Issue No. 253: Editor’s Highlights of the Week:

Welcome to your favourite, authoritative and the consistent KARA Weekly Newsletter. As always, we appreciate your valued feedback. As Parliament re-opens on 23rd February, the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution has provoked different emotions in its report. Clearly, the recent Naivasha MPs retreat, whose cost is yet to be announced, must have acted beyond its mandate to make sweeping changes to the harmonized draft constitution. It is difficult to know whether the MPs are better “experts” than the Committee of Experts itself, which again failed to capture the public mood on the constitution. The country may end up with a “new” constitution – but the question most Kenyans will be asking is – whose constitution?

On the local scene, we offer our special thanks to Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital, Hillview Residents Association, Kibagare Estate Residents Association, and North Coast Ratepayers and Residents Association for renewing their 2010 commitment to Kara. Thank you for reading us. Editor.

What others say – “Newsweek” on Obama leadership:

"(Barack) Obama is accused of being too radical, but he is been governing from the middle for a year. So why all the anger? Because he’s leading with his head, not his heart”, Newsweek (1/2/2010)

Energy Sector and the Commissioner of Petroleum:

“What's in a name? That which we call a rose; by any other name would smell as sweet”, those who have read Juliet’s words in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet would easily agree with the new strategy by the Ministry of Energy to introduce a new and sexy position – at least to agonizing motorists – of a commissioner of petroleum energy… Full-story

Why Kibaki must now address Kenya’s insecurity:

Is Kenya on the brink of collapse on security grounds? This is the current question on the lips of many Kenyans and foreign diplomats, who will be justified to issue travel advisories to their citizens intending to visit here. There is reason to worry for Kenya. High insecurity levels as evidenced by firearms and sensitive military bullets in the wrong hands…. Full-story

Neighbourhood Kenya – February edition

Read the untold story of the “marginalized” but prominent lawyer at the centre of the process of re-writing Kenya’s constitution. Dr. Ekuru Aukot, director at the Committee of Experts tells it all – in a captivating story never told before. “I attended Kapeddo primary school in Turkana South and thereafter Mogotio, Athinai and eventually Mtongwe primary schools. This was true living to my nomadic nature that even my education was not spared such nomadism either”, he says.

Also read about the qualms South Africa High Commissioner H.E Mr. Tony Gab Musimanga has with the local media in what he says, “they only give attention to the big donor countries (read US, UK, Sweden and France) hence giving the impression that diplomats of African countries in Kenya are not doing much”. The soft-spoken diplomat bares out his inspiring successful project in Homabay and also talks about the big World Cup 2010 football in his country come June this year. Coming out soon!

“ON THE MOVE” – Simba Colt picks high-fliers:

As a new service to our corporate partners, Kara will be announcing top level professionals joining such companies. We begin with Simba Colt Motors Group; Read about Messrs Anthony Thoithi; Roy Kyalo and Leonard Munyua… Click-here

Watch this space for major appointments. Kara corporate members can announce their new top management recruitments cost-free by sending us such details at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please include JPEG passport size photos.

Calendar of key events –Feb/Mar – 2010:

08 Feb – DFID/WaterAid UK Governance and Transparency Fund Kenya RT

10 Feb – Danish Embassy Business Governance Forum – 100 days later

11 Feb – APFO Launch of 'A Peoples' Voice on Electoral Reform Agenda

11 Feb - Marketers Quiz Nite at the Carnivore – Marketing Africa event

16 Feb - EAAG M&E Video Conference for Grant Makers in East Africa

18 Feb - 2 day Water Sector Consultative Meeting

22 Feb - 3 day hearing of the Kara/EAWLS Mau Forest case

23 Feb – Kara Governing Council Meeting

31 Mar – Kara Annual General Meeting –for paid-up members

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2000 – 2010: Kara is celebrating 10 years of promoting enhanced access to public service delivery

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