If you can recall, PoinkBlank wasn’t excited about Kenya’s Somalia incursion. We even advised against it for obvious reasons. Somalia has been a hard nut to crack; even Americans left crestfallen after failing to pacify the country. Our second fear was based on Kenya’s proximity to Somalia and the threat that this poses in terms of terrorism.
It seems we were wrong, at on the first point. We underrated KDF’s firepower. KDF and allied forces have made remarkable progress so far. Currently, KDF is gearing up for a major offensive against Kismayu.
Freedom
This, we have been told, is the toughest assignment for the gallant Kenyan forces, as the port city is deemed as the most important fort for Al Shabaab. Notably, the militia has been sent packing from some of their major strongholds, and now large swathes of Somalia are savouring freedom after years under the heel of the militia.
KDF hopes to liberate Kismayu by August. We wish them Godspeed. We also pray that Kismayu will fall quickly and that that fall will herald the peace that has eluded Somalia for two decades.
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Lion’s share of blame over lions’ deaths
Mr Gachiengo Gitau, like most Kenyans, was shocked by news of the killings of six lions in Kitengela. Lions, he notes, are a treasured natural resource that should be protected at all costs. However, he adds, humans are of more value than lions. Gitau castigates “armchair critics” who he claims have gone overdrive with catchy phrases such as “it’s humans who have encroached on the turf”.
He argues that no one is indigenous to where they stay as we have all encroached on a preserve of some other previous occupants; human, wildlife or plants. The animal slayers could have erred, but so did KWS, which deserves the lion’s share of blame.
“I doubt anyone would see some marauding lions in the dead of night and merely calmly make a call to KWS and wait for them to take their sweet time to come and ensnare them.” On such a night, he says, everyone would wish to have a lionhearted warrior for a neighbour.
Gitau also thinks the media stretched the matter a shade to far: “I doubt the sensational coverage given the event would have gone beyond the ‘News In Brief’ segment, if it was a local who was mauled by a lion.”
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Elderly con woman ‘inside bank’
KCB Machakos branch customer Shadrack Kioko is a frustrated person.
He claims his cashier, whom he sent to bank Sh50,000 on July, 6 at around 10am, was conned of the money inside the bank. Kioko alleges that the money was stolen by an elderly woman who approached his cashier in the banking hall while she was filling out the pay-in slip.
“I raised the matter with the bank manager, wondering how such a thing can happen. The manager was very unco-operative and told me to go and report to the police, which I did.”
He further claims that there have been a number of similar cases in the same bank “and mostly customers don’t get any help”.
He has one request: “Can we get a clip from CCTV camera to view the event since the victims can identify the woman who we understand operates with two men?” His contact is shedy_kitosh@yahoo.com.
Piggy bank
Meanwhile, Gladys Seleina who opened a Cub Account for her daughter, Joy Selantei, at KCB’s Prestige Branch on February 7 reports that she is yet to get her piggy bank. Has KCB run out of piggy banks? She can be reached on 0720592170.
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Do terrorists hate pubs?
Three bars have in the recent past been attacked with grenades by Al Shabaab militants at the Coast, notes Justin Osey. Mr Osey, who has been wondering whether Al Shabaab has anything against pubs, claims he has heard “some whispers” that the terrorists are against drunkardness. But irrespective of that, he says, pubs are rather an easy target for the killers because patrons tend to concentrate more on entertainment. He, however, emphasises that bar owners, and the police, have a responsibility to tighten security around their businesses to keep their customers off harm’s way.
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DON’T YOU FORGET
Mr Njoka is still crying for attention, Dr Shaban
In the recent past, Maendeleo Ya Wanaume Organisation chair Nderitu Njoka has been having a very hectic time. He has been running up and down attending to battered men. Cases of husband abuse, he has told us, are on the rise. According to him, over one million men are assaulted by their wives every year. But as we wrote in this column on January 16, Mr Njoka can’t achieve much because although he is willing, he lacks the wherewithal. In fact, he alleges discrimination by the Ministry of Gender which funds women empowerment via Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organisation. The Government, he has said more than one time, has refused to give Maendeleo ya Wanaume even a penny. Just why won’t Government fund Njoka, Naomi Shaban, Minister for Gender?
