The cutting edge

FOSSILISED THINKING. Years after the much-touted fibre optic connectivity was ushered in with much fanfare, pretty little has changed, says Douglas Onyancha. Part of his proof, he adds, is that public universities still require applicants for degree courses to send in 10 copies of their personal documents in envelopes. And the same universities will require that the applicants ask their referees to post handwritten letters. “Why not just phone a referee? This is one of those peculiar Kenyan ways,” concludes Douglas, whose contact is onyanchadouglas@gmail.com.

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GIVE US POWER. Kenya Power has been taking residents of Busia Town and its environs for granted for too long — what with eight hours of blackouts in a single day, moans Allan Wafula. “But when the bills arrive, they have shocking figures, which means that the darkness we experience most of the time must be very expensive. Can the bosses at the headquarters in Nairobi explain what the problem is?” The customer care staff at Busia, he charges, have not been of much help. His contact is wafula.allan@gmail.com.

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THIS IS A RIP-OFF. On April 13, while trying to book online with Modern Coast Bus for travel from Nairobi to Mombasa at night, Edwin Kimani inadvertently clicked on the reservation for the daytime bus that had already left. On realising his mistake, he immediately called the company’s Nairobi office hoping to change the ticket, but the fellow he spoke to only told him to be more careful next time, saying it was their lucky day. In case there has been a change of mind, his contact is Tel. 0723285155 or eddkimm@yahoo.com.

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CONTROL FARES. The last time fuel prices rose from Sh100 to Sh120 a litre, Kyallo Kiilu recalls, matatu and bus operators across the country rushed to increase fares. But when the prices dropped to almost Sh100 later, they did not lower their prices claiming that their other costs, including the price of spares, had risen. “With the fuel prices having been raised again, they are warning that they will soon raise fares. Shouldn’t the government now regulate fares or fuel prices or both?” he asks.

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PROJECT RIVER SIO. Someone tried to put up a building at Kanduyi in Bungoma County five years ago but was stopped because the location was said to be part of the source of River Sio, recalls Eldoret resident Peter Wandabwa. However, he passed by recently and was surprised to note that another building is coming up on the same site, and yet the local administration does not appear concerned. “Can someone stop this fellow before he kills River Sio?” urges Peter, whose contact is wandabwapeter@yahoo.com.

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SUGGESTION CRAZY. The rotational presidency advocated by Ramadhani Wambere and a few others is not workable in this era where certain key qualities must be met by whoever aspires to occupy the highest office in the land, says Ruth Gituma. “But every community is free to present its candidate so that Kenyans can scrutinise all for leadership suitability, their capacity, and party manifestos. We cannot just handpick leaders for the sake of gender or ethnic balance.” Her contact is ruthmuhiuha@yahoo.com.
 
Have a quality-sensitive day, won’t you!