The Road Not Taken

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

                 Robert Frost (1874–1963)

*Of Barack Obama's Delegation to Kenya* 

an overview by Stanley Mutinda

The reality is now dawning to the Thomases of our time; that few days from today, the world of entrepreneurship will converge and lock horns in Nairobi Kenya(Read Kenia). This is the new talk in town and I have a strong conviction that KOT will make it top in world trends. Soon.

After having an exceptionally busy day, I bumped into some childhood friends and we consented on having a cup as we waited for the evening snarl up to reside. Our debate swang from a verbal & shallow critique of the uncouth Nairobi touts, football transfers and fixtures then ultimately the Obama factor came in.Well, this is a contentious issue more so at a time when GES2015 is peeping.
All Kenyan attention is now focused on this historic function. The hasty city beautification speaks eloquently of Nairobi's anticipation of this world figure and a delegation from the most powerful nation. Never mind we have outstanding scholars, business champions, innovators and leaders from elsewhere.

There are some items however, that we need to agree on here.I choose to enlist five for now:

1- The world is watching Kenya and the focus is on this Techno-hub, during and after the summit.We need to capitalize on this rare opportunity to bring out the best in us
2- Bary and his delegation will be in Kenya for 3 days and not 8 hours as earlier purported. Never mind this time frame is subject to change.
3- We'll have to put up with some inconveniences. From restriction to access of facilities; especially those in close proximity to the trajectory of The Beast or Air force One. This will be short-lived
4- State House and White House will engage in bilateral deliberations. I'm convinced that State House is bound to reap colossal goodies and goodwill.
5- Obama is likely to give a lecture in KU and not UoN as someone expected. The high time some junk minds get a concentrated pump of sense into their skulls(refer to the letter punctuated with urinating and suicidal threats in case he doesn't visit UoN)We can always engage on this later.

#my_Two_Cents .Over to you. .

OVERCOMING THE VOICE WITHIN ONESELF

Our biggest enemies are not our competitors, haters or critiques. Our biggest enemies are the voices that tell us that we are tired, that we are not good enough, and, worst of all, that it's easier to quit.They will tell you that you can't do it, you're too feeble, you're not smart, you're a nobody. TRUST me, you can be more and you can do more only if you believe in yourself more.Victory Comes to Those Who Silence these Voices of Self-Doubt, the voices that make us think less of ourselves and our potential.

This is the day to choose to silence these voices..

       ******

The SOMU Score Card and Way Forward.

 Time is elapsing, days into weeks, weeks translating to months, and months ushering in a new regime. One doesn’t need rocket science intelligence to subscribe to the fact that less can be done as at now by the outgoing student government; holding their elapsed time in office as a benchmark. With this in mind, we can sufficiently draw a thick line between performers and their opposite counterparts. I will admit and express my satisfaction on the way some discharged their duties and mandate as required despite low expectations and mistrust at the beginning of their tenure. This is also common even in consolidated democracies. However, it must concern us deeply that by and large, some leaders have not fulfilled the full spectrum of the founding mandate of the Students’ Organization of Maseno University. Their performance was dismal and more so below the threshold. Let me withhold my stand on the implicit failure by some officials to pass the baton to younger blood. 

We need leaders as desperately as a desert sapling needs rainwater. Let’s be honest with one another. Maseno politics is an electoral democracy, but is still far from being a consolidated democracy; just like the Kenyan Political arena by extension. We need to come up with explicit ways of de-ethnicizing our politics and get back to our rooted political debate instead of always being quick to recede into our respective ethnic echo chambers. The Campus Agenda avails a worthy avenue to interrogate and evaluate the candidates seeking to hold office. 

 Leaders are elected to serve the entire student community not an assortment of ethnic kingpins. As such, any cost of misconduct is borne by all comrades. Let us refuse to surrender to the urge of enthroning demagogues lest our sovereign and independent-to-be body becomes a poisoned chalice. We need to build and maintain a political system that is responsive and can effectively deal with the myriad challenges facing the student fraternity. Response to comrades’ needs remains, in my opinion, the best metric of the much desired transformational leadership. We should not let our sovereignty crumble and rubble with one small mistake on the ballot box. The future of SOMU is bright and promising; but this will come to pass if power and authority is vested in the right individuals. I beseech you to elect individuals who demonstrate vision, flair, acumen and transformational leadership ability.
 I regard student leadership as a call of duty; the call has rung on me. 

Stanley Mutinda

Ethnicity, its Institutionalization and Student Leadership.

  What a menace that has befallen our country. Right from diplomatic and state appointments to casual delegations, the cries speak eloquently of the woes facing a nation. Rooting out this vice may seem a joke of monumental stupidity with regard to the current state of affairs; but…. a moment please, all is not lost.

In his 1513 masterpiece, The Prince, Nicollo Machiavelli cautions: “but men of little prudence will do a thing for immediate gain without recognizing the poison it bears for the future”. Some of our leaders, upon whom we've vested authority and power to run state affairs, conduct themselves in total disregard of this doctrine. The statutes they claim to adhere to and the rule of law they seek to uphold may not openly declare this, but I choose to say it: we are setting wrong precedence for generations and future regimes.

The situation is not any better in our institutions of higher learning. I’ll give a retrospective opinion on this. In the words of the Deputy President, ‘Universities must be the epitome of nationalism’. (I’m left thinking if the state upholds the so called nationalism).

Colleagues in Maseno University, We must appreciate that no single individual, however powerful, no single political formation, however influential, no single community, however populous, will achieve much on their own. Comrades, let’s rise to the occasion. The problems of this institution will not possibly be solved by skeptics and cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We must rise and break the cage which our predecessors posed unto us lest we perish in eternal damnation. We have been disappointed by tribalism in myriad ways but I believe we can use that as motivation for us to rise. I plead with you not to hold hostage your capability because it is an ingredient of the change we desire. We shall not be held back by myopic ethnicity masquerading as activism. The banner of our university must be raised higher than the sky; the sky being the lowest floor. In the next elections, let us vote personalities rather than parties and coalitions, let us vote for individuals who shall make our cries heard and yes, let us vote for him he who shall set the trend for others to ape. Vox Populi,Vox Dei. 

God bless you comrades.

Stanley Mutinda

THE RETURN OF BABU OWINO

'Maverick University of Nairobi student leader Babu Owino made a resounding comeback at the helm of university of Nairobi students union politics with a landslide win over his closest opponent Philbert Kongola'. This has happened shortly after an attempt to amend the students' union constitution. A clause barring former student leaders from vying before elapse of ten years was discarded.Mr Phibert Kongola,the immediate speaker of  SONU Congress, who is rumored to me the mastermind of the failed constitutional amendment, has given in to Babu's victory. In an interview with Larry Madowo ,Babu spoke out that he definitely knew he was going to win. However, he openly differed with immediate chairman on the position of a student leader with regard to the administration. Zack Kinuthia has been branded a puppet of the admin on various occasions. 

• Irene Kendi-Vice Chairman

• Akach Jim-Secretary General

• Linda Guantai-Finance

• Sheila   Kibore- Gender

• Ken Mullu- Organizing secretary

• Obare Thomas – Main

• Abigael Njoki-Environment and Health

• Lynet Kioko- Academics

• Dennis Nyash- Sports

• Clifford MacOdhiambo- Accommodation
• Tom  Mboya-Legal Affairs

Babu won with a margin of more than 9,ooo votes.

Ndege Sirkal, a comrade allied to Babu had the following to say ”An idea that’s not dangerous is not worthy of being called an idea….the idea of Babu vying was a dangerous idea, but the victory will be less dangerous for all comrades…Babu won the very day he declared…”

Maseno University Radioactive Edition

                      Mr and Miss Maseno 2014/2015

An entrance into the equatorial varsity’s graduation square will definitely trigger a feeling that a big event is going down today.Wait a moment,did  I mention that the hyped event is scheduled on Saturday 8^th 2014 and not Friday? All is set; the stage is on point courtesy of Coca cola who have dominated the whole event all the way from music & P.A system up to awarding the winners and runners-up in various categories.

Contestants' readiness cannot be overemphasised.However, the on line voting system has been faulted as one can vote several times by simply clearing the cookies or cache memory of a browser.This has been criticised heavily considering the IT elites within the campus.Tech-savvy comrades have expressed their dissatisfaction with it. One of  them posted this  on #C.P.P, the most liked group on Face book within the campus:"This site is so shitty i can edit it from the comfort of my room". 

The guest artists for the event include #kenrazy and #Kakasungura. #Djhassan and #djp-scratch will be behind the decs while MCs will be Owago Nyiro(well known for the phrase ujaluo utakuua phrase)and Mc Jamtaa.

 I request all and sundry to enjoy responsibly before,during and after the event.Parting shot to the models:Whether you think you can ,or you think you cannot,you are right.

#peace.