THE CUTTING EDGE - Daily Nation

POWER HEROES: On May 9, Ruth Gituma recalls, the country woke up to a blackout that was blamed on a fault on the national grid in western Kenya. For Ruth, heroes emerged. These were the young Kenya Power technicians and helicopter pilot. “By midday, power had been largely restored and this group of young men should be decorated as national heroes. The job is not only risky but also demanding of the skills of these selfless people, whom we saw hanging dangerously from the helicopter and perching on the elevated pylons to repair and restore power.” Her contact is

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SECOND OPINION: Just back from specialised medical treatment in India, Mwangi Karuga has some advice for his fellow Kenyans: always seek a second opinion. Where possible, he adds, patients must consult before agreeing to surgery, unless it’s an emergency. Last year, Kijabe Mission Hospital recommended the removal of his urinary bladder. He decided to seek two different opinions and went to Shalby Hospital in Ahmedabad, India. A diagnosis revealed it was well and he only needed medication to treat an infection. “I wish I could explain this on TV. Unfortunately, I’m not Baba (Raila Odinga), whom reporters would have rushed to interview.” His contact is

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SHODDY WORKS: Road repairs in Nairobi never cease to amaze Anil Vidyarthi. He says sections damaged during heavy rains will be patched up and, during the next downpour, will be washed away again and have to be repaired. Anil can’t understand why road engineers do not inspect and ensure that the repairs hold when the skies open again. “After heavy rains, stagnant water on any road with tar will break, leaving gaping holes. Why don’t the engineers check where water does not drain properly and correct it before the next rains?” A section of General Mathenge Road at Westlands, Nairobi, he adds, “has been repaired twice in three years”. His contact is

PURGE: The Jubilee Party is burning, remarks Sauthi Mbunza on the 57-7 vote to remove Kithure Kindiki from the Senate Deputy Speaker post. That follows the removal of Kipchumba Murkomen as the Senate Majority Leader and Susan Kihika as Majority Chief Whip in an ongoing purge of DP William Ruto’s allies, adds Sauthi, seeing it as an indication that the rivals are determined to sort out their affairs. Despite Prof Kindiki’s calculated efforts to boost the ruling party’s leadership in the Senate, he laments, nobody would come to his rescue. His contact is

Have a deterrent day, won’t you!