Monthly trending articles on ConnectClue
On Saturday evening (August 7, 2021), Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. He won a gold in the men's javelin throw after edging out world number one Johannes Vetter. This gold medal is also India's first medal in athletics in the history of the Olympics.
In so doing, Neeraj Chopra has set a note for every Indian that Olympic Gold is for them as well. He set an example for every Indian and a precedent for generations to follow. Athletics is a section where we have always struggled to achieve Gold. Now the day has set for Generations to rethink and set Goals for nailing more and more Gold for our Nation.
Post updated on: Aug 7, 2021 3:34:59 PM
सूर्यपुत्र कर्ण
सुनो कहानी सूर्यपुत्र की, जिसे सारथिपुत्र बनना पड़ा,
सीखने विद्या धनुष?बाण की, वर्ण?व्यवस्था से लड़ना पड़ा;
किया वेश धारण ब्राह्मण का, परशुराम के पास चल पड़ा,
मांगी विद्या परशुराम की, जब परशुराम सब कुछ बांट रहा।
सीखी विद्या, कड़े इम्तिहान, महारथ हासिल करली उसने,
रणभूमि में पार्थ को हंफाया था जिसने;
जांघ पर रखकर सर, सो रहे थे परशुराम,
कहीं से एक भंवरा आया, करने कर्ण की विद्या तमाम।
काट रहा भंवरा कर्ण को, खून उसका बहता चला,
ऊंकार न भरी सूर्यपुत्र ने, भंवरे को वो सहता चला;
रक्तमय पैर देखकर, परशुराम को पता चला,
ब्राह्मण नही ये सारथिपुत्र है, जिसने परशुराम को छला।
यह मानकर परशुराम ने कर्ण को दिया श्राप बड़ा,
फंस जाएगा रथ कीचड़ में, परशुराम का क्रोध बढ़ा;
भूल गया वो विद्या सारी, जब सबसे ज्यादा काम पड़ा,
आखिर सूर्यपुत्र को रणभूमि में पार्थ का सामना करना पड़ा।
पुत्र?मोह में अंधे इंद्र, आए थे ब्राह्मण का वेश लेकर,
दिल जीत लिया देवराज का, कवच और कुंडल दोनों देकर;
अमोघ लेकर लौटा कर्ण, अर्जुन को मार गिराने को,
किसे पता था भीमपुत्र निमित्त बनेगा, अर्जुन को बचाने को।
सामने कर्ण के पार्थ खड़ा है, और रथ का चक्र धंस गया,
माधव की लीला अपरंपार है, यहां कर्ण निहत्था फंस गया;
चक्र बाहर निकालने को, कर्ण को नीचे उतरना पड़ा,
तभी सामने गांडीव पर अर्जुन का बाण सख्त चढ़ा;
निहत्थे कर्ण का वध हुआ, सूरज को भी रोना पड़ा,
ये थी कहानी सूर्यपुत्र की, जिसे सारथिपुत्र बनना पड़ा।
- Akash Macwan
Post updated on: Aug 7, 2021 3:30:33 PM
Traditional culture and the traditional outfits are the souls of our country. No matter to what extent we are traversing towards the western outfits but Indian outfits are always going to steal the limelight when there is a function. We incline towards wearing lehengas and sarees to dress perfectly.
These days, change is becoming an inevitable constant. Every day, we can find a variety of new styles and designs of lehengas in the market, but still, few designs are evergreen, and it turns back the clock for us and derives a feeling of nostalgia. Why not? Lehengas are existing since the time of our grand grandparents and are going to live till the fashion industry exists.
Now, let me present to you "5 evergreen lehenga designs that still add Wings to our glory".
5 Evergreen Lehenga Designs That Still Add Wings To Our Glory:
Lehengas always comes on priority while deciding what to wear at s wedding or engagement ceremony.
Now, let's see "5 evergreen lehenga designs that still add Winx to our glory". These trends are never gonna die.
Veteran Red and Gold Lehengas:
The red and golden theme is still fresh and in trend. You can mould it as per your choice. Use these colours to give an old classy look or adapt for following the ongoing trend it's up to you. These colours are always the premier choice.
Elegant White and Gold Lehengas:
Are you the one who chooses pale colours over bright glorious colours?
Then, the white and gold chikankari lehengas are the perfect match for you. These lehengas can make you still out from the crowd while serving you contentment.
Colour Yourself With Colourful Lehengas:
These days trying out different combinations and playing with colours is resulting in astonishing results. You won't buy it. But they trend too. If you love to enjoy different endeavours, then give this ancient jugaad with different colours a turn.
Mesmerising Rainbow Lehengas:
Hey you! Drive out the notion of rainbow colours not being in tradition. On the contrary to your so-called impression, these rainbow colours work best in the function held in the daytime. It enhances your glory and makes you the star of the function.
Bright Theme Lehengas Still Works:
Contrasting two beautifully bright colours is the top recommendation by designers these days. These bright colours are a feast and, they will brighten up both your looks and soul.
Final Talk
These are some of the evergreen lehenga designs that will never fade. Customize it as per your taste and convenience, and you are ready for the best with the best.
Let us know which evergreen lehenga designs attract you the most.
Post updated on: Aug 7, 2021 12:54:20 PM
Top 15 Home Remedies for Oily Skin
Table of Contents
1. Introduction2. Let's see below all the Home Remedies
2.1. Recognize Your Skin Type
2.2. Wash your Face
2.3. Use Face Wash
2.4. Blotting papers
2.5. Honey
2.6. Cosmetic clay
2.7. Oatmeal
2.8. Almonds
2.9. Tomatoes
2.10. Aloe vera
2.11. Trust Ayurveda
2.12. Trust Ayurveda
2.13. Avoid Oil-Based Products
2.14. Eat Healthy & Stay Fit
2.15. Drink Plenty of Water
4. 10 do's and don?ts from dermatologists
Introduction:
This occurs when the sebaceous glands produce excessive amounts of oily skin. These glands are located just below the skin's surface in the dermis.
Sebum is an oily substance that is composed of fat. Sebum isn't all bad, as it protects and moisturizes your skin, and keeps your hair shiny and healthy.
In contrast, too much sebum may result in oily skin, which can lead to clogged pores and acne. Sebum production can be increased due to genetics, hormonal changes, or even stress levels.
Oily skin and acne are difficult to manage. Still, home remedies can reduce symptoms without the use of prescription drugs or expensive skincare regimens. Here are ten home remedies for oily skin that you can try.
Let's see below all the Home Remedies:
#1 Recognize Your Skin Type:
The pH level and oil balance of your skin determine the criteria for oily skin. Try to determine how oily your skin is before applying oil-balancing methods! Follow these simple steps to get started:
- Check, when your skin becomes more oily and when seems less oily
- Learn why your skin becomes oily
- Recognize, whether your skin is naturally oily or any skin product makes it oily
- Learn whether simple home remedies can control the oil excessiveness or you need to seek dermatological help
- And notice whether your face seems oily for the whole month or it becomes oily for the particular period of a month
#2 Wash your Face
It seems obvious, but many people with oily skin don?t wash their faces daily. If your skin?s oily, washing your face with water is one common thing; you can apply to control the excess oil from your skin. This activity doesn?t need any extra time attention; you can do this every time you go near your sink or basin.
All you need to do is that flap handful of water on your face more than 7-8 times and pat the face dry gently with a soft piece of cloth. This will remove the extra oil and clean the plain dirt layer from your skin surface.
#3 Use Face Wash
As plain water cannot always remove the entire oily layer from our skin's surface, face-wash is a great alternative. The use of a little soap-based face wash two times a day, according to dermatologists, can actually help balance the excessive oil in your cells.
If you have acne, you should use an astringent or cleanser-based face wash that contains salicylic or benzoyl acid. They can unclog pores, remove excess oil, and reduce the risk of acne all in one go.
#4 Blotting papers
While these thin, small papers won't stop your sebaceous glands from going into overdrive, they can help minimize shiny, greasy skin by blotting excess oil from your face.
This can be particularly embarrassing if you're going to be in public. Carry blotting paper cuttings or medicated pads for quick relief in such situations.
These products can be found in any medical store or beauty shop that is licensed and regulated. These products contain acids that are beneficial to the skin, such as glycolic acid and salicylic acid, among others. It takes only a second for them to absorb all of the extra oil from your cells, giving you that supple, natural look for a short while. However, you should consult an expert before using these products and be sure to follow the dosage instructions exactly.
#5 Honey
Nature's most revered skin remedy, honey, is one of the world's most popular products. The oily and acne-prone skin may benefit from its antibacterial and antiseptic properties.
A natural humectant, honey keeps the skin moist but not oily. Humectants rob the skin of moisture without replacing it.
Ideally, apply a thin layer of raw honey to your face; let it dry for about 10 minutes before rinsing with warm water.
#6 Cosmetic clay
In relation to soaking up skin oil, cosmetic clays also treat a variety of skin conditions. A popular treatment for oily and acne-prone skin, French green clay is highly absorbent. French green clay is available as a powder.
To make a spa-worthy French green clay mask:
- Add filtered water or rose water to about a teaspoon of clay until it forms a pudding-like consistency.
- Apply the clay mixture to your face and leave it on until it dries.
- Remove the clay with warm water and pat dry.
Clay masks removed with water are much gentler on your skin than peel-off masks.
#7 Oatmeal
Over time, oatmeal can help to reduce skin inflammation and remove excess oil. It also aids in the removal of old, dead skin cells. When oatmeal is used as a facial mask, it is usually ground up before use. It can be mixed with yogurt, honey, or mashed fruit such as bananas, apples, or papaya.
To use oatmeal on your face:
- Combine 1/2 cup ground oats with hot water to form a paste.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon honey.
- Massage the oatmeal mixture into your face for about three minutes; rinse with warm water, and pat dry.
- Alternatively, apply the oatmeal mixture to your face and leave it on
#8 Almonds
Almonds, when ground, not only exfoliate the skin but also absorb excess oils and dirt.
To use an almond face scrub:
- Finely grind raw almonds to make 3 teaspoons.
- Add 2 tablespoons of raw honey.
- Apply to your face gently, in circular motions.
- Rinse with warm water, and pat dry.
Before adding the honey, grind the almonds into a paste. 10?15 minutes is a good amount of time to leave the mask on. Wash with warm water, then pat dry with a soft cloth. If you are allergic to nuts, do not use them.
#9 Egg whites and lemons
Folk medicine uses egg whites and lemons to treat oily skin. It is believed that both ingredients tighten pores. It is possible that the acid in lemons and other citrus fruits will aid in the removal of oil. People with egg allergies should avoid this remedy.
To make an egg white and lemon face mask:
- Combine 1 egg white with 1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice.
- Apply it to your face, and leave it on until the mask dries.
- Remove with warm water, and pat dry.
#10 Tomatoes
Salicylic acid, found in tomatoes, is a common acne home remedy. Tomatoes contain acids that may help to remove excess skin oils and unclog pores by absorbing excess oil.
To make an exfoliating tomato mask:
- Combine 1 teaspoon sugar with the pulp of 1 tomato.
- Apply to the skin in a circular motion.
- Leave the mask on for 5 minutes.
- Rinse thoroughly with warm water, and pat dry.
You can also apply just tomato pulp or tomato slices to your skin.
#11 Aloe vera
Aloe vera is well-known for its ability to soothe burns and other conditions of the skin. There is scientific evidence, according to Mayo Clinic, that it helps treat flaky skin that has oily patches. Aloe vera is widely used to treat oily skin.
Before going to bed, apply a thin layer to your face and leave it on until the morning. It is well known that aloe vera can cause allergic reactions in people with sensitive skin. A small amount of aloe vera on your forearm is a good place to start if you haven't used it before If there is no reaction within 24 to 48 hours, it should be safe to use the product as prescribed.
#12 Trust Ayurveda
Ayurveda has been used for centuries to treat a variety of health problems, including oily skin, and its effectiveness is undeniable. Learn the Ayurvedic treatment for oily skin and take action to achieve a flawless skin type at home by learning the exact treatment.
Some of the effective Ayurvedic ways of treating oily skin are-
- Wash your face with lukewarm milk once a day
- Use essential oils like tea tree oil, lavender oil, rose oil, etc. in boiling water and get the stream regularly
- Spread pure coconut oil on your face and wash off with lukewarm water once a day
- Paste some rice in mortar pester, apply the paste with rose water for 15 minutes every day, and rinse off after rubbing gently
- A mixture of lemon juice and lukewarm water is also extremely effective to control excessive oil from your cells
#13 Avoid Oil-Based Products
If your skin is naturally oily, you should avoid using oil-based beauty products as much as possible. Any beauty product that contains oil, such as a cream, moisturizer, toner, face pack, or for along, can intensify your skin's condition by causing excessive oil production.
As part of your regular skin-care regimen, use only oil-free moisturizer and sunscreen. Avoid cold creams and makeup remover lotions in your daily life because they are naturally formulated with a high concentration of moisturizers. When purchasing a beauty product, be sure to check the ingredient column to avoid any hassles.
#14 Eat Healthy & Stay Fit
Your stomach plays a crucial role in regulating the amount of extra oil that comes out of your cell membranes. Dermatologists always recommend eating a diet rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to improving your skin's overall appearance, these foods also prevent your skin from producing uncontrollable oil and improve the overall texture of your face. These types of healthy diets also keep you fit and in shape, which is also important for achieving a skin type that is envied by others..Some must-includable foods in this regard are-
- Juicy fruits, like blueberries, cranberries, apples, grapes, strawberries, etc.
- Colorful veggies like spinach, bell peppers, beans, tomatoes, celery, broccoli, carrots, artichoke, sweet potatoes, etc.
- Edible seeds like flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.
- Other products that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids like walnut, Edamame, seaweed, algae, salmon, tuna, etc.
#15 Drink Plenty of Water
Oily skin can also be relieved by drinking plenty of water on a regular basis. Drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day will adequately hydrate your skin cells and prevent breakouts, which maintain a perfect balance between oil and water.
Oil glands are transformed by hydration, and lubricated cells are released, which reduces the amount of oil on your face. A normal amount of oil is produced by your cells, which keeps your skin soft, but not overly oily.
Preventing oily skin:
When genetics or hormones are to blame for oily skin, it's difficult to prevent. Practicing consistent skincare and avoiding unhealthy foods, such as fried foods, sugary foods, and processed foods, may be helpful in preventing acne.
If you have oily skin and are tempted to cover it up with heavy cosmetics, you may be making the problem worse. The use of makeup, especially foundation, should be reduced when oily skin flares up. Make the switch to oil-free products. Try to find products with the non-comedogenic label, as these are less likely to cause pore blockage.
Oily skin home remedies are touted as effective by many people. Researchers haven't done enough research on most remedies. Your personal situation and the quality of the products you use are both important factors in the success of a home remedy.
Long-term use of certain remedies can lead to allergies. If your skin becomes sensitive to a product, stop using it immediately and consult your doctor.
Stopped using a home remedy if it worsened your symptoms and consulted your doctor or dermatologist Serious acne or other oily skin symptoms should be treated by a doctor. Infection or scarring are possible outcomes.
10 do's and don?ts from dermatologists:
Although oily skin can clog pores and lead to acne breakouts, it also has many benefits, including the ability to reduce wrinkles. When the skin has a high oil content, it tends to be thicker and wrinkle-free. Over-oiling your skin and maintaining its natural moisture are the keys to success.
To help control oily skin, dermatologists recommend the following tips:
- DO wash your face every morning, evening, and after exercise. While washing, resist the temptation to scrub your skin, even to remove makeup. Scrubbing irritates your skin, which can make it look worse.
- DO choose skin care products that are labeled ?oil-free? and ?noncomedogenic.? This means that products that have these labels ? including cleansers, moisturizers, and makeup ? won?t clog your pores or cause acne.
- DO use a gentle, foaming face wash. Many people believe that they need to use a strong face wash for oily skin in order to dry out their skin. However, using a face wash that is too harsh can irritate your skin and trigger increased oil production. Instead, look for a mild, gentle face wash.
- DON?T use oil-based or alcohol-based cleansers. These can irritate your skin.
- DO apply moisturizer daily. Although you have oily skin, it is still important to apply moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated. To save time and protect your skin from the sun?s harmful ultraviolet rays, look for a moisturizer that also contains a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
- DO wear sunscreen outdoors. Sunscreen helps prevent sun damage that could lead to wrinkles, age spots and even skin cancer. To prevent acne breakouts, look for sunscreens that contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, and do not use sunscreens that contain fragrance or oils.
- DO choose oil-free, water-based makeup.
- DON?T sleep in your makeup. Always remove all makeup before going to sleep.
- DO use blotting papers throughout the day. Gently press the paper against your face and leave it on for a few seconds to absorb the oil. Don?t rub the paper on your face, as this will spread the oil to other areas.
- DON?T touch your face throughout the day. Although it?s tempting to touch your face, doing so can spread dirt, oil and bacteria from your hands to your face. Only touch your face when you?re cleansing, moisturizing or applying sunscreen or makeup, and make sure your hands are clean first.
If you really looking for something simple and better to lose weight faster ? Smoothie Diet or Fat Belly Tonic or more fitness guide
Continue Reading ? Skincare Routine Tips & Benefits
Post updated on: Aug 7, 2021 1:38:10 AM
Virat Kohli, captain of the India national cricket team, is one of the modern times greats of Indian cricket. He holds several world records in t20 international cricket. Following are the records he has as of today (6 August 2021).
1. MOST RUNS IN CAREER
Virat Kohli has scored a total of 3159 runs in 90 matches he has played. He is the only batsman to get more than 3000 runs in T20 Cricket. New Zealand Batsmen Martin Guptil is just behind him with 2939 runs.
2.HIGHEST CAREER BATTING AVERAGE
Indian Skipper has a splendid Average of 52.65. Second spot holder Mohammed Rizwan is far behind him with an average of 48.40.
Virat Kohli Batting By Bahnfrend - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40593441
3.MOST FIFTIES IN CAREER
This legendary Indian batsman has 28 fifties, just two fifties ahead of his teammate Rohith Sharma, who has the second-highest number of 50s in T20 cricket.
4.MOST FOURS IN CAREER
Virat has hit 285 fours in his T20 career, which happens to be the highest ever in T20 cricket history. Martin nuptial, Stirling and Rohit Sharma are behind him, giving Virat Kohli a great completion in hitting fours.
5.MOST PLAYER-OF-THE-SERIES AWARDS
Kohli has won the highest number of Man of the Series awards in t20 cricket. He has seven awards in his bag, which is two ahead of Pakistan?s Babar Azam.
Post updated on: Aug 7, 2021 12:07:03 AM
CREATIVITY
The human brain is not designed to be creative.It is designed to set up routine patterns and to use and follow these patterns.we may need to use routine patterns 98% of the time and only to be creative 2% of the time.To show this,there is a game where you start with a letter and then add another letter,a whole word has to be formed.
Start with a
Add t. The new word is at
Add c. The new word is cat
Add o. The new word is coat
Add r. The new word is actor
Until the addition of the ?r? it was quite simple to add the new letter to the existing ones to form a new word.With the r it was necessary to go back and completely restructure the use of the previous words.
We live over time.New information comes in over time.we add this new information to what we already have to go back and restructure what we had before.This is creativity.More often we are not forced to go back.we stick to what we have.If we choose to go back and restructure then we get a much better arrangement.This is creativity we choose to use.If doors are normally rectangular and you suggest a triangular door,that is not creative in less you can show value for the new shape.
The argument that creativity cannot be taught is usually based on pointing to extreme cases of creativity talent,such as Einstein,Newton.But imagine a row of people lined up to run a race.The starting signal is given and the race is run.someone comes first and someone comes last.Their performance depends on their natural running ability.
Now if all the runners have some training ,they all finish the race much faster than before.However,someone still first and someone still comes last.
So if we do nothing about creativity then obviously creative ability depends only on natural talent.But if we provide training,structures and systematic techniques,then we raise the general level of creative ability.Some people will be much better than others but everyone will acquire some creative skill.
Creativity is no longer a mysterious gift or special talent.we can now see creativity as the behavior of a self organizing information system that makes patterns which is your brain.Once we can understand the underlying system,then we can design tools for the deliberate use of creativity.These tools can be very powerful.It need no longer be a matter of sitting and waiting for ideas and inspiration.We can do certain things that will result in the brain having new ideas.
THE RANDOM WORD TOOL FOR CREATIVITY ?
You have your focus.you know where you want to generate new ideas.You then obtain a random word. Nouns are easiest to use,so use a noun.You can obtain your random word in several ways.
You may keep a list of 60 words on a card in your pocket.You then glance at your watch.If the second hand shows 27 seconds,you select word number 27 from your list.
You could also choose a page number in a dictionary and then specify the tenth(or other) word down on that page.You continue downwards until you come to a noun.You could do this with any book with a page and line number.
You could put words written on slips of paper into a bag and then pick one out.
All of these are practical ways of obtaining a random word.Once you have your random word,you then use this random word to generate ideas about the subject.
Post updated on: Aug 6, 2021 6:13:22 PM
Academic Session 2020
July Semester
Assignment 1
BBM207/05 Human Resource Management
Question 1 (a) The purpose of the Employment Act 1955 is to provide minimum terms of
employment to employees covered by the Act in the private sector. Describe the provision of
sick leave (medical leave) to employees as per the Act
Answer:
A registered medical practitioner as to define the term refers to any person who has a university
degree in Medicine and is duly licensed to work as a doctor in his geographical region or
jurisdiction. This is according to www.lawinsider.com website.
A registered medical practitioner also refers to an individual who has acquired the relevant
medical qualifications according to the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and has been listed in
the state register on medical practice. Additionally, this professional must have training and
experience in gynaecology and obstetrics (www.lawinsider.com). Also, a registered medical
practitioner refers to any person who has obtained formal listing or enrollment in state medical
council after completing first degree medical course in a college or university that is recognized
by the government (www.quora.com).
In the United Kingdom when a doctor becomes licensed as a medical practitioner their bio-data
would be made available for public viewing on the General Medical Council website (
datadictionary.nhs.uk ). These details would include the person's reference number, age, year and
name of medical school they attended, health status, date of registration and registration status.
In every country a doctor or medical professional is legally allowed to practice medicine only
after getting registered in the relevant state or govenmental medical register. Any doctor or
medical officer who engaged in medical practice without being licensed to do so commits a
criminal offense which is punishable by law.
Careers and opportunities available for registered medical practitioners include the following:
employment opportunities in government hospitals and health departments and centres as doctors
or clinical officers; jobs as medical practitioners in private hospitals and dispensaries, own
private practice, management and administrative roles in hospitals and medical research centres,
research roles and PhD programs, medical professor or tutor, and medical transcription work
(blog.pharmafranchisehelp.org).
According to Merrium-Webster dicictionary a registered medical practitioner is a person who is
skilled in the science of medicine, or simply, a doctor. According to medical-
dictionary.thefreedictionary.com, medical practitioner is commonly referred to as physician. All
the above try to explain or give some of the definitions of the term registered medical
practitioner.
Sick Leave Entitlement
According to www.malaysianbar.org.my there are provisions for a paid sick leave although
limits are there. The worst thing to happen to an employee would be to have his job terminated
on account of his illness. The unpleasant situation is common not just in Malaysia but in other
countries as well. That is where the Employment Act, 1955 of the Malaysian Laws has this
provision to govern the conduct of employers and employees. An employee is there to render
important services to or on behalf of the employer. This is a contractual relationship. Where an
employee reports to work but is unhealthy or unable to work because of ill health this is absurd.
On the other hand, where an employee requests for a sick leave but is denied this becomes a
serious breach of the law on the part of the employer. In other cases, where an employee abuses
the sick leave by overstaying at home then there would be no other choice for the employer but
to wait for the employee to return to work or just terminate the contract. In larger companies and
organizations when an employee falls sick and is forced to stay away from work for long, the
colleagues may step in to assist with work duties. This ensures that the effect of the sick
employee's absence from work are lessened. A sick employee therefore is entitled to paid sick
leave of up to a number of days in the month depending on how long the employee has been
working at the organization. This is according to the Employment Act, 1955.
During the employment stage, that is, when one is being accepted to join an organization as an
employee in Malaysia it is recommended that the employer drafts a document or letter stipulating
the acceptable period of paid sick leave entitled to the employee.
According to the Employment Act, 1955 an employee is entitled to fourteen days of paid sick
leave within the first two years of work at a particular organization. After the individual has
served for at least two years the number of days rises to eighteen, and to twenty two days of paid
sick leave, if having served for at least five years.
Hospitalization Leave Entitlement
According to www.ajobthing.com medical leave is granted to employees to stay home when they
are sick but still keep earning money. In the same vein, hospitalization leave covers the period
that the employee receives hospital care.
This must be approved and signed by a registered medical practitioner. The circumstances under
which hospitalization leave address include the following: when an employee underwent a
surgical operation, though as an outpatient; when the person is on bed rest at home or at hospital
as prescribed by the doctor; or the patient requires further medical care after getting discharged
from hospital and ordered to rest at home to recover.
In the Employment Act, 1955 of the Malaysian Laws an employee is entitled to a paid sick leave
as follows: fourteen days of paid sick leave if below two years of work at the organization,
eighteen days of paid sick leave if having served more than two years but not more than five
years at the organization, and twenty-two days of paid sick leave if having served more than five
years at the organization.
Workers under the Employment Act, 1955, where hospitalization is needed are entitled to sixty
days of paid sick leave. This is after they have been approved by a registered medical
practitioner or doctor. However, there are other employees in Malaysia who are not under the
Employment Act, 1955. Their needs and entitlements are safeguarded by their organization's
employment policies and contracts.
Dental Medical Care
According to the Employment Act, 1955 of the Malaysian Laws every employee is entitled to
medical care and dental health care. If an employee is suffering from a dental health problem
while at work he is entitled to a paid sick leave as well as hospitalization leave provided he has
been approved by a registered medical practitioner or dental surgeon.
Duty to Inform Employer
It is the duty of every employee according to the Employment Act, 1955 of the Malaysian Laws
to give prior notice of absence from work on account of his illness the the employer. In case the
employee becomes absent from work with no prior notice of such it becomes a breach of contract
with the employer and would be treated as abscondment which is an offense. This could likely
lead to his services being terminated.
Sick Leave vs. Maternity Leave and Temporary Disablement
A woman who has served for not less than ninety days for one employer in Malaysia will be
entitled to a maternity leave. In this case, the woman will not be fired or replaced with someone
else during her time of confinement. Maternity Leave is different from sick leave. This is a paid
two-month maternity leave given to an expectant woman to go and give birth and nurse her
suckling baby. A sick leave, on the other hand, is granted to a sick employee who might not be
hospitalized. In case of temporary disablement as a result of injury, accident or any other causes,
an employee is granted leave to go and get hospitalization or just take time off to recuperate.
This is agreeable on a case by case basis. The duration is also agreed upon by the employee and
employer. In some cases, with regards to maternity leave, some companies in Malaysia let their
employers to extend their two-month maternity leave, although with no payment.
Question 2
a)
Develop a Job Description for the position of Finance Manager. You are required to include
duties and responsibilities, reporting line, supervision, special duties and working conditions.
Job Title
This is a mid-level senior management job posting dealing with financial issues of an
organization. Finance Manager is critical to the success of the organization and they operate in
most sectors like banking, health care, education, agriculture and insurance.
Department
The Finance Manager in collaboration with the Finance Director are in charge of the financial
department and they both oversee all the activities taking place on a daily basis in the finance
department, especially staff supervision and collection of daily reports from them.
Reporting Line
The Finance Manager's line of duty involves being in constant touch and rapport with his
superior, the Finance Director and below him are the junior accountants and clerks.
Supervision
The Finance Manager supervises the finance department and related departments like
procurement office as well as petty cash office.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Finance Manager's Roles include monitoring the everyday financial activities in an
organization. These include in-house expenditures like car fuels, electricity bill payment, staff
salaries and remunerations, meals, purchases and invoicing. He also prepares research schemes
for data analysis on behalf of the top management in the company or organization. He also
ensures that proper procedures in accounting are adhered to. Furthermore; he manages cash
flows into and out of the organization and prepares a balance sheet. In addition to that, Finance
Manager is instrumental in the analysis of projects undertaken by the company
(www.glassdoor.com).
Special Duties
Some of the special duties assigned to the Finance Manager in any organization include
developing long-term budgetary plans for the company, to predict or make a forecast for future
markets and fiscal trends that may impact on the company, also, his duty is to report to the senior
level administrative organs of the organization as well as develop business relationships with
investors.
Working Conditions
A Finance Manager needs to be stress tolerant. He should be able to work with many people with
diverse views who might at times subject him to criticism. He should also possess the virtue of
self-control, for him to be able to keep calm in difficult situations.
Benefits and Salary
According to collegegrade.com the average salary annually for the finance manager is $129,890.
Since financial managers are controllers of an organization, i.e. they are in charge of the drafting
of fiscal reports and predict the future fiscal status of the company with instruments such as
income statements and balance sheets they are deserving of such high remunerations.
Additionally, they are granted paid annual leave, paid study leave, supported with morgage plans
and have got great pension schemes for retirement.
(b) Develop Job Specifications for the Position of Finance Manager including qualifications,
related experience, skills, knowledge, behavior and special demands.
Qualifications
A successful Finance Manager must have a degree in either one or more of the following:
Economics, Management, Accountancy or Finance, Business Studies or Commerce and/or
Mathematics (www.roberthalf.com).
Language
Language is vital in a business environment since it is the basis of all sound communication
within and without a business entity. Effective communication skills is a requirement for every
finance manager to succeed. He needs to possess both excellent written and spoken language
skills. This helps the employees and senior administration to make better informed decisions
(Indeed.com).
Experience
The Finance Manager should have at least one year experience at entry level position as a cash
manager; i.e. monitoring the flow of money into and out of the company. Furthermore, since
finance manager is a risk manager, i.e. controls risks controlled involved in financial strategies
he needs to to have served in a similar role before, something like a one-year experience
(collegegrade.com).
Skills
Finance Manager job requires that an individual must possess strong leadership skills, public
speaking skills, communication skills, organizational skills, problem-solving skills, data
analytical skills, research skills, critical thinking skills, computer skills, planning skills, and
multi-tasking skills (www.monster.co.uk).
Knowledge
Because a financial manager job is a hands-on job the potential candidate for recruitment for this
position should be knowledgeable in in this fields: accounting and economic principles as well as
banking and financial markets, he should have deep knowledge of business and management
principles, leadership issues, psychology, human resource management, customer support
principles, knowledge of mathematics and as well as knowledge of sales and marketing
principles.
Behaviour
Finance Manager should be a person who is dependable at all times by fulfilling the obligations
of the set by the company. A Finance Manager should be adaptable to the fast-changing
environment especially by embracing the new technologies
Post updated on: Aug 6, 2021 5:31:23 AM
HUMBLE PRAYERFUL SONG TO GOD Prosperous are the decent in the way, Who tread in the way of God! Prosperous are those who stick to His counsel, Who grope for Him whole- heartedly! They do no harm to others; They walk in obedience and integrity. You have advised us To follow you deliberately. So that our lives have meaning. To keep Your decrees! Then I will never be despised by men, When I study all your precepts. I am moved to worship you, When I study your laws. I will honour Your testaments; May you not forget me. How can a man purge his life? By obeying your instructions. I am seeking you wholeheartedly Help me not to go astray. I am keeping your priceless law in my heart So that I may never falter. You are wonderful God Instruct me in your ways. I must keep praising you Because of all your decrees. I am awed by your wonderful counsel, And by all your treasures. I keep thinking about your teachings, As well as all your wisdom. I keep priding myself in your knowledge I will never ignore your lessons. Be lenient on me So that I may honour you. Open my mind`s eyes, so that I may notice Amazing things from your teachings. I am a pilgrim on the planet; May you never hide yourself from me. My heart breaks down in despair For your presence at all times. You shame the wicked?the villain, Who despise your laws. Protect me from shame For I have obeyed your commands. People plot against me Though I honour your precepts. Your counsel pleases me. My life is ebbing away; Rejuvenate me with compassion. I have stated my principles, Instruct me accordingly. Make me teachable; So that I may delight myself in your works. My heart is too heavy; Revive me as per your knowledge. May I never be found lying, And grant me your blessings abundantly. I made up my mind to live in integrity; Because your commands are always before me. I strive to be obedient at all times; May you never let me live in ignominy! I promise to be a stickler to perfection, For your laws are etched in my soul. Lord teach me in the way I should go, And I will never go astray. Grant me wisdom, and I shall live uprightly; For sure I will prosper in all I do. Help me to have a teachable spirit, For I am amazed by your wisdom. Mold my heart to understand your teachings So that I may not be greedy. I will turn a blind eye to filthy stuff, May you refresh me. Declare your word to me, For I have resolved to fear you. Remove my shame which I fear, For your lessons are worthwhile. See, I value your teachings; Refresh me in your ways. May your grace fall on me, O Lord, Your mercy according to your heart. So that my enemies are ashamed, For I look to you for help. May you not cast me away, Because I treasure your counsel. So I may not live in shame, But I will live in victory, For I pursue your knowledge. I will praise you before multitudes, For I am redeemed by you. And I will treasure your counsel, Because it is priceless. My whole life will bring you worship, Day in and day out, And I will ruminate on your word. |
Post updated on: Aug 6, 2021 3:44:55 AM
When it comes to laptops, even the latest models, everyone has a battery issue on their mind. Power management is one of the essential aspects of a successful Linux computer, especially for laptops, in terms of extending battery life. Though most of us still have trouble finding the correct power options to minimize power usage and enhance battery life, Linux provides utilities that can help you analyze and take account of your battery life.
It is where PowerTop stepped in. It had been seized all over the world. Many people considered PowerTop to be a must-have.
When a Linux system doesn't get hooked into a power source, PowerTOP is a terminal-based troubleshooting tool developed by Intel that allows you to monitor power use by programs running on it. One of PowerTOP's utilized features is its participatory mode, which lets users experiment with various energy management options.
C++, g++, libstdc++, Autoconf, Automake, and libtool are among the Development Tools required by PowerTop.
It also requires the pciutils-devel, ncurses-devel, and libnl-devel parts, as well as kernel version 2.6.38.
To test how it affects the system, try using it with a laptop battery. It displays the system's overall power consumption and the power consumption of specific system components which get divided into categories such as devices, processes, system timer, kernel operations, and interruptions.
Powertop's faults, like any other item, got the best of it over time. It is no longer as advanced as it once was. As a result, efficiency suffered. Whether you want to move from powertop or try something new, we'll tell you about some of the top powertop alternatives in this post.
TLP
We're going to start with a huge one. TLP is open-source software, feature-rich, a control program for sophisticated energy monitoring that aids in the optimization of battery life in Linux laptops. It works with any laptop brand and comes with a default setup that is already tuned to effectively and consistently preserve battery capacity, so you can plug it in and go.
- It may get customized utilizing a variety of power-saving settings.
-For multi-core/hyper-threading, TLP possesses a power-aware manner scheduler.
-It has a USB auto-suspend feature with a black list and a Wifi energy-saver feature.
-It features sophisticated power consumption and spin-down timeout for hard drives.
-It supports CPU frequency scaling, including "turbo boost" and "turbo core," and utilizes kernel laptop mode and messy buffer overtimes.
It saves electricity by letting you choose how components including the CPU, HDD, USBs, PCIs, and radio devices use power when your laptop is on batteries. It is, without a doubt, the best PowerTop alternative.
Upower
Following that, we have Upower. On Linux computers, UPower is a piece of middleware for energy monitoring. It lists electricity sources, keeps statistics and historical data on them, and alerts users when their status changes. A daemon, an application programming interface, and a collection of command-line tools make up the system. The daemon offers its capabilities to programs via the system bus. UPower's capability for inducing hibernation mode or shutting down the operating system gets restricted by PolicyKit.
It is on our list of top PowerTop alternatives due to its efficiency. The command-line client application upower may get used to request and monitor information about the system's power components. The GNOME Power Manager and the Xfce Power Manager are two types of interfaces to UPower's capabilities.
Jupiter Applet
There are several techniques to extend the life of your battery pack, many of which are self-evident: turn down the display brightness when you're not using it and be cautious about the applications you use. But, to take things a step further, we provide the Jupiter applet.
Most of the time, you won't require your CPU's full capabilities. Jupiter is aware of this and uses your energy sparingly as a result. It also allows you to turn off battery-draining technologies like Bluetooth. It can buy you a lot of time from now until that horrible future when your battery runs out.
The program detects if your PC is plugged in and reduces CPU use accordingly. The applet may get used to turning off power-hungry gadgets. Bluetooth is an instance of a service that you generally don't need on the move but consumes a lot of power. If you can live without the internet for a bit, turning off the Wifi can also help a great deal.
Conclusion
As a result, these are the best PowerTop alternatives available right now. Each one has its distinct characteristics and approach. People have been moving away from PowerTop for a time now since it has been unable to keep up with the demands. If you're still reading, you're fully aware of these alternatives' potential. One of the important elements of an ideal Linux installation is power management; with these options in place, you'll be fine!
Post updated on: Aug 6, 2021 2:41:31 AM
An organization is the collective name of people working together for a common goal. It is the people behavior that determines the productivity and therefore the profitability of organizations. People behavior therefore is the NUCLEUS around which the whole activity of an organization revolves and is shaped.
Behavior is the reflection of one's attitudes. Attitudes are formed by one's experiences, beliefs and values. People behaviors are, therefore, molded by their experiences, values, opinions and views collectively termed as attitudes. People are hired for aptitudes but fired for attitudes.
A senior executive of an American firm once remarked I would love my job if it weren't for the peoples. Most of the organizations are plagued by PEOPLE PROBLEMS. These problems are shown in their behaviors. Why people behave the way they do, has, therefore, been the concern of all organizations and it has led to the study of BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE. One of the proponents of this Science was Dr. Eric Berne. As propounded by him every person has three Behavioral Characteristics known as Parent, Adult and Child. These Behavioral Characteristics are called Ego States which represent sets of Behaviors, Thoughts, Feelings and Attitudes.
The readings of:
1. GAMES PEOPLE PLAY by Dr. Eric Berne.
2. EVERYBODY WINS by Dorothy Jongeward and
3. I AM OK, YOU ARE OK? by Thomas and Amy Harris
Provide insight into the complexities of People Behaviors. Analysis of these behaviors throws clues as to why people behave the way they do and this is known as Transactional Analysis that Dr. Eric Berne advocated. Many organizations through out the world have turned to Behavioral Sciences for answers to People Problems. as it is the people who make or mar organizations. If the people are happy, they are more responsible and more effective, therefore they are more productive. Happy people contribute to the vitality and success of an organization.
It is not the job that frustrates as much as the Problems relating to People. As one Cost Analyst Complained, I thought my job would be dealing with figures, not people. What a surprise!
People have some basic beliefs about self and others. They use these beliefs to justify their decisions and behaviors. These behaviors are known as GAMES. Games are played wherever there are people.
This article, without a claim to originality, makes an attempt to:
? examine what prompts / motivates game - playing on the job.
? illustrate from experience how certain games are played in the organizational setting.
? demonstrate how games can be stopped.
What is a Game?
A Game is a transaction and a transaction is a communication between two or more people. It is an exchange of thoughts and of feelings expressed verbally or conveyed non-verbally (Tone, Pitch, Volume, Facial Expressions, Gestures and Postures).
What prompts Game - Playing in an Organization?
People play games because they have idle time. They need to fill up time. If they do not do it, they suffer boredom. Boredom saps physical and mental energies that causes deterioration. People who are bored with their jobs are more prone to Game - Playing.
People need recognition. It is a universal phenomenon. If the work environment is void of RECOGNITION people have all the more reasons and need to play games.
Motives and Effects.
Every game has a hidden agenda. There are hidden motives. Game players actually do not talk about what it sounds they are talking about. What they say, they do not mean; what they mean, they do not say. In the process someone gets hurt and the real problems remain unsolved. Such games prevent honest and open relationship and reveal that each person's real Hell.. is the other People.
Those who play games find other people to talk and to gossip and put other people down. By playing such games they are transmitting a message that they are OK but others are NOT OK. However in reality they may be having a belief that they are NOT OK. Therefore they feel better by putting others down.
Games are destructive. They cost the organization heavily. People who otherwise could be productive divert their energies into game-playing rather than doing their own job or getting the job done, making decisions or solving problems.
Games always fortify a feeling of I AM NOT OK and / or YOU ARE NOT OK. They lead to loss of productivity. The time of the organization which could have been used productively is used to reinforce negative concepts about self / others.
A few sample of Games played in Organizations.
? The following statements are often heard being made by employees.
? Well, I was only trying to help you.
? If it weren't for the Training Manager we could have run this training program well in time.
? It baffles me why such weird things always happen to me.
? This is the fourth time she has messed up the job for us.
Such statements aim at finding fault with others. When people play such games they do things like passing the buck. Such games are known as Blaming Games or Passing the Buck games. People who play these Games present themselves as angels and blemish-less by placing the responsibility for their short comings on some one else.
In an office setting someone senior or someone junior is blamed for their own mistakes
Such people find themselves inadequate and the blame is put on others for their inability / incompetence to achieve.
Another Blaming Game played is I have got you . In this game someone ends up being caught for having made a mistake. The game player arranges a set up for someone to make mistakes and when the mistakes occur the player shouts at him, gets angry at him. A Manager / Supervisor who gives incomplete instructions can be setting up such a game.
A game usually played between staff and line managers is but why don't you It is a game to put people down.
See what you made me do is a very common statement made by people in the organization. It is to blame a mistake made by the game player in the presence of another person on that other person.
Such a person takes the position nothing is ever my fault, but it is yours. Such a person is the collector of angry feelings about others and feelings of inadequacy about self.
The words "if it weren't for----" may be a clue to the possibility of game playing rather than an honest complaint. " If it weren't for such a rigid organization policy we could be creative" suggest the employees are playing a game, as they are actually not sure of their own creative abilities.
In office one finds a nit-picker. The game office nit-picker plays is to point out mistakes that are small and of no consequence. The people picked on can become angry and resentful.
A game where a bait is thrown in a manner that a trap falls on an employee who may then have to decide whether to stick with the organization or to seek employment elsewhere. Some organizations, in their desire to attract bright students in the college campus, paint a very rosy picture of the position they are offering. When they join, the realization comes that the position is not that was projected to be; and they feel trapped.
Another dirty game is where one person goes to a second person in an attempt to engage the second and the third person in an argument. It proceeds like this.
One employee A goes to another employee B saying in confidence ?It makes me feel uncomfortable to tell you this but I thought it over and feel you need to know what C is saying about you. And then the person proceeds to reveal, distort or fabricate what C is saying. In all likelihood B will soon engage in a conflict with C
In office one finds a corner player. Who maneuvers other people into a situation where they remark ?It seems, whatever we do, we never come out right, no matter what ever we do we can't please the boss. Such a feeling is typical of one who feels cornered.
The games described above are my own personal experiences / observations and are but a few of the variety of games played in an organization. These games are classified by Behavioral Scientists under different names like Blaming, Under Cutting, Putting other people down, Bear Trapping etc.
However whatever may be the type and nature of games played, they ultimately vitiate the work place environment, prevent development of honest and open relationship, and inhibit problem solving, curb creativity and productivity, put fetter on authentic interactions and cause anger and resentment among employees.
How Games can be stopped
? Games always aim at undermining other people. What is required is to develop and nurture those management skills that would help create such ambience at the work place as would make other people seem Heavenly. Insight into one's own personality and into what makes other people tick or click can probably lead to creation of that Heavenly ambience and those moments when other people seem Heavenly and feel Heavenly.
? When game-playing is stopped or curtailed within the organizations, it paves the way for more open, honest and authentic interactions among employees. It saves time and money. Moreover Curtailing / Preventing of organizational games helps people to be creative and productive.
? Managers who take the stance YOU ARE NOT OK tend to stall the personal growth and development of employees they manage. Managers can change this position. With persistence and enough foresight games can be stopped before they start. Efforts should be made to stop putting others down and putting ourselves down. In other words we should refrain from defining others as insignificant, refrain from collecting negative feelings about ourselves and stop exaggerating personal shortcomings. It will help stop game - playing.
? There are many ways in which management can diminish if not fully eliminate the time invested in games. This can be done by :
- reducing boredom on the job,
- Enriching work environment.
- allowing people to express and develop their own Potential.
- Integrating the personal goals with the Organizational goals.
It is to the benefit of organizations, if employees are given freedom to channel their energies into solving problems, making decisions and developing their talents and potentials. Happy employees contribute to the productivity that leads to increasing profits.
We managers need to create work environment that provides conducive conditions to employees to use their time productively and effectively. Less idle time they have, less scope is there for them to play games. Attitudes can be changed if the organizational Climate / Culture provide empowerment and professional freedom to employees to develop their potentials. Management can do that by fostering the attitude, WE (MANAGEMENT) ARE OK; YOU (EMPLOYEES) ARE OK?. This in all probability will help utilize the full potential of all its employees and create a Win Win situation.
Post updated on: Aug 6, 2021 1:53:41 AM
Today the world needs power from the source that never ends. Biodiesel is the only way to get power without damaging the environment. Biodiesel can be produced by various methods. It can be produced from vegetable oil and animal fats also. Biodiesel is a fuel that can be produced from vegetable waste also. Biodiesel helps in reducing the air pollution.
Biodiesel is a way to reduce the dependancy on diesel and petrol. Now a day, every country wants to get a new source of energy, without hampering the environment. In this regard, many researchers have almost predicted that the biodiesel derived from different sources has potential that it can be used in IC engines without alteration of the previous design parameters.
Needs of Biodiesel - Biodiesel fullfill the crisis of energy. Biodiesel is a fuel that can be easily produced from renewable sources. Emissions from road vehicles are major contributors of air pollution, which is very sensitive issue in Delhi and China. Biodiesel helps to run the engine with less production of air pollutants. It helps to reduce the air pollution. The engine optimization is achieved with biodiesel as it emits less carbon dioxide as compared to the engine running with diesel. The most promising nature of biofuel is that it can be utilised in the existing design of diesel engine without alteration. Biodiesel is very friendly to the diesel engine as it is not easy to remove engine hardware frequently.
Definition of Biodiesel - Biodiesel is basically polymer of ester. It is basically a well-defined long chain of fatty acid. It is better than the previous existing fuels. In the esterification process, firstly the triglycerides changes into di-glycerides, and then from diglycerides the mono-glycerides is obtained. In last step, mono-glycerides comes out with glycerin.
Triglycerides + Alcohol = Esters + Glycerin
Basically Esterification process helps to reduce the viscosity present in the biodiesel that is produced from vegetable oil and renewable resources. If the biodiesel is directly used in the diesel engine, it may damage the internal part of the engine because it has high viscosity. Due to viscosity, the internal parts of the diesel engine may slip or collapse while it is running.
Methods used for Production of Biodiesel -
1. Conventional Mechanical Stirring Method - The mechanical stirring method is used to mix the methanol and catalyst properly. This method is the cheapest way to get biodiesel.
The mechanical stirring machine consists of three major components : temperature controller, speed controller and magnetic stirrer. The temperature controller is used for maintaining the suitable temperature inside the beaker. The speed controller is used to control the speed of rotation of solution inside the beaker. The magnetic stirrer is the component which helps to mix the methanol and oil nicely by stirring the solution inside the beaker. The one should use induction heater to heat the solution inside the beaker.
Steps involed in production of the biodiesel-
1) Take sesame oil in beaker.
2) Take methanol and add catalyst in it.
3) Then mix it properly.
4) Put the solution on mechanical stirring machine.
5) Collect the biodiesel after stirring and settling process.
2 . Ultrasonic Cavitation Method- It is used nowadays as it produces more biodiesel from the oil. This method is costly method for biodiesel production, but less time consuming method.
There are many important parts of Ultrasonic horn type processor, such as start button, transducer horn and supporting tray. The start button is used for starting the machine. Supporting tray with sliding motion is used to support the beaker for stirring process. The main part of horn type processor is transducer horn. It helps to mix the solution of methanol and oil properly for extracting the biodiesel.
Steps involved in the production of the biodiesel -
1) The first step to produce the biodiesel is to mix oil with alcohol.
2) Mix the catalyst with the solution.
3) Put the solution in beaker.
4) Start the horn type ultrasonic machine.
5) Collect the biodiesel after the process of stirring and settling.
3. Soxhlet Extractor Method- It is very expensive method to produce the biodiesel from the vegetable waste. This method is very costly method for biodiesel manufacturing and is time consuming method also. Precautions should be taken while handling the apparatus. Soxhlet Extractor of mainly three components which are as follows; boiling flask, extraction chamber and last condenser. For heating purpose, the heating mantle is used.
The application of the apparatus with Hexane should be handled properly, otherwise it will cause accident.
Experimental procedure required for biodiesel production -
1) Firstly arrange the sesame seeds or any other plant seeds from market.
2) Then grind the seed properly by grinder.
3) Take a white cloth.
4) Put the grinded seed properly on the cloth, tie it.
5) Place the cloth containing seed above the boiling flask.
6) Start the heating mantle. The heating should be able to get biodiesel.
7) The biodiesel is collected by extractor chamber.
Biodiesel can be used as the fuel in vehicle, if it has following properties -
Biodiesel are used as fuel in vehicle nowadays. Fuel in vehicle must have some qualities. It should fulfill some parameters.
1) Availability of the fuel.
2) Cost of the fuel.
3) Exhaust gas should release less harmful gases.
4) It should run with the engine nicely.
Today the world needs the fuel that will not end. The biodiesel is the appropriate option because it can be produced by the plants. Biodiesel can be blended with the diesel and can be used as a fuel in engine. The engine running with the blended biodiesel gives the required result. B20 is the mixture of 20% biodiesel and 80% diesel. This B20 blend gives the appropriate result similar to the result of the diesel. The engine running with the biodiesel fulfill the requirement.
Description of the different types of blends of biodiesel-
| Types of blends | amount of biodiesel | diesel |
| Diesel | 0 | 1000 |
| B20 | 200 | 800 |
| B40 | 400 | 600 |
| B60 | 600 | 400 |
| B80 | 800 | 200 |
| B100 | 1000 | 0 |
There are the various changes that are required for the biodiesel performance test. There should be a engine that is consist of the one cylinder and four stroke diesel engine. They should be connected to the Eddy current type dynamometer for loading and water cooling jacket also should be there. The setup should also consists of the stand-alone panel box and air box, fuel and oil tank, manometer, fuel measuring unit, transmitter for air and the fuel flow measurement.
There should be Piezo sensor and there should be crank angle sensor also. The load sensor, load indicator and temperature sensor should be there in the setup. The enginesoft is the software that is used for analysing the performance of the engine.
The diesel can be used as the fuel. There are two types of emission measuring equipment. First one is the smoke metre and second one is the exhaust gas analyser. Both can be used for measuring, calculating and analysing the information of exhaust products of the engine.
For more details about the biodiesel, please click here on the link,
Topic - Biodiesel used as fuel in vehicle
Advantages of biodiesel -
1) The biodiesel is collected from various types of plant seeds.
2) When vehicle uses the biodiesel as fuel, it generates less carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.
3) It is argued that biodiesel can be produced by renewable resources, therefore Biodiesel is easily accessible and available.
Disadvantages of biodiesel -
1) The biodiesel produces more nitrogen dioxide than diesel.
2) The work efficiency of the engine is lesser than the engine working with diesel.
The parts of the engine gets lubricated due to the use of the biodiesel.
The main remarkable facts about the biodiesel is that it can be used in engine without any modifications of internal parts of the engine. The decrease in the magnitude of efficiency of the engine working with the biodiesel, causes the research to pay attention on the engine optimization. The optimization of engine is determined by considering the load provided to vichecle and the efficiency of the engine.
Post updated on: Aug 6, 2021 1:27:33 AM
Manager
and Leader
Managers ensure process flows, structural clarity, sustained excellence, fairness and equality; they are to be conduits of ideas /innovation through out the organization.
Leaders lead without the formal authoritarian control, to lead means to have followers and following is a voluntary act.
Managers tend to be relatively risk free, leaders tend to be risk seeking, managers manage work, leaders lead people.
Love is universal but intensely personal. Likewise leadership is universal and it is personal as well. Love energizes the universe so does leadership. From this energy flows action. Leadership encompasses the whole universe in its fold; Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela are the shining examples of this Universality, their footprints are indelible, eternal. Leadership derives energy from the love of the vision/ mission that he/she is set to realize. Mother Teresa is an example of this purity of love that kept her energized to keep going strongly/enthusiastically with the noble mission of serving the poor preaching LOVE ALL -HATE NONE to make this world hatred free. Similarly it was the love of the vision/mission to have their countries free from the shackles of slavery that energized Gandhi and Mandela. They had the reservoir of energy/passion that kept their people energized and motivated and mission achieved. How aptly the remark of Follet, ??there is energy, passion, unawakened life in us--those who call it forth are leaders?, fits in with these leaders
The excellence of leader is dependent on the followers. Great leaders take their workers with them; a leader creates organization that can flourish in spite of them. He rises above his ego. He creates an environment where people are not afraid to fail.
As John C Maxwell has said ?A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. ?
Leader ship is, therefore, about
Guiding people to go where they have never been
Inspiring them to produce exceptional results
Creating an image of future (vision), to have vision is the very essence of leadership that inspires enthusiasm and commitment
empathizing with the people and responding to their emotions as they cope with the journey
Encouraging learning by experimentation
Tolerating ambiguity and mistakes
Being available to people
Taking the work seriously and enthusiastically but taking the EGO lightly
Being humble. Leaders aren?t self-promoting or engaged in building a personal fiefdom
Having a sense of responsibility. Leaders are willing to bear the ultimate responsibility for their undertakings. They don?t point the finger of blame when things go awry. They don?t take all the credit. They give credit to others and refuse it for themselves. They do not sustain themselves in reflected glory. Leaders have integrity, the strength of character that restrains them from falling prey to temptations to self glorification and self perpetuation
Being passion- igniter not extinguisher and competence -appreciator not castrators?
)
Post updated on: Aug 6, 2021 12:21:57 AM
Does every leader have charisma?
What is CharismaCharisma can be termed as the leadership instinct with which an individual is born with. Charisma is reflection of one's personality. It is a wonderful icing on the cake; it is the galvanizing impetus in moments of great peril and or unusual opportunity. Charisma is simply integral to getting things done. It is like magnet that pulls and draws people to the leader, and it is an aura that surrounds a leader.
Charisma can be bad, charisma can be good
Bad Charisma
It is not backed by brains, vision, integrity and character, such a charisma is useless and mostly dangerous. It is hollow and destructive when it is directed at self perpetuation and glorification. History throws up many examples of charismatic leaders like Saddam Hussein and Idi Amin whose dark power has been ruinous. Their charisma was devoid of vision, wisdom and integrity. They had no character; consequently they and their people/country suffered.
Good Charisma
It is backed by wisdom, integrity, intelligence, vision -one with these traits just makes the job whole lot better.
Among political leaders Mahatma Gandhi and African legend Nelson Mandela and among Business Leaders Dhiru Bhai Ambani , JRD Tata were the charismatic leaders. They had vision, they had passion .They displayed never ending persistence, empathy and action. They listened, they never arrogated to themselves having the monopoly on wisdom. they surmounted all the obstacles in their journey to the promised lands, they had conviction and belief in what they were doing to inspire others and they did achieve what they wanted to ,they did not merely play with words, they practiced what they preached.
Leaders say what they mean and mean exactly what they say.People will believe if you mean what you say, if you keep saying it - and then ensure that your actions and your management groups' actions are all in alignment with those words.
The inscription on the tombstone of Andrew Carnegie is very revealing Here lies the man Who knew how to enlist In his service Better men than himself.
This is the art of leadership at its best
This the Charisma at its best display
The End
Post updated on: Aug 6, 2021 12:21:47 AM
LESSONS AND TESTS IN LIFE
Lesson ONE : Think Wisely
Once upon a time there lived one very old man called Arap Chumo. Young children used to visit
him for they liked listening to his talks which were mostly stories and parables with moral
lessons. There was one memorable day which will go down in history books when Arap Chumo
delivered a series of anecdotes to bring out his pet subject which he termed ?two tests in life?. I
was in that lengthy session. It was the following morning that we learnt of his death. He had died
peacefully later that night in sleep, full of years. Whatever he gave us on that day was gem that
summed up his whole life' philosophy. Looking back, I am glad I was there to receive his final
counsel on the issues of life.
The session began in the afternoon just after lunch. We were about twelve children from the old
man' neighboring homes. We sat on the grass under a shade while Arap Chumo sat on a three-
legged stool, leaning his back against a tree trunk and his chin resting in a perfect repose on top
of his staff. He had a white moustache and a bald head. ?There are two tests for everyone of us
on earth?, he began, stopping suddenly to clear his throat, then continued, ?and it' all about
success and failure. We all like success and hate failure, right? You say ?yes?! Wrong! Success
can either become our friend or foe. It is how you react to success that determines whether you
will benefit from it in a meaningful, sustainable way. In the same vein it is how you react to
failure that will determine whether you will rise again or fall into the oblivion of insignificance
in life. So my dear children, I?ll share some tales of real people whose lives I believe will cause
you to rethink the way you intend to live.?
I folded my legs on the ground so as to sit up comfortably, some of my comrades copied from
me, while others by lay prostrate. We were all intent to listen attentively. Arap Chumo went on:
?There once lived a very wealthy king who ruled an empire of more than twenty million people.
He was widely admired and respected for his good leadership. One day he sent his troops to fight
off invading cattle rustlers who were always terrorizing some of his subjects near the borders.
Unfortunately the king' men were attacked, killed and cattle driven away in their thousands.
Learning of this incident the queen made some funny remarks about the king in front of his
advisers. The king was infuriated. From then on he began to hate his wife and scorned the advice
of his council of elders. As a result, more and more invasions from neighboring nations
occurred, cattle were stolen and civilians killed or maimed. The king could no longer manage it
and resorted to too much drinking of wine, divorced the queen and fired his advisers. At long
last, the people rose against the king, deposed him and a new king took over. So my dear
children, do you see how this king handled his initial failure in curbing cattle rustling? Despite
the queen' cutting remarks he should have maintained hope and sent a better trained army. His
downturn spiral began when he gave in to initial despair.
In another story there was once a young man who had lost his parents when he was young. He
grew up a poor boy with nobody to provide for him. At the age of fifteen he began to join
wrestling teams so as to participate in wrestling competitions in the village. People cheered him
on as he took on his opponents. He won! The organizers of wrestling competitions awarded him
fifty head of sheep and goats. This young man got rich. He was now able to not only support
himself but also engage in activities that would help build society. He assisted the needy and
trained other young men to be wrestlers. From then on he was made a leader because he proved
useful and well- meaning. His fame spread far and wide as he grew richer and richer. Do you see
how this young man handled success? He used it positively to develop himself as well as develop
the society. He did not let the success get into the head. You should be able to move from being
successful to being significant. Success is the end result of consistently applying the right focus
and energy to your endeavor. Success is your personal achievement, purpose is why you achieve
it, and significance is the way you use it.
In another case there was once a girl who lived with her mother in a single hut. The mother was
unmarried and the girl had been born out of wedlock. The two lived from hand to mouth as they
struggled to eke out a living from daily toil in their small farm. One day, the girl who was now
sixteen was spotted by a European woman who came to settle in the neighborhood as a Christian
missionary. She lived in a palatial home. She took this girl as a maid. Sooner enough the girl
found favor in the eyes of this missionary mzungu and was put in charge of all that she had: the
house, the cars, the garden, the cows, and the shops. This young girl could now provide for her
single mother. However, when the mzungu was away she began to bring men to the house all
night long, drinking alcohol. She also slept with them. Her boss but paid to her bliss after she
caught the girl red handed one morning with a man in the bedroom. The mzungu further
discovered that she had lost some of her precious things in the house because of these strangers.
She sent the girl packing whereby she went back to live with her mother. She had also fallen
pregnant from the encounters with the men. Now, children, do you see how this girl misused the
golden opportunity?
In another case there lived a Maasai cattle- keeper who had the largest herd of cattle ever seen.
He was very wealthy and had very many wives. One season a prolonged drought set in, killing
all the vegetations on the ground across the entire Maasailand. After three months all his animals
which had grown too emaciated to stand began to die. There was neither water nor vegetation for
these animals. The hapless Maasai was very discouraged seeing all his animals wiped away by
drought.
Soon he encouraged himself in God and got a bright idea. He skinned these dead animals
carefully to obtain the hides as skillfully as possible. He cured these hides for a while. He got a
skilled artist who made traditional costumes out of these hides which he sold off to musicians
and dancers. He also got another artist to develop musical instruments from the horns. Soon
people liked his products and bought them in large quantities. Seeing that it was an excellent
venture he established a business outfit that dealt in those products. He soon began to get an
income that was far much better than if his animals were alive. Now children, do you see how
this Maasai handled his initial loss of cattle? He did not allow failure to keep him down. Instead
he used failure as a stepping stone to achieve greater things.
I have told you these stories to teach you how to live in the event of failure or success. Both of
them are either imposters or friends. But you will have to choose what it will be to you. Keep
this in mind as you grow up to be men and women. Thus far I wish you all the best.? Arap
Chumo said summarily. We thanked him and went back to our various homes. It had been a
good day.
Lesson TWO: Act Smartly
His age sat lightly enough on him; and of his tact and wisdom he was not ashamed. He had not been alone
in judging the predictability of the General Election outcome.
Parliamentarians whose judgment in matters of politics was as expert as his, had lauded the prudence of
his actions, and had themselves lost in the elections because of their lack of trustworthiness. Thus the only
difference between them and him was that he had been re-elected to parliament for a second term. The
men downplayed their failures by formally declaring themselves tired of politics to conceal their sorrows.
Some even rushed to initiate some business ventures to occupy their leisure of an old politician - ?to push
time with?, as they put it. Others dragged their feet to their homes to spend time with their families they
had hitherto forsaken. Hosea Bett embarked on his new term with the promise of rendering inestimable
services to the people of Sheba, specifically, those of his constituency. He focused on employing his
political skills in keeping faith with his spirit of altruism to better the lives of his people.
But it was still a roller-coaster ride for Sheba. Immediately after the Sheba Electoral Commission
announced a winner in the presidential elections, the nation virtually plunged into a civil war. It was
widely speculated that the elections had been rigged. The incumbent president Mr. Wilson Kimani had
been declared winner, within an hour, under unclear circumstances, sworn in for a second term. His
closest contender, Auma Otieno was greatly appalled by these developments and refused to take the
humiliation lying down. The third contestant in the presidential poll who had himself garnered the least
votes had publicly declared to the president that his Labour Party would make an alliance with the so-
called ruling party, Republican Party. When Andrew Mutua made good that intention, he was soon
honoured and appointed vice- president. Ethnic communities to which Hosea Bett and Auma Otieno
belonged and which accounted for major voting zones for their Democratic Party ganged up against their
rivals - supporters of the two other parties. What ensued looked like interminable skirmishes in Sheba.
There was little to be done by way of intervention.
*********
Albert Rono, Hose Bett's son was reclining in a seat in his house with his lovely wife Dora in the evening.
He was savoring his feelings of happiness to have ever married this dear wonder. As for marriage, and
fortune, and all that, he reckoned with gladness that he had been very calculating and designing while
dating in the past. And now the present bliss in marital life coupled with his excellence in Political
Science he was studying. His strategies had paid off handsomely at just the right time.
?I?ve been pondering over why the youth do not participate in global issues,? Albert said at length,
?perhaps it's because of lack of information. As you might have seen, there's hardly any discipline in our
school curriculum on international affairs.?
?I quite perceive,? said Dora, perfectly, ?the application of this fact to our media houses. They devote
their space to local content. You?ll soon confirm this come the seven, o?clock news?.
?I quite concur with you, dear. Talking of radio, many people are tuning in to late night shows, especially
those that address family issues such as marriage, relationships, children and such-like. The overriding
reason for the programmes? popularity is the level of human interest. Ardent listeners say these shows
tackle problems given to presenters by callers offering suggestions and advice. Commentators argue that
pastors who host these shows do not hold back any information when discussing love matters. However,
some critics lament that they are commercially motivated and create conflict of interest.? said Albert.
'ome particular shows have provided me wish invaluable information on how to make my marriage
more successful,? she said, tongue-in-cheek.
?It gets worse when the men callers pour vitriol, accusing women of failing marriages and relationships.
Also, when women accuse men of abdicating responsibility as family head,? said Albert who could be
irritated by trivial issues. They kept talking as they drank tea.
*******
To the Democratic Party, Hosea Bett was hero as well as catalyst. He stood out among his contemporaries
in parliament as a likely candidate for influence. As a matter of fact, he had played an integral part in
propelling Mr. Auma Otieno to a lofty position by rigorously campaigning for him in the region of
Hosea's own tribesmen; only that the elections were later disputed and subsequently thrown to the dogs.
His personal life was largely unconventional. He had lived a solitary domestic existence since he and his
wife Gomer went their own separate ways several years back. He had a son and a daughter, both in their
twenties now. Despite his shattered marital life, he was a compelling man who exuded vitality and
intellectual energy. His acumen to win the attention, and even the affection of large audiences was amply
demonstrated. In public and on television, where he was a star Sheba Television commentator - notably
on the highly sensational current affairs show, The Weekly Showdown - he had a modest, down-to-earth
demeanor. And he had many friends indeed; in his personal dealings with people, he was gentle and
truthful. A former TV colleague of his noted: ?He always stands for the truth even when he is alone?.
?He' a selfless person,? explained Mike Hassan who as Secretary General of the Democratic Party, got
to know Hosea Bett both at public and personal levels. ?The average politician relies on him for
protection, strategy and affirmation. To be trustworthy and sensitive to the needs of people seems to sum
up the whole life philosophy of this politician.??
Thus he kept on urging Auma Otieno not to back down in his quest for fairness and justice in his
presidential ambition. Hosea Bett, alongside his like-minded colleagues and the citizens, was convinced
that the presidential elections had been rigged and Wilson Kimani declared winner - to the detriment of
his ally Auma Otieno and the nation of Sheba as a whole. What a disillusionment!
So far up to a thousand people had lost their lives in a spate of violence that was triggered on the day the
flawed election results were made public. ?If only we had an autonomous, authentic electoral system in
Sheba???..This institution is to blame for all this! The personnel should be held accountable!? so
Hosea Bett charged at a news conference. Protesting that the Sheba Electoral Commission had been
manipulated, he called for the need to disband the body and put in place a new one. Moreover, he urged
the media to focus on peace messages for the good of the people.
Over the next couple of days, leaders from other African nations jetted into the country to push for this:
peace and reconciliation. It was comforting for broken- hearted citizens to know that other nations were
showing concern about their welfare during these saddening days. Hosea Bett gave assurances to his
community that all would be well sooner than later. Speaking at a vernacular radio station one morning,
he reassured his people that he and Auma Otieno, the presidential aspirant they hugely supported all
along, would fight for justice, truth and fairness under the auspices of Africa Regional Organization. The
organization was going to oversee the restoration of stability to the nation of Sheba.
**************
One evening while Albert and Dora were relaxing in their house, Albert' sister Beatrice arrived. The
single damsel was on a casual visit. She was a nurse, working for a public national hospital. After shaking
hands they began to engage in a commonplace conversation. Barely were they three minutes into the talk
when Dora touched on their family issues, ?Daddy is faring well in politics but in private he' suffering
much. Imagine, just yesterday Uncle Bill called him a ?weakling? and a ?loser? straight to his face on AN
since he is only bent on cutting him down to his own size. Furthermore, Uncle Bill wanted to dissuade me
from studying Political Science, only suggesting that I choose Banking. I was adamant and when he
realized he could not talk me out of pursuing this God-given dream he began to resent Dad and me,? said
Albert.
?Criticism is inevitable when you are following God' plans, if you become outstanding, expect more
castigation than compliments.? Beatrice opined.
?I suppose we as a family should never be afraid of critics. Otherwise we?ll die doing nothing,? said Dora.
The three kept talking as they enjoyed a cup of tea and watched a documentary film. They were close
relations and the best of friends, at that. Suffice to say that they could all together go out for recreation
excursions at major rendezvous and social places in Nasa, the nation' metropolitan city at their leisure
time.
*************
At last, the Africa Regional Organization endorsed Professor David Kaihura, a renowned peace mediator
to assist in the peace brokering process in Sheba. The political situation in the country had degenerated
from bad to worse, occasioning a near-civil war crisis. Ethnic tensions had run high and inter-ethnic fights
intensified. Political and partisan passions were on the edge. Post-election violence scenario was here. It
became apparent that the tribes were not fighting over the stolen votes, but over deep underlying issues
from the past. These were the emotive land issues that the African men had given special attachment to
their hearts. Memories of historical injustices insofar as land was concerned were indeed an open wound
to the nationhood of Sheba.
As Prof. Kaihura arrived in the country shortly afterwards, his first task was to thoroughly assess the
situation before aiming at reconciling President Wilson Kimani and his antagonist Auma Otieno. In his
office, Home Affairs Minister Joseph Nderitu briefed him on the cause- and-effect phenomenon of the
stand-off.
?This fiasco,? began Mr. Nderitu, ?was triggered when the Sheba Electoral Commission chairperson
announced Wilson Kimani as the winner of the presidential elections after employing some sinister
delaying tactics. The public read mischief in all this for they were keenly following the provisional results
from time to time and gauging the figures. Auma Otieno' supporters protested at the results, arguing they
had been spin-doctored in favour of the incumbent president who was running for a second term.? Mr.
Nderitu paused, deeply affected by his discourse.
'o that' when the violence erupted??
?Yes! Not only that, what vexed the citizenry and mostly the Democratic Party was the haste with which
the so-called winner was sworn into office within minutes in a surreptitious ceremony. The public was
utterly dumbfounded and stupefied.??
?What has Auma Otieno been doing since then??
?With the help of his key ally and pointman Hosea Bett, Auma Otieno has been rallying his voters to go
for public demonstrations he dubbed ?Mass Action?. More often than not, these demonstrations would be
hijacked by hooligans who turned them into destructive riots. The police would employ shoot to kill
tactics in quelling the unrest. This would only aggravate the situation.?
Albert was deeply engrossed in his study when his wife tip-toed from behind and covered his eyes with
her palms playfully. The young beautiful woman who had a penchant for poems then dropped a little
poem printed on a card on the desk. It read:
?Motivation is to a thirsty soul
What water is to a barren land
Break through to the next level as a whole
Striving for excellence in life never hard.?
Dora' poem was heartwarming! Albert wanted God to help him in his destiny. He had a vision of
ensuring that elections in Sheba were not given any chance for manipulation by demagogues and bigots.
In fact, he had been working on a draft proposal up to that point that would lobby for the creation of an
independent electoral body to guard against fraudulent voting process in the future. He had a strong
conviction that he was wired specifically for this purpose.
?I admire your dream!? Dora said, laughing vivaciously.
?I wonder what I?ll call this electoral body. I just hate to see any more blood-shed in this great nation of
ours. We certainly need divine intervention!? Interjected Albert.
?I have a brilliant idea. Just call it the tree of life!?
Albert smiled and noted it down before clicking on his laptop visibly in high spirits but also reflective.
Just as Albert concluded his proposal, a young man going by the name Sungura alias Tsunami arrived in
the house. His eccentric, notorious demeanor was highly conspicuous in every sense of the term. Some
claimed he was an ex-convict of terrorism in the Middle East; others claimed he had studied Law in
America but only came to Sheba after failing in his studies. Nobody seemed to be so sure about him.
Whatever the case, he featured prominently as a public figure in Sheba.
After exchanging greetings with the hosts, Sungura ranted, ?This is evidently the collapse of the Sheba
tower of Babel. There' confusion galore among our ethnic communities. As Shakespeare rightly put it,
?There is a tide in the affairs of men!? Where is God in all this?? It was next to impossible decipher his
motives in his expressionless face; whether he was thoroughly enjoying himself with his discourse or
trying to hoodwink those around him was a matter for conjecture.
?When catastrophes strike, many cannot comprehend why they had to occur. We are most likely to be
troubled by the gravity, the brutality and the wantonness of violence and disaster. This begs the question:
why does God permit suffering? As a result, probably having found no gratifying answer to it, many lose
faith in God, yet to others if becomes a strengthening of their faith. Dejected ones say Satan is tempting
them. At such times as difficult as these, the truth as to why God' people have been subjected to such
suffering becomes seemingly elusive,? Albert said.
?Then that means we are left to rely on positive thinking philosophies,? Tsunami said then immediately
changed the topic. ?I hear your father is pushing for???
?Pardon me, Tsunami,? Dora interrupted. ?You don?t have to rely on positive thinking philosophies. We
should instead trust the scriptures to help us face our challenges. The Spirit of God is able to lead us in
life' maneuvers, not just philosophies!?
?I was trying to say,? Sungura went on, evading her rejoinder, ?that your proactive father is a lion. He'
unstoppable. Oh, if every politician had such gallantry!?
?He' commendable. We need people who can stand for the truth even when they seen unpopular. Slave
trade was not abolished on the strength of a committee but rather on the strength of William Wilberforce.
Come to think of it!? Albert said.
?I assert, Albert, whenever there' a duel, the majority always have their way and the minority would
always have their say,? Sungura said.
?In that case, the truth can never be quenched.? Dora said.
Hosea drove his limousine in the direction of Freedom House early in the morning. The stakes were high.
It was on this day when Prof. Kaihura, the chief mediator of the political stalemate, was going to bring
together the two protagonists in these affairs, President Wilson Kimani and his rival Auma Otieno. All
this drama was going to be staged in the hallowed precincts of the Freedom House. The two principals
had each selected a group of supporters. Hosea was the lead supporter of Otieno' while a woman MP
called Nelly Wambui led Kimani'. News reporters were by this time milling around the building in
anticipation of the big event. Citizens who were by now war-worn hoped that reconciling the two
principals would end the impasse hence let peace prevail. Church leaders cried that Sheba, once deemed a
stable nation in Africa, was now like a person stripped naked in public, what with all the big-time
international media coverage going on.
Otieno and his faction were set to place a demand on the other party. They demanded that the Republican
Party would be coming to the negotiation table on one condition: To admit they had rigged the elections.
This would form the basis upon which a rational reconciliation process would begin. This, they believed,
would put an end to the deadlock.
Although unheard of in Sheba, rumors about the likely formation of a power-sharing deal were rife at this
time. Yet this notion did not go down well with Auma Otieno and his team; they died to see President
Kimani step down at all costs. The future of the country hanged in the balance; whether the country
would slip farther into chaos or obtain a peace deal hinged on the outcome of the next hours? negotiation
process.
Cameras clicked and whirled as the two principals and Prof. Kaihura arrived at the precincts of the
Freedom House in separate cars. Security was impregnable. Hosea Bett' and Nelly Wambui' factions
joined Otieno and Kimani for a closed-door meeting headed by Prof. Kaihura. Journalists were actually
locked out of the process since it was a highly sensitive diplomatic process. The nation would be briefed
on any new developments soon afterwards. Waiting ensued.
*********************
?I?ve finally accepted your suggestion that the new electoral body be called the tree of life,? said Albert
Rono, reflectively. He was with his wife in the house.
?Why did you take that long to weigh it?? asked Dora.
?You know, I was circumcised under a tree, and, as it were, I lost blood. Indeed it goes back to my
lineage. My grandfather was circumcised under that tree, then my father, then myself. What' more! Our
son will meet his rite there too!?
?It really does have significance?.
?Yes, in fact under that tree, in solitary seclusion, one gets important life lessons from wise old men.
That' why our lives improved greatly.?
The following day, Albert drove round Nasa city doing consultations with friends and key people in the
government to push his proposal through. You can never see sunrise by looking to the west, he told
himself. He had to find the right connections and avoid following anyone who was not going anywhere.
His vision urged him to take steps everyday, however small.
Nevertheless, Dora speculated that something must have gone terribly wrong on noticing her husband in a
dull, sunken mood as he returned home in the evening. He recounted to her how he had been
contemptuously treated by a certain government official on the basis of his parents? shattered marital life.
This consternation was too much for Dora who broke down in a flood of tears. They kept wondering why
they wore being criticized for something that was beyond their control.
Somehow, Dora had carved a niche for herself in Second Corinthians 4:8-9 which reads: ?we are
perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed.? After
encouraging each other with this scripture, their spirits began to soar. Dora soon found herself writing this
poem:
?Fear sees the hurdles; hope sees the lane
Fear sees the shame; hope sees the fame
Fear sows doubt; hope establishes belief
Fear buries talent; hope lets vision conceive.?
*******************
After the highly sensational mediation talks, Prof. Kaihura addressed the nation through the media. It
transpired that the two opposing camps had not come to concrete terms. While Auma Otieno was crying
for the president to step down so that the votes could be recounted Wilson Kimani still hanged on to
power claiming he neither planned for the rigging of the elections nor such a thing ever happened. Hard-
line supporters of Mr. Otieno led by the vociferous Hosea Bett did not show any signs of backing down
from the struggle. On the other side Nelly Wambui, the charismatic woman MP leading Kimani'
supporters swore never to relinquish their right. She was quoted as saying, ?we are not quitting the race,
never... Why should we chicken out? President Kimani should quit in favour of whom?? The tone and
staccato nature of her responses revealed how tenacious and pertinacious her team was.
The next morning, after a difficult night' sleep, an idea popped into Hosea' mind. This idea shaped
itself into a decision as he drove to Freedom House for another session on mediation talks. He was going
to advise Auma Otieno and their entire faction to accept a compromise. So in arriving at the building he
briefed them on the idea. ?Better half a loaf than no bread at all,? he told them. After some deliberation, it
was agreed unanimously that Otieno would ask for the position of prime minister. It would be a new post
not provided for in the current constitution. ?Desperate times call for desperate measures,? Prof. Kaihura
had stated the previous day but was taken for granted since the debate had reached a tumultuous level.
The session kicked off in earnest on the arrival of the chief mediator. Cases of violence were still being
reported to erupt sporadically across the country. The citizens hoped this day God would answer their
prayers. The government of the day was accused of extrajudicial killings in the way the police employed
excessive force in quelling the violence. On the other hand, the Democratic Party was also accused of
calling for public demonstrations against the government of the day. It was difficult to draw a line on who
was right and who was wrong. In the usual politics of the day, the term ?impunity? became a catchword
of which either camp accused the other. Even human rights groups in the country perfected its use in a
stream of press releases pleading for an end to the ?culture of impunity?.
Eventually, a peace deal was obtained. It was a milestone. The journey to that end was uphill and
painstaking. A document called the National Accord was ratified which established a Grand Coalition
Government. Under this power-sharing arrangement, the presumptive Prime Minister Auma Otieno
would have two appointed deputies drawn from both coalition parties. Andrew Mutua would stay put as
the vice-president to Wilson Kimani. The prime minister' Democratic Party and the president'
Republican Party would equally share the available government ministries according to the number of
MP' of both umbrella parties. The nation was in respite and in a jubilant mood as the two erstwhile rival
leaders shook hands amicably, live on television, promising to work together and put the dark past behind
them. Not to be left behind were Hosea and Nelly who shook hands in a conciliatory mood. This gesture
was necessary for the good of the people, Hosea reasoned.
Congratulating the two parties on reaching the peace deal Prof. David Kaihura emphasized the need to
establish what he termed a truth, justice and reconciliation commission or TJRC. This institution, he said,
would probe into historical injustices and the post-election violence with a view to seeking ways of
providing lasting solutions to inter-ethnic animosities in the country. Healing was needed. Never again
need there be aggressions among tribes in Sheba in the future. This was a blessed nation with a great
destiny. The presence of diverse tribes was a treasure and not an anathema. Prof. Kaihura stated that all
throughout his life as a peace broker around the globe he had come to realize that people' needs are
identical because they originate from within. Being a Christian, the professor told them: ?The good old
Bible, the authority on which all our lives? issues rest, has this to say about the nation: ?if my people, who
are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked
ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.? Repentance means a
change of mind and a change of lifestyle. Reconciliation is contingent upon our attitude toward God and
our fellow man. I strongly believe that this nation is destined for greatness if only you value yourselves. I
exhort all the Christians to expend all their efforts, talents and skills endowed to them by the creator to
bring about social transformation this nation is in dire need of.?
*********************
Albert inched closer to the actualization of his ambition eventually when he handed in his proposal to Mr.
Emanuel Juma, the chairman of Parliamentary Projects Council which was the very nerve-centre of all-
time powerful parliamentary machinery. Mr. Juma was greatly impressed by this young man' vision and
promised to consider it as soon as possible. He even hinted that Albert was hopefully the designated
director of the yet-to-be-formed institution.
So enraptured Albert was by this new development that as he drove back home he called almost everyone
he knew on phone to share his happiness. It came to a climactic, dramatic end when on arriving at the
compound of his home, his wife and sisters-in-law treated him to a red carpet reception!
That night, they held a party to celebrate the good tidings, every man, every woman, and every child had
a liking for Albert. The being cherished like a boy in the room, and the consciousness that this
accomplishment of his flattered him, and his wife Dora, made him appreciate life all the more. Also, the
celebration served another purpose; the signing of the peace deal that ushered the formation of a power-
sharing coalition government.
Many times an event could be best understood by the events that come after it. At least, that was the
position Albert took in light of the agreement. ?The republicans grabbed the most powerful ministries,?
he said furiously.
?And what of the democrats?? asked Harriet, one of the sisters-in-law of his.
?They took the remaining less powerful ones and new ones had to be concocted to satisfy them. What a
pity!? said Albert.
They were still at it when Sungura phoned him saying, ?I am often concerned about the lack of political
suffrage for political and ordinary prisoners in this country. I Sungura aka Tsunami will ensure that there
will be an antidote to this anomaly. Yes, count on me, Albert.? Albert laughed after the caller switched
off; he knew when Sungura was about to do something; and never did.
Reflecting on this message once again, Albert was made to understand one thing about prisoners. That
they were citizens who were not allowed to participate in polls. What brilliant idea!
***************************
It was the inauguration ceremony for new cabinet ministers inside Freedom House. Hosea Bett' children
were present to witness their father take two oaths: one of allegiance to the constitution and another one
of due execution of office. He was now minister for Trade and Commerce.
Later in the afternoon, Albert and Dora left their father and drove to Sheba National Archives, the
nation' depository and repository of history, for a pastime. Both enjoyed digging into archives and
Albert being a budding political scientist liked acquiring vast knowledge of how the nation fought for
independence and of past heroes.
One thing which made a permanent imprint on the mind of Albert Rono was something to do with
international security. On looking further into some records, he learned of how the Israeli government had
sought to partner with Sheba on military grounds to boost security in the neighbouring South Cape
Republic which was continually facing civil wars and acts of terrorism. This negotiation took place during
the early days when Sheba was drafting its first constitution as an independent republic. Apparently this
deal was going to be enshrined in the constitution. It shocked Albert that this phenomenon never saw the
light of day.
So captivated Albert was by this matter that he found himself chatting about it with his father later in the
evening when they returned. ?I was almost of your age when all that happened then.? Mr. Bett said with
an enlivened gusto. ?Just like any other major undertaking the constitution making process elicited varied
reactions from every quarter.?
?What about South Cape Republic? I mean, was it at war with itself back then as it is now?? Inquired
Albert.
?Oh, yes, in fact that country is the most politically unstable country in Africa. The fact that it is our close
neighbor made it a cause for great concern among our right-thinking countrymen. Tribal kingdoms
headed by warlords that are not native to the country have been fighting to clinch power from the hands
of the Aboriginals who control vast mineral resources,? explained Hosea Bett. He went on to recount to
his dear son and daughter-in-law how Israel had offered to partner with Sheba to provide peace and
security measures in that war-torn country. Nevertheless, the gesture did not see the light of day as it was
suffocated when it was just about to be incorporated in the draft in its infancy.
In the first three or so months since its inception the Grand Coalition Government went on with its
business swiftly and harmoniously. Foreign dignitaries including Prof. David Kaihura whose midwifery
role in mediation brought forth the transitional government lauded His Excellency President Wilson
Kimani and the Right Honorable Prime Minister Auma Otieno for upholding the rule of law in the way
they handled the whole political crisis. At last and thankfully so, Sheba was back in its perfectly peaceful
state. Every citizen came to appreciate the importance of peace in their country and vowed not to take it
as a given. Virtually every man, woman and child was adversely affected directly or indirectly by the
social disturbance that was wrought by political woes. While some lost their lives in the ethnic cleansing,
others had to make do with damaged property, burnt houses or stolen cars. Yet others were displaced
from their homes and only finding a semblance of peace in camps as internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Hapless girls and women were reduced to rape victims. Young men who had taken to street
demonstrations against the government for alleged rigged elections were subjected to live bullets after
defying tear-gas canisters pelted at them by police officers complete in anti-riot gear. Some died in the
process while others survived with gun-shot wounds.
Some of them were arrested and locked up in police custody and were still awaiting trials three months
later. In some homes, mothers could not bring food to the table since they could not go to the market
centre for there were no vehicles on the highways. Along the highways were sporadic check points for
inspecting whether a car was carrying a people of such and such a tribe. Positive identification would land
one in trouble, even death. Bonfires punctuated the highways; painting the very picture of a living hell on
earth. All local radio and television stations were prohibited from airing news bulletins and forbidden to
host state-of-the-nation talk shows. The nation was sadly in its darkest hours. The bare feet that walk the
ground feel the heat of the sun' rays.
Hosea had his study in the house arranged in accordance with his simple ideal of comfort in his
ministerial life. Shelves full of books (he was an avid reader) occupied one side of his study room; the
portrait of his son and daughter and wall clock, hanged on the wall. Usually he either read from dusk
since arriving from work until ten o?clock then would go to watch some television soaps or vice versa.
Going to bed feeling drowsy and lonely, he first went into a deep sustained murmur of the Lord' Prayer
recitation in a sincere, heartfelt voice. In this night, sleep showed signs of defying him, opening him up
for tormenting memories. He recalled the day he was in New York on a government business a couple of
years back. Phone calls traversed thousands of miles like nothing between him and his wife in Sheba.
There were the sweet-nothings, expressions of loneliness, and wishes of good health. And the profuse
promises of love. He could almost smell the roses in their sitting-room on phone (as he admitted
afterwards) which gave him some appetite to eat over there in America. His wife Gomer was a good
singer; she would soothe him to sleep with her ballads either of love or gospel. He was still upbeat and
hopeful on a stopover at Heathrow Airport on his return journey. He dashed to a boutique and bought her
an expensive, beautiful dress. He had planned how to give him a real kiss at the door, not a peck, and then
present it to her.
He was not to forget; but one cannot expect to live a life with no interruptions. On arriving home, he
encountered the most betraying moment of his life on discovering his wife Gorner being unfaithful to
him. On the spur of the moment, he acted right away and a terrible confrontation ensued. She escaped like
a slave girl, a wicked woman herself at heart. He had to use the rule of the thumb, but after the flare-up he
did not remember much of what happened for the next few days for he somehow fell into some kind of a
trance. It caused ripples on children and friends and within a few days the family was a byword among
the members of the general public. What a big fuss!
He woke up a bit late in the morning and sat on the edge of the bed to say a prayer to God. He turned on
the radio so that he could listen to the news as he took a bath. He did not need to have a houseboy since
he could do almost anything in the house by himself. Wiping his flesh-filled body with a towel, he heard
this news item being read:
??if you are planning to fly today, you might just as well have to cancel your flight. The Nasa Airways,
the national carrier, has announced that its employees will down their tools effective this morning over
delayed salaries. This boycott has been bolstered by the National Workers Union, the umbrella trade
union for government employees which makes it even harder for the government to intervene. This means
that all the businesses at the airport will be paralyzed until a solution is obtained...?
Hosea understood the magnitude of the impact. It had far-reaching implications on his trade and
commerce ministry a great deal. He dressed himself hurriedly and prepared to leave for work to assess the
situation.
On alighting at the parking lot next to the building housing his office, he was accosted by Tsunami who
greeted him and rambled, ?I Knew this coalition thing would fail and fall flat on the face. I doubted and
was cynical about its flimsy foundation. Today this parastatal strikes, tomorrow that! The two principals
have adopted a hands-off approach to issues!?
?We?ll try to sort out the matter as soon as is practically possible.? Hosea said and took a lift to his office.
***************************
One fine morning, Albert woke up to the news that the Parliamentary Projects Council had instituted a
new electoral body. Announcing the launch on radio, the chairperson of the council Mr. Emmanuel Juma
said he was glad to name the institution ?the tree of life?, the name a young man called Albert Rono
proposed. He further stated that the council saw it fit to appoint him the director of the new state
corporation after vetting his academic credentials. The name itself served to mark a new beginning for the
nation coming from a crisis that had brought her down to her knees partly caused by the recklessness of
the previous electoral body that had since been disbanded. ?Like in the Garden of Eden, the tree of life
signified the state of Adam being right with God, his maker and master. Not only that it meant that Adam
was in good fellowship with his wife Eve initially before sin visited them. Every time we go to the polls
we?ll rest assured that every vote will not be tampered with and it will carry its full impact. Precisely,
every vote counts.? The chairperson asserted.
No words could describe the joy that Albert and Dora experienced that morning. It must have created a
feeling of a new dawn for Sheba for everywhere ?The tree of life? was on everyone' lips, from hotels to
streets to television talk shows. Accompanying this discourse were the couple' names - the masterminds.
Dora was certain that as a plaque proclaimed: 'uccess can be attained if you aspire more than others
think is achievable?Dare more than others think is feasible? Expect more than others think is
probable.? This was a milestone not only for the couple but also for the nation as a whole. Everybody
desired to have a decent society where everyone was treated with dignity.
The two spoke with their father on phone who heaped praises on them. Also, they continued to receive an
outpouring of congratulatory messages from friends and members of the public.
A few hours later, Emmanuel Juma phoned Albert to inform him of a swearing in ceremony for him and
his assistant directors at Freedom House that would take place later in the afternoon. ?I?ve just recalled,?
Albert Rono said as he sat at his desk, working on the laptop, 'tories of long ago when folks relied on
hunters and gatherers for their staple food. More often than not, men who triumphed in their skills were
regarded as leaders of the community. A leader would be trusted for guidance on where to obtain food for
the community.?
?Are today' leaders wholly trusted and obeyed?? Dora asked.
?As long as the leaders are honest and sensitive to the needs of those they represent, their counsel will
have full impact. In short, a candid, pragmatic leader will grow to his full potential and would be able to
bring transformation,? Albert returned.
?Does the church have a role to play in bringing social reforms??
?Definitely! Many of the major social reforms around the world have been wrought by the church. But
that only rests with the technical part that has to do with church-related projects. Yet it still has little
muscle in the world of opinions. I belief the church should go beyond spiritual matters and engage in
social policy making endeavors. It can transcend the frontier.?
It was time everyone had sat in the Freedom House' plenary hall. Senior officers in the civil service,
members of parliament, members of the diplomatic corps and scores of cabinet ministers including Hosea
Bett were present. The ceremony thus began. It was officiated by the chief justice. Albert became the first
to climb the flight of stairs to be sworn in as Director of The Tree of Life followed by three assistant
directors. Dora held her breath as all this developed; it was a fulfillment of his dream as well as hers. Her
destiny was entwined with his.
Everyone concurred it was a new dawn for the nation. It was during speeches hour that two other major
issues transpired. It was announced that the president and the prime minister were in the business of
founding a ?truth, justice and reconciliation commission? to look into past injustices and also a ?great
minds committee? to draft a new constitution. The effect and height of these actions in the hall could not
be lost to the ever perceptive audience, chief among them Hosea Bett who could be seen springing to his
feet to shout, ?That' marvelous! I welcome it!? He was a man who could be described as proactive both
in personality and in deeds. His son Albert was so proud of him that he could not afford to sideline him in
every aspect of his life. Dora too was happy with him, proudly calling him ?Daddy?.
The ceremony ended perfectly with everybody congratulating and encouraging Albert. He was now one
among the high and mighty of the land. A dream actualized. The destiny of the gifted man is to stand
among the kings; that was what he had in mind all along.
That night the three enjoyed a party at supper time. The mood of the celebration gave a relaxed
atmosphere that imbued Hosea to discuss his personal life with the youngsters. ?I have forgiven your
Mum and I hope we?ll have a re-union soon.? He said reflectively.
?We?ll be glad to see Mum come back. And after you?ve forgiven her please assure her that the past
would be better forgotten,? Dora said.
That moment seemed like eternity but if fleeted past them. As Victor Frankl put it in ?Man' search for
meaning?, the transitory nature of life may be checked by any act which immediately becomes repository
and thus is preserved in time.
Soon they found themselves watching a popular comedy on the local television programme. The
comedian, whom they quickly recognized as Sungura alias Tsunami was soliloquizing: ?when a new
president comes on board there' a great turn-over in personnel, but no change in policy. Same script,
different cast. We with the aid of ?civic syndicate? want to have dominion over the highest echelons in the
political, judicial, business, banking, media and religious arenas in this country. Our plans are right on
schedule. We want change! The change we believe in!?
*****************
Following a night raid at a media house that rendered its television station off-air and tens of thousands of
copies of the following day' newspaper edition turned into ashes, an upheaval occurred across the
country. That night, the police swung into action but their efforts were all in vain; not a single perpetrator
of the onslaught was apprehended, inviting a barrage of questions over the police force' competence.
Rather it was their ineptitude! ?It' too early to speculate,? was the police spokesperson' clich?d
response. Amid the cacophony of accusations and counter-accusations that pitted the government against
the ordinary citizen the truth seemed elusive.
As the blame-game oscillated from one extreme to the other, Hosea Bett came out in the open and had his
opinion promulgated. He explained that the raid was carried out by two foreigners alleged to be brothers
going by the names Allan Ivanovich and Alex Ivanovich. ?The two are unscrupulous businessmen from
Russia who entered this country illegally. They are indeed mercenaries. They must be arrested and
brought to book.? How he came to know about the two brothers and their activities in the country
mystified everyone, all and sundry. His word was taken like gospel truth and the crucial hunt for the
Russian brothers began.
Everyday since then, it was reported continually how the brothers had defied a police swoop or a lynching
by angry mobs in the streets of Nasa with their bodyguards and fleet of cars (they were reported to be
affluent). Tension was heightened when it was alleged that the Ivanovich brothers were in secret collusion
with some key people in Sheba who safeguarded their vested interests.
Once more, people scrutinized Hosea' word ?mercenaries? arguing that if they were wealthy they would
not be hired to carry out vandalism or any other heinous act. Others even termed Hosea' opinion as a
mere publicity stunt. It was even more complicated when the due were arrested only to be released on bail
after a brief interrogation over the media terror. News reporters all the while engaged themselves in
frenzied chases after them to get an interview for a big story. One of them even confessed to be in a love
relationship with a daughter of a prominent person in the country. He further divulged how he doted on
her, lavishing her with every exorbitant gift he could think of. More fresh revelations and the police
rekindled the search; often putting a price on their heads for whoever volunteered sufficient information
to bring them to book. Yet the downside to all that was that people would end up neither safe nor free.
Thus it was that the government discharged its duties of great importance to the people of Sheba through
the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission and the Great Minds Committee on constitution
concurrently. A commission and a committee were indispensable vehicles for the government. A
commission provided accurate, independent and fair investigative services; a committee delivered
judicious and assiduous results on a given project. It was very clear that the nation was on the path of
reforms which every right-thinking citizen looked forward to witnessing. This was commendable. The
highest echelons of the government, the highest echelons in business, the highest echelons in universities,
were all patriotic personalities. They were all working for the betterment of this great African nation. For
two decades the nation had gone through the motions of the search for a new constitution and other
reforms which barely bore fruit. For two decades Sheba had chased the dream of reforms - either in drops
and drops or as a bulk package - like a mirage. So frustrating the wild goose chase was that after billions
were pushed through the sink hole, there was still nothing to show for it. There were no indicators then,
that parliament, divided as it was and propped by the poles of ethnic and by partisan passions, was
committed to unlocking the review impasse. Without the conviction that it would and could transact the
business before it dutifully and patriotically, even a rejuvenated interest would become another nightmare
and an anathema. Hence to stifle the rising resentment of the years, and heal a nation that had stumbled
from one political crisis to another since independence, the current administration surely had to embark
on the implementation of the constitutional reforms.
Albert and Dora had been discussing these issues for the better part of the dusk as they took a cup of tea.
The house-help came and called her mistress Dora to assist in some activity in the kitchen. She had just
arrived in the home after Dora delivered a baby boy named Lincoln Kipkalya.
?I like your son' names,? said Agnes, the maid. ?The first one is reminiscent of one of America' past
presidents who had the reputation of fighting successfully for civil rights or liberties. He was a man who
was honest in every trust, tender-hearted as a woman, who could not dare to injure even his most
envenomed foes; who was endowed with surpassing knowledge and powers of intellect which enabled
him to grapple with the most gigantic opponents in debate; and who developed amazing abilities as a
statesman which won him the love of his country and the admiration of the world.?
She was now serving supper on the table.
?Wow! You really must have a love for history and suchlike!? said Dora, assisting with the work.
?Not only that, the second name means peaceful or peace-loving in our community. This boy will grow to
become a peacemaker of great renown.? Agnes prophesied.
After finishing supper, Albert led his family as usual in a brief Bible study and devotional session. He had
to spend sometime afterwards in his study, preparing the following day' assignment at work. This was
the second month he was serving as the director of The Tree of Life. He was very excited at his job as he
tackled new challenges with tact and zest.
Post updated on: Aug 5, 2021 11:55:58 PM
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People remain in a hurry to create contents and start earning as soon as possible. So they start applying for Google Adsense frequently and gets rejected.
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Take your time. Always keep in mind that you are a blogger and making good content is your main aim. If you will make good content, automatically you will generate high revenues.
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Reality :
Actually, there are many images on google which are subject to copyright. So any images which are subjected to copyright if used in a website, Google Adsense will not approve it.
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Expectations :
Many new bloggers do not pay attention to templates and website style and they expect that if the content is good then it will be ok.
Reality :
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New Webmasters and content Creators never think about the factor that their website can be blocked by google also.
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Reality :
So always check whether your website is blocked or not before applying for Google Adsense. You can check whether your website is blocked or not by searching for ?site:yourdomain.com? on Google.
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Thank you.
Stay Home Stay Safe.
Post updated on: Aug 5, 2021 5:09:34 PM
By. S.S.A. Zaidi.
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Managers' role is to achieve organizational objectives through subordinates. A subordinate is one who is subject to the authority or control of another. This yardstick applies to Managers as well. Thus, everyone working in an organization is a subordinate as well as a Manager / Supervisor. Managing Subordinates, therefore, means managing the organization. An organization is a group of people. People are the critical resource. Efficient management of other resources Money, Material, Machine etc., depends upon the People's Efficiency.
How this critical resource in the organization is acquired, trained, deployed, motivated, and rewarded is crucial to developing that Efficiency. The way Managers do things and the people who relate to each other indicate how efficiently the organization is functioning.
Each organization has a Vision i.e. what it wants to be or to achieve. Strategy - how this vision can be translated into reality, Structure - the way it is organized to implement the strategy, Systems - the way people in the organization plan, decide, control, monitor day-to-day operations, Staffing, and Skills - the way people are developed and utilized and the Style - the way things are done and the employees relate to each other; are the means to realize that vision.
Each organization has a Vision i.e. what it wants to be or to achieve. Strategy - how this vision can be translated into reality, Structure - the way it is organized to implement the strategy, Systems - the way people in the organization plan, decide, control, monitor day-to-day operations, Staffing, and Skills - the way people are developed and utilized and the Style - the way things are done and the employees relate to each other; are the means to realize that vision.
Managers must, therefore, muster all the resources at their command to manage these elements in such a way that each reinforces the other to achieve the desired goal. Successful achievement involves more than taking the right decision. It involves Successful Implementation.?
Successful implementation needs the motivation and commitment of employees to perform better. Managers, therefore, need to focus on the development and management of that motivation and commitment in their subordinates.
cont?
Among the subordinates, there may be some Deadwoods. Deadwoods are non-performers / under performers. They lack motivation and commitment. They are like non-performing assets (NPAS). NPAS is a drain on the organizations? productivity and profitability. All efforts are made by the organization to convert these NPAS into Performing Assets; and if efforts fail, the provisions are made, and ultimately the assets are written off. Similarly, Managers should identify Deadwoods among their subordinates and provide them all opportunities to convert into Performers and if they fail, they should part company. No organization can afford to carry Deadwoods.
A very interesting and eye-opening finding of research carried out by Jean-Francois Manzoni and Jean-Louis Barsoux- Assistant Professor of Management and senior research fellow respectively (IVEY Management Services, March / April 2003) indicates, that the cause of under performance is not necessarily a lack of talent, but the very-and very wrong-behavior of Managers. Changing that behavior will enable lowly regarded subordinates to perform and produce.?
This wrong behavior of Managers is motivated by their assumptions that their subordinates do not like hard work, hate responsibility, need threats of punishment to perform. These assumptions could make sense in the era of Feudalism where workers did what they were ordered to do. This attitude in today's world is anathema.
Successful implementation needs the motivation and commitment of employees to perform better. Managers, therefore, need to focus on the development and management of that motivation and commitment in their subordinates.
cont?
Among the subordinates, there may be some Deadwoods. Deadwoods are non-performers / under performers. They lack motivation and commitment. They are like non-performing assets (NPAS). NPAS is a drain on the organizations? productivity and profitability. All efforts are made by the organization to convert these NPAS into Performing Assets; and if efforts fail, the provisions are made, and ultimately the assets are written off. Similarly, Managers should identify Deadwoods among their subordinates and provide them all opportunities to convert into Performers and if they fail, they should part company. No organization can afford to carry Deadwoods.
A very interesting and eye-opening finding of research carried out by Jean-Francois Manzoni and Jean-Louis Barsoux- Assistant Professor of Management and senior research fellow respectively (IVEY Management Services, March / April 2003) indicates, that the cause of under performance is not necessarily a lack of talent, but the very-and very wrong-behavior of Managers. Changing that behavior will enable lowly regarded subordinates to perform and produce.?
This wrong behavior of Managers is motivated by their assumptions that their subordinates do not like hard work, hate responsibility, need threats of punishment to perform. These assumptions could make sense in the era of Feudalism where workers did what they were ordered to do. This attitude in today's world is anathema.
In today's scenario, more than anything else, it is perhaps the mental and ego gratification that drives people to work hard and creatively. In other words, their motivation is in Self-Interest, so says Robert Town send the author of Further up the Organization?. Managers, therefore, need to manage themselves in terms of change in their attitudes, if they want to manage and develop the motivation of their subordinates.
The word "Motive" comes from the Latin root ?Move.? When we speak of the motivation of employees, we mean the factors which move them to behave as they do. These factors are Motives, the engines that energize and direct the behavior of employees. The behavior is generally directed towards the attainment of certain goals. When an employee leaves his seat and goes to drink a glass of water, he shows motivated behavior. We can say that ?Thirst? is the Motive that moves him to get a glass of water - i.e. goal
Based on that a scheme of reward and punishment could be designed and implemented for all levels of employees. Various jobs and the flow of work can be designed in such a manner that these provide incentives to employees. Remember it is divine policy as well to offer Rewards and Incentives to motivate human beings to do good deeds. The reward for good deeds is Heaven and better life hereafter. Punishment for bad deeds is ?Hell.? So, let us follow this divine policy in managing our subordinates as well.
To manage subordinates and develop motivation and commitment in them, Managers must;
Think about what they themselves expect from their superiors.
They would obviously expect:
i. Honesty, straightforwardness, and fairness in dealings.
ii. Involvement in and being kept informed about things that directly / indirectly concern them.
iii. An opportunity to express their point of view.
iv. Their views being considered sensibly and their opinions being sought.
and above all these, they would like their superiors to be people they can respect for their ability to make sensible decisions and for their consistency of judgment.
If this is what Managers? expectations are from their superiors, then their subordinates too would expect from them many of these considerations and justifiably so. Managers must respond positively to these expectations to establish their credibility.
Managing is not only getting the work done. Managing is communicating; managing is developing subordinates through work. If Managers can meet and manage these challenges, they will have a team of highly energized, motivated, and committed subordinates so crucial for an efficiently managed vibrant organization.
So dear managers are passion- igniters, and competence -appreciators and see the productivity of your organization going up and up.
The word "Motive" comes from the Latin root ?Move.? When we speak of the motivation of employees, we mean the factors which move them to behave as they do. These factors are Motives, the engines that energize and direct the behavior of employees. The behavior is generally directed towards the attainment of certain goals. When an employee leaves his seat and goes to drink a glass of water, he shows motivated behavior. We can say that ?Thirst? is the Motive that moves him to get a glass of water - i.e. goal
Water can be considered an ?Incentive? that satisfies the motive of thirst. Remember Incentive satisfies the Motive. So Motives are the Needs that move human beings in their day-to-day behavior.
The workplace can be seen as a place where employees come to satisfy their Motives. Managers need to find out what their subordinates need; what their Self-Interests are?
The workplace can be seen as a place where employees come to satisfy their Motives. Managers need to find out what their subordinates need; what their Self-Interests are?
Based on that a scheme of reward and punishment could be designed and implemented for all levels of employees. Various jobs and the flow of work can be designed in such a manner that these provide incentives to employees. Remember it is divine policy as well to offer Rewards and Incentives to motivate human beings to do good deeds. The reward for good deeds is Heaven and better life hereafter. Punishment for bad deeds is ?Hell.? So, let us follow this divine policy in managing our subordinates as well.
To manage subordinates and develop motivation and commitment in them, Managers must;
- Know that if they serve their subordinates and take care of them, they get Power. Power flows from people so they should use that power for their subordinates and not get glory and credit for themselves. They should refrain from being ?credit-stealing? bosses.
- Believe in the personal and professional development of their subordinates, encourage them to take risks, make all of them feel involved, develop teamwork and morale, encourage them to talk freely at meetings, and focus on their individual development.
- Utilize the existing creative potential in employees most optimally and recognize and implement their innovative ideas in the workplace environment. Try to reduce personal feelings of insecurity among their subordinates by helping them to develop self-confidence. Personal feelings of insecurity tend to block an employee's creativity on the job and tend to reduce general productivity and effectiveness.
- Communicate Performance expectations to their subordinates. Managing is not just fixing targets for them.
- Eliminate communication blockages. Managers must ensure that open, timely, and correct communication takes place.
- Empower them. Give them the freedom to act but define in precise terms the limits to that freedom. It is only then the ?Accountability? can be enforced. No organization tolerates incompetence.
- Show consistency in their judgments. They should always do what they say they will.
- Not keep anything secret/confidential from their second-in-command. There will be very few items and that too occasionally that they need to keep to themselves, else most of the things Managers consider strictly private and confidential will see the light of the day.
- Not play favorites. Be fair in dealings. Equity generates Trust and Morale.
- Build up a reputation for reliability and dependability. They should not set standards for themselves different from those for others. Double standards are unhealthy.
- Be resolver of the problems. They should not sweep problems under the carpet. Real problems need tackling.
- Ensure that systems and procedures are in place so that the direction of subordinates is systematic and not left to chance.
- Avoid such actions and directives as may create distrust or lack of confidence in their motives.
- Accept employees' participation in management as an important instrument for better human relations.
- Show interest in the welfare of their subordinates.
- Raise the level of employee motivation, increase the readiness of subordinates to accept change, and improve the quality of managerial decisions.
Think about what they themselves expect from their superiors.
They would obviously expect:
i. Honesty, straightforwardness, and fairness in dealings.
ii. Involvement in and being kept informed about things that directly / indirectly concern them.
iii. An opportunity to express their point of view.
iv. Their views being considered sensibly and their opinions being sought.
and above all these, they would like their superiors to be people they can respect for their ability to make sensible decisions and for their consistency of judgment.
If this is what Managers? expectations are from their superiors, then their subordinates too would expect from them many of these considerations and justifiably so. Managers must respond positively to these expectations to establish their credibility.
Managing is not only getting the work done. Managing is communicating; managing is developing subordinates through work. If Managers can meet and manage these challenges, they will have a team of highly energized, motivated, and committed subordinates so crucial for an efficiently managed vibrant organization.
So dear managers are passion- igniters, and competence -appreciators and see the productivity of your organization going up and up.
Post updated on: Aug 5, 2021 11:28:51 AM
Over the last decade, Linux has got adopted by the great majority of users. Only a small percentage of the world's population is unfamiliar with the application. The most well-known and widely used open-source operating program is Linux. Linux is an operating arrangement that remains on top of all other software on a computer, accepting demands from other applications and passing them to the machine's hard drive.
Even if you're reading this to learn about some of the top Linux alternatives, take a moment to appreciate some of Linux's best features.
- The source code for Linux is open source and may get viewed by anybody.
- Linux is a free and open-source operating system.
- It is a widely used operating system.
However, Linux may not always meet a user's demands, or a user may just wish to try switching sides for a better outcome.
Drawbacks of Linux
Linux is a rapidly expanding operating system, with new users joining every year. Linux, like every other operating system, has its highs and lows.
Learning Terminal: Whilst you won't necessitate utilizing Terminal every time you do something on Linux, you will need it at some point to accomplish your work. On the internet, there are several tutorials for learning Linux. Every Linux, on the other hand, has a unique learning process.
Market Limitations: It's possible that some of your favorite programs will not run under Linux. Because market share is so important, this is the case. Because Linux has such a limited market share, developers do not transfer popular apps to it.
Troubleshooting Issues: If you are not a computer specialist, troubleshooting with Linux might be challenging. It's also hard to locate someone to assist you with your Linux issues. Issues arise as various hardware and software, and the user is responsible for resolving the issue.
Low Game Support: Gaming on Linux is feasible because of tools like Steam Proton and Lutris. They are, nevertheless, not indigenous to Linux and do not operate as efficiently even if they're on the system for which they got designed.
Unsupported Hardware: All of the drivers get included in the Linux kernel. However, the Kernel cannot have drivers for all types of hardware. Some hardware devices may be incompatible as a result of this. It is one of the most compelling reasons to shift to one of the top Linux alternatives.
Technical Support: You will almost certainly want technical assistance for your system in the future. However, there are no nearby shops or on-demand support programs available to help you with your issue.
Best Linux Alternatives
Linux, like every other operating system, has its highs and lows. As far as we can see, you've accepted your decision to go with Linux alternatives. We'll go through some of the top Linux alternatives in this post. Take a peek at these Linux options. Their features and interface, as well as other distinguishing qualities, set them apart. Understanding the distinctions between them will assist you in selecting the one that is most suitable for you.
Feren OS- Yes! We're starting with a banger! It is pre-installed with the required software. The web browser is also available for surfing the internet. You may use whatever web browser you choose, and this system software permits you to do so. You can choose to use this program by closing your eyes. Given how improved and optimal it is, it is at the top of our list. It's best for laptops or PCs with a lot of features. The lowest RAM need is 3GB, nevertheless, an 8GB RAM computer is often desired and is best used with a high-powered system. It may be modified to suit the user's preferences.
Peppermint OS- One of the best options is this one. It is a lightweight operating system with needs that may get readily matched with desktops and other platforms. Because of the small operating system, it does not need elevated computers. It is far more productive than Linux. As a result, it gets included in our list of the top Linux alternatives. Other capabilities include a lock screen, mint transactions, a file organizer, and the opportunity to customize. It is well-liked for its effectiveness.
Elementary OS- It has a lot of functions and is extremely advanced. Elementary OS is one of the most widely used operating systems. It is a robust operating system that gets considered to be a light-weighted desktop. It allows users to go from one feature to the next. These are the grounds why it is included in our Linux alternatives list.
Chalet OS- This is the most underappreciated entry on the list. It's an operating system that allows for complete and unique customization along with increased consistency and coverage across the board. Overall, it is the ideal Linux option. It comes pre-loaded with a variety of applications, including entertainment, safety, work, and climate. It is quick and delivers excellent service.
Zorin OS- We'd like to introduce you to Zorin OS. If we say this is a top pick, we are not exaggerating in the least. Once connected to the computer, it gives you the feeling of being at home. With the structured development cycle, it has a lot of manpower. It has an appealing first impression and is quite simple to use. It's well-suited to high-density displays and adjusts itself to the ability to know. It also has a touch motion feature that allows you to interact with the screen with your fingers.
Conclusion
The most well-known and widely used open-source operating platform is Linux. However, If you're still reading, you're already familiar with the top Linux alternatives. Although Linux is widely get used, there are several areas where it falls short. It is the circumstances in which these alternatives thrive. You're fully aware of the diverse advantages of these options. These are the best selections for a variety of reasons. These may get utilized in a wide range of situations in the current day when technology is rapidly evolving.
Post updated on: Aug 5, 2021 9:26:06 AM
ROSE AND DAVID
CHAPTER ONE
About 6.30 on a
sunny autumn evening, David Kalya moved around the mouse of his lap top
computer aimlessly, browsing the internet, searching for something worthwhile
and interesting to give a nice ending to his day in the office. The man in his
late thirties had a body- builder physique, a confident countenance imprinted
on his dark African face and an average height. After a couple of minutes the
dark-suited man with a matching tie and clear spectacles perhaps having
achieved whatever he wished to, shut down the system. As he continued sitting
there, wild thoughts and weird imaginations began to race through his mind.
Painful, sorrowful memories of his past right from his childhood days smote him
hard. He tried to console himself with the review of his small, few and far-
between victories he had managed to claim on his long, bumpy ride to his
present destination. He then recalled the day when his wife whom he dearly
loved shared with him her last moments before her life ebbed away. This hurt
his already wounded soul. He just could not come to terms with his status as a
widower. Just before these powerful thoughts could crush his feelings, Judas
Kimuma alias Bellringer sauntered into the office casually and they shook
hands. David?s friend was, as the nickname suggests an employee of Nasa Stock
Exchange whose work was to ring the bell during ceremonies of selling shares or
when marking the listing of a company?s bond on the trading floor. He was a
crafty, eccentric young man whose presence anywhere at any time could be felt
heavily. He was David?s cousin; a fact that he was fond of and could be visibly
flattered on being enquired about his identity. The reason for this was
explicit: David Kalya was the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed
Forces of the land of Sheba, a great African state. The president was overly
excited when Judas Kimuma joined him so as to keep him company as he went out
for the evening. He always found great company and comfort in the young man.
Suffice it to say that they shared confidences together and the most important
matters of the state were hatched and implemented on Kimuma?s consultation and
advice. They worked on ?I-scratch-your-back-and-you-scratch-mine? principle, a
practice common to all Africans. And it worked well. The masses enjoyed good
governance where peace, love and unity abounded.
In the
presence of this young man, the president began to visualize a possible
breakthrough in his dream. A dream which heavily burdened his mind, heart and
soul day and night. He felt embarrassed that he was yet to act on it and yet he
was beginning the second year since being elected president. He was
apprehensive of one Rose Akinyi, a beautiful young lady who was a hailed leader
of the official opposition party in parliament. If indeed he would launch his
project by introducing the motion bearing the weight of his dream for debate on
the floor of the House would it make any sense to the omniscient, critical
opposition lady? He often visualized himself being booed by the MPs, led by
Rose, the people?s heroine. And he would stand there sheepishly, a script in
hand, bearing words of empty rhetoric if he ever attempted to give it a shot.
This pushed him further into a groove of despondency. It was not, however, that
Rose was a bad woman finding fault with everything but that he was entranced by
this tall, smiling woman passing for a good wife. But he was shy of declaring
his feelings. Mixed feelings of fear and adoration, that was all. Nonetheless,
the more he attempted taking a step in that direction the more he hurt himself.
Time was running out and no progress at all. He got guilty of entertaining
those thoughts when he was jerked to life by Bellringer?s ranting in poor
English. ?I told myself go and accompany cousin out tonight. I realize it?s
hard job being president of Sheba, talking to people all day and nobody to stay
with in quietness. I urged me to go compensate you for helping me achieve
boyhood goal of taking charge of nation?s economy. I learnt in primary school
in my Geography, History and Civics class that country?s economy is most vital
than anything else. You held my hand and pulled me from nowhere and landed me a
great job!? President David Kalya smiled understandingly and nodded to him.
Still, images of his big vision in life and Rose?s beauty raced through his
mind. Although paying attention to Bellringer, half of his mind was engulfed by
those images. He wondered how that would come to pass. He knew that on the
outward appearance, he displayed the posture of a confident, competent
administrator but deep down, he nursed wounds resulting from his weakness.
?Let?s leave the palace right now and please remind me later at the hotel to
tell you something about Rose and my ambition,? the president said. ?I?ll do.?
Bellringer replied. The two got into a Mercedes followed by the driver and the
president?s bodyguard. The car sped in the direction of a hotel.
* * * *
It was a
warm dusk in Nasa, capital of Sheba. Rose Akinyi was reclining on a sofa in her
house in the company of her siblings and a few friends. In this atmosphere she
very well assumed the role of a matriarch. Their parents having died many years
back, and she being their eldest child, was left with the responsibility of
taking care of her siblings. By this time the two brothers and two sisters of
hers were now grown ups pursuing their college studies in Nasa city. They had
just moved house and dwelt in this new palatial house she purchased upon
earning a good salary as a legislator.
It was one
of those fast-paced days when she enjoyed peace and comfort in the house after
those hectic moments of work during the day. After all, it was her home and she
had every right to relax and feel good to be with her siblings and a few close
friends. Life was good. Nevertheless, this awareness of being single was
something of a worry to her. She made up her mind since the demise of her
parents that she would remain single for the rest of her life. This was in
keeping with her relatives? word that she takes up the responsibility that fell
on her to oversee the affairs of her younger siblings. Another thing which
bolstered her resolve had to do with her own perception. She once attended a
lecture on engagement and marriage at her church when they were still living
upcountry. In those days she had had a strong desire to be engaged to a
handsome young man whom she would marry. It was a feeling she brought home
after finishing high school probably having acquired it from her peers. During
one lecture session the marriage counselor said: ??we may illustrate marriage as something
taking the shape of a tent. Wedlock is one pole; the physical union of sexual
relation is the second and love is the third. For a tent to provide a good
shelter, all the three aspects of wedlock, sex and love must be present. That
marriage is safe, happy and firm.? Later after the session while Rose was
serving the counselor at lunch time in his office, a young lady who was touched
by the lesson especially the illustration of a tent came to talk with him. She
was troubled by her own marriage. She was candid enough to confess that she was
not yet legally married to the man with whom she was cohabiting. She revealed
that she had eloped with her suitor when she had mistaken lust for love. Down
the line she became pregnant and delivered a child. Her parents forsook her for
the foolish thing she committed. Her husband refused to legalize their marriage
and began to batter her. She had nowhere to go. She began to sob uncontrollably
as she compared her own married life to a tent with one pole missing ? that of
a legal act of wedlock.
She added that her tent was raining in and the child too
suffered a great deal. The counselor did his best to console and advise her.
From that experience Rose began to view marriage as a bed of thorns, not that
of roses. However the two factors that undergirded her determination to remain
single were wobbling and getting feeble with time. Right now in fact she was
considering rescinding the decision. Perhaps a little optimism and the favor of
God would grant a happy marriage. After all, her siblings were now mature
enough to fend for themselves, she reasoned. To say that she never eyed a
potential husband was a fallacy. For it was true that she had greatly admired
David Kalya long before he became president. She highly regarded this man?s
demeanor and character. Nonetheless, she had reservations about her potential
spouse. Who would like a widower with a boy-child for a husband? Who would
delight in a husband facing charges of war crimes committed in the past? Even
if those charges had been put on hold currently what if the case was reopened
in the near future? Those were thoughts that weighed heavily on her mind as she
sat quietly warming herself by the electric heater in the sitting room.
CHAPTER TWO
Her sisters
were busy preparing supper in the kitchen while one of her brothers was
watching television soap as the other one revised for his college exams
imminent in his room. Her two friends, a lady and a man, were busy getting
acquainted with a few odds and ends inside the guest room as they prepared for
the night. A moment later, the male friend returned and sat beside her to warm himself.
His name was Kogi. ?How was your day?? Rose enquired, smiling.
?It was fine, except
for a few ups and downs here and there. That?s life. Somebody once stated:
?things turn out the best for those who make the best of the way things turned
out.? He replied. ?It?s true. It may also be the same personage who said little
things make the difference in every facet of life, so to get the most out of
life add the little extra that makes the difference between winning and
losing.?
The two
went on to discuss current affairs in Sheba, analyzing every phenomenon whether
good or bad point by point. As they did so, they were both in their element.
The type of people who could be termed as having political blood.
It occurred
that there was an agreement called the Regional Charter that had just been
ratified among Sheba and five other neighboring states. There had been a mighty
push by many quarters to achieve that pact so much so that when it finally
materialized it was regarded as the chief milestone for the region. Directly it
was put into effect, ushering in a new dispensation. Among the provisions of
the charter comprised: Amnesty to political prisoners, and flexible economic
stimulus regulations for member states. ?Change is like the rest. We are now
living in a new era. The Information Age. Nobody should ever dupe you out there
in the village by claiming to be a great leader somewhere and leave you
misinformed. Things have never been better. As time goes the society matures
both in intellect and technology. The keyword here is progress. But then again
progress must go hand in hand with liberty,? Rose philosophized.
?I strongly feel that the more things change the more they
remain the same,? replied Kogi. ?Do you still remember the day we received the
Constitution??
?Yes, we were jubilant,? said Rose.
?Yes the moment we
held it in our hands we were overly elated,? sad Kogi. ?However that happiness
lasted a day. True happiness should be sustainable. It was better when we
looked forward to something. Those days when we endured pain because of our
expectations. Yet when the wind came it took away our grain and left us with
only chaff!?
* * * *
Parliament
was opening its Tuesday afternoon session. President David Kalya glanced at his
watch which read 2:40. Being ten minutes late as usual on arriving at the
parliament precincts lawmakers were already seated inside in anticipation of
him and the speaker. This day the president entered parliament, marching
elegantly to be accorded a standing ovation by the parliamentarians. Deep down
he was anxious. With trepidation, he avoided glancing at the opposition side
lest he noticed how Rose was responding to his entry. He recalled that of late
the opposition leader rose to her feet lazily, actually becoming the last one
to stand. This was under the pretext that she was engrossed in her files;
flipping through them in readiness for the beginning of the session. This had
occurred on several occasions in the recent past, upsetting his feelings.
He
proceeded to his seat behind the speaker and sat, took out a handkerchief from
his coat pocket and wiped his glistening face. Having regained strength and
composure that had hitherto been sapped from his person by anxiety, he scanned
the opposition side and saw her sitting on the front row. He wondered whether
she had regarded his triumphant march directly past her in the past two
minutes. Still focusing on her, he envied her calm, confident composure. She
looked unruffled by circumstances all the time. She was busy flipping through
her files as she conversed with a certain fellow called Mr. Tom Tum, a new
legislator. They seemed to be discussing something quite interesting as they
kept laughing heartily all the while. David Kalya felt unpopular in spite of
himself since, he realized, he could not associate with some underling like Tom
Tum. Yet Rose Akinyi, a sophisticated intellectual as she was, could amicably
interact with all persons regardless of their status.
Immediately
after the speaker?s arrival the session began in earnest. Firstly, orders from
the chair. Secondly, questions, thirdly ministerial statements, then debate.
His Excellency thought at this juncture about his burning ambition. Will it
sail through considering the present atmosphere? He noticed the sad dejected
looks on his ministers? faces, their hearts having been bruised by some tough
questioning MPs. He felt sorry for them. Incidentally, the government was going
on a loose tangent lately. There was a public outcry. Damaging reports arose
from various parts of the nation as citizens decried and bemoaned generally
declining standards occasioned by bad governance. An avalanche of worries
bombarded the government side, that is the Executive, not least His Excellency.
He kept wondering why at no time since he captured his place in the House on
the Hill a good, noble report was ever brought to his ears. Ills, confusions,
chaos galore. He called to mind a character on a certain novel where the
character was talking to his friends saying ?If anyone wan make you minister
make you run fast like flames commot!? Sadly in his case, he thought, he would
dissuade his son by saying, ?If anyone wan make you president, make you shoot
yourself in flames!?
At one
point during the session David Kalya tried to seek assistance of the government
chief whip to introduce the motion carrying the weight of his dream on his
behalf. Just at that moment when he was on the verger of delegating the great
task to his servant, it dawned on him that he had committed a fatal error which
would have been starkly suicidal. He had not consulted his deputy on the
matter. The deputy could have read conspiracy in the whole scheme and accused
the president of high-handedness, worse even, opposed the motion by any means
necessary. That was the gravity of the matter. He did not wholly put his
confidence in his deputy. Though keeping faith with tenets of competitive
democracy which he advocated for, His Excellency kept his vice at an arms
length on matters bordering on his personal convictions especially this one
now. He was at a political crossroads; his destiny hinged on the steps
parliament led by Rose and the vice- president took. As he sat there, looming
larger than life figures savagely in the recesses of his mind, his worries
seemed to intensify by the minute. He saw Rose in front of him, either in
realty or in mirage. His feelings about her now were impelling him to embrace
her if only to comfort him. She appeared tranquil like an innocent baby girl.
Her hair was tied up in an elegant knot on the top of her head in the form of a
star. Towards the end of the session, the atmosphere was breathing gently, the
air charged with warmth and peace. This gave him memories of his late wife
sleeping peacefully in arms. He missed her deeply. If only Rose, by some
miraculous conviction, be stirred to love him and marry him, he wished.
The session
came to an end with David Kalya walking out a dejected mortal. The awareness of
his standing in society notwithstanding, he was grieving inside, his object of
desire seemed elusive, every struggle was being harshly refuted and even
horribly smitten by ominous powers marring his path to Destiny. This situation
would be repeated ad infinitum.
CHAPTER THREE
President David Kalya had received
an urgent call and flown out of the country for a day or two. On the day that
he left his home on weekend, Bishop Gamaliel had just paid him a courtesy call
or an informal visit at home. He was a revered personality internationally. He
had won multiple awards in acknowledgment and honor to him for his unrelenting
struggle to promote peace, fairness and justice in the society. He had mediated
in various disputes of national and international concerns in several countries
on the continent of Africa, successfully bringing about peace and
reconciliation to the rival parties. He was a dignitary called conscience
keeper.
On this day, the president had
entrusted Judas Kimuma with sole responsibility of keeping company the guest at
home. A responsibility which Bellringer took up with a spontaneous alacrity.
Wearing a T- shirt sagging at the neck and a pair of shorts, Bellringer entered
the sitting room carrying a rolled newspaper in his left hand. He shook hands
with the guest.
?Hello Sir?? How?s abroad? You exchanged each
and another? He went abroad and you came from abroad. Ridiculous. You are
highly welcome.? He said a greeting to Bishop Gamaliel as he threw his weight
on the couch.
?Fine, thank you. I traveled safely. When I
arrived I found that Nasa city is a really cool place to be this morning. It?s
teeming with life and bustling with activity,? replied Bishop Gamaliel.
?Don?t be deceived. On the outward looking of things,
citizens pass for angels of light to strange men like you. Stay in Sheba for a
week and you discover for oneself they are terrible devils.
Never deceive you again. You?d better be caring or else be
carried away by their false beauties.? Bellringer charged
?That's really sad. The people should be contended with
whatever they have however little it might be. At least they should appreciate
that they are fortunate enough to have a good government which epitomizes peace
and tranquility. Other nations are deep in turmoil with no end in sight to
their plight. My friend you?re better off in Sheba! Men fight for food, space
and justice.?
?Stupid people of
Sheba! Let me whisper you one secret, Bishop. His Excellency, a very good noble
cousin of mine is planning great plans that will shake not Sheba alone but also
international world. He plans to introduce a motion in parliament. The motion
will be about??.? Judas was cut short when his phone rang. It appeared to be a
special message to him as he checked the number of the caller and dashed out to
receive it, a smirk smile on his face.
* * * *
Rose and
Kogi had met at Dates World Hotel, a major rendezvous for most people of high
profile, for a cup of tea that Saturday afternoon. They were special and
platonic friends who treasured one another?s company. They were discussing
their hobbies there at the table. Kogi enjoyed, he said, painting and traveling
in his leisure time. He related how he traveled to Germany lately; his
intrigues, episodes and experiences. ?Rose, do you remember the Berlin wall??
asked Kogi.
?Yes?.err?.the fall
of the Berlin wall? Rose recalled.
?Yes, I was
privileged enough to step my foot at that site bearing the memories of the
collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe.?Kogi explained. ?On that day thousands
were celebrating twenty years sine the epic moment of November 9, 1989.
Numerous, colorfully decorated dominoes numbering up to a thousand which were
piled along a 1.6 km route were toppled to symbolize both the moment the wall
came crushing down and the consequential fall of Communism in Eastern Europe.
The memorial services, speeches and events of that day had attracted leaders
from around the world. It was captivating watching former Soviet and German
leaders walking shoulder to shoulder as they crossed a former fortified border
crossing point between East and West Berlin to tumultuous cheers. ?It?s still a
miracle and a puzzle to this day,? one of the leaders of twenty seven European
Union countries stated. I interviewed one German man aged seventy five by the
name Peter Sauff who reminisced about life in the barrier?s shadow. ?It was
like a prison. I lived on the western side of the wall. Those were really dark
days. We should never forget that day, nor the sacrifices that made it
possible. It was the happiest moment of my life. We remember the people of
Baltic, who joined forces across their land?, we remember the students of
Prague who propelled a dissident playwright from jail to the presidency.
Freedom is not a given, it must be earned.? Peter Sauff told me, tears welling
up his eyes.?
That
surely was an epic moment for you, Kogi!? Rose beamed with awe; completely
carried away by the story.
* * * *
A public
holiday celebration for the entire nationhood of the people of Sheba had just
come to a grinding halt. The country was commemorating their hard- won
Independence Day.
The function had been attended by locals and foreigners
including high profile personalities hailing from a former colonial power
country (currently allies and great donors).
It had
almost become a rule over the years that the celebration at Nasa National
Stadium would not be just be rounded up with the presidential speech; but
miscellaneous activities entailing singing, feasting and dancing would carry on
for the rest of the day, so was the case this day.
As other
people, perhaps having other commitments to accomplish after the main event,
rolled out of the stadium in columns, His Excellency and other senior officers
in government remained for entertainment. The enigmatic opposition leader too
was still lagging behind. She sat with her fellow legislators who were engaged
in chit-chat to pass time. Occasionally, silence would creep into the tent as
they momentarily diverted attention to people doing dances. Disorganized,
uncoordinated groups of people or individuals had sprung up sporadically to
engage in frantic, frenzied singing and dancing spree. President David Kalya
also took to the stage to play his part. Rose watched quietly. He seemed to be
on a warm-up exercise, or trying to search the best dance suitable for him.
Then finally he got it and started off.
He broke
gradually into some animated movements without co-ordination; without regard
for the traditional sense of rhythm. At this point, Rose stared at him, almost
swaying unconsciously in tandem with his sideways body movements. She was very
much captivated mentally by his gait and style; as he gently gyrated his
muscles amid a dozen fellow dancers, leaving her clamoring for more. As if to
express their feelings, the dancers would wriggle and writhe in what looked
more or less like pain or ecstasy from time to time. Rose was enthralled
probably more than anyone else in the tent! Sadly though, nobody could
understand her. She was so absorbed into David that she almost forgot that she
was a in the company of her colleagues.
Punctuating the
highly spirited performance were nerve ? racking screams with some steps that
did not seem to fit into the twisting and rolling movements. ?This is pot-
contemporary African dance craze.? one MP remarked. ?It is an evolution from
traditional African dance. They have just introduced into it some new
ingredients, making it such a sophisticated dance.?
?I beg to
differ with you calling it ?post contemporary African dance craze,? ?? Rose
objected, tongue-in-cheek, anyway. She folded her arms across her bust and
continued. ?The French facilitated almost four decades ago and a blended theirs
with West African authentic dance. Ordinarily audience cannot understand this
type of dance. Let?s leave it to intellectuals and foreigners!?
In her time
of silence as she was spellbound by the artistry of His Excellency, she felt
glad that Judas Kimuma was nowhere around him. She recalled how she was lately
having to feed up with Bellringer for a reason God knew why. He just disgusted
her, yet she could not comprehend or explain it. In the young man?s presence
around her, or noticing him near the president made her feel like vomiting out
something of a squalor. Therefore, she was at present at peace with David and
herself.
CHAPTER FOUR
The great
controversy! A half a year appraisal-cum-bounding session for senior government
officials from the executive, the parliament and the judiciary was held for a
whole day inside Nasa Conference Center. This meeting was convened and chaired
by the President David Kalya. It was a momentous day whereby the leaders had
the opportunity to evaluate the past progress visa-a vis the present position
and strategize on what lay ahead of them. Every officer had the liberty and
mandate to raise his or her issues, point out flaws and criticize
constructively where necessary and give credit where it was due. Since the
outset of this forum early in the morning, so far so good.
The first
session had come to a close and with that, they took lunch at midday. Then they
resumed the afternoon session. It was at this moment that the president began
to experience jitters; a kind of a premonition of a difficult time ahead of
him. Hence as he composed himself on his cushioned chair to open the session,
he faltered and stammered a little in his five-minute speech. The theme they
were set to deliberate on was: ?The Rule of Law, Democracy and Justice.? By
virtue of its connotation, this theme caused a big stir in the House as soon as
the president opened room for views, criticisms and recommendations, since it
was the pillars on which the entire nation and humanity stood.
The
attorney general proclaimed thus, ?A characteristic of the rule of law and
justice is that no man, save for the president, and is above the law.? There
was a trace of hushed murmur in the hall ensuing the AG?s remark, who was the
government?s chief legal advisor. The AG seemed to have been impressed by his
own comment or reaction of others as he kept laughing by himself.
?What?s the principle of equality for all?? MP Tom Tum asked
the AG.
?You know, ladies and gentlemen, that the judiciary
interprets the laws made by parliament. Who then implements the laws?
Definitely it?s the executive. And the head of the executive is the president!?
the AG replied, punching the table with a fist.
?What is lost in this analysis is the more fundamental
implication of your assertion, Mr. AG as regards your position in this scheme
of things.? Rose Akinyi the opposition leader prodded him.
President David Kayla?s heart was at this moment throbbing
mercilessly. Suggestions for devolution of powers crossed his mind. He could
only manage to shout feebly, ?Order! Order in the house, please!? he signaled
to the AG to answer the question.
?Ladies and
gentlemen, to answer Rose?s question, I would say I am subject to the law,
though I may be an indispensable instrument of the law to the land of Sheba and
to the government.? The AG answered looking beaten.
?You know,?
it was Rose again, ?Mr. AG, we are bound to enquire about the source of authority
in proclaiming the president to be above the law. You are member of the
executive at the same level as a minister. You are an ex-officio member of
parliament, and not only that, you sit in the Judicial Operation Committee that
determines who becomes a judge in Sheba. You also sit on many independent
commissions set up with varying mandates including the one reviewing the
constitution. In one fell swoop, Mr. AG, I am sorry; you?ve arrogated to
yourself the roles of the three arms of the government. In light of your
opening statement, and having analyzed your performance in the past half-year,
it is difficult not to conclude that your words had nothing to do with the
person or office of the president.?
?Not only
that,? Tom Tum was saying, ?the AG enjoys a security of tenure and cannot be
removed except through recommendation of a tribunal and the occurrence of the
president. It is next to impossible to prosecute him for any of his unlawful
acts, whether as private individual or as the AG since he wields the all-
powerful weapon known in legalese as ?nolle prosequi?. Sadly, he has actually
used this weapon in the past for his own protection and the protection of
others in the wrong. It is therefore my considered opinion that the entire
struggle for democratization of the nation and government has been gravely
misguided and focused on the wrong objectives and individuals.?
?It?s my
conviction that if we seek true reforms in the political and judicial
architecture of the state, we should not look further than the National Law
Office. We should specifically trim the outlandish, excessive powers wielded by
the AG.? Rose delivered her verdict. ?It?s disillusioning against any concept
of ?democracy? for an individual to wield so much power with no checks and balances
on the function of the office. By so doing we would be on the path to ridding
Sheba of the object which is the embodiment of the phenomenon of impunity.?
There was
dead silence in the hall at this juncture as each person pondered in the heart
the magnitude and effect of the accusations leveled at the AG. The AG now
looked forlorn and withdrawn, far from his usual ready -chuckle demeanor. As if
his heart would suddenly disintegrate into pieces, the president awaited with
deeply suppressed apprehension any utterance Rose would make against his person
now that the AG was already dealt with appropriately. Matters were not made any
better seeing as he had fallen for her secretly; any snide remark by her about
him would aggravate his feelings by and by; his suspicions that the secret he
gave Bellringer about his still- born ambitions might have been leaked to
everybody made him a bundle of nerves.
It
transpired during that session that there had been so many flaws in that
administration: Talk of abdicated responsibility in the war against corruption,
an indomitable monster; failure to regulate the nation?s food reserves
occasioning a ravaging famine; growing insecurity both within and without the
borders, and rampant unemployment among the youth. The challenges of
governance!
Thus
accusations and counteraccusations continued to mar the better part of the
afternoon session. Pride and prejudice. Almost every senior leader from every
arm of the government received a fair share of the blame. At the close of the
session, President Kalya remarked that he was optimistic that every officer had
gleaned a lesson for the good of the nation. This was the directive he gave in
closing: ?The fight against corruption must neither be personalized nor
politicized.?
No sooner
had David walked out of the hall than Rose approached him. He could not know
how to feel or react. ?Your Excellency,? Rose Akinyi said, shaking his hand
firmly. ?I need not enlarge upon personal differences we have on several
matters. They are a tempting subject.? The president was relieved of his
apprehensions in an unexpected way. He had hitherto predicted that his
difficulties were at last coming to a crisis.
?Far from it? he returned.
?Far from
it,? assented Rose. ?I do not in any way thinkable wish to rekindle memories of
our past differences. It is not apt that either of us should make the other one
the subject of aspersion and pillories. I may have opinion of you, Your
Excellency; you may have your opinion of me. But it?s unfitting that these discording
opinions must come into disunity. They should instead head into a single
harmonious point of confluence.?
?Honorable
Madame,? His Excellency replied at length, ?I think you somehow attacked me
personally besides my capacity. But this is not the time to settle scores or to
apportion blame. But I quite concur with you on what you?ve stipulated.?
Rose bowed
her head in honor to him then, shaking his hand again in that reassuring firm
grip of hers, she walked away triumphantly, holding her files tightly close to
her side.
All the
president remembered the rest of the evening was a replay of the events, moods
and moments of that doomsday, not least his brief meeting with the empress of
his heart at the end of the forum. He called to mind as he lay in bed how some
of his political adversaries had, whether they won or not, tried to disparage
him to her. He wrestled with his intentions to ask her out for a date in the
recent past. There he could let her in on his dream. But he was glad he did
not. That was still premature, he told himself.
CHAPTER FIVE
Sometimes when Rose was taking a rest
at home over the weekends, she would be in such high spirits that she could ask
her brothers, or sisters or friends present for little games. They used to play
on her beautiful lawn.
One such day in
the afternoon she assembled them for volleyball. She was in a pink flowing
dress that brought out her feminine figure: she had an average bust, a slim
waist and all that balanced by gently undulating hips. Her female friends
fancied her physique. This made her to be envied by those girls struggling with
excruciating body fitness programs. The lawn was ?perfectly lovely? in the
afternoon sunshine as one lady complimented it to Rose. It was spacious with
trees and perspective walks that one could just distinguish at night without
moonlight.
They had been
playing there for nearly an hour when they took a rest under the trees. A
teenage girl of nineteen, who had just arrived home, being a friend of one of
Rose?s sisters, approached her. ?Hi, madam. I am your youngest sister?s friend,
my name is Diana Njeri? she said, shaking Rose?s hand. She then proceeded to
sit beside her on the soft, green grass.
??Hi, it?s a pleasure
to see you. We?ve been playing. It was such an enjoyable game.? Rose answered
happily. She saw a lot of potential in this slim, blonde with dimpled cheeks.
Diana, in the next three or so minutes into the conversation, discovered her
new companion?s impressive personality: Rose?s totally disarming friendliness
combined with a gentle sense of humor that bubbled constantly below the surface
delighted her. She loved the great leader to distraction! Diana had for long
admired her out there, but she could only see her on television or newspapers.
Rose was her star and role model. On this particular day they struck a special
friendship. ?I?ve never met a special, down-to- earth person as you madam?
Diana complimented her.
??Thanks. Diana just
call me Rose. Don?t bother?. Rose said with a sweet smile that encouraged
Diana, ?I am so fortunate to have met you in person today to the extent that
we?ve shared light moments. I?m in raptures. You are very loving, so does your
youngest sister, Lavender, whom I?ve intimated to you is my friend. God bless
you in your endeavors to take this nation to great heights. You?ve mastered the
ropes of national leadership so well. You stand for integrity. You are a
wonderful role model to many of us.? Diana giggled .Rose had just been nodding
to every sentence, she was so moved by this girl?s appreciation of her
personality and achievements that she was lost for words. There was momentary
relaxed silence. Both ladies were in tender state and too full of emotions to
speak. For her it was a moment of reckoning her little progress in life and so
many failings: for Diana it was a moment of exhilaration having met her star!
The next minute
the two ladies now appearing like old friends rose to their feet and taking
each other in arms, they pressed their temples together and broke down in
tears.
* *
* * * * *
Bishop
Gamaliel?s sleek limousine pulled in at the compound of the palace. On alighting,
he was led into the palace by a junior staff officer. There was a laptop
computer on the table as usual in the president?s office. The guest was ushered
into an arm-chair directly opposite the host so that they could converse face
to face, literally. Being a hot afternoon, President David Kalya had removed
his coat, revealing a broad fighter?s chest in a white shirt, and blue tie. He
sat with his palms clasped together, somehow supporting the chin, with elbows
resting on the table. Having shaken hands, they commenced a conversation.
Hardly had they been discoursing on commonplace matters for the first five or
so minutes when Bishop Gamaliel ventured to enquire into his host?s secret
dream. ?The last time I visited you, I was privileged to learn from your friend
Judas of your great dream. Sorry, I wasn?t able to get the gist of the message
well from my informant; your confidant .I was however quite intrigued and
stirred in the belly. I had a conviction it?s really a tangible idea you
contemplate undertaking. I would be quite pleased, Your Excellency, to hear
from the horse?s mouth?. The Bishop said, his hands resting on top of his
knees. A feeling of hollowness and utter defeat crept into President David?s
heart, increasing with every passing second. It was akin to standing before the
Almighty God on the judgment day!
?Well, Bishop Gamaliel,? so he began to carry his idea into
effect, ?in this life I belief every man born of woman is purpose-driven. Let
me say that it was placed in me a burden, always growing heavier with time to
the extent that it is now demanding to be brought to birth. I cannot at this
time in the least refrain from making you acquainted with this agenda, Your
Honor. The whole idea is about changing thee world, making the world a better
place to inhabit. There are past heroes you may recall in this field, but there
is always room for more of them in the land of the living. The centre of
attention in this vision of mine is Israel. The plan is laid down like this:
Sheba will enter in to a mutual partnership with Israel whereby Sheba will
export to Israel raw gold at a fair price .To compensate us for tedious and
costly process of mining and refining, a novel thing in this country, and
better still to reciprocate this offer, Israel will supply us with their
technological know-how and equipment necessary free of judge. Having exported
this gold to Israel the next level of my vision is thus reached. Israel will
under the Middle Eastern Convention, and it having veto powers under the
establishment for being a super power, will use its now pure gold to leverage
itself economically. It will after appealing to the concessionaire issue a
degree ordering all oil producing nations in their league to cut oil prices
they export to Africa by half. Countries of the world are bound top receive
this noble gesture thumps up. The burden of high fuel costs will be relieved!
The next thing ? a peaceful world!?
There was
silence. The president was beside himself in the fervor of his speech. The
short, burly, broad faced Bishop sat still, his gaze fixed past the president,
pondering weighty issues. Bishop Gamaliel never saw a man so thoroughly give an
array of events constituting his entire vision with passionate determination as
David Kalya did that afternoon.
?But first,
Bishop Gamaliel,? His Excellency pursued, ?I have to introduce into parliament
a Bill that allows the country to mine and export this priceless stone as is
stipulated in the constitution regarding mineral resources. Hopefully it will
pass the debate and I will assent to it and bingo! Off we go!? The guest had
smiled spontaneously by this time,
?That?s a great,
magnificent pursuit! I wholly approve of it Your Excellency!? the conscience
keeper interjected.
They went on
to discuss other miscellaneous issues by the way of circumspection. David
Kalya, buoyed by his agreeable companion expressed himself all the more. He was
a man, so he said of himself, with an eye of an eagle; when situations were
bleak; deep in his belly a passion rejuvenated his energy. Furthermore, he
possessed the zeal of an ant; wisdom ingrained in his brain urged him to push
on quite ahead of time no matter how far off his object of desire seemed to be.
Bishop Gamaliel did more of listening while His Excellency did more of talking.
At last when the
great guest took his leave and drove off, David was pleased to remain by
himself to re-enact in his mind what they had been talking about. He could
smile alone or even utter some words that had sounded pleasant and important to
him as he first spoke them to his guest. He was like a deranged man! That
afternoon had ended sweetly. Of all times of his that God had in his grip,
there was none in one retrospect he could smile at half so much and think of
half so tenderly!
CHAPTER SIX
Rose had been
invited to a private party one evening by David Kalya. It came as a surprise to
her. Her feelings for him were rekindled as soon as she entered his house. Her idea
of first impression was to look as calm and tender as possible. They shook
hands warmly and exchanged commonplace greetings. Rose was then ushered into a
small comfortable sofa where she could sit with her arms reposed on arm-rests.
She felt good and expectant. The two were alone in the house. David was wearing
an evening sweater over a T-shirt. He looked youthful and attractive. He
excused himself and entered the kitchen. Moments, later he was bringing to the
table a lot of sumptuous food and drinks. He served her then himself. Rose was
watching, so absorbed in his act. She was being treated like a queen. She kept
wondering whether it was true she had arrived! She yearned for a married life
to none other than this smart guy. Will it be today? She felt as though she was
in a dream. A dream of their soft voices and laughter; of their sitting close
to each other in a serene room with no prying eyes. Of being spoon-fed like a
baby receiving the smothering affection of its mother; of being complimented
and being patted on the back like a father?s gentle hand upon a son?s face.
After
finishing their meal, David cleared the table. When Rose offered to help he
turned her down and proceeded with his work.
He then
came back and sat beside her (They were now sitting on one bigger sofa at the
same table). They began to discuss intimate matters. David did not fathom how
he got his way. He told her how he loved her. He told her how he idolized and
worshipped her. When Rose hung her head and cried, and grew weaker, his
eloquence increased. If she would like to die for him she had to say nothing
but the word. Life without her love was not a thing to have on any terms. He
had loved her every day since he first saw her, sincerely. He loved her to distraction!
The more she sobbed, the more David ranted and raved. They were sitting on the
sofa by and by, quite enough feeling comfortable and peaceful. Well, Rose
agreed to his proposal. He was in a state of bliss. They were engaged.
They supposed
they had some notion that this was to end in marriage. Yes they had it because
Rose stipulated that they were never to get on to the next level without her
uncle?s consent. Her uncle, called Mr. Bill Too, was living and working abroad.
She had together with siblings received overwhelming support and love from this
benevolent man in the past when her parents died in a plane crush. Therefore,
it would not seem proper to sideline him, Rose observed, in the process of
seeking marriage. He would also, she considered, receive her dowry in place of
her parents.
* * * *
It was chilly
afternoon. Bellringer sauntered casually into the palace. ?I said to myself go
and see cousin this afternoon. How are you, most excellent?? he said,
stretching out his hand while another one held a rolled newspaper which he
seldom opened or read.
?Fine, sir. I am
doing fine except for a few hitches here and there. It?s a good day, anyway,?
returned President David Kalya apparently at peace with himself.
?I got leave
today of a fortnight from boss. I?ll take advantage of my freedom. I Judas aka
Bellringer by profession am goanna do ventures. I daresay whatever a man
thinketh so he is. That is scripture. My paper discourage me saying a lot of
trouble lurking everywhere. But my hope together with your big dream of
peaceful world will hand in hand prevail. If so, why so? If no, why not?? said
Kimuma fidgeting in his seat.
?I agree with you Mr.
Kimuma. I love people who are optimistic regardless of the way things are. If
the world had so many of you that would have been great and marvelous,? replied
His Excellency, tapping the keys of his computer.
?Another thing is?sometimes I wonder why citizens disturb
you everyday on TV. They shout, we are hungry! Your faithful MP and minister
tell them, ?Government works hard to import cereals for you. Be patient and
work on farms in the meantime?, but citizens cry, ?we?re perishing. We can?t
wait any longer.? Poor citizens, your Excellency. They had rather shut up and
spare you air and space!? Bell ringer ranted.
?These very problems are common to man. We must try to put
up with them for the sake of humanity and brotherhood,? David said, moving the
mouse. He appeared relaxed like a jaunty, happy- go-lucky fellow in movies.
?I hear from your text messages you?ve just proposed to the
one and only Rose. Kudos! Cuzo,
That lady is like a charming fabulous woman in fairy tales.
The one who can transform you into whatever you wish like Midas touch. My
regards to Rose, tough, talented challenger par excellence. I hope she won?t
oppose your great plan you?re planning. I bet or oppose that you and Rose will
share the dream, instead. Together you?ll work out a concrete action.? Judas
delivered his flattering remarks in broken English. ?I hope so?? His Excellency
answered.
His
Excellency?s assistant who was a middle aged, married woman came in to serve
both of them with tea. She was stricken in years though still young. It was
understood that life had dealt a blow to her in more than one way, leaving her
to lead a wretched life. She had labored so hard at her previous manual jobs
prior to getting the present one which she could never relinquish to anyone in
the world. The old, unfulfilled, unhappy feeling still pervaded in her life,
with no end in sight. What she missed, something obscure, she regarded as
having been a youthful fantasy that was in the long run incapable of
realization. An elusive object. ?Thanks, ma?m,? Kimuma broke the silence, a wry
a smile on his face and a short-lived giggle. ?By lavishing us with cups of
beverage you are doing the society a lot more good than harm. Well done! God
bless your children and multiply them by many! Madame Pauline.? Madame Pauline
walked out with an indifferent, expressionless look. She was perhaps wounded by
the comment about children for she had tried all possible ways to have one but
all in vain. Medical tests with her husband brought her down in all respects.
Sometimes either of them could tell the other one reprovingly, ?You ruined my
life.? Gossiping, regretting, shame and guilt punctuated the couple?s lives day
in day out.
Almost an
hour or so later on, a government officer?s car pulled in at the compound of
the palace. When the officer alighted he was intercepted by a youthful looking
man. ?What mission, sir? I?m in charge.? the man queried like an FBI agent.
?To see His Excellency, sir? answered the officer.
?Have appointing letter? Show!?
?No sir. It is an emergency case,? pleaded the officer.
?No permission then to disturb Most Excellency.?
If the receptionist had been beyond earshot, the officer who
appeared genuinely in need of the president could have gone back dejected. She
hurriedly approached them and said, ?Please, Mr. Judas Kimuma, our honorable
Bellringer, please allow him in. It seems sincerely in an emergency situation.?
The officer was cleared to accomplish his mission that had almost hit an
iceberg.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Rose,
Lavender and Diana were engrossed in the game of scrabble. It was a Saturday
evening at Rose?s home. Scarcely had they started when with hesitation Diana
formed the word MISCEGENATION. She doubted whether the word really existed,
holding her breath awaiting a score. ?Diana, you are correct! The word actually
exists!? Lavender intoned,
?What?s the meaning??
Diana questioned with eyes wide open.
?It is a term that
was used nearly four decades in America. It was used to describe whites and
Africans? unions in marriage. In deed it was an ugly ? sounding connotation
because those unions were discouraged in those days,?? Lavender explained with
an air of all?rounded knowledge. Hardly had they proceeded with their game when
Rose in a similar manner of hesitation and uncertainty, had come up with the
word ?CYBERPUNKING?. ?Good heavens! This one defines a situation where two or
three callers to a radio station can engage in direct conversation on air. The
first known station to introduce this concept was the world class station BBC.
This makes a fantastic forum.? expounded Diana. She looked like an acclaimed
scholar. This went on for quite a good deal of time as they enjoyed the game.
Later when
they stopped playing scrabble and Lavender was alone in the sitting room, she
watched a short play on television. the channel that was airing the play was
one of the Sheba?s neighboring country and the cast were high school students
of that country. Against the backdrop of that program was that nation?s
struggle to achieve a new constitution. Indeed it was in such tumultuous and
stormy moments with respect to a draft that was shot down acrimoniously by two
thirds majority of the nation on plebiscite on claims it never met the needs of
the people. Presently, several committees (and numerous sittings) were busy
reviewing and trying to harmonize contentious sections of the proposed draft
constitution - but not without opposition and bickering over and over. Lavender
was captivated by a scene where an officer distributes at random a few loaves
of bread to the audience urging them to eat them. He goes back to stage and
wonders why nobody had embraced his generosity. He is led to infer that the
loaves were of poor quality. He invites others to work hard with him to produce
good quality bread. Somewhere in the process they differ with one another over
the best method to produce palatable bread and they part ways. The experts are
recalled to resume the same unfinished process and are still clashing as the
scene changes.
Through
their meetings and mostly in the company of his friends Rose, Kogi fell for
Diana. He could not forget the sisterly feeling with which she regarded him.
She always showed him sympathy whenever he was in a trying moment in his career
of sales and marketing; for so often his performance would fall below the
threshold of the company?s portfolio expectations. Market forces were always at
work and much like the usual air hovering above the sea water which may
occasion a tempest, those forces would buffet his delicate acts. Consequently,
he had to endure the scolding of his inconsiderate, domineering master. He
could not fully permeate the enigma of his own heart to pin point when he began
to think that he might have settled his delicate hopes on Diana. With her being
a banker he considered her to make a good wife; he regretted his first
relationship which failed and resulted in an acrimonious parting of ways after
their opinion carried the day. All throughout the ups and downs of that
relationship which trucked for two long years, Diana was at his side to
encourage him or sympathize with him when hurt. Taking a retrospect he felt
that if she had loved him with another kind of love he would have been wise
enough not to let her slip through his fingers. All the same, there was the
time factor, his own blind spot leading him on a stray route; a mist of
compromised affection veiled all the while. And he had cast Diana?s special
love away consciously or unconsciously.
One fine
morning Kogi, having been agitating all night and barely an hour sleep on
aggregate, made up his mind. He picked up his cell phone from the bedside table
resignedly. He called her, apologized and asked her out for a date in the
evening of the present day at his favorite rendezvous ?Dates World Hotel. She
consented. All Kogi had to do was to count hours, his spirit heightening with
every passing hour.
It was half
past five that evening, the time that Kogi had much anticipated when he
prepared to leave his office. He was glad to take leave of his colleagues who
always made his day boring and monotonous. The gossiping, quarreling and coarse
laughter nauseated him all day long when he did not go out for field trips. All
done, he left and drove off.
As he
entered the hotel, Diana was already awaiting him sitting at the table in a
serene corner. He was quite taken by surprise and amazement to realize that she
had made it in time for he thought he would be the one waiting for her. After
exchanging greetings Kogi ordered tea and snacks.
?Well, Diana, well? Kogi began, composed. ?You may hardly
comprehend whatever I?ve been undergoing. You may be able to deduce that I am a happy man on face value, but deep down
there are undercurrents of regrets, betrayal and despair. In accumulation of
these vices, I?ve plunged into debasing circumstances in my career and
relationship.? He paused, affected by his words.
?I understand every bit of it Kogi?? Diana rejoined. I?ve
seen no bright or comforting day in those debasing circumstances and have not
improved since I came out of that relationship.? Kogi lamented, adjusting
himself on the chair, ?I?ve been keenly watching you and have been trying to
pick you up,? Diana followed up.
?In an attempt, though a desperate one, to change my ways I
seek now to implement new approaches. But I?m reeling under those burdens that
brought me down.? Mist filled his eyes and he blew his nose.
?Sorry, my dear.?
?I feel that I have been fooling around and too deluded into
believing that things turn out better miraculously some day. Like a fool that
never sees the truth I took you for granted. All your counsel fell on deaf
ears?. He broke down in tears.
?Oh, dear Kogi! Come off it! I will stand by you!? implored
Diana, touching him on the shoulder. ?For heavens? sake? I confess that I have
never made any sufficient progress. At the point when I am on the verge of a
breakthrough things fall apart.? Kogi sobbed, wiping his tears with a handkerchief.
Tears stopped. ?My mind has been on you ever since. My coming to meet you was
for me to make a confession. A confession of a stubborn, prodigal boy. I regret
my past wandering and would like to start on a clean slate with you.?
Diana too
shed tears. Clients in the hotel watched them with gaping mouths. On becoming
aware of these prying eyes, Kogi composed himself ?Please don?t weep.? Kogi
said standing, ?let?s leave here and we?ll finish it up later.? He paid the
bill and as they walked out, their hearts throbbed with emotions.
CHAPTER EIGHT
President
David Kalya was introducing the Bill bearing the weight and fate of his
lifetime dream into the floor of parliament for debate. He had taken the
trouble to consult with significant personalities including Rose and his
deputy. Even then, as he stood before the legislators upon whom his dream
squarely rested, he still harbored reservations and doubts. Anyway, come what
may, he took a leap of faith, trusting his men and women to hold him in the
air. Do the thing and you shall have the power, he told his soul.
After
moving the Bill that proposed the mining and exportation of gold in the
country, he sat down. He refrained from divulging other details besides that,
acting on the advice of friends.
He had to move step by step and resist the temptation to
?throw pearls to the pigs? as Mr. Kimuma had cautioned him. Suffice to say that
not even Rose was conversant with the full account of the horizons of the
vision. She had to wait, His Excellency considered. She was not present when he
introduced the Bill in parliament this day.
As the
speaker took over to open the debate, the dream carrier got jittery. There was
a brief strained silence as no MP was yet risen to second his motion yet he had
beforehand painstakingly implored some trustworthy ones to come to his rescue.
With his restless, darting eyes he scanned the rows. Then after some minutes
one dear friend rose to his feet to second the motion. There were hushed
murmurs as Mr. Dick Mburu went on. His Excellency could not locate the sources
of the grouses; whether from the executive side or from the opposition side. It
did not matter, anyway. After Mr. Dick Mburu?s seconding an opponent came next.
The second opponent took the floor, then the third, fourth. David?s hands began
to glisten with sweat profusely, not least his face and neck in the tight tie
that virtually suffocated him. His handkerchief accomplished very little as it
soon grew damp.
It
transpired that the Bill was not feasible since the gold deposits in question
were said to be lying on the ground directly underneath Sheba?s boundary with
Gilboa, the neighboring country. The revelation crushed the president ruthlessly.
There was a tumult in the house. Obstacles!
The speaker was left with no option except to adjourn the debate until
Tuesday the following week. The present day being Thursday, the MPs, as the
speaker ruled, had four days to ponder the matter so as to present decent, well
researched views that would culminate in voting.
The
president was driven to his house that evening despairing, took his supper
despairing and retired to bed still despairing. Soon and thankfully, he fell
off his cliff and down the precipice of sleep. He woke from the dreary dream at
quarter past three at dawn with a conscious feeling that something had gone
wrong somewhere without managing to make out what it really was until a moment
later. It came to him in the form of a Bill that collapsed in dramatic
circumstances, a lazy seconder and hordes of bare- knuckled pugilists. Another
thing: his counterpart of Gilboa was his political foe. Both leaders were not
in good books with one another. They had fallen out with each other when the
heads of state of six countries in a league were electing the Regional
Chairperson. This came hot in the heels of the signing of the Regional Charter.
David doubted whether the provisions of the charter would come in handy in this
issue. Or was it just a mere paper and not a vital document? This looming
obstacle portended a bleak aftermath. Given the present circumstances he had to
act expediently if he ever wanted to win this battle. He knew that it was
indispensable for him to seal all loopholes that any serpent of betrayal would
dare to squeeze itself through.
Later that
evening he assembled the vice president, Mr. Dick and Rose for an informal
meeting in the palace. To make the meeting seem less sensational and more
relaxed, he entertained his guests with beverages, drinks and snacks. He worked
harder at his jokes today than as usual. Something though displeased him. He
detested his deputy?s indifferent, unfeeling look on his face. He doubted that
this was the man?s true personality, deducing that it was instead some sort of
weapon. Yet he still prayed to God for a destiny helper.
Then with a
good dose of trepidation and caution, he broached the topic after seeing that
the coast was clear. After sufficiently expounding on the issue, throwing light
on its strengths and weaknesses he paused to ask, ?which way forward, Madam
Rose and gentlemen?? he waited.
?The Gilboa phenomenon,? the VP said, thoughtfully, ?is one
that we can?t ignore. There is really no getting around it without sustaining
minor injuries on our hands. President Makonde is really a tough ? headed,
mysterious and eccentric leader. You have heard of his controversial affairs,
today this, tomorrow that. He?s very unpredictable and unreliable, at that. You
can?t make him a partner in any endeavor. We need to be tactful, using
strategic approaches.? David was sincerely glad that his deputy was giving his
rational views.
?What His Excellency
VP asserted is something significant. President Makonde ruled his subjects with
a heavy hand; imposing bans on almost everything. Recall his recent ban on the
drinking of borehole water?? Mr. Dick cracked a joke and he laughed
hysterically. The three others kept him company in the laughter.
?I suppose we
have to make good use of emissaries. I mean, we should select a good breed of
sages to spy out there for good reasons. The idea is to use this fellow to
silently coerce President Makonde or anybody close to him that this is a noble
project. When his government consents to that, the mining of gold will
commence,? Rose advised.
At the end
of the discussion it was agreed that Rose?s idea was feasible. It was a little
progress, but a good progress anyway. The project was to become a prototype of
socio- political emancipation.
Later that
night as he lay in his bed tossing and turning with no prospect of a wink of an
eye, David Kalya was led to appreciate the value of relationships. That the
type of man?s relationships was so consequential that it determined how far he
could go no matter his field of endeavor. But on judging it critically without
bias or favoritism, he concluded that men and circumstances were variables on
the one axis with universal values being constants on the other axis. Man?s
inherent qualities of hate, malice and bride stood in the way of an ideal life,
disturbing the equilibrium of a healthy fruitful society. Yet coming back, he
could figure out where he stood with people. Everybody he knew crystallized
into a person bubbling with feelings, tastes and differences in opinions, and
not cogs in a wheel.
* * * *
Once when
they were out on a date Kogi and Diana settled the matter. They were engaged.
They were already so closely acquainted with each other that in just a matter
of three shorts months they got married.
Kogi was
so immensely in love with his new companion that he could not believe himself. Often as he sat working on
his marketing reports way into the night, it kind of surprised him on turning his head to see her
sitting somewhere beside him. She belonged to him in every sense of the word.
At times when he was late from work at night or had been with friends at social places it moved him to have
her waiting to hug him at the door. This was the actualization of a boyhood fancy. He had to savor
every moment of being in her company. For where else could he obtain such pure love? Where
else could he get that awesome sense of being complete? Or secure? He had never felt so
confident in his life. Telling her of her incomparable vivacity and beauty.
Holding her by her tender waist and telling her favorite stories of all times.
Telling her how life would be non-existent without her presence in the world.
It was a beautiful, meaningful life for him and days were all sunshine for her.
Tuesday parliament's session got off
to a bad start. Finance Minister was gravely incriminated in a corruption
scandal involving the sale of a five -star hotel which was a public asset. A
report by an independent audit firm had been released that early morning
pending parliament's afternoon session. The media frenzy was evident as they
looked for who-dunnits. The country was in an uproar of dissenting voices.
Consequently, angry MPs agitating to lay their hands on some wayward fox in a poultry house
snarled at the two officers at the helm of the Executive to not think of going to bed before effecting
a concrete action. "Fire him! Fire him!" Was the macabre slogan the irate
lawmakers vented out all throughout the
session. No words could express the agony the president underwent as he plunged
into this storm headlong; he compared this situation with other better nations; and felt his hopes
of ever becoming the world's distinguished visionary leader shattered in his
heart. The speaker was wise enough to adjourn the motion on gold mining until
further notice. Parliament was required to attend to pressing matters first.
CHAPTER NINE
Acting on Rose's suggestion for the use of special
emissaries as he worked on his plans, President David Kalya began to search for some
prospective persons for the mission as the matter pended in parliament. His recourse was to get
something done in the meantime. He tried to think about the best persons fit to carry out the
mission expediently. The deal need not precipitate a furore in Gilboa, so he reasoned as he lay
on his bed staring into darkness. He liked being in this position that enabled him to think well
without interference. On particular days when he had undergone harrowing situations
of any kind, that atmosphere helped him to cool down. A prayer to God was also
indispensable at such times. That helped to rejuvenate his will to face another day.
No sooner had he
fallen asleep than his cell phone rang. He wondered who it was (Rose often
called at such times). He reached for it and seeing an unfamiliar number on the
screen, he received it. The army officer who was calling him informed him that
his boss Major General Ben Tele
had been murdered in cold blood. That Maj. General Tele's body was found in his
house in Nasa city and
police had already managed to arrest a few suspects. His Excellency only
managed to offer his
condolence message and promised to push for investigations. He fell asleep with
a heavy heart.
Early in the morning he woke up with a start. There were two pressing
issues at hand: Minister
for Finance to be investigated over corruption cases and the murder of Maj. Gen
Tele to be probed.
Hurriedly, he took his breakfast and drove to the palace in such sunken spirits
as to despair of
everything in life including life itself.
Arriving there at six thirty, he called the VP, Internal Security
Minister and Secretary to the Cabinet to turn up for an emergency meeting. He
waited. Minutes later they arrived one by one. Internal Security Minister, a
middle aged, balding man called Mr. Mutiso arrived first. David shook hands
with the guest, telling him what a sad, shocking world they dwelt in and made
mention of the two cases as a prelude to a future deliberation. The VP turned
up and immediately was
followed by the Secretary to the Cabinet, the president giving similar versions
of the stories each
time.
"As things stand we are at this moment faced by two monsters."
His Excellency said formally. "We have to chart a way forward and act
expediently. First of all, what shall we do with the monster of corruption?"
There was a brief silence as each
person pondered the issue. "I think we must listen to the people's voice. The MPs echoed those
voices albeit with ulterior motives. You do understand what I mean. His
Excellency and I had to endure emotional torture in parliament last Tuesday. It
was even a great
dishonor to us in the eyes of the international community as all took place in
the full glare of live
cameras. So my point is that we sack the Finance Minister to pave way for a probe into the sale of the
hotel." The VP emphasized his standpoint. The president nodded. In his heart he was touched by the VP's
comment that both of them suffered emotional torture in that session.
"Well, I do concur with Mr. VP,"
said Secretary to the Cabinet, an old man with graying hair. He opened his briefcase and
pulled out some document. "Shall we effect the move right now?"
The VP and the president nodded to him, thus
he held a pen and wrote something on the document. "Any objection, Mr.
Mutiso?" His Excellency asked, looking at the minister.
"No objection Mr. president. He deserves
a sacking, not for the sake of it but to pacify the citizens and help them to
know that something worth the while is underway," Mr. Mutiso replied.
"Good," said the president. "Shall we now
move to the next monster? The tragedy that was the murder of Maj. Gen. Ben Tele. As of now I
haven't received any new developments except that police have held some suspects in
custody."
"I want to believe that this murder is not linked to
the accusations he got that he plundered resources while leading UN operations
in Gilboa. You know that would present us with bigger challenges. Of late, even
before this calamity struck, I've been haunted for we overlooked that matter then and left
him go unscathed. As he led the operations that were aimed at rooting out
militia in a rebel movement against President Makonde, the UN made allegations that the General had wrought
irrevocable plunder of resources. The report reached us, but we never took any action,? said Mr.
Mutiso, pensively. There was silence. After concluding their talks the
president convened a press briefing session with the country's reporters. He
briefed the nation on the
government's actions.
* * * *
At last Kogi and Diana settled down
in their newly acquired posh home in a luxurious part of Nasa city called
Denver. It was a dream come true. Both of them being Christians, they had been
praying to God to change their status quo and exalt them. And their prayers
were answered. They even got new neighbors in that area and some of whom turned
out to be their greatest friends. Mr. Jack Kuto, his wife Mrs. Irene Kuto,
their twelve year old son, Amos and their eight year old daughter, Doreen were a family that struck a
special friendship with Kogi and Diana. They used to visit each other at their homes to chat, dine or
play games. Moreover, their houses were set in idyllic surroundings The first instance that the two families got acquainted with each other
was one day when Mr. and
Mrs. Kuto visited the home of Kogi and Diana. After the usual introductions,
they engaged in a relaxed conversation as though they had known one another for
a while. Mr. Kuto, a jovial entrepreneur doing
his ventures in the city, owning three supermarkets dominated the discussions with his
favorite subject. "This government is really funny. I read in today's paper that they will soon
impose price controls on every wholesale and retail product sold in this country. That's
ridiculous. At a time when the prices of most products were rebounding, this
regulation will impair our ventures!" "Mercy upon us! Mercy upon us!"
Mrs. Kuto could just cry so and said nothing more.
"That's
so unfortunate for you, Mr. Kuto. You see, what the government might be doing
in good faith might turn out to be counterproductive for other people in this
case it's you businessmen. Indeed this was well intended to favor the
consumers," Kogi observed. Meanwhile Diana was in the kitchen preparing tea. ?There should be a balance, Kogi. The government must be keen
enough to effect a compromise such that neither side suffers the adverse
effects precipitated. Like balancing the scales," Mr. Kuto said, gesturing
with both hands to give the impression of the scales. "Mercy upon us!
Mercy upon us!" cried Mrs. Kuto, pressing Doreen to her bosom who seemed
sleepy that early evening. "My business has been actively and positively
picking up. Mark you; nobody
ever discerns that my business is flourishing on loans. Loans from two sources
- the bank and a Shylock.
I've been able to service those loans as safely as walking out in the rain
under an umbrella. It's all a battle of wits. As a professional in a business
environment you must master the rules and not let them master you. Be creative,
consistent and cautious. Those are the three 'C s? I employ on a day to day
basis, my friend. By so doing you'll be able to beat your rivals at their own
game!" Mr. Kuto expounded with great passion. His wife just listened
quietly, patting her daughter softly. Amos was sitting beside his father, drinking in his high-sounding
phonetics.
"Business is an art as well as a
science; those who master it are victorious," Kogi philosophized. It was time for tea. Diana emerged
from the kitchen and filling the cups on the table she prayed in a gentle sweet voice,
"Oh Lord, we thank you for the visitors we have this evening. Bless us all as we partake of this
cup of tea. For it's in Jesus? name that we've prayed and believed. Amen!"
"Amen!" They drank, still discussing the
government policy in the Trade Ministry. They talked about the death of Maj -
Gen Ben Tele, suggesting that the killing was politically motivated. They approved the sacking of the Finance
Minister saying that those callous, selfish persons should be eliminated from anywhere near the
leadership of Sheba, the lovely nation. As they were still talking and drinking their beverage,
somebody turned up at the door. Since he WAS
in the public eye - everybody recognized him -Judas Kimuma needed no
introduction. He greeted everyone in the house, displaying a posture of
dominance and notoriety. "Hey ladies and gentlemen! So you're my new neighbors around here? I've
just arrived from my workplace at -Nasa Stock Exchange." He announced
volubly, pausing before the name. "All my life I've discovers that
neighbors and friends are people special: help in times of joy and trouble. I
hereby declares that we shall work together for our own good. If at any one
time you're in trouble
won't I help you? If so, why so? If no, why not??? "It's so Bellringer. The Bible says a good friend
sticks closer than a brother," Kogi returned, looking distastefully at his visitor
who was smiling with a smirk and writhing incessantly on his chair. At that
moment, Mr. Jack Kuto rose to his feet and thanking Kogi and his wife, he asked
to take leave with his family and left. Bellringer lingered in the house.
"There is a tide in the affairs of men!" He was familiar with Shakespeare. "We live among
funny people in Sheba. Come to think of it. Killing army general, corruptions,
empty stomach, all this disturbing His Excellency! If only we live in a haven
he would be the most happiest angel on earth!" he held his head in both
hands. "Problems are there to mould us
into better people, Judas. The way we handle challenges shows how mature and intelligent we
are and portrays our attitude to life. It's not what happens to you that counts but how you respond
to what happens to you. Even Jesus himself who was both God and man faced
problems," Kogi argued. "No, don't tell me philosophies
of academia! I see problems as angels to destruction. I hate them!" Judas charged. CHAPTER TEN Over the next few weeks, intelligence
officers informed President David Kalya that the situation in some part of the
country was growing from bad to worse. Tension had gripped the village of Roma
and residents were always living in constant fear of a disruption. The kin and kith of the murdered Maj - Gen
hailing from that vicinity were agitating to lynch his murderer- a woman they recognized as his
girlfriend and who had personally confessed to killing him, the reports said. The young woman had
fled to her village of birth to escape arrest after committing the heinous act. Some of her
accomplices who were found at the scene of the crime had fallen into the grips of the police. The
others who had gone underground were the ones who eventually leaked the secret to the village.
Young, bewildered, raging men armed to the tooth marched through the village to
lay their hands on the savage woman. Kindly elderly women pleaded with the
young men not to harm her, urging them to let the matter rest in a court of
law. The police had tarried in coming to the scene, the reports revealed. The
young men, itching to let out their long suppressed emotions, accused the
government of betrayal, arguing that the killing was politically motivated
seeing as the woman who was a political activist belonged to a different tribe and might have conspired with
other politicians to kill their own up-coming leader. The president, sitting inside the palace,
was perturbed by this news from the countryside. But
through all the cacophony David Kalya plainly discerned that challenges were
bound to be cropping up
from time to time as he pursued his dream; and it was in his drive home later that evening that the thought first
occurred to him which afterward shaped itself into a resolution. He had become in a short span of time
so drawn close to Rose and was so incapacitated without her loving motivation that keeping
her on the periphery of his issues and treating her like the girl next door was never going to help him
at all. All his misery grew more significant with each passing day; and so he determined to
be vulnerable to Rose, the empress of his heart, if he was to lead a purpose-driven life. The stakes were high. Envoys from
Israel had just informed him that the nation was ready, waiting for green
light. And furthermore, the nation had fully amended her peace policies with
neighboring countries, calling for relaxed relations. They pledged to eliminate
ignominy from the region. America too had pledged to sponsor the use of solar
energy in Africa, for it was a form of renewable energy and environment
friendly.
On arriving at his house, he ordered
his houseboy to bring him a cup of tea. He sat at the table, switching on
television channels aimlessly and absentmindedly with the remote control. He picked up his cell phone and called
Rose. Rose?s
car pulled in about half an hour later in the parking lot. She was in for a
discussion as her fianc? had pre-empted her. ?Welcome. You?ve arrived too soon!
How was the traffic?? he said, shaking her hand and leading her to the house.
?The traffic was easing. If I had driven
nearly ten minutes ago I couldn?t have made it here on time that easily.? She
sat in an elegant, comfortable armchair in a perfect repose. David Kalya served
her a cup of tea. His houseboy was committed in an activity within the
homestead. In an effort to put on a composed mood he started the story of
Maj-Gen Ben Tele. ?I confess that the woman who killed him was my campaign
manager during my elections.?? Rose admitted.
?She was your manager!? David interjected. ?Yes. I even attribute my breakthrough in my
election to her efforts. Without her I wouldn?t have sunk into oblivion,? she
revealed. ?A police officer told me she?s now in
custody. She?s confessed to hitting him with an iron bar in a duel in his
house. A foreign journalist in the country says there are suspicions it was not
a domestic violence but a premeditated assassination.?
?The
police should easily establish whether the murder was due to an accident or
deliberate or whether it was it was an orchestrated assassination.?
He called the police commander on phone at
that moment asking him to investigate whether Maj-Gen Tele?s fianc?e acted
alone or with a group of people. Rose commented that whenever a high profile
person died in Sheba there were often suspicions about how they met their end.
The allegations about his plundering of Gilboa?s resources while leading
operations there on rebels against President Makonde?s administration did not
make matters any better. President
David Kalya allayed fears that that fiasco would jeopardize his relationship
with his fianc?e. He purposed to accord it a positive attitude approach. Though
it was shrouded in mystery, the truth would not be elusive in the long run, he
believed. ?Sorry?, he said at length, ?for having been keeping you at an arms
length in matters pertaining to my personal feelings and convictions. I ask
that from now onwards we shall be working together mutually in our personal
aspirations and trying to support each other when facing difficult situations.
In this life, every moment, everywhere are issues which evoke our emotions: be
it a baby enjoying its mother?s love; a teenager battling with emotional
changes; a newly married young adult with new challenges; or an elderly person
with memory loss or pangs of nostalgia. That said, two is better than one, so
says the Bible. I need you as much as you need me.? There was a moment?s
silence as the atmosphere of the room was saturated with emotion.
?I do understand. I?ll be there for you dear,? Rose said, wiping tears. So tender and relaxed Mr.Kalya was
that he found himself confiding to Rose as a close, trustworthy friend about
his ambition in its entirety, often apologizing to her that he had been selfishly withholding some part of it
from her. Rose consented and promised to lend him a hand, and press forward to
accomplish the mission. The two love birds even agreed to work together in solving problems of national concern
not only as engaged partners but also as the country's leaders. At the
end of the highly sensational conversation that dusk, they parted with a warm
hug, each one rejuvenated and content. * * *
* Sitting under a tree in the afternoon sun Rose
explained to her sister Lavender in a
typically earthy metaphor how to deal with AIDS: ?When a leopard comes into your village you
can't be silent. You have to do something even if it means shouting.? The sisters were awaiting a
conference they were going to attend two hours later. Kogi had invited them to the conference
his company organized on AIDS where he would be the chief speaker. This was part of the
company's corporate social responsibility. It was set to be attended by key players from the health sector and members of the public. Since he had done courses on AIDS prevention and mitigation and being a good orator, Kogi had been appointed to give address. Rose was on off duty that day and was in one of her happiest moods. Lavender was joyful that at least every level of society in Sheba had come round to
getting involved; from traditional healers to sports teams to musical groups. Not only that,
lessons on AIDS were being taught in almost every classroom. Churches and church-related
bodies conducted vigorous campaigns for the youth be empowered to make healthy and responsible life choices. Furthermore, every public officer of any rank was ordered to highlight AIDS in speeches. "If you put your hand in an anthill and a snake bites you, who can
you blame?" was a slogan every speaker piped up. "Abstaining is really hard. Opportunities and temptations for young people to engage in sex are great but one has to make up his or her mind,? Lavender put across. "If a young person stops living in denial, he will easily avoid taking risks. That way they will be esteemed," Rose rejoined. It was at twenty past four when Rose and Lavender were inside Nasa Conference Centre. Kogi climbed the platform confidently and stood directly in front of them from their seats. He wore a bluish t-shirt with the bold inscriptions: 'WHY WAIT? BECAUSE
I AM SPECIAL' clearly marked across the chest. With that and Kogi's introductory remarks it transpired to the audience that the conference was targeting the youth by all means. This was the most vulnerable group in every sense of word. Kogi's speech was excellent, so Rose and her sister complimented. They listened, keenly drinking in every word proceeding from his mouth.
typically earthy metaphor how to deal with AIDS: ?When a leopard comes into your village you
can't be silent. You have to do something even if it means shouting.? The sisters were awaiting a
conference they were going to attend two hours later. Kogi had invited them to the conference
his company organized on AIDS where he would be the chief speaker. This was part of the
company's corporate social responsibility. It was set to be attended by key players from the health sector and members of the public. Since he had done courses on AIDS prevention and mitigation and being a good orator, Kogi had been appointed to give address. Rose was on off duty that day and was in one of her happiest moods. Lavender was joyful that at least every level of society in Sheba had come round to
getting involved; from traditional healers to sports teams to musical groups. Not only that,
lessons on AIDS were being taught in almost every classroom. Churches and church-related
bodies conducted vigorous campaigns for the youth be empowered to make healthy and responsible life choices. Furthermore, every public officer of any rank was ordered to highlight AIDS in speeches. "If you put your hand in an anthill and a snake bites you, who can
you blame?" was a slogan every speaker piped up. "Abstaining is really hard. Opportunities and temptations for young people to engage in sex are great but one has to make up his or her mind,? Lavender put across. "If a young person stops living in denial, he will easily avoid taking risks. That way they will be esteemed," Rose rejoined. It was at twenty past four when Rose and Lavender were inside Nasa Conference Centre. Kogi climbed the platform confidently and stood directly in front of them from their seats. He wore a bluish t-shirt with the bold inscriptions: 'WHY WAIT? BECAUSE
I AM SPECIAL' clearly marked across the chest. With that and Kogi's introductory remarks it transpired to the audience that the conference was targeting the youth by all means. This was the most vulnerable group in every sense of word. Kogi's speech was excellent, so Rose and her sister complimented. They listened, keenly drinking in every word proceeding from his mouth.
CHAPTER ELEVEN Eventually President David
Kalya, liberated from the
fear of the unknown, proclaimed
His dream to everybody in its entirely. He disclosed to key
people locally and internationally the
God- given vision he possessed. As if he had tapped a hidden potential, amazing things began
to occur. Since he had
liaised with leaders of
Israel, the country had sent in a high powered
delegation to meet him and chart the
way forward. His Excellency was elated. His hopes were
raised, They were coming to assure
him that they were together in solidarity to ensure that this
vision would be realized-in the long run. They explained that they had put everything in a place for
vision would be realized-in the long run. They explained that they had put everything in a place for
the project and would embark on it as soon as they saw the green light. As they conversed with His
Excellency at the palace they revealed that Israel was going to leverage itself on its imported
gold which they would refine
and sell out at an exorbitant price. Coupled with its status as a Veto Power,
the new privilege would definitely put it on the edge in order that it would
exert influence on the
other countries in the Middle Eastern Region to reduce the prize of fuel sold
to Africa by half, if possible, less than that. This, Israel will execute after
first appealing to a concessioning body in the region. President David Kalya,
the delegates hinted, would be honored in a marvelous way.
Later that day the president presided
over a media house's anniversary. The media house called Nasa Media Group which
comprised a newspaper, a television station, and a radio station had rendered inestimable services to
the people of Sheba for sixty years. It had experienced a bumpy ride since its fledgling days
to a world class organization at present. Not only that, spiced up with internet editions of
newspaper, the media house was the leading one in the region. This day spoke
volumes about the milestone that was the height of press freedom in the nation
of Sheba. On this day a special newspaper pull-out filled with memoirs of the
organization was rolled off the press.
In the conclusion of his speech the
president stated: "It's regrettable that African leaders spend too much time politicking rather
than on nation building which should be the highest calling of every one of us.
As we celebrate this media house's anniversary, commending its fortitude and
tenacity, all of us (Africans) must roll up our sleeves and get to work."
That night Bishop
Gamaliel who was one of the speakers at the function spent time with
the president at the latter's house. "I can see you're doing very well presently," Bishop Gamaliel
said, his short legs sprawling before him as he sat, " despite the hardships.??
the president at the latter's house. "I can see you're doing very well presently," Bishop Gamaliel
said, his short legs sprawling before him as he sat, " despite the hardships.??
"Yes, despite the
hardships," said David Kalya vehemently. "No condition is permanent. Challenges come and go
in the same manner that opportunities do. Failure comes in the same package as success."
"What did parliamentarians have reservations about?"
hardships," said David Kalya vehemently. "No condition is permanent. Challenges come and go
in the same manner that opportunities do. Failure comes in the same package as success."
"What did parliamentarians have reservations about?"
"Initially, they were apprehensive that
Gilboa's administration would pose a challenge since we both share gold deposits at the border.
Gilboa's administration would pose a challenge since we both share gold deposits at the border.
But when I consulted with several key people, I was
encouraged that we can pass the Bill even before we can bring the matter to the attention of
President Makonde. As a matter of fact, the matter will be tackled tomorrow in
parliament. Afterwards we shall take the bull by its horns."
While they were still
talking, Judas turned up
abruptly at the door."Hey, Bishop. How do
you do? You are back in Sheba again? I
believe the best place to be on earth is Sheba alone.
Attesting this fact is to have the likes of you visiting''. Kimuma said in one breath. Bishop Gamaliel
nodded lazily. In a fleeting moment Judas disappeared into thin air and moments later he was
Attesting this fact is to have the likes of you visiting''. Kimuma said in one breath. Bishop Gamaliel
nodded lazily. In a fleeting moment Judas disappeared into thin air and moments later he was
serving supper with His Excellency's
houseboy. When everyone including the
young boy had
eaten, Judas dashed into the kitchen
and brought for himself a huge amount of the meal, no doubt
larger than anyone else had taken. Sitting down
leisurely at the table, he devoured large chunks greedily. As he watched TV Bishop Gamaliel
could cast glances reprovingly at this unpleasant creature. With a full mouth, Bellringer
would coarsely voice up a point or two.
* * * * * Parliament was in session. It was three o'clock in the afternoon. MPs
were debating the
Bill which had been christened Gold Bill. Government chief whip was the one who moved the
motion on the Bill on behalf of the president who had gone abroad on a state business. There
Bill which had been christened Gold Bill. Government chief whip was the one who moved the
motion on the Bill on behalf of the president who had gone abroad on a state business. There
was a furore and fiasco in the house
that afternoon. Rose, the official opposition leader was in
such sunken spirits after being
linked to the killing of Maj-Gen Ben Tele by some members
during questions time. She was accused of distancing herself from Eve, formerly her campaign
manager in her elections. To answer those speculations she had complained that she was being falsely accused by skeptics and cynics who were bent on obliterating her political career. She shed tears as she concluded her personal statement. Then came the crucial Gold Bill. With the effects of the onslaught on her integrity still profound in her heart, she remembered her fianc?s dream. She was at crossroads. She could not face her rivals to drum up support for it after being affronted. She could only answer back rudely those who came up to her seat to consult with her regarding the issue. This exacerbated the situation. The legislators could not bring themselves to
during questions time. She was accused of distancing herself from Eve, formerly her campaign
manager in her elections. To answer those speculations she had complained that she was being falsely accused by skeptics and cynics who were bent on obliterating her political career. She shed tears as she concluded her personal statement. Then came the crucial Gold Bill. With the effects of the onslaught on her integrity still profound in her heart, she remembered her fianc?s dream. She was at crossroads. She could not face her rivals to drum up support for it after being affronted. She could only answer back rudely those who came up to her seat to consult with her regarding the issue. This exacerbated the situation. The legislators could not bring themselves to
agree on
voting either. The speaker adjourned the motion unceremoniously.
* * * *
Early one Saturday morning, Rose drove
to Kogi's home to pay a visit to the young family. She was received warmly with hugs at the
compound on her arrival. Hardly had she sat down for a relaxed chit-chat when Mr. and Mrs. Kuto
turned up casually, being close neighbors and friends of the young family. Mr. Kuto, being an
easy-going chap, was a great conversationalist who did not have to wait for a special moment to talk.
"By the way," he was saying, "my business is declining at an
alarming rate. Further compounding my problem are loans I have to repay to a shylock.
Indeed he has incidentally a knife to my neck. My wife and I are having sleepless nights.??
Mrs. Kuto put on a pensive face and moaned.
"It's so shameful, it?s regrettable. I don't know how Doreen and Amos will get their
education." She was a housewife.
"The only thing that gives me joy and comfort is that Prado I
bought recently. Though it's an exorbitant luxury my wife and I bought it for
the sake of pleasure." He laughed, taking a sideways glance at his wife.
"Hedonism sometimes is vital in the lives of men though it is ephemeral."
"Passion," commented Rose, "is a relative
of hedonism and-"
"Passion
makes success an ecstatic
experience and failure a frustrating calamity!" Kogi broke in. "I've studied the lives of people who
thrive in the world of pleasure and found that those people lead perilous lives
of delusion and self-
denial. They often go mad or even lose their lives when they come face to face with reality."
"You remind me," said Mr. Kuto, "of a man
who was hooked to bhang. One day he left home and joined his peers who were using the
drug. He was on cloud nine feeling top of the world. He stayed there a couple
of days dabbling in his habit. Coming home one morning he was utterly
devastated to learn that his wife had been buried after dying on the day he
left. He had not been informed of the tragedy for fear of his reaction in his
inebriated state of mind. And partly because he was being treated as a cast
away in the extended family due to his bizarre addiction. He cried bitterly,
and that marked the end of his drug addiction. He swore never to touch it again."
After Mr. and Mrs. Kuto's
departure, Rose was happy that a sense of serenity and
confidentiality returned to the room. She wanted to have intimate and relaxed conversations with
Kogi and Diana. She needed them as her mentors and confidants; people who could understand
her and share in her sorrows and joys. She divulged that she was engaged to David Kalya,
highlighting how she perceived her role in parliament would sometimes jeopardize their
relationship. "You must communicate well together and agree that public or professional matters
however controversial or contentious they may be do not hamper your personal relationship,"
Diana advised. "Yes, make sure that the two parallel lines which are equally important do not
clash at some point. If that happens, anyway, do not hesitate to resolve it. And try to make
amends and reconciliation as soon as is humanly possible."
confidentiality returned to the room. She wanted to have intimate and relaxed conversations with
Kogi and Diana. She needed them as her mentors and confidants; people who could understand
her and share in her sorrows and joys. She divulged that she was engaged to David Kalya,
highlighting how she perceived her role in parliament would sometimes jeopardize their
relationship. "You must communicate well together and agree that public or professional matters
however controversial or contentious they may be do not hamper your personal relationship,"
Diana advised. "Yes, make sure that the two parallel lines which are equally important do not
clash at some point. If that happens, anyway, do not hesitate to resolve it. And try to make
amends and reconciliation as soon as is humanly possible."
"Yes, draw the line between the two;
make clear- cut boundaries and agree to disagree. There is no perfect relationship: enduring
love makes sure that you are able to be reconciled to each other after a quarrel, the time
make clear- cut boundaries and agree to disagree. There is no perfect relationship: enduring
love makes sure that you are able to be reconciled to each other after a quarrel, the time
test ensures that your love has summered and wintered;
and your hope ensures that your love
gives you new strength to continue pressing on. That's
the journey love takes till it is consummated in marriage as pure gold," Kogi explained. Rose was
motivated and felt her sorrows dissipating.
She drove back home with her head
held high, hoping to soldier on with her marriage plans and deal victoriously with her
adversities.
CHAPTER
TWELVE
That same evening she met and talked face to face for the
first time after what looked like eternity with her uncle Bill Too at Dates World Hotel. He had just
arrived in the country with his family from London for a holiday. He was a
humble, loving man who understood people and their problems. Attesting to this
fact was that he had in his benevolence helped out Rose and her siblings during their dark days that
ensued their parents' demise. It was a kind gesture, a noble response to a worthy cause, Rose
reminisced. She narrated every detail concerning her marriage plans as enthusiastically as she
could. "I'm glad,?? he said, "I really admire your determination and the steps you're taking."
"Thanks," Rose replied gleefully. He turned down her request to
receive dowry upon marriage, giving her the alternative to consider giving him
a little token of appreciation
instead. "It will surely be my memento of you!" He beamed, slapping
her palm as the duo
parted. Rose had never been so blissful. She could now see everything fall
perfectly into place with
her good uncle by her side. He had urged her to keep him posted on the progress
she was taking. She was
mesmerized.
It was at night on that day while she
took supper that she made up her mind to let her sister Lavender in on her relationship with David
Kalya. Lavender was the only sibling left with her in the house; the others were now working away after
having graduated from college. Rose felt sufficiently at ease that night that
she cast all fears to the four winds; she disclosed to her sister how she adored her husband to
be. She narrated how his love for her had erased the times she would sulk by
herself with none to care. "Uncle Bill is more than ready to participate
in the wedding
arrangements," Rose enthused. "Oh, it will be such a grand
wedding," Lavender prophesied.
With Lavender's upbeat spirit about
the matter clearly manifested, things were looking up for Rose like never before. She was
all-smiles that night. She thanked God for every good thing coming her way. She
was able to deal with her fears and scourging memories from the past. It was a high time she purged
the intangible clutter that clogged up her mind to create room for fresh, sprightly ideas. There was
now nothing intrinsically wrong with the promulgation of
her wedding arrangements.
* * * *
Over the next few weeks President
David Kalya succeeded in instituting a commission of inquiry to probe into the scandalous
sale of Voyage Hotel, a public asset It was an uphill task instigating the body
as irate parties protested vociferously that it was tantamount to a waste of
public funds. Critics of the government said the audit firm that blew the
whistle on the scandal was a credible and reputable institution and qualified
to name each and every suspect and the amount of funds misappropriated. The
public on the other hand demanded a rapid procurement of funds and the culprits
immediately brought to book. There were calls to have the sacked Finance
minister indicted over his dealings
in the scam. The president had carried on relentlessly and established the
commission of inquiry which was to be chaired by Dr. Peter Werret, a Briton. The president defended the appointment
of the man to the effect that the doctor had on many occasions chaired similar commissions across
Africa with tangible breakthroughs. This was, nonetheless, taken with a pinch of salt.
One fine morning Dr. Peter Werret paid
a courtesy call on the president at the palace. "How are you faring?" His Excellency said.
"I'm doing fine, Your Excellency,"
Dr Werret answered. He
was a tall, huge man with the physique of a wrestler. He spoke with a deep
bass.
"I strongly emphasize that you get the
suspects to testify in person at the commissions' sittings. No lawyers."
"Yes, I'll do, Your Excellency. I know the
craftiness of lawyers,"
"More than
that make sure that the suspects don't leave the country. For that to be
effective, confiscate their passports and liaise with the Migration Department
to revoke their visas."
"All right, Your Excellency. No suspects should miss
the witness stand at any one time. I'll surely enforce these regulations."
They went on talking about other
miscellaneous issues and just as the guest prepared to leave, Madame Pauline, the
president's personal assistant came in carrying a tray ready to serve breakfast. David Kalya noticed mat she
was in distress by the look on her face. "You look so unhappy madam,
what's the matter?" Scarcely did he finish his question when she let the
tray slip through her
fingers and fall onto the table in a gesture of great misery and anguish.
"I'm suffering, Your Excellency," she lamented, her head
drooping forward as she stood helplessly.
"Did I hear you say suffering? Please tell me about it."
"So many troubles in my life: My hostile husband scolding me; no children; no
peace; no contentment." She fell down on her knees and cried. His
Excellency rushed helter-skelter completely at a loss what to do. Dr. Werret
behaved as if he was ready to take to flight any moment.
Minutes later she was rushed to
hospital in a palace van. Judas Kimuma in his usual walking style entered the
palace holding a rolled copy of a newspaper. "I Judas aka Bellringer saw it with my very eyes.
I say there's a tide in the affairs of men!" He laughed with derision and
sat on a chair after shaking His Excellency's hand. "Problems come to take
you upside down. Some
people so unfortunate in life, not happy and blessed like me."
"May God help her," His Excellency remarked
solemnly.
"You know what cousin? My boss grants me
leave for today, totally free now!"
"That's good."
"The whole of last week we sold Sheba National Bank
shares. This week sold Sheba Com IPO. I saw over-subscription!" he started to fidget on the
chair.
It was in the afternoon of this day
that there was public unrest over the ownership of Sheba- Com, a mobile telephone company
on Initial Public Offer. Citizens were alarmed that the government owned seventy percent
shares, a private investor twenty -five and the remaining five percent went to a shadowy cartel or an
untraceable individual. Critics had tipped the media on the anomaly who in turn
pilloried the affair. Citizens voiced their grievances of being hoodwinked.
Foreigners particularly donors put the blame on President David Kayla?s
administration calling for transparency and accountability with respect to
matters of national interest.
Thus for the umpteenth time, things seemed to be putting
David Kalya in an awkward, compromising
position. Hence it was that he began to look about himself: His trifling
progress, and small, hard-earned victories; and the empress of his heart could
not manifest open pleasure about
him so far. He could not get over this feeling for quite a long time, something
which he nearly
misconstrued as ill-fated. He managed to glean some nuggets which included
learning to trust God
regardless of circumstances. For that was the whole duty of man under the sun!
Nobody could controvert that.
In the meantime, days and weeks elapsed. A new finance
minister was appointed to supersede
the one fired on grounds of embezzlement of funds. Luckily for the president,
no trace of protest at that act was elicited. He had acted assiduously. He
hoped. He believed he could ride on over all hurdles and win the race. Having some foundation to believe
by this time that life gives
what one demands and not what one deserves, he determined to cast aside all his
cares, and focus with a
single minded devotion on attaining his goal of a peaceful world. He had to
change means as and when necessary but
not change the goal. He motivated his soul with what Zig Ziglar stated thus:
?Little things make big differences in every facet of life, so to make the most
out of life, give life
the little extra that makes the difference between winning and losing? What a judicious statement!
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
"Darling, Rose is getting married
soon! I'll fancy her wedding!" Diana exclaimed. "That's all what you've been
talking about of late," Kogi responded calmly.
"I find myself mentioning her
since Rose is a special friend of mine with whom I share deep secrets. I just
cannot refrain from talking about her. Not only that, she's my mentor and role model, all in one package,"
Diana explained fervently.
"By the way, you heard of President David's dream
for Sheba and the continent? I greatly admire this great visionary leader and adroit
administrator," Kogi said.
"There you are my hubby! This is
like the third time you're complimenting him. Rose is to me what His Excellency
is to you!" Diana intoned with an air of victorious wisdom. The two were whiling away their time one evening
in their house." It has been reported in the news that Rose has gone to the police commissioner's
precincts to have her name expunged from the reports of the killing of Maj Gen Tele early
today. She has accused her attackers of having the inclination to tarnish her reputation. Of
imputing bad motives to her integrity,?? Diana said. She felt that Rose should be exonerated from the
clutches of those conducting a vendetta against her.
"Of course she has got to do so
if she has to protect her dignity. The principle of self-preservation, you may say. Good
character is built by bricks of good example laid day by day, so they say. To destroy it which takes
just a day or less would be utterly devastating. The police must investigate whether there was a
plot to assassinate him,?? Kogi asserted.
"But how about this wicked woman, Eve? She's an imbecile and a
lunatic! She's got to tell it all. Why did she commit the crime? Very disappointing," Diana yelled,
almost losing her mind.
"But she has already confessed to hitting him with an iron
bar. What more? What else?" Kogi asked. "Well -1 -I don't comprehend," Diana admitted
resignedly.
As they
were still at it, Mr. Kuto turned up in the house time alone. After exchanging greetings with them he sat in an
arm-chair next to the door quite in a relatively reserved mood. "My friends," he said at
length, "my finances are in a crunch. My supermarket ventures are turning insolvent." He looked
about himself in a lost, despondent way so that Kogi and Diana pitied him.
"Sorry Mr. Kuto. Relax and let the matter not
trouble your heart," Diana consoled him.
"And the shylock?" Kogi
questioned inscrutably.
"There is an apparent lull in the storm as he has
recently been silent. Nonetheless, I must brace for the worst. He might come back with a vengeance to
reckon with. And it will be as bad as bad could be. It's my fate,?? Mr. Kuto expressed with
exasperation. He was then taken with a troublesome cough.
Diana felt the utmost sympathy for him in this uncertain
moment and said as much to Mr.Kuto; adding that she and her husband had the
money sufficient to lend him and his family the amount they needed for basic
necessities. Mr. Kuto replied, "You are my greatest friends in this life;
but in the uncertain and unprecedented twists and turns of life, no man is an
island." At this juncture, his children Doreen and Amos dashed into the
house. Making straight for their father, they cleaved to him with their hands,
weeping.
"Daddy, mum told us you are in great anguish and
distress and that we should accompany you!" Amos cried, tears rolling down his little cheeks.
"Dear children, please don't worry about your dad.
He is fine'' Diana comforted them.
"And Mr. Kuto, pull yourself
together and be strong. Pick up your pieces and maintain your cool. Okay?" Kogi said, looking tenderly at his friend who
was wiping tears. After the weeping had subsided in the room, Mr. Kuto cheered up and said,
"Don't bother, friends. That was just an eruption of a volcano long suppressed, the aftermath of
an internal contest more easily concealed than perceived."
It was not difficult for Mr. Kuto on
Diana and Kogi's remonstration and advice, to resolve to spend within their means until after his
ventures started improving. That is, until after his finances came back with the tide seeing as he
had purchased a Prado at the outset of his
predicaments. That remained to be seen.
* * * *
At another meeting attended by the
vice-president, Mr. Dick and Rose, that was convened by President David Kalya
at Dates World Hotel, the idea of appointing emissaries was made good. Of the
more than ten emissaries appointed one of them who stood out as the most
valiant, competent and
tactful called Caleb was chosen as the head. He was a young man. They had to go
that far if ever David's
dream was to be actualized. What necessitated all these was the kind of diplomatic relationship between Sheba
and Gilboa that was ever shrouded in mysteries and controversies. Thankfully,
Gold Bill had been passed by parliament. The next step was for it to move to
the palace for the President's signature. After being assented to by the
president, gold mining and exportation of it to Israel would be a fresh new law
in the constitution of Sheba. A new dispensation. David Kalya was over the moon. He had every reason to
smile and all the days of
his life to live for. For the first time he felt worthy of Rose's love.
It was unanimously agreed at the
meeting that Rose was to supervise the activities of the emissaries as they operated in
synergies between Sheba and Gilboa. It had to be a highly secretive networking
whose aim was to spy the situation on the ground, collect information and use
all means to implore President Makonde and his men to consent to the project.
It was imperative to
cash-in on every sympathizer of the cause. All progress had to be reported to
Rose, who would in turn
report to President David Kalya. Rose took up the job by merit since she had an eye for detail. When the coast
became clear, the project would commence in earnest. An earth - shattering deal!
Valentine's Day fell on a Sunday.
David and Rose celebrated their love by hosting a party at Date's World Hotel. David had
suggested Voyage Hotel but Rose had objected citing its soiled image. Diana and
Kogi did theirs at home being a married couple. They reminisced over the previous Valentine's Day they
celebrated at Diana's office. "The day had fallen on a working day,?? Diana recollected. ??But today
it favors those who would otherwise be in trouble to satisfy prying eyes in the
office. The sideshows it generated are still memorable. I was elated when I saw
you arrive with stems of red roses that looked like they had been freshly
yanked off a path hedge
along the way."
On this day of love Diana was busy kneading and frying
dough while Kogi was preparing pureed salad. "My baby is beginning to
show. So I'm careful how I sit, work and walk all the time,?? Diana said, patting her belly
softly. "There was a couple dating at my workplace recently. Older women in the office who had
been through all that sneered at the unfolding events and sympathized with their younger
female colleague. I overheard one saying, ?If only she knew of the pregnancy and broken heart that
came when the roses withered.? Office romances are still treated with disdain and contempt in
Sheba."
"But we are better off than some council workers in
England. Executives at Lancaster city drafted a 'lover's charter' demanding that all their
staff should inform their bosses if they have serious relationships at the workplace," Kogi
remarked, handling utensils and cutlery clumsily in a man's manner.
"Relationship research has shown
that of all the places where people meet future spouses such as schools, churches, parties,
weddings and others, the workplace is the most ideal one," Diana said as she sprang to her feet
in a controlled agility, and dashed to the corner of the sitting room to play one of Women of Faith's
albums on the DVD that comprised their home theatre.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Bishop
Gamaliel was back in the country again, this time to denounce publicly the
mysterious murder of Maj-Gen Ben Tele. The circus revolved around a subtle
woman called Eve. It was found
out that she could not effectively articulate herself in police custody since
she was high on cocaine.
Rose was terribly upset and irritated on hearing people alleging that she was
complicit in the crime. The tribesmen of the deceased were always up in arms
against the government's laxity in bringing about justice.
Therefore as Bishop Gamaliel spoke on
radio one afternoon, Rose was utterly offended when she heard the visiting so-
called conscience keeper of the nation tag her name to the heinous, hideous
act. She was alone in the house. She raved mad and behaved like a deranged woman, she threw about utensils,
threw tantrums at an invisible being, and cried like a wronged teenage girl.
Swearing to strip herself naked if that continued, she dragged herself to lie
on her bed where she lay
with a frown on her face. Immediately, she plunged into a nightmare which
critically injured her already wounded soul. She woke up an hour later sweating
profusely and wondering whether the world had came to an end. It was a horrible
world. She had nothing to look forward to, nor the confidence to meet people
without having to feel inferior in some way. In that state of mind, sometimes the image of her fianc?
appeared to her in a misty haze, at times the haze kept changing colors
ominously in a dreary, doubtful way making her sickly and ache with uncertainties. Hardly a day went by
without her facing woes.
She was still alone in the house.
(Nowadays Lavender seldom came home having secured herself an employment). Then, swelling with
excitement, perhaps foreboding at what the day ahead held for her with the planned visit by Diana,
she instinctively sought refuge in the known and familiar sights of the room.
And there was the sound of the door bell ringing; she rushed to open it and there Diana
was! They warmly embraced each other by the door. Rose was herself again, smiling from ear to
ear.
Minutes later as they kept musing
about the funny side of life, Diana pulled out something from her little pet
bag she always carried under her shoulder. "Receive your present, Rose!" Diana enthused
as she handed over something wrapped in a glittering
material. "Please open it now."
It was a novel titled: 'Betrayal of
a Patriot'.
"Marvelous!" Rose beamed. "The
author is Diana Njeri Kogi. I can't believe my eyes! You are the
author?"
"Yes, I wrote this novel,"
Diana replied confidently.
"I am an avid reader of
novels. Could you please tell me more about it before I get down to
reading it?" Rose entreated.
??Well, well it was a struggle to
get it published. First of all, I wrote it during my most difficult times while
I was in college. I had broken out of a relationship that had given me a lot of
stress, fatigue and dishonor. The truth was that I had hooked myself to the
wrong boyfriend after succumbing to peer pressure. Not only that, I had a rough
time struggling with college fees owing to great privation at home. A story
developed in my mind and I found myself putting on paper the first paragraph
of 'Betrayal of a Patriot', a story with social and political undertones,"
Diana said.
"Had you considered yourself a writer
before?"
"I had always known I
would make a good writer when I was in High school after having read Charles Dickens' 'David
Copperfield' and William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice.' However, I couldn't bring myself to work on the craft
then. It was not until I encountered these traumatizing moments that I
ultimately decided to give it a shot. Having some foundation for believing that
nature and nurture had made me a writer, I contemplated according it a
professional treat," Diana expounded.
She went on to recount how she was frustrated on receiving a rejection slip form the first publisher with the grave words.
"Sorry, we cannot publish your book given the present circumstances in the
land."
"What was the reason
behind the rejection?" Rose inquired. Diana asserted that the publisher
was cautious about the truth in her story that was too bare for human
consumption, that it had rather be clothed in something less conspicuous. But
what really disappointed her was noticing the returned manuscript with
coffee-mug stains all over the front page that necessitated a retyping
of the title. She did so and submitted it to another publisher who fortunately
accepted it for publication. "Into this book I poured my love for the poor
and the downtrodden, depicting so movingly the social injustices of our time.
It's an effort to have the conscience of this nation stirred to
reform," Diana pointed out reflectively.
"Your book has reminded me of long ago when my
parents had just died in a plane crash. We took time to fully come to terms
with our new condition of being rendered orphans. We became like sheep with no
shepherd and no pasture. We sunk into a state of despondency as we considered
dreadfully what the future portended for us. These circumstances pressing upon
our young souls induced us to make an appeal for aid. A neighbor of ours who
was touched by our remonstrance contacted our uncle, Bill Too, who after a
rather delicate hesitation came to our rescue. He turned out to be the
principal magnate of our
family." Rose said thoughtfully.
* *
*
When Madame Pauline was serving breakfast at the palace a
few months after being taken to hospital in haste, His Excellency made an
effort to ask her some very personal questions for the first
time. Hardly had he asked her a few pertinent questions regarding her
predicaments when he realized how futile his efforts were. She was in dilemma between a disposition to reveal something and a
counter-disposition to reveal nothing "Who do you wish to confide to? Might you find someone who can
understand you?" he asked with much concern.
?Perhaps Rose, the opposition leader. I
admire her. She's a loving and wise person?? Came her wary, delicate answer.
"Then make arrangements to be meeting
her. She'll help you. In this life no one can claim to live without the support
of another. You need someone to lift you up when you fall. We are social beings
on the face of the earth. I understand how you feel,? His Excellency broke off
his counsel as Judas Kimuma stormed into the palace to announce what he termed 'special information'.
"Cousin, I've been called by special delegates all the way from Israel. They say speed up gold mining.
They can't wait any longer than expectant mother. You be the greatest
man!" He declared, grinning from ear to ear. The next minute he had
disappeared into thin
air.
The country was in anticipation of
economic growth to take effect. The president had promised that the gold
project was expected to stimulate the country's economy once it got underway.
But the project seemed to stall. It was three months since the approval of the
Gold Bill by parliament which he hugely supported through and through.
Joblessness among Sheba's youth was rampant and a harsh famine was always
lurking treacherously following failed rains the previous years. Critics argued
that President David Kalya's Gold Bill phenomenon was propaganda. Once when he implemented
a salary increase for teachers in public schools, cynics opined it was in bad
faith; it was his attempt to gain reputation from one sector while another one
which was ailing was accorded a cover-up. The most acrimonious accusations
pessimists leveled against
him were that his intention to marry Rose was aimed at pacifying the
opposition, blindfold
the citizens and selfishly make the nation his own asset. David Kalya had never
felt so contemptible in
his life.
One day after he had delivered an
address to the nation live on television, he called Mr. Dick to the palace, the
MP whom he deemed candid, down- to- earth and truthful. "What's the situation on the ground like?"
His Excellency asked.
"Don't you ever be deluded to believe
that this project will be
without obstacles. If you put your mind to it, they're indeed designed by God to stretch your potential. Paul
Harvey said: ?you can always tell when
you are on the road to success; it's uphill all the way'. The truth cannot be
overemphasized," Mr. Dick replied.
"But Sir, I always feel that I am at a level beyond which it's hard
to rise. I can see that my future is walled up before me. I'm not making any
progress. It's as if I'm hitting my head up against the wall. What's all
this?" David Kalya said dejectedly and slumped back in his seat in
resignation. "Your Excellency, I understand how you feel. You have to put
in a rigorous burst of effort to penetrate those strata that try to bar you from
becoming what God intended you to become,'' Mr. Dick Mburu advised.
"But how? I've already done much but of no
avail." The president gasped sorrowfully. His feet sprawled disconsolately.
"There are
two ways, Mr. President. One way is you changing the problem. Try your best to
make the difficulty more manageable, though the solution might be ephemeral but all the same, better
than nothing. The second way which is the most judicious one is for you to change the spirit within
you. I believe that adversity is not our greatest foe. It has been proven that
the human spirit is capable of high resilience and resourcefulness in the midst
of hardship," The MP
expounded tactfully.
"I'm getting the point. It's raising my
spirits," David Kalya said. Exhilarated by the president's response to his nuggets of wisdom, Mr.
Dick went on "I concur with what someone once philosophized. He said:
'cripple a man and you have Sir Walter Scott. Bury him in the snows of Valley
Forge and you have George Washington. Raise him in poverty and you have Abraham
Lincoln. Strike him down with infantile paralysis........... and you have Franklin Roosevelt. Deafen
him and he will become Ludwig Beethoven. Contemptuously
treat him as a slow learner and he becomes Albert Einstein.' You see, Your Excellency, it's not problems
that mess us up. We are supposed to have a positive attitude. Then we'll be
able to rise above our status quo. If a hen stands on a man's head she sees
further than the man."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
What
began as a tranquil and ingenious master plan in the heart of Gilboa
transformed itself overnight into a disastrous circus. A senior officer in the
government had got wind of the seemingly mischievous scheme and in the words of Caleb the paramount
emissary, 'blown the deal
out of proportions', occasioning a state of emergency situation in Radad the
capital of Gilboa. There
was an air of tension in the city.
Caleb,
who had gone into hiding, briefed Rose, panting on the phone on the queer, disheartening
development at midnight.
"How in the world could this occur?" the frightened lady asked, turning on her bed.
"A certain senior officer in the
administration got wind of our plan. We had earlier been warned of him. But somehow someone
leaked the secret to him. The officer in turn relayed the seemingly furtive and
surreptitious message to the supreme leader of the land whose reaction was nothing to be faced. He asserted
that gold is such an invaluable asset to the people of Gilboa that they can't afford to watch it
being confiscated from them lying down. The police were given a free rein and
they swung into action. We were branded spies. The entire city was put on alert
as the policemen ransacked every nook and cranny. Right now I'm at large. I can't
fathom where my juniors
are at the moment. It's so devastating! "Caleb interjected at last.
??Are they safe? Oh my!" She was crying.
"That's
the pertinent question, Madame," came Caleb's succinct response. "A
flurry of shots rang out
in the darkness."
The following morning, Rose convened
and chaired a parliamentary caucus meeting. Its sole purpose was to deliberate on the Gilboa menace and
the entangled emissaries. It was prudent for the legislators to come up with an urgent solution
seeing as this was hurting diplomacy between Sheba and Gilboa. It would most
likely burn the always delicate bridges held between both nations. It was very
probable that this would slow down or even destroy her fianc?s mission in
life, Rose observed. She secretly sympathized with him.
She was deeply preoccupied with this
saddening issue as she sat there in front of her juniors inside Nasa Conference Centre. She had
ensured that the affairs of the meeting were not disseminated in the media for
the situation of the nation was highly polarized over the safety of their fellow countrymen in Gilboa.
When a man sheds tears, he has lost it
all. That was the condition of David Kalya when he received the report. A lonely man, a symbol of
political integrity, he was driven by his dream of a peaceful and wealthy Africa. And this dream no
longer seemed capable of actualization. The
consternation was too much for him.
* * *
"It seems as if I am taking
three giant steps backwards,?? Mr. Kuto told Diana at her house. "Instead of soaring for the
stars I'm perilously nose-diving into the ocean depths. My venture into shares has rendered me bankrupt
when it failed to pay us dividends after the IPO. It need hardly be said that this catastrophe
has resulted in a breach of confidence between my wife and me."
"Sorry, my dear neighbor. Go easy and relax,"
Diana said, folding her arms across her perfect bust. She faced him intently
and compassionately.
"We are
standing on sinking sand. I'm stupid and shall remain green all the days of my
life!" Mr. Kuto regretted, holding his head with both hands. "Will I
ever be so successful? Is prosperity only for a select few? I have so
faithfully expended my skills and reservoir of innovative ideas yet they have
never paid off!"
"Never, never give up. Try and fail but not fail to
try. Someday you'll be delighted to find a place where you will not only enjoy a lucrative, lofty
pay but also find enthusiasm in exploiting your abilities."
"Diana, that's your ideal world. That's a matter for
conjecture." At that instant
Bellringer arrived in the house in his usual cheeky demeanor. "My
newspaper here tell me," he quipped, holding aloft his dog-eared newspaper,
"that the government of President David has raised salaries of Nasa Stock Exchange personnel. I am
inside of them."
"You Bellringer!" Mr. Kuto burst out loudly such that the
addressee jumped with a start. "We have no business knowing about your silly escapades! Some
of us are desperately in need of financial aid."
"How dare you talk to your master like that?"
Judas snarled back at the top of his voice, pointing menacingly an accusing
finger at Mr. Kuto.
"It's because of your being my so-called master
that I'm suffering. You've fleeced me of all my finances in all your malice and wickedness." Mr.
Kuto yelled threateningly, now rising to his feet unconsciously. Diana watched this
weird conversation breathlessly as it developed. The animated war of words oscillated
between one extreme and another. She too had risen to her feet.
"How dare you insult me now! You
signed along the dotted line. Didn't you? You showed off a great merchant and
so I lend you the monies." Judas hissed through clenched teeth, with arms akimbo.
"I came to discover that you forged my signatures
all so that you could increase interest haphazardly. You also practice usury.
When I couldn't repay the interest you threatened me with death. I had no
otherwise but to give up every possession so as to save my dear life."
After saying this, Mr. Kuto walked out into the night. Half a minute later,
Judas who had been stricken by this verbal assault, dragged himself out of the
house, visibly embarrassed. Diana watched
breathlessly. Her husband was not yet back home that
hour.
*****
David Kalya and Rose Akinyi finally got married in a
fabulous wedding. David had swelled with intense joy. He was drawn to his young
wife by the aspiration of his soul and mind. He savored her nobility, love, and intelligence.
The mere thought of having a wonderful collaboration with her of a lifetime was overpowering.
He shed tears of joy. It was surprising that a politician of genius should have waited patiently
for this man. On the other hand, it was indeed wonderful that Rose, considering all her failings,
should have made a perfect match for a president of international repute. In the fervor
of the moment, they forgot all their lives' cares casting them to the four winds and choosing to
concentrate on one another. Now that they were united, they were to make an
excellent thing out of their marriage. David had finally got a destiny helper.
During these fine days was established
one of the mightiest bonds that ever united man and woman. They frankly discussed their ambitions,
promising to fulfill them no matter the cost. Congratulatory messages were still
pouring in from around the world after their publicized wedding. Men and women
of renown were applauding them for what they termed "a meeting of great
minds". They both went through these messages with heightened gusto
especially when they recognized familiar names from such and such part of the
globe. It was impressed upon their fertile hearts that they could reach for the
stars and above all, focus on meeting the needs of the people not as leaders
but as fellow human beings. Knowledge without use is like a fertile farm without crops; the possession is
of no benefit to anyone. That was the view that these noble spouses had of the
glorious pragmatic use of knowledge. They came round to noting that the best
attitude to life people
cherished in others was: the disdain for gain, devotion to an intellectual passion, and the willingness to serve.
The pressure of their duties to the
nation not offering them much breather, they went honeymooning in the
countryside for a day and half. They rode bicycles among the woods, passing through a labyrinth of paths.
For David it was reminiscent of his childhood days in the village, for Rose it
was a sprightly unique sport in the making. They rode, panted and chanted songs among the big woods only resting
to either eat or drink.
It was a time when they discovered
each others treasures, interests, strengths and vulnerable points. They cemented their bond. They were
to remember these activities for the rest of their lives. 'Marriage is like the 'Kibugandet'
(harp); when the music is over you still have the strings'. That was the inscription on
the wall inside the cathedral on their wedding day. They perused an article titled: Rules for
a Happy Marriage. Part of it read,
Never both be angry at once,
Never bring a mistake of the past
Compliment each other on a daily basis
When you are wrong ask for forgiveness
Neglect the world and not each other.
And so it came to pass that the Gilboa menace was
contained - thanks to the diplomatic relation brokered by the parliamentary caucus. The emissaries at
last had their precious commodity restored - freedom. Caleb was dying to
relate more on this to Rose back in Sheba, to which smiling endearingly; she
would incline her face to affirm him, displaying a picture of a vivacious,
intelligent lady.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Her feelings having settled down in
marriage, Rose was ultimately decided about supporting her husband's vision. So convinced was she
now about its tangible results in changing people's lives that she felt that
she was obligated to give it her best. She recollected from history how Marie Curie and her
husband Pierre Curie, the discoverers of Radium, devoted their lives to scientific work that
was later to be of great help to humanity -the treatment of cancer through radioactivity. She knew that
oil was a very precious and vital substance in people's lives across the world. And therefore
when Israel took over in future the dominion of the Middle East Convention having Veto Powers, it
would succeed in bringing down the oil prices exported from that region and its environs to the
rest of the world. The aftermath - reduced poverty in developing countries of
Africa- would be incredible.
She day by day kept motivating her
husband that the matter was going to materialize in the fullness of time. She had
transformed since getting married into a woman of influence. No more was she a
woman to be taken for granted. The rebels had receded in equality as to challenge her authority and conceded
defeat. 'This is our vision; it's as much ours as for posterity' was her official slogan.
Her husband watched her keenly as things developed and was elated. She was no
longer "the angry woman" reporters had branded her many times before.
* * * *
Diana had just delivered a baby girl.
As she rested in bed comfortably, nursing the infant at her breast, the maid of all work
busied herself in the kitchen. She was preparing for the arrival of some visitors at lunchtime. At
times since her arrival at the house, the nineteen-year old girl would yearn for her master's and
mistress' opinion after serving some excellent delicacies. "Please comment
on the steak. How it?" she asked Kogi one supper time.
"It's a wonderful delicacy, my dear," Kogi had
replied, looking as though he had been jolted out of his reverie-while eating!
The visitors arrived. The front door
bell rang and the maid rushed to usher them into the house. They were Mr. and Mrs. David
Kalya. The situation could not be better for Diana the host. Such overtures to her house
often catapulted her self- esteem. She did final touches to her facial make- up for the umpteenth time
since waking up from the bed and went to meet her visitors in the sitting room. She
saluted them honorably, speaking Queen's English apt for the occasion. "How's the little
princess?" Rose queried cheerfully.
"She's fine. She's putting on weight gradually. Now your
assignment!" Diana beamed, looking at Rose who laughed with her husband
hysterically.
"In the past this duty was left to old women who
were venerable sages in the society," His Excellency said hilariously.
"But child -naming in those days would invariably conform to the times or
season of the child's birth. Maybe at dusk, night, dawn, and such ? like,??
Rose opined.
"It's true.
Most of our middle names allude to times or seasons. It follows that if you
were born in a rainy season, your name would refer to the season,?? Diana said,
"but nowadays we should be nonconformists."
"Okay the key word is non-conformist. Diana, I hope
the name I've researched will not be rebutted by either you or your
husband," Rose said.
"By no means! I'll even call him right away to
announce it to him while he's out of the country," Diana protested, throwing up her arms
like a child.
"Alright," Rose said, feigning seriousness,
"I hereby name her Portia!" Laughter rent the air for quite a while as Diana clapped hands
with her guests with vigor.
"If you are a good student of European
history," His Excellency said, changing the subject, "you might have
come across the part when it was considered cruel fate to be a Pole. You would
be a Russian subject, as
it were. But Poland refused to die, there were new heroes who were
intellectuals in their own right, replacing the Polish warriors who had
triumphed in slaying the Cossacks with scythes and clubs."
"And what did the intellectuals contribute to the
wellbeing of their nation?" Diana asked with a quizzical look on her face.
"Poor artists! Poor teachers! They took the place of the hypocrites and became complacent about progress. It
transpired that they were bent on coping with any humiliation by the Russian
authorities rather than lose their positions!" The president spat out as
though a bitter substance had literally entered his system.
"What became of the young children?" Rose
asked, running her palm smoothly over an immaculate French Twist.
"Since the directors of most schools were Russians,
they never permitted the teaching of history of Poland to the children. However, the Poles devised a
plan. They could secretly teach the history lesson in Polish language. Polish
books were never to be found on the pupils' desks. They would be hidden in
aprons and sweaters as directors made impromptu visits to the classrooms,"
explained the president.
"What a pity!" Diana interjected, ??But I love
children!"
"Of
particular poignancy was when the directors forced the children to study the politics of the Russian
tsars."
The maid came to serve lunch at the table. "First of
all let me make this announcement: ?its self- service!? ?The girl issued the instructions coyly yet
eloquently and retreated to the kitchen from where she would resurface only a long while later
to gather the used utensils. They ate, chatted, and laughed. It was a celebration of the arrival
of a new-born baby. The exercise halted with heavy sighs of satisfaction.
Just at that moment when the guests
were treated to an interesting American documentary film, Judas Kimuma turned up unexpectedly at
the door. "I salute you all in the name of democracy!" He squeaked, and then matched to shake
hands round the table bowing in a clumsy, wicked manner. As the maid brought
the bundle of joy to her mother, Judas broke into song and dance:
What child of a lady
Being a bouncing baby
Breaking the silence heavy
Shook the village like crazy?
"Were you ever a poet?"
David Kalya asked him.
"Yes, when I was in primary school. I learn poetry
when I knew about that politician of old called err, err, Shakespeare."
"Was Shakespeare really a politician?" David
Kalya asked.
"Yes, he was.
And I think he was powerful
as well,?? Judas replied.
"Judas, Shakespeare was never a politician! He was
a playwright. Get it right!" Diana ejaculated with irritation.
"Leave him alone, Diana," Rose said, looking
reproachfully at this uninvited creature. Throwing all caution to the four
winds, Bellringer rambled on regardless as he sat and fidgeted in the couch.
"When I was in Standard Five I study great history: Tribal kingdoms and their prominent leaders, Initiation
rites, original religion e.t. c."
"Oh! That you consider great history. I'd rather
the Fall of the Roman Empire, the Ptolemy, and others," Diana said with disgust.
At this juncture, David Kalya who
looked weary by now requested Diana to excuse him and his wife to leave, citing other
commitments to attend to elsewhere. They delivered their valedictory remarks and kissed the
baby in turns. As her parting shot Rose charged Diana with the task of naming her child as and
when she delivered hers as a requited service. All went out laughing including
Judas.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
It was
either a make or break situation. There had been a tug-of-war between Sheba and
Gilboa over the border under which Gold ores lay. This morning the two nations'
diplomats and delegates were set to negotiate and strike a deal. President
Makonde had claimed that the boundary line was defective and that it needed a proper marking-off to
ensure that their nation?s resources
were not going to be taken unequally by Sheba upon mining. Thus it had sparked
a heated debate that grabbed news headlines internationally. The infamous
phenomenon was called: 'The Luanda Controversy" since that small part of
the border was called Luanda. Some respondents even ventured into calling
President Makonde King Ahab in the previous incarnation. The trick accompanying the forthcoming
exercise was that the inhabitants of Luanda had to be evicted. "Where shall we go?" This
was the million-dollar question with which all the parties involved had to contend. The
thorny issues made President David Kalya and the first lady quite uncomfortable as they rose from
their bed. This morning they made supplications to God about the imminent
negotiation before leaving the house.
The negotiation dragged on. Firstly, both sides were
required to present reports, but then again there were discrepancies here and there. The chair
had a rough time compiling and harmonizing the reports. Then the debate kicked off. Voices could reach
tumultuous levels. The chairman, like the Speaker of the National Assembly
could only bang his desk begging for order in the house. There were contentious issues which needed
to be ironed out. It was difficult to effect a compromise.
The session ended unceremoniously
without both sides reaching a point of consensus. It was going to take time before such a meeting
was to convene again. Participants walked away with wounded hearts. Some swore
never to attend again. Others needed time to cool off and rethink their
arguments that ascertained their standpoints. While others needed more
consultations, others who were not repentant were inclined to carry the day
come the next convention with their 'no-no' stance. Many commentators observed
that the general mood of the negotiation was healthy though it was marred by many irregularities.
Undoubtedly the best explanation for
Rose coming up so powerfully and with sagacity besides being entwined with her husband's destiny was to
prove herself as a woman of substance. She aspired to be a woman of influence. When she called to
mind her childhood travails,
she was quickened and spurred for transformational leadership. Her spirit had
undergone metamorphosis
from a feeble, flinch jelly fish to a daring whale. She looked forward to showing the world what it took to be
a genius and yet remain to be modest. Yet at the back of her mind the focus was still clear: to
support Israel reduce oil prices in the Africa and consequently the reduction
of atrocities and poverty.
*****
Mr. and
Mrs. Kuto's difficulties had at last come to a crisis. All Mr. Kuto's supermarket
premises were set to be
auctioned by his bankers the following day due to his failure to repay hefty
loans tagged to his name. Kogi and Diana watched their neighbors shedding tears
that evening. Their children, Amos and Doreen had caught the infection and they
too broke down in tears. Diana, moved by the sight, drew closer to Mrs. Kuto
and consoled her. Kogi comforted Mr. Kuto. It unfolded that the Prado Mr. Kuto
had bought a few months ago would not escape the auctioneer's whip. This was
his idol. Mrs. Kuto worried about their children's education now that their
source of livelihood was gone. She despaired, she moaned. Her husband
complained that a
shylock, notably Bellringer, had oppressed and extorted him. Just the mere
mention of him was enough
to nauseate him and dampen his spirits. What a vexatious vicissitude! The fact
that the auction had been widely advertised in the papers opened doors for his
vilification in the public arena. The supermarket premises which had since
closed shop including the luxury car were the family's remaining assets. They feared that the
banker's next target was their house. It was a luxury house, yes, but that was a basic need.
Children studied at expensive schools, but that was an obligation on the part
of the parents. Further compounding the problem was that neither of them had
alternative jobs at hand. They had to live by faith.
A few days later, Diana decided to
bring her neighbors' problem to Rose's attention. Rose offered to help. She could lend
a considerable amount of money to them to live on as they sought alternative sources of income
as Rose advised. Diana was happy. Her neighbors were very grateful when they
received the miraculous aid. "Man must live!" was a maxim Mr. Jack Kuto chanted alongside his lexicon of
philosophies of life. No amount of catastrophe could kill his propensity to be joyful in life.
His melancholic wife often nagged him at bed time. He always felt that all he
needed was a sound sleep and leave tomorrow to worry about itself.
He had desired to take up a Public Relations career so as
to employ his proficiency in spoken and written English. But his initial dream was derailed when he
tried his hand in business and
got a meteoric rise. Perhaps it was a fluke, he told himself. He recalled a day
when he was invited to address a meeting of leading businessmen in Nasa. In
those days, his business was robust and so was his reputation. He was called a
phrase monger as his audiences were thrilled by his superb language competence.
Newspaper reporters confessed they had never met such an accomplished orator
either in business circles or on the political scenes. He was the darling of Nasa city. In his clique of
businessmen he was well- known for writing them letters even when he could
easily phone them. His demeanor endeared him to many people. He was considered
a
man of the people.
*****
Another parliamentary caucus meeting
was convened and chaired by Rose, the First Lady. They deliberated on the relocation of
the inhabitants of Luanda on the side of Sheba. Gilboa was to resettle her own
people. The downside to this event was the disturbance of social life of the people for they belonged to one
ethnic community. The meeting was characterized by finger pointing as was usually the case with
such important high- powered meetings. Radical MPs ferociously voiced their concerns;
conservative ones kept a slow pace; and the cynical ones were either on the defensive or offensive
whichever way they took the issues at hand. It was inconceivable that any
faction of legislators could bring any reeling accusation against the first
lady of attempting to usurp the powers of the president; it was unbelievable
that a sensible politician could accuse her of leading the country as the
president's proxy. So infuriated by these implausible accusations Rose was that
she dismissed the meeting unceremoniously in her idiosyncrasy. The
semiconscious woman was led by her security detail into the car. She sensed all
along that her adversaries who were intending to frustrate her efforts at gold
project were using kickbacks to advance their interests. She could imagine that
her foes had the organization and the capability for clandestine schemes to
thwart her and her husband's efforts. Fortunately, they could not destroy her
and her husband's will to win.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Another surpassing and benevolent
cohort was doing its operations and relaying synergies across the border of
Gilboa to their colleagues in Sheba. These were the emissaries. They were led
by Caleb, using a facade that was virtually perfect to conceal their
operations. A contingent
of this group had already infiltrated the helm and hub of the Gilboa government.
This plot was devised to
bring President Makonde and his government to consent to gold mining at the
boundary without more ado. It was necessary to take cognizance of the fact that
both countries, like two sleeping lions, were antagonistic since time
immemorial. Any slight provocation would trigger an all out- war. Further
compounding the problem was that President Makonde was a highly volatile
personality. He could never be slighted without the attacker getting wounded in the process.
Therefore, the emissaries' task was to lobby with great patience for delegates from that side to go
for talks with those of Sheba as and when due. In his messages to Rose, Caleb the paramount emissary
stated thus:
"The prerogative of President Makonde's administration to grant or object to
the gold mining deal at the border is
highly esteemed, but if their
rebuttal of the plan springs from bad blood and
hazard the lives of millions of people on this continent, cannot be acknowledged or appreciated. Such authority and motivation is
deemed to be wholly contravening both the principles
which the Regional Charter provides and the benefits which it is explicitly expressed to obtain."
Bishop Gamaliel was in town. He jetted into the country in the wake of
simmering anger over the
First Family's seemingly orchestrated wrangles in handling the gold issue. Rose
who had since given up her position of an MP and leader of official opposition
was now the nations' first
lady, a woman with royal blood running in her veins. Her stunning beauty and
sophisticated look
seemed, not in reality but in illusion, to have moved a notch higher. For
people's psychology is influenced by circumstances. So Bishop Gamaliel,
speaking first on electronic media before going to the palace, spread his sentiments that he was
deeply outraged at the
wrangles whose epicenter was the first lady. He expressed concerns that the
ripples, all of Rose's
causation, were destabilizing situations both locally and internationally. No
words could describe the agony of the soul Rose had as the personage chatted
amicably with her husband at the palace. She resented this so-called conscience keeper of the nation.
Why is his own country's reputation in tatters? She remembered the scriptures
where Jesus during his sermon on the mount said: "Why do you look at the speck in your
brother's eye but do not consider the plank in your own eye?" She began to
muse about a university course called 'Speckology' defined as the identifying and criticizing of
trivial shortcomings in the lives of others. Also a medical condition in hospital journals called 'Plankitis' explained as a
disease that distorts self- perception and renders
an individual incapable of recognizing personal weaknesses.
* * * *
"I think Bellringer is the
president's stooge," Kogi said, sitting in a couch in their home with Diana. "Of late his actions
have been very questionable."
"It's even worse than that. The
reverse is true. Aren't you aware that David Kalya does Kimuma's bidding?"
Diana asserted, shaking her head solemnly.
"What will become of Rose also? I hear -" Kogi was cut short by his wife.
"No I have full confidence in
Rose. She's a woman of integrity. I can add that she's my alter ego" Diana said.
"I strongly feel that this
country should redefine her value system,"
Kogi said, changing the subject. "In many popular governments
around the world, where the government allows its subjects to enjoy certain
inalienable rights there are active freedoms of speech, press and associations. Citizens enjoy
nationalism that is at an all - time high and patriots are as happy as kings. There's no task too hard for
them to accomplish, no deception too base for them to unearth, no injustice too
excruciating to undo, all in the name of patriotism.??
"Sheba will soon fly in the league of such
nations," Diana said.
"A
successful example is the
United States," Kogi gave, avoiding her remark.
"Mr. and Mrs. Kuto are faring
well since that fateful day," Diana said, changing the subject.
"They'd rather be a bit more resourceful than rely on handouts," Kogi
replied defiantly. "Success is like fighting with a tiger. You don't quit when you are tired, you
quit when the tiger is tired."
The man and wife went on arguing as
they watched television soap. Recently each one of them had silently felt the other one
opposing his or her views on a subject. They irritated each other silently and with subtlety. Each considered oneself
as of ?Highbrow class' and so it was not
surprising to find them arguing and reasoning, moving from one subject to
another for hours on end without
reaching a consensus. Indeed nobody could dispute the fact that both of them were intellectuals: Diana had published a highly
celebrated novel; Kogi participated in major BBC radio forums. Suffice to say that most of their peers looked up to
them for advice on many issues varying across the board such as intellectual,
social, or marital aspects. They were the mantle of the society in so far as
role modeling was concerned.
Kogi was a posthumous child. His
father had died four months when his eyes opened on the light of this world. He grew up
and lived always in intimacy with his poverty-stricken mother. For many years, they lived in
abject poverty. It was during those sluggish days that Kogi's life was molded -
perseverance brought character which in turn brought hope. Ultimately he grew
to exemplify the potency of a formidable, uncompromising Christian lifestyle. Diana grew up in a well -to -do
family that knew no lack. In her parents' munificence, she enjoyed a variety of toys, ate
plenty and dressed elegantly. She studied at prestigious schools with children from equally wealthy
families. It was only when she was nearing the end of her high school studies when the family
experienced a huge financial need. Her parents who were Christians were very
strict on her as she grew up especially in teenage years. So suffocating her parents' surveillance
was that she envisaged an escape route from that establishment. That was a blessing in
disguise for her personality and character were nurtured. The discipline
instilled in her had taken root and was to bear fruit in future. Her marriage
was thus destined to be
colorful.
* * *
Rose watched the electric coil turning
red gradually. It was beginning to emit heat to the surrounding air and she was
gradually feeling the warmth. It was at half past nine at night. Lights seemed
unusually dim. She felt a little lonely as her husband had flown overseas on an
official
business and would be back the following day. The coil
became more and more red hot. It was
reminiscent of the fiery furnace that king Nebuchadnezzar made for Shadrack, Meshack and
Abednego. She shuddered. Slowly she put out her finger and attempted to touch it. Just to feel it.
She withdrew it quickly in a reflex action. She reckoned that it was not at all appropriate courting
fire especially at a time when tens of people of Sheba had been burnt to death when a fuel tanker
had overturned on the highway and caught fire. The people had rushed to obtain the precious
commodity using jerry cans so that they could sell it to motorists. For them it was a boon
reminiscent of the fiery furnace that king Nebuchadnezzar made for Shadrack, Meshack and
Abednego. She shuddered. Slowly she put out her finger and attempted to touch it. Just to feel it.
She withdrew it quickly in a reflex action. She reckoned that it was not at all appropriate courting
fire especially at a time when tens of people of Sheba had been burnt to death when a fuel tanker
had overturned on the highway and caught fire. The people had rushed to obtain the precious
commodity using jerry cans so that they could sell it to motorists. For them it was a boon
particularly since the fuel tanker on transit to a
neighboring country overturned during a serious
hunger strike in that part of the country. Incidentally, one of the drivers had lit a cigarette which
caused the inferno. Dermatologists observed that the survivors of the tragedy would have serious
skin complications even after treatment. How sad. Her phone rang. She received it. "Hallo,
Caleb."
hunger strike in that part of the country. Incidentally, one of the drivers had lit a cigarette which
caused the inferno. Dermatologists observed that the survivors of the tragedy would have serious
skin complications even after treatment. How sad. Her phone rang. She received it. "Hallo,
Caleb."
"First lady" there was a momentary silence.
"How's
Gilboa? I hope it's at peace."
"Oh yes. We're in a peaceful coexistence ex-ex-cept
that-" he hesitated and stammered
a little. He told Rose
that there were still smoldering embers of aggression in that part of the world
since the day when the initial broaching of gold mining had sparked upheavals.
Caleb was however hasty to reassure her that they would obtain a breakthrough
sooner than later.
When the
conversation ended, she was left by herself again. Tonight she felt she had
something to tell the people. The parliamentary caucus. And she could feel a mystery gradually
enveloping her whole being. The obscure feeling engulfing her whole being. In her loneliness,
she wrestled with questions that she had often led herself to believe were rhetorical,
unformulated, mind- boggling life questions. No one could ever understand her. She was
melancholic. It would have been better if her husband had been around to console her in this
state of sorrow. Jesus was deserted by his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane depriving him
of dear camaraderie. How painful and agonizing it must have been to him. "My soul is
overwhelmed with sorrow to the point death............. ," he had said.
something to tell the people. The parliamentary caucus. And she could feel a mystery gradually
enveloping her whole being. The obscure feeling engulfing her whole being. In her loneliness,
she wrestled with questions that she had often led herself to believe were rhetorical,
unformulated, mind- boggling life questions. No one could ever understand her. She was
melancholic. It would have been better if her husband had been around to console her in this
state of sorrow. Jesus was deserted by his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane depriving him
of dear camaraderie. How painful and agonizing it must have been to him. "My soul is
overwhelmed with sorrow to the point death............. ," he had said.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Both
governments of Sheba and Gilboa had finally resettled the evictees. Yet another
impediment still remained: a demarcation of the boundary so that there was
equitable ownership of
gold deposits underneath Luanda. An expensive exercise. Rose, her
husband and every other Sheba
nationalist was conversant with how volatile President Makonde and his people
were if provoked. Aggressions would definitely sever both diplomatic and
economic relations held between both nations. The international community
watched and warned several times, directing most such warnings to Sheba, deemed
an enlightened nation within the region. Every step Rose or the president or
the parliament took was carefully scrutinized and criticized against a backdrop
of -memories of casual
acts that precipitated atrocities in the past. Such errors had to be checked at
all costs, the people
echoed. Caleb and his team were doing a tremendous job behind the scenes and
kept Rose posted on any new developments who would in turn direct the
parliamentary caucus on any new action plan. It turned out to be an interesting
circuit of information, power and action. Rose and David were very proud of
this synergy; it inspired their hopes to greater heights. They were soon going to see a peaceful,
united world with fairness and equality - thanks to the strategy Israel had lain down. They were so
elated by these imaginings that they momentarily forgot their present hardships. They were
being driven by a higher calling.
One morning, they awoke to the news that a high powered
delegation from Israel had just arrived in the country, Rose and David were fascinated by the team's
arrival especially since the only thing remaining before gold mining commenced
was to demarcate the border at Luanda. Yet Rose was rather discomfited. There
was something sinister about what Judas told the delegates on phone that
morning. He had told them that no gold would be exported to Israel, she learnt.
He had purported to speak with an air of power and authority. If the delegates
had believed him then the entire project would be aborted after all. For Judas
had purported to have been patented to control the project and had plenary
powers to sell it to any buyer. Then the vision would be as good as dead. This
intensified her fears. Too wearied to move, she called her husband from his office in the palace
while she was in the kitchen. The president, having heard a tremor in her voice, hurried up to
her. She explained to him all that she had heard. Her husband was quite
perplexed but remained tight-lipped. He struggled to allay and conceal his
anxiety particularly
since that trouble came from his bosom friend. Ashes fly back into the face of
he who throws them. It
was painfully hard. He could neither scorn his friend nor his wife given the
circumstances. He despaired in his heart, but secretly. Nobody could ever
decipher that he was seething inside, crying to be understood. By whom? He
could not tell. He dragged his feet, controlling his feelings within so as to
appear nonchalant, leaving his wife worse than he found her. The sight of the
sinking Titanic!
When she had sufficiently overcome
her trauma, the first lady aimlessly went through her emails. Barely had she
spent a minute before an excellently written message attracted her eyes. It read:
When the foundations of the human existence are
Buffeted by invincible waves
There remains only one superhuman being
On whom to depend.
The chosen ones
Run unto him and are safe.
That being
Is the Almighty God.
I am deeply and more so heavily indebted
To you for the inestimable aid I got.
That was a noble gesture by a lofty
Personage to a modest mortal like me.
May you reap remarkable
Breakthroughs in your endeavors.
Yours sincerely, son of Adam,
Mr. Jack Kuto.
What moved Rose was not just the
grace and wit of the man's language but his candor. She began to feel more charitable and
philanthropic. With her benevolent heart, magnanimous personality and
mind-blowing aspirations, she began to feel she could be equated to Mother
Teresa. In the same token, she likened her husband to
William Wilberforce.
*****
Over the past few months, Portia,
Diana's sweet child had grown big. She could crawl to a few meters in the house, sometimes
toppling obstacles standing on her way. She cried a lot. Her proud parents were happy to leave the
noisy baby in the mornings in the able hands of the maid as they went to work.
The maid, several times over had to put up with Portia's nerve-racking screams
during the day. She juggled house-keeping and baby-sitting alone. So exhausted
was she by the time her masters arrived in the evening that she would take a
break of an hour to rest in
her bedroom instead of watching the seven o'clock news. From Monday to Friday
her schedule was
predictable and just as monotonous and boring. The damsel in distress saw
herself as having taken
up a cursed occupation which she could never recommend to another girl. In the midst of tackling Portia's cries she
harbored regrets and wished there would be a chasm to swallow her up. Worse
even, neither Diana nor Kogi bothered to enquire about their welfare since day
break on arriving. She loved and respected them but they could not accommodate
her feelings. Heartache
and no solace. What she deemed deliberate passive punishment meted out to her
drove her into a somber mood. This would be aggravated by the monotonous
debates during suppertime, addressing issues she was barely interested in or
about which she had smattering knowledge. During these times, she would have to resist the tremendous
urge to protest at them to give her space.
At times during the day, she would
leave Portia while asleep in the house and stroll to a river close-by. She went
there to cool her nerves. That was when she developed a penchant for rivers. She would stand on the river
bank and admire the smooth flow of water. The dazzling water surface in the midday
sun. The gentle soothing waves with a silver glimmer rippled and sparkled
within the eternal confines of granite embankments punctuated by majestic draw?bridges
and an awe-inspiring fall. The relaxed ambience of the river rejuvenated her
energy to enable her face the rest of the day.
*****
It was now six months since the feted
barricading of the border at Luanda to pave way for the mining of gold ores
situated underneath. The first family was upbeat, brought to exaltation of
spirits and soaring reputation by this momentous milestone in their existence.
A monumental, spectacular event that would inevitably reshape the course of
history of the planet at best. David and Rose sat side by side, arm in arm at
times in childlike enthusiasm, in the cool of the afternoon in the orchard. They were whiling away
their time as they anticipated a party in the evening that was meant to
celebrate the struggles they had made so far and for the ushering in of a new era. The Israeli Prime
Minister would arrive for the launching of the mining exercise and renewed
socio-economic and political interests and relations. They had invited friends
and associates to the party that would take place at the palace.
CHAPTER TWENTY
The sun had set. They were
now in the corridors of the palace conversing in low tones as if wearied by the long hours of
chatting and waiting. Or as if apprehensive, in a way, of the darkness that was
setting in. At the compound of the palace there was nothing that seemed half so
noble. Rose watched her husband affectionately as he stood facing away from her
making phone calls. He was a real man, which to an aspiring woman was
trustworthiness personified. She found herself
half-consciously leaning on his breast. She smiled. "What's on your
mind?" said he. "I am glad I
married you," replied she, completely carried away.
The moment finally arrived. A crowd of
about hundred men and women sat in the court, the palace illumined by bright lights on the walls. Mr.
Kuto who was designated master of ceremony had delegated the responsibility to someone else. It was a
young man, in fact a -university student Mr. Kuto fancied so much for his
versatile propensity. The student who was a remarkable proponent of idealism in
student leadership at the public university was a bit vexed a deliberate
locking out of newsmen from the party. Did that matter to him? He was however in
a dilemma perhaps since his campus had been closed indefinitely after the
disputed student leadership elections. Not willing to sacrifice standards at
the altar of baneful deeds, the scholars organized demonstrations on the
streets of Nasa city which turned riotous. The bone of contention was politicians' unwarranted
involvement in the campus elections believed to have precipitated sabotaged voting. The campaigns were
alleged to have been laced with political overtones played out in the national
theatrics. The university senate resorted to closing the institution until
further notice.
Dozens of Europeans, Asians and
Americans were already at the court. Shortly before the party kicked off, Rose informally
announced that the Israeli Prime Minister would be arriving towards the end of
the party and was set to deliver a speech. Naturally the PM's speech would
predominantly address the commencement of the crucial mining process imminent.
The student made for the stage triumphantly with the poise of a veteran actor
or comedian ready to electrify his audience. First though, on the MC's
announcement, the people helped themselves to huge chunks of sumptuous meal.
Each and every individual ate to his or her fill, making the body and soul to
be in tandem with the mood of the moment. There were high hopes and so were the
stakes. Optimism
permeated every realm.
Speeches followed each other in
perfect flow. Then the MC introduced Mr. Jack Kuto to the stage. The two men's manner of
communication - peculiar wink to one another - resolved any doubt in the public mind as to
their being old friends. They both seemed ready to carry an idea into effect.
Mr. Kuto held the microphone and
looked at the crowd from the podium with intensity. "There were so many obstacles
that punctuated this divine journey," He began. "Sadly though, while some of them were natural
others were deliberate, artificial inhibitions out of malice." He paused. There was an air of tension in
the crowd. The first family looked on with gleaming, eager eyes. Lights seemed
to intensify in power with time. "May God bless His Excellency for having heeded God's voice and obeyed
His calling." He went on and the sound of his powerful voice was
accompanied by all other high-pitched notes from the public address system,
full of mystery,
inspiration and awe. "And may God bless the Honorable first lady for after
getting inflamed by this
passion did not hesitate to carry it on to the horizon. There were hurdles
galore for both of you
yet you refused to back down on a point of principle. Success is one thing you
can't buy. You have to buy it on the installment plan and make payments
everyday "
"Very impressive!" Rose sprang to her feet
shouting loudly.
"Having said that let's now focus on the adversary,?? Mr. Kuto declared.
??Though a mouse be obnoxious, he still belongs to his kindred. The true and
noble way to kill a foe is not to kill him. You with kindness may so
change him that he shall
cease to be a foe and then he's slain. Nevertheless, we must squeeze pus out of
a wound. Do you agree
with me?"
"We do!" replied the crowd.
"Squeeze it out like a medic!" shouted the
student.
"Well, we all understand that a man's source of livelihood
is sacred, and as such somebody tampering with it is committing a sacrilege.
He's a renegade. Once, I was an affluent, maverick proprietor of a business
that flourished and gave the benefits of any such a venture. It was an equal opportunity employer to
the citizens of this nation and paid tax to the government with utmost faithfulness. Regrettably,
someone out of paranoia and sheer avarice ruined my financial power, hence my subsequent downward drag alongside my
lovely wife and little children. Do you wish to know this person?" he
asked.
"Expose him! He's a
scoundrel!" yelled the crowd.
"We don't
want to retaliate for vengeance belongs to the Lord. However, to kill the pungent smell you must kill
the skunk. I am discoursing on none other than Judas Kimuma alias Bellringer," Mr. Kuto
unveiled.
All heads turned and everybody stared
at Judas who was sitting at a corner at the back of the court, half shivering,
half sweating. To realize that his hour of doom had come was to lose all presence of mind and power of
language. He reckoned that fate had pitted him against all humanity.
"Despicable! Despicable!" Rose gasped with all emotions, gazing
reprovingly at her villain.
Given a chance there was nothing she could have left undone to prove that Judas
was the son of perdition.
"This marks the end of my tether, and a fresh start at that." His
Excellency wept.
Mr. Kuto continued. "Moving farther, I wish to
appreciate the integral part played by the parliamentary caucus. Although they
encountered several hurdles in pushing for gold mining project they were
tenacious and pertinacious until they earned victories. Each time they attained
a feat I could be in the highest state of exhilaration -"
"Kudos to the parliamentary caucus!" Kogi and
Diana enthused in unison.
"Back to the adversary,"
Mr. Kuto said vehemently. "It's appalling that for all intents and purposes, Bellringer was bent on
aborting this divine mission for mankind. Fortunately, his antics hit rock bottom. You cynic!
You'll have no share in this endeavor, not even in perpetuity. Time and the
world are fast drifting from beneath you. You have neither posterity nor legacy
in this grand
project!"
"He's a traitor!" the first lady cried,
standing on her feet.
"He's a
mutinous lunatic and an impudent impostor!" Yelled the student, boxing the
air vigorously with his
clenched fists.
"Let us now focus attention on the
emissaries," Mr. Kuto proceeded. Lights intensified contrasted with deepening darkness
beyond the court. Bellringer spewed up all he had eaten, his visage contorting in deep pain. Nobody
cared about him. "I daresay I cannot afford to forget them without
recalling with a pang their modest fortitude. It goes without saying how they
took in a stride all the
criticisms and traps laid on their way in Gilboa. And most of all they were
never slaves of
procrastination. As Diana who is this country's brilliant writer would concur
with me, we live in a
fantasy world, in a world where dreams come true. How true!"
"Yes, we plot out extraordinary episodes which
materialize!" Diana intoned merrily, her imposing face illuminated with a
perfect smile.
"The first family epitomizes ideal
leadership!" Mr. Kuto flung praise
at the duo who marched forward
arm in arm, dancing to the rhythmic beat of the music. They shook hands on the
podium with Mr.Kuto
happily like politicians forming a coalition.
"The university student epitomizes
intellectualism!" Mr. Kuto pronounced with fervor. The student danced his way to the dais
triumphantly.
"He who has done his best for his own time has
outlived all his times!" Mr. Kuto declared. "The heavens belong to the Lord and the
earth belongs to man. We are in charge of what God entrusted to us. We are his
workmanship. He purposed from the Genesis of all things that we accomplish all
things on his behalf, and then there will be no limits to the recognition of
our
abilities. Do you desire God's approval?"
"Yes, we do!" The crowd replied. His Excellency
was wiping his tears beside his wife who was
sobbing on the podium. The court resonated with stereo
sound music which seemed to gain
momentum
with every passing minute. This was a celebratory mood.
"Are you excellent stewards of God?"
"Yes,
we are!"
There at the entrance, stood Israeli Prime Minister
smiling from ear to ear. Behind him was the
entourage
that handled his itinerary; behind this, his logistical crew; behind this, his
press service
agents.
Thus Sheba was destined to be the cradle of Divine
Intervention.
Post updated on: Aug 5, 2021 4:33:59 AM
GO, RUTO GO!
This song is dedicated to William Ruto the deputy
president of the republic of Kenya. He eyes the seat of president in
the 2022 general elections.
I sing a song to Ruto;
Urging him, impelling him to soldier on for the top job. I say it?s now or never. Though the
terrain is tough and the thicket is thick never, never, never give up. Chance favors the prepared
mind. Good things happen to those who wait.
Yet my dramatist friend says:
Are thou of Churchillian descent? Are thou of Pasteuric origin? Are thou of Abrahamic faith?
You speak as though you have been there before, as though you stand on a high pedestal patting
the back of your lad, urging him to run on, run, run.
And I reply:
Never despise the stature of your fellow man. My weakness today is my strength tomorrow. My
present weakness serves the noble duty of uplifting others. There is a genius in every man
waiting to grow, waiting to grow, at the opportune time. If only you conscientiously awaken it.
Yet my dramatist friend says:
Is Ruto genius?
The Achilles heel is in each one of us. His sprint to the lake accords him a limp.
From the highlands to the lake,
Returning with a herd is no mean feat for the impatient man. Milk in the evening calcifies the
bones of his limbs, as he prepares for a trek and a wrestle tomorrow. Who knows what is at
stake?
So I sing:
Achilles heel or no Achilles heel, genius or no genius all men are equal. All men are human. Is
my brother infallible? No. Is my brother imperfect? No. Live your best life now and you will
never regret. Fly to the seashore and drink coconut oil. Return to the mountain and pitch a tent. It
is when atop the mountain that you meet God.
Yet my dramatist friend says:
Must I face the mountain? Is the God of Moses still there? It is written ?Emmanuel- God with
us?. Need I say more? The fool is told He is here, and he runs amok. My foundation is firmly
rooted, I will not be moved.
So I say:
Come down from your lofty vantage point and dwell with humans. Farm with those who farm,
fish with those who fish, shepherd with those who shepherd, legislate with those who legislate,
render your civil duties- the nation is you and me. Go! Ruto, Go!
Yet my dramatist friend says:
You are guilty of intellectual fraud. You think I am not fully integrated in the society. Implicitly
you brand me a hermit, even the monk became a pope.
So I sing:
That?s in the realm of passive creativity, my friend. It merits no award. Those who sweat earn
their bread. Success belongs to the strong-willed. My brother is one such strong-willed, gallant
man.
This and a knack of mobilization afford him a wining combination. That enables him to be in
constant touch with his people.
Yet my dramatist friend sings:
The closest friend hurts more. The closer the friendship the stronger the friction at tough times.
Hence the greater the possibility of an eruption. The world is watching!
So I sing:
Even when the world is not watching, I act responsibly. What shows my maturity? The prudent
man maintains his integrity even in secrecy. That?s the litmus test for every person where probity
is concerned.
Yet my dramatist friend says:
The prefect issues an injunction. Checks and balances are in place. History haunts the future.
Your highly cherished venture is at stake, at the mercy of a cynical prefect!
So I say:
The optimist hopes against hope.
He never despairs even in the face of adversity and certain defeat. Survivors know when their
problems will end. Man?s resilience surfaces in travails. I bet you can pin- point and affirm: this
man is truly resilient:
Go, my brother go!
Yet my dramatist friend says:
You seem to imply resilience is based on one?s track. That the one you dote on was a political
activist. What if he was in obscurity? What if he goes off course? Would you keep flinging
fulsome praises at him?
So I say:
?Political activist? that?s pure, mere tautology! Activist suffices. Consistency breeds credibility.
Let the track record speak for him. Go, my brother go!
Yet my dramatist friend sings:
I confirm you are given to hero worship. You stand on the faulty premise that there is a self-
made man, yet no man is an island. Your presupposition is that all education is personal
development.
So I sing:
There is really no one best way of leading. Contingency is predicated upon situations within and
without. To lead is to learn, to learn is to grow.
Yet my dramatist friend says:
The one you dote on arrogates himself the noble task of leading the highlands and the plateaus.
Contingency looms only as an outgrowth of happenstance.
So I say:
You pessimist! Give credit where it is due. Fail to distinguish between pride and tact and you
are misguided. Go, my brother go!
Post updated on: Aug 5, 2021 4:33:08 AM
Happy Weight Vs Healthy Weight
Sambhaavna hai ki aapka vajan 20 saal pehale kee tulna mein adhik hai. ham mein se jyaadaatar karte hain. aur na keval aapkee kamar badhee hai, balki aapka aadarsh vajan bhee badh gaya hai. haal hee mein gallup pol mein, 60% ne apane vajan ko lagbhag sahee bataaya. yah lagbhag usi pratishat american ka hai jo adhik vajan vaale ya mote hain.
Aapake ?khush vajan? aur aapake svasth vajan ke baare mein sachchaee kya hai? kya ve aapake vichaar se jyaada kareeb hain? ya pehale se kaheen jyaada door?
Kya Adhik Wazan Hona Asvasth Hai?
Yeh vichaar ki adhik vajan hona asvasth nahin hai, 2013 mein tarbo-charge ho gaya. yahee vah samay tha jab american medical association ke gernal mein ek adhyayan mein bataaya gaya tha ki jo log 30 pound adhik vajan vaale the, unki tulna me normal logon kee jaldee marane kee sambhaavana kam thee.
Haalaanki, ek kareebee jaanch se adhyayan ke tareekon mein badee khaamiyaan saamane aaeen. pata chala, hamaara khush vajan itana svasth nahin hai.
Isake alaava, dashakon ke shodh se pata chalata hai ki motaapa kaee gambheer svaasthy samasyaon ko janm deta hai. ye atirikt pound aapako madhumeh aur uchch raktachaap se lekar manobhransh aur kuchh prakaar ke cancer tak kaee tarah kee beemaariyon ke hone kee sambhaavana rakhate hain. udaaharan ke lie, aapake madhy 20 aur madhy 50 ke dashak ke beech kisee bhee dashak mein keval ek skart ka aakaar badhaana, aapako rajonivrtti ke baad stan ka cancer nsar hone kee ek tihaee adhik sambhaavana banaata hai.
Motaape se judee svaasthy samasyaon, vishesh roop se madhumeh jaisee puraanee beemaariyon ka deergha kaalik prabhaav ho sakata hai.
Aahaar visheshagy Rachel Brandeis kehate hain, ?ye aisee beemaariyaan hain jinhen aapako na keval kuchh maheenon ke lie, balki jeevan bhar ke lie prabandhit karana padata hai. ve aapake svaasthy, aapake wallet aur aapakee din-pratidin kee gatividhiyon ko prabhaavit karte hain. aap adhik samay bitaate hain docter ka kaaryaalay aur dava par adhik paisa. aap hamesha apanee beemaaree ka prabandhan karane aur behatar mahasoos karane kee koshish kar rahe hain.? vah kahatee hain ki jo daanv par laga hai, vah aapake jeevan kee gunavatta hai.
Phir bhee, ham mein se kaee logon ko apane vajan ka saamana karane mein mushkil hotee hai. braindis ka kahana hai ki jab ve taraajoo par kadam rakhte hain to jyaadaatar log ?hairaan? hote hain.
Post updated on: Aug 5, 2021 1:41:31 AM
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