Kenya: Beijing Notebook

http://allafrica.com/stories/200808230036.html

Kenya: Beijing Notebook

The Nation (Nairobi)

COLUMN
22 August 2008
Posted to the web 23 August 2008

Elias Makori
Beijing

Life for African journalists in far flung locations of assignment, like Asia, can be an expensive affair. Most of them settle for budget accommodation and, sometimes, do on a one meal-a day. But there's this Nigerian journalist who has taken the idea of cost-cutting to a whole new embarrassing level.

He has been lodging at the Main Press Centre's press working room for the last three weeks, turning the centre's lounge seats into his bed for the night.

For his ablutions, the showers in the gym next door do just fine The press centre has all you need, from showers to a chemist and restaurants.

With official media hotels here charging, on average, 200 Euros (Sh20,000) a night, this scribe is hell bent on saving 6,000 Euros (Sh600,000) from his month's tour of duty, never mind the embarrassment he has caused his African colleagues.

Stipend delays agony for Kenyan students

China is becoming a popular destination for Kenyan students. Their profile here would lead one to but commend education permanent secretary Karega Mutahi and his team at Jogoo House.

The Kenyans on government scholarship are deserving 'A' students taking up, mainly, graduate and undergraduate courses in medicine.

This is unlike students from other African nations, largely undeserving sons and daughters of diplomats, government ministers and even heads of state on government scholarships.

The only blot in the Kenyan story is that the students here get their stipend from Nairobi late, sometimes not at all, making life here somewhat unbearable.

I know Mutahi, an avid sportsman, is reading and will celebrate the bouquet and ward off the barb by addressing the issue.

Catchy headlines spice up sole English Daily

The standards of journalism in China are quite high, at least judging from China Daily the only English language newspaper on offer here. It publishes The Olympian- a daily tabloid pullout dedicated to the Games.

Here are some of its catchy headlines. "Turkish delight", was one describing Turkey's first gold from wrestling while another: "Mexican puts breaks on Mercedes" describes Mexico's Guillermo Perez's taekwondo final win over Dominica's Yulis Gabriel Mercedes.

"Wariner must win on Merritt" screams another, previewing Thursday's 400m final in which LeShawn Meritt won and rival Jeremy Wariner the silver.

"America vows to spoil China beach party" is another, on the hosts' chances in the beach volleyball women's final which the USA won.

China's Anti-corruption drive in full swing

The anti-graft drive here is in top gear. China's National Bureau of Corruption Prevention is putting tighter controls on officials' overseas trips.

These include restricting expenses for business trips and carrying out pre-auditing as officials capitalise on the economic and cultural change here to pocket public funds.

One wonders if a pre-audit was done on the number of shopping mall-happy state officials here, allegedly to back Kenya's Olympic dream.

This is unlike students from other African nations, largely undeserving sons and daughters of diplomats, government ministers and even heads of state on government scholarships.

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As a former African student in China, I find this statement from the Kenyan journalist rather insulting. This is the kind of BS written by "journalists" who clearly have no clue about what they are writing about.

.......how did he know  about other african students in china  and how they acquired scholarships....irresponsible journalism......

I have to comment on this....."No offence,but Kenya??? Come on,people, how did that blogger or journalist know that only most kenyans get those kind of scholarships or even study medicine in CHina??? It's finny how people are always judgemental....

http://allafrica.com/stories/200808230036.html

The standards of journalism in China are quite high, at least judging from China Daily the only English language newspaper on offer here.

You gotta be kidding me,...this dude has no clue!

He might have been brainwashed or something...

This is unlike students from other African nations, largely undeserving sons and daughters of diplomats, government ministers and even heads of state on government scholarships.

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As a former African student in China, I find this statement from the Kenyan journalist rather insulting. This is the kind of BS written by "journalists" who clearly have no clue about what they are writing about.

Hmm...the article is obviously biased and not entirely factual, but the author has a point.  Although there are many of us here due to merit, I personally know more African students who are here because they "know someone who knows someone... .  In some cases, you won't believe how 'well-connected' some of these Africans are.

Surely you've met a few African scholarship students who seemed like they were far too...ahem..."intellectually challenged" to be on a scholarship?

...knows someone who knows someone...with africa...this is almost very true...not all but am sure most students on scholarship are sons n daughters of some corrupt government officials back home... gluttons ....they can afford on their own but since its free n at their fathers fingertips they r here trying to look needy n deserving...while bright boys r toiling in deserts n ghettos..shame on u if u fit this group n may u fail as usual

It wouldn't be fair to blame these kids...if you were in their situation wouldn't you take advantage of the opportunities your parents provided you with?

...i would take the opportunities provided by my parents for sure...n i would feel bad if a guy blamed me for it like i did to  them but i would not take a scholarship if i was daft n if really my parents had a way to pay fees instead of taking away chances given to poor deserving kids i would ask them to pay my college instead coz they can..but maybe i would be of a diffrent character ...the type that is ordered around even when its clear ur helping commit crimes..who knows

I don't know what the system is like in the other African countries but in my country, everyone who's able to achieve grades that are average and above gets a "scholarship" abroad and China is one of the countries we're sent to.

So let's say there are 10 spots available, students meeting our national scholarship criteria is prioritized (if you meet scholarship requirements there's absolutely no way you won't be funded, despite your political orientation).  If only 4 wants it, then the 6 remaining spots goes to anyone in the country who meets the CSC requirements.  Usually, it's the people working at the Ministry of Education who'll get the information before anybody else so they get to tell their relatives/family members to apply asap.

As some of us from Africa are here based on merit, I'm guessing the system in my country is quite similar to the system in many parts of Africa, i.e. someone who deserves the scholarship is prioritized.

...to say the truth its not fair to the deserving students who lose out as their slots are awarded to connected ones...this is why the bad gene is always on top in africa...the gene that cant help change things for the better coz they are bad not by choice but geneticaly...its the looting class from the babies to elders...sad.

...this is why the bad gene is always on top in africa...the gene that cant help change things for the better coz they are bad not by choice but geneticaly...its the looting class from the babies to elders...sad.

African governments are made up of African people.  Africans have this particular mentality, which has a lot to do with the way Africans govern a country.

Just like on the other thread where you were defending Africans who have no choice but to live in China illegally due to poverty, tarnishing the continent's reputation and killing opportunities for others due to these illegal activities - Africans are generally selfish people.  If we could live in luxury at someone else's expense then that's what we would choose to do.

If you think about it, our "corrupt" governments are doing what any African would do under the same circumstances.

Edited because what I originally wrote was on the rude side.

i meant that the looting class is made up of this connected class...we can never say that africans are all selfish!...this people who are in positions to make decisions are mostly corrupt....not all but a good number...