No stones will be left unturned, National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) chairman Mzalendo Kibunjia has assured, on the probe to ascertain whether music by three popular vernacular musicians amount to hate speech.
Kibunjia’s team has obtained audio and video recordings of the songs and questioned the musicians. The institution is also awaiting translations of the songs, which will help in making its decision.
Anyone who has listened to or watched the videos of the songs, which have been denounced by Uhuru Kenyatta’s allies, will attest that some words used are indefensible. But that is not what worries PointBlank, as NCIC investigators slowly turn the stones, the music is spreading like bush fire.
The songs are being played in bars, matatus and markets. And that is not all, some agents are cashing in on the publicity the music has generated to make a killing. They are moving in residential areas with vehicles mounted with powerful speakers playing and selling the music.
PointBlank wonders what effect will Kibunjia’s verdict have, especially if the songs are found to spread hate.
Good judge made good judgement
The good judge who quashed President Kibaki’s appointment of County Commissioners and gave political aspirants without degrees a lifeline has made Malindi resident Emmanuel Ngala say, najivunia kuwa Mkenya.
Ngala notes what the judge reminded the nation is that it has failed some of its children.
“Many Kenyans do not have degrees not because they are unintelligent or lazy. No, university education is expensive and out of reach for many people,” he says. The current MPs who do not have degrees, claims Ngala, are victims of our unjust society.” “Given equal opportunities, they could perhaps have done better than their counterparts who have degrees.”
Ngala observes about 18 million Kenyans are pathetically poor and ten million struggle to make ends meet. Then only about seven million can afford technical certificates and five million university degrees.
“This is today, in the past things were difficult. We should deal with challenges surrounding university admission. Believe me, every Kenyan wants to get a degree,” he says.
On county commissioners, Ngala says the judge has shamed forces of impunity.
Why use Sh60 to replace Sh20, Safaricom
Mr George Kiragu, from Mwiki, Nairobi, feels betrayed by Safaricom. Kiragu says he recently bought Sh20 airtime card, which got damaged as he was scraping.
Kiragu called Safaricom customer care and got assistance. His beef, however, has to do with the mode of replacing the card.
Kiragu says 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 asks. Put it differently, it will take him Sh60 to recharge Sh20 airtime, plus time lost. “Can’t Safaricom look for a simpler way to replace a damaged card. Let’s say at any M-Pesa Agent?” he wonders. Kiragu can be reached on 0722449194.
In the same breath, Benjamin Magaregikenyi is seeking help from Orange. The medical doctors say he bought a modem number 0202409178 on December 23 last year in Nakuru. “The device malfunctioned soon after. I went to Orange shop in Nakuru and they promised to replace it,” he narrates.
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However, he notes Orange has not kept its promise. “I have gone several times, the last being June 22. I am becoming frustrated. Can Orange assist me?” He can be reached on 0770118751.
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