Monthly Archives: March 2008

Commentary: Martin Ogindo, Rangwe MP, Stands for Real Change

41 Replies

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 23:01:54
By CYRUS OTIENO OBUYA, Rangwe

On behalf of all RANGWE youths, we accept and congratulate the RANGWE MP for being in front in searching for employment opportunities for the youths. He first showed this when he stood in the field daylong during police recruitment to ensure that no bribe could influence the process as had been happening previously. We youths, therefore, appeal to those still propagating false and discredited informatiom about him to stop wasting their time and join other youths for developement. We also appeal to donors and various NGOs reading this information to assist our MP in continuing delivering to the youths and the entire constituents. GOD BLESS MARTIN OTIENO OGINDO, GOD BLESS RANGWE.

Daniel Odhiambo Ouma’s Funeral Plans

1 Reply

ATTENTION

The viewing and Memorial service will be held at the Funeral home on Sunday 3/30/08 from 2pm-4pm, followed by the Harambee Funds drive from 4pm till 7pm at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church next door. Guests can park at the Church parking lot and walk to the Funeral home. The body will be flown from Detroit to Kisumu, Kenya on 4/2/08.

Location and Address:
C&H Community Home For Funeral
411 S. Adams
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-482-9889

Ypsilanti Seventh-Day Adventist Church
402 South Adams
Ypsilanti, mi 48197
734-482-3373

If you are unable to attend the Harambee, please send donations to:
George Otieno
23739 Kensington St.
Taylor, MI 48180
313-914-5057

Daniel was 43 years old. He came to US in 2002 and has been living in Ann Arbor the entire time. He was a member of our association in Ann Arbor chapter too, until his untimely death. I am his cousin and his Durable Power of Attorney.

Thanks for your support.

George Otieno

Sent by Rose.  

subject: Daniel Odhiambo Ouma’s Funeral Plans

——————————–

From: Fred Orwa
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 10:39 AM

It is with deep regret and sorrow that we announce the sad and untimely death of Mr. Daniel Ouma on March 19, 2008 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Daniel was born in Kenya in Suba District and spent almost his entire life in Kenya (Suba District) before he went to India for further studies and eventually to U.S.A.

At this trying moment, we are humbly inviting friends and relatives to join us in prayer and financial support so that we can give Dan a warm send off to his last resting place in Kenya.

Funeral services will be announced later.

Sleep in peace with God and his Angels in paradise until we meet again.

For further information the following people can be contacted;

Rose Ojwang    405 326 2621
Dr.Sam Oyugi   732 857 0378
George Otieno   313 914 5057
Tony Oreng      301 437 5293
Fred Orwa        443 629 5012
Calvin Otieno    443 983 7952
Sylvia Orwa      410 241 3219
Benter Osodo   734 678 2863
Duncan Ojera   732 249 8899
 
Thanks
Fred Orwa
 
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results. – Winston Churchill

Subject: Death annoucement

Face to Face with Death!

1 Reply

In my book/memoir/autobiography entitled “Except for the Lord,” that is scheduled to be out in just a few weeks, I have shared with the world my very challenging journey that in many ways can be described, at least by me, as “a road less traveled.” In it, I have pointed out that as long as I can recall, the devil has over the years made me an easy target-yes,even wanted to kill me!

What you will not find in the book, is what happened on Tuesday, March 18th, at exactly 7:25 pm. On that day, I came face to face with death. How I survived, only the good Lord knows. Let me explain.

About two months ago, our first daughter narrowly escaped death in a very tragic road accident. God saved her life. Hallelujah! But in that accident, she lost the car. And so for quite some time, she had no choice but to use a bus,thus making life of a student extremely hard.

My wife and I decided to buy her a car–Toyota Camry, 2005–with as low as 44,000 mileage. And so last Friday, she came to get her car. On seeing it, she was excited–the kind I have not seen in the twenty-three years that I have had the privileged to know her!

On the material day, which was a day before she was to leave on a long trip of eighteen hours, I decided to go fuel the car. The plan was that I go ahead and that she and her youngest sister would drive behind me. For reasons I cannot explain, I changed the plan at the last minute and decided to drive alone.

From bass lake, I went south on highway 169. I took the 36th exit. At the stop right, I was to go East to a shell gas station. This is where I almost died! I was shaken so badly. Even as I write, I wonder if I would have died ready to see Jesus at His second coming or not.

It totally changed my priorities–I decided to put more time into doing the Lord’s work.

On that day, I was reminded once more that we are living on a borrowed life. Further, I was reminded that all those things that we consider valuable are just useless. The Camry would have gone in just a matter of seconds, which would have been another disappointment to our daughter.

I had the right of the way. I was driving at the posted speed. But from East going west, was this fellow driving a truck. He was not only driving at a very dangerous speed, but he failed to stop. He would have cut the Camry right across the center. How I escaped, I do not know. The onlookers who saw what happened shook their heads. Many stopped to say sorry. As for the guy, he kept driving!

On my way home, shaken as a little kid that was hiding from a fierce dog, the words of the Apostle Peter came into memory. He wrote: “Be self-controlled and alert.Your enemy the devil prowls around, like a roar-ling lion,looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8.)

Not knowing how long I will remain in this world, I have purposed in my life to change priorities as I continue to faithfully serve the man of Galilee.

I am indeed very thankful to be alive today–more borrowed time to be with my family, minister to God’s children at Maranatha, and continue the Internet ministry. Thanks for your prayers.

Pr Birai
612-386-4608
www.themaranathasdachurch.org

FEATURE: Clay Muganda on Kenyans in the Diaspora

17 Replies

COWARDLY ACTS – Kenyans in the ‘diaspora’

An article by Clay Muganda as appearing on page 4 of the Daily Nation’s “Weekend” magazine of Friday, 21st March 2008 (reproduced verbatim):

There is little they do not know, and they never lose an opportunity to remind Kenyans at home that they are with “it” -whatever it is.

These are the Kenyans in the Diaspora – the self-appointed “law enforcement officers” who check on the excesses of those of at home.

Whenever there is a natural disaster in Kenya, and as usual, the GOK is slow in dealing with its effects, they are the first to tell us how things are done in the countries where they have taken refuge.

I insist on “refuge” because if they were as patriotic as they claim and knowledgeable about the ways of the world, they wouuldn’t be “assisting” through the mail.

During the last elections, they were steadfast in buying space in local newspapers to tell us what they liked and hated. Labelling themselves as professionals, they had all sorts of “advice” on governance.

But their tribal footprints were all over the internet, all in the name of patriotism. With their
much-touted knowledge, they forgot that, as somebody once said, patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

When the chaos erupted – and you can even say they had a hand in it through their inflammatory advertisements – they went silent. Those of them who were on “holiday” boarded the first flight (economy class of course) to the Diaspora – or wherever else they have replaced dish-washing machines. Cowards!

If they are such professionals as they claim, how come none of them had any solution to the post-election crisis? Now that some “foreigners” have done the dirty work for us, Kenyans in the Dias-Wherever will start “advising” us again. Methinks they should stick to their “patriotic” duty of working their body parts and sending money back home. They can keep their lofty
ideas about governance to themselves.

Sent by Mundia Kamau.

BUNGE LA MWANANCHI ASKS?

1 Reply

Ben,

I believe the floatation of shares to the public in its current form is a brilliant idea at this time. The government has no business being in business–in fact the government should have sold more than 70% by requiring the British partner to also shed some of its shares (to remain with may be 10%) so that the government holdings (may be 15%) still remains the majority. However, the current strategy could also be meant to awaken the population’s appetite at 5 shillings a share then once demand peaks at may be 20 shillings a share they split the shares and sell more shares (at higher prices thereby raising more money) later. At 5 shillings a share–I believe ODM has started to deliver on one of the promises of including the poor in capital (and ownership) of Kenya.

My suggestion is that we the enlightened mobilize our people in the villages/slums by encouraging them to contribute even 20 shillings (4 shares) each to come up with the minimum 10,000 shillings to buy the shares–I doubt it can get cheaper than that–it takes money to make money but the poor can be helped through cooperative efforts. You can even offer to help some of the dirt poor who live on $1 (12 shares) a day to ‘fast’ for 1 day then you match that for them by denying yourself a soda to enable them own 20+ shares in safaricom–I believe that might be more productive to the poor (and may be even to yourself) than ‘waiting to see.’

Lets not stand by only to criticise however enticing that looks — ‘roll up your sleeves’ and join the politicians in building Kenya. One has to start somewhere and the politicians have started with what they have–we should join them and do what we can with what we have.

To ‘see’ whether this could be real, you may have to buy the shares and verify whether they actually grow your wealth from the 5 shillings a share to 5+ a share and at this time when shares are tumbling like dominoes even in strong economies like the US my freind, that would be a nice thing for anyone — I know foreigners who are ‘salivating’ at the safaricom shares and wish they could have such a chance as the Kenyans have.

Thanks for listening to my opinion.

Lucy

_______________________________________________________________

Ben wrote:

Raila has already made the first blunder by okeying the govt sale of telcome. Although I welcome the power sharing deal and the positions created, I am watching this carefully with a skeptical eye. I would never be too excited ever again with Kenyan politics the way I did when Kibaki won five years ago. I would like to see to belief from now on.

_______________________________________________________________
George Nyongesa wrote:

Dear All,
Today our parliamentarians begin the discussions on the Constitution Amendment Bill and the National Accord and reconciliation Agreement Bill signed between PNU and ODM by President Kibaki and Prime designate Raila without public scrutiny, Bunge La Mwananchi asks to what extent does the pact capture the aspirations of all Kenyans?

The history of Kenyans politics is full of examples of broken promises made by politicians; Bunge La Mwananchi asks how can the politicians be made to honor the pact? How can the process of rebuilding Kenya in post polls crisis be taken beyond the political class? What happens if somewhere on the road the political class decides to disgrace the pact or part of it? What is the role of ordinary Kenyans in making the pact is implemented to the letter and the spirit?

Considering the intense lobbying and remarks that threatens to derail new hope, there is no doubt that our Members of Parliament are only concerned with the power-sharing; Bunge La Mwananchi asks, what are the priority issues you want the Kibaki-Raila grand coalition to address in the first six months, one year, or two years? (Do you have opinion? Post your comments or response through discussion forum at www.bulamwa.co.ke or write an article to grnyongesa@yahoo.com to be published on Bunge La Mwananchi website).

PS: Please forward this email to other Honourable Members of Bunge La Mwananchi worldwide.

George Nyongesa
Bunge La Mwananchi Leader
+254 720 451 235

Sent by Lucy.

Kisumu’s Water Problem Nears an End

6 Replies

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 07:18:57
By Shem Kosse

The incessant perennial water problem that has dogged the lakeside city of Kisumu for decades is soon becoming a thing of the past.

This follows the move by the French Development (AFD) to fund the city’s water supply and sanitation project to the tune of close to 1.8 billion shillings, over two years ago. The project was spread to two phases.

The contract sum of the first phase is a staggering 430 million shillings and the second one that is yet to kick off is a whooping 1.2 billion shillings. The ongoing former phase, aimed at addressing short-term measures, is to re-institute water and sewerage services to its original design capacities, when completed.

The fate of the latter phase is long-term and depends squarely on the successful completion of the initial phase. It will address additional production capacities by installing new intake works and additional treatment facility to meet the water demand to the letter.

In an exclusive interview by this journalist, the leading Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lake Victoria South Water Services Board (LVSWSB) Engineer Patrick Limumba Ombogo who is in charge of overseeing water companies’s operations in the larger Nyanza and South rift, disclosed that phase one of the project is almost complete.

“Up to date a stupendous 375million shillings have been paid by AFD to the Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company (KIWASCO) which has been used for the better part of the work. And what remains is only reinforcement of distribution lines such bursts lines among others,” said the soft-spoken Ombogo.

The pragmatic Ombogo divulged the key areas in which works have been completed so far. At the top of the list is Dunga water intake point, the line stretching between water treatment works and the open air market Kibuye.

Other twin areas that are operational after undergoing massive rehabilitation are the once ineffective Kibuye Water Reservoir and Kisumu Sewerage Treatment plant(KISAT),situated off Kisumu Busia road. Included are thirty state-of-the-art kiosks, ten stand pipes and 3,000 meters of purchased water consumption.

The majority of Kisumu residents interviewed over the prevailing water situation vis a vis the previous years, thanked the French government’s noble gesture and expressed optimism that very soon they will overcome the minimal water hitches currently bedeviling them.

“It’s a sigh of relief compared to the yester years. Water is life” quipped one resident from the sprawling slums of Manyatta while drawing water from a kiosk.

KIWASCO, just like other water companies in Nyeri, Nairobi and Eldoret, was formed mainly to make it possible for the government to negotiate loans from donor communities for the improvement of water and sewage services on a commercial basis. Under these circumstances and for these purposes, the government was able to obtain an extension of the AFD loan.

The vibrancy of the KIWASCO outfit is credited of the efficient management of the Managing Director Engineer David Onyango, under the tutelage of the CEO Ombogo.

Aside from the French-funded Kisumu water project aside, the diplomatic Ombogo has cashed in on his globetrotting ties to solicit donor assistance to further fund water supply and sanitation projects in other far flung regions within his jurisdiction.

Leading the pack of the would-be chief beneficiaries of the donor funding is the expansive Migori district with a package totaling 1 billion shillings from the African Development Bank (ADB). Rarieda comes in a distant second at the cost of 230 million shillings from the Japanese International Corporation Association (JICA). Suba has obtained 100 millions from Italy and tea-zone Kericho has attracted a perk of 10 million shillings from the German Technical Corporation (GTZ). Another Kshs 200 million and 20 million, are earmarked for good governance in the LVSWSB’s board area and for Sanitation Diagnostic Studying by UN Habitat, respectively.

END

In search of specials guests!

Leave a reply

Dear friends,

As you might be aware, Maranatha SDA church is planning for a fundraiser to raise funds to buy our own church building.

The function will take place on Saturday evening, May 31st, 2008 at the present home of Maranatha, Hopkins United Methodist church, 717 Highway 7, Hopkins, MN 55305.

We wish to appeal to all friends and well wishers to come in large numbers and assist us to buy a house of worship for our Lord.

Those who plan to come, are free to donate as the Lord moves them. No amount of money is too little.

Having said that, we are in search of special guests who will help us with at least $300 – $500. To such, we will give them a receipt book to help us solicit funds on our behalf.

Please let me know if you will be willing to be one of the special guests.

Thanks in advance.

Your friend and humble servant,

Pr Birai
612-386-4608
www.themaranathasdachurch.org

Investment of NSE

Leave a reply

You named Kenya Airways, KenGen, KCB. If one is really a speculator who pretends to be an investor, then you will get burned if you do not know what you are doing! these companies are still making profits and paying dividends and are priced at multiples of their IPO prices. Did it occur to you that the violence that you and your counterparts carried out with glee had a role to play in reducing the number of passengers flying on KQ and in seriously damaging and denting investor confidence? That KQ also has to contend with growing competition from other airlines? As a so called investor did it occur to you that the price barrel of oil has suddenly jumped up to over $100? And how can one forget that its a buyers market at the moment for prudent investors who pick up the shares hurriedly dumped – leading to the low prices – by investors gearing up for the Safaricom IPO?

IPO Prices:
KQ – 11.00
Kengen – 11.90

prices as of March 20 2008

KQ – 51.50 – 400%+
Kengen – 23.75 – 200% +
KCB – 26.25

if anyone has invested in kcb and has statistics for KCB’s initial floatation, rights issue and splits, do post them, it is important that any claims that could deceive investors be debunked or validated.

with such gains, constant dividends and principles of long term rather than short term investing, real investors are not complaining but are quietly picking up shares inexperienced investors dump under claims of conspiracy theories such as those you put forth. these same inexperienced investors conveniently forget that the turmoil the country experienced as a result of violence carried out by dangerous persons who deserve to be behind bars, had a great part to do with damaging investor confidence and thus affecting the NSE.

Stop living in the past of ethnic hatred, your otherwise logical comments are constantly tainted with your ethnic hate agenda which makes it clear that you make statements supposedly for the “public good” and use that camouflage your real agenda which is to cloak within those statements your campaign of ethnic hatred against certain communities. you are indeed free to start your own company and dish out free shares to the public, many of the ceo’s running the listed companies have the right credentials to lead those companies. if you do not have similar or better qualifications, it is time you faced reality and realised that you will never be qualified for the jobs you mistakenly believe should be given to you on a silver platter. The world over there are companies which do not pay out dividends even when they have made a profit. If a company is targeting aggressive growth and is prepared to outdo its competitors it has to focus resources on growing, this is what long term investing is about, if in doubt, look anywhere in the world or ask Warren Buffet if he got to be the world’s richest man through speculative day trading or whether he made it by investing in undervalued or

underperforming companies with long term strategies.

Since you are so keen to reform the NSE, why don’t you apply for this job: http://www.cma.or.ke/docs/cma_vacancy.pdf do note however that promoting ethnic hatred and engaging in hate speech does not qualify as “cross-cultural skills” for purposes of the job.

william

—– Original Message —-

Sent: Thursday, 20 March, 2008 8:43:40 AM
Subject: [KOL] Re: INVESTMENT OF NSE

Do not be excited by the share offers from Safaricom, or any other blue chip outfit. If you are a busy man, and you have more than enough to share, I bet you better find somewhere else to invest that money.

Time has come when we must give that professional cartel that is the Nairobi Stock Exchange some wide berth. In all shares that have been floated at the NSE, the ordinary share holders normally loose out. It is only that small clique that benefit from insider trading that benefits, from your savings.

They manipulate trade in the first week the shares are listed, make money, and leave you hanging and dry. Thereafter, the shares tend to fall. We can look at several blue chip companies that had great promise when they were listed for public buying.

Take the cases of Kenya Airways, KenGen, Kenya Commercial Bank, and others, trade in their shares were so hyped in the first week of trade. Then, the fall.

What happened with KQ or KenGen, or still with KCB, that made their sahres drop at the NSE? Did they stop performing and returning impressive results at the end of their financial years? No. They still make Billions in profit, yet, trade in their shares are at the lowest.

It means, your money has gone down the drain, technically. The company you have invested in is making profits, yet, when you want to offload your shares, you make a loss. You are saddled with this for as long as the cartel will have made enough, then they can decide on how to slightly increase or hype trade in that particular share.

In the last year, Stock Brokers that appeared strong went down in circumstances that defy any logic. Francis Thuo Brokerage and Nyagah something have gone down, and of immediate concern to me, why did Jimnah Mbaru sanction further investment in the form of a rescue package of Kshs 100m for Nyagah Stock Brokers when they knew that Nyagah could not meet her obligations to the share holders?

Was that in order, and to whose benefit was it intended? The Stock Broker, or the investor?

The NSE suffers from the presence of the same team players ever since. It has only been Jimnah Mbaru as the chairman. As much as he has done a good job in championing the NSE even in Uganda and Tanzania, a time comes when you must leave when the going is still fresh.

NSE does not have any fresh thinking that would inspire confidence in any investor. I was amused last year when Jimnah Mbaru, at the height of legal tussles between ODM and Government over the share listing of the same Safaricom, said that the government needed to offload shares in Safaricom because the government wanted money to build roads.

Honestly, was that Mbaru’s job?

Again, when a senior minister comes out to tell us that NSE is not a fish market, as a fish monger, can I not invest the proceeds of my fishing business into NSE? Such talk makes the common man look at issues with keen interest. I then ask, is NSE that special that ordinary mortal is kept at bay?

Time has come when we must look at the returns on our investments with the listed companies at NSE. When banks make profit in the tune of 5,6,7 Billion, how much do they give us back on our investment? In most cases, you look at an assembly of shareholders called for an Annual General Meeting, and you shudder with rage.

You will get some old man in shabby clothes, with his face showing all the pain he went through to raise his investment. In most cases, he will have his small bag containing his small overnight needs. Then you will see the well fed company executive, he will arrive is a SUV, with all the trappings of wealth..

He will in most cases read out how the year was difficult, however, they managed to make 5B, and due to this or that, shareholders will go home with nothing because the year was bad, and this and that must be fixed. He will then promise the shareholders some dividend next year.

When next year comes, it is the same story. But in the mean time, the investor is fed on some soda and mandazi, enough solace that I am an investor in a big company.

But when dividends come, it is so small that you rue the day you decided to invest at the NSE. In the mean time, the NSE mandarins, and the company captains laugh all then way to the bank, at your expense.

For Kenyans to gain confidence with the NSE, there must be a complete overhaul of that institution. All those people who have made the NSE the disgrace that it is must leave the scene.

But it is your money, you can through it away if you so wish.

Odhiambo T Oketch
Komarock Nairobi

______________________________________________________________________________

Dave wrote:

Guys,

Let us have a slice of Safaricom!!!

For those in the diaspora, kindly visit www.kenyaipos. coke for online applications.

I also attach herewith the a list of the members of the NSE.

Sincere regards.

Received via Kenya Online. Unedited by Jaluo Press.

FEATURE: The Debate On AIDS Origin Continues

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Dear All,

The origin and cure for HIV/AIDS is not yet know. Several theories and controversies are out there.

As an activist seeking more understaning and possibly the eradication of this disease, I would like to recommend to you the Aids origin website http://www.aidsorigins.com/

I Hope you will find it possible to have a link to this site on your web page so that those interested can stay updated.

Here are some key developments regarding the AIDS debate and the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) theory.

by Edward Hooper
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
Michael Worobey’s possession of 1950s tissue samples from Stanleyville (Kisangani).

http://www.aidsorigins.com/content/view/212/2/

by Edward Hooper
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
Michael Worobey’s wobbly research into the early history of HIV. http://www.aidsorigins.com/content/view/211/2/
Ex
There would be no need for this site to exist, were it not for the fact that it is increasingly obvious that a small group of eminent and influential mainstream scientists are willing to countenance only one version of events about how AIDS began – a version which is scientifically and historically flawed, but which serves the interests of certain powerful political groupings, and a large portion of the “vaccination fraternity”. I believe that this official version of events is wrong. – Ed Hooper. To learn more, click here http://www.aidsorigins.com/.

Regards

Sent by Anonymous.  

_______________________________________________________________

EXCERPT:

There would be no need for this site to exist, were it not for the fact that it is increasingly obvious that a small group of eminent and influential mainstream scientists are willing to countenance only one version of events about how AIDS began – a version which is scientifically and historically flawed, but which serves the interests of certain powerful political groupings, and a large portion of the “vaccination fraternity”.

I believe that this official version of events is wrong.

In 1999 I wrote a book, The River, which proposed the hypothesis that AIDS might be iatrogenic (caused by physicians), and that scientists might have unwittingly started the pandemic through an experimental oral polio vaccine (OPV) administered in central Africa in the 1950s. That book touched more buttons than I had anticipated, for it sparked a major cover-up among those who had been involved with making the vaccine, and among powerful interest groups within the medical community.

The attempted whitewash persuaded me to continue my researches. I have now been exclusively researching AIDS for 20 years, and its origins for 16. And whereas I was 95% persuaded of the merits of the vaccine theory when The River was published in 1999, I am now (in 2006) 99.9% persuaded that this is how AIDS began.

For more, please see http://www.aidsorigins.com/content/view/195/1/

KENYA NEW LOOK CABINET AT A GLANCE

14 Replies

Thank God, Me-Chuki Wa Nyuki the snake is NOT in the line-up. I hope it stays that way and nothing changes. Only puzzle is that nobody from the South Rift is on this list. How come?
Toi
_______________________________________________________________

angukaj wrote:
I have inside information about the kenya neww look cabinet:

1. President – Emillio Mwai wa Kibaki

2. Prime Minister – Eng. Raila Amollo Odinga

3. Vice President – Kalonzo Musyoka

4. Deputy Prime Minister And Minister For Finance -Musalia Mudavadi

5. Deputy Prime Minister And Minister For Internal Security – Kiraitu Murungi

6. Minister For Planning – Amos Kimunya

7. Minister For Justice And Human Rights – James Orengo

8. Minister For Constitutional Affairs – Martha Karua

9. Minister For Roads And Public Works – William Ruto

10. Minister For Co-operative Development – Sam Ongeri

11. Minister For Education for Higher Education – Anyang Nyong’o

12. Minister For Education for Basic Education – John Munyes

13. Minister For Housing – Kabando Wa Kabando

14. Minister For Foreign Affairs – Moses Wetangula

15. Minister For Science And Technology – George Saitoti

16. Minister For Defence – Joseph Nkaisery

17. Minister For Special Programmes – Naomi Shaaban

18. Minister For Local Government – Uhuru Kenyatta

19. Minister For Environment and Natural Resources – Henry Kosgey

20. Minister For Communication, Information And Broadcasting – Joseph Nyagah

21. Minister For Water And Irrigation – Omingo Magara

22. Minister For Livestock – Samuel Poghisio

23. Minister For Trade – Soita Shitanda

24. Minister For Fisheries – Dalmas Otieno

25. Minister For Youth Affairs – Danson Mungatana

26. Minister For Gender Affairs – Mohammed Kuti

27. Minister For Sports – Musa Sirma

28. Minister For Agriculture – Bonny Khalwale

29. Minister For Energy-Mwangi Kiunjuri

30. Minister For Health – Charity Ngilu

31. Minister For Lands-Noah Wekesa

32. Minister For Home Affairs – Chris Okemo

33. Minister For Transport – Chirau Mwakwere

34. Minister For Regional Development – Wilfred Machage

35. Minister For Home Affairs – Najib Balala

36. Minister For Labour – Alfred Khangati

37. Minister For East African Community – Mutula Kilonzo

38. Minister For Public Service – Sally Kosgey

39. Attorney General – Amos Wako

40. Head Of Public Prosecutions – Paul Muite

41. Secretary To The Cabinet And Head Of Civil Service – Prof. Wangari Maathai

Unedited by Jaluo Press.

Luo Education Fund

2 Replies

I am appealing to the Luo community abroad to set a kitty that can help their brothers and sisters acquire a meaningful education back here at home.

Luos have lagged behind in education and our leaders seem mostly pre-occupied with political matters.

If the just-released KCSE results are anything to go by then I think something need to be done urgently to save our community academically.

Luos were known to be academic giants but that pride has gone.

Please Luos in the diaspora do something.

Regards,

Peter Onyango Omollo

Nairobi

_______________________________________________________________

Thank you Peter. We are in full agreement and would like to encourage those
who have begun such development projects to keep on keeping on. For anyone
who is interested in doing more to help our community, please see the section
of this site entitled WECHE DONGRUOK (on the sidebar on the right). Suggestions are always welcome.

Regards,

Jaluo Press

Barack Obama in Black and White in Color

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Posted March 18, 2008 | 06:15 PM (EST)
By Julie Bergman Sender

EXCERPT:

And then Barack Obama delivered his speech this morning. A speech that confirmed the historic value of his campaign no matter what happens.

“…we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together — unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories.”

Obama is not a conventional candidate. And it is because of all the things he is and all the things he is not. He understands that we ought to respect all of our stories and learn each other’s stories to protect ourselves from our destructive patterns and from ignorance. He is working to help us find the connections between all our stories while not losing our distinctive narratives. And to accept our multi-layered memories as the truths they tell us about ourselves and one another.

For the full article, please see
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-bergman-sender/barack-obama-in-black-and_b_92204.html

Sent by Joram.  

Our Joshua

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Posted March 18, 2008 | 11:47 PM (EST)
By Mary Lyon

EXCERPT:

I suspect the younger ones among us will someday point to the Philadelphia speech of Barack Obama as their latter-day version of the “I Have a Dream” speech. This will have become a watershed moment that signifies a leap forward. It will render all those yammering empty-heads, fear-mongers, and hatred-hawks — who insist on obsessing on selected clips of Pastor Wright in full-eruption mode — suddenly passe, so yesterday, so last century or more, so pitiful, small, and small-minded. It’s as though they can’t make the leap. Their feet, like their minds, are fixed and fixated, embedded in a sociological concrete, leaving them unable to rise to the next level. They’ll forever be philosophical groundlings, as though evolution did not allow them to transcend their lizard phase and sprout wings or sailing skins. We all certainly could go there and wallow in that, Obama said. And the Swiftboat 2.0 crowd surely will. But if they insist on embracing the past, the old, the stale, the obsolete, the increasingly irrelevant, fine. Let them. And let’s leave them there, where they’re sadly comfortable. The rest of us need not join them.

For the full article, please see
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-lyon/our-joshua_b_92246.html

Sent by Joram. 

Can America Recognize Greatness When it Sees it?

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Posted March 18, 2008 | 10:02 PM (EST)
By Harold Pollack

I don’t know whether Senator Obama will prove to be a great politician or a great president. He has made mistakes, like everyone else on the campaign trail. Circumstance sometimes forces him to be a fairly conventional politician. At times, though, the moment leads him to be something more. This morning, Senator Obama needed that something more. Embattled by public outcry over incendiary statements made by his pastor, Reverend Wright, he faced a deadly threat to his candidacy. And he responded.

For the full article, please see
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/harold-pollack/can-america-recognize-gre_b_92236.html 

Sent by Joram. 

U.N. TEAM TELLS KENYA NOT TO GRANT AMNESTY

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19 Mar 2008 15:22:21 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Robert Evans

GENEVA, March 19 (Reuters) – The government of Kenya should make sure no amnesty is granted to people who committed abuses during the country’s post-election violence, United Nations experts said on Wednesday.

The five-member team from the office of High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour issued its call in a report that followed a three-week visit to Kenya in February, which included meetings with both citizens and government officials.

“Perpetrators of gross human rights violations should under no circumstances be recommended for amnesty,” the team said in comments aimed at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, due to be set up in Nairobi.

For the full article, please see
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L19101237.htm

Sent by Joram. 

More voices

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Dear Annah,

When Michelle and I decided to enter this race more than a year ago, one of our hopes was to bring people back into the political process.

Like so many Americans, we’d been exhausted and frustrated by the slash-and-burn politics that had come to dominate our elections. Smallness and pettiness were the rule, not the exception. And it seemed like every day, more and more Americans were tuning out their democracy.

This election, we’re seeing something different.

Nearly as many people have participated in the Democratic primary this year than in 2000 and 2004 combined. And there are still ten contests left to go.

As we enter the final stretch of elections, we have a unique opportunity to shape the outcome — and the outcome of elections up and down the ballot this November.

The last day to register new voters in Pennsylvania is March 24th. In North Carolina and Indiana, it’s in early April. And in West Virginia and Kentucky, the voter registration deadline is a little more than a month from today.

So today we’re launching a national initiative to register an unprecedented number of voters in each of the upcoming states.

No matter where you live, you can help get people registered in the upcoming states. You can make phone calls from home, reach out to people you know in these states, or even sign up to travel to one of these states to be on the ground for this massive voter registration effort.

Learn more about what you can do to bring as many voters as possible into the political process:

http://my.barackobama.com/morevoices

Young voters have shaped this presidential primary like no other.

In Iowa, South Carolina, Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and Mississippi, the youth vote has tripled since 2004. And in all other states it has reached record levels. And these young voters are breaking 2-to-1 Democratic.

Statistics show that if we can get young people to vote Democratic now, they are far more likely to vote regularly — and vote for Democrats — throughout their lives.

So by getting involved and helping to register voters, you’re not just increasing the number of voters in this election. You’re increasing the number of people who will be engaged Democratic voters for the rest of their lives.

Sign up to help bring More Voices into the Democratic primary today:

http://my.barackobama.com/morevoices

More than fifteen years ago, after I finished law school, I came back to Chicago and led a voter registration drive on the South Side.

For months, our passionate and hardworking volunteers pounded the pavement — registering folks everywhere they could, from barber shops to grocery stores to apartment building lobbies to local fairs. One particularly enthusiastic woman — who until then had never been involved in politics — made it her personal goal to register 100 voters a day, and ultimately registered 3,000 new voters.

In the end, we made a real difference in Illinois. Our team registered more than 150,000 new voters, not only impacting local elections, but helping to shift the balance in state and national races as well. Illinois went from voting Republican in 1988 to Democratic in 1992.

That lesson has informed how we’ve run this campaign. And now we have an unbelievable opportunity to apply it on a massive scale.

When new or returning voters participate in the Democratic primary, they are far more likely to come back and participate in the general election.

That’s not just good for presidential candidates; it’s good for Democrats up and down the ticket. More engaged, committed Democratic voters in the primaries means more votes this November in all fifty states — from competitive statewide races to state legislative and city council seats everywhere.

You can make a difference right now. Encourage someone to register in time to participate in the presidential race in their state. Learn more and get involved here:

http://my.barackobama.com/morevoices

Thanks for all your hard work,

Barack

P.S. — Here’s an example of how you can get involved right now.

In Pennsylvania, Independent voters must register as Democrats by March 24th
in order to vote in the primary. One supporter made calls this weekend and
reached 10 Independent voters who wanted to vote for us — four of whom needed
information about how to register.

Our team has created an online tool that provides all the information you need
to make calls from home.

Get started now:

http://my.barackobama.com/callpa

Donate: https://donate.barackobama.com/addmorevoices

Pastor Wright: This Too Shall Pass

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Wednesday, March 19, 2008
by Dick Morris

Will the Gospel According to Jeremiah Wright sink the Obama candidacy? Not very likely.

Let’s start with two basic facts:

(a) Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) has already won the Democratic nomination. It’s over. Regardless of how the remaining primaries and caucuses go, including Michigan and even Florida, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) can never catch Obama in elected delegates. His current lead of 170 pledged delegates will not be overcome no matter what happens. Even if Clinton beats him by 10 points in each of these primaries, he will still lead among elected delegates by over 100. The superdelegates will not override the will of the voters unless Obama is in jail. They will not let themselves in for a civil war by overruling a black man who is beloved by the young by going over the heads of the electorate and naming the candidate that lost the primaries as the nominee. Regardless of how damaged Obama may be by the Wright tapes, it will not provide sufficient cover or cause for them to do so.

(b) Wright’s rantings are not reflective of Obama’s views on anything. Why did he stay in the church? Because he’s a black Chicago politician who comes from a mixed marriage and went to Columbia and Harvard. Suspected of not being black enough or sufficiently tied to the minority community, he needed the networking opportunities Wright afforded him in his church to get elected. If he had not risen to the top of Chicago black politics, we would never have heard of him. But obviously, he can’t say that. So what should he say?

For the full article, please see
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/political_commentary/commentary_by_dick_morris/pastor_wright_this_too_shall_pass

Sent by Joram. 

Press Release – Bishop Dr. Washington Ogonyo Ngede on the Two Historic Bills in Parliament

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March 19, 2008

The spirit in which Members of parliament moved yesterday in passing the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill and the National Accord and Reconciliation Bill is a clear manifestation of the pace of development we can realize as country through unity.

It is on that therefore that we the Nyanza Bishops join other Kenyans and International friends in thanking God and applauding Kenyan MPs who were led by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime-minister designate Hon. Raila Odinga for the historic event that now creates the Post of an executive Prime minister in the country.

As the Chairman of Church for Change and Nyanza Council of Church leaders, I on behalf of Nyanza Religious Leaders appeal to all legislators across the political divide to emulate the two leaders in embracing unity both in parliament and when out so as to show the crucial aspect of unity among Kenyans.

The mood that was experienced in parliament yesterday is what Kenyans have been yawning to see in the National assembly for the last 40 years and we pray that the same is exhibited in the tenth house when issues of national interest arose.

This spirit where MPs can disagree but maintain cordial working relationship should also be embraced by all leaders and Kenyans in various spheres including those who aspired in various elective posts in the run-up to the least general elections.

It is also our hope as religious leaders that MPs will use the same spirit they showed the world yesterday in handling the needed review of the whole constitution of Kenya so as to have a constitution and a country that is cherished by all Kenyans irrespective of our various status in the society.

As Kenyans, we are happy with the Amendment done in our national Assembly on the Constitution but it is our hope that the MPs will work with the same common interest of the country in handling the Constitution of Kenya review as had been asked by Kenyans without ethnic or any other vested interest.

We must also hail ODM pentagon member and Eldoret North MP Hon.William Ruto for the bold move he took in stepping down for his Sabatia Colleague Hon. Musalia Mudavadi to be the party’s nominee for the deputy Prime Minister’s post. We hope the PNU side will also easily pick on their nominee for their slot.

As we support the 50—-50 basis of sharing the soon to be named cabinet, it is our sincere hope that the same basis will be extended to the civil service so as to accommodate people in one accord as was the wish when our two leaders President Mwai Kibaki and Hon. Raila Odinga signed the historic agreement about three weeks ago.

As church leaders from Nyanza, we also appeal to religious leaders across the country to move fast and reconcile their members with other communities from other regions of the country in abid to hasten the reconciliation efforts currently going on in Kenya.

Thank you and God Bless our Leaders, Kenyans and the country.

Bishop Dr Wasington Ogonyo Ngede
Chairman Power of Jesus Around the World Church & Nyanza Council of Church leaders.

Unedited by Jaluo Press.

A.C. Clark, Author, passes away at age 90

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Posted to www.jaluo.com by alangreen on behalf of ‘power beam spacer’
mid March 2008

http://www.space.com/news/080318-arthur-clarke.html

I recommend to you the above link. 

I would like to express my appreciation for the written works of Arthur C. Clark.  He has been a prolific author of science, spaceflight, and science fiction items.  In SF, he is surely among the greats, which includes / included, among others, Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, and more.

Concepts he published lead toward com-sats, which are such an important fixture in our present society.  I am glad to hear he was honored for this with the Nobel Peace Prize.

Richard Hogland has pointed out the remarkable coincidence between Clark’s fictional descriptions of a certain outer planet’s moon, in comparison to observation in this decade by the Cassini space probe.  The body is Iaptis, satellite of Saturn, a ‘Moon with A View’.  (Look for that article on www.enterprisemission.com).

One of ‘Clark’s Laws’ states:
  “A sufficiently advanced technology may to its less advanced observers, be indistinguishable from magic.”

His writings are in fact a magic which can continue to be appreciated in the years still to come.
— pbs —

A.C. Clark, Author, passes away at age 90