Mashada Blogs » December 21, 2008

Kenyanentrepreneur.com: The Most Efficient Agricultural Industry On The Planet

kenyanentrepreneur — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 21:54:48 -0500

I’m sure many of you who read this title will probably be thinking the following…..”oh gee…is KE going to talk about some American farmer using science and technology and ask us why Kenyans are starving again’? sigh. Oh no my dear Kenyan people. No mas. Not today. Today, I am here to inform you that the most [...]

The Displaced African: How Undocumented Immigrants Survive in Europe

Mwangi — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 12:03:29 -0500

Hey guys,

This podcast was recorded a long time ago, when I got on the phone with guest columnist and African Bulletin writer, Carol.

I initially wanted it to be a series about how undocumented immigrants had survived in various parts of the world but unfortunately getting the other interviews proved impossible.

So now we have the great pleasure of having one interview that we can sink into and truly appreciate.

Hope you learn a little something.

The Podcast

You Missed This: Images 2008: My Worst Moments Of This Unforgettable Year

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 08:39:00 -0500

God willing, in a few days time we shall all be looking back at the year 2008. One word that I am sure shall be used a lot to describe this year is the word; “unforgettable.” Interestingly this is exactly the way I can best describe 2008 even from a personal point of view.

Still there are some moments and images from 2008 that have refused to leave my mind. Moments that brought tears to my eyes or great anger. I would like to share them with you in this post.

1. Family in Kibera slums having Ugali with salt and water in a country where MPs earn obscene salaries and have refused to have their allowances taxed. Not to mention the obscene fuel guzzling vehicles that move on our roads. There has to be something very wrong in a country where some people have too much and others have too little.

2. Two incidents of people being burnt alive by fellow Kenyans. One was well publicized in Eldoret in a church and the other some Kenyans are still not aware that it even took place. The little known one was in Naivasha.

3. Photographs that could only be published in Kumekucha of piles of bodies at the city mortuary many toddlers and babies can be seen and one very pregnant woman. I keep asking myself what prize is this that is worth so many innocent people dying?

4. Disgraced ECK chair saying that he will not resign because “they have not beaten anybody.” Did the man actually think he was being funny?

5. This next one was hilarious. The man said on national TV and I quote; “If there is one thing that I will not do, I will not resign. I would rather die.” A few days later the same man resigned. Last time I checked Amos Kimunya is still very much alive and preparing to bounce back to the cabinet as Finance minister.

6. Maize meal, the staple food of Kenyans breaks all records and retails at Kshs 130 per 2 kg packet. Big tragedy. Meanwhile some people were wondering why Kenyans cannot eat Chapati if Ugali is too expensive.

7. On Jamhuri day, a solemn day to celebrate the sacrifices of those who were here before us, Kenyans are arrested for wearing black T-shirts. ODM does not organize any protest march like they did when their party was denied a registration certificate.

8. This image makes me want to throw up every time I remember. It is of a smiling Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga shaking hands vigorously after the signing of Kofi Anan accord. Do the two men realize how much Kenyans suffered? Dear Hague, please help them realize one day, please make them and others pay one day... soon.

9. Kaburu judge Kriegler tells Kenyans in broad daylight that they did NOT see what they saw last December when he announces that he did not find any evidence of “fiddling” at the vote tallying stage. He adds insult to injury by insinuating that the problem was because returning officers were not given electronic calculators to add up votes.

10. MPs of the 10th parliament hurriedly pass draconian Media Bill as Christmas present to themselves. The whole thing reminded me of Emilio Stanley’s bedroom swearing in ceremony done before the election results were announced later the same evening.

11. Witnessing Kenyans tearing at each other in this blog with sentiments based purely on tribal or party affiliations. And yet any intelligent primary school child knows that politicians in Kenya specialize on drumming up tribal emotions for their own personal gain. When will ordinary Kenyans down there learn if the elite on the web don’t have a clue?

12. Former KCB CEO Terry Davidson being charged with insider trading over a purchase he made of Uchumi shares when a lot of other politically correct “locals” who have made billions from insider trading at the stock exchange go stock free. Yet more proof that in Kenya justice is extremely selective. Little wonder that people kill to get political power.

13. Kenyans lining up to buy Safaricom shares after many warnings from Kumekucha and others to stay away from the shares. The expected quick kill did not materialize of course. Simple law of supply and demand, folks.

14. Stabbing incident in a UK pub over a ODM/PNU political argument. High tension remains in the Diaspora over the silly political groupings created to con Kenyans and make them fight with each other over absolutely nothing.

15. Kiosks demolished in several parts of Nairobi all at the same time and just a few weeks to Christmas illustrating once again the fact that Kenyans in positions of power are some of the most insensitive, ruthless, brutal, selfish “animals” on the planet.

Let’s toast to a better 2009 shall we?

Special offer Christmas offer for fridges and LCD TVs only for Kumekucha readers.

What An African Woman Thinks: All I Want For Christmas

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 08:10:00 -0500

Before I go underground for the holidays, I wanted to publicly claim Lingamish’ prayer that we all get a “get out of jail free card”, (among other, things) as my Christmas gift this season.

That’s all I want for Christmas.

Really.

Because I’m in need of one of those. More than one, if you've got any to spare.

Not going into details.

The less you know the better. For you(and yes, for me.)

So Lingamish, I’ll take that prayer, thanks much.

Be blessed this Christmas, all.It's my window, but I don't own the view.

Rants, Raves & Reviews: Kenya Pipeline Company - Fishy dealings

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 02:29:00 -0500

I recently advocated the complete privatization of KPC since the management at KPC in collusion with the Ministry of Energy is definitely incompetent & probably corrupt.

Why would they allow a (almost) bankrupt firm (see story here - Triton) to import oil products under OTS?
Why do they allow a single firm to hold stocks/ullage in excess of their market share?
(The government through KPC allows for storage/ullage in proportion to the market share. The Oil Markerters - Shell, Kenol, Kobil, Total) have been complaining that some 'politically connected' players routinely exceed their storage capacity).

KPC's idiots blamed everyone else but themselves since KPC's managers were protecting their own. So they invited kibaki to 'commission' a facility that was non-operational & not expected to come online till early 2009.

The Oil Marketers have made multiple suggestions for changes in the Oil Tendering System (OTS) among other structural problems facing the industry BUT the incompetent (or maybe just plain corrupt) mandarins refuse to make the changes.

Another group of idiots reside at the Ministry of Finance & KRA... who refuse to expedite the refunds of taxes, duties and levies thus creating a strain on Oil Marketers.

Of course, the public at large are like sheep. They believe whatever alfie mutua says... or some incomptent (&/or corrupt) government bureaucrat.

It is so easy to blame BUSINESSES (they are not perfect) for the problems whereas dig a little deeper & its STUPID, CORRUPT, INCOMPETENT government functionaries who push retrograde policies OR are simply in it as rent-seekers!