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KIDNAPPINGS ON THE RISE IN KENYA
Related to country: Kenya

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

The economic crunch was predicted to be a "KILLER". It has certainly proved so. Murdock got 150 years, GM is bankrupt, BA workers are working the next few months for free and everything's price has sky roketed.

Back home, all and sundry with an exception of our Members of Parliament, the AG and the KACC boss who are enjoying increased perks, ar etightening their belts, so to speak. Lavish spending has been reduced, while impulse buying is a thing of the past. Even the thieves are having a hard time. People are no longer investing in expensive gadgets so there are no new people to steal from. Most of the rich people who were potential customers, no longer renovate their houses, nor do they drive expensive cars. Instead they have opted for fuel saving cars that dont bring in a lot of money.

Needless to say, they have adopted a new way of making quick money. Kidnapping is on the rise in the cities of Nairobi. School going children from affluent areas are the target, especially those who ar epicked and dropped by their guardians who are not parent. Nanny or driver is easily overpowered. A few hours later, the parents will recieve call saying that they have the child and demand a ransomof even KSHS. 10,000,000 million, depending on the parents position in society.

They then give you a deadline of when the money should be dropped and where it wil be picked up as well as insructions of how to get your child back. Whether they do as they promise or not, only they and the victims can tell. So far very few arrest have been made of kidnappers. There is even talk of the police being involved, but as usual,none of this claims have been substantiated. It is therefore advisable that we all operate with utmost caution. Always ensure that children are accompanied and are secure at all times, especially to and fro school,during play times, in the supermarkets or eateries and even in the car.

July 2, 2009 | 7:17 AM Comments  0 comments

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Muhia   Muhia Bernard Muhia's TIGblog
Bernard Muhia's profile

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



I’m just like you, you are poor materially, and I’m poor in spirit. You wear torn clothes and I wear a bare soul. You often go to bed hungry, I often go to bed angry. I walk around depressed, you walk around stressed. You live in an empty mud house, I live in an empty sad house. You salute me despite being my father’s age, I salute you for playing your part on the father’s stage. You complain about malnutrition, I complain about obesity. You can’t come to my exclusive country clubs without a pass, funny enough, I can’t come to the slums because you wouldn’t let me pass. I respect every soul as sacred, you respect every soul as sacred. I’m just like you, it’s just that we lead different lives. Poor soul.

July 1, 2009 | 8:56 AM Comments  2 comments

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robinopati   robinopati Global Visionary Leaders's TIGblog
Global Visionary Leaders's profile

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

Mr.Visionary leader
Mr. Role Model

July 1, 2009 | 7:37 AM Comments  1 comments

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robinopati   robinopati Global Visionary Leaders's TIGblog
Global Visionary Leaders's profile

Africa Youth Leaders Peace Summit June 2009 report
Related to country: Nigeria

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

We have received this report from Nigeria. This is a good initiative by youth leaders in west Africa and we look forward to participate in their future events.
---------------------------------------------

The Opening Plenary Session which began with the African Union and Nigerian National Anthems featured the welcome address by the Chief Host, the ECOWAS President, His Excellency, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambers represented by Dr. Adrienne Diop - the Commissioner for Human Development and Gender, ECOWAS Commission.

In his address, the ECOWAS President said, “The Achievement of Peace is an important pillar in the quest for development, progress and the achievement of the MDGs in Africa. Without Peace, development will be elusive. For this to be achieved, youths have a critical role to play.

“As you put your heads together to share experiences and learn from each other, you should project into the future and come out with recommendations that ginger youths, development partners and civil society organizations to provide the needed support to the development and empowerment of youths.

“The world is looking up to you to contribute to change the present status quo and provide the world with a new order.” He concluded.


The Session was Chaired by Chief Senator Kanu Agabi, who has held several key positions in the Nigerian Government (Former Attorney-General of the Federation, Former Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Good Governance, Former Minister).


In his opening remarks, while commending the organizers of the Summit for the initiative he said,


“As we celebrate our freedom, this is the time to examine our present condition and ask ourselves a few pertinent questions:Are we really free? Can we say that we are truly free when all over the continent a vast majority of our people have no say in the election of their leaders?


"Have we been able to rid ourselves of every vestige of dictatorship arising from military rule? Can we say that we are free when a vast majority of our people live in abject poverty and have no hope? The development of our continent is our responsibility.

I have a pledge for you. I call upon every African youth here to say after me:

"I am an African for whom the time has come, to stand up and be somebody. To embrace truth and peace. And to avail myself of all my talents, in the service of my continent and humanity through self-reliance and sacrifice. So help me God!"

With these words he declared the Summit opened.



The Keynote Lecture entitled “Character Development as the Foundation for the Achievement and Sustenance of Peacebuilding, Millennium Development Goals and Regional Integration” was delivered by John Ipuole Oko, the President of Youth Federation for World Peace (Nigeria Chapter) and Coordinator, Youth Service Africa (Chairman of the Organizing Committee).


In his lecture, he identified that every individual requires two dimensions of education (education for character and education for career) in order to pursue the two dimensions of value but stated that priority must be given to education for character while quoting the Greek Philosopher, Heraclitus who said that “Character is Destiny.”



He further identified the 3 moral goals of education to include Maturity of Character, Loving Relationships (especially in the family), and Contribution to Society which were explained in detail. He also said that 3 partners, namely, Home, School and Community are supposed to work together to raise a balanced educated person.

He said: “If we are to achieve and sustain Peace, MDGs and the Integration of our continent, the surest way is for us to become people of mature character who practice the principle of living for the sake of others. I hereby challenge us all (African Youths) to become people of mature character who can establish loving families and contribute to society.


“Especially as young people, I challenge us to be people who can control our sexual desires as a demonstration of maturity of character and a commitment to live for the sake of others.”



He concluded his presentation with 2 quotes. First, from the letter of a headmaster to his teachers:

Dear Teacher,

I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no man should witness: gas chambers built by learned engineers, children poisoned by learned physicians, infants killed by trained nurses, women and babies shot and burned by high school and college graduates. So I am suspicious of education. My request is: Help your students become human. Your efforts must never produce learned monsters, skilled psychopaths, educated Eichmanns. Reading, writing, arithmetic are important only if they serve to make our children more human.


Second, from The Great Learning:

When there is Righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.



He called on all African Youths to join hands with the founders of the Universal Peace Federation and Youth Federation for World Peace, Dr. & Mrs. Sun Myung Moon who are pioneering several initiatives geared towards achieving peace all over the world.


Goodwill Messages were presented by Dr. A. A. Roberts - Coordinator and Project Team Leader, Global Partnerships Development Initiative, African Business Roundtable and NEPAD Business Group, Africa, and Dr. Mathias J. Eka (JP), National President, Niger Delta Peace Movement.


This was followed by Video Presentation on Introduction to Ambassadors for Peace and Special Award ceremony for International Youth Ambassadors for Peace given to some personalities drawn from diverse backgrounds and sectors in recognition of their contribution to peacebuilding and societal development.


Among the award recipients were: King Prof. T. J. T. Princewill, Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom; Her Excellency Hajia Zainab Ibrahim Shekarau, First Lady of Kano State; Her Excellency Hajia Amina Namadi Sambo, First Lady Kaduna State; Hon. Samuel Whesu Sejero, Member Federal House of Representatives; Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, Secretary to Delta State Government; Hon. Nanpon T. Bongden, Member Plateau State House of Assembly; Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, Member Rivers State House of Assembly; Hon. (Barr.) Bello Muhammad, Member Sokoto State House of Assembly; Prof. Ade Adefuye, Adviser to ECOWAS President on Good Governance; Gen. Chris A. Garuba (rtd), Former Commandant, National Defence College; Rogers Augustine I. Nwoke, MD/CEO Hasal Microfinance Bank Ltd; Engr. Christopher Uche Nwadi, Property Consultant, N.C.R. & Associates; Dr. Matthias James Eka, President, Niger Delta Peace Movement; Christian M. Ekwomadu, Director (Planning), High Court of Justice, Abuja; Tunji Junaid Tolani, MD/CEO, Abuja Leasing Company; David Sabo Kente, Asst. Director Finance, National Assembly;HRH Igwe Ignatius C. Idoko, Atlas Int’l Hotels Ltd; Pleased Prophet Friday A. Ibanga, President/Founder, Everlasting Christ Gospel Mission Int’l;




Dr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, Chairman/CEO, Green Forest Group Ltd; Azubuike Okorie, Chief Procurement Officer, Ministry of Police Affairs; Engr. Essien Bassey Essien, Director, Ministry of Works, Cross River State; Hon. Joseph M. Kaura, Chairman, Karu LGA, Nasarawa State; Hon. Felix Etechi Owete, Chairman, Ndoigala West LGA, Delta State; Hon. Paul Opirite Awoyesuku, Chairman, Akuku-Toru LGA, Rivers State; Hon. Stanley John Mamud Buba, Akwanga LGA, Nasarawa State; Rt. Hon. Nse Ntuen, Chairman, Essien Udim LGA, Akwa-Ibom State; Prince Simon D. Mwadkwon, Chairman, Riyom LGA, Plateau State; Hon. Abdullahi Shuaibu, Legislator, Suleja LGA, Niger State; Tunde Akinsanmi, Zeal Nathan Onyecheme and Emoefe Shifi of Styl-Plus Music; Mailafia Agabi Yakubu, Nigeria Police Force, Jos; Comrade Prince W. D. Addah, Secretary Nigeria Labour Congress, Rivers State;





Mike O. Olu-Wole, Pesther Brands Ltd; Rabo Saleh Kareem, MD/CEO, All States Travel & Tours Ltd; Dr. Ronald Nze Eyime, Hon. Commissioner, Directorate of Science and Technology, Asaba; Ibrahim Sade Abdulrahaman, Sec. Gen., Stop Cancer Foundation; Hon. Hassan Inusa Abubakar II, Publicity Secretary, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Nassarawa State; Fabian O. Onyenegecha, CEO, Solid-Harvest Nig. Ltd; Hon. Mrs. Maureen Barmani Kures, Member, Gong Development Area; Nnaemeka Chidi Enejere, Executive Director, Ons Triumph Ltd; Alhaji Abdul-Gafaru Yusuf, Businessman; Joyce Lohya Ramnap, Legislator, Plateau State House of Assembly; Prince Eneobong Eneobong Akpan; Philomena Talatu Zamani; Hon. Yusuf Shehu Makafi; Osoks Okpara Willies, Oilfield Specialist, Schlumberger Nig. Ltd; Alhaji Abdullahi Babansaleh; Hon. Isa Usman Ambuka; Ezeanochie MacDonald O. C., CEO/Principal Consultant, Ekwulu Konsult; Lawrence Nnamdi Okechukwu, MD/CEO, Star Point Guest House Ltd; Adabahi Adams Adabahi, CEO, Adabahi Automobile Ltd;





Stephen Yinka Oguntoyinbo, CEO, Talk Village International; Alh. Kabiru Usman, MD, Al-Sabur Int’l Service Nig. Ltd; Hon. Bello Bagudu,Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government Affairs; Alhaji Abdullahi Babansaleh, Youth Leader, People Democratic Party, Nassarawa; Capt. Danjuma M. Musa, Retired Navy Officer; Mrs. Nduka Sabina N. Proprietor, Bright Foundation School; Sam Gyane Yakubu; Suleiman Elias Bogoro, Coordinator/CEO Face Palm - Bauchi; David S. Akande, Business Man, NNPC Suleja; Mr. Samuel George. President, IYC, Rivers State; Comrade Haliru Wakaso, Civil Servant; Yahaya Usman Bunu, Deputy Chairman, Awe Local Government Council; Saleh Adamu Kwaru, Central Bank of Nigeria; Mr. Stephen Adejo, CEO, Idenyi Agbo Int’l. Ltd; Ejimole Fidelia Onwuekwe, Founder/CEO, WYPO; Sir Emem Akpabio;





Bishop Daniel Joseph Ubonabasi, National Project Director, Niger Delta Peace Movement; Demola M. Bakare, Deputy Nat. Coordinator, NAVC; Engr. Noah Nuhu Dallaji, President, African Children Talent Development Foundation; Prince Hope Rexlawson, Executive Director, Cardinal Rexjim Lawson Foundation; Hajiya Maryam Gidado Idris; Adamu Egya Oyanki, Secretary, PDP Nassarawa State; Hon. Ahmed Eyibo Sardauna, State House of Assembly, Nassarawa; Ifeanyi Ndubuokwu Isichei, CEO, Praise Ify Isichei Foundation; Chief Obadiah Abimiku Doka II, Proprietor, Steward Model School; Princess (Mrs.) Dr. Eme F. Ibanga; Engr. Effiom E. ffiong, Analyst, Nig. Elect. Reg. Commission, Abuja; Hon. Omolubi Nuwumumi (JP), Business Man; Bolarinwa Stephen Ajayi, Banker, Sky Bank Plc, Maitama;





Prince Oriri Moses; Afuecheta Jovita Ogochukwu, Business Woman; Mrs. Faiza Aderonke Usman, CEO, Kwik Utow Restaurant/Lifestyle Fosman Nig. Ltd; Maxwell Morris Gabriel, MD/CEO Morgab Properties Ltd; Chief Barr. Soja Smooth, Chairman/MD, Smooth Musical Organisation; Chief David Ohwoekevwo, MD, Daebrus Global Service; Chief Dominic Ezeanyim M., Chief Executive, Domlink International; Ali Nuhu, Actor, Gbadebo Jerry Owolabi, Accountant I, Supreme Court of Nigeria, Abuja; Abubakar Yakubu Wambai, S & M Officer, KRPC/NNPC.





There were responses by the award recipients who were elated by such honour and promised not to relent in their efforts in contributing to peacebuilding and youth development.


The Opening ceremony also featured special drama presentation by the Epoch Theatre Group on the Summit theme, Musical performance by Papa Monak and his Group tagged ‘Clarion Call’ and a cultural dance by the National Art and Culture Troupe.








SUMMIT SESSIONS

Summit Sessions commenced on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 with a tribute to Late Dr. Tajudeen, a Pan-Africanist who died in an auto crash in Kenya in May 2009.

Adams Peter Eloyi, spokesperson for SpeakAfrica Project spoke on the African Youth Charter and the Decade of the African Youth while Stephen Oguntoyinbo from Generations for Peace highlighted the importance of Sports as a Universal Language and Hope for this Generation. Questions were asked and discussions were held on how state parties can ratify the African Youth Charter and how best to domesticate the Charter. There were also questions on how young Africans can tap into the next Generations for Peace projects.


Rev. John Joseph Hayab, Secretary, Christian Association of Nigeria, Kaduna State Chapter discussed the important Role of Religion in Promoting Peace in the Society. Dr. A. A. Roberts revealed opportunities available in the International System for Africans and Africans in the Diaspora for achieving Sustainable Peacebuilding, MDGs and Regional Integration. The paper on Ethics and Morality as Foundations for Leadership presented by Chief Sen. Kanu Agabi attracted a lot of interest by the participants. Questions were asked on what Africa as a continent can do to produce Moral and effective leaders and how to check the excesses of corrupt leaders. Participants and speakers agreed that Leadership in Africa should be founded on the principles of Ethics and Morality.


The sessions that took place on Thursday June 4, 2009 were first the Special Session on Tourism and Environment, this started with a pre-presentation on the Niger Delta: Features and Prospects by Dr. Mathias J. Eka JP, National President, Niger Delta Peace Movement.


Then the proper session on Tourism and Environment as a tool for development commenced and was facilitated by Prince Sammi Okpalaeze, President, Int’l Youth Peace Tourism & Development Initiative (IYPTDI). Alh. Saleh K. Rabo - MD, All States Travel, Abuja, presented a paper on Travel and Tours: A Strategic Tool towards engaging Youth in Tourism for sustenance of regional integration of Africa. He was joined by Ibrahim B. Mustapha, GM, Niger State Tourism Cooperation, who represented Hon. Umar Mohammed Nasko, Hon. Comm. Tourism & Culture, Niger State, who spoke on the topic“Tourism and Environment: Partnership for Promoting Investment in Tourism: the Niger State Success Story”.

Mr. Amana A. M. was the Chairman of the “Tourism and Environment” Session representing the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Orientation, Nigeria. Goodwill Remarks were made by Mr. John Odey - Hon. Minister of Environment, Federal Republic of Nigeria who was the Distinguished Guest of Honour represented by a Deputy Director in the Ministry.


The Minister in his remarks had a lot of praise for the organizers of the summit and encouraged partnership with the Ministry on future programs.


There was a special session by the Chief Host of the Summit - ECOWAS Commission. Prof. Ade Adefuye - Special Adviser to ECOWAS President on Good Governance presented a paper on Youth Involvement in Peacebuilding while Mr. Kennedy Zaro Barsisa - Principal Programme Officer, Youth, Sports & Employment, ECOWAS Commission discussed Youth and the Challenges of African Integration: the West African Experience.



The afternoon session started with a presentation on the Role of Youth Participation in Peacebuilding and Sustainable Development by Amb. Ogenekaro E. Ekewenu - MD/CEO, Karokewenu Limited, Delta State, Nigeria. He was joined by Pleased Prophet (Dr.) Friday Ibanga - Chaplain Service Servant, The Chaplain Mission of Nigeria who challenged the Youths to ‘Say No to Restiveness.’ Amb. Dickson Akor - National Commandant, Peace Corps of Nigeria spoke on the Role of Youth in Peacebuilding in Africa. He was represented by Patriot Edet Ekpenyoung - Asst. National Commandant (General Duties), Peace Corps of Nigeria.


Veronica Ugwu - Regional Focal Person, Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA) West Africa spoke on Youth Development and Empowerment as paramount for National Peace and achievement of the MDGs: The GYCA Approach.


The day’s activities were brought to a close with a capacity building workshop on the Universal Principles for Peacebuilding by John Ipuole Oko - the President of Youth Federation for World Peace (Nigeria Chapter).




The sessions that took place on Friday June 5, 2009 focused on experience sharing, service project learning, networking meetings and reflection writing.


Mr. Chester T. Neese from Youth In Stand of Humanity and Developmental Action Inc. (YOSHUDEA)-Liberia, made a statement on the experiences of young people in Liberia.


In commemoration of the World Environment Day, there was a special session on Environment-related Service Projects. The presentations were aimed at educating the participants on how to contribute to community development through Service projects.


Prince Sammi Okpalaeze, President of Int’l Youth Peace Toursim & Development Initiative introduced participants to the Concept of Service Project while Barrister Nkiruka Nnaemego, CEO/Founder of Fresh & Young Brains Development Initiative, made a Special presentation on the Service Project done in commemoration of the 2009 Global Youth Service Day Celebration at the Abuja Children’s Home. She also gave an update of upcoming Youth events in Nigeria and encouraged participants to avail themselves of such opportunities to empower themselves.

Participants were shared into teams to discuss on the service projects they will carry out in their local communities as a way of practicalizing lessons learnt as well as contributing to societal development. Each team had a leader and a secretary who represented them in the plenary session.


Participants were encouraged to share experiences with one another during the Networking meetings session. They engaged themselves in discussions on their individual goals and projects as well as exchanged contacts.

Summit Communique Drafting Committee met and came up with the Communique. There was Reflection writing by participants which serves as an objective feedback to the organizers and partners for more successful summits in the future.




CLOSING CEREMONY


During the Closing Ceremony which took place in the evening of Friday 5th June 2009, the Honourable Minister of State for Education (Nigeria), Hajiya Aishatu Jibril Dukku was present to declare the summit closed. Together with other distinguished personalities including Adamu Abdu Loko (Zannan Loko) she was presented with the Youth Ambassador for Peace Award.


In his closing keynote lecture, John Ipuole Oko reiterated the importance of Character Development as a foundation for the achievement and sustenance of Peacebuilding, MDGs and Regional Integration of Africa. He advocated for a total overhaul of the educational sector saying:

“As we know, during graduation ceremonies, graduants are said to have been ‘found worthy’ in ‘character’ and in ‘learning.’ Meanwhile, some of the graduants were involved in examination malpractices, secret cultism, prostitution, and other social vices. Can we say that these are people found ‘worthy in character?’ Infact, throughout their entire schooling years, how many courses did they take on Character Development?


“We must review our educational curriculum and ensure that Character Education becomes an integral part of it. Good enough, our organisation now has wonderful materials well developed that can be used irrespective of our national, religious and other affiliations.”


The Minister who keenly listened to the lecture was so impressed that she promised to collaborate with the organizers in the nearest future to organize programs that will positively impact the educational sector of the country.


Participants were given their certificates of participation. There was a musical performance by Papa Monak and Group titled ‘African Union’ and a special video documentary on the Summit proceedings was played. The Summit came to a close with a Vote of Thanks by Mr. John Ipuole Oko, the Chairman of the Organizing Committee.







JOHN IPUOLE OKO
National President, YFWP-Nigeria

June 30, 2009 | 12:06 PM Comments  0 comments

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didola   didola diana's TIGblog
diana's profile

SWINE FLU DETECTED IN KENYA!
Related to country: Kenya

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

Scary but true. Although why the government tried to cover it up, God only knows. We had recieved texts and emails claiming that it had been discovered in westlands. The whole place was closed up and put under quarentine. But the government - ministry of health came out strongly and said that Kenya will be safe and that extensive precautions have been put in place to ensure that we will not be affected. Lo and behold, barely 48 hours later and the government breaks the news that a british student succumbed to H1N1 symptoms and was rushed to AAR westlands hence the place was quodroned of.
The question is, wasn't the student tested before she boarded the plane in heathrow? And why did the government lie about it, knowing that the flu is deadly?
Regardless, we have all been put on alert so it is useless to blame the government when we can protect our selves. Kenyans, be careful

June 29, 2009 | 12:31 PM Comments  0 comments

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Seanamo   Seanamo Sean Amos's TIGblog
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Kenya on Monday confirmed the first case of Swine Flu


NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 29 - Kenya on Monday confirmed the first case of Swine Flu involving 20-year-old British student who is on a field trip in Kisumu.

Public Health Minister Beth Mugo broke the news on Monday, saying that the patient may have had contact with the initial suspected case that turned negative on Saturday in Nairobi.

“The patient has been quarantined at a hotel in Kisumu,” she told a press conference at her Afya House office.

On Saturday a suspected case of Swine Flu in Kenya tested negative after momentarily spreading panic across Nairobi.

Ministry of Public Health officials said tests conducted at the Kenya Medical Research Institute – based Centre for Disease Control produced no traces of the H1N1 influenza virus.

Samples were taken from a 20-year old Kenyan female student who had arrived from London and reported that she may have come into contact with someone exhibiting symptoms of the flu.

She was rushed to the AAR Health Clinic at Sarit Centre, Westlands where doctors immediately alerted KEMRI officials who took over the case.

AAR Public Relations Officer Juliet Ratemo said: “We closed the AAR Health Centre and took all measures to ensure that our staff and other patients present did not come into further unprotected contact with the patient.”

News about the patient had spread across Nairobi via SMS overnight on Friday, spreading panic as people sought to know the authenticity of the text messages.

In mid this month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) raised the Pandemic alert status from phase 5 to phase 6, which meant that the disease had reached the emergency level.

“It’s not killing more people, it’s not more aggressive than before so don’t think because we have elevated the phase to 6 the disease has become more severe, no! It is about geographical spread. We have been expecting the worst, we are lucky it’s not that bad,” Dr David Okello, WHO Kenya Director had said.

After the alert was raised, Public Health Minister Beth Mugo said the government had stepped up surveillance of the influenza H1N1 and over 50,000 doses of the drug Tamiflu was in the stock pile for use in case of an outbreak in the country.

She had also said there was a ready isolation facility at the Kenyatta National Hospital in case of an outbreak.

The first case of influenza H1N1 virus was reported in late April in Mexico.

According to the WHO website, by Friday, there were 59,814 confirmed cases of the swine flu around the world. 263 people have died of the disease.

The H1N1 strain is a new type of virus that has not circulated previously in humans. The virus is contagious, spreading easily from one person to another and from one country to another.

Young people under the age of 25 years are the main casualties in all the countries.
A similar outbreak occurred in 1918 but was more severe than the current epidemic but the WHO warned that this may change hence the need for more vigilance.

Kenyans can get more information on the disease through the following contacts: 0722- 331 548,020-204 0542, 271 8292.

HOW IT SPREADS AND SYMPTOMS


The virus typically spreads from coughs and sneezes or by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the nose or mouth. Symptoms are similar to those of the seasonal flu, and may include fever, sneezes, coughs, headache, muscles or joint pain, sore throat, chills, fatigue and runny nose.

The CDC notes that most hospitalizations have been people with underlying conditions such as asthma, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, or a weakened immune systems. In an attempt to slow the spread of the illness, a number of countries, especially in Asia, have enforced strict quarantines on travellers showing any symptoms, along with travellers seated nearby any infected persons.


June 29, 2009 | 7:06 AM Comments  0 comments

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mwashi   mwashi Mwashighadi's TIGblog
Mwashighadi's profile

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

The Michael Jackson,
Literally the whole world is mourning The King of Pop, I can put my money to it, and everyone living today will find a song to enjoy in MJ’s collection.

MJ was a man of many “coats” apart from the leather gold plated fatigue he had others, He was, may be the worlds greatest musician, a business man and a philanthropist, He was a very colorful man and probably his childhood-star life drove him to constantly seek global attention, to the point of making some unpopular decisions.
Just like you and me MJ was a man with his fears, challenges and desired many things most of them you and me desire too, He wanted to be a good father and husband (Yet to debate if he wasn’t), He reached out to the less fortunate and even inspired most present day musicians. MJ’ early life is a mixture of great times of a parents who saw his potential and drove him to reach it but also tough times where he experienced emotional and physical abuse from his Father.

From his collection, MJ sang it out loud, his lyrics and clips telling it all, an array of great imagination. Sensational thinking, idealism, possibilities, theatrical, lyrical and what else? He was in deed great or more than that!

Michael might not have made the best of Dads, Brother Business man or Philanthropist, probably we can debate that. He might not have made the best of mentors! Michael did it his way! It’s evident that he made the best of musicians, why we know this its the millions of copies his music sold, the singles that beat number one, the music playing on my laptop now, such music playing in thousands of homesteads across the world as afar as Japan, that’s how we know he made the greatest musician. I bet if they were to write on his tombstone, they will miss words, probably if they asked me to do so, I would have a simple phrase. “Here lies the greatest of musicians”.


June 27, 2009 | 6:12 PM Comments  0 comments

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Seanamo   Seanamo Sean Amos's TIGblog
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2 lost icons: For Generation X, a really bad day


A record-shattering vinyl album and its moonwalking maestro. A paper poster of a golden-haired beauty in a one-piece swimsuit that was gossamer and clingy in all the right places.

It all seems so quaint now, the fragmented dream memories of a fleeting micro-era that began with words like "bicentennial" and "pet rock" and ended with MTV, Atari and absurdly thin cans of super-hold mousse.

The man-child named Michael Jackson and the luminous girl known as Farrah Fawcett-Majors jumped into our consciousness at a plastic moment in American culture — a time when the celebrity juggernaut we know today was still in diapers. When they departed Thursday, just a few hours and a few miles apart, they left an entire generation — a very strange generation indeed — without two of its defining figures.

"These people were on our lunchboxes," said Gary Giovannetti, 38, a manager at HBO who grew up on Long Island awash in Farrah and MJ iconography. "This," he said, "is the moment when Generation X realizes they're grown up."

It was a long time coming. Cynical, disaffected, rife with ADD, lost between Boomers and millennials and sandwiched between Vietnam and the war on terror, Gen X has always been an oddity. It was the product of a transitional age when we were still putting people on celebrity pedestals but only starting to make an industry out of dragging them down.

Its memorable moments were diffuse and confusing — the Ronald Reagan assassination attempt, the dawn of AIDS, the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger. It had no protest movement, no opponent to unite it, none of the things that typically shape the ill-defined beast we call an American generation.

These were the people who sent to the top of the charts a song called "We Don't Need Another Hero," then figured out how to churn them out wholesale, launching the celebrity obsession that is now an accepted part of American cultural fabric.

And that was personified nowhere better than in the two people who died Thursday.

She was, perhaps, the last in a line that began with Betty Grable in World War II — the bathing beauty who seemed kissed by the sun and exuded a potent combination of innocence and sexuality. But her "Charlie's Angels" jiggle-show image presaged another world entirely. It was the one that would come to be dominated first by Brooke and her Calvins and ultimately, as the hunger grew tawdrier, by American Apparel ads and the celebrity sex videos of Pamela Anderson and Paris Hilton.

She struggled for credibility after the poster and the Angels. She got it in 1984 with a dramatic turn as an abused wife in "The Burning Bed." But her last stand — a documentary about the cancer that killed her — was tainted by her run-ins with insatiable paparazzi and tabloids.

He was another thing entirely — perhaps the most recognizable face in the world, even more so than the pope or Barack Obama. His musical genius and energy seemed boundless for a time. They were rivaled only by his quirks, which consumed him.

He had a bumpy, extraordinarily public childhood. Then he spent an off-the-wall lifetime trying to get it back, erecting a ranch named after the fantasy land of Peter Pan and inviting children to share his life and his bed — with results that some said drifted into the criminal.

He caught fire in a Pepsi commercial. He shrouded his children in full-body coverings and dangled one over a balcony to show his fans below. His fabled multiple plastic surgeries turned him into someone almost unrecognizable. Nose sunk into face, cheekbones became caricature, ebony drifted into ivory.

Yet through it all, even when the years of his quirks outstripped the years of his glory, he remained one of the planet's most popular figures, selling out shows wherever he went. "Icon," the Rev. Al Sharpton said, was "only a fraction of what he was." But icon was, of course, what he always acted as if he wanted to be.

Today, celebrities aren't merely created for our consumption. Audiences are passive no longer. We demand a part in creating our icons: Jon and Kate Gosselin and their ilk might as well be publicly held companies, and we all insist upon buying a few shares. Farrah and Michael Jackson were other — above us, maybe, or apart from us. Now, when we crown new icons, we want them to BE us.

"We want everything right now, and there's a blurring of reality. When does the celebrity world stop and our world begin?" said Penni Pier, an associate professor of communications at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa.

When Farrah gazed at us in her swimsuit and, a single moment in history later, MJ dared us to moonwalk, they commanded giant audiences. The world had not yet become fragmented into the microcommunities that exist today. We liked them or we hated them, but we shared the experience just as Walter Cronkite told us each night that "that's the way it is."

Today, when Lindsay Lohan Twitters pictures of herself to her legions of followers, the notion that a paper poster bought in a shopping-mall Spencer Gifts could change the celebrity game seems rustic. And the vinyl version of "Thriller," redolent of raw materials and production lines, is a ghost in the virtual world of iTunes — a world that the generation after X negotiates with the fluidity of natives.

In the 1990s, members of Generation X would often laugh in bars about how the time of the Boomers was passing — about how the quaintness and naivete that made up the 1960s was, finally, a grave being danced on by Kurt Cobain. Today, members of that same generation sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings of pop.

A sexy poster upon a boy's wall in which a young woman grins wholesomely. A record album called "Thriller" and its attendant music videos, built upon the notion that sexiness came in the frisson of hints and suggestions rather than in cutting directly to the big reveal.

In the end, finally, they stand as the relics of a generation — one that struggled to find its place and now, suddenly, while still young, one that must wonder if it is as passe as the paper and vinyl that its icons' most memorable moments were etched upon.

We don't need another hero? After this week, are we sure?


June 26, 2009 | 6:06 AM Comments  0 comments

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Michael Jackson, the King of Pop is dead at 50


For his legions of fans, he was the Peter Pan of pop music: the little boy who refused to grow up. But on the verge of another attempted comeback, he is suddenly gone, this time for good.



Michael Jackson, whose quintessentially American tale of celebrity and excess took him from musical boy wonder to global pop superstar to sad figure haunted by lawsuits, paparazzi and failed plastic surgery, was pronounced dead on Thursday afternoon at U.C.L.A. Medical Center after arriving in a coma, a city official said. Mr. Jackson was 50, having spent 40 of those years in the public eye he loved.

The singer was rushed to the hospital, a six-minute drive from the rented Bel-Air home in which he was living, shortly after noon by paramedics for the Los Angeles Fire Department. A hospital spokesman would not confirm reports of cardiac arrest. He was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm.

As with Elvis Presley or the Beatles, it is impossible to calculate the full effect Mr. Jackson had on the world of music. At the height of his career, he was indisputably the biggest star in the world; he has sold more than 750 million albums. Radio stations across the country reacted to his death with marathon sessions of his songs. MTV, which grew successful in part as a result of Mr. Jackson’s groundbreaking videos, reprised its early days as a music channel by showing his biggest hits.

From his days as the youngest brother in the Jackson 5 to his solo career in the 1980s and early 1990s, Mr. Jackson was responsible for a string of hits like “I Want You Back,” “I’ll Be There” “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” “Billie Jean” and “Black and White” that exploited his high voice, infectious energy and ear for irresistible hooks.

As a solo performer, Mr. Jackson ushered in the age of pop as a global product — not to mention an age of spectacle and pop culture celebrity. He became more character than singer: his sequined glove, his whitened face, his moonwalk dance move became embedded in the cultural firmament.

His entertainment career hit high-water marks with the release of “Thriller,” from 1982, which has been certified 28 times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, and with the “Victory” world tour that reunited him with his brothers in 1984.

But soon afterward, his career started a bizarre disintegration. His darkest moment undoubtedly came in 2003, when he was indicted on child molesting charges. A young cancer patient claimed the singer had befriended him and then groped him at his Neverland estate near Santa Barbara, Calif., but Mr. Jackson was acquitted on all charges.

Reaction to his death started trickling in from the entertainment community late Thursday.

“I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news,” the music producer Quincy Jones said in a statement. “I’ve lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him.”

Berry Gordy, the Motown founder who helped develop the Jackson 5, told CNN that Mr. Jackson, as a boy, “always wanted to be the best, and he was willing to work as hard as it took to be that. And we could all see that he was a winner at that age.

Tommy Mottola, a former head of Sony Music, called Mr. Jackson “the cornerstone to the entire music business.”

“He bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and pop music and made it into a global culture,” said Mr. Mottola, who worked with Mr. Jackson until the singer cut his ties with Sony in 2001.

Impromptu vigils broke out around the world, from Portland, Ore., where fans organized a one-gloved bike ride (“glittery costumes strongly encouraged”) to Hong Kong, where fans gathered with candles and sang his songs.

In Los Angeles, hundreds of fans — some chanting Mr. Jackson’s name, some doing the “Thriller” dance — descended on the hospital and on the hillside house where he was staying.

Jeremy Vargas, 38, hoisted his wife, Erica Renaud, 38, on his shoulders and they danced and bopped to “Man in the Mirror” playing from an onlooker’s iPod connected to external speakers — the boom boxes of Mr. Jackson’s heyday long past their day.

“I am in shock and awe,” said Ms. Renaud, who was visiting from Red Hook, Brooklyn, with her family. “He was like a family member to me.”

Dreams of a Comeback

Mr. Jackson was an object of fascination for the news media since the Jackson 5’s first hit, “I Want You Back,” in 1969. His public image wavered between that of the musical naif, who wanted only to recapture his youth by riding on roller-coasters and having sleepovers with his friends, to the calculated mogul who carefully constructed his persona around his often-baffling public behavior.

June 26, 2009 | 3:06 AM Comments  0 comments

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Neda's vote counts
Related to country: Iran

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

Neda’s vote counts

As I lay in the streets bleeding,
You are still in fortified palaces feeding
As my friends continue pleading,
You refuse to recount votes and continue misleading
I can feel my soul slowly leaving
Even though my face is beaming
My friends are now fearfully screaming
It’s all becoming hazy like I’m dreaming.

Why did I even bother to vote?
If you were going to rig out my vote
Why did I put my trust in the ballot?
If you would later kill my freedoms with a bullet
You use force to stay in power
Police batons rain on me like a shower,
You will have to kill me because I will not cower.

I lay on my back in the street
You shot me and now my body bleeds
I’m now a martyr, what my soul needs
A revolutionary symbol in my death
You will not continue to commit crimes in stealth.

June 25, 2009 | 12:45 PM Comments  4 comments

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Seanamo   Seanamo Sean Amos's TIGblog
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Ha..ha..ha

A wealthy old lady decides to go on a photo safari in Africa, taking her poodle along for company.

One day the poodle starts chasing butterflies and before long, discovers that he's lost. Wandering about, he notices a hungry-looking leopard heading rapidly in his direction.

The poodle thinks, "Oh, oh!" Noticing some bones on the ground close by, he immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the approaching cat. Just as the leopard is about to leap, the poodle exclaims loudly, "Boy, that was one delicious leopard! I wonder if there are any more around here?"

Hearing this, the leopard halts his attack in mid-strike, a look of terror comes over him and he slinks away into the trees. "Whew!", says the leopard, "That was close! That poodle nearly had me!"

Meanwhile, a monkey who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree, figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the leopard. So off he goes, but the poodle sees him heading after the leopard with great speed, and figures that something must be up. The monkey soon catches up with the leopard, spills the beans and strikes a deal for himself with the leopard.

The leopard is furious at being made a fool of and says, "Here, monkey, hop on my back so you can watch me chew that poodle to bits!"

Now, the poodle sees the leopard coming with the monkey on his back and thinks, "What am I going to do now?", but instead of running, the dog sits down with his back to his attackers, pretending he hasn't seen them yet, and waits until they get just close enough to hear.

"Where's that damn monkey?" the poodle says, "I sent him off an hour ago to bring me another leopard!"

June 22, 2009 | 9:06 AM Comments  0 comments

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Did you know this....

Personally I wouldn't marry someone I don't know. You need to know what
you are committing yourself to. After all we are talking about a
life-long commitment. Like the author, I also don't believe that one
should be in a relationship for five years before committing without a
sound reason, whatever that means. The point is: five years is too long a
time for two people to be involved without any progress.

They stay in relationships with hope. My advice to all the women is:
Start from now and ask your long relationship partner what he thinks about
you!

I am a man myself but I am sure that it will not take me years to marry a
woman Once I get a right woman with all the qualities or I need, I will
get married immediately. It will not take years, a year will be too long,
and a delay will be caused by arrangements. I also blame you women why
don't you ask your partners?

There are plenty guys who are interested in you but you always tell them
about your boyfriend that you have been involved for 4yrs and you are
happy, my question is if you are happy why are you in relationship for so
long
(4yrs) without marriage Women are not clever enough when it comes to do a
feasibility study about men.

WAKE UP AND ASK HIM (boyfriend): What will be my future with you? Do not
take excuses? Tell him your future plans Enough is enough ask him what
he is waiting for? If possible give him your parents' address and he must
tell them what he wants from you. If he came to play around with you he
will never come back. You must rather stay without a man rather than
wasting your time with someone who will hurt you and leave you, for how
long will you live like that? Once you are able to do that you will see
the future you were dreaming of.

A RIGHT MAN WHO LOVES YOU WILL COME AND DO THAT. You ladies with
long-term relationships ask your boyfriends today, if he is mumbling,
leave him because you will be depressed one day if you find out that he is
getting married to someone whom he met within 4 months. Imagine (4years =
4months) I am just picturing how your feeling will be? Ladies stay away
from those relationships, they are 3% useful and 97% wasting your time.
There could be someone out there who was going to marry you during this
4yrs maybe it was going to take him a year to marry you but you refused
you wanted to stay in a relationship with no due date. We are all working
according to time
(Projects, Deliveries, Purchasing, Contracts, etc.) Why Not Love Affairs?


I have sisters I always tell them because I want the best for them. Some
of you might not agree but I am sure this can help some of you.

PLEASE REMEMBER THIS: "IF A MAN IS STABLE IN LIFE, IN A RELATIONSHIP, BUT
NOT MARRIED, THEN IT IS BECAUSE HE IS NOT SURE ABOUT THE WOMAN THAT HE IS
WITH."

He is not willing to commit to her and constantly has his eye open for
something better or is waiting for her to become something better. Point
blank. When he finds a woman that he is satisfied with, he will make her
his wife. And ladies, sorry to tell some of you, but it doesn't take 4 or
5 years for that man to figure it out. It doesn't take 2 or 3 years
either.
The only reason that a man will get married after that long of a time is
because he's tired of looking for something better. And trust me, that's
definitely what he was doing all of those years. So if you should happen
to find yourself in one of those "long term" relationships then maybe you
should step back, take a look at yourself and wonder what it is that
you're missing by doing favors for this man who is not willing to fully
commit.

Don't make excuses to yourself and your girlfriends saying things like "Oh
he's waiting 'til he gets a better job" or "he's waiting to finish school"
or "he's waiting until he moves from his apartment to a house".

DON'T FOOL YOURSELF, IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED!!

Which one of those things can't be done with a wife or fiancé' by your side?
So ladies, when you read this think about your situation and that man that
you are living with, or the one that you spend many nights over his house
or him over yours. Think about your baby's father that you are still in a
sexual relationship with. Think about your "ex" that you are in a sexual
relationship with. Think about your "boyfriend". And definitely think
twice before you brag on a relationship that's a couple of years long and
you still have no commitment.

Like I've said before, I'm a man and I know the situation. I've been
there and I know that we can come up with some extremely reasonable
excuses, but.... DON'T FOOL YOURSELF, IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED!

"Ladies, can i hear you say Amen!!"

And

"Guys, let's be honest"

June 22, 2009 | 9:06 AM Comments  0 comments

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IRAN POLL VIOLENCE; WHY WEST NEED REBIRTH OF ARAB DEMOCRATIZATION POLICIES
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

After the disputed polls in Iran and the aftermath, characterized by ugly scenes of violence, anger, frustrations and hatred, there is need to examine the relationship, if any, between the western and Arab democracies. Indeed the government has accused the West of trying to interfere while the opposition is too defiant to give in to calls of cease fire. This article is motivated by the close association the results of Iranian election results have with Kenya’s 2007 disputed polls. The difference only being that president Ahmadinejad ‘won’ massively, the man who visited Kenya two months ago to meet the president before Kenya’s PM flew to Tehran two weeks later. What an irony? But will president Ahmadinejad and Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi share the loaf-half bin half? Back to the topic, different scholars give diverse description of democracy based on the understanding and specific point of reference. Democracy therefore can be defined as ‘a belief in freedom and equality between people, or a system of government based on this belief, in which power is ether held by elected representative or directly by the people themselves’ (Ahmar, pp.1).
Democracy, from the western countries’ point of view is a “government of the people, by the people, for the people" (Anderson, pp.1). As such, the concept has had different applications and interpretations which have seen the movement change in form and system. Consequently there has been emergence of what is called Western Democracy as practiced in the western world and attempts by the west to woo other countries to adopt this system. Ahmar strongly criticizes the Western form of democracy especially in its relationship with the Muslim world stating that the system is not only different from the ancient one but can also be very manipulative as the elected representatives can interfere with the voting process and outcomes as well as the public opinion and debate (Ahmar, pp.2).
The Muslim perspective of democracy on the other hand can be described as a conservative principle in which the sovereignty of the rulers and the people lies with God. This system views democracy as one which incorporates religion into the political system. This is what Anderson refers to as Islamic democracy, ‘a mixture of the rule of people and the supremacy of God’ (Anderson, pp.1). The definition of Muslim democracy therefore is one that support the concept that all are equal before God though the rulers must relate their actions to the teachings of Koran through adoption of a mutual consultative process called Shura as found in Koran 42:38 (Esposito & Voll, pp.1 and Louws, pp.1).
This form of democracy therefore only prevails on a limited scale and it must not be against the Islamic religious teachings. Therefore, the rule of democracy can only be allowed up to a give point as long as it does not go against the Islamic doctrines, a system which according to Anderson has both a democratic and an authoritarian face (Anderson, pp.1). Likewise, Madelbaum asserts that the Islamic faith which dominates the Arab region is not wholly incompatible with democracy since certain countries like Mali, Turkey, and Indonesia have managed to form stable and productive democratic governments, though some imperfections, by carefully balancing religion and politics (Mandelbaum, pp.1).
In contrast the West has attempted to use various means including force (aggressive democracy promotion) against the weak to entrench their democratic systems as the case with Iraq and Afghanistan and currently Iran hence hardening their desire for nuclear weapons (Perkovich, pp.5). Research by United States Institute of Peace earnestly reveals that Arab world has the lowest level of political freedom in comparison to other regions in the world, a trend that ought to be reversed (United States Institute of Peace, pp.1). Controversy therefore arises as scholars’ debate whether or not and to what extent should the Arab world adopt democracy especially with the rise of Muslim radicalisms, violent insurgencies and terrorisms. Regrettably, the major player in Middle East democratization process, the U.S especially during the reign of President George W. Bush, owing to its strong policy stand which associated war on terror with the war against Islam portrayed the religion as non peaceful and undemocratic (Hayajneh, pp.4). Despite the major benefits of democracy, however, research shows that most countries have not fully embraced the idea. According to Cooter, research findings clearly demonstrate that only a small fraction of states in Africa and the Middle East are democratic with most being tentative, fragile and highly against any form of competition and fair play (Cooter, pp.5). the worrying statistical trend analysis indicate that out of 14 middle east countries, only 2 (14 % ) are democratic with the 12 (86 % ) others being non democracies (Cooter, pp.5). Citing Iran as an example, Moin states that such radical groups are responsible for the adoption of 1979 Iranian constitution which refers to the country as ‘Islamic republic’( Moin, pp.1). There has also been use of religious clerics who are taken to be the spiritual leaders though they are above the powers of the constitution. Such leaders in theory can be sacked but they are not accountable to anybody and are viewed as God’s representatives who are above every branch of power and any political arrangement including the formal courts systems, the presidency and the parliament (Moin, pp.1).
Promotion of popular competition and accountability are also reasons why the Middle East needs to adopt democracy. According to Cooter, democracy is a very viable form of governance as it not only promote accountability but also ensure fair competition through open and free elections that makes the elected representatives be responsive to the needs of the electorates just like the case with competitive market structures where the players have to obey the consumers wants to remain in the market (Cooter, pp.6). Further, direct democracy should be promoted in the Middle East as a vehicle through which voters’ preferences can be effectively satisfied. At the same time, the proponents of democracy have resorted to civil pressure to push their leaders to accept certain critical elements of democracy.
A strong relationship between Islam as a religion with democracy has been provided by Sulami who emphasizes that religion and politics can be separable in Islam since democracy is not against religion per see hence attempts to separate the two is ‘not a precondition of democracy’ (Sulami, pp.1). This stipulation gives an indication that even in mature democracies; religion is a power force in the political system since ‘democracy is areligious’ (Sulami, pp.1). It is also true that a democratic and politically stable Middle East would be critical if the peace of the world is to be realized as the region hosts numerous terrorist cells and militant groups.
Such reforms therefore need not to necessarily follow the Western process in instituting democracy but need to be owned by the very citizens of the Arab world who are to be served by the political arrangement. A careful balance must also be created between politics and Islamic religion so as to avoid any problem that may occur like misuse of the democratic space by the Islamic militias and terrorists to take over power through the ballot. The approach could take a model which attempts to bridge the gap between Islamic values and Muslim practices and marry the two into institutionalized democracy as the model used in Mali, Turkey and Indonesia (Smock, pp.1 and Mandelbaum, pp.1). The people also need to be educated on the benefits of such systems as they would have their voices heard and hold their representatives accountable in running of state affairs. Unfortunately if you ask whether internet application especially of face book and twitter as well phones and other multimedia to reach ( voter education)the Iranian youths is responsible for the ‘awakening’ I will neither reply nor talk but remind you to trace Arab politics to Islamic conquests and oil money.

Change Required; the western countries must critically analyze with a view to understand the nature of the problem in each specific country and also include all the influential people and institutions in the Middle East in the reform policies for the region. This change of attitude and tactical approach is needed now more than ever since US policy makers have been noted to ignore moderate Islamic voices for reform despite the fact that such groupings have strong and massive political and religious following in the region (United States Institute of Peace, pp.1).



References:
Ahmar, F. Muslim Political Thought; Secularism and Democracy: Meanings and Views.
(2006). Retrieved June 22, 2009, from http://www.hoggar.org/index2.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=132&Itemid=28
Anderson, J.W. Islamic Democracy's Power Politics (2001). Retrieved June 22, 2009,
from http://www.britannica.com/news/washingtonpost/article?article_id=224338
Moin, B. Theocracy vs. Democracy. (2001). Retrieved June 22, 2009, from
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1373693.stm.
Cooter, R. Median V. Bargain Democracy. (2002). University of California; Berkeley.
Retrieved June 22, 2009, from http://repositories.cdlib.org/berkeley law econ/fall2002/7
from http://www.neh.gov/news/humanities/2001-11/islam.html
Mandelbaum, M. Arab Democracy and American Policy. (2009). Retrieved June 22, 2009,
Mier, B. A. Promoting Democracy in The Arab And Muslim World. (2007). Foreign
Service Journal. Washington DC.
Sulami, M. Democracy in the Arab World: The Islamic Foundation. (2005). Retrieved
June 22, 2009, from http://www.opendemocracy.net/democracy-opening/islam_2990.jsp
United States Institute of Peace. Promoting Middle East Democracy II: Arab Initiatives.
(2005). Retrieved June 22, 2009, from http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr