Raila's subsidy to the poor; Another funny dream.

[Smartass]

Originally Posted by TikTok

I expected a better response from you like YB*. China did not lift 400 million people through business, but through state largese. China's state banks carry the biggest debt ratio in the world. State subsidy does exist in China, similar to the m-pesa, but through zero rated tax on essential commodities and state control on the price of essentials like oil, rice, and chicken. Even Malaysia controls teh price of chicken, oil, and rice.

In Kenya we do not have such controls courtesy of your toad emperor. The poor cannot afford them. What RAO is offering and which is actually not even his original idea is as described by YB*. All western and genuinely rich countries run some form of it. You know it and I know it. People need a lift in life at times, nothing ever works fully through hard work alone.

Wacha ningoje matusi, sijui tik tok useless, blah blah blah...

Also as you slaughter RAO please tell me why Kibaki is giving 130 million to livestaock farmers to re-stock, yet he could have avoided the debacle by creating an enabling environment to absorb the extra cattle that died due to the famine by issuing an executive order to the effect that all livestock owners must sell this certain percentage of their cattle to the nearest government run or liscenced abbatoir and avoid the 130 million cost? You know very well what happend to the cattle scandal some months back where PNU officials neted buildings from unsuspting livestock owners by lying to them that the government was going t dispose off their cattle only for teh well connected to turn around and sell them at market rates with livestock farmers getting shunted.

you said:
All western and genuinely rich countries run some form
The operative word here is rich meaning it does not apply to kenya
Helloooo .......kenya is a very poor country

China did not become a rich nation through handouts it used production and trade as we speak china is America's largest trading partner.

There is a difference between subsidised production as in the livestock restocking project and welfare as in the 1500 raila hand out.
The first will create jobs and goods to be sold in the market the second is money that has not produced any goods or services creating infaltion.

If we keep doling out cash without production the end result is bankruptcy.

Raila has simply found a way of using the tax payers money to pay of his hired goons who ably "fought for democracy" through looting killing raping and uprooting the railway line.

@ Blog

Raila is actually pretty smart (unscrupulously so) he is well aware that job creation will leave him without goons to enforce his mode of democracy, as long as there are unemployed, hungry and desperate people, Raila's seat is safe his hold on power intact, eliminate poverty and Raila looses a key constituency

[martin77]

Originally Posted by Smartass

you said:
All western and genuinely rich countries run some form
The operative word here is rich meaning it does not apply to kenya
Helloooo .......kenya is a very poor country

China did not become a rich nation through handouts it used production and trade as we speak china is America's largest trading partner.

There is a difference between subsidised production as in the livestock restocking project and welfare as in the 1500 raila hand out.
The first will create jobs and goods to be sold in the market the second is money that has not produced any goods or services creating infaltion.

If we keep doling out cash without production the end result is bankruptcy.

Raila has simply found a way of using the tax payers money to pay of his hired goons who ably "fought for democracy" through looting killing raping and uprooting the railway line.

@ Blog

Raila is actually pretty smart (unscrupulously so) he is well aware that job creation will leave him without goons to enforce his mode of democracy, as long as there are unemployed, hungry and desperate people, Raila's seat is safe his hold on power intact, eliminate poverty and Raila looses a key constituency

Dont bother. Comparing trade/agricultural subsidies to welfare is something that only an idiot or a raila fanatic can pull off.

if they were subsidizing the cotton farmers of Nyanza, the maize farmers of Kitale or even the Juacali artisans, I would have no problem with that. Thats shielding your people.

But atleast we will become one of the poorest states in the world to have a welfare system. Lol

[TikTok]

Originally Posted by bloggeratti

Oops. Sorry Tick. I forgot how touchy you get whenever you're precious Tinga takes a beating.

However, much as I agree with your take on China, methinks we should look at context here.
For starters, WE AINT CHINA. Subsidies, handouts at this point and time, would probably be funded by debt - a "digging a hole to bury another kinda scenario".
For seconders, our faltering values (or virtues to be precise) would mean that RAO's "noble" gesture would simply create another conduit for unscrupulous types to siphon chums from gova.

In my very humble opinion, methinks economic stimulus is the way to go. (Speaking of which, what happened to the much hyped fish pond projects in all the constituencies?).
If chums are still scarce, gova should look at Bonds. All KenGen needed was 11bn - It raised 26bn! What does this tell you? That if viable public-private partnership type bonds (guaranteed by gova, of course) were to be floated with the same incentives, money for the stimulus would not be a problem.

Much as I do agree that poor Kenyans are getting the worst of it, I still think that kuwazoesha za bure ain't a bright idea!

Sijagombana na wewe. Umenena ya ukweli, but we all know political will is zero, so tuendelee kujadiliana, maybe an MP will read our posts. One thing we all agree to is that without strong institutions hatuendi mahali. We could raise the money formthe bond, but pray tell me with weak institutions, we will jst see another fish pond non-existent project, sijui Eastern leads in youth fund but we cannot quantify if the output is commensurate with input so we can adjust where needed.

[TikTok]

Smartass anapenda porojo...no livestock farmer was given any subsidy when they needed it during the drought, now the toad is giving them free money to buy livestock and smartass calls that subsidy. Okay Raila giving people money is subsidy to hep them re-stock their mom ad pop vegetable and omena buinesses. Your hate for RAO actualy makes you look good in PNU bools. I have a nagging feeling you will be the new Attorney General. Keep it up!!! Si hata Kombo kombo alimwita RAO One dangerous man, the same Kombo kombo who has suddenly seen the light...it called the power of endurance...

[bloggeratti]

Originally Posted by TikTok

Sijagombana na wewe. Umenena ya ukweli, but we all know political will is zero, so tuendelee kujadiliana, maybe an MP will read our posts. One thing we all agree to is that without strong institutions hatuendi mahali. We could raise the money formthe bond, but pray tell me with weak institutions, we will jst see another fish pond non-existent project, sijui Eastern leads in youth fund but we cannot quantify if the output is commensurate with input so we can adjust where needed.

Tickster,

That's why I suggested a public-private thingy. For one, it is not a hand-me-down project; ni bizna. The motive here is profit, not charity. Gova is simply a rubber stamp to give peace of mind to investors.

The chums are supposed to fund profitable ventures run by the community. It's the picture-perfect Robin Hood scenario - take from the wealthy to fund the poor and enable them to engage in income-generating activities.

Tick, you'd be surprised to see how the ordinary Kenyan huko mashinani reacts when you give him an iota of hope.
MESPT (Micro Enterprise Support Programme Trust, now a fully fledged Micro Finance outfit) gave those mamas in Ukambani a measly 8k a piece. This wasn't a freebie - it was a loan.

I'm telling you those chicks lima-d like they were Superman on steroids...and doubled their networth in one season flat!

[i_dont_care]

some men here are amazing! on another thread they are all yapping about kenyas economy growing. ati there is growth and benefits.

and in other threads they yap about kenya being a poor country that cannot afford some things.

if only they could record themselves and listen to themselves! oh wait, in your tribal, tunnel vision, if it is your man, it is ok but if it is not, it is very beeeddddd. (i am trying to copy mother-in-law)

[bloggeratti]

Originally Posted by i_dont_care

some men here are amazing! on another thread they are all yapping about kenyas economy growing. ati there is growth and benefits.

and in other threads they yap about kenya being a poor country that cannot afford some things.

if only they could record themselves and listen to themselves! oh wait, in your tribal, tunnel vision, if it is your man, it is ok but if it is not, it is very beeeddddd. (i am trying to copy mother-in-law)

Dude, the last time I heard that "some people" jibe was in a verbal exchange back in primo.

If you disagree with a poster, table your arguements with FACTS and spare us the nauseating toddler tittle tattle - da da da da !

[bloggeratti]

When it comes to Wealth, Kenya is as diverse as India's climate - whilst someone may be panting his last courtesy of a heat stroke in Mumbai, another may be kicking his last due to frostbite around the Himalayas.

We have principals constructing and renovating palaces for 100-and-something Million, while in the North Rift, some guys are getting by on 4 meals....a week! Never in my life as a Nairobian have I seen so many Range Rover Sports (at this rate, they'll even rival toyos)!

The hidden wealth that is potential
Miles Monroe said that the best place to find wasted potential is the graveyard. This is well documented, he says, on the epitaphs. Born ____, Died ____. It's like nothing worth mentioning happened in between.

Kenya is a landfill of foregone potential courtesy of the huge disparity in wealth...and ignorance. 90% of the economy is controlled by less than 10% of the population; kawa citizens are left to fight over the scraps falling off the high table.

First, lets get rid of ignorance then bridge the gap between the wealthy and the poor. Let's not let "our people die for they do not know."

This country is a land full of opportunity. Take the coast for instance.
Coasto is a cashew nut haven and mango haven.

Let's start with cashewnuts.
If a farmer were to (a) weed his nut trees, (b) cull nut trees that are more than 10 years old, and (c) dig a ka-wall around the cashew nut trees (kinda like a mini-dam), he'd close to double his productivity. Please note, the suggestions I've made require only time and effort.
Currently coasto has a total of 2 million cashew trees doing an average of 5kg per tree. One kg of raw cashew goes for 30 bob. IF they were to implement these simple measures, they'd earn an extra 300m EVERY FRIGGIN' YEAR.

Now let's look at Mangoes.
Mangoes have two harvesting seasons. During harvests, the market is deluged with mangoes and, naturally, prices plummet. The government has never looked critically at the mango value chain like it does maize.
If we were to invest more in mango preservation (dried mango strips are popular in parts of Europe and the Arab world), the farmer in Taveta wouldn't be nyoroshwad by the broker from Kiambu YEAR IN, YEAR OUT. Instead of getting a measly 3 bob per mango, he could earn upto 25 bob!
Drying mangoes ain't rocket science - I've seen some very resourceful waswahili huko Malindi dry and pack mangoes for export WITHOUT any help from serikali.

The way forward?
I find it depressing when Githunguri Division produces more milk than the entire North Rift! Both the inhabitants are from one country so, obviously, something is very wrong with this picture!

We have two choices: either we can shika poverty by the horns and wrestle it to the ground like those mamas of Ukambani, or we can whine about "tribal tunnel vision", quote pathetic lines from some obscure (yawn) local soap and scoff at our country while hiding behind the cowardly veneer of not caring!

[al-zalzalah]

Originally Posted by YB*

He is not stupid, neither is he lying.
He is either politically hijacking this project or offering patronage. The project has been running in some districts for the last 2 or 3 years. The project is funded by a british NGO.

Could you post some more on this?

Originally Posted by YB*

But fact is, the project is alive and kicking, hugely successful but has been the source of wrangles amongst low level poitical wanna be's in some constituencies.

Succesful vipi?

[Smartass]

Originally Posted by TikTok

Smartass anapenda porojo...no livestock farmer was given any subsidy when they needed it during the drought, now the toad is giving them free money to buy livestock and smartass calls that subsidy. Okay Raila giving people money is subsidy to hep them re-stock their mom ad pop vegetable and omena buinesses. Your hate for RAO actualy makes you look good in PNU bools. I have a nagging feeling you will be the new Attorney General. Keep it up!!! Si hata Kombo kombo alimwita RAO One dangerous man, the same Kombo kombo who has suddenly seen the light...it called the power of endurance...

A mind is a terrible thing to waste……. It is not porojo it is called thinking, try it out, and trust me it doesn’t hurt

Now lets start with the livestock project…..think ….why would any serious government give finance or expect pastoralists to restock during a severe drought? The animals are dying for Pete’s sake!!

Basic common sense demands that the government waits until the drought is over (meaning when the rains return and there is pasture) then provide funds for restocking. The purchasing of animals during the drought was meant to shield the herders from the total financial loss if the animals did not survive the drought. Any veterinarian would also tell you that animals that go through starvation become less productive and are disease prone, it does not make economic sense to retain them.