Kenyans love farming

The short rains are pouring in the country, its lovely to see the country looking green and the weather is cool. In Nairobi the rains are not as much as it is in other towns (may be more is coming), other areas I know of in the Rift Valley and Western Kenya got their rains earlier than Nairobi. Most people started preparing their land for planting before the rains came and even put seeds in the soil before the rains dropped.

In Nairobi many people have small pieces of land where they have bought/rented houses or built their homes. One interesting thing with us Kenyans is however small a plot or land is, we will always find something to plant on it, Sukuma Wiki (Kales), spinach, onions, tomatoes, beans and even maize. Those in the slums with no space to plant on have learnt to plant on sacks. Traveling from the city center going to the estates, one would notice some people cultivate idle space near railway lines, highways. These are government land so they know no one will come asking. It’s good the dreaded City Council Askaris (Kanjo) have not arrested them for trespassing.

So long as they are not interfering with people’s plots or the City center and its environs, this type of farming should be encouraged by the government as a way of improving food production in Kenya. The Government should encourage Kenyans who love farming by distributing the vast idle and grabbed land all over the country for farming only. I believe this way we will never be affected by food shortage like it has been in the past.

Everyone should carry their own cross

After the promulgation of a new constitution, we now see a lot of action/changes taking place. The Kenya Anti Corruption Commission (KACC) under the new boss Prof. PLO Lumumba is now more active, taking those accused of graft to court and the Government sacking those accused. The latest notable ones are MP William Ruto and Mayor Majiwa. As usual people have started getting tribal and accusing the President and PM of being against their people. We should put behind such tribal sentiments and whining, instead we should support the Government in fighting graft to get rid of all with “Dirty hands”, for a better Kenya.

Those using their tribal or regional numbers to threaten leaders, they will not support them in 2012 are living in the past and should wake up! We are in a new Kenya.

Hongera! Mashujaa wetu

Kenya is celebrating it’s first heroes day called Mashujaa Day in kiswahili. This is in recognition to all Kenyans who have brought honour and glory to our country. This includes entrepreneurs, religious leaders, politicians, sportsmen/women, journalists, farmers, NGO etc……

I take this opportunity to congratulate Kenyans who have made a difference to bring honour to our Country. Those who feature more in the media will be recognised for their achievements. However there are the common wananchi(citezens) in villages and slums who have achieved a lot to improve the lives of poor Kenyans. I congratulate the women and youth groups who together form groups (merry-go-rounds) contributing as little as Kshs.20 per day from their small earnings to support one another financially. They have also joined micro-finance organisations that support them with small loans to boost their small business. This way they have gone a step ahead to eradicate poverty in the villages and slums. They are the unsung heroes.

I also take this opportunity to honor organisations that have volunteered to save the lives of abandoned children, orphans, the girlchild, abused girls and women. The Women’s Hospital and the doctors involved in treatment and counselling of abused children and women. Nyumbani Children’s home taking care of abandoned HIV positive babies and all those taking care of orphans, homes and schools taking care of girls who have run away from early marriages, you are heroes and may God bless you.

The alarming new trend in Kenyan politics

From the just concluded by-elections in Juja, Makadara and Starehe, I have realized Kenyans have decided they are tired of the old political class of well educated individuals from Makerere, Harvard, Nairobi University etc..., or from CEOs and Directors of reputable organizations of Government institutions. Kenyans are now going for whoever is loaded with lots of cash. We care little of political parties, how the individual became rich, his/her background and the kind of business these people are involved in. All we know they are business men and women.

These so called businessmen/women know how to lure hungry Kenyans by “putting a meal on their table”. Some even boast women's small scale businesses because they know women have a lot of influence. I wonder if this trend is going to improve the lives of Kenyans, however am worried because these kinds of leaders cannot be good role models for the society and especially for our children.

We should look deeper into this trend before getting over excited that Kenyans are changing the political scene in Kenya by bringing in a new crop of leaders from the young generation and do not care about political parties. May be I should have written this before the by-elections but it is not too late, we have two years to the coming elections of 2012. Let us watch out before we ruin our country's reputation by electing leaders with questionable backgrounds.