Author: Sunday Standard Reporter
Date: January 28, 2007
Type of article: News
Source: The East African Standard http://www.eastandard.net/archives/index.php?mnu=details&id=1143964155&catid=159

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When she came to know in 2005 that the World Social Forum (WSF) would be coming to Nairobi, she saw an opportunity to make money.

Well, last week she had lost Sh2 million, made quite a few enemies and been barracked for causing many to lose their savings in search of riches that never came.

Event management or organisation and public relations is Ms Fransisca Ogonda’s speciality and form the core business of her Togo Consultants operating from Ngong Road’s Prestige Plaza.

Therefore, on ascertaining from the organisers, that is the Kenya Social Forum, WSF was coming to Nairobi she headed straight for their offices to ask for a job in March last year.

"As it turned out the organisers were more concerned about accommodation for the delegates that would be coming to Nairobi than management of the event," Ogonda says adding, "They, therefore asked me if I could take on the more urgent, pressing and challenging matter of finding accommodation for the delegates and I duly agreed."

Housing for the delegates proved a challenge because the organisers expected to have some 100,000 of them flocking into Nairobi.

That is a nightmare for nay organisers, for the hotels in Nairobi and its environs would accommodate about 60 per cent of them. The remaining 40 per cent would have to be put up in rented accommodation in Nairobi’s estates.

That is where or why Ogonda came in. Togo Consultants were tasked with coming up with houses or tented premises in safe or secure, hospitable and easily accessible from Kasarani for some 40,000 people.

Indeed, on August 21, last year the Organising Committee of the World Social Forum 2007 wrote thus to Togo Consultants. The letter read in part: "I am happy to authorise you to contact and negotiate with, on behalf of the WSF Organising Committee, individuals resident in Nairobi, who would be willing and ready to accommodate participants in the World Social Forum in January 2007."

The letter, signed by Mr Oduor Ong’wen for the WSF Organising Committee, advised thus:

• The location of such private residence should be in neighbourhoods ordinarily considered as secure.

• The daily rent should not be more than $35 (Sh2, 450) or equivalent of your commission of $3 (Sh210) and contribution of $2 to the WSF Organising Committee);

• Those offering such accommodation shall sign an agreement with WSF 2007 Organising Committee.

Ogonda, as she tells it, went to work like crazy. She actually got some 2,000 houses and homes to house the WSF delegates for their stay for the five-day conference.

It did cost money getting the 2,000 and it did cost them money making their houses acceptable to WSF. The following were demanded of the landlords and landladies:

• The host must provide running water, electricity, bed, bedding and towel, and breakfast.

• The house must be accessible to a main road.

• Bed linen will be changed every two days.

• Only couples will share beds

• Guests are not to share rooms with host’s family members

• Guests are to use pooled transport

• Apart from breakfast delegates will pay $5 (Sh350) per meal, which shall be paid directly to the host; and,

• Laundry services may be offered to the guest at a mutually agreed fee.

And for all these, what was the host to be paid? They were to get $20 (1,400) per guest per night.

Many will agree that this was not a bad prospect. One host who had eight rooms available and whose delegates were thought to stay for at least six days was certain to make upwards of Sh67, 000. The truth, however, is that of the 2,000 homes or houses Ogonda’s agents found and Togo contracted, only 18 got guests.

Most spent upwards of Sh100,000 to refurbish their houses and apartments and some hired tents at varied prices. As the conference got under way and they had no guests some took off to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to hunt for guests.

Says Ogonda, "They carried placards declaring they had accommodation; that they had been endorsed by WSF, and name it. It was chaotic."

What went wrong? Things appeared to get out of line three days to the day of expected arrivals. WSF was supposed to have a desk for welcoming delegates at the JKIA Baggage Hall. From here delegates would be directed to their accommodation.

But the WSF desk was not in place, their security passes were not ready and nobody seemed to know about them. On the day delegates began to arrive there was a desk at the hall, welcoming and directing delegates to their houses and homes.

But the group manning the desk was not WSF or WSF-affiliated. Indeed, it appeared to be working outside WSF, a fact that was confirmed by the forum’s bosses.

The group however appeared well connected at all echelons of the Kenya Airports Authority.

When eventually the WSF desk was in place, the conference was already under way and desperate hosts were picketing at JKIA, trying to solicit guests and getting very angry in the process.

"I saw misuse of power. How could a group that was not connected to WSF reap where we had sowed?

"I saw greed at its highest; you hurt people and you don’t care. For us to market Kenya as a conference tourism destination we have to ensure Government and its agents must desist from such interference or we will be losing out to South Africa."