Valentine day, a day to show love to your loved one’s, is normally like a normal day to me, because I believe that people can express their love anytime they feel like and it doesn’t have to wait for Valentine’s Day. However those who regard this day highly, have lots of reasons to lot look forward to the day and celebrate it as they wish.
Celebrating valentine’s day in Kenya this year, will not be easy for many due to harsh economic times, there is food shortage due to famine and maize scandal, causing a hike in food prices. Price of maize flour (our staple food) was lowered then it went up again, and basically everything from rent, cooking gas, paraffin, transport etc… all are priced highly. Many couples would not even think of going on holiday, romantic dinners or buying flowers (which is do not form part of the food on the tables). The other reason many will not celebrate is the fire tragedies that hit the country recently. Many are still in hospitals and others are mourning.
However there are other interesting things in Kenya, a good example is the tourism sector, booming with visitors from US coming to see the country of their President’s father. Tourism Minister Hon Najib Balala visited US and encouraged US citizens to visit Kenya. This is will bring some good revenue to the country and to Nyang’oma Kogelo village when some will go all the way to Siaya district to visit President Obama’s grandmother Sarah. I believe they will enjoy the beautiful scenes in Kenya, the Hotels and the Kenyan coast Mombasa, consequently have a wonderful Valentine. If you are one of the people affected by the current hardships and tragedies, you may consider visiting the Kogelo village. It may be cheaper but equally satisfying.
Though I don’t fancy Valentine’s Day, I always enjoy watching lovers carrying roses, dressed in red outfits (this is common with older women in Kenya compared to the young), those who are very keen and have the money will drive red cars and buy their loved ones red cars. This Valentine being a Saturday, a day many prefer having their weddings, I believe there are weddings all over the country, I imagine red will be a main color in the color scheme. I also look forward to an invitation to “merry go round”/chama party (mainly women’s social groups were they visit one another in turns, mostly on monthly basis and give a fixed amount to the host who prepares meals and drinks depending of the type or class of the group), this Saturday. I imagine many will come in red and driving in red cars even if they would have to borrow to achieve that goal.
Lastly, whichever way we decide to celebrate this Valentine, lets remember the many Kenyans sleeping on empty stomach due the famine that has hit the country and to send our donations to the various kitty’s/organizations supporting the hungry. Furthermore valentine is about love and love is about giving and giving is to those we love and those who are lacking.
What are you plans this Saturday? Do these plan fits in the definition of the day?
Happy Valentine’s!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
The Kenyan academies
You might have noticed the mushrooming of many academies (private schools). Every average Kenyan is struggling to put their children in these schools. For sure they are good schools in the sense that they pass the children well and that is what each parent is looking for. The means to achieve the good grades is currently irrelevant and no parent is concerned about that.
My concern is the premises under which some of these schools operate. Do all of them meet the standards required by the Ministry of education? If not, then how are these schools registered? I have seen schools operating in land less than 50 by 100 feet (1/8 of an acre). I don’t believe that is sufficient for a school. To my surprise these schools do very well as well. I have seen schools with water system, toilets and other basic amenities.
During my school days, there were government inspectors of schools and I thought it is the work of the government to regulate the education systems in both public and private schools. Do we still have these inspectors? Are they doing the work? Can they justify the existence of these funny schools? What has really gone wrong in our systems? Is the ministry on sleep or people are bribing their ways in irregular registration. Someone needs to stop this. The children are getting grades but possible no education at all. What is the true meaning of education?
It is high time that reguration on these type of schools start.
My concern is the premises under which some of these schools operate. Do all of them meet the standards required by the Ministry of education? If not, then how are these schools registered? I have seen schools operating in land less than 50 by 100 feet (1/8 of an acre). I don’t believe that is sufficient for a school. To my surprise these schools do very well as well. I have seen schools with water system, toilets and other basic amenities.
During my school days, there were government inspectors of schools and I thought it is the work of the government to regulate the education systems in both public and private schools. Do we still have these inspectors? Are they doing the work? Can they justify the existence of these funny schools? What has really gone wrong in our systems? Is the ministry on sleep or people are bribing their ways in irregular registration. Someone needs to stop this. The children are getting grades but possible no education at all. What is the true meaning of education?
It is high time that reguration on these type of schools start.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
THE KENYA WE DON’T WANT
Last week two conferences were held in Kenya, one was on “The Kenya We Want”, the other was on “The Kenya We Don’t Want”. The one that I took great note of was the one that took place first “The Kenya We Want”. This was attended by the current and former presidents, government officials, and other people.
The speech that caught my attention was by the former president Mr.Daniel Arap Moi. When he talked about corruption as big problem for this country, he said he was like the driver of a bus carrying passengers and in that bus there were pickpockets. This was amusing but when I thought of it, it was a big joke because being the driver of this “Mr. Moi Bus” for 24 years; he had the power to stop the bus and drop off those pickpockets who robbed innocent passengers (wananchi) of their hard earned money. These same passengers are ones who paid taxes every month to keep the bus running, pay the driver and his pickpockets (part of passengers) hefty salaries.
After 24 years (Moi regime), the passengers (wananchi) got fed up of “His bus” (KANU), they decided to use another means of transport. The driver could not manage the bus (party) well steering it in the wrong direction and doing nothing about pickpockets. We the passengers decided to board other buses to get us to our destination. The drivers of other buses (other political parties) decided to unite in one bus ( party) in order to avert the mistakes of earlier years when the votes were divided. One major mistake we did was we blindly opted for his former conductor (Hon.Kibaki) to be the driver and some of his pickpockets who had jumped out of the bus (KANU) when they realized it was heading to a ditch. The result after five years from 2002 was a similar story to the former bus so passengers were left stranded again looking for alternatives in 2007.
In 2007 ,as most of us are aware, we had mainly two options to continue with our journey that has taken over 45 year to get us near or at our destination. The worst part is that both the buses still had the same conductors and pickpockets from the ill fated “Moi bus” (KANU). Nevertheless most of us opted for the bus with a “new driver”(Hon.Raila) who would give us some hope. Unfortunately we were hijacked when it was about to be cleared to carry passengers to the land of hope. What happened later after major protests from the passengers and a lot of intervention, it was agreed that the driver who hijacked the bus preferred by most passengers drives the bus and the hijacked driver be his co-driver. One funny thing is that the hijacker has never given the co-driver an opportunity to drive the bus. We are now back to the same old story of suffering passengers at the mercy of pickpockets suffering from numerous problems amongst them hunger, fuel shortage, high cost of living, poor infrastructure, greedy MPs who increase their pay as they like and don’t pay taxes etc… . At the long run our journey has been delayed again to 2030 hours (vision 2030), I wonder if we will ever make it to our destination or we will be hijacked again.
There ends my sad story about the “Kenya We Don’t Want”!
The speech that caught my attention was by the former president Mr.Daniel Arap Moi. When he talked about corruption as big problem for this country, he said he was like the driver of a bus carrying passengers and in that bus there were pickpockets. This was amusing but when I thought of it, it was a big joke because being the driver of this “Mr. Moi Bus” for 24 years; he had the power to stop the bus and drop off those pickpockets who robbed innocent passengers (wananchi) of their hard earned money. These same passengers are ones who paid taxes every month to keep the bus running, pay the driver and his pickpockets (part of passengers) hefty salaries.
After 24 years (Moi regime), the passengers (wananchi) got fed up of “His bus” (KANU), they decided to use another means of transport. The driver could not manage the bus (party) well steering it in the wrong direction and doing nothing about pickpockets. We the passengers decided to board other buses to get us to our destination. The drivers of other buses (other political parties) decided to unite in one bus ( party) in order to avert the mistakes of earlier years when the votes were divided. One major mistake we did was we blindly opted for his former conductor (Hon.Kibaki) to be the driver and some of his pickpockets who had jumped out of the bus (KANU) when they realized it was heading to a ditch. The result after five years from 2002 was a similar story to the former bus so passengers were left stranded again looking for alternatives in 2007.
In 2007 ,as most of us are aware, we had mainly two options to continue with our journey that has taken over 45 year to get us near or at our destination. The worst part is that both the buses still had the same conductors and pickpockets from the ill fated “Moi bus” (KANU). Nevertheless most of us opted for the bus with a “new driver”(Hon.Raila) who would give us some hope. Unfortunately we were hijacked when it was about to be cleared to carry passengers to the land of hope. What happened later after major protests from the passengers and a lot of intervention, it was agreed that the driver who hijacked the bus preferred by most passengers drives the bus and the hijacked driver be his co-driver. One funny thing is that the hijacker has never given the co-driver an opportunity to drive the bus. We are now back to the same old story of suffering passengers at the mercy of pickpockets suffering from numerous problems amongst them hunger, fuel shortage, high cost of living, poor infrastructure, greedy MPs who increase their pay as they like and don’t pay taxes etc… . At the long run our journey has been delayed again to 2030 hours (vision 2030), I wonder if we will ever make it to our destination or we will be hijacked again.
There ends my sad story about the “Kenya We Don’t Want”!
Friday, February 6, 2009
CHUNGWA MOJA MAISHA BORA-LIBERATORS OR LOOTERS?
I am just confused. We voted the ODM with all our herats and to date many Kenyans belived that ODM won the presidential position. That is now past and we do not want to argue as to who won and who lost.We a building Kenya jointly as Kenyans not as political parties. That is where the problem starts. The joint government leadership think that as they rule together, they loot together as well but the likes of Ababu Namwamba and Bonny Khalwale will not see that happening. These two men of the August house are very couragious and and I salute them.
The way things stand now it is clear that those we thought were to liberate us are purely looters and liers. Just look how Hon. Ruto is inconsistent in his explaination on the maize saga. What is really happening? Is this the Ruto we voted? Surely is Mr. Ruto clean in this whole issue? I strongly doubt? Who is Namwamba working for? Dont tell me PNU . He is doing all these to Kenyans. But wait if Ababu Namwamba was given a ministerial position would he behave differently? What about Khalwale? Kenyan politicians are simply looters nearly all of them. That is my take. I said nearly all deliberately because people like Martha Karua seems to be clean so far and we salute her too. I no longer care about tribe and the past record. I only care about the present personality.
The way things stand now it is clear that those we thought were to liberate us are purely looters and liers. Just look how Hon. Ruto is inconsistent in his explaination on the maize saga. What is really happening? Is this the Ruto we voted? Surely is Mr. Ruto clean in this whole issue? I strongly doubt? Who is Namwamba working for? Dont tell me PNU . He is doing all these to Kenyans. But wait if Ababu Namwamba was given a ministerial position would he behave differently? What about Khalwale? Kenyan politicians are simply looters nearly all of them. That is my take. I said nearly all deliberately because people like Martha Karua seems to be clean so far and we salute her too. I no longer care about tribe and the past record. I only care about the present personality.
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