Debate Guru

Irene Kisakye crosses the street in a hurry to beat a deadline. She nods in unison to the blasting tunes on her ear-set .At one point she seems so engrossed that nothing else seems to exist outside her music.  Today, it is not strange to see a person walking along the streets or in a matatu (taxi) with earphones plugged in.Usually, these earphone users shut out the world and enjoy whatever it is they are listening to. In fact, the latest trend is to adorning ear/headsets that come with electronic gadgets like phones, MP3s, ipods etc and somebody will gracefully knock you along the streets without even saying a word of "pole" (Swahili for sorry) simply because they are in the listening world. Courtesy of Google Images But how safe are your ears with this trend? Loss of hearing People who use earphones usually fail to regulate their volumes and many end up emitting sound that even the people around the user can comfortably hear whatever is coming through. ...

Kenya has temporarily lost its battle to corruption. I say temporarily with a guarded tongue because I still a hopeful Kenyan for an administration that will tackle the vice head-on. As been the case, the forces of impunity seems to have developed a knack for having their way. Back in 2002 when NARC came to power, there was a clarion call for Zero Tolerance on corruption. I took this to the heart and finally hope was abound that corruption will be a gone case. I was to find sooner this was not the case when one fine day, I was riding my bicycle from Orongo-Ondiek Estate- Kisumu. At Nyamasaria road block, I noticed two policemen taking bribes from an overloaded Matatu. In my new found spirit I accosted them with confidence “why are you taking bribes from that conductor”. The result was a wave of slaps, blows and kicks. I ran away, abandoned my bicycle, my shoes with the cop threatening to shoot me. Before my activation of flight mode, he confidently told me that “Kijana don’t y...

FOREIGN REMITTANCE There are over two million Kenyans in the Diaspora and these form critical aspects of this nation’s development prospects. By the estimates from the Central Bank, the Diaspora financial remittance stood at US$ 891   in 2011. This figure was superseded by 21 percent in 2012 when the country recorded US$1.2 Billion for the foreign remittance and hit the record in 2013 when the country gained US$1.27 Billion. As clearly reflected, remittances are becoming a significant source of finance for Kenyan economic development. Estimates indicate that over 50 per cent of Kenyans in the Diaspora send money back home to their relatives who in turn use this money as a way to eke out a living in the country. In the household levels, these remittances are used as a finance base for basic needs like paying for housing, school fees, health care and food provision. To some extent, this very same money is used to in micro business and entrepreneurial investment activities which...

I was almost born in a Train. Yes you read it right...I Josiah Adiema Adiema was almost born in train during a journey my mother and my older siblings took from Kisumu on 28th February 1981, arrived in Nairobi in the morning of 1st March 1981 and that same evening took another train to Mombasa. Along the way to Mombasa, labour pangs confronted her but being the strong woman she is, my mother Peninah endured to arrive in Mombasa and delivered me in a hospital on the morning of 2nd March 1981.  Explanation as to how I was almost born is definitely not my intent but the Standard Gauge Railway . I had an encounter with the railway journey again in December 24th 2007; interestingly making a return journey to the Lakeside Town (I had of coz traveled out of Mombasa since my birth). This journey by rail was because I did not get a vehicle to Kisumu yet I wanted to be part of the 2007 elections that eventually tainted the image of Kenya. The Standard Gauge Railway An example of a ...

Government running is a collective effort Recently Deputy president Hon. William Ruto asserted that “the business of running the government is Jubilee Coalition’s role”. Out of good faith I think he meant well. However, I differ with Ruto on these fronts; the responsibility is indeed Jubilee’s role but it does not mean that Jubilee is the fountain of good ideologies. In-fact, it wouldn’t kill the Jubilee team to listen to the voices of reasoning that most often are swept under the noise of “tyranny of numbers”. Sir, good ideas are within and without Jubilee but a good leader must listen to critics very positively for sometimes they bear well; as a matter of fact, they are what propel leaders to have the desire to attain the very best. The Jubilee team are best of friends in all fronts but isn’t a prayer offered “Dear, Lord guide and  protect me from my enemies whose intent I already know but even more so importantly, my friends whose real intent is often lost to me”. So the Lapt...

In the recent past, the debate has been raging whether same gender relation is are part of the African societal norms or it is a Western culture. Whichever side of the debate one stands, there is need to agree that this is now the elephant in the room and it is eating the fabric of our society very steadily whether we like it or not. The hindsight of this debate is pegged on my view that there is a likelihood that when we are cornered with real issues, we like running under the pretense of Western Culture but is it true that we have a true African Culture at this stage that has not been tainted or compromised by Western values? (A debate for another day). If the aspect of same gender intimate relations scares you stiff them I put it to  you that you are homophobic.  Homophobia is the fear of homosexuals. Many a times groups have viciously attacked members of the society that have been deemed to be in same sex relations i.e gay or lesbian. My argumentatio...