The cutting edge

POISONED CHALICE. The people behind the Mombasa Republican Council should not be celebrating just yet as the High Court, which lifted the ban on the organisation has simply handed them a poisoned chalice, warns James Mukuria.

Interestingly, he adds, “they have happily, albeit naively accepted it with open arms”. What the ruling actually means, he explains, is that the MRC can no longer “continue to exist and operate in its present form and structure”.

He is convinced the court has dealt the organisation a death blow, hence no reason to celebrate. His contact isjames mukuria@yahoo.com.

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POWER BLACKOUTS. The blackouts the residents of Jacaba Estate at Mariakiani in Mombasa have been experiencing have been due to a technical fault that affected the transformers, Kenya Power CEO Joseph Njoroge explains.

However, the good news, he adds, is that the problem has already been rectified. And the company has posted a day-time emergency team in Mariakani to improve service and speedily resolve complaints.

The CEO sincerely apologises to Michael Wakungi and other customers for the inconvenience suffered.

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CIRCUIT BREAKER. Kenya Power has also investigated and confirmed that no “chest-thumping” employees went to John Ochanda’s premises and disconnected his electricity, says Migwi Theuri, the deputy manager, corporate communications, adding:

“The account was not due for disconnection, anyway.” What was established is that a circuit breaker inside the house (which is the customer’s equipment) had activated and gone into the ‘off’ position and, he had not reset to ‘on’. “He was embarrassed when this was pointed out to him. Kenya Power shouldn’t be vilified over misleading complaints,” Migwi remarks.

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INCONSIDERATE TAXIS. While he has nothing against the taxi operators at the junction towards Gigiri Police Station in Nairobi, doing their business, Kimongo Nzivo says the drivers should be a bit more considerate, as they often occupy nearly every available space, making it quite difficult for pedestrians, as they have nowhere to walk.

Kimongo is, therefore, appealing to the owner of the Jimcab taxis to liaise with the City Council to be allocated a more convenient place to park their vehicles so that they do not damage the pavement, which was only recently repaired.

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MIGUNA LOAN. In his controversial book, Peeling Back the Mask, former Raila Odinga aide Miguna Miguna acknowledges having received a loan from the Higher Education Loans Board when he was at the University of Nairobi before he went into exile in Canada, recalls Dan Owiti Odidi.

While suspense is a literary device and it was just fine that Miguna didn’t have to confirm that he, indeed, cleared his loan, with emerging information that the combative lawyer argued with someone over the repayments, Dan would like to know it if was eventually repaid in full. His contact is odanowiti@yahoo.com.

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I'M NO CRIMINAL. Something Martin Kinyanjui did six years ago has returned to haunt him, but he believes he is being unfairly punished. Martin applied for a Certificate of Good Conduct from the CID three weeks ago, and on realising it was taking a little long, he went over to just find out why the delay.