News Anaalysis By Leo Odera Omolo

It is indeed the common belief and saying as well as popular opinion m aking the rond inside Luo-Nyanza that the current crop of MPs from the region might ends up empty handed without delivering the goods to the electorate.

The region is endowed with alot of mineral resources, fertile and asreable land,some parts of the area has good soil for cotton production , while other areas are suitable for sugar cane growint. The region is also capable of producing sufficient food grains afor domestic consump-tion and cash crops for incpme generating.

But the contributions of its elected legislators towards these noble goal is totally negative.Like in other regions of Kenya the residents of Nyanza Province are currently experiencing acute shortage of foodstuff., and some areas even urgently needs the government delivery of relief food.BVut the area MPs are keeping mum.

In Kasipul-Kabondo, where the colonialist used to exploit gold at Awuoro Mines, which were located south east of Oyugis Town in Kokal area, experts still maintgains that there is plenty of gold worth exploration.Gold is also said to be in abundance in an area, which is known as Rian Valley, which stretches from Kamwango area of Kamagambo down to Kabuoch areas, but nobody seemed to care about the existence of this mineral wealth.

Kuja and Migori rivers are full of alluvial gold. The colonialist had established commercial gold mines at Kitere near Rongo and also gold and copper mines at Macalder [Nyatike}.The two big mines closed dolwn their buisin ess in 1962 when the foreign investors and their white managers hurriedly closed down the mines in anticipation that Kenya would plunger herself into tribal bloodshed and wars. But forty years down the line, the independent governments appeared to have totally ignored these source of wealth.

Gold is also said to be plenty and in abundance in Ngiga and Asembo areas of Bondo district where the Wanbanchi are said to bve still prospecting indivually, but in much smaller and uneconomic scales.Why can’t the Luo MPs pressurize or persuade the government to invite foreign gold prospectors to come and exploit the important and wealth generating minerals for commercial purposes. Some parts of Gwassi Hills, Ruri area are also said to be rich in uranium mand materials for cment productions. Uranium is a highly valued mineral whose substance is used in atomic energies both for making weapons and power generatioin

Te Luo MPs seemd to have no idear about how to empower their people economically.And wonder why the lucrative fishing industry has noiw been taken over bvy Somalis, Kikuyus and non-Luos wo are reportedly rakes in millions of shillings.Kenya is earning close to Kshs 8 billion an nually from its fish exports to the Eu member countries, Japan, Middle East and the US bringing in millions of the scarce foreign exchange. All the fish processing firm, located in Kisumu, Homa-Bay and Migoritowns are own by non-Luos.This is a case of total neglegence.

The lucrative sugar industry, which is the main stay of the region’s economy is limping, has since been baptised as the “milking coiw” full of massive thefts of government owned public companies involved in sugar manufacturiung and maketiung. It suffering from poor internal marketing system and exhorbitant cost of production, which cannot allow Kenyan manufactured white sugar to trade competitively and profitably with sugar from the Comesa region, most of it government sdubsidized.

However, the credit should be given where it is due and appropriate. Two MPs from Nyanza, all of them new comerrs or first tgimes, have initiated vibrant economic projects in their respective constituencies, which when fully exploited to the muximum could bear the fruits.

The two are Eng James K. Rege[Karachuonyo}amnd Dick Omondi Anyanga {Nyatike] The two have already initiated to separate ,but viable economic projects in their respective constituencies, which when fully implemented will benefit their coinstituents.

Rege working in collaboration with an American multinational company has sourced a dozen of tractors,which are being hired oput to the farmers, especially cotton growers for ploughing and cultivation of the cooton fields. In the same schedme, cotton farmers are being supplied with top quality seedling for planting. The farmers only jobs is weeding and harvesting and delivery of the same toi the nearby buying centres. Payment will be prompt and on spot upon the delivery of the cotton at an atractive 30/- per kg of cotton. There is a prospect of the prices going upward, but this mwilldepend on the success of the schme.

Karachuonyo for many years was the lrgest cotton producing areas, but its production declined immediately after independence in 1963 when Famers Primary Co-operative Societies took over the ginneries and squandered millions of shillings meant for farmers payment.In some areas, the farmers were never paid for their sweats, and this grossly discouraged the cotton growiung in the region .

But with the new scheme initiated early this yeasr by Eng. Rege what the farmer need to do is to registered his farm’s acreage, had it ploughed on credit.The services provided on credit line will be paid for with the deduction of farmers proceeds after the delivery of cotton. The comany has also eamrked the plans ohire the extension staff who in turn will advice and work with the farmers in the field.

Eng.Rege told this writer that the local CDF fund disbursing coimmitee was coinsidering the possibilityof sourcing more tgractors using CDF moiney to supplplement the work. The scheme is popular in that a group of local politicians who had tried in vain to distort its shot and long term mutual benefits as part of the concerted efforts for poverty eradication have failed mand esdaped thed wrath of ther Waanchi.

HGon Omodi Anyanga has also initiated similar project in Nyatike, where farmers were now enjoying ploughing and cultivation oin credit or for free on condition thatg they only pay for the tractors fuel. The two schemes is also expected to redouble the production of food grains in the two respective constituencies. NBdhiwa MP Joshua Orwa Ojode whois credited for having sperheaded the creastioin of more administrative districts is also working on plans to initiate the tractor programmes in his Ndhiwa.constituency, which is arguably ahead of other constituencies in terms of development activities.

Opinion leadsers, though memberrs of the ODM have also welcomed the reported PNU politicians plans to sub-divide the existing eight Provinces to a totalof 19. The popular opinion is that Nyanza should not be only sdub-divided into two adminisdtrative Provinces, but three with the Kisisiregion to be given its own Province. The regiuon has ten parliamentary constuendies, but with 13 administrative districts.
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Geographically and poipulation wise Kisii region needs its own Province. Ther third Province should include ten administrative district in the greater Southern Nyanbza plus two district of Kuria East and Kuria West to be included in Southern Nyanza Province, with its headquarters either at Rongo or Homa-Bay.

The Luo MPs must be ashamed due to the fact that there is not even one singlke manufacturing industry is functioning. Kisumu town therefore is the only City with now factory or any industriel outlets that could employ more than 50 workers. SAll the undustries went burst a couple of years ago.

The giant Kisumu Cotton Mills Ltd, closed its door many years ago, thoiugh has its knitting machine idle and rotting. Its closure threw close to 2500 workers out of their jobs. The Kenya Breweries plant in Kisumu is noiw the distributing store for Brookelyn Milk. It was close a decade ago pushing out close to 2000 workers. Kibos Industries also closed down its shop some years back.

The only functioning and operationl industries in Kisumu are the two milling giants, the Swann Industries and the United Millers of Kisumu. But the two failities have very limited number of workers.

A foreign investor visiting recently remarked thst the Boda Boda Bicyoe Taxis, and the Motor Bilke and Tuktuk taxis are the only industry in Kisumu, which has absorbed many youths.

he time, is therefore ripefor the currernt MPs to start thinking about the resuscitation of all means of production and creation of employmen of youths. They must stop the bad habit of drugging and using the youth as mercenaries for stone throwing against their perceived political opponents either real or imginary.The MP must abandon the outmoded policy of hero warshipping and come oout of sleep.

ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

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Date: Sun, 17 May 2009 22:45:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: LACK OF COMMITMENT AND VISIONARY LEADERSHIP IN LUO NYANZA IS RETARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGION AND ONLY PROMOTES THE SPIRIT OF HANDOUTS.