Has Telkom Kenya really changed....?

After having spent the whole of yesterday, getting all the paraphernalia of having a 'fixed' telephone line and paying for it, nobody from Orange Telkom (previously known as Telkom Kenya), came to install the line. Why?

After all, they had promised me that it would be installed today and I spent the whole of today waiting for them. First, I was told by the technician, Mwaro, that he would come at 1.00 pm as he was very busy elsewhere. One wonders if they have only one guy to cover the whole of Mombasa.

Well, 1.00 pm came and passed, but, nobody showed up nor did anybody from Orange Telkom have the courtesy to call. So, I did, instead. To enquire first from the techy himself who told me that he was on his way and would be at my place soon. So, I waited some more and when more than half an hour came and went, this time I called various Orange Telkom numbers which were given to me by one of their staff.

This because, their latest directories, do not have a single Orange Telkom number listed anywhere in their glossy pages. And when one starts making enquiries about these numbers and if by mistake, thinking that 991 is a toll-free number, one makes a nasty discovery that it is not! You're charged for calling this number, so BEWARE!!! This is a directory enquiry number and it is an insult to injury when the directory that Orange Telkom publishes is deficient in giving this very important information - their telephone numbers. I wonder if they really deal with telecommunications.....?!

Anyway, to cut a very long and frustrating story short and after having even called their Nairobi number to get some 'action', my phone line has still not been installed and I wonder when it will ever be, for that matter.

I cannot spend my days being dictated to by so-called 'service' providers, i.e. that I cannot go where I want, when I want, just because these horrors cannot keep their word or time. That I have to stick around at home in the hope that somebody will come to install my phone IF, they feel like it. Otherwise I can go jump in the ocean for all they care. It does not matter to these incompetent people that I, too, might have certain important work to do and appointments to keep and I, unlike them, do not want my reputation to be spoiled by not doing so.

Therefore, I wonder now, when and IF, they are going to come. I have a nasty feeling that despite having told them that I will not be available on Wednesday, they will show up tomorrow, and then when I have to chase them away use the excuse that I was not available....., or not there!

So, as far as I and many others are concerned - while Telkom Kenya might have changed it's name to Orange Telkom, they have not changed their attitude one bit!

Persistent outages in Nyali....

Every couple of days, there are outages and/or fluctuations in Nyali. Why?

When we ring the emergency, after asking for the account number, they will tell you that they are sending somebody over. Now, considering the traffic jams on the one and only access road to Nyali, the bridge, one wonders how long this would take from the other side of the Island, for an emergency truck to make it's way all across town in the most awful traffic situations just getting through town.

Therefore, I have a couple of suggestions for KPLC.

1. They open an emergency office in Nyali to deal with the persistent outages here. They seem to be happening every couple of days. How come?

2. They also get their act together and deal with whatever is ailing the Nyali connections. Solve the problem immediately and in the process will not have to waste time and money on petrol and resources to make their way across town to deal with emergencies every other day.

Since they charge us an arm and a leg for this incompetent 'service', they really should solve this persistent problem once and for all or, as I said before, we'll all get together and sue the company for all the damage their outages and fluctuations cause to our electrical gadgets.

And they should also, with immediate effect reduce their tariffs that they charge for their shoddy service.

Btw, I've just rung them up about a half hour ago for the latest outage and am still waiting for the power to be restored. I'm working on battery power. Also, many of their numbers go unanswered. Why? They seem to have no explanation or reply to give to their consumers, I think!

Unlawful eviction by our Council

I've spent New Year's eve in the worst manner one can possibly imagine. Thanks to various senior officers of the Council.

I was about to have lunch with my elder sister on that day, when I got a phone call from a close friend informing me that some people had broken into my Council flat in Nyerere Estate (C5), and my things being taken out, etc., by the 'new' occupant with the help of these senior officers of the Council.

Since I've paid my rent in advance till March 2010, this was gross impunity on their part. Also, I've had nothing from the Council to give me notice of this action of theirs or why they would do such a thing. After all I've been living in that place for over 30 years! I've never defaulted on rent paying, either. Therefore, one wonders what and WHY this was done.

And why choose New Year's eve to do this? When none in officialdom would be available for questioning....? With a long weekend for the new occupants to nicely settle themselves in with no interference from any law enforcer/s.

I've spent most of last week trying to get some answers to this gross violation my rights and abuse by the Council to no avail.

I first went, on Monday, in the company of Munir Mazrui from MUHURI, to the Council's housing manageress, Ms. Miriam Moka(?), at her Buxton offices, but, she told us to go and see the Director of Housing and Social Services. This person, unfortunately, had not reported for work that day, and he told us (via phone with the housing manageress), to go and see the Town Clerk.

This, we did, that same afternoon. After sitting in his outer office for nearly an hour, we were told to wait further in his 'inner' outer office! This too, we did and after making us wait further, he deemed it fit to see us, at long last.

Mr. Mazrui showed him my receipts that the Council had issued me with when making my latest payment for February and March 2010 on December 24th 2009, and asked him why I had been evicted. We were told that he (town clerk), did not know anything about this issue and that he would have to investigate. So, could we please, come back on Wednesday, 6th January 2010 at 10.00 am to his offices?

We did exactly that, but, when we got there on the hour, we were told that he was out and could we wait as he was going to come back shortly? Therefore we waited some more... The Town Clerk at long last made his appearance after nearly an hour of us waiting, but, did not even acknowledge our presence or give an apology for not being there for his 10.00 am appointment with us. Instead, he made us wait some more.

After about twenty to thirty minutes further of waiting after his arrival, we were told to go into his 'inner' outer office to wait some more and which we did. When it started getting to nearly 12.00 noon (we'd been waiting for nearly 2 hours!), and with no sign of him calling us in to discuss this issue, Mr. Mazrui and I decided that enough was enough and we left.

This Town Clerk, despite seeing us seated there in his 'inner' outer office when he came out a number of times, did not even acknowledge our presence leave alone apologize for his being late for his appointment with us that he himself had made with us two days before. What impunity is this?

Also, our next stop was to a lawyer's office right across from the Council who has since delivered a notice letter to the Town Clerk to explain the Council's actions regarding my eviction and the fate of all my stuff that was in the flat. Despite, there being no 7 day notice, but, instead it says with immediate effect, there's been no word forthcoming from that direction. Why?

This action by the Council is gross impunity by our Public Officer/s and highly irresponsible, too. But, in this country, the high and mighty ALWAYS get away with every kind of violation, unfortunately. There is no justice and there is no law here, anymore....., is there?

And what happens to all the damage to my reputation, flat, it's contents (my possessions), and the 3 months of this year that I've paid in advance in rent? Have the present occupants also stolen that with my name, etc? We have 'official' thieves, also, it seems who can break and enter any premises they feel like and take over throwing the rightful tenants out in the cold. What kind of precedent is this Council and it's 'officers' setting? The law of the Jungle seems to be prevailing in that direction.

Will I ever see justice done and compensation paid for this gross impunity by the Council?

Outages and fluctuations galore!

One would think that Nyali being such an up market area, there would be hardly any of the above and also the fact that we've just 'celebrated' the 46th anniversary of our so-called Independence (from what?!), citizens would expect that every corner of this benighted country would be lighted up. And it would be expected that this would be by means of clean, renewable energy like solar and wind instead of the same old 'dirty' fossil fuel kind.

But, since Independence our so-called leaders have done NOTHING but EAT and politicize every imaginable service provision in the country and run it to the ground if not left it destitute to die a 'natural' death. Unfortunately, for us, the Wananchi, we bear the brunt of it by philosophically reacting to any glaring impunity by saying, 'oh, what can we do (helplessly...!), we live in this horrible continent of Africa where things hardly ever work 'normally', if at all and there's corruption everywhere!'

Little do these people realize that had this been happening in any other country where most of us would like to escape to, these so-called service providers would have been taken to task and made answerable for their impunity and comes the next election, NONE of the perceived crooks been re-elected. But, that can only happen when the people are educated enough to take these service providers to court.

Nearly everyday Nyali suffers from outages and power fluctuations not once but umpteen times in a day. Why? I was told that there is only one long line from somewhere in Mishomoroni to everywhere and therefore needs to be shortened to deliver proper service. Since we're into our 46th anniversary of Independence, what have these people been doing all these years? They woke up just recently? Or when people started really complaining of their electrical gadgets packing up. And then, too, our Kenya Weakness & Darkness is taking it's own sweet time and taking shortcuts in dealing with the problem. Maybe, I should try and get ALL of Nyali residents and should the rest of the town want to join me, they can, in suing the service provider responsible. Any takers?

We are very FED UP of their lousy 'service'!!!!

We're still waiting for the power to be restored and since 9.00 am, this is the second time, already.....

Another country wide outage

One really wonders WHY the KPLC (renamed by me to Kenya Weakness & Darkness), has deteriorated it's 'services' so much that now we don't just suffer localized outages, but countrywide ones! An example is yesterday evening.

While the power was restored after about 2 to 3 hours in most major towns (cities?), this was not the case in Kisumu where it came back on at 12.45 am!

Another thing that amazes me is that these people when one manages to get through to them, cannot, give an explanation as to why they have blacked out the whole country. In fact, it doesn't even make major news, anymore nor do the KPLC officialdom deem it fit to explain their incompetence. Or even apologize to it's countrywide consumers for the numerous inconveniences and problems they cause not to mention the many electrical gadgets that pack up due to them. I wonder if they would pay us damages for this?

And what about the various accidents that this causes and when people either get hurt or even killed because of them. Do they even think about the present security situation in the country, too? When anything can happen to citizens and visitors alike under cover of darkness?

This is highly unacceptable in any 'civilized' society!

Nairobi Water Company's haphazard water delivery

It is now over 2 weeks that the Parklands/Highridge area has seen any water coming through the taps, yet, other places are getting water, though, in an erratic manner. This is reminiscent of the whole country and its many water delivery outfits. None of these people are consistent and reliable when it comes to water delivery 'services'.

And the irony of the area mentioned above is that, there is a water tank still overflowing with the precious fluid right next door at the former Highridge Teacher's Training College. While the people living right next 'door' to this offending overflowing tank, are going without a drop of water for weeks on end.

The Nairobi Water Company even has the temerity to send their offensive phantom water bills and their goons to disconnect water meters of people who have not had water for ages, thanks to their incompetence.

Why is it that some areas of Nairobi get water all the time, i.e. are not prone to their water rationing while other areas like the one mentioned above hardly get any water. Do these people have anything called planning in their 'working horizons'?!

One wonders if there is planning of ANY KIND applicable to this incompetent, bloated and corrupt government. The only thing they are capable of 'planning' is how to tax the public for their own selfish ends!

We sure live in the most trying and unjust times in this country. As mentioned umpteen times previously, there's no law or justice here any longer.

The costs of 'dressing'!

Going to the Aga Khan Hospital's Casualty Dept., for a change of dressing for a wound or operation site can cost nothing less than 750/- and most times it's much more than that as I found out to my detriment this afternoon.

As soon as one reports at the reception, you're given a number for when the cashier will call it out. At this point, you're required to pay a standard charge of 750/- for which the receipt says 'dressing-casualty'.

After this, one is required to wait till your name is called out. That's what happened with me just a few hours ago. The only reason I needed to go for this was because of a surgery I'd gone through yesterday barely 24 hours ago and the tapes that had been put on the site had got wet and needed replacing.

When my name was called out I followed the male nurse(?), into the cubicle for this purpose. There on the side table was a closed brown paper bag which I was to discover held the accoutrements for cleaning wounds, operation sites, etc. The nurse opened this bag even before looking at what I required and what a waste it turned out to be, because the only thing required to be done in my case was to replace that wet tape. He realized this immediately that I showed him my operation site, but, since he'd opened the bag, he put a little saline fluid into a crucible, added some Betadine(?) and proceeded to dip some wool held with forceps into this liquid and wiped the area after removing the tape.Then, he disappeared for a few minutes and came back with the replacement tapes. He said that there was no need to do anything else as everything was fine (and no wonder since it is hardly 24 hours since my operation even as I write this), and nothing else needed to be done.

The whole thing was over in less than 5 minutes and I was ready to go, when, I was stopped by the nurse and told to pay further for the tapes that he had used. This was a complete surprise and nobody had warned me that I was going to be making further payments other than the one I'd already made in the name of 'dressing'. So, I ended up paying a further 300/- for this and the receipt reads 'opsite post operative'. What is the difference between that and 'dressing'?

And if they were going to charge me for this, why charge me 750/-, earlier? Or vice versa? I got very angry at this additional charge and told the girl there that I thought of this as a complete rip off. She in turn, hid behind the statement that this was standard procedure. Whatever that means? I've discovered that these two words 'standard procedures' are used to hide a multitude of unanswerable questions that people like me ask of officialdom. In fact, they will keep repeating this statement over and over again like stuck records!

Before, I started writing this email (and for whose email addresses I had to search the Internet), I decided to ring the casualty dept of the hospital and ask to speak to the person in charge. When I eventually managed to talk to her, she defended their practices and there was not a trace of remorse from her that I had ended paying over a 1000/- for a simple change of tapes. I also told her that I was writing this email and told me to go ahead which is what I'm doing.

So, everybody BEWARE, of these hidden costs of 'dressing' your wounds or 'opsite post operative'. Better make sure before you pay anything or you might get fleeced. In which case, you'd better have lots of money on you to pay for your oversight.

Nairobi's worsening water situation

I don't know what the problem is with the various ministries in charge of vital services like water. They never seem to deliver these 'services' predictably and consistently.

For example, the Nairobi Water Company a while ago publicized the timings and areas about how, when and where they are going to be supplying water. They never kept their word despite them having given this in the media. One would sympathize and even cooperate with their rationing IF, they would keep their word about days and timings, but, the residents get very frustrated and angry when they don't keep these.

The Parklands/Highridge area and it's immediate environs, haven't had water for over a week with no explanation forthcoming from these so-called 'service' providers. It would seem that they only get off their lazy and incompetent backsides when they receive my nasty emails and for a while water comes through, but, they, like Kenyans in general have extremely short memories and they soon forget to supply us with this vital fluid. This time they have really messed us up since the Muslims who live here are having their Eid holiday and after a whole month of fasting, we now have to do without water, still!

Why at this time? One wonders if this is not a planned thing in order to frustrate us.

And why is it that certain other areas like Westlands never misses water? Are their sources of water different from ours?

The people in charge of delivering these 'services' still seem to be living on another planet where they think that their incompetence is going to go unnoticed. They forget that we are living in the 21st Century where the mode of communication is much faster than their slow thinking brains and we can now know within seconds about what is going on where.

So, I would like to welcome them to the 21st Century and request them to get their act together pronto and supply us with water with immediate effect. Otherwise, they'd better not send us phantom bills for their phantom water. It would be like adding salt to a festering wound.

On second thoughts, are the water tankers who provide both 'fresh' and borehole water in cahoots with the various official water providers? That is, maybe, they (water company and 'friends') are getting a hefty cut from these water tanker owners....?

A/c No 2399078-02 & the ongoing power rationing

My cousin's place (at the above account number), suffers from the 'scheduled' power cuts on Tuesdays, Thursdays and recently Saturday was added recently to the usual 2 days of rationing. All this is highly inconvenient, but, in this country, this is not a problem for the various service providers. In fact, they couldn't care less!

This morning, we suddenly lost power, again. This would be the second day running. Therefore, we rang the emergency to ask why this was so as it was not the scheduled day of 'rationing'. The emergency, when they answered, could not explain why we were having an outage. So, we rang some other numbers but all of them went un-answered except for one and when she was told of our predicament, said that we should ring emergency. When we told her that we had already done that and that they could not give us an explanation and that was the reason we were ringing her. She promptly told us that the number we were ringing was her private one and cut us off. That number had been given to me by one of her colleagues in Mombasa.

Soon after being rebuffed by her, we got our power back and one wonders how long this awful and unpredictable power rationing is going to go on for.

Yesterday, another friend of mine who has the same days of rationing as my cousin but lives on Sports Road, never had the power go off the entire day. It was quite a boon for her, but, she was very insecure about it all the same - that the thing would go off anytime since the power guys don't have any strict timing that they adhere, to.

Oh yes, they say, for cosmetic purposes, the it will go from 6.00 am to 6.00 pm, but they do not always stick to those timings.

Every 'service' provider in this country announces one thing and practices something else altogether. No wonder we do not take them seriously.

RE: Your Ref: KACC/INV. 6/10/ Vol.III/ (102) AND NOW (113) - 21190 - RE: NOISE POLLUTION - ATTN: P.M MWANGI 'ndc' (K)

I've been in receipt of a response to my email regarding this issue since the beginning of August, telling me that I should contact the PPO and the NEMA offices for intervention regarding the persistent and continuous noise and subsequent harassment by the neighbours.
This email is an answer to the latest missive ( Ref.-113), from KACC. Since I last wrote, I've been inundated by noise nearly every other day thanks to there being a wedding season in Coast Province which usually happens every year just before Ramadhan. Add to this, the religious noises that we have to put up with everyday from both the Muslims and the Christians. Life assumes an intolerable agony and despite sending these emails to the NEMA, NOBODY is doing anything about these issues.

In fact, the latest noise and by extension harassment issue is on going as I write this and it involves Councillor Kushe who is also a neighbour. If the officer at KACC will notice, this particular email has also been sent to the Ministry of Local Government under whom this Council Estate falls as well as the 'complaints' section (email) of the Kenya Police. This later, while I got it from their Web page, always bounces. One wonders, why?

And despite calling numerous senior police officers when the noise is on going, results in absolutely nothing. Therefore, one thinks in terms of corruption which is definitely supposed to be dealt with by KACC. It is this last response from our so-called cops, that results in me writing these emails. Their attitude smacks of corruption!

Since yesterday evening, Councillor Kushe's place has been celebrating his daughter's wedding in the most offensive (to the neighbours), way. They have been having loud music playing the whole night and despite trying to first talk to them to reduce the volume, which resulted in them ignoring my calls. I then, tried calling the various officers including a senior officer, Mr. Lumumba, to please take some action as I could not sleep. Nothing doing! They all claimed that they were sending somebody, but, nobody came.

These offensive people only stopped in the morning at around 5.15 am when the call to morning prayer was given. Immediately, the prayer was over at around 5.45 am, some kids with a drum started drumming with complete impunity and disregard for the neighbours who had not slept the whole night, thanks to them and were trying to get some shut eye, for a couple of hours to be able to function for the rest of the day without feeling like zombies. They paid no attention to my pleas, and in fact, have been setting off the car alarm and ringing my doorbell and then running away. It's still going on....

Is there ever going to be any action taken or is the buck going to be continued to be passed along, where, nothing gets done?

As soon as cops in this country hear a politicians name, they are very averse to doing anything to stop whatever misdemeanor that one is complaining about. Why? Are our 3rd class politicians above the law? If this is the case, then, it's the only country where it is so.