Cablegate: Kenya's Nominees and Public Diplomacy Plan for The

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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNR #2429/01 3351159
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011159Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1665
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 3249
RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS NAIROBI 002429

STATE FOR S/P GREG BEHRMAN AND R/PPR SEHREEN NOOR-ALI

STATE ALSO FOR AF/E AND AF/EPS

STATE PASS USAID/EA

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID PREL SOCI KE
SUBJECT: KENYA'S NOMINEES AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY PLAN FOR THE
PRESIDENTIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT

REF: STATE 112468

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PRESIDENTIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT NOMINEES
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In response to reftel, we submit the following nominees for the
Presidential Entrepreneurship Summit:

1. Ms. Summaiya Athman, Legal Manager, Sitara Investment

Ms. Athman holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Commercial Law from the
University of Bristol United Kingdom. She is the head of the legal
department of a State-owned oil corporation which is engaged in both
the Petroleum upstream (exploration and production) and downstream
(marketing and distribution) sectors. Ms. Athman volunteers at
Al-amana women trust, a Muslim Community Based Organization (CBO) in
Nairobi that focuses on Education, Health and Social Welfare, Legal,
Media and Economics among the Muslim Ummah (community). She is also
the owner "SITARA", a company that offers a broad and exciting
variety of wear from formal wear for the office and business
environment, occasional wear for special events, sports and swimming
wear for the active Muslim woman and a wide range of both smart
casual and everyday wear.

2. Mr. Nathif Jama Adam, Managing Director, First Community Bank

Mr. Adam is a co-founder of First Community Bank, a Kenyan Sharia
compliant banking institution. A veteran Islamic banker, Mr. Adam
has more than 25 years of career banking experience covering almost
all aspects of retail, commercial, investment and Islamic banking.
He commenced his banking career at Kenya Commercial Bank in the
early 80's before proceeding in 1985 to join Al-Rajhi (Islamic) Bank
in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where he held supervisory positions in the
bank's Trade Finance and Treasury departments. In 1991, he joined
Qatar Islamic Bank in Doha and worked there as an Executive Manager
in-charge of the bank's huge cross-border investments in
International Trade, Securities and Portfolio Management.

In 2002, he joined National Bank of Sharjah in the UAE to help in
the conversion of that bank to become a full-fledged Islamic Bank,
thereby becoming Sharjah Islamic Bank (SIB). He initiated the
formation of SIB's Investment & International Banking Division and
was responsible for all structured finance activities including Debt
& Equity Finance, Syndications, Mutual Funds and Islamic Bonds
(Sukuk). At the time of his return to Kenya in October 2007, he was
a Senior Vice President at Sharjah Islamic Bank, and was in charge
of the bank's overall investment portfolio in excess of US$ 600
Million (Kes.40 billion).

Mr. Adam is a distinguished personality in the global Islamic
Finance fraternity and has written many papers and articles covering
various topical matters relating to the subject. He also
co-authored the first book to be written on the subject of Islamic
Bonds (Sukuk). The book titled Islamic Bonds: Your Guide to
Issuing, Structuring and Investing in Sukuk is published and
marketed by Euromoney, UK. He has also been a resource person and a
member of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Sukuk
Development Task Force.

He is an invited speaker at all major international conferences on
Islamic banking and finance and offers training on the subject as a
visiting lecturer at a number of reputable international learning
centers. Mr. Adam is an Associate of the UK Chartered Institute of
Bankers and holds an MBA certificate in International Trade from
Heriot-Watt University, Scotland, UK.

3. Ms. Nuria Sheikh Farah, Founder, Gargar Kenya

Ms. Sheikh Farah holds a Bachelor of Education (B.A. equivalent)
Degree and is currently pursuing a Masters in Business
Administration (MBA) at the University of Nairobi. She owns Risala
Enterprises Ltd., a private limited company that she founded in
1995. Risala has a fleet of trucks that transport petroleum
products to neighboring countries and specializes in the supply of
various household goods such as from Egyptian linens (bed sheets,
towels, duvets, and bedcovers). The company also imports a complete
range of home furniture (living room, dining room, bedroom) and
large-scale furniture for residential and hotel contracts. The
company imports products from Egypt, Syria, Iran and the Gulf
region. Nuria also runs an NGO, Gargaar Kenya, based in North
Eastern Kenya and is committed to empowering communities in
marginalized areas through promoting girl/child education and
empowering women on contemporary issues.

4. Professor Abdulghafur El Busaidy, Chairman, Supreme Council of
Kenya Muslims

Prof. El Busaidy is the chairman Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims
(SUPKEM). SUPKEM is an umbrella body for Muslim organization in the
country. It has branches in major towns and commands a larger
following. SUPKEM owns and runs Maragwa Muslim girls Academy and
Kenya Muslim Academy. Through USAID sponsored program, SUPKEM
helped sponsor students for Higher Education at the undergraduate
level for the academic years 2008-2012. Other programs include
awareness program on HIV/AIDS, civic education, and girl child
education.

5. Ms. Rehema Dida Jaldesa, Managing Director, Yashar Distributors
Ltd, Jara Construction Ltd, Swift Smart Global Ltd.
Ms. Rehema Dida Jaldesa is a Fortune U.S. Department of State
alumnus. Her late father and husband were both Members of the
Kenyan Parliament. Ms. Jaldesa is a career woman and an
entrepreneur with more than ten years experience in the banking
industry (having worked for the Kenya Commercial Bank and the
Commercial Bank of Africa) as well as the owner and director of
three private companies (Jara Construction Ltd, Yashar Distributors
Ltd and Swift Smart Global Ltd) within the roads construction,
communications and general distributorship industries employing
about 22 employees and an annual average budget of USD 158 thousand.
Ms. Jaldesa's journey to entrepreneurship began in 1995 intends in
the next 3-5 years to expand her business and further take advantage
of the East African Community and COMESA links by exporting her
goods and services to the horn of Africa and Central Africa.

Through her companies she has undertaken several projects including
construction and drilling of boreholes in the arid lands of Northern
Kenya in conjunction with Ewaso Nyiro Development Authority,
Northern Water Services Board, National Water and Pipeline
Conservations. She also has been involved in mentoring other women
from marginalized communities with the intention of encouraging them
to discover business opportunities that would drive them towards the
realization of self reliance and economic empowerment. She has done
this by subcontracting women or companies associated with women,
encouraging women to participate in the tendering process through
lending the company equipment as well as acting as a guarantor for
women in her community when they borrow from local banks.

Ms. Jaldesa holds a diploma in Public Relations from the University
of Nairobi as well as Diploma in Banking from Universal Training
College in Nairobi. She is also a continuing Business
Administration degree student with the University of Nairobi.

6. Mr. Salim Amin, Chairman, Camerapix and Mohamed Amin Foundation

Mr. Salim Amin, 38 years, is the Chief Executive Officer of
Camerapix Limited and Founder, Chairman of the Mohamed Amin
Foundation, and Chairman of A24 Media in Nairobi, Kenya. Mr. Amin
is the son of world-renowned cameraman and publisher, the Late
Mohamed "Mo" Amin, who in 1963 launched Camerapix from a small shop
in Dar es Salaam. From these humble beginnings grew a modern,
independent media concern with a reputation for delivering world
exclusive images and stories at the forefront of journalism in
Africa. Today, Camerapix employs over 30 media professionals, who
operate out of its headquarters in Nairobi and an office in London.
Camerapix offers its clients a wide array of media services
including television production, publishing and photography. It is
also home to 4 million images of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East,
and over 8,000 hours of unique and historic video footage. The
Camerapix Archive is the largest visual resource of its kind in
Africa. Camerapix's sister company, Camerapix Publishers
International, produces a series of award winning travel guides,
coffee table books, and glossy in-flight magazines.

In 1998, The Mohamed Amin Foundation was launched to provide
would-be African journalists with the tools and knowledge to tell
local stories to an international audience. In 2004 Pete Murimi of
Kenya was the first graduate of the "MoForce" to win the prestigious
CNN African Journalist of the Year Award, a shining example of the
quality of training provided at the Foundation.

As Executive Producer and Presenter, Salim finished a documentary
chronicling his father's life in March 2006 entitled "MO & ME" which
has to date won nine Awards for Best Documentary in the United
States, Canada, India and on the African Continent, including the
Grand Jury Award at the New York International Film Festival. The
documentary achieved a successful theatrical release in Kenya and
was screened at the prestigious British Academy of Film and
Television Arts (BAFTA), as well as the Cannes Film Festival in

2007.

In December 2005, Salim began work on the launch of the first
24-hour pan-African News and Current Affairs Channel. Africa 24
Media, a precursor to the Channel and Africa's first online agency
for video and stills content was subsequently launched in September
2008. In January 2007, Salim was named a Young Global Leader by the
World Economic Forum in Davos. He is a fellow of the African
Leadership Initiative and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership
Network.

7. Mr. Aslam Khan, Managing Director, Aircraft Leasing Service

Aslam Khan, 58 years, is the Managing Director of Aircraft Leasing
Services (ALS) and Safarilink. In 1970 Mr. Aslam Khan joined the
Kenya Air Force and after his initial training flew the Chipmunks,
Beavers and Caribous finishing his short term service in 1976.
Later, in 1976, he joined the general aviation industry and worked
with charter companies based out of Mombasa primarily flying to all
the game lodges. He later joined East African Airways and upon the
break-up of the East African community was absorbed into Kenya
Airways. While with Kenya Airways, he flew the Fokker Friendship,
DC9, Boeing 707 and the Airbus.

In 1985, Aslam Khan and his late brother Ashraf Khan formed Aircraft
Leasing Services Ltd an aviation company with a purchase of a Cessna
150. At that time Aircraft Leasing services Ltd. operated piston
engine aircraft. In 1992, Aslam joined ALS Ltd. as the Managing
Director and over the past seventeen years has grown the company
which operates primarily Beech 1900's, Dash 8's, King Airs, Embraer
135's, Caravans and Eurocopter helicopters. ALS provides contract
services to the United Nations World Food Program, United Nations
Humanitarian Air Service Somalia, United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees, Medecins Sans Frontieres, International Committee of
the Red Cross among many others; transport services for relief
personnel - currently running a schedule service to Lokichoggio and
Rumbek; air charters for the tourism sector - ALS a single major
shareholder of Safarilink that flies to all the major tourist
destinations in Kenya; and scheduled flight services - ALS runs a
double daily service to Lokichoggio, double daily service to Kisumu
and a daily service to Juba.

8. Mr. Yusuf Keshavjee, Chairman, White Rose Drycleaners and
Co-founder, Honey Care Africa Ltd.

Yusuf Keshavjee is the Chairman and Co-founder of Honey Care Africa
Ltd. (HCA), a multiple award winning social enterprise. Through its
work in Kenya, Tanzania, Southern Sudan and Malawi, HCA has
increased the income of thousands of small-holder farmers through
training in commercial bee-keeping, start-up financing and
establishing a market for their honey. Mr. Keshavjee is an
entrepreneur as well, serving as Chairman for his long-established
family-owned dry cleaning business (White Rose) with over 45
franchises and outlets in Kenya and Uganda. White Rose was one of
the first companies in East Africa to offer equity to its staff,
assists its retirees to establish their own businesses, and provides
training to new potential entrepreneurs to become franchisees.

9. Mr. Aziz Bhaloo, Resident Representative, Aga Khan Development
Network

Aziz Bhaloo is the Head of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)
representation in Kenya. AKDN is part of the Aga Khan Fund for
Economic Development (AKFED), an international development agency
dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship and building economically
sound enterprises in the developing world. Previous to joining
AKDN, Mr. Bhaloo founded several companies with interests in real
estate and plastics manufacture.

10. Mr. Abbas Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Livestock
Marketing Council

Abbass Mohammed is the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya
Livestock Marketing Council (KLMC). KLMC links pastoralists with
financial institutions that offer Sharia-compliant services to
access credit and enhance productivity. Through the interventions
of KLMC, external commercial markets for Kenyan livestock and
livestock products are created. Mr. Mohammed has been active in
spearheading pastoralist policy development at both the regional and
national level.

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PUBLIC DIPLOMACY STRATEGY
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11. The public diplomacy strategy in support of the Summit will
include the following:

-- highlight with Muslim audiences during normal outreach activities
the Cairo speech and its emphasis on entrepreneur outreach;

-- highlight specifically with Muslim students at business colleges
and schools in Nairobi and Mombasa, through outreach activities,
electronic and printed materials, the Cairo speech and its emphasis
on entrepreneur outreach;

-- post updates on the Summit and relevant Department provided
products on the Embassy website and Facebook;

-- provide press coverage of the Nairobi roundtable and highlight
the upcoming Summit;

-- provide press with any Summit-related WH media notices or op-ed;

-- provide press coverage of Kenyans selected to attend Summit, if
applicable, and use DVD of President Obama's remarks at the Summit,
if provided, for outreach to Muslim business and business school
audiences.

RANNEBERGER

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