Lower cost of Living !

By Collins Mweteli

 Prices of goods and services in Kenya are skyrocketing at an alarming rate. The annual inflation rate in Kenya rose to 7.9 per cent in June of 2022, breaching the upper limit of the Central Bank of Kenya’s target range of 2.5 percent -7.5 percent for the first time since August 2017. Ordinary people are struggling more and more every day with the price of fuel, maize flour, maize grain, white rice, carrots, laundry soap, paraffin, diesel, and petrol. There is an urgent need for the  government to take action .

Indeed, the maize subsidy programme needs to be revisited and reworked. This should take into consideration the prevailing conditions including the availability of the grain both locally and in the region. However, it is also time for the county governments to play an active role in boosting agricultural productivity. A 2kg packet of maize flour whose price, back then was KSH 86/=, now it has highly elevated to KSH 188/=. A litre of cooking oil today, a Kenyan citizen purchases it at KSH 363/=, whose earlier cost was KSH 261/=! “ UNGA JUU, MAFUTA JUU.” Most of the products whose prices have gone up are basic to ordinary Mwananchi, which makes it critical for those in government to act with speed. Industry is being challenged to remain competitive with input and transportation costs rising rapidly and shortages throughout the global economy driving scarcity, threatening to push already punishing costs even higher.

A protest led by a Kenyan celebrity Erick Omondi, demanding for reduce of  high  prices, ‘STIMA JUU, MAFUTA JUU ‘due to the high cost of living in Kenya on 21^st February 2023 along the parliament road.

A friend of mine from Kericho just gave me a story concerning her county Kericho  how tea workers have changed from manual labourers to commercial sex workers. “ A tea plucker gets paid KSH7/=  just for plucking 1kg of tea leaves. It is unnerving to think how had such a person has to work to earn their sustenance. In an economy where 100 shillings in daily wages can not buy you a maize meal, one is bound to be devastated. The recent expose by BBC shows just how dire the situation is . How out of desperation, these women have found themselves making tough choices between their safety and their job. Losing a job is out of the question and as a result, they have fallen victim to sexual predation

 A recent report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated that Kenya is experiencing a tight period of forex demand coupled with reduced liquidity in the interbank foreign exchange market as well as a depreciation of the local currency. The shilling had opened the year at 123.42 shedding about 10 percent of its value to the dollar year-to-date. This means that traders who import the goods will spend more to acquire them and thus pass on the cost to the consumers. “Bei Imepanda.”

Sports Round-up

 

 

 

By: HARRY IVAN

The UEFA Champions League made a return this week with some mouth-watering fixtures.

Tuesday's round-of-16 first-leg match between Real Madrid and Liverpool ended in a 5-2 victory in favor of Real Madrid, thanks to a remarkable comeback. The 14-time champions scored five goals in what appeared to be a rematch of Madrid's victory in the Champions League final last season, with Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior each scoring twice. Liverpool started on a high note. Darwin Nunez's spectacular flicked-on goal and Mohamed Salah's close-range goal following Madrid goalkeeper's ridiculous error gave Liverpool a two-goal advantage in a thrilling first half.

Barely 20 minutes later, Vinicius, who was cutting to his right in the penalty area, curled a brilliant low shot past Alisson to make it 2-1 for Real Madrid. From a similar laughable goalkeeper error, Madrid scored their second, as Alisson's pass was mishit and bounced off Vinicius, looped up over the Liverpool keeper and rolled into the net to level the score before the half time break.

Early second-half goals from Eder Militao and Benzema staked Madrid to a shocking 4-2, hushing the Anfield crowd and leaving Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp looking perplexed on the sideline. Karim Benzema netted Madrid's fifth goal to seal the win for the Spanish side.

In another match, RB Leipzig held Manchester City to a shocking draw at the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday. RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol headed in a 70th-minute goal to neutralize  out Riyad Mahrez's opener in the first half and earn a 1-1 draw against visitors Manchester City.

The 21-year-old defender bagged the deserved equalizer with a towering header that flew past Man City's goalkeeper Alisson. In addition to his goal, Gvardiol frustrated Man City star Erling Haaland throughout the evening, as he kept the Norway international relatively quiet over the course of 90 minutes. Interestingly, Josko Gvardiol doesn't score often but when he does, it is mostly against big sides. Wednesday's equalizer was his first club goal since October 25th, 2022 when he scored against Real Madrid in the group stages.

Manchester City has now recorded a draw in their last two games after being held 1-1 by Nottingham Forest in the Premier League last Saturday, while Leipzig's four-game winning run in the competition came to an end.

Despite the second-half hitch, City might have had a chance to win it at the end through a penalty kick. Dutch referee Serdar Gozubuyuk however waved away City's appeals for a penalty when Benjamin Henrichs appeared to touch the ball in the box. Manchester City will face Leipzig in the return fixture at the Etihad Stadium on March 14, holding tightly to their hopes to qualify for the Champions League quarterfinals for the sixth year in a row

 

 

Mama Rachel's Faith Diplomacy

 

By Harry Ivan

In the just concluded Organization of African First Ladies for Development {OAFLAD} summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Kenya's first lady Rachel Ruto said she is using faith diplomacy as a pillar in her strategy to empower women economically in Kenya. She added that by advocating for a revival of traditional family values, she is advancing peace and national unity through faith diplomacy. In order to incorporate value-based lessons, she continued, she is collaborating with faith-based organizations. In the past, Rachel Ruto has emphasized on her social media channels the value of involving church leaders and elders in having a beneficial impact on communities through faith diplomacy. The first lady stated on her official verified Twitter account that religious leaders can make a substantial contribution as peacemakers if they are properly trained and that faith diplomacy is a potential instrument for a united country.

But what is faith diplomacy? Simply explained, it is the practice of using religious or spiritual beliefs, values, and practices to foster peace, understanding, and cooperation between nations, civilizations, ethnic groups, or people from various backgrounds. In order to promote understanding and peaceful coexistence across religious and cultural boundaries, it aims to take advantage of the transformative power of religion and spirituality.

 

Religion and diplomacy have become more interrelated since the end of the 20th century. Also known as religious diplomacy, faith diplomacy provides a platform for people of different religious backgrounds to interact, learn from each other and develop mutual respect. This in turn helps break down prejudices, reduce fear and suspicion, and foster greater understanding among people of different faiths.

Again, faith diplomacy can play a key role in addressing the many conflicts in today's world by engaging religious leaders and church institutions in the peacebuilding process. Many faith traditions share a common concern for social justice and the well-being of individuals. It can hence be used to promote human rights, advocate for marginalized communities and raise awareness on issues such as poverty inequality, gender-based violence, and discrimination.

On the contrary, faith diplomacy has its fair share of disadvantages.

Edward Luttwak, a self-proclaimed “grand strategist”, shrewdly observed that religion is perennial, but its utility in international affairs is problematic. According to the Oxford Research Encyclopedia, religion has been long seen as an obstacle to diplomacy, especially in disputes and conflicts that seem to be related to or motivated by religion. For instance, religious bias can be dangerous for those who do not subscribe to a particular religion. It can further result to discrimination and violence against the minorities. Politics and religion may be very polarizing issues, making it challenging to create a unified society. Religion can be a very divisive subject on its own.

In addition, mixing politics with religion can result in the imposition of religious doctrines on individuals who do not subscribe to it. In return, this might prevent advancement in the fields of science, technology, and social justice.

 A good example is our own country Kenya, where the state recently organized a massive rally to pray for rains and an end to the drought situation. A day later, a viral collage photo showing two completely opposite situations caught my eye.

The first one had the title "Israel combating drought" and featured some extremely healthy greens being irrigated by sprinklers. The second image displayed a group of sweaty, worn-out countrymen fervently praying while holding the Kenyan flags with their eyes closed in the sweltering midday sun.

We may all agree that prayers and religion are vital, yet there are some issues that call for rational thought.

Madam Martha taught me in class four that faith without action is dead, quoting from a holy book whose scriptures I don't remember clearly. We cannot as a nation bow and kneel to beg for rain and an end to the whistling drought while sitting still doing nothing. Such factors hinder our nation's ability to address crucial issues that concern us like food security.

 

THE LAST DANCE – Who dances after suicide?

 

By Brenda Bungei

 I have always fancied death. Even as a little girl even before I understood it. It is not as if I have understood it now. What I did not understand was why those we loved are the ones who would die. I have often thought of death as a way out, as the body’s way out simply because it cannot handle whatever one if facing.  As much as it seems like a way out it never considers the bearers of the tradgedy.It tears them down to helpless little souls

One thing about it  no one will tell you is that death is not just death, it depends on who’s dying and why are they dying .Suicide is the worst of them all. The grief does not just sit it gnaws at you until you are helpless. It eats you up to the last emptiness of your existence.

The kind of pain is intense and it hits very differently. This might be because of the struggle to get where they got and did not think they could go on. The sharp knife of a life lived shortly doesn’t just draw blood, it cuts deep clean and swift that at one point we think it’s the end. Hold a hand give hope for that is better than all things.

Suicide as the leading cause of death among teenagers and young adults. It has been associated with Mental Illness, which has become the talk over time. One problem with mental health is that it has been associated with weakness especially in the village. Stigma and introverted ness can steer one towards that direction. Once you cannot see the worth and beauty in yourself, it creates something darker within yourself that even prayers will not break.

They say prayer is a stronger weapon towards all evil (for those who believe), but then again what is prayer without the belief and faith. First, love yourself before you let others judge and critique you. One of the ways we can dance to the tunes of life every day without fear is by having a friend. One who can always listen without necessarily wanting to fix everything?

Parents are in anguish and their pain cannot be softened no matter how hard we try. It gets to a point where we will need to tame this crisis because it’s always those on the sidelines that dance to the pain of losing a dependable soul. How do you tell a mother, that her 20-year-old daughter didn’t want them to cry after being found because they wanted to end this hard life. They are always on the sidelines of these battles we fight, they may not understand whatever taking place but still talk to them, and they deserve at least that.

Most, if not half the population of the youth are depressed but can’t put it on the table because they fear being laughed at among other things. If today a survivor of suicide stands they often say they only wanted to kill the pain the hardships, it’s not as if they wanted to end their life. The question then comes, who dances after Suicide?

One thing we ought to understand is that we are never alone as long as we breathe. I have you and you have me. The troubles come and go hold on, a new phase will come. Hang in there.

 

Religious Brainwash?

 

By Ajuma Millicent

It has been 8 years sine John Allan Namu and Mohammed Ali went undercover and exposed self-proclaimed prophet Victor Kanyari for performing fake miracles on TV and swindling his congregation of money.  Years down the line, he is still on TV, ‘performing miracles’ and he has even recently launched a controversial money-making scheme that can be equated to gambling. The pastor claims that he will be giving KES 30,000 to his followers who send him KES 500.

Such theatrics are not uncommon to Kenyans. From pastors claiming that they are exorcising demons, to them claiming that they are healing diseases like HIV/AIDS and cancer to healing the physically challenged. Several preachers have amassed large followings from the claims that they can perform such miracles. One such preacher is self-proclaimed mighty prophet of God, Prophet Owuor whose congregants have a specific dress-code and fill arenas from time to time during his crusades.

The crusades sometimes begin with the followers washing the roads with soap and water as a preparation for his arrival. His arrival is marked by a police escort convoy that can almost be equated to a presidential escort. The most recent of his crusades was the one in Bomet, where he claims that he ordered the rains to come. Owuor's supporters could be seen rejoicing and celebrating after pulling off a remarkable miracle in a video posted on Facebook by a believer going by the handle Jesus is Coming. The prophet had allegedly given God the order to send rain on the stadium.  

Prophet Owuor and Pastor Victor Kanyari are just a few of preachers we see on national television. Late last year, Pastor Ezekiel, who serves as a pastor at the New Life Church in Mombasa, had tongues wagging after filling Kasarani stadium, which has a 60, 000 capacity, with his followers. While Pastor Dorcas Rigathi claimed that Kenyans are hungry for God’s word, there is no sure way of telling whether it is true.

I am mostly on the skeptical side like former Nairobi governor, Mike Sonko who said that he will not believe prophet Owuor until he successfully heals nominated MP David Ole Sankok. There is no easy way of proving whether the miracles performed are real or not but the influence that these religious leaders have had on many Kenyans over the years cannot be understated. Sometimes I tend to think that the line between being a reasonable Christian and being religiously brainwashed has become so thin.

Whether we are drawn to the miracles performed by these preachers or we are genuinely yearning for the word of God, it is important to exercise great caution in the way we allow their influence over our lives. As a Christian, I am taught that we are all equal before God. I am also taught that it is important to know God for myself so that I don’t believe anyone who claims to be sent by God.

Tears in our tea

 By Maria Njoroge

Dear reader, let it be known that I do not intend to be polite in this article. I am a woman and I am angry.  Being a woman is neither here nor there in this case. The first thing that should cross your mind when you hear another suffer is: who could do that to another human being? Someone does not have to be related to you by blood to deserve kindness or consideration. My heart breaks for the women who have gone through sexual abuse in the hands of their leaders. The recent expose on  tea farming done by BBC left me in tears. I am a woman exiting college, the fear of what lurks in the shadows makes me afraid of the dark.

Jermiah  Kosgei,John Chebochok , Samuel Yebei, John Ascara , I hope you get to experience hell even as you live . Its only four names that came to light. Each of you has been a bystander and a perpetrator of sexual violence and crimes against women for thirty years. You do not deserve to be leader, you do not have any business mingling with society. I hope you see the highest walls of prison. I hope you get to sit with your thoughts and they gnaw at you and there is nothing you can do about them.

I hope the noises in your heads are loud.I hope its muffled voices from the many women whose lives you ruined. I hope they play in your minds for the rest of your lives and never quietens. I hope no one shows you a shred of tenderness you damned predators. I hope there is no ounce of compassion on the jury that tries your case.  I hope like the way sand fizzles out of the hour glass, the last glimmer of home and hope fades as you hear the names of your victims replaying in your minds.

John Chobochok.You are uncultured in every way one can think of. We are glad you names came to light. You are inhumane and have causes unimaginable suffering. You have infected many with HIV , I hope you get the 15 years on top of the 30 years .It would be symbolic considering that is how long you had to make a difference . Instead, you preyed on women for three decades. They could say no love has been lost between you and your employees, but tell me this John, have you ever had of the word consent?

Jeremiah , your actions apale me . I abbor how you reduced the women who came to you for help to nothing . You made them need you. 15,000 shillings at the cost of their mental peace ? How do you sleep at night? How do you rest knowing they got pregnant and procured abortions? That their families and homes were broken because you backed them into a corner?

I have no kind words for Asava. He stood and watched. A pedophile, a molester and an enabler. How can a leader and a supervisor talk about crimes committed against another human with a straight face? How can he say that the company name needed to be kept clean? How could he ? How? How could the gender office tell “kate” that she needed to stand firm in her principles? How was any of it her fault.? How is anything that befalls victims of abuse their fault?

This is the court of public opinion. I have been presiding. I declare them all guilty. All who knew about it and said nothing. All who watched the lived of the women around them crumble. I hope there is a prison in this world for you kind of species. The ones we have are for humans. You , at Finlay, Unilever and all bystanders of violence, you are definitely not human.

 

The ‘Handle With Care’ CBC Experience

                                            https://images.app.goo.gl/vWhQ64txSLJd55Y99

By Luseka Waliaula

The meme read, handle me with Care, I am CBC Parent. The transition from the 8-4-4 system to the Competence Bases Curriculum (CBC) was taking shape bringing with it so many changes. Changes that would affect the learners, teachers, parents and other stakeholders. Discussions in the media and other social circles would reference CBC learners and parents a lot.

Ciku who had become a CBC parent had thought her daughter would do her KCPE exams at 14 then join High School at 15. At 15, she would be old enough to stay in a boarding school away from home. She would be able to be in charge of the little things that come with being away from home like maintaining pocket money, washing her own clothes and generally looking out for herself.

When the switch to CBC was proposed, Ciku just like many other CBC parents entered into a learning curve with her daughter. One night they would be putting together balloons and straws to make a model breathing system. On another night Ciku would be rushing to the nearest bookshop to find manilla papers for school projects after getting home from the long hours of traffic.

“This CBC has really got us going back to school ourselves,” Ciku tells me when we have a conversation on the changes in the education system

However, that is late 2022 and her biggest worry is not the CBC homework. She is waying options on which is the best high school for her daughter to join when she does her grade six exams in 2023.She worries that at 12, her daughter would not be old enough to take on the responsibilities of boarding. Concerns that other parents and stakeholders in Kenya’s education system have kept raising.

Lydia, a high school teacher in Eldoret also has concerns.

“I am used to dealing with teenage learners, these little ones will bring in a totally new experience,” she says

It is February 2023 and Ciku and Lydia’s concerns seem to have been addressed somehow. Junior secondary school is now part of primary school. The first cohort joined grade seven on January 30 after doing their grade six national examinations in 2022.The government made the change from having junior secondary in High schools to having it as part of primary school. When addressing journalists, president Ruto defended the government’s move citing various reasons among them convenience and the facilitation of the 100% transition.

“To provide for this 100% transition every primary school must have a secondary school” said Ruto

The president also spoke for the move making education cheap because it would reduce movement.

Distance, boarding school and moving to another level are not the only issues that stakeholders in the education sector have to worry about though. There is the issue of number of teachers needed to successfully achieve the objectives of the Curriculum. There seems not be enough teachers employed by the Teachers’ Service Commission. The number of subjects being taken by the students has doubled. The students will be required to take 12 core subjects: English; Mathematics; Pre-technical Studies; Kiswahili; Kenya Sign Language; Integrated Science; Social Studies; Business Studies; Agriculture; Religious Education; Health Education; Sports and Physical education and life skills. There will also be seven optional subjects from which the learners will only select two. So, as much as the students will not move from primary schools, things will not stay the same and simple. Apparently, everything in this new system still requires to be handled with care.

There will be a need for more teachers trained to handle the new specializations. Infrastructure needs to be examined on a whole new level in order to accommodate al the learners. This will depend on the government releasing capacitation funds for the construction of classrooms and other facilities like laboratories. We see how this new system still requires as much care as it did before. There are so many choices to be made, challenges to be overcome and opportunities to capitalize on with each passing academic year.

 

Luhya Articulation stereotype

 

By Luseka Waliaula

Catherine Kasavuli was a renowned Kenyan journalist and a sweetheart to many who loved her for her fluency and articulation. In December 2022, the curtains closed on her life. In the words of one journalist, she had a face, a voice, and a soul for TV. Many have eulogized her and taken turns in dissecting her life. The comments are in all forms and shapes; from the utterly insensitive ones to the really nice ones.

In a fundraiser, a speaker mentioned that it never occurred to him that Kasavuli was Luhya. He felt that she was too eloquent a speaker and too elaborate to be Luhya  Anyone who was coming to Kenya for the first time would have concluded that being Luhya was a condition where one had issues with articulation. It seems unbecoming to take personally issues said in passing, especially about a soul already departed. Well, sometimes, when statements are left unaddressed, they end up being used as a yardstick to measure reality.

Perhaps we should take a walk in this land of the Luhya to understand, articulation, English, and other related things. The Luhya are one of the Bantu language groups of East Africa. The Bantu story is believed to have begun in the Cameroon-Congo Forest. They are said to have moved along, taking different routes till some went as far as the East African Coast. Their ‘cousins’ went south and ended up occupying the southern part of Africa. So, linguistically speaking, an eastern Bantu like a Kamba and a western one like a Kuria or a Luhya are almost the same.

Of course, some people have alternative views but that is the one that sticks out on the discussion. Narratives about Africa have always had different angles. There is the angle of the likes Ludwig Krapf and the Leakeys. The explores who are famed for being the first ones to discover things about Africa that Africans themselves had lived with since time immemorial. 

“The falls had a name given to it by locals, Mosi a Tunya, meaning smoke that thunders,” one netizen said in response to a YouTube story about the Victoria Falls

                                    mosi a Tunya 

There could not be better statements to dissect the lines in these angles of African stories. A comment about English fluency in a Luhya funeral and another one about one of the most famous water falls in the world. What could they possibly have in common? Well, an underlying ideology perhaps. One that uses fluency in a foreign language to gauge people. A tone that sets forth the assumption that when you are African you need someone or something foreign to make you whole. Your smoke that thunders sounds better by another name. Your fluency in this foreign language shades you of your identity, or so they say.

 Linguistics and politics aside, could it be true that because of how our stories have been told, we outsource our identity and acceptance? Are we using lenses left to us by our former colonial masters to make sense of our identity? 

“Why won’t we stop complaining and move on?”, critics would ask, haven’t the colonial masters been gone for too long?’’ They may have left but apparently some of us are holding onto the past so much. The social media space in this country has never been short of memes and jokes modeled on ethnic stereotypes. Perhaps we are looking at ourselves and others based on stereotypes that were formulated to help the divide and rule system of governance. We see people from other communities as being lesser beings. We need to consider this if we have an interest in challenging some of this cliché stereotypes that have almost become acceptable. This is the only way we can reduce instances where people think being fluent from some communities is ‘unthinkable.’ 

 

Men's Conference ,Valentine's

 Men's Conference ,Valentine's 

      

 

By Mboto Harry Ivan.

This year's 14th of February was a beehive of activities, with lovers uniting to mark the highly publicised Valentine’s Day, faithful converging at Nyayo Stadium to join president Ruto and first lady "prophetess" Rachel in praying for rains, and men flocking different parts of the country for the annual men's conference.

In the past years, most people have believed Men's Conference to be imaginary. Nothing unites Kenyans more than the memes and banter over Valentine’s Day. There is usually a lot going om on social media. From men sharing sarcasm and how much “fun” they derive from ignoring ladies' astronomical demands during the said day. In the evening you'll find all of the men with their wives or lovers; they were only buying time for dusk to descend, the way a mutura seller does before customers start streaming in the evenings.

 After about three years of the non-existent conference, celebrated Citizen TV senior political affairs reporter and self proclaimed President of polygamous men in Kenya, Stephen Letoo among others have made it a point to hold the first real conference.

Generally, men's conference is an event that is specifically designed to provide men with opportunities for personal growth, networking, and education. These conferences may focus on a range of topics that are of particular interest to men, such as career development, fatherhood, spirituality, health and fitness, relationships, and more.

Men's conferences may be organized by businesses, religious groups, community organizations, or other groups. They may be held in a variety of locations, such as convention centers, hotels, retreat centers, or online platforms like Zoom or Skype. They are aimed at providing men with a supportive and empowering environment to learn and grow in their personal and professional lives. They often feature keynote speakers, workshops, panels, and networking opportunities that allow men to connect with others who share similar interests and goals.

The most notable men's conference event went down at the Carnivore Simba saloon, Nairobi. The  event was reported to be pure success, with exception of delegates from Western Kenya who caused a little trouble during meals. Indian and Bangladesh delegates were also reported to have arrived late. The venue was so full. Notable guests were reported to be in attendance, including former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko, Dr Frank Njenga, Lawyer Dunstan Omari, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Dr. Ezekiel Mutua among others.

A similar event happened in Meru County. The conference, organised by Ikokay-Cheki Tubonge, Meru Care Medical Centre, Chainless Entertainment, and others, was held at Ridgeways Gardens near Makutano and drew participants from Nairobi, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Samburu, and other counties.

For an entire day, bankers, businessmen, lawyers, doctors, and former and sitting MCAs opened their hearts and learned from their fellows.

Kenyans on Twitter were also not left behind as they made hilarious memes about these events.

 

 

 

Wekly sports roundup

 Weekly Sports Roundup

 

By Mboto Harry Ivan.

This Valentine's midweek was packed with mouthwatering football fixtures, ranging from the much-anticipated UEFA champions league to the English Premier League.

On Tuesday, Bayern Munich humbled Lionel Messi's side Paris Saint-Germain with Kingsley Coman scoring against his former club in the 1-0 win at the Parc des Princes Stadium in the first leg of their heavyweight round-of-16 tie. The German champions dominated the majority of the game as their hosts PSG struggled to find chances. French striker Kylian Mbappe came off the bench and scored twice, only for both to be ruled out for offside as PSG came to life in the closing stages.

Bayern had to finish the game with 10 men after Benjamin Pavard was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time. After their third loss in a row in all competitions, PSG will need to produce a much-improved performance in the return leg in Munich in three weeks' time.

In other news, Karim Adeyemi's outstanding strike gave Borussia Dortmund victory over Chelsea on Wednesday night at Signal Iduna Park in their Champions League round of 16 first leg matchup. After a busy January transfer window and the recovery of some injured players, Chelsea fielded a new-look starting lineup for the Champions League. Chelsea played well in the first half, Joao Felix blowing up two great chances that could have put his team ahead during the goalless first half. The German international Adeyemi put Dortmund in front midway through the second half with a brilliant individual effort from the midfield.The teams will meet again on March 7th at Stamford Bridge for the decisive second leg.

The best show of the midweek was however reserved for English Premier League leaders Arsenal as they took on Manchester City at home. Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland scored second-half goals to give the 2021/2022 champions a 3-1 win in a thrilling contest at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

In the 24th minute, City took the lead following a superb strike from Kevin De Bruyne after Arsenal's Takehiro Tomiyasu made a woeful defensive error. Bukayo Saka calmly converted a penalty for Arsenal before the half time whistle after Ederson fouled Eddie Nketiah in the box. Grealish finished on a superb team move with a low deflected finish past the grasp of Aaron Ramsdale in the 72nd minute, before Haaland converted minutes later to seal the win for City.

While Arsenal still has a game to play, they will have to travel to the Etihad Stadium for a possibly title deciding match on April 26. City now leads the EPL table standings on goal differential having equal points with Arsenal.

Lets end period stigma

 

Lets  end period stigma 

by Collins Mweteli 

 

 

There was drama in parliament on the 14^th of February this year, when nominated senator Gloria Orwoba was asked to leave the chambers due to her “inappropriate dressing”. The incident has sincespiraledd out of control and sparked a lot of debate. Senator Gloria appeared to have stained her white trouser as she drove to parliament. A UDA-nominated senator, Tabitha Mutinda sought attention from the speaker Amason Kingi about Gloria Orwoba's dressing code.

Senator Tabitha said that the house had been disgraced and it was very inappropriate of senator Gloria to come to chambers with her clothes stained. This resulted in an exchange between the two senators and others were quick to join the rebuttal and ask that she be sent to change. Gloria expressed her disappointment in Tabitha for having been the first one to give a pint of order about her dressing. Gloria felt that instead of shaming her for a natural occurrence, her colleagues should have just been kind to know if she was okay or maybe needed painkillers.

Several members of parliament criticised senator Gloria ,claiming that it was so shameful for a woman to walk around exposing her personal business. They also said that it was a taboo. Enoch Wambua, the senator of Kilifi county stood up and confidentially said,

“Women go through the menses cycle and they manage it privately, it just a matter to be managed personally without exposing it to people.

 In her defense, Orwoba said

 “I have stained my clothes and at the end of the day I just want to know while we are discussing this issue that is not in the order paper, is it because senators are not women who have periods? “

She went further and described that it was a serious issue, a part of the period stigma which led to some girls dying by suicide adding that it is the women who are trying to make it a crime. She then concluded by saying

“I am shocked that someone can stand here and say that the house has been disgraced because a woman has had her periods.”

This conversation about period stigma and period poverty comes a few decades late. It is sad that it took such drastic measures as a senator coming in with her clothes stained that the issue if finally in parliament. Girls live in horror of their next menstrual cycle. In some regions in Kenya especially the rural areas, girls still struggle to afford or even access sanitary pads. The current price of one packet of sanitary pads is 80 shillings. For a parent who is a casual laborer, that is too much to part with in a day. Imagine a parent with four girls and each needs two packets.

The subject of menses is still taboo in many communities. Many girls begin their periods without ever having a clear candid conversation about how to use sanitary products. They have no idea how to deal with the changes happening in their bodies. For some girls, menstrual cramps can be severe and affect their day-to-day productivity.

The ordeal of Gloria in Parliament on Valentine’s Day is reason enough to have this conversation about our girls. It is time to acknowledge that menstruation happens and not everyone is lucky to afford the products they need even though they should. The next course of action is to develop policies that will ensure that girls feel safe every month. They should be confident that even on their periods, they do have to miss school because they do not have pads. They should not be worried about what their teachers and peers think when it comes to their periods.

Tax-free pads and menstrual products would be a great point to start. After that, they should be as free as government-issued condoms. They are just as necessary.

NATEMBEYA THE BOLD COMMANDER, KINDIKI THE POLITE GENERAL

NATEMBEYA THE BOLD COMMANDER, KINDIKI THE POLITE GENERAL

By Moses Kibwana 

Sentiments of a former Regional Commissioner, have left many Kenyans wondering if there is more to the Banditry cases in Rift Valley. Despite being out of the office,he seems to know more about what is happening on the ground.

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, recently blasted the government for what he termed as misleading motives being implemented to solve the rise of banditry cases in the Rift Valley Regions of Kenya, particularly in Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Turkana and Samburu Counties among other hotspot areas.

Natembeya, highlighted how the raids are funded by the area politicians, through the local militia of the respective regions. He expressed how police officers are sent into such areas without adequate money for accommodation and fuel, forcing them to trade bullets for food supplies with the militia groups.

On the other hand, Kenyans have expressed dissatisfaction in the way CS for Interior and Government Coordination Professor Kithure Kindiki is handling the docket and the whole issue at large. Many have blasted him out for being soft on the terrorists, to the extent of the militia ambushing residents not far off from where he addresses the local barazas.

It is my opinion and that of millions of Kenyans that the Professor is too soft-spoken for the position. The president made a wrong call to appoint Kindiki in the name of "rewarding loyalty". Natembeya though a governor, comes out worthy and more competent to hold the position, more than the professor. It is sad that Kenyans have to watch helplessly as hundreds of their fellow countrymen are killed and thousands of livestock raided from their owners. The core business of the government is to keep its citizens safe. The rustlings and killings in Rift valley have to stop. Let the government act now, lest things get completely out of hand.

The place of women in politics

                                        The place of women in politics

By Maria Njoroge

We have our publication meetings on Wednesday. Mostly, we catch up about how the week has been and at other times we crack inside jokes. Life seems bearable after these meetings. However, there are times that we actually get done with ideas and challenge one another on the happenings of the day-to-day. We come up with topics and ideas for publications and challenge each other on how to do better in shaping our talents and skills. One such conversation turned out to be this article.

“Would you support your wife if she had political ambitions?’

The answer was downright flat

“I am a journalist and that is already a conflict of interest”

I have not read the ethics code of conduct for journalists in its fine print. I would confidently say that I do not have enough knowledge to argue in the line of ethics.

“But a woman is better of in politics if she is married “

That threw me off balance even more. Marriage and politics are two separate institutions and I have absolutely no idea why they appeared in the same sentence.

In the rebuttal with my club members, the gentlemen unanimously agreed that if their wife had political ambitions,  she would have to drop them because it would mean an end to the marriage. It also came out very clearly, that an unnamed politician made very vulgar sentiments about a politician who is navigating politics for the first time.

‘I will go to Nairobi to impregnate her. Maybe that will silence her “

It’s a pity that in this day and age, someone would stop to those levels to make a point. This is where the debate got interesting: what is the place of women in politics, especially here in Kenya?

One of the main challenges that women face in politics is the entrenched gender biases that exist within Kenyan society. Many people hold the view that women are less capable than men when it comes to politics, and this attitude can be difficult to overcome. Additionally, the nature of politics in Kenya can be highly competitive and even combative, with personal attacks and character assassination not uncommon. This kind of environment can be particularly difficult for women to navigate, as they may be more likely to face criticism based on their appearance or personal life.

It is common to see women being castigated for their personal business. Were a woman’s intimate photos to leak at any time during a campaign or a leadership position? Her track record is thrown under the bus and people fail to see her beyond the photos or videos. Most of the photos are taken with this woman unaware. Instead of looking at the crime of violation of privacy committed against her. She will be crucified for being a reproachable leader.

Women make up approximately half of the population, and their voices and perspectives are just as important as those of men. Female politicians are more likely to prioritize issues such as healthcare, education, and social welfare, which can have a positive impact on society as a whole. When we put every policy and decision through a gender lens, we are able to authoritatively know how every decision affects them. Roads are important, but in a place where people are starving, food sustainability would most likely be the urgent goal. Women by merit should be at tables where decisions about their issues are being made.

The place of women in politics in Kenya is an issue that needs to be addressed. Despite the challenges that exist, there are many reasons why it is essential to promote greater female political representation. By working towards more inclusive and diverse political systems, we can create a more just and equitable society for all Kenyans. When a woman in apposition of power falls short in delivering her duties, it has nothing to do with her womanhood. She was just a bad leader.