Dominion Group Issue: Fail to Plan, Plan to fai l- My last word

Tobby and the "our people team".

Here is my last word. I refuse to look at this matter from the narrow, very narrow lenses of one region. The issue is one of principle as regards Foreign Direct Investment. I do not want to join the group which misses the point and forgets that Session Paper 10 of 1965 affects the whole country adversely, and certain places more severly. These places that are very adversely affected include North Eastern Provinces, Eastern, Nyanza Western etc.

But I also want totally to be disassociated from the group whose ambition is to be as developed as Central Kenya. Central Kenya is so poor and miserable to the extent that if we do not know the number of tea pickers on Njonjos farm doomed to misery then we can not be the agents of a nationalist vision. We shall fail if we limited our scope of development advocacy to the narrow, very narrow ethnic community scope.

I do not see it as the way to go. The disparities there ( central Kenya) are as shocking as anywhere. And I refuse to be cajoled by those who are saying that this community is better off and should not talk. We must decide whether we are taking an ethnic community approach or a class approach to advocacy. If a kikuyu living in a slum disturbs me as much as Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta, then I think I am different from the group that is ruling today.

I am in solidarity with the Yimbo peasants and their futures. I am not in solidarity with Yimbo middle class professionals and millionaires who are living quietly in the UK or USA. They are all Luos, but It is clear where I am focusing. I have never stood for advocacy for all Luos or all Kisiis but for the Luos or Kisiis or Kenyans who need advocacy.

Back to the FDI and Dominion. My last word is this, that the Top down approach of development never worked and will never work. The community must own it or it is not gonna work for them.

But I can not sign out until I say that I am appaled at the degree to which we have to sink to, before we start rising again. How can so many brilliant minds be bought into becoming PR agents of a Foreign company so seriously that they can not even read alternative views and argue on Principle? The Intolerance from learned men on this forum is shocking. I have provided so much expertise advise on the social and economic aspects of FDI projects so far. I know that those who are for Dominion just learnt Zero. And Tobby just asked " to Kill or not to Kill?".

There is no country that has progressed on the basis of "it is my idea or no Idea". I am convinced that Dominion will be a problem because it is not owned by the people of Nyanza and Western. Luos have gone to school from Bondo and Siaya since the colonial days and I doubt if Dominion is going to realy improve their dignity and standards of living. Now you can not take this away from me, given that I have carried out a sound review of the fundamentals and technical examination of all FDIs and I know what they do to communities.

Go on and be the legsmen for Dominion or the People of Yimbo and History will bear us out.

Orina