I d rather stick with fair trade than help.

@ Masukuma
I saw you mention Murungaru and his dealing with British and Japan, but isn't that what our politicians told us? A smart person would look at that statement twice; thats not a fact that what they say and I don't expect you to use it in an argument unless you can back it up with facts.

@Pariah, you said China own some of this western countries, but here is the facts, out of $15 trillion dollar US debt china owns on $1.1 trillion of US debt, followed closely by Japan which owns $1.03 trillion, UK owns just under $0.5 trillion the rest is own by US treasury,$6.5 trillion and the remaining is shared by US mutual funds, US retirement plans, US insurance companies and US corporations. Thats a fact.

Lastly we all know why Kenyan politicians do not want the west, it is the accountability thing, if you're going to deal with the west, you might get kickbacks yes under the table but it will be an hustle because their laws prohibit kickbacks, if you're going to deal with chinease you're going to get paid and paid big time and thats what our corrupt leadership wants but I am afraid Kenyans are naive.

@Pariah
When someone has nothing to back up their claim they take the route you're taking, first no one said the west should help, the whole discussion was, where should we align with, the west or the east, you threw up the east owning the west and i gave you facts that shows the the statement is not entirely true.

I have background in Investment banking and I have followed these industries and the debt markets, I will let you know that if you want to bring the Landrover/ Toyota deals, I can tell you that only a layman would believe UK was rattled by it to the extend that they start hating kenya, Landrover saw apprx 30% growth in sells in 2011 what do you think the attrition rates associated with discontinued contracts with Kenyan government? negligible in Landrover's books so whoever will tell you that the UK was so mad because of that is not being honest.

Second and people who know these will agree with me, The West is better off when African and the developing countries are better off and they know it and the numbers show it, Ford, American company sold more cars in China in 2011 than in US. More than half of fortune 100 companies saw 20-40% growth in sales in Asia markets. These is a good thing for Western companies and it is only possible because of the growing wealth in Asia. This examples should help you understand that the perception that the West do not want Africa to be successful is false, it is political and it is foolish. The success of Africa is a win win situation for us and the world.

@Pariah,
Helping does not always have to be monetary, that push for accountability, justice and democracy is a very important element for development, when there is accountability, cases of PEV and instability during election seasons is minimized and when there is political stability the business environment improve greatly, you even get fair deals in debt markets because the market factors things like that.

African have the option to trade with the East, the West have always traded with the East, but you cannot stand up and yell on top of your voice that you have an option to trade with the East and Screw the West.Anyone who hold such view is either a politician or do not know what they're talking about. Even China inspite the fact that it is fastest growing economy still have to listen to the West nagging and peddling but they have an option to Trade with the South and the East but they know who has the highest purchasing power(West) and who has the most stable markets(West) and who has the best technologies(West).

exactly, we have a voice now and we are saying - YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS OF US NOW! Trade not Aid! We have options. We want them to do want us to do business with us not just be seen to be doing good. business and trade give dignity to our people.