In the name of mistaken identity

I was going to the court the other day when the security officer on duty called me over. I was a bit nervous thinking that maybe I had done something wrong it being a court and everything, so I checked my phone to make sure that I had switched it off no need to be thrown in a cell for contempt of a court order and I couldn’t say I had forgotten to switch it off with the warning on the wall screaming down at me “SWITCH OFF YOUR PHONE COURT IN SESSION”.

So I went where she was and she was greeting me so cordially like we were long time friends, but I guess she sensed from my blank look that I didn’t know her and that’s when she apologized profusely but I could sense that she still did not believe that I wasn’t the person she had thought, so she explained that I resembled a certain lady from her village and she actually swore that we could be mistaken for twins.

That wasn’t the first time someone had mistaken me for someone else, there was another incident where a friend saw a certain lady on the street and almost hugged her thinking it was me.

This got me thinking, how many of us have gone through the same experience, some even through dangerous or embarrassing moments with people who mistook them for someone else?

 It could be while walking to work, in a matatu or maybe while taking care of your business then you meet a stranger who is very sure that he/she knows you and is quite irked that you are being a snob and acting like you are better than the individual because you don’t want to acknowledge them which could even result in insults or being called off.

Jennifer (not her real name) says she has had strangers greeting her and sometimes even strange men hug her on the streets to the chagrin of her husband thinking that she is a girlfriend or a friend from college, but the most recent was when a neighbor she has known for a long time told her that a stranger had paid for her fare claiming that she was her sister.

Kate says she has been mistaken severally by people who thought she was someone they knew. she cites an incident where a stranger hugs her thinking they know her and she is too polite to correct her so she continues to chat with them but later on informs the person that she doesn’t remember where they met and that’s when the person realizes their mistake.

She however recalls an episode, she says was the most embarrassing moment in her life; she mistook a strange man for her boyfriend.

Kate says she had gone to the market to shop for some groceries when she saw a man across the road and mistook him for her boyfriend, whom she had not seen in a while and actually thought that he had come for a visit without informing her as a surprise and yelled at him to wait for her.

“I literally ran over without even minding the passing vehicles and just jumped on him, hugging him so tightly, I only realize after a while that he was struggling to free himself and let go, you can’t imagine my shock not to mention embarrassment when I realized that he was not my boyfriend,” she says, “the poor man probably thought I was some desperate woman or lunatic and couldn’t wait to untangle himself from my tight embrace.”

There is a belief, though not proven that every one of us has a double somewhere on this planet and there are others who believe that there are at least six or seven people who resemble us.

When the US president Barrack Obama came into the limelight many people came out as his look alike and during the campaigns, when Barrack Obama was vying for his second term in Whitehouse there were those who attended campaigns and some went as far as addressing the public in rallies.

Reggie Brown and Louis Ortiz are some of the people who have been impersonating the US president since he was first elected, Ortiz even went to the inauguration where he was signing autographs and posing for pictures.

Although they are professional impersonators and they are paid to perform, we sort of get inkling to how it would feel like having another person looking exactly like you to the extent of others confusing the two of you.

Our very own Walter Mong’are carried the day during Kenya’s second president Daniel Arap Moi reign as he impersonated the president:  grapevines had it that some folks in Eldoret fell for the trio’s (redykulass) antics thinking that it was the president.

Movie producers have also capitalized on this belief ,with movies such as “the parent trap” where two girls who look so much alike meet in a camp but although they  turned out to be twins we could see the friction between the girls as each one of them tried to set herself apart by trying to outwit the other.   Some movies have characters of kings or royalty having commoners as their doubles which really captivates the viewers’ imaginations and sort of bridges the gap between royalty and commoners

And although some people may embrace the idea of having a look alike not everyone is ready to accept the uncanny feeling that there is someone else out there who looks exactly like them. It may be fascinating and great to imagine that there is another you out there but when faced with the reality we may react differently.

According to a Montreal photographer Francois Brunnel who is compiling a collection of photos of people whose resemblance to each other is striking it is a bit uncanny to meet your double without warning. “It is a little bit of a nightmare to meet oneself without warning” he says.

Personally I would love to meet someone who resembles me, then I will be able to see with my  very own eyes exactly how I look like which really tells you what I think of the mirror, just the thought that there is someone out there who resembles me is ecstatic.

According to Kate however, she is unique and there is no need for another person to look like her, “Am unique and the way I look sets me apart from others so I don’t think I would like to meet someone else who resembles me it is like taking the thing that make me away,” she observes.

She feels that it would be weird to have someone else looking like her without having any blood relations adding that some people may take advantage of the situation to commit crimes or play tricks on people.

Although we might have doubles somewhere on this planet, that does not take away or rob us of our identity and purpose here on earth.

We have our characters, believes, faith, cultural and social backgrounds which set us apart from others and just because a person resembles you does not make them to be like you even your own twin can never have the same character as you there’s always something that sets us apart so resembling some criminal or lunatic does not really make you a criminal or craze too.

Different cultures have different words for the look-alike phenomenon. The French use the word 'sosie,' or double. In German, the word is 'doppelganger,' a term also adopted into English.

Supposedly, according to superstition encountering your doppelganger can be a sign of bad luck, as it maybe your evil twin; you know what they say about seeing two black cats at same time.

We are unique not because we resemble or do not resemble other people but because of who we are inside and what we have accomplished or intend to accomplish in life, the people we love and those who love us, our culture, beliefs also add value to our lives and the idea of having a look alike should only motivate you since there was a need for two or more of you to live in this world and enjoy it

As we celebrate Christ's triumphal entry in Jerusalem

As Christians across the planet celebrates Palm Sunday to mark Christ’s triumphal entry in Jerusalem as Christian we need to meditate and understand the meaning and importance of this day.
Palm Sunday is a Christian feast celebrated to commemorate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem which is mentioned in all the four Gospel books, it is the Sunday before Easter, and marks the beginning of Holy Week, the week of events leading up to Jesus' death.
According to the bible Christ rode into Jerusalem just days before his arrest, persecution, death and resurrection.
He went into Jerusalem knowing full well that his persecution would be in a couple of days yet he did not run away from His destiny, as he understood that the future of humanity depended on Him.
He understood that he had to go through suffering to deliver the human race from its fall since sin was brought into the world by our first parents.
The bible tells us that Christ rode a donkey which he had early on instructed his disciples to fetch to fulfill the prophet Zechariah words “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” (Zechariah 9:9 King James Version)
Some may wonder why Jesus did not ride a horse instead why choose a donkey: the donkey symbolized peace thus marking Christ entry in Jerusalem on the donkey as being the prince of peace but this is not seen immediately after his arrival in Jerusalem there are a couple of incidents that depicts trying times ahead starting with his cleansing of the temple by driving the buyers and sellers in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves which must have really annoyed many.
The procession was also marked by the crowd spreading their cloaks and palm trees on the street: the palm trees were a symbol of victory and triumph and the crowd’s reception on Jesus was that of a king therefore Jerusalem was welcoming their King and messiah home.
They sang a psalm of King David “Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD” (PSALM 118: 26 King James Version).
Although Jesus knew of the trials that lay ahead of him He still went ahead to fulfill the will of God he knew the person who will betray him in fact he lived with him, dined with him and considered him a brother yet he was not resentful.
He knew his disciples would abandon him, he even revealed to Peter that he will deny him thrice before the cock crows, he knew his persecutors were the same people he had preached God’s word to, fed, healed and prayed for but still he neither escaped his cross nor hated humanity but he bore it all for us.

So as we mark this day we should also forge ahead with our lives in triumph remembering his victorious entry in Jerusalem, there might a Judas plotting your fall either at work, home, and school or wherever you are but as we look upon the victory of our lord, we also become victors.
We always stress so much about the future and worrying about what lays ahead of yet we can never alter God’s plan for us, neither can we change the course that the lord has set out for us as. The bible says none of us by worrying can add a single a hour to our lives. “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”(Matt 6:27 new international version) We actually reduce our lifespan by stressing too much about work, colleagues who don’t like us, the kind of dress to wear and so on.

Therefore as we enter the holy week and join other Faithfull’s around the world to celebrate this day lets all take time to ponder upon his sufferings and all he gave up for us let’s borrow a leaf from our lord’s triumphal entry in Jerusalem and face our adversaries and trials in victory and triumph, he already fought the battle for us and won, we only have to receive the medal as we sing Hosanna Hosanna in the highest!

HAVE A VICTORIOUS PALM SUNDAY AND WEEK

Many young people after completing class eight or form four lack school fees or the required qualification to join the next level of their education a situation which has reduced the education level in the country but all is not lost as the government through the ministry of youth affairs is paying school fees for every student who joins the youth polytechnics.

The department of youth training was given the mandate of revitalizing the youth polytechnics countrywide by empowering the youth through provisions of accessible, appropriate and quality training in technical, vocational, industrial entrepreneurship and life skills.

The polytechnics commonly known as village polytechnics were started as a way of empowering the youth this enabling them to be self-reliant and have necessary skills to steer the country towards achieving vision 2030.

The government is paying Ksh 15,000 for every student who joins the polytechnic a project that would go a long way in reducing crimes and drug abuse amongst the youth, lack of proper skills and knowledge to develop themselves and being misused by political leaders for their own selfish gain.

Kibabii polytechnic is one of such polytechnics with the vision to empower the youth to be self reliant and a mission to impart technical skills to trainees that is relevant to their job market.

The polytechnic was started in 1992 and currently has 120 students being trained in masonry, carpentry, dress making, welding, motor vehicle mechanics, amongst others.

Allan Owinde the manager said that most of the students registered in the polytechnic are class eight pupils who have already sat for their KCPE exams and that they are trained for 2 years before they graduate.

He added that although the government pays the 15,000/= the parents are supposed to pay an additional 6,000/= which is a big challenge as most parents assume that since the government is paying part of the fees then the education is free which makes it hard for them to pay the money.

He urged them to take their children to the polytechnics as it would improve their lives and encourage them to avoid getting into criminal activities.

“Most people look down on the youth polytechnics as being institutions for failures thus discouraging the youth from joining the institutions, I encourage parents to bring their children to the polytechnics as they will enable them to acquire skills that would enable them to be self employed.” Said Mr. Owinde.

Mr. Owinde acknowledged that some teachers in the polytechnic are employed by the government while others are sponsored by NGO’s and the rest are under the management of the school committees they therefore depend on the money from the students to be able to pay them.

He urged well wishers to stand with them in building more classes for the students and also expand the sports ground to enable the students to engage in sporting activities which he said is part of their training.

On matters involving technology the students have information and communications technology instructor Ms Kate Wamwota who is sponsored by the Digital Opportunity Trust an NGO that has richer programs for the youth and women.

Ms Wamwota said that she has been able to teach computer to sixty students but hopes to make the area technologically savvy although she sighted lack of electricity and computers as being the main challenges facing the institution.

But with support from all stakeholders the future of these young people has has begun to look up as they work together as a team in developing trust, positive altitude and building on each others strength.      

 

28- year old Aurelie Atiang receives Equity Banks’ wings to fly sponsorship

It’s never late until it’s late; this is evident as a 28years old mother of two receives wings to fly to a bright and great future which comes as greatest luck in her life as she receives sponsorship for her education from the wings to fly project by the Equity Bank Foundation.

28-year-old Aurelia Atyang who scored 348 points and managed to get sponsorship from Equity bank through the Wings to Fly program as she spoke out her experience as a mother and pupil at the same time. Aurelie Atiang mother of two kids aged six and three years has been given an opportunity to realize her dreams which had been dimmed for lack of school fees to access secondary education. Ms Atiang’ who sat for her KCPE for the first time in 1998 and scored 412 marks was unable to join a secondary school because her grandparents could not afford her school fees. It was hard for her to stay home when she knew she had the ability to go further but never gave up the hope that one day she will be able achieve her dreams. She was born out of wedlock and her parents who never married abandoned her to the care of her grandparents who have been her only family. Ms Atiang’ when speaking to West Fm said that after completing primary school she had to work as a house girl so that she could support herself and her grandparents she later got married to Collins Waliaula in 2004 with whom they bore children. After getting married she trained and worked as a dressmaker until last year when she went back to school at Noigam primary school in Trans Nzoia East District with the support of her husband, and scored 338 marks. “It was not easy going back to school. As a mother and being older than the other pupils the community looks at you differently and most parents did not want me to socialize with their children.” She said Ms Atiang’, who has received an admission letter from St. Josephs Girls High School, said that she kept her dreams alive and that her perseverance has finally paid off as she can now realize her longtime dream of being a lawyer. “I never gave up hope for a better future and now I have been given a chance to continue with my education and fulfill my longtime dream of becoming a lawyer. Besides being able to give my family a better future I would also be able to help other needy people in our country especially children who need someone to voice their rights.” Said Ms. Atiang’ She is grateful to Equity Group Foundation, MasterCard foundation, UKAID and USAID for sponsoring her secondary education and upkeep at the same time asked the government, church and political leaders to come up with such projects to enable needy children achieve their dreams. Aurelie encourages other young people not to give up on their hope and aspirations as there is always a light at the end of every tunnel. Her head teacher Mr. Kiprop Kwambai who is also the treasurer of the Kenya Primary Heads Association Trans Nzoia East, said that Aurelie Atiang’ is a role model for others in the same situation. He added that being the Head Girl in her school Aurelia counseled girls in her school which has reduced the number of young girls in the school dropping out because of pregnancy. Mr.Kwambai said that when Ms Atiang’ joined the school last year, some teachers and parents were abit apprehensive at first but after seeing her potential they gave her full support and even chipped in for exam registration and upkeep.   He advised her not to despise her background and keep on working hard to achieve her goals and asked other School Heads and parents not to look down on such kids but give them the opportunity and encouragement to advance their education levels.

Crime among the youth can be stopped through probation, says officer

Crime among the youth can be stopped through probation, says officer


They are expected to be the future leaders of our country yet most of the youth from Bungoma County instead of building their future through education are busy engaging themselves in criminal activities. 

Although there has been a rapid increase of criminal offences involving the youth there is still hope to salvage the situation if addressed by the right channels.

 Some of these issues can be directed to the probation officers who deal with guiding and counseling convicted offenders in the society and by providing a means of rehabilitation. The probation department which is under the ministry of Home Affairs although not acknowledged for the services they provide in the country is the best solution to help in eradicating lawlessness among the youth instead of sending them to prison.    

 The Field Probation Officer who is also the acting deputy Probation Officer in Bungoma south district Mr. Kirwa Tuwei said that the probation officers comes into play after the judge decides that the offenders are best served under probation or community service order after determining the nature of the offence, the age of the offender, health status of the offender and the relationship between the offender and the complainant. 

Mr. Tuwei said that there has been a rapid increase of cases involving minors misbehaving in public in Bungoma County especially in Bumula and Sang’alo areas whereby most of the juvenile offenders arraigned in court are accused of being involved in robbery, rape and disturbing the public peace while drunk. 

He attributed marriage break ups in the community as being one of the leading causes of these criminal activities among the youth. 

“Most residents from this community get married at an early age thus getting divorced later on. This has resulted in kids being left with one or no parent causing them to turn to the streets which is a haven for all sorts of criminal activities,” said Tuwei. 

He said that poverty has also played a major role in the rise of these criminal activities. He said that many Kenyans from the region live below the poverty line as they cannot even afford the basic necessities hence has led them to steal as a means of providing for their daily up keep. 

He acknowledged that lack of knowledge and negative altitudes has hindered development in the region. 

Even though young people are taught to appreciate their cultural backgrounds; some of the traditional believes promote lawlessness among the youth for instance after circumcision the young boys are taught that they are now grown men which has made some of them drop out of school and getting married at a tender age when they are not well equipped to handle family issues. 

The probation department in conjunction with the courts decides whether these offenders are sentenced to home arrest under the supervision of probation officers or given community service to give service to their community as a way of paying for the crimes they committed. 

In the most serious of offences the accused are send to correctional institutions like the Boston institute, Kimumu boys’ hostels in Eldoret, Nakuru girls’ hostels which train them in fields such carpentry, tailoring, farming, brick making and wiring as a way of equipping them with skills to help them find employment and be able to function as normal members of the society. 

The Boston Institute also provides primary education from class six to eight thus enabling these youngsters to complete their primary education and be able to join secondary schools to better their future. 

Mr. Tuwei said that some of the challenges they face as a department while handling these cases are lack of funds, corruption, being understaffed, ignorance and negative altitude of the community which hinders them from carrying out their work and language barrier. 

He urged parents to cater for children by providing them with basic needs such as shelter, food, security and education. He added that parents should have a close relationship with their children and guide them according to the values of the society.

Read more: http://www.westfm.co.ke/index-page-news-bid-4619.htm#ixzz1mYHievsR
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Two men to face the wrath of the law for being possession of python’s skin. by Valerie Bunyas

Two men to face the wrath of the law for being possession of python’s skin. by Valerie Bunyasi 

Two men who were charged before the Bungoma law courts with the offence of being in possession of government trophy without certificate of ownership contrary to the Wildlife conservation and management laws of Kenya are uncertain about their future as they wait for the report from probation officer to decide whether they face a prison sentence or be give home arrest.

The two; David Kainet Chepkar and Nickson Maywa Talam were accused that on 31at of March 2011 at Kocholia shopping centre in Teso north district were arrested by the KWS officers while trying to sell 3 python skins worthy Ksh. 108,000 street value.

The KWS officers from Kitale were tipped off that 2 men were trying to sell the government trophies within Malaba in Teso North district. The officer who posed as buyers confirmed that the accused were in possession of the python skins that belonged to the African rock type of snakes without legal documents from authorized officers (KWS).  

The African rock python is one of the seven species in the python genus and although largely feared it rarely kills humans but faces threats from habitat reduction and hunting.

According to prosecution 4 witnesses who were KWS officers proved without a doubt that the accused were guilty as they had earlier denied those charges.

However Chepkar pleaded with the court to be lenient on him as he had a family that depends solely on him. At the same time Talam pleaded for forgiveness from the court as he had orphaned kids to take care of. He added that he was jobless and only depended on jua kali to make ends meet.

In relation to their mitigation the Chief Magistrate Walter Nyarima requested for the probation report which will determine their fate.

Bungoma Rocky driving school closes its doors to Bungoma

A local driving school in Bungoma has closed, leaving its officials trying to help the remaining students. Furious students of Rocky Driving School in Bungoma town Tuesday demanded for a refund of their school fees when they found offices of the school being closed down The students had gone to school only to be surprised by the scene of closure and transfer of office.  Concerned students wanted to consult their school manager who was nowhere to seen.   The students who expressed their views claimed that they had already paid fees and were expecting to sit for exams in February. Mildred Wesonga, a student at the school said she joined the school at the beginning of this month. She explained that as she arrived in class, she was informed by their instructors that the school was being closed down. “I went to class this morning where I was told that the school is being closed down without the management giving us any notice and I have already paid my school fees” she said. Miss Wesonga added that they were being asked to vacate the premises and yet the management had not given them any directive adding that they had spent a lot of money and time which will inconvenience them as they will have to join another driving school. I have already paid Sh7, 000.  And I have arrears of Sh, 2000 only. which I intended  to pay before commencing of the exams now we are being told to vacate the premises while the office is being locked  and they have already started remove  the office equipments out the premises. We don’t know what to do” she said. An officer from the Rocky head office, who arrived later, disclosed that the students are going to be refunded their money, adding that those students who wish to complete their training will be given a chance to do their exam.  Information from a reliable source revealed that the management of the school intends to open the Rocky offices in Malaba Town of Busia County.