Fiat Lux
May 12 2016 – The reader may still remember the nickname “La Pasionaria” I wrote about a few years ago in this space. Well, she was that Spanish woman who stood at burning barricades in 1930s Madrid, under the fire of the fascists under General Francisco Franco, and urged the republican resisters with the immortal words, “No Pasaran!” They Shall Not Pass! Her real name was Isidora Dolores Ibarruri Gomez,…
April 7 2016 It was a foregone conclusion; it was not going to succeed, and it sure as hell failed. The move by a section of the South African parliament to impeach President Jacob Zuma over the so-called Nkandla scandal was always going to flop, because of the lopsidedness of the House, which still has a huge majority of African National Congress (ANC) members. The political organization which spearheaded 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…...
Dember 24 2015 – I doubt there is a place on earth where people’s names praise God as much as they do in Rwanda and Burundi. All the Kinyarwanda and Kirundi names ending with “Imana” are talking about God. These are names such as “It-is-God-who-creates”, or “ I- trust-in-God”, or “It-is-God-who-saves,” Or, even, “What-I-have-more-than-you is-God”. Then you have names which do not mention “Imana” directly but allude to him, such…...