Re:Kisumu City has no water (GENOCIDE???)

Councilor-in-waiting, Odhiambo

It is unfortunate that the people of Kenya are represented by Councilors, Mayors, MPs, etc who don’t even know their job descriptions. As a future councilor, you should understand that councils are part of the government. These local authorities are obligated to make sure that their residents have clean water; can dispose their sewerage and rubbish in a safe manner; have good roads etc. These authorities have failed us. Instead of holding them accountable we are quick to back the straw-man called Government. Read more about that here http://mosaisi-fries-em.blogspot.com/2007/01/straw-man-called-government.html

It is a shame that some of you want to tribalise everything to meet your narrow political needs. You said: “Kisumu City has been without water for the last 3 years … The game plan was apparently clear; deny them water even as they see the lake, and you will subjugate them.”

I think you know better than me that the valves controlling water in Kisumu are not located at the Statehouse. The management of water in Kisumu is the responsibility of Kisumu City through the Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company (Kiwasco). The people managing Kiwasco are not Kamau and Wanjiru. They are all sons and daughters of the lake region. Until recently Eric Nyamunga MP, was heading the organization. He was elected in a by-election because of his ‘exellent work.’ When Kiwasco collects bills, it doesn’t send the money to Murang’a or Siaya. The funds remain in Kisumu.

When Kisumu residents (who happen to be Luos, Kisiis, Germans, Indians, Kikuyus, etc) pay their water bill and land rates, they expect to receive quality service. Kiwasco and the Kisumu local authorities should be held accountable instead of fishing for tribalism to fit your immediate needs. Cries of Genocide may give you instant gratification but they will not solve the problems at hand.

As a future councilor, I want you to research about an Architect called Jamie Lerner. He served as a mayor and transformed his city into a case study for sound urban planning. Here are some links:
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/fellows/brazil1203/lerner.html
http://www.globalideasbank.org/site/bank/idea.php?ideaId=2236

Lastly my brother, put this victim mentality to rest. The Luo have been given a raw deal as much as the rest of Kenyans. In the Nyayo era we saw pictures of starving Baringoans … but the president of Kenya was “their son.”
http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/05032000/index.html

Two elderly women wait for food at the Tangulbei Distribution Centre in Baringo District. They got rations of relief maize donated by Barclays Bank through the Kenya Freedom From Hunger Council last week. The area is suffering from severe famine.

Mosaisi