re: Fighting for the luo cause.

Dear All,

The debate on Luo cause is healthy. Even if we have differences of opinion that is how long term agreement can be reached.

I don't share Baracks view that Luos have deliberately failed to invest in Nyanza. From the start, we had Lolwe Bus Service, Ongewe, Baba biro, United land and water, Kwega, Victoria Fisheries, Kibos industries, Homabay Fish processing, Nyataya bus Service, Kamolo Bus Service, Korango Bus Service, various fishing activities in Nyanza, Kisumu Wet fish Project, Molasses Utilization Project etc

Investment can only be made from net savings and surplus capital and OR borrowings. Who are the investors in sugarcane growing in Nyanza, from Awendo to Miwani?. We had Agro Invest EA for Ohingo producing white sugar very early on.

Apart from say Imperial Hotel and Sunset hotels in Kisumu , who are the investors in tourist Industry even if in small scale, which provide affordable accommodation from Migori to Ugunja?

We can only invest within our means and capacity given our limited capital.

Nyanza for along time has been the net recipient of transferred funds through post office from other regions; remittances form people sending money to help their folks back home.

Appeasement is not going to help a Luo ascend to Presidency in Kenya. We can refuse to see and accept the fact we have an acceptance problem but that does not make the problem go away.

Autonomy is not synonymous with isolation and seclusion. We have to trade, welcome skill we don't have, and investors. We also have to travel and welcome tourists, scholars, businessmen etc, play our role in Regional Politics, peace building and stability. Remember those Sudanese who have borne the brunt of Arab genocide are Luos. How about those in Northern Uganda whose land now Museveni is targeting for acquisition?

The quest here is that when you are in control of your budget you can prioritize your expenditure; water supply, health, education, roads, power supply, fishing Industries, Regional and urban Planning and transformation, irrigation, flood control, environmental management and conservation, green zones around urban areas, land consolidation and utilization, Research and development, investment policy, interest rates, etc.

yes, these could be done within the present unitary state, but it has not been done to date. When can we hope they will be done. If Raila become the president today can he divert Kenyan Resources single handed to even out unequal distribution of the last forty years or more? will the other Kenyans not cry fowl? Will this not make Luos hated even more?

Raila Presidency alone is not the answer to our predicament, it is more fundamental.We desire and support his quest to be President all right, but as a solution to poverty in Nyanza, our approach need to change.He will be there for five or ten years, then what? back to square one!!

Joseph Okumu
London



barack abonyo wrote:

Dear all

Meshak Owino wrote " Having said all these, let me focus on a few issues.

. . .