Point Blank

By Michael Oriedo

Miguna shows leaders’ advisers owe public stories

Hell, to paraphrase the famous proverb, hath no fury like a Miguna Miguna scorned. The former personal adviser to Prime Minister Raila Odinga has published earthshaking claims against his former boss, who he served dutifully and diligently.

Miguna believes Raila is not decisive, cannot be trusted with war against corruption (because the maize scandal allegedly took place under his nose) and he is a comedian. This is against what the public knows of the PM. To many, Raila stands out as a reformist and strong-willed leader, who does not tolerate corruption and cares for the downtrodden.

Only an insider can dismiss such perceptions as confidently and ruthlessly as Miguna does. Although PointBlank does not believe every claim he makes in Peeling Back the Mask, it lauds him for putting most of his experiences with the PM and in the coalition government on paper.

This is what Kenyans need if they are (to an extent) fight corruption and understand their leaders, many who behind-the-scenes are what they are not in public. PointBlank thus believes every personal assistant to a public figure owes the public a juicy story.

Pockets on periodic maintenance  

Mr Peter Mutua doubts whether Kenya Roads Board (KRB) is committed to supervising road works in various parts of the country. 

Mutua’s reservations against KRB arise from the fact that “maintenance on roads is not done to satisfaction of road users”. On many roads under construction, the nutritionist observes there are signs reading ‘rehabilitation’ and ‘period maintenance’. “These words are clearly understood especially if the work is being done by a Chinese firm. This is because one sees the quality of ongoing work,” he recounts.

poor condition

However, for some contractors many of them local, Mutua notes the words, in particular, ‘periodic maintenance’ is abused.

“The term is virtually on every road in Nairobi especially at the beginning of each financial year. A case in point is Outering and Airport South roads. The roads are in poor condition but a ‘periodic maintenance’ board is shamelessly displayed. Maybe the term means it is the contractors’ pockets that are on periodic maintenance or is it not KRB,” he wonders.   

Kenya Power client living in ‘dark age’

For the past one year, Mr Lucas Musyoki says Kenya Power (KP) has forced him to live in darkness.

Musyoki, who resides in Kitengela, Chuna estate recounts he applied for power installation to his residence KJD/KAPUTIEI/3036 and paid the requisite fee of Sh34,980.

“I do not know what went wrong. Myself and other Chuna residents have been given many false promises,” he says.

Two months ago, narrates Musyoki, a contractor visited the estate and fixed some poles, giving them hope. “But it seems this was a ploy to make us believe they were doing something. Nothing has moved on since then. Our complaints to Kitengela office have not been acted upon making us wonder if KP is keen on getting more customers,” he says.

Musyoki believes their plight has to do with the contractor assigned to their estate.

“He is busy with other projects elsewhere. This shows some contractors are favoured by being given numerous projects, which they cannot complete on time,” he claims, adding that they have also been told a transformer meant for their zone lacks some equipment.

Musyoki, and other residents of Chuna, wants KP to supply them with power so that they can stop living in the ‘dark age’.

Raising red flag over flag colours

Patriot N T Koor is a disturbed man. His troubles have to do with our national flag — a premier symbol of patriotism. Noor observes that flags hoisted at various Government offices, during official functions and those in shops for citizens are completely different.

“The shades of colours used differ greatly. The most notorious is green colour. One wonders which is the legal Kenyan flag,” he narrates. Noor, who has a sharp memory, points out that the flag hoisted at Harambee House and the one used during the promulgation of the Constitution at Uhuru Park are completely different.

DON’T YOU FORGET

Will damaged cards be replaced easily, Safaricom?

Mr George Kiragu from Mwiki, Nairobi, wrote to PointBlank on June 3 saying he felt Safaricom had betrayed him. Kiragu narrated he had bought Sh20 airtime card, which got damaged as he was scratching it.

Kiragu then called Safaricom customer care and got assistance.  His beef, however, was with the mode of replacing the card. Kiragu said he was asked to visit the nearest agent, who is at Kasarani. “For me to reach there, I will use Sh40 fare in a matatu. Why use that much to claim a damaged card of Sh20,” he asked. Put it differently, it took him Sh60 to recharge Sh20 airtime, plus time lost. Kiragu suggested that Safaricom should come up with a simpler way to enable their clients replace damaged cards. “Let’s say at any M-Pesa Agent?” he offered. Is Safaricom working on such a plan, Mr Collymore?