Earth Day 2012

Happy Earth Day everyone.  Some random thoughts from a random head.  I don't have a scanner so want to share with you some stories from the newspaper here.  There are a few different papers that we get.  The Nation has a bias towards the government.  The Standard does not have the government bias.  Here are a few articles or portions of them from The Standard.  Remember, there is an upcoming election here and after the last election December 27 2007, there was mass rioting and +++ violence.  About 3000 people were killed and 300,000 people displaced.  There are still about half that many in IDP camps.

"The Standard - April  13 Kisumu Kenya - Boy beaten senseless for cheating in exam.
A student is lying unconscious at Kendu Bay Hospital afteyango, ofSangoro Secondary School was beaten for alleged cheating in an end of term exam.  Billy Onyango of  in Nyakach, was allegedly beaten by his teacher. His father said students who witness the beating told him the teacher used to
log to assault him before they rescued him.   The teacher has admitted beating the Form Four student, saying he had caught him cheating during the exam." 

• Lori's editorial - it is always great to know that children are treated with respect and dignity.   What do we teach our children?

The Kenyan parliament was supposed to meet to try and figure out how to decrease the crazy high interest rates for the people of Kenya.  Here was the outcome:

" The Standard - April 21, 2012. Nairobi Kenya. MPs in secret payment deal.
Finance Bill eased through House with hidden changes giving MPs parting gift of close the sh4 million each, as claims emerge of corrupt law makers taking sh50,000 cash payouts to abandon the interest rate battle.
Members of Parliament will stick their hands into the public pocket one last time as the prepare to leave the National Assembly. As accusations of petty bribery arose over the just passed Finance Bill, is has emerged that the law included a secret golden handshake that may have helped persuade MPs to drop their fight for better terms for Kenyan borrowers.  The deal was sealed after MPs were treated to two expensive luncheons in Nairobi.  The MPs voted Wednesday to  give themselves a tidy sh3.7 million each as a gratuity at he end of the tenure of the Tenth Parliament.  This is more than double the current severance pay. . . "

• Lori's editorial - I talked to a colleague of mine today.  He went for a loan for a car.  The bank wanted a 30% interest rate.  He said no.  This is the same rate that department stores charges for their credit cards in Canada.  This is what people pay for a mortgage rate in Kenya.  Meanwhile the MPs just passed a bill which gives them $50,000 Cdn tax free (to go along with their $300,000 tax free annual salary) when parliament is dissolved before the next election.  

"The Standard - April 21, 2012.  Ruto holds rallies in Ukambani, calls for unity.
Eldoret North MP William Ruto took the campaign to popularise his United Republican Party to Makueni County where he called for unity.  " We need to preach unity among all the communities to build a strong nation," said Ruto.    He declared that time has come to change  the country by electing the right people to leadership positions.  Ruto said that the country need leaders with impeccable integrity and those that can be trusted. . . "

• William Ruto is one of four Kenyans who have been charged with Crimes Against Humanity with the ICC for his role in the 2007/2008 post election violence.  The trial has not started yet.  At the same time, he is allowed to continue to run for President of Kenya and is now campaigning for the same.  Two of the four on trial including Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta (son of the first President of Kenya) are running for president.  If one of them gets elected President before the the ICC trial finishes and they are indicated for war crimes, they will have immunity from the indictment.  So, Kenyan would have a convicted war crimes leader for a president.  
• I find it very strange that someone on trial for war crimes calls for leaders with impeccable integrity and that can be trusted - when he is talking about himself.

So where do the children of Kenya look to for role models?  To their teachers (who beat them)?  To their political leaders (who steal from them and are on trial for war crimes)? To their parents who don't stand up to their political leaders who do not do anything for the people and only think about themselves?

I can fully see why a small minority of people in Libya, Egypt and Syria have arose up against their oppressors.   I would have loved to live in the time of Ghandi to see his non violent revolution. 

All I know, is that despite our 'conservative' Canadian federal government and certain injustices that do occur, I am still so very grateful to be Canadian and to live in such an amazing country where as a population we actually care about each other and the political leaders do think about the people.