The Watchman
13 November 2009
column
Nairobi — A story in the Nation, Polluted Wells Threaten the Lives of Thousands, has attracted the attention of Mick Brooke, who, in 1980, had his first borehole drilling contract in Kenya in Wajir. Says he: "I spent more than nine months living in a tented camp on the outskirts of Wajir town. I remember having samples from the shallow wells analysed -- and even then the water was unfit for human consumption! Am I correct in assuming that no alternative water supply has ever been provided during the past 29 years?"
The problem of the sagging power line at Kahawa West, Nairobi, which James Mayor complained about, has been sorted out, says KPLC corporate communications officer Kevin Sang. He adds: "Someone had interfered with the foundation of a pole, leaving it leaning and it caused the power conductors to sag. This has been rectified and the conductors no longer pose any danger to the public. We thank the customer for bringing this safety matter to our attention."
On the Luhya fascination with salaams (greetings) on FM stations, Paul Udoto says his namesake Paul Wanyama is "completely off the mark when he attributes this to idleness". Udoto adds: "In the office, on my mobile phone, car, boda boda, Kenya Wildlife Service welfare bus or on the farm, I always have the radio on lest I miss out on the all important salaams. We're the people of 'mulembe' (peace) or loosely translated as 'greetings'. It's part of our cultural heritage and no one should dare denigrate it."
There is nothing wrong with Luhyas sending salaams or writing to "Watchman" as Paul Wanyama did, says Kennedy Munala. It all boils down to communication, he adds, rejecting the suggestion that those involved are lazy or idle. "We've been called cooks and watchmen, but what's wrong with that? They just use the radio to send their salaams. Or are you suggesting that because I read you comment in Watchie, I was also idle?" he poses.
The Luhya are not fond of sending 'salaams' because they are idle, as alleged by Wanyama, says Muriithi Wagura. "The common salutation, 'mulembe', means peace. When you greet someone in Luhya, you are merely wishing him/her to have a peaceful day, unlike in other communities to whom greetings are just a way of enquiring about how one is doing, which I find rather patronising. Let the people of 'mulembe' spread the peace all over; we need it."
Have a cheerful day, won't you!
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