Luoland-learn from your mistakes: Honest response to Joram O. Ragem

Laidies and gentlemen

I received a message of Joram O. Ragem from Simon Agwanda. I answered it privately because I thought it was a private message. However, I saw this message in public eye and hence decided to post my response publicly as follows.

Nyanza and luo nyanza in particular has suffered political and economical alienation hence has dwindled into the dungeon of poverty. While the region is still sinking it is never too late to uplift it up by its own people. In this context the dabate has been raging as to what is the best way to save this land. Is it through politics?

ANSWER: This has been attempted since 1963. It has not worked

Is it through devolution of power? I hate to call it manjiboism but that is a different topic.

ANSWER: This has not been attempted. May be just may be it can work

Is it by military disobedience? ANSWER: No because this breeds more poverty and unnecessary human suffering Is it through economic transformation movement?

ANSWER: I believe this is the answer. The problem is just how to initiate it.

The debate is healthy in some cases but not in others. I have recently received alot of responses with respect to the formation of Kenya Development Fund corporation. Some very intrigueing some while calling my idea very shallow failed to propagate their own deep ideas. I have learnt one thing in life. Ignore the negatives that lack solution but give deep thought to both positives and negatives which have praticable solutions. It is in this respect that I chose to reply to Mr. Joram O. Ragem because I believe some of his questions were genuine and deserve real answers. Below are his questions and the honest answers from KDFC . The bold are Joram's comments.

Comment1. First, let me comment on the call to the Oklahoma Conference. Congratulations to those organizing it, but please, proceed with caution! I know that people have been swindled and resources fleeced in the name of development. ANSWER: Yes caution is required in these matters. But, KDFC is an organization in its early stages of formation. KDFC will not belong to one person. It will belong to all of us. The meeting in Oklahoma is the first time those who would like to be members are going to meet. It is in this meeting that they are going to chart out the future of KDFC. The caution therefore shall be excercised on laying down the right ground rules on how to proceed. We are a group of professionals. And moreso we have lawyers and accountants in our midst that have agreed to offer their services to chart for us the right by laws so that no one should be swindled. As Joram has shown some signs of being a cautious person it will be very crucial for him to give us the right direction through caution in this meeting. Criticism from inside will help more. Criticism from outside may BE misinterprated as antagonism even if they are not.

Comment2. In what account will the collected money be kept and what safeguards will there be to prevent the signatories from running away with it? ANSWER: KDFC is in the process of talking with renoun banks, bankers and finacial institutions with impeccable infrastruture. We will not blindly move into opening blind accounts. We have professionals who will advice us on how to move and moreso let me inform you that KDFC will own its own bank. We have gotten some proporsals of individuals of the same interest who are willing to help in setting up such institutions on our behalf. All they need is our little input.

Next, we will not take any one's money if financial by laws are not in place. None of us are jail birds and would not like to go to jail. This is America. We are going to have this set up according to the law of the land before we start any account.

Comment3. Will those entrusted with the contributions be vetted through credit check and reference of how they have previously handled public funds?

ANSWER: Yes as an organization that would like to make an impact we will be interested in choosing leaders with great credentials and character. The rules for vetting will be put in place. Joram we cannot start to run before we walk. These are the very same misgivings that I emphasised on in my article. We have misgivings even before we start anything. In other words we emphasise the negative than the positive.

Comment4. Are the contributors guaranteed a refund should they choose to withdraw? If so what percentage?

ANSWER: KDFC will be a profit making development oriented institution. Hence every single cent you put in it will be put into a business venture. Depending on the profits and losses made you can sell your shares any time you want at the prevailing prices. No problem on that.

Comments5: There is a problem when individuals organizing the event are inadvertently telling us that we are bewitched and cannot initiate meaningful development or investments individually.

ASWER: Joram, I think here you were hunting for something to cricise. My quote was from the bible ie when Apostle Paul asked the Corinthians " Who bewitched us". Being frustrated with our state of affairs whereby we have not been able come together to inititiate development programs I asked the same question as Paul did. I believe you took this literally and made a mountain out of it. The question could have been put as simply as "What is our problem?'. I do believe you are also convinced that we have a problem that only us can solve. We cannot pass it on to anybody.

Comments 6: Let us not begin to infuse Ujamaa through the back door. If one stand for Ujamaa, let the run for office and the voters will decide.

Answer: Please review the articles that have been written by Odhiambo Oketch, William Oduor and Dickson Aduonga on this forum. Atleast they also believe that there is more power in political and economic unity. I am not advocating that individualism should be suppressed. Im simply saying that unity of successful individuals like you and me may bring development to our land. If this is Ujamaa then I need to review my history books.

Comments 6: : I do not know Calvin Burgess. My advice to him would be to proceed with his venture with his legally constitute company individually.

ANSWER: You are advicing Mr. Burges to invest, make his money, get out of there and ignore the locals. Good advice sir. At this point I was really concerned about your motive. I think I would like to offer you a chance to defend yourslef on this. As a person of great integrity you may understand that if an international investors do not invest with the locals in mind, he leaves them poorer than he found them. The fact that Mr. Burges would like our opinion is becuase he respects our ability and our contribution. He is also interested in uplifting us. Your advice is that go make money sir. Ignore these bastards. If that is your advice then it may have not deserved an answer.

Comments7: Do not bring politics into business. Haven't you seen that even in ODM-K, waiting for consensus is like 'Waiting for Godot?'

ANSWER: Most of the people who have joined KDFC have not shown any signs that they are getting involved to curve their political carreers. Their interest is purely to invest large scale in Nyanza to provide food, education, medicine and eliminate poverty. At least this is my interest. As for me my political ambition has not matured and I doubt whether I have the guts to be involved in it now. My passion is that I leave Nyanza better than I found it. With you on borad sir we can do this. We are not a political organization, neither are we supporting any political party. We are purely an investment componey with a human face. Helping Nyanza people stand up again.

Comment8: There is nothing wrong in helping. Organizing ourselves in advance for such causes is okay, plausible but debatable. Who will keep the money, who will be eligible, and how much will be given (when so and so's cousin's sister-in-law is fallen). Communal insurance is an idea that will require consistent deduction and the test of time. Individuals are encouraged to buy life insurance that has provisions for such events from reputable companies that have been tested, and are overseen by the federal insurance bodies.

ANSWER: I believe your comment stemmed from the fact that we could start an insurance componey that could be responsible for transporting our fellow kenyans home. I would like to say that this was an exploratory comment based on what we always do. You do realize that some of the life insurance componies are very expensive and require very stringent requirements that some of our people have not been able to afford. After your statement I actually thought it could be a good business venture even for an individual. Moreso I think we should start thinking about who we are buring from as a people. I do believe you should give business to a person who can employ your sister or brother, or can build a road going to your home area rather to a person you have no idea who he is. It is time we give preference to business that promote our cause.
As per following customs like transporting bodies home. I leave it for you to discuss it with your family. It is cheaper for my body to be transported home so that my whole family can pay their last respect rather doing an harambee at home to transport my 4 sisters, my 4 uncles, my 5 unties, 6 sisters of my mom etc etc to come to united states to see me being cremated. Good luck on that sir.

Comment9: Lastly, there is nothing wrong by contributing to help your favorite candidate to win an election.

ANSWER: My comment was that if we can use the same enthusiasm with which we contribute money to candidates in fundraising for development initiatives we would develope our land. At no point did I say that we should not contribute money for political figures with sound policies. I believe you may have missed that point.

But if you did not then I think you were attempting to drag in the name of a political figure from our land into the debate. We are in support of all politicians that are pro nyanza development. We are not fighting with any one. We are simply interested in development. Whoever is not against development is on our side.

Comment10: Jokanyanam, do not despair, do not be discouraged by those calling you lazy, bewitched. The spirit of Gor Mahia and Luanda Magere are omnipresent. Luoland will catch up if we persist.

ANSWER: Jokanyanam be wary of those advocating status quo. An animal that survives is that which learns its enviroment and evolve to conquor it. We are in Kenya. The odds are against us. Our individuals have worked hard but got victimised, lost everything, some were killed and Nyanza sank more into poverty. Should I mention Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, fought for luoland untill his death. He left a very sound political unity that we cherish but we have to work on economic unity. Let the spirit of Jaramogi live. That the luo remian one in politics and economics that no luo child should be left behind. Lets work together for our success. We will be fought but if we are together we will be too much for the invader. If you are alone they will simply crash you. Joram and Agwanda no hurt feelings. As I saw some sense in your comment. I hope you see one in my passion.

Dr. Barack Otieno Abonyo.