Emasculation of the Kenyan male?

There are many things i remember about growing up in the south side of Nairobi, some memorable, others i would wish to forget.There is a particular episode that sharply came back to me earlier this week as i witnessed the on-goings in the news about a man who's face had been mutilated by his disgruntled wife.
Some time in the late '90s, a father to one of my childhood friends was awakened by his wife in a rather unceremonious and disrespectful way.It was early morning, around 7AM or thereabouts, when i was awakened by the loud screams and moans of a man.Fearing that one of my close neighbors' lives was in danger, i quickly jumped out of the bed, dressed up and headed out hoping to come to their rescue.
What awaited me outside, however, was utter shock and disbelief.The scene was something reminiscent of a scene from a comical movie.My friend's father, who was shirtless, had taken to his heels, fleeing from his cane-holding wife who had quite presumably vowed to mete out a thorough beating on him.I never quite got to unearth the genesis of their disagreement.


That incident more than ten years ago got me thinking about what we have been witnessing in the news recently; an apparent emasculation of the male gender, a by-product of feminism and the supposed empowerment of females.Is gender violence against men a new phenomenon? or has it recently gained traction due to the change of womens' position socially and economically? Many would argue that since women today are more economically empowered than their counterparts decades ago, they have less need for men in their lives and as a result tend to be condescending towards them.I beg to differ.


While it may be true that women are now able to generate income for themselves, it is incorrect to make a generalization that this is the reason for their aggressive behavior towards men.It is quite plausible that the men who bear the brunt of this female fury also do have a part to play.Tales abound of men who have become 'vegetative'; whose only meaningful engagements are imbibing alcohol and other stimulants and intoxicants.This leaves the woman both as the sole breadwinner and steward of the neglected children and  family.Who doesn't deserve a beating for such irresponsibility?


As one famous politician once said, a successful nation depends on the strength of its homes.Let us build a strong nation from the ground up.Let us be willing to make sacrifices, nurture our children, and most importantly, love and respect each other.

Is it time to unearth this mystery at Uhuru Gardens

In this overpopulated city, there aren't  many serene places one can visit when he/she wishes to have a breath of fresh air, quietly read a book, bask in the sun or even enjoy an afternoon nap without much noise and interruption.One of the few such areas is Uhuru Gardens, located just off Lang'ata Rd., a stone's throw away from the renowned Carnivore restaurant.This place is significant because, among other things, in it we celebrated   our independence as a sovereign republic in June, 1963.

That said, it goes without saying that these grounds deserve to be well-maintained and treated with a lot of respect by those who frequent the place.But lately, i have observed with a curious eye the happenings in the vicinity of the park.Oftentimes, as i ride the matatu home from work, i glance at the numerous parked (and windows tinted) motor vehicles and i am forced to wonder about the activities and identities of their occupants.It almost seems like a requirement to have one's vehicle's windows tinted in order to access the park.

Whatever the case may be, we hope that the proclivities of the park's visitors, if revealed, would not bring shame to the park or to the Nation in the same way that others have done in the recent past.