KENYANS No.

1 MAGAZINE

BRIDGE
THE

0CTOBER-DECEMBER 2016

18
PREGNANCY &
DEATH
Fatuma
Abdulahi
THE TOO BUSY SYNDROME
THAT WE ALL SUFFER FROM

Peter
Gaitho
A CALL TO MY GENERATION;
KILL AND BURY TRIBALISM IN KENYA!

R.O.G
RIVER OF GOD SACCO
CO
NTEN
TS
FEATURED STORIES

04
Peter Gaitho
A call to my generation; kill and

43
bury tribalism in kenya

05
By Jacktone S. Ambuka
Police brutality has no place in
new kenya

09
Jack D
Pornography addiction SIMPLE
LITTLE THING

11
WE MISS
Andrew Mwenda

44 42
The aristocracisation of kenya
politics

14 Elizabeth Ekakoro
My prayer for kenya REALATIONSHIPS OTHER STORIES

16 James Oloo
Raphael Tuju
30 Love Dokta
10 Signs it’s time to let go
46
TBM
Landlords beware tenants
take care

32 48
TBM TBM

18 Patricia Mweni The dating games we play in Jua cali

When fear of pregnancy surpasses college.
that of death

35 49
Love Dokta

23
The misconception about true Ruth matete
Barbara H love waits
Paren-T-Een Communication

37
P. A. Njeri

24
He divorced me after losing ENTERTAINMENT
TBM weight
Mental health

38 53
TBM
Elsie Anyango

26
Rumba zone: ferre gola
Fatuma Abdulahi How to cope after your husband
The too busy syndrome that we dumps you
all suffer from

28
TBM
How to exercise at home without
any equipment
40
Anonymous
The notion that men move on
quickly than women after a break
up
54 TBM
THE UNIT IS BACK: G-Unit's
Unexpected Reunion and
Unpredictable Future
63. 20 Ways to create million dollar ideas.
Zippy Abdulahi

65.Investment ideas with guaranteed returns.

TBM

67.You be the judge: the kiuna’s. TBM

68.Art in public spaces.
Nduta Waweru

70.Soapstone sculptures.

58
Sarah Mitchell

72.Wall graffiti in kenya.

TBM

SPORTS
74.Why boxing is a dying sport.
TBM

76.How is cricket played.

93
TBM

78.Liverpool football club -LFC.

Max Munton

FASHION
61
81.Miss kerre fashions.
83. Uhuru clothing.
Thomas Mwicigi

85. The beauty spotter.

TBM

FOOD
94
89. How to make mahamri
Emmanuel Kariuki

90. How to make pilau the swahili

way Milka Atieno

HEALTH
91. Obesity in children
Maggie Wairimu
96 97
Editor: Fatuma Abdulahi
TRANSPORT Collins Banda Love Dokta
0721 539 984 P.A Njeri
104. Soup it up with moha graffix Writers: Elsie Anyango
TBM Peter Gaitho Zippy Abdulahi
105. River of god sacco (r.O.G)

Jacton S. Ambuka
Jack D.


Nduta Waweru
Sara Mitchell
TBM
Andrew Mwenda Max Mutton
Elizabeth Ekakoro Thomas Mwicigi
110. Word on the street James Oloo Emmanuel Kariuki
TBM Patricia Mweni Milka Atieno
Barbara H. Design & Layout
TBM Laban Abuya
Maggie Waweru 0728 832 029
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
A CALL TO MY
GENERATION
KILL AND BURY TRIBALISM IN KENYA!
The language spoken in the garage was strange
to my mwalimu ears. Having worked together
for a long time, the workmen at Makaburini
garage had their own lingo
W
ARNING! if you believe
in and practice tribalism,
you are not welcome to
read the following few
words. If you first look
a person’s last name and
pass judgment based
on that, you too do not belong here. Your kind is
Neanderthal, belonging in a cave somewhere in
the Olduvai Gorge.
Now that we have established some ground rules,
allow me to take you on a journey to Makaburini
Garage, near the Kariakoo Muslim cemetery,
Nairobi. For the uninitiated, Makaburini Garage is
one of the most organized chaos that constitutes
the informal jua kali sector in Kenya.
I once took my beat up ’86 Corolla DX to this
garage for panel beating and general upgrade. For
the seven days that my jalopy was resident in the
garage, I fell in love with Kenya, literally.
Even though the “main contractor” for the job was
one Omollo guy, he quickly assembled a rainbow
of Kenyan tribes to fix my car. Njoroge was given
the task of fixing the engine, a certain Omondi was
to lead the panel beating team, Mutiso took care
of the upholstery, Kama the wiring, while welding
was the work of one Kisii guy who was a genius at
his work. A Kamba expert was at hand to look at
the “spacers” and “bushes.”
A man I later learnt was a Mchagga from Tanzania
did the paintwork. In the midst of the organized
chaos was a horde of young lads who were
apprentices of the experienced workmen. Often
the apprentices would be sent for errands to the
surrounding auto parts shops, or to buy the much
needed “monzo”.
The language spoken in the garage was strange
to my mwalimu ears. Having worked together for
a long time, the workmen at Makaburini garage
had their own lingo that gave vehicle parts and
repair tools names that you will never find in any
dictionary or Baraza JM’s motoring column in the
Daily Nation.
Disputes were quickly settled over a cigarette or
a mug of uji peddled on credit by a horde of food
hawkers that milled the garage from morning
until sunset. Otherwise the tools that the muscled
men used in their trade would easily start a small
civil war if the workmen did not manage their
anger or brought their tribal egos to work.
At the end of the seven days, I gladly paid Omollo
the balance of his dues. He in turn paid his
handymen what he owed them. The cycle ended
when the workmen paid for the mayai boilo and
uji that they had taken on credit the previous
days. Everyone went home happy and my shiny
’86 Corolla DX served me well for a couple of more
years.
I paint the image of Makaburini Garage to
emphasize the fact that Kenya is a well-crafted
mosaic of 42 communities and hundreds of sub-
tribes and clans that bring to the table different
talents and gifts.
You can bear me witness that when the whole
nation holds its breath waiting for Ezekiel
Kemboi or Rita Jeptoo finishes first during
global athletic meetings, no one, repeat that, no
one says, “Mschew! Another Kalenjin has won,
NKT!” instead, we all high five total strangers and
exclaim, “Kenya has done it again!”
Did you see anyone switch TV channels when
“Churchill Show” is on NTV ostensibly because
Daniel Dambuki is a Mkamba? Nobody cares so
long as he tickles our ribs on Sunday evening.
Some of our best mathematics and science
teachers came from a far off community, so are the
best doctors, surgeons and professors.
I am yet to meet with anyone who harbors hatred
|4
against their Luo teacher after getting grade A in
mathematics at KCSE, or a heart patient declining
treatment by Dr. Betty Gikonyo because she is
Kikuyu.
Now, if we trust our future and life to people from
communities other than our own, how come we
look at the world using myopic tribal lenses? For
when Wakanesa opens a small tire repair business
in Limuru, he has no intention of emasculating
the business community in that town. Same case
applies when Njoroge opens a small butchery in
Mararal, or when Dr. Omollo opens a pediatric
clinic in Nyeri. It is the well-oiled machinery of a
nation in motion, as it should.
But you and I know that this is the ideal situation.
We speak ill of other tribes in front of our children,
who in turn form prejudices based on what they
hear. Our media gives tribal warlords airtime and
space to vomit their hatred towards other tribes.
Until when?
Call me ignorant or naïve, but I have harbored a
longing for this cancerous cell called tribalism to
be buried by my generation. It is sad to report that
I have been wrong. The ship christened MV Kenya
is still wobbling in the murky waters of tribal
hatred and bigotry.
 POLICE
BRUTALITY
HAS NO PLACE IN NEW KENYA
Moreover, Waki Commission of Inquiry into the Post-
election Violence (CIPEV) released a “stinging indictment
of institutional failure and complicity of internal security
apparatus (including police) in gross violation of human
rights and crimes against humanity.
K
nown for his skepticism of a
powerful government and his love
for individual and collective liberty,
third president of the United States
Mr. Thomas Jefferson said “when
the people fear their government,
there is tyranny; when the government fears the
people; there is liberty.”
The words of Thomas Jefferson came into my
mind on 20th January 2015 while watching
a documentary on the backdrop of police
brutality that was meted against peaceful
demonstrators in Nairobi. The government
(police) unleashed terror and fear in the hearts
and minds of protesting citizens as un-armed
peaceful demonstrators were dramatizing their
discontent with lawmaker’s threats to disband
salary Remuneration Commission (SRC)-a
commission that harmonizes salaries for state
official and increases their salary. Although use
of pigs as a symbol of greedy politicians was
inexcusable, police descended with kicks, blows,
whips, military water cannon and teargas.
The tyrannical scene at the Kenyan parliament was
reminiscent of the dark days of KANU government
that outlawed peaceful demonstrations.
Dissenters were imprisoned without trial and
severe police brutality was unleashed against
innocent citizens. You would think those dark
days in pursuit of freedom and democracy are
behind us. Unfortunately, those days are still well
and alive.
Apparently, old habits die hard. Although we
promulgated a new constitution in which basic
freedoms and bill of rights including freedom of
expression, demonstration and assembly are well
enshrined; old order seems to be deeply ingrained
in the new government of President Uhuru
Kenyatta. During the protest that was dubbed
“occupy parliament”, about 18 members of the
civil society including former journalist Boniface
Mwangi were arrested. Notable demonstrators
included a constitutional lawyer professor, Yash
Pal Ghai, and human rights activist, Mr. Maina
Kiai. A picture of a young man being brutalized
by police officers spoke a thousand words. It
exemplified how the mindset of our Kenyan police
is still steeped in the old dispensation that thrived
on wanton use of excessive force, physical abuse,
verbal abuse and psychological abuse to weaken
the resolve of citizens.
Yet, reports about police brutality and violation
of human rights aren’t new. These reports have
been associated with the Kenyan police in the
past. A couple of years ago, former United Nation
human rights rapporteur Professor Philip Alston
unearthed a damning report that exposed gross
violation of human rights in Kenya. The report
elicited imbroglio between lieutenants of the two
principles of the former coalition government. The
Government was put on its defense by the United
Nations Committee against Torture for perceived
inability or unwillingness to implement reforms
in police service. The committee lamented that
"There is a perception that the state is failing and
it is failing through the police. The credibility of Well-known local activist Boniface Mwangi said a
a state is like the credibility of an individual. It is "school playground is a necessity, not a privilege".
gained by ethical practice.” He went on to say "The children were peaceful and
all they wanted was access to their playground
Moreover, Waki Commission of Inquiry into during break time. The children walked peaceful
the Post-election Violence (CIPEV) released to the gate that has been set up by the grabber
a “stinging indictment of institutional failure and police responded with tear gas. A few of them
and complicity of internal security apparatus were injured,"
(including police) in gross violation of human
Without a doubt, Kenya Police Service requires
rights and crimes against humanity.” The inquiry
revealed that dozens of people were felled by urgent reforms if we are to attain a civilized
the bullets of rogue and undisciplined police society founded on the rule of law.Sadly, the top
officers. Among other recommendations, CIPEV organs of the Kenyan Police force appeared to be
envisioned improvement in performance and good at issuing threats and warnings and their
effectiveness of police service. Although much Deputies are usually no where to be seen. When
it came to accomplishing tangible reforms, our
has been achieved to reform police department, it
former IG scored grade E and
now I hear he has been re-
called from his “retirement”
for his “exemplary” work and
appointed the Chair person
of Kenya Airports Authority.
Its worth noting that up to
his alleged early retirement,
he never implement any
policies that could have
But all said and done the fact remains enhance police effectiveness
that until our police officer are in delivery of services to the
trained to respect the bill of rights public.
as stipulated in the constitution, But all said and done the
endeavor to end corruption and fact remains that until our
enhance public relations with the police officer are trained to
respect the bill of rights as
citizens, we will never attain a truly stipulated in the constitution,
reformed police service endeavor to end corruption
and enhance public relations
with the citizens, we will
never attain a truly reformed
police service. This is a new
seems it is too little too slow. Kenya. We must reform police
service. Police brutality has got no place in the
Well that was last year and this year we prayed new Kenya. I hope the new Inspector General one
that they would change…..but your guess is as Joseph Kipchirchir Boinett will bring the so much
good at mine…they will not and they were at needed reforms in the police force.
it again and this time their prey were school
going children who attempted to remove an By Jacktone S. Ambuka,
illegally erected gate around their playground.
Around 40 armed police accompanied by
dogs dispersed the protesters by firing tear
gas canisters. Dozens of children were caught
in choking clouds of tear gas before being
forced to shelter on a pedestrian bridge over
the main road to escape the noxious fumes.
The children were aged between eight and 13
years old.
Mwangi Kuria, a senior police officer at the
demonstration told Kenya's local Daily Nation
newspaper that officers had been deployed to
"safeguard the property", adding that rocks
had been thrown at his men.
"This is disputed land, but they should not use
the children," Kuria was quoted as saying.
Macharia Njeru, chairman of the Independent
Policing Oversight Authority, said the incident
would be investigated.
"Tear-gassing children is inexcusable," he said.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 |7

But all said and done the fact remains that until
our police officer are trained to respect the bill of
rights as stipulated in the constitution, endeavor
to end corruption and enhance public relations
with the citizens, we will never attain a truly
reformed police service

TIPPIN’ IS JUST NOT A

KENYAN THING
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
I posted a picture to make people laugh, but now I want to make a serious
I
point: Things like this happen to servers all the time.
was a waitress at well known hotel in
Mombasa. I was fired December 2014
for posting a picture on a group on
Facebook of a note a customer left on
a bill. I posted it on the web as a light-
hearted joke.
This didn't even happen at my table. The
note was left for another server, who
allowed me to take a picture of it at the end of the
night.
Someone had scribbled on the receipt, "I give God
10%. Why should you also get the same…..kwani
wee ni Mungu?”
I assumed the customer's signature was illegible,
but I quickly started receiving messages containing
Facebook profile links and websites, asking me to
confirm the identity of the customer. I refused to
confirm any of them, and all were incorrect.
I worked with the group’s administrator to
remove any personal information. I wanted to
protect the identity of both my fellow server
and the customer. I had no intention of starting a
witch-hunt or hurting anyone.
Now I've been fired.
The person who wrote the note came across an
article about it on a local blog, and demanded
everyone be fired -- me, the server who allowed
me to take the picture, the manager on duty at
the time, the manager not on duty at the time,
everyone. It seems I was fired not because I did
anything illegal or against company policy, but
because I embarrassed this person.
In light of the situation, I would like to make a
statement on behalf of wait staff everywhere: We
make on average between Kshs 40-70 an hour.
Most of my paychecks are less than pocket change
and we rely on tips to pay taxes and bills.
After sharing my tips with hosts, bussers, and
bartenders, I make less than Kshs 100 an hour
on average, before taxes. I am expected to skip
bathroom breaks if we are busy. I go hungry all
day if I have several busy tables to work. I am
expected to work until 1:30am and then come in
again at 10:30am.
I have worked 12-hour double shifts without a
chance to even sit down. I am expected to portray
a canned personality that has been found to be
least offensive to the greatest amount of people.
And I am expected to do all of this, every day, and
receive change, or even nothing, in return. After all
that, I can be fired for "embarrassing" someone,
who directly insults his or her server on religious
grounds.
In this economy, Kshs 50 an hour doesn't cut it.
I can't pay half my bills. Like many, I would love
to see a reasonable, non-tip-dependent wage
system for service workers like they have in other
countries. But the system being flawed is not an
excuse for not paying for services rendered.
I need tips to pay my bills. All waiters do. We
spend an hour or more of our time befriending
you, making you laugh, getting to know you, and
making your dining experience the best it can be.
We work hard. We care. We deserve to be paid for
that.
I am trying to stand up for all of us who work
for just a few shillings an hour at places which
are considered best tourist destinations in
Africa. Whether a chain steakhouse or a black-tie
establishment, tipping is not optional. It is how
we get paid.
I posted a picture to make people laugh, but
now I want to make a serious point: Things like
this happen to servers all the time. People seem
to think that the easiest way to save money on a
night out is to skip the tip.
I can't understand why I was fired over this. I was
well liked and respected at the hotel I used to
work in. My sales were high, my managers had no
problems with me, and I was even hoping to move
up to management soon. When I posted this, I
didn't represent the Hotel in a bad light. In fact, I
didn't represent them at all.
I did my best to protect the identity of all parties
involved. I didn't break any specific guidelines in
the company handbook – I checked. But because
this person got embarrassed that their selfishness
was made public, the Hotel has made it clear that
they would rather lose a dedicated employee
than an angry customer. That's a policy I can't
understand.
I am equally baffled about how a religious tithe
is in any way related to paying for services at a
Hotel. I can understand why someone could be
|8
upset with an automatic gratuity. However, it's a
plainly stated policy at the hotel that a tip is added
automatically for parties over eight like the one
this customer was part of. I cannot control that
kind of tip; it's done by the computer that the
orders are put into. I've been stiffed on tips before,
but this is the first time I've seen the "Big Man"
used as reasoning.
Obviously the person who wrote this note wanted
it seen by someone. It's strange that now that the
audience is wider than just the server, the person
is ashamed.
I have no agenda here. I seek no revenge against
the note writer. I have no interest in exposing their
identity, and, at this point, I'm not even sure I want
my job back. I was just trying to make a joke, but I
came home unemployed.
I've been waiting tables to save up some money so
I could secure for my little girl a good education
that would qualify her for a job that doesn't force
her to sell her personality for pocket change.
While this story has garnered immense social
media attention, my story is not uncommon. Bad
tips and harsh notes are all part of the job. People
get fired to keep customers happy every day.
As this story has gotten popular, I've received
inquiries as to where people can send money to
support me and my kid. As a broke single mother
trying to make ends meet, it's certainly appealing,
but I'd really rather you make a difference to
your next server. I'd rather you keep that money
and that generosity for the next time you eat
out. Kindly remember that the waiter serving
you would ordinarily expect 10% of the bill to
be offered as a tip. Be sure to hand the tip to the
server in person to ensure that they receive it, and
not to leave it on the table.
PORN OGRAPHY
ADDICTION

T
aking a walk in the Nairobi city stalls will lead you to many
movie vendors who not only sell family-friendly movies that
are clearly visible from your eyes on the counter, but they also
sell porn and hardcore porn to say the truth.

Just pass by Tom Mboya Street in Nairobi near the post office
and inquired from a movie vendor of the latest series of a
certain movie. You will be shocked by what the young men
will came up with. They usually show you a few latest movies
and cut the discussion quickly, then pull out from a hidden
bug on a corner a bundle of DVDs and tell you “forget about
the movies on my counter, here are the ‘real’ movies for adults
only, the best you can get in the market for only Kshs 500- Kshs 1,000”. And they do have
all manner of porn that you can think of, ranging from locally manufactured porn which
is done in various local dialects: Kamba, Dholuo, Kikuyu to those from Europe, America
and Asia. And it is this easy access to pornographic movies both at homes via internet Some of you reading this will
and in our streets that has led to the upsurge in pornographic addiction among Kenyans. become addicted, like I was.
Not everyone who sees porn will become addicted to it. Some will just come away with The porn companies don't
toxic ideas about women, sex, marriage and children. That kind of damage is bad enough.
And porn isn't the only ingredient in addiction. Usually, those who become addicted have mind at all if you become
some kind of emotional opening that allows the addiction to really take root. completely addicted to
their product. It's great for
Some of you reading this will become addicted, like I was. The porn companies don't
mind at all if you become completely addicted to their product. It's great for business. An business
addicted customer keeps coming back for more. And so they fill their porn with images
that will excite you, arouse you and get the hormones flowing. You don't have to shoot up
any drug with a needle to get addicted to porn — your body will make its own drugs just
by looking at the pictures. It has been argued that sex and pornography can be a more
difficult addiction to break than cocaine.

There are basically five stages of addiction

Early exposure. Most guys who get addicted to porn start early. They see the stuff when
they are very young, and it gets its foot in the door.

Addiction. Later comes addiction. You keep coming back to porn. It becomes a regular
part of your life. You're hooked. You can't quit.

Escalation. After a while, escalation begins. You start to look for more and more graphic
porn. You start using porn that would have disgusted you when you started. Now it
excites you.
Desensitization. Eventually, you start to become numb. Even the most graphic, degrading
porn doesn't excite you anymore. You become desperate to feel the same thrill again but
can't find it.
Acting out sexually. At this point, many men make a dangerous jump and start acting out
sexually. They move from the paper and plastic images of porn to the real world.

When I personally got to the "acting out phase," I started fantasizing about what it would
be like to actually rape a woman. I finally tried it one night when I saw a woman who
"fit" the scenario that porn had taught me to look for. I was lucky. Very lucky. I didn't go
through with it. After being reported, arrested and spending some time in jail, I finally
was able to begin the process of weeding out the lies in my life that porn had put there.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
Other men aren't so lucky. I realize now that with
just a little push, I could have raped that woman
and maybe killed her to cover my tracks. I guess
that's how people like Onyancha got started.
When the porn they are addicted to isn't enough
anymore, they try the real thing — rape, and then
murder. Pornography addiction is very serious.
But am here to let all of you who might be
experiencing this addiction know that all is not
lost. Here are the best ten ways of overcoming the
vice:
First, you must acknowledge the addiction exists.
Many who are caught in the trap of addiction
will adamantly deny the problem. He who
conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but
he who confesses and forsakes them will find
compassion. - Proverbs 28:13
You must recognize that what you are doing is
wrong. Addicts find a way to justify their problem
in their mind. For all that is in the world, the
lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the
boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is
from the world. - I John 2:16
You must not blame others – “If my wife/husband
were just more affectionate.” … “If women/ men
were not so seductive.” Adam blamed Eve and
she blamed the serpent. Instead, you must begin
to take responsibility for your actions. Let no one
say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by
God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he
himself tempts no one. James 1:13
Make yourself accountable to a spiritual
authority, perhaps a pastor or mature believer.
Everybody needs a “safe” person to share their
struggles with. Therefore, confess your sins to
one another and pray for one another, so that you
may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous
man can accomplish much. - James 5:16
You must recognize that “will power” is not the
answer. At a weak moment, your “will” may
fail you. By admitting that you are in need of
God’s help, you open access to His supernatural
intervention in your life. You must yield your will
to God’s will. That’s when He can begin a new work
in your life. Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding. In
all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make
straight your paths. -Proverbs 3:5-6
Study the Word of God concerning sexual purity.
Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that
remains of wickedness, in humility receive the
Word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
– James 1:21
You must destroy any pornography in your
possession. You can’t wean yourself off
pornography. Think of the hidden pornography
in your home as a ticking time bomb that will
ultimately destroy your family. But I say to you
that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful
intent has already committed adultery with her
in his heart. Matthew 5:28
You must learn to flee temptation. Self-deception
may enter when you think you can play with fire
without getting burned. Do not enter the path of
the wicked, and do not proceed in the way of evil
men. Avoid it, do not pass by it. Turn away from it
and pass on. – Proverbs 4:14,15
| 10
Give yourself time to work through the process
Fathers, as the spiritual
of recovery. More often than not, God chooses to
take us through a learning and growing process, leader of the home you’ve
that can be very painful. Victory over addiction got to stay on top of
should be viewed as a marathon, not a sprint.
teaching your children the
It’s cliche, but you must approach your addiction
one day at a time. Look for little victories and Bible…yes even the parts
rejoice in the progress you’re making. Recovery is about sexuality.
a cinch by the inch, but a trial by the mile.
This problem is real here in Kenya so let’s stop
ignoring this problem and start dealing with it.
Here are some specific ways we can stop:
Parents, let’s be more involved in protecting
our children from first exposure. Monitor their
browser history, set limits on where they can and
can’t go, review the content of the music they are
buying, watching and listening to before you let
them buy it, and be stop watching programs that
show off a little bit of “harmless” skin.
Fathers, as the spiritual leader of the home you’ve
got to stay on top of teaching your children the
Bible…yes even the parts about sexuality. Don’t
gloss over the “sexually immoral” passages in the
Bible. Sexuality is something God meant for good.
The world will teach our children about sexuality
and if we don’t instill in them God’s view of sex
and sexuality they will grow up with a warped
and perverted view of the subject.
Wives, the percentage of men who look at
pornography is getting higher and higher. Your
husband, or husband-to-be, may be a viewer. It
will be uncomfortable and it will hurt, but talk
to your significant other about how you can help
him overcome this problem. Be open with him
about your feelings, and accept nothing less from
him. It will take work but pornography doesn’t
have to destroy your marriage.
Young men, getting married will not fix your
porn problem. Yes, one look is really all it takes
to start down a path you don’t want to go. No,
not everyone does it. No, those women are not
yours to look at even if they chose to flaunt
their body that way. Yes, you can live without
pornography, but it’s difficult and will require
you to be proactive, open, and dedicated. Form an
accountability group, talk with your parents (the
discomfort is worth it) and avoid the temptation
at all costs.
Elders, you have been entrusted with the
responsibility of taking care of the flock. If
these statistics are true, half of the men in your
congregation could be caught up in pornography.
It’s almost impossible that there’s not at least
one. Encourage your preacher to speak on the
subject, utilize various resources (set aside
money in your budget to help alleviate the costs
of web-blockers; allow the building to be used for
accountability group meetings) to help those in
your congregation and neighborhood overcome
this sin, and let your people know that you can
be trusted to advise and encourage them through
process.
Church, let’s stop being afraid to talk about this
subject. I know it’s uncomfortable, icky and
perverted, but like it or not it’s real. It’s a real life
struggle for Christians and non-Christians alike
and we have the knowledge of the One who can
take this icky, perverted sin away.
By: Jack D.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 11

THE
ARISTOCRACISATION
OF KENYA POLITICS

The first is the influence of political families

who have held sway over Kenya’s politics since
independence. The second is the role of money
derived from wealth that has been accumulated
through politics.

M
any factors may have
influenced the 2013 election
in Kenya. But three of these
stand out.
The first is the influence of
political families who have
held sway over Kenya’s
politics since independence. The second is the
role of money derived from wealth that has been
accumulated through politics. The third is the
ability of this political aristocracy to leverage
identity to secure a following.
These factors are interconnected and self-
reinforcing. They also have powerful implications
on the nature of the state in Kenya and its ability
to foster political institutions and public policies
that can serve the ordinary citizen.
This election pitted the son of the first president
against the son of the first vice president. Raila
Odinga’s father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, was the
first vice president of Uhuru Kenyatta’s father,
Jomo Kenyatta.
Many of the other current influential politicians in
Kenya; Musalia Mudavadi who run in the election,
Noah Katana Ngala, Eugene Wamalwa, Gideon
Moi etc., are sons of the first generation of post-
independence leaders of that country.
These politicians may represent economic and
social interests within Kenyan society. However,
their political base is largely ethnic and their clout
is derived from money.
People make political choices based on a number
of considerations. They may vote on the basis
of the ability of a candidate or political party
to promote public policies that may improve
the welfare of citizens. Here a political party or
candidate may promise to deliver public goods
such as roads, hospitals, boreholes, schools,
farm implements, fertilizer and bridges. It/he/
she may also promise to deliver public services
like electricity, education, agricultural extension
services and healthcare.
These promises are realized at a later date. So
they are uncertain. Thus quite often, voters in
poor countries also demand private goods during
campaigns. Candidates may buy sugar, salt,
rice, meat and alcohol or even make direct cash
payments to voters. These are paid immediately.
So they are certain. For many voters, they do better
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 12

Thus quite often, voters

in poor countries also
demand private goods
during campaigns.

holding a candidate to account during campaigns country’s

than wait for the benefits of public policy. This gene co-
structure of incentives tends to favour candidates efficient
who possess large sums of cash. (the
measure
But voters may also make choices on the basis of of income
ideology because a party or candidate’s political gap
platform appeals to their ideals. Many may vote between
a party or candidate that supports democracy the rich
and human rights. People may also vote because and the
the candidate appeals to their patriotism and poor) at
stands in opposition to foreign interference in 42.5 is
local affairs. We see elements of this in the recent one of the
elections in Kenya where the West’s threats of highest in of racial superiority, the corporate barons of the
“grave consequences” if Kenyans elected those Africa. Republican Party are able to build a common
indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) Thus, identity is one factor that allows Kenyan cause with poor whites against those from other
served to mobilize voters in favor of the Uhuru- politicians to transcend economic differences races, especially black people, with whom they
Ruto ticket. with their voters. The more acute the income share a common economic predicament.
differences between politicians and their voters,
However, people do not live on material interests the higher will be the tendency of the elite to These dynamics are also to be found in Kenya as
and ideals alone. People also have “spiritual” needs rely on other issues such as identity to secure a well. Of course there are differences over policy
as well. These bring them a sense of belonging and following. among Kenya’s political class. But these differences
meaning to their lives. Such spiritual needs may By appealing to a common identity, a rich political are in degree or detail. Overall, the political
include religion, race, or ethnic group. class is able to create a common platform with poor class in Kenya possesses wealth and money and
For example, across Sub-Sahara Africa, people voters on a shared therefore a shared
identify with U.S. President Barack Obama. This heritage, ethnicity interest in the existing
may be because of his ideals. But for the most part and culture.
it is because Obama is seen to share their race. It The income gap
However, the distribution of the regime of property
rights and the political
matters less what his policies and ideals towards between a rich population makes it difficult institutions and public
Africa are. For the vast majority of Africans, political class and
Obama feeds into our emotional need to see one an impoverished for any one ethnic group to win policies that undergird
this structure.
of our own occupying the most powerful office
in the world – for in his achievement we see an
voting population elections on its own.
in Kenya provides Since most of this
image of our own future. His success opens for us an important wealth is derived
wider horizons on what we can achieve. slice to the explanation for high levels of ethnic from controlling the state, the political class
polarization in that country. in Kenya may be united around money but is
People do not vote on “either or” of these factors. divided around power. Who gets power has
They may consider all of them. Depending on This factor is very pronounced in the politics of powerful implications on who makes money. The
the moment and holding other factors constant, the Republican Party in the United States. There, contest for power, therefore, tends to obscure the
the result reflects the average distribution of the rich white class commands the loyalty of poor economic unity of this class by highlighting their
attention to all the three factors in an election and white voters. To win this loyalty, the leaders of the ethnic differences. Electoral competition in Kenya
how the candidates have used them. Republican Party appeal to “traditional values” therefore tends to get politically charged around
of anti-abortion, anti-gay rights, Christianity, and the issue of identity.
In Kenya’s case, identity is a powerful influence. patriotism. However, “traditional values” is also
Even material interests are pressed forward sometimes a code word for white supremacy. However, the distribution of the population
through the prism of identity. One reason why makes it difficult for any one ethnic group to win
ethnicity is a powerful political weapon is that Here, poor whites that may feel alienated from elections on its own. The largest ethnic group,
while the political class in that country is filthy the affluence of their kin are given a psychological the Kikuyu, constitute only 22 percent of the
rich, most Kenyan voters are wretched poor. The feeling of importance. By appealing to their sense population. The second largest, the Luhya, are
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
only 14 percent. Therefore, no one can rely on
their ethnic group and win a national election. To
overcome this handicap, politicians in Kenya have
to form alliances with others from different ethnic
groups.
These alliances are sometimes built around
the economic interests of their constituents.
Sometimes they are not. However, depending on
how leaders at the top structure the coalition,
even when they have not solved the underlying
economic or land disputes, ordinary voters in
Kenya tend to side with their leaders.
As seen in the recent election, over 90 percent
of Luos voted for Odinga. Over 90 percent of
Kalenjin, who had voted Raila by a similar margin
in 2007 changed sides and voted for Uhuru. This
is because Uhuru, a Kikuyu, allied with William
Ruto, a Kalenjin and perhaps the most influential
politician in the rift valley.
Equally, the Kikuyu overwhelmingly voted Uhuru,
a factor that may explain why with a small
addition of votes from a few other communities,
the Jubilee coalition won. Raila’s Luo allied with
the Kamba and other coastal groups. Regardless
of the underlying principles of the CORD coalition,
it was unable to rally sufficient numbers of ethnic
block votes to stop the Jubilee train.
The tendency of Kenyans to vote in ethnic blocks
explains why the democratic process in that
country tends to sustain elite privilege even at the
expense of public policies that are supposed to
serve the ordinary citizen.
For example, Kenya’s 2012/13 budget was in
excess of US$ 16 billion for a population of only
40 million. This equals to per capita expenditure
of US$400 per person. Compare this with Uganda
whose expenditure per capita is US$ 114 or
Rwanda at US$118. There is little in Kenya’s
public goods and services, compared to Uganda
and Rwanda, to show for this high level of public
expenditure. Instead, at a basic salary of US$
13,500 per month, an MP in Kenya earns more
than twice what an MP in France earns (US$6,400)
– a country whose GDP is almost 80 times larger.
Thus, given that France’s per capital income is
US$35,000, there is really a close relationship in
income between an average citizen in France and
their representative who earn US$77,000 per year.
The income of a Kenyan MP at US$ 162,000 (or
US$350,000 in PPP) per year compares sadly with
Kenya’s per capita income of US$830 ($1,700 in
PPP). Therefore, the income gap between an MP in
Kenya and that of his average voter is really large,
making it difficult for the democratic process to
produce legislators who can be real champions of
the interests of their constituents.
Therefore, in spite of electoral democracy, and
in spite of large outlays of government revenue
compared to its neighbours, the ability of the state
| 13
in Kenya to deliver public goods and services to
the citizens remains relatively low. This is because
in building a winning electoral coalition, Kenyan
politicians need not appeal directly to the masses
that vote. Rather they need to negotiate with
powerful ethnic intermediaries that represent the
masses. These powerful men and women then act
as a bridge between the presidential candidate or
political party and their co-ethnics.
This organisation of electoral coalitions has
powerful implications on the strategies of the
state. It means that the productive margin in
the search for votes does not lie in provision of
public goods and services to citizens. It lies with
providing private goods to influential ethnic
intermediaries.
Private goods to elites may include a politically
influential and economically lucrative ministerial
appointment or an appointment to a board of
a powerful state enterprise – and with it, huge
perks and privileges including official cars, flights
abroad etc. But it will also include unofficial
opportunities to profit through corruption. Here,
the politician may directly steal from the state
or use the state to direct public sector tenders to
companies owned by friends and allies.
If a politician can win the presidency by
placating the interests of a few elites from a given
community, that is a more cost-effective and cost-
efficient strategy compared to providing public
goods and services to that region. But this does
not mean that the coalition ignores provision of
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
public goods and services to ordinary voters.
Constituents do demand public goods and
services.
Politicians win votes by showing how able they
have been to leverage their positions to secure
“development projects” for their constituencies.
These projects may include roads, bridges,
hospitals and schools. The point is that the
primary driver of the coalition is the trade in
private goods among elites – public goods and
service to the citizen coming as a second.
The second consequence of these political
strategies is corruption. To keep powerful elites
in the coalition, the president and his ruling party
have to turn a blind eye to official theft. Take the
example of the Uhuru-Ruto ticket. Whatever the
My
PRAYER for
KENYA
issues that may have underpinned it, it was an
alliance of the largest and third largest ethnic
groups in Kenya.
Meanwhile, the Raila-Musyoka ticket was an
alliance of the fourth and fifth largest ethnic
communities of Kenya. The second largest
ethnic community, the Luhya – themselves a
conglomeration of 16 sub ethnic groups – has
never voted as a block. From the word go,
therefore, this arithmetic meant that the dice was
loaded in favour of the Uhuru-Ruto ticket.
Without Ruto’s support, it is unlikely that Uhuru
would have defeated Raila. Indeed, Raila may
have realized that his break-up with Ruto was the
critical factor that denied him the presidency. If
Uhuru desires to win a second term, and holding
other factors constant, the last thing he can afford
When you are in love, you care so much about the object of
your love that you don't want it hurt. I am in love with my
country. It hurts me when I see that we focus more on what
separates than what brings us together.
| 14
is a breakdown of his relationship with Ruto.
However, assuming Ruto and many of those in his
group turn out to be incompetent and/or corrupt,
what options does Uhuru have? Can he fire him? If
yes: at what price?
Ethnic block voting, therefore, tends to strengthen
the hand of elites over the masses. But this is
only possible by leveraging ethnicity. However,
to become a powerful ethnic powerbroker, the
individual politician needs to accumulate wealth
and money to sustain a large retinue of hangers-
on – hence corruption. Within the context of such
patronage politics, corruption becomes the way
the system works, not the way it fails. Hence, in
the specific context of that nation’s politics, the
democratic process in Kenya tends to produce an
anti-democratic outcome.
By Andrew Mwenda
E
ast, west, Home is best. As the
adage goes, it can never be over
emphasized that yes indeed; in
as much as there could be better
places, home is always the best.
I have this soft place for my country.
The mention of it alone makes
me feel good and sometimes gives me this bitter
sweet feeling. Sweet because there is no place like
my motherland, Kenya. So what makes me bitter?
I cry for my country because I see, deep inside me,
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 15

the need for national transformation. I see the need for each and every Kenyan to desire
change in the country. How I would love for my country to be a peacefully transformed
nation! I see a need for God fearing leaders.

I am not sure we all know what to expect from the leaders we chose, and as a result we get
nothing. I don't know for you, but I have realized that most of the transformation process is
left for the leaders. We do not individually take responsibility for the change we want to see.
Voters trust our leaders so much that they do not care to know what it is exactly they are
going to do before casting the votes. What if before choosing a leader we knew first what we
wanted and expect from them and used it as a scale? Would we better off?

Don't we choose leaders because of the promises they make or tribe and end up not
delivering? Well there are very many pleasing promises, but what do we Kenyans need? Is
it not the results?
We are so good at talk. We score highly when it comes to this, compared to how we deliver.
It is not really about that, what are we doing to get us where want to be? As far as I know,
talk does nothing much without action. We preach national peace and at the same time give
speeches that arouse national war, why? How much more are we really doing, individually,
to ensure national peace prevails? What are we sharing on the social sites? Are we preaching
peace at all?
Why don't we
One thing we must conceive is that for there to be a peaceful nation, we need to have
peaceful individuals, it is we that make the nation; therefore peace must start with us. take time, as
Many are times when we will not agree with what people do, especially if they are in high
positions where their decisions affect us directly or indirectly. But this does not give us a
right to use this and cause war. I mean we can disagree peacefully. We do not have to accuse
Kenyans and
a whole tribe when one person did wrong, when will we grow out of this? This is not time
to use social media to condemn other tribes and all the Internet fighting we do. This will not
take us anywhere, we will never grow beyond this is we do not embrace a mindset change
pray for our
and see each other as Kenyans and not ethnic groups. If we accept that we all can make
mistakes, regardless of the tribe we come from. We are greater than that. And worse is, that country
the very people we expect to lead us in spreading the peace anthem, will lead us in breaking
the nation apart. Is this what we wish for our beloved country? I don't think so.

When you are in love, you care so much about the object of your love that you don't want
it hurt. I am in love with my country. It hurts me when I see that we focus more on what
separates than what brings us together. I hurt when I see broken promises and when still
we don't work on making things better but worse. Instead of seeking solution we cause
more strife. This should not be it at all. God has blessed us with a rich country, what are we
doing to contribute to maintaining its richness? We know that without peace, even the best
families break, it is the same for our nation.

Why don't we take time, as Kenyans and pray for our country? It is said that a family that
prays together stays together; I believe the same for a country, and especially we the
Kenyan family all over the world. Pray for our leaders, that they will not be selfish for power
but hungry for change; that they will embrace peace in words and actions; that they will
lead us, help build us and not break us; that there will be justice and transparency in all
our ministries; that our country will be peaceful above all. May God help us be a prayerful
nation, one that fears God that we will not go against His wishes in our actions, from the
villages to the cities.

Kenyans, remember our leaders in prayers as Paul advised in 1Timothy 2:1-4 " First of all,
then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all
people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet
life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our
Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." This
is my prayer for my country. Let there be peace in Kenya, may we love the truth.

By Elizabeth Ekakoro
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 16

POLITICIANS WHO
HAVE LEFT A MARK
RAPHAEL TUJU
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 17

R
arieda Constituency is one of the During his tenure, Tuju has turned Rarieda into make up the constituency. However, under Tuju’s
rural constituencies in Luo – Nyanza. a model constituency not only in Nyanza but in watch, several water projects were initiated. The
It has over 48,000 registered voters Kenya. Some people have, however, attributed this first piped water was released to the residents
and was created after being hived development to the former Minister’s closeness at Ong’ielo Dispensary and Nyilima center under
out of the old and larger Bondo to the corridor of power unlike his other Luo MPs his tenure. It covered a 12 kilometer radius as the
constituency in the middle of who bolted out of the NARC government after project expands to cover the entire constituency.
the 1980s. Most of Rarieda constituents live the November 2005 constitutional referendum Engineers laid water pipes from Lake Victoria to a
below the poverty line. This is due to minimal in which the government lost. Raila Odinga led a purifying and pumping station uphill from where
economic activities within the constituency. The team of politicians that campaigned against the it will flow downhill using gravitational pull to
constituency has had several leaders: 1988-Bob draft constitution. ease the water shortage in various parts of the
Francis Jalang’o (KANU), 1992-Achieng Oneko( constituency. He also oversaw the construction
Ford-Kenya), 1997-George Odeny Ngure (NDP), The main areas where Tuju concentrated on of hygienic fish landing beaches and refrigerated
2002-Raphael Tuju (NARC), 2007-Nicholas were water, electricity, schools, women groups storage for fish, and was behind the introduction
Gumbo (ODM), 2013-Nicholas Gumbo (ODM). But and Aids orphans. The projects initiated by Tuju of ferry services between Uyoma, Karachuonyo,
to date, residents of this still agree that Raphael included power supply from Ndori to Luanda Asembo-Bay and Mbita in Suba District. The
Tuju was the best leader they’ve ever had. Tuju Ferry services have eased the hitherto
made it clear that his priorities were hazardous canoes transportation
on development and not endless system for the fishermen and fish
politicking. Even his critics conceded traders. He was also in the process of
that during his tenure, there was Raphael Tuju (EGH) is a Kenyan politician and
tarmacing Madiany-Gagra- Ndigwa
a rapid transformation in Rarieda a former Member of Parliament for Rarieda road. Tuju was also credited with the
constituency. constituency. He holds a Master of Arts (MA) building of five (5) new secondary
Degree in Mass Communication from the schools to increase high school
Raphael Tuju (EGH) is a Kenyan enrolment in the region
politician and a former Member of University of Leicester, United Kingdom.
Parliament for Rarieda constituency. During plenary discussions at the 29th
He holds a Master of Arts (MA) Degree Assilah Cultural Festival at the city of
in Mass Communication from the Asillah in Morocco, under the theme:
University of Leicester, United Kingdom. He has Kotieno through Asembo Bay and the tarmacking Africa and Europe; Challenges and Obligations
a successful track record in the private sector of Ndori – Owimbi – Luanda Otieno road. Before of each other held on 5th August 2007, Raphael
as founder and Director of a communications the dissolution of Parliament in 2007, Tuju had Tuju, as the then Kenya Foreign Affairs minister,
company and has interests in the real estate sector. initiated a housing project for the widows in stole the limelight at the forum with his straight
Of his noteworthy accomplishments Tuju says, is constituency. Tuju had also been effective talk deriding European governments for bad
“In my younger years, I worked as a Television in lobbying private sponsors from overseas to policies that inhibited trade with Africa. He
Producer with several documentary films to my support Rarieda projects. The mobile health clinic accused European regimes of ramming punitive
credit and earning the distinction of being the unveiled by President Kibaki in the constituency policies down the throats of poor African nations.
first TV Producer in Africa to win an International in 2005 was donated by an Italian. The immediate He told Europe to either put up with Africa or
Emmy award for a TV production. I mainly former MP has roped in other groups like Plan continue applying, in futility,
addressed health and human development issues International, which assisted in the supply to "short term and
in my communication career with HIV/AIDS and medicines to rural clinics. On his insistence, desperate
Gender Empowerment being the main subject the CDF money allocated to Rarieda had been
matter and in which I am credited with some of concentrated on women groups, who he was
the major ground breaking mark in Kenya.” With keen to empower as a way of tackling grassroots
a successful background in the private sector, poverty. He also started the Ruma Aids orphanage
Tuju joined politics in 2002 and was elected as a where orphan children stay with relatives but
member of parliament from Rarieda constituency they come to the orphanage for food and also
in the December 2002 parliamentary election a get assisted with fees, uniforms and vocational
position he held till 2007. training. A Dutch organisation helps with the
funding. The orphanage has
Tuju was awarded the second highest civilian over 400 children.
title in Kenya, E.G.H. (Elder of the Golden Heart) Though Rarieda is one
by Former President Mwai Kibaki for his many of those constituencies
years of service to the people of Kenya in the closest to Lake Victoria,
area of health, human development and public which is the second
service. When the National Rainbow Coalition largest fresh water
took power in 2003, Tuju became information lake in the world,
minister. By 2005 he had become well known for there had been
his feud with then roads minister Raila Odinga. constant drought
Prior to the 2005 referendum vote in Kenya, Tuju in Asembo and
formed the Progressive People's Party (PPP) with Uyoma, the
a view to swaying votes away from the "orange main
No campaign". Since he had joined Narc through
the LDP, this act was seen as an act of betrayal by
his Rarieda constituents and by extension the Luo
Nyanza populace of which he was a member. This
came to haunt him later in 2007 where running as regions
a candidate of Kibaki's Party of National Unity, he that
lost his seat to Nicholas Gumbo of ODM.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
measures," like, tongue-in-cheek, "erecting a
huge wall like the famous China masterpiece or
reinforcing border patrols to keep away intruding
African immigrants".
Tuju delved into a raft of unjust tariff and non-
tariff barriers that would stifle the growth of
Africa and widen the resource gap with Europe.
He particularly expressed displeasure at the move
by some EU countries to impose stiff regulations
on Kenya that were bound to stifle the country's
vibrant horticulture industry. Kenya is the biggest
exporter of flowers, accounting for 26 per cent of
the world's market. The draconian carbon miles
policy and another requirement for fumigation
PREGNANCY
SURPASSES
DEATH
of Kenya's flower exports, said Tuju, were
discriminatory and aimed at unfairly curtailing
the dominance of the country's products. On the
other hand, Tuju argued the fumigation of Kenya's
flowers was calculated to reduce their shelf life
and hence cheapen them at the world market.
He also took issue with discriminatory sports
policies such as the one imposed on the country's
athletes by the United States, limiting the number
of entrants in a competition.
T of sisal, cotton, and mango as well fish processing
Presently Tuju’s critics agrees that he has
tried to develop the area unlike before but are
quick to point out that much more needs to be
undertaken. Many say that apart from a political
WHEN
FEAR OF
| 18
mistake that he made by “betraying” his Liberal
Democratic Party colleagues-by working with
President Kibaki’s government-he had done
more than necessary and if not for the wealthy
and development conscious aspirant he could as
well be elected unopposed. Opponents argued
that though CDF fund had been well utilized, the
constituency needs income generating projects
for small scale entrepreneurs. Tuju had also been
criticized of failing to spearhead the establishment
factories.
By: James Oloo
THAT OF
On the other side of the coin,
the allure of the one-night
stand is greater than that of
any other shagging escapade
in dude culture.
 H
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 19
ebu ngoja…….," I asked my pal of those guys. a P 2 afterwards.

T
Njeri, over some overpriced
wine in my local one On the other side of the coin, the allure of the he big joke of the day is that more and
evening, "You don't use any one-night stand is greater than that of any other more people tend to fear pregnancy
contraception, at all?" "None," shagging escapade in dude culture. The sultry more at the expense of death. Hence it’s
she said matter-of-factly. "I've moments with your unknown partner can be no surprise that the number of people
had unprotected sex so many magical but you have to master how to do things diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases
times with no results that I right. For many men, the allure of sex with a (STDs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
think I might be infertile." I doubt that she needed random stranger is irresistibly enticing and with has risen. The rise of STDs has shot up primarily
my judgment face at that particular moment, the rise of hookup culture, one-night stands have from the lack of using condoms for protection and
but she got it anyway because for one she's no become common place. Even so, the allure is still as a result of many people being unaware that
teenager, and I have to admit I'd thought she existent. The truth is, a large percentage of men they even have an STD or STI.
would know better. who join the pickup community are primarily
Maggie, a slim, pretty junior at one of the local interested in hooking up with more women Recent research has shown that more than half of
Universities once told me that while in Campus, and having more one-night stands rather than all people will have an STD or STI at some point in
her work finished, , did what she and most meeting Mrs. Right…if such a thing exists. The idea their lives. Another startling statistic is that less
university and other college going students still of condoms not being conducive to spontaneity than half of adults ages 18 to 44 with those under
do up to today when they have a little free time: – especially drunken spontaneity – is cited as a 25 experiencing the highest rates , have ever been
Texts her regular hookup — the guy she is sleeping reason for rejecting them again and again. tested for an STD or STI apart from HIV/AIDS. This
with but not dating. What are you up to? He
texted back: Come over. So she does. They
watch a little TV over a bottle of cheap
liquor; have sex and go to sleep. Their
relationship is not about the meeting of
two souls: They don’t really like each other
in person, sober and can hardly sit down
and have coffee or a decent conversation.”
Ask her why she hasn’t had a relationship
and the answer you would get won’t be a
complaint about the death of courtship or
men who won’t commit but instead, she’ll
talk about “cost-benefit” analyses and the
“low risk and low investment costs” of
hooking up.

“Hi swity it’s Friday….so leo tunadunda

wapi?” This is one of the most common
phrases you will hear from most Nairobi
youths today. Nairobi's nightlife is by any
standard absolutely fabulous. Nairobians
love to party! This is perhaps what
makes the Nairobi night scene extremely
vibrant. A few years ago, when muggings,
carjacking and kidnappings emptied out
the city center, residents began referring
to Nairobi as "Nairobbery" but all these
have changed. Nairobi today remains
what it has long been: by day, the hectic,
cosmopolitan hub of East Africa; by night,
the Head Quarters of “Sin City”

If you have ever descended from your

adult world and gone to earth, in this case being
Westlands, or any other of the teenage bars
for that matter, then you probably know how
sexually active the youths of today are. Ati your
daughter is at a Christian camp for the weekend
or at a sleepover….a sleepover of a different kind
maybe…We live in an era, where casual sex is the
norm and your daughter is the test subject.
Let’s do some really basic arithmetic. I will be a
bit guarded and use safe, lower end figures; lest
you die from shock. Your teenage daughter goes
out twice a month. Each of those times, she gets
chipsed — take away, bebwad, hit ‘n ran, whatever
u wanna call it. Hence she has sex twice in a
month, in a year that is 24 guys, in two years that
is 48 and so on and so forth. And out of these she
would have had unprotected sex with over 50%
Unprotected sex….at one point or another, we've
all had it (haven't we? Haven't we?) But the rate
at which people are having unprotected sex has
become very alarming. It has reached a point that
I've even stopped asking my friends if they've
used a condom when we do our regular one-
On the other side of the coin,
night-stand postmortems, not because it makes the allure of the one-night
me look like a neurotic youth, but because I know
they didn’t. And I have no idea how we — well stand is greater than that of
educated in the dangers of unprotected sex and any other escapade in dude
way past our brothers and sisters, have got to this
stage. I am shocked, when canvassing my friends; culture.
they allude that in taking the contraceptive pill
they will be in the minority. Some friends are
using other methods, but others aren't using
anything. They are just styling it out…..”Dry fry” as
we call it. Their justification is that they will take
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
Y
ou could
have an
STI and be
asymptomatic —
without any signs
or symptoms. In
fact, this happens
with a lot of STIs.
Even though you
have no symptoms,
you're still at risk
of passing the
infection along to
your sex partners.
That's why it's
important to use
leads to a whole different ballpark of problems, protection, such as
especially for women, because if left untreated, a condom, during sex. And visit your doctor on a
many STDs can cause infertility or increase the regular basis for STI screening, so you can identify
risk of cancer. a potential infection and get treated for it before
passing it along to someone else.
That young people engage in risk-taking behaviour
will be a surprise to no one, of course, but what is Chlamydia is a bacterial infection of your genital
interesting is that we're seeing such behaviours tract which may be difficult to detect because
in those who are mature and responsible in other early-stage infections often cause few or no
parts of their lives. We pay our rent and bills on signs and symptoms. When they do occur, they
time, we hold down careers – but responsible usually start one to three weeks after you've
contraception use seems to be a stumbling block. been exposed to chlamydia. Even when signs and
We don't have the excuse of a lack of education symptoms do occur,
to fall back on. While there are problems with they're often mild
the way sex education is taught, vagueness about and passing, making
contraception and the mechanics of sex does not them easy to overlook.
appear to be one of them. Signs and symptoms
may include: Painful
It is a fact that all should be made aware of: if urination, Lower
you have sex, you may also have an STD, with Either way, it's essential
abdominal pain,
subtle or noticeable STD symptoms. Straight or Vaginal discharge in to be evaluated, and —
gay, married or single, you're vulnerable to STDs women, Discharge if diagnosed with an
and STD symptoms, whether you engage in oral, from the penis in men,
anal or vaginal sex. Although condoms are highly STD, also known as a
Pain during sexual
effective for reducing transmission of STDs, intercourse in women sexually transmitted
keep in mind that no method is foolproof. STD and Testicular pain in infection (STI) — get
symptoms aren't always obvious so if you think men
you have STD symptoms or have been exposed treated.
to an STD, see a doctor. Some STDs can be treated
easily and eliminated, but others require more
involved, long-term treatment.
Either way, it's essential to be evaluated, and — if
diagnosed with an STD, also known as a sexually
transmitted infection (STI) — get treated. It's
also essential to inform any partners so that they
can be evaluated and treated. If untreated, STDs
can increase your risk of acquiring another STD
such as HIV. This happens because an STD can
stimulate an immune response in the genital area
or cause sores, either of which might make HIV
transmission more likely. Some untreated STDs
can also lead to infertility.
| 20
Gonorrhea is also a bacterial infection of your
genital tract. The first symptoms generally appear
within 2 to 10 days after exposure. However,
some people may be infected for months before
signs or symptoms occur. Signs and symptoms
of gonorrhea may include: Thick, cloudy or
bloody discharge from the penis or vagina, Pain
or burning sensation when urinating, Abnormal
menstrual bleeding, Painful, swollen testicles,
Painful bowel movements and Anal itching
Trichomoniasis is a common STI caused by
a microscopic, one-celled parasite called
Trichomonas vaginalis. This organism spreads
during sexual intercourse with someone who
already has the infection. The organism usually
infects the urinary tract in men, and in women it
infects the vagina but often causes no symptoms.
When trichomoniasis causes symptoms, they may
range from mild irritation to severe inflammation.
Signs and symptoms may include: Clear, white,
greenish or yellowish vaginal discharge, Discharge
from the penis, Strong vaginal odor, Vaginal
itching or irritation, Itching or irritation inside the
penis, Pain during sexual intercourse and Painful
urination
H
IV is an infection
with the human
immunodeficiency
virus which interferes
with your body's ability to
effectively fight off viruses,
bacteria and fungi that cause
disease and it can lead to AIDS,
a chronic, life-threatening
disease. When first infected with
HIV, you may have no symptoms
at all while others develop a
flu-like illness, usually two to
six weeks after being infected.
Early HIV signs and symptoms
may include: Fever, Headache,
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
Genital herpes is highly contagious and caused by a type of the herpes simplex virus (HSV). HSV
enters your body through small breaks in your skin or mucous membranes. Most people with HSV
never know they have it, because they have no signs or symptoms.
Sore throat, swollen lymph glands, Rash and
Fatigue. These early signs and symptoms usually
disappear within a week to a month and are often
mistaken for those of another viral infection.
During this period, you are very infectious. More-
persistent or -severe symptoms of HIV infection
may not appear for 10 years or more after the
initial infection. As the virus continues to multiply
and destroy immune cells, you may develop mild
infections or chronic signs and symptoms such
as: Swollen lymph nodes — often one of the first
signs of HIV infection, Diarrhea, Weight loss, Fever
and Cough and shortness of breath. Signs and
symptoms of later stage HIV infection include:
Persistent, unexplained fatigue, Soaking night
sweats, Shaking chills or fever higher than 100.4 F
(38 C) for several weeks, Swelling of lymph nodes
for more than three months, Chronic diarrhea,
Persistent headaches and Unusual, opportunistic
infections
Genital herpes is highly contagious and caused
by a type of the herpes simplex virus (HSV). HSV
enters your body through small breaks in your
skin or mucous membranes. Most people with
HSV never know they have it, because they have
no signs or symptoms. The signs and symptoms
of HSV can be so mild that they can easily go
unnoticed. When signs and symptoms are
noticeable, the first episode is generally the worst.
Some people never experience a second episode.
Other people, however, can experience recurrent
episodes over a period of decades. When present,
genital herpes signs and symptoms may include:
Small, red bumps, blisters (vesicles) or open sores
(ulcers) in the genital, anal and nearby areas and
Pain or itching around the genital area, buttocks
and inner thighs. The initial symptom of genital
herpes usually is pain or itching, beginning within
a few weeks after exposure to an infected sexual
partner. After several days, small, red bumps
may appear. They then rupture, becoming ulcers
| 21
that ooze or bleed. Eventually, scabs form and
the ulcers heal. In women, sores can erupt in the
vaginal area, external genitals, buttocks, anus or
cervix. In men, sores can appear on the penis,
scrotum, buttocks, anus or thighs, or inside the
urethra, the tube from the bladder through the
penis. While you have ulcers, it may be painful
to urinate. You may also experience pain and
tenderness in your genital area until the infection
clears. During an initial episode, you may have
flu-like signs and symptoms, such as headache,
muscle aches and fever, as well as swollen lymph
nodes in your groin. In some cases, the infection
can be active and contagious even when sores
aren't present.
Genital warts, caused by the human papilloma
virus (HPV), are one of the most common types
of STDs. The signs and symptoms of genital warts
include: Small, flesh-colored or gray swellings in
your genital area, Several warts close together
that take on a cauliflower shape, Itching or
discomfort in your genital area and Bleeding with
intercourse. Often, however, genital warts cause
no symptoms. Genital warts may be as small as 1
millimeter in diameter or may multiply into large
clusters. In women, genital warts can grow on the
vulva, the walls of the vagina, the area between
the external genitals and the anus, and the cervix.
In men, they may occur on the tip or shaft of the
penis, the scrotum, or the anus. Genital warts can
also develop in the mouth or throat of a person
who has had oral sex with an infected person.
THE BRIDGE | JULY 2015 | 22

brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Other problems

may include poor muscle coordination, numbness,
paralysis, deafness or visual problems, Personality
changes and dementia, inflammation of the aorta
— your body's major artery — and of other blood
vessels. Syphilis may also cause valvular heart
disease, such as aortic valve problems.

Don't try to treat a sexually transmitted disease, or

STD, yourself. These diseases are contagious and
serious. You must see a doctor. Bacterial STDs can
be cured with antibiotics if treatment begins early
enough. Viral STDs cannot be cured, but you can
manage symptoms with medications. There is a
vaccine against hepatitis B, but it will not help if
you already have the disease.

If you're a woman wanting to prevent sexual

problems, avoid alcohol and recreational drugs
that can lessen sexual desire or impair your sexual
response. Keep existing medical conditions such
Hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C are all
usually your genitals, rectum, tongue or lips. as diabetes under control. Discuss side effects
contagious viral infections that affect your liver.
A single chancre is typical, but there may be of medications with your doctor or pharmacist
Hepatitis B and C are the most serious of the three,
multiple sores and also Enlarged lymph nodes. in case an alternative with fewer sexual effects
but each can cause your liver to become inflamed.
Signs and symptoms of primary syphilis typically is available. Relaxed, clear teaching to promote
Some people never develop signs or symptoms.
disappear without treatment, but the underlying understanding of one's body and of sexual
But for those who do, signs and symptoms may
disease remains and may reappear in the second functioning, emphasizing the importance and
occur after several weeks and may include:
(secondary) or third (tertiary) stage. normalcy of sexuality, is critical...
Fatigue, Nausea and vomiting, Abdominal pain or
If you are given antibiotics to treat a STD, it is
discomfort, especially in the area of your liver on
Secondary stage may begin two to 10 weeks important that you take all of the drug prescribed
your right side beneath your lower ribs, Loss of
after the chancre appears, and may include: to you, even if the symptoms go away. Also, do
appetite, Fever, Dark urine, Muscle or joint pain,
Rash marked by red or reddish-brown, penny- not take someone else's medication to treat your
Itching and Yellowing of your skin and the whites
sized sores over any area of your body, including infection; it may make it more difficult to treat. It’s
of your eyes (jaundice)
your palms and soles, Fever, Fatigue and a vague always good to remember that prevention is better
feeling of discomfort and Soreness and aching. than cure so if you must…..always use protection.
Syphilis is a bacterial infection that affects your
These signs and symptoms may disappear
genitals, skin and mucous membranes, but it
within a few weeks or repeatedly come and go By: Patricia Mweni
may also involve many other parts of your body,
for as long as a year.
including your brain and your heart. The signs and
symptoms of syphilis may occur in four stages —
Latent stage in some people may follow the
primary, secondary, latent and tertiary. There's also
secondary stage. Here the signs and symptoms
a condition known as congenital syphilis, which
may never return, or the disease may progress
occurs when a pregnant woman with syphilis
to the tertiary stage.
passes the disease to her unborn infant. Congenital
syphilis can be disabling, even life-threatening, so
Tertiary stage is as a result of lack or treatment.
it's important for a pregnant woman with syphilis
Without treatment, syphilis bacteria may spread,
to be treated.
leading to serious internal organ damage and
Primary stage may occur from 10 days to three
death years after the original infection. Some
months after exposure. Signs and symptoms may
of the signs and symptoms of tertiary syphilis
include: A small, painless sore (chancre) on the part
include: stroke and infection and inflammation
of your body where the infection was transmitted,
of the membranes and fluid surrounding the
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
PAREN-T-EEN
COMMUNICATION
Young Kenyans grow up in a society that uses sex to sell every
product imaginable—from cars to soft drinks. And the newest sex
educator, the Internet, has perils as well as positives in what it
offers related to sex.
J
ust the thought of talking with
teens about contraception
sends many parents frantically
running for the exit. In the
Kenya today, about 65 percent of
high school students and 85 percent
of 18-25 year olds have had sex.
Taking into account the fact that
over 50 percent of all new HIV
infections occur in 15- to 25-year-
old youth; and about 700,000
teen girls experience a pregnancy
each year, parents cannot afford
to remain silent anymore about
contraception when talking with
teens.
Young Kenyans grow up in a
society that uses sex to sell every
product imaginable—from cars
to soft drinks. And the newest sex
educator, the Internet, has perils as
well as positives in what it offers
related to sex.
So what's a parent to do? What are
the important messages parents
need to convey to their children so
that teens will protect themselves
and their partner(s) against
unintended pregnancy and sexually
transmitted infections (STIs) and
will grow up to become sexually
healthy adults? Here are some tips
for talking with teens—female and
male—about contraception and
condoms.
1.Assume that teens have had no
instruction about contraceptive
methods. Most schools don't teach
this subject. Teens may say they
know all about contraception,
but much of their "knowledge" is
myth and misinformation. If you
feel that you just can't talk about
contraception, then ask a health
care provider, relative, or friend
for help.
2.It's possible to talk with a
teen about not having sexual
intercourse while still fully
educating him/her about
contraception and condoms. Your
teen will need this information, at
some point in life. Just remember
that talking about both abstinence
and contraception does not send
a mixed message. Parents need to
empower teens to act responsibly,
by saying, "When you decide to be
sexually intimate with someone
you care about, always, always
use protection against pregnancy
and STIs."
3.Share your hopes and
Promoting Sexually
Healthy Youths
expectations with your teen,
the hope that the teen will wait
until he/she is older and more
mature. At the same time, realize
that most teens do not wait,
especially not until marriage.
Today, most young men are nearly
30 when they marry, and young
women are nearly 25. Over 90
percent of Kenyan adults say they
experienced sexual intercourse
prior to marriage.
4.Know that not all children
are heterosexual. Regardless of
sexual orientation, all teens need
information about preventing
pregnancy and STIs. During
their teenage years, many teens
experiment—regardless of their
sexual orientation. Lesbian
and bisexual teenage women
may experience pregnancy. Gay
and bisexual teenage men may
father a pregnancy. Like all other
teens, gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender teens are vulnerable
to STIs, including HIV.
5.Emphasize that sexual health
is not only about using condoms
and birth control but also about
staying healthy, lifelong. Teens
| 23
need to know where they can go
for health care and treatment
before they are sexually active.
Teenage women frequently say
that fear of a pelvic exam (second
only to fear of parental discovery)
is their reason for waiting six to 18
months after initiating sex before
they see a health care provider
about contraception. Young men
also delay talking with a physician
about their sexual health. Teenage
men may feel uncomfortable in
family planning clinics because
these are often geared mostly
toward serving women, and they
may be reluctant to go to a public
health clinic, fearing that they will
run into someone they know. Male
teens need to know that many
family planning clinics are eager
to serve young men; female teens
need to know that most family
planning clinics do not require a
pelvic exam before prescribing
birth control.
6.Share information about
emergency contraception (EC)
and encourage teenage women
to have EC at hand in case of an
emergency. EC is available over
the counter for anyone ages 18
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
and over.
7.Talk about using condoms
and hormonal methods of birth
control. Using two methods at the
same time allows young men and
women to share the responsibility
to be safe and healthy. Condoms
are highly effective at preventing
HIV and gonorrhea and also lower
the risk for other STIs. They are
also very effective at preventing
pregnancy—compared to an 85
percent chance of experiencing
pregnancy when a couple uses no
method of protection.
8.Talk with your teen about
"being swept away." When many
young people are asked about
why they did not use condoms
or contraception, most of them
say, "I wasn't planning it. It just
happened. We got swept away and
didn't use anything." Make clear to
your teen that this is not okay. Say,
"You must be prepared, or else you
simply don't have sex. This is the
mature way to act." In the words
of one wise teen, "using condoms
is just not that difficult. You either
use condoms and birth control, or
you just don't do it."
9.What do you do if you find
condoms or birth control in your
teen's room or pants pocket? Take
a deep breath and remember
that this is evidence of your
teen's being responsible. Use
this as an opportunity to open
up a conversation with your
teen. This is one of those times
when you can share your feelings
and values, support your teen
in being responsible, and talk
MENTAL
HEALTH
together about intimacy, love,
responsibility, and committed
relationships.
10.Don't talk as though there
is only one kind of sexual
intercourse. Teens aren't sure
what "having sex" means. Many
today see oral and/or anal sex as
ways to avoid "having sex." These
teens often do not realize that
oral sex and anal sex actually are
sexual intercourse and that each
involves high risk for STIs.
11.Make sure that your teen
has at least one other adult to
whom she/he can go for help in
an emergency. Give your teen
permission to confide in someone
else, a person the teen can trust
for guidance and support. That
other adult could be a relative,
M
ental health is about the
way you think and feel
and your ability to deal
with ups and downs.
Making simple changes to how you
live doesn't need to cost a fortune
or take up loads of time. Anyone can
| 24
clergy person, teacher, counselor,
health provider, or friend. Just
make sure that you and your teen
both know who the other adult is,
rather than just assuming that
your teen has "someone" to whom
he/she can go. No young person
should go through a difficult
situation without help.
12.Finally, remember that when
parents express love and caring
to their children, they teach them
to love themselves. Then, parents
are raising young people who
will be likely to use condoms and
effective contraception to protect
themselves when, eventually, they
choose to have sex.
By Barbara H.
make simple changes that have a
huge impact on their mental health
and wellbeing. Here are ten practical
ways to take care of yourself and get
the most from life.
Talk About Your Feelings
Talking about your feelings can
help you stay in good mental health
and deal with times when you feel
troubled. Talking about your feelings
isn’t a sign of weakness as many
are made to belief in our African
Traditional culture.
Its part of taking charge of your
wellbeing and doing what you can
to stay healthy. Talking can be a
way to cope with a problem you’ve
been carrying around in your head
for a while. Just being listened to,
can help you feel supported and
less alone. And it works both ways.
If you open up, it might encourage
others to do the same.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
It’s not always easy to describe how you’re feeling.
If you can’t think of one word, use lots. What does
it feel like inside your head? What does it make
you feel like doing? You don't need to sit your
loved ones down for a big conversation about your
wellbeing. Many people feel more comfortable
when these conversations develop naturally -
maybe when you're doing something together. If
it feels awkward at first, give it time. Make talking
about your feelings something that you do.
Eat Well
There are strong links between what we eat and
how we feel, for example, caffeine and sugar can
have an immediate effect. But food can also have
a long-lasting effect on your mental health. Your
brain needs a mix of nutrients to stay healthy and
function well, just like the other organs in your
body. A diet that’s good for your physical health
is also good for your mental health. A healthy
balanced diet includes:
•Lots of different types of fruit and vegetables
•Wholegrain cereals or bread
•Nuts and seeds
•Dairy products
•Oily fish
•Plenty of water
Eat at least 3 meals each day and drink plenty
of water. Try to limit how many high-caffeine
or sugary drinks you have, and avoid too much
alcohol.
Please Note: The advice we are giving may not
apply if your doctor or dietician have given you
specific dietary advice, e.g. if you are a kidney
patient or a diabetic.
Keep in Touch
“Just chilling out with friends relaxes me. We
have a laugh and I feel good.” Strong family ties
and supportive friends can help you deal with
the stresses of life. Friends and family can make
you feel included and cared for. They can offer
different views from whatever’s going on inside
your own head. They can help keep you active,
keep you grounded and help you solve practical
problems. There’s nothing better than catching up
with someone face-to-face. But that’s not always
possible. Give them a call, drop them a note or
chat to them online instead. Keep the lines of
communication open. It’s good for you.
If you’re feeling out of touch with some people,
look back at our section on talking about your
feelings and get started. It’s worth working
at relationships that make you feel loved or
valued. But if you think being around someone is
damaging your mental health, it may be best to
take a break from them or call it a day completely.
It’s possible to end a relationship in a way that
feels ok for both of you. It can be hard to cope
when someone close to you dies or you lose them
another way. Counseling for bereavement or loss
can help you explore your feelings.
Take a Break.
A change of scene or a change of pace is good
for your mental health. It could be a five-minute
pause from cleaning your kitchen, a half-hour
lunch break at work or a weekend exploring
somewhere new. A few minutes can be enough to
de-stress you. Give yourself some ‘me time’.
“Sometimes when I’m sitting on the matatu, I let
my thoughts flow and it really helps me.”
Taking a break may mean being very active. It
may mean not doing very much at all. Take a
deep breath… and relax. Try yoga or meditation,
or just putting your feet up. Listen to your body.
If you’re really tired, give yourself time to sleep.
Without good sleep, our mental health suffers and
our concentration goes downhill. Sometimes the
world can wait.
Accept Who You Are.
Some of us make people laugh, some are good at
math, and others cook fantastic meals. Some of
us share our lifestyle with the people who live
close to us, others live very differently. We’re all
different. It’s much healthier to accept that you’re
unique than to wish you were more like someone
else. Feeling good about yourself boosts your
confidence to learn new skills, visit new places
and make new friends. Good self-esteem helps
you cope when life takes a difficult turn.
“Being happy with who I am now means I enjoy
living in the moment.”
Be proud of who you are. Recognise and accept
what you are not good at, but focus on what you
can do well. Work out if there’s anything about
yourself that you still want to change.
Keep Active
Experts believe exercise releases chemicals in
your brain that make you feel good. Regular
exercise can boost your self-esteem and help you
concentrate, sleep, look and feel better. Exercise
also keeps the brain and your other vital organs
healthy.
“I get a huge buzz from my rock ’n’ roll class. Hours
later, my legs ache, but I’m still smiling.”
Exercising doesn’t just mean doing sport or
going to the gym. Walks in the park, gardening or
housework can also keep you active. Experts say
most people should do about 30 minutes’ exercise
at least five days a week. Try to make physical
activity that you enjoy a part of your day.
“It’s increased my confidence, as I’ve proved to
myself that I can do things, and I’m also much
fitter and have lost weight. We always have a lot
of fun.”
Drink Sensibly
We often drink alcohol to change our mood. Some
people drink to deal with fear or loneliness, but
the effect is only temporary. When the drink wears
off, you feel worse because of the way alcohol
withdrawal symptoms affect your brain and the
rest of your body. Drinking is not a good way to
manage difficult feelings. Apart from the damage
too much alcohol can do to your body, you would
need more and more alcohol each time to feel
the same short-term boost. There are healthier
ways of coping with tough times. Occasional light
drinking is perfectly healthy and enjoyable for
most people. Stay within the recommended daily
alcohol limits:
•3 to 4 units a day for men
•2 to 3 units a day for women
Many people also smoke or use drugs or other
| 25
substances to change how they feel. But, again, the
effects are short-lived. Just like alcohol, the more
you use, the more you crave. Nicotine and drugs
don’t deal with the causes of difficult feelings.
They don’t solve problems, they create them.
Ask for Help
None of us are superhuman. We all sometimes
get tired or overwhelmed by how we feel or when
things go wrong. If things are getting too much for
you and you feel you can’t cope, ask for help. Your
family or friends may be able to offer practical
help or a listening ear. Local services are there to
help you. For example, you could:
•Join a support group like Weight Watchers
or Alcoholics Anonymous to help you make
changes to your life
•Find a counselor to help you deal with your
feelings or make a fresh start
•Call the council about noise nuisance
•Visit a Citizens Advice Bureau if you want
advice on debt
Do Something You're Good At
What do you love doing? What activities can you
lose yourself in? What did you love doing in the
past? Enjoying yourself helps beat stress. Doing
an activity you enjoy probably means you’re good
at it and achieving something boosts your self-
esteem. Concentrating on a hobby like gardening
or the crossword can help you forget your worries
for a while and change your mood.
“I’m learning the guitar. You have to really
concentrate on getting it right so there’s no room
in my head for worries.”
It can be good to have an interest where you’re
not seen as someone’s mum or dad, partner or
employee. You’re just you. An hour of sketching
lets you express yourself creatively. A morning on
the football pitch gets you active and gives you the
chance to meet new people.
Care for Others
“Friends are really important… We help each
other whenever we can, so it’s a two-way street
and supporting them uplifts me.”
Caring for others is often an important part of
keeping up relationships with people close to you.
It can even bring you closer together. Why not
share your skills more widely by volunteering for a
local charity? Helping out can make us feel needed
and valued and that boosts our self-esteem. It also
helps us see the world from another angle. That
can help to put our own problems in perspective.
Caring for a pet can improve your wellbeing too.
The bond between you and your pet can be as
strong as between people. Looking after a pet
can bring structure to your day and act as a link
to other people. Lots of people make friends by
chatting to fellow dog walkers.
By: TBM
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
THE TOO BUSY
SYNDROME THAT WE
ALL SUFFER FROM
How did we create a world in which we have more and
more and more to do with less time for leisure, less time
for reflection, less time for community, less time to just…
be?
Y
ep, you heard me right….we all have a
disease.
It’s called being too busy…….The dis-ease
of being too busy. When we are never
at ease. But what does being busy really mean,
anyway? Isn’t it like the most annoying thing
ever to turn down something you really want to
do because you’re “too busy” doing something
else? You find yourself “too busy,” and frankly, too
exhausted from being too busy, to do a lot of things
you’ve wanted to do… including, but not limited to:
going out with friends on the weekends, catching
up with your best friend on the phone (because
she is a busy body too), working out every day,
and… the worst one yet… really, truly engaging
with the people you are with.
I saw a dear friend a few days ago. I stopped by
to ask her how she was doing, how her family
was. She looked up, voice lowered, and just
whimpered: “I’m so busy… I am so busy… have so
much going on.”
Almost immediately after, I ran into another
friend and asked him how he was. Again, same
tone, same response: “I’m just so busy… got so
much to do.”
The tone was exacerbated, tired, even
overwhelmed.
And it’s not just adults. When we moved to Karen
about ten years ago, we were thrilled to be moving
to an Estate with a great school system. We found
a diverse neighborhood, filled with families.
Everything felt good, felt right.
After we settled in, we went to one of the friendly
neighbors….a junguu, asking if their daughter
and our daughter could get together and play.
The mother, a really lovely person, reached for
her phone and pulled out the calendar function.
She scrolled… and scrolled… and scrolled. She
finally said: “She has a 45-minute opening two
and half weeks from now. The rest of the time it’s
gymnastics, piano, and voice lessons. She’s just….
so busy.”
Horribly destructive habits start early, really early.
How did we end up living like this? Why do we
do this to ourselves? Why do we do this to our
children? When did we forget that we are human
beings, not human doings?
Whatever happened to a world in which kids
get muddy, get dirty, get messy, and heavens,
get bored? Do we have to love our children so
much that we over schedule them, making them
stressed and busy — just like us?
What happened to a world in which we can
sit with the people we love so much and have
slow conversations about the state of our heart
and soul, conversations that slowly unfold,
conversations with pregnant pauses and silences
that we are in no rush to fill?
How did we create a world in which we have more
and more and more to do with less time for leisure,
less time for reflection, less time for community,
less time to just… be?
Somewhere we read, “The unexamined life is not
worth living… for a human.” How are we supposed
to live, to examine, to be, to become, to be fully
human when we are so busy?
This disease of being “busy” (and let’s call it what
it is, the dis-ease of being busy, when we are never
at ease) is spiritually destructive to our health and
wellbeing. It saps our ability to be fully present
with those we love the most in our families, and
keeps us from forming the kind of community that
we all so desperately crave.
Since the 1950s, we have had so many new
technological innovations that we thought (or
were promised) would make our lives easier,
faster, simpler. Yet, we have no more “free” or
leisurely time today than we did decades ago.
For some of us, the “privileged” ones, the lines
| 26
between work and home have become blurred.
We are on our devices. All….. The….Freaking….
Time.
Smart phones and laptops mean that there is no
division between the office and home. When the
kids are in bed, we are back online.
One of my own daily struggles is the avalanche
of email. I often refer to it as my jihad against
email. I am constantly buried under hundreds
and hundreds of emails, and I have absolutely
no idea how to make it stop. I’ve tried different
techniques: only responding in the evenings,
not responding over weekends, asking people
to schedule more face-to-face time. They keep
on coming, in volumes that are unfathomable:
personal emails, business emails, hybrid emails.
And people expect a response — right now. I, too,
it turns out… am so busy.
The reality looks very different for others. For
many, being in employment and operating a
private business by the side is the only way to
keep the family afloat. More than fifty percent of
our children are living in poverty, and too many
of our parents are working minimum wage jobs
just to put a roof over their head and something
resembling food on the table. We are so busy.
The old models, including that of a nuclear family
with one parent working outside the home (if it
ever existed), have passed away for most of us.
We now have a majority of families being single
families, or where both parents are working
outside the home. It is not working.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
In many Muslim cultures, when you want to ask
them how they’re doing, you ask: in Arabic, Kayf
haal-ik? or, in Persian, Haal-e shomaa chetoreh?
How is your haal?
What is this haal that you inquire about? It is the
transient state of one’s heart. In reality, we ask,
“How is your heart doing at this very moment, at
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
this breath?” When I ask, “How are you?” that is
really what I want to know.
I am not asking how many items are on your to-do
list, nor asking how many items are in your inbox. I
want to know how your heart is doing, at this very
moment. Tell me. Tell me your heart is joyous, tell
me your heart is aching, tell me your heart is sad,
tell me your heart craves a human touch. Examine
your own heart, explore your soul, and then tell
me something about your heart and your soul.
Tell me you remember you are still a human being,
not just a human doing. Tell me you’re more than
just a machine, checking off items from your to-
do list. Have that conversation, that glance, that
touch. Be a healing conversation, one filled with
grace and presence.
Put your hand on my arm, look me in the eye,
and connect with me for one second. Tell me
something about your heart, and awaken my
heart. Help me remember that I too am a full and
complete human being, a human being who also
craves a human touch.
I teach at a university where many students
pride themselves on the “study hard, party hard”
lifestyle. This might be a reflection of many of
our lifestyles and our busy-ness — that even our
means of relaxation is itself a reflection of that
same world of overstimulation. Our relaxation
often takes the form of action-filled (yet mindless)
films, or violent and face-paced sports.
I don’t have any magical solutions. All I know is
that we are losing the ability to live a truly human
life.
We need a different relationship to work, to
technology. We know what we want: a meaningful
life, a sense of community, a balanced existence.
It’s not just about “leaning in” or faster iPhones.
We want to be truly human.
W. B. Yeats once wrote:
“It takes more courage to examine the dark
corners of your own soul than it does for a soldier
to fight on a battlefield.”
How exactly are we supposed to examine the dark
corners of our soul when we are so busy? How are
we supposed to live the examined life?
I am always a prisoner of hope, but I wonder if
| 27
we are willing to have the structural conversation
necessary about how to do that, how to live like
that. Somehow we need a different model of
organizing our lives, our societies, our families,
our communities.
I want my kids to be dirty, messy, even bored —
learning to become human. I want us to have a
kind of existence where we can pause, look each
other in the eye, touch one another, and inquire
together: Here is how my heart is doing? I am
taking the time to reflect on my own existence; I
am in touch enough with my own heart and soul
to know how I fare, and I know how to express the
state of my heart.
How is the state of your heart today?
Let us insist on a type of human-to-human
connection where when one of us responds by
saying, “I am just so busy,” we can follow up by
saying, “I know, love. We all are. But I want to
know how your heart is doing.”
By Fatuma Abdulahi
 HOW
TO EXERCISE
W
ouldn’t it be wonderful
if we could all
afford those fancy
equipments used in
the gyms? Well, as nice as it may
sound, it just isn’t an option for
most people especially taking into
account the small size of our rented
houses. The question that then begs
as answer is since exercise is so
important, and we do not have either
the resources and/or equipment to
enable us exercise on a regular basis,
what do we do? The best answer to
this question is to find exercises
that are effective and don’t require
any equipment at all. We have thus
developed the best and effective
exercises which everybody can do
at home and to make these exercises
even more fun, you can blast music
while you’re doing them.
Now you have no more excuses!
Here are 10 great exercises that you
can do at home, without the need for
any equipment:
1.Walking – If the weather is nice,
it’s wonderful to get outside and
enjoy the scenery around you
while you exercise. However, if the
weather has other ideas, you can
just as easily get an effective walking
workout at home. If you have a flight
of stairs, go up and down them a few
times. (You could even grab a load
of laundry as you’re going that way
anyway!) This will help to tone up
your legs, while getting some low
AT HOME
WITHOUT
ANY EQUIPMENT
impact aerobic exercise as well. If
you don’t have any stairs available,
just walk around the house a few
times – it may not be very exciting,
but it will do the job!
2.Jumping Jacks – These are always
fun, as they bring back memories
of being a kid! Who hasn’t done
jumping jacks for fun as a child?
Well, surprise – they are also great
cardio exercises, and good for
warming up, too.
3.Pushups – These are probably not
The best answer to this
the most favorite exercise of many question is to find exercises
people, but while they can be hard
to do, you can find easier ways to
that are effective and don’t
do them. You don’t need to pretend require any equipment at all.
you’re “Rocky”, and do them with
one hand; just do what works for
you. Do them on your knees, instead
of keeping your legs straight. Or, do
them standing up against a wall. You
will be building up arm strength and
working out muscles in your chest
area.
4.Leg Lifts – These are great for
building up strength and muscles in
your legs. If you find it hard to do
the exercises with your legs straight,
try bending them slightly.
5.Sit ups – The best exercise for
building up and strengthening
abdominal muscles. When you’re
just getting started, don’t worry
about getting your head all the
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
way up. So long as you’re going up
until you feel the stretching of the
muscles, you will see some benefit.
6.Jogging In Place – Jogging is a great
exercise for your heart. You can jog
in place at home while watching
TV or listening to music. The only
equipment you will require is a good
pair of shoes, to eliminate any stress
to your legs.
7.Squats – These are wonderful
exercises for your legs and buttocks.
You can even just try these by sitting
and standing up again from a regular
chair, if you’re finding them to be
too difficult. As long as you’re able
to do a few repetitions, you will be
providing some benefit to your body.
8.Light Weight Lifting – No, you don’t
need to go out and buy expensive
weights for this! Just use whatever
you can find in your house. Start
out with something lighter, such as
a can of peas, and work yourself up
| 29
to heavier items. You can use milk
jugs, laundry detergent bottles or
even water jugs.
9.Dancing – Dancing is a wonderful
exercise, which is great for your
heart. Not only that, but it can lift
your spirits as well, and give your
overall feeling a boost.
10.Step Exercises – Using the steps
in your home, you can do repetitions
which will tone your leg muscles.
(Just remember to be careful!)
Getting some exercise is important,
but you don’t need to go out and
join a gym, paying a large amount
in membership fees each month.
You don’t even need the expensive
equipment in order to give your body
an effective workout. Use what you
have in your house, and work out in
the comfort of your home. You will
be more likely to keep up with the
exercises when you’re comfortable,
so just get up and start exercising!
By: TBM
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
10 SIGNS
IT’S TIME
TO LET GO
If someone wants you in their life, they’ll find a way
to put you there. Sometimes you just need to let go
and accept the fact that they don’t care for you the
way you care for them.
Holding on is being brave, but letting
go and moving on is often what
makes us stronger and happier. Here
are ten signs it’s time to let go:
1.Someone expects you to be someone
you’re not. – Don’t change who you
are for anyone else. It’s wiser to lose
someone over being who you are,
than to keep them by being someone
you’re not. Because it’s easier to
mend a broken heart, than it is to
piece together a shattered identity.
It’s easier to fill an empty space in
your life where someone else used to
be, than it is to fill the empty space
inside yourself where YOU used to be.
2.A person’s actions don’t match
their words. – Everybody deserves
somebody who helps them look
forward to tomorrow. If someone
has the opposite effect on you,
because they are consistently
inconsistent and their actions don’t
match up with their words, it’s time
to let them go. It’s always better to
be alone than to be in bad company.
True friendship is a promise made
in the heart – silent, unwritten,
| 30
unbreakable by distance, and
unchangeable by time. Don’t listen
to what people say; watch what they
do. Your true friends will slowly
reveal themselves over time.
3.You catch yourself forcing someone
to love you. – Let us keep in mind
that we can’t force anyone to love
us. We shouldn’t beg someone to
stay when they want to leave. That’s
what love is all about – freedom.
However, the end of love is not
the end of life. It should be the
beginning of an understanding that
love sometimes leaves for a reason,
but never leaves without a lesson. If
someone truly loves you, they will
never give you a reason to doubt it.
Anyone can come into your life and
say how much they love you, but it
takes someone really special to stay
in your life and prove how much they
love you. Sometimes it takes awhile
to find the right person, but the right
person is always worth the wait.
4.An intimate relationship is based
strictly on physical attraction. –
Being beautiful is more than how
many people you can get to look at
you, or how others perceive you at
a single glance. It’s about what you
live for. It’s about what defines you.
It’s about the depth of your heart,
and what makes you unique. It’s
about being who you are and living
out your life honestly. It’s about
those little quirks that make you,
you. People who are only attracted
to you because of your pretty face
or nice body won’t stay by your side
forever. But the people who can
see how beautiful your heart is will
never leave you.
5. Someone continuously breaks your
trust. – Love means giving someone
the chance to hurt you, but trusting
them not to. When you completely
trust a person, without any doubt,
you’ll automatically get one of
two results - a FRIEND for life or a
LESSON for life. Either way there’s a
positive outcome. Either you confirm
the fact that this person cares about
you, or you get the opportunity to
weed them out of your life and make
room for those who do. In the end
you’ll discover who’s fake, who’s
true, and who would risk it all for
you. And trust me, some people will
totally surprise you.
6.Someone continuously overlooks
your worth. – Know your worth!
When you give yourself to someone
who doesn’t respect you, you
surrender pieces of your soul that
you’ll never get back. There comes
a point when you have to let go and
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
And the one thing you should
never let go of is hope. Remember
what you deserve and keep
pushing forward.
stop chasing some people. If someone wants you
in their life, they’ll find a way to put you there.
Sometimes you just need to let go and accept the
fact that they don’t care for you the way you care
for them.
7.You are never given a chance to speak your mind.
– Sometimes an argument saves a relationship,
whereas silence breaks it. Speak up for your heart
so that you won’t have regrets. Life is not about
making others happy. Life is about being honest
and sharing your happiness with others.
8.You are frequently forced to sacrifice your
happiness. – If you allow people to make more
withdrawals than deposits in your life, you will
be out of balance and in the negative before you
know it. Know when to close the account. It’s
always better to be alone with dignity than in
a relationship that constantly requires you to
sacrifice your happiness and self-respect.
9.You truly dislike your current situation, routine,
job, etc. – It’s better to be a failure at something
you love than to succeed at doing something you
hate. Don’t let someone who gave up on their
dreams talk you out of going after yours. The best
thing you can do in life is follow your heart. Take
risks. Don’t just make the safe and easy choices
because you’re afraid of what might happen. If
you do, nothing will ever happen. Chances must be
taken, mistakes must be made, and lessons must
be learned. It might be an uphill climb, but when
you reach that mountaintop it will be worth every
ounce of blood, sweat and tears you put into it.
10.You catch yourself obsessing over, and living
in, the past. – Eventually you will overcome the
heartache, and forget the reasons you cried,
| 31
and who caused the pain. Eventually you will
realize that the secret to happiness and freedom
is not about control or revenge, but in letting
things unfold naturally, and learning from your
experiences over the course of time. After all, what
matters most is not the first, but the final chapter
of your life, which unveils the details of how well
you wrote your story. So let go of the past, set
yourself free, and open your mind to the possibility
of new relationships and priceless experiences.
And the one thing you should never let go of is
hope. Remember what you deserve and keep
pushing forward. Someday all the pieces will come
together. Unimaginably good things will transpire
in your life, even if everything doesn’t turn out
exactly the way you had anticipated. And you will
look back at the times that have passed, smile, and
ask yourself, “How did I get through all of that?”
By: Love Dokta
 THE
DATING
COLLEGE
First, let me rule out the buzz phrase hookup
culture as a cause of our broken social scene.
Hookup culture isn't new. Sex is sex. College kids
do it, have always done it, and will always do it,
whether they're in relationships or not. Casual sex
is not the evil root of all our problems.
GAMES WE PLAY IN
M
ost of us after completing high school opted to either join colleges
or Universities as opposed to seeking employment at such an
early stage in our lives. Am sure you will all agree with me that
dating in college was never easy. But today, with everyone texting
and navigating an increasingly fluid sexuality, it can seem almost impossible.
Let me take you through my experiences at the University of Nairobi.
It is 9 p.m. I am sitting in my room, having just applied polish on my nails
and wearing a nice mutumba dress that my sister told me "looks really
expensive." I am waiting to hear from a nerdy but cute guy I'll call Tim*,
whom I know from class. He asked me out last night. Well, sort of. We were
at a party when he approached me and said, "Hey, Anne…..maybe we'll cross
paths tomorrow night? I'll text you." I assumed the maybe and his general
passivity were just ways to avoid feeling insecure about showing interest.
I didn't walk away from my conversation with him expecting a bouquet of
roses to follow, instead, I armed myself with a blasé smile and answered, "Just
text me to let me know what's up at some point after dinner-ish time?" Sure,
I wanted a plan for when we were supposed to hang out but felt I needed to
meet Tim on his level of vagueness. He gave a feeble nod and winked. It's a
date-ish, I thought.
Tim never wrote or called me that night, even after I texted him at 11 p.m.
to ask "What's up" (no question mark — that would seem too desperate).
Overdressed for the non-occasion, I quelled my frustration with a bottle
of cheap liquor before giving in to sleep. The next morning, I texted Tim
again — this time to acknowledge our failed plan: "Sad about last night…
maybe another time?" No answer. When I saw him in class, he glanced away
whenever we made eye contact. The avoidance — and occasional tight-
THE BRIDGE | JULY 2015 | 33

Hookup culture isn't new. Sex is sex. College kids
do it, have always done it, and will always do it,
whether they're in relationships or not. Casual
sex is not the evil root of all our problems. Many
argue that the problem is as a result of the career-
beneath the assertion that women are now able
to "keep pace with the boys." Is the fact that some
college women are now approaching casual sex
with a stereotypically masculine attitude a sign of
progress? No.

focused and hyper-confident types of women who
speak proudly about the "cost-benefit" analyses
and "low-investment costs" of hooking up as
compared to being in committed relationships.
In theory, hookup culture empowers millennial
women with the time and space to focus on our
ambitious goals while still giving us the benefit of
sexual experience, right?
I'm not so sure. As Purity, my old friend from USIU
puts it: "The 'I don't have time for dating' argument
is bullshit. As someone who has done both the
dating and the casual-sex thing, hookups are
much more draining of my emotional faculties...
and actually, my time." Sure, many women enjoy
casual sex — and that's a valuable thing to point
out given how old-fashioned society's attitudes
on romance can still be. The fact that women now
invest in their ambitions rather than spend college
looking for a husband is a good thing. But we need
to acknowledge that there is still sexism lurking
W
e’re now seeing a hookup culture in
which young people exhibit a preference
for behaviors coded masculine over
ones that are coded feminine. Most of my peers
would say "You go, girl" to a young woman who
is career-focused, athletically competitive, or
interested in casual sex. Yet no one ever says "You
go, boy!" when a guy "feels liberated enough to
learn to knit, decide to be a stay-at-home dad, or
learn ballet," Men and women are both partaking
in the culture of silence on college campuses,
which results in what I call the “whoever-cares-
less-wins” dynamic. We all know it: When the
person you hooked up with the night before
walks toward you in the dining hall, you try not
to look excited... and maybe even look away. When
it comes to dating, it always feels like the person
who cares less ends up winning.
When I asked my friend Tshi, a recent USIU grad,

lipped smiles — continued through the semester.

In March, I saw Tim at a party. He was drunk and
apologized for hurting my feelings that night.
"It's fine!" I told him. "If anything, it's just like,
confusion, you know? As to why you got weird."
But Tim didn't acknowledge his weirdness.
Instead, he said that he thought I was "really
attractive and bright" but he just hadn't been
interested in dating me.

W
ait, who said anything about dating?!
I thought to myself, annoyed. I simply
wanted to hang out. But I didn't have
the energy to tell him that I was sick of his (and
many other guys') assumption that women spend
their days plotting to pin down a man and that
ignoring me wasn't the kindest way to tell me he
didn't want to lead me on. So to avoid seeming too
emotional, crazy, or any of the related stereotypes
commonly pegged on women, I followed Tim's
immature lead: I walked away to get a beer and
dance with my friends. So long, Tim.
This anecdote sums up a pattern I have
experienced, observed, and heard about from
almost all my college-age friends. The culture
of campus dating is broken...or at least broken-
ish. And I think it's because we are a generation
frightened of letting ourselves be emotionally
vulnerable, addicted to communicating by text,
and as a result, neglecting to treat each other with
respect.

First, let me rule out the buzz phrase hookup

culture as a cause of our broken social scene.
 I had the chance to test this theory when I had my own dating
epiphany in college. For three years, I was addicted to making vague
non-plans and finding new ways to put up emotional walls in order
to avoid getting hurt.
what the biggest struggle of college dating was
for her, she didn't hesitate before saying: "I am
terrified of getting emotionally overinvested
when I'm seeing a guy. I'm scared of being totally
honest." I've felt this way too. I could've told Tim
that I thought we had a plan...or I was hurt when
he ditched me...or I was annoyed when he decided
to pull away after wrongly assuming I'd wanted
to make him my boyfriend. But I didn't. Instead,
we ignored each other, knowing that whoever
cares less wins. As my guy friend Patrick explains,
"I think people in college are embarrassed to
want to be in a relationship, as though wanting
commitment makes them look old fashioned. And
when someone does want a relationship, they
downplay it. This leads to awkward, sub-text-
laden conversations, of which I've been on both
sides."
Add to the mix that college-age kids depend
heavily on the immediacy of texts, Whatsapp,
and Facebook to talk with each other. This has
produced a generation-wide handicap: a resistance
to communicating with fully developed thoughts
and emotions. If a guy sends me a text that says
"I LOVE YOU?" I don't think so. Even though we
are all addicted to texting, it's still a huge source of
anxiety when it comes to dating. Take Sarah a UoN
grad who told me about how she and her college
roommates had an in-depth conversation about
how to respond to a guy's text, creating rules for
how long to wait before texting a guy back. "It
can't be 10 minutes on the dot, because then it
is obvious you were waiting. It should be longer
than 15 minutes to show you're not desperate but
within the 45-minute window if you are trying to
lay groundwork for that evening," she says. Guys
agonize over texts too, especially about coming
across as overly interested. Josh, 22, who goes to
JKUAT, admits, "I try to use exclamation points a
lot but usually put a space between the last word
and the ! to tone down the enthusiasm."
At the beginning of her final semester, Sophie met
Charlie, to whom she'd been introduced by her
friend Dan, Charlie's roommate. They began going
on regular dates to movies, museums, and dinner.
In Sophie's words, "It wasn't clear how serious it
was, but it was fun." Sophie and Charlie's dynamic
of not-clear-but-fun continued for about six
months, until it ended suddenly. Sophie explains:
"I texted Charlie to hang out one day as I normally
would and never got a response. I waited the
classic two days...and still no response. Then
another day, then another. Radio silence. When
I ran into him at a party a month later, he just
walked up and asked, 'How are you?'" Sophie was
aware enough of her anger that she answered
accordingly: "Are you fucking kidding me?"
Charlie's response: "Well, we never really knew
what we were."
C
harlie must've assumed that the lack of
official commitment in their six-month
relationship (or whatever they "were")
was reason enough to treat Sophie with
zero respect. But you shouldn't need a label to
show someone basic courtesy. The murky state of
communication we've grown to accept — coupled
with the who-ever-cares-less dynamic — is the
downfall of college dating today. Even when it's
casual, sex is not a game with a winner and a loser.
When played like that, nobody wins.
up these anecdotes to point to some bleak future
for all college-age women looking for love and
sex on campus. The world is changing, and I don't
believe we should feel nostalgic for the kind of
romance we share. But we should be working to
achieve the end of the whoever-cares-less-wins
game (and not The End of Men). Sure, caring less
brings with it a kind of security. By never making
yourself vulnerable, you are automatically
protected against rejection. But that type of
security is nothing more than glorified loneliness.
You're closing doors to the kinds of experiences
and emotions that arise from caring deeply about
another person.
Once we stop playing games, ditch the defense
mechanism of apathy, and quit communicating
with emoticons, we will be much better off when
it comes to dating.
I had the chance to test this theory when I had my
own dating epiphany in college. For three years,
I was addicted to making vague non-plans and
finding new ways to put up emotional walls in
order to avoid getting hurt. All that pretending not
to care led to many midnight bowls of cereal and
very few dates, and it left me feeling deficient and
scared, wondering how I'd ever learn to let down
my guard and whether I would ever experience
anything like true intimacy.
Ironically, it was right after the Tim debacle
during my final year that I began dating a guy
named Steve. We had been friends first, and when
our friendship turned into more, I felt honest
with him, honest with myself — and terrifyingly,
emotionally vulnerable. For the first time, there
was not a single cell in me that was concerned
with how to care less. We dated happily for a year.
For most of my college career, I was dead wrong
about dating, and so were most of my friends.
Acting unaffected doesn't give you power, and
communicating as vaguely as possible doesn't
give you the upper hand. It's time to speak in full
sentences, not abbreviations. It's time to demand
to be treated with respect — which means women
should stop lining up like cattle outside clubs in
Westlands waiting to be bought for pint. It's time
to stop playing by the rules of whoever cares
less wins. Because nobody will ever win, and
relationships (heck, even hookups) are no fun
when they're just a game.
By: TBM
THE
MISCONCEPTION
ABOUT
TRUE LOVE WAITS
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
A
t the age of 14 years, I had a very
specific idea of what my church
leaders thought it meant to be pure,
yet only a vague understanding of
what the Christian life required
beyond virginity. Part of this was probably due
to my interests at the time, but part of it was a
particular focus in my community. This tunnel
vision carried with it an unhelpful consequence:
Many of my friends and I evaluated commitment
to Christ mainly in terms of sexual behavior. As
a practical matter, the presence of Christ mainly
meant the absence of bad sexual behavior rather
than love or the fruit of the Spirit.
This is not to say that one form of obedience
should be ignored for another. Sexual immorality
is something we must take seriously, the Bible
says, and regardless of what our culture says, we
should uphold that. And yet a love of God in Christ
(and obedience as the manifestation of love) has
to be the first foundation of our communities.
What good will sexual morality do if we have no
love (see 1 Corinthians 13:1–3)?
Now, sexual boundaries are indeed one of the
main issues in a teenager’s life, and nothing
should stop us from trying to keep kids out of
trouble. But even these good goals should not
obscure the primacy of love and obedience in our
communities. And things certainly seem obscured
when a teenager’s main understanding of fidelity
to Christ is sexuality. In other words, if we don’t
order our topics carefully, the all-encompassing
call of Christ can be replaced with a compartment
of good behavior. I doubt many of us would
disagree with any of this in the abstract, but
nevertheless, it seems to get lost in the average
teen experience—or at least I missed it in mine.
In my youth groups, we loaded marriage up with
huge expectations. Marriage was often presented
as the sole remedy for lust, and therefore, great
hopes of sexual satisfaction were attached to it.
As I understood it in my teenage years, it was
marriage, not a life given to God, that was the
remedy for sexual desires that I couldn’t fulfill. I
merely had to control desire until marriage, and
then I was home free. Of course, the Bible does
prescribe marriage this way (recall “it is better to
marry than to burn with passion” in 1 Corinthians
7:9), but it’s not the only biblical solution.
Another one is self-denial, which is a significant
part of discipleship. Living without something
we want can be a valuable practice, and begin to
transform our desires. The Bible also recommends
self-control, a fruit of the Spirit, as something that
will naturally flow out of a transformed follower
of Christ. Certainly, both self-control and self-
denial are biblical visions of how we might avoid
sexual sin. And yet in my experience, I heard only
about marriage when it came to sex. But this kind
of thinking can create problems for couples down
the road.
The first is that marriage doesn’t solve all our lust
problems. “True love waits” naturally implies a
finish line, either for love, sex, or both. The phrase
hints that our wait will, at some point, stop. And
yet, as many of us know, the waiting does not
stop, and love, to the contrary, is something to be
nurtured and grown into rather than acquired in
a moment.
Second, if marriage was presented as the main
fix for lust, perhaps it was because we often had
only a shallow vision of self-denial. Discipleship is
not just hanging on until marriage; it is, as we’ve
said, a gradual and complete reordering of all our
desires, sexual and otherwise, so that we can live
more wholly for Christ.
Learning to say no to our desires is a major part
of orienting our lives toward God, and it can often
be a life-giving discipline. It might not always be
practical for hormonal teens, but it’s possible that
things could look different if teens seek purity out
of a desire to give their lives to Christ, rather than
just to “save themselves” for a spouse. The two
goals may overlap in quite a few circumstances,
but in others, they are undoubtedly different.
Indeed, if we said, “Deny yourself” instead of “True
love waits,” and if we practice setting aside desires
rather than just hanging on until we can satisfy
them, we might be less surprised and better
prepared for the actual challenges of marriage.
We might be ready for the wide range of sacrifices
marriage requires. A better-rehearsed practice of
self-denial and self-control would almost certainly
train us to bring more grace and selflessness into
all that we do, including marriage.
Furthermore, if self-denial were to be emphasized
in our adolescent sex seminars, rather than
only marriage-as-carrot, singles might also find
themselves better prepared for navigating the
challenge of purity as a single adult. There would,
most likely, be fewer discouraged singles who give
in. And there would be fewer singles who succumb
| 36
to temptation because they think, “What’s the
harm? No point in holding out if there isn’t true
love waiting for me.” If we frame purity in terms of
discipleship and not marriage, singleness would
lose some of its dread and instead be valued as
a fruitful position for learning Christ likeness.
Rather than feeling frustrated in a holding pattern,
anyone who is single might more readily see the
value and particular grace of his or her situation.
In attempts to rein in teenage sexuality, my
communities more or less tended to stretch the
truth about married sex. One of the worst of these
well-intentioned almost-truths is what I’ll call
“reward sex.”
The story went like this: If you behaved well and
didn’t have sex before marriage, God would reward
you with extra-awesome-and-uncomplicated
sex once you made it to the wedding night. In
other words, expectations for sex in marriage are
spruced up to try to nudge teenage hopes in the
right direction.
Without doubt, this was done with the best
intentions. But as a theological matter and a
matter of reasonable reality, it seems a little
unhelpful. The fact is, even if true love waits, it is
often disappointed.
I may not earn admiration from anyone, parents
in particular, for pointing this out. Some people
might even say I’m encouraging the wrong type
of behavior. I’m not. The point here is that if a
stretched truth is the only thing securing our
obedience, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with the
type of obedience we’ve secured.
By ensuring good behavior from unmarried
people with promises of “reward sex,” we have,
I think, missed an important piece of what the
Christian life is about. We don’t obey because
obedience is currency that brings us our desire
tenfold down the road. We obey because Jesus
told us to.
It’s true that following Christ has its rewards in
heaven, and on earth there are great blessings
that flow from loving God first. However, those
blessings are usually not our wishes granted
exponentially, but rather God’s leading us toward
what He knows is best. The blessing of obedience
is not automatically awesome marital sex but a
life lived with God. Purity is undoubtedly a worthy
aim, but maybe we don’t need to strain the reality
of marriage so much to achieve it.
By: Love Dokta
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
HE
DIVORCED
ME AFTER LOSING
WEIGHT
L
ying in bed in those first few hazy weeks
of new love, I asked Harold the usual
questions one asks a new partner:
“Would you love me if I lost my legs?
Went blind? Grew antlers? Gained
weight? Was jobless? Converted to Islam?” (He
actually had to start limiting them to three a day,
so I chose carefully. His answer to every one was
always yes, yes and yes.) We firmly established
that he would love me no matter what form my
transformation took. Silly girl. I never asked if he
would still love me if he was the one to change, but
I didn’t because I just assumed he would.
There’s an urban legend among many women
called the “buy your boyfriend cloths” Curse.
The story goes that you should never buy cloths
for your man, because when they don’t juzz him
anymore, he’ll break up with you just as easily
as he would stop putting them on. Ridiculous, I
thought, so I went to Mr. Price one day and got my
husband a pair of jeans and a nice shirt. He was
so grateful and would put them on whenever we
were going out. Then he started to lose weight.
Soon, the cloths became comically large. He would
put them on and sway from side to side as it rang
like a bell against his torso. We would laugh it off
as the cloths became his “Can you believe I used
to fit into these pants?” comedy prop. I decided
to go and get him other cloths, this time carefully,
repeatedly measuring his ever-shrinking body
and ensuring they were just the perfect fit. Finally,
he had his new set of attires, a beautiful pair of
black Kaki trouser, a red and white shirt and a
perfectly fitting designer coat for his new thinner-
than-ever-before body. Two weeks later, he asked
for a divorce.
My first few boyfriends had been skinny, but the
first time I hugged a big guy, my heart melted. I felt
enveloped, contained, collected. Friends joked that
they would buy me a “Dip me in honey and throw
me to the bears” T-shirt……yea am sure we’ve
all seen one. Harold was a big guy—close to 300
pounds (135 kg). Every time I told him he looked
good, he would grimace. We had to stop going to
a Chinese restaurant near our home, because he
was convinced the waiters were laughing at us,
saying, “Why is she with him?” He told me once
of riding his bike past a guy who hissed “Fatso” at
him. Those stories enraged me, made me hold him
tighter. I told him over and over how beautiful I
found him—just the way he was.
We’d been married for a few years when we
decided to start running. Me, to shake off the
winter blues; him, to get healthier. Our first run
had both of us panting around a small track in a
schoolyard near our house. When we finished,
we were drenched in sweat despite the cold and
proud of ourselves. After completing a Couch-to-5
kg program (our couch-to-5 Kg plan was designed
to get just about anyone off the couch and running
5 km in eight weeks), I returned happily to the
couch while he kept going. Running led to intense
cycling, which led to a change in his eating habits?
Raw almonds replaced crullers; salads replaced
chicken wings; and within mere months, he had
lost an amazing 80 pounds (35 kg). He now started
walking with a new purpose. I helped him pick out
a new wardrobe. Girls started checking him out on
the street, I noticed, and he noticed even more.
As his body shrank, so too did his focus on me. He
became consumed with working out, and I, used
to being the Thing That Made Him Happy, found
myself desperately trying to claw back into the
light. His hilariousness went away too. Maybe
he was hungry all the time. Maybe he felt that
he didn’t need to be anymore; funny was for fat
guys, and slim dudes just needed to not be fat. My
adoring husband became a miserable, silent fury.
I never say to people who have lost weight, “God,
you look great.” Because what does that say? That
they didn’t look great before? Bullshit. I said I was
pleased he had more energy, that I was delighted
he felt happier with his body. But one night he
asked me, genuinely perplexed, “How is this not
an upgrade for you?” I told him that the shape of
a person didn’t matter to me. He paused. “What is
wrong with you that you were attracted to that?”
he asked. His old body was disgusting, he thought
(confirmed by the number of people who told him
how great he looked now). What kind of messed-
up woman is attracted to a fat man? He shrank and
shrank and then he left.
| 37
I heard somewhere once that the biggest side effect
of substantial weight loss is divorce. There are lots
of reasons: Perhaps the person had married when
their self-esteem was low, and they now realized
that they could “do better.” Maybe they were
both heavy, and the newly thin person is worried
that their still-heavy partner will sabotage
them. Maybe they want to make up for missed
opportunities and sow some wild oats…….but as
far as Harold was concerned I guess I will never
know. Harold never told me the reason he left, but
I can guess that it’s the latter: He’d never picked
up a girl in a bar, never walked up to one at a party,
never smiled at one on the street. He suddenly felt
like he had sexual currency and, I think, wanted
to splash it around like a dot-com billionaire.
I think he wanted to start fresh with a new job,
new friends and a new girl who hadn’t known him
when he was big. I think he thought I was gross for
liking him before. And I think of shows like Slim
possible and The Ultimate Challenge, where they
show photos of the fat guy, usually holding a baby
or wearing a Santa hat. The sad music makes it
clear: He is miserable, because he is fat. But maybe
he wasn’t. Maybe that moment of holding a baby
was the happiest of his life. But no: Fat equals sad
and thin means happy, and if you used to be fat
then you must have been miserable. Jettison your
life, boy, because now that you’re thin, your real
life can start. Thank God.
So we divorced and pretty much never spoke
again. I see him from time to time, and he wafts
past me like a ghost, like we never met. His head
sinks down toward his shoulders like an animal
that doesn’t want to be spotted. He is heavier than
he was when he left, but not as heavy as he was
when he loved me. I have no idea if he’s happy.
Good news, though: Even though Divorce plumb
near destroyed me, I picked up the pieces and
moved on and I currently have a lovely boyfriend
(a medium-sized one, for the record, so handsome
that I suspect people whisper, “What’s he doing
with her (LOL), who is happy in his skin. Ooooh,
he also stated that he would love me if I grew
antlers .
By P. A. Njeri
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 38

If your husband left you for another woman, you’re not just mourning the
loss of him as a man…you’re mourning the end of something real, something
you believed in and thought would last. You’re mourning the end of the
marriage you hoped to have (or that you thought you had). You’ve been
betrayed, and you aren’t as innocent and trusting as you were before.

S
aying or even just thinking, “My husband

COPE
left me for another woman” is painful and
heartbreaking – but trust me, you will
survive! Here’s how to cope after your

HOW TO
husband walks out.

There are no easy answers, only companionship

AFTER YOUR
and the knowledge that you are not alone It won’t
be easy, but you will survive.. Here’s what one

HUSBAND
famous wife said when her husband left:
“I’m not sure what the future holds but I do know
that I’m going to be positive and not wake up
feeling desperate,” said Nicole Kidman. “As my dad
said ‘Nic, it is what it is, it’s not what it should have
been, not what it could have been, it is what it is.’”

DUMPS YOU It is what it is, my friend. It’s the worst betrayal in

marriage, it may be the worst thing your husband
could ever do to you…but it’s what happened.
The sooner you can accept that it is what it is, the
sooner you can move on and create a better, more
meaningful, happier life.
Here are six tips on how to cope when your
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
husband walks out on your marriage. This isn’t
legal or financial advice; it’s how to heal your
heart and self-esteem.
Realize that his leaving isn’t a direct reflection on
you.
No matter how beautiful, successful, slim, or rich
their wives are, some husbands will be unfaithful.
Men cheat and leave their marriages for a wide
variety of reasons – many of which have nothing
to do with their wives.
More importantly, remember that your husband
left you for another woman because of his
problems – which aren’t a reflection of you! It’s
not that you’re not good enough, or she’s a better
woman. To be able to say “my husband left me
for another woman” and survive, keep reminding
yourself that your husband left you because he
has his own issues.
Stop comparing yourself to the other woman
She probably has strengths that you don’t have
and weaknesses that you don’t have. If it makes
you feel better, make a list of your strengths and
her weaknesses, and read them when you feel
down on yourself. But, I think it’s better not to
compare yourself to the other woman at all.
Surviving when your husband left you for another
woman is about moving onwards and upwards,
about healing and personal growth. It doesn’t
matter who or what she is…what matters is that
you have a life to recreate!
Spend time with women who survived when their
husbands walked out
Ask your friends and family members if they
know a woman whose husband left her. If she
survived her breakup – and is stronger, happier,
and healthier – spend time with her. Ask if you
can buy her coffee; learn how she overcame pain
of his cheating. Soak up her courage, health, and
wisdom! One of my favorite breakup survival
tips is to gain strength and healing from women
who have survived similar problems in life. And,
the fact that your husband left is a sure sign your
marriage is over.
Let go of your old hopes and dreams for your
marriage
If your husband left you for another woman, you’re
not just mourning the loss of him as a man…you’re
mourning the end of something real, something
you believed in and thought would last. You’re
mourning the end of the marriage you hoped to
have (or that you thought you had). You’ve been
betrayed, and you aren’t as innocent and trusting
as you were before.
Mourn not just your loss of a husband, but the loss
of your marriage, the loss of the things you hoped
for on your wedding day. Mourn the fact that you
have to live with the thought, “my husband left me
for another woman.”
Get professional help if don’t think you can survive
the breakup
| 39
Counseling is about making sense of your life,
and figuring out how to move on after betrayals,
heartaches, and heartbreaks. Talking through your
problems with an objective counselor, spiritual
leader, or psychologist can help you let go. An
objective professional can help you see your big
life picture and your more detailed personality
characteristics.
If you feel lost and helpless because your husband
said he doesn’t love you anymore, don’t spin
your wheels alone. Invest in yourself emotionally
and spiritually – a counselor or a support group
for divorced women can help you make sense of
what why your husband left. You need to focus on
picking up the pieces of your life and starting a
fresh new chapter of your life.
Start something new
This is your chance to embark on a new chapter
in your social, professional, personal, or spiritual
life! Volunteer, take a solo or group vacation, join a
new gym, take a night class, join a support group,
check out a new social club, quit your job, go
back to school. Surviving a breakup can be about
growing into the woman you were meant to be –
and about exploring a different part of your life
and personality. This may be the end of one stage
of your life…but it can be the beginning of a whole
new era! It’s up to you…
By Elsie Anyango
If your husband
left you for another
woman, you’re not
just mourning the
loss of him as a man…
you’re mourning the
end of something real,
something you believed
in and thought would
last.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 40

THE
NOTION
MEN MOVE ON QUICKLY THAN
THAT
WOMEN AFTER A BREAK UP

The crux appears to fester in their insecurities; am I still a good catch

(communications, sexual performance, risks and challenges)? when a
marriage is comfortable (stale?), rather than attempts to restore enthusiasm,
bonding, adventure, men are more likely to look elsewhere (greener grass).
 Men are very different from women.
They are not as relational, emotional or
sentimental as we are. It’s just the way the
brains are constructed.

The question about men moving on so quickly was ex just changed a light bulb, out with the old and
I think women are more comfortable dealing with
posed by one of our members recently, and we in with the new. He hasn't done his "homework"
their emotions, willing to work through the knotty
thought we'd highlight a number of the insightful and he doesn't even acknowledge that he has
problems, and men have a tendency to dismiss
responses from the community: baggage. Yes, there are times when I am feeling
topics close to the heart, thus end up repeating
hurtful actions. It’s confusing; almost as though lonely through all of this, but I know that I am on a
I don't think it's a matter of them having "moved different path, and I will heal, and I will grow, and I
they committed half of themselves to the original
on so quickly." I would venture to guess that will be a better person than he could ever become.
couple; leaving oh, so much room for questionable
in 99% of cases, these "runaway husbands" Think about good people and their actions. You
behavior. Somehow, their moral code allows
emotionally left the marriage a long time before are good. Think about you, and let him go. (This
for this irrationality. Is this supported through
they physically left. That’s what my therapist is what I am trying to do and am sometimes
media (TV, movies, magazines), 'boys night out',
told me and it's the same thing I have read in successful.) You can't expect an unreasonable
the "me" mentality or parents' role modeling? I
numerous books on divorce recovery. It is going person to think reasonably. If he did, his actions
agree, the more distance between involvement
to take a lot longer for those of us who were left would be different. His actions are indefensible
in church, community, and family activities, the
to "catch up" with that on an emotional level. to normal thinking people, and I feel for you and
greater likelihood of the straying eye and genitals.
Basically, the best way to work through this is to understand how it makes you crazy. You’re not
The crux appears to fester in their insecurities;
put the focus on yourself and stop pondering the alone. I tell myself that his bizarre justification
am I still a good catch (communications, sexual
whys and wherefores of what the ex's did. That, is the only way he can tell himself that what he
performance, risks and challenges)? when a
too, is a process and therapy and counseling will is doing is ok. I can't control what others do or
marriage is comfortable (stale?), rather than
help. I can tell you that it took me a couple of what they think, only my actions, and I just have
attempts to restore enthusiasm, bonding,
years after the divorce from hell was finally final to move on. If you keep thinking about them, you
adventure, men are more likely to look elsewhere
to reach the point where the ex isn't even a blip will drive yourself crazy! Be good to yourself, and
(greener grass). That invested energy is expended
on the radar screen of my life anymore. Be patient obsessing over them is not being good to yourself.
outside the home. What the "other women"
with yourself and gentle with yourself. As long as I’m rooting for you and all going through this.
ignores is if he'll do it to us, he will eventually do
you sit there comparing what he is doing to where
it to her!
you are in the process, you are holding yourself A lot of times men get involved in being with
back. I am living, breathing proof that there is life a woman too soon, after he is divorced or not
Men are very different from women. They are
after divorce, and also testimony to the fact that divorced, or he is cheating. But this relationship
not as relational, emotional or sentimental as we
you can find a loving and healthy relationship will not last with this woman, because he is still
are. It’s just the way the brains are constructed.
after the ripe old age of 45! Take heart, girls! Tell caring the hurt from you into this relationship,
They are much more detached than we are. So,
yourself: "something wonderful will happen for time and time again, I have seen it happen. Not
the only thing that would keep a man from leaving
me, I just have to get through the muck and the that it would make us feel better if this happens,
a relationship he was not necessarily happy
mire first!" but we must learn this for ourselves, to not "jump"
in anymore would be a personal moral code
that he was taught probably early on to fulfill into a relationship too quickly because it could
There is no logic for the "how could they just happen to us as well. As I said before get time
his commitments. Fewer and fewer men these
walk out on a wife and kids", they just do. It is to know yourself and learn to love yourself first
days are taught such a code since we've moved
happening at an alarming rate and you would before trying to bring another person into your
farther and farther away from God in our culture,
think they would learn by seeing there friends life. Look in the mirror and say I love that person
therefore, we are reaping the results of this
ruin there lives but they just don't. I think it’s a and will learn more about myself every day as
harvest of self-centeredness.
combination of men missing the moral/ethical hard as it is to be alone. God bless every woman
chip in their brain and what’s on TV and going on who is going through this.
I really don't believe these men are moving on
in society. It’s getting to the point where their bad
(I know mine isn't); he's more like a hamster on
behavior is accepted, or even expected. I guess Anonymous
one of those little wheels. He jumped from our
women just have to decide how they will handle it
relationship to another, and he's going to make the
if and when it happens to them.
same mistakes. My dad jokes and says it's like my
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 42

THE SIMPLE LITTLE

THINGS WE MISS
My soon-to-be ex-wife is a perfect example of a woman who tried to please
and only needed the little things to make her happy. Most important, she
wanted me to listen, but I didn’t.

L
ife can be so horrible at times, but everything happens for a reason.
work or fail, but the man is considered by most the leader of the household. In
That is the belief I carry and probably most of you as well. It’s that
other words, family members feed off his happiness or unhappiness and use
belief in life we learn from and try to come to terms with events and
that emotion as the foundation. Women are different. Most keep quiet with
situations to offer ourselves peace and hope.
their emotions, wants and needs until ultimately things blow up and the slow
downfall begins.
With the exception of death and taxes….kwanza with the introduction of the
new NHIF rate, horrible situations can be avoided if we see the little things
My soon-to-be ex-wife is a perfect example of a woman who tried to please
that ultimately lead up to the big thing. My story is a perfect example of a
and only needed the little things to make her happy. Most important, she
horrible situation that could have been avoided if I only saw the little things.
wanted me to listen, but I didn’t. All the signs were given to me, but in my mind
I thought it didn’t matter enough to consider as I worked constantly thinking
Growing up I had the misfortune of learning to adapt too many different
I was doing the right thing.
fathers in my life. My mother (God rest her soul in Peace) worked day and
night to support our large family. What gave her comfort was always having
This progression soon turned to bitterness and resentment as my wife finally
a man around which ultimately ended in a contentious break up with all of
gave up. I begged and pleaded realizing my mistakes, but it was too late.
us kids witnessing this from the front row.
Someone else has come into her life and offered her what she wants and needs.
Is this a rebound on her part? Perhaps. Is this just a fill-in from a woman who
One thing I did observe during all of this turmoil was how it could have been
begged for time and an ear to listen? Indeed so. The scenarios are endless, but
prevented. My little mind saw every grim detail that led to the demise of my
simple little things could have been provided to avoid this life-altering event.
mother’s relationships. I knew (or at least I thought I did) was to use that
knowledge for the person I would eventually marry. I only wanted to do it
Simple communication on each other’s wants and needs are the key that
once and use my experiences as a template for what not to do and create the
could have saved this and probably millions of marriages as well. You could
ultimate family life of stability, but I was wrong.
love each other to death, but if one person is crying out and the other is not
listening, the results over time are devastating. Unfortunately, there is a flock
My wife of almost twenty years has left and the situations of my mother’s
of listeners just waiting in the wings to scoop up individuals like my wife and
past had nothing to do with this sad scenario. Most important, it was the
offer the world.
little things I missed that turned her away.
By: Fred K
Granted, this situation is never one sided. It takes two to make a marriage
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
The only difference between
these drivers and the grenade
hurling youth is that the drivers
have not rolled off the highway
OURS IS A
LAWLESS
SOCIETY...
I
t is quarter to ten in downtown Nairobi, the
crazy traffic has eased up with still a few people
trying to catch a bus or matatu home.
Suddenly the scene changes, a matatu drives fast
and carelessly, suddenly stopping in the middle of
an intersection on the Tom Mboya - Ronald Ngala
streets. The matatu has blaring music, its horn
is on permanent hoot mode, the neon lights are
sparkling in the dark changing from red to green
to yellow to white. All the while, tens of young
men in the matatu are screaming and shouting at
anything and everything, sticking their bodies out
of the windows yelling all sorts of gibberish.
I soon realize it is a new matatu ... "Fresh from the
kitchen" they say ... It is called "nasty" the name
displayed all around in different sizes alongside
colorful graffiti. It is being presented to the city-
the world for the very first time ... People must
celebrate the new mathree!
Suddenly another matatu drives and stops right
in front of the matatu of the moment - a terrible
mistake. It is visibly an older one, less colorful but
playing equally loud Jamaican dancehall music. It
is trying to weave its way through traffic that has
now piled up thanks to the blocked intersection.
A group of youth quickly jump off the new bus
and block the old matatu's way. It is a huge sin to
block the fresh new matatu's grand entry ... In all
its magnificence and splendor!
The youth now agitated rough up the driver and
his assistant tout letting him know that he ought
to have observed and "better recognize"! It gets
nasty, curses are exchanged, fingers are shown,
hands are thrown ... The driver realises it could
get worse. He quickly speeds off on the wrong
side of the road almost hitting the youth in the
process. He suddenly breaks as he comes head on
with oncoming traffic. He swerves further right,
on to the pavement, then takes a wrong turn on
a one way street. He drives really fast through
| 43
the narrow streets, reappears on the other side
and speeds off while increasing the volume of
the already super loud music. He stops down the
street to pick up more passengers though it clearly
looks full. It is a forty seater matatu.
There is absolutely no difference between the
driver and the loud youth in the new ride, the
driver speeding off precariously fast on the wrong
side of the road carrying excess passengers, and
the gun trotting - grenade hurling radicalized
youth carrying out terror attacks.
We shudder when shown images of Kenyans lying
face down in the middle of nowhere (as that is
how we all perceive Mandera to be) with their
heads blown off, but view as near normal when
matatus and even private car users break the law
so blatantly reigning terror on our city roads.
The only difference between these drivers and the
grenade hurling youth is that the drivers have not
rolled off the highway as yet killing all on board.
Ours has become a society that has no regard for
the rule of law. From the top leadership down to
our family set ups, breaking the law has become
the norm and it is bound to be worse with the
younger generation fast learning and perfecting
our ways case in point the “Gaza boys” that
whimsically terrorized residents of Kayole estate
for quite a while.
From stripping women in public, to defrauding
church faithful, taking and offering bribes,
grabbing land at will, killing extra-judicially to
name but a few examples, we as a society have
made a sport out of breaking the law.
We are a lawless society and until we appreciate
the role of law in society, until we recognize the
value of the rule of law, it will only get worse.
By Bemih Kanyonge
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 44

GAYISM
AMONG THE KENYAN YOUTHS
It is an undisputed fact, that homosexuality doesn’t cut it for
Africans. It is regarded as one of the most despicable and
biggest sin known to mankind. As a matter of fact, nothing
arouses African rage like homosexuality. And this is somehow
understandable.

I
trends and the associated ideologies are important sources of popularity,
mean, geez, it’s like a damned fashion trend. Coming out of the closet
and individuals may be ridiculed and ostracized for not conforming. The
these days is like saying you just bought a new pair of shoes. "OMG!
'metrosexual' trend is an example of heterosexual youth who bow to the
Good for you, you should be so proud of yourself. So...do you pitch or
homosexual fashion but do not go as far as participating in immorality. I find
catch?" Then you hear in the news gays and lesbians talking about
it really sad that kids feel like they need to be something that they aren't
how they have overcome so much oppression...pa-lees!!! Oppression
just so they can fit in. I know that every kid does something at one point or
from what, not like you were forced to be Gay.
another trying to fit in but being gay is very different than wearing your hair
or clothes a certain way. Being gay isn't something that you should be simply
Think of your ten BFF’s (best friends forever): the person you grab a drink
because everyone else is.
with, tell all your secrets, get high with and have been there for some of the
It really feels like the future generations are losing their innocence at a
best nights of your life. You've probably known some of them since primary
younger age.
school, and probably had sleepovers with, when you were kids -- well, the
truth is at least one of them is gay. If you were reading this article ten years
It is an undisputed fact, that homosexuality doesn’t cut it for Africans. It is
ago, that fact would have probably hit you like a ton of bricks, and less like the
regarded as one of the most despicable and biggest sin known to mankind.
gentle thud you probably felt immediately after reading this today.
As a matter of fact, nothing arouses African rage like homosexuality. And
You know you know gay people and you realize by now that they're all around.
this is somehow understandable. Africa is a very conservative continent at
You've been out on rev, during sport events, music concerts and even during
least hypocritically speaking. From North to South, East to West; socially
religious events together with them. Whatever your religious beliefs or take
controversial issues are discussed in secrecy and in low tones. Additionally,
on them, we, as the impossible to define bunch, known as the Generation Y
religion plays tremendous role in the lives of African people. Africans are
AKA Masmarta, have become increasingly cool with our gay brothers and
“notoriously religious.”
sisters. We've ditched "no homo" for "yeah, bro/siz" when hanging with our
openly gay friends, and we're civilized enough to know that the "F" word
makes us look even more absurd than when a crazy white throws the "N"
word around after three drinks in a black neighborhood.

How did we get here? The answer is one that is only going to make most of
our high school English teachers continue to curse our love of shiny things
over books: Television programs, music videos, movies and of course the
internet. When we were kids, the idea of a boy and a girl making out in public
was un-imaginary leave alone homosexuality. But today….mmmm….we even
find parents asking their 5 year old kids…..dame yako leo yuko?

Gayism has become popular because the mainstream media has managed
to work the issue of "Gay Rights" into the minds of the general public,
constantly bombarding people with liberal thoughts of acceptance and
tolerance. Oppression of other (real) cultures throughout history has guilt-
tripped society into believing that we should be accepting of everyone. Don’t
fall for it. It is important to maintain your moral standing, if something is
wrong its wrong, we all know its wrong, and we should teach our children
that its wrong. Maybe one day we will all come to our senses.

Many youth are pressured into adopting homosexual behaviours and traits
by the desire to fit in, or be 'cool,' and to conform to behaviors that their
peers consider acceptable. Television programs also cultivate a myth that
homosexual style is a desirable fashion. Among impressionable youth, fashion
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
That’s probably why most Africans including presidents are vehemently
opposed to president Obama’s trumpet call to decriminalize homosexuality.
However, Obama’s call resonates with many me being one of them. But first,
let me be abundantly clear. I do not support homosexuality because am a
Christian and my faith renounces it. But from human rights perspective,
every sinner and saint deserve the most basic rights the Constitution can
guarantee.
Unfortunately, many people across the continent of Africa are up in arms
against President Barack Obama’s trumpet call for decriminalization of
homosexuality. Senegalese president was the first to repudiate president
Obama. He said his country “isn’t ready” yet. The leader of the Catholic
Church in Kenya cardinal John Njue protested against Obama’s call: “Let him
forget, forget and forget.” Njue asserted.
Yet, Obama wasn’t speaking as a priest or bishop. He was speaking as a
president of the United States. Presidents take oath of office to protect and
defend the constitution in which basic human rights for both sinners and
saints are enshrined. Unfortunately, some societies do consciously conspire
to promulgate constitutions that frown upon fundamental human rights.
Take East African country of Uganda. The parliament put all options on table
including death penalty for homosexuals.
In kenya The Kenyan Penal Code stipulates that:
162. Unnatural offences
Any person who—
(a) has carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature; or
(b) has carnal knowledge of an animal; or
(c) permits a male person to have carnal knowledge of him or her against
the order of nature, is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for
fourteen years:
Provided that, in the case of an offence under paragraph (a), the offender
shall
be liable to imprisonment for twenty-one years if—
(i) the offence was committed without the consent of the person who was
carnally known; or
(ii) the offence was committed with that person’s consent but the consent
was obtained by force or by means of threats or intimidation of some kind,
or by fear of bodily harm, or by means of false representations as to the
nature of the act.
| 43
163. Attempt to commit unnatural offences
Any person who attempts to commit any of the offences specified in section
162 is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for seven years.
165. Indecent practices between males
Any male person who, whether in public or private, commits any act of gross
indecency with another male person, or procures another male person to
commit any act of gross indecency with him, or attempts to procure the
commission of any such act by any male person with himself or with another
male person, whether in public or private, is guilty of a felony and is liable to
imprisonment for five years.
Truth be told, although Africa claims to be a religious continent, disconnect
between faith versus action is sickening to say the least. Whereas religion
is interwoven in African life style, corruption, hate between ethnic groups,
nepotism, tribalism, gap between rich and poor, lack of philanthropy and
lack of compassion to the disenfranchised ones is rapidly breeding in
contravention of the tenets of religion.
Hypocritical approach to religion in Africa raises a moral concern.
Although Africa claims to be pious, our religion seems to be dead. We have
collectively failed the test of morality. Lest we forget, all sins are equal
before God. Homosexuality is despicable as is adultery, corruption, ethnic
hatred and nepotism among others sins. Pointing a finger against one
“sin” of homosexuality goes against God’s universal standard of judgment.
Besides, if we hated corruption and theft of public resources like we hate
homosexuality, Africa would be a heaven here on earth.
Which begs one question; can we criminalize fornication, adultery or
lack of compassion for the poor? Obviously we can’t. Those are moral
not legal issues. We cannot legislate morality. Morality or lack thereof is
a compelling question that will be asked by God and answered by each
individual. Homosexuality shouldn’t attract legal penalties like jail or
death sentence. It falls under a moral obligation. That’s why as a self-
proclaimed lover of justice, I echo president Obama’s message to African
countries. Decriminalize homosexuality. But for those who are engaging
in this immoral act be warned it is a criminalized activity in Kenya and if
arrested you are likely to face a jail term of not less than 7 years.
By TBM & Jacktone Ambuka
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 46

LANDLORDS
BEWARE
TENANTS
TAKECARE!

W
hile both the landlord and the tenant are aware that they have certain rights when an oral
excused by the tenant's egregious conduct.
or written rental agreement has been established, in many cases neither party is aware of
However, the fact that the tenant didn't pay
what those rights are. When questions involving rights and duties arise that is when each
rent, left the property a mess, verbally abused
party starts outsourcing for information from friends and “wanna-be” lawyers, which in
the manager, or otherwise acted outrageously
many a times turn out to be very misleading.
will not be a valid defense and in fact, a
Disputes between landlords and tenants over failure to honor responsibilities are very common in Kenya.
landlord may well end up on the wrong end of
I am sure we have all had a dispute with our Landlords/ Tenants or atleast know someone close, who
a lawsuit for trespass, assault, battery, slander
has. For instance, most tenants in Nairobi’s Eastlands areas have fallen prey to landlords who serve them
or libel, intentional infliction of emotional
eviction notices when asked to repair dilapidated premises. Some tenants are forced put up in deplorable
distress, and wrongful eviction. Defending
conditions, overflowing sewers and leaking roofs and promptly pay rent without question. There are
this lawsuit will cost far more than evicting
cases even where verbal exchanges have degenerated into brawls between tenants and landlords in
the tenant using legal court procedures.
residential and commercial premises.
Landlords or property managers who are
Some tenants in middle-class and up-market areas also have contentions with property owners who fail
tempted to take the law into their own hands
to honour tenancy agreements and vice versa. Many tenants are at the mercy of the landlords because
to force or scare a troublesome tenant out
they overlooked the importance of signing tenancy or lease agreements before they moved in. Such
of the property should heed the following
landlords have a leeway to increase rent with impunity and even threaten the tenant with eviction without
advice: Don't do it! Shortcuts such as threats,
notice. Other landlords resort to bullying tactics like disconnecting electricity and water, and involving
intimidation, utility shutoffs, or attempts to
auctioneers. It should be known that this is illegal and if reported the landlord can be punished. One such
physically remove a tenant are illegal and
example is the ruling delivered by the Business Premises Rent Tribunal sitting in Kisii sometime last year
dangerous. So, although the eviction process
which ordered a landlord not to collect rent for seven months. The landlord had barred his tenant from
can often entail considerable expense and
accessing the premises after a rent conflict. The landlord was further ordered not to harass the tenant by
delay, consider it the only legal game in town
closing the premises. This is just one of the cases where landlords have been denied powers to arbitrarily
The law forbids "self-help" evictions and
control their premises.
also imposes penalties for landlords who
break the law. When tenants sue after being
Sadly, as the economic crisis continues wages stagnant and living costs increase, budgets are stretched
locked out or frozen out, they can not only
and bill payments are missed or delayed. Most official advice to tenants is to make the rent payments
sue for their actual money losses (such as the
a priority expense and pay these first. However a growing number of tenants are not adhering to this
cost of temporary housing, the value of food
advice as they believe private landlords especially, are in a weaker position to demand money compared
that spoiled when the refrigerator stopped
to companies who can cut off the services following non payment, school fees, electricity, water, etc.
running, or the cost of an electric heater when
Under no circumstances should you as a landlord be drawn in to a bitter row with your tenant(s),
the gas was shut off), but they can also sue for
however annoyed you may be (or how much rent is outstanding), it is important that you remain calm
penalties, such as several months' rent. In some
and act reasonable. Harassing your tenant(s) could land you into problems as illustrated above (the Kisii
cases, the tenant can collect and still remain
case) which might result into even more losses. When dealing with rent arrears you need to act quickly,
in the premises; while in other cases, tenants
both to stop the debt spiraling out of control, where it can never be repaid, and also to make sure that
may be awarded monetary compensation
the tenant knows you will not let debts mount up. The tenant needs to be made aware that if they want
only. Landlords who lock out their tenants
to avoid court action, then they need to resolve the situation with either a full or partial payment. Some
or break into their homes and remove their
tenants use the ‘next week’ line, and promise to pay, but never quite manage to! So if you have already
belongings, often find themselves sued over
had a series of excuses, then unfortunately you need to accept that it’s unlikely any of these are going to
the "disappearance" of their tenant's valuable
materialize and the best advice is to plug your losses, and the sooner this process is started the sooner
possessions. The tenant will claim they
you can get new paying tenants in your property. Even if you don't have a formal tenancy agreement in
were lost or taken when the landlord locked
place, you can still evict the tenant.
them up or removed them. Using a neutral
law enforcement officer to enforce a judge's
As any experienced landlord will attest, there are occasional tenants who do things that are so outrageous
eviction order will avoid these unpleasantries.
that the landlord is tempted to bypass normal legal protections and take direct and immediate action to
protect the property. For example, after a tenant's repeated destructive behavior, a landlord may consider
For a landlord to properly and legally evict a
changing the locks and putting the tenant's property out in the street. Or, a landlord who is responsible
tenant from a rental property, the landlord
for paying the utility charges may be tempted to simply not pay the bill in the hopes that the resulting
must follow many procedures to the letter
lack of water, gas, or electricity will hasten a tenant's departure.
of the law. First, a landlord must provide an
Such landlords who often take matters into their own hands tend to think that their behavior will be
eviction notice to the tenant and provide the
necessary details in the notice as specified by
state or county laws. Depending upon the type
of eviction notice, the tenant may be given an
opportunity to fix whatever wrong there was
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
and remain in the rental property. However, if
the tenant does not cure the defect, the landlord
may be able to bring a lawsuit, called an unlawful
detainer lawsuit, to formally evict the tenant.
A tenant can be evicted for violating common law,
sometimes criminal codes or the lease agreement.
A landlord can legally evict you through formal
legal eviction proceedings called “forcible entry
and detainer.” There are generally three types of
eviction proceedings.
First, a landlord does not have to give you any
reason for termination of the lease at the end
of this period. The landlord can decide not to
renew the lease, even if you have lived there for
over 20 years, always paid the rent on time, and
have done no damage to the rental property.
However, the landlord must follow technical legal
procedures to terminate the lease. All notices
of lease termination must be in writing, signed
by the landlord or agent, and must describe the
property to be vacated. It’s noteworthy that when
you as a tenant plan to move out, you also must
give the landlord written notice within the same
time periods as above or you could be liable for
the following month's rent.
Secondly, a landlord can evict you for nonpayment
of rent any time you are behind in the rent though
he must follow technical procedures: The landlord
must serve you a written, signed notice, the notice
must give you the option to pay the rent within
three days or move out (This is sometimes called
a Three Day Pay or Quit Notice), the notice must
be written and signed and must describe the
property. You can however cure the violation
during this time period. If you do not, you still
may have a defense to the future eviction action,
or you may be able to negotiate a resolution with
the landlord.
Lastly a tenant can be evicted for violating a lease
if the clauses in the lease are legal. Some clauses,
such as the tenant's forfeiture of the entire
security deposit for damages, regardless of actual
costs, are illegal. The landlord must follow strict
procedures: The landlord must give you a written,
signed notice that the lease has been violated. The
notice must give you the option, in the alternative,
to comply with the violated lease terms within
three days, or vacate the premises; the written
notice must set forth the lease terms that the
landlord alleges have been violated; the notice
must be signed and must describe the property. It
should be noted that if you violate the same lease
terms after a written notice has been given, the
landlord may evict you without giving any further
right to comply with those terms. The landlord
must give only a three-day notice terminating the
tenancy.
Your lease can also be terminated by the landlord
at any time during the lease period if the landlord
has proof that you or your guests committed an
act or series of acts on or near the premises which
endangers the landlord or other tenants, or the
property of those individuals; or if the landlord
has proof that you or your guests committed an
act or series of acts which constitute a violent
or drug related felony. The landlord must give
you three days written notice to quit. The notice
must be dated and signed, and must describe
the property, the particular time the tenancy will
terminate, and the grounds for termination.
If eviction notices are ignored, the landlord must
go to court and file a lawsuit. The landlord must
serve a summons and complaint. They can be
served on you personally or posted on your door
(or a conspicuous place on the premises) with
a copy mailed on the same day it is filed with
the court. If the summons is posted rather than
served, the landlord can only get a judgement
for possession of the premises, not for money.
The summons must tell you to appear in court
in no less than five days. If you do not appear in
court as required, the landlord can get judgment
for possession on that day. If you do appear and
file an answer, a trial will be set and the landlord
cannot get a judgment until after the trial. Once
the landlord obtains a judgment, he or she must
wait 48 hours and then get a writ of restitution to
have the area Officer Commanding Police Station
(OCS) put you out. The OCS will usually give you
a day or two to vacate voluntarily before taking
forcible action.
Tenants facing evictions often become very
tenacious in defending their right to stay in the
property. Tenants have a multitude of defenses
available to them, any one of which may derail
your entire cause to evict the tenant. First, tenants
often argue that the eviction notice was improper
because it either did not contain the necessary
information required by law, was served
(delivered) improperly, or both. Also, tenants
often attempt to show a landlord's wrongdoings
in order to take the focus away from them and gain
sympathy from a judge. This is why it is important
to be a good landlord and never give a tenant an
opportunity to argue to stay in one of your rental
properties.
Simply put, the rules that landlords must follow
while evicting a tenant are so strict because of the
nature of the case. First, unlawful detainer suits
are much faster than almost any other type of civil
litigation, often resolving a matter in a month or
two, or even faster. The compromise for this speed
is that the landlord must be absolutely sure that
every "i" is dotted and every "t" crossed.
Lastly, in most situations, an unlawful detainer
suit is worth more to a tenant than it is to a
landlord. On the one hand, a landlord may be
losing money each month because of a tenant,
but on the other hand, if a tenant loses the case,
he or she won't have a home anymore. Because
| 47
of the sensitive nature of these cases, lawmakers
have made landlords work extra hard in order to
properly evict a tenant.
A common question usually raised by tenants is
weather landlords have a right to lock a house if
one defaulted rent payment by a month despite
the landlord holding a deposit, sometimes
equivalent to two or three months’ rent. The
common reasoning among such tenants is that
the deposit should cover for the rent and so the
proprietor need not lock the door. The answer is a
BIG YES. The owner of the property is entitled to
lock the home. One should not confuse a deposit
for rental money. The deposit is security in case of
damages and it cannot be substituted for rent and
this is a source of conflict unless the terms state
otherwise, which in most cases don’t.
Hence it is very vital that before renting any
property, a tenant has to realize that he is an
equal party with the landlord as such it is not
compulsory that he has to agree to any rental
arrangement. If possible, arrange for a walk-
through of the premises to identify any problems
that should be fixed BEFORE signing a rental
agreement. Where necessary take pictures, video
or make notes of any questionable conditions
and include provisions for repairs in the rental
agreement or in a separate written document
signed by both parties.
A landlord has the discretion to collect various
deposits, as well as some rent in advance. These
advance payments generally vary in range. You
should be careful about giving any monies in
advance unless a decision has been made to move
into the unit. A tenant who pays monies in advance
but then decides not to occupy the unit MAY NOT
be entitled to a refund. It should be stated in the
rental agreement if monies paid in advance are
non-refundable.
My advice to you is that before you sign, make
sure you thoroughly understand the terms of the
agreement. If you DON'T understand, DON'T sign
the agreement. There is no grace period allowed
for canceling a rental agreement, so if you sign,
you are bound to its terms.
Rent Tribunals dealing with residential premises
are under the Ministry of Housing with ten fully-
fledged stations countrywide. They are located
in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Nyeri,
Kakamega, Eldoret, Embu, Garissa and Lamu. Any
tenants can seek injunctions restraining landlords
from levying distress, attaching and selling their
property. Tenants can also enter into agreements
with landlords on the mode of payment of the
arrears and maintain the premises.
By: TBM
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 48

WHAT HAS
JUA (BABA
CALI YAO)
BEEN UP TO?
T
he leaves are falling, and to true hip hop
There was a story ran by a certain blog late last
heads, that can only mean one thing: it’s
year alleging that you and Nonini had been engaged
time to start stockpiling hot beats for the
in a fierce fight near Norfolk Hotel opposite KBC
coming season. If you want to keep your
offices…would you wish to shade light on those
fire burning no matter the weather, then you need
allegations?
look no further than pulling out any of Jua Cali’s
Ha ha ha hio ni story ha ha....
C.D and listen to it at high volume.
In an exclusive interview with The Bridge
How many albums have you sold so far?
magazine’s own MC PHILLIPO, Jua Cali walks with
3 Albums
us on the BRIDGE to discuss what he has been up
to of late and what to expect from him in 2015.
What are the challenges currently facing local
artists?
Jua Cali has been missing in action from the local
There isn’t enough support from the government
scene of late why is that?
in terms of protection. We need protection from
Jua Cali has not been missing in action and
piracy, protection from rogue media etc.
anyone who insinuates that then is not in touch
with the happenings in the entertainment
How can these issues be addressed?
industry
Laws have to be passed to guarantee the industry
a healthy environment.
Are you currently working on any project?
I am currently working on my yet to be titled
What is happening to Genge music? There are no
4th Album. I will release it before the year ends
new releases of late?
Here we have a lean team now so we are releasing
How has being a family man affected your music
music at our own pace.
career?
Being a family man has made me get more
Why are artists moving away from Calif records?
focused on my career. It has made me work
Due to unprofessionalism on the artist’s part, we
extra hard and put in extra hours so as to feed
are not renewing their contracts thus they are
my family.
moving to other record labels or going freelance.
It has been alleged that most funs are moving
Apart from music what else do you engage in?
away from artists who deal in rap and ragga in
Music related business...we hire out sound and
favor for artists who sing, how true is that?
canters for road shows.
That’s not true actually rappers are still doing
more shows than singers.
The rate of crime and drug intake among the youths
is at an alarming rate what’s your advice to them?
Are you also planning to change your style so as to
Don’t do drugs!!! Avoid bad company.
fit to the current trend?
I am not planning to change my style anytime
To upcoming artists what’s your advice to
soon. My style is all weather trends come and
them?
go.
Be passionate about music and do music
for the love of it and not for fame.
How comes that most local artist cannot sell
beyond our boarders?
When choosing to sign an artist to your
Investors have not invested in the local music
label, what qualities do you look for?
industry so no cash to push our music beyond
We look for the 'it' factor.
a certain point.
Any final words for your funs
Has gospel taken over from secular music?
out there?
Gospel has not taken over. The cake is big so
To my fans keep on
everyone is getting his/her own share.
supporting Genge and
Local music.
Most artists are now turning to gospel are they
really genuine or is it just business?
By: TBM
Music is business but kuna artist genuine
katikati yao.
RUTH MATETE
URBAN GOSPEL ARTIST
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
H
onest, bold, courageous fearless,
beautiful and definitely powerful
voice…..these are just some of the words
that come to mind when referring to
gospel artist, Ruth Matete. She is no stranger to
many especially lovers of Gospel music and the
reality TV show competition Tusker Project fame.
She emerged victorious in the fifth season of the
Tusker Project Fame reality show competition
and bagged 5 millions Kenya Shillings plus a one
year Recording Contract. The singer went M.I.A
from the limelight following her triumphant win,
which subsequently led to a variety of rumours
from the media including speculations of a mental
breakdown and squandering of her money. She
however emerged later on to clear the air about all
those rumours and rightfully stated that whatever
she did with her winnings was up to her.
This western born and Eastlands raised singer/
songwriter and Worship leader at House of Grace
Church, is on a mission from God to help heal the
youth of Kenya through her extremely futuristic
style of music. The Bridge Magazine had the
pleasure of speaking with Ruth and what a true
blessing it really was.
TBM: What’s your stage name
RM: I use my actual names as my stage name……
Ruth Matete
TBM: When were you born?
RM: I was born on 16th Feb 1986 two days after
Valentines Day
TBM: What’s your hometown/
RM: My home town is Kakamega
TBM: Marital Status & Children?
RM: I am as single as an egg yoke and no
children.
TBM: How was your childhood like?
RM: My parents separated after they had me.
I first stayed with my mother in Kakamega
and moved to Nairobi when I was 8 years old.
My mum became sickly and so she sent me to
Nairobi to stay with my dad. Sadly, she later
passed on. Since then, it has been my dad and I.
TBM: How was it when you first arrived in “The
City in the Sun?”
RM: Believe you me it was not easy, coz when
I first arrived, the only language I knew was
my mother tongue (Luhya) because I had not
been to school. I therefore had to start from
scratch learning proper English and Swahili……
but as you can see I was able to master the two
languages. I must agree it was challenging but
my dad was supportive and walked me through
it.
TBM: Which schools did you go to?
RM: I went to Dr. Kraph Primary School for class
one till two. I then joined Uhuru primary school
from class 3 to 8. High school I went to Maasai
Girls School for form one then transferred to
St. Paul Erusui in Tiriki, for form 2 to 4. After
High School I joined Daystar and study mass
communication and media studies.
TBM: Tell us more about you i.e. how would you
describe Ruth Matete?
RM: It’s always hard to describe one self. I
will say in a nut shell that I am a Sanguine
melancholy. That's the best description I can
give for now.
TBM: How did your interest in music start?
RM: My interest in music was discovered by
my dad at the tender age of 8. And it has been
growing as the days go by as he has kept
mentoring everyday till now.
| 50
TBM: Are you signed to any record label?
RM: I am not signed with any record label at
the moment. Was once signed with Universal
records from South Africa but it was just for
one year. And with them we recorded an album
which is out. It’s titled MOTO…you should
sample it.
TBM: I already have and must say it’s on point like
a dot.
RM: Gracious.
TBM: Who then produces your music?
RM: So far it’s just the album that I have done,
and all the music was produced by R-Kay.
TBM: How would you describe your music?
RM: My kind of music is what I’d call AfroRhumba
TBM: The Gospel industry is a bit overcrowded
at the moment, how do you intend to set yourself
apart and ensure you stand out?
RM: Well, setting myself apart? Hhmmm…...
I can just be me….can’t be by myself. We are
all unique in our own ways as God created us.
So if we can stop copy pasting n doing things
as others do it, then we shall be different and
unique.
TBM: Why gospel and not R’N’B or soul music?
RM: Gospel because am saved and being saved
I can only do music that comes from my heart,
music that will inspire, encourage or transform
someone's life. The bible says that out of the
abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.
So I keep reading the word of God, my heart is
filled more with God's word. And it's that word
that I will give out in form of song or music.
TBM: What’s the biggest crowd you have
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
performed in front of and where?
RM: Biggest crowd I have performed to must be
the recent Groove party 2014 on 31st December
in Nairobi, Kenya.
TBM: You have just released your first album take
us through it i.e. challenges faced, what inspired
you, etc
RM: My first album is just a journey through my
life and of the things God has done for me.
TBM: Tell us about the moment when you decided
that music was something that you wanted to do
with your life.
RM: Well I never actually decided. It just came.
I found myself singing in places, getting into
competitions and winning and with time I
realized that I was not just doing it for the
money but for the joy I got from doing it. And
even if I wanted to stop doing it, I don't think
it would work. It just comes out naturally. I
can't help it. Music is my life. Take music away
from me and you'd have killed me. That’s why I
always say…Music is Love, Love is Music, Music
is life, and I love my life.
TBM: Being a praise and worship leader at your
church, is all the music you make gospel or do you
do other kinds as well?
RM: I am strictly gospel.
TBM: How did it feel like when you were recording
your first album and how is the response to the
album so far?
RM: It felt very good doing my first album,
exciting and I felt a feeling of accomplishment
because I had been dreaming to do that for a
very long time. The response is good and I thank
God for that.
TBM: Talk us through your hit song ‘Yesu mi
Nakupenda?
RM: It’s called Nakupenda and it’s the first video
I did. It is as simple as me expressing my crazy
love for God and I am very glad to see how many
of my fans have accepted it.
TBM: How do you plan to Market your album?
RM: Well, there are people who help me in doing
marketing for my music and Ruth Matete as a
whole.
TBM: Did you work with any other artist in the
album? If not why and do you intend to work with
other artists in the near future?
RM: In my album “MOTO”, I never worked with
any artiste I sang all the songs solo though
some songs were written by other people. But
in the near future I definitely want to work with
other artistes.
TBM: What has been the best moment and worst
moment of your career?
RM: The best moment of my career was when I
released my first video. . Aaww! It was a-dream
come true for me. My worst moment…. hhmm….
can't really tell because all our disappointments
come to teach us something. So I can’t really call
them worst moments….I call them challenging
moments….. And they have been a couple (with
a cheeky smile)
TBM: What do you think is the biggest
misconception about gospel artists?
RM: The biggest misconception about gospel
artistes in my view is that most of us are in here
for the money and fame. But truth is some of us
are doing gospel because it’s what we live. We
wouldn't survive in any other place. We do it
for God's glory.
TBM: So do you have any hidden talents?
RM: Hehehe……cooking
TBM: There have been several stories going on
around about you; do you wish to clear the air on
| 51
the same?
RM: There have been a lot of stories going on
about me, but the Bible reminds me that God is
my justifier, and vengeance belongs to Him. In
His own time He vindicates those that wait on
Him.
TBM: What can you tell your fans who have not
yet listened to your album to expect from the said
album, and how is it different from other albums
currently in the market?
RM: To my fans, who have not listened to the
music in my album, try and get the album.
I am sure one or two songs will catch your
attention…..what I can say is that it is unique.
TBM: Any last word for your fans….
RM: To my fans. Thank you so much for your
support. Advice: Put God first and keep your
head up. No matter what.
Well I never actually decided.
It just came. I found myself
singing in places, getting into
competitions and winning
and with time I realized that
I was not just doing it for the
money but for the joy I got
from doing it.
FERRE GOLA
RUMBA ZONE:
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
D
espite our taste for English
premier league, Brazilian
soap operas and American
action flicks, most Kenyans
continue to prefer music produced
and sung by the Congolese. With
its distinctive Afro-Cuban roots,
Congolese rumba, like Jamaican
reggae, is immediately recognizable.
You can pretty much tell if a song
is Congolese within the first ten
seconds or so, regardless of whether
it was recorded 50 years ago or last
week. That said, the Congolese music
scene has come a long way from the
days of Tabu Ley Rochereau, Mbilia
Bel and Papa Wemba. Today we are
going to look at one artist who is
currently making shock waves.
Born in Kinshasa in the town of
Kintambo, Hervé Gola AKA Ferre
Gola is one artist who possesses
exceptional artistic qualities. With
his charming voice and melancholy,
this artist has the power to captivate
the ear drum of music lovers all
over the world. In addition to being
a good singer, he is also the author
of "Sens interdit" and can also play
the piano. That is what makes him a
complete musician.
Bataringé Hervé Gola was born on
3rd of March 1976 in Kinshasa,
and is the 2nd child in a family of 4
men (Thierry, him, Guy and Orly the
youngest of them). He grew up in
Kinshasa but during the holidays he
would travel to Congo (his mother’s
home). His mother Mama Marie
Makiese was in the same Association
(Chama) with the mother of
would be future artists Jean Pierre
Butukondolo aka Jipson and Jean
| 53
Bedel Mpiana aka J.B Mpiana.
In his childhood, he had several role
models: Pepe Kalle and his Empire
Bakuba, King Kester and his Victoria
Eleison, Franco and T.P. Ok Jazz and
Carlyto Lassa. He used to walk for
several kilometers just to have a
sight of them in live concerts and
even though he was punished at
home because of that he kept doing
it.
His first contact with music as a
singer was in a street group with
the likes of Rio kazadi, his brother
Alba and Pascal Mavita (guitarist
in Wazekwa's band Cultura Pays
Vie) who were his close neighbours.
He later started going to church
with his mother where he joined
the church choir and in no time
he learned to sing with the use of
proper instruments. His mother
made it clear to him that singing was
not his future job but just something
he could do in his spare time.
Apart from singing at church, he
continued playing music on the
streets and replaced Tutu Caludji
in the group Staff London after
Tutu left to join the band Promise
Musica which later became Wenge
Musica. Ferre became lead singer
of Staff London alongside the likes
of Gentamicine Lisimo, Biva Ray,
Fiston Zamuangana Savimpi and
some other less known musicians.
He later moved from the area of
Kasavubu to Bandal, where he
joined the group Rumba des Jeunes
with Fiston Savimpi. It was at
Rumba des Jeunes that he edged
closer to professional music as they
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
performed as curtain raisers for bigger groups like
Defao's Big Stars and also Wenge Musica.
In 1995, before a Wenge Musica 4x4 Tout Terrain
concert, they performed in a little face-to-face
show with New City de La Bogania the group of
his future rival Fally Ipupa and the likes of Chikito
of Les PPU, Djino Equalizer etc. It was after that
concert that Savimpi who was spotted by Didier
Masela was then introduced him to Werrason and
was given the opportunity to join Wenge Musica……
Ferre joined them two weeks later the same day
as renowned mbonda player and drummer Seguin
Mignon, at a holiday fair under the guidance of
Werrason and JB Mpiana, despite rumours that
they did not like each other.
A
t that time Ferre was still a raw talent,
rather shy, still learning how to maintain
his voice in shape for a whole concert,
and also from his own confession a bad
dancer. His most popular appearance while in
Wenge Musica was at the official Pentagone album
presentation concert at studio Mama Angebi
where he performed as an atalaku-activity leader/
organizer, replacing Tutu Caludji who was on
suspension.
One year later when conflicts appeared in Wenge
Musica, Hervé who had by now been ''baptised'' as
Ferré in reference to the fashion brand Gianfranco,
Ferré performed with the Wenge Musica camp
known as "Ba Japonais" comprised of Werrason,
Adolphe and Didier Masela but never in the
other Wenge Musica camp called "Bana Mindele"
comprised of JB Mpiana, Alain Makaba, Blaise
Bula, Alain Mpela etc, whereas the rest of other
In his private life Ferre is a rather calm and laid
back guy but also sometimes quite open. He has the
reputation of being short tempered and he has also
carried throughout his career an image of a guy
very stint on money.
musicians were performing with both groups.
When the Wenge Musica split finally happened,
he first tried to join the camp Wenge Bcbg led
by JB Mpiana but he was rejected by Blaise Bula
and Aimelia who were directing rehearsals in
absence of leader JB Mpiana. He then went to
Werrason and Adolphe and was accepted in
the group which came to be known as Wenge
Musica Maison Mere whom he stayed with for
seven years. Ferre was brought into the lime
light through Werrason's 1999 album Solola
Bien with his song Vita-Imana. After that they
released another album A la queue leu leu
where he stood out again with the song Victime
d’amour.
In 2004, Ferré and his friends JDT (Jus d'été)
Mulopwe and Bill Clinton Kalonji decided to
break away from Werrason's band and formed
the short-lived Les Marquis de Maison Mère.
On their album Miracles he was responsible for
three songs. The group disbanded after a while
and at the end of 2004, Ferré joined Koffi's
Quartier Latin. On their album Danger de mort
he composed the hit song Insecticide. After a
conflict with Koffi Olomide, Ferré decided to
leave and started a solo career.
Ferre first did some featuring, for instance
with the late Alpatshino on his song Déception
Luvaka, and with Doudou Copa on the song
Terre sacrée production. He also sang the song
Vie à zéro on the album Sans rature, on which
many stars collaborated.
In 2007, Ferré released his first solo album Sens
interdit. The album was quite well received and
| 54
Ferré continued to impress during concerts. He
lost it a bit when releasing a maxi-single of little
interest but came back with a second album Qui
est derrière toi? With his much awaited 2010
concert in the Zénith of Paris he reached another
career high and was even voted the best selling
artist in Congo. In the year 2012 he released
another album titled Acoustique Showcase 1789
and in 2013 yet another titled Boite Noire. He is
currently working on another album titled Qu'est
Ce Que J'avais Dit?
In his private life Ferre is a rather calm and laid
back guy but also sometimes quite open. He has
the reputation of being short tempered and he
has also carried throughout his career an image of
a guy very stint on money. His other big passion
apart from music is football, which he played at
school as a winger. He did not reach a high level
as a student, despite Mama Marie wanting him to
become a doctor or a lawyer, as he kept skipping
class because of his passion for music.
He was married from 2002 to 2013 to Sabrina,
an Algerian woman, and is a father of 12 "official"
kids but 17 in realities (he mentions some of them
like Mathias, Caprice, Melina, and Talliane). He has
openly admitted on TV, that he loves children and
would not mind having much more of them than
he already has……I guess this should be our food
for thought lol.
Ferre is loved for his sweet voice, his melodic
rumba which with he earned his nicknames Chair
de poule- creeping of the skin/goose bumps and
Jésus des nuances-shade of Jesus.
By: TBM
 THE

UNIT IS BACK
W
ell, this is a welcome surprise.
After releasing a steady stream of quality remixes--and two original
tracks--over the past few months, G-Unit now returns with their first
project since reuniting in June. Titled The Beauty of Independence and
features six brand new tracks from 50, Buck, Banks, Yayo, and Kidd.
The album's clear highlight is "Changes," which features 50 addressing his breakup
with Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine over a piano-laced instrumental

G-Unit's Even the most ardent hip-hop fans may have trouble keeping up with the drama and
accusations between 50 Cent and fellow G-Unit rappers Young Buck, Tony Yayo and
Unexpected Lloyd Banks. For years, the on-again, off-again crew has cycled between amiability
and vitriol, with 50 himself saying in April that they were officially "dismantled." But
Reunion and in June, the group reunited (alongside newest member Kidd Kidd) at the annual New
York hip-hop concert Summer Jam and began releasing new music, most notably their

Unpredictable The Beauty of Independence EP in August.

In an interview with Rolling Stone 50 is quoted saying: "My interest wasn't there for a
Future while, It took for Yayo to say things publicly to me that I didn't understand [at the time]
for me to reevaluate everything. I did so much for them that he didn't have reasoning
for it. It's not that I have a problem with them, but I know, when I assess everything
that's happened overall in my life, some people have developed unbelievable senses
of entitlement.”

"With the guys, at points, people are extremely loyal to their comfort more than their
loyalty to their friendship with you and a lot of times, people will take their feelings
out on someone who's close to them," he continues. "So the person who loves you will
do something wrong to you and say, 'I'm sorry, you know I love you.' Then I'd rather
hang out with people who don't love me."
The rapper says having to manage the group at the same time as its members' solo
careers took its toll on him, and despite past differences, "something extreme" would
have to happen for the group to break up again. "They've spent enough time on their
own to feel what that feels like," 50 says. "I'd rather everyone have their separate
people."
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
50 has already pushed back the release of his next solo album
Street King Immortal to mid 2015 to put out the next G-Unit EP
(Extended Play. Alternate word for music 'Single), The Beast Is
G-Unit. ("I didn't want to lose the momentum connected with
everyone being back together.") The crew has recorded 38 songs,
six of which will be released for Beast.
Asked the one thing he would have done differently in his past
dealings with the crew, the rapper is characteristically blunt. "I
wouldn't have built something that required me as their center,"
he says. "I would've built it so it functions on its own. When you
look at it, they've sold millions of records on their own. If they
weren't so strongly associated [with G-Unit], they'd probably have
crews under them. They didn't really have an interest in doing that
because they [already] had a strong association and had so much
fun in the position they were in at that point."
More than a decade after Get Rich or Die Tryin', the rapper, who
just finished wrapping up roles in Paul Feig's action-comedy Spy
and Antoine Fuqua's boxing film Southpaw, understands those
who would
dismiss his
Even the most ardent hip- other endeavors
hop fans may have trouble in business
film,
and
keeping up with the drama philanthropy.
and accusations "I've already
accepted that
some people
don't pay a lot
attention," says the rapper. "Those are the conservative people
who don't listen or see what's going on in their culture. The people
that are well aware of it see you move and see the transition and
they see you change into things that you experience in life. You
can't stay the same. We're like plants, man. We have to grow."
According to G-Unit lyricist Young Buck, fans of the group were
| 56
very excited about the reunion but when it concerns his fellow artists,
Buck revealed that he isn’t sure if their excitement for the reunion of
G-Unit was genuine. Joined by his fellow G-Unit members, the Nashville,
Tennessee rapper addressed the matter during an appearance on
Hartford, Connecticut’s Hot 93.1.
“I know a lot of it is not genuine…I think a lot of it really is genuine when
it comes from the fans,” Young Buck said. “From the artists, nah, I don’t
know. It’s like I didn’t see none of you dudes rooting to try to get G-Unit
back together when we were not together.”
Young Buck also spoke on being able to relate to Remy Ma since the two
artists both served prison time recently. He says he caught up with the
New York rapstress at Jeezy’s Seen It All album release party and added
that G-Unit would be willing to work with Remy.
“Actually, I seen Remy a couple of days ago at Young Jeezy’s Seen It All
album release party,” he said. “She came through and showed love. I’m
happy for Remy. It’s good to see her out here. Another female that’s
bringing that real, real to the music. You know what I’m saying? I went
away to prison myself. So, at that time she was fighting her situation
and ended up going away and I went away a little bit later…And she got
good blood over here with G-Unit. We really rock with Remy. She one-
hundred.”
With G-Unit’s The Beast Is G-Unit EP out in the market, Lloyd Banks
was asked why the group is releasing yet another EP instead of a studio
album. According to Banks, those in G-Unit are not content with merely
sitting on all the music they’ve made and would prefer to release what
they have to fans.
“We actually got another EP on the way,” Lloyd Banks said. They can
expect a whole ‘nother six records. The Beast Is G-Unit. So, The Beauty
Of Independence was just leading into what we doing now. So, we on
promo now. We gonna be hitting as many cities as we can. We want to
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 57

make sure it’s right, but at the same time this is reminiscent of the
mixtape days where we’re able to drop the content immediately. If a
situation is happening now and I’m putting [a line] together a lot of
things go as far as the business at hand. You might announce your
album in January and it might not drop til November…What this is
doing is—We don’t like to sit on music and all the music we made,
the 40 records, we done that in three weeks. So, it’s not no time to fall
in love with it. But we want something out there for the people right
now.”
Lastly, G-Unit’s newest addition, Kidd Kidd spoke on being relieved
at the reunion of G-Unit. He says now that the group is reunited
there’s no pressure and he no longer has to hear inquiries about the
whereabouts of Young Buck, Tony Yayo, and Lloyd Banks.
“I’m really happy that everybody’s back cause it released a lot of
pressure off of me,” Kidd Kidd said. “For real. Before everybody was
back, right? You had to deal with the ‘Aw man, we don’t wanna hear
him, man. Bring Banks [back]. Where’s Buck? Where is Ye?’ You feel
me…But what I really wanna put out there is I never was tryna be
nobody’s replacement, man. I’m only an addition to it.”
“The Beauty of Independence is the first half and then The Beast is
G-Unit is the second half,” reveals the Unit’s leader 50 Cent.
According to the crew, they have already recorded close to 40
songs. Six of those tracks ended up on The Beauty and apparently
another round of songs will be released on The Beast.
While 50, Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, and Kidd Kidd were
able to get back in the studio together, former G-Unit member
The Game was left out of the reunion. 50 explained why the Los
Angeles emcee was not invited back.
“I wouldn’t do that,” said 50 when asked about Game re-joining the
group. “I wouldn’t want to work with him. I did a lot for his project
in the very beginning, and it didn’t mean anything.”
By: TBM

With G-Unit’s The Beast Is G-Unit EP out in the market, Lloyd

Banks was asked why the group is releasing yet another
EP instead of a studio album. According to Banks, those in
G-Unit are not content with merely
DJ SHIQX
THE STYLUS D.J AWARDS
BEST FEMALE DEEJAY OF
THE YEAR 2014:

D
J Shiqx is one of Kenya's most in-demand DJs, playing in different
clubs around Nairobi every night with her own definitive style and
keeping the crowd on their heels through out the night a fact that has
made her one of the biggest in-demand DJs ever. Though she is best
experienced live, spinning her heart out, it is hard to convey her energy and
love of music in text, here is a conversation I had with DJ Shiqx when I paid her
a courtesy call at her work place.

TBM: For those who may not know you yet, how about a brief introduction?
SHIQX: I am Kenya’s foremost and most critically acclaimed female reggae
deejay. Yep, you heard it right, a reggae deejay. Better Yet, Kenyan Female
Deejay of the Year 2014, on the Stylus D.J Awards. Born Serah Wanjiku AKA DJ
Shiqx Kenya, "Mama Yao", The Roots Diva, The Roots Queen, The Soul Diva, The
Rhumba Queen, "Kenya One"

TBM: What led you to becoming a D.J?

SHIQX: My passion for music, and I also wanted to something different from the
norm.

TBM: At what point did you decide that this is what you wanted to spend the
rest of your life doing?
SHIQX: From when I enrolled in a DJ academy and when I got my first pay
cheque,...At seasons Bar and Restaurant.... I knew this was it.. This is what I love;
this is what I wanna do.

TBM: Being a female deejay how is the going like?

SHIQX: It’s awesome! I love everything about deejaying. It’s an interesting career.
I've been to places I never thought I'd go because of it. It’s just awesome.

TBM: Do you think that ‘deejay world’ is men's world?

SHIQX: No way! What a man can do, a woman can do it better. Plus there are no
careers for Men and women.

TBM: In your opinion is it harder for girl to become famous deejay?

SHIQX: Yes... You have to be really good at it. That means you have to work very
hard, practice, practice, practice so as to prove yourself and make your presence
felt. Always!

TBM: How long have you been a D.J?

SHIQX: I started in 2005, so this is my tenth year in the industry.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
For the last 2 years, I've been playing reggae music. Before, I was basically a freelance deejay
and used to play all sort of music. My full incursion and focus into the reggae genre started at a
Kenyan reggae sound system,
reggae sound systems,
where I currently work.
TBM: Do you have different
music to help you through
different situations?
SHIQX: Yes I do.
TBM: You are one of the
few celebrities who are
hardly in the news for
wrong reasons, what
keeps you grounded?
SHIQX: Lol... I don't know.
But that day will come.
TBM: What obstacles do
you think the youth are
facing today?
SHIQX: Lack of
employment and drugs.
TBM: Anything that can be
done to overcome those
challenges?
SHIQX: Well, I think the
government should come
up with a program, where
immediately after form
4, before the results come
out, the school leavers
enroll in a trading center
TBM: As a DJ, you obviously have to play many like the NYS
genres of music. What is your personal taste in
music? TBM: Which DJ’s out there do you look up to for
SHIQX: For the last 2 years, I've been playing inspiration?
reggae music. Before, I was basically a freelance SHIQX: Hehehe
deejay and used to play all sort of music. My
full incursion and focus into the reggae genre TBM: You were recently voted the best female DJ
started at a Kenyan reggae sound system, for the year 2014 in the Stylus DJ Awards, how did
Firehouse sounds, for a bit before moving on that feel for you?
to Dohty family sounds, one of Kenya’s premier SHIQX: It made me feel real nice coz I realized
| 59
that my hard work and efforts are appreciated
by my funs….and again I say BIG UP to ol a dem
.
TBM: The industry is very congested how do you
try to ensure you remain relevant?
SHIQX: I do my research, I don't use a play list
when am playing, instead, I do a story line.
TBM: When you were starting out as a DJ, did you
ever think you would take it this far?
SHIQX: Well, I was determined and very hard
working which I still am, and I thank God for
having brought me this far.
TBM: Do you sell any of your mix-tapes, and if yes
where can one find them?
SHIQX: Yes I do, at all the venues I work. One
can also download them on mixcrate and
reverbnation.
TBM: Who else in the industry do you think is
playing on the same level you are or even better
than you?
SHIQX: DJ Shiqx on both hahaha. I don't know to
be honest…. I don't compare myself to any one;
every DJ has their own style.
TBM: One very big problem today in nightclubs
and discotheques is using drugs by very young
people. Tell me about it, please?
SHIQX: I've never witnessed it. There's usually
very tight security also the clubs I play at have
age restrictions maybe that’s why.
TBM: Where do you see yourself 5 years from now
career wise?
SHIQX: Well, I can't say for sure, but I know
things will be different….God willing.
 | 60

TBM: If someone wanted to catch you in action,

are there any places where you play on a regular
basis?
SHIQX: Yes...
Monday-Tamasha Hurligham
Tuesday-Galileo (Westlands)
Wednesday- Cubano (Greenspan Mall)
Thursday - Klub house (K1)
Friday- Tamasha Langata
Saturday- Tamasha Nairobi West
Sunday- Florida 2000 (F2)

TBM: Besides being a DJ, what other projects are

you involved in?
SHIQX: I have an events company, Skyytracks
Entertainment Ltd, and I do a lot of gigs, Co-
operate, weddings, birthday parties’ e.t.c.

TBM: What encouraging words do you have for

the youth especially those looking for a career in
Djing
SHIQX: Never give up, be professional and
remember you are playing the music for the
crowd and not for yourself….sio kujibamba but
kuwabamba so study your crowd.

TBM: Any parting words of wisdom for those that

look up to you for inspiration?
SHIQX: Say no to drugs and to the leaders stop
giving our youth weapons of mass destruction
but instead give them tools of mass construction
to enable them achieve their dreams.
I was determined and
very hard working CONTACT INFO: Cell: +254720095740
Email: Djshiqx@yahoo.com,
which I still am, and I Facebook: Djshiqx Kenya,
thank God for having Twitter :@Djshiqx_Kenya

brought me this far. By: TBM

 THE FOUNTAIN
ENTERPRISES PROGRAMME
A
rch. Kithaka is the Founder and the vision
bearer of Fountain Enterprises Programme
(FEP). He is also the Chief Executive Office
(CEO) of FEP Holdings Limited. He holds a
Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture and Masters Degree
in Entrepreneurship from Jomo Kenyatta University of
Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). He is registered
Architect and a corporate member of Architectural
Association of (AAK). Arch. Kithaka is also a valuable
Board member in Various National and International
corporate and social institutions. In 2012, he was
nominated for the prestigious award of "TOP 40 under
40" CEOs in Kenya.
While studying architecture, Mr. John Kithaka dreamed
about becoming a billionaire. Right from the beginning,
he understood that his career would not see him realize
his vision if he chose to be employed. He had a burning
desire to create wealth and jobs. Having grown up in
poverty, John Muchira was determined to change his
fortunes and was determined to have an impact in
the society. He thus decided to start an investment
group as he sought ways to improve the quality of
lives of those around him. The Fountain Enterprise
Programme (FEP), a multimillion investment group, is
the vehicle he has used to meet his goal.
Their main goal was to bring Kenyans together and
create one of the biggest investment groups in the
East African region. FEP was started in 2002. It is a
conglomeration of 15 firms with interests in schools,
health centres, media, technology, security, insurance,
money transfer, banking, retail, real estate, hotels,
and tour and travel. Some of the companies under its
umbrella include MobiKash, Fountain Media, Fountain
Group of Schools, Fountain Sacco, Nobel Insurance
Agency, Suntec Supermarket, Fountain Credit Services,
Fountain Technologies, Fountain Safaris, Kisima Real
Estate, Nobel Insurance Agency, and Citadelle Security.
The third group of members was recruited in 2012. Each
new member was asked to contribute Kshs 10,000 within
20 months. The group then used its SACCO establishment to
diversify its portfolio by investing in ventures such as real
estate, hotels, money transfer, and insurance.
Currently with 37,000 members, the FEP companies’ and the portfolio is estimated
to worth slightly over Kshs 5 billion.
He started the venture together with 6 other like minded people, and he established
FEP as a savings and credit cooperative society. They would in the next four years
conduct research on the route to take to grow wealth. They formulated a road map
of 13 years upon which their business empire would be fully established.
In 2003, as they deliberated on how to invest, the seven friends agreed that they
would make a one-off deposit of Kshs 400,000 each and monthly contributions of
Kshs 2,000. They kept on increasing the amount as time went by. The payment of the
principal amount was spread over a period of two to three years to accommodate
those who could raise the money at once. Forty-nine people were in the first group
that paid the Kshs 400,000.
But the journey has not been rosy. For starters, Mr. Kithaka had to overcome
criticism from his fellow architects who did not see sense in what he sought to
achieve and who thought that his effort was a waste of time. Though he was a
practising architect with Arch-link International, Mr. Kithaka often spent more of
his time researching on how billionaires made their wealth rather than at drawing
building plans, a trend that got his partners concerned.
He spent four years of his life after college tracking the lives of wealthy personalities
in the world. He wanted to understand what got them to achieve what they have,
the values they hold and their journey to prosperity. And from his research, he
discovered that one way to grow wealth was by pooling resources. Throughout his
research, he had come to believe that nobody in the world is worth billions on their
own, but through the support of others, like family and business associates.
Armed with the knowledge, Mr. Kithaka launched his foundation in 2007. His goal
was to help create wealth and break the cycle of poverty in families. Mr. Kithaka
has often found it challenging to convince people to entrust him with their money.
Another obstacle is getting people to change their attitude and get them to do
extraordinary things. Many of those he comes across are pessimists who carry a
fatalistic attitude.
During this time (2007), FEP’s membership had grown to about 60 people and
each member was tasked with recruiting more people. It was agreed that all the
members would look for 50 people who could contribute Kshs 200,000 over a
period of two years. All was not smooth sailing, given that at some point the group’s
investment strategy raised eyebrows when it was accused of being a pyramid
scheme. However due to their hunger to make it big they were able to overcome
this challenges and forged on.
The third group of members was recruited in 2012. Each new member was asked
to contribute Kshs 10,000 within 20 months. The group then used its SACCO
establishment to diversify its portfolio by investing in ventures such as real estate,
hotels, money transfer, and insurance. The contributions of each member were
structured in a way that converted people’s savings into shares.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
Some companies were started afresh while others
were acquired, a practice that Mr. Kithaka says is
ideal because it is much easier than launching an
outfit from the ground. Of the 15 companies under
FEP, 12 were started from scratch and three were
acquired. FEP is now in the process of establishing
the Fountain Microfinance Bank, having received
the green light from the Central Bank of Kenya.
The plan is to eventually roll out a fully-fledged
commercial bank.
For 12 years, FPE’s focus was on building a solid
foundation for its businesses without expecting
to make a lot of profit. However it’s worth noting
that in 2013, the firm made a profit of Kshs 60
million, up from Kshs 22 million in made in 2012.
The firm projects to make at least Sh100 million
in 2014, inching closer to the Sh1 billion target in
2016.
Despite a few low moments, Mr. Kithaka is happy
with the progress he has made so far. Today, FEP
has over 3,000 investors both locally and in the
Diaspora. Its investment has continued to grow
significantly. The group is projecting that its
total investments will be at Sh100 billion in five
years. Last year, FEP broke ground on a Kshs 300
million five star developments in Central Kenya
and launched a television station, Fountain TV
towards the end of the year. They are not stopping
there. They have a vision for high end schools,
hospitals and banks among other investments.
FEP also carries out training for would- be
investors. Through its training, FEP which is
now a group of 14 companies seeks to empower
people through enterprise other than dependency
on employment. This, he says, is the turnaround
needed to take the economy forward.
FEP prosperity lies in the ability to think, design
and create innovative and permanent economic
solutions to house as many Kenyans as possible.
Although many Kenyans want to change their fate,
Mr. Kithaka blames established entrepreneurs
for hoarding their skills and expertise. This
leaves upcoming entrepreneurs with no mentors.
Entrepreneurs have often found it difficult
surviving in business, with many dropping out
when situations get out of control. Lack of proper
mentorship and research has been blamed for this
outcome. FEP hopes to see more entrepreneurs
succeed through their training. So far many are
doing well.
Upon completion of training, FEP offers
entrepreneurs two options— to either invest
in their long-term projects by buying shares or
going it alone. Many choose to invest with them
due to their clear cut investment avenues. The
FEP model of pooling resources is a mode that
has succeeded world over. Trans-Century group
is a local success story of committed investment
group. Trans-Century was founded 16 years ago
by a group of investors and professionals keen
to take up investment opportunities available
in Africa. The company opened up more
opportunities to outsiders in 2009, by offering
their shares to qualified investors in an over-the-
counter exchange. Today, the group has attracted
an even greater interest since its listing in the
Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). FPE is also in
the process of undertaking a private listing.
Looking back, Mr. Kithaka is happy with what FPE
has achieved. But he says he could not have made
it without God. Apart from investment, the group
also takes part in charity work. In 2013 they spent
Kshs13 million on education for the needy. FEP is
also involved in tree planting, housing the elderly
and paying hospital bills for the poor. His advice to
upcoming entrepreneurs on how to be successful
in business is:
Think entrepreneurial: In an era where young
people aspire to be wealthy and live in the fast
lane, Kithaka advised that there is only one way
to get there: through entrepreneurship. “We need
people who don’t think of just being a pilot but
also owning the plane; owning banks not just
being bankers; and owning the hospital instead of
becoming just doctors,” he said.
Do not go it alone: The FEP Group has 18,000
shareholders and expectations of being worth
hundreds of billions (Kenyan shillings) by 2016
when its businesses mature. Kithaka argued that
one of the biggest mistakes African entrepreneurs
do is “going it alone”, a culture he said needs to
change. “Billionaires never have a business called
‘mine’. Are you in cooperation with others such
that you can get out and that business will run
smoothly?” Kithaka said entrepreneurs should
tap the power of many and engage positively with
each other. “Great minds don’t compete, great
minds pull together,” he added.
Seize opportunities: The world’s most successful
people, whether in business or politics, have
made it because they recognised opportunities
only few could see and turned challenges into
breakthroughs. Kithaka recalled that while he
was at university, the government announced that
food prices at the university cafeteria would be
increased. “I knew for sure, students would not
be able to afford the food. I saw an opportunity
glaring. When schools reopened, I transferred a
kiosk I had in Nairobi town and brought it to the
main campus to offer students alternative food.
That was the beginning of my breakthrough. That
was a real opportunity,” he said.
Work smart: “From mathematics I know, no man
can make himself a billionaire by working hard,”
said Kithaka. “It is only by working smart that you
get there. You would need to own companies that
| 62
make billions,” he explained. Everywhere in the
world, Kithaka said, it is the poor who work very
hard and very long hours looking for money in the
wrong places.
Get into business early: Since his passion has
always been in entrepreneurship, when he
joined university, Kithaka had to make a choice
between getting a first class (equivalent to an
A) or coming out rich. “I was very sure I did not
want to be an employee and therefore I was not
keen on getting a first class. I did business while
I was in school, bought a car and even registered
my own architectural firm two years before
graduation,” he recalled. By the time he graduated,
his architectural firm had a good reputation and
work experience and he was well on his way to
establishing the FEP Group.
Invest in sustainable ideas: According to Kithaka,
if you can’t see your business or wealth 70 years
from now, then there is a problem. “You need
wisdom in what you are doing such that 70 years
from now you will have a solid base. In your mind,
you should make sure that your business will not
collapse in your old age.”
Be committed: It sounds like a cliché but Kithaka
argues that his success was inspired by a vow he
made, and stuck with, before turning 18. In his
last year of high school, Kithaka promised his
father that he would never ask for pocket money
again. “It was a commitment that I would look
for my own money. This was an inner drive. I did
business and by the time I joined university 18
months later, I had three years worth of school
fees,” said Kithaka.
P
ut your money to work: Kithaka noted
entrepreneurs should go looking for ideas,
not money. According to him, the poor
look for money and take it to the bank
where it will be safe, while the rich see the bank
as the place to borrow money. “People don’t have
money problems, they have idea problems. All you
need is an idea and you will go to the bank and
they will give you money,” he added.
Think long-term: When Kithaka started calling
people in 2007 to invest in FEP and gave them
an idea of what the group would achieve by
2016, it was only those who could see nine years
ahead that invested. “Wisdom goes for visionary
people and visionaries are those people who see
[further] than others can. You either see it or you
don’t. A true investor understands tomorrow,”
said Kithaka
Mr. Kithaka’s parting shot: “You do not need a rich
dad to be rich” you can make it on your own.
By: TBM
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 63

20 MILLION DOLLAR IDEAS

WAYS TO
CREATE

All of the ideas that don’t work are simply stepping stones
on your way to the one idea that does. Sometimes you
have to fail a thousand times to succeed. No matter how
many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you
are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.

B
ig companies like Safaricom, super
successful websites like Facebook, and
bestselling books like “A Tale of two
Cities” all have one thing in common:
They began with a million dollar idea.
The big question is: How did their creators come
up with these ideas? Did they sit around waiting
for an inspirational flash or a mystic spell of luck?
The answer is: Spontaneity and luck had little to
do with it. Hence this article which takes a brief
look at 20 tried and true techniques that some of
the brightest and most successful entrepreneurs
have used to generate million dollar ideas.

1.Generate lots of ideas. – The more ideas you

create, the more likely you are to create an
idea worth a million bucks.
2.Fail a lot. – All of the ideas that don’t work
are simply stepping stones on your way to the
one idea that does. Sometimes you have to
fail a thousand times to succeed. No matter
how many mistakes you make or how slow you
progress, you are still way ahead of everyone
who isn’t trying.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
Like a mom whose child is suffering with allergies. Like a new dog
owner who’s unsure what to do about her puppy barking all night.
Solving problems like these can make millions
3.Consume information consciously. – Some
of my friends think it’s wasteful that I spend
so much time reading books and blogs. It’s
not. It’s what gives me an edge. I feel engulfed
with new ideas and information. And I’ve
actually used what I’ve learned to launch
a few successful websites. When you read
things and interact with people, take off your
consumer cap and put on your creator cap.
There are million dollar ideas (or at least some
really good ideas) all around you waiting for
discovery.
4.Focus on topics and ideas with large markets.
– A million dollars is not a lot of money in
the grand scheme of things, but it certainly
is if you’re trying to earn it in a small market
with limited opportunities. Even if you put
Steve Jobs in the role of CEO for a new venture
with a maximum market size of 100 people
he wouldn’t make more than a few cents.
‘Big bucks’ result from high demand in a
substantial market.
5.Make sure there’s money in your market. –
Bank robbers rob banks because that’s where
the money is. Before you become emotionally
attached to an idea, do a little market
research. Make sure the idea you’re pursuing
is where the money is. Who are the clients and
consumers? How much disposable income do
they have? Etc.
6.Keep your eyes, ears and mind wide open. –
Oftentimes one idea’s failure will open a door
to a new idea. Don’t get so hung up on one
failed attempt that you miss the opening for
many more.
7.Test variations of the same idea. – Think
about the iPhone and the iPad for a second.
One is just a variation of the other. Both are
multi-million dollar ideas.
8.Figure out what works well in one market
and tailor it to another. – Find an idea that’s
already proven and think about how it could be
applied in a different context. Take a formula
that works in one niche and apply it to a new
niche. Or take the best aspects of one product
and combine it with another product.
9.Put the pieces together. – YouTube’s creators
didn’t invent Flash. They didn’t invent modern
digital cameras that can record computer-
ready mpeg video. And they didn’t invent
broadband Internet connections, cheap web
hosting, embedded website content, or one-
click website uploading technologies either.
What they invented is a technology that takes
all of these existing pieces and combines them
into an online video sharing portal.
10.Spin a new twist on a previous
breakthrough. – A new twist on an old idea can
still be a million dollar idea. Take Facebook
for instance, it wasn’t the first big social
networking site, but Mark Zuckerberg and
company added twists and features the others
did not grasp. How can you take an existing
million dollar idea, or even a common idea,
and give it a new twist, a new direction and
journey?
11.Systematize a popular service into
a reproducible product. – A service is
productized when its ownership can be
exchanged. Think about Alienware and
Dell back in their infancy. Both companies
simply systematized the service of building
IBM compatible PCs and then sold them as a
packaged product. If you can convert a high
demand service into a scalable, systematized,
efficient process and sell it as a packaged deal,
the million appears.
12.Play with opposites. – When something
becomes extremely popular, the opposite
often also becomes popular as people turn
away from the mainstream. When Wordpress,
Blogger and Movable Type exploded in
popularity by giving anyone with an Internet
connection the ability to share long, detailed
blog posts with the world, Twitter and Tumblr
came along and started the micro-blogging
revolution – for people grasping to share
extremely short content snippets. There are
hundreds of other examples. Just remember,
the opposite of a million dollar idea can
paradoxically give birth to another million
dollar idea.
13.Look for problems and solve them. – There
are many real problems in this world. Like
a business owner wondering why his profits
are sinking. Like a golfer worrying about his
slice. Like a young man who is growing bald at
26. Like a mom whose child is suffering with
allergies. Like a new dog owner who’s unsure
what to do about her puppy barking all night.
Solving problems like these can make millions.
14.Design new products that support other
successful products. – How much money
do you think iPod, iPhone and iPad case
manufacturers are making? Millions?
Billions? What about companies that jumped
into the market of manufacturing LCD and
Plasma TV mounting brackets eight years ago?
You get the idea.
15.Keep it simple. – Don’t over complicate a
good idea. Business marketing studies have
shown that the more product choices offered,
the less products consumers typically buy.
After all, narrowing down the best product
from a pool of three choices is certainly
easier than narrowing down the best product
from a pool of three hundred choices. If the
purchasing decision is tough to make, most
people will just give up. So if you’re designing
a product line, keep it simple.
16.Exploit the resources and skills you already
have. – It’s not as much about having the
| 64
right resources as it is about exploiting your
resources right now. Stevie Wonder couldn’t
see, so he exploited his sense of hearing
into a passion for music, and he now has 25
Grammy Awards to prove it. If you pursue a
new venture that involves leveraging your
resources and skills, you’re ahead of the game.
17.Surround yourself with other thinkers. – You
are the sum of the people you spend the most
time with. If you hang with the wrong people,
they will affect you negatively. But if you hang
with the right people, you will be more capable
and powerful than you ever could have been
alone. Find your tribe and collaborate to make
a difference in all your lives. Bounce ideas off
each other, etc.
18.Be enthusiastic about what you’re doing. –
Enthusiasm is the lifeblood of creativity. Big
ideas blossom when you’re passionate and
enthusiastic about what you’re doing. It’s
nearly impossible to pioneer ground breaking
solutions in a domain where there is not
passionate intensity. But when your mind is
stimulated by a fundamental curiosity and
interest in the subject matter, your creativity
will run rampant and your motivation will
skyrocket.
19.Accept constructive criticism, but ignore
naysayers. – When someone spews negativity
about your idea or product, remember, it
doesn’t matter how many people don’t get it,
it matters how many do. No matter how much
progress you make there will always be the
people who insist that whatever you’re trying
to do is impossible. Or they may jealously
suggest that the idea or concept as a whole is
utterly ridiculous because nobody really cares.
When you come across these people, don’t
try to reason with them. Instead, forget that
they exist. They will only waste your time and
energy.
20.Actually do something with your ideas! – A
million dollar idea is simply a good idea given
the chance to grow. On paper, Google and
Facebook sprung from fairly ordinary ideas: ‘a
search engine that’s accurate’ and ‘a website
where friends connect with each other.’
Remember, neither of these companies were
the first ones in their market. Their ideas weren’t
groundbreaking at the time. Many people had
the same ideas even before Google and Facebook
existed. But Google’s and Facebook’s creators did
something with their ideas. They worked hard
and one-upped the competition. Their initial
success was in their execution. Remember, it’s
not the ideas themselves that count, it’s what you
do with them. With the right execution, a simple
idea can evolve into a million dollar idea.
By: Zippy Abdulahi
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
INVESTMENT
IDE?S RETURNS
WITH GUARANTEED
According to a recent study by UNICEF it was established that over 50%
of Kenya’s population (45 million plus) is below the age of 15 years. The
study also showed that out of every 1000 people, 28 of them give birth
annually meaning that about 1.26 Million kids are born annually.
D
o you love children? Have you for some time been nursing the
ambition to start your own business and become your own
boss? If you answered both questions in the affirmative, then
starting a business aimed at babies might be a good option for
you.
According to a recent study by UNICEF it was established that over 50% of
Kenya’s population (45 million plus) is below the age of 15 years. The study
also showed that out of every 1000 people, 28 of them give birth annually
meaning that about 1.26 Million kids are born annually. Taking these stats
into account it is a clear indication then that chances of success are much
brighter in this field. Whether this baby boom is good for the future of
Kenya regions is a subject of intense debate for another day. Here, we are
only looking at the business potential of catering to this large population of
babies.
Even if you live in other parts of the world where fewer babies are born
every year, you will still have a decent market. No matter what, their parents
will always readily spend top dollars to take care of them and keep them
happy. With the above in mind, let’s now look at 10 profitable business
ideas that cater to babies.
1. Daycare
This is one of the first businesses that would come to mind when thinking of
starting a children-oriented business. The current economic situation in the
country and world at large has left most parents with no other choice than
to take up day jobs. This explains why even new mothers have very little
time for their babies. When it comes to raising children alongside earning a
living, there is really a big global problem especially for mothers. In Kenya,
just like there worldwide counterpart; mothers are too busy and don’t have
enough time for their babies. But they are ready to pay good money to have
their babies taken good care of.
Yes, there is an option of getting a house help or maid but with increasing
number of reported cases of house helps maltreating, abusing, or even
selling babies left in their custody (like the recent case in Uganda); Parents
are left with no other choice than to consider a better alternative. This is
where day care services come in handy.
If you have a passion for taking care of children, then you should consider
starting your own daycare center. You don’t need any formal qualifications
or huge capital to get started and you can even run it inside your own
home. However, you may need a license, depending on your County laws.
And aside from a room, you would also need an open area where kids can
play. This could be your yard or a park around you; and it goes without
| 65
saying that your environment must be kept clean and safe for children. It is
important that “caring for children” should be your passion and don’t forget
to hire seasoned nannies and babysitters to help you in running the business.
So if you think you are up to the challenge, then you can take a leap into this
business and reap tremendous reward.
2. Toy kiosk
Selling children’s toys is another profitable business that caters to children.
Babies love toys and they are happier when they have toys to play with. This
is why parents always buy as much as possible toys for their babies, leaving
huge profit opportunities for businesses that sell baby toys. You can make
a good living selling toys and games in a small kiosk to kids and parents
passing by. Better yet, you can sell toys at children fairs and events. You may
choose to specialize in a single toy such as teddy bears, or you may offer a
wide variety of toys and games, from tiny remote control cars to educational
lines. Toys are always in huge demand, regardless of the state of the economy
so, you can consider starting a business that makes or sells children’s toys.
3. Baby wears
Due to their rapid growth, babies need to change their “wardrobes” very
often. If you buy a new shirt for your baby and it looks good on her, chances
are she would have outgrown that shirt by the next two months. This explains
why there is huge demand for baby wears.
If you are thinking of plunging into the baby wear market, you have two
options: either start a business that makes baby wears or open a store that
sells baby wears. Whichever option you choose will turn out profitable.
4. Baby foods
The demand for baby formulas, baby snacks, and so on is always on the high.
As babies grow older, their mothers try to feed them with formulas and
other baby foods as alternatives to breast milk. So, if you would like to start a
business that caters to babies, then consider selling baby foods.
5. Baby room design
Baby rooms are specially designed in such a way that will keep babies amused,
relaxed, and comfortable. And this design isn’t what just anyone can do. So,
daycare homes, baby clinics, and even nursing mothers hire the service of
baby room designers. If you are good at drawing cartoons and other designs
that babies will love, then you can start a baby room design service.
6. Diapers and nappies
If babies use anything the most, it has to be diapers and nappies. Yes, babies
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
use them all the time. So, each mother needs to
have as much as possible in store—and replace
them frequently. Since there is constantly high
demand for diapers and nappies, consider starting
a business that manufactures or sells them to
consumers.
7. Baby body care products
Everyone loves babies, but babies that look very
good and beautiful attract more attention and
love. This exactly what each mother wants for
her baby. So she will readily spend on baby body
care products in a bid to achieve that goal. This is
why baby soaps, baby powders, baby lotions, baby
wipes, and so on sell fast.
8. General baby accessories
Aside baby food, baby body care products, diapers
and nappies, and other things that babies use
frequently, there are many other baby items
that you can sell for huge profits. These include
walkers, sleeping related gears, feeding aids, and
other stuff.
9. Baby blog
If you have a knack for teaching people and the
required writing skills, then you can start a blog
that teaches nursing mothers how to take good
care of their babies. If you offer high quality
information that nursing mothers find very
valuable, you will attract attention. Once you are
able to start generating huge traffic on a consistent
basis, you can monetize your blog using various
methods.
10. Affiliate marketing
If you have no capital to start a business, then you
can venture into affiliate marketing. This involves
using the internet to market baby products and
getting a commission each time a sale is made
through your efforts. The more sales you make,
the more profit you will earn.
For children who are slightly grown you can also
consider the following options:
11. Tutoring service
If you were a wiz in math or English or in some
other core subject when you were in school, it
may just be time to turn that knowledge into a
money-spinner. You can make money by teaching
students who need help in those subjects.
For every core subject, you will find students who
need help. And their parents are willing to pay
you to ensure that these children get good grades.
So, you have huge opportunities. This business
may not make you rich, but you will make some
extra cash helping children with one or more of
their school subjects.
12. Kids party planning service
We all know that kids love to party. And since
their parents are ready to pay any amount to
make them happy, you can make lots of profit
organizing children’s parties; such as birthday
parties, baptism parties, graduation parties,
holiday parties, and so on.
To start this business, you will need to hone your
organizational skills and connect with caterers,
rental stores, kid entertainers, and party supply
stores around you. If you deliver superior services
by throwing up perfect parties for your clients,
word would spread very fast about your business
and you will make more money, too.
13. Kids entertainment service
If more-than-countable people have told you that
you are a darn funny clown, then you can make
some money off of that talent. Can you make kids
laugh? Can you play tricks that will amuse them?
Can you make them happy for hours? If you gave a
“yes” answer to each of these questions, then this
business is really for you.
To get yourself into business, try to hook up with
party planners, schools, and daycare centers.
If you are really able to put up great shows as a
clown, acrobat, magician, or mascot, you will have
a blast while making a decent living.
14. Kids’ clothing sales
If a bell rings in you when you hear names like
Baby Naartjie, Lulu, Baby Gassy Gooma, and
| 61
Chicken Noodle, chances are that you are into kids
clothing or you know much about the business. A
good way to make money is to resell gently used
baby and kids’ clothing. This business is very
lucrative, and it requires very little capital. You
can sell to customers both offline and online.
15. Kids taxi service
Children engage in many activities; such as
learning at school, playing soccer, cheerleading,
dancing, and taking vocational lessons. This only
casts a huge burden on parents; bringing their
kids to and from these activities every day. You
can make a living helping such parents by offering
a kid’s taxi service for their kids.
To start this business, you will need a van, and
you will need to get a license. You must also be
very comfortable with children. If you can meet
all these requirements, then you have a large
market to cater to.
16. Amusement rentals
Can you remember those inflatable slides, bounce
houses, and castles you see at children fairs and
festivals, and kids’ parties? You can start a great
rental business that offers those items. You can
even add a cotton candy machine, dunk booth,
or hotdog cart to your rental repertoire and you
have got a bigger business; and all you have to do
is deliver and pick up.
Another moneymaking opportunity lies in
sticking around as an attendant. This business is
easy to start because most of these pieces are not
that expensive. And unless you have very many of
them, all these items will fit in your garage.
17. Instructional classes
Kids are always excited whenever they have the
chance to learn new things. And because they
have strong brains, they learn new things pretty
quickly. There are many skills and vocations that
children can learn.
Examples include cooking, painting, craft,
scrapbook, swimming, cheerleading, dancing,
martial arts, and so on. If you have a knack for any
of these, then you can turn that into real business.
18. Snacks
We all know it. Children love to have something
popping in their mouths all the time. And this
explains why they are always demanding for
candies, cookies, chocolates, and other snacks.
You can make a lot of profit by starting a business
that makes or sells children’s snacks.
As the above examples shows, you’d be surprised
what kinds of businesses can be built around
kids. Get to know some kids, keep your eyes open
and it won’t be long until you’ve got a profitable
startup idea.
By: TBM
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
YOU BE
THE JUDGE
THE KIUNA’S
I
t is said that one mistake a person can do is
to judge Gods people, i.e. Pastors, evangelist,
apostles, name them all, for you never know
their bond with their God. Even when you see
whatever bad or evil or good they have done our
Heavenly father is the one who should see and
act but not us to stand and point a finger to them,
for that is one thing that God will not forgive.
However in the same light the Bible also talks of
false Prophets and we are advised to be able to
distinguish between the two i.e.
1 John 4:1
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test
the spirits to see whether they are from God,
because many false prophets have gone out into
the world.
Matthew 7:15 and 16
Beware of the false prophets, who come to you
in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous
wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes
are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from
thistles, are they?
Every Sunday you go to church to get spiritual
nourishment from the man and women of God.
They give you hope and a reason to face tomorrow
as it will be better that today……Right? But are
they there to spread the Gospel or for money?
They come to church in imported handmade
suits creased on the soft leather seats of their
latest fuel guzzlers that even our greedy members
of parliament have decided to take a break on.
| 67
Their expensive colognes waft luxuriant scents
on the pulpit where jewellery from gold and ruby
In the early days, Kathy would lead worship and
chains to diamond rings are just a peek into what
Allan would preach but with the growth of their
prosperity gospel means in manifest opulence.
church, duties had to be divided. Today the senior
The lives that some pastors live makes you
pastor is Bishop Allan Kiuna assisted by his wife
wonder if it is all about the word of God or money.
Rev Kathy and are backed by a full time staff team
It’s for this reason that we decided to take an in-
of twenty five members but Kathy still mostly
depth look the so called “men/women of clothe”
leads the choir. She is a talented musician who
has released four albums, three with friends and
Bishop Allan Kiuna is husband to Pastor Kathy
one solo album, In the Fullness of Time, which
and father to their three children. Rev Kathy
chronicles some of the darker times of their
Kiuna is the wife, mother of three and Associate
spiritual journey. Not content with being co-
Pastor in Jubilee Christian Church. Her calling
founder of a busy church, Kathy has also found
and assignment is to raise the Standard among
time to write. She has authored Celebrate Yourself
women. Her ministry has been evidenced by the
"and Woman Without Limits, and a third book will
mammoth Daughters of Zion Ladies Meeting that
be out soon. She also designs clothes though this
is attracting thousands of ladies every month. She
she does for fun.
has a sharp prophetic gift that flows through her.
Her compassion for women in need and help to
The church is located in Parklands, on Forest Road
those who have suffered abuse has been a great
Opposite Premier Academy and is founded on the
blessing to many. Hers is an incredible Journey
following core values:
which started from a humble secretary to one of
P- Prayerfulness
Kenya's most charismatic preachers.
O- Obedience to God's Word
I
W- Winning Mentality
n September 1998, during a time of intensive
E- Excellence
prayer, the Lord instructed Bishop Allan and
R- Righteousness
Rev. Kathy Kiuna to start a new work- Jubilee
Christian Church. The first service was held on
The church has become a Well of Healing and a
17th January 1999 in a small restaurant with a
Fountain of Restoration. The church anticipates to
few people in attendance. From that time, the
achieve the following:
church has continued to grow steadily as they
1.) The continued restoration of the gifts of
have continued to preach the uncompromised
the Holy Spirit as we see the fulfillment of our
Word of God and encouraged dynamic praise and
Savior's prophesy "Greater works than these
worship.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
shall ye do."
2.) The decline of denominational barriers that
will enhance the unity in the body of Christ.
3.) The rebirth of evangelistic zeal and soul-
winning missions flowing from both the pulpit
and pews.
4.) A growth in the hunger for God's presence
in the church services characterized by intense
praise and worship.
5.) Intensity in prayer and spiritual warfare
through militant intercession.
H
owever, that aside, the Kiuna’s are no
strangers to controversy. Recently, pictures
of their house circulated on social media,
followed by outraged comments that pastors
who serve God should not live extravagant lives
and some inflammatory comments they have
made have raised eyebrows. The couple has been
bought for birthday gifts of a BMW and Sports
Range Rover by the church and just recently,
pictures of their affluent pad made rounds on the
social media. Kathy has no apologies and she has
been quoted as saying that those who talk only
know the after; they should have seen the before
so as to appreciate the work of God.
You cannot talk about the Kiuna’s without talking
about their house. Kiuna’s own a Palatial home
in Runda a ‘nouveau riche’ neighbourhood in
Nairobi, where an acre of land can go for not less
than Kshs 50 million. A quick glance at the local
property magazines will reveal that this is a very
conservative estimate. The House is estimated to
be worth more than 1million US dollars and its
is fully fitted with a mini-golf course, basketball
court and a swimming pool. The photos above
give a glimpse of the house. It is alleged that the
couple hold tours for their believers to come and
view the house. The so called tour is referred to as
a ‘what God can do’ tour. It show cases their home
and wealth and they are given a brief history
of how the couple started and where they are
today. The big question however is…how did they
accumulate the wealth?
It has been alleged that JCC's Pastor Kathy Kiuna
attacked Eastland’s residents, calling them lazy
and poor and further advising ladies from the area
to rent servant quarters in Runda so as to find rich
men and marry them. As if that wasn’t enough, it
has recently been alleged again that she recently
released another bitter med, warning poor people
against attending her church on Sunday during
her sermon. Here is the utterance she is alleged to
have made in her sermon;
“This is not a place for poor people. If you can’t
tithe, find another church, we don’t entertain
poverty. There are many churches in Nairobi
which accommodate poor people but JCC is not
one of them.”
However after keeping mum for a while The
Jubilee Christian Church (JCC) has broken its
silence over remarks allegedly made by Rev
Kathy Kiuna. Speaking during a church service at
Parklands, Kiuna stated that the church she co-
owns with her husband, Bishop Allan Kiuna, is for
both the rich and poor. She further stated that she
was out of the country when it is alleged that she
uttered those remarks and had just jetted back
from the USA the previous day. Kiuna said the
remarks attributed to her are the works of the
devil.
“Please do not bother listening to them as they
are the devil’s work coming at a time when the
church is in its finest hour,” she told a packed
congregation.
She urged the congregation to continue paying
tithes as they have transformed the lives of many
people.
I
t is alleged that the flamboyant Pastor, Allan
Kiuna of JCC is one of the richest pastors in
Kenya. He really got style and grace but pastors
have come under heavy criticism for soliciting
money from members and Allan has not been
left behind in such sagas. Sometimes back it was
alleged that he was busted live on TV telling his
church members that if they transfer half of their
money to his account, then the money will double
in a few days. This has been the trend from Kenyan
pastors who been accused of stealing from their
flock who are mostly not as rich as they are.
That aside, it is alleged that after KTN’s Mohamed
Ali and John Allan Namu exposed rogue pastor,
Victor Kanyari, who adds up as a self-proclaimed
doctor, for his antics and exploits on unknowing
congregant, Robert Alai took issue with Bishop
Allan Kiuna’s mansion that sits in a beautiful
compound. His tweet must have rubbed the man
of the cloth on the wrong side who immediately
decided to hit back. The flashy cleric who is
no stranger to media attention took to Twitter
to announce his imminent return from a trip
to Pretoria South Africa where he was “doing
ministry” at JCC Johannesburg. Whether in a
moment of ‘madness’ or in a moment of oblivion
to the how easily posts can be picked off the micro
blogging site even after being deleted, Kiuna asked
his alleged detractors to keep at it as he “enjoys
the goodness of God”. However upon realizing the
error in the post on Twitter the good Bishop then
edited the tweet to add little humility to his cause.
It read, “Had an amazing day golfing in Pretoria.
He then went ahead to say…..Beautiful country
and wonderful people. Enjoyed doing ministry @
JccJoburg.”
Now, we have no issue when an artiste nobody
knows or ever heard of releases his first song
and addresses his haters but when a person
who heads a church tweets about haters, one
gets worried. Honestly, why would a bishop have
haters? You cannot be loved by all and as such it
is understandable if Bishop Kiuna has people who
disagree with what he preaches or even the way he
preaches but those are not haters, they are critics
or let’s just call them atheists. The one hater we
can think of is Lucifer. So, who is the good bishop
calling a hater, a Kenyan with a Twitter account or
the devil?
Being a Bishop, Kiuna is a fisher of men, meaning
he should be at the forefront in the fight against
the devil so we would expect him to embrace
| 68
those that are not converted or don’t believe in
God than calling them haters. It is very worrying to
see a preacher posting more about the pleasures
of life than the Word of God. If he had quoted the
Bible and asked his “haters” to come to God and
be saved, it would have passed. But golfing? No sir.
The other thing was the timing. He chose to tweet
about haters when the whole country was still
reeling from the effects of fake pastors.
S
ure, people will claim that he is in the same
bag as Kanyari and they most probably will
be wrong but how do you respond to that,
by showing your alleged “haters” just how
much you are balling’? it is common knowledge
that when you get to a certain level in life, just as
that of the Kiuna’s, people will always talk and
say negative things. But how you respond to these
allegations is what differentiates one from the
Kanyaris.
It should be clarified that we are not against men
of clothe living decent lives: There is absolutely
nothing wrong with living in such splendid
environment if one can afford it without relying
on your congregation for this exaggerated lifestyle.
For example if you as a pastor one can afford to
generate money independently for example a
second job etc, nobody would bother about your
lifestyle after all you are free to enjoy the fruits of
your labor. I am a strong advocate of providing a
reasonably good living for the Men of God from
the church kitty but it gets disturbing when you
see these men of cloak abusing their positions and
even to an extent of committing criminal activities
in pursuit of riches and all this in the name of God.
Indeed it is a noble thing to do service for the lord
and the congregation and it beats logic to see these
'servants' living like kings.
As for those victims of exploitation, there is no
need to pity them for God has given us all a free
will of choice and they have made a choice to keep
quiet as the ' the man of God ' keep exploiting them.
Time has come for us to be vigilant and seek the
Lord to help us to understand His word which
will give us wisdom to discern these things and
avoid falling prey to these hyenas in sheep skins.
If things keep on going this way, Kenyan clergy will
certainly be forced to account for their wealth as
now most Kenyans are probably thinking they are
only reaping big from their congregations’ sweat.
We leave you with this parting shot:
Matthew 19:23-26
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you,
it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the
kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier
for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than
for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of
God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were
greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be
saved?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With
man this is impossible, but with God all things are
possible.”
……you be the Judge.
By: TBM
 Kevin Oduor's contribution was a double-seater
metallic bench with tree trunks as legs. To make
it useful, not only is every part of the bench

ART
detachable to make it easy to transport, but also
the tree trunks are treated to prevent termite
attack. Oduor is known for the Dedan Kimathi's
statue in the CBD, and is a renown sculptor with a
variety of works both locally and internationally.
Tonney Mugo, who has worked with glass art in a
variety of religious institutions, also contributed
stain glass installation to the hospital and Brian

IN PUBLIC SPACES Omolo, an illustrator, donated his poster art pieces.

Anne Mwiti, known for her use of colour and line
to highlight mystic and sensual exploration in
paintings contributed two pieces as well.

According to Sylvia Gichia, the Director of Kwani,

the project is one of the ways to bring out to the
Artists can now give art to the community to art to the public while at the same time encourage
artists to go back to the community and create
make the ladies [at the hospital] not stare their art. For them, it is also a way to give mothers
at blank walls but instead get art therapy the chance to interact with art and enjoy the
beautiful space offered.
to help them forget their pain and not to see
life as a punishment According to Wambui, she was impressed by the
type of response she received from the artists.
“It was surprising open and welcoming and a
privilege to have the art work here,” she said
beauty. adding that more artists are willing to give

M
artwork, and that there needs to be an organised
ost times, Art has been confined to
She adds that one of the main reasons they chose structure such as partnering with the government
galleries and private collections,
Pumwani Hospital was because art can have an to provide public spaces.
but the aspect of public art has been
impact in a healing space, as it not only increases “I am grateful to Samani construction, who
around for quite sometime. In Kenya,
staff morale but also creates an environment supported us by installing the pieces, and I would
there are quite a lot of spaces for public art,
where the patients feel more secure and creates a do it again if more corporates step up to support
ranging from parks, hospitals and halls, among
sense of faith of in the institution. the cause.”
others. It is from this perspective that artists
One of the things that stood out in the paintings
from Kuona Trust decided to donate a variety of
donated was the the calmness they offered. From The project does not stop there as there are quite a
art pieces to the Pumwani Maternity hospital in a
realist to abstract, most of the paintings give a number of projects in store, including the painting
project termed as 'A Beautiful Delivery.'
sense of tranquility in their subjects and the use of a mosaic at the Hospital by Juhudi Children's
Wambui Kamiru, the project lead, considers art
of colour. Club, which had also worked on a mosaic at the
one of the best ways to contribute to making the
Kenyatta National Hospital and Nakuru General
world a better place.
One of the artists, Pascal Chuma, said the project Hospital. There will also be a granite sculpture
was one of the best ways to create awareness for of a pregnant woman almost about to give birth,
“I think each of us can contribute to make the
art. He was one of the many artists that responded placed right in front of the hospital.
world a better place through talent and what we
to the call to donate their art to the hospital. The face lift will change the plain images of the
do. We do not have to wait for someone else to do
“Artists can now give art to the community to hospital walls into something interesting, aside
this when we can,” she says.
make the ladies [at the hospital] not stare at from the educational posters on child care. It has
The inspiration to start this project started when
blank walls but instead get art therapy to help also brought out a lot of conversations around
Wambui was invited by her friend, a doctor at
them forget their pain and not to see life as a art and the function of art as well as the spaces
Pumwani, to go and see how she works. While at
punishment,” he said. available for the art.
the ante-natal clinic, she found that the walls were
By: Nduta Waweru
too stark- like a blank canvas, and that's how she
Chuma runs the Bobea Art Center in Donhol,
decided to start the project.
donated two pieces of his art as well as three more
The main aim of the project was to demonstrate
pieces from the students at the centre namely
the need and utility of art in public spaces. With
Sarah Kaloki, Victor Opiyo and Dancun Odeny.
the presence of art in hospitals the patient is able
“We nurture talents in the youth and children so
to be distracted from their experience, and thus
that they can take it as a real job,” he added.
benefit from the healing power of art, beside its
THE BRIDGE | JULY 2015
SOAPSTONE
SCULPTURES
Consequently,
communities in this region
have been using Kisii stone
for generations
K
enyan artist Elkana Ong’esa is well-known
for his sculptures and has exhibited his
works around the world. The UNESCO
building in Paris, for example, has
displayed one of Ong’esa’s sculptures, Bird of
Peace, at its entrance since 1976. Ong’esa’s works
have also been exhibited in the US and throughout
Asia and Africa.
Most of Ong’esa’s pieces are made out of a type of
soapstone called Kisii stone, which is a traditional
material found in the Kisii region of southwestern
Kenya. According to Ong’esa, although soapstone
is found in many other countries around the
world, the Kenyan soapstone is unique. It can
be found in white, pink, grey and even black and
is quite soft in comparison to other types. The
formation of it is linked to the underwater cooling
of lava, from volcanic eruptions millions of years
ago. Consequently, communities in this region
have been using Kisii stone for generations, with
| 70
rock art carvings being the first examples of its
malleability as an artistic material.
He developed this heritage and know-how
throughout his life, becoming one of Kenya’s
most recognized artists.Ong'esa is perhaps best
known for his Bird of Peace sculpture that stands
outside the UNESCO building in Paris. Although
he has still not been reimbursed for the piece –
an unfortunate event that according to Business
Daily is still trying to be resolved – he has not been
deterred from dedicating his life to the arts.
Ong’esa the first child of a family of six sons
and four daughters was born into a Kisii artisan
community in 1944. His grandfather and both
of his parents were recognized traditional crafts
persons and his family is recognized for their
contributions to the arts, with both his parents
and grandfather prominent in the local arts scene.
He is heavily influenced by this heritage, which
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
The formation of it is linked
to the underwater cooling of
lava, from volcanic eruptions
millions of years ago.
He developed this heritage
and know-how throughout
his life
particularly gave him knowledge in the field of
basketry, thanks to his mother, and the art of
stone and metal work on his father’s side, who
was highly respected for his work.
O
ng’esa decided to follow in their
footsteps and spent many years studying
art academically; He took classes in
visual arts, sculpture, painting, and
ceramics at the University of Mankerke and also
studied Fine Arts at universities in Uganda and
Kenya. These various subjects were provided
by both English and African teachers, a double
education which would have a great influence
on his work - although the education he received
would never have as much impact on his artistic
creations as would the heritage received from his
family. He completed a postgraduate thesis on
East African stone carving in Kenya, and gained
a M.Ed in Teaching of Art from McGill University
in Canada.
He is now an internationally praised art teacher
but after teaching overseas for many years,
Ong’esa has also brought his skills back to his
| 71
hometown of Kisii, where he is a Senior Lecturer
for Creative Arts at the Kisii Teachers College as
well as holding similar roles at other teaching
practices in Africa and North America. Similarly,
he helped established his own art school in the
Kisii region, so that artists here would have the
opportunity for entrepreneurship with the idea
that artists can not make art for art's sake and that
they need to be able to support themselves with
their work. In this sense, Ong’esa has also been
extremely active in mobilizing socio-economic
resources and promoting income-generating
activities for his community. As an artist, he feels
like his experiences have enabled him to be both
the teacher and the student and is grateful for the
shared creative moments he has gained from these
interactions.
By Sarah Mitchell
WALL
GRAFFITI IN KENYA
Kenyan neighborhoods, graffiti culture has often not
been appreciated by the public, viewing it as vandalism
and a symbol of rebellion but this is slowly changing.
A
round the world, graffiti has long been
considered vandalism and a scourge by
many. But times are changing and with
them the definitions of art, to the point
that city walls can be seen as blank canvases.
Kenya has been swept up in this revolution and
Kenya has not been left behind.
Despite being popular in some Kenyan
neighborhoods, graffiti culture has often not been
appreciated by the public, viewing it as vandalism
and a symbol of rebellion but this is slowly
changing. From featuring in small kiosks/shops
and neighborhood walls, graffiti artists are now
making a name for themselves doing bigger and
better things.
Kenyan graffiti started out as illustrations on
matatus. Hip-hop artists from the West and other
famous personalities around the world were
regular portrayals on public vehicles. In early
2000, only a few neighbourhoods in different parts
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
of Nairobi – Eastlands and in particular Dandora,
and Jericho– underwent a major transformation
as walls blossomed with large murals screaming
in colour. However, a law stipulated by late
Transport Minister John Michuki put an end to
matatu graffiti and graffitists were forced to seek
an alternate space to convey their ‘art’…..and this
gave birth to the now famous wall graffiti.
The whole process of graffiti art is intricate,
deliberate, purposeful and detailed, creating a
product that is usually vibrant and intriguing. To
a kawaida person a blank wall is just that– a blank
wall, but to a graffiti artist a blank wall is a world
of possibilities.
Graffiti gives an artist the freedom to express
themselves freely. Even though they are working
with a theme, they usually get a chance to freestyle
and produce something that is uniquely them or
associated with them.
However, even as this art explodes and colours
coat streets and neighbourhoods in Kenya,
graffitists are fighting to make a place and be
heard. In many ways, graffiti art is a push and
pull between artists and the law. Nonetheless,
graffitists have stood their ground and whether
it’s for a cause, for entertainment, for fun or to
communicate an ‘imperative’ message, they are
moving past all barriers to be self-expressive.
International media coverage of Nairobi graffiti
has escalated in the past few years. This was
brought on by the post election violence as
Kenyan graffitists employed this art form to
help quell riots and regain peace. In 2007/2008,
everything was up in smoke, but amidst the ruins,
when a person walked by a huge graffiti it struck
a chord. One’s consciousness comes into play and
even those involved in the violence noticed the
graffiti. It was conversation in silence, there was
no physics to it. A brutality that was ethnically
driven by political leaders wrestling for power, the
unnecessary bloodshed compelled graffiti artists
around Nairobi to come together for a cause –
| 73
PEACE.
On the morning of Feb. 29, 2012, scurrying
pedestrians and motorists came to a halt on
Muindi Mbingu Street in Nairobi’s CBD. Lining
one of the extensive walls of the city market was
a gaudy mural exemplifying some of Kenya’s
political leaders as vultures. Previously, graffiti
in Kenya had been used for entertainment,
decoration and creativity. Now however, this form
of self-expression had taken a new turn, which
was daring, piercing and honest. It produced an
immediate reaction.
Graffiti is respected on the streets, its street
art. It gets attention because if you do a visually
attractive graffiti, people are going to stop and take
notice of that. It’s loud, it’s in your face, it draws
results and it is artistic but graffiti and any form
of writing is prohibited and is punishable with a
fine of Kshs 2,000 to 3,000 or imprisonment for
one month. The law is stringent, especially when
it comes to defacing buildings in the CBD.
But while political messages are secreted on
walls in the middle of the night, most artists are
commissioned to spray their designs on the sides
of businesses and buildings. Most graffitists see
their art as a right, guaranteed as a form of self
expression, but if there are to be proper channels
and progress in the industry, the laws will
certainly need to change – an idea City Council is
not completely opposed to.
The country can benefit from this sector but
not before some form of agreeable regulation is
formulated. “Some cities have put aside alleys for
guys to express themselves and tourists can walk
and enjoy the graffiti, but it cannot be haphazard
the way it was being done in the CBD. For now,
however, graffitists are still being arrested –
though it does little to slow them down.
By: TBM
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 74

When we make comparisons to the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship),

we can see the difference. There is only one UFC belt for every weight class,
and the public knows who the best is based on who hold the prestigious
UFC title.

BOXING
WHY

T
hroughout the 20th century boxing
was considered to be one of the biggest
attractions in the history of sport. Not

IS A DYING SPORT
just the fact that thousands of people
from around the globe had the opportunity to
witness two warriors clobbering one another in
a somewhat barbaric and even inhumane fashion;
however there is a more in depth reason.
Boxing to many is considered an art that only the
most skilled of people can master. The way in which
a boxer fights in the ring is more complicated and
complex than just throwing punches in bunches,
which is what the typical uneducated, mainstream
fan of the sport would come to think. There have
been many superb boxing technicians in the
20th century. The likes of Muhammad Ali, Sugar
Ray Leonard and Marco Antonio Barrera; these
fighters are to be considered legends of the sport.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
Ever since the new Millennium, boxing has gone through some drastic
changes. We don’t have as many flash or brash boxers in the ring
anymore, a good example of this in recent news
would be Amir Khan throwing away his potential
bout with Devon Alexander for the IBF title;
in order to focus on nabbing a fight with Floyd
Mayweather instead.
Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Feud
There are currently two major promotional
boxing firms who control the majority of the big
name fighters in boxing. The two firms really do
not know how to draw the line that separates
business affairs from personal affairs. It is
basically the equivalent to the WWE’s Smackdown
and Raw concept; where each show has their own
set roster of stars and they only fight superstars
who are on their specific shows. Golden Boy
fighters only fight Golden Boy fighters and vice-
versa with Top Rank. A good example would
be Floyd Mayweather’s fight with Miguel Cotto,
where Mayweather only accepted the fight when
Cotto left Top Rank. This deprives boxing fans of
the fights they potentially would want to see due
to the on-going feud that these two promotional
companies have going on.
Back here at home the story is very different…
promoters have gone the extra mile to swindle
the boxers of their hard earned money. A good
example was in December 2005, when four
boxers, three of them Ugandans and one Kenyan,
together with the manager were stranded in
Nairobi after their travel papers were held for
failure to pay hotel bills. The sportsmen were
unable to leave the country over a money dispute
with managers of Westside Villa guesthouse after
the bout promoter did a disappearing act before
paying them their purse money.
Its coz of such incident that the Kenya Professional
Boxing Commission (KPBC) formulated the policy
that Boxing promoters in Kenya will have to
deposit prize money with them before getting the
license to stage professional boxing bouts. Some
twenty years ago, such incidents were unheard of
and Kenyan boxers were among the best in Africa,
but poor management, both at the amateur and
professional levels, has totally killed the sport.
Today many boxers have lost hope and the country
has no interest in the sport any more.
There is a “ducking” issue
Boxing has lost a lot of its appeal in recent decades
due to the lack of toughness that used to follow
the sport. Knockouts have gone down, length of
boxing matches has dropped from 15 rounds to
12 rounds, and now everyone is free to pick and
choose who they fight. The presence of 4 title
belts is an indicator to this. Why choose to fight
the toughest champion when you can call yourself
Not so much because they knew how to throw
big punches or fast combinations, but more due
to the fact that they had that belief and desire, so
were therefore extremely entertaining to watch.
Nowadays however, boxing is anything but the
same.
Ever since the new Millennium, boxing has gone
through some drastic changes. We don’t have as
many flash or brash boxers in the ring. We are
lacking in someone like a Sugar Ray Leonard,
who would throw large and ridiculously quick
combinations, a Marco Antonio Barrera, who
would have that typical Mexican spirit by taking a
barrage of punches and then refusing to go down
and a Mohammed Ali, who brought a style of
fighting that only he could emulate. His influential
truffle shuffle changed the sport of boxing for
decades. But despite all these, boxing has become
a dying sport.
I used to hear all the time people arguing that
boxing was “dying” and I always thought it was
preposterous considering how much money
is made from a Floyd Mayweather or a Manny
Pacquiao fight. The two fighters were recently
both 1-2 in the Forbes richest athletes list. This
was enough proof for me to say that the sport has
a significant amount of life still in it. I then began to
evaluate the sport outside its two perennial stars
and came to the conclusion that, “yeah, boxing is
dying” and here are some good reasons why.
Being the “Champion” has lost all its meaning.
In today’s messed up boxing world there are 4
major sanctioning bodies: the WBA (World Boxing
Association), WBC( World Boxing Council), IBF(
International Boxing Federation), and WBO
(World Boxing Organization) where all 4 crown
a recognized “world champion.” Being the world
champion used to mean you’re “the guy” everyone
should be gunning for in order to have the honor of
being able to say “I am the best in the world.” That
is just the tip of the iceberg; there are many other
minor sanctioning bodies that also allow their
title holders to make that very same claim, like
“The Ring” magazine and the IBO (International
Boxing Organization).
When we make comparisons to the UFC (Ultimate
Fighting Championship), we can see the
difference. There is only one UFC belt for every
weight class, and the public knows who the best is
based on who hold the prestigious UFC title. When
we look at boxing and the ridiculous amount of
“world champions”, “super champions”, “diamond
champions”, and “interim champions” it takes
away the shine that the world title used to signify.
Boxers do not even care about who holds the belt
| 75
the world champion by beating the weakest one?
A lot of boxers and trainers out there avoid certain
boxers in order to not jeopardize their prized
boxing record and their reputation. This results in
a multitude of one-sided fights and a lot of debate
on who is actually the best. There should not be
a debate, the people should already know. That is
how an upset has meaning
Boxing is simply not electrifying anymore
The two biggest names in boxing have not
produced a knockout in years and that is why
boxing has lost a lot of its appeal. Those days of
Tyson knocking everyone out, Muhammad Ali’s
wars, and the golden 80's of boxing are behind us.
We now settle for big events that lack the delivery
of a spirited competition between fighters who
are recognized as the best in the world. Floyd
Mayweather has been involved in the two biggest
Pay-Per-View boxing events and both events
lacked any sense of entertainment. I am not
saying it wasn’t a beautiful display of boxing, but
it was not exciting due to the low engagement
level which is also very common in today’s boxing
world.
To put it simply, boxing is too disorganized in
their ranking systems and they are too divided.
4 different titles, two different promotional
companies, and hell, it now involves two different
networks (HBO and Showtime). Boxing is just too
confusing for the casual fan to get drawn into, and
that is why I believe boxing will eventually “die”
(popularity wise). Fans don’t want to see fighters
doing well in their careers, earning a lot of money,
remaining undefeated or relying on pre-fight
hype that they know will never come to fruition.
The fans want to see excitement, entertainment,
passion, desire, all the words that you can think
of that don’t relate to boredom. The fans want to
see boxers going toe-to-toe, showing the public
exactly why they are boxers.
Fighters, to me, are supposed to be brave, yet you
don’t see much of that from Floyd Mayweather
who’s constantly landing single punches and
practically running away from his opponents to
avoid getting hit. That’s not bravery. Many boxers,
in this era, might box well, but that doesn’t mean
they’re true fighters, which is what the sport is
lacking in. That’s why I believe boxing is a dying
sport, because there are too many “fighters” who
are fighting for their careers, hyping up a fight
so that it gains more money from fans, thereby
benefiting them. Boxers should be fighting for
pride and the idea that they are actually giving the
fans what they want by living up to pre-fight hype.
From the 20th century to the new Millennium
boxing has changed drastically and, unfortunately,
it might never be the same.
By TBM
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
HOW IS
CRICKET
PLAYED
T
he 2015 Cricket World Cup which was jointly hosted by Australia
and New Zealand from 14 February to 29 March 2015 was the 11th
Cricket World Cup and after watching several games with my pals
I came to the realization that most Kenyans do not understand the
sport at all. The pubs were empty and the few people who were there were
not even following the game. I remember asking one guy which time was
ahead and the look he gave me said it all. I thus decided to take it upon myself
and atleast try and explain the sport to my fellow Kenyans.
Cricket is a game played with a bat and ball on a large field, known as a
ground, between two teams of 11 players each though there is also a reserve
player called a "twelfth man" who is used should a player be injured during
play. The twelfth man is not allowed to bowl, bat, wicket keep or captain the
team. His sole duty is to act as a substituted fielder. The original player is free
to return to the game as soon as they have recovered from their injury.
Cricket can be played in 2 styles: Test cricket and One day cricket. Test cricket
generally lasts for five days where each team / side has 2 innings. One day
cricket is played for a day only and each side has an inning each. Essentially
the game is played between 2 teams. One team sends out a man with a bat
on the field. He has to stand in front of 3 sticks with bales balanced on them.
They're wickets. He has to face the other team who is entirely present on
the field as fielders and sends a bowler to bowl a season ball, a ball specially
made out of leather for the game, which the batsman has to hit with the bat.
If the ball hits the wickets he is out. If he does hit the ball he needs to run with
his singular partner who's standing at the opposite wicket as a runner.
They need to run to and fro till the ball is retrieved by the fielders of the
opponents. That is the basic nature of cricket.
The object of the game is to score runs when at bat and to put out, or dismiss,
the opposing batsmen when in the field. To apply the law and make sure the
cricket rules are upheld throughout the game there are two umpires in place
during games. Umpires are responsible for making decisions and notifying
the scorers of these decisions. Two umpires are in place on the playing field
while there is also a third umpire off the field who is in charge of video
decisions. This is where the call is too close for the on field umpires and they
refer it to the third umpire who reviews slow motion video replays to make
a decision.
Cricket is usually a game that spans over two innings. This means that one
team needs to bowl the other team out twice and score more runs then them
to win the match. Before the game begins an official will toss a coin. The
captain who guesses the correct side of the coin will then choose if they
want to bat or field first. One team will then bat while the other will bowl
& field. The aim of the batting team is to score runs while the aim of the
fielding team is to bowl ten people out and close the batting teams' innings.
It’s worth noting that although there are eleven people in each team only ten
people need to be bowled out as you cannot have one person batting alone.
Batting is done in pairs.
Once the first team has been bowled out the second team would then go into
bat. Once the second team is then bowled out it would normally return to the
first team batting again. However there is an exception to this in the cricket
rules, it is called the follow-on. The follow-on is when the first team makes
at least 200 runs more than the second team made (in a 5 day test match).
This then gives the first team the option to make the second team bat again.
This is particularly useful if the game is progressing slowly or affected by
bad weather and there might not be enough time for both teams to play a
full innings. Should this be the case the batting team's captain also has the
right to forfeit their innings at any time. This is called a declaration. Some
may wonder why a captain would forfeit the opportunity for his team to bat.
However if the game is coming close to a close and it looks like they will not
be able to bowl the other team out again this could be an option. If one team
is not bowled out twice and a winner determined in the five days of play the
game is declared a draw. Therefore it may be worth declaring an extra inning
to create the possibility of a win rather than a draw.
The aim of the batsmen is to score runs. One of the main cricket rules is that
for batsmen to score runs they must run to each other's end of the pitch
(from one end to the other). In doing this one run is scored. Cricket rules
state they may run multiple runs per shot. As well as running they can also
score runs by hitting boundaries. A boundary scores the batsmen either 4
or 6 runs. A four is scored by hitting the ball past the boundary after hitting
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
the ground while a six is scored by hitting the ball
past the boundary on the full (before it hits the
ground). Cricket rules also state that once a 4 or
6 has been scored any runs physically ran by the
batsman are null & void. They will only obtain the
4 or 6 runs.
Other ways runs can be scored according to the
cricket rules include no balls, wide balls, byes &
leg byes. Cricket rules state that all runs scored by
these methods are awarded to the batting team
but not the individual batters.
•A "No Ball" can be declared for many reasons: If
the bowler bowls the ball from the wrong place,
the ball is declared dangerous (often happens
when bowled at the batsmen's body on the full),
bounces more than twice or rolls before reaching
the batsman or if fielders are standing in illegal
positions. The batsman can hit a no ball and score
runs off it but cannot be out from a no ball except
if they are ran out, hit the ball twice, handle the
ball or obstruct the field. The batsman gains any
runs scored off the no ball for his shot while the
team also gains one run for the no ball itself.
• A "Wide Ball" will be declared if the
umpire thinks the batsman did not have a
reasonable opportunity to score off the delivery.
However if the delivery is bowled over the
batsmen's head it will not be declared a wide
but a no ball. Umpires are much stricter on wide
deliveries in the shorter format of the game while
being much more relaxed in test cricket. A wide
delivery will add one run to the batting team and
any runs scored by the batsman. The batsman
is not able to get out off a wide delivery except
if they are stumped, run out, handle the ball, hit
their wicket or obstruct the field.
• A "Bye" is where a ball that isn't a no ball
or wide passes the striking batsman and runs are
scored without the batsman hitting the ball.
• A "Leg Bye" is where runs are scored by
hitting the batsman, but not the bat and the ball
is not a no ball or wide. However no runs can be
scored if the striking batsman didn't attempt to
play a shot or if he was avoiding the ball.
There are a number of different ways a batsman
can be given out in the game of cricket. When
a bowler gets a batsman out it is said that the
bowler gets a "wicket". Following are the different
ways a batsman can be given out according to the
rules of cricket:
• Bowled - Cricket rules state that if the
ball is bowled and hits the striking batsman's
wickets the batsman is given out (as long as
at least one bail is removed by the ball). It does
not matter whether the ball has touched the
batsman's bat, gloves, body or any other part of
the batsman. However the ball is not allowed to
have touched another player or umpire before
hitting the wickets.
• Caught - Cricket rules state that if a
batsman hits the ball or touches the ball at all
with his bat or hand/glove holding the bat then
the batsman can be caught out. This is done by the
fielders, wicket keeper or bowler catching the ball
on the full (before it bounces). If this is done then
cricket rules state the batsman is out.
• Leg Before Wicket (LBW) - If the ball is
bowled and it hits the batsman first without the
bat hitting it then an LBW decision is possible.
However for the umpire to give this out he must
first look at some of the factors stated in the
| 77
cricket rules. The first thing the umpire need to
decide is would the ball have hit the wickets if
the batsman was not there. If his answer to this
is yes and the ball was not pitched on the leg side
of the wicket he can safely give the batsman out.
However if the ball hits the batsman outside the
line of off stump while he was attempting to play a
stroke then he is not out.
• Stumped - A batsman can be given out
according to cricket rules when the wicketkeeper
puts down his wicket while he is out of his crease
and not attempting a run (if he is attempting a run
it would be a run-out).
• Run Out - Cricket rules state that a
batsman is out if no part of his bat or body is
grounded behind the popping crease while the
ball is in play and the wicket is fairly put down by
the fielding side.
• Hit Wicket - Cricket rules specify that if a
batsman hits his wicket down with his bat or body
after the bowler has entered his delivery stride
and the ball is in play then he is out. The striking
batsman is also out if he hits his wicket down
while setting off for his first run.
• Handled The Ball - Cricket rules allow
the batsman to be given out if he willingly handles
the ball with the hand that is not touching the bat
without the consent of the opposition.
• Timed Out - An incoming batsman must
be ready to face a ball or be at the non strikers
end with his partner within three minutes of the
outgoing batsman being dismissed. If this is not
done the incoming batsman can be given out.
• Hit The Ball Twice - Cricket rules state
that if a batsman hits a ball twice other than
for the purpose of protecting his wicket or with
consent from the opposition he is out.
• Obstructing The Field - A batsman is out
if he willingly obstructs the opposition by word or
action
There are many other cricket rules. However
these are most of the basics and will get you well
on your way to playing the game. Many of the
more advanced rules & laws can be learned along
the way and are not vital to general play.
By: TBM
LIVERPOOL
FOOTBALL CLUB -LFC

W
the League Championship in 1891, occupants at Anfield before this
hen the Football
but this is to run ahead slightly. date but following a disagreement
League was
Both teams owe their existence to with Houlding they promptly moved
founded in 1888,
a Reverend Chambers of the then across Stanley Park to a new home
Anfield was one
newly constructed and now, totally – Goodison Park. Houlding was
of the League's
demolished, church - St Domingo, left with an empty stadium and so
original grounds. On September
and to John Houlding - Tory MP and formed Liverpool Football Club.
8th of that year - the very first
Mayor of Liverpool who ultimately He appointed John McKenna; an
Saturday of League football - Anfield
caused Everton FC to leave Anfield Irishman with many links in Scottish
welcomed as visitors Accrington to
and who created Liverpool Football football, who used his links to form
play not against the 'Reds', but the
Club. a ‘squad’ of 13 players, of which 9
'Blues' of Everton Football Club.
Liverpool Football Club was were Scottish.
The blue and white quartered shirts
founded in March 1892 by John In their first season the club won
of Everton FC made quite a name
Houlding, who owned the Anfield the second division championship
for themselves at Anfield winning
Road stadium. Everton FC was the – without losing a game! The first of
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
18 first division championships arrived at Anfield
in season 1900-01, now under the management of
Tom Watson, the team finished two points ahead
of Sunderland. Five years before that Liverpool
recorded their highest ever League win when
they beat Rotherham United 10-1 in the second
division (Feb 18th 1896). The Reds won their
second league title in 1906, and reached their first
FA Cup Final in 1914. The match was played at
the old Crystal Palace ground and Liverpool lost
1-0 to Burnely, with ex-Evertonian Burt Freeman
scoring the only goal.
In 1922 the third league title was secured and
the following year the fourth was won – finishing
6 points clear. The summer of 1928 saw a new
roof on the famous Kop stand at Anfield. In 1947
another league title was won, losing just one
match all season. In search of the double The
Reds reached the semi-final of the FA Cup, but lost
after a replay to Burnley. 1955 saw Liverpool beat
Everton 4-0 in an FA Cup tie, but the Jon Welsh
men could not get the club out of division two and
so was replaced by Phil Taylor the following year.
Taylor had little success and was replaced by
Bill Shankly in 1959. Shankly arrived from
Huddersfield and went on to guide The Reds to
numerous championships and cup wins. Shankly
lead the club to their first FA Cup final at their
third attempt in 1965, beating Leeds United in the
final. That win came and was sandwiched by two
more championships. European success was on
the horizon and despite ending as runners-up in
the European Cup Winners Cup in 1966 the bread
and butter of the league title was won.
1973 was a significant year for Liverpool FC, under
the leadership of Bill Shankly they won their first
European honour – the UEFA Cup – and their
eighth league title! Just a year later Shankly made
the decision to leave the club by mutual consent
– much to the shock of all the Reds adoring fans.
Bob Paisley was promoted from the ‘boot room’,
a trend which would continue at the club for
decades to come. Any doubts that Paisley was not
the right man for the job were dispelled in 1976,
when Paisley’s team won the league title and
UEFA Cup in the same season. The next season
saw the league title (again), the European Cup
and the European Super Cup all arrive at Anfield.
The trophies kept coming with another European
Cup in 1978 and league titles in 79, 80, 82 and
83. These were won with league cups in 1981, 82
and 83 and a third European Cup in 1981. These
successes made Bob Paisley the most successful
British football manager ever.
Paisley retired at the end of the 1982-83 season
and made way for Joe Fagan to take charge.
Fagan’s team lifted the league title, league cup
and the European Cup in his first season in
charge – some start to a managerial career. Kenny
Dalglish was appointed in 1985 following Fagan’s
retirement and won the clubs’ first ever double
of league title and FA Cup in 1986. Two more
league championships followed in 1988 and 90
along with another FA Cup win in 89. April 15th
1989 is a date that will live long in the memory of
Reds fans through out the World. Liverpool were
playing Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semi final
at Sheffield’s Hillsborough Stadium. 96 Liverpool
fans were tragically killed following inadequate
policing and stewarding in the Leppings Lane End.
Dalglish left the club in 1991 and Graeme Souness
took the helm. His first season saw The Reds lifted
the FA Cup, beating Sunderland 2-0. But Souness’
reign at the club was not to be a successful one
and after several failed attempts to win the league
and many poor finishes, he made way for Roy
Evans in 1994.
1994 also saw the last ever game in front of the
Kop’s stands. Norwich City were the visitors as
44,339 fans packed in to Anfield. Many of them
had turned out to see legends such as Paisley
and Dalglish. The date of April 30th 1994 will go
down in Liverpool history – but not for the result.
Norwich won 1-0 courtesy of a Jeremy Goss strike
at the Kop End. Evans’ reign started in familiar
fashion to Souness’ with a League Cup win in
1995. But once again the club failed to live up to
expectations with miserable European campaigns
and continued league inconsistencies.
In the summer of 1998 Gerard Houllier was
appointed joint manager with Roy Evans. But that
joint partnership was always destined to end in
failure and after four months together Roy Evans
left the club. Roy a great servant to the club was
never a man to put himself before the club whom
he supported as a boy and worked himself up
from fringe player to first team manger. He later
claimed in one of his last interviews that he didn’t
want to be a “Ghost on the Wall” which is in fact
what his Autobiography title for his book which
was later published in 2004.
Houllier now sole manager had a big task on his
hands to restore confidence and discipline in his
players. He inherited a team who were used to
Roy Evans’s “one of the boys” attitude towards
management but slowly but surely he began to
build a squad of players that Liverpool once again
could be proud of. Players such as Paul Ince and
later Robbie Fowler were shown the door as they
were never going to be part of Houllier’s new
counter attacking and disciplined squad. In came
players such as Gary McAllister, Milan Baros, Sami
Hyypia, Stephane Henchoz, John Arne Riise, Emile
Heskey and the inclusion of up and coming starlet
Stephan Gerrard to name but a few.
Immediately things began to look a whole lot
brighter and after two seasons of laying down
the foundations to a team in his mold his team
won three trophies in one season. The League
Cup success over Birmingham was the clubs first
trophy for 6 years and this was soon followed
by FA Cup and UEFA Cup joy two months later. A
memorable UEFA Cup Final saw Houllier’s team
beat Spanish underdogs Alaves 5-4 in a thrilling
extra time encounter. Success was fleeting though
as growing unrest at Liverpool’s sudden return to
mediocrity and little progress forced supporters
to call for his resignation which 2 seasons earlier
would have seemed inconceivable. Liverpool were
now perceived as chronic underperformers and
the league table showed it. Expensive signings
such as El-Hadji Diouf and Emile Heskey to name
a couple were slated as flops and Houllier later
went on record as saying signing Diouf was a huge
mistake.
| 79
After such hope and prosperity in his first few
seasons Houllier was politely shown the door.
In 2004 during a pre-season full of speculation
Liverpool made the massive coup in signing
promising young manager Rafael Benitez from
Valencia. “Rafa” as he is known faced an equally
big task in bringing together a squad littered with
distinctly average players from the Houllier era.
Purchases such as Luis Garcia, Xabi Alonso and
Fernando Morientes improved the outlook but
the loss of Michael Owen to Real Madrid marred
Benitez’s opening months. Rafa Benitez’s first
season in charge saw the Reds land their first
European Cup for 21 years, defeating AC Milan
against the odds in the greatest European Final
ever witnessed.
In 2006 Liverpool won the FA Cup after beating
West Ham in a penalty shoot-out. The game
becomes known as the Gerrard final and
rightfully so as he saved Liverpool from defeat at
the eleventh hour. The club was later bought by
Americans George Gillett and Tom Hicks from
David Moores for £218.9m in 2007. In the same
year Liverpool went up to the Champions League
final but lost to AC Milan in Athens. Also in the
same year Liverpool broke showed its financial
might by buying Fernando Torres from Atletico
Madrid for 20.2 millions pounds, making him
the most expensive player Liverpool has ever
bought and worth every penny. They went ahead
to record the biggest win in Champions League
history against Besiktas at Anfield, when they
beat them 8-0.
In 2009 Liverpool said goodbye to one of their
greatest servants, Sami Hyypia, and they did it in
style by beating Tottenham 3-1 and record their
highest ever Premier League total, of 86 points.
In the year 2010 Rafa Benítez departed to AC
ROMA after a six years helm at Anfield. He was
replaced by Roy Hodgson as the club’s new
manager. It’s during this period that Gillett and
Hicks were finally forced out of the club after a
series of dramatic events. The pair claimed they
had been the victims of an “epic swindle” and
that Liverpool’s Board seriously undervalued the
club. New England Sports Ventures-who later
changed their name to Fenway Sports Group in
March 2011, purchased Liverpool Football Club
for a sum of £300 million and eliminated all of the
acquisition debt placed on the club by its previous
owners, reducing its debt servicing obligations
from £25m-£30m a year to £2m-£3m a year.
The year 2011 saw the Return of the King; Kenny
Dalglish was appointed caretaker manager until
the summer. Fernando Torres was also sold and
he became the most expensive player sold by
Liverpool when he transfers to Chelsea for a
British record of £50million. The club then went
ahead to purchase Andy Carroll making him the
most expensive British player when he‘s bought
for £35million. The “Vampire” Luis Suarez was
also obtained for £22.8million earlier that day.
Never in the history of the club had such big fees
been signed for in 24 hours. Fenway Sports Group
and Liverpool FC later confirmed Kenny Dalglish
as Team Manager and he was given a three year
contract.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
Despite the arrival of new players, their
performance in the league did not improve, as
they finished in eighth place, the club's worst
finish in eighteen years. Liverpool's performed
markedly better in the League Cup and FA Cup, as
they reached the final of both competitions. The
club won a record eighth League Cup, with a 3–2
penalty shoot-out victory against Cardiff City after
the match finished 2–2. Liverpool were however
unable to repeat their success in the FA Cup, as
they lost the final 2–1 to Chelsea. The season was
marred by the Luis Suárez racial abuse incident
in October during a match against Manchester
United, in which Suarez racially abused Patrice
Evra and was fined £40k and banned for eight
games. Dalglish was also sacked at the end of that
season and replaced by Brendan Rodgers who
became Liverpool‘s eighteenth manager.
The 2013–14 season was Liverpool FC’'s 122nd
season in existence, and their 51st consecutive
season in the top flight of English football. It was
also the club's 22nd consecutive season in the
Premier League. As well as the Premier League,
the club competed in the FA Cup and the League
Cup. Liverpool enjoyed a memorable season,
scoring 101 league goals, the highest number of
goals scored by a Premier League runner-up and
also the highest number of goals ever scored by
the club in the top flight. Luis Suarez finished as
the league's top scorer with 31 goals, winning the
Premier League Golden Boot as well as the PFA
Players' Player of the Year, while Steven Gerrard
finished with the most assists, with 13.
Liverpool fans allowed for some optimism during
the pre-season as the club looked to attain
UEFA Champions League qualification for the
first time since finishing second in 2008-2009.
The team soon exceeded expectations however,
with Liverpool securing their pre-season aim
of qualifying for the 2014-15 UEFA Champions
League after winning 3-2 away to Norwich City.
After having won 11 games in succession and
leading the title race while competing against
rivals Chelsea and Manchester City, a 2-0 home
defeat to the former and a 3-3 draw away to
Crystal Palace led to Liverpool finishing 2nd on
the final day, behind champions Manchester City
by just two points. This represented the closest
the club had come to winning their 19th league
title since 1990.
The summer of 2014 was one of the busiest in
Liverpool history, with the club breaking the
£100m spending barrier for the first time. Much
of that sum, of course, was covered by the £75m
sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona, which meant
Brendan Rodgers had to work overtime to replace
the talismanic Uruguayan while also bolstering
the rest of his squad for a return to Champions
League combat. Long-term target Adam Lallana
was the first one to be tied up early in the summer,
followed by German midfield prospect Emre
Can. Ditto Rickie Lambert, a surprise capture
but an intriguing one all the same then followed.
Talented attacker Lazar Markovic has already
shown flashes of his ability followed. The entire
| 80
defence was overhauled with the signing of Dejan
Lovren, Javier Manquillo and Alberto Moreno.
However the biggest surprise of all was saved
until last, with Mario Balotelli arriving at Anfield
in the final week of the transfer window to fill the
void left by a certain other maverick front man.
They also brought in Divock Origi but sent him
out on loan to Lille.
While the depth and quality of Liverpool’s squad
had been improved by the nine new signings, it
meant other players on the fringes were surplus
to requirements. In all, 17 players departed
during the summer - eight on permanent deals,
nine on loan. Some long-serving players like
Daniel Agger and Pepe Reina said farewell, others
like Andre Wisdom, Tiago Ilori and Sebastian
Coates were loaned out due to their first-team
chances being limited. A clutch of homegrown
players like Martin Kelly, Conor Coady and Jack
Robinsonbegan new chapters in their careers.
All said and done a total of £82m was recouped
from the sales, while savings were also made on
wages -Stoke City, for example, are paying 100%
of Oussama Assaidi’s wages while he is on loan
there.
……now it’s to wait and see how they perform
next season
By Max Munton
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 81

MISS KERRE
FASHIONS
decided to borrow Kshs 5,000 from her mother to
Their biggest endeavor and start a jewellery business. Her first clients were
achievement that makes them stand her fellow students and for sometime she made
out is the ability to provide the latest and sold ornaments to them. The demand for
her jewellery was high and from the Kshs 5,000
and widest variety in the local and capital, she made Kshs 50,000.
international fashion trends.
From theses proceed, the business owner Yvonne
out and there is a fashion house right here at home acquired a shared store within the same town
that is walking the talk. of Eldoret to broaden her business and after
Miss Kerre Fashions, one of the biggest ladies sharing the store for about 3 months she was able
fashion retail stores in Kenya and Rwanda, is a
retail clothing store with both online and physical
stores which specialize in being a trend setter in
the East African fashion scene and caters to ladies
with an interest and inclination to fashion, style
and appearances.

Their biggest endeavor and achievement that

makes them stand out is the ability to provide
the latest and widest variety in the local and
international fashion trends. They have a wide
market margin as they target ladies of all sizes
both big and small and allowing them access to
the latest fashion hence making them able to
express their style in an environment that caters
for all.

In the year 2010 being a law student at Moi

University, Yvonne Kerre decided to venture
into the world of entrepreneurship after most of
her fellow students showed interest to some of
her jewellery that she had made for herself. She

a fashion
W orking in
job is a popular
career choice, from
selling to buying, everyone
wants be a part of it, and
competition is
fiercer. Working as a fashion buyer can be
a dream job; who wouldn’t want to be in charge
of deciding which clothes are worshipped by the
fashion conscious? But if you want to work and
succeed in the fashion world, you’ve got to stand
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 82

to acquire ownership of the whole store

from her profits. Yvonne started
her first store as a jewelry store
in Eldoret getting merchandise
from Nairobi, a business that
was thriving in Nairobi but had
not yet caught on in Eldoret. She
quickly established this gap and
took full advantage of it.

A few months later she

acquired a fashion clothing
store also in Eldoret with a
loan she got from a friend of
Kshs 50,000 which was to
be repaid in 3 months with
a Kshs 10,000 interest. The
shop was a ladies clothing
shop and she used to get
her stock from Kampala in
Uganda. The business was also
successful and she was able to repay
the loan promptly. A later, Yvonne
moved to Nairobi where she started an
online fashion store and finally opened
her first Nairobi shop in December the
same year which serves now as their main
outlet store. She went ahead to open a
branch in Rwanda and a collection outlet in
Mombasa in July 2014.
Yvonne started to deal in imported European
merchandise when she traveled to Europe
after completing her degree program. The
exposure in the western fashion industry
made her realize the big gap in the African
market and embarked immediately
to fill this gap by providing similar
services in East Africa which was
better quality variety and designs of
fashion apparel and better service to
customers. “I loved the sense of fashion
that existed in Europe and I thought it
wise to sell the clothes in Kenya and make
money while at it,” said Kerre. ” After every
four weeks, she travels to Europe to buy
new stock. “I get the clothes from United
Kingdom, Spain and Italy,” she said.
The Rwanda store was opened with the aim
of working in alignment with the vision of the
company which was to be the best and biggest
international chain retail store in Africa. She
felt the need to adopt different markets and
decided to use Rwanda as a pilot program to
start with. She plans on taking this further
into other East African countries and in
the future extend to the rest of Africa, one
milestone at a time.

Miss Kerre Fashions is headed by Yvonne

Kerre who is also the proprietor, Patrick who
is the accounts and data entry head, Caroline
Olimba who is the Sales and Digital Marketing
Executive and sales team in each branch.
Their products include dresses, tops, bottoms,
shoes, bags and jewellery and the prices range
from Kshs 2000 to Kshs 6000.
“There is a big gap in delivery of good quality
and varriety of products. A lot of the market
is filled with items from China and other Asian
countries which comprise of products suited
to their local market. It’s been noted that many
Asian especially Chinese people have a small
body structure. Most of their products are made
for their body structured and yet are sold in the
African market which is very diverse. This causes
a huge gap where people above a certain size
can not easily get clothes they like. When I am
out scouting for the latest trends, I consider every
size and height and also accommodating diverse
tastes,” she said.
According to Miss Kerre the customer service in
the retail industry in Africa is very minimal and
almost irrelevant. “What retailers don’t realise
is that shopping should be a fun and relaxing
affair. People shop as a form of therapy, and also
making shopping easy and fun enables continuity.
Customer service does not just involve how sales
people relate to the customers but also the design
of retail stores to give the customers the best
service they require like adequate changing space,
efficient service and return policies and that’s
what we strive to ensure” she said.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 83

UHURU
CLOTHING
Enhancing the Image of Africa

designing t-shirts with profound and inspirational messages. People started

buying it and it grew with great support from not only Kenyans but nationals
from other African countries living in the United States.
With regard to fashion designing, Some of the quotes on Uhuru Clothing t-shirts have been the following: “music
branding is important, says Thomas. is a voice to the people”; “Close your eyes, feel the freedom”; “My future is so
bright it blinds my eyes”; “Give Africa Hope.”
“Upcoming designers try to sell as
much as they can and please everyone Having gone to the United States to study economics, Thomas Mwicigi later
quit his job as a Financial Consultant to pursue Uhuru Clothing full time. As the
but you lose yourself in it.” company started growing, he began a suitcase tour by driving to neighboring
states in the summer with t-shirts. He would set up a barbeque, sell t-shirts
and speak to his clients in different states. “Some of the times it was successful
and other times it was a learning experience.”

Having returned to Kenya in 2012, bringing his company here, compromising

on quality was non negotiable. Uhuru Clothing still produces some of the
shirts in the States until they are able to find a factory/manufacturer locally
that can provide the service they need. “What I have seen is in order to make
maximum profit, a lot of people will compromise on quality.” Although the cost
is expensive in the US, the quality available in Kenya is not the same so far as
Thomas has seen.

“What I have seen is in order to make maximum profit, a lot of people will
compromise on quality.”
Where Uhuru Clothing t-shirts are in weight 170 grams (6 ounces), locally
available t-shirts are only 107 grams (3.8 ounces). A significant difference
in quality and durability. Just to explain a little further on t-shirts and their

A
t-shirt brand with a message? Promoting African values and
representing a lifestyle that reflects Africa? What do all of these have
in common? They are the values and morale behind the company
founded by Thomas Mwicigi. Presenting Uhuru Clothing.
weight, the weight of the t-shirt determines the quality. They range from the
very light (5.3-ounces) to a more standard (5.5-ounces) on up to the perceived
value of a heavier (6.1-ounces or even 7.1-ounces) shirt. A heavier weight does
have its advantages as it is considered more durable, meaning it will hold its
shape and substance under repeated wear and washes.

Founded in 2007, Uhuru Clothing is a brand of t-shirts that spreads messages
of hope and a future for Africa. Due to the lack of African representation in
clothing in the United States back then, Thomas Mwicigi created a brand that
would encapsulate African essence and give people a sense of ownership and
identification with home.
“We would wear a lot of American apparel…so when I went to look for African
stuff I couldn’t find it. It was very limited.” That is when Thomas started
When seeking an explanation as to the dearth of quality material locally
manufactured, Thomas Mwicigi was told that company’s who buy most of the
t-shirts are bought for short-term use. These companies are not requesting
long lasting high quality t-shirts so the factories do not produce what is not in
demand. “You can find good quality locally but you just have to keep looking
hard enough. We believe it is there though.”
With regard to fashion, Thomas found that people are mostly buying from
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
stalls, second-hand clothing and not fashion
designers. “A lot of people go to China, Turkey buy
shoes and bags and shirts and sell because people
buy.” When he came back to Nairobi, he realized
that in Kenya, in terms of retail, people don’t
spend that much money on clothing. Thomas has
found that people would rather spend 10,000ksh
on a night out and spend as little as possible on
clothes, which they will wear for a considerable
amount of time.
“Upcoming designers try to sell as much as they
can and please everyone but you lose yourself in
it.”
With regard to fashion designing, branding is
important, says Thomas. “Upcoming designers try
to sell as much as they can and please everyone
but you lose yourself in it.” One of the traits of
Uhuru Clothing is the uniqueness of each range
of products. Uhuru Clothing operates on limited
edition collections so rest assured that the t-shirt
you buy will not be mass-produced. Uhuru
Clothing has a t-shirt range primarily but has also
produced sweaters, polo shirts, caps, shorts and
shoes.
“As a designer you need to know your target
market and how you are going to position your
brand.” It’s important to realize that people work
on perceptions and where you position yourself
will influence the perception associated with your
brand.
Uhuru Clothing has been working closely with
charity events and designing special collection
for those charities. The brand has been worn and
appeared in music videos for the likes of Camp
Mulla, STL (Stella Mwangi) and Jaguar.
After being in business for about four years,
Uhuru Clothing wanted to give back so they began
organizing Charity Events.
“You have to give back.”
One of them being ‘The Give Africa Hope”
movement where Uhuru Clothing organized
benefit concerts, designed a special line of clothing
with proceeds going to the campaign. They had a
benefit concert with different artists from Jamaica
such as Morgan Heritage, Jboog and Peter Morgan
donating their time and sponsors raising funds
for the cause. “Freedom is having the power to do
what is right. Helping our African brothers and
sisters in their time of need is what “Give Africa
Hope” is all about.”
| 84
“To rally Africans & friends of Africa in the diaspora
to help with the relief efforts. This movement is far
greater then just providing some food and water to
residents living in Africa’s horn region. To prevent
this horrible famine cycle that seems to happen about
every three years, there needs to be advancements in
agriculture, education improvements for locals, and
creation of new sustainable industries in the area.”
As a result of the Give Africa Hope movement, they
managed to purchase mosquito nets and water
purifiers in partnership with Project Maisha and
UNICEF. “We raised 1.2 million Kenya Shillings and
towards the end of this year, we would like to do the
same.”
“If you don’t have the passion for it…you’re doing
this for the money, the girls, the fame… it will die
very quickly. The first time you get that objection,
you will give up.”
Uhuru Clothing is more than just a t-shirt company
with inspirational messages about Africa; they also
give back to the community. Thomas Mwicigi has
created a brand that will make anyone fall in love
with Africa, give back and inspire others. Take a look
at some of their pieces. More of Uhuru Clothing-
check out their Facebook page.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
MS NJOKI NDEGWA
OF TATY'S AGENCY
MODELING & FASHION
Of late, the fashion scenery is changing and also embracing
models of bigger sizes which I think is a great thing! Our
agency actually has plenty of plus size models and curvy
models in addition to petite models.
| 85
W
e live in a world where we are
constantly under scrutiny about
our appearance. Women and girls
are persistently striving to become
beautiful and will use a variety of different
mediums to achieve this. Beauty can be defined
as a combination of qualities, such as shape,
colour, or form that pleases the aesthetic senses,
especially the sight. Beauty can be interpreted
in many different ways across time and culture
but this subjective concept has been adjusted so
women feel like beauty is objective. For example,
the media has influence on society's perception of
beauty through magazines, tabloid newspapers
and television; resulting in women feeling
insecure about their appearance.
The current situation in Nairobi is quite alarming:
every girl nowadays irrespective of whether tall or
short, big or small, fat or slender, light or dark etc,
claims to be a model and the first thing they do is
stop eating in the name of keeping fit. Back when
we were still young, the modeling profession was
a preserve for the tall, slender and beautiful but
that seems to have changed. It’s for this reason
that we decided to have a one-on-one with one
Miss Njoki Ndegwa, the owner of Taty's Agency:
Modeling & Fashion.
We met up with Miss Njoki Ndegwa, a holder
of a Master’s degree in Microbiology and
Biotechnology from the University of Nairobi, who
happens to be the CEO of Taty’s Agency: Modeling
and Fashion, an agency that provides a broad
spectrum of contemporary models for the fashion
and commercial advertising industries in Nairobi,
conducting an auditions and this is what she had
to say.
How did you start out and how many years have
you been in the industry?
I have always been passionate about modeling
and fashion since I was very small; however I
started working professionally in the Modeling
and Fashion industry some 6 years ago. I started
out as a model working with various agencies
before I decided to start my own modeling &
fashion agency.
Who or what inspired you to set up Taty’s Agency:
Modeling & Fashion?
I was disturbed by the sheer lack of equal
opportunities for models. This industry is harsh
and very competitive hence it is common to
find a lot of models especially those hungry for
success compromising their morals for jobs.
The strong desire to give all models an equal
chance and a platform, plus a chance to offer
above-par services to both the models and
clients made me open up Taty’s Agency which
was a dream come true for me.
How did you come up with that name?
Well, it is from my confirmation name Tatyana
(I am catholic) which I was given by a friend
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
way back in 2001. I wanted a simple catchy
name that everyone could identify with.
What’s the vision of your Agency?
Taty’s Agency envisions itself to be the leading
modeling and fashion agency in Nairobi County
and in Kenya within 3 years, and the leading
modeling agency in East Africa and beyond in
5 years.
What do you look for in a model?
It takes more than just a pretty face to cut it.
You need to have the total package, both the
physical traits and personality to thrive in this
industry. The base-line parameters are very
small. However, the first things we look at are
the physical attributes which include specific
body types, facial bone structure, height, good
posture among other things. Also, talent that
is marketable in our various styles and areas of
modeling as an agency.
How long did it take you to break into the Fashion
industry as a well known agency?
It took around 7 months to break out into the
market.
What do you most enjoy about your work?
I love what I do and working with all these
models, the photo-shoots, the runway,
activations etc. It’s so fulfilling for me; the
fact that I get to offer a chance and platform
to other hopeful models and create jobs and
opportunities for them... that in itself gives me
a lot of gratification.
Who are your favorite fashion photographers?
I have many favorites but I will have to go with
Cyril Lagel and Yu Tsai. It would be a dream-
come-true to work with them. Locally I love
working with Murash Media Production, SI Unit
and Mwachala Photography.
What do you most dislike about your work?
The general perception about modeling which
is so wrong... that models are airheads and
that it is not a serious career. Most people think
that it is just glamour and glitz but it really is a
serious job that requires hard work, dedication
and anything else that any job requires for one
to succeed.
What are some of the facts that models need to
know when getting into the industry?
Modeling is a job like any other and it should be
treated as such. It is not all glamour as people
imagine. When models are contacted for a job or
casting, they should treat it as a job interview.
Many a times we hear from clients that models
don’t seem well prepared.
How do you renew talent in such a fast-paced and
competitive industry?
We usually hold auditions twice in every year
but we are now planning to start holding
several auditions in the course of this year
onwards. We also do aggressive scouting which
works really well.
How do you decide whether a young candidate
has potential?
It is mostly the ability to be photogenic and
to have the right facial bone structure. I see
beauty in the weirdest places of what a normal
eye might not see and what the society might
consider ‘ugly’, ‘average’ or not your typical
drop dead or gorgeous type. There is vast
potential in Kenya
Who are your most successful models and why
are they so sought after?
Right now, Caroline Cheche, Precious Cheruno
and Joy Mwachandi. Caroline is looking to be the
new face of Maybelline Kenya and has recently
appeared in a shoot for Drum Magazine.
Precious has appeared in several music videos
and still remains our most sought after video
vixen. Our other model Joy has featured in
several photo-shoots. Personality is what will
set one aside in this competitive industry.
The dreaded question…Agencies are often
criticized for promoting extreme thinness and
taking on girls at a very young age. What is your
opinion on this??
Of late, the fashion scenery is changing and
also embracing models of bigger sizes which I
think is a great thing. Our agency actually has
plenty of plus size models and curvy models
in addition to petite models. This makes our
agency unique. We do not support the portrayal
of a model having to be a size zero because it
really is not healthy.
As for the recruitment of young girls, this is
always done with the consent of the parents/
guardians. We understand that guidance is
needed to steer our young models in the right
direction and this we do take very seriously.
Besides budget, what are the most important
things a client should take into account when
choosing a model?
Work ethics, does the model take the job
assigned with the seriousness it deserves? Is
she or he difficult to work with? Will the model
perform? Is she or he cooperative? There are

so many factors that a client considers before
working with a model.
Tell us something that most people don’t know
about your work/modeling/fashion industry.
We are always working. The industry is not
your normal 8-5 job and we work lots of odd
hours. One can go for a whole 3 days without
sleep. That is our new normal.
What about your best clients—those who you
enjoy working with the most?
All of our esteemed clients make it to the list. It
is a pleasant experience to work with each of
them, however big or small the organization.
On what basis do you turn aspiring models away?
We never turn aspiring models away. We
hold auditions where they are all interviewed
uniformly. This involves verbal interviews,
cat walking and going through their pictures,
photo-shoots and so much more after which we
do our final selection of the models that can join
us.
If a girl came to you who was photogenic but a size
12, what would you say to her?
Welcome girl! You are definitely at the right
place! But really, we have several size 12 models
in our agency and plus size models.
Does the fashion industry contribute to eating
disorders?
It used to but not anymore. The embracing of
more curvy and plus size models has definitely
slashed the notion that size zero is what is
needed to make it as a model.
Is it a discriminatory industry? Is it true that you
prefer light skinned models as opposed to dark
skin models?
industry right where you belong?
Not true. They are both interchangeable and I am in my zone. I enjoy every bit of this crazy
suited in different modeling areas. I personally business; this is definitely where my heart is.
prefer working with dark skinned girls I look forward to all tomorrows as everyday
especially on runway and editorial shoots. I brings with it a new experience.
cannot deny the society is sort of biased but
gladly that perception is slowly changing. How does it differ being a model in Kenya to other
countries? Is there a lot of competition between
How do you keep a teenage girl being paid aspiring and professional models in Kenya?
thousands shillings grounded? Modeling and fashion is really just starting to
We advice and counsel the models to invest and pick up in Kenya and in Africa as a whole. There
if the amount of money is a huge amount, we is so much talent here and a lot of competition
always contact the parents/guardians so they among models and to succeed one really has to
can get involved. stand out from the inside out. Of course models
in the developed world have more opportunities
Where is the oddest place that you’ve ever scouted but that is definitely bound to change as we
a model? see more opportunities being created locally
In a restaurant washroom. I happened to see this and more international companies bring their
girl walk into the washroom
and I swiftly followed her. It
was really somewhat hilarious
and scary for her. I asked if she
was a model, we chatted for a
while and then I gave her my
card. Thankfully she called the
next day and got signed too.
What is one of the most
redeeming qualities, you believe
a model can have and/or should
have?
I will have to go with personal
integrity and confidence. In
this industry, the temptations
are many. As the saying goes, if
you do not stand for something
you will fall for anything.
If given the opportunity, would
you change your career path
for something you´ve always
desired or is the fashion
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
brands to Kenya.
There’s a lot of negativity about the modeling
profession and agencies such as yours. Have you
any comments on this?
Well, I cannot really speak for other agencies
but we have never had any negative reception
or feedback from our clients. But I will say we
have heard about some agencies that scam
aspiring models by collecting money and not
giving them any jobs thereafter. I would advice
all aspiring models to do proper research about
an agency before paying a dime for anything.
Do you keep certain models for certain clients?
Not at all. All the models are given an equal
chance to work with all the clients. It however
comes down to how a model sells herself or
himself to the clients. Personality goes a long
way in clinching jobs.
The press often talks about the fashion industry
moving away from size zero models, towards
bigger body shapes. Is that really happening?
Yes it is! And it really is a breath of fresh air. We
are seeing more and fuller mainstream models
in the fashion industry
Have you ever had issues with models who were
too thin?
Yes, we have had to turn down a few cases. The
perception that modeling is for ‘thin’ girls is
wrong. It is for healthy girls despite your size.
We always aim to promote that.
What happens to teenagers who fill out as they get
older – is that the end of their Career?
Not exactly, they can always take up other
forms of modeling such as plus size modeling,
real life modeling and TV or film extras, TV
commercials, body parts models, glamour
modeling, catalogue modeling and commercial
print. The opportunities are immense.
Apart from running your agency, is there any
other business you are involved in?
Yes, I am a lecturer in one of the public
| 88
universities. I also do music in my free time.
Any advice for aspiring models?
The most successful ones are the ones who
treat it as a business and don’t take things
personally. Modeling is a job and a business,
and as a model, you are your own business.
You are your own brand. Just like any honest
career or business, it takes patience, effort,
time, dedication and commitment to become a
successful model. It will not happen overnight.
Also pleasant personalities are always a plus.
And for a Final thought: Who is your favourite
model of all time?
It might be cliché but I will take Tyra Banks any
day. She is gorgeous, a go-getter and she had to
overcome being turned down repeatedly and
numerous challenges and to start modeling.
Ooh and she take really good pictures and owns
the runway. She is definitely my favorite!
By: TBM
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
HOW TO MAKE MAHAMRI
M
ahamri are deep fried wheat product snacks that are easy for
anyone to make with very basic kitchen utensils. They are a
common snack in Swahili homes along the East African coast.
Mahamri are commonly served with tea or coffee and can
also be eaten without drinks. They are also a great addition to any picnic
hamper.
In the recipe given below, one can use ginger instead or cardamom, or both
to get a combined flavour. Alternatively, once you are familiar with making
Mahamri, you can experiment with different flavours.
You may also substitute the margarine with butter.
Prep time: 1 hour 30 min
Cook time: 2 hours
Ready in: 3 hours 30 min
Yields: serves 20 people six mahamri each
Ingredients
•3 medium sized Fresh Lemons
•2 kilograms Wheat flour
•7 grammes Cardamom seeds (Iliki)
•1 cup (or more to taste) Sugar
•2 tablespoons Baking powder
•3 heaped tablespoons Margarine
•1 litre Warm water
•2 litres Cooking oil
Instructions
Slice the lemons in half and get the juice out. Use any method you know
as long as you squeeze the juice out. Remove the seeds with a teaspoon
without having to sieve the juice. Mix the lemon with one litre of warm
water and put aside.
The Cardamom seeds will need to be ground and the husks kept aside. You
can use cardamom seeds that have already been ground with a machine but
my wife insists that the ones you grind by hand in a small pestle and mortar
will taste fresh. The husks are used later to spice the tea. To make tea with
these husks, put them in the water at the same time as you put the tea, then
sieve.
If you are using tea bags, boil them in the water first then sieve. Cardamom
will add flagrance to your snacks besides the exotic flavour.
Pour the flour, sugar, pounded cardamom, and baking powder into a pot and
| 89
mix thoroughly by hand for about three minutes.
Add three heaped tablespoonfuls of margarine (or butter) to the dry
ingredients and use your finger tips to mix it thoroughly with the previously
dry ingredients. Ensure that every bit of flour has the margarine in it. Rub in
the Margarine or butter
When the margarine is well spread out in the flour, you are ready to pour
in the lemon flavoured warm water. Knead the mixture into a large sticky
mass. When you are through, the dough should feel tacky and not dry to
touch. Cover the mixture with a dumb piece of kitchen fabric (not touching
the dough) for a period of one hour or more.
Pour two litres of cooking oil into a pot and heat for about 15 minutes.
Make amorphous balls with your hands.
Some people spread the dough with a rolling pin, and then use a small cup
to cut neat even rings. Others use a kitchen knife to cut neat squares. They
then drop these rings or squares in the hot cooking oil. In our case, I suggest
you use bare hands to form amorphous shapes that can never be uniform in
size. This gives each Mahamri a unique shape. Note that the Mahamri will
puff up as they fry so make your shapes flat and not round.
Drop your uniquely shaped Mahamri into the hot oil until the entire surface
of the oil is bubbling with raw Mahamri. Use the perforated deep frying
spoon to turn them over as they fry.
This will ensure that they brown evenly. Remove the ones that are brown-
ochre and add more raw dough. Continue this until all the dough is finished.
Keep turning the mahamri over and over so that they brown evenly.
Do not wait until the Mahamri are a dark brown. Overcooked Mahamri will
not be a joy to eat. Medium brown Mahamri will have a soft crust and a
spongy interior that will add a joyful experience to your tea.
Remove the ones that have a brown ochre and add fresh dough balls.
Great treat for visitors to take with tea or coffee
Now that you know how to make this tasty snack, invite some friends next
weekend. You will have had the time to practice and taste them yourself. As
I said above, you can tweak the sugar and spices to suit individual taste.
By Emmanuel Kariuki
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 90

HOW TO MAKE PILAU THE

SWAHILI WAY

P
ilau is a spiced rice dish that is found all along the Swahili coast When food Is nearly dry, turn down heat to low.
of Africa. Often it is made with shredded chicken or bits of beef, Cover and put a weight on top of the lid.
but this version is vegetarian. It is a dish that is heavily influenced Leave to cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
by Indian cuisine, and it tastes great alongside another Kenyan Serve hot with Kachumbari.
specialty: kachumbari.
Kachumbari is basically the African versions of pico de gallo, except you
Kachumbari Ingredients (4 servings)
make it a bit spicier
1/4 head green cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, grated
INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
½ kilo rice 1 red chile, seeds removed and chopped
1 cup ghee. or salad oil 1 white onion, sliced thinly
1 cup sliced onions 3 Roma tomatoes, sliced into half moons
½ fresh ginger root crushed Salt
5 crashed cloves of garlic
¼ teaspoon all spice Directions
2 tomatoes Mix all ingredients together with a large spoon and season with the salt.
½ kilo peeled potatoes Refrigerate 20 minutes before serving to let the salt draw the moisture from
1/2 kilo meat (cubed and cooked) the vegetables to create its own sauce.
4 cups hot water or stock from the cooked meat By: Milka Atieno
Salt to taste

METHOD
Clean and wash rice.
Fry onions in ghee or oil till brown.
Add ginger, garlic and spice.
Fry for one minute on medium heat.
Add tomatoes and cook till tender.
Add potatoes, meat and rice.
Stir well and then add stock and salt.
Cover pot and cook on medium heat.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
OBESITY IN
CHILDREN
Y
ou've heard about the growing rates of childhood obesity, and you
probably know that a healthy diet and lots of exercise can prevent
kids from becoming overweight. The problem is, living up to that
ideal in today's busy world is easier said than done. So what's the
best way to keep your child healthy?
Looks can be deceiving when it comes to a child's size. In one survey, 49
percent of parents whose kids were overweight thought they were average
size.
Studies show that the more weight your baby gains before age 2, the heavier
she's likely to be as an older child and adult. (And if you or your partner is
overweight, the risk of your child becoming obese is even greater.) Eating
and activity patterns learned in childhood—for good or ill—also tend to last
a lifetime. So start sound exercise and eating habits early.
Babies: 0 to 1 year
Nursing can reduce the risk of obesity in childhood and beyond. Compounds
in breast milk help regulate appetite and body fat, and babies take in only as
much milk as they need. If you bottle-feed your baby - whether with formula
or expressed breast milk—resist encouraging him to finish that last ounce.
Your baby knows when he's had enough.
Whether you're nursing or bottle-feeding, don't automatically feed your
baby every time he cries. And don't rush to start on solids. It's best to wait
until 6 months—especially if your baby's a little heavy to start with. When
you do start, don't overfeed him. When he turns his head away, the meal's
over.
| 91
Toddlers: 1 to 3 years
Toddlerhood is a time when many parents, without realizing it, set the stage
for mindless consumption of empty calories. Limit sugary drinks, including
100-percent juice (low-fat milk and water are best), and avoid eating in front
of the TV. And don't pacify your antsy toddler with food. Instead, read a book
together or give him an activity to do. Between meals, offer healthy snacks,
such as soft, bite-size pieces of fruit and vegetables, string cheese, or low-fat
yogurt.
Preschoolers: 3 to 5 years
Even though your child is growing fast, it's important to practice portion
control. A good rule of thumb: Serve one tablespoon of each food being offered
per year of age. A typical meal for a 3-year-old might be three tablespoons
each of pasta (try whole-wheat), peas, chicken and fruit. If your child doesn't
want it all, don't push him to eat. Remember that your child's tastes change,
so don't stop serving broccoli just because he rejects it once. Keep offering a
variety of healthful choices at every meal.
School-age kids: 5 years and up
Find fun ways to teach your child about nutrition, like making a sticker chart
to log each time he eats fruit, veggies, or other healthy foods. And for treats,
continue to keep portion sizes small - try "fun-size" candy bars instead of
whole ones. Cut down on sugary or fatty foods as much as possible. For
instance, mix sugary cereals with healthful look-alikes.
Exercise rules to live by:
* Let them see an active lifestyle. Pop in a yoga or workout video—your
baby or toddler can bop around while you work up a sweat.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 92

* Don't limit your child to playing fields. Let her play indoor volleyball
with a beach ball and use the sofa as a net.
* Let the games grow with your child. She loves to run a circular path
around the living room? When she's ready, put down cushions for her to
jump over.
* Encourage your child to show off. Your preschooler will happily count how
many times she can hop on one foot—so take advantage and get her moving.
* Get in on the action. A game of tag with your preschooler is a lot more fun
than 50 crunches by yourself!

Staying active, age by age

Babies: 0 to 1 year
Give your baby plenty of soft, safe toys to play with, as well as an unrestricted
space, such as an area rug, where he can safely roll over, push and pull up, sit,
crawl and play movement games like patty-cake with you.

Toddlers: 1 to 3 years
Experts recommend that toddlers get at least 30 minutes of structured
activity each day, and one to several hours of unstructured activity. Once
your child is walking, let him act on his natural desire to keep moving. Spot
him as he climbs the stairs, and give him a chance every day to play outside.
When it's raining, dance with him or roll around on the rug. And when it's
time to look for daycare or a preschool program, look for one with a daily
schedule that includes both structured games like Duck, Duck, Goose and
unstructured run-around time.

Preschoolers: 3 to 5 years
By age 3, kids need an hour of structured and one to several hours of
unstructured play—and shouldn't be sedentary for more than an hour at a
time. You don't need to do much to get kids moving at this age: If the weather's
nice, go outside, or take a nature hike with a plastic bucket, which your child
can fill with found "treasures." He's also old enough to play Frisbee, hop-
scotch, kickball, and other games.

School-age kids: 5 years and up

Big kids should get about an hour of moderate to vigorous activity a day. It
doesn't have to be all at once—10 or 15 minutes at a time is fine. The great
thing is, your child can now share more fully in family outings such as hiking,
biking, and skating. And he's old enough for organized activities, such as
soccer, basketball, karate, gymnastics, hip-hop dance and ballet. But don't
forget simple things, like walking to school with friends, to help him stay fit.
You can help your child avoid the obesity trap by starting good eating and
exercise habits when he's a baby. But even if he's picked up some unhealthy
habits, it's never too late to help him learn to control his weight. Be a good
role model yourself, and set consistent rules—such as limiting sugary and
fatty foods and doing fun physical activities daily.

By: Maggie Wairimu

 THE LEXUS NX
Lexus do luxury well across their entire range and not one to rest on
their laurels they have added to the lineup with their new model the NX.
The smaller SUV was launched last year in the beautiful surroundings
of Vienna in Austria.
The exterior has plenty of sharp, striking lines and it definitely turned
heads on the road route. Smaller than their popular RX model it gets
the futuristic looking spindle grille as seen on recent Lexus models like
the IS.
The interior, as you would expect with Lexus is of a very high quality
and the cabin is geared to making sure you have a comfortable drive.
The centre console is very cluttered though and reminds one too much
of the ‘baby’ Lexus CT model. On the drive, you will encounter over 90
buttons in the interior of the car. Button overload to the extreme.
The Remote
Touch Interface is now managed by a touch pad to access all the
features of the centre screen which displays navigation, media, car
information and the 360-degree Panoramic View Monitor (available in
Premier trim).
Extra details include bottle holders with a grip base in the centre
console, which will let you open a lid with just one hand, a wireless
phone charging tray sits in the armrest and is ideal if you’ve forgotten
to bring a phone cable and touch switches in the headlining enable you
to operate the interior lights.
Surprisingly spacious, an NX full of adults will have plenty of head and
leg room. Rear seats recline and also fold down at the press of another
one of those many buttons. Boot space is of a really good size although
the electronic tailgate is way too slow, in the rain you’re likely to get wet
waiting for it to open. A plus though is that the NX comes with a space-
saver spare wheel as standard, any other manufacturer and you will have
to pay extra.
There is plenty of equipment ranging from a reversing camera, LED low-
beam headlights and daytime running lights and dual zone climate control
in S grade, to heated and ventilated seats, Mark Levinson premium audio
system and a heated steering wheel on Premier models. Top of the range
Premier trim will also add a 6.2-inch head-up display featuring engine
speed, navigation and audio information.
The distinctive NX F-Sport will add different styling features and suspension
and also has another button to add an odd sounding exhaust note in the
cabin.
Lexus were the first to introduce hybrid to the SUV market and the NX uses
a 2.5-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine alongside an electric motor, that
combined produces 195hp with 270Nm of torque. It has a top speed of
112mph and gets from 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds.
The NX 300h S is only available with front-wheel drive, all other models are
equipped with all wheel drive. The ride is really comfortable and there’s
not much body roll, so tight, twisty roads can be driven with confidence.
Safety technology includes Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Keep Assist,
Blind Spot Monitor, eight airbags and all models come with a Pre-Crash
Safety system and Adaptive Cruise Control.
The NX is well priced from $40,000 about Kshs 3.3 million
By: TBM
VENENO
THE MOST EXPENSIVE CAR

L
amborghini is evolving its styling language, and it’s more evident than ever
in the new Veneno which was unleashed recently. The car was designed and
unleashed to mark the company's 50th birthday, which it celebrated in May.
The Veneno was named after "one of the strongest and most aggressive fighting
bulls ever,"

The fissured skin of the Veneno hides the Aventador's carbon-fiber monocoque, plus
aluminum front and rear subframes. A pushrod suspension with horizontal spring-
damper units betrays it’s racing aspirations. The interior is largely carried over from
the Aventador and is clad in carbon fiber. The Veneno is fitted with Pirelli P Zero tires
on 20-inch wheels up front and 22-inch wheels in the rear. Center-locking hubs allow
for quicker changes—and they look great.

Power comes from the incredible L539 6.5-liter V-12 engine, upgraded here to produce
740 horsepower. The extra power—the Aventador packs 691 horses—was found by
enlarging the air intakes, allowing for higher revs, and modifying the existing exhaust
system. Power is channeled to all four wheels through the seven-speed, single-clutch
automated ISR transmission, an ultra-quick unit that shifts with all the subtlety of a
club strike when you select the track-ready "Corsa" setting. Top speed rises to a lofty
221 mph, four more than the Aventador LP700-4, and—not coincidentally, we think—
the McLaren P1.

While all of this is remarkable, the real surprise lies in the styling of the Veneno. It
marks a radical departure from the look established by former chief designer Luc
Donckerwolke with the Murciélago and the Gallardo. We've seen Lamborghinis
becoming more complex and playful over the years, but their overall shapes—even
counting those of such extreme cars as the Reventòn or the Sesto Elemento—have
evolved carefully. But the Veneno looks as if it has been assembled from separate,
loosely connected units, featuring bulging muscles and a provocative, LMP-esque
dorsal fin in the rear.

Other features from Lamborghini history carry over, such as the Y-shaped elements from
the Aventador in the head- and taillights, and the wheel arches are a nod to Marcello
Gandini's Countach. As to whether the Veneno's styling language is indicative of the
next-generation Gallardo, it’s possible. However, it could remain a one-off experiment,
much like the retro-inspired 2006 Miura concept.

The price of exclusivity is high at $4 million which equals about Kshs 350 million,
making it the most expensive car in the world. Most of you can stop worrying about
liquidating some of your portfolio: the company produced only 3 units and all the three
units are already sold and delivered to their buyers. None looks exactly the same as the
other to further guarantee exclusivity.
By: TBM
TOYOTA LANDCRUISER
PRADO VX MY14
T
he Land Cruiser is the de facto flagship of Toyota's lineup, with the
highest price tag and the most luxurious features of any vehicle
offered by the brand. Its rugged body-on frame design means the
Land Cruise is something of an anachronism but also makes it one of
the most capable off-road vehicles of all time.
Toyota recently updated the Land Cruiser. Restyled exterior elements
included the grille, chrome side moldings and side mirrors. Toyota also
saw fit to upgrade nearly all the lighting systems, adding HID low-beam
headlights, LED daytime running lights and redesigned tail lamps. Outside
of these tweaks, the Land Cruiser maintains its understated, traditional SUV
looks.
Under the hood of the Land Cruiser is a potent 5.7-liter V8 that makes 381
horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque, enough to propel the 5900-lb
SUV from zero-to-sixty in the mid six-second range. The muscular engine
also enables the Land Cruiser to tow a substantial 8,500 pounds. A six-speed
automatic transmission provides silken shifts and offers a wide spread of
gears to maximize efficiency, though fuel economy is about what one might
expect: 13 in the city and 18 on the highway, a product of the Land Cruiser's
big motor and bigger mass.
Helping the Land Cruiser to tackle the trails like a Jeep Wrangle are a host
of off-road features including a full-time 4WD system with Active Traction
Control (A-TRAC) and a fully lockable Torsen limited-slip center differential,
crawl control and hill start assist control. Tow hooks and mud guards round
out the compliment of off-roading equipment.
Inside, there's the ambiance of old-world opulence: the seats and door
panels are trimmed in soft leather, real-wood adorns the dash and steering
wheel and fit-and-finish is impeccable. There's room for seven passengers
in the three rows of seats, and cup holders (12) and storage nooks abound.
Amenities like heated, power adjustable front seats, a 14-speaker sound
system with an integrated iPod jack, fog lamps, a power moon roof, auto-
dimming, heated outside mirrors with power folding, front and rear parking-
assist sonar, four-zone automatic climate control and Bluetooth Smartphone
connectivity are fitted as standard.
The Upgrade Package, once an extra-cost option, is now standard, a move that
increased the Land Cruiser's price. The package includes almost everything
a luxury-focused buyer could want: a voice-activated DVD navigation system
with an integrated backup camera, a six-disc CD changer, a rear-seat DVD
entertainment system with a 9-inch display and two wireless headphones,
multi-state second-row heated seats, a center console cooler box and
headlamp cleaners. With the Upgrade Package integrated into the list of
standard features, the Land Cruiser offers no factory options.
For safety technology, the Land Cruiser has ten airbags: dual front, front-seat
mounted, front and rear side curtain and front knee airbags, to be precise.
Traction and stability control systems and, of course, ABS are also fitted, as
are electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist and smart stop brake
override technology.
By: TBM
THE BRIDGE | JULY 2015 | 97

It feels roomy and comfortable, with the ride position just hinting at the
“sports” element of the category it sits in.
The cockpit features lovely twin black clocks with white numerals, as well
as a digital display with a host of information including gear selection, trip
meters, etc.
The ZZR has t
wo power modes – full and low, the latter restricting output to around 80%
of maximum. It also has three traction-control settings, which can be changed
while riding.
The Performance Sport model I tested comes with the excellent Ohlins TTX
rear shock, with remote preload adjuster – useful when adding luggage or a
pillion. It also has Akrapovic titanium silencers, which are light and sound
extra sweet.
Straight away, the bike inspires ¬confidence. There’s oodles of torque and the
power delivery through the six-speed transmission is super-smooth.

The slipper clutch makes downshifting reassuringly comfortable, too, and the
newly designed bubble screen does a good job of deflecting the air.
Aside from the power, the outstanding feature of this bike for me is the
handling. The aluminium monocoque frame is light and compact, and
combines with the engine itself to create a very rigid chassis – all of which
makes the ZZR feel incredibly stable, even at high speed.

KAWASAKI ZZR 1400 REVIEW

O
ne elephant, two elephant, three… Say it out loud and imagine
yourself sitting stationary on the ZZR1400 and then opening the
throttle.
That’s the amount of time it takes till you’re doing 60mph.
Try it again – amazing isn’t it?
This incredible beast has a top speed of 186mph, covers a quarter of a mile in
just 10 seconds and that 0-60 time is a blistering 2.5 seconds.
What we have here is the world’s fastest production motorcycle.

We’re talking about a huge 210bhp at 10,500rpm. But, as we all know, speed
isn’t everything.
In fact, the ZZR isn’t even classed by Kawasaki as a supersport– it’s a sports-
tourer. A touring bike that achieves nearly 200mph – can they really be
serious?
The answer is a resounding Yes.
For a start, it looks awesome – somehow much better in the flesh than I had
expected from seeing pictures.

The Kwaka green works well with the black and the four horizontal stripes/
arrows really grew on me. Considering what lies underneath, I think the bike
is fairly understated – quite long, with smooth, refined lines.
That frame, plus the weight distribution, the riding position and the excellent suspension
combine superbly as you sweep through a bend, making sports bike-type lean angles easily
achievable.
The unobtrusive ABS and 310mm twin front and 250mm single rear disc make for powerful
but precise braking.

The ZZR is a joy – comfortable, super quick, smooth, nimble, responsive – and at the same
time incredibly stable.

Definitely a bike you can use for weekend blasts as well as something you could put luggage
and a pillion on and comfortably tackle some big miles.
In fact, it’s so easy to ride and so much fun, I’ll give one word of warning – keep a close eye
on that speedometer.

Price: Kshs 2,127,366/=

By: TBM
THE BRIDGE | JULY 2015 | 99

Adding to the clean, streamlined design of the V-Rod Muscle® model are the
front LED turn signals. Integrated into the stems of the mirrors, these bright
functional indicators are smartly combined with the mirrors to help shore up
the front end for a clean, custom look.

Matching the color and angular design of the V-Rod Muscle® model
bodywork, the airbox cover incorporates side scoops covered with woven
wire mesh for a meaty, powerful race bike look.

Every inch of a Harley-Davidson® motorcycle is created to sync up with

the bike's overall look and performance. The V-Rod Muscle® model is no
exception. As the very first water-cooled Harley-Davidson, we turned to
styling to make sure the radiator on the V-Rod models became part of the
design instead of an interruption to the flow of the eye.

True to the clean, fast lines of the bike, the side-mounted license plate leaves
the rear fender surface smooth and uncluttered. Minimal and modern every
inch of the V-Rod Muscle® motorcycle is styled to perfection to achieve an
aggressive, custom look.

The V-Rod Muscle® motorcycle proves that a performance exhaust can still
be a beautiful set of pipes. Satin chrome, dual side exhaust with fat turnout
mufflers combines the style of a muscle car with top-of-the-line Harley-
Davidson performance at every twist of the throttle. Jetting out past the rear
axle, these dominating pipes add to the fierce, beefy look of the bike.

The Harley-Davidson Revolution® engine is an extremely durable motorcycle

engine. It survived the most brutal and aggressive durability test in the
industry: the Dusseldorf Test. Simulating a grueling trip along Germany's
notorious Autobahn, the engine endured a wide range of performance tests.
From idle states to city speeds, to wide-open throttle and mountain climbing
torque, the Revolution engine surpassed the goal of 500 hours of non-stop
performance.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCF
V-ROD MUSCLE

T
he fast, powerful and aggressive V-Rod Muscle motorcycle is built for
riders who want a little extra beef with their horsepower.
Big meaty air scoops, muscle-bound mufflers, 240 mm rear tire,
fastback-style tail section and massive airbox compliment the power
of the 1250 cc liquid-cooled Revolution® engine. Ride the V-Rod Muscle™
and you’ll learn the true definition of “power cruiser.” This brawny beast is
for performance enthusiasts who crave power and control, with a dash of
intimidation, in a package that is all Harley-Davidson.

Behold the ultra-fat, 240mm rear tire for a powerful, no-nonsense look and
added grip. Harnessing explosive, off-the-line power, the rear tire on the
V-Rod Muscle® motorcycle enhances the pure dragster look with the sticky,
high-performance tread you need for staying glued to the pavement.
Race-inspired, 43mm inverted forks help reduce unsprung weight and
increase strength and rigidity of the assembly. They add to the wide look that
flows all the way through to the tail of the V-Rod Muscle® motorcycle. Strong
and sport the front end is a testament to the dominating look of a modern
muscle car.

Bright, highly visible LED lights in combined stop-tail-turn signals are

integrated into the rear fender of the V-Rod Muscle® model. Hugging and
accentuating the massive rear tire, the design of the combination lights
match other angular shapes of the bodywork for an impressive, consistent
look from wheel to wheel.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
Feast your eyes on the Revolution® engine and there's no mistaking its
roots. This is authentic Harley-Davidson style through and through with an
attention to detail you won't find from any other motorcycle company. The
unique, platinum finished Revolution® engine features polished cylinder
heads and rocker covers for a one-of-a-kind look, while the machined
cooling fin tips give it a stripped down metal finish. It's a jewel machined
out of metal. Pure. Dripping with power. From the classic edge of the cooling
fins to the clean lines of cases and covers the Revolution® engine makes an
ironclad statement about holding on to what's right and staying true to what
satisfies the rider.
From the Strip to the Street. Harley-Davidson has a passion for performance
that is rooted in decades of racing and winning championships. So when The
Motor Company set out to produce a high-powered, liquid-cooled engine,
it began with the VR1000 superbike engine. Its performance is inspired by
American-style big, powerful torque coupled with high-end horsepower. The
Revolution® engine is the heart of a machine that attracts a new breed of
riders who are fascinated by the heritage and mystique of Harley-Davidson
and the power of a high-end street performance motorcycle.
Through a partnership with legendary automaker Porsche and their world-
renowned team of engineers, Harley-Davidson created a revolutionary
engine. The final result was something uniquely Harley-Davidson, the
industry's most perfect blend of torque and horsepower in the high revving
V-Twin Revolution® engine. Fuel injection. Dual overhead cams. Liquid
cooled. 122 horses. Massive, brute power behind pure Harley-Davidson
innovation.
Tuned to produce 122 horsepower, the 1250cc Revolution® engine on the
V-Rod Muscle® model is one of Harley-Davidson's highest horsepower
engine to this day. With dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder,
it provides 86 lb-ft of torque at 6500 rpm, while feeling refined and velvety
| 100
smooth all the way up to the redline.
The factory-installed next-generation security system features a hands-free
fob that automatically arms and disarms the vehicle's electronic security
functions as you approach and walk away from the bike. Stick the fob on your
ignition key ring and let it do all the work. It's this attention to detail and
security that make Harley-Davidson® motorcycles unique.
The Michelin® Scorcher™ tires provide the superior performance,
sensational grip, impressive durability and excellent handling expected on a
race-bred bike. The exclusive deep-cut tread design improves grip and water
evacuation capability. Grip performance and durability is also enhanced by
the tire's rubber compounds, which use the latest generation of Michelin
synthetic polymers.
Taken from the racetrack to the world of custom. The V-Rod Muscle®
motorcycle features a "slipper" (or "slip and assist") clutch that provides
smoother, high-power handling in turns or whenever you downshift. By
reducing clutch friction, the slipper clutch helps keep your rear wheel at a
controlled clip.
Increased confidence. Control. High-performance Brembo® dual-disc brakes
offer consistent stopping power at every leg of your journey. Plus, the Anti-
Lock Braking System (ABS) helps reduce the chance of wheel lock-up if you
need to brake suddenly. And since we stylized the speed sensor, the bike
maintains its clean, slick look. Performance without sacrificing style. That's
what The Motor Company is all about.
With the custom forward-mounted controls on the V-Rod Muscle® model,
you can kick back a little and stretch your legs for the ultimate power cruise
through town or across the County line. It's time to take in the open road the
way you were meant to on a two-wheeled machine that's built to outmuscle
the rest.
Price: Kshs 1,615,962/=
By: TBM
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 101

CHODA
FABRICATORS LTD
C
hoda Fabricators Limited prides itself in manufacturing buses that
deliver passenger safety, cutting- edge technology and a genuine
focus on customer needs. They have been in the industry for over
four decades now. From the days of the “Loaf” design buses, to the
modern day luxurious buses, choda have designed and built them on any
available chassis. It is no secret that they are among the best in the region.
And they openly celebrate this fact with a great sense of pride. Over the
years they have specialized in different shapes and sizes. From the more
sophisticated Super Deluxe and Luxury Buses to Standard and Mini Buses,
you name it, they have designed it all and if you have been following their
works over the recent past then you can attest to this.
They initially starting small, and have indeed grown to the power house that
they are today. A few years back, they decided to invest heavily in expanding
their factory yard and the risk paid of as today they can easily produce one
hundred buses at any one given time since they have the space, capacity,
manpower and also technology.
One of the things they boast most of is their precision and accuracy in all
our designs. All contour lines are precise and refine. They are strict in their
code of ethics in the Bus Body Building business and they believe that that's
what puts them ahead of the rest. They cater for all needs and special
requirements like the order from Rwanda for the Cyber Bus which is used
as a mobile computer cyber-cafe fully loaded with computer workstations,
network switches, LAN, internet access and rotating chairs. About 30
workstations were fitted per bus.
| 102
They have achieved this by continued heavily
investment on research, study and planning,
equipment, technology and professional
manpower. Spearheaded by the MD, Mr. Pal
Choda,
Over the years, they have not only grown in leaps and bounds but have
continued to strive to improve their production to meet the ever-growing
needs of the industry. They have achieved this by continued heavily investment
on research, study and planning, equipment, technology and professional
manpower. Spearheaded by the MD, Mr. Pal Choda, The Research, Study and
Planning is conducted on a regular basis on modern day Bus Body Building
techniques and methodology. These are then implemented to the fullest
under the close watch and guidance of Mr. Pal. To assist in this field are our
qualified engineer and their quality control inspector. Heads of sections and
supervisors further complete the picture.
To facilitate fast and accurate production they started a pre-cuts section a
few years back and to date they boast of designing their own Roof Frame and
Side Frame Jigs and are now finalizing on Boots and Doors Jigs. Their range
of services include Body works of different shapes and sizes, Accessories
and Extras, Custom body designs and Computer Aided body design. From
experience gathered over several years they can now claim to be specialist
in bodyworks for busses of different shapes and sizes. They are situated
at Isiolo Rd, Industrial Area and you can contact them on +254 (020) 204
(landline) or +254 – 0722514104 (mobile) or if via email-: info@chodafab.
com
By: TBM
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 103
 SOUP IT UP WITH
MOHA GRAFFIX
M
y mother, who has never been moved by the automotive art
tuning and remapping, mat interior decor, and total mat make-over. He
form, has asked me repeatedly why people (read: youths)
has creatively used his talent to draw graffiti on Matatus (primary public
want to enter matatu’s which play loud music and are full of
transport service in Nairobi and generally in Kenya.) making him one of
graffiti’s everywhere. Her argument is that all matatus will
the most celebrated artists in Kenya. Setting up from a humble background
reach their destination at the end and all-pervading music
Mohammed has proved how much one can do if only they found their heart
limits make it illegal to test the matatu's music capabilities anyway. This
desires and followed them up. Mohammed transformed the Matatu Industry
might be true but then there surely must be another reason as to why one
by replacing the dull appearance on the loads with a bit of glamour and
would burn over an hour chilling……and not just chilling for any matatu
colour. In turn this helps to attract a lot more customers.
but a particular matatu. It is these particular reasons that make the matatu
owners opt to soup up their vehicles.
Picture yourself standing at a bus station in Nairobi, the unwritten rule is
that none of these matatus will leave until they have enough passengers.
Sometime back the then transport minister gave a directive that all matatus
That can be around 20 or more people. So every matatu has a tout shouting
should be painted in only one colour. Truth be told that almost brought
at top volume — even banging on the side of the bus — to try and lure more
down the whole matatu culture to a stand still. We however objected and
customers. Then all of a sudden, what looks like a discotheque on wheels
made it clear that we were not going to just sit back and watch our culture
pulls up. Music blasting from souped-up speakers. Strobe lights flash on the
go down the drain mrahisi hivyo. Fly matatus are part of us and it’s what
inside walls and seat backs. The exhaust pipe is purposely pinched to rev
we do. Luckily the president squashed that directive and our culture was
like a motorcycle. And unlike the drab greens of the average van, this one is
restored. To make ya’ll understand this culture better we decided to create
painted with airbrushed portraits of Lil Wayne and Young money. Won’t you
this particular segment which we call soup it up. And to start us of will be
join other commuters in making a beeline for the magical Matatu?
none other than the self proclaimed king of graffiti Moha Graffix.
A bus with graffiti turns out to be the speediest way to get from point A
Nairobi is famed for its vibrant matatu culture, aka mat, aka ma3, aka Nganya,
to point B. If young people prefer a painted mat that plays loud music, and
aka “Public service vehicle.” Designers from all over Nairobi Compete to
they seem to, then it fills up faster. It leaves sooner. It gets places on time.
express there passion for graphics and to have the hottest looking mat in the
And thus it's more popular with anyone who can afford the extra fare. It's a
streets, most of them have established premises while a few are freelance.
circle: Graffiti triggers enough of a change in commuter behavior that what
Let us now talk about Moha Graffix.
may look like irreverent art is actually a source of profit for private matatu
owners. And that's why matatu owners had been flaunting the ban — and
Mohammed is the founder of Moha Graffix which is a Nairobi based garage
pressuring the government to allow artists to work. So the next time you
specializing in auto care service, body repairs and spray painting, branding,
want to board a mat make sure u board a Nganya……
By: TBM
RIVER OF GOD SACCO
R.O.G
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
Voted the best Matatu Sacco in 2014 The River of God (R.O.G) Sacco a Nairobi
based Minibus (matatu) SACCO, whose mission is to provide reliable, timely,
and safe transportation services has already established its presence in the
Matatu industry with slightly over an year in operation.
Determined to providing reliable, affordable and comfortable Public
Transportation system services to facilitate the travel of individuals in
and around Nairobi area by using clean, well maintained and roadworthy
vehicles they can be said to be a Sacco on the move.
R.O.G SACCO boast of having the neatest, well behaved, drug free and honest
employees as recent surveys carried out by independent firms have revealed.
The SACCO was also the first of its kind to introduce the playing of Gospel
music inside the Matatus a trend that has recently been adopted by other
players in the same field.
R.O.G SACCO also gives back to the community by organizing charitable
events like clean-ups and visits to children homes, giving out gifts to its
customers like t-shirts, umbrellas and even free rides, again a first in the
Matatu industry. The SACCO's products and services show that they are an
innovative, forward thinking SACCO that recognizes the need to move with
ever-changing customer needs.
| 106
PLEASE..PLEASE Stay away from drugs.
These substances are very harmful to
your health and will cloud your judgment
and also eat into your finances leaving
you poor
Their philosophy: “excellence and integrity” is one that emphasizes service,
and a realization that effective communication is a key component in the
business. The SACCO also realizes that, in a competitive environment,
flexibility and professionalism is key if they want to maintain that leading
edge. We met up with the Sacco’s chair person and this is what he had to say.
TBM: How did you come up with the name River Of God (R.O.G) Sacco
ROG: We got the name from the church which we fellowship in. the church
is situated in Parklands just opposite K1 and I would like to take this
opportunity to welcome everyone to come and fellowship with us.
TBM: Why did you guys decide to invest in the transport industry?
ROG: Well most of us (the R.O.G Management) have been working in the
matatu transport industry prior and were well versed on how it operates
hence decided why not invest in what we know how to do best. We also
wanted to create employment to our fellow youths so as to empower them
and end this vice of them having to ask for handouts every now and then.
TBM: How was it at first when you started
ROG: It wasn’t easy at first. It’s common knowledge that when you are
starting any new business a lot of input both financially and manpower
is required. I recall even taken to court by a Sacco which was in operation
in the route over false allegations but with God’s grace we managed to
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 107
overcome all those challenges and took off and since then there has been him/her in public…..no we correct the mistake there and then.
no looking back.
TBM: Do you have a set of guidelines on the punishment for each rule broken
TBM: Why did you decide to bring your fleets to the outtering route? by your staff members or do you device them as the offences occur?
ROG: As earlier stated we have been working in this industry prior and ROG: Yes we do I believe all organizations due….even the parliament
we were all at one time or another working on the 23 Outtering route. has one ama? When a staff member contravenes the stipulated code of
We thus decided to venture into a route which we were all familiar and conduct the first thing we do is to summon the person advice them on
as they say charity begins at home. We also wanted to bring back some what they are doing wrong and request them to change. This also serves
sanity in the route as things had gotten out of hand with passengers as a warning shot. If the staff member fails to adhere to our advice then
being over charged and matatus not reaching their designated stages. we do give them 2 week Suspension. It should be noted that the same
rule applies to the drivers, conductors and supervisors. So there are no
TBM: How different are you from other Saccos? sacred cows.
ROG: We are not bragging but that is evident for all to see. We are a group
of young God fearing investors who have managed to brought sanity in TBM: Do you have any links with ROYAL Sacco?
the industry by ensuring that our staff are well disciplined, clean and ROG; Hahahahahah WHAT!!!!…That’s A BIG NOOO….everyone knows who
drug free and we also thrive to ensure we deliver better services to our the masters are and who the copy-paste are hihihi.
clients.
TBM: Who are your main competitors currently in the industry?
TBM: The Sacco has grown and gained recognition very first to the point that ROG: Mmmmmm….let me think…..truly speaking None….we compete
you were even voted as the best matatu Sacco in 2014, what do you accredit amongst ourselves.
that to?
ROG: To achieve this in a TBM: Some vehicles have been
span of less than 1 year leaving your Sacco to join other
was not easy. It took a lot of When a staff member contravenes the stipulated Saccos, why is this and what are
commitment and sacrifices code of conduct the first thing we do is to summon you doing to ensure that your
from both the management
and staff and as they say the person advice them on what they are doing investors are satisfied?
ROG: I guess the same can also
hard work pays. In brief I can wrong and request them to change. be said about other Saccos as
say guaranteed customer we have received very many
satisfaction and discipline, applications fro Matatu owners
are the key words. whose vehicles are plying other
routes requesting to join our Sacco but they are still being vetted. But
TBM: How many vehicles did you start with and how many do you have now truly speaking most of the vehicles which are no longer part of our fleet
ROG: When we started we did so with only 2 fleets this was Tango one were expelled since their owner’s didn’t want to adhere with our rules
(THE GENERAL) and Tango 2 but God has blessed us and we now boost of and regulations. I believe most if not all of our investors are satisfied.
having over 40 fleets. I won’t give you an exact number because maybe
tomorrow we might take in more vehicles..Hahaha TBM: You have spread your wings to Eastleigh, what informed that decision
as opposed to going to other routes like Buruburu?
TBM: It has been alleged that the ROG management is very strict on its staff ROG: We had many options but we chose Eastleigh because we also
why is that? wanted to bring sanity to the route and we also have some of our roots
ROG: There is a very big difference between being strict and being there and as earlier stated mcheza kwao hutuzwa.
principled and this is one thing which many people tend to confuse. All our
staff members know what is required of them and when someone tends TBM: Apart from creating employment for the youth, how has R.O.G Sacco
to deviate from performing his duties as stipulated in his employment impacted the community you operate in as a whole?
contract then we have to point that out there and then without favoritism. ROG: The writings are on the wall for all to see. We have initiated projects
For instant if a staff member is insulting a passenger we will not hesitate in the society like car wash, opening barber shops for our youths, paying
to tell him that what he/she is doing is wrong so as not to embarrass school fees for the less fortunate kids in the society, supporting women
with HIV Aids by starting business for them among others.
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 | 101

TBM: Apart from the transport business, do you engage in any other form of
business?
ROG: Not at the moment but maybe in the near future you never know.

TBM: When employing a tout or driver, what are the qualities and
qualifications you look at?
ROG: For the drivers first a PSV license is a must then we look at his/
her experience, should be a person of good moral conduct, respectful and
drug free.
As for the Tout we look for a person who is disciplined, honesty, respectful
clean and neat, good conduct, drug free, not short tempered and one who
posses good communication skills.

TBM: If someone wants to bring his vehicle to your Sacco what are the
requirements and charges?
ROG: For enquiries we advice them to visit the office. You know some
things are not best discussed in public.

TBM: Your staff members are not allowed to take any form of stimulant or
drugs while on duty which is a very good trait, in the same line what is your
advice to the youth about drugs and other stimulants?
ROG: PLEASE..PLEASE Stay away from drugs. These substances are very
harmful to your health and will cloud your judgment and also eat into
your finances leaving you poor.

TBM: What plans do you have in the near future?

ROG: We are planning to take over the whole of Nairobi public transport
system in the near future and our long term goal is to take over the whole
Public transport system in East Africa.

TBM: In conclusion any last words to your fans and client

ROG: We are here to serve you better in excellence and integrity.

By: TBM
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
THOSE WHO FEEL HOPELESS
ABOUT LIFE
T
his is for that person who feels stuck in life and feels hopeless.
That person who doesn't know if life will get better. That person
who’s been trying to make a change for so long, but hasn't been
able to.
If that’s you, you’re not alone. I know things have been tough lately. Every day
feels the same and you want to scream from the top of your lungs because it
sucks. Every day you feel like you’re on a downward spiral. You just hope that
your life starts to change real soon than is the case now.
I've learned that life doesn't have to be about finding that one thing you’re
meant to do and then do it forever. Some people do find that one thing and
dedicate their whole lives because they love it and it does get better if you
want it to. So what will it take? I know you don’t want to hear it, but it’s going
to take one day at a time. You need to start making deliberate choices and stop
sleepwalking through life. What’s even worse is you will be doing things you
should be doing on a consistent basis and you’re not going to see any results
or feel any different. I know that’s frustrating. This is where most people quit.
They feel the work they’re putting in is a waste of time. So they quit and go
back to their average life and continue to blame and point fingers at others
for their misery.
I don’t want that to be you. Okay? When you’re doing the right things, keep
doing it. Small consistent actions over time will produce tremendous results.
Anything you truly want in your life isn’t going to come easy. Its how life
works. Life is testing you to see how bad you want it. It’ll weed out the weak
ones and only the determined will survive and be handsomely rewarded. If
you’re waiting for that magical moment, a burst of motivation, the right time,
| 109
the right person, the right day, more money, or next year. You’re waiting for
someone to tell you its okay to start. You’re waiting for more knowledge. You
want to be perfect before you even begin. No amount of reading, thinking,
hoping, and praying is going to help you. It’s more about doing, failing,
adjusting, believing, and doing again. Who cares if you fail? It’s not the end of
the world. If you fail at least you tried. However this is very important. Don’t
begin with the attitude that you will fail because you’re just setting yourself
up to fail. You won’t try that hard and when you do fail you’ll say to yourself,
“I was right.”
There isn’t one person who’s had success in life who hasn't failed at all.
Successful people take risks. Sometimes they work out and sometimes
they don’t. They don’t let their failures define them. And don’t wait for luck
either. Luck is an awesome thing, but if you’re waiting for luck to come you’re
going to be waiting a long time. By that time, you’ll feel lucky to just wake
up every morning. Luck happens to people who do the work to create the
opportunity, and then take advantage of it when it finds them. Once you
start taking massive action on your life, luck will come find you. So quit your
excuses, your pity party, your complaining, and finger pointing and start to
do something. Life moves pretty fast. You’re not going to achieve everything
at one time, but focus on just one area of your life and work on changing it to
the way you want first.
You’re responsible for everything in your life and because of that power you
can have the life you’ve always dreamed of.
Your friend,
CLAIRE WILLIS
THE BRIDGE | OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016
WORD ON THE STREET
Kanyari To Ward Off Sickness & Witchcraft With
Anointed Shukas
Pastor Kanyari has a new business venture for his
church and that is performing miracles through
shukas he has anointed. In a video doing rounds
online, Kanyari tells his congregation that through
the shukas all spirits of poverty and witchcraft
will disappear. He encourages the congregation to
take one home.
Man from Mumias, Western Kenya, arrested for
masquerading as female prostitute
This man from Mumias, Western Kenya, was
arrested by police officers for masquerading as
a female prostitute. He has been charged with
impersonation and prostitution. One can only
wonder how he was executing his business
successfully.
Zari Hassan Pregnant With Diamond
Platnumz's Second Child
Rumour has it that Ugandan socialite Zari Hassan
is pregnant with Bongo superstar Diamond
Platnumz’s second baby. The popular East African
showbiz couple already have a child together,
Tiffah Dangote, who is almost a year-old now. Zari
Hassan, according to the source, is four months
pregnant.
The source informed us that the pregnancy got
Diamond so mad that at one point he seriously fell
out with Zari.
Diamond said when reached for a comment,
"I really don’t know what to say but all you need to
know is that I will have more kids and it should be
noted that I love kids so much because I have the
power to take care of them and having another kid
with Zari would be too soon.”
We are still not sure if these rumours are anything
close to the truth, only time will tell
Should a pastor’s daughter wear such a dress?
On Jamhuri day, Cathy Kiuna’s daughter got
married to her white boyfriend, Robert, in a very
private wedding ceremony. It was held in their
Runda home.
One of the women who attended Vanessa Kiuna’s
wedding, took this photo of Allan Kiuna walking
her daughter down the isle and as you can see,
her dress clearly reveals a section of her thighs
and waist. This has elicited some angry reactions
from a lot of women in the private Kilimani Mums
facebook group.
Some said that the dress is trashy and a pastor’s
daughter should not be wearing such a dress to
any event
Kanye West's Infamous Famous Video Is Finally
Available Outside Of Tidal!
If you don't have Tidal but have been dying to see
all those naked celebs in Kanye West's Famous
music video you've heard so much about, this
must've been the longest week of your life.
After all, we can't blame you much for wanting (it)
to be free.
But now, Perezcious readers, the wait is finally
over!
On Friday, the infamous visual was finally released
on YouTube, meaning you can now go to the viral
video site to see likenesses of Taylor Swift, Kim
Kardashian West, Donald Trump, Caitlyn Jenner,
Rihanna, Chris Brown, Ray J, George W. Bush, Anna
Wintour, Amber Rose, Bill Cosby, and of course Ye
TOTALLY naked!
POWER OF MONEY!! Gospel singer splashes
Kshs 3.8 million in video shoot
Someone once told me that doing business
without advertising is like winking at a lady in the
dark. The music industry has been awash with
new approaches on how to make newly produced
songs to become the talk of town.
Noushka Diambu left tongues wagging after she
decided to do an expensive video shoot for her
new hit Mungu Wangu which was estimated to
have cost her 3.8 Million. The video featured
dancers and three choppers
Talk Of The Devil-MOI University Lady Who
Infected 104 Men With HIV Produces More
Shocking Details!
A second year female student from Moi University,
who has infected 104 men with HIV, has recounted
how she was infected with the deadly virus when
she was a first year student.
The poor University lady by the name, Beatrice
Wangari, who hails from Murang’a, claims that
her innocence was taken out of ignorance during
a Freshaz night and after testing positive, she
promised to revenge.
So far, she has infected around 104 men with
majority of her victims being students who reside
in Hostel H.
How Thirsty Young Kenyan Girls Organize Séx
Parties On Social Media
The levels of immorality especially amongst
Kenyan urban youth are so high and social media
have helped in raising those levels, I stumbled
upon a story on a certain blog of how young girls
on social media were organizing a sex party! The
young girls were on 'dryspell' mode and would
take any chances at satisfying their sexual hunger,
here's a screenshot of the conversation between
the young girls;
Meet ‘Sister Ocholla’ Who Mistakenly Sent Her
OWN Nude Photos To Their Church Prayers
Whatsapp Group
We all remember brother Ocholla from his leaked
message he had sent mistakenly to a Whatsapp
prayer group instead of his girlfriend. The fiasco
was humiliating things for Bro Ocholla but that is
nothing compared to what just happened to our
sister in Christ here.
This lady, Christinah has just brought the internet
to a standstill and she has been given the name
'Sister Ocholla'. Sister Ocholla sent her naked
photos by mistake in a prayer cell whatsapp
group where she is seen wearing just a bikini. Her
explanations have gone in vain after she tried to
convince Kenyans that someone had borrowed
her phone and uploaded her naked photos before
sharing them to the Whatsapp prayer group.
| 110
KDF Captain Suspended From His Job After This
Photo Went Viral!
A photo of a very hot ‘KDF’ soldier that went
viral has resulted to some serious trouble. The
husband to the beautiful lady has been called by
his superiors and suspended! Apparently this lady
aint a KDF Soldier
Ian Mbugua Had This To Say About Impregnating
Fellow TPF Judge, Juliana Kanyomozi
In the past few weeks the Ugandan blogosphere
has been rife with claims that former TPF judge,
Juliana Kanyomozi is pregnant, one of Uganda's
biggest e-news site, Bigeye reported that former
Tusker Project Fame judge Ian Mbugua was the
allege baby daddy of Juliana Kanyomozi’s unborn
child.
The site claimed that Ian and Juliana have been
dating secretly and that the songbird was even
planning to travel to Nairobi where she will
deliver her child.
Kenya's tabloid, Ghafla sought to find out the truth
from Ian Mbugua himself and this what he had to
say;
“Yes I am (referring to whether he heard about Big
Eye’s claim). Had a good laugh. I really really really
hope you're not going to ask me to comment.”
From the above comment its obvious that Ian
Mbugua is denying that he got Juliana Kanyomozi
pregnant but let's wait and see it will go.
After Breaking Up With His Cheating Wife, Self-
proclaimed Hype Man DNG Finally Moves On
With This Sexy Woman
Number 1 hypeman David Ngubuini aka DNG is
causing speculation as to whether he has finally
moved on. After a much publicized breakup with
his wife recently, the controversial entertainer
posted a questionable photo of a young woman
sitting on his lap with an even curious post.
She says she fell in love with the G in me."
The hype man made it public knowledge that his
wife was a hypocrite despite her stunning beauty.
Congratulatory messages flowed with one
commenter asking what he said about that to
which he replied, "Hehe, a gentleman does not
kiss & tell."
Days After Divorcing Her Husband, Lady Jaydee
Now Set To Wed Her New Man
Word on the street has it that Tanzanian singer
Lady Jaydee has already moved on with another
man days after was granted her divorce from her
husband. The source claims that the singer not
only shifted to Germany to further her music but
to also settle down with an unknown fella.
She is said to have met the guy way after she
separated with her husband. Tanzania’s Risasi
weekly reports that a reliable sources close to
Jaydee informed them that she is making plans
to settle with her new man and might soon make
it legal. Jaydee and her ex husband split over
infidelity issues and the fact that they never got
to have a child together made it harder for them
to work it through
Toni Braxton Allegedly Dating Birdman
There's a new couple alert in music and it may
come as a surprise to most. Rumors of Toni
Braxton dating Birdman are swirling after the hip-
hop mogul paid the singer a backstage visit at her
recent Brooklyn concert.
When a photograph of the two circulated on
Instagram (it's since been removed by the original
account), inquiring minds began to wonder if it
was a sign of romance. Braxton, 48, and Birdman,
47, have been close for many years and even
"hooked up," sources told us. They are reportedly
trying to keep their so-called relationship under
wraps and out of the public eye. This isn't the first
time the Cash Money executive has been linked to
a R&B singer. Birdman previously dated Keyshia
Cole, who infamously assaulted a woman she
allegedly found in the rapper's LA residence.
Nicolas Cage and Wife Alice Kim to Divorce After
11 Years of Marriage
FLY 3 TIMES WEEKLY FROM NAIROBI TO CAPE TOWN
WITH THE AFRICAN AIRLINE OF THE YEAR
It's Over!
Nicolas Cage and his wife, Alice Kim, are sadly
headed for a divorce. The 52-year-old actor's
rep recently confirmed that Nicolas and Alice,
32, have been separated since January 2016. The
couple — who married in summer 2004 — would
have celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary
on July 30.
The V-Live Lounge
Rapper T.I. is expanding his business empire by
launching a new strip club in his Atlanta, Georgia
hometown. The Whatever You Like hitmaker
and his partner, Damon Cobbs, are the brains
behind the forthcoming V Live venue and over the
weekend, hundreds of exotic dancers turned out
for auditions for the chance to land a job at the
men’s club.
According to our sources, an estimated 1,600
women grappled for a pole position during the
open call, with only 100 dancers being selected
for the high-profile gig.
V Live is due to open later this month.
Chris Brown ‘Ejected From A Private Jet For
Smoking Marijuana’
Chris Brown was reportedly ejected from a private
jet for smoking marijuana on the aircraft. Police
were allegedly called to the Signature Aviation
at Miami International Airport on Monday after
Brown’s pilot complained he smelled a strong
odour of marijuana coming from the cabin.
The pilot had reportedly warned the 27-year-old
and his entourage not to light up on the aircraft,
but they ignored him even before the plane had
started moving.
Once police arrived they are said to have noticed
the smell too and asked all the passengers to
leave. No arrests were made.
 KENYANS No.1 MAGAZINE

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