Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 16:02:24 +0300 [08:02:24 AM CDT]
From: Betty Otieno
Subject: Re: Parliament Allows Kibaki to use force to reclaim Migingo

While on Migingo, I have a short querry. I was driving home a moment
ago and the news brief mentioned Khalwale questioning whether Raila
visit to Iran/U.S. is personal or GoK and who sanctioned it. Wetangula
to respond. There is too much preoccupation with this man Raila to the
point that very many others get away with many things since Raila is
the focus of his detractors. Yesterday, it was who comes first in
ranking, followed by the testing maize co.

If a paper was to be written PhD about questions in Bunge, I think
Raila frequency would be highest. No one seems bothered as to what
Kibaki and many other Kenyans are up to. I would hate to be in his
position, hence the sympathy he has from me and others.

A whole head of state has put Jaluo read wajaruo in public context. At
least we still have friends like Salva Kiir contributing to the
community.

On 5/27/09, jane bisanju wrote:
From: Lawrence Nzuve
Subject: Re: Parliament Allows Kibaki to use force to reclaim Migingo
Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 5:17 AM

Robert

Which Parliament are you talking about when you say that ‘Kibaki’s
government’ was opposing the motion? I thought it is a coalition. No
opposition. Right?

On Wed, May 27, 2009 at 2:45 PM, Robert Alai wrote:

Wanabidii
The House has given Kibaki the authority now to use force on Uganda to get back Migingo. The funny thing is that the motion was being opposed by Kibaki’s government. Is Kibaki able to defend us?

Alai

Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 21:57:36 +0300 [01:57:36 PM CDT]
From: Kombo Ogaro
Subject: Re: Githae to Ban all Matatus from Town

Alai – i know you are provoking people. Nairobi is garbage because of the many matatus. They contribute to police harrassment and corruption. Matatus are a nuisance in the city centre. Take this, if Matatus have pre-determied stages, we wont have traffic jams everywhere. When michuki laws came into force, pedestrians were the champions. I remember one time a matatu tout smoked into my face at central bus station – no law to hinder him, me boarding his bus! Michuki made things work. Loosing a wallet full of your salary isnt a pretty thing cos QUARTER OF PASSENEGERS are gangs – organized from Railway station to my gettho!

Now if Githae has said that – then he is a good minister. Where is news i can read? See this reality: having matatus at destined places or passing through town during specific controlled time. What about having Kenya Railways exapning their horizon to the city centre using electric trains and undergorunds? What about having meter-read taxis that wont con you to pay Kshs 3000 to Ngummo after heavy drinking spree at Zeep?

The whole transport sector in Kenya need CHANGING. If i was the city mayor – that will chage within days – i swear. I will control the fares wananchi pays and make transport affordable to all. Private cars will be charged good money – for parking and also entering the city centre. Matatus will be barred – completely ad will have destinate places – where th town electric rail will pass through. I will have fly-overs and make sure people use them. I will not let citizens pass anywhere in the middle of the road talking on phones! That wont be popular but when my dead bed is near you will see the fruits of my labout a minister for tansport, or city mayor.

Prof Nyong’o did a consultancy earlier 80s or 90 – i am not sure on City Planning – if this was to be implemented we couldnt be in a mess we are in right now. Minimum three hours from Donny to town! Seeveral hours to Ngummo, Horror moment on Thuka road! Name the jams we have – some dont even end!

Githae should be right – chase matatus away and lets have another marshal plan to assist pedestrains and not make them walk fro Railways to Anniversary towers. We should hang Mutula Kilonzo for his suggestion to have VIP lanes…that was a rich policy indeed.

Kombo Elijah

On Wed, May 27, 2009 at 9:21 PM, Robert Alai wrote:

Wanabidii

Is Nairobi turning into a town for the rich?

How can Githae say that he will ban all Matatus and remove Stands from town?

Haki if he tries this then I am leading a demo against Githae personally.

Alai

Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 10:24:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: oscar oundo
Subject: Re: Nairobi under Invasion by Somalis – Pirate confesses!

kenya is slowly being bought out by these somalis. there is no bias in arguments because all these are valid concerns and they will come back to haunt us. these people will one day set the agenda in this country because they are now amersing power.

by taking away our land they will secure a reason to be here, then all forms of evil will creep in. we all know that in eastleigh there are rumours of slavery going on now what if it spreads and our children start missing. kenyans should be aware of who you are selling your property to.

in m7ni’s country they have sign posts all over land not for sale because they realised before us what was happening and the rate at which people were buying land. now in kenya it seems these money hungry kand owners do not give a crap about their children’s future. when you sell most parts of your own town to people who are not even kenyan somalis how do you exect those in that country to live.

this is a ticking bomb and these fellas will one day demand their right as “kenyans” yet we know they are not.

we have a very credible intelligence yet they just look aside as more harm is slowly creeping into this country. action must be taken quick before all hell breaks loose

— On Mon, 5/25/09, Sam Mwaura wrote:

From: Sam Mwaura
Subject: Re: Nairobi under Invasion by Somalis – Pirate confesses!
Date: Monday, May 25, 2009, 10:38 PM

Dear Kenyan’s

Okech has a very valid concern here and its so unfortunate that many of rush to comment on issues without even the slightest thought. We are so mad about Migingo, will it be ok if M7 presents us with a valid sale agreement to show that it belongs to UG. Likewise, for the doubting Thomases read todays standard page 3 and see a confession of a pirate.

If we don’t talk, if we don’t do anything, the political thugs in government will sell even the air we breath.

God have mercy on Kenya.

Sam

On 5/25/09, odhiambo okecth wrote:

Mary and Magak have gotten the gist of my argument.

After we have been bought out, what next for Kenya?

This is a serious problem. The Government has sold a big chunk of land in the Coast Province to the Qatais. Kenya Airports Authority has sold some chunk of land off Mombasa Road to some Arabs.

And on a daily basis, Kenya is being sold off. Where does this place the future of Kenya as an independent country.

It is not about hating other people. It is about Kenya and us.

Odhiambo T Oketch

— On Mon, 5/25/09, Mary Wakenga wrote:

From: Mary Wakenga
Subject: Re: Nairobi under Invasion
Date: Monday, May 25, 2009, 12:19 AM

Hello, Country.
It is good to do business as Enock Ombuns says, and we can all sell our
land to Warias and make money, but be careful we may eventually get
displaced out of our own country! Once they buy it they own the land and
they have a right to kick you out or make you their slaves in the end.
Money will not buy you that freedom!
Please the likes of Enock needs to go slow, think hard and deeply, don’t
sell you birth right because money is sweet!
Worried Kenyan lady.

Magak Mimba wrote:

the buy-out of Nairobi and other big cities in Kenya, Uganda and
Tanzania by Warias is planned. for those thinking this is no big
deal, you are in for a rude shock. with all due respect to Enock, if
we go by his line of argument, then it is no problem selling out
Kenya’s heritage to the highest bidder (after all it is a free market
economy).

all said, if one analyzes keenly, it will not be late before the big
cities in East Africa are bought out by the dirty monies. i happened
to have had a talk with one bitter somali national who complained to
me bitterly about lack of committment by the East African countries in
finding a lasting solution to somali problem. (I did not buy his
argument because Kenya, for example has tried as a good neighbour to
see peace coming back to somali in vain regret). the fella then told
me that they (somalis in Kenya) have decided to first buy out kenyans,
control the economy of kenya and other east african countries before
dictating the political and economic direction of these countries. i
do not know on whose behalf this guy was talking and i do want to base
my judgement on this statement. however, those in Nairobi will
testify to the fact that there is a lot of money exchanging hands
between the somali nationals and kenyan businessmen (landlords, etc)
and especially in the real property sector. these guys buy kenyan
IDs, passports and anything buyable (if there is such word). a lot
can be blamed on corruption on the part of immigration officials, the
kenyan police, land, etc. if something is not done soon, there will be
nothing left for kenyans by kenyans. i know this might not go down
well with the economists but i belief the economy of kenya should be
in the hands of Kenyas. land being one of the factors of production
it is important for the government weed out corruption and to come up
with a clear policy that would safeguard the country’s future. greed
can run down the country – the global financial crisis can be traced
back to greed. Eastleigh is gone, South C is gone, Hurgham is going,
Westlands is going, buildings and businesses in the CDB are going.
smell the coffee!

two weeks ago some colleagues traveled to north-eastern and were
shocked to learn that within few days, one of the refugee camps in the
area had registered over 5,000 somali nationals as refugees. one
wonders how many entered kenya unregistered only to become kenyans
after oiling the hands of corrupt police and immigration officials. we
need prayers for this nation.

– Magak Mimba

On Sun, May 24, 2009 at 6:57 PM, Enock Ombuna wrote:

I have no problem with Warias buying Nairobi, they are investors
just like any other, Our own politicians steal money and invest it
overseas. If the 9.2 typing error scandal could have succeeded I
can guess for you where that money could have been taken, I also
can confirm to you that the money could not have remained in a
Kenyan bank.

If you own a house overprice it and sell it to a Waria, use the
money to buy another land build house, overprice it and sell it to
another Waria… you will be in business. Who does not need this
money anyway?!!! as long as the Somalis continue fighting we stand
to gain ‘Hasira za mkizi furaha ya Kunguru’.

At the end of the day we will have developed Nairobi and we all
stand to benefit. The Architects who are designing the houses, the
Engineers who are buldings them, na pia jamaa wa mjengo will get a
piece of the cake.

I remain
*Enock Ombuna*
+254 725 226457
/* */

— On *Sun, 5/24/09, katex john wrote:

From: katex john
Subject: Nairobi under Invasion – Could Kenya be the saviour
for the Global crisis?
Date: Sunday, May 24, 2009, 2:49 AM

Looking at Owicho’s contribution and noting what is happening
in Real Estate Kenya is experincing a sudden inflow of money
(we don’t know where from). Other countries (US and Europe
seem to be suffering an ouflow or a deficit). So while the US
mortgage industry is going down the Kenyan real estate is peaking.

Looking at the Mercy train (contribution towards famine),
MPESA operations, rate of buying cars and various other
incidences there is a lot of money flowing – money which the
Central Bank may not even be accounting for. Though most of
Kenyans live below the poverty line a number of Kenyans are
able to raise huge sums of money on short notice.

I know it’s a paradox and as per Oparanya the economic growth
index has plummeted but still there is an external injection
of lumpsums of money (money which has not been generated
internally) thus the balance of payment for Kenya should have
gone higher in the last 3 years (unless the money can also
leave the borders as fast as it enters)…

Kenya started MPESA and it worked tremendously (it was a first
of its kind worldwide). The money circulating may take time to
be legitimised but could circumstances be throwing
opportunities on us to turn around the global crisis. Might it
happen that Kenya will not actually be affected by the
economic decline? Of how much impact is the Kenyan economy in
the World, is it at level of dots?

What do the Strategists and Economists think?

— On *Sat, 23/5/09, Peter Otieno wrote:

From: Peter Otieno
Subject: Re: Nairobi is under Invasion
Date: Saturday, 23 May, 2009, 3:08 PM

Migosi Owicho,
The somalis have many sources of cash- piracy included.One
thing that has made them corupt is the state of the
affairs in Somali- No goverment hence anybody can do
anything without being questioned.
I know of so many somalis who PRINT their currencies and
then run back to somali to change it into ” GENUINE
DOLLARS ” which they then bring back to kenya and change
for the kenyan currency.This is due to the fact that in
Somali- nobody thinks that the somali currency can be fake
( and even if they did- there is no goverment to seal the
loopholes ).This has been going on for some time now and
if coupled with now the PIRATES CASH- we are in for a
looong loooooong rude shock by the WARIAS.They will soon
buy the whole of Nairobi if not the whole Kenya for they
have MBECA!!!!!!!
The goverment of Kenya may not do much because the
printing is done both in eastleigh and somali land.

Ayuaya Masira
Shanghai China.

— On *Sat, 5/23/09, Theus Owicho wrote:

From: Theus Owicho
Subject: Nairobi is under Invasion
Date: Saturday, May 23, 2009, 1:04 AM

_*Nairobi has been invaded*_*
*_*22*_^_*nd*_ _* May 2009*_

I wish someone was a little truthful with the state of
the Kenyan affairs.

We have just been given a down cast economic state of
affairs. Kenya recorded a 1.7% growth last year. Most
of this was in the construction sector. And this is
what put me off. How can there be growth in the
construction sector when there is an economic
meltdown? Is this money genuine? Is this money that is
powering the construction industry clean money?

In the US, the economic meltdown is being felt heavily
on the housing industry and the US government is doing
something to cushion the home owners from imminent
loses. On the contrary, our government is recording
growth in the construction industry at a time we all
know there is a problem. And our government is doing
nothing to help Kenyans who are being relegated to
less affluent areas, courtesy of the growth in the
construction sector.

The common denominator here is that it is people of
Somali origins who are powering the growth Kenya is
recording in the construction industry. It is also a
known fact that people of Somali origins are the major
players in the Indian Ocean and in Lake Victoria where
piracy is the order of the day.

Eastleigh Estate has been invaded and most of our
people are being evicted by the high costs of housing
from there. In Gikomba Market, South B and C, and in
Komarock, the same is happening. Most Kenyans are
being evicted from the areas by the exorbitant rents
now being charged. In cases where rent ought to be
Kshs 7,000.00 for a two bed roomed house, people of
Somali origins are coming in and offering the
Landlords Kshs 12,000.00 per month and they pay rent
one year in advance.

Could the ransoms the Somali pirates are demanding
finding its way into our construction sector? Has the
government investigated the source of the Somali
wealth; wealth that makes them pay exorbitant rents
one year in advance? Which is this lucrative business
that is only exclusive to the Somali people? How come
Kenyans who are working so hard cannot make such kind
of money? Some of these things do not add up, and we
need an explanation from our government in defense of
Kenyans.

How many Kenyans can afford such rents? No wonder the
Government is recording growth in the construction
industry. I would have thought the Government would be
taking the interest of Kenyans at heart and protecting
us from this invasion.

Could it be true that the pirates have bought the
Grogan area and hired our police to protect them
against the mechanics?

With all due respect, could it be money from the
pirates that is driving the growths recorded in the
construction industry? Or, is it drug money? What is
the government doing to protect indigenous Kenyans
from this affront? Or do we have people in the Kenyan
Government who are part of the problem?

Odhiambo T Oketch,
Komarock Nairobi.

Should
African governments take steps to review Food Aid Policy?

By
Antony Simbowo

Hunger and famine is
nothing new in the 21^st century Sub Saharan Africa. Across
the continent, from the north to the south, many countries cry for
food aid yearly due to conditions escalated by adverse weather
conditions.

In the East and Horn
of Africa, famine has left lasting negative impressions on the food
security scene across the years as millions die due to inadequate or
complete lack of food. Food Aid Policy interventions have been
employed in various scenarios where such inadequacies have been
experienced. Started in the 1950s, Food Aid Policy came from the
Comrade Law, which is often known as the PL 480.

Food Aid Policy
usually ranks countries depending on the degree of need and prefers
assistance either in the form of food or monetary help. The food
security sector has been transformed over the last 50 years as
weather patterns, which, influence agriculture and farming trends,
change. This has meant that countries affected by food shortages
invest in intervention mechanisms to counter the adverse effects of
drought, famine and hunger. While the Food Aid Policy greatly caters
for the deprive3d in the African continent, it has witnessed many
challenges along the way due to issues of logistical, social and
economic nature.

Dr. Christopher Gor,
an Agricultural Economist and Lecturer avers that only about 50% of
food aid reach those who need it. Also fronted is the fact that it
creates dependency in the consumption-demand-supply chain. Long term
intervention procedures need to be put in place by governments in
terms of irrigation and the general development of the agricultural
industry.

The food
distribution channels are complicated and this has meant that some of
those affected by hunger donot live long enough to get the food. As
such, what many experts are asking for is the review of the half a
century old Food Aid Policy. In this, Non Governmental Organizations
and corporate have been pivotal in developing livelihoods programmes
that look into the long term improvement of food security through
enhancement of agricultural productivity via irrigation, commercial
farming and the application of soil conservation mechanisms. African
governments are expected to put in more effort towards modifying the
food Aid Policy to suit the needs of their citizens.

– – –
Date: Fri, 22 May 2009 02:07:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: Volunteer Work

Africa and The Third World Do Not Need Aid

By
Antony Simbowo

Much to the chagrin of
Western countries, many poor African and third world countries would
rather go to the World Bank, IMF and other Western funding
institutions so as to off set their self-created ‘budgetary
deficits’. The fact noted by the Swedish Ambassador to Kenya Mr. Bo
Goransson (Sunday Nation Kenya April 25th 2004), that “we can start
by removing the rucksacks (developing countries debts), taking away
the hurdles (our trade barriers) and disallowing false starts (our
subsidies)” has never been aptly expressed at a better time.

The
truth that the agricultural policies of the developed nations are an
obstacle to growth, poverty reduction and development in the third
world/less developed world has always been harboured by benign
selfish interests and greed under the aegis of protectionism by the
rich countries. Many are the developing countries whose loans
(erroneously tagged ‘aid’) have gone beyond their ability to pay
such that generations of their citizens are enslaved into avoidable
taxation to repay said loans. These mirrored against a backdrop of
desire for growth and development is but a yoke and a death sentence
to the guillotines of economic stagnation and absolute poverty.

The
loans in as much as they are ignorantly drooled for by the developing
world are the real causes of stagnated economic growth in these
countries. This is because many times they pegged on various “reform”
programs not relevant to the growth of the third world. For example,
the structural adjustment program much implemented by many poor
countries has never been in their development interests considering
that the unemployment levels are usually extremely high with each
working person having many extended dependents for basics such as
food and education.

Privatization though sheepishly cloaked as
good idea, is an economic wolf not suited for all third world state
corporations for strategic purposes and these unfortunately, have
been continuously and fatally harped on and supported by the
so-called lenders. The secret to the development of the poor
countries lies in good economic management and adoption of policies,
which suit them and their development aspirations. Noting that the
costs of “gross inequalities” “have the potential for fueling
frustration and conflicts” by marginalizing “the poor and are a
breeding ground for social unrest and violence”, which affect
economic growth, Mr. Goransson gave an insight into points more often
than not given cold shoulders by the poor countries due to crass
ignorance.

Poor countries need to clamp down on gender
inequalities, the poor-rich disparity, ethnic/tribal animosities and
unproductive public political debates at the expense of productivity
if they expect to increase their Gross Domestic Product and feed the
many hungry lots who have hardly a single proper meal a day.

The
reality however, is that much of the third world media and public
debate are rife with politics, rumour mongering and gossip which
contribute very little if any to national growth and development and
are luxuries which should only be afforded by the developed world.
The illusion seems to be that when the developing world media adopt
foreign programmes and concepts, then that is a sign of growth, which
is a pathological lie. This is an affront to development since these
unproductive media debates happen as the obscene disparity between
the rich and the poor increases at an increasing rate. Therefore,
African countries and other developing nations should strive to adopt
policies that are unique to their specific problems as well as unite
to learn from each other on the ways of tackling the problems because
a majority of them faced concordantly alike situations.

The
collapse of the Cancun talks charted the way forward for poor
countries to resist repressive economic policies from the developed
world, which have incessantly served to retard growth and increase
over dependence on loans from the World Bank, European Economic
Commission and other world lending institutions. The third world
should realize that rich countries are intent on maintaining their
status quo and only adamant refusal to budge from their stance would
help unyoke them from years of economic slavery more or so in the Sub
Saharan Africa.

What the African countries and the rest of the
developing world need to inspire growth is a fair economic playground
and not burdensome loans falsely labeled ‘aid’. This fair
playground should be free of ubiquitous agricultural subsidies, trade
barriers, and other forms of economic malpractices giving the rich
developed world an undue advantage over the poor developing world in
the world trade arena. Should these be implemented, then the falsity
that African states and the developing world at that are economically
athirst without loans shall be disproved.

Let the developed
world stop sponsoring rebels and guerrillas in Africa and the rest of
the third world, let them write off loans to the developing nations,
let them remove trade barriers and agricultural subsidies. Let us
start afresh for the betterment of the worlds poorest. As for the
poor countries, more or so Africans, it is time you stopped this
vicious cycle shameless begging and focused on better policies and
politics for your nations. It is time you stopped being used as trade
paraphernalia by international lenders. It is time you spent wisely
the little resources you have and curtailed the economic slavery and
yoking of generations of African off springs, which you have abetted
heartlessly for years.

1. Alex F. McCalla,’
   Agriculture and Food Needs to 2025: Why Should We Be Concerned?”
   (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR),
   Sir. John Crawford Memorial Lecture, Washington, D.C., 27^th
   October 1994).

   
   

1. Agriculture
   towards 2010, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United
   Nations, Rome, 1993.

   
   

1. Bo Goransson,
   “Sunday Nation”, Kenya, April, 25th 2004

   
   

– – –
Date: Fri, 22 May 2009 02:07:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: Volunteer Work

Date: Wed, 20 May 2009 05:51:15 -0700 [05/20/2009 07:51:15 AM CDT]
From: kosgey kipyego
Subject: Re: Kenya needs a Dictator.

We need an economic dictator. We called Moi a dictator and see the difference. Am not saying he was the ideal leader, but you know. Paul Kagame was dismissed by many as a dictator, see Rwanda’s level of development? Far East dictators? Where are they now?

—– Original Message —-
From: Shadrack Kirunga
Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 9:45:02 AM
Subject: Kenya needs a Dictator.

Wanabidii,

This morning a friend of mine posed this question: Do you think our
country will be saved? (Not the christian way but from our bad
leadership)

I dont have an answer but after some discussion, we agreed that a soft
form of dictatorship is what we need in this country. She went on to
quote Mutava Musyimi who once said that its better to have a dictator
than to have a weak leader.

We have talked so much, but as long as our crop of leadership remains,
we remain in the same situation. We know our problems, we feel the pain
of the bad leadership and bad policies and a government that is just not
working for its people.

What do you think? Do we need a real revolution? Do we need to front a
dictatorship to pull us out of this rut?

Over to you.
Milton obote Joshua 5/19/2009 9:56 pm >>>
You miss the whole point I am making. I think you need someone to translate it for you to understand.

Jakarachuonyo

— On Tue, 19/5/09, karanja goro wrote:

From: karanja goro
Subject: RE: Ministry of Finance of Kikuyu (Kenya)
Date: Tuesday, 19 May, 2009, 3:45 PM

Hi Jakarachuonyo

I do agree with you on the point of representation, but all in all we
should first look at merit. By saying this am not defending what
treasury does but that if first try to encourage merit then the problem
“might” somehow be changed. By asking for representation do we put merit
aside. This representation is what messed the country through the policy
of 85% of secondary school admission. It ensured people stayed in their
home district rather than mingle with others and appreciate their
cultures

KG

Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 09:00:51 +0300
Subject: Re: Ministry of Finance of Kikuyu (Kenya)
From: kamau.moses.n@ . . .
Wana bidii,
Bad politics has propagated tribalism in our great country Kenya.. A
possible solution is to de-politicize our country through constitutional
& legal changes. Power should be spread out and delocalized. Politics
should seize to be central in our lives.
When we are not politicking, we are not tribal! If you are looking for
the best Dentist, would it matter what tribe he/she is?
The fact of the matter is that the people at the Treasury have employed
their Kikuyu *friends and relatives*. They would gladly employ a Luo
if he gave them the right amount of money. It is nepotism and
corruption, NOT TRIBALISM!!!
My hope and prayer is that my children will live in a country where
they are judged by the content of thier character and integrity, not by
their names!!!
The Kikuyu politicians are busy eating (with their friends and
relatives)* they will then come to us (Kikuyus) in 2012 and rally us to
protect *our* leadership from the Luos or Kalenjins* What crap!!!!
Regards,
Moses

On Tue, May 19, 2009 at 1:24 AM, Jac wrote:

Tribalism! What a hot topic that many people shun since it can burn
your fingers very first, but I am not afraid of that since I know very
well that this problem will keep on affecting this countries for decades
if we don’t talk about it without shying off.

I really admired the way Barrack Obama tackled the issue of racism
during his campaigns last year and he was able to reduce this issue from
a stumbling block to a stepping stone on his fight for the presidency.
He has not only made history as the first black president of USA but
also he has gone a long in positively changing the world perception on
race issue and people around the world have realize that we are all
equal irrespective of the color of your skin. In Kenya we need to follow
suit and tackle this issue head-on.

I am happy that people in this forum have started realizing that we
need to give solutions about the various problems that are affecting
this country and I cant agree more with Issac and Peter on this.

As a country we need to state clearly whether we need to purely go for
merit or set laws that ensure that every public institution has an
outward look of “Kenya” in terms of Human Resource irrespective of
their pros and cons?

As a matter of fact all the public institutions today recruit on merit
basis and if this doesn’t happen in some organization then a whole
community should not be victimized because of that. It is unfair to do
that? For the initiator of this topic to use “Ministry of Finance of
Kikuyu (Kenya)” as the subject of this email it is demeaning to the
mentioned community since it paints a picture that all Kikuyus are
responsible for the problem in Treasury. Just the other day we had
Museveni who also referred to a whole Kenyan community in a way that
was felt as demeaning to the mentioned community. People should stop
this behavior since it just fuels hatred and unnecessary acrimony.

What we should do is to decide on what want as a country as far as
fighting tribalism is concerned during recruitment in public
institutions instead of extending hatred towards a certain community on
suspicion that it’s practicing tribalism since today it might be this
community but tomorrow it might be another one. So for all of us to be
comfortable we need to figure out a way forward.

Countries like Rwanda have enacted laws that restrict her citizens
from making any negative statements against another tribe. We can still
do this in Kenya and I think this is something that need to be discussed
and submitted to the experts who are spearheading the constitutional
review process for consideration during the process.

Another way for fighting tribalism is through our education system
where it should be made mandatory that one goes to a High school outside
their home province.This will go along way in making people appreciate
other communities.

I believe that others have more solutions out there…………

Jac

……………………………………….
I am human en human make mistakes

—
Jackson Gathoni

On Mon, May 18, 2009 at 4:31 PM, edla muga wrote:

Why is it so difficult for some of us to accept that there is a problem
of perceived and actual misrepresentation by Kenyans when public
institutions do not ensure that they balance things?

— On Sun, 5/17/09, Milton obote Joshua wrote:

From: Milton obote Joshua
Subject: RE: Ministry of Finance of Kikuyu (Kenya)
Date: Sunday, May 17, 2009, 9:04 AM

Karanja,

You have a valid question. Yes merit and competence are good measures.
The trouble is not with these two values. The main problem is the
assumption that merit and representation are opposing values when they
are not. Rest assured that I can go to Kisii and find well qualified
personnel to run the entire Kenyan bureaucracy. In other words, don’t we
wish that in a republic such as Kenyan which subscribes to the
principles of equitable representative democracy, that merit and
representation would be balanced especially in public governmental
concerns.

Jakarachuonyo

— On Sun, 17/5/09, karanja goro wrote:

From: karanja goro
Subject: RE: Ministry of Finance of Kikuyu (Kenya)
Date: Sunday, 17 May, 2009, 9:38 AM

Wanabidii

I think the issue to ask is whether the kikuyus there are competent.
I work in luo nyanza where in a company of 600 staff more than 400 are
Luo’s. I dont have a problem with that as most are delivering as
required. What kenyans need to ask first is whether someone is qualified
and competent before going for tribe. People need to realise that even
when you go to death row inimates kikuyu’s will always out number the
others. The sabotage issue may even be counter productive as it will
make managers rely on members of their tribes.

Karanja

Date: Sat, 16 May 2009 04:00:06 -0700
From: kamaungethe@ . . .
Subject: Ministry of Finance of Kikuyu (Kenya)

Wanabiddi

The recent crisis that almost cost Uhuru Kenyatta his job can now be
linked to internal protest. Talking to one of the employees who did not
want his name to be mentioned for fear of victimization, the staff in
the Ministry of finance are said to be so furious with their seniors to
the extend the Ministry is divided into Kikuyu verses other Kenyans.
According to the staff members, since the year 2003 the ratio of
recruitment and promotion of staff between Kikuyu and other Kenyans is
6:2 in the Ministry of Finance and Parastatals falling under it.. This
has angered other Kenya who feel they are treated with contempt.

*We wanted to show the country and our parliamentary leaders the rot
in the Ministry* he added. The parliamentary Committee investigating
the Sh. 9.2 billion typing error also confirmed this claim of tribalism
in the Ministry.

The sad news is that some departments are so staffed with Kikuyus that
even departmental meetings are held in Kikuyu language. No wonder
Kikuyus have a problem with other Kenyans.

Someone must take action and very fast

Kamau

Date: Wed, 20 May 2009 10:19:28 +0300 [05/20/2009 02:19:28 AM CDT]
From: Lawrence Nzuve
Subject: Re: Proverbs/Sayings on Women’s property rights and a petty update

Bro Omtatah

That was really comprehensive. You saw a lot and am happy you have something to bring back home. On the Kenyan Episcopal delegation, that was really bad. It stinks. Am almost ashamed of professing the faith. Anyway. I cannot judge lest i be judged. They should however put their act together.

As you always say, peace
—
Collection Manager
Turkana Basin Institute
P.O BOX 24467 (00502)
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel:254 020 3752337 (office)
cellphone: +254727364905
Email:lawrencenzuve@gmail.com
http//www.kfrp.com/blog
http//www.turkanabasin.org
http//www.prehistoryclubkenya.org

On Wed, May 20, 2009 at 5:10 AM, Okiya Omtatah Okoiti wrote:

Peace be upon you.

1. Petty this-and-that updates

I am somewhere on the Sudan-Central African Republic border, learning loads as I travel, eat and sleep harsh through some of the war ravaged villages of the vast Southern Sudan territory, in some areas seeing returning refugees literally rebuilding from scratch, trying to make sense of the tragic nonsense that is war.

I began on the Ethiopian border (where I was hosted by my former Xavarian secondary school teacher, from Boston USA, who is doing very commendable work setting up a girl’s secondary school in the middle of “nowhere”). I plan to move down to the Uganda border, then cross back through more villages to Torit and onto Lokichogio for a flight back to Nairobi. It would have been easier and shorter to go to Entebbe from Nimule (on the Sudan-Uganda border), but I want to avoid Uganda like the plague for now. (For personal health reasons.) Other than one day in Torit, I have largely avoided urban areas coz I want to see the real people, not Kenyan professionals working in Sudanese cities. I have stayed with Catholic priests totally embedded in the communities they serve.

For example, I had never seen a priest digging with a hoe like a peasant to grow his own food for subsistence… Fr. Santalino, a Madi man, does that every morning with the peasants. Many local priests (they have seen as much school as their Kenyan counterparts, whom they trained with in Nairobi and Rome) lead Spartan lives among the peasants, providing them with vital (spiritual and material) services as they rebuild their lives. (Some of the priests are ‘warriors’ who experienced the pangs of war behind SPLA lines, or as prisoners of the Lords Resistance Army which abducted and tortured quite a number of them. And, for a few days, the SPLA, kidnapped the legendary (retired) Bishop Taban Paride.)

At the operations base of the Catholic Diocease of Torit, not at the bishop’s residence, meals are a family affair – the bishop, priests and all workers ( did not see any nuns) eat from the same humble table laid out on the veranda – no hierarchy. Among the workers are two Muslims who practice their faith freely and openly. I would love for our Kenyan Catholic bishops (I am not familiar with other churches) to tour and rediscover their faith before the sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger. For example, when they travelled for a regional bishops’ meeting in Arusha a while ago they are reported to have distinguished themselves as being the only episcopal group that carried their food and cooks, and expensive drinks, from their home country, and cooked and ate lavishly in seclusion from the other bishops. Hata kama ni ugali na tsimondo tsia tsisindu (posho and gizzards from quails), this is unacceptable!)….. The social rot extends beyond our politicians!

BY THE WAY, THE COOKING BY LOCALS IS EXCELLENT. YOTE NI TRADITIONAL FOOD – THE KIND MY LATE PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER USED TO COOK. For example, meat is smoked, before it is cooked in simsim sauce, etc. People don’t eat fresh meat like foxes. My paternal grandmother was of Luo extraction and here ni Njaruo tele. M7 hana bahati. In fact, the Luos in Kenya look like mutations. if not, they are just the tip of the Luo Iceberg hidden in the confusion that is vast Africa. There are many other Nilotic groups, and also many Bantu groups. That’s another story for another day.

Church music is fantastic, I had never seen 12, 13, and 18-string musical instruments. The instruments range from one string in varying combinations to 21 strings (though I did not see one but I was told they have them). Last Sunday I celebrated the Eucharist among the Madi, and was touched when they offered a special prayer in my honour (Kenyans are held in very high esteem because of the Comprehnsive Peace Agreement), praying that God should help Southern Sudan to break off from the Arab north, gain independence and join the East African Community.

2. Proverbs/Sayings on Women’s property rights:

Today, in a discussion with a group of local Zande (Azande/Xande) men (a people living on both sides of the Sudan-CAR border, and who speak a language of the Adamawa-Ubangi branch of the Niger-Congo) on wife inheritance and widow property rights, an elder who had been quiet throughout stopped my human rights talk with a one liner: “If a woman comes by an elephant task in the forest and picks it up, that task belongs to her husband.” (My translator does not speak good English, but that is what I made of his translation.) He said emphatically then walked off contemptuously without uttering another word.

What on earth did he mean?

As I insisted to the group that the sentence made no sense to me, one of the men told me that it meant that, absolutely, married women have no property rights…

He said: “When a woman is unfaithful and she bears a child with her secret lover, that child belongs to the husband, and many men around the world are forced to raise children who are not their blood, thikning they are theirs… so why shouldn’t the property a wife makes also belong to the husband?”

This kind of logic is totally beyond my comprehension…

Do we have similar proverbs, sayings, onliners, etc, that can throw light onto the traditional African world view on the question of the property rights of women, and help move the debate forward? I would like to know, especially those that state the contrary, giving women property rights in traditional Africa.

Finally, thanks to all who donated the many books on Human Rights, etc. Though they were a drop in the ocean of local needs they were very very well received. Bishop Akio wants to set up what he calls “a community founded on and protected by a spiral of human rights principles,” with small Christian communities and CBOs (including non Christian ones) serving as the building blocks at the base, rising to the sub-parishes, the parishes, deaneries, and to the diocese… For the secular ones he wants to see them organised at corresponding State administrative units.

Peace.

Omtatah

PS:

Please don’t ask for pictures just yet coz I decided not to carry a camera in order not to “distance” myself from the people, by looking like a tourist or a news reporter. Nevertheless, some of the priests I visited along the way took snaps and I will soon have them.