How Mukuru TV enthusiast disrupted Kibaki’s speech

By Njoroge Kinuthia

The awkward moment when President Kibaki was plunged into semi-darkness while delivering a speech during an international conference at KICC while on live TV is still vivid in our minds. Happens that the darkness was triggered by a man trying to erect a TV aerial in Mukuru slums, perhaps to watch the President’s speech better. Kenya Power says, the aerial fell and short-circuited high voltage cables above.

PointBlank is beginning to empathise with KP, which has been a target for multiple brickbats recently. Besides the momentary blackout, the firm has explained the causes of the myriad power outages lately, and it has emerged that there are evil ‘powers’ that are determined to keep us in the dark.

vandalism

KP blames transformer vandalism for 40 per cent of the recent outages. The firm says it lost 707 transformers between July 2011 and March 2012. In April alone, 196 transformers were stolen. The company  says  vandalism has cost it Sh3 billion. Just how can the firm assure anyone of uninterrupted power in the face of such theft?

 

No better option from Safaricom 

Like many other Kenyans Akelo Obidha is counting losses after her business premises in Gem-Rae, Nyakach Constituency were swamped by floods on April 28.

Among several valuables, Akelo says he lost a Safaricom ‘bamba’ worth Sh13,200. Fortunately, he managed to salvage another ‘Bamba’ worth Sh1,040, whose serial numbers and expiry dates were clearly visible.

Anticipating a refund or a new ‘Bamba’, he visited Safaricom customer care office in Kisumu. To his surprise, however, the attendants adamantly refused to give him a refund.

However, they gave him two options. One. Consider the “misfortune as a business loss”. Two: Wait for the expiry of the scratch cards, in March 2014, so that they can be treated as unsold/expired/destroyed cards and be replaced with new ones. Akelo didn’t like either of the options but he reluctantly chose option two. But he wonders whether he has really made the right decision, as his business now hangs in the balance. He wants Safaricom CEO, Bob Collymore to tell him whether this option is indeed the better option. He can be contacted on 0726843043.

Police neighbours aren’t safe, either

One might assume that security is guaranteed for those who live close to police stations.

Not so, according to Voi businessman, Benson Mwangi, who claims that his business is only 500 metres from Voi police station.  On Monday night, he says, thieves broke into  his pub and a stole a computer, music system and drinks.

He immediately called his neighbours at the police station but was taken aback by their response. The officers allegedly informed him that they had no vehicle to take them to the scene of crime. Really? Why would anyone need a car to go where walking is faster?

Further, Mr Mwangi alleges that the brazen thugs struck again the following day and stole from his pub, but the police, again, did nothing to help. His question: “Who will protect us if the police cannot?”

metal boxes

Meanwhile,  a trainee at the AP Training College in Embakasi has been appalled by the cost of commodities there. He says recruits are supplied with metal boxes and padlocks at a cost of Sh8000 and Sh2000 apiece respectively. He thinks this is exorbitant and wants Mr Kinuthia Mbugua, the AP Commandant, to comment about it.

 

‘Pray, where is my councillor?’

Paul, a voter from Ikinu Ward, Githunguri Constituency says he is angry because his councilor has not represented him during council meetings for the last one year. He claims the councillor, Mr Charles Cimbi’s profile indicates that he is in the to United States on study leave. However, he says, there are rumours that Mr Cimbi won himself the coveted American ‘Green Card’. Can the Town Clerk, County Council of Kiambu whether the councillor is indeed out of the country, as claimed by this voter. If so, can the clerk also tell PointBlank whether Cimbi is in the US on study or as a permanent resident.

DON’T YOU FORGET

When will teachers head to Rwanda, Mr Kilonzo?

Mr Wesley Ng’etich wrote to PointBlank on February 3, 2012 saying that the announcement by the Ministry of Education that Rwanda would recruit some 4000 recruit  qualified English teachers was very sweet music to his ears.

The teacher said he was ready to work anywhere in the world after years of being unemployed. However, he complained that Kenyan and Rwandan governments were taking eternity to commence the recruitment process.

Ng’etich revealed that fraudsters had taken advantage of two governments’ silence to extort money from unsuspecting teachers  while promising to give them the Rwanda jobs. Were these jobs real or merely a ploy to brighten up jobless and hopeless youths Education minister, Mutula Kilonzo?