WINKER

Akumu* 38 has been working as a househelp for the last four years. She was forced to leave her matrimonial home after her husband violently abused her for allegedly not being able to give birth. 10 years ago, Agneta was happily married to her then very humble husband who had promised to love and take care of her after fulfilling the traditional vows in the presence of parents from both sides. The two settled in Funyula Subcounty of Busia County. “My ex- husband was a great farmer and I was selling second hand clothes at a local market. We had enough to sustain us and we planned to have a baby as soon as possible. Unfortunately, on several trials, I was not able to conceive,’ She says The marriage lasted for one and a half years after which pressure from the man’s family started mounting when the baby was not forthcoming. “My husband turned to drinking in the name of being stressed. He would go out for farming activities in the morning and would return drunk almost midnight, shouti...

Her mission and passion for promoting education and improving illiteracy levels in Nyandarua County are already bearing fruits. Leah Kibe is not just your ordinary young charming lady, she believes in making an impact in her community. Leah Kibe is not just your ordinary young charming lady, she believes in making an impact in her community through knowledge. At 19, Leah Kibe is the director and the brainchild behind the Colour World Green Initiative Library located in Mirangine sub-county. This facility that serves both primary and secondary school students from the region is located within Kahia Academy for security reasons. Residents access this library between 0900 hours and 1700hours on weekdays and between 1000hours and 1600hours over the weekend. Most books in the library are donations from well-wishers from abroad and locally following Leah’s efforts. Duncan Mwangi, the librarian says school children enjoy spending time at the library instead of loitering on the stree...

In early August this year, a Machakos woman is said to have been chopped off her hands and slashed on the head by her husband for allegedly being infertile. Jackline Mwende had been married to her husband for seven years without a child, something that is said to have angered the husband. However, in a twist of events, Jackline during an interview with some local dailies, she confessed that it was actually the husband who was infertile. She said tests done on them three years back had showed that she was able to conceive unlike her husband. This she claimed was the cause of their first rising problems in their marriage, until the attack happened. So the question is who is to blame for infertility in a marriage? Is it a problem of the man, woman or the society? Do we have enough information about infertility? Google defines infertility as the inability to conceive after 12 months of having unprotected sexual intercourse. According to World Health Organization (WHO), one in ev...

As the 22nd Conference of Parties (COP 22) to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change opens in Marrakesh, Morocco, on November 8, in far away Kenya some school pupils are making an impact by planting trees – one tree at a time -- away from the pomp and glamor. The pupils of Kiserian Primary School, located in a poor neighborhood outside the bustling Kenyan capital Nairobi, are making a difference while providing a sustainable solution to a global problem. The active members of the school’s environment club initiated an innovative environmental program some years ago, aimed at curbing the adverse effects of climate change. They are actively involved in planting trees, while also tending a community tree nursery, where hundreds of tree seedlings are grown and shared with the local community. “The journey has been long, with some successes and challenges along the way,” said Ms. Grace Muchai, a patron of the school’s environment club, adding that Kajiado – the plain plateau of s...

Culture is part and parcel of the African society. It is always attached to a certain meaning of a particular society. For example, in the Maasai community, for one to be acknowledged as a man you must attained the title “Moran” which is given to one after killing a lion. Bull fighting has been more famous in Mexico and Spain. However, it is gaining ground in Africa, more specifically in Kenya’s Western region. In Kakamega County, the tradition has been in existence for quite some time and it seems most generation came and found it. It is considered a sport among the Luhyia, with an annual competition that always attracts many people including Dr. Bony Khalwale, the senator for Kakamega County. Quite a number of men in the region preserve their bulls for this particular sport. It takes quite some time to ensure the bulls are ready, caring for them psychologically and grooming them. However, bull fighting is taking a different direction as a ritual to be undertaken when an owne...

The celebrated Kenya’s new constitution was promulgated in 2010, giving women high hopes of being elected in various posts to attain the two-thirds gender rule as provided in the constitution. Unfortunately, compared to her fellow East African countries, Kenya has the lowest number of women representation, despite them playing important roles in various positions. It is therefore very clear that the forth coming elections will see a good number of women turn up for elective posts to achieve the two-thirds rule. Article 81b of the constitution states that not more than 2/3 of members of elective public bodies shall be of same gender, the dilemma of achieving these in the next assemblies hung in the balance as leaders still raise varied opinions. “We will face a constitutional crisis if this doesn’t happen. That is why we are working hard to ensure we have atleast 4,000 women aspirants on ballot papers,” says Dr. Jennifer Riria, chair of Tuvuke Initiative. Dr. Riria who is ...