Grenade attacks will not fool Christians - Letters

Keywords:Kenya has yet again started the week on an awful note following the grenade attack on a church in Ngara. Kenyans grieve with the families of the innocent people killed and injured.

As a Christian, I know we shall not be fooled into thinking that this is an attack on Christianity. We know that someone is trying to make us clash with our Muslim brothers and sisters but we are smarter than that and won’t take it. They tried that at Mtwapa and failed.

They shall not succeed in dividing the country and there shall be no religious tension as we trust and love our Muslim brothers and sisters.

I urge all churches to embrace security measures especially urban churches where it is hard to know all regular members. It is true that the security checks could be irritating but are a necessary nuisance and small price to pay for our own security.

Martin Makundi, Mombasa

A grenade was hurled at Christians in their house of worship this Sunday. A month ago, another grenade at a Christian crusade in Mtwapa in Kilifi.

What message are the attackers sending? Do they want to start religion-based violence like in Nigeria?
Kenyans are peaceful. We will not allow it here. The attacked worshipers should not think of revenge like Nigerians did. Let’s pray for those satanic people who believe in killing fellow human beings.

The attackers seem not to know that we are all children of God. Our faiths cannot make us enemies. We all came from one mighty God.

The attack in Ngara should make us alert on terror gangs.
We need security checks everywhere including all places of worship like mosques, temples and churches.

All gates leading to such areas should be manned with weapon detection equipment.

Security must be stepped up as these cowardly attackers are now targeting softer areas like churches, crusades and entertainment joints. Let’s stay alert.

Justin Osey Peter, Mombasa

Acts of terrorism against innocent Kenyans are getting bolder and more daring by the day, culminating in the outrageous attack on a church at Ngara on Sunday.

Security officers are clueless on how to tackle this crisis.

In Nigeria, such acts have come to be the order of the day with the most recent claiming 20 lives while injuring others. Blood in this populous nation flows freely as Islamic elements relentlessly try to tear apart the country into two — Islam and Christian blocks.

These atrocities are committed by fanatics who claim to do it in the name of Islam. This is of course a fallacy as it has always been demonstrated historically that religion is a pretext to commit evil against fellow humans in matters far removed from religion.

However, as all humanity is united in condemnation against these acts of terrorism, it is incumbent upon those who profess the Islamic faith to be at the forefront in castigating these terrorists who continue to shed blood.

Christianity learnt its lesson in centuries gone by that violence is not viable way to convert fellow humans to their way of worship. It should be abundantly clear to other faiths and especially Islam that the use of violence to express a point is self-defeating.

Onyiego Felix, Nairobi

Will gullible voters change this time?

We are so gullible it hurts!

We are so much into politics and spend hours in various bunge za wananchi thinking we know so much even as to who will be elected and who will not. The fact that we are never paid while a small cable meets in the real Parliament for a few minutes and gets all the money, shockingly, doesn’t affect us.

Our salvation will come the day we emancipate ourselves from political personality cults in particular and politics in general. Politics may influence the direction societies take, but it doesn’t make the world go round. It isn’t more important than other professions though our remuneration and worship at politician’s feet imply otherwise.

Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are not cults in America, just individuals seeking to influence society by suggesting certain ideologies through established political systems. Americans barely notice them, and this is election year.

In Kenya, its constant politics and our only ideology is tribe. Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto recently discovered this and retreated to Gema and Kamatusa respectively. Raila Odinga is seen as the undisputed king of the Luo.

Now, Musalia Mudavadi has joined in and is quickly gathering his Luhya bloc.

Interestingly, leaving ODM made James Orengo describe Mudavadi as "a child of Kanu and former President Moi". He did know this all along? The original Orange Democratic Movement was a combination of disgraced Kanu and disgruntled Narc parties.

Uhuru and Kalonzo left in 2007 and it was good riddance to ODM. Musalia stuck in there and together with the likes of Ruto and other ‘regional’ pentagon members gave ODM a national outlook. On leaving, they are bad old Kanu. How?

Then again, Musalia has been in politics since 1989. What has he done for Kenyans to deserve their vote? What has he ever said or written that is worth keeping in our archives? Is he free of corruption? What is he bringing to the table that we should consider? This is the question we need to ask of each individual seeking any elective office right from the wards to the highest office in the land, but we won’t.

Augustine Gitonga, Nairobi

No other time in history has tribalism reared its tentacles so ugly in intensity in as much as it has been a national disease. With every
passing day, many political potentates of yesteryear are declaring their intention to succeed President Kibaki. Upcoming politicians and a former civil servant with support from some community leaders have declared similar intents. In this mix, the five biggest communities have a presidential candidate.

Politics in Kenya is ethnic and the clamour for the top seat by various politicians is informed by their own survival instincts, ethnic push, building a political brand now and future. In all this, there is little for the masses. The masses are there to cheer, to be used and dispensed with once lucrative career positions are achieved. Senior politicians have no choice but either to vie for the presidency or be seen as candidates or pretend to be presidential material. There is little for mwananchi who is currently being deluded as being a mwenyenchi

Harrison Mwirigi Ikunda, Nairobi

Address salary and job grades gaps

Labour Day is yet again with us and it is a time that the world over celebrates the efforts made by workers to promote economic activities the country. A worker is perceived to be the driving force of an economy but it is sad that grading of workers is still a problem to be tackled 48 years after independence. It is a fact that most companies grade their employees poorly disregarding all forms of qualification and experience on particular jobs or assignments.

This leads to low pay that eventually kills the morale of an employee leading to low productivity or seeking of alternative ways to make ends meet. It is common to find employees engaged in extra and undeclared jobs in order to make that extra coin or worse still others begin thinking of finding dubious ways to fleece their employers.

As we celebrate Labour Day, our leaders should address the problem of job grading so as to be able to create a conducive environment for work. It beats logic how a university graduate can be ranked on the same job group as a high school graduate. These are some of the main causes of strikes that we have recently experienced. Over to you Cotu!

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission should immediately end this injustice by harmonising pay across government department and make guidelines for the private sector.

Motari David, Nairobi

Probe aliens getting IDs in Garissa

I am disappointed in the process of getting national identity cards in Garissa District and appeal to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and other relevant authorities to probe the officials. It is unacceptable that aliens are given identity cards within the shortest period at the expense of locals. Kenyan youth have been suffering for years searching for identity cards.

During this time when the security concerns are very high, the government must ensure that only bona fide citizens are given identity cards.
Chiefs’ offices are dens of corruption and the list of applicants is always interfered with.

I recommend that the entire vetting committee be disbanded.

The government should probe how chiefs acquire wealth since they drive luxury cars and live in expensive houses. The District Commissioner should respect public complaints and stop covering and defending to corrupt officers when allegations are forwarded to him.

The security situation in the country is worrying and the government should not abet illegal immigrants getting IDs. They must work closely with wananchi to protect the nation.

Hussein Shukri, Garissa

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