The Megabytes cafe, situated behind Hostel H poses a new rule to curb competition, a rule that seems far away from being comrade-friendly.
It has always been my thinking that all the shops, chips cafes and other food stuff selling points around main campus exist strategically to benefit the student population, by means of availing goods and services as conveniently close to the students as possible. This assumption remained true until yesterday, Sunday morning.
Saturday's inter-university sport event was a major one. Although I missed out on direct participation, I was engaged in related activities, tiresome enough to cause a difficulty in early waking up the following morning.
However much I tried, I only managed to get up at a time when you do not expect to find breakfast from either the SOWETO MESS or the one inside the Students Centre. A quick resolution therefore struck my mind, a decision to visit the Megabytes Cafe that I suspected would not let me down. There, you find a variety of food stuffs including different types of fruits, but I was only going for one thing - tea.
Adjacent to Megabytes is another cafe that specializes in chips, smokies, maandazi and chapatis. So I passed by and collected around four maandazi that would serve as a light escort to the Megabytes' tea. I never knew that was the first mistake I was doing on a day of worship. I then proceeded to my destination and asked for tea that costs nothing more than ten shillings, at least twice its price at the MESS. I almost went through. The man in a black jumper kindly received my coin, dropped it into a drawer and instructed me to get a mug from the other side because the thermos flask was right with him. Unfortunately, he was only doing that because he had not realized what I was holding on my left hand.
It was until I was going for the mug when he got a clear chance to spot the four pieces of brown snacks, hiding inside a small transparent polythene bag. His mood suddenly changed and as if only half-serious, he quickly asked, "Hiyo ni maandazi ama chapoo?"
As soon as he confirmed that I was carrying items which he also sells, and worst enough, bought from his nearest competitor, the man reacted with both words and actions. He recollected my coin from the drawer and gave it back to me while furiously clarifying one of the cafe's rules, "Hata sisi tunauza maandazi hapa..."
In other words, Megabytes Cafe does not operate that way. If you want to buy tea, do not walk in there with your own snacks; you must purchase what is available on their counter, whether it suits your taste or not. After all, they are after one thing - to increase sales and maximize profits.
More about me...
- James Kombe
- Kilifi, Coast, Kenya
- Informing is not only my profession but also passion
Welcome
Saturday, 19 July 2014
Is 'Nyumba kumi' real?
Sometime back in March 2014, my friend and I were called by our area assistant chief. We did not hesitate.
The meeting took place in his office, not too far away from my home. Our task was simple. Typing names of household clusters, the so-called 'Nyumba Kumi' for the whole of Nyari sub-location which has a total of eight villages. Of course we would not have rejected such a simple task- with Ksh. 1000 waiting.
In the process, we realized that some information was missing. During data collection, the field workers had forgotten to note down the number of people in each household. We quickly reported this observation to the boss but he was never disturbed.
"Just type what you have but make an empty column for what is missing," responded the chief. We obeyed, accomplished and submitted the script.
I was interested in knowing whether he would summon his team of field workers and resend them back to the villages to collect such vital details. Instead, what I saw really left me surprised.
In just about ten minutes or less, he had completed the form. He simply guessed figures like 4, 8, 11, 3, e.t.c, without any reference. So the total population of my area according to the information available in that office is totally wrong.
Something else that caught my attention is the issue of grouping households. I tend to think that the field workers never visited the homes. They simply sat round a table and did the whole thing. How can you have a 'Nyumba Kumi' cluster with households as far apart as 2km in such a densely populated area?
The funniest part of it is that some mature people still do not understand which cluster they belong too, their head and even fellow members!
The meeting took place in his office, not too far away from my home. Our task was simple. Typing names of household clusters, the so-called 'Nyumba Kumi' for the whole of Nyari sub-location which has a total of eight villages. Of course we would not have rejected such a simple task- with Ksh. 1000 waiting.
In the process, we realized that some information was missing. During data collection, the field workers had forgotten to note down the number of people in each household. We quickly reported this observation to the boss but he was never disturbed.
"Just type what you have but make an empty column for what is missing," responded the chief. We obeyed, accomplished and submitted the script.
I was interested in knowing whether he would summon his team of field workers and resend them back to the villages to collect such vital details. Instead, what I saw really left me surprised.
In just about ten minutes or less, he had completed the form. He simply guessed figures like 4, 8, 11, 3, e.t.c, without any reference. So the total population of my area according to the information available in that office is totally wrong.
Something else that caught my attention is the issue of grouping households. I tend to think that the field workers never visited the homes. They simply sat round a table and did the whole thing. How can you have a 'Nyumba Kumi' cluster with households as far apart as 2km in such a densely populated area?
The funniest part of it is that some mature people still do not understand which cluster they belong too, their head and even fellow members!
Government Too Busy
As the government focuses its attention on major issues such as development projects for a better Kenya, it must also remain conscious about a population that is apparently like a tree being eaten from the ground.
Some of the things going on in the rural side of Kilifi County where I reside can never be considered as signs of national development, at least according to me.
Old is gold, they say. However, this means nothing to people from this area, particularly the youth. Old men and women of Kilifi have a narrow chance of celebrating their old age because according to most of our youths, they are all witches. They live a life full of fear due to the brutal punishment predetermined for whoever is found, or even suspected, to practice witchcraft. The criteria for detecting witches is one that is only known to the ‘anti-witch campaigners’ themselves, but the reward for such victims of circumstance is very straight forward – death by swords, axes or fire.
Somebody once said, "not all murder cases associated with witchcraft are due to witchcraft. Most of them are as a result of scramble for family property..." Does the government allow this or is it too busy?
Robbery is another enemy of development in Kilifi, especially to business people. The final two or three months of last year were not very friendly even to religious institutions. Apart from the video kiosk near Cassava market of Sokoke ward that was broken into and valuables stolen from in October, at least three churches also suffered from the same crime. Some lost musical instruments while others chairs, none of which was recovered. Now which investor will be ready to start a business around such an insecure area? Who knows, may be the government allows this or is too busy.
Education is the key to success, as a certain school badge reads. If this is true, then success is already out of bounds for many families in Kilifi because the number of students who drop out of school is always on the rise. As if only half-serious, lack of school fees is still being attributed to this phenomenon, at a time when am told bursary funds can be accessed ‘easier’ than ever. I was not convinced until they mentioned the other reason – early pregnancies. Girls from Kilifi no longer see this as a taboo, but just an accident. Such ‘accidents’ have unfortunately become something normal, like the order of the day.
The ‘enlightened’ ones try abortion as a cover-up, as opposed to the rest who simply leave school and get married as soon as they suspect themselves to be expectant. Education is therefore being paralyzed at a shockingly high rate in this area. If the government does not allow this, then it must be very busy.
Some of the things going on in the rural side of Kilifi County where I reside can never be considered as signs of national development, at least according to me.
Old is gold, they say. However, this means nothing to people from this area, particularly the youth. Old men and women of Kilifi have a narrow chance of celebrating their old age because according to most of our youths, they are all witches. They live a life full of fear due to the brutal punishment predetermined for whoever is found, or even suspected, to practice witchcraft. The criteria for detecting witches is one that is only known to the ‘anti-witch campaigners’ themselves, but the reward for such victims of circumstance is very straight forward – death by swords, axes or fire.
Somebody once said, "not all murder cases associated with witchcraft are due to witchcraft. Most of them are as a result of scramble for family property..." Does the government allow this or is it too busy?
Robbery is another enemy of development in Kilifi, especially to business people. The final two or three months of last year were not very friendly even to religious institutions. Apart from the video kiosk near Cassava market of Sokoke ward that was broken into and valuables stolen from in October, at least three churches also suffered from the same crime. Some lost musical instruments while others chairs, none of which was recovered. Now which investor will be ready to start a business around such an insecure area? Who knows, may be the government allows this or is too busy.
Education is the key to success, as a certain school badge reads. If this is true, then success is already out of bounds for many families in Kilifi because the number of students who drop out of school is always on the rise. As if only half-serious, lack of school fees is still being attributed to this phenomenon, at a time when am told bursary funds can be accessed ‘easier’ than ever. I was not convinced until they mentioned the other reason – early pregnancies. Girls from Kilifi no longer see this as a taboo, but just an accident. Such ‘accidents’ have unfortunately become something normal, like the order of the day.
The ‘enlightened’ ones try abortion as a cover-up, as opposed to the rest who simply leave school and get married as soon as they suspect themselves to be expectant. Education is therefore being paralyzed at a shockingly high rate in this area. If the government does not allow this, then it must be very busy.
Comrades furious over 'noisy' couple
Residents of Hostel H forfeited part of their sleep in the early morning of Tuesday 8th July 2014, in a bid to protest against sexual noises from a neighbouring room.
The comrades from one of the floors in one of the wings of the famous males’ hostel woke up at around 4 AM, to the alarm of some sounds produced by a couple in one of the rooms, which suggested them to be in the 18+ act.
The victims of the situation had to come out of their rooms and put off the noise through a collective effort. While shouting in discontent, they continuously knocked the door believed to have hid the noisy love birds without any response from inside.
According to one of them, the situation was becoming habitual and perpetual. It was allegedly being experienced regularly, almost on a daily basis. "Hao watu wamekuwa wakitufanyia kelele tangu hii sem ianze. Hata hatulali bwana..." [Those people have been making such noises since the beginning of this semester. We rarely sleep...], claimed an angry boy.
It did not take long before the complainants finally succeeded in muting the disturbing sounds, which probably forced the husband and wife to go it the silent way if they had to continue. However, the crowd stayed in the corridor for about half an hour longer, just to confirm that the noise would not resume.
Ironically, a few ladies in night dresses were also spotted amongst the crowd. They were thought to have come from the nearby ladies' Hostel J, who may have been attracted by the protesting voices. However, this is less likely, considering the fact that the protest was not too loud – some residents within the host hostel did not even notice the incident.
The comrades from one of the floors in one of the wings of the famous males’ hostel woke up at around 4 AM, to the alarm of some sounds produced by a couple in one of the rooms, which suggested them to be in the 18+ act.
The victims of the situation had to come out of their rooms and put off the noise through a collective effort. While shouting in discontent, they continuously knocked the door believed to have hid the noisy love birds without any response from inside.
According to one of them, the situation was becoming habitual and perpetual. It was allegedly being experienced regularly, almost on a daily basis. "Hao watu wamekuwa wakitufanyia kelele tangu hii sem ianze. Hata hatulali bwana..." [Those people have been making such noises since the beginning of this semester. We rarely sleep...], claimed an angry boy.
It did not take long before the complainants finally succeeded in muting the disturbing sounds, which probably forced the husband and wife to go it the silent way if they had to continue. However, the crowd stayed in the corridor for about half an hour longer, just to confirm that the noise would not resume.
Ironically, a few ladies in night dresses were also spotted amongst the crowd. They were thought to have come from the nearby ladies' Hostel J, who may have been attracted by the protesting voices. However, this is less likely, considering the fact that the protest was not too loud – some residents within the host hostel did not even notice the incident.
The Ganze Ward Office
Friday 20th June, 2014. “Yes what about it?” One may ask. Well, that’s what this article is all about. It is the day I paid my first visit to the Ganze Ward office.
You may be surprised why I had never been there before, considering the fact that the occupant of that office has been in power for quite some time, following the March 4th 2013 general elections. Although still under training, as a journalist, I have tried as much as possible not to be friends with any of my leaders. This, according to my thinking, will pose no dilemma when one day I have to report issues concerning them, both good and evil.
I come from Kilifi, a county that is headed by Governor Hon. Amason Kingi, together with Senetor Hon. Stewart Madzayo and Hon. Peter Safari Shehe, the Member of Parliament representing Ganze constituency where I live in. All these are people I have never met. Then there is Hon. Japhet Nzaro, the Member of County Assembly (MCA), Ganze Ward Representative, whose office I at least visited the other day.
The aim of my visit was quite simple. I had submitted my scholarship bursary application form a couple of months ago and had just gone to collect my cheque. To my surprise, there was no cheque for me. I only found my name on a piece of paper, plus the amount awarded. It was in a list of beneficiaries both in secondary schools and higher learning institutions such as universities, colleges and polytechnics. The allocation had already been done but no single cheque had been written.
Mr. Jackson Mangi, the scholarship manager was the one answerable on behalf of the MCA who was absent by then. According to him, the Ganze Ward scholarship account was out of funds. Some money amounting to Ksh. 4.2 million from the county had not yet been released but had already been budgeted for. This was the reason for the unavailability of cheques corresponding to application forms submitted as early as February. Please do not get confused. Ganze ward does not have a separate bursary office; the MCA’s office serves perfectly.
That was the last Friday of my holiday. I was supposed to report back to campus the following Monday, 23rd June, but not without the cheque. I explained this to Jackson and he agreed to write an official letter of commitment to my campus, explaining that I had been allocated a few thousands but due to the delay, the cheque shall arrive at a later date. It worked. I am now in school and was allowed to attend all lectures until July 11th when the payment must have been done. Whatever will happen afterwards in case the payment delays further is still unknown to me.
Now, the letter was handwritten because the office of the honourable does not have typing facilities. The scholarship manager lacks a computer and so does his secretary. In fact from their appearance, I tend to think that none of them has the skills to operate computers. Everything is done manually and this, I believe, has been the cause of all unnecessary delays that my fellow citizens have always complained about. Whenever the committee encounters a task that cannot be done manually, there is a cyber café close to the office where services like typing, photocopying, scanning, etc are offered at a fee. Is it not surprising how that office operates without such basic facilities in this digital era?
As I was going through the list of beneficiaries for the ward bursary funds, I came across some funny trends. Schools around Ganze shopping center where the office is located got the lion’s share. Ganze Boys Secondary had a total of 38 students allocated Ksh. 7000 each while their female counterparts, Ganze Girls had 34. There were 40 names from Godoma Secondary, while Magogoni had 33. On the other hand, it was pathetic for schools slightly away from the office though still within Ganze Ward. Sokoke Boys had 18 beneficiaries while Ngerenya Mixed Jilore and Dungicha could only contribute one student each. Why the huge difference? Is it due to unawareness, favour or just by chance? I really don’t know.
The road connecting my home and the office is tar-marked. Unfortunately, its condition is no longer pleasant. On my return journey, the vehicle I bordered was almost involved in a serious accident. After a little rain, the road became excessively slippery, causing our vehicle to slide towards one side where pedestrians were. It was just due to the grace of the lord that the driver regained control without hurting anyone. Surprisingly, my leaders have never realized that and if they have, then they are either pleased with its condition or still busy with other theoretical ghost projects.
You may be surprised why I had never been there before, considering the fact that the occupant of that office has been in power for quite some time, following the March 4th 2013 general elections. Although still under training, as a journalist, I have tried as much as possible not to be friends with any of my leaders. This, according to my thinking, will pose no dilemma when one day I have to report issues concerning them, both good and evil.
I come from Kilifi, a county that is headed by Governor Hon. Amason Kingi, together with Senetor Hon. Stewart Madzayo and Hon. Peter Safari Shehe, the Member of Parliament representing Ganze constituency where I live in. All these are people I have never met. Then there is Hon. Japhet Nzaro, the Member of County Assembly (MCA), Ganze Ward Representative, whose office I at least visited the other day.
The aim of my visit was quite simple. I had submitted my scholarship bursary application form a couple of months ago and had just gone to collect my cheque. To my surprise, there was no cheque for me. I only found my name on a piece of paper, plus the amount awarded. It was in a list of beneficiaries both in secondary schools and higher learning institutions such as universities, colleges and polytechnics. The allocation had already been done but no single cheque had been written.
Mr. Jackson Mangi, the scholarship manager was the one answerable on behalf of the MCA who was absent by then. According to him, the Ganze Ward scholarship account was out of funds. Some money amounting to Ksh. 4.2 million from the county had not yet been released but had already been budgeted for. This was the reason for the unavailability of cheques corresponding to application forms submitted as early as February. Please do not get confused. Ganze ward does not have a separate bursary office; the MCA’s office serves perfectly.
That was the last Friday of my holiday. I was supposed to report back to campus the following Monday, 23rd June, but not without the cheque. I explained this to Jackson and he agreed to write an official letter of commitment to my campus, explaining that I had been allocated a few thousands but due to the delay, the cheque shall arrive at a later date. It worked. I am now in school and was allowed to attend all lectures until July 11th when the payment must have been done. Whatever will happen afterwards in case the payment delays further is still unknown to me.
Now, the letter was handwritten because the office of the honourable does not have typing facilities. The scholarship manager lacks a computer and so does his secretary. In fact from their appearance, I tend to think that none of them has the skills to operate computers. Everything is done manually and this, I believe, has been the cause of all unnecessary delays that my fellow citizens have always complained about. Whenever the committee encounters a task that cannot be done manually, there is a cyber café close to the office where services like typing, photocopying, scanning, etc are offered at a fee. Is it not surprising how that office operates without such basic facilities in this digital era?
As I was going through the list of beneficiaries for the ward bursary funds, I came across some funny trends. Schools around Ganze shopping center where the office is located got the lion’s share. Ganze Boys Secondary had a total of 38 students allocated Ksh. 7000 each while their female counterparts, Ganze Girls had 34. There were 40 names from Godoma Secondary, while Magogoni had 33. On the other hand, it was pathetic for schools slightly away from the office though still within Ganze Ward. Sokoke Boys had 18 beneficiaries while Ngerenya Mixed Jilore and Dungicha could only contribute one student each. Why the huge difference? Is it due to unawareness, favour or just by chance? I really don’t know.
The road connecting my home and the office is tar-marked. Unfortunately, its condition is no longer pleasant. On my return journey, the vehicle I bordered was almost involved in a serious accident. After a little rain, the road became excessively slippery, causing our vehicle to slide towards one side where pedestrians were. It was just due to the grace of the lord that the driver regained control without hurting anyone. Surprisingly, my leaders have never realized that and if they have, then they are either pleased with its condition or still busy with other theoretical ghost projects.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)