[Go Back to Archives] [Go to Current Articles] [Give your comments] [Newtimes website]

The Newtimes Archives News

Thought for January 2007

The elections are now behind us. What has  glaringly come to light through the violence that followed these  elections is that we have two tribes in Kenya. I have always known them to be social classes but have now reviewed my outlook. The two comprise the rich and the poor. The rich can be a particularly dangerous tribe. They can influence occurence  of chaos, wanton destruction and above all loss of lives between the poor themselves. The rich will meanwhile be watching the primitive acts from the comfort of their hotels and sitting rooms. Until when will poor Kenyans realise that they are used as pawns by their rich poliitians who ignight fire and watch  them burning from a distance? Meanwhile, the international community especially the press is treated to what looks like savage drama reminiscent of pre-historic times. Luckily, it is not the whole country that experienced this shame. It is indeed a big shame to the perpetraters of such inhuman acts. In fact, they should be brought to book either locally or internationally for such acts.

Mwangi Wanjumbi (MKIM)
Trainer & Management and Entrepreneurship Strategist
Business Writer/Researcher, COYA Consultant and
Council Member/Lecturer, Marketing Society of Kenya (MSK) 

Thought for December 2007

Majibo talk
I recently had an opportunity to listen to 3 respected Historians debating on the origins of recurrent majimbo talk.

Without bombarding you with intricate details, it became clear that Majimbo is actually a political scarecrow. How come it only surfaces during electioneering periods? Did you know that it was first floated by colonial authorities? Did you also know that it was meant to be a tool meant to reduce the powers of the executive? The colonialists were eager to safeguard their own interests through partitioning the country into small units or jimbos whereby they would have substantial influence in at least one of the jimbos.

In my own  view, majimbo as presented to us by polititians is not workable. It also appears that it would be foolhardy to demarcate the country into small and seemingly tribal cocoons when the rest of the world is embracing regional integration. It appears that Majimbo will never and should never see the light of the day in independent Kenya in the form that it has been propagated. Or is it not retrogressive to continue following the Colonialists ideas before re-thinking them and aligning them with todays realities?

Mwangi Wanjumbi (MKIM)
Trainer & Management and Entrepreneurship Strategist
Business Writer/Researcher, COYA Consultant and
Council Member, Marketing Society of Kenya (MSK)       Taming River Nzoia for good
The perennial Budalangi Flooding is annoying. It has occurred as a ritual every year, claiming thousands of livestock and sometimes human beings. It also brings along water borne diseases which continue adding more suffering long after the floods have subsided. The Government’s efforts of building dykes have been reduced to shame by this famous river Nzoia. But, I believe that a little bit of creativity and sacrifice can bring this mayhem to an end at least before the next round of flooding.

The government should this time immediately and permanently relocate a sizeable population of the residents around the river banks. This should be followed by construction of a deep reservoir or semblance of a manmade lake (lake Bundalangi presumably). Dykes should be used to divert the rivers excessive water into the new lake. We should forget about the inhibitions arising from selfish River Nile agreements with Egypt. They prevent interference with waters pouring into Lake Victoria. The welfare of humanity in our own country should come first. In any case the problem is the excess water flow.

This lake if created should become a source of water for irrigation during dry weather. The water can even be pumped to the northern side of the country where water availability is a challenge. The benefits of this approach will most likely outweigh the disadvantages.

Indeed, why allow this God given and sometimes rare commodity to cause so much devastation year after year, yet it can be harnessed for useful purposes? Future generations will not forgive us if we do not creatively manage free gifts from God.

Mwangi Wanjumbi
Management and Entrepreneurship Consultant
Newtimes Business Solutions, Nairobi

Recognizing Talent and Innovation
Good ideas do not always go to waste. Let us share recent communication with The DVC, Kenyatta University which is reproduced below.  You willl also note that ECONET Wireless, the 3rd Mobile Service Provider has now been given a go ahead by the Information Minister, to roll out  services without any conditions. It will be recalled that this newsleter had asked the Government to change licencing tact (8th Feb 07 :: Telecommunications licensing; revisit the strategy). The BiZEye is thankful to the person who "lifted" the artcle and had published in the Nation abeit in his/her own name sometimes ago. Perhaps our pleas made sence thus leading to the government's change of heart.

 
Communication with DVC, Kenyatta University
Kindly accept my sincere congratulations to Kenyatta University under the stewardship of Professor Olive Mugenda for taking a bold step of recognizing talent and nurturing it to the highest level of knowledge. This will understandably happen without subjecting the students to the normal educational system which seemingly hinders talent growth. The Luhyas of western Kenya say that if you ever talk to a stone, it will never respond. You should however be contented that it has heard. I say this because I had written an elaborate article (Business Post – February/March 2007 issue or http://www.newtimesconsultants.com/newsletter.html) titled “recognizing talent and innovation,” whose contents are congruent with the developments at Kenyatta University. One major hindrance to talent growth is certainly the educational system as I clearly explained. I recommended creation of a talent hunting and nurturing body for the good of our country. I do not know whether it is a coincidence that we could have been thinking the same with Kenyatta University where I interact with nobody and know nothing about the internal affairs. Or could it be evidence that the stone indeed has ears? Probably but, Prof. Mugenda, well done and keep the spirit of talent and innovation burning. I will meanwhile invite you to read a copy of the current issue of the Management Journal- KIM. My article depicts a sorry state of our moral attributes. Learning Institutions need to explore the way forward.

Mwangi Wanjumbi (MKIM)
Management and Entrepreneurship Consultant
Business Writer/Researcher and Trainer
COYA Consultant
Council Member, Marketing Society of Kenya (MSK)

The REPLY

Dear Mr. Mwangi,
Thanks for your email. I'm happy to know you had the same ideas. I'm trying to set up a scholarship fund to nurture these talents. will keep you posted.

PROF. OLIVE M. MUGENDA, Ph.D.,
EBS VICE-CHANCELLOR KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
P.O. BOX 43844, 00100 NAIROBI, KENYA
Tel. 254 020 812676, 254 020 810901 EXT. 57200 Fax 254 020 811575
Email: kuvc@nbnet.co.ke Website: www.ku.ac.ke

[Go Back to Archives] [Go to Current Articles] [Give your comments] [Newtimes website]