The story was so tiny, one would hardly notice it. In today’s Daily Nation (page 9), a short story headlined, “Lease of 100,000 acres to Qatar still on course” was featured. In the write up, it said that there are plans by the Government of Kenya, to lease at least 100,000 acres of land to the Emirate of Qatar! The report further said that the deal is set to be completed in 3 months when the Qatar Emir, Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani visits the country.
In the following page of the Daily Nation (page 10) a big story is featured with the headline, “Kenya is rated poorly in food security survey as more people die of hunger.” According to the Global Hunger Index (GHI), Kenya is rated amongst the 30 countries with the least food security in the world, and the situation is “moving fast from serious to alarming...”
You don’t need to be a neurosurgeon to realize that our government has got its priorities all screwed up! Here we are, leasing 100,000 acres of fertile, arable land (of course the Qatari’s won’t take the arid lands – they have plenty of that where they come from) and yet we are facing a food security crisis. Why can’t we use these 100,000 acres to improve our food security? No amount of money, not even 100 trillion Euro’s, is enough for a sovereign, independent nation to lease out its own land when its people are dying of hunger!
Furthermore, we all know one of the core reasons that nearly tore this country apart in 2007, and threatens to fulfil its promise in 2012, has to do with equitable distribution of land. Now this pitiful excuse for a government wants to go and lease out 100,000 acres of this scarce commodity coz of some Arab money!
The problem with young people in our country is this; we know what’s wrong, we know what needs to be done to correct the wrong, we complain about it amongst ourselves but we never do anything about it! So here’s how we’re going to change this:
What’s wrong? Leasing of 100,000 acres of arable Kenyan land (and this could just be the beginning)
What needs to be done? We need to stop giving land to foreigners and help Kenyans instead
What should we complain about? Our government not solving the land issue problems
What should we do? Not give the Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa a moment’s peace when in Kenya! From the moment he lands in this country, the youth of Kenya should let him know that our land is not for lease, rent, hire or sale! Blood was spilt so that we can call Kenya our home and we’re not renting it out to any foreigner, even for a minute! We should hold demonstrations at the JKIA, at any meeting the Qatar president will attend, at Uhuru Park, outside his hotel, until he goes home and never returns to this country. We should let the Qatar president know that he’s only welcome to this country as a tourist coming to see our enchanting wildlife and beautiful land – not as a neo-colonialist.
Or we could complain about it, do nothing and watch our land handed over to foreigners.
Mojoh Sojoh has Spoken.
The Re-Colonization of Africa Is Happening Right Now!!
Read more stories on what is becoming a common trend by rich countries to lease fertile land in Africa by clicking on the links below:
Land Grabs – Another Scramble for Africa
How The Daewoo Madagascar Land Lease Failed
New Scramble for Africa’s Land
Land, The New Scramble for Africa
Climate Colonialism and the New Scramble for Africa
As young Africans, we owe it to the generations before us, the generations who fought and lost lives to liberate Africa from the yoke of colonialism and slavery, to keep Africa free! Let us join hands and fight the attempts to recolonize Africa.
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