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20:26 You Have What I Want
» Kenyanentrepreneur.com Who’s this guy Mohammed Adow? I know he’s Somali, but I’m not sure if he grew up in Kenya or Somalia. Anyway, he’s done a good job with his reporting on kenya. How in God’s name do you move up financially in Kenya? There’s virtually no upward mobility! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQu4Z3GpxF0
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19:25
The Stained Earth
» Words Much Like Poetry the weather sings a sour note,
a lazy drizzle, true,
but thunder rolls like luminous ire in the distance
and my heart wishes that it would become a downpour,
hard, pelting drops of renewal
that would flood the world and cleanse it.
but that is mere hope.
no storm can possibly wash clean the stained earth,
millennia upon millennia full of bloodshed
have left a lurid smear on its surface.
we are wretched creatures, are we not, we humans,
discontent with what has been blessed us,
always in search of more.
the search begins at birth, the onset of wondrous life,
and ends with death, coda, conclusion of the spanning movement,
while the immortal soul takes a deep breath
and prepares to finish what remains of the composition.
and what stunning release that next, final removal would be,
a relief from the unending conflict we mortal men
seem intent upon.
we conflict with other nations, and find conflict within our own,
we are conflicted with ourselves.
and no longer distinguish the right and the wrong of it,
moral obligation is now nothing more than chore,
one we no longer task ourselves with.
i despise the advancement of my years
and would gladly return to the days of childhood ignorance
where the earth was, to me, a thing of beauty,
fertile soil and graceful mountain,
teal water ocean and azure sky,
and not a thing to be pitied, fin.
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19:09
Dust, Heat and Smoke
» Kenya Imagine Now I miss the dust; not the clouds trailing the heels of fleeing crowds -I miss the friendly brown sheets of earth - dancing with the wind during merrier times.Though the dirt reddened my eyes, all that cried was my eyes.Now my heart is crying out, for my old, peaceful dusty street.
Read more from Wilson Wahome here.
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16:48
New Kumekucha Chat Room
» You Missed This 
Today we introduce a chat room christened Kumekucha Domo.
My sincere hope is that many of you will be able to take advantage of it to have lots of fun chatting with other Kumekucha readers from all over the world. Private conversations are also possible, all you need to do is follow the simple instructions right at the top of the page.
It is very simple to use just sign up at the bottom of this page or on your right at the end of the ads on the side of this page. The whole process will take about 10 seconds and you'll be in the chat room having fun.
We will soon start arranging special meetings and kamukunjis at this chat room so please make sure that you do not get left behind. I even have plans to invite special guests.
Have fun and let me know if you run into any difficulties.
P.S. There is already a special alert for Wanjiku of Mombasa and Taabu at the chat room
The fastest way to get to the Kumekucha chat rom is to use the link on your right or at the bottom of this page. However you can also get there using this link.
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13:45
The Road to Namanga
» bankelele Run for the border
After a month of being cooped up with elections and politics, it's a welcome opportunity to take a brief trip out of town.
The drive to Namanga is pleasant and with many causal things to observe. However it takes about an hour to leave Nairobi, owing to the traffic from the City Center up to before the airport.
The expansion of Mombasa Road (to three lanes) contributes to a major traffic jam as we pass the still-under-construction new Standard/KTN building, Vision Plaza - an office complex that was slightly ahead of its time, and is still looking to fill some vacant spaces, and Panari Hotel – host of an ice rink, Brazilian restaurant and affordable convenience for transit passengers. As we pass the Jomo Kenyatta Airport in early afternoon, one of new Fly 540 aircraft swoops in to land.
Traffic is slow, at the by-passes and diversions of what used to be Mlolongo infamous meat eating area, towards Athi River which now has an almost -complete cement factory by Tororo Cement who will be the fourth major local producer.
Then there's the Rattansi peace village, proposed site of new Hindu University of Kenya, and numerous single houses. Whatever real estate prices are in the area, they will probably triple in the next dozen years, after the by pass and dual carriage way roads are completed.
On into plains area with occasional zebra sightings. There are numerous chicken-rearing farms for Kenchic and flower estates. Flower farms are visible even from aircraft, and i wonder if it is possible for a media company to draw up some adverts to be displayed on these roofs for long-distance advertising.
Then the curio shops, some which say 'welcome' in German (and other languages) to attract tourists, a well-maintained railway, trains and wagons belonging to Magadi Soda Company. Magadi also have a trial farm growing jatropha seedlings, and this is the road to Amboseli which I wonder why it is not as world famous as the Masai Mara.
Amboseli, has arguably the same wild life concentration, is closer to Nairobi and has better road access. To (cap it all) it has Mt. Kilimanjaro as it's background.
Finally get to Namanga is about 130 kilometres from Nairobi (from where one can branch off to the gates of Amboseli 70km away, but on murram roads). Namanga is the border of Kenya and Tanzania, but a stop for petrol is not the best decision if you have a travel van. We get hit with high pressure Masai saleswomen – who I had read about but never met – they have very aggressive sales tactics aimed at tourists with dollars. They all chatter and take turns to persuade you to buy their trinkets - pressing beads or amulets to your arms or chest and refusing to take them back, saying they are gifts. Yeah, right!
On into no-man's land at the border. You have to fill out a departure form on the Kenya side and an arrival form on the tanzania side – all in a space of a 100 metres.
On both sides, there are border 'fixers' who are residents of this zone, and who traverse both country offices on foot helping people crossing with bureaucracy, currency, tax difficulties. If you don't use them, it can take over an hour to cross, with most of the delay comes from the insurance requirement for every personal vehicle at the border.
The Kenya side is the domain of Somali businessmen and they have imposed their law here; it's like a mini-Eastleigh, clean, orderly, no alcohol, but with tea houses and many super-markets with names like Libaan, Dubai, Taafrik, Mubarak, and Mandera.
The trans-border business acumen of Somali business people is something to be admired as even people in Dubai and China shop and collect their gods from Eastleigh. One day, after the political temperature has gone down, some local university should offer business classes on Somali, Kikuyu and Hindu business, trade, and management models -with business cases to study. I'd pay to attend that class
Namanga is also a mark of contract for two countries, and Kenya loses this time. The Tanzania side of the border is also clean and air-conditioned. But the pen's to fill out forms actually work and there is an eye-scan device for those requiring Tanzanian visa's. Once you step into Tanzania side, it's like you stepped in to coast province, with many buildings having Makuti (coconut thatch)roofs.
Also you can now buy roast tilapia fish and the chips are more generous and healthier than those on the Kenya side, with more drink varieties (Heineken, Pepsi).And that's a day at the border
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Breakthrough Before Deadlock?
» You Missed This 
Smart politics is not played with guns nor bravado but a coup of ideas and perceptions. If Kibaki ever thought that he was such a seasoned THIEF and scoundrel, then he won’t know what hit him. Kibaki has been rightly painted into a corner that not only leaves him wounded but also no options to permute his political sins.
Kibaki never saw it coming. With the world attention singularly focussed on Kenya, the opposition played the aces by making the first impression on concession. The move may have been merely symbolic but the perception and delivery was unrivalled in allowing them rise to the higher moral pedestal of readiness to give-and-take.
But even before Kibaki could say Lucy, he was presented with demands on what portfolios to concede in the cabinet. And to rub it on Emilio was told he WON'T have any say on the composition of other half of the Cabinet. Speak of a scholled move to take away principal tools of pork and barrel politics.
Power to the people
You don’t have to fraudulently occupy State House to execute realpolitik. Kibaki has been left with no maze to unpuzzle. Both the yam and the knife have been cleverly snatched from his bllodied hands.
The objective has been superlatively delivered by painting Kibaki as another dark horse in the old African political landscape. Whatever the schemes of Kibaki’s cronies and supremacists, their territory is clearly marked. They will rue the consequences of their serial goofs at the fatal expense of Kenyans.
Kenyans shouldn’t celebrate just yet. They must be alive to Kibaki’s sahmelessness to mutate into all dangerous shades. Our memory must not fail because the scars are still fresh. It only took a night to STEAL ELECTIONS. Now he has a whole weekend to turn tables and trash everything else into a spin come Monday.
Deception is an unsustainable vice. Make no mistake. The opposition MUST not be naïve to Kibaki’s capacity to throw all caution to the wind in service of supremacists. The prematurely sired interim government must be squarely put into the context it fits. No more games of semantics.
This must be a TRANSITION government principally tasked with putting infrastructure in place for election re-run. Kenyans want their country back and only through fresh election will they give UNADULTEREATED mandate to their president. No more no less.
Road to equity
There is no template to misgovern a people and country. Kibaki’s 1950s Makerere model of ruling with the gun hoping benefit from violence fatigue fell flat on its ugly face. Africans are not fools and we are trail blazing and writing history. The lesson is brutal to treacherous traitors who scheme to benefit from the blood spilt by Kenyans spilt since Kibaki stole the election. What a shame on these vultures and hyenas. Power to the people.
Kenyans are far ahead of their leaders and we must seize this opportunity to shape our country into what we want. That is no premature celebration for the far sighted by any means. It is time to lay the foundation for corporate leadership and banish deceptive and selfish rulership – the NARC dream reincarnated.
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11:36
Kalonzo is not ready for prime time
» Kenyanentrepreneur.com I was watching a BBC interview last night and they had Kalonzo on to talk about what was happening in Kenya. I must say, I’m not impressed by him. I wasn’t impressed by him during his campaign either, but I ignored it since I never thought he’d end up being the vice-president. However, now that [...]
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9:51
T.G.I.F!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
» My part of the world....... Last week, I went to see Goapele perform in downtown ATL and I must say it was well worth the money. She has a great voice and a wonderful band. The concert was only $20 and that would have been the same amount of money I would have paid to enter a club. On a negative note, many bars and lounges here have a no smoking policy, I know smoking is harmful for your health but it did have its benefits. You see on the concert floor some selfish bastard decided to let out a silent killer, do you know how distracting it is when you are listening to someone make beautiful music and then a horrendous smell wafts to your nose breaking your concentration. I think bars and lounges need to put some sort of fragrance in the air because in the smoking days that stench would have never reached my nose, and to think that was a grown and sexy crowd, more like grown and stinky!
There's this lady I was talking to the other day, who is only about 10 years older than I am but when she shares her experiences I feel like she has lived twice the lives I have. You see she is the kind of person who decided to do as much travel and experience as much as she could wherever she was and as a result has few regrets about not doing things and still wants to do more. I've lately being trying to do more and more new things, the concert was one of them because it is so much easier to stay at home and watch videos on mtv and not bother going to stand in line for a concert ticket and bother with the crowd. I have decided that at least once a week I have to experience something new even if it is something as small as using a new route to go to work. I think we shouldn't confine ourselves to the same experiences day after day, week after week; life is made to be experienced and lived. What's your new experience going to be this week?
I knew it was only a matter of time before those mungiki goons started doing this. The sad thing is that with the contacts and the networks they have built, those chaps are going to be out on the street in no time. I was also looking at this article on BBC, and I have to sympathise with Kenyans for making it day by day. I was also discussing the cost of everyday life in Kenya even before this whole drama and when I'm told of 6% economic growth, I had to scoff because that growth in no way affected the lives of the different people that I have been talking to because everything from rent, food, bus fare have skyrocketed while incomes remain the same. Anyway let me not dwell on that depressing topic.
Anyway, I think I've been preoccupied lately, it's about time I got online and watched some Cup of Nations highlights to see the best that Africa has to offer.
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9:42
How to Take Africa from Zero to Hero: Entertainment!
» The Displaced African Enclosure: [download]
Part9 of the 10 things I wish I knew before I left Africa
Hello Hello Hello,
First up, to all who have been trying to click on the navigation bar at the top of the page and wondering why it doesn’t work….that’s my bad! I have been slow getting the tech completed but by the next post it’ll be done, otherwise feel free to circumcise me for the second time.
In today’s post, a short one for me, I want to share with you my dreams and goals. I don’t do this for egotistical reasons, though those are nice, but rather for two reasons: (more…)
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Breakthrough in Kenyan Peacetalks
» Kenya Imagine The Kenyan government and key opposition leaders, ODM, have reached a breakthrough.
According to news reports, former UN Secretray General Kofi Annan will be holding a press conference shortly to highlight the specifics of the "breakthrough" in peace talks between the government and ODM.
Check here for updates as they come in from Nairobi.
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Breaking News: 'Breakthough' in Kenya Peace Talks
» You Missed This 
Former South Africa first lady Graca Machel, President Kibaki, former UN chief Kofi Annan, ODM leader Raila Odinga and former Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa when they met at Harambee House, Nairobi. (Source NMG)
BBC website is reporting 'Breaking News' with opposition spokesman William Ruto 'saying the rival parties had reached a deal on an interim joint government.'
ODM captain Raila Odinga and his PNU counterpart President Mwai Kibaki are said to be about to emerge from a meeting with Kofi Annan to announce the deal to an anxious nation.
If what Ruto is quoted to be saying is true, then it will be a major coup for Raila and ODM who have all along been insisting on a transitional government as one of the ways of coming out of the crisis.
Related Kumekucha Stories: Kenya Headed to a Grand Political Coalition
More as the story develops.
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What happened to the exit polls?
» Kenya Imagine Speaking yesterday before a Congressional Hearing in the US, the head of Kenya's statutory human rights body asked the US congress to exhort the International Republican Institute to release the results of an exit poll taken after Kenya's December 27th General Election. Exit polls are by practice one of the fall-back options when an election is found to be difficult to call on account of the irregularities in its process. This is especially so where the pollster is an independent organisation whose credibility will stand up to scrutiny, and whose findings will be respected by both sides. So it is that Maina Kiai's statement bears looking into, even as he joins the great list of Kenyans discredited in the public eye this last month. He, for sure, is not one of the independent institutions.
Read more from Stephen Wanyama here.
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6:48
What Next for ODM in the event of Annan’s Failure?
» Hapa Kenya There is an eminent flop in the mediation exercise that is on going. The two sides, irrespective of meetings that have been ongoing for almost two weeks appear to drift further apart as each day goes by. From the media briefings it’s rather obvious that they are far from reading one script. The arrogance that is characteristics of Martha Karua is still at its best. Moses Wetangula is still behaving badly and same can be said of Mutula Kilonzo. In section of the blogospehere, reports indicated that Government spies implanted listening devices at Annan’s Serena Hotel room. What next for ODM?
Allow me to sound the devil’s advocate in this. The ODM brigade I believe have realized that these talks are headed nowhere. If the haven’t, they should watch Kibaki addressing the AU in Adis last week. ODM should also realize that calls for peace rather than Justice are gaining more ground. At its best, ODM’s success in fighting Kibaki’s leadership is very much dependent on chaos. On the other hand Koffi Annan’s mediation talks have in effect cooled a lot of tempers. The communities perceived to be in the wrong tuff have almost gone back to what Kenyans refer to as “reserves”, as such the scary chaotic scenes will cease to target any of the so called enemy. At this point in time, the precipitates for chaos are significantly reduced. In other words calm might soon evolve to mini-peace. Its that mini-peace that Kibaki requires.
ODM cannot afford partial success or partial failure of the mediation talks. It will be in the best interest of this movement if real success can be achieved. In this case real success should amount to nothing else rather than a presidential rerun within the next 6months. If that is not the case then ODM should consider the outcome of such talks as partial whichever side you look at it, failure or success.Looking at the unfolding events, it is a sure bet that these talks are headed for a partial success/failure. The ODM should not in anyway allow that. Either partiality should be sired to the sure result. If failure it is, then ODM should ensure that the talks fail and not a single resolution should be arrived at. In the unlikely event that a partial success should be, then they must work extra hard to ensure the whole success. This reasoning might be controversial but I believe that ODM cannot achieve its agenda in a scenario where they are bound by certain aspects while others remain unresolved.
The latitude required in the Post-Annan Kenya will not require leaders with legs on both sides of the divide. If it is a disagreement, so let it be. Such a scenario will then give ODM the goodwill to soldier on with its fight against the perceived enemy. Raila should then go ahead and announce his plan B whose success depends very much on the success of chaos. The baggage of Annan’s resolution will not tether the ODM leadership to any binding documents. ODM should by now realize that things should not be allowed to go back to normal, and as such they should be working beyond these talks.
Blogged with Flock
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6:26
Elsewhere in Africa
» What An African Woman Thinks My host tells me there are only two hotels in Kinshasa that meet international standards: Grand Hotel where I end up staying, and Hotel Memling. He tells me these are the only two hotels where I’ll be guaranteed water and electricity all day.
Where his offices are located, they’re guaranteed electricity only once a week. At all other times, supply is as random as luck. No telling if it will come, when it will come, and for how long.
This in the country that is home to one of Africa’s biggest rivers, the mighty Congo, across which the massive Inga dams has been constructed. The dams are on low output, having fallen into disrepair, and are at a mere 30% capacity. The government honours international contracts to supply other countries, and there’s little left over for local consumption.
This is only the beginning of a long list of things that will break your heart.
The people here in Kinshasa, I’m told, are steeling for tough times ahead. Kabila recently signed a mining concession with China worth billions of dollars. Apparently, the Chinese will loan Kabila billions of dollars, and in turn, Kabila will give the Chinese mining concessions to two very large mines. Western governments and multinationals are said to be seething.
They were his allies in his effort to consolidate power in the DRC. This is an unforgivable snub. How dare Kabila think he is free to work with whomsoever he chooses? Who does he think he is? President of a sovereign nation or something? Yeah, right.
His former allies have set out to prove to him who’s really in charge. They’re funding the opposition heavily now, stoking fires of discontent. So the Congolese are once again bracing themselves for hard times. Or so the story goes.
It is a curious city this. As everywhere else in Africa, prepaid phone credit is booming business for the small-scale traders and street vendors alike. So is the business of selling motor vehicle spare parts. This too does not surprise. I come from a country where ‘previously-owned’ cars far outnumber new cars on the road. Still, I am startled at how old the cars here are. But, they get you from A to B. And that’s the point, I suppose. I am told ‘the Nigerians’ control that trade.
What is puzzling to me, though, is the proliferation of, wait for this, pharmacies. I don’t get it. They’re on every corner. Sometimes two, even three to a street. I ask my host why this would be so. He says because you don’t need a license to open a pharmacy. I press for more. Aren’t there other businesses that don’t require licenses to start? Well, there are, but, you also don’t need a prescription to purchase drugs at a pharmacy in Kinshasa. Ok, we’re getting warmer but still not quite getting there. What else do you have, I persist, knowing full well I’m testing my welcome. He sighs deeply and then offers, the profit margins are very high as well. I’m not sure I got to the heart of the matter, but I gave myself an A for effort and wandered into other avenues enquiry.
I want to visit bookshops.
I am informed that all bookshops in Kinshasa are owned by Christian organizations although they sell general books and academic literature in addition to religious literature. I quirk an eyebrow. How now? OK the universities have academic bookshops, but that’s it, really. I visit three bookshops run by Eglise du Christ du Congo, the Salvation Army and Paulines Publication respectively. The range of available literature is limited and in many cases, outdated.
I have traveled enough in Francophone Africa to know that the reading culture in that part of Africa does not nearly approximate the reading culture in Anglophone Africa even as the reading culture in Anglophone Africa has quite a distance to go before it catches up to reading cultures in the West.
Still, it surprises me. I gather that street vendors command a significant share of the book trade. I meet an elderly gentleman who, among a long list of other things on his to-do-list that suggests he has 67 hours to his day, is trying to publish a magazine and some books in DRC. I rant about the challenges. He raves about the possibilities. I like him, I do.
Kinshasa’s roads are in a horrible state of repair. And I’m from Kenya, so believe me, my bar is set incredibly low. Sightings of significant buildings are few and far between. You get a choke in your throat to think of it. So much of this country’s wealth is making people the world over filthy rich. And nary a fraction of that wealth is being plowed back into the country. My host remarks that at least across the river, in Brazzaville, they’re using some of their oil money to develop a decent infrastructure. It’s better than Kinshasa, he says, although in many ways, we’re their big brother.
Kabila’s agreement with the Chinese is that they’ll build roads and schools and institutions with the billions of dollars from the mining concession. We wait to see.
You see it, you believe it: DRC is a country cursed with immense natural wealth. When I voice my indignation about all those who have ravaged and plundered and raped their country to my host, he shrugs.
He knows. He’s been there all along.
*****
In other random, nigh useless news, my Kenyan tongue, accustomed to our more bland cuisine, was tested on Congolese Chilli and, I'm smug to report, I won, I conquered, I nigh beat them at their own game. OK, I exaggerate. But only a little.
*****
So, Cameroon beat Ghana. They were my bet from the beginning. Not very original of me, I know. But, I felt sad for Ghana. They wanted it sooo badly. You saw it in the way the beat Nigeria. Nigeria, was the better team, Ghana wanted it more. And there was a lesson in there for anyone who cared to find it. You couldn't help but wonder how far the sheer will to win could propel a team.
And Cote d'Ivoire. Ouch. To go out like that. Sigh.
OK Cameroon, now do your thing.It's my window, but I don't own the view.
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0:24
Sonny’s Letta (Anti-Sus Poem) by Linton Kwesi Johnson
» Mshairi The UK government is planning to re-introduce the ‘sus’ law which allows police to stop and search people at random. The move, apparently, is an attempt to bring down the knife and gun crime numbers on London’s streets. Along the years, the overwhelming majority of people stopped have been from black and ethnic minorities while [...]
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