Geoffrey William Griffin and the Starehe Dream

Photo: Daily Nation

The late Geoffrey William Griffin, founder of Starehe Boys' Centre, was laid to rest yesterday in a ceremony attended by President Mwai Kibaki, politicians, educationists, gov't officials, Starehe old boys and students. Griffin also started the National Youth Service, another important institution for the youth. He will remembered as an indefatigable and kind administrator who gave most of his time and life for Starehe.

Since its humble beginnings from a centre with just three huts in 1959, Starehe has grown into a colossus in the country's education landscape. But the biggest contribution by Starehe and Dr Griffin has been the free education of some of Kenya's brightest and neediest students. Many of today's top engineers, doctors, surveyors, scientists and artists would not have been able to make it to university and their current posts were it not for Starehe.

As President Mwai Kibaki told Kenyans, Starehe needs all our support. Kenyans must realise that the institution is one of the success stories of our country. For many years, Starehe has relied on external donors who included the Save the Children Fund and corporate sponsors like Kenya Shell. That source of funding is fast drying up and an Endowment Fund has been set up. Old boys and other private well wishers are now playing an important role in raising funds for the school.

Never before has Starehe needed our support more than it does today. It is still churning out some of Kenya's best brains. Many of them would have wasted away in villages were it not for Starehe.
But producing excellent results like Starehe does needs a strong financial base. This is because the centre sponsors over a thousand students every year at its primary and secondary divisions and college set up there and many thousands more at other secondary schools countrywide.

Let all Kenyans of goodwill try their best to raise money for the school. Let us all take pride in the Starehe success story. Support Starehe today. And let the dreams of Geoffrey William Griffin live on.

Harambee Stars: The Way Forward

All said and done, Harambee Stars is still a shining beacon of hope for the country's soccer. Forget about those yearning for the days when Kenya was the shining force of CECAFA tournaments. Kenya is still a force to reckon with in continental soccer. It is the highest ranked team in East Africa and has come a long way up the African ladder where it is in the continent's top twenty team list(no .17 in Africa and no 80 worldwide according to FIFA ranking) It shares the same rank with Algeria and is directly below Ghana. Somehow we have managed to remain a respectable force to all opponents we meet.

Yet the team is still facing serious pitfalls as it seeks honour for the country. Kenya's soccer authorities, it seems, are not keen to manage the team properly. Players go without allowances and the team is constantly locked out of training facilities like Kasarani over unpaid bills. We were recently in the news for all the wrong reasons when striker Dennis Oliech refused to travel with the team to Guinea over an unpaid allowance totalling 130,000 shs.
Despite all the inimical conditions the team is forced to operate under, it has bravely fought better prepared opponents. In its last match, it squeezed a draw against Morocco's Atlas Lions, a team feared across the continent (as it is one of the top four African teams according to 2005 Fifa rankings).
We cannot rely on the goodwill of the players and the coaches alone. KFF must ensure that the team is well provided for and given adequate preparations for top flight football. Captain Musa Otieno, striker Dennis Oliech and other professionals should not be forced to dig into their pockets to come home. They should not be locked out of Kasarani for any reason other than security. How can a team be stopped from training just because KFF has not paid bills to the stadium's management. The KFF should also know that fund raisers can never sustain a game for long. Sports is naturally an expensive undertaking considering the travel involved. With proper management, the KFF can do a good job. They'd better start doing that right away.

Transport Sector in Kenya Needs Urgent Reforms

Kenya's transport sector is crying for urgent attention by authorities. Hardest hit are the buses and matatus. One of the largest companies in public transport, the famous Kenya Bus Services, is struggling to stay afloat.

Most of its minibuses under the Metro Shuttle brand have been impounded by creditors. General Motors, the biggest of the creditors, is having a hard time keeping smaller creditors at bay. The rush for most of KBS's assets has begun. Nearly 2000 workers have been sent on compulsory leave; their future hangs in the balance. A symbol of everything Nairobian, KBS may have to pull the plug and call it a day.
What is really saddening is that KBS is the casualty of the new unregulated public transport sector. Its main bus service, Bustrack, which carries most of Nairobi's commuters faces serious problems too. Thankfully many of its old buses are still on the road. Observers believe KBS's woes started after the transport sector reforms were introduced last year. Popularly known as the Michuki reforms, the changes saw matatus and buses fitted with speed governors and safety belts. A good idea but not for the bus sector.
KBS sunk millions into the reforms. Many of its buses remained grounded as they were fitted with safety belts and speed governors. Unfortunately, just as the company was struggling to cope with bad roads and overdue payments, its monopoly on the CBD bus routes was lifted. In came City Hoppa and company. The poor infrastructure in the name of bad roads started gnawing deep into KBS' pockets. Now the giant is ailing; the government on the other hand shows no signs of intervening to sort out the transport mess.
KBS is an essential service provider. It needs to have the industry it is working in regulated. Allowing unfair competition will see more Kenyans offloaded into the already large jobseekers' courtyard. The country reels from 15% unemployment rates and least needs more unemployed.
The government needs to sort out the public transport sector.
It is not only the KBS that is suffering. Matatus too are bearing the brunt of operational costs that continue to rise. Increased fuel costs and cut throat competition has led most to rue the day they went into this business.
The profits are razor thin. Industry sources point out that most matatus are being impounded by auctioneers. The public transport industry is homegrown. It needs healthy regulations to spur its growth. The government needs to act right away.