According to Kenya’s Daily Nation,  “Former Bahari MP Joe Khamisi reveals today how MPs are bribed to pass Bills in Parliament. In his book, The Politics of Betrayal: Diary of a Kenyan Legislator, Mr Khamisi says he was approached in 2004 by a Cabinet minister to support a Bill in exchange for a job for a relative and “fuel money”.

This is good because Kenyans get to know what happens in the corridors of power. The Daily Nation article takes readers through exciting moments, where the former MP writes about Uhuru Kenyatta and Kalonzo the Vice President holding a meeting to plan on forming a third force that would see the PM Raila Odinga blocked in 2007  from taking over the Presidency. Readers are also taken through the methods MPs use to make money – bribes to ask questions, bribes to block the passing of motions, and so on and on..

It is good that this former MP is revealing things that many Kenyans are not aware of, but my problem is the timing. Why did this former MP not reveal this things when he was still in the corridors of power himself? Why now when things are hot for the 2012 elections? Is he trying to manipulate the 2012 elections to the highest office in the land?

These questions must be asked and answers understood. Otherwise, voters may get carried away and yet the former MP is on a mission of revenge because he is now out in the cold.

When he reveals that he was approached to be bribed by one who was associated with the minister, it is questionable if he did he not call the police in order to have the person arrested. It is also questionable if he did not contact the then minister in order to find out if the personwho contacted him was really sent by the then minister. I question his way of dealing with the attempted bribery if it really took place!

Many people in leadership, when they are out in the cold begin to assume a new role – that of becoming a whistle-blower, a thing that makes me not comfortable with the truth about the former MPs revelation that his former colleagues are being bribed all the time. I hope it is not a smear campaign to try to break some politicians and built those who may have approached him and in agreement he decides to release the book now when the country is soon to go for elections.

By revealing that Uhuru and Kalonzo hatched a plan, it may be because the two leaders, including William Ruto have started to work closely towards capturing the highest office in the land.

However, if what he is writing is true, then the Anti-corruption boss PLO Lumumba should look into it and save the country from corruption in Parliament. This former MP should be called to Anti-corruption office to make a statement and assist in the investigations. He should be ready to name names and come out with proof to strengthen his allegations on the bribery issues, otherwise if  his book is read and nothing is done, the allegations will taint the names of all parliamentarians because people will start looking at them suspiciously, when in actual sense, they may have done nothing wrong.

 By Chief editor Korir, API.

Gender equality is a ‘phenomenon’ that is sometimes referred to as either gender equity or gender egalitarianism. East Africa Peace Initiative (EAPI), perceives the issues encapsulated in gender equality as a framework for poverty eradication especially among the pastoral communities in East Africa.

This is to blatantly ague on the assumption that, in order to address poverty and improve many lives, gender equality remains an important element. It implies therefore, that women and men aren’t the same from a physiological point of view, but they both have equal values and should therefore be accorded equal treatment and or social, economical and political representation.

Whilst on the contrary; EAPI likewise argues that the apparent paradox which engulfs a better understanding of empowerment as a means for poverty alleviation, and the implications of structural adjustment policies on gender equality, may or could soon pose a serious challenge.

Being in the 21^st century, if the approach highlighted above isn’t well adjudicated and approached by the communities in East Africa, then we may soon or later experience ‘cultural crisis’ culminating from the induced paradox of gender equality being imposed by ‘the western world’. To address the ‘unforeseen’ challenge, the alignment gap between empowerment and the implications of structural adjustment policies requires a diversified approach without necessarily diluting ‘the good and the attainable practices in a culture’.

From a generic perspective, to ensure more collective and self-engagement by, and for East Africa pastoral communities, there is an urgent need for a cautious, desensitization, as well as a continuous review on a comprehensive policy framework. This is to say, the culture of ‘copying and pasting’ the cultural practices from the west, may pose a serious threat to the extinction of one’s cultural identity, and thereby tracing cultural roots may prove difficult as it will diminish or will gradually be on its phase-out. Isn’t this another form of neocolonial, and that decolonization of many minds is going to be a deep-rooted vendetta?

A prospective policy framework for that matter, will act as the alignment bridge between the ‘perceived modern paradox of gender equality’ and the pastoral communities’ traditional-lifestyles. In so doing, the balanced, and the important aspects in a culture, will be safeguarded from extinction.

However, from an argumentative point of view, if the gap mentioned above widens, then there are high probabilities that; the dream of gender equality will remain vague, and unrealistic until the pastoral communities in East Africa are mainstreamed to change their valuable priorities.

According to the world bodies like UNICEF, the importance of gender equality is highlighted by its inclusion as one of the eight Millennium Development Goals that serve as a framework for  poverty alleviation. Meaning, by promoting the practice of gender equality among the pastoral communities in East Africa, one will have encouraged the developmental growth and greater economic prosperity, and thus reducing poverty by curbing cultural practices like cattle rustling. Therefore, do the pastoral communities in East Africa regard gender equality as an important aspect to embrace as being advocated, or as a threat to their co-existence?

Well, that is my say, what is your say?

The author of the article is Lesiamito Malino John, from Oslo, Norway. The author is a postgraduate student in Information Systems and Computing, and can be reached on Lesiamito@gmail.com

BURUNDI: Banana blight threatens food security

Photo: BSPP

Banana blight is threatening livelihoods in Burundi (file photo)

BUJUMBURA, 22 April 2011 (IRIN) – A disease affecting banana plants has spread to five provinces of Burundi, raising concern among agricultural officials, who fear the disease could hit the country’s food security.

According to Adelin Girukwishaka, a plant protection officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, the disease, “Banana Xanthomonas Wilt” – commonly known as banana blight – was first detected in November 2010 in Cankuzo province, near the border with Tanzania.

“In January 2011, the disease was reported in the eastern province of Ruyigi and Makamba in the south; the disease has also been identified at Cibitoke and Bujumbura Rural provinces,” Girukwishaka said.

Ernest Manirambona, deputy coordinator of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s emergency coordination unit, told IRIN: “The disease is now confirmed; it spread to five provinces within six months.”

Leonard Ndayishimiye, a farmer in the northwestern province of Cibitoke, said the disease had infected most of his plantation; he is worried his monthly income will drop as a result.

“When the plants are healthy, a single plant can extend to 5m wide, giving me five big bunches,” Ndayishimiye said. “However, since the disease struck, I only get one tiny bunch or even nothing, depending on when the plant was infected.”

Burundians consume bananas raw, cooked, as a juice or alcohol. Ndayishimiye said: “I eat it as breakfast before going to work, at lunch with beans and sometimes as banana juice in the evening.” 

Cibitoke, which means “the land where bananas are plenty” in Kirundi, is known for producing banana beer consumed across the country. Many of its residents depend on banana farming for their livelihoods. 

Girukwishaka said: “Banana plants cover the biggest cultivated areas and represent more than 60 percent of the population’s income. If the banana is affected [by this disease], it will not only mean great problems for farmers but also a socio-economic problem for Burundi.”

At the main market in Bujumbura, the capital, the price of green bananas has increased because of the spread of the disease.

A buyer at the market told IRIN she could no longer afford to buy a whole bunch, estimated at 6,000 francs (US$4.80), and was opting to buy the bananas singly.

“I think it is not only climatic conditions that are behind the shortage of bananas in the market; the banana blight is also to blame,” the trader said.

“No need to panic”

Celestin Niyongere, head of the fruit and vegetable division at the government’s Research Institute for Agronomic Sciences, told IRIN the disease spreads slowly in some banana varieties, especially those that grow in the highlands.

However, he said, “no variety resists the disease even if there are some varieties more sensitive than others”.

Niyongere said: “This is the case with the banana variety grown in Cibitoke, Makamba and Rutana; they can be totally decimated in a few months.”

However, FAO’s Manirambona said there was no need to panic: “The disease has been identified, preventative measures are also well known; we only need to implement them.”

Preventative measures 

Agricultural officials say they are making the population aware of the best field practices.

Photo: David Gough/IRIN

The price of bananas is rising (file photo)

Farmers have been encouraged to remove male buds in the banana plants since insects, “notably bees, can spread the disease to uninfected bananas 60km away in one day”, according to an agricultural officer.

Theodomir Bigirumuhirwa, the head of Agrobiotech, a private research laboratory dealing with bananas, said local agronomists in direct contact with farmers would be trained in June.

Once a banana field is infected, the only remedy is to cut off all the infected plants.

Farmers have also been advised not to re-plant bananas on the same land within six months and to use clean field tools and planting materials.

Manirambona said: “We also need to raise funds to mobilize not only farmers but also give support to the producers of in-vitro plants. People who depend on bananas for their livelihood should get support to encourage them to cut all their infected plants.”

Apart from sensitizing the public, the Burundian government plans to distribute at least 750,000 selected bananas shoots in September to ensure that farmers have plants free from the disease.

jb/js/mw

source www.irinnews.org

AID POLICY: Protection takes centre stage in new Sphere guidelines

Photo: Jane Some/IRIN

The Sphere handbook incorporates a stronger focus on protection and safety of affected populations

NAIROBI,  – Avoiding exposing vulnerable people to further harm, ensuring their access to impartial aid and assisting them to claim their rights and recover from abuse are some of the guidelines given to humanitarian actors in a new edition of the Sphere handbook, a set of common principles and universal standards for aid delivery.

Incorporating a new chapter on protection principles, the third edition of the Sphere Handbook, Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response (2011), stresses that protection is an intrinsic aspect of all humanitarian response.

“The handbook incorporates a stronger focus on protection and safety of affected populations and considers emerging issues like climate change, disaster risk reduction, disasters in an urban setting, education, as well as early recovery of services, livelihoods and governance capacity of affected communities,” Maxine Clayton, head of the Inter Agency Working Group (IAWG), said.

Philip Wijmans, Kenya’s country representative for the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), said: “This new edition of the Sphere handbook is a lifeline for humanitarian aid workers… it marks the beginning of a roll-out strategy.”

Besides the chapter on protection, the handbook incorporates a rewritten Humanitarian Charter and restructured chapters on core standards as well as minimum standards.

According to the Sphere Project, at least 650 experts and more than 300 organizations in 20 countries were involved in the preparation of the 2011 edition, which is aimed at improving the quality of aid given to communities affected by natural disasters and armed conflict.

“The Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards will not of course stop humanitarian crises from happening, nor can they prevent human suffering,” the Sphere project said in a statement marking the launch. “What they offer, however, is an opportunity for the enhancement of assistance with the aim of making a difference to the lives of people affected by disaster.”

Launched alongside the Sphere handbook was Preventing Corruption in Humanitarian Operations by Transparency International Kenya (TI Kenya), the anti-corruption NGO. It is a practical guide to help aid organizations deal with corruption in their operations.

This new edition of the Sphere handbook is a lifeline for humanitarian aid workers… it marks the beginning of a roll-out strategy

“It highlights best practice tools for preventing and detecting corruption in humanitarian organizations,” Rachel Mbai, TI Kenya’s vice-chairwoman, said. “Transparency International defines corruption as ‘abuse of entrusted power for private gain’. This includes financial corruption such as fraud, bribery, nepotism and extortion but also encompasses non-financial forms such as the diversion of humanitarian assistance to benefit non-target group.”

Mbai said humanitarian organizations must be accountable, not only to their development partners but also to the people they have the mandate to serve.

“They have the duty to be transparent about their mandate, their scope of work, the eligibility criteria of the relief and services they are providing to communities,” she said.

Roslyn Hees, TI senior adviser and co-author of the handbook, said: “The handbook is a menu of good practice tools to help organizations deter, detect and deal with specific corruption risks in their operations. It can also be used by donors as a checklist when looking at the institutional policies of the aid organizations they work with.”

js/mw

http://www.irinnews.org

COTE D’IVOIRE: Aid agencies fighting to remain impartial

Photo: Nancy Palus/IRIN

Aid agencies must uphold their impartiality so they are able to reach those most in need

ABIDJAN/DAKAR, 22 April 2011 (IRIN) – The perceived impartiality of UN aid agencies and NGOs is still at risk and must be re-stressed in Côte d’Ivoire, say NGOs, given the UN peacekeeping force’s direct role in the fighting.

Aid agencies – both UN and NGOs – are deliberately distancing themselves from the UN mission (UNOCI) so they can reach populations at risk, staff told IRIN.

UNOCI fired at ex-president Laurent Gbagbo’s military units when the latter shelled the Golf Hotel, where President Alassane Ouattara was based. UNOCI chief, Alain Le Roy, defended UNOCI’s actions, saying it had to respond, following direct attacks on civilians and peacekeepers, including on UNOCI headquarters.

Aid workers have to be particularly careful in all UN integrated missions (where humanitarian and military UN missions are managed under the same umbrella), stressed Philippe Conraud, Oxfam West Africa humanitarian coordinator, in Man, central Côte d’Ivoire, “especially here where UNOCI’s actions have been controversial both in Côte d’Ivoire, and outside”.

Separation

Oxfam keeps its distance from UNOCI, and spells out to everyone – be it village chiefs or military forces – that they are not linked. “The basic principle for us, for NGOs, is to be courteous, cordial with everyone – armed or not… I greet people at all the roadblocks manned by the [Republic Forces of Côte d’Ivoire, Ouattara’s army] FRCI, I greet UNOCI, but it doesn’t go beyond that,” Philippe Conraud, head of humanitarian operations at Oxfam, told IRIN.

It is particularly important to remind national staff of this, he said. In tense zones where there has been ethnic conflict, as is the case in Western Côte d’Ivoire, Oxfam sends out teams from different parts of the country and different ethnic backgrounds to ensure they are not seen as partisan. “National staff’s names are on their badges, and people could associate a name with a certain political orientation… Staff do not have the right to express a political view in the name of the NGO.”

Ed Schenkenberg van Mierop, head of ICVA, a network of 70 national and international NGOs, said in a communiqué last week that as a result of UNOCI having appeared to take sides in the conflict, several local NGOs that were supposed to distribute aid to areas held by Gbagbo’s forces on behalf of the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, had to return the aid to the organization. UNHCR could not be reached for comment.

Following the battle for power in Abidjan in a bid to separate themselves from military units, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stopped using UN cars, hiring local ones instead, said Carlos Geha, OCHA’s deputy head of office in Abidjan, the commercial capital. This was one of the examples of best practice to boost staff security in a just-released OCHA report, “To Stay and Deliver.” 

“We demarcate ourselves from UNOCI and always say we are humanitarian,” stressed Geha, adding that OCHA was also drawing up operating rules to preserve humanitarian space, including barring all use of armed protection.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, which was highlighted in the report as being particularly proactive and effective at communicating its impartiality, has experienced few acceptance problems in Côte d’Ivoire, said its communications coordinator in Abidjan, Kelnor Panglungtshang. “During the conflict there were some allegations made on one side or the other, but in general, we have good acceptance here, and we have been able to access people in need, save when direct fighting has barred access,” he told IRIN.

Medical needs

Security in Abidjan has improved in most neighbourhoods, except for Yopougon, and Abobo, where Ouattara’s FRCI military has reportedly been fighting a militia that helped bring Ouattara to power. Water and electricity are still unavailable in some neighbourhoods, partly due to electricity cables having been destroyed, according to the electricity company.

“The humanitarian needs are still enormous,” said Louis Vignault, spokesman for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which has appealed for US$30 million to respond to people’s water, sanitation, nutrition and emergency education needs.

The ICRC, NGOs and UN agencies are stressing the need for medical supplies to re-stock clinics and hospitals that have been looted or destroyed. ICRC is providing medical kits for clinics and hospitals in Abidjan, and a further 17 clinics and hospitals in Korhogo, Bouaké, Man, San Pedro et Aboisso.

aj/np/aa/mw

source www.irinnews.org