By Njoroge Kinuthia

After carefully studying the murmurs, we have concluded that these are hollow noises emanating from those envious of the council’s success. We don’t know what it takes an organisation to get ISO certification, but we know the council has set standards. Council workers are known for their hard work and commitment to duty. By sunrise, they are up and about wearing yellow jackets, with the message ‘corruption is evil’ printed on their backs, collecting levies.

Old wine

Others, in white pick-up vans, never get tired of cycling the city rounding-up hawkers and hawkish characters. And because they don’t wear the ‘corruption is evil’ jackets they also collect bribes.

Others work hard to clean the city, but unfortunately, some people such as the malicious traders at Muthurwa market keep creating mountains of garbage for fun. Surely, no one can blame the council for failing to clear such impossible heaps. Kudos ISO-certified CCN!

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Time to give Hell’s Gate an earthly name

While mourning the deaths of seven youths at Hell’s Gate National Park in Naivasha, Justin Njagi says the park lived up to its name on Sunday April 22, when it momentarily turned into a veritable hell on earth.

Njagi wonders who invented the park’s name, but following the tragedy, suggests that it be given a new name.

"The sad memories of people who perished at ‘Hell’s Gate’ will make it difficult for people to visit this national park with a satanic name.

"It is only fair that its name be changed immediately," he urges.

Mr Gachiengo Gitau is another Kenyan who also wants the name of the popular national park changed. "I don’t know the origin of the name Hell’s Gate," he says, "but I am sure it conjures hellish memories to many, going by recent events".

And he continues: Granted, the name may not be referring to the abode of the fallen angel, but in deference to our fallen colleagues, and on the basis it is still not a very endearing name, could the Kenya Wildlife Service consider a name change?

Any plans to give Hell’s Gate an ‘earthly’ or ‘heavenly’ name, KWS?

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Entertainment for desperate callers

Mr Daniel Gitau is a very disappointed Kenyan. He is disappointed with Kenya Power for ‘ignoring’ his calls whenever he has an emergency to report.

Gitau, Kenya Power customer (Account No. 0136920-01), says he called the firm to report a power outage at Outer Ring Estate, Buru Buru on Wednesday but it took the person on the other end of the line 30 minutes to pick his call.

Meanwhile, he was kept busy with ‘entertainment’, which he says drove him mad–some pre-recorded messages and songs. "Finally someone answered the call and told me that the concern had been reported...and something will be done but gave no timelines," he says.

During its recent rebranding, Kenya Power promised that it would be more efficient in service delivery but this, says Gitau, has not been the case. He wants the company to show its determination to change by answering emergency calls promptly.

old wine

"They take a long time before answering calls. When they finally do, their don’t care attitude doesn’t help the new image you are trying to create — talk about new wine in old wine skin." His email is daniel.gitau@gm.com.

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‘Total eclipse’ hits Nyawita

There have been frequent power outages in the entire Nyawita area of Kisumu since the onset of the long rains three weeks ago, according to area resident Joshua Ochieng. "As I write this, we have been in total darkness since Saturday and numerous calls to Kenya Power have not helped because customer care asks questions and promises to follow up with an emergency team but nothing happens." Ochieng says that due to darkness, cases of insecurity are on the rise in some parts of Nyawita. He wants Kenya Power to act, or at least, tell them "what is happening".

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DON’T YOU FORGET

Was increase of public toilets charges justified?

On October 21, Mr G Wanyoike, wrote to PointBlank commending Nairobi Business District Association (NCBDA) and the City Council of Nairobi (CCN) for rehabilitating public toilets in the city.

He noted that the refurbished toilets had given Nairobi a new dignified look. The days of filthy toilets that were used as hide-outs by criminal gangs of street-urchins are long gone, he said.

Wanyoike, however, complained about a decision to increase toilet charges ‘suddenly’ from Sh5 to Sh10, at a time when most Kenyans were hard hit by inflation.

Those who manage the toilets, he said, "should not be allowed to add more ‘miseries to an already miserable lot’." Was the increment justified, city Town Clerk Philip Kisia?