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 writ¬ten af¬ter several trau¬matic events in Spaf¬ford’s life. The first was the death of his only son in 1871, shortly followed by the great Chi¬ca¬go Fire which ru¬ined him fi¬nan¬cial¬ly (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 cross¬ing the At¬lan¬tic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with an¬o¬ther ship, and all four of Spaf¬ford’s daugh¬ters died. Spaf¬ford’s wife, Anna, sur¬vived and sent him the now fa¬mous tel¬e¬gram, “Saved alone.” Shortly afterwards, as Spaf¬ford travelled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write the hymn as his ship passed near where his daugh¬ters 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)
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Sunday, February 24, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Political Settlement: Halfway House
On 27th of December last year, Kenyans went to the polls and spoke out loud about the people they wanted to see ascend the political ladder (and those they didn’t want to stay up there a second longer!). But the events that followed this “loud decision” clearly placed Kenya among the countries that do no not care two hoots about the welfare of its people.
Kenyans were (and have since remained) strangulated, asphyxiated and raped off their democratic right.
This led to the unleashing of the most potent ‘demon’ that resides in humans to take full course: hate, ‘violent’ suspicion, murder, ethnic ‘turbulence’, ‘incompatible’ co-existence and a host many other evils.
All of as sudden our very identities became a threat to our existence, to our freedom and to precious life. Our names became the determining factor. One mention of our names would determine the direction of the sharp machetes. Our identity cards spoke against us. “Wacha nione kipande yako” became a life-threatening question.
Millions of Kenyans have lost their lifelines, their jobs and hope of any possible respite coming their way. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced and their properties lost in the innocuous ‘conflagration’ (both literally and metaphorically speaking!).
The wounds and hurt in our hearts, as Kenyans, beggars description. I believe that not even the most perfect and prolific wordsmith in town can put it in words. Anyway, we don’t need words to explain the feeling.
Now there is talk of a political settlement between PNU and ODM. Well, this, to me, is like offering quack cures for old ills. A halfway house of sorts! We need more than our paunchy fellows at Serena are offering. How do they plan to deal with the frayed, threadbare fabric of society? On the ground, co-existence among different ethnic groups is stifled. “Gargantuan” amounts of mistrust rule the air among the different tribes. A very sorry state indeed!
Well, again, the very people who lost in the elections are the very guys who ‘want’ (want really? ) to give a piece of the action, a piece of the power, to the other group. Theatre of the absurd, methinks.
Kenyans were (and have since remained) strangulated, asphyxiated and raped off their democratic right.
This led to the unleashing of the most potent ‘demon’ that resides in humans to take full course: hate, ‘violent’ suspicion, murder, ethnic ‘turbulence’, ‘incompatible’ co-existence and a host many other evils.
All of as sudden our very identities became a threat to our existence, to our freedom and to precious life. Our names became the determining factor. One mention of our names would determine the direction of the sharp machetes. Our identity cards spoke against us. “Wacha nione kipande yako” became a life-threatening question.
Millions of Kenyans have lost their lifelines, their jobs and hope of any possible respite coming their way. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced and their properties lost in the innocuous ‘conflagration’ (both literally and metaphorically speaking!).
The wounds and hurt in our hearts, as Kenyans, beggars description. I believe that not even the most perfect and prolific wordsmith in town can put it in words. Anyway, we don’t need words to explain the feeling.
Now there is talk of a political settlement between PNU and ODM. Well, this, to me, is like offering quack cures for old ills. A halfway house of sorts! We need more than our paunchy fellows at Serena are offering. How do they plan to deal with the frayed, threadbare fabric of society? On the ground, co-existence among different ethnic groups is stifled. “Gargantuan” amounts of mistrust rule the air among the different tribes. A very sorry state indeed!
Well, again, the very people who lost in the elections are the very guys who ‘want’ (want really? ) to give a piece of the action, a piece of the power, to the other group. Theatre of the absurd, methinks.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sacrificing National Integrity at the Altar Of Tribal Pettiness
Guest Post by Peter Ngugi.
This is an open letter to Messrs Mwai Kibaki, the President of the Republic of Kenya and Raila Odinga, the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement.
Sirs, I know that you must be too busy to get time to read this letter but I am very sure that one of your many lieutenants will read it in your stead and convey the message to you.
Sirs, I – like millions other Kenyans – am very angry with you for plunging our country into an abyss of tribal turmoil. I hold you solely responsible for all the mayhem engulfing our beloved country. If this country goes to the dogs, your names and those of your progenies will forever be associated with tribal tyranny and downright barbarism.
I am really saddened by your role in the creation of value systems that have blatantly divided us along tribal lines and thus made us slaves and refugees in the land of our birth. It is high time that you understood that the fundamental tenets of true Kenyanness lie not in tribes and empty political talk but in the ability to spiritedly strive to invalidate schemes whose principal aim is to cause ethnic animosity.
Sirs, it is upon you to start the healing process for, we the citizenry, are sick and tired of your political bickering, empty rhetoric and chest thumping. The Nation hurts- nay it is bleeding profusely and is almost in its deathbed. Sirs, is this the Second Liberation we so intently fought for? Did we strive to kick out the draconian leaders of yester years so that you can set the stage for sacrificing the integrity of our country at the altar of pettiness and outright demagoguery? How much more innocent blood do you want spilt so that you can see the graveness of the matter?
Sirs, you must not allow our country to sink lower than it has already sunk. You have held our country to ransom for far too long as the humanitarian situation deteriorates by the minute.
I beseech thee to put the interests of Kenya before your own. You have got to act swiftly to restore our national integrity.
Faithfully,
Mwalimu Peter N Ngugi
This is an open letter to Messrs Mwai Kibaki, the President of the Republic of Kenya and Raila Odinga, the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement.
Sirs, I know that you must be too busy to get time to read this letter but I am very sure that one of your many lieutenants will read it in your stead and convey the message to you.
Sirs, I – like millions other Kenyans – am very angry with you for plunging our country into an abyss of tribal turmoil. I hold you solely responsible for all the mayhem engulfing our beloved country. If this country goes to the dogs, your names and those of your progenies will forever be associated with tribal tyranny and downright barbarism.
I am really saddened by your role in the creation of value systems that have blatantly divided us along tribal lines and thus made us slaves and refugees in the land of our birth. It is high time that you understood that the fundamental tenets of true Kenyanness lie not in tribes and empty political talk but in the ability to spiritedly strive to invalidate schemes whose principal aim is to cause ethnic animosity.
Sirs, it is upon you to start the healing process for, we the citizenry, are sick and tired of your political bickering, empty rhetoric and chest thumping. The Nation hurts- nay it is bleeding profusely and is almost in its deathbed. Sirs, is this the Second Liberation we so intently fought for? Did we strive to kick out the draconian leaders of yester years so that you can set the stage for sacrificing the integrity of our country at the altar of pettiness and outright demagoguery? How much more innocent blood do you want spilt so that you can see the graveness of the matter?
Sirs, you must not allow our country to sink lower than it has already sunk. You have held our country to ransom for far too long as the humanitarian situation deteriorates by the minute.
I beseech thee to put the interests of Kenya before your own. You have got to act swiftly to restore our national integrity.
Faithfully,
Mwalimu Peter N Ngugi
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Sunday Doodles: My Kenya
I am hurting inside. I am in mental and emotional pain. What I feel cannot possibly be put into words even by the most prolific wordsmith in town. The pain, the anguish, the distress, the confusion, the desolation… (A concoction of insalubrious feelings)!
The killings, the murders, the lootings, the torchings, the lashings, the perfidy, the larceny, the … (my mind is going round and round in circles). Someone please do help bring sanity to my being.
I have seen it: my dear Kenyan brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers and children cut down by the machete; shot to death and left to rot in the streets; burnt in their houses and in the churches; thousands of men, women and children bounding, with whatever belonging they could salvage, to God knows where; the hopelessness and despondency pasted on the faces of my country men.
I have heard it: the wails of terror made by the children; the screams of horror made by the women; the sighs and stifled screams made by the men; the shouting, screaming and struggle of the women who are being raped and left for dead.
Someone please do tell me that I am just dreaming. Please tell me that this is just a bad dream and were it not for the long night, then, it would be over.
This is not the Kenya I knew; and, optimistically, is not the Kenya I‘ll wake up in tomorrow.
And before I pen off, please don’t ask my tribe; I am a Kenyan.
The killings, the murders, the lootings, the torchings, the lashings, the perfidy, the larceny, the … (my mind is going round and round in circles). Someone please do help bring sanity to my being.
I have seen it: my dear Kenyan brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers and children cut down by the machete; shot to death and left to rot in the streets; burnt in their houses and in the churches; thousands of men, women and children bounding, with whatever belonging they could salvage, to God knows where; the hopelessness and despondency pasted on the faces of my country men.
I have heard it: the wails of terror made by the children; the screams of horror made by the women; the sighs and stifled screams made by the men; the shouting, screaming and struggle of the women who are being raped and left for dead.
Someone please do tell me that I am just dreaming. Please tell me that this is just a bad dream and were it not for the long night, then, it would be over.
This is not the Kenya I knew; and, optimistically, is not the Kenya I‘ll wake up in tomorrow.
And before I pen off, please don’t ask my tribe; I am a Kenyan.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Mid-night Brawl
An analogy depicting the present situation in Kenya
Prevailing altercation,
A string of expletives,
A dash of angry shouting,
Rent the warm night air.
The faithful night breeze,
Carried the commotion far and wide,
Rats stopped their activities to listen,
Crickets stopped their innocuous sounds.
The man could be heard quite distinctly,
Effing and blinding strenuously,
Barking, screaming and shouting,
As he pulled his wife by her hair.
Finally, the two were outside,
And the whole world with them;
The world watched as they rolled and turned,
Clutched, clawed and hit each other.
The man shouted:
You have betrayed our love,
You did confidently sleep,
With my friend, under my very roof!
The neighbours very well remembered,
The tall, lanky fellow,
Who had discreetly left the man's house,
Early that evening.
The woman heatedly rejoined:
You slept with the chief's wife last week,
You moved around with my best friend,
And I did not raise as much as an eyebrow.
The bandying was sustained for as long as it could hold,
With either party venting their heart's contents on the other,
The man was the first one to have enough of it all,
As he slammed his burning fist against her face.
A sorry state indeed, isn’t it?
Wanna speak to Ritch? Drop him a line at thisEmail Address.
Prevailing altercation,
A string of expletives,
A dash of angry shouting,
Rent the warm night air.
The faithful night breeze,
Carried the commotion far and wide,
Rats stopped their activities to listen,
Crickets stopped their innocuous sounds.
The man could be heard quite distinctly,
Effing and blinding strenuously,
Barking, screaming and shouting,
As he pulled his wife by her hair.
Finally, the two were outside,
And the whole world with them;
The world watched as they rolled and turned,
Clutched, clawed and hit each other.
The man shouted:
You have betrayed our love,
You did confidently sleep,
With my friend, under my very roof!
The neighbours very well remembered,
The tall, lanky fellow,
Who had discreetly left the man's house,
Early that evening.
The woman heatedly rejoined:
You slept with the chief's wife last week,
You moved around with my best friend,
And I did not raise as much as an eyebrow.
The bandying was sustained for as long as it could hold,
With either party venting their heart's contents on the other,
The man was the first one to have enough of it all,
As he slammed his burning fist against her face.
A sorry state indeed, isn’t it?
Wanna speak to Ritch? Drop him a line at thisEmail Address.
Monday, January 14, 2008
If Raila Were the President
A Christian newspaper in Tanzania, Mwamini Mungu, yesterday alleged that Kenya would be ruled by Sharia Law if Raila were the president. In fact, this was the lead story in the newspaper.
It continued to say that the arsonists who torched churches in some parts of the country were in fact venting their hatred and ire for failing to achieve their goal of turning Kenya into a Muslim state. The nitty gritty of how this would have been accomplished was set in a secret meeting that was held on 29th August, 2007 in Mombasa between Raila and a cross section of Muslim leaders.
The fact that only churches, and not Mosques, were targeted is reason enough to believe the crisis in Kenya is not only fuelled by political reasons but also by religious fanaticism.
One of the reasons that was tendered to prove this claim was the secret MOU which was signed between ODM‘s Raila Odinga and the chairman of the board of Islamic leaders in Kenya Sheikh Abdullah Abdi.
This MOU said in part that once Raila took the helm he would acknowledge Islam and accord it special treatment.
Another politician who is believed to be party to the secret MOU, which the paper claims to have a copy of, was Najib Balala (a Muslim and a leader who is very popular at the Coast especially in Mombasa).
Among the ‘demands’ tabled by the Muslims in the event that ODM won the presidency was a change to the laws of the land to set apart Coast and North Eastern Provinces for Muslims. Muslims would have complete control of the regions’ religious matters.
The Council of Muslims would be responsible to go through requests to start religions other than Islam in these regions. They would have the final say whether to accept or reject the requests. This would be for the purposes of rooting out any “imani potofu” and Satan worship.
Within six months of the ODM in power, a new constitution would be drawn. This new constitution would embrace Islamic laws (Sharia Law) to be at work in the regions set apart for Muslims.
The ODM government would sack the Police Commissioner with immediate effect. It would also ‘break’ the special Force that deals with terrorism (ATPU) which is believed to be ferrying some Kenyans( mostly Muslims) who are suspected to be terrorists to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
Raila, it is said, agreed to the creation of Kadhi Courts in each and every District in the republic when he ascended to the highest office in the land. Madrasa classes (classes where Islam is taught to children) would also be incorporated in the school system. Each and every primary school would have Madrasa for the Muslim students. Religious open air meetings (such as crusades) would not be allowed in the Coast and North Eastern Provinces.
The MOU also stipulated that all areas where 40% of the people are Muslims, alcohol would not be allowed to be sold. Also preaching that is accompanied by signs and wonders of miraculous healing would be illegal in such areas.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Kenyans’ Blood is Crying Out
Mungiki-related murders; beheadings,
Violence, chaos, lawlessness,
Rivers of tears wept,
Hundreds of hearts wounded, punctured, frayed.
Parentless children,
Widowers, widows on the increase,
Dreams, aspirations, shattered;
The stark aftermath.
Extra-judicial executions,
The Force hauled over the coals,
Lambasted, cornered, quizzed
Denial came just naturally.
Mt Elgon, Kuresoi,
Pre-election violence, machetes at the ready,
Blood spilled, hundreds dead,
Homes fled, despair looms.
Post-election, Pandora’s Box’s yanked open,
Mayhem, anarchy, chaos, conflict,
Tribalistic chauvinism at its best,
Senseless killings reign supreme.
Innocent children, men and women,
At the mercy of unruly youths,
Nay, the Police with a tall order,
An order to shoot and kill.
Churches, not a safe haven,
Refuge seekers’ lives ‘strangulated’,
Burnt to ashes, they are,
Men, women, children.
Bullet-ridden bodies lie in morgues,
Hungry citizens await respite,
To start living again;
A murderous resolve solidifies.
Charred stumps,
Dot the hollowness in our hearts;
Smoldering embers,
Keep our latent emotions alive.
Sirs, Messrs Kibaki and Raila, save us from a possible full scale tribal conflict. Kenya is much larger than the political differences of its people.
Violence, chaos, lawlessness,
Rivers of tears wept,
Hundreds of hearts wounded, punctured, frayed.
Parentless children,
Widowers, widows on the increase,
Dreams, aspirations, shattered;
The stark aftermath.
Extra-judicial executions,
The Force hauled over the coals,
Lambasted, cornered, quizzed
Denial came just naturally.
Mt Elgon, Kuresoi,
Pre-election violence, machetes at the ready,
Blood spilled, hundreds dead,
Homes fled, despair looms.
Post-election, Pandora’s Box’s yanked open,
Mayhem, anarchy, chaos, conflict,
Tribalistic chauvinism at its best,
Senseless killings reign supreme.
Innocent children, men and women,
At the mercy of unruly youths,
Nay, the Police with a tall order,
An order to shoot and kill.
Churches, not a safe haven,
Refuge seekers’ lives ‘strangulated’,
Burnt to ashes, they are,
Men, women, children.
Bullet-ridden bodies lie in morgues,
Hungry citizens await respite,
To start living again;
A murderous resolve solidifies.
Charred stumps,
Dot the hollowness in our hearts;
Smoldering embers,
Keep our latent emotions alive.
Sirs, Messrs Kibaki and Raila, save us from a possible full scale tribal conflict. Kenya is much larger than the political differences of its people.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Kenya Can’t Be Allowed to go to The Dogs
Yesterday will go down in the country’s history as having been a tumultuous and tension-filled day. It was a day when all the citizens (and even hundreds of thousands of non-citizens who live in the country and abroad) were on edge, jittery and anxious.
This situation was extremely exacerbated by the late announcement of the president of the republic of Kenya in what could be termed as a circus of sorts. Only the National Broadcaster, KBC, was present to broadcast the announcement live to all and sundry as all other media outlets, both local and foreign, had been ‘bundled’ out of KICC. And even more disturbing was the fact that within an hour of the announcement, President Kibaki was sworn-in to serve a second term in office.
The ODM cried foul for, in their book, their presidential candidate Mr. Raila Amollo Odinga had won the elections and therefore was the one supposed to be sworn-in instead of Mr. Kibaki. For this reason they have made it clear, in black and white, that they don’t acknowledge the presidency of Kibaki.
To prove that they mean business, they have made it clear that they will organise their own swearing-in ceremony at Uhuru Park today.
As things stand right now, there has been untold suffering unleashed on the people who live in some parts of Western, Nyanza, Coast and Nairobi. Fears are almost tangible that this planned rally and swearing-in by ODM and Raila will not augur well for the Kenyan populace.
My take is that, if such a thought is allowed to blossom and become a flower then this country could as well be headed to anarchy and lawlessness of untold proportions.
Hon. Raila, there surely are other ways of championing your cause instead of letting it take this route. Sir, the lives of the people you very much want to protect (by becoming the president) are at stake here. Many have already been lost in the carnage that has erupted; please don’t stoke a fire that will be hard to put out. Steer clear of that hearth for the sake of innocent mothers, fathers, and children. Innocent Kenyans should not be caught in the cross fire that is more than likely to materialise.
Our great country should not go down the road that Somalia, Sudan and other such countries have trodden. The citizens of these countries come to our country to seek solace and refuge. We are a beacon of hope in this part of Africa; we are the hope of the people who live within our borders.
Kenya country should not be allowed to go to the dogs.
This situation was extremely exacerbated by the late announcement of the president of the republic of Kenya in what could be termed as a circus of sorts. Only the National Broadcaster, KBC, was present to broadcast the announcement live to all and sundry as all other media outlets, both local and foreign, had been ‘bundled’ out of KICC. And even more disturbing was the fact that within an hour of the announcement, President Kibaki was sworn-in to serve a second term in office.
The ODM cried foul for, in their book, their presidential candidate Mr. Raila Amollo Odinga had won the elections and therefore was the one supposed to be sworn-in instead of Mr. Kibaki. For this reason they have made it clear, in black and white, that they don’t acknowledge the presidency of Kibaki.
To prove that they mean business, they have made it clear that they will organise their own swearing-in ceremony at Uhuru Park today.
As things stand right now, there has been untold suffering unleashed on the people who live in some parts of Western, Nyanza, Coast and Nairobi. Fears are almost tangible that this planned rally and swearing-in by ODM and Raila will not augur well for the Kenyan populace.
My take is that, if such a thought is allowed to blossom and become a flower then this country could as well be headed to anarchy and lawlessness of untold proportions.
Hon. Raila, there surely are other ways of championing your cause instead of letting it take this route. Sir, the lives of the people you very much want to protect (by becoming the president) are at stake here. Many have already been lost in the carnage that has erupted; please don’t stoke a fire that will be hard to put out. Steer clear of that hearth for the sake of innocent mothers, fathers, and children. Innocent Kenyans should not be caught in the cross fire that is more than likely to materialise.
Our great country should not go down the road that Somalia, Sudan and other such countries have trodden. The citizens of these countries come to our country to seek solace and refuge. We are a beacon of hope in this part of Africa; we are the hope of the people who live within our borders.
Kenya country should not be allowed to go to the dogs.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Still Your Hearts
In a few hour's time we are going to the polls, my dear Kenyans. Rudyard Kipling has something to tell us this day:
If you can keep your head when all about you,
Are losing theirs and are blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster,
And treat those two imposters just the same.
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute,
With sixty seconds worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything’s that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a man, my son.
Have peaceful elections tomorrow. And may the best man win.
Monday, December 24, 2007
The Day After: Friday, 28th December, 2007
I have a racking headache this morning. Yesterday was a tough, nay, gruelling day. Yeah, and so much so. It was Election Day; the most competitive, much anticipated issue-based election since independence.
I was among the last people at the polling station having stood in the hot sun for almost half a day. Yeah, and the turn out was something to behold. Scores of people stood in queues, braving the hot sun, to ultimately cast their votes!
I hardly slept a wink last night. My neighbours next door (three bachelors who stay in the same room) just wouldn’t let me. Their high-pitched radios (as they kept count of the number of votes from polling stations the country over, thanks to the leading channel), raucous laughs, guttural voices and frequent screams as beer bottles fell to the floor, were just tormenting.
Everything is quiet this morning save for the throbbing headache between my ears. The throbbing is as if tangible. And for no apparent reason at all, my heart is pounding savagely (as if I am climbing a precipitous mountain).
Now I start recalling. A day before the polls, I wagered my friend Mark ksh 5000/- that my choice for president would win the polls with a landslide victory. I was more than confident that this would be the case. Then, where is this jittery feeling coming from?
If my choice for president does not win the elections, then, I'll have to part with my precious five thao. Not a pretty picture at all.
But, then, who says he will not win.
Just as this thought takes its form in my mind, two pictures (so vivid and life-like) suddenly cascade in my mind’s eye; one from left to right, the other from right to left.
The two pictures are those of Raila and Kibaki. Both of them are smiling. In fact, one of them is grinning like a Cheshire cat. Their lips are moving as if trying to tell me something.
I strain my inner ears but fail to hear anything.
I look at the wall clock. It is 6:30am. I think it is time to put all my fears to rest. I ‘trudge’ to my wall unit and almost simultaneously switch on both my TV and radio.
The news on radio and TV is replete and inundated with election-related news. Reports are coming in from all parts of the country. The number of votes each candidate has received in various parts of the republic is mentioned.
My heart lurches. No, no, what I am hearing can’t be true. Those unflattering number of votes can’t be those of my chosen president. No. Never.
Almost instantly I decide what I‘ll spend the rest of the day doing.
“Counting the votes. Yes, that’s what I am going to do the rest of the day. I can’t leave anything to chance, can I?”
I also decide to call on my neighbours later in the day to compare my notes with that of their vigil last night.
I fetch a pen and some foolscaps and get ready for the task ahead of me. Oh, I had almost forgotten. I usually take a hot cup of coffee at around this time of the day. And today it will do me a whole world of good.
A steaming cup of coffee.
I was among the last people at the polling station having stood in the hot sun for almost half a day. Yeah, and the turn out was something to behold. Scores of people stood in queues, braving the hot sun, to ultimately cast their votes!
I hardly slept a wink last night. My neighbours next door (three bachelors who stay in the same room) just wouldn’t let me. Their high-pitched radios (as they kept count of the number of votes from polling stations the country over, thanks to the leading channel), raucous laughs, guttural voices and frequent screams as beer bottles fell to the floor, were just tormenting.
Everything is quiet this morning save for the throbbing headache between my ears. The throbbing is as if tangible. And for no apparent reason at all, my heart is pounding savagely (as if I am climbing a precipitous mountain).
Now I start recalling. A day before the polls, I wagered my friend Mark ksh 5000/- that my choice for president would win the polls with a landslide victory. I was more than confident that this would be the case. Then, where is this jittery feeling coming from?
If my choice for president does not win the elections, then, I'll have to part with my precious five thao. Not a pretty picture at all.
But, then, who says he will not win.
Just as this thought takes its form in my mind, two pictures (so vivid and life-like) suddenly cascade in my mind’s eye; one from left to right, the other from right to left.
The two pictures are those of Raila and Kibaki. Both of them are smiling. In fact, one of them is grinning like a Cheshire cat. Their lips are moving as if trying to tell me something.
I strain my inner ears but fail to hear anything.
I look at the wall clock. It is 6:30am. I think it is time to put all my fears to rest. I ‘trudge’ to my wall unit and almost simultaneously switch on both my TV and radio.
The news on radio and TV is replete and inundated with election-related news. Reports are coming in from all parts of the country. The number of votes each candidate has received in various parts of the republic is mentioned.
My heart lurches. No, no, what I am hearing can’t be true. Those unflattering number of votes can’t be those of my chosen president. No. Never.
Almost instantly I decide what I‘ll spend the rest of the day doing.
“Counting the votes. Yes, that’s what I am going to do the rest of the day. I can’t leave anything to chance, can I?”
I also decide to call on my neighbours later in the day to compare my notes with that of their vigil last night.
I fetch a pen and some foolscaps and get ready for the task ahead of me. Oh, I had almost forgotten. I usually take a hot cup of coffee at around this time of the day. And today it will do me a whole world of good.
A steaming cup of coffee.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Spare a Thought for the Hurting and Down Trodden
I came across the poem below as I was sifting through my paraphernalia this morning. It got me thinking.
The poem was writtenby the prominent German anti-Nazi activist, Pastor Martin Niem?ller.
First they came...
In Germany they came first for the Communists,
And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
And I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
And by that time no one was left to speak up for me.
Most of our dear brothers and sisters are suffering and have suffered immensely in Kuresoi, Mount Elgon, in the hands of the ruthless mungiki and in election related violence in the recent past.
Speaking up for them is our divine responsibility. Taking the government to task and fervently asking why these heinous acts are being perpetrated under the very 'bulbous' nose of the state is the first step to much-needed healing.
Something has to give; something's gotta be done!
Well, if we don't speak up for the hurting and down-trodden in our country, who will speak up for us when it happens to us and our very own.
Food for thought, this.
Tell Ritch what you think.
The poem was writtenby the prominent German anti-Nazi activist, Pastor Martin Niem?ller.
First they came...
In Germany they came first for the Communists,
And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
And I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
And by that time no one was left to speak up for me.
Most of our dear brothers and sisters are suffering and have suffered immensely in Kuresoi, Mount Elgon, in the hands of the ruthless mungiki and in election related violence in the recent past.
Speaking up for them is our divine responsibility. Taking the government to task and fervently asking why these heinous acts are being perpetrated under the very 'bulbous' nose of the state is the first step to much-needed healing.
Something has to give; something's gotta be done!
Well, if we don't speak up for the hurting and down-trodden in our country, who will speak up for us when it happens to us and our very own.
Food for thought, this.
Tell Ritch what you think.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Can this senseless propaganda (in our civilised Kenya!) please stop
The other day I read a ridiculous vernacular 'propaganda' sms sent to an aquaintance of mine. It was in Kikuyu and it read:
Mwathani arokogitira maonduini mothe ma ngoma ta mirimu, aichi, mungiki, arogi, thuya, nguya, rwagi, ndaa, ngunguni, na muno Raila na kiama kia ODM.
It roughly translates to: May the Lord keep you safe from the wiles of the devil such as diseases, robbers, Mungiki, witches, stubborn insects (mosquitoes and the rest), and most of all from Raila and ODM.
Just sickening!
Mwathani arokogitira maonduini mothe ma ngoma ta mirimu, aichi, mungiki, arogi, thuya, nguya, rwagi, ndaa, ngunguni, na muno Raila na kiama kia ODM.
It roughly translates to: May the Lord keep you safe from the wiles of the devil such as diseases, robbers, Mungiki, witches, stubborn insects (mosquitoes and the rest), and most of all from Raila and ODM.
Just sickening!
Friday, November 09, 2007
Remain Sober, Brethren, the Tumult Notwithstanding
These are ‘hard times’ for Kenyans. Yep! (to use Chris’ pet word) and rightly so. What with all the walls around us reverberating with the echoes of the ‘political’ voices of presidential and parliamentary hopefuls!
Cheap political and campaign gimmicks have been brought to play in the hope of swindling us to succumbing to the pressure of the moment. Our votes are a gold mine for these seekers of the country’s high offices! (Our interests do not feature in the vocabulary of most of these guys).
Brethren, in the face of all this pressure, let us keep our heads clear and think straight. The fate of our country is at stake. Not just for us but for our children and generations to come. As we vote next month let our heads, and not our hearts, do the deciding. Our hearts are wont to wax sentimental and emotional. The fate of our country rests in the hands of the decisive members of this wonderful country.
This reminds me of some quotations I read sometime ago about Government:
• That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.
• Government is a trust, and the officers of the government are trustees; and both the trust and the trustees are created for the benefit of the people.
• The government is the only known vessel that leaks from the top.
• Man well governed should seek after no other liberty, for there can be no greater liberty than a good government.
• The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.
• For in reason, all government without the consent of the governed is the very definition of slavery.
Whether it is Kibaki, Raila, Kalonzo or Muiru at the helm of this country come early next year, I believe Kenyans will be proud of their democratic choice.
VOTE WITH YOUR HEADS NOT YOUR HEARTS!!!!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Exeunt Kibaki, Enter Raila (but…)
(Exeunt...!)
(Enter...!)
I received this short message on my phone today:
“For Jaramogi hated Kenyans, that he gave his son Raila Amollo Odinga that whosoever believes in him shall live in eternal slavery, hunger, diseases and die in pain.”
Whoever is circulating this sms must be a sick fellow. That’s all I can say.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Kenyans now start ‘spewing’ excuses?
On Tuesday, September 11th, 2007, Habari Leo newspaper (a Tanzanian daily) carried a story titled “Wakenya waanza visingizio” (Kenyans now start spewing excuses) on its front page.
The article started by saying that Kenyans were complaining that they were finding it increasingly hard to cross the border into Tanzania as they were being mistreated by immigration officers at the borders.
For instance, at the Isebania border post, there is a heavy presence of immigration officers hell bent on checking the ‘insalubrious’ influx of Kenyans into Tanzania. Kenyans found without the requisite travel documents have had to go through harrowing experiences.
This has left a bad taste in the mouths of Kenyans as they rightly ask why they are being mistreated while the Tanzanians crossing the border do so without a fuss being raised.
In the past, Kenyan businessmen were crossing the border on their way to Tarime (which is 25 kilometres from the Isebania border post) without any problem whatsoever. But now, according to these businessmen, things have changed.
There are many Kenyans working in Tanzania, the newspaper continues, and hundreds of Tanzanians working in Kenya as small scale business people, bartenders and sellers of second hand clothes (Mitumba in East Africa speak). This is slowly becoming a thing of the past as mistrust stealthily creeps between peoples of the two countries.
This mistrust has further been amplified by the recent armed robberies on Tanzanian soil thanks to robbers of Kenyan descent. This state of affairs has received the full vent of Tanzanian President Mr. Kikwete and the Minister for Internal Security Mr. Bakari Mwapachu.
The good intention of the East Africa Community, where it behooves us to live as brothers and sisters, is being sacrificed at the altar of bureaucracy and misconstruction. In fact, things are being taken for what they are not – literally speaking.
That’s my take. What’s yours?
The article started by saying that Kenyans were complaining that they were finding it increasingly hard to cross the border into Tanzania as they were being mistreated by immigration officers at the borders.
For instance, at the Isebania border post, there is a heavy presence of immigration officers hell bent on checking the ‘insalubrious’ influx of Kenyans into Tanzania. Kenyans found without the requisite travel documents have had to go through harrowing experiences.
This has left a bad taste in the mouths of Kenyans as they rightly ask why they are being mistreated while the Tanzanians crossing the border do so without a fuss being raised.
In the past, Kenyan businessmen were crossing the border on their way to Tarime (which is 25 kilometres from the Isebania border post) without any problem whatsoever. But now, according to these businessmen, things have changed.
There are many Kenyans working in Tanzania, the newspaper continues, and hundreds of Tanzanians working in Kenya as small scale business people, bartenders and sellers of second hand clothes (Mitumba in East Africa speak). This is slowly becoming a thing of the past as mistrust stealthily creeps between peoples of the two countries.
This mistrust has further been amplified by the recent armed robberies on Tanzanian soil thanks to robbers of Kenyan descent. This state of affairs has received the full vent of Tanzanian President Mr. Kikwete and the Minister for Internal Security Mr. Bakari Mwapachu.
The good intention of the East Africa Community, where it behooves us to live as brothers and sisters, is being sacrificed at the altar of bureaucracy and misconstruction. In fact, things are being taken for what they are not – literally speaking.
That’s my take. What’s yours?
The killing of 14 Kenyans: Something just does not jell
It has been reported in some sections of the media in Tanzania that:
• Plans to execute them had long been planned
• Tanzanian police pretended to be robbers
The newspaper Sauti ya Watu Tanzania Daima (a Tanzanian daily) on Monday September 17th, 2007 carried a very controversial version of the story about the killing of 14 suspected robbers of Kenyan origin in Moshi a few days earlier.
According to the newspaper, the killing of the Kenyans was something that had been planned and staged. It is said that some Tanzanian police travelled to Kenya and posed as accomplices in criminal activities and succeeded in luring these people to Tanzanian soil
According to a source who divulged information about the whole plan, the ground where the police executed their heinous act was a clear ground with no obstructions. So the question is: If there was a shootout between the police and the robbers, why were there no police casualties?
It is alleged that these ‘robbers’ were taken to their supposed hideout in police cars that did not have number plates of the police force. Here the police sprayed their car and that of the ‘robbers’ with bullets in a bid to ‘hide’ the truth of what actually happened.
Just to show that the whole event was like a drama of sorts, a police car (registration number T 168 AEA Hiace GLX) was sprayed with bullets on the top of the body. Its windscreen was, incidentally, not broken. This is something that is very unlikely in the event of a shootout.
Questions arise here:
• If there really was a shoot out, why was there no glass that was broken in the vehicle of the police?
• In the alleged shoot out, why were there no casualties on the side of the police?
• If it really was a planned event, what was its aim?
• Was the aim of the ‘event’ intertwined with the supposed Tanzanian police’ heartfelt desire to show their president that they are working?
• Under whose direction was it?
• Is theTanzania Daima account a true representation of what happened on the ground? If it is true, what are its dynamics?
Can the Tanzanian police force come clean of these serious allegations? Kenya does not need nor does it deserve the heartrending bashing that it has been receiving from some quarters of Tanzania of late…
• Plans to execute them had long been planned
• Tanzanian police pretended to be robbers
The newspaper Sauti ya Watu Tanzania Daima (a Tanzanian daily) on Monday September 17th, 2007 carried a very controversial version of the story about the killing of 14 suspected robbers of Kenyan origin in Moshi a few days earlier.
According to the newspaper, the killing of the Kenyans was something that had been planned and staged. It is said that some Tanzanian police travelled to Kenya and posed as accomplices in criminal activities and succeeded in luring these people to Tanzanian soil
According to a source who divulged information about the whole plan, the ground where the police executed their heinous act was a clear ground with no obstructions. So the question is: If there was a shootout between the police and the robbers, why were there no police casualties?
It is alleged that these ‘robbers’ were taken to their supposed hideout in police cars that did not have number plates of the police force. Here the police sprayed their car and that of the ‘robbers’ with bullets in a bid to ‘hide’ the truth of what actually happened.
Just to show that the whole event was like a drama of sorts, a police car (registration number T 168 AEA Hiace GLX) was sprayed with bullets on the top of the body. Its windscreen was, incidentally, not broken. This is something that is very unlikely in the event of a shootout.
Questions arise here:
• If there really was a shoot out, why was there no glass that was broken in the vehicle of the police?
• In the alleged shoot out, why were there no casualties on the side of the police?
• If it really was a planned event, what was its aim?
• Was the aim of the ‘event’ intertwined with the supposed Tanzanian police’ heartfelt desire to show their president that they are working?
• Under whose direction was it?
• Is theTanzania Daima account a true representation of what happened on the ground? If it is true, what are its dynamics?
Can the Tanzanian police force come clean of these serious allegations? Kenya does not need nor does it deserve the heartrending bashing that it has been receiving from some quarters of Tanzania of late…
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Kenya: Fly in the East Africa Community Ointment?
Some days ago I was glorying in the wonderful performance of Kenyan athletes in Osaka, Japan. The medals they clinched put a spring in my step and I felt like shouting to all and sundry that I was Kenyan head to toe, ear to ear.
I felt like standing alongside key world statesmen on the ‘choicest’ podiums and make a speech in praise of Kenya; the enigma, the mystery behind our unwavering, unflagging and undaunted zeal, vim and vivacity.
In the East Africa region we’ve all along been the country offered as an example in a number of respects: economically (as a fast growing economy); people who are self-driven and ready to take up new challenges gracefully.
But all that is a thing of the past, well, almost. Some sections of the Kenyan populace have been trying to do all they can and could do to sully what has taken sweat and blood to build; what has taken years to nurture: the vintage Kenyan reputation.
I was in Dar es Salaam on Thursday 6th September, 2007, when I received the rather shocking news that 11 Kenyans had been shot dead in Moshi (a town in northern Tanzania) as they were planning to raid Exim Bank in the town.
The suspects were killed on Wednesday evening after a fierce exchange of fire between them and the Tanzania police. Among the arms found on their persons were an AK-47 rifle, bombs, bullet proof vests and 200 plus bullets
Among the killed suspects was a woman, a Hannah Nyakanyi Kingara, who hailed from Kiambu. The Daily Nation has reported today, Saturday 8th September 2007, that she was a Nairobi-based businesswoman while two others were on a police wanted list.
A month ago there was another exchange of fire between Kenyan robbers with the Tanzania police in Arusha (a town that neighbours Moshi in northern Tanzania) and two of the robbers were killed in the fierce gun-battles that lasted virtually six hours. They had been involved in a bank heist where they stole more than Tsh 200 million (approx. Ksh 10,526,315).
As I was in Tanzania when the recent event was reported in the media, I got to read the atmosphere and know one thing for sure: the good name of Kenya in the region was irreparably going up in smoke!
“Ni hawa wakenya tena, hivi mbona wanapenda kutuonea hivi,” was the lament of one Tanzanian.
Another one said, quite forcefully, “Ndiyo maana nawachukia hawa watu. Shirikisho la Afrika Mashariki hatulitaki kama haya ndiyo mambo tutakayokuwa tunakumbana nayo siku nenda rudi. Kila mtu akae kwao.” (It roughly translates to: “That’s why I hate these Kenyans. Tanzanians don’t need the East Africa Federation if these are some of the things we’ll have to put up with day in day out when the federation comes into existence.”
Does this state of affairs go to show the level of unrest, ‘anarchy’ and desperation that is hidden in many of our people’s minds? Or is it the spill over from the ‘anarchy’ and criminal acts that have ravaged Kenya for most of the last two years, especially?
If these criminal acts are not contained, then, the present level of mistrust prevalent between Kenya and Tanzania will double, triple, quadruple …ad infinitum.
I felt like standing alongside key world statesmen on the ‘choicest’ podiums and make a speech in praise of Kenya; the enigma, the mystery behind our unwavering, unflagging and undaunted zeal, vim and vivacity.
In the East Africa region we’ve all along been the country offered as an example in a number of respects: economically (as a fast growing economy); people who are self-driven and ready to take up new challenges gracefully.
But all that is a thing of the past, well, almost. Some sections of the Kenyan populace have been trying to do all they can and could do to sully what has taken sweat and blood to build; what has taken years to nurture: the vintage Kenyan reputation.
I was in Dar es Salaam on Thursday 6th September, 2007, when I received the rather shocking news that 11 Kenyans had been shot dead in Moshi (a town in northern Tanzania) as they were planning to raid Exim Bank in the town.
The suspects were killed on Wednesday evening after a fierce exchange of fire between them and the Tanzania police. Among the arms found on their persons were an AK-47 rifle, bombs, bullet proof vests and 200 plus bullets
Among the killed suspects was a woman, a Hannah Nyakanyi Kingara, who hailed from Kiambu. The Daily Nation has reported today, Saturday 8th September 2007, that she was a Nairobi-based businesswoman while two others were on a police wanted list.
A month ago there was another exchange of fire between Kenyan robbers with the Tanzania police in Arusha (a town that neighbours Moshi in northern Tanzania) and two of the robbers were killed in the fierce gun-battles that lasted virtually six hours. They had been involved in a bank heist where they stole more than Tsh 200 million (approx. Ksh 10,526,315).
As I was in Tanzania when the recent event was reported in the media, I got to read the atmosphere and know one thing for sure: the good name of Kenya in the region was irreparably going up in smoke!
“Ni hawa wakenya tena, hivi mbona wanapenda kutuonea hivi,” was the lament of one Tanzanian.
Another one said, quite forcefully, “Ndiyo maana nawachukia hawa watu. Shirikisho la Afrika Mashariki hatulitaki kama haya ndiyo mambo tutakayokuwa tunakumbana nayo siku nenda rudi. Kila mtu akae kwao.” (It roughly translates to: “That’s why I hate these Kenyans. Tanzanians don’t need the East Africa Federation if these are some of the things we’ll have to put up with day in day out when the federation comes into existence.”
Does this state of affairs go to show the level of unrest, ‘anarchy’ and desperation that is hidden in many of our people’s minds? Or is it the spill over from the ‘anarchy’ and criminal acts that have ravaged Kenya for most of the last two years, especially?
If these criminal acts are not contained, then, the present level of mistrust prevalent between Kenya and Tanzania will double, triple, quadruple …ad infinitum.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Kenya and East Africa Federation: Hazy Picture?
The presidents of the five countries that comprise the East African Community, have finished the much-awaited summit today, 20th of August 2007.
Among the issues they discussed during the one-day summit included the proposed fast tracking of the East African Federation and the creation of a Common Market.
Fast tracking the EAC federation, they said, was not in the best interest of the EAC citizenry, whose opinions were sought earlier this year about the proposed fast tracking.
In fact the fear rested, according to most of the respondents, in the ‘fact’ that the political ‘atmosphere’ in most of the countries in the community is seemingly ‘unstable’. Thus, going into a federation with such countries that have not set their houses in order would be tantamount to opening a can of worms that would, eventually, wend their way into the fabric of the other countries in the community.
Creation of a common market, the presidents said, would come in the year 2012.
The very idea of the creation of a common market has not gone down well with most people in East Africa. Most Tanzanians, for instance, fear the idea of a common market with ‘Kenya’ at the centre of the picture. They fear that the creation of such a market, which would mean the opening of the borders of the member countries to allow people to work, live and trade anywhere in East Africa, would mean Kenyans flocking into Tanzania. This would, basically, mean Kenyans taking up most of the virgin land, vast land that lies unused, in Tanzania. They also fear that Kenyans would take up their jobs for, as they say, Kenyans are ‘aggressive’ and are a people who rest at nothing till they get what they want. It is also a widely believed ‘notion’ in Tanzania that Kenyans are better educated than them. This, to me, is neither here nor there.
But, all said and done, we should ask ourselves some germane questions:
• Are we wasting our time here?
• Are we wool gathering "the East Africa Federation and common market" into focus or being "insensitively" realistic?
For, it seems, there are some quarters that are deliberately trying to stagnate matters here.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Mon Fils, Prend-Le Doucement: (Le SIDA Est Un Rodeur Rapace)
This is French for : My Son, Take it Slow: Aids is a Rapacious Prowler. I wrote the English version of the poem that you are going to read here shortly in November last year right here in this blog.
A certain lady in Ivory Coast, Betty Mande, after reading it, and having been touched to the core by the advice that the old lady in the poem gives to her grandson, decided to contact me. She asked for permission to translate it to French so that French speaking peoples in Africa (and the world over) could be reached by the “urgent” message (as she put it). I readily agreed.
Read the English Version Here.
Mon Fils, Prend-Le Doucement: (Le SIDA Est Un Rodeur Rapace)
Mon fils, je suis maintenant une vieille femme,
Je sens mes ancêtres me faire signe,
Mon coeur est penché et peureux !
Mon corps : vieux et fragile.
Dans les années, j’ai été au tour,
J’ai beaucoup appris concernant le monde,
Je sens le temps est prêt,
Pour partager avec vous mon arsenal.
Dans les mois recents, j’ étais entrain de vous regarder,
Vous regardant ardemment, regardant avec des yeux de tristesse,
Mes yeux n’avaient pas sommeillé dans ma veille,
Ma garde n’avait pas fondu en sentinelle.
Mon fils, j’ai peur de ce que je vois,
J’ai peur de ce que je rêve,
J’ai peur de ce que je vois dans tes yeux,
J’ai peur de ton ardeur et de ton courage.
Mon fils, j’ai peur,
Le plus je pense à ce que tu fais,
Le plus, je suis vieux que mon âge,
Le plus, le peuple commente sur ma vieillesse.
Ceux-ci sont les jours noirs, mon fils,
Jours où ton grand-pére et moi n’avaient jamais rêvé,
Jours comblés par l’obscurité,
Jours dont constament j’essaie de souhaiter loin.
Mon fils, ne t’ ennuie pas, tiens bon,
Je ne suis pas arrogant, sois-en sûr,
Ecoute-moi cette fois,
Ecoute l’ hésitation dans ma voix.
Ceci est le troisième mois depuis que j’ ai commencé ma vigile,
Mon fils, je vois les differentes dames à tes côtés chapue jour passant,
Les dames fabuleusement batues,
Dames au monde renversé te tiennent compagnie.
On t’appelle, ‘Monsieur Boss, l’ homme en mouvement’,
Merci aux énumerables partenaires sexuels que tu detiens,
Ceci est foux, mon fils,
Ça s’appelle sale injustice et malgloire.
Mon fils, veuxe-tu me voir aller à la tombe précossement ?
Veux-tu me laisser parler moi-même jusqu’ à la voix rauque ?
Veux-tu me laisser mouiller mon oreiller de larmes pendant des heures ?
Veux-tu que je te voies tomber comme de pierres à la carrière ?
Quand le SID A te souris, mon fils,
Il n’ y aura pas un retour en arrière,
Ça te mangera et te rongera jusqu’ à la moelle,
Ça te tournera de l’ exterieur – s’il te plait, épargne-moi de douleurs !
Je ne veux pas imaginer (mais c’est une part de maux nocturnes que je ne peux éviter),
Le plus élancé, beau garçon que je connais,
Reduisant à une regretable sculpture,
Une sculpture aux plaies, furoncles et cheveux tombant...
Mon fils, le SIDA est réel,
Ça rode le voisinage avec vengeance,
De grâce, assieds-toi et repense à ta conduite,
Une HIV libre génération commence par toi, mon fils.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Stifling Media Bill: Save Our Souls
The passing of the controversial Media Bill that has journalists and thousands of other Kenyans up in arms, has a sad ring to it. It is laced with the most potent concoction Kenya has seen in years: It is destined to kill true democracy.
A clause in the Media Bill forces journalists to divulge their source of information in the event that their stories ‘stir a court case’.
The Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues.
Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty.
Part of the SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists) code of ethics (that is voluntarily embraced by thousands of writers, editors and other news professionals) states that:
Journalists should:
• Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.
• Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrong doing.
• Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources’ reliability.
• Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.
• Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid.
• Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story.
• Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.
And as a bottom line: A journalist should be vigilant and courageous about holding those in power accountable.
The purpose of journalism is to provide people with the information they need to be free and self-governing. To fulfill this task, journalism’s first obligation is to the truth and its first loyalty is to the citizens. Period. This means that nothing should be allowed to come in-between.
The Bill states that journalists will be required to name the sources to their stories should the stories they write warrant a court case. This, to me, is tantamount to paralyzing and curtailing media activity. Why do I say this? Sources of information are the lifeblood of journalists whether working in print or broadcast industries.
Who would want to volunteer ‘sensitive information’ to the media knowing too well that they could be exposed to the public should someone find the story unflattering and drag the media outlet to court?
Does this mean, then, that the office of the ‘good old’ whistle-blower is in its death throes?
A clause in the Media Bill forces journalists to divulge their source of information in the event that their stories ‘stir a court case’.
The Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues.
Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty.
Part of the SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists) code of ethics (that is voluntarily embraced by thousands of writers, editors and other news professionals) states that:
Journalists should:
• Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.
• Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrong doing.
• Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources’ reliability.
• Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.
• Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid.
• Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story.
• Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.
And as a bottom line: A journalist should be vigilant and courageous about holding those in power accountable.
The purpose of journalism is to provide people with the information they need to be free and self-governing. To fulfill this task, journalism’s first obligation is to the truth and its first loyalty is to the citizens. Period. This means that nothing should be allowed to come in-between.
The Bill states that journalists will be required to name the sources to their stories should the stories they write warrant a court case. This, to me, is tantamount to paralyzing and curtailing media activity. Why do I say this? Sources of information are the lifeblood of journalists whether working in print or broadcast industries.
Who would want to volunteer ‘sensitive information’ to the media knowing too well that they could be exposed to the public should someone find the story unflattering and drag the media outlet to court?
Does this mean, then, that the office of the ‘good old’ whistle-blower is in its death throes?
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