Dear Governor Oparanya,
I was at a place called Emaraba, near Shianda, over the weekend and noticed that fishponds that were dug under the rapid economic results initiative when you were Planning minister have been abandoned.
When I asked why, I was told farmers got discouraged when thieves stole all the fish.
Now, although Security is not a devolved function of County governments, I think you need to take a very keen interest in it and shake things up a bit. The level of petty theft in most villages in Kakamega County is frightening.
People can no longer keep chicken because the louts brazenly break into chicken houses at night and go away with everything.
They harvest people’s crops and even cut people’s trees at night. This is stifling development. In many homes, anything metallic, including barbed wire fencing, has been stolen and sold as scrap metal.
The ironical thing about this is the thieves are well known but victims hardly report to the authorities because the culprits are kinsmen. Chiefs and assistant chiefs have lost their muscle and the police stationed at rural markets seem keener on shaking bribes from suspects than enforcing the law.
At Harambee Market where I come from, there is a spot where young men smoke bhang in the open. There is even a street called “Koinange”. The level of alcoholism, especially, among the youth is shocking.
It is a deep reflection of social and family breakdown whose origin can be traced to illiteracy, unemployment and lack of viable economic activities. Nearly every family has a son who is a thief and, or, addicted to alcohol, bhang, or both.
At the root of this is failure of agriculture. Our people are too beholden to sugarcane, which is a failed crop, to realize that they can grow food crops and keep livestock for cash. That is why, for instance, our vegetables, maize, fruits and chicken are sourced from other counties.
In the face of gross unemployment, we must seek ways of making farming sexy for these young people who are too busy wasting their lives on alcohol and drugs so that their only recourse is to steal people’s property to fund these habits.
For instance, and here I am making comparisons with other counties where pressure on land is more acute such as Nyeri, the tree cover in our county is low. If encouraged and facilitated to plant fast growing trees, these young men can harvest and sell firewood (lack of which is reaching crisis levels in many parts of the county).
In fact, Bw Governor, it would be excellent if you personally rolled out a tree planting exercise all over the county at the onset of the rains. There are no trees for timber in our County.
Because we are Kenya’s second most populous county, we must discard the old subsistent ways of doing things and embrace a more commercial approach. We insist on growing maize yet simsim, groundnuts and millet fetch better prices.
There is absolutely no justification, for instance, for us to continue raising chicken in the manner our forefathers did, when reality demands that we produce more for our tables and for sale.
Our uptake for high grade dairy goats, fish farming, irrigation, agroforestry, zero grazing, green housing and other aspects of ‘smart’ and intensive farming are pretty low.
You and other leaders must drive this change or we will be doomed.
Ni hayo tu, Bw Governor
Ted Malanda - Journalist/Environmentalist/Educator.
Monday, February 16, 2015
Thursday, February 12, 2015
JMAW - A WALK OF DETERMINATION
When I told my friend Sam about offering children with no school fees a lifeline, he wondered whether we were aware of the much touted scholarship schemes. So tonight, I tell him the story of Kelvin.
Kelvin lives with his grandmother in rural Butere after his parents abandoned them. I am not sure of the circumstances that lead a mother to abandon a child she carried for nine months in her womb but that is a subject for another day. Kelvin scored 391 points & was the best candidate at his public school in rural Kakamega County & the 13th best in his sub county, Butere. I haven't visited Kelvin's school but I wager it is a far cry from St Andrew's,Turi or Makini School, Nairobi. I bet it isn't even like Loreto Convent, Mombasa or St Anne's, Mumias - my two alma maters. I highly doubt it has a school bus which means kids from the catchment area walk miles to school & prepubescent girls risk being raped by leering men on their way to & from school. This might explain why secondary school heads now add 100/- for pregnancy tests for form 1 pupils.
Kelvin's admission letter to Nairobi School (www.nairobischool.ac.ke) was just a mockery (the kind you throw into the three stone fire & suck your teeth while at it) because Kelvin's grandmother could not - in her wildest dreams - raise the funding required for fees and shopping. Most people can afford transport but Kelvin & his grandmother walked 17 km from Butere to Mumias for the "wings to fly" scholarship. Although he had not been short listed, he persisted & 'in faith' presented himself for the interview. Equity chased him away as he had not been preselected. Kelvin walked 39 kms from Butere to Kakamega for KCB sponsorship but was not fortunate. He went to the CDF but was told to wait until June as the coffers were dry. He tried his luck with Palm foundation but this too did not yield fruit. Thankfully Palm foundation gave Kevin and his grandmother fare for transport back home. As a last resort his teacher Nyabs George decided to post the issue on Facebook. Josephine Ayiera Muluka analysed the case and concluded that it met the threshold for support. The TWKC committee responsible for Butere Sub County proposed him for sponsorship but there was no sponsor as most of us had already taken one or two other children.
The furthest I have walked in recent times was during the 10 km Kakamega Green Walk and Run. Before you ask me if a teenager can walk those distances, let me tell you for free that I remember my dad telling us how he walked (his disability notwithstanding) with his future brother in law, Elkana Mbati from Mumias to Butere to catch the train to Maseno School where they were students. But I digress...
This week, Kelvin and his grandmother were hosted by Ms Rosemary Okwara who graciously opened her home in Nairobi and paid for the shopping which any parent can tell you is daunting. Kelvin had never seen the bright lights of the city nor the tuktuks of Kisumu fighting for space with ramshackled matatus. I wondered insensitively to Rosemary why Kelvin hadn't been in music or drama for then he could have travelled extensively around the country during music & drama festivals. Upon confirmation from me that fees had been settled, Rosemary dropped Kelvin at school and made a trunk call to inform that the mission was accomplished. Rosemary will mentor Kelvin and provide him with a place to call home during half term.
Now, I can't tell Sam why Kelvin did not benefit from the scholarships he walked Kilometres to apply for in nearby towns. Maybe the print on the forms was too small that he did not fill the forms right; maybe being 13 in his sub county was unlucky as we all know the number 13 is jinxed; perhaps he was overawed by the officials he met with fake accents & fancy suits; most probably CSR budgets are too stretched now that Mumias Sugar Company is on bended knee; I cannot explain why someone would hand a 2000/- cheque to orphans when a laced shoe needed for secondary school costs 1800/-; I am puzzled about why my best friends - as if to add insult to injury - would send me articles of Villa Rosa Kempinski suites that cost 2.3 million for Valentine's night; I can't explain what CS Kaimenyi is thinking as he releases results & waxes lyrical about equity in school selection; I can't tell why my friends in the media do not find it in their hearts to cover Kelvin's story so that perhaps a Mr Shah might ask himself from the comfort of his 3 million Mahogany desk & swivelling leather chair IF Kelvin's case is 'genuine'; I can't tell you why media houses did not fall over themselves or inundate us with calls regarding Kelvin. Honestly, I do not know whose Africa is rising or why Kenya is donating 91 million to Malawi flood victims when our children cannot afford post primary education. I have no idea what they do with the bursaries they tell us about at rallies. I cannot even explain why I drain a bottle of wine on a good evening or why I buy so many Kitenge fabrics or why I feast on gourmet meals each time the spirit leads me. I cannot even fathom why kids brought up under harsh circumstances score more marks than some of their counterparts brought up with bronze, silver & gold spoons in their mouths. I can't understand why the parable of the good Samaritan is not preached often enough at the pulpit. I don't even know whether the palatial Vice President's home in Karen is still unoccupied. I beg you, my friends, please not to ask me these questions...for I do not have the answers...
All I know is that it doesn't really matter for now....for I prayed fervently for another pair of shoes until I met a lad with no school fees.
Kelvin lives with his grandmother in rural Butere after his parents abandoned them. I am not sure of the circumstances that lead a mother to abandon a child she carried for nine months in her womb but that is a subject for another day. Kelvin scored 391 points & was the best candidate at his public school in rural Kakamega County & the 13th best in his sub county, Butere. I haven't visited Kelvin's school but I wager it is a far cry from St Andrew's,Turi or Makini School, Nairobi. I bet it isn't even like Loreto Convent, Mombasa or St Anne's, Mumias - my two alma maters. I highly doubt it has a school bus which means kids from the catchment area walk miles to school & prepubescent girls risk being raped by leering men on their way to & from school. This might explain why secondary school heads now add 100/- for pregnancy tests for form 1 pupils.
Kelvin's admission letter to Nairobi School (www.nairobischool.ac.ke) was just a mockery (the kind you throw into the three stone fire & suck your teeth while at it) because Kelvin's grandmother could not - in her wildest dreams - raise the funding required for fees and shopping. Most people can afford transport but Kelvin & his grandmother walked 17 km from Butere to Mumias for the "wings to fly" scholarship. Although he had not been short listed, he persisted & 'in faith' presented himself for the interview. Equity chased him away as he had not been preselected. Kelvin walked 39 kms from Butere to Kakamega for KCB sponsorship but was not fortunate. He went to the CDF but was told to wait until June as the coffers were dry. He tried his luck with Palm foundation but this too did not yield fruit. Thankfully Palm foundation gave Kevin and his grandmother fare for transport back home. As a last resort his teacher Nyabs George decided to post the issue on Facebook. Josephine Ayiera Muluka analysed the case and concluded that it met the threshold for support. The TWKC committee responsible for Butere Sub County proposed him for sponsorship but there was no sponsor as most of us had already taken one or two other children.
The furthest I have walked in recent times was during the 10 km Kakamega Green Walk and Run. Before you ask me if a teenager can walk those distances, let me tell you for free that I remember my dad telling us how he walked (his disability notwithstanding) with his future brother in law, Elkana Mbati from Mumias to Butere to catch the train to Maseno School where they were students. But I digress...
This week, Kelvin and his grandmother were hosted by Ms Rosemary Okwara who graciously opened her home in Nairobi and paid for the shopping which any parent can tell you is daunting. Kelvin had never seen the bright lights of the city nor the tuktuks of Kisumu fighting for space with ramshackled matatus. I wondered insensitively to Rosemary why Kelvin hadn't been in music or drama for then he could have travelled extensively around the country during music & drama festivals. Upon confirmation from me that fees had been settled, Rosemary dropped Kelvin at school and made a trunk call to inform that the mission was accomplished. Rosemary will mentor Kelvin and provide him with a place to call home during half term.
Now, I can't tell Sam why Kelvin did not benefit from the scholarships he walked Kilometres to apply for in nearby towns. Maybe the print on the forms was too small that he did not fill the forms right; maybe being 13 in his sub county was unlucky as we all know the number 13 is jinxed; perhaps he was overawed by the officials he met with fake accents & fancy suits; most probably CSR budgets are too stretched now that Mumias Sugar Company is on bended knee; I cannot explain why someone would hand a 2000/- cheque to orphans when a laced shoe needed for secondary school costs 1800/-; I am puzzled about why my best friends - as if to add insult to injury - would send me articles of Villa Rosa Kempinski suites that cost 2.3 million for Valentine's night; I can't explain what CS Kaimenyi is thinking as he releases results & waxes lyrical about equity in school selection; I can't tell why my friends in the media do not find it in their hearts to cover Kelvin's story so that perhaps a Mr Shah might ask himself from the comfort of his 3 million Mahogany desk & swivelling leather chair IF Kelvin's case is 'genuine'; I can't tell you why media houses did not fall over themselves or inundate us with calls regarding Kelvin. Honestly, I do not know whose Africa is rising or why Kenya is donating 91 million to Malawi flood victims when our children cannot afford post primary education. I have no idea what they do with the bursaries they tell us about at rallies. I cannot even explain why I drain a bottle of wine on a good evening or why I buy so many Kitenge fabrics or why I feast on gourmet meals each time the spirit leads me. I cannot even fathom why kids brought up under harsh circumstances score more marks than some of their counterparts brought up with bronze, silver & gold spoons in their mouths. I can't understand why the parable of the good Samaritan is not preached often enough at the pulpit. I don't even know whether the palatial Vice President's home in Karen is still unoccupied. I beg you, my friends, please not to ask me these questions...for I do not have the answers...
All I know is that it doesn't really matter for now....for I prayed fervently for another pair of shoes until I met a lad with no school fees.
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