Part One
FRANCIS WAWERU NDERITU
“I would rather travel to my rural home on weekends to be with the folks there than attend the common feasting and merry-making bashes in the city. When I am unable to be there for a wedding, a fund-raising or burial with a good reason, I send my contribution and it gives me immense satisfaction”.
Easier said than done? Not by Francis Waweru Nderitu, a successful professional operating his own business firm in Nairobi but with astonishing close ties with his fellow villagers in the larger Leshau Location in particular and Ndaragwa constituents in general.
“Many well-to-do people participate with abandon in social matters in the estates where they live in Nairobi and other big towns. I have no quarrel with this trend as such, but if they would do so and give some of their quality weekend time to where they come from in the rural places, I would prophesy more blessings and prosperity in their employments, businesses and dreams,” says Waweru.
Waweru, who is a holder of a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Land Economics from the University of Nairobi where he studied from 1990 to 1995 and is a member of the prestigious Institute of Surveyors of Kenya - Valuers and Estate Management Chapter, says that deep in his heart, he would like to see Ndaragwa Constituency transformed into a model constituency in many aspects.
Nothing much has changed in the area since he was born and blend in the constituency in 1970, he notes. At least infrastructure-wise, if not the life-styles of the hard-working people who strive to educate their children with the meagre proceeds from their small (land) holdings whose market is still hampered by poor means of communication and transport.
“One of my dreams for Ndaragwa is to see it realize its full potential as a food basket. I also dream to see the youth in the area access and embrace modern technology facilities right at the village level, where I would also be happier to see them revisit the valuable African cultural norms such as unqualified respect for parents, elders, the law, answerability to the society and hard working,” he says.
Towards the youth affairs, Waweru says he intends to reach them through the revival of cultural get-togethers and meaningful goat-eatings presided over by vetted elders who will deliver counselling, supporting group initiation ceremonies as introduced by the church, and invitation of role-models and motivational speakers in every available youth gathering including schools and churches.
Those who know him testify that he has already started a system of meeting elders and men in general throughout the constituency. From his own pocket, he is currently paying school fees for at least seven secondary school students from needy families. He says the award of bursaries in the whole constituency has never been transparent especially in recent times when, he says, to obtain any information from the local constituency office is a big problem.
In an interview with The Home News, Waweru disclosed that he intends to convene a meeting with all working university graduates as well as all elites and successful business people who call Ndaragwa their rural home, with the view of urging them to take up the challenge of paying complete school or college fees for at least one needy student from the constituency, each.
“We lack grassroot participation in the running of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), bursary funds and others meant for the general welfare of the community. People do not own the projects purported to be financed by CDF, since the process of appointing the members of the locational development committees or identification of community projects is a one-man-show. The Constituency web-site contains no information on how the CDF monies are used. Most of the information that used to be there was even deleted!” he observes.
Waweru says he has plans to organize educational tours for locational leaders and stakeholders to constituencies such as Gatanga and Mwea, for them to grasp the extent of the lagging behind of their area in order to have their eyes opened to see their rights.
“Our people are hard working and just need a good manager. There should be more savings and credit co-operatives (SACCOS) The government has provided funds. The area has professionals and technocrats ready to give free services and advice. But we are lacking structures and avenues. Constituency leadership is not about seeking to be seen on TV craving to be seen franking national leaders at matters that hardly have anything to do with issues at home,” Waweru notes. One gains no political milage by laying claim on, say, roads or water projects gravelled, initiated or maintained by government ministries or donor organizations without one’s input whatsoever, he adds. He observes that good working relationship among civic leaders and a sitting MP was crucial to a harmonious life-style of the people.
Waweru, who has served as the treasurer of the powerful Nairobi Central Business District Association, the key advisor on valuation for rating for various municipal and town councils in the country and in charge of groups of companies properties management as well as in-house construction for various tenants premises including embassies, is currently the chairman of the Board of Governors of Pondo Secondary School in his home village of Ndogino in Leshau Pondo.
He notes that in readiness for the forthcoming Nyandarua County Government, no current politician from the area seems bothered that Ndaragwa has no higher education institution such as a university college. None also seems to care, he notes, that lobbying should be done early for a national project such as the construction of an air port or revival of a railway station, construction of factories and so on.
“I hope to organize a Press Open Day in the constituency, where residents will be able to know where and how to air their complaints and opinions. For instance, people do not seem to know where to complain when their water is polluted, dams are silted, wild animals destroy their farms, access roads are horrible, health centres are un-staffed or lack medicine, schools are mismanaged, farm produce lack markets, etcetera. They also need to be educated on services such as the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), Local Authorities Services Delivery Plan (LASDAP), the Economic Stimulus Package,” Waweru says.
Next week we focus on another personality. If you know one who qualifies for these series, please contact: The Managing Editor, Home News, 0722-689968. The editor welcomes comments or criticism on these series.
BY WANJOHI NDERITU
