Why are some misreading Kalonzo¡¯s good intentions?

Njoroge Kinuthia

Few have been supportive of the Ocampo six (now four) like V-P Kalonzo Musyoka. And it is not hard to understand why. Kalonzo is a man of faith and knows that good a Christian must mourn with those who mourn and also love his neighbours.

That¡¯s why he was at hand when he was called upon to engage in energy-sapping shuttle diplomacy to lobby support for Kenya¡¯s bid to defer ICC cases. Recently, Kalonzo has been by Uhuru and Ruto¡¯s side, giving them much-needed moral support during their prayer rallies.

Friend indeed

And of course Kalonzo was very angry when Mutula Kilonzo mentioned something about Uhuru and Ruto¡¯s presidential bids. He must also be unhappy with those who are giving meaning to an innocent Kamba phrase veekwa ati tukeka ati.

In Kalonzo, Uhuru and Ruto must realise they have a friend indeed ¡ª not in need. But if perchance the two won¡¯t run for the top seat the V-P sincerely prays this won¡¯t happen), it would only be fair that they also stand by him. In any case, a good turn deserves another. You can¡¯t call that scheming, can you?

¡¡

No love for for residents of Kapedo

While the rest of the World was celebrating Valentine¡¯s Day, reports Augustine Tioko Logiron, residents of Kapedo in Turkana were being terrorised by cattle rustlers who raided the village and "sprayed of bullets all over and later burnt grass at Kapedo Secondary School".

The villagers, he says, have lived in a perpetual state of fear for years, under siege from raiders from all sides of the compass. Nadome location chief, Moding Rengei is among the victims of the raiders this year. He was gunned down in January.

"For how long will the government watch the citizens of Kapedo suffering in the hands of criminals with illegally owned guns," asks Logiron.

He adds: As I write this, nobody moves out of the houses to fetch water and pupils of Lomelo primary and Kapedo girls have not attended school since the raid. How are they expected to compete with others who are in secure environments?"

Logiron questions the rationale behind sending a ¡®full battalion¡¯ to Somalia while many lives were being lost within Kenyan borders. Over to you Mr George Saitoti, Internal Security minister.

¡¡

Husbands who deserve some hiding

It appears not all men are mourning with Mr Nderitu Njoka of Maendeleo ya Wanaume Organisation over the tragedy that has befallen ¡®mankind¡¯. According to Martin Makundi, although marital violence is not justifiable some husbands deserve a "little disciplining".

He has in mind men who snoop into their wives phones and emails who, he says, shame upstanding men. "These husbands go around calling every male contact in their wives¡¯ phonebooks asking why their wives have their contacts," he says. Such men he claims suffer some sort of "emotional immaturity" and the only way to accelerate their growth into real African men is to give them a thrashing once in a while.

Building

Meanwhile, Jose Juma argues that cases of domestic violence that have hit headlines lately are saddening and laughable. Saddening because some people get injured needlessly in the process.

Laughable because the tables have been turned on men who historically have been the terrorists at home. "Men should realise that time is past when they could subject their spouses to torture and expect them to remain silent," he warns.

Here, men are main suspects

It is surprising how some institutions operate mechanically even after their mistakes are pointed out repeatedly. Mr Gachiengo Gitau say he gets exasperated every time he walks into Tusky¡¯s Supermarket, Pioneer Branch, and is thoroughly frisked as ladies are casually waved in "carrying monstrous bags". Most of the time, there are two male guards who seem convinced "that all terrorists must be male". Gitau says he is always tempted to pinch the guards¡¯ noses but is afraid of the consequences. "Please, stop gender discrimination. It¡¯s small acts like these that widen the gender rift," Gitau says.

¡¡

DON¡¯T YOU FORGET

Are benches better than plastic seats, Mr Otuoma?

On January 26, Mr Paul O Allan wrote to PointBlank saying that he was troubled by pictures he had been seen on the ongoing renovation of the Moi International Stadium, Kasarani.

Allan said he wouldn¡¯t imagine sitting on the wooden benches that were being erected at the stadium.

Allan disagreed with the contractor¡¯s explanation that there was no adequate legroom to put up seats in the upper terraces. The stadium, he claimed, would now be unable to accommodate over 40,000 new seats as initially envisaged.

Further, he said, it was shameful for Kenya to brag about being the regional giant while her neighbours had better, modern stadia. He is still waiting for Sports Minister Paul Otuoma to explain why benches are better than plastic seats.ed to the Somali al Shabaab militants.