WORLD'S TOP 100 BRANDS.

These are the latest stats on the Top 100 Brands by Businessweek. Its notable that among the top 10 of the top 100, no oil company is in. The first oil company we have here is BP at 76 cited ‘Not even an Alaskan oil spill or an explosion at a Texas refinery has put a dent in BP's strong performance’ That Coca Cola is the most valuable brand worlw-wide isn’t in doubt. Position 1 to 9 seems to rotate among the leaders of the industry while Mercedes Benz comes in at 10 from 11 after the drop to 12 of Marlboro the cigarette maker mainly due to the global onslaught against smoking. Marlboro has maintained its good brand thanks to its rising sales outside US where sales can only go one way – up.

And How does Businessweek get to the value of the brand? Here: “BUSINESSWEEK CHOSE Interbrand's methodology because it evaluates brands much the way analysts value other assets: on the basis of how much they're likely to earn in the future. The projected profits are then discounted to a present value, taking into account the likelihood that those earnings will actually materialize.
THE FIRST STEP IS figuring out what percentage of a company's revenues can be credited to a brand. (The brand may be almost the entire company, as with McDonald's Corp., or just a portion, as it is for Marlboro.) Based on reports from analysts at J.P. Morgan Chase, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley, Interbrand projects five years of earnings and sales for the brand. It then deducts operating costs, taxes, and a charge for the capital employed to arrive at the intangible earnings. The company strips out intangibles such as patents and management strength to assess what portion of those earnings can be attributed to the brand.
FINALLY, THE BRAND'S strength is assessed to determine the risk profile of those earnings forecasts. Considerations include market leadership, stability, and global reach—or the ability to cross both geographic and cultural borders. That generates a discount rate, which is applied to brand earnings to get a net present value. BusinessWeek and Interbrand believe this figure comes closest to representing a brand's true economic worth.”





1 1 Coca-Cola
U.S. 67,000 67,525 -1% Flagging appetite for soda has cut demand for Coke, but the beverage giant has a raft of new products in the pipeline that could reverse its recent slide.


2 2 Microsoft
U.S. 56,926 59,941 -5% Threats from Google and Apple haven't yet offset the power of its Windows and Office monopolies.


3 3 IBM
U.S. 56,201 53,376 5% Having off-loaded its low-profit PC business to Lenovo, IBM is marketing on the strategic level to corporate leaders.


4 4 GE
U.S. 48,907 46,996 4% The brand Edison built has extended its reach from ovens to credit cards, and the "Ecomagination" push is making GE look like a protector of the planet.


5 5 Intel
U.S. 32,319 35,588 -9% Profits and market share weren't the only things slammed by rival AMD. Intel's brand value tumbled 9%, as it loss business from high-profile customers.


6 6 Nokia
Finland 30,131 26,452 14% Fashionable designs and low-cost models for the developing world enabled the mobile phone maker to regain ground against competitors.


7 9 Toyota
Japan 27,941 24,837 12% Toyota is closing in on GM to become the world's biggest automaker. A slated 10% increase in U.S. sales this year will help even more.


8 7 Disney
U.S. 27,848 26,441 5% New CEO Robert Iger expanded the brand by buying animation hit-maker Pixar and beefing up digital distribution of TV shows through the Internet and iPods.


9 8 McDonald’s
U.S. 27,501 26,014 6% A new healthy-living marketing campaign—and the premium-priced sandwiches and salads that came with it—have led to a fourth year of sales gains.


10 11 Mercedes-Benz
Germany 21,795 20,006 9% The new S-Class sedan and M-Class SUV are helping repair a tarnished quality reputation. High costs and weak margins will take longer to fix.


Sourced from Businessweek and posted here by assidous.

AN ANGRY KENYAN

I received this mail from a friend far away. Methinks he couldnt have put it better.

I was appaled to observe that the opposition
lumineries didnt have time to take note of the
country's new status from LDC to DC.They are busy
throwing punches,mudslinging and whataview on each
other as usual.I always try as much as possible to
call a spade in its own name and not a big
spoon.Everyone,in govt or opposition,willing or
unwilling contributed to this.It really amazes that we
are still centuries back in our kind of politics.And
it wont change sooner.Why?If Lancaster house members
participants are still calling shots,even after their
sell by date,then the political quagmire will still be
in our shadows.Wait,look again.
If i tell you we have the best laws its only that we
never implements them maybe you can faulter me.Forget
about all these political bickering on clamour for
power.The law as it is spelled in the constitution,if
the founding fathers followed it to the letter after
independence,we could have been very far.I remember
the sessional paper of 1965 in my history class.A very
ambitious developement plan,which even the just
unveiled 2030 vision will never match.If its what my
history teacher described,though we didnt see it but
we believed,hatungekuwa pale pale to mimic your
granny.But as the saying goes,if wishes were
horses.......
Due to greed and love for power,the successive govt
has killed agents of change.Look back about T.J
Mboya,J.M Kariuki,Gama Pinto and all other folks you
know during Kenyatta era,Ouko,Bishop Kipsang
Muge,akina Njindo Matiba and all folks you may know
whom Nyayo govt did at it own will to destroy,Githongo
in Narc govt.We kill the only best and remain with
trash.Selfless,honest and great thinktanks have gone
down the drain.And we glorify their persecuters.Thats
why these successive govts found their "time to eat"
and the coming elections is a clear manifestation to
that.Its their time to vomit,not on donors shoes as Mr
Clay said but to Wanjiku for that 5yr more time of
"finishing developement projects" as they will be
pleading.And wanjiku as expected,customarily will 'eat
their vomit' for only a mere day and give them chance
for 5yrs more.

HIT JOBS FOR MUNGIKI

Last night i was sending a text message to one of my friends concerning the curse that has become the current lot of MP's and their hunger for money, money and more money.

Actually he told me that he as calling upon the God who killed Cain and burnt Sodom and Gomorrah to come from retirement so that he could practice on this shameless lot that was planning to rob us again.

Another one was so agitated that he called me and said that we needed to either send a suicide bomber to parliament when the lot is busy discussing the bill since they will not miss it, and we will be assured that they will all perish for we can do without about 250 morons to save the lives of 34Million Kenyans! He also came up with another witty suggestion that the men and women need to sterilised to save Kenya from their demented offspring in the years to come. What really made me appreciate the seriousness that the issue has raised and the so called leaders have failed to see coming by sneaking their greed into the Misc Bill is that he went further to suggest a more radical way to rid Kenya of the morass that is the ninth parliament: Since Mungiki is so good at beheading those who fail to comply with their rules, we should commission then to deliver the 210 heads of these thieves and robbers and line them up in Uhuru Park so that they serve as a warning to others who will try to rob the hard earned cash of Kenyan taxpayers.

Rationalising his views, he said, Kenyans dying in Elgon are more than 210, Kenyans displaced by floods are more than 210, Kenyans dying of hunger are more than 210, Kenyans suffering from poverty are more than 210....... If that is the case, cant we do away with the 210 and save 30 million plus Kenyans? He rested his case!

THE END OF THE WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION

With Kibaki's re-appointing Mwiraria to the Cabinet, he has with a stroke of a pen struck off his reformist credentials. As if that is not enough, he has show clearly that the public funding of the anti-corruption efforts are just a waste of funds.

But he will have to live with his decisions and more to that, the label as the president who had overwhelming support and mandate to rid Kenya off the vice, but failed when the interests of his clique were threatened. Here was a president with so much goodwill that he could have ordered the arrest, prosecution and confiscation of the corruptly acquired cash and property, but decided to play with that at a great expense to the public public for his own political survival.

If there ever was a failure, its Kibaki. Politically, he may have scored a goal and ensured that maybe, just maybe he may return for a second term, but at what cost.

Would he stand with his two feet and say proudly, that he came, got a clear mandate to fight corruption and he conquered?

Can he claim in front of the hungry and destitute that indeed, he has fought for their welfare when he has reinstated all those who were implicated in the corrupt scandals to their cabinet posts?

With Ringera's outfit guzzling billions in annual budgets, can Ringera claim not to have the arsenal to fight the proverbial dragon?

Can we also say categorically and equivocally that indeed the dragon has fought back the efforts to kill it and won the war. Methinks that Mwiraria's reinstatement is the last nail on the coffin that the anti-corruption crusade has been banished to.

But let them not delude themselves, as i said earlier in an article, when the bell tolls for them, they will indeed have some explanation to do.

For now, lets watch the saga unfold for i think that there is nothing that we can do at the moment till December when they will troop back for jobs from the you. Then you can sort the wheat from the chaff literally.

VOTE OR DIE

I was just talking to a newly registered voter who did so after i prodded him incessantly to get a vote. My was it not a hard job. Trying to convince someone that a vote is absolutely necessary and as they say in the ECK advert, you literally get your voice.

Now that got me thinking. Why the apathy to register as voters, why the apathy to actually cast the vote when the day comes? Why is there no apathy to condemn the actions of the fools that lead us?

This year, as i told my friend, the slogan should be 'vote or die' and ECK should criminalise failure to vote as the only way to curd that kind of voter apathy! At least it will solve some problems like someone having to make up his or her mind on the candidate to vote for.

And for those who are waiting for money from the charlatans who wish to be kanjuras and MP's, get the money and vote with your head! These morons need to be taught a lesson.

Remember that voting impacts on your life literally.

ADVERTS GONE BAD

I was watching Vitimbi on KBC last night. They haven't lost much of their act but when Mama Kayai the veritable Matriarch doesn't make an appearance in whole episode, one feels short-changed. At least thats what i feel. With Mwala poached by Citizen, the Mogaka fellow has quite some big shoes to fill into and his efforts to ape ace comedian Nyambane falls flat! But thats comedy for us in Kenya. But i digress.

I have beef, what or who to direct it at is the problem. The programme producer or the advertisers, am lost.

For the keen observers like this blogger(but do i say), the cameraman focus was last night taken from the actors and directed to the programme sponsors' products in the setting. The first time i noted ws when the cameraman zoomed on the wall clock in Mwende's house which is a 'Postal Directories - Yellow Pages' souvenir.

The second time was in Ojwang's restaurant where the cameraman again zoomed on the Royco container for close to 10 seconds!

Am not sure if there is a logical explanation to this but it shows how unprofessional the production department can be at times. Also, the advertising house which handles the accounts for Royco and Postel Directories serioUsly need some advise on advertisement placements especially so if the products are being used by a cast like Vitimbi. By doint it the way the did it yesterday, it cheapens a rather well thought out story.

But thats KBC for us, instead of watching the programmes, we watch the adverts and view the adverts instead of the other way round! How do you fix 8-15 adverts in a 20-30min programme?

NGILU ON CROOKS IN CABINET NOT NEWS!

That Ngilu came out firing from all cylinders and talked about wahuni in Cabinet is not new. Actually, when you look at it, it was just a matter of time before someone said what is obviously an open secret.

The most unfortunate thing since independence is that we have repeatedly been dogged and lead by fellows of dubious character. Fellows who one cant trust to take care of their teenage daughters or with the keys to one's back door. Reason being that what comes to their mind first of all is me, myself and i, everything else thereafter!

The current cabinet even has self-named slithery reptiles of the viper kind. These are the greatest problems we are facing as Kenyans today and the faster we realise this fact, the better for our own good.

But Ngilu is also in good company, she has become one who blows hot and cold simultaneously, madam of double-speak as well one who speaks from both ends of her mouth. Remember Kiraitu he of 'raping an already too willing woman' epithet?

By god, even the head of the pack froths at the mouth calling his sublects pumbavu, mavi ya kuku et al.

For how long we will continue to be saddled with this crisis, for that is what it is, is upon us. We can choose to follow the blind purporting to lead us or we can break this cycle of foolishness and send the whole lot home! At least the incoming lot will have some manners and a lesson to learn for gerrymandering is their game rule.

An Ethnic Joke Taken To Far. Dont you think so?

This is a loaded ethnic joke taken too far. It demonstrates what the
common man has been primed to fear about a Luo presidency however
qualified
the candidate might be. Unfortunately there are too many ignorant
people
out there who believe the ruse and a few luos who perpetuate the
stereotype. I have always wondered why Raila is considered head over
shoulders the ‘best’ Kenyan candidate for executive Prime Minister
(check
all polls on this) and with the same breath a Luo when it comes to the
position of President even with reduced powers!! I am lost.



This is Raila's Speech

Thank u for voting me as the Kenya No.1, though I think u should have
done it long time ago. I wonder why it took u so long to allow me be
the president, but anyway, this is how am going to work:

1) All roads must be carpeted............no pot-holes...........if u
spot any pot-hole please sack the minister via SMS............I will
approve it and pay u his benefits because u shall have saved us from
constituting a commission of enquiry.

2) All Children in School must be No.1 and share the same
grades...those who don't perform well should be given free Government
Scholarships to India, Dubai, and the rest of the world because my
government will deal with the best.

3) All Employers advertising jobs must indicate that they are looking
for PhD holders. Basic degrees should be left for messengers so that
people can work harder and be professionals.

4) There will be free medical cover in all public hospitals and no
private clinic will be allowed to operate unless it is run by a Luo
Professor who went to school in Alliance, Makerere, Maseno or Harvard
as any other person could be a Kikuyu conman.

5)You do not need a license to demonstrate or protest in the street as
that will be licensed opposition since after I take over Government,
there won't be any known opposition. The demonstrations shall help me
know I need to improve

6) Every constituency must have its own University so that immediately
from 4th Form...our children just join University.

7) Its going to be Majimbo system with all Government organs
decentralized....all landlords in Nairobi be warned the Government will
regulate all house rents.

8) Garbage collectors be warned and start looking for other jobs
because garbage collection will be a thing of the past.

9) Chokoras...Get ready to join schools because it will be illegal to
be seen begging and hanging around in the streets of Nairobi.

10)Policemen- there is no more toa kitu kidogo as it will carry a death
penalty since corruption will be a thing of the past.

11) Thugs get ready- there will be no need to steal since all of us
will be having jobs and not struggling.

12) Pastors- there shall be no more messages of "Receive, plant a seed
for your financial breakthrough", because your members will start
asking you where u take all that money to and yet the Government pays
for free Education up to University and free medical care while the
churches don't pay Orphans school fees. Church will be a place of
Worship
and
Worship alone.

13)If u don't drive a Mercedes Benz or GMC Hummer ....u will be
required
to contact the government to assist u obtain one from Germany

14) Collapsing Houses- That will be a thing of the past as only Luo
Engineers from Makerere and Harvard will approve house
constructions...not crooks.

15) Water Rationing - Lake Victoria will supply all ur water needs as
the Government will embark on serious water supply measures to ensure
that all have water in their homes.

16)Electricity Rationing:- If u can't access Electricity, then solar
panels will be available at Government Offices free of charge...u only
need to confirm which Engineer is installing it for you.

17)Political Campaigns- that will be a thing of the past as this nation
will engage every idle MP and get them better jobs if serving as an MP
is not enough.

18) My Term in Office - Lifetime because u will never think of
Replacing Raila....as u cannot find his match.

19)Prisoners - You will miss Moody Awori with his empty dancing tactics
and yet he still leaves u in jail and drives out in sleek Mercedes
Benz.
Being jailed will carry the instant death penalty like the Sadaam case
so as to decongest our prison cells and so nobody will desire to be
jailed. All Kenyans will work harder and avoid committing crimes.

20) Business Men - No clearance problems at the airport as all our
Goods and products will be locally sourced and processed. We are going
to promote local industries to thrive from within.

21) Mtumba Bizness- start looking for something else to do because
everybody must wear Kenyan made designer label clothes, only Ministers
and I will be allowed to import from Paris.

22)Fuel Hike - the Arab nations are my friends and I have promised them
cheap Fish and a few Luo think tanks like Anyan'g Nyon'go to help them
manage their billions in exchange of cheap or almost free Oil.

23)Evading Tax - how do u evade paying tax when there will be KRA
officials employed to collect tax and VAT from every building in the
country, each building that comes up must set aside an office for a KRA
official to vet and control Tax for the Government.

24) Foreigners doing our Jobs - Not anymore as we have locals who can
perform, the only foreigner we might employ to supervise them would be
Senator Obama who will be flying in and out Daily.

25) Mungiki Killings - Who do they kill and we shall employ at least 2
policemen in every home and Ndura Waruinge made Internal Security
Minister because he knows all the thugs.

26) Mismanagement of Funds & Terrorism - It will be a thing of the past
since George W. Bush & Tony Blair shall have retired and will be hired
to work as a consultants in Kenya.

27) My Running Mate - I don't need one I can do all things alone.

Signed :
Raila Amolo Odinga
Engineer, Langata MP and President of Kenya 2008 & beyond .

THE FUTURE HAS TAKEN THE SHAPE OF SAFARICOM

Indeed the future has taken shape of Safaricom. The question is, which shape suits your predicament at the moment?

* An endless CIRCLE of poverty?

* A disentangled TRIANGLE of corruption?

* An OCTAGONAL scheme of money making scams? or

* A bunch of politicians who never think outside their SQUARE shaped boxes?

BlogCatalog Community Organ Donation Awareness Campaign.

Currently all over the world, we are facing a shortage of organ donors to a point that hospitals are having long waiting lists for patients awaiting transplants. Even those whose relatives tissues match their needs, are having to wait for long before the operations can be carried out. These are the world’s stats as per blogcatalog: In Australia, more than 1,700 people are waiting for organ transplants. In Latin America, more than 50,000. In Europe and the United States, more than 170,000. In China, more than 2 million. In Africa, there isn't enough organization to really know. Without an organ transplant, these people will die.

In Kenya today, those who have eye problems are now hopeful following the establishment of the eye-bank at Nairobi Hospital which is supported by Rotary Club. Its billed to be the only one of its kind in East and Central Africa.

Organ and tissue donation is a very contentious issue especially where religion comes in. But also notable is the lack of cadavers to help in the study of medicine in universities.

One individual who has touched the eyes of men and literally given them sight is Dr. Mukesh of Laser Eye Clinic in Nairobi. He has undertaken over 1000 eye transplants in the past two and a half decades. To say that he has touched peoples lives would be the years understatement.

As the organ donation campaign goes on, we need to know that we can touch someone’s life my making a donation of our bodies or organs once we pass on. At least on that front, we will still be living though in someone else’s body.

To see more of organ transplant success visit here

Organ Donation Awareness Campaign

KIBAKI'S STORY

This is an email going round the net. I take it to be an election ploy. My advice, think when Dec29th comes.


THE KIBAKI STORY

Kamau wa Njoroge, (not his real name) who happens to own five
acres
of
land somewhere in the Rift valley - tuseme Laikipia - will this
year
sell his maize, yes! Maize for Kshs. 1,300 a bag. He sells his
produce at the local cereal board (NCPB). Right across the street
from the NCPB, Mr. Kiptoo is doing a roaring business akisiaga
posho.
He even mills the sifted unga and hence no need for rural folks
to
buy Hostess from Unga limited.

Five years ago, he got about shs. 400 for the same if he even
dared
plant
it in the first place.

His five cows give him an average of 25 kilos/litres of milk per
day.
He
reserves 5 litres for subsistence and sells 20 everyday at a
price of
Kshs. 18 per litre. That is kshs. 360 daily and since cows give
milk
even
on Christmas day, it is kshs. 10,800 every month.

He has three kids in primary school. He is a reasonably young man
and
since he is not paying school fees, he is busy saving money for
their
secondary education.

Across the road from Kamas's shamba, his neighbor James Koske has
10
acres. He has put 5 acres under wheat cultivation, 2 under maize,
2
under
other cash crop like potatoes, oranges and other types of
vegetables.


HE will be selling his wheat for about Kshs. 1,500 a bag. That is
about
700 more than what he'd have received 5 years ago.

Wheat yield is about 15 bags per acre. That will give him about
Kshs.
108,000 per year.

He has 7 cows. That gives him over 12,000 shillings monthly. He
sells
oranges and other vegetables. He is smiling because he is getting
rewarded for his efforts.

That is the same case for Simiyu in Mumias and his sugarcane
farm.
Chacha
and his tobacco is getting the same.

Otieno the Jua kali artisan and panel beater has just taken up a
small
loan from Equity bank to expand his business. He has actually
hired
three
more guys, two panel beaters and a painter man.

Mama mboga is doing roaring business at the soko and so is
Joseph,
the
owner of Hilton hotel across the market.

Mwalimu ameongezewa mshahara and so is the civil servant. He now
has
more
disposable income and some of it is being left at mama mboga's
and
Joseph's kiosk.

Dr. Ogeto, a Veterinary Doctor is doing roaring business at
Nyahururu
town
selling Adamycin, anti bloat medicine and Nilzan dewormer to
farmers.
Wakulima wameongeza mifugo coz KMC is doing roaring business and
so
is
KCC.


All these are common dudes. They are the small guys, the small
trader.

ODM, tafadhali acheni fitina. You look bad. Try something else.
The
economy is our strength; it is Kibaki's strength.

The economy is not doing well for two kinds of people;
1. Those who wait for free things, for manna to fall from above.
2. The lazy idlers.

For everyone who has a body temperature and willingness as well
as
the
initiative to take a risk, something is happening.

There are so many University graduates who are unemployed in
Kenya
today.
They are still waiting for those six figure income jobs.

They should go get a life. Start farming. its the easiest way to
make
some
money. Some of them have land lying idle (their parents), but
can't
even
educate their parents on what should be done. Hang on Matatus as
manambas and save some money and do something.

For anyone who had saved kshs. 12,000 last year, that was enough
money to
buy 1,000 shares of KENGEN. (@Kshs. 12.00). He would have made a
cool
8,000 shillings any day after the shares were floated in the
market
for
doing nothing. Reinvest the same money in something else and the
money
would have given 50% yield (shs. 4,000) giving him Kshs. 12,000
or
double
what he had saved. He now has 24,000 shillings in less than six
months. That is enough to secure him a loan at the bank or
something
else.

Remember the woman who borrowed kshs. 100,000, bought 6400 KENGEN
shares for approximately 77,000, sold the shares at Kshs. 40 each
making 28
shillings per share or 180,000 shares, repaid her 100,000 loan
and
made
Kshs. 80,000 ALL THAT IN A WEEK????

Why wouldn't a university graduate do that?

Remember the Chokora who saved Kshs. 50,000 and bought the same
leaving
Kimunya impressed?

Watu! Stop whining. It only makes you look bad.

Finally, everyone has a story of a small trader be it mitumba,
bike
repairer, shopkeeper e.t.c. who has made it in the last 4 years
in a
way
he could only have dreamt of.

Remember, there are no two economies in Kenya. There is just one
economy.

You don't have to be a genius to realize that if all sectors of
the
economy are growing including major employing sectors such as
agriculture and tourism then automatically jobs are being
created.

E.g. 5 new KTB employees go to Europe to promote tourism = Mr.
Shah
gets
10000 tourist through his hotel this year= Mr. Shah needs to hire
cooks,
watchmen waiters entertainers, drivers etc =Mr. Shah also needs
support
services a company to do his laundry and provide supplies.

Mr. Shah also needs to feed the tourist: enter Mr. Kamau. Mr.
Kamau
needs
to supply the fruits eggs milk for Mr. Shah he also needs people
to
go
buy the stuff from the farms clean package and deliver them to
Mr.
shah.
Enter Mr. Mwachofi he knows all the right people to do this job.

While the tourist’s are in Mombassa Salim the local has a tour
guide
company
that guides tourist’s around the coast, he also has a small
kikoi
shop and
curving he employs Mutiso Kilonzo and Mwangumi. Later Mahanga and
his
friends the local beach boys troop in to go sell the carvings.

Meanwhile Mr. Shah, Kamau and Mwachofi need to operate offices to
deal
with billing, payment, taxation to deal with KRA etc by DEC 2007,
600,000
JOBS CREATED NAHIYO NI MAENDELEO SIO MAANDAMANO.

Meanwhile Onyango is still living in Kibera and attending endless
ODM
rallies. While Mr. Shah, Kamau, Koske, Mwachifi, Kiptoo, Salim,
Mutiso
Mahanga and Nyongesa make some money and vote for Kibaki in 2007
and
dont
forget the women Mrs. Shah, Kiptoo, Kamau, Salim and Nyongesa.

CDF projects have also created jobs especially in the
construction
sector, but in some areas MPs resorted to buying lab items from
their
own companies and also spend all the money in giving bursary to
private students attending their private owned schools. People in
such areas will never feel or see the impact of the money.



President Kibaki promised that he would steer the economy to
create
500,000 jobs annually.

Kenya has 210 constituencies.

Each constituency receives approximately Kshs. 20 million
annually in
CDF.

On average, each constituency needs to create 2380 jobs to attain
the
desired goal.

Granted, some constituencies will definitely create more jobs
than
others
for example, Nairobi. This is the hub of commerce and industry as
well as
the service sector be it tourism, banking, hotel etc.

Some areas like the Rift Valley and Central Province are also
very
vibrant
in terms of the economy and will see a disproportionate job
growth
than
other areas.

I believe that we are very close to the said target and in two or
three years, if the status quo holds, we will definitely surpass
it.


KIBAKI'S DETRACTORS

ODM is so discomfited by the good economic news that they are
groping
in
the dark looking for answers.Why not just give credit where it is
due?

If you think about the ODM big 6 (or seven if you add Dr. Julia
Ojiambo),
you'd be forgiven for making the assumption that they are not in
the
country.

When there is good news, they are absent and notably very quiet.

Some days ago, Equity bank announced its profits and the story is
the
same. This is how the bank CEO summarized the rosy picture. This
excerpt is direct from the Kenya Yimes.

"Equity Bank's snowballing profit for the third quarter has
spiraled
by
120 per cent to Sh774 million from Sh351 million recorded for the
same
period last year.

The soaring profitability, attributed mainly to a surge in volume
of
business, is certain to boost investor confidence among the
bank's
shareholders following its listing at the Nairobi Stock Exchange
(NSE)."

He said that it was due to a surge in volume of business.

It wasn't EABL, KENGEN, SafariCom, Mumias and other blue chip
companies
that borrowed all this money; it was you and I, the small guy.


It is good to be objective. It is by being objective that we can
be
proud of being Kenyans. Subjectivity has turned people into
pessimists who cannot see light at the end of the tunnel. This
pessimism has been spread to many ignorant Kenyans
who have fallen prey of selfish politicians. For example Hon.
Musa
Sirma was sarcastic in his criticism of the NARC government. But
today he has seen what KANU was saying was impossible e.g. free
primary education is now possible. We are no longer kneeling down
to
donors yet every constituency including his Eldama Ravine is
getting
something. However there are some who still cannot
appreciate any of these goodies yet you cannot trace any
performance
record when they had a chance.


For Instance:

(1) Hon. Kamotho was Minister for Education,
Transport, Local Government, Trade, and Environment
What legacy has he left in all these ministries? What can you
remember?
Coups in local authorities, chaos in transport, and Oh! What
about
Karura forest? Hon Michuki was in transport for only two years
and he
has made history although Hon. Kajwang calls him - Muchuki.


(2) Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka has been in parliament since 1988. When
expressing himself he has always referred to himself as a
lawyer....
As a
lawyer he advised Kibaki to dissolve parliament and call fresh
elections.
As lawyer he predicted that 2006 would be a year of elections.
Kenyans
need to see his legal competence in parliament. Dont forget Njoki
Ndungu
joined Parliament recently yet she will go into history books
because
of
her contribution in parliament. Kalonzo needs to understand that
Kenyans
need more of actions and less of empty talk. Again he was
Minister
for
Foreign Affairs, Education, Wnvironment etc. Tell me something
unique
we
can remember him for.

(3)Hon. Raila Odinga was made Minister for Energy during the Moi
regime. As a minister during that time do you remember him beyond
landing in
Kisumu in a helicopter? Later he was appointed Minister for
Public
Works.
Do you remember him beyond bringing down buildings on road
reserves?
Give
performance a chance mheshimiwa!

(4) Hon. Balala was made minister for Sports and National
Heritage.
As minister he could not bring order to KFF. Hon. Maina Kamanda
was
recently
appointed Minister for Sports and we can see what is happening to
sports
in this country.



(5) Hon. Ruto can be best remembered in 1992 as a Kanu Activist.
You
remember the economy came to its knees as millions of shillings
were
looted for campaigns and for years Kenyans have paid for this
economic
crime. Anything you can remember him for as Minister? However
within
a
very short time as Minister, Hon. Kirwa has brought sanity in the
agricultural sector.


(6)Hon. William Ole Ntimama became Minister in 1988. However I
tend
to remember him more issuing threats and insults than working as
a
minister.
During the Narc era he was Minister for Public Service. Do you
recall
him
beyond threatening public servants. In the short period Moses
Akaranga
has been Minister do you see what he has done?



Actions speak louder than words. We have seen the likes of
Munyes,Obwocha, Tuju, Karua, Ngilu, Kagwe, Soita...their actions
are
louder than their words.
WE ARE NOT BLIND WE HAVE SEEN AND WE ARE NOT DEAF WE HAVE HEARD.
Does the ODM have an agenda for Kenya or these people have an
agenda
for themselves?

We can differentiate between competence and incompetence,
selfishisness
and selflessness. Can these people be trusted in their
incompetence
and
inconsistency?

You and other Kenyans should advice me. Send this to them and ask
them
to advise a Kenyan who wants to be proud of being a Kenyan. A
sample
of
ten is reasonable.



President Kibaki is going to be re-elected with a landslide,


Wait and see...


AND..
That is the story!

My philosophy remains ''WACHA KIBAKI ABAKI

DRIVER'S TEN COMMANDMENTS

The Vatican released what is now termed as the Driver's Ten Commandments. Here is the list:

'Drivers' Ten Commandments'
The "Drivers' Ten Commandments," as listed by the document, are:
1. You shall not kill.
2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.
5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
7. Support the families of accident victims.
8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
10. Feel responsible toward others.

How Heartless Can A Woman Be?

In a fit of anger after a disagreement about the husband's wish to take time and catch up with the boys at the local pub, a woman poured petrol on her husband when he returned as well as the two kids and set them all on fire.

One of the kids died and though the other lived to tell the story, literally, he is deeply traumatised and suffers from nightmares.

The husband, or rather the man in this case, was disfigured to an extent of being in and out of hospital for the past one year. Even his old friends cant recognise him and he has to re-introduce himself to the boys.

No matter the seriousness of the crime, this beggars belief. It escapes this bloggers mind, how a woman can be so callous yet find in herself, the strength to stand in a society?

POSTA GOES ON THE OFFENSIVE

When Kenya Posts & Telecommunication Corp was unbundled, it bore three entities. Among them, only CCK hit the ground running what with the revolution in mobile telephony which seemed to have been the last straw that would have killed Telkom the landline sibling with a record 1000 watchmen in its payroll!

Then there was Posta, the mail and parcel service who seemed to limp from one error of parcel loss to the other opened mail. While carrying out business this way, private entities realised that there was money in courier business that was the preserve of Posta and Securicor Courier. The gave the postman a run for his money with innovative same-day delivery and overnight delivery where the postman took a week or more to deliver.

Now the postman seems to have got their groove back, if the adverts running in the media are anything to go by. And they are using some very touching ads which resonate with those of us who used the service before the advent of the sms and email services in Kenya.

In the dailies, it says ' nothing says 'I Love You' like a letter...' like a letter '....we deliver emotions.' Reminding me of the high school days, donkey years ago when it was the only way to send the missive to that girl one had 'hooked' in the last Rally or drama fests.

The TV ad is more to the point, with the dove flying next above the mail delivery van as well as when one is reading the received letter, it lets you know that you can not only deliver a letter anywhere, but that Postal services are just next to you. Truly, Posta is the 'heart of the community.'

Lets hope that Posta keeps up the ante and delivers on time. I can say that the delivery time on their part has somehow improved but they cant rival parcel couriers like G4S, Coast Bus and the ilk.

A BANANA COSTS MORE THAN MY HOUSE

This landed into my inbox and i thought it wise to share it with my readers. I will not say 'enjoy it' because its a pity how low a country can sink just to soothe someone's cathedral-size of an ego!


There has been a wave of panic buying in many shops in Zimbabwe as the government enforces radical price cutting measures to try to tackle the world's highest rate of inflation - more than 3,700%.

One resident of Harare describes how the inflation is making life difficult for everyone, even those who are relatively well off.
At the pharmacy, I wait again in the gloom to have a repeat prescription filled.

It is for Phenobarbital tablets for my partner's mentally handicapped son, who suffers from epilepsy.

The tablets have gone up by 30,000 Zimbabwe dollars ($0.93 at the official exchange rate; $0.10 at the dominant black market rate) in a single day.

Hundreds of people are clamouring around the supermarkets, so I assume there has been one of the rare deliveries of basics like sugar or salt.

There is nothing I can afford.

A single banana costs 15 times more than I paid for my four-bedroom house seven years ago.

One candle now sells at 120,000 Zimbabwe dollars (US $3.70; $0.42).

That is twice as much as the government's stipulated farm worker's wage.

"This isn't living, it's barely surviving," I tell myself, but I know that so many Zimbabweans are not even surviving.

They are dying of hunger, malnutrition or preventable diseases.


This post is from bbc news and blogged here by assidous

40TH ANNIVERSARY OF ALBERT LUTULI'S DEATH

Forty years ago yesterday, Albert Lutuli (Luthuli) died in a mysterious car accident near his home in Stanger.

Born in 1898, Lutuli, a teacher, was known for his fight against the excesses of the Apartheid regime which jailed him severally in an effort to silence him. He was also a one time chairman of the ANC after he accepted the offer to become a tribal chief which he had resisited for over two years. He was later dismissed from being a chief after the government cited conflict of interest in his ANC membership and chieftainship.

In 1961, he became the 1st South African to win a Nobel Peace Prize for his fight against apartheid a move that was termed as 'an inexplicable pathological phenomenon' by Die Transvaler a local Apartheid Daily.

To Lutuli, his was a 'spirit that refused to submit to tyranny.'

Upon importing a used car or purchasing one from any dealer, one has to use the red 'KG' plate until the licence plates are issued.

Now KRA in its effort to net more tax has, and it has been successful so far, has started enforcing some laws that were ignored for quite some time. To buy a used car, make sure you get one from a licenced dealer or individual by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles which is an arm of KRA. This is under the little known and applied Second Hand Motor Vehicles Purchase Tax Cap 484 sec 4(1) of Kenya's Law.

They have also set their eyes on gar garages where repairs are done. They also have to be registered by the ROM and have a Dealer's General Licence for 'KG' plates under Traffic Act cap 403 sec 23-29.

Now the reality of KRA hitting the Ksh409B in the next financial year doesnt seen to be farfetched.

GlaxoSmithKline is the maker of the second leading pain-killer in Kenya, Hedex. After Panadol Extra was introduced into the market, they followed the same way and made a Hedex Extra tablet.

Sometimes in the last two weeks, a recall of the Hedex Extra has been initiated by the drug maker due to public outcry of its poor state especially in and around Mombasa areas.

The tablet was found to have crystals on it causing discolouration. When it was opened from its blister pack, it smelled bad and crumbled to powder form. The crystals were said to be salicylic acid whose toxicity levels couldn't be announced for reasons best known to the drug makers and the drug Board in Kenya. But for Obvious reasons!

In a GSK ad, the drug maker claimed 'there were no reported side-effectd/symptoms occasioned by the use of the affected product by consumers'! How true this is cant be verified.

But what can be verified is that the drug maker is the one that has gone public only in the print media but after the news was carried in the media, while the Poisons Board nor the Pharmacy Board have seen it fit to inform the public. To say that they are acting in public interesting is stretching a fact for so long! They act in the interest of the drug lords. Why haven't they gone on national radio and TV to inform the public on such a health risk. In developed countries, such a move is bound to have the drug pulled out of the market and the tests carried out on it ascertain the real cause of the crystallisation!

So GSK saying that 'they are committed to ensure that patient/ consumer safety is not compromised at anytime' doesn't wash with this blogger.

Am not a drug maker basher, but i can only trust them as far as i can spit them. Look at the drug fiasco in Nigeria and you will begin to understand why i view them with little respect.

And what a joke passes for the Poisons and Pharmacy Boards.

BEETHOVEN'S LOVE LETTER.

This love letter by Beethoven landed in my mail inbox. I think it's worth sharing.

"Immortal Beloved"
c. 1811-12

Even when I am in bed my thoughts rush to you, my eternally beloved, now and then joyfully, then again sadly, waiting to know whether Fate will hear our prayer--To face life I must live altogether with you or never see you. Yes, I am resolved to be a wanderer abroad until I can fly to your arms and say that I have found my true home with you and enfolded in your arms can let my soul be wafted to the realm of blessed spirits--alas, unfortunately it must be so--You will become composed, the more so you know that I am faithful to you; no other woman can ever possess my heart--never--never--Oh God, why must one be separated form her who is so dear. Yet my life in V[ienna] at present is a miserable life--Your love has made me both the happiest and the unhappiest of mortals--At my age I now need stability and regularity in my life--can this coexist with our relationship?--Angel, I have just heard that the post goes every day--and therefore I must close, so that you may receive the letter immediately--Be calm; for only by calmly considering our lives can we achieve our purpose to live together--Be calm--love me--Today--yesterday--what tearful longing for you--for you--you--my life--my all--all good wishes to you--Oh, do continue to love me--never misjudge your lover's most faithful heart.
ever yours
ever mine
ever ours.
Ludwig van Beethoven

VERY SERIOUS BUT FUNNY!

This post landed in my inbox, and as i have done before, i share it with you my readers now.

WE shouldnt laugh but its funny.....

A study was conducted recently to determine the average crime rate at
international airports around the world.

The study made use of an ordinary looking man standing in the airport
terminal and reading a newspaper. He had an empty briefcase next to him,
which he would ignore. Observers then recorded how long it took for the
briefcase to be snatched.

In Amsterdam the case was stolen within 4 minutes and 20 seconds.

In Washington DC it was stolen within 3 minutes and 16 seconds.

At Heathrow, London the briefcase was snatched in less than 2
minutes.

In New York , the case was stolen within 1 minute and 5 seconds.

In Los Angeles it took only 43 seconds before the case was snatched.

In Nairobi the people conducting the study were robbed on the way to
the airport at Imara Daima and the briefcase was stolen along with
their car! The man meant to pose reading a newspaper was shot dead at
point blank range. Two people walking on the side walk were injured. The
briefcase was again stolen from the thugs at the police block and the
car re stolen. The first thiefs were shot dead and the new thugs crashed
the car near the entrance to the airport whereupon the good samaritans
stole the briefcase and the thug's mobiles, clothes e.t.c.

EDUCATED BUT RUDE TO THE HILT

We Kenyans pride ourselves in our high levels of literacy which is very true. We can hold converstions with anyone on anything under the sun.

But when it comes to the basic etiquette, ours stinks to the highs! We are rude, impolite and ride roughshod over one another. Simple words which mean a lot like sorry, please, excuse me, thank you dont exist in our vocabulary at all.

Go to any kiosk and chances that you will hear ' nataka mkate' (give me bread)from a buyer is 99%. Our motorists have a world class rudeness: they don't use indicators, cut into lanes, jump lanes, hoot uncontrollably and what have you. In banks, we all want to jump queues while the banks themselves will not even have washrooms for their customers!

This is unlike our Tanzanian brothers who are in a class of their own when it comes to politeness. Words like 'naomba, tafadhali, kwa hisani yako........ are normal day to day lingua franca. Try it here in Kenya and heads will turn, in any case we have a President who insults the very people who have put him in a job 'pumbavu' (fools)!

Being polite costs nothing but the benefits are immense. There was an advert that used to go ' a little courtesy wont hurt...'

I rest my case.

BEER PROBLEM?

This post landed in my inbox and since i found it humorous, i thought i would share it with my readers.


A man, sitting outside his home about to be evicted from his house,
was contemplating what the future would be
after he had divorced his wife,
lost his children and his job...
He notices a crate of beer bottles
and walks up to it.
He takes out an empty bottle,
smashing it into the concrete wall swearing,
"You are the reason I don' t have a wife",
second bottle, "You are the reason I don't have my children",
third bottle "You are the reason I lost my job".
He notices the fourth bottle is sealed and still full of beer.
He takes the bottle, puts it aside and says

"Stand aside my dear friend, I know you were not involved."

CNBC TV IN KENYA

Sometimes back, i was scrolling the free TV channels and i happened to come across CNBC TV African running a programme about some mines in Zambia or something to that effect. I noted that it was showing the various Stock markets figures at the bottom of the screen.

It never caught my mind until the NSE figures started running and i got interested. Along the way, due to the weather, i got a bad signal and that was the first and last time to watch it again. I tried even asking around for the channel that was running the programme buti hit a wall.

That was until i came to know that it was indeed CNBC TV which is opening in Kenya and may be going on air in 3mths time. It will be Kenya's premier business and finance news network on 24/7 basis. CNBC TV will be a free channel.

CNBC TV is part of NBC a wholly owned subsidiary of General Electric who are also in the process of opening a major multi-factory in the country.

Watch out for that channel.

KHALWALE'S TIRADES ON EQUITY

To open a bank account with Kenya's big three banks KCB, BBK or StanChart is a job that calls for sympathy and lots of effort. One is asked for a plethora of documents and while at it referee's who should be account holders at the said bank. Don't be surprised if a birth certificate is required or a letter by your area chief. As if this isn't enough, they will ask you so many questions as if you are prisoner instead of a customer.

By the end of it all and so many days later, you are exhausted and have to wait for the account to be activated, then wait for the ATM card for weeks on end! That was and is still how they operate here, with little or no regard for customer satisfaction. You either put up with them or you take a hike. I will not even go into the loan application process. The thought itself is mind boggling!

While they were in their free money minting zone, they forgot about competition and slept on their laurels. Then one day, a small entity known as Equity Bank came and upset the apple cart and by the time they realised, Equity was amending the game-plan as well as the rules of engagement.

You only needed to fill a form and they would take care of the rest. They take your photo using the latest Motorolla phone or a digital camera in minutes and you have your account up and running! Talk of using the available technology to the maximum.

With the two scenarios, i need not tell you who people decided to walk into if only to spite the old order. Thus, Equity boast a third of all the accounts in the country. With this in mind, i don't think that 1.5M account holders daft to be there. There must be something that equity is doing right.

So when Bonny Khalwale he of the bull-fighting refereeing antics wastes taxpayers money by opening his mouth and demanding that Equity start demanding referees for their new account holders, you can only sympathise with his archaic thought processes. Why, pray i ask, have we cursed ourselves with such a lot full of self-importance that they don't care about the mwananchi trying to make ends meat? I think that as an MP one should try to promote the least bureaucracy if possible to ensure that life goes on and productivity is enhanced. I wouldn't be surprised if that sounds as Greek to him.

That Equity has not responded to him is acknowledges the fact that he deserves to treated with utmost contempt.

RUSHDIE KNIGHTED.

The Queen knighted Salman Rushdie he of the 'Satanic Verses' notoriety in her mid-June birthday honours for 'his services to literature.'

Satanic Verses is a work of art (literature) that satirised Islam and created an unprecedented furor that is unmatched by any recent book. This led to the then Iran's Spiritual Leader Ayatollah Khomeini to issue a 'fatwa' against him calling for his execution.

The knighting thought leave alone the act itself was bound to raise tempers and has now precipitated a diplomatic row.

Truth be told, he is now officially Sir Salman Rushdie.