A Kenyan will sit next to you at dinner, eat your food, laugh at your jokes and complain about everything with you. Not once will they mention that they have been in a visa process for two years, passed their English test, secured a job offer, shipped their belongings and booked a one way ticket.
One Tuesday morning you wake up to a photo of them in a winter coat somewhere that is clearly not Nairobi. Caption: New chapter. Grateful heart. God did.
Their mother found out the same time you did.
This is not dishonesty. This is survival strategy perfected over generations. Kenyans have learned through painful experience that announcing a plan is the fastest way to kill it. Tell someone you are applying for a visa and suddenly everyone has an opinion. Aunties begin praying against it. Colleagues develop a strange interest in your affairs. Someone tells someone and the energy shifts.
So the process goes underground. Head down. Mouth closed. Documents moving. Prayers private.
And before you judge them for keeping secrets, know that some of these people did not even tell their spouses. Not because of trust issues. But because a spouse has a mother. The mother has a prayer group. The prayer group has a WhatsApp group. And that WhatsApp group has that one member who will fast and pray specifically against your visa.
So is this superstition, self protection or have we been hurt enough times to trust nobody with our dreams until they are already real?
And be honest. Are you currently silent about something right now?
Dismas wa Tabu. Dreaming in installments. Billed in full.
The government now says househelps should earn at least KSh 18,047 following the latest 12% minimum wage increase.
On paper, that sounds progressive.
In reality, many househelps are still earning between KSh 3,000 and KSh 10,000, while some of the
people employing them take home less than KSh 25,000 themselves.
Kenya doesn't just need wage orders. It needs a proper Domestic Workers Bill covering registration, contracts, minimum standards, background checks and enforcement.
Because here's the reality: a Kenyan earning KSh 15,000 per month may still need domestic help because of work, children or other responsibilities.
If the law says the househelp should earn KSh 18,047, what happens next?
Democratic Republic of Congo said on Friday that 71 new Ebola cases were confirmed in a 24-hour period and warned of rapid community transmission of the deadly disease. https://t.co/ycQHQKF22A https://t.co/ycQHQKF22A
@ledamalekina Money was never the problem. It's his insatiable greed. You will give him the 2.5B but he will still find something else thats not broken and claim he can 'fix' it.
Someone who lives in Kitengela and works in the CBD just got home, tired and angry. They spent 100 on a bike from home to stage, 170 to CBD, 100 for breakfast, 150 for lunch or inamad, 170 back to Kitengela and another 100 back home. No wonder they mean business when protesting
After giving birth, a woman's internal wounds take six months to heal, 12 months for physical recovery, two years for hormonal balance, and up to five years to rediscover her identity. Relationships frequently fail during this time due to a lack of understanding. Be kind and patient with new mothers; they are facing more challenges than it appears.
Abbie Zuena: The country is headed in the wrong direction and I will give an example, with ksh 600, I used to buy tokens and I used to get 25 units. Right now, I am getting 15 units. I have a dad who is diabetic with a very bad wound, as of last week he was getting an operation and SHA only covered for the bed and I had to pay from pocket #CitizenDayBreak
"Cash alone is not justice for protest victims": @thekhrc urges @HakiKNCHR to prioritise accountability, support for victims, and a public apology from Ruto.
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Kenyan digital content creator Karanja Gatetua, popularly known as Chuma Moto TV, has been released from police custody following his arrest over alleged involvement in a Githurai protest arson incident. Fans and fellow creators had gathered outside Kasarani Police Station demanding his freedom.
The Housing Levy Has Become A Payslip Heist: Why Kenyans Must Reject This Permanent Raid On Their Wages. William Ruto is now using the "cut" as security for a loan... Khabusie! https://t.co/T23xc73eBt
Transport CS Davis Chirchir imported an LX600 and a BMW X5 for his daughter last year. This year, he’s added a G-Wagon worth around Ksh. 20 million to the collection, which arrived just about a week ago. How agencies like DCI, EACC and NIS miss this shocks me…