Blessed residents welcome rare visitors

Pius Maundu

@piusmaundu

Blessed residents welcome rare visitors

Brenton, 8, hangs out with Thomas Wambua and puppies at Blessed Children Centre, Makindu, 170 km South East of Nairobi. Visitors and hosts had good time when visitors came calling. Photo. Pius Maundu

Pomp and glee characterized Saturday afternoon at Blessed Children Centre when visitors drawn from various parts of Makueni County came calling, bringing with them goodies, and participating in a gaming duel. 

Under the auspices of Makueni County Sharing Forum, the visitors led by Mr. Dominic Maweu, were received by the facility’s founder Ms Zipporah Wavinya.

“Blessed Children Centre is our small way of responding to the growing need for all children to acquire stable foundations, various hurdles in the society notwithstanding,”  she told the visitors, after the dust from the acapela of boys and girls welcoming them in song and jig settled.  

Home to children peviously on the streets, the centre, situated in Kimooini village, a stone throw from Makindu Town, opened its doors in 2013.

 “But the project had been ongoing hitherto,” noted the beaming Zipporah, popularly known as Zippy, an alumni of African Christian University, who swears by God and charitable entities for her present social stature.  

“Presently, we’ve touched the lives of an upwards of 170 children aged between two and eighteen who are already enrolled in elementary, primary and secondary levels of education.” 

One of its first entrants has qualified to join the university. 

Under the shade of an acacia tree at the heart of the home,  visitors packaged blitz sandwiched in narratives for the children. Praising the decision to remain in the home, Chris Yulu told the children that God, Zippy, and friends meant well for them. 

Clementine Wavinya and Charity Wavinya extolled the need for brotherliness. “If I were not friendly to my kin, I would not have acquired college education,” advised Wavinya, momentarily lost in reminiscence. 

But it was discipline that took the lion’s share of the recommendations. “To me, discipline is very important if one is to lead a meaningful life,” this was Big Boss, the moniker fashioned for Charles Mutyambai during the event.  

“Where we come from, there are people who did not do well in school. But they are doing well in their undertakings thanks to their discipline.”

Moses Kivungi send the 40-strong audience in mirth when he recalled an unfortunate childhood experience. He had attempted to break open his family radio set to ‘feed the people inside’ on ugali and milk. It earned him rebuking and thorough spanking from his Dad. 

As if on cue with Kivungi’s predicament, Maweu reiterated that education is an antidote to ignorance. 

At the volley ball pitch, mingling between visitors and hosts heightened when two teams, with members selected from either side, dueled. Refereed by Dominic Maweu, and enthusiastically spectated, the match ended in a barren draw. 

Visitors only started leaving when the sun went down Chyullu ranges. But even as they rolled their mats, it was obvious they had not had enough. Thomas Wambua said:

“Certainly, we shall be coming back. But in the meantime, I’ll be sneaking here often laden with sweet bananas.”

The West is not exaggarting insecurity in Kenya

An article by Muhia Maingi on the Daily Nation July 8 titled ‘West is exarggerating insecurity in Kenya’ posits that the West is exaggerating on the level of insecurity in Kenya. 

Maingi’s argument is that Kenya is secure and that attempts by the West to advise their citizens are misplaced. 

I write to counter this assertion. 

Kenya is insecure. When over 100 people are dying Lamu in less than a month, that is the height of insecurity. When a Russian tourist is shot dead in broad daylight at the precints of the Old Town in Mombasa, that is insecurity. 

Worse, it is the prime of insecurity when the State blatantly ignores warnings on impending terrors attacks, and ionsteads points fingers at politicians when terrorists kill Kenyans in dozens.

Maingi banks on the attendance of the just concluded conference at UNEA to warrant his claim. That 1200 diginitaries drawn from all over the world could converge at Kenya’s Gigiri, and do the whole 3 day meeting unscathed, then Kenya is secure for foreigners, and indeed locals. Nothing can be more fallacious. 

Perhaps Maingi, an employee of the Parliament, should have used his proximity to the State to explain to the world  the variance in security detailling between the attendants of UNEA and the villagers of Poromoko, Mpeketoni, and Tana River, for instance. 

It is important to appreciate that the West is a highly civilized society. Unlike Kenya where the State does not seem to bother when their citizens are exposed, the West is caring. Hence the travel advisories. That is why leaders in the West resign whenever their dockets fail misserably. This culture is not Kenyan.  

To confirm that the West is advising their citizens in good faith, there has been no single incident in which European and Ameriacan governments have come to Kenyan hotels, for instance, ambushing their citizens to board the next mechanically planes home. 

Further, it should be noted that the West has been meaning well for Kenya.  Recently enough, the Kenyan managed an oversubscription on the Euro Bond by investors from the West. Again, the West continues to ensure that our healthcare system is up and kicking. I am not sure what would become of Kenyans, Wanjiku, is the West cuts its funding on healthcare.  

How many more people will have to die in the country under Mungiki, Police, Alshabaab, bandits or MRC so that we learn the state of insecurity in Kenya? 

http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Letters/Kenya-can-t-be-secure-yet-being-killed-daily-/-/440806/2379368/-/7vw8qm/-/index.html

Let’s prepare for the next terrorist attack

There is every indication that the Kenyan State is not able to tame terrorism

By: Pius Mukusya Maundu

Soon, terrorists are going to hit us. Again. 

 

When terrorists killed over 50 Kenyans in Mpeketoni in the coastal town of Lamu, I reacted on Twitter.

“It is official: we have lost it.” 

President Kenyatta and top brass security officials spend the better part of the day at Harambee House holed in a strategic meeting to address the runaway insecurity in the country. Later in the day, a section of those in attendance flew southwards, to Mpeketoni. 

That night, an upwards of 15 lives were to be lost at Poromoko village, a heartbeat away from Mpeketoni. 

More shocking than the fact that the killlers took more than four hours in their spree was the outcome of the Harambee House deliberations: that the attack was cordinated by politicians. 

Obviously, terrorists have identified our Achilles’s heel. The state is incapable of neutering terrorism.

Recent events are proof enough that the Kenyan state is not able to tame terrorism. Beginning with the top creme in the security docket, to the foot soldiers, it is clear that Kenyans are exposed. Gaffes by Interior Cabinet Secretary are not only embarrassing but also unfortunate. 

For instance, the clamor that the Mpeketoni attacks were ochestrated by CORD leaders is the most laughable, and unfortunate.It effectively rekindles the burning mattresess theorem during the terror attack at Westgate Shopping Mall. 

Instead of  owning that the country was in a crisis and appropriating workable solutions, the state is audicious enough to tell the world that utterances by the Opposition sparked the killings and destruction of property. 

Political animosity is known to spark incivility. It has happened in Kenyan in the December of 2007 and the January of 2008. It has happened in 1997, 1992, and in 1984, during the infamous Wagalla Masacre. 

But in this particualar case, there is every indication that terrorists are calling the shots.

And as if to rebuke the declaration that politicians fertilized the heinous activities in Mpeketoni, Al-Shabaab owned to ochastrating the attrocities. 

 “We hereby warn the Kenyan government and its public that as long as you continue to invade our lands and oppress innocent Muslims, such attacks will continue and the prospect of peace and stability in Kenya will be but a distant mirage. Do not ever dream of living peacefully in your lands while your forces kill the innocent in our lands,”

Naturally, one cannot help questioning the ability of the Kenyan security forces on reacting to terrorism. That 50 insurgents could infiltrate into Kenya, raid a Police station, kill residents in a well calculated manner leaves more questions than answers. This when the NIS are in existence?

To get to the bottom of these issues, it is imperative to querry the leadership of the security apparatus. Afterall a snake is as good as its head. 

But what do we get!

Not so long ago, a section of the media carried a story touching on a controversial stand by  Julius Waweru Karangi, Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, on elitism in the armed forces. Tittled, “Bright heads do not make good soldiers,” the implications of the utterances by the security chief are chilling. Quoting Karangi, the news article read in part: 

“Instead of enlisting candidates who will start seeking time off to go to university, we opt to recruit those with minimum grades.”

Karangi’s contention is mediaval, to say the least. Today, millitary activities are no longer predominantly combat. Most wars are won on elaborate mathematical strategizing. 

Bellum se ipsum alet is gradually becoming obsolete. To understand social engineering and neuter cyber terrrorism, for instance, one does not need a bazooka. Coercion, a popular miltary tactic in conflict zones, requires that soldiers understand communication. Hence the need for soldiers to go back to class and hone their skills in fighting amoebic threats.  

Contending that soldiers do not require training, therefore is defeatist. It is highly demotivating. Just like ordering sleuths to share rooms. It is telltale that Kenyans should expect worse on security.

This obvious metaphorical sucking on the foot is further evident in Isaac Obiero’s mien. 

Obiero, an Administration Police officer recently  shot dead a football fan in Kisumu. Before he opened fire on the father of one, Obiero had switched off the TV on which dozens of fans were following World Cup events in Brazil. It is alleged that the shooting was in angst when the slain fan questioned his unbecoming behavior. 

 

Allow a deviation from the theatrics meted on Police Contable Linda Okello. And even the jig saw between the office of the Police Inspector and that of National Intelligence Service on acquiring and disseminating intelligence. Going this route will frustrate efforts examine the country’s security apparatus meritoriously. 

It would be unwise to label the Kenyan security apparatus as obsolete. Our gallant soldiers have been stunning themselves in other areas. Say manning VIPs, collecting 50 KES levy on our highways and shielding those curling elephant tusks. But not in quelling terrorism. 

Otherwise, it would mean that the state is not willing to tame terrorism. But this theorem is easily defeated by the heavy investment in advertisements and CCTV cameras spearheaded by the President himself. 

Heavy investment in the Integrated Public Safety Communication and Surveillance System project  is indicative that the present regime is willing to do something on security. 

But when, in a kneejerk to the Mpeketoni terror, Lenku poked holes at Safaricom,  the company entrusted with the 14.7 billion Kenya shillings for the gangantuan sophisticated security project, saying that it was saillable, he effectively played into the hands of legislators and Kenyans who have been jittery on the tendering process,  especially citing the ability of Safaricom to handle such a task.

Once bitten at the Anglo Leasing security contracts, Kenyans are twice shy. In this jigsaw, the trace indicators of the willingness of the state of enhance security are utterly defeated. 

In this light, Kenyans and visitors to the country should prepare for the next terror attack. For it is bound to happen. Sooner or later.

The Star: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-172193/lets-be-prepared-next-terrorist-attack

OKARI GOES GLOBAL

Kenya’s Dennis Okari has secured a job with the BBC.

Okari, who, until now, had been an investigative journalist with the Nation Media Group, NMG, is the latest entrant into the international media.

On a Facebook post on Wednesday, Okari announced the transition with awe.

“I am joining BBC World. I leave the local scene with my head held high that in my very small way through my stories, I was able to make a small difference.”

Before joining NMG, Okari had had a long stint in the Kenyan media industry.

“I have worked with KBC, Metro FM, TBN - Family Media, Baraka FM, KTN, Kiss TV,” read the post.

Adding that it was time to spread his wings to a global audience.

In a speculative Tweet earlier on, blogger Robert Alai had intimated that Okari was poised to put on Komla Dumor’s shoes at the BBC.

Dumor, a Ghanaian, passed on in January 2014 after an illustrious 8-year career at the BBC as a celebrated TV journalist.

In the post, that had attracted an avalanche of reactions and was shared widely, Okari reaffirmed that he will face the challenge coming with the new assignment head on.

“I will continue telling the Kenya (African) story to the world,” the post read.