KCPE Results a Wake Up Call for North Eastern Province

The 2005 KCPE results have just been released and as expected North Eastern Province trailed the rest of the country. This is a rather sad situation that has got to be addressed urgently. There seems to be a rather dim view to the value of education in the province. If that isn't the case then the area's residents have done nothing to correct that impression. Year in, year out, they watch as the province slumps to the bottom position of the country's academic charts.

Although area leaders and residents have constantly complained about this sad situation they have failed to do anything meaningful to address the matter. Like in the previous years, the area has lagged behind in many crucial sectors including education, economy and infrastructure.

It is therefore very shocking to read that the province's best pupil could not make it in the list of top 100 pupils of six of Kenya's provinces. However, his performance (421 marks out of a possible 500) remains a remarkable one considering the hardships he must have endured and the lack of facilities that bedevils NEP. Nevertheless, the province has to pull up its socks if it is to partake in Kenya's academic successes.

All our eyes are on NEP. This is the time to wake up. Let us hope that as we head into the new year, the politicians, the local residents and the pupils themselves will step up their efforts and do something about the run of poor results that has plagued the province since independence. Now is the time for action. The school infrastructure should be improved and more education facilities provided by the government. However, it is the teachers and pupils who have the ultimate responsibility of delivering good results.

Arsenal in Cruise Control Once Again

Hail the Gunners. With the 4-0 demolition of Portsmouth at Highbury last night, even the sceptical armchair critics have acknowledged that Arsenal is back to its trademark fluid passing game that had the entire football world applauding. There was no stopping the Gunners as they came out with all guns blazing. Within the first half of the match, Portsmouth could only watch and pray that the scoreline would not exceed that. That is exactly what Harry Redknapp told the pressmen and the media could only ooze praises for Arsene Wenger's Arsenal.

Perhaps the very presence of former captain Patrick Vieira at Highbury that Wednesday night ignited the spirit and hopes of the players. He watched from the stands as Arsenal ran riot. But Vieira's presence will continue to be missed.
His towering figure provided physical superiority in midfield that helped overcome even the strongest of premiership outfits.

However, there was no doubting Arsenal's willpower and skill as the match progressed last night. After all this is the same side that made history when it won the Premier League unbeaten in 2004. They may have lost the title to Chelsea but that does not mean their entertaining game has also gone.

Now that my favourite team has broken the string of losses (that nearly brought us to a juddering halt) and won the last two matches in this festive season (against Charlton and Portsmouth), the Highbury faithful are relishing at the chance to have a go at perrenial and bitter rivals Manchester United. Before that important match, there is the business of taking care of Aston Villa which Thierry Henry and company will find delight in.

Arsenal does play potent football and the flying start to its Champion League campaign has dazzled many commentators who previously believed Europe was the Achilles' heel of the Gunners. Unlike in the previous campaigns, this time Arsenal finished top of their group unbeaten. Real Madrid can only hope that they are not going to be outgunned by the North Londoners who are a motley of talented internationals. Arsenal's rich vein of form has breathed a new lease of life to the premiership too. It is a known fact that Arsenal can flatten the competition when they are in the right frame of mind. The prospects of a resurgent Arsenal taking on the might of Chelsea has tongues wagging across the UK. As an Arsenal fan, I am proud of the latest developments.

North Eastern Province Needs Support

President Mwai Kibaki has just toured North Eastern Province where several people have died of hunger. The government has promised help for the forgotten province and thousands of tonnes of relief food have arrived in the area.

That is a very welcome development but is far from being a permanent solution. The best way forward would be to boost food production in the North Eastern Province. Irrigation farming should be introduced and the livestock sector revamped. Abbatoirs and meat canning factories should also be set up and the Wajir Airport also upgraded to handle international cargo flights. Such flights will help the livestock export trade.

There is no gainsaying government efforts so far. They have made and will continue to make a difference. But there is a need to up the ante and take the development game a level higher.

Kenya has a good future

Kenyans have to believe in themselves and their country if the year 2006 is be any different. They have to be more positive, more aggressive and determined. The year 2005 brought with it all manner of challenges but Kenyans prevailed. When the referendum on the constitution came calling, all the doomsayers and self-made Africa experts predicted that there would be violence and even civil war. Kenyans traded abuse and verbal wars and there was even violence in the run up to the polls. But in true Kenyan fashion, peace prevailed after the polls just like it did during the handover of power from Kanu to Narc in 2002.

Kenya is a unique country, blessed with peaceful and friendly people. It has just been voted one of the world's best holiday spots and has seen increased numbers of tourists coming into the country. The economy has continued to record impressive growth which has for the first time since the 1980s exceeded the 5% mark. The infrastructure is reasonably good and the communication sector rivals some of the best in the world. Yet many Kenyans whinge and whine, wrongfully believing that this is the way forward. Even after farmers' loans have been written off (billions of shillings in loans) and the same farmers get paid on time.

The famine and problems that we are seeing now can happen anywhere in the world. Let us criticise ourselves and learn from our mistakes. But that should be the end of it. We should not cling to the negatives and forget the positives and successes that we have had as a nation.

Kenya has a lot of potential and is clearly shaping into a continental powerhouse (it is already a regional one). The future has never been brighter.