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Post by subsaharanite on Nov 6, 2011 22:26:56 GMT 3
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Post by subsaharanite on Nov 6, 2011 19:18:54 GMT 3
Joblesscorner,
True, I admire his oratorical prowess. He cannot trivialize what has been the cornerstone of our economy. I am sure his school fees was paid by farming.
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Post by subsaharanite on Nov 6, 2011 19:14:46 GMT 3
Exactly to the point roughrider.
Let Ruto separate his political woes from real developmental agendas.
Economies develop from labor intensive industries. Ruto imagines a state where all of us seat in an office. People in rift valley are rich because of their agricultural endeavors and not time spent on the computer perusing through Facebook. These farmers toil from dawn to dusk. At the end of day, they earn a good living.
If Ruto really wants to be the next president, its time he started spitting sensible statements when he comes to our economy and everyday life of Kenyans. He might have good advisers politicking, he needs to hire a few professionals on economics as well. This strategy of opposing anything that the PM is associated with will not help him.
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Post by subsaharanite on Nov 5, 2011 17:26:20 GMT 3
There is no doubt in my mind that a sizable populace take Ruto’s oratorial rhetorics as some political or leadership prowess. Some even believe that he can not only make good speak, he is poised to be a good leader too. I want to question his rationale on the stand he has taken on the issue of the failed KKV.
His recent epithets on the KKV issue betrays his inept nature when it comes to world labor issues for stating that in this century, young people should not be engaged in manual labor. This could most certainly be another rhyme that leaders who or pretend to share his vision will sing in the next few days.
Ruto then went ahead and heralded all fields and vocabulary he could muster that are associated with computers including Facebook, Internet, Twitter, Computer, etc. Perhaps in his narrow mind, the youth should be engaged in some sort of IT related field rather than manual labor in general. This of course makes sense to lots of people especially those not so happy with the premier since it portrays the latter as an agrarian and old minded. The question is, who should clear our stalled sewer lines and bushes? I understand Ruto now has and advanced degree, has he developed some new approach to clearing these menaces. If so, can he share it with the rest of the world for the sake of humanity. Here in the developed world, this work is still done manually using essentially the same tools. I still see men in with Slashes and Pangas clearing bushes by the roadside. I still see the drainage guy disappearing down the manhole.
Although designed to provide employment to idle youths, it had a more deeper and noble course of equipping these young people with skills that could make them self sustainable. Perhaps if they could do this work for money, they could not shun doing Jua Kali work. Does Ruto Know that this so-called manual labor actually supports almost 70% of the world? Does the honorable know that many Jua Kali people earn more than an average Kenyan?
Take for example the US, over 60 % of its working population are directly engaged in manual labor that includes, farming, peripheral healthcare, building & construction and Jua-kali like jobs. In fact, farmers in the US spend more time working in the fields than an average computer geek. Farming is one of the most rewarding careers in US. You may argue that it is mechanized but the job is actually the same. Take for example some cowboy out in the midwest, taking care of 10000 cows. These guys know no sleep. They work like slaves running from one corner of the farm to another. At the end of the day, their manual work is more than that performed by average Kenyan manual laborer.
Even people who own no land and just grow their organic foods inside their greenhouses make more money than lets say office girls or computer scientists. Our idle youth could actually find in profitable to venture into these fields rather than using Facebook. Fabricators, who actually perform the same work as Jua Kali artisans make more money than people with advanced degrees. People working in the construction industry as carpenters perform back-breaking work but earn a lot . People survive on even mere cleaning. Ruto should be thinking of how KKV can be tailored in such a way that these manual laborers get paid well rather than losing it all together.
China the world’s factory is largely dependent of repetitive manual labor. The backbone of the Tiger economies is still largely manual labor. These guys still work on their farms and on their cottage industries that produce products for export. The important point is that, whatever they earn from these 'dirty jobs' supports them. Ruto probably owns some flower farm and he is probably making good money out of that. If he only pays his workers some good pay, any idle youth would want that position.
It is clear that in Ruto’s mind, young people should be engaged in white-collar jobs, which most of us aspired when were growing up anyway. Thus, I have no doubt in my mind that while Ruto was studying, he wanted to take up some desk job somewhere and enjoy the fruits of his labor while seated. Ruto forgets one important thing in life, it's not what one does, it's what he gets out of doing it. If Kazi kwa vijana was paying the participants enough money to enable stay off the other side of the law, then it should be encouraged.
The world cannot survive without Pangas and Jembes. We certainly need these people. We cannot all be computer geeks although we do need to learn how to use information available in the net to improve our lives. It is actually absurd that a man who once worked as the agricultural minister is trivializing manual labor.
Ruto May have some bones to crush with the premier, but lets be pragmatic on this labor issue. The world needs more manual laborers than computer geeks.
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Post by subsaharanite on Nov 3, 2011 8:42:23 GMT 3
Njamba,
You are one cunning man, always finding reasons in support of the project! You win, Nyeri and Embu need these airports.
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Post by subsaharanite on Nov 3, 2011 8:20:19 GMT 3
Time out gentlemen.
This has gone far. Can we discuss the topic at hand and leave these sideshows where they belong? This viral thread is becoming contagious. Lets discuss Kenya's invasion and not the fight between ourselves.
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Post by subsaharanite on Nov 2, 2011 16:32:59 GMT 3
Actually, the message will reach them. There are over 4 million in the diaspora and many of them have relatives still holed up back there. They will call them and pass the message.
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Post by subsaharanite on Nov 2, 2011 16:29:40 GMT 3
Rough rider,
Its time you used more roughriders!
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Post by subsaharanite on Nov 2, 2011 16:11:38 GMT 3
Double O,
Have you posted that article you posted on all Africa on the same topic? Have we had discussions on the war and elections yet? Update me a little bit.
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Post by subsaharanite on Nov 1, 2011 21:32:59 GMT 3
Enough ladies and gentlemen
Has Kalonzo declared his stand on this war?
We will never agree on this matter. Lets just agree to disagree instead. I think its time we applied the 'Kalonjo' principles whereby we exhibit watermelon like characteristics such that if we fail, we will be on not on a very bad side. If we win, I will also not be on a very bad side.
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Post by subsaharanite on Nov 1, 2011 20:54:51 GMT 3
Afrigun,
By the way, Air transport between any parts within Kenyan is considered a short distance as in most cases it takes less than one hour. So from Naromoru to Busia is still a stone throw away by air.
Air cargo is charged by both weight and volume. At most, it will probably take 20,000 Kenyan shillings to transport 10 tonnes (a truck full) of cabbage from Naromoru to Busia. Give me a conservative size of a plane that can carry that amount of cabbage at ago, consider its bulk (volume) and give me an estimate of the total cost.
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Post by subsaharanite on Nov 1, 2011 0:40:01 GMT 3
Njamba,
Air transport is not an efficient means of transport over short distances especially for bulky consumer goods that cost almost nothing.. Rail and road are. If we were to transport our cabbage from Nyeri to lets say Mombasa or Nbi, do you think anybody will afford it?
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Post by subsaharanite on Nov 1, 2011 0:36:10 GMT 3
Kamalet,
Anybody with a computer and knows how to use google should get those reports. Suit yourself. I'm not into educating people. Better still present data that says otherwise.
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Post by subsaharanite on Oct 30, 2011 14:53:32 GMT 3
Those who keep on peddling lies that central province is the number one resource contributor to our economy should read reports on who is really keeping Kenya afloat. Nairobi accounts for 65 percent of the total GDP, The coast is next followed by the rift valley, central lies fourth. You can also look at it from a different point of view.
In terms of industries, tourism accounts for 63% of our GDP. Central province is not known for its tourist attraction features, its known for its food production. Thats why Nairobi Mombasa and the Rift Valley that have major scenic features, a key ingredient for a vibrant tourism industry are ahead of central.
There are several reports from worldbank, UNEP, UN and FAO that you can find online as an attestation. Agriculture which central prides itself on accounts for a mere 21% of our GDP although it supports over 75% of our population and has remained the same for several decades. So many of these 'rich' central inhabitants are busy toiling their shambas as we speak.
Industries account for about 15% of our GDP and most of them, particularly those in central are agricultural based, whose performance is in tandem with agricultural production. If they have no raw materials, they go down. We are already seeing a stiff competition in the coffee industries wherein millers are stealing coffee from each other within central. There just isn't enough coffee to sell since it has been uprooted to give way for houses. Some of these millers will have to fold up and go.
However, central happens to have the lowest percentage of its population below the poverty line ~ 30 percent. This has remained so for over three decades and has been very stable. The twist however is that whereas other regions had over 80% of their population in abject poverty at the dawn of our independence, the rate at which this has reduced is far much higher than in central, an implication that they will finally catch up and possibly surpass central in few decades to come.
On another note, air transport is not necessarily the fastest way to move around especially for short distances. I would prefer to drive from Nairobi to Nyeri or Embu rather than spend 2 hours on the road from the city center to the airport, another 1.5 hours at the airport, only to fly for 45 minutes before I reach my destination and spend another 30 minutes to go through stupid customs before I am allowed to take an expensive tax for another 30 minutes in order to get to Nyeri town. Helicopters too do not need an airport. They can sleep or dock anywhere, lets not confuse. people.
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Post by subsaharanite on Oct 29, 2011 18:15:25 GMT 3
At first glance, I certainly see a big error therein. Although the site tries to herald the major events that occurred throughout UK's life, its conspicuously missing major ones too.
He is saying that he has always associated with the major political players amongst his community, His dad, Matiba, another political heavyweight and the great warrior, the only Kenyan president to have crossed borders with his great army, the only and only one general Kaguo (may God be his shield in these times of war).
He has not named any other personality outside his community, a very cunning man indeed. He is telling us that he has always worked within the constraints of his community - where is his statesmanship?
It misses out on another important personality - M01. I might have not been endowed with political maturity back then, but I remember, M01 bequeathing his KANU throne to UK. At least he should have mentioned M01 somewhere even if its in a different event. M01 was a much more important player in UK's political tutelage than lets say Matiba unless there were other dealings that I'm not privy of.
Consequently, the message I can decipher from UK's site is that he his telling fellow community members that he has always been with them even at difficult times. He is also telling them that he is an ordinary man, just like them, struggling to get a company up and working, etc just like them. Maybe he is preparing them for a major request -Support me in the next election.
I see a more important message though. He his signaling to KANU that it is and has been irrelevant in his political life. KANU which for a long time enjoyed a national outlook is synonymous to the Rift valley. I do not know how the rift valley will interpret this. Maybe he has got wind that M01 may not support him this time. For that I will wait.
Lastly, UK may be passing out a totally different message. That this site is not about politics. Its about his life or rather, how he wants us to view him so lets not misinterpret it. But then again, he mentions the referendum days, his days at the helm of the finance ministry, his nomination to parliament, his support to Kibaki, e. t. c.
Maybe these site is just full of nothing or everything. Maybe he just wanted to be found by search engines. As such. he best knows what it represents. Whatever!
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Post by subsaharanite on Oct 28, 2011 23:47:39 GMT 3
Lets assume Nyeri and Embu need these airports. Assume that they get upgraded to accommodate bigger planes.
Lets then ask ourselves the following questions; Is it economically viable to operate a commercial flight between lets say Embu or Nyeri to Nbi or Kisumu or Eldoret?
If there is, what would be the major reasons why these passengers would want to fly in these routes?
Can you compare these airports to lets say Kakamega or Lodwar that are scheduled to be upgraded in the near future?
Lets project these questions to 2030. Assume then that Kakamega and Lodwar airports shall have been upgraded.
Its no doubt that resource allocation is totally skewed and has become arguably augmented in the current regime. Its absurd that the Airport authority has to make these decisions, a body whose top leadership are specifically selected to serve certain interests. Perhaps Parliament should vote on this.
We have seen the Thika highway built, even though everyone feels other important highways would have received the funding. I don't know if many of you remember during the last budget when UK allocated some funds to Kenya railways for upgrade of the line. Then he instructively allocated some more specifically for upgrading of the Nbi- Thika Railway line. Its as if this particular route is not within the Kenya railway line system. There are other developments going on that are totally geared towards central province.
People within central province maybe happy that they are finally benefiting from resource allocation. As such, central province especially areas close to Nbi are rapidly urbanizing. What they are forgetting is that this is robbing them of their land and slowly turning them into squatters within these urban landscapes. The government does not realize that its encouraging change in land use within central province.
All the coffee farms are turning into ugly concrete jungles, with narrow streets owned by people not necessarily native to those areas, noise pollution, Mungiki menace etc. The next generation of central people may not even have small land to inherit from their parents. Its a worrisome trend that the Kibaki government does not seem to notice.
As they build superhighways and super citadels in their fore- fathers fertile land, they are forgetting their future generations. Watajipanga, maybe that is what they hope.
In the next few years, parts of Central province will be swallowed by Nbi, or vice versa where ethnic lines will be minimized. It would be difficult for the kikuyu to claim their land. Although, some may argue that rapid development within central or towards central province is benefiting its residents, in the long term its turning a Nairobi food basket into a concrete jungle.
Besides the rift valley where we get most of our carbohydrates, central is Nairobi's vegetable garden. We will need to carry our Jembes and walk a little further in order to get some sukuma wiki. Industries that depend on agricultural produce from central like UK's Brookside will have to relocate to some other regions.
These investments that we are preferentially allocated to central province would come to haunt us at a later date. If you look at major western countries, Urban regions have been carefully selected to avoid regions that are economically favorable for agricultural production. These regions are preserved over many generations and at times, farmers are paid to let them just sit idle for environmental reasons.
I fault the Kibaki government for not fostering the expansion of Nairobi towards drier areas like neighboring Ukambani and Maasai where land is in plenty and often idle. Some may argue these areas are far from the city but with roads similar to Thika highway, people would take less than 20 minutes to arrive at the city. The kibaki government has also failed to relocate or divert major investments into other towns. As such, any new player wishing to invest in Kenya wants to have their manufacturing done in Nairobi, increasing the population pressure and the ills and challenges that come with it. The Thika Highway and developing a more reliable railways Thika-Nbi railway, is beckoning future home owners to make Central Province their home. Hence initiatives like Tatu. Even other investors would look towards that direction.
Kibaki, an economist surely knows what is needed for Kenya, but has chosen to be engulfed into his ethnic fabric. He may have done this as a last resort given that its only central that stood by him four years ago. Nyeri and Embu may get their economic inoculation injections in form of airports, we do not know whether the prick would develop into wound that would spread throughout their lands.
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Post by subsaharanite on Oct 27, 2011 17:40:43 GMT 3
Watch this video on standard about some explosives discovered by some Maasai men. These guys are playing with it like some toy. Then they decide if its not collected in two days, they will bury it- turn it into some landmine of some sort. lol, its funny.
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Post by subsaharanite on Oct 27, 2011 17:30:01 GMT 3
foresight,
Well thought!
Bombing the tail so that the head can reveal itself. he he. How about reminding you the Michuki analogy of rattling a snake? Let me semi quote him "When you rattle a snake ( usually this is done at its tail in Somalia), you must be prepared to be bitten" (using its head). This is a dangerous scenario given that the head is in Nairobi.
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Post by subsaharanite on Oct 27, 2011 16:00:20 GMT 3
Another attack in Mandera
Eight people have been killed in a grenade attack on a bus in Mandera town, North-eastern Kenya by suspected al shabaab militia.
The militia are said to have sprayed the bus ferrying KCSE exam papers with bullets before lobbing a grenade that instantaneously exploded killing all on board. Those killed include Lafey secondary school headmaster, the district education officer, and two Kenya police reserve among others. The attack happened 100 kilometres from Mandera town.
This is the third grenade attack in the past five days bringing the death toll in suspected al shabaab related attacks to 9.
"We have received a report of a banditry attack in Mandera District about 110 km from Mandera town involving a vehicle carrying government officials among others," police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said.
Kiraithe said the District Police Commander and his security team were proceeding to the scene of the attack.
Mandera is in Kenya's sparsely populated far northeast, close to the porous borders with Ethiopia and Somalia. Kenyan troops deployed into anarchic Somalia 12 days ago in an offensive against al-Shabaab militants blamed for a series of kidnappings on Kenyan soil and frequent cross-border incursions.
Al Shabaab had warned it would strike back.
Two separate grenade attacks in the capital Nairobi on October 24, killed one person and wounded more than 20. A Kenyan man pleaded guilty on October 26 to one of the attacks and being a member of al Shabaab, the Somali Islamist group.
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Post by subsaharanite on Oct 27, 2011 5:09:16 GMT 3
The question is, what does the Odinga dynasty possess that no other Luo doesn't? Its a question of character. If you can posses the same firebrand image that the Odinga's are known for, then perhaps you may impart some influence of a few Luo families, that is if you become visible enough.
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Post by subsaharanite on Oct 26, 2011 22:44:58 GMT 3
Let me add one more did you knows
51. Did you know Uhuru maybe a Mungiki member?
A heinous outfit composed of 'youths' whose agenda is not always mainstream.
Now shoot me Njugunajohn,
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Post by subsaharanite on Oct 26, 2011 15:49:06 GMT 3
For those who watched the mythical lord of the rings trilogy do remember Theoden, king of Rohan. Faced with an imminent war with Sauromon's army, an evil platoon, largely composed of brainwashed and fabricated warriors with unconventional fighting tactics, who had been roaming through his kingdom, causing mayhem and destruction, he had to decide whether to fight or let the enemy decimate him.
As his enemy's army gathered just outside Helm's deep, Rohan's citadel that was the last refuge in times of war, he ordered that all men that could carry a weapon, some as little as five years old to go the armory and get arms, ready to defend their people as he desparately hoped that help from other friendly neighbors would arrive soon. They took their weapons and impatiently waited for their demise as the women and young children nervously descended into the lower chambers of the citadel, unsure of what awaited them.
Legolas, an estranged and strong warrior and heir to the King of Gondor, one of the neighboring state, who had come to help Theoden, could not hold back his thoughts, having seen the fear and naivete of the men of Rohan, who were greatly outnumbered by the the Orcs.
As Theodin gave his men the last words of encouragement, Legolas knowing very well that they were hugely outnumbered and could certainly lose shouted at the king, What resistance do you think these boys will offer to the orcs? Its of no use to fight'. Theoden, looked back at him and retorted, 'what would you rather have me tell them, that this is a war they cannot win and watch these orcs, decimate me and my people?...
Coming back to Kenya, the 'orcs' are already roaming our country, decimating whatever they can, they are keen to destroy one of the main foreign exchange earning industry without which, Kenyans may be in great difficulties. They are hijacking ships off our coast, basically getting away with anything they do. 'Theodin' has already declared war, whose results may not be pleasant to all of us. What should he tell his army at the front line ' that their fate is sealed and what awaits them is death? what should we people of Rohan do? encourage our warriors or castigate theodin?
I believe this is a time to show courage, even if we very well know that an enemy we face does not fight a fair war and almost at all times invisible. We have already fired the first arrow, there is no turning back now, its war to the last man standing.
This is a war that we may not win, but we all need to encourage our boys.
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Post by subsaharanite on Oct 25, 2011 20:32:08 GMT 3
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Post by subsaharanite on Oct 25, 2011 13:18:23 GMT 3
Gaddafi may have committed atrocities in the 70s and 80s, he however had his bright side.
1. He has aided most Subsaharan states even when the west could not
2. He bankrolled the AU which oversees several humanitarian interventions within Africa where the west has no vested interests.
3. You may call him a fanatic, but his quest to unite the Arab states was geared towards creating an economic power that could better negotiate with the west especially in those days when oil revenue was so low. He actually did not want to be the president, he just wanted to control the military. He later tried it with African states but again the west muttered the idea for their own interested. A divided Africa is easier to loot than a united one. Thats why DRC, the most resourceful country in Africa is always at war.
4. He offered to fund the purchase and deployment of several Satellites that could have seen Africa save over 500 US dollars yearly in communication costs.
5. He was the main force behind the creation of an African IMF like bank, an idea, the west opposed. We still do not know whether this will happen now that he is dead.
7. He had reformed his ways. He admitted liability to the PAN-AM Bombing, he stopped execution of his people and won a lot of admiration from many in the last 20 years.
The former Libyan leader truly had a checkered past. The question is, what out weighs the other? Sometimes its hard to make a distinction.
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Post by subsaharanite on Oct 24, 2011 14:02:34 GMT 3
Red herrings? Lol, a type of oily fish that is red colored. I use Webster dictionary.
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