Just a thought

Okay, it seems that the controversy surrounding the sale of the Grand Regency hotel just went a notch higher. Apparently, the Libyan owners of the luxurious hotel have changed the name to Laico regency or something of the sort. Now, if that’s not a lousy stamp of ownership being brandished before us, then I don’t know what is. The hint is loud and clear for all you doubting Thomases; the hotel is ours so back off! That’s what they seem to be saying.

So I’m left to wonder; what exactly will the Cockar commission accomplish, now that business seems to be going on as usual? The hard fact is that the Libyans are not about to back off. They have a tenacious grip on the hotel title deed and no amount of “evidence”, accusations and counter accusations will make them budge.

Frankly speaking, this all seems to me to be a waste of time, energy and money. Just like any other commission of inquiry, this one will also go down in history as yet another group of persons who sat down and produced a document. Nothing will come of it. Because one would expect some sort of intervention whereby, the disputed hotel is reclaimed by the CBK until the matter of the inappropriate sale is sorted out.

But if the events on the ground are anything to go by, then this is all but a pipe dream. It was only about three weeks ago that Gaddafi’s special envoy, Mr Bashir Saleh Bashir gave a terse statement to the effect that the Libyan government is officially the new owner of the hotel(whether we like it or not) and that the debate as to whether the hotel should be repossessed by the CBK is moot.

Well, there you have it; the Grand Regency, sorry, the Laico Regency, is well and truly gone. Yup, what’s gone is gone. Deal with it!

In other news…

The VP’s wife apparently pockets 400K per month. Okay, I may be behind events on this one but seriously, someone explain to me exactly why she is earning so much money. What exactly is all this money for? And when was it decided that she should be paid by taxpayers’ money for doing whatever it is she is supposed to do? Crikes! What else is new???

My God! This is really the straw that breaks the camel’s back!

A DVD a Day May Keep Fazul Away

Well, I thought that in this day and age of unfathomable technology and mind reeling advancement, the entire world would have caught on and tried out a few high-tech antics in almost every sector; from science, agriculture to even security.

Of course the “First” world is well past this stage of trying out the novel technical mish mash that constitutes technological know how. It’s the developing countries that are slowly, but steadily getting grip of the wonders of technology and trying to put these to use to better the performance of their institutions.

Well, I may have beaten around the bush somewhat so let me hit the nail squarely on the head. Is it that our Kenyan police force are not dazzled by any of this technical how or is it that they are completely stymied when it comes to dealing with the apprehension of international terrorists and other criminals?

Take for instance the case of Fazul Abdullah a.k.a Fazul of the August bomb blast that shook Nairobi in 1998. The guy is clearly leaving the cops in a bit of a stupor. Because if the facts are right, then this man may just be the next best bet after Houdini; he has managed to creep, crawl, jump, dash and sidle through every possible nook, exit and barricade that the police have managed to create and left them looking dimmer than a hydrogen bulb.

Why is it that the police have been unable to nab the “most wanted terrorist” on this side of the Sahara? Despite the numerous tip offs, close encounters and manpower that they have, they simply just cant catch Fazul! And to think that the fellow has a kidney problem that would make a toothache seem like a mild cold. He probably cant even walk straight. But no! Somehow, some way, he has managed to elude the police, over and over again.

The worst part is that they always appear thoroughly unfazed and diffident when relaying their incapability to nab the bomber. Like recently when a team of anti-terrorist officers ambushed a building where Fazul was hiding in, it somehow didn’t seem to cross their minds that the building needed to be completely surrounded. So while the good police were busy hammering in the front door, the terrorist managed to sneak out through the back and rush away to sweet freedom. Again!

For crying out loud, haven’t the numerous programmes such as 24, Prison Break and CSI, just to name a few, taught these fellows anything? Okay, I know these programmes may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but frankly speaking, if I was a cop, I think I’d be keen to know just what exactly these “cop programmes” have to offer that I don’t already know. Whether its fictitious or fact. Because I bet there are some pretty cool moves and antics that many a cop would learn. Even our very own “Cobra Squad” may have something to offer.

Forget the crazy sci-fi effects and the coded gibberish that the actors bark at each other when approaching a building where a suspect is holed in. Concentrate on how they approach the building or suspect, how they speak, how they walk, crawl, creep or dash in and how they accost the suspect etc etc. I think its surprising what one can learn from these programmes.

True, they are just but figments of some very creative director’s imagination, but frankly, some ideas are quite feasible.

So please, someone lend these guys a DVD or two. Maybe this may just give them a couple of ideas on how to deal with Fazul and his cohorts.

And his nine lives may quickly come to a screeching end.