HON JAMLECK KAMAU DECLARES: I WILL BE ON THE BALLOT FOR MURANG'A GOVERNOR 2022.

by Gîtaû wa Kûngû.

"I'm grateful to God and to the people of Mûrang'a for the love and support. Today I answer the humble call to officially run for Mûrang'a County governor 2022. I will be in the ballot!" Hon Jamleck Irungu Kamau.

His official declaration has come after big pressure from all over Mûrang'a County for him to vie for Mûrang'a gubernatorial office. 

Mûrang'a town and later other areas bloomed amid thunderous "Simba! Simba! Simba!" acknowledging celebrations. 

"I will ensure that any pending county government projects by HE Governor Mwangi Wa Iria are facilitated to completion," Said Mr Kamau.

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"My government will set a County Education Endowment Fund Programme that will support all students, ensure 100% enrollment to secondary school and benefit students," he continued.

When he was Kigumo MP from 2007-2017, Mr. Kamau had a special CDF programme dubbed Kigumo Education Endowment Fund (KEEF).

The programme saw students from needy families sponsored fully until they completed their education. Elizabeth Muthoni, an advocate at the High Court of Kenya is among the many KEEF beneficiaries.

KEEF also saw Kigumo constituency rise to become an academic giant in Mûrang'a County. He is the brainchild of Kigumo Girls Highschool and saw more than 5 new secondary schools started. 

"Youths remain at the core of my heart because they are the nation of tomorrow," he continued.

He promised to fulfill his promise to Mûrang'a youth: to ensure more job and employment opportunities are created;

I will also initiate a programme to empower youths in self employment and talent discovery and development," Mr. Kamau resonated.

Hon Kamau, also regarded to as "Simba," "general," and "kabisa kabisa" all over the county is the sitting chairperson of Tana River Development Authority (TARDA).

"On water, I will ensure that the Aberdare water catchment and Ndakainî dam are tapped comprehensively and every Mûrang'a home is connected to clean tap water for domestic purposes and also farming;

Mûrang'a people cannot continue drawing muddy drinking water from boreholes while our water serves the jiji," the "Simba" continued.

He resonated with the people in thanking President Uhuru Kenyatta for ensuring all Kenyans have benefitted from and nobody should take any personal credit for what the government of Mr. Kenyatta has fully planned and funded.

The former Nairobi Metropolitan minister has a crystal clear record that improved Nairobi city.

In his tenure during HE Mwai Kibaki government, most modern roads were built, CCTV cameras connected, environmentally clean, safe and conducive standards realised, industries opened, businesses expanded and also the connection of Murang'a county to Nairobi city became more profound. 

He said, "I will ensure that an avocado processing plant is put up in Mûrang'a County to ensure that farmers who were offered over 2.5 million avocado seedlings by HE Mwangi wa Iria will have their avocados harvested and processed in Mûrang'a County."

This he said, is an initiative to do away with middlemen (brokers) and provide a means to better prices and markets. 

The plant is one of the many projects he promised will be bigger economic propellers through creating job and employment opportunities and development.

Hon Kamau is expected to battle for governorship against Water PS Mr. Joseph Wairagu, Mûrang'a women rep Sabina Chege, Dr. Moses Mwangi and former PS Irungu Nyakera.

Written by Gîtau wa Kung'u.

THE POWER OF LITTLE 2ENT.

By the pen of Gitau wa Kung'u ✒️

2ENT ! What is 2ENT? Why did I decide to write on that today? Welcome, relax and let's read, enjoy and learn together to the end. You will like it!

Now, there are 5 sensory organs of the human body. They include the eye, ear, nose, tongue and the skin. The eye sees, the ear hears, the nose smells, the tongue tastes and the skin feels. 

But we shall focus on the eye, ear, nose and the tongue. Thus our 2ENT sensory organs; 2E for eye and ear, N for the nose and T for the tongue. Good!

2ENT sensory organs are small if not very small in size. But these little 2ENT organs can either cause tremendous treachery/danger or much/behemoth benefits to a person. How?

Let's start with the 2 E's: the eye and the ear.

The eye and ear are responsible for perceiving vision/ seeing and hearing respectively. Those unable to see blind; the deaf are unable to hear. Did you know?

What you see and hear affects you intensely in reaction, behaviour and approach at first? The sight or sound of a beautiful or attractive thing makes you feel good. 

Still, the sight or sound of an ugly or noisy thing makes you feel bad. 

But looks and sounds deceive. The sages said not everything that glitters is gold. Before you see or hear and like or dislike something or someone, watch and listen first!

See you but don't judge a book by it's cover! If something or someone irritates you, move away! Yes you cannot decide what the eye sees or the ear hears first but you can decide whether to watch or listen.

Have the eye and the ear of Jesus. While people saw a shabbily dressed poor woman in the temple, Jesus saw an honest heart offering all she had. 

While the Philistines were hearing and enjoying mocking songs to blinded Samson, he was busy pushing and listening for cracking sounds on the house's pillars. 

Hear but don't listen to the noise of your enemies! Keep focused and you will overcome. Their mockery songs and their composed dirges for you will turn into their mourning songs.

Don't have the eye of a rat! The rat sees the piece of meat but doesn't observe it's position at the centre of trap waiting to snap on it suddenly! Be careful, don't see, observe! 

Watch and listen what will not lead you to problems. Watch and listen!

Now, the nose smells; good and bad smells. But not just smelling scents and odours! The English say; don't poke your nose into other people's affairs! 

If you do, you might be too preoccupied to smell a rat! Still you might poke your nose into others affairs and smell a rat. Whatever you do, don't poke your nose too deep! 

The tongue tastes. It's also a speech organ. The tongue is believed to have unbelievable power once it roles during talking. 

The boy David's tongue rolled against Goliath the giant in 1st Samuel 17:46: 

"This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will feed the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the land, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!"

And so it was. Just by the faith in God, the power of his little tongue and the marble in his sling the mockery of Israel enemies turned into their unforgettable defeat while Israelites celebrated victory! 

Proclaim success not failure; speak optimistic not pessimistic vibes. Let your tongue heal not wound! There's power in the tongue!

Conclusively, let's always take care and have control over what we watch, listen to, sniff around and talk but most importantly, we must remain strong in faith, trust, hope, respect and obedience to the word of God.

Thus the power of the little 2ENT. 

 Written by Gîtau wa Kung'u.

POEM: NOT ALONE!!!

Poet: Gitau wa Kung'u

Oh yeah! No man is an island,
Nobody ever made it alone,
Nobody ever makes it alone to success land,
I'm never gonna make it alone,
You are never going to make it alone!

Birds of a feather fly together,
Members of a pack hunt together,
For in unity hides power,
In numbers lies horsepower,
You will never make it alone.

One man's meat is another man's poison,
Still no man prides perfection,
So hold thys in humility position,
Never judging colleagues by imperfections,
You will never make it alone.

What is life if not a creation?
What is happiness if not satisfaction?
What is success if not perfection?
Who grows if not by liason?
You will never make it alone!

The Birth of MUSA 

Poet: Gitau Wa Kung'u

HON JAMLECK KAMAU: I'M UNSHAKEN, I'M UNSHAKABLE.

```By the pen of Gitau wa Kung'u ✒️``` 

This is to all the cynics, the pestle-wielding propagandist critics, the unrelenting, the idle and idling, twittering, collective children of anger, the distracted crowd of Facebook addicts, the BBM-pinging soap opera gossips of Kenya, who seem to be in competition among themselves to pull down the roaring lion on the mountain; Hon Jamleck Kamau. 

This army of sponsored and self-appointed anarchists is so diverse; many of them don’t even know why or how they should attack, by the grace, the next governor of Mûrang'a County Hon Jamleck Kamau indirectly through his PA, Bravo Gachwe.

Well, the clear danger to public affairs commentary is that we have a lot of unintelligent people repeating stupid clichés and too many intelligent persons wasting their talents lending relevance to thoughtless propagandist conclusions. Hold on. 

I don’t want to be misunderstood. I am not saying nobody should criticize through propaganda, Hon. Jamleck or his team. I spent some time learning that legal maxim: “volenti non fit injuria”. Publicity comes with its own share of risks and exposure. 

But the twittering, pinging, Facebook crowd of the new age must be guided by facts not imaginations.

Hon. Jamleck is a clever, methodical and intelligent man, who is very adept at wrong footing all the persons who make an effort to second-guess or under-estimate him. He understands the complexity of the community.

He is acutely conscious of the historicity of his emergence as the chairman of TARDA, former minister of Nairobi Metropolitan, celebrated Kigumo MP and now Mûrang'a County gubernatorial aspirant. 

He knows that he is here as the leader of the people. He knows that he is a representative of all common persons, particularly the children of all blue collar workers who never wore shoes or got a chance to eat three-square meals, and whose mothers and aunties could never be part of policy-making processes.

When he is in the office, and he gets there early every day, and works till very late, he is exposed to all categories of Kenyans. He runs a modern and open office. He is on Facebook, Twitter, email, SMS, BB, and he reads. And he writes back.

Here is a man who is an epitome of loyalty and simplicity. The thing about Jamu's pointless, propagandist critics is that they just cannot accept that someone with his simplicity could be their next governor! 

This is the Saul Complex disturbing them! Saul could not accept the fact that somebody as simple as David could be favoured by God. And just like Saul threw the spear at David out of uncontrollable jealousy, these critics are out to throw any kind of spear to see which hits the target, hence all their lies about Hon Jamleck's PA, Bravo Gachwe.

Let me end by saying that Mr. Kamau is a simple man but simplicity is not naivety.

 Attacking him using monkeyish theatrics and propaganda will not throw him off balance. Those pebbles they are throwing are just bouncing to with just his mightier roar. Who stands a lion's roar?

Written by Gîtau wa Kung'u ✒️

MY SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVER.

Poet: Gitau wa Kung'u

                          If only memories could serve,

                         Nice, happy, favourite memories, 

                         How beautiful would life be!

                         How charming would it be!

                         But can't be now, never, lover,

                         I can't help but sympathise,

                         Coz you ruined it, yes,

                         My someone else's lover!

                         The days we used to spend,

                         Near the river bank, 

                         Then splash water on each other,

                         Wishing the birds would sing,

                         Melodiously to us forever,

                         Then we would paint a picture of us,

                         Do you remember it's beauty,

                         My someone else's lover?

                         The days we would enjoy,

                         Ugali lala with turungi

                         And you would offer into my mouth,

                         Like a piece of wedding cake,

                         Do you remember, 

                         The promises broken by you,

                         This my heart broken by you,

                         My someone else's lover?

                         Greed is a demon I say,

                         The mother of all corruption,

                          In the guise of better, rich life,

                          Where money was surplus,

                          And dates sweeter in restaurants,

                          With nothing but luxury and pleasure,

                          More than I could offer, remember?

                          My someone else's lover?

                          No darkness lasts forever,

                          Here I'm a picture we painted together,

                          Only that your brush saw it was better,

                          And fit to paint somewhere else,

                          But why do I see regretful tears?

                          Didn't you fit in the other frame?

                          I'm sorry but what can I do,

                          My someone else's lover?

                            Poet: Gitau wa Kung'u.

BANISH SEXISM AND UPHOLD GENDER SENSITIVITY.

By the pen of Gitau wa Kung'u ✒️

Since the beginning of time, sexism has played a vital role in many cultures and communities around the world. So has the 20th century issue of gender sensitivity.

What is sexism? What is gender sensitivity? Where can the two terms be cited? How has they shaped world views?

What is the relationship between sexism and gender sensitivity? Do you support sexism or gender sensitivity? 

Let's talk about sexism first. What is sexism? Sexism is the belief that people of one sex or gender are inherently superior to people of the other sex or gender. 

For example, the notion that men are superior to women or women are superior to men. People, policies, languages and institutions that uphold sexism are called sexist.

Sexism can be cited in the major social outlines. For example "mankind" is sexist since women are also included there. 

Saying men are the heads of families is sexist too! or withholding driving licences to women; or rebuking girls to play with car toys like boys; or boys from crying like girls. 

Sexist language and behaviour had been accepted before advancement of 21st century when feminism emerged.

 Feminism is a social theory or political movement that supports the equality of both sexes in all aspects of public and private life. 

Supporters of feminism are called feminists. Antagonists to feminism are called antifeminists

.

Women had accepted they are inferior to men. Thus they willingly submitted to men as the society expected of them. 

Does it mean only men can lead and command the women to follow? Women wondered but had no platform to dispute or prove otherwise. 

Before we talk about gender sensitivity, do you think women can perform manual labour like building construction in similar efficiency to men? Or can women do better?

We live in the age of gender sensitivity. Yes, this famous 21st century. This age of scientific and technological advancement. Nevertheless, human nature and so biological make up barely alters. 

Although there are people with both female and male reproduction parts. There are also people with more feminine characteristics in male bodies or masculine characteristics in female bodies like Semenya, the South African athlete. 

What do you view these 'special' people? Is it right, for example, for Semenya not to compete against women just because she is more masculine than feminine?

Now, gender sensitivity is the process of raising awareness on how to treat people of opposite gender and  the importance of that in social and community circumstances; in workplaces, institutions etc. Why?

Because women are generally taken to be inferior to men. Gender sensitivity ensures neither gender is more privileged over or discriminated for the other. 

The Kenyan constitution has an article on gender rule in respect to gender equity and equality in leadership. It's the ⅔ gender rule. 

It dictates that there in order to respect gender sensitivity in leadership, no gender should be more than ⅔ of the total positions. 

Yet this is not the case with the current Kenyan parliament.Nevertheless females are nominated to have more representation in both the national and counties governments.

We should always ensure we behave and communicate mutually in a code that is gender sensitive when in social, corporate, job and professional settings. 

The sages say, do unto others what you would like to be done. Let's love, cherish and uphold respect for each other; this is 21st century.

 Change is inevitable, isn't it?

Written by Gîtau wa Kung'u.

WANJIKÚ KNOWS!!!

By the pen of Gitau wa Kung'u ✒️

We are Kenyans and Kenya is our business. Yes, we've been cheated, we've been betrayed and we've been fooled by hooligans and charlatans into electing them into leadership.

Oh yes! But the sages said; once beaten, twice shy. 

Wanjikú knows those charlatanical leaders who have been relegating the elite and people of substance to the back seat.

 Wanjiku knows the leaders who surround themselves with yes-men/women and dimwit goons for whom the lure of the stomach is the prime motivation. 

We know the leadership that has created a new class of leadership with questionable credentials, always preferring those who will do their bidding without questioning.

Wanjikú knows the cancer that has been pulling down Kenya to its knees. 

This new class of leaders basking on the euphoria of their newly unmerited status display an uncanny disdain for those who care to question the slide to the precipice into which the country is inevitably headed. 

Every sector of governance: the education system, the civil service, social infrastructure and the health care delivery system have been so assaulted and desecrated that it will take years to bring them back to form. Wanjikú knows!

These hooliganic regimes have become a catalogue of woes as government workers are owed salaries and gratuities running to several months stand in arrears as the lords of corruption and impoverishment find comfort in praise singing and cronyism from their sycophants. 

Theirs have become regimes of what can aptly described as the regime of Hon X for Hon X and members of Hon X's immediate family. 

They have been so blinded by the trappings and arrogance of power that theirs has become a verity of Lord Acton’s maxim; power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

They have been blinded by the lust for power to decipher the handwriting on the wall. They talk to themselves, listens to their paid-to-appease advisors and can't come to terms with the reality that they are in a deep mess. 

The verdict of the people is clear. It is a verdict against running office as a bodaboda business; a verdict against poor leadership and a verdict for credible alternative. 

It is a verdict of the will power of the electorate and that verdict must be respected.

Such is the verdict of history and failed leadership should give peace a chance!

Written by Gîtau wa Kung'u ✒️.

Poem: BOYCHILD! BOYCHILD! DELILAH MARAUDS!

Poet: Gîtau wa Kung'u

Boychild, oh boychild!

Delilah never died, she lives!

She's beside you maybe!

To destroy you she's waiting!

Waiting for your star to shine!

Boychild, oh boychild!

Delilah's charm finished Samson,

The mightiest man in history,

Delilah still lives! She's waiting!

Waiting to dim your twinkling star!

Boychild, oh boychild!

Do you have eyes?

Do you have ears?

Delilah still lives, she's waiting!

Waiting to expose your nakedness!

Boychild, oh boychild!

Beware you of drunkenness!

Stay wake and on guard!

Delilah still lives, she's waiting!

Waiting to sell you to the enemy!

Poet: Gîtaû wa Kûngû.

MEET MOSES WANYOIKE, A MAESTRO BENGA KIKUYU (NGOGOYO) MUSICIAN WHO SADLY LANGUISHES IN POVERTY.

 

By the pen of Gitau wa Kung'u.

Maestro Ngogoyo singer Wanyoike playing guitar and his songs to his visitors The Generals Caucus team at his home in Kiahiti 

"I sleep in a leaking house and I can't feed my poor family," Maestro Benga (Ngogoyo) Musician Moses Wanyoike.

Life is a turn and twist of events. Today someone is at his life crest; the next moment he crumbles down to the trough; and vice versa. Such has been the life of Kikuyu Benga music former "Ngogoyo" star Moses Wanyoike.

The Generals Caucus group of youth leaders paid the Ngogoyo maestro a visit at his home in Kiahiti village, Muthithi ward in Kigumo constituency on Sunday, 13th June 2021.

Photo: Mr. Wanyoike telling his sad story to his visitors.

From the path entering into the homestead, a mud walled house with age beaten, rusty rooftop welcomed them. Just infront of the house was the kitchen. It is made of old scraps of iron sheets. 

They could not believe their eyes. How could a person; whose songs they hear airing on the local radio stations be the owner of such a dilapidated home?

Little had their surprise sank than a frail, dark, old, shabbily dressed man welcomed them amidst a tired smile into his homestead. Yes, the man whose songs entertain millions of people; Maestro Moses Wanyoike. Who is this man, Maestro? What happened to him?

Photo: Alex Kibaki, chairman (The Generals Caucus) team addressing the gathered

Maestro debut into the music industry was in 1977. He produced his first album that also hit, "Nyûmba ya Mathare." His other hit album is: "Nî Ngûûka." 

After his last album, "Tupende Kenya" more than a decade ago, Moses Wanyoike was hit by illness. 

"I have been in and out of hospitals from then," Says Wanyoike. His ailment has drawned all his money and caused his fall into poverty.

Photo: Mr. Moses Wanyoike at his home during the visit

Mr. Wanyoike says he cannot remember the number of songs he has recorded but he claims to have lots of songs he's yet to record in studio.

He requests people of good will to help him build a house. 

"I have a dream of starting a music school to teach playing the guitar and also record my unrecorded songs. Would anyone help me, I would be very grateful and a happy man." Wanyoike said.

His house, is in deplorable situation. The rain season is like a misfortune to him as he suffers under the leaking roofs.

The Generals Caucus team offered some foodstuff among other domestic-use things. 

Photo: The Generals Caucus team with Mr. Wanyoike after the visit.

Mr. Wanyoike has not given up in life. He has a dream and hope that his star will shine again. His dream is valid. 

Dick Munyonyi's Firirinda song hit 30 years after its release. And so did Munyonyi's star shine again. Mr. Wanyoike can still restore his glory.

Anyone willing to support the maestro Kikuyu  benga musician can visit his home at Githunguri village, Kiahiti in Muthithi ward, Kigumo constituency in Murang'a County.

Reported by Gîtau wa Kung'u ✒️

WANANCHI, REFUSE HOOLIGANIC LEADERSHIP AND ELECT ELITIST LEADERSHIP. OR ELSE!

By the pen of Gitau wa Kung'u✒️

This is to condemn, to demolish and discourage integrating hooliganism into public office leadership and to give insight on why elected leaders should Instead integrate elitism.

You must have experienced or seen this situation in social media and in the country (ground); a mob of an elected leader's workforce or sycophantic supporters bullying, insulting and harrassing an honest mwananchi enquiring why; a certain project delayed or stopped, bursary disbursement is late and/or unfair.

We need to ask ourselves several questions. First, how do these henchmen/goons/hooligans get so close to elected to leadership at the first place?

Obviously they were on the leaders campaign team. Kenyans say, "siasa sio kanisa/dini. Most of you know how political campaigns are played in Kenya. 

Politics of intimidation, propaganda, physical violence among other gruesome crimes are committed against opponents. 

And these uncouth acts are committed by dimwits who continue to occupy various positions or stick to the leaders like ticks to cowhides once they win. 

Thus the idiotic, sycophantic attention seeking hooligans must use the only weapon they know that paralyses opposition; arrogance and bullying. 

By doing this they think they are protecting the leader and thus proving allegiance. But do you think they really protect their "master" by insulting and bullying the complaining or criticising wananchi?

Next question; why do these leaders, after attaining office, continue tolerating such gangs of vulgarity? 

Well, most of the leaders who surround themselves with cocoons of gangs are basically hooliganic themselves, corrupt, dictatorial and criminals who must protect their ugly inner selves after attaining power and shedding the sheepskin. 

We have heard of the infamous terrorising "men in black," who attack civilians gathered to criticize corrupt, wobbling leadership. The gangs cause chaos, harrass, injure and even kill the wananchi to disrupt, confuse and stop crowds from talking to the media about the filth of the leadership. 

So sad, for a leader to hire goons to attack the citizens he/she has oppressed, exploited and impoverished Instead of protecting and empowering them as he/she had promised during campaign period.

So what solutions will correct the mess and crime committed by hooliganic leadership?

Aspiring leaders who distance their campaigns from hooligans must be clearly scrutinised before being supported by the society and getting elected. It must not be forgotten that even rats breath cool air to suppress pain as they dig their teeth into the unsuspecting victims.

The wananchi must stop allowing any aspiring leader who uses goons during campaigning to step into any public office. Otherwise, they will be voting in bullying, harrassment, terrorism, corruption and oppression after the cunning demons in sheepskin get drunk in power and shed their deceptive sheepskin.

Hooliganic leadership must not be allowed to continue being in power after the 2022 general elections. Truly, the demons have a calculated, deceiving  way of gradually going back to their neglected sheepskin, coming to wash their crimes.

They shamelessly appear to partake, associate themselves with and even take credit in the opening and launching of development projects like hospitals, roads, bridges etc that they are not aware how they were started by World Bank, UN organisations, NGO's or government organs.

Well, the masses are taken to be amnesiac and stupid to be influenced in a fortnight through handouts, psychological and emotional excitement by top celebrities and influential people to forget the evils already committed against them! 

Seriously, wananchi must remain sane and vigilant, refuse to be influenced into voting the same unaccredited leadership that has made their lives more hard and depressed. Or else, the mourning songs of oppression, corruption and impoverishment shall continue airing and the singers will continue suffering, getting maimed and killed. 

 Written by Gîtau wa Kung'u ✒️

POEM: MY SEVENTH HEAVEN SENDER.

 

Poet: Gitau wa Kung'u.✒️

Having you by my side, lying your brainy head on my chest,

Makes me in peace abide, as I stroke your neck and you rest,

Emotions sweep me in high tide, as your fingers trace my chest,

It's so much love I can't hide, blossoming sweetly in our love nest.

Aw! Your kisses make me weak, always so sumptuous n tender,

How your lips drive me towards the peak! Mixing me like a blender!

Your romance! I can't speak! You must be a bender, my words bender!

You fly me till into satisfaction I peek, you are my seventh heaven sender!

So electrifying is your touch, gets me warm and hot and wild,

Attracts me to you so much, making me feel wanted and mild,

As your palms downwards search, the strong pillar of our world,

Gets me so crazy as such, my heart dances like an anxious child.

When finally yours grips mine, into another dimension do I fly,

As in our love garden I plant our vine, I feel glorious like a firefly,

As our eyes in pleasure shine, our bodies merge as nerves electrify,

Together we drink in our love wine, leaving the mourns only to verify.

Poet: Gîtau wa Kung'u ✒️

VIBE OF THE "YOUTH FOR YOUTH" MANTRA: THE PLACE, CHALLENGES AND ROLE OF YOUTH IN THE NEXT LEADERSHIP.

By the pen of Gîtau wa Kung'u ✒️

Sports CAS Zack Kinuthia. He is eyeing for Kigumo MP seat. File courtesy of MtKenyajournal

Behold the "Youth for youth" mantra. It is the new youth mantra.  "Youth for youth" mantra is becoming engraved in major political discourses. Not only in the streets of the region, but also in the youth-crowded platforms of social media. 

For long, youths have been used and misused by years rich politicians as Trojan horses to public offices. After which they are discarded as fast as a tissue paper once you have used it for its purpose! Well, Bob Marley said, "a revolution in the mind is a revolution in the streets." 

Chege Mugane, former Kigumo constituency CDF manager.

The call for power shift from the older to the younger generation is fast gaining traction. This political discourse has occupied the public space in recent times and understandably so. Gerontological leadership or rather, leadership by the elders is under attack.

Oh yes, undeniably, the failure of most leadership by the older generation has ignited this backfire of trust, the initial adoration and mutual respect. 

The question is what level and quality of leadership are we talking about even as we uphold "Youth for youth" mantra? Has the youth ruffed the old in behaviour, morality, leadership, integrity and frugality? How have our youths fared in the professions, the military and the civil service? Do they even hold out any hope for the nation?

Well, I am a youth. Even one of those ferociously preaching "youth for youth" slogan. But I'll lay my fears on the bare rock of honesty and say this: Yes youths want and have to stand up for each other to win leadership positions come 2023. 

Beth Waithira, Nominated MCA Kahumbu ward, Mûrang'a County

Will we moving into the sweet dreams of youthful, visionary, ideological leadership or into the nightmare of deluded visions of grandeur? Power is said to be stronger than wine, it's said. 

Well, maybe what bedevils Kenya is the “one solution fits all” and “easy way out” syndrome. Why do I presume so? Let me drive you back the ghetto routes of memory.

In 2013, we voted in the now unpopular Uhuruto Jubilee government. "It's time for the young people to take over and run the government; vote youthful, visionary Uhuruto Jubilee government, vote for the change this country needs, tuko pamoja youths?" 

And youths would jump up and down, lie and roll on the ground, dance and shake the air with defeaning "tuko pamoja tano tenaaaa." Now just go and say to any group of youths idling somewhere, "Jubilee!" You might not even finish pronouncing the last vowel before venom is unleashed to you. What's my point?

We must rush not to proffer beguiled "youth for youth" solutions to all our problems; transfer political power to the youths and all our problems are solved. So my friend Professor Nyamache points out. He then shares with me this brief explanation in a historical expression.

When a couple of years ago Americans voted in a 47-year old Barack Obama as their President, many Kenyans enthused that American politics had embraced youth power. 

That Obama had attended the best schools in his country, volunteered again and again in providing free services to his communities, and had been involved in politics as early as he could, and the fact that he had been elected into the country’s Senate did not matter in their reasoning.

The only thing that registered was that a black person below age 50 was President. Many never bothered to study his trajectory to power. Had they done that, they would have realised that Obama did not become President simply because the United States of America decided that the old must give way to the young or whites to blacks. 

No, Obama became President because, at that moment, he was adjudged the best among those who offered themselves for election. He had built up some national gravitas. He had been noted as having something to offer his nation, something great enough to even transcend whatever obstacles that had blocked the way of every black politician before him. In as much as his election was a black revolution, it was actually personal to Barack Obama.

The choice we face is not that of youthful versus gerontocratic leadership. It is one of strength, character, vision, courage, capacity, intellect and a deep understanding of the society and Kenya at large. 

In as much as we preach the "youth for youth" gospel; we must not forget that the argument for and against any leadership should be based on record of achievement and leadership experience.

Photo: Flasiah Nduta, nominated MCA

Anyando in his novel: Epic of Gor Mahia, depicts Gor, the Luo legendary leader as an example that age doesn't matter for legendary leadership; young people can also be legendary leaders. Nevertheless, when Gor gets old and has to pass over the baton to his sons, they rule in a despondent style that splits and thus brings the traditional Luo leadership into an end with the prevalence of British colonialism.

Well, age is definitely not a weighty determinant of good leadership especially in a democracy such as ours. What we need is courage, character and vision as age has nothing to do with good leadership. 

Politics is a game of ideas, policies and numbers. The Kenyan youth needs to pay the required price, make the necessary sacrifice, study the problems facing the society, master how to solve the problems of the various parts of the Kenyan republic. 

A youthful Mûrang'a County gubernatorial aspirant Joseph Kibugi alias Kibugi wa Ihîî usually says, "Youths are tired of belony promises. It's time for youths to dip their legs into leadership." Mr. Kibugi is only 25 years old.

Joseph Kibugi alias Kibugi wa Ihîî, Mûrang'a County gubernatorial aspirant

The youths however, have to be disciplined enough to attend political meetings, play party roles, canvass for votes, identify the needs of their various peoples and seek to effectively represent them. They have to acquire organisational abilities, learn from the mistakes of the past and put themselves up for public service.

 There are young men and women doing just that across Mûrang'a County and the whole country without making a song and dance of it. Among them sports CAS Zack Kinuthia who is eyeing Kigumo MP seat, Irungu Kang'ata, Chege Mugane, Flasia Nduta, Wakili Mûrîu, Nyutu, Ndindi Nyoro, Beth Waithira, Wambui Nyutu,  among others.

 Youthful Jared Oundo is also eyeing for presidency on Vitendo na Sera (VSP) Party

Plum offices will surely come to them as early as they did to Barack Obama, Canada’s Justin Trudeau or, France’s Emmanuel Macron or a few Kenyans like Uhuru Kenyatta.

Every nation is a work in progress. Governance is constant since it is what sustains the different nations of the world. Kenyan youths should be proactive and not tarry hoping that leadership will be thrust on them. 

Muhunyo Jnr, a youth leader in Mûrang'a  says, "leadership is not passed on like cigarette smoke!" Well, I concur, It has never been so and it will never be so. 

Written by Gîtau wa Kung'u ✒️

LIVING TO FULFILL THE PURPOSE OF GOD FOR US.

By the pen of Gitau wa Kung'u

Life is a journey. Like every journey starts with one step, so does life start at conception. In fact I think that life starts even before conception in the mind of God. Jeremiah 1:5 days, Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Well, none of any life form has existed by mistake or accident. For everything that God created has a purpose. So do you, him/her, it and I have a purpose. I think that purpose is what makes our life journey. We were born to fulfill a purpose, each one his/her own purpose. Do you know your purpose?

Now, God is really omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. Nothing, however little escapes his knowledge forever. He masterminded our conception, our birth, our growing up and our death. Who knows what more? So he gave each one a special, unique gift, a talent and ability. Some people are multitalented, we can say. 

He designed where we were born, raised up, who we interact with, where we went, we are and where we are to go and meet other creation. Maybe to help realise our divine gifts/talents which are to help us achieve the purpose we were created for.

Maybe you are not sure where you are gifted or what you are talented in. If not, go to your knees and seek him who created you. Fast even. Matthew 6:33 says, "First seek his kingdom and his righteousness, and all this things will be added unto you." Oh yes, great, amazing things! God will guide you. 

Luke 11:9 inspires, "So I say to you: ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened for you."

Now, materialistic world we are living in has blocked some of us from knowing our purpose and fulfilling our purpose. People have failed to even failed to notice their talents because of the detracting materialistic mindsets our minds have been programmed to. How?

Materialism is basically the constant concern over material possessions and wealth; a great or excessive regard for worldly concerns. Who said you have to drive a car, own estates, be rich to be regarded as successful? And when you don't get that you get frustrated? It's a lie. Why?

Let me ask you a few rhetorical questions. Was Jesus Christ great? Did he fulfill his purpose? Was he a rich man? Did he own any property? What about Socrates and Plato, the famous Greek philosophers who are still taught in our schools thousands of years after they died?

Now, if all bees wished to be eagles, where would we get honey? Yet the little insects make honey in their simple, hardworking ways and human and other creation are nourished. The bees are contented with making honey among other important things like cross-pollination in flowering plants. Am I making a point?

Now, my friend, some of us were created to be cleaners. Others to be cooks, artists, leaders, musicians, poets, engineers, priests, teachers, philosophers, entertainers, bridges, walls, etc. What you are best in, improve. If there are no cleaners, can you imagine how filthy our environment would be?

Our current situation nevertheless, may not mean that is where we were to remain. However: whether we enjoy or do not enjoy the work we do; whether we do or we don't like where we live or who we live with; let's always do what is needful with love and gratitude to God. Who knows?

Who knows if God positioned you: there; in that situation; in those circumstances, just to prepare you for living the fullness of your purpose? God is love. 

Don't let expectations of others or the devil spoil you with hatred, bad thoughts or discontentment stop you from realising your full potential, lock your doors of self discovery, blessings and stop you from living your purpose.

Yes, have visions and life goals. Work on them and nurture them. But don't forget!

Luke 10:27 advices, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbour as you love yourself."

May we live to fulfill the purpose for which we were created by the grace of God. 

Written by Gîtau wa Kung'u.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY: KIGUMO RESIDENTS CLOTHE KAHUMBU FOREST.

By the pen of Gitau wa Kung'u

 File photo: Event organisers start the day.

        “When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and seeds of hope.  We also secure the future for our children.”― The late Wangari Maathai: Nobel peace prize winner for environmental conservation and founder; The Green Belt Movement.

June 5 is honoured and celebrated as the World's Environment Day. It was started by the United Nations in 1974 to promote environmental conservation awareness and activities. This, was to curb global warming, overpopulation, marine pollution, unsafe agricultural activities, poaching among other environmental hazards like safe disposal of nuclear waste.

The day is celebrated internationally by more than 143 countries, Kenya included. Kenyans joined the world in celebrating this day by engaging in various environmental conservation and preservation awareness activities. Amongst them Kigumo residents in Kahumbu hill forest, Kigumo constituency, Kahumbu ward in Mûrang'a County.

 photo: Sports CAS Zack Kinuthia addressing the community after the event as Nominated Kahumbu MCA Ms. Beth looks on.

Around 300 residents turned up at Kahumbu hill forest in a tree planting exercise. 2,000 trees were planted. Members of the vocal youth leaders group in Murang'a county, The Murang'a Generals, Dan Kinuthia, Domkar Chuma, Dr. James and Kahumbu Ward nominated MCA Ms. Beth Waithira have been the stewards of today's activity. 

File photo: Nominated Kahumbu MCA Ms. Beth Waithira addressing the community after the tree planting exercise.

Why was the day celebrated at Kahumbu hill forest? I talked with Dankim, area resident and one of the event's organisers. Here is what he had to say.

"Kahumbu ward is generally a hot, dry area. In dry seasons, water is a problem. Residents however have boreholes that run dry in case the dry weather prolongs. Vegetation cover helps in regulating weather by blocking rain carrying winds, purifying air and regulating humidity..." I cut him.

"Good. Now, why exactly was your inspiration?" I wanted to know.

"Well, thanks. We came up with this idea to protect and conserve Kahumbu forest and the area from threatening desertification. Nobody wants to experience the effects of desertification like hotter temperatures, reduced crop and animal production and oh yes, population." He said.

Kahumbu hill forest has streams in heavy rains seasons that unfortunately dry up on advance of the dry season. The streams become temporary tributaries of R. Saba Saba the flows just below the hill.

"You planted 2,000 trees. Very commendable! How did you attain this," I plied.

"Thank you. The organisers met and started to lobby for trees a month ago through Kigumo Reloaded WhatsApp group. Members responded well and started contributing money to buy the tree seedlings," Dankim reminisced.

File photo: JJ, Chege Mugane, Pius and G.Marto; some of KR group members during the event.

"We also approached the local authorities who supported us diligently. Hon Jamleck Kamau, Sabina Chege, sports CAS Zack Kinuthia, Wa Iria PA Muturi Karanja, Chege Mugane, Isaac Njoroge Chefman, Dr. Mike Gatogo among other leaders supported us too," Dankim continued.

Indeed, the day was really active and colourful. The community together with other stakeholders were all joy as each planted tree seedlings into the Kahumbu hill forest soil.

The environment is a natural gift that unless we conserve, preserve and protect from pollution,  life would be difficult and would even end. Environmental pollution is caused mainly by the following:

Man’s activities through uncontrolled: urbanization, industrialization, mining, farming, lumbering, nuclear technology, and exploration. Thus activities like deforestation, mismanagement of plastics and plastic products, release of contaminated water into water bodies, unsafe nuclear waste disposal, release of harmful gases into the atmosphere among others.

To protect the environment from pollution, environmental conservation measures need to be undertaken. These include, among others: 

Reforestation; reafforestation; economic waste disposal techniques like recycling and careful reusing and burying plastics, cultivating reasonably far from river banks, use of solar and wind energy and keeping the environment clean.

Strict government policies protecting the environment from pollution factors. For instance, licencing lumberjacks to control deforestation; ensuring proper sewage and industrial waste disposal techniques are used; enforcing conservation measures like antipoaching, overfishing, mining and farming laws, enacting active natural calamities emergency response systems to fight forest fires, respond to flooding, landslides etc.

Each and everybody must ensure that the environment is protected from pollution. Everybody should be an environmental conservationist to ensure good, harmonious natural balance.

Indeed, Margaret Mead was right when she said, "never doubt that a group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world, indeed; it is the only thing that ever has."

Written by Gîtaû wa Kung'u

MT. KENYA REGION WANANCHI TO LEADERS: UNITY FOR THE MOUNTAIN OR RETIRE!

Written by the pen of Gitau wa Kung'u.

Photo credit: Stemax Photography

"We are already holding meetings with other Mt. Kenya region leaders for the sake of unity of the mountain. We must discord our individual political affiliations in the different: Kieleweke, Tanga Tanga, Mt Kenya East or any other groups to make a united Mt. Kenya region for us to remain in the government in 2022 or we go to the opposition in disunity," Hon Jamleck Kamau.

"Ita rîtarî ndundu rîtarî ndundu rîhûûragwo na njûgûma îmwe," Gîkûyû proverb translating to: an army divided is an army defeated! 

The Luhyas understand better that, "obulala buli nende ingufu" (unity is power, disunity is weakness/powerlessness). After all, they have numbers but are divided into Bukusu and Malagoli groups. So they have failed to win a piece of cake in national leadership.

Now, Mt. Kenya region has been a large flock once feeding on the same grass field but now chaotic and separated politically and even socially. The disunity that will cost Mt. Kenya region just like the Western region are victims. Let's get to the root of the whole problem to maneuver and make a lasting solution.

Disintegration of the Kenyan president Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto. Then the sprouting of Kieleweke and Tanga Tanga Jubilee factions. The former sticking with the president and the later with his deputy. 

Then the handshake of President Uhuru and ODM and chief opposition leader Raila Odinga. Then the BBI. 

Now, where there's unity, there power is, peace and harmonious development. The more than 8 million Mt. Kenya voter population and their more populous families must not be denied the right to be in the next national government just because of few hard headed leaders dividing the mountain.

I approached several wananchi from different counties from Mt. Kenya region to hear their views about Mt. Kenya unity. Here is what they said:

"If any leader from Mt Kenya region is a true leader of the people, he/she must be ready to acquiesce to leave a dividing factor and join the rest in making the mountain stand tall in indestructible unity, otherwise we the people of Mt. Kenya region shall brand them enemies of our people!" Gachwe Gachwe, youth leader from Murang'a said.

"We the youths of Nyandarua county maintain that if any leader wants remain relevant in leadership and politics, they must sacrifice their whatever disuniting political stands for the sake of Mt. Kenya region unity," said Alex Chege, a young entrepreneur and youth leader in Nyandarua county.

"It will be very bad for the people of Mt. Kenya region to be in the opposition just because of disunity mostly blossomed by the leaders we follow. As the mothers and women of this region, we want unity and we don't want to be left behind in the next government," said Mama Njoki from Kirinyaga county.

Well, thus the message of the people to their leaders. May the leaders listen to the voice of Wanjikú. 

Written by Gîtaû wa Kûngû.