Posts

I See Them

  Today I met a man like a ballon. His ego out of proportion blown. He stood before me with an all-knowing frown. My sympathetic nerves forced me to yawn.   His head was capped in a dead animal skin. His shoulders in dead animal leather wrung. His feet strapped in dead animal leather hung. I could only feel pity for all the dead animals slain.   Talking of the slain, do you see that young lady with long hair. Do you see how she twirls it with flair? Talking of tweak, do you see how she is warped in a snare. Do you see how beauty so defined by the dead human hair is bare?   They stand before me, wrapped in animal furs and plant materials. Dead matter on them speaking of animal slaughter squeals. Dead matter on them speaking of dead crop matter peels. They stand before me, smarting with egocentric wills.   I see them, beyond the dead wigs and mascara. Beyond the fake and scary lipstick scars I see them, perched all squarely. But beyond it, is

WHY I MAY NOT SUPPORT DOCTOR'S AND DON'S CBA BASED STRIKES

Doctors and Professors are the intelligentsia that should see beyond petty and short term. If they really care we should see them engage on systemic things that help us answer a question like "when did a salary of 40, 000 plus allowances per month for use by one household become peanuts"? A sick intelligentsia is one only seeing black and white and no grey. CBA or no CBA, the good of all sectors of this economy are tied to havi ng a healthy economy. A healthy economy by all standards is characterized by patient labour. Patient labour is one whose demands, hence the wage bill, do not impede growth and development. While respecting the sanctity of CBA, it pays to appreciate that they are negotiated within contexts and by people whose appreciation of wider socioeconomic issues may be limited. The sickness began with Mpigs astronomically increasing their salaries, MCAs followed cue, teachers followed then lectures and doctors; not forgetting civil servants waiti

Friendship, Help in Need and Expectations

Today, everywhere I look, it is #Fakefriends and #RipAchiengAbura. We should know why we have friends and we should also know that help is highly psychological and it does not just come.  Some friends are purely drinking buddies Some friends are only so because they are work mates Some friends are friends because we enjoy banter or mshene together Some friends are friends because we enjoy arguing together, we have a similar political persuasion or we hail from same village. Some friends are friends purely because we support the same football team All these are friends and they are good to have in your life. Celebrate them and thank God for their presence in your life. But there are friends who are friends because we stand by each other. Such are the friends you have to know and invest your everything in. Yes, the friends you go to when you are broke and they have the courage to lend you that 500 Kshs. However, even as we want friends who can help us, let us

Universal Vs. Targeted Affirmative Action In Kenya

Affirmative action is about giving an otherwise disadvantaged or marginalized group privileges or preferential treatment. In order to empower women and enable them to compete favorably with men in the Kenyan society, affirmative action has been embraced. Affirmative action is hailed because it offers a disadvantaged group the opportunity to develop their skills, talent and acumen such that they can compete at the same level as their more privileged compatriots. The first gender based affirmative action in Kenya was in the education sector where girls are given lower entry level cut off points compared to boys. Through such an action, more girls have been able to join secondary schools and institutions of higher learning . Another area where affirmative action was deemed necessary is in politics. Women participation in politics in Kenya has been peripheral. Since independence, women have been underrepresented both in elective and non elective public offices. The first election in

Considerations for Agricultural sector reform in Bungoma County

If I were to become the Governor of Bungoma County, in relation to the agricultural sector, m y first agenda would be to put in place a robust and transformative agricultural policy. Such a policy would reality but also vision driven. The reality in Bungoma in the agricultural sector is characterized by opportunity but also challenges. Opportunity is in terms of availability of fertile land, availability of human capital, availability of investors keen on agribusiness and green revolution related initiatives, ready market for agricultural commodities, virgin ground for value addition etc. Challenges exist due to lack of facilitative freedoms, poor knowledge sharing systems, lack of capacity among farmers and extension workers, lack of access to credit, seasonality of produce, reliance on rain fed production, lack of reliable inputs, market information distortions, subdivision of land, lack of disposable income among farmers, exploitation by middlemen, farmers lacking bargaining

Considerations for Agricultural sector reform in Bungoma County

If I were to become the Governor of Bungoma County, in relation to the agricultural sector, m y first agenda would be to put in place a robust and transformative agricultural policy. Such a policy would reality but also vision driven. The reality in Bungoma in the agricultural sector is characterized by opportunity but also challenges. Opportunity is in terms of availability of fertile land, availability of human capital, availability of investors keen on agribusiness and green revolution related initiatives, ready market for agricultural commodities, virgin ground for value addition etc. Challenges exist due to lack of facilitative freedoms, poor knowledge sharing systems, lack of capacity among farmers and extension workers, lack of access to credit, seasonality of produce, reliance on rain fed production, lack of reliable inputs, market information distortions, subdivision of land, lack of disposable income among farmers, exploitation by middlemen, farmers lacking bargaining

TEN CONSIDERATIONS ON WHEN TO MARRY OR GET MARRIED

1. marriage is a voluntary institution and marrying is a matter of choice 2. The worth of a man or woman is not defined by his or her marital status; marriage is an institution for procreation and companionship thus personal. 3. Whoever finds a good wife or husband finds a good thing, let all endeavor to find their rib and live happily ever after 4. Poverty is sexually transmitted and marriage and its related responsibil ities have been a poverty trap for many. Only marry young when you have a game plan. 5. In marriage like in any other relationship, age is just a number. What matters is the heart to heart connection between the couple and taking care of menopause complications. 6. Being older or old is not synonymous with damaged goods. I know many 30 year old girls who have been late in marrying because they have been preoccupied in education halls or career pursuits. While I know 20 year olds who have been used or misused sexually and are into all manner of life threatening addictio