THE CUTTING EDGE – Daily Nation

TOP BRAINS: As one keen on youth empowerment, Raphael Obonyo was thrilled to hear about Kenyatta University students who had, in response to appeals to help fight Covid-19, developed a ventilator. He enthuses: “Congratulations! This demonstrates the abundance of talent and innovation among young Kenyans. They should be equipped with education and skills to innovate and become globally competitive — to drive development and solve some of the country’s challenges,” says The Youth Congress Convener, whose contact is [email protected]

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UPTURNED STATUS: As the world intensifies its campaign against the pandemic that has caused so much misery, Deno Kiriama marvels at how things have changed over the years. Says he: “A long time ago, wheat flour used to be more expensive than maize flour, but now it is the opposite. Petrol used to be more expensive than diesel and paraffin, but nowadays, the opposite is the case.” These changes, he explains, can be seen over a wider spectrum on sectors and experiences in a rapidly changing world. He is also amused that the change is also being felt in the kitchen. “Not long ago, tomatoes were more expensive than apples, but how things change!” His contact [email protected]

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PASSPORT PAIN: International travel is definitely off, with the grounding of passenger flights, but some Kenyans overseas, including 78-year-old Mohammed Saleem Jehangir and his wife, who is 74, would like to have their passports renewed, just in case. The pharmacist is stuck in Indiana, USA, having travelled from Canada with the hope of getting his passport renewed at the Kenyan embassy in Washington, DC. “The embassy is closed, maybe for a long time. I request the Immigration Department to allow embassies to extend expiring passports for a year. This is a difficult time and our government should be kind, especially to us senior citizens.” His contact is [email protected]

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NEW CULTURE: The time has come, Benjamin Kobare says, “to test the hypothesis that it takes 66 days to form a new habit”. He looks forward to seeing if Kenyans “will become permanent ‘musketeers’, wearing masks, avoiding handshakes, gatherings and funeral feasts and matatu culture giving way to respect for personal spaces”. The measures “ought to be extended to cover at least 66 days to entrench the new culture and give us a break from the hypocrisy of our people and leaders. On a lighter note, I look forward to the Corona Party of Kenya (CPK)!” His contact is [email protected]

Have a changing day, won’t you!