Back in
2007; heading to 2008, no one ever imagined that being from different tribe
from your friends would one day endanger your life. That is why it was shocking
to everyone when allies turned to enemies and many ended up becoming victims of
tribal hatred.
Promoting peace
through creativity is a strong way to get the message across. Who can deny the
voice of thousands in a collective message forming one voice delivered in a
dramatic and heartfelt way?
That is why
I was ready to be part of the production team behind this worthy cause of
promoting peace and harmony during and after this election period.
A bunch of
dedicated film lovers got together under the directorship of Mr. Henry Oriwo to
promote unity and forgiveness across ethnic tribal lines.
Recounting
the 2007-2008 post-election violence; the p.s.a promotes the simple message: “we
are all one!” it also focuses on the “f”-word and that in this case is “forgiveness
is freedom!”
The lessons
of the past show that peace exposes violence for what it truly is and shames
those who would perpetuate it. Nowhere was this more true that in reggae icon
Joseph Hill Culture’s reggae music and messages;
“If the
lions, the apes, the worms, the birds, the cats, the dogs, the hyenas and other
families are not fighting. Tell me; really what are we fighting for? We are
fighting down our own self-esteem. It is better to have some peace around us,
simply because it is really dark and illiterate, and backward thinking to have
war among us. But to have peace amongst us my brothers is intelligent. NO tribal
war!”
President Obama
message to Kenya’s true sons and daughters of the soil ahead of the 2013 polls
was simple: “this election cab be another milestone towards a truly democratic Kenya,
defined by the rule of law and strong institutions… if you take that step and
reject a path of violence and divisions, then Kenya can move towards prosperity
and opportunity that unleashes the extraordinary talents of your people…”
-do make
sure to check us out:
Facebook.com/
Henry Oriwo & facebook.com/ Embukane Vincent Libosso.
Cocacola as an international brand has served the needs of many
consumers globally and in Kenya for many years. Their brands are accepted and
loved worldwide but I think my love for the brands is slowly fading off.
To me; the face of impunity is best portrayed by a cocacola ad where a
lady realizes the seller is about to con her by selling soda at a higher price
that the recommended price.
But isn’t that the reality on the ground. The other day I argued with a
rude shopkeeper who was selling me a 15-ml black currant soda at ksh. 30
instead of the stipulated ksh.23.
The same impunity crosses over to restaurants and other entertainment
joints in the city where a sh.23 soda now goes for sh.100 take it or leave it
no questions asked.
Where is the stand os coca cola Kenya on the escalating prices? We are
being robbed on broad daylight, left in the hands of greedy middlemen and no
one seem to adress this.
An advert as I understand ( I stand corrected) sells a product and
passes a message. Your advert does stipulate the price of a 15-ml soda to be
sh.23. kindly address this or save us from hearing a wrong advert that is mis- directing Kenyans.
I stand corrected at any rate. This is not a man-hunt letter but a
letter from a concerned customer. So, I continue to be a lover of your products while at the same time a critic. But one whose loyalties keep on changing. As long
as you address this, you have got yourself a keeper. Kudos on the good job.
You can’t help noticing the new trend in Nairobi where everyone in the office is eating peanuts. From men to fellow women; it seems like the in-thing.
As everyone keeps on nibbling theses little wonders called peanuts; your truly did a research and found out that there is a huge surge in both diabetes and high blood pressure; with a filling on half of our country’s already over stretched hospital beds.
Back in 2008; a random sample of 4,000 dwellers in central Nairobi found 700 of them suffering from either high blood pressure or diabetes.
Writing for Nakumatt’s Smart Life Magazine; Larisa Brown laments; “lifestyle diseases that were at the bottom of the ‘health concern’ list are now a cause of alarm.
But scientific evidence shows that high blood pressure can be ended in just a few weeks; and the risk of heart disease set aside, by eating just a handful of nuts a day. These nuts include nuts like almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts and walnuts.
It was in California back in 1992 that researchers at Loma Linda university first discovered that people eating nuts daily had up to 60 per cent fewer heart attacks that those who didn’t. The study of 31,000 people; of all weights; ages and both genders, was based on a mix of peanuts, almonds, walnuts and other nuts.
It is time to move from the old age mentality that nutritional advice has always tended towards advising minimal nut consumption on the grounds that they area a ‘fatty’ food. On the contrary, scientists now say eating nuts regularly reduces the risk of obesity and may help with weigh loss.
Since I am a foodie and we are in the whole issue of nuts; why don’t you try my guacamole with peanuts some time?
Serves 2
Prep: 15 mins; no cooking or fire
2 mashed up guacamoles
A bag of nuts
2 finely chopped small pieces of raw tomato
1 finely chopped small pieces of raw onion
1.Mash up the guacamole into a sauce.
2.Add the finely chopped raw tomatoes and onions.
3.Stir in the onions and tomatoes with the guacamole sauce.
4.Add the bag of nuts and mix them up.
-sugar can be added to increase taste for those who love their guacamole with sugar.
-guacamole is what we know in the local language as avocado.
the story is online at-http://kenyakidz.com/new/index.php/latest-news/17-health/778-nuts-heal-chronic-diseases-studies-show
Today, close to a week gone, this country won the right to
determine its own path and destiny. Today, though writing from the other side;
having been a loyal supporter of CORD Movement, we move forward because of you.
This elections,
you the true sons and daughters of the red, green, white and black, reminded us
that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are a Kenyan
family and we are unified as one nation and as one people.
Despite
the road being hard and the journey long, we have picked ourselves up, dusted
off and fought our way back. I take this time to salute every Kenyan who
participated in this election, whether you voted for the very first time like
me or waited in line for a very long time. I want to thank Kenyans for being
peaceful, patriotic and calm awaiting the results- by the way, we have to
change and fix all these.
Whether
you pounded the pavement or picked up the phone, whether you held a
presidential sign or volunteered; you made your voice heard and you made a
difference.
I want
to congratulate all the presidential candidates on a hard fought campaign. We
may have battled fiercely, but it's only because we love this country deeply
and we care so strongly about its future. And so, we choose to applaud the
presidential candidates and their families for choosing to give back to Kenya through
public service. That is the legacy that we can’t take way because it must burn
deep within and we applaud it today.
To the
best electoral team and volunteers in the history of our politics. The best. The
best ever. Some of you were new this time around, and some of you have been at Chairman
Isaac Hassan’s side since the very beginning. But all of you are family. No
matter what you do or where you go from here, you will carry the memory of the
history you made together and you will have the lifelong appreciation and
respect of a grateful nation for conducting a credible electoral process. Thank
you for your incredible work. But I will say for now, a break and a long hot
bath is probably enough after this for some of you.
To some,
I know that political campaigns can sometimes seem small, even silly. Some have
even gone to say that politics is nothing more than a contest of egos or the
domain of special interests. But elections do matter. That’s why we do this. It’s
not small, it’s big. It’s important. Democracy in a nation of 40 million plus can
be noisy and messy and complicated. We have our own opinions. Each of us has
deeply held beliefs. And when we go through tough times, when we make big
decisions as a country, it necessarily stirs passions, stirs up controversy.
That
won't change in the next coming days, and it shouldn't. These arguments we have
are a mark of our liberty. We can never forget that as we speak people in
distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to argue
about the issues that matter, the chance to cast their ballots like we did
today.
But despite all our differences, most of us share certain hopes
for America's future. We want our kids to grow up in a country where they have
access to the best education. A county that lives up to its promises and
potential for good jobs, better health care and new businesses. A country that
withholds dignity and freedom for every human being.
We
believe in and an admirable Kenya, in a pace- setter country, in a compassionate
Kenya, opens to the dreams of her youths, women and men alike. To the young boy
on the north side of Nairobi who sees life beyond the nearest slums or street
corner. To the furniture worker’s child in Mombasa who wants to become a doctor
or a scientist, an engineer or an entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president-
that’s the future we hope for. That's the vision we share. That's where we need
to go — forward. That's where we need to go.
The focus now turns on
moving this great nation forward. Now along the way, we will disagree,
sometimes fiercely, about how to get there.
Your work as Kenyans is
not done. The role of citizen in our democracy does not end with your vote.
This
country has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We
have one of the most powerful military in history, but that's not what makes us
strong. Our university, our culture, our musicians, our heritage, our athletes
are all the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to
our shores and watching us with envy.
What make us exceptional are the bonds that hold together the
most diverse nation on earth. The belief that our destiny is shared; that this
country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to
future generations. The freedom which so many Americans have fought for and
died for come with responsibilities as well as rights. And among those are what
the spirits of our ancestors urge us on, and those are love and charity and
duty and patriotism. That's what makes Kenya great.
To my preferred
candidate, Mr. Raila “Jakom” Odinga-the enigmatic one and the CORD family, you
have been a true testimony to our blood line and democracy. Our roar was long
and loud; but that is because we love this country so much. If I was to say
something to this big family; then it would probably be-“it was an honor to
have fought at your side!”
For Kenya;
I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists,
despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so
long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep
fighting.
I believe we can build on
the progress we've made and continue to fight for new jobs and new opportunity
and new security for the middle class. I believe we can keep the promise of our
founders. I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as
divided as our politics suggests. We're not as cynical as the pundits believe.
We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more
than a collection of red, black and green counties. We are and forever will be
the United Counties of Kenya.
And together with your help and God's grace we will continue our
journey forward and remind the world just why it is that we live in the
greatest nation on Earth.
Thank you, Kenya. God bless you. God bless these united country.”
-additional
insights from president Obama re-election speech ‘‘The Best is yet to come.’’
-To
CORD supporters special dedication of Chronixx song-“we nuh give up”.
FOLLOW THIS BLOG-http://donda254.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/kenya-decides-2013-we-now-move-forward/
We've all heard them - the pregnancy myths and old wives' tales centered on the gender of a baby. From eating your meat rawer in the hopes of conceiving a boy, to a heart rate over 140 indicating a girl, there are a wide variety of pregnancy myths around the world. Since pregnancy myths are a fun (but definitely not scientific!) way to day dream about the sex of your future child, we chose to illustrate some of the ones we found most interesting. Enjoy, and please share with your family, friends, and colleagues!
THE BIG QUESTION:
WHAT IS CHINA’S POSITION ON KENYA’S ELECTIONS?
BY EMBUKANE VINCENT LIBOSSO
the thika road superhighway a kenya-china project that was commmisioned by president Mwai Kibaki.( image courtesy of the internet.)
Ally-Khan Satchu, a financial analyst based in Nairobi Kenya
reckons in one of his publications that China- Africa trade has grown from
nearly $0 to above $ 100bn in a decade. A very rapid and near-term phenomenon.
But it was Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte who once remarked that
china was a dormant giant and that when it awakes; the whole world will
tremble. Well, it turns out that those words were indeed not mere words but
prophetic. With the dawn of this prophecy, china has indeed awoken and the
effect reverberates across the world.
China like a bat has forever remained “blind”, guarded and
studiously quiet when it comes to the dirty game of politics in Africa. Mr. Magutt
; who teaches politics and international studies at Kenyatta University in
Nairobi writing for one of the local dailies notes that china lets the “usual
suspects”- the U.K and U.S do what
they’re best known for- harangue, tyranise and dictate to Kenyans and Africa
who not to vote for.
The big question that needs to be driven home is: as a
global super power; what is china’s position on Kenya’s elections?
I hesitate on that “big question” because as for me the fact
is the point has already been driven home- and what is more, even accepted!
So, will china give a formal statement with regards to Kenya’s
elections? Probably not! And with the look of things, that will not surprise me
nor will it surprise the rest of the world.
Why you ask? Stick around and you will know why. See,
president Kibaki’s administration leaned on the sino-kenya relations and trade
have been to say the least; robust- steadily eclipsing the so-called
traditional partners in the West.
But the reason why China will not give a formal statement as
Mr. Magutt reckons is that china is increasingly occupying a special place in
African countries because it is a nation whose civilization and history was
built on humanity; hard work and respect for others.
Probably that is why many African countries are leaning
towards china’s primary intention of settling more trade and investment. And as
Napoleon predicted 200 years ago, china is no longer dormant but an
indispensable global player.
NB. COME 4TH MARCH 2013 KENYA GOES TO THE POLLS TO ELECT A NEW GOVERNMENT. ANOTHER ACHIEVEMENT AS THIS STORY WAS PUBLISHED BY THE STANDARD NEWSPAPER ON SUNDAY MARCH 3RD 2013 A DAY TO THE ELECTION and it appeared here to-http://africanpress.me/2013/03/01/the-big-question-what-is-chinas-position-on-kenyas-elections/
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