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  • How To Turn A Toxic Work Environment Into A Productive And A Strong Work Relationship

    By Victor Seda

    (victorseda39@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail Photo Courtesy of startatbest.eu

    We all want to work in an environment that goes hand in hand with our expectations and beliefs. What about when we find ourselves in an extremely different scenario?

    A workplace comprises of people with distinct personalities. Our unique worldviews determine who we are since we think and treat one another according to this perspective. The manner in which I treat my fellow workmate matters a lot. We are living in an era where a lot of stresses exist in our world that affect us. There are people who can control and solve their personal problems, those challenges consume others until it reflects in their places of work.

    Obsessively Strict Leaders

    A self absorbed leader commanding his staff. Photo courtesy of forbes.com

    When at work, we strive to please our leaders. We all want to be the best at what we do to capture the attention of these significant people. Benefits like promotions and incentives are some of the triggers of our motivation. The same leaders that we do our best to impress are the same ones that in certain cases are narcissistic, obsessive and unrealistically strict. Such leaders always want to be heard. A situation like this interferes with communication among workers and leaders. The demand of always saying Yes to their instructions is always so high to the point of being confident with your No is like writing your letter of resignation.

    This situation might put you in a catch-22 situation whereby you do not know the right person to channel your complaints. Creating a team where you share your thoughts and experiences about the issues you face at work is key in balancing the pressure from work. It is also effective in reducing the narcissistic tendencies of the leader. This develops a sense of camaraderie. A support system that feels the same way as you do and goes through the similar challenges is beneficial in neutralizing the toxicity from work. Approach the leader as a group more often and give positive feedback about the job. Talk about the acts you feel the leader displays often and are interfering with your duties at your job. The leader will realize that his methods of leadership interfere with many people and will change progressively.

    Rumors and Negative Energy

    Coworkers gossiping about their colleague. Photo courtesy of linkedin.com

    Negative talk, gossips and rumors are also another significant signal of an uncomfortable working environment. Here, you will find high levels of insecurity among workers. Negative energy in a work place always leads to a high turnover since there will be low morale and workers will give excuses of not doing work correctly. It gets to a point whereby employees feign sickness in order to escape from duties. This is a scenario where there are no authentic friendships. In the instance of high turnover, most employees leave the job and look for another job elsewhere.

    Acknowledge that you are in an unsuitable working surrounding. This is the most important step in finding a solution to your deplorable situation at work. Actions like communicating effectively with your fellow workers, open mindedness about various issues come thereafter. This will boost the closure among workmates and there will be little to no secrets in the work atmosphere. Often you find that the remedy you have will interfere with the friendships that you have built. On the other hand, after acknowledging that there is a problem, the friendships will be broken but built again with true and genuine intentions.

    The joy of anyone is working in an accommodating place that respects the views of every employee irrespective of status economically, socially, or politically. We sometimes find ourselves in a toxic work environment, but there are ways that we can change it to be a productive and strong relationship that works best for us. There is always a solution to every challenge that faces us.

    When we look at these obstacles at work as an opportunity that can reveal our strengths and weaknesses, we can correct, polish and appreciate them so that we move forward.

  • KENYAN YOUTH: THE ULTIMATE KEY TO ERADICATE MISINFORMATION ON COVID-19 IN KENYA

     By Hellen Owuor

    (hellenowuor10@gmail.com)

    The emergence of Covid-19 took many by surprise, with the new virus spreading rapidly and introducing the need for extra safety precautions at an unprecedented level. The novelty of the virus, as well as the lack of information about its nature or behavior, gave room to a cloud of misinformation and conspiracy theories that many took as gospel truth. These conspiracy theories have caused and continue to cause confusion and mistrust among people, countries, governments, and their citizens, contributing to the covid-19 infodemic. 

    One year down the line, several vaccines have been developed to prevent the spread of this pandemic. However, the widespread misinformation on covid-19 is slowing down efforts of governments and health practitioners to contain and eradicate the virus. As is the case in some countries, Kenya has seen the rise of misinformation, with many sharing some of these myths and false claims, believing them to be true. 

    For the better part of 2020 when Covid-19 hit Kenya, the country was under lockdown. This meant less interpersonal interaction, as well as an increased reliance on social media for information. According to DataReportal, the number of social media users in Kenya increased by 2.2 million from 2020. That is 11 million social media users by January 2021. With this in mind, it is safe to say that the key avenue for the distribution of misinformation about covid-19 in Kenya has been through social media.

    Social media has enabled people to access information and connect from anywhere in the world. This is beneficial, but at the same time, it has made it easy for those spreading false claims, especially with malicious intent, to reach their targets and cause harm to unsuspecting citizens, preying on fear and a lack of information on Covid-19 to drive their agenda. Spreading of misinformation begins from a specific person, group, or entity with ill-intentions to gain or harm another group for political, social, or individual gain. 

    Once false information gets into the hands of vulnerable and unknowing citizens, it only takes one click, a retweet, share or repost on social media or through a messaging app to further spread the false information, and this is difficult to undo once in motion. 

    Young people comprise the largest proportion of the population in Kenya. Out of the 11 million social media users, 70.8% are Facebook users aged 18-34 years (Statcounter). Between May 2020 and May 2021, Facebook was recorded as the most used social media platform followed by Twitter (Statcounter). On average, users aged 16-64 spend at least 3 hours per day on social media. That translates to at least 90 hours per month per person. Think of how much unverified false information may be consumed or shared in one month and the extent of damage it may cause.

    As it is, misinformation is a considerable threat to the lives and health of Kenyans, and many myths about Covid-19 spread in the country in 2020, including claims that the disease does not affect Africans because of their skin color and environment, that it only affects the rich, that it can be cured using traditional herbs, that it was made in a lab in Wuhan, China, and many more.

    The main impact of this information was apathy, with people going about their daily activities thinking that Covid-19 didn’t exist, or that it was not as serious a threat as had been claimed, thereby exposing themselves to more harm leading to a quick rise in infections and strained resources.

    Following the development and introduction of vaccines, the misinformation trend has shifted away from the origins of the disease to the vaccines themselves. Some of the most common false beliefs are that the vaccines cause infertility, they cause blood clots in everyone who receives them, that those who are vaccinated are likely to die in 2 years, that the vaccine contains a tracking microchip and many others. These myths have resulted in the hesitance of Kenyans to take vaccines. As of May 2021, Kenya was ranked number 22 in Africa for the number of administered covid-19 vaccine doses per hundred people. Compared to the highest ranking, Seychelles, which had 136.74 doses administered per hundred people, Kenya had only1.8 (Statista). It is saddening to see the power of misinformation as the covid-19 misconceptions persist, not only in rural areas but also in urban areas where there is more access to information. 

    This article is a call-to-action for the youth to fight Covid-19 misinformation, being the largest of the population, the most educated, and also the most technology-savvy, can protect themselves and others by ensuring that they can verify that any news about Covid-19 is true before sharing. They can do this by identifying and debunking false information shared online about Covid-19, as well as sharing pointers about media and information literacy with others.

    Young people can also combine their efforts with thought and opinion leaders to conduct capacity-building activities in rural areas, constantly updating the residents of new developments and debunk misinformation. To ensure success, the youth should be aware of credible sites where they can get trusted and verified information about Covid-19, such as the WHO, UNICEF, and CDC. To be fully equipped at an individual level, there are also some courses and learning materials available online that they can use to learn how to identify and demystify misinformation on Covid-19 for example “Hands-On Fact-Checking: A Short Course” by the International Fact-Checking Network at the Poynter Institute and the American Press Institute.

    In this fight against misinformation, the youth should be suspicious of any information they read or hear about Covid-19 regardless of it being shared by a close friend, politician, opinion leader, or family member. Before sharing, they should take these seven steps to ensure they are not contributing to the spread of misinformation: 

    1) Check whether the source of information is credible and if other related credible sites have the same information.

    2) Confirm whether the sources contained in the texts or content are trustworthy, analyze the language used as well as the date of publishing.

    3) Check the author of the articles and their track record in their profession.

    4) For images, you can conduct a reverse image search.

    5) Keenly look at the statistics, whether the datasets are complete and corresponding.

     6) Be objective and liberal when conducting your investigations.

     7) Reach out to specialists in the field of fact-checking, for example, Piga Firimbi and Pesa Check in Kenya.

    With a commitment towards protecting Kenyans from misinformation, we will move a step further in our fight against Covid-19 as well as prepare ourselves in case of future pandemics.

    This publication was produced as part of IWPR’s Africa Resilience Network (ARN) program, administered in partnership with the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR), the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), and Africa Uncensored. For more information on ARN, please visit the ARN site.

  • Thieves posing as Daystar students steal two bikes from businessman

    by Sumaya Hussein

    (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com)

    Student entrepreneur Noah Karuri at his bike station few meters from Daystar University, Athi River – PHOTO/Denis Mavia

    Two men stole two mountain bikes from a student with a bike hiring business using a lost student ID that belonged to another Daystar student. The two men hired bikes from Noah Karuri, the business owner, on May 25, never to be seen again.

    According to Karuri, the men looked like students and one of them resembled the picture in the student ID, which was handed over before taking the bikes as per the regulations. The two also left their mobile numbers, one a Safaricom and the other an Airtel number, before taking off at around 3pm.

    “They were new clients. I had not seen them around, so I thought they were freshmen. When they came to hire the bikes, they asked me about the requirements and I told them they had to leave their IDs, either national or student ID, and their phone numbers too,” said Karuri

    According to Karuri, the two men did not specify where they were going and how long they would take. Since they said they were headed to Mombasa Road, Karuri decided to call and check in on them after two hours. He dialed the Airtel number for the first time at around 5pm and the owner picked, saying the two were on their way back.

    “After one hour again, I called them at around six. They said they’re almost at Lukenya Getaway. But at that point I felt suspicious,” said Karuri.

    In a state of panic, Karuri took a bike to Lukenya Getaway to try and locate the men but did not see them. He went further up to Lukenya Boys High School and the result was the same. He called again at around 6:30pm, but this time, the number did not go through.

    “It was off. I couldn’t believe it,” said Karuri. “I chose to think that maybe their phone went off or something came up and they’re still coming,”

    After closing the business for the day, Karuri in the company of a friend, cycled to Mombasa Road in search of the bikes.
    “We cycled all the way to Green Park then to Devki, and we came back at around eight. We didn’t see anyone,” said Karuri.

    Going back to his records, Karuri was shocked yet again when he discovered that the other number left behind was incomplete. It had one less digit and this led him to think that the disappearance was planned.
    “It was strategic. So I was sure that something had really happened,” said Karuri.

    The following day, Karuri reported to the matter to the police, who asked him to first confirm with the university whether the student ID left behind was still valid.

    After following up on the matter, Karuri learnt that the ID belonged to a student, who misplaced it in early 2020 and replaced it two weeks later. Speaking to Involvement, the third-year Valley Road student said that he lost the ID when his wallet was stolen in Nairobi West. The student who goes by the name Trevor alone, also mentioned that he has never been to the Athi River Campus.

    After checking back with the police, Karuri learnt that the new information further complicated the mystery. He was told that there was not much that could be done since the ID used was fake and the Airtel number would be hard to trace.

    Being the first time it has happened, Karuri said that the loss affected him to a point that he couldn’t sleep or eat. He now lives in constant fear that his business might be targeted again.

    “I have had trauma every day,” said Karuri. “A lot of trauma. When someone leaves with a bike, I can’t help but wonder whether or not they will come back especially if it’s a new person”.

    The incident however, he says, has made him more vigilant and forced him to introduce stricter protocols in his business.

  • INVOLVEMENT ISSUE 240

    Use the link below to access the Involvement Newspaper issue 240 which features a range of articles written by our writers to ensure that you stay informed on News within and outside Daystar. 

    Issue 240 Final

     

  • KORA: The Grammy-award-winning African instrument.

    By Hilmelda Tenkeu

    (hilmeldatenkeu@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail Photo: the kora instrument Photo courtesy of theculturetrip.com

    Do you know the guitar, piano or saxophone? Of course you do. But do you know the Kora? Thought as much! The beauty in Africa’s diversity is reflected in the people, the food, the languages, the MUSIC, amongst other features. “Music is food for the soul”, so they say. But in the Mande territory, Music is a language. Ask Toumani Diabate, Sidiki Diabate, Sona Jobarteh, Mamadou Sidiki Diabate, or Tunde Jegede.

    The Mande territory, (commonly referred as Mandinka territory) is made up of countries of West Africa: Nigeria, Guinea Conakry, Gambia, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Niger, Sierra Leone and Mali. One common characteristic of these people is that they are griots. Griot or “Jali” (the Mandingo word for) is the repository musician and storyteller of Mande’s ancient oral tradition, transmitting history and culture from generation to generation, from father to son. “we are the custodians of history… the remembrance of West Africa”, says Toumani Diabate, a griot.

    I guess you have come across movies or songs in which fictitious characters or not, sit around a fire and listen to a story, told by an elder person- a griot. In the words of Toumani Diabate, usually referred to as the “king of kora”, “you are born a griot, you don’t become one”. Griots use various forms of art to tell their stories: poems, drawings, acts, spoken words and music. More specifically instruments, amongst which the Kora.

    Toumani and son, playing together. Photo courtesy of Djeliba24.com

    The origins of the instrument are not very clear but in the 1300s, the traveler Ibn Battuta mentioned that the women who accompanied Dugha (a prominent interpreter at the time) to perform were carrying bows that they plucked. He did not mention the number of strings, but this clearly shows the existence of harp instruments in 14th century Mali and could be the earliest written reference to the kora. The Kora is a string instrument used extensively in West Africa. It typically has 21 strings, which are played by plucking with the fingers (the thumb and index of each hand only). It is built from a large calabash, cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator with a long hardwood neck.

    The skin is supported by two handles that run underneath it. Each string plays a different note, supported by a notched, double free-standing bridge. The kora doesn’t fit into any one category of musical instrument, but rather several, and must be classified as a “double-bridge-harp-lute.” Traditional koras feature 21 strings, eleven played by the left hand and ten by the right. Modern koras made in the Casamance region of southern Senegal sometimes feature additional bass strings, adding up to four strings to the traditional 21. The strings were authentically made from thin strips of hide, such as cow or antelope skin. Today, most strings are made from harp strings or nylon fishing line, sometimes plaited together to create thicker strings.

    Toumani and Sidiki performing. Photo courtesy of justinmorel.info.

    A vital accessory was the nyenmyemo, a leaf-shaped plate of tin or brass with wire loops threaded around the edge. Clamped to the bridge or the top end of the neck, it produced sympathetic sounds, serving as an amplifier since the sound carried well into the open air. In today’s environment, players usually prefer or need an electronic pickup. By moving the konso (a system of leather tuning rings) up and down the neck, a kora player can retune the instrument into one of four seven-note scales. These scales are close in tuning to western major, minor and Lydian modes. The Kora is regarded as the identification canon for the Mande people. Therefore, it is somewhat sacred. Formerly, in order to learn to play this instrument one would give 10 pieces of colanut plus 100 cowries. But these days, one pays 500 francs CFA plus 10 pieces of colanut.

    This is symbolic and it preserves the value and significance of the culture and history of the Mande people. The soulful and soothing sounds that the kora produces has made various players from the likes of Ali Farka Toure, Toumani Diabate to earn national and international recognition from all over the world such as Emmys, Grammys, BET and others. You can savor these pure works of art in titles like Jarabi, Cantelowes, Rachid Ouiguini, among others. The Diabate griot family have been doing music with the kora for over 71 generations.

    This shows and proves the attachment, value and respect that Africans in general and the Mande people in particular hold for culture and tradition.

  • Business man Chris Kirubi dies at 80

    By Evelyne Syombua

    (issyombua@gmail.com)

    The late Chris Kirubi – PHOTO/TheStandard

    Billionaire businessman Chris Kirubi, who was also the chairman of Capital Group Limited, died of cancer in his home on Monday at 1pm.

    “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Christopher J. Kirubi who passed away today at 1 pm at his home after a long battle with cancer fought with fortitude, grace and courage,” his family said in a statement, adding, “he was surrounded by his family.”

    Kirubi who has been fighting cancer since 2016, leaves behind two children. Before the call of death, he tweeted.

    “Top of the morning to you, my dear friend. It doesn’t have to be a tiring Monday. Instead, I bring to you good tidings of favour, success, achievements and happiness in the new week.” Said Kirubi. “Give yourself a go towards your success plan. Enjoy today and the rest of your week.”

    “I have received the shocking news of the passing away of my friend Chris Kirubi with a lot of sadness. The cruel hand of death has robbed our nation of a patriot whose entrepreneurial spirit, hard work and determination saw him create some of our county’s largest enterprises which offer employment to thousands of our people,” mourned President Kenyatta.

    Kirubi was diagnosed with colon cancer in November 2017 and he was taken to the US for treatment. At that time, he said the cancer was detected early enough to be managed successfully.

    In an interview with BDLife in January 2020, Kirubi shared about his battle with cancer and his thoughts on death.

    “One thing I have come to discover is that in the end, you’re alone. Your friends may love you, but eventually, you have to deal with your sickness personally. You think about the past, the things that you could have done, the things that you have not done and what you can do to compensate for things you ignored. It is a time of reflection. And prayers from friends do help a lot,” said Kirubi.

    Kirubi was a director of Centum Investment Company, one of the largest investors in the group. Business seems to have ran though his blood vessels as he was the chairman of DHL Express Kenya Limited, Haco Industries Kenya Limited, Kiruma International Limited, International House Limited, Nairobi Bottlers Limited, Sandvik East Africa Limited and 98.4 Capital FM.

    In addition, he was the Deputy Chairman of Bayer East Africa Limited and a non-executive director UAP Provincial Insurance Company Limited and Beverage Services of Kenya Limited.

    In 2011, Forbes ranked Kirubi as the second richest Kenyan and the 31st richest man in Africa with a net worth of USD300million. However, in 2012, he was dropped from the list of the continent’s 40 richest people.

    Kirubi was born in a poor family and at a young age. He worked during school holidays to support himself and his siblings after the death of his parents. He defied the rule of fate and circumstances by becoming prosperous despite his background.

  • Falcons Stunned as Daystar City Run with Derby

    By Muhanguzi Tola

    tolakofa1@gmail.com

    • Daystar City coach Antony Baki discusses Tactics with the team (photo retrieved from Sadiqsnapshots)

    Daystar City’s Prince Kofi stole the show with a cameo performance as his second half hat trick sealed a 3-1 comeback in a mouthwatering derby played at the Mount Kenya University (MKU) grounds on June 13.

    Falcons looked on course to extend their good form following yesterday’s win when Emmanuel Lorenzo’s first half strike gave them the lead in the early morning fixture against their arch rivals. The former City player’s goal was however not enough, as his former team was full of responses in the second half.

    Insipid in the first, the City side returned for the second half livened up, Kofi taking advantage of two fumbles by the falcon’s keeper and a kick from the spot to punish the Athi based team. Brilliant performances by Eric Linox and Nathan Hanif, who won the penalty for his team fostered a hard-earned coveted victory.

    “It was a tough game, but I am proud of Daystar City. We conceded in the first half but rallied in the second and showed heart and desire to earn a comeback win. I loved our fight as a team,” said Ken Andrews, the Daystar City team captain.

    The win is their first of the season having lost two and drawn one. It also marks a comeback from yesterday’s game that saw them get thrashed 5-1 by log leaders Kenyatta University (KU), and takes the team off the bottom of the standings.

    Falcons on the other hand moves below City on the log for the first time this season, each having 4 points. City however have a game in hand over their rivals, having played a game lesser.

    The clash saw a number of intense moments, with City’s Kenneth Kagugo seeing red in the second half. The coaches were forced into making substitutions after Falcon’s sharpshooter Victor Atta ran into Nathan, both picking up injuries in the process.

    Atta’s injury adds on to Falcon’s crisis, with forward Gian Gaile having picked one during yesterday’s 2-0 FKF win against 3K FC. Head Coach Boniface Mutuku had hinted at the possibility of having a tough day, as he insisted on the importance of both teams’ recovery after yesterday’s matches.

    Falcons look to respond to the defeat when they face Al Ahly in their second game of the day.

  • IN 1000 WORDS

    By Nyokabi Ng’ang’a

    Leshnyokabi@gmail.com

    Thumbnail photo, courtesy of: Nyokabi Ng’ang’a

    Many who have crossed paths with me, will know one thing if not a multitude of things about me: and that is my passion about Africa. A passion that has been nurtured by many people I’ve met in my lifetime. And with this article, I’ll share some of my aspirations and observances about the African continent and its inhabitants, in a twisted way.

    Today, unlike the many days of my article writing, I won’t put much hard-inked references, if any, within this piece. As I stated and to further reinforce, this is more of an observatory or analytical piece that stems from the deepest veins of my soul.

    Africa! The word itself seems recital given how much it’s used by many a people from different nations, ethnic groups, professions etc. If we were to pen down the most used words in our world today, I dare say, Africa would be one of them.

    There is no day, truthfully speaking, that goes without we mentioning the word Africa. And by ‘we’ I mean us all as inhabitants of this world. If it’s not about a war that occurred recently or a coup that took place instantaneously, then it could be about the target location of our business premises or its prospects, or even, a corruption scandal that has been unearthed, and the narrative continues.

    But this doesn’t mean that Africa is the only continent in mention in our lips today. Many continents are and thanks to the flow of information, today we can appreciate other nations from other continental approaches and feel free to talk about their issues, histories and intricacies from a third person’s perspective. In a similar manner, we of the African descent are enabled and empowered to speak about issues facing us as a continent though with some ‘caution’ attached to it. By this I mean, some African nations opt to have them themselves pin point their own challenges as well as successes with no ‘outsider’s help’. I believe we can identify such audacious nations within our continent, without me mentioning them.

    However, worth the note, this spirit of enablement and empowerment has not touched all peoples of Africa, given the narratives of: marginalization and seclusion of some people and the divide-phenomenon evident in various sectors within our societies, such as: the digital divide; the economic divide, the geographical divide, the political divide and so on. Now, let us take a stroll to the most used phrase in Africa today: “We must unite as Africans.” Whenever I hear these words, I love to position to myself the following questions:

    • Why are we uniting?

    • Were we united back in the days?

    • What will we achieve by uniting?

    “Why are we uniting?” It’s quite obvious that people unite because of a common goal; a common purpose, which they would love to achieve.

    This I would love to believe is the same line of thought where Africa is concerned. We want to unite because- as captured in the words of the African Union (an organization I hope we haven’t lost belief in)- we want “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.” That’s our goal, but I ask, what’s our incentive? Let’s go back to history. The history that declares the formation of our continent as ancient yet treasurable. Giving rightful praise to all the civilizations evident in our continent before the colonialists set foot in Africa, it’s quite ascertainable and worthy of rightful-historical positioning that before colonialism waved itself into Africa, Africans were interacting with one another- without the help of anyone. In Swahili, we would say: “Waafrika walikuwa wana(ki)tangamana…” and from my linguistic leaning, I feel this Swahili phrase captures the intensity of the words I want to position, for if it were in English, the word “tangamana” would be substituted for “mix”, which carries less weightiness, for me.

    Away from my linguistic leaning, what I am trying to position is that Africa was, before; before we came to know it was. In short, Africa was existing in its make, outlook, vibrancy, cultures, and oneness before we came to know that it was. “Before we came to know that it was” means before we came to the acknowledgement of the words: “Africa must unite.” The proliferation of the phrase, “We must unite as Africans,” to me, begun when African nations, through their people, were fighting for their independence. The urge and urgency to unite against colonialism and colonialists, became prevalent and necessary. To me, that is/was the incentive: “we are fighting against a common enemy: colonialism/colonialists.” That’s why I asked, earlier on: yes we are uniting, but what’s the incentive? Many answers can stream from this question, but I would love to have you answer this question by yourself. Moving on, “were we united back in the days?”.

    While it’s hard to establish how in exact we were united back in the days- pre-colonial times to be precise-, one thing for sure that we can’t erase is that there was a working relationship amongst the Inhabitants of Africa. A relationship that caused people to intermarry, to trade with one another, to pay homage to one another, to fight with each other and so on. This goes to show, the narrative of unity doesn’t only lie in the face of trouble. All these aforementioned acts show that we were in unity with one another. Though this doesn’t cover the whole narrative, given that tribes fought other tribes; kingdoms raided other kingdoms and so on, but it seeks to show, we didn’t need to have a common enemy for us to know that we needed to unite. Small acts of tribute that extended a welcoming hand from one tribe to another and from one kingdom to another, show that people in Africa were seeking harmonious living- where possible- with one another.

    Lastly, “what will we achieve by uniting?” For this question, I would love to leave it blank. Reason being, it’s a question that seems to have direct answers, such as: a great continental frontier, good working relations, strengthening of our economy and so on, but it requires- I tend to believe- more than a physical manifestation of this achievement. Though, all these achievements from our continental unity are truthful and certified, as such. It’s my understanding, that maybe I haven’t answered all the three questions wholly. However, onto a far-fetched thought, these three questions call for three things: understanding our present, understanding our past and understanding our future.

    “Why are we uniting” is a present question seeking for past references and now and future changes; “Were we united in the past” is a question of the past, seeking for inner retrospection of our past in its entirety and truthfulness; and “what will we achieve by uniting” is a forward moving question, which seeks to solve the present and the past into the future. In summary, understanding/defending/calling for the unification of Africa requires the past, the present and the future. Too obvious of an analogy, we might state. All in all, I believe I have established the foundation and because I intend this to be a personal and personable article to you, I will close in a poem that will share my aspirations, as well as observations of my continent in a tangled way, given the length- constraint this article has:

    IN 1000 WORDS

    In 1000 words, we sing your praises and call you a mother of all rights Africa,
    In 1000 words, we shower you with blessings and splash you with profanities oh Africa!

    In 1000 words, we call you and image you rightfully Africa,
    In 1000 words, we pray for you and cry for your freedom oh Africa!

    In 1000 words, we understand your history Africa,
    In 1000 words, we comprehend your inner mysteries oh Africa!

    In 1000 words, we stand with you to watch your reclaim Africa,
    In 1000 words, we desert you to have our bargain oh Africa!

    In 1000 words, we cry for your Independence Africa,
    In 1000 words, we tie you with restraints of all kinds oh Africa!

    In 1000 words, we hope for your return Africa,
    In 1000 words, you cry for our return oh Africa!

    In 1000 words, we purge you Africa,
    In 1000 words, you cry for yours and our consecration oh Africa!

    In 1000 words, we look up to your salvation Africa,
    In 1000 words you beseech your maker for a congregation oh Africa!

    In 1000 words, we wish you peace Africa,
    In 1000 words you seek for your inner calm oh Africa!

    In 1000 words, we write our sentiments Africa,
    In 1000 words, you write back in your inked-tears oh Africa!

    This poem carries with it my observations as well as my aspirations, if looked into keenly. Since length is an issue, my final words as a humbled Involvement writer are:

    “The reawakening we so wish to have as a continent, has already set foot. People, youths more so to this regard, have risen to the task of their calling, which is to defend their place of birth or rightful belonging. But as I love to position, there are challenges within that moving on, we will grapple with as we embark to the road of discovering the Africa we want, but that’s the fun of it.”

  • Daystar to retain Blended Learning for May Semester

    By Fatiha Shabir

    (fatihashabz@gmail.com)

    Daystar University Athi River Campus – Photo/ Emmanuel Laguma

    Daystar University will continue administering blended learning where both physical and online classes will be ongoing during the May 2021 semester.

    According to a memo sent to the school on Thursday by the VC Prof. Ayiro, those to resume for physical learning include nursing students, continuing diploma students, new and continuing Certificate students, and those admitted during the October 2020 and January 2021 semester.

    “School of Science students taking Applied Computer Science, Biomedical Science, Environmental Health and MIS will study online,” said VC Ayiro.

    New students of Diploma and Undergraduate programs will have physical learning and are to report for orientation at the Athi River campus on May 17, at 8:30am.

    However, new postgraduate students will learn virtually and undergo virtual orientation on May 17 before classes officially begin on May 24.

    “All new students are encouraged to read their admission letters carefully and plan early payment of both orientation and semester fees,” said Prof Ayiro.

    Continuing Post-graduate students will resume blended learning as they will be allowed to attend seminars and have contact with supervisors during their thesis defences.

    Ongoing students are set to begin classes on May 10 while the new Diploma and Undergraduate students will start their classes on May 24.

    Since the new students will miss two weeks of the semester, their timetable will be adjusted so that they attend classes twice a week to cover the necessary classroom hours.

    The Daystar community has been urged to follow all Covid-19 protocols in both campuses to ensure that everyone’s health is safeguarded.

  • Kenya ranked poorly in World Press Freedom Index

    By Sumaya Hussein

    (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com)

    Kenyan Journalists and members of the civil society marching during World Press Freedom Day in 2018 – Photo/DTE

    Kenya ranked 102 out of 180 countries on the Reporters without Borders (RSF) 2021, World Press Freedom Index report that was released last week. The report, published every year since 2002, evaluated the state of journalism in 180 countries and territories.

    Countries ranked in the index are assigned a score calculated from data on abuses and violence against journalists during the period being evaluated. Also used were questionnaire answers completed from journalists, media lawyers, researchers and media specialists.

    Norway ranked first in the index for the fifth year, running as the country with the freest press. Eritrea on the other hand was ranked the worst country in upholding press freedom. Namibia remains the top country in press freedom in Africa.

    Kenya rose from position 103 in 2020 to 102 this year, though the situation in the country is still classified as “problematic”

    According to RSF, “Kenya has seen a slow erosion of media freedom in recent years. The political situation and security concerns have been used since 2016 as grounds for restricting the freedom to inform.”

    Newspapers in a display stand in Nairobi – Photo/ The Star

    Today marked World Press Freedom Day 2021 and Kenya joined the world in celebrating the day whose theme is “Information as a Public Good”. The theme is a call to affirm the importance of cherishing information and exploring ways of advancing transparency and journalist empowerment.

    The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) and the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) held a series of events since last week to mark the day. This comes in the wake of muzzling, not just by state operatives and politicians, but also within media houses, with some resorting to self-censorship amid intimidation by the powerful.

    This year, two ranking measures – the World Press Freedom Index 2021 and African Media Barometer publications – indicate that journalists globally continued to face multiple challenges. These include intimidation, physical or online harassment, surveillance, disappearance, threats, arbitrary arrests, assaults and lack of access to public facilities, authorities or data.

    Reporters Without Borders reported that 50 journalists from around the world died in their course of duty. Their deaths were linked to investigative stories about corruption, misuse of public funds, organized crime and coverage of protests.

    Nevertheless, several leaders have come out to support media freedom, and promote protection of journalists in their line of duty.

    Speaking at one of the MCK events in Nairobi, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi said, “Media owner should pay reporters and correspondents very well then demand integrity, otherwise we risk making them captives of government and news sources.”

    United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the day is marked at a time many journalists and media workers are facing many challenges.

    “In too many countries, journalists and media workers face censorship, abuse harassment, detention and even death, simply for doing their jobs. On #WorldPressFreeedomDay, I urge all governments to do everything their power to support a free, independent and diverse media,” he said in a video posted on his Twitter.

    He went on to add that free and independent journalism is “our greatest ally in combating misinformation and disinformation,” he said.