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Heavy responsibilities for elder aunt among the Logooli

With Seenge Fonesi. She is the elder grand daughter of Isagi and elder daughter of Amugasya. She is often present in functions involving the family of Amugasya. Pic taken on 18/4/2024. The elder sister soon becomes the elder aunt. It is this “seenge munene” (elder aunt) tag that she is tied to many cultural responsibilities – back home. To her marital family she may appear as any other woman, but she is not so in the eyes of her people. Marriage does not steal her away as it would happen with other daughters of the old man. To her, as days go and the old man and woman of the estate are dependents, she becomes increasingly present.  Her brothers also need her for almost all traditional markings. They are marrying, she needs to welcome the new wife. They are giving birth, she needs to come to midwife or “bless” the new born. They are paying dowry she needs to lead the women delegate. There is a conflict she needs to come for a hearing.  And many others. Traditions does not expect her to
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Kenya Census 2019

Real census. 👆🏾😄. What I was asked today by the census chaps was too small, too shallow, too plain. As if I was some visitor to my mother country, Kenya. 

A country that I should so dedicate my talents and resources to bettering. A country that should ask me whether I am motivated by its leadership, its development agenda or if so far I am thankful of its service. Questions that should revolve around my attitude and dreams for this country. More pressing citizen needs. Not forgetting questions on injustice, discrimination and inequality. This would have been the best time to gather real nation's manifesto for the next governments - not the repetitive empty political statements. 

Ten years is one thirds lifetime of a generation. I will be almost 40 by the time such an exercise is conducted again. Tell me, if the government does not know Lung'afas' (there are many Lung'afas out there. 😄) aspirations for  the community and the country as of now so that it can harness that potential, how will we be convinced for anything at 40? That is a new generation away. What inspired me no longer does. Maybe I will have defected to hopelessness - by the way they should have had questions on behavior and addictions. Not so open. Social scientists would have advised how to frame them! 

18billion is a lot of money to spend in going thither with a questionnaire such as of Kenya Census 2019. Do not ask me about my bicycle, it does not define anything close to me, ask about the roads. Not whether I have a television but what information do I need. Medicinal, anthropological, Advocacy (not political), agricultural... etc. I should be asked what private (if I would have been a PSC guy) developments I pursue. Of course they may not because it would be about building rental homes or so. Nothing much. 

It would not matter the time. Time is there. Who can exhaust it? If it took a month or so to have this information. Not necessarily with my identities there. Could be one should have just shown their ID to ensure they were interviewing a Kenyan (lots of Ugandans around) and it rests there on identification. Then the process begins. For asking me whether I own a boat or not is not helpful. So what? If there is no fish in the lake due to overfishing or harmful effluent, will they drop some on the boat? Akh. 

In conclusion, may we now count ourselves as change agents for the good we need. The government may delay. The President may be busy with international affairs. On his behalf, we perform our roles. 

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