After 'cowardly' attack, Governor Wamatangi retreats for 40 days of prayer and fasting

First, the numbers: 2027, 1994, 65, and 40. The first numbers refer to March next year, when Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi purports he will keep off politics

By 14 days ago

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Tall tales of toads and political chameleons hiding in plain sight

In our boyhood, once upon a time, when backbreaking work was considered noble, and we were happy to receive nothing more than morsels of food,

By 13 days ago

Brace yourself, season of anomie is upon us, again, like it really never ended

The road to Kenya’s Singapore is littered with a collapsed and collapsing infrastructure, the latest edifice to tumble down being that building in South C that was designed as a ladder to heaven.

By 21 days ago

Near 'poetic justice' as MP Babu looks down the barrel of Alai's misfiring gun

Had Babu been shot, and I’m glad he was not, it’d have been a case of poetic justice, because a few years ago, Babu was charged with shooting and maiming one DJ Evolve. 

By 21 days ago

Pains of growing up and old, then retreating into the twilight in these lean times

When a birthday milestone serves to remind one of recent deaths is not morbid humour, it means one has matured sufficiently to start confronting their own mortality.

By 20 days ago

I'm a phone call away, so keep dialling even when network claims I am 'mteja'

One brash technician said I should have gone to Samsung, not Safcom, if it’s the handset that had a problem.

By 28 days ago

A torch-bearer, yes, a hawker is bit of a stretch, after failing at first attempt

People believe torches have psychic powers and that when the battery cells dim, so will the nefarious characters who had a hand in the killing of Jirongo.

By 28 days ago

With the New Year, let's try a little gentleness to survive these hard times

The fortunes of the “hustler” narrative that was propounded for four years, have dimmed irredeemably over the last three years.

By 27 days ago

Yes, Kenyans should rejoice if dust tracks lead to Kalonzo's rural home

President Ruto is no longer pleading with Kalonzo to join his government, which he did in previous months, he is now criticizing his development track record.

By 1 month ago

Gatundu weeps for a generation of sons who see their future in drinking day and night

Gatundu is bearing the perils of a generation that sees no hope out of their squalor and has taken to alcoholism.

By 1 month ago

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Road to Singapore: Ruto's wheelbarrow gains wings to fly

The “development” agenda is swinging from one extreme to another; three years ago, we were promised that so-called “hustlers” would be wheeled in barrows to unprecedented prosperity.

By 1 month ago

Let me tell you: Kikamba goes global at VFS, as attendants keep it real

Quite honestly, I can’t tell the difference between VFS Kenya and VFS Global.

By 1 month ago

People can't eat markets, even though Prezzo Ruto has built 400 of them countrywide

I will not speculate what could be the motivation for such a high markets turnover—a perfect example being the Ndaragwa town in central Kenya.

By 1 month ago

A narrow escape, a black Christmas, and merits of finally getting grounded

It was late evening, near Gateway Mall, and I caught a glimpse of its driver on the phone, calling desperately.

By 1 month ago

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'Faya si faya': All fired up as roadblocks mounted to screen voters in Mbeere

For those who have forgotten, Riggy G was ousted last year and replaced by Kindiki.

By 2 months ago

Yes, we could turn Singapore into Kenya, just by running its mega port for one day

First off, the data that Prezzo Ruto quotes about Singapore is mostly fictional

By 2 months ago

After cancelling Uhuru Day fete, Suluhu retreats to solitary confinement in Dar

I’d assume even the officers who gunned down protesters were also foreigners as proper Tanzanians wouldn’t do such things.

By 2 months ago

The muted return of Baba Yao and the enduring lesson of politics and accountability

Baba Yao’s smelt a rat and sought his freedom using the formal route, assuring the court that he’d secure a bank guarantee of Sh53 million as bail.

By 2 months ago

Yeah man, let's legalize the holy herb, and just don't criticise it

The hard part will be developing a legal framework to regulate the sale and consumption of bangi.

By 2 months ago

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Elements of 'State of the Nation' speech that Ruto ought to have delivered

Let me now turn to the elephant in the room: job creation.

By 2 months ago

Sagana is famous for fishers of men, but also for the diligent, honest mechanics at Rubis

The man of the moment was Samuel Mwing’alya, a diligent mechanic at the fuel station who accurately diagnosed the problem

By 2 months ago

Yes, Kenya is poised for 'First World" status, because Prezzo Ruto says so

Africa is first world, because its resources were plundered through slavery and colonialism to prop and subsidise life in so-called First World.

By 2 months ago

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Give King Kaguta 100-mile strip, or risk Kenyans being kept in the cooler for keeps

M7 has expressed a grand vision of annihilating Kenya from the face of the earth by annexing its land

By 2 months ago

Hooray, the Nanyuki-Rumuruti road is getting paved, we'll monitor closely

Of course, we know what is written on paper and what happens on the ground often vary, because of something called tenderpreneurs.

By 2 months ago

The occupational hazards of dealing with thieves, and idiots with overdrawn accounts

Before me was a bowl of fruit, the pink from the dragon fruit flavouring my mood with a certain cheerfulness.

By 2 months ago

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Prezzo Suluhu's solution to Tz's manufactured crisis is to blame alien 'creatures'

There are certain things that Mama Suluhu has assured the world are un-Tanzanian.

By 2 months ago

Getting an early taste of electoral politics, and genesis of our deformed democratic cultures

The youngest man of the house recently got an early taste of elective politics after he declared that he’d run for captainship of his House.

By 3 months ago

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Praise song for the dead, who clarify our purpose and meaning in this life

President William Ruto assented to the new draconian Bills, while praising the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as the embodiment of our freedom.

By 3 months ago

Debunking norms and customs, and folly of right hand knowing what the left does

Mbuzi ya wazee has a cultural significance, It’s how menfolk in central Kenya are getting together and learning about their cultural past.

By 3 months ago

A man for all seasons, bearing new name in every cycle of political life

Say his name: Raila Amolo Odinga. It was the identity that he was given at birth, sealed with baptism by near fire

By 3 months ago

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Raila was larger than life, in his death, humanising him reveals his meaning

One of the nation’s most charismatic politicians was on the stage, performing his political shows that oscillated from riddles to ribaldry.

By 3 months ago

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Raila sought to cut funereal fanfare to 72 hours, but politicos in search of optics stretch it

As if anticipating the drama that would follow upon the event of his death, Raila Amolo Odinga required that his remains be laid to rest within three days.

By 3 months ago

Yes, let's fish seedlings from the air and supplant them to earn carbon-credits

Today is Mazingira Day, so I was expecting the powers that be, to lead in a tree-planting drive.

By 3 months ago

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Drinking water and preaching wine: Why Catholic faithful are in for a great treat

There is big news from the Catholic church: Its leadership is switching the altar wine.

By 3 months ago

Darkness in Dakar and a belated homecoming as rains wash runways

Like a thief in the night, we had driven into Dakar in the dark, and here I was departing in the dark.

By 3 months ago

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What the height of toilet bowls say about the quality of life in Togo and Senegal

A curious distinction is that toilet bowls in the Lome airport are pretty low, almost at small boys’ level, while those in Dakar are pretty high.

By 3 months ago

Travelling around Africa in 36 hours, and marvels of our Kenyan democracy

We were grounded for eight hours, only making it to Dakar 24 hours after I had left Nairobi, sleep-deprived and discombobulated by the experiences of the last dozens of hours. 

By 3 months ago

Attention, the national anthem is playing, but the people are true wielders of power

One highlight of my visit was my friends and I being waved down the street by a hawker because the national anthem was playing at the presidency.

By 3 months ago

After 'cowardly' attack, Governor Wamatangi retreats for 40 days of prayer and fasting

First, the numbers: 2027, 1994, 65, and 40. The first numbers refer to March next year, when Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi purports he will keep off politics

By 14 days ago

Premium

Tall tales of toads and political chameleons hiding in plain sight

In our boyhood, once upon a time, when backbreaking work was considered noble, and we were happy to receive nothing more than morsels of food,

By 13 days ago