In July, 2008, I, Princess Rachella, Intrepid African American Girl International Journalism Consultant, pulled up stakes once again and headed to Nairobi, Kenya. Through my various adventures, I've concluded that if I get any MORE explosively fabulous in these prequel years to "THE BIG 5-0," I will have to register myself with the Pentagon as a thermonuclear incendiary device.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

"I'm Just Sayin,' Dawg...." Part 9


All-righty-THEN! Today's Kenyan newspapers offered me just the bracing dose of reality I need to climb back on board the Crazy Train called "Life in Nairobi" tomorrow morning.

On the front page of the Star, we learned that Prime Minister Raila Odinga is miffed because he gets the same salary as Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka. At about a million and a half shillings per month ($19,000 USD) , it's less than President Kibaki's haul of 3.2 million shillings, so I reckon Mr. O wants to land somewhere in the middle.

He 's SO miffed, in fact, that he would rather not be paid at all than settle for less than what he deserves.

Meanwhile, on the front page of the Daily Nation, we learn that in some parts of drought-stricken, famine-plagued Kenya, people have resorted to using pig feed to make the Kenyan dietary staple called "chapatis." They're sort of like pita bread, FYI. Those pig feed chapatis are making children sick, and some officials have warned that they might contain pesticides or other chemicals harmful to humans. But starving parents don't have any other options.

Wrenching choice, huh? But, hey, at least the Prime Minister has the option of refusing his salary unless he gets an appropriate raise.......

"I'm just sayin', dawg...."

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