State must end mysterious death of students

Morbid mystery • The increasing number of mysterious deaths of students on university campuses is worrying, says Beatrice Mbete. Besides a Maseno University student shot dead by police during anti-government demos, there have been several ‘suicides’. “The government should ensure justice for the victims so that their parents’ cries are not in vain,” Beatrice adds. Her contact is [email protected].

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Staff shortages • Every year, Stephen Njunu notes, thousands of youth are drafted countrywide to police and military training. “On completion, all the recruits get employed. Why can’t this effective and fair system also be used in other sectors—including teaching and health services, which experience huge shortages of professional staff?” His contact is [email protected].

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Water woes • One area where governments have not done so well since independence, Henry Ruhiu notes, is providing water to the residents of Nairobi, other towns and even trading centres. “It’s a shame for people to lack water and yet we have big rivers flowing to the Indian Ocean. We can rid towns of the water bowsers that are so common these days.” His contact is [email protected]

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False promises • Politicians rarely fulfil their promises, as Munene Botshelo has found out to his chagrin. Not long ago, he recalls, local residents were upbeat when they were told that the Quarry aka Ngoma Tupu road in Theta Ward of Juja constituency, Kiambu County, would be tarmacked. “Well, there is no sign of such a thing happening any time soon.” His contact is [email protected].

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Handshake nation • Kenyans’ obsession with shaking hands “is as if we eat handshakes”, says Mwangi Karuga. “Whenever friends meet, they all want to shake hands, the danger of Ebola and Covid-19 notwithstanding. Can’t hand gestures suffice as a form of acknowledging each other? Culture should be modified depending on the changing circumstances.” His contact is [email protected]. 

Have a different day, won’t you!