THE CUTTING EDGE - Daily Nation

CITADEL OF CONFLICT: The leadership wrangle in the country’s citadel of higher learning, the University of Nairobi, is not healthy at all, says Ruth Gituma, alluding to the bitter fight over the vice-chancellor’s position that has seen Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha revoke the appointment of Prof Stephen Kiama and dissolve the council led by Dr Julia Ojiambo. The students and staff, remarks Gituma, “must be at cross-purposes” as to whom to take instructions from. She would rather an independent mediator was picked to help end the messy conflict. Her contact is

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TELKOM PENSION: Since they were retrenched in 2007/2008, former employees of Telkom Kenya have had a rough time pursuing their terminal dues, moans Collo Okudo. They have, on several occasions, sought help from the courts, which have ruled in their favour, but somehow their tribulations continue with no apparent end to their misery in sight, adds Collo. He would like Teleposta Pension Scheme to shed light on the fate of the underpayment of their dues just after they were laid off. He cannot understand why this matter cannot be concluded in line with a court ruling of November 7 last year, as failing to do so would amount to disobeying a lawful order. His contact is

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UNFAIR TREATMENT: Commuters from Nairobi to Kiambu Town in the mornings are tired of unfair treatment by traffic police, moans Stephen Amukale. Traffic from the city, he claims, is often blocked for long periods, up to 40 minutes, to pave the way for the vehicles coming from Kiambu. The trend is repeated in the evenings with the traffic from the Kiambu side held up to give priority to the motorists heading to the rural town. “We also have a right to reach at our places of work and other destinations on time and get home early,” demands Stephen, whose contact is

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HARD TIMES: There is nothing for the children joining Form One to smile about as they see the gloomy faces of their parents, who struggle to make ends meet and raise their school fees, says John Ngure. “They may be young but they very well know that as they leave for school, they have left their parents and siblings with no food and basic necessities as all the money has gone into preparing them to join secondary school.” Besides, with the locust invasion, he adds, the students are not sure that when they come back for holidays there will any food left as the insects devour crops and other vegetation. His contact is

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