Why you shouldn’t talk loudly about Audrey

I am not an expert in matters of sexuality but going by the giggles that I have heard, there are many ignorant educated people out there. I must salute the audacious Audrey Mbugua for standing up for her rights.

Audrey was the subject of what I would term as uninformed talk, even on FM radio, with the majority of people wondering why she had decided to change  from  man to woman. Kenyans are a conservative lot but the things some of them do, only dogs know.

Homosexuality, for instance,  has been a touchy subject. And while I agree that there are people who engage in homosexual relationships for pecuniary gain, I am convinced that there are some who are biologically wired to be such. If you must ask, ask God why.

It is surprising that even after revealing that she had been diagnosed with gender identity disorder (transsexualism), some Kenyans still find Audrey’s story laughable and unconvincing. The Swahili say kitanda usichokilalia huwajui kunguni wake. The English say it’s the wearer who knows where the shoe pinches. Thank God you aren’t in Audrey’s shoes.

Lodging and boarding bill for IEBC

A hotelier in Kabarnet, Baringo County, John Rono, has a petition to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

In February 2013, Mr Rono alleges that he was approached by the IEBC Baringo North constituency coordinator Mr Peter Onyango to provide full board services for training of presiding officers and their deputies.

The proprietor of Sinkoro Hotel & Lodges says he provided the services as requested to 352 people for three days from February 19 to 21 at an agreed price of Sh3,500 per person per day. Further, he provided training venues for three days and a public address system for two days.

In total Rono says he was to be paid Sh3,886,000. “We were promised payment would be made immediately after services since IEBC had already made provisions for the General Election.

“To date, we have not received any payment despite several demands through the regional coordination office based in Nakuru,” says Rono.

He can be contacted on 0722210404. Do you owe this businessman, IEBC?

Let’s say bye bye to these by-laws

In the new era of devolution,  Nairobi cannot afford to live under draconian laws that were  crafted by the colonialists to keep Kenyans under control. This is a message by a city resident to the new Governor of Nairobi Dr Evans Kidero. The resident urges Kidero not to inherit outdated by-laws from the now defunct City Council of Nairobi, which the council never bothered to obliterate.

The resident would like Kidero to pluck and dump at the Dandora dumpsite the “100-year-old colonial laws” that prohibited Nairobi residents from painting their houses, cutting their fences and grass and making minor repairs in their residences without a licence from the City Council.

Further, he wonders why the public should be treated like  common criminals for minor traffic offences by being locked up in cells and taken to court. “Please, introduce instant fines for minor traffic offences like they do in India. It is very successful there,” he advises.

Finally, he wants Kidero to put brakes on  askaris who go around harassing the public. He also says there are many backwards by-laws that should end up at the Dandora dumpsite. Any plans to bid such by-laws bye bye, Dr Kidero?

DON’T YOU FORGET

Did PSC fill top staff positions in prisons?  

A prisons officer wrote to PointBlank on March 12, 2013 lamenting that part of the prisons’ reforms agenda had been forgotten. He was concerned about the failure to promote senior officers, who he claimed had stagnated in “one position” for years and yet there were many vacancies in the top echelons of the prison service. The officer said according to the workload analysis as recommended by the Madoka Report, there were about 32 vacant positions within these top ranks.

The officer further noted that the Ministry of Home Affairs gazetted the new position of Commissioner General of Prisons and Deputy Commissioner General (CG) in February.  While Isaiah Osugo took over as the CG, he lamented that the position of his deputy was yet to be filled. Were these positions filled Mr Osugo, Public Service Commission?

Unending wait for identity card

Mr Nehemiah Musindi applied for renewal of his identity card in Kakamega on July 3, 2012. He was issued with a receipt (No 1494372) and a tracer card (Serial No 232297564) after paying the requisite Sh300.  After making several fruitless visits to check the card, he was advised to send an SMS to 2031. Musindi received feedback that his card had been dispatched to the office where he made the application. “Where is it and why is it taking too long for me to get it? I have gone through all the cards at the Kakamega Registration of Persons office in vain”. His contact is [email protected].

Right of Reply
Not even dignitaries can save a suffering hustler
I am writing regarding a story published in PointBlank on May 17, 2013. In the story, Charles Ayayo Tawa narrated how he had sent out over 200 application letters without getting a job, which is shocking.

He went to the extent of writing to request referral letters from dignitaries such as William Ruto, Raila Odinga, Najib Balala, Charity Ngilu, among others, without getting any response. This should be a wake up call to our leaders.

I managed to trace Charles and meet him and after chatting for almost one hour, I was lost of words. The man is too intelligent, I daresay more intelligent than some of our Members of Parliament.

I thought I was talking to a detective. Charles, who is a holder of technician diploma in motor vehicle engineering, said many had offered him a job but wanted him to pay bribe. He opened his email account to confirm to me that he had sent emails to prominent Kenyan personalities. I noticed that none responded.

The President and the Deputy President must know they are the fathers of all suffering Kenyan youths. Cabinet Secretaries like Balala and Ngilu should know that Kenyan youths believe in what they say.

The Inspector General of Police, the NSIS Director General, the Criminal Investigations Department Director should know that people like Charles Tawa have what it takes to keep this country safe without even being trained.

Steve Macharia,

[email protected]

‘Digital’ TSC tackles payslip peeping Toms

I would like PointBlank to thank my employer, the Teachers Service Commission, for fixing teachers’ online payslips system.

I have registered for the service and accessed my payslip online as they promised in this column about a year ago.

 Thank you Mr Gabriel Lengoiboni for your good work. My Principal won’t be peeping, again, and divulging my pay details to third parties.

Teacher

Point of Order

Will Knec ever release results for Moyale Boys?

The Kenya National Examinations Council is yet to release the 2012 KCSE results for Moyale Boys Secondary School, according to a parent. This is despite the fact that the school was not among those that were reported to have engaged in irregularities.