I think as KE rightly said, we have a new generation of diaspora. They are highly motivated and also politically aware. They realise that if Africa is weak, they will also be weak in their adopted countries. More importantly, we realise there is MONEY to be made in Africa. That is a good motivation for the diaspora to now get involved in Kenya or Africa at large.

On the issue of assimilation, it does not mean that a person who has assimilated well into their adopted country will no invest in their motherland. Jews are the best assimilated of all immigrants. Infact, they are so well assimilated that they no longer use their Jewish names. many of them are anglicized. However, they still play a part as far as helping their motherland id concerned. I think what matters most is a person’s values.

Yes it is also true that Africans have tended to discard their culture more easily than other people in the past – but there is a new trend where people are not losing sight of their past.

Infact, there is a concerted effort to involve even those who may have completely lost their roots e.g. African-Americans and the Caribbean people. Ghana is one country which has benefited from a scheme where they are encouraging African-Americans and Caribbean people to invest and settle in that country. A number have relocated and others have investments.

The main point however is that we first have to agree on how to run politics.

Nothing will happen in Kenya till the politics is fixed. Period: None will invest in Kiambu or Eldoret or even Nairobi….for the future is not certain

DIASPORA

Yes the first wave of migrants always run awy due to adverse conditions home like potatoe blight for US irish,pogroms for the US jews,religious intolerance for the Germanics,poverty for the Italians

The second generation ones are still finding a footing …its the third ,fourth and fith……. generations that did transform their motherlands technlogy (you are right the motherlands must be ready before recieve them)

My Concern now is their is nothing binding Kenyans after the 1st geneartion…..Indians have hindusim,chinese,Japanese have thirs…Jews have judaism…This people do not assimilate to the diaspora culture..hence maintaining their identity….Now look

Obama is firts geneartion..he is so American he is running for white house…

I guess by 3rd generation Kikuyu/Luo/kalenjin diasporao will be as white as say Tony Blair

This guys wount come back: Hence no transfers whatsoever: Our cultures are very weak

comment mr keoi:

I think there is a misconception about the jobs that the diaspora engage in. Of course it is true that there is a number of the diaspora engaged in low skill employment but there is also a high number increasingly engaged in high skilled work.

If I give you a snapshot of the UK – majority of the UK diaspora arrived in the 90s during the economic devastation unleashed by the previous regime. 15 years later, many of them have moved on from the menial jobs and are into self-employment. Others have now brought their children who are currently graduating from universities all over the UK. It is this latter group that should be targeted to bring back technology and ideas. The older group has been very good in sending back capital – investing in real estate, stocks and shares and also paying school fees for others back in Kenya.

At the end of the day, the diaspora is not the panacea to Kenya’s economic problems. They can only be part of the solution. The ultimate solution lies in Kenya, with the Kenyans themselves. I think that expanding opportunities in education is one way of leveling the playing field. Of course, this needs provision of world class educational facilities.

But Lord, how do I set up an educational institution in Eldoret or Kiambu if I fear it is going to be burnt down at the next round of elections? Do you feel me? Nobody can do this fo Kenyans – they have to do it themselves.

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How can Anyang Nyongo return people who had devastated medical parastatals? Is this how you increase efficiency and performance?I dont think so! It is these sort of decisions that scare investors away.

You are right on CAPITAL…If we do not want you capital you can take it elswhere for maximal returns BUT you must also you must admit capital is like the ‘fish in the proverb’…it will keep us alive for a day

Again you are right on GoK…..to attract its Diaspora as investors (they are the easiest group to attract for obvious reosons): by ofcourse investing in infrastucture…comunications (ICT and roads). Justice/Courts efficency and efficent well educated labour (of which the Gok as done well)

BUT Gok is not short of Money…Its short of TECHNOLOGY….
By technogly i mean top notch techs in the tradiational sense of the word plus top notch legal ,financial,thinkers who have had the world class exposure enjoyed by the diaspora…..

Are our diaspora really upto it….are they ? !!arent’ most of them doing hospitality jobs akin to the filipinos…..

SOMETIMES am of the opinion Gok sends (airlifts) 100000 top students (10000) every yaer to high tech countries….This will achive a vision 2030 easily : Am All EARS

I think it is only a matter of time before Kenyans bring back the technology you crave for.

But let me ask you ask you something – how are you going to get an outsourcing contract when Kenya’s internet speeds are tortoise-like????? It is imperative that Kenyans lay down the necessary infrastructure for technological development. This is the work of the government. Perhaps we shall see a change when that Optic Fibre project is completed.

As for the funds that Kenyans are currently using to buy real estate, I don’t see anything wrong with that. That is the best opportunity for investment that they have so far identified in Kenya.

I think that you have fallen victim to the Kenyan syndrome of criticising without offering an alternative solution. Criticising for its own sake. A country of whingers and moaners…….

By the way, the diaspora funds are not only used to invest in Kenya, they are also used to invest here in Europe. I know of a group of Kenyan women here in the UK who bought a block of flats off-plan. They contributed £3000 each and got a 30% discount on the properties.

So if you don’t want the diaspora funds, they will be diverted elsewhere and we will just come there to spend pennies as tourists. That is the beauty of the market. Capital goes where it will get reasonable returns. Fortunately, the government realises the value of these funds and has a different view from yours.

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The investment forum I mentioned the other day will be held this August in London. Check the following website for details.

http://www.investin-africa.com

And I will be there. Infact, I have an interest in one of the Kenyan companies exhibiting. So – if you want to meet me, attend the event.

Its true (almost) that No country ever made to a developed or emerging developed or fast developing without the GREAT diaspora (where the diaspora was based in advanced countries)

This true for Jews,Koreans,Chinese,Indians,Filipinos,Parkistanis,Iranians etc………
The all of western nations can be considered as one large diaspora because of the coctail of western nationalities resident in each other

some like jews left thousands of years…..

Africa whoever have the the largest DIASPORA of all humanites in USA ,Europe and Brazil over 100 Million have balck ancestry

However its only balcks who never had any IMPACT in the original homes (they never had a home …africans do not see themselves as one nation..perpetaul idp ism)

BUT the greatest ERROR is that HARAMBEE concept that is proposed (raising money to buy real estate back home etc)….I think this the backward element we have

NOTICE the things that made change in this emergent economies is Technology transfer NOT FUND TRANSFER……..Let me not give examples

SO PLEASE PLEASE Kenayns ARE you bringing back TECH knowledge or MONEY …Are you sportsmen (athletes then)! Money is like the proverbial Fish…ALL IS NEEDED is HOW TO FISH.

It wasn’t me. I wish it was me though…….

I just heard some Kenyans discussing this issue last year. I don’t know if they have met their goal. But I must confess that I did some research on ships on the internet and I realised that this idea is not as outlandish as it sounds. You can actually lease a ship. There are banks that specialise in this business.

By the way, I heard that there is a UK based Kenyan who has started a commercial airline in Kenya. I will update you as soon as I get more details.