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23:14
Pecking Order, Vice President and Prime Minister
» Kenya Imagine Justice Minister made a very pointed gesture in her opening statements at the rehab and reconciliation conference MPs are holding in Nairobi. Perhaps it was intended to suggest she was available for wooing, or am I making too much of it.
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News: East African Community
» Kenya Imagine We continue to love the idea, at least the state does, our brothers south of the border it seems do not. East Africa Minister Amason Kingi just out of a Zanzibar conference quoted saying the Tanzanians are asking the other states to slow down in unification efforts. The Customs Union was supposed to have morphed by year end into a full common market, with equal rights for migration, property purchases, etc.
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News: On Somalia
» Kenya Imagine The president of the TFG, the Transitional Government was quoted in the papers earlier lamenting that the government's MPs had taken to making their home in Nairobi, escaping the pressing challenge of the Al-Shahab who were threatening to take the entire country, and who had the government pressed on all sides defending now just Mogadishu and Baidoa (the seat of the government).
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Waki at Safari Park
» Kenya Imagine Just got done with the news and such discussion as ofen succeeds it. The Parliament is at Safari Park, mixing it with diplomats, civil society leaders, etc for what the papers describe as a high level seminar on the Power-Sharing deal and on-going reconciliation efforts. The President spoke about forgiveness and moving on, the Prime Minister spoke about not retreating into ethnic cocoons asking instead that we look out for the longer term interests of Kenya. Would to God....
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Mau Forest Update
» Kenya Imagine This one is heating up again. Over the weekend, a section of Rift Valley MPs endorsed the burning of questionnaires sent in from the Prime Minister's office, a task force that has been set up, and which sent the questionnaires (which questionnaires MPs declared illegal for not bearing the government's coat of arms).
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News: On Waki
» Kenya Imagine The report persists as the talk of the town here, with the media almost hysterical in their condemnation of anyone who dares question the accepted wisdom while a consensus seems clear among the politicians that a local solution, i.e. the tribunal is best placed to serve Kenya's interests.
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19:49
Acting Now to Save Future from Ruined Past
» You Missed This As a Markov chain, Kenya’s future can only be saved and shaped by the present actions. Only a conscious and decisive move to shame our past which is singularly defined by IMPUNITY can free us from the bondage of living a national lie whose pillars are DECEPTION and FRAUD. Waki’s report offers the perfect launching pad towards reclaiming the Kenya we want. It may not be perfect but that is no excuse to give murderers and scoundrels a free pass to continue lording over us.
There two types of leaders. The TRUE leaders who lead from the front and by example and then the PRETENDERS whose stand on weighty matters leaves them pander to the whims of their sectarian supporters. True, leaders must be sensitive to those who elected them BUT there comes a time in when challenges demand both symbolic and actual LEADERSHIP to shape a country and her destiny.
Waki is no fool to have taken the controversial and emotive Hague option. Unlike Kriegler before him he a Kenyan well versed with our weird and selfish political actions. The good Judge cleverly slummed the door shut on all escape routes leaving the scoundrels foaming at the mouth gasping for breathe lakini wapi? There is no free lunch and if the prize for reclaiming Kenya starts with the scalps of the 10 names in the envelope handed to Anna so be it.
We must banish the cheap and hollow gimmicks to don deceptive patriotic garbs by branding the international community neo-colonialists. If anything were it not for the same donors we would be having no country called Kenya to defend. They saved us from own murderous ourselves and in return they have the right to demand accountability for all our primitive ways to hack and burn fellow human country men and women.
Isle of turmoil
Make no mistake by mourning louder than the bereaved. Waki report made very WEIGHTY allegations that will see the political landscape change forever. Ruto and Uhuru may be the juicy preface to the report but the chapter indicting State House as the address where attacks were organized makes very chilling confirmation of what has been hitherto street wisdom. It is sacrilegious to imagine the seat of power being transformed into evil headquarters painted red with citizens’ blood.
Resourceful Kenyans will peddle all forms of gimmicks including forgiveness clothed in religion but no way. A time has come when Kenya must walk the talk and take that PAINFUL decision to denounce the national lie and facade of peace we shamelessly cheat ourselves to be enjoying. The bubble is burst and no hollow chorus ISLE OF PEACE IN A SEA OF CHAOS will wash.
Waki is no Einstein but in one smart stroke he outwitted the political class by handing us a national lifeline. There are no two ways about it: we either seize life jacket of drown in our own blood. No more plastering of the septic wound. Only the radical surgery will save the limb and body. That is the only guarantee for the first step to a great leap in breaking from the ruinous past defined by IMPUNITY.
No time to entertain apologetic theories of building on an infant democracy. It is no rocket science to understand that those who experiment with disasters never live to tell the story.
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Kumekucha has obtained the full list of names in the secret envelope handed over to Kofi Anan. The list is described in detail in Kumekucha Confidential our FREE weekly email newsletter. Simple instructions are also given on how you can get the full list in your email in-box today.
If you are not a subscriber yet, subscribe now by sending an email to:-
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Ban any art made in the name of Barack Obama
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17:55
Another Day, Another Photo Finish
» For Love and Money There is a good reason why I'm always weary of stock market numbers. They can be easily manipulated. Especially the most followed indices. In this case, this would be the Dow Jones Industrial Average consisting of stocks of the 30 largest corporations.
If you take a look at the daily volume, you will notice that there is usually a spike in the last few minutes of trading. Take for instance today, the DJIA closed up 1.83% after after struggling to stay positive for the most part of the day.
As impressive as the gain might be in the face of an economic slowdown, the general market fared worse. Declining issues outpaced advances by a ratio of almost 2:1 at the NYSE with 13% of the total issues hitting 52-week lows.
Bottom line, don't focus on the tape. Buried deep in the headline data is the true market data.
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11:52
Democratic Republic of Congo:Blood Minerals, the Reality Show
» What An African Woman Thinks I got this link in the mail, and I felt a little guilty as I've been skirting around the news of the outbreak of violence in the DRCongo, somewhat reluctant to write about it because the thought of writing about the DRCongo deflates me and depresses me and makes me wonder how so much can go wrong for so long in a country with such potential.
The New York Times is running a series titled Buried Treasure, Broken Nation which rehashes an old theme in a new and necessary way. Waiting to be uncovered in the first article in the series are these sombre assessments which ring depressingly true:
At the Tandaa Content Conference, Ian Fernandes suggested that if Africans were more proactive about telling their own story, we'd be talking about projects like the Inga Dam Project, a plan to build the world's largest and most powerful dam yet, projected to begin in 2014, rather than rehashing the same old story about conflict in the DRC.This is Africa’s resource curse: The wealth is unearthed by the poor, controlled by the strong, then sold to a world largely oblivious of its origins.
The bloodshed and terror have always been driven in part by the endless global thirst for Congo’s resources...
I understand where he was coming from with that, and, on a normal day, I would heartily agree. But right now, all I can think is, we'd like to, we really would, but how can we when the likes of Laurent Nkunda are all up in our faces, rubbing our noses in all that can go so horribly wrong in Africa and, unfortunately, so often does?
Do not get me wrong: I do not believe that the people in Africa are any worse than the people elsewhere in the world. I think every country and every place on earth has its share of potential Laurent Nkundas. It's just that some other parts of the world seem to have been more successful in creating the kind of systems, structures, institutions and controls that tend to limit the unfettered expression of the basest form of humanity that almost inevitably leads to atrocities committed against fellow human beings than we have.
I wonder why? Where were we when this lesson was being taught in class? Why is it that we keep failing the exam?
Sigh. I knew if I got into this I'd sink into the doldrums. Oh well. Go on over and listen to what Shashank Bengali has to say. If you will.It's my window, but I don't own the view. -
Guess Where I Found Barack Obama Snr
» What An African Woman Thinks So I'm flipping through my old history textbook today, looking for that development mantra that Kenya adopted at independence that escapes my mind even now, and guess whose name I stumble upon?
Barack Obama. (Now known as Snr.)
Seriously, he's right there on page 148 of my copy of A History of Kenya by W. R. Ochieng (1985)quoted as one of the academicians who were critical of Session Paper Number Ten of 1965 formulated by the late Tom Mboya and Mwai Kibaki which was really a dummy to try to convince those who had socialist leanings that their opinions were being accommodated in Kenya's blueprint for economic development when in reality there was no such intention.
So Snr. made his own little bit of history, eh? Who knew?
It's just so odd how he's always been there in this book and this chapter that I've read more than once, playing a minor role alongside the more prominent actors in Kenya's history like Tom Mboya and Oginga Odinga and Mwai Kibaki and Bildad Kaggia and I've never noticed him before.
Ain't life interesting?It's my window, but I don't own the view. -
On The Light Side of Life...
» What An African Woman Thinks Michael Hyatt, my runaway favourite CEO blogger has put up two lists of 'things you'd like to say at work but can't.'
I so would love to work at a place where the boss can post something like that right where everyone can see it. I'm just saying. Just in case he's, you know, an avid follower of my blog. Or something.
My personal favourite was buried in the comments section, though, and attributed to Ed Koch, former mayor of NYC:
"I can explain it to you, but I cannot understand it for you."
PURE. GOLD.It's my window, but I don't own the view.
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9:34
Vodacom Group records increased profits, revenue
» REBECCA WANJIKU'S BLOG The Vodacom Group revenue has increased by 14 per cent to 26 billion South African Rand while profit from operations increased by 12.5 per cent to 6.4 billion Rand for the six months ended 30 September.
Vodacom has seen a number of significant changes over the past few months; as it evolves, we’ve increased the non-voice share of our business and increased the portion of our business coming from high growth markets outside South Africa, said Pieter Uys, Vodacom CEO.
With the intended acquisitions of Gateway Communications and StorTech the company has opened up further opportunities in servicing the total communications needs of corporate clients, added Uys. Vodacom has gained footholds in important new markets across Africa.
The results show that total number of Vodacom customers increased 13.1 per cent to 35.7 million and. The group’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) increased by 13.9 per cent to 8.7 billion rand while the net profit after tax grew by 3.2 per cent to 3.8 billion rand and cash generated from operations increased by 15.6 per cent to 8 billion rand
The data segment continued to grow rapidly, with revenues up 43.3 per cent, accounting for 13.1 per cent of Vodacom’s service revenue.
During the period, Vodacom completed the 7.5 billion rand Black Economic Empowerment transaction known as Yebo Yethu public offer, which was three times oversubscribed.
“Vodacom is committed to meaningful transformation in South Africa and we were delighted to conclude this major transaction,” said Uys. “We were particularly successful in promoting broad-based ownership, gaining more than 100,000 new
shareholders - almost 60% of which had applied for the minimum number of shares.
Vodacom, which is the e market leader in South Africa, is committed to further investment in sub-Saharan Africa though South Africa will remain the hub.
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Telkom South Africa records revenue increase
» REBECCA WANJIKU'S BLOG Fixed-line operator Telkom South Africa has recorded 9.8 per cent increase in revenue to 29.8 billion South African Rand for the six months ended 30 September, and promised to offer more converged services.
Telkom's fixed-line business reported revenue growth of 2.8 per cent to 16.565 billion rand, while the revenue from data service increased by 12.2 per cent to 4.4 billion rand.
The ability to pull traffic back onto the fixed-line network through mobile service and leverage the next-generation network for full convergence and high-value data services will enhance Telkom's core defend and grow strategy, said Reuben September, Telkom Group CEO.
However, the group’s EBITDA decreased by 2.8 per cent to 10 billion rand and cash generated from operations decreased by 0.5 per cent to 6.4 billion rand while headline earnings per share increased by 0.4 per cent to 745.2c per share.
Telkom achieved a 96 per cent increase in broadband subscriptions and ADSL average installation time improved to 17 days from 20 days, while 60 per cent of all ADSL installations are now done through the self-install option. Telkom is targeting 592 000 ADSL subscribers for the 2009 financial year.
Mobile-based transmission stations have been increased to a total of 589 and optic fiber deployment now covers 3 800km, while a packet exchange has been commissioned in Abuja, Nigeria, for 300 000 subscribers.
Telkom’s intended expansion beyond South Africa is demonstrated by the acquisition of MWeb Africa and 75 per cent of MWeb Namibia, for $63 million.
“The transaction for the largest satellite-based ISP in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to close in the first half of the 2009 calendar year,” said September.
Telkom intends to accelerate the expansion of the network, including the next-generation network, selectively build a mobile network and explore acquisitive opportunities, particularly in the data centre arena, noted September.
“I am excited about Telkom’s repositioning within the market,” he added. “Our strength is our network and we intend to utilize the proceeds to leverage this strength for the benefit of all stakeholders.”
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MISA calls for consultation in Zimbabwe telecoms crisis
» REBECCA WANJIKU'S BLOG The Media Institute of Southern Africa has labeled the current telecommunications crisis in Zimbabwe, driven by hyperinflation as an affront to the rights and freedom of the citizens.
The crisis arose after Econet Wireless withdraw its contract line services for clients under the Business Partner scheme, which has left thousands of Zimbabweans deprived of their right to communicate, said a statement from MISA, Zimbabwe chapter.
“Other mobile service providers and affiliated service companies, in tandem with Econet Wireless, have increased tariffs, with the average cost of a text message having risen from approximately 1000 Zimbabwean dollar (approx. US$0.28) to at least 20 000 dollars (approx. US$5.65), an increase of 2000 per cent,” MISA said.
The sole fixed telephone network, run by the state-owned company TelOne; is in an appalling state of affairs with erratic coverage in urban areas and is virtually non-existent in rural areas.
There are three mobile telephone networks in the crisis gripped country - Econet Wireless, Telecel, and TelOne- which have failed to cope with the market demand for their services in Zimbabwe's hyperinflationary environment, added the statement.
The state of affairs in the telecommunications industry is a serious impediment to the right of the people of Zimbabwe to communicate; as well as their right to freedom of expression as guaranteed in Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, noted the statement.
Article 9 of the African Charter includes the ability to use and access tools of communication such as the internet, fixed telephones and mobile telephone networks by ordinary people, as emphasized by the World Summit on Information Societies (WSIS) held in Tunis, Tunisia 2005.
Citing the importance of telecommunications in rebuilding the tattered economy, MISA urged the providers not to unilaterally increase the tariffs.
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Mcel and AIRCOM optimize 3G in Mozambique
» REBECCA WANJIKU'S BLOG Aircom International has partnered with Mozambique mobile phone service operator Mcel to support the update planning tools for 2G and 3G networks.
The deal, a million dollars will allow Mcel to use Aircom’s network planning and optimisation tools ASSET and OPTIMA to plan and manage its new 3G UMTS network, which is currently being deployed.
Mcel enjoys a long-standing and productive relationship with Aircom for the existing network planning and management needs, said Luis Mhula, Mcel Chief Operations Officer.
“We’re delighted that Mcel has decided to work with Aircom for such an important project,” said Graham Kemp, Managing Director, in charge of Africa at AIRCOM International. “Mcel’s decision to use Aircom’s tools and consultancy is testament to the high quality of service that we provide to all of our customers around the world.”
Using the Aircom tools, Mcel expects to be able to accurately plan the new 3G network implementation and monitor its ongoing performance quickly and easily, said Mhula. Aircom will carry out measurement and model-tuning, to identify optimal configurations for specific network traffic requirements and conditions within Mcel.
Aircom will also provide support and training for Mcel engineering teams as they make the transition from GPRS to 3G.
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Ceragon Expands its Footprint in Africa
» REBECCA WANJIKU'S BLOG Ceragon Networks a provider of high-capacity wireless backhaul solutions is expanding its footprint in Africa by opening two new local offices in Lagos, Nigeria and another in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“As one of the leading players in the high-capacity mobile backhaul market, we believe that we should have physical presence in two of the fastest developing mobile countries in the world,” said Ira Palti, President and CEO of Ceragon Networks.
Africa is a project-oriented region and having local representation allows Ceragon to join forces with local partners throughout southern and western Africa, Palti added. This way Ceragon can offer existing and newest customers, complete projects with excellent control and close follow-up.
Nigeria is one of the continent’s single largest mobile markets according to industry research group Wireless Federation, with over 44 million subscribers as of September 2008. Nigerian mobile operators are expected to reach more than 70 million subscribers by 2010.
South Africa has 43 million users to date, according to the Wireless Federation report. Despite an extremely high penetration rate, South Africa’s mobile market continues to demonstrate an annual growth rate of over 10 per cent.
The company has also received a new, $1.5 million order for its high-capacity trunk solutions, FibeAir 3200 to be deployed in Africa by a leading international carrier in Eastern Africa.
Ceragon high-capacity wireless backhaul solutions are also used by Botswana Telecom, Millicom Tanzania, and Neotel in South Africa.
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Don't Just Surf There... Do Something
» What An African Woman Thinks Someone sent this along and I thought it was worth putting up.
It's my window, but I don't own the view.The Human Rights Project, seeking to move people 'from apathy to activism' has developed a beautifully illustrated full-color book called The Trouble with the alphabet.
Written and illustrated by artist Caryn West, the book features the world from A to Z, with each letter corresponding to a country in peril. In turn, each country is connected to a charitable organization that is working towards alleviating the suffering of children in the region. A portion of the proceeds from the book will go to support the featured organizations, and all purchases from [www.thetroublewiththealphabet.com] come with the option of choosing which charity receives the proceeds.The Trouble with the Alphabet is more than a catalogue of charities and global ills; it puts a face on the horrors that some of us can only imagine.
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8:46
Mama Mike’s E-Goat
» Kenyan Pundit Paying your first dowry installment via the internet?
It is possible, with Mama Mikes….you HAVE to watch this video!
People are truly creative.
8:43 
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To All The Kumekucha Pioneers
» You Missed This I am about to make a very important post but I am waiting for some information.
As I am sitting here my mind cannot help going back to the beginning of Kumekucha and I think now is as a good a time as any to pay tribute to the pioneers. Those guys who came here when it was lonely and quiet. When there was an average of only one post every 10 days or so. The days following the launch in May 2005, when I wondered whether Kumekucha would come to anything.
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Published earlier today: Why has Raila veered off so badly?
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The first person who showed their face here was a man who had a strange way with words and his name signified problems. Taabu (what is in a name but a cluster of letters put together for identification purposes?) was a great encouragement in the early days quite often being the only commentator. I must say that kept me going. Thanks mate. I will always owe you a beverage of your choice and more.
Next came Phil. The man who seemed to be so well informed (mostly about one political party). But the reason why I have always loved him so much is that unlike so many commentators here who have hidden agendas this brave man always spelled out his stand right from day one. We all know Phil is ODM but we love him still. Even those of us who are not ODM. Kudos, the captain's man.
Next two guys arrived almost at the same time. Luke and Vikii. I stand to be corrected but I believe Luke came slightly earlier. Vikii was always controversial from day one and that controversy helped attract scores of new readers to Kumekucha. Vikii is the only man I know who can insult you and you find it funny. The thing with Luke is that we seemed to agree on many things and sometimes he made me laugh sana. Like the time he used to start or finish all his posts by reminiscing on Kenya’s meteoric economic growth which was happening as Kenyans starved and were worse off (Remember?)
Finally I cannot forget the first lady who checked into Kumekucha. Her name was Sayra and for a long time she was still too shy to post any comment but we exchanged emails. I panicked when she made her maiden comment because it was an attack on Vicky, a man known never to take a rebuke lying down. His reaction to Sayra’s maiden comment was predictable. I was sad knowing that she would never return. Luckily the girl has a thick skin and these days she is pretty active on this blog. I hasten to add that Proud Kikuyu Woman (PKW) was active making comments before Sayra made her maiden one. She started off as proud (certain tribe) woman. Thanks girl. I have not forgotten you, although we have never agreed on anything, even very mundane things like colours.
There. If I have left out anybody my sincere apologies. As always I am ready to be corrected.
But for now my fellow Kenyans, those are the people who helped Kumekucha survive the early lonely days. I will forever be grateful to them. Three cheers for Taabu, Phil, Luke, Vicky, Sayra and PKW…
…and of course all the early day anons.
I would never have reached this small distance without you guys.
P.S. We have scores of very good people these days. I don’t want any of them to feel left out. You make kumekucha what it is and I love you all… even when I don’t agree with the great love for four letter words a few of you have.
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Kumekucha has obtained the full list of names in the secret envelope handed over to Kofi Anan. The list is described in detail in Kumekucha Confidential our FREE weekly email newsletter.
If you are not a subscriber yet, subscribe now by sending an email to:-
kumekucha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
N.B. Due to unavoidable circumstances to do with the gravity of the matter we regret to inform our readers that the Waki list is NOT available in Kumekucha Confidential. However the latest Confidential issue gives you clear instructions on how you can still obtain the list directly sent to your email in-box. ENJOY.
Ban any art made in the name of Barack Obama
Miriam Makeba- A Tribute to Mama Africa
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6:41 Boy, Bug and Uncle
» Cock And Bull I watched a young boy and his uncle on an evening. The boy was about 4 years old and had eyes that see everything and drink it in with the same urgency that fire fizzles up a strand of hair that falls in its flame. The uncle was in his thirties and his eyes were on his little nephew with an understanding in them that could shelter the boy like an oversized umbrella during a rain storm. And yet, both sets of eyes were glued on the TV. That is until the winged insect flew into the room through the open door and settled on the folds of the curtain hanging next to where the older man was seated.
The boy was startled and he suddenly became alarmed since the bug landed close to where his uncle was seated. He shouted out to his uncle saying ‘Dudu! Dudu!’, in order to alert him of the imminent danger. Calmly, the uncle reached out and carefully scrapped the bug from the cloth and it fell on his open palm. The bug seemed more startled than even the boy and started clawing frantically with its many legs as it helplessly lay upside-down. The uncle then picked up the bug deliberately and without a care in the world, placed it at the top of his head. “Shriiieeeeeek!!”, the little boy went looking horrified, and “Bzzzzzzzzz!” the bug went as it tried to find its feet through the thick canopy of tough, unkempt black hair.
When the uncle bent his head towards the little boy, the youngster’s first instinct was to scramble off the sofa, but then he seemed to gather his wits when the uncle make some incredibly comforting sounds. And when the uncle asked the boy to touch his face, then his hair, and then the bug trapped in the hair, it was with a lot of jitters and many more shrieks. And as they repeated the procedure over and over again, it turned from raw nerves to excitement. When the dazed bug eventually flew away, the duo watched it go with some hint of disappointment.
I was later to think to myself, “Will the little boy ever be afraid of bugs again?” But then I realized that the lesson would perhaps be that it is possible for us to be weaned off our fear by watching someone we trust deal fearlessly with it, or if we may, ask for that person’s help in dealing with it.
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6:08
Hitting The Wall
» Cock And Bull Good old wisdom tells us that if we come across a wall, better to find a way to walk around it than to fight it. If you ever tried to learn Karate, you might have felt adventurous at one time and punched a concrete wall. When that happened to me, I realized that my Karate was more in my head than anywhere else, since the pain was just as much as if I had never taken up Karate.
Like a naïve Karate trainee that keeps punching a concrete wall in order to prove that he is learning, we do not have to keep hurting ourselves through making the same mistakes to prove that we can do better. Karate is not about punching concrete walls just as life is not about perfecting the art of failing. So what can be done about the walls that we encounter in our lives all the time? I suppose the most important thing is to realize what a wall is: that it is just a barrier that communicates to us that we need to take a different approach.
A wall has nothing against us. Although a wall might seem unfeeling, it is not totally inconsiderate; walls have a door or a window through which a person can slip through. Other walls that you might encounter might give you the opportunity to practice on walking to where the wall ends, or to use your skills as a climber in order to scale the wall. All these options are available and do not require us to hurt ourselves by hitting the wall with bare fists.
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5:34
What Never Happened
» Cock And Bull I really have nothing against Alex and I consider him one of the finest people that I know. And yet on more that one occasion, I have fought him with so much ferociousness that if he had fought back fairly, we most probably would not have talked as we did this morning. Alex owns a business next to my office and once in a while, he calls me to sort out his company’s computer problem.
In our last fight, I was going home after a hard day, part of which I had spent figuring out a disgusting computer virus infection in the network. While stuck in a traffic jam, I remembered that I had given him a call earlier and he had promised to respond within 10 minutes. It was now over 2 hours later and I had just remembered that he didn’t call. And so, I turned to him and accused him of taking my work on his computer network for granted, otherwise he would have called. I even remembered several other times the same thing had happened, and I felt some real anger building inside me. And as I reminded him of all those incidents, I remembered that I had forgotten to ask him for 1,000 shillings he owed me from a past engagement. Being broke, that added to the heat of the moment and I was really going at him with all the intensity that I could muster. Fortunately, I reached where I was going and I had to disengage from fighting Alex and do something else.
All the while, Alex did not respond - just like all the other times I had fought him. And like those times, I didn’t hear his defense. Did he forget to call like I had forgotten that he was supposed to call me? Did he forget to pay me just as I had forgotten to ask for my money? I would not know until the next time I meet him and ask.
The reason why Alex did not defend himself is because I didn’t allow him to. You see, all that fight was happening in my head and Alex didn’t even get to know about it. As I think about it right now, I laugh at myself and think that Alex was lucky since if it were a few years ago, it might have been a big spectacular fight that would have involved punches, bruises, and the cops. Talk of a storm in a teacup! When the mind is idle, it can take a route – all by itself – that we might not even be aware it has taken. The path might be petty, debilitating, annoying, even dangerous; but how can we control it?
A lot has been said about taming and disciplining the mind – including by all religions - , and I believe that this is a venture that each one of us should undertake seriously. The effects of a rogue mind can be summed up by the following quote by Mark Twain: I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.
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4:51
Clearing The Sink
» Cock And Bull If you live alone, one the important lessons that you learn is that when you leave your sink piled with dirty dishes before you go to bed, you will most certainly find the same mess when you wake up in the morning. What if you make breakfast and still do not clean up? It means that when you get back to your house in the evening, you will have a greater pile of dirty dishes to clean. Unfortunately, things do not get better since you might realize that the dirty dishes have started to smell. The longer you choose to leave the sink unattended the worse the stink becomes and the more unhappy you become with your home.
And so it is with our hearts and the sin that accumulates there. At first it appears small – even harmless – and can easily be ignored. However as days go by and if more is added, the burden becomes murkier and heavier and makes our lives more miserable each day. What is the remedy for dirty dishes? You should preferably clean them after every cooking to ensure that you keep an orderly kitchen. What is the remedy for sin? Reconnecting with God as often as you can so as to clear any disorder that you have inside you.
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4:26
The Sweet Life
» Cock And Bull Like every kid at one time, I thought that sugar was the most important thing in life. As a result, it became almost a full time job for my mother to prevent me from getting my hands inside the bowl of sugar. However, I was very adamant about my right to sweetness that I cried ‘tears of a cup’ even when she gave me food without sugar.
One day, while I was eating my salted food with tears in my eyes, my Mom did what was rather unexpected. She unlocked the top drawer of the cupboard and pulled out the carefully hidden jar of sugar and set it before me. She then gave me a clean tea spoon and told me that I could add as much sugar to my food as I wanted. I could not believe it! As much sugar as I wanted in my food? Yes!
And so I scooped sugar from the jar and added it to my food. I was careful to pile up the spoon just in case my mom changed her mind before I had the chance to add the next spoonful. However, she just looked at me patiently as I added the several spoonfuls and then mixed them with my ‘githeri’ until the brown soup almost turned colorless. And then with much anticipation, I tasted the first spoon. It was the worst tasting food I have ever encountered in my short life!
When I attempted to push the food away, my mother put on her stern look and carefully informed me that unless I finished my sugar syrupped ‘githeri’ I would never eat anything else. I can’t quite remember how much time it took for me to finish the awful tasting food but even my crying ‘tears of a bucket’ didn’t move my mother. After that incident I learnt that sometimes, salt and not sugar is required to make something palatable. Needless to say, my mother and I never had any sugar related disagreements after that.
As grown ups, the scene plays up often when God presents us with what we need, and we throw never-ending tantrums because it is not what we want. And often these disagreements come as we assert our rights to what we consider to be the sweet life. But the sweet life is not the only thing that we need. Sometimes we need some saltiness, some heat, some spice, and even some bitterness in order for us to grow as human beings. And as we go back to gladly accepting what he gives us, we realize that God always knows what is best for us at any one time.
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3:41
Terrific Tuesday
» Cock And Bull Today is ‘Terrific Tuesday’ at Nandos Pizza Inn in Nairobi. That means for every pizza you buy, you get one for free! This sweet deal usually has pizza lovers queuing at the Nandos Pizza Inn’s Moi Avenue outlet till late at night.
I can’t quite remember the first time I tasted pizza, though it is not very many years ago. I remember looking at it and observing that the legendary pizza that I had heard so much about is simply a bread-like crust covered with seasoned tomato sauce, cheese, and other toppings such as sausage or olive. However, I clearly remember the taste of the pineapple pieces embedded in the Hawaiian pizza, and my surprise that such an ingredient could be used in cooked food.
Since then, I have often wondered, “What would pizza be without the bread-like base?” The answer to that question usually comes in a very unexpected way. Have you ever seen or heard of a person who seems to have everything – wealth, beautiful spouse, bright kids, enviable career – and yet appears deeply unhappy? That person would seem to be missing something that in not visible to the naked eye. Something that only he or she can feel, and that has been ambiguously described by many people as a ‘hole’ or ‘void’ or ‘emptiness’.
What is it that misses in the ‘hole’, ‘void’, or ‘emptiness’? I tend to think it is love. The kind of love that I am talking about is the one that is so basic that it is easily ignored, yet so important that we cannot really appreciate life without it. It is that which makes us love ourselves, love our neighbors and love God. It is that which enables us to accept ourselves unconditionally no matter what our external circumstances are. It is that which enables us to accept our neighbors no matter how different they are from us. It is that which enables us to accept God’s grace and appreciate the myriad of things that He has done for us. This love is as critical to life’s fulfillment as the bread-like crust that creates the base of pizza.
“What would pizza be without the bread-like base?” It would be ingredients – cheese, oregano, egg, sausage, salami, garlic, capsicum, olive – and not pizza. A relationship without this ‘love’ is simply a red hot sack of passion that burns itself out sooner or later and leaves the couple wondering how they ‘fell out of love’. Wealth without this ‘love’ results in the kind of money that can buy a ‘Bed but not sleep Food but not appetite A house but not a home ‘. A career without this ‘love’ results in a cranky larger-than-life boss who is very alone at the top of his corporate ladder. A family without this kind of ‘love’ results in a violent parent parent; one that causes the kids to sneak into their rooms in suppressed terror as soon as he gets home.
And yet with this ‘love’ it does not matter whether we have ‘someone’ or not, whether we are wealthy or not, whether we have a job or not, or whether we fit in the society or not. Neither is it the kind of love that you can find…especially not from someone else. If you find the ‘right person’ and you lack this ‘love’ inside you already, the relationship might be as illusory as having a pound of mozzarella cheese and no bread base and still expect to come up with pizza.
With this ‘love’ we are bound to have a terrific Tuesday whether there is a Nandos Pizzeria in out town or not.
Have a terrific Tuesday!
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Waki at Safari Park
» Kenya Imagine Just got done with the news and such discussion as ofen succeeds it. The Parliament is at Safari Park, mixing it with diplomats, civil society leaders, etc for what the papers describe as a high level seminar on the Power-Sharing deal and on-going reconciliation efforts. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} The President spoke about forgiveness and moving on, the Prime Minister spoke about not retreating into ethnic cocoons asking instead that we look out for the longer term interests of Kenya. Would to God....
Want more?
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1:57
The aid game - laundering the profits of exploitation
» Black Looks Aid agencies, NGO’s are being outed for their role as agents of Western financial captial at any cost who feed of the misery caused by their masters. Christian Aid is one such example. Following the 2004 coup against President Aristide of Haiti, Christian Aid issued a position statement in which it colluded [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "The aid game - laundering the profits of exploitation ", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/11/the_aid_game_-_laundering_the_profits_of_exploitation_.html" });
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Another interesting one......
» REBECCA WANJIKU'S BLOG 
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Those naturally naughty shapes and sizes......
» REBECCA WANJIKU'S BLOG 
What do the pictures resemble???
That was a question posed by someone, I did not know what to say though I must say my mind was almost in the gutter.....
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Why Has Raila Veered Off So Badly?
» You Missed This I am baffled.
I want to speak in very raw terms here because I think something has gone gravely wrong. I watched the Prime Minister speak at the Safari Park Hotel yesterday, literally fortifying his stance that the Waki Report be implemented to a T. As I watched, I had to scratch my head in amazement at what the man's strategy is. Where is he going with this fervent call to implement a report that his support base in the Rift Valley is vociferously opposed to? And when that full implementation takes place, where will he find new allies to help him realize his lifelong dream of being president of Kenya? Does he intend to revert to the painful old alliances that have been fraught with jealousy, treachery and outright betrayal?
The way I see it, there are two sides to the Waki Report. There's the political side. And there's the legal side. Prime Minister Odinga is obviously winning the legal side handsomely, and in the process he is driving his supporters away. Because he is driving his supporters away in the Rift Valley and elsewhere, he is losing the political side of this equation in a spectacular way. For a politician of his stature, that is an astounding failure. Many ardent followers of this man have been with him because they saw in him someone who had his ear on the ground, who detected the direction of the political winds, who knew when to make tactical retreats. What has gone wrong? Is it the men and women around him who have insulated him from the groundswell of opposition to his leadership style? Has the power of his office suddenly blinded him?
I'm disturbed that it turns out to be President Kibaki who now calls for forgiveness and reconciliation. This was a matter the Prime Minister would have had more moral authority to call for than the president. But since this is something I've championed in the past, I salute President Kibaki for going in that direction. Indeed, I maintain that it's the only viable way to deal with the disunity occasioned by the failed elections of 2007.
But it's never too late.
The Prime Minister is an intelligent man who understands the power of perception. Our Rift Valley brothers and sisters are not defending one of their own because they think anybody is guilty, they are reacting to the perception that since becoming Prime Minister Raila has not seemed very attentive to their issues. Incidentally, vast swathes of Luo Nyanza voters feel the exact same way as their Rift Valley counterparts. If this trend crosses over to Western Province and the Coast, tell me where the Prime Minister will get his votes from in 2012. An alliance with Martha Karua? Maybe Uhuru? My God! Maybe it's because of the possibility of this scenario playing out that the Luo Council of Elders called on the PM to rethink his strategy. I concur.
I'm aware that I'll be called a tribalist for addressing this issue as I have. But I go off on the premise that six out of eight provinces voted for the Prime Minister. What that means is that more than half the nation is looking up to him for direction, inspiration and an understanding of where this nation is going. Advocating that we turn over our sons to the Hague is not how to play this game. A local tribunal is the way to go. It strengthens our faith in our nascent institutions and affirms our hard-won independence. The kind of blackmail the European Union wants to subject our country to is unacceptable. They need to be told in no uncertain terms that we're no longer a colony. We have to come to a point where we say no to the monies they give us, because they are using those funds to blackmail us. How low can they sink?
Mr. Prime Minister, the time to hit a U-turn is now. I've spoken candidly because this is a time for a brother to whisper to a brother that the zipper of his pants are down. I hope you pull that zipper up before the children come storming into the living room and chuckling at the peeping sight of your red undergarments.
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