- of course the indignant 'don't let them eat dogfood' government spokesman in all likelihood drives a loaded S-Class Mercedes Benz.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10366163
Report slams Kenyan spending on luxury cars
31.01.06 1.00pm
NAIROBI - Kenya's government, already criticised over allegations of high-level corruption, faced another blow to its credibility on Monday after a report accused it of blowing state funds on expensive cars for its ministers.
The report by two watchdogs said President Mwai Kibaki's government spent 878 million shillings ($18.12 million) on new vehicles -- enough to see 25,000 children through eight years of school -- since sweeping to power in 2002 on promises to tackle poverty and fight graft.
The local branch of Transparency International and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said nearly half the amount was used to buy 57 Mercedes Benz cars between January 2003 and September 2004.
The rest the government splurged on a fleet of fuel-guzzling four-wheel drives, the report said.
"Conspicuous consumption makes a mockery of poverty alleviation efforts, besides creating resentment in society," the report said.
"Additionally, the line between wasteful expenditure and grand corruption is very thin and because of this senior government officials continue to be perceived as corrupt."
The government issued a statement pledging to "fast track all cases of perceived corruption". It also said that recent allegations of graft had become "exceedingly outrageous".
The report criticised the government for extravagance at a time when most of its 32 million people cannot afford a decent meal. Three years of poor rains have pushed four million Kenyans to the edge of starvation, forcing Kibaki to declare the drought a national disaster and appeal for US$150 million in aid.
"The part that's annoying is that they've come in on a platform of change, but they have shown the same extravagance, the same disrespect of the people as the previous regime," Maina Kiai, KNCHR chairman, told Reuters.
The report was particularly scathing of the Ministry of Justice which it said had spent 82 million shillings on 13 Mercedes Benz for the High Court.
>From: uvj at vsnl.com
>Reply-To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
>To: lbo <lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org>
>Subject: [lbo-talk] Kenya offended at N. Zealander's dog food aid offer
>Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2006 23:51:19 +0500
>
>Reuters.com
>
>Worls Crises
>
>Kenya offended at N. Zealander's dog food aid offer
>
>Tue 31 Jan 2006
>
>NAIROBI, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Kenya dismissed as "culturally insulting" on
>Tuesday an offer of powdered dog food to feed starving children reportedly
>made by the founder of a canine biscuit company in New Zealand.
>
>"Kenyan kids are not so desperate as to eat dog food," Kenya government
>spokesman Alfred Mutua told Reuters in response to a front-page story in
>the
>east African country's leading daily.
>
>Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper said Christine Drummond of the Mighty Mix
>company in New Zealand had offered to send dog food powder to hungry
>children in western Kenya.
>
>The information appeared to be coming from a New Zealand newspaper, which
>said Drummond had been moved to make a donation of 6,000 emergency packs of
>dog food mixture after the daughter of a friend visited the
>drought-hit country.
>
>When mixed with water, the powder would provide sustainable meals, said an
>article posted on the web site of The Press newspaper, helping to ease a
>growing problem of food shortages.
>
>"I made it out of ingredients they (children) are used to eating, so the
>main bulk product is corn," Drummond was quoted as saying.
>
>Another representative of Mighty Mix said the food would be distributed
>through a charity in Kenya, as a "nutritional supplement" rather then dog
>food, the article said.
>
>But government spokesman Mutua said it was unacceptable.
>
>"The offer was very naive and culturally insulting given the meaning of
>dogs
>in our culture," he said. "We understand where she was coming from,
>and we appreciate, but it is culturally unacceptable."
>
>Being called a dog is one of the worst insults in Africa where people
>generally do not keep dogs as pets.
>
>The government says four million people are facing hunger in Kenya due to
>severe drought. Aid agencies say dozens of people and thousands of
>livestock
>have died in recent months.
>
>© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>___________________________________
>http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk