Category: Society and Culture

Why we are Getting the CBC Debate Wrong

Do we have to completely do away with the one and wholly adopt the other? Isn’t it worth considering what’s good in both the old 8-4-4 and the new CBC as well as what may present challenges implementing, and then working out a compromise? The antagonistic stances the proponents and opponents hold suggest that CBC and 8-4-4 are mutually exclusive. That CBC can only be achieved within a 2-6-3-3-3 curriculum. This is fallacious.

Matata Matatuni

“Ah! Bwana we! Unataka nikae vipi?” Nilimuuliza utingo aliyekuwa anajaribu kuweka mzigo fulani chini ya miguu yangu.

“Inua miguu, jamani,” alijibu huku akiishiwa na subira.

“Siinui ng’o!” Nilijibu kwa fadhaa.

“Aaah! Inua miguu bwana! Kwani unadhani wewe ndiye nani?”

“Sitainua. Utaninyima raha hadi lini wewe? Kwani sijalipia nafasi yangu kwenye matatu hii? Umenifinya vya kutosha kwa kujaza matatu kupindukia, na sasa unataka niinue miguu pia? Haiwezekani!”

“Acha ukorifi, jamaa. Hii ni matatu sio gari binafsi. Kama unataka starehe jinunulie gari.”

“Ni haki yangu kustarehe kwenye matatu nikichagua kusafiri kwa matatu. Kwani umenibeba bila malipo? Si nimelipia nafasi hii? Kama nimeilipia, nina haki ya kustarehe.”

“Eih! Inua miguu wewe! Kwani tutaishi hapa?” Abiria mmoja alibisha. Wengine pia walikuwa wameanza kunung’unika.

“Siwezi!” Nilijibu kwa ugombezi. “Watu kama nyinyi ndio mnasababisha tunakanyagwa kiasi hiki. Sasa ona tulivyofinyana. Matatu inafaa kubeba watu kumi na wanne lakini humu ndani tuko zaidi ya ishirini. Na nauli tumelipa, tena kiwango cha juu sana. Mnakubalije kutendewa hivi?”

Urembo au Juhudi: Wanawake kwenye Idara ya Polisi, Kenya

Miaka michache iliyopita, afisa mmoja wa kike alipata umaarufu usiomidhilika. Umaarufu huu ulitokana, sio kutokana na kazi yake, bali ni kupitia urembo wa sura na umbile lake. Mwili wa afisa huyu ulijadiliwa, ukasifiwa, na kumezewa mate hadharani kwa siku kadhaa. Vile vile picha yake ilikatakatwa na kuhaririwa kwa jinsi tofauti ili kutosheleza matwaka ya wananchi haswa, nafikiri, wanaume. Ilishangaza sana kuona baadhi ya wanaume wakitamani hadharani kukamatwa na afisa huyo. Wengi walirai, “Tafathali nikamate!”

Why and How “Hakuna Matata” May be Reclaimed from Disney

Disney’s move to trademark “Hakuna Matata” entails an unfair restriction of the use of the phrase by its owners. It is theft of cultural property. It is not too different from colonialism. This is cultural imperialism. It is unacceptable and must be resisted.

It is probably a moment to ask not what your society can do for you but what you can do for your society, to paraphrase JFK.

Black Lives Matter

The recent killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is just another, among dozens of attestations of systemic racism with which America’s social fabric is smudged. Like a cat hunts a mouse, the police, who ironically are supposed to protect and serve everyone, are more often than not an additional menace to black lives. The presumption of innocence until proven guilty is dictated by one’s skin color in the US.

The Badgers?… But why?

The badger is a ubiquitous phenomenon in Madison, Wisconsin; the badger bus, the Bucky badger, badger football, badger gymnastics, badgercare, badger cab… the list is so long, we could go on and on and still not be done. The ubiquity of the badger may, and has certainly caused many Madison residents to be oblivious of its origin…

Thorn in the Flesh…

So disconcerting was Paul’s ‘thorn’ that he begged the Lord, not once, not twice, but three times for it to leave him. God’s response is as astounding as it is paradoxical. He who is all good, all loving and all merciful, declines Paul’s prayer stating, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”