Normally I’m pretty upbeat…which is one reason I don’t like reading the newspaper or watching news. It’s not that I’m oblivious to what’s happening around the world (BBC is watched from time to time). Here are a few examples of why (I’ve paraphrased, quoted and/or consolidated the stories but they all came from the Daily Nation November 20 edition)
Recently a matatu (public transportation) was bombed in a Nairobi area (Eastleigh) killing 10. Some residents in the area were angered by the bomb so they went on a rampage, attacking businesses and residents.
The driver of the bombed matatu “was shocked to note that as most people were helping the injured and removing the badly mutilated bodies, some young men were stealing the seats.”
A pregnant woman with two young children induced an abortion and dumped the baby into a 70-ft pit latrine saying it was to “save on funeral costs.” Her punishment? It was recommended she attend a family planning clinic AND she would be assisted in raising capital to start a dress-making business.
Two teachers and eight candidates (Form 4’s taking the exam this year) were arrested over leakage of the KCSE exam (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education). If convicted the students may face a 10-year ban from sitting for any exams and may be jailed for 10 years or fined Sh2 million (approximately $23,000).
“Global Fund has stopped financing project that has reduced the cost of malaria medicine”. Oxfam, a British charity, criticized the project by saying “the private sector made orders far beyond the required amounts. For example, although the cases of malaria in Kenya in 2010 were about 4,600,000, orders delivered in 2011 through the subsidised programme were about 28,500,000.” Meaning the private sector was hoarding the meds to sell at a higher rate. “Oxfam…advised the British Government, the main funders to the project, to stop funding.”
And that’s just the first few pages….yikes! No country is perfect, I understand that, and I pray for both my countries…US and Kenya.
Deuteronomy 11 – Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you. Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children,talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.