The Indipendent state of Luoland-Stop blame games!

Joka nyanam

I have been faithfully reading from this website, religiously every morning since I discovered it some 3 or so months ago. One thing that recurs is the blame game; we keep on shifting blame to other people for all sorts of woes that the Luos are facing, some only propose what can be done, but nobody acts.

To start with, insisting on something that sounds like cessation (or am I exaggerating?). Most of you who are peddling this campaign live in the Diaspora- do you really know what happens during such a period of stupid and unwarranted wars (remember Biafra, Uganda, Darfur....)- How would you like to see your mother, sister and your two year old daughter being raped by drug intoxicated soldiers,or their pregnant bellies being split open, or your 12 year old son taken on as a child soldier, and by the way with the rise of homosexuality, the rape will not spare your father and your brothers... How would you like somebody asking you if you want "short sleeves or long sleeves" (Remember Sierra Leone). Leave us who are here at home in peace!

We are always blaming the Government of the day for all sorts of woes that befall us: hunger, disease, poor performance in schools, poverty. Why don't we just be proactive and do something about the situation instead of whining? Former president Moi was not very friendly to the Kikuyus during his days; did this stop SK Macharia from setting up Royal Media in spite of the frustrations (would you believe he even now runs the most popular Luo station-Ramogi FM!), the Equity bank guy, founded his bank during this time, majority of public transport, the good private schools, stock brokerage firms belong to them and they succeeded in all sorts of business while the Luo man blamed the "anti-Luo regime".

I thought at one time we were supposed to be the most educated community, but this knowledge we got in school, has it translated into anything tangible, ok, we want to get the big Jobs with our mighty papers, live in rented good houses, enjoy good life and not think of the future- employment has never been known to get you into the books of the wealthy. It is time to be practical - I am not saying do not go to school, it is the foundation of everything but think beyond employment! Why are we chasing those civil service jobs anyway, why don't we create employment instead, after all we boast of having the brains! Do you know that the best carpenters, tailors, hairdressers are luos? We are gifted in arts and use of our hands, why should we remain poor?

The Kikuyus that we love to blame so much have worked hard and smart, it doesn't matter if you want to say they have stolen-they have made it. While we continue to whine, they advance. It is their children who go to school and earn the degrees while your own cannot afford fees, so they drop out. They are the ones who will graduate from those colleges and get the good jobs, while we continue to languish in poverty. For now, you are selling them you ancestral land in Ahero, Siaya, Migori, Kisumu and all Nyanza, your relatives and friends ride in their buses from Nairobi to pacho/dala! The vehicles either belong to them, or Kisiis or Indians- magu to nikanye? Who does business in Kisumu, if the Indians go on strike for one day; all shops in Kisumu are closed!

Let us resolve to work smart and hard, first as individuals then as a community, for as long as you have a scapegoat, we will stay in that mediocre position you are in at the moment! Resolve to succeed, whatever government is and will be in power. Find out how you can invest or how to promote your people economically - show them how to fish and not only how to eat the fish. Even if Raila comes to power, he will probably not even recognise my face, and neither does Kibaki. Omiyo, we uru yuagruok manono, wakuodo wich!

Loise Ochanda