Ministry should address concerns over roadwork's

By Njoroge Kinuthia

Despite being ranked at the bottom in implementation of Government policies, PointBlank believes the Ministry of Roads' performance in road building has been outstanding. Our roads are undergoing incredible makeover. Simply put, we are back on track. Keep it up Mr Franklin Bett.

But even as the ministry strives to improve the road network, it should have its ears on the ground and should listen and address public concerns on ongoing roadworks.

Nightmare

For instance, recently some PointBlank readers complained about a "dangerous" intersection in Pangani. One of them termed it a "lunatic convergence" due to the many feeder roads joining the superhighway and suggested that an overpass would have helped matters.

There is another nightmare on the Eastern by-pass screaming for attention. Trucks have been overturning at an alarming rate on a tiny round-about near Embakasi Army barracks. As PointBlank doesnft believe in juju, we think there is serious design problem that needs to be addressed fast, Mr Bett.

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Ziki tunes grate Airtel clientsf ears

Two Airtel Kenya customers are accusing the firm of forcing them to listen to music they donft like and charging them for it. Writing separately, Arthur Mwangi and Mahmood Khatau claim Airtel has been pushing Ziki tunes down their throats.

"They put music on my telephone lines so that when you call me you listen to the music--and then charge me for it," explains Mwangi. The kind of music that they play, he says, is putting him on a collision course with "church elders" and whenever they call he has to explain that this isnft his music.

Khatau claims that even after he asks Airtel to stop the music, the firm continues with the "forceful deductions" the next month. He also accuses Airtel of sending him promotional text messages at odd hours "sometimes even at 3am".

The two want the company to exclude them from this entertainment. Mwangifs numbers are 0733882501, 0787555906 and 0733698898 while Khatau and his family members numbers are 0737786989, 0734990430, 0733728631 and 0736304335. Further, Mwangi wants Airtel to repay him money that he has been "robbed" through this service.

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Powerless men plead for energy

Mr Charles Maweu reports that his brother Peter Kelly Maweu applied for electricity at the Machakos Kenya Power offices and duly paid the connection fee on December 5, last year. He also submitted all the required documents with a lot of zeal.

Sadly, four months down the line Maweu is still in the dark. Whenever he visits the office he is informed that the file with his application cannot be traced.

"How long should we suffer waiting for service after sacrificing our hard-earned money" he asks.

Maweu claims no one seems to care about their plight at the office. He can be contacted on 0721206230.

Prior warning

Meanwhile, Mr Boniface Machuka says that residents of Chematich/Siyoi along Maili Saba-Sibaga road in Trans Nzoia East District have been in the dark for the past one week without any prior warning from Kenya Power.

Machuka accuses Kenya Power of marginalising the area, claiming that no help has been forthcoming despite residents making calls and writing emails to the firm.

He can be contacted on 0722477919.

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Female guards make man jittery

It is seems Mr John Makokha must adopt to the new reality or stop going to the "trouble-spots". Makokha complained here last week that he found a woman sentry frisking both male and females at a building in Westlands and flatly refused to be subjected to the exercise. Now he claims to have found another woman frisking men at Tuskyfs Chap Chap! on Muindi-Mbingu Street. As usual, he declined to be frisked and demanded a male frisker. The woman was taken aback by his "backwardness" and informed him: "Hiyo iliisha kitambo". He stood his ground and was finally allowed in, unfrisked.

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DONfT YOU FORGET

Thirsty NW&SC customer cries out to Eng. Gichuki

On March 22, Nyayo Highrise estate resident Linah Limo wrote to PointBlank accusing Nairobi Water & Sewerage Company of denying her water. Mrs Limo (meter no. 1165089) reported that in May 2010, the company sent her an inflated bill of Sh28,241.51. She termed the bill unrealisitic saying it was nowhere close to any of her previous bills. Surprisingly, when she was sent the staggering bill, the estate was in the grips of a water shortage. She has visited NW&SC offices innumerable times seeking rectification. Her complaint (Ref. no. 477/11) has to date not been addressed. Limo (mobile 0722570699) has written to PointBlank again and says NW&SC doesnft seem to be in any hurry to end the drought in her house. Eng Philip Gichuki do you have some water to spare for this thirsty customer?