Fires that kindle suspicion and fuel speculation

A few days ago, an inferno consumed the lives of 230 revellers at a Brazil entertainment spot. The fire is suspected to have been triggered by fireworks set off by one of the entertainers to spice up the show.

In the last few days, we, too, have had our fires. There was the fire that gutted the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency warehouse in Embakasi.

Another fire destroyed two  dormitories at Maranda High School, the second one in months. And still another fire destroyed a hostel at the Bondo University College in Siaya County.

Unlike in the Brazil, there were no fireworks in the works here. So what sparked off our fires? Were the fires “normal” fires or were they caused by the devious hands of arsonists?

And we cannot help but ask: Why Kemsa (where all our drugs are stored)? Why Maranda (2012’s top school)?

Unless and until authorities explain these fires, the public will continue to treat them with suspicion. All efforts must be made to minimise recurrence of such fires.

K-Rep out to reap from wrong client?

Sometime in 2008, Mr Stephen Onyango opened an account with K-Rep Bank, Kawangware branch after getting wind that the institution was giving soft loans to customers who were dying to buy a stake in Safaricom during the firm’s much-talked about Initial Public Offering.

But before he could get the loan, he was required to deposit a certain amount of cash, depending on the number of shares he wanted bank to purchase. Onyango says he could not raise the amount and, as a result, his dream to become a Safaricom shareholder snuffed out.

 Surprisingly, Onyango claims to have received a letter from K-Rep dated December 13, last year, informing him that he owed the bank Sh41,000. He was asked to repay within one month or be listed with credit reference bureau.

This has left Onyango, who  smells “monkey business”, with many unanswered questions: “Who applied for the loan? How much was the cash? What was the repayment period? What was the interest rate and who signed the offer letter on my behalf, K-Rep?” His contact is 0724596877.

Contractor deconstructs road

Arboretum Drive has been in a bad state over the past year or so. Recently, however, the Kenya Urban Roads Authority responded to motorists’ complaints by sending a contractor to fix the road.

The contractor  “dug” the road with speed and for a while, Mr Duncan Mwangi thought motorists’ problems would soon be history. He was wrong.

“It is almost three weeks now since the contractor dug the road and left huge holes and he is nowhere to be seen,” mourns Mwangi.

He explains that not only is the road unmotorable, but also the huge “potholes” dug by the contractor contribute to unnecessary traffic jams in adjacent State House and Ring Road roads. “The contractor should cover the holes he dug,” pleads Mwangi.

Meanwhile, Ms Rose Wangui wonders why the construction of the overpass at the Airport North Road and Mombasa Road junction stalled. She notes that although the entire by-pass has been done, the overpass remains unfinished and traffic nightmare at the junction unresolved. “Would anyone know what is  happening,” she asks. Kura must know what’s cooking, Wangui.

DON’T YOU FORGET

Did police finally arrest highway robbers?  

Mr Haggai Aura wrote to PointBlank on November 6, last year, saying he had lost faith in the police force. Last year, Aura was attacked by criminals, along with 40 other bus passengers and robbed of  his effects, including a mobile phone. Most of the passengers also lost money, phones, laptops, and clothes among other valuables.  They reported the incident immediately, and even made follow-ups, but finally Aura gave up after he realised that the officers he was dealing with “were not interested in pursuing the gang”. And he had a good reason for making the conclusion. His stolen phone had a tracking function, which alerts him every time there is SIM-card change. “My phone circulates among seven users, which is the same number of gunmen who robbed us,” he said, wondering why police wouldn’t arrest them.

StarTimes’ ‘unique’ case 

Last December, StarTimes customer Kenneth Mugo (card is 02101903153), upgraded his digital television subscription from “Classic” to “Unique” to ensure that his family enjoyed the holidays to the maximum by accessing channels. He did this by topping his account with Sh1999 though he still had an “extra Sh450 unused”. In the third week of January, he decided to go back to Classic and was surprised to learn that he needed to load another Sh450. “On enquiring I was informed that the system swallowed my Sh450 and nothing could be done.” Mugo wonders why this is the case.