Diary of a Mad Kenyan [1] Woman comments on the predominance of old men in Kenyan politics and government. She questions how old fashioned men acting out old fashioned politics chose John Githongo to head the anti-corruption drive [2]. Possibly it was because they thought he was so young he would not be taken seriously at least not until he had towed the line and taken “on the widom and habits of his elders” She asks why Kenyans continue to hold on to and venerate a group of men who are in the twilight of their lives and whose
understanding of the modern state and of the deployment of state power is basically a domineering, male-centred, extractive and exploitative one………especially considering Kenyan demographics indicate that our population is young and getting younger. A mind-boggling percentage of Kenyans are under 25: I think, in fact, the majority. Another large group is between 25 and 40-ish: these are the significantly huge wave of new professionals who are globally aware, sophisticated and of whom quite a few have received at least part of their education in another country.
How do we protect our children from racism and bullying in schools? Pilgrimage to Self [3] is concerned for her daughter after learning from another mother about her daughter's experience of racism and bullying in a school in England [4].
She had come home with bruises on her legs from being kicked under the table by the bully and she had tried scrub herself ‘white’ at bath time. She is being called Jungle Girl by her schoolmates. As a result of this, her daughters self confidence has plummeted to zero, she cries herself to sleep every night and is now questioning if she is a bad person because she is brown skinned. She is only nine years old.
Kenyan Pundit [5] points to a feature in G21 The Worlds Magazine [6] on “wonderful African writers including Kenyan writers, Moraa Gitaa on “Maji na Uhai [7]“, Simiyu Barasa on “Kenya: The Drinking Nation [8]“, Joy Wanjiku on “Porn and Feminism [9]“
Back in December, Molara Wood [10] called on Nigerian readers to select one outstanding book [11]they had read in 2005. Molara publishes 13 reviews [12] by readers
Aqumada [13] comments on the only Ethiopian and probably only African athlete at this years winter olympics, Robel Teklemariam [14].
Many of us in diaspora were proud to see one of us representing the country of our birth in the winter Olympics. His achievement symbolized the success of the Ethiopian diaspora and the unlimited roles that Ethiopians in diaspora can contribute to the development of their country.
Unfortunately Robel has been suspended [15] for possibly using performance enhancing drugs. We all hope there has been a mistake.
In “Gems from Donor to Justify why Shit isn't Getting Done” 007 in Africa lists some of the excuses given by donor agencies on why things dont get done [16].
Johannesbury is in the midst of a building boom as people from across the country and from outside flock to the city. Mzansi Africa [17] complains that ordinary citizens like herself have no say in the many developments that are taking place [18] some of them consisting of hundreds of housing units and which are environmentally unsound.
Our so called green lungs are being threatened, ecologically important wetlands are being destroyed and hundreds of trees are disappearing from a city that is seriously in danger of losing it's reputation as being the largest man-made forest in the world………What's even worse is that there have been a number of environmental whistleblowers who have been taken to court on various pretexts by the developers in order to shut them up, and these ordinary middle class people are being sued for millions of rands for trying to speak up which is their Constitutional right.
What an African Woman Thinks [19] writes about her experience of blogging and wonders whether ripping away the layers is similiar to being “naked and not ashamed”.
It's been a decidedly disconcerting experience venturing into the blogosphere, stumbling onto worldviews that are the antithesis of my own. But sometimes I've seen something there, right there where there's a difference in opinion, something that resonates with me that causes me to resist the initial impulse to move right along.
This year Mshairi [20] decides to join in the Valentine hoopla [21] and gives some suggestions on how to set the mood including a list of music, “your object of desire and a box of party toys”