The Cutting Edge

After many years of construction of what has been billed as Kenya’s first concrete road, Mbagathi Way, in Nairobi, Patrick Korir says he’s fully convinced the taxpayer has been shortchanged in this project.

He adds: “After all the hype on the road, that fairly short stretch, as far as I’m concerned, remains unfinished. Just where are the markings or cat’s eyes on the road to separate the lanes?

"Where are the reflectors around the bend at the flyover near the Nyayo Highrise estate? It’s little wonder the fence there is always ran over.”

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What’s the big deal about building a road through the Aberdares to link Nyeri to Kipipiri? poses Michael Kinga.

And he lists the Nairobi-Mombasa highway, which divides Tsavo National Park into East and West, the Voi-Taveta road, through Tsavo West, and the Thika-Flyover-Naivasha road, through Aberdares, and on which motorists encounter elephants.

Further south, he says, there are roads through Tanzania’s national parks as well.

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The recent power outage on Olemotondo Road in Ongata Rongai Town was as a result of a vandalised transformer, explains KPLC official Migwi Theuri, adding: “Supply was restored on February 12. The delay was occasioned by repairs, which are time consuming.

"When a transformer is vandalised, we also check whether it should be relocated to avoid a repeat or to ensure its security by involving the local administration. My apologies, if these initiatives might have been misconstrued to mean the customers are of dubious character.”

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Following a recent complaint by Njonjo Kihuria that the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) had not yet issued a duplicate driving licence, which he applied for and paid the required fee at its Times Tower headquarters in Nairobi over three months ago, a senior marketing and communications official says they checked and confirmed that he was, indeed, right.

The licence was, therefore, processed and posted to Njonjo on February 12. “We highly regret the delay,”  says KRA official Kennedy Onyonyi.

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On a point of correction to Bramwel Kibara, who was angered by the British denial of a work permit to McDonald Mariga,  Lula N says the examples he gave were wrong.

“He named Bobby Zamora, as one of those granted work permits even though his country has a low Fifa ranking.

"Zamora was born in the UK, though his parents came from Trinidad, so he did not need a permit. Zimbabwe’s Benjani joined Portsmouth on January 5, 2006. So his work permit must have been applied for by the end of 2005, when his country was ranked No 53.”

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Writing from New Zealand, Pita Gitau says Kenyans need a lesson in mobile phone etiquette.

Says he: “It’s only in Kenya where people walk around with their phones in their hands, constantly fidgeting with them. Why can’t they put them in their pockets?

"While I understand that a model can be used for social glorification, I wonder why the phone firms can’t follow the standard global practice of signing up free handsets. It’s sad when what should be a free gadget is used to give a false social status.”

Have a proper day, won’t you!

E-mail: watchman@nation.co.ke or write to Watchman, POB 49010, Nairobi 00100. Fax2213946.