TAX ON SANITARY PADS IS AN AFFRONT TO WOMEN'S RIGHTS

                Many poor, rural/slum girls and women find it hard to purchase the much needed sanitary pads and other "womanly commodities" they need. This can be attributed to many factors. But the biggest culprit is poverty and ignorance. This segment of humanity is unable to get these "vital tools" because they are financially handicapped. They need assistance. They need help. 

                To cushion this, most of them have resorted to using life threatening "tools" to "fight" this monthly monster. Some use leaves and used clothing to "clean up themselves." Others resort to "seating on sand" to allow a smooth flow of the "fluid" out of them.

                All these sound dangerous, right? Look up, take a deep breath and ask yourself this question.....does it add any value to introduce tax on already expensive sanitary pads and "womanly commodities"?

                Methinks this is a blind move by a desperate government- a government whose senses and feelings are detached from the feelings of its subjects. To do this is akin to declaring war against unarmed civilians. I will liken it to an act of shooting a defenseless population in the name of maintaining public good. It is an affront to women's dignity and rights.

                People of goodwill must rise up and do something. A "counter resurgence" is needed. This demands that we work together. It demands thinking. It demands sacrifice. It is a defining moment for those with heavy hearts. Those who believe in the we-are-because-of-other peoples'-existence philosophy. It is purely an act of taking the place of that poor needy girl or woman whose agony goes unnoticed. Here are some hints:

                Make a decisive shout and tell the Kenyan government that tax on sanitary pads is akin to nailing an already dead person. It must rescind its move and look for other creative ventures of raising revenue. NOT THROUGH STEALING THE DIGNITY OF OUR GIRLS AND WOMEN.

               Secondly, let’s share the little we have with those with none. It is through this that we acknowledge that we are umbilically related to others outside there. Let’s pool our efforts and make this cause a reality. COME ONE COME ALL.

                Innovation is highly needed on this. A friend told me of “a new method of making homemade pads from locally available materials". Methinks this is what the suffering masses are thirsty of - to know how to make this valuable commodity on their own. LET’S TRAIN THEM. 

                Finally, a woman's dignity MUST BE PROTECTED BY ALL. It is NOT a women-only domain. It calls for all segments of the society to play their roles for needy poor girls and women to have their needs attended to. Teach them. Help them. Pray for them.......Yes, be close to them!

A PARADIGM SHIFT; PANACEA TO AILING MASSES

                 It is the duty of any people-loving government to open opportunities for the masses. This, I think, serves both sides - the State and the persons, for a hungry population is angry and poses a great danger to the government. But the big question is- how can the State forestall this anger of the people? Through jailing the have-nots? No! Through distribution of goodies and foodstuffs? No!

                 The answer is here. The language of the masses is always dictated by the gestures of the government. They say revolutionaries are never to blame for their revolutionary (and sometimes radical) acts. Theirs is just but a response to a situation befalling them. They establish the equilibrium by doing the opposite of what is done by state actors.

                  And this begs the questions; should a mother be sent to jail for stealing food to feed her kids? Should a poor village chap be condemned for not having somewhere to call home? Methinks to do this will be to take a wrong route. In every action, there must be a cause. It is by establishing this cause that we cure the action. Let’s open up this.

                There is that old adage that goes like this; “you don't give a man fish, you teach him how to catch it". The import of this is simple; avoid creating a begging society. Teach it to be self reliant and self sustaining. But how can this be realized? Are there ways to make them a reality? Yes, get them here:

                 Risk a life to save lives. People should be made to understand that it is through toiling, scratching and searching that they earn a living. It isn't through sleeping and sitting. It is about moving out, braving the colds, combing bushes, traveling far and wide that one gets to that Promised Land.

                 Willingness to learn should not just be an option but an obligation. This calls for non-discrimination. It demands that one walks with all people. Learning is thus a collection of other peoples' successes and failures. And these are found out there - in churches, mosques, markets, streets, villages, slums, cities and towns. The world around us is a minefield of successes and failures. We learn from them and through them.

                 Mass education should be driven by those with heavy hearts. Those who are ready to shake off their egos and embrace the life and language of the targeted group (the lowest of the lowest). Those who are ready to break the norms and sit and talk with the outcasts and the untouchables. It is by doing this that bonds are created. That long-lasting friendships take root. That knowledge is passed across to others. Over to you!      

DADDY, I WISH YOU QUICK RECOVERY

                    The greatest injury on any man is to be away when his father needs him most. This is as painful as the spikes of a savanna lion. It stings and shakes manhood to its roots. It inflicts a recurring wound on the thoughts and thinkings of a man. It silences a man and connects him to the afterworld. This is the moment when a man retreats to the world of silence. A silence that oils introspection and meditation. This is when a man connects with his ancestors and the great men and women whose actions fortified the foundations over-which he is built. Yes this is my world.

                     This is not a fictional writing. I don't possess the power to imagine such. This is an outpouring of a life of a man whose blood and flesh gave rise to me. It is a story of a man whose life is linked to mine and whose suffering from a cancerous infection is posing a great psychological obstacle to my smooth ride to better the world.

                      It is a moment in life when one seeks to have a physical talk with God,the Giver of life and health,to demand His intervention. It is time when a man swims  in the deep oceans of endless questions. It is a moment when some misguided thoughts find their way into a man's heart. Yes this is where the Lemukols are. They are journeying on a rocky path infested with man-eaters and other life threatening monsters.

                      But there is hope.There is light at the end of the tunnel.And this is why I write this piece. It is the only platform at my disposal to unload the heavy burdens of pain and physical separation. My people will say, a talking man never grieves. This is why I have chosen to "speak". I have chosen to "shout" for all to hear - so as to evade the grieving spirit. 

                      May these "shouts" have an impact on the Lemukol family. Let it be known that strong families gain the title "great" after shouldering and conquering challenges of life. These challenges are nothing but fortifying actors. They are meant to solidify our belief of togetherness and family bond.

                       And to my beloved mother; guard this close to your soul; father's illness should not shake your faith in the Almighty. I believe in your capability in winning the toughest of fights in life. Daddy's illness is nothing to you. It can't move you. It can't shake you. I celebrate you for this.

                       And to my brothers, sisters,brothers-in-law and your families, let this moment allow you to think of your roles in the family. Let it be that golden episode that allows you to carry an honest inspection of yourselves and connect you with the Creator. 

                       Daddy, may the healing power of God reign over you and kill that cancerous cell disturbing your throat. Nothing is impossible in the Almighty!

Yours,

Moses.

OF THE MZUNGU INVESTOR AND TURKANA LEADERS

                Politicians are meant to "cry". Their job is to "shout" and "make noise" for the silent masses. That is their modus operandi. But wait, these "noises" aren't absolute. They are subject to checks and balances - by the masses or by any right thinking person. It is for this that I write this piece. 

                A concerned citizen in the name of Erastus Naboikut (https://www.facebook.com/erastus.naboikut) wrote to me expressing his concerns on the issue of the mzungu (white-foreign) investor in Lokichar (who plans to construct a tourist hotel and an airstrip). His concerns were clear: there is a breakdown of communication between the mzungu, the local leaders and the hoi polloi. The masses have been reduced to spectators in a matter that touches their veins and generations. 

                As a right thinking citizen I find it imperative to join this debate and "shout" my thoughts. Humans derive their progressive power from their interactive composition. Man is the only creature with a tool of communication - the mouth. He has the engine of knowledge- the brain. All these are not for cosmetic reasons. They are meant to serve man. To make him live peacefully with God's creation.

                And this begs the question - what is the motivation behind the wrangles on the mzungu issue? I have some theories to explain this.

                Theory number one : these are spillovers of boardroom fights. It is a product of a deal gone soar. It revolves around the sharing of "a piece of meat". The public has no share in this "meat". It is an exclusive "dish" for the sons and daughters of the soil. Those who cut deals on behalf of the hoi polloi. Those whose role is to "shout" for us. Those whom we've entrusted with the duty of speaking and acting on our behalf. They are in dilemma. They are looking for a way out to "save face". And the only way is to appeal to the emotions and ignorance of the masses.

                Theory number two : Ego fights and the need to be declared a diligent leader. A quick look of the current leadership shows that a good number of them are new on the job. They are still fresh in people’s memories. They shoulder heavy loads of expectations from the electorates. They are bound to deliver these promises. But you know what? When you have no means to turn these promises into concrete results, you turn against your colleagues and "sell" them badly to the public. 

                  Theory three: set the public against the investor by starving them of relevant information. I'm no propaganda theorist. But common knowledge dictates that once the populace is starved of information it is bound to use any available "tool" at their disposal to get this information. In some cases this may turn violent. It is simply a game destined to benefit a few (those on the scheming end of the stick). Thus, “a corrective measure" to right the boardroom squabbles.

                  Theory four: the investor must have outwitted our leaders .You know a divided house is no better than a dead one. They (leaders) went with their mouths fuming with hunger and anger thus handing the investor the atomic bomb to silence them. But elected chaps never accept defeat before their electorate. For them to do this is akin to committing political suicide. They would rather shout at each other in public to save their faces than engaging in a constructive dialogue to right their wrongs.

                 I'm no pessimist. But truth must be said - development in Turkana shall remain a mirage unless we put our house in order. We must think for the masses. We must embrace cooperation. No nation stands on its own. We are all embedded on one another. My survival is yours and yours is mine. DO SOMETHING NOW!

WHEN TRIBE SERVES NOTHING

                Kenyans have institutionalized the belief that people from the former central province are all wealthy. It is believed this mali could have something to do with being in government. This is just the face of the matter. They too have internalized that being out of government is akin to ceding your livelihood to someone else. I find no water in this thinking. It is just hot air propagated by empty minds.

                To understand central Kenya, I think, it is incumbent for us to cut out the components making up its human nation. Central Kenya is a world of contrasts. It is a land dotted with desperation and suffering. It is a land flowing with honey and milk for a few. It is a land where decision making is a preserve of a few. It is a land whose majority inhabitants play the role of protecting the few decision makers.

                The marriage between poverty and crime is evident here. This is where the super rich are afraid of walking freely. They have to part with protection fee to "feel at home". This is how the society in this part of the world has modeled itself. This is the evidence of how a people can cede their decision making power to others and assume the role of an underdog.

                 They dance to the tune of the few at the top. They aspire to climb up the hill but lack energy. They are fatigued by the daily search of bread. Even those at the top of the hill can't descend for they want to "preserve their place." For this lot, to descend is to kill the goose that lays the life-giving eggs. Staying afloat for them means blinding the hoi polloi and keeping them in the dark. 

                This is not only confined to central Kenya. It cuts across the so-called major communities. It is the cancer that has refused to die. It is enriched by the masses. It is domiciled in them. Any attempt to exorcise it is demolished by the shouts of the very people whose livelihood is targeted for a positive change. 

                For them, to think individually and logically is to weaken the tribal bond. They interpret this as an act of betrayal-an act of dancing to the tune of "outsiders". They find it easy to vote as a block and drown other than voting with a functioning conscience.

               They would rather house a thief because they hail from the same ethnic extraction than exposing him to save the nation. The spirit of nationhood is a distant vocabulary for them. It is a refuge for those who "can't raise the numbers to compete."

               It is incumbent to note that liberation is inborn. It is a process initiated by the person himself. No other person can purport to have the powers to liberate others. The poor and the blind can only liberate themselves once they shake off the dark clouds blocking them. They actualize this liberation by recognizing that their existence is only guaranteed by the existence of others. That critical thinking of facts and events is an obligation of everybody. That ceding once reasoning power to others amounts to burying oneself while still alive. Voila!