Halo my fairest economist I hope y’all are dope meanwhile making steady progress with your project. Now it’s back to campus, but hey don’t do this!

The holidays and are over and so is the strike which means it’s time to go back to your books.

As you prepare for the belated second semester this March you will be alive to the fact that a fresh batch of freshers are only months way, which also means that you are aging. Meanwhile, here is a guide on how to stay alive.

So first things first, to my very dear male colleagues sex isn’t bad, but please don’t forget to sheath it. JUST DON’T!! In fact, some researchers say it’s medicinal. They say it reduces depression and makes one feel better.

However, if the prevalence of unplanned babies and shameless STI’s is something to go by, sex could be a disease. Therefore, next time you exile your roommates to have a romp in the hay with that second year lass you stumbled into and liked, make sure you put on a bloody condom. Mark you HIV is still roaming like those lions on Lang’ata road. Believe you me, that sheath can save you from pampers, chakula ya mtoto-calls and that baby mama who behaves like she owns you and your underwear.

Team sponsors! Go easy lassie. The good things in life, like a posh apartment, take time. Those women who are grabbing male MPs by their scrotum in the August House worked their ass off (no pun intended) literally. They attract sanitized attention, drive arrogant cars, and upload photos of vacations on Instagram paid for by their own money. I doubt they had a sponsor. And so, keep your knees together. Do what the pastor said. Be chaste. The cookies a sponsor gives you as he crunches on your cookie will be dearly paid for.

Halafu, there is this too pretty to be loyal mentality: Men and women alike right from those days of Mau Mau, have always cheated, no it’s actually from the days of Noah and Abraham, more than 4000BC, true…? Now get this from me dear peeps, you can only be as hot as you imagine and you cannot be creamiest beefcake we’ve ever seen, NEVER!!! In any case, the beautiful ones are yet to be born. For that reason stick to your gent or lady as far as sexual life is concern, for he\she might just be the best for you. Listen, polyamory is adversely grievous plus for believers, the holy book forbids it in the 7th commandment-Thou shalt not commit adultery.

This notwithstanding, if it may appear like a petty issue, it’s not bad. After all, it’s just sex and pleasure per se. But you better be warned, if your boyfriend smokes weed, drinks like a fish and plays FIFA all daylong, it’s your neck he’ll be twisting when he finds out he is sharing you with that wannabe short dancer whose trousers torn at the knee need a tailors attention. Such campo storos where a boy killed his girlfriend or the fellow his girl left him for are not new in UoK. Well, the secret is in not getting caught when you decide to be unfaithful.

True, your girlfriend is like your wife but if she says its over then it’s over man, yaani imeisha. Ouuccchhh it hurts, really it does, you may consider drowning your sorrows in a jug of senator keg, listen to Bado by Harmonise and Diamond Platnumz then pour some little litter social media with your loneliness. Its normal and absolutely alright for men to do that sort of thing. Calmly, find an immediate replacement, strutting in lecture halls, applying cheap make up and looking for love. Trust me they’re readily available in hordes, always!

Again there is this issue gents-Drunk driving: When you hire that premio or subaru, pile fellow comrades in it then select a Demakufu mix as you hammer bottles after bottles of booze on your way to Nakuru or Naivasha for a turn up, thank heavens if those cops at Brook arrest  you . Because there on the road, death would have arrested you. Death has no bail. No second chance kabsaa. Please buckle up, watch the speed and stay sober. We donwanna loose you yet, for there’ll always be alcohol, haikimbii.

And finally dude, if you and the lec are eying the same babe, kindly drop out of the race. Ask the fellows who didn’t graduate last December. Missing marks are a pain in the ass!

Students from various schools following a debate training session at Irene School, Maralal.

As the Iron sharpens another iron,

So can the wise be taught wisdom,

Come let us reason together,

Before you pass judgement to an entire generation……….

Think of the current situation in Syria, Yemen, DRC, Somalia, Northern Nigeria, Kenya PEV (2007), Rwanda(1994)-animosity, brutality, dejection. Brothers up in arms against brothers, sisters baying for their mothers blood. For the mere reason that people could not amicably agree on a way forward. So then, it got me thinking loud, how do we avert so much mayhem. What if everyone got a chance to openly express their thoughts and feelings verbally? Suppose everyone cared to listen to dissenting opinions? And can people learn how best to express themselves reverently and listen objectively? When and where exactly can this important art be taught?

Whilst academics remain the focal point in school curriculum, substantial attention ought to be given to important life skills such as communication through debates. I see debates as a bridge between strife and serenity, understanding and unsoundness, despair and devotion. I mean if A.Hitler could sensibly deliberate his concerns regarding anti-semitism and Aryanismm, the fateful Holocaust would remain bare delusion, perhaps.

Debating attracts a broader perspective towards an issue.  It enables dissenting parties to fully explore the basis, possible outcomes and available alternatives in every undertaking. Whats more, debaters get to appreciate each other for being able to identify hidden aspects on a matter. However, given that it involves structure and intellect, this art has to be learned and executed skillfully.

Studies reveal that  students who get acquainted to debating skills at an early stage become more successful and generally live happier lives. At the very least, debate helps learners to see the power of deploying rational, reasoned arguments and compelling evidence in action. It enables them to elucidate their standpoint through utilizing rhetorical eloquence. It instills in debaters a great sense of poise and confidence. It teaches them the skills of researching, organizing, and presenting information in a compelling fashion.

Debaters easily have their way and say. This naturally explains why excellent orators and debaters happen to be transformative leaders of their times. Sustaining reasoned conversations and making informed argument all go along towards influencing, inspiring and motivating colleagues to shelve their stances, view from your trajectory and adopt your course of action. Patrick Lumumba, Julius Nyerere, Martin Luther, Barrack Obama name them.

Back at home. School arson, vandalism and fatalities has been nothing new to our headlines. How about school admins trained learners how to cordially raise their concerns…..suppose community representatives edge their border rows intellectually….what if legislators adduced a bit of rationality  in passing the recently enacted media bill, security bill, election law, cyber crime, bill, energy bill. Again perhaps Kenyans would be spared of stinging tribulations.

And mark my words. Its not that people don’t engage in dialogue, no please. Its just that most problems we endure are ‘cos of poor debating and analytical abilities, highly pandemic among decision makers and rulers of my time. Maasawo!!!

 

 

 

Halo dear readers to y’all, I trust this very 24th day of Aug 2018 finds you well. So first things firsts, there are certain things that have hitherto baffled me and of them is why millions of we mortals choose to be buried with our vital body parts such as the cornea when we could make a phenomenon difference to a fellow compatriot by pledging to donate it. Incredibly truthful is that today 1300 Kenyans could have classified as blind had it not been for some benevolent members of the Indian community (The Lions Club) who at some point in their lifetime made the honorable decision to pledge their corneas upon demise. In so doing, the beneficiaries have had their vision fully restored and are somewhere presumably contributing towards our nations GDP. It’s therefore for this reason and many other reasons that methinks we should adapt organ bequest-a culture of pledging to donate our major body organs ‘coz once we expire they are of no use but only rot in dark graves.
For instance, if just half of the more than 2000 the departed fellows in Kenya have last year made the noble pledge in early 2017, we would have then effectively abated the due death figures in 2018. Mark you more than 1000 people helplessly perish annually in Kenya due to failure and consequent lack of life saving organs like the cornea pancreas and kidney. Please consider this even as unpopular as it may seem and trust me there can be no greater expression of compassion for humanity than adding more life to someone’s days.
Worse still, it would undeniably bestial to subject the folks of such fortuneless castes to the wanton misery of having to donate their organs which means curtailing their already distressed lives. And so it’s this simple, get rushing and make enquires in your nearest healthcare facility and you will be enriched with more information on how you could make this happen. Be A DoNoR ThIS 2018
For its useless when you are lifeless!!!!!!!!

PRELUDE

…….My eyes are empty

Tears too have  left me

Silence feels my heart

I feel pain no more, I am numb

For all feeling has left me, I am empty……

SPEAK SPEAK………..

Speak on behalf of the voiceless

For the rights of those who are vulnerable

Speak out in order to judge with righteousness

And defend both the needy and the poor (Prov 31:8-10)

For God is always on the side of the vulnerable

The abused, despised, neglected and ostracized

God grieves for the poor…….

The ancient Jews isolated and treated lepers with unparalleled brutality and fierceness. The lepers lived in isolated abodes and had specific times for fetching water from the wells. Also they had bells attached to ropes that were tied round their necks as a form of identity which would warrant the ill-treatment. This is a story of tyranny, a story of oppression, this is DISCRIMINATION.

Discrimination entails mistreating others based on some perceived differences. This may be based on dissimilarities in gender, social status, ethnicity, race, political affiliations among others. Usually the victims of are innocent with minority figures and have no powers to defend their rights. Discrimination hitherto, still remains a sad reality and a brisk tumor that is swiftly mutating in our society. It may take place in the following ways:

RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION

This involves mistreatment of others based on the faith group that they subscribe to, their beliefs and spirituality. Often it involves malicious prejudice of religious practices that are associated with a particular faith group. It is mostly perceived as a reason to perpetuate unjustified treachery against a people of another religion.

Religious discrimination is common in a situation whereby only a few inhabitants of a particular community happen to subscribe to a different religion. In most cases they are denied the free will and freedom to carry out their religious rituals and practices.

For example, the ancient Jews would always be considered as hellish and vicious because of their role in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Therefore, they would be fiercely maligned, segregated and forbidden from freely interacting with the neighboring Elizabethans.

Religious persecution is also sharply rife in the Middle East and Northern Africa. In June 2015, a group of Muslims threw a dozen Christians overboard a migrant ship traveling from Libya to Italy for praying to Jesus.

Usually, the main objective of the perpetrators of such heinous acts is to express superiority and subjugation on the victims thinking that it is a way of appeasing their Supreme Beings. However, this is never the case because almost all religions and denominations are founded on common pillars of respect, kindness and fairness to others.

TRIBAL DISCRIMINATION

This entails treating others unkindly and unfairly simply because they do not belong to a popular tribe, ethnic community or they don’t speak a favorite language. This takes place whenever lives in a community in which he or she is unfamiliar to its native language. In this case the person becomes the victim while the offenders become the perpetrators.

Having majority numbers thus powers, the perpetrators gain dominance over the victims and therefore take control over common limited resources that are to be shared equally. For instance, where there are limited employment opportunities, the minority tribe is usually allocated few chances despite having the required qualifications.

RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

……when an alien lives with you in your land, mistreat him not. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native born. Love him as yourself, for you too were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God…… (Leviticus 19:33-34)

The history of mankind has always witnessed cultural and racial pluralism as people move from place to place due to various reasons.

At the arrival at the new destination, they encounter other groups who have settled prior to them. The resulting mix produces tension and anxiety as original settlers claim the right to available resources for themselves and their families

Racial discrimination often produces an immense xenophobic attitude resulting to both sentimentality and great jeopardy to physical and mental health.Worse off in a situation whereby most of the perceived aliens of color happen to be well off and affluent, the original dwellers culminate intolerance and rivalry.They constantly disapprove of what the perceived strangers suggest or think. This causes severe discomfort and impedes any opportunities to not only learn from others but also progress as a community.

In addition there is unnecessary rivalry and desire to be better than the neighbor and this consequently results to low achievement, resentment and stress.Furthermore, racial discrimination other than propelling hostility whereby the opponent is branded an enemy causes hatred and inevitable violent.

The situation becomes adversely xenophobic – an antithesis of love, and physical or verbal aggression.Racial discrimination is very common in social joints such as high end restaurants and hotels whereby certain facilities are labelled as ‘strict whites only’. Also even in this day and time some airlines absolutely forbid service of people of certain races.

In order to avert this rife menace, I bring forward this very noble concept; this is the light that would bring about sobriety and sanity among multi-cultural setting. It is the thunder and lightning that brings sound and sight to an entire generation. Ladies and gentlemen, I am talking of cultural assimilation. Cultural assimilation should be the main of objective societies that receive immigrants.

It entails accepting and embracing strangers from a different culture and particularly race. Those arriving freely and unconditionally accept the norms and customs from the host country. In addition, both cultures accept the good from each other and therefore local people too benefit from the contribution of the immigrants. For instance, it is expected that a Ecuadorian family who go to Spain in search of work and brighter future become assimilated into Spanish culture and customs. And so, they begin to think and act like Spaniards meanwhile still holding on to their original ideals and values.

In a nutshell:-

1. Discrimination is an ungodly vice that occurs as a result of ill-perception and misjudgment of fellow human beings.
2. Discrimination remains a glaring reality in the contemporary world and sadly enough still forms part of societal norms and culture.
3. Usually, the victims of discrimination happen to be innocent, meek and alien to the society. Also, they comprise the minority in their current community.
4. The effects of discrimination are adverse and always cut across all spectrums of the society.
5. Generally, any form of discrimination notwithstanding the extent impedes any slight form of both social, economic and personal development.

I opine that…….

1. Structural adjustments that would bring about socio-economic and institutional transformation in the society’s values, beliefs and perceptions. This can be achieved through education and enlightenment: whose aim is to foster appreciation of cultural differences. For example, in schools students from different backgrounds and social strata should be trained to peacefully coexist with each other regardless of their perceived differences.
2. The perpetrators of discrimination be brought to justice expeditiously and subjected either to heavy penalties, long jail terms or both.
3. All stakeholders’ ie civil servants, religious groups and the political class should come on board to vehemently castigate this barbaric act in order to foster equity and equality.

…….for there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you all are one in Jesus Christ…… (Galatians 3:28)

And so,

Like iron tools can bore through iron itself

As much as the wise can also be taught wisdom

Come ye cometh

Let us reason together now

Before you pass judgment to an entire generation.

Cheers INNOCENT ALVIN

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton