The baby is not mine

Kenneth Juror | Kenya

Irene (not her real name) a 19 year old girl who has been through what girls her age have not. Girls her age are busy in campuses and colleges chasing that better future through books and acquisition of knowledge.  

Irene is heavy.

This is a challenge to any parent that their young girl is pregnant whereas the boy/man responsible is not on sight. The shame that befalls the family is never one of the best as many parents feel they have failed in bringing up a morally upright girl. 

If you were a dad I do not know what you would do in such a case.

Irene was thrown out of her home by her dad who felt she was a disgrace to the family, the would-be father was not anywhere and the last thing he said to Irene “the baby is not mine”. The girl was in a limbo as to whether to procure an abortion or commit suicide as the society looked down upon her.   

Aftermath

She went to her aunt’s lieu where she eventually delivered a 2.5kg baby. Everyone was happy on her new “achievement” that even her father came to “welcome” his grandchild. The father was so remorseful and welcomed her daughter back to his roof.  

This incident made me to rethink of the unwritten rules that the society places on us. When Irene became pregnant neither the dad nor her closest family members wanted to associate with her as they would be seen to be encouraging sex before marriage/unprotected sex. Talking of sex before marriage…I do not need to explain further on this.

The hands of clock change once there is new born as those who were cut ties with her are now flocking back to spoil them (baby and the mother) with gifts. 

I better be rebuked by the society of the decisions I take on my daughter/son than allow the same society to ridicule her/him. 

How cheap we are..

Kenneth Juror | Kenya

As I sat on a Sunday afternoon, I switched off my tv as media houses beamed political live coverage from Nakuru and Tononoka. Thereafter, as I watched news the mammoth crowd I saw was such an eyesore. 

When the youth go for political rallies some if not most are paid to attend. Buses hired while others are carried in sound blazing trailers all showing support for their preferred candidate. I am not alluding that it is wrong but rather they are within their democratic right to associate with whom they so wish.

Think with your mind not stomach

Before these so called political rallies, it goes without say that many are paid to attend as earlier said. However, as they attend them they simply think of how they can make a hundred or two hundred shillings from politicians.  

Let us think with our heads here, how much is two hundred shillings? This politician will give 200/= then get elected for a period of 5 years. Let us do maths: (get your calculator Jimmy Gathu style)

          Two hundred bob by 5 years = 40/= per year

          40/= per yr by 12months = 3.33/= per month

          3.33 by 30 days in a month = 0.11/= 

For the 5 yrs, 11cents per day is what we are worth, this is how cheap we are upon receipt of that Ksh200/=. 

Therefore,before you receive such a bribe think with your head not your stomach. Vote wisely fellow Kenyans.

More like a camel's take over

Kenneth Juror | Kenya

Imagine of a scenario where your neighbor receives aid from the government yet you do not yet you share the same religion, customs and you have virtually all similarities albeit that you are separated by two countries. How well thereafter would you relate to this neighbor?  

This is the situation of Kenyan residents living in Dadaab refugee areas. It is indeed unfortunate that after the fall of Major General  Siad Barre Somalia has never felt the petals of peace thus its people sought refuge in Kenya. 

Aerial view of Dadaab refuge camp courtesy of MSF

 

Dadaab area is semi arid and the locals are not spared either from the misgivings of Mother Nature in the region. Perennial drought, scorching sun, lonely standing shrubs characterize the landscape not to mention that the area hosts the biggest refugee camp in the world. 

Refugees in these camps get aid (food, clothing and shelter) from the international non-governmental organizations that locals equally need but regrettably they are not beneficiaries of such “niceties” as they (NGOs) insist that they ought to be catered for by the government.

This state of affairs has led to a wave of criminal activities pitting the locals against the refugees as more and more refugees arrived in the area stretching the already grim situation of social amenities like water. An urgent remedy was thus needed to avert a crisis where a refugee has run for safety only to be otherwise. 

Luckily, the Government through the Ministry of State for Special Programmes and The Federal Government of Germany through the GIZ heard the locals’ plea and a project known as “Stabilising host community livelihoods and enhancing peaceful conflict management in the area around Dadaab Refugee camps” was initiated.

The main objective of the project will be;

§  To support the development and rehabilitation of economic and social infrastructure

§  To increase production and diversification of agricultural produce

§  To better income-generating opportunities such as marketing of agricultural and livestock products.

§  To strengthen capacity for dialogue and non-violent conflict management 

The project will run till August 2014 funded at a total cost of Ksh 276,822,000 benefitting over 50 families in Garissa and Wajir districts.

To my unborn daughter

Kenneth Juror | Kenya

My dear child let me take some few minutes to tell you what you will encounter in your new world. You will be taught in your Social Studies classes, it was called Geography History and Civics during my time, that there was Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta, who died on 22^nd August, 1978. He was succeeded by Daniel Toroitich arap Moi who during his tenure people got displaced due to ethnic clashes. You might also be told that Kenya’s GDP was equal to that of South Korea and Malaysia way back in 1963!

My worry is that you may not live to tell this tale as I am not sure of your conception. I am not sure because one of my testicles was crushed during an inter ethnic violence because I was perceived to be the enemy of the other community. You ask the enemy? Yes I was viewed as the enemy because I do not come from the “correct community” your mother was thus chased away by my people as they thought that since she comes from the mountains, a land far away from here then she should as well be treated the same way I was. I tried talking to your uncles and kin that I had legally married your mum but they would hear none of it. As she ran away you were only three months away from getting to this harsh unforgiving world. A world that you are judged by which tribe you are from and what is between your legs than what is between your ears. Unfortunately she miscarried you as she ran. 

If you could have perhaps lived, then I am not so sure whether you could have celebrated your fifth birthday; malaria, measles, or any other malady could be waiting for you round the corner to snap life out of your beautiful self. 

Just before you take your last gasp let me narrate what happened many years back. It was in the year 2007 where a politician called Raila Odinga and Mwai Kibaki had a protracted dispute over elections. The previous felt the latter stole elections, what followed thereafter was sporadic violence that led to the deaths of over 1,300 people and a further 300,000 got displaced. It was not a good sight to behold as our country was literally burning. About your mother she did not manage to reach her home as news came in that she was hacked to death by a gang called Mungiki. My child I may not quite explain what Mungiki was or what it is but that is how your mother left this world.

As you close your eyes in death you may never know what your mother went through apart from what I have told you neither would you know what your friends encountered. Your grandparents wept uncontrollably upon being told that you took your last breath without them holding you and even taking care of you the same way they did to me. 

There is however hope as your mum’s people want to come to the village to make peace. I am happy that all will be well as I will soon marry and have a daughter just as beautiful as you were and I will make sure that my people will not chase away this other lady whom I will marry but rather stay in peace until we come and join you. 

Bye my beautiful daughter lots of love,

Dad.   

Public interest or is it interesting to the public?

Kenneth Juror | Kenya

Herman Omiti | Kenya

The freedom of expression and information just like other rights and freedoms are not exclusive; there are limitations within which these rights and freedoms can be enjoyed. One of these limitations is the right to privacy. The constitution guarantees every person the right to privacy (Article 31). The question that has always been moot is how do we harmonize these two rights and freedom?   

Last month, Conjestina Achieng – world number five female boxer, was featured on television in a not so good mental state. She was seen losing her mental sense one too many times as she muttered incomprehensible words. 

The issue that arose was whether she consented to such intrusive coverage or could she have had the capacity to consent to such coverage in her mental condition? Obviously, she did not consent; then, was it in order for the media to air her story especially in her condition? 

Did the media give prominence to the story because it was in the public interest or was it interesting to the public?    

A school of thought in support of the media’s action was that since Conje is a public figure, a world boxing champion, thus it was in the interest of the public to know what happens to her. Whilst this might be a valid argument, there must be difference between what is in public interest and what is interesting to the public.   

The other school thought that the media had over stepped its boundary in bringing out Conje’s private life to light which consequently can cause her family anguish and tantamount to putting them to public ridicule.    

Supposing that it is of public interest to know her well being then where does the balance lie between her fundamental right to privacy, freedom of the media on one hand and the right to information on the other. Is it a right to know someone else’s private life just because he is a public figure? 

These questions are significant, if one right is left to ride brakeless then it could easily stumble and run over the other; accordingly, all rights are guaranteed in the constitution. 

This discussion may not be conclusively put to rest as to whether it was in the interest of the public to know Conje’s mental state or was it simply a story interesting to the public.

NB: The resultant impact of the story was however an excellent heed to a call.

L’héritage des femmes parmi les Luos

Kenneth Juror | Kenya

Quand nous discutions ce sujet au forum consultatif sur les bien faits contre l’élimination du VIH/SIDA au pays. Ce sujet étais discuté avec trop d’arrogance et aussi ignorance parce des participants ne comprenaient pas pourquoi les Luos avaient ce type de culture. Cependant, chacune culture a ses valeurs et traditions.  

      

Après l’enterrement 

Parmi les Luos, après avoir une femme a fait les funérailles de son mari elle est si permettre de porter le deuil et plus tard elle va choisir la personne qui va l’hériter parmi les beaux-frères qui sont mariés. L’héritier doit être marié parce que c’était obligatoirement. L’héritier est bien connu comme Jater. 

Avant « des nouvelles » est donné au Jater, elle (la veuve) demanderait la permission de l’épouse de Jater à son intention d’être mariée, c’était rare pour un homme de refuser. Si la veuve ne trouve pas la personne qu’elle veut parmi les beaux-frères alors elle peut opter pour un étranger, quelqu’un qui n’a pas de relation familiale, celui est connu comme Jak Owiny. Jak owiny n’était pas si accepté parce des sages avaient le point de vu que c’était commercialiser l’héritage des femmes contre les traditions.    

  

Les raisons et le monde actuel du VIH/SIDA 

·  Continuer lignée familiale de mort. Un enfant né dans une telle union, si un garçon, il sera appelé du nom du mari défunt et si une fille alors la mère du défunt.

· L'héritier devait présider - go kom piny, des négociations dot des enfants du décédé et en plus son rôle est de gonyo dhok - la délivrance des vaches au fils du défunt dans au cadre du paiement de dot. Cela a été perçu comme une grande bénédiction et c’était exclusivement aux hommes. Une femme ne peut jamais gonyo dhok.

· Il devait protéger et aussi prendre soin de la veuve car le clan se méfiait des femmes impudiques. 

La veuve devait être hérité, en effet si elle n'est pas alors, elle ne peut pas cultiver la terre parce que c’était une affaires des couples si l'un n'est pas là, alors l’autre ne peut pas ensemencer tout seul jusqu'au moment où elle est héritée.

Ce sont les très nobles manières qui constitue la culture qui est actuellement mal compris, comme de nombreux de gens y fait pour profiter et aussi de gaspiller la richesse laissés de décédé. Il  en a contribué de nombreux décès du VIH / SIDA, mais idéalement, il était pour le bien commun de tout dans la société.

La culture n’est jamais comparable ni examinée au regard de l’objectif de votre propre culture. Chacune de nos cultures devraient être bien  comprise et appréciée exclusivement, à la fin que nous soyons ouvert et de plus il faut que nous soyons intéressé à connaître nos différentes cultures pour le but d’éliminer les préjugés que nous avons pour se bien déplacer et être un citoyen national / mondial.