The Watchman

3 August 2010

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Switch them on: Several weeks ago, the residents of Park Road, Nairobi, were elated when City Council workers arrived in their neighbourhood and quickly erected streetlights, reports Faisal Suleiman.

But to their utter dismay, the lights have yet to be switched on, and they are wondering what went wrong with the project they had hoped would light up the area at night and keep away muggers and other vermin.

They are, therefore, urging Town Clerk Philip Kisia to shed light on the apparently stalled project.

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It's a nightmare: Getting the Safaricom network is a real nightmare for subscribers in East Kano Location of Nyando District, which is just about two kilometres east of Katito shopping centre where the company has a base station, says George Ojwang.

He adds: "Their signal is so weak that making or receiving calls is difficult.

Could it be the case that this booster is not functioning as efficiently as it should?"

George hopes Safaricom will move to end the subscribers' woes.

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Moi should thank God: When former President Moi recently chided his successor, President Kibaki, over the referendum on the proposed constitution, Jimnah Kamau says his mind quickly raced back to the 1980s when the retired leader presided over a repressive regime. "I wish he could ask himself what would have happened to him back in the 1980s. Just imagine someone telling off the President at a public rally! Moi would most likely have been a guest of interrogators at the Nyayo House torture cells. He should thank his gods that we're living in different times."

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Appalling: While Nancy Wele is spot-on about the appalling condition of Sports Road in Nairobi, it's certainly not the worst in the area, says Nick Kanga. That dubious distinction belongs to the 200-metre stretch of East Church Road between Rhapta Road and Elite Deluxe residential area.

"It's just horrible. And can Town Clerk Kisia confirm that his office has authorised the return of kiosks in the area?

Both the Safaricom and Zain booths have been turned into kiosks selling everything from milk to vegetables."

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Flashback 1980? Vision 2030 is about taking the country to the next level of development and that is precisely why Lewis Mwenda is thoroughly amused by a newspaper ad published on July 21.

He couldn't help noticing that among the requirements for secretarial staff in that year are Shorthand 111 (120 wpm), typewriting 111 (50 wpm) and computerised document processing 111.

"Where, pray, do they hope to get people holding those qualifications when the time comes?

Is this Vision 2030 or Flashback 1980?" he poses.

Have a visionary day, won't you!