Latest articles (100)

SIMON KITURURU- MAWAZONI

• Kikubwa kifikiriwacho CHOONI,....

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 8:10 pm by SIMON KITURURU

  ...kwa kawaida sio kile KIFANYIKACHO chooni.
  Ndio,........kuna uwezekano ufanyacho chooni ULIKIFIKIRIA kabla hujaingia chooni.
  
  
  
  NI HILO tu na NI WAZO TU MHESHIMIWA!:-(
  
  Ngojea KARAMA REGESU na MSONDO NGOMA wabadili kwa ndude -Nimebadilika Nini?
  
  
  Au tu tena Jill Scott arudie ambavyo KIDUME angependa kukumbukwa na -CROSS My MIND
  
  

• Ilivyo sura ya MAJUNGU KABLA hujapigwa MAJUNGU yanayokorokochoa KUNAKO!

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 7:45 pm by SIMON KITURURU

   Vitu vingi KUHUSU WEWE  vinasemwa kila siku,....
  ..... na waweza kuvidharau kama  VISEMWAVYO kivitendo   havikuathiri na KISAIKOLOJIA uko ngangari kukabili ya watu maoni.
  Na katika vinavyosemwa kila siku,....
  ..... vyaweza kuwa NI AMBAVYO UNAWEZA KUVIPUUZIA lakini yote hayo ni kwa kuwa ni VYA AINA zile zile ambazo UMEZOEA  kusikiaWAKWARE    WAKiPIGANIA mpaka kuchaniana  chupi na gwaguro na ndio siri  YAKO ya kujiandaa kuzoea na  KUVIPUUZIA na labda umeshashiriki pia KATIKA KUTATUA mishemishe hiyo ISIYOKUGUSA ya aina hiyo  kwa wahusika kuwapa VIDONGE VYAO  angalau kwa maoni.
  
  Swali:
  

  • Lakini si inasemekana ni kweli KABLA hujalogwa UCHAWI ni porojo?

  • Na si inajulikana kila MTU ukimjulia huhitaji FIMBO kumpa adhabu?

  
  
  
  Kila mtu ,....
  .... ana kaudhaifu kake  na kuna MWENYE SURA MBAYA ambaye watu wamezoea kumtukania SURA kitu alichozoea NA KIRAHISI ANAKIPUUZIA ,....
  ....wakati  udhaifu wake uko kwenye MATEGE YA MIGUU ambayo bado hajazoea kutaniwa hasa kwa kuwa alikua NA KUKUZWA  afikiri anabonge la USAFIRI na hilo lilifanikiwa mpaka alivyopenda MTU na huyo mtu akamuacha akimwambia hawezi kuwa na kishtobe MWENYE  MATEGE  na mwendo kama MJUSI mjamzito.:-(
  
  Kila mtu,....
  ...... ana kaudhaifu kake na kuna adhaniwaye ni  JASIRI KWA YOTE  na MAJUNGU  karibu yote yale ya kuwa yeye MWIZI , malaya, ANA kibiongo , NI JIRANI MBAYA kwa kuwa ni kweli  anajambaovyo  ananguvu  za kukabili na ANAYAPUUZIA,...
  
  .... lakini  haki yanani akipigwa MAJUNGU yamuhusianishayo na kuwa yeye MCHAWI anakuwa kaguswa KIPELE cha UDHAIFU kwa kuwa hata yeye mwenye labda alihisi BABU YAKE alikuwa MCHAWI na maishani mpaka kilichomfanya  KAOKOKA au tu kuwa MSWAHILINA , yote ni katika kuhakikishia UMATI kuwa yeye ni BONGE LA MTU MZURI na  sio MCHAWI na kwa kumpiga MAJUNGU kuhusu uchawi kitu kihusianishwacho na kabila lake  ambalo KAMODIFAI JINA usilistukie kabila lake , KWAKE unakuwa kama UNAFANYA watu wageuke kwa KWAKO  kumpiga teke HADHARANI mjamzito.:-(
  Swali:
  

  • Hujawahi kushuhudia jasiri wa kutania dini za wengine  siku akisikia dini yake inatukaniwa au AKISIKIA tu stori za kujambiwa kwa  kitabu  aaminicho ni kitakatifu katika DINI yake ?

  
  
  
  Ndio,....
  .....KABLA hujalogwa labda  stori za UCHAWI ni porojo,...
  ....NA kabla HUJABAGULIWA labda ubaguzi wa rangi ni porojo.:-(
  
  Na kila mtu ana kaudhaifu kake,.......
  
  ....kama ni MWANAMKE usidanganyike ,...
  ....DUNIANI hakuna tako LAINI labda ndio maana MWANAMKE kwa MWANAMKE wakibwengana KATIKA KUTAFUTIANA MAUMIVU hushuhudii tako likilengwa kama vile NYWELE  ZIVUTWAVYO na kikubwa husikii ugomvi wa wanawake ukosao matusi na kelele za maneno kwa kuwa UDHAIFU wa mwanamke ili kuuchokonoa vizuri MAUMIVU wahitaji kutumia neno .
  Swali:
  

  • AU?

  
  Kila mtu ana kaudhaifu  kake,...
  .... na kumbuka kwenye MWILI wa mwenye mijinguvu kama SIMBA ,...kwa kawaida kama ni DUME lazima kuna maeneo yenye KORODANI au  MAKENDE  laini na yenye kusikilizia MAUMIVU VIZURI  tu hata kabla hujasema neno.:-(
  Swali:
  

  • AU?

  
  
  Na kama HUJAPIGWA majungu yakakuingia vizuri ,....... labda tu ZAMU yako bado na wakupigao MAJUNGU kuna kitu hawajui kuhusu WEYE.:-(
  
  Na inaweza kuwa KIMAJUNGU KIMGUSACHO umjuaye kwa kuwa na mpenzi MWANANA WA JINSIA TOFAUTI  yaweza kuwa ni kigumu kukibuni kwa  kuwa HUAMINI  kwake KIUDHAIFU  BENDERA yake ni HUYO MPENZI MWANANA ALIYENAYE na ukweli  ni kuwa BAFUNI akioga anamichezo yakujichezea mwenyewe KUNAKO ili  KUTUNZA NGUVU za kutunzia siri yake kuwa anahusudu watu WA JINSIA YAKE,....
  ......na kamwe hastuki kwa yale majungu yaliyo MTAANI WATU WALIYO YAVALIA NJUGA  kuwa eti yeye FISADI  na anapata MITOTO MIZURI  zaidi MTAANI  kwakuwa anahonga hela za SHIRIKA.:-(
  
  Kwa kifupi,...
  ...MAJUNGU kuna yanayowasaidia kitu ambacho WAPIGA MAJUNGU hawajastukia.:-(
  
  Samahani NAACHA !Ila kumbuka HILI ni wazo tu  MHESHIMIWA!:-(
  
  
  
  Hebu Touré KUNDA arudishe USTAARABU hapa kijiweni  DUH!
  
  Aje kwanza na kitu-WAAR
  
  
  
  Au tu Touré KUNDA amalizie na ndude-Wadini
  
  
  
  Au tujifunze tu KUWA  misosi ipo
  
  

Odegle Nyang

• Of Success ...

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 7:05 pm by odegle

  Last Saturday, we held the 10th Annual General Meeting of our Savings and Credit Society where we announced among other things a 47% rise in revenue, 37% rise in net profits, deposits up 36% healthy cash flow etc. It was also the first time we invited the minister for CD&M to grace the occasion. what made it easy was his comical speech and his ease with everyone. He started by getting up to serve himself lunch instead for sitting back and enjoying our serving.
  
  The day was full of comedy really. first, I found out that when the man came there was supposed to be a protocol of greeting the man and his entourage. Then there was the sitting arrangement. With an elaborate format on who sits on his left and who sits on his right, then who and who. I mixed that all up. But I must thank his able officers from the ministry for sorting out that. Even when delivering the speech, there is a protocol of recognizing the people in attendance. o boy! Well after mixing up the protocol when I went to do my speech and in the processes sweating profusely (I had to keep the coat on even though the sun was unforgiving that day) I thought it was only fair to reward my good old self. First I took those great men and women who worked with me in the past year to a sumptuous dinner at a top city restaurant then I told my self. self, your time has come to take it easy and thank yourself for a job well done. I therefore tossed the coin to decide where to take a jig. Anyway the coin wasn't even needed coz I was going to join my friend on langata road anyway. A new young artist was entertaining.
  
  The rookie was belting real good rumba tunes but what stood out was 'nya sakwa'. one of the most romantic luo songs yet. Each time he sung it, couples jumped onto the floor in tight embrace rhythmically swaying to the slow beats. Those of us who hadn't carried their significant others along were left waving in the air in an apparent submission to the most powerful emotion known to man (and woman) it was difficult to know what the song had. was it the powerful words, the sweet strum of the guitar, the melodious drumming or just the god of music?
  
  The gentleman John Junior is actually my cousin's cousin which by extension makes him my cousin but the word cousin only translates to 'owadwa' which means my brother therefore the man is actually my bro! Success begets relatives
  
  

archer

• What happened to the Bro Code?

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 6:17 pm by archer

  There’s this little thing known as the Bro Code. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. It’s a set of rules that governs the relations between men. It has a whole list of do’s and don’ts.  Rule # 1 states that bros should always come before ho’s. (No offence to the ladies) Women come and go, [...]

Rugby in Kenya

• Weekly Ramble

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 6:04 pm by DataMiner

  Sorry folks, not my usual one, but a ramble all the same. I'm just amazed at the shenanigans going on, the horse trading, the assertion of authority, the impunity and I won't even mention the C word here lest I'm threatened with law suits. I think Rugby in Kenya is finally with the big boys and all the above comes with the territory. I am even ashamed for myself and some of my erstwhile

South of West

• Mr World Service

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 3:31 pm by Rob Crilly

  I don’t know why Bob Geldof got his knickers in a twist over the BBC’s report on aid to Ethiopia. Surely anyone who knows anything about Africa knows that in dealing with emergencies, aid agencies will have to deal with unsavoury characters. Today it is the UN’s World Food Programme that’s in the firing line. [...]

Martyns in Africa

• Buckled in- praying i make connection

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 3:19 pm by Taylor

  –
  tm

  Please excuse the short reply as I am writing from my mobile.

  Posted via email from Martyns In Africa

• Flight update

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 2:54 pm by Taylor

  No plane yet in Malakal. 3pm. 1hr to Juba. Flight to nbo leaves at 4:45. Likely hood of getting home tonight dwindling. Play jetlink flight to nbo is delayed.

  Posted via email from Martyns In Africa

Rugby in Kenya

• Mwanja and Sudi Return to Shujaa

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 1:58 pm by DataMiner

  The Kenya Rugby Football Union has named the squad to participate in the next two legs of the IRB Sevens Circuit. "Ironman" Dennis Mwanja and Victor Sudi return to a squad that also has a new face, Dennis Muhanji of Kenya Harlequins.The squad is as follows.Humphrey Kayange [Captain] - Mwamba RFCLavin Asego - Mwamba RFCCollins Injera -

Martyns in Africa

• Plane late from Malakal, Sudan (photo)

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 12:18 pm by Taylor

  No fun waiting on late plane but at least there is electricity to charge mobile and a little AC

  –
  tm

  Please excuse the short reply as I am writing from my mobile.

  Posted via email from Martyns In Africa

Wanjiku's Take...

• ICANN President admits security could have been handled better

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 12:03 pm by rebecca

  In the months leading up to the ICANN meeting in Nairobi, majority of discussions and conference calls were dominated by security concerns and emergency meetings with some people wondering whether the meeting will take place or not.

  Eventually some people decided to stay away. Yes, security is a concern but for everyone and no one can blame anyone for choosing safety over risk. Well, I had my opinions about the security debate, which have been expressed in blog posts scattered online.

  However, it was nice to hear an admnission from Rod Beckstrom, ICANN president and CEO that perhaps the whole security debate was not handled well.

  At a meeting with the Government Advisory Committee, Rod said that ICANN is striving to balance transparency and diplomacy and in this case, that balance may not have been well struck.

  He was responding to the statement by Alice Munyua, CCK board, who alluded to the fact that the whole security saga may not have demonstrated respect to the local organizing committee and that the debate was dominated by security and not by serious issues.

  Here is the verbatim GAC speech by Alice:

  We thank the ICANN board and the ICANN community for resolving to get on with the meeting in Kenya despite the challenges and note that the geographic rotation of meeting locations is an important feature unique and special to ICANN.

  However, we need to ask ourselves “what do these ICANN meetings leave behind in the various regions and/or countries?”

  Kenya had ideals regarding the possible domino effect/impact that this meeting would have had in the EA region in terms of understanding ICANN, increased participation in ICANN and understanding of Internet policy and Internet governance generally (as you probably know, Kenya has offered to host the 2011 IGF). But we spent most of the months leading up to the meeting occupied and dealing with the meetings security issues due to the badly handled communication around it.

  And this is not to deny that there were credible fears around the meeting security, particularly when it touches on the world’s common terrorism incidents, but communicating these same fears and efforts being made to ensure everyone's safety could have been handled more diplomatically and respectfully for  Kenya as host country, as a recognition   the hard work by the local organisers and ICANN staff.

  We note that nearly all of the contracted parties (registries, registrars) are missing (physically) and have chosen to have parallel meetings in NY and Washington. What does this say about the ICANN processes? Has ICANN's foundation commitment to the introduction of competition and diversity in the DNS on the decline? If all of the registries and significant majority of registrars are based in North America what does this say? Is there a competition framework? Is it time to begin to explore the possibilities of a global one perhaps?  What will happen to the new gTLD's with registration costs that are prohibitive for most developing countries’?

  Finally, we congratulate ICANN commitment to the principle of transparency, with the very active use of society networking tools, like twitter but we do believe that issues that affect a country's prospects should be handled more sensitively and respectively because they do tend to have an impact on not only  general effectiveness and efficiency of organising these kind of meetings but the  impact is broader than  the

  internet and includes  issues of investment, tourism among others.

  If the intentions, with the various processes including the AOC are to work towards internationalising ICANN, then ICANN must respect diversity and work more towards understanding other perspectives and interests.

  
  

Kenya Environmental & Political News Weblog

• WHAT is the relationship between the eight MDGs and the ‘coming of age’ of Soccer on the African Continent?

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 10:10 am by Dosma

  For when the sounds of the ‘vuvuzela’ start blurring across four South African cities, MDG campaigners will also stand up to make a point in order to be heard. A few days ago, the clock chimed a 100 days left before the global curtain is raised on the first-ever World Cup on African soil and for [...]

Rugby in Kenya

• US Company donates boots to Kenya Rugby

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 7:17 am by Back2Besics

  As I am yet to recover from the thrashing Mean Machine received fromKenya Harlequins let me and my mama share some good news fromelsewhere.A US company has donated 650 pairs of boots to boost Kenya's rugbydevelopment program. The boots have been donated by an American RonLaszewski of NZA/TeamPro through the good efforts of US based Kenyanand former rugby player Julius M'ingala.The boots will be

You Missed This

• Cemetery Scam: Kenyans Ripped Off Yet Again

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 6:17 am by Phil

  Suspended Local Government Permanent Secretary Mr Sammy Kirui.
  
  
  THE PUBLIC RIP-OFF AT CITY HALL; THE FACTS, FICTION AND THEATRE
  
  
  By Miguna Miguna, MARCH 10, 2010
  
  In law, they call it an open and shut case. That’s what the rip-off surrounding the “purchase of land for cemetery by City Council of Nairobi” is. This is a fraud from the beginning to the end. Let me explain using credible primary evidence and chronologically demonstrate how this fraud was cooked and executed by senior public officers at the Treasury, Nairobi City Council and Ministry of Local Government.
  
  A letter by then PS for Local Government, Sammy Kirui dated 25 June 2008 addressed to the former Town Clerk of Nairobi, John Gakuo, refer to various correspondence between the Nairobi City Council, the Ministry of Local Government and Treasury confirming that the “Government” had allocated funds for the fraudulent transaction. The letter notes that a meeting held at the Ministry headquarters and chaired by the Senior Deputy Secretary on 5 June 2008, stressed the need to “finalize” the transaction. By this date, no land had been identified or purchased. It is unclear how and why Sh 350 million of public funds was released by Treasury to Mr. Kirui.
  
  On June 27, 2008, Mr. Kirui instructed that payment for the non-existent land be processed and Sh 350 million be paid out to unidentified people. The parcels of land identified for purchase were LR 23222, 23223, 23224, 23225, 23226, 23227, 23228, 23229 and 23230, measuring 75 acres to be purchased for use as cemetery. There is reference to a draft sale agreement between the City Council and some unnamed vendors.
  
  Mr. Kirui directed payments on State Counsel E.N. Torome’s Memo dated 27 June 2008. The same day, the Principal Accountant at the Ministry, J.O. Warega, wrote to the Chief Accountant confirming that Mr. Kirui had “approved payment.” Mr. Warega instructed the Chief Accountant to prepare payment of Sh 289 million to E.N. Omotii & Company Advocates as “per the approval.” No indication why this large sum is being paid out. This happened before the land had been located and no Sale Agreement had been signed.
  
  Mr. Kirui sent another letter to Mr. Gakuo on 8 September 2008 stating that “it is noted from your letter that identification of a suitable parcel of land for use as a cemetery through personal visits is not yielding results.” He directed that a paid advertisement be placed seeking appropriate land. Yet, payments were processed by Mr. Kirui more than six months before the required procurement conditions were met or appropriate land identified.
  
  On 30 October, 2008, Mr. Kirui sent another letter to Mr. Gakuo stating that: “It is now 5 months since you initiated action on this matter and yet you have not concluded and advised the Ministry to effect payment. The continued holding of this payment is adversely affecting other financial transactions in the Ministry. From the date of this letter I want to get this matter concluded within a period of 5 days. At the expiry of this period the Ministry will take over the procurement process and proceed with the advertisement for the purchase of the land for the cemetery.”
  
  The haste and desperation to conclude the fraud so as to cash the large public cheque is obvious from the contents of Mr. Kirui’s letter.
  
  By letter dated 4 December 2008, Mr. Kirui says to Mr. Gakuo: “it is particularly disturbing that the tender documents are alleged to have been defective.” Yet, on 18 December 2008, in response to a query by the Chief Financial Officer over the same issue and recommendation that the ministry’s State Counsel peruse the documents, Mr. Kirui responded that “State Counsel perusing the agreement is just another bureaucratic hurdle” to delay the transaction. Kirui pointed out that even “the other bidders” had not complained. Bureaucratic procedure suddenly becomes an unnecessary hindrance.
  
  None of the documents were copied to or signed by Hon. Musalia Mudavadi, in violation of section 144(2) of the Local Government Act that states that all land transactions must be approved by the minister.
  
  On 15 February 2010, the Controller and Auditor-General forwarded his audit report on the transaction to the finance minister, Uhuru Kenyatta. He also delivered a copy to Hon Mudavadi who then forwarded it to the KACC on 17 February 2010, and requested that action be expedited on the matter. On 19 February 2010, Mr. Mudavadi sent a letter to Amb Muthaura, with a copy of the report and asked Muthaura to “take peremptory measures” to implement the report’s recommendations.
  
  Neither KACC nor Muthaura took any action; not until the irregular leakage of an incomplete KACC report. The true value of the land in question is Sh 24 million. The transaction was sealed using a forged valuation report that inflated the price to Sh 325 million, which was paid out to among others, a sister to the PNU’s James Nyamweya. The land purportedly purchased is not the same as the nine parcels listed above. Mudavadi was not involved and never received a cent.Kumekucha

  
  

Swamp Cottage

• USAID is hiring for "transition" in Somalia: ...

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 6:14 am by Ben

  USAID is hiring for "transition" in Somalia: USAID/EA/LPC Office - Transition Initiative for Somalia Program Manager

Kikuyumoja's realm

• SocialBar Frankfurt

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 5:34 am by jke

  The following blog post will be in German, as it is about an event that took place in Frankfurt this Wednesday evening. Following the back channel conversations during last week’s Ignite Frankfurt event (where attendees criticized the use of English instead of German), I realized that in order to reach those who are targeted, I will have to use their language. So the following will be a recap of the SocialBar event and a few thoughts about it – in German.

  For those interested, the presentation I gave about AfriGadget tonight is very similar to the one I had given in London last year – only updated a few slides and included links to sites like appfrica.com, projectdiaspora.org or semasource.org. The reasoning is the same from my post back then, even my motivation for giving a talk on AG is pretty much the same. Imo, it’s all about giving another picture of “Africa”. One that may be different from what is usually known via the (partly biased) media. My colleague Steve Mugiri also presented AfriGadget during the TEDxAtlanta event on January 26 – if you can, pls check out his video. I also like it that everyone of us at AfriGadget has his/her own perspective & motivation for AfriGadget – and uses a different approach to highlight our work.

  [HERE] is where my AfriGadget ppt is supposed to be – but SlideShare takes _ages_ to convert my ppt. Stay tuned for an update!

  I think I am very passionate about this subject, and I consider “passion” a driving force for a lot of good projects. But anyways, I digress and should probably continue in German.

  Auf Deutsch also. Dies war nun die vierte SocialBar in Frankfurt, dieses Mal relativ gut besucht, ca. 13? Teilnehmer aus verschiedenen Bereichen, mit verschiedener Motivation / Absichten / Erwartungen aber doch schon relativ ähnlichem sozialen und beruflichen Hintergrund.

  Was ist eine SocialBar?

  Laut der Website ist die SocialBar “ein Treffen von Weltverbesserern. Web-Aktivisten, Social Entrepreneurs, NGOs, ehrenamtliche Helfer, Politiker und Unternehmen mit sozialer Verantwortung kommen bei der Socialbar zusammen, um sich kennen zu lernen, Kontakte zu knüpfen, Erfahrungen auszutauschen und Kooperationen einzugehen.”

  Trotz dieser Beschreibung wüsste ich aber immer noch nicht, wie man die SocialBar genauer beschreiben sollte – es ist eine Veranstaltung, an der interessierte Leute teilnehmen, die sich für soziale Themen interessieren. Sozial, im Sinne von: ich mache etwas, das ich nicht nur für mich alleine mache.

  Vielleicht auch wegen dieser doch recht ungenauen Definition, meines eigenen Hintergrundes und der doch regionalen Unterschiede bei Events solcher Art (eine SocialBar in z.B. Berlin erreicht meistens ein anderes Publikum), kann ich natürlich nur für mich selber sprechen: ich empfinde die SocialBar als sinnvolle Veranstaltung, bei der ich vor allem Gleichgesinnte treffe, die sich “soziale Projekte” auf die Fahne geschrieben haben. Sei es aus beruflicher Natur, oder auch weil man in der Freizeit einen sinnvollen Beitrag für die Allgemeinheit leisten möchte und der 9-to-5 Tagesjob dies nur unzureichend ermöglicht. Und so kommen wir auch schon zum zweiten Vortrag des Abends: von Wolfgang Weicht über die “Coding Battle”, oder wie er es nennt: The Social Media Fight Club.

  Kurz: mehrere Teams bestehend aus Programmierern, Konzeptern und anderen Kreativen arbeiten ehrenamtlich an einem Wochenende zusammen und als Teams gegeneinander, um einer NGO zu einer Website zu verhelfen.

  Die Idee finde ich nach längerer Diskussion und einigen Bieren mit Wolfgang nicht ganz so verkehrt, aber vor allem interessiert mich daran natürlich die Frage, ob man in einer Stadt wie Frankfurt – die ich in diesem Bereich als sehr träge empfinde – eine kritische Masse von Leuten zusammenbringen kann, die in ihrer Freizeit – in einer (an den HipHop angelehnten) Battle oder auch einfach nur so – für Níchtregierungsorganisationen (de: NROs, en: NGOs) unentgeltlich und aus Spaß (!) an der Sache ehrenamtlich arbeiten wollen.

  Die Frage nach der Teilnahme an so einem Event empfinde ich als sehr wichtig – immerhin funktionieren viele Einrichtungen in Deutschland nur deswegen, weil es ehrenamtliche Helfer gibt. Ohne direkte Bezahlung einfach mal schauen ob man im Kollektiv etwas erreichen kann – das empfinde ich als sehr spannende Idee. Klar, gibt es ja auch schon online in Form der Wikipedia – kollektives Zusammentragen von Wissen – aber die Leute dann von ihren Computerbildschirmen hin zu einem realen Treffen zu bewegen, wo sie sich aufraffen müssen und gemeinsam etwas erarbeiten – das ist schon anders. Und eben auf den Frankfurter Kontext bezogen. Leute anschreiben, motivieren, begeistern können, Leidenschaft wecken, hinterher sein und sicherstellen, dass sie auch wirklich kommen (ich hatte mich auch schon mal zu einem Treffen bei Wolfgang angemeldet und dann im letzten Moment abgesagt). Das ist alles irre viel Arbeit. Können die Organisatoren der SocialBar sicherlich auch bestätigen.

  Ob die Coding Battle in dieser Form klappen wird – who knows?

  Ob ich daran teilnehmen werde? Hell, yes! Weil:

  “Leadership Lessons learned from Dancing Guy”, von Derek Sivers, dessen Videos eigentlich alle super sind, alleine schon wegen seiner netten Stimme.

  Einen ähnlichen Ansatz hat uns dann noch Denis Engemann vorgestellt, Student der Psychologie & Philosophie, der uns von dem anstehenden WIRKCAMP 2010 (am 07.-09. Mai 2010) in Leipzig berichtet hat. Ein ähnlicher Ansatz also wie die Coding Battle, in Leipzig nennen sie es allerdings Synagieren - gemeinsam handeln: “wir bringen für 3 Tage engagierte Menschen in kleinen Projekten zusammen”.

  Laut den auf der Website angekündigten Arbeitsgruppen wird es folgende Themen/Arbeitsschwerpunkte geben: Vegetarische Tage für die Uni-Mensa, Filmen für Nachhaltigkeit, Littlebird – Schmackhaft in den Arbeitsmarkt, Nachhaltigkeit im Internet und Konsum Global Leipzig. Aus studentischer Sicht macht dies alles schon irgendwie Sinn.

  Am Ende des Abends bleiben für mich die folgenden Fragen: welche Themen sind die ultimative Garanten für eine Mitarbeit von Freiwilligen? Wie kann ich eine möglichst interessierte Anzahl von Mitbürgern zu einem unentgeltlichen Projekt bewegen? Sind solche Aktivitäten ein Hinweis auf die Arbeitsweise in der Zukunft (kleine, dezentrale Projekte, vernetzes Arbeiten)? Inwiefern definieren wir uns mit so einem – bisher nur ausserberuflichen – Ansatz heute schon die Arbeitswelt von morgen? Und: inwiefern unterscheidet sich eine SocialBar in Frankfurt von einer SocialBar in Dresden, Berlin, Bonn oder Hannover?

  
  

Opalo's weblog

• as if somalis did not have enough problems….

  Posted: March 11, 2010, 2:40 am by kenopp

  The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is implicated in a leaked report that suggests that corrupt officials have been diverting food aid intended for displaced Somali refugees. It is feared that al-Shabab (the Islamist insurgency group that is fighting against Somalia’s transitional government and its international backers) is benefiting from the diversion of food [...]

• corruption in South Africa

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 1:17 am by kenopp

  South African democracy still has a long way to go. My greatest fear is that ANC supremacy might get into the heads of the party bosses and have them collapse the distinction between party and state. There are already allegations of corruption within the top ranks of the ANC. Ironically, if corruption is to be [...]

Diary of a gay Kenyan

• A parent’s guide to the finger of god business (pg rated)

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 12:36 am by Tamaku

  Some concerned parents wrote to me when TV anchor Esther’s saga broke out. They said please Tamaku my kids are scared when they hear about Freemasons and people wanting to kill others and they’re asking difficult questions. Can you find us a way to explain what’s happening to their role model? So I obliged and embellished the story somewhat so that youngsters could understand. You can read it and dramatize it like a game for the kids at bedtime in nice Harry Porter style to get the message home:
  
  Once upon a time there was a famous and very beautiful girl from the telly. One day she decided to run away from her handsome boyfriend who had smooth and well manicured fingers to a wizard called Timberstick. When he got her to a castle in Runda he began the ancient and secret game of 4ply (here you can sing a little lullaby, 1ply, 2ply, you get the drift). Not to be confused with foreplay which all boys know is just a waste of playstation time, 4ply is a spell practiced under a moonless night to the hypnotising strains of a lone saxophonist. However when you grow up and if you don’t study hard and go to college, you will hear it mentioned in player parlance as ‘short-circuiting a babe’s cpu’. So, this is what Timberstick did with his talented guitar-calloused and blinged up one digit, which came to be known throughout the kingdom simply as da Finga. It was studded like a courgette’s skin and curved like an aubergine, lovely vegetables that you must always eat whenever mummy cooks them for you. They are excellent sources of nutrients but only when chopped and cooked. Now, when boys were still writing with pencils, the wicked wizard was already printing in colour. He was also very experienced in the art of taking off a girl's bra with only one hand. Soon the beautiful girl was frothing at the lips close to dying but not at all in a bad way. She was riding through the sky without a care like a runaway helium balloon. Higher, higher close to heaven, when she saw how bright and beautiful heaven was she cried out: ‘Woooi , OMG…. Oh My God, what is that?’ (Note to parents: feel free to adapt the cry to suit your child’s deportment, religiosity etc, but keep it real)
  
  The evil 4plyer cackled back to her, ‘That my princess is the finger of god’.
  
  And the moral of the story, children? You must tell your teacher if someone wants to put your finger in the electric pencil sharpener. Goodnight my angels, night night….
  
  (Editor’s note: We are trying to see whether Disney will make a movie)
  
  
  Moving on swiftly here is a finger joke for the adults:
  
  One day John rang his wife from the offshore rig where he worked.
  ‘Honey don't worry, I’ve had a serious injury but am ok. An accident occurred and my finger was cut OFF.....'She yelled, ‘The hole finger?’ He answered, ‘NO, NO, the one right next to it. ...’

  
  

HIV in Kenya

• Cut Corruption, Don't Cut Aid

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 11:48 pm by Simon

  I arrived in Nakuru in September of last year expecting to work for an organisation called ICROSS (International Community for Relief of Starvation and Suffering), supposedly to work on a HIV related project. However, in my first week in Nakuru I realised they didn't have any active projects. Officially, they were waiting for funding. But as I was led from one 'site' to another, I realised there was something not quite right about ICROSS. It was hard to put a finger on, but the first thing I found strange was that only a couple of people had ever even met the guy who headed ICROSS, Mike Meegan (also known as Mike Elmore-Meegan, Dr Meegan, Fr Meegan, Br Meegan and probably a few other names not worth repeating). Some had heard of him but most didn't even recognise the name.
  
  Well, it quickly turned out that none of the 'sites', these community based organisations and support groups that I was being taken to see, had any real connection with ICROSS. ICROSS would just collect up organisations and include them in their proposals when they were looking for funding, which was all the time. The only function the organisation seemed to serve was to find funding. Anything worthwhile that was achieved was done by a handful of volunteers, along with some of these organisations that had been 'absorbed' by ICROSS. Of course, ICROSS would always take the credit.
  
  So, to those who are worried about how this work will be affected by the demise of ICROSS Ireland? For a start, it's only ICROSS Ireland that has closed. ICROSS Kenya continues its 'operations'. But even if that were to close, very little would happen on the ground in Nakuru. ICROSS simply didn't do very much here, aside from pay visits when they wanted to show potential funders or publicists around. They would take a few photos, maybe hand out something small that they had acquired from some donor or other, then head back to the Nairobi office (where none of the projects were based).
  
  The many small organisations that ICROSS claims (incorrectly) to have founded just continue as they did before ICROSS arrived. Some will be better off, some will be a small bit worse off, but most will continue as if nothing had happened. Because nothing has happened to most of them. Some of them will continue to welcome anyone from ICROSS because there is a slight chance of a handout, a few may collapse because they only got together to pick up anything being given out by organisations like ICROSS, but for most, ICROSS will be a faint memory.
  
  As to what happened to all the money ICROSS has raised over the years, these newspaper articles are silent. In addition to the one above, there is another in the Sunday Times, one in the Irish Mail on Sunday and one in the Irish Examiner. These can be added to the collection of articles on the organisation's suspect activities, going back years. For the moment, we can only guess at what the money was used for.
  
  The numerous scientific papers that have Meegan's name on them may seem suspect now, too. But judging from what I've heard, he is unlikely to have had anything to do with the data, at any level. None of the people involved in one of these projects in particular had ever met the man and he never visited the sites where the participants lived, where data was produced and collected. Let's hope that's the case, because many would not wish to rely on data that could be seriously flawed.
  
  But I wouldn't want people to think that no harm has been done, that no one has been depending on all the money donated to ICROSS over the years. After spending a few weeks finding out that ICROSS wasn't doing anything effective in Nakuru, I asked Meegan to make some money available, urgently, as people were sick and in need of help. He and I disagreed on this matter and I finished working with ICROSS before I had even started. Some of the sick people who were in dire need died and many will continue to suffer and die. Meegan likes to boast about how many people he knows have died of Aids here in Kenya. But some of them are dying because aid money is not getting to them.
  
  On a broader scale, also, it matters very much that money intended for poor people, sick people and starving people is not getting to them, regardless of whether it is diverted to repressive regimes, rich foreign contractors, greedy governments or where ever else it may go. If charities, aid organisations, governments, consultancies, commercial organisations or other parties are corrupt, that needs to be remedied. But there are too many people who would like to see aid cut or stopped altogether. Why punish the people who are already suffering because of the conduct of those who are supposed to be accountable, who are from wealthy countries, who are well off themselves? Aid is not the problem, corruption is.
  
  It is extraordinary that Meegan seems to have surrounded himself with so many prominent people. The few people I know who have met him find him utterly unconvincing and I agree with them. But he seems to have been able to fool a lot of people for a long time. Audits and investigations have been carried out over the years and both he and his organisation have been found wanting. Yet ICROSS continued their fundraising and somebody continued, presumably, spending the money. Just not in Nakuru. Hopefully this time will be different.

She Blossoms...

• Purge – The Laptop

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 10:54 pm by She Blossoms...

  I am angry. Well, I’ve been angry for a looong while. About 6 weeks. Now it is time to purge and let go. So I am going to write about it. I am generally a trusting soul. I know, by first hand experience that human beings can be absolute monsters. But for some reason, I walk [...]

Kei Kei's Random Observation

• ROC BOYS

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 9:26 pm by KK

    And the winner is..... Me.   I'm not that crazy about concerts.... in other words, there is not that many artists that I'd sell my grandmother to go see. Matter of fact, I can only think of one - Bob Marley; and luckily for my sweet granny, they both dead. So it turns out that a girl I know doesn't have many friends... and the few she does, four to be exact, are very generous.... generous

KA-INVESTOR

• Blame It On Safaricom

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 9:13 pm by kainvestor

  
  Stockbrokers
  
  Once again the Kenya Association of Stockbrokers and Investment Banks (KASIB) has released a statement requesting for another in-depth audit of the Safaricom IPO, blaming its shady handling by Citi Bank NA for the liquidity constraints that have befallen them. A previous audit report by the Controller and Auditor General on the IPO had also faulted the manner in which the bank handled the issue. The report questioned incidental costs paid to the receiving back as well as payments to an advertising firm. It also seems stockbrokers were duped into signing reconciliation certificates attesting to the completeness of the reconciliation process between themselves and Citi.
  
  Safaricom IPO may have been a black hole for stockbrokers, but that doesn’t explain the numerous cases of abuse of customer accounts, market manipulation antics and poor accounting standards witnessed in their published financial statements last year.
  
  .ke Developers
  
  Local developers are another group that have made it fashionable to bash Safaricom in every IT conference this year (and there seem to be many of them this time round). I’m just saying, not that I know anything about development of applications. But, it’s a bit redundant to blame Safaricom (who BTW are also in the same business) for idea-jacking, implementing and commercializing. Wake up techies, that’s what happens when you are in business with a much bigger and stronger competitor. Microsoft or Google doesn't makes its huge profits playing nanny to clueless developers? At least now, for local techies, there's iHub :
  

  An open space for the technologists, investors, tech companies and hackers in Nairobi…. a tech community facility with a focus on young entrepreneurs, web and mobile phone programmers and designers. It is part open community workspace (co-working), part vector for investors and VCs and part incubator.

Valentia

• Deadly sins?

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 9:12 pm by Val

  So I was tagged by this gentleman over there to reveal my seven deadly sins….an edited version of course…the rest remain between myself and Himself up there.. 1. LUST: Besides your current Significant Other, who have you lusted for? Pharell Williams….I have crushed since the days of “Fronting”. Now if only he [...]

Black Looks

• Confronting censorship in the face of “hyper-visibility”

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 5:41 pm by Sokari

  Last week South African Arts & Culture Minister Lulu Xingwana walked out of the Innovative Women exhibition claiming photographs by gender activist Zanele Muholi and Nandipha Mntambo were pornographic. Whilst the Minister is entitled to her own opinion she must be mindful of her status as a minister of government and the [...]

SIMON KITURURU- MAWAZONI

• MAHARAGE ni yaleyale YA JANA lakini si kila siku yana UTAMU ULEULE wa jana.:-(

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 5:09 pm by SIMON KITURURU

  UTAMU wa kitu ni tafsiri tu  ya UBONGO,..........ulavyo maharage yaleyale si lazima unasikia UTAMU uleule.:-(
  Na utamu wa MAHARAGE yaleyale waweza kuathiriwa na hali ya ULIMI wenye vionjo vipelekavyo umbea kuwa umekula tena maharage kwenye UBONGO,...
  
  .... kwa hiyo labda KUNA SIKU  usipounga maharage na UKIUNGA maharage HAKUNA TOFAUTI YA UTAMU na utamu uusikiliziao huwa  ni MAZOEA TU  yaleyale kuwa kwa kuwa maharage yana rangi ILEILE basi utamu wa matako yake ni uleule .:-(
  
  
  Swali:
  

  • Si unakumbuka utamu wa hata PENZI  lilelile NI  KEMIKALI  mwilini zitafsiriwazo na UBONGO na laweza sababisha penzi la juzi na jana la mpenzi huyohuyo kutofautiana makali ya usikiliziavyo ya chachandu ya penzi?

  
  

  • Kwani HUSTUKII kama leo umekula chakula kile kile ulicho kula jana kunatofauti ya utamu?

  
  
  Utamu ni michezo ya UBONGO,........ kama una njaa ya kutosha  ,.......LABDA huo sio wakati wa kuamua UNAUHAKIKA na UTAMU wa kitu  kwa kuwa MKAO wa  UBONGO WAKO WAKATI UNA NJAA waweza kusababisha nyama ya KUNGURU  kiutamu KWAKO  ifanane na ya KUKU.:-(
  
  
  Swali:
  
  

  • Unabisha?

  
  Kwa bahati mbaya ,........WAKATI UNASIKIA TAMU ,........ukichunguza aina ya utamu nyuma yake KUNA SABABU.:-(
  
  NI WAZO TU HILI MKUU!
  
  
  Hebu tudeku porojo kuhusu UBONGO
  
  
  
  Au HEBU tu GEORGE CLINTON na THE P FUNK ALLSTARS warudie- Atomic DOG
  
  
  
  Au HEBU tu turudi tena ALGERIA ili CHEB KHALED alainishe kidogo kwa-DIDI
  
  

Black Looks

• Whiteness as an act of cultural dominance

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 4:27 pm by Sokari

  “White people embarrass me” – A personal reflection on racism and white privilege in Britain amongst the LGBTIQ community by Del LaGrace Volcano. The problem is not just white privilege – its refusing to acknowledge it when challenged. White people embarrass me. Probably not quite as much as I embarrass myself but [...]

Inari Media

• Spy on your Enemies or Competiton with Twitter Lists

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 2:54 pm by Stephanie Migot

  Although I mainly use this blog for tech and web-related business, I have strayed into politics from time to time, and have sometimes used events outside of my sphere of interest as a jumping-off point for posts. I am one of those bleeding hearts that cares about what’s going on in the world, and when [...]

• The Perils of Choosing a New Mobile Phone

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 2:51 pm by Stephanie Migot

  Yesterday brought the news that a 13 year-old boy had been selling nude pictures that his girlfriend had texted to him to classmates for $5 a pop. Leaving aside the possible prosecution for distributing child porn for a second, the first thought that occurred to me was why a child needs a mobile phone with [...]

From Deep

• Dine and Dance

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 2:23 pm by From Deep

  I stumbled on the season finale episode of a show that got my attention for about one hour this past weekend. It was a group of about fifteen individuals whose lives were transformed, their before and after photos were worlds apart because they applied themselves to dancing and eating right. The winner of the show had lost about 40kgs while the group all together lost about 300Kgs in a matter of weeks.
  Today I a start my week challenged about the diet and exercises I am engaged in so I can be transformed all round starting with my spiritual onto my physical, intellectual, mental, relational, ministry lifestyle. Will I emerge as the one who won the heart the people and found favour before God because I applied myself in his word and started living a life that showed evidence of true transformation?
  Jesus narrates about the fatal journey of seeds that planted by a farmer except for a select few that landed on fertile soil grew to bear fruit. Some of these that grew on fertile ground bore thirty, some sixty and some one hundred folds depending on how they applied themselves.
  This is the day that I make a decision to dance and dine right all the way to living a fruitful life tucked in divine principles. I pray that you too will become that fertile ground that produces much fruit.
  Fertile soil dude,
  

SIMON KITURURU- MAWAZONI

• DOZI ndogondogo ZAKUMKUMBUSHA MWANAWANE wakati anaringia yake TAALUMA!:-(

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 1:45 pm by SIMON KITURURU

  Kuna wasahauo kuna WASUKUMA MKOKOTENI ambao,...
  .... HAWAKUPATA tu  bahati kusomea URUBANI lakini akili za kupaisha ndege wanazo.
  Na kuna VIGOLI ambao,...... hawakujifunza tu TAALUMA YA  UCHAWI lakini  ukileta za kuleta  uwezo wakujifunza KULOGA wanazo.
  
  Na kuna MASISTA na MAPADRI ambao,........ WITO umefanya wapunguze BAADHI ya matumizi ya utupu na kibonyezo  ambavyo   WALIOOA na... au tu MALAYA wanaweza KUBOBEA na KURINGIA katika tumizi fulani , LAKINI ikumbukwe nguvu ya tumizi la HIVYO VIDUDE  halafu wakatubu baadaye MASISTA na MAPADRE wasiooa AU kuolewa wanazo.:-(
  
  Swali:
  

  • SI unajua KUJUA KITU na KUFANYA KITU vyote huhitaji  nafasi ya kujua na MAHALI  na muda wa kufanya kitu, KITU AMBACHO cha weza kufanya ambaye angekuwa INJINIA WA MELI  kawa fundi bomba?
  • SI unakumbuka  KUJUA kitu  ni nishai na MWANAFUNZI anaweza kumzidi MWALIMU katika kujua hicho kitu?

  • Unauhakika ni wewe mwenyewe ndio uwezaye kuelewa kitu  au  ni mazingira tu ndio yawezayo kukufanya WEWE ndio uwe mwenye taaluma ya kitu?

  
  LAKINI,....
  ...labda ,...... ni bahati tu  kuwa na TAALUMA ambayo wengine hawana ingawa labda kuna mwenye KICHWA ZAIDI cha hiyo taaluma  ambaye anaringiwa na mwenye TAALUMA.:-(
  
  
   Swali katokori:
  
  

  • Hivi inawezekana KURINGA kwa dozi ndogo ndogo ni AFYA ndio maana binadamu anakipaji hicho  au KURINGA ni kama tu nywelenywele NDEFU ZAKIKWAPA au zile za chini kidogo ya kitovu cha MKUBWA ambazo shughuli zake na umuhimu wake KUUJUA ni mpaka PROFESA fulani afanyie uchunguzi?

  
  
  NI TAFAKURI tu HII MHESHIMIWA  ambayo waweza kujikumbusha wakati unamnyolishia mtu TAALUMA YAKO na  wala usikonde!SI unapata MSHAHARA?
  NIMEACHA!:-(
  
  Hebu tubadili kwa kuhudhuria harusi na vifijo WAKATI mdada akichukua mdada jumlajumla
  
  
  
  Au tu twende KENYA kukutana na CANIBAL na SHARAMA waongelee-KICHWA KIBOVU
  
  
  
  Au tu tubaki TZ JHIKOMAN arudie ndude-MAPENZI
  
  
  
  Au tu twende ALGERIA Khaled Hadj Brahim a.k.a Cheb Khaled aendeleze kwa -AICHA
  
  

Kenyan Community Initiative Support

• Let's Make It Clear ...

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 1:18 pm by BabaMzungu

  In our last post, we made an appeal for a girl, Esther, who is stuck miles from her homeland after being abused by her employer.
  
  Now, there seems to be some confusion about the meaning of the word abused.
  
  Let me make it clear. I am English and I write in GB English. The word abuse means "maltreatment: cruel or inhumane treatment". This could mean sexual abuse but not exclusively so. There are many types of abuse, sexual, physical, mental ...
  I used the word abuse to mean mistreatment. The girl in question had been beaten by her employer and no mention has been made about her having been sexually abused. If she had and I wanted to publish the fact, I would have said that "she had been sexually abused by her employer". Obviously, if she had been sexually abused, I would not have published her name and photograph, any more than I would if the child were HIV positive.
  Apparently, abuse has a different meaning in Kenya. This is not surprising. Lots of "English" words take on a new meaning in other English-speaking countries. We often say that the UK and USA are two countries divided by a common language.
  So, repeat after me: when reading a blog, or news article, one should remember that it may not have been written in your country, in your version of the language. And you should not jump to conclusions.

Kenyan Community Initiative Support

• Let's Make It Clear ...

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 1:18 pm

  In our last post, we made an appeal for a girl, Esther, who is stuck miles from her homeland after being abused by her employer.
  
  Now, there seems to be some confusion about the meaning of the word abused.
  
  Let me make it clear. I am English and I write in GB English. The word abuse means "maltreatment: cruel or inhumane treatment". This could mean sexual abuse but not exclusively so. There are many types of abuse, sexual, physical, mental ...
  I used the word abuse to mean mistreatment. The girl in question had been beaten by her employer and no mention has been made about her having been sexually abused. If she had and I wanted to publish the fact, I would have said that "she had been sexually abused by her employer". Obviously, if she had been sexually abused, I would not have published her name and photograph, any more than I would if the child were HIV positive.
  Apparently, abuse has a different meaning in Kenya. This is not surprising. Lots of "English" words take on a new meaning in other English-speaking countries. We often say that the UK and USA are two countries divided by a common language.
  So, repeat after me: when reading a blog, or news article, one should remember that it may not have been written in your country, in your version of the language. And you should not jump to conclusions.

Let's Explore!

• To the left to the left

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 12:40 pm by Crystal

  Running your own business is immensely fulfilling, but it can also be tedious. You have no weekends, no public holidays, no annual leave. You will probably never retire, and you can’t quit or walk away when you get frustrated or bored. You worry even in your sleep, because there is no boss or subordinates to blame when things go wrong. The buck starts and stops with you.

  But I’ve realised that getting a breath of fresh air is easier than you’d think. All you have to do is shift positions, change direction, step to the side.

  Think about your pre-business desk job. When you felt drained, all you had to do was facebook for a few minutes [only a few minutes mind you] and your mind would be alert. You’d find some long-forgotten picture tag or some silly new game, and suddenly you’d be smiling through your chores.

  In running your biashara, the same rule applies. I’m not recommending you go hang out on facebook; you can end up spending a dangerous amount of time there considering there’s no annoying boss to stop you!

  I simply mean you should change tasks. When you’re running your business, you generally handle everything from finances to door-to-door sales. Even if you have employees to do all this for you, you find that your eye is all over. After all, this is your baby.

  And this is where the trick lies.

  If you’ve been dealing with difficult clients all day, take a break and look through the books. If you’ve been filling out your tax returns and your eyes are swimming in numbers, stop for a second, pick up your cell phone, and make a courtesy call to a client.

  If you’ve been shaping up the code on your website, jump to the comments page and work on your response. If you’ve been taking inventory at your warehouse, run to the computer and work on the receipts. All it takes is a simple sideways step.

  I’m not very good at multi-tasking [actually, I suck at it. I can’t even talk and skate at the same time!] and I’m (usually) a very focused person, so I like to finish one task before I move on to the next. I’ve been working on an editorial assignment all day, and after 12 hours, the full stops were starting to look like commas, and the small caps are lost in the text. I thought about taking a break to read a novel, but I figured I’d never stop. I looked at the pile of laundry and the dishes in the kitchen [I’ve nothing left that’s clean!] but that didn’t hold much motivation.

  So I started to think about the other assignments that are due today, and took a break to do a little writing. Four articles later, my mind was refreshed, my deadlines were met, and I could do my editorial work easy peasy.

  Granted, this may not be possible with all businesses, but if you stretch your mind far enough, you can find a slightly different section of your work to take your mind of things, even if it’s as basic as shifting from counting your thousand-bob notes to stacking your ten-bob coins…

  Crystal Ading’ is a professional author, editor, rock lover and mother. Her work is available through www.threeceebee.com.

  Similar Posts:

  • Mind Your Own Business
  • Facebook: The Age of Privacy is Over
  • How to Fight Internet Addictions
  • Do You Also Want To Be A Successful Freelancer? [Interview]
  • When Blogging Gets Too Tough

  
  

The Diary of a Kenyan Campus Girl

• Sauna

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 11:21 am by savvy08

  This post was first published at Butterfly I am not the world’s fittest person. I used to jog once in a while, back when I was in school…anyway, where I work, it has complete sports facilities. Name them, we got them. From monopoly, chess, to table tennis, squash, to gym and aerobics, to swimming pool, sauna, [...]

Kenyantykoon's Blog

• HOW AN INVESTOR ANALYSES A BOND

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 10:57 am by kt

  In all aspects of life there is a modus operandi to be followed and this goes without saying in investing. While there is always the option of throwing away your hard earned money in any media hyped stock or bond, the results may not be as good as when you sit down and do your [...]

Hot Secrets

• ESTHER CHARGED IN COURT

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 10:31 am by Hot Secrets

  
  Ex-TV heartthrob Esther Arunga was locked up today (10/03) at the Nairobi law court cells after she denied a charge of being a member of unlawful society. She spent more than three hours at the basement cells before a cash bail of Sh 20,000 secured her freedom.
  Esther was ordered by police to present herself to court where the prosecution accused her of being a member of the controversial Finger of God Church - an illegal society.
  She pleaded not guilty and chief magistrate Gilbert Mutembei ordered her to pay the monies to secure her freedom.
  Mutembei ordered the prosecution to supply her with witness statements it intends to rely on during trial after Esther said the documents will be useful to her defense.
  The case will be heard on April 21.

Kenya Christian

• Video: The Washington Projects - "Light Up The Dark"

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 10:22 am by KenyaChristian

  This is the latest single "Light Up The Dark" from their album of the same name.
  
  

  Light Up The Dark from FortyOneTwenty on Vimeo.

  
  

The 411...

• The Life Of A Software Developer…

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 9:58 am by kipsang

Hot Secrets

• FASHION SHOW IN SIERRA LEONE

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 9:55 am by Hot Secrets

  FASHION SHOW IN SIERRA LEONE

• KENYAN KORA NOMINEES

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 9:46 am by Hot Secrets

The 411...

• IT Twins…

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 9:42 am by kipsang

Kenya Cricket

• RIP Muslim Kanji

  Posted: March 10, 2010, 2:46 am by Chemosit

  It is regret that we learn of the passing of ex Kenyan International Muslim Kanji who passed away in London two days ago.
  
  Muslim was a former Kenya Cricketer and was a fine and agile wicket-keeper and batsman. He will be sadly missed by all those who knew him well. Our thoughts and condolances go to his family in this sad time. Rest in peace.Become a fan of Kenya Cricket.com on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kenya-Cricketcom/89954211035?ref=nf#/pages/Kenya-Cricketcom/89954211035

alex the african

• Why is Communication so Difficult?

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 12:30 am by kalengi

  I start this thought process with a disclaimer:  I’m not a psychologist. Neither am I a doctor. All that follows is pondered from my life experience. I’ve always been fascinated by how the brain works. Not merely about the phenomenon of being, but the possibility of replication. I’m a firm believer that the brain can be [...]

Rafiki Kenya

• Booty Babe "Pride of the Maasai"

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 11:45 pm

  A couple of weeks ago, I asked you to suggest some new exciting characters to spruce up my boring blog. Binyavanga Wainaina's satirical piece "How to Write About Africa" offered some good advice ("Your African characters may include naked warriors, loyal servants, diviners and seers, ancient wise men living in hermitic splendour. Or corrupt politicians, inept polygamous travel-guides, and prostitutes you have slept with"). Readers of this blog agreed that it would be best to bring in a naked warrior.
  
  

  A moran with his latest catch

  So I started looking for naked warriors to blog about. The search was not easy. Some of my finds were fake. Did you know that Kikuyu's are disguising themselves as Maasai on the beaches of Mombasa? Yes, this is because Maasai morans are perceived to be erotic, and old or divorced women from the West come to look for them. Why are morans so attractive to these grannies? Well, morans are always niceley groomed and dressed in red and they also take a lot of herbs - some of which are known to have Viagra-like effects.
  
  Anyway, while searching for naked warriors, I came across an interesting site, Booty Babe Art. Booty Babe Art is Spencer Davis’way of expressing his passion for fantasy art, toys, fashion design, and of course the wonderful variety of female beauty. The project is a tribute to the women that make our day, taking the very definition of “Booty Babe” to new levels.
  
  

  Pride of the Maasai

  A Booty Babe is generally a woman with curves. Waist to hip ratio is usually breath-taking. She’s not necessarily run-way model material, in the traditional sense, but she feels sexy and her self-confidence makes her glow. She’s not afraid to wear skin-tight outfits – and we love her for it. Now you’re getting the picture. You’ve seen her at the mall, in line at the bank, grocery shopping, and out dancing. She’s sweet and sexy, stylish and smart; and her body language states, “This is who I am, and I LOVE being me.”
  
  

  Pride of the Maasai - front side

  In 1998, with this in mind, artist Spencer Davis started adding clay to an otherwise skinny, 12" fashion doll. Numerous gallery exhibitions, and many iterations later, Spencer’s Booty Babe sculptures, have become his personal canvas with which he expresses his passion for toy collecting, foreign culture, female beauty, fantasy and low brow art.
  
  One of Spencer's dolls is called "Pride of the Maasai". You will see from the pictures that she indeed has curves.
  
  

  Pride of the Maasai - back side

  I don't know why Spencer chose to refer to the Maasai when naming this doll. To me, the doll looks more like a girl from any other tribe in Kenya, but not the Maasai. In contrast to this curvy doll, Maasai are always very slim! According to some scientists, this would be mainly because of their protein-rich diet and high activity levels.
  
  But whatever! To me, sizes don't matter, but IQ and a good sense of humor do matter. But of course, if brains and beauty and a nice booty all go together (which is quite rare, unfortunately), I won't say no.
  
  Now, tell me, what are your perfect measurements? Or do you - just like me - focus more on IQ rather than size?

Wanjiku's Take...

• Expanding debate on domain costs..

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 11:15 pm by rebecca

  In the debate about the challenges of domains in Africa, the issue of cost becomes a major talking point.

  I have been accused of ripping Kenic and their policies on .ke; I pay Ksh 3000 about $ 40 for my domain, which I consider high. Yes. maybe I may be harping on the cost issue a bit but that has been the feeling of many people who have contributed via twitter and other forums.

  So I decided it would be nice to look at the issue from a different lens; that of the administrators, just to understand why they charge the figure.

  I spoke to Michuki Mwangi, the guy who set up Kenic and the first person who I heard saying that cost is not an issue a while a go. Michuki made very compelling arguments.

  Sample this; the mama who sells vegetables at the local kiosk has a mobile phone that cost Ksh 2,500 and spend about Ksh. 500 on credit every month. Why? Because the mama finds value in the mobile phone and the credit spent brings returns.

  Michuki's argument is very clear that if we grow the value added services, then the cost of the domain is not the issue; make it worth the while and people will spend. If local electronic commerce is developed, just like the way mobile phones have grown, people will find it easy and effective to conduct business online and so long as returns are guaranteed, then cost will not be an issue per se.

  Then there is the other side of the coin. Here is a response I got from Francis hook, who was commenting on the topic:

  Lets examine the numbers...according the a recent economic survey, there are about 50,000 businesses in Kenya - all the way from KQ, KCB....to the small scale SMMEs....that's 50,000...assume 5% of internet users (i.e. abt 5 million) want a .co.ke for whatever reason....and 5% is really stretching it...given a good chunk (say 50%) are students/young people/job seekers/etc doing FB, SN, IM, email, etc.... ...anyway, thats 250,000 users. Lets say its 2.5% that is 125,000 plus 50,000 (and again we are assuming even that small chips shop on Ronald Ngala gets a domain...) - 175,000 x US$2 = US$ 350,000 @ ROE 75 = 26.2 million...

  I am sure the debate on domains will go on, Lets hear different scenarios!

  
  

The 411...

• Top Ten Skills in Demand in 2010…

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 10:33 pm by kipsang

  Top Ten Skills in Demand in 2010… By Linda Leung. In the Global Knowledge/TechRepublic 2010 Salary Survey, conducted at the end of last year, one of the questions put to respondents was “What skill set will your company be looking to add in 2010?” The skills listed by respondents  include perennial favourites: security, network administration & Windows [...]

Kenya Imagine

• Dear Everyone, Africa is Not a Country

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 10:16 pm

  We have written about this on our pages before. You have probably visited the blog Africa is a Country? One of our readers, first time writer, sent in  this: 
  

  I honestly do not think it is entirely an ignorance issue as no one in their right minds can confidently argue that for instance, multi Pulitzer Prize winning author, Thomas Friedman does not know that Africa is a continent. It appears to be a respect issue.

bankelele

• Bank to acquire micro-financier

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 9:08 pm by bankelele

  Trying to fathom how or why Kenya’s smallest commercial bank City Finance would be interested in acquiring micro-financier Jamii Bora which has over 170,000 members. let's merge Nevertheless the Kenya Finance Minister has cleared the way for the deal to go through with Jamii Bora who are in the money, having recently repaid Acumen Fund their $250,000 loan (~Kshs 19 million) and completed a

White African

• Crowdfunding and Seed Funding in African Tech

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 8:27 pm by HASH

  I’ve written a couple of times about the lack of seed funding in Africa, and how to find the entrepreneurs to fund if you did have seed capital. We’re starting to see a few angel investors like Sean Murphy of Chembe Ventures making their way around the continent, but they are not nearly enough to fulfill the capacity of ideas and individuals who need startup capital.

  Crowdfunding

  Just this week the CrowdFunding South Africa site was launched (look for them at SXSW this week in Austin), working off the theory that, “South Africa cannot compete in the global online sector if it isn’t funding start-ups at the beginning stage.” Their plan is to do this by getting:

  “1000 people get together investing R1,000+ each by pooling the money into the Crowdfund.”

  Seed funding is risky, and the idea of Crowdfund is to distribute that risk over a number of people thereby reducing it for everyone. Their goal is to invest 50,000-100,000 Rand in 10-20 “excellent ideas”, and also provide legal advice and contracts, designers, specialized developers, bandwidth, hosting, office space and running costs, mentorship and time saved.

  This idea is similar to what Ben White at VC4Africa is thinking about, basically a “Kiva on steroids” as Bill Zimmerman puts it. A way for you to invest in people and projects with larger sums of money and greater risk and returns than on the microfinance investing sites.

  Finding the Real Tech Entrepreneurs

  Both the Crowdfund and VC4Africa initiatives are excellent steps in the right direction, as they both provide platforms that allow less-knowledgeable investors (of tech in Africa), and deeply involved African tech investors alike, to get involved without too much risk at one time. There remains one issue to be solved though, and that is finding the entrepreneurs to invest in.

  Any VC worth their salt will tell you that they invest in the people behind good ideas, not just the product/service that the entrepreneur is trying to create. So, how do you find these individuals? It’s generally through your network, people you trust, that serve as a filter to guide you towards the promising ones. That’s the same in Africa as it is anywhere else, yet here in Africa, there are fewer of these trusted intermediaries who act as filters (especially for international capital), than there are in the US or Europe.

  In a meeting this last week of the people behind Limbe Labs (Cameroon), Appfrica Labs (Uganda), the iHub and the iLAB (Kenya) we discussed how these spaces could act as that type of a filter for investors and funds. Each of us sees more young tech entrepreneurs every day, and sees these individuals consistently, than most any other single person could by themselves.

  Could these labs, which are now showing up all over Africa, be a way for entrepreneurs to make themselves known, show their stuff, then be introduced to the funds and investors with a greater level of confidence than normal?

Black Looks

• Dogo Nahawa resident’s testimony on Jos violence

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 7:32 pm by Sokari

  A resident of Dogo Nahawa described to Human Rights Watch what happened: Dogo is a farming village several kilometers from Jos. They came at around 3 a.m. to attack our village. When they arrived, they immediately started shooting, so many of us ran outside to see what happened. Then others attacked us with machetes, killing so [...]

• African woman found in York dating back to 400AD

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 6:17 pm by Sokari

  Africans living in Britain since at least 4th Century AD Remains of a “high status woman” of African origin found in York in 1901.  Question is why are we only learning about this now? Her grave dates back to the second half of the 4th Century. She was buried with items including jet and elephant ivory bracelets, [...]

The Mimi Project

• Its that time again…

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 5:49 pm by 06mickey

  …my birthday I don’t know what it is about this time of the year but it always brings this cloud over my head. I mean it’s supposed to a happy time right? But somehow each year there’s this sadness and a lowness that I can’t really understand or explain. Maybe Its the expectation that something is supposed to [...]

Kenyan Pundit

• Recent blog finds

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 5:48 pm by Ory Okolloh

  Keep coming across some fab gems, perhaps my long lost blogging mo-jo will also be found

  - Thus Spaketh Idd Salim: Talented Kenyan developer who tells it like it is.

  - Diasporadical: Young(ish) Kenyans who have something to say.

  - Only Once: CEO writing about tech and entrepreneurship

SIMON KITURURU- MAWAZONI

• SHULE POPOTE!

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 4:14 pm by SIMON KITURURU

  FUNZO la leo la KUJALI  WENGINE  halitoki kwenye kitabu kitakatifu bali latoka  kwa  DJ!
  
  
  
  DJ mzuri ,........daima ni YULE alengaye   ile kitu  WASHABIKI WAKE na wamsikilizao  wanajali NA kupenda  ,......... na DAIMA hang'ang'anii kupiga miziki aipendayo yeye BINAFSI kwa kuwa ndio aipendayo .
  
  
  Swali:

  • Unafikiri hakuna cha kujifunza katika hilo?

  
  NI WAZO TU la HARAKA HARAKA Mheshimiwa  !
  
  Hebu tu Juliana Kanyomozi na Bushoke warudie- USIENDE MBALI
  
  
  Au tu PROFESA J aulize tena -Hapo VIPI?
  
  
  
  Profesa J na FEROOZ aendelee pia na -NIKUSAIDIAJE?
  

Kenya Christian

• Video: The Remnant - "Know This"

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 4:03 pm by KenyaChristian

  featuring Scar
  
  
  
  those who miss good hip-hop like this, instead of the mindless trash that most of it has now become say aye!

  
  

SIMON KITURURU- MAWAZONI

• Kama humjui MLEVI ni uzembe KUWA NA UHAKIKA unajua anafanyanini BAA!

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 3:24 pm by SIMON KITURURU

  Kumbuka tu kuna WATU wako KANISANI kutafuta NYUMBA NDOGO na wala sio KUSALI kama WEWE au kama IFIKIRIWAVYO.
  
  Na kuna walio BAA kazini na kazi yao ni USHUSHUSHU na wala sio kuuza BAA kama IFIKIRIWAVYO.:-(
  Swali:
  
  

  • Unabisha?

  
  NI kweli,......KAMA humjui MTU ni uzembe KUWA NA UHAKIKA unajua anafikiria NINI wakati unashuhudia anafanya NANIHINO mahali upafikiriapo na kupaunganisha na NANILIU.
  
  Swali:
  
  

  • SI unakumbuka kila aendaye kazini  HOSIPITALINI sio lazima ni NESI au DAKITARI?
  • Unafikiri kila aliyeko CHOONI anajisaidia huko?

  
  
  NI HILO TU!
  Hebu tujikumbushe THE FRESH Prince
  
  
  
  Mystic Revealers waongelee mtazamo wao katika- Religion
  
  
  
  
  Na ma YOUTUBE  STARS warudie -We are the WORLD
  
  

South of West

• Nice Work If You Can Get It

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 2:48 pm by Rob Crilly

  One day I fancy I might make the transition from journalism to PR. And I know what sort of thing I’d do. It wouldn’t be an aid agency, a fluffy animal zoo or a chocolate company. That would be too easy. No, if you are going to do anything then I reckon it’s good to [...]

Inari Media

• Picture This: ‘Free Belarus’ 2010 Action Day

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 2:34 pm by Stephanie Migot

  I’m going to hijack the blog today to highlight a protest that I’m going to be involved with soon. March 18th is the Young European Federalists’ fifth annual “Free Belarus” day, a day of protest against the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, the last remaining dictator in Europe. While I don’t believe that the protest will lead [...]

A Mzungu who loves Kenya

• Abused Kisii Girl Needs Urgent Sponsorship

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 2:16 pm by BabaMzungu

  Originally posted on KCIS blog The Twiga Children's Centre has  today been informed that if Esther (13), a Gusii girl who is lodged at an orphanage in Kajiado is not taken in by Twiga Children's Centre very soon, she will be taken back to her parents. This is not good news. Esther's parents sent her out to work as a house girl, where she suffered beatings and other cruelty in the hands of her

Single gay life in Kenya

• "Gay Rights is Not Human Rights"

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 2:06 pm by Haute Haiku

  My closest friend, she is way old, thirty-seven, there is a connection between the two of us that I can't explain. When we walk on the streets people are always staring at us what they are thinking is: there goes a cougar and her toy boy, my family is jealous and they are always asking what the heck do you talk about with her? We always talk about everything, anything. She has completely ignored the signs of my affiliation don't know how, she once asked if I'd say out aloud that a guy is cute and why guys don't like admitting that, that will always lead to topics of prostitution, abortion and a long one on homosexuality that I refuse to indulge in and she is always wondering how come I know a lot of LGBT terms. What I think about homosexuality? then I say is, "I am liberal." Quite frankly I do not even know what it means, it kills the story depending on how it started. Like to think myself as unprejudiced, unbound, limitless and open minded and a lot of people describe themselves as that.
  
  Most people are not liberal, am not. Thinking about homophobia and the many forms it exists in: internal homophobia; external homophobia; moderate homophobia; homophobic homos and whatever imaginary lines that have been invented. It is how we misuse terms like human rights, conservative culture, freedom and liberal when we can't even define them.
  
  Was going thru' a profile of a guy I think one of the creators of wananachi forums, googled the site it no longer exists thank God it ran out faster than the denim I buy on the exhibition stalls in Nairobi, the guy called homos pigs and dogs and I was like: stand in front of a mirror dude and see who the pig is, you are a bigger swine. This guy says he support human rights for all. Huh! What Human rights is he talking about, he outed gays and told them they will rot in hell and claims that it is human rights? so hilarious does he even know what that means. Like that fake minister from UG Minister of Ethics and integrity, -misuse of tax payers money- seriously they should invent another one like minister of condoms and sanitary pads which will do a way better job on their field than them and save lives and a better place to live in, even here in Kenya, bloated cabinet with fossils that should be in the museum Butoro or sthg said "Gay rights is not human rights"
  
  What is so annoying is that he has really legit sites that support LGBTs rights on his page how come he failed to miss that? This guy does not even need a category, he is heinously pathetic.
  I have a post where this guy says he is okay with gays then goes on a rant about responsibility, how he works for his kids, his wife, his mortgage and whatever and made it sound like gay people have no responsibility whatsoever, do I need to get it an argument with a middle aged washed out male who thinks just bcoz he tucks his daughter once a week he is better, but it is okay he takes gays the way they are, damn heterosexual trash, my editor wouldn't have been pleased.
  What are gays responsibility, my aunt is always "Get a job. I had a job when I was 22" am like "shut up" Truthfully I live with my grandmother and I still have a bunk bed and a chest drawer in one of my rooms.
  
  It is tough when one of the messaging is "kill the gays," and then claim they support human rights while looking the other way. When will the heterosexual trash learn that it is not okay to perpetrate hate violence to gays, we are still bound to desperately lame calls of, we deserve human rights, we love , we pay taxes, we have families just like you it's just that we love a person of the same gender. I don't know why, it does sound so lame, and I refuse to say that.
  
  I don't need a shadow hovering behind me, checking me, and see what right and sinful I do, that's not your business when it should not be a crime, denying freedom and advocating hate messaging just because you do not agree with what we do, gay people have responsibility too, we become responsible for ourselves the minute we decide what we want to do with our lives, and you can't change that.
  
  We can't let people get arrested and beaten because of their sexuality and we are silent about it, the crack down in Mombasa is still on and people of a certain criteria are arrested because of their identity and people support that, my aunt in Mombasa called cops to this white neighbor of hers because he brings beach boys all the time to his house, I wanted to call her and tell her that's non of  her business unless the kids are underage, if it is sex is it consensual or coerced? What if of those who do not fit this certain criteria? I remember when I was in High school and I went to the Coast and this one time I passed those guys in what they call Barazani always smoking and eating miraa, this guy was looking at me staring at me which I came to later call it "lustily" twinkle on his eyes, really smug, and his eyes followed me at the end of the road I actually felt dirty I never passed thru' that way again like it was my fault, I did a wrong thing. That was someones father probably and I was fifteen he's staring at me real badly.
  
  Anyway, how come I really missed out on how gays have no responsibility?

th3 int3llig3nsi4

• New Blog Header.

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 1:55 pm by NiKolaS

  Again i know but what to do, if you have the time you best get to doing something before you join the devil’s tool kit.

  Looks awesome does it not?

  Meanwhile some lolcats to distract you if you think the header is an unspeakable monstrosity.

  
  

  *dead* I know this is not twitter but, anyhow, more dead.

  Ok ok! Just one more, pretty please?

  The one @estoni was talking about @kenyanpundit on Twitter yesterday evening.

  Then there is this i got off Twitter this morning:

  I laughed out loud: Tips to beat the credit crunch …
  DON’T waste money on expensive ipods. Simply think of your favourite tune and hum it. If you want to “switch tracks”, simply think of another song you like and hum that instead.

  DON’T waste money on expensive paper shredders to avoid having your identity stolen. Simply place a few dog turds in the bin bags along with your old bank statements.

  SAVE money on expensive personalised car number plates by changing your name to match your existing plate. – Mr. XYZ 741 GP ,

  DON’T waste money buying expensive binoculars; simply stand closer to the object you wish to view.

  AN empty aluminium cigar tube filled with angry wasps makes an inexpensive vibrator.

  SAVE electricity by turning off all the lights in your house and walking around wearing a miner’s hat.

  HOUSEWIVES, the best way to get two bottles of washing-up liquid for the price of one is by putting one in your shopping trolley and the other in
  your coat pocket.

  OLD telephone directories make ideal personal address books, simply cross out the names and address of people you don’t know.

  SAVE on booze by drinking cold tea instead of whisky. The following morning you can create the effects of a hangover by drinking a thimble full of washing up liquid and banging your head repeatedly on the wall.

  CAN’T afford contact lenses? Simply cut out small circles of cling film and press them into your eyes.

  MAKE your own inexpensive mints by leaving blobs of toothpaste to dry on a window sill. Use striped toothpaste to make humbugs.

  SHOPPERS, when buying oranges and bananas, get more for your money by peeling them before taking them to the counter to be weighed.

  WOMEN: Don’t waste energy faking orgasms. Most men couldn’t care less anyway and you could use the saved energy to Hoover the house afterwards

  Notice the distinct lack of cussing in this post? I must be losing my mind faster than i thought.

  | Crying ^ Roy Orbison |

Kenyan Community Initiative Support

• Abused Kisii Girl Needs Urgent Sponsorship

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 1:51 pm by BabaMzungu

  
  
  We have today been informed that if Esther (13), a Gusii girl who is lodged at an orphanage in Kajiado is not taken in by Twiga Children's Centre very soon, she will be taken back to her parents.
  This is not good news. Esther's parents sent her out to work as a house girl, where she suffered beatings and other cruelty in the hands of her employer. This will happen again if we do not offer Esther accommodation.
  
  We need a sponsor who can help this girl to lead a normal life, attend school and regain the right to be a child.
  3,000 Kenyan shillings (about UK£26.00 or US$40.00) a month will ensure that Esther is placed with a caring family, is fed, clothed and attends school.
  Please, is there someone who will help us to rescue this girl from a life of abuse by donating 3,000/- a month?
  You can donate through PayPal, or you can contact Vincent at the Twiga Centre in Kisii.
  Previous Post:

  Twiga Children's Centre has been contacted by an orphanage in Kajiado, asking if we can take one of their children, a girl called Esther.

  Esther (13) was transferred to the Kajiado Children's Home from another orphanage, but she is of the Gusii tribe and there is no one in Kajiado who speaks the Abagusii language, and she does not speak the Maasai language. Naturally, Esther is very unhappy and wants to return to her traditional homeland of Kisii.

  We would be happy to help and to make this child happy, but we really are stretched financially.

  If anyone reading this can help by sponsoring Esther so that she can return to her people, please do not hesitate to contact us at Twiga Children's Centre through our website.

Kenyan Community Initiative Support

• Abused Kisii Girl Needs Urgent Sponsorship

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 1:51 pm

  
  
  We have today been informed that if Esther (13), a Gusii girl who is lodged at an orphanage in Kajiado is not taken in by Twiga Children's Centre very soon, she will be taken back to her parents.
  This is not good news. Esther's parents sent her out to work as a house girl, where she suffered beatings and other cruelty in the hands of her employer. This will happen again if we do not offer Esther accommodation.
  
  We need a sponsor who can help this girl to lead a normal life, attend school and regain the right to be a child.
  3,000 Kenyan shillings (about UK£26.00 or US$40.00) a month will ensure that Esther is placed with a caring family, is fed, clothed and attends school.
  Please, is there someone who will help us to rescue this girl from a life of abuse by donating 3,000/- a month?
  You can donate through PayPal, or you can contact Vincent at the Twiga Centre in Kisii.
  Previous Post:

  Twiga Children's Centre has been contacted by an orphanage in Kajiado, asking if we can take one of their children, a girl called Esther.

  Esther (13) was transferred to the Kajiado Children's Home from another orphanage, but she is of the Gusii tribe and there is no one in Kajiado who speaks the Abagusii language, and she does not speak the Maasai language. Naturally, Esther is very unhappy and wants to return to her traditional homeland of Kisii.

  We would be happy to help and to make this child happy, but we really are stretched financially.

  If anyone reading this can help by sponsoring Esther so that she can return to her people, please do not hesitate to contact us at Twiga Children's Centre through our website.

Kenyan Community Initiative Support

• The Hut has a New Stoop

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 12:54 pm by BabaMzungu

  As well as acquiring a new well, the hut has been given a new stoop. It is too small to be called a patio. It is just the area under the roof overhang that has been concreted and painted. But it makes a big difference.
  
  This area is much used when the kids get too hot, or when a shower passes over, this is where they take refuge.
  
  The goats quite like it as well!

Kenyan Community Initiative Support

• The Hut has a New Stoop

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 12:54 pm

  As well as acquiring a new well, the hut has been given a new stoop. It is too small to be called a patio. It is just the area under the roof overhang that has been concreted and painted. But it makes a big difference.
  
  This area is much used when the kids get too hot, or when a shower passes over, this is where they take refuge.
  
  The goats quite like it as well!

Kenyan Community Initiative Support

• Water!

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 12:45 pm by BabaMzungu

  When I was last at the Twiga Centre in Kisii, Vincent proudly showed me a big hole in the ground that he proudly announced would be our borehole.
  
  Well, apart from it looking like a well rather than a borehole, it was very deep - and very dry!
  
  But I was informed this week that it now has water in it - and that it has cost KCIS KSh 6,000.
  
  Ah! I didn't know we were paying for it and I haven't budgeted for it.
  
  And there will be added expense in sealing off the top to prevent the water from being contaminated by things (leaves, small animals, children) falling into it. Then there is the expense of installing a pump, either manual or motorised. Presently, there is a bucket on a length of rope.
  
  So, the Twiga Centre has its own water supply, or it will have when someone gives us the funds to pay the well-digger.

Kenyan Community Initiative Support

• Water!

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 12:45 pm

  When I was last at the Twiga Centre in Kisii, Vincent proudly showed me a big hole in the ground that he proudly announced would be our borehole.
  
  Well, apart from it looking like a well rather than a borehole, it was very deep - and very dry!
  
  But I was informed this week that it now has water in it - and that it has cost KCIS KSh 6,000.
  
  Ah! I didn't know we were paying for it and I haven't budgeted for it.
  
  And there will be added expense in sealing off the top to prevent the water from being contaminated by things (leaves, small animals, children) falling into it. Then there is the expense of installing a pump, either manual or motorised. Presently, there is a bucket on a length of rope.
  
  So, the Twiga Centre has its own water supply, or it will have when someone gives us the funds to pay the well-digger.

Cock And Bull

• Joining The Relay Team

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 11:16 am by Administrator

  Each day we are called upon to join the relay team and often we reach out for our crutch and watch as the team sprints down the tracks. And as they disappear around the corner, we throw aside the crutch and continue doing whatever it is that had been interrupted. But as we busy ourselves with something we do not even enjoy doing any more, we feel a little guilty and a bit bad for the choice we had just made and we promise to join the team the next time we are called.

  Soon enough, we are given another opportunity to join the relay team and just like the previous time, we hastily reach for the crutch and put on a wounded look on our face.

  But for how long can we allow ourselves to let opportunities pass us by, knowing that we are bursting with potential? How long can we continue reaching for the crutch knowing fully well that not only are we whole, we are even capable of winning for the relay team? How many times can we bear to hear the cheers for the winning team knowing that we could easily be in that team if we just refused to reach for the crutch for once?

  When we look at the crutch – a career, a job, a relationship, a level of education, an addiction, an attitude, a tainted memory, or a weakness of any sort – can we stop blaming our circumstances and accept our responsibility: That it is time for us to let go!

  Let us join the relay team.

Be Free!

• Foto: Floresta na regiao de Altay – Inverno no Cazaquistao

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 10:04 am by fabiompalves

  .

Yipe log

• Call For Participants: “Understanding the Global Fund” – A training for young activists

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 9:40 am by yipe

  The Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights is calling for applications from young advocates to participate in a training on the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM). The Global Fund is the main funder for HIV prevention efforts around the world, reaching almost all the developing countries with millions of dollars every [...]

The Benin Epilogue Part I: Africa-Ready for Business

• British Queen offers 42Million FREE Condoms to President Zuma

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 5:55 am by branded

  President Jacob Zuma, while being tried on charges of raping an HIV-positive family friend in 2006, was ridiculed for testifying he took a shower after sex to lower the risk. Now Britain has offered 42 Million condoms....READ MORE

You Missed This

• Will ODM’s Deputy PM Mudavadi and Mayor Majiwa Step Aside?

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 3:58 am by Phil

  Corruption Ghost Stalks ODM ministers.
  
  The Deputy PM and ODM’s Minister for Local Government Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi was the whistleblower of the Nairobi City Commission cemetery scandal. He purposefully wrote to the Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura to take action on some officers in his ministry implicated in the scam which he claims was engineered without his knowledge. Mudavadi has also been grilled by the Parliamentary Committee of Local Government, which interestingly made a recommendation that he be investigated for not bothering to visit the cemetery site!
  
  Prime Minister Raila Odinga was last night reported to have asked both Mudavadi and Mayor Geofrey Majiwa to take political responsibility of the scam and step aside to allow KACC to undertake forensic investigations. Rumours have been flying around Nairobi this morning that Mudavadi will be handing over his request to temporarily step aside at any time if only to show his party ODM means business in tackling high level graft.
  
  Many will recall that although President Kibaki suspended key officials of the Office of the Prime Minister over the maize scandal, the suspension came hours after the PM had already received resignation letters from Mohammed Isahakhia and Caroli Omondi. Therefore it will not be entirely a surprise if Mudavadi and Majiwa also hand in their resignation going by the commendable trend already shown by ODM.
  
  While addressing the an International Monetary Fund forum on Africa’s Economic Transformation Prime Minister Raila Odinga maintained that politicians and leaders implicated in corruption must be held to account for the government’s war against graft to succeed. Raila told the forum that corruption had been the biggest impediment to development and that the war against corruption must be personalised by identifying individuals concerned and making them carry their own cross. Wise words indeed. But will ODM walk the talk?
  
  Only yesterday, and more than a month after Mudavadi’s pleas for action to be taken on MoLG officials, the President reluctantly interdicted several government officials. President Kibaki who has been under intense pressure from his coalition partner and donors to crack down on high level corruption went to say that the Kshs. 259 million that was overpaid for purchase of the cemetery land must be recovered from the beneficiaries and “collaborators including lawyers and agents, should be prosecuted for the serious fraud which they have committed against the Kenyan public”. Music to my ears, I must admit.
  
  However, keen observers will have not failed to notice that this is action of interdicting government officials was taken the same day the President was meeting the IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Interestingly, the directive by the president to demand that the stolen money be refunded is a historic and a first for Kibaki’s eight year old presidency. The Kenyan public are wondering if the thieves of Anglo-Leasing, Triton, Maize, FPE, Kroll and even Goldenberg will also be charged and asked to refund the hundreds of billions of public money stolen to line the pockets of a few individuals. At long last the public will appreciate the positive side of ever forming the grand coalition.
  
  If Mudavadi and Majiwa do indeed step aside, the pressure will only be increased on Kibaki and his corruption laden PNU side. If they do not step aside, ODM will be seen to have lost credibility in the eyes of the public. The ODM Party Leader will also be placed in an awkward situation.
  
  We shall then have to wait and see if the KACC will indeed find Mudavadi and Majiwa culpable and charge them in an anti-corruption court. Not much hope in that direction though.Kumekucha

  
  

Black Looks

• Of Autumn and Winter

  Posted: March 9, 2010, 2:31 am by Rethabile

  Ask why it is that everyone hopes they’re gonna go one day into the sky of heaven, ignoring the stars above them, why many of us end up in gaol. Ask van Gogh why he cut his ear and painted potato-eaters without light, and sunflowers with sunlight. Ask and the answer will be given to you; knock, and the shit will be knocked [...]

Kenya Cricket

• NPCA 20-20 Points Table Week 4

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 1:47 am by Chemosit

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  POINTS TABLE - Twenty/20 - 2009/2010.
  7th.March 2010
  GROUP A
  TEAM	PLAYED	WIN	DRAW	BAT	BOWL	BONUS	PENALTY	TOTAL
  Kanbis 'A'	4	24	6	3	6	2	-2	39
  Stray Lions 'A'	2	24	0	6	7	0	0	37
  Swamibapa 'A'	2	24	0	3	7	2	-1	35
  Nbi.Gymkhana 'A'	2	24	0	1	8	2	0	35
  Simba Union 'A'	3	12	6	1	6	0	-2	23
  SCLYL ' A'	3	12	0	3	8	0	-1	22
  Kanbis 'B'	3	0	0	1	7	0	0	8
  Sir Ali 'A'	2	0	0	2	2	0	0	4
  GROUP B	PLAYED	WIN	DRAW	BAT	BOWL	BONUS	PENALTY	TOTAL
  Premier	4	36	0	6	13	0	0	55
  Nbi Nookers 'A'	4	36	6	5	8	0	-1	54
  Stray Lions 'B'	4	36	0	5	8	0	-1	48
  Swamibapa 'B'	4	12	6	6	6	0	0	30
  Kongonis Dev	4	0	6	3	5	0	-1	13
  Ruaraka 'A'	4	0	6	5	3	0	-4	10
  GROUP C	PLAYED	WIN	DRAW	BAT	BOWL	BONUS	PENALTY	TOTAL
  Nbi.Jafferys	4	36	6	6	10	0	-1	57
  Aga Khan	4	36	0	3	13	4	-2	54
  Goan Inst 'A'	4	12	12	3	7	0	-1	33
  Ngara	4	12	12	2	5	0	-2	31
  Golden	4	12	0	5	9	0	-1	25
  SCLYL 'B'	4	0	6	2	4	0	-4	8
  GROUP D	PLAYED	WIN	DRAW	BAT	BOWL	BONUS	PENALTY	TOTAL
  Kongonis Colt	4	36	6	9	11	0	-1	61
  Parklands	4	36	6	4	9	0	-1	54
  Aaryans	4	12	6	1	5	0	0	27
  Sir Ali 'B'	4	12	6	3	5	2	-2	26
  Qutbis	4	12	0	3	8	0	-3	20
  Oshwal	4	0	12	2	2	0	-2	14
  GROUP E	PLAYED	WIN	DRAW	BAT	BOWL	BONUS	PENALTY	TOTAL
  Goan Institute 'B'	4	36	6	6	10	0	0	58
  Medics	4	36	0	3	10	2	-1	50
  Nbi Gymkhana 'B'	4	24	12	3	6	0	0	45
  Nbi Nookers 'B'	4	12	6	2	3	0	0	23
  Vikings	4	12	0	3	11	0	-3	23
  Kenya Ladies	4	0	0	4	6	0	-1	9

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• NPCA 20-20 Results Week 4

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 1:42 am by Chemosit

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  NPCA - Twenty/20 Tournament Scores.2010
  Date	Group	Team	Team	Venue	Results
  7-Mar	A	Swamibapa 'A'	Kanbis 'B'	Nbi Gym	Swamibapa 'A'
  Lalji		77 / 7 Wkts	76 / 9 Wkts		won by 1 Run
  Rocky		Lameck - 32*	Mansukh - 35
  		Tony Suji - 28	Joseph A - 2/12
  		Gopal - 2/9	Nehemiah - 2/19
  Lalji	A	Stray Lions 'A'	Sir Ali 'A'	Nbi Gym	Stray Lions 'A' won
  Rocky		134 All Out	81 All Out		by 53 Runs
  		Steve T - 76	Mujib - 23
  		Boniface - 5/22	Jimmy K - 5/24
  		Abdul - 2/20	David O - 2/6
  Pamba	A	Kanbis 'A'	Nbi Gymkhana 'A'	Sir Ali	Nbi Gym 'A' won
  Dave		112 All Out	119 / 5 Wkts		by 7 Runs
  		Nilesh J - 27	Thomas O - 76
  		Emmanuel - 3/16	Rajesh - 1/16
  		Nikhit - 2/21	Ramesh - 1/18
  Pamba	A	SCLYL 'A'	Simba Union	Sir Ali	Simba Union won
  Dave		94 / 8 Wkts	103 All Out		by 9 Runs
  Mo Khan	B	Nookers 'A'	Swamibapa 'B'	Jafferys	Nookers 'A' won
  Denis		122 / 4 Wkts	120 / 8 Wkts		by 6 Wkts
  		Santosh - 36*	Shashikant - 25
  		Kennedy O - 31	Rajesh - 2/17
  		Pankaj - 2/21	Jared - 2/24
  Mo Khan	B	Premier	Ruaraka	Jafferys	Premier won by
  Denis		120 / 5 Wkts	119 / 7 Wkts		5 Wkts
  		Shashav - 25*	Manoj - 33
  		Arpan - 25	Khimji - 28
  		Manoj - 2/23	Vijay - 3/27
  Moses	B	Kongonis Dev	Stray Lions 'B'	Eastleigh	Stray Lions 'B' won
  Issac		105 / 8 Wkts	122 / 5 Wkts		by 17 Runs
  		Matthew - 44	Anand - 34
  		Cunliff - 35	Shezad - 23
  		Anand - 2/13	James - 2/11
  Asghar	C	SCLYL 'B'	Nbi.Jafferys	Nbi.Club	Nbi Jafferys won
  Karuri		61 All Out	117 / 7 Wkts		by 56 Runs
  Date	Group	Team	Team	Venue	Results
  7-Mar	C	Ngara	Aga Khan	Nbi.Club	Aga Khan won by
  Asghar		78 / 7 Wkts	80 / 3 Wkts		7 Wkts
  Karuri		Jay - 22	Moez - 20
  		Keval - 4/21	John Mariga - 1/11
  		Devang - 2/12
  Moses	C	Goan Inst 'A'	Golden	Eastleigh	Goan Inst 'A'
  Issac		147 / 1 Wkt	146 All Out		won by 9 Wkts
  		Quersh - 97	Mitesh - 73
  		Rajesh - 23	Rajesh - 3/24
  		Shahajan - 1/38	Pragnesh - 2/18
  Naresh	D	Oshwal	Qutbis	Simba	Qutbis won by
  Ghosh		107 All Out	109 / 2 Wkts		8 Wkts
  		Josephat - 35	Muffadal N - 51
  		Pradeep - 20	Hiten - 1/8
  		Huziefa N - 3/6
  Naresh	D	Sir Ali 'B'	Kongonis Colt	Simba	Kongonis Colt won
  Ghosh		108 All Out	173 / 2 Wkts		by 65 Runs
  		Zeeshan - 23	Dominic - 74
  		Dolla - 2/21	Emmanuel - 56*
  		Griffin - 1/5	Divyesh - 1/7
  Trenk	D	Parklands	Aaryans	Pindolia	Parklands won by
  Cleophus		119 All Out	50 All Out		69 Runs
  Fred	E	Goan Inst 'B'	Medics	Ngara	Goan Inst 'B' won
  		129 / 6 Wkts	121 / 7 Wkts		by 8 Runs
  		Mehmood - 62	V P Singh - 31
  		Saeed - 2/19	Vipul - 27
  		Din - 2/23	Salim - 2/16
  Fred	E	Nbi Gymkhana 'B'	Nookers 'B'	Ngara	Match Abandoned
  					due to rain
  Trenk	E	Viking	Kenya Ladies	Pindolia	Vikings won by
  Cleophus		114 / 9 Wkts	104 All Out		10 Runs

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She Blossoms...

• The Moral of the Story is…

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 1:08 am by She Blossoms...

  This memory was spiked by an intense conversation in the back rooms of  The Princess Project (K). Did anyone watch The Specialist Saturday  night? The first time, I watched it, was with Khaled my really old Arab Psychologist. The Premise of the story is a bomber who goes rogue and sells his services for revenge purposes after [...]

make mine a double espresso...

• missed me?

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 1:02 am by kahawaMoto

  My good people from the land of blogospheria, i have missed you so. You have been in my thoughts, okay, some times.
  I have to apologize for the hiatus i didn't even know i was taking. It turns out i was actually approaching rock bottom, or the blinding light that is having an epiphany at warp speed.
  Saturday morning, 2am, a sober me was in my flat with my drunk friend and somewhere it the middle of her drunken slurs... RockBottom!/Epiphany, i'm putting both to accomodate the pessimists and the optimists :) yeah.
  Things are gonna change people. The time has come. I can't get into specifics just yet... (stay tuned to find out!) :) but yeah, KM is back. This next month is gonna be an amazing journey. TMI, laughter, tears, diets, prayers, frustrated punctuation, regret' achievement, all of it!
  
  The key point of this presentation... (hehehehe... Got that from family guy. You know the guy who's whole body is made of wood?) key point, it's here, it's black and it's hot! Kahawa Moto is back :)
  
  Peace and love!

• missed me?

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 12:53 am by kahawaMoto

  missed me?

HIV in Kenya

• Lucky Those British Choppers Happened to be in Kenya

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 12:11 am by Simon

  Apparently some tourists were rescued by helicopter when there was flash flooding in the Samburu area. The British Army and Airforce helicopters just happened to be in the area because they 'train' there. It's lucky they were able to rescue the people in the tourist areas. None of the tourists were reported as having any injuries. An elephant research centre was not so lucky. The BBC article doesn't mention if there were any non-Britons or non-tourists involved.
  
  In other areas, six people are reported to have been drowned and five others are missing. The AllAfrica.com article doesn't say if there happened to be any British helicopters there. Livestock, homes and properties have been destroyed in many areas, including Samburu. Many people have been displaced. Interestingly, Kenyan helicopters were also involved in the airlifting of tourists in Samburu. Perhaps it's easier to spot white faces against the muddy background.
  
  One of the deaths was in Mogotio, where flooding a couple of months ago displaced several hundred, many of whom are still living in tents. Another person died and one is missing just outside Nakuru town, in Kaptembwa. Three people were killed by flooding further North. While many have already been displaced in Western province, many more are threatened with flooding as rivers are close to bursting their banks. Exact figures are unclear but the number is said to be 'below 2000'. But thankfully the 600 tourists (although this number includes tourist lodge staff) said to be affected are all OK, having lost only their luggage.
  
  Many areas are being warned to prepare for more flooding and other hazards that come with the very wet conditions, such as cholera, malaria and other water related diseases. Farmers have been holding off sowing crops in many areas because the rain has been too heavy and those who have planted are in danger of losing their crops. Maize seeds are being distributed in some areas, although this is unlikely to benefit many people for some time. Let's hope those British helicopters and emergency services will still be available if and when disaster strikes.

Mary Baker Eddy Illustrated Quotes

• Perfection of creation

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 11:32 pm by ajgks

  Deity was satisfied with His work. How could He be otherwise, since the spiritual creation was the outgrowth, the emanation, of His infinite self-containment and immortal wisdom?
  - Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy

Black Looks

• One paragraph on the IWD & the celebration of heteronormativity.

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 9:40 pm by Sokari

  Last Monday was International Women of Colour Day. Today is International Women’s Day. A month and a day ago was African Feminist Homophobia Day. Friday will mark Beijing +15 Day where hundreds of women will manage to spend 10 days talking about women but render Lesbians, [...]

Kenya Environmental & Political News Weblog

• International Womens Day 2010 : Chronology of Women’s Rights from Clara Zetkin to Angela Merkel

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 9:29 pm by Dosma

  The right to vote and hold a political office is a fairly recent development for women. Read a timeline charting the milestones in equal rights for women from Clara Zetkin to Angela Merkel. The first International Women’s Day was held in 1911 as a way to attract attention to the cause of gender equality. In the [...]

Kenya Imagine

• A progress report: Tales on how much remains to be done

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 9:08 pm

  This is the third of our three Open Threads for this year's International Women's Day. In this one we ask that you reflect on your assessment of areas where a lot needs to be done to achieve greater equality and justice for women. This will tie in well with the theme of this year's International Women's Day, Equal Rights, equal opportunity: Progress for All. We prefer that you use actual anecdotes to illustrate your points.
  
  There are no instructions for style or length, but we ask that you demonstrate in that story sufficient evidence of where this is happening, and maybe even supply a suggested solution. Try to place the stories in their context and to say what, if anything is being done to improve things.
  
  Everyone's invited, playwrights, writers of fiction and non-fiction, raconteurs or people like you and me.
  Let's start with Faith Oneya's Fresh Paint , which everyone must read. A story of a girl, and the fresh paint of coffins.
  
  Articles wanted, submit yours.

• International Women's Day

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 9:07 pm

  In commemoration of this 100^th International Women's Day, we'll have three Open Threads. This one, for general comments, and the two linked below. We ask that you send through comments your contributions to these threads. We also look forward to publishing anything else you will choose to submit, especially on women in prison, women at work, women in politics, women in business, women away from home, women in education, women in families, etc.
  Do you believe women have made useful steps towards equality? What barriers do you believe there are left to conquer? 

KCB Rugby Football Club

• Kenya Cup Match Day Five Preview

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 9:01 pm by KCBRFC

Kenya Imagine

• 100 prominent Kenyan women and their contribution to the world

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 8:49 pm

  Roll call. We'll start the list by declaring it open to women from all walks of life, and from all sectors of production. So please put in here the names of business leaders, politicians, writers, artists, civil rights activists.
  
  Who makes your list? Here goes

SIMON KITURURU- MAWAZONI

• Tatizo la CHA sasa hivi ,...umuhimu wake KUUELEWA baadaye!

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 8:49 pm by SIMON KITURURU

  KIWEZEKANACHO kueleweka  sasa hivi,.......... labda JARIBU KUKIELEWA  hata kama huoni TUMIZI LAKE SASA HIVI kwa kuwa CHAWEZA kuwa kina  msaada kwako BAADAYE!
  
  
  Labda jifunze CHOCHOTE uwezacho kujifunza sasa hivi,....
  .... kwa kuwa kama BINADAMU moja ya siri ya waliofanikiwa ni KUWA KWAO  TAYARI KUKABILI TUKIO wakati TUKIO LINAJITOKEZA na hatujui nini kitatukabili ambacho tunakidharau sasa hivi  ambacho ndio kitatatua ya  BAADAYE.:-(
  
  Na kuwa kwako tayari  SASA hivi,........ kwa kawaida ni matunda ya kujifunza kabla ya tukio ulikabililo SASA HIVI ambalo kuna muda  TAALUMA uitumiayo isingeonekana kipindi hicho kama ingekuwa na tumizi kwako BAADAYE .
  Swali:
  
  

  • Ushawahi kukwepa kujua kitu ingawa uko katika MAZINGIRA ambayo yanaruhusu uwezo wa kujua kitu  kwa kuwa tu huoni kitakusaidia NINI?

  
  
  Haki ya nani kama uko CHINA jifunze Kichina na kama unakaa na mpika VITUMBUA jifunze kupika vitumbua kwa kuwa huwezi kujua lini uhitajicho katika kutatua kikusumbuacho  ni kitu ambacho ungeweza kuwa unakijua tayari kama ungekipa shavu.
  
  Swala hili linajidhihirisha kwangu mara kwa mara hasa tokea nilipostukia yale mambo yangu ya kuendekeza UTOTO WA MWISHO yaliponitokea puani kwa kujikuta naondoka NYUMBANI sijawahi kufua  wala KUPIKA kisawasawa  halafu niko mwenyewe na pesa za kimada ambaye PENZI LILE la kupenda mtu ili akufulie na KUKUPIKIA pesa sikuwanazo.:-(
  
  Swali:
  

  • Si unajua kuna vijeba madhumuni ya kuoa ni kutafuta MPISHI , mfuaji na trekta mtu?

  
  
  TUNAKUMBUSHANA TU hili  MKUU  lililonipitia MUKICHWA  LEO baada ya kukosa ULAJI mnono  ULIOHITAJI kitu ambacho ningeweza kukijua tokea MOROGORO SEKONDARI  O'level MIAKA HIYO kama kisingekuwa kinaoanishwa na MASOMO ya WASICHANA ambayo kwetu VIDUME ENZI HIZO ilikuwa ni UJIKO kukwepa .:-(
  
  
  
  Tubadili MSHAWASHA kwa kuwasikiliza   I-Threes
  
  Rita Marley aulize - Who colt the game
  
  
  
   Marcia Griffiths alainishe tena kwa -Tell Me Now
  
  
  
  
  Au tu RITA MARLEY arudie- One DRAW  [Tahadhari: Maudhui ya wimbo yamepinda kama unamisimamo fulani:-( ]
  
  
  
  Na  Judy Mowatt amalizie kwa kumzungumzia- Black Woman
  
  

SportsKenya

• Another Sponsorship Deal in the Works ...

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 8:14 pm by SportsKenya

  Word has it that a Kenyan football club - City Stars is about to secure sponsorship of some few millions from a local telco company. The world of football is surely getting interest in this side of the world. Hope this goodwill's going to uplift the game's standards and move the clubs to better positions locally and regionally. More details as they unfold.

You Missed This

• More and more evidence that Kibaki may seek re-election

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 8:03 pm by Chris

  I made some pretty cocky predictions about 2010 and so far so good because the way things are happening I am being made to look pretty good.
  
  One of the things I said about 2010 is that it will be the year of the sucker punch. Now here is a possible sucker punch that beats them all. The truth is that I have been listening to some far-fetched claims about president Kibaki seeking re-election in 2012 with plenty of skepticism. But never forget that the most unexpected things happen in politics pretty often. Maybe too often for comfort.
  Mtukufu Rais Kibaki mama na baba wa taifa mkuu wa majeshi yote ya Kenya na nje. And just like Moi you don't dare breathe without singing his praises.
  
  A few things have made me sit up and change my mind about the Kibaki re-election stories. Most of it I cannot share here because I often receive information that I am NOT allowed to use for various reasons. But let me summarize the information I am talking about by saying that the behaviour of Kibaki handlers, more so in recent weeks does not suggest that they may be packing their bags preparing to leave the corridors of power in 2012. In fact their actions point in the opposite direction. Suggesting that they are in power to stay. Instead of starting to remove personal pictures on the walls folks are ordering new expensive furniture so to speak. Just a figure of speech.
  
  Now as I was working on this post, a tweet by government spokesman Alfred Mutua made my hand freeze on the keyboard. Let me reproduce the Tweet here;
  Government is contracting TPain, Young Jeezy and 50Bob to remix Tawala Kenya Tawala to "Tawala Kibaki Tawala" Government spokesperson Alfred Mutua has tweeted this information.
  
  Now I appreciate and respect the fact that when the song Tawala Kenya first assaulted the ears of long suffering Kenyans, most of our loudest-mouthed commentators here in this blog were at best still in diapers and at worst were not yet even a sperm determinedly swimming towards fertilizing some unfortunate ovary. I was a very young lad then. But young enough to be aware of what was going on. It was a good tune but I sensed lots of unease and even annoyance in Kenyans about the song. Years later I was to discover that the song was designed to help boost confidence in the then shaky Daniel arap Moi trying to step into the huge shoes of Jomo Kenyatta with the long bloody shadows of the Kiambu Mafia hanging over him.
  
  Now the government (that really means Mutua and the president’s closest handlers) has decided to release a new version of the song in praise of Kibaki and his leadership. Now why would anybody want to do that in the twilight of their administration? Unless…
  
  …Of course!!! Unless they knew something that the rest of us Kenyans did not know. As I write this the draft constitution is in parliament and Kenyans would do well to remember what President Bill Clinton said in his biography about how law making is pretty much like manufacturing sausages.
  
  For those who don’t get the picture let me help. Picture this guy who has not trimmed his nails for a while handling and stuffing bits of minced meat to make sausages. Then there is this guy who has just returned to his work station from a call of nature in some toilet that smells so bad that the smell in itself has succeeded in chasing away flies. And this toilet has no toilet paper. And since we all know that there is no water in Nairobi the man dives straight back and clasps a large chunk of the stuff that makes your favourite sausages. None of this will cross your mind when you grab the beautifully packaged sausages at the super market. Or chew that nice brown fried sausage, lick you lips and grab more from the dish. And so Clinton’s point and my point here is that Kenyans who are all expecting a constitution close to perfection should relax and forget it and remember that deals and counter deals are going to be made in the final chiseling going on just now. Yes making laws is pretty dirty business anywhere in the world, now imagine a whole constitution and there are so many interests to be protected and sins to be covered up.
  
  In other words it is not a far-fetched dream that the new constitution will allow Kibaki to stand for a third and even fourth term. Need I remind you that when the limited reforms of 2002 were passed limiting the term of a president to two terms Moi was able to run for another two terms? Most opposition MPs hurriedly agreed because nobody believed that Moi (who had never stood in a seriously competitive election in his entire life before then) would win re-election (by whatever means) back to State House in 2002. And that could be the exact feeling that many have about Emilio Mwai Kibaki. After all, Moi who never saw the inside of a university ruled Kenya for 24 years. How can a former university don rule for only 10 short years?
  
  Tawala Kenya tawala, rais Kibaki tawala Kenya tawala… Unongoza vyema rais Kibaki unongoza vyema
  
  Rough translation: Rule Kenya president Kibaki, you are ruling very well, continue to rule Kenya.
  
  Oh boy!!! Will the last man leaving Kenya remember to switch off the lights… that is if the switch is still there.
  
  P.S. Bethuel Kiplagat impunity post to followKumekucha

  
  

• PDM Stands for Progressivism, Nothing Else

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 8:00 pm by Taabu

  ODM has been checkmated big time. The orange party has been brutally reminded that there is no monopoly to permutation of letters. Give it to PDM for scoring big by leaping to P from O in the alphabetical ranking. Only DM remains a constant.
  
  What is more, PDM singularly stands for PROGRESSIVISM. You cannot beat that using any linguistic pretense. After grand coalition come grand ideas. Learning from the master/s and even taking it a notch higher, PDM is collating all the hitherto PNU big shots.
  
  With PROGRESSIVISM comes the mantra of equitable distribution of wealth. Kenya couldn't have asked for a sure cure to ethnic tension. It PDM you have tried and tested political hands teaming with both young and old.
  
  The era of briefcase political parties is surely gone. Soon we Kenya will be an African case study with only two or three strong parties competing for power thanks to PDM.
  
  And let you forget, PDM has REINVENTED our own brand of ANC where like-minded parties of all shapes and shades share the common ideology of PROGRESSIVISM politically, economically and socially.
  
  In PDM we have arrived at the political nirvana and there is no turning back. The naysayers will be left at the dock as we sail deep into political doldrums.
  
  Why start with a vowel if a consonant can do the job even better? Welcome to murky and Micky Mouse Kenyan politics.Kumekucha

  
  

the juniour journalist

• Moan Day Meetings

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 7:21 pm by Usgaizofmedia

  I dislike meetings man. But what can i do about it when it is I who called for them- actually emphasized on their necessity and stamped it into law? Oh, i hate the boss, that sits up there and swings like he owns the world, the whole of that paper. Today, i strolled in expecting to see [...]

Kahenya

• Introducing Yoghurt Ver 3.0 at iHub Launch in Nairobi, Kenya on...

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 6:47 pm

  
  
  

  Introducing Yoghurt Ver 3.0 at iHub Launch in Nairobi, Kenya on 3/4/2010

  
  

Gathara's World

• SA 2010: Stealing the Show

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 6:38 pm

• Kenya BPO Sector: Brain Processing Outsourcing?

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 6:27 pm

  For many developing countries outsourcing is the ultimate get-rich-quick scheme. The lure of a half trillion dollar market, 85% of which is unaddressed, is irresistible. The industry has grown exponentially in the last few years, by a massive 65% between 2005 and 2009. At $220 billion, the Business Process Outsourcing and Offshoring sector takes up nearly half of the total addressable market for industry, less than 11% of which has been exploited. It is this that is whetting many appetites.
  
  Kenya has announced her intention to stake a claim to a piece of this pie. BPO has been identified as one of the six pillars of economic growth underpinning Vision 2030, the country’s strategy to achieve middle-income status within two decades. The vision calls for Kenya to “quickly become the top BPO destination in Africa”. The plan is to create at least 7,500 direct BPO jobs and grow the industry’s GDP contribution from almost nothing to KShs.10 billion, by 2012. However, a study by the international consulting firm McKinsey and Company indicates that the vision is not sufficiently ambitious. According to the report Seizing the Prize –Driving BPO Sector Growth in Kenya, the sector has the potential to generate Ksh 45 billion and 20,000 direct jobs by 2014.
  
  The report emphasizes that this will not come like manna from the heavens. There is no inevitability about it. It will require a high degree of focus, effort and haste to realize the benefits. It identifies the country’s competitive strengths and weaknesses, identifies a strategic direction and lays out a series of recommendations covering strategy, marketing, training, funding and the country’s business environment, which must be implemented sequentially before the end of this year.
  
  The general thrust of the report is that coming late to the party, Kenya has no chance of becoming a Tier 1 provider; it lacks the scale to become a global player like India or the Phillipines. So the suggestion is that she leverages her relatively small pool of cheap, accent-neutral English-speaking graduates, her strong ties to the US and UK (which together account for nearly 60% of the outsourcing market), improving infrastructure and an already thriving business environment, to create a niche for herself in basic sales and customer-care services and attract large international BPO companies.
  
  On the face of it, this seems reasonable. At $104 billion, basic services represent nearly 50% of the total BPO demand, and two-thirds of that is basic voice services. Vision 2030 predicted that India, China and the Philippines, would be unable to meet the expanding global demand for labour required to produce BPO services and products and by 2008, a shortage of 200,000–500,000 workers would present business opportunities for countries like Kenya. As it also notes, each year the Philippines produces four times as many, and India 23 times as many, graduates as Kenya. The Philippines has been a global outsourcing destination for over a decade, has developed a BPO workforce of over 450,000 workers and earns about $7.2 billion annually. India has been at it for twice as long, has recruited a BPO army of over 1,000,000 people and earns $30 billion every year. So perhaps a frontal assault may not be the best idea.
  
  That said, turning a significant proportion of our best and brightest into automated telephone answering machines does not seem like the correct strategy either. And this is precisely what is being contemplated. But for Jonathan Defensor De Luzuriaga, Managing Director, Tholons SE Asia and a consultant for the ICT Board, the key question is how to take advantage of the inherent strengths and capabilities of the country, not to dumb them down.
  
  The 2006 ICT Strategy Paper identified the secondary school system as the “entry level threshold for call centre workers” and noted that we graduate 700,000 students at that level. Further, the Strategy paper identified the level at which we enjoy our cost advantage. “At an average salary of 15,000 a month for a secondary school leaver,” it says, “Kenyan wages would be comparable to those of India, making Kenya one of the most attractive call centre destinations in the world.”
  
  This is confirmed by the preliminary findings of the Skills Taskforce, which was, ironically, formed on the recommendation of the McKinsey report. According to its chairlady, Esther Muchiri, local BPO firms have little demand for high level skills. Sanjay Sikka, CEO of Horizon Contact Centres, the largest contact centre by capacity in East Africa, says fourth-form leavers already possess the skills to work at call centres. His company only needs to train them for one week in “soft” skills and three weeks on the particular product they will be dealing with.
  
  While basic services make up 46% of the BPO sector, the rest is composed of medium-level Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) and high-level Knowledge Processing Outsourcing (KPO). Training graduates for either low end BPO or high end KPO and ITO would entail the same effort although the latter two would give richer rewards Luzuriaga notes. “Why aim for the mountains when we can aim for the stars?” he poses.
  
  Aiming for the lower end of the BPO scale also a risk falling into the same bind the Philippines finds itself in. Identified for a long time as a source of cheap, minimally skilled BPO labour, the country has found it impossible to shed that image. As a result, high-value KPO contracts are passing it by. Kenya already has local software outsourcing firms such as Vervient Ltd. which services clients from the US to New Zealand. Its CEO Agosta Liko hotly disputes the assertion that Kenyans are not capable. He believes that Kenyans are “hustlers” and the most sophisticated in the region. Another example of hot Kenyan talent is Ushahidi, a platform that allows anyone to gather distributed data via SMS, email or web and visualize it on a map or timeline. Developed by four Kenyans to track the 2008 post-election violence, it is now being employed across the world to map disaster areas and direct relief agencies to areas of need, most recently in Haiti and Chile. Co-founder, Eric Hershman, believes that Kenya “has all the talent in the world” and he has put his (and other people’s) money where his mouth is, teaming up with several local it layers to set up the iHub, a focal point for the local IT community and a “pre-incubator” of developer talent.
  
  The issue of the growth and development of local ITO firms, though, is glossed over by both the McKinsey report and Vision 2030. Though the latter talks of having “at least 5 large local players .. to become local champions” it still seems that the overarching goal is to position Kenya, not as a source of globally competitive, high-value BPO firms, but as destination for large international companies seeking cheap, low-skilled labour with a token local player presence.
  
  To its credit, the ICT Board seems to be alive to this. It has engaged Luzuriaga and Nairobi University’s Professor Tim Waema to set up the Centre of Excellence, which aims at standardizing BPO curricula and certification across the industry. With such initiatives, the emphasis seems to be shifting from the purely low-end, foreign multinational-driven approach recommended by the McKinsey report, towards a more pragmatic, two-pronged approach which puts local talent (and hopefully local companies) front and centre and gives them the tools to compete at the higher end of the market while at the same time attracting foreign firms to provide the lower-end jobs for secondary school leavers. Continuous modular training through the Centre of Excellence will ensure that we not only upgrade the skills of the lower cadres but that the domain expertise so crucial to KPO can be sourced from the existing labour market and trained in specific BPO skills.
  
  Such a strategy, which recognizes the differentiation in our labour market and plays to our strengths, rather than our limitations, is much more likely to succeed.
  

Excellent Hands

• Tired Ramblings

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 6:03 pm by Wanjiru

  Light of my life, where are you?
  Spring of my step, why do you hide?
  
  You are bent over!
  Lift up your eyes!
  Look up, straighten your feeble knees and hands
  
  I say...
  
  My back cracks when I rise
  My eyes sting, glaring up
  My knees tremble... for what is their strength?
  My hands lazy to my waist
  Will you ask me to run again?
  
  Where is mercy?
  Bide me not race again
  Sit me in rest awhile.
  
  Me.

Wanjiku's Take...

• ICANN: Africa must work hard too...

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 5:41 pm by rebecca

  There are many African governments and citizens who do not understand the role of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

  For some, ICANN should operate in the bottom later ensuring that we have internet access and that the pipes are faster. Others think that ICANN should be involved in the running of domain registries, which are in shambles and in some cases fighting over petty issues. Others think that ICANN is there to fund them; talk of reliance on aid.

  Of course ICANN has no role in all these things and what it points is that more outreach is needed and maybe ICANN should have an office in Africa.

  But how? According to Rod Beckstrom, 90 percent of ICANN contributions come from North America, so that may be the reason why we have 3 offices in the US and none in Africa.

  That makes sense; if Africa does not contribute anything, how will the office be supported? So, for Africa to be on level terms, then we must also be willing to contribute, but am not sure how when our registry operations are still manual.

  I was chatting with Rafik Dammak, who accuses me of complaining or whining too much but then, what do I do?

  Rafik told me of how the various constituencies within ICANN are always looking for participants but what do you do when they dont contribute to those meetings and in some cases stay outside within the coffee houses instead of meeting rooms?

  Yes, its good to have geographical representations but we also need to start bringing something on the table and contributing to the debate more than we do currently.

  Regarding the financial contributions, I have no words; will leave it for the others.

  Ends

  
  

A Nairobian's Perspective !

• Soul Boy the Movie -Premiere

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 5:21 pm

  The much acclaimed Kenyan Independent movie dubbed "Soul Boy" premiered on Saturday 6th of March 2010 in Kenya's sprawling slum 'Kibera'. The movie which recently won an award at the Göteborg International Film Festival in Sweden has received a fair amount of media airplay even featuring on prime time news. Unfortunately the plot features a dalliance with a witchdoctor , a stereotype that often portrays  Africans as being overly mesmerized with the occult. For this i fault the movie.For a comprehensive Soul Boy movie review i find this Daily Nation Article insightful !
  
  
  On the other hand without doubt the cinematography is not your usual cup of tea but quite an advancement in the region. Soul Boy was filmed by the Kenyan-Ghanaian Hawa Essuman in collaboration with the German director Tom Tykwer.The main cast in the movie is 14 year old Samson Odhiambo playing the character Abila and his Girlfriend Shiku played by Leila Dayan Opou  . To view the movie locally kindly visit the Silverbird website for the Soul Boy Showtime movie listing.

  
  

SportsKenya

• Another Sponsorship Deal in the Works ...

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 5:14 pm

  Word has it that a Kenyan football club - City Stars is about to secure sponsorship of some few millions from a local telco company. The world of football is surely getting interest in this side of the world. Hope this goodwill's going to uplift the game's standards and move the clubs to better positions locally and regionally. More details as they unfold.

Wanjiku's Take...

• After the security farce....first day of ICANN

  Posted: March 8, 2010, 5:08 pm by rebecca

  In the last few weeks, members of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and numbers were fixated on the security issues in Kenya, the threats by Al Shabab was the reason many of the attendees stayed home to participate online.

  But I must say am impressed with the people that turned up, actually I thought it would have been a nice time to pass some controversial stuff because you would have lesser people but alas....many of them came.

  I was starting to feel it for the local organizers with all the preparations with dancers and dinner at Carnivore; its a popular tourist destination and its only fair that ICANN participants taste the goods.

  But the lack of faith in local anything was so salient, in the morning, there was a blackout, every other place at KICC had power except the meeting room, so I asked what was the issue.

  I was told that ICANN insisted that they did not want the generator provided by KICC and they had their own provided by the US embassy in Nairobi. But that generator did not work, and am sure no one said that that was not the fault of KICC.

  It reminded me of the value of local knowledge and the kind of advise you get from the guys on the street.

  Anyway, am happy with the turn out today; it validates so many other things that were said before.

  Ends

  
  

Blah blah blah

Fish cakes

Alas a fish cake.

Yet more fish cakes

Guess what ... yeah ... fish cakes.

The end of the fish cakes