Bad work day

I got to work this morning and had this feeling that I am not in the mood of looking those debit and credits. (It must be the 4 pints I had jana evening.) and by the way I don't know how I ended up in this boring profession. Figures and figures and more figures.

So because I would feel guilty if I was not in the office, and my boss would surely look for me, I thought that the best option would be to sit and browse. the good thing about this is that i look Very busy and serious to the casual observer. While at it, i decided to observe my colleagues and see how they are coping. In the last two hours I have observed the following; (thanks to open plan offices)

• Musa is constantly having a 'private' sign communication with my bosses secretary (at intervals of like 5 minutes)
• Gerald is busy on email but most of it forward with clips and pictures that seem to have nothing to do with either our departments or the companys business.
• Michael is on phone - and i can tell its with the tea girl (surprises me why he cant go to the kitchen and talk to her instead of engaging the intercom) and scratching his balls.
• The boss checks in and goes through the dailies for 1.5hrs
• Liz is busy chatting with someone on the net

It actaully turning out to be a very interesting day.

Anyone with more ideas of how to 'kill those hours when work is simply not possible?' - and am not in the category that can get out and have a round of Golf.

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity

Nairobi Business

I have just been wondering, Nairobi's small businesses seem to think the same way..or are not creative...or are just apers (whichever of the three you prefer), I frequently take a walk in the correct side of tau...Tom Mboya street and lower. everybody seems to do the same business, These days, its all mobile phone accessories, covers, batteries, phones, chargers, scratch cards, etc. Several now have M-Pesa facilities. The second is DVD, CD etc (I guess most are pirated), then there is the clothes business in small stalls....

Is that the returns are great and the market insatiable or....any ideas?

What a year !!

Just about to get the middle of the year and what a year its turning out to be...I have just been thinking of it and this year will surely end up being one of the most eventful years. Just to make you understand what i mean..

1. Kenya erupts into chaos after the general elections
2. Jacob Zuma beats Thabo Mbeki to the leadership of ANC in South Africa.
3.Zimbabwe holds elections in March 2008 and as yet no official results have been announced as i write this (10.06.08)
4.Xenophobic attacks on black non south africans in S.A
5.Barrack Obama gets the Democractic ticket to contest in the presidential election in the USA.


am sure there are many more... i have just tried to concentrate on the issues in our mother Africa.

I know what you are saying but YES Obama is African...wapende wasipende!!!

EURO 2008 - Lessons and predictions

Today, Euro 2008 officially starts. I am making my predictions and inviting any other fans to do the same. However, before we do, let me give pointers as to what influences my choice.

1. Hard as it is, in normal life, the bad and the ugly always seems to triumph over the good. (Liverpool Vs. Arsenal champions league quarter final)
2. The unexpexted always happens and when it does, it changes the whole cause of things (JT's slip and penalty miss at the champions league final against ManU.
3. Hardwork usually does not mean success. Tact and resilience usually do.(Again its hard not to think of the Champions league final Chelsea vs. ManU)
4. Starting well and being at the lead does not make you the winner. Being at the lead at the end is what makes you the winner. (Arsenal 2007/8 Premiership campaign)
5. Often at the end of the day, after putting so much work a silly decision by the referee might be the difference between winning and loosing, going home or staying. (That penalty against Arsenal at Anified in the champions league quarter finals)

Based on the above, I am almost sure that its not the sexy football of France, the hardwork of Portugal or the good co-ordination of Holland or Spain that will win the day.

I fear to say the tournament will be won by ITALY or GERMANY....see you on 29th of June Folks!!!

Zim - irelevant or ignored

To me, the highlight of how low things have sunk in Zimbabwe was the last general held in March. The results took more than a month to get announced. Then there is the inflation that changes everyday and is the highest in the world.

Everyplace you turn, all that we hear is some bad news about Zim. Human rights abuses,political intolerance, disrespect for the rule of law...and the list goes on.

Am sure we all ask what is the AU and the rest of international community doing to save zim. When Kenya went to doldrums early in the year everybody was talking about ending the problems, sanctions, assistance, mediation etc..So this silence or inaction about Zim, does it mean that all hope is lost in Harare? does it mean than zim is irelevant to the rest of the world? if indeed as human race we want to be seen to care about the plight of our brothers and sisters, why the indifference.

It seems that we react to the problems of Kenya only because of the strategic position it accords us in pursuance of our interests in the horn of Africa. Because of our business interests. We react to the problems of Israel only because of the leverage it gives us in in the dominitation of middle east and suppression of nuclear weapon production.

If it turns out the there is no one who has material interests in the resoration of order in Zim, Who then shall cry for our brothers? who then shall put a foot forward for our sisters? who then shall secure the future of the children of Zim?

Freak

If you are like me, from the time you wake up the time you go to bed everyday, you have concieved several 'get rich quick' ideas, isolated them into illegal/allowed to illegal/disaallowed depending on which jurisdiction you are in, you have ditched the illegal for now(can't rule out getting back to them if the straight and narrow road doesnt lead to heaven)

Now you see yourself as a successful (read wealthy) businessman. You have laid your plans in your head, you have even handed your resignation and rejected the counter offer from your boss.you can see your corner office, a good number of people working for you, the business is flowing in, you are delivering quality to your customers, they are happy and there seems to be endless opportunity...you are now your own man/woman.

Problem is, this is all in the head. Tommorow, other ideas will come in or you will build on the ones of today.

Is this normal? is it only me or are we many suffering from condition?

This Kenya

I have now had a special relationship with Kenya (The country)for around three decades. Much of that time not out of choice - though i dont regret. this relationship has been largely enjoyable. With some rough patches of course (but i guess all relationships are like that)

Last week i met a friend of mine who we grew up with back and we recounted our young days. especially in early school. It was a refreshing meeting and ended up being hilarious. I couldn't help noticing how things have changed.

1. We used to stand at attention when the flag is lowered. As long as you hear the whistle - regardless of how far you were from the action.
2.We only had one pair of shoes - Bata bullets - that we only wore on Sundays meaning we went to school barefoot.
3.We knew the whole national anthem offhead and sang it every Friday morning at assembly/school parade
4.We also recited something that went like 'I pledge my royalty to the president and the repblic of Kenya.....' Anyone remembers what it was called? Everyfriday
5.We had Nyayo Milk - delivered to school every alternate Tuesday
6.When the president was on our route we all stopped classes and went out to cheer and sing his praises as he drove past.
7.The president would occassionally stop and give us 'something small' - of course only the teachers know where this money used to go because we never got a single cent.
8.All our school stationery requirements were supplied free by KSES. Whatever happened to that scheme!
9.There was only one TV station and it would start programming at 4pm and end at 11pm Daily
10.There was a song that sang on radio everyday just before 7am without fail that went like...hata wewe kijana, amka kumekucha..

Anyone from my/our generation...what did we leave out