GIRL POWER: Sunday, Alnashir Walji notes, was the International Women’s Day, which highlights the need for fair and equal treatment of both genders. With women at the helm in some influential countries, such as Angela Merkel in Germany and in the United Kingdom under Queen Elizabeth II, their ability to govern is no longer in doubt. However, some primitive actions, including sexual harassment, human trafficking and job discrimination, persist. What makes Alnashir pretty happy though is that the days when the woman’s place was said to be in the kitchen or looking after children are long gone. “Today, the supposed ‘weaker’ sex excels in all the sectors.” His contact is [email protected]
TALE OT WO TOWNSHIPS: Ahero, regular traveller Japheth Amugada notes, is a little agricultural township on the Nakuru-Kisumu highway, 20km east of the lakeside town. “River Nyando flows through Ahero. The image of Ahero is that of a big village market with dirty kiosks.” This, he moans, despite the town being surrounded by beautiful rice fields, hospitals and the decent Ahero Girls High School. Awasi Township, 19km further east, is fast-growing with shopping malls and hotels. He poses: “Does Ahero have any good hotel for meetings and conferences?” His contact is [email protected]
LOSS CLUB: Having made record losses this year, joining the dubious perennial exclusive club in which Kenya Airways continues to wallow, Kenya Power “is out for a quick kill”, charges Mombasa resident Carey Yiembe, sensing a new overly aggressive element in the utility. “Why send emails to customers specifying the final date for bill payment only to send a text message way before the specified date and warn of immediately starting disconnections?” To stay afloat, Carey’s unsolicited expert advice is that KP should not just look at laying off staff. “All the loopholes must be sealed to avoid astronomical losses. And stop threatening customers due to your shortfalls.” His contact is [email protected]
SAVING SONKO: Even if the Nairobi MCAs were spoiling for a fight with suspended Governor Mike Sonko, some driven by nothing but malice or selfish motive, Joseph Macharia says, he disagrees with the push for the impeachment motion against the embattled city county boss to be withdrawn. Joseph cannot help faulting President Uhuru Kenyatta for inviting the MCAs to State House, Nairobi, and reportedly pleading with them not to oust Sonko over graft and incompetence claims as “this move smells of a return to the lousy old ways of doing things”. His contact is [email protected]
LACK OF PLANNING: There is a destructive, or suicidal, streak in Kenyans, especially those in authority, with a shocking, near-criminal inability to take precautions before a looming disaster strikes, remarks Dave Tumbula. The unusually heavy rains in the fourth quarter of last year that caused extensive damage across the country, washing away roads and bridges and wreaking havoc on the inadequate drains in Nairobi, he adds, have been forgotten. “Soon, the long rainy season will be here again and the water will, once again, cause human misery before it flows to waste as nobody now thinks about how this excess water can be tapped for the dry season later. We still live in the primitive ages, helpless against the elements.”
UNMELODIOUS NOTES: The recently launched banknotes are “wearing out very fast”, remarks Samuel Keiza, on the legal tender that was only some time last year unveiled by Central Bank Governor Patrick Njoroge before President Uhuru Kenyatta. “The security thread in the notes, in most cases, detaches. Whoever did the printing needs to relook into this and also review the quality of paper used. At the rate they are getting worn out, the replacements had better be done every now and then. This will not be value for money to the taxpayer.” His contact is [email protected]
Have a durable day, won’t you!
