PASTORAL ECONOMY NEEDS RE-ENGINEERING

                     A ray of hope is beaming on the forgotten herders of the former Northern Frontier Districts (NFDs). Almost all Governors of these outlying counties have created a stand-alone department (you may call it county ministries) of Pastoral Economy. This is a step in the right direction. It is a clear indicator to the cow trader that his interests are under protection. That his dignity is going to be restored. 

                     Creating the department is one thing. Drawing policies geared to redeeming the lives of the populace is the second. Again implementing those policies is another step. Methinks it will be correct to conclude that the creation of this crucial office was pushed by the need to implement urgent policies. However, it may be wrong to believe that all is set and we should just wait for successes to trickle down. For true successes are fruits of shared discourse.

                      With this in mind I offer to contribute the little I know in order to uplift the lives of the many depending on livestock:- 

                      1) Think of introducing Warehouse Receipt System (WRS). In WRS farmers/herders deliver their product to an accredited warehouse, and obtain a warehouse receipt. Upon receiving the warehouse receipt the farmer proceeds to use it as collateral for short-term borrowing to obtain working capital. Besides, warehouse receipts provide farmers with an instrument that will allow them to extend the sales period of their produce well beyond the harvesting season (until when prices have improved).

                      2) Supremacy of governments is meant to protect the weak, the lowest and the slowest. This demands that you pass laws that advance the interests of the people and not laws that shield middlemen. 

                      3) Create special grazing zones, say in every Division. Provide them with extension services. Put the right people with the right skills on the ground to teach the people about modern methods of livestock keeping. It is time we shift from owning a thousand low quality cows to owning a hundred high quality ones. It is about quality, not quantity.

                       4) Create contacts with potential markets. Successful marketing entails sharing information about your product. Organize exhibitions to help open up the county.

                       5) Offer tax breaks to the lowest of the lowest. Economy is grown by empowering the bottom of the pyramid. Focus on this group. I know County Governments need money to run and fulfill their mandate. But this should not be an excuse to overtax the weak that are still in I.C.U struggling to recover economically.

                      6) Trading in livestock is all about weight-and-quality. Build abattoirs near the people. Organize them in groups to reduce the cost of running the business and hence maximize profits.

                       7) Farming diversification is key to checking food insecurity. Greenhouse farming is ideal for these dry and water scarce regions. It is affordable, not prone to pests and yields high returns. A number of organizations are offering these services for free (or at an affordable fee). Institutions of higher learning too possess extensive knowledge on this. Approach them. I believe they won’t hesitate.

                    I have deep conviction that this is the moment for a successful take-off. It is that Biblical moment when the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey. However, this demands long-sightedness. It demands wisdom and courage. I long for that moment when NFDs will be known for their booming economies and not cattle rustling.

CULTURE IS MONEY

                     Culture is a property of the people. It belongs to them and for them.  It is their heritage and should be guarded as such. This is what I concluded when some chaps from a neighbouring country introduced themselves as "Maasais in the diaspora". They weren't that serious.

                     But a quick look into such acts points to a gloomy picture of communities whose culture is being commercialized without them earning a cent. A case in point is the branding of products with Maasai names and/or traditions yet the Maasai people remain locked in the prisons of poverty. I don't criminalize this. I interrogate the rationale under which these "brandings" and commercialization of peoples heritage is done.

                      Here are some possibilities why this is happening. One, there is no policy on royalties accruing from traditions and cultures of the Kenyan people. Two, some informed chaps are just silent and watching from far as their people are being raped day in day out. Three, no steps have been taken to register these traditions as properties of the respective communities. Four, little or no public awareness has been conducted to enlighten the public of their wealth and heritage. Five, there is no clear definition of what culture is.

                      Having seen this, I think, it is high time to move with speed to protect the people and their heritage from these commercial interests. And this demands swift action. 

                      Action number one, trademark the name of the community. This will enable the respective communities  earn royalties and restore their dignity as custodians of culture and traditions.

                      Two, ring-fence communities by having their products patented. This,I think, is the surest way for them to benefit from any commercialization of their products.

                      Three, setting up Village Culture Centres might help in documenting and educating the people on their culture and traditions. These could also serve as exhibition centres hence earning communities revenue.

THE MASSES HAVE A SAY IN THEIR INFORMATION

                     As I went through the TJRC (Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission- Kenya) report a question crossed my mind. This was it, "do the masses know this?” This thought plunged me into a virtual debate on how and why the masses should be the first consumers of such reports as the one I was reading. I went forward to state my stand on the usefulness and modalities of using such reports. And this was it:

                      Reports compiled in the name of the people (the masses) belong to the masses and should benefit the masses. We are used to seeing smartly dressed men and women carrying questionnaires criss-crossing villages and slums "gathering information" from whoever they meet. After this "crucial mission" they vanish never to be seen again only to be heard "unveiling" a report of their mission in a posh hotel hundred miles away from the village. Then the work ends there. 

                       The report will then be shelved or rather be discussed far away from its real owners. At the end of the day, the hoi polloi (the owners and the cornerstone) of the report remain a forgotten lot. With nothing to benefit from their report. Then the cycle continues; another group visits the village to collect information, compile a report then disappear....and the society remains where it was.

                        But my big question is; how can this thievery be stopped? Should we sit back and watch because "it doesn't concern us"? Here are some thoughts:

                        Stop interviewing the masses if the fruits of those interviews are destined to other people. The masses should enjoy for giving out their information. This can be achieved through writing such reports in a language understandable by the lowest of the lowest and/or by enabling them take part in the actual implementation of the report. Doing this is the surest way to Canaan. This is the only way to make them self-reliant.

                         Thought number two: establish village based information banks. Train local men and women to guide others. This way you cut the chains of ignorance confining the masses to abject poverty. Avoid big english when dealing with guys down there. They are not interested in vocabularies. They are thirsty of knowledge. Study them and pass the message in a manner that fortifies self-reliance and poverty eradication.

                        It will thus be a great betrayal of the masses if information gathered from them isn't brought back to benefit them. The only way to counter this, I think, is for the masses to ignore these information gatherers and chase them away. This isn't incitement but protection of the masses. 

LEMUKOL ARCHITECTS.....LEMOSEH HOLIDAY INN

ETHNIC BIGOTS AREN'T IN VILLAGES BUT IN GADGETS

                 Information and education are meant to empower and develop man. It is believed that lasting solutions are founded on deep understanding of facts. Besides, education propels itself as a savior and liberator of man. An 'educated' man is believed to possess intellectual powers to discern wrong from right.  But it seems this is nothing but a theory. This is why.

                  Recently I found myself on the receiving end in an online debate. The talk centered on an opinion posted by a friend stating that 'outsiders' need not be considered for jobs. I weighed in to explain why I thought he was wrong. His supporters jumped in to explain why their guy was right. But theirs wasn't to explain the reasons for not considering outsiders. They veered off the talk and singled out those who expressed contrary opinions. They were determined to "unclothe" them and "teach them a lesson". Sensing this, I pulled out and 'watched' from a distance the chaps spitting at each other. 

                  Later it dawned on me that majority of those "debaters" are schooled. They have gone to school. Some to university. But it seemed their going to school was a passer-by affair. Education didn't leave any positive impact on them. Theirs was a packaging-activity: - go to school and get papers. Full stop. Don't bother applying your learnings in life.

                  This therefore begs the question: Is it fair to crown the village man and woman as an intolerant and ethnic bigot? Who is the dangerous bigot; the "un-informed" or the "informed"? Methinks ethnic bigotry is  inexistent in the villages. The village chaps don't know it. They are bonded by the love-of-neighbor. 

                   On the other hand, ethnic bigotry is a methodology employed by the informed chaps to advance their interests. It is an egoistic endeavor. It is a safety net for a few. It has nothing to do with the hoi polloi. It is devoid of love-of-the neighbor. It manifests itself through intolerance to "scare" away contrary opinions. It is a manifestation of a poor reading of history and facts. 

                    It is therefore foolhardy to preach tolerance to the village folk when they don't know intolerance in the first place. These “sermons” should be directed to the tweeting and facebooking class. This is where intolerance is conceived and delivered. This is where spitting on others is the norm. Thus, ethnic bigotry isn't found in the village but in the gadgets. Declare war on gadgets not innocent villagers.

HARVESTING DOLLARS FROM DRY HILLS

Have you ever heard of a people making millions of dollars from nothing? Yes, nothing. Just dry hills and 14 th century mud houses. Will you believe that the number of tourists frequenting those dry hills surpasses the number of visitors flocking Kenya's parks and beaches? For your information, these chaps aren't kidding. They receive ten million tourists annually. Yes, ten million. This is Morocco. A kingdom located in northwest Africa, south of Mediterranean Sea and east of Atlantic Ocean.

So what is it that they have done to reap big from tourism? Are they endowed more than Kenya? These two questions formed the foundation of my investigation. My investigation took me to the remotest and furthest corner of this ancient kingdom. Here, I found the reasons why they beat us hands down.

Finding one: Tourism isn't a preserve of a few. It is a collective initiative. People understand the value of tourism. Tourism isn't a new vocabulary even for the rural folk. They talk and talk about it. They hold it dear and close to their souls. 

Finding two: They have perfected the art of marketing their national heritage. This is what they do. They organize a cultural concert annually showcasing their cultures and heritage. They invite international artists to grace the occasion and to link it to international media. Doing this saves them the much needed revenue but at the same time enables them open their nation's tourism potential to the outside world. Result? The world gets to know their hidden treasures in those dry hills.

Finding three: Almost all towns have at least one tourism school. These schools link the public and the government. They offer the public with any information they may need in the development of tourism sector. Thus they are custodians and depositories of information on tourism.

Finding four: Transport is safe, on time and affordable. Potholed roads are recarpeted daily. Airstrips are dotted in all major towns. Transport companies are regularly monitored by the State to weed out any suspicious element. 

Finally, security of tourists is absolute. Any criminal act is demolished ruthlessly and swiftly. They have a whole police wing dealing with protection of tourists. 

Now looking at Kenya: we have everything. Snowy mountains, wildlife, forests, beaches, museums, deserts, the sun and even the people (Kenyans). But it seems, it is not the abundance of these tourist attractions that count. It is how we make use of them. It is how we sell them to visitors. 

So when you choose to sit down and sing the-we-don't-have-jobs-mantra know that you are failing God, Kenya and its people. Move out and do something!

RURAL "BACKWARDNESS" IS A PERCEPTION OF BLIND FOLKS

                  A clever chap once declared that it is an abomination to brand the rural guys as backward and uninformed. He moved on to defend his stand. For him, this "backwardness" isn't a creation of the rural people but a manifestation of a failed system. He went on to challenge us, "do you have the national library, banks, hospitals and good learning institutions in rural areas?" His point was clear; it is the imbalance of the system that has created this feeling of backwardness.

                  This therefore pushed me into soul-searching and deep thinking. I thought of ways of reversing this trend and feeling of backwardness. Finally, I came to the conclusion that this backwardness is nothing but a perception. That there are good things down there in rural areas. That true intelligence is found in the villages. This is why.

                  Chama (merry-go-round) is a creation of the rural folks. Mothers have educated, fed and clothed their children thanks to this innovation. They have built homes and treated their sick. This has enabled them to pull together their knowledge and expertise thus impacting positively on their business. Many have "graduated" business-wise.

                 Here comes another innovation from the village. Mentorship groups. Here experienced men and women take the lead role to guide the yet-to-mature men and women hence creating a flow of knowledgeable generation and solid understanding of one’s social obligation.  It is common to find old women (mostly those with grand-children) helping young mothers deliver and take care of their young ones. This is what they term as the faculty of experience.

                Again, you will find old men narrating wisdom loaded stories to grandchildren. They connect these young minds to the past and prepare them for their future obligations as fathers. This is a rare trait. You only find it in Africa.

                After analysis of all these innovations and creations from the village; a question pops up; how can these be transformed into money hence reversing the feeling of backwardness? 

                Answer number one; provide the rural folks with relevant business information. Introduce them to new ways of doing business. Take them around the globe and let them meet other successful people. This is sufficient for them. They will come back home breathing fire and full of energies to transform their rural economies thus killing the perception of backwardness.

                Answer number two. Open the so-called bare-foot colleges in the villages. These are colleges that require no certificate for admission. The only criterion for admission is experience.

               If you are a home cleaner, a carpenter, a mason, gardeners, storytellers, traditional birth attendants etc.... this is where you belong. Another condition is ones readiness to pass across his knowledge to others. This way you create a river of knowledge. You inculcate the culture of knowledge-sharing in the people.

               Doing this requires no money but will-power and brains. Everything is with the people and hence should be used for the people. I end where I began. Backwardness is nothing but a perception of blind folks.

LAPTOP OR CLASSROOM FOR A NOMADIC KID?

               The jubilee government seeks to transform Kenya into a knowledge-based economy. To achieve this it has promised to roll out a program of one-kid-one-laptop for every kid enrolling in standard one across the Republic. The driving philosophy behind this is to nurture a generation of kenyans that is informed and "open" to the world. 

                      This looks so promising and sweet. It is a noble idea. But thoughts and actions sometimes end up conflicting one another. I don't want to look pessimistic on this matter. I believe it is workable and can be implemented. But my question is; do all kenyan kids share one educational challenge whose cure is only through the provision of laptop? 

                      To drive the point home, let’s try to interrogate the needs and aspirations of a kid in far flung Counties of Turkana, Mandera, Wajir and Marsabit for instance. 

                       It is common to find kids playing at home or taking care of their fathers' cows during school days in these places. An outsider might wonder (and even condemn) the parents of those kids for "leaving their kids at home while others are schooling". I find no crime in these condemnations.

                       But what is of importance here is to respond to these simple questions: Why are they not at school? Is it that there are few/no schools to accommodate them? Are there other reasons hindering schooling here? What is the reaction of a kid from these areas to the laptop promise? Can we craft other solutions to right this situation?

                       I believe in the creativity of man. This laptop program is nothing but a manifestation of man's creativity. But I think it is equally important to be creative when offering solutions to challenges bedeviling the citizenry.   

                       I believe most of the kids in this segment of the republic will not take any of those laptops (in case they reach them). What these kids are longing for is seeing the distance between one school and the next reduced. They want to be assured of a smooth transition to secondary school. 

                        And for this to be achieved, classrooms must be constructed. Schools must be built. Schools must be well-staffed. Kids must be assured of getting a meal at school. This therefore renders the provision of laptops irrelevant.

                        And this is my prayer, use the money intended for laptops in building new schools for these kids. This way, you will have the go ahead to distribute the laptops and be assured they will be used for the right purpose.

IT IS NOT ABOUT PIGS BUT A LIBERATING IDEOLOGY

                      I tend to agree with Thomas Sankara's assertion when he declared that a soldier who possesses not any political ideology is a dead and hollow chap. This darling of the masses from Burkina faso, who unfortunately was murdered by the very people for whom he championed, seemed to have understood the importance of possessing a liberating ideology. Being a soldier, his thinking seemed to have been anchored on empirical evidence.

 

                       But now some questions pop up; what is this thing called political ideology or a liberating ideology? Who qualifies to be regarded as a soldier? Is there an obligation for all to know this? Lets unpack these questions.

                      A liberating ideology is not a mere ideology. It is superior to "normal" thinking. It is a system that rules and guides right-thinking men and women. It is the necessary vitamin that bodies of men and women need for survival. A liberating ideology is the belt that binds the rulers to the doctrines of good governance. It obliges the citizenry to practise what they expect to be done to them; by the State or by fellow citizens. Its philosophy is that of preach-water-and-drink-water. This ideology abhors hypocrisy. It is anchored on truthfulness of facts and clarity of mind. It is not emotional.

                      Now look at this; when a group of upright and right-thinking Kenyans take to the streets (with pigs and piglets) to demonstrate against a move by a greedy political class to hike their salaries; do you dismiss them as mere group of madmen with nothing meaningful to do or you applaud them for their noble undertaking to speak for the hoi polloi? Do you condemn the usage of pigs in the protests or seek to understand the coded message behind that drama? 

                     Methinks to condemn these patriotic kenyans is symptomatic of a citizenry that lacks a liberating ideology. A citizenry that has resigned from its obligations of patriotism. A citizenry that is blinded by the desire to gain quick money no matter what. A citizenry that inhales hypocrisy-laced oxygen. Yes, this is how my people have branded themselves.

                         This is why I think it is scandalous for such a people to aspire to live in prosperity under this cloud of hypocrisy and blindness. Prosperity demands that we assume the role of a soldier who understands what a liberating ideology is. It doesn't stop there. The understanding should be followed by action. For it is in action that true believers of liberation are seen and rated. Not in razzmatazz and street talks. Thus kenyans need a complete introspection before condemning those brave soldiers and actors of liberating ideology.

LEMUKOL ARCHITECTS $ ASSOCIATES

                                  A solar-powered school....

                      

USE BRAINS WHEN DEALING WITH TULLOW OIL

                Wise men don't threaten. They think and calculate. They are brainy and not muscle-powered chaps. They strategize before attacking. They shun from engaging in bad-mouthing and relying heavily on muscles. This isn't a sermon. It is an open letter to my honourable member of parliament and his colleagues on the issue of Tullow Oil.

                I want to appreciate for the steps taken to engage with Tullow Oil (The company carrying out oil prospection in Turkana County). It is a step in the right direction. It is a true demonstration of focused and determined leadership. Kudos for that Mr Mheshimiwa.

              However I have some reservations on how this process is done. Check the gusto behind the fight-for-jobs-for-locals. I think it is incumbent upon all of us to note and remember that pressure doesn't yield sustainable fruits. And this is why I began by stating that negotiations need brains and brains need no pressure. Brains appreciate the truthfulness of facts. They look beyond now. They are interested in the-tomorrow-will-be-this-way philosophy. 

              Yes, it is good to have locals get employed in the company. But this begs the question; for how long shall this be sustained? Methinks sustainability is what constitutes the true feeling of owning a resource. Not fighting. Look at this; you've "fought" for 100 boys and girls to be employed as drivers and cooks. Look again, you've sent a protest letter to the CEO questioning the non-involvement of locals in the daily operations of the company. The CEO responds by promising to hire 1000 of your boys and girls to work in the company and still retain the decision making organs under his men. Who is the winner in this case?  Is doing this of interest to the locals?

               Methinks enabling locals to sit in the decision making tables is the war that must be waged as a matter of priority. Education is the key to achieving this. Not "badmouthing". Not singing the-our-youths-must-be-employed mantra. Here are some thoughts; push for sponsoring of local students studying engineering and related courses as a package coming directly to the locals on yearly basis. Push for the upgrading and equipping of Lodwar Youth Polytechnic. Negotiate for a development package targeting youths and women. This should come in form of grants to enable youths and women start their businesses and hence cut the over-dependence on salaried employment and finally, rally your fellow parliamentarians in crafting and drafting a new mining law that protects the communities living in resource-rich zones.

               Achieving this demands that you undergo a "de-pressurization" process. I know the community demands much from you. But being honest is the best weapon you can use to win this. Be open to the masses and tell them what they ought to know about negotiating for a lasting solution.  I end where I began, use brains and shun threats. Use threats selectively but within the confines of the dictates of focused thinking.

MUTULA KILONZO; A SIMPLE MAN

                        It takes a focused individual to confront a society that speaks and proclaims what it doesn't practise. It is an act of bravery and of moral and intellectual independence to stand for what is right. This is what characterised the late Senator Mutula Kilonzo. I won't dwell much on his past. Instead, I want to pick a few lessons from his life.

                         Mutula represented the common-man in a club of the who-is-who in Kenya. This is a rare trait. A quick look at his manner of talking explains much about this man from Mbooni. The man spoke the language of the street- that is- he tried all his best to shake off the pride that comes with getting university education in a society whose dreams of educational excellence has been cut by the jaws of poverty. Mutula didn't take 'advantage' of this as many of our compatriots have done to mislead and rob the populace.

                        He was a humanist thinker. He understood the implication of every word that comes out of his mouth. He remained an advocate of truth even when that seemed to play negatively on his pursuits. He defended the forgotten and stood by them. This is evidenced by his defence of the girls who were expelled from school for challenging a decision of the school administration to impose a dress code on them without their(girls) input. 

                        He remained simple and close to everybody. His choice of dresses speaks volumes on his beliefs and intellectual orientation. He chose to dress like any "other" guy outside there despite his financial capability. Some might argue that the man was "mean" to himself and thus chose to dress like that. Methinks this is not about meanness. It is about understanding the psychology of Wanjiku and Her compatriots. It is about demolishing the barriers associated with power and money. I mean he tried to make it easy for the common man and woman to understand him as a fellow human with nothing unique and supernatural than them.

                       With his death, I think it is incumbent upon all of us to celebrate his life and try to pick a lesson from his life. I find it appropriate for all of us to undertake a moral screening of ourselves and ask ourselves what will be remembered of us when we finally depart from this earth to our fixed abode in the after-world. This scanning, I believe,is the needed compass for all humans in order to achieve the universal love we all aspire to see. MAY THE GOOD LORD REST HIS SOUL IN ETERNAL PEACE.