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Post by omundu on Jul 10, 2013 18:08:22 GMT 3
Folks. Many of you may have a point. Especially mwalimu. But I personally don't care whether kethi is on the ballot this time or not. It would have been good if she was, for gender reasons and her brains. But let's try see things in the bigger picture: point is, kethi is still young and like any endevours, she will have her chance again in four years to take the seat and do things proper if she actually did it wrongly roundi hii. And we all know she will capture it. I call makueni; a seat differed. That said, sample this below (especially mank) www.nation.co.ke/oped/Letters/IEBC-must-clean-up-its-act-after-Kethi-voter-listing-saga-/-/440806/1910084/-/rwl49az/-/index.htmlThat is a daily nation article amongst many other voices that are seeing the bigger picture in this: It is not about the individual but the institutions as some have intimated here. The onus for any voter is to go register. The onus on IEBC is to carefully record the data, guard it and use it wisely as trusted to by wanjiku. Right now, we are all speculating about kethi's eligibility or not. She claims she registered and provided a slip to show thus. IEBC gave her a certificate to run and later backtracks and becomes jury, saying "we did wrong to give you the cert. So you are the problem" their onus is to provide records and proof that she is not registered or simply revoke her cert. Citing absence of her name on the voters register. But no; all we heard was jubilee and IEBC's word against kethi's. If that is not politics mank, what is ? The politics angle in it also arises because we know all political parties received soft copies of the final voter register. Why didn't they use it in the hearing ? Couldn't IEBC check its voter registar and avoid these silly shenanigans ? How about the fact that earlier in the year, a certain PS accused parties of hacking registers ? Isn't that politics ? How about the IEBC sharing a server with TNA ? Mank bwana. Let's look at things in the bigger picture. I will ask you one question in this and past events: what do you think of IEBC's performance ? Have you seen no evil ? Or heard none ? Kethi shouldn't be the issue, we need systems that will prevent such silly games. That is the bigger picture. I am glad you raised the "legality shebang" mank. This because I have a few legality questions up my sleeve: - wasn't kethi still legally allowed to vie by the IEBC ? - did the IEBC raise questions about her eligibility ? No they didn't. Who did ? Hehehehe. Ati it is not politics. - apparently IEBC claims the kibaki book she was registered in got lost. Lol. What are the legal mechanisms they should pursue when such happens ? How are they or you going to prove (as you claim) that fraud happened without the lost book ? How ? Where are the police reports showing that it indeed was lost ? Hehehehe. - why then did Jubilee want, heck BEG kethi to run on their ticket. How was it legally going to happen ? And you still don't see politricks in this ? Or maybe I should go on ? - is it legally possible for IEBC to have multiple voters registers ? Ati a green book... Show me where in our constitution. - where is it legally possible to have official results not yet out by the stipulated date (which is roughly a month after announcing)? Someone mentioned that if they can't intergrate results or know where other ballot boxes are, how in hell will they find a name in the registar ? How will they conduct a by election yet they havnt finished counting the electoral results months later? It is simple one... Two... Three.... Etc. You don't even need BODMAS here. - how is it legally possible for the IEBC to be the judge and jury in this kethi case. You can't try yourself. The fact that kethi's name overshadows all these questions. And others about a system that has affected and will affect millions of lives is profoundly shocking.
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Post by omundu on Jul 10, 2013 16:36:28 GMT 3
Omwenga, Unfortunately it is difficult to tell fact from fiction when the two coalitions allege mischief of each other. What could be more practical to discuss therefore are the issues Kethi seems to have difficulties explaining. When did she really register as a voter, and with what identification particulars? If it turns out that the slip she holds as proof of registration is from a book that has been missing at IEBC, what will be the explanation? I find it difficult to believe that a lawyer in her standing would even have contemplated carrying an expired passport to an office as an identification document. Or is it only in the rest of us that the expiry of a document means irrelevance of the document? I cannot think of a lawyer that would treat an expired document as valid. Mank, In my column this weekend, I acknowledge Kethi has not helped herself in how she has handled this, especially in light of her stellar performance during the tragic Supreme Court proceedings where justice and democracy were smothered and are now on life support. You'll have to read my column to get the rest of my thoughts on all of this. :-)). You never know, I could be. But I maintain, those are pertinent questions that may need answers. Introspection is needed here.
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Post by omundu on Jul 9, 2013 23:44:53 GMT 3
I told people on these forums not to get overexcited over this Kethi issue but they ignored and went on to hyperventilate and are now out there somewhere exhausted let's hope they had fun because the proverbial waste is about to hit the fan (see story below) I also said this Kethi saga is more about Jubilee power plays than Cord or even Kethi for that matter. I can now report and Cord deputy leader and former Vice President confirms below that this Kethi saga is a creation of TNA. My own reliable source tells me one William Samoei Ruto is very upset by the powers that be that made an issue out something that they should not have; to be sure, the same source told me Ruto has his ideas on how to handle Raila and Cord, which one can actually see their manifestation if you follow what Ruto and Uhuru have been doing but it appears (my source did not tell me this) there are forces which believe both Ruto and Uhuru must dance to their music notwithstanding they're now co-presidents. Those very forces may be the very reason the Jubilee coalition may not last beyond a few months before the fissures crack wide open, certainly not going into the next elections. As I stated before, this Kethi saga ain't over by far and even if the high court does not clear hear, which I fully expect to be the case, namely, her being cleared--unless the case ends in the wrong judge's hands, this will be a rallying issue for Cord, which has been smarting from yet another stolen election. And now the story about yet another TNA scheme: The Standard, July 9, 2013 The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) has accused TNA of tampering with the electoral voter register and deleting Kethi Kilonzo’s name. The accusations come a day after Monday’s ruling by the Disputes Resolution Panel of the IEBC which revoked the nomination of Kethi Kilonzo, knocking her out of the Makueni Senatorial by-election. “Of concern is the manner in which TNA, a major player in the Jubilee Coalition raised the issue of Kethi's voter registration status without the knowledge of the electoral body, begging the question of who is the custodian of the IEBC's vote register. This clearly shows that TNA is IEBC and IEBC is TNA. TNA must have tampered with the voter register, hence deleting Kethi's name”, Kalonzo Musyoka said. CORD also warned of a major political battle even as their lawyers finalised on court papers to appeal IEBC’s ruling that locked out Kethi. “This is a major political war against CORD, disguised as a legal battle in an obvious attempt to impose a leader on the good people of Makueni. It is clear that Jubilee vehemently tried all means possible to lure Ms Kethi to run for the seat that was held by her late father Sen. Mutula Kilonzo on any of its affiliate parties, an attempt that didn't bear fruits, hence their resolve to frustrate her candidacy”, said Kalonzo. Nothing surprising here is there? I personally think that kenyans propensity for myopia has made this a case about one person instead of focussing on the elephant in the room: IEBC and how much of a joke they have become. That said, sometimes one can't help but feel sorry for CORD or any of its affiliates. We have said it before and will say it again that CORD's archilles heel has been the thought that they can go into a gunfight with knives. They think everyone will play fair. I highly doubt they have or will learn even from this. I can almost guarantee they will lose in the high court. Why ? Strategy. Why do I say this ? Let's see below: - on their claims that kaloki (not sure on name) had a membership in wiper as well as another party; where was the proof of registration with wiper during the hearings ? - the party bosses were hoping around campaigning for kethi and it is shocking that they were not aware of anything afoot by jubilee ? Even after all the noise being made ? Come on!!! No counter strategies ? - why didn't cord produce the disk that iebc gave to all political parties at close of registration ? If kethi was registered then her name would be there wouldn't it be ? - have they asked makueni voters to check with IEBC if their names are on the register for the by elections ? No they havnt. Only to be caught unawares later. - has any of the cord members or leaders (Mp's, senators etc) initiated proceedings or at least attempted to initiate a forensic audit as requested by the SC in their ruling ? No. Not at all. - how about a case against the uhuruto duo on eligibility thanks to ICC or the recent ruling on ruto ? No. All we are witnessing is a kid running home the the parents (citizens) screaming that he/she has been bullied on the playground. We see no strategy, no action, just reaction. Behaviour like a deer caught in the headlights. It is really becoming tired.
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Post by omundu on Jul 8, 2013 23:34:18 GMT 3
From Africa's foremost left wing ideologue: Thursday, July 4, 2013 The Fall of Morsi: An Important Victory of the Egyptian People - Samir Amin Yes, the fall of Morsi and of the rule of the Moslem Brothers is an important victory of the Egyptian people. It was expected by all Egyptians. 25 millions of citizens had signed a petition requiring the departure of Morsi, elected only thanks to a massive fraud; whose legitimacy was not recognized by the Egyptian judiciary body, but who was imposed by the decision of Washington. The body of “international observers of elections” had indeed failed to see the fraud! The government of the Moslem Brothers was pursuing the same reactionary policy as that of Mubarak, and even in a more destructive way for the majority of popular classes. It made clear that it did not intend to respect the rules of democracy; it mobilized criminal gangs paid to harass the popular movements, continuously waving the flag of a “civil war”. Morsi acted as a brutal dictator, setting in all positions in the State of exclusively devoted Moslem Brothers. The combination of a disastrous economic and social policy and of the disrespect for normal management of the State led to an accelerated decline of earlier illusions of a good part of the society; the Moslem Brotherhood showed their real face. Yet the western powers continued to support the “elected President”, claiming that the regime was progressing toward democracy. Probably just as the Democratic Republic of Qatar is! What happened on June 30th was expected. Mass demonstrations, larger even than those of January 2011: 16 million people on the streets, as recorded by the Police. Morsi responded by moving again the flag of the “civil war”. But he was unable to mobilise more than a few hundred thousands of paid supporters. Western powers, Israel and the Gulf countries hate the perspective of a democratic, socially progressive, independent Egypt. They will manipulate criminal mercenaries, so called Jihadists, established with their complicity and support in Lybia and in the Egyptian province of Sina. The Egyptian nation and its army can defeat them. 3rd July, 2013 ********** Samir Amin is a renowned Egyptian Marxist Economist and Philosopher. He is currently the director of the Third World Forum, Dakar, Senegal. Is Samir Amin saying this Mubarak army will now, with the likes of ElBaradei in tow, 'perpetrate' a different set of economic policies than it practiced in the last 30 years? the policies Samir Amin correctly calls 'reactionary'!? I think Misri is still in the same hole, the same ECONOMIC STRAIGHT JACKET. According to me, this is a Mobutist coup as opposed to a bonapartist coup]. That is a kleptocracy that considers the state treasury as their personal pocket in one way or another. Here is a strange report. Well, the New York times ever since it allowed itself to be a lackey of G.W. Bush in the War on Terror, is just another rag these days, but still it has its moments and reader discretions are adviced. www.nytimes.com/2013/07/07/world/middleeast/morsi-spurned-deals-to-the-end-seeing-the-military-as-tamed.html?_r=1& It would appear then that tough guy Gen. Abdul Fattah al-Sisi and his military buddies, first negotiated the coup with 'Mother'! The coup was not their call.if mother were to be displeased and call it a 'coup', the laws of the motherland would dictate a suspension of one of the most generous and lucrative rackets the Egyptian army ever signed. And with the Egyptian state unable to pay other workers and the inflation rising, who knew what junior ranks of the Great army could do, if they salaries be reduced for whatever reason? Here is some detail of the economic woes Morsi inherited, and which he could not manage. www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/16/egypt-worst-economic-crisis-1930sIt is important to note that the whole year of instability as a prelude to Mubarak's fall, the [higher echelons of the] Egyptian army that runs an industrial-military complex and is the biggest economic institute in the country, drained off their local foreign currency reserves and and re-arranged their external treasures, effectively putting them off limits of the incoming brotherhood administration. It practically meant factories were grounding to a halt due to cash starvation for maintainance, wages, and the rest. While the world stayed glued to Tahrir square, the Industrial heartlands deep in the delta were wastelands of labour unrest. Then Morsi went begging for cash, IMF, EU, WB, and we all know what conditions these guys give. ---Stop subsidy on bread, fuel, cooking gas... Given the amount of people out of work and the economic stagnation deep in Egypt, Morsi looked a total fool talking about ending food subsidies. But the Egyptian army continued to get, independently, her subsidy from mother, which it used as it pleased! A state within a state. This is the institution Samir Amir would have us believe is the bastion of patriotism, a leading light to the future of Egypt? An organisation whose intelligence wings were hired by the Americans to torture Egyptians arrested in Afghanistan as Al-Qaida suspects!? It is a good narrative, a terrorist organisation removed from power by popular will. But I do not buy it. The generals are no less stooges than Morsi's band, and the generals have run Egypt from Nasser to Mubarak, and we are here! I think they had enought time to show their worth. And look at the other secular leading lights: This is the story of El-Baradei ingratiating himself unto Washington's bossom. www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1307/S00146/egypt-after-the-coup.htm --El-baradei lobying to be America's blue-eyed boy. aidwatchers.com/2011/02/how-ignorance-dooms-autocracy/An article I thought would add to this conversation. It was penned a year or so back when the egyptian situation started. The author attempts to show the difference in economic development between democracies and autocracies and demonstrates/theorizes that ignorance or lineal thinking is the bane of development in autocracies. That said, though I also condemn the coup (that happened with 'mothers' blessings) it is worthy to note the lineal thought patterns of Morsi in the months preceding the coup. It is imperative for any human (especially a head of a diverse state like egypt) to accommodate the various competing forces at play, in his deliberations. It is never black or white. There are always different shades of greys in matters. He appeared to approach events (rising prices, fuel shortages etc)with an absolutism that did not leave any wriggle room. My thoughts thus.
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Post by omundu on Jul 4, 2013 1:17:04 GMT 3
JUST A VIEW. THE TIMES A-CHANGING!. Signs of the new [old] world order.[/I have Always enjoyed real-time political theater more than artistic impressions. So I was watching the choreography of Egypts latest coup, just completed, and the performance of Gen. Al-Sissi, military commander, as he announced his power-grab from Mohammed Morsi's hand. His moment supreme. A puffed-up frog croaking in the winds he looked. Yes, this is the land of Nasser, Sethos 11, Ramses the Great, and whole milenium of toilet-paper general leaders with a mile of insignias on their shoulders. But the new world order is a Lawless one and he has the tide. There were days such a coup would sollicit condemnations from self-appointed policemen of the world, given Morsi was democratically elected. Now, the so-called leaders of the free-world just shrug, exhausted themselves by their own [economic] problems without adding another's. 2. ANOTHER SIGN: BELL-RINGERS HAVE NO WHERE TO HIDE. CIVILISATION DECLARES WAR ON THE DISSENT OF CONSCIENCE! THE SECURITY OF THE STATE IS PARAMOUNT! Yesterday over European skies. Another landmark passed. The Bolivian President Evo Morales, on a flight from Moscow, was literally forced down, to land in Vienna Austria, where he was practically under arrest, sorry he was a 'forced guest' as his presidential plane was searched by Americans for Snowden the Scandalous. They were tipped the fugitive was being smuggled to Bolivia from Russia. This was the hijacking of a presidential plane in modern times. The end of 'diplomatic immunity' above the skies. Whatever your position, the moment you leave your own skies, you are fare game! France and Portugal had refused to let Morales's plane use their air-spaces! On orders from the USA. That is they are vassal states that owe tribute to Emperor Obama. NB: About a decade ago, the Italian airforce is reported to have stalled a plan by the usual suspects to blow Khadaffi's plane to bits over Italian airspace. Their reasoning was interesting. Libyans are our neighbours. You start killing directly or otherwise the sons of your neighbours, you unluck a vendetta, and soon discover you and your own sons too, are afterall mortal. I suspect in this new Lawless world we are entering, a lot of superior men are going to discover just how mortal they are, and wishfully think what a good thing civilisation actually used to be. In a Lawless world, flying may become so dangerous, human beings may no longer engage in it. The airspace will be filled with rogue swarms of drones on suicide bombing missions. Gosh! I already miss civilisation! When there was still something called privacy! NB2> The americans planted bugs in some furniture in a top european commission conference room. And this high and mighty european used to retire there with his you know for a little of what otishotish calls ding-dong! And when he met Obama in Germany the other day, the joke goes in european tabloids, Obama greeted him with: I know how you come! Noisy piggy! please watch a film called 'the life of others', in part detailing the total surveillance regime of the East German [not so] Secret police, aka Stassi. Or the once Romanian equivalent called Securitate. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Big brother wants to know what is on your mind! ---They do not believe Sigmund Freud who says it is only sex sex and sex en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_of_othersen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_of_othersI remember following the Snowden situation with trepidation. I remember thinking that the demise of civilization has come earlier than I predicted. There was a point when the Bolivian presidential jet was low on fuel. France andN I think portugal ? Denied it a flight over their airspace and the pilot had to detour via Austria. How would the french have handled a situation like the Bolivian presidential jet crashlanding due to lack of fuel ? Complete deficiency in foresight. And when the news broke out, they all backtracked, but the milk had been spilt already. One can help but notice that washington has lost control in this whole Snowden saga. They do not really know what's happening and seem to be deep in a wild goose chase and are increasingly being embarrassed by events. In addition, the lose 'HULK' on a rampage tactics they seem to be using against the South American states is something I would have expected from Dubya as opposed to Obama. Something is just not right. Someone should have told them weeks ago that revoking Snowden's passport was a wrong move and now they can't even track him. And the latest incident you seem to have missed is the announcement by the Ecuadorian ambassador in London that they just found a bug at their london office. They will inform us soon, who the bug belongs to. The plot thickens I tellz ya! What I am gathering from some whispers is that Snowden was given some conditions for sanctuary in Russia: he expressly rejected a request by Putin not to embarrass his american friends by releasing one or two specific leaks. He refused Putin's request and subsequently the sanctuary. That, and the refusal by western european countries of the bolivian overflight, paints to something more sinister in the leaks. Something that may embarrass others beyond america. Just my thoughts!!! On morsi's situation. Could it be a phyrric victory for the protestors ? Could they have perfectly played into the hands of the military men of Mubarak ? I guess it remains to be seen. Some say the development is a military coup. But I think it may not be that simple: Ovlav - I think- would probably describe it as a democratic military coup; it does not exactly fit into the typical military coups we have in africa; the people protested (largest protest ever in the world with some putting figures at 17 million) and the military answered the people's will one would say. Morsi's favourability had fallen drastically in the past months. Plus his messing up of the constitution didn't help either. Does the end justify the means ?
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Post by omundu on Jul 2, 2013 19:18:45 GMT 3
A guy, let's get things straight: On matters pertaining construction, I am not here to discuss with you. Discussion is what I do with my peers in the field. I am here to teach you. The NERVE. Ati sijui cctv. Do you even know installation costs etc of such ? A whole VP house comes with all security features by final completion. And I just learnt the house is not even a year old. Refer back to my comment on latent defects period dude. Don't come here vomiting nonesense bwana. It is actually becoming sickening. Then you say it is little money whilst we are way past the red in budget shortfalls. Apparently over 300 billion shillings. Do you even read other threads in jukwaa dude ? Omundu I have never had to carry a karai of korogwad concrete on my head in a construction site, so I shall lift my hard hat for you in matters of construction. In fact you would best be served talking about concrete mixing than even reading what we post here in Jukwaa and have done since it started as you probably learnt how to get the mixing ratios of cement and concrete right......not only do we read, we write! That is why you cannot even get the deficit right! Here is something for you....go back and read what I wrote and you will perhaps understand the cost of CCTV relative to the additional 100 million our dear hard working deputy president needs for fixing his house. We do live in houses our here in Kenya and not on trees......certainly prettier stuff than Luthuli House on Sauer Street. Hahahahaha. I am enduringly mystified that there can be so much pride and certainty in such ignorance.
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Post by omundu on Jul 2, 2013 11:17:09 GMT 3
Guys I think 100 million is peanuts and insist thus! We have a budget of 1.6 trillion shillings and we mourn about 100 million - come on guys! Mwalimu Jakaswanga only seems to see it from the point of view of how many bright children the 100 million can educate. Unfortunately it only takes 4 years to educate such characters and then what happens to future clever ones after we run out of the 100 million? If you want to make a fuss about how government money is wasted (oops...spent!)then do not look at money voted for development, seek out the recurrent revenue items for at least these can be voted for year in year out once appropriated! Our good and hard working DP has only moved to the house and as the inhabitant of the house, there are several shortfalls he has noticed such as a complete lack of CCTV equipment to ensure his security! Those MOW guys that took over the house from the contractor much have taken kickbacks to sign off the house as complete and then went out of their way to cheat our great former president to preside over the handing over of the house knowing fully well that he is a man that had little care for some of these things like houses - what about that mansion in Mweiga he visited only once when it was under construction and has refused to relocate to preferring the serenity of Muthaiga? When you take in all this into consideration, I believe that our hard working DP is justified to get the 100 million to fix the cracks and get some china emblazoned with the court of arms and the name of the residence in gold trimmings! A guy, let's get things straight: On matters pertaining construction, I am not here to discuss with you. Discussion is what I do with my peers in the field. I am here to teach you. The NERVE. Ati sijui cctv. Do you even know installation costs etc of such ? A whole VP house comes with all security features by final completion. And I just learnt the house is not even a year old. Refer back to my comment on latent defects period dude. Don't come here vomiting nonesense bwana. It is actually becoming sickening. Then you say it is little money whilst we are way past the red in budget shortfalls. Apparently over 300 billion shillings. Do you even read other threads in jukwaa dude ?
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Post by omundu on Jul 2, 2013 2:47:04 GMT 3
UK in new plan to ban Kenya's miraa exports Monday, July 1, 2013 - 00:00 -- BY LOLA OKULO A new proposal to ban miraa in the UK has sent jitters among its traders in Kenya as the country is the sole export market in Europe after Netherlands outlawed it last year. The Times UK reported on Friday that Home Secretary Theresa May plans to ban the sale and use of miraa also known as khat because of its potential links between its trade and Islamic extremism. Miraa trade, it is suspected, funds terrorism activities in some cases. In January, the UK government's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs rejected calls for a miraa ban on the basis that it could lead to health problems. In refusing to outlaw the sale and use of miraa in that country, ACMD said at the time that there was insufficient evidence to link its use to adverse health problems. The Nyambene Miraa Traders Association is alarmed by the proposal while Sakijo International- a company that packages and exports miraa said even Kenya Airways will stand to lose alot. "Miraa is the only fresh cargo that is most expensively charged. Kenya Airways will also be the second biggest direct loser since it charges $4.30 per kilogram of miraa carried," Sakijo International's cordinator Francis Kinyua. Over 80 tonnes of miraa is exported to UK weekly. Sakijo International said it facilitates exportation of between 12 and 14 tonnes of miraa four times weekly. Fourteen tonnes fetches $127,000. Kinyua said upon arrival in the UK, the commodity is charged a tax of £6.25(Sh818.75) per box with every trip having around 3,303 boxes packed translating to a tax of Sh2.7 million tax per consignment. The drug is mainly used in the UK by Somali, Ethiopian, East African and Yemeni people. UK lobby groups that have for several years been advocating for a ban on miraa argue that its use has caused social problems like family breakdowns and groupings at certain locations by miraa consumers in residential areas. The last time the traders were faced with an imminent UK ban, Nyambene Miraa Traders Association started efforts to improve the image of the trade and use of the commodity in England that would see a proactive approach to address littering, gathering in large crowds and new strategies to improve packaging and pesticide use. - See more at: www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-126386/uk-new-plan-ban-kenyas-miraa-exports#sthash.7F3t5nDE.dpufwww.the-star.co.ke/news/article-126386/uk-new-plan-ban-kenyas-miraa-exportsI have been following this thread and it got me thinking: where is our knight in shinning armour - China ? Isn't it normally about this time in the movie where the hero rides in to save the day ? I may joke at this but on a serious note, isn't this where our foreign affairs and trade ministries stepped up to the mantled to negotiate with our western partners a deal. I mean, we can use the imports from those countries as a bargaining chip. And we had time because before a ban, there is normally a period where their members of parliament discuss the issue and send us a heads up on an impending ban. They don't just wake up and issue a decree!! And to think that some are adamant that Governance and image do not affect a country's economy.
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Post by omundu on Jul 2, 2013 0:05:14 GMT 3
OMUNDU WROTE: Omundu Yo, Thank you sana for that. This is why I like to introduce the class aspect in social controversies. WHOSE PRIORITIES IS A GOVERNMENT SERVING? KSH. 100m may be peanuts yes, but if you consider 1. The number of brilliant secondary school drop outs because of school fees, you could afford ALL OF THEM a bursary. [2] How many poor mum's kids die because of ROTA which can be helped by -drip-drip intravenous at KSH. 1000/DAY, you could save over a million Kenyan infants. [3] If you look at a slum like Kibera, 100 million can upgrade mud and plastic to OFFAFA KUMBINI AND MARINGO permanents ---Long gable single rooms. By the time you add the 700M for Kibaki's new office and the others for executive jets, Kibera slum is solved. By the way, when shell building was being bought for Raila, some of us whispered to men around him like Omwenga , that it would be an exceptional propaganda coup if he re-directed the money to build Jeri-Jerusalem type housing in one part of Kibera. That is how fellas like me smoke a guy out. There were, according to my waragi club, no shortage of functional abode worthy of a PM's office. Yes, how does a guy use public money. ---i took sometime leafing through how Nothern europe after the devastation of the 2nd world war, prioritised and used their MARSHAL PLAN FUNDS. IT IS is a lesson worth learning, on how to use even 100 dollars. Buy a goat to breed, or beer to drink? Indeed Jakaswanga. There is a reason countries like China and Australia are envious (to the point of trying to emulate) economic models of South American countries like Equador, Venezuela and especially Brazil. Brazil, in a decade or so, has managed to lift millions out of poverty and continues to do so, thanks to the current and former revolutionary presidents. The lula's and them. They understood that it is not the keynesian model I think (prone to wastage, corruption and greed) but the bottom up approach, that improves a county's economy. They are currently protesting in Brazil because, through trial, the have seen what those billions, currently being used on stadia, can actually do to the lumpen proletariat, proletariat and eventually, entire country's economy. Heck, they managed to achieve BRIC status faster than we will ever dream achieving vision 2030. Interesting that in the other thread on nobama, someone does not understand the dimension of time in governance and economic models (don't worry, I will get to the thread in due time) Obama gave an example of Senegal in his IMBIZO (townhall) speech at UJ. Apparently, the senegalese government embarked on an Agricultural policy a few years ago. Any rural citizen with an acre or two, could access a certain grant/loan specifically set up for industrialization of the small farm owners inorder to increase production. Tractors and other machinery were bought by the farm owners, who eventually increased production. The produce was pooled and sold regionally. Apparently the programme is achieving so much success that many farmers have even increased their acreage to over fifty acres. Food security in that area will be achieved in a few years if the programme continues and it is self sustaining. Mwananchi does not need hand outs, they just need a push like this and other examples like vietnam or ireland shows. I guess west africa may soon undergo its agrarian/industrial revolution. We can also do this with visionary leaders like the example Kathure just posted.
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Post by omundu on Jul 1, 2013 21:28:00 GMT 3
Kamale and wa mayi.
It is not as simple as Kamale puts it.
Let me add my EXPERT opinion:
I am glad Kamale has used the former PM's office as a contrast because that is what I will use to explain how these things work.
The Shell Bp house (I think that is the former PM's office) was built in the early or mid seventies if my memory serves me right. Let us give it a two pronged approach: as a private investor and as government.
If I was a private investor, I would look at a few things including square meterage, age of the building, current and proposed use and most importantly; LOCATION, when determining the price I would buy it at. One billion dollars may be a bit far fetched considering I have got clients who have bought similar buildings in johannesburg for half the price. But there is a caveat; renovations cost roughly seven million dollars which would make sense but here is why. If I was an investor I would negotiate the buying price down and the renovation (not maintenance as we kenyans are prone to use as a word for such)would depend on intended use. My renovation costs would be lower because I would renovate it to high end residential and do my calculations to ensure (thanks to gentrification) my returns are proper enough to break even within the acceptable ten year deadline.
Government is another story. They are not supposed to use it to make profits but it was renovated into offices and that is a completely different story and here is why:
I earlier gave an indication of the age of a building. There is a phrase we use in the industry termed - wear and tear- which is obviously directly propotional to the age of a structure. Also the use/function of a building dictates the wear and tear it undergoes in its lifetime. the shell bp house was initially used as an office with heavy foot traffic. The care normally given to offices is less than say, a family home. Renovation costs in an office building like the shell house would be high because we have items like: the lift systems that may need fixing or replacing, the mechanicals like the boilers etc, the electricals and rewiring of the entire structure, the sanitary ware and plumbing of the entire building, the finishes like worn out tiles and light fittings and wall paints etc. The bills of quantities will be vast. In addition we have the furniture and IT aspect plus its wiring to add in the bills of quantities.
The total cost to the government was close to two billion. But the government looks at its returns differently like, how much it would cost to rent a similar building over a span of say fifty years, what returns will the office of the former PM or current VP give to the country etc etc.
That said, I still think the total cost of the shell house would have been maybe half what it cost especially on the buying part. And I say this because I have worked on a similar project for Luthuli house (the ANC headquarters) though one may argue that Nairobi CBD property prices are way higher that its Joburg counterpart.
Onwards to the recently completed VP house in Karen. The total construction cost was 400 million shillings (give or take added funds like consultants fees)
First, the cost did not include land purchase. The amount roughly translates to 4 million dollars. I have seen images of the residence and I can swear that Kenyan Architecture is in serious need of a Tabula Rasa because the form is badly designed. Basically it does not meet architectural standard of world architects. It is not a building I would pay four million dollars for. That said, it was finished to VP livable standards etc etc. Basically, the design of the building is still stuck in the modernist paradigm of the frank lloyd wrights of the sixties. Kamale, you would share my sentiments because I see you have traveled.
My rant above aside: the building was finished roughly a year or two ago. This brings us to the wear and tear I mentioned above. What wear and tear has happened in two years jameni ? Especially in a building no one has lived in ?
There are three stages of completion in any building project according to RIBA (royal institute of british architects) which is a system used in all commonwealth countries. - the final works certificate - issued to the contractor when the basic structure is complete and sound. - the final completion certificate - issued to the contractor when the finishes, doors, windows etc are done. Basically the contractor has finished the building and has handed it back to the client. - occupation certificate. There is a period of normally two years (depending on the contract) after handover that is termed -latent defects period. This is means that in that period, the contractor is still bound by the contract and if anything goes wrong in the building eg roof leaks, broken finishes etc that happen at no fault of client, then the contractor has to fix it at own cost. They even insure against latent defects during the contractual period. The contractor the gets issued a completion certificate after this period.
In light of the above, if there is supposed to be any renovation to the VP's residence (where no one has lived by the way hahahah) it is supposed to be at the contractors cost.
That said, mujijazie why the need of 100 million shillings. In my opinion, that is money going to someones pocket or to waste.
I have a little story to tell just so you know what impact these monies can have in the lives of common mwananchi. First let's add rutos 100 milli, kibakis 250 milli (what does he need an office for yet there is nothing we know that he is doing to help the taxpayer), add 500 milli for his mweiga residence. Let's not even include the billions on laptops or the billion being spent by the lusaka dude to renovate county offices. Let's give this wanton wastage a figure, say, a billion shillings which roughly translates to ten million dollars. Here is how far that money can go:
A while back, I did a presentation on - african architecture in a contemporary idiom- for some random ANC imbizo. We were trying to establish if indeed there is an african language in our contemporary architecture and how it can be applied in a social aspect as opposed to commercial architecture. Uncle Cyril happened to be there and I was informed to contact him at a future date. A year or two later, after constantly calling, his PA introduced me to some Irish-American named Chuck Feeney. Feeney was a former very rich man who had given all his riches to his foundation and he travelled round the world visiting third world countries funding social projects like schools and hospital etc. I think his foundation is called the Atlantic Foundation Company. Interesting that their offices were located where radison blue (I understand that's where you resided last week kamale)currently sits in sandton before it was built.
This chance meeting changed my view of the social world and the impact a little money can make. A few days later we were in Hanoi, Vietnam. We moved around the country, especially the poor areas checking out the health facilities and schools. We would go into a hospital (Da Nang hospital particular strikes a cord) and check the facilities, which were dire, just like in kenya. He would leave my team working on drawings and programme details of upgrading and renovating the facilities and later just release the funds needed. In one year, with a budget of eleven million dollars, we upgraded 23 schools like the Tupi Hoa school and Thang binh to international standards (I remember those schools coz there was always a communist party human censor walking around the computer rooms. We called him the human firewall)
The Da Nang hospital (the biggest in the country) we upgraded it to include obstetrics, burns department etc. Vietnam had a problem with cataracts, especially with the rural population, we upgraded the rural hospitals in that line and by the time we left, years later, they were treating ten thousand cataract cases a year.
In eight years, feeney had spent roughly 200 million dollars in vietnam I mostly hospitals and schools to world standards and it is still a standard used there to elevate their institutions to world standards. They had four universities of poor facilities and those funds gave them ultra modern libraries, research centres, student villages etc.
That's how far, one billion shillings a year can take us. Imagine that over ten years. Any little sum adds up. 200 million dollars equates to roughly 20 billion shillings, over even five years. Now that's what we can do with those little 100 million here and there.
During that time, at his request, we even visited Ireland several times. Some university dean at Limerick university showed us pictures of the place when it was just an institute in the eighties. It has been, over time, and bit by bit of funds from Feeney, been converted into a world class university with amazing facilities. The dean did a presentation to us showing how the irish universities were elevated over seven years (starting mid eighties) from kenyan style institutions, without even foundations, directors of development and low grade facilities (we know how their economy was moribund in the eighties) to a higher education system subsequently better placed to provide graduates and researchers for the emrging celtic tiger economy of the late nineties.
To end it, it is these small wastages, like a hundred million here (that some of us claim to be small change) and another hundred million there, that add up to greater figures over time. We also suffer, since independence, from a chronic shortage of visionary leadership.
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NOBAMA!
Jul 1, 2013 15:49:36 GMT 3
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Post by omundu on Jul 1, 2013 15:49:36 GMT 3
Omundu Anything Kenya does should be for the benefit of its citizenry and not action to seduce the powers that be to come visiting. Kenyans should never feel that failure to get a visitor of Obama's stature is an indictment of how they are as a country for surely there are many African countries that are doing way better than the three visited by Obama. As B6k says nothing Obama does will accelerate TZ as to overtake Kenya in any respect economically. We constantly forget that Kenya has come from a difficult 10 years and achieving a 5.2% economic growth in the last year is a good thing and can only get better! So have faith in Kenya a lot more than you are giving it now! Kamale You have a few points there but let's to at it from this other angle: Ofcourse we should not do things so that obama or any other leader visits or just to get props from others. I look at this business of contemporary Governance like say courtship in women men relationships or coperations; a lady goes out of her way to dress attractively, maybe put on make up and all those other things she does (including carrying herself like a lady) in order to attract a suitable mate. Companies like coca cola spend so much for cooperate image and advertising so as to attract customers. Countries nowadays have are trending that direction inorder to attract FDI. You need clout out there for growth. And this happens when there is sufficient democratic space and strong institutions that investors feel will protect their interests. Kenya has or had promise but currently I would be lying if I said we are mentioned with respect internationally. My guess is as good as anyones on why. Back to Obama's visit. Contrary to what you state, I have faith in the ability of kenyans to deliver. What I don't have faith in is our politicians and also our ability, as kenyans to realize the bigger picture and consequences in our actions no matter how small like casting a vote. We really have not matured in that angle. During the elections, I have an educated friend who commented that she is so happy a certain leader did not win and she doesn't care if sanctions come, prices of goods increase or our international image rots. Hehehe. Before an American president visits, they plan for months, they plan the goodies they can bring, he arranges to travel with main decision makers from america, including business leaders. The president appoints and has access to even the bretton woods heads. That is clout and opportunity that mature foreign policy formulaters like the South Africans know. That's why, the South African chamber of commerce took the opportunity with relish and also met their American counter parts to establish avenues and opportunities of interaction. Deals were made. They even recommended to Obama that if congress does not extend AGOA, they have another option where free trade can happen between SA and USA. They know AGOA, initially negotiated and proposed by bright minds like Mukhisa Kituyi has been lucrative to many Africans including our horticulture. They are now in a position to negotiate a better and more lucrative deal for South African business men. Where was Chris Kirubi in this ? Busy posting nonsense on twitter. Talk about my former schoolmate who is the company secretary for Denel (a big weapons manufacturer in SA) a nice kenyan lady whose grand father ran away from hearding cows to attend missionary school with my granddad and cardinal otunga back in the day in bungoma. She is privy to the lucrative negotiations on business their company is conducting this week with the people obama brought. Let's also talk about his speeches at university of johannesburg and UCT. He met their rectors and professors and many avenues of co operation with American universities where opened in areas like research etc. These universities will be at the forefront in Africa in getting american aid and co operation in many avenues including the leadership programme where 500 african youth will attend american institutions per year (the same programme that Tom Mboya initiated that enabled Obama to be born and achieve the heights he did) I understand when you say it is within Obama's rights to visit where he wishes according to the interests of his country. But if we think further, it is also within the interests of our kenyans that we have leaders who can see beyond their personal interests and see deeper into matters like I mentioned above that will add much value to us. It is prudent upon us kenyans to engage in the politics that has vision. We may have the right to vote for whomever we want even if it is a dog, but the world deserves, neigh, HAS the right to see that it is a dog and engage with us deservadly. No pun intended. America itself knows it is a global world and they will need even a dark continent like africa. The leaders have vision that spans decades. China and India themselves know that their biggest market is America and they cannot survive without business with that market. If the chinese premier were asked to chose btn kenya and America, he wouldn't even blink. Meanwhile wakenya we are busy screaming ati the east. Is that vision really ? All in all, what I am saying is the oft quoted "choices have consequences" I have belief in kenyans. That's why it really bothers me that we had a headstart decades before south africa to expand out clout regionally and internationally and reap the economic fruits but bad governance and choices stiffled us. That's why it irks me that SA has taken over our deserved mantle in such affairs and we don't seem to mind. If these trend continues for the next decade or two, your guess is as good as mine on where we, as a Nation will be.
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NOBAMA!
Jun 30, 2013 21:19:29 GMT 3
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Post by omundu on Jun 30, 2013 21:19:29 GMT 3
My point basically is: You guys go on with your old wives tales ati raila this ooooohhh eeeehhhhh obama this, seeing everything in your typical myopic glasses. The rest of the world is moving on. Humanity and progress won't wait for you. There are bigger issues to deal with than mere tribal egos. Travel a little sir, or read a newspaper or two. The world is bigger than the trivial games people play in kenya with baseless chest thumping while you can't even have anything to prove of yourselves. You can't even manufacture your own phones. Our neighbours are watching us with glee. They know this is their time to take over kenyas mantle regionally. By the time most of you awake from your slumber, we will have been overtaken by events. You won't know what hit you. You will be telling your kids stories about how kenya was the regional kingpin. Anyone with open eyes can see how kenya has recently become isolated in world and regional standing. And this is just the begining. But I guess many don't care, so long as their own is in power. But I guess if we can't handle even in country issues like MP's and strikes and institutions, how are we able to handle bigger things like Nigeria. May the last one out turn off the lights!!! For the most part what you say is true but having lived & worked in TZ for a number of years the least of my worries is being "overtaken" by our neighbors to the south. It will take a check of a lot more than POTUS visits to enable TZ to leapfrog KE as a regional power. Wasn't Dubyah there before Obama after all? Hasn't the blue-eyed boy M7 lost his lustre? B6k. You do have a point. However, you have to agree that we are surely capable of doing more than we currently are. It remains to be seen but when the dust settles in a few years time... I forget the link but a stable democratic space is surely needed for us to take off economically. An article I read somewhere showed with figures and case studies how a great strides in economic developments in many countries studied, have historically been proportional to great improvements in the country's economic space and strong institutions. FDI flows into Tz have, these past few years, surpassed FDI into kenya by a large margin.
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NOBAMA!
Jun 30, 2013 2:16:58 GMT 3
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Post by omundu on Jun 30, 2013 2:16:58 GMT 3
True Otish Otish.
Many a times I wonder that if I, as an African, have become this cynical about my fellow Africans, imagine how a muzungu sitting pretty in with their advanced (over centuries) democracies think. We scream racism when issues like artcafe happen yet we are tribal bigots to the core, we kill, maim, rape, pillage. Basically we have no iota of respect to ourselves yet demand respect and equal treatment from others. Don't our actions justify racism ? Aren't we actually worse than they are ?
Obama or any mzungu comes through civil society to feed the starving kids you have mentioned then we start the anti obama, anti civil society rants ? Surely ? The fact that we are even discussing such issues or non cooperation with ICC should show how low our mental state is. Even the basic foundation of being or civilisation is non existent. We are worshiping people like uhuruto and museveni and villifying the Obama's. A section of us even starts fighting the entire world including countries, presidents and established world institutions. By the end of it all, who will be left to fight.
For many, Mutungas justice system is more advanced in the legal system than western systems that have taken centuries to establish.
Like I said earlier, the mere fact that we are even trying to convince people of such issues is profoundly ridiculous.
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Post by omundu on Jun 30, 2013 1:26:59 GMT 3
Omwenga. Indeed he may be regrouping and perhaps that's why the international travels, the mutahi ngunyi's clarion calls and the office raids. There is probably a lot under the radar we are not aware of. I however have a few issues with your article I wish to raise: It seems to imply that our politics is still stuck in the muck of personality; I would have appreciated an article detailing how CORD or any of its affiliates are regrouping. I would rather discussions on how CORD is entrenching its ideals or manifesto (if any) and conducting a civic education within set structures in the grassroots. I would have liked to see how they change the discussions from who to what. And not just about devolution or anti corruption but more than that. Let the parties goals and ideals reverberate more than the names. Right now it is just about personalities and seemingly rushing from issue this to issue that eg MP's salaries, where they are all together, to the senate to foreign issues etc. They should take up their place as the opposition in various issues and speak in one voice. Recently we noticed a heated debate here where one of us did not see a problem with CORD not having a shadow cabinet and coming up with their own budget showing the country how otherwise, they can deal with our issues. I mean, that is the practise of opposition worldwide. What I see happening is just Raila (as an entity) rebuilding himself. The cyclic redundancy remains. We still havnt learnt. are they pushing for strengthening our institutions ? Are they offering solutions ? How about our foreign policy debacles ? Your post also mentions that he will be president unless rigged out again. With due respect, that is laughable because it is indicating that no attempt or suggestion or drive is being made to strengthen election related institutions but, as usual, CORD will sit on its laurels again and HOPE,against hope that those institutions deliver next time. Nothing has really changed even within the CORD structure. We still have the Midiwo's running things, we still have the haphazard structure within the party and have parked it only to dust it a few months before the next elections. non of those politicians have even mentioned Hassan asking for a six month extension to the deadline on submitting final elction results. Currently, it seems we are all still excercebating the cult of personality and next year if or when kalonzo leaves cord, he will damn sure know that the kamba vote will go with him and the silly cycle continues. Sometimes I even ask myself- seeing that people even rig so that Raila doesn't become president, wouldn't it have been prudent and a better game plan if Raila would have made an arrangement with musalia or kalonzo so he becomes their running mate and eventually capture the presidency through that angle ? I am sure some will or would have seen the political dexterity in that. Would he have agreed ? Ask yourself, is the current lack of ideals in our political environment benefitting our politicians or the wanjiku ? Wouldn't it be prudent to therefore see that it is our politicians then who would like this environment to remain as is ? Good article but as I have stated (unedited) could do with a bit more depth and you have a good platform writing for the star, to change wananchi's, and the politicians mentality. Lakini that's just me. Others may have a different view.
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Post by omundu on Jun 29, 2013 21:09:59 GMT 3
My point basically is:
You guys go on with your old wives tales ati raila this ooooohhh eeeehhhhh obama this, seeing everything in your typical myopic glasses. The rest of the world is moving on. Humanity and progress won't wait for you. There are bigger issues to deal with than mere tribal egos. Travel a little sir, or read a newspaper or two. The world is bigger than the trivial games people play in kenya with baseless chest thumping while you can't even have anything to prove of yourselves. You can't even manufacture your own phones.
Our neighbours are watching us with glee. They know this is their time to take over kenyas mantle regionally. By the time most of you awake from your slumber, we will have been overtaken by events. You won't know what hit you. You will be telling your kids stories about how kenya was the regional kingpin.
Anyone with open eyes can see how kenya has recently become isolated in world and regional standing. And this is just the begining. But I guess many don't care, so long as their own is in power. But I guess if we can't handle even in country issues like MP's and strikes and institutions, how are we able to handle bigger things like Nigeria.
May the last one out turn off the lights!!!
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NOBAMA!
Jun 29, 2013 20:50:40 GMT 3
via mobile
Post by omundu on Jun 29, 2013 20:50:40 GMT 3
kamalet such pettiness? How comes? The man causes disruption does he? Is that why you all are pissed off that he snubbed kenya with his office clearly stating that he doesn't want to visit with ICC babies. As for the possibility that kenyans would have demonstrated against obama, let me remind that it is actually the law of the land to be able to hold peaceful protests. Anyone who has a problem with that should tell us why. Finally everybody knows that obama is an american citizen. That doesn't erase his acestry; namely that his parternal ancestors and living relatives are to be found in kogelo kenya. You got a problem with that? Even he makes claims to kenya in that he acknowleges that his father was a kenyan. so you see kamalet, you're going to have to keep wondering. Kathure, Obama is Raila's first cousin (as per Raila himself), you therefore do not expect him to come hugging Uhuru at statehouse when Raila is still hurting. It is not just the African way of doing things. Kogalo would disown him immediately. ~~ Mwalimumkuu @nyumbakubwa ~~ Hehehehehe. Nyumba biggy. You are a funny chap. To more serious issues: I watched obamas conference with zuma. His words were that the US will still maintain its traditional relations with kenya but he felt that at this stage, kenya first has to fulfill its international obligations ( your guess is as good as mine) before such high level interactions. It is a view that appears to be shared by most, if not all superpowers/west and east. By the way, whatever happened to uhuru's state trip to russia and china. Jijazie hayo pia. If you guys can't see the trend yet, I don't know what will make you see. Perhaps a visit to the doctor to have the cataracts dealt with. Zuma turned the whole conference into a kenya issue by bringing the AU angle of racism and someone is innocent until proven guilty etc. Obama's answer to that was that infact, the most prominent cases the ICC has dealt with happen to be the balkans with people like milosevic et al. He understood the innocent till proven yada yada but said that we can't use that racism excuse to let people like charles taylor go scot free considering the atrocities he did. He finished it with, if we wanted to be treated like the rest of the advanced world, we should behave or act with world standards, not come with our own standards and try impose it on world bodies. We should actually (as africans) thank the ICC for concentrating on Africa(if we think they are) because it is helping bring justice to the millions killed, homeless, raped etc. We should work towards strengthening our own systems so that we don't have to rely on others. South africa will gain a lot from the visit. The ten minute traffic is nothing compared to the geopolitical and economic gains they will accrue. Next is Tanzania.
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Post by omundu on Jun 19, 2013 0:03:28 GMT 3
tribune.com.ng/news2013/en/news/item/13716-kenyan-private-jet-grounded-at-lagos-airport.htmlUhuru thy son of Kenyatta yawa! I suggest you take the task of running Kenya seriously. Before you became the top dog, we were watching you here. jukwaa.proboards.com/thread/7432?page=2To date you remind me of another man who after suceeding his father had to be called baby. First there was Papa Doc [Duvalier], then came baby doc, the cartoon was not whether Duvalier junior could fit his father's shoes, but whether entering one of them with his whole body, any part of that body would be any visible. Well, he quickly outgrew his father's shoes in one respect, becoming even a greater monster. --- In Haïti they say something went wrong during the voodoo ceremony which should have 'bigged' him up! It ended up fattening his rage and madness, but minisculed his intelligence and sense.Why don't you bother to surround yourself with caliber the type you have sought to defend you at the ICC court? and the caliber you hired from the UK to ran your campaign? This question has been asked before, leading us to delve into the compartmentalisation of the comprador mind. Why its [class] consciousness is so dispersed and disorganised and uncoordinated, and therefore can not articulate a distict and coherent world view. Leading to a comedy of errors as governemnt. Evaluating you as a prezzo to date --granted you are a beginner, an infant as it were and you have hardly settled in, what I see is a the mentality of a kiosk operator or proprietor. The latest antic is this saga with the Nigerians. Only last month, you dispatched tea-man Ruto to Naijaland to ask them to tame that damned Judge of theirs at the ICC. Then as if having no memory, nor sense of how these things work, you indulge your xenophobic rage and order a mass deportation of Nigerians, and with scant regard to neither local law nor international law, nor some big brother sensitivitesResult: a storm in a drug-store! That is when your competence and sense of reality is to be doubted. A small half a second of thinking and you could have asked for sound legal opinion, then political interpretation or appraisal: what goes in Nigeria? How much bribe will they need to take these fellows back!Everybody knows the story of Nigerial immigration officials who tells a fellow Nigerian from Enugu who has lost his passport in a foreign land: there is no such town in Nigeria. Trust me, I have a Phd in Nigerian geography. Then the Nigerian in need puts a wad of large [non Naira] denomination bills on the table. And the Phd remembers Enugu, and even the small village the travellor says he comes from! If you had bothered to consult the wilfy-fox Gichangi, instead of the boisterous Githu Muigai and the canadian Mutunga, you would have known how to deport Nigerians silently. Now all we have had was airport captain at Murtala Mohammed International claiming the Kenyan plane was gun-running to Boko-Haram, and doubling up a narcotics courier too! So they were treating Kenyan immigration and flight officials as common criminals ---smugglers! I am told you know people who know people. So you called yes, who else but Agwambo, (rofl)who on your behalf called his family friend Obasanjo, who on your behalf, and Kenya's behalf, called people who know people, and the plane and ALL cargo and crew are heading back to Nairobi. Today. That lady who is Kenya's secretary for foreign affairs? Ach, apparently she has not been introduced yet! ---and imagine some of those godamn oil-rich Najija muslims do not take calls from women unless they are dates! So, son of Jommo, do you want to escalate your quarrel with the Oga brothers, or is all that ends well, be well? NB: Naijaland financial accountants are coming to Nairobi to investigate the properties of their countrymen confiscated by greedy kenyan officials. We all know the expulsion was a 'property annexation'. ---wE could try detaining them for fun. Jakaswanga I am reminded of a similar incident that happened in down south but on a grander scale when a huge number of nigerians were deported as soon as the touched down at O R Tambo airport. All because of assumed fake yellow fever vaccinations. A nigerian minister retaliated by giving south africans in nigeria the 'idi amin' treatment by giving them a couple of hrs to leave nigeria. Knowledge of geopolitics and the vested interests SA has in Nigeria (including the golden goose MTN), the incident caused quite a stir at the union buildings with the SA Government sending a delegation to Nigeria for appeasement. I guess then perhaps our young Duo should partake in recent history studies, Geopolitics and also what interests kenya may have with or in Nigeria before partaking in roadside edicts like this. Going against procedure may be the norm as a big omena in our aquarium but there is a sea out there.
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Post by omundu on Jun 18, 2013 23:03:11 GMT 3
I have now read the decision. I had expected the request to be thrown out, and I was initially surprised that it wasn't. Having now read the decision, on the whole (but not entirely) I think it is a reasonable one. What Oga Chief-Oh and his new friend have done is, among other things, carefully consider an issue I had not really thought of before: In a criminal trial, one of the issues that sometimes arises when a defendant is on bail is what happens if he does a runner when he realizes that the evidence is too hot. The trial may continue or not. If the trial is suspended then what happens when he is eventually caught, especially after a long period? In the case of Bashir, by the time he is eventually caught, if he is caught, a great deal will have happened with regards to witnesses, their memories, ... and even the OTP's being on top of the case. A more relevant case is that of Ntanganda. At the OTP's request, PTC II has just postponed the Confirmation hearings from Sep 2013 to Feb 2014. The main basis is that the case has been dormant for several years, witness have to be "re-found", the OTP has to review the case, etc. One of the key aspects in the current decision is the indication that the arrangement will allow the trial to continue even if Ruto does a runner. (The decision actually uses those very words.) As much as I hate the idea of Ruto living the good life as VP while IDPs still rot in camps, after 5+ years since the PEV, I am for getting on with the trial as quickly as possible. To my mind, the decision is a two-edged sword; so I think the best thing would be for the prosecutor to not appeal and instead let things proceed quickly. Otishotish. From the hullabaloo around, I was expecting to see headlines screaming "ruto case deffered to kenya" or "ruto acquited" but kumbe the icc cases will still go on and he was only allowed not avail himself on non critical hearings like the one he went to last time ? And still, the courts will determine which cases he can attend or not attend. Basically, they will still dictate matters and not the pan africanist AU. So can anyone explain to me what is to be celebrated here ?
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Post by omundu on Jun 17, 2013 17:31:10 GMT 3
Omundu are you the one who shakes silliness from myopic minds like you shake a 'chifutu' tree for the juicy ripe berries in Bumula? The one who sits occasionally to enjoy pure, but not strong busaa?
Man you completely messed me up with those lines... am still amused even as I write...
So Gregory Rasputin posed as a "holy man" and destroyed the political image and reputation of Emperor Tsar Nicholas II and his family. A master of political manipulations, acting behind-the-scenes and inside the Palaces of the Russian Tsars.
And like you said "he found a trusting ear of Imperial Russian leader and his wife Aleksandra and they were "smitten" by his 'word' believing he is godsend to protect the dynasty.
That was just brilliant inference.
Suppose your rich uncle were to leave you a million dollars,[well I am assuming you don’t have a million dollars yet] what would be your first action after you recover from shock and fainting? I would imagine, you would probably consult with a financial advisor. That counselor might be an investment banker; a stockbroker, an insurance agent and some other person who could help you invest your money wisely.
It would NOT make good sense to go to someone who had not handled his money carefully.
If I were presented with such an opportunity, I would be reluctant to consult with someone who had declared bankruptcy a half dozen times.
Why?
Because Financial advisors play a significant role in helping individuals and corporations to take care of their money.
So life is like that…
We read that “plans go wrong for lack of advice AND ... many advisers bring success” [Prbs 15:22] and again “Where no counsel (or guidance) is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Prbs 11:14).
My first advisors were my parents. They taught me to do right and then saw to it that I did. My parents were not like modern day parents, both my dad and and late mom could use belts very efficiently and effectively.
In biblical Israel four men ruled as king i.e. Saul, David, Solomon and Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. Rehoboam’s reign lasted for a very short time due to his foolish behavior which resulted in the division of once a united kingdom ruled by his grandfather and father.
After the death of his father Solomon, the nation of Israel gathered in a certain location to make Rehoboam king... everyone was behind him, in one accord.
“Your father made our yoke grievous they told him, now kindly make the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve you “they told him.
Now Solomon had burdened Israel with oppressive taxation and the people’s plea to the new king was without a doubt reasonable.
So Rehoboam asked the people to give him three days to consult widely and he would give them an answer after three days.
So he went and consulted with the elders who used to advise Solomon his father.
How do you advise that I may answer this people? He asked… And the elders answered him, saying, If you want to be a great leader, serve the people with your whole heart, and speak to them respectfully and in turn they will serve you.
Omundu, you do not need that wisdom of former speaker Kenneth Marende to recognise that these elders of Israel were wise. They gave the kind of advice the king needed in such times.
Isn't it significant that the men on whom the nation of Israel depended for leadership were called “elders?” You would probably agree that Men are NOT WISE just because they are older.
I have known men and women in my time who have made juvenile blunders as they grew older, but generally older men ought to have more wisdom because of what they have seen and learned. [Palipo na wazee hapaaribiki neno/Jambo]
You mentioned that Rasputin had the kings ear… [men like Miguna Miguna come to mind].. at one time they enjoyed this kind of proximity, a rare privilege indeed!
So Rehoboam apparently was not pleased with the recommendations of the “elders” so regretfully “He forsook their counsel and consulted with the young men.
The Mutahi Ngunyis of that era, his age mates, the dot com generation of that time, guys he had grown up with.
Don't forget that the king was not a boy as such when he consulted his contemporaries; nor were they boys. Rehoboam was forty-nine years old when he became king. That means the men who had grown up with him were in their late forties or early fifties.
But they did not have the wisdom and foresight to guide the king in his duties. It is my conviction that Kenya is making a huge mistake and an enormous blunder by choosing men and women who are too young for the responsibilities of some specific offices. Please don’t misunderstand me… I am for youth and all that… even in the USA that balance of youth and eldership is so evident….
Let me conclude with the advice the foolish young men gave to a foolish king.
What advise do you give me that I may answer the people, who have asked me to make the grievous service of my father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon them lighter? he asked!
So the young men answered
"Tell these people that “your little finger is thicker than your father's waist. Tell them that if your father laid a heavy yoke on them you will make it even heavier. Tell them that if your father scourged them with whips you will use scorpions.
In other words deal with them “unapologetically and decisively”
And that is the advise that he took and that is what he did on the third day when he answered the people… he was high handed and rough, and completely abandoned the elders advise...
and as a consequence ten of the twelve tribes that make up Israel rebelled against him… Those evil counselors brought great harm to that nation.
Our nation will likewise suffer because of the leaders’ listening to the wrong people but once again, just like you put it… Omundu....
“a brief sojourn through the annals of history comforts some of us as to the fates awaiting charlatans like Mutahi (the conjurer of malevolence) his liege and erstwhile fans”
Indeed foresight. And as you stated in your biblical analogy, the yoke has just gotten heavier with the 16 percent VAT on basic goods. The financial yoke that will be borne by the ordinary mwananchi while the bourgeoisies enjoy the luxury of a zero capital gains tax. And I assume it will get heavier. All these while they continue scheming on more ways to deal with a raila or any other progressive. This route always has an ending. When it comes to human behavior and emotions, lauryn hill quiped "... Remember there is nothing new under the sun, everything you scheme has already been done, man has been this way since creation..." What is ironic is that sections of the proletariat and their lumpen counterparts will continue singing the "pan-africanist" tune like a negro spiritual.
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Post by omundu on Jun 12, 2013 18:04:46 GMT 3
this is very true. while patriotism101 is fully entitled to be pessimistic and skeptical about what is happening on the ground, the explanations given on FDI vis a vis public funds; the need for SDPs that are global (national in our case) and local (Counties in our case) and related activities both by the citizens and the public service will guarantee Kenya a better way forward than the past when powers to dish out the national cake were fully concentrated in Nairobi and by extension the ruling oligarchy. times ahead will be exciting as the progressive governors step forward, the political ones do their gig too www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-123940/senate-fury-over-budgetwww.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000085762&story_title=senators-take-on-uhuru-for-endorsing-cuts-to-county-billionsalthough for the above story of Senators crying foul, my lawyer tells me to accept and move on. The provision in the Constitution that allowed the Senate to veto the National Assembly with respect to the division of revenue was deleted at Naivasha...it was contained in the earlier versions of the draft Constitution. As we speak the Senate is toothless. The National Assembly can overrule the Senate in virtually all important matters of law making. The clause on veto powers is news to me. Funny that the senate with all the legal minds in it still find it a worthwhile pursuit in court. Does the deleted clause only apply to the division of revenue or to any other matter in totality ? That would be quite a blow I say.
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Post by omundu on Jun 12, 2013 17:14:06 GMT 3
Pray tell us Ngunyi ! What demons awaken your nestle in the cold comfort of the tyranny of numbers ?
One can't help but wonder whether this tweet is one of those NSIS "testing the waters" part of a plan or if Ngunyi is just a man seeking coin for word to an ear.
If I were Ngunyi, I would worry not, about this not soo VVIP the cal Raila. He is nothing, isn't he ? Ooooh, poor Agwambo, what can a man do against such reckless hate towards a non-entity they claim you are.
Nevertheless, a brief sojourn through the annals of history comforts some of us as to the fates awaiting charlatans like Mutahi (the conjurer of malevolence) his liege and erstwhile fans.
I am reminded of one Gregory Rasputin (uncanny facial resemblance with Mutahi if you ask me) the pilgrim peasant who, through his 'mythical' travails, found a trusting ear in Tsar Nicholas II of Imperial Russia and his wife Aleksandra. They became deeply enamored by his 'word' believing he is godsend to protect the dynasty.
Legends abound, but one such, had it that he predicted his own death, telling the Tsar that if he met his demise at the hands of a noble, the Russia will know no peace for the following 25 years.
Well, the Tsar's relative, Vladimir, eventually pumped three bullets into Rasputins tall and lanky frame and dumped the body in a nearby icy river.
Two months a couple of days later, the Russian Revolution came knocking.
Though Rasputin was self aware of his 'emminence' and as DMX says "swore he'd never run, nigga died, gun still up in it's holster..."
Another historical snippet would be Heinrich Himmler of the "final solution" fame. Funny that the Nazis had a similar known use of euphemistic languages to secretly disguise the true nature of their intended crimes. We all know what happened to him.
So. Mr Ngunyi, as you wallow in the shadows with comfort you wield pen, and not sword, remember that those who don't wield the sword can still die upon them.
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Post by omundu on Jun 12, 2013 15:28:48 GMT 3
Omundu/strong, Gentlemen - thanks for your contributions. I just think the Governors have their priorities upside down- ideally their role should be to enable business and not dole out chunks of public land to "foreign" investors who if you scratch the surface will turn out to be cronies and associates of the Governors. Migori, Kisumu and Siaya governors are staying at the Royal City Garden because they don't have official residences yet- this should be an indicator of the shenanigans in the new County government dispensation. It is not only foolish but a fraud on the people of these counties if at all the bills are being paid by the county government. One of the requirements to run for Governor of a county is that you must be a resident of the county. The only way to prove residency is owning a house/ renting one- so how can someone all over sudden claim that he has to stay in a hotel since he has no official residence? The Governors should be surcharged. I will not hold my breath though. If you asked me, what needs to be done is not rocket science. People need services and Governors don't have to resort to courting foreign investors to provide the services unless they want to steal from the county coffers. Let us take the example of Kisumu. I have flown from Kisumu airport several times and the toilets did not have water. Residents of posh Estates like Milimani have to wake up in the night to fill up their cooking fat containers with water. Yet the town is surrounded by water - why do we need to surrender anything to a foreign investor to harness the water? Trash is all over the town. Do we need a conference on how to deal with the trash? Large trash removal commercial vehicles imported from some western capital with 10% slapped on its invoice price as tooth pick perhaps? Street lights and security. Unlike other towns at night, Kisumu is pitch dark. Motor cycle taxis cannot venture outside the town for fear of being robbed of their taxis. How will foreign investors help us change street bulbs? Hawkers, kioks, matatu, traffic congestion, licensing, city planning, informal settlements and I can go on and on. The place I used to get fresh grilled fish whenever I was in town right at the lake is an eye sore. The place is clogged with water hyacinth and is a disaster happening. These problems are replicated in each and every county so when these Governors talk investors I cant help but smh. Senti 5 Indeed patriotism. It is the silly acts like the ones you mention by Governors that show that many we have elected (including even the voters) have no clue how much work needs to be done to alleviate the rot that has festered in our counties for eons, thanks to bad politics. Some Governors appear unaware of the intricacies in running a County and that's why they are running around like headless chicken. A large part of our citizens appear unaware of what to expect from their Governors and the constitutional mechanisms set up to ensure goals are met. I sometimes think we, as citizens, need a massive mental shift from the old order, to realize that a chunk of our battles have moved from the National sphere to our backyards. We need to keep an eye on our counties. Some of the problems you mention show how the system has been allowed to rot but the issues are not insurmountable because most of the infrastructure (some from the colonial era) remains eg water purification and delivery systems, road networks, schools, municipalities etc. They just need a new lease of life. A little tweak here and there, an upgrade perhaps. It is also prudent to keep at the back of our minds that due to current budget deficits (relevant thread can be checked) and the shenanigans of our mpigs and executive, there is a chance we may not witness magic on the ground soon. Also, over time, some of these services may have to be privatized for efficiency eg electricity services, water etc. Many will have to be tendered perhaps yearly, by the county Governments eg, waste collection, cleaning services etc. All in all, us County residents have to realize we have a lot to do. We should realize the tons of opportunities devolution offers us. There are many innovative ventures we can start that have been done elsewhere to solve our County service delivery issues. The Local Government just has to provide an enabling environment by providing structure and order. I always said that if only wananchi really knew the potential devolved Government has in store for them to determine their own future, we would fight more for its full implementation. We wouldn't even need to live in Nairobi for jobs. We wouldn't even need groups like MRC or western si kenya.
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Post by omundu on Jun 11, 2013 18:35:23 GMT 3
In my haste above. I failed to mention an important system in vogue worldwide (apart from kenya it seems) when it comes to developments:
SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS (SDP)
These are development documents used by the public sector to influence the distribution of people and activities in spaces of various scales.
In a nutshell, various national ministries, headed by the ministry of planning, compile the overall strategy of Government, focusing on cultural and economic policies, into a Geographic/Spatial document that showcases current and future development zones in layers such as; land use, urban and rural zones, environment, community planning etc. It ensures order in any developments, whether via FDI or Public funds and tries to squeeze as much as it can from such, for public benefit.
The SDP can emanate from the National Government level (not seen any in kenya) or from Local/devolved Government who may also formulate their own in-depth document in line with National development policy. It eventually becomes an integrated development web from local to National level to ensure uniform development policies.
A case study would be the structure of the South African Government. The central Government has policy papers and national SDP's. However, a regional Government, say Mpumalanga Province, has a detailed, province specific SDP. For reference, whoever wants (including potential investors as far as iceland)can access it via the local government portal on the net. It maps the entire region into development zones, eg tourism zones like the kruger with potential development nodes like; good for future hotels, parks, etc.
It has a transport corridor that links maputo, swaziland etc with its attendant potential industrial parks, weighbridges, petrol stations etc. They have mining zones, farming, commercial etc.
These zones come with all relevant data specific to the function eg you can't develop commercial property in an area zoned for mining because of amongst others, attendant risks like undermining. Because of Government policy on water and food scarcity/agriculture, it is normally very hard to rezone areas marked for agriculture to commercial. It is equally hard to say, establish a golf course development adjacent to riparian areas because the guzzle a lot of water.
The SDP formulation is a lengthy, painstaking process that involves a number of professions inputing data like regional specific GDP's, ROI's, population categories, income groups etc. It is updated annually and is normally accessed freely by anyone with interest.
As a start, our Counties would need to be staffed with professionals like, town and regional planners, surveyors, geologists, economists, demographers, architects, urban designers, Civil/structural/electrical Engineers etc, to map out and serialise necessary data to be fed, after analysis, into computer generated maps (in layers) using GIS experts.
The above team will need to focus on areas like, but not limited to :
Urban and rural development, urban renewal projects, budgeting-cost control- risk management planning, economic impact analysis, financial modelling, community based projects, labor based construction, bulk water supplies, bulk/outfall sewers designs and analysis, rural sanitation programmes, rural water supply programmes, water purification and treatments, community empowerment, labour facilitation and training, regional transport patterns, electrification programmes etc etc. It is endless.
I have tried in vain to search for a country specific or county specific SDP focusing on kenya. If any, apart from some not detailed, vision 2030 or Nairobi metropolitan plan (or something like that)I doubt we have any (correct me if I am wrong)
If any, they have received scant treatment, at least in necessary planning literature. - there are very few public initiatives related to such SDP's.
- what context were they developed in ?
- what institutions have been created, nationally or county-wise, in support of such plans.
- are there any levels of implementation and levels of success to talk about ?
Those are key question we need to ask ourselves and our leaders at National and County levels. And don't tell me about Konza city or the Lappset project without delving into the finer details on overall picture/plan, economic, culturally, socially, where do they fit in at National and County level ? How will they link with vision 2030 and what other developments will they promote tied to and overall goal ? Coz so far to me, they seem like someone woke up one morning and dreamed of something and voila. Caveat : I am not intimating that they are worthless ventures, but what is the overall plan ? How do they all tie in ?
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Post by omundu on Jun 10, 2013 18:13:26 GMT 3
Indeed wa mayi.
I would venture perhaps we start by acknowledging a difference between Foreign Direct Investments (FDI. Money) and public funds.
FDI projects operate under different rules, though acceptable as a standard worldwide. The current trend is tripple P's (private public partnerships). I am not privy to what form of developments these are but if they are PPP's then we have to keep our eyes open as citizens to ensure we get the better part of the deal. Obviously FDI's have other interests to the locals that we can't overlook like, leaseholds on public/community lands, tax incentives, job creation (both permanent and temporary like during the construction phase) future tax base for local governments and other issues of common public interests like environmental impacts. Well... Not forgetting bragging rights.
When we talk about National revenues, it is a different story together, especially under the devolved Government in our new constitution. You have mentioned an oversight committee. Let's attempt to see how some of the bodies under our constitution work to establish if we indeed require an extra oversight body for both public money and how the citizen is protected (if he/she is at all) under these checks and balances.
- we have the Commission on Revenue Allocation which determines how national and County Governments distribute their revenue. Their goal is/was to ensure County Governments receive a base level of 15 percent of National revenue. That is the first level of checks.
- we also have the controller of budgets as an 'independent body' that oversees the implementation of the budgets of the National and County Governments by authorizing withdrawals from public funds. Every four months (if I am not mistaken) he/she has to submit to both houses of parliament, a report on the implementation of the budgets of the national and county Governments. Some County Governments have tabled their budgets and implementation is expected to start in July me thinks. Wananchi are free to scrutinize these budgets for any anomalies that may arise and raise it with their local Governments.
- Speaking of budgets,we also have the Budget Oversight Committee. One of the key principles used to set it up under Chapter twelve of the constitution is Public participation in discussing and formulating both regional and National budgets. This committee also serves to ensure local and national Governments achieve their budgetary goals to the tee. Kama iko kitu, they are sure to find it. Or should I say, they are meant to unearth it and the relevant senator pressed for answers in house proceedings.
- we also have the KRA, regional tax collecting bodies to be set up over time, National treasury amongst other mechanisms I may have missed. Heck, we even have the National Land Commission to ensure no underhand moves when it comes to land. Though I am not sure whether land in the counties is under a National oversight body or regional.
All in all the Counties share of National Revenue is meant to achieve the goals of bringing services and jobs closer to the people in close collaboration/partnership with the National Government. Some areas will not have direct National Government involvement but will have to be done under strict guidelines set up at National level eg energy, water, sanitation, health services, education to a certain level etc.
It is a complicated process that requires experienced and sober minds. It won't be easy but once the structure Regionally is fully operational, the next step for the devolved Governments will be to generate their own revenues, grandiose projects etc.
My centi tano.
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Post by omundu on Jun 10, 2013 11:27:37 GMT 3
I meant to start this thread when Alfi Mutua signed his MOU with investors. I now feel the urgent obligation to do this because of red flags screaming on these deals especially the Homa Bay deal and other deals being executed by governors all over the place. First, I am fuzzy as to what laws and procedures are applicable on such deals. Like it or hate it, the Governors commit tax payers shillings in these deals so I would expect that there is some laid down transparent procedures such MOU's are signed. Homa Bay is going to set aside 400 acres of land and hand it over to Good Earth Power-an Omani registered company. Why does this deal stink so much? How can such a deal be hatched and executed so fast after the Governor is installed in office, where is the over sight and at least some feasibility studies? Is this another plot to lease agricultural land to a Gulf state? Either these Governors are making big blunders to appear to be development conscious or serious fraud and corruption is being committed on the people of Homa bay. Corruption mashinani - the case of the elite taking advantage of the ignorance of the rural poor. Senti 5 Sema patriotism. In my experience with such projects, I have come to learn how to separate the politicians in it from the professionals. The ones who actually do the dirty work. Though it is vital for the investors or originators of such projects to get political blessings, it is important to note that the politicians announce such 'deals' for political points. They do not (many times) have a clue of due process. Normally the professional team comes up with a proposal. In many cases, perhaps these, the proposal may have even been conjured before the Governors were elected. The proposal is then presented to various potential investors. Some may give an indication of a liking to it but with conditions including a blessing from national or local politicians. The originators then seek audience with the politicians who are requested to draft an agreement with the investors. That agreement is a powerful document that can open many a doors of bank managers with a cup of coffee waiting for you at his desk served with the salivating smile of a bank manager. The agreement may include incentives to the investors eg, free land, tax incentives etc. Incentives that may help in balancing the books of the investors during the feasibility phase. The above phase is where I think the ukambani and homabay projects may be at now. But wait, still a long way to go. We are not halfway there yet. Remember, the investors want to be thoroughly convinced their money won't be wasted and their returns will be better than say, taking their money and dumping it in tanzanias oil fields. This is when a proper feasibility study commences. Where will the occupants come from ? Who will buy the homes ? Services eg electricity, water, civil works. Is that place within the national grid ? Local banks ? Can the governor ensure the leasehold will hold or should the national government be involved ? Is it community land and if it is, what percentage of the developement will they hold ? What other incentives will the local or national government ensure e.g in many other countries, the local government ensures they will foot the bill of bringing services eg the grid and road networks to the door of the development. The ukambani one may not pass the feasibility stage because we have konza city underway next door which makes this not really feasible (in my opinion) . The feasibility phase is the most tedious and the originators are even pushed to start advertising and signing in potential end user clients before the project is signed of or money starts flowing from the investors. And all these before detailed architectural and engineer drawings even start where other feasibilities will have to be established like the environmental impact assessments etc which will heavily involve the local communities who will raise their concerns and also add their collective nods to the developments. So, patriotism, there is still a long way to go before we know whether the developments will come to fruition. I personally think the energy and money is better invested in more important things like proper service delivery to the locals eg health, waste, clean water, electricity etc. The other 'big developments' organically come after that. But that's me.
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