The world's wealthiest country is currently facing a food deficit unprecedented in many years of the super power's history.
One out of four families are on food stamps, a situation that will in all likelihood go down to President Obama's challenge box ,and an additional string on the bow of his detractors as well.He might now be forced to rethink the country's food policy,and rightly so,in the interest of the American people.
But on a broader perspective,this situation is not so much about America.Rather,it is about Third World countries that are so often dependent on food aid.
If the CNN fox pop undertaken recently is anything to go by,Americans are not going to continue devoting much of their food in aid while their own citizens have not enough food to eat.They can only do so if there is a surplus,which is not the case now.In this situation,countries must now brace themselves to meet their own citizen's food requirements in a sustainable way.
Africa--for the bulk of the countries belong here--must now set both long-term and short-term measures in place aimed at ensuring that the situation is mitigated.We are a continent endowed with all sorts of resources,ranging from minerals to fertile soils and favorable weather for agriculture.Yet every year colossal sums of money is spent on importing food.
There are many success stories that our leaders can emulate ,Egypt for instance,so we can change from relying on rain-fed agriculture to sustainable agriculture through properly organized irrigation.
For how long shall we catch a cold when the Big Brother sneezes?We have all the means to feed our people.The trouble is that we are not willing in the least!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
ODM's Catch 22 Political Situation
Since the 2007-2009 disputed general election that culminated in violence and the loss of over 800 lives and scores uprooted from their homes,the name 'The Hague' has been held in fear by Kenya's political elite ,and in admiration by the public.The country's justice system is full of holes.So the crafty politician(there are many here) who led the 2007 mayhem in any way was expected to get away with his callous role in the electoral aftermath.
Most of the suspects implicated in Justice Philip Waki's now both famous and infamous envelope,are actually holding key positions in the current coalition government that was midwifed by Koffi Annan among other imminent persons in 2009.Justice Waki was asked to investigate the perpetrators of the violence.
Once he was done,he fowarded the names of the culpable people to Mwai Kibaki(President Of Kenya) and dispatched a copy to Koffi Annan.It is expected that they (the suspects)will face justice owing to the confidence exuded by chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo on his recent tour of the country.This is known.What is still unclear is when?
Early this year,Mr Ocampo issued hints of the names in Waki's envelope.Newspapers tried to link the hints and to some extent Kenyans have a vague idea of who might be indicted in the International Criminal Court(ICC).
This week, one of them(Mr William Ruto),in a move that has since sent shock waves particularly in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM),started out of Nairobi to The Hague.According to him,he seeks to set the record straight on the
issue.
Might he spill the beans and land many in trouble?Or was Raila's decision to distance himself from him a political misstep?It is every politicians worry here currently.
Granted,he was a sworn friend of Prime Minister,Raila Odinga whose ODM has been mentioned in connection to the violence by such erstwhile friends as Isaac Ruto of ODM.
Has ODM been caught in an intricate situation?Well,time will tell.
Most of the suspects implicated in Justice Philip Waki's now both famous and infamous envelope,are actually holding key positions in the current coalition government that was midwifed by Koffi Annan among other imminent persons in 2009.Justice Waki was asked to investigate the perpetrators of the violence.
Once he was done,he fowarded the names of the culpable people to Mwai Kibaki(President Of Kenya) and dispatched a copy to Koffi Annan.It is expected that they (the suspects)will face justice owing to the confidence exuded by chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo on his recent tour of the country.This is known.What is still unclear is when?
Early this year,Mr Ocampo issued hints of the names in Waki's envelope.Newspapers tried to link the hints and to some extent Kenyans have a vague idea of who might be indicted in the International Criminal Court(ICC).
This week, one of them(Mr William Ruto),in a move that has since sent shock waves particularly in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM),started out of Nairobi to The Hague.According to him,he seeks to set the record straight on the
issue.
Might he spill the beans and land many in trouble?Or was Raila's decision to distance himself from him a political misstep?It is every politicians worry here currently.
Granted,he was a sworn friend of Prime Minister,Raila Odinga whose ODM has been mentioned in connection to the violence by such erstwhile friends as Isaac Ruto of ODM.
Has ODM been caught in an intricate situation?Well,time will tell.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Rekindle ASK Show's Glory
Rekindle ASK Shows' Glory
I attended this years Nairobi International Trade Fair and,honestly,I was impressed.There was a great deal to learn what with the myriads of exhibitions from both local and international circles.My enthusiasm was renewed,having put to paid attending ASK shows a few months ago ,a culmination of disappointments.The Nairobi Show was at all not a disappointment;but district(now county) shows are quite a disappointment.
In July this year I had the opportunity to attend a similar ASK show in my home county and,frankly,instead of meeting an exciting ,educative spectacle,I came face to face with the irony it was.The last time I had attended was 2007 and I was hoping things had changed.I was mistaken.
There was nothing new;the same old camel rides,merry-go-rounds(initially meant for children but now taken up by grown-ups),and the disco.Yes,the disco.
To me, ASK Shows main object is agricultural exhibitions ,among other innovative technological and educative exhibitions.Entertainment,thus,should be peripheral.Yet in many counties across the country it is central..Young people today in counties go to the show mainly to dance,not to learn.
Where went the good old days when ASK shows would be a festival ingrained in ones memory,something to talk about,something that left one longing for the next?
Simply put,ASK Shows have lost their sweet,old glory in county circles and somebody has to do something about it.Face painting,the man walking on poles the disco and kichwa bila Mwili or Mama Samaki are a great entertainment.But times have changed and we need more educative stuff.
I attended this years Nairobi International Trade Fair and,honestly,I was impressed.There was a great deal to learn what with the myriads of exhibitions from both local and international circles.My enthusiasm was renewed,having put to paid attending ASK shows a few months ago ,a culmination of disappointments.The Nairobi Show was at all not a disappointment;but district(now county) shows are quite a disappointment.
In July this year I had the opportunity to attend a similar ASK show in my home county and,frankly,instead of meeting an exciting ,educative spectacle,I came face to face with the irony it was.The last time I had attended was 2007 and I was hoping things had changed.I was mistaken.
There was nothing new;the same old camel rides,merry-go-rounds(initially meant for children but now taken up by grown-ups),and the disco.Yes,the disco.
To me, ASK Shows main object is agricultural exhibitions ,among other innovative technological and educative exhibitions.Entertainment,thus,should be peripheral.Yet in many counties across the country it is central..Young people today in counties go to the show mainly to dance,not to learn.
Where went the good old days when ASK shows would be a festival ingrained in ones memory,something to talk about,something that left one longing for the next?
Simply put,ASK Shows have lost their sweet,old glory in county circles and somebody has to do something about it.Face painting,the man walking on poles the disco and kichwa bila Mwili or Mama Samaki are a great entertainment.But times have changed and we need more educative stuff.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
The Hard-nosed Columnist: The Fall of Monopolies,Controversy and the Afterma...
The Hard-nosed Columnist: The Fall of Monopolies,Controversy and the Afterma...: "Recently the president of Kenya signed a considerably controversial bill into law.The bill sought to legalize an illegal brew that defied fi..."
The Fall of Monopolies,Controversy and the Aftermath
Recently the president of Kenya signed a considerably controversial bill into law.The bill sought to legalize an illegal brew that defied first the British colonial State's efforts to stop its consumption ,and later two post--independence eras.
The late Jommo Kenyatta ,the first president of post-independent Kenyan State tried and failed.Former and retired president Daniel Moi tried to dissuade chang'aa drinkers from the habit through arbitrary arrests and other means but he,too,failed.The fines meted out on the brewers proved to be a most hopeless deterrent..Besides, police officers sent to out to raid chang'aa dens themselves drank what they should have nabbed.
So they were useless missions that then again bred income -generating ventures for the officers in the form of corruption..But arising from the legalization is an interesting phenomenon.The response is twofold.Professional brewers(so to speak)are crying fowl;drinkers are in celebration mood.
According to the brew law,chang'aa shall be packed in bottles and enjoy a similar market environment to that of popular brands here like Pilsner,Tusker Guiness,to name a few.There is a fine,too,targeting those who might contravene the regulations:5 years in jail or 10 million fine in Kenyan currency.The move,aside from everything else in the controversy,put to paid a disgusting brewing monopoly characterized by an increase in beer prices in abandon.Maybe the price of beer will come down to a reasonable level. + + + + +
A market-share war broke here recently.It was over mobile- service- provider monopoly.Two major companies featured prominently in the battle field--Zain,Kenya and Safaricom.The trouble was the latter's serves over 78 per cent of Kenya's population that is now edging towards 40 million.Other companies share the remaining percentage.Zain deemed the fact unfair ,and in the absence of a fair business tact at the disgrunled companys disposal,the management of zain effected a shocking call rate slash.It brought the price charged for calls down by 50 percent.That was the only way to deal with Safaricom;all other methods had failed over the years.Although the attempted 'ouster' of a communications monopoly did not shake Safaricom much,it has succeeded in alleviating levels of subscriber exploitation by both companies.A communications official says the battle will adversely affect business.We are yet to see that come to pass.But in the meantime,a monopoly is on its deathbed.
+ + + + + +
The part of Nairobi in which I stay,is entirely a residential area for indusry workers and all manner of middle-income earners.When you are atop a building you see the sprawling Mukuru kwa Njenga and Mukuru Kayaba slums.There are over 100 flats here and ten of the number belong to one person.Still seven others belong to one person.Tenants are at their mercy;rent is raised without consultation.Talk of monopolies. + + + + ++ +
A friend of mine is angry at himself for deciding,on his friends advice in high school that to work in a bank, you must have your hand amputated so you cannot steal money.He dropped business studies .He learn t the truth after the fact.
The late Jommo Kenyatta ,the first president of post-independent Kenyan State tried and failed.Former and retired president Daniel Moi tried to dissuade chang'aa drinkers from the habit through arbitrary arrests and other means but he,too,failed.The fines meted out on the brewers proved to be a most hopeless deterrent..Besides, police officers sent to out to raid chang'aa dens themselves drank what they should have nabbed.
So they were useless missions that then again bred income -generating ventures for the officers in the form of corruption..But arising from the legalization is an interesting phenomenon.The response is twofold.Professional brewers(so to speak)are crying fowl;drinkers are in celebration mood.
According to the brew law,chang'aa shall be packed in bottles and enjoy a similar market environment to that of popular brands here like Pilsner,Tusker Guiness,to name a few.There is a fine,too,targeting those who might contravene the regulations:5 years in jail or 10 million fine in Kenyan currency.The move,aside from everything else in the controversy,put to paid a disgusting brewing monopoly characterized by an increase in beer prices in abandon.Maybe the price of beer will come down to a reasonable level. + + + + +
A market-share war broke here recently.It was over mobile- service- provider monopoly.Two major companies featured prominently in the battle field--Zain,Kenya and Safaricom.The trouble was the latter's serves over 78 per cent of Kenya's population that is now edging towards 40 million.Other companies share the remaining percentage.Zain deemed the fact unfair ,and in the absence of a fair business tact at the disgrunled companys disposal,the management of zain effected a shocking call rate slash.It brought the price charged for calls down by 50 percent.That was the only way to deal with Safaricom;all other methods had failed over the years.Although the attempted 'ouster' of a communications monopoly did not shake Safaricom much,it has succeeded in alleviating levels of subscriber exploitation by both companies.A communications official says the battle will adversely affect business.We are yet to see that come to pass.But in the meantime,a monopoly is on its deathbed.
+ + + + + +
The part of Nairobi in which I stay,is entirely a residential area for indusry workers and all manner of middle-income earners.When you are atop a building you see the sprawling Mukuru kwa Njenga and Mukuru Kayaba slums.There are over 100 flats here and ten of the number belong to one person.Still seven others belong to one person.Tenants are at their mercy;rent is raised without consultation.Talk of monopolies. + + + + ++ +
A friend of mine is angry at himself for deciding,on his friends advice in high school that to work in a bank, you must have your hand amputated so you cannot steal money.He dropped business studies .He learn t the truth after the fact.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Don't Rule Out the Possibility of a Wrong Diagnosis
There is a great deal of strange stories here that frequently get a mention in informal conversations.Some are just normal,by the yardstick of ,us, the ordinary people.Yet on serious thought,they are matters of life and death.It is strange, but accustomed ways of our people can be strange;what you smile about here can be something worth worrying about elsewhere.But let me tell you what I have gleaned without exactly intending to.Come with me.
George,I forget his second name,was taken ill three weeks ago.He is a terrible man who finds it difficult to return anything I have lent to him.So I jokingly felt he should die.People don't rush to the doctor here at the slightest sign of infection.So our friend,George did not do either.He swallowed herbs ,the kind,it is believed,magics away any sort of ailment.Matters did not change.The condition changed from bad to critical.He was sweating profusely,and he got his family worried.
With no hope within sight,he decided to see a doctor. It is only fair to say doctors here do their work well since they are mostly professionals.But they are few.Thus, they are often worked hard.As it turned out,George came by a fatigued doctor,who upon listening to his heart-beat and testing his body temperature,prescribed malaria drugs in hurry.Mark you the man had no trace of malaria in his body.So?Let's see.
George goes back home on a motorbike despite his feeling dizzy,arrives safe by providence,swallows the medicine as prescribed by the "tired" doctor and goes to bed to 'listen to himself'--in his own words.Ho!Two days elapse, and the man becomes worse by the day.What people do here in the wake of such is to "change the hospital".George does.When you "change hospital",it means you seek out the services of a private hospital whose patient-doctor ratio is relatively good.Of course at a higher cost.To us cost is nothing especially when it is compared to "GOING UP WITH YOUR MONEY!"
"You are suffering from brucellosis...er rm...George"the stout doctor announces, looking above his glasses.
"Is it curable?"
"Yes..Why?''smiling.
'It's nothing'
Doctors are humans and so are prone to mistakes.Do not disdain the hackneyed advertisers' advice:"If the first doctor's prescription doesn't work,seek the prescription of another doctor in a hurry even if it calls for a deeper thrust into your pockets.Ooh! One thing more.Tell the other doctor what the first doctor said and what you have swallowed.Otherwise you can easily "GO UP"because of a wrong diagnosis.
This is the story George,now recovered, was telling folks the other day in my hearing,and guess what?They were all smiles at such a life- and- death matter!I couldt help laughing either.
George,I forget his second name,was taken ill three weeks ago.He is a terrible man who finds it difficult to return anything I have lent to him.So I jokingly felt he should die.People don't rush to the doctor here at the slightest sign of infection.So our friend,George did not do either.He swallowed herbs ,the kind,it is believed,magics away any sort of ailment.Matters did not change.The condition changed from bad to critical.He was sweating profusely,and he got his family worried.
With no hope within sight,he decided to see a doctor. It is only fair to say doctors here do their work well since they are mostly professionals.But they are few.Thus, they are often worked hard.As it turned out,George came by a fatigued doctor,who upon listening to his heart-beat and testing his body temperature,prescribed malaria drugs in hurry.Mark you the man had no trace of malaria in his body.So?Let's see.
George goes back home on a motorbike despite his feeling dizzy,arrives safe by providence,swallows the medicine as prescribed by the "tired" doctor and goes to bed to 'listen to himself'--in his own words.Ho!Two days elapse, and the man becomes worse by the day.What people do here in the wake of such is to "change the hospital".George does.When you "change hospital",it means you seek out the services of a private hospital whose patient-doctor ratio is relatively good.Of course at a higher cost.To us cost is nothing especially when it is compared to "GOING UP WITH YOUR MONEY!"
"You are suffering from brucellosis...er rm...George"the stout doctor announces, looking above his glasses.
"Is it curable?"
"Yes..Why?''smiling.
'It's nothing'
Doctors are humans and so are prone to mistakes.Do not disdain the hackneyed advertisers' advice:"If the first doctor's prescription doesn't work,seek the prescription of another doctor in a hurry even if it calls for a deeper thrust into your pockets.Ooh! One thing more.Tell the other doctor what the first doctor said and what you have swallowed.Otherwise you can easily "GO UP"because of a wrong diagnosis.
This is the story George,now recovered, was telling folks the other day in my hearing,and guess what?They were all smiles at such a life- and- death matter!I couldt help laughing either.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Kicking a Bad Habit Takes a Good Habit
Most people have habits they themselves loath.Interestingly,many of them have confessed to vainly attempting to kick them.How do habits develop and just how can you rid yourself of the bad habits?Watch this space for an insightful discussion of how this can be done.Besides ,you will learn how to nurture good habits and the way to initiate them.
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