Mashada Blogs » April 16, 2009

What An African Woman Thinks: Let's Talk About Celebrities and Africa

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:07:00 -0400

I have been following the spectacle of the race to a million followers on twitter between Ashton Kutcher and CNN since very early Wednesday morning (or very late Tuesday night), depending on where you’re located.

I first caught wind of it when Kristie Lu Stout reporting on CNN from Hong Kong announced that Kutcher was looking to beat CNN to the 1 million followers mark and that when he did, he would pull a prank on Ted Turner. Soon after, Larry King threw back a taunt, and an appearance on Larry King Live entered into the bargain. There was mention, also, of a prize for the millionth follower. I don’t have a sense of how much buzz all this created.

Somewhere along the line, however, probably an hour maybe two after this announcement was made, suddenly, he added the Mosquito Nets for Africa angle. Even that evolved. First he said he’d provide 1,000 Mosquito nets if tweeps helped him cross the 1 million follower mark before CNN. Then someone told him he really should be donating 1,000 nets anyway, which he promptly conceded and on account of which he raised that number to 10,000 nets. That finally seemed to win him the kind of attention he was looking to garner and today, as I understand it, the race is tighter than it was on Wednesday and the tape at the finishing line is in sight.

So, it’s official: Africa trumps pranking Ted Turner, a head to head between Larry King and Ashton Kutcher and a mysterious prize to the nth follower for garnering attention. Because, let’s face it, it’s about the publicity. The race to get to the one million mark came first. The mosquito nets for Africa were an afterthought. It was about figuring out, by trial and error, what would move the tweeps into action. He tried this, he tried that, and finally, he hit on the magic formula.

As @remarkabletweet succintly put it, it’s “Classic PR Genius.” Which @itsjustmimi heartily agreed with, tweeting enthusiastically: “The man's a business/pr genius.”

Oh but we already had a clue about the power of Africa to sanitize a reputation or a cause. Remember Lindsay Lohan announcing her post-rehab plans a couple of years ago to go on a humanitarian mission to Africa?

My only response is to harken back to this post from my past. And point you, also, to the thoughts of fellow afrophiles.It's my window, but I don't own the view.

You Missed This: Is It Possible To Rule Without Killing?

Chris — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:03:00 -0400

Many young Kenyans have no idea what it was like living in the country in the 70s and 80s. The days when political dissenters were dealt with ruthlessly and decisively quick. If you did not disappear or your body was not found in some forest with some vital organs missing, then you would definitely have ended up in the notorious detention without trial.

In those days when you could sense the fear in the air, it must have been much easier to be president of Kenya.

Now one Mwai Kibaki who has seen it all took over as president in December 2002 and one of the first things that his administration did was to shut down the Nyayo house torture chambers. It seemed to everybody that it was the beginning of a brand new era of good governance. But alas, it was not to be because some silly document called an MOU (memorandum of Understanding) was allegedly not honoured by Kibaki and one thing led to another as the Kibaki administration staggered from one crisis to another like a drunk man trying to walk home in the dark. You will remember that things stabilized somewhat with the appearance of one Daniel arap Moi as one of President Kibaki’s key advisors.

In actual fact history was replaying itself before our very eyes because Daniel arap Moi himself went through a very similar metamorphosis shortly after he took over as president in August 1978. Moi released all detainees and dramatically increased democratic space and free speech in the late 70s and early 80s. However he was rudely shaken out of his good-guy image by the abortive 1982 coup attempt. Shortly after a shaken Moi appeared on national TV tears visibly in his eyes and thanking the security forces for crashing the coup, Kenyans started seeing a very different Moi. Detention without trial came back with a vengeance and a few assassinations followed, most notably that of former foreign affairs minister Dr Robert Ouko. Dozens of Kenyans vanished without trace.

Coming back to the present, it seems that Kibaki’s big transformation happened after he lost the 2005 referendum on a proposed new constitution. But detention without trial was NOT re-introduced. Instead something that send shivers down the spines of those in the know emerged. That thing answers to the name, the Kwekwe squad. Humndreds of young Kenyans have also disappeared without trace.

Political emotions aside, the question Kenyans must now ask themselves is a simple one but one whose answer will be very difficult in coming by. And the question is, is it possible to govern a country like Kenya without “tools’ like detention without trial or the terror of Kwekwe? If your quick answer is YES, then my next question is how come the Kibaki administration became much more stable after the introduction of terror instruments like the Kwekwe?

Kindly note that I do not support terror or human rights abuses in any form. However I am just asking a question to get Kenyans thinking. After all even developed democracies like the United States have the CIA and other national security spooks who get involved in all kinds of dirty things. Even the civil Brits have their spooks and shadowy projects in the name of national security.

Read about Kumekucha's terrifying ordeal in the hands of the then dreaded Special BranchKumekucha

KA-INVESTOR: Scangroup Peek

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:10:00 -0400

Scangroup Ltd. has announced its FY08 results indicating that:
- PBT went up 24% to Ksh.437 mln;
- revenue rose 21% to Ksh.1.4 bln;
- Net asset/share increased by 60% courtesy of WPP investment;
- EPS grew by 20% to Ksh.1.79
- Free Cashflow up 98%

I had the honour to listen to Lowe Scanad (K) Ltd.(a Kenyan ScanGroup subsidiary) MD, Sameet Ambegaonkar, delivered an invigorating presentation yesterday on strategy and tactic at the British Council – leadership forum. The guy has vast experience and knowledge (29 years in strategic planning for major FMGC firms that has seen him work with Amu – India, Tata, Coca cola –India n Kenya, EABL, Safaricom) in advertising.

The Group, in a joint venture with Hill & Knowlton, has also launched a new public relations firm known as Hill & Knowlton East Africa. (51% Scangroup, 49% WPP – which still owns 27.5% in Scangroup)

More scanned info @Grains of Masala

Kenyanpoet: SLAM AFRICA- Friday, April 17 from 8:00pm

N.W — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:44:00 -0400

WAPI invites you to "SLAM AFRICA"on Friday, April 17 at 8:00pm.

Event: SLAM AFRICA
Featuring Muthoni Ndonga of Muthoni Music
What: Performance
Host: SLAM AFRICA
Start Time: 8:00pm
End Time: 11:00pm
Where: Dass Ethiopian Restaurant

Kenyanpoet: WAPI Renaissance Sat 18th April feat Dynamax,

N.W — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:38:00 -0400

WAPI invites you to "WAPI Renaissance feat Dynamax" on Saturday, April 18 at 9:00am.

Event: WAPI Renaissance feat Dynamax
"Underground Art as it should be"
What: Performance
Host: British Council
Start Time: 9:00am
End Time: 4:00pm
Where: British Council

SportsKenya: Kenya's in Beach Volleyball

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:02:00 -0400

For those who love the Sun and sand of the Kenyan coast, well ask no more you can enjoy this weekend at Mombasa these sights and get a feel of one of the most exciting games in the world of sports-beach volleyball.
Sponsored by a Kenyan mobile company and co-sponsored by another fledging media and entertainment company, the tournament will pit some of Kenya's seasoned players trying to dig out of the sand pits and spiking high balls as they try to get the better of their opponents.
This sport would make more sense to me since the country has enough reservoir of talent in volleyball circles and it is a better indulgence better than the drugs and other distractions among the youth of the Coastal region of the country.
It is also a crowd puller with interesting sights and sounds and which entertainment company wouldn't kill to want to be associated with such a sport. Front-runners in this game include Brazil which has dominated the game and the US of A which picks up on any sport and takes it to the next level, thanks to corporate support and open-minded sports business administrators.
Give it a thought Kenya Volleyball Federation ....

SportsKenya: Kenyans on Ice ? Cool Running...

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 06:36:00 -0400

Philip Boit skis on snow at the Winter Games

It's interesting when the country's almost drying up its rivers and water sources someone thinks we can hack some ice on this side of the world,a few miles south of the Sahara...and a diminishing snow-cap on Mt.Kenya -a world's only snow-capped Mount on the Equator !
Since the launch of the first ice-rink in Kenya and Eastern Africa in 2005, many a sports enthusiasts (read ice-sports) have thought that this presents a good opportunity for Kenya to take its sports beyond the traditional outdoor events which its immensely endowed.
No argument there yet !
Early this year, some kids from private learning institutions guided by their tutors thought they can participate in the ice-skating events hosted in the Scandinavian countries...commendable idea but almost sentence to failure and possible ridicule.
I was quickly reminded of one Philip Boit-the first black African Winter Olympian to compete in the Winter Olympics Games cross-country event in Nagano-Japan . Having defied the odds of training on rough rugged hills of the Rift Valley province in Kenya and the usual stereotypes of running on the same hills, he attracted much attention from the awkward look he potrayed...all in the spirit of the games.
In March this year, he announced that he would be participating in the Winter Games to be held in Vancouver-Canada in 2010. He has participated in 4 previous Games with little or no support and as such feels he will retire next year due to lack of support and sponsorship. Commitment not in doubt by any chance !
There's word that we are now looking towards initiating the ice-stock or curling in the country...:-)..:-). tsk !
But if we are to make any serious progress on ice sports, we need to seriously engage countries that have these conditions and also invest quite some substantial amounts in the discipline. For fear of writing off such stunts, I will watch with interest what comes of this but your guess maybe as good as mine...

tHiNkEr'S rOoM: Banana Republics

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 06:32:39 -0400

It is said that the first step is denial. Well, I am pleased to report that I am no longer in denial.

This country, ladies and gentlemen, is for all intents and purposes a banana republic, only without the bananas.

Reading from light to left:

An indecisive president rejoicing at the miles of fencing he has at State House at his disposal to sit on.
An ineffective Prime Minister, allegedly charged with coordination of Government Ministry. Judging from the Babel from the said ministries, we are pleasantly surprised he can coordinate trouser and coat
A government spokesman whose own mother is unlikely to take seriously, let alone 29,998,000 Kenyans
A cabinet which judging from the intelligence demonstrated by their banter and pronouncements, are unlikely to have the capacity to tie their shoes before descending on their Morning Cerelac
An Attorney General who fondly believes he is perpetually auditioning for a Colgate advertisement
An anti-corruption commission that zealously goes after chicken thieves and pickpockets
A trigger happy police force that lurches from crisis to crisis
A civil service run by tottering old men that refuse to give way that continues to amaze with its ineffectiveness
A juvenile parliament, complete with soiled diapers that is more interested in grandstanding than legislating.
A self deluded judiciary that fondly believes it is effectively discharging its mandate
An ever naive public that refuses to see that it is viewed as nothing more than a source of funds, votes and foot-soldiers.
A now defunct electoral commission unable to accurately count a single coin toss. It takes some effort and quite the imbecility to announce with a straight face a candidate had 40,000 votes in a constituency that has 30,000 people, let alone voters.

Most people in positions of governance give impressions of an urgent need of a swift kick in the seat of the trousers.

The nail in the coffin was this public announcement laying blame for corruption at the foot of couples working in Government offices.

Digest that for a minute. The Government position is that people who answered in the affirmative to the question “Wilt thou?” are the source of stolen public money.

After laughing myself to tears, I deployed my crack investigation team, whose findings stunned even me.

Pictured below is the Government Of Kenya Policy Maker & Decision Making Device

This device, acquired in 2002 has been behind all Government decisions and policies to date.

To many of us who have long been of the opinion that some of the decisions taken by the Government cannot possibly have come from a Homo Sapiens with opposable thumbs and binocular vision, much makes sense.

Going back to the couples, I have in my possession I card from Reverend Moon that I feel the authorities should investigate further

SportsKenya: BackStory on CNN-Sports Coverage

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:19:00 -0400

Logo used with acknowledgement CNN.com

Thanks to some of my insomniac habits and also obsession with sports, the other day after watching one of the most dramatic games of the UEFA Champions League, I managed to catch the CNN's BackStory.
OK for the uninitiated, BackStory goes for story behind the story-the drama and hassles going into delivering news and shows it also delves into how correspondents deal with these challenges and human emotions they confront. Most of the stories usually go beyond the usual politics and gloom currently experienced across the world.
My scoop though was on how the CNN WorldSport guys get their stories and deliver them. As one Terry Baddoo said ,'its more than just lifting their legs and enjoying their favourite teams play or games'. From the slotting of the stories to the editing, filling in the relevant parts as well as committing viewers to the last item, the editors have quite task, which they navigate almost seamlessly.
You find a guy on like 3-5 phones at a time as he tries to keep tabs with the field correspondents from across the world; tv clips which at times have to be delayed or shown as images to avoid infringing on tv rights; updates from ongoing events and the occasional weird sport and Play of the Day- these guys make sports coverage an art.
In addition to this, the studio anchor ensures he or she has the necessary witty remarks which serve as a good break from the 'serious news' which CNN is known for.
My favourite is usually Mark McKay as well as the host of the BackStory- Michael Holmes -though he's not a sports anchor.
If you stay up till some of those ungodly hours, you can catch it around midnight(+3 GMT-East African Time) at this part of the world.