Issue No. 181: Editor’s highlights and snapshot for this week:

Welcome to your favourite, authoritative and consistent The KARA Weekly Newsletter. As always, we appreciate your valued feedback. After a successful launch of Nakuru Citywide Residents Association, KARA will this Friday be at the lakeside city of Kisumu with Lands Minister Mr. James A.B Orengo at our Ford Foundation supported BTS-10 session on “National Cohesion, Reconciliation and the Land Question”. Mr. Patrick Ochieng, Chief Executive of the Mombasa-based advocacy organization, Ujamaa Center will give a civil society perspective. More details will be relayed to you separately. We appreciate your continued feedback on the August edition of Neighbourhood Kenya, KARA’s debut hard copy bi-monthly newsletter. We are glad you are reading.

Editor

Inside This Issue of The KARA Weekly Newsletter – at a Glance:

  a.. PS Prof. Kiyiapi: We are making major strides on environment
  b.. Nakuru Citywide Residents Association takes off ground!
  c.. Our viewpoint: on disasters, govt must do more than anniversaries
     … and much more

On a lighter note …It takes two deputy prime ministers for two wrongs!

Deputy prime minister and minister for local government Mr. Musalia Mudavadi finally released a “new” list of nominated councilors last week. In righting the supposed wrongs of his predecessor, Mr. Mudavadi kept the public guessing for far too long. When it came out, very late as it did, undoubtedly justice was denied as it had been over-delayed. Two, if you thought it was new and radical, think again. That the law was compromised, for some councilors who were spared the sack, in the name of averting a purported risk of destabilizing affected local authorities – is at best a case of impunity and at worst indecisiveness on the part of Mr. Mudavadi. It is now the same man who says his 135 (out of 175) local authorities are broke. Mr. Mudavadi knows that the law (Cap. 265 Local Government Act) prohibits him from declaring local authorities – as they surely need to then be wound up before they compromise the greater public interest. It seems that at Jogoo House, it takes two good deputy prime ministers to make more wrongs by each attempting to make a single right….Have a light week!

Your feedback counts: Government on “Neighbourhood Kenya”:

“This is to acknowledge receipt of KARA’s “Neighbourhood Kenya” newsletter. It is a good piece of work and a key tool to achieving sustainable, affordable and high quality public service delivery”, Bitange Ndemo, PhD, CBS and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications. Editor’s note: we are humbled by your kind commendation. You are one-in-a-million in terms of the turnaround speed of your response. We are proud to be associated with you.
PS Prof. Kiyiapi: We are making major strides on environment

“We will soon be launching a National Environmental Education and Awareness Campaign. On this campaign, we will work with the media, resident associations, political leadership and schools to ensure increased participation of residents on environmental issues…” full_story
Nakuru Citywide Residents Association takes off ground!

[PC_-_RIFT_VALLEY.JPG image/jpeg 72.50 KB ]

At long last, Nakuru Citywide Residents Association (NCRA) was formally established at a meeting held at Nakuru’s Merica Hotel. Various stakeholders led by Rift Valley provincial commissioner Mr. Hassan Noor, Town Clerk Mr. Felix Olwero among others fully endorsed NCRA. Mr. Richard Muir, chairman of Friends of Mau Watershed Association (FOMAWA) was elected interim NCRA chairperson while the secretary’s slot went to Nakuru Business Association’s Mr. Devarest Ambale. Mr. Joseph Towett of the Ogiek Welfare Council was elected vice chairman. Other members include Mr. Kennedy Masibo of the Nakuru Press Club. Hawkers, religions and faiths among other stakeholders constitute a 10-man governing council with public relations officer at Municipal Council of Nakuru being an ex-officio member. (In the picture, Rift Valley PC Mr. Hassan Noor delivers his keynote speech. He was flanked by Mr. Ambale (right) of Nakuru Business Association and KARA CEO Mr. Stephen Mutoro

Our viewpoint: On disasters Govt must do more than anniversaries:

Last week we mourned. We reminisced that fateful day that was 1998 August 7th Nairobi bombing. The media generously offered its pages and airtime on the terrorist blast, ten years on. Wreaths of flowers were laid. But what exactly were we marking? Have we achieved anything on disaster preparedness since? … full_story

A new beginning…Taxpayers Citywide Residents Associations:

KARA, with support of The Ford Foundation, is set to form 8 inclusive and results-oriented citywide (taxpayers, service delivery and consumers) Residents Associations at all provincial headquartersand adjacent areas…Read_more

Key events calendar highlights for August 2008

12 Aug – Nakuru Citywide Residents Association Committee meeting

12 Aug – CCK Industry Code of Practice Subcommittee Meeting

12 Aug – Launch of TrojanUV Water Shop

13 Aug – International conference on e-commerce and internet security

13 Aug – KARA Environment Committee Meeting

15 Aug – KARA 10th Bi-monthly Talk Series with Hon. James A.B Orengo

22 Aug – Ministry of Information & Communication Meeting with
Telecommunication Service Providers

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Date:  Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:15:06 +0300
From:  “The Kenya Alliance of Resident Associations \\(KARA\\newsletter@kara.or.ke
Subject:  The KARA Weekly Newsletter Issue No. 181, August 2008