Re: DEFENDERS OF DOMINION - Tribalism as an excuse

I have received both praise and insults for crying out over the Dominon Farms. I have also received requests to keep the Odinga name out of this issue. But will there be Dominion in Kenya without the Herculean effort from the Odingas? Knowing that we are in a political Kipindi cha lala salama, I will assume that there is no link between the Odingas and Dominion. However this will not change that facts that are open for all to see. I don't want politics to get in the way of such a crucial debate.

So what can we as Luos, Kalenjins, Kambas etc do to enhance our people's lives? Should we tour the world and invite 'monied' foreigners to buy our parents land and transform it into a mega farm?

In western Economics, a grandmother who tills her garden and plants millet to feed herself is not counted as contributing to the economy. If this gandmother and other grandmothers sold their land to developer and submitted themselves for employment doing the same thing they did to earn their bread, they will be counted as contributing to the economy. But the reality of the grown shows that this grandmother has her own grassthatched house, she feed herself, and has an activity that gives her a reason to wake up every morning. She may appear to be poor but she is better of as a property owner than selling the property in exchange for wage employment at a farm.

How can we help our people do better than they are now?

First we have to teach our people the importance of believing in ones self. The notion that Wazungu are owners of solutions should be discouraged at all costs. This will eleminate our need to turn over our resources for exploitation by multi-nationals. A people who believe in themselves will not make Nyayo-era delegations to the so-called investors to beg them to invest. Instead, we will be the investors.

Those of us who live in countries where access to capital is cheaper need to exploit this resource. We know where the potential is and that is where we should focus our energy. We shouldn't be afraid to jump in. I have admired people like Ayisi Makatiani the founder of Africa Online. He lived abroad like most of us. He saw an opportunity, exploited it and moved on when he had milked the max. He helped to transfer knowledge from the US to Kenya where many people have benefited. I think we need to think bigger than begging somebody to invest where we have identified an opportunity and may have an upper hand since we know the terain.

Last but not least, I will like to tell those who sent me private e-mails accusing me of working with outsiders to destroy Luos that they are mistaken. I am against Dominion because of their abuse of human rights, exploitations without equitable compansation, the impact of their farming methods on the environment and the long term effects of the same on the economic wellbeing of the millions who depend on Lake Basin resources.

I urge my educated brothers to work independent of Dominion. We don't need charity from Dominion. We don't need handouts from them. The people setting up an investment team need not look like they are Dominion's PR team. Otherwise nobody will take them serious.

Jackton