The People’s Champion 27th January, 2014
Outer change
County government officials deserve a pat on the back for trying to improve services in the county, says Florence Mwaburi.
“The green, yellow and white county colours painted on public toilets and health centres across the city, complete with a county logo give the impression that change is underway,” says Florence.
And with the colours, she observes hope is simmering that perhaps this is the much anticipated turning point after decades of a downward spiralling of degradation.
She however, asks that the outer change should be backed by tangible improvement of services inside the attractively coloured buildings. “Governor Kidero’s administration owes us at least that much,” she emphasises.
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Blacklist them
Steven Moda says he is concerned that no one seems to have taken note of the fact that the re-carpeting of the section of Landhies Road between Machakos Country Bus terminus and Nacico Plaza has been shoddily done.
“In one night the contractor poured a paper-thin layer of Tarmack to fill up the gaping potholes that were there and that was it,” he says.
A few weeks later, he points out that the flaws in the poor workmanship are now evident as the layer has started wearing out. That his taxes were obviously used to pay for the shoddy work, he adds, makes him feel cheated.
The only remedy, Moda says will be for the Kenya Urban Roads Authority to recall whoever did the job and order him to do a better work. It wouldn’t be bad to blacklist them either, he adds.
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Genuine beggars
Nairobians shouldn’t be quick to dismiss every person holding a begging bowl on the street as a fraudster, appeals Britney Wayua.
Acknowledging that the city is full of morally depraved people, who see nothing wrong in preying on the sympathies of passers-by, she points out that that should, nonetheless not be a reason to pass a blanket condemnation on all beggars.
“There are genuine beggars out there and if the county government won’t come to their aid and provide for them, we have a responsibility to do the little we can,” she says.
Wayua advises that in giving just a little to enable them buy some food and stave off the destitution that often pushes people to commit crime.
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Planning mess
Shedrack Kanyori, a businessman in the city centre is a frustrated man. He says moving supplies to his hotel on Ronald Ngara Street has been hectic.
The lane leading to the back of his premises, where he has a designated loading zone, he points out is almost inaccessible because of matatus that have taken it over and now use it as a terminus.
“I now have to plead with them to park their vehicles properly every time I have to move goods into my hotel,” he says. Kanyori blames the county government for his woes.
“The matatu men must have sought permission to use the lane, but since when did it become okay to divert lanes from their original use and turn them into termini,” he wonders asking the government to sort out the planning mess.