KIJANA MKENYA's blog

FACEBOOK ENTREPRENEUR: BUILDING AN EMPIRE

ommotto — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:29:59 UT

Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg has not turned 25, but he is already proved you do not need years of work experience under your belt to become the world's youngest self-made billionaire.

"Facebook's mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected."
--Mark Zuckerberg

One might assume that information would abound on the founder of a high-profile, multi-billion-dollar social networking site. Wrong. Information on Mark Zuckerberg is surprisingly scarce. Maybe that's just because the 24-year-old Harvard dropout has only ever held one job: CEO of Facebook.

Zuckerberg grew up in the New York City suburb of Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., and attended the Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. His father is a dentist, his mother a psychiatrist, and he has three sisters. He taught himself how to program computers, and during his senior year in high school, he and fellow hacker-programmer Adam D'Angelo caught the interest of AOL and Microsoft by creating a Winamp plug-in that could build customized playlists.

But both turned down job offers in order to attend college in 2002--Zuckerberg to Harvard and D'Angelo to CalTech. But Zuckerberg's undergraduate career in computer science was not destined to last. Not content to just study programming, he created a photo-rating site called Facemash, using photographs of other Harvard students from the school's online facebook (a yearbook-like publication designed to introduce students to one another). But he created his program by hacking into student records and using photos without permission, and was reprimanded by the administration for violating privacy rules and breaching computer security.

Zuckerberg, however, was not deterred. He eventually finished the platform for "The Facebook" (sometimes at the expense of attending class), combining the concept of traditional facebooks with large-scale social networking sites like Myspace and Friendster.

In February 2004, Zuckerberg launched the program from his dorm room with co-founders Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes and Eduardo Saverin. In just a few weeks, more than half the school had opened accounts. The group quickly expanded to more universities and colleges, and that summer, Zuckerberg and his team moved to Palo Alto, Calif., renting a sublet and hooking up with investors like PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel and Napster co-founder Sean Parker.

By August 2005, Zuckerberg had officially changed the company's name to Facebook, and after raising $12.7 million in venture capital, was ready to move the company to the next level.

The site gradually expanded from college networks to include high school and work groups, and in September 2006, anyone with an e-mail address was allowed to join. Today, there are more than 110 million active users, and according to comScore Media Metrix, which tracks Web activity, Facebook rates as the Web's top photo-sharing site, and is the fourth most-visited site in the world, accounting for more than 1 percent of all internet use.

Of course, Zuckerberg's success has not been without some controversy. Some of his college peers have accused him of stealing the code for Facebook, and that court case is still pending. He also caused a media furor when he introduced the Newsfeed function, which shared all activity updates between people in their respective social networks--at first without a privacy option.

In response, Zuckerberg said in a New York Times article that "Facebook has always tried to push the envelope. And at times that means stretching people and getting them to be comfortable with things they are not yet comfortable with. A lot of this is just social norms catching up with what technology is capable of."

Regardless, the tech titans took notice. In 2006, Zuckerberg astonished the world by turning down Yahoo's offer to buy Facebook for $1 billion. A year later, Microsoft purchased a 1.6 percent stake in the company for $240 million.

No one except Zuckerberg probably knows where the company is going, but even he has said that the site is a "work in progress." Recently, though, prominent Google executives have made a career move to Facebook, which implies the company will be going seriously corporate--and soon, maybe public. But one thing is for sure: Zuckerberg will be a major player in the tech industry for years to come.

And in case you are wondering, you can not friend Zuckerberg on Facebook. That function has been disabled.

45 things a girl wants but wont ask for

ommotto — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:59:48 UT

1. Touch her waist.
2. Actually talk to her.
3. Share secrets with her.
4. Give her your jacket.
5. Kiss her slowly.

Are you remembering this?
6. Hug her.
7. Hold her.
8. Laugh with her.
9. Invite her somewhere.
10. Hangout with her and your friends together.

KEEP READING
11. Smile with her.
12. Take pictures with her.
13. Pull her onto your lap.
14. When she says she loves you more, deny it. Fight back.
15. When her friends say i love her more than you, deny it. fight back and
hug her tight so she can't get to her friends. it makes her feel loved.

Are you thinking of someone?
16. Always hug her and say I love you whenever you see her.
17. Kiss her unexpectedly.
18. Hug her from behind around the waist.
19. Tell her she's beautiful.
20. Tell her the way you feel about her.

One last thing you need to do to show her you actually do mean it.
21. Open doors for her, walk her to her car- it makes her feel protected,
plus it never hurts to act like a gentleman.
22. Tell her she's your everything - only if you mean it.
23. If it seems like there is something wrong, ask her- if she denies
something being wrong, it means SHE DOESN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT- so just
hug her
24. Make her feel loved.
25-kiss her in front of OTHER girls you know!!!!*

KEEP READING!!
26-don't lie to HER.*
27-DON'T cheat on her.*
28-take her ANYWHERE she wants
29-txt messege or call her in the morning and tell her have a good day at
work {or school}, and how much you MISS her.
30-be there for her when ever she needs you, & even when she doesn't need
you, just be there so she'll know that she can ALWAYS count on you.*

ARE YOU STILL READING THIS? YOU BETTER BECAUSE, IT'S IMPORTANT
31. Hold her close when she's cold so she can hold YOU too.
32. When you are ALONE hold her close and kiss her.*
33. Kiss her on the CHEEK; (it will give her the hint that you want to kiss
her).*
34. While in the movies, put your arm around her and then she will
automatically put her head on your shoulder, then lean in and tilt her chin
up and kiss her LIGHTLY.
35. Dont EVER tell her to leave even jokingly or act like you're mad. If
shes upset, comfort her.

REMEMBER ALL THESE THINGS WHEN YOU ARE WITH HER NEXT
36. When people DISS her, stand up for her.*
37. Look deep into her EYES and tell her you love her.*
38. Lay down under the STARS and put her head on your chest so she can
listen to the steady beat of your heart, Link your fingers together while
you whisper to her as she rests her eyes and listens to you.
39. When walking next to each other grab her HAND.*
40. When you hug her HOLD her in your arms as long as possible*

MAKE SURE SHE KNOWS SHES LOVED
41. Call or text her at night to wish her SWEET DREAMS*
42. COMFORT her when she cries and wipe away her tears.*
43. Take her for LONG walks at night.
44. ALWAYS Remind her how much you love her.*
45.sit on top of her and tell her how much u love her and then bend down to
her face and kiss her while sitting on her.

you'll never know when she needs just a lil more love

I delivered my son to his killers

ommotto — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:38:45 UT

"Sometime last month, my son told me that he feared for his life because a vigilante group accused him of being a member of Mungiki and wanted him killed. He wanted to run away from home, but I urged him not to because he would explain his case. We know the vigilantes well and some are our neighbours, so I believed they would hear us out." READ ON...

The boy, who was to sit his KCSE exam this year, confided that it was true
he had been recruited into Mungiki, says his father.

Wanjohi said: "He told me, Dad, I have been scared all this time. Im sorry for letting you down."

He said sometime back, a boy from a neighbouring village laid a trap and led him and two other schoolmates into a Mungiki oath ceremony.

He was to take them to a homestead to borrow books but as soon as they entered the house, they were kidnapped and forced through the recruitment ritual.

They were threatened with death if they ever leaked the secret.

On April 18, he and the other two boys were asked by the local vigilante group to go and explain how they had joined Mungiki.

They told the boys to go in the company of their parents and would be forgiven if they confessed.

He was scared but I told him Be strong, I know they will forgive you."

Later in the day, I took his hand and led him to the vigilantes meeting. The boys explained how they had been forcibly recruited. But as soon as they confessed, the vigilantes leader said he had no powers to forgive. He said the boys must be taken to "The Hague" where their fate would be known.

("The Hague" is a spot near Kagumo town where several Mungiki suspects have been tried by a kangaroo court and executed.)

We followed the mob to "The Hague" where the overall leader said the boys must be killed.

They were kneeling down, crying out and begging to be spared but the leader said what he had ruled must be done.

I asked him Do you truly want to spill my sons blood? Would you make the same ruling if it was your own son?

"By then, I had lost hope. The hurt I felt in my heart is something that will never go away. I knew that boy had done something wrong, but we are all humans and he had asked for forgiveness."

"When the gang was preparing to hack him, a few people said they did not want him killed at the spot and led him to another place. The other parents were with us too, so we followed them as they took the children away. The boys were crying."

I looked at my son and he told me, Dad, dont worry.

"I could not take it any more. The men were brandishing pangas and axes, so I looked at my son one last time and sneaked away. As I walked off, I heard them start hacking the boys.

"I couldnt take the sound, so I started running in the rain and went home. I found his mother waiting up for me and told her they had killed our son. She cried the whole night."

fast rende karucy's ingris

ommotto — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:46:49 UT

es unfoshunate,that we donti have a woman menesta,in the ministry of…..in the administreshono... menestry

naitha in enterno securete. we can! women we can! if thech was a woman meba of pariament,in the menestre of interno securete she woodi hav stopped this accidets. the menesta who es there today,ad am going to say

minister Saitoti. he waits antiro he hears of bad-aches in north eastern,bad-aches some-o-where eros,ad the nexti day,you see him there. enterno securete menestry means you protect everebody in Kenya . You stop accidents! adi donti tero me that es the job of the menesta for transport or for roads,no! etes yours,etes for porovesa saitoti,etes yours,

I was angry yesterday last evening when I saw him on tv,he has gone to thati spot where 118 kenyans died and this is ore he had 2 say "I hope you kenyans,this tragedy wiro teach you a resson"

He tod us,that this tragedy wiro teach us a resson. how cani dedi people be taught a resson?,theiya orede dead. ad I wadad why did he fry ore the way from nairobi to go to moro to say that.. to hurt the people who are orede mourning their dead,and he asked us kenyans when wiro you ever learn... . em.. i repry to him..

when you come to us,give us seveki ediocation,teach us,there in the ruro that petro is dagerous,dont sed your choodren to go adi correct et from a tank,when the tanki hasi forren..

HIV/ AIDS IS REAL... YOUTH HAVE TO CHOOSE LIFE

ommotto — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:39:29 UT

EDITORS COMMENT: It was hard to accept publishing this article because of the explicit words used in it... but on second thought who could have a written a better article depicting the harsh reality of HIV/AIDS among modern youth.....JUST READ ON...

Dorie ni mwanadada Mbongo mzuri sana, miaka 22. Anasoma katika Chuo fulani cha akina dada tupu kwenye mji moja mdogo Jeddah, hapa Saudi. Ana rafiki yake wa kiume Mbongo miaka 29 anafanya kazi mjini. Basi siku moja kaja kumtembelea bwenini. Kwa kawaida wanaume hawaruhusiwi bwenini, isipokuwa mara moja kwa mwezi. Tena ni lazima waache mlango wa chumba wazi.

Dorie anamkaribisha Stephen vizuri. Pombe ni marufuku bwenini, lakini Stephen kabeba ndogo ya Vodka. Wanaongea juu ya masomo huko wanasikiliza muziki wa nyumbani. Wamekaa kitandani kwa Dorie. Roomate wake Dorie kaenda mjini, kwa hiyo ni wenyewe tu mle chumbani. Ile pombe kali inaanza kuwalesha. Dorie anainuka kwenda kufunga mlango wa chumba halafu anarudi chumbani. Kukaa karibu na Stephen wanaanza kusikia joto ya miili yao. Wanapiga Tongue Kisi na kupapasana huko wanacheka na nyege zinawapanda.

"Oh, Dorie napenda chuchu zako zinavyonichoma kifuani."

"Stephen, MMhhh, nakupenda."

Dorie anashusha mkono wake kwenye mtuno wa Stephen. Anakuta mboo yake imesimama. "Oh Stephen, mpenzi" Unanitaka?..

Stephen anjajibu "Ndiyo mpenzi nakutaka!"

Dorie anafungua zipu na kuiachia huru mboo ya Stephen iliyovimba kwa hasira. Anaipapasa taratibu? "Oh Dorie nina hamu na wewe" Stephen anaingiza mkono wake kwenye sketi, and bila kumvua chupi, anasogeza ilesehemu iliyofunika kuma na kuanza kuchezea kisimi cha Dorie. Dorie anapanua miguu kusudi apate yote.

"Oh, Oh?." Dorie analegea kabisa,, Stephen anamvua chupi. Anapapasa mwili wa Dorie, anaamua kumvua blausi na sidiria na sketi?.mwisho Dorie kabakia uchi pale kitandani?..Stephen anainama na kuchezea chuchu kwa mkono wa kulia. Anatazama kuma ya Dorie invayovutia, huko anachezea chuchu huko ananza kumnyonya Dorie kisimi.

"Uwiiiiiiii,oohhhhhhyyaaaaaaa, maaiigodi, taammmuu mpenzi unataka kuniua!

"Unaona Tamu ?" Stpehen anauliza

"Ndiyo sanaaa mmmhhh"

Kusikia malamiko yake Stephen anajua Dorie yuko tayari kutombwa. Anajua ufundi wa kutomba ni kutayarisha kuma, kabla ya kutomba. Kama vile kuwasha jiko la mkaa. Hubandiki sufuria mpaka moto umekolea. Anatesti kuma na kidole, na kuona ina ute wa kutosha. Anashusha suruali na kuingiza mboo kumani. Inaslaidi ndani bila shida.

"Aaahahhhh, Asssantee Stephen, Asante."

Stephen naye alikuwa amebanwa nyege, basi mara moja anaanza kupampu. Dorie naye anaanza kumkatia kiuno. Wote wana piga kelele za utamu, mpaka nje kwenye corridor baadhi ya wanafunzi wenzao wamekusanyika kusikiliza. Kwa vile wanaongea Kiswahili, hawaelewi wanasema nini?.mpaka wanafikiria wanumizana?..Wanafunzi wanaaanza kubisha hodi mlangoni. Wapenzi walivyo katika utamu hawasikii kitu, basi wale wenzao wanagonga mlango kwa nguvu, mwisho dada moja anamua kwenda kwa Matrion aje kufugua mlango na ufungu kuchukua ufungua wa chumba.

Matron anafika mlangoni na kusikilia?"What the hell are they doing in there"!

Huko kasi ya shughuli moto wapenzi wanafikia kilele cha tendo wako peponi kabisa?

Dorie analia kwa sauti, naye?."yeeeeeeeenakuuujaaa" Step ya shahawa kumani anaanza kuja tena? "AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII"

Stephen anatazama Kuma ya Dorie na kuona kisimi bado kimetuna, " Wewe bado unanyege!"

Matron anafungua mlango, na kuwakuta ndio wanamalizia. Stephen yuko juu ya Dorie.

Wanafunzi wenzao wanabakia mlangoni kutazama kwa mshangao.

Comments za wanafunzi wenzao.

"Damn! We thought you guys were killing each other."

"Yeah, You guys were just making love!?

"Wow, were you guys loud"

"Is that how you do it in Africa!"

Dorie na Stephen wanabakia kuona haya. Wanavuta shuka?

Matron anamfokea Dorie na kumwambia avae na aripoti ofisini. Kwa vile nyege zimemwishia Dorie anaanza kuona haya....

HIV/AIDS IS REAL.....

Your (Real) Name Vs Your likes

ommotto — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:45:23 UT

Sex and your name (it seems to run true!!!) Accordingto studies, your sexual identity is revealed by the First letter of your First name...what do you think?

-A- You are not particularly romantic, but you are interested in action. You mean business. With you, what you see is what you get. You have no patience for flirting and can't be bothered with someonewho is trying to be coy, cute, demure, and subtly enticing. You are an up front person. When it comes to sex, it's action that counts notobscure hints. Your mate's
physical attractiveness is important to you. You find the chase and challenge of the "hunt" invigorating. You are passionate and sexual as well as being much more adventurous than you appear; however, you do not go around advertising these qualities. Your physical needs are your primary concern.

-B- You give off vibes of lazy sensuality. You enjoy being romanced, wined, and dined. You are very happy to receive gifts as an statement of the affection of your lover. You want to be pampered and know how to pamper your mate. You are private in your statement of endearments and particularly when it comes to lovemaking. You will hold off until everything meets with your approval. You can control your appetite and abstain from sex if need be. You require new sensations and experiences. You are willing to experiment.

-C- You are a very social individual, and it is important to you to have a relationship. You require closeness and togetherness. You must be able to talk to your sex partner before, during, and after. You want the object of your affection to be socially acceptable and good looking. You see your lover as a friend and companion. You are very sexual and sensual, needing someone to appreciate and almost worship you. When this cannot be achieved, you have the ability to go for long periods without sexual activity. You are an expert at controlling your desires and doing without.

-D- Once you get it into your head that you want someone, you move full steam ahead in pursuit. You do not give up your quest easily. You are nurturing and caring If someone has a problem, this turns you on. You are highly sexual, passionate, loyal, and intense in your involvement, sometimes possessive and jealous. Sex to you is a pleasure to be enjoyed. You are
stimulated by the eccentric and unusual, having a free and open.

-E- Your greatest need is to talk. If your date is not a good listener, you have trouble relating. A person must be intellectually stimulating or you are
not interested sexually. You need a friend for a lover and a companion for a bedmate. You hate disharmony and disruption, but you do enjoy a good argument once in a while it seems to stir things up. You flirt a lot, for the challenge is more important than the sexual act for you, but once you give your heart away, you are uncompromisingly loyal. When you don't have a good lover to fall asleep with, you will fall asleep with a good book. (Sometimes, in fact, you prefer a good book.)

-F- You are idealistic and romantic, putting your lover on a pedestal. You look for the very best mate you can find. You are a flirt, yet once committed, you are very loyal. You are sensuous, sexual, and privately passionate. Publicly, you can be showy, extravagant, and gallant. You are born romantic. Dramatic love scenes are your favorite fantasy pastime. You can be a very generous lover.

-G- You are fastidious, seeking perfection within yourself and your lover. You respond to a lover who is your intellectual equal or superior, and one who can
enhance your status. You are sensuous and know how to reach the peak of erotic stimulation, because you work at it meticulously. You can be extremely active sexually that is, when you find the time. Your duties and responsibilities take precedence over everything else. You may have difficulty getting emotionally close to a lover, but no trouble getting close sexually.

-H- You seek a mate who can enhance your reputation and earning ability. You will be very generous to your lover once you have attained a commitment. Your gifts are actually an investment in your partner. Before the
commitment, though, you tend to be frugal in your spending and dating habits and equally cautious in your sexual involvement. You are a sensual and patient lover.

-I- You have a great need to be loved, appreciated...Even worshipped. You enjoy luxury, sensuality, and pleasures of the flesh. You look for lovers who know what they are doing. You are not interested in an amateur, unless that amateur wants a tutor. You are fussy and exacting about having your
desires satisfied. You are willing to experiment and try new modes of sexual statement. You bore easily and thus require sexual adventure and change. You are more sensual than sexual, but you are sometimes downright lustful.

-J- You can be very romantic, attached to the glamour of love. Having a partner is of paramount importance to you. You are free in your statement of love and are willing to take chances, try new sexual experiences and partners, provided it's all in good taste. Brains turn you on. You must feel that your partner is intellectually stimulating, otherwise you will find it
difficult to sustain the relationship. You require loving, cuddling, wining and dining to know that you're being appreciated.

-K- You are totally f**king marvelous!

-L- You are very romantic, idealistic, and somehow you believe that to love means to suffer. You wind up serving your mate or attracting people who have unusual troubles. You see yourself as your lover's savior. You are sincere, passionate, lustful, and dreamy. You can't help falling in love. You fantasize and get turned on by movies and magazines. You do not tell others of this secret life, nor of your sexual fantasies.

-M- You are emotional and intense. When involved in a relationship, you throw your entire being into it. Nothing stops you; there are no holds barred. You are all consuming and crave someone who is equally passionate and intense. You believe in total sexual freedom. You are willing to try anything and everything. Your supply of sexual energy is inexhaustible. You also enjoy mothering your mate.

-N- You are crap in bed.

-O- You are very interested in sexual activities yet secretive and shy about your desires. You can re-channel much of your sexual energy into making
money and/or seeking power. You can easily have extended periods of celibacy. You are a passionate, compassionate, sexual lover, requiring the same qualities from your mate. Sex is serious business; thus you emand intensity diversity, and are willing to try anything or anyone. Sometimes your passions turn to possessiveness, which must be kept in check.

-P- You are very conscious of social proprieties. You wouldn't think of doing anything that might harm your image or reputation. Appearances count, therefore, you require a good-looking partner. You also require an intelligent partner. Oddly enough, you may view your partner as your enemy; a good fight stimulates those sex vibes. You are relatively free of sexual hang-ups.
You are willing to experiment and try new ways of doing things. You are very social and sensual; you enjoy flirting and need a good deal of physical gratification.

-Q- You require constant activity and stimulation. You have tremendous physical energy. It is not easy for a partner to keep up with you, sexually or
otherwise. You are an enthusiastic lover and tend to be attracted to people of other ethnic groups. You need romance, hearts and flowers, and lots of
conversation to turn you on and keep you going.

-R- Yow are a no-nonsense, action-oriented individual. You need someone who can keep pace with you and who is your intellectual equal the smarter the better. You are turned on more quickly by a great mind than by a great body. However, physical attractiveness is very important to you. You have to be proud of your partner. You are privately very sexy, but you do not
beg, you are willing to serve as teacher. Sex is important; you can be a very demanding playmate.

-S- You are secretive, self-contained, and shy. You are very sexy, sensual and passionate, but you do not let on to this. Only in intimate privacy will this
past of your nature reveal itself. When it gets down to the nitty-gritty, you are an expert. You know all the little tricks of the trade, can play any role or
any game, and take your love life very seriously. You don't fool around. You have the patience to wait for the right person to come along.

-T- You are very sensitive, private, and sexually passive; you like a partner who takes the lead. Music, soft lights and romantic thoughts turn you on. You
fantasize but do not tend to fall in and out of love easily. When in love, you are romantic, idealistic, mushy and extremely intense. You enjoy having your
senses and your feelings stimulated, titillated, and teased. You are a great flirt. You can make your relationships fit your dreams, often times all in your
own head.

-U- You are enthusiastic and idealistic when in love. When not in love, you are in love with love, always looking for someone to adore. You see romance as a challenge. You are a roamer and need adventure, excitement, and freedom. You deal in potential relationships. You enjoy giving gifts and enjoy seeing your mate looking good. Your sex drive is strong and you desire instant gratification. You are willing to put your partner's pleasures above your own.

-V- You are individualistic, and you need freedom, space, and excitement. You wait until you know someone well before committing yourself. Knowing someone means psyching him out. You feel a need to get into his head to see what makes him tick. You are attracted to eccentric types. Often there is an age difference between you and your lover. You respond to danger, thrills and suspense. The gay scene turns you on even though you yourself may not be a participant.

-W- You are very proud, determined, and you refuse to take no for an answer when pursuing love. Your ego is at stake. You are romantic, idealistic and often in love with love itself, not seeing your partner as he or she really is. You feel deeply and throw all of yourself into your relationships. Nothing is too good for your lover. You enjoy playing love games.

-X- You need constant stimulation because you bore quickly. You can handle more than one relationship at a time with ease. You can't shut off your mind. You talk while you make love. You can have the greatest love affairs, all by yourself, in your own head.

-Y- You are sexual, sensual, and very independent. If you can't have it your way, you will forgo the whole thing. You want to control your relationships, which doesn't always work out too well. You respond to physical stimulation, enjoy necking and spending hours just touching, feeling and exploring. However, if you can spend your time making money, you will give up the pleasures of the flesh for the moment. You need to prove to yourself and your partner what a great lover you are. You want feedback on your performance. You are an open, stimulating, romantic bedmate.

-Z- For you, it is business before pleasure. If you are in any way bothered by career, business, or money concerns, you find it very hard to relax and get into the mood. You can be romantically idealistic to a fault and are capable of much sensuality. But you never lose control of your emotions. You are very careful and cautious before you give your heart away and your body, for that matter. Once you make the commitment, though, you stick like glue.

NO MÉNAGE-À-TROIS FOR OBAMA

ommotto — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:42:18 UT

Putting Hillary Clinton on the ticket for vice president creates a ménage-à-trois. Bill will be the unexpected roommate. Even if a President Obama can discipline Hillary and get her to play second fiddle, there is not the remotest chance that he can get the former president to accept such rules. Even if Bill Clinton wanted to rein in his newly prolific public expressions of rage and frustration, there is doubt that he is any longer capable of doing so.

Hillary, who likely desperately wants to be tapped for vice president, is going about it in exactly the wrong way. She seems to be demanding a kind of coalition government between herself and Obama, a definition of the vice presidency not likely to appeal to the president. It reminds me of 1980 when there were discussions of a ticket with Reagan as the presidential nominee and former President Gerald Ford as the vice president in a coalition government where the VP would have extraordinary powers.

Intended to reassure voters who were panicked by Reagan’s “extreme” conservatism, the arrangement never came to fruition, a development which gave us the House of Bush.

Instead of conceding defeat and campaigning for Obama, auditioning for the spot of loyal teammate, Hillary insists on keeping her options open and vies for the spotlight with Obama, exactly what you do not want a vice president to do.

Last night, when Obama went over the top in delegates and could claim the nomination as his, Hillary organized a rally of all of her supporters, directly competing for airtime with the newly minted nominee.

Adding Hillary to the ticket would not bring Obama a single vote (except possibly for Bill’s). Her supporters are divided into two distinct categories. The original Clintonistas were strong Democrats, party faithful, pro-choice, middle-aged and up, largely female and all white. But Hillary’s recent backers have been downscale whites of both genders who were turned off by Obama’s pastor, wife and other associates and were afraid he might be a Muslim in disguise. Unhappy about voting for a woman, they never really liked Hillary but turned to her when the alternative was Obama.

If Hillary had won the Democratic nomination, these latent backers of Hillary in the primaries might still have voted for McCain in the general. Their support of Hillary is purely linked to her opposition to Obama. Were she to join the ticket, they would vote for McCain anyway. After all, Obama will still be black and the Rev. Wright will still be nuts.

But adding Hillary to the ticket brings, along with her, Bill.

The public Bill Clinton has morphed over the past few months from a statesman and philanthropist to a petulant, angry, cursing, spoiled narcissist, accusing everyone of being sleazy and biased and in so doing fashioning himself as a foil for Obama. This unattractive image is not the right one for the bottom of a ticket in a presidential race. And make no mistake, Bill comes along with Hillary.

But the more serious problem is the public record that Todd Purdum, an excellent journalist, laid out in his Vanity Fair piece. Bill’s relationships with billionaires, his pursuit of financial gain, his alliance with the emir of Dubai, and his acceptance of speaking fees and income from some of the least savory of types is not what you need to carry around with you in a presidential race. To put Hillary on the ticket is to confront nagging questions about donors to the Clinton Library and Bill’s refusal to release them. It would be to inherit a load of baggage that Obama does not need as he tries to position himself as the candidate of change, antithetical to the corrupt and corrupting ways of Washington.

On her own, Hillary would be no bargain as vice president. She would never accept direction and never sublimate her ambition or agenda to Obama’s. But with Bill in tow, her candidacy becomes even more fraught with peril should Obama be inclined to bow to pressure and put her on the ticket.

HILLARY WON'T ADOPT THE HUCKABEE OPTION

ommotto — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:21:17 UT

OK, so Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) is staying in the presidential race despite losing among elected delegates, facing a slimming lead among superdelegates, losing the popular vote and behind by 2-to-1 in the number of states carried. She slogs on, hoping against hope for a sudden turnaround in the race.

Apart from the psychological reasons for her stubbornness, is there a more subtle political calculation going on?

Is she continuing her race so as to have a platform from which to continue to bash Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) in the hopes of so damaging him that he can’t win the general election? Is she doing this to keep her options alive for the 2012 presidential race?

Hillary is obviously entitled to keep running until Obama has secured the votes necessary for the nomination, and it is certainly understandable that she would want to run until the last popular vote is counted. But must she run a negative, slash-and-burn campaign? Must she use her time on the platform and on television to belittle, mock, deride and try to destroy the man who will eventually be the candidate of her own party?

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) felt similarly justified in staying in the race for the Republican nomination until Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) reached the majority threshold required for nomination. He contested the Texas primary vigorously, even though his earlier losses in South Carolina and Florida made it most unlikely that he could win the nomination. But he chose to run a positive campaign. He didn’t knock McCain. He just articulated the case for his own candidacy.

But Hillary won’t avail herself of that option because it does not serve her long-term fallback position: a shot at the nomination in 2012. If Obama is elected this year, he will seek reelection in 2012 and Hillary would have to face taking on an incumbent in a primary in her own party if she wanted to run, a daunting task. But if McCain wins, the nomination in 2012 will be open. And it might be worth having. McCain will be 76 years old and the Republican Party will have been in power for 12 years. Not since FDR and Truman has a party lasted that long in power. When the Republicans tried to do so, in 1992, they fell flat on their face.

Hillary is using white, blue-collar fears of Barack Obama to try to stop him from getting nominated or elected.

She is playing on his “elitism” by hammering him on blue-collar issues and is mincing no words in painting him as a stranger to blue-collar white America.

Hillary is attracting the votes of cops, firefighters, construction workers, union members. Are they in love with Hillary? They can’t stand her. But they are terrified of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers and the various influences to which Obama seems to be subject. By playing on those fears, Hillary is undermining Obama’s ability to get elected.

This is not a byproduct of her continued candidacy — it is the goal. She, the consummate realist, must know that she has no practical shot at the nomination herself after her numbing loss in North Carolina and her paper-thin margin in Indiana. But she welcomes the opportunity an ongoing candidacy offers to bash Obama and to drive a wedge between him and the voters he must have to beat McCain.

The question is how long Democratic primary voters and the party leadership let her go on hitting their ultimate nominee. Will they bring Hillary up short and speak out about the harm she is doing to their party’s prospects by way of her refusal to recognize reality?

Hillary doesn’t have to pull out. She is entitled to run in the remaining states. But she should curtail her negative campaign and adopt the Huckabee strategy: Maximize your own vote share, but don’t beat up the party’s nominee. Unless, of course, that is her goal all along.

IT'S ALL OVER, SEN. CLINTON

ommotto — Thu, 08 May 2008 08:39:12 UT

She lost hard in North Carolina, and barely held on to win Indiana. Hillary Clinton just doesn't have enough straws left to clutch. The best (or worst) she can hope to do the rest of the way is bloody Barack Obama enough to make him lose in the fall, allowing her to come back in 2012.

In fact, Obama basically clinched the nomination with his string of 11 straight primary and caucus wins in February, many by wipe-out margins - giving him a lead in elected delegates that Clinton couldn't hope to close, especially given the nutty proportional-representation rules that govern the Democratic Party.

Do the math. Last night's results leave him with a lead among elected delegates of 150 or so, and among all delegates of around 130.

Only a handful of states are left to vote, with a combined total of about 230 delegates. She'll probably win West Virginia, Kentucky and Puerto Rico - and lose Oregon, North Dakota, and Montana. She most likely could pick up a net 10 delegates, leaving him with a lead of at least 130 (110, counting in superdelegates).

If Hillary manages to get Florida and Michigan seated (which she won't), she'll net another 47 delegates. So Obama, worst case, will have a lead of at least 60 delegates. Most likely, it'll be more than 100.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Chairman Howard Dean have all made it clear that they expect superdelegates to decide who to support within (in Reid's words) "days, not weeks" after the last ballots are cast on June 3.

In that environment, Obama - who'll be only about 100 delegates short of a majority - will be an irresistible choice. Few superdelegates will want to risk civil war by overruling the verdict of the voters - and almost all will want to climb aboard the victory bandwagon so as not to get shut out of the White House for four (or eight) years.

In the past few months, Obama has closed Clinton's lead among superdelegates from 60 to 20. The trend will accelerate after popular voting ends; he'll probably pass the 2,025 threshold in the first two weeks of June.

Clinton may stay in, hoping to can seat Florida and Michigan. But she won't win there, either.

The Credentials Committee, which will make the key report, consists of three votes for each state or territory. The remaining contests will leave him with, at worst, a 10-state lead. Howard Dean names 25 committee members, but she can't prosper unless he stacks them all for her - and, if anything, he'll go the other way.

Having lost there, her only option would be to appeal to the convention floor - where neither of the contested delegations can vote on their own credentials, virtually assuring an Obama victory on the credentials fight and the nomination.

Clinton may well fight all the way - she's stubborn and dedicated. More, she's also farsighted and devious: She could hope to so bloody Obama that he can't beat John McCain. If McCain wins, she could get the Democratic nomination in 2012 - and, with McCain closing in on 76 and after 12 years of GOP rule, win.

But one thing is clear: Obama has this nomination sewed up.

GROOVE AWARDS 2008 WINNERS

ommotto — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:40:01 UT

Mercy Masika walked away with Artist of the Year and Female Artist of the Year at the 2008 Groove Awards. Kanjii won Male Artist of the Year and M.O.G scopped Group of the Year as the biggest night in Kenya's gospel music finally went down on Sun 4th May 2008 at the KICC Plenary hall, Nairobi.

GROOVE AWARDS 2008 WINNERS

1. Artiste of the Year - Mercy Masika
2. Group of the Year - M.O.G
3. Male Artiste of the Year - Kanjii
4. Female Artiste of the Year - Mercy Masika
5. Most Promising Artiste - Eunice Njeri
6. Song of the Year - Under the Rock (Mavuno Worship Team)
7. Album of the Year - Mavuno Worship Project
8. Video of the Year - Zaidi ya Mziki
9. Children Song of the Year - Sunflower Kids
10. Worship song of the Year - Ahadi Zake (Marion Shako)
11. Choir of the Year - Mavuno Worship Team
12. Dance Group of the Year - Maximum Melodies
13. Gospel DJ of the year - DJ Moz
14. Rap / Hiphop Song of the Year- Mtaa Mentality (Juliani)
15. Best Traditional Gospel Song - Katau Banda (Emmy Kosgei)
16. Gospel Radio Show of the Year - Kubamba (Hope FM)
17. Presenter of the Year Radio / TV - Njugush (Homeboyz Radio)
18. Gospel TV show of the Year - The Stomp
19. Producer of the Year - R-Kay
20. Song-Writer of the Year - Marion Shako
21. Peace Award - Wakenya Pamoja
22. Lifetime Achievement Award - Angela Chibalonza

Here is the full list of all Nominees.......
GROOVE AWARDS 08 NOMINEES
1. ARTIST OF THE YEAR
a. CHIZI
b. ASTAR
c. JEMIMMAH THIONG’O
d. JULIANI
e. SK BLUE
f. MERCY MASIKA

2. GROUP OF THE YEAR
a. BARIKI
b. RACHEL
c. M.O.G
d. 501
e. ROCK OF AGES
f. WERNONO KRU

3. MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
a. ASTAR
b. DADDY OWEN
c. KANJII
d. BEN GITHAE
e. HOLY DAVE
f. RING TONE

4. FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
a. MARION SHAKO
b. EUNICE NJERI
c. MERCY MASIKA
d. MICHELLE
e. SHEILA
f. JEMIMMAH THIONG’O

5. MOST PROMISING ARTIST
a. EUNICE NJERI
b. KEVO YUT
c. MR VEE
d. WAO
e. VERBAL
f. FAITH BROTHERS

6. SONG OF THE YEAR
a. MILELE (MERCY MASIKA)
b. ZING ZING (MOG)
c. MWANGA (Mozay Ft Kaberere, Daddy Owen,)
d. MALILIKANI (KIKI)
e. UNDER THE ROCK (MAVUNO WORSHIP TEAM)
f. WERNONO ANTHEM (WERNONO KRU)

7. ALBUM OF THE YEAR
a. THE LIGHT (ASTAR)
b. ONA AGERIA (BEN GITHAE)
c. KITENGE (SK BLUE)
d. 501 (PREMIER )
e. MAVUNO WORSHIP ALBUM
f. IMANI (JEMIMAH THIONGO)

8. VIDEO OF THE YEAR
a. FUNDI WA MBAO (ZAIDI YA MUZIKI)
b. SINA SUBSTITUTE (SHTUKO)
c. ZING ZING (MOG)
d. IN THE NAME OF JESUS (ASTAR)
e. NAKUHITAJI (JIMMY GAIT)
f. UMEIWEZA ROHO YANGU (EUNICE NJERI)

9. CHILDREN SONG OF THE YEAR
a. SUN FLOWER KIDS
b. SILK (NIMEBADILIKA)
c. STOMAZ
d. ‘MC CHEE (ASANTE MUNGU BA)
e. PRINCE KAMANZI (MY NAME IS PRINCE)
f. PS KIDS

10. WORSHIP SONG OF THE YEAR
a. UMETUKUKA (ISAAC KAHORA)
b. UMEIWEZA ROHO YANGU (EUNICE NJERI AND BILLY FRANK)
c. KAMA SIO WEWE (MERCY AND BILLY FRANK)
d. YOUR LOVE HAS SET ME FREE (MAVUNO WORSHIP TEAM)
e. AHADI ZAKE (MARION SHAKO)
f. NIPE AMANI (JEMIMAH THIONG’O)

11. CHOIR OF THE YEAR
a. AFLEWO
b. INTIMACY WORSHIP
c. MAVUNO WORSHIP TEAM
d. VUC
e. LIFESPRING CHAPEL
f. NPC CHOIR

12. DANCE GROUP OF THE YEAR
a. BMF
b. CREAM DANCERS
c. MAXIMUM MELODIES
d. SQUADI SAUTI
e. DWAP
f. CITY LIGHTS

13. GOSPEL DJ OF THE YEAR
a. DJ RIQ
b. DJ MOZ
c. DJ NEVS
d. DJ SOXXY
e. DJ JONNY CELEB
f. DJ JOSH

14. RAP/HIPHOP SONG OF THE YEAR
a. NIMECHOKA (501)
b. NOT A JOKE (HOLY DAVE)
c. IBADA YANGU (RIGGA)
d. FOCUS (MICHELLE)
e. MTAA MENTALITY (JULIANI)
f. IN THE NAME OF JESUS (ASTAR)

15. BEST TRADITIONAL GOSPEL SONG
a. THUMBI (SARAH KIARIE)
b. KATAU BANDA (EMMY KOSGEY)
c. ATIYO NI RUOTHA (ISAAC KAVEHERE)
d. ONA AGERIA (BEN GITHAE)
e. ATANIKUMBUKA (RUTH WAMUYU)
f. MALILIKANIE (KIKI)

16. GOSPEL RADIO SHOW OF THE YEAR
a. ACTIVATE (HOPE FM)
b. GOSPEL COUNTDOWN (KAMEME FM)
c. MORNING JAM (FAMILY MEDIA)
d. MWAMBA (HOMEBOYZ RADIO)
e. SHANGILIA (HOPE FM) R
f. KUBAMBA (HOPE FM)

17. PRESENTER OF THE YEAR RADIO/TV
a. NJUGUSH (HOMEBOYZ RADIO)
b. J.M (HOPE FM)
c. ESTHER WAHOME (CITIZEN TV)
d. YAFESI (HOPE FM)
e. LENIUM (BARAKA FM)
f. WAMBUI MBURU (HOPE FM)

18. GOSPEL TV SHOW OF THE YEAR
a. ANGAZA (KBC)
b. STOMP (NTV)
c. SHANGILIA (CITIZEN TV)
d. SHAKE (FAMILY TV)
e. U TURN (CITIZEN)
f. HOT TRAXX (CHANNEL 2)

19. PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
a. RKAY
b. JCS RECORDS
c. SAKATA
d. BLACK MAN
e. GIDEON KIMANZI
f. BILLY FRANK

20. SONG WRITER OF THE YEAR
a. MARION SHAKO
b. KANJI
c. EUNICE NJERI
d. JEMIMAH THIONGO
e. REBBEKAH MATHINY
f. MERCY AND BILLY FRANK

21. PEACE AWARD
a. ERIC WAINAINA
b. WAKENYA PAMOJA
c. MSAFARA WHEELS OF HOPE
d. CARDINAL JOHN NJUE
e. FRIENDS OF PEACE
f. AMB. BETHWEL KIPLAGAT

22. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
a. ANGELA CHIBALONZA
b. PETE ODERA
c. EMACHICHI
d. REUBEN KIGAME
e. KASSANGA MULWA
f. PASTOR OSCAR MURIU

IS HILLARY PREPARING TO RUN IN 2012?

ommotto — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:08:25 UT

Does Hillary Clinton really believe she can overtake Barack Obama among elected delegates? No way. The math is dead against her and she’s a realist. Even after Pennsylvania, Obama still leads by more than 140 in elected delegates. They’ll likely break even in Indiana and he’ll win North Carolina where one third of the vote is African-American. After that? If she wins Kentucky, West Virginia, and Puerto Rico by 15 points and they break about even in Guam, North Dakota, Montana, and Oregon, she’ll still trail him by at least 130 votes among elected delegates.

Does she believe she can persuade super delegates to vote for her? Again, probably not. Obama has steadily eroded her edge among super delegates and now they are almost tied among committed super delegates. And the prevailing sentiment among those that remain is not to overturn the will of the voters.

So why is Hillary still running so hard? Why is she especially focused on pushing up Obama’s negatives?

Until the last vote is counted on June 3rd, we can chalk up her persistence to determination, courage and sheer obstinacy. But if she persists in her candidacy after the last primary, we must begin to consider whether she has an ulterior motive.

Does Hillary want to beat up Obama so that he can’t win the general election in November, assuring McCain of the presidency so that she can have a clear field to run again in 2012? Obviously, if Obama beats McCain, Hillary is out of the picture until 2016, by which time, at 69 years old, she might be too old to run. But if McCain wins, she would have to be considered the presumptive front runner for the nomination, a status which she might parlay into a nomination more successfully than she has been able to do this year.

Every day that she stays in the race and punches Barack Obama, she must realize that she is decreasing his chances of getting elected in November. Each time that she waves the bloody shirt and says that only she is strong enough to fight the war on terror, she obviously raises doubts about Obama’s strength and leadership. Every time she criticizes him for not switching pastors or for saying downscale white voters are bitter, she raises issues that are very destructive to Obama should he win the nomination.

When does fighting for the nomination in 2008 end and seeking to sabotoge Obama’s chances in November to keep her options alive for 2012 begin? Doubts about Hillary’s motivation are going to keep on growing with each inconclusive primary. After she loses North Carolina and fails to carry Indiana by any significant margin (North Carolina has twice as many delegates as Indiana), people will begin to wonder out loud about why she is staying in the race. And if she remains obdurate after the last votes are cast on June 3rd, it will become an increasingly accepted presumption that she is running a campaign of sabotage against Obama.

There is a way to run without waging a scorched earth campaign. Mike Huckabee continued to fight for the Republican nomination until McCain reached the magic number to clench the battle and did not attack McCain. He waged a positive campaign and exercised his right to stay in the contest as long as it was undecided without hurting the party’s chances in November. Obviously, Huckabee could have attacked McCain and drawn more votes for his candidacy, but, in the interests of party victory, he chose not to do so.

Why isn’t Hillary making the same choice?

In 2004, it is pretty obvious that Hillary did nothing to help John Kerry beyond giving a speech at the convention and waging a token campaign on his behalf. Bill did even less. Their goal was obvious: they wanted Kerry to lose to Bush so that Hillary could run in 2008. Is she playing the same game now? Only time will tell.

Kenya's cabinet 'soaks up 80pc of the budget

ommotto — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:08:55 UT

Kenya's expanded new government will spend 80 per cent of the entire national budget on luxury vehicles, inflated salaries for ministers and general running costs, a local anti-corruption group claimed on Wednesday.

Of Kenya's annual budget of £5.4 billion, more than £4.3 billion will go on 93 ministers and their government's general running costs. Only £1.3 billion will be left for roads, schools and hospitals for Kenya's 38 million people.

President Mwai Kibaki's administration now boasts 43 ministries - up from 34 - in a deal with the Orange Democratic Movement, led by Raila Odinga, following the bitterly disputed election.

"It appears as if the government has ceased to have a development function and exists only to tax Kenyans and spend their money on recurring costs," said Mwalimu Mati, the director of the Mars Group, an anti-corruption body.

Of the 222 MPs, almost half now have government jobs. Cabinet members benefit from annual salaries exceeding £83,000 and numerous perks, including official cars and "entertainment" allowances of £600 per month.

Almost half of all Kenyans survive on less than 50p a day.

By-Elections: Why is the ECK Silent?

ommotto — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 10:23:11 UT

Revealed: Esther Passaris to Vie in Embakasi

It is emerging that scores of politicians are chasing the ODM party ticket for the forthcoming by elections, with some constituencies like Emuhaya, Embakasi, Ainamoi, Kamukunji attracting up to 50 aspirants. Other constituencies due for by-elections are Wajir North and Kilgoris. All signs are that the ODM hierarchy is taking the forthcoming by elections very seriously, an indication that the party has its eyes set on controlling the legislative agenda as well as positioning itself for the next general elections which could come earlier than the year 2012.

Curiously though, despite the National Assembly Speaker having issued gazette notices earlier this month declaring Emuhaya, Embakasi and Ainanoi seats vacant, the disgraced Electoral Commission of Kenya has not announced the time-table for the by-elections, something it is mandated to do within fourteen days of such gazettements. Similarly, the country remains in the dark about the other three constituencies which never got MPs following the disputed general elections in December. This is a great injustice to those citizens who lack representation in parliament.

Even as we wait for ECK to announce the by-elections timetable, for the next six months, the ECK itself will be placed under the microscope when the Independent Review Commission probing the 2007 elections will get down to investigating the disputed December 2007 election results including the role played by the ECK, political parties, the media, faith based organizations and the civil society. The ECK has already contracted a lawyer as it is due to appear as a witness(es) at the commission. But does this mean that unrepresented constituencies have to wait until the ECK is sorted out?

Currently only existing on paper, Kibaki’s PNU and Kalonzo’s ODM-K which were leading political parties only a few months ago have turned out were only created to be used as miserable campaign vehicles with no intentions of ever fulfilling their glossy party manifestos. On the other hand, the ODM has kept its secretariat active with permanent staff and the party Secretary General, Ayang Nyongo busy networking in local and overseas travels. In contrast, its rivals are now a pale shadow of ‘vibrant’ parties they once professed to be having witnessed bitter fall-outs and complete shut-down of their own campaign secretariats. Whatever happened to the once all powerful Maanzos, Ojiambos, Kituyis and Tujus?

In Embakasi constituency, long wrongly assumed to be hostile grounds to ODM candidates, this blogger can authoritatively reveal, the ODM front runner for the Embakasi seat is none other than Esther Muthoni Passaris - the founder of Adopt-A-Light. With her pentagon friends behind her, it looks likely that she will bag the ODM ticket.

After she was deliberately omitted under dubious grounds as an ODM nominated councilor by the then Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Passaris is now set to make a debut in parliamentary politics and not civic politics that she was unfairly denied in the first place. Uhuru Kenyatta and his well known godfathers will have to go back to the drawing board. Observers doubt if the PNU/ODM-K coalition can come up with a more acceptable candidate to face and beat Passaris in an isolated by-election with the ODM brigade behind her. Not only has Passaris been a frequent visitor at the Pentagon House, she hardly misses at any social function organized by ODM Captain Raila Odinga. Last Thursday, the flamboyant Passaris was present at the Prime Minister’s dinner at hotel Inter-Continental Nairobi in a function attended by who-is-who in Kenya’s political and business circles.

Last year ODM collected billions of shillings in nomination fees, donations and sponsorship. The party was charging Kshs. 100,000/- for its parliamentary ticket, plus 20,000/- in party membership cards. It was reported that Passaris was among donors who made hefty donations into the ODM campaign kitty and provided millions of shillings worth of advertising space to the party. Not bad for someone who was originally a Kibaki supporter. It looks like the ODM strategy in Embakasi is to divide the massive GEMA vote while consolidating the youth and women’s vote in this large constituency.

One in 25 fathers raise other mens children. Research......

ommotto — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:27:43 UT

One in 25 fathers raise other mens children. Research.......

its very sad especially in a many African countries kenya being one of them. How do u come to content with the idea that the children u have been raising up, doing all the sorts of things for them and even bragging in social places..ati my son my son are not yours. They are another man's children....lol..! shiet..!:mad: :mad: up to one in 25 dads could unknowingly be raising another man's child, uk health researchers estimate.

Increasing use of genetic testing for medical and legal reasons means more couples are discovering the biological proof of who fathered the child. The liverpool john moores university team reached its estimate based on research findings published between 1950 and 2004. The study appears in the journal of epidemiology and community health. Biological father professor mark bellis and his team said that the implications of so-called paternal discrepancy were huge and largely ignored, even though the incidence was increasing. In the us, the number of paternity tests increased from 142,000 in 1991 to 310,490 in 2001.

Demand for testing has grown by a factor of 10 in the last decade in the uk, according to university diagnostics, teddington. The current level in the uk is somewhere between 8,900 and 20,000 tests per year. About 5,000 of these tests are instigated at the demand of the child support agency to resolve who should be paying child maintenance. Others are done to investigate inherited health disorders and others for social reasons.

The liverpool team found that rates of cases where a father was not the biological father of his child ranged from 1% in some studies to as much as 30%. Experts have generally agreed that the rate is below 10%, with a 4% rate meaning that about one in 25 could be affected. However, increasing use of genetic testing is likely to boost the rates of paternal discrepancy, say the authors. Important consequences professor bellis said the consequences of a man finding out that he is not the biological father of a child could be devastating.

It can lead to relationship breakdown, mental health problems for both partners and even domestic violence, while the children involved can experience low self-esteem and anxiety. He said services and support should be available to minimise such negative consequences. In an ideal world, everyone should have counselling rebecca webster, a counsellor for private paternity testing company dna bioscience however, even basic counselling is not always provided - some individuals order and receive test results by email or over a web site, he said. "vital information is being delivered to people without very much thought about how it is going to affect them," he said.

Counselling rebecca webster, a counsellor for private paternity testing company dna bioscience, who speaks to about 500 men each month about such decisions, said: "we will raise the issue about whether they have thought about the consequences both for them and all those involved. "very often they are quite distressed and they want someone to talk to. "by the time they get the results a lot of people have prepared themselves. But it's a very emotional process, even if the result is the one they wanted. "in an ideal world, everyone should have counselling and it should be available on the nhs.

Unfortunately, it's not." adrienne burgess of fathers direct called for a code of practice to ensure companies providing paternity tests also offer counselling. The nspcc said fathers who find out they have been raising another man's child should remember that however angry they feel, they should not take this out on the child in any way. "the child will still regard the parent as their father. Rejection could be a devastating double blow for the child, " said a spokeswoman.

Kenya Is Back On Edge

ommotto — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:56:02 UT

Kenya was recently in the news for an unprecedented level of political and ethnic violence that followed the bungled December 27th 2007 presidential election. The country is back on a precipice.

The result of the presidential election was hotly contested, with the opposition ODM insisting it was rigged in favor of the incumbent, Mwai Kibaki. All observers indeed agreed that the voting and vote counting process was peaceful above par. But they also unanimously agreed that the tallying of especially the presidential result was heavily flawed.

ODM won 99 parliamentary seats, against Kibaki's PNU 43. The ODM's presidential candidate, Raila Odinga, won the popular vote in 6 out of eight provinces, including the capital, Nairobi, whereas Kibaki won in only two provinces, predominantly inhabited by his tribe, the Kikuyu.

The violence that followed the declaration of Kibaki as the winner is unprecedented in Kenyan independence history. Close to 1500 people were killed, and about 500,000 displaced from their homes and farms. This violence only ended after an internationally brokered peace deal seemingly assured Kenyans that there would be real power sharing between the two leaders. That is the message Kenyans got from the Kofi Annan led committee of eminent persons. Parliament even went ahead to enact a law and requisite constitutional amendments that would make such power sharing legal.

But the Kibaki administration seemingly wants to implement that accord without really sharing power with the Raila led ODM. ODM insists on equal sharing of the cabinet positions, as well as portfolio balance, which in fact is the true deal signed by the two. Kibaki and his henchmen, led by the Head of Civil Service and Cabinet Secretary, one Francis Muthaura, want nothing of that.

Some of his ministers have also reportedly refused to give up some of the key ministries, e.g. Local Government ministry, that is being demanded by ODM. They won't step down, and Kibaki is reluctant to fire them. That is the reason tension is high and rising, barely two months after the violence of January 2008 stopped.

Kenya is on edge once again. And it is the usual suspects ruining the country's already threadbare social fabric. Something drastic has to be done to knock sense into these people's heads.

Kenya: End Cabinet Stalemate, Says Envoy

ommotto — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:49:38 UT

The Rwandese ambassador to Kenya has called for a quick resolution of the Cabinet stalemate.

"Kenya can solve this problem. What happened should never be allowed again," Mr George Kayonga said.

Speaking when announcing the 14th commemoration of the Rwanda genocide to be marked on Wednesday, Kayonga expressed concern over loss of life in post-election violence.

"We commemorate for the 14th time the Rwanda genocide today by striving to eradicate its ideology, caring for survivors and promoting progress and development," Kayonga said.

The envoy said the loss of life was not comparable to the economic loss.

He told the leaders to be cautious in the way they handle the Cabinet stalemate.

Does PNU vs ODM mean SAFARICOM vs CELTEL?

ommotto — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:07:33 UT

The IPO aside, what is more worrying is a scenario where the mobile telephone services themselves go the blue (PNU) and orange (ODM) way.

If Kenyan politics are anything to go by, and speaking strictly of the telecommunications industry, hitherto blue political areas could go green(SAFARICOM). And orange areas could go red (CELTEL) in defiance.

Kenya has been painted oranges and bananas in the past. After the blue and orange elections fiasco, you can be sure every national debate is likely to take a tribal angle and Safaricom is no exception. Is Kenya now about to be painted green and red?

Why can't we be like other countries in the world which are less tribal, eg our close brothers in Tanzania? I don't have any problem with anyone boycotting Safaricom IPO as long as it's their own decision and not whipped up hysteria from politicians or the other way round, buying because your MP said its now ok to buy.

What's the point of destroying something so special we all helped build? Politicians should just condemn themselves for failing to unmask the ghosts of Mobitelea. Surely, what is so hard for KIBAKI and RAILA (grand coalition government) to tell Kenyans that MOI and the boys (BIWOTT etc) are the owners of Mobitelea....and that the 5% share was actually a kick back for bringing Vodafone UK into the game???????

Revealed: Wrangles Inside the ODM Camp

ommotto — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:27:49 UT

Tempers flared yesterday even as the ODM group held its meeting behind closed doors to cut out a response message to what was viewed as a slap in the face by Amb. Muthaura's announcement. It has been revealed that many "junior" MPs are secretly displeased with what they consider to be a falling away situation. These MPs feelt that they have been ignored while the rank and file keep on getting the best of the deal.

Chief amongst the complaints that took center stage is the fact that Sec. General, Prof. Anyang' Nyong'o, MP for Kisumu Rural, seems to be hogging the microphone and the limelight always insisting on reading the press conference. "Why should he be the only one reading? Some of us are learned as well, let us share this cake equally" Prof. Olweny, MP for Muhoroni questioned even as others nodded their heads in agreement. Seeing that this could lead to a disturbance of sorts, Raila moved in fast to quell the storm and managed to broker a deal where Dr. Anangwe, from the Luhya community, would go ahead to read the statement, thus killing the already growing perception among MPs that only elite Luo MPs were enjoying power.

After solving that issue, MPs moved on to deal with the Amb. Muthaura announcement. Raila was very silent as he let others talk. MPs from the Rift Valley area were very pointed in their denounciation of the deal. Many felt that their community would be served a raw deal, even after bringing in the Lion's share of the votes for ODM. "We know the Captain is tied to his promise of making the deputy captain his vice president [alluding to Hon. Musalia Mudavadi] but we feel that Ruto should take over the deputy premiership since he delivered" said nominated MP Musa Sirma. It was then that MPs allied to Raila, especially his older brother, moved in to forcefully say that rules are rules and ODM should be respected by Kenyans for following them.

It was evident that a growing clique of MPs is growing resentful over this whole power sharing deal saying that it is going to benefit only a few of them. Kaddu Chairman, Hon. Cyrus Jirongo was adamant that the positioning of Hon. Mudavadi as the deputy prime minister should not make it impossible for western MPs like himself to lose out on ministerial appointments, seeing that he steered his party into a coalition with ODM.

Matters came to a head when nominated MP and member of the pentagon Norman Nyaga tried to argue that MPs should be patient and all would well. He was shouted down and booed while being reminded that he was not even able to deliver Gachoka while he well knew he was a pentagon!. It was then that Raila moved in once again to tell MPs that they were in the deal to stay. He said that ODM is made of honorable people and that they should be proud of that "nilisema sisi ni chama ya wangwana. Hebu tusiharibu hio maneno. The whole world is watching us, and our fellow kenyans are waiting for us to deliver. This is unstoppable, and those who feel different should know that this cannot be stopped!" the leader thundered!

It was then that the meeting was summarily brought to a stop. Efforts by Starehe MP Hon. Margaret Wanjiru to end the meeting with a word of prayer were thrawted as Hon. Ruto and others signaled that they were getting impatient and wanted to leave at once. "Tutaomba nyumbani" Kosgey said as they made for the door.

AGREEMENT ON THE PRINCIPLES OF PARTNERSHIP OF THE COALITION

ommotto — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:06:19 UT

ACTING TOGETHER FOR KENYA

AGREEMENT ON THE PRINCIPLES OF PARTNERSHIP OF THE COALITION GOVERNMENT

Preamble:

The crisis triggered by the 2007 disputed presidential elections has brought to the surface deep-seated and long-standing divisions within Kenyan society. If left unaddressed, these divisions threaten the very existence of Kenya as a unified country. The Kenyan people are now looking to their leaders to ensure that their country will not be lost.

Given the current situation, neither side can realistically govern the country without the other. There must be real power-sharing to move the country forward and begin the healing and reconciliation process.

With this agreement, we are stepping forwarding together, as political leaders, to overcome the current crisis and to set the country on a new path. As partners in a coalition government, we commit ourselves to work together in good faith as true partners, through constant consultation and willingness to compromise.

This agreement is designed to create an environment conducive to such a partnership and to build mutual trust and confidence. It is not about creating positions that reward individuals. It seeks to enable Kenya’s political leaders to look beyond partisan considerations with a view to promoting the greater interests of the nation as a whole. It provides the means to implement a coherent and far-reaching reform agenda, to address the fundamental root causes of recurrent conflict, and to create a better, more secure, more prosperous Kenya for all.

To resolve the political crisis, and in the spirit of coalition and partnership, we have agreed to enact the National Accord and Reconciliation Act 2008, whose provisions have been agreed upon in their entirety by the parties hereto and a draft copy thereof is appended hereto.

Its key points are:

* There will be a Prime Minister of the Government of Kenya, with authority to coordinate and supervise the execution of the functions and affairs of the Government of Kenya.

* The Prime Minister will be an elected member of the National Assembly and the parliamentary leader of the largest party in the National Assembly, or of a coalition, if the largest party does not command a majority.

* Each member of the coalition shall nominate one person from the National Assembly to be appointed a Deputy Prime Minister.

* The Cabinet will consist of the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, the two Deputy Prime Ministers and the other Ministers. The removal of any Minister of the coalition will be subject to consultation and concurrence in writing by the leaders.

* The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers can only be removed if the National Assembly passes a motion of no confidence with a majority vote.

* The composition of the coalition government will at all times take into account the principle of portfolio balance and will reflect their relative parliamentary strength.

* The coalition will be dissolved if the Tenth Parliament is dissolved; or if the parties agree in writing; or if one coalition partner withdraws from the coalition.

* The National Accord and Reconciliation Act shall be entrenched in the Constitution.

Having agreed on the critical issues above, we will now take this process to Parliament. It will be convened at the earliest moment to enact these agreements. This will be in the form of an Act of Parliament and the necessary amendment to the Constitution.

We believe by these steps we can together in the spirit of partnership bring peace and prosperity back to the people of Kenya who so richly deserve it.

Agreed this date 28 February 2008

________________________ ________________________

Hon. Raila Odinga H.E. President Mwai Kibaki

Orange Democratic Movement Government/Party of National Unity

Witnessed By:

_________________________ _________________________

H.E. Kofi A. Annan H.E. President Jakaya Kikwete

Chairman of the Panel President of the United Republic of

of Eminent African Personalities Tanzania

and Chairman of the African Union

Kenyans 'forcibly recruited to fight'

ommotto — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:07:08 UT

A Kenyan (who wishes to remain anonymous) in the Rift Valley town of Naivasha describes how members of an outlawed sect - the Mungiki - are forcibly recruiting members of their Kikuyu ethnic group to kill non-Kikuyus - allied to the opposition. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7215107.stm

Law and order has broken down in the Rift Valley area since the disputed 27 December presidential election. Kenyan politics is polarised and because of this, when a community feels threatened, groupings or gangs arise in their defence.

It is really disgusting. People are being killed and burnt in their houses, even one person was buried alive... buried alive?

And other people are just watching.

There are gangs of Kikuyu coming knocking from door-to-door. But I really don't think they are from Naivasha - people know that Naivasha is usually a safe place, a place where people like peace.

But these people are coming and forcing people here to fight. So that's why they are going house-to-house making sure that if you are a Kikuyu, you have to come out and fight.

If you are not a Kikuyu, they just kill you immediately.

Not long ago they came into our estate and demanded the keys to the gate.

They used a petrol bomb to frighten us, telling us if we don't come out, they'll burn us.

Shooting, shooting, shooting

Luckily, I managed to hide under the bed.

Where they are targeting right now is Naivasha prison.

Groups of Kikuyu groups roam the streets of a neighborhood of Naivasha as fires burn
Homes belonging to Luos are being ransacked and set alight

The Kikuyus are going to the prison and they want to get the Luos and the Namdis who have gone there to seek refuge.

Gangs of Kikuyus are outside the prison and burning houses nearby but the police - there are many of them there - but it is like they are relaxed.

They are not doing anything, just shooting, shooting, shooting [up in the air] but not stopping these people from getting closer to the prison.

These Kikuyus that are doing all this - it is a kind of revenge.

In Naivasha it is revenge for what has been happening in other areas where Kikuyus have been killed.

Private firms must play role in ensuring peace deal’s reac

ommotto — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:28:02 UT

The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) carried the hopes of many Kenyans when they decided to play an active role in encouraging a deal between the Government and the Opposition, ODM.

What they didn’t realise is that their role was not to be a one off. We had very visible high level meetings and since then, it has been all quiet.

The private sector has always taken a bystander role and viewed politics as too dirty to indulge in. The private sector has even at times insinuated that Kenya’s economy is unaffected by the political happenings in the country. Reality only dawned on us after the disputed election results of December 27, 2007.

Leader after leader has been visiting Kenya, among them the US Secretary of State, Dr Condoleezza Rice. The likes of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who are world renowned, left without achieving anything. The then Head of African Union and the President of Ghana was said to have passed by for a cup of tea. Our own Noble laureate (Wangari Maathai) has not been able to achieve much, even though she has been a lone voice of reason

Our current Constitution is indeed the cause of the problem and the Bomas draft would have sorted us out had we adopted it.

In tourism, we talk about our source markets of Europe and North America lifting or reviewing their advisory, but we are not playing our active role to pressure the two parties to agree on something and spare us another round of skirmishes. It will only take half a day of skirmish and killings for fresh advisories to be put in place.

All along, it has been acknowledged that a political solution was the only way forward. However, some PNU hardliners now seem to be moving away from it. At this rate, the peace talks could be at a risk.

Kepsa cannot afford to be silent on the latest development. So what are the probable scenarios:

ODM takes its role as the opposition and waits for Parliament to resume and fight their case there. This would have been the wish of many Kenyans, including tourism players, but it is highly unlikely.

ODM takes its battle back to the streets and the Government ignores them and they tire out? This is also highly unlikely.

ODM goes to the streets and the Government brutally deals with them, resulting in increasing incidents of violence? This is the most probable outcome.

If the third scenario happens where does that leave us? More advisories, more cancellations. We may end up with evacuations by some of the Western nations as they have clearly indicated that it will not be business as usual. I pray hard that does not come to pass.

As the private sector, we need to ask ourselves if indeed we are playing our role as required. It is evident that the current calm we are enjoying has deceived many that all is well and it is indeed back to normalcy.

Kepsa should not wait and wish that a deal will just come on its own. We have to make it happen without any fear or favour.

If we choose to remain silent and we end up with a fresh flare up of chaos, then history will judge us harshly.

The church groups a couple of days ago admitted that they were indeed partisan. How come since then we haven’t seen them come up and give a middle ground approach to compel the two warring groups to agree.

I am not a doomsday proponent but if the current talks fail, then we should brace ourselves for the worst as the power of brutal force will not stop people who yearn for change.

MOHAMMED HERSI
Chairman, Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers
Coast

THE RIGHT TO KNOW: Should we know if our leaders are ill?

ommotto — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:39:15 UT

A section of the “new age media” famously described as sms and blogs had raised pertinent questions over health status of one Kenyan politician, Gitobu Imanyara. To the shock of the many the legislature emerged 3 weeks later, alive and kicking. Ghana's media recently reported that John Atta Mills, presidential candidate for the National Democratic Congress, was ill.

One website even claimed that Mills had died. The reports sparked debate across the country. Citizens expressed concern over Mills' ability to lead a country and an MP from his own party even called for him to step down as flag-bearer.

Mills himself, who said he had nothing more serious than a cataract operation on his eyes, described the rumours as "pathetic".

There has been speculation about the health of many other African leaders. In the run up to Nigeria's elections last year, President Yar'Adua had to make a statement from his hospital bed to allay rumours that he was dead.

In Cameroon, in 1997, journalist Pius Njawe was sent to jail for 10 months for asking questions about president Paul Biya's health.
Back to Kenya there are many occasions when former President Daniel Moi silence has thrown the country into panic. At one time prompting the old politicians to say jokingly: “Wanataka kila siku wakisoma magazeti na maredio kusikia tu Moi Moi – they always want to hear speaking in the media so that they can know that all is well.”

Is it the duty of the media to inform the public if leaders are ill? Or, does such reporting just lead to scaremongering and instability? Should leaders declare their health status?

KENYA: VERY POLICALLY ACCURATE

ommotto — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 16:13:39 UT

I HAD AN INTERESTING CHAT ON GMAIL WITH MY A FORMER COLLEGE MATE JESSE MASAI. AT 26 YEARS
THE FELLOW WANTS TO TOPPLE AGRIC MINISTER KIPRUTO ARAP KIRWA IN CHERANGANY CONSTITUENCY of kenya.
SO, IT WAS ABVIOUS THAT OUR TALK HAD TO BE HIGHLY POLITICAL THOUGH I NEVER EXPECTED IT TO
BE THIS EXCITING..... COZ HE JUST HINTED THAT RAILA MIGHT WOO NGILU INTO THE FOLD AND YES INDEED
LIKE A BAD WISH IT ALWAYS COMES TO PASS.........

HERE'S HOW IT WENT

me: siku njema mwenzangu, mie natoka sasa kuelekea home... we'll talk more later na usipotee sana
Masai: upo
au watoka sasa
17:38 me: niko for less than 5minutes
Masai: Guys,

Do not get over excited. It is 5 months to the elections. This election will be won in November.

Kalonzo has done well for himself if he wanted to negotiate. However he needs to be careful if he has just played his last card. The problem with his MPs is that they are novices. They keep claiming they have a secret weapon.

The following are my comments:

-Does Kalonzo really have the money to mount a serious presidential campaign or he thinks that Mwau or Uhuru will give him 1 billion? This guy has never run for president so if he wants to try let him go ahead.

- Kalonzo is unlikely to get more than a Minister from Kibaki. How much do you think 20 Mps cost?Ford Kenya and Ford People can attest to this. Once the election is over Kibaki wont need him. He will once again turn to Kenyans. What makes you think a Meru/Embu wont want to run for elections and expect the kuk vote?Kalonzo still has a number of modules to learn in politics.

- Only the foolish ones can write off Raila and Co. 5 months to the election. Ruto- Mudavadi-Raila axis can still win an election with Kalonzo. As long as they can isolate the Kamba vote and beat Kibaki in Western and Coast and still keep their core votes in Nairobi, Rift valley, Nyanza and North Eastern they will still win.

- Moi is doing is best to split the Kalenjin vote. If he succeeds then Kibaki will win. However, dont count on this until you see it.

If you get too excited you might die of heart attack celebrating ODMs death only for the monster to return
17:41 me: so much unlike u
17:42 Masai: y?
Why would one defect from LDP to LPK parties which are all in ODM Kenya..If Kalonzo is man enough let him not buy time..If he is tired of ODM Kenya why not just leave and declare that he is a presidential candidate in LPK period and then ODM-K will ahead and choose their candidate to meet him on dec.2007..Wht cant he just tell ODM=K see you at the ballot box...

Why dilly dally..mara am running away with the certificate..mara Uhuru Kenyatta come back..mara Maanzo run the party...mara his MPs say that we can even support Kibaki..Kalonzo be man and If you are tired of ODM get out and face the public..ask them for votes..

Kalonzo wanted to ride on other peoples back but when he realized that no one wanted to donate his back..he was angered..according to Kalonzo..It was him or nothing..or no one..and this is the guy talking of consensus?
I think ODM-K should move forward get the real officials registered and then kick MAANZO out of the party plus Musyoka and the group..they can join Kibaki if they want....But I assure that Kalonzo will never be President in kenya..he has just blown it off...
17:45 me: we're kedo 4moths to elections alot can happen before then...remember a day in politics means alot
Masai: a wk is too long in siasa.
17:46 that was jst a warning to steve n' kib sympathizers like u.
hwz vic
17:47 me: he's ok, hop u guys are in touch
Masai: we r, but tiz erratic
17:49 me: luo nyanza politics has taken an intresting angle....Mps who hang o n raila for blessings might not have it that smooth...
17:50 there saying we only vote raila lakini wengine mujitete wenyewe na performance yenu so their might be no more ODM damu like it was in NARC damu last elections
Masai: uhmn
that ain't suprising, xpected s it has bin all along.
17:51 me : at least that's the impression u get on RamogiFM and KTN has also done some features on KSM and my home UGENYA jana
17:52 Masai: oh, so u r sidindi boy. i watched it.
if split, both bro-in laws will kam in.
17:53 me: my frend if RAILA endorses u for KASIPUL KABONDO even u just drop Chera coz that is direct ticket to August hse!!! so it was but now table hav changed.... people like Dalmas in KANU ar no longer shaken like it used to be, remember what we did to Orengo, Donde etc
17:54 Masai: lol
1. Immediately they crown Raila as the flag bearer they will cease to be important in their regions thanks to our tribe based politics. These two have just been railas creations and yet to show any clout on their own.
2. I guess part of the kibaki campaign strategy is to give any important raila supporter enough to worry about locally to keep them busy.

3. Further more Kibaki does not need to win more 40% to make it in the said regions and going by the current events he may even get more.

4. Since the exit of Matiba, kibaki was always the candidate to beat in central, Nairobi and eastern (even in eastern when Ngilu mounted a serious challenge). I have not seen anything to suggest that this trend would now change (the danger to him is only of kalonzo or ngilu would deliver votes to raila).
4. Nyachae is in the picture so raila does not even have 100% of the nyanza vote under lock.
5. Kalegins on there part will vote which ever way they please, some voted for kibaki before when Uhuru was the tribal choice so it is expected that more may join him this time round because his incumbency status .
17:55 But as I said one cannot completely write Raila off. What tricks do you think he should employ this give kibaki a knock out blow?

1. I think he should snatch the support of moi from Kibaki, by doing a deal with Gideon the way Uhuru was to. Papa will have not choice but to support the raila after this deal.

2. Find a way to appease Nyachae, this should be easy since nyachaes has even talked about retiring, by being out of the picture he will do Raila a lot of good. He just has to give Nyachae something in return (MOU to nominate and appoint his child a minister)

3. Make sure he has enough spin masters so that whatever happens the image of united solid ODM is maintained, this way he will have his grip on western …..I am not sure of coast because of recent magarini but it is the best one can do.

4. if kalonzo does not mend his ways, replace him with ngilu.

5. The most important thing is to continue with country wide rallies; and with his talent of finding issues to accuse the system for, on regular basis, many may be won into voting him the savior come November
17:57 me: that's exactly how dirty politics has become
17:58 Masai: tiz clan, only folks like ba jimmy n' uncle dan make it the reverse plus their disciples.
17:59 me: MO1 needs everybody right now, he's only no-contesting candidate who desperately cant afford to lose this election.........
Masai : lol
18:00 u r spot on.
18:04 me: have to go bt that was refreshing talk.....thanx alo

10 GREAT RULES THAT WILL HELP YOU REMAIN POOR ALL YOUR LIFE

ommotto — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 11:13:01 UT

By Joachim Buwembo The east African June 4th- 10th 2007

1. Never wake up early: Keep stretching and turning in bed until you get too hungry to continue dozing. If there are no bedbugs, why hurry to get up?

2. Never plan how to spend your money: Whenever you get money, start spending it right away and when it is finished, try to count and recall how you spent it.

3. Don’t think of saving until you have real big money: How can you save when you earn so little? Those telling you to save are not sympathetic to your burning needs.

4. Don’t engage in activities usually reserved for the “uneducated”: How can you, a graduate, engage in petty trade or home- based production? That is for people who never went to school.

5. Don’t think of starting a business until an angel comes from heaven and gives you capital: How do they expect you to invest before you get millions of shillings? Even though more than half the businesses in your town were started with a few hundred shillings, you as a smart person can only start with millions.

6. Complain about everything except your own attitude: Blame the system, the government and the banks that refuse to lend you money. They are all bad and do not want you to get rich.

7. Spend more than you earn: To achieve this, buy consumer products in credit and keep borrowing from friends and employer.

8. Compete in dressing: Make sure you wear the latest clothes among all the workers in your office. Whenever your neighbour buys a new phone, get one that is more expensive.

9. Get yourself a nice second- hand car that costs more than three times your gross monthly pay: That will surely keep you in debt long enough to hinder the implementation of any bad plans that could make you accumulate capital.

10. Give your children everything they ask for since you are such a loving parent: They should not struggle for anything because you do not want them to suffer. That way, they will grow up lazy and hence poor enough to ensure they cannot help you in your old age.

If you diligently implement these 10 great rules, you will not fail to invite poverty in great measures to your homestead. That way, all important leaders, from East or West, will spend al lot of hours thinking about you, planning how to uplift your daily expenses above one dollar. Isn’t it nice to be the subject of concern of all those leaders and scholars?