Leaders can end giggles and guffaws over their gaffes

Some of the most watched local TV programmes are the brief weekend political satires. They offer a preview of Kenya’s political week—snippets of what our politicians do and say. This is the best time to sit back and have a good laugh as they dabble in their no-holds-barred comedy. After watching these shows, PointBlank has concluded that some of our leaders don’t give much thought to what they say. Spontaneity is their game; they call it ‘kuchapa siasa’ which can mean anything from discussing serious issues, to comedy and mudslinging. FavreauBut our leaders can learn a lesson from Obama who rarely talks without a script. And although he is a good writer, the US President has a speech writer, the youthful Jon Favreau whom he refers to as the ‘president’s mind reader’. Indeed, Obama’s case underscores the need for a speech writer in every politician’s life. Politicians are busy and hardly find time to write a good speech. Writers help them do that and to avoid pitfalls that would put them in bad light.Despair over slow road repair workWith the Chinese putting final touches on a world-class highway in Nairobi, the phrase ‘cow-boy contractor’ might sound as alien as Mandarin to Kenyans. But Mr Tom Ogola is certain that he has spotted one in Nairobi. An angry Ogola says that Pakjel Holdings have taken a year working on "about 500 metres of Ragati Road in Upper Hill. He says the contractor has left the sides of Mara Road exposed and has also "dug deep drainages on the side of Hospital Road and left them exposed without barriers or even yellow tape to warn motorists"."The contractor and the officer responsible for the road at the city council and Kenya Roads Board ought to be punished. The development has made an eye-sore of the once beautiful area," he says.Still on Ragati Road, Mr Johnson Mwawasi wonders why such a short stretch should take ‘eternity’ to complete. "We have complained about this a number of times but it seems it doesn’t bother fellows at the ministry," he says. "The contractor did not have equipment and did about 40 per cent of the work and left. Can someone in the Ministry of Roads explain what’s happening, he urges.Three hours on the cross(ing)Last Thursday, says Mr Nkaranga Justin, ferry commuters were caught between the deep sea and hard rock for hours at the Likoni Ferry Crossing. He says he was among the unlucky people who embarked the ferry at 2.30pm, unbeknown to him the journey would not begin until three hours later. "I had just boarded the ferry, MV Kwale, when I suddenly heard high engine revs and a tyre-skidding sound. We came out to find a huge truck clingging on the ferry," he said.The ferry, he says, was trapped and could neither move forwards nor backwards. "We were sandwiched between the semi trailer and deep Kilindini channel until 5.30pm. Many commuters missed their flights and business deals." He blames KFS for the mishap. "Kenya Ferry Services knows well that their new vessels have a problem with heavy trucks. They should have used MV Kilindini or MV Nyayo to carry the heavy truck."He says during the mishap, they overheard KFS officials vowing that they would charge the user of the ferry who had caused the delay. Now Justin says KFS should also compensate commuters for the delay. Punished for cleaning town?A resident of Eldoret, Mr Kisaka Wamoto, says he is appalled by the town council’s "archaic law on waste disposal".He says two weeks ago he witnessed some overzealous council officers arresting staff from various shops along Oginga Odinga Street "on charges of pouring dirty water on the pavements". "If you’re washing your shop where is the water supposed to go? he poses. "I thought the drainage outside the shops is supposed to carry the dirty water away?"He accuses the council of arresting people haphazardly instead of sensitising them on how to keep Eldoret clean.End long-standing silence over outstanding gratuityWe have carried several reminders here concerning the unpaid gratuity payment for a staffer in the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, but all that we have got is deafening silence for an answer. The employee, who was first employed on contract under the National Aids/STI Control Programme in 2006 was hired on permanent terms in 2008. She sent PointBlank a letter stating that she was entitled to a gratuity of 31 per cent of her annual basic salary at the end of the contract. But despite numerous visits to various ministry offices, she never got her dues.To make matters worse, she says that colleagues under other health programmes don’t appear to have the same problem. So, Minister Beth Mugo, what is the way forward for this long-suffering staffer?Point of OrderAuthority denies the people their power From Nanyuki, Mr Charles Wambugu has an electrifying question. He wants the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) to explain what informed their decision in the construction of a power supply line that traverses Mukima Farm in Nanyuki to Doldol township.He says it is very strange that an organisation that is supposed to light the rural areas avoided constructing the power line in areas that have villages and instead chose a route that is uninhabited."It is even more annoying to know that this was done when the current sitting member of parliament was actually an assistant Minister for Energy," he says."If this power line was constructed along the route that has farmers settled, I have no doubt that their standard of living would have improved tremendously by now." Applying to Kenya Power for connection, he says, would be at a big cost to those settled in the area that REA avoided. "I am asking the Chief Executive Officer of REA, Mr Zachary Ayieko, to visit this particular area and have the anomaly remedied. It is never too late," he pleads.Security shaky for ‘old’ NSSF employeesThe National Social Security Fund’s audited financial statement for the year ending June 30, 2010, notes Mr Ithoka a’Kalembe, indicates commendable performance by the public pension’s scheme. "But", he adds, "the success comes with a bitter taste to officers and members of staff responsible for that sterling performance who have been branded ‘an aged workforce’ by the Board of Trustees and earmarked for retrenchment". Kalembe wants to hear Labour minister John Munyes’ views about "the fallacious exercise carried out by PWC at the Fund under the guise of staff rationalisation". He says as a result, there are now two salary structures and many officers are currently lazing about with little to do. "Will the good performance be repeated in 2010-2011, or will there be all manner of excuses to explain serious losses during the year owing to poor management policies?" he asks. Plea over delayed pension Mr Japheth Ochieng Oremo wants to know why the Pensions Department has not released his late father’s benefits (APN/PC142771). His family had been promised the money would be paid by early last year but this did not happen. His email is; japhethkodanga@yahoo.

Leaders can end giggles and guffaws over their gaffes

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Leaders can end giggles and guffaws over their gaffes

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