Counter Africa Summit on August 4, 2014 at Howard University.

Hello, the Clan! I was asked to forward. I did because I agree with the spirit of the organizers. Prof. Horace Campbell spoke at an event I organized within 4 day's notice. Emira Woods is a force to contend with. Both are proven and seasoned in African Affairs. I agree with the planners, the US-Africa Summit heralds much of the same with unbridled profiteers on one hand and bleeding hearts, apron-string philanthropists on the other hand. Then you have the jokers scrambling for a piece. If you have to withdraw and simply watch the scenes come and go, it is not a bad idea. Resource-rich Africa is exploited and hapless Africa is rescued. In my early coffee break, I thought about it. My phone rank, it was my Dad. "So Mamie (how he calls me), how is it going with the Summit and I learnt Republicans voted to sue Obama." My response: Daddy, nothing is going to happen. Obama may be trying but his hands may be tied. He has to play ball with his base - those who influence him, corporate types and the military -industrial complex whom he must listen to in order not to appear as a black, weak president. Even Al Sharpton, no word from him. I thought he should have opened the Summit with the People's Prayer Breakfast for Africa. " Then I started laughing: "black actors are very mad or very confused in this Summit." The conversation changed to pleasantries as my Dad was obviously amused, judging from his listening, not in a hurry to say, "I love you, say hi to your sister, bye." Back to it. In each society, the center is preserved through healthy balance. In the case, the main subject, the African people, are relegated to peripheral watchers with no support whatsoever from their governments who are wasting African resources to arrive in Washington DC, with assorted entourage, as feted guests with no agenda. The money these folks are misusing is more than the budget of a village near them. Using the different voices in the polyphonic jamboree, any serious mind can identify and and analyze the importance of the agendas: the purposes and outcomes that commonly escape change. I am a stickler for order, the type that believes in giving back, paraphrasing JFK, we should not look forward to what we can get out of Africa but how we can help her grow for the collateral benefit of all. If I may say so, the disregard, insensitivity, arrogance and ignorance of our own officials and governments can overwhelm the best of patriots. In Things Fall Apart, we analyze the contextual meaning in a given situation: Turning and Turning in the Widening Gyre The Falcon Cannot Hear the Falconer Mere Anarchy is loosed upon the World I get direct responses when I forward mails. Please read below and call the event coordinator directly at: 301-267-7328 MsJoe

POSTPONEMENT OF THE TOWN HALL MEDIA MEETINGS AS SIDE-EVENTS FOR ENGAGEMENT OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA

Dear All, The African Union Commission wishes to inform the African Diaspora Community that the Town Hall meetings designed as side-events of the Africa-US Leaders Summit to engage the African Diaspora media on the implementation of the AU Communication strategy and Agenda 2063 in Washington and New York on 4 and 8 August 2014 has been postponed. The events will be rescheduled to take place on the margins of the UN General Assembly in September 2014. The event has been postponed because CIDO and the Directorate of information and Communication that were organizing the meeting were advised to change the dates to avoid perceived logistic and political difficulties surrounding the Africa-US Leaders Summit. The Commission wishes to thank Diaspora personalities and institutions for their commitment and support for the program and the efforts that they have invested to mobilize Diaspora communities and build up momentum for the event. Furthermore, we wish to encourage wide participation in events organized by the Diaspora Community around the Africa-US Summit. The delegation of the African Union Commission to the Summit and the AU office in Washington will do all that they can to ensure that the Diaspora Community are well-briefed on Summit events and outcomes. It is important to emphasize that the commitment of the AU to engage the Diaspora media as a vehicle for building a comprehensive stakeholder community in the Union that involves all sectors of society remains paramount. Thus the media event has not been cancelled but has been postponed to facilitate a more focused and wider broad approach church within a more suitable political environment. The Commission deeply regrets any inconvenience that this may have caused. The Directorate of Information and Communication and CIDO are liaising appropriately with the higher authorities of the Commission to fix new and precise dates for this event in September that will not be subject to further changes. We request your kind tolerance and understanding in this process and will communicate the new dates and venue soon. We continue to ask for your support to make the events a success in September 2014. Diaspora Division Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO) AU Commission

Not everyone called 'thief' is a thief, and not everyone who shouts 'baggage' is clean!

Dr.Shem Ochuodho: Good people, Exactly 10 years ago, I was unceremoniously hounded out of the Kenya Pipeline (KPC) and dragged to court, for reasons that were a confluence of political and business interests, disguised as 'abuse of office' or simply corruption charges. After 10 very painful years of ostracization and pariah-hood that almost destroyed my professional career, the High Court in Nairobi recently dismissed the charges against me. I want to thank the good Lord who allowed me to live long enough to see the day of vindication. I am reminded of a lady sacked by a former employer (one of the leading media houses), had to wait for 35 years for the outcome of her matter, for a verdict in her favour to be read only 10 days after her death. How cruel - and I feel it for her! I want to thank family, relatives and friends who did not for a moment lose faith in me, my integrity, truthfulness to what I profess and fidelity to the law. This includes my lawyer-friends (James Kounah & Philip Ocharo) who defended me almost on pro-bono basis! Often it is claimed 'corruption fights back, with ill-acquired wealth used to buy judges'. Not so in this case. I want to thank the Judiciary, more so the presiding Judge whose name I didn't even know until after the good news (the ruling) was broken to me! While commending the justice systems for improved dispensation of justice, as a country we are not out of the woods yet. We still have a long way to go. This is why I would want to caution friends from being judgmental. Not all that glitters is gold. That the media totally failed to report on this ruling just goes to confirm the conspiracy theories. As for my next line of action, I'll still take a breather and celebrate the vindication. What am certain not to do is to revenge: as the good Book says, 'vengeance is mine'. Aluta, Shem

Press Release

AS THE 48TH COUNTY, THE KENYAN DIASPORA DEMANDS BETTER LEADERSHIP, AN END TO INSECURITY, INSTITUTIONALIZED CORRUPTION, NEPOTISM, AND ANIMOSITY WITH THE “WEST” July 16, 2014: The catastrophic and escalating levels of insecurity in Kenya continue to appall the Kenyan Diaspora Community. We believe that this situation is indicative of underlying failures in our beloved country including but not limited to inequality, sky-rocketing cost of living, an inept and reactive security system, unemployment-marginalization and exclusion of the youth, nepotism, corruption and a failure to give due attention to Agenda Four reforms. The Kenyan Diaspora is deeply connected to Kenya because regardless of where we go, we are first and foremost Kenyan. We also have family, friends, property and initiatives that we care about and would like to see prosper in peace. The Diaspora Community is calling on the government to use any legitimate means necessary to ensure the immediate and long-term security of Kenyans. Should that call for an overhaul of the security systems, so be it. On 27 April, Jung Hong-won, the Prime Minister of South Korea, accepted responsibility for the sinking of the MV Sewol and announced his resignation. While we are not asking of the same for Kenya, we stress the need for Kenyan leaders to take Kenyan lives seriously with full responsibility. We would rather a culture of 'resignation' than leaders being forced out of office for failing to live up to their mandate. Kenya and Kenyans lives are bigger than any one of us, including the leadership – both in government and opposition. The Kenyan Diaspora is concerned about the growing rift between our country and the traditional “Western” allies. Regardless of our view of the west, international systems today call for interdependence. Alienating a certain part of the world only serves to harm relations that could promote trade, tourism and other exchanges. Let’s keep in mind that a good percentage of the Kenyan Diaspora, including students and many of our national leaders’ kids, live, study and work in the “West”. The Diaspora Community calls on our government to maintain good diplomatic relations with these traditional allies to ensure that Kenyans are happy and protected even when abroad, even as we forge relations with new partners as is commendably happening. After all, the ‘East’ and ‘West’ themselves appear to relate very well; why can’t we do the same with both, and even more? We can play a major role in Diaspora Diplomacy and remain available to contribute towards improving relations between Kenya and host countries. The upcoming August 2014 USA-Africa Leaders’ Summit in Washington DC is one rare, excellent opportunity for such Diaspora involvement. The Diaspora has been interested in and should be a major stakeholder in our national dialogue to protect, promote and fulfill democracy, social justice and the rule of law. The Diaspora strongly feels that there is exclusion in the Kenyan governance system. Presently only 27 ethnic groups are represented in Parliament, and much worse only two or three dominate the higher echelons of our National Government, leaving others with no voice in this important aspect of their lives. We call upon the leadership to use affirmative action and other provisions in the Constitution to ensure that diversity in governance and in all spheres of the Kenyan economy is a reality. Inclusiveness and equity are values strongly anchored in Article 10 of our new constitution, and should not be blatantly defiled this early in its implementation. Finally, we are ready to work with our county and national governments to pursue the well being of the individual, the family and the communities, and sustain the environment for the benefit of future generations. Most conflicts can be traced to deteriorating and unsustainable mis-management of our environment. The current raid on our precious natural fauna and flora is unacceptable, knowing their importance to our very existence and prosperity. Besides, historical injustices relate to inequitable access to resources like land. The current model of developing few urban settings and neglecting rural settings is not the way to go. We should take advantage of the devolved systems and technological innovations to ensure equitable development and wealth creation across board. As a way forward for national healing, reconciliation and inspiration towards a common good, we reiterate a call we made immediately after the elections last year for the constitution of a “National Consultative Assembly (NCA)”, which would include the executive (at both national and county levels), legislatures, political parties, clergy, youth, women, disabled, civil society, professionals, Diaspora, private sector, workers, academia, minorities, media, and any other segment of society that will add value to the process. The NCA could leverage Agenda 4 and the Truth, Justice & Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) Report to inform the national consultation process. We see all-inclusive consultation, not just between politicians alone but across-board, as the only way to reunite the country and hit the road towards greatness and real, sustainable growth we can all once more own, associate with and be proud of. ######### The Kenya Diaspora Alliance (KDA) is a Federation of over 30 of the major Diaspora organizations with a combined nominal membership of about 250,000 Kenyans across the globe. KDA has recently secured a historic Court of Appeal verdict for all Diaspora to be facilitated to vote for all elective offices in future elections. The Alliance and the organizations it represents, seek to facilitate an inclusive exchange of information for the purpose of developing and promoting the participation of the Kenyan Diaspora in national development. For more information contact: Conveners, Kenya Diaspora Alliance (For and on behalf of) Dr Shem Ochuodho KDA Convenor/Chairman, New Vision Kenya (NVK) Juba, South Sudan, Tel: +211-955-021040, Email: shemochuodho@yahoo.com Peter Kerre KDA Co-Convenor/Coordinator, Kenya Diaspora Vote (KDV) & Aktive Advocacy Group New York, USA, Email: peter.kerre@aktiveadvocacygroup.com ----- end ---- __._,_.___

Kenyans in diaspora warn state against isolating the West

BY LYDIA MATATA Kenyans in Diaspora have raised concerns over what they see as a growing rift between Kenya and the West. In a statement signed by Kenya Diaspora Alliance chairman Shem Ochuodho and Coordinator Peter Kerre, the alliance has warned the government against “alienating” certain parts of the world saying that it only serves to harm relations that could promote trade, tourism and other exchanges. The statement comes days after the government on Saturday issued a travel advisory warning Kenyan citizens against travelling through London’s Heathrow airport. Foreign Affairs Secretary Ambassador Amina Mohammed said however that the advisory was not a retaliation for travel advisories issued by the UK government. “Let’s keep in mind that a good percentage of the Kenyan Diaspora, including students and many of our national leaders’ kids, live, study and work in the West” KDA said in the statement released on Wednesday. KDA further said that the upcoming August 2014 USA-Africa Leaders’ Summit in Washington DC which President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to attend, is an opportunity for the diaspora community to help towards better relations between Kenya and host countries. The Diaspora community has also called on the government to curb escalating levels of insecurity. “We believe that this situation is indicative of underlying failures in our beloved country including but not limited to inequality, skyrocketing cost of living, an inept and reactive security system, unemployment-marginalization and exclusion of the youth, nepotism, corruption and a failure to give due attention to Agenda Four reforms.” KDA said. The alliance said that the insecurity levels may call for an overhaul of the security system pointing to the example of South Korean Prime Minister Jung Hong-Won took responsibility for a ferry disaster in that claimed more than 300 lives after and resigned on April 27. “While we are not asking of the same for Kenya, we stress the need for Kenyan leaders to take Kenyan lives seriously with full responsibility. We would rather a culture of 'resignation' than leaders being forced out of office for failing to live up t o their mandate. Kenya and Kenyans lives are bigger than any one of us, including the leadership – both in government and opposition.” KDA said. - See more at: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-177489/kenyans-diaspora-warns-state-against-isolating-west#sthash.b9sKRivk.dpuf