Kenyan Idiot

In perhaps the most expected and most publicized story of the week is that of   Najib Balala who was booted off the Island on Monday for what is widely seen as his disloyalty to his captain, but which he defines as ‘having an independent mind’. In recent months the former Tourism minister and Mvita MP has spoken none too favorably of his party leader , calling his former ally a “dictator whom Kenyans do not deserve as their next president”- how quickly thing have changed, where once   the two were very friendly now the two are engaged in a tense verbal shoot out with the Prime minister went on record earlier this week when he said   that Balala had refused to be a team player but instead busied himself with “shooting the ball toward his own goal, in the game of football you shoot towards the opponents goal not your own” and as if to further display his disdain for his onetime buddy   by likening him to a wife who wants the dissolution of a marriage stating that “ If...

We are a confused lot, or at the very least we have been plunged into the mud and muck that has become choosing an election date. Ever since the 17 th of this month when the courts ruled that the general elections are to be held after parliament has completed their term on the 14 th of January   2013 as is stated in the countries new constitution signed by the head of state in 2010 and that the elections are to take place within 60 days. This awakened yet another disagreement between President Kibaki and PM Raila Odinga… which makes one think whether these two ever read from the same script? Well apparently not! And proceeded to arouse strong opinions from those in government including:   The VP Kalonzo Musioka who was "surprised by latest twists and turns" Presidential aspirant William Ruto:   "Where did they get the March date from?"   Martha Karua who said it was "illegal"- Rather strong considering that they must have at the very least p...

For the last 11 days Kenyans have been scared of getting ill as the countries health workers have put down their tools and headed to the streets to protest the government’s failure to do as the promised and implement the agreed upon salary increase and to better their dismal working conditions thus sending the sick (those that can afford it) swarming to the much more expensive private hospitals for urgent health care. The government in their part only served to rail the health workers- by firing all 25,000 of them- and strengthen their resolve to picket for their rights to receive allowances and use rubber gloves while tending to the sick whose lives they once swore to save and heal. It is this struggle between fighting for their own rights and healing the nation that must be weighing heavily on their minds and hearts. This same oath and their ethics were brought into question with the deaths of patients after being turned away by the nurses. Particularly heart wrenching was ...

March 29 th was leap day it was also the day that journalists at the countries only government owned media house downed their cameras and microphones and switched off the teleprompters and left their desks and vowed to pound the stretch of road outside their offices (even in the presence of the GSU shuttled to the offices to stop the strike) until their grievances- that include what they termed as poor pay, non-payment of salary arrears, lack of promotion and sexual harassment of female staff by bosses - are listened to by the government. On Friday however the information and Communication minister Samuel Poghisio played his hand first issued an ultimatum to the I, 212 (812 permanent and 400 contracted staff) workers to return to their desks by 2pm, calling a press conference at which he termed the strike as “illegal” and said that the employees actions were in “bad faith”, further adding that “The strike was premature and the ministry would therefore like to call upon all worker...

There’ll surely be no other quite like ‘Mitch’ as John Njoroge Michuki was nicknamed by his peers. He was admitted to the Aga Khan University Hospital in the Capital were he would later succumb to a heart attack and as foreign dignitaries, peers and members of his family and friends said their last goodbyes and laid him to rest at his burial at Kangema in Murang’a earlier this week we sit back and take stock of a life well lived- he was 80- we will all remember his unshakable belief in doing what was right even though at times it made him unpopular and reviled by some. Hate him or love him Michuki stood firm for what he believed in, ruthless and no nonsense on corruption and those who practiced it, focussed and driven could all be used to describe the man who began life in Kangema. He both adhered to the rule of law and bent it in equal measure. As the minister for transport he inspired love and adoration from the public and hatred form some in the Matatu sector with his strict an...

Last week Nyeri County became the butt of all jokes everywhere in Kenya, from the satirical cartoons in the daily newspapers to almost every morning radio show. The gender based violence in the area only served as proof of the Nyeri woman’s legendary precocity, a stereotype women in the area have always fought hard against. But on Monday with the case of Jurliana Wairimu 26 (which in my opinion is too you for marriage) attacked her husband Simon Kiguta 40 with a Panga (machete) after he came home drunk Nyeri residence feared that the spirit of Wangu Wa Makeri had reappeared in all its fighting glory.   The feared Makeri became chief of Weithaga district Muran’ga in 1901 a position given to her by the colonialists and which she would hold for 35 years. 35 long and fearfully hellish years for any and all men in her district.   She vowed (on her entrance into that position of power) to take revenge all me who had oppressed and maltreated women at the time. Subjecting the ...

It was a Sunday morning like any other as I awoke with the sun intent to prepare for church but instead let my heavy eye lids close once more. After a quick prayer to ask for the forgiveness for once again sleeping in I turned on my radio and slid back under the warm sheets, but before I could close my weary eyes I heard a shocking story that vanquished all thoughts and hope of peaceful rest: Whitney Elizabeth Houston was dead, and as the anchor continued I sat up and reached for the remote to turn up the volume and make double sure that my ears had not deceived me and as her beautiful voice sang in the background I realised with a thud that my ears had heard right, that this was not an internet spawned rumour or death hoax. Later that morning and indeed throughout last week as her greatest hit blared on every radio station and with no doubt every music lovers car, cd player, ipod and home music system and her historic rise to fame and her subsequent struggles with the demons that we...