Set the Date

“I was in high school when I got my third proposal, it became a trend. My parents looked for suitors and all I had to do is approve or disapprove the offer.” 

A stunning lady bordering her early twenties from an Indian decent sits across me in one of those many junk chill-out spots in Nairobi town. She narrates her life and background in Mombasa, and how everyone was inclined to dictate her life and none committed to asking her opinion.  

My education/studies were all in command by others, she also explained about her interest in fine arts and how it was all in vain as her parents urged her to pursue a more serious profession like accounting and handling the greens. 

The reason as to why many girls feel the need to comply with the idea of an arranged marriage is due to lineage continuity. Preserving a girl’s purity and prevent her from promiscuity or preserving their cultures and making them more entitled to an ever rich family tree that can be easily traced back to their ancestors. That’s the fate a number of ladies have fallen victim to. 

So far, she has had a great number of suitors, but none that she could claim a hand to. My parents and elders have to do profound research to know my parents suitors, our historical alliance, religion, as well as them having a deep liking to their cultural norms. This is more or less the foundation to a rich relationship according to them, she says. 

She sipped the cold beverage in the hot humid Nairobi afternoon, trying to ease her tension as it is viewed as taboo to talk about such intimate topics from where she comes from.  

“Everyone has the right of choosing to be with whoever they prefer, as long as it is not forced upon them.” She also insisted that, “there are high percentages of arranged marriages working better than love marriages.” 

Majority of the ladies I interviewed were pro-arranged marriages. One said that being married to a stranger brings in the benefit of the doubt and marks it as adventurous. Most of them preferred to remain anonymous, but here are some of their opinions to the matter. 

“I’m neither for nor against an arranged marriage. It’s really a largely cultural issue, and the cons depend on the reason for an arrangement in the first place. It being done for all the wrong reasons like forceful marriage or dowry purposes, then that’s definitely a violation of one’s rights.” 

This statement portrays the idea that an arranged marriage isn’t as harmful as many presume it is, as long as both parties are inclined to make a decision equally and their consent is acknowledged. 

“if it has been happening with the family’s ancestors and has been going on, then its okay for whoever wants to do it as long as both parties agree to it.”

She also claimed to witnessed a couple of arranged marriages throughout her life, some proving to be more successful than marriages set between a love couple. she also thinks that the benefit of the doubt offered in such a platform creates room where people can know each other further. 

“That’s prison on its own…. A person should have the freedom to choose their spouse and therefore I would oppose violently.” 

Her face seemed distraught and hit with deep concern after posing the question, she couldn’t imagine how such an act still existed in this time and age. That is not fair for any counterpart to ever experience, every lady should have to experience the princess fairy-tale grandiose idea of falling in love with a prince-charming, she further purported. 

As it is clearly portrayed, all the ladies spoke of a freedom to choose and not be forced against their own freewill. But have you thought about the case of an under-privileged girl not aware of her rights as person. Or that she is protected by a law of some sort. She is barely educated and her family is basically doing what they think is best for their well-being not knowing they might be violating their daughters rights. 

I remember watching an Aljazeera documentary recently where I saw a young girl, an under-age innocent child who got notified upon her marriage that was to be the next day. She had valid dreams of becoming a doctor and what not. But in the blink of an eye, all her dreams were shattered. She later got married at the age of 13 and became the sole property of her husband, gratifying his needs and not fully enjoying her rights as a child. Copied below is the link of the video. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPp-p2RI_jo

Our children/daughters don’t have to suffer this fate against their will. For many, the sole idea of a matrimonial bondage is an exciting event meant to mark or complete their life cycle as human beings. It is also the date to which one will get to choose a partner to have a life commitment with. That date will be the date that will determine ones eternal happiness, a date to which one will be the central theme to the event. 

 

For many, it’s a date to be entirely selfish and have all evolving around it. However, some culturally subservient figures unable to break the societal norm, feel compliant and not daring to be the exception to the rule. To others, the nature of life is not flux but permanent.

TB cases on the rise in Nakuru GK Prison

Prisoners at the Nakuru GK Prison are staring at death following an outbreak of tuberculosis in the facility that is already congested.

According to James Sawe, the head officer in charge of the prison, the number of TB cases has plummeted over the last few days.

Sawe said that the rise in the number of case is attributed to the high number of remandees, adding that the facility handles more than twice the number it is supposed to handle.

Sawe, however, said that clinical officers at the correctional facility were doing all they can to contain the disease which has thrown the facility into a panic mode.

The inmates are being screened for the disease and those found to have been infected being isolated for treatment.

The Nakuru prison has a capacity of 700 prisoners but is currently holding 1,562 inmates, something he says guarantees an active spread of the airborne disease.

Those who tested positive were placed in quarantine at segregation wards within the prison for further observation and prevention of new infections.

The clinical officer in the prison Julia Miring’u said that they have received at least 15 cases of TB since September 2015.

Firms delaying gov’t projects to be blacklisted – President Kenyatta

The government will now start blacklisting companies that delay delivery of services through court processes. This is the warning sent to suppliers by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

President Kenyatta said the government intends to restrain companies using the courts to hold back the country.

“We must move away from a vendor-driven society. Kenyans are interested in affordable and efficient services,” said the President while receiving a World Development Report.

He pointed out that the many law suits between service providers and regulators were not in the best interest of the country but only deemed to be company-oriented.

“Unnecessary completion by vendors has to stop if the country is to move forward and achieve its development targets.”

The President cited the digital migration in the country, whose implementation dragged for long due to vested interests, a key example of privatisation that is crucial to service delivery.

“It is evident as government programmes including e-procurement, extension of the police command and control centre outside Nairobi and Mombasa and privatization of terminal two at the port of Mombasa have been slowed down by monopolistic vendors battling in courts.”

President Kenyatta said the delay in digital migration, prompted by conventional media houses to protect their monopolistic interests, merely delayed benefits of digital technologies for Kenyans.

“Vendors fighting one another or with the regulators only tend to protect business monopolies but have no interest of the country at heart. It is clear that the digital migration has paid dividends by opening up space for more radio and TV stations,” he added.

The President told interested suppliers that they will not be allowed to delay the roll out the digital learning project. He also urged technical training institutions in the country to establish training opportunities that will enable youth become ICT experts.

“One does not have to go to university to be an expert in ICT. Technical training institutions tailor their courses to ensure that world class ICT course are offered for the youth at that level,” President Kenyatta said.

He also insisted that despite the country’s vested interests to embrace the ICT agenda, stark caution should also be observed to ensure criminals do not impose upon and perpetuate criminal activities making it prone to cyber-crimes.

The Digital Dividends Report 2016, a World Bank flagship project, was presented to the President by the World Bank Country Director for Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Eritrea Ms. Diarietou Gaye.

It examines the transformational impact of the internet, mobile phones and other correlated gadgets that gather, store and share information digitally.

The report defines digital dividends as benefits of technology in promoting development at effective costs.
The ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru acclaimed that a new policy was being developed to ensure e-services are embraced to advance transparency in all government agencies.

Court of Appeal seized the liquidation of Dubai Bank

The Court of Appeal has stopped halted the liquidation of Dubai Bank, until a ruling at the High Court that favoured the bank against Central Bank of Kenya is heard and determined again.

CBK is seeking to upend a ruling by Justice Eric Ogola, who adjourned the liquidation for 60 days.

The Central Bank issued the closure of Dubai Bank on grounds of its failure to pay its debtors and for breaching regulatory rules. 

The moneylender had on August 14 been put under receivership following “violations of banking laws and regulations, including failure to maintain adequate capital and liquidity ratios as well as provisions for non-performing loans and weak corporate governance structures”. 

CBK has been advised by Justice Ogola to consider a proposal by a British Virgin Islands company to invest an estimate of 2.2 billion shillings into Dubai Bank to save the financier from liquidation. 

Judges Alnashir Visram, Wanjiru Karanja and Hannah Okwengu said that the liquidation of the bank will remain frozen until the ruling of the matter, which will be delivered on the 16th of March this year.

Following stark orders, the second respondent in the case, Kenya Deposit Insurance Corporation (KDIC), is authorized to pay a sum of 100,000 shillings insured money to the creditor.

KDIC also argued that the orders from Justice Erick Ogola were unwarranted as they left depositors and creditors of the financial lender in jeopardy of losing their cash.

Religion vs Terrorism

Following up on the Garrissa University attack that recently happened in Kenya by Al-shabaab, after the Westgate siege. Some people felt stigmatized and frowned upon as some blamed or associated their religious affiliation with terrorism groups, hence I took the initiative of creating awareness and informing people about the difference between Religion versus terrorism. this video, "our dear brothers" provides an understanding from different people's perspectives and the initiative they took to do away with the misunderstanding. 

Bride Price

Blade to bride?

In front of me is a victim of this backward tradition, Fatima (not her name), a lady bordering on her mid-thirties. The room is filled with the hassle and bustle of the streets, portraying an image of the ever busy Nairobi city life. She draws back from her banal talk about her daily routine. The office is bright, an array of light gleaming through her brown eyes almost as if to see through her soul. Her facial expression seems sunken, as if reminiscing her lowest moment in her life. She’s definitely absent-minded, swaying on her executive office chair consumed by a plethora of thoughts. 

She licks her chapped lips and faintly starts by taking us almost 20 years back, just another part of her daily routine. She grew up in a small town of Machakos and studies at the most reputable primary school by the name Township at the time, she is the brightest in her class. To her education is the key to success, or so has she been told from time to time by her single-mother who endured so much despair that life had to offer. Her father abandoned her or in her words, 

“was consumed with his work that he forgot about his paternal duties.” 

She also insisted that having a father figure never made her bitter. 

“I absolutely understood his point of view.” 

Her mother traveled for business in order to provide for the family of 3. Fatima was hurriedly gulping her tea and ‘anjera’ prepping for school just after the ‘fajr’ prayers. Her aunt then approached her with a change of plan upon her schooling that day; they were to travel to the countryside apparently to visit a long distant family member.

 “I was a child, and hearing that I was to go for a trip just made me anxious for the trip.

So we departed for it.

Whatever was in store for me I couldn’t have foretold it. It was ages back but I can vividly picture and feel the environment. The room was dark, the air was stale and cold and nothing close to a vacation. I was suspicious of the whole event, the moment an old woman approached together with my aunt acting distant and all so distracted. A sharp reflective razor was staring at me, incense was burnt and the heavy smoke was blinding my vision. I wafted my hand trying to make clear of the situation, and that’s when I saw my aunt approaching and made a shocking request. 

“Open your legs she said, it is time to transform you to a woman...” 

I think I became unconscious; the whole event was way beyond my pain receptors. The room reeked of iron, incense and the sight of blood still troubles me, I developed a phobia. My aunt then told me that I was then eligible for marriage. It was a traumatic experience, who knew bride price could be that expensive.  

The type Fatimah underwent was the type 1 (clitoridectomy) form as described by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is also known as sunnah to many who don’t understand that it’s not a religious requirement unlike the common belief. Many innocent and naive women fall into the falsehood of this statement; credit due to some religious figures translating the ever so simple scriptures from the holy book, to their ambiguous misinterpretation.   

Through my research, I encountered so many elderly women who believed it was obligatory. Some said it was what made them eligible for marriage. Others did it, so as not to be the social pariah. Others weren’t educated thus didn’t understand their rights or medical requirements that they would have to suffer. There’s also the socio-cultural aspect where the women believe that they are bound by culture without demur and must simply conform to it. They insisted that it gives one an identity in the community as it also enhances their femininity. 

Many arguments frequently made by religious cleric’s stress that discriminatory actions are not to be entertained within religious faith. It further condemns atrocious acts such as FGM/C and condemns any act that may inflict one to physical pain. In the case of Fatimah, the fundamental factor that made her susceptible to it, hence it is the job of religious clerics to interpret religious scriptures and not FGM/C activists and researchers. 

 The Somali culture can be perceived as a piece of embroidery that has been interlinked with so many complexities forming its beauty from controversial debates of cultural injustices and anachronistic practices  like FGM/C to having its  multifaceted deep enriched culture endowed whose idea has now been romanticized. 

FGM/C is the process of removing external female genitalia for non-medical purposes exposing them to psychological, physical and mental problems. 98% of Somali girl child’s are exposed to this tradition. Its presence has had a global concern and has transcended beyond geographical boundaries. This is a narrative that is however changing.

Change

Various International Organizations and protective International Laws through media promotion have stepped in to curb and contain the matter. The process over the years has become successful. Education and people creating awareness of the matter by telling their stories thus creating a global presence has improved the lives of many unfortunate youth. Organizations such as the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) , United Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the constitution to name but a few stress upon the protection and promotion of rights of women and children. There have also been very many small programs and projects in the country set up to help and also educate such communities, hence the percentages of these FGM/C cases have plummeted.

changing the narrative

The case of Fatimah wasn’t a lost hope case. She managed to finish her studies up to her master’s education and is now a managing director of her marketing and branding company in Nairobi. She also insists that the event moulded her to to be part of the new feminist wave. she wants to be indepent on her own salary, pay and never be subservient to any form of male figure. 

"It is about time we get to be architects of our our future and bricklayers to our journey paving way to our goals." 

FGM/C doesn’t have to be the basis of marriage. Girls should have the rights protected until they are mature enough to make their own decisions. This act needs to be eradicated and positive change brought in regions affected by cultural malpractice. Awareness, education and women empowerment should be encouraged to promote gender equity and boost the morale of women.