When cowardly Nyeri men fight like wounded lions

All manner of things have been said about Nyeri men in the recent past. They have been portrayed as cowards and their  wives as the ones who wear the pants.

These stereotypes, to some extent, have been given credence by  https://cdn.standardmedia.co.ke/images of men howling in pain, with unsightly stitched or gaping wounds or even missing manhood, courtesy of their “brave” wives.

But if you watched KTN last weekend, you now know the  men are not the cowards they are alleged to be. They are brave and usually have no mercy when they strike. We are talking about those who attacked an “indecently” dressed woman  and undressed her with their sharp claws (if you didn’t know, men at Nyeri bus stop love decency).

Well in a group, cowardly men can be as menacing as a pride lions. Unity is strength, indeed. PointBlank shudders to imagine that these are the same people who scream for help whenever an angry woman confronts them. The cowards who attacked an innocent woman deserve no mercy. I hope their  wives read this.

Mattan’s maximum muddle

For several months now, road construction has been going on in the Upper Hill area of Nairobi. But while residents appreciate that there must be some inconvenience in the course of improving infrastructure, P Santau Migiro laments that “this has gone way beyond that”.

“The contractor, Mattan Contractors, seems to specialise in causing maximum inconvenience with little seen in the way of progress,” says Migiro.

Large craters, she says, have been dug up everywhere, and mountains of soil dumped everywhere but there are no signs to warn motorists of the danger.

Migiro advises Mattan to  borrow a leaf from the Chinese “who make one side passable as they work on the other”.

She reveals that businesses along the road have suffered a great deal due to the mess.

But that’s not all: “Think of all those ambulances going to Kenyatta National Hospital,” she says. “One of these days they will end up in the trenches. It was bad before the rains started, now it’s a nightmare and a disaster waiting to happen.” Can KURA help and ask Mattan to style up, she pleads. What’s all this confusion about, Mattan?

Did Reckitt repel Mortein Doom?

The rainy season is here and with it all the crawling and flying insects. For Nairobi resident, Mercy Wanja, mosquitoes are the most annoying of all, not to mention the attendant malaria risk. Mosquitoes have for long worried her because she cannot use available sprays as her son is asthmatic.

But since Reckitt Beckinser introduced Mortein Doom liquid electric mosquito repellent, Mercy was been happy and confident that she would win the  battle against the tiny insect. She purchased five electric plugs for her house and relied on the refills that were readily available in the market.

But her victory was short-lived. The repellent has been off-shelve for months now. She has hopped from shop to shop  only to be given the same answer—product no longer in supply. Did Reckitt discontinue the product and if so, why?

“Consumers have a right to know if/when products are recalled from the market and why so that they can discontinue use in case they still have them at home,” says Mercy who wonders what to do with her plugs.

Meanwhile, mosquitoes are holding a victory dance in her house and she doesn’t know just  whom to petition. Just what’s happening, Reckitt Beckinser?

DON’T YOU FORGET

Did police finally arrest  highway robbers?

Mr Haggai Aura wrote to PointBlank on November 6, last year, saying he had lost faith in the police force. Last year, Aura was attacked by criminals, along with 40 other bus passengers and robbed of his effects, including a mobile phone. Most of the passengers too lost their money, phones, laptops, clothes among other valuables.  They reported the incident immediately, and even made follow-ups, but finally Aura gave up after he realised that the officers he was dealing with “were not interested in pursuing the gang”. And he had a good reason for making the conclusion. His stolen phone had a tracking function, which alerts him every time there is SIM-card change. “My phone circulates among seven users, which is the same number of gunmen who robbed us,” he said, wondering why police wouldn’t arrest them.

StarTimes’ downtime

A StarTimes digital television subscriber (A/C 02102006582) is contemplating swallowing his pride and retreating to the more familiar analogue world. This, he says, is because the much-hyped digital world is increasingly becoming  hazy, almost analogous to the analogue world, if not worse. For the past three days, the subscriber who resides in Embakasi and who  renewed his subscription recently, complains that https://cdn.standardmedia.co.ke/images on his TV have been frozen, and there are no signs things will get better. What’s happening, he asks, and wonders whether StarTimes will compensate him for the lost “viewership time”.

Right of Reply
 

Muslims as well causing sleeplessness in estates
I read the story, “Defying Nema, Jesus on prayers” attributed to Okebiro JA yesterday with a lot of interest.

Where as I do not condone loud preaching in any religion including mine, and violating citizens’ peace in residential areas, I think you should approach the construction of mosques in residential areas— fully equipped with loud speakers on the roofs, with the same zeal. 

I live in South C where sleeping beyond 4.30am even on public holidays became a mirage years ago. This goes on even during day time and our visitors “jump” when the loud speaker goes off at 1pm and 4pm.

Like you, I believe one does not need to scream via loud speakers and inconvenience others in the name of religion. 

But I also believe that this should touch on all religions across the divide.

Kezia O,

Nairobi

Point of Order

Kitengala factory ‘injures health and environment’

There is a waste disposal factory in Kitengela, which is located smack in the heart of a residential estate, according to Mr Cheruiyot Baliach, the  founder and director of Nature’s Wisdom.

Sadly, Baliach complains that authorities that should help the public out of the factory’s wayward ways, such as the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) and the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation are enjoying deep, sweet slumber.

The factory, he reports, operates 24 hours a day producing noise and “emitting dangerous smoke, bad smell and black particles”.

“There are many stories from those living near this factory, ranging from children born with deformities to queer diseases. This factory has adverse environmental impacts caused by waste disposal,” alleges Baliach.

He reveals that all manner of waste is transported from Nairobi and other areas to the factory for disposal.

His prayer? “The factory should be removed or closed down completely because its location is not conducive for waste disposal. It should be relocated to another place which is far from the residential areas.

“It may have been an ideal place 20 or 30 years ago because nobody was living in this area but now the factory is surrounded by schools, shops and residential houses.”

Are you aware of this factory and its activities Nema, and if so, does it pose any health and/or environmental hazards? He may be reached at [email protected].