Brood of new blood that wants more of our blood

Former Transport Minister Amos Kimunya was spot on when he dismissed his constituents as a thankless lot. Apparently, amnesiac voters in Kipipiri had forgotten all the good he had done and decided to go for new blood. PointBlank can understand Kimunya’s pain. Here was a man who once stood firm and declared that he would not resign— for the sake of his people — and that he was even ready to die rather than resign.

After briefly watching the televised parliamentary proceedings yesterday, PointBlank couldn’t help but crave for the “old blood”. Here was a House packed to the brim with, fresh-faced, enthusiastic brood of new blood that is determined to drink more of our  blood — taxpayers’ money. They want higher pay by all means possible. Wouldn’t it have been better to have the “devil” we knew?

And talking about the irrationality of Kenyan voters, why did they snub good-old Bifwoli Wakoli? Why didn’t they give Kalembe Ndile another chance? The two should have been voted in, if only to provide comic relief. Can’t stand watching proceedings without seeing Wakoli.

Big, small debts IEBC must pay

It is increasingly becoming clear that IEBC has got many uncleared debts. First, there is the Sh380 million it owes some advocates (the Kenyan taxpayer must be well endowed) for successful representation during the presidential election petition in the Supreme Court.

And then there are coins being demanded by “hustlers and sufferers” who were engaged by the commission to run the recent General Election.

Some hustlers from Lugari Constituency who value their every coin, for instance, are alleging that although IEBC did pay their wages, it did not pay their training and simulation allowances. 

According to Chase Carlton, every officer was supposed to get Sh1,000 for every day of training. The Returning Officer, he claims, pleaded with them to be patient after informing them that IEBC was “tight-pressed with the election” and assured them they would be paid Sh3,300 each after the exercise.

They received their wages last week, but Chase laments that they are yet to get the allowances. What became of these hustlers allowances, IEBC?

Chase may be reached at [email protected].

Brazen pillagers of Lesuru

About 20km north-west of Eldoret town along the Eldoret-Uganda railway line is a railway sub-station Leseru. The dilapidated station says a lot about the sorry state of the rail services in East Africa. But the situation is getting worse by the day, according to locals, and Kenya Railways does not seem concerned.

Lesuru, residents report, has lately become a magnet for thieves who steal rail parts and other property at a rate that has left them astonished.

“It started with some pieces of rail lines in a nearby swampy area... anybody who dared ask  questions was warned to keep off and even told that the local railway OCS was aware.”

Then, adds the residents, the brazen thieves started felling trees for timber at the sub-station. The falling trees even caused damage on some buildings.

“With time, the goons have  become bolder to the extent that a quarrying machine that had laid in the station yard for years and about 300 metres of rail line were stolen.”

The residents want the Kenya Railways management and its security team taken to task over the theft of public property. Is Kenya Railways headquarters aware of the alleged theft?

DON’T YOU FORGET

Did Equity Bank advise former employee?    

On January 15, Robert Maina Githii, a former Equity Bank employee, wrote to PointBlank, pleading with the firm’s CEO James Mwangi to help get his job back. Maina, who was the Maua Branch Operations Manager (Employee No. 03940), was handed a suspension letter on September 6, 2010 to allow investigations into allegations that he colluded to commit fraud and withdraw money from a customer’s deceased wife’s account. He was arraigned in court on September 24, 2010. But, even before the case started, he claims the bank served him with a ‘photocopy’ of his dismissal letter. The case against him was withdrawn by the State on April 3, last year. He went to the bank to request that he be hired again. The human resources manager, however, requested for time to “seek further advice”, but seven months later Maina was still jobless. Was Maina reinstated, Dr Mwangi.

Tough job being President’s ADC

While Uhuru was addressing Parliament on Tuesday, Githuku Mungai noted the President coughed at least twice and scratched himself on the face several times. Mr Githuku also noted, his aide-de-camp (ADC) stood still behind him “as if lifeless” and it was easy to mistake him for a statue. Mr Githuku noted that the man never moved an inch during the speech, not even to scratch himself. But as a human being, he doubts the ADC never felt even an itch and the need to scratch it. He therefore suspects that an ADC’s job doesn’t allow one even to scratch (him)herself. “The ADC’s job is tough,” he concludes.

 

Right of Reply
Get in touch with KRA over kids’ USA gifts

This is in response to a complaint by Ms Karen W Smith published in The Standard’s, PointBlank on April 17, regarding gifts from America for needy children.

KRA wishes to request Ms Karen to provide us with details including the Customs Entry Number of the consignment to enable us ascertain the status of the matter.

KRA wishes to assure taxpayers and all stakeholders that KRA is committed to serving all taxpayers equally in line with its vision to be the leading revenue authority in the world respected for professionalism, integrity and fairness. For complaints and compliments please reach us through telephone no: 020-2817700 or e-mail [email protected].

Kennedy O. Onyonyi

Senior Deputy Commissioner – Marketing & Communication

Where lightning only targets, kills thieves

 I would like to thank The Standard, and especially PointBlank, for the good work it is doing. Every time my questions and mysteries are published on this column, I get hundreds of e-mail feedback with satisfactory answers from your readers.  I still have a couple of “mysteries” I would like PointBlank fans to help me understand. Here is one: The Kalenjin community believes that lightning strikes thieves and in a number of incidences I have witnessed, this appears to be the case.

Now, I know lightning has to do with interaction of positive and negative charges. How do these charges know where a thief is? How does it understand stolen property? In the community, lightning even strikes and divides/destroys land under dispute. Just how does it happen?

Vic Chesang

[email protected]

Another myopic motorist who can’t see cat eyes

I went through S Gakuna’s comment in yesterday’s PointBlank and I, too, concur that the Thika Road cat eyes are of poor quality. At first, I thought they were road markers that are meant to alert you that you have strayed out of your assigned traffic lane especially at night, and not to show you your position on the lane. Truly, if they are cat eyes, then I also need to have my eyes checked!

Maro Andy Tola,

Nairobi