VZCZCXYZ0000
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 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
PRESIDENTIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT NOMINEES 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
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. 
 
------------------------- 
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY STRATEGY 
------------------------- 
 
¶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