Fwd: DOMINION FOODS LTD. AND YALA SWAMP CONTROVERSY

NAIROBI

Dear Sir, (Editor)

YALA SWAMP AND DOMINION FARMS LTD

Of late there has been a lot of sustained press campaign by anti-Luo development forces aimed at the Dominion Farms ltd

We assume that the above institution, Dominion Farms Ltd entered into an agreement with Yala Swamp (Siaya & Bondo county council to develop the Lake Nyabola areas in Alego and Yimbo areas among others.

The development plans and agreements must have been done with the aim of profiting the Dominion Farms Ltd. and the county councils, on behalf of the local communities.

For developing countries, such interfaces are usually profitable to the local community because it creates employment, increases productivity and assist in technology transfer from developed countries.

In the case of Dominion Farms Ltd. and Yala swamp, there must have been some prior agreements and mutually agreed terms of reference before Dominion Farms set on the ground to develop Yala swamp.

Work has been going on until recently when every body, even parties that would not benefit by departure of Dominion Farms have set in.

The NGOs, political leaders, opinion leaders and general public, including civil society now blame other signatories who are parties to the Yala swamp development. We now hear of environmentalists, civil societies NGO's etc. who never assisted the local communities during the many years of abject poverty in this area and Luo Nyanza in general.

Those who have nothing to lose if Dominion Farms depart from Siaya are making the loudest noise. They are not concerned about the plight of the poor in Siaya & Bondo districts.

The question is this. Why do we make noise and we do not have any details on the terms of reference for this project? In the initial agreement, what was Dominion supposed to do and what was the expected local contribution?

If there are issues, why can't the parties address the issues instead of everybody complaining about what we do not know? The leaders, councilors and politicians who are affected, why can't you sit down and discuss?

The politicization of developmental issues in Luo region has created apathy which has hurt available opportunities. This led to myriad of problems at the Molasses, Muhoroni sugar co, Miwani sugar, and now Dominion Farms ltd, just to mention a few.

My question to the Luos is that, would any investors wish to put money in places that are dominated by such socio-political controversies? We must now change and move forward.

In conclusion, let the contracting parties that are concerned with Dominion Farms Ltd meet and resolve issues. Press hurt the community and give wrong impression of positive events on the ground.

Felix O. Okatch
Multilateral trade expert
P.O.BOX 55156
00200
NAIROBI