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Nyanza Economic Conference 2008
University Hotel, Kisumu, Kenya – 7 & 8 August, 2008
Introduction
Following the February 2008 power sharing agreement that brought to an end the post election instability that resulted in massive losses of life and property, Nyanza is poised to become a prime investment destination with agriculture playing the lead role in the recovery. The new political dispensation is ushering in a new sense of optimism and hope for an economic renaissance in Nyanza Province.
The planned construction of the Kisumu International Airport, for instance, is expected to generate a surge in economic activity, and it will open up new opportunities for exploitation of Nyanza’s largely untapped natural resources. The anticipated improvement in the region’s long neglected road and communications infrastructure is also expected to encourage new investments in virtually all sectors of the economy, and particularly, agriculture.
Conference Objectives
The Nyanza Economic Conference - 2008 will put the spotlight on Nyanza Province, and Kisumu in particular, as one of the new frontiers for a diversity of investments. Kisumu is Kenya’s third largest city, and it is the economic centre for western Kenya. The City and surrounding areas offer enormous economic and investment potentials, which span from finance, agriculture, agro-processing, dairy, aqua-culture, mining, hospitality, entertainment, education, health, water sports, media and manufacturing. The Conference will provide a unique platform for projecting practical pathways for elevating the region into a major hub for agricultural production, agro-processing and marketing.
Conference Organizers
Nyanza Economic Conference is an initiative of Nyanza Economic Forum (NEF), a non-partisan network of individuals, groups and organizations established in January 2008 to find strategic solutions to the social and economic challenges confronting Nyanza Province.
The core activities of the Forum include:
? Identifying, packaging and promoting specific investment opportunities in selected high potential productive sectors of Nyanza Province;
Mobilizing financial, human and technical resources and support for individuals and groups seeking to take advantage of the identified investment opportunities;
? Championing the improvement of the business environment in Nyanza through advocacy, information dissemination and public events.
The Forum is dedicated to breaking down the barriers of social and economic development in Nyanza and to encouraging widespread and effective participation at all levels of society.
Registration
Due to limited space, conference delegates are requested to register early. Registration forms can be obtained by email from the Conference Secretariat, the details of which are provided below. There is a registration fee of Kshs. 9,900 per delegate which will cover the two days including meals, refreshments and conference material.
Preliminary Programme (Day 1)
08h00-09h00 Registration, Tea/Coffee
09h00-10h30 OPENING SESSION
Opening & Introduction
• Mary Onyango, Chair, Nyanza Economic Forum
Official Welcome
• Mr. Paul Olando, Nyanza Provincial Commissioner
Opening Address
• Hon. William Ruto, Minister for Agriculture
Keynote Address
• Mr. Micah Cheserem, Former Governor, CBK; MD, Equator Flowers Ltd.,
11h00-1H00 SESSION II: INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Agriculture: Practical Strategies for an Agricultural Revolution in Nyanza
• Dr. Akin Adesina, Vice President Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA),
Financial Services: Reaching the Unreached
• Mr. Martin Oduor-Otieno, Managing Director, Kenya Commercial Bank
Tourism: Presentation of the Lake View Resort City Initiative
• Mr. Jonathan Mturi, Chairman, Kenya Railways Corporation
Dairy Industry: Strategies for Profitable Community Enterprises
• Mr. Fred Ogana, Country Director, Technoserve
Fish Industry: Nyanza’s Unexploited Competitive Advantage
• Hon. James Otuoma, Minister for Fisheries
14h00-16H00 SESSION III: CASE STUDIES AND TESTIMONIALS
Attracting Foreign Capital to Nyanza
• Mr. Calvin Burges, Founder and Chairman, Dominion Farms Ltd.
The Challenge of an Under-developed Human Resource Base
• Mr. Bipin Patel, Managing Director, MIBM Nyanza Ltd.
Nyanza Farms Ltd., — An Emerging Story of Determination
• Dr. Peter Okoth, Project Manager, Tropical Soil Biology & Fertility Institute
Plenary Discussion
(Day 2)
8h30-10h30 SESSION IV: Panel Discussion: “Putting Nyanza Back on a Path of Sustainable Development”
FACILITATOR: LOUIS OTIENO, CITIZEN TV.
Panellists
• Hon. Dalmas Otieno, Minister for Public Service
• Mr Galib Tejpar, Director, Corner House Development Ltd. (Kisumu)
• Dr. PLO Lumumba, Partner, Lumumba, Mumma & Kaluma Advocates
• Mr. Evans Kidero, Managing Director, Mumias Sugar Company Ltd.
• Prof. Stephen Agong’, DVC, Maseno University
Respondents
• Ms. Betty Okero, Director, CSO Network
• Mr. Joseph Kwaka – Director, Community Aid International
11h00-12h00 Plenary Discussion
12h00-12h30 Summary & Way Forward – Mary Onyango, Chair, Nyanza Economic Forum
12h00-12h30 Closing Remarks, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, Prime Minister
7 users commented in " The mighty Nyanza Jimbo Economic Conference still on at Maseno University Hotel-Kisumu-Kenya – 7 & 8 August, 2008. Kenyan PM to offer closing speech "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackIt is a very important iniative which is home grown.Nyanza people all over the world are waiting for workable resolutions. Many sons and daughters of nyanza who living in the diaspora are waiting for good news which can bring our region to its former position.
The region was a land of educated people,healthy people,economically wealthy,and free from insecurity.
Infact,we are looking forward to receive good news on how to improve education quality in the
region,health matters specially spread of HIV/AIDS,investment opportunities,food security
and security of both people and property.
Lastly,the forum should talk about job opportunities of our youths by public institutions where the system has been discrimanated for over 40 years.Our politicians should talk about it effectively now that the governmnet is being shared by our party.
Folks,
Speaking for the majority voiceless women, and in highlighting Women’s concerns, It isabout time the World take a closer look and step in to provide immidiate Financial Assistance to the women and the Youth of Kisumu in Kenya in an inclusive Growing Market Strategic Development Program. UNDP has recently released information on how businesses may include the global poor as potential customers and how the global poor might benefit from collaborating more closely with businesses in Creating Value for All in the Popular Participation Community Program.
This Community Development Program is in essence Regional or Jimbo Trading Initiatives.
The Kisumu Women and Youths of Kenya have in the past been constantly left out of meaningful development funding or Pilot Scheme. Coupling with the recently stolen flawed election that brought about destruction of houses and deaths of many, Kisumu and the rest of Nyanza fell deeper into serious poverty lacking the most essential goods to live a normal life.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched a blueprint to guide the private sector in Kenya. The sector is expected to partner with the poor through business initiatives aimed at poverty alleviation. The Plan of Action ‘strategies for doing business with the poor’ has been developed in conjunction with the United Stated Agency for Development (USAID) and is aimed at boosting the involvement of less privileged members of society through innovations and how it can translate to income as well as boost Small or Start-up Entrepreneurship.
Teaming up with Private Businesses can be a success story when aimed to overcome the most common obstacles faced by the poor in today’s serious poverty situation. The poor have the Talent or Skills which are ready tools necessary to team up with established businesses companies to expand traditional business practices by bringing on board the poor as partners towards economic recovery and expansion. Under the UNDP Private Sector Strategy, the Growing Inclusive Markets (GIM) program simple business venture will tackle the immediate condition of extreme lack of basic needs. This will help along way in realizing the Millenium Development Goals faster within this popular participation.
This is a facilitated platform to engage all participating actors in the Business Model so that the pursuits of profit and human progress can work to mutual advantage and spark Social and Economic CHANGE to an improved life.
There is urgency to raise awareness and provide information on how businesses, in collaboration with the government and Civil Society can contribute to human development and realization of the Ratified Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The guidelines in the report seek to inspire and provoke the private sector into action, showing how businesses can get engaged through partnerships with the masses to achieve development.
For instance, in Teaming with the government and other sectors as players, micro-financing should be developed through Constituency Community to stimulate small trading undertakings which directly touch on many poor in areas such as:-
1) Water, Environment and Sanitation
Tourism
2) Farm Produce and Nutrition Food to include honey
3) Village Clinics and dispensaries for Health 4) Promotion of Music for Entertainment and for Religious Praise and Warship
5) Education Exchange Programs and Distance Learning
6) Rural Computer Learning and Computer Kiosks
7) Construction and Road Maintenance
9) Fishing Industry
10) Transportatio
11) Retail Business to both Women and Youth
12) Development Banks
The poor can benefit immensely from doing business directly with Private Sector, andcould be integrated in the cash flow economy which aims at wider distribution of wealthand income. Public-Private Partnership alliance programme aims at business activities that simulates income for the poor for basic needs. The poor have a large untapped energy potential and resources for consumption and distribution as well as skills and talents for innovative production within the entreprenuerial activities.
The more business integrated including the poor as partners the more the economic growth, the more fulfilment of The Millenium Development Goals.
Women as the Mainstream Players.
In order to overcome obstacles, women should be given opportunities to push for progress. African women’s fundamental contributions in food production systems needs to be incorporated and supplemented.
Government Ministries must subsidize for their efforts in the contribution to domestic economic inputs and national economies are increasingly acknowledged from women’s inputs. At both grassroots and national levels they have not been documented as inclusion in the National Economy. Women have in the past proved to have energetic efforts to organize, articulate their concerns and make their voices heard with little or no impact from the Leadership. They have also been used as voters by politicians but get very little reward. They are now pressing for an expansion of women’s economic and social opportunities, and the advancement of women’s rights. I speak for the majority voiceless.
We are now fired up to DEMAND TO BE HEARD because we have the the dynamism we have displayed in the economic, cultural and social lives of the communities through associations and informal networks are now channelling into creating new models of participation and leadership by improving our own positions. This will eventually strengthen African society as a whole, as well as enhance continent’s broader development prospects. In the demand for private sector financing of entrepreneurship it has been due to several factors, including:
a) Lack of government financial resource allocation to women’s development Agendas
b) Government’s non-commital to Stimulant incentive aid to poor families
c) Government’s non-commital to Traditional and Cultural noms that are cruel to women
and are seen as Human Rights Abuse like women inheritence, acqusition of lands etc.,
d) Lack of Improved methods of Entreprenuership to meet Trading challenges
e) Lack of collatoral to acquire funding
f) Lack of Government’s goodwill and political enabling environment
Despite the existence of a large number of potential UN and Non-Governmental programs or Pilot Projects, significant numbers of project deals and funds do not reach some Regions like Kisumu (Nyanza) which in many cases are marginalized and are now facing abject serious poverty and hunger, lacking in the most fundamental essentials one needs to live a reasonable life.
It is for the above reason why Networking for Entrepreneurship and Trading will be something about time the Women and the Community of Nyanza embark on Globalization of Trading and merchandizing through Private Sector initiative which will help acquire UN Millenium Development Goals within the time frame.
Consequently, I support and will continue to forster activities that will compliment Global networking entrepreneurship and business trading to the realization of UN Millenium Development Goals Agenda as well as UN UNDP Business Initiatiative in Creating Value for all.
Thank you,
Judy Miriga
USA
NB:
Economic Poverty is the cause of all evil. Wife beating will be a thing of the past. Lets
work together for a better peaceful future.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j5CeHyzZKI&feature=related
ATT: Ms. Mary Onyango
Chair
Nyanza Economic Forum
SDAHouse, Riverside Drive, Ground Floor
P.O. Box 10676-00400, NAIROBI, KENYA
Tel: 254-2-2385853 Cell: 254-738231011 or 254-710-451318
E-mail:info@nyanzaforum.org
Website: http://www.nyanzaforum.org
I congratulate you for establishing Nyanza Economic Forum. It is my hope that, this is not going to be the Davosversion of Nyanza!. It is my hope that, this will not be ”just” another initiative where the Luoelite come, dine and give word of mouth.
It is my hope again that, NEFwill aspire to inspire true sons and daughters of Sango to have an economy of their own. An economy with a robust market not only for sellingtheir wares, but where they can obtain loan to further their entrepreneurial skills.
As you are aware, the people of Nyanza have endured realdifficult times since the formation of the nation-Kenya. The Sango people have been socially, politically and economically emasculated due to perceived disobedience of the past regimes.
Today, as we start the walk, we must not forget important fundamentals that is the backbone of strongthriving societies. The reverses of 1960s, 1970s1980s, 1990s, and the New Millennium shall guide us into a new beginning.
No condition is permanent but, as you ride through the towns of Nyanza, what do you see?, you see terrible signs of human withdrawal and resignation. You can not fail to see the many faces of wasted generations idling our market centres.
The generation that thinks in terms of commencing ngware or boda boda enterprise. We are
simply consumers of India and Chinese bicycle industry yet we have thousands of UON engineering degree holders who are unable to invent.
This Letter attempts to share with you my thoughts on measures that are needed to change Luoworth. The Luo, though a significant ethnic community in Kenya, are still unable to make Luoland a better place to live in.
The reason to this is simple; we have been unable to embrace the art of organizing and acting coherently as a people who share the same economy, culture, region and surnames.
I am of the opinion that, the first task of NEF should be that of soul-searching. It is not too late for the Luo to define themselves and identify their collective interests and finally to find
how to promote or realize those interests.
As I say this, I know that most of you do not have any investment in the capital of Nyanza. Many Luos in Nairobi talk of Kisumu in a very negative manner.
Some even testify that they do not know Kisumu well or simply put, ”Kisumu kacha to ang’o ma itimoe”. These are the people who NEF need to change their crude perception.
This style of reasoning has made wahindi prosper as we watch. The wahindi have really exploited our disunity, capitalizing on it to their advantage by buying and owning the province’s government.
The PPO, PC, DC etc only serve wahindi in Nyanza. Our people have been reduced to mere street hawkers (hawking for wahindi) and nyuka gi chapat pavement traders etc. The small money we get is rewired back to the big network of wahindi economy.
While Jaindi uses the money to educate his offspring mostly in UK, Autralia and Canada, the Luo take ther children to DHT or New Kisumu High School (all private secondary schools owned by wahindi) where going to the university is nothing but a pipe dream.
Ladies and Gentlemen, there has to be a cause, goal or agenda that drives both the leaders and the masses. History informs me that no community can unite without the purpose of doing so. As things stand now, what is the main agenda confronting Luo and Luoland at the hour?.
Is it poverty? Is it Healthcare, Education or both? Is it political Leadership, Is it male circumsicion (as others seem to think)? Let us SWOT and go.
What I am trying to say here is: many Luos both peasant and elite are pursuing their individual agenda due to lack of collective communal response to problems facing the Luo.This has left the Luo masses in a serious state of frustration, despondency and even hopelessnes.
As I continue to share, I know some do rightly argue about politics. Yes, they may be right too, but what I can add is that Kenyan politics has got along way to go. It is therefore foolhardy to see politics as a way of solving our economic problems.
Kenyan politics, just like other African countries are very difficult to come to terms with. No one can predict how the current political situation in Kenya will evolve. A common agenda appropriate to all the possibilities above is that the Luo should empower themselves to decide their destiny as a people and they should be able to enjoy the freedom.
To develop and maximize their collective and individual potentials through unfettered access, use and exploitation of their resources - human and material - and by creating opportunities for every Luo son and daughter to develop their individual talents to the maximum extent possible for their own good, the general good and of our region.
But, we have to be realistic, a realistic appraisal of our community assets etc. This may include, nam Sango, land and other numerous natural resources.
As I bid you, the NEFshould strive to preach unity of purpose, sellf-confidence, self-motivation and determination as a people without the above can no longer be relevant in this first changing world.
The world is undergoing a very rapid technological revolution. Today, you need to be up-to-date in order to be relevant in your field of specialty. In this regard, I would urge you to seriously consider joining hands to upgrading RIATto be a fully functional Business and IT
Institute.
Why can’t RIATbe Kenya’sfirst equivalent to India’s Mumbai Institute of Technology?
Riat alone can bring world’s leading IT companies to Kisumu thus bringing jobs
and opportunities in the region.
Above all, let Luocreate a vision for a future they believe in and will fight and if need be die for. As the old adage goes, God helps those who help themselves. So let the Luochallenge themselves to succeed and never to fail again.
Thank you
William ODuor
agendaconsulting.net
Folks,
William you have spoken well, I salute you sir!!
This is truely a written thought in many Luo’s minds. The way forward is to move on from this limbo not tomorrow but today.
Let us all now utilize the skills and talents and the ability to gain what was lost centuries ago.
Let us marshal small and bigrich and poor leaders and performers in a boat sailing to Development Strategic Plan of Action.
I will start and hope others will follow and together you will hold my back when I weary. The Luo men are a hard shell nut, but I will try to start to marshal them to invitation for development projects in different locations in Nyanza, starting with Obunga in November 2008.
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=Y_WlP2Dk4zE
For employment I stand to challenge His Excellency The Rt. Prime Minister Raila to
start by employing atleast 10 professionals in his Prime Ministers Office which was
recently created.
I have heard people say The Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Raila is social and is good to Luos before he gets power, but when he does get to power, he gets drunk with power and forgets about the ladder not realizing he will need the
ladder to climb down.
What I say is, in leadership, people get so busy and occupied to a point they struggle to meet deadlines and in the process they take matters of utmost concern to later day.
However, this is no excuse for The Rt. Hon. not to remember he is coming from a poor house which is the LUO.He should not relent to lift them up so we do not throw away the God given talent and skills.
Nyathi gi Akinyi, wuod Jaduong, Kech nyalo dhi gi ji marach parie oganda mi ji tol mar lupo gidhi mak rech. Waheri mar adier go dhoji bor, jogo okbi timi gimoro, isekalo iwegi chien ndi wego machiemo.
Let us together use it to the capacity because this is the will of God.
The Rt. Hon. Raila too should not fear the gossip of Luos, they are like that, it is
their culture - it is hard for us to change them since gossip is healthy, it is the
grease that lubricates engine.
Very soon there will come a time when the stormy water will calm down and settle when the tiding is good. Sani to pii pod oduwore.
Kajwang too have not employed or cleaned to make changes in his Ministry. It has
taken him too long to make the necessary changes.
It is well known that the Ministry of Immigration is known to be too corrupt, he should have started by cleaning the house like Hon. Ngilu, Orengo and Anyang Nyongo so to be seen he too is a CHANGE CATALYST.
Let us remain united while trying to find ways and solution to our community problem
together.
I love you all!!!!!
Sincerely,
Judy Miriga
CEO & Executive Director
African Women Lobby Network, Inc.
219 Stubblefield Way
Silver Spring MD, 20905
Email: Jbatec@yahoo.com
Phone: (301) 879-1869
http://www.africanwomenlobbynetwork.org
Oduor rabet, you spoke well, it is time to move forward and encourage our dearest lady Ms Onyango for an excellent work to gather luo brains to come together for investments purposes of our people.
The era of dependancy from the donor or government is over and the way forward now is getting luos to get involve in business entrepreneurships across the board.
As we are talking of luo unity,we should also start unity at family levels.The family uniting
will definitely encourage luos to think of unity as their part of life.Let us start respecting our fellow members and set a goal to achieve within short term and long term.
We should not blame wahindi because it is ours who have ignored kisumu as a centre of establishing businesses. Most of our elites go to kisumu as tourists and indeed enjoy themselves in kisumu hotels. Unless we change our behaviour of consumption ,there is noway luos are going to progress.Inoder,to be producers,we must start savings as away of life.
It is high time we start our own bank which can offer services to jokanyanam.There are many luos who are working in the diaspora who can combine forces with the luos in kenya to start
a bank.Let us making ourselves practical by implementing our ideas.
Lastly,we should thank Raila for having opened political zone for kenyans to do business freely.We can now via for tender without discrimination.In fact,the luos should find their former levels by extending their businesses regionally.We have talent which exploitated wisely we can regain postions which we were before independence when we scattered all over East Africa doing honest businesses.
We should also use Ker to pay visit to our brothers in Uganda,Tanzania, Sudan and Congo.
This visit can open ways to our young brothers and sisters to locate their businesses to these
places where they will be most welcome.Our elders should think about this idea and make it work.
At the moment,we can also open private schools among these luo subtribes to help them .But the formost thing ,we should do is to create brotherhood among luos.
I am 5th year university of nairobi medical student. Being 24 years old i am at the peak of my life and am just wondering how is it that i can contribute to this great inistiative. God bless Kenya
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