Minnesota Winters - A poem

Shoveling Snow

Pheew! My hydraulic handkerchief went throwing the mucous out of my running nose against the southerly breeze with no success

The entire creamy mass landed partially on my cheeks and the rest found home on the jacket, yak!

With determination I continued to push and push the heap of snow, with my back begging and chest burning

In a moment I asked myself how and why in the whole wide world did I end up in Minnesota of all places.

The harder I pushed the faster the breeze blew my rather short nose and the colder and desperate I felt

All over in the neighborhood, snow blowers trotted as they so easily cleaned their driveways

Often, this was my opportunity to constructively work out, and inhale fresh air; this time around the opportunity was unpalatable and vengeful

Snow blowers in the hood got louder and closer yet no one even tried to fake to help these recent immigrant

Each shovel got heavier and heavier, the slip on several occasions and later a fall made it even more difficult

The harder I pushed the faster the more a begged that someone with one of the loud machines would help this desperate son from the equator

The thought ran through my the head that may be to spare my health I should visit sears to acquire my own machine

Another trend of thought was more consoling, acknowledging that I was half way done and winter will be done shortly

The beauty of white covering the tree branches gave me some reprieve and solace

Wait a minute! Just as I was nearly declaring victory, than the snow plow dumped a huge heap back onto my drive way

Oh no! The drive to push the fluff once more was punctured, but the task ahead of me was cut

Oh!! Snow, how we love sliding, sledging and skating over you, I did know that you take all that in count

On this fateful day, I seemed to have paid prices for all those who’d generated joy and fun out you the entire season

As I retired to the warmth of the house, mugongo was ngoo! While my ears were as dry as the hills of Karamoja

Minnesota even with your harsh winters, I still do know where all my adorations for you come from?

Yes! Minnesota’s winters can be truly harsh and brutal but in you we are seasonally reminded of our true place in nature.

By Figuhr Samedi Kania – January 2007

Is Rutos judgement Impared?

What is impairment in relation to competence in public service?

For one to be competent and deliver services without bias, they must be objective, fair and balanced in the decision making process. Public leaders are hired simply to make firm decisions that are objective, fair, and good for its stake holders. One of the elements required from a public leader to remain serving, is that they maintain objectivity in clearly separating his personal good from the publics.

What has transpired time and time again with the Kenyan governance system is a repeat of the same problem ; a blurry boundary between the personal and public good. When a leader goes forth to use his office to advance his personal good that is graft, others may also see it as immoral, unethical and wrong. Simply such an act is abuse of power, because such a leader stops to maintain a clear boundary between his personal welfare and the welfare of the public or the stake holders.

In the social contract of service, there is a legal caution for all public leaders not to use their offices to benefit themselves and those close to them at the expense of others (electrorate) . The fall out is that the leader has crossed the established boundaryand their reasoning at that juncture of such a leader is clearly impaired. The leaders perception is therefore blurred so much that you cannot distinguish between what is of personal gain from public good and responsibility, of which you are suposed to represent objectively. Or, in other words, you do not have the good of the public at heart, but yours. This in itself nulls the Leaders contract between them and the public (electrorate) .

All public leaders in whatever caliber should be held to this same standard. When you hold a public office it is required that you don't give any special of favors (tenders) to associates (companies) that are in one way or another linked to you. Because by doing so clearly indicates impaired judgment. A decision maker or Leader whose judgment is impaired cannot effectively serve the public with impartiality as required by the commitment such a public office. It is imparative thus for a leader who continues to serve, they be able to serve all without impartiality.

The track record of the Minister vis-a-vis the maize scandal

Back to my question, is the Judgment of the Minister of Agriculture Impaired? To answer the question lets fairly look at it. First, is he a public officer? Yes is the answer. He is held by the social contract for serving and fostering the public good without impartiality. With reference to his oath of office. Is the decision he made with regard to controversial sale of maize from the national reserves objective? No. Based on the following reasons

1. One of the firms involved in arranging the transactions was Africa Merchant Assurance Company (Amaco), where the Agriculture minister held shares. Mr Ruto confirmed that he was part-owner of Amaco. http://www.nation. co.ke/News/ -/1056/524670/ -/u1v9u3/ -/index.html

2. Mr Ruto had only sacked junior officers at the State agency responsible for the cereals reserves - the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) - while leaving the managing director, marketing manager and other senior officials in place. http://www.nation. co.ke/News/ -/1056/524670/ -/u1v9u3/ -/index.html

Is this the only instance that the minister’s judgment has been impaired? No. The minister tendencies lean towards several claims of incompetency. This includes a court case that is pending with similar unethical behavior that was brought to question with the claim that he and others unlawfully acquired land in the infamous Karura Forest.

Does Minister have the public at Heart? The events that called upon this inquiry make it seem that his desire to serve, protect and defend the people of Kenya is not part of his agenda.

If a lowly parent found himself in the ministers shoes, everyone will be on his case. I equate him to a Dad who sold all his produce, colecting the monies and living the family behind begging while he went to coast to enjoy himself. Such a Dad would be labed if not branded as irresponsible and needs to be ejected sooner than later.

Should a leader with such a track record continue leading? Even when their judgment is impaired? I know the Kenyan people do not mind as long as the loot ended in their neighborhood, even by proxy, they won't mind keeping Him in office. From the common good is has vialoated his oath and more so his judgment is impaired a honarable thin for him to do is to step aside. Unless he is reading the same script with the imfamous Blago., the disgraced former Govenor of Illinois.

Plea from a common Mwanainchi

A personal brief for the Republics Minister of Agriculture. Please look into what is going more sincerely and ask yourself the following.

· What type of track record and legacy do you want to leave for your children?

· Why should we be hounding Kimunya, when your case seems to fall in the same paradigm?

· Do you love a Kenya that enforces double standards? If not, then as gentle man and as clean you claim to be, please step aside for investigation to take course, because then you will be vindicated.

There may be new facts that will be added to this assertion; however the trend of affairs this far do not look good by any standard.

Kenya National Anthem according to politicians

I found this interesting article in another forum and i presume that you will indeed not miss to be amused as well.
It may sound sarcastic but it is also hilarious and unfortunately true:

Kenya National Anthem according to politicians
I
Politicians of all persuasions
Strip this our land and nation.
Fortunes motivate us and keep us.
May we steal with impunity
Dodge taxes in unity;
Plenty be sourced within our dockets.

II
Let all politicians arise
With scams both wily and foolproof.
Eating be our earnest endeavor,
And our cake-stand of Kenya,
Heritage of plunder,
May we fight forever to perpetuate.

III
Let parties with one accord,
In common greed united,
Bankrupt our nation together,
May the agony of Kenya,
The fruit of our behavior,

Remain hidden from our 2012 voters

An open note to the gotab Gaa Forum

Wazee na Wamama,

For your information may I register that most of us within the precincts of the Gotab Gaa forum are friends I fact good friends to Hon. Ruto and have a continued good will of the Kenyan nation at heart.

The central question still remains: Do we in as Kenyans/Kalenjins and friends of Kenya condone the conduct of the Minister of Agriculture (public leader) for using his office to benefits himself and his cronies at the expense of the common good? This question is a moral on in nature; it goes down deep into what are our values as a people. Remember, what is being put to test here are the fabric of who we are.

The answer to these central question if we will ever come to agree, then determines the parameters that these forum would employ to make claim of the acceptable from unacceptable conduct. Whether Ruto steps down is inconsequential, for he might be operating in a very different ethical paradigm, if my assertion is true then that is a paradigm that the common person needs to shun. And the damning of such can in a small way be done here in this forum. For those calling for Kiraitu inquiry i would presume that same guidelines should be followed a discussed below .

Process to resolving the dilemma

So that the issue can be put to rest, There is a dire need within the Kenyan civil and governments systems a need for a systematic and a predictable way of conducting business.

With the matter at hand a I am giving a snippet of a suggestion that, first it is critical for the stake holders to separate the person from the problem. When one claims that there is a potential of being blinded, or being driven solely by the tribal card, such is a manifestation that there lack of clear boundaries on what is being examined. Important therefore is that we define the problem, for it then makes it easy for us to subscribe to some degree of objectivity and may be reason more fairly.

The question therefore is do we have a problem based on the conduct of the Minister? Based on the news articles it has been reported that the Minister of Agriculture used his office to benefits himself and his close associates. Across the debate there seems to be a consensus thus far. Which affirms that there is sufficient amount of data to make claim that yes, we have problem?

The third step is to consult with the rules and regulations in place to guide us to resolve the problem. Several sources are available. The one that comes to mind is the oath office that the Minister took. The oath clearly mentions the dos expected from his public service. He took the oath of office which mandated him not to conduct himself otherwise. And the Laws of the land do agree with this view.

Fourth step is what is best practice when you a public leader goes against their oath? World over except Kenya, the best practice is, he step aside for investigations to be carried which will either exonerate him or otherwise.

Some have made claim that that the Minister is clean. Please share the criteria that you followed to arrive to that claim. The ramification of such a claim without a sound moral basis is in essence we are setting a terrible precedence. I call it terrible precedence because we will be creating a society where the mighty and wealth have a right to trample over the weak and poor. Which negates the very reason why we are advancing for a democratic society via through this forum?

The Kalenjin Spin out of the Maize Scandal

Some Kalenjins now want to employ a Political Spin to a criminal activities that the top cream are engaging in.
All I can say is Wacheni fitina, porojo, uchochezi, uvumi na wivu!
Let us face facts. Some of your claims that we are being avenged by the Kikuyu are frivolous. This is how spin overtakes reason.

You want us to believe that Kalenjin leaders are saints they cannot steal? mmmmhhhh
Many of our own are languishing in jails for pre and post elections crimes, why not apply the same standards to them politicians?
You are also saying that the likes of Kibor, the formation of a investigative team and reports on the dailies are all but illusions?
The seed of enmity you are trying to plant is counterproductive and for the short sighted. today its the other tribe tomorrow twill be the other clan.

Quite an number of folks in this forum have Judeo-christian names; do you also use the Judeo-christian values to make you assertions?
Some of you even make claim to be Christians, why not call SIN by its name? Sorry may be you are double faced?
Think twice folks. Do not allow to create a storm out of a rumbling tummy; In Islam it is inferred that a thief has 39 days to.... but the 40th belongs to justice.
We have lived in artificial fear for long; while the likes of Ruto, Biwott, Moi et. al., and other spinners have many close Kikuyu business partners and associates.

It is just yesterday that we killed our neighbors, maimed the innocent in the name of fairness and democracy, Can't we learn from our past mistakes?
The graves are still visible, scars and memories still linger, refugees camps are still out there, why do we want to tread down this road again?
How irrational, short sighted, and subjective can our community be? Or maybe we lack the ability to discern right from wrong?
Most of us living away from North Rift; are sojourners yet the natives continue to treat as friends, and share thier resources with us. Can't we see if we cannot think?

Wacheni fitina, porojo, uchochezi, uvumi na wivu wenzangu wakalee and be human for once
Let us face facts. Some of your claims that we are being avenged are frivolous. This is how spin overtakes reason. That we end up hurting the innocent.