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• No Need To Get Excited Over Nbi Mayoral Elections Plus Salim Lone Lies

  Posted: February 24, 2008, 1:20 am by chris

  I have the time right now just to say two quick things.
  
  Firstly there is plenty of excitement over the Nairobi Mayoral elections today. But for what? It is reported that ODM's Councilor Majiwa has spent over Kshs 5 million to clinch the post. Now a mayor's salary is about Kshs 250,000 a month and it is usually for a two year term. Do the calculations and you will see that this kind of expenditure is NOT justified. Meaning that nothing has changed at City Hall and yet Kenyans are craving for change and giving their lives for it. You can bet that the campaign money will be recovered in the usual way. Corrupt deals. In fact I would not be surprised if Majiwa is being backed by the "sharks" some of whom have been known to sell chalk to the city of Nairobi in the pretext that it is chlorine for treating city tap water. Others sell bulbs for street lighting and then steal them back to resupply.
  
  Esther Pasarris' candidature must have worried many people and Uhuru Kenyatta's claim that there is a clash of interests for Passaris and that's why he left out her name from the gazetted list of councilors is sheer rubbish because Passaris had the good sense to resign from Adopt-a-light when she announced her candidature. To me no Passaris, no excitement over Nairobi Mayoral elections. Period.
  
  Secondly Salim Lone has denied my exclusive story in this blog concerning the death threats he received (the latest is that even his dogs were poisoned by somebody). My simple reply to Lone and everybody is that I stand by my story and I will not change a single comma. One day we will all know why a reputable journalist of Lone's standing is lying to the media. By the way the Nation journalist who did the Lone denial article completely missed the big story. He would have gotten it by asking the simple question; why has Lone quit his ODM post as media director at this time?
  
  Still I take this opportunity to thank Mr Lone for telling the Nation that Kumekucha is "credible." Some of the folks at Nation Centre must hate the fact that their precious newspaper should contain such a statement.
  
  I rest my case.
  
  P.S. Kofi Anan visited retired President Moi at Kabarnet gardens last week. Now, what was that visit all about I wonder? My wild guess based on the fact that the only thing at the top of the mind for Anan right now are the peace talks. I reckon Anan has found Kibaki to be very difficult and wants Moi to help influence him on Anan's behalf. Any other wild guesses out there?

• No Deal, Yet Another Week on Knife Edge

  Posted: February 24, 2008, 2:27 pm by Taabu

  And the week of acute bouts of anxiety came to pass. The Kenyan nation start yet another week filled with bottled emotions. HOPE remains our singular consolation that the bottle manages to contain its potent contents. As to whether the good virtue of HOPE is bankable or realistic given our immediate past experience is any anybody’s guess.
  
  Martha Karua has just extinguished the flicker of light by clarifying that no deal yet. True to form, the iron lady has banished such speculations to Siberia with the predictable rider that nothing can be crafted outside the mutilated constitution. Give it to PNU’s intellectual face. You see Karua is a straight talker who would hate to see depressed Kenyans ride dead hopes because as repeatedly reported here the outcome of Annan’s talks was known even before he met Graca and Mkapa. Call that pessimist if you wish but I can hear the little voice inside you nagging you to accept reality.
  
  Poor Kofi Annan! The Ghanaian must be feeling full brunt of literally shouldering a nation’s fate. He must be surely one unique African endowed with BOUNDLESS and ELASTIC PATIENCE. He efforts are being frustrated from all directions to have him throw in the towel in desperation. But he is resilient and hanging on there. With petty games played on him virtually everyday he must summon all his wits to stay a float in the Kenya political kraal. No wonder he scaled the ranks to be the topmost global diplomat.
  
  Postponed storm
  So what next for Kenya? No rational human being derives pleasure from delivering bad news to others. But it is also morally criminal to stare failure in the face and fail to recognize it. True, HOPE is the oil that lubricates a depressed soul. On the same vain you do yourself no favour by burying your head to reality hoping against hope that a storm will evaporate.
  
  Pessimists just like cowards live longer because of their tendency to factor in many REALITY constraints before seeking any optimal equation. According to them minimization is the other face of optimization. In essence minimalists are actually maximalists albeit in the reverse. Motivational speakers just like preachers are smart masters at preying into our collective and individual insecurities.
  
  Sample this. Once upon a time a hen laid eggs which she left briefly while attending to other chores. On coming back she found a snake sleeping on the eggs claiming ownership. The snake refused to barge prompting the hen to seek mediation. First mediator tortoise (Tutu) implored the snake but was scorned and left in a huff. The hen then sought help from official king of the jungle lion (Kurffor). The snake told the lion to mind the bigger jungle but the eggs were hers. In desperation the hen sought help from the indomitable ELEPHANT (Annan) but the charade of denials and cheap games continued. Now it is incumbent upon the hen (Kenya) to engage the ULTIMATE, priceless and decisive weapon in safari ants (MASSES) to remove the snake.
  
  A PROPHETIC story of just another of those trivialized gems? Well, judge for yourself. Fingers we must cross hoping for the best from Annan. But reality and experience also nags us to face the unpleasant truth. No honest Kenyan will hinge his HOPE on Kibaki giving any meaningful concession. Kazi inedelee (with all the intended vices) was an apt slogan not coined in vain. The so-called grand coalition will only derail the good works of industrialists.

• Sunday Doodles: Kenya Shall Rise; It is Well

  Posted: February 24, 2008, 8:47 am by ritch

  There is a hymn I like very much. The story behind the penning of the hymn is a humbling one indeed. The hymn, It is Well with My Soul, was penned by Horatio Spafford.
  This hymn was written after several traumatic events in Spafford’s life. The first was the death of his only son in 1871, shortly followed by the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer). Then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the S. S. Ville Du Havre, but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with another ship, and all four of Spafford’s daughters died. Spafford’s wife, Anna, survived and sent him the now famous telegram, “Saved alone.” Shortly afterwards, as Spafford travelled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write the hymn as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.
  
  It is Well with My Soul
  
  When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
  When sorrows like sea billows roll;
  Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
  It is well, it is well, with my soul.
  
  It is well, with my soul,
  It is well, with my soul,
  It is well, it is well, with my soul.
  
  Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
  Let this blest assurance control,
  That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
  And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
  
  My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
  My sin, not in part but the whole,
  Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
  Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
  
  It is well, with my soul
  It is well, with my soul,
  It is well, it is well, with my soul.
  
  And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
  The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
  The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
  Even so, it is well with my soul.
  
  It is well, with my soul,
  It is well, with my soul,
  It is well, it is well, with my soul.
  
  Just like Horatio, Kenyans have lost a lot and some are barely holding on. Some are holding to a thin, frayed thread to avoid sliding off the edge of the precipice into an abysmal abyss. And the thread is threatening to snap…
  
  One thing I believe with all my heart is that Kenya will rise above this present situation (oh, but at what cost!); Kenyans will smile again; Kenyans will ‘live’ to see tomorrow. This has, and will always be, my prayer.
  
  Every time I look into the eyes of the children in the camps, tears well up in my eyes and course down the entire breadth of my face. If only tears could help!
  
  I call upon all of us to help in our own unique ways. Emotionally: hold, embrace, speak positive words to the affected etc; Socially: offer whatever you could offer to alleviate the suffering (food, clothing etc).
  
  Let the Golden Rule ‘speak’ in our actions: Do unto others what you would like them to do unto you.
  
  Have a blessed week.
  
  (Drop me a line at: undaunted at yahoo dot com)

Blah blah blah

Fish cakes

Alas a fish cake.

Yet more fish cakes

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

The end of the fish cakes