Fidel Odinga will enter parliament without breaking into a sweat.I have been accused by some of my dear readers of being anti-Raila. Of writing long posts and including the names of others merely as window dressing because the main objective of my article is always to shoot down one Raila Odinga.
I have nothing against Raila Odinga. I personally believe that this country owes the man a lot as few people have fought as hard and as long as he has against impunity over the years. Few have sacrificed more. Having said that Raila the politician has also done great damage in his relentless quest for power. That is the truth. And this blog is about the truth and nothing but the blunt truth. Kumekucha has become famous for saying what others fear to say.
Personally I greatly pity those of us who would want to hero-worship a person while turning a blind eye to their down side. Regular readers of this blog will know that I greatly admire the late Tom Mboya, but if you read my posts I have had no hesitation in talking about his bad side. In my humble view hero-worshippers have no place in political analysis. They should just stick to their god’s website and trade praises till the cocks come home and leave bold, deep political analysis to those who can handle it.
Raila, always the heir-apparent to the political mantle of his father the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga stuck close to his dad for many years and watched his every move from a very tender age. Little wonder that his politics borrows a lot from the old man.
And now Raila is preparing to pass on the mantle to the next generation of Odingas and this move is well worth analyzing in great detail.
Fidel Odinga has increasingly been in the spotlight in recent times and over the Easter weekend he led a delegation of “young Turks” to Mombasa for a political meeting-cum-fundraiser at the heart of Najib Balala’s Mvita constituency. At that meeting Fidel announced once again that he will vie for a parliamentary seat in 2012. And what he had to say confirmed details I had gathered from some research that I have now been doing for sometime.
Fidel said that he would stand for one of the constituencies in Nairobi. Now we already know that he will not stand in Langata one of the reasons being that his dad is not quite ready to retire from politics yet. And that information narrows down the “possibles” considerably. Based on my research it narrows down the choices to ONE.
Fidel Odinga will make a bid for the Kasarani parliamentary seat.
Apart from the big hints from the Odinga youngster, those who understand the Odinga dynasty style of politics will know without any hints that the seat that Fidel has been talking about all along is Kasarani.
It is instructive how Raila moved in to dominate the Langata constituency he still represents. There was massive voter registration at the constituency from folks hailing from a certain ethnic community and they came from all parts of Nairobi. They quickly netralized the Nubian vote which had held sway in the area since independence. Raila handlers ensured that the arithmetic was greatly in favour of their man, whatever happened. This intensive behind-the-scenes preparation is something Jaramogi learnt from his great political rival Tom Mboya. The younger cosmopolitan man who always seemed to outsmart him at every turn. And Jaramogi learnt the lesson very well.
Kasarani constituency used to be called Mathare mainly because the sprawling Mathare slums are at the heart of the constituency.
Here is the list of people who have represented this constituency since independence;
Elections MP Party Notes
1963 Munyua Waiyaki KANU
1969 Munyua Waiyaki KANU One-party system
1974 Munyua Waiyaki KANU One-party system
1979 Munyua Waiyaki KANU One-party system
1983 Andrew Ngumba KANU One-party system. Ngumba fled the country in 1986.
1986 Josephat Karanja KANU By-elections, One-party system
1988 Josephat Karanja KANU One-party system.
1992 Muraya Macharia FORD-Asili
1994 Fredrick Masinde Democratic Party By-elections. Masinde died, resulting in another by-elections.
1994 Ochieng Mbeo Ford-Kenya By-elections (second one in 1994)
1997 Adolf Muchiri NDP
2002 William Omondi NARC
2007 Elizabeth Ongoro ODM
The vast majority of constituents in Mathare (Kasarani) right up to the early 90s were mostly Kikuyu and this is clearly reflected in the names of the legislators who represented the constituency right up to the early 90s. The Odinga political machine moved into the constituency after the first multi-party elections of 1992 with massive voter registration by members of the Luo community from all over Nairobi. And the result of the hard work behind the scenes clearly came out in the by-election of 1994 when Ford-Kenya’s Ochieng Mbeo won the seat. But by-elections are not a good test because they are usually marked by low voter turn out. And so things became pretty clear in 1997 when Raila himself was a presidential candidate on an NDP ticket. In a smart political move he chose to have close ally Adolf Muchiri (a Kikuyu) vie for the seat on a NDP ticket to give him a more nationalist look which is critical for any presidential candidate. Muchiri won effortlessly.
Currently there is fresh voter registration going on and my sources tell me that there is a lot of hard work going on on the ground mostly from Raila people. Further evidence that this is the political seat being warmed for Fidel.
Those wannabes who just want to wake up one morning when election fever is highest and decide that they are vying for a parliamentary seat should take careful note of this post and the fact that elections are usually won at the voter registration stage. So clearly this is the time to start working.
And what’s more about the Kasarani seat is that the current MP Elizabeth Ongoro may have a date at the Hague soon which means that in the event of the next general elections not happening until late 2012, then there just might be a by-election sooner than anybody thought.
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Stop Press: Largest ever Microfinancing Conference happens Tomorrow in Nairobi
When historians sit down one day to write the story of how Africa rose from the ashes, I have no doubt on my mind that there will be at least one large chapter on Micro-financing and the role it has played.
Micro-financing has been a huge success story on the continent indeed institutions like Equity Bank, now renowned the world over got their start (and have continued to thrive) in micro-financing.
Tomorrow (April 7th) President Kibaki will be joined by Queen Sofia of Spain, Princess Maxima of the Netherlands and Nobel prize Laurette Mohammed Yunus of Bangladesh at the opening of the largest microfinancing gathering ever held on the continent of Africa. About 1,500 delegates from over 75 countries are expected.
The Summit will shine a spotlight on breakthroughs to end poverty in the region including: the intersection of microfinance and the environment; microfinance and agriculture, and microfinance and health. The goal of the Summit is to further catalyze commitment among practitioners in Africa and the Middle East to reach and empower the poorest people across the region.
Microfinance is often not considered the same as other aid programs because people access tiny loans for setting up a business, as well as, loans for housing, education, and even clean energy—loans that they pay back. Because microfinance has a history of providing people with a hand-up and not a hand-out many traditional aid agencies are looking to the field for lessons on how to help make their programs become more sustainable.
But what I am really looking forward to learning more about is the amazing cutting edge program for the ultra-poor that is being replicated in 9 countries globally. The program combines assets such as goats and chickens with training in order to graduate the destitute to a life of self-sufficiency.
Kumekucha classifieds: Calling Kenyan ladies in the diaspora
Microfinance is often not considered the same as other aid programs because people access tiny loans for setting up a business, as well as, loans for housing, education, and even clean energy—loans that they pay back. Because microfinance has a history of providing people with a hand-up and not a hand-out many traditional aid agencies are looking to the field for lessons on how to help make their programs become more sustainable.
ReplyDeletexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Once you mention traditional aid agencies, u should see red. Yes, micro finance has done and will continue to do a lot.
However, what is happening is that, these aid agencies and other mega corporations have now entered the fray.
By doing so, they will reach the poorest of the poorest in our rural areas. Seen this way, the money will still be flowing from the rural Kenya/Africa to New York or London.
We believe that, the flow of money from the poor in rural areas to the rich in Nairobi, London, New York is the problem and not the solution.
What we need among others is regional currencies that only circulate in given regions.
As a result, these currencies cannot flow to the outside region. This would mean that, if you wanna sell your small time products, e.g. pressed cooking oil from sunflower, you buy seeds in that region, use labour from that region and sell back to the same seed sellers. This is the best way of creating wealth and creating rural sustainable economies for it creates purchasing power for the poor.
Alternatively, we should create three tier banks. District, provincial and national banks.
To create a district based bank which only deals with a given district does not require a lot of capital. This would allow many Kenyans to own these banks. These Kenyans would re - invest in these areas. Otherwise, we are just extending the reach of the mega corporations to drain wealth from our poor people.
I am glad you included that bit about microfinancing and Prof. Yunnus coming to Kenya (had I known I would have skipped all the Odinga garbage and gone right to it). I am currently reading Creating A World Without Poverty with purpose of finding out the practicality of micro-lending. I am absolutely aware of the altruistic outcomes of social business but not so much about profitable outcomes. I am yet to see how one can make a profit by lending money to people with no credit history, stable income or collateral. I am not saying it is impossible, I just don't know how...and that is why I am keenly interested in the conference.
ReplyDeleteA note to Mwarangethe
ReplyDeletefrom a wise Orkoiyot;
I quote
"What we need among others is regional currencies that only circulate in given regions."
This is something already being practised in Brazil with unbelievable success.
I absolutely agree with you.
Wealth in terms of monetary value only grows when it circulates within a defined perimeter.
Kiptoo plants beans and sells to Wanjiku , Wanjiku cooks githeri and sells to Omondi. Omondi has energy and goes fishing. He sells his catch to Wanjiku while eating his Githeri. Wanjiku goes back to Kiprop to buy cooking timber.
The problem we have is that the Village level of doing business hasn't got it!!!!!!!!
Back to you Mwarangethe,
I agree that having regional currencies would / and helps jump- start and define such a wealth making parameter
This is something already being practised in Brazil with unbelievable success.
ReplyDeletexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
We know it works. Thats why in our forthcoming, The African Economic Democracy, we are dealing with this matter.
We are recommending three tiers of money creation:
(a) State level.
(b) Private sector level, and
(c) Regional level.
We shall therefore, be challenging head on the common wisdom/nonsense about money for it is the cause of wealth gap and misery.
This is one reason why Luo Nyanza will never taste development. Odingas are nothing but domo domos - from the father to Raila and now Fidel. We see with Raila's supporters as the most aggressive and un-democratic people we have in Kenya, and they are the hindrance to open democratic competition. If you dare disagree with Odinga, you get stoned and your business gets burnt. No wonder Tuju told jarous to free themselves from Odinganism!
ReplyDeleteChris:
ReplyDeleteFidel is going for Lang'ata instead of Kasarani. He is just a project and an insurance policy for the father. The father is not interested so much in the political future of Fidel as in his own. Raila knows that as a presidential candidate he will not be allowed to stand as an MP under the new constitution. And he also knows that his odds of winning the presidency are not anything to write home about especially if a Kikuyu doesn't run and Kalonzo becomes the Kikuyu favorite presidential canidate. So the deal is for Fidel to stand in for Raila in Lang'ata. When Raila loses the presidential election, then Fidel steps down and Raila stands in the ensuing by-election. That way he goes to parliament as an MP and heads the opposition to Kalonzo's govt from there. The Odinga family could not trust another Luo to hold/warm the seat for Raila.
Question for mwarangete
ReplyDeleteas the proposed constitution says all money can moved only with the ascent of the president. Does this mean the president has powers to bully the house.
Are Raila worshippers going to transfer their worship to Fidel?
ReplyDeleteIn actuality i think Fidel is material for presidency since it is the high time Kenyans gravitated towards young and charismatic personalities as Americans profoundly demonstrated by embracing a little know novellty by the name of Obama. HIstory also shows that hisotircal figres like Mboya had the most charisma and the power to galvanice the people into one accord. i inherently feel that Fidel Odinga is the second coming, not Jimmy, sorry.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteQuestion for mwarangete
as the proposed constitution says all money can moved only with the ascent of the president. Does this mean the president has powers to bully the house.
4/6/10 9:14 AM
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The truth is that, under the current arrangements, the presidents and prime ministers are like newscasters.
In this sense, we are "free" to hate any newscaster and throw him during the "elections" if you think he is reading bad news. However, the editorial policy remains the same. In other words, nothing changes.
On 26th November, 2006, in an article headlined: "In Class Warfare, Guess Which Class is Winning" by Ben Stein, Warren E. Buffet (he needs no introduction) was quoted to have said this:
“There’s class warfare, all right, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.”
If you do not believe what Buffett said, sample this: Of Barak Obama's 14 top cabinet selections:
- 9 of them are affiliated with the Bilderberg group,
- 10 of them are affiliated with the Council on Foreign Relations, and
- 5 of them are affiliated with the Trilateral Commission.
There is nothing wrong with these bodies. The question is, whose interests do they represent?
If you look at two of them, u will see what interests they represent. For instance, Geithner, the Treasury of Debt, he was the president of the New York Chapter of the Fed in the recent past.
According to an American appointed examiner Anton R. Valukas, when Geithner was at this FED branch, and Lehman Brothers was about to collapse, the New York Fed came to its rescue. In doing so, this FED sopped junk loans that all banks could not touch.
In other words, he allowed, knowingly his bank to be used as a "warehouse" for junk loans against the law that it can only buy assets that are investment grade. Thats a criminal act in American laws.
If you go to White House, you will meet Larry Summers. He was the architect of destruction of 1929 depression banking laws. This has a direct impact on the current crisis although the crisis goes far back. So, what is the role of the man who caused so much damage in the WH?
Surely, if such criminals are sitting with the president, what change do you expect? Let us stop deluding ourselves.
Great post, great commentaries.....and thanks Mwarang'ethe for all the useful insight!!!
ReplyDeleteThe author displayed ignorance/misinformed of the following facts about Kasarani:
ReplyDelete● 1992 elections was won by FORD-Asili's Macharia Muraya who later lost in a petition. In the resulting by-election in 1994 Dr Masinde of FORD-Kenya (not DP) won post-humously. A second by-election was eventually won by Ochieng' Mbeo again of Ford-kenya.
● Adolph Muchiri was never a Raila candidate in 1997. He run on Kibaki's DP defeating the incumbent Ochieng' Mbeo (then NDP flag-bearer)
Chris,
ReplyDeleteunlike business or economics, family dynasties and infamous surname empires are often an unwelcome addition to the state of affairs because they are normally nothing but a continuation of the status quo
by now Kenyans ought to be sick and tired of such back&forth political games and childish diversionary entertainment and should simply reject them outrightly from the onset
then again what fun would that be?:-)welcome junior Odinga and goodluck in your campaigns
Mwarang'ethe said...
ReplyDeleteTo create a district based bank which only deals with a given district does not require a lot of capital. This would allow many Kenyans to own these banks. These Kenyans would re - invest in these areas.
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A sound idea. And to take it further the District bank would only lend to businesses rooted in the community in terms of manufacturing for local consumption and hiring locally.If financed by the government, there should even be a clause that the bank reinvests a certain portion of their profits towards common good projects such as feeder roads or community beautification.
@1:53 PM
ReplyDeleteIgnorance is bliss. Kwani what is so different in Kenya compared to what's going on in various political circles and families in Europe, Asia and North America?
How ignorant can one be? Ati ...they are normally nothing but a continuation of the status quo...?
Na wewe? Are you any different when it comes to the usual continuation of the status quo ya ukabila, wivu chungu nzima, ugomvi, ignorance, whining 24/7/356 and the self-deluding belief (holier-than-thou mentality) that you are better than the so called sordid family dynasties with their well known infamous surname empires?
Kwani, how old are you?
Where was your so called great-grandfather (or grandfather) during the 1940s and 50s?
Where was your so called grandfather (or father) during the 1960s and 70s?
Where were you (or your father) during 1980s and 90s?
Where have you been and what have you been doing from 2000 - 2009?
Guess what? Those families with infamous surnames that you have been raised (grown) to hate so much, have been doing a lot to benefit themselves, the country and others in the process.
While you and your family have been singing the same same old songs, watching life pass by one day at a time.
Have you made any waves to change the course of Kenya's political and economic direction for the better?
Will your so called sons and daughters be any different or will they continue the usual status quo of seating on the sidelines and doing what others have done so well?
Namely, watching others influence Kenyan politics and economics, be it or the better ot worse?
While at the same time frothing from both ends of their mental mouths with envy, anger, hate and kilograms (pounds) of whining 24/7/365?
What have members from your so called family tree done differently to redirect the Republic of Kenya in a better political, economic, social and multi-ethnic direction?
Take a good look in the mirror because the African continent is so sick and tired of whiners like you, fifty years after the fact.
Lets not forget this Fidel fellow was deported from the USA for engaging in drugs, stealing and gayism.
ReplyDeletesee this story here; http://nairobichronicle.wordpress.com/2009/05/03/fidel-odinga-criminal-records-exposed/
anon 6:01,
ReplyDeleteyou think only those guys who are in the news 24/7 contribute to the growth of Kenya?
you define a moron.
ask your school for a refund.
anon 6:08 PM
ReplyDeletetruth is a hard antelope to hunt.
you were asked a very simply question by the "moron" aka anon 6:01 PM:
where were your great-grandparent, grandparent, father and uncles to make a name for your "so called family tree"?
and what have they including you, done for kenya lately?
let's forget those who are always in the news 24/7 for all the wrong reasons known to all africans on the continent.
where were they? and where are they now?
It's amazing how people can transform their lives! Honcho Fidel Castro Odinga used to be a really nasty piece of work and a tireless party animal in dirty dens like Mad House. He would go clubbing almost daily, till the break of dawn, accompanied by extremely beautiful bimbos and fat assed gold diggers. When it came to swinging shots of Vodka, there was no contest (Ok maybe only Jomo Jnr) to a point that he had to be admitted to South Africa for 4 months to treat his addiction. Some people blame his bad boy, happy go lucky and carefree attitude because of growing up with an absent father who was locked up for 15 years by evil dictator Arap Moi. Today, Fidel is a decent married man and a workaholic businessman who is very successful. Looks like his beautiful wife has really whipped him into shape! A little bird even tells me they are expecting a cute little baby later on in the year, wish them well. Although Fidel does party occasionally in places like Carnivore, Tamambo and Galileo's (Which I think is now shut) he's very careful with whom he's seen with and just takes about two Heinekens before heading home accompanied by a guard. This guy is truly transformed now and I believe he would make a great MP!
ReplyDeleteIko Swali?
A ?? to Mwarangethe!
ReplyDeleteIn Thailand foreigners are only permitted to do business or invest when they Partner with locals. The ratio of entitelment must have 51% of the ownership going to the locals.
Is this model of protectionism ideal for a place like Kenya??
A wise Orkoiyot
Doesn't Fidel resembel Mt Elgon MP Fred Kapondi? They sure do look like twins, maybe they were separated at birth!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.afdevinfo.com/htmlreports/peo/peo_44785.html
Lets hope Fidel doesn't resemble Kapondi in terms of political tactics of militias and violence.
ReplyDeleteSeriously CHRIS am disappointed
ReplyDeleteI have read your article with alarm, why are these people destitute?
"The program combines assets such as goats and chickens with training in order to graduate the destitute to a life of self-sufficiency"
If our for fathers woke up they will be shocked to death they were self reliant and we aped things that destroyed our natural "economic progression" , now we are being blind sided by MICRO FINANCE to teach us what we excelled in before. The key is TECHNOLOGY and serious RISK CAPITAL, micro financing with the exploding population growth rates is delaying the inevitable – it’s like injecting people with cyanide while advertising it as CAKE – in the mean time producing an even smaller NUEVO RICH class. MICRO FINANCING is just a way to bring the UNBANKABLE to interest bondage. “SUB PRIME” ?
This hype seems to have taken Africa by storm. A serious outsider AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE this phenomenon should be undertaken. The real reason for poverty amidst plenty is SOCIOECONOMIC EXPLOITATION from the WEST, all this other things and terms are STRUCTURAL READJUSTMENT for continuation of ECONOMIC ENSLAVEMENT. It’s the structures, smokescreens and triple speak STUPID. If you look closely at the guest list of the conference – all the “USUAL SUSPECTS” are there.
Unless African governments start to seriously listen and represent their people and the leaders stop being "HOME GUARDS" and finally act on their peoples behalf, all these so called "GAINS” are just another FAD, like all the other fads before them that left the people poorer than when they started - and they have been many - in the mean time OUR RESOURCES are being POLLUTED AND DEPLETED, this economic model is unsustainable with the growth rates we see in Africa. Combine the SEX industry coming of age in AFRICA and the lack of gainful employment - more that 50% of the population in Kenya – you have a very serious potent mix. [….. did somebody say constitutional abortion debate?]
Let me let you in on a secret, in the west technology has really turned around many industries
The hospitality and travel industries are reeling from what we know today as PORTABILITY.
With IP Telephony cum video conferencing you can be virtually anywhere in the world at any time and be home for dinner. Organisations cannot justify the travel / accommodation costs with this revolutionary technology – enter the MISERY ECONOMY, you will increasingly see all types of conferences – FIRSTS IN AFRICA, that are basically CASH COWS and joy rides to the attendees without any corresponding benefit to the host countries. MISERY AND POVERTY has been thrust “in your face” in most of the west today; organisations dare not say NO to these trips. Besides, with so much layoffs in the airline and travel industry in the west, they need to sustain their economies and hold the downward slide. This also gives the MISERY INDUSTRY an excuse to launch advertisement blitzes carpeting the west with big posters of starving black faces in big bill boards soliciting for funds to sustain their big salaries and comfortable lifestyles in their villas.
Contd..
Seriously CHRIS am disappointed - Contd..
ReplyDeleteIt would be much much more beneficial if these conferences where held in the “BUSH” to uplift the local economies from a TOURIST PERSPECTIVE. I admit there are marginal gains in these conferences but the gains are not intentional. Just like the IMF loans were not intended to help us, Just like the RED CROSS does not intend to fix home grown disaster management. Just like US AID does not pretend to address structural imbalances. Just like BAND AID was not intended to have a permanent impact. These are LIFE SUPPORT systems designed to sustain the infrastructure of exploitation and keeping YOU barely alive, while real wealth is transferred from right under YOUR NOSE. So are all these conferences are NOT intended to deal with the ROOT CAUSES. Its unfortunate the “guest of honour” is an LSE graduate who has not seen the light, then again it’s the SYSTEM and he was in an elite system school, so I will consider him part of the expensive furniture – in other words nothing changes there. Talk about total and complete brainwash.
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The MISERY ECONOMY, some call it the HELP ME ECONOMY has really been hyped of age with all the trappings of a “the real economy” – The “BRETON WOODS” conference of poverty eradication is happening in Nairobi, the only thing this will do is to disrupt traffic in the capital …lol
If I was NAJIB BALALA I would not waste my time advertising MARA in CNN since they don’t pay taxes, I would levered Nairobi as the misery capital and try and get all the conferences in the world to stage in NAIROBI, make packaged excursions of all the attendees to the remote corners of Kenya where they will have real impact on the local economies. Maybe just maybe in the long run the residents of Kibera and Kawangware will see things happening in the remote parts and reverse migrate to cash in instead of the “MIRAGE” of big shots swishing through in their big cars and fronted by ROYALTY. It’s a high time we stop paying royalties for our labour while the Government is sleeping on the job.
What we need is a concerted positive propaganda by the government to fight population explosion and CORRUPTION by all means necessary – to hell with the church with their outdated prehistoric directives - they are mainly preoccupied with taking UGALI - Sadaka - from our tables and abusing children - for this task I propose spokesman MTUA aka “Nairobi Bob” as he is currently “USELESSLY EMPLOYED” with the wrong type of propaganda.
I will personally vote for a party that will come out openly and say when they come to power there is going to be real hard ship required to clean up the mess that we are in – we are probably talking about half generation lost in hardship just for starters before we come out on the other side and THAT’S THE TRUTH the rest is “business as usual”
“We have indigenized and are off and running again just like before. We were lucky with the structural adjustment, but this time let them own this lock stock and barrel” – thats what you would here if you were sitting in board rooms.
In conclusion before there was forced labour nowadays you pay to be forced to labour – what progressive irony! In the know... Wink Wink... they call it “PAY TO PLAY” only this time you are made to pay by a black face - the puppet masters fittingly call them CLOWNS
Is it true Fidel Castro Raila was involved in the maize scandal??
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteA ?? to Mwarangethe!
In Thailand foreigners are only permitted to do business or invest when they Partner with locals. The ratio of entitelment must have 51% of the ownership going to the locals.
Is this model of protectionism ideal for a place like Kenya??
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First, we must ask ourselves, where do these foreigners get money to invest in Africa? If only Africans could understand this game, we would be the rulers of this world.
Sample this:
Tullow Oil share prices gushed 7p to 1285p as the oil explorer announced the latest in a long line of drilling successes and the second in two days. The company said that the appraisal of a well in the Lake Albert region of Uganda had found crude and gas and that the quality of the reserve was “excellent”.
Now, if one had 1000, 000 shares in this company and shares jumped by 7 pence because of oil which is STILL UNDER THE AFRICAN SOIL, how much money does such a foreigner make?
What did the Ugandan get? We answer ZERO. What will he get? We answer, may be bloodshed.
As we can see the foreigners have already made their kill and moved as Ugandans talk about "their" oil. Little fools do not see as Peter Tosh lamented.
With such WINDFALL arising from the AFRICAN SOIL, what will prevent such a foreigner from coming back with the same money and dominate Africans in the name of being a foreign investor?
Back to the question, no,we do not advocate such a move. We denounce it. This will only encourage corruption since only the elite will be the beneficiaries of such a scheme.
This is the same Africanisation route that SA has used and it has only brought corruption while enriching a few blacks. Zimbambwe is following the same suicidal route.
If land, money and banking is restructured to end the current monopoly, Kenyans who work so hard will be able to accumulate enough savings and build their own small scale industries scattered in various regions to serve local needs.
There is no magic in building industries for technology is available for sale especially from Asia. In any case, under restructured land and money systems, wages will be high which will enable Kenyans to save and invest.
For instance, the textile industry, which is the launch pin of any nation that is serious on industrialization does not require complex technololy. All we need are two things:
(a) tariffs to protect those who want to manufacture the stuff from mitumba women underwears that Kirubu once complained about.
(b) legalization of industrial hemp growing.
This is crucial because, hemp does not require pesticides, a lot of weeding etc which make it cheaper to produce than cotton which force our farmers to use pesticides which are dangerous for their pockets and environment.
As a matter of fact, the idea of having 51% owned by Kenyan is no different from land re-distribution that the "new constitution" proclaims.
This is wealth equalization, and has never, and will never work. For instance, when we say we will limit the size of land owned by one person, does that mean we shall have equal land sizes to all Kenyans? If not, where is equality then? And, if not, who shall have a bigger size, and why?
@Mwarangethe
ReplyDeleteThank you for the clarification.
Point noted.
But!
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"If land, money and banking is restructured to end the current monopoly, Kenyans who work so hard will be able to accumulate enough savings and build their own small scale industries scattered in various regions to serve local needs.
There is no magic in building industries for technology is available for sale especially from Asia. In any case, under restructured land and money systems, wages will be high which will enable Kenyans to save and invest."
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You know very well that the current policies in place do not even shield Wanjiku from some chinese guy opening up a fast-food kiosk and with the capital he has cohabating with some guru Politician/bureaucrat and drowning Wanjiku.
What you propose should ofcourse be implmented but the factor "Time" is here very crucial and alot is needed.
Secondly the politicall will needed is immense to have such structural adjustments.
Thirdly, that policy applies to all and I donot see why corruption would get worser than it is now.
Back to you.
A wise Orkoiyot
You know very well that the current policies in place do not even shield Wanjiku from some chinese guy opening up a fast-food kiosk and with the capital he has cohabating with some guru Politician/bureaucrat and drowning Wanjiku.
ReplyDeleteWhat you propose should ofcourse be implmented but the factor "Time" is here very crucial and alot is needed.
Secondly the politicall will needed is immense to have such structural adjustments.
Thirdly, that policy applies to all and I donot see why corruption would get worser than it is now.
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As concerns a Chinese opening a kiosk, there may be two ways about this:
Firstly, we can choose to restrict foreigners from certain areas.
Secondly, we can reform our land, money system and thereby, shift tax from Wanjiku's shoulders to land. In the first place, such reforms would attract very many foreign investors as we see in Singapore.
Many will prefer the 1st option. We would argue for the 2nd. It is difficult, but, is the way forward. We do not see any reason to bar foreigners from any sector of the economy which is in the private sector as long as the necessary reforms to equalise opportunity are carried out.
With these changes in place, Kenyans can outcompete others in business. Just take time and watch the creativity of the Kenyans in the jua kali sector. By the way, even out robbers are very creative. After all, we do beat them in the athletics, why not in business?
As concerns the political will to ensure these reforms, we have said before that, these changes will require a leader who is a combination of Che, Castro and Sankara.
As to corruption, our take is this. Today, corruption is not the problem. It is the SOLUTION in a dysfunctional economic system. As thus, the problem is our economic system and not corruption.
@Mwarangethe
ReplyDeleteSecondly, we can reform our land, money system and thereby, shift tax from Wanjiku's shoulders to land. In the first place, such reforms would attract very many foreign investors as we see in Singapore.
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I agree to the above; We still live under a Feudal system which in many ways is a decaying corpse! No longer practiced in Western Europe(17 th Century).
My issue with our retardedness is not the lack of Policies/Ideas but
the failure of Implementation.
For Land reform to materialise, in my opinion one of the follwing events have to happen;
1. A french like Revolution / peasant revolt : Due to unbearable pressure and economical decline as a direct result of dwindling Land ( Population explosion, Humanencroachment on delicate ecosystems, Climate degradation-> with loss of fertile land)
Or
2. A sane authoritarian pseudo democratic ruling elite takes over the Political reigns of our beloved country with a Mantra; country first!
I bet with you, that a democratic state of Kenya which is envisioned by many will precisely not in anyway bring this very fundemental Change.
Why ?
You need cane and sugar !
To get Kenya move in that direction.
P.s
Will the Conservative Wing be willing to go this way.
Perception in RV towards land.
Will those who own Land and I mean Big Land give in.
NO!
They are the ones who also drive policy/politics.
So my question is ?
What next?
A wise Orkoiyot
@Mwarangethe
ReplyDelete"This is wealth equalization, and has never, and will never work. For instance, when we say we will limit the size of land owned by one person, does that mean we shall have equal land sizes to all Kenyans? If not, where is equality then? And, if not, who shall have a bigger size, and why?"
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I think the constitutional idea here was to have idle land utilised and not redistribute wealth.
But in essence the engine of great economies be it Germany or the likes, lies within a large population being middleclass.
From a kenyan perspective I have difficulty identifying where the demarcation margins are!!
A w. Orkoiyot
Chris;
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to the ODM's irreducible minimums on the constitution: majimbo and parliamentary democracy? Today, I see Raila, the party leader, endorsing the draft constitution without any of those minimums. I guess it is time to betray the rank and file again! As far as as he is concerned this draft is good because the clause on transition requires the president to consult him on major appointments during the transition. Remember his mantra: hata matumbo ni nyama? This is one greedy hyena that forgets the long term goals of a constitutions and falls for instant gratification. Poor ODMorons are on their own.
The problem is that the hyena has failed to read the transition clause closely. It requires only "consultation" and not "consultation and concurrence." Soon he will be howling at the moon that so and so was appointed without his concurrence. The hyena never learns, it lives to eat!!!!!
Good People:
ReplyDeleteIt is time we begin anticipating what the Kalonzo presidency will bring to our beloved Republic of Kenya. We must not just figure him inspecting the presidential guard of honor, but also dig out his last campaign manifesto and suggest improvements where possible.
Regardless of the many challenges he will face as president, one thing is near certain; he will usher in a period of extended peace devoid of the "kabila adui" tribal diarrhea we have become used to from Raila.
Efforts to save the Churches
ReplyDeleteIt was a 100% risky to churches as Njoya said-if church lost during referendum,they would have gone through abortion themselves.
Who doesnt remember how they failed Kenyans in 2005 and 2007-though they later "apologised"
Njue must have "talked" to Kifaki to save their face after Njoya , Kilonzo and Raila spoke-they are riding against a very strong current.their followers are clever than following them blindly
Churches are necessary, but currently suffering from good leadership we saw in Muge, Okoth,Otunga,Njoya, Gitari in past years
Kibaki and Raila to meet clergy over draft
By PPS
Posted Wednesday, April 7 2010 at 17:53
President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga will Thursday meet church leaders to discuss issues raised in the proposed new constitution.
"At the meeting the President and Prime Minister and the church leaders will exchange views and address issues raised by the church in regard to the proposed new constitution," said a statement from Presdent Kibaki's office.
The meeting that will be held at the President's Harambee House office "will also seek to come up with a way forward as the country prepares to vote for a new constitution during a referendum expected later in the year," added the dispatch.
The coalition leaders are expected to discuss abortion and kadhi's courts with representatives of the National Council of Churches of Kenya and the Catholic Church.
The Church objects to the section of Article 26 which empowers doctors to end a pregnancy if it endangers the woman's life or she needs emergency treatment.
Christian leaders are also opposed to the retention of kadhi's courts in the proposed Constitution under Article 169 and 170, which limit their authority to disputes over personal status, marriage, divorce or inheritance, where all the parties are Muslims and agree to take the case to a Kadhi.
Efforts to save the Churches in Kenya
ReplyDeleteIt was a 100% risky to churches as Njoya said-if church lost during referendum,they would have gone through abortion themselves.
Who doesnt remember how they failed Kenyans in 2005 and 2007-though they later "apologised"
Njue must have "talked" to Kifaki to save their face after Njoya , Kilonzo and Raila spoke-they are riding against a very strong current.their followers are clever than following them blindly
Churches are necessary, but currently suffering from good leadership we saw in Muge, Okoth,Otunga,Njoya, Gitari in past years
Kibaki and Raila to meet clergy over draft
By PPS
Posted Wednesday, April 7 2010 at 17:53
President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga will Thursday meet church leaders to discuss issues raised in the proposed new constitution.
"At the meeting the President and Prime Minister and the church leaders will exchange views and address issues raised by the church in regard to the proposed new constitution," said a statement from Presdent Kibaki's office.
The meeting that will be held at the President's Harambee House office "will also seek to come up with a way forward as the country prepares to vote for a new constitution during a referendum expected later in the year," added the dispatch.
The coalition leaders are expected to discuss abortion and kadhi's courts with representatives of the National Council of Churches of Kenya and the Catholic Church.
The Church objects to the section of Article 26 which empowers doctors to end a pregnancy if it endangers the woman's life or she needs emergency treatment.
Christian leaders are also opposed to the retention of kadhi's courts in the proposed Constitution under Article 169 and 170, which limit their authority to disputes over personal status, marriage, divorce or inheritance, where all the parties are Muslims and agree to take the case to a Kadhi.
Your statement, in quotes below, already tells me that you are penning on something way above your pedigree. The new constitution opens up the Langata seat to ANYONE BUT RAILA should the later decide to run for PORK.
ReplyDelete"Now we already know that he will not stand in Langata one of the reasons being that his dad is not quite ready to retire from politics yet."