Fiat Lux
September 22 2016 – Am I alone in having this feeling, that we are witnessing unprecedented police shootings of African Americans in the United States? Feelings, of course, do not need empirical evidence to be credible, but I suspect that if one did a scientific study in this area, this feeling would be borne out. This is true: There is hardly a week that passes by these days without news…
October 22 2015 There are so many ways of appreciating issues related to corruption in our countries, and some of them can be quite edifying. I have heard of corruption as the very essence of power, as in power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. This would tend to mean that as long as you get involved with power you cannot choose but be corrupt. There are those who say there…...
Pardon me if I’ve already told you this one, but it’s a favourite of mine from a film I watched as a young man. It was based on Rudyard Kipling’s “The Man Who Would Be King”, and starred Sean Connery and Michael Caine. Two young English adventurers arrive at the gate of some Western Asian town, probably occupied by the Pashtun. This is an area forever in thrall to the…...
March 2 2017 Chirau Ali Mwakwere “Zipapa” is a former Kenyan minister and ambassador who is so funny he could make the Sphinx laugh. He can also belt out a song at a moment’s notice, in Kiswahili, English or Lingala. He speaks impeccable Kiswahili, and claims the language originated from Kwale, his home county where he is contesting the gubernatorial seat in the upcoming elections. All the foregoing, however, is…...