Visa-free • The visa-free Kenya announced by President William Ruto with much fanfare is a joke, says Stuart Herd.
“The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) contradicts the visa-free country idea. Requiring details such as hotel bookings, health insurance, and other data replicates the traditional visa rigours. It should be simplified while maintaining security checks.”
Passports • The processing and issuing of passports and work permits seems to have stalled in mid-October last year, says Ombere Waguniere.
At this rate, he wonders whether the government cares about people’s difficulties.
“It should shun public relations and do its work properly.” The Interior ministry, he adds, should do what is necessary to unlock the hitch.
Delivery Unit • What became of the effective President’s Delivery Unit during the Uhuru Kenyatta tenure? asks Wajir resident Nassir Daud.
“It used to brief Kenyans on government project timelines and took swift action against lazy contractors in the country. It’s time President William Ruto considered bringing the outfit back. I'm willing to serve as a volunteer in it.”
Digital shops • What you see on the websites of some online retailers, Florence Kimani has painfully found out is not what you get after parting with your hard-earned money.
Says she: “I purchased an electric kettle I had seen on a website. But they sent me an ordinary mabati kettle for serving tea in the village. I asked for a refund, but they’ve blocked my number.”
Rains • The rains have been very good since last year, but have also caused destruction, wrecking many roads and bridges and schools, notes Jim Okwako.
He’s, however, upset that the water is left to just flow to waste and not harvested and stored in dams.
“Why can’t the counties promote the formation of rain water harvesting associations in the villages? Provide soft loans to villagers to buy tanks.”
Have a harvestable day, won’t you!
