Can architects explain to Dr Magaregikenyi Benjamin why in most of the residential houses they design, the toilet is always located next to the kitchen? This, to him, is a rather curious phenomenon he wishes any architect could shed light on. “Is there a medical or other link between the toilet and the kitchen?” he asks. His email is benjamingikenyi@yahoo.com.
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Dr Magaregikenyi Benjamin’s observation on the pairing of toilets and kitchens in designing houses is quite true, says an architect, Martin Tairo Maseghe. He adds: “This is because both are classified ‘wet areas’ that require a lot of plumbing to bring in clean water and drain out dirty water. Locating them close to each other enables the sharing of pipes, thus reducing the cost of construction and maintenance.”
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Published in the Daily Nation of June 11th, 2010
Faith Taken to a Whole New Level.......
Faith has been taken to another level by the worshippers who were trying to resurrect their dead pastors, remarks Martin Tairo Maseghe.
He adds: “If only such faith, commitment, energy, determination and prayer could be transferred to other aspects of our lives such as the family, work, marriage, relationships and friends, the world would be a much better place to live in. Over to all ye faithful!”
Published in the Daily Nation of Thursday, 25th February, 2010
Central Bank of Kenya Steals Public Space........
What justification does the Central Bank have for blocking nearly 100 metres of the pavement at its headquarters, off Haile Selassie Avenue, Nairobi, forcing pedestrians to walk on the road? asks E. Otieno. And as if that is not bad enough, mean-looking policemen wielding AK-47 rifles have been deployed to ensure no one approaches it. “Is it because of the new paving blocks or sheer contempt for taxpayers? Someone should move the flowerpots and give pedestrians more space.”
The Central Bank, responding to E. Otieno’s criticism about blocking pavements, says it’s about security.
“The Central Bank’s responsibilities, include safeguarding public money. We’ve entered into agreements with councils to secure the pavements at our buildings countrywide. Being a strategic national institution serving banks and the public, this is vital. The stringent security measures are not meant to scare away people,” says the communications office.
The Central Bank’s defence of its blocking of pavements at its headquarters building in Nairobi as a means to enhance security, is not entirely true, says Martin Tairo Maseghe.
He adds: “As architects, we provide for designs that ensure security and leave public spaces (pavements and walkways) to the public. If they feel the space is too limited for their security requirements, they should buy land elsewhere and put up a building to their standards.”
The Central Bank, responding to E. Otieno’s criticism about blocking pavements, says it’s about security.
“The Central Bank’s responsibilities, include safeguarding public money. We’ve entered into agreements with councils to secure the pavements at our buildings countrywide. Being a strategic national institution serving banks and the public, this is vital. The stringent security measures are not meant to scare away people,” says the communications office.
The Central Bank’s defence of its blocking of pavements at its headquarters building in Nairobi as a means to enhance security, is not entirely true, says Martin Tairo Maseghe.
He adds: “As architects, we provide for designs that ensure security and leave public spaces (pavements and walkways) to the public. If they feel the space is too limited for their security requirements, they should buy land elsewhere and put up a building to their standards.”
The Constitutional Debate Continues.....
The Parliamentary Select Committee on constitution reform, which is meeting in Naivasha to forge a consensus, has impressed Wamahiu Muya, who has been keenly following reports from his base in Edison, New Jersey, US. Says he: “The PSC has done Kenya proud by expeditiously and deftly handling the document with a non-partisan approach, enabling it to resolve contentious issues, unlike the polarised Committee of Experts, who have rooted either for their party or civil society positions, completely ignoring wananchi’s contributions.”
But not so impressed is Martin Tairo Maseghe, who is convinced that the PSC has taken everybody for a ride by agreeing to have an executive president checked by Parliament and the Judiciary. Says he: “These two institutions have been there all along and only aided the Executive in oppressing Kenyans. What they should have done is provide for ‘real power sharing’, as this has worked since the chaotic 2008 elections, despite the sabotage by those unhappy with it. We need to tame the presidency. That’s why we are changing the Constitution in the first place.”
Published in the Saturday Nation of 30th January, 2010.
But not so impressed is Martin Tairo Maseghe, who is convinced that the PSC has taken everybody for a ride by agreeing to have an executive president checked by Parliament and the Judiciary. Says he: “These two institutions have been there all along and only aided the Executive in oppressing Kenyans. What they should have done is provide for ‘real power sharing’, as this has worked since the chaotic 2008 elections, despite the sabotage by those unhappy with it. We need to tame the presidency. That’s why we are changing the Constitution in the first place.”
Published in the Saturday Nation of 30th January, 2010.
These Idle Americans.........
In whose interests are the Americans trying to stop the ICC from intervening in the bloody Kenyan election mayhem of 2007? asks Martin Tairo Maseghe. “Could they be among those who, in 1994, when Rwandans were butchering one another, were debating the meaning of the word genocide and whether it was really happening? On this one, I agree with Justice minister Mutula Kilonzo that they must be busybodies looking for some relevance.”
Published in the Daily Nation of 18th January, 2010
Published in the Daily Nation of 18th January, 2010
Honestly, who said Martha Karua is a reformer?
I will always detest Martha Karua. My reason - she is the sole cause of the 2007/2008 post election chaos.
Martha Karua was the powerful Justice and Constitutional affairs minister in Kibaki's government when she singlehandedly led the initial plans to rig the 2007 elections. She is the person who, despite benefiting from the 1997 IPPG deal by the tyrannical Moi, misled Kibaki to go against such a noble idea and thus personally (with the help of Kibaki's cronies) picked ECK commissioners who she knew would help them rig the elections.
Above that, she was the loudest voice against minimum reforms which should have been implemented to enable the country have a free and fair election. Even with funds having been available to implement an electronic tallying system that would have prevented rigging, she, with the commissioners she had appointed in ECK, rejected this despite having ample time to do so.
Her current image as a reformer is simply an affront to the Kibaki cronies who dumped her after they were done with her.
All the good things she achieved when Moi was a tyrant were erased once she joined the Kibaki foray and participated in the corruption and rigging. She is just like them. There are better female reformers in this country.
Martha Karua was the powerful Justice and Constitutional affairs minister in Kibaki's government when she singlehandedly led the initial plans to rig the 2007 elections. She is the person who, despite benefiting from the 1997 IPPG deal by the tyrannical Moi, misled Kibaki to go against such a noble idea and thus personally (with the help of Kibaki's cronies) picked ECK commissioners who she knew would help them rig the elections.
Above that, she was the loudest voice against minimum reforms which should have been implemented to enable the country have a free and fair election. Even with funds having been available to implement an electronic tallying system that would have prevented rigging, she, with the commissioners she had appointed in ECK, rejected this despite having ample time to do so.
Her current image as a reformer is simply an affront to the Kibaki cronies who dumped her after they were done with her.
All the good things she achieved when Moi was a tyrant were erased once she joined the Kibaki foray and participated in the corruption and rigging. She is just like them. There are better female reformers in this country.
Cant Kenyans be trusted?
Traveling to Tanzania by road recently, Martin Tairo Maseghe came across nearly 10 police roadblocks some 20km or less apart between Nairobi and Namanga. But on crossing into Tanzania on his way to Arusha, which is almost the same distance from the border as Nairobi, he counted only three police checks. He poses: “Does this mean that we are more secure in Kenya or simply that Kenyans can’t be trusted, hence the heavy police presence?
Published in the Daily Nation of October 13th, 2008
Published in the Daily Nation of October 13th, 2008
Private Universities joining the league of incompetence
A graduate of a public university, Mr Martin Tairo Maseghe says he thought he had experienced the worst provision of services during his student days until he visited Kenya Methodist University’s Nairobi Campus.
He had been asked by his sister, who works overseas, to get the university authorities, who had entered the wrong degree in her certificate, to correct the anomaly.
“It’s been a month of letter writing and daily trips to View Park Towers and nothing has come out of it.” His email is martin.tairo@gmail.com.
Published in the Daily Nation of September, 23rd, 2008
Embarrassing Moments
Returning to Nairobi after his holiday at the Coast, Martin Tairo Maseghe says he noted that police manning roadblocks or patrolling the Mombasa highway are doing a splendid job to ensure travellers’ safety as they stop vehicles and search them.
But what he didn’t like is having a total stranger, however well meaning, go through his bag, turning his personal belongings around.
The force, he suggests, should invest in detectors to ease the officers’ work and save “everybody those embarrassing moments”.
Published in the Daily Nation of September 5th, 2008
Merit Vs Tribe in KPA's leadership
Though he comes from the Coast, Martin Tairo Maseghe is not impressed by the local MPs’ insistence that a person from the region head the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
He poses: “Why are they concerned about keeping just the managing director and risking running down the organization and in the process throwing more Coast people out of jobs? Let only qualified people run KPA and any other public companies.”
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