Cnn looks at Toilet malls in Nairobi Kenya.
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Items by John Karanja
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13:38 Nairobi’s Toilet Malls.
» johnkaranja.com -
5:52
TED Alex Tabarrok: How ideas trump economic crises
» johnkaranja.com 
Ted.com
Have you ever wondered how we can find opportunities during the recession. Economist Alex Tabarrok argues free trade and globalization are shaping our once-divided world into a community of idea-sharing more healthy, happy and prosperous than anyone’s predictions
This is a refreshing talk by Alex Tabarrok on how we can all use our own ideas to ride the economic storm and come out the better for it. Really inspirational stuff here. Watch the Video below
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5:43
Dambisa Moyo at Oxford Seminar
» johnkaranja.com 
Dambisa Moyo
Dambisa Moyo gave a talk about Exit Strategies for Aid for Africa at the Africa Business Network where she urged governments to pursue development. Aid according to her is an inhibitor because it creates DYSFUNCTIONAL governments and creates STIGMA amongst the African people. i.e. People will always ask for relief from donors and will not seek ways to actively improve themselves. In addition corruption, bureaucracy, ethnic strife and poor political representation are problems associated with constant reliance on AID.
She urged trade with China, increased foreign direct investment and use of the capital markets as direct alternatives to the AID MODEL. Strengthening of micro finance institutions and remittances will also form a huge component of the EXIT strategy from AID.
Please see more at http://stopaid.org
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5:35
Whoze got issuez?
» johnkaranja.com 
Share your Issuez
GotIssuez.Com a web startup currently operating out of Nairobi, Kenya was founded by a group of Strathmore University graduates namely Anthony Mwangi, Sarah Njeri, Esbon Wahome and Mark Kaigwa and Kevin Rombe. It is a social platform that lets users from all over Eastern Africa speak their mind on Products, Brands and Service Delivery. It helps companies solve issues swiftly and effectively, getting in touch with the people that matter and get them involved and resolving relevant issues with their companies.
The website reward our members by offering them plenty of gifts they can bid for with the points they get from Ranting and Rating Issues.
It has a Gift Gallery is where you can get your company and your products noticed, as the community bids to win them.
Visit the website at www.gotissuez.com and follow it on twitter at twitter.com/gotissuez
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5:29
H1N1 Vaccine Side effects
» johnkaranja.com 
Flu shot is it Dangerous?
Dear readers i have attached a round up of swine flu vaccine side effects emanating from this particular H1N1 vaccine. Please pass this information to as many people you can or even possibly to your physician. In a nutshell the vaccine contains mecury derivatives as as other adjavents that can cause Cancer and fertility problems.
There has been a lot of controversy surrounding this in America. Please have a look at FDA approved document and see for your self. Biologists are welcome to educate us more on this issue.
3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine is a sterile suspension for intramuscular injection. [see DESCRIPTION (11) for the complete list of ingredients] Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine is available in two presentations: 1) Prefilled single dose syringe, 0.5-mL. Thimerosal, a mercury derivative used during manufacture, is removed by subsequent purification steps to a trace amount (? 1 mcg mercury per 0.5-mL dose). 2) Multidose vial, 5-mL. Contains thimerosal, a mercury derivative, added as a preservative. Each 0.5-mL dose from the multidose vial contains 25 mcg mercury. 4 CONTRAINDICATIONS 4.1 Hypersensitivity Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine should not be administered to anyone with known systemic hypersensitivity reactions to egg proteins (eggs or egg products), or to any component of Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine, or who has had a life-threatening reaction to previous influenza vaccinations [see DESCRIPTION (11)]. 5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS 5.1 Guillain-Barré Syndrome If Guillain-Barré syndrome has occurred within 6 weeks of receipt of prior influenza vaccine, the decision to give Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine should be based on careful consideration of the potential benefits and risks. 5.2 Altered Immunocompetence If Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine is administered to immunocompromised persons, including individuals receiving immunosuppressive therapy, the expected immune response may not be obtained. 5.3 Preventing and Managing Allergic Reactions Prior to administration of any dose of Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine, the healthcare provider should review the patient’s prior immunization history for possible adverse events, to determine the existence of any contraindication to immunization with Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine and to allow an assessment of benefits and risks. Appropriate medical treatment and supervision must be available to manage possible anaphylactic reactions following administration of the vaccine. 5.4 Limitations of Vaccine Effectiveness Vaccination with Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine may not protect all individuals.3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS
Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine is a sterile suspension for intramuscular injection. [see DESCRIPTION (11) for the complete list of ingredients]
Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine is available in two presentations:
1) Prefilled single dose syringe, 0.5-mL. Thimerosal, a mercury derivative used during manufacture, is removed by subsequent purification steps to a trace amount (? 1 mcg mercury per 0.5-mL dose).
2) Multidose vial, 5-mL. Contains thimerosal, a mercury derivative, added as a preservative. Each 0.5-mL dose from the multidose vial contains 25 mcg mercury.
4 CONTRAINDICATIONS
4.1 Hypersensitivity
Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine should not be administered to anyone with known systemic hypersensitivity reactions to egg proteins (eggs or egg products), or to any component of Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine, or who has had a life-threatening reaction to previous influenza vaccinations [see DESCRIPTION (11)].
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
5.1 Guillain-Barré Syndrome
If Guillain-Barré syndrome has occurred within 6 weeks of receipt of prior influenza vaccine, the decision to give Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine should be based on careful consideration of the potential benefits and risks.
5.2 Altered Immunocompetence
If Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine is administered to immunocompromised persons, including individuals receiving immunosuppressive therapy, the expected immune response may not be obtained.
5.3 Preventing and Managing Allergic Reactions
Prior to administration of any dose of Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine, the healthcare provider should review the patient’s prior immunization history for possible adverse events, to determine the existence of any contraindication to immunization with Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine and to allow an assessment of benefits and risks. Appropriate medical treatment and supervision must be available to manage possible anaphylactic reactions following administration of the vaccine.
5.4 Limitations of Vaccine Effectiveness
Vaccination with Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine may not protect all individuals…
Read more in document [Download full FDA document]
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12:22
Somali pirates, friend or foe?
» johnkaranja.com 
Who is your daddy now?
Somali pirates seem to have been a huge blessing for the Kenyan Economy. The rise in property prices in Nairobi and the development of the Eastern part of the city has been attributed largely to the largesse the Somali pirates collect as ransom from the ships which prowl the coast off Somalia. This money finds it way into Kenya through networks of Somali underground and microfinance instituitions that have perfected the manner in which to circulate funds.
Indeed many pundits have argued that the Pirates are simply policying their own waters and should not be considered as criminals. While this may be a bit far fetched bearing in mind the Pirates actually kidnap people in the process, it reflects the love affair that is happening between the pirates and people living on the shorelines of Eastern Africa where the pirates operate.
Watch this video of Kenyan fishermen showering praise on the Somali pirates for reducing the trawlers which fish the Kenyan water illegally and therefore increasing the amount of fish accesible to these fishermen.
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17:17
Is Democracy slowing down Africa’s Growth?
» johnkaranja.com 
Will we see red?
Hey Guys,
I have been dwelling on the impressive Economic growth of China over the last 30 years. The country’s policy is not decided by a notorius parliament or president (Democracy) but by a commitee of leaders of the Chinese Communist party.
There may not be democratic freedoms like those we find in Kenya but the country is developing at a rapid rate so much so that European countries have been forced to form the European Union to stand a chance against the Chinese Industrial Machine.
In 20 years time the Chinese Military, Space Program will be at par with the Americans. In 30 years time they will have replaced the United States as the world super power together with India joining by 2050.
The West has been forcing democracy down Africans throats by using Development Aid as bait. The result has been Ethnic conflicts around the continent with different Ethnic groups fighting for the famed National Cake.
Africa has lost many years with this model (Democracy and Multi Party tribal nonsense) and it is only until the Chinese began buying concessions for raw materials, oil et al in exchange for building roads,ports and stadiums has made Africa’s economy begin to expand rapidly as well.
If you think about it Western AID has largely been about expenditure i.e. giving money for government run programs like education and health etc. In exchange African countries are forced to open up their markets to Western goods and even most projects which are Western funded force the Governments to hire Western Experts and pay them at Western rates. Therefore the Africans accrue debts while Aid destroys our own industry and make us dependents for life akin to the intravenous drug user who requires a regular fix.
Its only till China came into Africa and gave it a fairer(there are still some issues) deal for its resources is when Western development agencies are trying to scramble some visible development projects. Otherwise its been 60 years of hard exploitation that we must learn from.
Reports in the Financial Times show that Kenya’s government is in talks with Beijing over development of a multi-billion dollar port and transport corridor that could provide a new export route for Chinese oil in southern Sudan.
The cash-strapped Kenyan government opened negotiations with Qatar over a potential $3.5bn investment in the port project late last year in return for a lease on 40,000 hectares of land to grow crops. But no deal was struck and Raila Odinga, the Kenyan prime minister, indicated to the Financial Times that he now viewed China as better suited to the project.
“The Chinese offer the full package,” he said, referring to the combination of financing and technical expertise that state-backed Chinese banks and construction companies have rolled out across Africa.
A Kenyan delegation led by Mr Odinga flew to China late on Wednesday for talks on the project involving the construction of a port in the popular tourist area of Lamu, and road and rail links to Kenya’s borders with Ethiopia and southern Sudan.
Kenya’s government is in talks with Beijing over development of a multi-billion dollar port and transport corridor that could provide a new export route for Chinese oil in southern Sudan. The cash-strapped Kenyan government opened negotiations with Qatar over a potential $3.5bn investment in the port project late last year in return for a lease on 40,000 hectares of land to grow crops. But no deal was struck and Raila Odinga, the Kenyan prime minister, indicated to the Financial Times that he now viewed China as better suited to the project.This shows that Kenya and other African countries have finally learnt the art of engagement and playing to powers (West and East) against each other which truthfully has been Africa’s problem a failure to learn how to liberate itself economically and safe guard our interests.
In conclusion perhaps we should review this democratic system and replace it with a Council of Elders with Chief Elder as Boss. This is what China has done in a nutshell. I am sure a framework can be worked out around using the different African head of states to form a governing council at the top. Democracy should not precede POLICY. It is not the end but the means to the end.
If you think this is a joke just look at the Military display China put up for the world during its 30 years of COMMITEE rule. The sleeping giant has awoken from her slumber.
P.S. The video is in Chinese which is good considering we may very soon start speaking that Language.
Discuss?
VIDEOS
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18:24
Hackers attack Kenya ruthlessly…
» johnkaranja.com 
Spammed by Russia
I logged in to the admin section of this website to discover that i had been spammed (SQL Injection Hacks) into yet another tiring routine of deleting comments and lose 20 more minutes of my life carefully perusing through spam and actual comments.
Spam is increasingly becoming a huge expense and burden on almost anyone who uses the internet to check mail or communicate.
Assuming i earn $15 for every hour of productivity. It means i am loosing 1/3 of $15 = $5 every day which translates to a whopping $150 every month due to useless spam.
If a company has 200 people that rely on email that translates to $30,000 monthly loss and an unbelievable $460,000 lost to spam.
The estimate is even worse if we take a country which has conservatively 100 companies with over 200 people employed as staff who face this problem. In this case the country looses $46,000,000 roughly Kshs 3.7 billion to such spam attacks.
Such figures should immediately prompt the Kenyan government to set up safe guards that protect Kenyan websites and servers from Spam traffic that originates mostly from Russian/Siberian servers. This should be a project for the Communications Commission of Kenya and National Security Intelligence Service Cyber War unit.
This country is in a de facto state of war for which its security agencies are inadequately prepared. In the past 6 months the following websites have been hacked.
- StateHouse.co.ke which is the Presidents personal website.
- Capitalfm.co.ke which is one of Kenya’s leading websites.
- EquityBank.co.ke which was cloned by Nigerian scammers [See Proof]
Rumour has it that the most famous hack was in 2008 when the Department of Defence was attempting to transfer money to Ukrainian arms dealers over unsecured protocols (specifically [http)] when the money (in Billions) got intercepted by Russian hackers who presumably proceeded to have to largest party ever courtesy of Kenyan tax payers.
Hackers are having a field day in this country its time we got organized.
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17:14
Senegal Builds Africas “statue of Liberty”
» johnkaranja.com 
Income Statue of Africa's Rennaissance
Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade has commissioned a 160-ft high bronze statue commemorating the “African Renaissance.” The statue, “shows a muscular man in a heroic posture, outstretched arms wrapped around his wife and child, who is balanced on one of his biceps,” reports the Associated Press. Plus, the entire group is coming out of a volcano. The statue is symbolic of the African family(Man, Woman and Child) rising out of the volcanic threshold of Slavery, Racism and IGNORANCE . The statue members seem to be pointing at their collective destiny with ultimate focus and expectation.
Senegalese media reports that the statue will be dedicated in a grandiose ceremony on December 12, 2009, with various African leaders and Brazilian President Lula Ignacio da Silva in attendance.
Read more on Africa’s Rennaissance [Click Here]
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16:18
Ali Khan’s 2 cents on how to be RICH!
» johnkaranja.com
Anyone can be rich!
Kenya’s Investment mogul Ali Khan of Rich.co.ke has spent the better part of last month touring the world’s financial capitols in the US,UK and Canada. He discusses with K24 Executive Presenter Richard Kagoe some of the challenges facing Global markets as well as the Kenyan economy. Notably, he sites political bickering as one of the major dampeners of Business Confidence in the country.
Ali as always puts investing into perspective and i have to say i have increased my on meagre earnings succesfully in the past based on some of his sound advise. He may not always read the market correctly(due to some unforeseen destabilizing factors) but his manual for getting rich is one every Kenyan Investor should get acquanted too. His website is Rich.co.ke
In this interview these are some of the Key issues he raises.
- We should all invest when the Stock Market is depresses as that is best tiime to get value for money.
- China is USA’s new Bankers hence has become more powerful in the IMF and G20.
- Remittences are picking up again.
- Political bickering is distabalizing for the Kenyan Economy.
- World Economic power is shifting East to China and co.
- Obama follows the trend and agress to all inclusive world markets.
- He identifies some Entrepreneural Kenyans making Billions in the US. [Feature coming soon]
Watch the interview here and give your opinion on what he has to say.
Part A
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Part B
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Part C
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Part D
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12:49
Feature: Wahu Kagwi (5 Music Videos)
» johnkaranja.com 
Wahu Kenyan Artiste
Wahu is a former model and University of Nairobi student, graduating in mathematics. She started her musical career in 2000. Her first three singles were “Niangalie”, “Esha” and “Liar”. Wahu released her first major hit, “Sitishiki” around 2005 . Her music has been produced by the Ogopa DJ’s . She is married to Nameless, another award-winning Kenyan musician. They have a daughter,Tumiso Nyakwea, to whom she dedicated her biggest hit to date “Sweet Love”.
You can vote for Wahu at the Mama Africa Awards follow this link [www.mama.mtvbase.com] – go to BEST VIDEO – and vote for WAHU. or text BV-WAHU to 6556
Running Low
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Mambo Bado
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Sweet Love
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The little things you do
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23:50
Oxford University Social media conference
» johnkaranja.com Social media marketing (SMM) gets a lot of press these days – and companies are feeling pressure to jump on the bandwagon. But if you’re like many marketers, you may be unclear about the benefits of SMM and how, exactly, you should use it to your best advantage. Without a clear strategy and specific goals and objectives, SMM can be a low-ROI time sink and it may undermine your other marketing efforts – even email. While email marketing and SMM can be a dynamic duo, you need to ensure these two powerhouse marketing tactics are working together in order to achieve results that are greater than the sum of their parts.
Oxford Internet Institute
Social media marketing (SMM) gets a lot of press these days – and companies are feeling pressure to jump on the bandwagon.But if you’re like many marketers, you may be unclear about the benefits of SMM and how, exactly, you should use it to your best advantage. Without a clear strategy and specific goals and objectives, SMM can be a low-ROI time sink and it may undermine your other marketing efforts – even email. While email marketing and SMM can be a dynamic duo, you need to ensure these two powerhouse marketing tactics are working together in order to achieve results that are greater than the sum of their parts.
What Is Social Media?
There are a lot of new terms being thrown around about social media. But what is social media exactly? According to Wikipedia.org, social media is “online content created by people using highly accessible and scalable publishing technologies … It’s a fusion of sociology and technology, transforming monologues (one-to-many) into dialogues (many-to-many) and is the democratization of information, transforming people from content readers into publishers.” Because the power of mass communication is being put into the hands of the individual (democratization), the adoption of SMM is skyrocketing – virally permeating our personal and professional interactions. Individuals and businesses are creating, sharing and receiving content in exponentially increasing amounts over highly interactive mediums. These mediums are fundamentally transforming the landscape of how consumers interact with each other and, ultimately, with your company. This interaction can be leveraged in very powerful, yet simple, ways to extend the visibility of your email campaigns. Here are some of the conversations we had during the Oxford Social Media conference on 18th September 2009 at the Said Business School.
Twitter Stream: [twitter.com]
Some musings from the participants.
I got back last night from a conference on social media sponsored by the Oxford Internet Institute. Why would anyone pay to hear me talk about blogging, Twitter and Facebook? They wouldn’t. The conference was free. I certainly tried to give people their money’s worth.
Conferences like this are hard to pull off. You can’t really be sure of your audience. Are they people who don’t know Twitter from Flickr fromFlicka? Or are they hardcore power-users who Tweet constantly? The answer was probably, “Yes,” which means you’re likely to disappoint people on both sides, occasionally by being too obvious, occasionally by being too obtuse.
Guardian article: What we learned?
RESOURCES
The OxIS 2009 Report: The Internet in Britain (PDF, 1.9mb)
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11:35
Electronic Money Wars: Zain vs Safaricom Round 1
» johnkaranja.com 
Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph
Zain has recently launched international transfers (Zap Money) similar to western union that allows individuals to sent money from international accounts to local mobile phones in Kenya. Though this technology is a prospective game changer for e-commerce in East Africa, it remains to be seen whether mobile phone users will be ready to switch to Zap from the more popular MPESA.
However this is also bad news for money exchange websites such as mamamikes which been for years been acting as intermediaries for Zain/Celtel airtime as they are like to loss significant amounts to the ZAP service.
However local ecommerce sites such as BabaWatoto should be able to leverage their epayments using this system and increase the number of exports.
Safaricom which succesfully introduced Mobile money in Africa will have to step up their game and allow access to the API for development of similar intermediary tools or alternatively start the international money transfer service.
By restricting access of their API to public developers they blocked young and geeky Kenyan programmers from rolling out a myriad of applications that can increase competition and therefore create more jobs and a new mobile economy.
This policy may in the end make the difference in the competitive war between Zap and Safaricom.
Let the games begin…
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19:12
Nation Media Group launches nsoko.com
» johnkaranja.com 
Nsoko.com Homepage
Nation Media Group, East Africa’s largest Media group has launched Nsoko.com a classifieds websites that will allow users to post classified Advertisements selling motor, home rentals and business services. This move will ensure that the group continues to have leverage on Kenya’s growing internet market. The service joins other Kenyan classified services like Whive.com Classified and jobs site BPOKenya.com which have the current market share.
The service is like to be somewhat popular because of the relatively powerful campaign resources the group has. The group is listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange and has a large capital base.
It will be interesting to see how the privately owned with this initiative because of the entry of the new big competitor.
Watch Video of Launch
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16:29
Malawi’s food revolution.
» johnkaranja.com 
Corn Revolution
Malawi under the Presidency of Bingu Wa Mutharika has been able to transform itself from a country in dire need of food aid in 2003 to a country that is now feeding its neighbours Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It also gives food donations to the World Food Program which sends food aid to countries like Kenya.
This was possible because the President took full control of the Ministry of Agriculture as was therefore able to supervise and coordinate the food security program. They also got rid of corruption through getting rid of the hawkish middlemen and provided agricultural subsidies to the farmers at the local level. Drip irrigation was used to supplement rainfall.
Watch an interview with President Bingu Wa Mutharika
PART 1
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PART 2
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5:37
Breaking News: Equity Bank Phising Site & scammers exposed
» johnkaranja.com 
Equity Bank C.E.O James Mwangi
Equity Bank has become the latest victim of what is termed as Nigerean Fraud. Scammers are attempting to redivert Equity’s internet banking customers to the fraudulent website(which is an exact clone of the original EquityBank.co.ke albeit with a lower resolution) in order to grab clients banking details.
This suggests that the scammers have identified the Bank as a lucrative victim which suggests that Equity has been having considerable traffic to its online resource.
See the fake site here [equitybanknig-plc.com]
The fake website has been registered by a person going by the ALIAS Equity Bank Plc Powell Maria who is based in Arizona and the fake website is being hosted by a company Known as SPRIT in Vienna Austria.
Follow the details of the Registrant Below.
Registrant:
Equity Bank Plc Powell Maria
3525 S. Nantucket Dr
Arizona, United States US-85249
United StatesRegistrar: NAMESDIRECT
Domain Name: EQUITYBANKNIG-PLC.COM
Created on: 09-MAR-09
Expires on: 10-MAR-10
Last Updated on: 09-MAR-09Administrative Contact:
Powell Maria, Equity Bank Plc
@yahoo.com
3525 S. Nantucket Dr
Arizona, United States US-85249
United States
419.6182911Technical Contact:
, MELON IT GmbH. [SPRIT.ORG]
@sprit.org
Weyringergasse 13
Vienna, Austria A-1040
Austria
431.5056610
431.505661024Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.SPRITNAMES.COM
NS2.SPRITNAMES.COMSTEPS TO TAKE TO SECURE YOUR ACCOUNT.
1. Change your password
2. Open a support ticket with Equity Bank
3.If you suspect your card details have been compromised, freeze your card.
4. If you suspect your Account details have been compromised, freeze your account.
5. Submit any incident for follow up at [www.afrineurs.com]
Equity Bank should immediately run a diagnostics on all their server equipment and check for trojans. They should also secure BackDoor Ports on their firewalls and web server systems as well as redo their web platform as it has been severely compromised.
Diagnostics and Analysis provided by SpaceKenya.co.ke Server Technicians
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20:37
Africa’s Cultural Renaissance
» johnkaranja.com 
Kikuyu Kiondo - African Hand Bags
African governments finally agree to Protect Africas Cultural heritage. This is critical in empowering African communities to trade in cultural commodities as well as to protect cultural assets on an international scale. This is important because African artifacts have been stolen,pileaged and taken from the continent without a single penny reverting to the creators or inventors of these artificats. In Kenya the Kiondo a Kikuyu cultural artefact is patented and owned by a Japanese company while the Kikoy is owned by a British firm. This means the original creators of these commodities cannot manufacture or sell these commodities on an internal scale. This consitutes one of the most destabilizing effects of colonial rule and the subsequent misuse of the African cultural heritage.
The agreement also covers Lingual aspects. Here are some excerpts from the agreement.
Session in Khartoum, the Republic of The Sudan, from 23rd to 24th January 2006; Inspired by the Cultural Charter for Africa adopted by the Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity meeting in its Thirteenth Ordinary Session, in Port Louis, Mauritius, from 2 to 5 July, 1976; GUIDED BY The Constitutive Act of the African Union; The Universal Declaration of Principles of International Cultural Co-operation adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO at its Fourteenth Session in 1966; The Pan-African Cultural Manifesto of Algiers (1969), and by the Inter-Governmental Conference on Cultural Policies in Africa organized by UNESCO in Accra, in 1975, in cooperation with the Organization of African Unity; The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981); The Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954) and its additional Protocols; The Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Cultural Property (1970); Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972); The UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001); The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003); The Convention on the Protection and Promotion of Diversity of Cultural Expressions, (2005); The Decision of OAU Summit on the establishment of the African Academy of Languages;Session in Khartoum, the Republic of The Sudan, from 23rd to 24th January 2006;
Inspired by the Cultural Charter for Africa adopted by the Heads of State and
Government of the Organization of African Unity meeting in its Thirteenth Ordinary
Session, in Port Louis, Mauritius, from 2 to 5 July, 1976;
GUIDED BY
The Constitutive Act of the African Union;
The Universal Declaration of Principles of International Cultural Co-operation adopted by
the General Conference of UNESCO at its Fourteenth Session in 1966;
The Pan-African Cultural Manifesto of Algiers (1969), and by the Inter-Governmental
Conference on Cultural Policies in Africa organized by UNESCO in Accra, in 1975, in
cooperation with the Organization of African Unity;
The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981);
The Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict
(1954) and its additional Protocols;
The Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import,
Export and Transfer of Cultural Property (1970);
Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972);
The UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001);
The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003);
The Convention on the Protection and Promotion of Diversity of Cultural Expressions,
(2005);
The Decision of OAU Summit on the establishment of the African Academy of
Languages; Read the rest, Download the Agreement [click here]
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8:34
Nigereans building a city on the sea
» johnkaranja.com 
Lagos Atlantic System
The Nigereans are building a new city on the sea adjacent to Lagos in order in create more office blocks as well as free up the thoroughly congested Central Business District. This is a positive step in one of the worlds most chaotic cities which is projected to be the 3rd largest city outside China by 2020 with a population of 24 million inhabitants.
This development is largely driven by oil revenues which have for decades been poorly utilized mostly stolen or siphoned by Nigerias corrupt leaders.
Watch the video of this development and follow the discussion here
LAGO’S SEA WALL
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LAGO’S ATLANTIC CITY ENGINEERING
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18:59
When i die
» johnkaranja.com When I Die…
When I die and life shall be no more
I’ll be standing at heaven’s portal door.
When I take my final breath.
When I close my eyes to death.
On the white pillow, they lay my head
Don’t feel sorry, pain or dread
For I’m no longer hurting now, as before
The timing of my death was in store
For it’s appointed unto man once to die
It’s my time to go…please please…do not cry
Only remember the good times that we had
Rejoice and be happy for I am no longer sad.
I’ve ran my course and finished the race
Now I’m able to look upon my Savior’s face
So rejoice with me as I lay in rest
For me to go…it’s really for the best
For to some, I brought only pain
A faithful friend I was to others and brought gain
I lived my life, the best I knew
I loved everyone from my heart so true
So please please don’t grieve for me
For it’s the best choice God made you see
For now I’m gone from earth’s shore
I’m now standing in heaven’s door.
Please hold those you love so close and dear
For you never know when their time is near
Never be angry with those you love
For you never know when they are called home
To heaven above.
When I die … my breath is gone
Please rejoice and sing only a happy song.
As I lay my head to rest.
God called me home. Beloved…it’s for the best.
Never forget that I love you.
My love to you…was always true.
Please forgive me for wrong I may have done.
I don’t want to die this way and us not be one.
I shall go now and lay my head to rest
Into His bosom I find … peace and no more stress.
Goodbye my loved one and keep holding on
I will love you for eternity … for now…I am gone.
Live on my loved one and forever see
That I loved you honestly and unconditionally.
PS…I Love U!!!!By Unknown
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14:24
Branding Kenya
» johnkaranja.com 
Kikuyu Homestead 19th Century
Well what is perceived by the word brand? Probably you are wondering where I am going with this. Well some months or years ago we had Tusker Supermarket a local self help store. The perception and reception by the public it was viewed as one of the underground local stores and unconfirmed sources said it was going down at some point. With a string of stores around capital city and towns, the resulted to rebranding and sure enough it catapulted its revenue and image of the store rose high to the standard of the main stores like Nakumatt and the then Uchumi. The store just renamed its name to Tuskys and put some more definitive colours for outright identification.Back to our case Brand Kenya, well would argue Kenya has always been a brand on its own rather we needed rebranding. The whole strategy is amazing and yes under normal circumstances it would pass to be the best ideal way of selling Kenya to the Diaspora and attract tourist and investors. It’s viewed as an extension of progressing the main agenda of Vision 2030. Quoting the Information PS Mr. Ndemo he claimed politicians give guidelines they follow and if something fails its due to lack implementation by the likes of them the PS and so on. Is this really true to have such a claim when we do know that they are employed by the same politicians? May be sounding dumb but who is the boss and what if the boss grounds your plan? He was addressing attendees during the Brand Kenya launch claiming we should not blame politicians and that it was them to implement. Really tend to think he was wrong because for a fact it’s the politicians who have assumed the role of what goes and what does not. Look at the situation of the constitution review we haven’t begun and the already at it. Soon am guessing us going to be back to Orange and Bananas politics.
Anyway I think if the issue of Brand Kenya would lack the political goodwill we would be like playing musical beats without lyrics or having tuneless music but is still music. Look at it this way; yes we have Brand Kenya initiative but what about the underlining Kenyan issues that keep propping up? What are the strategies put forward to addressing them? Through this initiative we have TV programs and Lobbyist send out to sell Kenya in the positive light and uplift its image plus to ensure deviate from the bad publicity Kenya had received since last year. Looking at the programs well would look at them and agree that yes it would pull up some public information inspire others and so on but are the political class in together with us or are they to stick back and be the spoiled potatoes to spoil the rest. Think about it, w busy painting this beautiful picture of oneness, safety and beauty of the country few days later some politicians comes out accusing the other of political assassination. With these grounds lobbies a community against the other going all tribal. Another scenario is when public scandals and mismanagement is the order of the day of government what are the investors to think?
In my view Brand Kenya is supposed to have from inside outside rather than just trying to do patch up work on the extremely spoiling image of the great nation. This should be an initiative for a cross section of the whole country. Every persons to be involved I expected to see the president in the foreground of Brand Kenya the PM was supposed to be on the foreground too but what did we see at the launch PS and people from the department and yeah our very own image portrayer the media. The previous initiatives looked so empty and almost disappointing struggle for damage control. The likes of Vision 2030 and The Kenya We Want.
We should be Branding Kenya from within we put policies to run and sustain the country regardless of the situations. We should have good and practical food policies that guide the importations, exportation, supply, distribution and production of food. This would ensure we have food security. We should ensure safety and security of Kenyans and their properties is paramount to the governance of the country. We should ensure we have policies to ensure basic wants like water and housing have been addressed appropriately. Empty promises made by politicians make the issue of Brand Kenya as another attempt of PR waiting to fall since we see nothing to sustain its accomplishment.
Being optimistic as they say its our duty as the Kenyan citizen to speak well of the beautiful country. The initiative should be done on a serious note such that the given TV programs identified should address the issues rather than cover them and better yet bring the solutions but surely we need politicians to be answerable so am thinking there involvement in the discussion and forums would just help us identify which of these leaders are for real. We love this beautiful country Kenya God bless it as we try every way to stay above!!!
By Neville D. Nelson
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14:08
Blind will see :: Stem cell cornea regrowth
» johnkaranja.com -
13:19
Kenyan Wind farms: Why they could be another White elephant.
» johnkaranja.com 
Wind Farm
Hey guys, some Kenyan bloggers have done some background research on the Kenyan wind farm projects and there is some indication that the cost of the project has been doubled and is not going to be as effective as it sounds. Please follow the discussion here.
Consensus has been building for a Nuclear/ Geothermal power plant
Don’t invest in Wind Power. It’s too expensive, inefficient and undependable. The only way it survives in Europe and North America is through heavy governmental subsidies. Something that Kenya doesn’t have. Electric customers will end up paying two to three times for it when compared to other forms of generation. I read recently where a Wind Farm at Lake Turkana will provide 300 MW installed at a cost of over $800 million USD. This is about twice the cost of similar size “farms” in the US. I hope the contract includes transmission lines for the several hundred miles back to Nairobi. The 300MW is installed. You’ll be lucky to average 75MW or a 25% load factor. Spain has spent Billions (Euros, Pounds, Dollars…you name it) on wind power but it only provides about 12% of grid demand. What keeps Spain electrically afloat is their heavy investment in Natural Gas Combined Cycle (CC) plants that they began to construct at the same time as their investment in wind power. Spanish law requires the distributor, Red Electrica, to pay the wind power generator, 90% over the prevailing rate for conventional power…and to purchase all the wind power produced. Germany, also with a considerable wind power wattage, has determined that 50% of the time their wind machines only provide 11% or less of the grid’s demand. Observe the variability and undependability of wind power at online sites for Red Electrica at:https://demanda.ree.es/generacion_acumulada.html Keep in mind that Spain has over 16,000 MW installed of wind power. Eolica is wind and Resto. Reg. Esp. is what they call Special Regime and includes Co-Generation and Solar Power. Then go here:https://demanda.ree.es/demanda.html to observe the generation curve for each type of power source for the day. Click on the color coded pie chart for each type. Note for Resto.Reg.Esp. that the “hump” is the daily solar power output. For a comparison look at the Ireland daily wind power output here:http://www.eirgrid.com/operations/systemperformancedata/windgeneration/
Click through the Previous and Next Day choices to see the variability of the wind at one of the windiest countries on the planet. Ireland has about 1300MW wind power installed.
Spain utilizes its Hydro power for Peaking loads and to fill in the gaps when the wind isn’t blowing. CC is used for load following and some base load. Nuclear is baseload only along with Co-Generation.
If you looked at the Resto.Reg.Esp. and the hump you can see that solar is a good load follower up to mid-day. It’s not a waste (as I believe wind energy is) but it’s very expensive. Last year, Arizona State University conducted a study of the cost of various types of power sources and concluded that solar was approximately 3.5 to 4 times as expensive as either Nuclear or Coal. They didn’t compare it to wind power because wind power is not much of an option in the State of Arizona.
If solar is chosen then go with thermal. Photovoltaic is very expensive and upsets the grid too easily when clouds go over. With solar thermal there is a thermal inertia that smoothes the rise or fall in output.
In my opinion, there are three reasons why Spain has been able to incorporate so much wind power into their grid. 1) They have an abundant supply of Hydro power that can be dispatched with minutes, if not seconds, that can follow voltage changes caused by varying wind; 2) Their inclusion of CC plants (built about 24,000 MW since 2001) makes up for whatever Hydro can’t do and 3) They’ve installed one of the more sophisticated centralized grid control centers in the world that can control the outputs of their wind farms.
Natural Gas costs can only increase in the future as every country, every utility, and their aunt, tries to comply with some green agenda. Coal of course is cheapest but it certainly will not meet any carbon reduction goals. Some engineers have called Wind Power simply a variation on Natural Gas Power in that most of the time the utility will utilize CCs, similar to what Spain uses their Hydro power for.
My advice would be to go with as much Geothermal and Nuclear as you can get. Some of the newer reactors are designed for load following. Don’t spend vast amounts on wind or solar. Maybe the Europeans and North Americans can throw away money on expensive and inefficient sources but you can’t. Don’t try new schemes. Only go with the proven. Again, maybe China can afford to try new reactors and such, but you can’t. Go modular if you can and start small. If you need some load following or peaking don’t be afraid to install some CC plants. They might not be completely green but they’re better than oil or coal. And remember…while you’re agonizing over whether to buy that one CC plant because it produces a little CO2 the Chinese are constructing about one new coal plant a week!
My allocation would be:
25% Hydro (Use it only for load following and peaking)
10% CC
40% Nuclear
25% Geothermal (or as much as you can get to replace Nuclear)Plus…Keep some of your old oil plants ready because the reactors are down about once a year or two for refueling. About 30 days.
Good Luck!
Richard
Tucson, Arizona, USA -
13:32
Documentary: AIDs Inc. Why its Big Business!
» johnkaranja.com African Blogs No Ratings 
AIDs Incorporated
Viewer Discretion is advised. Some of the scenes are disturbing.
AIDS, Inc. is a film about the multi-billion dollar AIDS industry, and how it profits from continuing fears and misconceptions about the disease. While AIDS grabs the headlines and raises billions of dollars with celebrity endorsements and billionaire endowments, we are no closer to finding a cure than when the scourge first appeared 30 years ago. Could it be that after so many years of research, and so much money being spent, that the entire orthodox medical establishment has been wrong about AIDS, or even worse, has sought to profit on a system that it knew was flawed from the beginning? Watch Below…
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4:36
Witricity means wireless electricity :: Its Here
» johnkaranja.com 
Witricity Demo
Folks!!! Its finally here Wireless Electricity is finally here! Imagine charging your phone by standing next to a wireless power rod! Imagine powering your TV or electric appliance without the nuisance of almost being strangled by numerous wires in your sleep(laptop chord), I know i have used up my 9 lives on this. Anyway let me let the inventor (Eric Giller) tell you all about this thingy. Its called Witricity
ERIC GELLER DEMONSTRATING WiTriCitY
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4:10
The Power of Statistics to save lives & money
» johnkaranja.com 
statistics
Statistics is essential in understanding problems as well as providing solutions. The question is we find them boring if not tiresome, but thankfully here is a new way to look at them. Play around with this website [Click Here] and see where it went wrong for Kenya on all indicators. The models says 1989, I wonder who was President then?
Also watch this demonstration about the rapid development of the Emerging Economies using statistics. See the divergence in Africa with countries like Botswana and Mauritius at par with the developed countries and Somalia and Congo holding the tail.
Han Rosling at the US state Department.
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23:49
John Karanja talks about Seacom on VOA
» johnkaranja.com Enclosure: [download]
Voice of America
With all the excitement about Seacom coming to East Africa i managed to have a chit chat with VOA Africa correspodent Douglas Mpusa about the arrival of Seacom to East Africa. [Listen to MP3]
Here is an excerpt
The launch of a new fiber optic cable to eastern and southern Africa will mean increased bandwidth and improved opportunities for businesses and people who want to use the Internet. The cable will improve Internet connectivity in South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique. [Read More]
Here are some very constructive discussions about Seacom.
Blogger know as Jellyfish gives a full overview about SEACOM and how it can be implemented in East Africa. If you are an investor i recommend this article.[Read about SEACOM]
True Kenyan gives a criticism or cynicism of the implementation of SEACOM he raises some valid points.
Kachwanya gives a entrepreneurs view of how to approach SEACOM at the market level, very interesting insight.[Article 1][Article 2]
KenyanEntreprenuer addressed limitations and obstacles that will inhibit equitable access to opportunities brought by seacom.
I also link to my most recent and relevant article on Technology for Kenya [View Articles]
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13:04
Obama’s great ideas for Africa
» johnkaranja.com Enclosure: [download]
THE PRESIDENT: (Trumpet plays.) I like this. Thank you. Thank you. I think Congress needs one of those horns. (Laughter.) That sounds pretty good. Sounds like Louis Armstrong back there. (Laughter.) Good afternoon, everybody. It is a great honor for me to be in Accra and to speak to the representatives of the people of Ghana. (Applause.) I am deeply grateful for the welcome that I’ve received, as are Michelle and Malia and Sasha Obama. Ghana’s history is rich, the ties between our two countries are strong, and I am proud that this is my first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as President of the United States of America. (Applause.) I want to thank Madam Speaker and all the members of the House of Representatives for hosting us today. I want to thank President Mills for his outstanding leadership. To the former Presidents — Jerry Rawlings, former President Kufuor — Vice President, Chief Justice — thanks to all of you for your extraordinary hospitality and the wonderful institutions that you’ve built here in Ghana. I’m speaking to you at the end of a long trip. I began in Russia for a summit between two great powers. I traveled to Italy for a meeting of the world’s leading economies. And I’ve come here to Ghana for a simple reason: The 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra, as well. (Applause.) This is the simple truth of a time when the boundaries between people are overwhelmed by our connections. Your prosperity can expand America’s prosperity. Your health and security can contribute to the world’s health and security. And the strength of your democracy can help advance human rights for people everywhere. So I do not see the countries and peoples of Africa as a world apart; I see Africa as a fundamental part of our interconnected world — (applause) — as partners with America on behalf of the future we want for all of our children. That partnership must be grounded in mutual responsibility and mutual respect. And that is what I want to speak with you about today. We must start from the simple premise that Africa’s future is up to Africans. I say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world. After all, I have the blood of Africa within me, and my family’s — (applause) — my family’s own story encompasses both the tragedies and triumphs of the larger African story. Some you know my grandfather was a cook for the British in Kenya, and though he was a respected elder in his village, his employers called him “boy” for much of his life. He was on the periphery of Kenya’s liberation struggles, but he was still imprisoned briefly during repressive times. In his life, colonialism wasn’t simply the creation of unnatural borders or unfair terms of trade — it was something experienced personally, day after day, year after year. My father grew up herding goats in a tiny village, an impossible distance away from the American universities where he would come to get an education. He came of age at a moment of extraordinary promise for Africa. The struggles of his own father’s generation were giving birth to new nations, beginning right here in Ghana. (Applause.) Africans were educating and asserting themselves in new ways, and history was on the move. But despite the progress that has been made — and there has been considerable progress in many parts of Africa — we also know that much of that promise has yet to be fulfilled. Countries like Kenya had a per capita economy larger than South Korea’s when I was born. They have badly been outpaced. Disease and conflict have ravaged parts of the African continent. In many places, the hope of my father’s generation gave way to cynicism, even despair. Now, it’s easy to point fingers and to pin the blame of these problems on others. Yes, a colonial map that made little sense helped to breed conflict. The West has often approached Africa as a patron or a source of resources rather than a partner. But the West is not responsible for the destruction of the Zimbabwean economy over the last decade, or wars in which children are enlisted as combatants. In my father’s life, it was partly tribalism and patronage and nepotism in an independent Kenya that for a long stretch derailed his career, and we know that this kind of corruption is still a daily fact of life for far too many. Now, we know that’s also not the whole story. Here in Ghana, you show us a face of Africa that is too often overlooked by a world that sees only tragedy or a need for charity. The people of Ghana have worked hard to put democracy on a firmer footing, with repeated peaceful transfers of power even in the wake of closely contested elections. (Applause.) And by the way, can I say that for that the minority deserves as much credit as the majority. (Applause.) And with improved governance and an emerging civil society, Ghana’s economy has shown impressive rates of growth. (Applause.) This progress may lack the drama of 20th century liberation struggles, but make no mistake: It will ultimately be more significant. For just as it is important to emerge from the control of other nations, it is even more important to build one’s own nation. So I believe that this moment is just as promising for Ghana and for Africa as the moment when my father came of age and new nations were being born. This is a new moment of great promise. Only this time, we’ve learned that it will not be giants like Nkrumah and Kenyatta who will determine Africa’s future. Instead, it will be you — the men and women in Ghana’s parliament — (applause) — the people you represent. It will be the young people brimming with talent and energy and hope who can claim the future that so many in previous generations never realized. Now, to realize that promise, we must first recognize the fundamental truth that you have given life to in Ghana: Development depends on good governance. (Applause.) That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That’s the change that can unlock Africa’s potential. And that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans. As for America and the West, our commitment must be measured by more than just the dollars we spend. I’ve pledged substantial increases in our foreign assistance, which is in Africa’s interests and America’s interests. But the true sign of success is not whether we are a source of perpetual aid that helps people scrape by — it’s whether we are partners in building the capacity for transformational change. (Applause.) This mutual responsibility must be the foundation of our partnership. And today, I’ll focus on four areas that are critical to the future of Africa and the entire developing world: democracy, opportunity, health, and the peaceful resolution of conflict. First, we must support strong and sustainable democratic governments. (Applause.) As I said in Cairo, each nation gives life to democracy in its own way, and in line with its own traditions. But history offers a clear verdict: Governments that respect the will of their own people, that govern by consent and not coercion, are more prosperous, they are more stable, and more successful than governments that do not. This is about more than just holding elections. It’s also about what happens between elections. (Applause.) Repression can take many forms, and too many nations, even those that have elections, are plagued by problems that condemn their people to poverty. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves — (applause) — or if police — if police can be bought off by drug traffickers. (Applause.) No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top — (applause) — or the head of the Port Authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. (Applause.) That is not democracy, that is tyranny, even if occasionally you sprinkle an election in there. And now is the time for that style of governance to end. (Applause.) In the 21st century, capable, reliable, and transparent institutions are the key to success — strong parliaments; honest police forces; independent judges — (applause); an independent press; a vibrant private sector; a civil society. (Applause.) Those are the things that give life to democracy, because that is what matters in people’s everyday lives. Now, time and again, Ghanaians have chosen constitutional rule over autocracy, and shown a democratic spirit that allows the energy of your people to break through. (Applause.) We see that in leaders who accept defeat graciously — the fact that President Mills’ opponents were standing beside him last night to greet me when I came off the plane spoke volumes about Ghana — (applause); victors who resist calls to wield power against the opposition in unfair ways. We see that spirit in courageous journalists like Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who risked his life to report the truth. We see it in police like Patience Quaye, who helped prosecute the first human trafficker in Ghana. (Applause.) We see it in the young people who are speaking up against patronage, and participating in the political process. Across Africa, we’ve seen countless examples of people taking control of their destiny, and making change from the bottom up. We saw it in Kenya, where civil society and business came together to help stop post-election violence. We saw it in South Africa, where over three-quarters of the country voted in the recent election — the fourth since the end of Apartheid. We saw it in Zimbabwe, where the Election Support Network braved brutal repression to stand up for the principle that a person’s vote is their sacred right. Now, make no mistake: History is on the side of these brave Africans, not with those who use coups or change constitutions to stay in power. (Applause.) Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions. (Applause.) Now, America will not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation. The essential truth of democracy is that each nation determines its own destiny. But what America will do is increase assistance for responsible individuals and responsible institutions, with a focus on supporting good governance — on parliaments, which check abuses of power and ensure that opposition voices are heard — (applause); on the rule of law, which ensures the equal administration of justice; on civic participation, so that young people get involved; and on concrete solutions to corruption like forensic accounting and automating services — (applause) — strengthening hotlines, protecting whistle-blowers to advance transparency and accountability. And we provide this support. I have directed my administration to give greater attention to corruption in our human rights reports. People everywhere should have the right to start a business or get an education without paying a bribe. (Applause.) We have a responsibility to support those who act responsibly and to isolate those who don’t, and that is exactly what America will do. Now, this leads directly to our second area of partnership: supporting development that provides opportunity for more people. With better governance, I have no doubt that Africa holds the promise of a broader base of prosperity. Witness the extraordinary success of Africans in my country, America. They’re doing very well. So they’ve got the talent, they’ve got the entrepreneurial spirit. The question is, how do we make sure that they’re succeeding here in their home countries? The continent is rich in natural resources. And from cell phone entrepreneurs to small farmers, Africans have shown the capacity and commitment to create their own opportunities. But old habits must also be broken. Dependence on commodities — or a single export — has a tendency to concentrate wealth in the hands of the few, and leaves people too vulnerable to downturns. So in Ghana, for instance, oil brings great opportunities, and you have been very responsible in preparing for new revenue. But as so many Ghanaians know, oil cannot simply become the new cocoa. From South Korea to Singapore, history shows that countries thrive when they invest in their people and in their infrastructure — (applause); when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled workforce, and create space for small and medium-sized businesses that create jobs. As Africans reach for this promise, America will be more responsible in extending our hand. By cutting costs that go to Western consultants and administration, we want to put more resources in the hands of those who need it, while training people to do more for themselves. (Applause.) That’s why our $3.5 billion food security initiative is focused on new methods and technologies for farmers — not simply sending American producers or goods to Africa. Aid is not an end in itself. The purpose of foreign assistance must be creating the conditions where it’s no longer needed. I want to see Ghanaians not only self-sufficient in food, I want to see you exporting food to other countries and earning money. You can do that. (Applause.) Now, America can also do more to promote trade and investment. Wealthy nations must open our doors to goods and services from Africa in a meaningful way. That will be a commitment of my administration. And where there is good governance, we can broaden prosperity through public-private partnerships that invest in better roads and electricity; capacity-building that trains people to grow a business; financial services that reach not just the cities but also the poor and rural areas. This is also in our own interests — for if people are lifted out of poverty and wealth is created in Africa, guess what? New markets will open up for our own goods. So it’s good for both. One area that holds out both undeniable peril and extraordinary promise is energy. Africa gives off less greenhouse gas than any other part of the world, but it is the most threatened by climate change. A warming planet will spread disease, shrink water resources, and deplete crops, creating conditions that produce more famine and more conflict. All of us — particularly the developed world — have a responsibility to slow these trends — through mitigation, and by changing the way that we use energy. But we can also work with Africans to turn this crisis into opportunity. Together, we can partner on behalf of our planet and prosperity, and help countries increase access to power while skipping — leapfrogging the dirtier phase of development. Think about it: Across Africa, there is bountiful wind and solar power; geothermal energy and biofuels. From the Rift Valley to the North African deserts; from the Western coasts to South Africa’s crops — Africa’s boundless natural gifts can generate its own power, while exporting profitable, clean energy abroad. These steps are about more than growth numbers on a balance sheet. They’re about whether a young person with an education can get a job that supports a family; a farmer can transfer their goods to market; an entrepreneur with a good idea can start a business. It’s about the dignity of work; it’s about the opportunity that must exist for Africans in the 21st century. Just as governance is vital to opportunity, it’s also critical to the third area I want to talk about: strengthening public health. In recent years, enormous progress has been made in parts of Africa. Far more people are living productively with HIV/AIDS, and getting the drugs they need. I just saw a wonderful clinic and hospital that is focused particularly on maternal health. But too many still die from diseases that shouldn’t kill them. When children are being killed because of a mosquito bite, and mothers are dying in childbirth, then we know that more progress must be made. Yet because of incentives — often provided by donor nations — many African doctors and nurses go overseas, or work for programs that focus on a single disease. And this creates gaps in primary care and basic prevention. Meanwhile, individual Africans also have to make responsible choices that prevent the spread of disease, while promoting public health in their communities and countries. So across Africa, we see examples of people tackling these problems. In Nigeria, an Interfaith effort of Christians and Muslims has set an example of cooperation to confront malaria. Here in Ghana and across Africa, we see innovative ideas for filling gaps in care — for instance, through E-Health initiatives that allow doctors in big cities to support those in small towns. America will support these efforts through a comprehensive, global health strategy, because in the 21st century, we are called to act by our conscience but also by our common interest, because when a child dies of a preventable disease in Accra, that diminishes us everywhere. And when disease goes unchecked in any corner of the world, we know that it can spread across oceans and continents. And that’s why my administration has committed $63 billion to meet these challenges — $63 billion. (Applause.) Building on the strong efforts of President Bush, we will carry forward the fight against HIV/AIDS. We will pursue the goal of ending deaths from malaria and tuberculosis, and we will work to eradicate polio. (Applause.) We will fight — we will fight neglected tropical disease. And we won’t confront illnesses in isolation — we will invest in public health systems that promote wellness and focus on the health of mothers and children. (Applause.) Now, as we partner on behalf of a healthier future, we must also stop the destruction that comes not from illness, but from human beings — and so the final area that I will address is conflict. Let me be clear: Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at perpetual war. But if we are honest, for far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. There are wars over land and wars over resources. And it is still far too easy for those without conscience to manipulate whole communities into fighting among faiths and tribes. These conflicts are a millstone around Africa’s neck. Now, we all have many identities — of tribe and ethnicity; of religion and nationality. But defining oneself in opposition to someone who belongs to a different tribe, or who worships a different prophet, has no place in the 21st century. (Applause.) Africa’s diversity should be a source of strength, not a cause for division. We are all God’s children. We all share common aspirations — to live in peace and security; to access education and opportunity; to love our families and our communities and our faith. That is our common humanity. That is why we must stand up to inhumanity in our midst. It is never justified — never justifiable to target innocents in the name of ideology. (Applause.) It is the death sentence of a society to force children to kill in wars. It is the ultimate mark of criminality and cowardice to condemn women to relentless and systemic rape. We must bear witness to the value of every child in Darfur and the dignity of every woman in the Congo. No faith or culture should condone the outrages against them. And all of us must strive for the peace and security necessary for progress. Africans are standing up for this future. Here, too, in Ghana we are seeing you help point the way forward. Ghanaians should take pride in your contributions to peacekeeping from Congo to Liberia to Lebanon — (applause) — and your efforts to resist the scourge of the drug trade. (Applause.) We welcome the steps that are being taken by organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS to better resolve conflicts, to keep the peace, and support those in need. And we encourage the vision of a strong, regional security architecture that can bring effective, transnational forces to bear when needed. America has a responsibility to work with you as a partner to advance this vision, not just with words, but with support that strengthens African capacity. When there’s a genocide in Darfur or terrorists in Somalia, these are not simply African problems — they are global security challenges, and they demand a global response. And that’s why we stand ready to partner through diplomacy and technical assistance and logistical support, and we will stand behind efforts to hold war criminals accountable. And let me be clear: Our Africa Command is focused not on establishing a foothold in the continent, but on confronting these common challenges to advance the security of America, Africa, and the world. (Applause.) In Moscow, I spoke of the need for an international system where the universal rights of human beings are respected, and violations of those rights are opposed. And that must include a commitment to support those who resolve conflicts peacefully, to sanction and stop those who don’t, and to help those who have suffered. But ultimately, it will be vibrant democracies like Botswana and Ghana which roll back the causes of conflict and advance the frontiers of peace and prosperity. As I said earlier, Africa’s future is up to Africans. The people of Africa are ready to claim that future. And in my country, African Americans — including so many recent immigrants — have thrived in every sector of society. We’ve done so despite a difficult past, and we’ve drawn strength from our African heritage. With strong institutions and a strong will, I know that Africans can live their dreams in Nairobi and Lagos, Kigali, Kinshasa, Harare, and right here in Accra. (Applause.) You know, 52 years ago, the eyes of the world were on Ghana. And a young preacher named Martin Luther King traveled here, to Accra, to watch the Union Jack come down and the Ghanaian flag go up. This was before the march on Washington or the success of the civil rights movement in my country. Dr. King was asked how he felt while watching the birth of a nation. And he said: “It renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice.” Now that triumph must be won once more, and it must be won by you. (Applause.) And I am particularly speaking to the young people all across Africa and right here in Ghana. In places like Ghana, young people make up over half of the population. And here is what you must know: The world will be what you make of it. You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities, and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease, and end conflicts, and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can — (applause) — because in this moment, history is on the move. But these things can only be done if all of you take responsibility for your future. And it won’t be easy. It will take time and effort. There will be suffering and setbacks. But I can promise you this: America will be with you every step of the way — as a partner, as a friend. (Applause.) Opportunity won’t come from any other place, though. It must come from the decisions that all of you make, the things that you do, the hope that you hold in your heart. Ghana, freedom is your inheritance. Now, it is your responsibility to build upon freedom’s foundation. And if you do, we will look back years from now to places like Accra and say this was the time when the promise was realized; this was the moment when prosperity was forged, when pain was overcome, and a new era of progress began. This can be the time when we witness the triumph of justice once more. Yes we can. Thank you very much. God bless you. Thank you. (Applause.)
President Obama
[Click Here to Listen to the Speech]
THE PRESIDENT: (Trumpet plays.) I like this. Thank you. Thank you. I think Congress needs one of those horns. (Laughter.) That sounds pretty good. Sounds like Louis Armstrong back there. (Laughter.)
Good afternoon, everybody. It is a great honor for me to be in Accra and to speak to the representatives of the people of Ghana. (Applause.) I am deeply grateful for the welcome that I’ve received, as are Michelle and Malia and Sasha Obama. Ghana’s history is rich, the ties between our two countries are strong, and I am proud that this is my first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as President of the United States of America. (Applause.)
I want to thank Madam Speaker and all the members of the House of Representatives for hosting us today. I want to thank President Mills for his outstanding leadership. To the former Presidents — Jerry Rawlings, former President Kufuor — Vice President, Chief Justice — thanks to all of you for your extraordinary hospitality and the wonderful institutions that you’ve built here in Ghana.
I’m speaking to you at the end of a long trip. I began in Russia for a summit between two great powers. I traveled to Italy for a meeting of the world’s leading economies. And I’ve come here to Ghana for a simple reason: The 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra, as well. (Applause.)
This is the simple truth of a time when the boundaries between people are overwhelmed by our connections. Your prosperity can expand America’s prosperity. Your health and security can contribute to the world’s health and security. And the strength of your democracy can help advance human rights for people everywhere.
So I do not see the countries and peoples of Africa as a world apart; I see Africa as a fundamental part of our interconnected world — (applause) — as partners with America on behalf of the future we want for all of our children. That partnership must be grounded in mutual responsibility and mutual respect. And that is what I want to speak with you about today.
We must start from the simple premise that Africa’s future is up to Africans.
I say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world. After all, I have the blood of Africa within me, and my family’s — (applause) — my family’s own story encompasses both the tragedies and triumphs of the larger African story.
Some you know my grandfather was a cook for the British in Kenya, and though he was a respected elder in his village, his employers called him “boy” for much of his life. He was on the periphery of Kenya’s liberation struggles, but he was still imprisoned briefly during repressive times. In his life, colonialism wasn’t simply the creation of unnatural borders or unfair terms of trade — it was something experienced personally, day after day, year after year.
My father grew up herding goats in a tiny village, an impossible distance away from the American universities where he would come to get an education. He came of age at a moment of extraordinary promise for Africa. The struggles of his own father’s generation were giving birth to new nations, beginning right here in Ghana. (Applause.) Africans were educating and asserting themselves in new ways, and history was on the move.
But despite the progress that has been made — and there has been considerable progress in many parts of Africa — we also know that much of that promise has yet to be fulfilled. Countries like Kenya had a per capita economy larger than South Korea’s when I was born. They have badly been outpaced. Disease and conflict have ravaged parts of the African continent.
In many places, the hope of my father’s generation gave way to cynicism, even despair. Now, it’s easy to point fingers and to pin the blame of these problems on others. Yes, a colonial map that made little sense helped to breed conflict. The West has often approached Africa as a patron or a source of resources rather than a partner. But the West is not responsible for the destruction of the Zimbabwean economy over the last decade, or wars in which children are enlisted as combatants. In my father’s life, it was partly tribalism and patronage and nepotism in an independent Kenya that for a long stretch derailed his career, and we know that this kind of corruption is still a daily fact of life for far too many.
Now, we know that’s also not the whole story. Here in Ghana, you show us a face of Africa that is too often overlooked by a world that sees only tragedy or a need for charity. The people of Ghana have worked hard to put democracy on a firmer footing, with repeated peaceful transfers of power even in the wake of closely contested elections. (Applause.) And by the way, can I say that for that the minority deserves as much credit as the majority. (Applause.) And with improved governance and an emerging civil society, Ghana’s economy has shown impressive rates of growth. (Applause.)
This progress may lack the drama of 20th century liberation struggles, but make no mistake: It will ultimately be more significant. For just as it is important to emerge from the control of other nations, it is even more important to build one’s own nation.
So I believe that this moment is just as promising for Ghana and for Africa as the moment when my father came of age and new nations were being born. This is a new moment of great promise. Only this time, we’ve learned that it will not be giants like Nkrumah and Kenyatta who will determine Africa’s future. Instead, it will be you — the men and women in Ghana’s parliament — (applause) — the people you represent. It will be the young people brimming with talent and energy and hope who can claim the future that so many in previous generations never realized.
Now, to realize that promise, we must first recognize the fundamental truth that you have given life to in Ghana: Development depends on good governance. (Applause.) That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That’s the change that can unlock Africa’s potential. And that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans.
As for America and the West, our commitment must be measured by more than just the dollars we spend. I’ve pledged substantial increases in our foreign assistance, which is in Africa’s interests and America’s interests. But the true sign of success is not whether we are a source of perpetual aid that helps people scrape by — it’s whether we are partners in building the capacity for transformational change. (Applause.)
This mutual responsibility must be the foundation of our partnership. And today, I’ll focus on four areas that are critical to the future of Africa and the entire developing world: democracy, opportunity, health, and the peaceful resolution of conflict.
First, we must support strong and sustainable democratic governments. (Applause.)
As I said in Cairo, each nation gives life to democracy in its own way, and in line with its own traditions. But history offers a clear verdict: Governments that respect the will of their own people, that govern by consent and not coercion, are more prosperous, they are more stable, and more successful than governments that do not.
This is about more than just holding elections. It’s also about what happens between elections. (Applause.) Repression can take many forms, and too many nations, even those that have elections, are plagued by problems that condemn their people to poverty. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves — (applause) — or if police — if police can be bought off by drug traffickers. (Applause.) No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top — (applause) — or the head of the Port Authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. (Applause.) That is not democracy, that is tyranny, even if occasionally you sprinkle an election in there. And now is the time for that style of governance to end. (Applause.)
In the 21st century, capable, reliable, and transparent institutions are the key to success — strong parliaments; honest police forces; independent judges — (applause); an independent press; a vibrant private sector; a civil society. (Applause.) Those are the things that give life to democracy, because that is what matters in people’s everyday lives.
Now, time and again, Ghanaians have chosen constitutional rule over autocracy, and shown a democratic spirit that allows the energy of your people to break through. (Applause.) We see that in leaders who accept defeat graciously — the fact that President Mills’ opponents were standing beside him last night to greet me when I came off the plane spoke volumes about Ghana — (applause); victors who resist calls to wield power against the opposition in unfair ways. We see that spirit in courageous journalists like Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who risked his life to report the truth. We see it in police like Patience Quaye, who helped prosecute the first human trafficker in Ghana. (Applause.) We see it in the young people who are speaking up against patronage, and participating in the political process.
Across Africa, we’ve seen countless examples of people taking control of their destiny, and making change from the bottom up. We saw it in Kenya, where civil society and business came together to help stop post-election violence. We saw it in South Africa, where over three-quarters of the country voted in the recent election — the fourth since the end of Apartheid. We saw it in Zimbabwe, where the Election Support Network braved brutal repression to stand up for the principle that a person’s vote is their sacred right.
Now, make no mistake: History is on the side of these brave Africans, not with those who use coups or change constitutions to stay in power. (Applause.) Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions. (Applause.)
Now, America will not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation. The essential truth of democracy is that each nation determines its own destiny. But what America will do is increase assistance for responsible individuals and responsible institutions, with a focus on supporting good governance — on parliaments, which check abuses of power and ensure that opposition voices are heard — (applause); on the rule of law, which ensures the equal administration of justice; on civic participation, so that young people get involved; and on concrete solutions to corruption like forensic accounting and automating services — (applause) — strengthening hotlines, protecting whistle-blowers to advance transparency and accountability.
And we provide this support. I have directed my administration to give greater attention to corruption in our human rights reports. People everywhere should have the right to start a business or get an education without paying a bribe. (Applause.) We have a responsibility to support those who act responsibly and to isolate those who don’t, and that is exactly what America will do.
Now, this leads directly to our second area of partnership: supporting development that provides opportunity for more people.
With better governance, I have no doubt that Africa holds the promise of a broader base of prosperity. Witness the extraordinary success of Africans in my country, America. They’re doing very well. So they’ve got the talent, they’ve got the entrepreneurial spirit. The question is, how do we make sure that they’re succeeding here in their home countries? The continent is rich in natural resources. And from cell phone entrepreneurs to small farmers, Africans have shown the capacity and commitment to create their own opportunities. But old habits must also be broken. Dependence on commodities — or a single export — has a tendency to concentrate wealth in the hands of the few, and leaves people too vulnerable to downturns.
So in Ghana, for instance, oil brings great opportunities, and you have been very responsible in preparing for new revenue. But as so many Ghanaians know, oil cannot simply become the new cocoa. From South Korea to Singapore, history shows that countries thrive when they invest in their people and in their infrastructure — (applause); when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled workforce, and create space for small and medium-sized businesses that create jobs.
As Africans reach for this promise, America will be more responsible in extending our hand. By cutting costs that go to Western consultants and administration, we want to put more resources in the hands of those who need it, while training people to do more for themselves. (Applause.) That’s why our $3.5 billion food security initiative is focused on new methods and technologies for farmers — not simply sending American producers or goods to Africa. Aid is not an end in itself. The purpose of foreign assistance must be creating the conditions where it’s no longer needed. I want to see Ghanaians not only self-sufficient in food, I want to see you exporting food to other countries and earning money. You can do that. (Applause.)
Now, America can also do more to promote trade and investment. Wealthy nations must open our doors to goods and services from Africa in a meaningful way. That will be a commitment of my administration. And where there is good governance, we can broaden prosperity through public-private partnerships that invest in better roads and electricity; capacity-building that trains people to grow a business; financial services that reach not just the cities but also the poor and rural areas. This is also in our own interests — for if people are lifted out of poverty and wealth is created in Africa, guess what? New markets will open up for our own goods. So it’s good for both.
One area that holds out both undeniable peril and extraordinary promise is energy. Africa gives off less greenhouse gas than any other part of the world, but it is the most threatened by climate change. A warming planet will spread disease, shrink water resources, and deplete crops, creating conditions that produce more famine and more conflict. All of us — particularly the developed world — have a responsibility to slow these trends — through mitigation, and by changing the way that we use energy. But we can also work with Africans to turn this crisis into opportunity.
Together, we can partner on behalf of our planet and prosperity, and help countries increase access to power while skipping — leapfrogging the dirtier phase of development. Think about it: Across Africa, there is bountiful wind and solar power; geothermal energy and biofuels. From the Rift Valley to the North African deserts; from the Western coasts to South Africa’s crops — Africa’s boundless natural gifts can generate its own power, while exporting profitable, clean energy abroad.
These steps are about more than growth numbers on a balance sheet. They’re about whether a young person with an education can get a job that supports a family; a farmer can transfer their goods to market; an entrepreneur with a good idea can start a business. It’s about the dignity of work; it’s about the opportunity that must exist for Africans in the 21st century.
Just as governance is vital to opportunity, it’s also critical to the third area I want to talk about: strengthening public health.
In recent years, enormous progress has been made in parts of Africa. Far more people are living productively with HIV/AIDS, and getting the drugs they need. I just saw a wonderful clinic and hospital that is focused particularly on maternal health. But too many still die from diseases that shouldn’t kill them. When children are being killed because of a mosquito bite, and mothers are dying in childbirth, then we know that more progress must be made.
Yet because of incentives — often provided by donor nations — many African doctors and nurses go overseas, or work for programs that focus on a single disease. And this creates gaps in primary care and basic prevention. Meanwhile, individual Africans also have to make responsible choices that prevent the spread of disease, while promoting public health in their communities and countries.
So across Africa, we see examples of people tackling these problems. In Nigeria, an Interfaith effort of Christians and Muslims has set an example of cooperation to confront malaria. Here in Ghana and across Africa, we see innovative ideas for filling gaps in care — for instance, through E-Health initiatives that allow doctors in big cities to support those in small towns.
America will support these efforts through a comprehensive, global health strategy, because in the 21st century, we are called to act by our conscience but also by our common interest, because when a child dies of a preventable disease in Accra, that diminishes us everywhere. And when disease goes unchecked in any corner of the world, we know that it can spread across oceans and continents.
And that’s why my administration has committed $63 billion to meet these challenges — $63 billion. (Applause.) Building on the strong efforts of President Bush, we will carry forward the fight against HIV/AIDS. We will pursue the goal of ending deaths from malaria and tuberculosis, and we will work to eradicate polio. (Applause.) We will fight — we will fight neglected tropical disease. And we won’t confront illnesses in isolation — we will invest in public health systems that promote wellness and focus on the health of mothers and children. (Applause.)
Now, as we partner on behalf of a healthier future, we must also stop the destruction that comes not from illness, but from human beings — and so the final area that I will address is conflict.
Let me be clear: Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at perpetual war. But if we are honest, for far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. There are wars over land and wars over resources. And it is still far too easy for those without conscience to manipulate whole communities into fighting among faiths and tribes.
These conflicts are a millstone around Africa’s neck. Now, we all have many identities — of tribe and ethnicity; of religion and nationality. But defining oneself in opposition to someone who belongs to a different tribe, or who worships a different prophet, has no place in the 21st century. (Applause.) Africa’s diversity should be a source of strength, not a cause for division. We are all God’s children. We all share common aspirations — to live in peace and security; to access education and opportunity; to love our families and our communities and our faith. That is our common humanity.
That is why we must stand up to inhumanity in our midst. It is never justified — never justifiable to target innocents in the name of ideology. (Applause.) It is the death sentence of a society to force children to kill in wars. It is the ultimate mark of criminality and cowardice to condemn women to relentless and systemic rape. We must bear witness to the value of every child in Darfur and the dignity of every woman in the Congo. No faith or culture should condone the outrages against them. And all of us must strive for the peace and security necessary for progress.
Africans are standing up for this future. Here, too, in Ghana we are seeing you help point the way forward. Ghanaians should take pride in your contributions to peacekeeping from Congo to Liberia to Lebanon — (applause) — and your efforts to resist the scourge of the drug trade. (Applause.) We welcome the steps that are being taken by organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS to better resolve conflicts, to keep the peace, and support those in need. And we encourage the vision of a strong, regional security architecture that can bring effective, transnational forces to bear when needed.
America has a responsibility to work with you as a partner to advance this vision, not just with words, but with support that strengthens African capacity. When there’s a genocide in Darfur or terrorists in Somalia, these are not simply African problems — they are global security challenges, and they demand a global response.
And that’s why we stand ready to partner through diplomacy and technical assistance and logistical support, and we will stand behind efforts to hold war criminals accountable. And let me be clear: Our Africa Command is focused not on establishing a foothold in the continent, but on confronting these common challenges to advance the security of America, Africa, and the world. (Applause.)
In Moscow, I spoke of the need for an international system where the universal rights of human beings are respected, and violations of those rights are opposed. And that must include a commitment to support those who resolve conflicts peacefully, to sanction and stop those who don’t, and to help those who have suffered. But ultimately, it will be vibrant democracies like Botswana and Ghana which roll back the causes of conflict and advance the frontiers of peace and prosperity.
As I said earlier, Africa’s future is up to Africans.
The people of Africa are ready to claim that future. And in my country, African Americans — including so many recent immigrants — have thrived in every sector of society. We’ve done so despite a difficult past, and we’ve drawn strength from our African heritage. With strong institutions and a strong will, I know that Africans can live their dreams in Nairobi and Lagos, Kigali, Kinshasa, Harare, and right here in Accra. (Applause.)
You know, 52 years ago, the eyes of the world were on Ghana. And a young preacher named Martin Luther King traveled here, to Accra, to watch the Union Jack come down and the Ghanaian flag go up. This was before the march on Washington or the success of the civil rights movement in my country. Dr. King was asked how he felt while watching the birth of a nation. And he said: “It renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice.”
Now that triumph must be won once more, and it must be won by you. (Applause.) And I am particularly speaking to the young people all across Africa and right here in Ghana. In places like Ghana, young people make up over half of the population.
And here is what you must know: The world will be what you make of it. You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities, and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease, and end conflicts, and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can — (applause) — because in this moment, history is on the move.
But these things can only be done if all of you take responsibility for your future. And it won’t be easy. It will take time and effort. There will be suffering and setbacks. But I can promise you this: America will be with you every step of the way — as a partner, as a friend. (Applause.) Opportunity won’t come from any other place, though. It must come from the decisions that all of you make, the things that you do, the hope that you hold in your heart.
Ghana, freedom is your inheritance. Now, it is your responsibility to build upon freedom’s foundation. And if you do, we will look back years from now to places like Accra and say this was the time when the promise was realized; this was the moment when prosperity was forged, when pain was overcome, and a new era of progress began. This can be the time when we witness the triumph of justice once more. Yes we can. Thank you very much. God bless you. Thank you. (Applause.)
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9:13
What next after the Mobile revolution in Kenya?
» johnkaranja.com 
Mpesa Transaction
[Download Mobile Revolution article by Wilfred Mworia]
Kenya has recently been acclaimed world over for the mobile revolution that is MPESA. MPESA for those who don’t know is a payment system which allows Kenyans to transfer money instantly to other Kenyans through their mobile phones. This service is offered by Safaricom which is Kenya’s largest Mobile Network with a reach of 17 or so million subscribers. Safaricom is both a privately and publicly owned company with Vodafone a UK based consortium having 60% shares in the company and the Kenyan government and public owning the rest on a 50:50 basis.
Safaricom MPESA advert
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Mpesa on its own transacts about 17 billion shillings monthly and has a market of 6 million users in the country. This will on the surface make MPESA a USD 2.5 billion venture making sending it into the realm of PAYPAL.com which is one of the worlds most prolific virtual money transfer ventures. For this to happen in what is ostensibly a third world nation is what is making the whole world take notice.
World acclaims mpesa Part 1
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World acclaims mpesa Part 2
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In fact i posit that MPESA will be on its own a major driver of the economic expansion of the Kenyan economy and best of all it will take a bottom up approach because it will empower the mama mboga (woman grocer) by allowing her to manage her finances efficiently.
In order to bring the MPESA issue into perspective i would like to share some videos of the progress made by various small, medium and large scale enterprises with regards to adoption of this service. However before i do that here are some steps the government and mobile phone players should take to increase the earnings and effectiveness of virtual payment systems such as MPESA and achieve their full potential.
MPESA needs to move from a payment system to a payment gateway: Safaricom should develop MPESA into a platform where other software developers can build applications on top of the platform an thereby increase utility and reach of this technology. The legal foundations are already in place with adoption of the ICT bill late last year. Limits of MPESA have already become apparent.
A good example is the Easy Hisa share trading system developed by Symbiotic Media Consortium and launched recently by Standard Investment Bank which allows for semi automated buying and selling of shares was allowed to sit on top of the MPESA Platform it would allow for fully automated real time trading which would have meant less operational costs for the bank and more control for the end user in this case the trader.
In fact Standard Investment bank could fully outsource the trading aspect of its business to software and concentrate on core activities such as share transfers and management and international banking and trading without having to worry about its own internal risk factors. This would allow for their easy expansion across the East African and International markets because all they would have to do is add new currency codes and open up their access NSE to anyone with a mobile phone or debit card. Nevertheless introduction of EASY HISA is a step in the right direction. Watch launch below.
Standard Investment Bank launches Mobile application
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The second issue that is crucial is the development of a address system that is based on housing as opposed to postal boxes. This is crucial to support E-Commerce and the delivery of goods and services. If the government succeeded in creating such a postal system then i believe it would increase the G.D.P dramatically because it would open up more markets and reduce strain on transportation and security costs.
It would also open up new industries whereby e-commerce enterprises such as MamaMikes.com would have incentives to enter the warehousing and distribution industries. Together with Mobile banking such postal systems would mean the expansion of the Kenyan economy within a very short time. Similarly efforts of giving squatters title deeds would also automatically increase earnings because these individuals could access Bank loans as well as other finance sources.
Lastly there has to be support for the country’s budding webprenuers. They are the ones who will innovate and create solutions that utilize these platforms once they exist they are already a few which i have already featured and here are some links and videos. The support so far has come through a number of initaitives being led by Kenya’s top university Strathmore University through its mobile technology seminars and the ICT board and Ministry of Information and Technology led Permanent secretary Bitange Ndemo. However much more needs to be done to encourage these innovators to pool together and acquire required skills to establish viable business ventures that solve local problems.
We at JohnKaranja.com will continue to support these individuals by sourcing funding information and providing start up guides.
MOBILE INNOVATIONS
Here are some of Kenyan mobile innovations developed lately.
Tulipe.co.ke: Will allow for online management of Mpesa transactions. [Read More]
Whive.mobi: Will allow for social interaction and sharing of information in African languages. [Read More]
Car track mobile application
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Home management system
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Wilfred Mworia has kindly provided some guidelines for mobile application development.
Are you a Webprenuer or do you have a project you would like to tell us about? Post it the comments section and we will get back to you.
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15:59
Micheal Jackson Immortalized at Memorial Service
» johnkaranja.com 
Micheal Jackson
As I watched Micheal Jackson memorial service today at the Staple centre in Los Angeles California which was packed to capacity I couldn’t help smile at the overwhelming emotional and celebrationary event that it was. A host of celebrities such as Lionel Richie who led other celebrities in singing we are the world a song he co wrote with Micheal Jackson. Notably absent were Diana Ross and Elizabeth Taylor who had sent their condolences saying that words could not express what they felt. Nelson Mandela also sent his own message of condolence to the family.
The Memorial began with a rendition of We are going to see the King by a wonderful Baptist choir. Micheal Jackson’s silver casket was placed below and in front of the performance stage and it was indeed a sombre moment when the casket appeared after which the 20,000 people burst into loud cheers and ululations. The service was opened by Rev Lucious Smith who gave short and hopeful memory of Micheal. Next on stage was Mariah Carey who together with Trey Lorenz sang a teary but cheerful rendition of Jackson 5’s i’ll be there in a way she does best.
Next up was Queen Latifah known for her strong character and skills in rap music and more recently her appearance in many successful Hollywood music. She gave a robust account of her and the black American experience of Micheal who she said inspired many African Americans to see another world. In a poetic rendition he was proclaimed as a gift to the whole world. Lionel Richie followed with a song called Jesus is love which was sang amazingly.
Berry Gordy Motown Founder followed with his account of Micheal Jackson’s talent saying Micheal was just 10 when he auditioned for him in Motown. He proclaimed Micheal as the greatest entertainer that every lived to standing ovation across the world. After a short memorial clip Stevie Wonder next on stage and gave what for was the most sorrowful song of the event Never dreamed you would leave in summer. Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson both gave an account of how charitable Micheal was saying that he had broken the Guinness book of world records of amount of money given to charities with Magic funnily stating that Micheal ate Kentucky fried chicken.
A pregnant Jennifer Hudson such will you be there. Al Sharpton gave a resounding speech about how Micheal Jackson broke the racial boundaries and made it possible for all races to mix in their teens and consequently able to vote for President Barack Obama. He also said that there was nothing strange about Micheal but what Micheal had to deal with was strange to a loud cheer around the world. John Mayer performed Human Nature on his guitar. Next up was Brooke Shields who gave a shaky testimony about how they shared fun times together and a up close and personal account of a happy and cheerful Micheal.
Jermaine Jackson perfomed a beautiful rendition of Charlie Choplins’s smile for his younger brother holding back tears at the end of the song. Bernice King and Martin Luther King the 3rd Martin Luther’s children acclaimed as Micheal as being the best at what he did and therefore encouraging us to be the best at what we do. Bernice said Micheal made her dying mother smile with his kind words when he spoke to her over the phone. Sheila Jackson Lee United States a US congress woman called him a good Samaritan who cared and gave for those in need and for whom the house of representatives will honour him with a commendation.
Usher sang gone to soon in front of the pop stars casket breaking down at the end and getting comforted by the Jackson’s family. Britain got talent young star Shaheem Jafargholi sang . Memorial Organiser Ortega spoke about Jacksons last days and showcased Micheal Jacksons last performance a final rendition of heal the artists and the entire audience and viewers around the world holding hands.
Marlyone Jackson gave a final a memorium in which he explained how Micheal gave up his freedom to give us his music. Katherine Paris Jackson closed of the speeches saying I love you daddy.
The casket carrying Micheal Jackson remains was carried out with the soundtrack of Man in the Mirror playing in the background , this was indeed the sound track to Micheal Jacksons life.
After thought
CNN has reported that going by the albums sold last week on Amazon (i ordered 3 albums myself) it is expected that all his outstanding debts will be cleared. Micheal Jackson has been the most charitable celebrity having donated 300 Million Dollars to various charities. In fact 20% of his wealth is to be donated to charities such as the United Negro Caucus by the Executors of his wills such as there have been claims that Micheal Jackson was trying to be white should be treated with utter contempt. The man himself said that he is very much a black man though analysts agree he did have issues with his appearance having been abused by his father when he was in his adolescents because of his acne problem, again which any normal teenager faces though Micheal at age 5 was already a star and was thus struggling with his problems in the public lime light.
African Americans are only realising how many racial barriers broke for them during the 60’s and thereafter, he was the man that introduced Black music to both White and Black homes and broke ground for the industry that is pop music. However almost everyone agrees that Micheal’s music crossed all racial boundaries with people loving him and his music across the world.
On a lighter note fans are reporting that they are seeing Micheal Jackson’s ghost on a segment in Larry King’s tour of Neverland. The video shows a silhouette which appears to resemble the singer crossing one the rooms with its head bent down in a style symbolic of the prolific dancer.
Article by John Samson Karanja
7th July 2009
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8:18
Micheal Jackson Memorium :: King of Pop,Rock and Music in general.
» johnkaranja.com 
Micheal Jackson
Micheal Jackson death on June 24th 2009 devastated many of his fans some of who had grown up listening to the Musical Genius. I for one was particularly schooled into music by MJ’s music infact it was the first music i ever recall hearing and what a way to start. Thriller used to scare the hell out of me and i remember my older sister used to wear a face mask and roll up her eyes and frighten the day lights of me, however i did successfully retaliate once when i give her a real fright after having mastered all the thriller moves and jumped on her in the dark. Simply put though MJ clearly missed his childhood he certainely gave me and my sister ours and certainely millions of Kids around the world of every race and creed.
Micheal Jackson is probably one of the few people in the world who has been constantly hounded by press since childhood. Very few people can understand that pressure. Add that fame to fortune and a missed childhood with a ruthless father it is therefore very surprising that he remained humble and generous.
Many people have said many bad things about him but success breeds envy and envy breeds lies. I present to you my readers
perhaps the most fair and frank interview of him and Oprah Winfrey. Do remember his Music and imagine if possible yourself in his shoes.People forget that he was just a black man in a white America with the odds stacked heavily against him and in his death he is still selling the most number of records ever sold for a music artist (i bought 3).
Rest in peace Micheal we will surely follow you wherever you are.
You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video
This post will be updated in the days ahead so do come back.
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8:35
African Mathematics
» johnkaranja.com 
The impact of African mathematics brought to the world the binary system which has brought about digital technology and circuitry. In this very Interesting talk Ron Eglash talks about how Africans made use of fractals mathematics in their village design and how this knowledge governs African Design and Architecture to date. Thankfully African Fractals are being used by schools in Africa and America to better teach mathematics and understanding of the binary system.See more here [www.ccd.rpi.edu] and watch the video below.
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10:53
Kenyan Stock Market Update
» johnkaranja.com 
Nairobi Stock Exchange
Our markets have been unpredictable for the last couple of months and many analysts have fallen over themselves trying to determine which direction it will take. Many have tried to call its bottom-line and failed miserably because apparently, our market is like a pendulum, swinging daily in different directions at the behest of various market dynamics such as supply, demand, investor sentiment, grand coalition government woes and company key fundamentals.
An analysis by Hidalgo Investments picks these companies as the top ten stocks to watch in the next quarter (and especially the next one month):
1. Kenya Airways
Low P/E – Upcoming poor results already factored in to the price. Will recover from effects of post-election violence for now and grapple with the current economic downturn which has made traveling only essential, thus cutting its passengers by 17 percent. Fuel prices are cheaper now, and hedges which they had gotten themselves into must have run out direct flights from JKIA. This will mean more connecting flights from Eastern/Central Africa. The worst of the financial crises is however over thus making KQ a good buy for the long term.
2. Centum
Low P/E – Upcoming bad results already factored in to the price. Their big loss will be a one off; will not affect next financial period, and their rebranding seems to be paying off.
Their application to buy into carbacid shares will be a definite boost since it will be an opportunity to unlock millions in investment options held by the company. Their holdings will appreciate starting April (except RVR), but hoping that RVR does get a strategic partner in South America, Brazil. Solid company, good management, have learnt their lesson through the rebranding issues.
3. AccessKenya
High P/E – AccessKenya has its own network of fibre optic cable, something no other ICT company, save for Safaricom through sea cables has. It also bought a stake in the undersea cable and currently has the largest satellite download. They could look at leasing out some of their bandwidth in the future, something which competitors Kenya Data Networks (KDN) until recently had a monopoly on. Key difference in their internet offering with Safaricom is that theirs is guaranteed speed, while Safaricom’s go by how many users are logged on and targets the mass market. AccessKenya targets mainly high net worth individuals and corporate. I think the high P/E is more reflective of the growth potential on this company. From a price perspective, the stock is also quite stable technically on pricing.
4. 4. Sasini
Low P/E – Low price; can rise 50 percent without breaking a sweat; diversification into the hospitality business with its brand name, ‘Savannah”. The re-strategy of its core business to factor with the global crisis thus keeping it ahead of its peers in the same industry. Tea output has suffered in Kenya, so it will be interesting to figure out if its farms have suffered the same. On the plus side, the Shilling has lost value against the dollar and tea prices globally are high (on account of reduced supply); it is also not clear if its diversification initiatives have borne any fruit thus far – that is, Savannah’s contribution to the bottom line. Speculative buy for me based on low price.
5. Equity
Low P/E – They are opening 500ac’s/day in Uganda. The best bank in terms growth and client acquisition; regional expansion working for them; incredible marketing strategies to stay ahead of the rest; impressive results and prudent management. The three year lock in period for majority foreign shareholders did elapse. The split is their best ever strategy to make the share more affordable to the local retailer and increase its supply at the market. World Bank and IMF support.
The aforementioned are companies that deserve a second and third look when investing and the short notes below each company represent the issues of sentiment, fundamental and fact about each company that one needs to consider. As an analyst, I stand to be corrected especially in a market like ours.
Steve Wafula C.E.O of Soko Directory
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10:27
Whive.com to launch Swahili social network.
» johnkaranja.com 
Whive.com is about to launch the first swahili social network that will allow millions of Africans who speak Swahili to access the social networking platform. These will enable these people to interact with each other for both business and social purposes. You can preview the new Swahili Network at this link [Whive.com Swahili].Please see the mobile network being used by hundreds of Kenyans to send SMS.
This is bound to increase the creation of Swahili Content and improve communications amongst a people who have been in the dark technologically.
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8:06
Global Warming’s threat to the world’s young generation
» johnkaranja.com 
Water scarcity in Africa
If one thought things could not go from bad to worse for Africans then am afraid one was grossly mistaken. The news coming out on world environmental day (June 5th 2009) painted a bleak if not scary picture for millions of Africans leave below the Sahara. Without the resources and human capacity required to meet the threat of global warming African lands are threatened with desertification and their species with extinction.
Already the Mount Kilimajaro glaciers are gone and it looks like the Mount Kenya glaciers will be gone in the next 10 years or so. These are East Africa’s primary sources of water that feed into the numerous parks creating the low lying savannahs and environment for African wildlife to survive.
Unless swift and desicive action is taken then we could also theoretically posit that the African is in very grave danger.
However it is not only Africans who will face the music. 2000 scientists report that the Permafrost “ice cap” that covers much of Siberia is about to melt and once that occurs trillions of tonnes of methane gas will seep into the atmostphere creating an immediate and exponential growth in size in the carbon layer that is heating up the earth creating all sorts of unimaginable catastrophe. It is at that point folks we can all kiss ourselves goodbye.
Watch the Movie “Home” which gives you an entertaining but scary lesson on how man has messed with nature and how nature is messing us back. Time 1:33 Hrs
Featured in this video.
- Dubai, Las vegas, New york, Lagos, Shanghai, Tokyo and old African cites
- Israel irrigation projects
- American food industry
- China’s rapid growth
- Africa’s growing slums and informal settlements
- Shrinking Coral reefs, forests and marshes
This is a short video by Al Gore showing the scientific study on Global Warming and its effects.
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14:53
The Kenyans we want - Ben Omondi
» johnkaranja.com 
Watch Ben Omondi turn bones into an artistic and functional commodity. Ben employs 4 other individuals, trains interns and reduces environmental impact of waste product such as bones. I haven’t understood why the government doesn’t consider our Jua Kali industry as our own indigenous manufacturing industry. Unfortunately AID Conditionalities reduce the capacity of government to support our own indigenous industries. The government should ensure it is people like Omondi who get access to the Kenya Youth Funds.
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12:24
NSE Today
» johnkaranja.com -
11:22
Branding Kenya
» johnkaranja.com 
Branding Sells
Well what is perceived by the word brand? Probably you are wondering where I am going with this. Well some months or years ago we had Tusker Supermarket a local self help store. The perception and reception by the public it was viewed as one of the underground local stores and unconfirmed sources said it was going down at some point. With a string of stores around capital city and towns, the resulted to rebranding and sure enough it catapulted its revenue and image of the store rose high to the standard of the main stores like Nakumatt and the then Uchumi. The store just renamed its name to Tuskys and put some more definitive colours for outright identification.
Back to our case Brand Kenya, well would argue Kenya has always been a brand on its own rather we needed rebranding. The whole strategy is amazing and yes under normal circumstances it would pass to be the best ideal way of selling Kenya to the Diaspora and attract tourist and investors. It’s viewed as an extension of progressing the main agenda of Vision 2030. Quoting the Information PS Mr. Ndemo he claimed politicians give guidelines they follow and if something fails its due to lack implementation by the likes of them the PS and so on. Is this really true to have such a claim when we do know that they are employed by the same politicians? May be sounding dumb but who is the boss and what if the boss grounds your plan? He was addressing attendees during the Brand Kenya launch claiming we should not blame politicians and that it was them to implement. Really tend to think he was wrong because for a fact it’s the politicians who have assumed the role of what goes and what does not. Look at the situation of the constitution review we haven’t begun and the already at it. Soon am guessing us going to be back to Orange and Bananas politics.
Anyway I think if the issue of Brand Kenya would lack the political goodwill we would be like playing musical beats without lyrics or having tuneless music but is still music. Look at it this way; yes we have Brand Kenya initiative but what about the underlining Kenyan issues that keep propping up? What are the strategies put forward to addressing them? Through this initiative we have TV programs and Lobbyist send out to sell Kenya in the positive light and uplift its image plus to ensure deviate from the bad publicity Kenya had received since last year. Looking at the programs well would look at them and agree that yes it would pull up some public information inspire others and so on but are the political class in together with us or are they to stick back and be the spoiled potatoes to spoil the rest. Think about it, w busy painting this beautiful picture of oneness, safety and beauty of the country few days later some politicians comes out accusing the other of political assassination. With these grounds lobbies a community against the other going all tribal. Another scenario is when public scandals and mismanagement is the order of the day of government what are the investors to think?
In my view Brand Kenya is supposed to have from inside outside rather than just trying to do patch up work on the extremely spoiling image of the great nation. This should be an initiative for a cross section of the whole country. Every persons to be involved I expected to see the president in the foreground of Brand Kenya the PM was supposed to be on the foreground too but what did we see at the launch PS and people from the department and yeah our very own image portrayer the media. The previous initiatives looked so empty and almost disappointing struggle for damage control. The likes of Vision 2030 and The Kenya We Want.
We should be Branding Kenya from within we put policies to run and sustain the country regardless of the situations. We should have good and practical food policies that guide the importations, exportation, supply, distribution and production of food. This would ensure we have food security. We should ensure safety and security of Kenyans and their properties is paramount to the governance of the country. We should ensure we have policies to ensure basic wants like water and housing have been addressed appropriately. Empty promises made by politicians make the issue of Brand Kenya as another attempt of PR waiting to fall since we see nothing to sustain its accomplishment.
Being optimistic as they say its our duty as the Kenyan citizen to speak well of the beautiful country. The initiative should be done on a serious note such that the given TV programs identified should address the issues rather than cover them and better yet bring the solutions but surely we need politicians to be answerable so am thinking there involvement in the discussion and forums would just help us identify which of these leaders are for real. We love this beautiful country Kenya God bless it as we try every way to stay above!!!
By Neville D. Nelson
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17:44
Kites can power cities. Or can’t they?
» johnkaranja.com As the world continues to sulk under the threat of imminent armageddon, hope comes to us from the most unexpected place, kites!
Apparently if kites are flown high enough for long enough we can generate enuff energy to power huge cities. This is certainely an innovative solution to fighting the problem of global warming. Me suggests that we get all them kids off nintendo wii, xbox 360 and get them to fly them kites all day.
Seriously! watch this video of Saul Griffith and learn how kites can power your home today.
The second part is about a fellow called William Kamkwamba from Malawi who built a windmill from scratch to power his radio. Watch his green solution and see what potential Africa has to offer.
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10:11
Tulipe! An innovative online/mobile payment gateway.
» johnkaranja.com 
I rarely excited about start ups in Kenya because like many of mine they dont seem to get enough support from industry players and government. However just when you think innovation is dead someone somewhere unleashes a stunning and brilliant idea. This someone is Kenneth Ngetha 22, a 4th year student at the prestigious Strathmore University(i went there too!!!) in Nairobi, who has come up with an online gateway for making payment transfers to Kenya.The system suitably named TULIPE solves the basic problem which is that in East Africa, (and Africa in general); E-Commerce Payments on the web are not well developed because of a low penetration of banking services (which means credit cards are not sufficient). However, there have been developments in the Mobile Money sphere and it serves the long tail of the unbanked. Tulipe aims to use this Mobile Money & Existing Bank accounts for online payments, as is the case with credit cards.
This brilliant idea is modelled on the US based PAYPAL.com which currently transacts billions of dollars every year in this way. Tulipe still on beta release has caught the eye of Kenyan investors who see in Tulipe a business model and solution that will help reduce the cost of transfering money to and from Kenya. This cost mostly brought about by thefts, delays and official corruption have been a major obstacle to doing business in Kenya.
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5:35
Does Kenya need a Dictator? of Democrazy and AID
» johnkaranja.com 
This is an article written by my friend Kennedy Oduor. In it he gives his reasons why Kenya needs a dictator. I have some sympathy for what he says because if you look at the progress of Rwanda under President Kagame or Uganda under President Museveni it has been relatively more dramatic and more smooth than that of Kenya.However i would add we need a benevolent dictator in Kenya and we do not really need an authoritarian regime as Ken proposes. However one can see where he is coming from as democracy has not delivered to Kenyans any substantial gains yet.
Odour also tackles the question of AID from the west and here we are in agreement we need to enable our people to stop becoming more dependent on AID and turn them into entrepreneurs.
This is why we have formed the STOP AID MOVEMENT join us at [stopaid.org]
Without further a do here is the explosive and thought provoking article from Ken. Feel free to comment and lets have a discussion on this.
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Kenya does not need democracy. Kenya does not need a new constitution. Kenya does not need a judicial reform or police reforms.Kenya needs a dictator.
To me democracy is embargoed by God, democracy is the opiate of NGOs, and other groups that thrive best in calling press conferences and telling the evils in governments. Democracy is the wishful thinking of the USA that keeps bombing civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq. It’s the blabber of the fangless UN and NATO that stood when 10,000 people were being killed per day in Rwanda.
Democracy is the day-dreaming of Martha Karua that forgot about the same when her tribesman took over the leadership of this country and a click of them decided to sweep it into an abyss. It is the wallow of Raila Odinga that cannot point a finger at Museveni the warlord when he directly insults his people.
Democracy is your jealousy when you can’t get the job coz your uncle is not the employer. It is the slow, backward thinking that all Luos will gain visas when Obama became President of USA. Democracy is an fantasy of the West that keep pouring aid into Africa when that money is channeled into secret kitties.
Democracy is the invention of God. Handed over to man. And which man said, “Sorry we don’t like what it sounds like. Please give it to NGOs. They can better make noise that we won’t listen to!”
That is why KENYA NEEDS A RUTHLESS DICTATOR. Not for five years but for 15 to 30 years. There are two sides of head, the right and left cheek. One side can be scarred while the other is smooth like the thigh of a geisha girl. A good example is Saddam Hussein. He was good to the extreme and bad to the extreme. He made sure Iraq was economically strong, even with the gothic hand of Bush constantly poking him.He built first class highways, universities, hospitals, and sewerage systems. But sorry that he gassed his own people, massacred his opponents. There are two sides of the coin. And am talking about the good side of a dictator.
We need an economic dictator to be precise.
Look at Chavez the Venezuelan Kingpin. His country is so rich he once gave free oil to USA. How about Gaddafi? He doesn’t want people telling him to go home. Why? Because he knows that people like Kibaki will take over from him and mess his hard earned economic strength? He crashes the opponents with a huge punch. He throws belligerents into the red sea. Why? Because he knows that should he leave, the rats will invade the treasury and start dragging out sacks of maize even though they know that you cannot cart away more than 10 billion without being seen.
Ohh and look at Cuba. The brothers have proved good shepherds of the Cuban flock. They don’t have those fuel-guzzling cars. They don’t own golf resorts. They are angels sent by God to tell Americans that you cannot assume the position of God. You cannot scatter armies across the world in the pretence of keeping world peace!
That is God’s prerogative, which even a big and tall Hussein Obama, cannot assume.
Kenya needs a dictator to take over this country. Raila can be a good dictator but lack the balls to take over land grabbed by people that were handsomely rewarded by the colonial masters. He cannot tell Moi to hand over the loot. He cannot tell the Kenyatta family to let go of the loot and the land.
Kenya needs a dictator so ruthless the thieves will start giving out stolen property without being asked. a dictator that will cut the ministries to ten or five. Call a press conference and announce:“Today marks the true independence of this country from the dogs and the fat cats. It is sad but by the powers given to me by the constitution of the republic of Kenya, I hereby order the reduction of MPs’ salaries from 800,000 to 150,000. I further direct that all the ministries shall from today henceforth be given Toyota 110 and…and if they deem so unfit, they should be allowed to use their salary to acquire Mercedes E-Class”.
“I further direct the removal of the Anti-corruption Commission and order them to be redeployed into a new Ministry of Social Welfare for Orphans and widows. I disband the institution of both the Prime Minister and Vice President. I further direct that no one should masquerade as an assistant minister as I will not appoint any, but will bestow my trust in Permanent Secretaries and the Ministers whose positions will be advertised and every Kenyan with the relevant qualifications shall fill”
“With powers conferred to me as the only one above the law, I order no Presidential elections until after 30 years. This order is only subject to change should I die. I bar all persons against talking politics in the press, but to personally write to me should they have an idea or complaints. Alternatively call me on 000001009000111. I order that only journalists without blood to write columns that cast doubt on my type of leadership!”
“I scrap all entertainment and sitting allowance for both the Ministers and MPs. How can you deliberate on the issues of your country while standing?”
“This now means that the tax payer has been saved. Not by me, but by The Almighty God. This means that the Kenyans shall have crossed to the Promised Land. The land that was promised by the past three presidents but none did give, instead they left you at the gates of hell”.
“I order the reduction of all taxes by 50%. I order that water and electricity shall be free of charge. The basic prices of commodities such as sugar, flour, and oil shall be one in all shops, supermarkets and village markets”
“Given that Kenya has not been involved in any cross border war since independence, we shall disband the corrupt City and Country Councils, and the Armed Forces, the Army will from now on constitute the same. They shall be trained on the psychology of parking and receipting”.
“And now I cut my own salary from 2 million to 500,000”.
“And now to my opponents that will call themselves opposition in parliament, be advised that you shall have nothing to oppose as we shall be giving to the people and not taking. I advise you against sabotage as this plot will be met with excessive force that it deserves. We are prepared to kill you for the sake of the country. We rather one head than thousands killed by drought and diseases”.
“We are messengers of God sent to set an example in Africa. To refuse blood aid from America, Germany, France and United Kingdom. We are the men and women sent to bring glory to the black continent – to give color to it”.
“We are sent to save the wounds between the legs of girls in Darfur, Turkana, and Northern Uganda”
“With this trend Gaddafi and I, through the help of Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, and Ahmed Abnijaad shall annex Africa…shall transform Africa into the true jungle it once was. The jungle without guns and aid workers”
“Let me take this chance to warn Museveni. I understand your crave for blood, Mr. Kaguta. It’s long since you pillaged in mass. I know that killing the Nilotes has been your obsession. In fact, let me be clear by saying that the Northen Ugandans have been reduced to ashes. You now are looking for more. Your appetite for blood is so high when you see the Kenyan Nilotes. But, I have news for you, Amin Destroyer! That the Kenyan Nilotes are under my wings. And should you try my patience again, I will push you over to the Congo basin where your soldiers are stealing gold!”“God bless Kenya, God bless Africa, God punish the blood aid pretenders of the West!”
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Kennedy Odour is the Editor of Apprentice Life Magazine in Kenya.
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