Daystar unveils revised curriculum for B.A degree in Music

Stop killing
black
people
Miaka yake
kumi
Page 9
Page 17
A Daystar University Student Publication since 1989 | Vol. 218/219
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www.invonews.com
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Daystar unveils revised
curriculum for B.A degree in
Music
DUSA initiates democratic
dialogue
Page 6
BY JAMES OKONG’O
([email protected])
M
Open music forum
Page 2
The Chaplaincy transition
From left is Chris Bittok, Muthoni Njenga and Saint P. at Open Music Forum on the proposed revised curriculum for B.A
Page 3 Music. PHOTO: James Okongo
usic education is a lifelong
process whose curriculum
should be a major part of
the journey to developing musicians.
You have to keep on learning new
skills and techniques in different
places.
This was said on Friday July 22,
2016 at Daystar University, Valley
Road campus by the renowned music
expert and scholar Prof. Jean Kidula
at an occasion to discuss the proposed
new Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in Music
curriculum.
Prof. Kidula revealed that the
curriculum was still just a proposal
and that it had not been made official
yet since it was still being worked on.
“This is a proposed program it
has not yet completely been passed,
we are still working on it to refine it
further,” said Prof. Kidula.
The proposed curriculum has been
designed in such a way that it resonates
well with a Kenyan local mindset to
degree in meet internaitonal standards.
Continued on pg. 4
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INVOLVEMENT
2
June - july 2016
| Campus News
BY RUBY ABUOR
([email protected]) AND
NAOMI WANJIKU
([email protected])
Prof. Kidula and Dr. Wandia
host open music forum
T
he Daystar University Department
of Language and Performing Arts
held an open forum on 13th July
2016, at the Valley Road Campus for students
interested in pursuing a degree in music.
Dr Wandia who is the Head of Department
organised the forum. Its main objective
was to evaluate if introducing music
classes at the Nairobi Campus was viable.
It commenced with the introduction of
Professor Jean Kidula from the University
of Georgia who was invited to help Daystar
University revise its music program. Dr
Wandia described Prof. Kidula as a wellknown music scholar. Professor Kidula
said that she started singing at the age of
four and her parents were not surprised
when she decided to do music as a career.
She has studied the music composition,
music consumer market and functions of
music in the society among other things.
“Studying music allows you to learn
proper techniques,” she said. She explained
that a lot of people ruin their voices by
imitating musicians instead of learning
the techniques they use. On learning how
to play instruments she discouraged full
reliance on YouTube tutorials because
they do not give one proper skills.
Professor
Kidula
applauded
the
Kenyan music industry saying it had
come a long way. She painted a picture
of its growth through market research,
studying culture, creating a niche and
embracing transformation. Formal Musical
education is a great compliment to talent.
Prof. Kidula in a music session with students of the major. PHOTO: Department of Languages and Performing Arts
The department intends to have a revised
Bachelor of Arts in Music program with
various concentrations like production
and performing arts. In addition, she
addressed the insecurities students may
have towards studying music. One of
them being lack of support from parents.
“We will talk to parents if they need
official communication,” she assured.
As the forum came to an end they advised
students to attend events like the This is
Me Jazz Tour by renowned musician Isaiah
Katumwa. Such events open opportunities
for students to network. Professor Jean also
encouraged the students to form groups and
learn through experiences while they are
still in campus. They both emphasized on
the importance of music in the society and
everyday life. After studying music, being a
performing artist is not the only career one
can venture into. One can be a musicologist,
producer, critic, theorist, deejay, marketer,
composer and many more. Therefore people
should not hesitate to pursue a music degree.
‘
Studying music allows
you to learn proper
techniques”
Prof. Kidula
New beginning for Imani hostel
This will therefore mean that in the event
that only two students share a room as opposed
to four students, the level of cleanliness will
improve and the bed bug issue will be easily dealt
with. Speaking to students who have previously
occupied rooms in the hostel, it was evident
that sanitation and bed bugs have been the main
concerns in the hostel and were mainly caused by
congestion in the rooms.
“I think it’s a great idea to have the number
of denizens in the room reduced from four to
two for easy maintenance of hygiene,” Douglas
Ochaming, a second year student, said.
The general feeling of the students is that this
will mark the end of the on-and-off operation of
the hostel and the problems will be fixed once and
for all.
BY JOSEPH NDUTI MUSOMBA
([email protected])
I
mani men’s hostel at Daystar Athi River
campus has been temporarily closed since
the beginning of June semester 2016. The
closure that has been happening every block
semester has elicited both negative and positive
reactions from the students who have been forced
to vacate to other hostels.
According to the Social Welfare Secretary Mr.
Abraham Lemanyshoi, the hostel was closed
for renovations since it is in poor conditions not
forgetting the issue of bed bugs, which has been
prevalent for many years.
“Initially, the hostel was closed to fight the bed
bug menace and [for] a few renovations,” Mr.
Abraham said. Mr. Lemanyshoi also added that
this semester’s renovations in the hostel would
mark the end of predominant problems in the
hostel.
“We are looking forward to a situation where
the beds are detached from the wall so that the
Imani Hostel. PHOTO: Joseph Nduti
eradication of bed bugs will be effective,” the
social welfare secretary added.
Normally, each room has four occupants in all
the four wings but according to Mr. Lemanyshoi
this is just about to change. “Hopefully, from next
semester the rooms will be occupied by only two
students per room,” he appended.
We are looking forward to a
situation where the beds are
detached from the wall...”
INVOLVEMENT
3
june - july 2016
| Campus News
BY FIDELIS KAMANDE
([email protected])
The chaplaincy transition
I
am seated with Reverend Josphat Musili
at his office in Daystar University, Athi
River Campus. It is a rather quiet Thursday
afternoon but the man of God is in full spirit
and energy for the tasks that lay ahead. Here
is a man who has been walking with God for
almost two decades now and can still talk
of the faithfulness of God. Rev. Musili was
appointed in Daystar University as the resident
chaplain in April 2016 to take the place that
had been left by Rev. Musimi. July 11, 2016
marked exactly three months in office and
in the service of God at Daystar University.
Rev. Musili got entry into Scott Theological
College in early 2002 and graduated four years
later with a Bachelor in Theology. He was later
accepted for a Masters program in Business
Administration Strategic Management at the
University of Nairobi where he graduated in
2014. Immediately after leaving Scotland, he
worked in Egerton University for one year as an
assistant chaplain. He later got married and the
couple moved to Ongata Rongai to establish an
AIC church. Both Rev. Musili and his wife have
been serving there for the last eight years and eight
months with Rev. Musili as the leading pastor.
“The decision to join the Daystar fraternity
was a difficult one considering [that] the ministry
at Ongata Rongai was doing very well,” he
says. However, he felt a calling and applied for
Daystar and after what he terms as “a rigorous
exercise”, he is now the Resident Chaplain. He
says, “The transition of ministry from a Church
I have found a home in Daystar with
all the poeple who have helped my
family and I”
Rev. Musili going about his daily duties in his office. PHOTO: May Joy Namulembwa
environment to the university environment
is something I am yet to fully deal with. The
mental shift has been quite a challenge but I trust
in the Lord’s guiding. I believe that God sent me
to Daystar in order for me to understand where
young people, the church and the world is. I
have found a home in Daystar with all the people
who have helped my family and I settle down.”
He considers the time of his appointment as
most opportune because the Daystar Christian
Fellowship (DCF) was also under new leadership
and both he and the DCF would both have a
chance to grow. He describes the fellowship as
very supportive and consultative. His approach
to ministry and as he leads the DCF is, “To
first understand the nature of ministry, know
exactly where the ministry lies hence making it
easier to know where we are headed and how
we will get there.” Since he came into office,
it has been ‘so far so good’ and he is positive
that this will be another exciting ministry.
When I ask about his family, he smiles broadly
and his face lights up and from this, I know that
family has a special place in his heart. He is
husband to one Evelyn Musili, fondly called Eva
and father of two young boys, Prince Muugo (5)
and Praise Mumo (3). He goes ahead to say, “Our
boys are indeed a blessing and every time we
look at them, we see the goodness of the Lord.”
He sees ministry as connecting with people’s
hearts through sharing God’s word. ‘Seeing
young people with a passion for God’ is what
Rev. Musili views as his greatest motivation
and drive in his ministry work. His vision
for Daystar as he tells me is, “That Christ
would be at the centre of this university...”
Daystar University set to revise semester dates
BY JOSHAU ONDEKE,
([email protected]) AND
WINNIE KARUGI,
([email protected])
F
rom 2006, Daystar University has been
running on two long semesters of five
months with a short semester of two
months in one academic year. However, this may
change following the proposed programme set
to have three equal trimesters for one academic
year. This will mean that students can only take
a maximum of 45 credit hours in an academic
year as opposed to the current 54 credit hours.
This proposal was discussed by the members
of the Senate in a closed meeting at the Senate
room, Daystar University Athi River campus.
Speaking to the Involvement newspaper,
the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic
Affairs Rev. Prof. James Kombo said that the
current schedule of two equal semesters and
a “blocked” one has been a challenge because
most lecturers are not able to go on leave as
required by the law and also even with their
presence, the lectures could get tired which
leads to low productivity.
The proposed trimester program has been
received with different reactions from students.
James Mburu, a 3rd year student Marketing
major said, “Change is not easy. Students who
work during the short semester will be affected
since they take the advantage to raise school
fees.” He added that the proposed system would
be a challenge to the parents and guardians who
raise fees for the long semesters during the
optional semester.
Most students did not welcome this proposed
tri-semester because of speculations of
increment in tuition school fees. However, Rev.
Prof. Kombo, assured the students that if the
University will adopt the proposed system, there
will be no increment in tuition fees and amount
of time to complete selected course. “We are
still going to have a discussion concerning the
matter and ensure that everybody is brought on
Revised semester. PHOTO:hsb.nfsb.qc.ca
board [...] We may put the issue on hold for a
moment.”
Rhenish Kiruy, 4th year Public Relations
student said, “I do not support it because
Daystar is unique with the current semester
system. We will have fewer hours in a semester
and take [a] long time to graduate with the
proposed tri-semester.”
However, this program will ensure that
lecturers can provide an excellent education as
they will be well rested and compensated.
INVOLVEMENT
4
June - july 2016
A Mr.
Daystar
like never
before
| NEWS BRIEF
DUSA Committees
BY WINNIE KARUGI
([email protected])
BY LINDA NGARI
([email protected])
O
n the 13th July, 2016, the
Amphitheatre at Daystar Athi River
Campus was graced with great
entertainment from both Daystar students and
guest performers. Daystar’s own Outspoken
Tawa, Burundi Dancers, Daystar Theatre
Arts (DTA) team, Afrizzo, among others,
performed alongside MC Munene. The
Cyplez Band was the guest performer. The
aim of the fundraiser is to facilitate supply of
free clean drinking water at strategic points
around school. The identified points are: at
the tuition blocks- BCC, SBE, ICT, Lukenya
lecture rooms and the PAC.
The event was an initiative by Mr. Daystar,
Fleury Irakoze whose initial idea, he reports,
came about from a student-administration
baraza that was held in the January semester,
2016. He recalls that a student brought up
the idea of water dispensers. “It is also upon
students to try solve the problems we face,
rather than relying on the administration to
do all the work,” said Mr. Irakoze.
Mr. and Miss Daystar during SOEA dinner PHOTO: May Joy Namulembwa
By selling foodstuff at the PAC, selling
tickets for the concert and Irakoze’s initiative
of moving from one office to another within
the school, trying to persuade people to
contribute. He did not disclose the amount,
but states that he had a target budget of
KES. 80,000 and that money gathered was
enough to get the project started. This entails
getting a 10,000 liters tank, and purchasing
the fresh water from the Export Processing
Zone(EPZ).
For the sustenance of the project, Mr.
Irakoze confirms that he is working hand in
hand with the Daystar University Student
Association (DUSA) representatives to keep
raising funds for the same. “I am optimistic
[that] it is possible and doable. It is for the
good of every one in Daystar,” confirms Mr.
Irakoze.
“I think the initiative is very thoughtful,
especially since it is something we have
been hoping for, [for] the longest time.
That was a grand step done by this regime’s
Mr. Daystar. He has indeed proven that he
deserves the position”, said Valeria Rugut, a
third year student of Education.
DUSA
Committees
are
divided
into twelve namely: Events, Audit,
Environmental
Projects,
Resource
Mobilization,
Food
and
Health,
Transport, Housing, Nations Arise, Clubs
and Associations, Communication and
Actualization of the Students’ Center
committee. All these committees work
hand in hand to help the government put
into action their plan as indicated in their
manifestos during the elections campaign.
The communication committee is very
important in the students’ leadership as
it is in charge of sharing information as
required to the students. It acts as the
foundation of the students’ government.
“The Clubs and Association committee
is in charge of organizing events
during clubs week and representing the
Clubs Secretary in other committees,”
said Kevin Watsiaya, Dusa Clubs and
Association Secretary. He also added that
the committee members brainstorm on
ideas which will ensure better life in the
University. “Our main agenda is to make
DUSA viable by ensuring all committee
members are on board towards the vision
of DUSA”, said Brian Oyaro the DUSA
President.
Daystar unveils revised curriculum for B.A degree in Music
Continued from pg. 1
The B.A in Music major degree is designed
to help students acquire knowledge and skills
in music in communicating and contextualizing
of gospel in Africa.
Prof. Kidula said that she was happy that
Daystar had taken the bold step of launching
a music undergraduate degree program and
commended Dr. Wandia Njoya the Head of
Department (HOD) School of Languages and
Performing Arts for spearheading the initiative.
“Daystar students are lucky to have Dr.
Wandia, despite the fact that she is not a music
scholar; she has been working so hard to bring
in professionals in the music industry [...]
The only dark side to it is that many students,
especially those from the music department,
don’t seem to know what is being offered to
them in such events thus some of them fail to
attend the events,” observed Prof. Kidula.
She said that Dr. Wandia has done an
exceptional job of providing music morals for
students by bringing in high profile musicians
which is a step in the right direction.
She stressed that such events help students
network with people in the industry who might
offer them jobs, produce their musical works
and make them learn the nitty-gritties of the
music industry.
Kidula also revealed that teaching in the
music academy in Africa is difficult because
the syllabus is based on European systems
and European culture. “That system kind of
dictates what happens in the African colleges
and universities, so whatever music school
you go to in Africa today you find that they are
struggling trying to balance what was inherited
with what we live, and that’s a problem.”
How does one become a better music
performer then? Prof. Kidula said that this is
a skill that musicians acquire in school hence
the various music departments and schools in
colleges and universities across the world.
A university curriculum exposes students
to as many repertoires as possible so that they
can perform jazz, pop, hip hop… And that does
not mean that one abandons their individual or
cultural genre of music; they will still do it but,
they can do the rest as well when called upon.
Prof. Kidula stressed that a professional
musician should strive to know the different
genres of music from across the globe.
The music professor said that any musician
must start from somewhere and keep on
performing all the time as they keep on
learning new skills so as to perfect themselves.
The event was dubbed ‘Exploring partnership
with the Music Industry’ and was organized by
the School of Communication, Language and
Performing Arts.
Music producers Japheth Kassanga and Pete
Odera who were amongst the invited guest
speakers at the event talked widely about the
Kenyan music industry and ministry.
Tim Rimbui and June Gachui talked about the
university and music industry collaborations
and finally Saint P, a music producer, and Chris
Bitok a performer talked about the diary of
performing artists.
Saint P said that many good artists who
were not schooled are not informed about the
role of an artist and knew little about signing
contracts thus the need for them to enroll in
such programs.
The event was officially opened by Prof. Levy
Obonyo the Dean School of Communication,
Language and Performing Arts and was
also graced by the Assistant HOD School of
Communication Prof. Lucy Lando.
What the proposed curriculum entails
The proposed B.A degree in Music will be a
four year course and for one to graduate with
a major in Music they must complete 129-141
credit hours and to graduate with a minor in
music a student must complete 21 credit hours.
The curriculum also proposes three different
music majors depending with a student’s
area of interest namely: Major in Music with
concentration in Production; major in Music
with concentration in Performance and finally
major in Music with concentration in Music
Ministry.
The graduates of the music major are
expected to become: Christian musicians
capable of using music effectively to
communicate the gospel; musicians familiar
with international range of musical cultures;
musicians with exemplary skills in music
performance, production, composition and
research; teachers equipped with skills to teach
music in schools and training institutions and
music researchers.
Prof. Kidula’s musical journey
Prof. Kidula’s journey as a musician started
when she was only four years old in the village
where her parents used to work in a church.
At the age of eleven she could play the
Ukelele- a traditional African music instrument
and was a master dancer in the village.
At age twelve she started playing guitar and
piano and at 14 she produced her first music
cassette together with her sisters that was
known as the ‘Kidula Sisters’ and was played
in the then Voice of Kenya (VOK) radio the
modern day Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
(KBC).
In high school together with other likeminded student they formed a musical group
known as the ‘Illuminators Group’ that played
music in different schools across the country
and in international events too.
By the time she finished high school people
were singing her songs.
Prof. Kidula currently teaches music at the
University of Georgia in the USA.
INVOLVEMENT
5
june - july 2016
New caterers: their promises and expectations
BY LINDA NGARI
(lindangari152096@daystar.
ac.ke)
| NEWS BRIEF
M
ay semester came with good
tidings, especially for the students
who eat from the school’s food
service providers. This is thanks to the
introduction of new food service providers: Ark
Holdings Ltd. They comprise a total of thirty two
staff. Mr. Anzele Mnyamamu, the operations
manager, states that the company has a working
experience of seven years. The various places
they have worked with include the Masinde
Muliro University, the Monique Hotel in
Upperhill as well as some secondary schools,
including St. Elizabeth High School, in Karen.
This, as reported by Mr. Abraham Lemayan
DUSA’s Social Welfare official, was an
initiative by the previous government such
as to prevent previous mistakes. He also says
that they will henceforth, be making shorter
contracts as oppsed to the former two year
contracts. “The current food providers have
a contract of only one year, with certain
reservations on clauses in case they happen
to start offering substandard services.”
The new caterers began their contract with
Daystar on the 23rd of May, 2016. “We emerged
winners of the tender out of seven competitors
on the basis of start up capital, previous work
experiences, number of staff and the quality
of management,” said Mr. Mnyamamu.
“We want to counter the faults that were
found with the previous caterers. There were
complaints in matters such as cleanliness,
late service and poor food quality. We are
doing all our best to make a difference,
in the quality of food,” said Mr. Agustine
Neto, the head chef Ark Holdings Ltd.
Vunja Kimya: Anti-GBV
scholars
BY MAY JOY NAMULEMBWA
([email protected])
Ark Holdings Ltd. new caterers team. PHOTO: Raychelle Ng’ang’a
The use of glass utensils poses high risks, but
Mr. Mnyamamu said that their utmost concern
is quality service. “Glass utensils minimize
chances of contracting diseases, and it is
moreover a recommendation by public health.”
There has so far been a lot of positive
feedback from the students concerning Ark
Holdings caterers. “The new caterers are
very good, they show concern and care for
us, as some of them walk to us during meals
to ask if it is okay, and even enquire for any
complaints,” said Gamaechu Eba, a second
year international relations student. “It’s a
classy service, [where] good and tasty food
is served to us. Finally, I [look] forward
to a meal in the school dining hall,” stated
Vallery Rugut, a third year education student.
One outstanding complaint from students is
the portion size. This is said to be unfavorable
to the students taking part in physical
activities. In response to this, the operations
manager promised to look into the matter.
Their objective? “We want to provide quality
services, adhere to the rules of the institution and
ensure that students get their money’s worth. In this,
the students are hereby welcome to point out any
mistakes on our part and we are more than willing
to make amendments,” said Mr. Mnyamamu.
We want to counter the faults
that were found with the previous caterers.”
In a bid to fight Gender Based
Violence in higher learning institutions,
UN Women in partnership with Daystar
University saw thirty students from
Daystar and the University of Nairobi
undergo a mentorship program (during
the orientation week of June semester,
2016) on how to tackle Gender Based
Violence (GBV) in varsities. As a
result, an organization known as Vunja
Kimya was formed. Students from both
institutions were merged into teams and
every month, they meet up to do group
follow ups. Since most of the population
of students are from Valley Road
campus, Vunja Kimya Athi River cohort
was formed on July 16th, and had their
first meet up on 18th July. The Chair
of the meeting was a representative of
Vunja Kimya who attended the initial
training taken through by UN Women,
Dr. Rosemary Kowuor, Mrs. Julia
Kagunda, Ms. Wamunyu and Triza
Wambui, a social worker from Kenyatta
National Hospital. The rest of the team is
expected to meet for sensitization on Friday,
August 5, 2016 at Valley Road campus.
Daystar University celebrates 38th graduation
BY SOILA KENYA
([email protected])
D
aystar University celebrated its 38th
graduation ceremony at its Athi River
Campus on June 25, 2016, two days
after the installation of the new Chancellor,
Prof. Mary Murimi, who was also the Guest of
Honour of this auspicious event. There were a
total of 824 who graduated with 216 of them
being international students and 8 PhD holders.
The cold morning did not dampen the jubilant
mood of the ceremony as the Afrizo team led
in singing and celebrating the graduands.
The Vice Chancellor, Dr. Timothy Wachira
read out the Constitution of Congregation
and Invocation to kick off the ceremony. He
acknowledged the presence of the class of 1996
in accordance with the university’s tradition
of inviting the graduating class from 20 years
ago. Dr. Wachira joked that the reason for this
is to reassure the current graduands that “they
will still be alive twenty years from now.”
“A degree from Daystar is valuable,”
Prof. Murimi confirmed in her address to the
gathered audience of family and friends of
the Daystar fraternity. “In a country where
the rate of unemployment is over 40%, it is
impressive that 70% of Daystar graduands
secure employment within one year of
graduating.” Her uplifting words were received
with shouts of joy from the graduating class.
She also had valuable advice for the graduands.
“Unlike the exams you have taken before, the
exams you take going forward, you cannot
afford to fail.” She went on to highlight a few
things the graduands’ parents should get them
as gifts. Some of them included a flashlight,
to represent their vision, a ruler to balance
all parts of their lives, a knife to cut off bad
habits and a screwdriver to tighten loose ends.
Finally, she ended by commissioning the
graduands to do great things. “As you stand up
to receive your degrees, let your light shine.”
As part of Daystar tradition, The Order of the
Towel was observed. Each graduate received a
towel with an inscription from Luke 22:26, “But
you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest
among you should be like the youngest, and
the one who rules like the one who serves.”
Former Shine FM station manager, Jeremiah Kipainoi, receiving an award of best communication student
of the 2016 of class from the Vice Chancellor, Dr. Timothy Wachira. PHOTO: Daystar University
INVOLVEMENT
6
June - july 2016
| Campus News
DUSA initiates democratic dialogue
BY WINNIE KARUGI
([email protected])
D
aystar
University
Students
Association
(DUSA)
launched
an initiative labelled, Daystar
Democratic Dialogue. The initiative, which
was launched on Friday 8th July 2016 at the
ICT Theatre Athi-River Campus, aimed at
encouraging and involving all Daystar students
in DUSA affairs. The forum is set to replace the
traditional Students’ Barazas, in the long run.
The program aims at discovering the exact
problems that students go through and the best
way to solve them. Students in attendance are
expected to participate by asking questions,
raising concerns, and proposing the way
forward. Through this initiative, the forum
seeks to make Daystar students’ lives more
comfortable through platforms like Skype
where students get a privilege of interacting
with other students from other institutions who
are successfully running a similar program.
“Giving students an opportunity to speak
is the most effective way a democratic
government should engage the students,”
DUSA Chair Brian Oyaro said. He informed the
students present that the dialogue is set to hold
workshops which will include small targeted
groups for example ISADU, Signature Journal,
the Founder and many more to enable them to
air their grievances without fear of intimidation.
During the workshops, students will also have
an opportunity to share their views on the
Democratic Dialogue structure. At a later
stage, the programme intends to introduce two
John Brian Oyaro adressing students at the democratic dialogue. PHOTO: Infospot
other platforms; an Entertainment Platform
and an Inspirational Talk program similar to
Ted Talks, where all students will be urged
to engage in the decision making processes.
“The program is a good initiative, but the
problem is the scheduled time where most
of the students have left the institution [for]
their homes for the weekend thus making it
impossible for them to reach their targeted
audience”, said Jannet Okumu, a fourth year
student in the school of communication.
She says that not many students have really
understood the program because of lack of
communication. Jannet added that DUSA
should educate the students then, welcome
them for the dialogue for it to be effective. “The
dialogue was good, it being the first time, having
all students in the forum air their concerns
and make a way forward was something to
be appreciated,” said Jackline Somi a fourth
year, Community Development Major student.
The dialogue will run for the next two
consecutive weeks on Fridays from 5pm to
7pm, and will end on July 22, 2016. Its time
management policy does not allow anyone
to join the dialogue 15 minutes after it has
begun. In the spirit of order, the dialogue will
be hosting students in a particular disposition:
Southern Africa and America were present
on 8th July, students from West Africa on
15th July and students from East Africa
on 22nd July. This arrangement provides
fully exercise their freedom of expression.
Jazz saxophonist performs at Valley Road campus
BY NICHOLA GITOBU KIOGORA
([email protected])
T
he Daystar University Valley Road
Campus was treated to a lively
atmosphere of Jazz music at the
varsity’s auditorium on Thursday 14th July,
a perfect occasion to chase the cold weather.
This is after the Diamond Media
organization invited the legendary Ugandan
saxophonist Mr. Isaiah Katumwa to grace
the auspicious occasion at the university.
The event began with a session of rewarding
part of the audience that followed and tagged
their photos on social media platforms against
those of the renowned artist. Those who actively
did that were rewarded with a Compact Disc
that contained a host of Katumwa’s collections
and an opportunity to take a selfie with the
celebrity. The majority of the students present
were mostly drawn from the Music department.
In an interview during the performance
with Munene Mwarania a Fourth year
Communications student, Mr. Katumwa said
that he began playing saxophones way back
when he was a teenager after an episode where
he watched a Chinese boy play the instrument
on television and felt challenged that he
should also try the same. He normally did not
comprehend why it is always the non-Africans
that perform magnificent things and felt that
as an African, he ought to do great things also.
“I learnt to play the saxophone by listening
to a host of Kenny G music, memorizing it and
and playing them using my saxophone,” he
said. In so doing, Katumwa continued doing
Isiah Katumwa, Ugandan jazz saxophonist, performing at the launch of his African tour: This is me.
PHOTO: Ephraim Muhoro
it severally and as the saying goes practice
makes perfect, he became an icon in the field.
For his type of Jazz music he likes to blend
it with African styles and tunes. “I love to mix
my type of Jazz music with African genres in
order to add more value to it while maintaining
the African Art,” the Saxophonist emphasized.
In addition, most of the songs that he performs
on stage are based on his feeling and mood
on stage and does not necessarily have to be
a song that he knows or the audience does.
As part of his motivation to the audience
that attended his performance, the artist noted
that success should not be determined by the
world around an individual but rather by
what one’s personal dream is. “Never allow
people to shape want is success to you.” The
artist said. He therefore urged the students to
always ensure that they undertake what they
treasure most with the deepest parts of their
hearts and minds and ensure they succeed.
Mr. Katumwa further challenged the
students to embrace more of the East African
music as opposed to the other parts of the
continent. “Of late most of us East Africans,
we enjoy and adore music from Nigeria and
South Africa more as opposed to our region
leading to poor marketability of our music,” he
added. He said that by listening to more of the
East African Music, the genre is likely to gain
popularity like the other continental music.
The saxophonist also noted that apart
from pursuing his passion in playing musical
instruments, he is keen at ensuring that Isaiah
Katumwa as a brand is going to great places
in regards to the performance of Jazz music.
The performance at Daystar University
Valley Road Campus was the beginning of
his Vast East African tour of performing Jazz
Music that will involve visits to various parts
of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.The tour
is proudly sponsored by Diamond Media
Crew, Serena Hotel and Nation Media Group.
The event was also graced by the Head
of Department for the School of Performing
Arts and Languages, Mrs. Wandia Njoya
who thanked the artist for his exemplary
performance and making it an exciting
afternoon for the entire varsity fraternity.
I learnt to play the
saxophone by listening to a
host of Kenny G music...”
Katumwa
INVOLVEMENT
7
june - july 2016
Editorial & Commentary
EDITORIAL
University graduation
not an end, but a
beginning
It is a simple thing to look at the world being handed
to today’s university graduates and tremble with fear. It
is a dangerous world and a damaged country, to be sure.
Earning that long-sought after degree can mean a lot of
things. Completing your bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral
degrees or earning that diploma certificate represents a
lot of hard work and dedication and it should make you
feel confident that you can take that next step in life. For
most, that means entering the workforce, preferably in a
field of your specialization.
As graduates move on to the next phase of life, there are
two essential things one must hold onto dearly namely:
curiosity and imagination. These two interdependent
traits are the necessary energy for a creative mind. If
one loses them, they become dull very quickly in today’s
competitive world.
Your curiosity is what ensures that you will keep on
learning long even after one graduates. Education is a
lifelong process, and it is not limited to what happens in
classroom alone. In journalism we say that one should
always be that reporter who will ask “why” “what” and
“how” to be a good student, always have a journalists’
curiosity. Always ask questions that leads to exposes.
Your imagination is what allows you to build upon
your curiosity and to put your new knowledge to use.
Never limit the scope of your vision to that which you
have already seen. Picture what you have not seen, or
even what does not exist. Think conceptually and then
strive to make it real in life.
For a moment, let’s turn our attention to the
community that stands poised to benefit from graduates.
Local residents and business people in this country and
beyond should take a good look at these bright men and
women. Giving them an opportunity is not just investing
in them; it is investing in your own business, and in
the relationship between Daystar University and the
community at large. These graduates are a great resource
at your fingertips. Do not underestimate them.
There is a saying that states that the best way to truly
make an impact is to think globally and act locally. Well,
in order for you to make the world a better place, find
ways to make your community a better place first.
•THE TEAM•
Editor-in-Chief - Rocky Asutsa Govedi
Managing Editor- May Joy Namulembwa
Copy Editor - Ernestine -Vera Kabushemeye
Nairobi Campus Bureau Chief - James Okong’o
Graphic Designer - Lewis Karanja
News Editor- Betty Mitei
Swahili Editor - Florence Chanya
Features Editor - Soila Kenya
Sports Editor -Daniel Mang’eli
Online Editor - Mike Njoroge
Public Relations Manager - Angela Njeri
Public Realtions Assistant Nairobi Campus- Lydia Oduor
PUBLISHEDBYTHEVICE-CHANCELLOR’SOFFICETHROUGH
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Cord supporters demonstrations for IEBC to disband.
State of the association
BY JOHN BRIAN OYARO
DUSA Athi President
I
listened carefully as the new
Chancellor Prof. Mary Murimi
gave her acceptance speech,
and not only was I humbled by the
subtleness and resoluteness of what
she believed Daystar represented
to the world but also the fact that
her biggest emphasis was that what
mattered the most was the impact of
the Daystar graduates on the world.
Daystar is at the dawn of change,
with a new Chair of Council and
Chancellor. The Daystar University
Students Association is privileged to
not only witness the change but also
find the best way to embrace it. What
makes Daystar great is the students’
association’s content of character,
their belief in God and their ability to
influence the world positively in what
they choose to pursue as their careers.
We can only be a great institution
if we have the best from our lecturers
and be objective in our pursuit of
knowledge. Africa has proven to be an
enigma whereby intelligence is better
placed in the ability to lie through a
‘
We can only be a great
insitution if we have the best
from our
lecturers and be objective...
system and corrupt dealings. However,
I believe that we can overcome this
label by building and nurturing
fearless influencers and letting actions
speak louder in who we choose to be.
Daystar University must withstand
the test of time and stand its ground
by affirming its mission of giving
the world servant leaders built on
excellence
and
transformation.
We have to wake up to the
realization that the administration,
students and staff have a role to play
in safeguarding the future of Daystar.
Daystar is Christ and how do you
treat that which belongs to Christ?
You do not make your own decisions
about it, as a student, a member of
staff or an administrator; you let God
determine what it truly is, what should
be, because when He lets it go it can
survive or maybe thrive but it will
be void of His will. His will is what
will make it create fearless influencers.
I once took food and could not feel
the taste of it, I talked and I felt I was
saying nothing, I looked at money and
realized I would not encounter it forever,
I looked beyond and wondered what
will be the next step I take and I felt that
God was trying to tell me something.
He did speak to me, by showing me that
all that mattered was Him. I know all
that matters in Daystar is the pursuit
to have Christ at the center of it all.
It is when we sing, like we have never
sang before that we know the author of
life, when we walk by faith and build
our excellence on truth that we can
survive the lustful, greedy and corrupt
dealings of the world. The state of
DUSA has a long way in its pursuit and
it needs you and me to make it intact.
With hard work and God by our side,
we will have the best infrastructure,
the best programs but above all
the best of our Alumni because the
creator of the universe is the true
author of what becomes of something.
INVOLVEMENT
8
June - july 2016
| Campus News
BY MIKE NJOROGE
([email protected])
New Daystar Chancellor installed
P
rofessor Mary Murimi was officially
installed as the third Chancellor of
Daystar University on June, 23, 2016
during an installation assembly at Daystar Athi
River campus amphitheatre.
Distinguished guests and Daystar University
community were present to grace the occasion
as the university marked a smooth and seamless
transition from the leadership of Dr. Florence
Muli-Musiime who marked the end of her 11
year tenure as Daystar University chancellor. In
her installation speech, Prof. Murimi who has a
Ph.D. in Human Nutrition with an emphasis in
community nutrition and behaviour change from
Iowa State University highlighted her goal for
the institution. “I have been in the academic field
for many years and we always pride ourselves
in enrollment and facilities. At university level,
our bragging should be on the impact we have
on the society,” which seemed to echo the lines
that comprise the Daystar University vision
and mission statements of transformational
leadership through Christ-centered learning to
impact Africa and the world.
Speaking before distinguished guests, among
them the Archbishop-elect of the Anglican
Church of Kenya Reverend Jackson Ole
Sapit, the CEO of HELB Mr. Charles Ringera
and in front of her own mother, Prof. Murimi
emphasized the development of soft skills to
modern students. She used an analogy of Jesus’
parable of The Good Samaritan to illustrate
that by going against the then societal customs
wherein Jews and Samaritans did not mix, the
Samaritan man takes the initiative and crosses
the road to help a Jewish man who had been
robbed and beaten by thieves and left to die on
the side of the road. In applying the Samaritan’s
Professor Mary Murimi leading the cohort after her installation as Chancellor of Daystar
University. PHOTO: May Joy Namulembwa
course of action of taking the initiative to help
the situation, Prof. Murimi said, “At Daystar, we
have the responsibility of educating our students
to cross the road. It is the sense of our being,”
With music being led by Afrizo Band and a
carefully planned program that did not deviate
from its timeline, the ceremony was exemplarily
flawless from beginning to end and was ably led
by the Vice Chancellor Dr. Timothy Wachira and
University Chaplain Rev. Stephen Nduto.
Among the keynote speakers was Rev.
Dr. Matthews Mwalwa who delivered the
installation sermon. He impressed upon the
notion of the importance of education in this
day and age. “Why do we educate? Why do
we need universities like Daystar? Allow me to
impress upon you that we educate to open the
brain. This is a goldmine for this generation
and for generations to come.” He also reiterated
the University’s foundational purpose of being
grounded on the knowledge of the word of God
and urged the Daystar community to think as
with St. Paul in Philippians 4:13, “This is my
prayer with you, Madame Chancellor and with
the whole team of Daystar. We can do all things
through Christ who strengthens us.”
Rev. Mwalwa’s sermon was followed by
an installation speech by Prof. Murimi’s
predecessor, Dr. Muli-Musiime who thanked the
Daystar staff and students for their co-operation
Polisi ni rafiki
BY SOILA KENYA
([email protected])
T
he general consensus of most Kenyans
about the police force is pretty grim. The
recent extra judicial killings of lawyer
Willie Kimani, his client Josephat Mwenda and
their taxi driver Joseph Muiruri have not made
things any better. However, one Kenyan, Wendy
Wairimu, a student of Daystar University in Valley
Road Campus is of a different mindset.
In 2015, she started an organization, Polisi Ni
Rafiki with the aim to portray Kenyan police men
and women, not only as the force that is brutal and
corrupt, like Kenyans say, but to also highlight
the good and genuine officers that we have. “I’ve
heard people tell me experiences they’ve had with
cops where they went over and beyond what was
expected to help in difficult situations,” she said.
She is bent on showing this other side of the police.
One other thing she had in mind when forming the
organization was to change the conversation about
Kenyan police. “We’re allowed to criticize the force
of our nation, but we should do it in a civilized way.
If we do it to a point where we are saying we don’t
have resources, or we’re not able to battle certain
militia groups, then what are we telling people
outside the country?” she argues.
This positive mindset is what drove her to launch
her website polisinirafiki.org where the greeting
Wendy Wairimu, chairperson of Polisi ni Rafiki. PHOTO: Soila Kenya
message is one of positive change. ‘This website
seeks to bring out the positive in the police force
that has been for a long time been seen as a negative
organization. We are bringing out sides of stories
rarely told; perspectives from both the civilian’s and
the uniformed lens.’
The rest of the website is inundated with articles
and even some spoken word pieces, posted weekly,
from different contributors who are expressing their
diverse experiences with police. Wendy reported that
the response on this online platform has been good.
Their recent concern has been with civilians but they
are now ‘trying to get information from the horse’s
mouth’: the police themselves. However, they are
facing protocol issues and are yet to hear back from
the powers that be.
The online platform is also helping with linking the
public up with the police that people write about. One
can read a story, enquire as to which police officer was
being referred to and be linked up with him or her.
So far, she has approached a few OCPD officials
and was referred to the headquarters in Nairobi where
they are in the process of speaking to the Deputy
Police Spokesman.
over the past 11 years of her tenure. She also
emphasised the importance of transitions, “We
live in a continent where imminent change
and transition can break institutions with dire
consequences for citizens. Transitions are
key to human life.” She also illuminated the
importance of answering the question of how to
manage transitions and installed her confidence
in the incoming chancellor, stating that she
should stand on the shoulders of the Daystar
community but also search within herself when
answers are not forthcoming. She concluded
with a challenge of communal collaboration
to the Daystar community, by saying that Prof
Murimi will fail if the Daystar community fails
in its roles.
It was then the turn of the Chairman of the
Daystar Company, Dr. Macmillan Kiiru to
outline the Chancellor selection process which
had taken 18 months and intense prayer. The
candidates considered for the position were
around 50 in number from both within the
country and abroad. The Chairman of the Daystar
Council Prof. George Krhoda then introduced
and presented Prof. Murimi to the assembly and
outlined her qualifications and achievements
including her role as the President-Elect and
Chair of the 2016 annual conference for the
Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior as
well as her mission work and commissioning of
Christian leaders in Turkana.
Shortly after being presented, Prof. Murimi
was robed by her predecessor before being
presented with the Order of the Towel, a long
held Daystar tradition that signifies servantleadership. Her first official act as chancellor
was to lead the assembly in singing Ray Boltz’s
‘I pledge allegiance to the lamb.’
On the issue of the recent extra judicial killings,
she said, “This is a very sensitive issue. No one has
the right to take somebody else’s life but we shouldn’t
downplay our security personnel and say ‘it’s the
whole force involved’.” To her, even these police
officers are men and women, “just like you and me”.
If they make a mistake, and they take someone else’s
life, assuming they did, we should not lump them all
together as accomplices. “Also, most people don’t
know this but there are two branches of Police; the
Administration Police [who are being blamed for
the extra judicial killings] and the National Police
Service. Polisi Ni Rafiki is dealing with the latter,”
she continues.
Plans for the future include broadening the
awareness program through community events and
introducing community policing. The aim is to give
the police a space where they can “speak up”. As
much as they are not allowed to speak about certain
aspects that their jobs entail, Wendy is giving them
a voice. “If they went to rescue someone in a covert
operation, they can’t necessarily talk about it. So we
are looking for a way they can tell the stories, but not
hinder their operations,” she said.
Her dream is that one day, the Kenyan perception
of police will change drastically. Also, she longs for
a safe environment where people in the community
are willing and able to approach the police for help.
Wendy is not alone in this journey. Her team
consists of Paul Kiama, the graphic designer, Mercy
Kendi, the secretary, Michelle Wangari, Kevin
Macharia and Christine Mukiri, in charge of it. They
are all students from different Kenyan universities.
Opinion
INVOLVEMENT
june - july 2016
BY SOILA KENYA
([email protected])
Stop Killing Black People!
A
lton Sterling. Freddie Gray. Philando
Castile. These are all names we are
familiar with now. Why? They are all
African-American men whose lives have been
cut short by unwarranted police brutality in the
USA. They are not the only ones - not by a long
shot. According to the organization Mapping
Police Violence, police killed at least 102
unarmed black people in 2015, nearly twice each
week. This year, according to the Huffington
Post, Castile was the 123rd person to be killed.
And as we speak, the list grows ever longer.
‘But why should I care? These are events
happening all the way across the Atlantic; it has
got nothing to do with me.’ If you are thinking
along these lines, you are slightly off the mark.
The recent shootings are evidence of a deeply
broken society. Martin Luther King Jr. died in
1968, but the struggle he died for continues, and
in his own words, “The time is always right to
do what is right.” Besides, these extra judicial
killings are not an isolated American case.
They happen anywhere black people
are the minority. It is what has given rise to such
white supremacist organizations such as the Ku
Klux Klan. An insidious bigotry has possessed
some people and made them think they are
better than others. It is something they have
learned; it is something they need to unlearn.
Michael Brown’s death in 2014 at the hands
of police in Ferguson, Missouri, brought this
whole issue to light and it is when people
really started to take notice. However,
do not be mistaken. Such killings have
been going on for decades, but have not
garnered the media attention they deserve.
A revolution is coming in the notso-distant future, and we are lucky to be alive
to see it.The Black Lives Matter network has
taken the initiative to stand at the helm of this
ship that is trading treacherous waters. Their
aim is simple, to advocate for dignity, justice
and respect for all. It is a sign of their belief that
despite of your race, disability or gender, you
deserve to be treated like a human being. ‘Until
Stop killing black poeple. PHOTO: Soila Kenya
we are all free…’ is their vow; they are not going
anywhere any time soon. Social media is their
weapon, one that did not exist before, and it
may be the aspect that will give their voices the
right amplification needed. Blacks everywhere
are uniting under a single banner. There
will be nowhere to hide for the perpetrators.
Wherever you live, as a black person, this is
an affront to us as humans, the law and God.
Our forefathers did not die in battle
just to have us repeat history like blubbering
fools. Have we not we learned yet? There is
only one race; the human race. Period. We
are all one. Isolating ourselves into groups,
in the end, spells doom for all. The first men
discovered this. Instead of hunting alone and
facing the threat of predators, hostile climatic
conditions and starvation, banding together
gave them all a higher chance of survival.
The same principle remains till this today.
This fight, however, must be fought peacefully.
In the words of King, “Darkness cannot drive
out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot
drive out hate; only love can do that.” Reports
of police shootings keep pouring in by the
dozen following the recent black uprising in
America; this is not the way. Violence cannot
be curbed with more violence. Two wrongs do
not make a right. Alton Sterling’s son himself, a
boy of only 15, has condemned these shootings.
“Everyone needs to protest the right way,
with peace,” he said. No matter how high the
frustrations run, this principle must be upheld.
As Africans living in Africa, we have it easier
yet, it is important to note that black slaves
did not choose to go to America and all the
other foreign lands they were shipped off to.
Furthermore, their progeny had no choice in
growing up in those lands. Besides, it is all
they know. We cannot ask them to come back.
Nonetheless wherever they live,
wherever anyone lives, they are entitled to
some basic human decency. I am black, yes,
but do not kill me for that. You may not like
me, but even so, leave me be. I did not choose
this colour; you did not choose yours. So
get off your high horse and see me for who
I really am. A human being, just like you!
Well from the opinions gathered, I would say
that if we base our argument on etiquette, he went
out of the path and it was a matter of ignorance,
but if we base our argument on media ethics,
he was on the right track and simply fitting into
the role. In general, I believe a journalist should
maintain both media ethics and etiquette because
he is communicating to billions of people far
and wide. Therefore, if I was to advise Mr. Elvis
and all journalists who plan to do food-related
features, I would tell them that they should
always swallow their food before they talk, then
they would leave no space for negative criticism.
Is it ignorance?
BY AUDREY RESTETUTA EGESA
([email protected])
I
s it ignorance or fitting into the role?
This has been a big question especially
to Journalism students who look up to
those in the corportate world. This debate
came up after a journalist at KTN NEWS,
named Elvis Kirui, reported while eating. He
was doing a feature on one Nancy, a hotel
owner in Nairobi, whose main delicacy is fish.
The Former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga
and two MPs: Hon. Moses Kuria and Hon.
Wetangula, had recently enjoyed a meal of
fish and ugali in the hotel.
Different people had different sentiments
on the issue, “I don’t find it wrong or
unethical, because it is a way of marketing
the lady’s business, in that if he is enjoying
the meal then indeed the woman does a good
job,” said Nicole Mugodo, a third year public
relations student, sharing the same sentiments
Noleens Korir, a third year student majoring
9
Is it ignorance. PHOTO: youtube.com
in Electronic media had this to say, “No I don’t
think what he did is wrong because he was
simply being part of the story so, to me, it was
more of a plus than a minus.”
The media code of conduct has not mentioned
anything concerning the act at hand. Therefore
ethically no one can pin him down. Dr. Peel, a
communication lecturer at Daystar University,
had this to say, “As long as he paid for his meal
and the serving of food did not affect his
objectivity, then he was okay.”
On the contrary other people had a different
opinion “I find it very unprofessional
especially because he was talking with food in
his mouth that is just lack of etiquette and its
worse because it is live on national TV,” said
Lorah Ngine, a second year student taking
economics.
This debate came up after a
journalist at KTN NEWS, named
Elvis Kirui, reported while eating.
INVOLVEMENT
10
| Opinion
June - july 2016
Are fish at threat?
BY INVOLVEMENT TEAM
([email protected])
F
ish, is at risk of becoming extinct.
This has been witnessed at the
shores of Lake Victoria where
fish selling is their livelihood. An incident
which has been noticed by the fishermen
and get nothing from the lake. Lake
Victoria is a host to different species of fish
but the commonly known ones are Tilapia,
African catfish and Nile perch which are all
normally highly profitable.
“Currently, the amount of fish harvested
from Lake Victoria is reducing by the
day, yet we are doing little to salvage the
situation,” says one of the fish mongers.
Water hyacinth and other pollutants such as
car washing residue contaminate the water
and its oil blocks sunlight and air causing
uncontrollable growth of hyacinth along the
lake thereby reducing fish at an alarming
rate. That has made fish in Kisumu more
expensive than those of areas miles away
from the second largest fresh-water body in
Africa.
Water hyacinth and other
pollutants such as car washing
residue contaminate water and
its oil blocks sunlight and air
Fishermen at Lake Victoria. PHOTO: lakevicfish.org
Commercial fish farming is not a
vocabulary in the region and people have
been trying the venture. The challenge is
that most locals have not been taking the
activity seriously. Kisumu is endowed
with aquatic resources. Commercial fish
farms can be a great income source for the
people of Kisumu if they could get help
from aquatic experts and farmers from the
central part who rear fish for sale. Large
scale fish production will definitely help
our economy blossom and also cater for our
nutritional needs. High demands and prices
of fish should be a motivating factor. With
the ever-increasing population, unemployed
people can start fish farming.
The various pollutants in the water
indicated above harm the aquatic life.
Rather than depending on the lake for
income, young people should initiate
projects of fish farming not only in Kisumu
but all over the country. Fishing both the
fingerlings which have not had the time to
grow and reproduce is not the way to go.
Rather, we should stick to fishing the big
fish to supplement the commodity in the
market as well as create employment for
the many unemployed youth in the region.
This does not only give time for the lake to
replenish but also the government to work
on dealing with the fast growing weed in
the lake. Both old and new farmers should
engage the experts in the fish industry
who have great ideas and are ready for the
challenge. Locals should champion for the
restoration of fish farming as it does not
only create employment but also boosts
economic growth.
Fire fever
BY FIDELIS KAMANDE
( [email protected])
F
ire is one of the worst tragedies especially
when human are involved. Death by fire
is one of the worst and most painful ways
to die. Yet, since time immemorial, students have
burnt offices, dormitories, and classes.
Recently, students from Itierio Boys High
School in Kisii burnt down their dormitories and
destroyed school property worth millions the reason
being that the school failed to acknowledge their
desire to watch the European championships, Euro
2016. Barely a week after, students from Naikuru
Secondary School in Kisii followed the trend and
burnt a dormitory. This led to an indefinite closure
of the school. However, the school and security
administration suspected unrest and were planning
to send the students home for a while.
School heads point to the students for failing
to use the right channels to communicate to the
school administration. Students, on the other hand,
claim that no attention is paid to them whenever
they air complaints to the school administration.
Education officials have a different opinion. They
claim that the Education Cabinet Secretary, Dr.
Fred Matiang’i introduced reforms such as longer
terms and no mid-breaks in the education sector
without incorporating all the necessary parties.
Therefore, students feel drained and opt to use any
means to go home and get some rest.
High shool students are not
the only ones affected by
the ‘fire fever’...
University students have
the same kind of
approches to issues
affecting them due to
failure of the
administration to pay
attention to their
complaints
Aftermath of a fire out break in Saint Mary Magdelene Thingingi Girls High School, Embu.
PHOTO: 3.bp.blogspot.com
This “fire fever” has caught up with students
High school students are not the only ones
more than ever before and the damage is almost
affected by the “fire fever”. University students have
irrecoverable. The society has a role to play in
the same kind of approach to issues affecting them.
behavior of the students because it has taught
Due to failure of the administration to pay attention
the younger generation not to question anything.
to their complains, students from higher institutions
They have no voice and should they find it, they
have burnt school, public and private property.
should never use it. This means dissatisfaction and
Besides the fact that they are higher in the education
unhappiness among the students and the “fire fever”
level, they are used as objects of destruction
creeps in resulting in excess pending to repair the
catastrophic results.
For how long will this societal culture cause so
much damage over issues that can be easily solved?
If only the society listened, school property as well
as human life could be spared. I long for the day
when educational institutions will not be subject to
infernos just because there are underlying factors
affecting the involved parties.
INVOLVEMENT
Features | Technology
june - july 2016
The tale of Juno and Jupiter
BY SOILA KENYA
([email protected])
C
hief goddess of the Roman pantheon,
Juno was revered by all women of
Rome as their matron, protector and
special counsellor. Together with her brother
cum husband, Jupiter, she ruled the heavens.
This included several roles: she was the
protector of one in confinement, often pictured
wearing a goatskin, carrying a spear and shield;
she was also the goddess of love, marriage and
childbirth and to top it all off, she was regarded
also as the moon goddess. She was the daughter
of Saturn, god of fertility and agriculture. Juno
and Jupiter had children too, themselves gods:
Juventas, Mars, and Vulcan.
In a fate set perhaps long ago, Juno recently
got to re-join her son and husband (Mars and
Jupiter) in the heavens. On the night of July 4th,
2016, the satellite, aptly named Juno, entered
Jupiter’s orbit. It had been a five-year journey
(the Juno spacecraft launched on August 5th,
2011, from Cape Canaveral, Florida) of more
than 1.7 billion miles from when she was
launched into space by the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) with the sole
purpose of getting more information on the gas
giant planet.
“Juno, welcome to Jupiter,” came the
announcement over the intercom.
It was joy and jubilation all around at the
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, from where Juno’s
progress was being tracked, when they got the
news.
“Tonight, through tones, Juno sang to us, and
it was a song of perfection,” Rick Nybakken,
Juno’s project manager said at a press briefing.
Juno is only the second long-term mission
at Jupiter after the Galileo spacecraft of the
1990s and 2000s. Unfortunately, Juno’s reunion
with her husband will be short lived as she is
now in a highly elliptical 53-day orbit around
Jupiter, and is currently being targeted to
impact Jupiter in February 2018. No previous
11
Juno, the satellite, and planet Jupiter in space. PHOTO: pinterest.com
spacecraft has dared pass so close to Jupiter; its
intense radiation belts can destroy unprotected
electronics.
Why study Jupiter? Simply because Jupiter is
so large, it has been influential in the story of the
solar system. We cannot understand the origin
of the solar system – and how Earth came about
– without understanding how Jupiter formed.
There is still a lot we do not know about Jupiter:
what is it made of? What lies beneath those
beautiful, swirling clouds? What exactly drives
its magnetic field?
“Astronomers are at the edge of their seats,
eager to start breaking down and analysing
the data coming through from the satellite.
Although they will have to hold on for a while
as they will not get a close-up view until August
27th,” Levin said in an interview Tuesday.
“What I’m really looking forward to is
getting up close and personal with Jupiter,”
said Steven Levin, Juno’s project scientist at
the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
As it closed in on Jupiter, the craft’s JunoCam
took a series of pictures of the planet and its
four largest moons over 17 days.
“In all of history we’ve never really been able
to see the motion of any heavenly body against
another,” said Scott Bolton, the principal
investigator for the Juno mission. He called the
circular dance of the moons around the planet
an example of “true harmony in nature.”
Fitting phrase for the god and goddess that
the Romans believed ruled the universe.
walk on a Miami beach for hours on end? Or
you are just from a long exhausting meeting
and during tea break, you decide to climb
the Mt. Everest and see all the breathtaking
glaciers first hand. You are abroad taking
your masters and through VR, you are able
to not only talk to your loved ones at home,
but also “walk” around the house, “sit” in
your bedroom, even “touch” your beloved
pet. Beware, cheating spouse, you may not
be happy with this, but moving on swiftly…
When we are able to move in that
environment and even interact with things in
it, our brains can truly perceive that world is
real and thus the name: Virtual Reality (VR).
VR has a lot of practical purposes in real life
such as simulation training, forces in charge of
security, surgery, pilots and even journalism.
Of course, it is excellent for gaming. Due
to the reduced cost of components and the
high definition graphics quality, it is already
part of the Samsung Galaxy S7 package and
the iPhone will sure be quick to follow suit
lest Samsung take over the market by force.
Film used to be the most immersive
storytelling medium. Even with the
best, highest-resolution TVs, you are
still just watching. You are not there.
The promise of VR is what the industry
calls “presence”—the feeling that you are
really somewhere else. VR cameras like
‘Jump’ can capture the entire experience of
a place. In the not-so-distant future, cameras
like these will be capturing experiences all
over the world. What does this mean for
audiences? How about access to the best seats
in the house at any event—floor seats at the
NBA playoffs, a box at La Scala, front row at
a Beyoncé concert? You would also have the
option of visiting the most beautiful places
on earth, from the comfort of home? It is the
closest thing we have to teleportation. VR can
also create a time machine of sorts. “If we
start recording the most interesting things that
happen this year, then 20 years from now, we
will be able to go back and experience it like we
were there. These could be major global events
or personal moments. We will collect these
memories like we do photographs: able to relay
or relive them in an intensely vivid way,” said
Aaron Luber, a Google Software developer.
Brace yourselves; things are about to become
very exciting in the next couple of years.
Virtual reality
BY LINDA NGARI (lindangari152096@
daystar.ac.ke) AND DAVID IRUNGU
W
e currently live in the most
exciting of times the world has
ever witnessed. Well, at least
technologically. Every single day, technology
is further advanced all around the globe. The
most brilliant of minds are working day and
night to create sophisticated, wondrous gadgets
that make life convenient and enjoyable. To
get a better picture of this, try for a minute
to reminisce of the mobile phone you used
six years ago and the one you are using now;
the kind of television set you used then and
the one you use now; the way ten years back
we had no WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat
and many more. It sounds like ages ago, does
it not? We somehow survived content with
making phone calls, mobile messaging and
even writing letters and it was all so money
draining. Tech is now faster, cheaper and
more immersive, so in this piece we will have
a look at a concept that is about to take the
world by storm! It is of course, virtual reality.
Virtual Reality (VR) is a fully immersive,
computer simulated environment that gives
you the feeling of being in an environment
other than the one you are actually in. In
simple terms when you explore virtual reality
you are not just looking at scenery, you are
IN the scenery. There are thousands of places
you can explore. You can visit the Eiffel tower
of Paris, the beaches of Hawaii better yet, get
a glimpse of the United Kingdom’s palace.
One can also visit the relics of ages past
like ancient Rome or medieval Europe and
even places that do not exist, for instance the
sunken city of Atlantis. There is nothing quite
like immersing yourself in virtual reality.
Sometimes, it is even better than being there.
How it works, by use of sophisticated
equipment that includes a headset,
headphones, data suits, and gloves (the last
two being optional). The headset will work
by tracking your eye movement so that it
translates whether you want to look up,
down, left or right. When you turn your head,
you will see what is behind you and so on.
The headphones of course work by letting
you hear what is going on at the other end.
Let your imagination run free here.
Imagine, you are just from a really long
boring 3-hour long lecture. How do you fancy
unwinding by strolling through a leisurely
INVOLVEMENT
12
| Education, science and technology
Conserve your environment for
conducive weather
Tech Expert
HP goes big on
gaming with new
Omen laptop
BY SOILA KENYA
([email protected])
C
lass is finally over. I release a
pent-up sigh as I think about
the assignments I have waiting
for my attention. However, something
else is of even greater concern to me at
the moment; keeping warm! I pull my
scarf tighter around my neck, trying to
fill up any spaces that may be allowing
air in. I step out of the DAC, though, and
a blast of cold air slaps me straight in the
face. For a moment I cannot breathe. All
I can contemplate is, ‘Who do I have to
blame for my frozen fingers and toes?’
Myself, apparently, and pretty much
all other human beings living in the
world right now. It is our fault that such
extreme weather patterns are becoming
the norm. Environmental degradation is
contributing to these extreme weather
conditions, not only in Kenya, but also in
other countries all over the globe.
According to the United States
Environmental Protection Agency,
extreme weather is typically rare. But
climate change is increasing the odds
of more extreme weather events taking
place. For scientists, establishing the most
likely causes behind an extreme weather
event can be challenging, since these
events are due to combinations of multiple
factors. Nevertheless, scientists have been
able to draw a connection between some
Extreme weather is typically rare but climate
change is increasing the
oddsof more extreme
weather events taking
place
types of extreme climate patterns and
climate change.
Historical records of Weather Spark
average daily temperatures in July from
2011-2014 in Kenya as constantly high
temperatures. Daily highs were around
22°C throughout the month, exceeding
24°C or dropping below 19°C only
one day in ten. Daily lows were around
12°C, falling below 10°C or exceeding
14°C only one day in ten. This July,
though, we are seeing mostly lows of
14°C and below.
A contributing factor is greenhouse
emissions. ENV 112 passed over most
of our heads, but it is an important class,
imparting us the knowledge required to
conserve and preserve our environment.
Just because the earth is getting warmer,
does not mean that the only effects will be
high temperatures. In fact, the effects of
these harmful emissions include various
BY JAMES OKONG’O
([email protected])
July, 2016, daily temperatures. PHOTO: weatherspark.com
global events: more intense and frequent
heat waves, less frequent and intense cold
waves, and regional changes in floods,
droughts, and wildfires. To make matters
worse, scientists project that climate
change will make some of these extreme
weather events more likely to occur and
more likely to be severe.
So as you brave the morning cold
as you tread to class each morning,
consider your habits. How much are you
contributing to this phenomenon known
as global warming? Note that through
simple changes, you can help. Reducing
emissions can be as easy as changing a
light bulb, powering down electronics,
using less water, and recycling.
If we are feeling the effects now, what
sort of world will our great grandchildren
live in? Do not be selfish; conserve your
environment for future generations.
| Technology
To root or not to root?
BY SANDRA WARIGIA
([email protected])
I
f your phone is functioning under
the Android Operating System
you may have struggled with
your phone’s full capabilities. Perhaps
it cannot handle as many videos as
you would like or you simply wished
it was not bogged down by so much
bloatware. Google has been the flag
bearer of Android Operating System
and as such, most smart phones that use
this Operating System are guaranteed
to come with unwanted applications
that devour a good chunk of internal
memory. They are also known as
bloatware.
Rooting or jailbreaking a smart
phone gives you, the user, exclusive
rights on the Operating System. Users
will now be able to remove bloatware
which will subsequently free up your
phones internal memory and RAM
(Random Access Memory). RAM is
a ‘special storage space’ where your
phone holds data on your phone in
order to quickly start up applications
when they are needed by the user. If
your phone is slowing down, that might
be the first thing you should check.
Customize system applications, move
fixed apps from your phone to your
memory card or run a custom ROM (a
different Operating System from what
was initially
on your phone). There are many
possibilities, but doing so comes at a
hefty price.
Rooting one’s phone immediately
invalidates the warranty it is served
under. It is advisable for one to wait
until the warranty period is over before
attempting this. If rooting is attempted
and is unsuccessful, one may have on
their hands a ‘bricked’ phone: no more
useful than a brick. For many people,
in a bid to speed up their phone or give
it new features, have suffered through
poor performance or loss of certain
features. Lastly, for those who would
like to change their phone’s OS, they
run the risk of introducing viruses into
their phone that may be carried over
from the custom ROM.
June - july 2016
Android phone taken apart. PHOTO: cloudfront.net
While rooting may open very
many possibilities, there is a constant
possibility of something going wrong
but should you be convinced to
go through with it regardless, it is
advisable for you to find a guide that is
suited to your phone’s make and
exact specifications. The forum.xdadevelopers.com website is known to
have trusted resources in this respect
and is an open source in case one runs
into trouble rooting their device.
HP Omen is one of the best looking laptops in the market today, it combines a
show-stopping design with a strong gaming
power. It boasts easy to program lighting and
key configurations, overall performance and
quick file transfer speeds.
This is one omen you will not mind getting. The Hewlet Packard (HP) company is
re-entering the gaming-laptop scene with
the Omen. The 15.6-inch laptop also offers a
slim, lightweight chassis that looks more like
a piece of art than a gaming machine.
Thanks to an NVidia GeForce GTX 860M
graphics, 16 GB RAM and Core i7 CPU, it is
perfect for high definition, heavy games. And
that should be great news for gamers.
HP really knows how to make a pretty
piece of machinery! Shunning the flashing
lights and brightly colored accents of its competitors, the Omen stuns with its jet-black
aluminum exterior.
Things only get more interesting when you
lift the lid. The multicolored backlit keyboard
sits in a slight recess between a pair of its discreetly lit speakers that run from the top to the
bottom of the deck. HP also added an extrawide touchpad making it even more effective.
With all the hype surrounding super-highresolution screens, it can be easy to forget
how awesome a 1920 x 1080-pixel panel can
look. The Omen’s 15.6-inch touch-screen
panel serves up striking colors and distinct
details.
As on many gaming notebooks, you can
change the color of the Omen’s keyboard
backlights to any color of your preference.
In addition to lighting, you can reset
various keys; disable Caps Lock, Menu and
the touch screen and set Function key defaults. Instead of using the F12 keys to take
screenshots, you can programme it to launch
Google Chrome. Omen Control also allows
you to create multiple profiles that can be accessed via a custom keyboard shortcut.
The sides of the Omen taper at such a steep
angle that HP could only fit a 2-in-1 card
reader on the laptop’s right side. All of the
remaining ports are on the rear: four USB 3.0
ports, a HDMI port, a mini DisplayPort and
jacks for headset and power, all positioned
between the glowing red vents.
Unlike most gaming laptops, the Omen
comes with a small cadre of software. HPbranded apps include Connected Photo,
Connected Music Recovery Manager, Support Assistant and Performance Advisor, a
workstation tool that helps identify processing bottlenecks to keep your laptop running
smoothly.
Combining a tempting design with a
healthy dose of gaming might, the HP Omen
is easily the best-looking laptop. The Omen
offers more good tidings than bad for gamers
in the market for a laptop with power, portability and pulchritude.
This HP Omen gamer laptop model was
launched into the Kenyan market earlier this
year and retails at roughly Ksh 170,000.
INVOLVEMENT
13
june - july 2016
Souvenir
Dialogue with the first
woman chancellor in Kenya
Send feedback and letters to the editors for publication to: [email protected]
Visit www.invonews.com for breaking news
INVOLVEMENT
14
June - july 2016
Dialogue with
the first woman
chancellor in
Kenya
Souvenir
BY MAY JOY NAMULEMBWA
([email protected])
“If you are leading an institution like a university,
there are systems, rules and regulations. It is very
important to ensure you rehearse that process to
everybody you meet especially when you come into
contact with students.”
Dr. Florence Muli-Musiime during the interview. PHOTO: Libby Ndambo
Dr. Florence Muli-Musiime receiving an award of appreciation from Daystar U.S
Executive Director, Kathy Johnson. PHOTO: daystarus.org
A
fter eleven years of service
to Daystar University as the
Chancellor, Dr. Florence MuliMisiime, whose highest level of education
halted at the University of Edinburg with
a PhD in Psychology and Counseling,
feels that she exited the office a proud
woman. May Joy Namulembwa had a têteà-tête with the former Chancellor of the
institution and unearthed her thoughts.
MJ: You have been the Chancellor
for the past 11 years. What was it like
occupying that position?
FM: Initially, it was a bit scary because
I was not only a Chancellor, but Chair
of the University Council and I had a
dual responsibility. Having not been a
Chancellor before, it was not easy. I felt
vulnerable but allowed my vulnerability
to be my strength. That way, you get to ask
questions and get answers. You realize that
you do not have all answers so you create
a team around yourself. I am a relational
leader. I connect with the people I work
with and give them primal place. That
way you achieve a lot more than when
you are the source of everything. I lead by
following.
MJ: What does a Chancellor do in the
University?
FM: The Chancellor is the face of the
university out there in the public. They
act to guard the mission and vision of
the university. They are allowed to call
a visitation and see what is happening if
they feel that the university is going offline.
My things went very well so I never had
a chance to call for a visitation. It is done
when there is need for intervention.
The other role is to network and connect
the university and be a big advocate
for the university everywhere you go.
Also, when you come into contact with
potential resources and opportunities, you
communicate to the university.
MJ: Most institutions are headed by
male Chancellors, what was it like being
a female Chancellor?
FM: Actually now there are women.
There is professor Miriam Were, Chancellor
at Maseno University. But I have to say I
was the first woman Chancellor in this
country. It was quite scary. What happened
is, when I walked into the first gathering
of university Chancellors around, I found
mentors and they made it easy for me to
be among them without being scared. The
other thing that helped me is, most times in
my career, I have had to walk with a lot of
Dr. Florence Muli-Musiime at the PAC with her friends after the installation of the new Chancellor.
PHOTO: May Joy Namulembwa
men and therefore, I became comfortable.
MJ: How did you spend your free time
away from the office?
FM: I like spending time with my
people, taking it easy and reflecting. I love
swimming and I do quite a lot of things to
keep myself healthy. I jog, walk and visit my
relatives.
MJ: How is a day of a Chancellor like?
FM: *Sigh* I engaged in a lot of
development activities, some initiated
by myself. When I wake up early in the
morning, I do not have to worry about
having nothing to do. My days are planned
way ahead. I know what is coming my way
every other day.
MJ: Do you feel like during your tenure
as Chancellor, your goals and missions
were achieved?
FM: I believe they were. As both
Chancellor and Chair of the Council, I
came here and found a master plan for the
university. When I came here, I did not
want to leave Daystar the way I found it.
But I wanted the person who comes back
to find an airplane that has taken off and
is flying.
I found the foundation from my
predecessors and they had set the
parameters. The plan was there. It was a
question of working with others to ensure
we have the right resources in the right
places at the right time to ensure that the
university did not stagnate.
I have been asked before, why hasn’t
Daystar spread out to other counties? We
decided to build a brand. To ensure that
the quality of the brand is developed. We
decided to prioritize and strengthen what
we have, make it the best that it can be and
once that happens, the rest is history. Now
we have Nairobi and Athi.
MJ: How often does a Chancellor go to
the office?
FM: You can be a Chancellor when
you are out there. You do not have to be
in office all the time. It is important to be
occasionally in touch with the university
physically, during the year. In this age, you
can be in touch with the University virtually
so you do not have to be physically rooted
in the office. Even as the Chair of Council,
when it was necessary, I came.
The important bit is to make sure what
you have on the table in the office of the
Vice Chancellor and the whole system in
the University is strong enough to allow
you to do that.
MJ: So you can be a Chancellor and
have another permanent job?
FM: The Chancellor is not a full time
job. It is a service to the university. People
seem to think that I was employed by the
university but I was not. I had my jobs
out there. This was my service to the Lord
through Daystar. It is a calling. I did not
earn any money here for my upkeep. I
earned it in my job and my other personal
development activities.
MJ: What is your other job?
FM: I have worked before for AMREF, UN
Habitat, Kenya Prisons [as a psychological
INVOLVEMENT
15
june - july 2016
JaMvi La Kiswahili
Abiria wanashindwa, waabiri wasiabiri! PICHA: thomsonsafaris.com:
Kizaazaa cha matatu
NA FLORENCE CHANYA MWAITA
([email protected])
N
ingekuwa na mabawa ningeruka
hadi
mbinguni
ni
maneno
yanayoutanguliza
wimbo mtamu
wa Kikatoliki. Mimi ningekuwa na uwezo
ningemfufua mheshimiwa mmoja; marehemu
John Michuki. Labda kurejea kwake katika nchi
ya walio hai kungeleta tofauti kubwa mno katika
sekta ya usafiri kwa sababu ukiniuliza sasa hivi
tunakoelekea; nitakwambia jahazi letu la sekta
hiyo lilipigwa na mawimbi na linayumbayumba
likiwa katika hatari ya kuzama wakati wowote
ule. Je, sheria alizoweka na kuhakikisha kuwa
zinafuatiliwa kikamilifu zililimbwa naye?
Kistari cha manjano kinachoyatambulisha
magari ya usafiri wa umma hakitiliwi maanani.
Badala yake magari hayo yanarembeshwa
na kuandikwaandikwa maudhi. Hivyo, ni
rahisi kuabiri gari lolote lile na ukapata abiria
wakidhulumiwa njiani na majambazi kwani
haijulikani kama ni la usafiri wa umma au la.
Isitoshe badala ya abiria kupokelewa vizuri
na kina utingo tena walioivaaa sare ya kazi,
wanakaribishwa na utingo waliokunywa maji
ya chooni na wasiokuwa na breki ya vinywa
vyao huku wakisukumwasukumwa huku na
kule. Wanawake wanadhulumiwa kimapenzi
kwa kukonyezewakonyezewa macho na
kuguswaguswa ovyoovyo na baadhi ya utingo
wasiokuwa na nidhamu.
Sasa niliyokwisha sema ni lele tu, ngoma
bado. Abiria wanashindiliwa ndani ya matatu
kama viazi vishindiliwavyo guniani. Ikiwa
matatu hubeba abiria kumi na wanne, itabeba
ishirini; wengine wakininginia mlangoni .
Palipo na nafasi ya kupitia patawekwa
kipande cha ubao la sivyo abiria atalazimika
kuuziba mwanya huo kwa makalio yake na
wanapopangwa utasikia, “wewe ni mnono, kaa
pale na wewe nenda pale,” bila kujali hisia zao.
Kama kudunga msumari wa moto penye
kidonda, kuna vijikaratasi vilivyobandikwa
kwenye gari, “hatusemi wewe ni mnono lakini
ukikalia viti mbili lipia,” “kama hujanunua hapa
usikulie hapa,” “garini wewe ni kimbelembele
na kwako wewe ni bubu,” “kutapika ni mia
mbili na kus**ta ni bure” na kadhalika.
Endapo mtu atalalamika kwa vyovyote vile
hata anaweza kuambiwa ashuke ama akanunue
gari lake mwenyewe alisafirie. Hayo ni kando
na kutuchafulia lugha kwa misemo yao hiyo.
Kusema ukweli, wahudumu hao wanajua
kuwa maisha ya waliobeba yatakuwa hatarini
wakishindiliwa hivyo; kama ajali ikitokea. Pili,
hawawezi kufidiwa na kampuni za bima. Hapa
msafiri hana haki.
Ninawafahamu wachache mno ambao
wanafurahia kusafiria magari ya umma siku
hizi: kwanza kabisa mikanda ya usalama haipo!
Ama bizimu za mikanda yenyewe zimeharibika,
la sivyo zimeachiwa uchafu hata mtu akiiangalia
mishipi hiyo anakata shauri kusafiri bila kufunga
mikanda kwani ni michafu kama kilihafu na
abiria wanahofia kuyachafua mavazi waliyovaa.
Sijayataja magari mengine ambayo hayaoshwi
na yamejaa kunguni na mende!
Mziki utachezwa kwa sauti kuu utadhani
ni wa kusikilizwa na viziwi na umejaa matusi
pia. Abiria wamewekewa ilani,“ikiwa mziki
una sauti kuu kwako, wewe ni mzee!” Wakati
mwingine dereva mwenyewe ana virasikizi
masikioni hata akipigiwa honi hasikii na hivyo
anaweza kusababisha ajali. Wengine hawasiti
kupokea na kupiga simu waendeshapo magari.
Dereva anaweza kuliendesha gari kwa kasi
kama risasi bila kujali na vidhibiti mwendo
havifanyi kazi hata kidogo. Vingine vimefanyiwa
ukarabati kiasi cha kuwa vitaashiria mwendo
wa kilomita themanini kwa saa moja ilihali
ulikwisha fika kilomita mia na ishirini.
Mtu anaweza kujiuliza kwanini askari wa
trafiki hawawajibiki wayaonapo makosa haya.
Watawajibika wapi na wengine wamelainishwa
na kufumbwa macho na mlungula kutoka kwa
wahudumu wa matatu?
Haya ndiyo maovu yaliyo katika sekta ya
usafiri. Sijasema kuwa hakuna magari ama
sekta zinazowahudumia wananchi vizuri. Zipo,
lakini wengi ni wasiojali wala kubali. Ndio
wana wakaidi hao ambao hawajui kuwa; mwana
mkaidi hafaidi hadi siku ya Idi. Sasa ajali za
barabarani zitapungua lini?
Najua kuna viongozi katika sekta za usafiri
wanaojaribu kudhibiti mambo haya, lakini
tutamtoa wapi kiongozi mwenye ujasiri kama
Marehemu Michuki; mtu wa kusema na kutenda,
mwenye msimamo dhabiti, asiyevumilia
utepetevu. Ikiwa yupo basi na aliokoe jahazi hili
ama tutakufa maji na ufuko tunauona.
INVOLVEMENT
16
June - july 2016
JaMvi La Kiswahili | #JLK
Tuepuke kishuzishuzi
NA SHARON JEPTUM TANUI
([email protected])
H
ebu tafakari haya. Ni msimu wa kurudi
chuoni na una furaha kupiku mama
aliyejifungua salama. Hivyo basi, unashika
njia unyounyo hadi chuoni ambapo unakutana na
masahibu wako wa “dhati”. Unapowapiga pambaja
unagundua ya kwamba hawataki kuwa karibu
na wewe. Bila kujishughulisha na yaliyotokea,
unajiendea zako ukiwa umepandwa na mori.
Mazungumzo ni mambo muhimu sana katika
ujenzi wa uhusiano kati ya watu. Aghalabu, njia
inayotumiwa mara nyingi katika mawasiliano ni kwa
kupitia mdomo. Lakini je, ni nini kinachosabababisha
harufu hiyo mbaya? Kishuzishuzi ni harufu mbaya
kwenye mdomo. Katika lugha ya sayansi hujulikana
kama “halitosis” kwa Kimombo.
Mamilioni ya bakteria huishi kwenye mdomo
hususan nyuma ya ulimi. Katika midomo ya
insi, kuna vyanzo msingi vya kishuzishuz. Hali
hii hutokana na joto lililo mdomoni.Watu wengi
huhangaika kutokana na harufu mbaya mdomoni
bila kutambua chanzo cha hali hiyo.
Mwanzo, kishuzishuzi hutokana na mlo, haswa
viungo vya chakula kama kitunguu saumu, kahawa
na pia uraibu wa kuvuta sigara.Vyakula hivi
husababisha uharibifu wa rangi ya meno ikawa
hudhurungi. Isitoshe, ni kawaida kuwa na harufu
mbaya mdomoni asubuhi unapoamka. Hii ni kwa
sababu, usiku unapolala, mwili wako huzalisha mate
kidogo kuliko mchana. Kwa hivyo, seli zilizokufa
hubaki kwenye ncha ya ulimi na kusababisha
harufu mbaya iwapo tu itaunganishwa na vyakula
mbalimbali.
Pia, kutozingatia usafi wa meno husababisha
kishuzishuzi. Unapokula, vipande vidogo vidogo
vya chakula hubaki kwenye mdomo na kusababisha
uozo mdomoni. Uozo huu kwa lugha ya kisayansi
huitwa mvungu (cavity). Husababishwa na kutopiga
mswaki baada ya kubwagia mlo. Kupuuza usafi wa
Ni vyema kuzingatia usafi
wa meno kwa kutilia maanani njia za
kuepuka kishuzishuzi. Kwanza, piga
mswaki, angalau mara mbili kwa siku,
baada ya chakula, ili kuondoa utando.
Maisha halisi hasa
NA LINDA NGARI
([email protected])
K
atika harakati za kuwa na lishe bora iliyo
na viungo vya kujenga mwili, kufanya
zoezi kila siku, kunywa maji angalau
vikombe vinane kwa siku, kuvaa libasi zinazo
lingana na hali ya anga na kadhalika, kuna jambo
halisi ambalo kila mmoja wetu hawezi kuliepuka
ili kuwa na maisha mema. Maisha ya ustadhi na
utaratibu. Jambo hili ni dini.
Kihistoria, dini ilitokana na wakulima
sehemu za Mesopotamia, nchini Iraq. Wakulima hao
walihitaji nguvu zinazoshinda zile za kibinadamu.
Yaani nguvu za kimiujiza ili wapate mazao mazuri
au wapate kuombea hali nzuri ya anga kwa ajili
ya mimea yao. Wakawa wakiyatazama mawingu,
Kinywa kisichotamanika. PICHA: implantdentist.co.nz
meno vilevile, husababisha uwele wa gundi ambao
huhusishwa na uvujaji wa damu.
Ni vyema kuzingatia usafi wa meno kwa kutilia
maanani njia za kuepuka kishuzishuzi. Kwanza,
piga mswaki, angalau mara mbili kwa siku, baada
ya chakula, ili kuondoa utando. Utando ni uchafu
unaokwamilia kwenye meno na husababisha ukisaji
wa bakteria mdomoni. Hivyo basi, ni muhimu
sana kupiga mswaki. Kando na hayo, hakikisha
ya kwamba umeusuuza mdomo kwa maji baada
ya kupiga mswaki.Tendo hili husaidia kuondoa
bakteria. Tumia dawa ya meno iliyo katika hali ya
kimiminiko au ukipenda majimaji(mouthwash).
Vilevile, unaweza kutumia mchanganyiko wa maji
ya chumvi na ndimu.
Mbali na hayo, ni muhimu sana kukwangua ulimi
wako kwa kutumia mswaki. Uchafu unaozingira
ulimi huzidisha bakteria mdomoni. Ni bayana kama
ngoko ya nyani kuwa, ni masahibu wachache mno,
wenye ujasiri wa kulizungumzia jambo hili. Kwa
hivyo, ili kuepuka aibu ni vyema kuambaa viungo
kama vitunguu saumu na vitunguu vibichi. Iwapo
huna budi kuvitumia, hakikisha umepiga mswaki
vizuri.
Watu wenye uraibu wa tumbako wanapaswa kuiasi
hulka hiyo kwa kuwa mbali na kusababisha uwele
wa kansa, matumizi ya tumbaku huharibu ufizi na
rangi ya meno na hatimaye huleta kishuzishuzi. Ni
vyema pia kujua kwamba bakteria hupenda sukari
hususan inayopatikana katika bazoka. Ninafahamu
kuwa, insi wengine hupenda kutafuna bazoka haswa
baada ya kubwagia mlo. Ni vizuri kufanya hivyo kwa
milima au mito huku wakiomba kwa ajili ya mazao
mema ya mashamba yao au kubadilika kwa hali ya
anga. Walirudi palepale kushukuru walipovuna, na
hata mazao yasipotosheleza mahitaji yao, walirudi
ili kuombea zaidi mapato hayo. Inasemekana kuwa,
watu hao waliamini kuwa mazao mazuri, yalikuwa
na sababu na walihitajika kushukuru, na hata
matokeo yakiwa kinyume, kuna nguvu zilizoweza
kuyabadili.
Sote tunahitaji kuzitegemea nguvu
za Maulana. Nguvu ambazo hazimilikiwi na
binadamu yeyote. Hii ni kwa sababu sisi huwa na
mahitaji yenye uwezo tusioumiliki. Mara nyingi
tunajipata katika hali ambayo marafiki, wazazi,
familia wala jamii haiwezi kutusaidia. Hivyo basi,
tunahitaji nguvu zilizo zaidi ya uwezo wowote wa
kibinadamu.
Hii ni hali ambayo ipo kwetu kama
binadamu. Hasa kama viumbe wake Maulana,
ili tukumbuke ya kwamba, sisi ni vyombo tu.
Vyombo vilivyofinyangwa kwa udongo, vyombo
vilivyopewa uhai. La sivyo, visingalijipa uhai
vyenyewe. Kwa ajili ya hali hii, inatupasa kujirudi
na kumkumbuka aliyetuumba. Hatuwezi kuishi
maisha halisi au mema, bila Muumba wetu.
Hali hii, dhahiri shahiri, haiwezi
kuepukwa hata na shujaa wa mashujaa kati yetu.
Jambo hili linadhihirika kwa vile ambavyo watu
wengine huunda miungu kutoka kwa madini kisha
wakaviabudu, lakini wakaambulia patupu. Mungu
wetu hawezi kufananishwa na miungu!
Ubinadamu wetu ni ishara tosha kuwa
hatujakamilika. Haijalishi kama mtu ni bwanyenye
mwenye pesa kama njugu, au mlalahoi. Sote tu sawa
mbele ya Rabuka. Huku utapata familia ya mjenzi
tu anayetegemea pato lake la shilingi mia mbili hivi
kwa siku anapobahatika sana, ilhali familia yake ina
raha tele. Je, nini ama ni nani Mungu wako?
kuwa kila utafunapo bazoka, kunakuwa na wingi
wa mate ambayo huzuia kishuzishuzi. Tujiepushe
na bazoka zilizo na sukari kwa kuwa sukari hiyo
huongeza asidi mdomoni na kuleta kishuzishuzi.
Maji nayo ni muhimu kwa kuwa yana madini
ya kuboresha afya kwa jumla na husafisha mdomo
kupitia kwa mate yanayotengenezwa. Kwa hivyo,
kunywa maji kuwe uraibu wa kila insi: angalau
vikombe vinane vya maji kila siku.
Hatimaye, mtembelee daktari wako wa meno kadri
unavyoweza ili kuyaepuka matatizo ya kishuzishuzi.
Kila mmoja wetu anafaa kutilia maanani usafi
wa mdomo. Tujenge uhusiano mwema miongoni
mwetu, kupitia njia rahisi kama kupiga mswaki kila
siku.
Maombi, usiku na mchana.
PICHA: hopeforrecovery.com
INVOLVEMENT
17
june - july 2016
.
JaMvi La Kiswahili | #JLK
Miaka kumi ya maisha yake
SHAIRI
UTUNZI WAKE FLORENCE CHANYA MWAITA
([email protected])
Niandikie waraka
Niandikiye waraka, unambie yako hali
Umeumaliza mwaka, nikikuwaza silali
Mwanangu uliondoka, na salamu zako ghali
Masomo yunivasiti, yamenipoka mwanangu
Msichana wa jirani, alisema u mzima
Mwakutana ugenini, na fesibuku lazima
Kijijijini huji kwani, imekutoka hekima?
Masomo yunivasiti, yamenipoka mwanangu
Haielewi dunia yake.PICHA: pagely.netdna-cdn.comp
NA FLORENCE CHANYA MWAITA
([email protected])
K
wa muda wa nusu saa hivi
alitembea bila kuangalia
nyuma. Kifurushi chake
kidogo alikishikilia kwapani na mara
kwa mara alikibadilisha toka kwapa
moja hadi jingine. Mara akapunguza
mwendo na hatimaye akasimama.
Ndipo alipoipata fursa ya kuyaangalia
mazingira
yake.
Mandhari
yaliyomkabili mkabala yalipendeza.
Mbingu iliyojitanibu kabisa na ardhi
siku hiyo ilikuwa na mvuto wa aina
yake; samawati hafifu na mawingu
mengine meupe kama theluji ndiyo
picha iliyompendeza zaidi. Shamsi
nayo iliiongoza miale yake ikakutana
na ngozi yake iliyoijua baridi zaidi na
ikamburudisha kwa njia ya aina yake.
Kwa mara ya kwanza
kabisa, akiwa na kila kusudi la kufanya
hivyo, Neema aliivuta pumzi ya uhuru
na akaishusha. Hakujua alisimama
pale kwa muda gani wala hakutaka
kujua. Yeye aliganda pale asibanduke.
Hata akilini mwake akrabu za saa yake
zilidinda kutika.
Honi ndiyo iliyomwondoa
katika bahari ya luja. Mwanamume
mmoja wa umri wa makamo
alilielekeza shangingi lake kando
ya baraste hiyo na kuliegesha, kisha
akashuka na kumwendea Neema.
‘Hujambo mtoto wa kike?
Watu wengi duniani, mbona u mpweke
namna hii.’
‘Sijambo mtoto wa kiume,
mambo mengi ya kufanya, na mzigo
uko kichwani, kwapa lakutokeani
jasho?’ akajibu na wote wakangua
kicheko. Neema hakukumbuka mara
ya mwisho aliyopata kucheka hivyo.
‘Napenda falsafa yako,
kama
ukiridhia,
nitakupeleka
ulikokusudia kwenda, lakini zaidi
ningependa tuketi mahali, tuagize
kahawa, uniambie jina lako na mie
langu nikwambie, kisha tuiendeleze
falsafa. Naomba uniridhie,’ alisema
na kunyoosha mkono akitaka
kumwongoza Neema kwenye gari hilo
la kifahari. Neema akakubali, shingo
upande.
Baada ya dakika kumi,
waliwasili katika hoteli mmoja na
mwanamume huyo akamwongoza
hadi pa kuketi. Akamwambia aagize
chochote kile alichotaka lakini yeye
mwenyewe akaagiza sharubati ya
karakara. Mhudumu alipoondoka
ndipo mwanamume huyo akasafisha
koo na kusema kuwa anaitwa Elias
Kombo.
Halikadhalika
Neema
naye alisema jina lake na wakaanza
mazungumzo.
Walionekana
wakiangua vicheko na asiyejua
angesamehewa kwa kudhania kuwa
wawili hao ni wapenzi, kumbe la
hasha. Hakuna aliyehusiana na
mwingine kwa damu wala usaha !
Hatimaye
wakayafikia
mazungumzo ya kina Kombo
alipomuuliza Neema alichokuwa
akikifanya pale njiani, ‘Natoka
gerezani, nimekula kalenda kumi na
leo hii ni siku ya uhuru wangu !’
Baada
ya
kumpa
pole Neema, Elias aliendelea na
mazungumzo
akimsifia
kuwa
bado alipendeza na akampongeza
kwa kutokuwa msiri kama kaburi.
Alimwambia Neema kuwa, hata yeye
hakuwa kamilifu, kwamba miaka
mingi iliyopita alifanya makosa na
akashtakiwa, na kuwa yeye hakutaka
kwenda gerezani na alifanya kila
juhudi, akatoa chichiri kwa waliokuwa
tayari kuipokea, ndipo akawa huru
kama ndege, ‘la sivyo ningefungwa
Nieleze nielewe, toka mwanzo hadi mwisho
kifungo cha maisha!’
Neema alinyamaza kwa
muda mrefu mno, akifikiria miaka
hiyo kumi aliyofungwa gerezani kwa
kuwa watu fulani, walitoa ushahidi
wa uongo kwani hakuwa na doa
wala ngoa. Akakilinganisha kisa
chake na cha huyu mwanamume
ambaye alipaswa kuwa gerezani
bali alikuwa huru akiwatwaa watu
asiowajua na kuwanunulia vyakula
vya bei ghali. Akakiangalia kidole cha
pete cha mwanamume huyo akajua
kuwa alikuwa na familia bila shaka.
Akafikiria jinsi alivyoipoteza miaka
mingi ya maisha yake na uwezekano
wa kuwa na familia kwake ulikuwa
kama ndoto tu.
Wenye
makosa
huyaendeleza maisha yao kama
kawaida na wema husulubiwa!
Hata kwa fidia aliyoipata, ni nani
angemrejeshea miaka kumi ya uhuru
aliyoipoteza? Aisee dunia tambara
bovu.
Neema alinyanyuka gafla
bin vuu na bila kumuaga mwanamume
yule akapaondoka pahali hapo. Juhudi
za Elias za kumsihi arudi zilipiga mbizi
nchi kavu, akapigwa na butwaa huku
akifikiria, ‘mwanamke huyu anapaswa
kuufurahia uhuru!’
Basi Elias alimwita
mhudumu na kumtaka amletee gazeti
la siku hiyo. Kichwa cha habari
iliyopewa kipau mbele, ‘UKWELI
WAJITOKEZA NA NEEMA KOZA
APATA AFUENI !’ Alipoendelea
kusoma aliipata habari yote kuwa watu
fulani walishirikiana kutoa ushahidi
wa uongo na kuwa mwanamke huyo
alifungwa bila kosa lolote.
Ikiwa mwanangu ndiwe, nataka uthibitisho
Umebadilika wewe, unatamba na vidosho
Masomo yunivasiti, yamenipoka mwanangu
Elimuyo ya kizungu, yakudanganya ulipo
Umejawa na mizungu, una sifa ya popo
Zina ushahidi mbingu, maishani mwako sipo
Masomo yunivasiti, yamenipoka mwanangu
Mpini nauchukuwa, nenda lima mwanangu
Fanya unalotakiwa, fanya hima uje kwangu
Nikwone na tule miwa, utuliye moyo wangu
Masomo yunivasiti, yamenipoka mwanangu
PICHA: alexisdremonas.files.wordpress.com
la
a
INVOLVEMENT
18
June - july 2016
JaMvi La Kiswahili | #JLK
Mapishi ya kashata
ya njugu karanga
Kashata ya njugu karanga.
PICHA: tanisconfectionery.eu
NA MARY CHENGO
([email protected])
Wapenzi waliotelekezana. PICHA: heartyhosting.com
Mapenzi shubiri tamu
NA SHARON JEPTUM TANUI
([email protected])
M
aulana alitupatia mfano
mwema kwani alimpenda
sana mwana wake Yesu na
akamruhusu aje duniani; afe kwa ajili
ya dhambi zetu. Mfano huu hunilazimu
kuonyesha pendo langu kwa kila mtu
kwa kuwa sote tumetenda dhambi.
Hamna anayefaa kuishi ila tu kwa neema
yake Rabuka.
Mapenzi ni hali ya kumthamini
binadamu mwingine zaidi ya mwingine.
Hali hii huhusishwa hususan na wake
kwa waume, ambao huanzisha uhusiano
kati yao. Wengi wa wapendanao huwa
karibu ya pua na mdomo ila mahaba
yakiingia doa, hutengana kama ardhi
na mbingu. Tabia na mienendo yao
hunishangaza sana.
Angalau asilimia 90 ya watu
wanaopendana kupiku ulimi na mate,
wameripotiwa kuzembea mno. Kwa
mfano, katika vyuo vikuu, wanafunzi
wanaopendana sana mara nyingi,
husahau lengo na madhumuni ya kuwa
shuleni. Isitoshe, wao hubananga
mwia wakibarizi na kufanya mapenzi
kiholela; huku wenzao wakifaidi katika
mihadhara. Inasikitisha sana kufahamu
kuwa baadhi ya wanafunzi huishi pamoja
katika vyumba ambavyo hugaramiwa na
wazazi wao. Kinachoniudhi ni kuwa,
baadhi ya wanafunzi wa jinsia ya kiume
wanapolewa chakari na kujizamisha
katika mihadarati huwapiga wapenzi
wao. Jambo hili halifai kabisa hata kwa
madhumumi gani. Ni tendo la kinyama
na limepitwa na wakati.
Mbali na hayo, mapenzi
huleta chuki kati ya wanawake haswa
wanaompenda
ghulamu
mmoja.
Katika vyuo hivyo kwa mfano; vijana
wengine wa kiume wapo katika kundi
linalojinufaisha kwa “ufisi”; tendo la
kuwavizia wanawake wasio na hesabu
na kuondoka halafu, baada ya kula tamu.
Tunafahamu kwa hakika kuwa tamaa
ilimuua fisi.
Asilimia 75 ya wanafunzi
wa jinsia ya kiume wameripotiwa
kuwatunga wapenzi wao mimba
na kuwatelekeza. Wasichana hao
hupambazukiwa na jambo hili: kuwa
mapenzi hayakuwatunga mimba bali
tamaa au ukipenda hawaa ya “wapenzi”
wao. Punde tu maghulamu hao
wanapogundua ya kwamba wapenzi wao
wana himila, huwalazimisha kuavya ili
sifa yao “njema” isitiwe doa katika chuo
wanamosomea.
Kuavya mimba ni tendo la
kinyama lakini utawakuta wasichana
warembo sana wakilazimishwa na
wachumba wao kuavya ili uhusiano
wao wa kimapenzi usifikie kikomo.
Chuki huingia pale ambapo mchumba
hujitafutia msichana mwingine mrembo
na kumpenda kuliko yule wa kwanza.
Wasichana hao wanapokutana ndipo
mbivu hujitenga na mbichi. Wivu hukita
mizizi kati ya hao waliohadaiwa na
mchumba mmoja, wakikaangiwa katika
kaango moja. Walipenda kwa dhati ila
wakasalitiwa. Mapenzi ni sabuni ya roho;
yanapaswa kuwaleta watu pamoja lakini
maji yakizidi unga, chuki hutawala.
Ninawahimiza wapendanao,
wakatapo shauri la kuchumbiana,
mapenzi yawe ya roho na kweli. Upendo
huzaa heshima ambayo huleta amani
na uaminifu. Tuzidi kupanda mbegu za
upendo.
n
Mapenzi ni hali ya
kumthamini binadamu
mwingine zaidi ya
mwingine.
vijana
wengine wa
kiume wapo
katika kundi
la kunufaisha
kwa “ufisi”;
tendo la
kuwavizia...
wanawake
wasio na
hesabu na
Mahitaji:
1. Njugu karanga nusu kilo
2. Sukari kikombe 1
3. Unga wa iliki
4.Maji/maziwa
5.Uteo
Jinsi ya kutayarisha kashata za
njugu karanga
I.
Kaanga njugu
II. Ziambue maganda
III. Tia sukari kwenye sufuria
pamoja na iliki ya unga kisha bandika motoni
IV. Koroga mpake iyeyuke kisha tia maziwa kidogo
V. Koroga vizuri kisha uongeze njugu
VI. Koroga vizuri kwa mwiko
VII. Paka mafuta kwenye sinia
VIII.
Tia ule mchanganyiko
kwenye sinia
IX. Uache upoe kisha kata kwa
umbo upendalo
X. Andaa kwa kahawa
chungu
INVOLVEMENT
19
june - july 2016
Souvenir
their institutions where I worked like
AMREF. They are comparably the best
in the world. So I am confident, not
because I was a Chancellor or Chair of
the Council, but because I believe in
products that Daystar puts out there.
I have a lot of respect for the blogger,
but I would like to invite him to take a
walk around, interact with Daystarians
and this will probably change his mind.
MJ: What challenges does this
institution face?
FM: I think one of the biggest
challenges is having enough financial
resources at the time when we want
to do everything. I think we have
managed the challenge well. As we
move forward, we have laid the base
and I have to say how much I value my
predecessors. It is my hope and prayer
that those who have taken after us will
take Daystar a step further.
Continued from page 14
counselor], Rockefeller Foundation
and I also have development activities.
Currently I am self-employed. You
don’t have to be formally employed.
One of the things I decided long
time ago is I do not want to wait and
retire when I am very old where I
cannot enjoy life. I think it is very
important because we need to know
you do not have to wait until you are
pushed out with a wheelbarrow from
your office. You should be willing to
develop yourself to be able to enjoy
life.
MJ: What is that one mistake that
you did as a Chancellor that forever
remains to be a life lesson?
FM: *Sighs*
I would not call it a mistake. Let us
say challenges. There was one incident
where I should have been proactive
about a change, much earlier. I left it
late. The impact of the lateness was
felt later. Had I acted a little bit early,
I would not have had to carry it over a
period because it became a protracted
issue, which we had to deal with
overtime. This is when I realized the
importance of being decisive.
As a Christian institution, we have
the compassion bit. That compassion
can sometimes hinder decisiveness
because we feel we can wait. After that,
I was more decisive and more sensitive
to timing.
MJ: What criteria did the
institution use to select the new
Chancellor?
FM: There are extensive criteria.
We involve everybody; students, staff
and we were open to nominations.
Everybody would send us somebody
and we would ask them to review the
person for us. That way, we came to
narrow down the numbers and then
we interviewed them. The interviews
were very final and not everyone
underwent them. Using our networks,
we were able to do a lot of vetting
much earlier and talked to the ones we
felt we were ready to engage.
MJ: What is your opinion of people
who think Daystar is a mediocre
institution? For example, the likes of
Nyakundi, the blogger.
FM: With all due respect to him, he
needs to come to Daystar and take a
walk around here. I have interacted
with a lot of universities, globally and
locally, especially the time I worked
with the Rockefeller Foundation. I can
tell you we have a brand. We have an
institution and we must be proud of it.
A product is never without flaws. We
have flaws and they enable us to learn
and perfect what we have. Currently,
we have a very good quality assurance
system in the university to ensure that
the people who go out there are good
and can operate anywhere.
I have been on the side where I
have seen Daystarians at work in
MJ: Describe a memorable
moment that will remain in your
heart for this entire period of being
in Daystar.
FM: They are many. But, since the
students are the core center of our
activities, one of my hardest memorable
moments was my kamukunji with the
students out there when they had
issues with all sort of things. That was
the strike. That was one incident that
has remained in my life. It was a huge
challenge, but it ended well. I saw the
strength of Daystar.
When I took over as Chancellor
and Chair of the Council, I planned
my exit that day. I started working
towards it and everything I did and
how I did it was looking at leaving
an impact in Daystar. But, I have to
say every graduation in Daystar is
unique. Every graduation in Daystar
is special. My first graduation here was
a memory. It was different from the
other graduations. There is life, music,
singing and dancing. That makes it
the reality of life. Daystar graduations
have a way of bringing it together, a
very serious occasion.
MJ: If you had a super power, what
would you do?
FM: I would catapult Daystar to the
next century. I see this campus with a
medical school, an agriculture school.
I would let Daystar have a park, hotel,
guest house around the riverbank
place. Having so much interest in
sports, I would *snaps fingers* and
have a sports complex.
But, my super power will continue
to be inside me.
MJ: Give us your parting shot
FM: You have a great institution.
Treasure it, value it and always
remember what you cannot do, let
someone else do it.
To the ladies. Bravo! Daystar ladies
have made me proud in both their
academics and in their conduct. I am
very proud of Daystar women.
To the men, you have been great
brothers to me and I want to say a very
special thank you and I will always
pray for you.
Time
BY GLORIA MWIVANDA
(Spoken word artist )
Someone once told me
That the most valuable things in life,
Are not things…
Just like time
You can’t get hold of it
And you can’t stop it either.
Time is completely personal
Yet entirely public
coz we all have 24 hours in a day
365 days a year
But what you choose to do with your time
Is all up to you.
If you choose to sleep or wake,
To leave or stay.
At the end of the day
Today will tomorrow be yesterday
Now consider the fly
It beats its wings more than 1000 times per second
The average male fly has a life span of 30 minutes
If I was ever limited to such an extent an life
Surely I would make an effort
To walk 1000 steps per minute
Laugh 1000 times a day
To love and live 100%
Thought reality remains am not a fly…
But does that give me a right to waste my time on things
that don’t count or matter.
Surely God forbid!
See, unlike a fly my life any minute or second
Or 30 years from now…
So I desire and choose
To live life to the fullest
#you can sleep when you are dead.
INVOLVEMENT
20
June - july 2016
FEATURES| PROFILE
A Daystarian - Foodie Diary
BY LINDA NGARI
([email protected])
T
Kian Patel, 12 year old author of Karma’s Consequences. PHOTO: Tom Olang’
Meet Kian Patel, a 12-year old author
from Peponi House Prep School
BY TOM OLANG’
(Masters Student)
O
f the four skills of language
(listening,
speaking,
reading and writing) the
latter is the most demanding and
challenging. Perhaps not so for one
Kian Patel, a 12-year old boy at Peponi
House Preparatory School in Nairobi,
who has so far achieved something
quite uncommon for a boy of his age.
Despite the incredible feat, the witty
sixth grade boy is humble about his
latest achievement. He is evidently
intelligent and imbued with a sense
of humor and he intends to distribute
his book, Karma’s Consequences,
to major bookstores in the country
and probably online bookstores like
Amazon.com.
The 44-page text, published by
Longsight Books, is a collection of
illustrated deep, dark and twisted
stories, essays and poems. The title and
lead story, Karma’s Consequences,
talks about Culd Slavenger: a spiteful
young man who meets a tragic end
as his ego gets the better of him after
inheriting a vast fortune.
This volume is Kian’s first
publication and is purely a product
of his own effort. From a tender age,
Kian has been an avid reader. Most of
the stories he would read gravitated
towards adult texts and themes. Given
the serious themes of his writing, he
might as well be on the road to being
a budding Charles Dickens. This
writer interviewed him on a variety of
issues and this is what he had to say,
chuckling after each response.
TO: What inspired you to write this
book?
KP: I wanted to see how far I could
push my boundaries and I thought
why can’t a child write a book?
TO: What message are you trying
to pass to readers in the text and
society at large?
KP: No message in particular. Let
the readers judge.
TO: Which is your favorite story in
this book? Why?
KP: My favorite entry is the
poem “Overcome through Strength”
because it portrays a powerful
message. It has a profound theme and
the message is heartfelt and applies to
everyone, Never Give Up!
TO: Is there any story in the
collection that you feel you don’t
like? Why?
KP: My least favorite is “A Close
Shave.” It doesn’t appeal to me in the
same way as the others do. It sounds
a bit childish. Although I had taken
it out, it was put back in the book
anonymously (by my mum!)
TO: How long did it take you to
write it?
KP: I took around a month to write
the book.
TO: What challenges did you face
while writing the stories?
KP: Trying to find stories that were
not so gory and were considered more
humane. It was also tasking to finish
the stories in a short amount of time.
TO: How did you overcome the
challenges, if any?
KP: It was an impossible feat to
overcome the challenges of writing
gory stories. My publisher simply
deleted them. I listened to music and
took regular breaks to ease my mind
into a state where I could start the next
story.
TO: What support/encouragement/
discouragement did you get while
penning the stories?
KP: None. I did not require any
support.
TO: What is your advice to young
people out there who may want to be
authors?
KP: I don’t think anyone will
actually seek my advice, but I would
say that there is no harm in the
possibility of failure; see what you
can accomplish.
TO: Are you a single-title author
or should book lovers expect to read
more of your books in future?
KP: I cannot say whether I will
write more books in the future
because the future has not arrived yet.
TO: What is your aspiration/career
choice after school?
KP: My aspiration after school is to
be successful in whatever I do, be it as
a dog walker or a financial consultant.
TO: What is/are your favorite
subjects?
KP: My favorite subject is Design
and Technology. I like it because
it keeps me interested since I love
interactive activities.
TO: Do you like reading/writing as
a leisure activity?
KP: I occasionally read in the
evening before I sleep. I also enjoy
sports, especially hockey, cricket and
swimming. I was a linesman during
the Peponi House Prep School Giant
6s Rugby tournament.
TO: What are your favorite books/
authors?
KP: My favorite author is Chris
Wright because his outlook is
different from that of most authors.
TO: What are you reading now?
KP: ‘Swords of the Emperor’ which
is about war champions battling to
I cannot say whether
I will write more books
in the future because
the future has not
arrived yet.”
KP
restore peace and stability.
TO: What is your parting shot to
readers out there?
KP: After you have read this article,
I do hope you buy this book, for some
profit must be made!
hat moment when you have
aced a CAT, completed all
your assignments, projects
and term papers on time, received
an Mpesa message from your folks
and everything is just working out
perfectly. It’s like Christmas came
early. Just the opportune time to treat
yourself. At this point in time, if you
live up school, you are just too fly
to have the same routine meal; it is
high time you grab your school ID
and walk off campus for a meal that
matches your mood.
Below is a must-have list of places
to stop by when in such a mellow
mood.
Dowells Bakery
This variety of mouth-watering
pastries at very affordable prices
will keep you coming back for more.
The doughnuts, plain cupcakes and
buns at only sh.20, a loaf of bread at
sh.50, black forest cake at sh.100 and
one­more thing that remains obscure
are the scrumptious pizzas made on
order. The small ones go at sh.350 and
medium sized ones at sh.500. This is
totally worth its cost, or perhaps it is
the cost that does not give it justice;
just try it out and you will know what
I am talking about.
Dowells Fries
The place is popular for serving
well prepared fries. You know, the
crunchy type on the outside, without
the oily residue. This guy must have
studied in catering and specialized in
the department of making incredible
fries, if there is such a thing.
Moreover, they serve them at the
satisfactory price of just ksh.100.
Unifries
It is a fries Olympics and the
Unifries bring something that
Dowells does not: spicy fries. This is
reason enough to patiently queue at
this place, because the meal is simply
worth it. Get the Unifries spicy fries
at just sh.100.
The Smoothie & Juice bar
Do not let the name deceive you,
because you can actually come out
of the place having eaten your dinner
and just go back to the hostels to
sleep. Well known for great snacks,
and creamy drinks: ice cream,
milkshakes Heck, just spoil yourself
with a sugary treats we are time and
again warned against. A wise man
once said that the only time to eat
diet food, is when waiting for steak
to cook.
I sure know that with the list above,
your life in Daystar will no longer be
the same, because by Allan Wolfelt
words, “Food is symbolic of love
when words are inadequate”. You are
welcome.
INVOLVEMENT
21
june - july 2016
FEATURES| COMMUNITY
BY DR. WANDIA NJOYA
(HOD Languages and
Performing Arts)
“Gerrarrahia” education today is tears tomorrow
R
ecently, social media was abuzz
with a report that an advert
for applications for low-skill
internships by the supermarket chain
Tuskys had attracted 3,000 applicants,
over half of whom were university
graduates with Bachelor’s and Master’s
degrees.
To some Kenyans, the report simply
confirmed the irrelevance of university
education, while to others, it revealed the
high rate of unemployment in Kenya. Dan
Githua, Tusky’s CEO, saw the situation as
proof of how the private sector has “a huge
role to play in filling in the skills gap.”
Githua’s response was a more polite
version of the cliché that many Kenyans
repeat, which is that universities teach “too
much theory” without imparting practical
skills. The culprit is almost always
identified as the lecturer, and rarely does
anyone consider the lecturers’ side of the
story.
Yet in this year alone, I have had various
encounters in which it was I, the lecturer,
who was insisting on the importance of
practical skills.
In January, for instance, a parent
accosted me at orientation for the
celebration of parents of the class of 2020.
The problem, the parent said, was that
four years is too long for her child to do a
degree. I suggested to the parent: “maybe
your child could use the short semesters to
do projects that build a portfolio, so that the
child graduates with evidence of practical
skills over and above the Bachelors’
certificate.” But the parent was adamant,
saying that she knew that universities can
fast track a degree so that one graduates in
less than four years.
On another occasion, I upset some
students when I insisted that I would
not discuss course projections for the
following semester until they submitted an
article for our department’s website. My
reasoning has always been that they could
point employers to the articles as evidence
of their writing skills..
BY ANNE DAVID
(Communication Lecturer)
T
hink of your dream job, what
corporation would you really,
really love to work for?
Google? Coca-Cola? Walt Disney?
Closer home, Safaricom? KTN? Royal
Media or the United Nations? That is
every graduate’s dream. It is good to
dream, plan and visualize whom you
would like to work for. I would want
I am the person behind the mike
or an entertainer, an interior
designer, a seamstress or a chef,
do I use my gifts to the glory
and honor of God?
Job analysis PHOTO: dailymaverick.co.za
But their reasoning was that I was
blackmailing them. They just wanted to
graduate, not to write.
In yet another class, after going over
blogging theoretically, the students started
to provide reasons why they could not
do a practical project, and asked why I
could not just give a CAT. This time, I was
honestly surprised and almost caved in,
but I eventually replied: “Last year, Larry
Madowo complained in Daily Nation that
we didn’t teach him anything practical on
digital media. I’m not going to confirm his
complaint.”
So the report about Master’s graduates
applying to intern as bakers and cashiers
at Tuskys did not surprise me. I have seen
many students in a hurry to graduate,
taking classes every semester without a
break. When I advise them to take time off
class to volunteer or intern at a company,
they react like that is a punishment. And
when some students graduate, they go
straight into the Master’s program without
a break.
So that could be one reason why we
have MA graduates applying to bake
Tuskys’ cakes and count Tuskys’ cash,
when they should be setting up their own
supermarkets. The internship they are
applying for as twenty-five year old MA
graduates is what they should have done
as twenty-year old undergrads, if they
had not been rushing to finish the BA by
the age of twenty-two. Yet, as Munene
Mwarania put it a few days ago, it is easier
to get that basic experience as a student,
because employers tend to be more patient
with students. But once one is a graduate,
employers wonder why they should be
teaching what the graduates should have
already learned.
Students should see that the desperation
to complete their studies and “gerrarrahia”
does not end with graduation. If one has
not taken time to build their skills and
character as a student, the marketplace will
not be as generous at that time. It is not as
easy to “gerrarrahia” in the market place as
it is in the education system.
A few months ago, when I shared this
concern, one of our alumni commented:
“One thing I still regret is the fact that I was
so focused on graduating and getting a job,
that I didn’t build a strong portfolio.” I do
not wish this regret for any other graduate.
Terms and conditions apply
to say that an employer determines to
a great extent how your life turns out in
more ways than one.
Let’s begin by looking at the conditions
under which you work, are you stressed
or motivated? Are you well remunerated
or barely making ends meet? Are you
appreciated or reprimanded at the
slightest provocation? Is the only time
you get a communiqué when you do
something wrong? Is there room for
growth? Do you look forward to each
day at work or do you dread the thought
of going to work? Where am I heading
with all these? Have you ever thought of
working for God? Yes! I mean working
for God, is there a possibility that many
people run away from the call to serve
the Lord? I am not talking of preaching;
that’s a misconception that many people
make, that when we talk about serving
God, we are talking of preaching only.
There are so many ways you can
serve God by serving humanity and
derive great satisfaction from that. Does
it mean that where you are placed you
are not serving God? No! That is not
what I am implying. I am talking about
knowing clearly that what I am doing is
to the service of God and every minute
I live, whether I am a cameraman
capturing images, whether I am the
person behind the mike or an entertainer,
an interior designer, a seamstress or a
chef, do I use my gifts to the glory and
honor of God?
Job 1:19-21 says that one of the
benefits of serving God is that He makes
a hedge around those that fear Him. It
is an invisible fence surrounding those
that believe in Him. We need to know
the benefits of God’s knowledge in us.
He said that He would be a wall of fire
round about us. He that touches those
that serve Him touches the apple of His
eye.
Psalm 46 tells us that God is our
refuge. When you serve God dutifully,
He makes a pillar of cloud and fire
round about you. Satan knew this and
told God that Job did not fear Him
for nothing. Acknowledge the hedge
around you and nothing can harm you.
Believe this knowledge and nothing will
hurt you. The Lord is a sun and shield
and no imagination can hurt you. My
knowledge which is largely guided by
God’s word takes me back in time and
as I look at men and women that walked
closely with God, their lives were
definitely admirable, they followed the
terms and conditions that God put forth
for them and for sure God rewarded
them greatly. Not to say that they did not
go through challenges, in fact some of
the challenges were just excruciatingly
painful and sometimes the loss of their
reputation in their service to God. The
good part, though, is that after all is said
and done, God himself will welcome
them to eternal bliss or peace as you may
want to put it.
Remember, He satisfies your mouth
with good things. God becomes your
provider if you are one of His. It is His
good pleasure to give you good things
(Matthew 7:11) so you can glorify and
praise His good name. Every child of
God is entitled to the good things that
come from God. They are entitled to
a full, rich and peaceful life. Do you
consider what you are doing as service
to God or only a way to put food on the
table?
INVOLVEMENT
22
June - july 2016
BUSINESS FEATURE
Save a penny
BY NAOMI WANJIKU
([email protected])
W
hen was the last time you
saved up? What did you do
with the money? It is one thing
to save and it is another to keep at it. Today,
most people do not save because of bad
spending habits or because they think it is too
hard.
It is not a hard thing to save but it takes a lot
of discipline. As a student, you can sacrifice
a part of your allowance. Set aside at least
ksh50-100 from your daily allowance. In a
week, that will be around ksh350 or ksh700
in a month that will be ksh1400 or ksh2800
and in a year that will either be ksh33600 or
ksh16800. Who does not want that kind of
money? The labour is bitter but the fruits are
sweet.
The best way to save is by budgeting.
Write down all your expenses and the amount
they will cost you. It is very easy to fall victim
of impulse buying but with a budget, it will
restrict you from buying things that you had
not planned for.
List down your expenses and from your
monthly earnings or allowances, identify
how much you want to save. Do not spend
first and save later because you will not save
at all. When you receive your allowances,
budget, save, then start spending in line with
your budget.
Now you can set saving goals. There are
things you have always wanted to do for
yourself but have not succeeded. List those
Woman holding savings. PHOTO: i.huffpost.com
things in order of importance and further
divide them into short and long term goals.
Depending on which goal you want to
achieve first, you will know how much to
save every month from your earnings; set a
time frame to accomplish that goal.
It is very possible to be broke and get
tempted to use your savings. So it is best to
open a savings account. Select a bank account
with high interest rates. Also, choose one
with variable interest rates that can increase
as your savings grow. You may also want to
have two accounts: a checking account and
a saving account. Make sure you transfer
money from the checking account to your
savings account immediately you receive
your allowance or paycheck.
Saving is an excruciating task and to stay
at it is quite hard. So it is good once in a while
to check your progress. If you are not on the
right track, work harder to draw closer to your
goal. If you are doing well, you will definitely
be motivated to save even more and hit your
goals even faster.
After achieving your goals, you will be
surprised at how much you can do with the
little allowance or salary you get. When little
is managed well, it does big things.
However, as the bigwigs sip on their
cocktails and dine on five-course meals,
the little guy still struggles. One cannot
blame the hawkers as they are only
trying to eke out a living, which can be
pretty expensive in the city. “We don’t
like you people [the media]. Every time
you come with your cameras we get
harassed by city askaris,” a hawker was
reported saying by Capital News. “Go
write about this but we shall still wrap
meat with your newspaper!”
They are however, spoiling business
for traders in the CBD. Most shop
fronts on major roads like Tom Mboya,
Moi Avenue, Aga Khan Walk and
Ronald Ngala have been swarmed by
hawkers who spread their wares on the
pavements, cutting off access to shops
and stalls. In the name of an extra coin,
they are also there from sun-up to sundown. They also offer cheaper prices
than the shop owners in order to gain
business. “They have products similar
to yours but sell at a third of the price
or less. One had shirts similar to what
I sell at Sh1, 500 but his were going for
Sh500. They have no overheads and
can afford to sell at low prices which I
can’t,” one shop owner revealed to the
Daily Nation.
As hawkers and shop owners alike
continue to broil in anguish, what
plausible solutions are being proposed
to help pull them up? The government
cannot be relied on for everything and as
citizens, we must come up with our own
solutions. However, with banks such as
Standard Group, Diamond Trust Bank
and Standard Chartered Bank fleeing
the city centre for fear of the throng of
busyness that might cause security risks,
we are not off to an encouraging start.
Hawks in Nairobi
BY SOILA KENYA
([email protected])
H
awks
are
carnivorous
birds that typically prey on
smaller birds and animals.
Their extremely keen sight - which is
eight times sharper than the eyesight
of humans - helps them pick out their
hapless victims from miles away. They
are also known for their talons which are
razor sharp to aid in killing their prey.
Their beaks are hook shaped which
are very useful for tearing up meat and
they fly and dive at very fast speeds in
order to get hold of their prey without
warning.
These characteristics have been
displayed by the hawkers of Nairobi
County who are ever increasing like
a spreading sore. They are not a new
phenomenon, however, the year 2016
has seen as a resurge of them, especially
in the Central Business Districts (CBD).
It has been reported that the hawkers
are in cahoots with the county askaris
in order to ensure they are not evicted,
and can carry out their business in
peace. There are also claims that the
Nairobi County Government licensed
the hawkers to operate in prohibited
areas, even as the city tries to restrict
the traders to designated areas. This is
attributed to a loophole in the county
government’s online payment system
A busy street of Nairobi. PHOTO: nation.co.ke
that allowed the small-scale traders
to get licensed to sell their wares in
areas previously prohibited in the old
licensing system.
The 14th session of the United
Nations Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD) kicked off
on 17th July 2016. It is projected that
this international conference that has
seen 7,000 guests in Nairobi, 6 of them
presidents, will witness more than Ksh
14 trillion in business deals. That is a
lot of money. But how far down the line
shall it reach?
INVOLVEMENT
23
june - july 2016
FEATURES | FASHION & BEAUTY
Black is back!
Natural remedy for
clearing black spots
BY SHANNIQ MONICAH
MUTHONI (shanniqmmuthoni@
daystar.ac.ke)
O
ne morning, I was really
confused as to what to wear.
I love colours but this time
I had to wear something different:
black from head to toe. To be honest
I felt quite fierce and elegant. Black
on black has been a rising trend over
the years and it is known to be one of
the best street styles, especially in New
York. A number of celebrities have
been spotted in this style, including
the likes of Kim Kardashian, Emma
Stone, Kate Hudson, Rihanna; the list
is nearly endless.
One of my prominent style icons,
You think that black is a very dull
and boring colour but in the fasahion world that is not the case.
Black is known to be fierce, flattering, and very versatile especially
when you dres it from head to toe.
A woman dressed in Black on Black style PHOTO: style-advisor.com
Coco Chanel said that most women
think of all sorts of colours for their
outfits but they tend to forget black.
She then, in the 1920’s, invented the
Little Black Dress in the 1920’s and
it was embraced, becoming a huge
fashion statement.
Most of you think that black is a
very dull and boring colour but in
the fashion world that is not the case.
Black is known to be fierce, flattering
and very versatile especially when you
dress it from head to toe. This look can
be worn to the office, a night out or a
normal school day. The trick in looking
good in this is to experiment with
different textures, try the new trend and
pair it with unexpected pieces.
What I love with black is that it
flows with any colour for instance.
Black on black style can be worn by
both women and men. For you to
look fresh in this look, the first thing
to consider is the fabrics. How do they
vary? Are they different or the same? If
they are the same that is a rule broken.
Always avoid similar fabrics.
Secondly, black gives a slimming
effect. Whenever you are pairing your
outfit, make sure that it is fitting for it to
be flattering.
When wearing black you need to
spice it up by adding accessories such
as shoes and jewellery. You could pair
your outfit with African jewellery, gold
and silver chunky neck-pieces to break
the outfit. The jewellery then becomes
the statement of the outfit. For the
shoes it depends on individual; do you
want to wear a pair of red cap toe heels,
blue vans or combat boots?
Add a statement jacket. An all-black
look is like a chic blank canvas, so do
not be shy: put on a beautiful funky
coat that is bold.
Try mixing pieces with sheer, lace,
leather and denim material.
Black matches well with white.
This style is famously known as the
monochrome. You could probably
accessorize with a white bag or white
shoes.
Make your outfit more dressy or
casual by adding a bold lipstick. For
instance if you want a Gothic look you
can opt for the black lipstick.
As you begin a new week, try
something cool by rocking the black
on black style. For sure you will
look unique and of course, become a
trendsetter.
BY MICHELLE MAINA
([email protected])
Young adults are usually affected by
pimples. For most of us, once a pimple appears
we are normally tempted to burst it. This is not
advisable as it leads to the formation of black
spots on the skin. Truth be told, no one likes
black spots on their face. Everyone if not most
of us desires that flawless skin that has.
Instead of using artificial products to reduce
black spots, why not try out a natural way
of doing so? I can recommend two ways of
reducing black spots. The first method requires
one to have one lemon and a teaspoon of
turmeric powder. Squeeze the juice from the
lemon into a cup and mix with a teaspoon of
turmeric powder to form a paste.
Apply the paste on the affected areas. I
highly recommend that you do this before
going to sleep. Leave the paste on the affected
areas for a period of ten to fifteen minutes.
Rinse with warm water and pat dry.
The second method requires unripe
pawpaws. All you need to do is peel the green
unripe pawpaw. Cut it into cubes and put the
cubes in a food processor. Add just a little bit
of water to enable the pawpaw to blend easily.
Blend to form a paste, which you will use to
apply on the affected areas. Leave it for ten
minutes and rinse off with warm water. You
will notice that once you apply the paste on the
affected area, you will experience a burning
sensation. This is because pawpaw has natural
chemicals that aid in skin lightening which in
turn helps in reducing black spots. For both
methods, patience and consistency are key to
achieving the desired results. I urge you to try
out these natural remedies and experience their
magic!
The fashion to scarves
BY ANGELA NJERI
([email protected])
F
or many, the chilly
weather brings its
own set of problems:
sickness, cold nights and yes,
believe it or not, what to wear.
As many know, one needs to
layer your clothing to keep
warm. The scarf is a classic
accessory during the cold
season. So, before you throw on
a scarf to complete your look,
here are ways to style your scarf
that are unisex.
5 Stylish ways to wear scarves
a)
The European Loop
Fold the scarf in half
lengthwise. Hang the folded
scarf over shoulder with the
non-folded end significantly
longer than the folded end. Fit
the non-folded end into the loop
created by the folded end and
tighten.
b)
The Braid
Fold the scarf in half
lengthwise. Drape folded scarf
over shoulder, with non-folded
end significantly longer than the
folded end. Fit the non-folded
end into the loop created by the
folded end, leaving space at the
end of the fold. Twist the folded
end forming an eight. Then, fit
the rest of the non-folded end
into the second loop created by
the twist.
c)
The Neckerchief
Place scarf in half twice (so
it forms a rectangle). Then, fold
the rectangle diagonally for a
triangular shape. Take two ends
located on the longest side of
the triangle and tie it around
your neck.
d)
The Neck Drape
Drape a long scarf once
around your neck. Then, make
an incomplete knot with the
longer ends near your neck. Pull
the fabric down over the knot
and loop.
e)
Knotted Necklace
Drape the scarf behind your
neck. Pull one end and wrap it
around your hand. Make a loose
knot by pulling it through. Take
the other end of the scarf and
loop it through the side knot,
going under and through.
The scarf is a classic
accessory during the
cold season. So, before you throw on a
scarf to complete your
look, here are ways to
style your scarf
Worn fashionable scarf PHOTO: bigcartel.com
INVOLVEMENT
24
June - july 2016
FEATURES |
Do not make lemonade!
Don’t Just Watch and Wait
BY FLORENCE CHANYA MWAITA
([email protected])
BY BETTY MITEI
([email protected])
I
f one attends an interview and
they are brought lemons to make
use of, they should not make
lemonade only! They will not only fail
thoroughly, but also, the panellists will
never want to see their faces ever again.
Reason: they will have pushed the
frontiers of ignorance! There are more
uses of lemons than we care to acquaint
ourselves with.
Lemons are in the family Rutaceae,
genus Citrus and a species called limon,
thus the scientific name is Citrus limon.
The fruit is said to have originated from
India. To date, India is still one of its
greatest producers. Their juice has an
average of 5% citric acid.
The food industry has utilized this sour
fruit in almost every area. It puts slices
of it in warm water for the customers to
wash their hands with so as to kill germs.
Beautiful wedges and butterfly designs
are used to garnish the dish itself. Still,
others make a killing by whetting their
patrons’ appetite with just the aroma of
foodstuffs containing lemon. Did you
know that they actually grate the rind to
bake cakes with or sprinkle the juice on
raw meat to tenderize it? That is not all;
beverage flavouring is yet another use of
lemons. Besides, a teaspoon of the juice
added to simmering rice will ensure it is
fluffy in the end.
When it comes to health, the list is
endless. From aromatherapy, to hygiene,
to beauty; the experts seem to discover
something new every day. Vanessa
Omelet garnished with lemons. PHOTO: May Joy Namulembwa
Riley, the author of All About Lemons,
explores the uses of lemon for medical
purposes like kidney stone, warts and
arthritis, among others. Lemon water
would be just what a nauseated or dizzy
person requires, but it also soothes sore
throats and deals with infections of the
throat as well as reduction of phlegm.
Respiratory problems like asthma can
be managed by a warm lemon drink
every few hours. The latter is applicable
in blood purification as well, if not pain
relief from tooth ache.
Beauty products will sometimes
be scented with lemon. Many people,
though, prefer to use it in its natural
form. Some will lighten darkened knees
and elbows by rubbing half a lemon.
Rough and scaly skin that resembles
an alligator’s can benefit from the same
treatment. Acne and blackheads can
be managed by sponging oneself with
diluted lemon. Moreover, yellowing
nails that have become brittle can be
soaked in warm water with lemon; a
ratio of 1:1 for several days.
The list is endless. We could go on to
sprinkle lemon water on windowsills,
cupboards or corners to keep away ants,
fleas and roaches, for they abhor the
smell. And for all it is worth, shirts and
blouses stained at the armpits can be
scrubbed with lemon to remove stains.
Anthon St. Maarten, a coach and spiritual
author may be among the few who truly
understand the importance of a lemon
for he said that when they are given to us,
we should use the seeds to plant a whole
orchard - an entire franchise!
Shortcuts are the long way out
BY CHRISTOPHETR LYIMO
([email protected])
G
rades, and nothing else, are the
mark of true scholarship. How
one attains good grades is a
means to the end. You may work hard,
study diligently, complete your assignments promptly and post good grades at
the end of the semester. However, with
so many courses to complete and several other things competing for the same
168 hours we all handed out every week
- like spending time with family, dating
and hanging out with your pals - the necessity to improvise becomes urgent.
The one place that you may have more
control over your time is that which the
time spent on your studies. You hand in
assignments that are wholly copy-pasted from the Internet or you simply get
your paper done for you by a third party.
Plagiarism is a real hustle today and as
I read about it in a November 2015 article in the Involvement, I remembered
something that happened last Semester.
This guy walks in our class on the
fifth floor of DAC building at about
4:45pm. Some of us are early waiting
for our 5:30 pm Advanced Writing session. He is dressed in a typical campus
uniform - jeans, hoodie and flat canvas
shoes - and asks me if I am the lecturer. I
was not sure whether the few grey hairs
on my beard have anything to do with
his query. I tell him no.
“Oh ok, I’d like to make an announcement that you guys can pass on to your
classmates.”
“Sure, go ahead.” we tell him.
“Sawa, I am from Athi and this is the
English 112 class if I am not wrong, yes?
“Ok, I offer writing services. I get to
write your paper for you.”
“So, how does it work exactly?”
“Well,” he continued, “you give me
your topic and I write the paper for you
at a fee.”
He told us he charges two thousand
shillings per paper. The few guys in the
class asked him to leave his number with
me so that I, as the class representative,
could then later share the number on the
class WhatsApp group.
I decided, as a matter of conscience,
that I would not share that number on
the group and to shield myself from
the temptation of doing so in the future, I immediately deleted it. Some of
my classmates did call me to ask for
his number. I completely understand
why they chose to go the brokered paper way. Writing that academic paper
for that class was truly demanding and
other classes, like for all other students,
needed our undivided attention too. An
average of 15 credit hours a week each
having a similar number of CATs, quizzes, mid-semester and end of semester
exams was not a joke.
Well, I learned a lot about grammar,
punctuation, paragraphs and references in that class that I had taken for granted.
It was a hard class. But I learned something. Actually, I learned a lot more than
just how to use my commas or develop
flowing paragraphs.
Four types of plagiarism to avoid. PHOTO: writersdigest.com
I learned there is value in sticking it
out, in taking the risk of making mistakes, of admitting the difficulty of life
and fully owning the eventual grade I get
at the end of the semester. The feelings of
disappointment of obtaining a low grade
will pass, just as the thrill of a getting a
distinction will. Nevertheless I will grow
and learn. With this new knowledge I
can more usefully help my fellow students unlike that guy and others like
him I have since heard about who spend
hours in the library writing even simple
assignments for other students.
The hustle may be real; but if it is
dishonest and lacking in integrity the
damage could be greater than we possibly imagine. A student with undeserved
good grades will forever think that seeking shortcuts is the way to go. Trust me,
I know. That’s why I am here doing my
undergraduate degree as a mature student now rather than twenty-four years
ago when I was an undergraduate and
eventually did not complete university. I
am the lucky one.
After a long day of work, finding yourself in the comfort of
your house as quickly as possible would be among the best
offers you could get. However, more often than not, this
is hardly ever achieved especially during rush hour in Nairobi Central Business District
commonly referred to as town.
I was headed home from town
one evening by public transport
and as I looked in the direction
we were headed; all I could see
were red lights. This essentially
meant that the bus was not moving. I fondly refer to that kind
of situation as a parking lot scenario since cars are stationary.
Yes, that is right. Traffic jam!
In a way, being in a PSV is an
advantage because they divert
to routes I would term as ‘interior of interiors’. For the matatu
I was aboard, it was not any different. We diverted into another
route which had relatively minimal traffic. As we drove into
the route, the conductor said,
“Chungeni simu na bag.” (Take
care of your mobile phones and
bags). In the midst of frustration
from taking of unknown, dangerous routes, wading through
sluggish, fatigue-inducing traffic jam, the most common involuntary actions would be either
to sleep or browse through your
phone. This day, it was different
for me; I was cautious and kept
looking around. All this time
we are at a stationary position.
I saw four suspicious looking men walk towards a private
saloon car. The owner, who
was alone inside did not notice them. The saloon car driver ’s window was slightly open.
Three of the guys distracted him
from the co-driver ’s side and
before he realized, the fourth
guy had taken his phone. I was
so shocked because the phone
he took had been in this man’s
breast pocket and the window was only slightly opened.
Have you ever been so amazed?
This incident is one among
very many evil plots individuals
or gangs have, not just in Nairobi but also in other towns. The
problem is that these activities
are passed from generation to
another; people do not stop evil
practices. I wish these individuals could read this, but to you
who is reading, create employment, speak to someone who is
up to no good, report when you
can and follow up. There is so
much more you and I could do
to make the world a better place.
INVOLVEMENT
25
june - july 2016
FEATURES | HEARTS
The opinionated in relationships
BY RAYCHELLE NG’ANG’A
([email protected])
P
eople fear what they do not
understand, and hate what they
cannot conquer: an opinion. We all
have a judgment and, let’s face it, we all
want it to be heard at some point. In comes
a special breed of people, the ones with a
judgment on nearly everything. Imagine the
agony of being in a relationship with someone
who has an opinion on all your views,
behavior and choices. Opinionated people
can be dangerous in relationships especially
when a partner has a low self-esteem. People
handle opinions differently, insert: tears,
anger, confusion, doubt… The way we
handle ourselves and the opinionated partner
dictates the communication, intimacy, and
level of trust in the relationship.
Quote on opiniated peole. PHOTO: mediacache.com
Opinionated people believe they know
it all and feel the need to correct others
despite having zero obligation or right to
do so. Being informed is better than being
opinionated. In this case, we have to learn
how the opinionated partner thinks and what
drives them to a state of seeking dominance.
However, when this fails - since criticizing
a flawed being is often considered rude - it
is best to seek comfort and information on
how to deal with what can potentially lead to
devastating consequences in the future. Some
simple pointers for when you just cannot
compose yourself any longer will encourage
communication - an important element in
maintaining a healthy relationship.
‘
Opinionated
people are like clouds - when
they disappear, it is a brighter
day. We cannot avoid them,
because they are everywhere.
When all else fails the
unpretentious response to
an opinion should be “thank
you” in the most sincere tone
possible?
1.
Always set boundaries subtly by
responding with self-confidence. Also,
closing your eyes and taking a deep
breath will promptly allow you to air
your opinion and will show that you are
choosing to not get defensive. After the
much-needed intervention, show some
compassion and steer away from the agonizing conversation. Eventually, your
partner will give up and respect your
point of view without any hard feelings
attached.
2.
We all have different personalities, and characteristics. Not every person has the confidence and skill to confront an opinionated individual. For the
more timid and shy keeping a healthy
distance by walking away is always a
good idea. In a relationship, walking
away shows disinterest but keeping your
cool and excusing yourself in an assertive manner will allow you to remove
yourself from the situation. When done
repetitively, your partner should recognize a pattern. Ultimately it will lead to a
confrontation that will encourage a good
opportunity for honest dialogue. If you
are committed to your relationship be it
with your partner, friend, family, or colleague it is important to be honest, even
brutally so.
3. Changing the topic (a personal
favourite) works wonderfully and helps
catch your partner off guard. This not
only hints disregard for the opinion but
also for the uncomfortable ambiance
created. Talk about the movie you both
watched last night, the recipe you cannot
wait to try…
Long distance relationships
BY RAYCHELLE NG’ANG’A
([email protected])
P
atience is a virtue but waiting is a sign of true
love. Long distance relationships occur when
a considerable distance separates two people
for a long period of time. Though we often assume it
is of the romantic kind, it can also be either a familial
relationship or a friendship. Relationships are important,
but what happens when distance comes in between?
There are horrid misconceptions surrounding the
topic, declaring it unhealthy, complicated and difficult.
Nonetheless, moments like laughing, talking together,
eating, preparing food together, walking, and watching
television suddenly become treasured moments in such
relationships. There are many ways of getting through
the day in long distance relationships.
Effective communication is necessary, especially in
terms of talking regularly in a creative way. Greeting
each other in the morning and in the evening is basic;
it only allows one to update the other generally on
what is happening in their life. Put in some effort to
take great pictures, audio clips and short videos with
all the personal touches that make your relationship
thrive. Keep in mind, though, that communicating
should not take much off your own life as it will appear
possessive. Less is more, remember, so chat, tease, joke
and recount sparingly. Being honest about your feelings
especially on the topics of jealously, insecurity, and
fear is important as it shows your loved ones that you
always need their help and support. Finally AVOID
SECRETS!
It is only natural for parents or significant others to
worry when they are not around for a long duration of
time. This is why we have to avoid situations that would
appear dangerous such as a road trip with friends. By
taking care of oneself your loved ones are given peace
of mind and it lowers suspicion. Remember that such
relationships put people in a powerless position, so
listen to your head and not your heart. Distance brings
a sense of loneliness and a need to explore but doing it
cautiously is of utmost importance in order to make the
distance endurable.
Doing things together is impractical but watching the
same movie, reading the same book, or playing a video
game online together or just Skyping as you prepare
for the day or an event are great substitutes. Being
spontaneous and creative makes for great experiences
after the distance shortens and you decide to meet up
again. Keeping up to date with each other’s social media
appears to normal people as intrusive but it actually
show that you are up to date with the relationship as
well as each others lives. Starting a great story when
your partner, sibling, parent or friend is arriving to work
PHOTO: 1800flowers.com
can pose an inconvenience therefore, being on the same
page, with similar goals, is important.
Long distance relationship should not take over your
life. Enjoy your own free time and the company of
others in your life. It is also important to always stay
positive. Get a hobby, stay healthy, stream shows and
get a furry friend to make your life less dull. Be grateful
for the relationships you have and the ones that you
have lost. ‘Learn more and live more’ is the motto.
INVOLVEMENT
26
June - july 2016
FEATURES |
Poem
Deal with the Devil
Broken shoes
BY JOSHUA ONDEKE
([email protected])
Why do you exist?
You’re like a wind of curse from the North
You deprived Jesus Christ of Nazareth
Of a wife and popularity
Where did you come from?
You are the parent of revolution and crime
You make me belong to the “Lower Class”.
Because I live below a dollar a day
And supper is my lunch and breakfast
Where did you come from?
Bill Gates became famous and powerful
Only because he is rich
But you are a torture
An enemy to the nations
Where did you come from?
I live on empty stomachs during the day
This is not good for political advisors
How can you stab my nation?
Our fate, future and destiny
Where did you come from?
I have lacked social acceptance
My brother died and wasn’t recognized
Just because of pauperism
No food, clothing, or shelter
Where did you come from?
Muslim woman taking public transport. PHOTO: www.aljazeera.com
BY ERNESTINE-VERA
KABUSHEMEYE ([email protected])
I
t was in late May that Uber
signed a $3.5 billion deal
with the government of
Saudi Arabia that would push back
women’s struggle for their rights in
Saudi Arabia.
As many are aware, women in
Saudi Arabia, are not allowed to
travel without a male guardian or
the written permission from said
male guardian. Though to be more
exact, there is no law in the Sharia
explicitly denying Muslim women
from driving a motorized vehicle.
The ban came about from the social
values of religious clerics who
got the King to ban women from
driving in Saudi Arabia. Therefore,
for them to go to classes or to their
place of employment, they often
have to rely on the services of Uber.
In the beginning, Uber was a
savior; women could finally gain
some mobility. According to CNN
Money, women even make up
around 80% of Uber’s customers.
Nevertheless, that was only out of
necessity. Just because women are
not allowed to drive in that country
to this day, did not mean that they
did not go to school or do errands
or go to work. Uber helped make
the lives of Saudi women less
cumbersome and gave them wider
options in their lives.
On the one hand, Uber
is providing much needed
employment and helps Saudi
women gain some of their
restricted mobility back since
2014 but on the other, they may
be doing more harm than good.
When the company signed with the
government, they not only became
complacent in the unfair Saudi ban,
but they also made the struggle of
Saudi women’s right to drive harder
because now the government can
always say that they have provided
the female population mobility
they never had before.
If this imposition on the rights of
these women is not clear enough,
one needs only look at some of
the testimonies of these very same
women. One example would
be Salwa’s (no last name for the
sake of anonymity) interview
with Upworthy, a website that
comments on viral stories, on June
10th. She admitted to her anger that
comes with this system in place,
saying, “I am not a minor [who
should] be treated like this… I am
an adult woman who has reached
the legal age. But they treat us like
kids.” Salwa is an undergraduate of
King Saud University, in Riyadh,
majoring in Clinical Laboratory
Science and yet still requires
permission from her male guardians
to attend her university and to take
that 6 o’clock bus with a written
permission, because that is the
only bus heading to the university
despite her classes beginning only
much later in the day.
Salwa’s anger that echoes
throughout Saudi Arabia and
the rest of the Arab world is
understandable. Even with Uber’s
help in terms of regaining some
sort of autonomy when it comes
to transport, Saudi women still
feel like they are being treated like
second class citizens. They feel
that this ban is not only insulting
but also making their lives harder
to live than necessary and that
finally, this Uber deal is not fixing
the problem. What they need are
not more men to drive them around
but rather for themselves to have
that right.
The halls are sick
BY IVY NJERI (Guest)
W
hen outside is crazy, inside
will be still as though the
wind is not blowing. The
calm environment of a society on its
own, unwavering in the face of what is
going on around it.
The halls filled with people from here,
there and everywhere. The halls have
created a culture of their own. As though
the halls are bewitched, they infuse a
sudden fluency in a new language, a
change in your outlook. The walls will
change you. A silence as you are forced
to look down at your screen. You only
But brave hearts will come soon.
Hearts that are not warmed with
radiation but those are blazing with
fire.
look up to ensure that the door is open.
A silence so loud it grows on you like
a disease infecting the ears, spreading
like a cancer reaching the subconscious.
Before you know it you are already a part
of it. Unaware of the infectious disease
thriving inside you, consuming you.
A display of life and exclusivity in
each of them but yet you are still all the
same. The halls have taken over you.
There is no escape.
The walls are heavy, drenched in
the disease. The building sinks deeper
into the ground. The front door almost
blocked, soon there will be no way out.
The paint has cracked, it peels off the
wall. The smell of silence fills the air,
choking all life. Deafening ears and
infecting the subconscious.
Alas! Here comes fresh meat.
Vulnerable and oblivious to the social
disease that has infected these halls. The
hope in their eyes warms the heart, but the
disease will soon catch up. Like a magnet
the disease trails after the warm hearted,
determined to conquer this new territory.
Obsessed with the new challenge, it will
Sick halls. PHOTO: Mikey Ngigi
chase. Soon enough the warm heart will
turn cold and again the disease will have
won this battle.
But brave hearts will come soon.
Hearts that are not warmed with radiation
but those that are blazing with fire. A fire
so hot that the disease will be unable to
withstand the heat. Fire so hot that it will
catch and the disease will have to find
other halls to haunt.
A blaze that creates a community
that takes photos of moments had and
discards the moments not created.
Where the camera will be the observer
and not the life of the party. One day a
warm heart will come along and cure
the Rumpelstiltskin that has infected our
halls.
INVOLVEMENT
27
june - july 2016
FEATURES |
Halcyon days
Cuisine
BY SOILA KENYA
([email protected])
Cold weather sweet
potato soup
O
ne of the well-travelled men of
ancient times, Ibn Batutta once said,
“Travelling – it leaves you speechless,
then turns you into a storyteller.” And boy, was
he right. Discovering new places on our blue
planet has become my life’s mission after I had
the greatest experience of my life (so far) in the
Kingdom of Morocco.
Slightly over a year ago on June 1st, 2015, I
boarded a flight to Casablanca, Morocco, through
the organization AIESEC in Daystar. It was a
somewhat last minute decision but I was drawn
towards it for a simple reason – no one else from
Kenya, that I knew of, was travelling there for
summer internships. Till now, I marvel at the fate
that took me to this wondrous land on a whim.
I arrived during the summer season which was
quite hot but bearable. The countless beaches
across the country also meant that the heat was
a plus. Surfing, swimming, camel rides and more
attracted several families to these beaches during
the summer time.
Though I was residing in the business capital,
Casablanca, I travelled to several different cities.
I got to walk through countless medinas in
each city I went to. These are the remnants of
the Old City that still exist in the centre of each
Moroccan town. Their narrow cobbled streets are
home to business men and women selling several
curios. Tourists flood these small but lively spaces
for the authenticity which have earned them the
prestige of one of the few UN-protected areas in
the world.
The ruins of ages past, such as the world’s first
university in Fez, are scattered generously on
this strip of land near the Mediterranean ocean.
Morocco presents a treasure trove for adventurers,
photographers and historians alike.
My 2 months there were spent exploring. The
Atlas mountain range hosts several small villages
with stunning views that make one feel as if they
are looking at a post card. Breathtaking lakes are
also snugly hosted in these mountains. One such
village, Beni Melal, hosts two hotels where highend tourists and dignitaries travel for leisure.
Another wonder is the city of Chefchaouen,
commonly known as the Blue city for the fact
BY RAYCHELLE NG’ANG’A
([email protected])
It is officially the cold weather season which
means some warm soup should be cooking.
Sweet potatoes, which are loaded with vitamin
A in the form of beta-carotene, form the base of
this hearty, vivid orange soup. Avocado which
are currently in season add a fresh green color
along with healthy, skin-softening fats, which
also aid the body’s absorption of beta-carotene.
This hearty soup takes 45 minutes to make and
25 minutes to prepare. Very easy to make and
can serve you and your five friends because it
is worth it. Enjoy this warm treat before the
scorching heat makes its way back to Mavoko
County.
Soila Kenya and friends in Morocco PHOTO: Ali Ibrahim
that all walls are painted blue and white. Even
the public taxis are blue in colour to match this
theme that the inhabitants are inherently proud
of. Tangier, a city to the north of Morocco is
the northern most tip of the country and from
strategic points, one can faintly glimpse, at night,
the glowing lights of Spain. In the same city,
there is also a point where one can see where the
Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean meet.
The crowning jewel of all the cities is
Marrakesh, a buzzing, searingly hot, cultural hub
that is ranked as one of the top ten destinations
worldwide, and for good reason. It is near
the desert which is convenient. But more so,
its medina is lively 24/7 with dancers, snake
charmers, singers, horse rides and countless
pedlars selling their wares. It is said one can get
the entire Moroccan experience from this city
alone.
The cultural experience was overwhelmingly
eye-opening. Being a Muslim nation, their way
of life is wholly different from what I am used to.
Stereotypes floating about on social media about
Muslims in the world right now are unfavourable,
but I got to see the other side. Moroccan people
are extremely friendly and welcoming. I stayed
with a host family and though we did not
understand each other as they only speak French
and Moroccan Arabic, I was able to enjoy their
presence, and they mine. Visiting the country
during Ramadhan was an experience in and
of itself. The calls to pray at 5 am were hard to
get used to but eventually, I acclimatized to the
countless voices from several different mosques
at once beckoning the faithful.
Above and beyond all the physical attractions,
my Moroccan adventure gave me several friends
to cherish for a lifetime.
MY TOWN| KIMENDE
The cold town with a warm heart
BY MIKE NJOROGE
([email protected])
T
he first thing that hits you is the cold.
It is freezing and it freezes. The cold
shivers naturally defeat the body. The
sun shines but the illuminating light does not
bring forth any exhilarating heat. Kenya may not
be in the habit of experiencing solar seasons but
here, it is winter all through the year.
This is Kimende town. Around 50 kilometers
from the heart of Nairobi, the one hour drive to
Kimende includes passing by the escarpment
of the Great Rift Valley. As you enter Kiambu
County, you go past Limuru town. Lari Constituency awaits and it is from here that the temperatures begin to fall as your body indicates that
‘thou art entering the cold zone.’
But even as the cold begins to settle in, the eyes
see green. The greenest of green that one could
ever gaze upon occupies Lari. The flora around
jumps at you as everything looks healthy, fresh.
It is the one thing that resonates in Kimende. It
is a farmer’s paradise. On either side of the road,
one can see farms, and more farms and even more
farms. But these are not the plush plantations of
Lord Delamare neither the scouring fields of the
Del Monte Company. Here, people are mainly
subsistence farmers. The farms are individual, at
times collective before they become corporate.
This explains why the farmers here live communally. Most things are shared. Farm equipment is readily given as long as you promise to
return it in a good state. Knowledge on farming
techniques is also not hoarded. Anyone can be
strolling around, look at your farm and compliment as easily as offer words for improvement.
The crops that persist are potatoes, carrots and
cabbages. These three can be seen being planted, growing or being harvested throughout the
course of the year. The presence of these crops
is also reflective of the meals offered in most
Kimende homes. There will be potatoes in plenty
to gnaw at and carrots will fill the stew.
Besides crop farming, there is also the keeping
of cows. Milk is therefore aplenty and this sees
lots of tea being readily available. Perhaps, the
availability of milk for making tea is the town’s
defensive mechanism against the cold.
Its people are friendly. They greet you with
warm smiles and are eager to have your company. They are willingly helpful. Underneath their
bevy of clothes, they reach out to you to ensure
that everything is going on fine.
Here at Kimende, the cold is not a barrier.
Ingredients include
•
2 tbsp. olive oil
•
1 medium onion
•
1 medium red pepper
•
3 clove garlic
•
1½ tsp. ground cumin
•
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
•
1 tsp. salt
•
¼ tsp. pepper
•
½ kg of beef, chicken or vegetable soup
(easily found at a butchery)
•
1kg sweet potatoes
•
2 cups of black beans (njahi)
•
2 cups of water
•
1 lime
•
1 avocado
Directions
In saucepot, heat olive oil at medium level. Add
onion and red pepper and cook for 5 minutes,
stirring consistently until the onions are golden
brown. Stir in garlic, cumin, cinnamon, and 1/2
teaspoon of salt. Let it cook for 2 minutes as you
stir.
Add the soup, sweet potatoes, black beans,
water, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Let it
boil for 5 minutes then reduce the heat to medium
level. Let it simmer for15 minutes. Stir in 1/2
teaspoon of salt. Serve and garnish with avocado
with lime. Other servings can be brown toasted
bread or chapatti.
REVIEWS
28
MUSIC | INVOLVEMENT
June - july 2016
A Reflection on Isaiah Katumwa’s day at Daystar University
What’s your saxophone?
BY CHRISTOPHER LYIMO
(christopherlyimo151706@daystar.
ac.ke)
R
eflecting on the melodic sound
of Isaiah Katumwa’s saxophone
(He has a soprano one, tenor and
alto one), his story and the man himself on
stage at Daystar on Thursday 14th July,
2016 was a journey into one’s soul.
The event dubbed University Unplugged
was a platform to launch the Ugandan East
African Tour to promote his new This Is
Me album. The sound check alone already
promised a feast as he played a couple of
tunes that he was creating in the moment.
It almost had you wishing that the sound
check could go on for a little while longer.
In sharing his creative journey with
Daystar University’s Munene Mwarania,
Isaiah’s story is just as inspiring as his sax
performance. Here is a man who perhaps
would have been a great engineer had he
chosen to go to university after sitting his A
Levels, an engineer you and I and the world
would perhaps never have heard about.
However, in sharing his love for Jesus,
the self–taught saxophonist was utterly
convinced- and convincing - that the music
ministry was a calling of God - and boy, did
he answer that call.
The concert at Daystar was also an
opportunity for Isaiah to interact with
Daystar music students, as well as
musicians from Ghetto Classics, the
GAME |
Kenya Conservatoire of Music, Sauti
Academy and Kenyatta University. It was
organized by his tour manager Rahab
Nderu of Diamond Media and Dr Wandia
Njoya of the Department of Language and
Performing Arts.
In launching his 10th album – the first
was launched in 2000- jazz maestro Isaiah
Katumwa feels he still has a long way to
go; a most humble statement, given how far
he has come. He confessed that missing out
on a music education may have slowed his
professional development though this has
greatly been compensated by sharing the
stage with other jazz greats such as Hugh
Masekela, Jonathan Butler, and Jimmy
Dludlu. Self taught or not, one does not get
to join these music giants on stage solely
out of the love of their hearts. It was an
affirmation of Isaiah’s legitimacy as a great
artist – one whose journey begun when he
saw someone playing the saxophone and
wanted the same for himself. His belief
and faith in God gave him an unusual
confidence to grow his craft.
“When I was in form six, I would go for
gigs twelve miles away from home after
school that would end at 2:00am and still
make it to class at 8:00am. This was before
the era before boda bodas,” he said.
“I didn’t see this as a disadvantage. In
fact, I didn’t think it was a choice between
school and music. It was simply school and
music,” he added
Though he did well in his ‘A’ levels
where he studied mathematics, physics
and economics his heart was in playing
the saxophone. The very same limitations
and life circumstances turned out to be the
advantages that helped him to succeed.
“My limitations drove me to work hard
and develop the discipline required to
make it in life. God chose to bless me as a
saxophonist because that’s what was in my
hand. I chose to honour Him in answering
the call to minister in music.” He added.
Isaiah Katumwa also introduced his
thirteen year old son Mitchell to the audience
who sang two of his own compositions. He
sang his way into our hearts through his
chosen musical instrument: the keyboards.
Isaiah’s passion is to see young lives
transformed through the arts and touching
hearts with the income from his music
business. In answering questions from
the audience, the accomplished musician
affirmed that his Christian faith is the
mainstay of his career and that a music
education is a privilege that should be
exploited fully so that one can continually
grow in excellence, fulfilment and
influence.
The album This is Me, with tracks such
as The Visit, Nakupenda, Special Feelings
is available at Nakumatt outlets.
In closing, the challenge I was left with
is ‘What is the saxophone in my hand that
God could use to bring His people home to
the glory of His name?’
BOOK |
Tampa
BY ERNESTINE-VERA KABUSHEMEYE
([email protected])
For the first time, I have clapped at the end of a book.
This is a true masterpiece, too little appreciated, too little
known, Tampa is Alissa Nutting’s debut in the world of
literature. This author is a proud graduate of both the
University of Florida and the University of Nevada and
now has another novel under her belt: Unclean Jobs for
Women and Girls.
This novel is set in Tampa, as cannot be made clearer
by the title, and follows the life of Celeste Price. This
main character is the stunning new middle school
teacher in a boring little neighbourhood. Living a secret
life of deceit and dipped in delicious lawlessness, she
brings life to this little corner of Tampa.
Not to spoil anything by divulging the plot but, I
guarantee a more than pleasant read. Alissa Nutting
writes with the same clear voice as J. D. Salinger had
in his own controversial 1951 novel, Catcher in the Rye
capable of invoking vivid imagery while keeping the
audience entertained. You will be fully immersed in this
woman’s thoughts, unable to look away as a she treads
down her treacherous path, incapable of unbuckling the
seat as she drives you to the edge of insanity.
The novel brings about issues of sexuality. Nutting
opens our minds to other possibilities, to the mind of the
aberrant. Put in the shoes of the protagonist we are asked,
“Where do we draw the line between attraction and its
criminal consequences?” One might find themselves
sympathising with the protagonist. After all, her actions
are simply a result of her uncontrollable attractions,
while others might reject everything she represents. I,
however, was on neither camp. I was simply cringing
at the whole story because I knew something felt off
the whole time yet I knew I wanted more. I wanted to
stay in her shoes, see the world in her eyes. A world
where she was the criminal, knew what she was doing
was wrong but out of a most natural obsession could not
stop. This novel is a great short read for educational or
recreational purposes.
BY INVOLVEMENT TEAM
The Pokémon-Go Frenzy
F
or the last week or so, a purportedly
wondrous experience that is the game
Pokémon Go has been quickly gaining
momentum. The downloadable, augmented reality smartphone phenomenon has already
overtaken Candy Crush in terms of Android
installations and was poised to eclipse Twitter in
terms of active users just days shy of its one-week
anniversary. So what is this game?
This media franchise started with the Gameboy
game Pocket Monsters Aka and Midori (“Red”
and “Green”, respectively), was created by
Satoshi Tajiri in 1995 and is managed by the
Pokémon Company based in Japan. After its
noted success, several other versions such as
Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition
and more recently, Pokémon Black and White
followed.
In the Pokémon games, you need to catch all
the Pokémon and to do so you have to travel to
every corner of the game’s virtual world and its
different terrains. Pokémon Go has transferred this
concept into the real world: travel the real world
and gain XP by finding different Pokémon living
in actual areas in the world, PokeStops. Pokémon
themselves are animal-like creatures that can be
collected, traded, pitted in battle against each
other, live in the wild and can be domesticated
by people via Capture in a Poké Ball. It is up to
you as the player to travel to new places and try to
catch all species. You can also use those Pokémon
to take over real-world objectives called Gyms
from other players. Pokémon Go has turned
the world into a Pokémon menagerie, and now
everyone with a smartphone has the potential to
become a master of cute little monsters.
On the downside, even before you really
get into the experience, there are a handful of
technical problems any game has in the early
stages of its release. Pokémon Go crashes with
a frustrating frequency, sometimes depriving a
player of hard-won Pokémon. Moreover, it is
slow to respond in areas with a poor 3G signal,
and the strain on the phone’s battery makes a
portable charger or power bank a necessity.
Even beyond these minor technical difficulties,
there are other problems such as an opaque user
interface, and poorly explained mechanics.
The game has also reportedly caused accidents
as people are distracted while walking and
driving. Unsafe interaction between very young
children and grown-ups is also a threat to
security and the makers of the app advise caution
to users. Another issue arising with the game’s
debut is that black people in the USA are terming
it a “death sentence” because of the recent racial PHOTO: chicagomaroon.com
killings occurring there. One blogger, Omari
picture this: you are trying to complete a collection
Akil, said, “Very quickly my Pokémon catching
and so is everyone around you. You walk up to a
dreams were obliterated by the unfortunate
perfect stranger and ask where they have gotten
reality that exists for a Black Man in America. I
certain pieces in their collection. You strike
realized that if I keep playing this game, it could
up a conversation and end up walking around
literally kill me.” White people are suspicious of
the neighborhood together trying to add more
black men circling around their premises, and this
Pokémon. Pokémon Go is helping people get
poses a challenge for any black male player.
outside and exercise, which can have a positive
effect on both physical and mental health. It has
However, before you condemn this game,
reportedly helped people with depression and
anxiety find the courage and motivation they
need to get out of the house. Does the world not
seem friendlier this way? Would you not be more
inclined to walk around your neighborhood and
explore? Pokémon Go is fundamentally changing
the way people interact with the world and that is
why it is so exciting.
INVOLVEMENT
29
june - july 2016
Brexit’s effect on the Barclays Premier League
BY DEBBY BILITY
([email protected])
generates a significant amount of money
- the net benefit to the UK shouldn’t
be underestimated.” The players are
progressive contributors to the growing
economy in that they pay taxes and live
in the UK.
The new referendum entails that
players should have work permits and
visas which will result in a conflict
because it is considered one of the world’s
most exciting football competitions.
The requirements are the footballers
should have played in at least 30% of
competitive international matches. On
a national level, an active participation
of 45% of the nations ranked as 11-20
by FIFA, 60% of those 21-30 ranking
and 75% of 31-50. Using the ranking
as criteria, it will assure players of an
immediate permit. If a player happens to
be outside the 50 countries that are listed,
he can apply for the permit with 5,000
T
he EU is a body that governs
the economic and political
development of European
nations that are part of the treaty. This
allows trade to take place and resulting
in free movement of its citizens and
trade of goods.
The Premier League was in support
of the UK staying in the EU because it
would guarantee the transfer of more
players resulting in a secure future for
them. The decision by the UK to exit
the European Union is going to have
major implications on the Barclays
Premier League players. An analysis by
The Guardian before the exit speculated
that close to two-thirds of the Premier
League players would not qualify for
the work visa as a result of the UK
leaving the EU. Dr Babatunde Buraimo,
a senior lecturer in sports economics at
the University of Liverpool, said before
the vote that a Brexit could mean clubs
will have to pay more to acquire players.
Wes Morgan celebrates a goal for Leicester in their title winning run last season. PHOTO: bbc.co.uk
“Clubs will be limited to hiring higher
calibre players from highly FIFA ranked
EU countries,” he said. “If the Premier
Another disadvantage that will shy of his 16th Birthday.
League is limited to these players,
cause
an upset is in the investment in
In an interview with The Telegraph,
this will increase the values in terms
young
players.
According
to
the
FIFA
Gregory
Ioannidis, a senior law lecturer
of transfer fees and wages of acquiring
proven and established EU players. regulations Article 19 regarding transfer from Sheffield Hallam University, said he
Missing out on rising talent [such as of minors between the ages of 16-18 did not envisage “any serious problems
Kante] will be one of the drawbacks; this within the EU or EEA, Britain will lose and complications” in the short-term if
out on players like Matthew Briggs who Britain left the European Union, and that
is according to The Telegraph.
joined the Fulham F.C just two months it was “highly unlikely” any restrictions
would apply retrospectively, at least not
in the first 2-3 years.
Dr Buraimo also does not anticipate
a “big impact” on the Premier League.
“Rational politicians might relax the
rules, and prioritise the single market,”
he added. “The Premier League is
one of the UK’s biggest exports and it
The Premier League is one of the
UK’s biggest exports and it generates
a significant amount of money - the
net benefit to the UK shouldn’t be
underestimated.”
Dr. Buraimo
Falcons rugby results at KUSA K.O.R in Nakuru
BY DANIEL MANG’ELI
([email protected])
were unfortunately knocked out of the tournament at
the Shield semifinal by Kabarak University. To add
to the difficulties faced by the falcons throughout
the weekend, Cedric Arange’s an ankle injury has
him unavailable for the next three weeks, as the
team turns their attention to the upcoming National
Sevens Circuit.
The team has a difficult period ahead with
difficult training sessions over the next two weeks to
prepare the players for the difficult tour ahead. The
Circuit kicks off in the first weekend of August, and
will in its duration take the boys to Nakuru, Kisumu,
Nairobi and Mombasa. Hopefully the baptism of
fire at the Kings of Rugby will be sufficient to help
them mentally prepare for the gruelling test that
awaits them throughout the National circuit.
O
n the weekend of 9th July, Falcons rugby
were in Nakuru for the fourth leg of the
KUSA Kings of Rugby 7s series. After
underachieving at the previous leg which was held
in Kaimosi, they travelled with the expectation of
better results. However, that was not to be the case,
as a succession of heavy losses to TUK and UON
in Day 1, and a shield semifinal exit at the hands
of Kabarak University on Day 2 led to the boys
coming home empty handed once again.
This was very much a surprise considering that
before their departure, the rugby team skipper
Bildad Ochieng told The Involvement, “Our
expectation is good results compared to how we did
in Kaimosi.” In their first game, the Falcons were
beaten by UON 34-5, and in their second game
of the day they improved but still lost to TUK 330. This could be partly attributed to a number of
experienced players who were expected to make
the trip to Nakuru including Quinton Ongo (Impala
Saracens) and Brian Wandera (Kenya Harlequins)
could not make the journey. This forced the coach
Kevin Wambua to hand the opportunity to less
experienced players such as Cedric Arange to put in
Norman Nandabi defends against an opponent in a past tournament. PHOTO: File
a strong performance for the team.
Apart from this, experienced winger Felix Too
was inserted at halfback which resulted in a missing
spark that lost the team a few opportunities during
their games. On Day 2, the team did not make much
progress during the final day of competition, and
Our expectation is good
results compared to how we did
in Kaimosi.”
Bildad Ochieng
INVOLVEMENT
30
June - july 2016
Silverstone Grand Prix
in 4th place with a time of +26.211s and
gathered 15 points. Ferrari drivers slightly
lagged behind throughout the race, Kimi
Räikkönen landing 5th with a time of
+69.743s, and winning 10 points, while his
teammate Sebastian Vettel finished in 9th
place with a time of +91.654s, accruing 2
points. Force India did well too with Sergio
Perez in 6th place with a time of +76.941s,
and Nico Hulkenberg getting 7th place with
a time of +77.712s. The Toro Rosso drivers
also did a stellar job on the day and made
it into the top ten with Carlos Sainz getting
8th place with +85.858s, and in 10th place,
Daniil Kvyat with +92.600s.
BY ERNESTINE-VERA KABUSHEMEYE
([email protected])
L
ewis Hamilton took the Silverstone Grand Prix with a time of
1:34:55.831 ahead of his German
teammate, Nico Rosberg, who took third
place with a +16.911s time and 15 points,
cutting his championship lead over Hamilton to just one point.
On his way to his fourth British Grand
Prix win, Hamilton faced many tribulations
before reaching this momentous victory.
Earlier in the race week, they were threatened with team orders after the contact the
Mercedes drivers displayed in Austria. The
concept baffled previous champions such
as Jacques Villeneuve. He considered the
idea a travesty, as did many fans ready to
riot against Mercedes’ ruling. However,
Jacques Villeneuve believed the idea was
being proposed for darker purposes saying,
“… because then it would be Mercedes
winning and not just Lewis, so image-wise,
politically, it would be better as they would
have two world champions in the car not
just one. So Lewis has to think about that
as well.”
Though both Hamilton and Rosberg had
denied being at fault for the contact in the
Austrian race, they were both staunchly
against the idea of team orders. Even Hamilton campaigned against the idea, claiming that regardless of their affiliation every
racer has, in the end, been in it for the title,
the thrill and the fans. He was quoted saying, “Firstly for myself because that would
take the joy of racing out and second for
the fans because it will rob the fans of what
they pay so much for. They save up all year
Lewis Hamilton turning in at the Silverstone Grand Prix ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg. PHOTO: staitstimes.com
to go to the Silverstone Grand Prix. Team
orders is not something that should deprive
them. Even if it’s the other way around and
the other guy’s coming for me, that’s racing. That’s why you turn up and you sit in
the mud in the camper van in Silverstone,
because you have that passion and that fire,
the same thing I felt in Austria.”
The week before the Silverstone Grand
Prix was overshadowed with the fear of
Mercedes’ decision on the team order affair and the possibility that the team would
have a collision on the course. Toto Wolff,
former racing driver and current Executive
Director of Mercedes AMG, called the two
race drivers idiots though the company had
not administered any blame on the incident.
He said that the worst-case scenario would
be a collision and that was why they were
considering team orders though the idea
had remained just that, an idea.
The race began with a heavy downpour
forcing the racers to switch to the mandatory wet tires which were later on substituted
for intermediaries, then slick rubber around
a third of the way through as the weather
improved. Rosberg and Red Bull Racing’s
Verstappen were locked, barely a second
apart at the checkered flag. Rosberg struggled with the slippery conditions but luckily found his way back at Hamilton’s heels
by the 38th lap. After easing Felipe Massa’s
Williams off the track, which earned him a
5 second penalty, he cut the gap from 8.7s
to 6.1s by lap 45. He, however, reported
gearbox issues towards the end and had to
shift from 6th to 8th gear without touching
the 7th gear.
The Red Bull Racing team came in second with Max Verstappen who took second
place with a +8.250s time earning him 18
points and Daniel Ricciardo, who came
...worst-case scenario would be a
collision and that was why they
were considering team orders
though the idea had remained just
that, an idea.
KICKER| VICTOR WANYAMA: FUTURE CULT HERO
Future cult hero
BY STEVE NJUGUNA (Guest)
Muthurwa’s
favorite lion,
Victor Wanyama
is shaping up to
be an African
football fans’ cult
hero, reminiscent
of several African
stars in the recent
past.
Victor Wanyama. PHOTO: dailymail.co.uk
As Victor Wanyama enjoys his time
in the English Premier League, his
performances are quickly putting him
on a list with other illustrious African
midfielders who have become household
names all over the continent and indeed,
globally.
From my father’s generation, many
will sing praises of Cyril Makanaky, the
dreadlocked midfielder who stole the
show at the Italia 90’ alongside, ageless
striker Roger Milla on the Cameroonian
side that defied the odds by defeating
Argentina’s Diego Maradona in the
opening game of the tournament.
Another tenacious midfielder African
football fans have no doubt sung about
is Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew. He was one of
the first African players to be nominated
for World Player of the year as he led
Marseille to Champions League victory
over Milan in 1993. His two sons Jordan
and Andre are already accomplished
footballers but the shoes left by their
father will require a considerable amount
of effort to fill.
Wanyama will no doubt be looking
to emulate another African cult hero,
Nigerian midfielder Jay Jay Okocha
whose distinguished career saw him
win numerous accolades for various
clubs and the Olympics in 1996 for his
country. Known for his skill as well
as his goal scoring ability, Okocha is
still idolized at one of his former clubs,
Bolton Wanderers, where they coined
the popular slogan, “Jay Jay Okocha- So
good they named him twice!”
Wanyama is not far off though, with his
headed goal in 2012 against Barcelona in
the Champions League during his time
at Celtic, and his spectacular goal for
Southampton in 2014 against Hull, he
showed he has an eye for goal and is a
special player indeed. With a summer
move to Tottenham, securing a position
in the front of the back four with Eric
Dier, Moussa Dembele, Ryan Mason
or Nabil Bentaleb. At Tottenham, he
will reunite with his former manager
at Southampton, Mauricio Pochettino
and join a squad of much higher quality
than the players he had around him at
the Saints. It certainly seems like some
silverware is not too far off in the future
for the Harambee Stars captain.
Even if that does not come to pass,
his position as a football hero is already
secure.
INVOLVEMENT
31
june - july 2016
KICKER|
What you need to know about New Leicester signing Ahmed Musa
Volleyball teams
preparing for Homa
Bay
BY DANIEL MANG’ELI
([email protected])
Ahmed Musa celebrates a goal for previous club CSKA Moscow in a Russian league match. He has recently joined Premier League champions Leicester F.C. PHOTO: futbolgrad,com
From Russia with love
BY STEVE NJUGUNA
(Guest)
F
lashback to two years back on a sunny afternoon in Porto Allegre Brazil. It was a group F encounter in the
2014 FIFA World Cup between Argentina
and Nigeria with the South Americans heavy
favourites against the 2013 African champions. Lionel Messi scored in the 3rd minute
but almost immediately Nigeria equalized
through Ahmed Musa who at that time was
somewhat unheard of. Messi scored again at
the stroke of halftime and Nigeria seemed
out of the tie. However immediately after the
restart Musa glided past defenders in a manner that seemed effortless and scored past a
dazed Sergio Romero in the Argentinian
goal to make it 2-2.Even though the game
eventually ended 3-2 in favor of Argentina,
coaches and scouts sat up and took notice of
Ahmed’s skill and technique
Fast forward to 2016 and the Nigerian is
on the verge of completing a mega move
to English champions Leicester City. The
former CSKA Moscow man started his career in his native homeland with successful
periods at JUTH and Kano Pillars before
heading to Dutch side VVV-Venlo. He later
moved to the Russian side CSKA Moscow
where he really made his mark on the European stage wining the Russian premier
league thrice.
On the international scene, Kenyans will
know Ahmed Musa all too well. Of his 11
goals for his country, two are against Kenya,
one in a friendly in 2011 and another one in
a world cup qualifier in 2013.He was part of
the victorious Nigerian squad in the 2013 Africa cup of nations under the tutelage of the
late Steven ‘Big Boss’ Keshi.
He is primarily deployed down the left
side of attack but due to his speed he has
been played as a Centre forward on a few
occasions. He possesses a powerful shot and
he also brings in quality crosses which may
benefit taller strikers as seen in his partner-
ship at CSKA Moscow with Ivorian front
man Seydou Doumbia before Doumbia’s
move to Roma.
With Riyad Mahrez in stunning form,
the wise assumption would be that Marc
Albrighton might be the likely victim from
Musa’s purchase. The Englishman has endeared himself to Leicester fans with his
speed and hard work but his goal scoring is
wanting with a paltry four goals in two seasons at Leicester City. However it remains to
be seen whether Musa will be able to adjust
to the fast pace and aggressive nature of the
English Premier League.
The men’s and women’s Falcons
volleyball teams are busy preparing for
their upcoming trip to participate in the
National League which will be taking
place between Friday 22nd July and
Monday 25th July, in Homa Bay.
This is the first bit of competition that
the teams will be participating in since
the close of the KUSA league in March,
which runs in the regular semesters and
goes on break during the blocks semester.
The National League is a competition which features professional clubs,
universities and even high schools.
Last year they went to Bungoma and
achieved admirable results, getting
knocked out at the quarter final, which
they will be looking to improve on this
year when they take on the competition
in Homa Bay.
Joyce Ndung’u, the team captain
for the women’s team, spoke to the
Involvement and mentioned the need
for a new uniform, which had not been
purchased since she began playing for
the team in 2013 and an increase in the
budget to cater for more competitive
fixtures for the volleyball community.
She also wanted to thank the Sports
Management team for the coach they
had provided who is a great help, and
instigating growth in the teams.
Basketball floodlights 2016
BY INVOLVEMENT TEAM
([email protected])
D
aystar University held the
Basketball
Floodlights
event on July 13, 2016. The
school’s basketball pitch brimmed
with enthusiastic spectators, players
from Daystar’s two campuses and
members of staff who showed
their full support for the basketball
community.
The DUSA Athi River government
led by the President, John Brian
Oyaro, kicked off the event with an
expedition game against the DUSA
Valley Road government, which
was led by its respective president,
Johnstone Mutua. The two teams
showed a lack of proficiency in
playing the sport, but played with
a lot of heart and seemed to care
about the results. The final whistle
ended with the Valley Road team
snatching victory 6-4. It was quite
a curtain raiser for the event. The
presence of Valley Road campus
students was also recognized when
the alumni played a match against
the current students, and beat them
32-26. “The alumni came back to
participate and support the school in
the game.” said Mr. Noah Muhindi,
the DUSA sports and recreational
secretary. In attendance was lecturer
and former sports journalist, Dr.Peel
Clayton. He said that the event was
of great impact to the students, since
it was a way of preventing them from
engaging in immoral activities. For
him, the highlight of the event was
the showcasing of diverse talents.
The Falcons ladies were not left
behind as Team A and B played
against each other in another hotly
contested match, that went contrary
to expected when Team A lost 15-19
to Team B. “It was a tough match.
But we have learnt so much from
practice and it is working,” said
Mary Kimanzi, a Falcons player. For
the spectators it was time to have fun
away from studies and show support
for their fellow students.
The main match was played
between male basketball players
who split themselves into Kenya
vs Rest of The World (ISADU).
The competition was tough as the
players endeavored to give their best
for their chosen team, and after the
lead changed hands between the two
teams throughout the game. By the
final whistle, in the fourth quarter,
ISADU had taken the win by 33-32.
“For so long we have been saying
that we are going to win this game.
For a moment we thought we lost it,
but we had to keep our heads in the
game and that kept us going” said
Alaine Ishimwe, who played for the
ISADU team.
The event was accompanied
by entertainment from various
students including Infinite Mass and
Barbara Githua, MCs and DJ Kislev.
However, Falcons player, David
Julius said that he was not pleased
at the way the event’s program was
planned. “I felt that the end was
really done unprofessionally because
of the dispersion of the crowd before
the awarding of the trophies.” He
remarked that it would be great to
always finish such events in style
and professionally by awarding the
winners accordingly. He hopes that
the relevant departments will rectify
that in the future.
The recommendation from Dr.Peel
was, “The DUSA government should
plan more of such events since they
keep students away from disciplinary
cases.” He said that the more the
planning of such events, the higher
the turnout of staff to support the
students.
INVOLVEMENT
32
June - july 2016
INSIDE
sports
Wayne’s world seeks to enhance sports
and recreation at Valley Road campus
From Russia with love
PAGE 31
Please, be patient with us.
Give us time because
coming into office, there is a
lot of protocol that needs to
be followed and observed.”
Future football hero
> PAGE 30
Wayne Ongara
DUSA Valley Road Sports secretary Wayne Ongara speaks at the campus. PHOTO: James Okongo
SOUvenir
ABOVE:
President
Uhuru inspects
the standard
guage
railway
Dialogue with the
first
with him is the
woman chancellor
in
suspended
transport CS
Kenya
Michael Kamau.
> PAGE 11
<< ON THE
LEFT: Bird’s eye
view of the first
of the three
Berts of the
Lamu port
BY MIKE NJOROGE
([email protected])
W
ayne Ongara is a man
of bravado. He speaks
eloquently his hands
moving around, elaborating the
point that has just fled his lips. His
eyes stare at you with remarkable
belief, as if piercing through your
brain and intending to implant that
very idea that consumes his mind
with near telepathy.
This is the man who currently
holds the position of Sports and
Recreation Secretary for the
student’s Executive Committee of
the Daystar University Students
Association - Nairobi Campus. Back
in April, he was elected with an
overwhelming 936 votes, meaning
that 95% of the voter turnout gave a
vote of confidence to his unopposed
candidacy.
Now in office, the work has
begun. Sitting at the DUSA office,
he describes the journey. “Even
before we came on board, we were
fully aware of how the current
situation was, that there were
virtually no sporting activities going
on [in the Nairobi Campus],” says
Wayne. There is truth to this. Those
wanting to partake in sports from the
Nairobi Campus have always had
to organise to leave with a bus to
Athi River, leaving at 3:30pm and
coming back from Athi River from
7:20pm. Workable for some but an
inconvenience for many.
Wayne thus became the driving
force behind establishing Daystar
City, Nairobi Campus’ football
team. The team is now set to be
registered for the Kenya Universities
Sports Association (KUSA) League.
Wayne is not resting on his laurels
after pioneering a successful football
team project and getting them into
the KUSA League. Doubling up as
the team’s Head Coach, he is fixated
on only one goal – to win the league.
Self-awareness is paramount
in discharging his duties. So as
not to spread himself thin, Wayne
opted not to register for the blocks
semester so as to concentrate on his
responsibilities. “I actually chose to
be out of session during this duration
of time when guys are in blocks
semester so that I (can) ensure that
I have laid out the foundations and
set things in motion, so that when
I now register for courses in the
August semester, I’d actually be in
a position to effectively discharge
my duties and responsibilities as
the Sports Representative and as the
head coach of the football team. So,
it’s all about planning yourself.”
The setting the foundations
comes out as ambitious. It would
include securing the Impala Club
grounds as the main sports facility
for the Nairobi Campus. “I have
already drafted an email to Impala
requesting for permission to hire the
services of some of their facilities.
To me, Impala is the most favourable
towards providing the required
facilities in the activities that we
intend to indulge in.”
The sports existing the Nairobi
campus are football, tennis,
basketball and swimming. In
discussions with the Impala Club
management, Wayne has already
received a quotation as to the money
required to pay. “What we are also
waiting on is to be given the training
schedule on how the facilities are
being used, so that we see how we
can be able to fit into that program.”
Besides the outdoor sporting
activities, the budget also includes
indoor activities, under which is
Wayne’s promise in his campaign
manifesto to revamp the condition of
the university’s TV room. “A number
of issues that have been cited by the
students are in regard to how the
current conditions are. Therefore, I
have sent an email and I’m waiting a
response from the university service
management team to see how the
changes we intend to incorporate
have been incorporated.” He hopes
to install wallpaper on the TV room
wall rather than just painting it.
Wayne is also looking at bringing
in another TV. “There is a decoder
which is coming through and this
might raise a conflict with those
who want to play (video) games.”
He intends for one TV to be strictly
for gaming and another for those
interested in watching entertainment.
Wayne also says that he is
negotiating for the pool table services
to be free, raising the logic that these
activities have been catered for in
the school fees under the student’s
activity fee. “But the problem has
always been on how we are going to
deal with the problem of vandalism
and accountability of students
because there was so much damage
and losses that the institution had
to outsource a pool table service,”
which he explains is why students
pay for the services before playing.
He has, however, drafted a policy
that would establish standards of
severe measures taken upon those
who default in taking care of the
pool table facility. This policy, he
says, would apply also to all those
who wish to use the school’s sports
facilities.
“Please, be patient with us. Give
us time because coming into office,
there is a lot of protocol that needs
to be followed and observed. But
one thing I can assure us is that
come August, we will actually
be in a position of experiencing
the implementation of a majority
of things we expect to have
incorporated.” One can only hope
that the patience he is requesting for
will yield good rewards. The signs
however are positive. This is a man
with a plan.
...he was elected with an
overwhelming 936 votes,
which meant that 95% of
the voter turnout gave a
vote of confidence to his
unopposed candidacy.
Involvement is published by the Vice-Chancellor’s office through the Corporate Affairs Department, Daystar University. P.O Box 44400, Nairobi. Tel. 045-22601 ext 6222. Printed by Nation Media Group Ltd. Tel. 3288000