A day in Eastleigh , Nairobi.

I didn’t understand how the night came to pass,damn it! I had heard a drowning crawl of the estate cock – yes that huge, long-nailed black and white brutal cock. Everyone knows it especially from how thorough and ‘cruel’ it climbs the neighbors’ chicken regardless of their ages. As a matter of fact could it be a human being it would be long dead following a mob justice for raping mothers and children in the estate if not rotting in Kamiti maximum prison! It is that grievous.

An open letter to my sweetheart, cc to all ladies in relationships.

Dear Elena my love,

I have severally overheard you and your girlfriends the likes of Asha, Amina, Peninah, charity [come on, you know them], say that we, men are dogs! Of course I’ve never confronted you over the remark but that doesn’t mean that I accepted that as a man, am a dog.

You are entitled to your opinion and definitely you have a right of expression. Am very aware that our relationship has turned out to be a rough journey on a roller coaster; we quarrel often and if we fail to do something about it, our world might split. We are doing well though.

Our Private Security Firms are wanting

Last weekend I walked with a lady friend of mine into one of Nairobi’s outstanding malls. As the norm, at the main gates we walked past a tight private security personnel inspecting vehicles entering the mall’s public parking. At the building’s entrances were more security personnel armed with scanners and metal detectors inspecting each and everybody entering the business hub.

Counterfeit phones crackdown; A double-edged sword, but for how long?.

In Kenya, we’ve known authorities over the ages to be more talkative and good at giving threats and promises and too bad at keeping their word. However this time round, Communication Commission of Kenya has in conjunction with Kenya’s four telephony service providers taken us by surprise. This is through the counterfeit phones shutdown exercise that was scheduled on September 30^th, 2012 being implemented.

A Read; Do Read

I was doing my reading as I always do and I came across this. I felt I'll blame myself to hell if I won't share the reading with you guys. Please read and grasp a lesson out of it.

Married or not you should read this.. [It went]

“When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I’ve got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

An Empire State of Mind, Unmatched Achievements.

‘Inaction is the greatest addiction’ - Abduba Mollu Ido, The MD PRASOL Consult in Westlands, Nairobi. Everyone is a dreamer and most of us dream big, in fact could everyone share out their dreams, some of us could run mad. The only tricky part is fulfilling or making these dreams a reality. Wise men saw this, deriving one of their sayings; if wishes were horses beggars would ride.

Listen to your wives!

A newlywed couple moves into their new house. One day the husband comes home from work and his wife says, "Honey, you know, in the upstairs bathroom one of the pipes is leaking, could you fix it?" The husband says, "What do I look like, Mr. Plumber?"

Tough Day on the Golf Course- Joke

Bob and his three golf buddies were out playing and were just starting on the back nine when Bob paused, looked down the fairway and began to sob uncontrollably.

The onerous life on wheels.

“I know the price of success: dedication, hard work and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen” – Frank Lloyd Wright. Currently, life has not been easy for many Kenyans in various regions of the country following the plummeting value of the Kenyan shilling to major world currencies such as the US dollar and Chinese Yen.

The Foot and The Shoe.

Foot: Oh, I’m really sorry.

Shoe: For what?

Foot: I am always riding on you.

Life is a story and you are not the moral lesson.

Am in my sitting room, there has been a power blackout since I checked in from work. Am in my lowest of spirit, my fiancé has just sent me a text message informing me that she had an accident- was knocked by a car- on her way to work early this morning.

The essence of being truly Kenyan.

I am Kenyan. A proud Kenyan! Being Kenyan is like a profession, a real profession like being a journalist as I am, a doctor, an architect, think of any profession. Kenyan’s like any profession have a code of conduct- a distinct way of doing their things. Let me give you some.

Squeezing the budget even further; the only solution.

I passionately like listening to my grandfather’s stories on how little they used to spent a few years ago- ‘fairy-tales’ is what I can call them. I should not even go that far, in 2003, a loaf of bread was going for as little as Ksh. 20, unbelievable half of the current retailing price.

I cry for them.…

We are living in a scary, crazy, unfriendly and unfair or uncertain world and times. We have all calibers of people; good, bad, schemers…the list is endless. 

There are those with muscles, that is, well endowed financially or well connected and are always assured of smooth survival but just as it is in a jungle, there are others on the other end whose existence is dependent on the mercies of the wealthy and better placed in the society.

PANTIES FOR FOOD

A famous phrase goes that "If you want to deny a black man something, hide it in a book." Mmmh, because they can't read or they are simply too lazy to read! Thank God now that a variety of fora are now at our 'black's' disposal; one being the blogspot.com!

The woeful plight of the girl child.

Despite the introduction of free primary education by the government in 2003 together with legal and policy framework as well as gender policy in education which were later adopted in 2007, the fate of the girl child in Kenya is still hanging in the balance yielding to the fact that some very paramount policies key among them stopping violence against girls are yet to be implemented.

This has made equity in education unachievable raising a major concern to stakeholders and development partners like ActionAid which with support from the Big Lottery Fund, UK (BLF) in July 2008 launched ‘The Stop Violence Against Girls in School’ (SVAGS), a five-year project aimed at empowering girls to enjoy their right to education and participation in a violence-free environment in Ghana, Kenya and Mozambique.

Being on its fourth year now, the SVAGS project is doing well with community dialogue meetings and training workshops for various categories of the target groups where issues affecting girls’ education have been highlighted and solutions agreed upon.

The project under the sponsorship of Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA), The Girl Child Network (GCN) and ActionAid International Kenya in Kenya, has managed a research mapping out gendered patterns of violence experienced by girls in schools, homes, communities and their effect on participation in education in Wenje Division of Tana River County.

According to the survey findings, progress with school enrolment hasn’t been matched with improvements in quality of education, and the legislative and policy plans are not effective in ensuring girls’ safety and achievement within schools.

The results indicate that girls access education at later years than expected and there registers no evidence to indicate an adherence to the laws and directives on violence to protect or support girls in various communities in the division. This state has been attributed to revolting cultural practices coupled with distressing levels of poverty in the area.

On the gender gap, boys turned to be more than girls in later years because many parents can’t afford in-direct school fees, uniform, books and sanitary pads for girls despite the Free Primary Education and directive on provision of sanitary pads to girls in marginalised schools. Also, girls lack role models or women in school with whom they can confide in because there are few women teachers.

Communities in Wenje Division have strong views on gender roles, physical punishment and traditions like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and early marriage of school girls. Often they do not see traditional attitudes and practices, which are largely discriminatory against girls, as being oppressive or against human rights.

 Early pregnancies and child marriages are major reasons for girl-child school dropouts. From a socio-cultural perspective, most parents perceive early marriages as a way to protect girls from unwanted sex, as well as providing material support to the family in the form of bride price. According to the survey, girls experience multiple forms of violence, mostly physical like whipping and beating .Sexual harassment was also prevalent with one among every ten girls confessing to have been raped.

Unfortunately in the middle of all these, the means for girls to air their grievances are limited. They have few main sources of support including friends, family members and teachers. While the teachers deal with problems by punishing offenders, which perpetuate violence, the referral system is equally weak.

The begging question remains, ‘what then should be done?’ According to the survey findings, it’s paramount that a sustainable and integrated rights-based approach that enables children, communities and schools to challenge violence is required. Methods such as girl forums, training, sensitization and adult education to address Female Genital Mutilation, alternative forms of discipline and gender mainstreaming ought to be done.

Sensitization of the entire community children rights to challenge the held traditional practices and traditions e.g. FGM, early marriage and teenage sexuality without leading to hostility in communities, and therefore resistance to change should be done by stakeholders working closely with the local and opinion leaders on both religious and cultural fronts.

The Teachers Service Commission did a noble move which saw the commission develop the TSC circular on Teachers sexual offenders in 2010 and in 2011, launched a national database where teacher’s sexual offenders can be reported and be effectively handled.

To address the challenge further, the survey proposed the following policy interventions to be implemented by all stakeholders: One, strengthen advocacy and focus on localized implementation of policies promoting gender equality through dissemination and trainings, Promote child participation in school governance at all levels including training and support of teachers.

Secondly, in addressing violence against girls there’s need to work with girls and boys on how to manage relationships, sexuality, sexual and reproductive health, to promote alternative forms of discipline within a broader gender and rights framework by conducting a mapping exercise of existing and potential alternative discipline practices, working with teachers, teachers’ unions, teacher training institutions and families too.

On FGM, implementation of laws banning the practice be promoted and stakeholders to share information to develop alternative sources of livelihoods for FGM practitioners, among other measures.

Concerning gender parities in education, stakeholders are supposed to work with schools, parents and communities on strategies to increase girls’ enrolment and increase retention in Standard 6-8 as well other supportive measures.

On violence, an effective integrated system need to be established to address violence both at school and community levels. 

                                                            

This is an office, not a market place!

Different places have their respective decorum. The way people perceive and behave in a bar, for instance, is not the same as how they conduct themselves while at their varied places of worship.
These mannerisms are not taught in school and probably no one will ever stop in the streets to cut you a piece of mind on how to carry yourselves around. Come on, for Christ’s sake even cooks exhibit a change of conduct when they enter their offices-the kitchen!
I was in office today, and for your information am a public relations and communications specialist in my organization, when my colleague entered the office whistling a Bob Marley song. I was like ‘what the heck is wrong with your upstairs buddy?’
A few minutes later, believe it or not, a lady colleague came in on her high-heeled shoes hammering the floor irritatingly. I lost my concentration and felt like struggling her and in fact could it not have been that I usually have a crash on her, I would have cut her a piece of my dirty mind!
An office is a place of work and sometimes brains are under high voltage especially when people have a bulk of work to get done. At these times a simple distraction can earn the offender an insult or lifetime ridicule from colleagues.
As a matter of fact, a good and cohesive relationship with colleagues at work can come along as cheaply as a result of just behaving nicely than by buying your colleagues an expensive lunch or dinner!
Let’s be careful with how we conduct ourselves. You might never know, a simple colleague of yours today might be your boss tomorrow and besides, it’s good to be nice and well behaved. That’s all about being human. You aren’t a pet after all!

If symptoms persist, seek medical advice....

“If symptoms persist, seek medical advice.” Although this has always been the disclaimer accompanying all self described prescriptions for instance painkillers, stomach complication-relief medication as well as local antibiotics, many people have taken this short advice with a blind leap.

I was talking to a friend of mine just the other day and he blatantly disclosed to me that he has been taking painkillers daily for a month now following persistent headaches he has been experiencing every evening for the last one month. You should have seen how my face suddenly turned pale. I felt a cold teaser thrill run through my feeble spine. I felt sorry for the guy because he is a low income earner. But wait, I didn’t leave him just like that. I cut him my piece of advice, “please visit a doctor and have yourself checked.”

Some serious diseases especially the chronic types start with just mere ‘alerts’. If by any bad luck these hints are not discovered and properly attended to, the problem advances. Consider illnesses like asthma, respiratory allergies, Tuberculosis among other chronic illnesses. Serious respiratory allergies start with as less serious symptoms like persistent sneezing, un-ending flues among other signals.

The worst case of these respiratory allergies and complications is when they proceed to cause lung inflammations and sores in severe cases. As a matter of fact, even skin cancers and tumors start with as less signs as pimples on the skin, then under the skin lumps and eventually serious tumors.

In just a few words therefore, it is advisable that if one discovers any persistent health complications, he or she should act fast and seek appropriate and timely medical attention. With timely medical attention, potentially serious complications can be easily and successfully averted.

May you have healthy lives!

              Copyright @Paul Musyoka, 2012

DOG KEEPER WITH A PASSION

By Koech Cheruiyot @Koecheruiyot on twitter.

For some years Cyrus Maina had engaged in timber selling business and was well with it. Then came a mishap, his premise caught fire but he managed to rescue some goods. 

The second instant, an inferno donned in red pain and bitterness of losing a whooping four and a half million shillings changed Maina’s perspective in life. The then affluent bachelor in his late twenties went from affluent to penniless, prompting him to open his eyes.

Dirty, insensitive and scrupulous bosses!

It is 7:50 in the morning and this huge, heavy breathing boss pushes himself in our office. Throws biting glances to the entire marketing staff as if counting us and then barks , “ It’s Friday , what worth of sales have we made this week?”

For about a minute nobody answers. Then a colleague of mine attempts to teach him some manners on how approach people at such early hours of the day. “Morning Boss,” She ducks!

“Morning Sheila,” goes the boss looking not delighted.

Seriously why on earth should somebody, regardless of their positions in the society treat fellow people with such degree of contempt and insensitivity?  As a matter of fact such people like this boss should use their status to remain as icons of admiration and good examples of excellent morals to the society.

A friend of mine told me of a story of another NGO who always scorned her subjects and bossed them around. It is so obvious that if demoralized, employees will not deliver their best at work.

Bosses, you need to style up.    

In another planet?

Just woke up late and the very thing I miss most is a hug! somebody tell me this is the plight of all single men and am not lost.....

MAHATMA GANDHI QUOTES

• Always aim to complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.
• As long as you derive inner help and comfort from anything, keep it.
• Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.
• Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
• Hate the sin, love the sinner.
• Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress.
• Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress.
• I believe in equality for everyone, except reporters and photographers.
• I cannot teach you violence, as I do not myself believe in it. I can only teach you not to bow your heads before even at the cost of your life.
• I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.
• In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is long and arduous quest after truth.
• Indolence is a delightful but distressing state; we must be doing something to be happy.
• It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence.
• It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.
• One needs to be slow to form convictions, but once formed they must be defended against the heaviest odds.
• Strength doesn’t come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
• The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
• Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important than you do it.
• When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it- always.
• You must be the change you want to see in the world.
• You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean doesn’t become dirty.
• What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the number of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?
• Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary.
• An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
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