Issue No. 183: 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. Last Friday saw the formation of Eldoret Citywide Residents Association (ECRA). In other news, outgoing regional Ford Foundation boss Prof. Tade Aina will next Wednesday deliver a keynote public lecture on Kenya’s post-election crisis. We welcome QFM (94.4), the latest radio station to hit our airwaves. On membership, we welcome Mr. Paul Mutisya Muthangya of Agrisoko Enterprises Ltd as an individual member to the KARA family. We are glad you are reading. Editor

Coming soon – Maji na Usafi Voices! – a monthly e-newsletter produced by the KARA secretariat on behalf of the Kenya Water and Sanitation civil society organizations Network (KEWASNET). This is a special forum where all stakeholders meet online, in an objective way, to debate and give governance shape to matters water and sanitation in Kenya. Have you subscribed? If interested, please write to kewasnet@kara.or.ke Maji na Usafi Voices! is supported by Water and Sanitation Program (of the World Bank).

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

a.. Eldoret Citywide Residents Association (ECRA) formed
b.. It is Tade Aina’s farewell lecture on Kenya’s post-election crisis
c.. NEMA’s conditional nod for one shut slaughter-house
d.. Our view: CJ Gicheru has a point but who do the judges serve?
e.. KARA on committee to organize national communications conference
f.. FOMAWA’s offer on special house flooring timber
g.. Advertise in the second edition of “Neighbourhood Kenya”.
. and much more!

On a lighter note . the case of an unjust Chief Justice Gicheru?

On Performance contracting (PC), Kenya’s Chief Justice Mr. Evans Gicheru is obviously unhappy with one arm of government dictating to the other. The CJ is right that it could be unlawful to introduce the now-fashionable (secretly negotiated) PC. But the CJ may be unjust to his real employers, the taxpayers. They want a good report card of how his department is dealing with the backlog of court cases. They want to see how many prosecutions are investigated and successfully concluded on time. They are simply asking for value for their money. Do these basic issues really require change of law? Even if it does, can Mr. Gicheru make a counter-offer and not just dismiss the PC as unlawful? Could the honourable Chief Justice be unjust to the taxpayers?. have a light week ahead!

Your feedback counts: What others are saying:

“We in Utawala are in a fix. The only means of transport we have has increased fare on our route (33B – APTC, Utawala, Githunguri) from 70/- to 90/-. I know KARA is the voice of the voiceless and is capable of handling this issue for us. Citi Hoppa buses shouldn’t do this to us even if the price of petrol has gone up. Kindly do something for us because we have no words to express our feelings”, Fredrick Obuko, Resident Utawala Estate, Nairobi

“I would like the issue about youth enterprise fund addressed as it has become very hard for the youths to access it. There are many hindrances. I am waiting for your feedback”, Jane Mugure, Resident, Nairobi

“Well done KARA! I have enjoyed reading the new bi-monthly newsletter. KARA’s bi-monthly newsletter “Neighbourhood Kenya” is a useful record and platform for the voice of the residents of this country. You have done a great job at catching key snapshots of the issues that concern us all. Keep up the good work!”, David Maina, MD, TrojanUV East Africa

“I’ve been keenly reading all your issues and your endeavours to have a comfortable society. Is there anything you can do on the issue of the civil servants housing? After the Government staying with the deposit (for the houses) for more than one year, the poor civil servants were told to go for it; saying that the decision to sell the houses has now been revoked by the Cabinet. We’ll be glad to know if there is anything you can do.”, disturbed and disappointed civil servants, Machakos

Eldoret Citywide Residents Association (ECRA) formed:

“We fully support the establishment of ECRA”, those were sentiments echoed by Uasin Gishu district commissioner Mr. Leonard Ngaluma, Eldoret Mayor Cllr. Sammy Ruto, among other stakeholders who spent Friday afternoon at Sirikwa Hotel to discuss and endorse ECRA formation. Residents of KCC Oasis, Langas, Pioneer, Kapsoya, Elgon View among others were represented at the meeting.

The interim ECRA Committee includes a representative of Kenya Association of Manufacturers, Mr. Ben Sakwa and a representative of civil society, Ms. Charity Omulando. Ecumenical Centre for Justice and Peace is represented by Mr. S. Kamau. Eldoret Officer Commanding Police Station (OCS) Mr. Ahmed Ali encouraged ECRA to work with the Kenya Police on community policing and traffic management. The KARA Citywide Residents Associations program, supported by the Ford Foundation, has so far been witnessed formation of all stakeholder-inclusive Associations in Nakuru, Kisumu and Eldoret. We will soon be in Mombasa, Garissa and Kakamega – watch this space!

Tade Aina’s farewell lecture on Kenya’s post-election crisis

“He has been a great man to work with. Regardless of his very high placing in social and academic circles, Tade has always been a down-to-earth man in every sense of the word. He shies away from controversy and instead prefers humility. Beneath that cover of humility, however, emerges the making of a truly intelligent, an aggressive strategist and a go-getter. Tade knows pretty well what to say, to whom, how and when to say it. Kenya, and I believe his colleagues, and all the people he touched through his work will miss him. I will. full-story

NEMA’s conditional nod for one shut slaughter-house:

Based on ground inspection by its inspectors, NEMA has now issued a temporary effluent discharge approval to the slaughter house. The approval allows them to operate the wastewater treatment systems for two (2) months. full-story

FOMAWA’s offer on special flooring timber

While Fomawa’s objective has been the restoration of the Mau Forest to good health, it has also become involved in commercial forestry. Some 900 farmers and 76 schools, now participate in this endeavour . full-story

KARA on committee to organize communications conference:

At last Friday’s communications stakeholders roundtable chaired by Information and Communications Permanent Secretary, Dr. Bitange Ndemo, KARA was nominated to sit on the sub-committee to organize a national stakeholders conference in October. full-story

Our view: CJ Gicheru has a point but who do the Judges serve?

In standing his ground that judges do not need to sign performance contracts until the law provides for such an arrangement is certainly welcome move. Mr. Gicheru knows far too well that the domain of separation of powers will be infringed upon were the executive to dictate terms to the judiciary, as could be the case at the moment. 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

26 Aug – Karen Lang’ata District Association social evening

27 Aug – KARA Governing Council meeting

28 Aug – AWAK Forum – investing in the stock exchange

28 Aug – KEPSA Land sector sub-committee meeting

03 Sep – Lecture by Prof. Tade Akin Aina of Ford Foundation

05 Sep – AccessKenya party of the year

22 Sep – National training workshop on consumers/ standardization

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Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:43:08 +0300
From: “The Kenya Alliance of Resident Associations \\(KARA\\)”
Subject: The KARA Weekly Newsletter Issue No. 183, August 2008