End of a Chapter and.....

After spending three and a half years in kenya, I have decided to go back to the US. It has been a worthwhile experience. I can now say that I know Kenya, and i will stop romanticizing the country and see it for what it is.
My decision to go back to the US is mainly financial. I hope to go, work very hard for a given period and come back with a sober image of Kenya.
My trip is on Thursday and Friday, so the next post will be from Obamaland.
I hope my relocation will generate more worthwhile posts.

Najivunia kuwa Mkenya!

US Embassy Frustrations

I have been lucky not to enter the US Embassy though I have travelled there many time.
Many of my family members and friends have told me of their frustrations and these frustrations got me thinking!
If you are a young person who just cleared highschool and you have the ambition to go study in the US, you will most likely spend countless hours preparing and lots of money before you finally go to the US Embassy for an visa interview.
Some of the things that you would do is:
1. Research and shortlist a few universities
2. Take the SAT or ACT
3. Take the toefl
4. Apply to the shortlisted schools---each school will charge an application fee (not less the 50USD)
5. Wait patiently for test results, wait patiently for school acceptance or rejection etc.

Once a school accepts you and offers you an i-20, you can log on to the US Embassy website to schedule an appointment.
A visa interview cost money (money that majority of Kenyans struggle to afford)

I have been told that the Interview is short, to the point and in a few minutes you can know whether all your efforts were in vain or you have been cleared to go the US.

My problem with the process is when people get rejected.
The US Embassy does not bother to tell anyone why he/she failed the interview.
If they disclosed such information, the individual can go and rectify that issue and come back.

It is a known fact that once you have been rejected once, chance are you will never be granted a visa. Isnt it dishonest and cruel to send someone away without a reason after all that hard work?

I believe the Kenyan Government should lobby for its citizens; petition the US Embassy to at least give a reason for rejecting an individual.

Visa interviews are a cashcow for the Embassy!
Visa Fees: at least Kshs. 11,200 per person per visit
Les say they interview 20 people per day...that would mean that they are collecting Kshs. 224,000 everyday. To make matters worse, they have a big notice on the website: Appointments once booked cannot be changed or cancelled.
That means if an emergency occurs on the day of, or there is huge traffic and you are a few minutes late, you have lost Kshs. 11,200.

As I mentioned, I am glad that I have never gone to the US Embassy but I think they are mistreating Kenyans and other foreigners with their stringed policies.

IIEC and Voter Registration

Voter Registration started March 22, 2010 and lasted 45 days.
This was to ensure that the voter register for the referendum was in place.
Referendum has now come and gone, and we have a new constitution.
I live in Juja Constituency where a by election is planned to take place Sept 20th.
Since voter registration is closed, how does one go about voting for his/her MP of choice if you had not registered during the referendum?
I am asking this because I have some friends who have come back from abroad since the voter registration process closed and they want to vote; IIEC has told them that they are not registering new voters at the moment. Isnt that being denied their civil rights?
Besides the guys who were abroad, there are young people who have become eligible to vote since the voter registration exercise...what about their rights?

IIEC should clarify their stand on new voters registration process.