Mashada Blogs » January 7, 2009

Kenyanentrepreneur.com: Saytam: India’s Enron

2009-01-07T23:32:22-05:00

There’s a very interesting story on the worlds third largest outsourcing company collapsing because one of it’s founders has admitted to cooking the books for years. According to the article: “50.4 billion rupees, or $1.04 billion, of the 53.6 billion rupees in cash and bank loans the company listed as assets for its second quarter, [...]

Kenyanentrepreneur.com: Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com ...

2009-01-07T23:32:03-05:00

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Kenya Imagine: Visiting home and feeling the foreign pinch

2009-01-07T21:27:00-05:00

New Year’s Greetings, I am reading Christine Stephanie Nicholls’ Red Strangers: The White Tribe of Kenya. The makeda calls lighter skinned black people yellow and my brother was once told that he was so light he was turning yellow. Red strangers, yellow people. This younger brother, who is at school in cooler climates is home for the holidays, this time he has brought someone with him, a foreign someone, and such visits being what they are, it turned into a touristy holiday- show the visitor around the house.
Read more on my brother's nightmare as he visits home.

You Missed This: Medieval Politics: Leaflets and Rent-a-Mouth

2009-01-07T19:24:00-05:00

That the more things change the more they remain the same wouldn’t have been more apt adage in describing the Government’s desperate move to lift itself out of the deep hole it plunged into. Alfred Mutua has re-invented his Turbo-charged mouth in creative leaflets authored to EDUCATE Kenyans on the merits of media censorship.

True, desperate moments calls for desperate measures. But Mutua and his masters must have been blinded by their cheap optimism that Kenyans will buy their gimmick. Granted, the media is not without blemish but no leader ever successfully fought the fourth estate. Only in Kenya can politicians shamelessly re-invent the non-circular wheel and ride on the falsehood. If anything, the global time–tested and tried practice of media self-regulation militates against speedy economic returns.

We are back to political medieval times. What with rent a mouth youths on the ready to congratulate the king on how immaculately he is dressed in his birthday suit. Now we understand that not only here at Kumekucha do we have easily excitable Kenyans. They are in good company ready with oiled lips and joints to dance themselves lame to old lyrics from a broken record.

There are leaders and spineless politicians. Forget the hollow defence from Kibaki’s apologists that he did what he had to do after the MPs handed him the bill. There is leadership and responsibility and above all else having the hindsight to act in tandem with national mood. A responsible parent will not serve a hungry kid poison to calm him down.

Impunity patented
One Lucy must be still be enjoying her sleep after receiving the sweetest and most priceless New Year present from her sweetheart. Her nocturnal escapade at the newsroom has been taken a notch higher and what is more, it is LEGAL. That is a personal war won at the altar of royal expediency. The media must be ruing their antics to paint ogres in all the rainbow colours.

Signing the Communication Bill amounts to institutionalizing our pricey national vice of IMPUNITY. Kenya has her gate keepers and damn the IDP families who are spoiling the party in demanding decent burial to their loved ones. True entrepreneurship includes doing commerce with corpses. And why not expand the virtue if carpenters can do it honestly at the lower end?

But Kenyans must remain realistic and alive to the truism that no progress can come out a leadership singularly defined by deception. Fraud begets only more fraud and its derivatives. We are back to the starting point and the torturous circular journey continues. We better sample the Arabic wisdom in having smart mouths that never invite stinking flies by knowing when to shut up.

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Rants, Raves & Reviews: Novelty in the airline industry - airtime for flights!

2009-01-07T14:29:00-05:00

Will it survive (buy airtime & redeem for flights!) but leave the private sector to think of ideas... smart or dumb... who is to say?
www.flyairtime.co.za
Government bureaucrats would never allow for real progress! Simply no imagination!

Kikuyumoja's realm: Asiyefunzwa na mamaye, hufunzwa na ulimwengu.

2009-01-07T14:20:13-05:00

As twittered earlier, these books shall enhance my chances for a seat at the Kenyan parliament (no work, taxfree income, free car) - or at least raise my mzungu status within the Kenyan blogosphere.

Now, would you please excuse me, I’ve got to teach some Kiuk to other Exilkenianer who were forced to leave home in 1982….

(I am really excited that I eventually managed to bring some of my books to Frankfurt - all in all 4 huge bags full of books, language material and other goodies I can’t enjoy online or via my computer. nice!).

For Love and Money: Being True To Myself

2009-01-07T11:52:00-05:00

Being True To Myself

Afromusing: Milking The Rhino - Screenings in Africa

2009-01-07T06:19:12-05:00

Happy New year!

Late last year, I wrote about the film Milking The Rhino, and promised to update once a screening of the film is confirmed in Nairobi.

I am pleased to invite you to the premiere film screening of Milking The Rhino

Tuesday January 13th 2009 at 5 p.m

Goethe Institut - Corner of Loita/Monrovia Street Maendeleo House
Nairobi.

Cost: Free

The film will run for 85 minutes and there will be time for discussion following the screening. Some special guests featured in the film will likely be in attendance, Dr. Helen Gichohi, President of the African Wildlife Society in Nairobi and if possible, a representative of the Lewa Conservancy. Do join us for a discussion on community conservation, environment and film.

I will have some cool MTR buttons to hand out, and believe me, it would be well worth your evening to attend this screening.

You can RSVP on the facebook event page if you will be there.

January 28th 2009 - Accra, Ghana

EcoLab Conference
Hosted by The Society for Conservation Biology and Ecological Lab Unit of University of Ghana. MTR will be screening with a reception to follow.

*Many thanks to KikuyuMoja, Barbara Reich of Goethe Institute, Xan Aranda of Kartemquin films, William Deed of the Mara Conservancy and last but not least Jeannie Magill the executive producer of MTR for making this happen.

Do come and milk the rhino!

For info on other screenings in US and the rest of the world, please check the MTR website.

Black Looks: Ghana Highlife

2009-01-07T06:12:56-05:00

Congratulations to the people of Ghana who today celebrate the inauguration of their new President Professor John Atta-Mills. Unlike their neighboruing colossus, Nigeria, the Ghanaians were able to carry out their elections without any violence and other squalid activities. This time last year violence erupted after the Kenyan elections in December 2007 [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Ghana Highlife", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2009/01/ghana_highlife.html" });

Rants, Raves & Reviews: Kenya Ferries Ltd - Ferries stall - Deja Vu

2009-01-07T05:20:00-05:00

I told you so... yes, I, coldtusker, warned Kenyans... "Warped Priorities at KFS"

2 of the 3 ferries were out of order at Likoni today... And trust me... the way things are going, I expect one to sink soon... which is bad news for tourism...

Solution:

- Either privatise KFS which means charging the passengers (or subsidizing the KFS).
- Build a bridge or tunnel asap!!!