From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013

March 3 will be the eve of general elections in Kenya, the third Sunday of Lent. The Kenya Episcopal Conference, Justice and Peace Commission in their Lenten campaign chose “county governance” as their specific theme.

There are 47 counties in Kenya representing the initially recognized districts and each one of them forms a county government. Every county government shall further decentralize its services and coordinate its functions in order to efficiently serve the interests of the people of Kenya at the local levels.

Better known as majimbo in Kiswahili, commonly used to refer to political devolution of power to the country’s regions, its entrenchment into the new constitution was heavily opposed by some section of religious leaders and politicians who had their own interest.

Like some religious leaders who were opposed to devolve government system in Kenya, retired President Daniel Moi spoke strongly against introduction of majimbo, saying it would divide Kenyans along tribal lines, warning he would campaign against the Proposed Constitution if it includes majimbo.

While some religious leaders backed Moi’s views, saying majimbo is likely to spark tribal animosity, in Coast Province, leaders threatened to shoot down the Proposed Constitution if it failed to provide for majimbo.

The Coast people like other marginalized ethnic communities rooted for majimbo to ensure that residents benefit from enormous resources in the region, arguing it would ensure equity and encourage economic productivity.

Historically, the coastals have been fervent proponents of majimbo, spearheaded by Ronald Gideon Ngala, Kenyan politician whose life was marked by a realistic approach to politics and by a devotion to Kenya which allowed him to place his country’s stability and growth first over his own political ambition.

Ngala co-founded Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) in 1960 when several leading politicians from marginalized communities refused to join Jomo Kenyatta’s African National Union (KANU).

KADU’s aim was to defend the interests of the so-called KAMATUSA (an acronym for Kelenjin, Maasai, Turkana and Samburu ethnic groups), against the dominance of the larger Luo and Kikuyu that comprised the majority of KANU’s membership.

Even though religious leaders and churches opposed to devolved government described the system of governance as “disastrous”, arguing that Kenya was not ready for devolve government, up to almost 95 percent Christians and other religious affiliates opted for the new constitution and entrenchment of devolve government system as opposed to their religious leaders. This was because of their bad experience with the old one.

Kenyans had suffered great deal under all regimes since independent that is why the vast majority of Christians and other religious affiliates opted to oppose their leaders this time along. They pushed for devolve government because they wanted resources closer to all Kenyans, especially the marginalized groups.

They believed that a well thought out devolution system will ensure that they will have a better access to resources as opposed to a purely centralized system which they believe will concentrate resources in Nairobi.

They also perceive that devolution will help to reserve all jobs, resources, businesses etc for the people indigenous to that particular region. To the best of the understanding, after their version of devolution also known as Majimbo is introduced, all the people who have residences, businesses, properties, jobs etc in these regions will be required to surrender the same to those indigenous to that area.

Yet there are those who argue that majimboism had been tried in 1963, it failed, and must be forgotten. It failed because the 1963 majimbo experiment was a hastily conceived, clumsily crafted and badly presented variant of federalism.

Partly because the powerful presidency of the time (as it is today) was never enthusiastic about the idea, it is why Kanu government was reluctant to adopt the system.

Majimboism is about letting Kenyans take ownership and full responsibility for the economic development of their regions by managing the planning and day-to-day management of their affairs. Majimboism is about taking the CDF concept further and truly localizing the local authorities.

The North Eastern Province, for example, may soon turn out to be the richest region in Kenya when drilling for oil and gas starts. The Coast Province is endowed with a lot of wealth and has the port facilities to generate revenue. The Central Province is already well ahead of other regions in development.

Most of Rift Valley is endowed with good agricultural land and can easily take care of the development of drier parts of the Province. The same goes for Western and Nyanza provinces. Most of these two provinces have very good agricultural land and the fishing industry can become a major income earner in the two provinces.

In addition, most parts of Eastern Province have good agricultural land whose potential can be fully tapped if irrigation is widely used. Understood in this way, Majimboism is about cutting wastes and eliminating corruption by reducing the number of pest-like middlemen.

With Majimboism for example, it will mean that there will no longer be KTDA but local Tea authorities. For example, there will be Rift Valley Tea Development Authority which will be responsible for managing the growing, processing, and export of Tea that is grown in Rift Valley within Rift Valley.

In Nyanza, there will be Nyanza Tea Development Authority which will be responsible for managing the Tea affairs within Nyanza. The same goes for Western, Eastern, and Central Provinces.

The first reading for third Sunday of Lent is taken from the book of Exodus, 3:1-8, 13-15. The reading portrays Moses as a good shepherd who is committed to tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian.

As he led the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God where an angel of the LORD appeared to him in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on fire, was not consumed.

When Moses decided to go over to look at this remarkable sight, and see why the bush is not burned,” God called out to him from the bush, told him to remove the sandals from his feet, for the place where he was standing was holy ground.

God told him “I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers, so I know well what they are suffering. Therefore I have come down to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Moses said to God, “But when I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?”

God replied, “I am who I am.” Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent to you.”

God spoke further to Moses, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. “This is my name forever; thus am I to be remembered through all generations.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 103: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11 says how God is merciful, God who forgives all our iniquities, heals all our ills, and redeems our life from destruction, crowns us with kindness and compassion. He secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed.

The second reading is taken from 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12 – Even though all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, the rock was the Christ, yet God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the desert.

These things happened as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil things, as they did. Do not grumble as some of them did, and suffered death by the destroyer.

These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.

Gospel is taken from Lk 13:1-9 –It talks of some people who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Jesus wants people to repent: “But I tell you, if you do not repent you will all perish as they did!”

And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down.

Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2013

Today is second Sunday of Lent. My mass intentions were for peaceful and fair elections in Kenya. My first mass was at 7 am, Ngere center, second one was at 9 am, Nyangoma center, and the third and last was at 11 am, Wang’ang’a center, both under Awasi Catholic, Kisumu Catholic Archdiocese.

I traveled home ready to vote on March 4, 2013. I am a registered voter at Nyasore Primary poling station, Kabondo West assembly ward, Kabondo Kasipul constituency, Homa- Bay County.

Since independence tribalism has been used in Kenya to sentimentally gain, manipulate and misuse national office and Presidential power. That is why rowdy youth are used to cause chaos. It is used by Kenyan leaders to suppress certain tribes and communities that are considered a threat, or for other baseless, absurd, and mundane reasons.

There have been since then, unfair allocation of national resources through nepotism and corruption which has been the major factor that triggers conflict in the nation as some communities feel neglected while their counterparts enjoy enormous share of the national cake.

In return the neglected communities unleash their anger to other communities as a way of portraying their dissatisfaction with how government resources and offices are run. During 3 masses we prayed that Kenyans should elect leaders who will not make lives of innocent Kenyans lost yet again.

We prayed for leaders who will enact anti-nepotism, anti-tribalism and anti-cronyism Act of Parliament immediately the 11th Parliament commences-Leaders who will appoint Kenyans on merits and not on nepotism or favouratism.

The first reading was taken from the book of Genesis 15:5-12; 17-18. God made a Covenant or pact with Abram in which he promised to make Abram the father of a great race to which he would give the land of Canaan as their territory. The faith of Abram is praised because he believed God’s promise.

During my homilies I did mention that like Abraham we need leaders who will make covenant with God that they will serve Kenyans justly. “15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

15:2 But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 15:3 And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.”

15:4 But the word of the LORD came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.” 15:5 He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

15:6 And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.15:7 Then he said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.”

15:8 But he said, “O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?”15:9 He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

15:10 He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.15:11 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

15:12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.15:17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.

15:18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates….”

The psalm of today was quite inspiring: Psalm 27-27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

27:2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh– my adversaries and foes– they shall stumble and fall.27:3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.

27:4 One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

27:5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.27:6 Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

27:7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! 27:8 “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, LORD, do I seek.27:9 Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!

27:10 If my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me up.27:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.27:12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.

27:13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.27:14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

The second reading was from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 3:17; 4:1. In the preceding verses St. Paul has been telling his converts that he has given up all earthly things for the sake of the Christian faith and promise. He admits he is far from perfect but he continues to press forward on the road to heaven.

Philippians 3:17-4:1-3:17 Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us.3:18 For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears.

3:19 Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things.3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

3:21 He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.

4:1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

The Gospel was from Luke 9: 28-36. Now about eight after these things Jesus took with him Peter, John and James, and went up to the mountain to pray. 9:28 an while he was praying the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.

9:30 Suddenly the saw two men, Moses and Elijah talking to him. 9: 31 they appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 9:32 now peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, thy saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.

9:33 Jesus as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—-not knowing what he said.

9:34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.9:35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”

9:36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.9:37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him.

9:38 Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child.9:39 Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him.

9:40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”9:41 Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”

9:42 While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

9:43a And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

Our prayers also require casting out demons-Luke 13:31-35-13:31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.”

13:32 He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.13:33 Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’

13:34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 13:35 See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'”

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002