Amnesty International demos
Yesterday was Amnesty International’s International “Day of public and online action to demonstrate solidarity with the people of Kenya and to call upon the Kenyan government to protect people from politically motivated and ethnic violence.” Several peaceful demonstrations were scheduled to kick off in various cities around the world. (Did they? I haven’t seen today’s papers so I don’t know) Over the past couple of months, we’ve also seen Kenyans in the diaspora hold peaceful demonstrations in Pretoria, London and elsewhere. This is commendable.
The A.I demos haven’t received much media attention (that’s if they took place) What I’m wondering is, there’s a large number of Kenyans who are rather indifferent to the chaos that has taken centre stage over the last couple of months. Some are trying to wish it away, doing nothing about it and trying to live their lives in as normal a way as they possibly can.
Is it really fair for us to leave other people to fight our battles as we sit back and do nothing? Are we doing enough about this cri as ordinary wananchi within Kenya?
Why am I not surprised?
Many people ask me why I came to hate South Africa so much, and why I’d never ever go back (most of the time my response is either “it’s a long story” or “it’s complicated” – I just don’t want to have to talk about the same thing over and over again, so I’d rather not talk about it at all) After being a victim of racism in SA, it’s incidents such as these that really piss me off. Very few people will admit that racism is indeed alive and kicking, and many incidents of racism or unfair treatment never make it to the media (local or international) I guess no one wants to destroy the perception of a “rainbow nation”. I’m sure this is only one incident, the rest are carefully swept under the carpet.
The Apprentice Africa 2008
The Apprentice Africa kicks off tonight (somewhere) in Nigeria, and will be screened on KTN starting 8:00pm tonight. We have a Kenyan participant in The Apprentice Africa, Joyce Mbaya (who is a friend of mine) and just the fact that she has been selected for The Apprentice Africa shows that she’s a high achiever.
Please show your support for this brilliant lady. A Facebook support group has been set up, if you’re on Facebook, search for “The Apprentice Africa ’08 – The Joyce Mbaya (Joyo) Movement” and send in your messages of support.
I have no doubt that Joyo is more than up to the task, and I hope she does walk away with the job (with a $200,000 annual salary) and the luxury car at the end. I know she can.
What’s on my Playlist?
Impartial – Mattafix
February 28, 2008 at 5:10 pm
That SA story is disturbing, i read somewhere the response from the University about the delay in integration, “they were consulting other parties”….*smirk*
February 28, 2008 at 5:23 pm
i was pleasantly surprised to hear joyo is in apprentice. that chick when i met her struck me as an achiever. all the best to her. let’s hoe she gets the job o.
that’s some nasty s**t huko down south bana…(bomseh uko poa?)
and i agree with you, we are sitting chewing our nyamas, and pinting and wishing the chaos away…guilty as charged i be.
February 28, 2008 at 5:27 pm
The other day some white SOB called me a kaffir inside a mall..i had to tell him to repeat what He had just said and the poor bastard just stared at me too scared to utter a word…Its worse than you left it..
I had to stop attending some church after the White congregation started some attitude..shaking hards was an issue and those stares drove me and my pal away…I hear they fitted some cameras to monitor the black folks…from repossessing church stuff..
Sad but true
February 28, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I feel you on the racism…..me n myfriends have been asked if we live in a zoo,tumetemewa mate(not kidding) been stepped on in the metro(subway) when the wagon is empty just to provoke us..its bad!
February 29, 2008 at 4:56 am
This racism thing is nasty, poleni sana those who’ve been victims.
As for Apprentice Africa, after unsuccessful applications, am sure I came somewhere like number 5,000 applicant… Well, I watched it jana and sure, there are three Kenyans there and that Joyce chic stands out…
February 29, 2008 at 6:48 am
Joyo also happens to be my pal and am hoping she wins too.
I have faced racism(even here) and know how it elucidates the true character of people. It is really bad
February 29, 2008 at 7:53 am
Kenya’s problem will be highlighted by the demos BUT it wont be resolved by them.kenyans have become selfish individuals who dont care much if the crisis isnt affecting them or their immediate family directly.Kuresoi clashes used to be treated as if they were going on in northern uganda.its sad what we have allowed wana siasa to reduce us to.
I saw the SA video and was really angered to see such de-humanisation.the black SA political class should wake up to what is happening in their so called liberated country.they shouldnt just hold demos but put structures in place to handle and stop future incidences in THEIR country.
February 29, 2008 at 9:30 am
I watched the apprentice africa and felt like Joyo was a little laid back. I know her (was my colleague up to end of last year) to be more aggressive than what I saw. I wish and hope she wins and I know she can.
That SA video was very disturbing. Those politicians down there should a bit more.
February 29, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Unbelievable. Strange thing is that some people even here in UK prefer not to see it as raciscm even when it happens to them. Talk about denial.
March 3, 2008 at 4:06 am
Saw that SA crap on TV and i think i feel you on not ever wanting to go back there.
U know Joyo…small world…worked with her for a while till she decided to resign and head for bigger thing aka Apprentice Africa.. trully an amazing chik a true and real go getter.. lets all support her.
dint meet the questions deadline.. can i still ask?
Fareed and Seanice just kill me… trust me maina and kengangi got nothing on these two
March 4, 2008 at 2:05 am
How about that!
Ugandan kills South African boss
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Ugandan_kills_South_African_boss_commits_suicide_in_Iraq.shtml
March 4, 2008 at 11:48 am
Hey Modo, niko salama.
These racist attacks happen all the time here. Sadly it is mostly the young civilian whites that do that.
The Black S. Africans themselves are not any better towards the people that come from “Africa”. When it comes to interracial relationships or incidents, I prefer white cops coz they follow the law to the book, too bad if u are on the bad side. As for the black SA cops, if ur from “Africa”, you don’t have any rights.
March 4, 2008 at 3:52 pm
First things first, White South Africans have something very ugly inside them. I have met some here and I don’t trust them one bit I tell you. But black South Africans have some very very repressed anger, part of it is because of apartheid but that doesnt explain all of it. Because it is similar here too, most of the blacks here dont care for Africans and they too are an angry explosive lot I tell you.
The problem with us as Kenyans is that we are a bunch of selfish bastards. I use the term we including myself, unless it touches us directly we not going to do jack about it. Look at even the chaos that was going on in Kenya, Im sure there are people who shrugged their shoulders and went on with life as usual.
Like out here in the diaspora, other then a group that was organised via Mama Mike’s and donations to Red Cross International, most help was going out on and individual basis to friends and relative. If you didnt have any, it was you and the refugee camp.
March 4, 2008 at 5:13 pm
I can see! I can see!! Yay!!
March 4, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Enyewe the self-centered nature that kenyans have adopted along the way is quite worrying.as in kama u aint directly,and here i mean really directly involved when someone is in genuine need,shauri yake.some will infact laugh at u and taunt u.as for the giving part,i saw something over the weekend that to me was disturbing.there was this Kameme FM presenter who went to donate 3,000 underwears.for starters,there were 5,000 IDPs.that definately meant there would be a scramble.she went on to ridicule the crowd of cucus and their grand-daughters,fathers and their sons by ‘measuring’ them out as she distributed them from a raised platform.a grandma was scrambling for a panty pamoja na her grand-daughtey!surely there was more than 1 better way of distributing those things.to me that was as degrading as can be.if she was in their shoes,with dead relaz,lost livelihoods,bleak future ahead and living on rations,how would she feel if the same was done to her on camera? Jus goes to show how insensitive we are to ‘other peoples problems’.
March 6, 2008 at 4:05 am
what cut to the ask archer manenos?
March 6, 2008 at 7:47 am
The manenos have already been asked and forwarded and that season sealed.now we are awaiting the premiere of season two and just to quote someone he knows – do not underestimate his capacity to be lazy.
March 6, 2008 at 10:01 pm
If we give lets give in a way that respects the receivers. We are very few degrees of separation away from the same situation.
Joyo for Apprentice Africa. Assuredly, this chica will make a dent in our world. its amazing how many people know her multitalented self, and I am proud to be acquainted.
March 9, 2008 at 12:42 am
Update please
March 14, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Ati am a derailer?? Aaaaaauuuuuuuiiii!! can we meet this sunday and discuss this over a beer?? LOL