Naming names, protected springs, uniforms and books

John Githongo, now ‘exiled’ in the UK, is bringing out a book later this month entitled “Our time to eat.” At one time he was head of Transparency International in Kenya and then appointed to lead Kenya’s Anti Corruption department under Kibaki’s new government. Parts of the book have been serialised in the Daily Nation. Attempts were made to involve him in the schemes and in 2005 he fled to Europe while attending a conference because he eventually feared for his life at home. He had all the details of the massive corruption scandals (Goldenberg, Anglo Leasing) where the ‘Mount Kenya Mafia’ were siphoning off billions of shillings. I believe he has returned once to Nairobi under heavy guard, but I doubt if he will be able to come home again very soon. He has named names just in the newspaper excerpts and explained how many of the current ministers were complicit, one of them being Ringera the present anti-corruption head. Todays’ edition promises to tell us about the tape recordings he made of ministers talking of their involvement and their plans to defraud the state.

We are still receiving requests for wells, and these are good installations for schools and health units. But since we protected the spring in Julius’s village (see my last post) many are asking for assistance to protect the natural sources from run off and contamination. It costs about 1/5 of the price to protect a spring as it does to put in a well ($500 compared to $2,500) so where it is feasible it is a very cost effective solution. In one area close by we are told there are 35 springs of which only one was protected at independence (1963) Since then nothing has been done.

I am posting a picture of some of the children at Emmaloba Primary who will be receiving uniforms from the grant from the Rotary Club of Victoria. The school has selected 60 ‘vulnerable children’ for uniforms and supplementary feeding. The head teacher is putting the supply out to tender since most primary school uniforms are made locally. This will also give some employment to tailors in the area, most of whom use old treadle machines under an overhang.

This week I left a deposit at a bookstore in Kisumu for the school to purchase text books from the same grant. I hope they will arrive soon so I can get some pictures of the distribution.