Palaver

Last week, it was Education Assistant Minister Ayiecho Olweny rounding on parents and teachers in Minister Anyang Nyong’o’s constituency during an Education Day fete, since only two KCPE candidates from the area joined national schools last year.

Prof Olweny felt there was no justification in celebrating poor performance. On Sunday, it was Transport PS Cyrus Njiru decrying falling academic standards of Kangaru Boys High School in Embu, whose graduates include Chief Justice Evan Gicheru, former Transport Minister Arthur Magugu, and MPs Mutava Musyimi and Lenny Kivuti.

There are confusing signals whether South Africa’s biggest brand and the world’s most favourite grandpa, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, will attend the World Cup. An official is citing "security concerns" the former President, who turns 92 next month, campaigned for the World Cup to come to his country and was, Palaver believes, heavily instrumental in swinging the Fifa vote in SA’s favour.

International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is in trouble if a BBC report leaks out. Turns out the court has not recorded any conviction 12 years since the Rome Statute ushered in the world’s first permanent war-crimes tribunal. With investigations in Kenya, Uganda, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan, critics suggest Mr Moreno-Ocampo casts a wider net and also try US leaders for invading Iraq, Israel for routinely hammering Gaza and Somali leaders, for actively desecrating their country.

Twice this year, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka’s air ride has run into problems and recently to Sudan to represent President Kibaki for the swearing in of President Omar al Bashir. He changed planes. Would this happen to US Vice-President Joe Biden’s aircraft, given the reportedly elaborate mechanical and pre-flight checks before he boards? Perhaps not.

And finally...

Women golfers are testimony to how times change. In Scotland, a new game was invented. It was entitled Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden... and thus the word ‘GOLF’ entered into the English language.

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