Comments for The African Blog http://www.the-african.org/blog Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:09:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 Comment on Money Laundering Control in Kenya – New Dawn or False Promise? by Abdulla Ali http://www.the-african.org/blog/?p=268&cpage=1#comment-5967 Abdulla Ali Wed, 14 Jul 2010 06:20:21 +0000 http://www.the-african.org/blog/?p=268#comment-5967 Dear Somali bashers, There is no denying the possibilities of some dirty money coming from Somalia. However, it is wrong, very cheap and simplistic propaganda to blame hard-working entrepreneurial Somalis for Kenya's endemic corruption problems. Kenya has always been one the most corrupt countries in the world, that is long before Somalis came, and it probably be one of the last places to clean its house of corruption. Somalis bring billions of dollars of clean, honest and hard earned money to Kenyan economy every year. They employ tens of thousands of poor Kenyans, they pay billion sin taxes to corruption drain holes. In effect Somalis roll large percentage of Kenyan economy, and what do they get? nothing but shit and blame day in and day out. In fact it has become a convenient pass time chat for lot of Kenyans to blame all the ills of Kenya on Somalia. Look at Eastleigh, a Nairobi suburb where for heaven's sake they can't even fix the drainage, while Kenya's corrupt government is collecting up to half a billion dollars of tax from Eastleigh every year. Glad to know the high court has recently ruled to stop this day-light robbery. We thought modern technology will help reduce corruption in Kenya. Nop! the easiest and most discreet way of paying a corrupt officials in Kenya is by M-Pesa transfer. May be the government should should impose volume limit of mobile sim cards as well. Kenya, please clean your messy house and stop blaming Somalis. Remember this for the sake of future posterity. "THINGS MIGHT FALL APART" and history is written on a daily basis. What goes around comes around. Keep these facts in mind: - There are up to five million Kenyan's of Somali ethnicity - 1/5 of Kenya land mass belongs to Somalis (look at the ethnic map) - Kenya will always be a corrupt country - Somalia will always be a close neighbor of Kenya - There is a strong possibility that one day some Kenyans might need some help from Somalia and Somalis (God forbid!) Abdulla Ali Dear Somali bashers,

There is no denying the possibilities of some dirty money coming from Somalia. However, it is wrong, very cheap and simplistic propaganda to blame hard-working entrepreneurial Somalis for Kenya’s endemic corruption problems.

Kenya has always been one the most corrupt countries in the world, that is long before Somalis came, and it probably be one of the last places to clean its house of corruption.

Somalis bring billions of dollars of clean, honest and hard earned money to Kenyan economy every year. They employ tens of thousands of poor Kenyans, they pay billion sin taxes to corruption drain holes. In effect Somalis roll large percentage of Kenyan economy, and what do they get? nothing but shit and blame day in and day out. In fact it has become a convenient pass time chat for lot of Kenyans to blame all the ills of Kenya on Somalia.

Look at Eastleigh, a Nairobi suburb where for heaven’s sake they can’t even fix the drainage, while Kenya’s corrupt government is collecting up to half a billion dollars of tax from Eastleigh every year. Glad to know the high court has recently ruled to stop this day-light robbery.

We thought modern technology will help reduce corruption in Kenya. Nop! the easiest and most discreet way of paying a corrupt officials in Kenya is by M-Pesa transfer. May be the government should should impose volume limit of mobile sim cards as well.

Kenya, please clean your messy house and stop blaming Somalis. Remember this for the sake of future posterity. “THINGS MIGHT FALL APART” and history is written on a daily basis. What goes around comes around.

Keep these facts in mind:

- There are up to five million Kenyan’s of Somali ethnicity
- 1/5 of Kenya land mass belongs to Somalis (look at the ethnic map)
- Kenya will always be a corrupt country
- Somalia will always be a close neighbor of Kenya
- There is a strong possibility that one day some Kenyans might need some help from Somalia and Somalis (God forbid!)

Abdulla Ali

]]> Comment on No Firm Date Set for Zero Nuclear Weapons by Tristan Bernell http://www.the-african.org/blog/?p=172&cpage=1#comment-3321 Tristan Bernell Tue, 25 May 2010 19:16:10 +0000 http://www.the-african.org/blog/?p=172#comment-3321 I do not know for what Kim Jung Il keeps stirring up crises. I suppose he is a loose cannon (both figuratively and literally!). Any sane leader would understand that it is not good to be on the brink of war without any real reason. I do not know for what Kim Jung Il keeps stirring up crises. I suppose he is a loose cannon (both figuratively and literally!). Any sane leader would understand that it is not good to be on the brink of war without any real reason.

]]> Comment on Cabinda not the Kuwait of Africa by Benedict Wachira http://www.the-african.org/blog/?p=221&cpage=1#comment-2472 Benedict Wachira Fri, 14 May 2010 07:09:36 +0000 http://www.the-african.org/blog/?p=221#comment-2472 Interesting, this is just another of Africa's failures, thanks to the "kind" western development "partners." It would be good if we had more specifics, eg how much the region brings, how much goes to the govt, the living standards in Cabinda, and how these deals were made, their validity. Otherwise thanks a lot for the insight, and for putting Cabinda back to the map. Wachira Interesting, this is just another of Africa’s failures, thanks to the “kind” western development “partners.”

It would be good if we had more specifics, eg how much the region brings, how much goes to the govt, the living standards in Cabinda, and how these deals were made, their validity.

Otherwise thanks a lot for the insight, and for putting Cabinda back to the map.

Wachira

]]> Comment on The role of BASIC Countries in the Climate Change Negotiations after Copenhagen by Carlos Kelly http://www.the-african.org/blog/?p=186&cpage=1#comment-1752 Carlos Kelly Sat, 01 May 2010 04:24:24 +0000 http://www.the-african.org/blog/?p=186#comment-1752 Climate Change is really scary, now we have super typhoons and a lot of flooding going on some countries..*': Climate Change is really scary, now we have super typhoons and a lot of flooding going on some countries..*’:

]]> Comment on How Racially Polarised are South Africans After 16 Years of Democracy? by Karolina O'Donoghue http://www.the-african.org/blog/?p=207&cpage=1#comment-1637 Karolina O'Donoghue Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:20:21 +0000 http://www.the-african.org/blog/?p=207#comment-1637 Land is unequally olwned in South Africa. Land is unequally olwned in South Africa.

]]> Comment on How Racially Polarised are South Africans After 16 Years of Democracy? by Karen Newman http://www.the-african.org/blog/?p=207&cpage=1#comment-1635 Karen Newman Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:17:55 +0000 http://www.the-african.org/blog/?p=207#comment-1635 Thank you for this balanced article. It reflects my view and that of many around me of all races. It is disturbing though that so many get swept up in the hysteria and loose perspective of the basic goodness of society. Thank you for this balanced article. It reflects my view and that of many around me of all races. It is disturbing though that so many get swept up in the hysteria and loose perspective of the basic goodness of society.

]]> Comment on How Racially Polarised are South Africans After 16 Years of Democracy? by Kate Lefko-Everett http://www.the-african.org/blog/?p=207&cpage=1#comment-1520 Kate Lefko-Everett Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:01:30 +0000 http://www.the-african.org/blog/?p=207#comment-1520 From the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, similar results were also evident in our more recent (2009) round of the SA Reconciliation Barometer Survey. A majority of South Africans in 2009 viewed class as the "biggest division" in the country. However, there has also been a notable increase in the percentage of South Africans who view political parties as the biggest source of division in the country - surpassing race, religion, language and disease. From the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, similar results were also evident in our more recent (2009) round of the SA Reconciliation Barometer Survey. A majority of South Africans in 2009 viewed class as the “biggest division” in the country. However, there has also been a notable increase in the percentage of South Africans who view political parties as the biggest source of division in the country - surpassing race, religion, language and disease.

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