Prof. Otieno Opondo

24/06/2024

If you grew up in the rural and peri-urban areas of Nyanza during the 1980s and 1990s, you likely encountered the phrase "kuon gi kado," which translates directly to "ugali and soup." This phrase, ubiquitous at many a dinner table in these regions, served as a parental admonition for children to consume food sparingly.

The ethos of "kuon gi kado" extended beyond the dinner table into other aspects of life. It was common for siblings to share clothes, and it was typical to see schoolchildren wearing oversized uniforms, tailored with the expectation that they would "grow into" them.

The underlying cause of this frugality can be traced to the Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) implemented by the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and other Bretton Woods institutions during the 1980s.

These programs mandated a series of economic reforms as prerequisites for securing loans. Consequently, our parents endured a harsh economic environment characterized by scarce resources, necessitating a survivalist approach where the available resources had to be meticulously conserved.

As we have grown older, the economic challenges have persisted and, in many respects, intensified. However, unlike our parents, who were coerced into a state of fear-induced silence during Moi's regime, the current generation is actively addressing these issues. The climate of fear has dissipated, and the Gen Z have become vocal and proactive in seeking change

19/03/2024

When they're not drinking waragi, Ugandans spend their spare time secretly hating Kenyans. Maybe it’s due to our aggressiveness, but those Museveni people have always viewed us with suspicion to the extent that they branded us bayaaye.

Now, you can be anything in Uganda except a muyaaye.

Once you’ve been given the muyaaye tag, my friend, you’re done. Just pack your things and go back to your country.

The qualities of a muyaaye are mostly stereotypical. It could be the hairstyle, dress code, language or, in our case, the country of origin.

In this regard, everyone from Kenya was a certified muyaaye, until proven otherwise.

Not that we were entirely blameless. Far from it. In hostels, we played loud music, drunk like sailors, womanized and defaulted on rent. As a result, landlords blacklisted us.

So, we devised a novel way of renting. While house hunting, we’d send meek Tanzanians to rent on our behalf. Once the rent for the whole semester was paid and receipted, we’d swoop in and occupy the hostel rooms.

Until our plan was discovered.

Undeterred, we went back to the drawing board and came up with a genius plan. This time, we would not send anyone. We’d house hunt ourselves but change our dress code. So we dressed like staunch Jehova Witnesses and assumed a humble and Godly persona. Heck, we sometimes, when the circumstances called for it, carried Bibles!

When looking for a house, the first question people ask is whether there’s running water, stable electricity, so on and so forth.

Us, the first question we asked was whether there’s a church nearby. Bwana, it worked like a charm. We beat the Ugandan landlords at their own game.

The other reason why we were branded bayaaye had to do with the other gender, but that is a story for another day.

01/03/2024

08/01/2024

East African Community: From Regional Integration to Regional Inter-Aggression

Just when I thought the East African Regional Bloc had bitten more than it could chew, I've just learnt that the Federal Republic of Somalia signed a Treaty of Accession with the bloc last December.

It's my belief that by expanding to include countries in the conflict-prone Great Lakes Region, EAC was setting itself up for possible disintegration.

The forever war in DRC, and the role played by Kigali, Bujumbura and Kampala, the cold war between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam in one part and Nairobi and Kampala on the other, coupled with the instability in Juba and Mogadishu can only be recipe for disaster.

Such aggression doesn't augur well with the region's unity.

Other partner states in EAC — Africa’s fastest integrating Bloc — are the Republic of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of South Sudan, Republic of Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.

04/01/2024

Thanks for being a top engager and making it on to my weekly engagement list! 🎉 Simon Nomis, Moses Macharia Nderu, Tshamano Nndwammbi, Bruno Alexious Jacksons Jacksons

26/12/2023

Your Nairobi girlfriend has just woken up in some AirBnB in Kisumu wearing nothing but her sponsor's oversized Tshirt.

“Babe, utakula mayai boil ama fry?” she melodiously asks her sated Mubaba as she softly sings “Eeeh baba nikupe nini na yote ni mali yako.”

The singing is proudly sponsored by a night of Olympic-level bed gymnastics and acrobatics, topped up by a sensual session of morning glory.

Yet she told you she’ll travel to the village to see her ageing parents. You even escorted her to the bus stop and gave her a small Christmas for her village relations. She even warned you in advance that her phone will be off since electricity is yet to pass through her village.

Anyway, what do I know.

19/12/2023

What exactly will a school administrator with a background in marketing, procurement, HR and PR do?

He/she will be performing the roles of 5 people: the school administrator, the school marketer, the procurement officer, Human Resource officer and the school Public Relations Officer for a salary of one.

29/10/2023

What is going on in our high schools these days? Looks like our principals have lost their mojo. They no longer instil fear in students. Instead, they have become mere content creators.

First, it was the Kisii High School principal who was caught on camera shooting some music video with the school choir while in full school uniform.

Before the dust could settle, yet another Principal, this time from Friends School Kamusinga, was recorded dancing at some school funkie. The video has gone viral. And you guessed right, he was also in full school uniform.

Bwana, such things were unheard of during our school days. Principals instilled the fear of God into us. I remember Hypolitus Obunga, our principal. Just from the name, he was a man not to be trifled with.

At lunch, the guy would stand in front of the assembly and the whole school would be on toes. Students would get into Usain Bolt mode, tuck in, adjust their ties and unfold their shirt sleeves. Those who had committed offenses would kneel down and start confessing suo moto.

To witness new generation Principals mingling freely, and in full school uniform with their students is indeed a pointer to the brutal fact that I’m old. I can’t relate.

26/10/2023

Ohangla has suffered a class problem. It was considered a preserve for jonjore, the subaltern Luo living in the rural areas and urban slums. The posh Luos, those who considered themselves progressive and modern, leaned towards Congolese rumba.

That Prince Indah will share a stage with Ferre Gola shows how far Ohangla has come. Finally, ohangla has shed it’s rural tag and is ready for the global stage.

23/10/2023

Why bring a nuclear bomb to a knife fight? You want to exterminate the human race?

12/10/2023

It's amazing how a novel written 92 years ago can describe the situation in 2023 almost to a T. I'm talking about Aldous Huxley's dystopian novel "Brave New World"

Published in 1931, Brave New World, together with George Orwell's "1984" are two dystopian novels that have had a profound impact on me.

Of the two, I find Huxley’s to be the most poignant. Yet, it's never mentioned in the same breath as Orwell's. I've drawn some parallels from the two books. Make your own conclusions.

Orwell feared those who would ban books. Huxley feared there’d be no reason to ban books because there’d be no one who wanted to read one.

Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism.

Orwell feared the truth would be hidden from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance.

Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture.

In short, Orwell feared that what we hate would ruin us. Huxley feared the opposite; what we love would ruin us.

12/10/2023

Jada Pinkett revealed that she and Will Smith have secretly been separated since 2016. The separation was so secret that Will only found out about it yesterday.