What are the chances of Kalonzo Musyoka being president in 2022?

Sometime ago, I came across an interesting discussion, at Kongowea market in Mombasa. It was as to whether former vice president and Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has a realistic chance of winning the presidency in 2022. On one side of the debate were folks arguing that Steven Kalonzo Musyoka does indeed have a realistic chance of winning the presidency in 2022. And on the other side of the debate, there were folks arguing that Kalonzo’s best (political) days are behind him, and that he doesn’t really have a realistic chance of winning the Kenyan presidential seat during the 2022 general elections. I was intrigued by the debate.

It is important to appreciate that Kenyan voting patterns tend to be based on ethnic blocs. That may not be how it is supposed to be. But that is how things are, for the time being. Having appreciated this reality, it is important to also accept that, for the time being, Kalonzo Musyoka still appears to have one of the major voting blocs behind him – namely the Ukambani bloc. The Ukambani voting bloc has millions of votes – especially when you count both the votes of the folks who are living in Ukambani counties (Machakos, Kitui and Makueni) as well as the votes of the Kambas who are living elsewhere (in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kwale, Taita Taveta, Garissa, Lamu, Kilifi) and elsewhere. One of the mistakes we make when counting Kamba votes is that of only concentrating on the Kamba voters who are registered within the three Ukambani counties of Kitui, Machakos and Makueni – while overlooking the Kamba voters who are registered elsewhere. Yet the number of Kambas who are outside Ukambani is almost as huge as the number of Kambas who are in Ukambani. All said and done, if Kenyans are to stick to their ethnic voting patterns, and Kalonzo Musyoka retains his sway over the Kamba voting bloc, then we can say that he does have a realistic chance of clinching the presidency. But that also depends on whom he forms an alliance with, and whether the elites, the so-called ‘system’ or ‘deep state’ accept him.

It has often been pointed out that if Kalonzo is to attain political success going forward, he does need to take firmer stands on issues. He also needs to be a bit more controversial, so that he can get more news coverage. There is a generation of Kenyans who were born/grew up long after the KANU era, when Kalonzo had a lot of sway in government (and when the Kalonzo style of politics was the in-thing). The only way in which these people can get to understand Kalonzo and bond with him is if he is in the news more. It is amazing how we can go for a whole week without seeing Kalonzo on TV. Yet the folks he is supposed to compete with in the 2022 general elections -- the likes of Dr William Ruto -- keep on being mentioned in every news bulletin. It is even more amazing how Kalonzo Musyoka manages to retain his position as one of Kenya’s political kingpins even in spite of him not getting as much news coverage. 

Kalonzo also needs to get rid of the perception that he is just a Kamba leader, and get himself to be viewed as more of a national leader. He needs to get pointmen in the various regions of Kenya, the way Ruto has managed to get pointmen in various parts of Kenya – including Johnson Muthama, Kalonzo’s erstwhile ally, who has over time grown to be viewed as Ruto’s pointman in Ukambani. If Ruto does have a pointman in Ukambani (Muthama Nduya) why doesn’t Kalonzo seem to have a pointman in the former Rift Valley region? And he does perhaps need to update his politics, to align them with the demands of the time. Today’s politics are driven by brief sound-bites (which get into the TV news slots), not long speeches. The folks around Kalonzo need to prepare him properly whenever he is going for meetings anywhere on what to say and how to say it, in order to get the necessary publicity. The people around Raila Odinga seem to do a very thorough job in this regard, and one wonders why the people around Kalonzo Musyoka let him to go to meetings without thorough preparations on sound-bites... 

Raising a Son as a Single Mom

It is not easy to raise a son as a single mom. But you may have no choice but to do it – I mean, if you are a single woman, and you gave birth to a boy child, you have to raise him somehow, don’t you?

I think the most important thing, when it comes to raising a son as a single mom is to understand that he is a boy, not a girl. So the way you raise him would have to be quite different from the way you would raise a girl. And it would have to be quite different from the way you (as a girl) were raised. This is very important for you to realize right from the outset, because we often see single mothers trying to raise their sons exactly how they would raise girls/exactly how they themselves were raised, often with disastrous results. For instance, whereas it makes sense to keep a girl child indoors most of the time (and the girls are quite comfortable staying indoors most of the time anyway), with a boy, you would need to allow for more time outdoors -- ideally with other boy peers.

You need to appreciate that because of the testosterone in him, he will tend to be a little rough. You need to understand what is tolerable (and desirable) in a man/boy/son, when it comes to roughness and ruggedness and then put up with it. You also need to know what is not tolerable/desirable in a man/boy/son, when it comes to roughness and ruggedness, and ensure that he doesn’t cross that line.

It is important for you, as a single mom raising a son, to ensure that you don’t transfer whatever issues you have with his father to him. Thus, for instance, if the boy’s father made you angry/disappointed you/betrayed you – leading to the separation/divorce or whatever – it is important for you to ensure that you don’t transfer those issues to your son.

You have to be patient, while trying to raise a son as a single mother. You need to adopt a system where you regularly have dialogs with him and explain for him to understand why he should do certain things and why he shouldn’t do certain other things. This should start as soon as he is able to comprehend stuff. And if he does something wrong (right from when he is young), your first instinct should be to explain to him and get him to understand why what he did is wrong and why he shouldn’t repeat it. That is better than shouting at him, punishing him right away, humiliating him… and so on.

As a mother/parent, you have some power over your son. Don’t abuse it. Especially, resist the temptation to abuse the power you have over him when he is young and unable to stand up for himself. But be firm on discipline and make sure he understands the expectations that apply to him and acts on them.

It is important for you to have a clear vision of the type of man you want to raise your son to be, and then ensure that you try to attain that vision. So you think of some positive men you have interacted with, and try to figure out what you need to do for your son to turn like them.

Appreciate that a man needs to be somewhat strong to survive and pass his genes to the next generation. You therefore need to figure out some positive strategies for raising your son to be a strong man, but not a bully.

If possible, you need to find some male father figures for your son to be around, in order for him to learn from them (by way of observation) what is expected of a man. Even if it means having him spend some time at your brothers’ (his uncles’) places, your cousins or your [positive] male friends’ places. Some aspects of masculinity can only be learned through observation, hence the need for this.

KDF Cadet Requirements: How can I Increase Chances of Being Recruited as a KDF Cadet?

 KDR cadet recruitment requirements are quite stringent. You are expected to have solid academic grades, on top of near-perfect physical and mental health -- coupled with clean citizenship records. By solid academic grades, we mean something in the B plain to B+ range in KCSE [though having an A- or an A plain wouldn't do any harm], and with good grades in English, Mathematics and the Sciences.

Increasingly, folks who already have degrees in various fields are applying for and being absorbed into KDF, both as GSO (General Service Officer) cadets and as specialist cadets. For the General Service Officer cadet position, my understanding is that the basic academic requirement is for you to only have solid KCSE grades. You know, the A and B grades we made reference to earlier. Upon recruitment as a KDF GSO cadet, you would probably be put through a Bachelor of Science (Military Science) degree program, which runs alongside advanced military training. So this is to say that the folks who are recruited into KDF as cadets need to be the so-called ‘university material’ people. On the other hand, we are informed that folks who join as KDF specialist cadets (medical officers, chaplains, cartographers, surveyors, educationists, accountants, lawyers e.t.c) are only taken through a relatively brief but somewhat intensive military training program, before  being commissioned. It is the ones who join as General Service Officer cadets who undergo the 3-year military science degree program, at the end of which they are commissioned as Second Lieutenants.

Because of competition though, we are increasingly seeing folks who already have degrees in other fields (and whose ages haven’t gone above the maximum required) applying for KDF General Service Officer cadet jobs. They still have to undergo the military science degree program as a second degree for themselves. 

I once heard someone suggesting the KDF cadet program should, in fact, be a postgraduate program – meaning that only folks with degrees should be admitted in the first place. But I guess that such views were ultimately discarded, as insisting on only hiring folks with degrees would deny the defense people the chance to recruit the younger, fresher and more malleable minds that tend to make better career soldiers… Nonetheless, all factors being constant, if you already have a degree in some field and you are below the required age bracket (I think the maximum is 26 or 28 or thereabouts), and you apply for a Kenya Defense Forces cadet position, then the degree would be an added advantage.

Ultimately, if you wish to increases chances of being recruited as a KDF cadet, you firstly need to work real hard at school. You need to get above B plain, ideally a B+ or even one of the A grades.

If you wish to increase chances of being recruited into KDF as an officer cadet, you need to ensure that you don’t mess up with your physical or mental health. Avoid fights that are likely to leave you with bad scars or with broken teeth, as you will be thoroughly inspected before being admitted to the KDF cadet program. Avoid drinking too much alcohol or smoking too much and avoid things like muguka, miraa, bhang and other stuff that is likely to mess up with your mental health. The medical tests that you are subjected to prior to be admitted into KDF as a cadet are capable of detecting those things (or at least detecting the effect that those things have on your health).

Further, if you wish to increase chances of being recruited into KDF as an officer cadet, it is important for you to ensure that you don’t get involved in unlawful activities. You have to understand that you will be subjected to quite rigorous vetting, and if your records are not clean, it may deny you an otherwise very prestigious and lucrative opportunity to eventually work as a KDF commissioned officer.

How to access the Nairobi water rationing timetable online

There are times when you may want to access the Nairobi water rationing timetable – in order to check when you are scheduled to have water and when your taps are scheduled to be dry. Indeed, the Nairobi water rationing timetable can be accessed online, through the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company website.

What you need to be looking for, within the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage company’s website is something called ‘Equitable Water Distribution Program’. That is the politically-korrect name for Nairobi water rationing timetable.

The first thing you need to do is enter the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage company website’s address (nairobiwater.co.ke) into your browser. You can enter it into the Google Search box or you can enter it near the top of the browser, within the address bar.

Once you get to the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage company’s website, you will find a navigation menu at the top – you know, the one with links like ‘Home’, ‘About Us’, ‘Services’, ‘Media Center’, ‘Online Services’, ‘FAQs’ and ‘Contact Us’. From that navigation menu, you should point your mouse at ‘Media Center’, at which point a drop down menu with items like ‘News Watch’, ‘Tenders’, ‘Public Notices’, ‘Press Releases’… and so on appears. From that drop down menu, you click on ‘Public Notices’. [So you first point your mouse cursor at ‘Media Center’, then from the options that appear, click on ‘Public Notices’]. On the page that you are taken to, browse through the various notices until you find the one for Nairobi Water Rationing timetable (which, as we said, is officially known as the  'Equitable Water Distribution Program’) and click on it. On the page that you are taken to, you should be able to find the Nairobi Water Rationing schedule, typically in the PDF format. You will then need to skim through the program/timetable, to see when you are scheduled to have water and plan accordingly.

By the way, how did we end up with almost permanent water rationing in Nairobi? Well, I think there are several factors to explain this. One would be the fact that the Nairobi City population and size grew, in the last 4 decades or so, at a much faster rate than had been anticipated. Thus, the original water supply system was unable to cope, necessitating the water rationing measures. There is also the fact that the people who were in charge of Nairobi were unable to plan properly. And then there have been allegations that corruptions may be to blame for Nairobi’s water problems, as money that could have been used to set up new dams/new water sources for Nairobi could have been diverted to other uses. Add to this the politics of the 80s and 90s – when Kenya’s development had almost stagnated, due to apparent reluctance to help Kenya on the part of development partners. And that was at a time when some of the development partners we are working with lately hadn’t yet come into the picture, meaning that we had to deal with the old development partners who were often not very fast to set up huge development projects. That is, huge projects like the dams needed to resolve Nairobi’s water problems. But of late, there seems to be concerted efforts to address Nairobi’s water problems (and eventually do away with Nairobi water rationing). Though, as one of the people in charge of that issue put it, the challenge may be with us for quite some time: because setting up the necessary water supply and distribution systems requires a lot of money. And even when the money is available, it requires quite some time as those are rather complex engineering projects. 

Advantages of Traveling from Mombasa to Dar es Salaam on Tahmeed Bus

One of the best ways to travel from Mombasa (Kenya’s Port City) to Dar es Salaam (Tanzania’s Commercial Capital) is through Tahmeed Bus.

For one, Tahmeed buses are designed to be quite comfortable for the traveller. In fact, one can dare to assert that when it comes to road transport between Mombasa and Dar, Tahmeed offers the most comfortable option. This is attributable to, firstly, the seat configurations in Tahmeed buses. The seats are configured for utmost comfort of long distance travellers. It helps a lot that most of the seats in Mombasa-Dar Tahmeed buses are of the reclining variety – which is important as you may find yourself wanting to sleep at some point in this relatively long journey. The lighting and on-board entertainment within Tahmeed coaches is also quite nice. Tahmeed coaches also seem to be designed in such a manner that they don’t get too hot: which is important because temperatures on the Mombasa-Dar stretch can at times be quite high.

Secondly, Tahmeed buses are reasonably fast. This means that you don’t end up spending days in the journey between Mombasa and Dar. Sometimes you look at how fast you get to move between Mombasa and Dar es Salaam via Tahmeed Bus, and you just have to acknowledge that you were transported as fast as possible between the two cities. This is unlike what you would be the case if, for instance, you were to attempt to travel between Mombasa and Dar by truck – where you can easily end up spending two or three days on the road! There is also the fact that Tahmeed busses seem to operate on strict schedules – meaning that once the time for a given Tahmeed coach to depart from Mombasa for Dar es Salaam comes, it departs immediately. In this regard, Tahmeed is unlike some of the other low profile bus companies operating between Mombasa and Dar: which operate in a matatu-like manner. Meaning that you have to wait for them to get filled (however long that takes), before they can embark on the journey.

Thirdly, border clearance for Tahmeed passengers at Lunga Lunga/Horo Horo tends to be quite straightforward. As long as you have the right papers, you are likely to just whizz past the officials at Lunga Lunga and Horo Horo – which is quite different from what would be the case if, for instance, you were trying to go past the border on a truck or some other 'less prestigious' mode of travel.

Fourthly, Tahmeed bus fares between Mombasa and Dar es Salaam are quite affordable. I mean, if you compare what you spend on Mombasa-Dar es Salaam Tahmeed bus fare with what, say, you would have spent on a plane ticket from Mombasa to Dar, you see that the Tahmeed fare is a very small price to pay. And having opted to travel from Mombasa to Dar via Tahmeed, you will get to do a lot of sightseeing on the way, which would have been impossible had you opted to simply fly from Mombasa to Dar.

Boniface Kabaka vs Johnson Muthama: Who has performed better as Machakos Senator?

Boniface Mutinda Kabaka is the Machakos Senator (as at December 2020). He was elected to the seat during the 2017 general elections. Before him was Johnson Nduya Muthama, who served as the first senator of Machakos under the 2010 constitution. This was following his election during the 2013 general elections. Now I recently overheard some people arguing as to who, between Boniface Kabaka and Johnson Muthama has been more effective in the Machakos Senatorial role. On the one hand of the argument were folks arguing that Muthama was more visible, and was therefore more effective as Machakos senator. On the other side of the argument were those arguing that Boniface Kabaka has been more focused on representing the people (and less on political shenanigans) and is therefore the more effective Machakos senator.

Ultimately, it is up to the individual Machakos voters to decide who, between Johnson Muthama and Boniface Kabaka has been more effective as Machakos senator. And whichever way you look at, there are bound to be people who feel that either Muthama or Kabaka is the better senator. These perceptions are likely to be influenced by where (within Machakos county) they come from, and also on their personal interactions with the two gentlemen. This is also where the 2022 politics could come into play, especially given the fact that Muthama seems to have emerged as Dr William Samoei Ruto’s Ukambani pointman. That could push some people into having positive perceptions of him, while inclining others to have not-so-positive perceptions of him – depending on where they stand within the 2022 and BBI political divide.

Johnson Muthama is one of the doyens of Ukambani politics, having served as Kangundo MP for quite some time, before eventually getting elected as Machakos Senator after the 2010 Kenya constitution was promulgated. There are those who feel that he would have easily recaptured the Machakos Senatorial seat, had he opted to vie in 2017. But then a variety of factors came into play, which ultimately saw him opting not to run – giving folks who would otherwise have had a very hard time capturing the Machakos senator seat a chance to do so. The advantage that Muthama had, as Machakos senator, was in the fact that he had a lot of experience and knowledge on the real issues affecting Machakos residents, the Kamba community and Kenyans at large.

On his side, Boniface Kabaka is said to have been mostly based in the USA, and flew back to Kenya just in time for the 2013 general election in which he unsuccessfully vied for the Machakos senatorial seat. At that time, he was seen as a pro-Mutua (Machakos Governor Dr Alfred Nganga Mutua) candidate. Whereas he didn’t manage to capture the Machakos Senator seat in 2013, he bid his time. And as fate would have it, Muthama didn’t contest during the 2017 election, giving Kabaka a realistic shot at capturing the seat – though he still had to battle it out with other seasoned politicians like Mutua Katuku. The advantage that Boniface Kabaka has, as Machakos Senator, is said to be in the fact that he has lived abroad (in a first world country) for quite some time – and therefore has exposure and a good idea as to how things should be done. That is on top of the fact that he is said to be not as 'abrasive' as Muthama – which could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you choose to look at it.

DO Misiani – Was He the Founder of the Benga Music Genre?

I recently came across an interesting argument, as to who the founder of the benga music genre in East Africa was. On one side of the argument, there were those arguing that benga’s pioneer artist was D O Misiani, of Shirati Jazz band. On the other side of the argument, there were those arguing that benga originated from DRC (which was then known as Zaire, under Mobutu Seseseko). I personally think that there is some merit in the argument that D O Misiani of Shirati Jazz band could have been benga’s pioneer artist. If anyone has a contrary opinion, then they should state who – according to them – was Benga music genre founder. 

According to my informed source on the subject, D O Misiani who was from Shirati in Tanzania founded the benga music genre, which then spread to the various Kenyan communities who customized it to their various needs. So, for instance, it founds its way to the Luo community, then eventually to the Luhya, and ultimately the Kisii bands who did very well under the Kundi productions. Most remarkable among the Kisii benga artists of that period were the likes of Christopher Monyoncho (at nyamwari band) and John Sitora, to name but just two of the top names that come to mind. So prolific were these Kisii Kundi benga artists that you could often find people in other parts of Kenya [where Kisii language is not spoken] still playing the music -- in spite of them not knowing what the lyrics were all about. Then it spread further, to the Kalenjin (including Parwai, Kalenjin Sisters original and other bands). At the same time, it was spreading in the central and south eastern part of Kenya – with Kamba artists like Kakai Kilonzo, Mwania and Sila of Kilimabogo brothers, Peter Mwambi of Kyanganga, Mutaiti of Kalambya (and later Kaiti)… among others being D O Misiani’s contemporaries. In the Kikuyu region, the top benga artists who were D O Misiani’s contemporaries included the likes of Peter Kigia, Simion Kihara, Joseph Kamaru and John De Metthew, to name but just a few.

Whether or not he was the very first benga artist, what is not in doubt is the fact that DO Misiani was one of the finest musicians in that genre.

The most attractive thing about the benga music genre tends to be in its fast, danceable beats, its simple messages and its melodious nature. I have come to realize that benga songs tend to fall into two categories. There are those, on the one hand, that are designed to be listened to (typically with very touching melodies and profound messages). Then there are those that are designed to be danced to.

Today, there are probably thousands upon thousands of people who are considered to be benga music artists, and they have taken it to considerably high levels. In the Kamba region, for instance, we have the likes of Maima, Katombi, Kativui, Ken wa Maria, Vuusya Uungu, Katicha, Ithumula, Kilinga/Mulutu… to name but just 8 of the probably 3,000+ Kamba benga artists.

Anybody telling you that benga music’s glory is in the past would be cheating you – as new benga artists are emerging with every passing day. In the Kamba region (whose benga music scene I am reasonably well conversant with), you find youngsters like Katicha Mweene (of Ngaani boys band), the likes of Kelvin Kyalo (of Kenya stars band) and Mada (of Kwandeke Boys band) taking over from where those who have grown old left. Yes, benga music faces competition from other genres, but there is still a certain demography for whom benga music resonates and will always resonate in the near future. For me, this view was further buttressed during a recent Maima (Kithungo Raha band) performance at Bubbles Club in Kongowea – where, in spite of tough economic times brought about by the coronavirus ‘pandemic’, I still found people queuing to buy tickets/to be admitted into the show. And these were mostly youngers, in their late teens and early 20s – meaning that the benga music genre has a future. Thus, the founders of the benga music genre in East Africa – the likes of D O Misiani who was initially the subject of this article – can be proud that what they started has taken root properly, and it seems as if it will be with us for posterity. 

Pewa Pewa by Katombi – What is Alex Kasau actually talking about in this song?

Pewa pewa is undoubtedly one of the Alex Kasau (Katombi)’s best hits of all time. It was released during the covid-19 period (the year 2020). I first heard of it in -- you guessed it right -- Kitui Town at the keg pubs that are somewhere below the town’s main bus station, in Mjini. Someone came into the pub shouting ‘Pewa Pewa by Alex Kasau’ and I couldn’t [right then] understand what he was speaking about. But after a minute or so, the pub’s loud speaker came alive with the melodious song – and that is when I came to know that Nguuni Lovers Lovers had given birth to yet another beautiful baby: Pewa Pewa. I have gone on to hear the song numerous times thereafter, and it seems that there is no pub that doesn’t play Katombi’s Pewa Pewa hit. It has become like an anthem in Ukambani pubs and beyond.

So, what is Katombi talking about in the song?

Well, Pewa Pewa is basically a club song. It starts with the phrase ‘Pewa Pewa, Kila Mundu akite upewa’ (which basically means that every body should have a drink). Kisinga (as Alex Katombi is also known) then proceeds to proclaim that "I only come to realize how moneyed I am when I go to drink". And upon realizing how rich he is, he proceeds to order drinks for everyone: pewa pewa. Then, of course, the people in the club start praising him – with the guys calling him ‘Bazu’ even as the damsels call him ‘uncle’. Folks who use harder stuff, on the other hand, refer to him as ‘Akasha’ (or something like that).

At some point in the song, Katombi alerts us to the fact that this life that we have is not eternal. And that we should therefore drink while we can.

There is also the point at which Katombi proclaims that Hennesy, Shisha and weed are his mainstays, and that he doesn’t like to be disturbed (kukuniwa mbwembwe) while drunk.

One of the most poignant verses in the song is the last one – where Kasau declares that he only drinks with “Mang’andaa”  (cool lads, I suppose) and that you will never find muguka and tuluki twa utila (small small alcohols) on his table. Then the song climaxes, and goes into the usual ‘Kisinga Kee’ routine, which is the signature for Alex Kasau’s Nguuni Lovers Lovers band.

In my view, there are some three things that make the Pewa Pewa song by Nguuni Lovers Lovers good.

First is the fact that the Pewa Pewa son has an easy to understand and memorize chorus (which everyone can internalize and sing along to): just the sort of thing that people drinking in a club setting like. So even if you can’t catch the rest of the lyrics, you can be sure to at least catch -- and sing along to – the chorus. This is a strategy that Katombi seems to have adopted of late: we see the same thing in the ‘Mwendaa Ata’ song, which I reckon came in the same album as Pewa Pewa.

The second thing that sets Pewa Pewa apart is the fact that it is a very melodious song. This is important, especially at a time when more and more Kamba benga artists are opting for free-style singing, as opposed to melodious singing. One gets the impression that only artists like Alex Katombi and his protégé Kelvin Kyalo have kept up with the melodious singing tradition.

The third thing that sets Pewa Pewa apart from the rest is the instrumentation. As always, Katombi lead guitar is spot on, as is (I suppose) Mukuu’s rhythm. But what is really notable is the bass in the song, and the fact that in this particular song, the bass guitarist has actually gotten himself to be heard clearly. This is unlike what we are used to – where the bass guitar is usually just an accompaniment to the rest of the instrument. In Pewa Pewa, the bass comes out very clear and is truly distinctive. In Nguuni Lovers Lovers team 1 lineup, it is usually Kasyema who strums the bass guitar. I don’t know if he is the one who did the recording as well, but the bass in that song is quite remarkable. If you happen to listen to the Pewa Pewa song in a club setting where there is a proper sound system, you won’t fail to notice just how distinctive the bass guitar in that particular song is.

All said and done, we see (through the Pewa Pewa song) that Katombi didn’t go to sleep when the covid-19 lockdowns came upon us. Instead, he went into music-making mode, and the results are clear for all to see – with hits like Pewa Pewa and Mwendaa Ata. I have also watched the video to the Pewa Pewa song by Katombi, and it is a reasonably good work, especially considering the fact that it was taken during coronavirus restrictions time.

Setting up a boda boda business in Nairobi: challenges you are likely to encounter

One of the challenges you are likely to encounter while setting up a boda boda business in Nairobi is that of getting a ‘stage’ to operate from. You find that you can’t just go to any ‘stage’ and start picking passengers from there. Most of the boda boda stages in Nairobi have their 'owners', and for you to be allowed to operate from there, you have to go through a difficult process. But if you are willing to operate from a sub-optimal/less prime stage, then the process won’t be so grueling.

Another challenge you are likely to encounter while setting up a boda boda business in Nairobi is that of getting a trustworthy person to employ as a boda boda rider. You need a person who will give you a fair share of the earnings/the pre-agreed target amount without fail. You need a person who will take care of the boda boda motorcycle as if it was his own. And of course you need a person who won’t run away with your motorbike. It can be a challenge, but if you use your networks, especially your rural home networks or your estate networks, you can eventually find a trustworthy boda boda rider employee with good guarantors.

Yet another challenge you are likely to face while setting up a boda boda business in Nairobi is that of getting parking space for your boda boda. Unless you live in a house with your own compound where you can be parking your boda boda, you are likely to face quite a bit of a challenge in this area.

Why has the cyber business in Kenya become so popular?

Nowadays, almost every major street in a Kenyan town is bound to have several cyber businesses. The question that I keep on asking myself is as to why the cyber business in Kenya has become so popular. I have several hypothesis, to explain why that is the case.

First of all, it is important to understand that several years ago, the Kenyan government opted to move most of its services online. So today if you wish to apply for a Kenyan passport, you have to start the process at a cyber café. If you wish to apply for a KRA PIN, you do so at a cyber café. If you wish to apply for a business permit, you do so at a cyber café. If you wish to file your Kenya KRA tax returns, you do so at cyber café… you could go on and on. And all that is on top of the traditional Kenya cyber café business revenue streams, which included internet browsing, photocopy services, typesetting services, printing services and so on. What then becomes clear is the fact that the cyber business in Kenya has lately become quite lucrative and that is why many people are venturing into it. 
But I have my fears: that the field may soon become too saturated, at which point the cyber business in Kenya will stop being very profitable. For the time being though, it seems that the most popular business venture in Kenya is that of the ‘cyber’.

Does the Technical University of Mombasa still offer certificate courses?

When it used to be known as the Mombasa Polytechnic, the Technical University of Mombasa used to offer a wide variety of certificate courses. Does it still do so? 
I ask that question because when I came to Mombasa, one of my goals was to enroll for a certain certificate course at the Technical University of Mombasa. But then I was held up by other responsibilities, to a point where I never got the time to enroll for the certificate course at the Technical University of Mombasa. 
I remember when it was the Mombasa Polytechnic, and they used to run full-page newspaper ads for various diploma and certificate courses. Some of them would be in engineering technical fields, whereas others were in business fields. 
You actually come to realize that many of the middle class professionals in Mombasa were actually trained at the Technical University of Mombasa when it was a polytechnic. Many of them did relatively simple certificate courses at the Mombasa Polytechnic/Technical University of Mombasa, then worked their way up their various fields, to a level where today they are viewed as ‘consultants’ in their respective fields. 
But I also appreciate that many of the certificate courses are now offered at the Mombasa Technical Training Institute and at the Mombasa Coast Polytechnic among other TVET institutions within Mombasa City.

Where in Mombasa can I buy a computer?

If you are seeking to buy a computer in Mombasa, there are several places you can go to. In my experience, the best place to shop for a computer in Mombasa is the area around Casablanca in Mombasa CBD (Moi Avenue Mombasa). There are lots of computer shops there, and because they are in fierce competition, it is possible to get a very good deal there. Whether you are looking for a brand new computer in Mombasa, a refurbished computer in Mombasa, a laptop in Mombasa… and so on, if you visit that stretch between the Moi Avenue-Digo Road junction and Mapembeni, you are likely to get a very good deal.

Another area where you can get good deals on computers within Mombasa is area around/opposite Mombasa Public Health Department in Mwembe Tayari. One of the best computer shops there is Ken Computers Mombasa. They tend to have a good stock of all types of computers and their salesmen will address any question you may have. As you move up that street towards and past the Kenya National Library Services Mombasa branch, you find several other computer shops where you can also get decent deals.

You can also visit the various malls in Mombasa, including Nyali Mall though what you are likely to find there are brand new laptops on sale.

Listening to Eene FM Presenters is Fun

On my last visit to Kibwezi and Makindu towns, I noticed that many people were tuned to Eene FM. I decided to ask one of the fellows for the Eene FM Kibwezi frequency and once he gave it to me, I tuned into the station using my phone. I was trying to understand exactly what it was that was making many of the people in these parts of Ukambani to tune into Eene FM. 

The specific time when I first tuned into Eene FM was on Saturday mid-morning (between 10 am and 1 Pm) when they have this program where they review Kamba benga music and interview Kamba benga musicians. I later on got to listen to other Eene FM programs, and it soon became clear to me why the station is attracting such a huge audience. The reason is in that the Eene FM presenters (at least most of those I got to listen to) are fun. They bring up issues that are of concern to Kamba people, use fun language, and tend to avoid infusing English words in Kamba conversations (which has become a major problem with Ukambani elite nowadays). 

It seems as if the people who recruit presenters for Eene FM really know their business. So I would say that part of the reason behind Eene FM’s growing success is its presenters, who are individuals that are truly worth listening to.

How do I repay mcoop cash loan?

Well, the way I normally repay my m-coop cash loans is by first depositing the funds into my cooperative bank account. So like I go to a cooperative bank agent or to a cooperative bank branch and deposit the funds into my main cooperative bank account there. Alternatively, I deposit the funds into my cooperative bank account using the m-pesa pay bill number 400200.

Once the money is in my account, I dial *667# and follow the steps to transfer the funds from my main cooperative bank account to my m-coop cash account. And once the money is in my m-coop cash account, I then use it pay for the loan. 

I don’t know if there is a way of depositing funds directly into the m-coop cash but the approach I am describing (of first depositing money into my main cooperative bank account, then transferring the money from there to the m-coop cash account) seems to work just as well for me. One trick I usually use is that of ensuring that I pay 1 shilling extra to cater for any cents that may be in my loan calculation (and to thus ensure that the loan doesn’t remain marked as ‘outstanding’). Thus, for instance, if my m-coop cash loan amount was 10,050, I pay 10,051 to have the extra 1 shilling cater for any cents that may be above the main figure. That is just how I do it and it has so far worked well for me.