Njuguna Kimani

It’s time Kenyan media gave politicians blackout

2016-02-12T04:05:00.001-08:00

I listened to Senator Muthama last week with utter disgust and shame when he addressed the crowd at Uhuru Park. There can never be any justification as to how he spoke at the rally. He should respect our women even if he has issues with Ms. Waiguru and the President. As a leader he should know his position demands that he chooses his words carefully and that is what is called wisdom. Unfortunately, it not only him who is guilty of this kind of unbecoming and horrendous behavior but most of our politicians are. Indeed this has become the trend of our politicians and it is as if they assume regrettably, the more derogatory you speak the more appealing you appear. As a society we have reached a point where we must say no to these politicians who do not respect Kenyans and spew venom with no due regard.

It is unfortunate we have to sit and listen to politicians who not only abuse our intelligence but show disrespect to us yet we are the same people who have employed them. They should show decorum and humility .Our media need to change tact and do an overhaul on the way they cover our politicians and only cover them when they share what is helpful and that which will build our country. The media should not commit acres of space and time by focusing on political shenanigans but would rather cover developmental issues. Indeed most of our politicians have knocked themselves off the pedestal and no longer have moral authority to stand and talk to us. Such politicians lack locus standi to be covered by the media and should be given a total blackout.

Our Politicians have failed this country and are the least trusted people. Should our media give them a total black-out then they’ll see the need to style up and respect us. Our politicians have an amazing obsession with the negative and the bizarre. They capitalize on all negative things in order to gain some cheap political mileage. They are hell-bent on creating a country of cynics, sycophants and pessimists. Indeed, occasionally, Kenyans are even described as being among the world's most optimistic people. This is in recognition of what our politicians treat us to, yet we remain unbowed and optimistic. Regrettably, our politicians behave as if we are a nation of fools and naivety, serving us with all their shenanigans. We must start somewhere to tame our political leaders and I suggest media blackout to be the starting point. This will instill discipline and our politicians will stop treating us to their mediocre and nonsense. If our politicians cannot engage us with what matters then the media have no business giving them space and airtime. Our politicians take the largest blame in balkanising this country along the ethnic lines and thus qualify for no meaningful coverage by our media.

I advise our media instead to focus more positive news such as marathons wins the world over by our athlete, the seventh wonder of the modern world, the great migration of wildebeest in the Maasai Mara and new methods of farming among others. This way as a country we will move forward and we will be positively induced. It will also help bring down tribal vitriol that is fanned and fueled by our politicians. Since the media is able to set the agenda of this Nation, ignoring the politicians will enable Kenyans focus on more important issues that will uplift them. Lastly, any politician worth his name must engage his mind before engaging his mouth. We must start healing this society by enforcing responsible talk by our politicians. Only the media can help us achieve this.

High interest rates will affect businesses and slow down the economy

2016-02-12T04:04:00.000-08:00

The last couple of weeks have witnessed commercial banks increase their base lending rates to punitive levels. Borrowing money from banks now attract interest rates in the range of 24 - 30 percent. Many of us thought that this had gone down in history with the Moi era. However, this will have a huge impact on businesses since a number of businesses were servicing loans. The increased interest rates will eat into these businesses’ revenues and thus affect their short term and long term development goals. The situation is so serious that some businesses have indicated that they will have to implement some cost cutting measures such as laying-off staff. This will have an overall multiplier effect on the economy and will definitely slow down the performance of the economy. Loss of jobs, and decline in economic growth will lead to untold suffering for the common mwananchi.

Local commercial banks have argued that they are responding to heavy domestic borrowing by the government and the fact that CBK has not reviewed the Central Bank Rate (CBR) downward. The Central Bank has been trying to curb the runaway inflation and prevent the shilling from losing more value against major currencies. This issue need to be addressed otherwise it is bound to cripple some businesses to the level of shutting down.

Conversely, the low interest rate era that started in 2002 led to many things that significantly impacted positively on the business community and the lifestyle of every Kenyan. This should be maintained if we are to experience better economic growth. When Loans become cheap and readily available, many ordinary business people are able to get the much needed finance to boost their businesses with or without the traditional collateral. This will lead to rapid economic growth and high liquidity in the market. This growth will of course put constraints on social infrastructure and amenities, thus the need to expand the same in tandem. The government therefore needs to devise ways of taming these punitive loans so as to secure businesses and guarantee steady economic growth.

Six reasons to steer clear of alcohol drinks

2013-08-26T04:52:00.004-07:00

Alcohol is one of the most favorite drinks across the world, but its intoxicating and dependence-producing properties play a role in violence, child neglect and abuse, shattered relationships and poor job performance. It also causes:

1 Depression: A number of studies have shown that alcohol increases the risk of depression. Nearly one-third of all people with major depression have an alcohol problem, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Depression may be a particularly significant trigger for alcohol use in women, who are more than twice as likely to start drinking heavily if they have a history of depression.

2 Risky sexual behaviour: Alcohol is a leading cause of risky sexual behaviours such as unprotected sex and sex with multiple partners and produces an increased risk of sexual assault.

These behaviours often result in unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections such as human papilloma virus (HPV) and HIV in both men and women. HPV is a significant threat and is the leading cause of cervical cancer, the third most common malignancy in women.

3 Cancer: Alcohol is also known to increase cancer of the liver, breast, colon, oesophagus, throat and mouth. Studies have linked the risk of breast cancer to increase proportionally in relation to the amount of alcohol use in women. The more alcohol consumed, the greater the cancer risk.

4 Heart problems: Heart attacks, strokes and high blood pressure can develop from the harmful use of alcohol. Approximately 80 per cent of all cardiovascular diseases are preventable through lifestyle related factors.

Alcohol use is a leading risk factor for poor dietary choices, inadequate physical activity levels and tobacco use. Recent studies have shown that women who drink excessively are at an increased risk for damage to the heart muscle in comparison to men.

The findings highlighted that women were at greatest risk even if they had lower levels of consumption.

5 Infertility: Excessive drinking also disrupts a female’s reproductive health and can increase the risk of infertility and even more serious, higher rates of miscarriages, stillbirths and premature deliveries. Men are more likely to drink in larger quantities, but women commonly have smaller structures and break down alcohol slightly different than men.

This will result in higher alcohol levels in the blood that ultimately will impact a female longer despite drinking an equal amount.

6 Liver cirrhosis: Alcohol can cause irreversible scarring of the liver, called cirrhosis, a progressive disease that develops slowly over many years until eventually the liver fails.

Heavy female drinkers are more likely to develop symptoms versus men who consume the same amount. Individuals with cirrhosis have a much higher risk of developing liver cancer.

Men are equally at risk and often drink more, more regular, and experience higher rates of accidents and injuries. Traffic accidents are still the leading cause of alcohol-related death among young men aged 16 to 24.

Many Facebook users ignorant on privacy risks

2012-05-03T08:59:00.002-07:00

Many users of Facebook are unaware of the privacy risks from the massive social network site or fail to take adequate precautions, a report by Consumers Reports said Thursday.The report found nearly 13 million US Facebook users do not use, or are not aware of the site’s privacy controls.

An estimated 4.8 million Americans have posted about where they planned to go on a certain day — a potential tip-off to burglars, the report noted.

And it found that 4.7 million have “liked” a Facebook page about health conditions or treatments, details that insurers might use against them.

The report, part of the nonprofit group’s State of the Net survey, estimated that seven million households using Facebook said they had trouble last year, ranging from someone using their log-in without permission to being harassed or threatened. That was up 30 percent from the previous year.

Only 37 percent of Facebook users said they have used the site’s privacy tools to customize how much information is shared with third parties, according to the Consumer Reports survey.

“Facebook really is changing the way the world socially communicates and has become a successful service in part by leveraging copious amounts of personal data that can be spread far wider than its users might realize,” said Jeff Fox, Consumer Reports technology editor.

“Our investigation revealed some fascinating, and some disquieting trends — but ones always worth knowing for consumers who wish to keep their personal data under better control.”The report indicates Facebook gathers a considerable amount of information from users that they may not be aware of.“Some users might be surprised to know that Facebook gets a report every time they visit a site with a ‘Like’ button, regardless of whether or not they click on that button, have a Facebook account, or are even logged in,” the organization said.

It did give credit to Facebook for taking privacy and security “seriously” by implementing checks against abuses and inappropriate applications.

But Consumer Reports said Facebook should do more by fixing “a security lapse” that permits users to set up weak passwords including some six-letter dictionary words and to help users avoid inadvertently sharing status updates with the public.

Consumer Reports points out that all of this data collection is not without risks.The report was based on a survey from January 16-31 of a sample of 2,002 people.The number of people using Facebook worldwide had risen to 901 million by the end of the quarter, according to company documents.

Facebook is expected to make its much-anticipated stock market debut in the coming weeks in a public offering which could raise as much as $10 billion, the largest flotation ever by an Internet company on Wall Street.

Raila is not a reformer

2012-04-28T07:32:00.002-07:00

Today let's discuss politics....Many Kenyans were surprised a while ago by the comments of Raila Odinga on the judiciary. People were shocked to imagine that the self-proclaimed high prince of reform and democracy would go to an extent of branding our courts as fake courts. Those of us who have keenly watched Raila and listened to him were not surprised. Those who have had the opportunity to work with Raila Odinga since the clamour for multi-partyism have been warning this country that this man appears good from far but he is actually far from good.

We have been accused of being obsessed with Raila, or suffering from Raila-Phobia, or being driven by hate for Raila. Luckily the true Raila is now standing up in the eyes of Kenya and the world. The same Raila who refused to go to court in 2008 claiming that the courts were not free is now branding our courts as fake despite all the judicial reforms undertaken in the last four years. The same man who claimed that Kivuitu stole his victory is now intimidating Isaak Hassan’s Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission that was created as a result of a rigorous, inclusive and consultative process as part of our reform package. Truly all can see that it is not true that we hate Raila Odinga. We just love Kenya and care for her future. It is succinctly clear that the more Kenya changes, the more Raila Odinga remains the same.

To many Kenyans, the onslaught against the judiciary and IEBC by the Prime Minister may appear like isolated cases. That is far from the truth. If you go back to history, you will realize that Raila survives on crisis. In 2002, his politics was given a fresh lease of life by the fiasco he created at Kasarani. In 2003, he created a crisis through the alleged MOU with Kibaki to galvanize the country using the 41-againist-1 ideology, which then propelled him to another crisis—the post election crisis of 2007-2008. That crisis then gifted him with the Prime Minister’s slot in the grand coalition government. Recently, the Prime Minister has been trying to create a new crisis in vain. The recent attacks on President Kibaki over the appointments to the National Police Service Commission, the mountain he has created out of the mole hill that is the date of elections are part of this well choreographed plan to rejuvenate his ill fated third attempt at the Presidency.

Perhaps Raila’s unbridled, raw ambition is getting the better of him. In his quest to create a new crisis that will propel him to State House, he is making unbelievably simplistic blunders. If he were in a game of tennis, he would lose a whole set from unforced errors only. Just when his propaganda team was struggling to convince the country, against national and now international consensus, that he has nothing to do with the trial of Kenyans at the International Criminal Court, the man displays his true colours by asking for the suspects to be arrested. By doing so, he becomes the first person to publicly call for arrest warrants, something even the cantankerous Ocampo has not done. Unfortunately for him, none of these seeds of crisis has germinated. Like the ones that Jesus talked about in the Bible, Raila’s seeds of crisis are all falling on rocks, an amazing pointer of how Kenyans have grown wiser. Truly, there is a God and he looks after this country

Perhaps it is about time that Raila Odinga embarks on a personal journey towards repentance and absolution. He can do so now before his list of victims grows any longer. He can start by apologizing to Mwai Kibaki, the man who is supposed to be partner but by all means is a victim of Raila’s machinations. I propose that he then moves to Musalia Mudavadi, the man whose blessings he is trying to steal using Bibilical Jacob’s trickster strategies on Esau. Daniel Arap Moi, Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto, Miguna Miguna and the people of Kenya would also be worthy of Raila’s remorse and apologies. Unfortunately, I do not expect him to do so soon. What I expect him to do is make more blunders and deny with the same breath. . That’s Raila, the man for you!.

World Bank president choice sadly pre-determined

2012-04-18T09:04:00.002-07:00

This week saw the lobbying and deal-making ahead of the election of the President of the World Bank reach its peak.But for all the rhetoric and campaigning, the outcome remained sadly predetermined.It is high time the US foregoes its sense of entitlement at the World Bank and allows a merit-based and transparent contest for the presidency to allow non-American candidates a genuine chance of winning. But what we are drifting towards is a continuation of the status quo.

The world is changing. For more than a decade now, since the Asian financial crisis, developing nations and emerging powers have sought to reflect the evolution of the global economy and geo-strategic concerns in the structure and leadership of international institutions.It is an anachronism for the leadership of the World Bank, and its sister institution the International Monetary Fund, to remain the sole preserve of established powers. However, established powers seem determined to cling on desperately to these last bastions of twentieth century geopolitics.

The aftershocks of a global financial crisis brought about by the failure of governments and corporate boards to execute their governance responsibilities still reverberate. Yet so soon afterwards, it is becoming clear that the appropriate lessons have not been learnt.The World Bank is an institution of critical importance for the global economy. It is vital that the President of the World Bank be the most competent and experienced candidate for the task. For the first time, this year, there are two credible candidates from the developing world.

Many of my US and European friends, people who are outspoken on issues of development, governance and democracy, are conspicuously silent now. Some of my American friends cite the US election as a reason not to rock the boat. Others feel embarrassed about appearing disloyal. But these are not credible justifications.No candidate for the Presidency of the United States will win or lose the forthcoming US election on the basis of how strongly Washington maintains its grip on the World Bank.

Moreover, while France’s quid pro quo support for the US can be taken for granted in the light of Christine Lagarde’s unchallenged ascendancy to IMF Director-General, the rest of Europe has little to gain from preserving the existing arrangement.

Nations such as the UK and Germany have a chance to show the kind of leadership on this issue that they displayed during the last round of climate negotiations in Durban.This is an issue of livelihoods for hundreds of millions of the world’s citizens. On this issue, the interests of US citizens are aligned with those of the citizens of all other nations – a properly-managed, efficient World Bank that promotes sustainable and equitable growth is to the benefit of everyone in our interdependent world.

While citizens across the world fight against cronyism, electoral malpractice and bad governance, we must ensure that our global public institutions set the right example. No-one can lecture developing countries on how to manage their processes, public and private sector, if they so brazenly do not conform to the same standards.Moreover, if this election process is not an open contest, it undermines the principle of fair competition that the US and the World Bank have traditionally exported to the rest of the world.

Having a transparent, open and merit-based process is of course the morally right thing to do. What is more important is that it is the smart thing to do.

As the Bank engages in the delicate act of advising governments on best practice, its own leadership must have legitimacy.The Bank’s at times heavy handed approach in the developing world has created a well of bad feeling which already undermines its relevance. This election is a chance to restore the confidence of the Bank’s partners, and even its staff, in the institution.When the Bank was created in 1944, the world looked very different. Today China is the second largest economy in the world, Brazil the sixth. European economies are struggling with austerity measures while African economies are growing faster than ever.

At this time of global political and economic upheaval, as developed countries watch new powers emerge, the Bank must move away from its post-Second World War origins and reposition itself for the new century.

While 20th Century powers drag their feet over UN Security Council reform, here is a comparatively easy step along the path of reframing our global governance architecture. There would be no better way to begin this process than by a merit-based election for World Bank President. This is a wonderful opportunity. The world is watching to see if it will be taken.

Kenya Universities’ teaching style archaic

2012-02-06T07:44:00.000-08:00

Teaching, learning, assessment and research in our universities and other tertiary institutions must ensure graduates’ employability and marketability.

Universities should therefore direct their efforts towards the needs of working life, combining vocational training and theoretical and practical knowledge with special emphasis on new forms and methods of teaching, practical training and cooperation with industry and other sectors of the economy.

For example, students taking education should have ‘residency periods’ covering their four years of studying in primary and secondary schools in their locality that count towards their teaching practice evaluation. Work life skills in teaching are not acquired in four weeks of teaching practice! This also applies to students in the other faculties. Learning should respond to labour needs and include the development of general skills, and workshop floor experience widely valued in employment.

Universities are at the centre of the educational-workplace continuum, and should, therefore revaluate their curriculum , pedagogical approaches, modes of assessment, ambience and aesthetics of their learning environment and adequacy of their infrastructure. More people have been joining universities in the past five years and this is welcome.

However, this has serious quality implications, considering that there have been no commensurate additions in staff numbers and physical facilities, while the criteria for admitting students, particularly for post-graduate programmes now allows candidates that cannot meet the intellectual demands of their courses to register. This has long term negative impacts on our socio-economic well being as a nation.

Despite impressive academic achievements by our graduates, many fail to be attractive to prospective employers due to their lack of generic thinking skills or soft skills (unless of course they join the public service where accountability in terms of performance and deliverables is an ‘outlier’ function!).

Unesco’s study on graduate unemployment reveals that employers today value linguistic and literacy skills, including soft skills such as communication ability, numeracy, thinking, learning and basic computer literacy. Unfortunately, our universities produce graduates who are generally deficient in all or most of these skills as they are not part of the curriculum. Universities must ensure students benefit from both content knowledge and generic skills.

These skills include communication, critical thinking and problem-solving, team work, information management, statistics and data analysis, entrepreneurial, and leadership.

Many of the graduates use social networks such as facebook, twitter and e-mail, but not for the conceptualization, mastery and search for knowledge. Learning skills are also important as knowledge of facts and theories in books and journals have a short shelf-life.

Knowledge gained in universities is purely latent, discipline specific and applicable only to a particular — and usually quite insignificant — segment of the job market. What, for example, is the value of our post graduate programmes’ evaluation criteria of 70 per cent exams (rote learning and regurgitation) and 30 per cent (for continuous assessment)? What does a Masters or PhD student need to ‘prick’ his or her intellect?

Employers are no longer using qualifications to select individuals for fixed and routine roles and pedagogies must be process-oriented, as is the case in universities in Canada, the US, Australia, Finland and the UK, where a specific skills profile is embedded in the curricula or conducted as a separate compulsory skills development program.

Pedagogical methods employed in universities must include generic skills as part of content delivery.There should be greater participation by students for knowledge construction and acquisition of generic skills above.

Finally, there is nothing more central to the learning experience than assessment. Students spend less than 10 per cent of their time on non-assessed academic work. Studies in schools have shown that students who score well on tests often are unable to successfully use memorized facts and formulae in real-life application outside the classroom.

It is time to change the current ‘jug and mug’ model of learning in universities that views the lecturer as dispenser, the students as passive receptacles.

Why kenya doctors deserve to be heard!

2011-12-08T22:48:00.001-08:00

The Kenya health sector is at knees. The doctors decided to down their tools last week because the government had failed to listen to what they were demanding. Let us examine if what they are asking is valid and justified:

The Government of Kenya appended it signature in 2003 on the Abuja declaration that requires that the government allocate 15% of the total country's budget towards development and improvement of healthcare. It is shame that only a meager 5% of the country total budget is allocated to healthcare. Interrogating this keenly one is left wondering where this government priorities are. The people formulating policies relating to healthcare are asleep and should resign. only 33 shillings is allocated to each individual admitted in any government hospitals. One wonders what this is meant to cover. The government has blatantly failed to marshal enough resources to improve the conditions of the deplorable hospitals countrywide. The hospital lacks basic amenities and necessary equipment.

The fact that ICU is rare in provincial hospital is not only horrendous but regrettable. That is why, the only two referral hospitals are stretched to their capacity. If these hospitals were fitted with ICU then patients need not to travel far to access this vital service. But when did the rains start beating us you ask?

The government has either failed or is incompetent in formulating the best policies for this country. It's no wonder that our politicians earn better than our doctors, meaning we value politics more than healthcare. To any common person down in the village give him/her best health services and they will not want to know what those in politics are saying.

Its time that all concerned start lobbying the government to start working toward a better healthcare system. A healthy nation has many positive multiplier effects that include a robust economy. We are not asking for populist approach towards this but what is necessary and realistic. The doctors should also note that, the fact that they went to school for more years than other graduates qualify them a better salary. This argument is primitive and hold no water and undermines what they are agitating for.

Let the struggle continue ...

Why it is important to avoid consumerism in business

2011-12-08T22:40:00.001-08:00

In the last couple of weeks we have seen commercial banks increase their base lending rates to what the business community call punitive levels. Borrowing money from banks now attract interest rates in the range of 30 percent, which many of us thought had gone down in history with the Nyayo era.

Commercial banks are responding to the intervention of Central Bank of Kenya. In its bid to curb the runaway inflation and prevent the shilling from losing more value against major currencies, the CBK has been raising the Central Bank Rate (CBR), which is the rate at which commercial banks borrow from the CBK, which in turn determines the interest that commercial banks charge borrowers.

This has elicited mixed reactions among analysts who have failed to agree and tell us precisely how this is going to affect our lives as consumers and business people, both in the short term and in the long term. What has gained prominence in the media and in the streets is that businesses are going to hurt resulting in massive defaults, loss of jobs, and decline in economic growth leading to untold suffering for the common mwananchi.

Well, I too don’t have an answer but I seek to provoke you we reason together. Before we are consumed by negativism and demerits of high interest rates and fail to see the bright future, lets us see the other side of the coin of low interest rates regime that we have enjoyed especially during the post Nyayo era.

The low interest rate era that started as soon as Kibaki-led National Rainbow Coalition government took over in 2002 led to many things that significantly affected the business community and the lifestyle of every Kenyan. I will mention only two.

First loans became not only cheap but readily available. Many ordinary businesspeople were able to get the much needed finance to boost their businesses with or without the traditional collateral. This led to rapid economic growth and high liquidity in the market. This growth of course put constraints on social infrastructure and amenities.

Business and residential premises became expensive creating more opportunities for lenders to come in and facilitate and to finance using money they did not have (mainly depositors money and offshore loans).

Cheap loans created a consumerism society, which at first looked good for the economy and business people smiled all the way to the banks. This takes us to my second major thing: The rapid growth of unsecured loans advanced to salaried people.

My economist teacher in high school taught that loans can only be used economically to fund income generating projects, where the gains in form of profit or appreciation are higher than the interest charged. This age old principle apparently took the back seat.

Anybody with a pay slip or regular income could access money from commercial banks. This led to hyper consumerism. The financial pillar of delayed gratification became outdated overnight.

Anybody with a modest salary could within six months of signing contract get a car, the latest home theatre, furniture and a total overhaul of wardrobe, and an assurance that the car will always be on the road courtesy of the credit card.

But this offered only short term gains to our economy and general wellness. Banks raked in billions in profit and service providers increased and thrived. But the economy started to bleed because we were importing more than we were exporting. The petroleum, vehicles and their spare parts bill alone that we have to pay in dollars does not match what we get from our traditional Forex earners.

It is estimated that over 90 percent of unsecured loans are spent on conspicuous consumption such as home improvement, electronic, cars, phones and clothes. This is bad for the economy in the long run and worse when those things are imported.

There is a great lesson that the business community can learn from this situation. As business people since we are also consumers, we should be wary of getting into this trap. It is not good for our businesses, especially in this era of high interest rates.

We can’t shun away from borrowing money because we may need it desperately for smooth running of our businesses. But we must ensure it is spent on income generating projects. Think twice before moving to a more prestigious location, buying a better car or even upgrading your business machines. Do so if only it is adding monetary value, not just for prestige. If what you have is serving the purpose, move to the next step when you have earned enough rather than on credit. This makes business sense.

Why President Obama Will Probably Be Re-Elected in 2012

2011-11-08T03:59:00.000-08:00

In spite of the current protests over everything from dissatisfaction over the economy to efforts at restoring the economy and putting people back to work, it's still all-too-easy to imagine President Barack Obama will be re-elected in 2012. Why? It's nothing other than religious extremism within the rank-and-file and the leadership of the GOP.

Not everyone flying the Republican flag is a religious extremist, but then again, not everyone within the GOP is running for office. While we as a country could use some people in office who follow better financial policies, the issues that keep getting addressed are abortion rights, gay marriage rights and teaching creationism in schools. All of these nonissues are religious extremists pushing "God" in the public square as well as the private bedrooms of grown-ups. We have enough real-world problems. "God" can take care of himself.

On abortion, why would religious extremists be concerned? Aren't all those lost lives going to heaven? Besides, the Bible is filled with stories of the Almighty ordering the deaths of babies --without mercy. This point is not simply a matter of opinion. Those stories are really there.

When it comes to the rights of anyone wanting to marry someone of the same sex, who are these politicians to even have a say? Are we really going to try and tell others how to live because of the demands of a collection of stories from ancient times?

And as for insisting that creationism be taught as a theory in public schools -- really? With what we know about the cosmos (and still have yet to learn) no publicly funded school should be teaching as science anything other than what humanity has been able to verify with evidence. Or perhaps our Republican candidates "firmly believe in their hearts" we should also turn to Bronze Age legends for advice on computer repair and auto mechanics too.

The Socialist leanings of President Obama are not the answer to America's problems. We cannot save a free market by choking it to death. But when opponents to this administration espouse religious extremism as the solution, they sound to us non-Christians about like how a Taliban leader might sound to devout Christians. No single religion should dictate public policy -- ever. We all deserve our own choices in life. We cannot afford to trust extremists with the button.

Prolonged war in Somalia may not be wise

2011-10-29T01:07:00.000-07:00

Whereas the Kenyan economy was robustly growing towards a target of seven percent, the country’s belated retaliation against Somalia based al-Qaeda surrogates, Al Shabaab, and the unfortunate plummeting of the shilling against major world currencies spell doom for the economic prosperity and national security.

Abductions of Kenya-based foreign aid workers as well as tourists by the Al Shabaab are an aggression and provocation that the country can ill afford especially with regards to the safety of its territorial integrity.

Terrorism is a threat to peace and stability of the nations of the world, Kenya included, that must and should not be excused or tolerated by the government.

President Mwai Kibaki said as much in justifying the retaliatory military pursuit of al Shabaab outlaws inside the Somalia territory.

Nobody knows when these retaliatory strikes against the rag-tag militia targets will end but the repulsion – the first of a kind in a foreign soil by the military – come with a heavy price on both human and national resources. This war will require yet-to-be-quantified resources and take a toll on the faltering economy. Faced with this dilemma, the recovery of the shilling is unfathomable and scares investments.

We expect that the next supplementary budget will make more funds available to the military. This means, a diversion of meagre resources allocated for development to secure our borders. As a result, the cost of fuel and basic necessities will escalate, interest rates will be out of reach, the stock exchange could crumble and the ongoing development projects will have to stall.

Gains already made in the recent past aimed at shoring up the economy and taming the onward trend of the high cost of living could be reversed. In the circumstances, Kenyans can only expect the worst out of this scenario in which poverty stares many in the face, unemployment chronic and drought wrecking havoc in its wake.

It is not in the interest of the country to engage in a long drawn out war more so in these hard economic times and just a year to the next general elections. The net effect of this war on terror will be a serious economic recession, worse off than that faced by the developed world such as the US in recent history.

Interventions by no lesser person than President Kibaki, the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Kenya were echoed by Kenyans in the Diaspora especially those in Canada where I was for a weeklong meeting.

Kibaki’s Mashujaa Day speech outlined various measures on how to get the economy back on track. One such welcome measure is zero rating on imported cereals but should be extended to all farm machinery and inputs.

President Kibaki’s desire to set up a permanent seed and fertilizer fund was informed by the dismal performance of the farming sector. More often than not, the country imports farm produce from heavily subsidized economies.

As an initial long term bail out, there should a deliberate policy shift from reliance on rain-fed agriculture to irrigated/green house production as well as investment on value addition. The government should empower farmers to return to the farms through the re-introduction of Guaranteed Minimum Returns (GMR’s).

Even with the timely arrival of International Monetary Fund (IMF) head to negotiate for the multibillion shilling loan facility to shore up the shilling will have a toll on the recovery of the shilling. For the country to have a sustainable growth, serious austerity measures needs to be undertaken urgently, strictly adhered to and to cut on lavish spending.

Consequently, a scenario is emerging that the Kenyan economy appears to over rely on external factors. Our economy largely relies on foreign direct remittances, especially from several diplomatic missions and UN-Specialised Agencies (UNEP and Habitat) and relatives of refugees who have fled insecurity from their countries.

No country, which has gone to a full scale war, ever boasted economic progress in a post war situation. The country is yet to recover from the aftermath of the 2007 post-election violence. A similar war against the Northeastern separatist movement, the Shifta soon after independence drained the resources and destabilised the newly independent country shutting off the then Northern Frontier District (NFD) from development.

Even the United States economy slumped with multi pronged wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and supporting Israel in the Middle East.

The Gaddafi No One Will Tell You About!

2011-10-22T08:29:00.000-07:00

The media has successfully painted Gaddafi as a hard-core dictator, tyrant whatever you want to call him. However, the media as usual has also failed to show the kind, giving Gaddafi we never heard of. Gaddafi, unlike most dictators I will refrain from naming, managed to show his humane side, the very side we dream of seeing in other dictators who just talk and talk.

I consider Libyans lucky to a certain extent and one wonders with the new democratic rule they cry for will it improve or worsen life for them. Yes, Gaddafi spent millions of Libya`s money on personal ventures but is the average Libyan poor? We know others who take a country and destroy it until you feel like there is no hope of restoring this country… looting some prefer to call it. Did Gaddafi loot Libya in any way?

Now let us get to the unknown facts about the Libyan dictator:

1. There is no electricity bill in Libya; electricity is free for all its citizens.

2. There is no interest on loans, banks in Libya are state-owned and loans given to all its citizens at 0% interest by law.

3. Home considered a human right in Libya – Gaddafi vowed that his parents would not get a house until everyone in Libya had a home. Gaddafi’s father has died while him, his wife and his mother are still living in a tent.

4. All newlyweds in Libya receive $60,000 Dinar (US$50,000) by the government to buy their first apartment so to help start up the family.Traditional wedding in Tripoli, Libya

5. Education and medical treatments are free in Libya. Before Gaddafi only 25% of Libyans are literate. Today the figure is 83%.

6. Should Libyans want to take up farming career, they would receive farming land, a farming house, equipments, seeds and livestock to kick-start their farms – all for free.

7. If Libyans cannot find the education or medical facilities they need in Libya, the government funds them to go abroad for it – not only free but they get US$2,300/mth accommodation and car allowance.

8. In Libyan, if a Libyan buys a car, the government subsidized 50% of the price.

9. The price of petrol in Libya is $0.14 per liter.

10. Libya has no external debt and its reserves amount to $150 billion – now frozen globally. Great Man-Made River project in Libya… $27 billion

11. If a Libyan is unable to get employment after graduation the state would pay the average salary of the profession as if he or she is employed until employment is found.

12. A portion of Libyan oil sale is, credited directly to the bank accounts of all Libyan citizens.

13. A mother who gave birth to a child receive US$5,000

14. 40 loaves of bread in Libya costs $ 0.15

15. 25% of Libyans have a university degree

16. Gaddafi carried out the world’s largest irrigation project, known as the Great Man-Made River project, to make water readily available throughout the desert country.

Which other dictator has done much good to his people?

As we Mourn Maathai’s departure, let us celebrate her achievements

2011-09-28T23:00:00.000-07:00

On Monday the nation woke up to the most sad news of the death of environmentalist Prof Wangari Maathai. I join all Kenyans and the world in mourning this great daughter of Kenya.This sad news of the death of Prof Wangari Maathai, Kenya’s Nobel Peace Laureate, has resounded round the world: the tributes are a testimony to her huge legacy.

Her personal association with the forests like Karura, through her own sacrifices in saving it from developers in the 1990s, gave her an unquestionable authority.

But more than that, her warmth and humanity, and her personal integrity and commitment, shone through every meeting, every speech, every tree-planting or strategy session.

More than anyone I have ever met, she was a living demonstration of how you cannot separate environmental activism from democracy, transparency, and good governance.

You don’t achieve her sort of record in fighting for democracy and rights without upsetting some people, and it is not surprising that she remained a controversial figure in some quarters in Kenya.

But for me, the status conferred on her by the Nobel Peace Prize shows exactly what this sort of award is for: not only to honour those who deserve it, but to compel others to recognise them too.

Ordinary Kenyans are rightly proud of her, and she elevated the simple act of tree-planting into a hugely symbolic and popular gesture.

Many Kenyans we are saddened by the death of our beloved sister, a woman who has inspired me and many Kenyans and especially those of us who yearn to see a better Kenya in the journey of advocating for change in our society. Ms Maathai was not just a national hero but a global icon who inspired many people across the world.

Her resilience in protecting our natural resources and demanding for accountability from the State was admirable. She was fearless and fought for what she believed in with zeal. The images of her being harassed by police officers and hired goons as she fought for the conservation of our forests are both inspirational and a challenge to all and will forever be anchored in my mind.

During the Easter period, she always reminded every Christian to plant a tree noting that a tree had been cut to prepare the Cross where Christ died.

As we mourn her departure, it is critical we celebrate her achievements and ensure that her spirit lives. It is encouraging to note that what she fought for was not for personal gain but for the benefit of all of us in Kenya and for generations to come.

Today we are all enjoying the fruits of her struggles as we fetch tap water in our homes and rest in the refreshing shades of Uhuru Park gardens. Her efforts in protecting Uhuru Park and our forests are worth our comfort today.

Each time we rest or hold meetings at the wonderful Uhuru Park gardens should be a constant reminder of her struggle.

Each time we open the tap of flowing water in our houses we should remember her struggles and thank God that she lived in our times.

Every time we drive past Karura forest we should always pay tribute to her legacy.

We cannot honour her enough, neither can we mourn her to satisfaction but we can ensure that her legacy lives.

Our mourning will be void if we let her work and spirit go with her to the grave. The work of this great heroine should not be forgotten like that of many other Kenyan heroes. It should be preserved and passed on to future generations. It ought to be taught in schools to our children and passed to future generations as an inspiration.

It is critical that her struggles in fighting for environmental conservation and her efforts are documented and stored in our museums as a national heritage.

The government should not only accord her a State burial but further honour her by advancing her work. We should make tree planting a national exercise in her honour.

The government should complete the conservation of all national forests and water catchment areas to progress her work. As Kenyans we would honour her by planting trees around us. If each Kenyan planted a tree every rainy season we will in due time attain the recommended 10 percent forest cover in our land.

We thank God that he gave to us Prof Maathai as a gift who has left a great mark in our hearts.

She really will be missed, by millions of people who never met her, as well as the thousands who were lucky enough to

Rest in peace mama wetu.

I grieve with the families of Sinai fire tragedy, but serious intervention measures need to start now

2011-09-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

I will begin this blog by expressing my heartfelt and sincere condolences to the people of Sinai slum.To the families who have lost their loved ones in a senseless and cruel death; we are sorry for your loss. To many others who may have lost their bread winners; their deaths are inexcusable. To whole communities whose ecosystem has been wiped out; we must collectively say enough is enough.

The heart-breaking thing about the Sinai slum fire is that at 2009 an NTV journalist predicted such demise. I have read his story and I am convinced that he probably just witnessed too many avoidable deaths and took the extra step to highlight a potentially high-risk. I have a feeling that in writing her story, she’d hoped we would take preventive measures rather than curative ones.

Unfortunately; as with most of our problems, nothing else was done.Recommendations of the relevant ministries and their inter-ministerial committees were not implemented and the eviction notices were not enforced. Fast forward to September 2011, we have more than 120 deaths and many more injuries on our hands and as a country; we do no more than to condole with their families today. Tomorrow, the politicians will be gone from Sinai slum and like a blot of ink on a white page; the memory of the horror will be swept under a carpet of vested interests… until the next time.....but for how long should we allow this to happen!!! Are we an indolent, inglorious and ignominious people that we do not learn?.

Why must Kenyans be allowed to do whatever they want even when it endangers their lives?

When I mull over this fire, I recall a time when the Nairobi Town Clerk said he would embark on a demolition of houses built illegally. There was uproar and he was stopped short in his tracks.

I am aware the Kenya Pipeline Company identified the risks and even went as far as engaging mechanisms to resolve the problem. So what happened? Did they get all the support from the government as required to deal with an obvious political problem of squatters?

There is the issue of cost of relocating the squatters and of putting up social amenities to cater for their needs. Who should meet this social cost? There is the issue of enforcement where the incentives may not be strong enough to ensure that laws and regulations are adhered to. All these factors and very strong vested interests must have been present within and without the Sinai slum community.

Did the line ministries take the necessary steps to avoid such a disaster? Were our politicians caring enough to forestall this problem before it happened instead of rushing to make declarations a little too late?Is the fact that squatters were able to continue living on top of an oil pipeline an indication of our unwillingness to deal with societal problems?The ideal situation would have been to fence off the area where the pipeline passes and move people as far away as possible.

Often, we have seen the enforcing institutions unable to take action because our court system has issued injunctions that debilitate them. We have seen injunctions issued against the planned demolition of unsafe and inhabitable buildings or developers allowed to continue developing on road reserves etc.

In the absence of such action, we are not absolved as individuals, from taking responsibility for our own lives. We have seen and been warned of the dangers of siphoning fuel from tanks or fuel lines, yet this practice persists.Shouldn’t the government dictate that the general welfare of the public should override any court decisions that are of singular benefit to select few?

The question we should be asking is whether this behaviour is pervasive because of the harsh economic times; where the economic benefits far outweigh the risks even when it’s your life at stake.

For me, this tragedy is indicative of so much that has gone so wrong with Kenya. But in the spirit of Kenyans for Kenya, I am saying that we have the capacity to begin to take matters into our own hands. In my view, anyone trying to run for political office should have a well-thought out plan for dealing with such ills and to avoid senseless loss of life.

After all, of what productive value is a dead person to the socio-economic status of his people and to the country as a whole? Work and action must start now....Time for empty talk and cheap political shenanigans must stop.

As we mark the first aniversary after the promulgation of our new constitution the rule of law must prevail

2011-08-30T07:31:00.000-07:00

Its is exactly one year after the promulgation of our new Constitution. The National Charter has ushered in unprecedented change in our society within a very short span of time. It has given Kenya a face lift.Only our genius and resilience as a country made it possible for us to adopt a new Constitution in peace-time after the experience of the 2007/2008 violence. For me, the new Covenant is a guarantee that the Kenyan people shall henceforth resolve any potential conflict through the rule of law.

Those who have watched Kenya keenly have witnessed the onset of fundamental changes in the last twelve months. New institutions have been established through which we shall deepen our democracy. The Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution is a new body whose central function is to monitor, facilitate and oversee the development of legislation and administrative procedures required to implement the Constitution.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights and the National Commission on Gender and Development were merged to serve as one commission charged with the task of safeguarding human rights and equality concerns.We established the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee of Parliament whose key mandate is to co-ordinate with the Attorney General, the Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution and relevant parliamentary committees to ensure the timely introduction and passage of the legislation required by the Constitution.

Once the Constitution was adopted at the referendum last year, all designated State officers took a fresh oath to defend and act in accordance with the Constitution.

Fellow Kenyans, we established a new Judicial Service Commission which has briskly embarked on renewing Kenya’s judiciary. It has so far recommended for my appointment the Chief Justice, the Deputy Chief Justice, Supreme Court Judges, and Judges of the High Court. We are on the road to reforming our judiciary. A new Chief Justice and his Deputy are now firmly in place to offer leadership to our independent judicial branch.The Interim Independent Boundaries Commission was retired by the Constitution. We are in the process of recruiting members of the Independent Electoral ad Boundaries Commission. This is the Commission on whose shoulders the responsibility of managing the 2012 general elections will fall.

The Vetting of Judges and Magistrates Board has been nominated and is awaiting final approval by the National Assembly. This Board will bear monumental responsibility because it must professionally and fairly vet all serving judges and magistrates.Other institutions that have been established include the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, and the Commission for Revenue Authority. The former commission will henceforth determine the emoluments and other benefits which accrue to public and state officers. The latter will develop recommendations to Parliament regarding the division of the national budget between national and county levels .The process of recruiting a new Attorney-General, Controller of Budget and Auditor-General are firmly in place.

The opportunity of our new Constitution has presented another opportunity. We are also renewing the ordinary laws of Kenya. Indeed we are refurbishing our legal system. Few countries in the world ever get the rare opportunity to fundamentally renew their legal system.Many institutions that have collaborated to achieve the passage of the laws needed to implement the constitution. These institutions are specialist Task Forces; line ministries; the Kenya Law Reform Commission; The Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution; the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee of the National Assembly; the Attorney General’s office; Cabinet; and the National Assembly. As Kenyans we owe a great debt to these institutions. Their exemplary work has passed the message that no stone should be left unturned in our endeavor to implement our constitution.

Fellow Kenyans, a few challenges have presented themselves in the task of implementing our constitution. We have not kept one or two deadlines in terms of appointment of officials due to unforeseen circumstances. However we overcame the initial teething problems and are now endeavoring to strictly observe the schedule in our constitutional implementation process.Once in a while differences of opinion among the multiple actors charged with the implementation of the constitution will arise. These must be resolved amicably. Together we must focus on what is best for Kenya. Harmony is absolutely an imperative as we entrench our new constitution through legislative and other measures.

There are Bills that must be developed and passed within the time frame of one and a half years, two years, three years, four years and five years after the promulgation of the Constitution. We must embark on finalizing the next round of legislations. Time is still of the essence. There are other important Bills expected to be passed by the Constitution for which no deadline exists. We must also work on these.The Constitution requires that we put in place all the new commissions that it has established. This is an urgent matter that the government is addressing.Its good to emphasize that as the judiciary is renewed through the vetting process, the rules of natural justice should be strictly adhered to. Kenya needs a corrupt free and professional judiciary as well as a judiciary that is confident in the discharge of its duties.

I sense change all around in Kenya. We are living in exciting times. Those who come after us will envy us. They will see that we were brave to embrace change. I am clear in mind that implementing the Constitution is the other side of the coin of implementing Vision 2030. I also know my dream of transforming Kenya into a working nation will be realized as we implement our new Constitution and Vision 2030.The enduring inheritance that we shall bequeath to the youth of our society is the new Constitution. I say so because the new Constitution has totally transformed the socio-economic and political landscape of our country for the better.Kenyans now enjoy one of the most robust Bills Of Rights in the world. The county governments will potentially percolate investment and general development to the grassroots. Separation of powers is truly entrenched within the fabric of our governmental system.

Land and other national resources will be protected more efficaciously. Leadership will be squarely brought under constitutional spotlight. Kenyans can be citizens of the world. A new senate will supplement the current national assembly. The executive will be outside of Parliament. Cabinet and Principal Secretaries will be professionals who give all their working time to government departments. The President will be chosen by a majority of Kenyans.The Supreme Court will be the guardian of our Constitution. National security organs will be subjected to civilian oversight. Public finance will be exposed to strict accountability. The Constitution establishes national principles and values that describe our country’s vision. We must embrace these.

I am proud to be a Kenyan during this momentous period of our growth as a country. We preferred the route of change based on a national consensus. Many Kenyans have also been part of debating the new laws that we are making to implement our Constitution. I salute you all. This is a demonstration of commendable civic duty.I challenge Kenyans that we henceforth follow the Constitution we have made for ourselves regardless of our station in life. We must become a country ruled by law.

The lessons of USA dwindling economic fortunes

2011-08-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

Thomas Friedman's editorial, published in the New York Times last week, offers some very vital lessons for political regimes worldwide on the importance of unity in the face of national crises. Headlined “Win Together or Lose Together”, the piece pricks the conscience of the squabbling politicians in the US in the wake of dwindling economic fortunes, following the downgrading of the superpower’s creditworthiness.Friedman’s piece, I opine, is the one of the most powerful editorial pieces so far written anywhere in the 21st century, for it contains vital lessons about national crises, political unity and the national interest for all nations, particularly Kenya.

Regarding America’s current economic crisis, Mr Friedman, author of the famous book The World is Flat, cautions: “Something this big and complex cannot be accomplished by one party alone. It will require the kind of collective action usually reserved for national emergencies. The sooner we pull together the better”.The far-reaching implications of the downgrading of the US economy’s creditworthiness a week ago are mind-boggling. They constitute a latent global crisis. The verdict was passed by the global sovereign debt ratings firm known as Standard & Poor’s. The firm cited the US budget deficit, the biggest in human history, and the internal political climate as the main reasons for the low economic status.The downgrade was met with massive criticism and assorted cries of pain from the Obama administration. The US still has an AAA rating from other global sovereign debt ratings agencies. But the fear remains that one or two of them could follow Standard & Poor’s unprecedented lead. The United States is the world’s biggest economy at a GDP of US$15.003 trillion (at July 29, 2011, according to an International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimate).And yet America came within an inch of defaulting on its debt a week ago. It is also the single largest debtor on this planet and in history, for purely political adversarial reasons. Only the 27 combined economies of the European Union generate a bigger GDP, calculated by the IMF at US$16,228.23 trillion in 2010.

The EU’s biggest economy is Germany, at US$2.4 trillion, followed by France, at US$1.9 trillion, and the United Kingdom, at US$1.6 trillion. Africa’s combined GDP is only equal to the UK, at US$1.6 trillion, although this continent of a billion people has a potential greater than that by far. According to the latest (2009-10) IMF figures, the richest three African countries by GDP generation are South Africa (US$ 357.259 billion), Egypt (US$ 218.466 billion) and Nigeria (US$ 216.803billion).Thinking about billions is hard enough for the vast majority of ordinary folk. But trillions are simply out of this world. For instance, an hour has 60 seconds, but you are not a billion seconds old until you are 32 years old, which means the vast majority of Kenyans now alive are not yet one billion seconds old.

This also means that famous old-timers like Nelson Mandela, who is 93, Charles Njonjo, who is 91, and President Kibaki, who is a comparative youngster at 80, are not yet three billion seconds old. But a trillion simply boggles the mind. If America had defaulted on its debt, the world economy would have been in a truly terrible mess. And yet it almost happened, largely due to the age-old political rivalry between the Democratic Party, which is now in power, and the Republican Party.

The size of the US debt is simply staggering. As of August 3, 2011, the gross was $14.34 trillion, of which $9.78 trillion was held by the public and $4.56 trillion was in intra-governmental holdings. Wikipedia defines the US government debt as “… the money borrowed by the federal government of the United States at any one time through the issue of securities by the Treasury and other federal government agencies”.

The US public debt “… is securities held by investors outside the federal government, including that held by the Federal Reserve System and state and local governments. This is the net public debt”. A week ago the Republican Party almost pushed the US into defaulting on its debt repayment pledges, a move that would have had catastrophic economic and social consequences across the planet. The single biggest holder of US debt is China, with more than US$2 trillion.

Part of the Republican Party’s intransigence on the matter was driven by what can only be called tribalism writ large. Some Republicans have never forgiven themselves for the fact that the party lost the 2008 presidential election and that the majority of Americans elected the first African-American, Barack Obama, as president.The racists inside the Republican Party were completely reconciled to the idea of the US defaulting on its vast debt and throwing the world into a tailspin of crises. And all this only to make the puny, petty, petulant and repugnant point that it happened under the watch of a black President. Mr Friedman’s call for united bipartisan political responsibility at a time of national crisis is instructive for its level-headed definition of the problem:

“Our slow decline is a product of two inter-related problems. First, we’ve let our five basic pillars of growth erode since the end of the Cold War – education, infrastructure, immigration of high-IQ innovators and entrepreneurs, rules to incentivise risk-taking and start-ups, and government-funded research to spur science and technology”.

This, indeed, is the tenor and language of Vision 2030, Kenya’s own national economic and development blueprint and road map towards a middle-level economy. America’s current economic crisis and Friedman’s timely caution are enough reasons why Kenya must ring-fence the Vision 2030 and all its flagship projects against petty political squabbles!

UK riots and the underlying issues

2011-08-10T23:54:00.000-07:00

As I write this blog I am reminded of the fact that,there is no perfect society and that in every society regardless of economic robustness there are underlying issues. I am on record in this very blog saying that UK and USA could be the next battlefronts after the Arab world. But what is really happening in London? Are we really cognizant of what is happening? This is how I argue my case;

London is in a state of shock and surprise,nobody envisaged what is happening now .However, those in tune with the economic situation in the UK and the government spending cuts will tell you this was a time bomb. It was only a matter of time before all hell broke lose.While the riots are quite scary and have even escalated to mugging, they’re some who say there’s a sense of excitement about what’s going on in England. The scenes are similar to almost what happened in the Arab world and similar to Kenya's 2007/2008 post election violence. The queen's country, England is beginning to resemble Greece, Tunisia, and other countries that have witnessed recent uprisings due to the state of the economy.Now, if I correctly recall, the uprising in Tunisia was sparked off by a young man setting himself a blaze because he was being arrested for selling vegetables by the roadside; his alternate means for employment as he couldn't find work.

Although the riots in London were set off by an apparent gunfire exchange between the police and a young man, it was just a trigger that the rioting youth needed to vent out their frustrations that stem from the economic conditions and the lack of jobs.

Scenes from London

The MP for Tottenham (where the riots first broke out) David Lammy described the looters as mindless youth. Many of the politicians who have spoken on television and radio have condemned the riots and termed it as opportunistic criminal behaviour. This clearly shows that the leaders in UK have knocked themselves off the pedestal.It pretentious and hypocritical , as a government, on the one hand to support youth protests in other countries calling them uprisings while terming riots in its country as gang crime. Is it that this government fails to see a similarity to Tunisia or Egypt in terms of a ruling class that is making the prospects of the lower class much dimmer?

The youth in UK have no jobs, government spending cuts to the public sector have seen many lose their jobs, and the recent university fee increase now leaves these young people with no hope of getting higher education.

Some would argue that there are youth, who also have no jobs but have not taken to the streets.

Former London mayor Ken Livingston said that this is the first time since World War II where young people in this country are in a situation where they have no hope of finding work, buying a house and even getting an education.

However, this is a percentage of the youth who have no hope at all and perhaps feel like they have nothing to lose. But instead of the leaders just dismissing the protesters as criminals maybe they need to first listen to their grievances.

Politicians should know that,days of political party patronage are over

2011-07-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

The Kenyan electorate and aspirants for elective posts are relieved of the burden of electing candidates imposed on them by “tribal chiefs” in charge of registered political parties since the country reverted to competitive politics 19 years ago. Voters can now abandon parties in preference to independents in future contests.Direct nominations enjoyed by lawmakers, party officials, their relatives and sycophants will be things of the past as are the imposition of candidates on the electorate in elections. Such nominations made multiparty democracy a mockery.

Victims of cruel decisions by party chiefs celebrated the coming into being of the new constitution that could also make the parties truly political ideological formations, instead of personal properties.

The good news is contained in the clauses whose primary aim is to level the playing field and to open doors for aspirants locked out of contests by party barons year in year out.

According to the supreme law, State Officers that include Members of Parliament and Ministers are banned from holding party posts. In addition, aspirants could in future vie for elections as independents. Already, one presidential aspirant has declared to stand as independent candidate in the 2012 polls.The lawmakers argue that they are not State Officers and should hence be exempted from the ban. Already, parliamentary party leaders are threatening to breach the sections of the Constitution that could have helped inculcate discipline and internal democracy within registered political entities.

Unlike in the days of yore, many aspirants have been disenfranchised in the advent of multi – party contests by intolerant and dictatorial leaders who have been masquerading as democrats. In the olden days, with a few exceptions, any number of candidates could be considered for nomination on the only party then, Kenya African National Union (KANU).

In the run up to the referendum on the new Constitution, the parties were more interested on Executive power and ignored other glaring flaws in the document that have suddenly been discovered. Now one can understand why parliamentary party leaders are up in arms against stand taken by the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) that insists on the ratification of the document to the letter.

Other than a joint opposition succeeding to get one of their own to State House in 2002 after two unsuccessful attempts, parties are mere election machines and neither are they reform tools. Unfortunately, none of the existing parties has a position on any national issue as manifested in their deafening silence over serious matters as the ongoing reforms, the escalating cost of living and runaway inflation. Without party posts, some of the leaders would not have seen inside the legislature and, or become ministers in their lifetime.

In the yesteryear campaigns for the re-introduction of competitive politics in Kenya, reformists of those days accused KANU of dictatorial habits but twenty years later, the so called reformists have proved no better than their political foes in the party that ruled the country for four decades.

So, the question now at hand is – what is the remarkable difference between KANU and its opponents in the multi party set up? The answer is little if any. Only names, symbols and flags distinguish these entities. In short they are nowhere ideologically distinct from the other nor are they qualitatively different in their socio-economic and political programs; their manifestoes hold a telling story about their commonalities.

Fate that befell the Lancaster House Independence political agreement , later renamed Kenya Constitution awaits the new constitution which could suffer another mutilation in the hands of lawmakers. One can be sure that a flood of proposed changes could fill the Clerks tray because many state and public officers find the said clauses unpalatable as they deny them the comfort of getting away with murder including increasing their salaries and refusal to pay taxes.

The contemplated changes are meant to suit circumstances as has been the case in the past. One such amendment contemplated is to be engineered in restructuring the Political Parties Act.

Good leaders must be good in speech delivery

2011-07-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

No dictator in living memory has been a great orator. Dictators cannot be bothered to be of any kind of service to their subjects or mankind in general. Indeed, they hold the populations that they oppress and misrule in total contempt. Distinctive, well-prepared, inspirational, motivational and memorable speech-writing and delivery involve a process of very hard work and commitment.And this holds true whether the orator involved is a preacher giving a sermon or a president marshalling citizens to a national cause.Dictators deliberately deliver speeches that are meant to frighten, scare or even bore people to tears. The idea is reduce their audiences to inaction through lifeless, monotonous and dull soliloquies.

The 1976 Nobel Literature Laureate, Saul Bellow, hit the nail on the head in his novel Humboldt’s Gift when he observed: “Boredom is an instrument of social control. Power is the authority to impose boredom, to command stasis, to combine this stasis with anguish. The real tedium, deep tedium, is seasoned with terror and with death”. Great speech writing and delivery are key ingredients of good leadership. And in every great leader, there is a great speaker and a great speechwriter. Leaders should frequently deliver inspirational speeches and not boring prepared statements that make their deliverers drone, bray and send audiences to sleep.“Commanding stasis” is a shameful and inept thing for leaders to do to their audiences, even for half-an-hour. It is a terrible waste of time for everybody involved, from a small roomful of people to stadia teeming with crowds.

The most likeable, admirable and awesome thing about American President Barack Obama is not the colour of his skin, or that he is the first man with that pigmentation to be the tenant of the White House. No, the amount of melanin in his skin has nothing to do with it. Obama’s truly inspirational and even motivational speech-making is the secret of his success and gravitational pull both in America and in the wider world.Obama moves people far beyond America with his speeches.

And it is clear that his speeches are well researched, prepared, rehearsed and delivered in a process that involves the most rigorous hard work and commitment. You remember what Obama has said long after he said it. He delivers with conviction, always ending the speeches with a crescendo ‘God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.’ Obama creates a connection with his audience right from the word Go. From his ‘hello everybody’ to the occasional wide smile, to the great quotes and mentioning of names of individuals present, he comes out as a man who is in touch with his audiences.Obama never takes his listeners for granted. Neither do all great leaders. They take the greatest care to make a good, attractive and lasting impression because they believe in what they say, mean what they say and say what they mean. What’s more, they deliver speeches not only for their live audiences but with an eye on posterity and the global audience. Obama comes in the tradition of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Dr Martin Luther King Jnr, John F. Kennedy, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Francis Bacon, Edmund Burke and Caius Julius Caesar.Even if we restrict the list only to African-Americans, Obama still keeps the greatest and most admirable company among orators.He comes in the great tradition of the Rev Henry Highland Garnet, whose heyday was in the 1840s and who is described to this day as having had a “golden throat”. The golden-throated Garnet is most famous for his “Address to the Slaves of the United States of America,” delivered at the National Convention of Coloured Citizens in 1843: “Awake! Awake; millions of voices are calling you! Your dead fathers speak to you from their graves. Heaven, as with a voice of thunder, calls on you to arise from the dust”. Africa too has had its share of world-class speech-makers who moved millions, among them the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere and Kwame Nkrumah, who were great writers, polemicists and orators even before they entered high office. But this critical genre of leadership is slowly fading away at a time when it is needed most.Remember Obama arrived on the scene in America at the end of the lacklustre George W. Bush decade, with the War on Terror and two hot wars raging in Iraq and Afghanistan and amidst the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. But he appeared as a beacon light of hope. ‘Yes we Can’ was the clarion call of his political campaigns that revived the hopes of Americans to rediscover the greatness of their nation.

And on the election night after the results were declared Obama sent Americans wild with more inspiration, hope and belief in a new dawn; “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is the place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founding fathers is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.”

Moving forward, Kenyans will need re-energising by inspirational leaders who will give a message of hope and renewal. Our new constitutional dawn and infrastructural rebirth are both threatened by the phenomenon of a shilling in free fall, looming recession and runaway price hikes inimical to decent living.

The next generation of leaders will be required to move masses into action, give hope and make Kenyans active participants in the nation building process. Such leaders will have to match their words with actions. Kenyans are waiting.

Mswati is bankrupting his kingdom in his expensive lifestyle!

2011-07-01T08:14:00.000-07:00

King Mswati III is sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch and certainly the only royal who can lay claim to bankrupting his nation in the modern age.
This bling-loving King is one of the reasons why Swaziland has recently had to ask South Africa for a financial bailout as it sinks into insolvency.
According to 2010 figures, Swaziland’s spendthrift King had a net worth, based on investments and land, of $100 million in a country where the GDP is $4.1 million.
This may seem like a lot, and it is in relation to the national GDP, but when you compare it to the $18 billion fortune of the King of Saudi Arabia, or the $15 billion net worth of the Emir of Abu Dhabi, it isn’t.
Because of this, it seems the Swazi King has an inferiority complex in the way he spends his ‘modest’ sum, splurging on unnecessary expenses.
The man loves fast cars, luxury palaces and extravagant parties. In 2008, he reportedly spent $2.5 million on joint celebrations for 40 years of Swaziland’s independence and his 40th birthday.
Mswati III also seeks to look prestigious by over-the-top national spending, such as the $90.86 million dished out on a new international airport.
Shopping sprees

In April 2010, the Swaziland Solidarity Network, a forum which seeks to support democratic institutions in the nation, did a breakdown of the King’s annual spending over the last few years. Here are some of the highlights;

$229m recurrent budget for the Swazi National Treasury under the King’s office
$72.3m for royal houses and $72.3m for link roads to the royal palace
$137.5m for official royal trips by the King
$7.2m for a Rolls Royce Phantom to his endless list of luxury cars

But it’s not all about the King. We mustn’t forget that the Mswati clan includes 14 wives, as well as a vast number of 'hangers-on' who have a sense of entitlement.
Each of these ladies has a million-dollar palace built for them, BMWs and personal staff, and almost anything else they desire. They also frequently indulge in overseas shopping sprees by private jet.
In 2009, it is reported that five of the King’s wives went on a foreign shopping spree, spending $86.8m in the process.

Private accounts
Bear in mind that this is happening in a country with the highest HIV/Aids prevalence of any in the world and the lowest life expectancy rate, but no money to deal with these issues.
The King’s personal secretary, Sam Mkhombe, has gone out of his way to clarify that some of the spending is from the Mswati’s private accounts. But the country is suffering from serious financial issues!
Early in 2010, the Swazi Government had ordered 14 per cent cuts across departments to prevent the nation from going bankrupt. Though this strained some departments, such as Education whose ability to provide care for vulnerable children was impaired, it did not include a reduction in expenditure by the Royal family.

Furthermore, in February this year, the King received a 23 per cent increase in his budget when just about every government department had to cut by 20 per cent.
It appears the King does not concern himself with the suffering of his population, brought on by public expenditure cuts. He has pleaded with South Africa to lend a helping hand with a $1.4billion bailout, but many critics see it as nothing but a front for self aggrandisement.
If anything, the money would probably vanish without producing any long-term benefits for the citizens.

Judicial reforms against police reforms

2011-06-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

Kenya has indeed come of age. Its was a good breath of fresh air to see Kenya’s new Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice, Willy Mutunga and Nancy Barasa, take their oaths of office in normal clothes rather than traditional archaic and colonial robes. It symbolised a new approach and a break from the colonial past, which is what I think people want to see. It’s true that the formal court dress comes from the British tradition, but in the UK it is used much less than it used to be.

It’s no longer worn in the civil and family courts. Many judges choose to dispense with it (for example in hot weather), and judges of the Supreme Court and the Privy Council have never worn court dress at all (although advocates appearing before them do). So as Kenya goes through what we all hope will be far-reaching judicial reform, the new CJ is showing that just because something has always been done, doesn’t mean it can’t be changed. Whatever the outward form, the substance of the new appointments is very exciting. From politicians to wananchi, people have told me how much they welcomed the televised, open vetting of the candidates for the new jobs.

To me this new approach really symbolises the way in which the new Constitution has been embraced by Kenyans , its spirit as well as its letter. The sense that there is a new broom sweeping through the dusty corridors of the judiciary is very real. And let us not forget that although the challenges facing the new CJ are daunting, there is a good blueprint in the task force report on judicial reform, which could make a huge difference to the lives of everyone in the country who is touched by the judicial system in some way.Sad, therefore, to see the contrast with the way police vetting has started.

We have great faith in the ability of the Kenyan police to transform itself into a modern, accountable and properly resourced service ,that is why we have consistently supported that process, despite sometimes being criticised for doing so. But whereas the vetting of judicial jobs seems to have inspired confidence in those appointed, I haven’t met anyone who says their confidence in the police has been boosted by the vetting recently announced. That might change if there was a suitable system for input from the public or civil society.A more inclusive process is in the interest of the police themselves – suitably qualified officers with integrity are more likely to earn the public’s respect and cooperation, while ensuring the careers of good officers are not blocked by bad ones. Perhaps early passage of the Bill setting up an Independent Police Oversight Authority, and a transparent appointment to the new Inspector General slot, would help create that confidence.

What about drinking?

2011-06-20T23:08:00.000-07:00

As I write this blog I am in deep thoughts of an informative argument we had with some of my friends regarding alcohol taking. I am also reminded of a common adage that beautiful young people are accidents of nature,and beautiful old people are works of art.This will become clear as we progress.I have never had an issue with those that drink and I occasionally buy my friends alcohol when asked to do so. On the other hand I do not drink at all out of principle and I expect my friends to respect me and let me be. Kindly allow me to diffuse my reasons.

There is one thing that should be condemned with contempt, this is when people use the wrong premise to justify what they do.Some people argue that the Christian faith is not exactly against alcohol consumption. They base their argument on the fact that Paul advised Timothy to take a little wine for his stomachs sakes.They also argue that Jesus had no business turning water into wine if the wine was not for drinking. By providing alcohol at a wedding, the critics argue that, Jesus was endorsing alcohol.My reasoning is based on the word of God and common sense. My crystal ball tells me that there is alcoholic and non-alcoholic wine and we cannot say with certainty that the wine Jesus created was alcoholic. The same goes with Paul.

In another instance, we are advised not to be drunk with wine but to be filled with the Holy Spirit(Ephesians 5:18-19).There are more scriptures that condemn alcohol consumption than allow it. In fact scripture says wine is a mocker and beer a brawler. Whomever they lead astray is not wise.Imagine the case of a grown man who urinate on a table that sits a couple enjoying a quiet evening simply because he thinks the table is the wash room.

It's good to be realistic and objective at the same time.There have been scientific discoveries on some of goodness one can derive from drinking especially the red wine. However its also important to note that, alcohol is closely associated to every negative aspect of the society suicide,violent crime,birth defects,industrial accidents,domestic and sexual abuse,disease,homelessness,and death .Its knows no racial,ethnic,social or economic barriers.You will always see shocked children when daddy walks in drunk. He will shout out all sorts of words and his slurred speech. In some homes, daddy’s arrival signifies the beginning of a reign of terror. He will proceed to harass mummy with the children pleading with him to stop beating her.Alcohol consumption is the surest way of inviting poverty into your house. He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich. How many times have we seen people who squander their salary in one moment of folly when they decide to buy an entire bar beer?

Listen to the word of God. Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end, it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.Alcohol has killed and maimed people. It is the cause of many a victims being confined to wheelchairs. It has led to divorce. It is also responsible for the spread of STD’s and HIV. Its now being argued that alcohol has an adverse effects on the brain cells,some die and others are altered, when taken in an unregulated and that maybe the reason why alcohol consumption is one reason associated with migraine. Alcohol taking is also a major predisposing factor in lifestyle diseases such as cancer,stroke,damage of heart muscles and is toxic to a struggling heart.Indeed scientific studies have demonstrated that even moderate use of alcohol may account for 5 to 15 percent of all hypertension. Also key to note is the effect of alcohol on your lungs,reproductive system,liver and your immune system.In women,even daily drink or two raises breast cancer risk.

For all it is worth, stay away from this lethal drink if you have to, please keep it low,very low indeed.And as I have always said alcohol is only for the disciplined. As for me I think coffee, chocolate,tea, and juice will do.I am also aware that it's a free world.

Women, I honour and celebrate you

2011-06-17T06:22:00.000-07:00

Today, I celebrate women. Today I am thinking of my amazing mother who had the strong arms and the iron determination to raise 11 strong willed children,who have grown to be responsible young men and women.

Today, I am paying tribute to the woman who sells tomatoes and sukuma wiki to feed her children. She does, after all, in her long day build someone’s nation, one day at a time.

Today I am feting the lovelies with long hair and big bosoms who raise children that were thrown in the gutter by their sisters.I am doing this because, it’s just that there are some women that I feel need to be honoured, but are not. And this is my reason for blogging today. For the women who are not honoured.I am also applauding the men who take care of women; standing by them and lifting them up.

Today, I should be looking at the hard story with a happy ending.As young as 01-year old children are being raped. The beast of this crime are arrested, but its normally too late. The damage is always done and now this child may grow up without the ability to honour or feel honoured. She was the fifth of his ‘victims’, forced into womanhood.

Hundreds of women need reconstructive surgery after being raped and mutilated. Their husbands who maybe watched them get raped, cannot afford to honour them anymore. Their families cannot see past the disgust that these women are trying to forget. As she struggles to walk several kilometres to the nearest station to report the matter, the soldiers shrug and say ‘it happens’.

Their stories reminded me of girls kicked out of schools and homes because of getting pregnant. They reminded me of the night nurses who are beaten and bad-mouthed by the very same men who have used their services but don’t want to pay. They remind me of the girl who stopped tying her breasts because she was forcefully ‘shown’ how it feels to be a woman.

Today I will honour the women who are looked at as if they were dirty. May you be honoured this day. Though your voice is waspy and unheard and your dreams are terrifying, I will honour you because I know you are great and deserve it. May our good Lord bless you and take care of you all the day of your life.

Consumers should lobby for quality products

2011-06-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

The dairy industry is one of the leading sectors in the economy contributing 4 percent of the country's GDP.

Interventions put in by the industry players saw production increase from 3.2 billion litres in 2002 to 4.1 billion litres in 2008 (28pc) while the formal sector grew from 144 million litres in 2002 to 407 million in 2009 (183pc). During this period, dairy easily became the sector of choice for many and thus a major investment destination.

Dairy production is a major activity in the livestock sector and an important source of livelihood for over 800,000 small scale farmers across the country.

In the year 2000, milk production was estimated to 2.3 billion litres of which, 63pc was marketed, 30pc consumed at home and the rest - 7pc fed to calves. Despite this significant contribution to the national and household incomes, the dairy industry is faced with a number of technical, economical and institutional problems which seems to have escalated in the recent past.

Currently, more than all the 20 registered processors handle the rest of the market share and New Kenya Co-operative Creameries Ltd still plays a big part of total milk supply from farmers.

As an industry the desire should be to see the continued growth and development of the dairy sector with increasing incomes to the farmers and improved quality of final products to the consumers at the most competitive prices while making a decent return on our investments.

Pasteurization
Pasteurization is a unit operation directed towards prevention of microbial growth of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms through their removal or inactivation and is used to extend shelf-life of foods.

Traditionally, the food industry used heat to pasteurize foods. In current times, where the role of the consumer has become leading and necessary, food production systems are no longer supply-driven but become more demand-driven.

As a result of consumer demands for foods that are fresher, more natural, or minimally processed and additive-free, new physical methods of treatment are emerging for shelf-life extension and are under broad development. The application of novel technologies has also led to the new definition of this unit operation.

Nothing to write home about, 48 years after independence.

2011-06-06T07:53:00.000-07:00

As we celebrated Madaraka day this year I was reminded of the famous pledge, Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya's first President, made to Kenyans in 1963, which was to spearhead the fight against poverty, ignorance and disease. Our leaders have knocked themselves off the pedestal and be best be described as a labyrinth of corrupt fellows.

Fourty eight years after that promise, the most noticeable achievement has been in education. At independence, access to education for the African population was for the rich Most were restricted to basic education with a substantial number of school goers being directed to vocational education for skilled work and trades.

Now, nearly all Kenyans of primary school age attend primary school and almost seventy per cent of them proceed to secondary school. Unlike in the sixties when an average of one youth per constituency joined university, most constituencies now send over two hundred of them to public and private universities each year.

Expansion has come with challenges; a decline in quality due to inadequate inputs, unequal access to quality education and educated unemployment. Health care has also improved with a health facility in most administrative areas.

However treatment, especially for referral cases (cancer treatment, surgery, dialysis for the poor) and medical staff remain key a tall order. Having been content with what was put in place by the colonial government almost fourty years into independence, much progress is being witnessed in the area of infrastructure development, especially roads.

Meanwhile, poor planning, insensitivity to the farmer's problems and population pressure, have limited significant growth in the country's main economic activity; agriculture. As a result, and with increasing youth unemployment, endemic poverty remains our biggest challenge. Compared to 1963, a higher percentage of Kenyans now live below the poverty line.

Unpredictable weather is not to blame for our poverty; the trouble is almost fourty years of misrule. Ironically, Jomo Kenyatta started the slide back to the very ills he declared to fight in 1963 by entrenching dictatorship and a culture where his top leadership was more about itself than the citizens.

That is why he had the courage to challenge nationalists like Bildad Kaggia to show what they had done (looted?) for themselves as individuals, when along with Jaramogi Odinga, they advocated for a more meaningful Uhuru for the majority of Kenyans. The Mau Mau nationalists who fought for political and economic liberation were brutalized and marginalized by successive African governments, in which some of those who collaborated with the colonizer have been prominent.

Many of those liberation heroes died poor while those alive are struggling for basic survival for themselves and family. Over the years, Kenya's privileged political elite have survived by entrenching dictatorship, sycophancy,arrogance,vainglory,ostentation and tribal divisions to fend off any challenge to their authority. The onset of multi party democracy in 1992 did not improve matters much because enemies of genuine change infiltrated multi party government.

The current constitution provides us with a second chance to make a more dramatic break with poverty, ignorance and disease; but only if we lock out, from the post 2012 leadership, elements that invest in the status quo. Otherwise, the more things will change the more they will remain the same!Just as its said we only manage to change the forest but the monkeys are the same