These ‘hell-copters’ have indeed become choppers

These ‘hell-copters’ have indeed become choppers

Commenting about the Ugandan helicopters’ crash, correspondent Gachiengo Gitau asks questions that are on every Kenyan’s lips: “What is it with choppers? Are they meant to fly or are they designed for crashing purposes?” He adds: “We surely can’t have machines that keep dropping off the skies like flies”.

He is right, something’s is indeed amiss with our (read East Africa) helicopters. We are still mourning former Internal Security Minister George Saitoti and his assistant Orwa Ojode and four others who perished in a chopper crash in Ngong on June 10.

Precious lives

Early this month two people were injured when another helicopter crashed at Wilson Airport. And now this. Looks like Gachiengo is right, the our helicopters have lost their balance in the skies? Is that why they are called choppers—meant to chop kill and maim?

Perhaps this should be a wake-up call for us to avoid buying cheap, questionable, mostly second-hand aircraft from the East and West. That way we will save precious lives.

Co-operative Bank’s ‘thieving’ ATMs

For two years, Kelly Mwita has been a very happy Co-operative Bank customer). Not any more. On three occasions, he claims to have witnessed something that has made him very worried. The bank’s ATMs, he claims, have been pinching his money.

“Thrice, I received less money than  the amount I wished withdraw,” he says. Although he has complained over the anomalies, the bank is yet to act.

Mwita, who has been losing Sh500 per ATM transaction, is worried that at this rate he will have lost a substantial chunk of his saving by the end of the year. “I want to know how the money disappears and doesn’t feature in my statement,” he says.  If the bank is interested, Mwita can be reached via mobile number 075482449. He is also on email: [email protected].

Meanwhile, Mr Peter O. Oporo, another Co-op Bank customer, believes that something is amiss with USSD code *667#, which clients use to access their accounts. The service, he says, is unavailable most of the time. Sadly, customers are still charged despite being warned  that the service is not available. His email is [email protected].

Roba Duba’s naughty boys at it again

Nairobi Town Clerk Roba Duba, who has been busy clamping down on rates defaulters, should spare some energy to kick out corrupt City Council employees. Mr K Miriti alleges  that a group of such corrupt employees descended on Lavington Green Shopping Centre, Nairobi on August 10 and immediately charged tenants with  all manner of offences including  lacking fire licences and not painting their shops.

“The group was rude, foul-mouthed and uncouth and flatly refused to show any identification, threatening dire consequences to those daring to ask for identification ,” he says.

Many business owners were forced to part with between Sh500 and Sh4,000 but were not receipted for the same. The council workers then ‘arrested’ employees of businesses that did pay a “fine” and marched them to a hidden vehicle outside the gate.

Fortunately, by late afternoon all those ‘arrested’ were back to work after several M-Pesa transactions. Miriti says the incident was the second in two weeks and wonders whether this “tax collectors” had the blessings of Mr Duba. His email is [email protected].

Help nab taxi driver’s killer

Mr Vincent Mburu was the most amiable and knowledgeable taxi driver you could meet. But alas, he is no more as his last fare from the Nairobi West Shopping Centre made sure he will not take anyone else home. Mburu was murdered this week near Madaraka Primary School, a place colleagues call “Kichinjio”. His body is the third taxi driver’s to be found dumped there. And as the taxi driver body count threatens to rise,  businessman Kariuki M has put up a bounty of Sh20,000 for any information that can lead to the arrest of the killers. Tips can be given to the police or the Nairobi West Traders Association.

DON’T YOU FORGET

Is Mr Wario’s case water under the bridge?

On April 3, Mr Halake Wario Nguyo, a former Ministry of Water employee (P/No. 53442), wrote to PointBlank (Fired for being abducted by militia) complaining that he was a frustrated man after a decade-old search for justice. A guard with the ministry, Wario was sacked in 1991 after he was accused of desertion. Then he was based in Moyale and claims to have missed work after he was abducted by an Ethiopian militia and held hostage in the neighbouring country for years.

After he was set free, he returned to his duty station only to find that he had been sacked. At one point, he sued the Government but was prevailed upon to withdraw the case so that his dues could be settled. He has never been never paid. Will the 54-year-old ever get justice Water minister Charity Ngilu?

Point of Order

Power hungry Kenyans cry out to the power broker

Kericho resident G Kemei has what he terms as a simple question for Kenya Power. “How long does it take to process’s Stima loan?” Kemei claims he deposited “the required Sh10000” five months ago but his Stima loan application (E24302011040623) is yet to be credited.

“Appalled by the firm’s sluggish pace, I reported again and again at their Kericho Branch but nothing has changed. What should I do for them to instal power in my house?” he asks.

Mr Morris Munene Mukaraku is also concerned by the sluggish pace of Kenya Power in installing power in his house (Ref. No. 25202007111237). Despite fully paying the installation charges on December 28, 2010 and submitting the requisite wiring certificates, Munene has never seen the light.

Interestingly, he says, new applicants have got connected and left him in the dark. His efforts to get assistance from Kenya Power’s offices in Nyeri and Embu have been in vain. “Kenya Power, when will I see the light? I confess am terribly disappointed,” he concludes. His contact is 0721608092.

Also sounding disappointed, is Dr Steve Foster, a resident of Nakuru, who read yesterday’s PointBlank picture about a power transformer in Kahawa Wendani thus: “It tells the truth about incompetency, perennial excuses and outdated technical practices at Kenya Power that cause us all untold misery.”

 But that’s not the only interpretation that Foster would like to make  today. He has something to say about Kenya Power’s popular advert, “Kenyans supply the energy, we supply the power”. He sees it as dishonest and delusional due to the instability of the power. “I bet Sh500” he says, “that top Kenya “Powerless” officials have back-up generators in their homes”. PointBlank bets Sh500 that they don’t, and we have back-up evidence. Dr Foster M-Pesa the Sh500!

Safaricom and Samsung customer’s Galaxy of woes

Mr Muhatia N Musindi bought a Samsung Galaxy Mini on January 7, 2012 from the Kakamega Safaricom shop (Receipt NO. 58017). He liked it as it was posh. Well, it still is but there is a problem.

Only six months after acquiring the phone, its charging system or the battery seems to have gone haywire. “After recharging it does not take six hours before notifying me to recharge,” he laments. Musindi reported the matter to the Safaricom shop and was advised to disable some of its applications like internet. He did, but this didn’t help. As his warranty hasn’t expired, he wonders whether Samsung and Safaricom can help. His contact is 0729302805.