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Discussion paper on collaboration
Barka Foundation for Mutual Help of Poland and The Royal Pokomo Nations of Tana River County, Kenya.
Preface
Africa is a vast continent whose surface area of 30,221 thousand sq. km many do not grasp. In real terms, Africa’s land mass is equal to China, USA, India, Mexico, Peru, France, Spain, Papua New Guinea, Sweden, Japan, Germany, Norway, Italy, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Nepal, Bangladesh and Greece whose combined surface area is 30,102 thousand sq. km.
Its people and physical diversity matches or is comparable to its vastness; 54 states, thousands of tribes, and vegetation ranging from barren deserts to fertile lands watered by many rivers not to mention the other equally amazing attributes. Africa is truly land of unlimited potential.
The limitations of Africa are common knowledge and highly documented in various publications generated within Africa and wider world. Efforts and resources have been generously extended to Africa to overcome causative factors.
While it is commonly accepted that corruption, poor governance and other ills are the main causative factors, the late Dr. Myles Munroe of Bahamas who died in a plane crash on 9 November 2014 puts it bluntly that “all colonized populations of the world were taught to be dependent and never to take over. They were only given skills to assist in the governance over them by the colonizers. Therefore they have difficulty in exercising power leading to abuse, intimidation, perceived insecurity, apologize or fear success resulting in falsely being humble or displaying of humility”.
This has resulted in development of two distinct and parallel demographic populations in coexistence within these countries. The urban minority prepared to assist in the governance that emerged in control of resources and the rural majority whose developmental progress was dormant leading to reference as peasants, rural poor and other in effect developmental apartheid.
The assertion of the late Dr. Myles Munroe has of late gained recognition and acceptance by prominent scholars, personalities and opinion leaders. Among these is the Africa Progress Panel composed of Kofi Annan, Olusegum Obasanjo, Graca Machel, Linah Mohohlo, Strive Masiyiwa, Tidjane Thiam, Michel Camdessus, Peter Eigen, Bob Geldof and Robert Rubin.
In the Africa Progress Report 2014, Financing Africa’s Green and Blue Revolutions The Chair of the Panel Kofi Annan writes in the forward as follows:-
“The world burgeoning population needs to be fed and Africa, our continent, is well positioned to do so. We have enough resources to feed not just ourselves but other regions too. We must seize this opportunity.

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Africa’s productivity levels, already beginning to increase, could easily be doubled within five years. Indeed, our smallholder farmers, most of them women, have repeatedly proven how innovative and resilient they can be.
So why are they not yet thriving?. The unacceptable reality is that too many African farmers still use methods handed from generation to generation, working their lands or grazing their animals much as their ancestors have done for millennia”
He goes on to state that:-
Unleashing Africa’s green and blue revolutions may seem like an uphill battle, but several countries have begun the journey. In these countries, farmers are planting new seeds, using fertilizer and finding buyers for their harvests. Impressive innovation and smart government policies are changing age-old ways.”
In the main body of the report just to underscore the chairman’s position above we read:-
Sub-Sahara Africa is a region of small holder farmers. Some people mistakenly see that as a source of weakness and inefficiency. We see it as a strength and potential source of growth. (Page 15)
Finally quoting the report on page 21 they say:-
“The reason that Africa has thus far failed to reap the development gains of high growth is that, in far too many countries, rural producers have been left behind. African farmers must be at the center of the transformation that we envisage. Most of Africa’s poor live and work in rural areas as agricultural producers.
Their ability to contribute to growth and participate in the benefits is determined by the capacity to raise productivity.”
In my personal review and discussion on the contents of the report and those who are the main drivers of its content has witnessed very strong reactions. Obasanjo was president of Nigeria, Machel was wife to Presidents of Mozambique and thereafter south Africa, Annan Secretary General of UN with the others also in positions of extensive authority to bring about what they are lamenting about. Needless to say the Panel’s position is held and shared by many others.
My colleague’s contempt is understandable taking into account the desperation and hopelessness of the rural poor as they look at their leaders for answers and solutions in vain while the same surround themselves with abundance.
The key to this paradox is found in Dr. Myles Munroe’s stipulation of the apologetic governance attitude and posture of colonized populations and inability to offer effective governance.
Status in Kenya.
Kenya as a colonized state suffers from the same ills and disparities observed above. Centralized development strategy that concentrated resources within urban areas and selective attention to rural

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population created conditions to the phenomenal growth of deprived areas (slums) in all urban areas with Nairobi drawing the bulk.
As stated before, the colonizers were not interested in assisting the population to develop but only acquire sufficient skills to administer as well as exploit resources for themselves. The people were thus a resources or tools for development. Independence did not change the dynamics significantly other than giving it a new face by new exploiters of both resources and people being their own compatriots. While Kenya is endowed with significant and diverse conditions for creation of wealth, their utilization and management has been poor leading to disparity in opportunity and incomes between the urbanized population and rural communities. There has been insufficient channeling of both internal and external development resources towards rural areas leading to gradual degeneration into acute poverty. Over time, the marginal areas that were persistently neglected by government deteriorated into extreme poverty regions.
Kenyans quest for self-determination under independent governance due to poor governance and natural barrier culminated in devolved governance structure of 47 Counties which spear head their development agenda. Fortunately the drafters of the constitution under citizen’s pressure captured various elements to ensure equality in allocation of all types of resources to the regions. This required clarity and in-depth study on the status of the entire country which currently exists.
The Kenya economic report 2013, Survey report on marginalized areas/counties in Kenya and Commission of Revenue Allocation County Fact Sheets 2nd edition 2013 classify Counties with over 70% poverty as Kitui, Marsabit, Mandera, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana and West Pokot. Those with highest rural poverty are Turkana, Marsabit, Mandera and wajir with lowest rural poverty as Kijiado, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Narok, Njeri and Muranga.
The most interesting part of the statistics is that even though Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Muranga and Njeri received disproportionate allocation of resources since independence during centralized governance, Kijiado at 12% has the lowest poverty level in Kenya. The prosperity of both Kijiado and Narok dominated by the Maasai whose main economic driver is Livestock is something highly unexpected and confounding. Their insulation from western influence provides and thereby retention of their cultural values provides resilience.
Poland
The Polish peoples like those in Africa, Kenya included have suffered various episodes of colonization some so brutal to imagine. Thus the Dr. Myles Munroe hypothesis of colonizer expectations and actions are easy to understand. Equally Poland which is a European Society undergoing the same phase in creating structures of development and work ethic has inspirational value for Africa.
For an African witnessing field work in Poland has a great impact. Maize a staple crop in Africa is grown widely here in Poland, the experience of the vast fields under maize among others would be a challenge to emulate.
The Tana River County.

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Tana River County whose major indigenous communities were the Pokomo and Orma has a significant presence Waldei community originating from Somalia on its collapse. Waldei have been integrated into the social fabric and being dependent on Livestock was easy to assimilate depending on how they relate to their hosts. The county has population of 240,000 on an area of 38,400 sq. km.
The river Tana runs down from the top to the Indian similar to a human spinal column with the person seating on a stool leaning forward. The land is flat with no rock in over 90% of its boundaries. Surface water is in abundance and the water table quite shallow marking it ideal to all types of farming. Its fertility is so high that farmers do not use fertilizer.
Despite this potential, poverty levels is 75% due to both neglect in infrastructure investment and insecurity from Somalia during early years of independent. However, under the devolved governance, the Dr. Munroe factor inhibiting development can be eliminated by resourcefulness of the people.
The Pokomos embraced change on the advent of Christianity and colonization. However, due to their highly sophisticated cultural structures they managed to maintain cohesion among the 13 subgroups which under modern terms would be classified as devolved governance. They were equally very protective of their land rights whose adjudication and family ownership spans over 400 years. Thus both colonial and independent Kenya have not changed significantly land ownership. While this could be a drawback it is strength from the view point of social economy of which a variant exists and was/is practiced as part of cultural traditions.
The Pokomo practice phased age group governance a practice that is common in many African communities including its neighbours. Currently the leadership has been taken over by Western trained age group desirous of changing both poverty levels and wellbeing of the tribe as well as its neighbours. Creating strategic partnerships through collaboration and engagement is one of the prime tools. Equally of importance is county government effectiveness in managing resources. This accounts for the importance the Community through H. M. Hae Dr. Makorani-a-Mungase VII sees and perceives its relationship with the Barka Foundation.
The Diaspora,
The majority of Diaspora community origins are from the rural poor. They were exposed and have personal experience of the dynamics that impact on the suffering majority in rural Africa whose extended help and capacity building never reaches them thereby suffering in silence hoping for a miracle to happen.
Partnerships between Diaspora and institutions of recognized experience, exposure serving marginalized sector of society in the developed economy creates confidence, bridge and secure platform of reaching and changing the plight of Africa’s rural poor (peasants). Their miracle would be within reach or arrive.
Community vision of Partnership.
The community viewed favourably and embraced the vision of INISE of which the Barka Foundation is a principal partner. The objectives of INISE and thus Barka are at the core of its development trajectory. That

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means, the Pokomo with its neighbours wishes the parameters of collaboration to be open for maximizing benefit and impact. In doing so they would act as a pilot community for indexing and validating the INISE (Barka) ideal of uplifting marginalized communities especially the “rural peasants” of which the majority are.
The Pokomo do understand that language will be one of the main barriers in this relationship to effectively thrive. Also there are soft areas that affect effectiveness of provision especially from the community side due to its limited resources. However, it will innovate in contributing resources within its reach or manageable giving value to all. Broad outline of collaboration would thus take on Board following:-
1. Prime elements would be farming methodology and technology, Livestock breeding and replication, agricultural produce preservation and storage, value addition.
2. To overcome language barrier, it proposes one nominated youth to spend time spend time with Barka to master both written and spoken Polish. During this sojourn, he will assist those within Barka in mastering the English language.
3. The youth assignment will also include training in technologies that contribute to wealth creation by all the communities.
4. The Community is has placed a three bedroom property in Mombasa for exchange visits as well as those that want to experience Africa. This would compress the financial burden of such trips.
5. Some gifts in the Tana River were extended to the Barka delegation in 2012 during their visit to Kenya. H. M. and the Gasa Elders hereto shall take guardianship of same and form part of assets in showcasing and demonstrating to the communities’ new and innovative technologies.
6. While the sheep/goats breeding is targeting aid, there are certain elements that could be rolled even if the bid fails.
As stated in the Kofi Annan forward in the Africa Progress Report the Pokomos and their neighbours have not been touched by modern means of production. They have not even used the hand plough and irrigation even though known is yet to take root. Thus the relationship is like walking through a door into another world; a world of promise.
Citizen Initiative
We see this citizen initiative as an important tool of the people’s development. While the developed world has been providing development aid and assistance through it various platforms, the effectiveness in impacting rural communities have been dismal and as evidenced by the lament of Kofi Annan.
Even though this has become apparent and common knowledge, there is reluctance by donor and grant institutions in electing to deal or work with communities and thereby continued waste of resources that targets them.
Relationship to rural communities.
While having had opportunity of education, working in high profile position in industry my roots are anchored within rural society. My formative years were shaped and impacted by the variable impact and

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daily the rural population of Africa. This paper is thus partially guided through personal experiences and proximity to those that endure in hopeful silence that in due time life changing experience will take place.
The collaboration being crafted is that experience.
Baiba Dhidha Mjidho
Assistant General Secretary INISE aisbl, Chairman, North West Forum for African Communities. Director, Humanitarian Aid and Resilience; Kenya Community Association. Secretary, Merseyside African Council. Adviser to H. M. Hae (Dr.) Makorani-a-Mungase VII. – The Pokomo.