Politics: our daily dish?

While watching the feature by KTN on “the untouchables” I found it interesting how one Artur Margaryan while being interviewed joked about Kenya having 30 million presidents. I honestly can’t remember what he talked about for most of the interview but that statement on Kenyan’s habits stood out. At first I thought he was just being his arrogant and obnoxious self, but I also understood the truth of what he was saying. What he meant by the people of Kenya going to bed and wake up presidents is the fact that Kenyans eat, drink and sleep politics. So is it true that Kenyans are so absorbed in politicizing that they eat, drink and sleep politics?

I wonder at times whether we Kenyans are oblivious to how much we elevate politics in this country. We love politics and politicians as Kenyans. The fact that we can violently go at each other violently as shown in 2008 is evidence of how much we love politics and politicians. Politicians ride take advantage of this to do what they want, they play around with minds of Kenyans like puppets to achieve their own selfish ambitions. It’s amazing also how much they get away with in terms of salaries and benefits. In a survey ranking some of the world’s most highly paid politicians, Singapore’s Prime Minister tops the list and in 3^rd place is Kenya’s Prime Minister Hon. Raila Odinga. Hon. Raila Odinga is ranked even before Barrack Obama who comes in 4^th in terms of annual salary!! The list of annual salaries is as shown below;

·                     Lee Hsien Loung, Prime Minister of Singapore, $2,856,930.

·                     Donald Tsang, Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong, $513, 245.

·                     Raila Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya, $427,886.

·                     Barrack Obama, President of USA, $400,000.

·                     Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France (Now former), $345, 423.

The way we pay politicians in this country is a reflection of how highly willing we are to let them run things, recently the taxpayer forked out millions to allow the politicians sit on leather seats worth 200,000 each. I don’t know what is so special about a politician’s bum that he/she would require a seat worth that exorbitant amount. Currently there are 216 MPs and that number is to rise to 347 MPs once the new constitution, which was approved by 67% of Kenyans, takes effect. This probably means that taxpayer’s will have to reach further into their pockets to fund the MP’s salaries and benefits.

Though Singapore is leading when it comes to paying its politicians, you can clearly see why. Singapore is one of the fastest rising economies in the world, with one of the lowest corruption rates and is actually the cleanest country in the world. Can the same be said about Kenya? The state of our infrastructure doesn’t reflect directly with what the taxpayer pays the politicians. It would be excusable for Singaporeans to talk politics all day since the politicians really give them value for their money, but when Kenyans are politicizing what are we talking about? There isn’t much to talk about when it comes to the politics in Kenya, at least not yet, so let’s not give too much time politicizing instead of doing other useful things.

REFERENCES:

http://www.parliament.go.ke

http://www.thetorchlight.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3164:who-are-the-worlds-highest-paid-politicians-part-1&catid=49:opinion&Itemid=71

Ultimate freedom does not exist

When I was in high school, I yearned for freedom: freedom to move about, freedom to do what I want, when I want, and how I want. High school was dreadful and lovely in equal measure. I detested the bell, especially the one that rang at 4am. Not as much as the prefects who stormed our dormitories to make sure no one remains in bed. They also made sure we remained awake over the entire preps time.

A number of prefects will patrol our classes till 6:30am and punish supposed sleepy heads. Punishments ranged from several lashing on the rear end, slashing grass around the school compound, washing the verandas, to washing clothes for the senior prefects. If that's not all, some of them required us to put them in good tune by buying them food stuffs such as bread and mandazi from the school canteen. 

Failure to do so would result to consequences similar to disturbing a rattled snake. At the time, form ones and twos were viewed as objects. In fact one of the senior prefects coined a saying, "form ones are here to be seen and not to be heard". This became the cardinal rule. It was with difficulty for the presumed "objects" to meet face to face with a prefect. The objects were forced to go back where they were coming from or take another route even if it means through the bushes. It was safer this way.

As is the case with all living creatures, in every harsh condition, struggle for survival ensues. We devised ways to survive these conditions; from hiding under our beds to technically attending the morning preps. All these were discovered in no time. I had to come up with my own unique way of missing the early morning preps. It worked for me for a while. 

My high school bed was made from springs which were not in good shape. So, I used to sink in whenever I sit or lay down to sleep or relax. I know you now get a glimpse of what am about to tell you. I used to dress my bed nicely when I go to sleep. Unlike now, back then I never turned and tossed that much.

Immediately the bell rings at 4am, I will straighten my tall, slender body to sink in nicely into my bed. Then I will spread the bed straight to look as if there was no one in it. I held my breath as soon as the prefects storm our dormitory. They squalled with a lot of commotion. I could hear with terror the movements of sleepy heads like me running towards the door on the other end of the dormitory. 

The commotion was terrifying. At first I wished I wouldn't have pulled the stunt. Especially when I heard one of my house mates wreathing in pain after receiving some thrashing with several leather belt. Tu tu tu tu.... I could hear my heart beat. It was with difficulty to hold my breath till they pass over my cube. I survived but could not get back to sleep mode again.

That was then. These days’ circumstances force me to stay up late and even rise up early with some sort of "freedom". I have to look into my every step not to break certain rules set by authorities and the society. How I wish I could go back to the days when some people took it upon themselves to wake me up and made sure I remained awake.  

Right now I have responsibilities to accomplish. There are so many rules to abide to that remind me there is no ultimate freedom. Just like in every situation, I always find a way to adapt to the condition for that is what every animal is designed to do.

Open letter for Class of 2012-Daystar University

Dear, Colleagues

It has dawned on me that it’s time for our departure, which each of us is going to seek and find for his advancement in the society. I have been told that joining the outside world is easy, but what is there is for the strong feet. As they the Pharisees say, is only a prophetic fool who does a cat wheel on the edge of a knife. 

Guys, let no tremor intimidate you through your course of lifetime and for what you have worked hard to achieve; be sure of it. 

I would live to remember the good old days we had together. It would be hard to forget every moment we spend in hustling with books looking for the flashy things we all fancied. Until we meet again remember Zion for the highest region and there we would one day be together again.  

Allow me to sum up by borrowing the words of a renowned American author Rabbi Daniel Lapin: Go be the difference. If you want to make different things happen to you, it isn't enough to do different things, you must actually become different. 

Congratulations!

Sincerely,

Alex

(A letter for Daystar University Graduating Class 2012)

Ideas aren't worth that much

A feeble inscription of pen is powerful than the strongest brains in the world. Everyday I have to grapple with the notion that greatest lessons in life are learnt the hard way. If this assumption is anything to go by, in life we have learn a lot the hard way. This is not to suggest that we deliberately land ourselves in trouble in order to learn.

We have all experienced the consequences of missing to accomplish an assignment in time; failing to prepare a shopping list to the mall; attending a conference without a notebook; or even saving a phone number without a name.

All this emphasizes the importance of pen and paper. So, when that 'great' idea sneaks into your mind, trap it on paper. I have come to realize that ideas storm my mind at night when I'm in bed and all lights off. 

Next time when you are caught up in this situation, draft your idea without delay. Grab your phone or switch on the lights, pick your pen and paper and write down the idea. This will serve as a reminder whenever you need to analyze your thoughts.

Remember to evaluate your concept in the morning. This will give you room to polish it up when the information is still fresh in your memory. Later in the day can also do, but it open doors for derailment and discouragement. Second opinion is valuable, but get it after you have pieced all the pieces together to make sense out of it.

In any case, lets not expect everyone to like our idea(s). Even the first person to discover the auto mobile, back then, I wouldn't believe in his idea. Anyway, keep pushing your idea(s) till you execute them. And always remember ideas aren't worth that much until they are executed.