As Diaspora in U.S. we know first-hand what development and jobs creation can do. Without Jobs creation and developed towns we would not be here. A job today is what provides food, house and other social needs. As Diaspora Kenyans who understood and appreciated the effort made by others to create jobs and the towns we live in; we have been working hard and putting in capital to create jobs and new towns for our fellow Kenyans in Kenya. It is why we write that the Governor shall not deny jobs creation by Diaspora.
It is regrettable that the Governor of Taita Taveta is turning a blind eye to an opportunity that a community and citizens have embraced after realizing the value and progressive economic benefits that will be created as foreseen in the national agenda of the Big 4. The fact that the Town development and the university sustenance will not depend on government will revolutionize the economy of the country as Diaspora and Communities leverage resources and invest in development.
Other visionary development minded Governors would not blink to have the opportunity to have the Diaspora University Town innovative project come uplift their county. The remarks made could deny the county citizens their rights to liberty, freedom and pursuit of happiness. Effective leaders do not manage people but inspire them by facilitating guidance and directions and empowering them to thrive.
The Diaspora University Town that the Governor opposes is a jobs creation project. It was welcomed and approved by the County Assembly (2015 in accordance with Kenya Constitution 185 (4) A county assembly may receive and approve plans and policies for— (a) the management and exploitation of the county’s resources; and (b) the development and management of its infrastructure and institutions.
The plan was embraced by Ndara B community who became co-founders of the town and university. Since then Diaspora Kenyans have gone to the site as work progressed. Prof. Philliph Mutisya and a team of Diaspora professors recent visit was a happy day for the community and the Diaspora as they strengthened this partnership.
The Diaspora University Town 5 years, 20,000 new jobs creation plan has so far been welcomed by 3,000 persons who have expressed interest for the jobs. The project was progressing well and following the Kenya Constitution until the Governor started making statements and saying the project shall not be done.
The Governor of Taita Taveta waking up one day and saying the project will not be done without giving any reasons will not be accepted. The statement that the project came through back door and did not follow procedures will not go unchallenged. Kenyans parents who send millions of shillings and hours educating their children to have a better future. It is such statements that have today led to 10 million Kenyans, a majority below the age of 35 years, to be unemployed and jobless.
The jobs Diaspora in the U.S have are the fruits of men and women who stood up and created a nation founded on laws and the declaration, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Through declaring that certain rights come from God, today thousands of Kenyans in Diaspora have food, shelter, clean air and raise their families even when not in Kenya.
Kenyans when enacting Kenya Constitution 2010 also envisioned having a country that could meet their constitutional rights of food, healthcare, housing and other rights. The Kenyans just like those in U.S. understood their rights come from God and added several articles in the Constitution to safeguard themselves from those they elect to serve them.
Kenya Constitution article 1 (1) states, “All sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya and shall be exercised only in accordance with this Constitution.”
The elected Governor rather than tell the Kenyans exercising their Sovereign Power where they are wrong and how this can be corrected; instead, comes out making orders without understanding that Kenyans in their Kenya Constitution did not state that Sovereign power belongs to Governor and shall be exercised according to the Governor orders.
Kenya Constitution article 2 states, “(1) This Constitution is the supreme law of the Republic and binds all persons and all State organs at both levels of government. (2) No person may claim or exercise State authority except as authorized under this Constitution.”
Rather than the Governor state what authority he has been given by Kenya Constitution to stop the exercise of sovereign power; he asserts himself as the Supreme law of Kenya and attacks other Kenyans calling them con-artists.
Kenya constitution article 19 states, “(3) The rights and fundamental freedoms in the Bill of Rights—belong to each individual and are not granted by the State.”
When a Governor comes out and attacks Diaspora Kenyans and Ndara B Community when they are exercising their constitutional power to achieve their rights, the Governor gives himself power not granted in the Constitution. He assumes that the rights of individuals are granted by him. The constitution created the State and denied State office holders the ability to interfere with constitutional rights.
Kenya Constitution article 73 (1) states, “Authority assigned to a State officer— (b) vests in the State officer the responsibility to serve the people, rather than the power to rule them.”
The Governor in his remarks is not serving but ruling people. A person serving the people listens, reads and responds. When young people who are jobless send a letter asking that job creation projects be given a chance for this is their future; a Governor who ridicules and ignores this is not serving the people.
Kenya Constitution can have strong laws but as long us Kenyans seat back the Kenya constitutional laws will not safeguard Kenyans. As Diaspora Kenyans we have chosen not to seat back, as cowards, when a few Kenyans destroy the Country God created and breathed life into us.
We shall not stand by when those who take Constitutional offices have selective amnesia that the Constitution they disrespect is the very constitution that creates the job that pays them. Kenyans should not pay taxes, through increase of fuel prices, MPESA taxes and other taxes, so as to pay and fund state officers who violate their rights and destroy investor’s capital.
Konza City, resulted from an idea started around 2006. The project became a Government funded project 2008. Today the project is progressing to create jobs just like the Diaspora University Town is doing in the next 5 years. Konza project in last 10 years has been funded by Kenyans through taxation. The tax payers have invested over Kshs 5 billion so far.
Diaspora University Town, resulted from two ideas started around 2006. Diaspora have progressively invested their intellect, experience, time and cash in developing the ideas up to the current implementation stage. Today they have partnered with a community in whose land the Town and University shall be built. Because a different development model of Capital investment is applied by Diaspora, Kenyans who have joined them and the Community who have become co-founders does not mean the capital should be valued less and put to risk by a Governor who has refused to engage the Diaspora Project Founders to learn more about the projects vision.
(Dr. Wilson Endege of Boston, MA; Prof. Philliph Mutisya of Raleigh, NC & Bishop Donald Mwawasi of Atlanta, GA are part of hundreds of Diaspora progressing the Kenya University Project – Diaspora University Town)
