Category: EAKenya

IPR & envy

This (quote from an article by Rebecca on the new M-Pesa online payment gateway):

Intellectual property is another challenge identified by Mulamba, where software developers who work for a company realize they can offer similar services.
“Safeguarding intellectual property is a challenge; people thrive on stealing other people’s ideas and that is why there is a high turnover of software developers in many companies,” said Mulamba. “One is forced to work with a smaller team of trusted people and take a longer time, instead of a larger team that would have taken a shorter time to complete the project.” (source)

…reminds me of an e-mail I’ve received two weeks ago:

“To be sincere I do not like dealing with Kenyans when it comes to jobs or something professional, not that I hate my people but because sometimes I know how they feel about other people´s success.”

Mchonga mwiko hukimbiza mkono wake?

Kwenda mbio siyo kufika

Maybe it’s just me and my way of looking for the core information on websites that goes beyond the usual marketing blabla – but could it be true that there have been various Kenyan websites coming up lately that actually do NOT have any serious content? Or at least not much more than what the webdesigner had initially put up online and has since been waiting for a content update (to be published online)?

Where are those content editors out there? Do I smell a job opportunity out there for young folks? Ppl who will help companies and organisations to edit their message for online publishing?

Am asking because I sometimes come across such websites where I think: aah, ok, these guys just had some extra funds and wanted to be online for no apparent reason and actually haven’t thought about what to put online. Makes me think of Ayittey and the leaking bowl…

Dear Nairobians,

Ever wondered what happens to your *waste*?

dandora (1)

dandora (2)

dandora (4)

dandora (6)

dandora (7)

dandora (8)

dandora (9)

 

dandora (11)

dandora (10)

…and that’s just Dandora.

Now, since an agreement to form a great coalition gov. has been found, maybe the Deputy of the Deputy to the Deputy Vice Mheshimiwa will eventually put this on the national agenda.

In reality, those who can afford to worry about the environment just don’t care or have not enough influence, and those who actually have to deal with the waste (even if it secures their income), prefer to dream about multimedia entertainment instead of such burning issues.

Sure, this is just one landfill out of many, out of many places, out of many countries, who just don’t do enough (or anything) on this issue. You’ll find similar landfills in the greatest democracy (sic!) aka USA and even in the UK. But it is one planet.

So why did I blog these pictures here?

  • in reference to this comment
  • to raise some awareness, similar to this approach
  • sustainable tourism: maybe the Tourism Industry should take this restart after the post-election violence to remarket their holiday destinations and come up with a solid concept on what to do with their *waste*.

Again, governments just provide the legal framework – it’s up to us on how to turn this into a win-win situation for everyone involved.

I’ll start reposting these stories just like EthanZ keeps on repeating his Tripod & activists stories and will only stop once I see some real progress. Pole :-)

All pictures courtesy of MB, February 2007.

Liebe Birgit Virnich,

dafür, dass unser musikalischer Botschafter Walter Lindner im ersten Jahr seines Schaffens den goldenen Käfig Nairobi gut ausgetestet hat, war das jetzt aber ein sehr, sehr positiver Bericht im Weltspiegel (mit Video).

Lindner in Mützelburgischer Art bei der Erkundung Kamukunjis Kiberas im Gespräch mit Einheimischen zu beobachten, zeigt wohl das momentan Mögliche auf.

Für seine Sicherheitsbeamten sind seine Alleingänge im Slum ein Albtraum. Doch immer wieder zieht er ohne Bodyguards los, denn sonst käme kein vernünftiges Gespräch zustande. “Sie geben uns Hoffnung,“ meint der Mann. „Diese Größe haben unsere eigenen Politiker nicht. Keinen von denen hat sich hier je blicken lassen.“

Sorry, es sind einfach diese beiden Nairobi Welten, die hier für mich nicht immer zusammenpassen wollen. Auf der einen Seite ein widerspruchsloser MA des AA, auf der anderen Seite der Wunsch zur Anteilnahme am Zeitgeschehen in Kenia. Und doch ist es vielleicht gerade dieser Widerspruch, der in der Diplomatie und, viel wichtiger, beim Volk ankommt.
Anzumerken habe ich außerdem noch, dass es beim scheinbaren Desinteresse der meisten kenianischen Politiker (wohl aus politischem Kalkül/Angst/etc.) gar nicht so schwer sein dürfte, Aufmerksamkeit zu erregen.

Freilich, wenn man andere Diplomatie gewöhnt ist, erscheint es manchmal eher sonderbar. Fand ich jetzt aber gut, den Bericht.

Außerdem: Musik verbindet.

I have no tribe

Twitter…what I particulary like about microblogging via Twitter et al is that you get to see new links and see what others are up to. Just a few minutes ago I came across AfroM‘s twitter message (“tweet”?) which informed me about David Kobia‘s new site: iHaveNoTribe.com

ihavenotribe

No matter how you feel on tribalism in Kenya, pls check out this nice new website and see what KENYANS ONLINE have to say about tribalism and nationalism.

I just skyped David on this as I – as a “mzungu” (gosh, I hate this word but you get the idea) – may be outside enough of the ring to contribute my 2cents on this. It’s because I’m often reminded of this debate we had on thinkersroom some time two years ago about what Kenya(n)Tourists are actually doing for Kenya – and how they perceive their status vs. those who are left at home, at the basis, trying to struggle with a corrupt regime and daily life. Well, I am not the person to judge who does it better, what strategy a young Kenyan should follow after school’s out. Everyone just tries to struggle, and we all know of the plenty Kenyans abroad who are busy making a life (with or without a visa!).
My Kenyan colleague from university recently told me that he was (financially) better off working as a cleaner for Mercedes-Benz factory in Europe than doing this 30.000 Kshs job for a GoK agency in Nairobi. Go figure…

Rather, I’ve been wondering about what Kenyans in Kenya think about their friends and relatives abroad, and how they expect us to help them.

Let me tell you something: no matter how bad the situation is in Kenya right now and no matter what kind of hatred we’ve seen – even online by educated ppl who should know better (although one could argue that’s just the power of an anonymous internet & normal flaming/trolls) – I cannot name any country right now that has more national pride than Kenya!

Remember the Kenya Airways slogan “The Pride of Africa” – there’s much more to this than just marketing. This has affected me in a way that I am constantly wearing this wristband – I feel proud of it. And this although my passport says I am German national. Can you imagine?

So, to make it short: the silver, no: golden lining underneath all this horror we have seen in Kenya lately – to me – is that we do now see people helping each other and beautiful initiatives like MamaMikes.com Special or food donations in front of Nakumatts where Kenyans are helping Kenyans. Did it take all this sheded blood to realize what’s inside of us all?

What I’ve seen and heard from Kenya lately strongly reminds me of Adolf Hitler and his fucked up policies: ppl being torn out of matatus just because they belong to another tribe and then beaten to death…

Now what… imagine you’re a Kenyan in the US and shocked just like me about this. What can we do about it?

Yes?

What else can one do except for showing unity and wishing for a better future?

As for the governments (worldwide) – I’ve said it before: we can not expect anything from them except for some political frameworks and lots of empty phrases. Everything else will be has to be provided by individuals – like you and me.

And yes, I do understand that we used to laugh about Tanzanians because of their economy & failures and that we are now addressing those very same issues that had been ignored in Kenya for a long long time due to “progress” + not even having a national language like Kiswahili. But so what? Does _unity_ depend on government decisions?

(on a lighter note: I take it that I am the only one out there who may call himself a “Kikuyu” these days :-)

the hijacked post

Kenya.

I do not understand why ppl are wasting their time online at various forums, spreading hateful comments on this or that group. Just like KP, I’ve also deleted some comments here which were just too insulting. I take it that those who have managed to get online are smart enough to draw a line between the things that need to be said and those that aren’t shared with the rest of the world. If you are having some aggregated anger – keep it to yourself or go and do some sports.

And believe me, I am also extremely pissed at the (current) situation in Kenya. Hell, everyone is! Relatives are telling me: Thx God you’re not in EAK these day, JKE. Oh, well…. what do you do when things are breaking up and you’re feeling so damn helpless because all you can do is donating money and praying that this “crisis” will soon come to an end?

“Germany”, my Austrian landlord told me today, “is a country where ppl aren’t directly helping each other. Only through anonymous donations…upon which they will receive a (tax exemption) receipt.” Hmmmm. I know many other cases where this assumption doesnt apply to – but coming back to Germany, I am reminded of this issue ppl had after WW2 when the following generation asked the same questions: what did YOU do to prevent this? Really nothing?

Fast forward in 2008+. Let’s hope that moods will have settled a bit by then and that business is “back to usual”. What will happen to those who did crimes? Will they be able to live with this guilt? Or will they come up with the infamous “i was obsessed with daemons” phrase?

And what will happen with those who lost relatives and property during the recent “post election”-violence? Forgive and forget?

…

Fuck.

I wanted to blog my new Leatherman sheath and I end up talking about Kenya again.

Ok. *cough*

Remember my Leatherman Wave 2004 sheath issue? Well, in 2005 I had bought a successor to my old LM Wave (pre 2004 model) which came with a bitset. Unfortunately, both the LM Wave multi-tool and the bitset do not fit into the sheath that came delivered with the tool (or rather: it was way too bulky), so I ended up making my own version:

newmod11

#1 attempt (there’s Kenyan canvas underneath the blue brocade!)

As for the AAAmaglite: who needs this in times of luminous LEDs? Dismissed.

newmod9

#2 attempt i’ve used this version up to today.

After almost two years of daily usage and various trips, this very same cover now looks like this:

29012008143 cut

Can you see dim holes, maaan? Pretty useless like this, as the front cover may fall apart any day soon. So I was in dire need of a suitable substitute. Checked the inet again for alternative solutions, but nothing seemed to be right. Then i popped into a bunduki-selling shop in Frankfurt Kaiserstraße today (which is like buying arms in Eastleigh) and found the right sheath between all those Hatori Hanzo Samurai swords, air rifles, hunting knives and scary 9mm pistols (btw, there’s a new law in Germany these days which requires stricter setups – similar to what used to be the rule @ the Firearms Department in Nbo ~ gun safe @home + having the OCS of the nearest police station coming over for inspection, etc – so that many ppl are now desperateley trying to sell their rifles & pistols for which they will never manage to obtain a proper licence…):

29012008144 small

Voil? , attempt #3 in my quest for the ultimate tool sheath!

29012008146

Old and New.

29012008148

It fits, it works, it wins.