BY FRANCIS MONYANGO Many apply foundation to hide black eyes. Others don shades to hide red eyes. Others fell on the stairs while others just ignore the whole vibe when it is brought up. Author Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor wrote in her book Dust (2013) about the four languages of Kenya: English, Kiswahili, Memory and Silence. We have embraced the former too quick. We refuse to talk about the ghosts that roam in our midst. The words accept and move on are engraved in our hearts. More will die and it will go unreported because of our selective outrage. Gory images…
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By MICHAEL MUGWANG’A Hillary Bor, his brothers Julius Bor and Emmanuel Bor are Kenyans. They were born and raised in Eldoret. But the three are soldiers in the United States Army. They have vowed to live, fight and are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, if that is what it takes, for the United States of America. The Bor brothers will kill and possibly die for America. Julius is currently fighting in Afghanistan, Emanuel is at the barracks at Fort Bliss, Texas. And Hillary has just returned to the States from Rio de Janeiro where he represented his country in…
BY GABRIEL KUDOI This year’s world Olympics kicked off on August 5 in Rio de Janeiro Brazil. But for the residents of Kenya’s athletics rich North-Rift, competition started a week later when their sons and daughters took to the track to showcase their rare prowess. And Eldoret town literally sprung to life as athletics fans jammed the streets to follow the action that was being beamed live on three big screens set up at the Iten Road junction, near the national library. Alice Aprot, Hellen Obiri and Vivian Cheruiyot were among the Kenyans who were battling it out with Ethiopia’s Amaz…
BY KENYATTA OTIENO The 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro brought out the best and the worst of Kenya. I will not go into the medal harvest because we have become accustomed to winning medals, we believe it is our right. Many people were shocked that Fiji called for a national holiday to celebrate their first Olympic Gold Medal courtesy of their Sevens Rugby team. The Kenyan delegation was full of drama from the word go. World Javelin champion Julius Yego refused to board the plane until his coach’s itinerary was changed. His coach was to land in Rio a…
BY DAVID ONJILI The year 2004 can ultimately be regarded as the year of the underdogs in football. Less fancied Porto under Jose Mourinho went on to win the Champions League, Greece on home soil beat much fancied Portugal to win the European Soccer showpiece, The EURO 2004. Interesting to note is fact that Greece conceeded no goals in the group stages. They were defensively effecient. Yet ,this phenomenon was not new. In boxing, Buster Douglas beat the much fancied and reigning undisputed World Champion Mike Tyson. In 2016 The Cleverland Cavailers stunned favourites Golden State Warriors in The NBA…
BY LUCY MUIGAI Deep in the Great Rift Valley, about 265km from Kenya’s Capital City and on your way to Kisumu via Nakuru lies a classy and beautiful Sunshine Hotel Upper Hill, Kericho. The most attractive bit about the three Star Hotel is the fact that its founder, Mr James Mwangi Kuria is a class one drop out who, like the Great Martin Luther King Jr. believed that “all men are created equal.” The Hotel is a must visit for family and individuals looking to experience excellence, elegance and quality in every regard, from the standard of the rooms and…
BY NADRAT MAZRUI The World Bank Art Exhibition on gender-based violence held at the Nairobi National Museum on July 28 at the Ecology Gallery was full of intriguing pieces. The exhibition was initially launched at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC in 2014. Thereafter, it has been held in Brazil, New York, Senegal, Germany, Indiana and it’s the first time to be held in Kenya, giving a chance to local artist to exhibit their creations. The art works depict women like me engaged in polite activities of self-healing. The fiercely precise and intelligent art acquired a deserved reputation for…
BY TERRY MWANGI Okay gentlemen! We get it. Fashion is a burden. I mean, who has time to check if the shoe matches the belt when there is a football game to catch, deadlines to beat and beer to grab with the boys? Have you ever wanted to walk into a room and look like you are in charge? Clothes will talk on your behalf. I do not think that you should force yourself to care about fashion trends. You should take what is out there and match it to your personality. Your clothes should make you feel completely at…
BY TOM ODHIAMBO How and why would anyone want to make money out of other people’s misery, a moralist would ask. What heartlessness would justify cashing in on the victims of an earthquake, war, famine, mass deaths, flooding etc? Such questions are more rhetorical than injunctions that should shock all normal human beings into indignation and action. Indeed, the natural reaction of most human beings when disaster strikes is to sympathize with the victims and try to help them. But this previously taken-for-granted humanness is no longer available for free. Even humanitarians want to be paid these days. Disaster, these…
BY LANJI OUKO Growing up, owning a Barbie Doll was very prestigious. I remember going for camps with each and every Barbie Doll I ever owned. I took pride in each one, ensured they showered, styled their hair and whenever their braids seemed untidy, we would head back to my aunty to redo their hair. Silky, blonde ‘mzungu hair’ tied in three African ‘matutas’. Never did it occur to me my daughters were all Caucasian. The same was experienced by a number of children my age, who genuinely loved the mzungu hair, and even bought hair dye to ensure they…