Fans Should Get their Football Right before Debating

It helps a great deal to do that. You'll not look foolish and you'll be trusted next time.

Football is a game normally coated with emotions just like all or most games man has invented. But emotions should never be allowed to shut out facts, reason and intelligence.

After the one-sided soccer extravaganza in which Barcelona reminded Manchester United how the beautiful game should be played, an avalanche of football ignorance flowed in the social sites like an endless boring river stretching from the land of ignorance to the knowledge-less society.

Arguing that Arsenal, for example, is the only team to have beaten the mercurial, phenomenal, classy Barcelona team is itself an empty argument, a drab statement equivalent to the empty trophy cabinet of that team. Insisting on that not only shows how shallow the football well but also the insurmountable football ignorance of the person. Real Madrid, Liverpool (beat them both home) Manchester United, Sevilla, Chelsea (gave them four goals against two at Stamford Bridge-Ronaldinho scoring a fabulous goal while literally affixed just outside the penalty box), Internazionale, Rubin Kazan (beat them at Nou Camp). Arsenal beat them at Emirates but just like Sevilla in the King’s Cup, was given the simplest of knock-outs when they visited Nou Camp like in the previous contest when they were bundled out courtesy of a 6-3 goal aggregate in favour of Barcelona.

It’s not a lie to say that Man U got a deserving drubbing from a side that should be getting its place in history books among the best club-side to have ever graced the game. However, even with this merciless beating, there is still no room for misinformation and rather clueless analysis.

By the way, do we really need analyses from all and sundry after every game beamed on national channels as DSTV, when we can all watch it, for example and especially from rookies do we?  

Spin-Doctors Playing Tricks with Raila’s Mindboggling Expenditure

So instead of taking the answers to the questioner, Raila has decided to table his defence with the media.

It’s a good thing knowing that the media is one powerful monster which can build or destroy at will. It’s a well thought of idea to try to influence the Fourth Estate instead of taking on a weak parliamentarian, a first-timer, a fluent-swahili-wannabe Joshua Kutuny. It’s a wonderful choice especially when the local media-mostly known for ‘opening their mouths’ wide to take all of politician’s talk plus their ‘mucous’ without daring ask why they are being fed with such rejects as mucous. Of course it’s not mucous literally but all the crap oozing from the mouths of politicians and their spin-doctors, so please don’t kick me there, thanks.

The belated defence Raila’s team is trying to wage after failing to give a satisfactory answer in parliament only serves to show how desperate the Prime Minster is in trying to wipe the ‘rotten’ egg in his face in the wake of furious reaction from the Kenyan people.

The figure (sh602, 000 a night) consumed by the PM plus another sh387, 000 a night for each of the delegates in his entourage, not only captures our leader’s heart-scalding extravagance but also their don’t care attitude when it comes to using tax payer’s money.

Many have argued that the PM deserved a King’s treatment wherever he goes, sleeps or eats. It’s understandable but what if that King comes from a kingdom where its begging bowl is always sticking out of their hands, is it fair to overspend to satisfy one’s stature? Logic would definitely say no but carefree would certainly say yes. What’s funnier is when such is spent when you’re trying to cut a loan/donation deal with those you’re splashing what you’ve on.

The desperate efforts are similar to those of a thief who when caught stealing, rolls his head down, raise his hands and claim that he had just stolen kidogo (small amount), and  that he should be pardoned because the owner lied on the amount he had taken. When they say Raila used sh137, 000 a night, and his delegation each consumed sh21, 500 per night, they further smear the PM’s face with more rotten egg instead of cleaning it. First, why didn’t the PM deny Kutuny’s figures when the Mp revealed the expenses? You know silence is often understood as agreeing with what’s being said...And it would a serious mistake to say he didn’t know of the correct amounts because the questioner put forward the question last week, guaranteeing the PM and his people adequate time to do correct calculations and ascertain the figures and even correspond with the owners of the hotels.

The PM wouldn’t have gone to defend himself in the august house without having done or helped to collate a good response.

The damage is already done. Our PM is kingly extravagant.

The Bullfighter Khalwale Deserve a Clap

He does need a hearty one after victoriously battling out a hungry horde of political gluttons who had camped in his turf with their mouths open, salivating for his seat.

Bonny Khalwale’s re-election is a triumph of clarity on significant problems affecting the local men and women over the bossy politics Kenya has been subjected to over the past few years. He went against a ganged Orange Democratic Movement, which in all its ignorance might have thought distributing freebies left, right and centre, would empower it more than the local, often vocal Mp.

It was a terrible choice by Prime Minister Raila Odinga to openly campaign against a man who had stuck by him during heated moments in parliament. The PM must be thanking his lucky stars for lighting the High Court last Friday and making one judge think against conventions and give orders to stop the Kamukunji by-election.  Had he not done that, the PM would probably be somewhere hiding after a terrible loss. Kamukunji voters would probably have done the same as Ikolomani’s. And the PM plus his retinue would have asked for the darkest of cloth to cover their faces before *sobbing and running to the nearest thicket to hide*. 

It’s just imaginable how painful it’s to promise constituents all they could have (good roads, bla la bla!) and the best they give back is a vote against you. However, that's a kind of pain one willingly attracts him/herself to. 

It’s encouraging Khalwale’s people didn’t fall to the sickly promises fronted by all and sundry. It’s good they said loudly what kind of leadership they want, not only locally but also nationally.

The time for dishing districts, promising re-carpeting of roads and all sorts of engagements meant to sway voters is over. Kenyans, especially those with enough education and are over 18, take your money, smile but on the D-day they’ll certainly vote against you, the briber. That's the new Kenya.

Anyhow, it’s heartening to know Kenyan’s won’t be denied the debating profligacy of the famed Mp who once dressed down then Finance minister, Amos Kimunya, in the august house. His heart-slicing recitation of Kimunya Must Go! is still alive in most minds. The man who has popularised bull-fighting to the extent he’s been christened Bullfighter even in parliament, tried his trickery with then Agriculture minister, William Ruto, but failed after Mp’s ganged up to defeat the censure motion.

Now that he’s back, may the most prolific debater ready to take him come forth. Anyone there?

Sonko’s Attitude Not Swanky but Sorry

Punching lifeless things in the name of expressing rage over something is a sorry thing to do especially if the person doing it is thought to be sane and over 30.

So when Gideon Mbuvi aka Mike Sonko flexed his muscles, threw his hands and allowed his fists to make multiple strikes on motionless iron sheets, he only reminded many that he’s in a different league, a league of people who out of their cowardice attack defenceless things knowing well they would not be fought back.

And sleeping stomach up on the tarmac... an honourable member doing that? Someone who represents an urban constituency? Give us a break please. Only K’Ogalo fans could be allowed to do such inane things especially when they think they should be allowed to liberally score and not be scored. Anyway, Sonko scored a point with the latest tirades, a point which pressed him down the hole hiding miserable Mps. From now he would be treated by his colleagues-most of them evidently fought back nausea when he was addressing the press-with utmost care bordering on sympathy.

The correct, modern and moral thing to do when angry about something is to find out who could provide a solution, establish and follow the right channel to that person, cosily sit down, have a cup of tea and express your dissatisfaction with that person. Employing such idyllic tactics would definitely bear fruit and dignity would be preserved. Doing the contrary like inviting goons, gangs, and jobless girls to shout-march, vandalise property, spit out alcohol-laden insults, jump gates and disrespectfully invade places is just primitive and not characteristic of an urbanised Mp. 

And then spitting more vitriol...studs and shades. That’s something youthful and nice. And we already know fashion-conscious youths adorn such. Nothing knew really. Youths, studs, sunglasses, cowboy hats, shorts are not unique. So Sonko should not emphasise so much on that. He should instead stop imitating idle estate young men and women who after the day’s gossip jump up and down with a misplaced swagger meant to display non-existent power and pride. If he taught those youngsters on how to direct their energies on improving their lives other than invading well-built offices, he would have done something tangible and worth sending home.

What he did recently was backward and a perfect answer to how not to elect youths to such august houses as parliament.

Just Few Words of Praise for Samuel Wanjiru

Many words have just refused to come out but let the few that accept to bolt out reminisce of the good show this young albeit wealthy man from Nyahururu had shortly before he left to where his ancestors went long time ago.

He was among the best runners in the country. Had copious perseverance in his running. Ran 42.something kilometres with a perseverance of a gravel-breaker, added to races’ records and embolden his wealth with more and more riches whenever he hit the tracks.

Now he’s gone At 24 years. Dead.

The soft-tongued ‘guru’ athlete who many upcoming athletes would love to emulate has left behind a very young family. It’s painful for the Kenyan’s star who defied history, beat the jinx behind Kenya’s inability to translate its dominance in athletics in Olympics Marathon, won the 2008 Olympic marathon with much ease that could have infuriated both friend and foe, to flame out and be forgotten when he was gearing towards his peak.

Though, as a man his deficiencies have come out in plenty, it’s not fair to dwell so much on his flipside. Yes, it’s known, or rather reported that his apparent philandering was a thought in nigh for some. His drinking insomnia was known by none but many. Despite these, it’s fair to say he was just a little wealthy man whose adventuring attitude was still up and hot. He made mistakes and the best humanity can do is forgive him, enjoy his exploits and pray for more of such athletes-definitely those with less of Wanjiru’s negatives.

Samuel Wanjiru made Kenyans proud when he ran with zeal, conquered the invincible, brought home several winning Gold medals and let the world praise this beautiful east African country for its perennial supply of tireless runners.

In his dead, may his star continue glowing and may his failures diminish.

Besigye is rightly Pain in the A** for African ‘Looters’

When they stop (mis)directing public funds to their ill pockets, you can cease calling them looters. They would be more of leaders than looters.

That’s not the point though. The point is some of these ‘elected’ leaders were in Uganda to rubber-stamp re-election of the country’s president, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

Yea, African Presidents were there. They were supposed to be. It’s like a spiritual call for these presidents to avail themselves to such ceremonies, where one of them is receiving often another illegal ruling term.

Being in that place where Museveni was officially given another mandate to lead Uganda and continue hunting opposing voices like Kizza Besigye or others who think Museveni is bure kabisa (Swahili for nothing at all), is nothing but righting what Museveni and his government have been doing over the recent past.

The presence of these presidents Mwai Kibaki (Kenya), Goodluck Jonathan (Nigeria), Jekaya Kikwete (Tanzania), Joseph Kabila (DRC), ha-ha Robert Mugabe (you know it, Zimbabwe) and others without necessarily mentioning names and certainly not belittling them, gives Museveni legitimacy not only to crack down the Besigye and other Besigye’s but also to continue breaking their car windows with wicked hammers and to perpetually spray their god-given eyes with all sorts of watery pepper and re-colour their bodies with hot pinkish liquids.  

You might argue that a 25-year stint in state house somehow allows one to bully others, steal elections at will and even refuse opponents flights home. It could be true if what Muammar Gadaffi sought to do (massacre them) to the people he had led for 40 years plus when they rebelled against him early this year.

Anyway, so when those guns were bombing the air or rather showing the mightiness of Museveni to everyone who cared plus Besigye, the veteran opposition figure was apparently landing his tattered self from Nairobi at some distant airport. While he was doing these and issuing fresh threats, the owners of Uganda were dining and wining and casting out the image of Besigye. It’s logical that Museveni hosted his colleagues for lunch, dinner, or something like that after the being sworn in. And it’s also logical that he (strong feeling he did so) boasted of crushing the niggling noisemaker-cum-friend and may have also back-bit him on how weak he was politically and maybe added also that his food is made of teargas and such.

Simply put. What the leaders who went in solidarity to witness the swearing in of Museveni, were telling Kizza Besigye is that he’s equal to a barking dog with no teeth to bite. That he’s that serious pain in that place who deserved to be crushed the way Museveni has been doing.

...And Some Women Should Control their Narcissistic Tabias

It’s more often than not to hear a section of learned women calling for reservation of some jobs for them or fellow women. It’s also common for these women to issue wanton threats stretching from stripping naked in public to denying men their god-given conjugal rights if their so-called super rights are not extended to them.

The latest in Kenya is the demand by some women for absolute reservation of the post of the next Chief Justice in Kenya for a woman and a woman only.

Women deserve their rights just as men do, true. Women have in the past been denied a good chunk of their rights, correct. Women now make a lot of noise when they think their rights have been violated, right. But do they care a bit about the rights of men, doubtful. Especially for the young men-teenagers, students, nursery-school boys-who may not know a thing about the now conceived special treatment of women owing to their past mistreatment.  

It’s true some communities didn’t/don’t see women through the same lens as their men. Religion, entrenched cultural teachings, or simply taking advantage of the physical frailties of women, are in one way or another to blame for the recorded discrimination against the mothers, daughters, and aunties of this planet. In view of these it’s correct not to let the same thoughts seep into this enlightened generation. However, it’s incorrect to subject hard working men, sons and uncles of this modern world to this newest kind of discrimination which could be simply understood as settling scores for injustices meted upon women in the past. When a 21^st century man is told to give space for a woman just because women were not given that space in 1960s is  in itself discrimination of the highest order. Such aggravates a sin rather than cleansing society of it.

The point here is this unending calls for uplifting of women above men is time-barred, it is edging backwards and could as well be an old-time call now. It’s discriminatory in itself because young men, including those who are reading hard in primary school, secondary school and universities are subjected to an unfamiliar atmosphere which seems to specially handle women at the expense of them.

It’s an unfortunate practice and men are finding themselves between a still Kakamega rock and a hard place. They can’t say anything about this fast growing discrimination because if they do so they will be christened male chauvinists or women haters.  

What’s the solution then, you ask. First, it’s prudent and more so fair to see anyone as a well-created individual, a person who squarely belongs to planet Earth. Doing that opens a way for equality to reign without necessarily passing inequality to another gender in the name of equality for the other. Many African communities didn’t do that in the past and they ended elevating their men over their women because they thought men deserved so. That was in the past and now things are considerably different. Women study in similar schools, are admitted to the same universities, and are employed in the same companies. This is what’s happening now. Why then should we ever sing about women being treated above men? And should that innocent little boy be relegated to the backseat and his little sister elevated to the front seat? Is it correct? And would that solve gender inequality?  

PS: Tabias means behaviours. 

Daddy Owen’s Gesture was Monumental

And as sure as the sun will wake up from the East tomorrow, his actions last Saturday would definitely go down as the most memorable moment of all Awards’ ceremonies held in this country.

When he acted awarder instead of ‘awardee’ of the most coveted title, he not only plummeted pride normally associated with celebrities, but also and more importantly elevated humility, the much needed virtue in the music industry.

Instead of thumping his chest, clubbing his ears like possessed goal scorers, he did what few, if any, would have ever thought, let alone doing it.

In this era, when fame is nestled between life and death, and awards, the perfect jelly to grease the realisation of such sense of importance, it was unthought-of for Daddy Owen, aka Papa Fololo aka The King of Kapungala, to pass over his 2011 Groove Male Artist of the Year Award to one of his top challengers, musically, Juliani. When he did so, he caught everyone by surprise, even Juliani himself who appeared nervous when he eventually accepted the extended award from Papa Fololo.

It is true Juliani is up there with Daddy Owen not least because he was recognised by the later but most for his super lyrics and ability to make himself very relevant with the Kenyan youth who undoubtedly are currently consuming his music with zeal. He is definitely destined for bigger things. However, for now Daddy Owen would deservedly continue enjoying his stay at the top at the expense of others, like Juliani, because of one simple thing:  his ability to involve other musicians in his songs and not only to involve but also fuse them so well that listeners would think is their own songs other than his-remember the hit songs saluti, Tobina, system ya kapungala, kiriro? Second, his projects are cheap and appeal across the board. Juliani’s albums have for long been comparatively on the higher side-take for example, his latest album, Pulpit Kwa Street, steered by his latest hit, Bahasha ya Ocampo which retails at over sh800, as opposed to Daddy Owen’s System ya Kapungala which retails around sh300 or so. The difference in prices is huge and for the record it could have contributed to Daddy’s winning more appeal and more votes.

Aside from that Daddy Owen’s experience in the industry, close-watch from his older brother, Rufftone, his versatility and humbling down to make stunning collabos with a wide range of musicians have combined well to uplift him above everyone else.

Additionally, what will continue ringing in the minds of many gospel music enthusiasts as from last Saturday (30^th April 2011) is what Papa Fololo did. It was phenomenal in all sense. An act of humility, bereft of pride and worth emulating. It’s also fair to mention his song Saluti won in each category it was nominated in this year’s Groove Awards: Collabo of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year. It’s very fair too to say last year he scooped a number of awards and emerged the top-Male artist of the year.

Daddy Owen’s move is a timely gesture to all, including those politicians who are ever ferocious in their greediness. They should pick a lesson from this signal and learn that what makes a man great is what he does to those around him. If he appreciates he earns more respect, if he unapologetically steps on their feet and boast of his achievement, he loses, and loses miserably.

Osama’s Death a Big Plus for President Obama

There’s no doubt about that.

From today, there would be two awesome moments that would be fondly  remembered with Barrack Obama’s era. First, which will come foremost is his historic election as the first black President of the United States of America. That was a wonderful moment for all and sundry.

But now, Osama Bin Laden death will be passionately remembered with Obama’s reign. Having pulled the trigger first at the USA with his terrorist activities and managed to hide from the super power for several years, Osama heaped anger and rage to a bounty of $25 million for his head or his handcuffed self. The man's remains were all the US could gather but that would not make anyone care a bit now. The fact is the world most wanted enemy is no longer living with us. He's gone and fortunately, or otherwise, he only went out of this world with a shattered skull after a bullet penetrated it or so it’s reported. Fortunate, because the man would not have to answer (at least in the world’s courts) to multiple atrocities he meted upon good people in this planet.

With President Obama playing a significant role in Osama’s long-awaited demise-by giving orders as the commander-in-chief-he lifts himself atop among the greatest leaders of his era. Osama’s capture has been salivated for by as many people as those who have been hungry for his death. And with President Obama being the first to turn to Osama’s death page, he made himself a darling not only to Americans but also to every other individual in the world craving for Osama’s death.

When history is written about Obama, his superior exploits which saw him elevated to the top job in the USA amidst inferior thoughts will surely come forth, however, his commandeering that saw the death of, until his killing, the world’s most feared man will certainly follow suit that story enlightening about his momentous election.

This development, other than setting the timely pace for the wiping out of the terrorism menace that has taken siege of the entire world and which has been heightened by Osama Bin Laden since the turn of this century, would add an impetus to a growing belief on President Obama by USA citizens who had initially been disillusioned by Obama’s soft and indirect way of handling serious matters. The president would certainly add this on his fast-approaching re-election campaign and if there’s one thing that would strengthen his re-election bid then it’s this latest achievement.