re: Re: Yala Swamp Project- DOMFARMS;

Kuom owete, gi chwowa, gi nyimine,

I never get involved in unproductive discussions but I have a few observations on this subject.

Were this project to be happening in another place, say central, would it have been an issue or would people be rejoicing and keeping quiet about it as long as they were benefiting?

Has money been poured to kill every little development initiative targeting Nyanza including from private investors? For how many years has Yala swamp been in that state without the government, politician or private true son of Nyanza loaded with private funding chosen to do something about it? Why are we even talking about it if it was not on anyone's agenda.

I personally do not know the owner of Dominion and I do not have to know him as long as I can see the outputs of the project which never existed before. I read the concept and the deliverables and was impressed, with the little it could do as a starting point where there is nothing. It did not have to take Dominion to come to lead with this, it could be anyone.

Why do we allow the so called NGOs who have been squating in one place for over 30 years claiming to be alleviating poverty and carrying out development work while displacing our young educated graduands from employment and accounting for spends running to billions of Kshs and yet every year it's the same vicious cycle, and poverty is still the same!

When will Luos ever rise above pettiness and focus their eyes on how they could turn things round by identifying projects that would lift Nyanza out of poverty than do hard work of wasting time criticising to even killing the hand that feeds them!

I am a mother and I am pained at the shortsightedness of those who do not think of the future of their children.

Please, anyone with a problem with Dominion project or does not approve the work Dominion is currently doing there should provide us with an alternative and funding and seek our involment so that we make things happen than kupiga mdomo in emptiness!

So what if an investor gets something out of it, who said there's anything for free in this world unless with strings attached? Even the Red Cross stopped giving out freebies/ hand outs and air drops of free food, it's called food for work or incentive, that you work to earn and so there is nothing for free and if there is anything that Dominion is getting out of it, we should be concerned with what our people are gaining from the relationship. We have very intelligent Luos, well educated to act as the eye of the beneficiaries to ensure our people are not exploited by anyone.

I wish we could spend time thinking of how we could sustain the Dominion project if he were to pull out, I wish we could come up with other projects to compliment what Dominion is doing. I wish and really wish that we were not getting into such a debate, and that if we were that it is in a constructive way to determine what Dominion set to do and whether he is doing it against a clear time plan and how he is doing it so that we also learn new skills that would ensure we replicate the same to other areas.

I am intrigued by the contingent that went for the evaluation as if they are not spying to report to their master who would then politicise the whole thing and frustrate Dominion, or who knows whether someone is fighting hard to get Dominion to his Province or out of Kenya as long as the Luos loose????? Think hard my brothers and sisters before you criticise, and if you do be contructive with solutions.

We need some radicalism in Nyanza, and people who are ready to fight for the Nyanza people and defend proponents of development.

I rest my case...

Pam Nyar Ugenya.