Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Trust Issues

I do not know much especially about trust.

There is one common trend i have realized as i do my daily professional job(s).

Kenyan men do not trust their wives with their properties the way they trust their brothers and friends. These are the common reasons given;

As soon as she realizes she will leave me.

If i bequeathe property to her then she will get married to someone else after i die.

Most: You know you cannot understand women

I seldom understand how you can share a bed with someone every day of your life (who could stab you at night, ok for y'all old enough The Burdens by John Ruganda never cease to haunt me) but not trust the same with your property. How? Life/Property???

So now i have been left wondering, why do people even get married in the first place, if they will live the rest of their lives wondering what this other person is upto. Granted some women read Akinyi of Chinedu have given us women a bad names but what are the consequences of leaving your property to your brothers/friends?

Or at even the worst of them never letting your partner not know how much property you could be having or how much you are worth?

I think it is in bad taste to leave your partner out of your life, because eventually most brothers do as they would (human as they are) disinherit your widow. Worst case scenario being your children being reduced to derelicts. Many people know of a story where the pops left the children living in the suburbs but had to pack to the slums.

Men in Kenya accumulate so much debt on the property they have and sometimes even the house his family is living in is on debt. When he certainly (didn't they say death is certain) dies his family is kicked out the following day. Not even the partner knows that the man owed a mountain of debts. This had direct effects on the family and on the society as a whole. We all know adjusting from the suburbs to the slums is not easy and could never be.

In my opinion, a lot is needed to be done on the property front as far as estate planning goes, Kenyans are doing badly.


Friday, July 18, 2008

who is the HEro


Most epic tales, tragedies, comedies have a hero.

In the poem/movie, Beowulf possessed courage when he speaks to Hrothgar about fighting Grendel. In those lines Beowulf says "My lord Higlac might think less of me if I let my sword go where my feet were afraid to, if I"
In the end Beowulf kills Grendel.

Romantic Novels/Disney world
My friend was recently hurt badly by a man she loved/trusted and said that we should all sue hollywood/disney land for making girls imagine that there was a real prince hero out of there.

My hypothesis
In the olden days, people believed there were gods who would rescue man from any danger. Thus turned up when the situation was completely helplessly and solved the situation without as much as breaking a sweat.

Heroes would rather die than look weak


Thus when Kenyans appoint a president who is not afraid to look weak, they develop a loathe for him as they in their heads swore him Heroically.  That's why many Kenyans begged to ask why didn't he show up at Uhuru park just like the first time.  Nobody likes weaklings.

That's not the point.

When women get married, they are looking for a HEro. One who will make their problems disappear. One who will protect them always. Who will not be weak to make bold decisions. Who will speak out for her when the family is against her.

Something in me tells me some people are failing in being the HEro that's why marriages break so often.  Though i wonder, would women live a much fuller life, if they expected less of men to be HEroes?

Monday, July 14, 2008

IT'S THE FOLKS WORLD


4.47..Friday evening, it's a rainy city so decide to rush home before the traffic jam nightmare. That's what my parents would want me to do.

What I would do
Wait for the traffic nightmare, look for the nearest pub, drink until midnight or so and then crawl back home.  Everybody knows it has been raining alright.

What did i do, I rushed home.

I am scared.

Saturday
I did not leave the house, it was very cold.

What I would do?
Convince myself that cold has never stopped anyone. You know when the pub is quite full, chances are that it will be hot. And anyway beer tastes better when it is cold.

What did i do?
Spent the whole day breaking my back with housekeeping and realized how ungrateful and unrewarding it can be. Then slept.

Obviously, my mother's efforts are paying off after some 20 odd years. My parents do like to see people in the house all the time. But obviously estrogen ed/testosterone children do not stay in the house.

Which makes me wonder (i am starting to sound like Carrie Bradshaw), do we finally become what our parents wanted us to be?



Thursday, July 10, 2008

HOTNESS



Adrian Grenier, Entourage main boy.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

African Politics and politicos.....continued. the C

This is one of the most interesting post i have done. Reading about these Africans can make you shudder. The story of Patasse and Bozize reminds me of what King David told his son;to do away with his general if he was to survive.  Patasse was attending a conference in Niger in 2003 only to come home and find President Bozize (Ala). A further attempt to become President was thwarted with "Sir there is a problem with your birth certificate"

Let us just say the reason why Africa is so undeveloped is in their politics and quest for power.

Anyway,

Cameroon- an Anglophone country. The home to the great Etoo.

First multi party elections held in 1992. Private Radio and Television stations are not allowed. The President Biya is there because the opposition boycotted the  elections in 1997. Journalists are frequently arrested. Not a media free country really...more

Cape Verde- the former Portuguese colony where the Prime Minister is the head of government. In the first Multi party elections in 1992, the opposition party won. Conducts free and fair elections. Has even won some award for that. For more details

Central Arican Republic (CAR). This is one of most poorest country in the Africa and hence the world
Surrounded by Chad, Sudan, Congo and Cameroon (some neighbours those are!).
The president was overthrown by a general in 2003 by name Francoise Bozize who went ahead to conduct a democratic election in 2005.  Their saga is above

Chad- this is an Arabic country. Also one of the most poorest and corrupt countries in the world. It is marred by poor governance. The president Idriss Deby is an executive one who is most reputed for marrying severally. He has been in power since 1990 which he seized by a military coup, He has contested and won in 1996 and 2001. Little is said of the elections...more
 
Comoros-this is an Island country with a population of 780,000 people. That's less than the Nairobians.  Despite being poor, this country has had coups and political insurrections. The president was elected democratically. . More

Cote D' Ivoire (ivory coast)_ Home to the striker Dider Drogba.
Many things have been said in Kenya precisely on 30th December that it should go the Ivory way. Exactly which way was this?
There is an ongoing civil war, coups and political insurrection. The country is split between the president  Laurent Ggabo and a rebel leader Soro.  It seems until the groups are disarmed, they are stuck.



Wednesday, July 02, 2008

AFRICAN POLITICS ALPHABETICALLY A-C

All eyes are on Mugabe and everyone including PM Raila is asking the AU to intervene. Yeah right; you might want to know what the C.E.O's of Africa  call democracy. I mean you cannot exercise democracy if you do not know what democracy is or ask others to exercise democracy. How now???. That's why all your AU intervention please will fall on deafest ears. In this case of Zimbabwe to quote Bossip i will say Jesus Take the Wheel.

Sources: wikipedia

Algeria
I cannot understand how their politics work for this Arabic Country (do they even consider themselves Africans?). Go here

Angola
This country has been ravaged by war for several decades.

Has an executive Presidency. The last elections were held in 1992, the president has said there may be elections in 2009. That's 17 Years folks.
For more go here

Benin
Has an Executive president by name Thomas Boni Yayi.
2 year maximum cap, elections free and fair. No 70+ president.  Fair enough

Botswana
I could say one of the most opportunity countries in Africa, i am a Kenyan i know that. General elections held fair and freely every five years. Good

Burkina Faso
This is the land of the upright people.

Executive president for a five year term. Sitting president does not qualify for a re-election.  Ruled by a folk called
Blaise Compaore since 1987. Thats 21 years. Fossil!!. Go here

Burundi
One of the poorest countries in the whole wide world from where my ancient folks must have almost come from. Pierre Nkurunziza is the C.E.O. A guy called Buyoya had declared himself president in a bloodless coup sometimes in 95. To know more about the guru of African Destruction go here

Ps/ C-G this week.

MIS-NAIROBI-FICATION

Confession

I have a new terrible habit..

When a chic passes me & my friends, or is around us, we check out her hairstyle (do), shoes and her clothes and talk about it.

I think its a bad habit (fullstop)