No Country For Old Men

“Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga are now prisoners of their respective political positions” – John Githongo, BBC Movie Reviewer

Directors: Samuel Kivuitu & Kiharu Mutu

Writers: Stanley Murage (screenplay) & Francis Muthaura (screenplay)

Release Date: 30 December 2007 (Kenya)

Producer; Alfred Mutua

Genre: Crime / Violence / Horror

Tagline: Politics is a dirty game.

Plot Outline: Violence and mayhem ensue after Raila uncovers election irregularities, assassination plots against politicians and more than $2 million stashed in Swiss bank accounts.

Plot Synopsis: View full synopsis. (warning! may contain spoilers)

Runtime: On-going

Rating: R for strong graphic violence and vulgar language.

Plot Keywords: Election rigging / Police Brutality / Ethnic Clashes / Tribalism / Hatred

Cast; Electoral Commission of Kenya, Kenya Police, Brigadier Ali, John Michuki, Kalenjin Warriors, Mungiki, Kalonzo Musyoka, Mutula Kilonzo, William Ruto, Anyang' Nyong'o, Martha Karua, Amos Wako, Justice Gicheru

Awards: AU Democracy Award, EAC Political Award and Zimbabwe Economic Gold Medal.

User Comments: Horrid tale ensuing the after-math of Kenyan general elections.

Copyright © 2003-2008 Office Of Public Communications

Letter From My Senator On Kenyan Situation

I contacted my Senator and got the following reply last week.

Dear Mr. Ssembonge:

Thank you for contacting me regarding Kenya. I appreciate hearing from you.

As a strong supporter of protecting the democratic process and the rule of law around the world, I am concerned with the recent atrocities in Kenya following the alleged voting irregularities in the December 27 presidential elections. The political and humanitarian setbacks occurring in Kenya, an important, moderate and democratic nation at the heart of an increasingly important African continent, must be quickly addressed.

The United States and the international community must actively work to assist the Kenyan people, both as a matter of being true to our values of defending human dignity and advancing our national security interests by sustaining democracy. I have publicly called on President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga to bring an end to the violence, and I will continue to monitor the situation in Kenya as events develop. Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

All best,
Senator XXXXXX XXXXXXXX

I Endorse Barack Obama

In case you've missed it, Obama seems to have taken over the media waves this side of the Atlantic. Democratic party members seem to have gotten over Hilary Clinton's one time wonder weep in New Hampshire. No one can now ignore Obama's commanding victory in South Carolina against the fact that he has been struggling to get the black vote.

Short of president George Bush endorsing Obama in today's State of the Union address, I would like to be counted among the many luminaries who have voiced their support for Barack Obama.

I too endorse Barack Obama, the junior Senator from the Land of Lincoln, even though I hold no vote.

"I'm asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington... I'm asking you to believe in yours."
- Senator Barack Obama

Dude, Where's My Tax Rebate?

Nothing moves the US government more than the talk of an impeding recession and a failing stock market. This months events have shown that the government will do everything, including moving heaven and earth, to forestall an economic recession. While their efforts should be lauded, it's still too early to say whether they will succeed.

The fact that it's an election year and President Bush is keen on leaving a positive legacy makes it all together difficult for the government to handle the current financial turmoil gripping the US. In the last one week we have witnessed the inter-dependence between the Treasury and the independent Federal Reserve Bank.

Hot on the heels of White House's announcement of the Tax Stimulus Package was the surprise cut of the key fed funds rate by 0.75%. The significance of the Feds move is not lost owing to the fact that this is it's largest interest rate reduction in a decade.

While Wall Street focused on the cut, consumers have their eyes on the Tax Stimulus Package commonly referred to as a Tax Rebate. After going through various alterations, Democrat and the Republican party law makers finally agreed on a $150 billion package for consumers and businesses.

For all it's worth I'm not certain as to how much money I will receive, leave alone when the check will show up in the mail. The White House wants this money in consumers pockets as soon as possible but the IRS has it's hands full as this is the Tax preparation season.

I haven't decided what I'll be doing with the money but you can be sure that I will not be hitting to the mall as the government wants me to do. Top on my list is paying down on the improvements which are currently being done on my residence. I may put this money into a business that I'm starting. This will depend on the amount and the date that we receive the check. So far it's looking like we'll pocket about $2,000 and we'll get the check sometime in June. I am certain that we will not be hitting to the malls and instead I'll see that we use the money in a way that produces the maximum effect.

While the stimulus package represents only 1% of the US GDP, it will come as a relief for many Americans. Whether it will have the intended effect of lifting the economy is another matter altogether. With inflation on the rise and everything fetching a premium, it's going to take a lot to relieve over-burdened Americans.

There is a possibility that the softening retail market might usher in a deflation that will bring prices back to earth. Unfortunately, there is a thin line between a deflation and a recession as the former might push businesses into a recession mode. My hope is that the economic stimulus package will relieve pricing pressures and keep businesses going through the slow down.

Dumb And Dumber: Bank Of America Acquires Countrywide Financial

In the run-up to Bank of America's acquisition of Countrywide financial the media was abuzz with speculation that US largest mortgage lender would close shop. Just about when everyone was expecting Countrywide to roll over and die, in comes Bank of America's $4.1 billion all-stock offer for the beleaguered mortgage lender.

Relieved that the nation largest mortgage lender had been rescued from bankruptcy, the market jumped on this news. Now that the dust has settled, it is a good time to scrutinize the marriage between Bank of America and Countrywide.

The biggest question investors are asking is was this the right move? My answer is a resounding NO. This merger is doomed to fail even before the ink has dried.

Why so?

1. Like the merger of corporate titans, America Online and Time Warner, this merger can be likened to a marriage between a teenage bride and a retired banker. Countrywide's business model is reflected by it's aggressive growth model that saw it venture deep into the sub-prime mortgage mess. All while it's suitor, Bank of America, pursued a relatively moderate lending strategy and exited sub-prime lending in 2001.

   The clash between two opposing and conflicting corporate cultures is bound to affect the operations of Bank of America. Never mind that they will be shutting down many of Countrywide's offices and laying off thousands of their employees. The fact that Countrywide has a larger mortgage portfolio means that many of Countrywide's executives will be left untouched.

2. Even though the media is not highlighting it, there was no way that the US Treasury would have watched Countrywide fold into bankruptcy. Not in an election year and not the largest mortgage lender and servicer in the US. The repercussions of Countrywide rolling over would have been too much to bear for the current administration. The backlash from voters borrowers had to be contained before it spilled into electioneering campaigns.

   By and large, someone from Wall Street had to rescue Countrywide and Bank of America happened to be the one. Bank of America investors might not like it but who cares about what the 270,000 plus stock holders have to say. After all, not all of them will vote in the up coming elections. Had they all the stock holders been residents of say Iowa or Florida, a different financial institution would have been arm-twisted called-in to rescue Countrywide.



3. Last August's $2 billion investment for a stake in Countrywide at the start of the credit crunch turned out to be a bad bet for Bank America. With Countrywide's shares trading above $20 when the announcement was made, the deal looked like a steal for Bank of America at that time. The preferred stock that is convertible to common stock at $18 a share pays a dividend of 7.25% and gives Bank of America the first chance to buy Countrywide in the event that it was sold.

   Less than 6 months later, Bank of America's 16% stake in Countrywide is underwater and they are adding more money to a loosing position. Like they say, never throw good money after bad. Especially at a time when US housing market woes are far from over and more home owners are expected to turn in their keys.

Should the merger fall through, Bank of America Countrywide will be forced to cough a $160 million termination fee. Interestingly, the termination fee is just about the $150 million that Bank of America will earn this year from their 16% stake. That said, I don't expect this transaction to close because the housing situation is expected to worsen between now and the time this transaction is due to close.

McFrankenstein-Burger Meal, Make It Large

Last year the US saw the largest increase in food prices since 1990. With inflation on the rise, food prices jumped 4.9% with diary products surging 19.3% according to a report released by the Department of Labor. This is certainly bad news for a country that prides itself as having the largest food portions for the cheapest price.

Key to achieving food sufficiency and keeping food prices low in the US has been the use of technology coupled with government subsidies. With genetically modified technology being widely used in plants, it was only a matter of time before genetics made its way into animal produce.

With advancements in animal cloning since the debut of Dolly the sheep, scientists have been working round the clock to bring genetically modified animal produce into the food market. Their hard work has certainly paid-off as the US government has given a go ahead for the commercialization of the technology.

The Food and Drug Administration with the support of the Department of Agriculture announced that produce such as meat and milk from clones of cattle, pigs and goats are as safe to eat as food from conventionally bred animals.

After more than one year of public deliberations and several years of detailed studies and analysis, the FDA concluded that cloning posses no unique risks to animals and neither is the composition of their produce any different from that of conventionally bred animals.

Interestingly, the FDA chose to use the term conventional rather than natural in their statement.

So what can consumers expect?

More of the same and cheap food as they have come to expect.

By no means are we going to see the sale of cloned animals for consumption. Instead, farmers will look into using cloned animals for breeding purposes. They will raise their animal stocks from cloned animals with the desired traits, such as disease resistant breeds - or prime steak with right amount of marbling :).

It is unlikely that consumers will buy cloned meat from their favorite butcher as cloned animals are going for more than $15,000 a piece. Far much more expensive than the famed Wagyu cattle best known for the mouth-watering Kobe beef.

Unfortunately, consumers are not cheering the FDA’s announcement as they have also stated that they will not require cloned food to be labeled. This is because the FDA has deemed this food as being 'safe for consumption'.

This move will certainly boost sales of organic produce which is labeled to distinguish it from (eh hem, cough, cough) genetically modified produce. Or as the FDA now calls it conventionally produced foods. My expectation is the organics market will expand to accommodate for consumers who are not keen on accepting genetically engineered produce.

For the investors, they can count on Whole Foods Markets to grow their money organically. Literally, that is.

$64,000 question: Would you rather pay $5 for a Big Mac meal or $10 (as they do in the UK) for the same meal? Never mind that in the US, the drink is 500 mls instead of 300 mls and comes with free re-fills.

My answer: Talk is cheap but food is not.

Related Posts - Kobe Beef From Kenya and Kenyan Kobe Beef, Revisted.

Flights To Kenya

With foreign governments issuing negative travel advisories cautioning against travel to Kenya because of the current spate of violence, I was curious to find out how this had affected the price of air tickets to Nairobi. This being a low fare season coupled with the skirmishes in Kenya, airlines are experiencing higher than normal cancellations of already purchased tickets.

My thoughts were that this would be a good time for anyone wanting to fly to Nairobi.

My search for an airfare quote for travel to Nairobi from London Heathrow turned very interesting results.

On Expedia UK's travel site, there are no tickets available. Their website does not provide any information about the unavailability other than asking travellers to choose a different destination. This tells me that they are not selling tickets to Nairobi as directed by UK's Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) which asked it's members to cancel all holidays to Kenya pending advice from the British government.

On the British Airways website it is a different matter all together. They have seats available for almost every flight with the exception of one or two Saturday inbound flights from Nairobi. However, the seats are going for a discount. Each economy class segment costs £193 for a total price of £385.This is far cheaper than is the norm during the low fare season.

With airlines struggling to fill up seats to Nairobi, we can expect cheaper air-fares to Kenya. I did not check other airlines like Kenya Airways that also flies to Heathrow.

For now, the tourism industry continues to sink to lower depth's with every passing day of political instability in Kenya. In the last few years, major investments have been made owing to the increased number of foreign and domestic visitors flocking into tourists attractions. The gains made in the last five years stand to be completely wiped out if the political situation is not brought into a FAIR conclusion.

PS: This post has been updated after I found out I had erred in checking the airfare. The £1230 amount previously quoted is for a fully refundable ticket.

You Call This World News?

It's not hard to understand why Americans have been vilified for their ignorance when it comes to world affairs. Take for instance television news. Anyone without cable subscription is hard pressed when it comes to watching the happenings outside the US.

This weekend I found myself whiling away waiting for 60 minutes on CBS. As I scrolled down the programming, my eye caught ABC World News with Dan Harris showing on one of the local channels. Wanting something different from the usual, I settled for the ABC News with the expectation of watching news from all around the world.

I couldn't have been more wrong. After living in the US as long as I have, you'd think I'd know better than this.

The news started with president George Bush tour of the Arab world. Fine. This was news straight from from the Middle East. As they talked about George Bush, they veered off into the Iranian speed boats incident and went to interview the US Navy personnel involved in the ordeal.

Next was news regarding the US presidential race. Not sure if I had misread the program title, I re-checked just to make sure that I was not mistaken. Does the US presidential race count as world news? Surely, not if you are in the US. Next they went on to show news regarding the much feared recession of the US economy. After which they went on to report about a breakthrough in the investigations of the missing marine in North Carolina! Are the Carolina's still part of the British colonies? Or are they now overseas territories East of continental Europe?

Then came news about the failed Golden Globe awards gala scheduled to have been held on Sunday night in eh........ Mexico? No. Beverly Hills in California. That's the western coast of America for those who are geographically challenged.

Just when I was about done with watching the 'world' news, they featured the double amputee South African runner who was set to be disqualified from competing in the upcoming para-Olympics. Finally. At least some news devoid of the US. Expecting more non-US news, I was disappointed when they ended the news with a feature of the Detroit motor show.

With the exception of the South African blade runner, I could easily have watched everything else in the regular local news. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to watch news in the US media. It's not only repetitive but also numbingly local. Even CNN international doesn't make it easier. Other than BBC News which comes twice a day, either late in the night or at day break, there is hardly anything to write about world news in the US.

The print media is not any better and devotes only a few columns to reporting world news. And even then, the majority of the world news has to do with the US armed forces based overseas. Or is it that I don't know the definition of world news? Could it be that world news does not mean international news here in the US?

The only hope for anyone intent on catching up with world news is the internet. Without the world wide web, I can't imagine relying solely on the US mass media as a source of information. But then one could argue that the average American is not interested with international news. That I do not know. What I know is that I will not be watching ABC World News with whatever his name his again.

Kenyans Taking Up Jobs In Iraq

It's no secret that Kenyan military personnel mostly from the navy are trooping to the Middle East to work in non-combat positions supporting the US army operations. The ex-military personnel working as contractors for Kellogg Brown and Root are among the many nationalities that are being recruited to work in Afghanistan and Iraq. Owing to the insecurity in both countries, KBR is targeting foreigners with military experience for their ability to endure the torturous conditions in the war torn countries.

Prior to advertising for the jobs in the local newspapers, the application process consisted of emailing one's resume to KBR recruiters in Houston, Texas. After which, those selected to work for KBR are invited to KBR's medical center in Houston for extensive medical examination. In addition the recruits are briefed on security in Iraq and provided with safety tips. Only after one has passed the medical examination are they cleared for travel to the Middle East.

While some applicant's are selected for telephone interviews prior to being invited to Houston, the majority of applicants are spared from the interviews. On the strength of previous Kenyan ex-military applicants and on the job training provided at US bases overseas, KBR's main interest is recruiting healthy and able-bodied personnel.

Working in Iraq

Upon invitation to their Houston base, KBR normally facilitates the application for the US visa and pays for the applicants airfare to Houston, where the Kenyans are housed in 4 star hotels. During their stay in Texas, applicants are provided with free meals and accommodation. In turn, they have to pay for any extras like laundry and transport if they wish to travel within Houston. Although KBR states that they will be in Houston for up to 21 days prior to deployment to the work stations, it is not uncommon for some applicants to spend more than 2 months in Houston. During this period, KBR does not give the applicants any monetary allowance and they have to wait until they are out of the US to be enrolled into KBR's payroll.

KBR pays a base pay of not less than $2,000 per month for the overseas jobs. For the more riskier jobs like truck drivers, KBR pays an extra $250 dollars. In addition to the base pay, the Kenyans are also paid an allowance equivalent to 75% of the base pay bringing their take home package to $3,500 which is wired to their account every month. For their incidental expenses in Iraq, the ex-military personnel have to rely on their over-time pay which they are given directly. For most of these personnel, the more than $3,500 that they earn is more than five times the amount that they are paid for serving in the Kenyan Armed forces. Considering that this income is not taxed and they are provided with free housing and meals, one can earn in the range of $40,000 per year.

The jobs in Iraq require the personnel to work for 12 hours a day for every day of the week. After every 4 months, the Kenyans are entitled to a 2 week vacation in Kenya with their families for which KBR pays for their air flight. After they have worked for 1 year, they are entitled to an extended vacation in their home countries. Their assignments can last for up to 3 years, after which they are sent back to Houston for medical check-ups before being redeployed again.

The Democratic party's control of the US legislature and their expected victory of this years US presidential election doesn't bode well for the republican friendly KBR. The war funding is currently under threat and therefore KBR has started to cut down on their spending in Iraq and Afghanistan. While the foreign labourers are paid less than US citizens, KBR recently announced that it was going to slash the base pay by as much as 50% for all new recruits joining in 2008. This has not gone down well with the foreign personnel working for KBR in Iraq as it probable that their base pay will be reduced to match that of the new personnel.

Against the background of waning US public support for the their Armed Forces in Iraq, KBR's 10-year contract to provide logistical support is at risk of being terminated prematurely. This will be a big blow for Kenyans working in Iraq as most of them are keen on working their for at least 3 years.

Despite the reduced pay, the insecurity in Iraq and the uncertainty of KBR's Logistics Civil Augmentation Program, going to work in Iraq presents a better opportunity for many Kenyans. With the security situation getting better in Iraq, you can only be sure that more Kenyans will be taking up jobs in Iraq.

Post-blog; You can watch Frontline's video of KBR's operations in Iraq here or buy the DVD for $30 from PBS.

Blogging With A Purpose

2008 marks my second year in the blogshere. Towards the end of 2006 I made a decision to have my own blog after lurking in the Kenyan blogshere for a few months. At that time, my mission was to blog about money and hence the choice of my blog name.

One year later, I think it's about time I defined my blog rather than continue blogging for the sake of it.

Before I do so, I'd like to re-examine/re-iterate why I blog. And here goes my reasons;

1. To express myself; enuff said.
2. To sharpen my thoughts; I don't know of a better way to focus my thoughts other than to pen them down. By writing down my thoughts, I am able to analyze my thoughts. Even though I don't publish all my posts, putting my thoughts into words gives me a chance to critic myself.
3. To improve my communication skills; Writing has never been my strong point. In school I struggled through English, Kiswahili and French classes while I excelled in everything else. Through blogging I get to work on my writing skills and thus improve on my communication skills.
4. Interact with others; No doubt the internet has opened a whole new world social networking. I've gotten to people who I'd not have met if I had not taken up to blogging.

Now that I have gotten the reasons of my blogging out of the way, my next step is to define what my blog is about. In my very first post my focus was 'money or the lack of it'. In the months that followed I went on to publish 150 plus odd posts on diverse issues. So what is my blog all about?

1. Money; If I can put a dollar sign on something, then I will blog about it. By and large, the focus of my blog has been money. Until 2006 I'd never attended a business class but always read the business section of every newspaper that I could get my hands on. This blog captures my passion for business.
2. Morals; Just because you can put a dollar sign on a lot of things doesn't mean I will blog about anything. For this reason, I will steer away from anything that I consider to be unethical, immoral or illegal. The focus of this blog will be the triple bottom line (i.e people, planet and profit). Call me conservative, but make sure you spell my name correctly on the check.
3. Motivation; If this blog can be said to be an extension of myself, then it has to be positive or optimistic. Thankfully, I am not a cynic, pessimist or whiner. There may be a rant or two but for the most part, I will strive to be uplifting. The world is not all that rosy but I will not focus on the negatives.

Unlike the majority of 175,000 blogs that will be created today and fold up within a month, I have no intentions of hanging up on this blog in the near future. Instead I will seek to make my blog relevant in the face of the 60 million blogs that are active out there. Because there's not enough African bloggers in the blog sphere, it's imperative that I continue to hold forte with the less than 30,000 African bloggers. For that reason I intend to continue blogging into the second year.

That said, my high point last year was getting some of my posts published in Seeking Alpha which I consider to be the premier financial blog aggregator that has in its ranks blogs written by respectable professional money managers from Wall Street. Of the three posts that were published in Seeking Alpha, two were syndicated by Yahoo Financial.

For someone who has taken up blogging as a hobby, getting syndicated on Yahoo Financial is a great honor. What's more, I read a post on Seeking Alpha written by a financial profession expounding on a topic that I had previously blogged. I could also have sworn that I read some of my thoughts in one of the regular BusinessWeek column's soon after my post was syndicated by Yahoo.

In conclusion, I would like to ask anyone who reads or stumbles on my blog not to email me with their personal problems. As it is, I have enough problems of my own and I may not be the best person to seek help from. That said, I welcome non-personal (i.e. business, charity, investments or entrepreneurship - related) emails, chit chats, comments and phone calls if you have my number. I am also open to ideas and suggestions that would make my blogging experience worthwhile.

Last by no means least, I would like to thank everyone who has spared their time to read my blog and found it useful/interesting. I also appreciate the blogging companionship of Kim and Jabi of Thinking Kim, Maina of Kenya Capital Investment Club, Fedha who writes Fedha, Sue of Jamii ya Kenya, the elusive Pesa Tu who writes Pesa Tu, Mwari who is no-where to be found and the numerous anonymous readers who have yet to break through the cloud of anonymity.

The Trouble With Kenyans

Sometime early last year, I met for lunch with a group of Africans who work within the same vicinity as me. During the course of our one hour gathering we talked about various issues including the behaviour of the typical African in America. I don't remember exactly who and how this topic was started but I can clearly remember my Nigerian friend stating that one of the biggest obstacles facing Africans is our submissive attitude. He went on to blame this on our upbringing where we were taught not to dispute the elders, even when they are wrong.

You can imagine, not even one of us disputed this statement. The five of us, from different parts of Africa, were in full agreement about this issue.

To put it plainly, I have always thought that Kenyans are not aggressive people in general. There was once that I recommended a Kenyan acquittance for a job and the owner of the firm asked me if the guy was aggressive, to which I answered negative. To be honest, I expected the question and my friend went on to comment about the non-aggressive nature of East Africans.

Before anyone accusses me of generalizing the African populace, I would like to state a quote that I came across on the web. This quote is from an interview of Robert Calderisi, the author of a book titled "The Trouble With Africa : Why Foreign Aid Isn't Working ". Robert once resided in Tanzania and Cote d’Ivoire and was the World Bank’s international spokesperson on Africa from 1997 to 2000.

The Trouble With Africa

During the interview, Robert is asked about the "passivity among Africans which expresses itself in a willingness to accept pain and suffering". I couldn't agree more with Robert who says that "Africans accept bad guys because they've never known anything else and because they've been brought up to respect their elders, whether the elders are wise or not. This acceptance of evil and adversity is part of the African character--admirable on one level, unfortunate on another. But I think Africans deserve better than accepting what they've got".

With the exception of the first part where he says we've never known anything else, I think his reply clearly captures my sentiments. If I could say it differently, whoever sang the song "Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" had Kenyans in mind when they wrote it up. That is not to say that we are not hard working or less intelligent as people from some quarters would like us to believe.

My plea to Kenyans, especially if you are based in the diaspora, is that we should not be content with settling for less. The world does not owe us a favour and neither should we expect to be treated differently. We have to learn to be go-getters.

I'm not saying we grow rastas and become a trouble makers (aka rebels). Far from that. Learn to look at people in the eyes when you are talking to them and express yourself with confidence. Talking with a 'weird' accent with a few shrubs in between should by no means cow you from speaking. Never be afraid to speak up your mind.

And if you must fight, pick your fights wisely and put up a strong defence. Concede on what is not important. Nay, don't bother with trivial issues. Recognize your weaknesses and capitalize on your strengths.

If these do not work, drop the fake twang.

Just cause we come from Africa is no reason for us to accept the world or our inept leaders to put us down. We need to carry ourselves with dignity. Do not be afraid of your lecturers, co-workers, neighbours, friends, strangers. Whether you are in your neighborhood, place of work, college or even church, stand tall and be bold at all times.

Don't settle for less.

Our future is in our hands. Enjoy the video:)

Making A Tax Deductible Donation To Kenya

For Kenyans and Non-Kenyans living in the US, you can take advantage of the tax laws when contributing money for the post election crisis. I know most Kenyans would rather send money directly to their family and friends who have been affected (note - this tragedy has affected ALL Kenyans). However, it is the non-Kenyans in the US who may be wondering how to make a tax deductible donation through a 503 (c) 3 registered organization.

As of yesterday, the United Nations was estimating that more than 180,000 Kenyans have been left homeless. Further estimates show that 500,000 people need urgent help and more than $14 million is required.

On the ground, the Kenyan Red Cross is the most visible organization providing immediate help to displaced people. I'm sure there are many other organizations but not at the scale and reach of the Kenyan Red Cross.

It is for this reason that I would recommend sending your contribution through the American Red Cross Chapter which will forward the contribution to the Kenyan Chapter. By law, charitable organizations are mandated to use the gifts they collect as stipulated by the donors and if they deem it otherwise they are required to notify you. With the American Red Cross, you can not designate your donation if made online. However, you can mail a check or money order to their offices. To designate your gift, write Kenyan disaster/crisis on the memo.

Send your gift to; American Red Cross, P.O. Box 97089, Washington DC, 20090-7089.

Be sure to include your contact details when you mail your donation. You can use this printable form. If you need to speak to one of their associates, you can call 1-800-HELP-NOW. The American Red Cross will accept a minimum donation of $5.

Let's Talk About R

We had it coming for a long time. All the signs have been there for anyone who cared to look or listen. The writing was literally on the wall for all to see. Today's release of the December employment report confirmed Wall Street's worst fears. R is just around the corner, if not already here. Yes. The much feared R. Not Raila Odinga of the infamous Kenyan presidential elections but the recession of US economy.

Falling house prices, $100 per barrel oil , higher inflation, weak Christmas retail numbers, rising foreclosures, dropping corporate profits, stinking sub-prime mortgage mess, softening capital expenditure spending and rising debt screamed nothing but RECESSION. Even the much despised former chairman of the Federal reserve, Alan Greenspan, has recession tattooed on his forehead.

Instead the market choose to believe the current Federal reserve chairman's interest rate cutting efforts aimed at keeping recession at bay. In the face of all these signs, wall street expected the strong overseas growth and the weakening dollar to save the US economy from a hard landing.

My expectation is that the Feds will not take Friday's results lying down. Like they have done in the last few months they will leave nothing to chance. The odds of further interest rate cuts have risen despite the fact that all the Federal Bank's efforts to inject liquidity in the credit markets. With the US presidential elections slated for this year, you can imagine how desperate the politicians are getting. Not only does the Republican party have to contend with the thought loosing the presidency to the Democrats but also loosing more seats in the Senate and Congress.

As I've been saying for the better part of last year, the US economy is on crutches and the band aid solutions by the Fed will only delay the inevitable. Unfortunately the Feds determination may have exacerbated the situation. Not only do they have to fight the slowing down economy and rising debt levels but they now have to contend with inflation . In essence we have witnessed a bubble in every asset class and this has spilled over into commodities which now has consumers paying high prices for essential goods.

For diligent investors, recession serves as a good point to take a break from the equity market unless they have the nerve to take short positions. Right now the traders are hoping that sovereign wealth funds will wand off a bear market. I will continue fighting the temptation to buy any stocks until there is a positive change in the index of leading economic indicators and other economic sensitive numbers.

What Is Love?

"Love is NOT a feeling, but a choice"
- A church minister, during a wedding that I recently attended.

Of all the definitions of love, including 1 Corinthians 13, nothing comes close to describing love than the above quote. That is not to say that love is not an emotion.

Against the background of what is happening back home, my message to all Kenyans is that we have to consciously choose to love our fellow compatriots, especially those who are different from us.

John, a disciple of Christ, couldn't have said it better in 1 John 4:20 when he says - If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

In the words of Christ, love your neighbor as yourself. For anyone who professes to be a Christian, let us do as Jesus as commanded.

Back On The Gerbil Wheel

Happy new year, it's 2008! Reality is now upon us. No more over-indulgence and the overflows of the festivities. It's back to work, school, yada yada and all that.

This being my second day at work this year, I thought it would be fitting if I started on a lighter note rather than hit the blog running. No new year resolutions for me, instead I'll do the usual and set up financials goals.

1. Find additional income streams. If possible get my business plan off the ground. This will cost me time, energy and most importantly, money. Though my deep pocketed friends have offered to bank-roll me, this is one thing I want to do for myself.

2. Save more money and max my 401(k) limit. Against my plans of starting a business, this is going to be a tough call.

3. Stay away from debt. Until now, I have never paid interest for any credit with the exception of my mortgage. My prayer is that I stay as far away from interest charges as possible. Should I fund my start-up on credit, then my resolve will be tested.

4. Increase my charitable contributions. I need to identify one more charity to support. Preferably, one that assists blighted communities get back on their feet.

5. Keep it cheap and deny myself the pleasures of consumerism. I need to refrain from spoiling myself and the family. Tough love, if you ask me. It's about time I took good care of the pennies. I need to cut out on the wastes, further and deeper than I have done before.

On to more lighter matters.......................

Every morning in Kenya, a gazelle wakes up.
It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.
Every morning a lion wakes up.
It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.
It does not matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle.
When the sun comes up, you better start running.

Being the fastest gazelle is no guarantee that you will out-run the slowest lion. Even the slowest lion has it's day.

Here's to the new year. It is my prayer that the new year brings with it peace, joy, blessings and opportunities to excel.

Who Will Save Kenya?

"From what?" I hear you ask.

The burning of women and children in a church in Eldoret makes it hard for anyone to ignore the going-ons in Kenya in the aftermath of the just concluded general elections.

For centuries communities in Kenya have lived in harmony, albeit with a few skirmishes. Side by side we have built our nation into one of the most admirable and looked upon country in Africa

So what went wrong? What exactly is our problem? Why are Kenyans turning on each other. Neighbor upon neighbor. Our friends have turned into foes

Just talk to many a Kenyan today and you'll be shocked senseless about their opinion regarding the just concluded general elections. Name calling, insults and stereotyping just goes to show how bigoted our nation has become.

Let me say that I am not surprised as to how tribalistic Kenyans have become. It was for this reason that Ssembonge was born. When asked by Maina about the origin of my 'name', I explained to him that I did not want to be identified by any tribe in Kenya. He immediately understood what I was talking about and we went on to talk about the scrooge of tribalism.

It's no wonder that when I meet other Kenyans in the diaspora and I introduce myself with my Christian name they ask me what my surname/last-name is. After which they go on to ask where I'm from because they aren't sure about my tribal background.

Reading online comments and blog posts about the on-going election violence just shows how fragmented we are as a nation. Our subjectivity quickly reveals which tribes we belong to and where our support lies. We accuse Ntimama and his likes for fanning tribal animosity yet we ourselves are quick to condemn other tribes. If you ask me, the fighting in Kenya reflect the attitude of the majority of Kenyans.

What has happened in the last few days cannot be wished away. I'm not sure how long it will take the nation to heal itself from the wounds of tribal bigotry. As it stands most of the leaders have retreated into their tribal cocoons. Not even our church leaders have taken to the front line in a bid to end the current unrest.

While everyone is looking up to the international community to resolve the impasse, I believe it is only Kenyans who can bring the situation to an end. The US and the EU governments will not put to an end the tribal animosity that we are witnessing in Kenya.

Only Kenyans will save themselves from other Kenyans. The outcome of the presidential elections will not matter after we have annihilated our compatriots.