RE: Orina Nyamwamu

Mireri,

Regionalism or Devolution or Majimbo; is a proposal from some of us which is increasingly being considered as the ultimate solution to the skewed allocation of developement resources in Kenya over the years. Not everybody can see the same thing at the same time. Some will come on board later some will never come on board.

May I ask, with the KSh90 M, how many kilometers of road paving will that achieve in Suba? will it provide a Hospital, or Doctors? Will it provide better transport to take fish and farm produce to the market? How many classrooms will it build? Will it spur industrial growth in the area? How much impact will it have on local economic growth and over what time frame? How does it lead to integration and harmonization of project planning with neighbouring Districts. Are there intra-District cross planning committees, like in USA you have the Tri State of Ohio, Indiana and Kentukey?

Where I live in England, we have an unbelievable amount of devolution. The Local Authorities here control almost everything. The Councillors run them and the Residents have direct input to the Councillors. Police is under Local Authority. Not even a government project can pass through an Area without Council approval- that includes all developements related to the upcoming London Olympics

From the Suba that I know, you need masive resource allocations to make an impact on poverty alleviation.

Incidentally, have you ever thought it was a great mistake to buid the Mbita Courseway instead of a bridge or tunnel, because of its effect on ecosystem and fish migration and breeding? Did Locals have any input into the project conception and options? If not, would it not have been worth consulting them so that the impact on their income from fish was reduced?

You may not share our vision but take a closer look at the alternatives.

Joseph Okumu