How to…visually convince….

…the municipal council of Embu to open its eyes and start using public funds for public benefit:

embucouncil

There is this really muddy road next to Mama Ngina Street in Embu which could just use a simple drainage ditch system to remove these articifial lakes on the middle of the road. After all, the road leads to other GoK plots and even a school. And everyone (including me) is forced to wade through this muddy **** every day.

Ok. Let’s do this deal. If they can’t make it within the next two weeks, we’ll start a Harambee at the office and hire a jobless farmer to do the job. Sawa?

p.s.: this is a wonderful example to demonstrate the meaning of the often used (kenyan?) phrase “they are supposed to…”.

Author: jke

Hi, I am an engineer who freelances in water & sanitation-related IT projects at Saniblog.org. You'll also find me on Twitter @jke and Instagram.

7 thoughts on “How to…visually convince….”

  1. Pole! If you live in matope infested areas of Embu, (Blue Valley, Majimbo et al) you definitely need two pairs of shoes. One preferably hiking boots and the other for the office.

  2. i could agreee more Kenya is enjoying significant economic growth. President Mwai Kibaki’s slogan and appeal for hard work seems to be yielding fruits finally.

    His rallying call has remained 4 years down the road after his election ? a working nation, as he amplified it recently at Uhuru Park, Nairobi during Kenyatta Day celebrations.

    This year economic growth hit a record 5.8 per cent, up from 4.9 per cent last year and the highest for more than a decade. There are predictions that next year will even be better.

    Last year’s performance would have been even higher had it not been for the serious draught and famine that hit the country. Thirty seven out of seventy two districts were affected, with those in the northern part being hit the worst.

    There had been fears of water and power rationing since water levels had reduced so much but fortunately, the government has taken enough precaution and the effects have been largely absorbed without much economic causalities.

    The economy withstood the challenge. The government’s election promise of creating more than half a million jobs per year has almost achieved. More than four hundred thousand jobs were created last year. Most of these, however, were in the informal sector.

    Tourism marked the highest growth of more than 13 per cent. Enormous campaign to market Kenya in the west takes credit for this. Impact of travel ban to East Africa by USA and Britain has finally fizzled out and the sector has recovered tremendously.

    Others include communication 8.3 per cent, building and construction 7.2 per cent, and agriculture and forestry 6.7 per cent .Wholesale and retail trade grew with 6.4 per cent while manufacturing hit a 5 per cent increase.

    Mobile telephony and road transport was among the leading employment sector. There was also a significant growth in jua kali sector.

    In education, more than 200, 000 students enrolled at schools and colleges but teacher numbers decreased by 7300 owing to resignation, sacking or retirement. There has not been sufficient replacement of teachers when they leave the profession.

    Community policing, a joint police and public engagement to eradicate criminals, saw a decline in crime in the past year. The ministry of health was involved in a successful children immunization programme.

    Cost of retro-viral drugs went down and free malaria drugs were availed in government hospitals. Trade with East African countries has also increased, taking more than a half of all the exports to Africa.
    The government reduced borrowing from public.

    This availed more cash to the people since banks could afford loans to more people. Banking and insurance got a boost from this.

    The Kenya revenue authority has been very aggressive in tax collection, gathering more money than ever before.

    This years government budget, is 95 per cent funded by local taxes, and the government will only need 5 per cent supplementary aid from the donors. Taxes for cigarettes have risen, following the ban of tobacco smoking.

    The government prohibited smoking in all public places, including hospitals, learning institutions and public transport.

    The ban has temporarily been put on hold by the High Court, following application by tobacco manufacturing companies.

    They claimed there was no adequate notice given and if the law came to force they would incur huge loses. They asked to be allowed to first dispose off the stock already in their warehouses.

    With the ongoing rains agriculture is bound to do far better this year. Kenya meat commission will be operational this month, with slaughter capacity of more than a thousand cattle a day.

    This is certainly going to provide meat market for cattle keepers who have suffered immensely since its collapse more than fifteen years ago. Revival of Kenya Creameries Co-operative, the giant milk market, lifted the earnings and economy of dairy farmers immensely.

    Prospects of finding oil in the north coastal town of lamu, and the business opportunities that Southern Sudan region provides will attract more investors in the country

  3. He he! You have a career in art my friend! Good luck getting pot bellied bureaucrats on government payroll to get off their behinds!

    @Mshada – Dude, calm down…

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