From: SIMON KOKOYO

Dambisa book is simply asking development workers to re-evaluate their strategy in addressing community challenges. Are we using old tools to address challenges brought about by SAP or are NGOs reactive to situations? In the book Lords of Poverty by Hancok, he asks, “whom is this “aid” aiding”. This is a fundamental question as most development workers tend to agree that the trillion poured in Africa does not reflect the desired change by tax payers in the First World or in the North. Aid in Africa has ended up creating higher numbers of middle class elites in urban centres as opposed to addressing challenges faced by the most vulnerable. It is ironical for NGOs executives to talk about the gap between the rich and poor widening while their monthly salaries and allowances could bring a big difference in rural urban villages.

Aid is dead in Africa since the tax payers in First World expect to see a change but unfortunately this will never be achieved as the receiver ‘elites’ have other things in mind.

What is the alternative? I have three suggestions;
– We need to highlight activities of NGOs working Africa through internet, other than radio and TV. The target communities need to be empower to generate and disseminate their own news.
– We need to build strong social audit programmes at community level to help beneficiary write report cards to be shared with the contributors back in Europe, North America and elsewhere.
– Let all Aid being channeled through NGOs into Africa be stopped. The IMF/WB usually suspend Aid to countries but we have never witnessed a country collapsing because of lack of Aid. Instead countries adjust accordingly and survive. I know it is a tall order but the donors could try.

thanks
simon

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– – Odhiambo T Oketch wrote:

In his article on Dambisa Moyo’s Book- Dead Aid, Ikhide has not been convincing.

He acknowledges the strong points from Dambisa’s book and refuses to separate substance and reality from theory and wishful thinking.

Dambisa has brought to the fore some hard truths about Aid to Africa, currently standing at US$ 1 trillion, with no tangible results. It is our responsibility to take this debate to the next level, not to shoot the same down. But if we have to shoot it down, let us be factual as we offer the next viable solutions.

She observed reality on the ground and she is fairly soft and accurate on her synopsis. I wished she should have questioned the relative wisdom that makes the African ruler grow in riches as the country he rules grows in poverty. We have many cases where the economy of most African Countries are in the reds, yet, despots like Mobutu, Moi and the others are the richest men on Planet Earth. Richer that those who give Africa Aid.

Ikhide got his analysis wrong. He concentrated on the messenger rather than the message Dambisa is passing on to us. Is her message apt, relevant and timely? Yes. Should we look at the message or at the messenger? No. Ikhide looked at the messenger and in his diagnosis, gave the wrong prescription. You amputated the left leg while the problem was in the hand.. Sad.

Dambisa could be a poor student of history. She could mix some dates in her analysis and historical facts, but does that negate her synopsis on Dead Aid? Does getting the dates wrong kill the import of her message? I bet not.

Ikhide accepts that there is more from where Dambisa is coming from. Then instead of giving us more, he shoots her in the leg. And this is tragic. I would have given more in how Aid is killing Africa, how Aid is aiding despotic rule, how Aid is fueling corruption, how Aid is making us dependent than independent and so on. I would have given historical facts on how nothing is seen from Aid so given to Africa. I would have catalogued the list of African rulers who have grown in riches more than the countries they rule.

I would have helped strengthen the historicals that Dambisa got wrong, and in the process, I would have helped to add value to her hypothesis.

But being unable to offer the best alternative, Ikhide should have held his peace and remained quite for ever. If you are bold enough to criticize, be bold enough to offer the next alternative.

I find elements of contradictions in this posting. You say that you share in her misgivings, that there is more from where she is coming from, that she is right when she says democracy has impoverished Africa, that it is easy to agree with he, then, you say you are disappointed. How do you get disappointed with issues you agree with?

In shooting the messenger rather than the message, your contradictions come out so glaring. It fails to convince me that yours is an honest analysis of Dead Aid. Your analysis is on Dambisa the person.

I have tried to get the jist of Moses Obe Ochonu’s support to Ikhide and I have been again left at a loss. He says he has taught Dead Aid to his students twice and gives Ikhide an Excellent score for this warped review. I sympathize with his students. If he gives Ikhide an Excellent for these contradictions that are so easily detected and seen, then his score of Excellent is a disservice to the growth of intellectualism in Africa and the World.

Ikhide’s review is a mass of contradiction and offers no alternative, yet Moses gives a score of Excellent. He then goes ahead to indicate that Dead Aid is at best taught together with End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs. My foot, Are we such desolate?

Jeffrey Sach is the brains behind the failed Structural Adjustment Programmes that the World Bank and International Monetary Funds prescribed to Africa and the 3rd World as a deterrent to poverty. We all know that the SAPs failed and failed miserably. Does this vindicate Dambisa Moyo?

Moses goes ahead to hide his position in the use of words. The problem is, we hide our incompetence in the use of words when we are faced with challenging situations. Instead of facing reality, we go technical, to give an impression that we are well read. I refuse to hide in the use of words. I would rather remain as clear as possible, so that no one feels intimidated by my responses.

It does no move Africa forward to hide our intellectual capacities in jargon. People who would have wanted to respond feel dwarfed by the usage of such technical jargon, and they choose to hold their peace, however wrong you are.

Dambisa Moyo has struck the right chord and she needs our support. We all know what Aid has done to Africa, and all facts in the last 50 years of African Independence speak for themselves, and Dambisa is right. Where we feel she was inadequate, let us add value; if she left something pertinent out, let us bring it forth.

Let us be academic with our theories on her book. Let us be part of the solution that will take Africa to the next level. Let us talk with one accord and help Dambisa address this concern in Africa and the 3rd World in General.

Hers is a bold step forward, a step in the right direction that we must enrich.

Odhiambo T Oketch,
Nairobi Kenya.
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