They go by such names as Tony "the bull" Diarmato, or John "the mole" gottti. These are the Italian characters that hollywood brings to our screens. I always think that more than the plots the pseudo-names or A.KA 's are another big source of entertainment by itself and probably the main reason some of us watch these programmes. The more creative the names the better.
300miles from hollywood is Nairobi otherwise known as Nai. If it is something i find exceptional in kenyans is our ability to shorten, brand or give things or people aka.It is a phenomen everyone identifies with and if the names in this blog ring is to go by i can see the creativity still flourishes and is being exhibited with abandon.From past presidents Dan Toro-Moi, to present presidents Baks-Kibaki, to towns Naks-Nakuru, Eldy- Eldoret to my teacher Odero -Amuyunzu.A new kid in the estate for example was quickly given an aka barely weeks into their stay so that Alex becomes Aleky, Njoroge -Njosh, Wanjiru -Ciku and Onyango-Onyi. It is universaly agreed that it is appropriate,But these are just shortened forms of the names. The aka or "also known as" aspect is what is interesting.
Foreigners find it amusing that for a guy who never went to school a certain Kenyan musician was called professor while another national soccer star who i believe never held a hammer was affectionetly named fundi. My friend, lets call him Tom, a white american was amused we called other people doctor, professor and engineer without the said person ever having been in class.
We have a long history of pseuodnames or aka's with many examples abounding From the eccentric Raila Amolo "Tinga"- meaning THE TRACTOR, the intimidating Odongo Omamo "Kaliech"- meaning the elephant, the hilarious Agwhings Kodhek "chiedo mo"- meaning everyones cooking fat, the practical Charles Ongudi "Oningo"-meaning the ant, to the plain scary, Michuki "Kimendero" the crusher. Of course each attribute , be it an ants industry, or tractors durabilty or intimidating personality applies to the person.
All these pseudonames further indicate a characteristic considered amiable but further than that it indicates that thier characters are understood, recognised and being appreciated by the community. Most of the names are given by their peers and you do not name yourself otherwise it will be considered vain. I still enjoy watching the sopranos and other Italian family based dramas.My question therefore is it has been three years now, so what will Kibaki's peer call him as his pseudoname and most importantly, what name will Kenyans give him as an a.k.a?
Monday, March 27, 2006
Thursday, March 23, 2006
DISASTER
The recent announcement by the UN that Kisumu is the first millenium city is welcome and a truly exciting time for this sleepy lake side city. The Prof. Sachs led vision of MDG's are great and i believe through good leadership , can be attainable. We as Kenyans pride ourselves in our beautiful land and especially our cities especially Nairobi. But are we prepared for a major disaster?
Recently i read a book by the usual disillusioned foreign correspondents that claimed "Nairobi is the East African centre of Everything and the centre of Nothing at the same time".
Having now visited many western capitals it is hard to defend this point .
One thing close to my heart and of major concern that needs urgent attention is the lack of emergency response services of not only Kisumu but all Kenyan cities. Kisumu as an example boasts only 1 run down fire station with one engine for its entire half a million inhabitants.The glaring inadequecies of our emergency response is exhibited for all and sundry everytime their is a minor or major disaster to deal with. The recent disaster that killed kenyans after the collapse of the building is one example.
Emergency services providers, including police are the back bone of major cities response to such disasters. Coupled with the three T's of urban planning i.e availability of transport,technology and tolerance, major world cities ,think tokyo,NYC etc have excellent disaster response systems... well apart from the unfortunate human inadequecies- think Katrina.
I was involved in the search & rescue(s& r) efforts after the U.S embassy terrorist bombing. It was a wake up call for us for i am invloved in disaster response management teams in Nairobi.This has made me acutely aware of our vulnerability. Surely our lives and well being are of utmost importance.
Recent world public health crisis including sars,ebola ,avian flu and natural disasters make me question weather still our cities are prepared to respond adequately. Kenya thank God has been spared any major epidemic excluding Aids.
Take a simple preventive response recently in Nigeria and India where, their was a concerted kick polio vaccination effort. The response of the population was indeed sad and shocking but it reflects what might just happen in Kenya.
We have all expericed this in kenya where the kick polio health workers go door to door vaccinating children. It usually goes well and past success proves it.Well in these mentioned countries according to recent reports, due to false rumours, lack of goverment leadership, and just plain ignorance, doors were slammed on the health workers because the parents, having heard the circulating false rumours refused access to immunisation for the children with obvious disastrous effect.This could easily be Kenya.
Incase of any preventive mass campaigns or even God forbid disaster to hit our country and it is inevitable, how will we react? Information is key to this response. The government, media,public service and private individuals must work together. Individually i urge you Arm yourself with knowledge on what to do incase of an emergency. The government should also adopt an open door policy and true information using the media that is adequate to avoid breeding rumour or mistrust. But as in all third world countries do not rely on the government to quickly come to your aid. Preparation is your best defense. A first aid class with st john ambulance is a start, coupled with evacuation drills and stored emeregency rations and supplies.
A word of advice incase of a building collapse on you like in recent cases, latest word , chose a "safe place', that is the voids in between a safe inner wall away from windows,bookcases that may fall on you. You will be protected by the Void the foot of walls or structures. The idea is to provide yourself a gap between yourself and falling debri and provide easier rescue attempts. For more info go to the- osha-web site.
Lastly i urge you to volunteer for your local ambulance or emergency service or form an emergency response team of your own in your area. Our cities need the human resource including counsellors, enginers and any body who come in handy incase of structural collapse ,medics like my self and anybody with a willing heart. Remember be prepared.
Recently i read a book by the usual disillusioned foreign correspondents that claimed "Nairobi is the East African centre of Everything and the centre of Nothing at the same time".
Having now visited many western capitals it is hard to defend this point .
One thing close to my heart and of major concern that needs urgent attention is the lack of emergency response services of not only Kisumu but all Kenyan cities. Kisumu as an example boasts only 1 run down fire station with one engine for its entire half a million inhabitants.The glaring inadequecies of our emergency response is exhibited for all and sundry everytime their is a minor or major disaster to deal with. The recent disaster that killed kenyans after the collapse of the building is one example.
Emergency services providers, including police are the back bone of major cities response to such disasters. Coupled with the three T's of urban planning i.e availability of transport,technology and tolerance, major world cities ,think tokyo,NYC etc have excellent disaster response systems... well apart from the unfortunate human inadequecies- think Katrina.
I was involved in the search & rescue(s& r) efforts after the U.S embassy terrorist bombing. It was a wake up call for us for i am invloved in disaster response management teams in Nairobi.This has made me acutely aware of our vulnerability. Surely our lives and well being are of utmost importance.
Recent world public health crisis including sars,ebola ,avian flu and natural disasters make me question weather still our cities are prepared to respond adequately. Kenya thank God has been spared any major epidemic excluding Aids.
Take a simple preventive response recently in Nigeria and India where, their was a concerted kick polio vaccination effort. The response of the population was indeed sad and shocking but it reflects what might just happen in Kenya.
We have all expericed this in kenya where the kick polio health workers go door to door vaccinating children. It usually goes well and past success proves it.Well in these mentioned countries according to recent reports, due to false rumours, lack of goverment leadership, and just plain ignorance, doors were slammed on the health workers because the parents, having heard the circulating false rumours refused access to immunisation for the children with obvious disastrous effect.This could easily be Kenya.
Incase of any preventive mass campaigns or even God forbid disaster to hit our country and it is inevitable, how will we react? Information is key to this response. The government, media,public service and private individuals must work together. Individually i urge you Arm yourself with knowledge on what to do incase of an emergency. The government should also adopt an open door policy and true information using the media that is adequate to avoid breeding rumour or mistrust. But as in all third world countries do not rely on the government to quickly come to your aid. Preparation is your best defense. A first aid class with st john ambulance is a start, coupled with evacuation drills and stored emeregency rations and supplies.
A word of advice incase of a building collapse on you like in recent cases, latest word , chose a "safe place', that is the voids in between a safe inner wall away from windows,bookcases that may fall on you. You will be protected by the Void the foot of walls or structures. The idea is to provide yourself a gap between yourself and falling debri and provide easier rescue attempts. For more info go to the- osha-web site.
Lastly i urge you to volunteer for your local ambulance or emergency service or form an emergency response team of your own in your area. Our cities need the human resource including counsellors, enginers and any body who come in handy incase of structural collapse ,medics like my self and anybody with a willing heart. Remember be prepared.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
WATER
Today the world celebrates "World Water Day", but no one is cheering in kenya. In all the major towns and cities in Kenya water rationing, dirty and contaminated water or simply dry taps are the rule and not the exception. Dwindling water resources are becoming as precious and even pricey as oil, consider this, a litre of bottled mineral water is almost the same price as a litre of regular petrol(gas). Then why do we not preserve and guard the water resources that we are so aptly blessed with?
Here in my Newyork apartment, for the last 3years my taps have never run dry of this precious commodity. Infact they say that tap water in NYC is of such high quality that is at per with bottled water. Rumour has it that a certain Italian pizzeria owner in the carribean imports bottled NYC water to make pizza for it is reputed to be the best ingredient to make the best pizza. I want to live to see the day high quality water is supplied to every slum,suburb, and village in Kenya. I am confident the country trains quality civil enginners capable of such a task of distributing water to every nook of the beautiful country for use ala- Israel Negev desert style.
Pundits have repeatedly claimed and with good reason the next major world war will be over water resources and if recent events in the lake region are a bench mark then unless drastic counter measures are taken armed conflict or even the inevitable armageddon-sic nuclear war- will be inevitable. 1o african countries share and depend on the waters of the Nile. Rumours of war abound everytime Egypt seems threatened to be cut off by countries living upstream.
Lake victoria(Nam lolwe as we Luo call it) has been reported and i have witnessed is under major threat. With global warming and drastically changes weather patterns the water level have drastically dropped . I have grown up under the shadow of this beautiful lake and consider myself a custodian of this world treasure. Coupled with international and local efforts like this one www.osienala.org conservation and protection of all water resources should be our key priority.
A first step is to have an annual local water festival that will enlighten conservation, protection and prudent utlisation water to young and old, and expanded to other areas as this will sensitise those who live around any water source. It is ashaming to see examples of the utter disdain Kenyans have for water that only when there is none in the taps that we pause to think about it. Infact water is of such low priority that the formerly "Nairobi river" for i cannot consider it a river now in its current dispeakable condition rather an open sewer that traverses the city is a lesson in how kenyans view water- the governments problem- "serikali yafaa kuisafisha kwani army kazi yao nini?". No serious civilian effort has been undertaken to preserve it in such a long time that it just passes under the radar and the level of pollution is truly dispeakable.
Even as big cooporations try shamelessly to monopolise water resources worldwide in Africa, Canada, and Latin America - read the book "Water Barons' for a complete analysis, let as all join hands to conserve and protect what rightfully is ours.
Here in my Newyork apartment, for the last 3years my taps have never run dry of this precious commodity. Infact they say that tap water in NYC is of such high quality that is at per with bottled water. Rumour has it that a certain Italian pizzeria owner in the carribean imports bottled NYC water to make pizza for it is reputed to be the best ingredient to make the best pizza. I want to live to see the day high quality water is supplied to every slum,suburb, and village in Kenya. I am confident the country trains quality civil enginners capable of such a task of distributing water to every nook of the beautiful country for use ala- Israel Negev desert style.
Pundits have repeatedly claimed and with good reason the next major world war will be over water resources and if recent events in the lake region are a bench mark then unless drastic counter measures are taken armed conflict or even the inevitable armageddon-sic nuclear war- will be inevitable. 1o african countries share and depend on the waters of the Nile. Rumours of war abound everytime Egypt seems threatened to be cut off by countries living upstream.
Lake victoria(Nam lolwe as we Luo call it) has been reported and i have witnessed is under major threat. With global warming and drastically changes weather patterns the water level have drastically dropped . I have grown up under the shadow of this beautiful lake and consider myself a custodian of this world treasure. Coupled with international and local efforts like this one www.osienala.org conservation and protection of all water resources should be our key priority.
A first step is to have an annual local water festival that will enlighten conservation, protection and prudent utlisation water to young and old, and expanded to other areas as this will sensitise those who live around any water source. It is ashaming to see examples of the utter disdain Kenyans have for water that only when there is none in the taps that we pause to think about it. Infact water is of such low priority that the formerly "Nairobi river" for i cannot consider it a river now in its current dispeakable condition rather an open sewer that traverses the city is a lesson in how kenyans view water- the governments problem- "serikali yafaa kuisafisha kwani army kazi yao nini?". No serious civilian effort has been undertaken to preserve it in such a long time that it just passes under the radar and the level of pollution is truly dispeakable.
Even as big cooporations try shamelessly to monopolise water resources worldwide in Africa, Canada, and Latin America - read the book "Water Barons' for a complete analysis, let as all join hands to conserve and protect what rightfully is ours.
Ziwani
LOST
After attempting to transfer some of my earlier posts, i have lost all of them. It is a welcome back after slacking off for too long on this blog.
After attempting to transfer some of my earlier posts, i have lost all of them. It is a welcome back after slacking off for too long on this blog.
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