Thursday, August 25, 2011

Palaver



Great news coming from Internal Security Minister George Saitoti, confirming that Kenya has deployed 200 security forces near the Ethiopian border to guard the Turkana from being hunted and shot down at will by Merille tribesmen. Nice to hear the man with two Cabinet dockets break his silence over this emotive matter. Now the territorial integrity of either state might be assured if the anticipated border markings and beacons are clearly visible. Saitoti then heads for Kisii, dismisses one PS’ directive that future County Governors will take over current DCs’ offices and residences, and speaks at length on Migingo Island’s status, but from a safe distance. Prof, Migingo is just a boat ride away. Do the math.
And if you thought the Merille were bad, then what of the Murle in the state of Jonglei in South Sudan? Their raiders mowed down 500 people from the Luo Nuer (yes there are Luos who do not fish) in and around the town of Pieri and fled with 40,000 cattle. The BBC says they abducted 200 children, allegedly because the Murle "do not have many of their own". Was a pun intended there somewhere?
Venezuela President Hugo Chavez is not letting a small matter of cancer treatment get in the way of serious State business. Seeing as the price of gold continues to head northward (it hit $1,795 or Sh165,000 an ounce Friday), Chavez has announced that he will nationalise Venezuela’s gold industry. Hear him: "The area is run by the mafia... We can’t keep allowing them to take it away." And of course, farther South of here, Uncle Bob’s ministers are warning foreign companies, including Barclays Bank and BAT that they could be nationalised if they do not transfer control to local shareholders. Wonder how many Kenyans would love to interest these two to join the presidential race in Kenya next year. Just a thought.
And finally...
Look at these headlines and explain to me like I am a four-year-old: "Violence in Pakistani city kills 33 in 24 hours"; "Suicide bomber kills 48 in Pakistan mosque"; "Blast kills 20, wounds 12 in Afghanistan’s Herat". Who is killing who? And why? Those are headlines for just three days!

Editorial@standardmedia.co.ke

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