of Nairobi, Bwana Njiraini. All the money collected is then spent in two areas (actually three if you add corruption): recurrent and development expenditure. Recurrent expenditure refers to all disbursement for the purposes of running and maintaining an administration, by far the bulk of which goes to pay salaries of civil servants; development expenditure, on the other hand, refers to outlays to build schools, hospitals, roads and bridges and so forth…….to develop the country.
These two are in competition in the sense that more recurrent expenditure means less money for development. So you see, if government workers agitate for more and more wages, it necessarily decreases the development part of the budget. This leaves the government two options: to either source development funds locally, or to borrow from ‘development partners.’ When the government decides to tap the domestic market as opposed to getting foreign assistance, what this does is shrink the pool of local credit for all other prospective borrowers, including the private sector and regular wananchi like you and I.
Q: And this shrinking pool of credit must make it more difficult for businesses and individuals to borrow, right?
Mugo: Exactly. This is because interest rates go up. Just like when tomatoes get scarcer in the market, prices go up. Then the private sector borrows less, individuals borrow less and this has a contracting effect on economic activity. The result is that the whole economy loses the competitiveness that naturally derives from a lower cost of doing business. To finish the thread of thought, when the government leans heavily on foreign partners for budgetary support, the ultimate effect is to increase the total outstanding debt of the nation. So we end up paying more in interest from future budgets. Therefore less would be available for spending on education, infrastructure development, health, poverty eradication etc.
Q: So the legislators’ fancies could actually become quite dangerous to the health of the economy?
Mugo: Yes indeed. It’s not quite the thrust into the heart yet, but legislators’ actions represent the sharpening of the dagger.
Q: But here’s the question: why do they do this? These are very intelligent men and women who’ve just emerged from some bruising fights. One assumes that they know the living conditions of the vast majority of folks that they’re avowed to represent. They also know the condition of the economy and the extent to which Kenya can or cannot afford to bear ever larger wage bills. Why do they do this?
Mugo: A most important question ndugu wangu. It’s called greed and like envy, jealousy, kindness, compassion can be a powerful motivator of behavior. In all cases, greed leads to bad behavior. And by the way, the legislators in Kenya are no different in this respect from their counterparts here in America. Ask yourself, to pick just one issue, why universal background checks for all gun purchases simply can’t pass Congress. Yet a resounding majority of Americans support it. Or why there’s such a vehemence of opposition to closing tax loopholes for the wealthy, something that would ultimately be beneficial to, and therefore stimulative of the US economy.
Q: Why?
Mugo: It’s essentially greed. A broken part of the economy happens to work for a powerful constituency and so all manner of legislative muscle is evoked to kill efforts at fixing the broken wheel. This kind of greed can happen on an individual as well as on a collective level. And it’s a commentary on one of the forces that fundamentally shape human life. The constant tussle between the pair of opposites: hot and cold, night and day, pain and pleasure. You know, you want the sex but not the baby kind of syndrome.
Q: So are we doomed in Kenya to a cabal of power welders who routinely take the big bites and gulps and tell the rest of us ‘to suck it up?’
Mugo: No. The quality of individual and collective life depends on which force – either vice or virtue - has the upper hand. It all depends on the strength of the collective consciousness of the society in question. If the collective consciousness is low, then the negatives have the upper hand and society suffers; when collective consciousness rises, then the positive forces gain a greater hold on life. Life is as we want it.
Fortunately there is a way of Transcendental Meditation or TM which when practiced for 20minutes morning and evening allows the mind to experience finer and finer states of thought, eventually transcending the finest level of thinking, and experiencing the source of thought or pure consciousness. This is the state of Being, and its character is absolute bliss consciousness. The result is a growth of inner contentment, better health, more harmonious behavior and a peaceful environment. Show me one content guy who's ever pointed a gun at another, and I’ll show you a $100 bill without a Benjamin.
Q: So you want all legislators to practice TM?
Mugo: Not only legislators, but everyone. Any and everyone who wants to enjoy a healthy, blissful and harmonious life should practice TM. And inadvertently, they will be spreading a harmonizing influence of coherence and positivity in their immediate environment. Then wrong tendencies, such as the ones we outlined earlier just simply vanish. And with that, the true spirit of service to their fellow men will begin to shine forth.
Q: Is there any scientific research that supports what you’re saying?
Mugo: Yes, in fact plenty. Just go to www.tm.org and see for yourself many of these studies. A Stanford University study for instance showed TM to be twice as effective as other techniques in lowering psychological stress. There are studies that have shown how TM is effective in the relief of insomnia or sleeplessness; how it lowers high blood pressures and its risk factors. In total, over 600 studies so far document TM’s positive impact on mental health, physical health, social behavior and societal quality of life indices.
Q: Haya, asante bwana Mugo. Let’s wrap it up. By the way, you mentioned to me that you wanted to share a fellow wananchi’s concern about this wages saga we’ve been talking about. Why don’t we tackle this and then wrap it up.
Mugo: Sawa. There’s this gentleman by the name of William Achia. We’re both MBA graduates from Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, although I was there earlier. He now teaches as an Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management at the University of Wisconsin – Platteville. I thought I might share his sentiments which I’m included as an attachment. He’s an example of the love of country that so many of us here in the Diaspora feel for Kenya. I’ve also included my reply to him. Hope readers enjoy.
Q: Well thanks for sharing. We meet next month kama kawaida.
Mugo: Asante, it was fun.
KENYA: OMBUDSMAN OFFICE OPENED IN KISUMU.
By Agwanda Saye
The Commission on Administrative of Justice has launched its Kisumu Branch office which , marks the beginning of the Commission’s decentralization process to the Counties to take services closer to the public in line with the constitution.
The CAJ Chair Otiende Amollo says the Commission appreciates the Challenges faced by the public especially the limited knowledge about administrative justice and their entitlements to the demand prompt and quality services from public institutions.
According to the commission man Kenyans countrywide are in demand of their services owing to systematic weaknesses as well as behavioral aspects that have always impeded quality, prompt and efficient service delivery in the public sector.
“In the year 2012, the Commission handled a total of 4,062 complaints, out of these 1,398 complaints and inquiries were resolved” Amollo added.
He added that the statistics showed that the majority of the complaints and inquiries received were against the Ministry of Lands at 11%, National Police Service at 10%,the Judiciary and Provincial Administration 8% each ,State Law Office 5%,Ministry of Labor 4% and Ministry of Finance and the City Council of Nairobi at 3%.
“In terms of the categorization, most of the complaints and inquiries related to delay, unresponsive official conduct, unlawful official conduct, administrative injustice inefficiency and abuse of power among others” he added.
The Commision will also be opening another office in Mombasa to cater for the public within the Coastal Region and will also set up offices in other regions based on the resource allocation.
Ends
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
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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