Six steps to surviving the perennial water shortage in Nairobi

Author Reference

Lango, B. (2016). Six steps to surviving the perennial water shortage in Nairobi .  Intel Fire Group of Companies Blog. Nairobi, Kenya. October 02, 2016.

A water vendor in Tena Estate, Nairobi. Photo courtesy: Business Daily - online version

It that period of the year that Nairobi and its environs is experiencing water shortage due to shortage of rains not in Nairobi itself but some 74 kilometers away in Murang’a that holds the dam that supplies water to the city. The city according to the 2009 census has a population of 3.138 million living in a 696 square kilometer but if you are reading this article you realize the population is much higher now. According to water resource management authority (WARMA) the estimated water demand for Nairobi is 650 thousand cubic meters per day compared to the production of 482, 940 cubic meters per day which means rationing of water was there even then. Now, the Kenya meteorological department has not predicted a better situation ahead instead predicting the situation to get more dire and as at the moment if you living in Nairobi and your village or rural home is also close by then it is a double tragedy that requires certain adoption of new ways of living in the city with the perennial water shortage. Having gone through this before it is prudent that as rationing start adopt the following ways of life while at the city

1. Invest in a water tank instead of the small containers

Most families living in the city, if the various media reports are to go by, have invested heavily in small 5litre and 20litre containers to reserve water. This by essence takes a lot of space in your home or residence and is prone to misuse as one uses one containers there is a psychological assurance that there is still another unused. To monitor the capacity of controlled water usage in your home invests in a water tank and it does not have to be the big man’s tank, the 210litre tank might just do the magic. Whatever it is you are using to conserve water for future use ensure that it contains water that is enough to serve you and your family for at least 2 weeks. This is to enable you have consistent water for basic use until the next ration day which in most instances can last up to one and a half weeks.

2. Wash only once a week

This targets those families with house managers (read stay home mum or girlfriend) who believe their job description for the day involves washing cloths even if there is none to wash they will find the old ones for the day. This is what can be typically referred as perennial washing which in reality supports the perennial water shortage in your residence. Why would a family of four consisting of husband, wife and two grownup children, be virtually washing every day? Washing in bits as already stated uses a lot of water and where one would be able to use 100litre water they will end using more or even double. So folks to manage the perennial water shortage talk to your house managers and enlighten them on the fact of the matter that this shortage is real and it affects both of you and both have a responsibility for its management.

3. Boil all drinking tap water

Friends this period are trying moment and do not take chances as the period also brings with it water borne diseases which are as a result of drinking contaminated, dirty, unclean, or whatever name, water. The water that is reaching your tap is after several days of it being dry and well this might not result to unclean water but to be on the safe side it is better to boil the water. It also goes to have a candid rule NOT to drink any water that you have no information of its source and especially on the roads, from your untrusted neighbor, or any other location. The fact that there is perennial water shortage does not mean that the water bottling companies have it in plenty. If buying bottled water buy from a reputable company like…. (you mention it) so that you avoid being in the future list of those suffering from water borne diseases which according hospitals around your home includes cholera and to the worse extent some serious illness such as guinea worm disease, typhoid, and dysentery. You might not know these diseases but wait until you drink contaminated or dirty water and get one them and the shock of 3.4 million deaths each year as a result will send you to the grave earlier than you thought. TAKE HEART SISTER BOIL WATER TO DRINK.

 

4. Recycle used water for toiletry and flowering

I know of folks who require the services of a toilet for bowel movement for about 10 times a day and each time they flash water. Remember this is different from the toiletry bladder movement requirement which more so depend on how much fluid one drinks. Assuming that the toilet cistern holds about 10litres then each will be using 100litres which is water more than enough to feed a whole village buying in quantities of 5 shillings a litre. The learned friends at the institute of biological sciences tells me that the normal urinary frequency for a normal adult like yourself is about 6 to 7 times in a span of 24 hours while that of bowel movement is about 3-times a day. So if you are in the habit of going to the toilet at the feel of a small urge of bowel movement, control yourself or else the smell from your house toilet will lead to unimaginable one. For those staying in their own compound and actually own the place, this is that time you start thinking of constructing a pit toilet as it will save you the dangers of water running out and only need to worry about the tissue paper. Remember the pit latrines or toilets were not invented for the less fortunate but were modern during the days of Noah and Abraham.

5. Reduce number of visitors to your home…these are tough times

The fact that this is the month of January in Kenya it already means to a large majority hustling with life that times are tough but when you add perennial visitors coupled with perennial water shortage then the times are a disaster. Take a peek at a family of three (Read husband, wife, and child) staying in a modest estate within Nairobi or even outskirts and assume that they get an average of 4 major visitors (those who spend a night or two) a week this will translate to at least 7 members of the family per week which requires the use of more water. The saying in town goes that those from western part of Kenya have higher number of visitors a week as their villagers believe that it is their responsibility to ensure when they reach the city they are well taken care of. Make an effort this month and announce publicly to the would-be visitors that you have cancelled all the visits in a bid to reduce the amount of water requirement for your guests. If this is not possible then transfer the risk by meeting in a nearby hotel or restaurant which would again cost more and bit the logic of this article in terms of cost reduction strategy skills. Remember folks that relatives can never be strangers in your home but unannounced visits to one’s home or residence is considered an intrusion of privacy in modern world we are living in today.

6. Pay your water bill on time

The synopsis that “now that there is water scarcity no more water bills” is a dead cow and wait until the end of the month the bill will be higher than usual to your surprise. So long as you are connected to a water meter by the government authority or private water vendor the story is the same, there are standing charges which the big water experts have not been able to explain how these goes up during water shortages. Avoid missing the little water that is rationed because you have failed to pay for that bill as the opposite is buying from the water vendors who are simply vultures feeding on your worries and the longer the period, the better for them. Paying the water bill is the only ticket to the water authority including you in the list of those who dearly need it and non-payment reduces this need meaning the number of those at risk of water shortage reduces.

Reduce the number of times you visit your bathroom for that shower

This article does not advocate for non-bathroom attendance as the men and a few of the ladies would like but simply states that there is need to adjust the number of times you make a visit to this vital center. If you are used to bathing for at least three times during the day, there will be need to reduce this number to two and if you have been bathing only once a day as some of the men do, then probably thinking once every two days is not a bad idea depending on the receptive nature of your partner and that no major activity takes place during the day and or night. An average man according to experts’ uses about 20litres to bath and this figure is higher when one is using a shower-based system rather than the hand-to-bucket manual system. All said and done it is also important to note that those using the shower-system have the other as their backup system should there be a failure. For purposes of leaving no doubts bathing was introduced by the Greeks for purposes of relaxation or leisure activity within gymnasiums so in any case you decide to implement your ancestral standards of living by bathing once a week, you will not be the first one…remember times are getting tougher as water is a vital commodity in any society.

The writer is a PhD Generalist in Service Delivery and Project Management.

Contact: benard.lango@gmail.com

The private universities dilemma of new degree students starting January 2017

A view of Mount Kenya University, one of the fastest growing private universities in Kenya

Author Reference

Lango, B. (2017). The private universities dilemma of new degree students starting January 2017.  Intel Fire Group of Companies Blog. Nairobi, Kenya. October 02, 2016.

The education sector in Kenya has seen massive transformation and for those who have just experienced the wave of the new changes the results is real. The joke of the town is that the man in charge of the sector has restored it from manufactured results based on how rich a student ‘sponsors’ is to earned results based on a student’s abilities. Of great interest is the transition from the secondary to the university level of education. Remember that universities have been transformed to manufacturing machines whose main aim is to ensure maximum profitability at the expense of quality education. The statistics from the Kenyan Ministry of Education indicates that a total of 88,928 candidates scored the required university mean grade of C + and above in the just released results for year 2016 candidates. This is against the public universities capacity of a total of 96,500 new students across the country meaning the public universities will easily absorb all the qualified candidates.

According to Kenya’s statistical abstract there are 22 public universities, 14 chartered private universities, 13 with letters of interim authority, and as at October 2016 there were 540 registered middle level colleges in Kenya. These statistics therefore indicates that there are about 27 private universities expecting to admit students from the just released secondary education results. The diploma and certificate courses are spoilt for choices as the number of students that will be seeking these levels of admission just increased. The poor performance which many observers have attributed to stringent measures put in place to cub cheating has ensured that the private universities will have to think hard where the degree students will be coming from. This reality will start to sink once the admission process starts in April 2017 and the private universities have to come up with out of the box measures to ensure their programmes are attractive. The problem though with most private universities in Kenya is the similarities in their programmes and non-specialization which categorizes most of these universities into one cadre and students have to look for other features such as accessibility as the factors determining their signing.

Reactionary Measures

Any eminent problem has a solution or a set thereof and this is no other that presents a set of solutions to its adversaries which are the private universities and the private colleges in public universities (read the cash cows of public universities called the parallel degree programmes). When one door closes, the other door opens and it is now time for universities to strongly consider specialization in their mantra of courses by uniquely weighing their strengths and positions within the industry and revise their strategic plan with a kin interest towards uniqueness. Let the private universities be known by their specialization so that joining public universities is not only a favored culture by students but the students to start thinking towards career-based approach to university education. The private universities could also consider coming together to subsidize the cost of education at their various institutions, of course with a view of making them more attractive, by offering sponsorship programmes.

If these results are realized for three consecutive periods then one should not be surprised if the private universities start importation of students from other countries as they will not be available locally. The fact that the education sector has or is in the process of being streamlined should be a driving factor for the players to improve quality and concentrate on value addition rather than grade ‘As’. And as the motto of one of the private universities goes LaBorare est Orare (“To work is to Pray”), lets pray that with the changes, the FUTURE IS HERE.

The writer is a PhD Generalist in Service Delivery and Project Management.

Contact: benard.lango@gmail.com

Christmas Bell Rings for Speed-Gun Checkpoints on Kenyan Roads

Author Reference

Lango, B. (2016). Christmas Bell Rings for Speed-Gun Checkpoints on Kenyan Roads.  Intel Fire Group of Companies Blog. Nairobi, Kenya. October 02, 2016.

In the recent year the new road traffic regulator, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), introduced the use of speed guns on Kenyan roads to the chagrin of most Kenyan drivers and more so the private car owners and by extension the high-end private ones. Well, now is another Christmas time and probably one of the best times to work as a speed gun operator and with eyes set on those travelling massively during this Christmas season. Those roads that have been ignored by these guns due to low traffic can now have at least one assigned and those manning the point will certainly have a good “report” at the end of the day.  The Christmas bell will certainly be ringing several times at these checkpoints not because the speed gun operators are selfish and hell-bent on charging every motorist but because the motorist themselves have not embraced the road traffic rules that are related to speed check. Take for example, why would a typical Kenyan maintain a speed of 30KPH (Kilometer Per Hour) on a Tanzanian road and fails to maintain a speed of 100KPH on Kenyan road? This can be difficult to explain in simple writing but to sum it all, it boils down to a system eroded with high handedness and the above-the-law attitude among the leaders who should be showing good example.

The speed-guns have been extensively used in Kenyan roads with the only Superhighway in Kenya named Thika Superhighway leading the park of usage. Drivers along this road would tell you that despite the officers being on this road several times in a week they would always have culprits in big numbers and majority being repeat offenders. To the public, the officers executing the speed-limit system within the road are just a bunch of extortionists in uniform syphoning money from innocent motorists and more so the private car owners as the public ones are never stopped. The problem however lies with the Kenyan drivers who in most instances are very impatient group of individuals. A Kenyan driver would rather have the vehicle “fly” without wings not that there is an emergency but that there is an urge that the car needs to move fast. The passengers and those given lifts by these vehicle and car owners also appreciate a good car through the kind of speed it can zoom. The more speed the car zooms the better the car and its owner. The public service transport in particular have a tendency of over speeding to make more trips and especially during the Christmas break as “wateja” (passengers) will be stranded but in real sense to make more money.

Therefore folks take lead this Christmas season and ensure the bells do not ring at any of the speed-gun points along any of the Kenyan roads. Remember CHRISTMAS IS A SEASON OF RINGING BELLS BUT THIS IS ONE PLACE THESE BELLS SHOULD NEVER RING.

The writer is a PhD Generalist in Service Delivery and Project Management.

Contact: benard.lango@gmail.com

Average Nairobians Safety Tips When Travelling Upcountry

Author Reference

Lango, B. (2016). Average Nairobians Safety Tips When Travelling Upcountry.  Intel Fire Group of Companies Blog. Nairobi, Kenya. October 02, 2016.

Another Christmas celebration season is here with us and not only does the Nairobians wake to the mood of celebrations they also would love their folks in the village to know what they have achieved in the year. And the achievements are numerous, from a new car, new cloths, new jobs, new husbands, new sponsors, new wife, to new cadre of urban music they have mastered. The list is endless and so to write, this period is the only one where most individuals travel to their rural villages and at the same time the more modern ones travel for holidays at secluded places outside the city. Travelling is good for your health and therefore making sure the house you will be leaving for a while is also safe. This Christmas season therefore as you travel to your rural village or to a seclusion (read modern village) ensure you follow simple safety tips below:

1. Locking all the doors

When travelling most people tend to lock only the main door and leave the rest but unless you are staying in a single room house ensure all the doors within the house are all locked. The main aim is to limit the intrusion access once it occurs. Don’t let the intruder have a field day celebration in your house because the only lock they had to break was the one for the main door. Most studies show that intrusions are usually done from the back door from which they have access to the main door and the whole house. Your house have no idea that you are excited and celebrating your life out so ensure the house feels safe as you will need it when all are sound and you are back sanity.

2. Don’t Facebook Your Itinerary

One of the biggest sins of the 21^st century is the introduction of social media in the life of a young African Kenyan plying his or her trade in Nairobi Kenya. Do not be excited or ached, these are young and the old youthful working class who broadcast every happening of their life and simple achievements to the whole world. Intruders have also transformed with technology and will be watching you keenly as you Facebook, tweet, instagram and the rest to have pure prior information on your whereabouts. Forgetting that a while back you had broadcast to the world how much you keep in the house and how your house looks like, you now tell the world about your upcoming trip, the location, your mode of locomotion (read transport that’s the western in me), and how long you will not be around. This places your house at risk of intrusion as all the information the prospective intruder needs is already out there. When you are back you give a statement of your lost items on the same social media saying they had insider information as they knew exactly where you keep your valuables. This is what is called unnecessary broadcast of your itinerary to the world to satisfy your small ego at the expense of the house.

3. Let Someone Stay in the House

Most of the Nairobi houses do not have an alarm system leave alone one that can be activated remotely by your phone when travelling. If you have one then consider yourself an above average Nairobian and this article is not for your consumption as it targets an average one. For this kind of houses therefore, the best alarm system that you can activate remotely by your phone is having somebody stay behind as you travel. This person must be close or keenly known to you from a house help to a close relative. Activate them by calling them every evening to give security action briefing and you get the briefs of the day. This not only makes you a big person but also raises your level of security keenness trust the writer.

4. Leave Lights ON

This is one of the worst measures but when it comes to the end justifying the means then it is an option that has been used by many and yielded success. This is achieved by ensuring that you have eco-energy or light saving bulbs in major sections of the house and the compound. Most probably at the living room (call it sitting room as you are used to) and lights around the compound are left ON during the entire period you will be away. The only problem is that the holiday period lasting long also places the bulbs as security risks. Remember this is not recommended but when bread and butter are not available then even boiled beans can do the trick.

5. Keep your Close Neighbors Informed

Good neighborliness is the best security standard practice in modern worlds and especially the not so learned ones. The attitude that “Am staying whether you are there or not” does not encourage a security culture that is vested in good neighbors. How does one stay with a neighbor for close to 4 years and you have never known their names and even the kind of work they are doing. Get close to one or more of your close neighbors and when travelling alert them so that your house is not relocated in your absence. In most cases the intruders are aware that most people do not communicate with their neighbors and will inform them that you contracted them to relocate you as you are moving houses. If you had informed a neighbor that you are travelling, they will most probably call you to confirm.

In conclusion good people take not that your house is not as excited as you are maybe a face-paint lift will make them, neither are they aware that you are gone but keeping in check these 5 steps will. As you go for holiday it is a ladder you are climbing but remember EVERYONE WHO CLIMBS UP THE LADDER MUST CLIMB DOWN AT ONE TIME just make sure that down there the house is intact.

The writer is a PhD Generalist in Service Delivery and Project Management.

Contact: benard.lango@gmail.com