| After reading the presidents Kenyatta day speech he actually set the agenda meeting the 2030 objectives. I feel that if the government has the good will they should start by applying this issue in Mau. Extract from President's Kenyatta day speech "For the better
part of our history, Kenya has been a rural-based economy, with a few cities
and towns. These lifestyles and livelihoods cannot sustain us much longer under
the double pressure arising from relentless rapid population growth and the
changing climate. This reality will make it very difficult for the bulk of our people to draw their sustenance from farming or livestock keeping. We have no choice but to plan for rapid urbanization and rural eco-cluster settlements. We must plan for several large metropolitan areas in various parts of the country which will serve to hold the bulk of the population. We must also plan for a highly effective rural cluster eco-programme for both agricultural and pastoral communities." Those evicted from the Mau should be resettled in a new settlement providing all the necessary amenities. They can then be employed to replant the trees while the government in association with the private sector creates new employment opportunities that would absorb them after completion of the afforestation exercise and also their children as they come of age. I asked a friend who plants maize in the region and she tells me that they make a net profit of 100,000/- per year from a 14 acre farm. This equates to about 9,000/- per month, so someone with 5 acres can only make 3,500/- per month from maize. If the government hired them at a salary of 10,000/- and provided a mortgage scheme for the houses we can resolve this issue while also making strides towards 2030. There are 1,500 people which translates to about 400 families, all can be accommodated on a 10 acre plot in 3 bedroom flats. The construction of this units using precast concrete structures would take less than 12 months and would cost 1 billion including all amenities. Lets urbanize as the President is advocating and stop sending people back to rural settings that are unsustainable. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696 |