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Untitled
Related to this project: MODEL-ITU YOUTH ORGANIZATION

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

2008 USA ELECTIONS; AMERICA VOTES

4th November 2008 is a big day in the world. It is a day when all eyes will be glued on screens (because there will be nothing else to watch), ears and senses on multimedia. This is the day when Barack Obama- the Democrat will square it out with the Vietnam War veteran John McCain. It is a day to confirm and ‘literally’ put into practice the 1965 Voting Rights Act that guaranteed equal voting right to blacks as whites, of course for an Obama win. with the wild endorsements, Obama candidature has generated heat, all eyes form today are glued on screens (because there will be nothing else to watch), ears and senses on multimedia.
However, Africa needs not to anticipate sympathy and freebies from a feasible Obama government

. Similarly, the mature American campaigns especially the presidential debates should be adopted to ensure proper audit of potential leaders in Africa. This system can help us even in University Union Elections where “I shout big, I cry Comrades Power Loudest HANDS A POPULIST VICTORY.

November 2, 2008 | 7:53 AM Comments  0 comments

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Untitled
Related to this project: MODEL-ITU YOUTH ORGANIZATION

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

MODEL ITU HOLDS CHILDREN’S PEACE CAMP


MODEL ITU is a Students club formed in June 2008 as a follow up project of the May 2008 International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Youth Forum held in Cairo, Egypt. The initiative, as a model of ITU, seeks to assimilate the ideals and principles of the mainstream ITU with special reference to the Special Initiative Unit and promote application and usage of ICT for peace and development. We seek to put into practice the ITU Telecom Africa 2008 Youth Declaration and Action Plan entitled ‘Youth Aspiration for a Superior Future’, the youth forum lessons, the fellowship essay and youth’s ideas for a better world through application of ICTs.
Model-ITU Youth Organization seeks to achieve its goals and objectives with, for and by young people, genuine partnership and active collaboration with experts. We therefore have a six pillar platform to enable us meet the expectations. These include; Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship, Peace and Security, Internet Safety among Young People, Bridging the Digital Divide and ICT Awareness, Social Networking and ICT and Environment
The children’s peace camp themed ' Promoting Peace and National Cohesion; Catch It Young' sponsored by the KU Catholic Church Chaplaincy was organised in collaboration with the KUTT and the religious communities within the university. Its aim was to use drama, music, plays, games and competitions to inculcate the culture of peace building, discipline, tolerance, cross cultural dialogues and respect at early ages. The camp attracted 79(double the number expected) children aged between 4 and 13 years.
In total, there were 79 children, 15 MODEL ITU members, 10 KUTT members, 3 Sunday School Teachers and 5 other KU students and an observer student from Nairobi University. There were also 3 invited guests; .Mrs.Monica Waturi, a teacher at KU Academy Per-School, Ms. Bertha Chokaa of KUCC Sunday school and Ms. Elizabeth Kamundia, a student at Kenya School of Law.
Upon arrival and registration, the children had their faces painted with the national colours to reflect the theme of the day. This was followed by exciting warm up by the KUTT that also acted as an interactive bonding session. There were different play categories like the Question and Answer session, sack race, dancing chairs, dances, singing and potato race that involved not only the children but also the adults present.
In overall, the activities produced winners in different categories who receive different prizes. The prize categories included; The best group, best in each play category (boy and girl-5-7 years & 8-12 years), most active child (boy and girl-5-7 years & 8-12 years), most outstanding child (boy and girl-5-7 years & 8-12 years),Surprise gift/ Adjudicator’s award
The 2008 Children’s peace camp photos and video can be viewed at www.projects.takingitglobal.org/model-itu and the face book.



October 17, 2008 | 10:18 AM Comments  0 comments

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TRIBUTE TO PRESIDENT MWANAWASA OF ZAMBIA
Related to country: Zambia

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

HELLO ALL

Indeed it is a sad moment for Zambia, Africa and the world over death of transformation- reformist President LEVY MWANAWASA.
He was great Pan Africanist, having defied the African governance myth on 'touch not crafty mighty'.

His leadership also saw Zambia become a net exporter of foodstuffs after the successful fertilizers programme. That is leadership.
We all know of his no joke stand on ZIMBABWE issues as SADC chair.

I remember when he came to KENYA IN 2002 ( BEFORE THE 2007 ELECTION FIASCO &MADNESS ) after the united opposition trounced the independence party, KANU , during swearing in ceremony. He thanked KENYANS for peaceful transition while flushing the peace symbol, TWO FINGER SALUTE.

Perhaps African leaders who now pay tribute to his achievements should rise to the occassion and tackle official corruption, nepotism, election rigging and poverty head on in his honor.

Finally, I appeal for calm in Zambia as requested by the VICE PRESIDENT as the country comes out of mourning and search to another leader.
RIP PATRICK LEVY MWANAWASA



ASUDI MICHAEL

August 20, 2008 | 4:35 AM Comments  0 comments

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SANCTIONS TO ZIMBABWE ARE LIKE KILLING A DEAD LION
About this event: 4th World Youth Congress - Quebec City 2008
Related to country: Zimbabwe

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Though sanctions may serve to to make errant 'bull' tow the yoke dicated plough line, its limit at times become awakening call.

It is true that something more than isolation need to be done in ZIM. To me, the west has exhausted the sanction arithmetic on Bob.

With the sanctions since early this century, the regime has not collapsed and the intended mass rebellion of angry and hungry HARARE has not taken off.

The independence war in 80s is still fresh in Zimbabweans. The freedom fighters are still alive and kicking. Telling them to give in to protests by perceived westernised MDC is like unerathing the bitter war for freedom.

Since the elders are surgeons of culture in Africa, the ZIM youths have lived up to this premise.

I guess we need newer tacts and not sanctions, it could only work in Kenya where food prices ceiling could have led to some uprising.
However the viable option, power sharing in my opinion will serve to strengthening the fast embeded impunity in Africa.
We NEED A RERUN with fresh bloods, not BOB, not MORGAN

ASUDI
www.africanthirdaway.blogspot.com

July 19, 2008 | 5:13 AM Comments  0 comments

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PEACE BUILDING AFTER POLL VIOLENCE;RE INTEGRATING KENYAN YOUTH
Related to country: Kenya

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

One time USA President, JOHN FITZGERALD, earnestly declared, "Absence of war does not signify presenceof peace." It is therefore of paramount importance to critically correlate peace, violence and calmness in a society and the underlying connotations among Kenyan youths especially in the run up to and the blood chilling events after the 2007 disputed presidential elections.
As a witness of and victim of post poll crisis, the gloomy and horrific era in modern Kenyan history, my article will attempt to explore the situations that might have made neighbor to rise against neighbor, father against non tribe wife and country man against country man.
Secondly, I will strive to offer various alternatives that could be employed to curb any future potential causes of violence.
Similarly, from my experience and interaction with fellow youths I will propose a national reconciliation and patriotism-building venture. Violence in Kenya especially before elections spring from socio-economic woes that is sedimented by ear appealing political tribal rhetoric.

The politically funned tribal violence have systematically grown into a monster with every post independence governments doing very little to address the deep underlying issues if not being responsible in away in their multiplication .Kenya, it is true, has registered impressive rating in the literacy level. Today, we have 29 universities apart from numerous colleges that offer certificate, diploma and degree courses.
However, the policy makers have never been much appalled by the bulging number of the unemployed youths. The human resource development policy in Kenya, to me would read, "Let natural attrition play its role" –the aged will retire or resign or die to give room for fresh graduates. To sustain themselves, youths engage in violence, robberies and crime to make ends meet. During campaigns, they become goons for hire ready to kill lest life become unbearable for the fellows who live from hand to mouth. As a result, they view life as being too short with nothing to lose in case of havoc.
Truly, what will a ghetto dweller lose as much as Muthaiga counter part in case Kenya goes up in flames? The realistic challenges I believe are to be blame for the birth of dangerous local tribal gangs like mungiki, sungu sungu, Taliban, SLDFs among others. Equally, it is common wise man wisdom that blood is thicker than water. Therefore, to prove thae unbroken African kinship of negative ethnicity, these gangs under pretext of community policing to protect their own do unleash grave terror on fellow citizens whose mistake is not speaking their tongues. Therefore, any feeble whistle blow by a nationally imaged politician to the warriors will spontaneously without any thought spark violence. Ignorance and unquestionable oaths also serve to bind the gangs.Firstly, combating Kenyan gangs lie on addressing to feel and firmly fill the deep-rooted void of tribalism that the brutish British colonials and unfeeling successive regimes have shaped.

This can be done through massive civic education targeting the syllabus, curiculun, adult education and the mass media.Every Kenyan youth need to be brought up with a sense of nationalism and patriotic pride. Education will also help erase tribal stereotyping, tribal halo effects and warrior like ethnic pride. We must candidly put in place ethnic relations and national cohesion strategies to end age old opinion of some citizens as; arrogant and proud… thieves.. Uncouth and uncivilized, unfit to lead…more senior than others..
"Secondly, we must strengthen our institutions with a view to creating checks and balances, accountability and independence and devolution of power. Most African youths have rebelled against their own governments due to ‘winner take it all’ electoral outcomes, exclusion of some people from economic participation and unfair distribution of resources these facts if rained of ethnicised minds of desperate youths will surely cerate inter tribal tensions. In Kenya, the weakness of the electoral body and the judiciary are mainly to blame for the violence. When hopeless youths have no alterative, their anger will surely turn to violence as a commutating strategy.

Institutional independence will also end our national way of life of impunity. Thirdly, we need local grown solutions to some of the challenges. Imposing solutions negotiated by the apex politicians in Nairobi may not sometimes work just like forcing tribal cohesion at a gunpoint. Dialogue among all opinion holders in war prone areas should be employed. This will promote collaboration., iron out mistrust and strike out a workable arrangement in sharing local resources. In the end, mutual harmony will be fostered as stepping -stone to forgiveness and reconciliation.Similarly, community based youth organization should be developed with government and NGOs assistance. Trainings on self employment, financial management and poverty alleviation should be offered with a view to youth empowerment.

This enable the idle youths to be employed and acquire income. Infrastructure like irrigation, power and roads should be established in rural areas to promote agriculture and Asian tigers style ICT among the youths. With reliable power supply, creative youths will gainfully express their thinking faculties intelligently and objectively in running of information centers like the global village initiatives.A youth run leadership and ideas exchange program should also be formed. This will promote youth participation in communal affairs like CDF Allocations, youth empowerment and leadership.

This program will also promote peer education and counseling to help those who are mentally tortured following election violence. The program dubbed Kenyan peace ambassadors should craft civic awareness through youth run peace road show, radio programmes peace extravaganza, sports , cultural shows, workshops and roundtable forums.Finally to rehabilitate the youths who participated in the ritual killings, a broad based emotional assistance should be put in place. It is a plain truth that if this group is neglected now and rejected or branded as villains they can easily fall back to the practice of murder and crime life. The government and NGOs should not only reach out to the political victims but also offer psychological and moral support to the very perpetrators of ethnic killings.

These initiatives will therefore ensure that calmness we enjoy is turbaned into sustainable peace through- and -round the youths.
A serious nation will truly insure the youth’s future and end their political exploitation as mere rubber-stamping objects.

MICHAEL ASUDI,

KENYATTA UNIVERSTY STUDENT,

2008 ITU YOUTH ALUNI.