The Cutting Edge

Posted  Wednesday, June 1 2011 at 19:13

BORING CEREMONY. During every national holiday since independence nearly 50 years ago, Salasya Izaak Job says, the Armed Forces have been performing the same routine, which includes marching past the presidential dais before a fly-past by the Kenya Air Force. He wonders why they can’t come up with something different and more interesting. “I no longer find the ceremonies entertaining because they are so predictable. Now that we have a new Constitution, how about giving us something new?”

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MORE WORK. Following the demolition of the shanty dwellings that had sprung up outside New Ngara Flats in Nairobi, Ruth Muhiuha says Town Clerk Philip Kisia deserves kudos for a job well done. However, she adds, he should not rest now as there is still plenty of work to be done. She hopes Kisia will similarly move against the illegal structures next to the gates of Jeevanjee Estate and Bachelors’ Quarters. And she warns, the council’s squad should be ready to encounter resistance. “And how about a new coat of paint for Old Ngara Estate?”

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POOR SERVICE. KPLC should suspend its prepaid meters until it gets better organised or shelve the idea altogether, demands Kinyua wa Gakondi. The biggest challenge, he says, is the sale of units. “The M-Pesa system keeps breaking down, while KPLC customer care is not of much help. You also pay for power that has yet to be produced and end up paying more because power cannot be stocked. Some of the meters are also faulty. The post-paid system is better,” says Kinyua, whose contact is gakondie@yahoo.com.

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UNHAPPY CLIENT. After opening an account at KCB’s Biashara Street branch in Nairobi two months ago, Nungari Mwangi asked them to send her ATM card to their Marsabit branch. She then went to the branch three times, and after being kept waiting, would not be told why the card was taking so long to arrive. “It was not until I demanded to see the manager that I was attended to. But when the card arrived, it didn’t have the PIN and I decided to close the account. Is this how to treat customers?” Her contact is nungari@gmail.com.

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LONG WAIT. A common feature that one comes across while travelling by road throughout Tanzania is the ugly, lazily scrawled red X sign warning of impending demolition of the marked buildings, billboards, and signposts deemed to be encroaching on road reserves, notes Dave Tumbula, a regular visitor. But, he adds, some of the buildings are still standing today, with the owners carrying on with their business without a worry, three years since he first saw them.

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FOOTBALL TIPS. Can you teach an old dog new tricks? Well, Manchester United fan Richard Oketch Aoko, still reeling from the defeat by Barcelona, says veteran manager Alex Fergusson must “now invest in a young, fast, and creative midfield. Relying on old Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes and slow, uncreative Michael Carrick won’t do. Wayne Rooney and Chicarito were starved upfront of quality supply. Barca’s Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi had a field day, walking through the midfield with Man U chasing shadows. Welcome to 21st century soccer.” His contact is oketaokoh@yahoo.com.

Have a winning day, won’t you!