Calling for Regional Academies of Science

An economy grows on the shoulders of thinkers and innovators. Look at the established as well as the emerging economies of the world and you'll not fail to notice the place of science and technology and research and development in their economic strides, poverty alleviation and elimination and improvement of the well-being of the citizens. Leading research-dependent economies like the USA, Japan and Germany put more effort as governments and from the private sector to support research at the centres of innovations. Thus, the emergence of universities as leading incubators of knowledge and generators of innovations is not without the deliberate governmental intervention. That is why China is emerging from the ashes of seclusion and exclusion to threaten the traditional balance of power. It is because the institutions in that massive land are doing nothing else, they are involved in cut-throat competition with each other to innovate, publish the innovations, patent the same and therefore exert influence in the scientific community.

Innovations are borne of a well-funded effort to utilise fully the human abilities to create. Science and Technology and specifically research in biotechnology and drug-innovations related areas are the main focus of research. These branches are the driving force of the developed world (USA, UK, Germany, Japan etc) and it's the reason behind the successes of third world economies like China and India as well as Korea and South Africa! The strength of any society is the wealth and experience of a well trained human resource. Training is a painstaking effort that requires inputs from several sectors of society. Kenya does not lack the capacity that is expressed in the well-trained and disciplined academia. What is lacking is the deliberate thinking by the government and subsidy by the private sector to oil the machinery involved in research. No wonder then that research in our universities is moribund, professors have no published scientific papers to show for their decorations while the government watches as we are tempted with opportunities to innovate and research in foreign lands at the expense of our motherland. It pains me to think that the money that the government of Kenya invested in educating me is not coming back back soon enough in terms of an immediate contribution to scientific development. Not that we're happy abroad, we all wish to live better lives. Yet the truth be told, successive governments have NEVER deemed it necessary to invest in research and development, not least science and technology.

A look around Kenya reveals a glaring need for a well co-ordinated effort by those of us who are blessed with opportunities of whatever kind to plough back to the society some of whatever we can lay our hands. I imagine the countless young men and women who are struggling to make it through our gruelling academic system and appreciate that there is a way we can localise and nationalise our collective and individual efforts towards helping them. I have benefitted from society's generosity and continued fight to help and alleviate poverty. As one great and revered neurosurgeon (Benny Carson) teaches in 'Gifted Hands', education is the only equaliser. We need to deliberately devise means and methods of bequeathing to our society a heritage that will not expire. By organising ourselves into viable units of support, we should be able to supplement the government in providing relevant support for our researchers and young-up-and-coming academics.

I'm calling upon the Kenyans in diaspora to move towards supporting our National academies of science and art. I do not speak for the Kenya National Academy of Science, but it would be important that we who are fairly well linked outside the country should think of how we can help co-ordinate funding to at least afford a scientific journal published by the academy. Obviously, I'm dreaming for this may not be a priority for the people in that body yet! But we cannot swing in our arm-chairs and enjoy the little comforts that we have and finally imagine to run home to retire into public service (read politics).

I have noticed an unproductive, if dangerous, trend whereby those of us who have lived out of our land for decades and neither interacted with anybody other than their family nor took part in improving the lives of their next-door neighbours are flocking back home to seek positions of leadership. Let me hasten to say that I hold no grudge against anybody seeking an elective office in our land. That's is your democratic right. However, Kenya needs partners for development. Obviously one need not be a politician to expound on those beautiful ideas of the tired lines of 'development consciousness'. Someone who was able to facilitate educational opportunities for his/her siblings has shown that he doesn't need to be an elected leader to 'air-lift' other members of the extended society. Indeed, gone are the days when the population was mesmerised by high-flying, twanging sons and daughters out to impress anybody with their fanciful 'whatevers'. I'd advise anybody who cares to make their contribution to the society as a partner of development irrespective of their positions inleadership. It would be foolhardy, wouldn't it, for somebody who has ONLY shipped abroad his siblings to imagine that the society would be over-awed to the extent of groveling before him. It is time to think of how to support those who can't make it without a helping hand. Those hands are yours and mine, not so much because we seek anything in return. More so because we aspire to say 'kongoi' to society for providing support when we needed most.

Help for the fellows back home may be done for example through localised effort where, for example, the proposed Nandi Academy of Science takes the lead in championing the promotion of science education the local schools in the Nandi country. A more networked system could evolve into the Kalenjin Academy of Science and eventually these may be affiliated to a reinvigorated Kenya National Academy of Science. In the same vein, an annual event may be promoted to honour 'scientist of the year' at regional and finally at national level so as to inspire competition and broad collaboration.

Objectives for the Nandi Academy of Science may include but are not limited to:

1. Sponsorship of a scientific competition (say an annual Maths, Physics or Chemistry test) which will be administered, say, at Kapsabet Boys High School. The top three candidates (separate for male and female in order to get the top three in each category) may be given token cash prizes as inducements and incentives to encourage competition.
2. Support of science learning in schools that are underdeveloped by organising donation of computers and other learning materials.
3. When enough strength and wherewithal will have been accumulated, the members may deem it necessary to run a sponsorship to support brilliant children who can't afford fees.
4. In league with the major research institutions of the West where we are priviledged to work, deliberate encouragement to invest in local research initiatives to tap into the cheap but well trained human resource as well as the immense natural resources (I'm talking about our plants such as Aloe vera which has huge potentials in the cosmetics and functional foods industry!) that are being spirited away to their well equipped labs may be explored. An obvious method could be to study possibilities of sandwich research arrangements for our postgraduates in order to afford the excellent research environments for those who get these opportunities.
   
5. These ideas are submitted as working challenges only and I hope to provoke some thinking in order to re-examine their merits and demerits. Therefore, other additions are welcome.
   

Consequently, the professionals in the art-related disciplines are encouraged to come up with a similar arrangement (say the Kipsigis Academy of Social Sciences, for example). Additionally, other Kalenjins are encouraged to form their own local entities (say Marakwet Academy of Science, for example) and eventually a more expanded and well co-ordinated Kalenjin Academy of Science will be born. This way we'll be able to take a closer stock of our community's challenges and achievements and develop a structured way of solving the problems that emerge. Then science education will be encouraged in our schools and the fruits realised.

'Nge roobchin nyiritook koegu ndaara'

Finally in Munich

God enabled a smooth arrival in Munich on the 1st of February 2007. I landed at 12:15PM and went on to register for the health insurance, opened a bank account, etc. Life here looks very clean. So far I haven't bought a mobile fone!

In memory of Jean-Marie Seroney

This month marks the 23rd anniversary since the demise of Jean-Marie Seroney, the first MP of Nandi and one of only five black African advocates at independence. The son of an Anglican Priest, Reuben, Seroney lived as a legislator and is probably more remembered for originating (before the government took over and adopted) the laws that govern the general and presidential elections act. As the law stands today, it is a reminder of his vision, innovativeness and creativity for long before anybody thought of it he was there with a private member's motion. Seroney's political life was chequered because he was not a good friend of the premier Rift-Valley mafia nor was he a boot-licker of the Kiambu mafia either. Undaunted by the resistances, however, he moved on but succumbed to jaundice and anaemia in Dec 1983 and was interred on 13 Dec 1983.

His spirit lives on in such controversial but fond ideologies as the Nandi-Hills declaration and the derision of the 'six bearded sisters' infamy (in league with Anyona, Orengo, Mwachofi, Shikuku, "Seroney girl'- Chelagat Mutai). He was also to make history as the only sitting MP (indeed deputy speaker) to be arrested within the sanctity of parliament in utter contravention of parliamentary immunity. This was after the 'Kanu is dead' quip by his comrade-in-arms, Joseph Martin Shikuku. The remark by Seroney that Shikuku didn't need to substantiate the obvious irked then VP Moi and landed him (Seroney) in further hot soup. Nonetheless, he remains lionised in death and his contribution to Kalenjin identity and pride (in league with Taaita arap Toweet et al) remains a monumental contribution that the hay of history cannot burry.

The son of Kap Rottuk has refused to leave the psyche of the Nandi. In death as in life he remains peerless and all I can say is..Fare thee well John!

The shame of Kibaki government's despotism

We have witnessed, yet again today, the ugly head reared by the ugly forces of men in power who are ready to use any crude means to muzzle Kenyans and deny them their democratic rights. After a state-sponsored take-over of Kanu by the diminutive Kerio-South member of parliament - Kipyator Nicholas Kiprono arap Biwott, the government went ahead and registered the splinter group in record-breaking time. This initiated a roller-coaster for the former misruling party and, by a stroke of the pen, the government took Kenyans back to the dark ugly days of Kanu's brutal disruption of political parties and detention without trial of pluralism activists. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. In the ranks of the government ministers, not least of whom is the minister for Law-breaking and constitutional disobedience, Martha Karua- are men and women who were incarcerated at will by Biwott's Kanu.

The government decided to break up a peaceful demonstration of legitimate Kanu officials just because torture has left the psyche of the lot that is swimming in power. To merely return Kenyans to the dark days of single-party dictatorship and rule by fiat is a crime against the Kenyan people and I consider it a treasonable act. Where was this brutal force when Kenyans were butchering each other in Kuresoi, Molo and Mathare? Where was this brutal force when Mungiki went on the streets to sing platitudes to some government ministers? Why is this gobernment reversing the gains it made when it won the hearts and minds of Kenyans? Biwott has stolen the party, just like his Kanu presided over theft by servant and plunder of national resources. The Kanu government battered Kenyans into exile and meekness but that did not dissolve the rock-solid determination to change the regime when the time came.

The government's use of brute force, disruption of opposition rallies and theft of political parties will not win the conscience of Kenyans. It only serves to alienate the citizenry from a ruling class that has no memory about the suffering that the country went through as it mourned under the wounds inflicted by a regime that had become drunk with power. When the government turns the instruments that should be used for the protection of the citizens on the same hapless citizenry, the answer is only an exercise of the right to send it packing. For we have no business being led by such people as these. By the way, where are the noise-makers of the yesteryears, Koigi et al, or is because it is not Moi who is visiting terror on harmless people and annexing the citizens' rights. Was it wrong when it was done by Moi but right when it is done under Mr. Kibaki?

The government is provoking civil strive using its manambas in the former ruling party and all progressive forces and Kenyans of goodwill should unite under ODM-Kenya. Biwott has nothing to offer Kenyans having had his time to guide Kanu and Moi as the latter's kitchen cabinet's 'sauce de chef'. This action coming hot on the heals of a similar brutal disruption of an ODM prayer meeting at Kamugunji is an indictment on Kibaki's government. It reflects poorly on its purported respect for human and civic rights. What a shame on Kibaki's government!

Moi and Biwott are enemies of reform and the Kalenjin-reflections from the Orient

Retired president Daniel Kapkarios Toroitich arap Moi is not a statesman. A retired president in the cadre of the iconic Nelson Mandela and the late Julius Nyerere remain lionised because they did not meddle in way their successors managed the affairs of their parties and the running of the state even though they had immense leverage. That is not with Mr. Moi. Several cases drive me to these painful conclusions.

1. One is the chorus and clamour for ‘Moi should rule for life’. Those calls by his political thermometers (The late Sharif Nassir, RIP and one clownish Barngétuny) should have offered Moi an opportunity to make a statesman’s pledge to the contrary. All he needed to say was “I have led this country for so long and it is time for me to retire”. That he didn’t say that means that the exuberance of his flutes had his tacit support. To me that is failure to seize the moment and I had no doubt in my mind then that Moi’s anti-change campaign was not doing any favour to the Kalenjin. Forget that he grudgingly gave up power to Uhuru Kenyatta. Moi’s choice of Uhuru may have been driven by the misplaced wisdom that the young Kenyatta was inexperienced, unschooled in intrigue and therefore malleable. No wonder that Moi refrained from seasoned politicians that had established a stranglehold on some political constituencies. I am always at a loss as to what might have happened if Moi had backed Saitoti just like Kenyatta backed him.
2. When the clamour for a new constitution finally became inevitable, Moi failed to see how he could immortalise his name in the psyche of Kenyan polity. As a neutral player with no vested interests in the outcome of the constitutional review, Moi had the golden opportunity to midwife the process to conclusion. Not only would the process have benefited from the freedom of the intrigues we see today, the process was nearly complete. Moi chose to dissolve parliament a week to the conference that was meant to ratify the new constitution. Because Moi had gripped the country with fear, chances are that the new constitution would have been passed with few hitches, he could have accented to it and therefore left his signature on the only document that generations to come would always leaf through and find his immortal signature. He could be remembered as the president who destroyed the economy and repented to give Kenyans the instruments to prevent future plunders and blunders. The failure to midwife the process remains one of Mr. Moi's monumental errors of judgement. In my mind, therefore, I only see Moi’s green signature on public land allotment letters giving away public toilets and road reserves to buy political support and shore up sagging fortunes during his wee days in power. Not many people in Nandi country will forever forget that one of the swansongs of the Moi regime was to flood Nandi country with surplus teachers offloaded from his native Baringo. What the implications are on the performance of Nandi schools remains to be seen. Neither shall we , the proud Nandi of Kenya, ever forget the unfairness attending to the way prime portions of the Tanning & Extract land in Eldoret was dished out.
3. Even when Kenyans, in there grace, forgave him for the looting and political assassinations that are all associated with his regime. Moi continues to prick our conscience and reminds us of the ugliness of his misrule. The people of Nandi remember Kenyatta’s regime with nostalgia. Kenyatta had a Nandi State House comptroller, the late Andrew Limo Ng’eny. I don’t need to remind anybody that he was the first and only Nandi to serve in that capacity. His death has had some unanswered querries and it remains to be seen whether Mr. Moi will be forgiven for drawing a blanket caveat on the Nandi thereafter. Consider Jean-Marie Seroney and Miss Chelagat Mutai them of the six-bearded sisters infamy. At independence in 1963, Kenya had five black African lawyers. Charles Mugane Njonjo and the former Deputy Chairman of Lonrho Plc, Uddy Gechaga (Mark Too's predecessor who snatched Mashariki motors from Lonrho because he knew the rights of a director) represented the portion from central Kenya. Argwings Kodhek and Omollo Okero represented the lakeside contribution. Jean-Marie Seroney, Moi’s classmate at Kapsabet High School in 1939 completes the list of the pioneers. What happened to cause the imbalance we see today? Needless to say that Moi went into politics (Legco) courtesy of the Nandi of Kapsabet because the white man believed he was a Nandi from Sacho. When Kenyatta wanted to tame Seroney, Shikuku, Orengo, Mwachofi, Anyona et al, it was Moi doing the foot work. I am at a loss as to whether his recent frequent visits to his former residence of 24 years is not part of that scheme-to do legwork for the current regime. No wonder he was appointed by a mere minister as an ambassador for piece (oops! peace). How else does one explain the coincidence of his visit there and the emergence of a shameless alleged takeover of Kanu by Biwott and his ilk. Is Mr. Moi angling to shepherd Biwott’s tribal outfit into a marriage of convenience with Narc-Kenya as a convenient way to seek forgiveness for raping the country? Biwott has some questions lingering over his head regarding some issues close to Kenyan’s hearts not least of which is his shadowy presence in every economic plunder, albeit without trace. Needless to remind you that he remains an eyesore to those of us who fondly remember Bob Ouko, RIP. I will forever remember that it was during Moi-Biwott hegemony that the Nandi were balkanised and disenfranchised economically as a certain axis of the Kalenjin prospered. Moi played tribe against tribe, clan against clan- even brother against brother. I am always tormented by a sneaking to the "lofty house" that we did while at university and listened in on some conversation like “who is your enemy”. As the audience pronounced (or is it denounced?) one name after another of those prominent activists of pluralism, each name was refuted as it was announced. Finally, a familiar voice croaked “Nandiek”. I do not need to expound the obvious.
4. Having driven Mr. Kenyatta down the throats of Kanu members, those who voted for him did. I would have voted elsewhere. My mother, although ignorant in so far as education is concerned voted for Kibaki (Narc), Kiprono (Kanu) and Kipyego (Narc) the latter two as MP and councillor respectively. Why has Mr. Moi turned against his own project? Many reasons may be offered to explain the fallout. None seems more convincing than the fact that in the emerging political landscape, Moi’s covert project (his son’s ascendancy to the presidency) seems to have been overtaken by events. None of his son’s or handlers feature anywhere in the Raila-Kalonzo-Ruto-Kosgey-Mudavadi planar and it vexes Moi that the pentet don’t seem to express gratitude to him for ‘making’ them. When Biwott denounced the election of Mr. Kenyatta although he was thoroughly beaten in an election that many witnesses agree was free and fair, Moi and Biwott exchanged some unpleasant superlatives. However, I am not shocked that the two have come together again. On one of those many occasions that Moi attended university graduation ceremonies, he stopped at Cheboiywo trading centre just a stone’s throw away from Moi University. He spoke in his squeaky voice and declared that Biwott was the rust-less metal (karnet). He used platitudes that are not easily reproducible in English, but in a gist he was saying something related to Biwott not being guilty of the death of Bob.
5. Moi has never been a reformer. His politics speak of conformism and lying low, speaking with one voice, selection and agreement by consensus rather than contested and competitive politics. I am not sure whether Moi really believes a thing when he says that Kanu can rule again without any other party. Granted, Kanu carries some dirty sentimental value, if only to remind us as a nation what a saviour can become. For that is what Moi's Kanu did. It was going to swallow its own children. Consider this in the light of the fact that he says this like today and goes to see Kibaki the next day. Not that Moi should not see the president; everybody has a right to see the president. But what do they say to each other especially because one claims to want to take back power from the other. Knowing well that Kenya cannot be ruled by a single party, Moi must be doing something that only he and Biwott know or alternatively Biwott doesn’t know what Moi is up to. Chances are that neither knows what they want, however. One thing that grates Moi is the emergence of a progressive Kipsigis-Nandi axis coalescing around the youthful William Kipchirchir Samoei Ruto. Mr. Ruto graduated from Kapsabet High School nearly 50 years after Moi left the institution. Biwott was also a student at the institution at one time. The consequence of the Moi-Biwott grabbing of Kanu is that the Kalenjin are fragmented with the Tugen-Keiyo on one side and the others on the other. Chances are that the government will be formed by ODM-Kenya, at which time Biwott will tuck his tail between his wet legs and high-tail to ODM for an alliance. Alternatively, in the case of a hang-parliament, he may be hoping that he can have the power to swing the power either way which will shore up his market value. All in all he belongs in the gallows. Mr. Moi stands a face of a control freak African ruler (he was never a leader) who moves from being lionised to being demonised. I will remember him as a man who dismembered the Kalenjin in spite of countless efforts to unite the community. In my mind, something comes up every time I remember Moi’s distaste for the emerging scenario in Kalenjin land. Moi was never a fan of Koitalel Samoei and whatever a rejuvenated elevation of this icon of Nandi resistance to British invasion meant for the Nandi (the community that should be at the pyramid of Kalenjin unity). The fact that Koitalel has found a place in the post-Moi Kalenjin polity as a unifying factor and the emergence of an independent Kass FM, an FM station not singing his (Moi’s) praises gives the old Professor of politics sleepless nights for it has taken thunder from under his shaky massive feet. For Moi never ever dreamt that anybody could fail to see him for what he wants us to believe--a saviour. No wonder in one of those clips on FM radio you hear him saying "I went to get friends for you...." With Moi-brokered friendships, who needs enemies! Doesn’t Moi know that the Kalenjin stand better chances to recapture power in ODM-Kenya than in a cold New Kanu?
6. Finally, some food for thought. During the 2002 elections, the Kalenjins largely voted for Uhuru and Kanu. This scenario was not found in Nandi land. In areas like Tindiret, the Kanu MP obtained more votes than Uhuru. The Nandi elected Kibaki by two-thirds. Only a third stayed on with project Uhuru. At inception, the Kibaki government found one Nandi permanent secretary, one Tugen and one Kipsigis. The Nandi elected two MPs on Narc, today apart from one little known Ps who was plugged from KFA the Nandi have no stake in this government. Upon taking over, Kibaki swept the Nandi out of government in spite of the massive support that we gave him. On the contrary the Tugen and Kipsigis (pardon me I am not begrudging them their luck) have found a stronger presence in the Narc government.

Voting with progressive Kenyans that desire change for the good of the country is in the strategic interests of the Nandi. Those Nandi people and the Kalenjins that still retain any hopes of ever returning to power should stick with the ODM-Kenya. In any case, being associated with the emerging Moi-Biwott axis is all the bad things that Kanu stood for (economic mismanagement, political assassinations and tribal animosity including the pain of the tribal clashes). I only pray that Raila's plan for ODM-Kenya does not include one ugly relic of the Moi executors of Nandi disenfranchisement, Mark Kiptarbei arap Too. You may need to read Tiny Rowland's autobiography ("Tiny Rowland: a Rebel Tycoon" by Tom Bower, Published by William Heineman 1993- ISBN: 0434073393) to see what he said about Mark. Nor should we count on Kipruto arap Kirwa and Stephen Kipkiyeny arap Tarus. They have run out of options, if ever they had any. Narc represents a miscarriage of change and Kibaki embodies a jilter while Moi stands for no good of the Kalenjin. We are better off without him. The Kalenjin were never united because of Moi, Kalenjin unity has come in spite of him!

The big 'rungu'-wielding Moi does not understand the politics of coalitions because to him the way to win was to win, even through rigging. After winning accolades for having given up power like a gentleman, Mr. Moi has shepherded Kanu courtesy of the dreadful 'Total man' into a tribal enclave. When Moi blurts around that he is a nationalist who does not subscribe to tribal parties, one is left wondering what Mr. Moi calls tribal in ODM-Kenya as compared to the club of Biwott's New Kanu. The Biwott-Moi still-born baby is a representative of all the things that went wrong with old Kanu. It embodies the evils of a tribalised party, symbolised by the ugly powerbrokers of the yesteryears. On the other hand, ODM-Kenya is the rainbow coalition of the beauty of the mosaic of Kenya's diverse ethnic communities. It represents hope for erasing tribalism which was sponsored by Moi and is fast being revived by Biwott. Moi and Biwott live in the museum of the mlolongo infamy and single-finger waving, 'single-voice' oppression and the backward no-dissent politics. It has no place in today's Kenya!

The abandonment by Mr. Moi of the Uhuru-Ruto-Kosgey-Okemo-Madoka-Kerrow axis is good riddance. Apart from removing the burden of a tainted Kingmaker interested only in grooming marionettes and his vestiges of misrule off the back of the young Kenyatta, it takes away the stigma associated with Moism and the Kokwet-elder type of politics. Additionally, it removes any veil from the false elder and reveals him for who he truly is, a control-freak whose departure from the political scene is long overdue. Moi alligning himself with the Biwott axis is good-riddance and any Kenyan who wishes well for this country should celebrate this unloading of the heavy burden that has always hung around Uhuru's neck. Kenya needs progress to tap the wealthy resource embodied in the rich diversity of our ethnic communities.