MORE LOSSES THAN PROFITS IN MOMBASA...

The first phase of the Standard Gauge Railway(SGR) connecting Mombasa and Nairobi was launched by His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta on 31st May 2017, a project that cost KSH 327 billion, funded by the Chinese. The project which was to reduce the time spent by bus from 8 hours to 4 hours was received with jubilation by Kenyans, many as a breakthrough. The first few months into action and everything was running smoothly until the joy slowly started fading away; long-distance truck drivers were calling for demonstrations, hotel operators and businesses were shutting down, bus organizations were counting losses.

File/citizentv.co.ke Uhuru Kenyatta launches the SGR

Container Freight Stations(CFS) have turned Mombasa into a ghost town, residents are incensed thereby stripping its economic prowess. Long-distance truck drivers from the coast region through their union Kenya Long Distance Truck Drivers said their source of income had been hampered with since the SGR freight service started its operations. A directive by CS Transport James Macharia that all cargo to be moved directly via the train meant families rendered homeless and penniless. In a single trip to Nairobi, the cargo train carries around 1000 containers which means 1000 drivers and other assistants are jobless. The drivers through their unions made numerous demonstrations vowing to paralyze SGR operations until the government came to terms with them all to vain. Drivers, turn-boys, loaders, mechanics, and clerks have been affected.

file/standardmedia.co.ke Truck Drivers from Mombasa led by their
                              leaders protest over SGR operations

Small scale business operators and hotel owners have recently been expressing their dissatisfaction since the SGR started its operations. the train service which connects Nairobi and Mombasa directly without any pit-stops means the sellers have only a few customers using buses, private cars and few trucks still in operation. Joint food restaurants, especially at Mtito Andei, have witnessed a major setback ripping profits only when schools are closing or opening or during the holiday seasons.
Bus companies plying the Nairobi-Mombasa route questioned the government over the low fares charged by the SGR that saw their businesses lose customers; between Sh700 and Sh 3000 while the buses charged between Sh900 and Sh2200. Other operators are forced to look for new routes like Kampala and Kigali while the remaining firms are forced to pump more cash to at least compete with SGR, for example, Tahmeed which invested some 12VIP buses each worth over KSh26million.

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THE FUNNY SIDE OF A MONSTER

The January of year 2020 marked a new era in human history after a new epidemic broke out in China. Corona virus quickly was announced as a world pandemic. Chaos rose in the China as well as other parts of the world especially in Chinese based destinations. As panic continued to thrash most countries, Kenya was not left behind but it was not that fast.

Kenyans normally known to criticize, draw conclusions, make jokes out of all situations usually through social media platforms and some even rushing to studios to record and produce songs did just their norm. Proffesor Hamo, a stand-up comedian in the Churchill Show made a joke about Kenyans being carefree and don't cares(mang'aa). As he explains on how Kenyans are hard-headed, he cites the instance when doctors went to diagnose the 239 passengers from China mask free while the passengers themselves had face masks. check out the full video on Youtube...
https://youtu.be/rwOMN80kiyo.

                                           https://img1.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png
On the other side, Kenya online comedian(memelords) have been doing their best in easing the tension among Kenyans by creating meme relating to corona virus. One of the images compares corona virus with the locust invasion at the same time clarifying it has no place in Kenya.

Facebook TheMerchantKenya 

Although most Kenyans especially between below 35 years seem unmoved by the pandemic, another group is concerned while taking all necessary precautions. One Shii Njenga through her twitter page expressed her fear and urged the government to make sure Kenyans are "safe in their poverty". Taxi drivers wear even face masks whenever dealing with Chinese citizens.

                          

         
                       Twitter@Shii_Njenga                                   Twitter@victoramunya
Personally, I think the nature of Kenyans being carefree in all situations is the energy pushing us to the limit and giving us a reason to live everyday. Moreover, memes never bore. On the other hand we need to take necessary precautions to avoid the spread of the virus but that does not mean harassing the Chinese citizens like from the viral video from Kibra last week.
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                           Kindly comment on the section below there and share.
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                                    TWITTER @SpenceVinnie1
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Free From Rules, Bound By Freedom

                         

             Welcome back to NEWMEDIA707. Its new content every week. This weeks edition is about university you heard back then and the reality that hit your face maybe... Enjoy reading and don't forget to leave your comment down there...         

          

PHOTO 1 Retrieved from Phone Gallery

I remember back in high school all the “cool dudes and chics” teachers used to invite for career guidance and counseling. Their sight always rang bells in my head and their words got me thinking whether I was putting good enough efforts to join the university. “Work hard, score a good grade and join the university. Huko maisha ni raha tupu’’ well I heeded their wise counsel and joined the Technical University of Mombasa on September 3^rd 2018 on a Monday. I had hit one target and now I had \to aim for the second target.

I was both happy and sad at the same time, happy because I can finally have unlimited fun with no one keeping an eye on me; sad because am in a whole new place new people new lifestyles new everything. First came with the accent. The Swahili accent from coastal people is so different from the slang Swahili spoken in ‘bara’.  One tries to feign the accent and you left looking like some idiot.

                   

I stayed in the campus hostels but the ‘enemies of sleep’ AKA kunguni made me relocate to bedsitters around the campus. That comes with a whole new freedom, your going out or coming in bothers no one except you. Then came the trying new stuff, new friends and relationships from different diversities, the same meal seven days a week tatu pojo/maharagwe [3 chapatis and a plate of green grams/ beans] new clothes and different genres of music.  Apparently almost everybody in campus was born on Friday so you know how that goes, it’s parte after parte, alcohol and ‘weed’ rock. Everything comes with an expense, it’s all fun until your account balance reads 27 bob!

                                                 

PHOTO 2 King'ori and Janet Lulu FM presenters during
happy moments

Retrieved from Phone Gallery

Even so I must confess the university has been one of the best teachers, the experiences, the ups and downs, the breakthroughs, encounters, thrills and fantasies and best of all achieving being able to hold on to my course, mass communication. What the ‘cool dudes and chics’ said, I can comfortably has been true although it has limits. Am still young and with lots of experiences yet to exploit though am sure I will in because old age knocks.

 A lot is yet to be said but I hope you’ve enjoyed. Kindly read, comment and share.

Retrieved from Phone Gallery