Nairobi News

Manhunt. Much like George Orwell’s conclusion in the novel Animal Farm that all animals are equal but some are more equal than others, Silas Ouko feels that the wheels of justice roll faster for some Kenyans. He is not surprised that police have launched a manhunt for robbers who shot Samburu East MP Raphael Letimalo in Karen on Saturday. After all, he says, Mr Letimalo is not an ordinary Kenyan.

“Were it any Nairobian, his or her family would be forced to go to such lengths as airing their plight in the media, if only to get the men and women in blue to look into their case,” says Silas. He points out that every Kenyan is entitled to swift justice, regardless of the depth of their pocket. “If this is not so, police boss, David Kimaiyo should tell us. He owes us that much,” says Mr Ouko.

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Better option. Reuben Mutunga Mutunga wonders how Safaricom claims to be the better option when for close to a year he has been waiting for his money to be refunded. Like many other Kenyans who have found themselves in his shoes, he says he accidentally keyed in the wrong pay bill number when sending money to a relative through M-Pesa.

“On realising the mistake, I immediately contacted Safaricom customer care centre and even went to their office where they promised me they would reverse my Sh8,639 transaction,” he says. Since then, he adds, he has often contacted them and the same promises are always made. “Needless to say, it has been very frustrating and I feel as if my predicament is no better than that of a victim of a callous conman,” he says. His phone number is O727474217.

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Better treatment. The story of a lawyer who was horrified by the condition of Kilimani police station cells — billed as the second best in the county — should shame and move the National Police Service to improve the hygiene of all stations, says Faith Mumbe.

“I was unfortunate to be locked up in those cells during a weekend and it was the most traumatising experience I’ve ever gone through,” she says adding that she nearly had a mental breakdown. No human being should be locked up in a room full of urine and faeces, she says. “I have seen some pig sties cleaner than our police cells. Surely, humans, no matter what crime they may have done, deserve better treatment,” she says.

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Pressing need. Enock Mumo says villages in Machakos county are being provided with street lights, something that was not even top on the agenda of the residents. Meanwhile Nairobians, who have been asking for lighting in some crime-ridden estates for years continue to get mugged. He says it is disappointing that Governor Evans Kidero is not developing the county as fast as his Machakos counterpart, and where development is taking place, it’s not on top of the residents’ wish list.

“Does Dr Kidero mean to say beautifying Mombasa Road, like he announced earlier in the year is a more pressing need than ensuring residents are safe?” asks Mr Mumo. He challenges Governor Kidero to get his priorities right.

Write to The People’s Champion at nnchampion@ke.nationmedia.com