Mike OWuor
Not for the first time, a bunch of criminals masquerading as protestors on Wednesday uprooted a section of the railway in Kibera slums, Nairobi. This time the gripe was about unpaid dues for working during the recent census. The instigators of the damage were said to be ‘elders’.
Now, PointBlank knows not whether these wise ‘elders’ have genuine grievances. What we do know is that the railway has absolutely nothing to do with the census. Neither did it help the disbanded Electoral Commission of Kenya bungle the 2007 General Election or cause Uganda to ‘grab’ Migingo Island.
Arrest them
But this did not stop the criminals from shouting the famous "Haki yetu" (our right) slogan or No Migingo, no railway! while undertaking the strenuous task of damaging the railway.
However, apart from the hotheads, the police cannot escape blame for sitting back and allowing the breakdown of law and order. Without deterring these criminals by arresting and charging them, they will continue to imagine they have invented the best protest method ever.
Why should we be land of shortages?
Judy Atieno, "a frustrated reader" in Umoja Estate, Nairobi, says ours is turning into an unpredictable country. It is bad enough, she says, that prices are so volatile that one can hardly be sure the cost of sugar, for example, will not change within the following hour. This is assuming the product is available.
Atieno says last week her 6kg cooking gas ran out and, as usual, she went to a nearby dealer to buy another cylinder. Since she had not heard of neither a shortage nor price increase, the mother of two expected to pay the ‘normal’ price of Sh800. But she was shocked when the dealer told her there was "an acute gas shortage" which meant consumers had to pay more.
"I cannot believe I was forced to pay Sh1,500, which was almost double the price. With costs of basic commodities on the rise, this messed up my monthly budget. How does the Government expect us to survive?" she asks.
Atieno, who suggests officials are sleeping on the job, wants Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi and the Energy Regulatory Authority to explain why consumers were not warned about an impending shortage and what is being done to prevent such inconveniences in future.
Criminals with bumpy idea
Driving along the Kisii-Nyamira Road last weekend, Mr Daniel Mokaya says he was surprised to come across many improvised speed bumps, some barely 50m apart. It was obvious this was not the work of road engineers but the efforts of a crude criminal enterprise.
"Some were fresh, evidence that they were erected the previous night. It was very strenuous for me to drive the 35km from Kisii town to my home, as I had to slow down," he says.
When Mokaya enquired from matatu drivers, he was told the illegal roadblocks are erected at night by youths who pounce on motorists when they slow down. He, however, claims that despite complaints to the Provincial Administration, local council and the police, nothing had been done to protect motorists. Even cops on patrol do not seem bothered.
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Illegal construction
"The following morning I observed groups of people idling by the roadside. It is alleged that these are among the people who rob motorists at night," he says.
It is surprising, adds Mokaya, that officials of the ministries of Public Works and Roads have also done nothing to remove the illegal bumps.
Onyonka Estate needs repairs
Thumbs up from Mr Kenneth Miriti to the City Council of Nairobi for lighting up Ambira and Kitengela roads in Lang’ata. This, he says, has given the area a fresh feel at night and is likely to improve security in Southlands and neighbouring estates.
However, Miriti asks Town Clerk Philip Kisia if the council has plans to "bring development" to Onyonka Estate.
"We, the long suffering residents of the neglected estate, would like the dilapidated roads and the drainage system rehabilitated. We have been warned that heavy rains are expected soon and it would be good to carry out repairs before then," he says.
Unfair treatment claims remain unanswered
This is the third reminder to Public Health Minister Beth Mugo (pictured) on an issue first raised on February 18 by a "concerned counsellor" (‘Distressed counsellors decry inhuman treatment’). Despite revisiting the issue on May 5 (Don’t You Forget: ‘Silence on counsellor’s claims of unfair treatment’) we have received no response. The counsellor claimed he and his colleagues had been employed at Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centres by the Ministry of Health, under the Global Fund, in 2006. However, he said, their contracts were terminated early this year without notice or pay.
On June 12, we reminded Mrs Mugo of a similar claim by Maryam, a counsellor in Garissa District, who wanted her dues paid.
Right of Reply
Mathira water supply is set to improve soon
Please refer to your edition of September 9 (Don’t You Forget: ‘Is Mathira Water Company confident of its services?’).
We are aware of the problem affecting residents of Ngorano, Hiriga and Gitathi, who have had no water. However, we have connected a sizeable number of residents up to Ngorano trading Centre and chief’s camp to our service in the recent past through system improvements. However, the current drought has seriously affected service to these areas and we thus have a rationing programme.
The problem of occasional water shortage will be solved once and for all, with the ongoing construction of Hombe Dam to be completed before the end of this month. This will be in time for the onset of the short rains.
The dam has a capacity of 7.5 million cubic metres of water and upon commissioning, water problems will be a thing of the past for these residents. A pipeline has been laid from the dam, which connects to the existing network. Another line is in the design stage and will run from the dam to the lower areas of Gatung’ang’a and Marua which have also have had no water.
Mathira Water and Sanitation Company (Mawasco) has a grand plan to ensure constant supply of water once the Hombe and Ragati dams are completed. Hombe will supply Mathira West while the just completed Ragati will provide water to Mathira East.
P Karenju,
General Manager,
Mawasco.
Contact KRA with details
The attention of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has been drawn to an article published in the PointBlank column on September 8 (‘Thankless task of a tax patriot’). We wish to request Mr Waweru Gatiru to get in touch with the Marketing and Communication Department through telephone number (020) 2817052 or fax number (020) 2242420 for further assistance.
Maureen Njongo,
Deputy Commissioner,
Marketing and Communication Department, KRA.
Point of Order
Con conductors raid Rongai
Police should stop conmen masquerading as touts along the road between Kware Market and Multimedia University in Ongata Rongai, says Ms Cynthia Odero. She claims they collect money from passengers then alight before the ‘real’ conductor comes. This "silly game", she says, often means commuters have to pay "double fare". This, she says should be stopped.
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