Rift Valley Fever (RVF) reaches Nairobi

With 148 deaths so far, RVF is no longer a distant irritation to be ignored, but a threat that needs to be tackled with all the might that the government can muster. I am not sure at what stage this pandemic gets classified as a National Disaster(or whatever other lower or higher ratings there are for catastrophes), but once it hits Nairobi, you can be sure that GoK will come out with the guns blazing. It bothers me that, so long as such an outbreak is confined to marginal Kenya (North Eastern, parts of Eastern, parts of Coast and Rift Valley), the perception is one of events taking place in a foreign land and therefore distant and removed from the real "Kenya"! The media seems only interested in the effects the disease will have on the ubiquitous nyama choma business. I havent heard, seen or read much on prevention or diagnosis. I was therefore pleasantly suprised when I received the e-mail below with information on the disease. Have you ever heard of Disease Outbreak Management Unit (DOMU) ? Neither have I, but it sure is gratifying to know that someone at Afya House is paid to protect my family and I from disease outbreaks. "RIFT VALLEY FEVER (RVF) WHAT IS RIFT VALLEY FEVER? Rift Valley Fever is a disease which primarily affects animals, but occasionally causes disease in humans. It may cause disease in both animals and humans leading to a lot of deaths. WHAT CAUSES RIFT VALLEY FEVER? This is caused by a virus which was first isolated in 1930 in the Rift Valley of Kenya. HAS THERE BEEN AN OUTBREAK OF RVF BEFORE IN KENYA? During the El Nino of 1997/1998, there was a major outbreak in Kenya. A similar outbreak was reported in 1951. WHICH OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM? Similar outbreaks have been reported in other countries e.g. Egypt & Senegal – 1993, Somalia – 1997/8, Saudi Arabia and Yemen – 2000. HOW IS IT TRANSMITTED AMONG ANIMALS? · RVF virus is primarily spread amongst animals by the bite of infected mosquitoes. · Many types of animals may be infected with RVF, including cattle, sheep, camels and goats. HOW IS IT TRANSMITTED FROM ANIMALS TO HUMANS? 1. Direct contact with infected animals or infected products e.g. blood, milk, meat etc. 2. Through the bites of mosquitoes which may have fed on infected animals. (Many different species of mosquitoes e.g. Aedes, Culex, even Anopheles are vectors for the RVF virus). IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF EPIDEMICS OF THE DISEASE? Yes, as is happening now in North Eastern Province, and can happen in other areas following the introduction of the virus where these vectors are present. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AFFECTED IN THIS CURRENT OUTBREAK SO FAR? By 5th January 2007, the reported cases are 188 with 68 deaths, in the districts of Garissa, Tana River, Wajir, Kilifi and Ijara. DO PEOPLE GET SICK IMMEDIATELY THEY ARE BITTEN BY THE MOSQUITOES? No, it may take 2-6 days before they start showing signs/symptoms of the disease. WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE? This may include: - o sudden onset high body temperature (fever) o headache o muscle pain o backache o vomiting · In severe cases, one may get; o eye disease o meningitis (meningo-encephalitis) inflammation of the brain and surrounding tissue o bleeding tendencies (such as vomiting blood, passing blood in the faeces, bleeding in the skin and bleeding from the gums). HOW DO WE DIAGNOSE THE DISEASE? · Clinical presentation · Blood tests are used for confirmation. HOW DO WE TREAT THE PATIENTS? · The mainstay of treatment is general supportive therapy. HOW DO WE PREVENT AND CONTROL THIS DISEASE? · Avoiding contact with blood, body fluid or tissue of infected animals. · Use of insecticide treated nets and mosquito repellant to reduce contact with mosquitoes. · Indoor spraying with insecticides. · RVF can be prevented by a sustained program of animal vaccination. WHAT HAS THE GOVERNMENT DONE SO FAR TO TACKLE THIS DISEASE? Distribution of over 100,000 insecticide treated nets is ongoing in North Eastern Province. Wide-scale insecticide spraying in affected area to reduce the increasing mosquito population following the recent floods. Supportive drugs and other medical supplies have been distributed to the affected district for management of suspected cases. Health educations on early recognition of the disease as well as its prevention and control measures have been stepped up. Additional health and veterinary officers have been mobilized and are on the ground helping in the control efforts. The vaccines for animal vaccination are available in the country, and an animal vaccination programme will be on as from 8th January 2007. Quarantine for animal movement has been imposed in North Eastern Province. Home slaughtering of animals for the coming Muslim festival has been banned, and they can only slaughter at abattoirs where they can be inspected under strict hygienic conditions. CASE DEFINITIONS FOR SUSPECTED RIFT VALLEY FEVER – DRAFT 2 Suspected Case · Any person presenting with fever of acute onset (>37.50C) with any of the following symptoms:- Headache, muscle and joint pains · In a patient where other causes of acute febrile illness such as malaria have not been identified as a cause since 1st December 2006. Probable Case · Any person presenting with fever of acute onset (>37.50C) with unexplained bleeding tendencies (bloody stool, vomiting blood, coughing blood, bleeding from gums, nose, vagina, skin or eyes) or deterioration of vision or decreased consciousness. Confirmed Case · A suspected or probable case with Laboratory confirmation of Rift Valley Fever by ELISA (anti-RVFV IgM) or PCR. For more information contact: Disease Outbreak Management Unit (DOMU) Ministry of Health Headquarters Telephone : 254 020 2718292 Fax: 254 020 2720533 Information Source: (DOMU, MoH) MESSAGE IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC HEALTH"

These Kenyans! Part III

We have just been awakened to an epidemic disaster spreading in the North Eastern Province.The US government, having patiently observed for a month at the lax response exhibited by the government’ to the Rift Valley Fever (RVF), has decided to step in to avert further spread. At least 85 people in the province are now known to have died from Rift Valley Fever, while health experts from the Atlanta based Center for Disease Control (CDC) are warning that the viral disease is spreading south into Coast Province.- Job Obonyo in a Commentry. (Kenya Times 17th January 2007) Chiru Ngige has an answer for Andrew Okondo who said that Kenyan women no longer walk with an elegant gait, their hands held at an angle. Says she: “Andrew may well want to consider the fact that women in Nairobui are today too busy guarding their handbags to walk with their “arms at an angle”. Even the men have lost their elegance, spitting and relieving themselves in the streets, Why not have a go at them as well?”- Cutting Edge Column (Daily Nation 17th January 2007) A British national was yesterday fined Shs. 50,000 by Kibera magistrate Margaret Kasera for causing the death of a pedestrian by careless driving. In default, John Clifford Downing, 59, will serve a three year prison term. He was convicted of knocking down Eston Ombima after losing control of his car on January 31, 2005 at 11:25 am on Langata Road. - (People Daily 18th January, 2005) The war against drug abuse and illicit brew in general is far from being won. Law enforcers seem to be going for the barons and pushers while ignoring the small-scale users. In the recent past there has been cases of drugs like cannabis sativa being used on a large-scale at Kenya National Theatre, which is a base for many smokers who have even gone the extra mile to sustain the supply by planting the “weed” right outside the theatre as our picture (colour photo of the luxuriant weed with KNT blurred in the background) shows. Central Police Station is only a stone throw-away- Eduardo Lama (People Daily 19th Janaury 2007) After three-and-a-half years of oversight from the Anglican Church of Kenya in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, along with other congregations, have put in a request to Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi of Kenya to open more dioceses in southern USA. Archbishop Nzimbi, who visited the church over the weekend, received the petition from the church before it was posted on the church’s website for support across the USA- (People Daily 19th Janaury 2007)

Sideshows: Wanjiru and her glory need help.

The Bishop Margaret Wanjiru Vs. Kamangu saga has kept Kenyans on the edge for the past few days with no signs of abating soon. In a show of further naivety on Wednesday, the Bishop and her overzealous minders stoked the fire more by roughing up a journalist soon after stage-managing an electric blackout that marked the end of a press conference she had called. In sections of the media, she has earned the negative tags of “witch-turned-preacher” and “multi-millionaire Bishop”, which will not help her win more souls for the Good Lord. The last few months have seen the Bishop make numerous appearances on TV talk shows and print media interviews in an obvious well choreographed publicity charade to woo potential voters outside her regular church audience. I imagine in cognizance of our society’s sensitivity to unmarried women leaders (Wangari Maathai could not shake the tag of a divorcee during her presidential campaign in 1997), Wanjiru thought roping in a husban in would improve her respectability and improve her chances of taking the glory train up the road to Parliament Road. In an interview with Swaleh Mdoe on KTN a while back, she feigned knowledge of who the father of her children was; in retrospect, it was not a very bright thing to do as vox pop says it denotes promiscuity. Elsewhere she branded the imaginery father of her two sons a drunkard. On realizing that Kenya did not take kindly of her unsavoury remarks from the pulpit last Sunday, I was hoping she would quickly want to quieten things somewhat by say, faxing a statement to newsrooms with her sincere apology and going away for three weeks to kill interest in her. The Kenyan news editor will not send a reporter to Gachie to fish for a story. No way. He sends a reporter armed with a verbatim account of everything that the Bishop said (a bit of roiko can be added for flavour) and seeks his reaction. This back and forth diatribe of “enda umwambie mimi nimesema…” can go on forever until one of the parties sobers up to the reality. Of course the two proponents have divided Kenya right in the middle depending on what page of this saga you are on. There is a page on family values and who a father needs to be. Can you just donate sperm, move on and still demand the title “father”? The traditionalist are happy to argue that once you sire, the title “father” cannot be taken away even when you did not contribute to parenting. There is a page of on religion. The traditional church must be rejoicing at the damage the Bishop is doing to the credibility of the new-age televangelists that she represents. For the not-so-religious, this saga is a whip to use against the materialistic tendency of the new-age evangelists. Some said that the day your man/woman of God acquired body guards was the day the thin line between a shepherd’s humility and celebrity-like status became blurred. Others see the unseen hand of the sitting Starehe MP, Hon. Kamanda, but I think in the true wisdom of the Indian proverb- “sit on the bank of a river and wait: your enemy’s corpse will soon float by”, Kamanda must be enjoying the spectacle from his riverbank. Another angle that is captivating the masses is the obvious dread and phobia that Wanjiru has of her poverty-ridden past. Iin a country with over 80% of the population living on the wrong side of wealth, her “jiggers” remark was met with bewilderment and sides were easily taken. As a nation, we also seem to see ourselves in the underdog and in every debate, we end up siding with the side that ably acts out their weaknesses and vulnerability: with the exception of the English Premier league in which we only support the top five teams! Back to the woes of our Bishop; last night she made another suicidal move by not showing up for Julie Gichuru’s On the Spot talk show. If she ever desired sympathy, this was her best chance. Julie would have handled her in the most humane motherly manner possible at no cost to her and her flock. From here on, she truly is on her own. She was declared to have gone underground immediately. So you can imagine the anticipation her “surfacing” will cause. This morning there is new (self-incriminating) evidence all over the airwaves, from her own recorded sermons that will do her cause no good. My professional advice as a Communicator: Go to Kamangu (without attracting crowds) and apologize to him and his parents. Record that visit. Show humility as you address Kamangu. You may wish to be accompanied by your children. Ask him to let you go South and assure him that the fact that he is your children’s biological father cannot be changed. Wish him well in his new life. Remember the gripe Kenyans have with you is because you keep apologizing to them and not to the guy they perceive as the victim. Ensure that you have a basket of goodies (bread, tea leaves, sugar, cooking fat, flour, etc) for Kamangu’s mother. Go home and wait for Kamangu to tell the world that your domestics are sorted. Postpone the wedding for some time. Go on a holiday and let your Pastors run the show back at JIAM. Sit back and don’t open your mouth. This being an election year, there are ten sideshows just round the corner waiting for you to get out of the limelight. I hope this advice gets to you in time. Good luck.

These Kenyans! Part II

A Nyeri farmer who ordered villagers to kill his donkey after it bit him was yesterday offered another beast of burden by a well wisher. Mr. Peter Wachira, who regrets being the cause of his donkey’s death- his only source of income-will now buy another one, courtesy of Nairobi businessman Geoffrey Gachagua. Mr. Gachugua called the Nation’s Nyeri office after reading Mr. Wachira’s story in yesterday’s edition and offered him Sh. 10,000 to buy another donkey- (Daily Nation 3rd January 2007) Just two years after residents of Nyeri town called for tough measures to curb spiraling crime, they are now asking for a return of the old order. Thuggery, mugging, rape, car-jacking, drug abuse and other crime were rife before the police and the provincial administration imposed punitive steps on the town and the surrounding areas. This followed recommendations by the district liquor licensing court. Among the steps were an 11 pm curfew and a massive crackdown on hotels, night-spots and other businesses. It was music to the ears of crime-weary residents, but only in the beginning. Declining revenue and low-key revelry over the Christmas season has occasioned a rethink- (Daily Nation 4th January 2007) It’s goodwill to all people. On Thursday this week, a man who was once fondly known as Kiarie Muici (Kiarie the Thief) for his supposed links to the underworld was laid to rest. Among those who sent their messages of condolence to the family, friends and relatives of Joseph Kiarie Mbugua was VP Moody Awori who said Mbugua- whose underworld activities were whispered to be the stuff of myths and legend- was “a pioneer indigenous entrepreneur”. He said Mbugua would be remembered for his generosity and assistance to the needy. (Sunday Nation 7th January 2006) Residents of Weru village in Kinangop, Nyandarua District ushered in the New Year by feasting on two buffaloes that had strayed into one of their farms. Tired of calling for assistance from KWS officers’ every time the wild animals invaded their farms, the peasant farmers cornered the beasts and slaughtered them. However a 12-year-old boy was trampled by one of the buffaloes and an unknown number of people sustained minor injuries. Area MP, Mr. Waithaka Mwangi welcomed the move warning that this was the only way they could deal with the wild animals. “For a long time the KWS officers have failed to act,” he said. – (Saturday Standard 6th January 2007) Plans by a Chinese pharmaceutical company to put up a plant in Kenya to manufacture herbal medicines have been opposed. The National Council of Associations for Alternative Medicine and Research (NCAACMR) stated yesterday that the Chinese company is out to rob Kenya of its natural resource and asked the government to bar the firm from putting up the plant. Speaking at his office in Nairobi, NCAACMR national chairman Stephen Ondongo said the government should not allow foreigners to manufacture herbal medicine in the country, which local firms and individuals can easily produce.- (The People Daily 6th January 2007) Legislators from Nyanza and Western Kenya yesterday hit out at the East African Air (EAA) operator for reducing their Kisumu-Nairobi fare only at the emergence of a competitor. The MPs led by Migori legislator Charles Likowa accused EAA of conning passengers through inflated fares on Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret route and asked the company to refund part of the amount they charged travelers for the past one year. The lawmakers, who frequently use the company services, were reacting to the over 50 per cent reduction on return fares in the Nairobi-Kisumu route from Sh12, 000 to Sh6, 000.- (Kenya Times 9th January 2007)

Note:The italics are mine.

Of Memoirs, Biographies and Autobiographies of Prominent and not so Prominent Kenyans

There used to be a column in one of the newspapers or magazine titled “Stranger than Fiction” in the olden days, which made me a reality buff very early in life. Although I have devoured shelf-loads of fiction, my appetite for the real life has always been very high. No amount of fiction can match what factual accounts of real life can dish out. Fictional autobiographies are especially a delicacy because you can almost feel the author going all modest and humble in their accounts. There are no overstatements in this genre, just understatements. The best reading available is therefore about real people, real events and real places. For a long time, Kenyans were accused of being averse to telling their stories. There has been a glaring dearth of the thinking behind events and people that shaped the history of this nation. To date we have suffered from a one dimensional view of Kenyan history as told by the colonialist and their lackeys. The history of a people or nation is especially sweet when told from varying angles and by people of different persuasions. I remember a quote by some wise guy about how when men write their autobiographies, they are all modest, but when the history (the autobiography) of nations is written, modesty is thrown out of the window. For me, the year 2005 and 2006 will go down in memory as the period in our national life when the floodgates of memoir-land opened and it is therefore heart warming to note that suddenly our current and former politicians, professionals, clergy, activists and academia are jostling to tell their stories. I believe in the last six months or so, we have had at least one autobiographical book being launched every month. The most recent is former career civil servant Duncan Ndegwa’s Walking in Kenyatta Struggles, My Story, which vividly illustrated, on its first day of serialization in the Daily Nation, how the nation lost the road map to integrity when the founding “father” in the space of two tabloid pages apportioned from the public a farmhouse in Nyandarua, and excised public land in the Aberdare forest to farm tea. All this less than one year after we got our independence. That was the backdrop of my search online for any biographical writings on Kenyans. I was pleasantly surprised at how much is available. Yes it’s true that we have not been very visible, but there are enough books to keep an ardent reader busy with at least fifty titles that I came upon. Of course this being personal space, I choose to ignore many titles that did not fit my beliefs or gave uneducated and un-Kenyan perspectives or are for a younger audience. For a country that has no set and acceptable values and whose people love glorifying success by hook or crook, there is no shortage of colourful crooked characters whose lives; I have no interest in learning about. My views will however not stop the biggest thieves from cleaning their images and coming back to us as philanthropists per excellence. It is akin to going to the confession booth, spewing out your small dirty secrets and sins to the padre. He requests you to say your Hail Mary’s and all is forgiven! That is the extent of Kenyan’s forgiving and docile nature. As a country we have no way of giving these guys the collective middle finger. Some like reformed Kiriamiti who dabbled in literature after a life in crime, did not fit the bill. He had fictionalized his life in crime before realizing that an autobiographical account of his life in prison would settle the incredulous and enthusiastic applause he got from his audience. That is cashing in on one’s notoriety. I see this in the same light as the rest of the world saw OJ Simpson’s ill-fated attempt at fictionalizing his wife’s murder. I also note from recent press coverage, that Mark Too a.k.a. Bwana Dawa has also intimated that he will write his memoirs soon. I don’t look forward to reading this one. Kamlesh Pattni is also reported to have tried his hand in writing and will launch a 70-page book titled Leadership and Handling Conflict in Leadership co-authored with Tom Namwambah, a lecturer at Kenyatta University Harun Mwau, is in the fray and recently wrote” a 676-page Kamba Dictionary. The dictionary contains three parts i.e., a Kamba-English definitions, Kamba-Kamba definitions and English -Kamba definitions. A recent newspaper article described the author as “a household name in the Kenyan political and business community. Having once contested the presidency on the PICK party is a also a successful businessman in the clearing and forwarding industry, banking, supplies and sale of consumer products. He is a recipient of three presidential honours namely CBS, OGW and HSC. Apart from being a writer, Mwau is an accomplished marksman and ballistic expert.” Anyhow, I have compiled a list of books that I would love to have in my library and time allowing to read: -Unbowed- Wangari Mathai -Raila Odinga- An enigma in Kenyan politics by Babafemi Adesina Badejo -Bthwell Ogot- My footprints in the sands of time- An Autobiography -Koigi Wamwere I refuse to die – My journey for freedom -The Mediator- General Sumbeywo -Moi by Andrew Morton -Strong in the storms: Archbishop Manasses Kuria, A Biography by Musalia, Martha Wangari -Fighting without ceasing by Likimani, Muthoni -From simple to complex: The Journey of a Herds boy, an Autobiography of Joseph Mungai, -The will to succeed- Micah Cheserem -Walking in Kenyatta Struggles, My Story- Duncan Ndegwa -Unquiet: The Life and Times of Makhan Singh by Patel, Zarina -Cardinal Otunga: A Gift of Grace by Ogola, Margaret & Roche, Margaret -Karimi Nduthu: A Life in Struggle by Mau Mau Research Centre -Kenya: a prison notebook by Kinyatti wa Maina -Justice on trial: The Koigi Case Koigi wa Wamwere -Reflections of my life (From 1924 to 1996): A Memoir of a Retired Kenyan Member of Parliament- Malinda, Thomas -Alibhai Mulla Jeevanjee by Zarina Patel -Nothing but the truth: The Story of a Surgeon with Four Wives, An Autobiography Dawood, Yusuf K. -Joseph Daniel Otiende by Peter Wanyande -GG Kariuki- Illusion of power (the) reflections on fifty years in Kenya politics -Joseph Muthee- Life as a Mau Mau Detainee I would also love to read these Americans since these particular books are intertwined with our country and people:- -Rogue Ambassador- Smith Hempstone -The Audacity of Hope- Barack Husein Obama -Dreams from my father: A Story of Race and Inheritance - Obama, Barack The online bookstore Africa Book Centre http://africabookcentre.com was a wonderful find in my search for biographies, autobiographies and memoirs of prominent Kenyans. Not only did I find the few books I had in mind, but I also found numerous others by Kenyans, on Kenya and also a few from Kenya’s past. In the future I look forward to seeing more writings on Kenyans with a genuine track record of interest to the country and world. I don’t see why the lives and achievements of the likes of Kipchoge Keino, Joginder Singh, Daudi Kabaka, Bishop Muge, Paul Tergat, Tegla Lorupe, Moses Tanui , Fadhili Williams or John Ngugi just to mention a few compatriots in music and sports; cannot be in the public domain. At least their God-given talent was there for all to see. In a race, everybody sees the winner. Unlike politics where the loser with the help of a plum office, cash to buy a writer and move the wheels of PR, can twist the truth to sanctify his horrid life without batting an eyelid.

The Joy of Giving

Last Sunday, members of my investment club continued our five year old charity tradition of partnering with a children’s home situated on the outskirts of Nairobi when nine of our twenty members made the first charity-related visit of the year to Athi River to deliver 20 new pairs of school shoes. We identified this particular home because it was away from the limelight and easily forgotten. Of course even recipients of charity have celebrities of their own. In Nairobi the Nymbani Children’s home, Nairobi Women’s Hospital, are just two examples of the favourite destinations for people of goodwill. Our association with this home dates back to the days the city council was mopping street boys and sending them all over the country. During our first visit, they had over 70 street boys ranging in ages from four years to some in their twenties; of course many ended back in the streets. We keep coming back, because apart from the personal attachment we have developed, we also see progress. For instance, today they have a boy who is in university, while another three are in high school. The most recent 2006 KCPE candidate also passed very well (354 points) and like the other three in high school will be sponsored by a good soul who took pity and offered to clear fees through their high school. One of our members also pledged to take care of all the books required in form one. In all our numerous visits, we have usually brought along our spouses (the investment club is all-male), children and friends and with good results because the young ones usually get to appreciate how lucky they are to be growing in their circumstances. Adult first-time visitors usually depart speechless after a visit. It’s such a reality check that everyone leaves a bit different. In fact our spouses have organized their own mission-specific outfit outside our club. Of course we all feel like we are not doing enough, but I comfort myself that we are on the right path and at least we are all learning a very valuable lesson-the joy of giving. Back to our most recent visit. Despite the eventful two hour drive to the home situated at the foot of Lukenya hills, we were warmly received by the ever effervescent Home Administrator and about 15 of her charges. Even as our group was familiarizing themselves with the surroundings, some of the 22 boys resident here, were still streaming in after the mandatory home-stay in time for the new school year set to begin in half a day’s time. The home is plagued by lack of funds, since only a meager 40% is availed by the sponsors for recurrent budget. The balance is funded via well wishers like our investments club, local corporate citizens and individuals. This scenario has forced the home to abandon, for now, all plans for capital development beyond the existing structures and installations. Currently the power has been disconnected due to an outstanding bill of Kshs. 35,000/=, which in turn denies them access to water from the electric-dependant borehole. It breaks our hearts each time we pay them a visit, that we cannot do more for them. In the past we have donated books, sports gear, foodstuffs, mosquito nets, linked them with corporates that sorted out some of their issues, etc. In future we envisage making contributions that will empower the establishment to be more sustainable and more in tune with the home’s ultimate objective of rehabilitating the former street boys back in society as equal and accepted members of the human race. My investment club has a policy of giving at least 20% of our annual profits to charity and I am very proud of that decision. If the economy keeps growing and our investments do better, we will always have something to give this home

E-Wishes Part II

As promised on the eve of Christmas (December 22) , I have collected some of the more interesting Christmas and New Year messages received during the festive season. E-mails I am sending this message early to avoid the last minute message clutter. At the end of a year most of us invariably look back to everything that happened, and more often than not, what didn't happen! We tend to focus on everything we didn't do, often forgetting why we never got round to doing them, and end up feeling disappointed and depressed about it. What happened to all the New Year's Resolutions, not the silly ones, but the ones you really wanted to get to this year? If we aren't careful, we end up dwelling in cesspool of our so-called failures and end up in the darkness of despair. Don't let that happen to you. Let's look forward to a New Year with great hope. Why not make a conscious decision to use this month as your doorway to the future, wipe your feet on the disappointments of the past and leave them behind in the dirt beneath your feet! Use the season of goodwill to celebrate your family and the values you hold dear. Spend time together and build at the relationships that are important to you. Please travel safely. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I wish to send some holiday greeting to my friends, but it is so difficult in today's world to know exactly what to say without offending someone. So I met with my attorney yesterday, and on his advice I choose to say the following: Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter/summer solstice holiday, practiced with the most enjoyable traditions of religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make our country great (not to imply that it is necessarily greater than any other country) and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee. By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms: This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher. Disclaimer: No trees were harmed in the sending of this message; however, a significant number of electrons were slightly inconvenienced. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Happy New year, Happy Birthday, Happy Valentine's day , Happy Easter , Happy Madaraka Day, Happy Moi and Jomo day, Happy Ramadhan And Idd day, Happy Jamuhuri Day, Happy Diwali, Happy labour day, Happy That free Public Holiday for Kibaki & lucy Good morning x 365 days, Goodnight x 365 days, have a nice day x 365 days, Merry Christmas. God bless you x 52 Sundays ,oh and if I said I love you this year pliz don’t ask me again next year I will still feel the same till I tell you otherwise!!!!!!!!! I'm done with you for 2007 in Advance!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pls don't bother me!!! Text messages

• I have deposited prayers, love, joy, prosperity, peace and laughter and all blessings in your bank account. Use without limit. The pin code is merry x-mass and a happy new year!
• Uji-enjoy siku ya krismasi, hiyo ni siku yenu….si ni kweli? Ni lazima ukubali na roho yako wewe mwenywe. Lakini sio kuregarega kule na kule kwa sababu wewe ni yule yule, na utabaki pale pale huko ukifanya kazi hiyo. Sisi tutakuwa hapa hapa tu maana hiyo ndio kitu ya maana! Na hatuwezi kukataa maana, tutakataa namna gani? Tutakubali tu! Tukikataa hiyo itakuwa ni ukumbavu, bure kabisa! Merry xmas!
• The Lord has opened a bank account for you- No. 2007 at Universal Bank of Blessings. Your new balance is 365 DAYS. May you continue to enjoy his presence & love through out the year- happy New Year!
• The year 2007 is a year of HARVESTING, did you plant in 2006? If you did not, you have exactly 4 days to do so. God loves you.

• On behalf of Bill Gates, Roman Abramvuch, King Fahd of Saudia Arabia, HM The Queen of England, George Bush, Osama Bin Laden, Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba, David Beckham, myself and other rich and famous people in the world, wish you a happy new year.

• A relaxed mind, A peaceful soul, A joyful Spirit, A healthy body, A heart full of love. These are my prayers for you and your family this year!

• May the fleas of 1000 camels infest the balls ot the idiot who tries to mess your 2007, and may his hands be too short to scratch them! Happy New Year!

• Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbours and let each New Year find you a better man! Happy New Year!

My Travels My Travails @ THE COAST

The Kenyan Coast is one of my favourite destinations and over time I have accumulated a collection of photos from my visits there. To soothe my nerves, I have a screen saver of about fifty such photos that transport me to the sandy beach on demand!

See if it works for you.

These Kenyans! Part I

“One way to read a nation’s psyche is to find out what its people pray for…So it was highly instructive when the priest leading the prayers on Jamhuri Day asked the good Lord to bless Kenya with “oil and other minerals”, amongst other things”. …For the last 40 years, we have been led to believe that wealth accumulation is the only virtue that those who make money the hard way- by actually working- are too stupid to know that the fastest route to riches is through trickery and deceit. Hence we admired swindlers and crooks, people who have hoodwinked the system, grabbed land or stolen from the national coffers. We want to be like them because we believe that being rich is the answer to all our prayers.”- Rasna Warah in her opinion piece “Careful what you pray for; you might just get it” (Daily Nation December 25 2006). “…it is important to add that we are never known as Kenyans to celebrate our success. We doubt everything. We seem to have a pathological problem of low esteem that we never believe that we can do it and when we do it, we think a miracle has happened. It takes time. It will take a cultural change whereby Kenyans will start to believe in themselves and their institutions. Its very unfortunate that we have very low self esteem that we do not believe anything good can come from us.”- James Mwangi, CEO Equity Bank responding to skeptic’s assertion that the bank is a “bubble” that it is “flying under false wings” (Finance Magazine November 2006) “Rarely do we see dictatorships in families in the name of fathers and husbands, religious organizations, schools, popular organizations, and at the global level. In Kenya we seem to know more about presidential authoritarianism because of its visible, oppressive “big stick”. We need to identify the small and perverse dictatorships in our society if we are to struggle successfully for democracy.”- Cabral Pinto in his opinion piece “Wanjiku, the ordinary Kenyan, is not a fool” (Daily Nation December 28, 2006) “I am a visitor to Kenya from Ireland. Last week, after parking at Sarit Centre, Nairobi, I returned to find my vehicle clamped. There are no signs warning drivers that a parking fee is required, and there were no parking attendants. After speaking with a parking supervisor, who just happened to be sitting next to my car, apparently awaiting my return, she insisted that I pay a fine of Sh1,070. After I paid her, she refused to give me a receipt and I demanded my money back. She then took me to an office, not far away, where two officials took my money, and issued me with an unofficial receipt scribbled on a piece of paper torn from a book, advising that I would get an official receipt the following day. Afterwards, a street vendor told me this is a regular ploy, to watch out for obvious visitors, hide from view, and then clamps their cars. When the visitor returns, they demand payment of a fine, insisting they can't issue a receipt until next day. Obviously, few visitors will be able to return the next day, so the money is pocketed by the attendants, according to the vendor. I think this is a disgraceful abuse of position, and is at the heart of the bad reputation Kenya has had for corruption…..” Brian MacCormaic, Letters to the Editor (Daily Nation December 28, 2006) A Nyeri farmer who ushered the New Year in a hospital bed nursing donkey bites says he regrets the death of the animal that nearly killed him. Expressing the deep love he had for the animal, Mr. Peter Wachira, 48, now says it was a mistake to order the killing of the animal that had served him for more than a decade. He had asked the residents of his Gatitu Village to kill the animal from his bed at the Nyeri Provincial Hospital- seven hours after he was admitted. – News item (Daily Nation January 2, 2007)