Mike Owuor

In a letter to PointBlank last year, "depressed workers" painted a grim picture of the Pyrethrum Board of Kenya (PBK), alleging mismanagement and expressing fear that an impending retrenchment would be unfair (Whiff of fraud irks pyrethrum firm workers, April 17).

Added to farmers’ complaints of non-payment for deliveries and claims of corruption, the workers’ gripes characterised a sector on its knees. The depressing script remains unchanged.

Inefficient monopoly

There are further intrigues with allegations that PBK harasses farmers who sell produce to middlemen, since the board is supposedly the sole recipient of the crop. Caught between a broke PBK and rich brokers, farmers are not exactly spoilt for choice.

But some have decided to uproot pyrethrum and make a run to more profitable crops. PointBlank’s concern is that PBK’s monopolistic tendencies can only work when there is efficiency.

But the best decision would be to liberalise the sector and allow other players. We certainly hope the Ministry of Agriculture will not throw good money after bad in attempts to revive the sector without reforms.

Save students’ necks from ‘abrupt’ order

Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) may have had good intentions in introducing the rule that candidates must produce birth certificates during registration, but Mr Felix Otiato in Nairobi suggests it was done abruptly and has ended up "making life difficult" for parents.

"While it is an assumption that all births in urban areas are registered and a certificate issued, many in rural areas born at home have never even heard of the document, let alone having one. Since the process of acquiring a birth certificate may take time, it would be unfortunate if some candidates missed the registration deadline for lack of this document," he says.

He adds that Knec should have "gradually introduced this rule" and gave parents and candidates time to comply. Otiato asks Council Secretary Paul Wasanga: What would be the fate of candidates who would not have acquired a birth certificate?

"The exams body should explain its policies and directives to clients so that proper decisions and actions are taken in time," he says.

Otiato also claims that when he called Knec offices for an explanation, "arrogant and indifferent officials" offered none.

Abandoned by wayward crew

On February 7, Mr W Okoyo, his wife and daughter, were among passengers travelling to Malaba aboard an Eldoret Express bus (registration No KBE…).

He claims the display board and receipts "clearly indicated" that the bus leaves Machakos Bus Station in Nairobi via Eldoret and Bungoma, and ends its journey at Malaba.

"Many passengers, including my daughter, were schoolchildren. To our disappointment, the bus inexplicably ended its journey in Bungoma at 4pm, instead of Malaba," he claims.

Okoyo further alleges that when he and other concerned passengers who were meant to travel to Malaba asked why this was so, the conductor rudely dismissed them, asking them to make their own arrangements.

No refund

He adds that it got worse when the bus crew refused to refund fare for the remaining part of the journey.

"Can the management explain why the journey was terminated at Bungoma and not Malaba as indicated? Why did the passengers travelling to Malaba not get their refund yet they had paid full fare to their destination? Why subject passengers to such harassment?" he asks.

Is all smooth in Meru project?

Since he is no expert, Mr Peter Kaume wants the Roads ministry to allay his fears that upgrading of the all-weather Meru-Mikinduri road is up to standard. He claims his "inexpert eyes" have noticed what is supposedly bad workmanship.

"The tarmac after Thanantu Bridge looks so thin that potholes seem to have appeared barely a month after construction," he alleges.

Kaume would appreciate if Minister Franklin Bett ensured the contractor and Government officials made certain all was well so that the road does not join the list of those that disintegrate soon after construction.

Repair crack caused by AAK professionals list

Writing to PointBlank on January 15, Mr George Burns Amgahia, "a fully registered and practicing architect running my own firm for the last 20 years", took issue with an Architectural Association of Kenya Press advertisement (Architects’ list causing big cracks). He claimed AAK might have misled the public to believe that persons and firms listed in the advertisement were the only professionals authorised to practice.

"The ultimate organ that registers architects is not AAK, but the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors of Kenya (Boraqs)," he declared.

Amgahia, therefore, asked for a word from Boraqs and Public Works Minister Chris Obure to set the record straight. None has been forthcoming.