Below is an email from Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon. Senator Merkley started a petition on the MoveOn website, where anyone can start their own online petition.
–Senator Jeff Merkley
– – – – – – – – – – –
U.S. Senate: Support the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act. We deserve to know what’s in our food.
Sign the Petition!
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=291122&id=70962-21095459-NEIdRux&t=3
Dear MoveOn member,
Whether it’s corn on the cob, big juicy tomatoes, or a pint of raspberries, summer is a great time to eat whatever’s fresh off the farm—nature’s bounty at its finest.
But these days, it seems that food is a bit more complicated. Additives, preservatives, artificial flavorings—not to mention genetically engineered food. Maybe you want to eat 100% organic. Maybe you don’t mind some artificial something-or-other.
But there’s one thing I think we can all agree on: You should have the right to know and choose what’s in your food.
The big multinational food, chemical, and pesticide companies—like Monsanto, DuPont, and Dow—would rather keep you in the dark.
That doesn’t work for me, and it’s why I am supporting the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act.
Tell your Senators that you deserve the right to know what’s in your food.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=291123&id=70962-21095459-NEIdRux&t=4
The petition to the United States Senate says:
Whether you’re a 100% organic shopper or a fast-food junkie, every single one of us should have the right to know whether the food we’re eating has been genetically engineered. We call on the U.S. Senate to support the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act and pass it without delay.
Visit here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=291123&id=70962-21095459-NEIdRux&t=5
Thanks!
This petition was created on MoveOn’s online petition site, where anyone can start their own online petitions. Senator Jeff Merkley didn’t pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.
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Normally Tanzanian lawmakers would ‘prove’ their radicalism by blasting rival parties, state authorities, public corporations or ministers for shoddy work done or millions that go missing. Hardly do they take a swipe at a multinational corporation, much less if it is an American one
Yet that is what happened recently when Hon Halima Mdee (Chadema) called upon the government to severe its relations with the international seed company Monsanto, which is a major stakeholder in the country’s campaign for green revolution.
She reminded that the firm had caused farmers misery and suffering in many countries, including the US, where it is based.
The company, known for the production of genetically modified seeds, has been blacklisted in India, Argentina, Chile and eight European countries because the seeds it sells to farmers at high prices have been a disaster, prompting some nations to institute legal action against it, Ms Mdee said
“Last year the company committed $50 billion to producing seeds for Africa, but the firm is known around the world as a major producer of genetically modified seeds, which are harmful to farmers and environment,” she cautioned
Ms Mdee suspected that given the company’s bad reputation, President Jakaya Kikwete might have been misinformed by his aides. “This is because we know that these large multinationals have a tendency to use their financial muscle to compromise government leaders.”
Shadow agriculture minister Rose Kamili noted that India has banned the use of cotton seeds produced by Monsanto after research established that they were a threat to farmers and the environment.
In fact more than 1,000 farmers had committed suicide as a result of debts resulting from buying seeds from Monsanto at high prices.
The points brought up by the two ladies hardly triggered any reaction or rejoinder. Probably the lawmakers were not well informed of the subject matter, or they were not too keen to irritate the conglomerates who promote genetically modified organisms (GMO) and the donor agencies that back them
Yet the debate is no doubt raging within the civil society, among groups that are running concerted campaign against GMO. But they are not having an easy ride, for Monsanto is applying pressure in the country for amendment to regulations so as to allow GMO.
They are using local scientists and researchers as well as state bigwigs. The firm reportedly provides all the means, from laboratory to foreign travels. In the course, they manage to get local spokespersons and mouthpieces.
Tanzania Alliance for Biodiversity is not among them. This is a joint coalition that is trying to maintain agricultural biodiversity for food sovereignty and security. It aims at sustainable development, promoting self-determination and facilitating exchange of information and experiences among farmers
Alliance members are convinced that the introduction of GM crops or animals is not the right solution in fighting poverty and hunger as claimed by the likes of Monsanto.
They are concerned that while Tanzania has so far been GM free, the country has now opened the door to GM biotechnology.
The Alliance has collected various campaigners, including African Centre for Biodiversity, ActionAid International Tanzania, Biolands, BioRe, BioSustain, Envirocare, PELUM Tanzania, Swissaid, and Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement.
They join similar movements in South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, and Uganda, to resist the pressure from the US-driven biotech industry.
On the other side, agribusiness corporations try their level best to promote what they claim to be high-tech miracle seeds for solving the problem of African food insecurity and poverty.
One supporter they apparently managed to bag is none other than President Jakaya Kikwete himself who, in March this year, came out in defence of Monsantos, heaping the blame on those who challenge them, saying they are “uninformed” and so need to educate themselves.
He called for a transformation of “negative mindset” on the adoption of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) technology in the country, challenging scientists in the country to conduct research to establish the “practicality of the technology”, stressing that as long as there are “no proven major negative impacts”, he saw no logic in opposing the application of the technology.
His prime minister, Mizengo Pinda also accused those who oppose GMO of being “slow in accepting the opportunity” offered by the technology, claiming that Kenya and Uganda are “far ahead of us in its application”
Thus, at the official level Tanzania supports the plan to conduct research on genetically modified crops in the country. Agriculture Minister said it is aimed at keeping up with the new technology in order to modernise agriculture and promote balanced economic growth.
He said the time for being rigid on the use of GMOs was over.
Nothing is said about the decision taken by the European Union who banned GMO crops on grounds such as pesticide resistance and threats to biodiversity or potential negative effects on the environment.
What the Tanzanian and African apologists of GMO have to keep in mind is that traditionally the seed and its control has been the foundation of their agricultural sector. After all some 80% of seed comes from local and communal resources and is adapted to local conditions. It is thus an integral part of the communal food security and agricultural integrity. With the onslaught of GMO this traditional system is undermined.
This is what happens when commercial interests, supported by the World Bank, together with front organisations and self styled philanthropists, attempt to alienate this crucial resource.
This is done by giant multi-national seed and pesticide companies that are promoting hybrid and genetically modified (GM) seed. While they claim to assist the development of African agriculture, the end result is disastrous.
One example is South African seed industry – the biggest in Africa – whose deal was recently sealed when the country’s court permitted the sale of the last remaining large seed company, Pannar, to the US multinational Pioneer, a subsidiary of DuPont. With this the US firm is to take over Pannar’s African network.
It means South Africa’s valuable seed industry is grabbed by world’s two largest US seed companies that are to use South Africa to gain inroad into Africa, with serious consequence for indigenous seed networks.
Meanwhile, organisations like the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) claim that new seed being developed for Africa will be freely distributed to smallholder farmers.
What happens is that these giant seed corporates transfer the experience of South America to Africa. In South America the herbicide-resistant GM soya that was patented by Monsanto was surreptitiously encouraged.
When the soy industry became widespread, Monsanto started to claim royalties on all the soy grown, since it established the right to its intellectual property. Luckily the attempts in Brazil were over ruled in the courts and Monsanto was ordered to refund billions of dollars to farmers.
It is such practice that prompted the on-line campaign run by Avaaz to post a global petition aiming at exposing Monsanto’s worldwide grip, cautioning that the mega-company is gradually taking over our global food supply, poisoning our politics and putting the planet’s food future in serious danger.
The petition shows how Monsanto develops pesticides and genetically modified (GM) seeds, patents the seeds, prohibits farmers from replanting their seeds year to year, then sends undercover agents out to investigate and sue farmers who don’t comply.
The firm spends millions lobbying US government officials, contributing to their political campaigns, then works with them to push Monsanto goods into markets across the world.
Monsanto is trampling small farmers and small businesses as vast ‘monoculture’ farms of single crops leech the land of nutrients, diminish genetic diversity, and create dependency on fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals. .
“Monsanto’s power in the US gives them a launch pad to dominate across the world. But brave farmers and activists from the EU, to Brazil, to India and Canada are resisting and starting to win,” Avaaz proclaims.
The on-line petition shows how farmers are lured into multi-year contracts, then seed prices rise, and they have to buy new seed each season and use more herbicides to keep out ‘super weeds’. In India, the situation is so dire that one cotton area has been called ‘the suicide belt’, as tens of thousands of the poorest farmers have taken their lives to escape crippling debt.
Not surprising, therefore, that, at the end of November 2012, Kenya banned the importation of genetically modified food on health grounds.
A stormy public ‘debate’ ensued. There were those on the side of ‘modernity’ and ‘science,’ denouncing the lack of ‘scientific evidence’ among their opponents.
Such ‘defence’ of GMO is not surprising. Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research provides USD25 million annually to biotechnology research globally. At the same time bilateral aid agencies – especially from the United States – provide 60 per cent of research funding for biotechnology
Private philanthropic foundations are also involved in funding the research. They include the Howard Buffet Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. Multinational biotechnology companies, including Monsanto and Syngenta, also chip in
In so doing they try to stymie the debate that is going on globally. However, they only succeeded in extending the battle against GMO to Africa where farmers are putting up strong resistance to the so-called modernity
Nizar Visram is a citizen of Tanzania who has been writing feature articles for various media outlets inside and outside Africa for almost 30 years. Born in Zanzibar, he is retired senior lecturer in Development Studies at the Institute of Finance Management in Dar es Salaam He can be contacted at:nizar1941@yahoo.com
TWO regions in Western Kenya stands a better chance of setting up fast and vibrant development, if the two County governance could pull up socks and redouble efforts in the real task of development.
Both Kisumu and Homa-Bay Counties are rich in natural resources which include fisheries, minerals while endowed with fertile arable land for the production of nearly al cash crops such as sugar cane, coffee tea, and vegetable horticulture.
The two counties are sharing the Nyanza Gulf {formerly Kavirondo Gulf, a narrow and shallow waterway that winds up at the eastern shoreline of Lake Victoria.
However, the two regional assemblies, will have to look for urgent sources of funds with which could be used to eradicate the water hyacinth weeds which has chalked the lake for the last ten years and so.
The fishing industry is arguably the main economic stay of the resident of the two counties. The dreadful water hyacinth weeds has become an impediment to further development of fishing activities, and means and ways must be found for its immediate removal either manually or mechanically.
Ships, steamers an fishing boats are finding it difficult to navigate their way through the water hyacinth weeds, which at time even blockades the narrow waterway into Kisumu Pier and thereby blocking ships plying the narrow water way while ferrying cargoes and goods to the neighboring land-locked counties of Tanzania, Uganda ,Rwanda, Burundi, Central African Republic and the Dr Congo, republic and Southern Sudan.
Recent government statistics showed that Kenya has done well in exporting its fish to the,Israel,Japan and US,though the country owns only small fraction of Lake Victoria waters at only 20 per cent, while its two other partners in the East African Community {EAC} have the Lion’s share with Tanzania 50 per cent, Uganda 46 per cent.
Judging from the type of personnel recently appointed to serve in the two regional cabinets by the two governors o Kisumu and Homa-bay, the resident have a goods reason to smile ,expecting the assembly cabinet and representatives to deliver the goods to the electorate within the quickest period of time possible to deliver.
Both governors Cyprian Otieno Awiti [Homa-Bay}, Jack Ranguma {Kisumu}The two men boost vast and wealth experience in the management of pubic affairs. Rumors making the round that Oil and natural gas were recently discovered in Nyakach area with the potential commercial could boost the two counties economically value could give the region a boost.
The two counties are sharing the Nyanza Gulf with the Homa-Bay have the largest area covering Nyakach Rachuonyo North,Rangwe, Homa-bay and Mbita districts.
Kisumu Countyhas the advantage of hosting five sugar manufacturing companies, namely Chemelil, Miwani, Kibos and Muhoroni, though the ailing industry has permanently on its death bed.These factories need to be resuscitation in order to improve the circulation o cash money in the two regions.
During the recent long rains which had caused the massive flood of many parts of Nyanza, there were the sighs of relief on the faces f the fishermen and those involved inn the fish trade. They woke up in the morning only to find the dreaded water hyacinth weeds blown away by strong wind during the night leaving many parts of the lake clean and clear. However, this did not offer the permanent solution and this is the main reason why the two counties must sources for the funds in order to combat the menace of water hyacinth.
Another value added project, which would soon pace Kiumu city ino theglobal map is the rent expansion o the Kisumu Airport in which the Kenya government has so far sunk billion of shillings into.It is increasingly becoming incentive to the famers I Kisumu, Kisii and Homa-Bay Counties to go for more lucrative earning cash-crops like horticultural, which could be airlifted directly from kisumu Airport to any destination globally
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.
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.
CHEMELIL Sugar Company Limited, the wholly state owned sugar manufacturing company based in Muhoroni district within the Kisumu County has ground its production to a halt.
The company owed its suppliers cane farmers, worker and other stakeholders close to Kshs 2 billion.
Its employees estimated to be numbering about 850 have yet to be paid their salaries since December,2012 last year. This has exposed these workers to extreme suffering starvation and diseases as the can no longer afford to cater for themselves and their families or pay for their medical bills due to lack of money.
Unconfirmed reports say one worker had died of what his workmates have described as caused by extreme starvation and hunger. The body of the deceased whose name was given as Walter Marega is still lying at the morgue in hospital.
The facility, which for many years ever since its inception was the centre of excellence, and the mainstay of sugar production within the Nyanza sugar belt has been run-down owing to what an insider has described as “gross political interference” into its day-to-day management, corruption, and “pilferage with impunity.”.
Although aware of the tremendous suffering of the employees of the facility the political leadership in the region couldn’t care less and made no effort to install the sanity in the once vibrant and prosperous sugar industry management.
Human Rights groups and NGOs operating in the area have raised an alarm about the pathetic state of affairs at the Chemelil sugar company to no avail.
The current managing director of the Chemelil sugar Company is Charles Owelle, a man who has for many years been involved in its previous management team, which were discredited with numerous allegations of looting and excessive pilferage and vandalism of the firm’s resources.
Owelle, a Luo, took over from Eng. Edwin Otieno Musebe, a Luhyia, whose concerted effort had turned the facility around from being run-down to a vibrant profit making firm. His removal was viewed as having been instigated by excessive tribalism. Owelle by then was the company’s agricultural manager and had even twice before acted as an interim MD.
The company’s debts have increase to about Kshs 2 billion The most affected groups are the suppliers, cane farmers and the 850 workers who have not been paid their salaries since August 2012 and are still living in squalid conditions in their dilapidated houses while penniless and suffering not to be able to cater for their basic needs such as food and school fees for their school going children.
Sugar can farmers and other stakeholders have also not been paid their dues since last year either the Kenya Sugar Board doing the reportedly never ending annual mechanical maintenance since last year has also been informed of the extreme difficulties the stakeholders were undergoing, but has done nothing.
Other reports emerging from the facility says that on the night of Friday March 15, 2013 an employee of the company by the name Walter Marega had complained to his neighbor about extreme hunger and starvation he was experiencing.
A generous neighbor sympathized with Mr Marega voluntarily offered to take him to a food kiosk in the nearby market so that he could get some porridge. The deceased then went to the estates shop to look for some eggs, but he got nothing because he had exhausted all his credit facilities. All this happened while the late Mr. Marega’s wife had given birth to a new born baby at Nambale hospital. A neighbor offered him 500/- loan to enable him to travel to Nambale, but the same night Marega died lonely inside his company estate house even before seeing his new born baby.
The recent change in political patronage of Muhoroni in which the former immediate MP or the are Prof.Ayiecho Olueny was voted out an a new MP elect James Onyango Koyoo voted in has given the residents, especially members of the farming community the ray of hope that things could change to the better.
Members of the sugar cane farming fraternity within Awendo cane growing zones have issued a stern warning to a cartel and mandarins with vast economic and business interests in the Awendo-based SonySugar Company Limited to desist from the bad habit of frustrating the work of the newly elected MP for the area.
The farmers through their spokesmen said that the elections are over, the resident of this agriculturally rich area should renew their concerted efforts in growing more cane. This, they said is the only way forward to promote economic activities and poverty eradication in the area.
The farmers were reacting on rumors and speculations, making the round within Awendo Town and its environs, to the effect that unknown persons suspected to be the associates of a cartel and mandarins of big business tycoons within the town have been issuing threats against the life of the newly elected Awendo MP Hon Fred Otieno Kopiyo.
Kopiyo, the former Principal of Gamba High School, which is located about ten kilometers to the west of Awendo town, had won the election against a half a dozen of other contestants on a Ford Kenya ticket.
This was after his victory for the ODM ticket was cancelled by the party headquarters following the intervention of unnamed senior politicians and businessmen in the area, which saw the ODM nomination certificate being handed to the nomination loser one Walter Owino who was the ODM official candidate.
The MP elect beat the latter hands down and other aspirants, and immediately swore to serve the much exploited and marginalized sugar cane farmers in the area to his best.
IN a phone conversation with this writer, Hon Kopiyo said that since the elections were now over the resident should work together in unity of purpose and I a concerted effort to develop the area to the highest level.
The MP – elect extended an olive branch to all those who competed against him, saying there is a room for all to work together for the interests of the residents.”Our common goal should be how quickly we could succeed in eradicating poverty among our people, ”he said.
He said despite of the area producing a lot of sugar cane and other cash crops, the poverty index is the highest
There must be no more witch-hunting, but leaders worth their salt should stand united together and developed the common approach toward the elimination of abject poverty in the area.
Symptoms that there were some people who were working secretly and covertly by placing the barriers before the newly elected MP had emerged during the height of electioneering campaign. One aspirant was allowed to hold public rallies within the Sonysugar company’s compound, while Hon Kopiyo could not even come close to the company estates and talk to the workers. But he said yesterday that he had forgiven the Sonysugar management for that kind of discrimination and was willing to work hand in hand with its managers for the benefits of all.
Another allegation against the SonySugar management was that some of its top managers are working in business partnership with the cartel of the Awendo based tycoons in partnership in the chains of fuel stations operated by the Kenyan Oil Company. “There is nothing wrong in people coming together and forming business partnership, but such partnership should not be operated while based on the malice.”
“People with business interests such as providing services to the SonySugar company or suppliers must desist from exercising undue influence on this public owned company”.said one Tom Okello a cane farmer in Oyani area.
The farmer also asked the Provincial administration and police authorities in Migori County to investigate the alleged threats being issued to the elected individual personalities and ensure that those responsible area brought to book.
Kopiyo, however, denied having received any direct threat for his life from anyone, but have heard the rumors that some people, especially those involved in multi-million shillings businesses with the SonySugar company were not happy with his recent election victory
First we want to thank our exhibitors and sponsors for the support of our farmers Day. We are doing all we can to promote the event through the web, mail, Radio, print and of course the word of mouth. We are pleased by our attendance projections and want to exceed the number and get our Exhibitors a tremendous amount of local exposure.
ABOUT NJORO: Njoro is an agricultural town 18 km west south west of Nakuru, Kenya situated on the western rim of the Rift Valley. The main economic activities are agri-based industries, large-scale wheat and barley farming. Light manufacturing industries such as timber milling and quarrying are also a mainstay of the local economy. That why this place is the ideal place for an event like this
For those of you who are still interested in taking part in this event We are finalizing our program for the event so kindly get back to me promptly with your interest before the 2nd of Feb 2013.
Again we thank you for your support and look forward to a mutually beneficial working relationship. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Hawkers, Traders, Mechanics, Proffesionals, Political Activists and University Students in Kisumu County have vowed to support ODM party Governor Aspirant Jack Ranguma for governor position.
Led by Kisumu County University Students Chairamn Moses Ogolla who is pursing electrical engineering at the Kisumu Polytechnic, the students say Ranguma is best suited for the position.
Ogolla who read the declaration to endorse Ranguma at a Kisumu hotel says the aspirant has positive policies for the growth of the county.
He says Ranguma has elaborate plans to ensure education standards are raised and those graduating absorbed in the market.
A group of cane farmers also endorsed Ranguma saying that sugarcane farming which remains the backbone of the county economy will be revitalized.
Ogolla says farmers have been hoodwinked and Ranguma will now ensure that all that is extracted from cane is paid to the farmers.
He says that it is unfortunate that farmers are not being paid for the bio gas, ethanol and other products derived from cane.
They called on all their members and supporters to back Ranguma saying he stands for the growth and development of the County.
A private security providing firm, which is closely associated with the family of the former ODM Cabinet Minister, is allegedly minting thousands of shillings from the cash-strapped SonySugar Company.
The firm which is called Gillis Security Guard has over 100 security guards, who are protecting the company premises, property and cane farms within Awendo Town and its environs. The sugar firm is coffing out its coffers a cool Kshs 17,000 per head of each guard per month.
However, reports reaching us from various sources in Awendo says, the firm is only paying the guards the peanut of between Kshs 5,000 and Ksha 7,000 while pocketing the rest.
The same sources have told us that
each security dog is minting Kshs 27,000 per month for its maintenance, while the dog’s handlers are taking home just peanuts.
The firm is closely associated by the former Energy Minister George Ochillo-Ayacko,and it was in roaring business during Ayacko tenure as the Energy Minister winning lucrative tenders from nearly all the parastatal organizations under the Eneregy Ministry such as Ken-gen and KPL, up –to-date it is still providing security services to those firms.
Its interest in Awendo zone is under the local manager called John Walter Odhiambo Sirawa,alias John Walter Owino Ogur “Odari”. Who has since declared his interest in contesting the newly created Awendo parliamentary constituency
Awendo constituency is one among the 80 extra parliamentary constituencies which were created by the IEBC and later endorsed by an act of parliament. Its electoral areas are covering several administrative locations which included Sakwa West, Sakwa Central, Sakwa North, Sakwa South and Sakwa East.
Members of the cane farming fraternity are up in arms questioning the exorbitant payment for the security guards from this firm, alleging that its charges are too excessive from the perennially financially ailing sugar millers.
The farmers wants the matter to be investigated by a competent government investigation institution so as to establish how this firm had secured tender to provide the sugar mill with its guards and as to whether there were element of political connotation involved .
It has also been established that the second name of the security company is believed to have been faked. He true and real John Walter Owino Ogur [Hodari} who is ma close cousin of John Walter Sirawa is a deceased person.
Our investigations have revealed that the real Owino Ogur (hodari} was once a to student at the nearby Manyatta Secondary School where he passed his {O} level with flying color, and was later admitted to one of the High Schools to study for his {A} level certificate, but died while in the Form Five. The deceased died around 19887.
The current bearer of the same name John Walter Sirawa is believed to have studied up to upper primary standard seven at a local school called Ombasa Primary School, which is also located in Sakwa West Location and did not go beyond. That.
Sirawa it is being alleged to have fake the deceased academic certificate and used it to secure entry into the police force, but deserted and left the force in huff after the word went round that the force was actively investigating his academic background to escape punishment. He was later employed as a watchman by the Gillies Security Guard.
All the revelation of the startling and shocking information come into the surface after Sirawa who is now the top manager of the security firm guarding the property of the Awendo Sugar miller had declared his interest in contesting the Awendo parliamentary seat.
He is actively campaigning for the seat and is believed to have already deposited substantial amount of money with the ODM headquarters in Nairobi as one of the aspirants vying for the Awendo .parliamentary seat.
The allegations have sparked off the bitter complaints from other aspirants vying for the same seat who have expressed fears that the ODM headquarters could easily pass the applications from one who is armed with fake academic certificates.
The aspirants have called on the ODM to conduct a thorough investigation on all the applications submitted by aspirants vying for the various elective positions within the County governance, national assembly, Sanate and governorship.
The Awendo parliamentary seat has attracted other aspirants who included the former top KRA manager Jude Ayieko, who hails from Sakwa South, the Principal of Gamba high School Fred Otieno Kopiyo, Erick Oyoo, who is an executive with an international NGO Joseph Owuor who is the PA to the Public Service Manager Dalmas Otieno who hails from Central Sakwa, Lameck Okoth from Sakwa East ad Dr. Abwao from Sakwa West
The real bruising election battle is expected to be a two horse race between Eric Oyoo and Fred Kopiyo. Both are university graduate with high profile.
The ODM is the dominant party whose flag bearer is expect to carry the day after its preliminaries, and the electorate have appealed to the party not to allow anybody with fake academic certificate to pass the party’s nomination test and that the academic certificates of the aspirants should be thoroughly scrutinized with double checking’s.
The members of the Montpellier Panel believe investment in resilient agricultural growth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) can achieve sustainable food and nutrition security for the continent and significantly contribute to the African and global economy. To this end, the priority should be supporting the creation of: Resilient markets that enable farmers to increase production and generate income through innovation and taking risks, while ensuring food is available at an affordable price; Resilient agriculture that creates agricultural growth out of knowledge and innovation, while simultaneously building the capacity of smallholder farmers to counter environmental degradation and climate change; Resilient people who are able to generate diverse livelihoods that provide stable incomes, adequate nutrition and good health in the face of recurrent stresses and shocks.
LIVESTOCK farmers in the North Rift district of Nandi are having counting losses after a yet to be identified wild animal attacked their stock during dead hours of the night.
More than ten local farmers at Chepterit and Tukon villages in Nandi Central district have reported that several of their goats and sheep had been killed by a wild animal.
The mysterious animal has also attacked more than ten cattle by biting off their tails. Two local farmers who are among the affected farmers said their individual losses were amounting to over Khs 200,000.
Mr Abraham Kago and Mrs Rose and Mr Wesley Saina told the newsmen that the animal, which has been roaming the villages for the last two weeks, had killed a total of ten sheep, three goats and two cows.
The mysterious attack the livestock at night by breaking into livestock shed and biting the throats of sheep and goats. It only sucks blood and leaves the carcasses,“ said Mr Kago.
The farmers said that attempt to hunt for the mysterious for the mysterious animal and kill it have been futile despite assistance from the Kenya Wild life Services [KWS} game wardens an rangers.” Even though we have been working I hand with KWS officers, we have not succeeded because the armed game warden just avail themselves during the day when the beat is hiding,”added Mr Kago.
The game warden in-charge in Nandi County Joel Kanda could no be reached on phone of Central Nandi County. However a local source that KWS men were there on the ground hunting down the mysterious beast.
This incident came barely three months after Tsavo cat attacked livestock in the neighboring Ndalat location in Nandi North district killing over 30 sheep and goats.
Experts were, however, still analyzing the nature of the latest attack on livestock in Nandi, but could not agree on which type of animals could be responsible. Other says it could be a rogue leopard or wild dogs, but leopard is known not to attack big prey such as cows, but only prey on smaller domestic animals such as sheep.
While in the lakeside town of Bondo about 80 kilometer northwest of here, residents of Usigu Division in Yimbo Kadimo Division, Bondo district within Siaya County residents on Monday this week held demonstrations to protest over rampant incidents of hippo on fishermen working on Lake Victoria fish landing beaches. The demonstrators while carrying twigs and chanting anti-Kenya Wildlife Service slogans, the residents led by one parliamentary aspirant William Abuonji marched to the DC’s office to demand solution to their grievances.
The demonstrators claimed they have lost several relatives to hippo an crocodiles attacks against human being, but KWS had taken no action to protect their people
‘We have lost 20 people in the last three months, but KWS has not even attempted check human wildlife conflict here. We cannot afford to lose more lives,”Said Abuonji.
The number of people who have died due to hippo attack on lake shoreline or beaches along Lake Victoria have increase three times.
The protest followed an incident in which a 40-year old fisherman drowned to the lake last week after his boat was hit and overturned by a rough hippo off Siungu Beach in West Yimo location last Sunday night.Two weeks before that a 20-year old fisherman also died from another hippo attack off the same beach.
In September six people drowned in the lake after their boat was hit by hippo at Goye in Bondo and a week later a father & son died between Misori Beach and Magare Island in the neighboring Rarieda district in similar circumstance.
From: omolo.ouko
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
From: omolo.ouko
NEWS IN IMAGES
KURON PEACE VILLAGE
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012
TAKE-1
This is to inform the Regional News subscribers that from today (Nov. 26, 2012) the news trend will be different. Instead it will be on news dispatch with Omolo Beste, mainly focusing on news in images.
I begin today with the news from Holy Trinity Peace Village Kuron (HTPVK) in South Sudan. Kuron Peace Village is a widely recognized model in successful peace building and in “taking the town to the people.” Click here to read more about the village-
Kuron Peace Village page
The village was founded by Torit Catholic Diocese Bishop Emeritus Paride Taban shortly after his retirement in 2004. He is working with the people of Kuron to build a peace village and help them recover from the long civil war and learn to live in peace with each other.
The people in Kuron area will be from the Toposa, the Jie, the Nyangatom, the Kachipo and other communities in the surrounding areas. The pilot project is expected to create a foundation for lasting peace among the Sudanese communities.
Kuron Demonstration Farm Project aims at introducing animal traction technology to train the community to increase the acreage of land under cultivation using animal traction instead of the traditional hoes which have limited the people to farming small pieces of land.
Traditionally, livestock is kept for prestige and marriages, which are some of the main reasons why youth are so much involved in raiding neighbouring communities. Youth have no other activities.
The Toposa people number about 700, 00 to 750,000. They are found in Kapoeta County, east bank Equatoria. Their most important settlements and villages are Kapoeta, Riwoto, Narus, Kauto, Naita, Mogos, Lamurnyang and Karukomuge.
The Toposa are part of a larger group known as the Ateker cluster, which in the Sudan include the Toposa, Nyangatom and Jiye; The Turkana across the borders in Kenya; the Jie, Dodoth and Karamojong in Uganda. The Toposa people believe that they originated and moved away from the Losolia Mountains in Uganda due to severe drought that had killed both people and animals.
Toposa tradition has it that they are descendants of Lopita or the Paring’a who shared common ancestry with the Murle, Turkana and Karamojong. According to the Toposa the story runs as such: They were moving in waves.
The first people to arrive Losolia cheated the other groups who arrived late and found that the first group had taken the meat leaving only soup. This precipitated the split and separation.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
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Bishop
Taban displays Toposa traditional attire
Fr
Omolo (right) pose in a photo with Toposa youth in their traditional
attires
You are cordially invited to the 7:30 Breakfast Debate on Friday 30th November, 2012 titled: “10 Percent National Budget Allocation to Agriculture: Could it transform Rural Tanzania?” The main presentations will be made by Dr. Damian Gabagambi, Senior Lecturer, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and Mr. Audax Rukonge, Executive Director of Agricultural Non-State Forum (ANSAF).
At The Clean Kenya Campaign, we are asking very simple questions; Why do people need leadership if they cannot address such simple things?
Fish Harvesting in Lake Victoria is dying and many of the people around the Lake are being rendered jobless and becoming destitutes.And NO leader has raised his or her voice.
Can you see that Hyacinth can be of real value? But our leaders are happy leading us to nowhere.
People must wake up and ask the hard questions. 50 Years of Independence is such a long time to continue playing ping pong with a people.
Oto
— On Thu, 11/22/12, Lee Makwiny wrote:
From: Lee Makwiny
Subject: LAKE VICTORIA WATER HYACINTH AND THE LEADERSHIP IN NYANZA.
Date: Thursday, November 22, 2012, 3:55 AM
ODM Youth 2012 once visited Homabay county. Visited the shores arround there.
We approaced several leaders on the best way we can help with this problem. None of them heeded to this call. Most of those leaders are currently running to be governors of Homabay.
Sad.
On Thu, Nov 22, 2012 at 2:07 PM, otieno sungu wrote:
Leadership is about representation, leadership is about guiding followers in finding solutions, it is about turning challenges into opportunities but above all, it is about selflessly pursuing a vision, being pragmatic in the process and ensuring at the end of it all, the led have a reason to believe they have at the helm men and women who have not abandoned them to the forces of fate but those who play a role in shaping their destiny.
The water hyacinth is one such issue that is killing the fishing economy of Nyanza. While Uganda has managed to contain this menace and ensure it does not kill the mainstay of their fishing communities, ours is a sorry state of leaders emasculated by the hyacinth. Just like the green weed, the leadership on our Lake Victoria side is to say the least, very ill equipped to turn challenges into opportunities and basically unable to provide solutions.
The hyacinth weed begun invading Lake Victoria in the 90s, it was a small irritant then that has been allowed to grow to emasculate a whole industry .This; while youth cry out to be empowered and supported to weed out this menace. When Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai died, her coffin was made out of the water hyacinth by some very creative young fellows. Did any of the leadership from around the lake take notice? Leadership is about taking such notice and making the best out of such innovative ideas, up scaling and building their capacities.
This is where I just don’t get it. If a leadership cannot resolve just a weed menace and offer hope to a community being annihilated by the weed, I am left wondering how such leadership can manage with greater tasks.
The Nyanza economy is dying, sample this. The young men who work in hotels and restaurants along the beaches are being laid off for lack of customers; local and visiting tourists, who usually visit the beaches, eat fish and take boat rides, require transport and generally bring in revenue. The lake transport from Kisumu, Kendu Bay, Homa Bay, Mbita, Uyoma, Bondo, Sori through to Uganda and Tanzania is on its death bed courtesy of the hyacinth weed. Most roads are in terrible shape hence high fares on road transport.
The fish processing companies that employ thousands are scaling down their operations, laying off workers because they cannot operate at full capacity. The jobs in line are drivers, loaders, those who fillet, process and package. The women who sell waste products from these factories no longer have anything to do.At the national level, Kenya is losing millions in foreign exchange due to the weed.
With all this, our leaders, as usual want to blame everyone else on this, blame it on the National Accord, blame it on stolen elections, blame it on being short changed and everything else except their lack of ability to lead, be innovative, give hope and channel both human and capital resources to change lives. Lets leave alone everything else, when did these leaders ever meet or even bring stakeholders together to deliberate on steps to liberate Lake Victoria from the hyacinth? How have they followed up on such to ensure a plan is in place to resolve this menace?
But even looked at from another angle, suppose the weed defeated them and they have run out of ideas how to deal with it, fish farming is now a serious undertaking and an alternative to fishing which even in small ways can be supported.
I have traveled wide around Lake Victoria region, especially Siaya, Homa Bay and Kisumu County and the situation is pathetic. Folks hitherto earning a living from fishing have been rendered jobless by the hyacinth.These are people who do not have skills in fish farming. How much was or has been done to ensure that they quickly change their lifestyles to overcome and adopt to the new challenge? Leadership is about guiding people, offering alternatives and tackling problems. Which MP from these constituencies surrounding the Lake has taken steps to look into the challenge of the water hyacinth and try to offer solutions? And most if not all have been around for the last 8 years since NARC took over power.Would we still want to blame KANU for such woes?
Kenyans have been treated to episodes on TV, now and then as fishermen are rescued after several days at Lake, stranded, engulfed by the water hyacinth, tired, hungry, angry and frustrated. The leadership is largely mum and looks the other way as these monumental challenges consume their electorate, the very men and women whom they whip up to vote for them so that ”development” can be realized! How hypocritical!
I want to posit here and for good measure, that the Lake region has no leadership to talk about,and for good measure.
Nyanza has no reason to believe that this kind of leadership, even if given the whole world to lead and all its resources, could make a change in the lives of their followers, let alone everybody else.
Leadership is about showcasing, it is about offering solutions, it is not about whining for more resources without showing how well one has used the modest one already has, it is about giving hope and translating challenges into opportunities.
This is why I must categorically say to those who coalesce around the leadership in Nyanza,giving all sorts of excuses will not wash. The current leadership in Luo Nyanza must not lie that someone else is the problem, we must not be cheated that these things cannot be solved because we are waiting to greater powers and resources.These things simply require leadership and that is what Nyanza lacks in abundance.
I am here waiting and hoping it is not too late, or is it?
A Malaysia-based firm is reported to have acquired a license to expand stevia cultivation in, giving more farmers an opportunity to trade with the European Union market.
Stevia is a sweetening plant and its introduction into Kenya market as one of the cash crops with agro-based industry would definitely spell doom for the sugar industry. It is used as a sweetens in place of sugar, especially in the cases of patients suffering from acute diabetes.
The National Environment Management Authority {NEMA} and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate {Kephis} have allowed Pure Circle to expand its reach to Narok, Laikipia, Meru, Bungoma and Uasin Gishu Counties.
This news comes in the wake of the revelation that one of the multinational companies operating Kericho County has been carrying out the experiment of stevia cultivation large and commercial scale in areas lie Fort-Tennan, Koru, and Muhoroni for a couple of years and that it is only a matter of time before the breakthrough is made public.
‘After success in growing stevia through numerous small scale and a few commercial farmers in Kericho, Bureti and Bomet. The company is reportedly looking for commercial farmers, agents, companies or investors to partner with in this expansion program, ”Pure Circle Kenya said in a notice recently posted to media houses
The firm’s expansion comes a year after the EU the use of stevia as natural sweetener. Agriculture in Kenya were recently quoted as saying that a crop cleared by regulators may be planted anywhere according to the specifications of the license since the country is not zoned for particular economic activities.
“We have lately thought of regulating introduction of emerging crops, but the policy we have is still in draft form.’ The crops director in the Ministry o Agriculture Johnson Runngu was quoted as having said this.’
Irungu told the Business Daily a publication of the Nation Media Group of newspapers that local farmers have tried with the limited successes to venture into stevia production for export to the US where multinational soft drinks like Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola have for five years used the herb to appeal to health conscious consumers in the West.
A number of consumers in the West have increasingly turned to stevia a natural alternative to sugar, to manage conditions such as diabetes and obesity.
In Kenya, the commercial cultivation of the crop began in 2008 when the Malysia-based firm set u p local subsidiary to take advantage of market opening in the US. Kenya earned USD 50 million from stevia last year.
The new license is expected to spark off competition in land use. The Counties where is set to be introduced are already known for tea, coffee ,sugar cane, tobacco, wheat, barley and maize and dairy farming.
“We are not cuttings and training advising farmers to uproot other crops to plant stevia, but only unused part of their farms, which should not exceed one third of the total farm size ‘ the Pure Circle general manage in Kenya Piryanko Chatterjee..
‘The firm has been providing the new recruits with stevia cuttings and training campaign that has since yield more than 300 farmers-owned nurseries locally. The company has also signed an Kshs 84 million financing deal with two micro-financiers where some 2,200 farmers two year payback, low interest rates and a guarantee that deductions do not exceed 30 per cent of gross revenue.
Under the previous arrangement with the Agricultural Finance Corporation{AFC}to boost the commercial production of the crop, a farmer with half an acre or more was advance Kshs 25,000 for buying fertilizer or dying tables.
Coordinator at the NETWORK for the Ecofarming in Africa [ NECOFA} a community-based organization working 300 stevia farmers in the Rift Valley 4xplains that an acre yields three tones of leaves per year.
With the local price of Khs 100 per kilogram,a farmer gross annual revenue is Kshs 300,000 out of which Kshs.60.000 covers the cost of used and applied farm input.
As part of efforts to empower local farmers and to enhance their production capacities the government has announced it was going to write off sh.27 million that rice farmers in Nyando owed it.
Making the announcement soon after a meeting with the local Members of Parliament and the Nyanza PC Francis Mutie , the deputy commissioner of cooperatives Mr Phillip Gichuki said the decision to write off the debt will be a big relief to most farmers who have been struggling to scale up their production levels in vain.
The debt was part loans advanced to several farmers by the ministry of cooperatives over the years to boost their production capacities and was aimed at alleviating poverty levels in the area.
Local MPs have in the past lobbied the government to write off the debts to local farmers as it had done to tea and coffee farmers from other parts of the country.
Although they lauded the move by the government the area MPs led by Nyando MP Fred Outa asked the ministry to also consider writing off millions of shillings in debt owed to government by sugarcane farmers from the area as well.
Outa said doing so will enable the farmers to start production on a clean slate adding that t5he area has a huge potential for agricultural production which was remaining untapped due to high poverty levels.
The commissioner said the country was capable of producing enough rice to meet the country’s demand for the same but regretted that Kenya was still relying heavily on rice imports especially from Pakistan due to lack of financial muscle by most farmers.
Nyando which is prone to floods during heavy rains is known for production of rice in Nyanza and is leading in terms of sugar cane growing with at least three vibrant sugar millers operating from this sugar cane growing zone.
The deal which was recently entered into between the government an a South African firm for the revival of the closed down Miwani sugar Mills in Nyando district within the County of Kisumu is said by the stakeholders to be suspicious and faulty.
According to members of the cane farmer’s fraternity, the deal is sounding like another Anglo Leasing and Grand Regency Hotel scandals in the offing.
The farmers wants the deal be negotiated afresh and should involved all the stakeholders, including cane farmers within the Miwani zone, out-growers, primary co-operative societies and its terms simplified to the satisfaction of all the stakeholders before its implementation.
The controversial was negotiated and brokered by Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and co-operatives, which is led by the Naivasha MP John Mututho.
A statement put to the news media by the South African Company, which is also said to have a root in the Indian Ocean Island of Mauritius says in part, ”The revival of Miuwani Sugar Company in Western Kenya inched a step close after a committee of parliament approved the Kshs 11 billion investment plan by a south African-based Eaglefin Structure Finance Mauritius Limited.
The South African company has proposed to give 51 per cent of the revived sugar firm’s shares to cane farmers and out-grower societies got the nod of the Agriculture, Livestock and Co-Operatives parliamentary committee.
‘We can now confirm that we will be able to accommodate out-grower community at 51 per cent shareholding, ‘said the statement issued by the company’s managing director Helgaard Muller.
However, this would require the government to underwrite the farmer’s participation through promissory notes that would help the company raise funds externally.
The Sugar [Amendment0 Act stipulates that cane farmers and out-grower hold 51 per cent stake in all sugar companies which are set to be privatized.
The South African company also wants to be allocated extra land for either purchase or on a long term lease of at least 60 years.
The government of Kenya is undertaking the process of privatization of all state-run sugar millers including Muhoroni, Chemelil ,Sonysugar and Nzoia to raise efficiency ahead of the lapse of Comesa safeguard rules which restrict sugar imports into the country.
According to Eaglefin’s plan sugar cane farmers would not pay directly for the share holding, but would have their dividends used to pay the financiers cover a 10-year period.
The model aims to replicate that in the tea and coffee sectors where growers are allocated shares in new ventures and part of the proceeds used to clear their obligations.
In the Miwani case, however, farmers would get full payment for cane deliveries during the term of the loan, foregoing dividends until the debt is fully settled.
Muller said the company would put in place a private insurance that would guarantee the government and external funders of the discharge of the promissory notes and payment.
The company would put in place a private insurance that would guarantee the government and external funders of the discharge of the promissory notes and payment respectively. The South African government would put in place a private insurance provide commercial underwriting of us as minority shareholders of 49 per cent stake to secure 100 per cent external funding from a senior lender,” said Muller.
The firm is said it had made a commitment to its technology suppliers and ente5ed into fixed contracts to start the construction of the new factory as soon as governmen’s approval is granted.
“We are impressed wit the plan especially the modern technology that will be employed in sugar production said Hon John Mututho after the conclusion of the agreement.
According to the industry players, the deal sounded like that which is not very clear and honest, and need some amount of simplification so that the farmers could understand it. It is normally takes between 15 to 20 year for a newly established sugar mill to make profits worth dividends.
The clause that says the South African firm wants to purchase or lease extra land for 60 years also complicate the whole thing. ”Who will be there after 60 year from now? Asked one farmer in Kibos,adding. “It means by then all the present farmers who are expected to be the shareholders would be dead.
The locals wants the government to off-load its shares at the facility and offer it for outright purchase by a credible private firm with sufficient reputation to generate its own funds without involving the farmers in complicated huge debts..
The common and popular opinion is that the government should advertise all the state-run sugar factories in the local and foreign media so that they could attract bids from straightforward and honest buyers from oversea and locally that will go into the purchasing arrangement I a much more simplified deals which does not put the local farmers in many year of debts slavery.
Miwani Sugar Mill one of the oldest Sugar manufacturing firm was first established by an Australian farmer in the year 1927 It has since then changed hands to the various private and public companies after it went burst following the auctioning of most of its movable properties in 1970s. But about 12 years ago, the government became its minority shareholders with a cartel of local Asian businessmen-um-farmers went in went burst as it because apparent that the firm old not clear it debts to the suppliers, farmers, and the workers.
The receivership was meant to be protective one while its books of accounts were to be adjusted. The official receivers managers, however, have stayed for over 12 year dashing the hope of the revival of the facility. But the local community wants the factory to be disposed off in a transparent manner not through kangaroo deals.
All the previous attempt to offloaded Miwani under its privatization programme were thwarted by the cartel of wealthy local Asians who have had hands in its collapse and who frustrated the effort for its privatization perhaps hoping to have it as scraps and .
Forum wraps Up with Suggestions for Sustainable Use of Africa’s Natural Resources
Africa accounts for 60 per cent of the world’s uncultivated arable land that need to be protected against rapacious speculation
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, October 29, 2012/ — The eighth African Development Forum (ADF VIII) wound up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Thursday with the adoption of a Consensus Statement suggesting better ways in which African countries can use their natural resources to promote people-centered sustainable development.
The 11-page document is the tangible result of the October 23-25 forum on the theme “Governing and Harnessing Natural Resources for Africa’s Development.”
It focused on how to generate maximum benefits from the exploitation of Africa’s lands, minerals, fisheries and forests for the benefits of the people.
On land, which has come under intense speculative pressure from local and foreign investors, the document calls for scientific and methodical approaches to land issues that would guarantee transparency, equity and sustainability.
These include strengthening policy, access, property rights, and investment in large scale agriculture in line with the existing Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
Africa accounts for 60 per cent of the world’s uncultivated arable land that need to be protected against rapacious speculation.
In an open letter to Forum participants, OXFAM said some 50 million hectares had been acquired in 700 transactions in recent years.
However, the mining sector incarnates the paradox of Africa’s natural wealth, where bounty breeds penury. According to the Consensus Statement, Africa ranks first or second in known world reserves of bauxite, chromite, cobalt, industrial diamond, manganese, phosphate rock, platinum-group metals, soda ash, vermiculite and zirconium. The continent is home to one-fifth of global gold and uranium supplies, while over 30 countries produce oil and gas in commercial quantity.
To resolve this dilemma, the Forum, among other measures, called for the implementation of the African Mining Vision adopted by African leaders in 2009. The vision sets out how mining can be used to drive the development of their countries.
According to the document, “transparent, equitable and optimal exploitation of mineral resources to underpin broad-based sustainable growth and socio-economic development is the major challenge for African countries today.”
On fisheries and aquatic resources, the Forum called for the strengthening of policies, legislation, strategies, investment and collaboration among states in various areas to develop the sector. Greater attention also needed to be paid to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) action plan on inland, coastal and marine fisheries and aquaculture at the national and regional levels. Africa loses a million tons of fishery resources estimated at over US $600 million annually to illegal and unreported fishing.
The forum dwelt at length on the need for the sustainable exploitation and preservation of Africa’s forests estimated at 675 million hectares or 17 per cent of global forests. The need for sustainable exploitation of the Congo Basin, the second largest forest in the world, was a recurrent theme at the gathering.
The Statement cited policy, legal, regulatory, economic, governance, equity, knowledge, institutional and environmental constraints as critical to the sustainable management of Africa’s forest resources with a developmental vision.
“Overcoming these constraints is key for attaining inter-sectoral linkages between agriculture, forest, industries and human settlement in Africa,” the document added.
The ADF, a United Nations Economic Commission for Africa biennial event is convened in collaboration with the African Union Commission, African Development Bank, and other partners to establish an African-driven development agenda that reflects consensus and leads to specific programmes for implementation. It is usually attended by some 1,000 participants including Heads of State and Government, African Member State policy-makers, development partners, other United Nations agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations (IGOs/NGOs), academia, practitioners, civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, eminent policy and opinion leaders, and the media.
Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of the African Development Bank.
Contact: Felix Njoku – n.njoku@afdb.org – +216 71 10 2612
The Muhoroni parliamentary contest in the next general election has received another high profile aspirant whose candidature seemed to have jolted the incumbent mp like thunderbolt.
The new entrant into Muhoroni political derby is Agwenge Mbech, the 41 year-old former IT manager with the BP Shell Oil firm in Houston Texas in the US for many years. He is the holder of a BA and Maters degrees in IT engineering technology majoring in business management discipline.
photo of Mr Agwenge Mbeche who is the latest entrant into contest for the Muhoron parliamentary seat whose incumbent is Prof/ Ayicheo Olueny. The 41 year old IT engineer has lived and worked in the USA for 17 years;
Mbeche who is commonly known in Muhoroni constituency as “Nyarombo Maler’ {meaning the cleanest sacrificing lamp} untainted with any scandals and scams, which have been bedeviling the rich sugar producing constituency one after the other for decades.
Muhoroni constituency is the home of the four white sugar factories in a district within Kisumu County in an area classified as the Nyanza Sugar Belt. Mbeche has lived and worked I the US for close to 17 years during each period of time, he used to return home in Kenya almost every year for a total of 15.He owns a large scale sugar cane in Koru within Muhoroni district where his family lived, though the family is originally hails from Kamagaga sub-clan in the North East Kano location near Ahero Rice Scheme.
What has sent shock-waves to the spine of the other contestants in the same constituency is the fact that Mbeche has been a strong supporter of the ODM in the diaspora, particularly in the US where he is known to have previously hosted the party leader and the Prime Minister of Kenya Raila Amolo Odinga during his numerous tours of the US.
Mbeche is also believed to have been the instrumental tool for the ODM fundraising in the US amongst the Kenyan living there.
Apart fro the incumbent MP Prof Ayiecho Olueny, Mbeche would be facing another equally populist aspirant in the name of the flamboyant Nairobi based businessman James Onyango K’oyoo who according to reports emerging fro the agriculturally rich constituency. This time around K’oyoo is said to have already made major inroad into the area and is expected to give the other aspirants the run for their money.
The soft-spoken and well mannered technocrat is the so of the late Mr Aloys Mbeche Oyuko who had served the City Council of Nairobi as its Deputy Treasurer for many years.
The four sugar milling factories, which re located within the Muhoroni constituency including the Miwani Sugar Mills {which is currently under the official receivership and closed down}. The Muhoroni Sugar Mills Company, which is still in operating, but also has been under the protective joint official receivership management for close to a decade.
The Chemelil Sugar Company, which is reported to be on his death-bed and on the verge of collapsing and could be the next to go burst unless the government through the Kenya Sugar Board come to its rescue.
Speaking during an exclusive, but brief interview with this writer in Kisumu City, Mbeche said that pat of his mission and desired to be the next Muhoron MP is that he wanted to empower both the youth and the women.
Mbeche said he was shocked to learn that despite the Kenyan parliament having discussed and approved the payment of the elderly people, the elders in Muhoron have yet to benefited from such payment. The same parliament has deliberated on payment to the widow whose family were marooned by the scourge of HIV/Aids deaths in the region where the epidemic is so rampant, leaving them to fend for their siblings. The widows in Muhoroni have yet to benefit from the funds, though in other areas have enjoyed he same. All these happening are due to the indebtedness and neglect of the political leadership in the area.
He said the residents of the constituency have quite often been heard saying,”We are faced with leadership crisis cross-cutting many sectors be it in corporate institutions political ,community and even religion .
He went on, “It is widely acknowledged fact that the effectiveness of the institutions of governance depend largely on the said political leadership,’ said Mbeche.
The aspirant said that he believes in good leadership that is influenced by vision, principles, beliefs and deeds as opposed to what “we normally see in our Muhoroni constituency today that a whole baggage of filth from selfishness, dishonesty, intransigence, deception, aloofness to lack ideology, hence political thuggery and vindictiveness sold to the people for a vote.
He went on, “This is what ha become of our good and rich constituency which he people must decide to vote out for progressive change. The result is for everyone to see, increase in poverty in rich constituency, high index of poverty. High index of school drop outs yet we have devolved funds from people’s taxes in the form of CDF and school bursary scheme and increased drop on socio-economic fabric that hold out families together making Muhoroni a poor shadow of itself.”
Mbeche said it is for this reasons why he s offering his candidature for Muhoroni by asking the electorate to bring in the meaningful change, adding that lack of political accountability in the utility of the public resources in Muhoroni constituency has adversely affected the socio-economic development in the area,
The aspirant said this has to increased poverty and entitlement without focus on the needs of the constituents. He said if elected the next MP fore Muhoroni he will be committed to offer the difference of leadership the constituency had been lacking for several decades.
My tenure of office an MP will adhere to fiscal discipline in the utility that greatly include the 18 devolved funds at constituency level. This means therefore that the next elected MP should offer leadership and accountability on;LATIF, CDF, Bursary,Roads Levy Fund, HIV/Aids Fund, Water Fund, Women Fund Youth Fund and man others which currently the public has seen a lot of wastage, ostentatious spending and mismanagement by the officials and the committee members put to facilitate equitable use of the fund.
Mbeche is married with three children. He has produced a wonderful personal manifesto showing how he will tackles the myriads of problems facing Muhoroni district which he said is the bastion of major food production apart from the sugar factories and sugar cane farming. But he then regretted that youth in the area have suffered the worse of unemployment due to mismanagement in the sugar mills.
