ONLY AN IMMORAL PARLIAMENT CAN ENDORSE KIRAIKO TOBIKO FOR THE DPP JOB

By Jerry Okungu

Nairobi, Kenya

June 15, 2011

The world over, those who seek public offices must stand the rigours of public scrutiny. When their characters and integrity are questioned or doubted, whether false or not, more often than not they opt to decline the job.

A few years ago, Garry Hart an American presidential candidate dropped out of the race because someone had accused him of promiscuity. He didn’t have to wait for a hearing to deny claims.

At another time another American sitting president, Richard Nixon resigned from office rather than wait to be impeached by the Senate. He had been accused of masterminding the Water Gate break-in at the headquarters of the Democratic Party.

In Kenya, it is the first time we are experimenting with vetting public officials. It is important that we get it right the first time so that a positive precedent can be set. We cannot carry out public hearings and vetting by constitutional offices based on advertised merit then bend backwards and introduce mundane issues such as minority tribes and political party memberships. We cannot even think of rewarding thieves and corrupt officials, people who have taken this country to the cleaners just to earn their communities’ political backing at the next elections.

Looking at the people so far vetted to occupy the positions of Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice and the five Supreme Court judges, one can see that obviously Kenya stands a better chance of rebuilding the reputation of its judiciary system. However, a strong a credible judiciary without an equally credible prosecution office is obviously a non-starter. It is the reason why for the last 20 years, corruption, graft and theft of public funds have flourished in the country. We had an attorney general who would do anything in his powers to protect the Executive at the expense of the poor and dying public.

Kiraiko Tobiko did not apply for the DPP as a Maasai or as a representative of the minority tribes. If that were the case, he didn’t have to hand in his colourful CV. He applied for the job as an individual Kenyan and as an individual Kenyan, he should either have got that job or not.

Charges against Tobiko are weighty indeed. They cannot be taken lightly. Senior and credible Kenyans have publicly accused him of his short comings.

If he has had connections with the KANU regime, chances are, he will not be the right person to prosecute cases that Amos Wako failed to prosecute for 20 years when KANU held sway. And remember, during the referendum debate the bulk of the water melons were KANU diehards who feared that a new constitution would not auger well for their past dealings.

However, the most damning of all was the fact that Kiraiko Tobiko is alleged to have used proxies to solicit a bribe of Ksh 5 million from one Mr. Sammy Kirui, a former permanent secretary in Local Government Ministry.

When you have a sitting judge, a sitting KACC Chief Executive and a respected scholar like Yashpal Ghai accusing one individual, the best that a vetting committee can do is to defer the matter for more in-depth investigations. You cannot as a Parliamentary Committee or even Parliament just gloss over those allegations and wish them away.

The truth of the matter is that Kiraiko Tobiko’s character is tainted beyond redemption. Kenyans will not trust him to address the many challenges that have dogged the prosecution of known criminals in this country.

Looked at another way, it was the height of hypocrisy and an affront to the public when the same committee that picked Willy Mutunga, Nancy Baraza, Njoki Ndungu, Smokin Wanjala, Jackton Ojwang, Philip Tunio and Mohamed Ibrahim could actually pick Tobiko for the DPP job knowing full well the concerns of the public. More importantly, knowing that Kiraiko Tobiko had not delivered tangible results since he joined the State Law office in 2005

Watching the debate in Parliament that sought to approve the three nominations, one could not help but notice a very high level of mediocrity, deep rooted selfishness and allegiance to the tribe or the so called minority tribes otherwise known as the marginalized. These traits derailed an otherwise crucial debate that should have been conducted with more decorum.

Only an immoral parliament, only an immoral society can sweep such serious allegations against a person about to hold a very important office that will impact on 40 million Kenyans. Dispensing with justice is no laughing matter.

Having said that, Kenyans of good will must salute Hon Mutula Kilonzo, Martha Karua, Millie Odhiambo, Boni Khalwale and Hon Mbandi for refusing to be swayed by the majority in the House. They stood their ground and opposed Tobiko’s approval before further investigations.

In approving Tobiko’s appointment, Parliament has failed Kenyans and in the process given impunity, graft and bad governance thumbs up. Now we must wait for another eight years to reform the prosecution unless Tobiko is thrown out through another legal court process.

jerryokungu@gmail.com

KENYAN MPS DERAILED PUBLIC SERVICE VETTING PROCESS WHEN THEY ENDORSED A PERSON OF QUESTIONABLE CHARACTER

By Jerry Okungu

Nairobi, Kenya

June 15, 2011

The world over, those who seek public offices must stand the rigours of public scrutiny. When their characters and integrity are questioned or doubted, whether false or not, more often than not they opt to decline the job.

A few years ago, Garry Hart an American presidential candidate dropped out of the race because someone had accused him of promiscuity. He didn’t have to wait for a hearing to deny claims.

At another time another American sitting president, Richard Nixon resigned from office rather than wait to be impeached by the Senate. He had been accused of masterminding the Water Gate break-in at the headquarters of the Democratic Party.

In Kenya, it is the first time we are experimenting with vetting public officials. It is important that we get it right the first time so that a positive precedent can be set. We cannot carry out public hearings and vetting by constitutional offices based on advertised merit then bend backwards and introduce mundane issues such as minority tribes and political party memberships. We cannot even think of rewarding thieves and corrupt officials, people who have taken this country to the cleaners just to earn their communities’ political backing at the next elections.

Looking at the people so far vetted to occupy the positions of Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice and the five Supreme Court judges, one can see that obviously Kenya stands a better chance of rebuilding the reputation of its judiciary system. However, a strong a credible judiciary without an equally credible prosecution office is obviously a non-starter. It is the reason why for the last 20 years, corruption, graft and theft of public funds haD flourished in the country. We had an attorney general who would do anything in his powers to protect the Executive at the expense of the poor and dying public.

Kiraiko Tobiko did not apply for the DPP as a Maasai or as a representative of the minority tribes. If that were the case, he didn’t have to hand in his colourful CV. He applied for the job as an individual Kenyan and as an individual Kenyan, he should either have got that job or not.

Charges against Tobiko are weighty indeed. They could not be taken lightly. Senior and credible Kenyans had publicly accused him of his short comings.

If he has had connections with the KANU regime, chances are, he will not be the right person to prosecute cases that Amos Wako failed to prosecute for 20 years when KANU held sway. And remember, during the referendum debate the bulk of the water melons were KANU diehards who feared that a new constitution would not auger well for their past dealings.

However, the most damning of all was the fact that Kiraiko Tobiko is alleged to have used proxies to solicit a bribe of Ksh 5 million from one Mr. Sammy Kirui, a former permanent secretary in Local Government Ministry.

When you have a sitting judge, a sitting Anti-Corruption Chief Executive and a respected scholar like Yashpal Ghai accusing one individual, the best that a vetting committee can do is to defer the matter for more in-depth investigations. You cannot as a Parliamentary Committee or even Parliament just gloss over those allegations and wish them away.

The truth of the matter is that Kiraiko Tobiko’s character is tainted beyond redemption. Kenyans will not trust him to address the many challenges that have dogged the prosecution of known criminals in the country.

Looked at another way, it was the height of hypocrisy and an affront to the public when the same committee that picked Willy Mutunga, Nancy Baraza, Njoki Ndungu, Smokin Wanjala, Jackton Ojwang, Philip Tunio and Mohamed Ibrahim could actually pick Tobiko for the DPP job knowing full well the concerns of the public. More importantly, knowing that Kiraiko Tobiko had not delivered tangible results since he joined the State Law office in 2005

Watching the debate in Parliament that sought to approve the three nominations, one could not help but notice a very high level of mediocrity, deep rooted selfishness and allegiance to the tribe or the so called minority tribes otherwise known as the marginalized. These traits derailed an otherwise crucial debate that should have been conducted with more decorum.

Only an immoral parliament, only an immoral society can sweep under carpet such serious allegations against a person about to hold a very important office that will impact on 40 million Kenyans. Dispensing with justice is no laughing matter.

Having said that, Kenyans of good will must salute Hon Mutula Kilonzo, Martha Karua, Millie Odhiambo, Boni Khalwale and Hon Mbandi for refusing to be swayed by the majority in the House. They stood their ground and opposed Tobiko’s approval before further investigations.

In approving Tobiko’s appointment, Parliament has failed Kenyans and in the process given impunity, graft and bad governance thumbs up. Now we must wait for another eight years to reform the prosecution unless Tobiko is thrown out through another legal court process.

jerryokungu@gmail.com

EAST AFRICA’S OPPOSITION POLITICIANS SETTING BAD PRECEDENTS

By Jerry Okungu

Atlanta, Georgia

June 25, 2011

This week there were reports that the Ugandan opposition leaders have taken their campaign against Museveni to Western Capitals in London and Washington. The aim here is to impress it upon donor communities that the regime in Kampala does not deserve Western support because the elections that gave Museveni another five year term were not free and fair. The other line they are likely to peddle is that the government back home is corrupt resulting in donor money being squandered by the elite in the Museveni regime.

Mr. Mao, a noted Ugandan opposition leader is reported to have kept a 24 hour vigil outside the gates of the White House in the hope that President Obama would give him a hearing. And as Mao was probably winding up his vigil at the White House gates, another Ugandan journalist, Charles Bukenya planned a hunger strike at the same venue until Obama agrees to see him! This is a very interesting development considering that President Obama has mountains of his own problems that he must solve before he attends to numerous picketing individuals that are a permanent feature at the White House. May be a text message on his blackberry would reach him faster.

However if Museveni is the issue, how about keeping vigil or going on hunger strike outside the gates of the Presidential palace in Entebbe? Think about it. It might just move Museveni to tears and convince him to make concessions!

Three weeks ago there were reports in the Kenyan press that our leading opposition leaders, some of who are candidates for The Hague trials later this year had met with Presidents Jakaya Kikwete and Yoweri Museveni to map out strategies on how to stop Raila Odinga from winning the 2012 presidential elections. During those meetings, it was alleged that the two presidents had agreed to help Ruto and company to raise Ksh 10 billion for the 2012 presidential race.

Personally I dismissed such allegations as idle talk even if the Ruto – Uhuru alliance held discussions with Kikwete and M7.

Consider this: Ksh 10 billion is the equivalent of US $ 150million; the kind of money that makes the headlines whenever a donor or the World Bank gives it to a country. And knowing how the economies of East African partner states are struggling to make ends meet, it would be the height of recklessness and political suicide if the two heads of state were to squander their resources to finance a foreign political campaign

There are two things we must consider in the actions taken by the Ugandan opposition chiefs and their Kenyan counterparts. First, campaigns in foreign capitals against home governments will not change the situation at home unless NATO allies decide to bomb Uganda in support of the opposition chiefs. As long as the same governments choose to do business with Uganda, no amount of demonstrations in London and Washington will change things in the streets of Kampala. Someone like Ambassador Olara Otunu should tell them how futile such an exercise can be because he was in that game for decades when he worked for the United Nations in New York.

The Kenyan situation is even more intriguing considering that the two presidents alleged to be plotting with Ruto and Uhuru are senior members of the East African Community. If indeed they undertake to underwrite the opposition campaign and their candidate loses, where will that debacle leave the unity of East Africa? Can the two heads of state be naïve enough to sacrifice the EAC dream on the altar of political expediency?

For those who may not understand Kenyan politics, there are a few things that Kenyans deeply detest. Much as they will fight and kill each other over almost everything under the sun, mention of external foreign interference rallies Kenyans together like nothing else. The voters will reject anybody perceived to be a puppet of some super power because Kenyans dread recolonization.

Another thing; the masses of Kenya tasted the blood of political anarchy in 2007-2008. If any leader in the region is imagining that he can manipulate Kenya’s elections in his favour, this time it will not be just Kenya burning. The whole of East Africa will be in turmoil. And being the largest economy in the region, the effect will be felt beyond Uganda and Tanzania. Burundi, Rwanda and even the DRC will feel the heat.

However in retrospect, now Kenyans are beginning to piece together where the Ruto-Ruto alliance would get their Ksh. 10 billion from. The money would come not from Jakaya Kikwete or Yoweri Museveni as we were earlier made to believe. An activist in Kenya called Mwalimu Mati has gone through Uhuru’s 2011-2012 budgets and detected some very interesting mathematical “errors” that if Parliament passed unnoticed would have easily facilitated the release of Ksh 10 million to the opposition to which the Finance Minister belongs.

This theory cannot be farfetched if you consider that the budget in the Kenya Embassy at The Hague jumped from Ksh 3 million to 9 million in anticipation of The Hague trials for the Ocampo Six; never mind that under normal circumstances, the Kenya government should not bear the burden of feeding The Hague suspects as that responsibility belongs with the ICC.

In the 2011-2012 budgets The Hague Embassy has details of tea, cakes, mandazis and other things that go with tea. One wonders how much tea and goodies the Ocampo Six can consume in a year worth US 100,000!

Now that Mwalimu Mati h as punched holes in to the Uhuru budget, which the Treasury has quickly dismissed as false allegations, Kenyans are waiting to see how Parliament will handle these allegations if indeed they exist. Let us hope Parliament will not sleep on the job as Treasury continues to fund fictitious projects as Mati says.

jerryokungu@gmail.com

SPEAKER MARENDE’S DOUBLE STANDARDS MUST BE DEALT WITH NOW

By Jerry Okungu

Atlanta, Georgia

June 25, 2011

When you see MPs bragging that they will not pay taxes to the taxman; don’t blame them.

They know where they are drawing their arrogance from. That arrogance is first and foremost from Speaker Kenneth Marende. The man has been against taxation since the debate started in 2008.

When in early 2008 MPs Peter Kenneth and Johnson Muthama volunteered to pay taxes, Marende sarcastically told them to go ahead on a voluntary basis. He did not see their actions as honorable that should have been emulated by the entire house.

It is ironical that the Speaker of the National Assembly that just two weeks ago admonished the Finance Minister for violating the constitution with his budget speech can today violate the same constitution by not only refusing to pay tax but to also incite other MPs against the taxman simply because he stands to benefit from this immoral tax evasion.

Let this columnist state categorically that all Kenyans are behind John Njiraini’s decision to auction those MPs that will have not complied with the nation’s taxation law. And yes, this poor nation will throw its weight behind the President, the Prime Minister, new Chief Justice and Chairman of the Constitution Implementation Commission to ensure that our rogue MPs comply or face jail terms. The law is the law and must be obeyed by all citizens irrespective of positions or status in society.

For many decades, the Kenyan civil society trained their guns on the much maligned Executive arm of the government and accused it of all the sins that had brought our great nation into disrepute. All this time the Judiciary and Parliament got away with murder under the pretext that under Kenyatta and Moi, the Executive had emasculated them.

However, since Parliament started exercising its independence in 2003, we have seen dangerous trends developing in that house under the so called Parliamentary Service Commission. Through that body, the august house has robbed Kenyans blind first under Speaker Ole Kaparo and now under Kenneth Marende in the last nine years. The most glaring of this robbery has been the insensitive salary increases with their attendant tax evasion devices.

In the present Kenya under the current constitution, Kenyans cannot allow the likes of Marende to lead important public institutions such as Parliament if indeed their personal greed takes precedent over the welfare of Kenyans. Indeed any Kenyan that cannot pay taxes when he should do so is unfit to be in any public office.

Under the old constitution, it was a free- for- all- affair where state officials who had the power to rob the Kenyan public did so with impunity, at times with legal assistance from the Attorney General who was equally a beneficiary of such excesses. Somehow, the same officials that served under the old constitution do not seem to appreciate that their time is up and the old ways must be discarded.

Now that we have the Supreme Court, a new Chief Justice and a new Deputy Chief Justice that seem to put more weight on the rule of law; the writing must be on the wall for those MPs that still think Kenya is a looters’ paradise. With the judiciary and other constitutional office holders accepting to pay taxes, Kenyans are waiting to see which special powers the MPs have that will shield them from taxation. Will Kenneth Marende protect them? Will they threaten the Executive by refusing to pass government bills like they have done before? Will they use militias, the police or the military to stop the taxman from attaching their salaries, bank accounts and other property?

Judging by news reaching me from Nairobi, it would look like Dr. Willy Mutunga and Nancy Baraza will do Kenya proud by leading through their good examples. If they can subject themselves to taxation, one wonders how a court case lodged by MPs in the Supreme Court will pass the test. Judging by the mood in the country, even a kindergarten kid should know that such a case will have been lost even before it is heard.

The other good news is the fact that the new CJ has decided to appoint a three man tribunal to investigate one KiraikoTobiko even before he takes office. This is as it should be and yes, some of us saw it coming and even wrote about it even if Mr. Tobiko didn’t see it.

Taking a presidential appointee to the tribunal so soon after Executive appointment is proof that Kenyans have come a long way when you consider that just a few months ago, the country rejected the President’s unilateral appointments of the Chief Justice, Attorney General, and the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In the case of Tobiko, it was shameful that the same Parliament that now wants to continue evading tax chose to confirm him despite disparaging remarks and allegations against him in public hearings. Just like the Executive, Parliament chose to ignore the many voices of Kenyans that expressed their misgivings about Tobiko’s competence as Kenya’s first Director of Public Prosecutions.

Now that the new CJ has chosen to investigate Tobiko’s suitability, the man now has an opportunity to clear his name once and for all through a legal process without involving politicians from his village and guns for hire within the precincts of Parliament to support his case.

We hope that through Tobiko’s hearings, many Kenyans will understand the heavy responsibility that comes with holding a public office. Matters of integrity and ethics can no longer be taken for granted.

jerryokungu@gmail.com

THIS FOREST OF HIGH OCTANE POLITICS CALLED KENYA!

By Jerry Okungu

Nairobi, Kenya

June 1, 2011

As I continue to recuperate from my situation that has rendered me immobile for the last one month, I thank God for giving me the strength to have a look at events happening in our country.

The first headline that caught my attention was the saga of the Nigerian High Commission family that gripped the Kenyan and Nigerian press.

When highly placed diplomats, married and mature in age and diplomacy can engage in public spat; it can only be breaking news.

The Nigerian saga reminded me of a story I was once told by my old student classmate in our university days. Ringo Star had joined the university after working for a while and unlike some of us, he arrived at the campus as a high flyer, sleek suits, trendy blazers and a powerful BSA motorbike to boot.

Before he joined campus, his last posting was somewhere in the neighborhoods of Meru Mountains where he fell in love with a trainee nurse at the nearby Chogoria Mission Hospital. And in his characteristic Ringo-style, he fell in love headlong with all the intentions of marrying the girl come rain or shine.

And so it came to pass that every Friday evening, Ringo would put his BSA on the road to Meru to go and spend blissful moments with his sweetheart. But because we had grown close for some reason, he kept me fully informed of his plans and exploits for the weekends.

However, one day, the unthinkable happened to Ringo when he got to Meru. He knocked on the door but it took awhile to open unlike other days. When it finally opened, he found a man comfortably seated in the one room house with shoes off. His mental calculations ran wild and he saw the message right on the wall. Within the few weeks he was away in campus, some other man was slowly replacing him!

Instead of creating scene, proud Ringo Star took a few of his belongings he had left in his previous visits and hit the road back to campus in Nairobi. By 9pm that Friday, he was knocking on my door asking me to go out for a drink with him. I was surprised because his visits to Meru usually lasted till Sunday evenings.

Once we were settled at some bar along Koinange Street, it was when Ringo poured his heart out and told me the full story of the events of that evening. He didn’t stop there. It was the moral of the story he gave me that still lingers in my memory more than three decades later.

Ringo looked me in the eye and told me that Jerry; if you ever find yourself in my situation where you realize that either your marriage or relationship is broken, please get out of it before it breaks you. The more you remain in a broken relationship, the more it will mature into violence and even death for either or both of the partners with dire consequences for the offsprings if there are any.

This is why I find it odd that Ambassador Wigwe could have been foolish enough to see the signs of the times and continue in a broken home for all these years only to allow this weakness to shatter his image and career in his sunset years.

The other story that caught my eye this week is the Kenya Government’s merry go round with our ICC cases. Soon after the ICC had thrown out the Government case against admissibility of the case, now good old Amos Wako is still fretting that he will go to the Court of appeal.

Perhaps it is time Amos Wako accepted defeat and that his time was up considering that he has only two months to retire. Considering the magnitude of this case, Wako must realize that whatever needs to be done now; all the battles at The Hague will be fought by the Queen’s counsels he hurriedly hired under the leadership of the new Director of Public Prosecutions.

After spending fortunes between the Law of Office and the Office of the Vice President on irrelevant and wasteful political tourism under the guise of shuttle diplomacy to persuade the AU and the UNO to defer Kenya’s Ocampo Six for at least 12 months; he must realize that failing to plead with the ICC directly has caused Kenya enough political embarrassment internationally. Now it is time to let the ghost of the Ocampo Six rest at The Hague where they should prove their innocence or be proved guilty without being dragged there by Interpol like common fugitives should Kenya be reluctant to hand them over. They will not be the first international suspects to be charged in that court.

Finally; just after nearly two months of the heroic departure of the Ocampo Six to The Hague and their tumultuous return with great funfair, it would appear like the KKK Alliance, the Seven Alliance and all those supporters that accompanied our new heroes have fallen by the way side. Those heroic songs of yonder years have somehow subsided along with planned regional rallies.

Now all we know is talk of the two leading lights going their separate ways. Why? Their grassroots supporters have never bought the idea. Settling the IDPs in the Rift Valley seems to be the gripe that has caused resentment and backlash against William Ruto in his own backyard.

So what happens now for the alliances whose main pull was to beat Raila Odinga at the polls and deny him the presidency? Like they say; the road to the presidency is a marathon race in Kenya. It is never easy or short. It needs a lot of stamina, strategy an enduring spirit to run and win. But again; a day is can be a long time in politics!

jerryokungu@gmail.com

THE SILENT KILLER THAT KILLS ITS SILENT AND SCARED VICTIMS- PROSTATE CANCER

By Jerry Okungu

Nairobi, Kenya

June 1, 2011

After being on this subject for three weeks, I thought I would let the ghost of my shock rest and move on to other things. However, as I lay in my bed and opened my laptop; I saw a completely different picture. 12,000 and counting messages of all kinds on my face-book and mail box were too much to ignore.

There was something special in these messages; they were full of groups or individuals and churches praying for me all over the world , urging me to fight heard and survive because so many people had learnt of my bravery that followed in the footsteps of my professor Anyang’ Nyongo’ in going public and help other innocent victims.

These messages also came from diverse backgrounds; practicing medics, research institutions and individual herbal practitioners from Africa and the United States. Most cancer research institutions in the USA directed me to sites that could contain all the information I needed to cope with my ailment.

Most prayers by congregations I didn’t know came from Kenyan, Ugandan, Californian, Massachusdsets and Atlanta churches I had never been to. Then I realized that many of my Ugandan readers in the Diaspora and their East African brothers who had followed my writings over the years had taken the lead in interceding for me with a plea to the Almighty that I was still needed here on earth to continue sharing my thoughts with them. For this reason; with this number of responses to my articles on my condition, I found it appropriate to thank all of you individuals and groups that have prayed for me, wished me well and given me free advice on how to cope with my condition.

At another lever, a number of my relatives and friends who visited me in hospital; someone like Kimenyi Waruhiu who lost his father to the same disease in March 2011 was brave enough to visit with me in my bed and encourage me to continue talking about it to help other people not die in silence.

Listening to my close relatives in America; I received mixed signals about this disease. Some of them, quite in informed about many things had never bothered to go for their screenings. Now, despite my experience, they were ready to brave the trauma and know their status.

Having said the above, any successful measure to curb this disease in East Africa is to thoroughly improve healthcare facilities in the region so that many hard working East Africans can enjoy universal health cover as well as be availed state of the art screening machines that can detect early infections to make treatment easy and more affordable.

Hospitals like Mulago General Hospital in Kampala, Kenyatta National Hospital and Dar as Salaam’s National Hospitals should be elevated to international referral facilities capable of handling cases of many now treatable terminal illnesses associated with cancer, TB and Aids.

Our Medical Research Institutions like KEMRI in Kenya, Malaria Research Center in Tanzania and I know there are others in Rwanda and Burundi should be elevated to credible Medical Research Institutions with adequate funding that can enable them partner with more endowed institutions in Western countries to help combat this menace at home .

However, the biggest drawback in fighting prostate cancer is the African attitude and cultural beliefs surrounding it that makes its victims suffer in silence and solitude. The fact that it attacks prostate glands that are responsible for facilitating productive organs in the male body; the fact that the cancer cells feed voraciously on the male hormones produced in the prostate area, our fear is that once we have it, the only chance we have is to remove the prostate gland and render us impotent for the rest of our lives. In Africa, the fear of inability to have normal sex or produce children at any age is a huge psychological barrier to dealing with prostate cancer.

Right now, there is so much literature churning out of credible institutions in the USA and Europe on how to handle cancer and even avoid the hazardous routes of surgery, radio and even chemotherapy. All one needs to do is to do the simple things of life; get screened early and help yourself, family and friends to cope better with your illness.

This cultural attitude must change with diseases that attack our reproductive organs. We must not fear talking about these taboos with our children. It is better to warn them earlier rather than later. If we have broken the myths over HIV and AIDS, we can break the myth over this killer called prostate cancer.

If we can declare HIV and Aids our national disasters with support from the International Community, we can declare prostate cancer that attacks nearly 100,000 rural and urban Kenyans a year. If this disease can kill 9 million Americans in one year; you can imagine how many people die of this disease in Africa alone where detection and treatment mechanisms are barely there even for the urban dwellers.

Yes, this region needs many voices to combat this disease. Ambassadors of good will may be required to champion this new frontier. I’m ready to help in this area as a suffering victim.

jerryokungu@gmail.com