RONGAI CONSTITUENCY: Home to Kenya's who's who!

Rongai constituency is home for the damn rich and the damn poor! Two former presidents of Kenya and a good number of prominent people have resided or continue to reside in Rongai.

These include:

Dr Sally Kosgei- Former head of the civil service.
Col (Rtd) Wilson Boinett- Former director of intelligence.
Mr Francis Sang- Former director of the Criminal Investigation Department.
Mr John Lokorio- Former Comptroller of State House.
Japheth Kiptoon-Fomer cabinet minister and Education Permanent Secretary.
Mr Samuel Gichuru- Former Managing Director of the Kenya Power and Lighting Co.
Mutula Kilonzo- Prominent lawyer and ODM-Kenya activist

Unfortunately, majority of the residents of this constituency still live in abject poverty with little or nothing to boast about.

Rev. Patrick Waweru Foro is the man to watch among the parliamentary aspirants for the Rongai constituency seat in this year’s General elections.

Rev. Foro attended Kanga primary school before transferring to Kericho Boys Boarding Primary School. Later he joined Cherangani High School and Kapcherop Secondary Schools. On completion of Secondary school education Rev. Foro worked as an Evangelist at home before joining Kenya Highlands Bible College in Kericho, where he graduated with an Adv. Dip in Theology.

While in college Rev. Foro taught Music and Christian education at Milimani Grammar School. After graduation he worked with his local church for some time before venturing into full-time teaching at Milimani Grammar School. After a short while, Rev. Patrick W.Foro went to the UK for further studies. He graduated with a B.A (Hons) in Religious studies and a minor in IT at Middlesex University (UK). Rev.Foro is currently completing a Master of Arts degree in Christian Education and a Diploma in Local Government Management.

After graduation from Middlesex University, Rev.Foro became an assistance minister at Vision Gospel Ministries International. A year later he joined the teaching staff of Vision College of Theology and Business Studies (UK). Later on he moved into transport business where he thrived and made headways in areas that other Africans had failed. Success in business did not take him away from church ministry. Rev.Foro has lately joined hands with another Kenyan minister sent by his mother church to establish PRESBYTRIAN CHURCH OF EAST AFRICA – UK OUTREACH.

A charismatic public speaker, Rev.Patrick W.Foro has participated in numerous debates both on the local and international level discussing issues ranging from politics, economics and environmental conservation to social injustice and liberty in general. With a burden for his constituents, Rev.Foro frequently calls on individuals and organizations to work with the people of Rongai to alleviate their poverty.His love for the people of Rongai knows no boundaries and he speaks passionately about the changes that he knows would bring about a difference to the lives of those he fondly addresses as his mums, dads, brothers and sisters.

Rev.Foro has worked to promote a lot of local development projects in his home area. Right now word is rife that he has been endorsed by the constituents of Rongai to represent them because he cares about their welfare.

Rev.Foro has joined hands with the Rongai Constituency Pastors Association which is inter-denominational with one goal - to make Rongai a better place for the people of Rongai and glorify God in all corners of the constituency.

While working in the transport sector both in Kenya and in the UK,Rev. Foro has made enormous contributions in his local community. Rev.Foro boldly says once he is elected he will do the following things for his constitents:

- Represent Rongai constituents and ensure that their views are heard and acted upon.
- Improve and initiate developments that will benefit the local community.
This can be drawn clearly as …
-CLEAN WATER – (Boreholes)
- ROADS – (by buying our own graders, backhoe, rollers etc)
-HOSPITAL (Rongai Community Hospital)
- PLAYING FIELDS - which includes a Rongai Stadium
- EDUCATION – (To build five new secondary schools)
-CHAPLAINCY DEPARTMENT – (Responsible for the well-being of the
People of Rongai & provision of funeral service transport vehicles)

Rev.Patrick Waweru Foro can be reached using the followings contacts:

Rev. Patrick Foro

Kenya
Tel: 00 254 -------






Motto: “A BETTER RONGAI FOR THE GLORY OF GOD AND FOR THE JOY OF THE PEOPLE OF RONGAI”

KENYA SHOULD RAISE THE BAR FOR AFRICA-ABABU NAMWAMBA

By Ababu Namwamba
On Tuesday (July 10th), I am scheduled to deliver the 2007 annual African-American Programme Address at the Grand Valley State University in Michigan.When I received the invitation, I decided to focus on a notion that I have been propagating for some time – the notion that a strong Africa is good for the world. So my address is ‘Why a Stable Africa is Good for the USA’.

Preparing for this address has been a moment of deep reflection for me; reflection on the complex collage of challenges confronting Africa; reflection on the cocktail of opportunities that perennially simmer in the African pot, without brewing into the potency of monumental growth and the magical take-off.

Reflection on the dominant world perception of Africa, which is one largely defined by pity and condescension, often born of misrepresentation and ignorance.

But perhaps more important, I have agonised over our motherland’s apparent fatalistic disposition to self-destruction. My mind has literally chocked under the weight of myriad examples of wasted opportunities and eerily deliberate tangos with danger. I have looked at all points of the compass, and been greatly depressed by images of States that seem to find pleasure in tempting fate.

The case of Nigeria, Africa’s giant in demography and resource terms, has perhaps been best reflected our determination not to break out of the woods. The character of the recent elections that bordered on the farcical did little to burnish this image.

But it is not all gloom. Africa does have some shinning examples that we should be proud of. Chaotic as they were, the recent elections in Nigeria were in themselves epochal for that country and the continent, and hold real promise for entrenching civilian rule in a country and a region more accustomed to scars of military hegemony than to stripes of democracy.
Senegal, Benin, Botswana, Mali, Namibia, Mozambique and South Africa are examples of countries determined to bequeath the continent a new paradigm.

Kenya is one intriguing case in this context. Our land strikes a rather curious posture on the continent, always seeming to be delicately poised on the line between the progressive and the retrogressive, occasionally getting stuck in the vortex of inertia or lost in the labyrinth of self-doubt.

But there has been marked progress here too. We successfully waded off the ogre of military rule. Fifteen years ago, we took a huge leap of faith in the direction of democracy, and though the flight was not entirely smooth nor the landing wholly soft, we have doggedly kept the faith and largely stuck to the straight and the narrow.

And this does strengthen my faith that indeed Kenya has the potential to shine as any other star in the global constellation of democracies.

But to achieve this, we must make a conscious effort to break free of some negative traditions that have repeatedly held our land hostage, preventing us from realising our enormous potential. Forging, nurturing and jealously protecting our national cohesion is crucial. Fidelity to a defining national philosophy and ethic is mandatory. Democratic constitutionalism that guarantees justice and equity would be a great philosophy, accompanied by ethos that celebrates honesty, hard work, compassion and patriotism.
As we prepare for important the General Election later this year, we have the opportunity to add a rare shinning feather in Africa’s cap. We can campaign sensibly and peacefully, thereby debunking the notion that African democracy cannot break free of violence.

Government can play fair and honest, and help shatter the belief that African leaders seem incapable of beating the intoxication of abuse of power. We can install a government of the people by the people for the people, well balanced by a strong opposition committed to the national good, and show the world that ours is a maturing democracy.

Out in the mid-west of the US, I will be a good ambassador for Africa and Kenya. I will make, as I have always done, a strong case why the US and the rest of the world must play fair with this continent.

Why, as former US Vice-President Hubert Humphrey would say, we must open gates of opportunity for everyone, because unless there is liberty and justice for all there is liberty and justice for none. But above else, I will challenge Africa to raise the bar in its own aspirations and vision.

After all, we are very much the size of our dreams!

Source:http://www.eastandard.net/mag/mag.php?id=1143968197&catid=190

http://events.gvsu.edu/ViewCalendar.asp

LAWYER ABABU NAMWAMBA-THE MAN TO WATCH IN LUYIAH POLITICS!

Among the Abaluhyia elite, confusion reigns. Common sense would have suggested that the Luhyia elite unite around Moody Awori while working out an Intra-Ingo MOU about who would be who in the whole Machiavellian machinations of which Luhyia should go after the number two slot. From the look of things, the ambitious Mukhisa Kituyi is still smarting after being outsmarted by the thoroughly spineless Musikari Kombo in the recent Ford-K sweepstakes. Kituyi’s trump card may be to wean the Biwott faction away from KANU to bolster his standing in NAK proper before making his own move which may be more like the Kingmaker role of Raila in 2002 rather than embarrassing himself in an electoral contest where victory is precluded because of his widespread ill reputation as an arrogant son of a gun. Kombo like I said, is a Dereva Kombo who is going kombo kombo and will land fatally in a ditch together with his co-driver Dr. Bonny Khalwale within the course of the next eighteen months. Martin Shikuku’s attempt to cobble Katiba Watch into a negotiating vehicle to re-enter the Kenyan political mainstream will be thwarted by his own myopia. I predict that the next political superstar in Luhyia land is not even in mainstream politics yet-I am talking about the youthful Ababu Namwamba. He is the person to watch and one of the most likely to emerge as a NATIONAL political figure over the next four years. He is principled, gutsy, patriotic and from the look of things, above ethnic parochialism. Another person to watch is Professor Oniango.

Source:http://onyangooloo.blogspot.com/2004/08/on-oloo-raila-and-rampant-luophobia.html

http://events.gvsu.edu/EventDetails.asp?EventID=28328