The cutting edge

USELESS DEGREE: With the mushrooming universities in the various towns around the country, Jane Hughes is worried that the quality of the education being provided is declining. She poses: “Does this mean that every child must attend university and come out with some qualifications, however useless. As a parent, I would be very wary of the kind of university my children attend just in case they hope to use their credentials for skilled migration.” Jane’s contact is jane_40hughes@yahoo.com.

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NEGLECTED ROAD: Off Waiyaki Way, Nairobi, the service road that leads to the new Toyota showroom at Westlands is terribly dilapidated, but this has nothing to do with the current rains, says Natasha Maherali. “It is the result of 15 years of neglect by the City Council despite frequent complaints. Drivers get hijacked as they slow down or are hit from behind as they are suddenly forced to brake. Pedestrians, including school children, are knocked down by cars driving off the road to avoid a huge hole. When will the council fix this road?” she asks. Her contact is natasha.maherali@gmail.com.

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HEALTH HAZARD: For several months now, the tenants of Reliance House, an apartment block in Nairobi’s Eastlands, have been dumping garbage near the petrol station at the Outering/Kangundo roads junction, moans George Marete. “This poses a health hazard as the residents of Umoja One Estate, especially children, are forced to walk on filthy rubbish daily. Complaints to our local councillor have yielded nothing and landlord won’t clear the mess. Can Nema come to our rescue,” urges George.

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PLEASE SAVE US: While he appreciates that the Kenya Urban Road Authority (Kura) has plenty on its hands, with the many roads in Nairobi, in an appalling condition, Camillus J. Omoi says he and his neighbours at Honey Suckle Estate at Imara Daima are exposed to the worst. With the heavy rains that have been falling in the city lately, Omoi adds, they literally have to wade through mud from the estate to either the North Airport roundabout or Quarry on Outering Road. “Can Kura, please, provide us with stones to step on until the rains end?” he pleads. His contact is omoicamillus@gmail.com.

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STARK REMINDER: Just in case Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu might have forgotten, J. M. Mbuthia wishes to remind him that Kariobangi South has never ceased to be a part of the constituency. Says Mbuthia: “The last time I checked it was in Waititu’s Embakasi domain and yet driving along Mutarakwa road, the main thoroughfare to the estate is simply torture, and especially during the rainy season like now. But interestingly, our neighbours include the deputy mayor and the local councillor, who have let down fellow K/South residents.”

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MISLEADING PRESIDENT: The people, including Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, who support President Kibaki’s unilateral appointment of 47 county commissioners couldn’t have been more wrong, says Oketch Aoko. Just before this, he adds, there had been a more transparent recruitment of the county directors of education. “I personally applied online, and there were interviews. Why shouldn’t the commissioners also be appointed through an open process in line with the Constitution? Someone is surely misadvising the appointing authority,” claims Oketch, whose contact is oketaokoh@yahoo.com.

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PRIORITY SERVICE: Though proud of the national carrier, Kenya Airways, which has been spreading its wings wide, with direct flights to New Delhi being its latest venture, Elijah Chester Gakuo would like to see the facilities at the JKIA and other airports greatly improved to reflect the quality service being offered by the airline. “Let’s ensure that basic things such as having clean toilets and ample water are given priority before attempting those grand schemes,” says Elijah, whose contact is elish47@gmail.com.

Have a high-flying day, won’t you!