The cutting edge

By THE WATCHMAN
Posted  Tuesday, April 12 2011 at 19:51

MAKE A MOVIE, SOMEONE! Now that suspended Cabinet minister William Ruto is talking about the stuff of movies on the charges facing the Ocampo Six, isn’t it time somebody made a film on the post-2007 election violence? challenges Robert Kimutai. “Where are our filmmakers? It will be a pity if the story is done by foreigners whose products might be discredited as half-truths as happened to the Hollywood film, Hotel Rwanda. Worse still, if such a movie gets shot on location in South Africa, I will not watch it!”

******

I’M BEING CHEATED. When the University of Nairobi advertised its May and September intake, Kasiva Kiatha rushed to buy an application form for a postgraduate diploma in project planning and management for Sh3,000. But on presenting it to the Board of Post-Graduate Studies, she was shocked to learn that the programme had been scrapped. Their explanation was that the advert was erroneous. “They won’t refund the money or transfer it to another course. I feel I’ve been cheated.” Her contact is jackiek16@yahoo.com.

*****

CIVIC DUTY BACKFIRED. Wachuka Maina feels she is being punished for being a responsible citizen. Wachuka saw a burst pipe on George Padmore Road, Nairobi, a fortnight ago and reported this to the city water company. Says she: “I was trying to help save the water. But alas, they came, dug up the road, cutting off water supply to the nearby houses. They have left the road in a total mess. Next time, I will just watch and not bother to do anything.” Her contact 0722765927 or wachukamaina@yahoo.com.

******

SEWAGE WETLAND. There is a vast sewage wetland just outside the Nairobi Bottlers Company at Embakasi, which the city water firm’s technical department doesn’t seem keen to fix, moans B. Kamau Kaniaru. The problem has been reported to the technical director, the regional manager for Nairobi East, and the environmental coordinator, to no avail. He is sceptical that phoning the call centre as recommended by corporate affairs coordinator James Karanja will make a difference. His contact is kamau.kaniaru@gmail.com.

******

GIVING UNDER DURESS? While agreeing with Sam Akhwale about shoppers losing their change to supermarkets, Duncan Oketch doesn’t think the solution is to channel the money to charities. This, he says, implies that Kenyans should only donate a few coins to charity after shopping at supermarkets. He adds: “Those feeling sufficiently philanthropic need not wait until they go shopping and the teller is unable to give them change to think of giving to charity.”

******

CALLING HELB. The Higher Education Loans Board can do better, as there are many beneficiaries who have not repaid a cent many years later, says Ann Mwangi. “Isaac Kiplagat, who complained the other day, is not alone. I took the loan and graduated from the University of Nairobi in 1999. I have since written countless letters, offering to repay my loan and have given the necessary details. No one has bothered to look for me. I’ve now decided to keep quiet.” Her contact is annmwangiadv@yahoo.com.

Have a culpable day, won’t you!

E-mail: watchman@nation.co.ke or write to Watchman, POB 49010, Nairobi 00100. Fax 2213946.