The Cutting Edge

Posted  Thursday, June 2 2011 at 17:19

NATIONAL PRIDE. The most uplifting comment he has heard on the rehabilitation of roads in Nairobi, Mwadimeh Wa’kesho says, was by a senior official from a neighbouring country attending the African Civil Aviation Commission’s 11th air transport meeting. Mwadimeh was happy to hear the man say he had not experienced any potholes while being driven from JKIA to a city centre hotel. “It is clear our road network is attaining international standards. After many years of shame, it’s good to bask in national pride!”

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SERVICE RESTORED. Apologising to David Munyeria over an earlier breakdown of his company’s pilot number, 3870007, which necessitated connection to a back-up system, Telkom Kenya head of corporate communications Anne Mumo-Ng’ang’a says the lines were later disconnected due to a disputed outstanding bill that has since been resolved and service restored. Also sorted out are Interconsult Engineers, whose landlines 4441651 and 4441647, are now working. The main cable serving the area had broken down but repairs were carried out within a week.

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THE FACTS. Higher Education Loans Board beneficiary Jane N. Gichuki’s talk about account errors is untrue, says corporate communications officer Olive Metet. Though she was issued with a certificate in 2008 on clearing her undergraduate loan, she got more for postgraduate studies at Kenyatta University. Sh80,000 was disbursed in February and Sh80,000 in November 2004. The postgraduate loan stands at Sh134,045.20, inclusive of penalty, interest and ledger fees. “She should pay up to stop further accrual of the penalty.” Olive’s contact is ometet@helb.co.ke.

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HANDY SERVICE. How heartless can some of us be? asks Sheila Mugo, rejecting Evans Mwangi’s criticism of the hawker who sold boiled eggs at Kenyatta National Hospital. Says she: “With the rising cost of living, the woman was simply trying to eke out a living. Besides, the food given to patients is never enough and something extra would come in handy. She didn’t force Evans to buy the eggs. I’d rather he complained about the many thieves at the KNH lifts who squeeze in and steal. I lost cash and a phone.”

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ALARMING INSECURITY. The victim of a carjacking in Nairobi, during which he lost his brand-new pick-up vehicle, Jared Ojwang says Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere should get his officers off roadblocks and step up patrols to enhance security. While there is a roadblock at the junction of Kamiti and Kiambu roads manned by six officers, robberies have been occurring at Kahawa estate as early as 7pm, and it takes officers from a police post, just a kilometre away, an hour to reach the scene. His contact is jaredojwang@yahoo.co.uk.

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PUBLIC NUISANCE. Born and bred in Mombasa, Zainab Essajee is alarmed at its rapid transformation from a place of fun and happiness to a den of suffering. Wreaking havoc on the once peaceful resort town, Zainab says, is the proliferation of tuks tuks, which now outnumber matatus and private cars. “The drivers are a nuisance as they flout traffic rules. They can even take a 360-degree turn oblivious of the traffic around them, and the deafening noise is a public health hazard. But worse, they are accident-prone.”

Have a serene day, won’t you!