There was a news item on one of the local Radio Stations on the Copperbelt recently. It was about a minor who was nearly defiled by a youth in one of the townships.
Twelve year old , Angela (not her real name) was sent by her mother to go and purchase some groceries from the market.
The market is a distance away from the girl's home. She had to walk on a footpath, that passes through a small patch of bush and grass for about three hundred metres, before she could reach the market.
As she was walking on the footpath, she sensed that someone was following her.
When she looked back she saw a young man of about twenty five hurrying to catch up with her.
Sensing danger, she started running away from him. He soon caught up with her and forcefully dragged her into a nearby bush.
At this moment, the girl started shouting for help at the top of her voice.
The brute forced her to the ground and was soon on top of her. He started to undo his zipper whilst attempting to stop her from shouting by gagging her with a piece of cloth.
He was about to defile her when three men and a woman, who had heard the shouts of the girl, arrived on the scene.
They pounced on the young man and dragged him away from the minor before he could do any harm to her.
He was slapped hard on the face by the three men.
As a result of the noise from the commotion, a crowd soon grew around the scene.
Some people were about to lynch the young man for his evil intentions.
After some heated debate amongst the people in the crowd, a decision was made to take him and the girl to the nearest police station.
The mother to the girl was informed about the incident. She rushed to the police station in great shock.
The young man was locked up in the police cells and the girl's mother was told to take her to hospital for a medical report.
The medical report indicated that the girl was not sexually violated in any way.
The young man was released from police custody the following day, after paying an admission of guilty charge.
The people of the township were incensed with the police decision of merely charging the young man with "conduct likely to cause breach of public peace".
The following day, a group of angry people from the neighbourhood, where the girl stays, converged on the police station to protest.
They demanded to know why the young man was freed.
They had expected him to be locked up in remand prison awaiting court trial for an offence of attempted defilement of a minor.
The police allegedly told them that there is no such criminal offence as "attempted defilement" !
The crowd was not happy with this explanation. They soon became unruly and were about to riot.
They were warned that their action could result in them being locked up for "conduct likely to cause the breach of public peace."
When one ponders over this case, it looks very unfair to the poor girl and her mother.
Did it require the offending man to actually sexually penetrate the girl for him to be charged with the intended criminal offence ?
Why is it that attempted murder is a criminal offence whilst attempted rape and attempted defilement are not ?
Were the police in order to charge the man with an offence of conduct likely to cause breach of public peace ?
If the family of the minor decided to sue the man, what is the appropriate law that would apply?
It is high time our law makers made a review of some of the laws that are not protecting the rights of vulnerable people like women and children.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
When the Lord is in your Favour
I was at our church's weekly prayer meeting recently. The theme of the meeting was "When the Lord is in my favour
the devil loses direction".
In the holy bible, there are many accounts of the men and women of God who were persecuted for serving the Lord.
There is the story of Daniel who was thrown in the den of lions after he defied a thirty-day decree banning anyone from praying to any other god apart from the king.
"So the king gave the order, and Daniel was brought and thrown into a den of lions. The king consoled Daniel by saying, "Your God whom you continually serve will rescue you!"" (Daniel 6:16).
The Lord surely rescued Daniel from the lions which paid no attention to his presence in their den .
There is a story of the prophet Jeremiah who was thrown in a dungeon and later released because the Lord was with him.
King Zedekiah was warned by Jeremiah to evacuate the city before the arrival of the Babylonian army. The king was stubborn and did not listen to Jeremiah's advice. Instead, Jeremiah was thrown into a deep well full of mud to die, for demoralising the defending army.
Jeremiah was rescued by the Lord after an Ethiopian court official , Ebed Melech, appealed to the king to release him.
The king was later captured and tortured by the Babylonian army.
(Jeremiah 38 , 1 - 15
Jeremiah 39 , 15 - 18)
When the Lord speaks to your heart , do not be swayed by human influence.
In our own lives we encounter many challenges where human reasoning does not help at all.
I recall one experience when I was very young. There was famine in the land after the heavy rains of 1957.
People were forced to eat all sorts of edible items such as tubers and maize chaff.
The following planting reason, there was debate whether the maize seed that was available should be planted or be eaten.
A lot of people decided to eat their seed in order to avert imminent starvation.
Those who planted their maize seed, got a good harvest the following year. Hunger persisted amongst those who decided to eat their seed.
Perseverence in trusting the Lord in all situations, is like one taking a decision to plant the only grain available amidst hunger and starvation.
When the Lord is in your favour, the devil loses direction !
the devil loses direction".
In the holy bible, there are many accounts of the men and women of God who were persecuted for serving the Lord.
There is the story of Daniel who was thrown in the den of lions after he defied a thirty-day decree banning anyone from praying to any other god apart from the king.
"So the king gave the order, and Daniel was brought and thrown into a den of lions. The king consoled Daniel by saying, "Your God whom you continually serve will rescue you!"" (Daniel 6:16).
The Lord surely rescued Daniel from the lions which paid no attention to his presence in their den .
There is a story of the prophet Jeremiah who was thrown in a dungeon and later released because the Lord was with him.
King Zedekiah was warned by Jeremiah to evacuate the city before the arrival of the Babylonian army. The king was stubborn and did not listen to Jeremiah's advice. Instead, Jeremiah was thrown into a deep well full of mud to die, for demoralising the defending army.
Jeremiah was rescued by the Lord after an Ethiopian court official , Ebed Melech, appealed to the king to release him.
The king was later captured and tortured by the Babylonian army.
(Jeremiah 38 , 1 - 15
Jeremiah 39 , 15 - 18)
When the Lord speaks to your heart , do not be swayed by human influence.
In our own lives we encounter many challenges where human reasoning does not help at all.
I recall one experience when I was very young. There was famine in the land after the heavy rains of 1957.
People were forced to eat all sorts of edible items such as tubers and maize chaff.
The following planting reason, there was debate whether the maize seed that was available should be planted or be eaten.
A lot of people decided to eat their seed in order to avert imminent starvation.
Those who planted their maize seed, got a good harvest the following year. Hunger persisted amongst those who decided to eat their seed.
Perseverence in trusting the Lord in all situations, is like one taking a decision to plant the only grain available amidst hunger and starvation.
When the Lord is in your favour, the devil loses direction !
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Praying for Peace
There are certain things that we take for granted on this earth. Life is the greatest thing that one can experience. But can one really imagine what it would be like when one's life is finally taken away at the deathbed ? Life is one mystery God has given us and no man has really come to fully understand it. Once life is taken away from a person, his physical presence on earth comes to an end.
On 28 October 1994, I was admitted into an intensive care unit of a hospital, after collapsing whilst I was at work. The cause of this was later diagnosied to be due to a severe internal bleeding from an ulcer I had in the big intestine. I lost close to two litres of blood of my body within hours. This resulted in me going into a state of shock followed by a coma.
Being in a coma is not an experience one can really describe by any means. It is a state where one is near death, and one can not recall what it is like.
One only feels that he has come back to life when the medical team brings him back to a state of consciousness. There is no feeling at all when one is in a comatose state.
For one to live on this earth one should have the three basic requisites to maintain it. These are food , clothing and shelter. Apart from these basic needs, one should live in a country where there is peace.
Peace, like life, is very difficult to appreciate whilst it lasts. When any country is at war (not at peace) there is a lot suffering of its nationals. This is because of the immense destruction of life and infrastructure.
War can breakout between two or more nations or within a nation. The latter is called a civil war in which the people of the same country fight each other.
A civil war usually breaks out after some time of internal disquiet due to political or ethnic differences.
This is usually caused by one group trying to subdue the other by fraudulent acquisition of political power or having a lion's share of the wealth of the country.
The peace of any country can only be maintained when there is brotherly unit amongst its citizens.
When any war breaks out it is only when it comes to an end, that one appreciates what peace is. It is just like when someone comes out of a coma to appreciate what life is.
Our Lord Jesus Christ reminds us of the need for peace in the following passage :
"Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and no town or house divided against itself will stand." (Matthew 12:25).
Let us, therefore, all bow down in prayer everyday, to pray for peace between nations, peace within our own nations and peace within our own families. "With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:18). Amen !
On 28 October 1994, I was admitted into an intensive care unit of a hospital, after collapsing whilst I was at work. The cause of this was later diagnosied to be due to a severe internal bleeding from an ulcer I had in the big intestine. I lost close to two litres of blood of my body within hours. This resulted in me going into a state of shock followed by a coma.
Being in a coma is not an experience one can really describe by any means. It is a state where one is near death, and one can not recall what it is like.
One only feels that he has come back to life when the medical team brings him back to a state of consciousness. There is no feeling at all when one is in a comatose state.
For one to live on this earth one should have the three basic requisites to maintain it. These are food , clothing and shelter. Apart from these basic needs, one should live in a country where there is peace.
Peace, like life, is very difficult to appreciate whilst it lasts. When any country is at war (not at peace) there is a lot suffering of its nationals. This is because of the immense destruction of life and infrastructure.
War can breakout between two or more nations or within a nation. The latter is called a civil war in which the people of the same country fight each other.
A civil war usually breaks out after some time of internal disquiet due to political or ethnic differences.
This is usually caused by one group trying to subdue the other by fraudulent acquisition of political power or having a lion's share of the wealth of the country.
The peace of any country can only be maintained when there is brotherly unit amongst its citizens.
When any war breaks out it is only when it comes to an end, that one appreciates what peace is. It is just like when someone comes out of a coma to appreciate what life is.
Our Lord Jesus Christ reminds us of the need for peace in the following passage :
"Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and no town or house divided against itself will stand." (Matthew 12:25).
Let us, therefore, all bow down in prayer everyday, to pray for peace between nations, peace within our own nations and peace within our own families. "With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:18). Amen !
The Shock After
I was watching a sermon, via satellite television, recently. The theme of the sermon was on "The Shock on The Day of Judgement" . This was according to scripture from Matthew: 7, 21 - 23 , Matthew: 25, 11 - 12 , Luke:13, 26 - 27 and 1 John: 4, 20 .
The Lord is telling us that it is not everyone who says "Lord, Lord" to Him that shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
There is a tendency to think that, by doing what is perceived to be "good" in the eyes of men, it will make one righteous. This is not necessarily the case.
A good deed maybe done in bad faith. For example, one can give you a gift (which is a good act in itself ) but with an intention to get a favour from you. The "gift" then becomes a bribe and is a crime which is punishable by law.
In the Bible there is a story of a man who died when he got hold of the ark of God as it lost balance whilst being transported.
The Lord had commanded that the ark was not to be touched at all .
"When they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and grabbed hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him on the spot for his negligence. He died right there beside the ark of God." (2 Samuel 6:6-7).
A lot of people have been trapped by machinations of others which are intended to lure them into sin.
Consider the imaginary story of a couple that has been married for thirty years and has four children. The man is send for a six month course overseas. Whilst there, he falls in love with a woman who is a fellow trainee at the institution where the course is conducted.
For thirty years the couple was happily married, until when the man meets the other woman who lures him into sin. This is like the story of Uzzah who grabbed and got hold of the ark of God. His excuse ? "because the oxen stumbled" !
He decides to divorce his wife of thirty years because of the alleged infidelity. He engages a divorce lawyer so that the woman he met overseas is able to marry him as soon as he comes back from training. The couple which is about to be divorced, had married and made their vows before God in a church. This comes as a shock to fellow christian members. His reason for divorce is an allegation that the wife has been unfaithful to him whilst he was overseas. He even got some photos taken by a "private detective" showing his wife in the company of other men at late hours. These photos are actually doctored to suit the alleged unfaithfulness.
On arrival at the airport from overseas, the man and his fiancee are not received by any family members. They do not approve of the marriage .
A $10,000 wedding is planned to take place within a month of their arrival.
They decide to stay in a rented flat where they are to stay for sometime before they buy a house to live in.
Their wedding is attended by a handful of people. The church to which the man and his wife had been members for many years of their lives has nothing to do with it.
On the day of the wedding, they are struck by a bolt of lightning, moments before they make their vows before a priest, who was hired to marry them.
The priest survives and is hospitalised for thirty days as a result of burns he sustains from the bolt of lightning.
The lesson we learn from this fictious story is this :
"If anyone says "I love God" and yet hates his fellow Christian, he is a liar, because the one who does not love his fellow Christian whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen." (1 John 4:20).
Christianity is about following the will of God, not the whims of men.
The Lord is telling us that it is not everyone who says "Lord, Lord" to Him that shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
There is a tendency to think that, by doing what is perceived to be "good" in the eyes of men, it will make one righteous. This is not necessarily the case.
A good deed maybe done in bad faith. For example, one can give you a gift (which is a good act in itself ) but with an intention to get a favour from you. The "gift" then becomes a bribe and is a crime which is punishable by law.
In the Bible there is a story of a man who died when he got hold of the ark of God as it lost balance whilst being transported.
The Lord had commanded that the ark was not to be touched at all .
"When they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and grabbed hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him on the spot for his negligence. He died right there beside the ark of God." (2 Samuel 6:6-7).
A lot of people have been trapped by machinations of others which are intended to lure them into sin.
Consider the imaginary story of a couple that has been married for thirty years and has four children. The man is send for a six month course overseas. Whilst there, he falls in love with a woman who is a fellow trainee at the institution where the course is conducted.
For thirty years the couple was happily married, until when the man meets the other woman who lures him into sin. This is like the story of Uzzah who grabbed and got hold of the ark of God. His excuse ? "because the oxen stumbled" !
He decides to divorce his wife of thirty years because of the alleged infidelity. He engages a divorce lawyer so that the woman he met overseas is able to marry him as soon as he comes back from training. The couple which is about to be divorced, had married and made their vows before God in a church. This comes as a shock to fellow christian members. His reason for divorce is an allegation that the wife has been unfaithful to him whilst he was overseas. He even got some photos taken by a "private detective" showing his wife in the company of other men at late hours. These photos are actually doctored to suit the alleged unfaithfulness.
On arrival at the airport from overseas, the man and his fiancee are not received by any family members. They do not approve of the marriage .
A $10,000 wedding is planned to take place within a month of their arrival.
They decide to stay in a rented flat where they are to stay for sometime before they buy a house to live in.
Their wedding is attended by a handful of people. The church to which the man and his wife had been members for many years of their lives has nothing to do with it.
On the day of the wedding, they are struck by a bolt of lightning, moments before they make their vows before a priest, who was hired to marry them.
The priest survives and is hospitalised for thirty days as a result of burns he sustains from the bolt of lightning.
The lesson we learn from this fictious story is this :
"If anyone says "I love God" and yet hates his fellow Christian, he is a liar, because the one who does not love his fellow Christian whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen." (1 John 4:20).
Christianity is about following the will of God, not the whims of men.
Friday, March 19, 2010
The Quest for Survival
On 16 March 2010 council authorities, for Kitwe City situated on the Zambian Copperbelt, demolished some illegal makeshift market stalls at Kabala Shopping Centre which is in Nkana East township.
This is the second time this has happened, the last time was in June 2009.
Word going round is that the plot on which these structures were put up has been bought by a business enterprise who intend to build a modern supermarket.
We are not going to discuss about the pros and cons of this action by the city authorities.
What is in mind is, how can these marketers, who have a desire to make a living be assisted to make this dream come true ?
A walk around in most African cities and towns reveals a horde of street vendors selling all sorts of merchandise varying from fruit and vegetables to electronic gadgets. Some vendors even sell charms which they claim can improve the libido of men , cure all sorts of illnesses and even bring luck to their customers !
Most of these marketers are poor and have no other means of livelihood apart from selling in the markets or on the streets.
A good number of them are coming from families with problems brought about by loss of employment due to the world economic crunch of 2009 or the death of the bread winner.
In an effort to minimise the number of illegal marketers the Governments, through local authorities, have built a number of markets from which they could operate from.
Due to their poverty, a lot of these are not capable to operate from these markets due to rental fees which are beyond their ability to pay them.
There is also some accusation, from some quarters, about the alleged corrupt way in which market stalls in these modern markets are allocated.
Due to increased unemployment, the number of people who have resorted to selling goods has increased to a level that even the markets being built by the local authorities can not accommodate all traders. This is what has brought the accusation of corruption.
When I visited Europe in the mid 80s I was impressed with the way street vending was organised. In most cities the city square was used as a market on designated days.
People selling goods would converge on the city square and sell their goods from mobile stalls such as caravans . At the end of the day, all traders would clear the city square leaving it spotless clean.
Due to the higher levels of unemployment in Africa, this arrangement may not work.
However, when I visited Tanzania in 2008 , I found that one part of the city of Dar-es-Saalam called Karioko was a huge marketing compound. All sorts of traders are found in this area and one can buy anything one is looking for. They are allowed to trade during the day. They have to clear the streets around 20 hrs. The marketers are required to put all the rubbish left from their trading in huge refuge collectors.
These are cleared by council workers during the night. I noticed that the marketers were very disciplined as far as cleanliness was concerned.
Because of the large number of people trading in Karioko market compound there is a security risk. The authorities have put in place measures to ensure the security of the traders and customers.
The issue of street vending is not unique to any country .
Authorities should put in place measures to ensure that it is controlled. This will result in minimum harassment of the marketers who are entitled to make a living.
This is the second time this has happened, the last time was in June 2009.
Word going round is that the plot on which these structures were put up has been bought by a business enterprise who intend to build a modern supermarket.
We are not going to discuss about the pros and cons of this action by the city authorities.
What is in mind is, how can these marketers, who have a desire to make a living be assisted to make this dream come true ?
A walk around in most African cities and towns reveals a horde of street vendors selling all sorts of merchandise varying from fruit and vegetables to electronic gadgets. Some vendors even sell charms which they claim can improve the libido of men , cure all sorts of illnesses and even bring luck to their customers !
Most of these marketers are poor and have no other means of livelihood apart from selling in the markets or on the streets.
A good number of them are coming from families with problems brought about by loss of employment due to the world economic crunch of 2009 or the death of the bread winner.
In an effort to minimise the number of illegal marketers the Governments, through local authorities, have built a number of markets from which they could operate from.
Due to their poverty, a lot of these are not capable to operate from these markets due to rental fees which are beyond their ability to pay them.
There is also some accusation, from some quarters, about the alleged corrupt way in which market stalls in these modern markets are allocated.
Due to increased unemployment, the number of people who have resorted to selling goods has increased to a level that even the markets being built by the local authorities can not accommodate all traders. This is what has brought the accusation of corruption.
When I visited Europe in the mid 80s I was impressed with the way street vending was organised. In most cities the city square was used as a market on designated days.
People selling goods would converge on the city square and sell their goods from mobile stalls such as caravans . At the end of the day, all traders would clear the city square leaving it spotless clean.
Due to the higher levels of unemployment in Africa, this arrangement may not work.
However, when I visited Tanzania in 2008 , I found that one part of the city of Dar-es-Saalam called Karioko was a huge marketing compound. All sorts of traders are found in this area and one can buy anything one is looking for. They are allowed to trade during the day. They have to clear the streets around 20 hrs. The marketers are required to put all the rubbish left from their trading in huge refuge collectors.
These are cleared by council workers during the night. I noticed that the marketers were very disciplined as far as cleanliness was concerned.
Because of the large number of people trading in Karioko market compound there is a security risk. The authorities have put in place measures to ensure the security of the traders and customers.
The issue of street vending is not unique to any country .
Authorities should put in place measures to ensure that it is controlled. This will result in minimum harassment of the marketers who are entitled to make a living.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Living with Gadgets
When we were young boys between the age of six to twelve , we used to make toys such as cars, aeroplanes, bicycles, cattle and so on from natural clay , stripped maize cobs, stalk and reeds. The making of these toys was quite fun for us as each one was made to stretch his mind of creation to the limit.
I remember the making of a self propelled gadget which was called the "Kadalala". This device was made from the wooden drum of a cotton reel. My mother used to throw these away, after the cotton was used by the domestic science class she used to take.
The Kadalala looked more or less like an imitation of a road construction Roller. I can't recall how this invention came about because none of us has ever seen the Roller before.
To make the Kadalala , a piece of rubber strip was secured on one side of the drum by a locking wooden pin. The rubber strip (from an old motor vehicle tube) was then passed through the central hole of the drum. On the other side the rubber strip passed through a piece of soap cut to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the drum. Thereafter, the rubber strip was secured in tension by a piece of wood which was made to run from the middle of the drum and was some five centimeters longer than its diameter. This piece of wood was used as the crank of the toy.
To put the Kadalala in motion, the crank was wound several times using the right hand to twist the rubber strip whilst the drum was held by the left hand. The toy was then put on the ground and the drum would then roll on its own for several metres. This was to our great amusement.
We used to hold competitions amongst ourselves to get a champion whose Kadalala would move furthest than that of the others.
Over a period we learnt that the stronger the rubber strip the longer the toy would travel as one was able to wind it more times. The rubber strip would snap if it was over wound !
As adults, we own gadgets that are manufactured in modern factories from all over the world. These include cameras , cell phones , computers, televisions and music centres. The sophistication of these gadgets is growing year by year.
Let us consider the cell phone.
In 2000 I owned my first cell phone. It was a Bosch make with a green monochrome screen. It was very bulky and had to be secured in a pouch worn around the waist . In terms of functionality, it was a device with a phone, an alarm clock , a calendar and could send and receive SMS. At that time the Cell phone provider Telecel did not provide the SMS facility. The price of the phone ($150 ) was equivalent to a quarter of one's monthly salary. To buy the phone I had to commute some leave days into cash !
Today, I own a Nokia 6300 cell phone which cost me some $290 in 2007. The same phone is costing less than $200 in 2010.
The Nokia phone is a multimedia device with more than 10 functions which include a web browser, a music player, voice recorder , a camera, a radio, etc.
An equivalent of my first Bosch cell phone which I had in 2000 , is today costing $20 . This is some 13% of the price I had to pay then.
In 2000 people who owned cell phones in the country was limited to the middle and upper income group. Today a lot of people in the lower income group like, school going children and villagers own them.
The price of electronic gadgets is falling at a faster rate than the rise of their sophistication. Some individuals in the higher income group who have to buy the more expensive gadgets in order to maintain their status quo in society, have a challenge to keep up with the higher technology coming with them.
A number have a tough time using them. I had a light moment recently, when a colleague of mine requested me to save a phone number of someone who has just called him in his N95 Nokia phone. He confessed to me that he has not yet mastered how to use it. He only knew how to make a call and send an SMS. He had no idea of using the browser, the bluetooth, the radio and music player, etc.
Why not buy something one is able to comprehend ?
I remember the making of a self propelled gadget which was called the "Kadalala". This device was made from the wooden drum of a cotton reel. My mother used to throw these away, after the cotton was used by the domestic science class she used to take.
The Kadalala looked more or less like an imitation of a road construction Roller. I can't recall how this invention came about because none of us has ever seen the Roller before.
To make the Kadalala , a piece of rubber strip was secured on one side of the drum by a locking wooden pin. The rubber strip (from an old motor vehicle tube) was then passed through the central hole of the drum. On the other side the rubber strip passed through a piece of soap cut to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the drum. Thereafter, the rubber strip was secured in tension by a piece of wood which was made to run from the middle of the drum and was some five centimeters longer than its diameter. This piece of wood was used as the crank of the toy.
To put the Kadalala in motion, the crank was wound several times using the right hand to twist the rubber strip whilst the drum was held by the left hand. The toy was then put on the ground and the drum would then roll on its own for several metres. This was to our great amusement.
We used to hold competitions amongst ourselves to get a champion whose Kadalala would move furthest than that of the others.
Over a period we learnt that the stronger the rubber strip the longer the toy would travel as one was able to wind it more times. The rubber strip would snap if it was over wound !
As adults, we own gadgets that are manufactured in modern factories from all over the world. These include cameras , cell phones , computers, televisions and music centres. The sophistication of these gadgets is growing year by year.
Let us consider the cell phone.
In 2000 I owned my first cell phone. It was a Bosch make with a green monochrome screen. It was very bulky and had to be secured in a pouch worn around the waist . In terms of functionality, it was a device with a phone, an alarm clock , a calendar and could send and receive SMS. At that time the Cell phone provider Telecel did not provide the SMS facility. The price of the phone ($150 ) was equivalent to a quarter of one's monthly salary. To buy the phone I had to commute some leave days into cash !
Today, I own a Nokia 6300 cell phone which cost me some $290 in 2007. The same phone is costing less than $200 in 2010.
The Nokia phone is a multimedia device with more than 10 functions which include a web browser, a music player, voice recorder , a camera, a radio, etc.
An equivalent of my first Bosch cell phone which I had in 2000 , is today costing $20 . This is some 13% of the price I had to pay then.
In 2000 people who owned cell phones in the country was limited to the middle and upper income group. Today a lot of people in the lower income group like, school going children and villagers own them.
The price of electronic gadgets is falling at a faster rate than the rise of their sophistication. Some individuals in the higher income group who have to buy the more expensive gadgets in order to maintain their status quo in society, have a challenge to keep up with the higher technology coming with them.
A number have a tough time using them. I had a light moment recently, when a colleague of mine requested me to save a phone number of someone who has just called him in his N95 Nokia phone. He confessed to me that he has not yet mastered how to use it. He only knew how to make a call and send an SMS. He had no idea of using the browser, the bluetooth, the radio and music player, etc.
Why not buy something one is able to comprehend ?
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
The Quest for Good Life
We all seek to have a good standard of living on this planet .
In order for one's life to be sustained one must have an adequate supply of food , clothing and and a secure shelter.
Throughout our lives we seek ways and means to sustain a good life.
As one given the task to raise a family, an individual is expected to ensure that the three essentials of life are provided .
Depending on the society one is brought up in , a family could be one's spouse , immediate children or distant relatives. Life becomes bearable if one plans it well from the onset.
A good education and a well paying job or running one's business are ways of ensuring that a good life is maintained.
Life of an individual is good as long as it is maintained.
The problems of an individual start once one tries to go beyond the limits of what it takes to maintain a good life.
Maintaining life is like driving a vehicle on a busy highway. One must be fit , both mentally and physically, observe the highway code and ensure that the vehicle is in good condition.
The attainment of these three conditions is not realised over short period of time. It takes time and effort to achieve anything in life.
The tragedy of some people is the greed to attain wealth using underhand means by a flash of time.
We have heard of individuals who have lost their lives being shot by security forces whilst running away with booty . Some have swallowed illegal narcotic drugs in foreign countries with the view of avoiding detection. Some of them have died from the poison of the drugs after unintentionally digesting them during transit. A number have been caught by alert security agents on arrival in their own countries.
The greatest gift a living person has from God is that of life. Just imagine what would it be like if one was not born at all ?
A very close friend of mine recently said :
" Don't expect everything in your life to come like a flashlight at a flick of a switch ! ".
In order for one's life to be sustained one must have an adequate supply of food , clothing and and a secure shelter.
Throughout our lives we seek ways and means to sustain a good life.
As one given the task to raise a family, an individual is expected to ensure that the three essentials of life are provided .
Depending on the society one is brought up in , a family could be one's spouse , immediate children or distant relatives. Life becomes bearable if one plans it well from the onset.
A good education and a well paying job or running one's business are ways of ensuring that a good life is maintained.
Life of an individual is good as long as it is maintained.
The problems of an individual start once one tries to go beyond the limits of what it takes to maintain a good life.
Maintaining life is like driving a vehicle on a busy highway. One must be fit , both mentally and physically, observe the highway code and ensure that the vehicle is in good condition.
The attainment of these three conditions is not realised over short period of time. It takes time and effort to achieve anything in life.
The tragedy of some people is the greed to attain wealth using underhand means by a flash of time.
We have heard of individuals who have lost their lives being shot by security forces whilst running away with booty . Some have swallowed illegal narcotic drugs in foreign countries with the view of avoiding detection. Some of them have died from the poison of the drugs after unintentionally digesting them during transit. A number have been caught by alert security agents on arrival in their own countries.
The greatest gift a living person has from God is that of life. Just imagine what would it be like if one was not born at all ?
A very close friend of mine recently said :
" Don't expect everything in your life to come like a flashlight at a flick of a switch ! ".
Sunday, March 14, 2010
What News ?
Apart from taking food on a regular basis, some people have made it a daily routine to read , listen to or watch the latest news. This would be about local or foreign events.
This habit has become an obsession to them to a point of it becoming an addiction.
With the advent of modern technology , the availability of news has become easy and fast. Before the coming of satellite television and internet it used to take days , if not weeks, before an event occuring in one part of the world was known by the rest.
A lot of events are now broadcast live as they happen. Most of these are sports events.
I recall in 2001 on September 11, when there was a terrorist attack in America. I was on leave, and I was watching BBC World Service television in my living room.
Suddenly , there was a news flash mentioning the attack on the Twin Towers in New York. The horror of the attack was unfolding live infront of me !
Although news is essential for us to inform of what is happening around us, the question one should ask himself is whether one needs to know about it soon enough or hear about at all ?
A live broadcast of an event that is showing a tragedy is unsettling. This is because apart from not knowing the next thing to happen, it is a danger to the news crew tasked to make a recording of it.
I watched the attack on the second Tower with my tongue in the cheek , and I noticed that the news presenter in the BBC studio was also unsettled . The rest of my day was spoiled as I kept recalling what I had just seen.
The other type of news which one should decide whether to follow or not is political news. Time in and time out similar stories are reported in the media.
You would be told about one politician going to visit one part of the country or outside. An agreement signed between this country and that one. One politician denouncing another because of being a member of the opposition or belonging to a leftist organisation. etc.
When I was at the University in the early 70s, we used to buy daily newspapers which we carried into the lecture theatres. We would read these just before or soon after the lectures.
There was a colleague who never bought any newspaper. He was fond of borrowing them from other students to read.
He became so notorious at this habit that, one day someone decided to teach him a lesson.
An old newspaper of the previous year bearing the same date as that of the day was brought into the lecture room. The "newspaper borrower" got hold of it and was captivated by the "news". He kept on nodding his head as he was reading the newspaper. Later someone handed him the current newspaper. The guy was so embarrassed after realising that he had been reading a year-old newspaper for close to five minutes !
This incident demonstrates that some type of news some people are hooked to is not really of any benefit to them.
The only news that is beneficial is the Good News that our Lord Jesus Christ brings to us through the Bible. This News does not become stale with time.
What news are you going to read or listen to today ?
This habit has become an obsession to them to a point of it becoming an addiction.
With the advent of modern technology , the availability of news has become easy and fast. Before the coming of satellite television and internet it used to take days , if not weeks, before an event occuring in one part of the world was known by the rest.
A lot of events are now broadcast live as they happen. Most of these are sports events.
I recall in 2001 on September 11, when there was a terrorist attack in America. I was on leave, and I was watching BBC World Service television in my living room.
Suddenly , there was a news flash mentioning the attack on the Twin Towers in New York. The horror of the attack was unfolding live infront of me !
Although news is essential for us to inform of what is happening around us, the question one should ask himself is whether one needs to know about it soon enough or hear about at all ?
A live broadcast of an event that is showing a tragedy is unsettling. This is because apart from not knowing the next thing to happen, it is a danger to the news crew tasked to make a recording of it.
I watched the attack on the second Tower with my tongue in the cheek , and I noticed that the news presenter in the BBC studio was also unsettled . The rest of my day was spoiled as I kept recalling what I had just seen.
The other type of news which one should decide whether to follow or not is political news. Time in and time out similar stories are reported in the media.
You would be told about one politician going to visit one part of the country or outside. An agreement signed between this country and that one. One politician denouncing another because of being a member of the opposition or belonging to a leftist organisation. etc.
When I was at the University in the early 70s, we used to buy daily newspapers which we carried into the lecture theatres. We would read these just before or soon after the lectures.
There was a colleague who never bought any newspaper. He was fond of borrowing them from other students to read.
He became so notorious at this habit that, one day someone decided to teach him a lesson.
An old newspaper of the previous year bearing the same date as that of the day was brought into the lecture room. The "newspaper borrower" got hold of it and was captivated by the "news". He kept on nodding his head as he was reading the newspaper. Later someone handed him the current newspaper. The guy was so embarrassed after realising that he had been reading a year-old newspaper for close to five minutes !
This incident demonstrates that some type of news some people are hooked to is not really of any benefit to them.
The only news that is beneficial is the Good News that our Lord Jesus Christ brings to us through the Bible. This News does not become stale with time.
What news are you going to read or listen to today ?
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Wealthy But Yet Poor !
Has it ever occured to you to think about the difference between having money and being wealthy ? Did you know that there are some people who have a lot of money and yet poor ?
According to Paul Graham (see references below) wealth is stuff that we want : food , clothing, cars, houses , gadgets , etc . Money on the other hand, is a means of exchange for wealth in a predefined area . For example, in Zambia our means of exchange of wealth within the boundaries of the country is the Kwacha. In South Africa its the Rand and so forth for other countries. Whenever you travel outside the country , you have to exchange your local money into that which is used in the country you are travelling to. Some money such as the American dollar is accepted as a means of exchange of wealth across many nations.
Money in itself is not wealth. Suppose you were given $1 million today , you would certainly jump up in joy because you will be an instant millionaire !
But wait a minute , where were you given that $1 million? Suppose you, somehow, found yourself with that sort of money in the middle of a desert, where there is no food and water nearby, would it be of any use to you ? If you were not rescued in time , you would certainly die of hunger and thirst.
On the hand if you had food, water and some shelter from the great heat of the desert you would survive for a greater length of time without the money .
In this world the so called poor nations have a lot of natural resources in form of minerals, tourist attractions, etc .These resources are exchanged with foreign money, which is commonly referred to as foreign exchange. This money is in turn, used to import finished goods from the "rich" countries where the resources are exported to.
This is a vicious circle in which the countries with a lot of wealth in terms of natural resources find themselves poor because they have no technology to make finished goods (wealth) from their own natural resources.
What then should be done in order to redress this situation ?
Some countries in Asia that were regarded as being poor before , have turned their economies around by exchanging their natural resources with technology to develop themselves.
The challenge is therefore on those countries which have not yet done so to develop their means to create wealth from their abundant natural resources. If this is not done, they shall remain poor despite being wealthy !
"References : "How To Make Wealth" an essay by Paul Graham (2004) . Website link
http://www.paulgraham.com/wealth.html
Originally published in the book "Hackers and Painters - Big Ideas from the Computer Age" a hard cover copy is available at Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d.html/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/187-3280454-6575621?redirect=true&a=0596006624
According to Paul Graham (see references below) wealth is stuff that we want : food , clothing, cars, houses , gadgets , etc . Money on the other hand, is a means of exchange for wealth in a predefined area . For example, in Zambia our means of exchange of wealth within the boundaries of the country is the Kwacha. In South Africa its the Rand and so forth for other countries. Whenever you travel outside the country , you have to exchange your local money into that which is used in the country you are travelling to. Some money such as the American dollar is accepted as a means of exchange of wealth across many nations.
Money in itself is not wealth. Suppose you were given $1 million today , you would certainly jump up in joy because you will be an instant millionaire !
But wait a minute , where were you given that $1 million? Suppose you, somehow, found yourself with that sort of money in the middle of a desert, where there is no food and water nearby, would it be of any use to you ? If you were not rescued in time , you would certainly die of hunger and thirst.
On the hand if you had food, water and some shelter from the great heat of the desert you would survive for a greater length of time without the money .
In this world the so called poor nations have a lot of natural resources in form of minerals, tourist attractions, etc .These resources are exchanged with foreign money, which is commonly referred to as foreign exchange. This money is in turn, used to import finished goods from the "rich" countries where the resources are exported to.
This is a vicious circle in which the countries with a lot of wealth in terms of natural resources find themselves poor because they have no technology to make finished goods (wealth) from their own natural resources.
What then should be done in order to redress this situation ?
Some countries in Asia that were regarded as being poor before , have turned their economies around by exchanging their natural resources with technology to develop themselves.
The challenge is therefore on those countries which have not yet done so to develop their means to create wealth from their abundant natural resources. If this is not done, they shall remain poor despite being wealthy !
"References : "How To Make Wealth" an essay by Paul Graham (2004) . Website link
http://www.paulgraham.com/wealth.html
Originally published in the book "Hackers and Painters - Big Ideas from the Computer Age" a hard cover copy is available at Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d.html/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/187-3280454-6575621?redirect=true&a=0596006624
Friday, March 12, 2010
The ICT Challenge
The Zambian Government recently announced that it is going to use ICT as one of the tools for accelerating development in the country. ICT stands for Information Communication Technology. This incorporates the use of the Internet , Computers , Telephones and other related equipment. In the communication sector the country has made some tremendous strides by the presence of three Cell phone providers with millions of subscribers.
Internet usage on the other hand has been restricted to a few thousand users, most of whom are corporate users who connect via equipment connected to one of the several ISP companies that provide Internet by cable or wireless. For the general public the usage of internet has been restricted to Internet Cafes that are found in most urban and some periurban areas. A few individuals who own multimedia cell phones have access to the internet via the GPRS and , nowadays , EDGE protocols provided by the two of the three Cell phone providers.
To the average citizen the use of internet is limited to sending and receiving e.mail and reading online newspapers and magazines.
Some students in higher institutions of learning use the Internet for study material research.
The main reason why the Internet has not been widely used is because of the prohibitive cost of using it. An average cost of browsing in an Internet Cafe is around $2 per hour. This cost is fixed irrespective of the speed of connection ! For the GPRS and EDGE connections the cost is around $0.25 per Megabyte and is not depended on the time it takes to be connected to the Internet. The two Cell phone providers do sell some modems which can be connected to Personal Computers . Some smart phones can also connect direct to the Internet or can be used as modems for Personal Computers. This is a cheaper form of Internet currently available to the general public.
With the installation of the fibre optic cable by ZESCO and Zamtel around the country, the cost of using Internet is expected to drop sharply in due course.
This will see a greater use of the Internet by the general public to the extend it is used in other countries in America, Europe, Asia and in South Africa. In these countries, Internet is provided to homes via high speed broadband connections at very cheap rates. High speed free Internet is also provided to customers in some restaurants and airports via Wifi connections. There are some places in Zambia where Wifi is available to customers.
The use of Internet is unlimited . It can be used for Internet Marketing , Social Networking and Communication. Nowards most Businesses are run online with minumum use of paper. Online libraries are now becoming popular world wide. The sky is the limit !
The use of ICT in the country is expected to increase sharply during the coming months. It is up to the citizens to make good use of it for business , study and entertainment.
To every good thing there is always the bad side of it. The use of ICT has seen the proliferation of high technology crime. (cyber crime).
Goverment should take measures to train our law enforcement agents in detecting and arresting this new type of crime.
This is our ICT challenge !
Internet usage on the other hand has been restricted to a few thousand users, most of whom are corporate users who connect via equipment connected to one of the several ISP companies that provide Internet by cable or wireless. For the general public the usage of internet has been restricted to Internet Cafes that are found in most urban and some periurban areas. A few individuals who own multimedia cell phones have access to the internet via the GPRS and , nowadays , EDGE protocols provided by the two of the three Cell phone providers.
To the average citizen the use of internet is limited to sending and receiving e.mail and reading online newspapers and magazines.
Some students in higher institutions of learning use the Internet for study material research.
The main reason why the Internet has not been widely used is because of the prohibitive cost of using it. An average cost of browsing in an Internet Cafe is around $2 per hour. This cost is fixed irrespective of the speed of connection ! For the GPRS and EDGE connections the cost is around $0.25 per Megabyte and is not depended on the time it takes to be connected to the Internet. The two Cell phone providers do sell some modems which can be connected to Personal Computers . Some smart phones can also connect direct to the Internet or can be used as modems for Personal Computers. This is a cheaper form of Internet currently available to the general public.
With the installation of the fibre optic cable by ZESCO and Zamtel around the country, the cost of using Internet is expected to drop sharply in due course.
This will see a greater use of the Internet by the general public to the extend it is used in other countries in America, Europe, Asia and in South Africa. In these countries, Internet is provided to homes via high speed broadband connections at very cheap rates. High speed free Internet is also provided to customers in some restaurants and airports via Wifi connections. There are some places in Zambia where Wifi is available to customers.
The use of Internet is unlimited . It can be used for Internet Marketing , Social Networking and Communication. Nowards most Businesses are run online with minumum use of paper. Online libraries are now becoming popular world wide. The sky is the limit !
The use of ICT in the country is expected to increase sharply during the coming months. It is up to the citizens to make good use of it for business , study and entertainment.
To every good thing there is always the bad side of it. The use of ICT has seen the proliferation of high technology crime. (cyber crime).
Goverment should take measures to train our law enforcement agents in detecting and arresting this new type of crime.
This is our ICT challenge !
Youthless Society !
In a recent article "Love Beyond Measure" I talked about the challenge parents have to bring up their children into mature and responsible adults.
March 12 has been declared a Youth Day holiday in Zambia. On this day the youth of the country are given an honour . A youth is an indivual who is below the age of 35 years.
During the struggle for political independence the youth wing of the UNIP party was the most dreaded in the then Northern Rhodesia. The youths were involved in activities that frustrated a lot of the colonial masters' oppressive machinery. They became so powerful that the mere mention of the word "youth" used to bring shivers amongst the ruling white colonial elite.
After independence in 1964, the youth were given a special task to participate in the country's development . This saw the formation of the Zambia Youth Service which later became the now Zambia National Service.
Today more than 80% of the country's population (estimated at 12 million) consist of the youth. The unemployment level in the country is very high. The majority of those not in employment are the youth.
As we observe youth day we should look at ways to find a lasting solution to the plight of our youth. A formation of a "Youth Development Commission" would be a very good idea.
We are a "youthless society" without the participation of our youth in national development.
March 12 has been declared a Youth Day holiday in Zambia. On this day the youth of the country are given an honour . A youth is an indivual who is below the age of 35 years.
During the struggle for political independence the youth wing of the UNIP party was the most dreaded in the then Northern Rhodesia. The youths were involved in activities that frustrated a lot of the colonial masters' oppressive machinery. They became so powerful that the mere mention of the word "youth" used to bring shivers amongst the ruling white colonial elite.
After independence in 1964, the youth were given a special task to participate in the country's development . This saw the formation of the Zambia Youth Service which later became the now Zambia National Service.
Today more than 80% of the country's population (estimated at 12 million) consist of the youth. The unemployment level in the country is very high. The majority of those not in employment are the youth.
As we observe youth day we should look at ways to find a lasting solution to the plight of our youth. A formation of a "Youth Development Commission" would be a very good idea.
We are a "youthless society" without the participation of our youth in national development.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Mirage of Affluence
When I was doing my secondary school education , I was staying in a boarding dormitory at a school which is based in the Western Province of Zambia. The school was run by a Christian Missionary Society . It provided free education to the community in conjunction with the Government's Ministry of Education in Lusaka.
As a child brought up in one of the rural parts of the province, it was a new experience for me to come to use some of the amenities (such as running water and flushing toilets) which were only found in administrative towns and cities of the country. Another new experience was having rice porridge with skimmed milk and sugar for breakfast on an alternative basis with maize porridge.
The "rice" breakfast , as it was commonly referred to by the pupils, was the most popular amongst us. It was regarded as a "European" type of food which was only eaten by the affluent in society.
Due to economic changes in the country,
the school budget became more and more tight. One of the consequences of the reduced budget was the phasing out of the "European" type rice breakfast. This new development brought anguish to all the pupils.
I remember a discussion I had with some friends, where we vowed that once we complete our education and join the working class, we shall be having rice breakfast on a daily basis !
As I joined the working class, years after my secondary education , this vow was never realised !
In life what looks like a necessity today will not remain so forever. Human nature is always to yearn for a "better" living. Once that has been achieved, more and more will be demanded.
No amount of money that one has will ever satisfy his or her needs. This is because these expand as the buying power increases.
The "poor" always envy the "rich". They think that the affluent have no problems because of their money. This is an illusion because the more wealth one has, the more problems (and enemies) he has. Stories are abound regarding this fact .
What one needs in order to sustain life is a shelter , food and clothing. These should be available in moderation. There is no need , for example, to live in a 6 bedroomed house , having a stock of food in three refrigerators and twenty pairs of shoes per person for a family of 4 !
In the Holy Bible it says "Remove falsehood and lies far from me; do not give me poverty or riches, feed me with my allotted portion of bread, lest I become satisfied and act deceptively and say, "Who is the Lord?" Or lest I become poor and steal and demean the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:8-9).
Stay blessed and do not be tricked by the mirage of affluence !
As a child brought up in one of the rural parts of the province, it was a new experience for me to come to use some of the amenities (such as running water and flushing toilets) which were only found in administrative towns and cities of the country. Another new experience was having rice porridge with skimmed milk and sugar for breakfast on an alternative basis with maize porridge.
The "rice" breakfast , as it was commonly referred to by the pupils, was the most popular amongst us. It was regarded as a "European" type of food which was only eaten by the affluent in society.
Due to economic changes in the country,
the school budget became more and more tight. One of the consequences of the reduced budget was the phasing out of the "European" type rice breakfast. This new development brought anguish to all the pupils.
I remember a discussion I had with some friends, where we vowed that once we complete our education and join the working class, we shall be having rice breakfast on a daily basis !
As I joined the working class, years after my secondary education , this vow was never realised !
In life what looks like a necessity today will not remain so forever. Human nature is always to yearn for a "better" living. Once that has been achieved, more and more will be demanded.
No amount of money that one has will ever satisfy his or her needs. This is because these expand as the buying power increases.
The "poor" always envy the "rich". They think that the affluent have no problems because of their money. This is an illusion because the more wealth one has, the more problems (and enemies) he has. Stories are abound regarding this fact .
What one needs in order to sustain life is a shelter , food and clothing. These should be available in moderation. There is no need , for example, to live in a 6 bedroomed house , having a stock of food in three refrigerators and twenty pairs of shoes per person for a family of 4 !
In the Holy Bible it says "Remove falsehood and lies far from me; do not give me poverty or riches, feed me with my allotted portion of bread, lest I become satisfied and act deceptively and say, "Who is the Lord?" Or lest I become poor and steal and demean the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:8-9).
Stay blessed and do not be tricked by the mirage of affluence !
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Love Beyond Measure
When a child is born it brings a lot of joy to the family. There is always a sigh of relief that the birth was without danger and that the mother and child are both safe and healthy. Perhaps the greatest joy comes with the birth of the first born. In our society if there are no children born between a couple there is usually pressure on the man to divorce the "barren" woman. This is a very unfortunate situation where it is assumed that the woman is to blame for the childless situation !
Children are a gift from God and man has no control as to whom shall a child be given to. In the same vein no one has control over what gender of the child to be born shall be.
After the birth of the child the greatest challenge is to raise it to grow into a responsible adult.
Both parents are expected to look after the child by providing its requisites of life.
The baby will in its first twelve months be fed by milk fed from the mother. The milk can be purchased in cases where breast feeding is not feasible. Solid food will then be given after several months.
As the child grows it is taught how to speak a language used in the home it is brought under. In case where the parents are from different tribal or ethnic backgrounds, the couple decides which language the child will be taught.
The biggest challenge we have as parents is to bring the child in a conducive environment so that it grows into a mature human being.
This is love beyond measure !
Children are a gift from God and man has no control as to whom shall a child be given to. In the same vein no one has control over what gender of the child to be born shall be.
After the birth of the child the greatest challenge is to raise it to grow into a responsible adult.
Both parents are expected to look after the child by providing its requisites of life.
The baby will in its first twelve months be fed by milk fed from the mother. The milk can be purchased in cases where breast feeding is not feasible. Solid food will then be given after several months.
As the child grows it is taught how to speak a language used in the home it is brought under. In case where the parents are from different tribal or ethnic backgrounds, the couple decides which language the child will be taught.
The biggest challenge we have as parents is to bring the child in a conducive environment so that it grows into a mature human being.
This is love beyond measure !
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Copy Cats
As a growing child I used to play some games with my fellow boys of my village.
One of our favorites was making toy vehicles out of natural clay.
We would make our "vehicles" and leave them overnight to dry up for game the following day.
We used to play under the shadows of the mango trees of the village.
We would make "roads" for our vehicles and "drive" them along the "roads" by pushing them with our right hands whilst bending down and using both knees and the left arm for "propulsion" . This was not a comfortable game and our knees would be sore and dirty after hours of playing.
After some years someone came up with an idea that instead of pushing the toy vehicles using our hands and knees, we could affix some wooden rods to them for pushing them along the "roads" whilst standing . A "steering" wheel was fixed to the end of the rod. This innovation made our playing more comfortable. We were now able to play for a longer time.
Our parents who used to rebuke us for coming back home with very dirty knees were now happy with us.
During the time of "manufacturing" of the toy vehicles each boy made a toy using his own imagination as there were no blueprints to follow. However, there was one boy who had problems in this regard. What he used to do was to use a stealthy eye to copy what others were making. Since he could not cope up with the speed of those he was copying from, he used to mess up his toys. One time he destroyed his toy half way through and left us and went away sobbing.
Since the boy was one of my best friends. I met him later and consoled him when there were only the two of us. I showed him step by step how he could make a toy. After several failures and my persistent encouragement he mastered how to do it without any problem.
The other boys were surprised to find out later that , the former "car spoiler" as he was nicknamed, was now good at it.
What I have learnt in life is that if you are not good at anything , do not struggle to do it by trying to copy from others without thought. One should go into a step by step learning process. This could be achieved by self studying or being taught by others.
Some people have a capacity of studying on their own without sitting with a tutor in a formal class. Others can only learn by being coached by others.
We can all move forward in our lives by not being copy cats of others.
One of our favorites was making toy vehicles out of natural clay.
We would make our "vehicles" and leave them overnight to dry up for game the following day.
We used to play under the shadows of the mango trees of the village.
We would make "roads" for our vehicles and "drive" them along the "roads" by pushing them with our right hands whilst bending down and using both knees and the left arm for "propulsion" . This was not a comfortable game and our knees would be sore and dirty after hours of playing.
After some years someone came up with an idea that instead of pushing the toy vehicles using our hands and knees, we could affix some wooden rods to them for pushing them along the "roads" whilst standing . A "steering" wheel was fixed to the end of the rod. This innovation made our playing more comfortable. We were now able to play for a longer time.
Our parents who used to rebuke us for coming back home with very dirty knees were now happy with us.
During the time of "manufacturing" of the toy vehicles each boy made a toy using his own imagination as there were no blueprints to follow. However, there was one boy who had problems in this regard. What he used to do was to use a stealthy eye to copy what others were making. Since he could not cope up with the speed of those he was copying from, he used to mess up his toys. One time he destroyed his toy half way through and left us and went away sobbing.
Since the boy was one of my best friends. I met him later and consoled him when there were only the two of us. I showed him step by step how he could make a toy. After several failures and my persistent encouragement he mastered how to do it without any problem.
The other boys were surprised to find out later that , the former "car spoiler" as he was nicknamed, was now good at it.
What I have learnt in life is that if you are not good at anything , do not struggle to do it by trying to copy from others without thought. One should go into a step by step learning process. This could be achieved by self studying or being taught by others.
Some people have a capacity of studying on their own without sitting with a tutor in a formal class. Others can only learn by being coached by others.
We can all move forward in our lives by not being copy cats of others.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Counterfeit Bosses
When one is in a position of authority and responsibility such as a manager or a senior official in an organisation , they wield a certain amount of power over their subordinates. It only requires the individual to give a verbal or written instruction to the juniors for it to be executed.
For some individuals, this power becomes an obsession to a point, where they start thinking that even outside their normal operating time they possess it. This is usually observed for individuals who have been with the organisation in one position for a long time. This could be due to their lack of qualifications for a higher position or they are just not "promotable".
I remember one individual , I worked with in some Company some years back. He was fond of giving instructions to his juniors even when he had taken his annual leave. This was despite that someone was acting in his position !
This type of attitude results in a formation of a class of individuals who will obey the boss at the expense of the normal operation of the organisation.
These "yes men" are usual awarded some perks such as non-existant overtime , materials and even money !
This development is not healthy for any organisation as some of the individuals who are not "yes men" to the boss get frustrated and they may even resign from their jobs.
Individuals who misuse their power in this manner, usually end up as destitutes once they leave the "comfort zone" of their positions. This is because the good boys will never follow them outside the organisation. A new boss will come up and they will try to befriend him as they did to the previous boss.
As a boss in any organisation one is expected to keep to its regulations and avoid making divisions amongst the subordinates.
Organisations should look out for such individuals and get rid of them before the cancer spreads to the rest of its structure.
For some individuals, this power becomes an obsession to a point, where they start thinking that even outside their normal operating time they possess it. This is usually observed for individuals who have been with the organisation in one position for a long time. This could be due to their lack of qualifications for a higher position or they are just not "promotable".
I remember one individual , I worked with in some Company some years back. He was fond of giving instructions to his juniors even when he had taken his annual leave. This was despite that someone was acting in his position !
This type of attitude results in a formation of a class of individuals who will obey the boss at the expense of the normal operation of the organisation.
These "yes men" are usual awarded some perks such as non-existant overtime , materials and even money !
This development is not healthy for any organisation as some of the individuals who are not "yes men" to the boss get frustrated and they may even resign from their jobs.
Individuals who misuse their power in this manner, usually end up as destitutes once they leave the "comfort zone" of their positions. This is because the good boys will never follow them outside the organisation. A new boss will come up and they will try to befriend him as they did to the previous boss.
As a boss in any organisation one is expected to keep to its regulations and avoid making divisions amongst the subordinates.
Organisations should look out for such individuals and get rid of them before the cancer spreads to the rest of its structure.
Levelling The Playing Ground
In any game of sports, such as soccer and rugby , the playing ground where the opposing teams play against each other must be level. This way each team is given no fair advantage against their opponents.
In our society , there is a policy that there shall be equal opportunity to all in all fields of human endeavour, irrespective of race, colour , religion or gender.
Wars between nations have been waged, in the past and nowadays, as a consequence of differences in race , colour or religion. As far as one recalls, no war has ever been officially declared as a result of difference in gender !
8 March of each year has been declared International Women's Day. The theme of this year's celebration is equal opportunity for all.
Our womenfolk has a desire to be given the same chance to participate in the human activities of our societies on equal terms with men.
Many countries have taken steps to change laws that discriminated against women in the past. These include equal pay for equal qualification and effort.
The tendency has been that women have been marginalised by being used as tools of exploitation by the men folk.
A typical example here in Africa is that of some of them being made to dance for political leaders at state functions. The list of the exploitation of women by men is endless.
One just hopes that the women will take up the challenge and participate more in all fields of human activity on equal terms with men. They should not allow themselves to be exploitated by the current men dominated society.
In our society , there is a policy that there shall be equal opportunity to all in all fields of human endeavour, irrespective of race, colour , religion or gender.
Wars between nations have been waged, in the past and nowadays, as a consequence of differences in race , colour or religion. As far as one recalls, no war has ever been officially declared as a result of difference in gender !
8 March of each year has been declared International Women's Day. The theme of this year's celebration is equal opportunity for all.
Our womenfolk has a desire to be given the same chance to participate in the human activities of our societies on equal terms with men.
Many countries have taken steps to change laws that discriminated against women in the past. These include equal pay for equal qualification and effort.
The tendency has been that women have been marginalised by being used as tools of exploitation by the men folk.
A typical example here in Africa is that of some of them being made to dance for political leaders at state functions. The list of the exploitation of women by men is endless.
One just hopes that the women will take up the challenge and participate more in all fields of human activity on equal terms with men. They should not allow themselves to be exploitated by the current men dominated society.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Future Failure
Future Failure
"So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34).
In the scripture above, our Lord Jesus Christ reminds us not to worry about what will happen tomorrow.
This may sound illogical at first thought ! One would expect to plan for the future. What the Lord is telling us is that we should focus on tasks to be done today in order to successfully accomplish them . If you can not achieve anything today how do you expect to win tomorrow ? The adage "Tomorrow never comes" is true in all aspects.
I have recently read a book called "The Power of Now . A Guide to Spiritual Enlightment" by Eckhart Tolle, from Wattpad.com
http://www.wattpad.com/99621-the-power-of-now
If you have a java enabled cell phone the book can be downloaded from Wattpad.com and read offline from your mobile phone.
A hardcover copy of this book can also be bought from Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d.html/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/187-3280454-6575621?a=1577311523
In Chapter 2 , Eckhart talks about "create no more pain in the present". He also says that we should remember that " nothing exists out of the present". The past was there for us to learn lessons from so that we do the right thing now . The knowledge you have now is as a result of what you have learnt in a school classroom and life.
If you can not focus on what you should do now you are assured of a "Future Failure" .
Tomorrow can, therefore, be described as your "Future Now" which depends on what you do "Now" !
"So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34).
In the scripture above, our Lord Jesus Christ reminds us not to worry about what will happen tomorrow.
This may sound illogical at first thought ! One would expect to plan for the future. What the Lord is telling us is that we should focus on tasks to be done today in order to successfully accomplish them . If you can not achieve anything today how do you expect to win tomorrow ? The adage "Tomorrow never comes" is true in all aspects.
I have recently read a book called "The Power of Now . A Guide to Spiritual Enlightment" by Eckhart Tolle, from Wattpad.com
http://www.wattpad.com/99621-the-power-of-now
If you have a java enabled cell phone the book can be downloaded from Wattpad.com and read offline from your mobile phone.
A hardcover copy of this book can also be bought from Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d.html/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/187-3280454-6575621?a=1577311523
In Chapter 2 , Eckhart talks about "create no more pain in the present". He also says that we should remember that " nothing exists out of the present". The past was there for us to learn lessons from so that we do the right thing now . The knowledge you have now is as a result of what you have learnt in a school classroom and life.
If you can not focus on what you should do now you are assured of a "Future Failure" .
Tomorrow can, therefore, be described as your "Future Now" which depends on what you do "Now" !
Don't Amend Your Amen
"Let it be so" or "So be it" is a Christian affirmation that is frequently said after prayer or during worship.
When we pray we expect some result out of our prayer. The same is true of when a maize seed is planted in a farm we expect a good harvest of healthy cobs at harvest time.
For a small seed to grow into a big cob it must be planted in fertile soil and have an adequate supply of moisture , sunshine and wind. In a similar manner, a prayer can only be fulfilled if the believer has the right amount of spiritual fertile soil , moisture, sunshine and wind.
Alot of Christians do not experience the fruit of prayer because they always amend their Amens with a spirit of doubt and impatience. How many farmers occasionally dig out the maize seed to check the progress of its growth ? As long as the right conditions for the seed to grow are provided the farmer is assured of a good harvest.
Do not amend your Amen with a spirit of doubt and impatience, for by so doing you are digging out the maize seed of your prayer before it grows !
When we pray we expect some result out of our prayer. The same is true of when a maize seed is planted in a farm we expect a good harvest of healthy cobs at harvest time.
For a small seed to grow into a big cob it must be planted in fertile soil and have an adequate supply of moisture , sunshine and wind. In a similar manner, a prayer can only be fulfilled if the believer has the right amount of spiritual fertile soil , moisture, sunshine and wind.
Alot of Christians do not experience the fruit of prayer because they always amend their Amens with a spirit of doubt and impatience. How many farmers occasionally dig out the maize seed to check the progress of its growth ? As long as the right conditions for the seed to grow are provided the farmer is assured of a good harvest.
Do not amend your Amen with a spirit of doubt and impatience, for by so doing you are digging out the maize seed of your prayer before it grows !
Friday, March 5, 2010
Public Opinion
A friend of mine recently put the following post on his Facebook update " Medical statistics have revealed that one in four people living in Zambia today are suffering from some form of mental disorder.
Examine three of your close friends and if they are in good mental health then that person (with a mental problem) is yourself ! "
This Facebook post was of course meant to be a joke but it provoked me to think of how some people could use some tricks to influence other people's state of mind.
In any society there are some ideas that are considered to be acceptable just because the majority of the society is made to believe in them.
During the one party era in Zambia we were made to believe that the then ruling UNIP party was our only political solution. It took 27 years of our history to shake off this myth .
During the liberation struggle in southern Africa the freedom fighters were labelled as terrorists by the oppressing racists. It took many decades of destructive wars before this myth was blown off.
We have heard of the fairy story about a powerful King who wanted a special garment to be made for him. Since he could not be satisfied by what was being made. He was finally made to walk stack naked and his subjects were made to believe that he was wearing the most immaculate attire in the country ! It took the courage of one small child to point out that their King actually walking naked !
In this world we have a tendency of believing what the powerful in society are in support of.
Examine each situation that you find yourself in and make your own judgement. Believe in your God and forget about what evil forces what you to be subjected to .
Examine three of your close friends and if they are in good mental health then that person (with a mental problem) is yourself ! "
This Facebook post was of course meant to be a joke but it provoked me to think of how some people could use some tricks to influence other people's state of mind.
In any society there are some ideas that are considered to be acceptable just because the majority of the society is made to believe in them.
During the one party era in Zambia we were made to believe that the then ruling UNIP party was our only political solution. It took 27 years of our history to shake off this myth .
During the liberation struggle in southern Africa the freedom fighters were labelled as terrorists by the oppressing racists. It took many decades of destructive wars before this myth was blown off.
We have heard of the fairy story about a powerful King who wanted a special garment to be made for him. Since he could not be satisfied by what was being made. He was finally made to walk stack naked and his subjects were made to believe that he was wearing the most immaculate attire in the country ! It took the courage of one small child to point out that their King actually walking naked !
In this world we have a tendency of believing what the powerful in society are in support of.
Examine each situation that you find yourself in and make your own judgement. Believe in your God and forget about what evil forces what you to be subjected to .
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Movie goers
I have always liked going for movies ever since I was young. As I grew up I lost interest in watching movies.
For a successful movie to take place there must be three ingredients . It must have a producer , a title and actors.
Our lives are like movies. God is the producer of our lives. The title of each man's life is created by man himself. God gives us the choice to make the titles of our lives. For example one can choose to be an engineer or a shop owner .
Most people think that one's destiny in life is dependent on fate. This is far from the truth. You become what you think you will be.
Each one of us is born with a passion for something. Have you discovered your passion ? When you do something out of passion it becomes a pleasure.
The actor part of our lives is how we play our roles as per "title" of our "movies".
If one does not play his or her role in life they become like a movie goer who only watches what others have created.
Do not be movie goer. Discover your passion today and start nurturing it to enjoy your life !
If we do not play our parts in life then others will play it for us!
For a successful movie to take place there must be three ingredients . It must have a producer , a title and actors.
Our lives are like movies. God is the producer of our lives. The title of each man's life is created by man himself. God gives us the choice to make the titles of our lives. For example one can choose to be an engineer or a shop owner .
Most people think that one's destiny in life is dependent on fate. This is far from the truth. You become what you think you will be.
Each one of us is born with a passion for something. Have you discovered your passion ? When you do something out of passion it becomes a pleasure.
The actor part of our lives is how we play our roles as per "title" of our "movies".
If one does not play his or her role in life they become like a movie goer who only watches what others have created.
Do not be movie goer. Discover your passion today and start nurturing it to enjoy your life !
If we do not play our parts in life then others will play it for us!
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