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 Questionâ€. Mr. Patrick Ochieng, Chief
Executive of the Mombasa-based advocacy organization, Ujamaa Center will
give a civil society perspective. Dr. Raphael Kapiyo of Uhai Lake Forum will
moderate the session. 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 broke – 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 Kenyaâ€:
“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 deliveryâ€, 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!
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.
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: Tue, 12 Aug 2008 08:54:49 +0300
From: “The Kenya Alliance of Resident Associations \\(KARA\\)”
Subject: The KARA Weekly Newsletter Issue No. 181, August 2008