Kenyan man Joe Symmon running for California Governor – 2010.
Kenyan man Joe Symmon running for California Governor – 2010.
By Diasporamessenger
05/23/09
In following the footsteps of President Obama, a Kenyan and a resident of California has declared his candidature for the Governor of California. Here below is his statement and appeal for help and votes.
California Governor – 2010.
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Joe and Alice Symmon
My name is Dr. Joe Symmon and I am running for Governor of California. I am a moral voice of change, hope and destined for greatness.
What is critical to human progress is vision — seeing a future that is achievable and worth attaining.“Without a vision and sound judgment, people perish”. California’s political change is long overdue. And this is our moment to bring that change, to restore hope and reclaim our Golden state for ourselves and our emerging generations.
When I am Governor, I will deal with issues affecting us today with high integrity, wisdom and leading boldly by example.
Our economy will thrive, our schools and teachers will excel, and our universal health care and environmental systems will work. Static and status quo style of leadership in Sacramento will go. It is time to break the cycle of failed policies and politics. I am a visionary endowed with freshness and new ideologies. The issues that unite us are far greater than issues that divide us. As Governor I will pursue and implement these issues:
1. Integrity – the Governor will lead by example. The way I carry myself in private will be how I will treat others. Asserting the Golden rule at all decision making process. The immediate result of following the Golden Rule is that I will be treating other people very, very well. “And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.” I have personally practiced this rule since my debut into politics in 1979 and during my tenure as a Graduate student president in 1984.
2. Moral, virtue and family values – I am married to one wife for 33 years. We have raised three biological kids and are now raising almost 200 orphans with a full-time staff of over thirty. We provide them with a home, food, education, clothing, health care. By so doing, we have ignited an unstoppable hope and destiny. Giving them an opportunity for better and responsible citizenry. A Governor ought to rule his house well before he can aspire for public office, and this I have done. Solomon said “when the righteous rule, people rejoice and when the wicked are in authority, people mourn” This is our time to turn the page.
3. Economy – Ending economic instability requires a true break with the status quo. It will not happen in the course of “business as usual.” My plan is to unite the leaders in Sacramento so that we can have a simple majority rule to pass the budget. Partisanship politics will be a thing of the past. I have no intention to raise taxes. My giving back plan will be rolled out in my first 100 days. California will attract businesses that migrated in the past to return, and existing businesses shall perform better. This will boost the creation of new jobs.
4. Education – Our high institutions of learning should be well equipped to carry out research that will advance modern technological and social changes in every sector of learning. We’re experiencing cutbacks in almost every department and eventually affecting teaching profession and trickling down to students’ performance. As Governor, I will employ a team of technocrats and professionals to change the system. Teachers should be paid well and every effort made to motivate and retain them on the job. College students should have sufficient grants to keep them focused more in their studies rather than have them work two or three jobs. Many have snoozed and died on the wheel working multiple shifts.
5. Environment – We should harness the sun and the wind to produce sufficient energy to run our vehicles and industries. And we have plenty of both here in our golden state. We should reserve and recycle all that water that runs to the Pacific from rainfall and our snow-capped mountains and utilize it to run our technology. Southern California fire season can be a thing of the past if we can use this water to plant trees that will in turn bring rainfalls to change our dry landscape into forests and run arsonists out of business.
6. Health – every citizen should have access to affordable and reliable health care. I will guarantee affordable, accessible health care coverage for all Californians. More so for our senior citizens should enjoy their golden years in our golden state peacefully. I wholeheartedly support and would adopt Obama health-care plan.
7. Immigration – to solve the challenges we are facing in California on immigration issues, I will pursue genuine solutions daily. I will be committed to ensure that immigrants are accorded the same respect and legal status like every one who have come here to seek an opportunity to better their lives. And quoting President Obama “they have come here for the same reason that families have always come here–for the hope that in America, they could build a better life for themselves and their families.” Legal residency for all immigrants shall be my priority.
My sincere Appeal: Your Prayers first, financial support, Your Vote, mobilizing others to vote for the moral voice of Change, a Voice of Hope – Our Destiny to Greatness. A win for Dr. Symmon is a win for us all. Thank you for your support.
Dr. Joe Symmon,
P.O. Box 390,
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739.
www.drjoesymmon.com
P.O. Box 390,
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739.
www.drjoesymmon.com
http://www.diasporamessenger.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=32
President Kibaki’s sister
09/07/08
By Francis Ngige
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Mama Esther Waitherero
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Seated outside her four-roomed timber house, Mrs Esther Waitherero, 87, cuts the figure of an ordinary rural woman struggling with the hardships of life.
There is nothing unique about her compound that would betray her as a sister of President Kibaki.
Apart from the well-manicured hedge surrounding the seven-acre piece of land, this is a typical rural home with a cowshed and a rack for storing firewood.
The shed, complete with a milking pen, is located a few yards from the main house.
Also in the compound are a few sheep and pigs.
Many would expect that by virtue of belonging to the “royal family”, Waitherero would live in opulence and enjoy a lavish life that comes with power. But this is not the case.
Waitherero is an ordinary rural woman who earns her living by weaving baskets for sale and selling bananas at a roadside kiosk in Gatuyaini village, Othaya.
Known among the villagers as Nyina wa Boni (Boni’s Mum), Waitherero participates in all the village activities.
Her youngest son, Boniface Githinji, 50, lives nearby and is tasked with the responsibility of taking care of his aged mother.
Waitherero is aware that her brother’s Presidency was on the brink just after the controversial Presidential elections held at the close of last year.
“I prayed hard that the country does not disintegrate as a result of the disputed polls. I saw images on TV that shocked me,” she says.
Waitherero says it was by God’s grace that peace was restored.
“It was a very difficult time for the country and for the family as well since everything appeared to be headed in the wrong direction,” she says.
But she is yet to be convinced that the Grand Coalition Government unveiled after the mediation talks will last the five years.
“I think there is a lot of suspicion among the coalition members and going by history, only time will tell,” she observes.
She does not find being a sister to the country’s chief executive a big deal – he is just a younger brother.
Little brother
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Waitherero weaves ciondos when not picking tea. Having a brother in State House has not changed her status to ‘royalty’. She fondly refers to the President as ‘Mwai’.
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The last time Waitherero met her little brother was nearly a year ago in Nairobi.
“I don’t think there is a good reason for me to insist on seeing Mwai every other day,” she says with a chuckle.
When we found her at Gatuyaini village, the straight-talking woman agreed to an interview with the Sunday Magazine.
After we explained our mission, she excused herself for a few minutes, to tidy up for the interview.
She has to spruce up herself, she says, lest the world thinks that the President’s sister is unkempt.
“I think I have to change my clothes for the interview since I don’t want you news people to say that the President’s sister is not taking care of herself well,” she states as she springs up and dashes into the house.
With the aid of a walking stick, she passes through the barbed wire around the cowshed with ease to access her house.
She emerges wearing a multi-coloured flowing dress, a matching cardigan and red rubber shoes.
“Riu ni mwona mwari wa nyina na mutungoria?
(Do you now see the President’s real sister)?”
Waitherero hardly speaks any Kiswahili or English and therefore spoke in Kikuyu.
She said there has been no change of fortunes since Kibaki took over the reins of leadership in the historic 2002 General Elections.
“My sons, I was lucky to be born into the same family as the President and I treat him as my brother whenever we meet,” she said.
A brother she respects
She says whenever she sees him, it is not as a Head of State but as a brother whom she respects.
“If I wanted to see him, I don’t think anyone would prevent me from doing so. I just don’t see a good reason to see him more often,” Waitherero says.
“What I am sure of is that as president, he is too busy to just engage in idle talk. The best thing is to see him when it is absolutely necessary.”
Waitherero says she realised the President works on a very tight schedule when she sought to see him last year.
“I tell you it took about three days for me to get an appointment to see him at State House. When I finally saw him it was not for long,” she says.
However, when the President feels there are family matters that they need to discuss, he sends his security men to fetch her.
This usually happens whenever he is visiting his Othaya constituency.
Just like every other Kenyan she has noticed some general economic changes in the country, but says nothing big has changed in her life.
“I have enjoyed some benefits of good governance just like any other Kenyans. There is electricity in my home and children are going to school for free,” she says.
Waitherero who fondly refers to Kibaki as Mwai during the entire interview, says she was already a grown up when the president was born.
She says Kibaki was the last born in their family of eight and the only one who was able to receive formal education.
“It is by sheer luck that he went to school since few parents were keen to take their children to learning institutions at the time,” she explains.
“Missionaries in the colonial period forced parents to take their children to school. Our father agreed that Kibaki, being the youngest, would go to school.”
She who describes Kibaki as humble and tolerant, is full of wisdom and is regarded as a sage in her Gatuyaini village.
The only other surviving sibling in the family is Kibaki’s eldest brother Mr Nderitu wa Kibaki, who lives in the nearby Iriaini village.
Source-The Standard
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Kenyan man Joe Symmon running for California Governor – 2010.
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