Category Archives: Tradition

USA: On Father’s Day:

From: President Barack Obama
The White House, Washington

Hi, everyone —

Today, I’m thinking about all the dads across the country, spending time with family and loved ones — and especially those fathers serving our country overseas, who can’t be home with their kids today.

But I’m also thinking about all the young people out there who don’t have a dad in their lives at all — or who don’t always enjoy the opportunities and support that come with having strong role models.

It reminds me why we started the “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative in the first place: because we need to do more to help young people go as far as their dreams and hard work will take them, no matter what they look like or where they grow up.

I know I’m only here because people took a chance on me, and believed in me when I didn’t always believe in myself. And I want to give more kids that chance. It’s an all-hands-on-deck effort, from the folks on my staff — to you.

You can invest in our young people, and help them be successful. You can commit to doing it right now.

Make a pledge to mentor a young person in your community here.
http://click.mail.whitehouse.gov/?qs=c16b7812fe9e827311530360390fa7dcdbd94b2154d5b458e64916d277df9562e1bd99a5a5a315c7

For me, this is personal.

And for millions of young Americans around the country, it just might be life-changing.

Thank you — and Happy Father’s Day.

President Barack Obama

This email was sent to octimotor@jaluo.com.
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Please do not reply to this email. Contact the White House

The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

Kenya: LUO ELDERS PLEDGED THEIR SUPPORT TO PRESIDENT KENAYYATTA

LUO ELDERS WANT KENYATTA AND RUTO TO VISIT NYANZA.

Reports leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu CITY

Members of the Luo Council of Elders held an urgent meeting in kisumu city on Monday and passed several far-reaching resolutions, one of them urging president Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto to visit Luo-Nyanza in the near future at their on convenience time.

The meeting chaired by Ker Meshack Riaga Ogalo and attended by 30 elders from all the four Counties within Luo-Nyyanza was held at the Museum view hotel within the posh milimani estate within in Kisumu CITY also urged the community to re-brand itself and avoid the politics of confrontation with the government og the day in order to foster fast development in the region.

This was the meeting of the management steering committee of the Council. It will be followed by another meeting of the governing council scheduled to be held at the Ofafa Memorial Hall at a later date net month.

The elders issued a stern warning to the youthful members of parliament from Luo-Nyanza most of them the so-called “Green Horns” to humble themselves to the government of President Kenyatta and to stop issuing reckless utterances, which are viewed as hostile to the government in order to attract development in the region.

The elders also called upon the government to use all the means at its disposal to fight the up surging insecurity situation .They expressed concern particularly on the deteriorating security along Nyakach-Kericho border by apprehending those instigating trouble in the area.

Flanked by the Council’s secretary Mzee Edward Adera Osawa the elders said the would like President Kenyatta and DP Ruto to extend their tour of Nyanza to cover all the 20 parliamentary constituencies in the region, and to visit all the Counties of Siaya, Kisumu, Homa-Bay and Migori and meet the people.

The meeting urged the government to ensure equitable distributions of the national cake so that all the Kenyan communities could benefit from the country\s recourses irrespective of the party of affiliation.

Party of the affiliation

The elders called upon the two communities living along the Rift Valley-Nyanza Provinces, namely the Kipsigis and the Luos to live in peace and harmony, and to abandon retrogressive practices such as cattle rustling, which caused the losses of lives.

The elders reaffirmed their loyalty to President Kenyatta and his Deputy Ruto and disclosed that the next meeting will hammer out the contentious plans for the members of the Luo Cuncil of elders to visit state house in to discuss political and socio-economic development matters in Luo-Nyanza.

Another resolution asked the government to do everything at its disposal to stop the illegal importation of sugar in to the country saying that the practice is hurting sugar millers in Nyanza, some of them are just about to halt their operations and send thousands of workers home.The situation is getting out of hand and the President should use his political magnanimity dynamism to restore sanity in the sugar industry.

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Kenya: Luo Community wants a stake in the Kenyatta’s jubilee cabinet

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

MEMBERS of the Luo community have pleaded with the President – elect Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto to consider the possibility of picking up for cabinet appointment two of its modera5e and neutral technocrats.

According to a number of the members of Luo Council of elders interviewed across the Luo-Nyanza, this gesture would be inline with the pledge made earlier by Mr Kenyatta that his jubilee government would be all inclusive and that all Kenyans would be incorpoa6ed in the government.

The elders have been seeking the way of meeting Mr Kenyatta before his swearing in scheduled for next Tuesday so that they could plead with him to include a number of uo technocrats in his Jubilee cabinet.

Names being floated for such appointment included the two former members of Parliament Joe Donde [Gem} and Dr Shem Ochuodho [Rangwe}. The two had their political career cut short as the result of disagreement with the Luo political kingpin Raila Amolo Odinga. All the two were elected in 1997 on an LDP ticket, but later fallout with Mr Odinga on matters of principles.

Donde is still being remembered with his famous Donde Bill. He is a financial genious and is level minded. He lost his Gem seat to Raila’s cousin Jakoyo Midiwo in 2002, while Dr. Ochuodho fell out of favor with Mr Odinga and was replaced by Eng. Phillip Okoth Okundi in Rangwe in 2002.

Ochuodho a computer geneous who has since served the government of Rwanda as an ICT adviser and was recently serving the new South Sudan government in the same capacity.

Joe Donde had earlier indicated that he would contest the Siaya governor positi9n on an ODM ticket but later changed his mind and did not contest. Dr.Ochuodho too did not contest for any elective position.

Those interviewed were up-beat that the two gentlemen could serve in Kenyatta’s cabinet while at the same time serving the interests of the 3 million Luos living in Kenya. The elders are vehemently opposed to the possibility of recycling some o deadwood and including them in the new government. These included some of the Minister wh9 had served in the Kibaki’s administration and whose names were tainted wit numerous financial scandals and mismanagement of the public resources.

In order to restore the confidence of all Kenyans President Kenyatta must move out of those whose names are dented and stained with past scandals. The new President must have a free hand to start with fresh people of high caliber and reputation, said one Luo elder in Kisumu.

The inclusion of the two Luo technocrats would be the best way forward of reconciling all Kenyans to work together for the better future of this country

The elder who requested for his name to be kept anonymous said the community would work with President Kenyatta despite of the cut-throat bruising election election contest between him and the ODM Raila Odinga so that the co7ntry moves forward to a better future.

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Kenya: The recent election has created political leadership vacuum in the South Rift

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

The recently concluded general election in which the euphoria of the URP party swept the board in the South Rift like a tsunami winning nearly all parliamentary, senatorial and governorship positions has created a new political dimension in the South Rift region of the expansive Rift Valley Province.

IT has created a new political dimension among the members of the most populace Kipsigis sub-tribe of the larger Kalenjin ethnic groups. It has also created what the political pundits have termed as vacuum political leadership in the agriculturally rich region.

For many years ever since KADU a political party that was involved in s cut-throat competition with the ruling KANU during the pre-independence and post-independence era voluntarily dissolved itself soon after independence in 1963 and merged with KANU.

The Kipsigis land has ever since steadfastly remained under the grip of the ruling KANU. However, the miraculous turn of events occurred during the 2007 general election when the former Kipsigis political kingpin, the late Donald Kipkemoi Kipkalya Kones, the longer serving cabinet Minister under the Moi KANU regime rebelled and teamed up together with the influential Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the combined armed forced of Kenya, Lt. General John Arap Koech and changed the political land-map of the region.

The two forcefully introduced the ODM and its leader Raila Amolo Odinga in the region against the vehement opposition from the pro-Moi die-hard elements. The two criss crossed the full length and width of the region and vigorously campaigned for the ODM, which in turn clinched all the eight parliamentary seats in the South Rift.

Kones retained his Bomet parliamentary seat and was appointed to the Ministry of Works slot in the PNU / ODM coalition government. Unfortunately Kones perished in an aircraft mish up together with the former Sotik MP Miss Lorna Laboso.

Raila Odinga then appointed the colorless former State House Comptroller and businessman Franklin who succeeded Kones at the Works Ministry. Bett, however, lacked the political masterly and magnanimity of the Kones caliber. Under Bett’s stewardship, the former Eldoret North MP William Ruto who had fallen out with the ODM and Odinga began fishing out the party MPs one by one and at the time of March 4, 2013 general election it was only better and the youthful Kipkellion.

The man who should have taken over from Kones had left is Zakayo.K Cheruiyot the current Kuresoi South MP elect. He had served in a powerful position of the PS for the International Security in the Office of the President under the Moi regime.

However, Cheruiyot who is highly respected in Kipsigisland is a man who did not cherish controversies. He is always shying away from controversial political issues, most of the time preferring to concentrate on his own expansive businesses and farming empire. He is arguably the wealthiest Kipsigis man.

Heruiyot the son of an assistant chief in the colonial era the late Mzee Daniel Arap Komuilong from Kapsuito near Litein runs an ultra dairy farm in Kuresoi, several large scale tea farms, sugar cane farm in Kimwani area near Songhor, a wheat farm in Njoro a mixed maize farm in Trans-Mara, and a horticultural farm in Kitengela near Nairobi.

He has also established an ultra modern ICT commercial college in Litein town and sent most of hi spare time supervising his own business and as such shies away from intrigues of local politics.

The politics of the South Rift region has had along history of intrigues. This could be traced back to the days of the late Dr Taaitta Araap Towett, the early Kipsigis nationalist who dominated the politics of the Kipsigis land ever since 1958 when he first won the election to the colonial Legislative Council as the member for Southern area. Towett and his team won all the four seats in the national Assembly. However, Towett resigned his Buret seat when KADU dissolved itself and merged with KANU arguing that since he was elected on KADU ticket he must go back and consult the electorate and seek for their permission.

IN the consequence by-election that followed, Daniel Moi sponsored a primary school teacher in the name of Alexander Arap Bii who consigned Dr. Towett into premature political retirement. After Towett’s defeat it was the late Ex-Senior Chief Cheborge Arap Tengecha who led a group of ex-chiefs, councilors, missionaries and local leaders to the late President Jomo Kenyatta and to presurerize him to appoint Danile Arap Moi his Vice President, though man believed Dr. Towett had already been tipped for the veep job.,

Toweett regained his seat three years later, but while serving as the Education Minister, he was confronted by Moi at a public rally in Kapkatet and forced to vacate his Buret seat in order to give way for the entry of Prof .Jonathan Ng’eno into parliamentary politics.

At the moment the power politics of the South Rift is gravitating between Isaac Ruto and Charles Keter. The two are staunch supporters of Ruto, but at times acting as protagonists when it comes to local political derby.

In the 2007 there were only eight constituencies in both Kericho and Bomet Counties, but during the March 4 general elections four more constituencies were added. These were Sigowet in lower Belgut near Sondu and Kipkellion West in Chilchila area, Bomet and Chepalungu. This can now give the region a total of 12 parliamentary strength, plus two in Kuresoi South and Kuresoi North in Molo.

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See photos of the swearing ceremony of the Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma with Bishop Dr Washington Ogonyo Ndegfe and the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders Willis Otondi.
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Kenya: The aspirant who incited his supporters to burn Raila Odinga posters and block the roads with logs and burning tires is rejected by Karachuonyo residents

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kendu-Bay Town

A parliamentary aspirant in Karachuonyo constituency had lost the race during the recently concluded ODM nominations. He then ditched the party for the Wiper Orange Movement after mobilizing his supporters to stage the violent street demonstration during which Raila Odinga election posters were burnt down and the Prime Minister effigy also set alight. He now faces a total rejection by the voters.

The demonstrators, comprised mainly of drunken youth, had blocked the main Kendu-Bay – Homa-Bay road at Kanyadhiang’ bridge near the home of the aspirant Adipo Okoume. They used heavy logs, burned tires and, torched Raila Odinga’s campaign posters. The demonstrators menacingly threatened motorists while singing derogatory songs against the Prime Minister,saying “no Adipo Okuome no Raila Odinga”

The close to violent demonstration began in earnest after the word went round that the former Karachuonyo MP Eng had clinched the nomination with landslide voters.

Other aspirants included Dr Ofafa Adede, Anderson Ojwang’, Donny Opar, David Ngala. The other aspirants did not take part in the demonstrations and kept away, while the supporters of Adipo Okuome also hurled stones at the former MP’s convoy of vehicles near Nyakongo causing mechanical damage to some of the vehicles.

The former MP Eng James K.Rege returned home at the weekend to a rousing welcome by a huge enthusiastic crowd. The former MP arrived at Kendu – Bay in the convoy of vehicles numbering about 60 and openly displayed to the crowd his ODM nomination certificate. He later took to road show going around the entire Karachuonyo constituency before winding u at his Kanjira village home in West Karachuonyo.

During the rally at Kendu Bay it was disclosed that three of the ODM nomination losers have moved and secured nomination of other parties outside ODM. Adipo was reported to have moved to the Wiper Party, while David Ngala will be vying for the election in the UDF part and Donny Opar to contest on the Wiper Party tickets.

It was after this revelation that a group of elders in Karachuonyo made an impromptu announcement saying that the constituency will not be the fertile ground for votes hunting by those who have lost in the ODM nomination.

The elders’ spokesman who requested for his anonymity singled out the name of Adipo Okuome saying that although the Wiper party is in partnership with the ODM under the main umbrella of CORD alliance this particular candidate owed the Karachuonyo people an apology for having allowed his supporter to engage themselves in acts of violence, thuggery and lawlessness and for having publicly insulted the Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

The elders called for peaceful election campaign and asked the aspirants to respect the right of each other and at the same time not to incite their supporters to violence.

One of the elders Ex-Assistant Chief Nyandiko heaped a lot of praise on the former MP saying he had changed the face of Karachuonyo politics from the violence prone constituency to an area of peaceful co-existence and massive development. He appealed to the voters to cats their votes to Eng Rege in their thousands so that he could continue implementing his impressive development agenda.

The elders made it clear that they would not entertain any “Madoadoa” politics or let the people vote for an aspirant whose loyalty to the Prime Minister Raila Odinga is questionable. Karachuonyo is an ODM stronghold and we should like to see all the votes goes to “Agwambo”.

THE Karachuony0 elders advised the former MP Eng.Rege not to relax because the real election battle is still ahead until after March 4, 2013. They urged those who have won the elections as County Representatives in both Karachuonyo South and Karachuonyo North districts to join hands with the rest of the population to ensure massive votes for Raila Odinga’s presidential victory.

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KENYA: SUBA LEADERS IN BOYCOTT OF RAILA ODINGA’S FUNCTION AT THE MAKE-SHIFT NEWLY ESTABLISHED HOME OF MILLIE ODHIAMBO IN LAMBWE VALLEY.

Writes Arrum-Tidi Ogonglo in Mbita Town.

A cross section of leaders in Suba region of Homa-Bay County on Monday stayed away from a function which was attended by the Prime Minister Raila Odinga at the make-shift newly established home of the nominated MP Millie Odhiambo in Lambwe Valley .

An account by an eye witness indicated that even the area MP Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ was nowhere to be seen at the function despite of the fat that the Prime Minister was visiting his constituency.

Instead Kajwang’and other local dignitaries had assembled at Magunga district headquarters in Gwassi where they were all waiting to received the PM. Also nowhere to be seen at the function were members of the powerful Suba Council of Elders and Luo Council of Elders whose vice chairman Ex-Senior Chief Omolo-Anditi hails from Mbita constituency.

The nominated MP Millie Odhiambo’s home is in Rusinga Island, but she is married to a Zimbabwean man. And for the purpose of winning the Mbita parliamentary seat during the impending general election she had decided to establish a home within the localty for the purpose of attracting votes.

According to Luo tradition and culture a woman who is married into another community outside her home region is called “Migogo” therefore a woman who is classified as ‘Migogo” has no right to come back to her home of origin and claim political leadership once she is already married into another community. She and her siblings are considered as outsiders and foreigners

For such a woman to come back home and demand the right to contest the election for political leadership is viewed as an insult and total disrespect to her people, particularly her cousins in Waware sub-clan in Rusinga Island Therefore Milie Odhiambo has a daunting task to convince the voters in Mbita to vote for her parliamentary bid. This would be an up-hill task, hence the reason for her hurriedly invitation to Raila Odinga into her make-shift home.

The idea of her building a new home in Lambwe Valley within Mbita constituency so as to dupe the electorate did not go down well with the local politicians who are competing with her for the same seat. He is being treated as foreigners with many claims that even in Zimbabwe there is a parliament there, and that the place where she should go and contest for a parliamentary the election there. It is Zimbabwe where she belongs to and not Mibita, said a civic leader in Mbita town.

Raila flew to Lambwe on Monday morning, and according to some account given by sources presence at the venue, the Prime Minister was accompanied by his wife Mrs Ida Odinga, but she is said to have refused to disembark and remained inside the chopper.

After a brief stop-over the PM resumed his flight to Magunga in Gwassi where he was given n arousing welcome by all the Sub region leaders. But Raila arrived there when the word had already reached the local Suba leader’s of the refusal of his wife Mrs Ida Odinga refusal to into a make-shift home of Millie Odhiambo.

A number of the elders interviewed heaped a lot of praise to Mrs Ida Odinga saying that by the Prime Minister visiting the make-shift home of the nomination MP he had stooped low and that in according to the norms, tradition and cultural virtues of the Luos the Prime Minister should have only gone thereto open a new house and not to grace the empty ground for political mileage.

Ms Odhiambo earned an accusation of misusing Raila to intimidate and bull-dose her opponents in the Mbita contest.

Such a make-shift home is called “Ligala” in the Luo vernacular and it is not a place worth a visit by a person of Raila Odinga caliber and status.

Milllie Odhiambo is a staunch supporter of the Prime Minister, but the visit to her still a bush site where she intended to put up her permanent home in the future world not augur well with the four other ODM members who are locked up in the stiffest election battle with Millie Odhiambo.

The ODM boss who has repeatedly said that this time around nobody would enjoy his political patronage during the forthcoming general election an each and every aspirant must get prepared to sort out his or her problems with the voters is viewed as having gone to Lambwe to offer the biased support toms Odhiambo. In the opposite Millie Odhiambo might have have hatched an idea of inviting the Prime Minister into the site of her still bush home for the purpose of intimidating her opponents in the Mbita seat contest.

The issue is likely to impact negatively and adversely during her election campaign because her rivals have said they will use the visit as an attempt to intimidate and scare them away that she is too powerful and invisible.

“Whoever had invited the Prime Minister to that function had the ulterior motive to reduce his status.’,said one Suba elder who scathingly criticized the PM’s handlers for the incident.

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Kenya: Awiti is endorsed by Karachuonyo elders to contest the powerful position of Homa-Bay County governor

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kendu-Bay Town.

The charismatic former Marie Stopie County director Cyprian Otieno Awiti was last weekend unanimously endorse to contest the lucrative and powerful elective position of the Homa-County governor by over 30 elders representing all major sub-clan in Karahuonyo constituency.

The meeting took place last Friday night inside one of the posh hotels in Kendu Bay town. In attendance were over 30 elders representing major sub-clans within Karachuonyo constituency, Rachuonyo North district within Homa-Bay County Major sub-clans represented at the meeting were Konyango, Kanyaluo, Kanyipir, Kakidhimu, Kanam, Kanjira, kanyipir, Kauma, Kotieno, Kogweno, Kogweno-Kobala, Kajiei, Kakwajuok, Karabondi,Wagwe, Kokoth ,Kanjiraand Kawadhigone.

The tentative meeting which started late in the night at about 10 P.M lasted for the whole night ending at about 5 A.M.

The elder said in a statement t the end of the meeting that their action was a good gesture and response in recognition of Awiti’s selfishlessness and massive contributions towards numerous socio-economic development projects within Karachuonyo and beyond.

Awiti is credited as one person who has been traversing the entire Luo-Nyanza while making hefty cash donations for the improvement of educational facilities, health centers and dispensaries, churches, women and youth groups.

Awiti hails from the Eastern part of Karachuonyo constituency in Kobuya sub-clan which is a member of the most populous and influential clan called Kadwet clan, whose members occupies the most part of Central and Eastern Karachuonyo constituency in Rachuonyo North district.

The elders said their action was in line with the famous oldage saying that goes that “Charity Begins at Home””If it was our own wish Awiti should have been elected to be the first governor of the Homa-Bay County under the new constitutional dispensations. He deserves the job taking into account his vast managerial experience and ability’ said Ker Nyandiko Ongadi.

A staunch member of the Roman Catholic church, which is enjoying the largest following in areas like Rangwe, Ndhiwa, Gwassi and parts of Western and Eastern Kasipul constituency in Rachuonyo South district. ,

Awiti who has worked closely with the church by promoting its activities and church sponsored projects would be difficult and near impossible and perhaps an up-hill task for anyone of those characters challenging for the seat to beat him at the polls.

Going by the arithmetic of voters registration in which the Kasipul-Kabondo had slightly over 65,000 registered voters while the neighboring Karachuonyo constituency had more than 55,000 registered voters, this indicated that the whole for Rachuonyo region had about 115 registered voter. This number is expected to swell upward to about 150,000 as the result of the registrations of voters with new on-going registration exercise for the youths with the new generations national identity cards.

This figure could give twice more than voters expected to be register in all other five parliamentary constituencies that forms the part of the expansive Homa-Bay County. The constituencies include Mbita, Gwassi, Ndhiwa, Rangwe and Homa-Bay Township.

The figures shown above would give Awiti the head-tart and with the majority of voters in Rachuonyo region behind him, the outcome would therefore be in favor of Awiti who is likely to carry the day.

Awiti’s main challenger Phillip Okundi could also be banking on marshaling the support of the two larger sub-clans among the groups that alias themselves Joka-Nyang’ur, which is grouping together the resident of kochia East and Kochia West,Gem East,Gem Central and Gem West Locations in Rangwe constituency because he hails from Kochia West which is part of this historical background. But he h as since lost the backing of the Kanyada group who will in the next elections be voting in the newly created Homa-Bay. Town constituency.

The recent newspapers advertisement announcing for the impending auctioning of some of Eng.Okundi’s properties is likely to have adverse repercussion on his candidature for the Homa-Bay County governor. His rivals are likely to exploit this to the maximum by pinning him down as someone who is heavily indebted and as such incapable of managing his own businesses and properties and therefore cannot be trusted to manage the County resources efficiently a its governor.

Okundi therefore urgently need to do more public relations and damage control exercise to re-brand and market himself a fresh to the electorate.

Other accusation against Okundi came as the result f the recently concluded, but highly controversial Ndhiwa by-elections. The by-election was called to fill the vacant seat left by the late abrasive Ndhiwa MP Joshua Orwa Ojode who died on June 10th together with his boss the former Internal Security Ministe Prof.Geworge Saitoti. Okundi was then the chairman of the ODM board of elections which he had performed poorly in that by- -election which led to his being shown exit-door by the party leadership There were unconfirmed rumors and allegation that Okundi was allegedly favoring one of his campaigners in Kabuoch who eventually emerged the winner of the highly flawed by-election Augustino Neto Oyugi.

Ndhiwa is part of the Homa-Bay County with close to 46,000 registered votes and the voters in this area might rebel against Okundi for his part in the much flawed by-election.

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THE COMMENCING OF COMMERCIAL OIL PRODUCTION IN WESTERN UGANDA COULD SPARK OFF VIOLENT PROTESTS AS TRADITIONAL LEADERS AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS LAY DEMANDS FOR THEIR SHARES OF OIL REVENUES.

Reports Leo Odera Omolo

Tension is building up following growing agitation for direct sharing in oil revenue by communities in Western Uganda oil wells regions are reportedly is casting a pall over the future prospects of the country’s political stability as it moves to the commencing of commercial oil production.

The traditional leaders of Bunyoro, the areas where the bulk of the oil reserves lies underneath, led the charge in late May his year, when they stormed parliament in the capital, Kampala demanding a 12.5 per cent royalty on oil revenue.

And last week another cultural institution in North Western Uganda joined the bandwagon. Although no figures are available to give an idea of exactly how much the Nebbi Cultural Institution would be expecting, experts say ,the development raises the prospect of possible wrangling as marginalized communities resource rich areas stand up for what they believe to be once in life time opportunity to improve their lot.

Fear persists, however, that these demands could take a direction of violent protest if a sense that they are not being adequately compensated for their land, employment or getting community development and broader social investments emerges.

“I communities begin demanding for higher percentage in shares, it will set a precedent where mineral sites may brig conflicts as they start fighting for their shares of royalties. Far from brining wealth and health, we may get ethnic politics,” said Ndebesa Mwbestya, a Makerere University don in the Department of History and Development studies.

Apparently the cultural institutions view their demands as a necessity for peaceful co-=existence with the oil companies operating in their localities. That is why mid June the Nebbi Cultural leader Rwoth Charles Umbidi spelt it out what hi flock expect from the oil companies- improved schools, hospitals and construction of cultural sites on top of jobs to appease the gods ‘ of our ancestors”. We do not want our gods to be annoyed with noise during exploration, so to appease them we must perform our rituals.” said Umbidi.

While it is a popular view that the communities hosting the mineral wealth got a share of revenues, Bunyoro’s demand is likely to escalate the tension between the Kingdom and the central government of President Yoweri Museveni, if government’s amendments to the Finance Bill is passed in its current form A district may, in consultation with the ministries responsible for culture and local governments, grant a share of the royalties due to the district, to a cultural or traditional institution, “reads the proposed law.

Ideally, this leaves the traditional leaders at the mercy of the local government which is expected to raise disagreements and political temperature.

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Kenya: Ojode’s brother is blasted over his late brother’s property claims before the deceased could rest in his grave

OJODE’S ELDER BROTHER IS BLASTED BY CLAN ELDERS FOR ACTING IN HASTY AND HARASSING THE LATE MINISTER’S WIDOW OVER PROPERTY INHERITANCE DURING THE CRITICAL MOURNING PERIOD

Writes Leo Odera Omolo in Ndhiwa Town

Elders from the two major sub-clans in Kwabwayi have come out strongly in defense of the late Minister’s widow and scathingly criticized his elder brother Samuel Ojode and accused him of acting in hastiness and erroneously over the late Minister estate.

They termed Samuel Ojode action as hypocrisy and greediness warned him to go slow over the late Minister’s estate.

Elders from the two major sub-clans of Kwabwayi, which are known as Kasirime andKamidar spoke to this write at Ndhiwa town and made it clear that they were disappointed and not happy going by the recent development.

The law governing the property of the deceased persons is quite explicit, and it recognizes the legitimate widow of the any deceased person as the “next of kin, and prime beneficiary of the deceased’s estate”.

Other family members may ony ne enjoined and may get a small fraction of wealth left behind by the deceased, but only with the consent of the widow after reaching some kind of consensus with the entire family members.

The Luo tradition and culture also forbade any discussion about the deceased person’s wealth, property or estate during the mourning period of time. Such issue involving properties are only deliberated upon after a certain period of time ser for morning. But in the case of Samuel Ojode, “he had acted in a very hasty manner,” lamented one elder.

Within one week after the colorful and tearful sending off of the late Ojode who died on June 10 in helicopter crash at Ngong forest together with his former boss the Internal Security Minister Pof. George Saitoti.

Ojode’s elder brother had written a letter to the Speaker of the National Assembly Kenneth Oiato Marende and asked hi not to release any compensation to the late Ojode’s Widow Mary Ojode.

Samuel Ojode said I the letter that he wanted any compensation or death benefits to the late Minister’s estate is resolve.

In the letter Samuel Ojode who claimed he was writing on behalf of their mother Mrs Ulda Ojode and other dependants of the deceased accusing the deceased’s widow Mary Ojode had flatly refused to discuss or co-operate with the family on matter relating to the deceased’s estate.

It normally takes up to three months after the deceased’s burial before anybody can deliberate on issues related to the deceased’s wealth, property and estate. All this period is reserved as the “mourning period“ It is a period of time when the deceased person is given the space to rest in eternal life, to have a good rest in his grave.

Like in the case of modern laws, the widow of the deceased is the one who is the next of kin. His first child if he is a grown up plays the role in such deliberations. The same with the second and third and so forth if they are more both off- springs in the issue with of a Luo bread winner before members of the close family convened a meeting an deliberated on the question of property inheritance and even wife inheritance.

The elders, who requested their identities be hidden for fear of reprisals, felt Ojode’ widow was being harassed an wanted her to be left alone to mourn her husband’s untimely demise and family loss

Those old times when widows of the deceased persons were subjected to a lot of harassment over propertied left behind by their husbands are long gone.

Samuel Ojode’s action might have been driven and prompted by greediness. However, he should have consulted widely before hurrying up and writing the letter to the Speaker of the National Assembly placing embargo on ode’s widow thereby escalating her bitterness about the loss of her dear husband. The young widow was devastated b the loss of her husband and needed time for reflection about the tragedy and rest.

Otieno Ogingo is currently out of the country. H e had been unwell for some time and had travelled abroad and seek for medical attention in the United States of America where he is recuperating.

ends

KENYA: THE COUNTY OF HOMA-BAY HAS MANY TOURIST DESTINATIONS AND ATTRACTIVE SCENERY WHICH COULD TURN THE REGION INTO THE RICHEST WHEN FULLY DEVELOPED

A Special Feature By Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town
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HOME-BAY County one of the newly created 47 counties under the new constitutional dispensation is promising to offer a lot for the future of the residents along the eastern shoreline of Lake Victoria
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The County’s shoreline in Lake Victoria is covering close to a distant of approximately 28o kilometers. It starts at Nyakwera on the Nyakach-North Rachuonyo districts borders and winds up at Lakinyiero in the Southwestern border of Suba South district with Nyatike district in Migori County.

There close to twenty small fishing islands on the Kenyan side of the lake and some of them are potential as tourist’s destinations.

The County is also full of pre-historic sites which could be developed as potential tourist attractions if the next county governance could do its home work and if possible succeed in luring both foreign and local investors to come and developed tourist class hotels, lodges and beach resort facilities.

The region is also potential destination for bird watchers, but above, the Suba region could provide close to 60 per cent of the County annual income accrued from fish, and fish trade, tourism, hotels, lodges and beach resorts, though these could be achieved on self-help development schemes, but it would also require a lot of input from possible foreign sources and massive investments.

Already local inputs are evidence in places like Mbita Town, where several beach resorts of the tourist class have sprung up in the recent past, more efforts is still required to crown it all. The proprietors of the beach resorts also need more capitals to invest in extra curriculum activates such as boat racing, skiing ensure that their facilities are well equipped with speed boats to ferry the tourists around the lake on von voyage trips to the nearby pre-historic sites and birds watching trips.

A local resident who is a candidate vying for the lucrative and powerful position of the county governor Dr. Mark Matunga recently made a moderate estimation that Suba region alone could rake in close to 70 per cent of the County annual revenue.

Dr Matunga cited the recent restocking of the Ruma National Game Park in Lambwe Valley with new species of wild animals such as zebras black and white rhinos, giraffe, improved fishing facilities and fish trades and other facilities.

In the recent past, Homa-Bay County has witnessed the construction of new tarmac roads like the Kendu-Bay-Homa-Bay and Homa-Bay Mbita roads as some of the component of e important development of the infrastructure taking place.

The region, especially the Suba region is well served with the Ndori –Luanda Kotieno ro which winds u at the Mbita Ferries, which is plying the narrow Nyanza Gulf between Luanda Kotieno on the Rarieda side of the lake to Mbita Town.

The private firm that owns and manages the Mbita Ferries has recently introduced new and the largest ferries that can carry up to 30 motor vehicles plus close to 200 passengers at a go in one trip. This is a tremendous improvement and would provide the travelling passengers with quick accesses in crossing the narrow channel. The ferry service is expected to improve economic activities in the Suba region as it will facilitate quick travelling to businessmen and traders visiting major wholesale and distribution shops in Kisumu City.

The private firm that runs and manages he Mbita Ferries is reported to have already initiated a tentative plans it envisaged to launch a new ferry service between Mbita and Mfangano Island in the near future, It will also be ferrying both passengers and vehicles aboard that could be used by visitors on while touring around the important sites and scenarios on Mfangano Island where all weather roads have already been constructed.

The construction of roads on Mfangano Island came about as a personal initiative of Dr.Matunga, who is a native of the Island who also single handed initiated the massive electrification. He single-handed secure a powerful diesel fired engine ,which has now brought the hitherto sleeping and backward Island into limelight of brightest lights through the power supplies to schools and other important institutions as well a to the individuals homes.

There are close to twenty small fishing islands on the Kenyan side of the lake, some which could be developed as the tourist destination, and could make the country compete with other tourist destination regions like Seychelles Islands, Mauritius and even South Africa. Notable islands which are suitable for the establishment of beach resorts and lodges include Takawiri, Ngodhe, Kiwa, Remba,Ringiti.

Another potential Island is the famous “Soklo Kipenji or Soklo Kibanga” which is close to a number of important fish landing beaches around Usawo on the mainland. Next to “Soklo Kipenji” is the Sukri, which is much close to Homa-Bay town on the mainland. Sukri ha fertile an which is arable and has so many inhabitants living on it, though most of the spent their day time doing or tending to their businesses in Homa-Bay Town and only retires to the island at the fall of the night using motor boats and home made canoes.

“Soklo Kipenji” is full of myths in folklore tales of the past. For many years, the locals held firm believes that it was a place where there is a hidden powerful and invisible devilish being from other planet. Fishermen dared not land their fishing boats on “Soklo Kipenji” and travelers plying the nearby lake waters on their r way to Mbita Point from Homa-Bay pier were always forewarned not to ask any question.

It has never been inhabited nor frequented by the locals, and it was said that even the fish eagles never landed their catches on its rocks, and that ever crocodiles, lizards and monitors stayed away fro the tiny island. Unconfirmed reports says that two White European explores who defiantly ignored the advice of the locals not to visit the Island in 1922, shortly immediately after the end of the first World War, and attempted to land – – their boat mysteriously disappeared never to be traced to date. And that is how this Island earned its name.

However, following human settlement pressure in the nearby Lambwe Valley forest, Baboon, Monkeys and even hyena have of late took refuge on this island. It has been deprived of its natural trees by charcoal burners and women in search of fire wood, leaving only sky pointing sharp rocks with no vegetation to protect its soil.

Ake Simbi Nyaima, the volcanic lake, which is situated in Central Karachuoyo Location in Rachuonyo North district as well as birds sanctuary near Oyugis, are some of the potential areas worth development, if at the Central Government is keen in resuscitating its forty five year old Western Kenya Tourist circuit, which has remained in the drawing board ever since it was initiated and launched by the then Minister for Tourism and Wildlife S.O. Ayodo in 1967.

Homa-Bay County is also rich in minerals, especially gold, which are said to be in abundance around Wire Hill near Oyugis, and at the old Awuoro mine about six kilometers south east of Oyugis Town and near Mithui Secondary school Kokal area.

The now closed down gold mine which is only a few meters away from Ruga Market on he right side of the Oyugis-Kisii road thrived in the 1930s and early 1940s, but he foreign investors, mainly South Africa Bower and Australian miners close them own following pressure mounted by the black nationalist during the struggle for political independence. The gold deposits were never exhausted.

Red ochre could also be mined on the slope of the Hill facing Mithui ,which are so good for home floor colors, and next to the scene on the Oyugis Gamba Market {Rioma road] one come direct to the old caves where people used to take cover from their invading enemies during the old days.The caves are now being used as pilgrimage site by religious people.

The crocodile shaped rock on to of a hill in Kauma Kwadhigone area of Karachuonyo could be another potential center of tourist attractions of attraction, especially to those visitors wished to see the wonders of the world.

A tourist class hotel is already in place put up by he Germans near Kowu9or Pier,{formerly Homa-Lime area} which adequate facilities for any class of visitors, VIP included. Another decent hotel facility is the tausi hotel, located within Rodi Kopany Market, which serves as the junction of Homa-Bay Rongo and Ndhiwa Rangwe roads. And a few kilometers way is the latest Ndhiwa Resort, which is established in Ndhiwa Town and the brain child of the area MP Joshua Orwa Ojode. The road from Rodi Kopany to Ndhiwa has been modernized and the work is progressing well via Aora Chuodho, where the Massoulin of the world record breaker polygamist of all time the late Ansentus Akuku Ogwela, commonly known as Akuku Denja is buried. In his life the danger man is believed to have married more than 100 wives, though at his death there were only 39 of them were still living in his three homesteads which are well spread from Central Kanyamwa, Kwabwayi and Karungu Locations. He had more than 209 children.

Branchi off at Mirogi Trading Center, the visitor has only eleven kilometer
drive into the main gate of the Ruma National Game Park in Lambwe Valley. Next to the park is he pre-historic” Kor Lang’o”, the now defunct main road believed to have been used by the Massais people while taking their herds of cattle for water I Lake Victoria centuries ago.

the KWS headquarters for Ruma National Game Reserves one can drive via Kanyamwa escarpment and link up with the main Homa-Bay –Mbita road at Ogongo or drive to Homa-Bay town only 23 kilometers away from the Forest main gate. Inside the Game Park there is a lodge with all facilities which offer social amenities to the visitors wishing to stay overnight.

Branching off at Mirogi Trading Centre is only eleven kilometers drive to the Lambwe Valley is being maintained by the KWS. Homa-Bay Tourist Hotel could be the next destination for the visitors while other could pt up at the Hippo Garden Hotel also located in Homa-Bay town. There are small and medium class hotels offering accommodation in town. But now that Homa-Bay Town has been chosen as the regional administrative headquarters for the
Homa-Bay County more enterprising hotels are expected to sprung up.

The lakeside town which hitherto was a sleeping town is expected to be the hub of business activities in the region due to its proximity to land and water transport system to other destinations in the region. Both foreign and local entrepreneur are welcome to invest in a five star or lesser graded hotels in order to tap the revenue expected to flow in from the tourist and other visitors to the region.

The resuscitation o Homa-Bay town will, however, depends on the good governance and proper planning by the County governance. But given the fact that all major roads leading to the ton have been constructed and the other on modernized.

A large deposits of lime and cement tones were recently discovered around Ruri Hills and the new Homa-Bay County will have to go out flat looking for the potential investors into the a Cement factory.
The town is now looking rejuvenated and no longer the dusty place of the past .This has been done head of the inauguration of the new County Offices, which will be immediately soon after the next general election, perhaps next year.

Moving further west, visitors will be able to see the famous pre-historic site of the famous Nyamgondho Wuod Ombare shrine at the shore of Lake Victoria not far away from Nyandiwa Beach Trading Center.

The government has already signed a new contract with the Chinese road construction firm to have the Mbita-Sindo-Magunga road, which is expected to link up with another highway from Ndhiwa ro Sori .Town in Nyatike district. This give unlimited access to tourists and visitors an easy driver along the lake with the possible branching off to areas like Kisegi and Nyandiwa chi is a fast growing beach town.

Former Gwassi MP Zadock Syong’o whose birthplace is at Kisegi had secured the power supplies to most schools and market places in Gwassi. Next to Nyandwa is the beautiful Kiwa Island which has a population estimated to be slightly over 500 people complete with their domesticated animals. The new road will traverse via Sindo,Nyabera, and pass through the Ruma National game Park to Magunga, pss through the junction of Tonga Secondary School via God Bura to Kokomo and Kiabuya junction and then to Laknyiero from where it will link up with Sori Town.

Plans has already been envisaged to have this road constructed via the vast Kadem up to Muhuru-Bay near the Kenya Tanzania border. This plan was recently disclosed by the Prime Minister Raila Odinga when he addressed a mammoth crowd at Kaswanga in Rusinga West Location, Rusinga Island during the burial of the former Kenya’s Permanent representative to the UN the late Michael Okeyo.

Mfangano Island is another place which is full of pre-historic sites, and yawning or the development of more tourist class hotels. On top of Soklo plateau, there are several sources of mineral waters, which could be bottled

The same could be said of the twin island of Rusinga. Here a few hundred meter of Wanyama fish landing beach there laying deep in the water two oxen looking like stones. The stones according to the local folklore were the remnants of two full grown up bulls which belonged to two cousins called Mnyama and Ware. The stones are called Nyama gi Ware signifying to the two sub-clansof Wanyama and Waware, and the saying goes that the two bull had fought the fiercest battle until they landed in the water where they turned into permanent stones. These are just mythology tales. However, the area is potential for the development of good beach resort hotel of tourist class.

A;ready there in place a tourist lass hotel at Kamasengre next to the airstrip and not far away from the buralk place of one of the uncompromising champion of freedom fighter/architect of Kenya’ independence and charismatic politician the late Tom Mboya, the former Minter for Economic Planning and Development in the post-independence cabinet who was assassinated in a Nairobi street in 1969.

Some, medium class hotels are already in place in Mbita Town, which included Mbita Beach Resort, ICIPE Guest House, Rusinga Holiday Inn, and others currently catering for visitors, but more facilities including speed boats for sporting are still required for the region to be able to reap the fruit of the expected influx of tourists into the region in the near future.

Ends

Kenya: Hostile mourners barred Minister Otieno Kajwang’ from addressing the in Rusinga Island funeral home

Writes Leo Odera Omolo

The drama unfolded during the burial of the chairman of the Suba Council of Elders, the late Apollo Okeyo Omuga, last Saturday in Rusinga East Location, Mbita district, where the Minister for immigration and Registration Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ was prevented from addressing the mourners.

The funeral ceremony took place in Mzee Okeyo Omuga’s Kakirigu village home, Rusinga East, Mbita district within Homa-Bay County.

Unlike the moribund an amorphous Luo Council of Elders, which is full of semi-illiterate elderly people, members of the Suba Council of Elder comprises top brains in the region, most of them retire secondary school teachers, former District Officers, school teachers Ex-Senior Chief and chiefs and very enlightened groups.

Before succumbing to his death late last month in what appeared to have been caused by cardiac arrest relation ailment, the late Okeyo –Omuga a retired former Provincial Adult Education Officer was serving as the chairman of the Suba Council of Elders.

The Suba Council of Elders has been at loggerheads with the Minister who did not recognize the body, though he represented a constituency where the majority of the electorate are people of Suba origins.

In the recent past, Minister Kajwang’ has been giving a total black-out to the deceased whenever he is conducting any public function within the constituency, arguing that the Suba community did not exist and that all the residents of Mbita and Gwassi constituencies were Luos, something which has become the source of hostilities between the Minister and the community.

The fall out between Minister Kajwang’ and the Suba community was aggravated by a speech made by the prime Minister Raila Odinga, a month ago during the burial of the former Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, the late Ambassador Michael Okeyo at Kaswanga village in Rusinga West Location.

In his address, Raila Odinga said publicly that there is no community called Suba and that all the residents of the region were a collection of Luos whose origins could be traced from within the Luo community. These remarks seemed to have irked the Suba people who suspected that the Prime Minister might have been drawn into the local controversy through ill-adviced, which he had received from Minister Otieno Kajwang.

During the burial of Ambassador Okeyo, Kajwang’, who acted as the master of ceremony, did introduce the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders Mzee Elly Opiyo Otondi who had traveled all the way from his Kisumo East, Nyahera home to the Rusinga Island and his team, but the Minister in apparent display of non-recognition of Suba Council of Elders did not introduce the late Apollo Okeyo Omuga its chairman despite of the fact that the latter was in attendance.

Otieno Kajwang’ had at an earlier function during the burial of the mother of the nominated MP Millie Odhiambo, also in Rusinga Island, had deliberately ignored the presence of the late Okeyo Omuga and members of the Suba Council of Elders team, though some of its member had traveled from long distance places

And immediately after this particular incident, came the current agitation by the people of Suba region that the two districts whose residents are predominantly the people of Suba origin, be renamed Suba South and Suba North districts instead of Gwassi and Mbita in recognition of the existence of the community, the demand which the Minister is vehemently opposed to, arguing that the population of Luos in Mbita superseded that of the Suba people an argument which is not backed by statistics and figures.

Prior to the burial of late Okeyo-Omuga members of the Suba Council of Elders consisting of the retired chiefs, educationist and leading personalities within the region had met secretly and resolved not to allow the Minister to address the mourners before their late chairman was laid to rest.

Their argument was that there was no point for the Minister Otieno Kajwng’ to come to the funeral for the purpose of shedding crocodile tears while in life he{the Minister} did not recognize the late chairman of Suba Council of Elders.

Several speaker who spoke earlier had poisoned the air insisting that the Suba Community must be recognized, respected for their national identity. A group of students from Suba region who are studying at the various public universities made a highly inflammatory speech in a prepared text.

Speaking on behalf of the deceased sisters-in-law and other relatives, the former Nyanza Provincial director of Education Mrs Roselyn Onyuka called upon the residents of the entire Suba region representing the communities from Mfangano, Rusinga, Gwassi, Gembe and Lambwe areas to work in unity so that they could overcome myriad of problems facing them and the team.

She decried the falling standard of education in the region and mention schools in Rusinga Island which did not shine during the recently released result of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education {KCSE} in which the people of the area had nothing to celebrate about due to poor performance, which had locked out their schools from the list of the top performing schools.

Onyuka who is now an aspiring candidate or the position of Women Representative for Homa-Bay County advised all the stakeholders to brainstorm together and find a solution how to improve the education standard in the region. She, however, steered clear of the controversy surrounding Suba issue.

Meanwhile the Minister Otieno Kajwang’ who arrived rather late in a tension charged funeral in seemingly an already troubled waters. His arrival came after the ground had been poisoned and excessively polluted by early speakers. He was accompanied by a truck full of ODM party youths. The Minister is also the ODM Homa-Bay County branch chairman. He is reported to have switched from defending his Mbita seat and would be vying for the County Senate seat instead.

The Minister at patently in the VIP dais and listened the announcement made by master of ceremony telling the mourners that politicians and all aspiring candidates for the various elective positions within Homa-Bay County will only be allowed to deliver their speech after the deceased body had been interred into it final resting place and that the Minister would be the last speaker,

Sensing that he had no role to play in that burial ceremony, Minister Kajwang’ walked out followed by troops of youth and a few supporters and drove out of the Islands in a huff and towards his home which is located next to Waondo Secondary School in Mbita mainland looking a dejected man.

Earlier the vice chairman of the Luo Council of Elders Ex-Senior Chief Omolo Anditi who hail from Rusinga East was heckled by the mourner’s ken as he tried to deliver his speech which was drawn into noisy and cat calls.

In his message of condolence to the bereaved family which he sent through one of his aids the Prime Minister Raila Odinga seemed to have retracted his earlier stance and told the mourner in a prepared text that the position of Suba community cannot be tempered with. Instead of sending his condolences through the Minister Kajwang,’ Raila sent his message through Silas Jakakimba, one of his aids. He promised that he would one day pay the homage to the bereaved family.

Other prominent speakers included the retired Secondary School teacher Mzee Ochola Gaa, who is the father of the Chief of Staff at the prime Minister’s Office Karoli Omondi who is a member of the Suba Council of Elders who eloquently read a long memorandum which highlighted the history of the Suba Community and rubbished Minister Kajwang’ stance on the issue.

Another speaker was George Osingo Migure a former Mbita MP who reiterated that the Suba issue was resolved long time ago when the government of Kenya under President Daniel Arap Moi gazette the Suba as a community and therefore should not be revisited a fresh again.

Ends

Kenya: The Rusinga Island Community in the mourning mood following the sudden demise of the chairman of Suba Council of elders

Reports by Leo Odera Omolo

The resident of Rusinga Island were on Sunday afternoons thrown into a mourning mood following the sudden death a prominent educationist and a farmer Mr Apollo Okeyo Omuga who died of what the family suspected to be related cardiac arrest.

Doubling as the chairman of the Sub Council of Elders, Mr Okeyo Omuga was a retired school teachers who rose through ladder and ranks and became the Provincial Adult Education Officer before his retirement bout eight years. After his retirement from active service he then embarked into rehabilitation and reforestation program through an NGO, which saw millions seedling of tree planed on various hills within the Island which had been depleted of natural tree, particularly around Ligongo Hill.

Family sources says Mr. Okeyo Omuga has been slightly unwell and suffering from diabetic and hypertension and was among the many hundreds of Kenyan people who recently traveled to Lioliondo in the Northern Tanzania and visited the famous retired Pastor in search of treatment.

He had also succeeded in turning his lakeside Kakirigu farm in Waware area green in the semi-arid Rusinga Island by introducing new method and technology of mechanized irrigation using the idle waters of Lake Victoria producing vegetables, maize and other cash crops.

Mr Okeyo Omuga will be remembered for having actively participated in the development activities of Rusinga Island in particular and the Suba region in general. He is credited for having been a good organizer and mobilizer when it comes to the question o development and progress.

He was among the founder and patrons of the Rusiga annual cultural festival which brings together sports and cultural dancers from the various sub-clans and communities.

He is survived by his three wives, a large number of children most of them grown ups. His body was rushed to the mortuary in Homa-Bay town for preservation pending the family arrangement for burial, which will be announced later.

Among the leading personalities who sent their condolences to he braved family is Dr Mark Matunga, an aspirant for the position of Homa-Bay County governor who told this writer that he had just spoken to the deceased on Sunday morning and did not expect anything unusual to happen to him therefore his untimely him came as big shock to him.

Ends

The Smallest tribe living in Western Uganda faces extinction

Small Western Uganda tribe faces extinction
IRIN NEWSFUTURE POSTED LAST WEEK
Forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo
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The Basua people, a little known Ugandan tribe of just one hundred people, is facing the threat of extinction, IRIN news reported last week. According to IRIN, the Basua were forcibly removed from their forest home two decades ago. They have also struggled to cope with modern life and have been ravaged by health crises, including HIV.

Uganda has two indigenous forest communities – the Batwa people of the southwest, a larger group originally from Rwanda and Burundi, and the Basua in the west who came from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Already marginalized for their short stature and for being traditional forest dwellers, the Basua have continued to receive less assistance than the Batwa because they are more geographically isolated and have a smaller population, numbering just 100.

Forced resettlement

Western Uganda’s Semliki Forest – the historical home of the Basua – became a National Park in 1993, and as a result, the community has lost its hunter-gatherer existence. They now have to request permission to fish and collect medicinal herbs and firewood, and are forbidden from hunting.

The Basua have been moved around ever since, most recently to a village outside the small trading town of Bundimasoli in 2007, after a local NGO won a grant from the European Union to build a village for them, but the project collapsed under corruption allegations before it was completed.

The community still has no clear rights to the land where it was resettled, and struggles to access basic services such as clean drinking water and healthcare. “…Imagine someone is used to maybe going to the office, working, making phone calls, going to the ATM, withdrawing money… then you dump them in the forest instead,” said Fred Lulinaki, a programme director at the East and Central Africa Association for Indigenous Rights (ECAAIR). “If they survive, it will be just by luck.” he added.

Some Basua men and women find casual jobs such as hauling wood, but most sit around the village with nothing to do. Some have turned to alcohol. Of the 40 children, Lulinaki said only two attend school, either because they are orphaned or their parents cannot afford the cost of pens and school fees. Fifteen of the community’s children are orphans.

Ezekiel Mugisa, local coordinator of the Organisation for the Survival of the Basua (OSIBA), said the first documented case of HIV among them was in 1985, but the virus really established a foothold when the Allied Democratic Forces – a Ugandan rebel group – launched a movement to overthrow the Ugandan government for the DRC in the mid-1990s. The Ugandan troops sent to fight the insurgents set up camp near the Basuas’ home; soldiers and suppliers offered money and goods in exchange for sex with Basua women, or raped them.

Rumours have long circulated in Uganda that sex with Basua women cured back pain and HIV. Stan Frankland, an anthropologist at Scotland’s University of St Andrews, has been working with and advocating for the community since he first visited them as a tourist in 1990. He helped establish OSIBA.

Frankland said the myths stemmed from a belief that as forest dwellers, the Basua “have some spiritual aspect to them. That they’re not fully human… they might transmit this power.” Even with the troops gone and education campaigns debunking supposed AIDS cures, transactional sex remains common. For many women, it is the only viable way of supporting themselves. HIV is a secondary concern to getting enough to eat.

There are no official statistics on HIV prevalence among the Basua. Those who know they are HIV-positive have limited access to, or knowledge of available treatments. Since Save the Children pulled out recently, the nearest source of treatment is a health centre 20km away – few of the Basua can afford the transport costs.

Even when they did have access to ARVs, there was no formal process to teach people why the drugs were important or how to take and store them. Instead, many would trade the drugs for food, according to Mugisa.

“…The [Basua] are dying,” said Basua King Geoffrey Nzito, who had just concluded a burial ceremony. “I want people to join hands so at least they can come to a solution that is good for us.” he said.

Powerlessness

The Basuas’ situation mirrors the problems indigenous groups around the world are facing, says Rebecca Adamson, president and founder of First Peoples Worldwide (FPW), a group that makes small, direct grants to indigenous groups to help carry out livelihood projects that they design and develop.

Adamson said she had seen many indigenous groups kicked off land they had lived on and cultivated for hundreds of years, so that governments and companies could access it for mining, industry or tourism. Once they are displaced, there is little funding to help the groups integrate into life outside the forests.

The funding that exists is often driven by NGOs without the input of the indigenous people, so they “remain at the whims of what western society wants for them instead of what they want for themselves”, she said. Adamson is afraid that “we will be seeing large-scale extinction of certain groups” like the Basua.

Stan Frankland also said the Basua fear that the community would soon die out. “…There are only 100 of them. If you can’t save 100 people, how are you going to make it work on a larger scale?”

E

Kenya: Joluo, Lady Ado, Through Me Reaches You For Advice.

From: Joram Ragem

Dear Jaluo dot com,

I liked the old jaluo dot com forum which we frequently used to help one another on matters about our culture and our problems.

I am writing this open letter as a cry for help, hoping someone, maybe the esteemed Luo Council of Elders, or any good Samaritan ma ja thurwa will help me.

Here we go.

And I am Joram Ragem, you are not.

Yes, Joram Kaulikazi Ragem, wuod Ndinya, wuod Onam, wuod Amolo, wuod Owuoth, wuod Oganyo, wuod Mumbe, wuod Odongo, wuod Olwande, wuod Adhaya, wuod Ojuodhi, wuod Ragem (You may be my relative, but it matters less now. This is New Kenya!)

– – – – – – – – – – –

My dad died exactly 9 years ago. Before then we had been staying in Nairobi as a family of kids including our parents.

My father however, had another wife with whom they have not been in contact with since 1986 due to irreconcilable differences. I know this because my father wrote some autobiography of sorts and I have the original copy. Numerous attempts were made later to reconcile her and her children back into the family but she bluntly rejected the offer even going ahead to marry another man.

The ancestral land that had been allocated to my father has lain uncultivated for almost three decades. Recently my mother began to cultivate it and suddenly every one’s interest is aroused. The eldest uncle in our family has attempted to beat her up, One of my fathers brother’s has thrown a panga at her on various occasions and in the most recent incident my mother decided to approach her late husband’s eldest brother to report the matter. She was chased away and told she has no property in the family and they would bring back the alienated wife and take everything that she has.

It seems we have been sitting on a time bomb and now it is almost exploding. Word is going round that they intend to chase us out of our rural home and take everything. I have tried to do my research and even logic says the family has no capacity to dispense justice without outside intervention.

The other family has expressed their intentions of not ever coming back and my uncle wants this land for himself and has said it in those blunt terms. My family is ready to fore go that land but all we want is to protect ourselves from looming eviction.

P:s My mother refused to be inherited and the other family never attended dad’s funeral. The local council of elders is defunct and if any is to be called my uncle would most probably be a member of it and this would greatly hamper justice. The local chief cowards at him and is therefore, not in a position to tell him the truth if it is against his opinion. Both my grandparents are also long deceased.

I do not know what to do my people, but to ask you for guidance. Feel free to post your opinion here and you can reach me through Ajori at joragem@gmail.com

I remain,
Very Truly Yours
Lady Ado

Kenya: Ker Riaga Ogalo appealed to Luo leaders to humble themselves and avoid using goons at funeral gatherings

Writes Ndira-Uradi

The Chairman of the Luo Council of Elders “Ker” Meschak Riaga Ogalo has expressed fear about the escalating act of violence inside Luo-Nyanza and appealed to politician and their supporters to restrain their followers from actions that cause insecurity in the area.

KER RIAGA OGALO PHOTO

He was reacting to an incident which took place Sunday in hi own backyard of Oyugis where mourners including a cabinet Minister were forced to scamper for their safety as fiercest fighting between the two different political camps raged.

The incident left score of youth seriously injured, while highly respected dignitaries were forced to flee the homestead of the former chairman of Oyugis Town Council, the late Coun. Ogweno Ong’ondo. The incident occurred at Kaditong’e in Kachien Location, Kasipul-Kabondo with the County of Homa-Bay.

Ker Ogalo said the burial of a departed soul, according to Luo traditional, culture and norm, is a, exclusive solemn ceremony for close members of the deceased families, and does not require the importation of a large number of political goons and hirelings from other arts of the region.

Ker Riaga blamed the alarming increases in the spate of violence at funeral places .These incidences have resulted in serious injuries being sustained by innocent mourners, particularly aged men and women as well as children. The practice must come to and end immediately.

Mzee Riaga blamed the escalating violence in funeral homes in Luo-Nyanza on the recent emergence of political brokers and hirelings who are reportedly hired and imported to funeral homes by politicians who hires them to distort the characters of their perceived political enemies.

‘”At times these hirelings are openly engaged in speeches which amounted to characters assassination. They are not genuine funeral goers, but hired specifically to speak on behalf of their invisible masters to distort the characters of their perceive opponents either real or imagined, “said Ker Riaga.

The hireling have been seen addressing each and very funeral gathering, one or two being so famous of roaming the entire Homa-Bay County and demanding to be allowed to address the mourners, and in the exercises engaged in attacking the characters of personalities and aspirants for the various elective positions within the County governance, parliament and senate.

Luo culture and customarily law requires anyone who is over 40 of age to strictly attend the funeral of either a close relative or personal acquaintance. The guest mourner is only allowed to address other mourners if he or she is personally acquitted to the deceased or had blood relations, but no Tom Dick and Hurry. And even in such a situation the permission of the family must be obtained before the visitor is allowed to address the mourner. But of lately these political hirelings on hire have been heard speaking in almost every funeral even of those persons who are aliens to them.

It is a very unfortunate state of affairs that these hirelings do invite themselves to funeral homes for the purpose of attracting handouts from politicians and food from the deceased families thereby over-burdening them.

Ker Riaga appealed to politicians in Luo-Nyanza to stop the use of funeral gathering as political platform and to humble themselves to one another, particularly during this yea of general election so that they could maintain their unanswered unity and vote as a bloc. In this way the community could succeed in realizing their political ambition in voting in the next president of their own choice.

“Hiring goons to hurl insults at opponents could cause breaches of peace, hindering the best component of peaceful development”, said Ker Riaga who revealed that he missed the last Sunday incident, which took place only six kilometer away from his rural home by a whisker because he had traveled to Ndhiwa at the invitation of the Assistant Minister for the Internal Security Joshua Orwa Ojode who ha organized a New Year party his Unga home near Ndhiwa Town.

Ends

Kenya: The chairman of the Luo Council of Elders “Ker”Ogalo Riaga congratulated the NYANZASTAR, its editors and reporters, and wished them successes

Writes Ndira-Uradi inb Kisumu City.

The chairman of the Luo Council of Elders “Ker” Meshack Ogalo Riaga has extended his words of gratitude and congratulation to the NYANZASTAR weekly and urged its editors to maintain the highest standard of professional ethics.

Mzee Ogalo Riaga said the publication is most welcome a regional media. It is hoped that its editors will maintain the highest standard of journalism and stick to its principles of informing, entertaining and educating members of the public.

“By so doing”, Ker Ogalo Riaga added, ”the paper would only succeed in its endeavor of becoming a strong regional media for the purpose of informing the public all that is happenings within the surrounding districts in Nyanza”.

“The region”, he said, “is rich and fertile of newspaper readership and has been yawning for such publication for too long”.

Ker Ogalo Riaga also appealed to the local entrepreneur to venture into both electronic and printing media enterprises, and at the same advised the Paper’s editors and reporters to maintain what he termed as “positive neutrality and impartiality”.

He told members of the Luo community to embrace the true tenets of democracy by allowing all presidential aspirants, and all those aspiring for elective public offices to go about in their campaigns and canvassing for votes in a free atmosphere which is devoid of intimidation. None of the Luo aspirants should be allowed to visit the region for the purpose of lobbying for votes. Similarly, Luo politicians should visit all parts of the Kenya and campaign for the leaders of their own choice.

Ker Ogalo Raiaga, however, cautioned the Luos against keeping all their eggs in one basket. They should diversify politics and let everyone try his or her luck.

Speaking about the two Luo presidential aspirants, namely the Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the former Foreign Affairs Minister Raphael Tuju, Ker Riaga Ogalo said the two should feel free to visit any part of Luo-Nyanza and canvass for votes. . Luos are democratic minded people, they will vote only or one who can convince him of good things under his or her presidency. ”Please give the electorate free hands to choice whoever they want to lead them on a voluntary basis and not through stones throwing.” He added.

Ker Ogalo Riaga also strongly abhorred those hell-bent on inciting the public or members of the community against their neighbors, adding that the influential members of the Luo community should go out and campaign for the Prime Minister Raila Odinga in the neighboring communities.

Ker Ogalo Riaga also cautioned Luos against those entertaining sugar coated songs and the gospel of communal hatred. He disapproved inciting songs like those of ‘Bado Kuna Mapambano’. “There is no more Mapambano. All the Mapambano {combative politics} ended with the bonfire of independence in June1963.” He said.

He expressed that the community wished not to be locked out of the next government while urging members of the community to exercise the true spirit of love and welcome to all the presidential aspirants campaigning for the top job so as to ensure a pace in the next government. “We want to see that whoever wins the presidency in the next general elections does not single the Luos out for frustration and marginalization”, said Ker Ogalo Riaga.

Ker visited the NYANZASTAR offices in Kisumu while fuming with the joy and carrying a copy of the paper’s second edition and said it was long overdue for the people of Nyanza to have their own regional newspaper. He appealed to the local business community to use the new publication for advertising their businesses to strengthen its publications costs overheads.

Ends

KENYA: THE FOURTH WEEK THAT WAS WITH FATHER OMOLO AT HOME

From: ouko joachim omolo
Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
BONDO-SIAYA COUNTY
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2011

Today is fourth and last Sunday of Advent- I celebrated two masses at Bondo Township Parish. Just as the Jews have been longing for Jesus the saviour who would get rid of corrupt and exploitive leaders, my message today as Kenyans are preparing for presidential and parliamentary elections was that Kenyans must be prepared to get rid of leaders who for many years have not only been corrupt but also exploitive.

In Bond Constituency for example, despite the fact of CDF funds which would be used to build dumps to store water, the problem of water here is pathetic-you can imagine the whole District Hospital is run without water-this is only an example of many other constituencies that many of the leaders, some of whom have been recycled years after years have never minded about their electorates.

Since I have been on my holiday at home, the fourth week now I have practically travelled far and wide in Luo Nyanza and interacted with opinion leaders about the politics, what many have been tired of is the tradition where a leader is pointed for them.

If he is a leader from Bondo, Gem, Mbita, Ugenya, Muhoroni,-name them, they must be recycled despite the fact that people are tired with them. The vast majority in Luo Nyanza want such type of politics be buried once and for all.

Another concern I learnt from people, is that it was time for Luo people to accept other leaders from different parties other than ODM. It makes Luo people to look a fool, for example to stone former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Raphael Tuju simply because he is of a different party and that he is challenging Prime Minister Raila Odinga as the president.

In 2007 Tuju was not only re-elected as Member of Parliament for Rarieda, but even water projects he initiated for the people in the region were destroyed, simply because he ditched PM party ODM to Kibaki’s PNU party-even the house he had built for widows were burnt.

Some historians and political experts argue that Luo people cannot allow leaders who come with strange party because Joka Omolo, Joka Owiny, Joka Okech, Joka Ojok, Jo Padhola, each had a leader whom they were to obey and follow.

All these groups came from South Sudan and settled first in Kenya at Emanyulia, where Prime Minister Raila Odinga claims his ancestral root came from. It was from here they later called themselves Abamanyulia.

PM’s father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga whose Kowak clan is one of largest clans in Luo land, extending to Rorya district in Mara region, northwest Tanzania claimed to have been anointed Luo leader is the reason why the Luo communities believe that if Raila does not anoint any leader, even when he was not developed minded that leader must be elected-and recycled.

The major clans of Kowak comprise of Kakibira, Kachiemo, Kotho, Kamot, Kanyaguti and Kanyagak. Other clans include the Saramba clan, the Rucho clan, and the Awuor clan. That explains why when Jaramogi passed on in 1994, there was feverish activity to succeed him and who did that is his eldest son, Assistant Finance Minister, Dr Oburu Odinga as the MP for Bondo Constituency.

That may also explain why when Jaramogi Oginga Odinga died and Michael Wamalwa Kijana succeeded him as FORD-Kenya chairman, Raila challenged him for the party leadership. The elections were marred by controversy after which Raila resigned from FORD-Kenya to join the National development Party (NDP).

It is against the background that political experts argue that when Raila Odinga first ran for president in 1997 and in a merger with KANU in 2001 and was made the minister for energy in the Moi government, he was hopeful that Moi would nominate him to be his successor and when it did not go as he thought, he turned against the Moi team to form the Rainbow Coalition that eventually became part of the winning NARC coalition.

It is also why in the NARC government when he served as the minister for roads he eventually walked out of government when President Mwai Kibaki did not keep his side of the infamous Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

It is also to be noted that when multiparty politics was introduced in Kenya in 1992, Jaramogi Odinga differed with Kenneth Matiba over leadership for the original Ford party. There were outbreaks of violence, especially in Lang’ata constituency, where Raila hoped to be selected as Ford’s parliamentary candidate against intense opposition from Kimani Rugendo.

There were also several serious clashes in Kibera, the constituency’s largest shanty town. One of the clashes left an Odinga supporter dead, and during the Ford primaries, a supporter of Rugendo was stabbed to death when he tried to run off with some ballot papers.

When Ford split to Ford-Kenya and there was elections for official members, elections that Raila lost in Thika, on March 19, 1994, it resulted in violence. There are other examples. But the point is that it was time Luo people destroyed this tradition.

One fact however, remains that Raila still commands a very loyal crowd behind him. He is enjoying good support from many regions in Kenya even though he faces a hard fight in the Central region despite the fact that two of his sons have married from there.

Political experts see the move for these marriages as Raila’s strategy of an attempt to appease the Kikuyu community and their wealth in voting power. The first born Fidel Castro Odinga married Veronica Shiro Ng’ng’a ahead of 2007 presidential elections.

Raila Junior also married Yvonne Wambui Kibukosya this year prior to next year presidential elections. Yvone is the great-grand daughter to Peter Kibukosya, a patriotic Kenyan who helped in writing the national anthem.

Retired President Moi, Moi’s former aide Joshua Kulei, Attorney General Githu Muigai, Central Bank Governor Njuguna Ndungu, Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, several Cabinet ministers, and MPs attended the wedding.

Another fact is that of late Raila has also come under severest criticism for having failed to recognize the existence of the Luo-Abasuba community inside Luo-Nyanza. The Abasuba are Bantus who were coined into Luo communities to make them behave as if they were Luos but not. They feel they have been marginalized.

The criticism emerged after meeting at Sindo trading center in Kaksingiri Location, Gwassi constituency within Homa-Bay County where the Suba Council of Elders led by their chairman Mzee Apollo Okeyo Omuga who said it was time Raila Odinga accepted and acknowledged- recognized the existence of the Suba community.

The Suba elders accused the Prime Minister of trying to antagonize the Suba people with the aim and objective of marginalize them and hence his distortion of the community’s history in every funeral gathering as witnessed in the recent past as reported by veteran journalist Leo Odera Omolo.

The issue here is not only the Abasuba people who feel marginalized-in fact the entire South Nyanza people feel the same, especially when Raila was being accused for having allegedly favoured his relatives and friends as well as the financial heavyweight luos in the recent cabinet appointment to the grand coalition government, leaving out South Nyanza equally attended to.

All those who have been favoured are from Siaya and Kisumu Counties respectively. They include Caroli omondi, a former banker and a lawyer- Appointed the administration permanent secretary in the office of the prime minister.

Prof Jacquiline oduol, although married to Raila Odinga’s uncle in kaka sub-clan, she hails from Siaya County. Dr Oburu Odinga, Raila’s brother also comes from Siaya, James Orengo and Phillip Onyango, all from Siaya as well as Dr Nyikal.

Although in South Nyanza Dalmas Otieno and Gerald Otieno Kajwang are full ministers whereas Orua Ojode is Assistant Minister, this according to Luo people of South Nyanza is an insult.

If it is true in what is reported in one of the gutter newspapers that Mbadi and Ojode are contemplating to join Tuju’s support for presidency then it explains well how South Nyanza leaders are fed up with Raila’s leadership.

It explains further why Ojode’s wooes is said to have culminated from his disagreement with Raila’s elder brother Dr. Oburu Oginga, the MP for Bondo, who at one time attacked Ojode publicly during a funeral gathering in Kanjita village West Karachuonyo in Rachuonyo district- South Nyanza.

It was during the burial of the late Mama Phoebe Rege, the step mother of the Karachuonyo MP Eng James Rege, when Oburu from the blue moon burst into scathing criticism of Ojode before a large crowd of mourners who also included his brother Raila who did not utter a word.

People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
P O Box 14877
Nairobi
00800, Westlands
Kenya

Tel +254-7350-14559/+254-722-623-578
E-mail- ppa@africaonline.co.ke
omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Website: www.peopleforpeaceafrica.org

KENYA: THE SUBA COUNCIL OF ELDERS CRITICISED RAILA ODINGA FOR FAILING TO RECOGNIZE THE EXISTENCE OF THE COMMUNITY IN KENYA

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Mbita Town.

The Prime Minister Raila Oodinga has come under severest criticism for having failed to recognize the existence of the Luo-Abasuba community inside Luo-Nyanza.

Meeting at Sindo trading center in Kaksingiri Location, Gwassi constituency within Homa-Bay County the Suba Council of Elders led by their chairman Mzee Apollo Okeyo Omuga that it was time Raila Odinga to accept, acknowledge and recognize the existence of the Suba community.

The Suba elders accused the Prime Minister of trying to antagonize the Suba people with the aim and objective of marginalize them and hence his distortion of the community’s history in every funeral gathering as witnessed in the recent past.

It is time Raila Odinga to come to terms with the political realty the Suba community, a people numbering close to 100,00 do not owe their existence to him, but to the Almighty God the creator.

The community was recognized, and published in official gazette by the Kenya government under the retired President Daniel Arap Moi as an entity and there is nowhere the community can abandon their constitutional rights of existence.

Raila Odinga, while addressing a mammoth crowd of mourners during the tearful burial of the former Kenya’s envoy to the UN Ambassador Michael George Okeyo at his Kaswanga village home on Rusinga Island, rubbished the existence of a community called Abasuba, arguing that all those people claiming to be Suba were actually Luos and nothing else.

Odinga had brought along with him from Kisumu the chairman of the moribund Luo Council of Elders, Mzee Willis Opiyo Otondi, as assign of recognition to his group.

The Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister, Gerald Oteno Kajwang’, who was the master of ceremony, did not even mentioned the presence of a large number of Suba Council of Elders members who had travelled all from distance places like Mfangano Island, Gwassi, Lambwe Valley, Sun Migori, Muhuru Bay and other paces for the funeral.

Okeyo stressed the need for the Prime Minister to recognize and respect the rights of minority communities in this country. Already a workshop called for civic education covering two regions of Migori and Homa-Homa Counties at the weekend was boycotted by representatives from the two Kuria districts demanding that similar workshop be held in Kehancha instead of Migori inside Luo-Nyanza.

Th workshop was sponsored by the US Embassy. But the Kurias insist they have the right to hold their own workshop separate from the one organized inside Luo-Nyanza.

The Suba people are the inhabitants of two districts ands two parliamentary constituencies, namely Mbita and Gwassi. A lot of people of Suba origins are living in the diaspora districts like Awendo, Nyatike and Suna-Mgiori. Those residing in Suba region could be numbering about 75,000 adults, while the rest lives outside Suba region.

“The community knew its roots and as such does not need the Prime Minister distortion of historical facts and as such cannot lay down and watch to see their people being marginalized by Raila Odinga for political expediency, “ said Mzee Okeyo-Omuga.

On many occasions while visiting Western Province, the Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, had identified his family roots as having originated from with the Abawanga Kingdom of Nabongo Mumia.Nobody in Luo-Nyanza had ever disputed this claim of Luhyia’s blood in the Odinga family. The Luos still loved him so dearly despite of this kind of”double-speak.”said Okeyo.

Mzee Okeyo blamed Mbita MP Otieno Kajwanga’ as the one linked to a secret plot to rubbish the existence of the Suba people. On several occasions, especially during the burial of Mrs Turphena Agutu Okmbo in Kolo village Waware, in Rusinga East, and during the burial of Mrs Damarish Odhimbo the mother of the nominated MP Milly Odhimbo, Kajwang’ flagrantly and adamantly ignored the presence of the Suba Council of Elders. This is the same Kajwang;’who has represented the Suba people in the August House for the last 16 years. He has now shifted to the Senate, but still he will need the votes from the Suba people.

Okeyo appealed to Raila Odinga to humble himself to the Suba people. He should apologize for his uncalled for public utterances against the Suba people.”Respect is a two way traffic. We have all along respect Mr Odinga and even voter for him on a man to man in the 2007. He should reciprocate our good gesture of love and respect and total loyalty and allegiance we owed him.

As a statesman Mr Odinga must abandon parochial politics of survival and stop antagonizing the Suba people. The Suba people have lived harmoniously along side their Luo neighbors from time memorable and as such require not to be lectured by anyone.

Ends

A book review; _The Key _ by Whitley Streiber;

Reviewed by octimotor

The book is titled, _The Key_ published by Tarcher / Pinguin; 2011 ed. Its author, Whitley Streiber, provides a written account recalling an approximately two hour amazing conversation with an extraordinary individual.

On a night in 1998, W.S. had been resting in his hotel room, near the conclusion of an author’s tour to promote his then most recent book. The visitor to his room that night was a guy evidencing great depths of knowledge and abilities to clearly communicate in a number of fields. Those fields ranged over a number of topics in spirituality, religion, science, metaphysics, history.

The visiting gentleman, early in the narrative, is quoted as saying, ‘Your feet are chained to the ground. I am from The Good. I offer you a key – – a way out of your culture’s condition of bondage and ignorance’.

So it seems reasonable to infer that this was the basis for the book about this meeting and conversation to become titled, _The Key_.

W.S. does not know the name of that amazing individual. So W.S. calls him simply, “the Master of the Key” (M.o.t.K), for lack of knowing his actual name.

Q.
Who are you?

A.
At one point the guy said, he was a Canadian. He did not pay taxes, nor did he have a driver’s license.

At another point, he said, ‘you might call me Michael. Or you might call me Leagon’.

Readers may recognize correlations, of spiritual significance, out of the Judio-Christian tradition. On one hand, there is Michael, an arch-angel among the heavenly hosts. On the second hand, there is the name given by an unclean spirit (spirits). That is from the story in which Jesus performs healing of a mentally ill / possessed, man. He removes possessing spirit, transferring it / them into a herd of swine.

It is an interesting ambiguity, though, that in answering a question as to what was his name, the M.o.t.K chose both of these apparent spiritual opposites in his response.

Q.
Who, what, were Buda, Jesus the Christ, the prophet Mohamed?

A.
They existed and were as they said they were, as given in accounts within the scriptural documentation associated with each one of their ministries, respectively. These bodies of tradition and written words contain great truths spoken by their spiritual teachers.

Consider them together, as three aspects of an overall spiritual system. In Christianity, there is Seeking after the Divine. In Islam, there is Surrender to the Divine. In Buddhism, there is Experiencing of the Divine.

Exercise discernment, though. There have been additions and alterations. These were done by others afterward. This was done by those who were, thru such insertions, seeking to promote various political / social / economic ends.

Spirit, Soul, are real. Divinity is real, said M.o.t.K. We humans are divinely created immortal spirits. As such, we do not vanish when the biological body dies. This is not intangible and supernatural. Rather, it is natural, and in accordance with physical laws discoverable thru scientific study.

Spirits’ existence involves patterns of energy, electromagnetic fields, plasma-state matter (ionized gases). Therefore, suitably crafted technologies and devices could in principle detect, interact with, communicate with, spirits – – such as those of deceased earthly humans.

Spirits / Souls, are generally immortal. M.o.t.K indicated, however, that:
– they can be destroyed;
– they can be executed;
– they can suicide; however, this would not be an instant or even quick ending. Rather, that soul would, subjectively, experience pain lasting an almost endlessly long duration.

Additionally, stated M.o.t.K, spirits can be captured, exploited to achieve certain utilitarian ends. This can be done via employment of technological devices crafted for such purposes.

Mis-use, said M.o.t.K., of abilities to interact with – – exploit, technologically, as unwilling servants – – the souls of the dead, figured in as one of the reasons why a prior scientifically advanced earthly human civilization was destroyed long ages ago.

That was a culture in which scientifically advanced knowledge was used and horded in secrecy by an extremely small upper class. All the rest of the people were kept in ignorance – – treated essentially as slaves, considered almost valueless except as exploitable for simple laborers. That was a grave mistake. Each and Every soul has the same High value – – not only those who set themselves up on Top. That civilization fell because of its habits of secrecy and exploitation of the masses. You should take this lessen to heart in your own current times and global culture.

An extremely devastating war occurred. It left huge long lasting scars throughout this solar system. A region in the brain of humans, responsible for allowing them to more readily sense, communicate with, souls of the dead, was for the most part deactivated thereafter.

The ruined remains left from that age will hardly ever be found by you. A great portion of such is under ocean depths. For some other places, the climate was changed. Now those parts are hidden under deep sands of desserts.

Q.
How common is life, how common are intelligent lifeforms?

A.
Throughout the universe, Life is ubiquitously abundant. It exists under a huge variety of conditions.

In a galaxy, there may be thousands of intelligent forms of life. The physical conditions supporting their existence is much rarer by contrast to those allowing simple life. Some of it resembles that found here on earth. Some is vastly different – – given local conditions which differ greatly from what is here on this world. There are even instances of intelligent life existing in the relative void of intergalactic space.

A reason for life’s very high abundance is that, as you have been informed by your scientists who research quantum mechanical systems, observers are necessary for physical events to take on reality. In performing this basic function, life forms do not need to be intelligent ones. Even the simplest of microbes are adequate for the task.

W.S.. noted that he certainly did recognize that in recent decades there are certainly conditions of great secrecy and miss-information associated with big government and big business.

M.o.t.K. stated, there is a great need for citizens to form a very vigorous assault to penetrate the veils of secrecy at all levels. Our survival may hinge upon doing so successfully. Even a number of the apparently high level elected officials inside governments are kept unaware of what is hidden.

A related comment has been publicised during interviews of Apollo Era CBS science advisor Richard Hogland. During his researches in recent years he has had received confidential background conversations with current or past USA intelligence community participants. The statement from one of them is especially important. “The Lie is different at every level”, he was told. Cover stories exist in layer upon layer on top layer of other cover stories. Each is targeted to the role of the given player.

Relevant to M.o.t.K’s discussions about possibilities for us to technologically obtain ways to communicate with no longer incarnate spirits, is an interview of a recent book author, on tour in support of its recent publication. Title is _The Sacred Promise_ , by Dr Gary Schwartz. The interview show appeared in the “Dreamland” section of Whitley Striber’s web site, www.unknowncountry.com, 15 Sept. 2011. Its author, with career in the sciences, had been previously of the mindset to view the universe as spiritless. However, his recent experimental research, pertaining to physics, electronics and computers / information science, persuaded him to shift toward the opposite view – – that of a ‘spirit – filled universe’.

One aspect he notes are results from a USA Stanford U. team involving the ‘Global Consciousness roject’ A world wide array of test computer systems have software applications running to assess the randomness level in ‘random number generators’. Slightly before the occurrence of major events which strongly catch the attention of the public, the test systems measure the generated streams of ‘random numbers’ to become more correlated, less random.

An experiment he had designed and ran used the tools of electronics, physics, computers & automation to investigate matters previously confined to the activities of persons calling themselves mediums. The heart of the measurement consisted of a closed chamber, enclosing a photo-multiplier tube able to record even single photon absorptions by the detector. Experiment tests made comparisons between two differing situations. One type of run was with normal background, nothing special. Second type of run was under the condition in which a recorded scripted, even power – point supported, audio visual presentation was made active while the photon detector measurements were performed. The script consisted of an invitation, welcoming the visiting presence, at that time and place, by a particular warmly remembered deceased family member. Random-number based computer automation process is what selected when either respective case ran.

He said that much to his surprise, he found that the occasions in which spirit visit was requested corresponded with those in which the data showed increased rates for photons detected in the unlit sealed chamber. Consequently, Spirits may be real and detectable by physical means after all, he concluded.

Q,
W.S. asked if there were things we could learn from the of spirits of departed earthly humans.

A.
Reply by M.o.t.K indicated a need for caution. Some of those spirits are perhaps far less wise than yourselves. A few are more wise, and their advice could be worth having. Both, though, would likely to offer their advice, if asked. So we would need to very carefully exercise critical discernment of any such information.

Q.
There is much current concern expressed about our possible entry into a period of climate & weather shifts away from what he have been familiar with over recent several centuries. Is the concern merited?

A.
The global climate situation, said M.o.t.K., is subject to cyclical wide fluctuations – – wide enough to profoundly effect the ecology of lifeforms here (and any civilizations, if applicable) at such times. There are periods of warmth, periods of ice-ages. The change-over can be very swift – – unlike the belief held by most climate and geology scientists. Intense warming occurs just before the freeze-ups. That would likely occur any way sometime within the next 2000 years. Humans’ impact upon the related processes simply speeds things up. It could thus happen very soon.

Arctic ice cover melting lowers the salt concentration in places such as North Atlantic ocean. The Gulf Stream circulation can thus be weakened or cease – – with very major impacts upon climate and weather problems for Europe. Thermal instability, high amplitude atmospheric convective events, can bring the development of storms more intense than any others seen during the past 10 thousand years. The importance for the impact of world wide food harvests failing many years in a row can not be overstated.

USA: A Group, Caring Citizens, promotes a nation’s founding ideals and values

From: octimotor

Thru discussion meetings after the Sunday service another member the congregation, at a church in Ohio USA, is sharing insights and info. organized and distributed via a national group named “Caring Citizens”. In the space below appears a brief selection from the materials printed for our discussion this Sunday.

Objectives are to motivate conversations between people, to share certain ideals, values. These are ones which history recalls were important in the founding of this nation, USA.

The values are promotion of liberty, and persons taking responsibility to enhance the well being of their neighbors – – both near and far. Furthermore, good quality governance is to be demanded. Public governmental entities are supposed to be in service of, and answerable to, the citizenry – – not the other way around.

This Sunday’s dissuasion occurred on the 10th anniversary of the criminal destruction, of life and property, at the Twin Towers World Trade Center in NY City, NY, USA, Tues. 11 Sept. 2001. In the days shortly thereafter, there had been a brief inspiring period where people had pulled together, turned their attention to the area, and sought to determine, what could they do to relieve the plight of those in distress.

– om –

– – – – – – – – – – –

Empathy and Shared Responsibility

Caring Citizens

Communicating American values are the solution to expanding liberty and human rights to all.

www.EmpathySurplus.com

Health Care

Human rights Principles

Universality

All humans are equal and shall receive health care

Equity

We are all cared for when we need to be.

Accountability

Effective public government responsible for delivery of healthcare human rights

Transparency

Elective, decision making, access to information, and management in health care delivery are clean

Citizen Participation

A strong democracy at all levels protects and empowers health care human rights.

Above the focus of moment was health care. It could just as easily be other points, each in their own tern. Others include, but are not limited to,
– education
– open, fair, honest process for filling elective and appointive offices
– and others.

– – – – –

Celebrating Citizenship Day, and Constitution (USA) Week, each Sept.

The yearly anniversary of the USA Constitution founding (17 Sept. 1789) shall be known as American Effective Governance Month. This date begins Citizenship Week, which extends thru 24Sept. People should celebrate this documents ratification. They should reflect upon its amendments, especially the Bill of Rights (amd. 1 thru 10). They should focus upon programs of participatory democracy, freedom and fairness for all, and goodwill in the precinct, local community, nation, and throughout the world.