MASKED BRIBERY: The newly gazetted law to fine people found without face masks in public Sh20,000 “is not only crude, nonsensical and laughable, but a way to abet corruption in the police service”, remarks retired senior military officer Imaana Laibuta. “How many Kenyans can afford to pay that fine? Crooked police will be laughing all the way to the bank, as those caught or framed up will opt to ‘pay’ Sh1,000 or less to be set free,” adds Major (Rtd) Laibuta. Average fines for petty offences in Kenya, he laments, “are crudely designed to promote corruption”. In Uganda, the fine for speeding is only Ush120,000 (Sh3,400), which is payable instantly. His contact is [email protected]
HELP TOO FAR: The enhancing and extension for 21 days of the government measures against Covid-19 is bad news as it has taken a toll on Kenyans. While workers rue the lost incomes as employers slash salaries to stay afloat, Helen Butoyi’s concern is about “the expectant mothers and the ailing”. She worries for those separated from their house helps and caregivers who had travelled and got stuck when the cessation of movement was slapped on several counties. “Can’t these people be tested and allowed to travel back to their work places?” asks Helen, whose contact is [email protected]
BRIGHTER FUTURE: There are many lessons to learn from the Covid-19 pandemic, says F. Mukembu. Amid the movement restrictions into and out some counties and the lockdown in places seen to have a high increase in infections, he is happy to note that other things are still going on. “The PSVs are carrying a manageable number of passengers. The operators must be contented with the little profit they make and still keep their vehicles on the roads with some level of sanity.” If the high level of hygiene, social distancing and other measures are strictly enforced, Mukembu believes, the discipline will make the post-coronavirus epidemic Kenya a better place to live in. His contact is [email protected]
INVERTED PRIORITIES: Nearly 300 people have perished in floods in the past few weeks but that has not attracted as much attention as Covid-19, laments Dave Tumbula. “Strangely enough, the country has been in overdrive over the Covid-19 pandemic. The infections are below 1,000 and deaths at about 50, compared to the flooding deaths and destruction.” With large swathes of land in Kano in Kisumu County and Budalang’i in Busia submerged and people displaced, Dave says, “I need to be convinced that it is not the billions of shillings from the donors that are driving this campaign.”
STRUGGLING TELCO: Airtel, Bornventure Gamba is convinced, is not keen to eat into its major competitor’s dominance or it would do things differently. It should improve its network signal countrywide. “Even in some parts of Nairobi, my Airtel line becomes useless. When I am in the house, I can hardly make calls. Internet browsing is very slow. I have got tired of calling their customer care desk, what with their usual chorus of ‘Zima simu, toa SIM card halafu urudishe baada ya dakika tano (Switch off the phone, remove the Sim card and put it back after five minutes)’. He wonders how the telco will manage to roll out 5G yet it is struggling under the current system.” His contact is [email protected]
DUG-UP ROADS: Nairobi City County roads department officials, Churchill Amatha says, should know that it does not require rocket science to know cables and pipes will be laid every now and then along the roads and plan for them. “How I wish City Hall planners were reading this column often. Rajesh Gohil’s cry about Ojijo Road at Parklands would never have arisen. “It should be a standard requirement when building roads that drains and cabling be provided for and a small fee charged to those who lay pipes.” His contact is [email protected]
Have a foresighted day, won’t you!
