Kenya News Online Today : Kenya as seen through my eyes

ARSENAL FANS HOUNDED ADEBAYOR OUT

2009-07-15T05:03:00.000-07:00

Emmanuel Adebayor is a good player and a sharp forward. No matter how much vitriol is directed at the Togolese international, the fact is that many coaches would love to see the player turn up for their first eleven. Packed with power height and pace, Adebayor is any and every defender’s nightmare. He may not be a perfect marksman in front of goal but Adebayor still scores goals and plenty of them. So it surprised me beyond belief to read that there are some commentators (largely in the UK and including former Arsenal player Ray Parlour) who dismissed his planned and apparently imminent departure from Arsenal as inconsequential and joined a band of fans (and a growing one at that) that called the Arsenal forward ‘lazy’. Many have termed his departure as some sort of good riddance.

I am an Arsenal fan and a true one at that. I don’t live in North London and do not have a season ticket. To the contrary I am an Arsenal fan in Kenya. I know there are fans who are more passionate about the club because of their historical association with the club, hence their intolerance of players who display a lack of serious commitment to the Gunners. I was won over by the club's beautiful football. But I believe that Adebayor worked hard and gave Arsenal some fantastic goals (and moments) during his stay at the Emirates. He may have had an attitude problem but that was largely down to the fact that the fans are the ones who made him ill-at-ease, uncomfortable and unwelcome for the better part of the last season. They wrote unsavoury comments on the man who played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s title assault one season ago. They were condescending to a player who had a bad season because of an injury. Yet you and me know that all Arsenal players who had injuries last season including the fans favourite Cesc Fabregas had a below par spell on the pitch. Yes, there were times when the fans sang his name but these were few moments... at best interspersed.

At least Adebayor scored over a dozen goals (including a crucial away goal against Spanish side Villareal in the last UEFA Champion’s League- and what a beautiful goal that was). The fans were hungry for more... forgetting that they had made nasty comments the moment Adebayor wanted to make a move to AC Milan. They were thirsty for goals and rightly believed that Adebayor was the man to deliver them: a goal-minting machine. Yet Adebayor was a bit unsettled and had some serious injuries to deal with. He also knew that no matter how many goals he sent and shipped through the posts, there would always be some Arsenal fans who believed he wasn’t their man... he was a man on the move. Those thoughts, it now appears, weighed down Adebayor.

Adebayor demanded a £80,000 a week contract after his super 30-goal season because he deserved it. Pure and simple... there is no such thing as philanthropy in football. Players rise through the ranks, they work their socks off... they learn from master coaches like Arsene Wenger and in the end they move higher up the income ladder and demand a transfer and strike for riches when the iron is still hot. To expect Adebayor to remain at the lower levels of the income echelons in the name of loyalty is expecting that the Togolese was a descendant of North London. He is a professional and must exhibit loyalty... but at the end of the day it is all about him and his family; him and his earnings.

There is no gainsaying the fact that Adebayor owes a lot of his success to his coach and current mentor, Arsene Wenger. The Togolese knows that and he has never ever shown disrespect to Wenger. The Frenchman on his part also respects and admires Adebayor and privately believes that the Emirates fans have hounded out a good player. He told them so to their faces at an AGM during which a section of the fans and shareholders loudly asked him to sell Adebayor (in a not so healthy package of abuses and claims). The height of that ignominious campaign to kick Ade in the teeth was when a section of fans produced a Michael Owen type of sale brochure advertising the services of Adebayor. How thankless from the fans... how cold and calculating!!! Adebayor scored thirty goals in one flawless season... about 16 goals in the last season despite an injury. He had never spoken of a second transfer this time round and wanted to work hard to come back to form. He needed some time and understanding but the fans were not willing to offer him that.

Yet the likes of Cesc Fabregas struggled, huffed and puffed in front of goal last season (after his injury)... Bendtner blew away many golden chances with just the goalkeeper to beat... Van Persie was at times lost on the pitch. The fans were understanding and gave the players much needed warm applause and support. But they picked on Emmanuel Adebayor... they booed Emmanuel Eboue ... why the double standards?

I wish Arsenal the best this coming season. But fans will have to exercise patience and care when dealing with players coming through a difficult patch. Methinks that Adebayor’s lackluster performance against Manchester United (during the Champion’s League semi-final) was a direct retaliation by the striker against fans who had given him the flak unrelentingly and sometimes unfairly. That was an inexcusable shoddy performance on the pitch by the Togolese international. But Adebayor is human after all. He broke down long before he was benched in subsequent matches (following that game) thanks to a huge, marauding pack of fans that deliberately hounded him out of the Emirates. He knew that the coming season was not going to be different. Even coach Arsene Wenger knew that the fans would continue hitting Adebayor below the belt. The English press had found a perfect punching bag and released heated articles bashing Adebayor and built a run of stories suggesting that the club wanted a replacement for the player. They painted a picture of an inevitable transfer. Even if he worked hard in training and placed his heart and mind at the Emirates... the fans would still bash him. Now Adebayor is seeking a new start at Manchester City even as the accusations of disloyalty and hate articles continue popping up on the Internet. But Arsenal fans will have to rally behind the remaining players if a repeat of such a departure is to be avoided.

Nakumatt Fire Tragedy : The Lessons and Questions

2009-01-31T05:13:00.000-08:00

As the Kenyan nation mourns the loss of lives following the Nakumatt fire tragedy, questions about the events surrounding that fire continue to increase.

Just what happened? Why were the doors shut if a mobile phone video clip (shot by a passer-by when the fire started) aired on KTN is anything to go by? Is it true that when emergency workers tried breaking the emergency exit they found a concrete barrier, a wall instead of a path through which humans could exit and save their lives? And if there was such a wall, does that mean that safety inspectors (from the council/government etc) have continued to turn a blind eye to such malpractices?

It is still too early to tell just what happened at Nakumatt Downtown but as the remains of the fire victims are removed and families continue mourning the loss of their loved ones, Kenyans will have to stock-take on a few matters regarding fire and safety. We need to be more assertive and ensure that no one takes issues touching on life and death lightly. We must be serious with development, security and the economy.

Many institutions including businesses, government agencies, private facilities, schools and even recreational facilities just don’t have the proper fire fighting capacity and rarely have fire drills to help people escape when there is a fire.

Are there any government agencies and officials who are supposed to ensure that these issues are taken seriously and the laws respected? Or is that there are some unscrupulous officials who just collect some bribes and turn a blind eye and later recline in shock and shame when they hear that a factory or institution has burnt down and that people got trapped and there was no exit through which they could save lives? I remember an incident when a glue factory along Mombasa Road caught fire and the employees died a dreadful death because there was no exit and their employers, if my memory serves me right, locked all doors fearing theft. I have a feeling that labour inspectors have never really taken that case seriously and that government should have locked up some people then to serve as a good example.

Nakumatt probably never imagined that such a fire could happen at its 24-hour store. But if the reports in the Daily Nation and the Standard are anything to go by, then there is the possibility that human error (of judgement) greatly contributed to the fire that took a huge toll on lives and property. It looks that there was no plan on how to handle customers during a fire. No one knew where to direct customers and what to do if there was a blackout. When the lights went off after an explosion and customers could only fumble in the dark while breathing in toxic fumes, a disaster was already quickly taking shape.

Kenyans should stand firm and demand proper investigations. They must be proactive and ask supervisors and managers at gyms, supermarkets, office buildings, schools etc to point out the nearest fire exit, fire extinguisher, assembly point etc. That way we will identify those in society who care less about us and care more about other material things,

I hope that there will be no repeat of fire incidents and the way they have been handled in the recent past. We need to move on and work hard and pray to God for success and safety.

HOW TO IDENTIFY A PICKPOCKET

2009-01-06T06:30:00.000-08:00

HOW TO IDENTIFY A PICKPOCKET

Fighting pickpockets should be our priority this year. I mean it is time to really, really fight this evil with punch and power. These never-do-wells have become a threat to society. They mercilessly steal from people in society and never mind the sorry troubles they leave their victims immersed in. They relieve people of money meant for school fees, hospital bills or even just everyday shopping. Some have been left without bus-fare on long distance buses and have literally had to beg after some pickpocket niftily stole their cash.

The sleazy men and women steal from anyone and everyone. They pickpocket nurses, mothers, millionaires, paupers, religious leaders, schoolchildren and even fellow criminals. They steal in buses and crowded hospital lifts. They steal at funerals and birthday parties. But just how can an ordinary Kenyan play his part in ridding society of this vice and protect his/her hard-earned earnings?

Pickpockets steal using their hands. And because human beings use their two hands, the best way of identifying whether the person next to you in the bus or lifts is actually a pickpocket is by quickly (and I mean quickly) studying the movements of their hands. If for whatever reason, the hands keep disappearing from view suspiciously, step up your guard. If the guy has shifty eyes, watch out even more.

WHATEVER THE SITUATION, YOU MUST BE ABLE TO SEE BOTH HANDS OF THOSE STANDING/SITTING BY YOU. THERE ARE NO TWO WAYS ABOUT THIS. SEE, WATCH AND MONITOR BOTH HANDS AND BE SAFE.

Any attempt by your neighbour in the bus, lift or supermarket queue to cover one or both hands with some newspapers, paper bags, that odd-looking jacket, some conference bag etc could mean that a covert theft is about to take place. Of course there are those who cover their hands in such things innocently but for those who want to pickpocket you, they will snuggle the covered hand uncomfortably close to you. Before long, that hand will be so close to your pocket, purse or any other receptacle of valuables that you are carrying and if your alarm bells don’t go ringing, chances are high that you will be easily pick-pocketed.

Another common tactic of Nairobi’s street-savvy pickpockets is to cover the area around your pocket with something like a newspaper or magazine. Woe unto you if you start focusing on the newspaper article and engaging in a conversation with your soon-to-be tormentor in chief. “Ati Arsenal wako tops tena, kwani Premiership imeenda vipi?” you ask as your smiling pickpocket answers back. Of course, he’s also stealing from you as he engages in your cheap talk with expensive consequences.

CONCENTRATION

Of course, you will be foolhardy to think that all pickpockets carry old or new magazines or some bulky stuff, keen to disguise or cover one or both of their hands. The truth is that there are many pickpockets keenly aware that such telltale signs will do them no good. They take precautions not to look like the typical pickpocket. They board the matatu decently dressed and with freshly pressed clothes. They sport the look of a smart, young, successful bank clerk or sales executive. These are the most dangerous pickpockets. They usually place their arm across their stomach and directly lying on their groin such that their hand is nestled very close to your pocket. The other hand usually displays signs of confidence such as sticking a toothpick into their mouth. If not carefully monitored, that hand hidden from view gets to your pockets and quickly relieves you of your hard-earned cash and valuables. ALWAYS CONCENTRATE HARD EVEN AFTER IDENTIFYING WHERE BOTH HANDS HAVE GONE. Monitoring movements is the key to success.

Nairobi pickpockets have become a smart lot. While there are still some who come with that smell of a brewery, looking half-drunk with dirty long nails, there are many more who know that to survive they have to look groomed. You will have little or no reason to suspect them.

The other day I was aboard a Double M matatu from Community to the City Centre. There was a guy who walked into the matatu at about midday and had with him a newspaper. He sat next to a lady but immediately started concentrating on a middle-aged man sitting opposite him. He closed the gap separating them (the bus aisle) by sticking his knee uncomfortably close to the other guy’s pocket. He then proceeded to cover his knee with the newspaper knowing fully well that the hand holding part of the paper could hide underneath the headlines and strike with ease. Unfortunately, every time he got close to strike (I would have stopped him anyway), he was forced to cut short his evil mission because some passenger boarded the bus and had to pass through the aisle and he had to give way. Relaying his trap wasn’t easy and the would-be victim seemed to have noticed. Then a traffic cop boarded the Double M and the pickpocket seemed to smell the ‘dangerous’ long arm of the law and cooled down. THE PICKPOCKET WAS DRESSED IN A NICE, IMPORTED SUIT. POINT: CITY SLICKERS (PICKPOCKETS INCLUDED) HAVE INVESTED IN LOOKS. CONCENTRATE OR YOU’LL FALL VICTIM.

Pickpockets make you lose concentration. That way they’ll strike with ease. They flash funky phones (largely stolen or bought from stolen money) and start making calls (even in a matatu playing loud music) or sending SMSs. This allows them to move their hands from left to right and make you lose track of their many movements without necessarily becoming suspicious. The phones also help them fight back with rage if you try labelling them as pickpockets. “How dare you call me that?” You could easily be forced to swallow your words, claims etc and apologize. They also like pretending to be tracing from the pocket nearest to your pocket. They then accidentally touch your pocket to see if you’re alert enough and strike if you are still absent minded.

HUSTLERS

Then there are the usual pickpockets who hustle, push shove and manage to wriggle into your pockets as you struggle for a matatu, bus or into a lift at KNH. Some have been captured on TV at Kencom Bus Stage stealing (particularly from people heading to see relatives/or seeking treatment at KNH –using route 7- coz they are usually thinking about the KNH visiting hours deadline).

One notorious pickpocket at the Tom Mboya route 9 stage usually has a small paperbag and walks with two accomplices. He pushes and shoves with the crowd and the moment he succeeds his colleagues assist him ‘leave the crime scene’ with a tight ‘VIP’ security detail. We tried a citizen’s arrest one day but the guy escaped with ease after his colleagues aided his ‘disappearance’ into a large Nairobi evening crowd.

Some pickpockets move in armed groups and confront any person who decides to alert a victim. Some have been known to stab ‘heroes’ out to stop their crime. But many are cowardly, easily terrified solo operators. The pickpockets also have SACCO-like groups and raise funds to help release arrested colleagues and buy protection from some sleazy cops.

This is definitely a problem Kenyans have to fight. Come on, let’s do it.

Let us not forget...

2008-12-25T04:37:00.000-08:00

The year is slowly coming to a close and Kenyans will take time to reflect on the challenges and successes they experienced. But for many Kenyans still languishing in camps for the internally displaced, this will be a time to remind Kenyans that there is little to celebrate even after the formation of the Grand Coalition government.

The poverty in the camps is telling. Yet some of the families forced to endure it had strong incomes and well-run businesses. They have been forced to live a life of abject poverty and acute suffering. They cannot predict when their next meal will come and have to hustle to earn any shillings to purchase items not catered for in the camps. These include basic toiletries.

I saw a story on a local TV channel about women in a camp for IDPs in Othaya in Nyeri. Officially, the camp is closed but some families still stay there. Some of the women interviewed said they have been forced to sell their bodies to cater for their young ones. Worse still, they engage in unprotected sexual liaisons. I do not agree that they have no other choice other than to stoop that low. However, they do have genuine grievances and need some assistance.

This is not the only camp still running in the country. The government has worked hard, pumping millions for the upkeep of the internally displaced for months now and even gave many of them cash handouts to help them resettle in their former homes and elsewhere. The government has only so much extra cash to spare. Tax revenues have been falling while ministerial needs and budgets have been growing year after year. Therefore, the private sector and ordinary wananchi should also try as much as they can to help the IDPs. Some have.

But did we have to be in this quagmire? Did Kenya have to go through such bloodletting like that witnessed earlier this year and which filled TV screens worldwide? Just where and when did the rain start beating us? Kenyans need to engage in a lot of soul searching as we prepare for the New Year.

My hope is that tribalism and its tendency to infiltrate national politics is fought hard and really hard. A country of nearly forty million should be a mature beacon of democracy not an island of troubles generated by internecine strife and hate.

Long live the Kenyan nation and down with tribalism.

Wisdom is built carefully and smartly

2008-12-09T00:58:00.000-08:00

Wisdom is not an item found in shops and on supermarket aisles. It is gained through observation and careful analysis. It is also sharpened and perfected through deep thinking and by the innate mental faculties one has.

Kenyans will need to be wiser if they are to choose the right leaders at grassroots level. Some of the people who have made it to parliament are not of the required calibre and we can certainly improve in our selection and election process.

Wisdom will also help Kenyans understand and deal with the challenges of the current financial meltdown that is slowly seeping through the chinks in our financial armour. We will better manage the little resources we have at this crucial time.

And we will certainly have a good time running our businesses, our life and our families.

Go for it: Success is All Yours

2007-03-06T02:51:00.000-08:00

Success does not come the easy way. Ask those who have made it to the top and they will tell you that this is indeed the case. From the charcoal-burner turned millionaire to the poor schoolboy who ended up as the CEO of a blue chip company, the story of success follows one simple established track. You will have to work hard and cudgel your brains for solutions to your life’s problems and grab opportunities that come your way.

There are no two ways about it. You will have to be an early riser (punctual, organized and effective) and work through the difficult phases in life as if they don’t exist. Tolerance of all problems as you seek their individual solutions vigorously is the difference between capitulating to pressure or fighting back and overcoming the challenges posed by circumstances and events in your life. Focus is everything and the focus has to be on all the positives and negatives with a view to seeking strength from the good and learning from the bad. There is no such word as failure in the vocabulary of the successful… what you usually call failure should be seen as nothing more than

If you let the problems, obstacles and challenges get in your way… then failure is going to be your lifelong companion. You have a choice and with prayer you can pursue success with ease and graceful movement. There will also have to be resilience on your part and you will need to be thorough in your approach to schedules. Time management has often been the failure between the successful individual and the lacklustre, mediocre fellow next door. But key to all these success moves will be your ability to fight procrastination, which remains the biggest enemy to success. Procrastination has often been identified as the biggest culprit in messing the lives of many.

Many people have failed to pursue their lifelong dreams because of procrastination. You will need to be smarter in setting out your priorities. In fact, you will have to be ruthless deciding what is to be done and when it is to be done. And then you will need to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. That is easy once you adopt the ‘Do It Now” slogan. Don’t be soiled by your inability to handle pressure and deadlines. Don’t mess up just because you want the easy way out… the lazier of the laziest options: inaction. Just as inaction on the part of a doctor can kill a patient… your inaction will be your final undoing.

You also need to stop whining and griping about everything that is happening around you. If you only opt to look at the very positive things that are happening around you, then you will start appreciating that there is more to life than just yapping about daily challenges and chores. Not everyone around you is gritty and focused… chances are high that you will also be demoralizing quite a number of fellows around you. Be responsible and stop crying yourself hoarse about problems and challenges that you can easily overcome. Stop developing a culture of ineptitude around you and help others feel good about life too. Help society develop.

There will have to be more appreciation on your part of all the positive things that are happening in your life. There are many things that you consider small and which are indeed big things happening to you; epoch-making events that could see you change your lifestyle. Improve your communication skills and speak out more often…telling friends and colleagues a word or two of appreciation. Show body language that reflects your newfound confidence. You should not look like a sulking bitter fellow who just seems to be waiting for the earth to open up and swallow him. Make good use of your time on planet earth; after all, you won’t be around forever.

Look around you. Perhaps what you see are the very obvious things, things like the furniture and interior décor of your room or office. What you seem to prefer to notice are things and people that you identify with that immediate environment of yours. But in the real sense what is happening is that you have opted to ignore the very obvious things that exist around you and which if properly excavated are indeed gold mines in the form of opportunities. Don’t be blind to the myriad of opportunities for success… tunnels to the land of success that are so obviously visible for all. It could be that vacancy posted on that notice board and which you have opted to ignore, assuming that the job is meant for others. It could be that talk in the office that could easily trigger a brainwave, which in essence could you one-way ticket to everlasting success. It could be that forty-five minute break which if well utilised could be your private thinking session, a session that will see you sort out your life in less than an hour. Unfortunately some of us never seem to realise that there are boundless opportunities around us and we opt to gripe and sulk all the time or at least a quarter of the time.

You may seem oblivious to happenings around you and that is where you are stabbing yourself in the back… puncturing the lungs of your ambition and snuffing out the life left inside your career growth. You need to sharpen your observation skills and sniff out opportunities for success.

But there is hope. You can turn around your fortunes with as little as a dose of self-discipline. You just need to manage your time well… identify the opportunities that fall your way…and strike when the earth is still fresh. Cast the model that your life will take.

So, wake up and be a go-getter. Be smart and sharp and manage your finances well. A huge chunk of the problems we face are self-made and money related. Haven’t you seen some of the happiest souls on earth are far from having even a basic bank account? How comes those with access to credit cards and loans are some of the unhappiest people around; constantly crying out loud about how unfair life is. Prioritise. That is the beginning of success.

Stay Motivated!!! It Helps

2007-02-28T23:27:00.000-08:00

It is the start of yet another day and another chain of routine tasks. Most of us dread the difficult duties that face us and keep postponing them. That is procrastination and it is not a nice thing. It prevents us from achieving some of our lifelong dreams. We have to fight it and be smart. We need to kick out the languor and ineptitude from our lives. The simple cure to procrastination as given by some of the top authors of motivational books is simple: DO IT NOW!!!! Simply repeat that slogan and do as it asks you. But woe unto you if you just say it like some magic slogan and expect it to work.

You need to act immediately an idea or plan comes to mind. That way you will make it big and complete your tasks on time. If for instance everytime your alarm bell rings in the morning you are tempted to switch it off and continue with your sleep, change that by adopting the 'do-it-now' slogan. That means that you force yourself out of bed when the alarm bell rings by just reminding yourself that you have to sit up then and not wait a little longer... that you have to walk out of your bed and prepare for a long day ahead.

So, if you have an assignment that you have been postponing for long or a task that you would rather not do... think again; you can do it and you can do it now. There will always be tasks that sound or feel unpleasant... but they are surmountable and easy to do once you focus on them wholeheartedly.

Another factor that aids procrastination has been the large size of some of the tasks. Break your tasks into small chunks and handle them one at a time. You will be amazed at how smooth your work path will be.

Jenga Kenya Yetu!! Work hard and fight procrastination.

Power Blackouts and Soccer

2007-02-28T08:16:00.000-08:00

Sorry ...after a long (and wrong break)... I have finally returned and the first thing I noted is that some weeds have grown in my blog-shamba and that some crook has been putting unsavoury and immoral links under the guise of comments on my old postings. Asiyekuwepo na lake halipo!! But I am now back and in charge. Comments will be regularly vetted and will no longer be solicited from unknown (and unregistered) quarters/users.

BACK TO MY TOPIC:

It is the season of soccer and the season of fun... but it seems it is also the season of power blackouts. That means only one thing for those who want to watch soccer from the comfort of their homes. They will be damned ...humiliated and left to sulk in the darkness as power is unceremonously cut off by the supposed lighting experts.
KPLC has been inefficient and now needs to be whipped out of its deep and inexcusable slumber. Regular power blackouts in most city estates (on an on&off basis) are now interrupting our schedules with ease. The power blackouts have returned with a vengeance and seem to hit during the post-10 pm soccer-viewing period. That means you might have started watching the Adebayors, Denilsons, Sahas, Decos and Ronaldinhos in action and then wham!!! darkness visits.

Just what does the Kenya Power and Lighting Company think it is doing to hardworking Kenyans? Regardless of whether they are watching soccer or not... Kenyans deserve better.

Chinese Cars Make a Mark in Nairobi

2007-01-10T07:44:00.000-08:00

Chinese vehicle models are making a strong showing on city streets. Some years back they made their grand entry in the truck market. First there was the Faw truck and Jiefang truck… mainly targeting the seven-ton truck category. They ended up in many city driving schools where they gave the institutions a new lease of life…they ended up getting more student/learner drivers enrolled as people tend to like new vehicles. For once, driving schools started looking trendy. Previously, only old trucks (Toyota) were being used by the driving schools. The Chinese trucks also proved popular with construction firms where they ended up becoming good tippers. Then came the Yuejin truck, a popular truck in the 3ton category. It proved to be a hardy vehicle with a raised chassis but never made it big in terms of sales. Surprisingly, the few Yuejin still on the road (most of them of KAJ reg) have proved to be good trucks and shattered the mythology that Chinese trucks had not come of age. For some years, dealers stopped advertising new models of Chinese trucks and cars.

Now the Chinese models are back and they are offer serious competition to trucks and pickups from Isuzu, Toyota and other Japanese models. Faw is a shiny model of a bus that has pleased the Kenyan armed forces where it is used as a commuter transport van. But Foton too is attracting positive coverage and attention. Many traders and distributors have acquired the new Foton models of pickups and light trucks. They are said to be extremely fuel efficient. They are now being put to use by many companies including hardware dealers who use them to ferry cement.

Only small Chinese saloon cars are missing in the market. But I guess they too will be here soon.

A little company that has followed the sign of the times

2007-01-10T07:40:00.000-08:00

I was walking by Kencom bus stage and noticed that the stage is now clean and well maintained. It also has a professional coat of paint. The notice board close to the bus shelters is decent and has some useful information to any visitor here. The company behind the rejuvenation of Kencom bus stage and the signs there is Adpost, a small firm that has made a mark in the small advertising and promotional materials sector.
Adpost may be a small outfit but the hustle and bustle outside their main office close to Odeon cinema shows just how seriously Kenyans take their Adpost notice boards. I like people who pursue their ideas and live to see them blossom. I still do not know the owners of Adpost but I am an admirer of their work. The business has shown that you can always carve a niche for your business. By stitching together their business of stationeries, advertising and promotional materials and carving a niche for themselves, the company seems to have generated new revenue streams.
Now they have made use of what was becoming a sorry mosaic of roughly designed posters. Now what we have is a series of notice boards that will put a smile on your face, billboards that glorify Nairobi and infomercials plus maps that help the city’s visitors find their way around. Through careful and prudent business management, Adpost is going places.

Roads...how bad can they get?

2007-01-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

Hey!!! Could someone shed some light on just when some of Nairobi’s roads hardest hit by the heavy rains are actually going to get repaired?
I wrote here some time back that the city’s roads had become a source of pride for all of us. They were smooth and shiny, that is until the rains began. Roads countrywide have been affected. That seems to have changed now. Although the overall state of the roads has improved, the resurgence of huge potholes has seen the hazards of driving in Nairobi increase.
Haile Selassie Avenue has some horrible, crater-like potholes just as you join it close to the former Kenya Bus Station. It is a sight that is bound to shake the confidence of any city motorist. Then there is another pack of potholes just as you get past the Kariakor roundabout on your way to Pangani or Racecourse estate. There seems to be a leaking water pipe there and the potholes seem to be getting bigger by the day. Driving here at night can mean a slow, bone-jarring ride that could see you getting unflattering attention from would be carjackers and criminals. However, the powerful floodlights at the nearby Kariakor market have helped reduce the presence of the night vultures.
The creaking and groaning vehicles in Nairobi sink wheel-deep into potholes scattered in different parts of the city, as the grimacing motorists hope and pray that someone at City Hall will finally remember that every day means more expenses in servicing and maintaining cars.

Rift Valley Fever: Help Needed for North Eastern Province

2006-12-30T02:51:00.000-08:00

Many more deaths from Rift Valley haemorrhagic fever have been reported in North Eastern Province in the last few days. The people of the province are now facing the challenges of the disease outbreak and also a ban on the transportation of livestock there. Livestock is the mainstay of NEP and it is sad that the ban will really affect many livestock traders.

These people have no other means of livelihood and need all the help that the government can give them. They need to have an alternative source of income and I sincerely hope that the leaders of the province will work hard and ensure that they seek the necessary assistance for NEP residents.

Good Rains, Happy Farmers, Miserable Commuters

2006-11-06T23:15:00.000-08:00

The rains are finally here. That is good news for the tens of thousands of Kenyans who grow food and tend livestock (they are better known as farmers). It is also a reassurance for those of us who just recline in our comfy armchairs and just hop to the next grocery store hoping that there is enough food stock for us to cart away (we, the so called white-collar, blue-collar crowd; fellas who have failed to till the earth to feed ourselves) . Ever seen a wad of notes in an empty store... that valued cash then becomes useless filthy lucre, a bunch of paper that you can't even chew. Farmers are our lifeline.

The current rains mean more money for the farmers and the nation at large, that is if it doesn't become too much. The rains also mean energy security as dams fill once more and hydroelectric power is produced on time. The rains are a blessing.

But for pedestrians in some of the city estates, for commuters plying city routes and for motorists in general, there is more to the rains than quenching the earth's thirst. In the central business district a.k.a city centre, there is little to worry about. The man they call John Gakuo -who holds the title Town Clerk (why don't they just call him City Clerk)- has done a good job. For once, all Kenyans agree that the City Council is delivering. Drainage in most parts of the CBD is fine and the beautification exercise has been a huge success. It is not only good for the eye but has also served as a motivator for most city dwellers walking into town. Most roads are also in good shape nowadays and the fact that landlords have been ordered to repaint their structures has meant that most city buildings have a new coat of paint.

But inside most city estates, the roads are in bad shape. This is mainly because they fall outside the cover of City Hall and the Ministry of Roads and Public Works. They are the responsibility of the estate owners. Many of the estate owners are plainly disinterested in ensuring the roads are in tip top condition. They have sold the houses... what else would they need the roads for? These roads are usually flooded and are a nuiscance to motorists, pedestrians and PSV operators alike. There is usually muddy effluence dripping down our estate roads, hazardous potholes lurking in the muddy waters and bone jarring bumps that have been hidden from our driving radars.

Something needs to be done and be done real fast.

Nairobi, Nairobbery and the post-CCTV era

2006-08-11T05:36:00.000-07:00

It now seems that despite advances in technology, robbers have resorted to crude means to protect their identities. A report in today's Daily Nation says that bank robbers have been dismantling CCTV cameras before cleaning up the safes of banks they raid. (See Nation report)That means that the CCTV cameras are not as useful as once thought. Unless a quick solution is found to this growing menace, an increasing sense of helplessness will envelope us Kenyans as we watch these thugs unleash even more terror with the full knowledge that they have erased all the footage that would have identified and incriminated them.

Also worrying is that millions have been lost to robbers in recent days. They seem to have beaten every trap meant for them and every attempt at arresting them. There is a need for stronger police intelligence and surveillance if this current crime wave is to be nipped in the bud. The police are doing a great job in the capital with more visible patrols and more officers on the beat. The robbers and crime doyens who mastermind their work seem hellbent to stay one step ahead. Their methods may be crude but they seem to be working nonetheless.

However, security on Nairobi's streets has improved greatly and there are fewer muggings and carjackings today than in the past few years. I see more people using their mobile phones on Tom Mboya street than I used to see before. Cops are better equipped and they have vehicles and fuel at their disposal 24-7. How they'll tackle this new menace of guys dismantling CCTV's before embarking on criminal acts will be interesting to watch. I guess the CCTV systems have to be placed in safer positions, far from the foul fingers of criminals.

The New Look Nairobi

2006-07-21T02:05:00.000-07:00

Our capital city has improved in looks and feel over the last two years. The streets have been paved and many roads recarpeted. Most noticeable are the roads in Eastleigh, Doonholm and South C. There are fewer potholes today and generally, there is a sense of order across town. The town clerk John Gakuo has certainly done his job and should be patted on the back for the effort. The government has invested heavily in infrastructure too. Keep up the good work

Kenya Meat Commission Revival Welcome

2006-06-22T02:43:00.000-07:00

Photo: EA Standard
Just when the country was trying hard to digest the bad news from Uchumi's fall from grace and profitability, the government has done what any government should do. It has acted to save face and revive crucial public sector businesses. It has worked hard to revive the Kenya Meat Commission and now the plant is at least running. Test runs have been completed and the once famous meat processor is in the process of reclaiming its lost glory. That is after fifteen years in the doldrums. The government has proved that actions speak louder than words. See EA Standard story on KMC's revival.

The reopening of KMC is good news not just for the country's economy but also for the oft-neglected pastoralist communities who tend animals for a living.They will now work as hard as they have always done but with the reassurance that they now have a ready market. KMC will save them from having to see their animals die during droughts as they can be slaughtered and their meat canned while they are still in reasonable shape. The country can earn much needed foreign exchange with the export of meat and meat products to the Middle East and the European Union.

This is just the latest in a string of decisions that the government made and which are in my humble opinion a step in the right direction. They include the provision of free primary education (dismissed as impossible by Moi just some years back),the waiver of farmers' loans, the recarpeting of roads and completion of new ones at a respectable pace, the stabilising of milk, coffee and tea producer prices, the improvement of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (upgrading of facilities),the rescue of the Kenyatta International Conference Centre and elevation of the same to international conference facility standards etc

Then there is the raising of police salaries, teachers' salaries, armed forces salaries,civil servants salaries etc as well as good returns posted by large corporations. Police housing has been addressed with the completion of new housing estates for the officers. Then there is the rescue plan for Uchumi Supermarkets that is now being put in place (see news report) as well as the bailing out of ill performing parastatals that are now finally raking in good revenues. The government will inject up to 900 million shillings as a step-in measure in Uchumi's revival.

Of course there are areas that the government can improve in: increase its accountability and punish corruption and deliver wholesale improvement infrastructure improvement. The government has shown that it is working even as its critics shout themselves hoarse but do little for their own constituents.

Kenyan firms need to harness the power of the internet

2006-06-12T01:53:00.000-07:00

Kenyan companies and institutions have failed to tap into that rich lifeline that the internet is. They have poorly functioning websites and many of them are rarely updated. You will be surprised to see some of the culprits. They are the high and mighty including media organisations, universities, research institutions etc.

General Motors East Africa is one huge company that has enjoyed success even as its parent US company undergoes tough times. Yet for thousands of its Kenyan customers, potential ones included, the company has no dedicated website. A search on google reveals that the company's web presence is on its parent company's website and only as a page. see GM East Africa page
If you wanted to see their latest range of cars and contact their sales department, then you will have to do your own research alone as there is no website to help you. They are not the only company that has failed to serve their clientele online. CMC Holdings may be the big fish in the motoring world but I bet you can't get their website (I tried and failed). You won't see firms like Kenya Bus or Coast Bus online and there are hundreds of companies that hardly bothered to think of going online.

You would think that the media would know better. Nation Media Group has a very vibrant web presence in the name of nationmedia.com. The group's website is respected as possibly the best in the region. But even they have failed to use the internet to popularise the group's fm radio station Easy FM. It is sad that months since the former Nation FM was relaunched as Easy FM, the station has NO presence online and their website has been under construction for ages now. What a shame. (see Easy FM website) Instead of streaming live programming on the internet and strengthening their brand there, Nation's Easy FM has been sleeping on the job.

Kenya Television Network (KTN) may be a hit in Kenya but it has failed to make its presence noticed online. There has been a site that has been tested in the past few weeks and which holds promise and that site is run by Bernsoft Interactive, not the Standard Group. That means that any time the two companies disagree on the matter, the site will be shut down. By the time of publishing this article, the KTN Online site has not been updated for days although for some weeks it at least had some news clips from Kenya, a first of sorts. It is a test site and will certainly do well once plans are put in place. KBC's news video content can be found on the international Jump TV (click here to view). Why can't all the stations mentioned invest in trained Kenyans to run their own online services like the BBC does?

The NTV station has just started a website and it too falls short of expectations. They have no news content and not even a single video clip on the site. That is totally unacceptable in this day and age. You cannot have a website for a TV station that fails to address news (video) coverage. (see NTV website)

The Kenya Institute of Mass Communication has been for a long time the premier media college but it too has NO online presence. A google search reveals only an advertisement for admissions (click here) as posted on the website of the parent ministry (information and communication). There is simply no other website for the famous college. Even the Ministry of Information website has no link or further information on the KIMC. The site is supposed to be the gateway to other major Kenyan government sites but it too is need of a revamp. It fails to load quickly enough and is in really poor shape. They should borrow a leaf from the site of the government spokesman (office of public communications) which is easy to navigate and has good links. Even on the list of parastatals and institution websites, (as listed on the competitive government spokesperson's website), the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication is still missing.

Kenya's high commissions abroad have different types of websites (in all manner of colours and templates) designed and mainly run by webmasters who are private entrepreneurs (not civil servants). That shows that the websites are not official sites. A good example is the Kenya High Commission, London site that looks okay (could do with some revamping) but which is run by a private firm on behalf the government. The end result is that there are google ads posted on the website, an outrageous thing for a site meant to represent our government. see Kenya High Commission, London website.

These were just samples. Kenyans need to wake up and tap into the power of the internet for selling, advertising or just informing their clientele and customers.

LDP elections fireworks and fiasco

2006-05-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

The LDP election results are in and the likes of Otieno Kajwang and Najib Balala are among a motley of high profile losers still licking their freshly inflicted political wounds. LDP has gone to the polls (see story) and the results have shown the true and fluid nature of Kenyan politics. Violence, mayhem and a host of parallel results and parallel winners dominated the polls that also produced some rather predictable results. The likes of Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi and Kalonzo Musyoka have shown that they are the titans to beat in their backyards. They won with ease in their constituencies although Kalonzo Musyoka opted to be elected as a delegate rather than chairman in his Mwingi North constituency. I just cannot guess his reasons but give the man some breathing space.

But the election has proved that violence still remains a headache for poll organisers as gangs of rowdy youths had a field day punching those in opposing camps into submission. Even the very elderly Adhu Awiti was not spared the bruising; he got thumped by some goons before being dumped with a thud in some busy market place in Nyanza. The scenario was repeated in a dozen or so places and I guess there must be a number of sore men and women nursing physical wounds and political defeats as well as wondering why on earth they are still in active politics. I couldn't agree more. Many of our politicians are supposed to retire either because they are too old or in cases where they are young, they may be infantile and truly incompetent to boot. Some fit the bill but they start making so many blunders you wonder there is a virulent 'political incompetence flu' that is being 'sambazad' or spread in those crowded rallies. And could the masses too have been infected?

Back to the polls. There was so much violence and confusion, that it is impossible to really know which results can be termed the genuine and certified ones. In other words, the polls were either a sham or a charade or 'polls proper', depending on which version of results circulated in the media that you would wish to ingest.

That is the Kenya I hate to see. Unfortunately, that is the true nature of our politics. Wanasiasa, keen to protect their pockets of power dig into their pockets of chapaa, dole out money to youths, plaster them with cham, changaa, kumi kumi or whatever illicit liquor is available and give them orders on what to do, whom to beat or what to say in sickening chants... and if the youths have not chewed a blackout from the chang'aa then they will certainly ensure someone else gets a sure blackout-with powerfoam - (courtesy of an unprovoked blow). Now that is one long winding sentence that I just had to punch in.

Well folks, this has certainly been an eventful weekend but if the LDP and other major parties in Kenya want to conduct their own elections in this manner, then democracy in Kenya will suffer a major blow. Good luck Kenya.

Unfinished AIDS business

2006-05-26T00:50:00.000-07:00

The debate about the origin of HIV has started in earnest again after a group of ten scientists claimed that the virus started in Africa. For ten years, the scientists had been trying to retrace the steps of the deadly virus and now believe that it started in Cameroon. It is believed that two colonies of chimpanzees were the original source.

I personally do not believe that HIV began in Africa and will counter the latest research findings. But for those keen to read on about this story it is published in the Guardian.

Finally some hope as Aids 'cure' clinics are shut

2006-05-23T00:04:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing that is very cruel, it is taking advantage of the desperately poor and sick. The good news today is that several clinics that had colluded with with a city based evangelist (to falsely make HIV +ve patients believe that they have been cured) have now been shut down. See Nation story

Now that is a step in the right direction. According to reports that first appeared in the Sunday Nation, desperate HIV +ve Kenyans were parting with hundreds of thousands of shillings to get miraculously cured by evangelist Lucy Nduta. see story.

It is sad that the said evangelist Nduta was even daring enough to chastise those who had tried to have alternative HIV tests to confirm if they were indeed cured. She wanted them to believe her word and not use their own common sense. It is shocking that such a thing can happen in this day and age. Of course, many found out that there was no such thing as a miracle cure (at least for now) and they learnt this the hard way; after parting with their hard earned cash. Some had even taken loans to finance their cure.

If it is indeed true that the evangelist has swindled people (for I am relying on media reports) and sent them to some dubious unregistered clinics to have them 'tested' and told that they are now cured.... then she has defiled the institutions of faith. She needs to face the law.

The problem is not confined to Kenya alone. In the UK, the question of alternative therapies has also raised serious doubts. The National Health Service (the NHS) is also facing charges that it has helped support the growth of therapies that might not serve the public that well. One doctor even claimed that the NHS was funding 'bogus' therapies while patients were struggling to find drugs like Herceptin (for curing cancer). The story is bound to kick off a storm in medical circles.
(See BBC Story: Doctors attack 'bogus' therapies)

Kenyans will watch the developments of the Lucy Nduta saga with interest. If she is not prosecuted, that would be a slap in the face of all those Kenyans who have been swindled and are now coming to terms that they are still HIV +ve and not cured as they were allegedly told by the evangelist. The government should crack down not just on Nduta but also all those herbalists (African and Chinese) who run similarly dubious clinics targeting those infected and affected by the AIDS pandemic.

Revive Kenyan Soccer

2006-05-21T04:34:00.000-07:00

There was a time in the 80s when Kenyan soccer was alive and well. The crowds would make their way to the Nyayo National Stadium and the Kasarani Stadium for an entertaining evening of soccer. Those who remember that idyllic period will tell you of the pride that welled inside them as the roars of the crowd at the flood lit Nyayo national stadium filled the nearby Nairobi West, South C, South B and Madaraka estates. You could tell from miles away that Kenya had scored a goal against her neighbouring nations at the CECAFA challenge cup. That is if you were not near a radio set listening to Leonard Mambo Mbotela telling you just what was going on. Kids talked of home grown soccer stars... Mulamba, Ayoyi, Dawo, Abbas etc

Kasarani was a magnificent ground, safe from looters and other busybodies who have now skinned it, stripped it of essential facilities and left it for dead. Those were the days when the rivalry between soccer giants AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia spurred the growth of local soccer.

The competition in the local league was both tough and hot and sometimes the emotions would spill into the street, usually resulting in unwanted violence as the 'Gor Biro' chanting fans (of Gor Mahia) met their Isukuti drumming opponents (fans of AFC Leopards). But that was about the only ugly thing about the local soccer scene. Everything else worked like clockwork. And Kenyans admired their soccer stars unlike today where they fawn and idolise stars from European soccer and mainly the UK Premiership. In the good old days Kenyans would go all the way to the training grounds of the top clubs to watch them go through their movements. Gor Mahia used to train at the MoW Sports Club in South C and there was always a crowd watching them.

Those were the days Peter Dawo and his colleagues at Gor Mahia helped catapult Kenya onto the continental soccer honours list as the club beat Esperance ('87) to become African champions. During that period Kenya was a regional powerhouse and managed to maintain a stranglehold on regional soccer. AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia exchanged top honours for years and the fans kept flocking the matches. Soccer was big business and the sponsors came in and money was there for all. The Kenyan premier league table was always there at the back pages (sports) of the newspapers and it always had a sponsor. Before long the game was awash with millions of shillings from corporate sponsors. The vultures, hawks and eagles smelt blood and were soon circling over the KFF. Elections were meant to usher in good, partriotic Kenyans into office but every time a new team walked in the Nyayo Stadium secretariat of the KFF the result was the same: looting.

Somehow corruption crept into and stuck within the KFF and now local soccer is a pale shadow of its former self. The country's game is in dire straits. Players and coaches go unpaid for long periods in the run up to major games. There seems to be no determination to actually take the Kenyan game a level higher. The lack of enthusiasm trickles down to the lower echelons of society where the children no longer have the facilities and support to help nurture the game. Football pitches and playgrounds have been grabbed since the late 80s (turned into concrete jungle, usually highrise flats). Some schools have no facilities and kits for footballers. There is little or no desire that has been displayed to ensure that the Kenyan national team makes it for the next world cup or even the African Cup of Nations. The time to start the preparations is now.

Kenyan football needs urgent intervention but sadly the games world governing body FIFA seems to be part of the problem. They will always side with the person they believe will play the administration game in accordance with the master plan from Geneva. Even if that person does little for the Kenyan game, loots coffers dry etc FIFA will turn a blind eye to their ineptitude and corruption so long as they sing Geneva's tune at the opportune time (like FIFA elections etc)

That leaves ordinary Kenyans with the task of rebuilding Kenyan soccer from scratch. They will have to encourage their children to take up the game from early childhood and support them in whatever way they can. Kenyans must also demand government support for the game at grassroot level. They must also call for transparency within the KFF. Kenya needs to have more soccer academies. That way we will be able to get more players of the calibre of Dennis Oliech (who is apparently doing very well; read here)

There is a long way to go but Kenyans can make it with the right dose of determination and resilience. It is about time we started walking back to soccer matches (trooping towards Nyato, Kasarani and City Stadium) and shouting ourselves hoarse as out footballers juggle their skills. That also means we stop the apathy and indifference towards the state of soccer administration in the country. It means forcing the team at KFF Headquarters to explain just exactly they are doing to remedy the already worsening situation.

Help Small Scale Farmers in Kenya and NE Province

2006-05-14T02:48:00.000-07:00

This is a time for self reflection and a time to take stock of the achievements the Kenyan nation has achieved since independence. The country has made considerable progress in education, finance and industry since it took independence in 1963. It has also been a trailblazer in the sports sector. Everywhere you go in the wide world of commerce, Kenya is seen as a beacon of peace and development in a troubled continent. There are over thirty million Kenyans to thank for this. They have worked tirelessly to preserve peace and harmony. They are the people who have ensured that Kenya remains etched on the global map.

However, everytime there is drought, flood or some natural disaster, the country's focus shifts to the the inefficacy and unpreparedness displayed by government departments supposed to tackle this problem. There is need for proper planning to avoid food shortages. The pictures we see of drought stricken Kenyans struggling to get water and food should be a thing of the past with a bit of planning and hard work.

One of the areas which the Kenyan government can try to develop as a food basket is North Eastern Province, seen by many as a huge swathe of wasteland. This is an area where an irrigation scheme (along the lines of the defunct Bura Irrigation Scheme) can be developed to help increase food production.

Farmers in Garissa (along the banks the Tana River) and their counterparts in Mandera (who farm the banks of the River Daua) have shown that there is alot of potential in the area. Every year they harvest thousands of tonnes of bananas, mangoes, water melons and other food crops which they sell to the local population. The figures could be higher if they get the right kind of help from the authorities.

The government can chip in by providing the expert help of agricultural extension officers and some financial support to help the farmers get the right farm inputs. This will help spur increased farming activity and help stabilise food production in the said areas. A well managed food irrigation project in NEP is feasible and will help the country achieve faster economic growth.

The NEP region also has great potential for growth as a producer of livestock for the export market. There is room for growth and this is indeed the best opportunity for the government to make progress in addressing the concerns of residents of Kenya's forgotten province.

Shame on our MPs

2006-05-06T05:24:00.000-07:00

The speaker of the National Assembly Francis ole Kaparo is perhaps one man who has a good idea just what our MPs are like. And he too knows that Kenyans are becoming increasingly irritated by the huge rates of pay our MPs are grabbing for themselves. Now, if the speaker is himself surprised and outraged that our legislators are just busy lavishing themselves with huge perks and allowances, then the ordinary Kenyan has every reason to worry. See Standard story
See Nation story (you may need to register)

Kenyans have gone through a lot of economic hardships.The Mps seem to be oblivious of this fact and have made self enrichment and aggrandisement their main job at parliament. These same characters traversed their constituencies in 2002 promising major changes that they failed to implement. As speaker Kaparo warned them, the public is watching. Of course the MPs will cry foul and claim that they deserve these hefty allowances. They will claim that we just don't understand the challenges they face on a day to day basis, including the enormous financial burdens that come with the post. But their outrageous pay packets can make even the CEOs of major blue chip companies squirm in their seats.

Kenya needs development and parliamentarians are supposed to be at the vanguard of efforts to achieve this. They need to ensure that all systems are in place for this and that the country gets value for money. The overtaxed citizens are increasingly rattled that the politicians have become thick skinned and don't just seem to hear any remonstrations from the public. It is my hope that the public will keep this in mind come 2007.

What are our MPs thinking of?

2006-05-04T15:10:00.000-07:00

There seems to be something seriously wrong with our current crop of MPs. They have totally lost the plot and seem to be oblivious of this fact. What on earth are they planning to do with all that money they have alloted themselves in the name of new increased mileage rates? And how on earth do they justify their decision to increase the funds available to their constituency development funds? These are people who only traverse the country for the sake of their parties' politics and not in the interest of development.

The sad thing is these legislators have been elected by people of sound mind. People like me and you. They promised mountains and delivered rubble. Like them or hate them, they are here to stay,at least until the next polls. Even if they are voted out, the next bunch that comes in will certainly not be any better if past experience is anything to go by.

But that should not stop the populace from voting them out. They should be kicked out. They have even brazenly gone ahead to increase their constituency development fund kitties without even batting an eyelid. The MPs it seems, cannot see beyond their paunches.

Congratulations Chelsea,Well done Pompey.

2006-04-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

Chelsea have done it again. They have won the premiership for the second time in a row after beating Manchester United 3-0 at Stamford Bridge. Winning two premiership titles back to back is a remarkable feat. Add the fact that they took the leadership of the table from very early on in the season and never looked uncomfortable at any stage, then you get a picture of a team that has potential to dominate the English premier league for a long time. No wonder they finished twelve points clear of their nearest rivals.

I begrudgingly congratulate Chelsea because as an Arsenal fan, my loyalties are in North London. I am quite elated that Arsenal continue setting new records, the most recent being that of becoming the first club from London to have qualified for a Champions League final. Chelsea and the Stamford Bridge fans cannot do much about that. We beat them to the finishing line. Don't forget that our unbeaten run two seasons ago is yet to be matched by any other team including Chelsea and its vast financial power.

And at the bottom of the Premiership, another team I have great respect for has survived the relegation battle. Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth has managed to string a decent set of results in the last ten or so matches and now they have all the reasons to smile. I too feel excited and remain proud that things have gone the right way for such a hardworking side.

NGOs performance dismal

2006-04-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

Kenyans have been through hard times in the past one year.The ravaging drought that hit the country was unlike many others before. It hit hard and long. Several people died and thousands of livestock perished during what was described as Kenya's worst drought in decades. For months, the pangs of hunger bit the physique and morale of residents. Thankfully, rains have begun in the country and there is hope that the food situation will improve. It will take hardwork but the billowing clouds of dust that constantly hovered over clusters of hungry faces is now gone.

The world's media descended on Kenya albeit briefly during this period of drought. Their cameras clicked away and TV footage of the true extent of the drought was beamed via satellite to millions of homes across the world. As expected the story touched the hearts of many a Western viewer. Many of them contributed to NGOs which raised funds to help the affected in Kenya and Somalia.

However, the performance of these non-governmental organisations is wanting and raises quite a few eyebrows. During the worst phase of the drought, Oxfam was one of the organisations that highlighted the problems of the residents of Kenya's affected regions and especially the North Eastern Province. It is in this area that most of the deaths were reported and it is here that the NGOs had recorded some success in alleviating poverty.

This time Oxfam is in the dock. The organisation played a crucial role in raising awareness of the drought, even providing officials to speak to the press on the latest developments in the hard hit regions. It facilitated trips to areas where people had been most affected thus ensuring that the world did not forget these suffering people. But the organisation failed in the most important area... intervention. Oxfam literally watched as cattle collapsed and people died. They did not have the large scale operations that they have had in similar times such as the 1992 and 1995 droughts.

Only Oxfam knows why this happened. Yet just the other day they claimed that they were launching an appeal to help people in the affected regions. What were they doing when the drought was biting and hitting the region? This time they had no emergency relief programme and did not employ personnel to specifically handle this. Like many other NGOs, Oxfam will raise millions through this appeal and very little will be seen on the ground. Ask the residents of the most affected in the recent drought. Oxfam should make public their spending in the recent drought and clear all the doubts we currently have.

Crunch Time : Arsenal V Manchester United

2006-04-09T04:58:00.000-07:00

The seconds are ticking, adding up into minutes.. and just a few hours away Arsenal are going to be battling it out with Man United. This game is going to be an entertaining fixture and for the Arsenal faithful, we will be struggling to drive home a point. Manchester United, I am quick to concede are no pushovers and are going to be doing all they can to make sure that they are still in the title race. They are just seven points behind Chelsea and their recent form has proved that Alex Ferguson has found the right formula after a few lapses.

We on the other hand have been doing very well in the Champions League and after eliminating Real Madrid and Juventus have every reason to smile. For the first time we are in the semi finals of the Champions League, Europe's top soccer championship. This time there is no Patrick Viera V Roy Keane element to the battle but the youngsters who will be out there in the field will be out to prove that they too have come of age.

The Art of Giving

2006-04-08T04:53:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, please take some time to remember the less fortunate in society. They could be the people you pass by in the streets,the so called homeless people. It could be that stray cat that has been out in the cold and which you unfortunately ignore come rain or shine. Or it could be that relative of yours who is still shackled in poverty and who you have somehow successfully managed to ignore. Or the children orphaned by HIV Aids or the millions still struggling to feed themselves after a devastating drought in the horn of Africa.

There is much to be gained by giving.Charity is a virtue that religion has taught us to extol and which gains rewards from the Almighty. You have to try hard to make sure that society is a better place to live in through a simple act of generosity. Start today and you'll notice the difference. You'll be a much better person.

Act fast to save the hungry in Kenya

2006-03-09T12:59:00.000-08:00

There is a rather harrowing story I read in the East African Standard about a man who was forced to drink his urine. (read EA Standard report) He had to or he would have died of thirst. The truth is that many more people are now facing similar difficulties as the fierce drought in the North East continues to take its toll. The young man mentioned in the report got lost in Wajir district as he looked for water. In the end he failed to get even a drop of water and ended up drinking his own urine to save himself. Had it not been for a rescue search party that scoured the hot countryside for him, things could have been worse.

Now the UN and the Kenyan government have made a joint appeal for urgent food aid. (read more) Yet the world's media and governments are slowly turning the other way. And herein lies the problem. Nobody wants to concede that there is a serious problem in Kenya and East Africa. It is as if the situation is improving yet in the real sense things are getting worse by the day. The UN appeal is welcome news and is a timely intervention and reminder of the pathetic situation on the ground.

Kenya's drought is certainly a disaster that the world should learn of and from. There is a clear need for the people of the world to see it with the urgency it deserves. Quick-fix famine relief operations are always welcome but they rarely address the long term nature of the problem. There is need for increased food production if the country's granaries and silos are to cope with demand for food. To avoid begging for external help (not a bad thing when disaster strikes but certainly one worth avoiding) the government must pull up its sleeves and make good its promise of boosting productivity in the farmlands and pastoral areas.

In the meantime there is certainly an air of desperation as the heat in the North East builds up and the drought sees searing hunger torment large pockets of the local population. Already 40 people have died of hunger and there are fears that the situation will worsen in the next few weeks. The putrescent carcasses of livestock that litter the roadside as one travels to Wajir and Mandera and the clouds of dust that envelope the vehicles are just some of the stark reminders of the forgotten population. It is time more aid agencies stepped in and water supply has to be restored to communities that are now thirsty and looking into the horizon as they await help.

Congratulations Arsenal

2006-03-09T12:46:00.000-08:00

Once more Arsenal have shown the flash and sparkle of footballing brilliance that they once dazzled the world with. Playing before a packed Highbury stadium, they drew with Real Madrid, a result that meant that Thierry Henry's goal in the first leg 1-0 victory made all the difference. Arsenal are now through to the quarter finals. They outwitted and beat a star-studded Real Madrid side that included the likes of Ronaldo, David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Roberto Carlos, Raul and Robinho.

Just a few days earlier good old Arsenal with all their guns blazing and the young talented players all fired up made mincemeat of Fulham FC in the premiership, beating them 4-0. When you remember that memories of the 7-0 victory over Middlesborough are still fresh in our minds then the picture of Arsenal's road to recovery is there for all to see. Thierry Henry, Jens Lehman and Cesc Fabregas are just some of the Arsenal players who have worked extremely hard in the last few matches to make sure that the name of the club leaves Highbury (this is the last season at the famous ground) intact and unscathed.

Of course there is so much work to be done before we believe we are on the good old track, where we reigned supreme. These are hard times and the players know that lagging behind Tottenham is not really good news. We need to step on the pedal and get ourselves back into the top four. We maybe fifth now but we are still marching towards trophies and honours.

What has gone wrong with Arsenal?

2006-03-01T13:08:00.000-08:00

Days after Arsenal managed to beat a fancied Real Madrid right in their Bernabeau backyard, there was hope that the team would get back on track as far as their premiership onslaught is concerned. But the game against Balckburn must have given Arsene Wenger a lot of food for thought. The Frenchman needs to make changes in the way he approaches the premiership because his formula seems to have failed to reignite the 2004-5 magic. Then Arsenal played flawless football.

However with all the firepower available thanks to Arsenal's new firepower, there is reason to smile.

Dog Food Offer for Kenyan Children Sparks Outrage

2006-01-31T14:07:00.000-08:00

There is nothing worse than looking a gift horse in the mouth or so goes the adage. People are not supposed to choose or make comments when gifts are delivered. But when the gift in question is dog food and it is being offered for the well being and nourishment of children (not puppies), that is an entirely different matter. Sparks are still flying and the tension is electric as debate rages on the offer by a New Zealand businesswoman to send 42 tonnes of dog food to feed starving children in Luo Nyanza (see Nation story).

The offer was met by condemnation by a cross section of Kenyans including senior government officials. (read more) The debate is justified, the fury and rage triggered is understandable and the condemnation of the offer is driven by years of accrued suspicion of the West . Already, there are fears that racist stereotyping of Africans may have played a role in influencing the choice of gift for the hungry children of Mbita in Nyanza, Kenya.

It is hard to imagine that the manufacturers of Mighty Mix dog food actually proferred their help genuinely. They may have, but I cannot help feeling that they intended to gain publicity for the Mighty Mix dog food. Now millions know of the Mighty Mix brand of dog food more than they know of the country it was being offered to. No marketing blitz for that brand would have achieved the level of publicity for Mighty Mix that the aid offer (stunt?) has achieved. How can one explain all the quotes attributed to the company's boss explaining the supposed nourishing effects of the mixture? She spent so much time explaining the qualities... never mind the details... she insists she was genuinely driven to help the hungry children of Kenya.

To sceptical locals, the gift turned out to be an insult to their senses. They were apalled at the thought that the New Zealanders thought their gesture was helpful. It has touched a raw nerve in Kenya and people are seeing the whole act as the manifestation of some level of racism. They believe that perhaps some people think Africans can feed on food meant for animals.

The whole incident should serve as a wake up call to all Kenyans. It is time we pulled our act together and increased and improved our food production levels. That way nobody will have to offer us dog food, bird food or whatever concoction they think is fit for our consumption.

Focus lacking in Kenyan Politics

2006-01-29T14:57:00.000-08:00

Kenyans will have to put up with quite some bit of politicking for the next few weeks. Opposition politicians have been shouting themselves hoarse as they call for the government's resignation. What started in 2002 continues unabated. We are seeing a new crop of leaders who speak nothing but politics. Where were these leaders when the ill-fated building at Nyamakima collapsed just days ago? Have they spoken out on the need to have a well trained rescue force? Sadly, no is the answer. They haven't at all. All they talk of and call for are resignations, sackings and who should take over the reins of power in the country.

Kenyan politicians have never really been committed to the fight against corruption. They have failed to point out acts of wanton corruption in the past and are only doing so now because it will help their political cause if they vilify the current government. It is not my intention to support or condone any form of corruption. Those who have engaged in corruption in the current regime must go. They should be charged in a court of law. But so should those who engaged in corruption in the past regime, many of whom are now prentending to be clean citizens battling the vice. What we are seeing is a generation of politicians who have acquired wealth through some shadowy process and who are using the same wealth to discredit the sitting government.

My concern is that there is just too much politics in the air right now. It is time to move on and the politicians should urgently address more pressing development matters.

Arsenal: It's All Guns Blazing as The Gunners Demolish 'Boro

2006-01-15T04:23:00.000-08:00

There has never been any doubting the qualities possessed by Arsenal players and the arsenal of skills the same players have. Playing as a unit, the team showed that the 7-0 demolition of Everton at the end of last season was not a fluke. This time they hosted another upbeat team hoping for a repeat of earlier results. Middlesborough had beaten Arsenal at the beginning of this season at the Riverside and came knocking at Highbury hoping for a positive result. Boro coach Steve McLaren even had a special guest with him; England coach Sven Goran Eriksson was there to watch the match. There was a positive result but this time it was for the hosts. Arsene Wenger's men dominated the match from the word go pumping goals with ease. The result: Arsenal 7-Middlesborough 0.

Thierry Henry had a hat trick and made history by clocking 150 goals for the club. And with the signing of Togo and Monaco striker Emmanuel Adebayor, we are once again in top gear.

Development is the responsibility of all

2006-01-09T04:20:00.000-08:00

There are many things that people are fond of. Chief among them is a comfortable existence and a stress free surrounding. That is why we whine and whinge any time we feel that services by government and even family are not at expected levels. Equally, many people work hard to make sure that at the end of the day they not only have enough for themselves but also can help others. There are times when even the most hardworking person stares at a blank plate and reaps little or nothing for his effort. But at least he tried. Even if he seeks support from his government, he knows that he deserves respect and not a feeling of shame.

However, there are those of us who major in listlessness, laziness and total inefficacy. They procrastinate and hang around hoping to lick from the pearly drops of state support. They have shown utter contempt for hard work and hold little respect for enterprise. These are the people who like to reap where they have not sown. They make a sizeable majority of those siphoning benefits from the welfare state. They brazenly cling to socialism threads and moo, neigh and bray the loudest about the government not doing this or that. The government has a duty to deliver services to all and sundry.

But the populace has to meets its share of the bargain. People have to pay their rightful taxes on time and vote in the correct leadership and leaders. They must not let the threadbare but sentimental film of ethnicity envelope their judgement of developing issues in the country. They must make sure their voices are heard and respected when it matters. And most important of all, they must play their part in making continued development a reality.

Cabinet Unity Important

2006-01-06T15:06:00.000-08:00

If there is one thing that Kenyans are really tired of, then it is the constant politicking that has messed the country and nearly derailed the development process. Now that the new look Kenyan cabinet has started working as a unit, there are all the signs that it will be able to achieve much and perhaps usher in an era of development.

Let us hope that Kenyans will get the services they deserve. Our eyes are focused on the cabinet. In the meantime, all Kenyans should continue working hard as they have always done.

Commitment to dialogue welcome

2006-01-04T13:55:00.000-08:00

The picture of Langata MP Raila Odinga and President Mwai Kibaki shaking hands during a break at a recent meeting shows that dialogue has been given a new lease of life. It is Raila, who keen to make amends with the president, went out of his way to get the president's ear. Certainly, this is not the same Raila who at one time was making a plethora of demands and calling for snap elections. This is a peaceful new look Raila. He has seen that what Kenyans want is dialogue and peace and not sabre-rattling.

Let us hope that with this, Kenyans will learn that politics is a game of give and take. Let us put aside our political differences and develop Kenya.

KCPE Results a Wake Up Call for North Eastern Province

2005-12-30T12:50:00.000-08:00

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

2005-12-29T12:35:00.000-08:00

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

2005-12-28T00:21:00.000-08:00

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

2005-12-27T10:34:00.000-08:00

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.

A Time for Reflection

2005-12-23T06:18:00.000-08:00

As we approach the new year, many Kenyans should take time to remember the less fortunate in society. The famine in the North Eastern part of the country is a reminder that there are vulnerable and suffering pockets of our population.

There have been reports that ten people have died of hunger in Mandera district. Yet in certain parts of Kenya, (surplus) food is going to waste as a result of lack of proper storage facilities. The government can do more to rectify the situation but that does not mean that the public are free of any blame. They need to improve their farming techniques and prepare for the dry seasons. There is just too much idle land wasting away even during times of plenty.

Kenya is not supposed to be crying at this time of festivities. We need to pull up our socks and work hard to feed ourselves.

Going bananas over an orange brigade

2005-10-02T14:03:00.000-07:00

Now, if there is something all Kenyans have been watching with interest, it must be the fever pitch campaigning and political fervour surrounding the referendum on the constitution.

Never before in the history of Kenya has something that is not a general election swept the political landscape with such zeal. But the Yes and No campaigns as they have come to be known have also another dimension. They are the first to have brought a dietary revolution of sorts.

It is anticipated that the country's population will soon start enjoying the benefits of feeding on bananas and oranges which are the symbols of the Yes and No campaigns respectively.

However the No camp has irked the Yes camp with their much more visible campaign. They have continued to attract bigger crowds and have invested heavily in literature and promotional material. And they have coined propaganda slogans to encourage their wave of supporters.

Some of them read 'The Orange Revolution' trying to evoke imagery similar to the similarly named revolution in the Ukraine. Others are meant to taunt their opponents in the Yes camp. Some of them talk of the dangers of voting yes turning the country into a banana republic and well, that just drives the Yes group bananas.

The Yes campaign too hit the road with gusto. The latest rally held by a coterie of ministers at Afraha Stadium in Nakuru had the crowds coming in at least.

It is such feverish politicking that has observers worried. There is a clear need for the country to rise from the political pitch that has enveloped it. It is time to work, chew the bananas and suck the oranges. We certainly need the vitamins but not the hatred.

Premiership fever: The Arsenal Bug and the Chelsea Game

2005-08-21T04:38:00.000-07:00

For the Gunners' fans; today is a very important day. We are doing battle with the Blues, Jose Mourinho's men. The match is set to be played at Chelsea's home; Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are favourites according to football pundits but for the rest of us, the Highbury faithful, we are strong enough to punish what is perhaps the most expensive football side assembled. Under manager Arsene Wenger, Arsenal's fluid passing game means that any slip up in the Chelsea defence means a victory for the North London side. wenger upbeat That hasn't escaped West London fans; they are going to rally behind Chelsea in what is going to be an exiciting game today.

Chelsea have a depth of squad unmatched by any other team in the premier league. That has out them in pole position in the race for the premiership title. The club's shopping spree has been a successful one and they have added quite a number of dependable players in the last few months. With players like Shaun Wright Philips and Michael Essien added to the squad and others like Hernan Crespo back after a successful loan outing with AC Milan, Chelsea are hopeful that their title defence ship is foolproof and unsinkable.

That depth of squad has now started showing itself to be a chink in the armour. A rotation of players policy is seeing a number of players disheartened as they cool their boots in the subs' benches. Some have spoken out in public (Carvalho, Robben etc). Others like William Gallas have refused to commit themselves to a future contract with the club unless they are told where they will feature (first team action is what most of the players want and whicn they can't get as the team becomes bigger). That tension between players nearly translated itself into the pitch. In their first match against newcomers Wigan, Chelsea seemed to have lost the pace and firepower that became their trademark last season. A last gasp 93rd minute strike by Crespo saved Mourinho blushes and shattered hopes of a dream start by Paul Jewell's Wigan side.

Even Mourinho confessed that his side were lucky to win the match. "We didn't deserve to win the match," Mourinho told journalists after the game. It was hard, he said, to know who were the premiership champions and who were the newly promoted side from the Coca Cola championship. In their first outing this season, Chelsea never showed the kind of hunger and thirst for success like their competitors Manchester United. The Old Trafford outfit, enjoying the recovery of their striker Ruud van Nistelrooy have tormented all the sides they have met in the past few weeks. Even an improved Everton side had to watch as United clawed, tore and made mincemeat of their defence. The weaker teams have to watch out; the reds mean business this season.

That makes today's match a promise of fireworks. This is Arsene Wenger's 500th game in charge at Arsenal and he will want to prove a point. And what better way to do it than to sore and bruise the mood and buoyancy of the special one Jose Mourinho. The two don't see eye to eye and with Mourinho keen to stamp his authority on the title race after a rather lacklustre first game, the two teams are bound to stress each other to the limit. Chelsea fans will be roaring from the stands. What adds strength to the match is that the two teams met for the Charity Shield final just weeks ago and used the match (which Chelsea won) to correct their weaknesses and identify strengths.

Both sides will not want us to read too much into the match. They say the season has just started but the truth is that they will push themselves to the limit for everything is at stake here. Wenger's pride has been punctured, what with Mourinho ranting on about his plans for the season and some pundits placing their bets that it is Manchester United that is posed to give Chelsea a run for its money. Just last year, Wenger was hailed as a hero after his side won the league after an unbeaten run, a feat not achieved for decades. Suddenly a dip of form saw his side struggle to hold onto second spot. Chelsea became the new champs and Mourinho the blue eyed boy of the press. Wenger will want to prove that Arsenal are still in the race for the title. Three points and not a draw is what the two teams will be going for. Winning the premiership has gone a level higher; losses are just incomprehensible. Forget about this being the start of the season; the game means everything for the two men, two clubs and the entire premiership.

Arsenal are also keen to shore up confidence amongst the Highbury faithful. This is the last season for the club before the move to Ashburton Grove and the club has set sights on the title. To do that, this has to be a different season. A new outlook at defence is a must to steady the title assault ship. The last FA cup final was dominated by rivals Manchester United (whose strikers' tenacity at attacking the Arsenal half was impressive) only went Arsenal's way after a penalty shootout.

The resilience in Arsenal's previously leaky defence is perhaps a positive point to take from the last gasps of last season. They managed to plug a hole that cost them the title. Philippe Senderos has tried his level best to partner Kolo Toure in a new defensive wall that has been tested by the premiership's best strikers. But in the Charity Shield final, Chelsea's menacing and powerful striker Didier Drogba has shown that Senderos has his work cut out for him. I believe that the Swiss international has something in store for Drogba today. This should be an interesting dimension to this afternoon's game.

Arsenal are essentially a scoring side. Manager Wenger has committed himslef to this saying 'when a person fifty pound to come to Highbury, he knows he will see goals..' Good point. However, the hunt for goals upfront has become much harder. Many clubs have realised that packing their midfield wreaks havoc to Arsenal's trade mark passing game clinical finishes. A lapse in defence means an avalanche of goals like that which embarrassed David Moyes' Everton.. the Gunners fired seven goals past them at the end of the season. Now Arsenal need some goals from raw striking power to shake off this sticky midfield situations.

Even then, clubs have also realised packed midfields only delay the Arsenal goals, not ruling them out. It has now become a feature of the Arsenal game: goals that come in the last ten minutes of the match. Teams want to frustrate the fluid, passing game and Arsenal are now countering that. The exception is Sir Alex Ferguson's men; the pioneers of this tough physical game to shut down the Arsenal attack. Man Utd have shown that they can cut down the Arsenal passes and attack relentlessly. Arsenal players on the other hand have evolved and take this Man U approach with level headedness unlike the past when it got them sussed out and led to bust ups in the tunnel.

What I'm trying to say is that we are a new side and I have hopes that Chelsea are the first casualties of our title assault. The cannons are ready and the arsenal will be fired... GO ARSENAL GO ARSENAL.

Kenya Marches Forward: A Time to Engage in Self-Congratulation

2005-08-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

Kenya remains an exemplary African state as far as peace and stability is concerned. Hordes of foreign journalists cover conflicts in neighbouring countries from the safety of comfy hotels in the capital Nairobi. They may spew gobs of vitriol and criticism on their host country, but they know that without Kenya they have nowhere from which to cover the DRC, Somalia, Rwanda, Burundi, Northern Uganda, Southern Sudan, Darfur, Ethiopia and Eritrea and the little conflicts that take place in this region.

Kenya’s friendly people, its weather and diverse climate and regions all make it an attractive place to be. With its magnificent wildlife in the plains and hills and golden beaches that drape the coast, the country is one of the world’s hottest tourist spots. No wonder the likes of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have visited the country and so has Bill Gates. And millions of ordinary folk and a phalanx of celebs have visited the East African dream pot. And yes, they came as tourists.

Add to that Kenya’s talented and well educated human resource pool and you get a picture of a rising nation. Its business sector glimmers and poses the most serious threat to South African dominance of the continent. Kenya Airways, the pride of Africa is ranked the top African airline (wow, you should see its Boeing 777s). With its disciplined armed forces that are the envy of the region, Kenya continues to play an important role in peacekeeping duties worldwide. Kenya has struggled to provide improved services in hospitals and now also offers free primary education for all. The government has seen the salaries of civil servants and the police, army and teaching force improved and raised to hitherto unheard levels.

But the country is still struggling to develop its infrastructure. And now we have fallen behind Uganda in the world GDP rankings. There is need to go back to the drawing board. At least we have seen the economy grow by 4.3% for the first time in nearly a decade. That is a good starting point. The next step should be the revival of the agricultural sector and then the development of light industries.
That way we will be starting to build the foundation of a strong nation.

Harambee Stars Preparations Poor

2005-08-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

Kenya's national soccer team the Harambee Stars has performed gallantly over the last few years despite the financial nightmares it has had to undergo. It has steadily maintained a decent run of results. These are tough times for the team and many are the times when players have been forced to go without allowances and tickets. Even when we have sown little, we have reaped more and the Stars have made our team the top soccer team in East Africa.

Despite all setbacks the team still nurses hopes of qualifying for the forthcoming African Cup of Nations. After battling soccer powerhouse Morocco and Guinea, the Stars are set to play African champions Tunisia.

The Tunisians are not leaving anything to chance and they have started international buildup matches. For the Harambee Stars the tough life continues and they have to struggle with scanty preparations. The national team will have to play their buildup matches with local clubs. They have not yet been able to get the money required to help them travel and play proper buildup matches with other national teams. It is time the KFF took this issue seriously and ensured that the Harambee Stars play quality build up matches as they get ready for the big game against Tunisia.

Kenyan cricket sinks to an all time low

2005-07-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

The sad news has just filtered in. Despite its meteoric rise as a cricket power, Kenya has been excluded from the latest ICC ranking. The only reason Kenya has been left out is that the team has not played enough matches. It only played two matches during the period covered by the rating exercise. Australia remains at the top of the list with Sri Lanka retaining second spot. Pakistan has moved up two places to third spot. New Zealand are now fourth ahead of South Africa who drop one place to fifth.

The sad thing is that Kenya has lost its position in the top ten just because cricket authorities are not taking the game seriously. Even after the tough players took the country to the semis of the last world cup we have been forced to watch them bask in the shade of a forgotten world. They have not had enough international matches.

The other day the Kenyan team was cleared by the world cricket body's anti-corruption unit of any wrongdoing in the match fixing scandal that brought down former captain Maurice Odumbe.
This is a new chapter in the country's cricket future. The players have shown that talent plays a crucial role in the rising standard of the game in Kenya.

The government needs to start the development of cricket at grassroot level. It should initiate cricket training in primary schools. Only that way can the country develop to the required level of the game.

In the meantime the Kenya Cricket Association needs to pull up its socks. Let the players enjoy what they do best; playing cricket.

FIFA got it all wrong

2005-07-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

It is now two days since FIFA decided that Harambee Stars will play Tunisia inside a closed stadium in next month's home tie. Our Harambee Stars team now sees its fans banned from the stadium in that important qualifier. The harsh decision denying our home team the support it so much needs to qualify for the African Cup of Nations was arrived at by some FIFA bigwigs. They gave the death of a teenage soccer during the last match against Morocco as the reason. Insecurity, FIFA said, has to be met with a stiff penalty. And they lashed out a whopping 25,000 francs fine on KFF. But who is to blame for the insecurity mess? Not the Kenyan fans and players. That is where FIFA got it all wrong.

To punish soccer lovers and players is a tragedy; KFF officials are a thick skinned lot and won't feel the pinch. The fine is OK but banning fans from the stands is outrageous. FIFA needs to know that the decision is ill-advised and as far as I see it, this is an extension of the heated battle for a world cup slot between Morocco and Tunisia. Morocco are hoping that Kenya can win their qualifier in Nairobi against their North African rivals (Tunisia). They had even offered Kenya training facilities. Tunisia are desperate for a win but know that Harambee Stars are capable of causing an upset. A decision like that taken by FIFA works in their favour. FIFA looks determined to see that Kenya doesn't have a cheering home crowd to help them battle the already nervous but determined Tunisians.

Methinks that some FIFA officials want to influence the way things shape up in Kenya's group. Otherwise how does one explain what has happened. This is the first time that a team has been forced to play behind closed doors because of a fan's accidental death. There have been many more matches around the world where fans died and fines were imposed on clubs and soccer bodies but banning fans from enjoying the game is unheard of.

We demand that FIFA revokes its nauseating decision to allay fears that they are planning to see certain teams through to the next world cup finals. We are watching this space.

Roads are an integral part of the development process

2005-07-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

Even the indefatigable Raila Odinga has finally admitted it. The minister has agreed that his ministry has let Kenyans down. That is indeed the beginning of solving the problem of bad roads. Odinga now says that new measures have been put in place to ensure that roads are repaired in good time. The sad thing is that such an explanation will do little to sort out the mess of poor roads which we find ourselves in. The only way the government can convince us that this problem has been solved is through the revving of bulldozers hard at work. Only when we see contractors working and government engineers inspecting finished roads can we afford to smile.

The minister has warned corrupt officials in his ministry that their time is up. We support his stance and hope that this time we are going to see many of the country's roads servicing development in all sectors. Without good roads, no map makes sense.

The ministry of public works remains the foundation block of national reconstruction.

A minute of your time...

2005-07-14T15:25:00.000-07:00

Let us pray for peace to return in Northern Kenya. Only then can we sleep soundly.

That's all.

Marsabit Killings Call for Improved Security

2005-07-13T11:59:00.000-07:00

The death toll from the attacks on a village in Turbi, Marsabit district by armed raiders now stands at 79. A major security operation is underway but for the grieving families it is too little too late. There is no gainsaying the need for troop reinforcements in an area where tension between the Borana and Gabra communities has reached unprecendented levels. Death and destruction is winding its way through Marsabit and Moyale and heavily armed raiders have even prevented police from accessing some of the affected areas.

The situation remains volatile and the locals are understandably apprehensive. They believe that more raids might take place in the next few days as the two clans try to avenge this week's deaths and others reported in the last few months. It is hard to get to know what is exactly going on there as the area has poor roads and communications facilities.

The government has sent the elite General Service Unit to restore order. The crack paramilitary outfit is known for its efficiency in tackling bandits. While the government is trying its level best to tackle the new internecine strife menace, there are lessons it can take from the sad events at Turbi. One is that border security has to be improved. It is a clear thing that the porous borders we have with Ethiopia and Somalia pose a serious threat to our own internal security. Armed groups are known to cross the border before unleashing death and destruction after which they go back to the safety of their bases.

We need to have more military bases and GSU camps in these border areas. That way rapid deployment of security forces can be done the moment armed groups attack civilians. Flexing military and police muscle is needed if we are to send a strong signal to our neighbours that this is not a playing field for armed groups. Kenyan lives have to be protected.

Then there are the leaders from the affected areas who have themselves failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that they have not been fanning tribal hatred. They need to be reined in and if found to be behind the clashes, then they should be locked up. Many of them are known to encourage tribal clashes and even fund suspect activities like cattle raids. It has to be said though that some are mature leaders but a little perusal should weed out the bad from the good.

These are not times to let peace slip through our hands. Kenya is known to be an island of peace. We cannot let a few individuals threaten our stability and progress. Just a few months ago, lives were lost in Mandera when the Garre and Murule clans battled. The loss of life and destruction of property is still being felt and the locals there have the unenviable task of picking up the pieces after such unnecessary bloodshed and destruction.

The government must set an example with the Marsabit clashes. What happened in Turbi must never be repeated in independent Kenya. Long live the peace, love and unity we continue to espouse.

Land grabbers: The Message Is Clear; Return What Is Not Yours

2005-07-12T12:05:00.000-07:00

There was a time when Nairobi was blessed with countless playing fields. They came in different sizes from modest palygrounds within residential areas to sprawling fields for different sports within schools. So good was the situation that those who went through primary schools those days remember the wide grounds as a marked feature of their childhood. I am talking about the early 80s when large green spaces dotted Nairobi. Nowadays, the reverse is happening. From the late 90s land meant for public utilities in most parts of Kenya ended in the hands of greedy developers. The land had been acquired illegally.

Most of the land meant for playgrounds has been grabbed and a number of famous playgrounds serving communities in urban areas in the country have virtually disappeared in the last few years. All that remains in urban areas like Nairobi, Mombasa and Nakuru is a huge concrete jungle that sticks out like some sore thumb. The kids of today are missing what their fathers and mothers took for granted.

There have been all manner of investigations into alleged irregularities in land deals. Grabbing may have reduced in the past three or so years but the situation is already critical. Schools barely have space to take care of their needs let alone expand. You name any institution and you'll most likely hear some heart rending story of how some greedy developer took ownership of a parcel of land meant for expansion or development. Hospitals and prisons have not been spared the heat.

The government has decided to act on one sector of land grabbing. Invoking the need to protect the Mau Forest water catchment area, it has forced thousands of villagers to leave their homes in the area. The government says the country's future is at stake and if the water catchment dies then the entire nation will suffer. It is clear that the people were wrong to be there in the first place.

Some politicians from the Rift Valley are rightly angered that their constituents are being kicked out of the land without an alternative site for their relocation. But where were the same MPs when the people broke all the laws of the land to move into a sensitive water catchment area? What we need are sober discussions to sort out this problem. It is heartening to note that the Minister in charge of Internal Security John Michuki is addressing the problem. He met 24 legislators from the affected Rift Valley province but told them there was no going back on the order. They agreed to work together to ensure the process goes on smoothly.

Now that the hoi polloi, the man and woman on the street, have been made to pay the price of land grabbing and lost possessions in the process, it is our hope that the government will crack down on even bigger land grabbers. These are the well to do businessmen, politicians and civil servants who with total disregard to the law grabbed land meant for public utilities. They have to return what is not rightfully theirs. Public land has to be returned to public ownership. That way the young will enjoy the fruits of justice and enjoy their youth in abundance.

Where our MPs Went Wrong

2005-07-11T01:25:00.000-07:00

They can be seen driving the latest four wheel drive models and basking at the coast over most weekends. They live in opulence and have voted themselves some of the highest salaries and lavish benefits. Yet according to recent reports our MPs are some of the laziest in the continent. They have passed only one bill and have over a dozen pending. The situation is so bad that speaker Francis Ole Kaparo was forced to intercede on behalf of the public and urge the legislators to pull up their socks. At one point he cancelled one of their famous retreats at the coast where they were heading to discuss the forthcoming procurement bill.

Kaparo told the MPs that bills were only to be discussed in parliament. The MPs remonstrated against Kaparo's conduct and threatened the speaker with a vote of no confidence. Public support for Kaparo may have saved the veritable speaker popular for his 'Order, Order' command in parliament.

To cut the story short, Kaparo was forced to let the coast retreat go ahead after the intervention of the Ministry of Finance which was organising the event. And the MPs trooped to the palm fringed beaches at the coast to enjoy some of the finest beer and nyama choma on offer at the hotel. That is what it seems. A weekend is hardly enough for the MPs to thoroughly discuss the intricate details of a bill that serious in nature.

Now after all that money was pumped to get them seriously interested in the bill, the MPs have confirmed our worst fears. That they can't just sit down and work. They failed to attend to serious business in parliament on the same procurement bill !!! Only 32 of them voted for the bill after their all expenses paid luxury trip!! How on earth does a house of more than 200 members allow such an important bill to be passed by only 32 MPs?

Our parliament needs to wake up as the public is watching them in the run up to 2007. The MPs wrongly believe that public spats on petty politics, usually exercised in front of hapless mourners at funerals in rural Kenya, are the reason why they were elected. The MPs are very well paid and they'd better justify that. The voters are watching. Come 2007, some of the laziest MPs Kenya has ever seen will be sent to the dustbins of history.

KANU has a long way to go

2005-07-10T03:00:00.000-07:00

The official opposition KANU has still a long way to go before it can start feeling comfortable in its new shoes. They are a wee bit uncomfortable and too small a size compared to the comfy ones it wore as the ruling party for forty years. This doesn't mean that KANU hasn't tried. It has attempted to make the best out of its sorry situation and that is good news for Kenyans. KANU held for the first time in decades what many observers saw as free and fair elections. Kasarani, once a battlefield associated with well-choreographed KANU elections meant to choose a certain elite into power, was transformed into a venue that witnessed perhaps KANU's first free elections.

Uhuru Kenyatta beat Nicholas Biwott and the one time 'total man' at one point threatened to walk off claiming the election was being rigged in favour of Uhuru. His claims were hard to prove as the delegates' list was agreed on before the polls and the election was going on smoothly before a packed Kasarani stadium in broad daylight. The election went on and Uhuru was elected chairman.

Today Uhuru is finding it very hard to steer the party in the direction he wants it to go. This is because Nicholas Biwott also claims to be the leader of the party. KANU is torn into two hapless halves, its potency further reduced and the public is clearly not amused. What happens to the country's political landscape? We are effectively left without an active opposition that can keep the government on its toes. Not that anyone misses KANU. It really messed up during its time in power. But a rejuvenated KANU is what Kenyans need to keep the popular NARC administration in check.

Democracy demands an active opposition. That just seems to be missing in Kenya. Ford People has already ensconsed itself in the warm leather seats of government and the opposition benches have also proved to be too cold for certain KANU bigwigs. They are serving cabinet ministers in the current administration despite being loud mouths who rudely told off NARC and its ideals during the 2002 campaigns.

Uhuru Kenyatta seems to be making headway in laying his claim to the leadership mantle in KANU. He and secretary general William Ruto (despite their recent alleged spats) look to have the steely resolve needed to punch the party's way through near oblivion and back into a powerful party capable of winning power.

To make any progress, the party will need to clean up its act and encourage dialogue with a view to resolving internal squabbles. The ruling party NARC has snuffed the life out of its own internal squabbles. LDP has toed the line and NAK has stopped the barking. There are lessons to be learnt from that. Kenyans, irrespective of their political affiliations, want a strong democracy with healthy parties. Only then can Kenyans decide on the best leaders they want.

Geoffrey William Griffin and the Starehe Dream

2005-07-09T05:33:00.000-07:00

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

2005-07-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

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

2005-07-08T13:45:00.000-07:00

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.