Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Lets be Vigilant: know Your Constitution

The constitution will be my constant north those were the words of the new chief justice Willy Mutunga in one of the grilling sessions preceding his appointment. Four days after assuming office the respected human rights champion hosted two of reckoned artists gado the cartoonist and kelvin the sculptor, mission- to present a Wanjiku look like one meter in height fibre glass and bronze sculpture. As one commentary put it unlike the copy of the constitution that President Kibaki signed together with one of the pens he used are in key and lock in the office as wanjiku's eyes with her imposing figure is overlook the office space in freedom. It should be a celebratory moment for Kenyans as Wanjiku takes her rightful place in the senior most judicial office in the land as she represents a face identifiable with most Kenyans. Wanjiku mostly seen donning a basket this time appeared in the office of the president of supreme court with her usual patched up skirt this time her basket containing a copy  of the promulgated constitution.

As we usher in this new judicial dispensation, our optimism as well as our excitement are at unprecedented high. Our celebrations should not be without purpose but should coupled with caution against complacency. Although the CJ indicated Wanjiku's presence in his office will be a constant reminder of what justice should be about, we must never relent in holding our institutions accountable including the judiciary lest history will repeat itself.

Again as i always there is soo much to talk about other that sex and sexuality

Wandai

Author: the sexist society we have become

Insights from kayole: Stories of shock, faith and hope: 3

This is the final series of 'insights from kayole' it will be more reflective compared to the narrative nature of the first two. When i think of where we have come to find our selves as country in general and communities in specific i cant stop but ask myself when did the rain start beating us. When did we become so cruel that we cannot take care of our children. When did we become so inhumane that we can abandon our children on the road side without emotions. When did our values change that we became so selfish and greedy that we cannot take care for our destitute with dignity.

The situation is alarming that for a city council that is collecting billions of shilling in land rates, licence fee and parking fee among others as sources of income cannot support its own institutions like Kayole children's home. People like Davie who given their lives into the service of children are pushed to the wall and are forced to choose between the homes provisions such as food and other necessities over their salaries.

Recently  we adopted the new constitution, which is a major step towards achieving more positives as a country. But the citizenry must be vigilant otherwise this constitution will turn into a white elephant . The gains we have made can dissipate and the gains we expect especially in accountability and participatory planning may soon be out of sight. I therefore urge each of us to take responsibility, build the Kenya you want to see and live in. You may ask the damage is already done but i will tell you a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Its funny how we want others to change but not us,  Do your part and  i do mine and be the change you want to see. We feel insecure in town because of the street families yet we as people of Kenya we are championing irresponsible sexual behavior, our families are no longer a moral inspiration, the media displays sex as cool and the society has disowned its young ones. I believe each one of us is unique in his/her own way, lets our diversity be our strength and stand on the shoulders of our  forefathers who selflessly defended this beautiful land of Kenya we now takee for granted.

As a country let us be honest with ourselves, lets restore our values, and contribute to sustainable future for us and posterity.

Wandai
the author: the sexist society we have become.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Insights from kayole: Stories of shock, faith and hope: 2

Davie didn't stop with the sodomy story and he gave another shocker, the story of how street women are bundled in trucks from town into the rehab center because they cannot be taken to court since there is no law in place to cater for this issue. Davie has a nyahunyo (whip) in his office used to discipline these women when they become unruly and abusive which some is very extreme and offensive. These women are 'married' or cohabiting with street men(read men who grew in the streets as children). Once their women are taken away by city council askaris to Davie's rehab the men are informed and they take up arms including real and fake rivals commonly known as 'bonokos' to rescues their women. they very vulgar and sometimes they use unorthodox methods like stripping off their clothes to free themselves from Davie's compound. But Davie has come to adopt to this life and to supplement the nyahunyo Davie is well built and once in a while in the line duty is forced to punch some sense into these men and women. in one such a case the men came to rescue these women and Davie was kidnapped and almost killed him but he was able to convince the driver of one the vehicles they were  using that they were being tracked and will just be a matter of minutes before  they were rounded up.

Anyway Davie was finally rescued and he is safe and sound and if there is someone who deserves jeff's capital talk  bench is Davie.

But the issue leading to his capture still remains and as  such we need to speak them out we need to pressure the city council of Nairobi to act and clean up the streets using the money we pay as license fee for safe business environment though its unsafe as ever, we must pressure the council put more rehabs for elderly members of the street families, with the parking fee which can not even guarantee the security of your vehicle. And finally clean up the garbage that is both an eyesore cum employment creator for these families.

The street families do the council work of separating the recyclables and nons yet they cant assimilate them in formal employment and give them a decent livelihood. All their lives they have known taka as a resource its what feeds them. The council should support their efforts by setting up recycling plants that will buy the recycling material at fair price and employ some of them in these plants.

The children should be rescued early enough from the streets to save them from a definite trauma and harsh living conditions the government should put in place policy on the homeless.

The reason whys i called these series of faith and hope, the faces of the children who have willingly decided to change gives this story an otherwise dull a positive at twist. Children always have a face that makes everything look easy and simple. Their faces don't complain they just grow and they are open to opportunities, advice, wise counsel they need your help to see their dreams come true. So if you find deep down in yourself you have the heart to help, you don't  have necessarily to come to kayole there are other needy children in children homes scattered across town pass by, it may be a word of counsel,encouragement, or material,'or even help in home work. You will have left a mark in that child's life and in due time you will be rewarded by the one who sees even in secret. 

Tomorrow will look at why previous noble intervention did work as remedy to get rid of the street families off the streets  

Monday, June 20, 2011

Insights from kayole: Stories of shock, faith and hope




















Sometimes i feel philanthropic enough with my time and as such this weekend i decided to visit a children's home in one of Nairobi's mushrooming satellite towns i.e kayola. Kayole a neighborhood known more for its negatives than positives lie on the far east side of the city in the sun.Into kayole and along the way the most conspicuous things other than dumped plastics bags is  pentecostal churches dotting the route to Kayole 1 estate e.g holy Ground church, Shedah Gospel church etc., as sign of religion being the opium of the poor. After 30 minutes ride from city center we at kayole rehabilitation center. A home for street girls. the home hold about 200 young girls. We are met by some of the girls at the bus stop who are eager to assist in carrying some the foodstuffs that we have brought. I became an instant friend with carol, a tall young and shy looking, beautiful girl.

Carol has quick strides and am the first one in the compound, carol takes me straight to the in charge of the center his name is David commonly referred by peers, colleagues and even the girls as 'Davie' . He is very welcoming and after we gather around in a space of what can be termed as assembly ground Davie introduces us to the children and gives us a quick tour round the rehab compound. But as they say the devil is in the details inside, the issues that boil down in this home are not evident until the eloquent Davie tell us about his time in this home. the home is run by the city council of Nairobi known for ineffectiveness and the warring councillors am surprised there is something that can come out of it. The home receives support the Kenya corporates and well wishers like me. But in contrast to the well groomed classrooms, the doms and environment in general, the inside story from Davie narrations that open to the ugly side of this rehab story. Sodomy its so rampant among the former street boys and cannot do with out it. The dormitory once with double decker beds are are now halved to discourage the vice. The situation was so bad that the boys at one time would give up their meal of githeri in exchange for the act. In a series of a few posts i will delve more in this. as i always say there is more to do and discuss about our society than sex this, society is sick , its ill and its crying for diagnosis and treatment.


Wandai.
The sexist society we have become 

Wandai: Sexist Society we have become

Wandai: Sexist Society we have become

Friday, June 17, 2011

Sexist Society we have become

Statistic show that people in social network are likely to comment on an issue with sexual connotations as opposed to issues concerning the hungry or hunger itself, collapsed buildings or the people trapped in them, cost of living or actual living and others matters of more importance than sex.
 Am actually concerned because the worst affected and have no chances of changing this kind of behavior is the young adults of ages between  25 and above-into the late 30s. We got our values all wrong. i dont know where we have picked the behaviors from that s a topic for anothe day.  I wonna be the voice of reason in jungle and the rough terrain of this sexist society. i didn't say it will be easy but life especially when your past has been dotted with the same.

the kind of responses one receives when they post a sexual related post on their wall or pages are fast, varied and 
Young people on facebook will not discuss community service or the community itself, the will not discuss the stock market or markets themselves, they will not discuss marriage or what ails this institution . but they will fill your wall with the new joint for strippers, the new terms in the sex world, the will discuss sex and sex styles in detail, they will discuss sexy dresses and the wearers.
But this is the real world and this is the reality check, if you are in this business and you call yourself a christian stop adulterating this term. Sex is good and great  only in an environment of trust, respect, consent and of course religious obligations. Soliciting sex from a minor either through coercive behavior, intimidation,enticement under the disguise of free will is evil and crude .

Wandai Gitonga