THE CUTTING EDGE - Daily Nation

DEGREE VERSUS EXPERIENCE: The recent exchange between Senators James Orengo and Kipchumba Murkomen over Prof Kithure Kindiki’s ouster as Senate Deputy Speaker, Raphael Obonyo notes, “was ugly, embarrassing and shameful”. Raphael adds: “Orengo, a senior counsel, flaunted his experience and Murkomen his academic achievements. It was embarrassing to watch both get personal. I strongly believe that you cannot dismiss someone simply because they lack experience. But success is also not solely determined by academic qualifications. If that were the case, there would be no Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg. They should jointly apologise to the youth.” His contact is

WEIGHT OF PAPERS: For Stephen Masambu, the Orengo-Kipchumba altercation raises the question: What’s in a degree? Says Stephen: “That Senator Orengo is an accomplished debater and decorated lawyer is not in doubt. But for Murkomen to charge that Orengo is ‘only’ a lower second class degree holder while he got an upper second class and has two master’s degrees is a fallacy.” Murkomen should do the weighting of his qualifications against time. An undergraduate degree of whatever kind in the 1970s is easily equal to his two master’s”. His contact is

MASTER OF BLACKOUTS: Urgently calling Kenya Power is Kisumu resident Charles Okore, alarmed that neighbouring customers who share Sinyolo Girls High School’s electricity transformer have suffered a blackout for nearly a week. He poses: “Whom do we turn to for help when the Kenya Power MD’s office could not keep a promise they made to me four days ago, that electricity would be restored the same day?” Even more annoying to Charles was the Kisumu customer service office’s response to his inquiry: “Hiyo transformer yenu imelipuka. Tukipata ingine tutaleta! (Your transformer has blown up. If we get one, we will bring it over.” His account is 31149494 and his contact

DESPERATION: Following the massive layoffs due to the Covid-19 pandemic, some people in the lower Tana River region have taken to charcoal burning as a source of income, says F. Mukembu. This, he warns, is bound to lead to widespread deforestation if allowed to go on. “The chiefs are, however, doing all they can to stamp out the vice, especially now that these areas are being ravaged by floods. The government should give relief food to the flood victims to save our forests as the charcoal burning is out of frustration.” He says the floods have claimed several lives in the area. His contact is

NEGLECTED ROAD: One of the most remarkable developments in recent years has been the construction of elaborate bypasses and highways across the country. However, feeling left out are the people of Mukululu Village in Igembe Central Constituency, Meru County, says Fredrick Kiyuki. The residents, he adds, strongly believe their elected leaders have abandoned them as they are yet to benefit from the development goodies being generously dished out by the national and county governments. “Our road from Nturuba to Kiegoi has been in a poor state and almost impassable for years. No wonder it becomes a campaign issue year after year!” His contact is

YOUTH JOBS: The appointment of retired Supreme Court Judge Prof Jackton Ojwang to chair the Energy and Regulatory Authority (EPRA) board at the age of 70 has not gone down well with Samuel Onyango. He is also unhappy with the choice of Prof Mabel Imbuga to chair Nacada. This, he moans, is a slap in the face of jobless youth. “When are we going to get these plum positions? Why hire people who should be enjoying their retirement? We have very many qualified youth who would cherish an opportunity to work for their government and serve the nation.” His contact is

Have a deserving day, won’t you!